NFL 2025 Week 3 Recap
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills was the Thursday night game. The Bills were expected to roll over the hapless Dolphins. Yet early on, the Dolphins hit the Bills in the mouth. The opening kickoff was returned 54 yards by Eskridge to the Buffalo 47. On 3rd and 4, Tua Tagvailoa went to Tyreek Hill for 5. Tagovailoa then went to Achane for 15. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 12, Gordon gained 8. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Gordon took it straight up the middle for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. A penalty on the ensuing kickoff backed the Bills up to their own 15. Yet defensive pass interference gave the Bills 20 yards. Cook gashed the defense for gains of 16, 11 and 3. Josh Allen went to Kincaid for 9 and again for a 20 yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7.
The Bills got it back at their own 37 and kept pounding. Cook gained 9 and Moore added 11. Allen ent to Kincaid for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the Miami 23. Cook gained 5. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 9, Allen went to Coleman for 4. Allen went to Hawes for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Bills. he Bills looked like they ere going to break the game open but on 3rd and 8 from the Miami 14, Allen was sacked. Matt Prater then missed a 39 yard field goal. The Dolphins soon faced 3rd nd 1 from their own 38. Gordon gained 4. Tagovailoa went to Hill for 19. On 3rd and 10 from the Buffalo 41, Tagovailoa went to Hill for 13. On 3rd and 7 from the Buffalo 25, Tagovailoa ran for 8. On 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 10, Tagovailoa went to Hill for 7. Tagovailoa found Waddle for a 3 yard touchdown with 8 seconds left in the half to tie the game 14-14.
The Bills began the third quarter at their own 39. On 3rd and 1, Allen went to Johnson for 8 and to Shakir for 15. Cook ran for a 2 yard touchdown to have the Bills up 21-14. The dolphins ate in the third quarter took over at their own 33. Tagovailoa went to Achane for 9. Gordon ran for 16. The fourth quarter began with the Dolphins facing 4th and 4 at the Buffalo 36. Rather than try a 54 yard field goal, Mike McDaniel went for it. Tagovailoa went to Waddle for 15. Achane gained 14. Tagovailoa went to Hill for a 5 yard touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the game was tied for the third time at 21-21.
The Bills took over at their own 35. Cook ran for 11. The play of the game came with the Bills punting on 4th and just shy of midfield with 10:2o left in the game. A killer roughing the kicker penalty gave the Bill new life, and Allen made them pay. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 27, Johnson gained 7. Allen went to Shakir for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 28-21 midway through the fourth quarter. The Dolphins moved from their own 37 to a 1st and 10 at the Buffalo 21 with 3 minutes left. There was plenty of time to tie the game. Yet Tagovailoa was then intercepted by Bernard, who returned the pick 24 yards. The Bills took over at their own 41. On 2nd and 16 from his own 35, Allen connected with Moore for a 30 yard gain. With 22 seconds left, Prater came in for a 48 yard field goal try to lock up the win. There would be no upset. Prater was good. The Dolphins were game, but they are 0-3 and the Bills are 3-0 no the year. 31-21 Bills
Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings — Both teams were without their starting quarterback. Jake Browning led a comeback win last week, but nobody will mistake him for Joe Burrow. JJ McCarthy suffered a mild injury last week Getting the start was superstar turned journeyman Carson Wentz. This game was never a contest. The Vikings began at their own 36. Mason gained 10. Wentz hit Justin Jefferson for 16. On 3rd and 5 from the Cincinnati 12, Wentz hit Oliver for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Vikings. Browning had the Vikings on the move, but then he was intercepted by Rodgers at the Minnesota 13. Rodgers took the pick 87 yards the other way. Rather than a 7-7 game, the defensive touchdown made it 14-0 Vikings and the rout was on. In the second quarter Will Reichard hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 17-0 Vikings. The Bengals managed a field goal of their own, but after that the Vikings blasted them to pieces.
