NFL 2024 Week 8 Recap
Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams was the Thursday night game. The Vikings were knocked from the unbeaten ranks last week and faced a wounded Rams team. Early on the game was a track meet. After an opening touchback, Sam Darnold hit Justin Jefferson for 10 and for a pair of 17 yard gains. Darnold found Oliver for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Vikings. After a touchback, Matthew Stafford went to Pua Nacua for 13 and again for 21. Nacua had been out injured all year and was finally healthy. Stafford found Williams for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. Both teams then mounted identical 10 play, 70 yard drives that consumed about 5:45 off the clock. The Vikings after a touchback saw Darnold hit Jordan Addisonfor 14 and Jefferson for 19. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 22, Darnold gained 2. Darnold hit Sherfield for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Vikings. After a touchback Stafford hit Nacua for 16. The Rams began the second quarter facing 3rd and 7 just shy of midfield. Stafford threw incomplete but defensive holding meant an automatic first down. Williams gained 17. Stafford hit Nacua for 14. On 3rd and 7 from the Minnesota 11, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 5 yards and an automatic first down. In addition to Nacua, the Rams finally have Cooper Kupp back from injury. Stafford went to Kupp for a 7 yard touchdown. Both teams had the ball twice and scored a touchdown twice for a 14-14 game. The game slowed considerably after this.
After a third quarter touchback, the Rams moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Minnesota 46. Stafford went deep and was intercepted. The Vikings took over at their own 27 and moved to a 3rd and goal ate the 5. Darnold threw incomplete. Will Reichard hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 17-14 Vikings. After a touchback, Stafford hit Parkinson for 9, Tutu Atwell for 18 and Nacua for 19. Stafford went deep to Robinson for a 25 yard touchdown to make it 21-17 Rams. The Vikings after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Rams 17. Darnold threw incomplete. Reichard hit from 35 to get the Vikings within 21-20 with 13 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, Stafford went to Corum for 9 and Long for 18. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 29, Williams got stopped for no gain. Sean McVay gambled on 4th and 1 and this time Williams gained 3. Stafford threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 11 yards. Stafford went to Robinson for a 10 yard touchdown to have the Rams up 28-20 with 6 1/2 minutes left. With 1:36 left the Vikings had one last chance to tie the game. They were pinned at their own 5 yard line. Darnold was sacked in the end zone for a safety as the Rams locked up their 2nd straight win. The refs missed a clear facemark penalty on the safety call. Darnold had his mask twisted. The refs just blew it. After starting 5-0, the Vikings have lost 2 straight. 30-20 Rams
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns — The Ravens came in winners of 5 straight. The Browns came in losers of 5 straight. The ravens were expected to roll over the Browns. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” The Ravens began at their own 23 and moved to a 4th and 1 at the Cleveland 7. Derrick Henry got the direct snap and was blown up by the Dawg Pound for a 2 yard loss. With Deshaun Watson out for the season injured, Jameis Winston got the start. Winston is know for completing a ton of passes to both teams. The Browns from their own 10 held the ball for 8 minutes and moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Cleveland 9. Winston completed a pass for no gain. Dustin Hopkins hit the 28 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Browns. The Ravens in the second quarter moved from their own 29 to a 1st and 10 at the Cleveland 20. A run went nowhere and Lamr Jackson was sacked. Justin Tucker hit a 49 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. The Browns took over at their own 33 and moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Baltimore 14. A run lost a yard and Winston threw incomplete. Hopkins hit from 33 to make it 6-3 Browns.
With 1:15 left in the half the Browns faced 3rd and 15 at their own 37. Winston was sacked and fumbled. The Ravens took over at the Cleveland 25. Jackson hit Nelson Agholor for 14 and again for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 10-6 Ravens. After a third quarter touchback, Winston hit Jerry Jeudy for 14. On 3rd and 4 from midfield, Winston hit Moore for 17. On 3rd and 1 from the Baltimore 24, Winston got the yard. Winston then went deep to David Njoku for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 13-10 Browns The Ravens took over at their own 38. Jackson went deep to Zay Flowers for 25. On 3rd and 6 from the Cleveland 33, Jackson went to Isaiah Likely for 25. Jackson went to Mark Andrews for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 17-13 Ravens. The Browns took over at their own 28 and Chubb ran for 8 and 7. Winston went to Jeudy for 30. On 3rd and 5 from the Baltimore 22, Winston went to Tillman for the touchdown. The 4th lead change of the game had the Browns up 20-17.
The Ravens moved from their own 29 to a 2nd and 8 from the Baltimore 32. Jackson threw incomplete twice. With 13 minutes left in regulation, Tucker’s 50 yard field goal try to tie the game was no good. The Browns moved from their own 38 to a 3rd and 2 at the Baltimore 29. Chubb got the carry and lost a yard. Hopkins hit from 48 to put the Browns up 23-17 with 5 minutes left. A penalty on the kickoff had the Ravens backed up to their own 9 yard line. Jackson ran for gains of 22 and 6. Jackson went deep to Flowers for 29, to Andrews for 9, and back to Flowers for 23. Henry ran for a 2 yard touchdown. With just over 2 1/2 minutes to play, the 5th lead change had the Ravens up 24-23.
