NFL 2024 Week 13 Recap
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions was the Thanksgiving Thursday morning game. The Bears came in having lost 5 straight. The Lions came in having won 9 straight and seriously thinking Super Bowl. Yet the Lions also came in having lost 8 straight Thanksgiving Day games, all of them at home. However, these are not the same old Lions. Sometimes a losing road team can go on the road and shock a great team in an upset for the ages. This was not that game early on. In the first half Goliath beat up David and stole his lunch money with little difficulty.
After an opening touchback, the Lions moved to a 2nd and 9 at the Chicago 12. Jared Goff threw incomplete twice. Bates hit the 30 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 10. On 3rd and 2, Goff went to Am-ra St. Brown for 29. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 18, 13 and 11. Goff went to Sam LaPorta for a 3 yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter to cap the 10 play, 90 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 10-0 Lions. Bates tacked on second quarter field goals of 36 and 48. The Lions scored the first 4 times they had the ball for a 16-0 lead. A desperate Matt Eberflus gambled on 4th and 3 from his own 37. Caleb Williams threw incomplete. The Lions were on the verge of putting the game away by halftime, but they fumbled the ball away at the Chicago 6 yard line with one minute left in the half. Yet by halftime, the Lions led in time of possession 23 minutes to 7 minutes, in first downs 18-2, in yards 279-53, in plays 47-19, and most importantly on the scoreboard.
Yet in the third quarter the Bears showed signs of life. Deandre Swift ran for 4, 5, and on 3rd and 1 from his own 35, 5 more. On 3rd and 14 form his own 36, Williams found Allen for 18. Williams went deep to Allen for a 31 yard touchdown. Matt Eberflus decided not to try and chase points with a 2 point conversion attempt. The Bears were within 16-7. The Lions took over at their own 22. Goff went to David Montgomery for 19. On 3rd and 8 from their own 43, a completion gained only 4 yards. However, a defensive horse collar tackle penalty added 15 more. Montgomery ran for 9 and Williams added 15. Montgomery ran for 3 and 6. On 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 5, Goff got the yard. Goff hit LaPorta for a one yard touchdown to make it 23-7 Lions. Yet the Bears were not done.
After a touchback, Williams went to Odunze for 19 and to Swift for 29. The fourth quarter began with the Bears facing 3rd and 6 at the Detroit 15. Williams went to Odunze for just enough. Williams found Allen for a 9 yard touchdown. This time Matt Eberflus did go for 2 and Williams threw incomplete. The Bears were down 23-13. The Bears got it back and had to punt on 4th and 18 at their own 7. The Lions receive gift field position at midfield. Yet with 9 minutes left, Bates missed a 45 yard field goal try. The Bears soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 41. Williams went to Cole Kmet for 5. Williams hit DJ Moore for 14. On 3rd and 1 from the Detroit 31, Williams went deep to Moore for the touchdown. Now the Bears were only down by 3 points with a full 5 1/2 minutes left. The Lions went 3 and out but a great punt pinned the Bears at their own one.
On 3rd and 7 from their 4, Williams went to Moore for 25. On 3rd and 1 from their 38, Swift gained 12. With 1:04 to play, the Bears were down to 4th and 4. Williams went to Moore for 21. Yet offensive pass interference instead meant 4th and 14. These are the Bears. Williams threw deep incomplete but this time it was defensive pass interference that meant a 29 yard gain. In past years we would say that these are the Lions, but that would no longer be fair. Nevertheless, the Bears had 1st and 10 at the Detroit 25. A full 46 seconds remained. The Bears still had 2 timeouts. They were easily in field goal range. Now they had a chance at the upset win. Williams threw incomplete. The Bears then wasted their 2nd timeout because they could not get organized with the clock stopped. These are the Bears. Williams then went to Allen for 12, but offensive illegal use of hands meant 2nd and 20. These are the Bears. Yet 43 seconds still remained. A field goal would still be a makable 53 yards. The Bears still had a timeout left. There was plenty of time. What happened next left both teams and fans everywhere in shock and disbelief.
Williams got belted down hard for a 6 yard loss. At this point 36 seconds remained. A field goal try would be 59 yards, difficult but not impossible. Yet it was 3rd and 26. There was plenty of time to run another play, gain 5-15 yards, call the last timeout, and set up the field goal. Heck, even without a timeout there was ages of time. Yet the Bears took their sweet time getting to the line of scrimmage. Then at the line they just let precious seconds tick away. Matt Eberflus did nothing. By the time Williams snapped the ball, only 6 seconds remained. At that point he could have quickly thrown it out of bounds. Instead he threw a deep ball that fell incomplete. Fans thought that there must have been time for another play. Yet the clock showed zeroes. The game was over. From 43 seconds to 36 seconds to zeroes. These are the Bears. Everyone from the perpetual Eberflustered to the players should be fired. The Lions got to 11-1, but mainly because the Bears fell to 4-8. The Bears find creative ways to lose. This is absolutely NOT why they play the games. 23-20 Lions
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys was the Thanksgiving Thursday afternoon game. Both teams are bad but the Giants are far worse. The Cowboys with Cooper Rush at the helm finally snapped a 5 game losing streak. The Giants got rid of Daniel Jones, only to see Tommy “Cutlets” Devito get buried at home last week. This week it was 3rd stringer Drew Lock starting for the Giants. After an opening touchback, the Cowboys moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Giants 5. Rush threw incomplete twice. Brandon Aubrey hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cowboys. After a touchback, Devin Singletary ran for 4 and 7. On 4th and 1 from midfield Brian Daboll decided to go for it. Tracy gained 6. On 3rd and 1 from the Dallas 35, Singletary gained 2. On 3rd and 6 from the Dallas 29, Lock scrambled for 28 down to the one. Tracy got the yard to cap the 13 play, 70 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive for a 7-3 Giants lead after the first quarter.
After a touchback, the Cowboys moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Dallas 15 in the second quarter. Rush threw incomplete. Aubrey hit again from 33 to have the Cowboys within 7-6. A strong kickoff return had the Giants taking over at their own 15. One play and 15 seconds later, Lock found Overshown. Problem: Overshown plays defense for Dallas. Overshown returned the interception for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 13-7 Cowboys. A field position game pinned the Cowboys at their own one yard line. they punted from their 2 and a 22 yard punt return had the Giants taking over at the Dallas 29. Yet they wasted the field position. Graham Gano hit a 46 yard field goal to have the Giants within 13-10.
