NFL 2024 Week 14 Recap
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions was the Thursday night game. This is why we watch football. The 9-3 Packers took on the 11-1 Lions. This game was everything the fans could have asked for. It featured some key Dan Campbell gambles. After an opening touchback the Lions faced 3rd and 2 at their own 38. Jared Goff went to Am-ra St. Brown for 4. David Montgomery gained 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Green Bay 38, Goff went to Williams for 28. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Goff threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact meant 4 yards and an automatic first down. Montgomery ran for a 3 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play,70 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Lions. On the first play of the second quarter the Packers fumbled and the Lion took over at their own 46. The Lions moved to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 25. Goff threw incomplete twice sandwiched around a run that went nowhere. Bates hit a 43 yard field goal for a 10-0 Lions lead.
After a touchback, Josh Jacobs ran for 4 and 19. On 2nd and 12 from the Detroit 37, Jordan Love ran for 14. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Love went to the end zone and was intercepted. Yet defensive pass interference instead meant 1st and goal at the one. Jacobs ran it in to have the Packers within 10-7. After a touchback Montgomery ran for 8 and Goff hit Williams for 20. On 3rd and 5 from the Green Bay 37, Goff hit Montgomery for 6 and Sam LaPorta for 13. Goff found LaPorta again for 11. On 3rd and goal from the one just inches from the goal line, Montgomery went off tackle and got blasted for a one yard loss. Only 11 seconds remained in the half. On 4th and goal at the 2, rather than kick the easy field goal, it was time for the first big Dan Campbell gamble of the game. He went for it and Goff hit Jahmyr Gibbs for the touchdown to complete the 12 play, 70 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and have the Lions up 17-7 at the break.
After a second half touchback, momentum changed drastically. On the second play from scrimmage on 2nd and 11, Love went bombs away to Watson for a 59 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from the detroit 12, Love went to Kraft for the touchdown to have the Packers within 17-14. Three plays after a touchback on 2nd and 14 from their own 26, Goff was intercepted. Nixon ran the interception back 16 yards to have the Packers set up at the Detroit 16. Jacobs ran for a 6 yard touchdown to give the Packers the 21-17 lead less than 4 minutes into the third quarter.
After a touchback the Lions soon faced 4th and 1 just shy of midfield. Again it was time for a Dan Campbell gamble. It did not come easy but Goff got the yard. Goff then went to Montgomery for 13. Goff ran for 9 and Gibbs added 20. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 4, Gibbs only gained one yard. For the third time in the game, it was Campbell taking a risk. Each risk seemed bigger than the one before it. There was plenty of time to kick a chip shot field goal. Campbell wanted it all. Goff hit Patrick for the touchdown and the 24-21 Lions lead. The Lions got the ball back and soon faced 4th and 1 at their own 31. For the 4th time, Campbell went for it on 4th down. Yet this was beyond bold. This was just crazy. This was Barry Switzer and Brandon Staley crazy. This time Campbell came up snake eyes. Gibbs lost a yard. The Packers received gift field position at the Detroit 30. On the last play of the third quarter, Love went to Kraft for 21. The fourth quarter began with Jacobs running it in for a 4 yard touchdown. Campbell’s aggressiveness backfired as the Packers led 28-24.
After a touchback, Goff went to Patrick for 18. On 3rd and 2 from the Green Bay 44, Goff hit St. Brown for 11 and LPorta for 14. St. Brown took an end around for 10. On 3rd and goal at the one, Goff went to Patrick for the touchdown. With 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation the Lions reclaimed the lead 31-28. After a touchback the Packers moved to a 2nd and goal at the 6. With 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Love went to Jacobs for the touchdown to have the Packers in the lead. Yet it was all for naught as offensive pass interference nullified the touchdown and killed the drive. Brandon McManus hit a 32 yard field goal. The game was tied 31-31, but 3 1/2 minutes still remained. The Lions had the ball and needed only a field goal to win.