A short completion by Browning was fumbled, and again it was Rodgers for the defense. Rodgers returned the fumble 34 yards for his second defensive touchdown of the half to make it 24-3 Vikings. Another completion by Browning was fumbled away to set up the Vikings at their own 48. Wentz hit Jefferson for a 36 yard gain. Wentzz found TJ Hockeson for 11. Mason ran for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 31-3 Vikings. On the very next play from scrimmage, the Bengals fumbled the ball away again. Only 20 seconds remained in the half, but that was enough time for Reichard to blast a 62 yard field goal for a 34-3 Vikings lead. A pointless second half saw Mason cap a 74 yard third quarter drive with a 4 yard touchdown tun. Browning was intercepted again. The Vikings from their own 32 made it look easy. Mason ran for 24 and Wentz hit Naylor for 22. Wentz hit Hockenson for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 48-3 Vikings after three quarters. Kevin O’Connell pulled his starters and had backups play the fourth quarter. The Bengals managed one garbage time touchdown. The Bengals are a mess without Burrow, but a revitalized Wentz may have Vikings fans be willing to let McCarthy take his time coming back. 48-10 Vikings
Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots — Mike Tomlin and Mike Vrabel both love hard nosed football with tough running and defense, but only Tomlin has the personnel right now. 90 seconds into the game on the third play from scrimmage, Raimondre Stevenson fumbled and the Steelers recovered at their own 46. Aaron Rodgers went to DK Metcalf for 15. Warren gashed the defense for gains of 9, 11, 6, 4, and 3. Kenneth Gainwell got the last yard to make it 7-0 Steelers. The Steelers got it back and faced 3rd and 6 at their own 14. Rodgers was sacked and fumbled, but defensive holding gave the Steelers a new set of downs. Gaainwell ran for 13, On 3rd and 10 just shy of midfield, Rodgers went to Smith for 21. The second quarter began with with the Steelers facing 3rd and 1 from the New England 21. Defensive holding meant another first down. Rodgers found Metcalf for a 12 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 89 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and make it 14-0 Steelers.
The Patriots took over at their own 23. Gibson gained 11. Drake Maye ran for 15. On 3rd and 6 from the Pittsburgh 47, Maye went to Hunter Henry for 9. Maye connected with Stefan Diggs for 11. On 3rd and 4 from the Pittsburgh 21, Maye threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 16 yards. Maye hit Henry for a 5 yard touchdown to get the Patriots within 14-7. The defenses dug in as the final 9 minutes of the half and he entire third quarter were scoreless. Turnovers killed the Patriots as a 17 play, 92 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive led to 3rd and goal at the 2, only to have Maye intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. An interception of Rodgers had the Patriots facing 2nd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 2. Stevenson fumbled the ball away again. On their next series the Patriots fumbled the ball away yet again.
The Patriots got it back at their own 12. On 3rd and 1, Maye gained 3. Maye found Mack Hollins for 11. On 4th and 1 from the Pittsburgh 46, Mike Vrabel gambled and Henderson gained 2. Maye hit Henry for 15. The fourth quarter began with the Patriots facing 4th and 2 at the Pittsburgh 16. Vrabel gambled again. Maye hit Henry for the touchdown. The 15 play, 88 yard, nearly 9 minute drive had the game tied 14-14. The Patriots got it back at their own 18 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 33. Already in field goal range to take the lead, instead Maye was sacked and fumbled. The Steelers took over at their own 38. Rodgers went to Austin for 6 and to Warren for 15. On 3rd and 2 from the New England 25, Warren gained 4. Rodgers hit Gainwell for 19. On 3rd and 6 from the New England 17, Rodgers went to Austin for the touchdown/ With 2:16 to play, the Steelers had the 7 point lead. With 1:07 to play the Patriots faced 4th and 1 at the Pittsburgh 28. Maye completed a pass to Douglas, who for some inexplicable reason moved backward. Instead of picking up the first down, he juked himself into a one yard loss. Thet ineptitude including 5 turnovers doomed the Patriots. 21-14 Steelers
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans — The 2-0 Colts took on the 0-2 Titans. On the third play of the game on 3rd and 9 from his own 36, Cam Ward was intercepted by Moore. Moore returned the interception 32 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 7-0 Colts lead. Ward did shrug it off on the next drive as Joey Slye nailed a 57 yard field goal. Yet the Colts then broke the game open. Schrader hit a 24 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Colts. The Colts got it back at their own 23. Daniel Jones went to Pierce for 17 and warren for 15. On 3rd and 7 from the Tennessee 42, Jones ran for 17. Jones hit Warren for 17 more. Jonathan Taylor got the last yard to make it 17-3 Colts after the first quarter. A hideous second quarter started with Slye hitting from 42. Slye was given a chance from 64, but that one was no good. Schrader then missed from 51. Slye was given another long chance from 62 with 42 seconds left in the half. That kick was blocked. Schrader hit from 36 to end the half with the Colts having a 20-6 lead.