The Browns took over at their own 31. Winston hit Tillman for 12 and Jeudy for 11. On 3rd and 7 from the Baltimore 40, Winston hit Moore for just enough. With 1:08 on the clock came the key play. Winston threw a a pass straight to the defender. The Defender had it in his hands and his bread basket and somehow bobbled it and dropped it. The interception would have sealed the 6th straight win for the Ravens and the 6th straight loss for the Browns. Instead, the Browns still had life. On the very next play, Winston went deep to Tillman for a 38 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed, but with one minute left the 6th lead change had the Browns up 29-24. After a touchback, the Ravens moved to the Cleveland 24 as Jackson spiked the ball to stop the clock with 22 seconds left. Jackson threw short incomplete, leaving time for 2 shots to the end zone. Both fell incomplete as the Browns pulled off the stunner of the year. 29-24 Browns
Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions — The Titans are one of the worst teams in the league. The Lions are among the best. Sometimes a bad team can go on the road and shock a good team in an upset for the ages. This was not that game. Goliath beat up David and stole his lunch money. An early interception of Mason Rudolph set up the Lions at the Tennessee 23. David Montgomery ran for 9 and for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Lions. The Titans began at their own 25. Rudolph hit Whyte for 33 and Calvin Ridley for 26. Rudolph ran for an 11 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. One play and 10 seconds after a touchback, the Lions were in the end zone again. Gibbs ran for a 70 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Lions. The Titans after a touchback soon faced 2nd and 18 at their own 22. Rudolph went to Ridley for 47 yard gain. Rudolph hit Ridley again for 12 more. Rudolph found ridley a third time for 14. The second quarter began with Rudolph hitting Nate Westbrook-Ikhine for a 5 yard touchdown. The game was tied 14-14. After that, reality set in.
Dorsey returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards to the Tennessee 25. On 3rd and 6, Jared Goff threw incomplete but 2 defensive penalties on the same play added 13 yards and a first down. Goff went to Wright for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 21-14 Lions. One play after a touchback, Rudolph was intercepted by Karl Joseph, who returned the pick 33 yards to the Tennessee 12 yard line. On 3rd and 7, Goff went to Sam LaPorta for 8. Goff went to Amra St. Brown for a one yard touchdown to make it 28-14 Lions. Raymond then returned a punt 64 yards to again set up the Lions with excellent field position at the Tennessee 22. Gibbs ran for 9, 2 and 7. Montgomery ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 35-14 Lions,. In the final 2 minutes of the half the Titans moved after a touchback to a 1st and goal at the one. With 33 seconds left, at least one run was doable. Yet Rudolph threw 3 straight incompletions. Brian Callahan went for it and Rudolph threw his 4th straight incompletion.
NFL rules prohibited the second half from being canceled. Special teams obliterated the Titans as Raymond returned a third quarter punt 90 yards for a touchdown to make it 42-14 Lions. A Tennessee fumbles recovered by the Lions at the Tennessee 26. Goff went to Raymond for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 49-14 Lions. Bates tacked on a 52 yard field goal to complete the carpet-bombing as the fourth quarter was scoreless. 52-14 Lions
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans — With Anthony Richardson back in the lineup, it was a highly anticipated face-off between him and CJ Stroud and their teams. A strong opening kickoff return had the Texans set up at their own 43. They moved to a 4th and 5 at the Indianapolis 16. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Texans. Ashton Dulin returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards to the Houston 40. Despite the short field, after one first down to the Houston 28, Richardson threw 3 straight incompletions. Matt Gay hit from 46 for a 3-3 game. Late in the first quarter the Colts took over at their own 19. From their 31, Richardson went bombs away to Josh Downs for a 69 yard touchdown and a 10-3 Colts lead. After a touchback, Stroud went to Dalton Schultz for 16 to end the first quarter. Stroud began the second quarter by hitting Joe Mixon for 8 and Stefan Diggs for 7. On 3rd and 11 from the Indianapolis 38, Stroud hit Woods for 13 and Mixon for 11. Mixon ran for a 14 yard touchdown for a 10-10 game.
With 23 seconds left in the half the Colts faced 3rd and 3 at their own 12. Shane Steichen should have just run the ball and punted if necessary. He got big and bold in the worst possible situation. Richardson was intercepted by Pitna, who returned the pick 10 yards to the Indianapolis 7 yard line. 17 seconds remained but Stroud only needed 6 of them. One play was enough for him to hit Tank Dell for the touchdown and the 17-10 Texans halftime advantage, The third quarter belonged to the defenses and the field goal kickers. Fairbairn hit from 35 to put the Texans up 20-10. Gay answered from 37 to get the Colts back within 20-13. Fairbairn hit from 34 to put the Texans up 23-13 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, Richardson hit Pittman for 16 and Downs for 13. On 3rd and 6 from the Houston 36, Richardson went to Pierce for 11. On 3rd and 10 from the Houston 25, Richardson went to Downs for 24. Jonathan Taylor got the last yard to have the Colts within a field goal with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Colts got the ball back but had to punt at the 2 minute warning on 4th and 23 from their own 5. The Colts got it back with 50 seconds left at their own 9 and moved to a 1st and 10 just past midfield. Richardson spiked the ball with one second left to stop the clock. Richardson’s Hail Mary never happened as he was sacked. The Texans got to 6-2 with a solid grip on the division lead. 23-20 Texans
Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville Jaguars — The Packers were expected to roll over the lowly Jaguars, but the Jaguars came ready for a fight. The first quarter was scoreless. Early in the second quarter on 2nd nd 12 from his own 4, Trevor Lawrence was intercepted to set up the Packers at the Jacksonville 28. On 3rd and 6, Jordan Love drew a 21 yard defensive pass interference call. Josh Jacobs ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Packers. The Packers got it back at their own 20 and moved to a 1st and goal at the 9. An illegal shift was followed by a pair of Love incompletions sandwiched around a run that went nowhere. Brandon McManus hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Packers.