After a touchback, Goff went to Williams for 19 and to Patrick for 11. On 3rd and 7 from the Green Bay 37, Goff went to Gibbs for just enough. On 2nd and 17 from the Green Bay 37, Goff went to St. Brown for 16. On 3rd and inches, the Packers took their final timeout on defense. From the Green Bay 21, Montgomery for stopped. The clock ticked down to 43 seconds left in regulation. On 4th and 1, this time Dan Campbell had to kick the field goal. Yes it would leave the Packers time for a win, but going for it at this stage of the game was crazy. If the Lions turned it over ron downs, the Packers would need only a field goal to win it. Maybe Dan Campbell is just crazy…or crazy like a fox. With the entire game and perhaps the division on the line, he again went for it all. The handoff was a disaster as Goff slipped and fell trying to hand the ball off. Yet on his knees he did hand it off, and Montgomery broke through for a 7 yard gain. Goff took a knee to center the ball. With 2 seconds left, Bates came in for a 35 yard chip shot indoors with no wind resistance. Bates was dead center. Rather than get within game of the Lions, the Packers fell 3 games back with 4 to play. The Lions sweet the Packers and own the tie-breaker. The Lions are 12-1. As for all the gambling, this is who the Lions are. This is who Campbell is. His players trust him, and the entire football world loves him. 34-31 Lions
New Orleans Saints at New York Giants — A pair of bad teams faced off, but the Saints have improved since Darren Rizzi took over. Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and play a thrilling game for the ages. This was definitely not that game. Early on the Giants turned it over on downs and the Saints missed a field goal. The Saints got it back at their own 2 yard line. On 3rd and 5, Derek Carr went deep to Marques Valdes-Scantling for 22 and to Johnson for 30. Carr went to holker for 10. Alvin Kamara gained 12. Miller ran for the 8 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Saints. The Giants managed a second quarter field goal for their entire offensive output of the half. The half ended with Blake Grupe having a 60 yard field goal try blocked. In the third quarter Carr was intercepted on a deep ball but the Saints got the ball back at their own 31. On 3rd and 12 Carr went to Wilson for 18. On 3rd and 1 from the Giants 44, Miller gained 3. Carr went to Foster Moreau for 32 and to Johnson for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Saints.
With 10 minutes left in regulation the Giants took over at their own 18. Drew Lock went to Bellinger for 12. On 3rd and 9 from their own 34, Lock ran for 14. With 5 minutes left the Giants were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 20 at the New Orleans 41. Lock went to Robinson for 18. Lock went to Nabers for 22. Tracy ran for a one yard touchdown. Lock hit Nabers for the 2 point conversion. With 4 minutes left the Giants were within 3 points. The Giants got it back at their one 14 with 3 minutes left and moved to a 4th and 9 at the New Orleans 38 with 1:52 left. Lock was intercepted. The Giants defense held again and the Giants got it back at their own 27 with 1:20 left. The Giants moved to a 1st and 10 at the New Orleans 12 with 21 seconds left. They had plenty of time to tie or even win the game. After a spike to stop the clock came a false start. Then Lock threw incomplete twice. With 11 seconds left, Graham Gano came in to force overtime. This was a 35 yard chip shot. Gano’s kick was blocked as the Giants fell to 2-11. The Saints are 3-1 since Darren Rizzi took over. 14-11 Saints
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers – A couple of weeks ago in the Cleveland snow a bad Browns team shocked a good Pittsburgh team 24-19. Now in Pittsburgh the Steelers wanted revenge. Early in the game the Browns punted on 4th and 22 form their own 5. An 11 yard punt return had the Steelers taking over at the Cleveland 36. On 3rd and 1 from the Cleveland 7, Russell Wilson got the yard but an illegal shift nullified the gain. Chris Boswell hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Steelers. After a touchback Ford and Nick Chubb each ran for 7. Jameis Winston went to Moore for 20. On 3rd and 9 from the Pittsburgh 35, Winston went to Jerry Jeudy for the touchdown to make it 7-3 Browns. After that, reality set in.
In the second quarter Winston was intercepted by Benton, who returned the pick 11 yards to the Cleveland 31. On 3rd and 7 Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 16 yards. Najee Harris ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Steelers. The Steelers got it back at their own 19 and moved to a 4th and 2 at the Cleveland 36. Boswell hit from 54 to make it 13-7 Steelers. The Browns missed golden opportunities when Dustin Hopkins missed short field goals of 38 late in the second quarter and 43 early in the third quarter. The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 33. Wilson went to Pat Freiermuth for 21. Jalen Warren gained 14. Wilson went to Warren for 14. Wilson hit Van Jefferson for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 20-7 Steelers. Kevin Stefanski gambled on 4th and 1 just past midfield. Ford ran around the end and got blown up for a 5 yard loss. The Steelers on 3rd and 6 from the Cleveland 42 had Wilson go to Mike Williams for 22. Wilson went to Freiermuth for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 27-7 Steelers. The Browns managed a fourth quarter garbage touchdown but nothing else. The Steelers are 10-3 while the Browns are a woeful 3-10 on the year. 27-14 Steelers
Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings — Kirk Cousins faced off against his old team. After an opening touchback the Falcons went right to work. Robinson gained 12. On 3rd and 8 from their own 44, Cousins went to Mooney for 28. Cousins found London for 16. On 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 8, Raheem Morris went for it. Robinson gained 2. Tyler Allgeier ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. The Falcons got it back at their own 18 and moved to a 4th and 5 at the Minnesota 38. Morris gambled again and this time Cousins threw incomplete. The Vikings struck quickly. Aaron Jones ran for 13. Sam Darnold went deep to Jordan Addison for a 49 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. In the second quarter the Vikings faced 3rd and 13 from their own 17. Darnold went to Jefferson for 20. Defensive pass interference on a deep incompletion added 47. On 3rd and 15 from the Atlanta 21, Darnold was sacked and fumbled. Yet on further review Darnold’s arm was going forward. Reichard’s 39 yard field goal try was good but defensive holding caused Kevin O’Connell to take the points off the board. On 3rd and 6 from the Atlanta 12, Darnold went to Justin Jefferson for the touchdown and the 14-7 Vikings lead just before the 2 minute warning.
