NFL 2025 Week 7 Recap
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals was the Thursday night game. Joe Flacco was traded from Cleveland to in-state division rival Cincinnati a few days earlier. Aaron Rodgers was in his first season in Pittsburgh. While the game itself was a dandy, the big winner was 80-year-old legendary sports announcer Al Michaels. With both quarterbacks combined to be older than Michaels, the Jewish announcer referenced some Yiddish in calling this game the Alta Caca Bowl. As for the game, the Steelers began at their own 30. On 3rd and 11, Rodgers went deep to DK Metcalf for 39 yards. Warren ran for 7, 10 and 4. On 3rd and 6 from the Cincinnati 10, Rodgers went to Smith for the touchdown and the 7-0 Steelers lead. In the second quarter the Steelers took over at their own 27. They moved 51 yards in 12 plays and nearly 7 1/2 minutes. Chris Boswell hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Steelers.
The Bengals took over at their own 28. Brown ran for 27. On 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 45, Flacco went to JaMarr Chase for 15 and 7. Perine gained 9. Flacco hit Chase for an 8 yard touchdown together the Bengals within 10-7. On the next play from scrimmage Rodgers was intercepted on a deep bomb. The Bengals took over at their own 24. Brown ripped off a 37 yard run. Flacco then went deep to Tee Higgins for a 29 yard touchdown to have the Bengals up 14-10 with 3 minutes left in the half. Rodgers was intercepted again to have the Bengals at their own 30 with 40 seconds left in the half. McPherson hit a 49 yard field goal to end the half with the Bengals up 17-10. The Bengals took over in the third quarter at their own 32, They moved 63 yards in 14 plays and 7 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 5, Flacco threw incomplete twice. McPherson hit from 23 as 20 straight points had the Bengals up 20-10.
The Steelers took over at their own 39. Warren ran for big gains of 5, 6 and 24. Rodgers hit Wilson for 13. On 3rd and 18 from the Cincinnati 19, Rodgers went to Pat Freiermuth for the touchdown as the Steelers were now within 20-17. The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 39. Flacco went deep to Iosivas for 37. Flacco went to Higgins for 6 and to Chase for 10. The Bengals began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and goal at the 5. Flacco hit Fant for the touchdown and the 27-27 Bengals lead.
The Steelers took over at their own 27. Warren ran for 37. Rodgers hit Freiermuth for 18. On 3rd and 4 from the Cincinnati 12, Rodgers went to Washington for 8. Rodgers hit Washington for a 2 yard touchdown. The Steelers were within 27-24 with 12 minutes left in regulation.
The Bengal moved from their own 20 to a 2nd and 3 at the Pittsburgh 17. Looking to lock up the win, a critical offensive holding penalty killed he drive. McPherson hit from 45. The Bengals led 30-24, but they did not slam the door shut. A field position game had the Steelers taking over with 2:45 left at their own 42. On 2nd and 20, Rodgers went bombs away to Freiermuth for a 68 yard touchdown. In front of a shellshocked home crowd at Riverfront Stadium, the Steelers led 31-30. Yet they may have scored too early. The Bengals took over at their own 30 with 2:20 left needing only a field goal to win. Flacco went to Chase for big gains of 15 and 18. On 2nd and 8 from the Pittsburgh 35, Flacco went deep to Higgins for a 28 yard gain. Higgins could have scored but smartly and unselfishly voluntarily gave himself up. A touchdown would give the Steelers the ball back with a chance to win. Instead, the Bengals took the clock down to 7 seconds. McPherson came in for a 36 yard try to win it.
