NFL 2024 Week 2 Prequel
Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins was the Thursday night game. The Bills swept the season last year to steal the division from Miami. Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted on his first drive. Ingram returned the pick 25 yards to the Buffalo 37. On 2nd and 2 from the Miami 16, Allen threw incomplete. Then on 3rd and 2 Johnson lost a yard. Rather than kick an easy 35 yard field goal, Sean McDermott took a big gamble and went for it. Allen hit cook for the 17 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bills. After a touchback, Tagovailoa hit Smith for 15 and Tyreek Hill for 10. Achane ran for 14 and 8. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 18, Tagovailoa hit Jalen waddle for 17. After a false start, Tagovailoa hit Achane for a 5 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 70 yard, 6 12 minute drive and make it 7-7.
Tagovailoa was intercepted again to give the Bills a short field at the Miami 44 as the first quarter was ending. In the second quarter the Bills moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Miami 25. Allen threw incomplete twice. Tyler Bass hit a 43 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Bills. The Bills got it back at their own 15. Allen went deep to Shakir for 21 with 15 more tacked on for defensive unnecessary roughness. Davis gained 8 and 10. On 3rd and 12 from the Miami 34, Allen went to deep to Johnson for a 33 yard gain down to the one. Cook got the last yard to make it 17-7 Bills. After a touchback, the Dolphins moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Buffalo 44. Alec Ingold got the carry and lost a yard. Mike McDonald decided to go for it on 4th and 2. Tagovailoa was sacked. The Bills took over just past midfield. One play and 9 seconds later, the Bills were in the end zone again. Cook raced for the 49 yard touchdown to make it 24-7 Bills with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half.
After a touchback, The Dolphins moved to a 2nd and 3 at the Buffalo 16 with 12 seconds left in the half. Tagovailoa threw incomplete but wasted 8 seconds in doing so. Instead of a pair of shots at the end zone, the Dolphins on 3rd and 3 only had 4 seconds to work with. Mike McDaniel opted for the field goal. Sanders hit from 34 to get the Dolphins within 24-10. In the third quarter the Dolphins took over at their own 11 and moved to a 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Tagovailoa found Ingram. Problem: Ingram plays defense for Buffalo. He returned the interception 31 yards for a defensive touchdown to have the Bills dominating up 21. Making matters worse, Tagovailoa was injured on a drive later in the third quarter. He sustained a concussion and did not return. As talented as Tagavailoa is, he has a history of bad concussions in his short career. Thompson came in and moved the Dolphins to a 1st and goal at the 7. The defense dug in. On 4th and goal at the 8, Thompson was sacked. 31-10 Bills
Las Vegas Raiders at Baltimore Ravens — The Ravens lost a heartbreaker at Kansas City by a toe. The Raiders lost badly in their opener and were expected to get blown out in this game. Their defense is much better but their offense is much worse. The Ravens began at their own 45 and Justin Tucker hit a 48 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Ravens. The Raiders hung tough and moved from their own 28 to a 3rd and 3 at the Baltimore 32. A run lost 3 yards. Daniel Carlson hit a 53 yard field goal in the second quarter for a 3-3 game. Tucker hit again from 42 to give the Ravens a 6-3 lead. Minshew was then intercepted, but the Raiders dodged a bullet when all world Tucker missed from 56. Carlson hit from 51 to tie the game 6-6 with only 1:37 left in the half. That was enough time after a touchback for the Ravens to move to a 3rd and 2 at the Raiders 14 with 7 seconds left in the half. The Raiders dodged a bullet when John Harbaugh opted not to run another play since the Ravens were out of timeouts. Tucker hit from 32. The Ravens led 9-6, but this supposed blowout was a street fight.
After a third quarter touchback, the Ravens sought to break the game open. Hill ran for 14. Lamar Jackson hit Mark Andrews for 16. Derrick Henry ran for 29. Jackson hit Bay Flowers for an 8 yard touchdown. Now the Ravens led 16-6. Their defense would surely finish off the overmatched Raiders. After a touchback, the Raiders moved to a 4th and 2 at the Baltimore 25. Needing 2 scores and still only midway through the third quarter, a field goal made sense. Yet Antonio Pierce wanted more. Rather than move the chains, Minshew threw deep incomplete. Yet the Raiders got a break and got the ball back when Jackson was intercepted. On 3rd and 7 from the Baltimore 43, Minshew went to Jakobi Meyers for 13. On 3rd and 8 from the Baltimore 28, Minshew went deep to rookie Brock Bowers for 27 down to the one. Mattison got the yard. After three quarters, the Raiders were only down 16-13.
The Ravens took over at their own 24. On 2nd and 11 from their own 32, Jackson went deep to Bateman for 18 to end the third quarter. The Ravens began the fourth quarter at midfield. Jackson hit Isaiah Likely for 15. Henry ran for 17. Henry ran for a 3 yard touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the Ravens led 23-13. At this point the game was over. The Raiders had lost 49 straight games when trailing by 10 or more points in the fourth quarter. The Baltimore defense was a buzzsaw.