After a touchback, Lawrence went to Christian Kirk for 33 and Thomas for 18. Bigsby ran for 14. Lawrence ran for a 6 yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 10-7 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Packers managed a 38 yard McManus field goal to go up 13-7, but they left 54 seconds on the clock. That was enough time for Chase Little to respond from 39 to get the Jaguars within 13-10 at the break. Early In the third quarter Love was injured. Malik Willis finished the game. The Jaguars took over at their own 7. Lawrence went to Jones for 20. Bigby ran for 16. Bigsby got stopped short on 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 48. Doug Pederson went for it and Lawrence gained 2. Lawrence went to Kirk for 26. Lawrence hit Thomas for a 14 yard touchdown to put the Jaguars up 17-13 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Packers soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 29. Jacobs after gaining 5 and 4 got the critical 2. On 3rd and 4 from the Jacksonville 37, Willis hit Wicks for 5. Willis ran for 20 and Jacobs ripped off a 38 yard touchdown run to have the Packers up 20-17 after three quarters. The Jaguars began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 7 from their own 14. Lawrence was sacked and fumbled. The Packers took over at the Jacksonville 6. Willis hit Kraft for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 27-17 Packers.
The Jaguars proved resilient. They moved with 9 1/2 minutes left from their own 20 to a 3rd and 3 at the Green Bay 27. Lawrence out of the shotgun fumbled the snap but fell on it for a 2 yard loss. Needing 2 scores with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Doug Pederson opted for the field goal. Little hit from 47 to get the Jaguars within 27-20. The Jaguars got it back at their own 13 with 3:50 to play. Lawrence hit Evan Engram for 12, Washington for 15 and Johnson for 20. On 3rd and 5 from the Green Bay 35, Lawrence went to Strange for 21 at the 2 minute warning. Lawrence went to Engram for a 14 yard touchdown. The game was tied 27-27, but 1:48 still remained on the clock. Willis went deep to Reed for a 51 yard gain and then bled the clock. On 3rd and goal at the 6 with 2 seconds left, McManus came in for the 24 yard chip shot. McManus was good. The Jaguars were game but fell to 2-6 while the Packers got to 6-2 on the year the hard way. Doug Pederson failed to beat the team he played backup quarterback for. 30-27 Packers
Arizona Cardinals at Miami Dolphins — The Cardinals are an inconsistent team with flashes of excitement while the Dolphins have been horrendous without Tua Tagovailoa. Yet he returned to the lineup from injury, and it sparked the team for much of the game. In the first quarter the Dolphins took over at their own 36. Devon Achane ran for 11. Tagovailoa hit Alec Ingold for 16. On 3rd and 9 from their own 36, Tagovailoa hit Tyreek Hill for 13. Achane ran for 9 and caught a pass from Tagovailoa for 6. The Dolphins fumbled the ball but were lucky to retain possession. Raheem Mostert ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. The Dolphins got it back at their own 25 and moved to a 4th and 4 at the Miami 35. Jason Sanders hit the 53 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Dolphins.
After a touchback, Kyler Murray hit Marvin Harrison Jr for 25. Benson began the second quarter by running for 10.Murray went to McBride for 12. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Murray went to Wilson for the touchdown to get the cardinals within 10-7. The Dolphins moved from their own 5 yard line to a 2nd and 4 at the Arizona 6 with 26 seconds left in the half. A run lost a yard and Tagovailoa threw incomplete. Sanders hit the 25 yard field goal to put the Dolphins up 13-7 at the intermission. After a third quarter touchback, the Cardinals moved to a 1st and 10 at the Miami 33. A shotgun run by Conner was blown up for a 10 yard loss. The Cardinals settled for a 57 yard Ryland field goal to get the Cardinals within 13-10. After a touchback, Achane got around the edge for a 47 yard gain. On 3rd and 9 from the Arizona 22, Tagovailoa ran for 13. Tagovailoa found Achane for a 12 yard touchdown to have the Dolphins comfortably ahead 20-10.
Thee game changed when the Dolphins faced 2nd and 10 from their own 13. Out of the shotgun, the ball sailed over Tagovailoa’s head. To avoid giving the Cardinals a gift touchdown, Tagovailoa batted the ball out of the end zone. The safety had the Cardinals within 20-12. The Cardinals took the free kick at their own 25. Conner ran for 13. Murray hit McBride for 17. On 3rd and 6 from the Maimi 41, Murray hit Dortsch for 9. Murray went to Harrison for a 22 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try to tie the game failed but the Cardinals were within 20-18. After a touchback, Tagovailoa hit Jalen Waddle for 20. Mostert ran for 13. The fourth quarter began with the Dolphins facing 3rd and 5 at the Arizona 28. Tagovailoa hit Waddle for 15. On 3rd and 3 from the Arizona 6, Mostert got around the end for the touchdown to have the Dolphins back up 2 scores with a 27-18 lead.