After a touchback the Falcons moved to a 2nd and goal at the one with 20 seconds left. A run lost a yard and Cousins then threw incomplete. This time on 4th and goal from the 2, Raheem Morris took no chances. Younghoe Koo hit from 20 to have the Falcons within 14-10. In the third quarter Reichard doinked a 47 yard try off the left upright no good. Koo hit again from 29 as the Falcons were within 14-13. The Vikings took over at their own 25. Darnold went to Jefferson for 21. On 3rd and 8 from their own 48, Darnold went deep to Jefferson for a 52 yard touchdown and a 21-13 Vikings lead. After a touchback Allgeier rushed for big gains of 25 and 5. Cousins went to London for 11 and to McCloud for 16. Robinson ran for a 13 yard touchdown. Morris went for 2 and Robison got in. After three quarters the game was tied 21-21.
The Vikings began the fourth quarter facing 2nd and 12 at their own 28. Darnold went to TJ Hockenson for 14. Darnold went deep to Addison for 42. On 3rd and 5 from the Atlanta 11, Darnold went to Addison for the touchdown to make it 28-21 Vikings. The Falcons fumbled he ensuing kickoff and the Vikings took over at the Minnesota 32. Darnold hit Jefferson for 7, Jones for 5, and Addison for 9. Darnold went back to Addison for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 35-21 Vikings. An interception of Cousins had the Vikings at their own 2 yard line with 6 1/2 minutes left. Cam Akers ran for 4, 25 and 11. Darnold went to Oliver for 26. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 15, Jones ran it in to turn a shootout into a blowout. Darnold was a lights out 22 of 28 for 347 yards, 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. The 6-7 Falcons can still win their awful division while the 11-2 Vikings are steamrolling toward the playoffs. 42-21 Vikings
Las Vegas Raiders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The Raiders entered this game a 2-10 mess having lost 8 straight. The Raiders were a good team until the Buccaneers throttled them in the 2002 Super Bowl. They are still rebuilding 22 years later. For those who thought that super Bowl was a blowout, this game early on was not much better. The Buccaneers began facing 3rd and 1 from their own 24. White gained 4. Baker Mayfield went to Mike Evans for 15. Mayfield went to Shepard for 9 and White for 7. On 4th and 1 from the Raider 37, Todd Bowles decided to go for it. White gained 7. Mayfield went to Irving for 15 and to McMillan for a 15 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 85 yard, 7 minute drive and make it 7-0 Buccaneers. The Raiders punted on 4th and 20 from their own 10. The Buccaneers took over at their own 48. Mayfield went to Cade Otton for 20. White gashed the defense for gains of 13 and 12 and then caught a 5 yard touchdown pass form Mayfield to make it 14-0 Buccaneers.
Early in the second quarter Mayfield had a pass tipped in the air and intercepted by Chaisson. It was a spectacular one handed tip and catch while Chaisson was on the ground. The Raiders had a ray of hope starting at the Tampa Bay 36. Yet on the first offensive play from scrimmage, Aidan O’Connell fumbled the snap and gave the ball right back. Yet 3 plays later Mayfield was sacked and fumbled.The Raiders took over with another short field at the Tampa Bay 45. O’Connell went to Brock Bowers for 12 and to Mayer for 29. On 3rd and goal at the 2, O’Connell got stepped on by his own center and fell. Just before going down he heaved a wounded duck to the end zone. The Raiders caught a major break with a defensive pass interference call. Given a new set of downs, O’Connell got the one yard quarterback sneak to have the Raiders within 14-7. The Raiders got it back at their own 46 and moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Tampa Bay 6. O’Connell rolled out and eventually threw the ball away. Antonio Pierce was not in a gambling mood. Daniel Carlson hit the 25 yard field goal to get the Raiders within 14-10. The Buccaneers had a chance to score again before the half but Mayfield was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. The Raiders defense had forced only 5 turnovers all season, worst in the league. They forced 3 in the first half of this game.
