NFL 2022 Week 15 Recap
This Sunday night began Hanukkah. For leatherheads, this is Week 15. To quote john Randall and mike Singletary, “This is when the big dogs come out!”
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks was the Thursday night game. The 9-4 49ers could lock up the NFC West with a win over the 7-6 Seahawks. The 49ers would have to win with Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. The 49ers took over at their on 14. Christian McCaffrey caught a 7 yard pass from Purdy and then broke off a 23 yard run himself. On 3rd and 3 just past midfield, Purdy hit Jennings for 8. Purdy went to McCaffrey for 11. Purdy then connected with George Kittle for a 28 yard touchdown. The 5 1/2 minute, 86 yard drive had the 49ers up 7-0 after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Seahawks took over at their own 18. They moved 62 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. On 2nd and 8 from the San Francisco 20, Geno Smith threw incomplete twice. Jason Myers hit a 38 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 7-3.
After 28 minutes the game was a defensive bonelock. The key play came With one minute left in the half. From his own 35, Smith hit Homer for a 6 yard gain, but Homer fumbled. Ward returned the fumble 40 yards to the Seattle 6. McCaffrey ran for 5 and then for the one yard touchdown to make it 14-3 49ers. The 49ers got another big break when McCloud returned the second half kickoff 39 yards to start the 49ers at their own 41. Two plays later, Purdy went deep to Kittle for a 54 yard touchdown to make it 21-3 49ers. All the Seahawks could muster was a 51 yard field goal by Myers to get the Seahawks within 21-6. The 49ers had a chance to wrap up the game with 5 minutes left in regulation, but Robbie Gould missed a 43 yard field goal try. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 42. Kenneth Walker gained 2. Smith went to Will Dissly for 13. Sith went to Walker for 33 and Fant for the 10 yard touchdown. With 3 1/2 minutes left, the Seahawks were within 8. The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Purdy got the yard. The Seahawks challenged the spot and lost, burning their last timeout. On 3rd and 2 from their own 43, Mason went up the gut for a 55 yard gain down to the Seattle 2. Purdy took a couple knees. That is how the NFC West was won. Brock is Purdy good. 21-13 49ers
Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings was the Saturday morning game. The Vikings were 10-3 and would lock up the NFC North with a win at home over the pathetic Colts. The game was expected to be a blowout, but not in the way football fans imagined. To quote ESPN user-announcer Chris Berman, “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” The Colts got a jolt when they returned the opening kickoff to their own 48 yard line. The first play from scrimmage, an end around to Michael Pittman, gained 19 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 1, a lateral run was blown up in the backfield for a 7 yard loss. The 26 yard Chase McLaughlin field goal made it 3-0 Colts. The Vikings lined up to punt. The Colts came crashing through the line and blocked the punt. It popped up high in the air and and was returned by JoJo Doman for a 25 yard touchdown. The Colts led 10-0 in front of a stunned home crowd in Minnesota.
After a touchback, Dalvin Cook took a pitchout for a 35 yard gain. On the next play Cook carried again and this time fumbled. The Colts recovered and took over at their own 40. Matt Ryan found Ashton Dulin for an 18 yard gain down to the one. Ryan faked the handoff and found a wide open Adams in the flat for an easy touchdown to make it 17-0 Colts. The Vikings soon faced 4th and 1 from their own 34. In an attempt to spark his team, Kevin O’Connell gambled. Cook got the carry and got blasted in the backfield for a two yard loss. The Colts took the short field and moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Minnesota 9 early in the second quarter. Zack Moss got the carry and ran laterally. He was swarmed for a 2 yard loss. McLaughlin hit again from 28 to make it 20-0 Colts as the stunned home crowd turned to shock and disbelief.
More desperation came for the Vikings when they had to punt on 4th and 1 from their own 30. Kevin O’Connell gambled on a fake punt that had potential but saw the punter’s pass overthrown incomplete. With another short field, The Colts went nowhere on offense but McLaughlin hit from 49 to make it 23-0 Colts. The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 8 yard line. Cousins went over the middle and Julian Blackmon jumped the route for the interception. Blackmon returned the interception 15 yards for a touchdown as the Colts led 30-0. Nothing went right for the Vikings as a 50 yard bomb was challenged by JeffSaturday and reversed to an incompletion. The Colts got it back at their own 21 and moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Minnesota 12 with one minute left in the half. With the Vikings out of timeouts, jeff Saturday was taking on chances. A safe run only gained 2 yards, but bled the clock so the Vikings would not have time for one more drive. With 8 seconds left in the half, McLaughlin hit from 27 to make it 33-0 Vikings.
The Vikings only had 3 first downs in the first half. The largest comeback in NFL history was 32 points. The 1992 Buffalo Bills in the playoffs trailed at home against the Houston Oilers 35-3 in the third quarter. Frank Reich led the NFL’s greatest comeback as the Bills won 41-38 in overtime. The Bills would go on to win the third of 4 straight AFC Championships and Super Bowl heartbreak. The Oilers suffered permanent death. A couple of years later, with a salary cap coming, Owner Bud Adams blew up the team, moved them To Tennessee, and renamed them the Titans. This game would not have consequences that drastic. Both teams would still exist next year.
The Vikings in the third quarter took over at their own 12. Cousins hit Jefferson for 13. The next play was a loss but a very questionable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the defense added 15. Cousins went deep to KJ Osborn for a 55 yard gain. With 8 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, it was still 33-0. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Cousins fired to the front corner of the end zone to Osborn for the touchdown. After over 36 1/2 minutes of miserable football, the Vikings were on the board. Yet they were still down 33-7 and had only a little less than 23 1/2 minutes to come back. Yet it was the Colts keeping the pedal to the metal as the ensuing kickoff had the Colts taking over at their own 40. On 3rd and 7 from the Minnesota 35, a completion gained only one yard. McLaughlin’s 5th field goal from 52 yards out had the Colts up 36-7 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.
After a touchback, Cook ran for a 19 yard gain. A screen pass from Cousins to Cook gained 12 more. Cousins went to Jefferson for 18. A swing pass to Osborn that should have gone nowhere gained 10. From the one, CJ Ham took it up the gut and appeared to be stopped short. After unpiling everyone, the officials determined that Ham somehow broke the plane of the goal. There was a personal foul on the offense for unnecessary roughness, but luckily for the Vikings it occurred after the play. Touchdowns on two consecutive drives had the Vikings within 36-14, but they still trailed by 22 points after three quarters.
The Vikings got it back at their own 25 to start the fourth quarter. Cousins went to Jefferson for 20, with a questionable defensive personal foul adding 15 more. Cousins went right back to Jefferson for 16 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Indianapolis 7, Cousins fired a laser to Jefferson for the touchdown. The Vikings were within 36-21 with a full 13 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, the Colts running game moved the ball well. Yet when they switched to the pass, the drive died. Matty Ice went ice cold as a 2nd and 5 pass was thrown high and incomplete. Then a West Coast Offense dink and dunk pass lost a yard. A long punt return by Jalen Reagor was wiped out by a very questionable facemask call on the receiving team.
From their own 13, the Vikings moved to midfield. Cousins then went for the bomb and was intercepted by Rodney Thomas. Midway through the fourth quarter the Colts took over at their own 2 yard line. To avoid going into a shell, Jeff Saturday got aggressive and went for a bomb as well, but Ryan threw incomplete. The Colts gained only 2 yards in going 3 and out. The Vikings got the ball back with excellent field position at midfield. Cousins went to Adam Thielen for 20 and Osborn for 17. An incompletion to the end zone resulted in defensive pass interference. The 12 yard gain put the ball on the one yard line. On 3rd and goal from the one, Cousins hit Thielen for the touchdown. With 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Vikings were within 36-28. The greatest comeback in NFL history was now a possibility. Yet the Colts still had the ability to close out the game. They had the lead and the ball.
With 3 1/2 minutes left, complete chaos ensued. The Colts fumbled and Sullivan picked up the fumble and returned it for a defensive touchdown. Yet officials blew the whistle. It was another blown call in a game filled with them. Making matters worse for the Vikings, frustration over the blown call led to Sullivan tossing his helmet, a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. All was not completely lost. The touchdown was wiped out, but the Vikings did recover the fumble. They took over at their own 45 with plenty of time to tie the game. On 3rd and 3, Cousins hit Jefferson for 9. With 3 minutes left, 3 straight incompletions and a false start had the Vikings facing 4th and 15 from the Indy 45. Cousins was taken down after a 2 yard gain.