After a touchback, a sack of Minshew was negated by a defensive facemark. Minshew nearly had his head taken off, but the Raiders were at their own 45. They moved to a 3rd and goal at the 6, where Minshew threw incomplete. 9 1/2 minutes remained and the Raiders still needed 2 scores. This time Antonio Pierce played it safe. Carlson hit the 24 yard field goal to get the Raiders within 23-16. The Ravens then faced 3rd and 1 at their own 29. A false start killed the drive as the defense forced Jackson to throw incomplete. The Raiders took over at their own 30. Minshew went deep to Davantae Adams for 29 and to Bowers for 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Baltimore 20, Minshew went to Bowers for 11. A sack of Minshew meant 3rd and goal at the 17. Minshew then threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 16 yards and 1st and goal at the one. Minshew hit Adams for the one yard touchdown. The Raiders tied the game 23-23 but 4 minutes still remained. That was plenty of time for the Ravens to handle business and get a win.
Instead Jackson was blasted for a 9 yard loss. With 2 1/2 minutes left, the Ravens punted on 4th and 16 from their own 24. Stout shanked a 24 yarder. Making matters worse, a penalty on Baltimore gave the Raiders gift field position at the Baltimore 43. One first down would mean long field goal range. Zamir White gained 8 and Minshew hit Meyers for 8 more. The Ravens took their last timeout with 1:57 left. Antonio Pierce played it very conservatively, running safe runs up the middle twice. With 30 seconds left, Carlson came in for a 38 yard field goal try to give the Raiders the lead. Carlson was good, but the Ravens still had 27 seconds to work with. After a touchback and an 11 yard gain, the Ravens were already at their own 41. They had the best kicker in the game. Another 20 yards would be enough to force overtime. After a spike, Jackson threw incomplete twice. One second remained. Rather than try a Hail mary, Jackson ran up the middle for 25 yards and lateraled the ball. The Ravens did get as far as the Raiders 29 yard line, but no further. 13 unanswered points gave the silver and black a shocking come from behind victory and left the Ravens an even more shocking 0-2 on the year. Just win baby. 26-23 Raiders
Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars — Both teams lost their openers. The Browns were crushed at home while the Jaguars had a lead on the road and gave the game away. The Browns took over at their own 11. On 3rd and 5 from their own 33, Deshaun Watson hit Moore for 22. On 2nd and 20 from their own 45, Watson hit newly acquired Jerry Jeudy for 21 and again for 9. On 3rd and 14 from the Jacksonville 16, Watson hit Bell for 12. Watson ran for a one yard touchdown to cap the staggering 16 play, 89 yard drive that took nearly 9 1/2 minutes off the clock and put the Browns up 7-0. The Browns got it back at their own 24 and marched 12 plays in eating up another 6 1/2 minutes. Dustin Hopkins hit a 53 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Browns. The Jaguars after a touchback moved to a 1st and goal at the 2 in the second quarter but could not punch it in. A run lost 2 yards and Trevor Lawrence threw incomplete twice. Little hit the 22 yard field goal to get the Jaguars on the board, but Hopkins hit from 38 in the second quarter and from 44 in the third quarter to make it 16-3 Browns. Things got worse for the Jaguars when Little doinked a 43 yard try off the upright no good.
The Jaguars finally got back in the game late in the third quarter from their own 28. Lawrence went deep to Thomas for a 66 yard gain. Travis Etienne ran for 2 and then for the 4 yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 16-10. The Jaguars got the ball back at their own 10 and moved 83 yards in 13 plays and nearly 7 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 2, a touchdown pass by Lawrence that would have given the Jaguars the lead was nullified by an illegal shift. Lawrence then threw a pair of incompletions. Little hit the 25 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 16-13 midway through the fourth quarter. The Browns after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Jacksonville 24. Yet a 15 yard run by Foreman that would have meat 1st and goal was wiped out by an offensive facemask penalty and consecutive offensive holding calls. On 3rd and 36…yes, 3rd and 36…a give up run gained only 9 and did not get the Browns into field goal range. Yet a terrific punt pinned the Jaguars at their own 2 yard line just past the 2 minute warning. There would be no 98 yard drive. Instead the defense forced a safety to lock up the win. 18-13 Browns
New York Jets at Tennessee Titans — Both teams looked awful in their season opening loss. The Titans took over at their own 32. On 3rd and 5 from their 42, Will Levis hit Calvin Ridley for 15. Spears gained 6 and 7. On 2nd and 11 from the Jets 22, Levis hit Whyte for 12. Ridley ran for a 10 yard touchdown as the 6 1/2 minute drive put the Titans up 7-0. The defenses dug in. Midway through the second quarter, the Titans took over at their own 25. Levis went deep and was quickly intercepted. The Jets took over at their own 27. On 3rd and 8, Aaron Rodgers hit Lazard for just enough. Rodgers hit Allen for 11. Rodgers went to Wilson for 16. On 3rd and 2 from the Tennessee 28, Rodgers hit Wilson for 6 and Conklin for 10. Rodgers went to Allen for a 10 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 73 yard, 5 minute drive and make it 7-7 with 1:47 left in the first half.