The Cowboys quickly broke the game open in the third quarter. On the third play from scrimmage on 3rd and 2 from their own 38, Lock was sacked and fumbled. The Cowboys recovered at the same spot. On 3rd and 10, Rush went to Kevontae Turpin for 30. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Rush hit Cooks for the touchdown to make it 20-10 Cowboys. The Cowboys got it back after a touchback and faced 3rd and 6 at their own 34. Rush threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 10 yards. On 3rd and 5 just shy of midfield, Rush went to Tolbert for 36. On 3rd and 11 from the Giants 16, Rush threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 8. Dowdle ran for 4 and then for a 4 yard touchdown to have the Cowboys cruising up 27-10 after three quarters.
The Giants needed 3 scores. After a touchback the Giants moved to a 2nd and 5 at the Dallas 25 to start the fourth quarter. Lock was sacked followed bay a delay of game. Gano hit a 47 yard field goal to get the Giants within 27-13. With 4 1/2 minutes left the Giants took over at their own 20. Lock ran for an 8 yard touchdown to get the Giants within 7 points with 2:18 to play. Brian Daboll decided to kick it deep and trust his defense rather than go onside kick. Everything came down to the Cowboys facing 3rd and 2 at their own 38 at the 2 minute warning. Rush hit Cooks for 3 and then took a couple of knees. The Giants became the first team in 2024 to reach double digit losses in the quest for the 2025 top Draft pick. 27-20 Cowboys
Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers was the Thanksgiving Thursday night game. This was simply a good team at home beating up an inferior team. In the first quarter the Dolphins fumbled a punt and the Packers recovered at the Miami 9. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Jordan Love went to reed for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Packers. The Packers got it back at their own 24. Love went to Kraft for 9. On 3rd and 3 from their own 42, Love went to Kraft for 17. Jacobs ran for 11. On 3rd and 4 from the Miami 22, Wilson ran for 15. Jacobs ran for 6 and then for the one yard touchdown to have the Packers up 14-0. The Dolphins managed a second quarter field goal but this game was never a contest. The Packers took over at their own 38 with 3 minutes left in the half. Love went to Wicks for 8. Brooks ran for 18. On 1st and 15 from the Miami 41, Love went to Watson for 21. On 3rd and 2 from the Miami 12, Love went to Reed for the touchdown to make it 21-3 Packers. With 27 seconds left in the half Mike McDaniel gambled on 4th and 5 from the Green Bay 38. Tua Tagovailoa threw incomplete. The field position was enough for Brandon McManus to hit a 46 yard field goal to make it 24-3 Packers at the half. The Packers coasted in the second half. They kicked a third quarter field goal followed by a Miami garbage touchdown. In the fourth quarter it was the same as the Packers kicked another field goal before eventually giving up one more garbage touchdown. The Packers are 9-3 on the year. 30-17 Packers
Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs was the Black Friday afternoon game. Last December 25th, the Raiders went into Arrowhead and smacked the Chiefs around. The Raiders ruined Christmas for an irate Travis Kelce and his whiny girlfriend. Aidan O’Connell did not complete a single pass after the first quarter. Yet 2 defensive touchdowns late in the second quarter had the Raiders up 20-7 before winning 20-14. This year the Raiders have lost 7 straight and are in contention for the top NFL 2025 Draft pick. The Chiefs are marching toward their third straight Super Bowl in a chance to make permanent NFL history. The Chiefs began at their own 27 and easily moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Raiders 7. Yet Patrick Mahomes threw incomplete. Wright hit the 25 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chiefs. The Raiders moved from their own 8 to a 1st and goal at the 4 early in the second quarter. Then came a false start. Then O’Connell was sacked. Daniel Carlson hit the 27 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. The Raiders got it back at their own 45 and moved to a 2n and 3 at the Kansa city 37. Then came an offensive penalty for an ineligible man downfield. On 3rd and 4, O’Connell threw incomplete. Carlson came in for a 56 yard field goal try to give the Raiders the lead. Carlson’s kick was dead center but short no good.
The Chiefs took over with excellent field position at their own 47. Mahomes quickly went to Noah Gray for 26. On 3rd and 10 from the Raiders 27, Walrus Andy Reid went to his bag of tricks with a hook and lateral. Mahomes went to Kelce, who then lateraled to Samaji Perine for a gain of 15 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 6, Mahomes floated a ball to the end zone just before getting belted. Somehow, Watson came down with it for the game’s first touchdown and a 10-3 Chiefs lead with 2:14 left in the half. The Chiefs got the ball back at their own 21 with one minute left. Wright’s 59 yard field goal try to extend the lead on the last play of the half was no good. The Raiders came in the worst rushing team in the league, yet ran the ball modestly effectively in the first half. The Raiders run defense was stout, giving up only 10 yards. Yet the Chiefs led on the scoreboard.
The Raiders began the third quarter at their own 25 and moved to a 2nd and 5 at the Kansas City 35. O’Connell threw into double coverage and was lucky to escape with an incompletion. A perfectly executed draw play on 3rd and 5 saw Amirr Abdullah get the first down. Officials declared it 4th and 1. Antonio Pierce went for it. The Raiders were disorganized, as they have been all season. Abdullah got the carry and of course got stopped short. This inability to run the ball in short yardage and goal line situations has doomed the Raiders all season. From their own 31 the Chiefs moved to a 2nd and 9 from the Raiders 13, Mahomes got taken down for a 21 yard loss. Wright hit the 42 yard field goal to make it 13-3 Chiefs.
The Raiders moved from their own 30 to a 2nd and 7 at the Kansas City 22. O’Connell threw incomplete. Given how awful the Raiders offense is, fans could be forgiven for wanting them to take a knee on 3rd down. Instead, O’Connell was sacked for a 15 yard loss. A 40 yard field goal try was now 55 yards. Carlson’s kick was wide no good. The Chiefs took over at their own 45 and moved to a 3rd and 3 from the Raiders 17, The Raiders brought the entire house and Mahomes got belted after throwing an incompletion. Wright hit from 35 to have the Chiefs up 16-3 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Raiders defense had done all it could possibly do. To have any chance whatsoever, the Raiders had to find some offense. The Raiders got a jolt when Abdullah returned the ensuing kickoff 69 yards to the Kansas City 26. On 2nd and 7, instead of trying to run the ball, the Raiders went with 5 wide receivers and an empty backfield. The result was inevitable. Offense holding. On the verge of being out of reasonable field goal range yet again, it was now 2nd and 17. Yet this time, the Raiders did not collapse. O’Connell went deep to rookie phenom Brock Bowers. The tight end caught it for the touchdown. On the verge of a blowout, the Raiders were now only down 16-10. This was an AFC West street fight. If the Raiders wanted the shocking upset, their defense had to get another stop. Even another Kansas City field goal would probably put the game out of reach.