The Colts had excellent field position at their own 44. The Vikings had all 3 timeouts plus the 2 minute warning. Moss gained 11 but was unable to go down inbounds. That caused the clock to stop and preserve the timeouts for the Vikings. On 3rd and 7 from the Minnesota 42, one more first down would all but end the game. Moss got the carry and came up inches short. Although McLaughlin had already been 5 for 5 on the day, a field goal try would be 54 yards. With 2 1/2 minutes left, the Colts were one yard from locking up the win. After Ryan tried and failed to get the Colts to jump offside, Jeff Saturday again decided to go for it. Ryan took the quarterback sneak and appeared to have the first down after a second effort surge. Game over.
Not so fast. Officials ruled that the whistle had been blown before the surge. It was another blown call due to an early whistle. The officials brought out the chains and Ryan was short. Jeff Saturday challenged the spot, but officials ruled that forward progress had stopped before Ryan’s final lunge. Saturday lost the challenge. The Vikings had life. They were out of timeouts, but 2:19 still remained. The Vikings needed only one play and 4 seconds. A perfectly executed screen pass to Cook saw him race down the field, escape some tackles, and drag defenders into the end zone for a 65 yard touchdown.. Just like that, the Vikings were a 2 point conversion away from tying the game. Cousins fired over the middle to TJ Hockensen, who out-muscled the defender for the ball. The Minnesota home crowd went nuts. This insane game was tied 36-36. The Colts 33-0 lead had completely evaporated.
Yet with 2:11 left, the Colts had the ball at their own 25. They needed only a field goal to win and McLaughlin had made all 5 of his attempts. On 4th and 1 from their own 34, the Colts lined up to go for it. It seemed like an attempt to draw the defense offside. A false tart meant the Colts had to punt. The Vikings now had the ball at their own 26 with 1:10 left. On 3rd and 1 from their own 35, Cousins got stopped. For some reason, the Colts let 13 seconds tick off the clock before finally calling a timeout on defense with 22 seconds left. It probably would not have mattered as a perfect punt by Wright went for 64 yards and pinned the Colts at their own two yard line. In an already insane game, the only sane thing to do for the Colts was take a knee and go to overtime. That is exactly what they did.
The Vikings won the overtime coin toss. Despite the fireworks in the first four quarters and despite both defenses being exhausted, most oof the overtime session was quiet. The Vikings punted. The Colts faced 3rd and 9 from their own 34 with 1:53 left in overtime. Kevin O’Connell brought the house and Ryan was hit as he threw. He was lucky that his wounded duck fell incomplete. The Vikings got it back at their own 18 with 1:41 left. Cousins hit Osborn for 15 and Thielen for 20. Kevin O’Connell let the clock run down rather than take the Vikings last timeout. An incompletion stopped the clock with 19 seconds left in overtime. Viking’s kicker Greg Joseph’s longest field goal was 56. Joseph was looking at 57 unless the Vikings gained more yards. A quick swing pass to Jefferson went for 12 yards. Making matters worse for the Colts, a defensive penalty for delay of game added 5 more yards. The Colts were not allowing the Vikings to try and get the ball back to the official. Now Joseph’s kick was a very makable 40 yards. Vikings fans will tell you that Gary Anderson’s 1998 field goal try was only 39 yards. This is not 1998. Joseph was good. Game over. This time for real.
Are? You? Kidding? Me?!?!?!
The Minnesota Vikings game is now history. Every lesson in life a parent could want to teach their children can be learned from football. Don’t EVER give up. Keep fighting. This game represented everything that is right about football. Talent matters, but so do character, heart and guts. The Vikings showed plenty of it. Cousins was an insane 34 of 54 for 460 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
As for the Colts, they will build off of this crushing defeat. 171 yards rushing was not enough to put the game away. My heart goes out to Matt Ryan. In the 2016 Super Bowl, his team had a 28-3 third quarter lead before an epic collapse resulted in a 34-28 overtime defeat. This time a 33-0 third quarter lead was not safe.
Paul Allen’s “Minneapolis Miracle” radio call from a few years ago was one for the ages, as was his “Oh my heavens” welcoming of Brett Favre to the Vikings. Now he has the greatest comeback in NFL history to add to his legendary radio career. This game will never be forgotten. Nor should it be. This is history. History matters.
This game looked like a total mismatch on paper. To again quote ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” Add to his sentiment. That’s why they play the ENTIRE game.
To quote Peyton Manning, “God bless you all, and God bless football.” To quote John Randall and Mike Singletary: “This is when the big dogs come out!” Lastly, while only a regular season game, this is still one of the biggest wins in Vikings history. Thankfully Bud Grant is alive to see it. May he live to 120.
There are so many more things that can be said, but games like this remind me of why I love football. This is why we fans WATCH the games. As Kirk Cousins would say, “You like that!” Yes. We do. 39-36 Vikings, OT
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns was the Saturday afternoon game. The 9-4 Ravens were tied for the division lead but were without Lamar Jackson. Tyler Huntley cleared concussion protocol and started against the 5-8 Browns. This was a typical AFC North street fight. The Ravens moved from their own 19 to a 4th and 1 at the Cleveland 7. John Harbaugh went for it Ricard got stopped for no gain. The Browns moved 64 yards in 14 plays and 8 minutes, settling for a 47 yard Cade York field goal and a 3-0 second quarter lead. Justin Tucker answered from 53 for a 3-3 game. The Browns after a touchback moved to a 1st and goal at the 4. A pair of runs went nowhere and Deshaun Watson threw incomplete. York hit from 23 to make it 6-3 Browns. On the last play of the half, the normally reliable Tucker was no good from 48. In the third quarter after a touchback, the Ravens moved to the Cleveland 15. Huntley was then intercepted. The Browns moved 91 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. Watson hit Donovan Peoples-Jones for the game’s only touchdown from 3 yards out to complete the scoring. Tucker’s 50 yard fourth quarter field goal try was blocked. York then also missed two field goals but the Ravens turned it over on downs twice. 13-3 Browns
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills was the Saturday night game. The Dolphins won a brutal 21-19 game in week 2 in Miami that saw Tua Tagvailoa get knocked senseless. The rematch in Buffalo featured was played with snow flurries coming down. The 10-3 Bills could lock up a playoff birth with a win over the 8-5 Dolphins. In the first quarter the Dolphins moved from their own 27 on a 14 play, 52 yard, 8 minute drive. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 11, Tagovailoa was sacked. Jason Sanders hit a 39 yard field goal goal to make it 3-0 Dolphins. After a touchback, Josh Allen went deep to Dawson Knox for a 45 yard gain. Allen then went to Singletary for 14 and 40 Morris for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Bills. After a touchback, Raheem Mostert broke free for a 67 yard gain to set up 1st and goal at the 4. Yet another tun gained only one yard and Tagovailoa then threw incomplete twice. Sanders hit the 21 yarder to get the Dolphins within 7-6 in the second quarter.
The Bills soon faced 3rd and 17 from their own 18. Allen went deep to Greg Davis for 21. Cole Beasley just came out of retirement this week to rejoin the Bills. Allen went to Beasley for 9. Cook ran for 8 and 4. Allen went to Stefan Diggs for 20. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 11, Singletary got the tough yard. Allen then went to Hines for a 10 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive to make it 14-6 Bills. The Dolphins soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 31. Tagovailoa went deep to Jalen Waddle for 32. On 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 32, Tagovailoa went to Tyreek Hill for 6. On 3rd and 9 from the Buffalo 25, Tagovailoa went to Hill for 14. Ahmed then ran for an 11 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the half, the 10 play,75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Dolphins within 14-13.
The Bills soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 27. Allen gained 4. Allen then went to Diggs for 13 and Knox for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 47, Singletary gained 3. On 3rd and 4 from the Miami 38, Allen went to Isaiah Mckenzie for 19 with 26 seconds left in the half. A pair of defensive holding penalties moved the Bills closer and kept stopping the clock. Allen went to Cook for a 4 yard touchdown as the half ran out with the Bills up 21-13. The Dolphins struck quickly in the third quarter. On 3rd and 4 from their own 33. Tagovailoa went deep to Waddle, who split the seams and outraced everyone for a 67 yard touchdown. Mike McDaniel went for the 2 point conversion. Tagovailoa threw incomplete as the Dolphins trailed 21-19.