The Colts began the third quarter at their own 33. Jones went to Pierce for 19. Taylor ran for 9 and one. Jones went to Pittman for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 27-6 Colts. Ward finally got the Titans going on offense, but the Colts offense was unstoppable. Pollard ran for a one yard touchdown to get the Titans within 27-13. The Colts took over at their own 20. Jones went to Pittman for 17. On 3rd and 1 from their own 43, Jones went to Taylor for 3. Taylor broke free for a 46 yard touchdown to make it 34-13 Colts after three quarters. The Titans in the fourth quarter managed a 16 play, 77 yard, 8 minute drive, but ball control is only great when you’re winning. Down by 21, it doesn’t help. Ward threw an 8 yard touchdown to Ayomanor to get the Titans within 34-20, but nothin more. A failed onside kick and a 37 yard defensive pass interference penalty led to a one yard Taylor touchdown run to close out the scoring. Taylor had 102 yards on only 17 carries, a 6 yards per carry average. Meanwhile, Jones has been revived as the Colts are 3-0 on the year. 41-20 Colts
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars — The Texans are a surprising 0-2 after a pair of very tough close losses. In the first quarter Kaimi Fairbairn missed a 52 yard field goal for the Texans. The Jaguars took over at their own 42. Trevor Lawrence went to Strange for 16, to Thomas for 9, to Long for7, and to Washington for 11. On 3rd and 9 from the Houston 12, Lawrence threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 11 yards and the ball on the one. Tuten gotten to make it 7-0 Jaguars. The game then turned into a defensive slog. Fairbairn hit from 27 in the second quarter and Cam Little answered from 39 in the third quarter to make it 10-3 Jaguars. Little also missed from 47. The quarterbacks traded interceptions, with Lawrence’s pick resulting in the Texans taking over at midfield. One play later CJ Stroud went deep to Nico Collins for the touchdown and a 10-10 deadlock with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
Liam Cohen gambled for the Jaguars on 4th and 2 from the Houston 47. Lawrence threw incomplete. The Texans moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Jacksonville 31. Already in position for the go ahead field goal, Stroud went to Collins for 10 but then Collins fumbled the ball away. The Jaguars soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 21 with 3 minutes left. Lawrence ran for 10. At the 2 minute warning, a short pass from Lawrence to Thomas went for a 46 yard gain. Travis Etienne ran for the 10 yard touchdown to have the Jaguars up by 7 with 1:48 left. The Texans moved from their own 26 to a 3rd and 1 at the Jacksonville 28 with 27 seconds left. Stroud went deep ands intercepted by Johnson to seal the game. The Texans are 0-3 on the year. 17-10 Jaguars
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers — The Falcons looked very impressive in a dominant road win over Minnesota. Now all the Falcons had to do was beat a horrendous Carolina team. The game was a blowout, but not as expected. Younghoe Koo was cut and Parker Romo took his job. Yet early on it was Romo missing a 49 yard field goal try. The Panthers took over at their own 39. Bryce Young went to Tremayne for 7 and 8. Dave Canales gambled on 4th and 3 at the Atlanta 39. Young went to McMillan for 23. Young went to Tommy Tremble for 12. Young ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Panthers. Romo had another attempt from 55 yards that was also no good. Fitzgerald nailed a 57 yarder in the second quarter to have the Panthers up 10-0. In the third quarter Michael Penix floated a pass and Smith-Wade jumped the route for an easy 11 yard interception touchdown to make it 17-0 Panthers. Fitzgerald hit from 35 to make it 20-0 panthers. Another interception of Penix had the Panthers at the Atlanta 30. Canales went for it on 4th and goal at the one early in the fourth quarter. Rico Dowdle got in to make it 27-0 Panthers. Fitzgerald tacked on one more field goal from 41 to complete the shutout. Turnovers killed the Falcons. In an absolute shocker, they got totally obliterated. 30-0 Panthers
Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles — These teams played an epic snow playoff game last year in Philadelphia, with the Rams mounting a spirited comeback that fell just short in the final moments. The rematch was insane. An early interception of Matthew Stafford gave the Eagles a short field at the rams 38. Nick Sirianni gambled on 4th and 2 at the Rams 30. Jalen Hurts got around the end for an 18 yard gain. Sirianni went for it again on 4th and 1 at the Rams 3. With everyone expecting a tush push, Hurts threw incomplete. However, defensive pass interference was good enough for a yard. From the one, this time it was tush push time. Hurts got in to make it 7-0 Eagles. Yet after that, in front of a shocked home crowd, the Rams dominated much of the game.
Joshua Karty hit a 51 yard field goal to get the Rams on the board. The Rams got it back at their own 46 and struck quickly. Stafford went deep to Davante Adams for a 44 yard touchdown to have the Rams up 10-7 after the first quarter. The second quarter belonged to Karty. His field goals of 28, 33 and 46 had the Rams up 19-7 at the break. The third quarter began with Hurts getting sacked and fumbling. The Rams rook over the Philadelphia 10. One play and 6 seconds was enough for Stafford to hit Kyren Williams for the touchdown. The Rams were dominating 26-7. Then the game changed.