McPherson’s kick was good as the Bengals led. Yet 3 seconds still remained. Rodgers is still the King of the Hail Mary. From his own 40, Rodgers, launched a cannon shot that reached the end zone. It was well defended and batted down incomplete. Rodgers at 40+ can still sling it. Luckily for the Bengals, so can Flacco. Rodgers won his Super Bowl in 2010, and Flacco did in 2012. Yet in 2025, both men did the game proud as the Bengals won a fine, fine football game. 33-31 Bengals
Los Angeles Rams at Jacksonville Jaguars was the Sunday early morning game from London. A pair of 4-2 teams met but only one team showed up. The Rams took over at their own 40. On 3rd and 2, Matthew Stafford went to Tyler Higbee for 7. Stafford went back to Higbee for 9 more. Rather than try a 34 yard field goal, Sean McVay gambled on 4th and 3 from the Jacksonville 16. Stafford hit Kyren Williams for 9. Stafford hit Mumpfield for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Rams. The Rams got it back at their own 21. Stafford hit Parkinson for 23. Stafford hit Davantae Adams for 15 and Smith for 9. Stafford went to Adams for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Rams. In the second quarter the Jaguars missed a field goal, setting up the Rams at their own 40. Williams ran for 10. Defensive pass interference added 17. Stafford hit Adams for 16 and Parkinson for 16 more down to the one. Stafford went to Adams for the touchdown to make it 21-0 Rams at the half. The third quarter was scoreless. The Rams blew the game open in the fourth quarter, marching 62 yards. Stafford went deep to Ferguson for a 31 yard touchdown to make it 28-0 Rams. The Jaguars scored one touchdown to avoid the shutout, but the onside kick failed. The Rams took over at the Jacksonville 45. Stafford hit Adams for a one yard touchdown to complete the blowout. Stafford set an NFL record with 5 touchdown passes, the most ever for a game outside the United States. 35-7 Rams
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears — The Bears are slowly improving. The Saints are not. Early on the Saints fumbled. Jake Moody hit a 27 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bears. Caleb Williams was intercepted, but the Saints missed a field goal. Moody connected again from 39 to make it 6-0 Bears in the second quarter. Spencer Rattler was then intercepted. Wright ran the pick back 38 yards to the New Orleans 30. Swift ran for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 13-0 Bears. A shanked 31 yard punt gave the Bears the ball back at their own 45. Swift ran for 5 and 6. Williams went to Moore for 26. On 3rd and 7 from the New Orleans 15, Williams hit Loveland for 9. Monanga ran for a one yard touchdown to have the Bears dominating up 20-0 with one minute left in the half. With the Saints getting the ball back at their own 9 yard line, this game seemed over.
Instead Rattler hit Shaheed for 13. Rattler went deep to Chris Olave for 57. Rattler went deep to Olave again for a 22 yard touchdown as the Saints trailed 20-7. The Saints took over at their own 20 to start the third quarter seeking to double up. On 3rd and 2 from their own 36, Taysom Hill gained 5. Rattler hit Johnson for 11 and again for 28. On 3rd and 4 from the Chicago 14, Rattler hit Olave for the touchdown. 2 straight touchdown drives had the Saints within 20-14 with almost 25 minutes of football left. Yet after that the Chicago defense cracked down. Moody hit from 24 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. Rattler threw a pair of interceptions and Moody hit from 33 in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring. 26-14 Bears
Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs — Sometimes a really bad team can go on the road and shock a really good team in a thrilling upset for the ages. This was not that game. Goliath beat up David and stole his lunch money. The Chiefs first 4 drives were ridiculous. They moved 92 yards in nearly 6 minutes. Then they moved 84 yards in 17 plays, taking over 8 1/2 minutes. Then they moved 94 yards in 16 plays, taking 6 1/2 minutes. Then they moved 65 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. All 4 of those drives were touchdowns. In the first quarter, Patrick Mahomes hit Rice for a 2 yard touchdown. In the second quarter, Mahomes hit Malcolm Hollywood Brown for an 8 yard touchdown and Rice for a 3 yard touchdown. In the third quarter Isaiah Pacheco ran for a 7 yard touchdown. After 4 straight touchdown drives, the Chiefs on their 5th drive settled for a 38 yard Harrison Butker field goal. After three quarters, Walrus Andy Reid benched Mahomes to help him with his clipboard holding skills. Even against backups, the Raiders could not score. If this is not the bottom for the Raiders, it is scary to think what is. 31-0 Chiefs
Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns — A bad team with a decent defense hosted a worse team. Szmyt hit a 30 yard first quarter field goal for the Browns. Riley Patterson answered from 33 in the second quarter for a 3-3 game. The Browns got it back at their own 17. Dillon Gabriel went to Corley for 17. On 3rd and 6 from their own 40, an interception of Gabriel was nullified by defensive pass interference and a 14 yard gain. On the next play Judkins raced for a 46 yard touchdown and a 10-3 Browns lead. The Dolphins fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Browns took over at the Miami 46. On 3rd and 11 Gabriel found Fannin for 12. Defensive unnecessary roughness added 15. Judkins took a direct snap for a 3 yard touchdown and a 17-3 Browns advantage. The Dolphins managed another field goal before he half, but that was it. Cleveland’s defense clamped down and pitched a second half shutout. On the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Campbell intercepted Tua Tagovailoa and raced for a 34 yard defensive touchdown. The Dawg Pound was rocking in the fourth quarter as Jenkins intercepted Tagovailoa and returned the pick 9 yards to the Miami 2. One play and 3 seconds later, Judkins scored again. Tagovailoa was intercepted again. 31-6 Browns
Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings — The Eagles came in having lost 2 straight as Carson Wentz faced off against his former team. The Eagles began at their own 25. Saquon Barkley ran for 8, 3 and 5. On 4th and 1 from their own 45, Nick Sirianni gambled. The entire world knew it was tush push time, and it didn’t matter. Hurts got the yard. Bigsby gained 11. On 4th and 4 from the Minnesota 37, Sirianni gambled again. Rather than move the chains, Hurts went for it all and found AJ Brown deep for the touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive had the Eagles up 7-0. The Vikings moved from their own 20 to a 1st and 10 at the Philadelphia 19. Wentz threw incomplete twice. On 3rd and 10 out of the shotgun, a horrendous snap resulted in a fumble that cost the Vikings 22 yards. Will Reichard bailed the Vikings out with a 59 yard field goal. Early in the second quarter went was intercepted by Hunt, who returned the pick 14 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 14-3 Eagles lead. On their next series, Wentz was intercepted again.
Reichard hit field goals of 34 in the second quarter and 28 early in the third quarter as the Vikings only trailed 14-9. Yet too many field goals hurt them when the Eagles kept scoring touchdowns. The Eagles took over at their own 16. Two plays later Hurts went bombs away to Smith for a 79 yard touchdown bomb and a 21-9 Eagles lead. The ensuing kickoff was short of the landing zone, setting up the Vikings up at their own 40. Defensive pass interference added 14 yards. Wentz hit TJ Hockenson for 10, Naylor for 11, and Hockenson again for 10. Wentz hit Jordan Addison for 9. Mason ran for a one yard touchdown to get the Vikings within 21-16. Early in the fourth quarter, a 42 yard field goal try by Jake Elliott to extend the lead was wide right no good. Reichard hit a 35 yard field goal as the Vikings only trailed 21-19 with 10 minutes left in regulation.
The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 13 at their own 27. Hurts went to Brown for just enough. Barkley ran for 8 and 5. Hurts found Smith for 21 more. Hurts then went deep to Brown for a 26 yard touchdown. The Eagles had some breathing room up 28-19 with 6 1/2 minutes left. The Vikings needed 16 plays to move 61 yards from their own 28 to a 1st and goal at the 10. A sack of Wentz kill the drive. Needing 2 scores, Reichard hit from 29 to get the Vikings within 6 wit 1:57 left. Kevin O’Connell chose to kick it deep and trust his defense rather than go onside kick. With 1:46 left the Eagles faced 3rd and 9 at their own 44. Rather than move the chains, Hurts went for it all and hit Brown for a 45 yard bomb. That allowed the Eagles to run out the clock to get to 5-2 on the year. 28-22 Eagles
Carolina Panthers at New York Jets — Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and play a thrilling game for the ages. This was absolutely not that game. The Jets turned it over on downs early, leading to a 30 yard Fitzgerald field goal and a 3-0 Panthers lead. In the second quarter the Panthers turned it over on downs, leading to a 34 yard Nick Folk field goal to make it 3-3. With 3:40 left in the half of this miserable game, a field position game had the Panthers at their own 48. Dave Canales gambled on 4th and 3. Bryce Young hit McMillan for his second consecutive 11 yard gain. Young connected with Chuba Hubbard for 26. Young hit Leggett for a 3 yard touchdown. The only touchdown by either team had the Panthers up 10-3. For some reason, league rules prevented the second half from being canceled. Fitzgerald hit from 29 in the third quarter to extend the lead while Folk hit from 47 to get the Jets back within 7 with 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation. With 4 1/2 minutes left trying to tie the game, Justin Fields was intercepted. Out of respect for the game of football, league officials should consider burning the game tape. The Panthers very quietly got to 4-3 while the Jets are an 0-7 mess. 13-6 Panthers
New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans — Mike Vrabel faced off against the team that unceremoniously jettisoned him and then became the worst team in football. In the first quarter Joey Slye hit a 49 yard field goal for the Titans and Borregales answered from 36 for a 3-3 game. The Titans took over at their own 41. Cam Ward went to Dike for 17 and again for a 38 yard touchdown and a 10-3 Titans lead. In the second quarter the Patriots took over at their own 7. drake Maye went to Hunter Henry for 12. Maye ran for 19. Raimondre Stevenson ran for 4 and 11. Maye hit Bouette for 16 and Mack Hollins for 22. Maye hit Austin Hooper for a 3 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 93 yard, 7 minute drive made it a 10-10 game. The Titans moved from their own 36 to a 3rd and 7 at the Tennessee 27. A false start and an incompletion killed the drive. Slye hit a 50 yard field goal to have the Titans up 13-10 with 1:48 left in the half. Yet the rest of the game belonged to Vrabel’s defense.