A field position game saw a great punt pin the Bills back at their own 2 yard line. That led to another punt and the Dolphins getting the ball at midfield. The Dolphins went nowhere and had to punt on 4th and 10. A mind-numbingly dumb roughing the kicker penalty allowed the Dolphins to keep the ball and gain 15 yards to the Buffalo 35. Three plays later Tagovailoa went to Hill for a 20 yard touchdown pass. The Dolphins after three quarters had the 26-21 lead. The fourth quarter began with the Bills having excellent field position just shy of midfield. Allen was sacked and fumbled. The Dolphins recovered at the Buffalo 47. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 27, a dangerous sideways pass by Tagovailoa lost 2 yards. Sanders hit the 47 yard field goal. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the Dolphins led 29-21. The warm weather Miami team was beating up the cold weather Buffalo team in Buffalo. The snow came down much worse for the rest of the game, making for a winter wonderland classic.
After a touchback, Cook gained 16. Allen then took a perfectly executed draw play for a 44 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 5 Allen found Knox for the touchdown. Sean McDermott went for the 2 point conversion and chaos ensued. Out of the shotgun, Allen took the draw up the middle and leaped in the air. He collided at the goal line with a defender and the ball popped out. Allen landed in the end zone without the ball but convinced he had a touchdown. Officials never blew the whistle and a mad scramble eventually saw the ball recovered way back at the 30 yard line. After an official review, the nose of the ball just barely broke the plane of the goal before landing on a defender’s helmet and being fumbled. It was as close as humanly possible, but it counted and the game was tied 29-29 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
The Bills got the ball back at their own 7 yard line with 6 minutes left. Allen went to Davis for 14. A sack lost 8 yards but Allen went back to Davis for 15 to set up a key 3rd and 3 for the Bills at their own 28. Allen went to Diggs for 6. On 3rd and 2 from their own 42, Allen hit Isaiah McKenzie for 5. Singletary gained 8, 7 and 4. The key play of the game came with 50 seconds left. On 3rd and 6 from Miami 34, Allen went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 21 yard gain. The call was an easy one as the defender never turned around to look for the ball. Now with 39 seconds left, a pair of safe runs meant 3rd and 1 at the Miami 4. 30 seconds remained. On the 2nd down run, the defense tried to let Singletary score, but he went down on purpose to prevent the Dolphins from getting the ball back. With the Dolphins out of timeouts, Allen purposely took a knee and centered the ball. Tyler Bass came in for the 25 yard field goal with everything on the line. The offensive line cleared away all the snow. Although the ball briefly got lost amidst the snow, Bass hit it dead center. The Bills were in the playoffs and had all but clinched the division. The Dolphins were still alive for a wildcard. Barring a spectacular Buffalo collapse, the division would be out of reach A third match between these teams in the playoffs would be eagerly anticipated. 32-29 BillsThe Bills were division champs and the Dolphins were still alive for a wildcard. A third match between these teams in the playoffs would be eagerly anticipated. 32-29 Bills
Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears — All the 12-1 Eagles had to do to keep rolling was beat the 3-10 Bears. The Eagles already clinched a playoff spot but not their division. The Bears moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 1 at the Philadelphia 30. Justin Fields got taken down for a 2 yard loss. Matt Eberflus passed up a 50 yard goal try and went for it. Fields threw incomplete. Jalen Hurts was then intercepted as the first quarter was scoreless. The Eagles began the second quarter at their own 19. They moved to a 2nd and 9 at the Chicago 17. Offensive holding killed he drive. Jake Elliott hit a 32 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Eagles. The Bears soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Fields ran for 15. Fields went to David Montgomery for 21. A sack of Fields forced a fumble. The Bears retained possession but faced 2nd and 27 back at the Philadelphia 48. No problem for Fields, who evaded a sack and a bunch of tacklers for a 39 yard gain. On the next play Montgomery ran for the 9 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as wind played a factor. The Bears led 6-3.
With 2:48 left in the half the Eagles took over at their own 9. Miles Sanders gained 6 and 5. Hurts scrambled for 6. Hurts hit Kenneth Gainwell for 7. On 3rd and 3 from their own 38, Hurts went deep to Smith for 38. On 3rd and 8 from the Chicago 22, Hurts scrambled all the way for the touchdown as the Eagles took a 10-6 lead to the locker rooms. A 58 yard kickoff return to start the second half had the Eagles taking over in the third quarter at the Chicago 42. On 3rd and 2, Gainwell gained 3. Hurts went deep to AJ Brown for 29. Hurts got the last yard to make it 17-6 Eagles.
The Eagles got it back at their own 40 and disaster immediately struck. A swing pass from Hurts to Sanders was fumbled and picked up by Gordon, who returned it 12 yards to set up the Bears at the Philly 15. On 3rd and 5, Fields hit Montgomery for the 10 yard touchdown to get the Bears right back in it down 17-13. The Bears got it back at their own 40 but at the Philly 42 fumbled the ball away. The Eagles moved to a 4th and 6 at the Chicago 33. Kevin Sirianni passed up a 51 yard field goal try with wind a factor. Hurts threw incomplete. The Eagles got it back at their own 4 yard line and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Chicago 20. A run went nowhere and Hurts threw incomplete twice. Elliott’s 38 yard field goal try to give the Eagles a 7 point lead doinked off the upright no good. A drive of 19 plays, 76 yards, and 8 1/2 minutes yielded 0 points.
The defenses dug in. with 5 minutes left in regulation the Eagles faced 3rd and 6 from their own 29. Hurts went bombs away to Brown for a 68 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Hurts kept it and got the quarterback sneak across the goal line. Kevin Sirianni inexplicably went for a 2 point conversion. Hurts got around the end to put the Eagles up 25-13 with 4:20 to play in the game. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the kicking team set up the Bears at their own 40. On 3rd and 4 from the Philadelphian 43, Fields hit Webster for 8. Fiedscthen went deep to Byron Pringle for a 35 yard touchdown to get the Bears within 5 points with 2:43 to play. The onside kick failed but the Bears still had one timeout and the 2 minute warning. They needed a defensive stop. Everything came down to the Eagles facing 3rd and 6 at the Chicago 40. Rather than a safe run, Sirianni went bold. Hurts hit Brown for 12 and then took a couple knees as the Eagles escaped to get to 13-1 on the year. 25-20 Eagles
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints — A pair of bad teams met, although the Falcons at 5-8 were only one game back in the awful NFC South. Marcus Mariota was benched in favor of Dave Ridder. The Saints started with 3rd and 9 at their own 26. Red Rifle Andy Dalton went to Johnson for 14, Olave for 16 and Rasheed Shaheed for 18. On 3rd and 9 from the Atlanta 19, Dalton went to Johnson, who stretched just past the pylon for the touchdown. The 10 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive made it 7-0 Saints. The Saints got it back at their own 27 and struck quickly. On 2nd and 5, Taysom Hill came in at quarterback. He went bombs away to Shaheed for a 68 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Saints.
The Falcons moved from their own 38 and moved to a 2nd and 3 at the Saints 7 in the second quarter. David Ridder threw incomplete and then was sacked. Younghoe Koo hit the 28 yard field goal to get the Falcons within 14-3. After a third quarter touchback, Cordarelle Patterson ran for 11. On 3rd and 1 from their own 45, Tyler Allgeier ran for 43. On 3rd and 3 from the Saints 5, Allgeier ran for the touchdown to get the Falcon within 14-10. The Saints soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Dalton gained 2. Dalton hit Olave for 16. Alvin Kamara ran for 7, 2, and on 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 39, 3. Dalton hit Shaheed for 9, Kamara for 9, and Johnson for a 22 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive for a 21-10 Saints lead after three quarters.