After a touchback on 3rd and 10, Mahomes had Crosby all over him. As Mahomes was falling to the ground, he somehow through a perfect pass to Hollins past the first down marker. Yet Hopkins just dropped it. The Raiders got a very lucky break. The defense forced a 3 and out. The Raiders took over at their own 31 with a chance to take the lead. Sincere McCormick bounced to the outside and got around the end for an 11 yard gain as the third quarter ended. On the first play of the fourth quarter with a man in his face, O’Connell went bombs away. Tre Tucker caught it for a 68 yard touchdown. In front of a stunned home crowd, the Raiders led 17-16. Somewhere in football heaven, Al Davis was smiling. Yet now the Raiders defense had to contend with a 25th century Buck Rodgers freak of nature in Mahomes. It was going to be a long fourth quarter.
After a touchback the Chiefs moved to a 3rd and goal at the 5. Mahomes was sacked. Wright hit the 23 yard field goal to put the Chiefs back up 19-17 with 10 minutes left in regulation. A penalty on the ensuing kickoff had the Raiders backed up t their own 13 yard line. After picking up a first down on the ground, the Raiders again abandoned the run. Putting the ball in O’Connell’s hands meant incompletions and a punt. The Chiefs took over at their own 25 with 6:45 to play. The Raiders defense desperately needed a stop, but giving up a touchdown would put the game out of reach. The 2-9 team had taken the 10-1 team to the limit, but at this point it wasn’t enough.
On 3rd and 8 under pressure, Mahomes completed a pass for only 5 yards. Now the defense and done everything it could possibly do. The Raiders took over at their own 33. They had a full 51:15 to work with. They needed only a field goal. There was plenty of time to run the ball. The Raiders ran the ball well, reaching a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 39. Another run lost a yard. It didn’t matter. The Raiders had to keep running the ball. They only needed a few yards. Instead they put the ball in O’Connell’s hands. He had 2 straight passes batted down. After initially deciding to punt, the Raiders took timeout. Carlson came in for a 58 yard try. His kick was a low knuckleball that was wide no good. 3 times Carlson was no good, all from 55 yards out or more.
The Raiders took their timeouts on defense. On 3rd and 2 from the Raiders 44, Walrus Andy Reid got greedy. Rather than run it safe, he had Mahoems go for it all. The bomb was incomplete. The Raiders defense had worked miracle after miracle. The Raiders got the ball back with 1:56 to play. Yet now it was too late to run the ball. It was all up to O’Connell. The Raiders were backed up to their own 8 yard line. Again, they only needed a field goal. O’Connell moved the Raiders to a 3rd and 3 at the Kansas City 31. 15 seconds still remained. A field goal would be 49 yards. All the Raiders had to do was give Carlson a chance to redeem himself. There was no reason to run another play.
Carlson never got the chance. Everything that is wrong with the Raiders came to a head. They were lined up in the shotgun. That was mistake number one. They set up a pass play. That was mistake number 2. O’Connell was never ready for the snap. That was mistake number 3. In a game with no turnovers, the Chiefs recovered the fumble. The Raiders lost their 8th straight to fall to 2-10. There are no moral victories in football. The Raiders need a quarterback, an offensive line, and a running back. To be passing in that situation is unforgivable. Chicago fired Matt Eberflus earlier in the day. Mark Davis needs to resist the temptation to fire the entire Raiders offensive staff. Bad teams find ways to lose. The 11-1 Chiefs clinched a playoff spot, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 19-17 Chiefs
Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots — Twenty years ago, this game was often for all the AFC marbles. Now it means a lot less. The Patriots began at their own 24 and moved to a 3rd and goal at the 5. Drake Maye was sacked. Joey Slye hit the 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Patriots. The Colts took over at their own 29. Anthony Richardson hit Pittman for 7. Jonathan Taylor ran for 9 and Richardson added 11. Richardson went to Alex Ogletree for 22. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 13, Taylor gained 6. Richardson went to Taylor for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Colts. The Patriots after a touchback moved to a 1st and goal at the 2. Raimondre Stevenson ran it in but offensive holding nullified the score and killed the drive. Slye hit from 31 to get the Patriots within 7-6. Richardson immediately went deep and was intercepted on the last play of the first quarter. The Patriots began the second quarter at the Indianapolis 42. On 3rd and 1, Stevenson got the carry and lost 3 yards. Slye hit from 54 to have the Patriots up 9-7.
After a touchback the Colts faced 3rd and 1 at their own 39. Richardson got around the end for 13. Defensive pass interference on a deep ball meant 29 more yards. On 3rd and 2 at the New England 7, Taylor gained 4. Richardson ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-9 Colts. The Patriots after a touchback the Patriots soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 39. Maye went to Douglas for 5 and to Stevenson for 13. Gibson ran for 13 and 11. Maye went to Austin Hooper for a 16 yard touchdown to have the Patriots up 16-14 with 4 minutes left in the half. The Patriots got it back at their own 42 with 3 minutes left and moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Indianapolis 3 with 27 seconds left. Maye was sacked. Yet to end the half, Slye only needed to make a 25 yard field goal to extend the lead. His kick was wide no good.
