NFL 2024 Week 1 Recap
Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs was the season opening Thursday night game. Last years AFC Title Game saw rain come down. The Chiefs went into Baltimore and stunned the Ravens 17-10. The Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl and began this year in search of football immortality. No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls. The rematch was in Kansas City, and of course it was raining.
As good as the Ravens were last year, they got better with the addition of bruising running back Derrick Henry. The chess match between Walrus Andy Reid’s offense and John Harbaugh’s defense is well known. Yet Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo always brings a few new wrinkles as well.
After the first kickoff of the season under the strange new NFL kickoff rules, the Ravens got the ball first. The kickoff was a touchback, which now meant the offense started at their own 30. On 3rd and 11, Lamar Jackson calmly found Justice Hill for 18 yards. On 3rd and 9 from his own 48, Jackson went deep over the middle to Zee Flowers for 19. On 3rd and 1 from the Kansas City 24, Jackson faked the handoff to Henry and gained 11. After Jackson gained 8 more, Henry took it right up the gut for a 5 yard touchdown. The 15 play, 70 yard drive took nearly 7 minutes off the clock and put the Ravens up 7-0.
The Chiefs took over at their own 33. Patrick Mahomes went to Rashad Rice for 11. On 3rd and 6 from his own 48, Mahomes found Rice for a 16 yard gain with 15 more tacked of for a horse collar penalty. On the next play, Worthy took an end around, split the defense, and raced for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 7-7.
The second quarter began with the Ravens taking over after a punt at their own 20. Jackson went back to pass, the pocket collapsed, and Jackson got hit and fumbled. The Chiefs recovered at the Baltimore 14. On 3rd and 9, Mahomes fired to Juju Smith-Schuster at the goal line. Smith-Schuster was well-defended. The ball was in his hands but when he hit the ground the ball popped out for an incompletion. Harrison Butker hit the 32 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Chiefs.
The Ravens on their next drive faced 4th and 3 at midfield. John Harbaugh went for it. Yet a West Coast Offense Dink and Dunk Pass gained only one yard as the Ravens turned it over on downs. On 3rd and 12, Mahomes escaped a sack and found Travis Kelce for a 23 yard gain. His girlfriend celebrated. Nobody cares. She has nothing to do with football, and will not be alluded to again. On 3rd nd 5 from the Baltimore 31, Mahomes threw a jump ball that was well defended and nearly intercepted before falling incomplete. Butker hit from 31 to make it 13-7 Chiefs with 6 minutes left in the half.
Things got worse for the Ravens when the normally reliable Justin Tucker missed a 53 yard field goal try wide left with 1:50 left in the half. Yet one play later, Mahomes suffered an interception when smith made a diving grab and got his hands under the ball for the pick. The Ravens took over just shy of midfield. The Ravens moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Kansas City 10 with 18 seconds left. Hill gained 3 but only 13 seconds remained and the Ravens had to take their last timeout. A pair of incompletions left 5 seconds. On 3rd and goal from the 7, John Harbaugh wasn’t taking any chances. Tucker has never missed a field goal try from under 30 yards. He was good from 25 as the Ravens got within 13-10.
The Chiefs began the third quarter at their own 19. On 2nd and 5, Mahomes hit Rice for 33 and Watson for 25. On 2nd and 20 from the Baltimore 28 after offensive holding, Mahomes threw incomplete. Yet a roughing the passer call instead meant 1st and 10 from the Baltimore 14. Mahomes hit Gray for 13 down to the one. Pacheco got the carry and appeared stopped, but his entire offensive line practically carried him over the goal line. The 10 play, 81 yard drive made it 20-10 Chiefs.
The Ravens moved from their own 20 late in the third quarter. The fourth quarter began with the Ravens facing 2nd and 17 just past midfield. Jackson dropped back to pass and was flushed out of the pocket. He rolled to his right and found Likely down the field. Likely picked up a great block, faked defenders down the sideline, and strutted into the end zone for a 49 yard touchdown. just like that, only 13 seconds into the final quarter, the Ravens were right back in it down 20-17.
The Chiefs took over at their own 30. Mahomes hit Rice for 8 and Gray for 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Baltimore 39, Mahomes got around the end for a critical 4 yard gain. On 2nd and 10 from the Baltimore 35, Mahomes rolled out and found Worthy all by himself. The defensive breakdown led to an easy touchdown as the Chiefs had breathing room up 27-17 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, the Ravens moved from their own 30 to a 3rd and 6 at the Kansas City 16. Jackson scrambled but only gained 2 yards. After 14 plays and 5 1/2 minutes, the Ravens had to settle for a 32 yard Tucker field goal. The Ravens still trailed 27–20 with 5 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, the Chiefs moved to a 2nd and 8 at their own 42. A run lost 2 yards as John Harbaugh took his last timeout with 2 1/2 minutes to play. On 3rd and 10, a first down would end the game. With everything on the line, Mahomes’s pass was batted high in the air. Mahoems out jumped two defenders to catch his own pass and prevent an interception. Yet while the Chiefs avoided disaster, the play only gained one yard. The clock ticked down to the two minute warning, but the Chiefs had to punt. The Ravens had life.
The Ravens took over at their own 13 with 1:50 to play. Jackson put on a clinic in the two minute drill. He moved the Chiefs to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 48 with 43 seconds left. A deep bomb to Bateman gained 38 yards, but Bateman didn’t get out of bounds. the Ravens took way too long to get ready for the next play, which should have been a spike into the ground. By the time Jackson snapped the ball, only 19 seconds remained. Then rather than spike it Jackson danced around before finally throwing an incompletion. This wasted another 9 seconds. Now it was 2nd and goal at the 10 with only 10 seconds left. Barring any defensive penalties, the Ravens would have only two more shots at the end zone rather than three.
Jackson had a wide open Zee Flowers in the end zone, but Jackson’s throw was far off the mark an incomplete. Now only five seconds remained. Jackson scrambled around and fired to the back of the end zone. Likely made a leaping catch for the touchdown. John Harbaugh immediately pulled out his steel balls and decided to go for the two point conversion and the win rather than overtime.