With 11 minutes left in regulation the Saints had to punt on 4th and 17 from their own 4. A 10 yard punt return gave the Falcons gift field position at the Saints 32. On 3rd and 2, Ridder got just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the Saints 16, Allgeier gained 5. Patterson ran for 8 and then for the 3 yard touchdown. Allgeier ran in the 2 post conversion. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Falcons were within a field goal. The Falcons got the ball at their own 10 with 6 minutes left and moved to a 4th and 5 at midfield with 2:13 left. Ridder hit London for 12, but London fumbled and Roby recovered for the Saints. The saints moved from their own 39 to a 3rd and 1 at the Atlanta 27 with one minute left. With the Falcons out of timeouts, Hill came in at quarterback and took the sneak. He came up inches short. The clock ticked down to 12 seconds. On 4th and inches, Hill fumbled the snap. The Falcons recovered at their own 27 with 9 seconds. After a 6 yard gain, 5 seconds remained. Ridder set up for the Hail Mary, took off running past the line of scrimmage, and gained 18 yards as the game ended with a whimper. 21-18 Saints
Detroit Lions at New York Jets — The 6-7 Lions and 7-6 Jets both came in with hopes of making the playoffs. Zach Wilson regained his starting job due to Mike White being in concussion protocol. After a touchback, the Lions moved 73 yards in 14 plays and 8 minutes. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Jackson only gained one. Dan Campbell gambled. On 4th and goal at the one, Williams got blown up in the backfield for a one yard loss. Despite the goal line stand, the Jets joy was short-lived. On 4th and 11 from their own one, a they punted and Raymond returned it 47 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Lions lead. The Jets began the second quarter facing 2nd and 5 at their own 27. Wilson went deep to non-relative Wilson for 33 and then went deep again to CJ Uzomah for a 40 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game.
The Lions after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Jets 11. A touchdown run by Williams was nullified by offensive holding, killing the drive. Mike Badgley hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Lions. With 25 seconds left in the half the Jets took over at their own 19. Robert Saleh got very aggressive and Wilson went deep to Smith for a 50 yard gain. Wilson hit Smith for 15 more. On 1st and 10 from the Jets 16 with 12 seconds left, Wilson threw incomplete twice. Greg Zuerlein hit a 34 yard field goal to make it 10-10. In the third quarter an interception of Wilson set up the Lions at the Jets 15. 3 plays lost the Lions a yard. Badgley hit again from 34 to make it 13-10 Lions. In the fourth quarter the Lions took over at there own 9 and moved 65 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 5 from the Jets 36, Jared Goff threw incomplete. From 54 yards out midway through the fourth quarter, Badgley was no good.
The Jets took over at their own 44. Wilson went to non-relative Wilson for 33. Wilson found Braxton Berrios for 14. On 3rd and goal at the one, Wilson went to Uzomah for the touchdown. With 4:41 left, the Jets had the 17-13 lead. The Lions soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 30. Goff hit Amra St. Brown for 10. with 1:49 left, the Lions faced 4th and 1 just shy of midfield. Rather than run up the gut, a perfectly executed screen pass from Goff to Brock Wright saw Wright weave through everyone and drag a tackler into the end zone for a 51 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Lions now had the 3 point lead. After a touchback, the Jets were down to 4th and 18 from their own 40 with 14 seconds left. Wilson went deep to Moore for a 20 yard gain. The clock appeared to run out but Robert Saleh managed to get a timeout with one second left. Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein came in for a 58 yard field goal try to force overtime. His kick was wide no good. Both teams are 7-7, which is not bad for a Lions team that started 1-6 but have gone 6-1 since. 20-17 Lions
Pittsburgh Steelers at Carolina Panthers — A pair of 5-8 teams came in fighting for their playoff lives, although the Panthers were only one game back in the horrendous NFC South. The Steelers began facing 3rd and 6 at their own 37. With Kenny Pickett out with a concussion, Mitchell Trubisky got the start. Trubisky hit Johnson for 8. Najee Harris ran for 10 and 8. Trubisky hit Warren for 11. Harris ran for a 7 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 67 yard, 7 minute drive to make it 7-0 Steelers. The Panthers took over at their own 15. Sam Darnold went to Marshall for 13. On 3rd and 11 from their own 27, Darnold went to DJ Moore for 14 and 15. On 3rd and 13 from the Pittsburgh 47, Darnold went bombs away to Marshall for a 40 yard gain. The second quarter began with the Panthers facing 3rd and goal at the 5. Darnold rolled out to his right and fired to Moore, who with a receiver draped all over him somehow made the catch falling to the ground for the touchdown. The 11 play, 85 yard 6 1/2 minute drive made it 7-7.
The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Trubisky gained 4. On 3rd and 4 from their own 44, Trubisky went deep to George Pickens for 38. Warren did the rest, running for 9, 2, 5, and the 2 yard touchdown to culminate the 10 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 14-7 Steelers. In the third quarter, the Steelers took over at their own 9 in the third quarter and embarked on the longest drive of any NFL team in the last 3 years. 21…yes, 21…plays. 91 yards. 12…yes, 12…minutes off the clock. On 3rd and 2 from their own 17, Harris got just enough. On 3rd and 10 from their own 19, Trubisky hit Johnson for 12. On 3rd and 1 from their own 40, Sims ran for 22. Trubisky went deep to Johnson for 18. On 3rd and 6 from the Carolina 15, Trubisky went to Johnson for 8, but unsportsmanlike conduct on Johnson after the play moved the Steelers back 15 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Carolina 13, Watt gained 2. Harris gained 9 and one. Trubisky from the one took the quarterback sneak and crashed through with a great second effort. The mind-numbing drive put the Steelers up 21-7 after three quarters.
After a touchback, the Panthers moved 64 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 2nd and 8 from the Pittsburgh 10, Darnold threw incomplete and then lost a yard. With 12 minutes left in regulation, Steve Wilks opted for the field goal. Eddie Pineiro hit from 29 to get the Panthers within 21-10. The Panthers got it back at their own 27 and moved to a 2nd and goal at the 2. A run lost 2 yards. Darnold was then sacked. Twice a trip to the red zone had the Panthers settling for field goals. Pineiro hit from 32 as the Panthers were within 21-13 with 6:15 to play. The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 14 from their own 21. Trubisky went to Johnson for 19. On 3rd and 6 from their own 44, Trubisky hit Johnson for 9. With one minute left, Chris Boswell hit a 50 yard field goal to make it 24-13 Steelers. The Panthers quickly moved from their own 37 to the Pittsburgh 34. Needing 2 scores, Pineiro nailed a 52 yard field goal to get the Panthers within 8 with 19 seconds left. The onside kick failed as the Steelers at 6-8 still have playoff hopes. 24-16 Steelers
Dallas Cowboys at Jacksonville Jaguars — The 10-3 Cowboys barley survived Houston last week, a wake up call. The 5-8 Jaguars are a year away from being contenders. A Jaguars fumble midway through the first quarter gave the Cowboys a short field at the Jacksonville 41. On 3rd and 1, Tony Pollard gained 3 and then 11 more. Ezekiel Elliott gained 8 and then ran for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cowboys. The Cowboys got it back at their own 14. On 3rd and 1, Pollard gained 4 and then 5. On 3rd and 1 from their own 36, Prescott threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 17 yard gain. Prescott began by the second quarter by hitting Brown for 9 and CeeDee Lamb for 15. Prescott went deep to Hendershot for a 20 yard touchdown. The 10 play 86 yard, 5 minute drive made it 14-0 Cowboys.