After a touchback the Cardinals soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 36. Murray went to Harrison for 16 and again for 22. Murray went to McBride for 16. Conner ran for a 2 yard touchdown. With 9 minutes left in regulation the Cardinals were within 27-25. The Dolphins could not close out the game. With 6 minutes left the Cardinals took over at their own 11. On 3rd and 1, Murray went to McBride for 17. On 2nd and 15 from their own 32, Murray found Harrison for 18. Conner ran for 17. The Cardinals took the clock down to one second. On 4th and 6 from the Miami 16, Ryland came in for a 34 yard field goal to win it. Ryland was good as Miami’s season of misery continued. Twice the Dolphins led by 10 and once late led by 9. It was not enough. 28-27 Cardinals
New York Jets at New England Patriots — Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are gone. The Patriots had lost 6 straight.. Robert Saleh was gone, Aaron Rodgers was healthy, and Davante Adams was back. The Jets were out of excuses and ready to finally get a much needed win over a hated rival to save their season. The Patriots took over at their own 23. Drake Maye hit Douglas for 9. On 3rd and 5 from their own 46, Maye went to Hunter Henry for 11. Maye ran for 11. Maye ran for a 17 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Patriots. After a touchback a pair of end arounds by Breece Hall gained 9 and 16. On 3rd and 9 from the New England 39, defensive pass interference on an incompletion gained 17 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the New England 15, another defensive pass interference call on another incompletion added 13. Rodgers went to Tyler Conklin for a 2 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Jets trailed 7-6.
The Jets got the ball back at their own 40 in the second quarter. Rodgers went to Ruckert for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the New England 40, Allen gained 3. Rodgers went to Wilson for 27 down to the one. Rodgers went to Xavier Gipson for the one yard touchdown to make it 13-7 Jets. The defenses dug in and Maye left the game injured with 9 minutes left in the half. Jacoby Brissett played the rest of the way. The Patriots got a break in the third quarter when Jones ran back a punt 62 yards to the Jets 26. On 3rd and 1 from the Jets 3, Raimondre Stevenson ran it in for the score to have the Patriots up 14-13. After a touchback, Rodgers went deep to Wilson for 35. On 2nd and 1 from the New England 11, a run went nowhere and Rodgers then threw incomplete. On 4th and 1, interim Jets coach Jeff Ulbrich decided not to gamble. Greg Zuerlein hit the 29 yard field goal to have the Jets up 16-14. With 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Zuerlein’s 44 yard try to extend the lead was no good. The Patriots took over at their own 34 and were helped along by a 15 yard roughing the passer call. On 2nd and goal at the 2, a fumbled snap out of the shotgun saw the Patriots retain possession. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Brissett threw incomplete. Joey Slye hit the 23 yard field goal. The 4th lead change of the game had the Patriots up 17-16 midway through the fourth quarter.
After a touchback the Jets soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 39. Allen gained 9. Rodgers went to Wilson for 22. Hall gained 13. Rodgers hit Adams for 16. Allen ran for a 2 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed but the 5th lead change had the Jets up 22-17 with 3 minutes left in the game. After a touchback, Brissett hit Henry for 12. On 3rd and 9 from their own 43, Brissett ran for 14. On 3rd and 10 from the Jets 43, Brissett went deep to Boutte for 34. With 25 seconds left, everything came down to 4th and goal at the one. Stevenson got in. Brissett hit Stevenson for the 2 point conversion. The 6th lead change had the Patriots back up by 3. After a touchback the Jets needed about 15-20 yards to give the King of the Hail Mary Rodgers a chance to do it again. Rodgers hit Adams for 16 but there would be no Hail Mary as the clock hit zeroes before the next snap. Both teams are 2-6. The Patriots finally broke their losing streak while once again J-E-T-S stands for Just End The Season. 25-22 Patriots
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — An early Buccaneers fumble set up the Falcons at the Tampa Bay 43. On 3rd and 3, Kirk Cousins threw incomplete. Raheem Morris gambled early on and Cousins went deep to Pitts for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. After a touchback Todd Bowles gambled on 4th and 1 just shy of midfield. Baker Mayfield took the quarterback sneak, fumbled, and recovered his own fumble for a 2 yard gain. Irving gained 15. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 28, White gained 5. Irving added a pair of 8 yard gains.On 3rd and goal at the 5, Mayfield hit Cade Otton for the touchdown and a 7-7 game.
The Buccaneers got the bay back at their own 3 yard line. Mayfield hit Otton for 11 and Tucker for 12. The second quarter began with the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 8 at their own 28. Mayfield hit Otton for 29. On 3rd and 6 from the Atlanta 27, Mayfield hit Otton for 9. Mayfield went to White for an 18 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 97 yard, 7 minute drive and make it 14-7 Buccaneers. After a touchback, Robinson gained 7, 2, and on 3rd and 1 from his own 39, 2 more. Cousins then went to Kyle Pitts fora 49 yard touchdown for a 14-14 game.