Yet the Ravens never got the chance at the 2 point conversion. Replay showed that the very tippy toe of Likely was on the chalk. The force out rule was repealed years ago. Officials ruled Likely out of bounds, an incomplete pass, and game over. This would make for a fantastic rematch in another AFC Title Game, but for now, this rivalry is one-sided. It was a tough home escape, but Mahomes and the Chiefs beat Jackson and the Ravens yet again. The Chiefs are one win closer to their three-peat, making Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 27-20 Chiefs
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles was a special Friday night game from Brazil. For the first time ever, an NFL game was played in South America. Early on the Eagles were plagued by turnovers. on 3rd and 15 from his own 5, Jalen Hurts went deep and was intercepted. McKinney returned the pick 17 yards to the Philadelphia 19. On their next series on 3rd and 6 from their own 20, Hurts fumbled the shotgun snap and the Packers recovered at the Philly 13. Yet despite starting twice in the red zone, the Packers had to settle for Narveson field goals of 31 and 23 to lead 6-0.
After that the Eagles settled down. On 3rd and 1 from their own 39, Hurts hit AJ Brown for 8. Hurts then went to Devonta Smith for gains of 8 and 9. The second quarter began with Hurts throwing incomplete on 2nd and 1 and getting stopped on the tush push on 3rd and 1. on 4th and 1 from the Green Bay 34, Matt LaFleur gambled. The defense bit on the hard count and encroached Hurts then went to Saquon Barkley for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 7-6 Eagles.
After a touchback, Wilson gashed the defense for gains of 14, 5 and 18. Reed got around the end for a 33 yard touchdown. Josh Jacobs got stopped on the 2 point conversion try, but without a single pass on the drive, the Packers led 12-7.
The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 32. Hurts hit Brown for 20 and Smith for 25. On 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 13, this time Hu its took the tush push for 2. On the next play Barkley ripped off an 11 yard touchdown run to make it 14-12 Eagles. This time the Packers struck quickly. On 3rd and 10 from their own 30, Jordan Love went bombs away to Reed for a 70 yard touchdown to put the Packers back in front 19-14. The Eagles moved from their own 23 to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 14 with 30 seconds left in the half. A sack of Hurts and a false start killed the drive. Jake Elliott hit a 38 yard field goal to get the Eagles within 19-17 at the intermission.
The third quarter opened with a bang. On the second play from scrimmage after a touchback, Hurts went deep to Brown for a 67 yard touchdown to put the Eagles up 24-19. The Packers came back. On 3rd and 1 from their own 39, Love threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 15 yards. Love hit Kraft for 29. On 3rd and 9 from the Philadelphia 15, Love threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 13 yard gain. Love hit Watson for the 2 yard touchdown to put the Packers back in the lead 26-24.
An interception of Love with 6 minutes left in the third quarter set up the Eagles at the Green Bay 24. Barkley ran for 5, 9, and for the 2 yard touchdown to put the Eagles back on top 31-26. The Packers after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Philadelphia 25 with a golden chance to take the lead back in this topsy-turvy game. Then a run went nowhere, a completed pass gained nothing, and Love on 3rd and 10 threw incomplete. From 43 yards out, Narveson’s kick was no good.
The Eagles took over at their own 33. Barkley ripped off a 34 yard gin to end the third quarter. In the fourth quarter from the Green Bay 33, Hurts hit Calcaterra and Brown for a pair of 11 yard gains. Yet on 3rd and 13 from the Green Bay 14 with a chance to possibly lock up the win, Hurts was intercepted. The Packers took over at their own 13. Jacobs ripped off a 32 yard run as the Packers moved 79 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. The Packers again had a chance to reclaim the lead. On 2nd and 5 from the Philly 8, Love threw incomplete twice. Narveson hit the 26 yard field goal to get the Eagles within 31-29 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Eagles after a touchback embarked on a staggering 16 play, 67 yard drive that consumed 7 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and goal at the one with 1:11 left, the Eagles were a tush push away from icing the game. Instead Hurts fumbled the snap. The Eagles were lucky to retain the ball after a 2 yard loss. The Eagles took the clock down to 30 seconds and took their last timeout. Nick Sirianni had a major decision to make on 4th and goal at the 3. A touchdown would end it, but a failed attempt would leave the Packers needing only a field goal to win it. Sirianni opted for the field goal. Elliott hit from 21 to put the Eagles up by 5.
Only 27 seconds remained. A touchback would have put the Packers at their own 30. Yet Nixon tried to be a hero. He took the kickoff deep in his end zone and was stopped at his own 16 yard line. Now only 22 seconds remained. Because of Narveson’s earlier miss, the Packers needed a touchdown rather than a field goal to win it. Love immediately went deep to Reed for a 33 yard gain just shy of midfield. On the next play, a surprise end around fooled almost nobody as only went for 4 yards. Making matters much worse, the clock ticked down to 6 seconds. Even worse than that, Love was injured on the play. With everything on the line, Malik Willis had to come in. After a quick incompletion left 3 seconds, Willis tried the Hail Mary. The ball never left his hand as he was sacked.
The first game ever in South America was a thriller, but the Packers had bigger problems than the loss. Love had his ankle rolled up on and he writhed in pain. The entire Green Bay community waited to hear word on how bad he was hurt. As for the Eagles, it was a sigh of relief to win a tough game against a very good team. 34-29 Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons — Russell Wilson won the starting job in the preseason but then suffered a strained calf muscle before the regular season started. That meant Justin Fields got the start. The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a 9 figure contract, but he can’t do it all by himself. Both teams moved the ball well in the first quarter but could not finish their opening drive. Younghoe Koo hit a 24 yard field goal for the Falcons and Chris Boswell leveled a 57 yarder for the Steelers to tie the game 3-3. An interception of Cousins gave the Steelers the ball just shy of midfield. Boswell connected from 51 to make it 6-3 Steelers early in the second quarter.
With 4 minutes left in the half the Falcons were backed up to their own 10 yard line. Cousins hit McCloud for gains of 9 and 20. On 3rd and 4 from their own 48, Cousins hit Robinson for 5 and again for 14 followed by a 16 yard completion to McCloud. Cousins was sacked and fumbled, but the defense was ruled offside. Cousins then hit Pitts for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 10-6 Falcons with 32 seconds left in the half.
After a touchback, the Steelers were still at their own 42 with 9 seconds left in the half. Fields went bombs away to George Pickens for a 33 yard gain. Boswell nailed a 44 yard field goal to get the Steelers within 10-9 at the midpoint. In the third quarter the Falcons took over just shy of midfield and moved to the Pittsburgh 32. Cousins fumbled and the Steelers recovered at their own 38. Boswell drilled a 56 yard field goal. His fourth kick on the day and third over 50 yards had the Steelers up 12-10. Boswell hit his fifth field goal late in the third quarter for a 15-10 Steelers lead.