The ensuing kickoff went out of bounds to set up the Patriots at their own 40. Maye ran for 9 and hit Hunter Henry for 12. Maye went deep to Bouette for a 39 yard touchdown to make it 17-13 Patriots. The Patriots began the third quarter at their own 12. On 3rd and 8 Maye went deep to Stefan Diggs for 24. and to Hollins fo 27. Maye ran for 6 on the next play but hit his head and went to the medical tent for a couple plays. On 3rd and 5 from the Tennessee 30, backup Josh Hobbs hit Douglas for 18.
On 4th and 1 from the Tennessee 9 with Maye back in the game, Mike Vrabel went for it. Maye went to Douglas for 5. Stevenson ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 24-13 Patriots. On the next play from scrimmage Ward was sacked and fumbled. Chaisson returned the fumble 4 yards for a defensive touchdown to turn a close game into a blowout. 21 unanswered points and a scoreless fourth quarter got Vrabel hit revenge and continued Tennessee’s miserable season. 31-13 Patriots
New York Giants at Denver Broncos — 39 years ago these teams played in an uncompetitive Super Bowl. This regular season game was less significant but will live on forever. In the first quarter the Giants took over at their own 23. Jaxson Dart went to Robinson for 23. Dart then went deep to Bellinger for a 44 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Giants lead. In the second quarter the Giants took over at their own 18.Dart went to Cam Skattebo for 13 and to Bellinger for 29. Brian Daboll gambled on 4th and 1 from the Denver 13. Dart got the yard. On 3rd and 11 from the Denver 13, Dart went to Skattebo for the touchdown. McAtamney missed the extra point but the Giants led 13-0. In the third quarter the Giants took over at their own 41. Skattebo ran for 9 and 4. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 28, Tracy gained 3. Tracy ran for a 31 yard touchdown. Daboll decided to chase points, which frequently fails. Dart threw incomplete. Yet the Giants were dominating 19-0 after three quarters. The Giants defense was a Big Blue brick wall. This game was over.
The Broncos took over at their own 22. Bo Nix hit Cortland Sutton for 16. JK Dobbins ripped off a 32 yard run. Nix went to Franklin for 12. Nix hit Franklin for a 2 yard touchdown. Sean Payton went for 2 and Nix hit Sutton successfully to get the Broncos within 19-8 one minute into the fourth quarter. The Giants took over at their own 33. Dart went to Robinson for 14. Skattebo ran for 18. On 3rd and 17 from the Denver 41, Dart went to Johnson for the touchdown. With just over 10 minutes left in regulation, the Giants led 26-18. An 18 point lead meant 3 scores. Again, this game was over.
The Broncos took over at their own 26. On 3rd and 5 form their own 42 Nix hit Badle for 7. With 6 1/2 minutes left, the Broncos were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 3 at the Giants 44. One defensive stop would turn out the lights. Nix threw incomplete. Yet the celebration was short-lived. Defensive pass interference meant 4 yards and a new set of downs. For the Giants, this was FCO1. Nix then ran for 21. Nix hit Badle for 12. Nix then ran for a 7 yard touchdown. Sean Payton again went for 2 and Nix hit Franklin successfully. For the Giants, this was FCO2. Yet the Broncos still trailed 26-16 and barely more than 5 minutes remained in the game. The Broncos were down by 2 scores and the Giants and the ball.