The Falcons got the ball back at their own 39. Cousins hit London for 13. On 3rd and 6 from the Tampa Bay 30, Cousins went to Mooney for the touchdown and the 21-14 Falcons lead. After a touchback the Buccaneers moved to a 4th and 3 at the Atlanta 34 with one minute left in the half. This time Raheem Morris decided not to gamble.Chase mcLaughlin hit from 52 to get the Buccaneers within 21-17. That was enough time for the Falcons to move after a touchback to a 3rd and 8 at the Tampa Bay 26. Cousins threw incomplete. Younghoe Koo hit the 39 yard field goal to have the Falcons up 24-17 at the midpoint. Late in the third quarter Todd Bowles gambled on a fake punt on 4th and 3 from his own 38. The play lost 2 yards. Cousins went to Robinson for 10. McCloud gained 17. Cousins went to Robinson for a 6 yard touchdown to have the Falcons up 31-17 after three quarters.
Mayfield was intercepted twice in the third quarter. The Falcons were backed up to a 2nd and 11 at their own one. Cousins fumbled and the ball went out the end zone for a safety to get the Buccaneers within 31-19. The Buccaneers took the free kick.at their own 27. Mayfield went to McMillan for 11. on 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 44, Mayfield gained 10. Mayfield hit Jarrett for 19.Myfield hit Otton for a 4 yard touchdown to have the Buccaneers back within 5 points midway through the fourth quarter. With 1:06 left, Koo missed a 46 yard field goal try that would have made it an 8 point game. The Buccaneers from their own 36 to the Atlanta 33 as Mayfield spiked the ball to stop the clock with 9 seconds left. Mayfield’s Hail Mary fell incomplete as the Falcons survived. 31-26 Falcons
Philadephia Eagles at Cincinnati Bengals — The Eagles keep winning ugly, but those wins count. After an opening g touchback the Bengals faced 3rd and 1 from their own 39. Joe Burrow hit Mike Gesicki for 7. on 3rd and 8 from their own 48, Burrow hit JaMarr Chase for 12. On 3rd and 6 from the Philadelphia 36, Burrow hit Moss for 9. On 3rd and 2 from the Philadelphia 19, Burrow hit Chase for 3. On 3rd and 6 from the Philly 12, Burrow hit Gesicki for 9. Burrow hit Chase for a 2 yard touchdown to cap the coma-inducing 17 play, 70 yard drive that consumed over 10 minutes off of the clock and make it 7-0 Bengals.
The Eagles moved from their own 27 to a 1st and 10 at the Cincinnati 16 as the first quarter ended. Offensive holding killed the drive. Jake Elliott hit an early second quarter 39 yard field goal to get the Eagles within 7-3. The Bengals after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Philadelphia 9. Burrow threw incomplete. Evan McPherson hit the 27 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Bengals. With 5 minutes left in the half McPherson missed 54 yarder to extend the lead. The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 1 at the Cincinnati 47. Jalen Hurst did the tush push and got the yard. Hurts went to Calcaterra for 19. On 3rd and 16 from the Cincinnati 33, Hurts went to AJ Brown for 17. Hurts gained 12. On 3rd and goal at the one with 22 seconds left in the half, it was another Hurts tush push into the end zone for a 10-10 tie.
After a third quarter touchback the Eagles soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 35. Hurts went to Smith for 15 and to Calcaterra for 28. On 3rd and 3 from the Cincy 15, Saquon Barkley gained 8. Hurts ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 17-10 Eagles. After a touchback the Bengals soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 34. Burrow hit Gesicki for 7. On 3rd and 8 from his own 43, Burrow got just enough. Burrow hit Moss for 9 and Chase for 13. Burrow hit Chase again for 12. Brown ran for 4 yard touchdown. With 4 minutes left in the third quarter, the game was again tied 17-17.
After a touchback Hurts hit Brown for 23. Hurts then went to Smith for a 45 yard touchdown. Just like that the Eagles led 24-17. A key decision came early in the fourth quarter when Zac Taylor gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 39. Out of the shotgun, Burrow completed a pass for a 2 yard loss. Jake Elliott hit a 34 yard field goal 90 seconds into the fourth quarter to put the Eagles up 27-17. A Burrow bomb was intercepted to give the Eagles the ball back at their own 15. Barkley gained 11 and 5. On 3rd and 7 from their own 29, Hurts hit Smith for 9.Barkley ran for 4 and 19. Hurts hit Calcaterra for 11. Barkley ran for 17 down to the one. Once again it was tush push time and Hurts got in for a 34-17 Eagles lead. An immediate fumble after a touchback led to a 47 yard Elliott field goal to complete the scoring. 20 unanswered points turned a close game into a blowout as the Bengals struggles continued. 37-17 Eagles
New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers — The Saints came in having lost 5 straight after a 2-0 start and Derek Carr was still out injured. Early on the Chargers tried to punt on 4th and 8 from their own 5. They fumbled the snap and fumbled the ball again out of the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 Saints lead. The Chargers eventually moved from their own 16 to a 4th and 3 at the Saints 28. On the first play of the second quarter, Cameron Dicker hit a 46 yard field goal to make it 3-2 Chargers. The Chargers got it back at their own 10. Justin Herbert hit Will Dissly for 16. Herbert hit Ladd McConkey for 15. JK Dobbins ran for 9. Defensive pass interference added 17. On 3rd and goal at the one, Dobbins got in to make it 9-2 Chargers. The extra point was no good. The Saints after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Chargers 22. Specer Rattler threw incomplete twice. Blake Grupe hit the 40 yard field goal as the Saints trailed 9-5 at the intermission.