The Raiders began the third quarter and mounted one of their longest drives in several years. Pounding the ball on the ground, the Raiders held the ball for 16 plays. They moved 61 yards. They held the ball for a mind-numbing 10 minutes and 20 seconds. The running game was working well. Yet on 2nd and 8 from the Tampa Bay 10, the offensive geniuses decided to have O’Connell line up in the shotgun with an empty backfield. O’Connell was intercepted. 10 1/2 minutes down the drain. The Raiders defense did their jobs and Amir Abdullah returned the punt 15 yards as their offense got the ball back just shy of midfield. Yet the Raiders offensive brain trust again had O’Connell line up in the shotgun. He threw another duck where only a defender could catch it. The defender did as O’Connell’s third interception killed the Raiders and wasted the defense’s efforts. After a lengthy review, the Raiders caught a break when it was reversed to an incompletion. On 3rd and 10, O’Connell rolled to his right and completed a pass to Jakobi Meyers for 8. After the throw O’Connell received a late but very light shove from the defender. O’Connell stayed down. It was a shove, not even a hit. O’Connell was taken off the field on a stretcher. Again, the defender barely touched him. Rather than bring in third stringer Desmond Ridder in such a key situation, Antonio Pierce from the Tampa Bay 44 opted to punt.
Early in the fourth quarter Ridder came in. On his second play from scrimmage, he fumbled the snap and fell on it. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 24. Mayfield went to Evans for 32. Tucker ran for 34. White want ran for a 3 yard touchdown. With 9 minutes left in regulation the Buccaneers led 21-10. The Raiders moved from their own 35 to a 3rd and goal at the 5. Ridder threw a completion that lost 3 yards. Needing 2 scores with 3m minutes left, Antonio Pierce opted for the field goal. Carlson hit from 27 to get the Raiders within 8. The Buccaneers took over at their own 20. Mayfield went to Otton for 44. On 3rd and 6 from the Raiders 29 at the 2 minute warning, Mayfield went to McMillan for the touchdown. The game was now out of reach.The 7-6 Buccaneers are alive in their wretched division while the 2-11 Raiders have lost 9 straight games. 28-13 Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles — The Panthers are a bad team that has improved in recent weeks. The Eagles are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Yet the Panthers played the Eagles tough. A first quarter field position game had the Panthers taking over at the Philadlephia 47. Eddie Pieniro hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Panthers. After a touchback, Saquon Barkley ran for 7 and 12. The Eagles began the second quarter at the Carolina 46. Barkley ran for 11. On 3rd and 8 from the Carolina 35, Jalen Hurts went to Devonta Smith for 27. On 3rd and goal at the one, Hurts took the Philly tush push into the end zone for a 7-3 Eagles lead. The Panthers took over at their own 31. Chuba Hubbard gained 8 and 4. Bryce Young hit Adam Thielen for 11. On 3rd and 2 from the Philadelphia 25, Young went to Moore for 19. On 3rd and goal at the one, Hubbard lost 2 yards. Dave Canales went for it. On 4th and goal, Young found Tommy Tremble in the flat for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Panthers with 4 minutes left in the half.
The Panthers got it back and soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 36 at the 2 minute warning. Young went deep and was intercepted by Gardner-Johnson, who returned the pick 15 yards to the Carolina 44. Hurts hit AJ Brown for 10. Hurts ran for 15. With 14 seconds left in the half, Hurts went to Smith for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Eagles. Early in the third quarter Jake Elliott missed a 52 yard field goal try that would have extended the lead. The Panthers took over at their own 42. Hubbard ran for 7 and 2. Young went to Thielen for 15. Hubbard ran for 4, 6 and 2. On 4th and 2 from the Philly 11, Dave Canales gambled. Young went to Thielen for 6. On 3rd and goal at the one, Hubbard got in.The extra point was no good but the Panthers led 16-14 after three quarters and had a shot at the upset of the year. After a touchback, Barkley ran for 11 and 15. on 3rd and 10 from the Carolina 44 Hurts scrambled for a 35 yard gain to end the third quarter. The fourth quarter began with the Eagles facing 3rd and goal at the 4. Hurts went to Calcaterra for the touchdown. Barkley ran in the 2 point conversion for a 6 point Eagles lead.