The Eagles took over at their own 21. On 2nd and 13 from their own 29, Hurts went deep to AJ Brown for 38. On the next play Hurts went deep again to Dallas Goedert for a 33 yard touchdown. Just like that the Eagles were within 26-14. The Eagles got it back and soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 13. Hurts went to Devonta Smith for 16. Defensive unnecessary roughness added 15. Saquon Barkley ripped off gains of 9 and 12. On 4th and 1 from the Rams 11, Nick Sirianni was again going for it. The entire world knew the tush push was coming but it didn’t matter. Hurts got the yard. Hurts went to Brown for a 9 yard touchdown to have the Eagles within 26-21 after three quarters. For the Rams, this was FCO1.
The Rams had every chance under the sun to finish this game. In the fourth quarter the Rams moved from their own 30 to a 4th and 1 at the Philadelphia 46. Sean McVay went for it but no other team has been able to replicate the Philly tush push. Williams got the carry and was blown up in the backfield for a 4 yard loss. This was FCO2. The Eagles soon faced 4th and 7 at midfield. Nick Sirianni went for it but this time Hurts threw incomplete. The Rams moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Philly 18. Stafford threw incomplete. Karty had already made 4 field goals and was now trying one from 36. Blocked! The kick was blocked. This was FCO3. There was a defensive unnecessary roughness penalty but it was after the play was over. The Eagles got to keep the ball but back at their own 9 yard line.
On 3rd and 10, one more defensive stop would force the Eagles to punt. Hurts went to Brown for 25. This was FCO4. Hurts ran for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Rams 48, Hurts went to Smith for 10. On 3rd and 10 from the Rams 38, Hurts went to Brown for 23. On 3rd and 3 from the Rams 8, Barkley gained 4. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Hurts threw incomplete. Everything came down to 4th and goal at the 4 with 1:48 left. Hurts went to Smith in the corner for a touchdown. The Eagles led 27-26. For the Rams, this was FCO5. Yet the 2 point conversion try failed. The Rams could still win with a field goal. The Rams quickly moved from their own 30 to a 3rd and 3 at the Philly 26 with 3 seconds remaining. Karty came in for a 44 yard try to win it. Blocked! Again! Making things even crazier, big Jordan Davis picked up the blocked field goal for the Eagles and began running for another touchdown. The clock had already expired, but the big fella would not be denied. The late John Madden would have loved this big fat guy touchdown. For the Rams it was more than FCO6. 26 straight points were undone by the Eagles scoring 26 unanswered points of their own. The Eagles remained unbeaten. Another playoff rematch would be well worth the wait. 33-26 Eagles.
New York Jets at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The Buccaneers won their first two games in razor’s edge fashion while the Jets came in winless. A strong opening drive saw Nick Folk hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Jets. Chase McLaughlin answered from 54 to tie the game 3-3. Folk hit from 42 to make it 6-3 Jets early in the second quarter. After that the Buccaneers took over.
From their 23, Baker mayfield hit Egbuka for 30. On 3rd and 8 from the Jets 45, Mayfield went to Shepard for 16 and again for 24. Mayfield found Mike Evans for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 10-6 Buccaneers. On 3rd and 7 from his own 41, Tyrod Taylor was sacked and fumbled. The Buccaneers recovered at the Jets 33. McLaughlin hit from 33 to have the Buccaneers up 13-6. With 17 seconds left in the half and the Jets at their own 45, Taylor found Dean, who plays defense for the Buccaneers. Dean returned the interception 56 yards for a score to have the Buccaneers up 20-6 at the half. McLaughlin hit from 28 in the third quarter to have the Buccaneers cruising. 20 unanswered points made it 23-6 Buccaneers.
From their own 20, the Jets clawed back. Taylor found Greg Wilson for 9, Breece Hall for 9, and Allen for 12. Allen ran for 9 and 8. Taylor went to Johnson for 12 and to Wilson for an 11 yard touchdown to have the Jets within 23-13, McLaughlin nailed a 55 yard field goal to have the Buccaneers up 26-13 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. Then the game got even crazier. The Jets took over at their own 27.Taylor went to his non-relative Taylor for 10. On 2nd and 17, defensive pass interference wiped away an interception and gave the Jets 15 yards. On 2nd and 19 after a sack, Taylor went to Johnson for 20, to Hall for 12, and to Wilson for 9. Taylor ran for 14. On 4th and goal at the 4, the Jets were down to their last gasp with 3:40 to play in regulation. Taylor went to Allen Lazard for the touchdown. The Jets were within 26-20. For the Buccaneers, this was FCO1.
The Buccaneers took over at their own 35 and Mayfield immediately ripped off a 33 yard run. The Jets took their timeouts on defense and took their final timeout with the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 5 at the Jets 24. 2 1/2 minutes remained. One first down would end it. Todd Bowles played it safe. Irvin ran for 4. This was FCO2. Now it was 4th and 1 at the Jets 20 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. Bowles decided to go for it. One yard would end it. Yet it was all gamesmanship, and the Jets defense didn’t bite. The delay of game penalty made it 4th and 6. This was FCO3. Yet McLaughlin came out for a 43 yard field goal try. With 1:49 left, a 9 point lead would put the game on ice.