In the third quarter Herbert went deep to McConkey for a 60 yard touchdown to make it 16-5 Chargers. Grupe hit a 43 yard field goal to get the Saints within 16-8 after three quarters, but no closer.Dicker hit from 29 with 12 minutes left in regulation to put the Chargers up 19-8. Grupe’s 44 yard try to make it a one score game midway through the fourth quarter was no good. Herbert led a 66 yard drive and hit McConkey for a 9 yard touchdown to make the game a blowout. The Saints have lost 6 straight games. 26-8 Chargers
Buffalo Bills at Seattle Seahawks — The Bills are thinking Super Bowl whole the Seahawks have been inconsistent after a 3-0 start. Early on the Bills took over at their own 10. Josh Allen found Dawson Knox for 23. On 3rd and 4 from their own 39, Allen hit Kincaid for 6. On 3rd and 1 from the Seattle 46, Allen gained 3.On 3rd and 8 from the Seattle 41, Allen hit Coleman for 25. Cook gained 11. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Allen hit Coleman for the touchdown to finish the 14 play, 90 yard, 9 minute drive and make it 7-0 Bills.The Seahawks in the second quarter moved from their own 9 to a 1st and goal at the 2. A fumbled snap out of the shotgun resulted in a one yard loss. A wild shotgun snap resulted in a 19 yard loss. Then came a delay of game. Jason Myers hit a 38 yard field goal to get the Seahawks on the board.
An interception of Allen was returned 33 yards to give the Seahawks 1st and goal at the 7. On 3rd and goal at the one, Kenneth Walker got stopped for no gain. Mike Macdonald went for it. Geno Smith tried to go up the middle and got blasted for a 6 yard loss. The Bills on 3rd and 5 from their own 12 saw Allen get sacked and fumble, but Johnson picked it up at the 10 and ran it forward for the offense for a 13 yard gain. On the next play Allen hit Cook for 18 and Shakir for 16. On 3rd and 3 from the Seattle 36, Allen gained 9. On 3rd and 7 from the Seattle 24, Allen threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant a 12 yard gain. Allen went to Kincaid for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Bills.
In the third quarter the Bills moved from their own 23 to a 3rd and goal at the 8. Allen through incomplete. Tyler Bass hit the 27 yard field goal to make it 17-3 Bills. An interception of Smith had the Bills just shy of midfield. On 3rd and 5 from the Seattle 36, Allen went to Coleman for 21. Cook ran for 13 and then for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 24-3 Bills. Sean McDermott was so confident that he even gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 36. Allen gained 2. Allen went deep to Knox for 27. Defensive pass interference added 11. Cook ran for 12 and for the 7 yard touchdown. With 11 minutes left in regulation, 24 unanswered points had the Bills up 31-3. The Seahawks got a garbage touchdown but Buffalo cruised to 6-2 on the year. 31-10 Bills
Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders — The very first game between the top 2 drat picks Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will be talked about for a very long time. Yet rather than a shootout, the first 59 minutes produced a defensive slugfest. Austin Siebert hit field goals of 27 and 30 in the first quarter, from 28 in the second quarter, and from 47 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter to have the Commanders up 12-0. one play very late in the third quarter changed momentum. Deandre Swift got around the end for a 56 yard touchdown to get the Bears within 12-7. Siebert’s 51 yard field goal try early in the fourth quarter was no good. With 4 minutes left in regulation the Bears faced 3rd and 10 from thrown 38. Williams hit Odunze for 16. Williams hit Allen for 22. With 35 seconds left in the game, the Bears faced 4th and 3 at the Washington 12. Williams threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant an 11 yard gain. Roschon Johnson got the last yard and Williams hit Cole Kmet for the 2 point conversion. With 25 seconds left, the Bears had pulled off the shocking 15-12 upset. The Commanders only had 12 seconds left after an incompletion from their own 24. Daniels hit Terry McLaurin for 13. With 6 seconds left from their own 48, there was time for a Hail Mary. Williams ran around all over the place and unleashed the bomb. Receivers and defenders went up for it short of the end zone. It was batted high in the air. Only one man was standing all by himself in the end zone waiting for the tip. Noah Brown came down with the miracle touchdown as the home Washington crowd erupted in celebration. The Commanders got to 6-2 the hardest of the hard ways. 18-15 Commanders
Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos — The Broncos are up and down while the Panthers are just awful. Red Rifle Andy Dalton went back to the bench as Bryce Young got his job back. An early Denver fumble gave the Panthers good field position just past midfield. Chuba Hubbard gained 8 and 7. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Young hit Legette for the touchdown. The Panthers led 7-0 early on, but after that reality set in. A field position game had the Broncos taking over at their own 45. On the last play of the first quarter, Bo Nix went to Adam Trautman for 37. On 3rd and 3 from the Carolina 11 in the second quarter, Nix hit Vele for just enough. On 3rd and goal from the 3, Nix hit Adkins for the touchdown to make it 7-7. The Broncos got the ball at their own 8. On 3rd and 2, Nix hit Humphrey for 5. Nix went deep to Cortland Sutton for 37 and to Trautman for 17. Nix went to Trautman again for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Broncos. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, Dave Canales went for it on 4th and 2 just shy of midfield. A completion lost a yard. Nix hit Sutton for 16. On 3rd and 8 from the Carolina 30, McLaughlin gained 10. Nix hit Trautman for 12. On 3rd and goal at the one, Nix got in to make it 21-7 Broncos. In the third quarter Canales gambled on a fake punt on 4th and 6 from his own 24. Johnny Hekker threw incomplete. On 3rd and 1 from the Carolina 14, McLaughlin gained 5. Nix went to mclaughlin for a 9 yard touchdown as 28 unanswered points made it 28-7 Broncos after three quarters. The Panthers finally reached the end zone again with 15 seconds left in the game. 28-14 Broncos.