The Panthers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 2 at the Philly 27 with 8 1/2 minutes left. Young threw incomplete. With 3 minutes left the Panthers got the ball back at their own 3 yard line. They moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Philadelphia 32 with 52 seconds left. One touchdown would give them the lead. Young went bombs away to a wide open Leggett, who cradled the ball at the one and rolled into the end zone untouched. Yet before the Panthers could kick the extra point and celebrate, further review showed that the ball hit the ground. Leggett did not fully secure it. The Eagles dodged a major bullet. On 4th and 9 with 37 seconds left, Young went deep incomplete. It was far from pretty, but the Eagles survived to get to 11-2 while the Panthers are 3-10 on the year. 22-16 Eagles
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans — A pair of awful teams played. Trevor Lawrence is out for the rest of the season after taking a brutal illegal hit to the head last week. Sometimes a pair of awful teams can come together and play a thrilling game for the ages. This was absolutely not that game. Nick Folk hit a 46 yard first quarter field goal for the only score of the half. The Titans had chances to build on their 3-0 lead but failed to do so. Folk hit again from 39 in the third quarter to make it 6-0 Titans. Chase Little hit from 23 to have the Jaguars within 6-3 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Jaguars got it back at their own 19. Mac Jones went to Thomas for 21. Travis Etienne ran for 11. On 3rd and 4 from the Tennessee 43, Jones went deep to Thomas for 31. Tyler Bigsby ran for 4 and then for the 8 yard touchdown. After more than 53 minutes, the first touchdown of the game had the Jaguars up by 4. After a touchback the Titans moved to a 4th and 3 at the Jacksonville 9 with 1:15 to play. Levis threw incomplete. The Titans took their timeouts on defense and got the ball back at their own 40 with 50 seconds left. On 4th and 15 Levis threw deep incomplete. The Jaguars snapped their 5 game losing streak. Both teams are 3-10. League officials vowed to burn the tape of this game. 10-6 Jaguars
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins — Aaron Rodgers and Tua Tagovailoa are both good quarterbacks with some weapons, but for some reason both of their teams suck. After an opening touchback, Tagovailoa hit Jalen Waddle for 20, Tyreek Hill for 11, and Devon Achane for 14. On 3rd and goal at the one, Tagovailoa threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a new set of downs. Achane ran for a 2 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Dolphins led 6-0. After a touchback the Jets moved to a 2nd and 2 at the Miami 10. Rodgers threw incomplete twice. Anders Carlson hit the 28 yard field goal to get the Jets on the board. After a touchback the Dolphins moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Jets 21. On the first play of the second quarter Tagovailoa threw incomplete. Mike MadDaniel was not in a gambling mood. Jason Sanders hit the 39 yard field goal to make it 9-3 Dolphins. After a touchback, Rodgers went to Wilson fo 12. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich gambled on 4th and 4 from his own 48. Rodgers connected with Wilson for a 35 yard gain. Davis ran for a 12 yard gain to make it 10-9 Jets. The rest of the half belonged to the field goal kickers. Jason Sanders hit from 24 to put the Dolphins up 12-10. Carlson responded from 30 to make it 13-12 Jets. Sanders drilled a 57 yarder to end the half as the 4th lead change of the first half had the Dolphins back on top 15-13.
After a third quarter touchback, Rodgers went deep to Wilson for 42. On 3rd and 2 from the Miami 18, Rodgers threw incomplete. A field goal would give the Jets the lead, but Jeff Ulbrich decided to go for it. Rodgers went to Davis for 15. Rodgers went to Davantae Adams for a 3 yard touchdown. The 5th lead change of the game had the Jets up 20-15. The Jets got the ball back at their own 20 and moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Miami 17. Rodgers was sacked. Carlson hit the 40 yard field goal. The Jets led 23-15, but they did not put the dagger in. A field position game had the Dolphins at their own 40 early in the fourth quarter. On 3rd and 10, Tagovailoa went to Hill for 18. Tagovailoa went deep incomplete and drew a 23 yard defensive pass interference penalty. On 3rd and goal at the one, a run lost 3 yards. With 10 minutes left in regulation, a field goal was still reasonable. Yet Mike MacDaniel went for it. Tagovailoa went to Hill for the touchdown. Tagovailoa hit Waddle for the 2 point conversion. With 9 minutes left the game was tied 23-23.