The Titans took over at their own 26 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Jets 17 with 20 seconds left in the half. Levis was then sacked to kill the drive. Nick Folk hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Titans. The Jets began the third quarter facing 3rd and 15 at their own 25. Rodgers threw incomplete but a 15 yard roughing the passer penalty was a killer. Breece Hall then took an end around 30 yards. Rodgers then went deep to Hall for a 26 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Jets. The Jets then blocked a punt to take over at the Tennessee 30. Yet on 2nd and 6 from the Tennessee 15, Rodgers threw incomplete twice. Greg Zuerlein hit a 33 yard field goal for a 17-10 Jets advantage.
The Titans soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 38. Levis gained 21. Levis went deep to Ridley for a 40 yard touchdown and a 17-17 tie after three quarters. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Jets faced 3rd and 1 at their own 35. Rather than just move the chains, Rodgers went deep to Wilson for 26. On 2nd and 16 from the Tennessee 45, Rodgers went deep to Williams for 19. Braelon Allen ran for a 20 yard touchdown to put the Jets back up by 7 with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, the Titans moved the ball down the field. They took their first timeout on 2nd and goal at the 8 with 35 seconds left. Levis threw incomplete and was then sacked as the Titans took another timeout with 23 ticks left. On 4th and goal at the 14, Levis threw incomplete. The final defensive stand was the difference as Aaron Rodgers got his first win with his new team. 24-17 Jets
San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings — Both teams won their home openers, but not much stock was put into Minnesota’s own at the woeful Giants. The defending NFC Champion 49ers would present a far sterner test. A defensive first quarter saw the 49ers punt from midfield and the Vikings block it. Jackson picked up the blocked punt and race 37 yards to the San Francisco 24. Yet on 3rd and goal t the 4, Sam Darnold threw incomplete. Reichard hit a 22 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Vikings. The 49ers took over at their own 10 yard line and methodically moved 88 yards in 15 plays and nearly 9 1/2 minutes. On 4th and goal at the 2 in the second quarter, Kyle Shanahan decided to go for it. Everyone knows Shanahan hates running the ball. Darnold threw incomplete and the 49ers came up snake eyes. The Minnesota defense produced a goal line stand and their offense gave NFL fans the play of the year so far. Darnold went bombs away to Justin Jefferson, who crisscrossed the field for a 97 yard touchdown as the Vikings led 10-0. The 49ers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 2 at the Minnesota 43. Shanahan went for it again and Brock Purdy was only able to scramble for one yard.
The Vikings had all the momentum and a 1st and 10 at the San Francisco 21 with less than 5 minutes left in the half. Darnold was intercepted by Fred Warner, who returned the pick 25 yards to his own 35. Purdy went deep to Deebo Samuel for 28. Mason ran for 7 and 22. Purdy hit George Kittle for a 7 yard touchdown. With 1:53 left in the half the 49ers were within 10-7. After a touchback, the Vikings moved to a 3rd and 10 at the San Francisco 38 with 11 seconds left. Darnold scrambled for 18 and the Vikings took their last timeout with 3 seconds left. Rather than from 57 yards out, Reichard’s field goal try was a more manageable 39. He was good and the Vikings took a 13-7 lead to the locker rooms. In the third quarter, Purdy was intercepted by Meteilus, who returned it 12 yards to the Frisco 10. One play and 4 seconds later, Darnold hit Naylor for the touchdown to make it 20-7 Vikings.