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders — Last year the Raiders went into Kansas City on Christmas Day and physically beat up the Chiefs. It ruined Christmas for Travis Kelce and his prima donna singer girlfriend. Yet the 2024 Raiders are a mess. Every game is the same. The offense gets on early touchdown, then tries to win with field goals the rest of the way and defense. The exhausted defense eventually breaks. When the game is out of hand, the offense occasionally gets a garbage touchdown. It’s tough to win games with no offensive line, no quarterback and no running back. They also traded their top receiver to the Jets. Now the Raiders had to try and beat the NFL’s only unbeaten team with only half a team themselves. The Chiefs began the game facing 3rd and 7 from their own 33. Patrick Mahomes hit Hopkins for 13. and Kelce for 25. On 3rd and 5 from the Raiders 24, Mahomes hit Perine for 21. Karim Hunt ran for a one yard touchdown for a 7-0 Chiefs lead.
The Raiders after a touchback soon fced 3rd and 5 from their own 35. Gardner Mnishew hit Jakobi Meyers for 11. Minshew hit Tre Tucker for 20. On 3rd and 7 from the Kansas City 27, Minshew hit Brock Bowers for 8. Minshew hit Meyers for a 7 yard touchdown. The Raiders shocked the football world with a 12 play, 70 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive to tie the game 7-7. Yet the Raiders rarely build off of their one early touchdown. The Raiders got the ball back at their own 14 and moved well in the second quarter. They gained 50 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. On 2nd and 9 from the Kansas City 33, Zamir White lost 3 yards. Minshew threw incomplete. Daniel Carlson nailed a 54 yard field goal. The Raiders scored on both of their first 2 possessions and actually had a 10-7 lead.
After a touchback, the Chiefs faced 3rd and 2 at their own 38. Mahomes hit Xavier Worthy for 7. Mahomes hit kielce for gains of 8 and 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Raiders 32, Mahomes hit Gray for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 5 at the 2 minute warning, Mahoems hit Kelce for the touchdown and the 14-10 Chiefs advantage. The Raiders had 2 minutes to try and retake the lead. Even a decent drive could have meant a field goal. Even a couple of first downs could have gotten them to the half down 4 points. Yet the Raiders had to go 3 and out with terrible play calls. The Chiefs got the ball back with one minute left at their own 20. With 12 seconds left the Chiefs were at the Raiders 40. A field goal from that distance would have been 58 yards. Instead, Mahomes hit Hopkins for 16. Now it was only a 42 yard try for Harrison Butker, which he made easily. The Chiefs led 17-10. The Raiders give points away and eventually they give games away.
The Raiders were gifted a major special teams break in the third quarter when Turner returned a punt 17 yards and unnecessary roughness against Kansas City tacked on 15 more yards. The Raiders started with excellent field position at the Kansas City 28. On 3rd and 7, a completion only gained 4 but defensive holding gave the Raiders another gift in the form of 5 yards and a new set of downs. The Raiders moved to a 1st and goal at the 4. They were on the verge of tying the game. Yet this team cannot run the ball in obvious running situations. Instead of lining up behind the center and playing smash mouth, they line up in the shotgun, an act of gutlessness. Mattison lost 4 yards. Then Minshew completed a pass for nothing. Then Minshew was sacked.Carlson hit the 32 yard field goal but the Raiders trailed 17-13.
Despite the typical offensive malfunctions, the Raiders defense was playing very well. The Chiefs after consecutive offensive holding penalties were backed up to a 1st and 16 at their own 2 yard line. Mahomes threw a pass over the middle that was intercepted by Moehrig, who returned it 12 yards to the Kansas City 3 yard line. Yes, the Raiders offense started with 1st and goal at the 3. They were 3 yards from taking the lead. Would they finally try to line up behind the center and run the damn ball? Of course not. Out came the gutless shotgun. 4 of the worst play calls perhaps in team history if not league history were on the horizon. On 2nd and goal at the one out of the shotgun, Mattison was stopped for no gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, rather than go straight ahead, the Raiders tried to run laterally. Mattison lost 2 yards, Again, the offense squandered what the defense served up on a silver and black platter. On 4th and goal at the 3, the only sensible decision was to kick a field goal. If the Raiders could not gain one yard in 2 tries, how they possibly gain 3 yards in one play. Rather than get within 17-16, Anthony Pierce went for it. Minshew was sacked. 2 drives inside the opponent’s 5 yard line and all the Raiders could muster was a combined 3 points. Instead of leading 24–17 or even 20-17, they still trailed 17-13.