The Jets moved from their own 13 to a 4th and 7 at the Miami 24. Carlson hit the 42 yard field goal. With only 52 seconds left in the game, the Jets led 26-23 with a chance to snap their long losing streak. A strong kickoff return had the Dolphins at their on 46 with 44 seconds left. With 7 seconds left, Sanders came in for a 52 yard field goal try to tie the game. Sanders was good. The Dolphins got the ball first in overtime. Tagovailoa went to Smith for 20 and again for 14. Tagovailoa hit Achance for 4, Hill for 9, and Achane again for 10. A touchdown would end the game but a field goal would give the Jets a chance with the ball. Rodgers never took the field in overtime. Tagovailoa went to Smith for a 10 yard touchdown. The 6th lead change of the game ended the game. The Dolphins at 6-7 are clinging to playoff life while the Jet are a 3-10 mess. 32-26 Dolphins, OT
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals — All 4 teams in the NFC West were bunched up in the battle for the division. The Seahawks entered with the one game lead. After an opening touchback, Kyler Murray went to James Conner for 11. On 3rd and 9 from their own 42, Murray went to Bay Jones for 13. Murray went deep to Wilson for a 41 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. After that the Seahawks took over. They moved from their own 27 to a 3rd and goal at the 2. Geno Smith threw incomplete. Mike McDonald was not in a gambling mood. Jason Myers hit the 20 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 7-3. Murray was then quickly intercepted by Jones, who returned the pick 12 yards to the Arizona 19. One play and 6 seconds later, Smith went to non-relative Jackson Smith-Nigba for the touchdown to have the Seahawks up 10-7. Murray was then intercepted again. The Seahawks had a short field at the Arizona 46. Smith went to Smith-Nigba for 19. Zach Charbonnet ran for 22. On 3rd and goal at the one, Charbonnet got in to have the Seahawks up 17-7 after the first quarter.
After a touchback to start the second quarter, the Cardinals moved to a 2nd and goal at the 9. Murray threw incomplete twice. Ryland hit the 28 yard field goal to get the Cardinals within 17-10. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 20. Smith went to Smith-Nigba for 24. Charbonnet broke free for a 51 yard touchdown to have the Seahawks up 24-10. In the third quarter the Seahawks took over at their own 37. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Arizona 14. Smith fumbled the snap but the Seahawks retained possession. Myers hit the 36 yard field goal to have the Seahawks up 27-10. The Cardinals managed one more touchdown late in the third quarter but could get no closer. Needing 2 scores midway through the fourth quarter, Ryland’s 40 yard field goal try doinked off the left upright no good. Myers added a 35 yard field goal just past the 2 minute warning to complete the scoring. The Cardinals are alive at 6-7 but the Seahawks are still atop the division at 8-5 on the year. 30-18 Seahawks
Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams — The Bills came in 10-2 and one game back in the conference. The 6-6 Rams were just trying to survive. After an opening touchback the Rams faced 3rd and 1 at their own 39. Karen Williams gained 3. On 3rd and 9 from their own 43, Matthew Stafford went to Puka Nacua for 17. Williams gained 7, 12 and 4. Nacua gained 5 and 9. Williams ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Rams. The Bills after a touchback faced 3rd and 9 at their own 31. Allen threw incomplete but roughing the passer added 15 yards. Josh Allen went to Shakir and Mack Hollins for 16 apiece and to Johnson for 14. On 3rd and goal at the one, Allen got in for a 7-7 game. The Rams moved from their own 32 to a 3rd and goal at the 3 early in the second quarter. Stafford threw incomplete. Joshua Karty hit the 22 yard field goal to have the Rams up 10-7. The Bills won had to punt from their own 48, bringing about a key play in the game. The Rams crashed through the line and blocked the punt. Hunter Long picked it up and raced 22 yards for a touchdown to have the Rams up 17-7.
After a touchback the Bills struck quickly. Allen went to Hollins for 12, to Amari Cooper for 14, and to Johnson for a 41 yard touchdown to have the Bills within 17-14. The Rams took over at their own 24. Defensive pass interference added 10 yards. Stafford went to Nacua for 16 and again for 19. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 25, Stafford went to Cooper Kupp for 6. Williams ran for 10. Nacua ran for a 4 yard touchdown to have the Rams up 24-14 at the intermission. In the third quarter the Rams faced 3rd and 10 at their own 24. Stafford went to Nacua for 13. On 3rd and 6 from their own 41, Stafford hit Nacua for 7. Stafford went deep to Kupp for 37. Williams ran for 3, 4, and on 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 7, the touchdown to make it 31-14 Rams.The Bills soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 21. Allen went to Cooper for 26. After reducing a 1st and 30 to a 3rd and 8 just shy of midfield, Allen went to Shakir for a 51 yard touchdown to get the Bills within 31-21. After a touchback, Stafford went to Tutu Atwell for 21. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 45, it was Blackjack again as Stafford hit Nacua for 21 more. On 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 17, Stafford went to Cooper Kupp for the touchdown. The Rams were rolling up 38-21 after three quarters. Yet the Bills did not get to 10-2 by being easily vanquished.