In the third quarter the Colts moved from their own 25 to a 2nd and 6 at the New England 7. A run went nowhere and Richardson threw incomplete. Matt Gay also had a chip shot 25 yard field goal try. His was good. Instead of the Patriots leading 19-14, the Colts led 17-16 on the game’s 5th lead change. The Patriots moved from their own 26 to a 2nd and 3 at the Indianapolis 7. Maye went to the goal line and was intercepted as the Patriots continued to squander chances. The Patriots got the ball back ton start the fourth quarter at their own 46. From the Indianapolis 43, Maye went to Bourne for 18. On 3rd and 3 from the Indianapolis 18, Maye went to Hooper for 7. Gibson ran for an 11 yard touchdown. Jerod Mayo went for 2 and Maye hit Bouette for the conversion. The 6th lead change of the game had the Patriots up 24-17 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
Richardson was then intercepted, giving the Patriots a chance from their own 48 to lock up the win. Instead they went 3 and out. The Colts took over at their own 20 with 5 1/2 minutes left. With 3 1/2 minutes left the Colts were down to their last gasp on 4th and 3 from their own 40. Richardson went to Mo Alie-Cox for 11. This was the Patriots first Failure to Close Out the game FCO1. With 1:57 left the Colts were again down to their last play facing 4th and 2 at the New England 41. Richardson ran for 6. This was FCO2. On 3rd and 9 from the New England 34, Richardson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 14 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 11, Taylor gained 3. With 17 seconds left in regulation, everything came down to 4th and goal at the 3. Richardson hit pierce for the touchdown. This was FCO3. Yet rather than kick the extra point and go to overtime, Shane Steichen risked it all on the road. It was 2 point conversion time. Richard ran it in successfully. For the Patriots, it was FCO4. For the game, it was the 7th lead change. For the Colts, it was a one point lead. Yet after a touchback, the Patriots still had 12 seconds to try and pull off a miracle. With one second left and the ball at midfield, Jerod Mayo had to decide between a Hail Mary or the hook and laterals. Instead, he brought out Slye for the win and NFL history. Justin Tucker holds the record for a 66 yard field goal. Slye would be trying from 68. Slye’s kick was short. He could be forgiven from missing from 68, but his earlier miss from 25 was the killer. 25-24 Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals — The Steelers were leading the division while the Bengals were sinking. Yet rather than the typical AFC North street fight, this game was a shootout. In the first quarter, Russell Wilson was intercepted by Taylor-Britt. Taylor-Britt returned the pick 51 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 7-0 Bengals lead. After that the offenses took over. After a touchback, on 3rd and 2 from their own 38, Wilson went to Najee Harris for 25, Wilson went to George Pickens for a 17 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Joe Burrow went to Tee Higgins for 13. Brown gained 13, then another 40 yard run down to the one, and finally the last yard to make it 14-7 Bengals. After a touchback the Steelers faced 3rd and 8 at their own 32. Wilson went to Pickens for 21. Wilson found Washington for 10. Wilson hit Cordarelle Patterson for gains of 8 and 9. On the first play of the second quarter, Wilson went to Austin for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 14-14. After a touchback, Herbert ran for 14. On 3rd and 2 from the Pittsburgh 36, Burrow went to Brown for 6. Burrow found Mike Gesicki for 18. Burrow hit JaMarr Chase for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 21-14 Bengals. The Steelers got it back at their own 32. Wilson found Patterson for 20. A defensive facemark added 15. Harris ran for a 10 yard touchdown. 6 straight touchdowns saw the Bengals thrice take the lead and the Steelers thrice answer for a 21-21 game that was only midway through the second quarter.
The Bengals moved from their own 38 to a 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 33. Yet there would not be a 7th consecutive touchdown. Burrow was sacked and fumbled. The Steelers took over at their own 39. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Cincinnati 32. Wilson threw 3 straight incompletions. Chris Boswell hit a 50 yard field goal to give the Steelers their first lead up 24-21. The Steelers got the ball back at their own 19 with 1:56 left in the half. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Cincinnati 16 with 3 seconds left. Boswell hit from 34 to have the Steelers up 27-21. After a third quarter touchback, the Steelers had a chance to extend the lead. Yet from 42 yards out, this time Boswell’s field goal try was blocked. The Bengals moved from their own 32 to a 3rd and 6 at the Pittsburgh 11. Burrow was sacked. Evan McPherson hit the 38 yard field goal try. Instead of trailing 30-21, the Bengals were only down 27-24.
The Steelers after a touchback took over at their own 20. Harris ran for 20. Wilson went to Skowronek for 23. Wilson went to Pat Freiermuth for a 25 yard touchdown to have the Steelers up 34-24 after three quartersIn the fourth quarter the Bengals moved from their own 33 to a 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 35. After a false start, Burrow was intercepted. The Bengals got it back at their own 11. On 3rd and 8 from their own 29, the Bengals turned it over again. This time a fumble was returned 21 yards the other way for a touchdown by Payton Wilson. With 11 minutes left, the Steelers now had a comfortable lead up 41-24.
After a touchback, Burrow in desperation mode kept firing. Burrow hit Higgins for 8, Brown for 20 and Iosivas for 17, On 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 25, Burrow went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 1st and goal at the one. Burrow went to Higgins for the touchdown. With 8 1/2 minutes left the Bengals were within 41-31. The Steelers took over at their own 16 and moved to a 2nd and goal at the 3. Yet a run lost a yard and Wilson was sacked. Boswell hit the 50 yard field goal o make it 44-31 Steelers with 4 minutes left. The Bengals took over at their own 36. Burrow went deep to Chase for a 49 yard gain. Burrow went to Iosivas for a 3 yard touchdown. With 2:40 to play, the Bengals were within 6 points. The onside kick failed. Everything came down to Pittsburgh facing 3rd and 4 at the Cincinnati 40. Justin Fields came in and ran for 7 to lock up the win. Wilson came back in and took 2 knees. The Steelers are 9-3 while the Bengals are 48. The Steelers have now had 21 straight non-losing seasons, the last 18 of those under Mike Tomlin. 44-38 Steelers
Los Angeles Chargers at Atlanta Falcons — Both teams have a legitimate shot at the playoffs, but the Falcons are helped along by playing in the woeful NFC South. The Falcons squandered plenty of chances. Early on Younghoe Koo missed a chip shot 35 yard field goal. The Chargers then fumbled the ball to set up the Falcons at the Chargers 29. Robinson ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. The Chargers would not reach the end zone in the first half but they did get Cameron Dicker field goals of 45 in the first quarter and 51 and 34 in the second quarter for a 9-7 Chargers lead. Neither offense reached the end zone in the second half. Koo hit from 41 to have the Falcons up 10-9 midway through the third quarter. The key play of the game came with 1:40 left in the third quarter. Raheem Morris gambled on 4th and 5 from the Chargers 40 rather than try a 58 yard field goal. Kirk Cousins was intercepted by Still, who returned the pick 61 yards the other way. Justin Herbert went to Palmer for the 2 point conversion to make it 17-10 Chargers. At the end of the third quarter the Falcons had 2nd and goal at the 8. Cousins threw incomplete twice. Koo hit from 26 to have the Falcons within 4 points after three quarters. Cousins was intercepted twice in the fourth quarter and 4 times overall. On 4th and 12 from the Charger 35 with 47 seconds left, Cousins’s 4th and final interception of the day sealed his team’s fate. It was ugly, but the Chargers are 8-4 and the Falcons 6-6. 17-13 Chargers
Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets — Good coaches and players who go to the Jets tend to fail. Players and coaches who escape the Jets tend to have success elsewhere. Geno Smith was a bust with the Jets but has had modest success with the Seahawks. Now he was to face his former team. Midway through the first quarter the Jets faced 3rd and 2 at their own 28. Aaron Rodgers went deep to Davantae Adams for 24 and to Allen for 6 and 10. On 3rd and 13 from the Seattle 35, Rodgers was sacked but a defensive facemark meant 15 yards and a first down. Rodgers went to Adams for an 8 yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked but the Jets led 6-0. The Seahawks fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Jets recovered at the Seattle 27. Rodgers went to Davis for a 4 yard touchdown. Breece Hall ran in the 2 point conversion to have the Jets up 14-0 after the first quarter. The Jets offense took the final three quarters off to rest for their next meaningless game.