After a touchback, Travis Etienne ran for 6 and 5. Trevor Lawrence went to Jones for 7, Evan Engram for 13, and Etienne for 13 more. Agnew for 18 more. Lawrence hit Zee Jones for the 5 yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 14-7. A 38 yard kickoff return set up the Cowboys at their own 34. Elliott ran for 7 and 5. On 3rd and 4 from the Jacksonville 35, Prescott went to Brown for 14. Pollard ran for 8 and Prescott added 12 more down to the one. Prescott hit Brown for the score to make it 21-7 Cowboys with 1:55 left in the half. After a third quarter touchback, the Jaguars moved 61 yards in 10 plays. On 3rd and 5 from the Dallas 14, Lawrence threw incomplete. Riley Patterson hit the 33 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 21-10. The Cowboys after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 2 at the Jags 4. Elliott lost 2 and Prescott threw incomplete. Brett Maher hit from 24 to put the Cowboys up 24-10. An interception of Lawrence gave the Cowboys a short field at the Jags 42. On 3rd and 3, Prescott threw incomplete. Maher nailed a 53 yarder as the Cowboys led comfortably 27-10 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Cowboys would not be comfortable for long. After a touchback, Etienne ran for 6 and 10. Lawrence then went deep to Zee Jones for a 59 yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 27-17. Prescott was quickly intercepted to give the Jaguars the ball back at the Dallas 39. Agnew gained 30. On 3rd and goal from the Dallas 10, Lawrence went to Jones for the touchdown. After three quarters, the Jaguars were right back in it down 27-24. The Jaguars got it back at their own 25 to start the fourth quarter. Etienne gained 16 and 5. Lawrence went deep to Christian Kirk for 27. Etienne gained 6 and Hasty added 13. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Lawrence hit Jones for the touchdown. 21 unanswered points in a 9 minute span has the Jaguars up 31-27 with 10 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, Prescott went to Lamb for 25. On 3rd and 1 from the Jacksonville 41, Prescott got the yard. On 3rd and 1 from the Jags 31, Prescott gained 2. On 3rd and 3 from the Jags 22, Prescott hit Pollard for 5. On 3rd and 6 from the Jags 13, Prescott went to Brown for the touchdown. The 13 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive had the Cowboys back up 34-31 with 3 minutes left. After a touchback, the Jaguars moved to midfield. Lawrence scrambled for 11 but Kearse forced a fumble that Micah Parsons recovered for the defense. The Cowboys took over at their own 38 but the Jaguars and all 3 timeouts on defense. On 3rd and 10, Prescott threw incomplete. The Jaguars got the ball with one minute left and one timeout at their own 29.
On 3rd and 10, Lawrence hit Kirk for 15. With 12 seconds left the Jaguars faced 3rd and 3 just past midfield. Lawrence went to Jones for 19 yards as the Jaguars called their last timeout with 5 seconds left. Patterson came in for a 48 yard field goal try to send the game into overtime. Patterson was good and the game was tied 34-34. The Jaguars got the ball to start overtime and did nothing. The Cowboys took over at their own 20. Pollard ran for 21 and then 6 more. On 3rd and 4 from their own 47 came the play of the game. A short pass from Prescott to Brown bounded right off of Brown’s chest. It should have been a routine reception. Instead the ball ricocheted over to Rashawn Jenkins, who returned the interception down the sideline for a 52 yard interception return touchdown to end the game. The home fans went wild as the Cowboys suffered a stunning loss. The 6-8 Jaguars are still clinging to playoff life. 40-34 Jaguars, OT
Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans — The Texans are the worst team in the NFL, but they took Dallas to the limit last week before losing in the final minute. Now they had to take on a 10-3 Chiefs team looking to clinch their 7th straight AFC West title. Jeff Driskel came in to start and ran for 9. After 3 plays, Davis Mills came in and went deep to Moore for 34. On 3rd and 9 from the Chiefs 35, Mills went to Rex Burkhead for 17. On 3rd and 10 from the Chiefs 18, Mills threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 14. Mills went to Quitoriano for an 8 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 80 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Texans. After a touchback, Pacheco ran for 11 and 18 to end the first quarter. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 41 in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes went to Juju Smith-Schuster for 8. Mahomes then ran for 13. Mahomes went to McKinnon for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Chiefs got it back at their 22. Pacheco got nailed and fumbled. The Texans recovered at the Chiefs 17. Only 9 seconds later the Texans had the 14-7 lead as Mills scrambled around the end for the touchdown.
With 5 minutes left in the half, the Chiefs took over at their own 3 yard line. On 3rd and 5, Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for 14, but unnecessary roughness on Kelce after the play moved the Chiefs back 11 yards. Because the penalty was after the play, the Chiefs still had 1st and 10. Mahomes went to Gray for 13 and McKinnon for 21 and 11. McKinnon ran for 8 and Mahomes added 12. Mahomes went to Kelce for 12. With 20 seconds left in the half, the drive came down to 3rd and goal at the 4. Mahomes fired a laser to the front corner of the end zone and Marques Valdes-Scantling somehow caught it going to the ground with a knee down for the touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Chiefs trailed 14-13 at halftime after the 13 play, 97 yard drive.
After a third quarter touchback, the Chiefs moved 67 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 4 from the Houston 10, Pacheco only gained 2. Walrus Andy Reid decided not to gamble on 4th and 2. Butker hit the 27 yard field goal to make it 16-14 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 23 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Houston 35. Offensive holding meant 2nd and 17. Mahomes hit Schuster for 6, but Schuster got belted and fumbled. The Texans took over just past midfield. On 3rd and 2, a run got stopped but the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 5 from the Chiefs 31, , Mills threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 16. Mills was sacked but defensive illegal contact added 5 moMills went to Akins for the 12 yard touchdown to put the Texans up 21-16 after three quarters.
The Chiefs took over at their own 16. Mahomes went to Smith-Schuster for 8 and Kelce for 13 to end the third quarter. Mahomes began the fourth quarter by hitting Smith-Schuster for 12, Valdes-Scantling for 15, and McKinnon for 13. Mahomes ran for a 5 yard touchdown. Walrus Andy Reid called for the 2 point conversion and Mahomes hit McKinnon successfully to make it 24-21 Chiefs with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Texans after a touchback moved to a 1st and goal at the 9 with 6 minutes left. Driskel came in and lost a yard. Mills came back in and threw incomplete twice. Fairbairn hit the 29 yard field goal. With 5 minutes left the game was tied 24-24. The Chiefs from their own 23 used the entire clock. On 1st and 10 from the Houston 31 with 1:45 left, a run lost 3 yards. On 3rd and 11, a short pass lost anger yard. The Chiefs took a timeout with 12 seconds left. What could have been a shorter field goal try for Butker was 51 yards. Butker was wide no good.
The Chiefs got the ball at their own 9 yard line to start overtime. They moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Houston 43. Mahomes was then sacked. The Texans had a chance to win the game outright. Yet on their first play from scrimmage in overtime from their own 13, Mills was tackled after a short gain and fumbled. The Chiefs recovered at the Houston 26. One play and 6 seconds later, the game was over. McKinnon broke through the line for a 26 yard touchdown to end the game. The Texans were game against one of the best teams in the league, but in the end they suffered another heartbreaking loss. They have won only one game all year and are in a strong position for the top pick in the 2023 Draft. The Chiefs at 11-3 are tied with Buffalo for the top record in the AFC, although Buffalo as of now holds the tie-breaker. For now, the Chiefs clinched the AFC West for the 7th straight year, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 30-24 Chiefs, OT
Arizona Cardinals at Denver Broncos — Kyler Murray is out for the season while Russell Wilson was out due to a concussion. Colt McCoy and Brett Rypien got the start for a pair of bad teams having a miserable season. The Broncos on their first drive moved after a touchback to a 3rd and 8 at the Arizona 34. Rypien threw incomplete. Brandon McManus hit from 52 to make it 3-0 Broncos. After that McCoy threw an interception and McManus missed a field goal. The Cardinals then moved from their own 28 to a 3rd and 6 at the Denver 27. McCoy threw incomplete. Matt Prater was good from 45 for a 3-3 game. A Broncos fumble gave the Cardinals the ball just shy of midfield with 38 seconds left in the half. Prater hit from 50 to end the half with the Cardinals up 6-3. After a third quarter touchback, the Cardinals held the ball for 11 plays and 6 minutes. McCoy was injured on the drive. Third string quarterback McSorley played the rest of the game. On 2nd and 7 from the Denver 35, an incompletion was followed by a killer offensive holding call. Prater nailed a 55 yarder as the Cardinals led 9-3.