After a touchback on 3rd and 10 from their own 30, Allen ran for 20 as the third quarter ended. A horse collar tackle added 15. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Allen went deep to Shakir for 34 down to the one. Allen got the yard to have the Bills within 38-28. The Buffalo defense finally forced a 3 and out but a good punt pinned the Bills back to their own 9 yard line. On 3rd and 1, Allen gained 18. Allen ran for a 30 yard gain. Allen went to Samuel for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Rams 26, the defense got caught with too many men on the field. Allen hit Hollins for a 2 1yard touchdown to have the Bills within 38-35 with a full 9 minutes left in regulation. The Rams took over at their own 29. Stafford went to Williams for 6 and to Nacua for 19. On 3rd and 9 from the Buffalo 45, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive pass interference was a killer that kept the drive going and added 5 yards. With 4 minutes left in regulation the Rams had 4th and 5 at the Buffalo 35. A field goal would be 53 yards but would allow the Bills to have a chance to win. So Sean McVay gambled. Stafford hit Atwell for 11. On 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 19, Stafford went to Nacua for the touchdown. The 11 play, 71 yard drive took 7 minutes off the clock. The extra point was no good but the Rams led 44-35 with only 1:56 left. Allen quickly moved the Bills 70 yards and scored on a one yard touchdown run with one minute left. Yet the onside kick failed as the Rams survived a thriller. The 7-6 Rams survived. The 10-3 Bills, having won their division, fell back in the race for the conference lead. 44-42 Rams
Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers — 40 years ago, these teams played big games that mattered. This game was just a battle of bad tams, although the 49ers still had faint playoff hopes. After an opening touchback the 49ers faced 3rd and 3 at their own 37. Brock Purdy went to Guerendo for 23 and to George Kittle for 33. Purdy found Jennings for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. The 49ers got it back at their own 36. Purdy went to Kittle for 32 and to Guerendo for 27 down to the one. Guerendo ran it in from there to make it 14-0 49ers. The 49ers began the second quarter facing 2nd and 14 from their own 25. Purdy went to Kittle for 23. On 3rd and 8 from midfield, Purdy went to Kittle for 18. On 4th and 1 from the Chicago 23, Kyle SHanahan went for it and Purdy got the yard. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 16, Purdy went to Jennings for the touchdown to make it 21-0 49ers. Jake Moody tacked on a 23 yard field goal to have the 49ers up 24-0 at the break. League rules prevented the second half from being canceled. Each team scored 2 touchdowns in successive order in a game that was never a contest. The 6-7 49ers are still alive. 38-13 49ers
Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs was the Sunday night game. — The 11-1 Chiefs came in having won 14 straight one score games. The 8-4 Chargers came in having lost 10 straight games decided by 3 points or less. Nobody loses close games like the Chargers while the Chiefs have needed divine intervention to survive against inferior competition. The first half was a defensive slugfest. Matt Wright hit field goals of 47 in the first quarter and 33 in the second quarter to have the Chiefs up 6-0. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Chiefs took over at their own 23. On3rd and 7, Patrick Mahomes went to Xavier Worthy for 11. Defensive pass interference added 15. Mahoems hit Travis Kelce for 13. Mahomes found Deandre Hopkins for a 9 yard touchdown to have the Chiefs up 13-0 at the half. it was their only touchdown of the entire game.
The Chargers began the third quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 30. Justin Herbert got the yard. Vidal ran for a pair of 8 yard gains. On 3rd and 2 from the Chiefs 40, a run went nowhere. Jim Harbaugh went for it. On 4th and 2, Herbert found Palmer for 15. Herbert went to Smartt for 21. Gus Edwards ran for a 3 yard touchdown. The 13 play, 79 yard, 8 minute drive had the Chargers within 13-7. The chargers forced a 3 and out and got the ball back at their own 26. A defensive pass interference call on a deep incompletion added 39 yards. Herbert went to Samrtt for 24. On 3rd and 3 from the Kansas City 4, Herbert went to Johnston for the touchdown to have the Chargers up 14-13 after three quarters. Early in the fourth quarter Wright hit a 50 yard field goal to have the Chiefs up 16-14. Yet Dicker responded from 37 to make it 17-16 Chargers with 4 1/2 minutes left.