The Seahawks took over at their own 12. From their 20, Smith went deep to non-relative Jackson Smith-Nigba for 25. The Seahawks began the third quarter facing 3rd and 9 at their own 46. Smith went to Smith-Nigba for 25 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Jets 20, Charbonnet gained 7. Smith went to Brner for a 12 yard touchdown to cap he 10 play, 88 yard, 6 minute drive and get the Seahawks within 14-7. Yet 13 seconds later, the Jets were in the end zone again. Nwangwu returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. The Jets led 21-7. On the next kickoff, the Seahawks fumbled it. The Jets recovered at the Seattle 38. Midway through the second quarter, the Jets had 2nd and 7 at the Seattle 9. While it was still relatively early, the Jets had a chance to all but put the game away. At the very least, they could have built a 3 score lead with only a field goal.
Instead after an incompletion, Rodgers completed a pass to Williams. Problem: Williams plays defense for the Seahawks. The big man rumbled and stumbled his way to a 92 yard touchdown for the Seahawks. The extra point was blocked, but the Seahawks were within 21-13. A strong kickoff return had the Jets at their own 44. Yet on 3rd and 2, Rodgers threw incomplete. Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich gambled and went for it. Rather than just move the chain, Rodgers went deep incomplete. The Seahawks took over at their own 48. Jason Myers hit a 54 yard field goal to have the Seahawks within 21-16. In the third quarter the Seahawks had 1st and goal at the one. A run went nowhere and Smith threw incomplete twice. Mike MacDonald gambled. On 4th and goal at the one, Smith was sacked for a 15 yard loss. The Jets defense had an inspired goal line stand. The Jets offense rewarded their defense by fumbling the ball back. The Seahawks took advantage as Myers hit a 43 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 21-19 with 13 minutes left in regulation.
The Seahawks got the ball back and faced 4th and 6 at their own 33. Mike MacDonald lined up to go for it and out of the shotgun the ball was quickly snapped. The Jets defense got called for having 12 men on the field. Now it was 4th and 1. MacDonald gambled again. Smith threw deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 20 yard gain. These are the Jets. On 4th and 1 from the Jets 33 midway through the fourth quarter, MacDonald passed up a 51 yard field goal try for the lead. He gambled again. Charbonney lost a yard. Yet the defense was called for a horse collar tackle penalty, giving the Seahawks 15 yards. These are the Jets. On 3rd and 6 from the Jets 13, Smith was sacked and fumbled and the fumble was returned by the defense 50 yards. Yet on further review, it was an incomplete pass. Worse, the defense jumped offsides. These are the Jets. On 3rd and 1, Charbonnet ran for an 8 yard touchdown. 19 unanswered points had the Seahawks up by 5 with 5 1/2 minutes left. The Jets moved from their own 28 to a 1st and 10 at the Seattle 29 at the 2 minute warning. Rodgers threw incomplete and then completed a pass for no gain. Then he was sacked. On 4th and 15 with 38 seconds left, Rodgers went deep incomplete.
These are the Jets. The Seahawks at 7-5 are in first place in the weak NFC West. The 3-9 Jets brought back the paper bags from the 1980s as J-E-T-S again stood for Just End The Season. Aaron Rodgers won MVP awards. Then he came to the Jets. Geno Smith had fumbleitis and was on the verge of being a bust. Then he escaped the Jets. Somewhere in retirement, Pete Carroll had to be smiling. The Jets fired him after one season. He then went on to win a Super Bowl with Seattle. 26-21 Seahawks.
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars — The Texans came in leading the woeful AFC South. The Jaguars came in one of the worst teams in football. After a scoreless first quarter, the Texans in the second quarter got field goals of 53 and 30 from Kaimi Fairfairn for a 6-0 Texans lead. Late in the first half Lawrence ran and slid near the first down marker. He was immediately hit in the head by the defender. Whether or not the defender could have stopped in time is debatable. Lawrence laid on the ground as a fight between the teams broke out. One player on each team was ejected, including defender Al-Shaair who made the hit. Lawrence had a concussion and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher. Mac Jones played the rest of the game. Jones completed that last drive of the first half by moving the Jaguars into position for a 33 yard Chase Little field goal. Little was good. In the third quarter Little was good again from 30 as the game was knotted up 6-6.
After a touchback CJ Stroud went to Nico Collins for 22 and to Schultz for 11. Joe Mixon ran for 30 and again for a 7 yard touchdown. The first touchdown of the game had the Texans up 13-6 midway through the third quarter. A relatively short punt gave the Texans the ball back just shy of midfield. On 2nd and 7 from the Jacksonville 13, Stroud threw incomplete. Then he completed a pass for only 3. Fairbairn hit from 28 to make it 16-6 Texans. Early in the fourth quarter a 55 yard field goal try by Little to close the gap was no good. The Texans took over at their own 45. Stroud went to Tank Dell for 23. Mixon ran for 10. On 3rd and 10 from the Jacksonville 22, Stroud went to schultz for the touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the Texans were firmly in command up 23-6.