In the fourth quarter the Steelers had a chance to put the game away, moving from their own 22 to a 4th and 1 at the Atlanta 6. Mike Tomlin went for it and a run up the gut got stuffed. With 2:47 left in the game from the Pittsburgh 47, Cousins was intercepted by Jackson, who returned the pick 49 yards to the Atlanta 18. Boswell hit his sixth field goal on the day from 25 yards out to put the Steelers up by 8. After a touchback, only 28 seconds remained. On 3rd and 3 with 12 seconds left, Cousins was sacked as the clock ran out. Despite not scoring a touchdown, six Boswell field goals got the job done. 18-10 Steelers
Arizona Cardinals at Buffalo Bills — The Bills enter the season in Super Bowl or bust mode. All they needed to do was step over the lowly Cardinals and their rookie head coach. Even with Kyler Murray healthy, this should have been a mismatch. Instead, the Cardinals exploded out of the gate. Murray hit James Conner for gains of 22 and 9. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 30, Murray hit Dortch for 8. On 3rd and 13 from the Buffalo 25, Murray only gained 6 but defensive unnecessary roughness added 10 more. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Murray hit Wilson for a 5 yard touchdown. The 13 play, 70 yard, 7 minute drive had the Cardinals up 7-0..
A 53 yard kickoff return gave the Bills a short field at the Arizona 45. Yet from the Arizona 19, Josh Allen was sacked and fumbled. The Cardinals took over at their own 29 and moved 60 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 11, Murray completed a pass for only 2 yards as the first quarter ended. Matt Prater began the second quarter with a 29 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Cardinals. The Bills after a touchback moved to a 2nd and goal at the 4. After a run went nowhere, Allen on 3rd and goal ran for the touchdown. Yet it was nullified by an offensive facemark penalty that killed the drive. Tyler Bass hit a 37 yard field goal to get the Bills on the board.
The Cardinals from their own 29 kept rolling. On 3rd and 6 from their own 44, Murray ran for 12. On 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 39, Murray hit Dortch for 14. Conner ran for a 3 yard touchdown. With 2:40 left in the half after the 13 play, 71 3rd, 7 minute drive, the Cardinals were dominating 17-3 in front of a stunned Buffalo crowd.
After a touchback the Bills faced 3rd and 6 at their own 34 with 1:23 left in the half. Allen hit Shakir for 19. Consecutive defensive penalties for holding and roughing the passer gifted the Bills 20 yards. Allen ran for a 7 yard touchdown with 19 seconds left in the half to get the Bills within 17-10. Prayers second half kickoff under the new rules failed to reach the landing zone, giving the Bills the ball at their own 40. On 3rd and 11, Allen went to Cook for 25 and Davis for 14. Davis ran for 13. On 3rd and 10 from the Arizona 11, Allen went to Mack Hollins for the touchdown. The 10 play, 60 yard, 5 minute drive tied the game 17-17.
Later in the third quarter a sack of Murray forced a fumble that the Bills recovered at the Arizona 21. On 3rd and 2, Johnson only gained one. Sean McDermott gambled on 4th and 1 at the Arizona 12. Allen got the yard. Allen hit Shakir for an 11 yard touchdown as 21 unanswered points made it 24-17 Bills.
The Cardinals after a touchback moved down the field. The fourth quarter began with the Cardinals facing 3rd and 4 at the Buffalo 12. An end around by Conner gained nothing. Prater hit the 31 yard field goal to get the Cardinals within 24-20. After a touchback, Allen hit Marques Valdes-Scantling for 19. On 3rd and 14 just past midfield, Allen hit Shakir for 12. On 4th and 2 from the Arizona 37, Sean McDermott again gambled rather than try a 55 yard field goal. Allen gained 5. Allen then went deep to Coleman for 28. Allen ran for a 6 yard touchdown. With 9 minutes left in regulation, a 28-3 explosion had the Bills up 31-20.
13 seconds later, the Cardinals were right back in it. The new rules appeared to make kickoffs boring, but DJ Dallas returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Conner ran in the 2 point conversion to get the Cardinals within 31-28.
The defenses dug in, and with 4 1/2 minutes left, a shanked 28 yard punt gave the Bills another short field at the Arizona 42. On 3rd and 2 from the Arizona 20, the Bills were trying to close out the game. Yet Allen lost a yard. The clock clicked down to the 2 minute warning. This time on 4th and 3, Sean McDermott would not be gambling. Bass hit the 39 yard field goal to put the Bills up by 6, but the Cardinals were still very much alive. Bass even then hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to give the Cardinals the ball at their own 40 with a full 1:56 left. The Cardinals moved to a 4th and 7 at the Buffalo 29 with 32 seconds left. The Cardinals took their first timeout at that time. Rather than just move the chains with 2 timeouts remaining, Murray went for it all deep and threw incomplete. It was tougher than expected, but the Bills survived. 34-28 Bills
Tennessee Titans at Chicago Bears — The Titans were a team with a new coach, a quarterback named Will Levis, and without Derrick Henry, who they traded away. Shockingly, Matt Eberflus was still coaching the Bears. Rookie phenom and top overall pick Caleb Williams was starting his very first game. Eberflus was now out of excuses. After nearly 10 minutes of wretched football, the Titans began moving from their own 21. Tony Pollard ran for 7 and 14. Pollard ran for a 26 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. The Bears fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Titans recovered at the Chicago 23 as the first quarter ended. One minute into the second quarter, Nick Folk hit a 40 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Titans. The Titans got the ball back and faced 3rd and 15 from their own 22. Levis went to Calvin Ridley for 22. On 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 47, Spears gained 5. On 4th and 3 from the Chicago 35, rookie coach Brian Callahan passed up a 53 yard field goal try and gambled. Levis hit Boyd for 3. Levis ran for 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Chicago 12, Levis threw incomplete but the defense jumped offside. After a pair of offensive penalties, Levis hit Okonkwo for a 17 yard touchdown. With 3:44 left in the half, the Titans were cruising 17-0. It was another long losing season for the Bears. Maybe Eberflus would be fired at halftime.