The ensuing kickoff was short of the landing zone to set up the Chiefs at their own 40. The entire football world knew what was coming. The Chiefs moved down the field. With exactly one second left in regulation, Wright came in for a 31 yard field goal try. What came next was chaos. Wright’s kick doinked off the left upright, but inside the upright. He got the favorable bounce as it snuck through inside the right upright. It was good. The Chiefs this season have beaten all 3 of their divisional opponents by exactly 2 points due to field goal chaos on the final play. With Denver, the Chiefs blocked the kick. Last week against the Raiders, a fumbled snap prevented the kick from being attempted. This week it was a favorable doink. For the 2nd straight week against a divisional rival, the Chiefs won by the exact same score. The Chargers lost their 11th straight game decided by 3 points or less. The Chiefs won their 15th straight one score game. The Chargers at 8-5 are still very much alive for a Wildcard but no more. The 12-1 Chiefs clinched the AFC West for the 9th straight year. The Chiefs are also 2 games up in the conference battle for home field advantage throughout the playoffs and the bye week. It was harrowing, but Andy Reid is a most relieved and happy Walrus indeed. 19-17 Chiefs
Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys was the Monday night game. These preseason darlings are two of the biggest bust of the entire season, with both teams expected to miss the playoffs. A 20 yard punt return by Kevontae Turpin had the Cowboys at their own 40. On 3rd and 1, Cooper Rush went to Schoonmaker for 14. Rush went to Cede Lamb for 13. Mike McCarthy gambled on 4th and 1 from the Cincinnati 11. Rush went to Lamb for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Cowboys. After a touchback, Joe Burrow went to Brown for 13. JaMarr Chase got around the end for 14. On 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 27, Burrow went to Brown for 8. On 3rd and 10 from the Dallas 19, Burrow went to Tee Higgins for 13. Burrow went to Chase for a 5 yard touchdown to make it a 7-7 ballgame. Rush was then intercepted but the Bengals turned it back over on downs. The Cowboys moved from their own 44 to a 3rd and 5 at the Cincinnati 17. Rush threw incomplete. Brandon Aubrey hit a 35 yard field goal 10 make it 10-7 Cowboys in the second quarter. The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 39. Burrow went to Iosivas for 23, to Chase for 14, to Mike Gesicki for 5, and to Brown for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Bengals. The Bengals got the ball back at their own 45 with 1:50 left in the half. They moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Dallas 19. Burrow threw incomplete. Evan McPherson hit from 37 with 30 seconds left to make it 17-10 Bengals.
After a third quarter touchback the Cowboy faced 3rd and 2 from their own 43. Rush went to Turpin for 15 and to Schoonmaker for 8. Rico Dowdle ran for 27. Rush went to Cooks for a 3 yard touchdown and a 17-17 game. After a touchback the Bengals moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Dallas 33. After an off naive penalty, Burrow was intercepted. The Cowboys moved from their own 17 to a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 29. A penalty for unnecessary roughness on the offense killed the drive. Aubrey hit a 47 yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 20-17 Cowboys. The Bengals moved form their own 32 to a 3rd and 2 at the Dallas 10. Burrow threw incomplete. Zac Taylor was not in a gambling mood. McPherson hit from 29 for a 20-20 tie with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. A the 2 minute warning, the Bengals and to punt on 4th and 27 from their own 29. Then all hell broke loose.
The Cowboys partially blocked the punt. It traveled only 14 yards. The Cowboys were ready to take over at the Cincinnati 43 needing only a few yards to get in long field goal range. Aubrey has the leg. The game was played at Jerrahworld Metropolis indoors with no wind. Aubrey never got the chance. A Cowboys player named Amani Oruwariye picked a bad time to turn into the new Leon Lett. 30 years after Lett’s blunder cost the Cowboys a game, Oruwariye entered Cowboys hall of shame and infamy for the same boneheaded mistake. Football 101 teaches kids that when a punt is blocked, it is a live ball. A full block means the ball goes backward behind the punter. the kicking team can pick up the ball and advance it. The team that blocked the punt can also pick it up and run it the other way. Yet if the team that blocked the punt tries to pick it up and run with it but mishandles it, there is no harm done. A partially blocked punt is a completely different animal.
A partially blocked punt sees the ball travel beyond the line of scrimmage. As long as the defenders stay far away from the ball, the play is dead. The kicking team cannot pick it up and advance it. All the defenders have to do is leave the ball alone. Yet if for some reason a defender touches and mishandles the ball, it then becomes alive ball and is treated like a fumble. The play in this game should have been dead. Yet Oruwariye tried to pick the ball up. He mishandled it and the Bengals recovered the fumble. Instead of being in the driver’s seat and being able to milk the clock and kick a field goal, the Cowboys gave the Bengals another chance from their own 43. Burrow went to Iosivals for 7. Brown ran for 10. Brown connected with Chase for a 40 yard touchdown. Wit one minute left, the Bengals led by 7. After a touchback the Cowboys moved to a 4th and 7 at their own 48 with 24 seconds left. Rush threw incomplete Both teams are 5-8 as Jerrah debated whether to blow up his own stadium for the insurance money. 27-20 Bengals