Blocked! McLaughlin’s kick was blocked! Will McDonald picked it up for the Jets and raced for a 50 yard touchdown. Are? You? Kidding? Me!!!!!!! This was more than FCO4. The extra point was good. Out of nowhere, the Jets led 27-26 with a chance for a major upset. A jubilant Aaron Glenn did a sideline dance that was a cross between Billy “White Shoes Johnson,” part Merton Hanks, and part Lionel Richie and Chuck Berry Duck Walk.
Now the Jets had a chance to close out a win. The Buccaneers took over at their own 34 with 1:41 left. Mayfield went to Egbuka for 28. Mayfield found Shepard for 20. With 3 seconds left, McLaughlin came in for a 36 yard try for redemption and the win. For the Buccaneers, there would be no FCO5. For the Jets, FCO1 was the dagger. McLaughlin’s kick was good. The Jets remained winless. Aaron Glenn danced too early. The Buccaneers got their third straight razor thin margin win to stay unbeaten on the year. 29-27 Buccaneers
Las Vegas Raiders at Washington Commanders — Both teams won their opener and lost decisively last week. The Raiders lost at home. With Jayden Daniels out with a sore knee, the Raiders could have had a ray of hope. Yet his backup is former Raiders backup Marcus Mariota, who is a duel threat. Deebo Samuel took the opening kickoff 69 yards to have the Commanders starting at the Raiders 27. Rodriguez ran for 5, 14, 4 and 2. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Mariots got in. Without throwing a single pass, the Commanders quickly led 7-0. The ensuing kickoff was kicked out of bounds to set the Raiders up at their own 40. On the first play, Geno Smith went deep to Jakobi Meyers for 45. Yet on 2nd and 9 from the Washington 14, a run went nowhere and Smith then threw incomplete. Daniel Carlson hit a 37 yard field goal to get the Raiders within 7-3.
The Commanders got it back at their own 29 and moved to a 2nd and 1 just past midfield. Mariota kept it and ripped off a 27 yard gain, but he then got hit and fumbled the ball away. The Commanders got it back and moved the ball easily only to have Matt Gay miss a 37 yard field goal try. Yet the raiders offense could not capitalize. In the second quarter Gay hit a 46 yard field goal for a 10-3 Commanders lead. The Raiders soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 29. Smith went to Tre Tucker for 18. Ashton Jeanty ran for 16. On 2nd and 14 from the Washington 41, Smith went to Tucker for 17. Jeanty ran for 11. Smith went to Tucker for a 10 yard touchdown. With 4:20 left in the half, the game was tied 10-10.
Yet the Raiders could not handle prosperity. It took only 2 plays for the Commanders to regain the lead. On 2nd and 5, Mcnichols ripped off a 60 yard touchdown tun to make it 17-10 Commanders. The raiders could not even get to the half. The Commanders took over at their own 35 with 27 seconds left. On 3rd and 1 from his own 44, Mariota was sacked. Yet a mindless defensive facemark penalty instead gifted the Commanders 15 yards. Gay drilled a 56 yard field goal at the gun to make it 20-10 Commanders. The backbreaker came in the third quarter. The Raiders punted and Lane returned the punt 90 yards for a touchdown and a 27-10 Commanders lead. The Commanders got it back at their own 37 and made it look easy. On the first play Mariota went bombs away to Terry McLaurin for 56. On 3rd and goal at the one, Merritt got in to make it 34-10 Commanders.