The 49ers fumbled the ball away, and the Vikings had a chance to deliver the knockout blow. From the San Francisco 20, Darnold hit Jones for 18. Yet Jones got hit at the 2 yard line and fumbled the ball back. The 49ers took over at their own one yard line as the third quarter ended. Purdy came out throwing, hitting Samuel for 9 and 17, Conley for 4, and Brandon Aiyuk for 7. On 3rd and 10 from their own 42, Purdy hit Kittle for 14 with roughing the passer adding 15 more. Purdy went to Samuel for 13. After all of those passes, Mason ran for 5 and then for the 10 yard touchdown to cap 12 play, 99 yard drive. Instead of being left for dead down 27-7, the 49ers were very much alive only down 20-14 with 10 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, the Vikings moved 62 yards in 14 plays and took nearly 7 minutes off the clock. The Vikings settled for a 27 yard Reichard field goal but led comfortably 23-14 with 3 1/2 minutes left. After a touchback, the 49ers moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Minnesota 4 at the 2 minute warning. An end around by Samuel was blown up by the defense for a 9 yard loss. Needing 2 scores, Kyle Shanahan opted for the field goal. Moody delivered from 31 to get the 49ers back within 6. The onside kick failed and Darnold took a pair of knees to end it. 23-17 Vikings
Los Angeles Chargers at Carolina Panthers — The Panthers looked like the worst team in the league, getting carpet-bombed by 37 points in their season opener. Meanwhile, the Chargers had a new attitude under new coach Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers began the game facing 3rd and 2 at their own 41. JK Dobbins followed up his 5 yard run with gains of 11 and 3. Justin Herbert went to Quentin Johnson for a 29 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Chargers led 6-0. In the second quarter the Chargers faced 3rd and 1 at their own 44. Dobbins followed up his 9 yard run with a 7 yard gain. Herbert added 8 more. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Herbert went to Johnston for the touchdown to make it 13-0 Chargers. An interception of Bryce Young led to the Chargers facing 3rd and 1 at the Carolina 43. Dobbins got around the end for the first down and the touchdown as the Chargers led 20-0. League rules prevented the second half from being canceled. Eddie Pineiro hit a 38 yard third quarter field goal to prevent the shutout. Cameron Dicker hit from 46 in the third quarter and 42 in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring. The Panthers have been outscored 73-13 in 2 games as the Chargers are 2-0 on the year. 26-3 Chargers
Seattle Seahawks at New England Patriots — Neither Bill Belichick or Pete Carroll coached this game. Tom Brady and Marshawn Lynch were also retired. Nevertheless, both teams won their opener. A 15 yard punt return gave the Patriots the ball at their own 40. Jacoby Brissett hit Hunter Henry for gains of 8 and 12 sandwiched in-between Raimondre Stevenson runs of 9 and 6. On 3rd and 2 from the Seattle 23, Brissett hit Henry for 17. Brissett hit Polk for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Patriots. The Seahawks took over at their own 28. From their 44, Geno Smith went deep to DK Metcalf for a 56 yard touchdown to tie it 7-7.
After a touchback, the Patriots moved to a 3d and 8 at the Seattle 11 in the second quarter. Brissett threw incomplete. Joey Slye hit the 29 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Patriots. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 36. Smith went to Smith-Njigba for 19. On 4th and 1 from the New England 36, rookie coach Mike MacDonald went for it. Smith gained 2. Smith then hit Smith-Njigba for 16. On 3rd and 5 from the New England 13, Smith threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 12 yard gain and 1st and goal at the one. Charbonnet got the yard to make it 14-10 Seahawks.
The Patriots after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 9 at the Seattle 10. Brissett threw incomplete. Slye hit from 28 to get the Patriots within 14-13. A 23 yard punt return gave the Seahawks the ball back just shy of midfield with 27 seconds in the half. On 3rd and 7 from the New England 48, Smith hit Fast for 14 and Metcalf for 9. Jason Myers hit a 44 yard field goal to end the half with the Seahawks up 17-13.
Late in the third quarter the Patriots took over at their own 34. Stevenson ran for 18 and 7. On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 42, Brissett hit Gibson for 7. On the last play of the third quarter, Brissett went to Henry for an 11. The fourth quarter began with the Patriots facing 3rd and 2 at the Seattle 3. Stevenson gained 2 and then took a direct shotgun snap for the one yard touchdown to put the Patriots back on top 20-17. The Patriots got the ball back at their own 20 and moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Seattle 21. Brissett was sacked. Slye’s 48 yard field goal try to extend the lead was no good.
The Seahawks took over at their own 38 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the New England 15. Smith got the carry and got stuffed for no gain as the clock ticked down to one minute left in regulation. On 4th and 1, rookie coach Mike MacDonald was not in a gambling mood. Myers hit the 38 yard field goal to tie the game. The Patriots got the ball first in overtime and punted. The Seahawks moved from their own 16, aided by a 20 yard defensive pass interference call. On 2nd and 1 from the New England 13, MacDonald wasn’t taking any chances. Myers came in for a 31 yarder to win it. Myers was good as MacDonald got to 2-0 as a first time head coach, handing Jerod Mayo his first loss. 23-20 Seahawks, OT
New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys — Both teams blasted inferior opponents in Week 1, but the Saints were expected to come back down to earth in Week 2. The Cowboys had the highest paid player in the league in Dak Pescott and highest paid receive in CeeDee Lamb. This game was never competitive. The Saints began facing 3rd and 2 at their own 28. Derek Carr hit Rashid Shaheed for 17 and again for 9. Carr went deep to Chris Olave for 39. Alvin Kamara ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Saints. The Cowboys did get a 52 yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey, but the Saints offense kept rolling. One play and 9 seconds after a touchback, Carr went to Shaheed for a 70 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Saints.
The Cowboys moved from their own 39 to a 3rd and 10 at the New Orleans 15. Prescott was sacked. Aubrey hit from 38 to get the Cowboys within 14-6. Yet after a touchback, the Saints kept coming. Carr went to Kamara for a 57 yard touchdown to make it 21-6 Saints. The Cowboys soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 30. Dowdle gained 5. On the next play, Prescott connected with Lamb for a 65 yard touchdown to get the Cowboys within 21-13.