With the Bears offense doing nothing, their special teams gave them a jolt. Carter returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to the Tennessee 34. On 2nd and goal at the 6, Williams threw incomplete twice. Cairo Santos hit the 24 yard field goal to get the Bears on the board. The Titans were still in control of the game with 9 minutes left in the third quarter. Then the Bears special teams came through in a big way. Stonehouse went back to punt and Hardy blocked it. Owens caught the bounce and raced 21 yards for a touchdown. Now the Bears were only down 17-10. The Bears offense was pathetic, but Williams did lead them into position for Santos to hit a 50 yard field goal to start the fourth quarter. Levis was then sacked and fumbled. The Bears took over at the Tennessee 31, did nothing on offense, and Santos hit his third field goal from 48 yards out. The Titans were trying to give the game away and the Bears were within 17-16 with a full to minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, the Titans faced 3rd and 6 at their own 45. On the verge of being sacked, Levis tried to shuffle a pass that ended up being intercepted. Stevenson cruised down the sideline 43 yards for a defensive touchdown. Despite no offense, 24 unanswered points had the Bears up by 7. With 2:20 left the Titans began their last drive at their own 18. On 4th and 10 from their own 40 with 1:15 left, Levis was intercepted again. Williams has never lost an NFL game. Eberflus is a genius. 24-17 Titans
New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals — After 24 years at the helm, Evil Hoodie Bill Belichick was not on the Patriots sideline. He was busy with his 24 year old girlfriend one third his age. Jerod Mayo was the new coach. The Bengals were at home with a healthy Joe Burrow. Jacoby Brissett started for the Patriots. Brissett midway through the first quarter hit Austin Hooper for 16. On 3rd and 8 just past midfield, Brissett hit Douglas for 9. On 3rd and 5 from the Cincinnati 24, Brissett ran for 16. The second quarter began with the Patriots facing 3rd and goal at the 3. Stevenson got in to cap the 14 play, 80 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Patriots. The Bengals began a subsequent drive at their own 35 and moved 63 yards in 13 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 11 from the New England 15, Burrow hit Hudson for 13. Yet just when it appeared Hudson was going in for the tying touchdown, he had the ball chopped out of his hands. The Patriots recovered the fumble at their own one yard line and returned it 17 yards to their 18. The Patriots moved 68 yards in 12 plays and 5 minutes. Joey Slye hit a 32 yard field goal to end the half with the Patriots up 10-0. In the third quarter the Bengals fumbled a punt and the Patriots recovered at the Cincinnati 24. Slye tacked on a 35 yard field goal to make it 13-0 Patriots. The Bengals after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 2 at the New England 36. Burrow threw incomplete. Zac Taylor passed up a 54 yard field goal try and went for it on 4th and 2. Burrow completed a pass for only one yard.
The Bengals got the ball back at their own 10 yard line. A deep incompletion drew a pass interference call that gave the Bengals 20 yards. Moss gained 7 and 16. Burrow hit Jamarr Chase for 10 and Iosivas for 13. Moss ran for a 5 yard touchdown with one minute left in the third quarter. The 90 yard drive had the Bengals actually in the game down 13-7. After a touchback the Patriots moved 52 yards and 12 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. Slye hit a 37 yard field goal with 9 minutes left to give the Patriots breathing room up 16-7. The Bengals after a touchback needed 2 scores. They got one when Evan McPherson hit a 51 yard field goal to get the Bengals back within 6 points. The Bengals got the ball back but faced 4th and 5 at their own 15 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Zac Taylor opted to punt and trust his defense. A booming 70 yard punt had the Patriots taking over at their own 25. Stevenson ran for 5 and 9 as the Bengals began taking their timeouts on defense. On 2nd and 7 from their own 47 with 1:52 left, Stevenson ran for 9 more to slam the door shut. Brissett took 3 knees. Unlike Belichick, Mayo is undefeated as a head coach. The Patriots are only a few Super Bowl wins away from another dynasty. The Bengals seem to start slowly every year, and have done so again. 16-10 Patriots
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts — CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson were supposed to start a new rivalry last year, but Richardson early in his rookie year got injured out for the season. Stroud went on to lead the Texans to the playoffs. This time fans got to see both quarterbacks in action as a healthy Richardson tried to show what he could do. The Colts began at their own 27 and moved to a 4th and 1 at the Houston 46. Shane Steichen went for it and Richardson threw incomplete. The Texans moved to a 4th and 1 at the Indianapolis 32. DeMeco Ryans opted not to gamble. Kaimi Fairbairn hit the 51 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Texans. The Colts took over at their own 27 and struck quickly. Richardson tossed a 60 yard touchdown to Alec Pierce to make it 7-3 Colts.
After a touchback, the Texans moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Indianapolis 27. Stroud was sacked. Fairbairn hit a 50 yard field goal to get the Texans within 7-6. The Texans got it back at their own 19 to start the second quarter. On 3rd and 1, newly acquired Joe Mixing gained 3. Stroud went deep to Nico Collins for 55 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Indianapolis 9, Stroud hit Stefan Diggs for the touchdown. DeMeco Ryans went for 2 but Nixon could not get in as the Texans led 12-7. After a third quarter touchback, the Texans moved to a 4th and 2 at the Indy 33. This time Ryand played it safe. Fairbairn hit from 51 to make it 15-7 Texans.
Midway through the third quarter, momentum shifted when the Colts blocked a Texans punt and recovered it at the Houston 5 yard line. On the next play Jonathan Taylor ran it in to get the Colts within 15-13. This time it was Shane Steichen going for 2, but this time Taylor got stopped. The fourth quarter was a track meet, with the teams combining for as many points as the first three quarters combined.
After a touchback, Nixon ran for 13 and 4. On 3rd and 14 from midfield, Stroud hit Collins for 19. Mixon gained 10 as the Texans began the fourth quarter with 1st and goal at the 8. On 3rd and goal, Stroud was intercepted, but a defensive holding penalty killed the Colts. Mixon ran for 3 yard touchdown to put the Texans up 22-13 one minute into the fourth quarter. After a touchback the Colts soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 43. Taylor gained 3. On the next play Richardson went bombs away to Ashton Dulin for a 54 yard touchdown to get the Colts within 22-20.