The Chiefs from their own 8 yard line led a coma-inducing drive. 19 plays. 87 yards. They took nearly 10 minutes off the clock. With 9 minutes left in regulation, the Chiefs had a chance to deliver the dagger. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Mahomes threw incomplete. The Raiders defense bent but did not break. Butker hit the 24 yard field goal. The Chiefs led 20-13, but with 9 minutes left in regulation the Raiders were one drive from tying or winning the game. On 2nd and 3 from their own 37, Minshew was hit and fumbled. The Chiefs took over at the Raiders 38. On 3rd and 2, Hunt gained 3. On 3rd and 2 from the Raiders 19, Mahomes went to Kelce for 11. Mahomes went to Butker for a 9 yard touchdown. With 5 minutes left, the exhausted Raiders defense finally broke. The Chiefs led 27-13. As expected the Raiders managed a garbage time touchdown just before the 2 minute warning. The onside kick was a good one but it was not good enough. The Chiefs recovered and Mahomes took 3 knees. The Raiders are 2-6 and have lost 4 straight games. They have no offense. The Chiefs are 7-0 and looking Super, making Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 27-20 Chiefs
Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers was the Sunday night game. For decades this game had Super Bowl implications. Yet this contest was just a pair of playoff teams from last year that are playing miserably this season. Most of the first half as hideous. Anders Carlson hit a 50 yard first quarter field goal to make it 3-0 49ers. The Cowboys faced 3rd and 9 from their own 36. Turpin gained 11. The second quarter began with the Cowboys facing 3rd and 4 at the San Francisco 46. Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for 15. Ezekiel Elliott ran for 11. On 3rd and 10 from the San Francisco 20, Prescott fired to Ferguson for 11. Defensive pass interference added 9. Elliott got the last yard to make it 7-3 Cowboys. Kyle Ferguson gambled on 4th and 3 at the Dallas 33. Brock Purdy threw incomplete. The good field position led to Brian aubrey hitting a 29 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Cowboys. Carlson connected from 44 to have the 49ers trailing 10-6 at the intermission.
The third quarter kickoff was short of the landing zone to set up the 49ers at their own 40. On 3rd and 1, purdy gained 4. Purdy went to George Kittle for 43. Guerendo ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 13-10 49ers. An interception of Prescott had the 49ers at the Dallas 32. Purdy hit Guerendo for 12. On 3rd and 3 from the Dallas 13, Purdy ran for 6. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Purdy went to Kittle for the touchdown. to make it 20-10 49ers. The 49ers got it back at their own 25. Pursy ran for 16 and found Kittle for 27. On 3rd and 7 from the Dallas 25, Derby went to Deebo Samuel for 16. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Purdy got in. 24 unanswered points including 3 third quarter touchdowns had the 49ers up 27-10.
After a touchback, the Chargers tried to make a game of it. On 3rd and 10, a defensive pass interference penalty added 19 yards. On 4th and 4 from the San Francisco 45, Prescott hit Turpin for 16. Prescott hit Lamb for 15. Prescott went back to Lamb for a 7 yard touchdown to get the Cowboys within 27-17. Carlson hit a 41 yard field goal to put the 49ers up 30-17 with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, Prescott went to Lamb for big gains of 21, 29, and the 20 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Cowboys were within 6 points with 3 1/2 minutes left. The Cowboys got it back only 30 seconds later with a chance to pull off the miracle comeback. From their own 25, Prescott threw 4 straight incompletions, 30-24 49ers
New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers was the Monday night game. The Giants are wretched. The Steelers are good but they win ugly. An unwatchable first half saw field goals. In the first quarter Chris Boswell hit from 31 for the Steelers. Greg Joseph hit from 24. Boswell hit from 25. In the second quarter Joseph hit from 39. Boswell hit from 27 to put the Steelers up by a field goal for the 3rd time. Joseph countered from 44 as the game was tied for a 3rd time at 9-9 at the half. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, one special teams play changed the game. Austin returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown to make it 16-9 Steelers. The Steelers got it back and faced 3rd and 7 from their ow 23. Russell Wilson hit Pat Freiermuth for 11. On 3rd and 11 from their own 33, Russell Wilson went deep to Van Jefferson for 36 as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 8 from the Giants 29, Wilson went to Austin for the touchdown to make it 23-9 Steelers.
The Giants tried to make a game of it. A strong kickoff return had the Giants facing 3rd and 16 from their own 39. Jones went to Nbers for 16. Tracy ran for a 45 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Giants were within 23-15. Boswell gave the Steelers breathing room up 26-15. Joseph answered from 48 to get the Giants back within 8. The Steelers fumbled and the Giants had a short field at the Pittsburgh 37. With 3 minutes left a sack of Daniel Jones killed the drive as he fumbled the ball away. The Giants got it back one more time at their own 7 yard line with 1:53 left. Jones was intercepted with 34 seconds left. 26-18 Steelers