The Giants soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 35. Dart threw over the middle and was intercepted. Strand returned the interception 21 yards to he Giants 19. On 3rd and 5, the defense jumped offside to give the Broncos another first down. The clock ticked under 4 minutes. Nix went to Harvey for a 2 yard touchdown. With 3:50 to play, the Broncos were now within 26-23. For the Giants, FCO3. At the 3 minute mark, the Giants faced 3rd and 8 from their own 30. A first down would get the Giants much closer to running down the clock. Dart threw incomplete. This was FCO4. The Broncos took over at their own 32. On 3rd and 11 Nix went deep to Marvin Mims for 31. Nix found Engram for 20 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. Nix then ran for an 18 yard touchdown. For the Giants, this was more than FCO5. It was an epic collapse. After giving up 0 points in the first 3 quarters, the Giants gave up 4 straight touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. The Broncos now led 30-26. Yet this insane game wss far from over.
The earlier missed extra point meant the Giants needed a touchdown. With 1:08 to play, the Giants were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 19 from their own 35. Under heavy pressure, Dart threw to Robinson near the sticks. Although replay appeared to show Robinson just short of the marker, a very questionable spot gave the Giants a first down. Also, a very questionable roughing the passer call on that same play gave the Giants 15 more yards. The rolls were reversed as now the Broncos had their FCO1 moment. On 3rd and 10 from the Denver 40, Dart went deep incomplete. Defensive pass interference meant a 38 yard gain, with unsportsmanlike conduct on an irate Sean Payton moving the ball from the 2 to the one. Dart got the yard. For the Broncos, this was FCO2. The Giants had the 32-30 lead with 37 seconds left.
Had McAtamney made his earlier extra point, the Broncos would be down by 4 and needing a touchdown to win. Instead, a field goal would tie the game. Yet things got worse for the Giants. After the go-ahead score, McAtamney missed the extra point again. Rather than 34 or 33, the Giants were stuck on 32. Now the Broncos with w field goal would win. The Broncos took over at their own 23 with 33 seconds left. Nix went to Mims for 29. Then the Giants jumped offside. With 18 seconds left, the Broncos were at the Giants 43. A field goal try would be 61 yards. Nix went to Sutton for 22 and spiked the ball with 3 seconds left. Now Lutz would be trying a 39 yarder. Lutz’s kick was Good! FCO6 brought perhaps the worst collapse in Giants history. The broncos were blanked for three quarters and scored 33 points in the fourth quarter. A disbelieving Dart looked on as Nix celebrated one of the most improbable comebacks since Frank Reich. Every child to ever watch this instant classic will learn the most valuable lessons in life. Take nothing for ranted. Never ever give up. Also, find a kicker who can make a bloody extra point…or two. 33-32 Broncos
Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Chargers — Both of these teams are loaded with talent, but the Chargers had been underachieving indecent weeks. The Colts have been clicking. The Colts from their own 25 went right to work. Jonathan Taylor ran for 6 and 4.Daniel Jones hit Warren for 29 and Taylor for 13. Taylor ran for 23. The extra point was no good but the Colts led 6-0. The Chargers managed a first quarter field goal, but the Colts exploded in the second quarter. Shane Steichen lined up to go for it on 4th and 1 from their own 39. It was expected to just be gamesmanship, but the Colts snapped the ball and Taylor got the yard. On 3rd and 3 from their own 47 Abdullah gained 14 and then 5 more. Taylor ran for a pair of 6 yard gains. On 4th and 1 from the Chargers 19, Steichen went for it again. Taylor gained 7. On 4th and 2 from the Chargers 4, Steichen rolled the dice thrice.
Jones hit Pittman for the touchdown. The mind-numbing 17 play, 70 yard drive took over 7 minutes off the clock and put the Giants up 13-3. The Colts got the ball back at their own 20. On 2nd and 6, a run lost 2 yards but defensive illegal use of hands instead meant a 10 yard gain. On 3rd and 17 from their own 27Jones went deep to Pierce for 48 yards. Jones then hit Taylor for 19. On 3rd and goal at the 5 Jones went to Warren for the touchdown to have the Colts rolling up 20-3. Justin Herbert was then intercepted on consecutive possessions. Mike Badly hit a 36 yard field goal to close out the half with the Colts romping 23-3.
The Chargers offense got going in the third quarter. On 3rd and 5 from their own 35 Herbert went deep to Gadsden for 53. On 4th and 5 from the indy 7 Herbert hit Johnston for the touchdown. The Chargers were within 23-10. Yet Abdullah returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards to the Chargers 14. Taylor ran for an 8 yard touchdown. Shane Steichen went for 2 and Jones hit Pittman successfully to make it 31-10 Colts.