It didn’t matter. The Saints offense was unstoppable. After a touchback, the Saints soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 45. Carr went to Olave for 10. Kamara ran for 6 and 15. Kamara ran for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 28-13 Saints with 2:48 left in the half. With one minute left in the half, an interception of Prescott saw Adebo return the pick 47 yards to the New Dallas 20. Carr hit Olave for 19 and got the last yard himself as the Saints poured it on up 35-13.
Aubrey hit field goals of 48 to end the half and 40 in the third quarter to get the Cowboys within 35-19, but they would get no closer. They kicked field goals while the Saints scored touchdowns. The last Dallas field goal came because on 3rd and 8 from the New Orleans 9, Prescott was sacked. Dennis Allen’s defense was eating up Mike McCarthy’s offense, but now Allen also had an offense. After a touchback, the Saints moved 70 yards in 12 plays and 8 minutes. Kamara scored again, this time from 7 yards out. The extra point was blocked but the Saints were up 41-19. The Cowboys went for it inside their own red zone and turned it over on downs. Grupe hit a 26 yard field goal to complete the scoring.
The Saints have outscored opponents 91-29 in two games. Carr certainly doesn’t look washed up. It’s early, but right now he looks like an MVP. The Saints have yet to punt the ball or turn it over this season. They have scored every single time they had the ball, with 10 touchdowns and 4 field goals. Meanwhile Jerry Jones was a most unhappy man at Happy Valley. Jerrah may fire everyone and blow the whole thing up if the Cowboys don’t fix things now. 44-19 Saints
New York Giants at Washington Commanders — Both teams looked awful in season opening losses. This was expected to be the Stupor Bowl. Austin Ekeler returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a Washington touchdown, but offensive holding nullified the touchdown. The Commanders would reach a 4th and 1 at the Giants 6. Dan Quinn tied to go for it, but a false start killed the attempt. Austin Seibert hit a 27 yard field goal, a common theme on the day. Siebert was a lone bright spot as the Commanders led 3-0. A 28 yard kickoff return with 15 more yards tacked on for unsportsmanlike conduct had the Giants taking over at their own 47. Daniel Jones went to Nabers for 28. Devin Singletary ran for a 7 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Giants led 6-3.
In the second quarter, Siebert hit field goals of 45 and 26. The Commanders again bogged down in the red zone but led 9-6 with 1:45 left in the half. The Giants took over at their own 31. Jones hit Malik Nabors for 13, Robinson for 11, and Darrius Slayton for 11. Jones hit Nabers for 21. Jones ran for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Washington 4 with 8 seconds left in the half, Jones hit Nabers for the touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed but the Giants led 12-9 at the midpoint.
The Giants fumbled the ball away in Washington territory in the third quarter. Again the Commanders moved the ball deep, only to bog down in the red zone. Seibert hit from 27 for a 12-12 game. It was Deja vu all over again as the Commanders settled for a 29 yard Seibert field goal and a 15-12 lead. After a touchback, Jones hit Nabers for 13. Singletary ran for 18 and 4. The fourth quarter began with the Giants facing 4th and 3 at the Washington 31. A 49 yard field goal would tie the game, but Brian Daboll went for it. Jones hit Nabers for 4. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Jones hit Robinson for the touchdown. Again Daboll went for 2 and again the Giants failed to convert. Instead of a 21-15 lead, the Giants only led 18-15. Yet they were scoring touchdowns while the Commanders were only kicking field goals.
It didn’t matter. The ensuing kickoff failed to reach the landing zone, setting up the Commanders at their own 40. They moved to a 1st and goal at the 6, but a pair false starts killed the drive. Seibert hit the 33 yarder to tie the game 18-18 midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants moved from their own 32 to a 4th and 4 at the Washington 22. A 40 yard field goal try would give them the lead with 2:04 left. Yet Brian Daboll for whatever reason decided to go for it and gamble on 7 when he only needed 3. Jones threw incomplete. Rookie Jayden Daniels did not throw a touchdown pass in this game. The Commanders could not score a touchdown the whole game. Yet Seibert hit 7…yes, 7…field goals, one shy of the NFL record in a game. His 7th and final field goal was from 30 yards out. It came on the last play of the game as the clock hit double zeroes to keep the Giants winless, witless and worthless. 21-18 Commanders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions — The Buccaneers are a decent team with Baker Mayfield, but the Lions were supposed to steamroll them after barely missing out on the Super Bowl last year. After a touchback to start, the Buccaneers moved to a 3rd and goal at the 3. Mayfield was sacked and fumbled, but the Buccaneers retained possession. Chase Mclaughlin hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. One play after a touchback, Jared Goff was intercepted. The Buccaneers had a short field at the Detroit 44. They settled for a 55 yard McLaughlin field goal for a 6-0 Buccaneers lead. Then it was the Lions turn to move after a touchback to a 3rd and goal at the 3. Goff threw incomplete. Bates hit from 22 to get the Lions on the board. Bates would hit again from 35 in the second quarter for a 6-6 game.