The Raiders tried to punt a fourth quarter rally. They moved 70 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. Smith went to Tucker for a 10 yard touchdown. A desperation 2 point conversion try failed as the Raiders were down 34-16. On their next series on 4th and 1 from just past midfield, a run out of the shotgun fooled nobody as the Raiders turned it over on downs. The Raiders got it back at their own 17 and this time struck quickly. Smith went bombs away to Tucker for a 61 yard touchdown. This time the 2 point try was good as the Raiders were within 34-24 with 3:42. They still need a couple of breaks. They did not get them. The onside kick failed. On 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 43, Mariota went to McCaffrey, who took it all the way for the touchdown to ice the game. 41-24 Commanders
Green Bay Packers at Cleveland Browns — All the 2-0 Packers had to do to stay unbeaten was beat the pathetic and winless Browns. After a scoreless first quarter, Brandon McManus hit a 39 yard field goal. A surprisingly tough first half had the Packers up 3-0. A 14 ply 71 yard, 7 1/2 minute third quarter drive saw Jordan Love hit Josh Jacobs for a 31 yard gain. On 3rd and goal the 3, Love found Fitzpatrick for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Packers. After over 56 minutes of being shut out, the Browns finally got on the board with a 35 yard field goal. The Packers soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 25. Under heavy pressure, rather than just take the sack, Love threw a terrible pass into traffic that was intercepted. Delpit returned the pick 25 yards to the Green Bay 4. Judkins ran for a one yard touchdown for a 10-10 tie with 3 minutes left. Despite his horrendous blunder, Love managed to lead the Packers in position for a winning 43 yard field goal try with 27 seconds left. McManus’s kick…blocked! The Browns blocked it. With 3 seconds left, Szmyt came in for a 55 yard try to win it for the Browns. Szmyt’s kick…good! In a shocker, the Browns stunned the Packers. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 13-10 Packers
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers — The Chargers were unbeaten while the Broncos lost last week on a boneheaded penalty in the final seconds. A 31 yard Cameron Dicker field goal early on had the Chargers up 3-0. In the second quarter the Chargers took over at their own 46. Justin Herbert hit Johnston for 10. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 30, Herbert found Ladd McConkey for 3. Herbert went to Johnston for 22. Hampton ran for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Chargers with 1:53 left in the half.
The Broncos took over at their own 28. On 3rd and 2, Bo Nix hit Cortland Sutton for 4. With 38 seconds left, Sean Payton gambled on 4th and 2 from his own 48. Nix went deep to Sutton for a 52 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Broncos were right back in it down 10-7. The Broncos began the third quarter at their own 34. On the first play from scrimmage, JK Dobbins ripped off a 41 yard gain. Dobbins then ran for 6. Dobbins’s third straight carry was a 19 yard touchdown as the Broncos out of nowhere led 14-10. The Chargers fumbled the ensuing kickoff. The Broncos took over at the Chargers 30. The Chargers defense held. Wil Lutz hit a 42 yard field goal to make it 17-10 Broncos. The Chargers did get on the board again with a 24 yard Dicker field goal, but Lutz answered from 26 early in the fourth quarter. The Broncos led 20-13 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
With 4 1/2 minutes to play, the Chargers faced 3rd and 10 at their own 24. Herbert went to Allen for 11. Defensive unnecessary roughness added 15. Herbert went to Hampton for 22. Herbert then went deep to Keenan Allen for a 20 yard touchdown. With 2 1/2 minutes left, the game was tied 20-20. The Chargers took over at their own 32. Runs and short passes had the Chargers at the Denver 39 with 43 seconds left. Herbert went to McConkey for 12. With 5 seconds left, Dicker came in for a 43 yard field goal try to win it in regulation and avoid overtime. Dicker’s kick was good as the Chargers remained unbeaten and the Broncos were a head-scratching 1-2 on the year. 23-20 Chargers
New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks — The Saints are awful while the Seahawks were coming off of a big road win at Pittsburgh. Saints Coach Kellen Moore gambled early on 4th and 2 from the Seattle 45. Spencer Rattler threw incomplete. Sam Darnold then went deep to Smith-Nigba for 29. On 3rd and 8 from the New Orleans 24, Darnold threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness added 12. Darnold went to Smith-Nigba for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks. The Saints then punted, and Horton returned the punt 95 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 Seahawks lead. Special teams killed the Saints. Their next punt was blocked, setting up the Seahawks at the New Orleans 11. Two plays later Kenneth Walker ran for a 3 yard touchdown. The Seahawks led 21-0 after the opening quarter. For some reason, the final three quarters were played due to league rules against cancelation.
The Saints managed a second quarter field goal but the Seahawks just poured it on. Again, it was special teams as a 60 yard kickoff return set up the Seahawks at the New Orleans 38. Darnold went to Barner for 23. Darnold hit Horton for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 28-3 Seahawks. The Seahawks got it back at their own 24. Darnold went deep to Smith-Nigba for 45. Darnold hit Saubert for 12 down to the one. Walker got the yard as the Seahawks led 35-3. Down by 32, the Saints missed a field goal. Jason Myers hit from 56 for a 38-3 Seahawks lead. The Saints managed another field goal before the half, but the second half was pointless. Myers hit third quarter field goals of 46 and 37 for a 44-6 Seahawks lead. The Saints managed a fourth quarter garbage touchdown in what is shaping up to be a garbage season. 44-13 Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals at Sam Francisco 49ers — Both teams came in 2-0. An early 57 yard field goal try by Chad Ryland for the Cardinals was no good. After a scoreless first quarter, Ryland did hit from 34 in the second quarter. Yet Eddie Pineiro hit from 38 and again from 51 to end the half with the 49ers up 6-3. Ryland answered from 28 in the third quarter for a 6-6 game. Early in the fourth quarter the Cardinals had to punt on 4th and 11 from their own one. The 49ers took over at the Arizona 48. Kyle Shanahan went for it on 4th and 2 from the Arizona 40. Mac Jones went to Pearsall for 34. Jones hit Kyle Juszczyk for a one yard touchdown to make it 13-6 49ers with 11 minutes left. The Cardinals took over at their own 35. Kyler murray went to Marvin Harrison Jr for 32. Defensive pass interference added 33 more. Murray went to McBride for a one yard touchdown and a 13-13 game with 9 minutes left.