After a touchback, Stroud hit Mixon for 11. Mixon ran for 8 more and Dell ran for another 17. Damien Pierce added 9 and 3. With 4:442 left in the game, the Texans faced 4th and goal at the 2. A field goal would not lock up the win. Demeco Ryans went big and bold. Stroud hit Diggs for the touchdown to give the Texans breathing room up 29-20. The Colts soon faced 3rd and 15 from their own 27. This did not faze Richardson at all. He has a cannon and he unleashed it unloaded it again with a 57 yard bomb to Pierce. Richardson then ran for 10. On 3rd and goal at the one, Taylor got blown up for a 2 yard loss. With only 2:14 left, the Colts needed 2 scores. Going for the field goal would have been acceptable. Yet form that close, Shane Steichen went for the touchdown on 4th and goal at the 3. Richardson got in the end zone to get the Colts within 2 points again. They needed a defensive stop to get the ball back.
At the 2 minute warning the Texans had 3rd and 11 at their own 29. Stroud hit Collins for 12. Everything came down to 3rd and 3 at the Indy 48 with 1:48 left and the Colts out of timeouts. Mixon gained 9 and Stroud took 2 knees. Despite the loss, Richardson showed why he was drafted. It will be years before this can rise to the level of Brady vs Manning, but Stroud vs Richardson is off to a promising start. The AFC South now has a real rivalry led by two solid quarterbacks. 29-27 Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins — Both of teams started very strong last year before collapsing down the stretch. The 8-3 Jaguars saw Trevor Lawrence injure his shoulder. The Jaguars fell to 9-8 to blow the division and miss the playoffs in the final week. The Dolphins also fell apart late in the season, blowing the division and staggering into the playoffs for a quick elimination. A subplot occurred when Tyreek Hill was arrested during a traffic stop before the game. He was released in time to make it to the stadium, and he played in the entire game.
In the first quarter the Jaguars took over at their own 4 yard line. Bigsby ran for gains of 17 and 7. Lawrence went deep to Davis for 20. Lawrence went for it all and Jalen Ramsey was called for defensive pass interference. The 40 yard gain put the ball on the one. Travis Etienne got in to cap the 96 yard drive and make it 7-0 Jaguars. The Jaguars got the ball back at their own 45. On 3rd and 8, Lawrence went deep to Christian Kirk for 30. On 3rd and 11 from the Miami 14, Lawrence went to Thomas for the score to make it 14-0 Jaguars with 6 1/2 minutes left in the half.
After a touchback, the Dolphins finally got going. Tua Tagovailoa hit Achane for 16. Tagovailoa then ran for 11. Tagovailoa hit Jalen Waddle for 20. On 3rd and 5 from the Jacksonville 16, Tagovailoa hit Tyreek Hill for 10. On 3rd and goal at the one, Achane got in. The 10 play, 70 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive got the Dolphins within 14-7 with one minute left in the half. That was enough time for Lawrence to lead the Jaguars from their own 23 to a 2nd and 5 at the Miami 34 with 12 seconds left in the half. Lawrence threw incomplete twice. Little hit a 53 yard field goal to end the half with the Jaguars up 17-7.
The defenses dug in deep in the third quarter. With 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, the Jaguars took over at their own 3 yard line. They moved easily to a 1st and 10 at the Miami 13, on the verge of delivering the knockout blow. Etienne got the carry up the gut and was steamrolling toward the end zone. At the last moment he had the ball chopped out of his hands. The pigskin rolled into the end zone where a Dolphins defender fell on it for a touchback. One play and 11 seconds later, the Dolphins were right back in it. Hill may not be able ti outrun the Miami Police Department, but he can certainly outrace the Jacksonville defense. Tagovailoa hit him in stride for an 80 yard touchdown bomb. Instead of being left for dead down 24-7, the Dolphins after three quarters only trailed 17-14.
The Jaguars quickly faced 3rd and 1 at their own 32. Bigsby got the carry and got stopped cold. In a moment of either panic or insanity, Doug Pederson turned into the product of Brandon Staley and Barry Switzer. He gambled on 4th and 1 in his own territory. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Etienne got the carry and got blown up for a 2 yard loss. Yet despite starting at the Jacksonville 30, the Dolphins came up snake eyes. On 3rd and 3, Raheem Mostert lost a yard. Then Jason Sanders hit the 42 yard field goal try wide left no good.
The Dolphins got the ball back at their own 8 yard line with 11 minutes left in regulation. They moved 73 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. With 4 1/2 minutes left, Sanders came in for another try to tie the game, this time from 37 yards out. This time Sanders was good and the game was tied 17-17. The Jaguars went backward after consecutive sacks of Lawrence. The Dolphins got the ball back with 2:09 to play at their own 35. Tagovailoa hit waddle for 13 and Achane for 10. With 4 seconds left, Sanders came in for a 52 yard try to win it. There would be no overtime. Sanders was good. It was a gutty comeback win for the Dolphins. For the Jaguars, it was a stunning loss that was a microcosm of their entire 2023 season. 20-17 Dolphins
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints — Dennis Allen was supposedly a respected defensive coordinator unable to field an offense. Derek Carr was supposedly either overrated or washed up. Bryce Young has had far less success than the other top quarterbacks from the 2023 Draft. The Panthers are a mess. The first two statements are false, while the latter two are true. The Saints began at their own 24. On the fifth play from scrimmage, Carr went bombs away to Rashad Shaheed for a 59 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Saints. On the very next play from scrimmage, Young was intercepted. Grupe nailed a 57 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Saints. The Saints got it back at their own 21. Alvin Kamara ran for 9 and 5. Taysom Hill added 12. Carr hit Chris Olave for 17. Hill gained 9 and 5. Kamara ran for 17. Carr hit Foster Moreau for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Saints.
In the second quarter the Saints moved from their own 26 to a 4th and 3 at the Carolina 26. Grupe hit a 44 yard field goal to make it 20-0 Saints. Two plays the Panthers fumbled to give the Saints a short field. Grupe hit a 52 yarder just before the 2 minute warning to make it 23-0 Saints. The Panthers then punted and Shaheed returned it 47 yards to the Carolina 16. One ply later, Carr went to Johnson for the touchdown and the 30-0 Saints lead. The Panthers managed a field goal before the half, but the second half was pointless. Young began the third quarter with another interception. The Saints moved 57 yards and Kamara ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 37-3 Saints. The Panthers managed one touchdown but in the fourth quarter Grupe hit a 39 yard field goal and Williams ran for a 14 yard touchdown to complete the carpet-bombing. 47-10 Saints
Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants — The Vikings lost Kirk Cousin in the offseason and were expected to regress with Sam Darnold leading them. Yet the Giants appeared on paper to be one of the worst teams in the league. Barring shocking improvement, Daniel Jones would be playing his final season with the Giants. An early Vikings fumble gave the Giants gift field position at the Minnesota 20. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 5, Jones was tackled for no gain. The Giants led 3-0, but then reality set in. The Vikings faced 3rd and 8 from their own 37. Darnold went deep incomplete and drew a 36 yard defensive pass interference penalty. Darnold then went deep to Oliver for 22. Aaron Jones ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Vikings.