The Chargers took over at their own 24 and Herbert went to Keenan Allen for 17 and to Gadsden for 19. On 3rd and 3 from their own 48 Herbert found Harris for 14. Herbert went to Allen for 17. On 3rd and 1 from the Indy 6 Herbert gained 2. Herbert hit Allen for a 4 yard touchdown to get the Chargers within 31-17. Yet the Colts offense kept coming. From their own 27 Jones went to Warren for 29 and to Pierce for 14. Taylor ran for a 19 yard touchdown. The Colts led 38-17 after three quarters.The Chargers managed one more touchdown 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. Yet with 3 1/2 minutes left on 4th and 27 from the Indy 45, Herbert hit Johnston for only 23. Herbert was 37 of 55 for a whopping 420 yards and 3 touchdowns, but 2 killer interceptions. Jones was 23 of 34 for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. Yet the Chargers only had 54 yards rushing while the Colts had 120, led by 94 from Taylor. The Colts are 6-1 and playing like it. 38-24 Colts
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys — Both teams have underachieved this year, although Jerry Jones overrates his own team every year. The Dallas defense has been a sieve since Dan Quinn left to become the Commanders coach. Yet Washington bungled a fourth quarter lead last week at home against Chicago. The Cowboys took over at their own 34. On 3rd and 1 Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for 13. Williams ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cowboys. The Cowboys got the ball back at their own one yard line. The next play never got out of the end zone as the Commanders defense gained a safety to get within 7-2. The Commanders took over at their own 35.Croskey-Merritt gained 9 and on 3rd and 1 picked up 3. Jayden Daniels went deep to Moore for 44. On 3rd and goal at the 5 Daniels hit Zac hertz for the touchdown. A 2 point conversion try failed but the Commanders led 8-7.
The ensuing kickoff was kicked out of bounds to set up the Cowboys at their own 40. Brandon Aubrey hit a 47 yard field goal to make it 10-8 Cowboys. The Cowboys got it back at their own 26 and needed only one play and 11 seconds to strike Prescott went bombs away to Lamb for a 74 yard touchdown and a 17-8 Cowboys lead after the first quarter, In the second quarter Dan Quinn gambled on 4th and 5 at the Dallas 46 Daniels threw incomplete. Aubrey belted a 61 yard field goal to make it 20-8 Cowboys. With 1:56 left in the half the Commanders took over at their own 32. Daniels went to McNichols for 12. Daniels ran for 14. Mcnichols ran for 19. Daniels ran for a one yard touchdown. The Commanders only trailed 20-15, but 45 seconds still remained in the half.
Prescott was sacked, but on 2nd and 17 from his own 21 he went deep to George Pickens for 44. Williams ripped off a 33 yard gain. Prescott hit Ferguson for a 2 yard touchdown with 10 seconds left in the half to have the cowboys up 27-15. The Commanders in the third quarter moved to a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 39. Yet Daniels was sacked and fumbled. The Cowboys took over at their own 45. Williams gained 8 and 17. On 3rd and 3 at the Washington 25 Prescott went to Pickens for 10. On 3rd and 7 from the Washington 12, Prescott gained just enough. Prescott hit Ferguson for the 5 yard touchdown. A close game had been broken open and was now 34-15 Cowboys. Making matters worse, Daniels was injured on the play. Marcus Mariota came on on the next series and led the Commanders to a 3rd and 6 at the Dallas 38. Mariota then found Bland, who plays defense for Dallas. Bland returned the interception 68 yards the other way for another touchdown and a 41-15 Cowboys lead. The Commanders managed one more touchdown and a quiet fourth quarter saw the Cowboys tack on one more field goal. 44-22 Cowboys
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals — The Packers were the much better team on paper but the Cardinals put up a fight in a good football game. This was with Jacoby Brrissett filling in for an injured Kyler Murray. The Cardinals began at their own 27 and moved 59 yards in 15 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. Ryland hit a 32 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cardinals. The Packers moved to a 4th and 5 at the Arizona 38. Matt LaFleur passed up a 56 yard field goal try and went for it. Jordan Love threw incomplete. In the second quarter Havrisik did hit a 31 yarder for a 3-3 game.
Ryland answered from 40 to make it 6-3 Cardinals. The Cardinals got it back at their own 29. On 3rd and 23 from their own 16Brissett went deep to Zay Jones for 43. On 3rd and 4 from the Green Bay 35 Brissett went to Wilson for 14. On 3rd and 9 from the Green Bay 20 the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 4 Brissett went to McBride for the 15 yard touchdown. The Cardinals led 13-3 and only 7 seconds remained in the half. 7 seconds.