With 3 1/2 minutes left the 49ers were backed up to their own 6 yard line. Jones went back to pass and offensive holding in the end zone meant a safety. The Cardinals led 15-13 and with the free kick had a golden opportunity to run out the clock. Yet on 3rd and 9 from midfield a the 2 minute warning, Murray threw incomplete. The 49ers took over at their own 20 with 1:46 left. Jones went to Tongers for 11 and Moore for 10. Jones found Kendrick Bourne for 11 and Christian McCaffrey for 20. With 3 seconds left, Pineiro came in for a 35 yard try to win it. With everything on the line for both teams, Pineiro’s kick was good. The 3-0 49ers for now are in sole possession of first place in the NFC West. 16-15 49ers
Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears — The Cowboys lost their opener and barely survived against the woeful Giants in overtime. All they had to do to right the ship was beat the winless Bears. Early on Williams ripped off a 22 yard run for the Cowboys only to fumble the ball away. The Bears took over at their own 24. Caleb williams went to Loveland for a 31 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Dallas 35, Williams went deep tp Odunze for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Bears. The Cowboys did manage a 53 yard Brandon Aubrey field goal, but 11 seconds later the Bears were in the end zone again. One play was enough for Williams to go bombs away to Burden for a 65 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Bears after the first quarter.
Brandon Aubrey managed a 33 yard second quarter field goal to get the Cowboys within 14-6. The Cowboys got it back at their own 43. From the Chicago 42, Dak Prescott went to Williams for 21. Prescott went to Pickens for a 2 yard touchdown. Brian Schottenheomer went for 2 and Prescott hit Tolbert successfully. The game was tied 14-14 midway through the second quarter, but then the game changed again.
On 3rd and 9 from his own 36, Williams went deep to Swift for a 41 yard gain. Cairo Santos hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 17-14 Bears. The Bears got it back at their own 29. On 3rd and 2 from their own 48, Williams went to Odunze for 13 and to Burden for 29. Williams hit Cole Kmet for the 10 yard touchdown to make it 24-14 Bears after three quarters. The Bears got it back and grinded the Cowboys into dust. An unfathomable 19 plays moved the ball 76 yards and took 10 minutes off the clock. On 4th and goal at the 4, Ben Johnson went for it. Williams hit Moore for the touchdown for a 17 point Bears lead after three quarters. The Cowboys had the ball 3 times in the fourth quarter. All 3 times, Prescott was intercepted. Two of those picks came in the red zone, including one on 4th and goal at the one. The fourth quarter was scoreless as Jerrah contemplated firing everyone. Meanwhile, Johnson got his first win as Bears coach. 31-14 Bears
Kansas City Chiefs at New York Giants was the Sunday night game. The Giants were expected to be 0-2, but the Chiefs did not. For the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, they were. The Giants began with a 6 minute drive. Biran Daboll gambled on 4th and 3 from the Kansas City 28 rather than try a makable 46 yard field goal. Russell Wilson threw incomplete. Harrison Butker nailed a 54 yard field goal for a 3-0 Chiefs lead after the first quarter. Butker hit again from 48 in the second quarter to make it 6-0 Chiefs. After an interception of wilson, Butker had another try from 40 that was no good. The Giants took over at their own 30. Skattebo ran for 7 and 11. On 3rd and 8 from midfield, Wilson hit Skattebo for 16. On 3rd and 9 from the Kansas City 33, Wilson threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 15 yards. Skattebo ran for a 13 yard touchdown. Gillan’s extra point was blocked as the game was tied 6-6.