The Jaguars took over at their own 28. Jones went to Evan Engram for 16. Tyler Bigsby ran for 19. On 4th and 2 from the Houston 29 and needing 3 scores, Doug Pederson went for it. Jones hit Devin Duverbay for 5. On 4th and 8 from the Houston 17, Pederson again went for it. Jones went to Washington for the touchdown. A pointless 2 point conversion try failed but the Jaguars were within 23-12. The Jaguars for the ball back at their own 16 with 6 minutes left. Jones went to Washington for 21. On 3rd and 5 from their own 42, Jones went to Engram for 8. Jones hit Washington for 15, Thomas for 10, and Duvernay for 18. Jones went to Thomas for a 6 yard touchdown. Jones hit Washington for the 2 point try. With 3 1/2 minutes left, the Jaguars needed only a field goal to tie the game. After a touchback, Mixon ran for 14. At the 2 minute warning, everything came down to the Texans facing 3rd and 4 at midfield. Mixon got around the end for an 8 yard gain to seal it. Stroud took a couple of knees. The Jaguars were game, but at 2-10 they are still tied for the worst record in the NFL. the Texans are 8-5 and on track for their division and the playoffs. 23-20 Texans
Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings — The Cardinals still have a chance to win the awful NFC West while the Vikings are cruising toward the playoffs but one game back in their division. The first half was an ugly battle of field goals. In the first quarter Ryland hit from 32 for the Cardinals and Romo answered from 44 for the Vikings for a 3-3 game. In the second quarter Ryland missed from 45 but hit from 31. Romo nailed a 55 yarder with 1:12 left in the half for a 6-6 game. Ryland hit from 24 to end the half. In the third quarter, Romo’s 43 yard try to tie the game was no good. Ryland hit again from 40 to have the Cardinals up 12-6. The Cardinals got it back at their own 27. Kyler Murray went to Marvin Harrison Jr for 16. On 3rd and 9 at the Arizona 47, Murray went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 38 yard gain. Murray went to Harrison for a 15 yard touchdown. The game’s first trip to the end zone had the Cardinals up 19-6 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
After a touchback, Sam Darnold went to Nailor for 18. Cam Akers ran for 18 more. Darnold hit Justin Jefferson for 15. Darnold went to TJ Hockenson for 11 and to Mundt for a 4 yard touchdown. The Vikings were back in it down 19-13. After a touchback, the Cardinals began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 7 at their own 45. Murray was intercepted. The Vikings moved from their own 32 to a 1st and 10 at the Arizona 13. Darnold threw 3 straight incompletions. Romo hit from 31 to have the Vikings within 19-16 with 11 minutes left. After a touchback the Cardinals mounted staggering 16 play, 68 yard drive that ate up nearly 8 minutes. With 4 minutes left the Cardinals had 1st and goal at the 4. A touchdown would most likely lock up the win. A false start and an intentional grounding penalty killed the drive. Ryland hit from 23. The Cardinals led 22-16 with 3:20 left, but they did not close the door. After a touchback, Darnold went to Jefferson for 6 and to Jordan Addison for 26. With 2:10 left, the Vikings faced 4th and 5 at the Arizona 33. One stop would end things. Darnold went to Jefferson for 12. Darnold hit Aaron Jones for a 5 yard touchdown. With 1:13 left, the Vikings had their first lead of the game up one point. After a touchback and needing only a field goal to win, Murray on 4th and 10 from his own 30 went deep and was intercepted. The 6-6 Cardinals are one game back in their division while the 10-2 Vikings are one game back in their but cruising toward the playoffs. 23-22 Vikings
Tennessee Titans at Washington Commanders — Sometimes a really bad team can go on the road and shock a good team in a major upset. This was not that game. In the first quarter the Commanders took over at their own 41. Jayden Daniels went to Terry McLaurin for 10 and Brown for 9. Robinson broke off a 40 yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 Commanders. The Commanders got it back and soon faced 3rd and 1 a their own 29. Daniels went to McLaurin for 9. On 3rd and 1 from their own 47, Robinson gained 16. Daniels went to McLaurin for 11. McNichols ran for 12 and 6. Daniels ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Commanders. The Titans fumbled the ball back at the Commanders took over at the Tennessee 24. On 3rd and 2, Daniels went to McLaurin for a 16 yard touchdown. The Commanders led 21-0. The Titans fumbled the ensuing kickoff to give the Commanders another short field at the Tennessee 34 as the first quarter ended. The second quarter had the Commanders facing 3rd and 3 at the Tennessee 27. Daniels threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. On 3rd and 12 from the Tennessee 14, a completion gained only 4 but roughing the passer meant another automatic first down. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Daniels went to McLaurin for the touchdown. The Commanders led 28-0. League rules prevented the final 41 minutes from being canceled. The Titans managed a second quarter touchdown and a pair of third quarter field goals, but this game was over. On 3rd and 2 from the Tennessee 4 to start the fourth quarter, Daniels finished a 72 yard drive with a touchdown pass to Zac Ertz to make it 35-13 Commanders. The Commanders missed a field goal and the Titans managed one more touchdown, but the Commanders scored once more as well. A 71 yard drive finished with Rodriguez run for a 7 yard touchdown to complete the blowout. 42-19 Commanders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers — The Buccaneers had the better record but they had struggled in recent weeks while the Panthers gradually began improving. In the first quarter the Buccaneers took over at their own 37. White ran for 11. Baker Mayfield went to Shepard for 21. Irving ran for 11. On 4th and 1 from the Carolina 11, Todd Bowles went for it. White gained 2. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Mayfield threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Mayfield went to Mike Evans for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Buccaneers. The Panthers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Tampa Bay 29. Dave Canales chose not to gamble. Eddie Pineiro hit the 47 yard field goal to get the Panthers on the board. in the second quarter Pineiro missed from 38. A shanked 22 yard punt gave the Panthers the ball back with a short field at the Tampa Bay 36. Chuba Hubbard ran for 8 with 14 more tacked on for a defensive low block penalty. On 3rd and 6 from the Tampa Bay 10, Bryce Young scrambled for the touchdown. Previously benched, Young has improved greatly in recent weeks since his return to the lineup. The Panthers led 10-7. After a touchback the Buccaneers moved to a 2nd and goal at the 4. After an incompletion and a false start, Mayfield threw incomplete again. Chase McLaughlin hit from 27 for a 10-10 game.