The Packers took over after a touchback at their own 35. Love went to Doubs for 22 and quickly called timeout with one second left. Havrisik buried a 61 yard field goal to get the Packers within 13-6 at the intermission. In the third quarter a sack of Brissett forced a fumble that set up the Packers at the Arizona 44. Love found Romeo Doubs for 18 and to Golden for 17. Jacobs got around the end for a 7 yard touchdown and a 13-13 game.
The Cardinals took over at their own 35. On 3rd and 14 from their own 41Brissett went deep to Marvin Harrison Jr. for 35 yards. Brissett hit McBride for 9, 3, and for the 12 yard touchdown. After three quarters the Cardinals led 20-13. The Packers took over at their own 33. On 3rd and 3 Love went to Kraft for 22. Love ran for 12 more. On the first play of the fourth quarter Love hit Kraft for a 7 yard touchdown and a 20-20 game.
A strong kickoff return and a facemask penalty on the kicking team gave the Cardinals golden field position at the Green Bay 45. Yet on 1st and goal at the 8, a run lost 2 yards. Brissett threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal from the 10, Brissett was sacked. Ryland hit the 21 yard field goal for a 23-20 Cardinals lead with 9 minutes left in regulation. The Cardinals got it back and moved to a 4th and 1 at their own 48 with 6 minutes left. Jonathan Gannon took a major gamble and lost. Brissett got stuffed on the quarterback sneak for no gain.
The Packers soon faced 3rd and 7 at the Arizona 45. Love hit Kraft for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 28 Jacobs got the yard. Love went to Kraft for 15. Jacobs did the rest, gaining 5, 8, and the one yard touchdown. With 1:50 left the Packers had a 4 point lead. The Cardinals took over at their own 35 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 26 with 32 seconds left. Looking for the win, Brissett was sacked. On 3rd and 11 with 19 seconds left, Brissett went deep twice and came up snake eyes with a pair of incompletions. It was a dogfight, but the Cardinals came up just short. 27-23 Packers
Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers was the Sunday night game. The Falcons got a big win last week over Buffalo. This was a slugfest that was scoreless after the first quarter. In the second quarter Romo hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. Mac Jones was intercepted but the 49ers got the ball back at midfield. Christian McCaffrey ran for 12, 6 and 13. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 43 McCaffrey ran for 10 and 3. On 3rd and 3 from the Atlanta 26 Jones hit Jennings for 6. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 14 at the 2 minute warning Jones hit McCaffrey for 13. McCaffrey got the last yard to make it 7-3 49ers. Michael Penix was then sacked and fumbled, setting up a 55 yard Eddie Pineiro field goal. After getting shut out for 28 minutes, the 49ers held a 10-3 lead at the half. Pineiro connected again from 43 in the third quarter for a 13-3 49ers lead.
A strong kickoff return had the Falcons taking over at the San Francisco 48. On 3rd and 1 Tyler Allgeier gained 4. Penix hit Pitts for 17 and Bijan Robinson for a 10 yard touchdown as the Falcons trailed 13-10. With 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, both defenses dug in fierce. With 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation the Falcons faced 4th and 1 at the San Francisco 35. Rather than go with a 53 yard field goal try to tie the game, Raheem Morris gambled. Penix threw incomplete. McCaffrey then ran for 10. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 33 Jones gained 2. On 3rd and 13 from the Atlanta 21 with 2:46 to play, one defensive stop would keep the Falcons in the game. Jones hit mcCaffrey for 17. McCaffrey then ran for a controversial 4 yard touchdown. McCaffrey’s teammates carried him into the end zone, which should have been offensive illegal use of hands. The officials never called it as the 49ers grinder out a tough win to get to 5-2 on the year. 20-10 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions was the early Monday night game. A pair of very good football teams with high octane offenses played a game featuring plenty of defense. The Lions took over at their own 31. Jared Goff hit Jahmyr Gibbs for 20. On 3rd and 6 from the Tampa Bay 35, defensive illegal contact gave the Lions a new set of downs. Goff went to Amra St. Brown for a 27 yard touchdown. The Lions led 7-0 early on, but on their next two series the Lions fumbled the ball away and turned it over on downs. One play in the second quarter changed the game. On 3rd and 6 from their own 17, Goff threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact again gave the Lions a new set of downs. Then came the back-breaker as Gibbs raced for a 78 had touchdown and a 14-0 Lions lead. The game then got ugly as the Buccaneers fumbled, the Lions missed a field goal, and the teams traded interceptions.