Another interception of Wilson gave the Chiefs the bay at their own 20 with 46 seconds left in the half. On 3rd and 10 from their own 32, Mahomes threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact meant a new set of downs. Then a deep incompletion meant a 52 yard defensive pass interference call. That allowed Butker to hit from 28 to have the Chiefs up 9-6 at the half. The Chiefs began the third quarter at their own 26. Mahomes went to Malcolm Hollywood Brown for 17. On 3rd and 3 from the Giants 47, Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for 13. Isaiah Pacheco ran for 10. On 3rd and 3 from the Giants 5, Mahomes went to Thornton for the touchdown and the 16-6 Chiefs lead after three quarters. The Giants managed a third field goal but the Chiefs then put the game away with a 77 yard drive. Mahomes went to Thornton for 21 and Brown for 10. Mahomes went deep to Thornton for the 33 yard gain. Karim Hunt ran for the one yard clinching touchdown. The extra point was no good. It was ugly and the Chiefs are hardly what they were, but the Giants are exactly as bad as expected. 22-9 Chiefs
Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens was the Monday night game. Two years ago the Ravens blasted the Lions to pieces. Both of these teams have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Both offenses exploded out of the gate. The Lions began at their own 33. Jared Goff went deep to Williams for big gains of 24 and 19. On 4th and 3 from the Baltimore 11, there would be no 29 yard field goal try. It was an early dan Campbell gamble. Goff went to Amra St Brown for 7. Gibbs ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Lions. The ravens took over at their own 20. Lamar Jackson went to Mark Andrews for 19. Jackson ran for 12. Derrick Henry ripped off a 28 yard touchdown to tie things 7-7.
In the second quarter the Lions mounted the drive of the year. They started on their own 2 yard line. On 3rd and 7, Goff went to Sam LaPorta for 10 and to Montgomery for 13. On 3rd and 8 from his own 20, Goff went to LaPorta for 14. On 3rd and 1 from the Baltimore 47, Gibbs got the yard. Montgomery ripped off gains of 8 and 10. On 3rd and 1 form the Baltimore 10, Goff gained 2. Montgomery crashed in from the one. The back-breaking drive took 18 plays, went 98 yards, and took nearly 11 minutes off the clock to make it 14-7 Lions. A strong kickoff return had the Ravens taking over just shy of midfield. With 2:43 left in the half the Ravens moved to a 2nd and goal at the one. Henry got stopped for no gain and then for a one yard loss. John Harbaugh gambled on 4th and goal at the 2. Jackson got sacked. Yet the Baltimore defense held and the Ravens got it back just past midfield. Jackson ran for 13 and hit Deandre Hopkins for 13 more. Defensive pass interference added 16. Jackson hit Bateman for a 3 yard touchdown and a 14-14 game with 24 seconds left in the half. Jake Bates was given a chance to make NFL history with a 67 yard field goal try at the gun, but his kick was no good.
The Ravens began the third quarter at their own 27. On 3rd and 1, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 6 from their own 46, Jackson went to Bay Flowers for just enough. Jackson went to Kolar for 15 and to Mark Andrews for 19. On 3rd and goal from the Detroit 14 after a sack, Jackson went to Andrews for the touchdown and the 21-14 Ravens lead. The ensuing kickoff failed to reach the landing zone, setting up the Lions at their own 40. Gibbs ran for 7 and 9. Goff went to St. Brown for 17 and again for an 18 yard touchdown. A game tied 7-7 after one quarter and 14-14 at the half was now tied again 21-21 after three quarters.
The Lions got it back at their own 4 yard line and again moved at will. Montgomery gained 11. Montgomery then ripped off a 72 yard run. On 4th and 1 from the Baltimore 4, a field goal would give the lions the lead. Yet it was time for another Dan Campbell gamble. Gibbs got around the end for the touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 28-21 Lions. The Ravens moved from their own 28 to the Detroit 23. Yet a sack of Jackson killed the drive. With over 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, John Harbaugh was not about to go for it on 4th and 13. In a game of all touchdowns, Tyler Loop hit the 41 yard field goal to get the Ravens within 28-24. The Ravens got it back looking for the lead. For the third straight week, Henry ran wild most of the game. Yet for the third straight week, Henry coughed it up. The Lions recovered the fumble at the Baltimore 16. Yet an offensive facemask penalty killed the drive. Even Campbell doesn’t normally go for it on 4th and 21. Bates hit the 45 yard field goal to make it 31-24 Lions with 6 1/2minutes left in regulation.
The Lions got it back at their own 30. Gibbs ran for 7, 4 and 2. With 1:56 left, it was time for a major Dan Campbell gamble. He went for it on 4th and 2 just shy of midfield. 31 other coaches would punt the ball knowing that a short field could mean a tie game. He is not the other 31 coaches. Rather than try to smash it up the middle, A deep ball saw Goff hit Brown for 20. On the next play Montgomery ran for a 31 yard touchdown. With 1:42 left the Lions had breathing room up 38-24. In desperation mode from their own 35, a sack had the Ravens facing 3rd and 26 from their own 19. A short pass from Jackson to Justice hill went for 37. Jackson then found Bateman for 14. Jackson went to Andrews for a 27 yard touchdown. John Harbaugh went for a totally pointless 2 point conversion that failed. More importantly, the onside kick failed. A Super Bowl rematch between these teams would be well worth the price of admission. 38-30 Lions