In the second quarter the Vikings took over at their own one yard line. Darnold hit Chandler for 10. Darnold went deep to Justin Jefferson for 44 yards and to Jordan Addison for 16 and 13. On 4th and 2 from the Giants 3, Kevin O’Connell decided to go big and bold. Darnold hit Jefferson for the touchdown to cap the 11 play, 99 yard, 7 minute drive and make it 14-3 midway through the second quarter. After a third quarter touchback, the Vikings faced 3rd and 16 from their own 24. Darnold hit Mundt for 9 with a defensive facemark adding 15 more. Jones gained 12 and 19. Darnold hit Naylor for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 21-3 Vikings. The Giants managed another field goal, but Jones then threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to Van Ginkel. Problem…Van Ginkel plays defense for the Vikings. 28-6 Vikings
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers — Last year in Las Vegas the Raiders walloped the Chargers. The Raiders led 49-0 at halftime, led by as much as 63-7, and won 63-21. Brandon Staley was fired, and Antonio Pierce went from being the interim Raiders coach to the full time head guy. Yet the Chargers won the offseason by getting Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh to return to the NFL. The Chargers went from laughingstocks to having instant credibility. Meanwhile, Pierce had a lot of hype building around him in the offseason. The defense was vastly improved, but the offense had regressed. One year after losing Derek Carr, the Raiders allowed Josh Jacobs to leave in free agency. Gardner Minshew beat out Aidan O’Connell for the starting quarterback job and Zamir White was the starting running back. The Chargers acquired the talented but injured running back JK Dobbins from Baltimore. Both teams would instantly know what they were made of in the loaded AFC West.
The defenses dominated early. The Raiders faced 2nd and 1 from their own 30. White got the carry and went nowhere. On 3rd and 1 White got the carry and went nowhere. After 9 minutes of scoreless football, Antonio Pierce made a pair of head-scratching decision. The Raiders got the ball back and faced 4th and 1 at their own 41. It should have been 1st and 10 but Pierce did not challenge the spot. Then after accepting what appeared to be a bad spot, he gambled against a defense that had stopped the Raiders twice on the previous drive for that one yard. This time the result was the same. Making matters even worse, he had Minshew line up in the shotgun rather than directly under center. As expected, White got blown up for a one yard loss. The Raiders gifted the Chargers a short field. Cameron Dicker hit a 53 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chargers.
The Raiders soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 39. Minshew hit Davante Adams for 18. On 3rd and 9 at the Chargers 42, Minshew hit Adams for 11. Minshew then found Mattison, who outraced everyone for a 31 yard touchdown. The Raiders led 7-3 after the first quarter. They have a habit over the years of getting one early touchdown and then trying to win games with field goals. With less than 90 seconds left in the half, the Raiders had moved from their own 34 to a 1st and 10 at the Chargers 48. The Raiders were one first down from long field goal range. Minshew went back to pass, and without anyone else near him, he inexplicably fumbled the ball. It just slipped out of his hands. The Tuck Rule no longer exists. Former Raiders standout Khalil Mack recovered the ball and rumbled 22 yards to the Raiders 12 yard line. Somehow the Raiders defense made another stand. The Chargers settled for a 25 yard Dicker field goal.
For over a decade, the Raiders had a terrible defense. Now they have a very good defense that was getting no help from the offense. The Chargers offense only had 2 first downs in the entire first half. The Chargers should have had 0 points on the board. Yet the Raiders essentially cited the Chargers a fair of field goals so the Raiders only led 7-6 at the break. In the third quarter the Chargers moved from their own 20 to a 2nd and goal at the 6. Justin Herbert threw incomplete twice. Again, the Raiders defense came up big. Dicker hit his third field goal from 24 yards out to give the Chargers a 9-7 lead. The Raiders after a touchback moved to their own 45. White got the carry and gained 8 yards. Yet Joey Bosa forced a fumble and the Chargers recovered. The Raiders got the ball back at their own 20 and moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Chargers 31. Minshew threw incomplete. Star kicker Daniel Carlson came in for a 49 yard field goal try to give the Raiders
the lead. The normally clutch kicker missed wide right. The Raiders were giving the game away. As expected, the exhausted Raiders defense finally broke.
The Chargers moved from their own 39. Herbert went deep to Hurst for 27 yards. On 3rd and 9 from the Raiders 33, Herbert hit Palmer for 11. Edwards ran for 10. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Dobbins ran for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 16-7 Chargers. The Raiders after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Chargers 14 yard line. Again, Antonio Pierce made a very questionable coaching decision. Yes, the Raiders needed 2 scores. Yes, White had been stopped short 3 times trying to gain one yard. Yet Pierce surrendered and opted for the field goal. Carlson hit from 32 to get the Raiders within 16-10. The defense held and the Raiders got the ball back at their own 48 with a chance to take the lead. Yet on 4th and 1 from the Chargers 43 midway through the fourth quarter, Pierce again made the maddeningly frustrating decision to punt rather than go for it. He wanted to trust his defense and play field position, but his defense needed rest. AJ Cole did his job and pinned the the Chargers at their own 8 yard line, but it didn’t matter.
On 3rd and 2 from their 16, Dobbins gained the deuce. Dobbins then broke off a 61 yard run. On 3rd and 6 from the Raiders 10, Herbert hit McConkey for the touchdown with 3:40 to play to ice the game. Now in desperation mode the Raiders moved from their own 30 to a 3rd and 2 at the Chargers 32 with 1:50 to play. Minshew was intercepted. Time will tell if the feel good vibes from last year’s strong finish to the season were just a mirage. The Raiders had a chance to hire Jim Harbaugh but went with Antonio Pierce. Pierce has potential but Harbaugh is a proven winner. Minshew had a bad game, but even at his best he is no Herbert. The Raiders need a quarterback, and next year’s draft is the only solution. Until then, it might be a long season. As for the Chargers, they are definitely improved. 22-10 Chargers
Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks — The Denver Broncos were beginning the Bo Nix era while the Seattle Seahawks no longer had Pete Carroll on the sidelines. The first quarter saw will Lutz hit a 35 yard field goal for the Broncos and Jason Myers respond from 50 for the Seahawks for a 3-3 game. The Broncos moved down the field in the second quarter but saw their drive end when Nix was intercepted by Love at the one yard line. Yet on the very next play, the Seahawks were called for offensive holding in the end zone. The safety gave the Broncos a 5-3 lead. The Broncos did nothing with the free kick, but the Seahawks fumbled the punt and the Broncos recovered at the Seattle 9 yard line. The Broncos moved backward but Lutz hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 8-3 Broncos.