The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 30. Mayfield went to Chris Godwin for 17, again for 11, and finally deep to him for a 41 yard touchdown. The game’s first end zone visit had the Buccaneers up 13-6. Bates would hit a 32 yard field goal early in the third quarter to get the Lions within 13-9. The Lions got it back and faced 3rd and 10 at their own 32. Goff went to Williams for 13. Gibbs gained 16. On 3rd and 4 from the Tampa Bay 27, Goff hit Sam LaPorta for 7. On 3rd and 8 from the Tampa Bay 18, Goff hit Amra St Brown for 17 down ti the one. Montgomery got in to put the Lions up 16-13. After a touchback, a defensive facemark penalty was followed by Mayfield hitting McMillan for 21. On 3rd and 4 from the Detroit 22, Mayfield gained 11. Mayfield then ran for an 11 yard touchdown to put the Buccaneers back up by 4 after three quarters. The defenses dominated the fourth quarter. First Goff was intercepted. Then twice the Lions turned it over on downs. After spiking the ball to stop the clock with 14 seconds left, Goff had 3 chances from the Tampa 26. Three incompletions later, the Buccaneers had the upset road win. 20-16 Buccaneers
Indianapolis Colts at Green Bay Packers — In useless trivia news, both of these teams were terrible 30 years ago when Lindy Infante coached them. In more serious news, Malik Willis would have to lead the Packers after the injury to Jordan Love in the final seconds of their opening week loss in Brazil. Narveson hit a 46 yard field goal on the opening drive to make it 3-0 Packers. The Packers got the ball back at their own 18. Reed gained 22. Josh Jacobs gained 2, 5 and on 3rd and 3, another 5. On 3rd and 2 from the Indianapolis 40, Wilson gained 4. On 3rd and 4 from the Indianapolis 14, Willis went to Wicks for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Packers. After a scoreless second quarter, Colts coach Shane Steichen in the third quarter gambled on 4th and 4 at his own 46. Anthony Richardson threw incomplete. Narveson hit a 42 yard field goal to have the Packers up 13-0.
The Colts finally got on the board in the third quarter when Matt Gay hit a 34 yard field goal. Yet early in the fourth quarter fro 50, Gay was no good. Narveson added a 34 yard field goal but after an interception of Richardson, Narveson would miss from 45 as the Packers led 16-3. With 4 minutes left from his own 35, Richardson tried to lead a rally. Richardson hit Pierce for 18 and Pittman for 11. At the 2 minute warning the Colts faced 4th and 11 at the Green Bay 15. The Colts needed a miracle and got one when Richardson scrambled for just enough. Richardson the hit Pierce for a 4 yard touchdown tog et the Colts within 6 with 1:47 left. The onside kick failed but the Colts took their timeouts on defense. A perfect punt pinned the Colts at their own 5 yard line with 42 seconds left. They reached their own 41 with 4 seconds left. Richardson’s Hail Mary was intercepted at the one yard line. 16-10 Packers
Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals — Both teams lost heartbreaking openers, but the Rams were expected to plow through the Cardinals without much trouble. This game was never a contest. Sean McVay gambled on 4th and 2 from the Arizona 41. Matthew Stafford completed a pass for only one yard. James Conner then ran for 16 to have the Cardinals in business. Kyler Murray went to Harrison for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. A 17 yard punt return gave the Cardinals great field position again at their own 40. One play and 10 seconds later, the Cardinals led 14-0 as Murray hit Harrison for a 60 yard touchdown. The next time the Cardinals got the ball, they were pinned at their own one yard line. Murray went to Harrison for 15. On 2nd and 19 from their own 7, a run only gained 3 yards but defensive holding meant a new set of downs. Murray went to Harrison for 32. On 3rd and 5 from the Rams 18 early in the second quarter, Murray hit Higgins for the touchdown to make it 21-0 Cardinals.
The rest of the game was pointless. Harty hit a 29 yard field goal for the Rams and Matt Prater answered from 48 to make it 24-3 Cardinals at the half. After a second half touchback, the Cardinals moved to ice the game. On 2nd and 15 from their own 41, Murray ran for 26. Conner added 22. Conner ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 31-3 Cardinals. Prater drilled a 57 yard field goal to make it 34-3 Cardinals. The Rams did manage to reach the end zone late in the third quarter, but in the fourth quarter the Cardinals scored in the luckiest way to cap a 70 yard drive. Conner fumbled near the goal line but the Cardinals recovered it in the Rams end zone anyway. In a stunner, the Cardinals blasted the Rams to pieces. Making matters worse for the Rams, star wide receiver Cooper Kupp was injured and will miss several weeks. He was placed on injured reserve. 41-10 Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos — The Steelers won ugly in their opener on the road as Justin Fields prepared to sub in for the injured Russell Wilson fort he seconds straight week. Meanwhile, Bo Nix had a rocky start to his NFL career. This was another ugly game for both teams. In the first quarter the Steelers faced 3rd and 5 at their own 27. Fields hit George Pickens for 13. Fields ran fro 16. On 3rd and 3 from the Denver 37, the Denver defense jumped into the neutral zone. Jalen Warren ran for 3 and 11. Fields hit Pat Freiermuth for 14. Fields went to Washington for a 5 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 78 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Steelers. The rest of this game was too hideous for details. Chris Boswell hit a 22 yard field goal to end the half and a 53 yarder after a third quarter interception of Nix to make it 13-0 Steelers. In the fourth quarter Wil Lutz hit field goals of 35 and 29 to get the Broncos back within 7 with 1:54 to play in regulation. By the time the Broncos got the ball back at their own 19, only 9 seconds remained. From his own 34, Nix’s Hail Mary was 40 yards short of the end zone and intercepted. 26 yard Hail Marys will not get it done. Sean Payton is an offensive wizard but these things take time to gel. Meanwhile, nobody wins ugly smash mouth like Mike Tomlin. 13-6 Steelers.
Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs — These teams have played some instant classics in some of the biggest games, including a pair of AFC Title Games. This one was a wild one as well. The Bengals began at their own 38 and moved to a 2nd and goal at the 4. Joe Burrow threw incomplete twice. Evan McPherson hit a 22 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bengals.After a touchback the Chiefs had a staggering 16 play, 69 yard drive that chewed up 8 1/2 minutes. Yet despite 1st and goal at the 2, a pair of runs by Isaiah Pacheco went nowhere and a pass on 3rd and goal from Patrick Mahomes to Pacheco gained only one yard. On 4th and goal at the one, Walrus Andy Reid went conservative. Harrison Butker hit the 19 yard field goal for a 3-3 game.
An interception of Mahomes by Davis-Gaither was returned 12 yards to end the first quarter as the Bengals took over at the Kansas City 31. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Burrow Iosivas for the touchdown as the Bengals led 10-3 early in the second quarter. After a touchback, the Chiefs moved quickly. On 3rd and 4 just past midfield, Mahoems gained 5. On the next play, Mahomes went deep to Rice for a 44 yard touchdown and a 10-10 ballgame.
After a touchback, the Bengals moved to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 12. Burrow threw incomplete twice and was then sacked. McPherson hit from 33 to put the Bengals up 13-10. The Chiefs then fumbled the ball away to give the Bengals a short field at the Kansas City 46. McPherson hit a 48 yard field goal to have the Bengals up 16-10 at the midpoint.
After a third quarter touchback, Mahoems went to rookie Xavier Worthy for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Cincinnati 37, Pacheco got stopped. Rather than try a 55 yard field goal, this time Walrus Andy Reid went for it. Out of the shotgun, Steele gained 5. Mahoems ran for 7 and hit Pacheco for 13. Mahomes hit Morris for a one yard touchdown as the 13 play, 70 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Chiefs up 17-16.
After a touchback, Burrow went deep to JaMarr Chase for 47 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the Kansas City 15, Burrow gained 4. On 3rd and 1 from the Kansas City 2, Burrow got the yard. After a loss and an incompletion set up 4th and goal at the 3, a gimme field goal seemed sensible. There was still 2 minutes left in the third quarter. Yet Zac Taylor rolled the dive. Burrow hit Iosivas for the touchdown. McPherson missed the extra point. The Bengals led 22-17, but missed extra points often loom very large.
The Bengals appeared in the driver’s seat after an interception of Mahoems to end the third quarter. Yet form his own 34, the fourth quarter began disastrously for Burrow and the Bengals. After a pair of incompletions, on 3rd and 10 Burrow was sacked and fumbled. Conner recovered it for the defense and rumbled 38 yards the other way for a touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed but the Chiefs led 23-22. The Bengals moved from their own 32 to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 33. Offensive holding killed the drive but McPherson nailed a 53 yard field goal. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation the Bengals led 25-23.
The Cincinnati defense forced a punt, and the Bengals offense tried to run out the clock. Yet on 3rd and 6 from their own 42, Burrow was sacked. The Chiefs took over at their own 25 needing only a field goal to win and a full 2 1/2 minutes to work with. With 53 seconds left on 4th and 6 from their own 45, Mahomes hit Rice for 21. Yet illegal use of hands on the offense had the Chiefs facing 4th and 16 from their own 35. This was their last gasp. Mahomes threw high and incomplete. The Bengals celebrated, but it was all for naught. Defensive pass interference meant a 29 yard gain. The Bengals howled at the call. It was close, but it appeared the defender arrived a fraction of a second early. The call could have gone either way. The ball appeared high and possibly uncatchable. Nevertheless, the call stood. Butker came in for a 51 yard field goal try to win it. He was good. While nobody should care which pop stars or social media stars celebrated with or without each other, the game itself would make for an incredible AFC Title Game rematch. The Bengals are 0-2, while the Chiefs are 2-0, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 26-25 Chiefs
Chicago Bears at Houston Texans was the Sunday night game. Rookie Caleb Williams began his second ever game in prime time, while CJ Stroud showed what a rookie could do last year. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 56 yard field goal early on for the Texans, while Cairo Santos answered from 53 for a 3-3 game. The Texans took over at their own 23. Stroud went to Nico Collins for 18. On 4th and 1 from midfield, Demeco Ryans gambled. Stroud hit Stover for 18. Dell ran for 1 8 more. Offensive unnecessary roughness had the Texans facing 2nd and 24 from the Chicago 28 to start the second quarter. stroud calmly went to Collins for the touchdown to make it 10-3 Texans. Fairbairn would tack on a 47 yard field goal to make it 13-3 Texans.