The Broncos took over at their own 20. Latavius Murray got around the end for a 35 yard gain. Rypien hit Jerry Jeudy for 6 and Tomlinson f or 7. Rypien went back to Tomlinson for 18. Marion Mack ran for a 3 yard touchdown. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, the Broncos led 10-9. The Broncos began the fourth quarter at their own 44. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 47, the defense was penalized for 12 men on the field. Mack had gains of 6 and 17. Murray ran for a 10 yard touchdown. With 11 minutes left in regulation, the Broncos led 17-9. The Cardinals soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 27. McSorley was intercepted by Simmons, who returned the pick 23 yards to the Arizona 10. Defensive unnecessary roughness moved the ball to the 5. Eric Tomlinson ran for a 3 yard touchdown as 21 unanswered points had the Broncos up 24-9. The Cardinals did manage to go 78 yards and James Conner ran for a one yard touchdown with 6 minutes left. An ill-advised 2 point conversion try by Kliff Kingsbury failed. By the time the Cardinals got the ball back at their own 3 yard line, only 1:48 remained. With one minute left McSorley was intercepted as the Broncos snapped their 7 game losing streak. 24-15 Broncos
New England Patriots at Las Vegas Raiders — 20 years ago in a blinding snowstorm, the Raiders were cheated out of a trip to the AFC Title Game due to the “Tuck Rule.” Bill Belichick is still coaching the Patriots. The Patriots entered the game 7-6 while the Raiders at 5-8 were on the brink of playoff elimination. A loss would end their season. Belichick’s former assistant Josh McDaniels has made history as the Raiders head coach. In one year, the Raiders have blown 4 double digit leads. The Raiders have lost games twice when leading by 17 and once when leading by 20. Last week the Raiders led the lowly Rams 16-3 with 4 minutes left and gave the game away 17-16 in the final seconds. The Raiders were a dumb team that makes dumb decisions that lose games. McDaniels is head dummy, stubbornly refusing to run the ball in situations that clearly call for a run. This is why the Raiders do not close out games. Their offense stalls and their defense gets exhausted and breaks down. The offense was expected to get help with Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow returning from injury. The Patriots are a disciplined team that does not make mistakes. It would take a miracle for the Raiders to have a chance in this game.
The Raiders began the game at their own 27. They held the ball for 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. They moved to a 2nd and 5 at the New England 21. Then came the self-destruction typical of this game. An inexcusable delay of game penalty meant 2nd and 10. Derek Carr hit Josh Jacobs for 11, but that was wiped out by an ineligible man downfield. Daniel Carlson bailed out the offense. His 49 yard field goal made it 3-0 Raiders. The Patriots got the ball at their own 12 and moved 82 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. The Patriots had 2nd and goal at the one. This time it was Bill Belichick making the bizarre decision not to run the ball with Rhamondre Stevenson. Mac Jones threw incomplete twice. Belichick gambled on 4th and 1. Again, the Patriots messed up with a killer false start penalty. Nick Folk hit the 24 yard field goal for a 3-3 game in the second quarter.
The Raiders took over at their own 24. Carr went to Davante Adams for 9. On 3rd and 9 from their own 38, Carr went to Keelan Cole for 20. Jacobs ran for 6, caught a pass from Carr for 11, and ran for a pair of 5 yard gains. Offensive holding appeared to kill the drive. Yet on 2nd and 20 from the New England 25, Carr went to Waller for the touchdown and the 10-3 Raiders lead. With 35 seconds left in the half, the Patriots had to punt on 4th and 6 from their own 47. Palardy’s punt was blocked by Koonce. The Raiders took over at the Patriots 20 with 27 seconds left. Defensive penalties kept the drive alive but also took precious seconds off the clock. With 9 seconds left, the Raiders had 1st and goal at the 5. With time for maybe one more play, Carr fired a laser to Mack Hollins for the touchdown. The Raiders led 17-3 at the half.
The Raiders had another double digit lead. Most teams take years or even decades to lose multiple double digit leads. The Raiders did it 4 times in one season. All the Raiders had to do was run the ball in the second half, bleed the clock, and grind out a win. Yet Josh McDaniels has to be smarter than everyone else, which is his undoing. He throws West Coast Offense dink and dunk passes that stop the clock, lead to shorter drives, and lead to his defense spending too much time on the field. While Bill Belichick was running the ball, McDaniels was refusing to learn from his former boss. Yes, the Raiders led by 14. Yet they had no idea how to close out a game. The Raiders defense actually forced a punt on the first New England drive of the third quarter. The Raiders had the ball, the lead, and total momentum. All they had to do was run the ball.
From his own 13, Jacobs ran for 4. So far, so good. Handing the ball to him again would have made perfect sense. Instead, McDaniels called one of his precious West Coast Offense dink and dunk sideways passes. Carr threw the pass and Kyle Duggar jumped the route. Dugger returned the interception 16 yards for a defensive touchdown. Just like that, the Patriots were within 17-10. On the next series, McDaniels learned nothing. Carr came out throwing incomplete. On 3rd and 13 from his own 30, Carr hit Renfrow for 14. Yet McDaniels kept throwing and a sack of Carr killed the drive. A great punt by AJ Cole pinned the Patriots back at their own 2 yard line. Last week he did the same thing only to have the defense give up a fourth quarter 98 yard drive for a loss.
This time the Patriots took 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. They made it look easy, but the defense only gave up 69 yards. Bill Belichick on 2nd and 9 from the Raiders 28 abandoned the run himself. A swing pass from Jones to Stevenson lost 5 yards. It was like Belichcik was copying McDaniels. Folk got the Patriots within 17-13. On the next drive from their own 9 yard line, Jacobs ran for 3 yards before McDaniels quickly abandoned the run. Carr threw incomplete and was sacked. Another 3 and out gave the Patriots the ball at midfield. On 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 47, Jones only gained 6. Yet defensive illegal contact kept the drive going. Again, the coach that would run the ball would win. Belichick again abandoned the run even though it was working. On 1st and 10 from the Raiders 35, Jones threw 3 straight incompletions. Folk nailed a 54 yard field goal try. With 13 minutes left in regulation, the Patriots were within 17-16. The Raiders defense had not given up a single touchdown. Yet because the offense did nothing, the defense at some point would break. That is what has happened with the Raiders all year.
The Raiders took over at their own 26. Jacobs ran for 7, 2, and on 3rd and 1 from their own 35, 2. The running game was working. All the Raiders had to do was stick with it. Then the Raiders took a killer delay of game penalty. 1st and 15 meant Josh McDaniels immediately abandoned the run. A sack and a fumble meant 3rd and 17 followed by a give up short pass. The Raiders were punting again. The Patriots took over at their own 22. Despite a 4 yard run, Bill Belichick then abandoned the run. Jones threw incomplete twice. The Raiders got it back at their own 19 and immediately got hit with a false start. This meant another 1st and 15. On 3rd and 9, a completion from Carr to Amir Abdullah only gained 8. The Raiders punted again. Then came the inevitable. One week after collapsing in the final 4 minutes, the Raiders did so again. The Patriots took over at their own 24. Jones went deep to Jakobi Meyers for 39 yards. Stevenson then broke free for a 34 yard touchdown. Belichick went for 2 and Jones hit Meyers for the conversion. 21 unanswered points had the Patriots up 24-17 with 3:43 to play.
There was plenty of time to still run the ball. The Raiders from their own 31 did not even try. Carr threw 3 straight incompletions, mainly because Hollins dropped a well-thrown bomb. With 3:12 left, on 4th and 10 from his own 31, Josh MccDaniels decided to punt. Given how exhausted the Raiders defense was, the Raiders were probably not going to get the ball back. Yet in a battle of who wanted it least, the Patriots committee a false start. The Raiders took their timeouts on defense. On 3rd and 10 from their own 28 with the Raiders out of timeouts, Jones rolled out like he was going to pass. He was bluffing, and Maxx Crosby knew it. There was no way Jones was going to throw that football and risk a clock-stopping incompletion. Jones smartly stayed inbounds and voluntarily went to the ground. The Raiders got the ball back at their own 19 with 2:11 left and 0 timeouts. Yet they had the 2 minute warning.
Carr then threw 3 straight incompletions, mainly because Hollins dropped 2 more passes. He was having a nightmarish couple of series. With 1:54 to play, the Raiders last desperate gasp came down to 4th and 10. For many weeks, the Raiders had failed to close out games where one more defensive stop would have guaranteed victory. On this day, the Raiders needed their offense to make sure the opponent failed to close the game out. With the entire season hanging in the balance, Carr went to Hollins again. This time he caught the ball for a 12 yard gain. The Raiders had life. Carr went to Hollins yet again for 13 more yards. Carr hit Jacobs for 6. Carr then went over the middle to Waller for 20. Despite having two timeouts left, Belichick decided not to take it to settle down his defense. Carr was in a rhythm, and he fired a gorgeous fade pass to the end zone. Keelan Cole out-jumped the defender for a 30 yard touchdown. The Raiders were an extra point from tying the game. Yet this would not be a Raiders game without the officials bringing controversy, especially when the Patriots are on the other sideline.