The Seahawks after a touchback faced 3rd and 2 at their own 47. Geno Smith hit Tyler Lockett for 19. Smith then ran for a 34 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed but the Seahawks led 9-8. Another Denver punt pinned the Seahawks back at their own one yard line again. Charbonnet then got tackled in the end zone for a safety. It was a very rare occurrence of 2 safeties in one game as the Broncos took the 10-9 lead the hard way without a touchdown. The Seahawks on their next drive were backed up to their own 2 yard line but escaped with a punt. The Broncos were set up at their own 47 with 30 seconds left in the half. On 3rd and 9 Nix hit Reynolds for 25. That was enough for Lutz to hit a 46 yard field goal at the gun as the Broncos took a 13-9 lead to the locker rooms.
The Seahawks took over in the third quarter at their own 39. Smith went to Lockett for 13. Kenneth Walker did the rest, gaining 6, 15, 4, and finally a 23 yard touchdown to put the Seahawks up 16-13. A Broncos fumble then gave the Seahawks a short field at the Denver 47. On 1st and goal at the 6, Walker ran it in for the touchdown but offensive holding wiped out the score and killed the drive. Myers hit a 28 yard field goal to make it 19-13 Seahawks.The Seahawks got it back at their own 20. Walker ran for 12. Smith hit Lockett for 16, DK Metcalf for 11, and Lockett again for 11. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Smith went deep to Charbonnet for a 30 yard touchdown to make it 26-13 Seahawks. Nix tried to rally the Broncos but he was intercepted with 5 1/2 minutes left. Nix did get the Broncos in the end zone on a 4 yard run with 2:09 left. The Denver defense needed a stop. With the Seahawks facing 3rd and 11 from their own 29, a completion by smith only gained 9. Yet the defense jumped offside to give the Seahawks another chance on 3rd and 6. Smith hit Lockett for 9 and then took 3 knees. 26-20 Seahawks
Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns — Before the game started, Jerry Jones put his money where his mouth is and gave Dad Prescott a 4 year, $240 million contract extension. At $60 million per year, Prescott is the highest paid NFL player for the moment. There is a sentiment that Prescott is overrated, and that many of his yards come in garbage time. Jerrah has a tendency to fall in love with shiny objects and overpay his stars. His dear friend Al Davis used to do this. With Mike McCarthy on the hot seat despite three straight 12 win seasons, this was the year for the Cowboys to either make a deep playoff run or get blown up in the offseason. The Browns would rise or fall depending on whether or not Deshaun Watson would get back to his pre-suspension form. Before the game it was announced that he was now facing a civil lawsuit for some sexual issues, although the criminal charges were dropped awhile back. A 28 yard punt return gave the Browns a short field at the Dallas 46. Dustin Hopkins hit a 51 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Browns. After that reality set in.
After a touchback, CeeDee Lamb took an end around 10 yards. Prescott then went deep to Lamb for 34. Prescott went deep to Brandin Cooks for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Cowboys. In the second quarter the Cowboys took over at their own 22. Ezekiel Elliott left Dallas last year but was reacquired by the Cowboys for this season. He ripped off a 9 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from their own 31, Prescott gained 3. Lamb took another end around for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Cleveland 45, Dowdle gained 6. Prescott hit Brooks for 18. Elliott ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Cowboys. The Cowboys got it back at their own 44, and Brandon Aubrey hit a 57 yard field goal to make it 17-3 Cowboys with 2:06 left in the half. Watson was quickly intercepted to set up the Cowboys at the Cleveland 23. Aubrey hit from 4o to make it 20-3 Cowboys at the intermission.
The second half was pointless. Kavontae Turpin returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown to make it 27-3 Cowboys. The Browns did manage a third quarter touchdown, Aubrey tacked on field goals of 50 in the third quarter and 46 in the fourth quarter to make it 33-10 Cowboys. The Browns added a garbage touchdown. 33-17 Cowboys
Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Dan Quinn began hit first game as the Commanders head coach, replacing the fired Ron Rivera. Meanwhile, Todd Bowles is somehow still coaching the Buccaneers. Chase McLaughlin hit first quarter field goals of 56 and 34 to make it 6-0 Buccaneers. Cade York missed a 47 yard try for the Commanders as the first quarter ended. The Buccaneers began the second quarter facing 3rd and 7 at their own 40. Baker mayfield hit Chris Godwin for 11, Palmer for 19, and Roddy White for 19 more. Mayfield went to Mike Evans for a 17 yard touchdown to make it 13-0 Buccaneers.
The Commanders finally got going from their own 26,Jaydon Daniels ran for 16. Daniels hit Auston Ekeler for 22. Daniels ran for 12 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 11 more. Robinson ran for a 7 yard touchdown to get the Commanders within 13-7. York then hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set up the Buccaneers at their own 40. The Buccaneers ran 13 plays and held the ball for 7 minutes. On 3rd and 3 from the Washington 6, a false start killed the drive. Mclaughlin hit from 29 with 16 seconds left in the half for a 16-7 Buccaneers advantage.