A field position game had the Bears taking over just past midfield. On 3rd and 3, Williams went to Moore for 16. On 3rd and 14 from the Houston 30, Williams threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 24 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Khalil Herbert got in to get the Bears within 13-10 with only 32 seconds left in the half. Yet that was enough time for the Texans to move from their own 35 to the Chicago 41 with one second left. Fairbairn leveled a 59 yard field goal to have the Texans up 16-10 at the break. The second half was hideously ugly. An interception of Moore led to a 53 yard Fairbairn field goal early in the fourth quarter to make it 19-10 Texans. Williams was the intercepted again. The Texans moved from the Chicago 45 to a 1st and goal at the 4. On the verge of turning out the lights, Cam Akers fumbled and the Bears recovered. The bears moved from their own 3 yard line to a 3rd and 4 at the Houston 36. Williams threw incomplete. Needing 2 scores, Matt Eberflus opted for the long field goal. Santos delivered from 54 to get the Bears within 6 with 2:51 to play. The Bears held on defense and got the ball back at their own 20 with 1:37 left. Yet on 4th and 17 from their own 40 with 34 seconds left, Williams threw incomplete. 19-13 Texans
Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles was the Monday night game. One week after barely surviving the first ever NFL game in Brazil on a rare Friday Night Football edition, the Eagles were in prime time again on Monday night. They were expected to handle the Falcons, who looked awful at home in their opener. After a scoreless first quarter, the Falcons in the second quarter moved from their own 27 to the Philadelphia 21. Younghoe Koo hit a 39 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. After a touchback, Jalen Hurts hit Smith for 18. On 4th and 3 from the Atlanta 41, Nick Sirianni decided to go for it. Hurts scrambled for 23. On 3rd and 11 from the Atlanta 19, Hurts gained 15. hurts hit Smith for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Eagles. The Falcons took over at their own 14 with 5 minutes left in the half and used it all. They moved to a 1st and goal at the 3 with 22 seconds left in the half. A run lost a yard and kirk Cousins threw incomplete twice. Koo hit from 22 to end the half with the Falcons only down 7-6. After a third quarter touchback, the Falcons moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Philadelphia 8. Cousins was sacked. Koo hit again from 34 to make it 9-7 Falcons. After another touchback the Eagles moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Atlanta 6. Hurts threw incomplete. Both teams moved deep but not to the end zone. Jake Elliott hit from 29 to make it 10-9 Eagles.
After a touchback, the Falcons soon faced 4th and 4 at their own 47. The obvious call was to punt. Raheem Morris thought otherwise. Cousins hit McCloud for 12. Cousins then went deep to Mooney for a 41 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Falcons led 15-10. After a touchback, the Eagles mounted a mind-numbing 17 play, 70 yard drive that took a whopping 9 1/2 minutes off of the clock. The fourth quarter began with the Eagles facing 3rd and 4 at their own 46. Out of the shotgun, Hurts hit Covey for 9. On 4th and 1 at the Atlanta 46, Nick Sirianni went for it and Hurts took the tush push for 3 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the Atlanta 35, Hurts gained 12 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Atlanta 5, Hurts went to Saquon Barkley for 4. It was another tush push as Hurts got the one yard touchdown. Barkley ran in the 2 point conversion to put the Eagles up 18-15 with 6:47 left in regulation.
One minute later, on 4th and 1 from his own 39, Raheem Morris went for it rather than punting and playing field position. Robinson got stuffed for no gain. The Eagles moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Atlanta 10. Only 1:46 remained. The Falcons were out of timeouts. A run would take the clock down to one minute. For some crazy reason, Nick Sirianni called a pass play. Hurts threw it right to Barkley, who just dropped it. Yes, Barkley dropped it. Yet it was still a strange call that preserved 40 to 45 precious seconds of clock. Elliott hit the 29 yard field goal to put the Eagles up 21-15, but they did not close the door.
After a touchback, Cousins hit Pitts for 11. Cousins then went to Mooney for monster gains of 21 and 26. On 3rd and 5 from the Philadelphia 7, Cousins hit London for the touchdown. The Falcons now had a one point lead with only 34 seconds left. After a touchback from his own 43, Hurts went deep and was intercepted. While Cousins earned his $100 million contract on this night, the Eagles were left to wonder what could and should have been. 22-21 Falcons