Chase McLaughlin hit a 53 yard field goal on the last play of the half to get the Buccaneers on the board. The Buccaneers began the third quarter at their own 33. Baker Mayfield went to Egbuka for 18. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 39 Mayfield hit Shepard for just enough. Todd Bowles went for it on 4th and 2 at the Detroit 28. White gained 4. Mayfield went to Johnson for a 22 yard touchdown. Bowles went for 2 and Mayfield threw incomplete. Yet with 21 minutes of football to play, the Buccaneers were right back in it down 14-9. The Lions took over at their own 27. On 3rd and 2 Goff hit Wright for 14. Gibbs ran for 15 and 3 and caught a pass from Goff for 28. Gibbs then ran for a 5 yard touchdown. The Lions led 21-9 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Detroit defense did the rest. The Lions tacked on one field goal for the only score of the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers turned it over on downs on all 3 of their fourth quarter drives. The Lions played smash mouth, running for 164 yards on 32 carries, 5 yards per carry. Most of that was Gibbs running for 136 yards on 17 carries, 8 yards per carry. 24-9 Lions
Houston Texans at Seattle Seahawks was the late Monday night game. The Seahawks are playing good football. Sam Darnold is playing well and the defense, while not the Legion of Boom, is still very good. The Texans have regressed since last year, especially on offense. Early on the Texans and to punt on 4th and 31 from their own one. This gave the Seahawks a short field at the Houston 44. Darnold went to Arroyo for 27. Jones ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks. The Seahawks got it back at their own 20. Darnold went deep to Cooper Kupp for 32. Mike McDonald gambled on 4th and 1 from the Houston 39. Barner gained 2. On 3rd and 11 from the Hsouton 25. Darnold only gained 3 but defensive unnecessary roughness added 11 more. Darnold went to Jackson Smith-Nigba for an 11 yard touchdown on the last play of the first quarter as the Seahawks led 14-0.
The rest of this game was ugly. Every time it looked like the Seahawks were going to win in a blowout, they malfunctioned on offense and kept the Texans in the game. In the second quarter an interception of Darnold led to one Texans field goal and a missed Seahawks field goal led to a second Texans fired goal. Down only 14-6 at halftime, in the third quarter CJ Stroud was intercepted to set up a Seahawks field goal. The Seahawks led 17-6 and got the ball back at their own 4 yard line. On 3rd and 7, Darnold was sacked in the end zone and fumbled. The Texans recovered in the end zone for a gift touchdown. Demeco Ryans went for 2 and Stroud threw incomplete. Despite being dominated, the Texans only trailed 17-12.
The Seahawks moved from their own 35 to a 4th and 3 at the Houston 29. Jason Myers hit a 47 yard field goal to make it 20-12 Seahawks. Demeco Ryans then gambled on 4th and 1 rom his own 41. Despite his defense playing well much of the game, he took the risk and lost. Marks got blown up by the Seattle defense for a 2 yard loss. On 3rd and 7 from the Houston 36, Darnold went to Smith-Nigba for 19. Defensive pass interference added 15. Charbonnet ran for a 2 yard touchdown to have the Seahawks up 27-12 after three quarters. The fourth quarter was also ugly. The Seahawks fumbled but the Texans turned it over on downs. Darnold was then intercepted but the Texans turned it over on downs again. The Seahawks punted on 4th and 15 from their own one.
The Texans took over at midfield. Stroud went to Noel for 22 and to Schultz for 13. On 3rd and 16 from the Seattle 21 Stroud gained only 15 but defensive illegal contact added 3 more yards. On 3rd and goal at the 4 Stroud found Marks for the touchdown. Despite being outplayed the whole game, The Texans were within 8 points. 2:04 remained on the clock. Yet the ensuing kickoff couldn’t make it out the back of the end zone to save the extra timeout. The Seahawks ran it back to use up 4 seconds and get to the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 3 from their own 35, a conservative run lost a yard. It appeared the Houston defense gave the Texans life with one more shot with the ball. It was not to be. A mindless defensive unnecessary roughness penalty on the 3rd down run gifted the Seahawks a killer first down. The defender jumped on the pile after the officials stopped the play. Darnold took a pair of knees and thanked his defense for letting them escape with a win to get to 5-2 on the year. 27-19 Seahawks