The final 3 1/2 minutes of the half were ugly. Pineiro missed again from 45. Yet Mayfield was then intercepted. The Panthers took over at their own 43 with 43 seconds left. They moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Tampa Bay 8 yard line with 11 seconds left. Young threw incomplete. Pineiro hit from 27 to make it 13-10 Panthers. A third quarter interception of Mayfield had the Panthers at their own 20. They moved to a 2nd and goal at the 4. A run went nowhere and Young then threw incomplete. Pineiro hit from 22 to have the Panthers up 16-10 after three quarters. The Buccaneers began the fourth quarter facing 2nd and 6 at their own 35. Irving ran for 6, 5, and 7 and then caught a pass from Mayfield for 12. Irving then ran for 10. On 3rd and 6 from the Carolina 18, Mayfield went to Shepard for 12. Irving ran for a 6 yard touchdown. The Buccaneers led 17-16 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
The Buccaneers got it back at their own 25 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Carolina 2. Rather than play smash mouth, the Buccaneers tried to run laterally. White’s end around was blown up for a 6 yard loss. McLaughlin hit form 26 to have the Buccaneers up 20-16 with 3 minutes left in the game. A penalty on the kickoff had the Panthers taking over at their own 40. On 3rd and 3 at the 2 minute warning Hubbard got just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa Bay 41, Hubbard gained 2. Young went to Tremble for 14. Young then went deep to Adam Thielen for a 25 yard touchdown. With 30 seconds left to play, the Panthers had a 23-20 lead.
After a touchback, Mayfield went to Evans for 17 and ran for 10. With 3 seconds left, McLaughlin came in for a 51 yard try. McLaughlin was good. This game was headed to overtime. The Buccaneers got the ball first in overtime and moved from their own 34 to a 2nd and 6 at the Carolina 36. Mayfield was sacked. Todd Bowles gambled on a 55 yard field goal try. This time McLaughlin was no good. The Panthers had excellent field position at their own 45 needing only a field goal to win. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Tampa 34. They were already in field goal range. Yet on the next play Hubbard fumbled and the Buccaneers recovered at their own 29. Mayfield went to Evans for 21. White got around the end for 38. On 1st and goal at the 10, Todd Bowles was taking on chances. Mayfield took a knee just to center the ball. McLaughlin came in on 2nd down for a 30 yard chip shot try to win it. McLaughlin got his redemption, which meant Pineiro and Hubbard did not. The Panthers were game. They were 30 seconds from victory but the 6-6 Buccaneers got the win and are tied atop their terrible division. 26-23 Buccaneers, OT
Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints — Both of these teams have had a rough year. A defensive first half saw Blake Grupe hit a pair of field goals of 54, one in each quarter, for a 6-0 Saints halftime lead. Grupe also missed in the second quarter from 36. After a third quarter touchback, the Rams faced 3rd and 5 at their own 35. Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua for 18. On 3rd and 6 from the New Orleans 18, Stafford went to Nacua for 8. Williams ran for 6 and then for the 4 yard touchdown as the Rams led 7-6 after three quarters. Late in the third quarter the Rams took over at their own 18. Stafford went to Tutu Atwell for 19. Williams ran for 14. Stafford went to Robinson for 46 to end the third quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Stafford went to Robinson for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Rams. After a touchback, Alvin Kamara ran for 7 and 9. Derek Carr hit Johnson for 21. On 3rd and 5 from the Rams 28, Carr went to Marques Valdes-Scantling for the touchdown. Carr hit Bettis for the 2 point conversion to make it 14-14 with 12 minutes left in regulation. A strong kickoff return had the Rams at their own 44. Stafford went to Atwell for 20. On 3rd and 1 from the New Orleans 27, Stafford gained 2. On 3rd and 10 from the New Orleans 25, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 5, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 13 more yards. Stafford went to Nacua for a 7 yard touchdown to have the Rams up by 7 with 9 minutes left in the game. After a touchback, the Saints milked most of the remaining clock and moved to a 4th and 3 at the Rams 9 with 1:13 to play. With everything on the line, Carr had his arm hit just as he threw for an incompletion. After consecutive wins, interim coach Darren Rizzi lost his first game. After starting 1-4, Sean McVay has a 6-6 team only one game back in their soft division. 21-14 Rams.
Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens — A pair of good football teams faced off in the battle for playoff positioning. In the first quarter the Ravens moved from their own 33 to a 2nd and 6 at the Philadelphia 13. A run lost 3 yards and Lamar Jackson threw incomplete. Justin Tucker hit a 34 yard field goal to make it 3-0n Ravens. The Ravens got it back at their own 18. Derrick Henry ran for 6, caught a pass from Jackson for 16, and ran for 4 more. Jackson went to Bay Flowers for 20. Henry ran for 19. Jackson went to Mark Andrews for a 14 yard touchdown and a 9-0 Ravens lead. For years Tucker has been the best kicker in the history of the game, but he has struggled this year. His extra point attempt doinked off the upright no good.
The game changed in the second quarter when a great punt pinned the Ravens at their own one. They punted from their 6. The Eagles took over just past midfield. On 3rd and 4 from the Baltimore 43, Saquon Barkley ran for 9. Jalen Hurts ran for 8. Hurts went to AJ Brown for 9 and to Dallas Goedert for a 17 yard touchdown. The Eagles were within 9-7. he Eagles got it back at their own 32. Hurts went to Brown for a pair of 15 yard gains and again for 14. Hurts went to Goedert for 9. On 3rd and 5 from the Baltimore 10, Hurts ran for 9. Then it was tush push time as Hurts got the yard. At the 2 minute warning, the Eagles led 14-9.
A strong kickoff return had the Ravens taking over at their own 41. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Philadelphia 19 with 30 seconds left in the half. An intentional grounding penalty on Jackson killed the drive. Tucker hit from 50 to have the Ravens within 14-12. After a third quarter touchback, the Ravens moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Philadelphia 15. With a golden chance to retake the lead, Jackson was sacked. Then Tucker’s 47 yard try was no good. The Ravens got it back at their own 18 and moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Philadelphia 35. Jackson threw incomplete. Tucker came in for redemption with a 53 yard try. This is the man who hit from 66 to hold the NFL record. Again, Tucker was no good. His 2 missed field goals and one missed extra point were the difference.