The Patriots insisted that Cole was out of bounds. One angle shows that his second toe may have been out of bounds. Yet the key piece of evidence were the divots. Replay showed Cole kicking up black divots from the field, not white divots. It was as close as humanly possible, but Cole was inbounds. Overturning this touchdown would be the Tuck Rule hell all over again. after looking at the replay for several minutes and several angles, officials declared Cole inbounds and upheld the touchdown. This time the Raiders would not be cheated in the final moments. There was still time for Josh McDaniels to lose his mind and try a 2 point conversion, but thankfully he did not. Carlson did his job and the game was tied 24-24 with 32 seconds left. For those wondering why the Raiders finally functioned on offense, it is because Carr runs the 2 minute drill. McDaniels does not call those plays. When Carr is in control, the offense moves.
The Raiders were jubilant, but after a touchback the Patriots still had 32 seconds and 2 timeouts. All they needed was a field goal. On 3rd and 2 from their 33, Stevenson gained 12 yards. The Patriots were at their own 45 as they called their last timeout with 14 seconds left. All they needed was another 15-20 yards. Yet this time the Raiders defense did not melt down at the end. The much beleaguered secondary did their jobs. Jones threw incomplete twice, and there were no penalties on either play. Now only 4 seconds remained. The Patriots had two options. They could try a Hail Mary, which from their own 45 was perfectly reasonable. Otherwise, they could opt for a give up run and settle for overtime. Bill Belichick opted for the give up run. All Stevenson had to do was get tackled and the game would go to overtime. Instead, one of the craziest finishes in the history of the National Football League took place. Nobody could believe what occurred, and decades later, they still will not believe it.
Stevenson gashed the Raiders for a 23 yard gain. 23 is not 55, and as well as Stevenson had been running, Stevenson was not going to run for a 55 yard touchdown. All he had to do was fall to the ground. Instead, he lateraled the ball to Meyers. Now running the hook and laterals is perfectly fine as a desperation suicide strategy when a team is losing on the final play, but the Patriots were not losing. The game was tied. There was no reason to be playing hot potato. Meyers also could have just fallen to the ground. Yet Meyers also lost his mind. He ran backward about 10 yards and lateraled the ball backward toward Jones. This made no sense since Jones could not throw a pass, and he certainly was not the one you want running with the ball in that situation. Yet madness turned into Greek tragedy in the Desert. Meyers saw his own quarterback, but he did not see the other Jones. That was Raiders defender Chandler Jones. Chandler Jones intercepted the lateral bit past midfield. The only thing standing in his way was Mac Jones.
It was not a fair fight.Chandler Jones flattened Mac Jones to the ground and ran right over him. Chandler Jones rumbled for a 48 yard defensive touchdown. Just like that, the game was over. There would be no overtime. 2 touchdowns in the final 32 seconds decided the game in regulation. This was sheer insanity. There were no flags on the field. This was crazier than the Tuck Rule, the Hoty Roller and the Heidi Game combined. It was Silver and Black miracle at the Death Star. Announcers, coaches and fans all wondered what the heck had just happened. The only thing missing was Bill King yelling “Holy Toledo” or John Madden getting into it with an opposing mascot. This touchdown counted.
After the game, Chandler Jones credited a team win. Meyers took the blame himself. Meyers and Stevenson both insisted that they were supposed to just fall to the ground. Refusing to shove either one of them under the bus, Bill Belichick simply stated that the team made too many mistakes. The Patriots and the Raiders were in shock and disbelief. Raiders announcer Jason Horowitz made the best call since Bill King’s Holy Roller call. “On the first night of Hanukkah, it’s a miracle in Las Vegas!” For Jewish members of the Raider Nation, this absolutely was the Las Vegas Hanukkah Miracle. The Patriots fell to 7-7. The Raiders are still clinging to life at 6-8. They got a tiny piece of revenge for the Tuck Rule, although the Patriots fans still complain about 1976 and Sugar Bear Hamilton.
The Raiders have no time to rest. Their Hanukkah miracle is in the books. Their next game is Saturday night December 24th. They need another Hanukkah miracle combined with a Christmas miracle. They will be at Pittsburgh in the 50th anniversary of what many football fans call the Immaculate Reception and Raiders fans know is the Immaculate Deception. Yet for the moment, thanks to Chandler Jones, the Raiders will forever have won because of the Immaculate Interception. 30-24 Raiders, OT
Tennessee Titans at Los Angeles Chargers — A pair of 7-6 teams played a physical game. The Chargers took over at their own 32. Justin Herbert hit Mike Williams for 8, and Donald Parham for 18. Austin Ekeler ran for 10. On 3rd and 16 from the Tennessee 34, Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 14. Brandon Staley likes to go for it rather than take easy field goals, which usually leads to a turnover on downs. He never learns. This time he passed up a 38 yard try. On 4th and 2 from the Tennessee 20, Herbert hit Allen for 4. On 3rd and 1 from the Tennessee 7, Joshua Kelley gained 3. On 3rd and goal at the one, Kelley got in. The 14 play, 68 yard, 8 minute drive made it 7-0 Chargers. The Titans took over at their own 37 in the second quarter. Derrick Henry ran for 11. Ryan Tannehill connected with Henry for 37 more. Henry ran for 11 and then for the 4 yard touchdown for a 7-7 game. With 1:52 left in the half, the Chargers took over at their own 20 and moved to the Tennessee 25 with 12 seconds left. In relatively short field goal range, Brandon Staley again got greedy. Herbert went to the end zone and McCreary made a spectacular deflection to Kalu for an interception touchback. McReary was out of bounds but purposely shoved the ball to Kalu before his feet touched down. The teams traded interceptions in a scoreless third quarter. early in the fourth quarter, Randy Bullock missed a 51 yard field goal try that would have give the Titans the lead.
The Chargers soon faced 3rd and 1 at midfield. Ekeler gained 4. Herbert then went deep to Allen for 31. Ekeler ran for 12 and for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The defenses dug in again and the Titans took over at their own 26 with 3 minutes left. Henry ran for 7 and 3. On 3rd and 1 from their own 45, Haskins gained 8. On 2nd and 12 just past midfield, Tannehill hit Okonkwo for 28 and Austin Hooper for 17. On 3rd and goal at the one, Tannehill kept it and benefitted from Henry shoving him past the pylon. With 44 seconds left, the game was tied 14-14. The Chargers took over at their own 23. Herbert went to Williams for 16, Everett for 6, and Williams again for 35. The Chargers took the clock down to 4 seconds. Cameron Dicker came in for the 43 yard field goal try to win it. Dicker was good. The 8-6 Chargers are in a strong wildcard position while the 7-7 Texans, losers of 4 straight, still lead the terrible AFC South by one game. 17-14 Chargers
Cincinnati Bengals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The 9-4 Bengals and 6-7 Buccaneers squared off in a game with plenty of playoff implications. It was also the first matchup between the young Joe Burrow and the old Tom Brady. Brady won it all in 2020 and Burrow got the Super Bowl in 2021. An early interception of Burrow set up the Buccaneers at their own 30. On 3rd and 5, Brady hit Russell Gage for 6. On 3rd and 8 from their own 43, Brady found Mike Evans for 16 and Cade Otton for 20. White ran for 6 and 7. On 2nd and 3 from the Cincinnati 4, Brady threw incomplete. Brady was then tackled after a one yard gain. Todd Bowles played it safe. On 4th and 2 from the Cincinnati 3, Ryan Succop hit the 21 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers got it back at their own 41. On 4th and 1 from the Cincinnati 40, Todd Bowles went for it again. Brady went to Evans for 7 and again for 24. The second quarter began with the Buccaneers facing 3rd and goal at the one. Brady threw incomplete. Bowles gambled a third time. This time Brady hit Gage for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers missed a chance to extend the lead when Succop missed from 50, but the Buccaneers got it back at their own 15 and marched down the field. Leonard Fournette gained 7, 6 and 3. Brady hit Chris Godwin for 15 and Fournette for 5. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincinnati 46, Brady hit Fournette for 12 and then found Godwin for 18, 11, and for the 5 year touchdown. With 1:40 left in the half, the Buccaneers had a commanding 17-0 lead.