A long third quarter driveway the Commanders to get back in the game was wasted when York’s 56 yard field goal try was wide right no good. The Buccaneers took over at their own 46. White ran for 15. Defensive pass interference added 22. Mayfield hit Godwin for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 23-7 Buccaneers. Daniels did run for a one yard touchdown to cap a 60 yard drive and get the Commanders within 23-14, but after that the Buccaneers turned out the lights. From their own 28, Mayfield hit White for a 32 yard gain. On the first play of the fourth quarter on 3rd and 7 from the Washington 32, Mayfield went deep to McMillan for the touchdown to make it 30-14 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 9 yard line. Irving ran for 8 and 21. On 3rd and 18 from their own 40, Mayfield hit Godwin for 24. Irving ran for 11. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mayfield hit Evans to make it 37-14 Buccaneers. The Commanders added a garbage touchdown. As for York, he was cut the day after the game. 37-20 Buccaneers
Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions was the Sunday night game. We all know the big trade that swapped Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford. Both quarterbacks thrived in their new environments as Stafford led the Rams in 2920 to a Super Bowl title and Goff in 2023 led the long-suffering Lions to the NFC Title Game. That playoff run included a 24-23 home win by the Lions that knocked out the Rams. The Rams began with a 13 play, 67 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive from their own 10 yard line. They reached a 1st and 10 at the Detroit 19, but a sack of Stafford and a false start killed the drive. Harty hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Rams. The Lions responded after a touchback with a 15 play, 63 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. The Lions easy in the second quarter faced 2nd and goal at the 6. A run lost a yard and Goff threw incomplete. Bates hit the 25 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. The Rams responded with a 12 play, 55 yard, 6 minute drive. Surprisingly, Sean McVay passed up a 41 yard field goal and went for it on 4th and 4 at the Detroit 23. Stafford threw incomplete.
Goff then went to Williams for a 36 yard gain. Goff went to Gibbs for 14. Wiliams got around the end for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 5, Gibbs gained 2. From the one, Gibbs got in for the touchdown just past the 2 minute warning for a 10-3 Lions lead. After a touchback, Stafford took the Rams to a 1st and goal at the 8 with 25 seconds left in the half. After an incompletion, Stafford went to the end zone to tie the game. Instead, Stafford was intercepted. In the third quarter, a field position game had the Lions taking over at their own 41. On 3rd and 3, Goff went deep to Williams for a 52 yard touchdown. The Lions appeared to be running away with the game up 17-3.
The Rams soon faced 3rd and 10 from their own 30. Stafford hit Cooper Kupp for gains fo 13 and 21. On 3rd and 4 from the Detroit 30, Williams only gained one yard. Down by 14, Sean McVay went for it. Stafford hit Robinson for 14. On 3rd and 6 from the Detroit 11, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 9 yard gain. Williams ran for a 2 yard touchdown to get the Rams within 17-10. The Lions moved from their own 16 to a 1st and goal at the one, ever so close to icing the game. Williams got stopped for no gain. Then Whittington got in, but offensive pass interference nullified the score. Harty hit a 26 yard field goal to get the Rams within 17-13 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, the Lions moved to a 2nd and 3 at the Detroit 23. First came a false start. Then Gotf was intercepted by Johnson to set the Rams up at their own 20.
The Rams soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 29. Stafford hit Johnson for 13. On 3rd and 1 just past midfield, Williams gained 2. Stafford then hit Kupp for 20Robinson for 14, and Kupp for a 9 yard touchdown. 17 unanswered points by the Lions was encountered with 17 unanswered points by the Rams. The Rams held a 20-17 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation. With 2:11 left, the Lions got the ball back at their own 31. At the 2 minute warning on 3rd and 5, Goff hit Sam Laporta for 18 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Rams 23, Gibbs gained 4. With 24 seconds left, the Lions had 3rd and 5 at the Rams 24. Goff threw incomplete. Bates hit a 32 yard field goal as the game went into overtime. The Lionswon the coin toss in overtime and Dan Campbell went full smash mouth. After a touchback, Raymond gained 12. Montgomery added 21 and 9. Goff hit Gibbs for 10. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 9, Montgomery after a 6 yard run added 8 more. Halfway through overtime, Montgomery crashed in for that last yard as the Rams never saw the ball. This would make for a great rematch in the NFC Title Game. To start the season, it a fine, fine football game. 26-20 Rams
New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers was the Monday night game. Aaron Rodgers was supposed to be the savior for the Jets, but last year he lasted all of 4 snaps. This year he was healthy, but the hype around the team still seemed odd. After all, when he was in Green Bay he was frequently losing to the 49ers. Their defense simply overwhelmed him. The 49ers made it to the Super Bowl but lost in overtime. Jets fans considered this a possible Super Bowl preview, but realistic football fans expected the 49ers to handle business and easily defeat their former defensive coordinator. A Jets fumble 3 minutes into the game gave the 49ers a short field at the Jets 32. The Jets do have a defense, and the 49ers settled for a 46 yard Moody field goal to lead 3-0. The Jets soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 32. Rodgers hit Wilson for 16. On 3rd and 7 just past midfield, Rodgers went to Wilson for 14 and to Breece Hall for 13. On 3rd and 7 from the San Francisco 19, Rodgers went to Wilson for 8 and then 8 more. Hall got in for a 3 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 70 yard, 7 minute drive had the Jets up 7-3. Then reality took over.
The 49ers after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Jets 29 to start the second quarter. Kyle Shanahan went to his bag of tricks and had Deebo Samuel line up in the shotgun instead of Brock Purdy. The play was blown up for a 4 yard loss. Moody hit a 51 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 7-6. The 49ers got the ball back at their own 33. Purdy ran for 11. Mason ran for 5, 6 and 9. On 2nd and 19 from the Jets 39 after offensive holding, Purdy hit Jennings for 22. Mason ran for 11. Samuel got the final 2 yards on the ground to cap the 12 play, 67 yard, 6 minute drive to make it 13-7 49ers. The 49ers go the ball back at their own 12 and moved 75 yards in 12 plays over 5 minutes. The 49ers had 1st and 10 at the Jets 13 with 24 seconds left in the half. A completion went nowhere and Purdy then threw incomplete twice. Moody hit a 31 yard field goal to end the half with the 49ers up 16-7.
After a third quarter touchback, the 49ers quickly moved to end what little suspense remained. Purdy hit Samuel for 10. On 3rd and 4 rom their own 47, Purdy hit Jennings for 5. On 3rd and 2 from the Jets 40, Mason gained 8. Purdy went deep to Kyle Juszczyk for 34. Mason ran for a 5 yard touchdown to finish the 11 play, 70 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and make it 23-7 49ers. Rodgers was intercepted to give the 49ers the ball back at their own 39. They moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Jets 35. Purdy threw incomplete. Moody hit a 53 yard field goal to put the 49ers up 26-7. The Jets managed a touchdown, but the 49ers salted it away with Moody fourth quarter field goals of 23 and 42 yards to make it 32-13 49ers. The Jets added one more garbage touchdown. The 49ers are in Super bowl mode. The Jets are not. 32-19 49ers