In the fourth quarter the Eagles took over at their own 29. On 3rd and 7 from their own 41, Hurts went to Goedert for 9. Barkley then gashed the defense for 14, 11, and finally the 25 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Eagles led 21-12. Jake Elliott tacked on a 35 yard field goal with one minute left. The Ravens got a garbage touchdown with 3 seconds left to make the score look closer than it was. The Ravens are 8-5, while the Eagles are 10-2 and cruising toward their division crown. After winning too many close games, this was a statement win for the Eagles. 24-19 Eagles
San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills was the Sunday night game. A heavy snowstorm belted Western New York as snow came down during the entire game. The 49ers have struggled all year, and now they had to play in Buffalo weather against a Bills team barreling toward the playoffs. The 49ers kicked an early field goal, but after that they were buried by the twin avalanches of Buffalo weather and the Bills offense. The Bills faced 3rd and 9 from their own 31. Josh Allen threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and 1 from their own 45, Allen gained 3. Allen hit Morris for 14. On 3rd and 1 from the San Francisco 18, Davis gained 13 and then ran for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Bills. In the second quarter the 49ers missed a field goal and then disappeared. One play and 10 seconds later, a 65 yard touchdown run by Cook had the Bills up 14-3. The Bills got it back at their own 3 yard line. Allenwent deep to Dawson Knox for 39. Cook ran for 18 and 10. Allen went to Amari Cooper for 7 and to Cook for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Allen went t Mack Hollins for the touchdown to have the Bills cruising 21-3 at halftime. The half ended with another missed san Francisco field goal. The second half was pointless. A field position game had the Bills at the San Francisco 44. Davis gained 11. Sean McDermott went for it on 4th and 2 from the San Francisco 25. Allen went to Shakir for 18. From the Frisco 7, it became a circus. Allen threw a short pass to Cooper, who then lateraled the ball back to Allen, who ran for the touchdown. The play seemed more sandlot than scripted. The Bills led 28-3. The 49ers managed a third quarter touchdown, but they fumbled on their next 2 drives in the fourth quarter. Allen ran for an 8 yard touchdown to complete the blowout. The defending NFC Champion 49ers are 5-7 while the 10-2 Bills clinched their division for the 5th straight year. 35-10 Bills
Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos was the Monday night game. The Broncos are in position to make the playoffs. The Browns are not, but they did get an impressive home win in the snow last week against Pittsburgh. Early on the Browns missed a chance to score first when Dustin Hopkins missed a 47 yard field goal try. The Broncos took over at their own 37. McLaughlin ran for 12. On 3rd and 6 from the Cleveland 47, Bo Nix went to Courtland Sutton for 17. On 3rd and 5 from the Cleveland 25, Nix went to Sutton for 7. Nix went to Vele for 16. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Williams got in to make it 7-0 Broncos. After a touchback Jameis Winston went to David Njoku for 11. On 3rd and 3 from their own 48, Winston went deep to Moore for 44. Winston hit Njoku for the 8 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. In the second quarter a pass by Nix was batted high in the air and intercepted. The Browns moved from their own 31 to a 3rd and 5 at the Cleveland 27. Winston threw incomplete. Hopkins hit from 45 to make it 10-7 Browns.
The Broncos eventually faced 3rd and 2 at their own 41. Nix went to Sutton for 19, to Adkins for 16, and to Franklin for 23. Burton banged in from the one to have the Broncos up 14-10 with 4 minutes left in the half. After a touchback, the Browns moved to a 1st and 10 at the Denver 29. Winston threw a short pass and Bonitto jumped the route and was off to the races the other way. The 71 yard interception return touchdown had the Broncos up 21-10 with 1:38 left in the half. Yet these Browns proved resilient. After a touchback on 3rd and 4 from their own 36, Winston went to former Denver player Jerry Jeudy for 13 and to Moore for 13 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Denver 17, 13 continued to be the lucky number as Winston hit Woods. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Winston hit Njoku for the touchdown with exactly 13 seconds left in the half to get the Browns within 21-17.
In the third quarter a field position game had the Broncos backed up and facing 3rd and 11 from their own 7. Sean Payton went for all the marbles. Nix went bombs away to Mims, who was well defended. The throw was a perfect dime just beyond the fingertips of the defender. Mims juggled the ball, caught it in stride, and galloped for a 93 yard touchdown to have the Broncos up 28-17. Yet one play and 11 seconds after a touchback, the Browns were right back in it. Winston delivered his own bomb and Jeudy hauled it in for a 70 yard touchdown. Kevin Stefanski went for 2. Winston went to Jeudy, who stretched the ball past the pylon successfully to have the Browns within 28-25. The Broncos maintained a long drive form their own 4 to a 3rd and 2 at the Cleveland 13. Nix threw incomplete. Sean Payton lined up to go for it but it was a bluff. The Cleveland defense didn’t bite. After a delay of game penalty, Lutz hit a 36 yard field goal to make it 31-25 Broncos after three quarters.
Early in the fourth quarter, Nix went for the deep kill shot and was intercepted. The Browns took over at their own 28. Winston immediately went to Jeudy for a 35 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Denver 35, Winston went to Woods for 14. On 3rd and 15 from the Denver 26, Winston went to Jeudy for 17. Winston hit Nick Chubb for a 5 yard touchdown. With 9 minutes left in regulation the Browns led 32-31. After a touchback, the Broncos moved to a 4th and 1 at the Cleveland 9. Sean Payton initially lined up to go for it. With 3 minutes left in regulation, Payton called a timeout. He changed his mind and went for the field goal. Lutz hit from 27 for a 34-32 Broncos lead. After a touchback, all the Browns needed was a field goal. On 1st and 10 from his own 42, Winston went to the sideline and it was deja vu all over again. McMillan jumped the route and made a leaping interception. Realizing he was not touched, McMillan got back up and raced for a 46 yard touchdown. The extra point locked up the win.
Jameis has a history of completing a ton of passes to both teams. In the final minute, Winston led the Browns to a 1st and goal at the 2. They needed the touchdown and a successful onside kick to have a shot at a winning field goal. Instead, Winston was intercepted yet again. He was lucky this was also not a pick 6 as the defender was caught from behind after a 56 yard runback. Despite being in his 10th year in the league, the former top overall pick somehow remains raw. He throws plenty of touchdowns, but not all of them are too his own team. On the one hand he was a spectacular 34 of 58 for 497 yards and 4 touchdowns. Yet he also threw 3 killer interceptions, 2 of which were returned by Denver for touchdowns. The Browns now have another losing season while the 8-5 Broncos are in the playoff chase. 41-32 Broncos