After 28 minutes of lifelessness, the Bengals moved in the 2 minute drill from their own 30 to a 1st and 10 at the Tampa 23 with 18 seconds left. A pointless short completion gained nothing and forced Burrow to spike the ball to stop the clock with 3 seconds left. Evan McPherson hit the 41 yard field goal to end the half. The third quarter brought the inexplicable. On 4th and 1 from his own 26, Todd Bowles gambled on a fake punt. Bernard took the direct snap, fumbled it, and saw the Bengals take over at the Tampa 16. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 3, rather than run the ball, Zac Taylor kept passing and Burrow threw incomplete twice. McPherson hit from 21 to get the Bengals within 17-6. The Buccaneers took over at their own 8 yard line. On 3rd and 8 from their own 23, Brady was intercepted by Trey Flowers. The Bengals took over with a short field at the Tampa 31.
On 4th and 3 from the Tampa 24, Zac Taylor passed up a 42 yard field goal try and gambled. Burrow kept backpedaling until he was finally cornered by 3 defenders and sacked for a 23 yard loss. Yet defensive holding gave the Bengals a gift first down. On 3rd and 8 from the Tampa 17, Burrow went to Chase for 7. Yet instead of 4th and 1, a defensive facemask on the play meant 1st and goal at the 5. Burrow went to Tee Higgins for the touchdown as the Bengals were within 17-12 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. The 2 point conversion try failed. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 10 from their own 21. Brady was sacked and fumbled. The Bengals took over at the Tampa 13. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Burrow hit Tyler Boyd for the touchdown to give the Bengals their first lead of the game up 20-17 after a successful 2 point conversion. After a touchback, the Buccaneers from their own 38 saw Brady fumble again. The Bengals took over at the Tampa 39. On 3rd and 8, Burrow hit Chase for just enough. On 3rd and 10 from the Tampa 29, Burrow went to Wilcox for 19. Burrow went to Chase for an 8 yard touchdown. to make it 27-17 Bengals. On the next drive, Brady was intercepted again.
The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 43. Burrow hit Irwin for just enough. Burrow hit Joe Mixon for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Tamps Bay 32, Burrow hit Boyd for just enough. Zac Taylor went for it on 4th and 1 from the Tampa Bay 20. The defense jumped offside. Burrow hit Wilcox for a 12 yard touchdown. 34 unanswered points turned a 17 point Bengals deficit to a 17 point Bengals lead at 34-17. The Buccaneers turned the ball over on 5 straight drives. The last 4 of those turnovers were by Brady himself. On the 20 year anniversary of the Tuck Rule, Brady was fumbling all over the place and those fumbles were counting. The Buccaneers got a garbage touchdown with less than one minute remaining. The Bengals at 10-4 now have a one game lead in the AFC North. Despite being 6-8, the Buccaneers have a one game lead in the horrendous AFC South. Tom Brady needs to win all 3 remaining games to avoid his first ever losing season. 34-23 Bengals
New York Giants at Washington Commanders is the Sunday night Hanukkah kickoff game. A couple of weeks ago these teams played to a 20-20 tie. They both entered 7-5-1 and fighting for playoff survival. This was also the very first game in NFL history where a Hanukkah Menorah was lit on the field. The game started on the first night of Hanukkah, and the celebration put together by Chabad of Maryland occurred between the first and second quarter. The Commanders in the first quarter moved from their own 30 to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 25. A run lost 2 yards and a pair of false starts killed the drive. Joey Slye hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Commanders.
Early in the second quarter, the Commanders were facing 2nd and 18 from their own 10. Heinecke was hunted down by Kayvon Thibodeaux, who forced a fumble, recovered it, and rolled one yard into the end zone for a defensive touchdown and a 7-3 Giants lead. The Giants got the ball back at their own 3. Daniel Jones went to Vannett for 15 and Sawon Barkley for 4 and 6. On 3rd and 9 from their own 31, Jones hit James for 10. Jones went to Hodgins for a pair of 7 yard gains. On 4th and 9 from the Washington 35, Brian Daboll passed up a 53 yard field goal try and gambled. Jones hit James for 11 and then Hodgins for 19. With 1:43 left in the half, Barkley ran for a 3 yard touchdown as the Giants led 14-3 at the intermission.
In the third quarter the Commanders took over at their own 9 yard line. Heinecke hit Terry McLaurin for gains of 18 and 13. Brown ran for 15. Heinecke went to McLaurin for 20, to Jahan Dotson for 11, and back to Dotson for a 19 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed but the 91 yard drive had the Commanders within 14-9. The Giants after a touchback embarked on a 10 play, 5 1/2 minute drive. On 2nd and 9 from the Washington 36, offensive holding killed the drive. Graham Gano hit from 50 to make it 17-9 Giants. In the fourth quarter the Commanders moved from their own 42 to a 3rd and 9 at the Giants 33. Heinecke threw incomplete. Slye hit from 51 to get the Commanders within 17-12.
The Commanders got the ball back at their own 9. Heinecke went deep to Dotson for a 61 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 5 with the Commanders looking for the lead, Heinecke was sacked and fumbled. The Giants moved from their own 14 to a 3rd and 6 at the Washington 31 at the 2 minute warning. A short completion lost a yard. Gano nailed a 50 yard field goal to put the Giants up by 8 with 1:55 left in regulation. A strong kickoff return by Antonio Gibson had the Commanders at their own 43. Heinecke went to Curtis Samuel for 27. With one minute left, on 3rd and goal at the one, Robinson got in. Yet before the Commanders could try the tying 2 point conversion, the touchdown was nullified by an illegal formation penalty. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Heinecke threw incomplete twice. The Giants moved one game ahead of the Commanders. Both teams are still alive, but the Commanders need much more help. 20-12 Giants
Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers was the Monday night game. Last year the Rams won it all and the Packers won 13 games and secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Yet rather than an NFC Title Game preview, this was just a pair of bad teams. The Rams are out of the playoffs, but the Packers at 5-8 were clinging to life. The Rams used up their miracle last week. The Packers from their own 32 moved 52 yards in 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 5, Aaron Rodgers threw incomplete. Then he was sacked. Mason Crosby hit a 34 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Packers. On their next series, Rodgers was intercepted. The Rams began the second quarter at their own 32. They moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Green Bay 15. Baker Mayfield threw incomplete. Matt Gay hit from 33 to make it 3-3.
The 3s continued as the Packers soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 33. Rodgers hit Randall Cobb for 12, AJ Dillon for 17, and Cobb again for 14. On 4th and 3 from the Rams 17, Matt LaFleur decided to go for it rather than kick a 35 yard field goal. Stunningly, with everyone expecting Rodgers to pass, it was Dillon out of the shotgun running for 4. Dillon the ran for 5 and finally for an 8 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 74 yard, 6 minute drive meant a 10-3 Packers lead. The Rams took over at their own 35 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 37. Mayfield threw 3 straight incompletions. Gay leveled a 55 yard field goal. With 46 seconds left in the half, the Rams were only down 10-6.
The Packers began the third quarter at their own 32. Rodgers went to Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson for 10 apiece. Rodgers then went to Dillon for 17 and Watson for 15. On 3rd and 6 from the Rams 9, Rodgers threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact meant 1st and goal at the 4. Dillon did the rest, running for 3 and then the one yard touchdown.The 11 play, 68 yard, 7 minute drive made it 17-6 Packers. A 17 yard punt return with 15 more tacked on for a facemask gave the Packers gift field position at the Rams 35. Aaron Jones ran for 9, 2 and 3. Rodgers hit Marcedes Lewis for 14. Rodgers went to Jones for a 7 yard touchdown as a close game was now a 24-6 Packers romp. The Rams managed one touchdown before the third quarter ended, but the Packers grinded the Rams to dust in the fourth quarter without any points. A 15 play, 82 yard, 9 minute drive. Despite 1st and goal at the one with 1:39 left, Rodgers did the classy thing. With the Rams out of timeouts, he took 3 knees rather than run up the score. The Packers at 6-8 still have a ray of playoff hope. 24-12 Packers