THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

NFL 2023 Week 3 Recap

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers was the Thursday night game. The Giants showed plenty of grit in coming back from 21 down to beat Arizona, but San Francisco is a Super Bowl contender. Early on the 49ers moved 64 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Giants 11, Brock Purdy threw 3 straight incompletions. Moody hit a 28 yard field goal to make it 3-0 49ers. The Giants responded with a 12 play, 49 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive of their own. Yet on 3rd and  8 from the San Francisco 29, a completion gained only 2 yards. Graham Gano hit from 44 for a 3-3 game. 

The 49ers began the second quarter facing 3rd and 15 at their own 23. Purdy went to Deebo Samuel for 30. Christian Mccaffrey ripped off gains of 9 and 10. Purdy hit McCaffrey for 17. On 3rd and 5 from the Giants 9, Purdy hit Bell for the touchdown. The 11 play, 72 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive made it 10-3 49ers. The 49ers got it back at their own 27. Purdy hit Mitchel for 9. McCaffrey gained 12. Mitchell added 18. Purdy hit Bell for 15. On 3rd and 12 from the Giants 20, Purdy hit George Kittle for 11 with roughing the passer adding 5 more. McCaffrey ran up the gut for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 17-3 49ers.

The Giants after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 3 at the San Francisco 38. Daniel Jones threw incomplete twice. Gano nailed a 57 yard field goal to end the half with the Giants down 17-6. A field position game in the third quarter gifted the Giants with a short field at the San Francisco 37. Defensive pass interference added 22 more yards. Matt Breida ran for an 8 yard touchdown. Brian Daboll went for 2 but Jones was sacked as the Giants get within 17-12. 

After a touchback, the 49ers moved 72 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 3, Purdy threw incomplete twice. Moody hit from 21 to make it 20-12 49ers. In the fourth quarter the 49ers moved from their own 31 to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 18. The drive died there but Moody hit from 36 to make it 23-12 49ers with 13 minutes left in regulation. The 49ers got the ball back at their own 30 and turned out the lights. Purdy hit Samuel for 19. purdy threw a 27 yard touchdown to Samuel with 6 minutes left. The 49ers are 3-0 and already in postseason form, beating inferior teams by big margins. 30-12 49ers

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens — After only 2 weeks, Anthony Richardson was already injured and missing this game with a concussion. Gardner Minshew is more than just a capable backup. Yet Lamar Jackson leads a Ravens team that seems to be back to its usual winning ways. The Ravens went right to work on their first drive from their own 20. Jackson gained 11. On 3rd and 6 from their own 35, Jackson hit Zee Flowers for 6 and again for 8. Jackson went deep to Likely for 20. Jackson ran for an 8 yard touchdown for a 7-0 Ravens lead. Yet the Colts put up more of a fight than expected. 

In the second quarter from his own 27, Minshew hit pierce for 23. On 3rd and 1 from the Baltimore 41, Zack Moss gained 2. On 3rd and 3 from the Baltimore 17, Minshew hit Moss for the touchdown and a 7-7 game. On the next play from scrimmage from his own 24, Jackson was sacked and fumbled. The Colts recovered at the Baltimore 19. Despite 2nd and goal at the 7, Minshew there incomplete twice. Matt Gay hit a 31 yard field goal as the Colts took a surprising 10-7 lead to the locker rooms. In the third quarter the Colts had great field position at their own 45. Gay nailed a 54 yard field goal for a 13-7 Colts advantage. 

The Ravens finally mounted a drive from their own 19. Jackson gained 13. On 3rd and 1 from his own 41, Edwards gained 10 and 4 more. Melvin Gordon gained 15 and caught a pass from Jackson for 11. Jackson hit Nelson Agholor for 11 to set up 3rd and 1 at the Indianapolis 10. Jackson ran it in himself. The 10 play, 81 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Ravens up 14-13. After a touchback, Moss ran for 24 as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 6 from the Baltimore 47, Minshew hit Pittman for 8. That was enough for Gay to hit from 53 to put the Colts back up 16-14. After a touchback, the Ravens moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Indy 38. After an incompletion, Jackson hit Agholor for only 6. On 4th and 2 midway through the fourth quarter, John Harbaugh decided not to gamble. Justin Tucker nailed the 50 yard field goal to put the Ravens back in the lead 17-16. 

A field position game led to a great punt that pinned the Colts at their own 2 yard line. On 3rd and 11 from their own one with 2:03 to play, Minshew was sacked in the end zone for a safety. The Ravens led 19-16 and would get the ball back after the free kick. They just had to run out the clock. The Colts took their timeouts on defense and received a gift stoppage due to an offensive illegal block. The Ravens took only 15 seconds off the clock. The Colts got the ball back at their own 38 with 1:41 left. Minshew hit Pierce and Downs for a pair of 12 yard gains. On 3rd and 1 from the Baltimore 29, a false start followed by an incompletion killed the drive. Gay nailed a 53 yard field goal to tie the game 19-19, but one minute still remained. That was more than enough time for the Ravens, especially with the best kicker in the history of pro football.

After a touchback the Ravens quickly moved to a 1st and 10 just shy of midfield. Yet a sack of Jackson and an incompletion meant 3rd and 20. Jackson went to Agholor for 18. The Ravens called their final timeout with 6 seconds left. Tucker holds the NFL record with a 66 yard field goal. This kick would be from 61. Tucker’s kick was dead center but a bit short. Even the best are human. In overtime the Ravens got a major break when the Colts punted and Devin Duvernay returned it 31 yards to the Indy 48. Yet on 3rd and 6, Jackson threw incomplete. This time John Harbaugh was not going to try a 62 yard field goal, opting to punt. The Colts moved from their own 11 to a 4th and 1 at the Baltimore 46. Shane Steichen gambled and lost as Moss got stopped cold. The Ravens soon faced 3rd and 3 and Jackson threw incomplete. This time Harbaugh gambled. Jackson threw incomplete again. From his own 47, Moss gained 13, 2, 3. On 3rd and 5 from the Baltimore 35, Steichen took no chances. Moss gained nothing. Gay came in for another 53 yard try with one minute left in overtime. His kick was good, and the Colts had the upset win. 22-19 Colts  

Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns — Both of these teams have been up and down, but the Titans physical style of play under Mike Vrabel was expected total down a Browns team that has not seen Deshaun Watson play well. From their own 22, the Browns moved on a 12 play drive that took 7 minutes off the clock. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the Tennessee 30, Watson got stopped for no gain. Dustin Hopkins hit the 48 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Browns. In the second quarter a Browns fumble gave the Titans gift field position at the Cleveland 17. The Titans went backward and nearly fumbled the ball back. Nick Folk bailed them out with a 44 yard field goal for a 3-3 game, but after that the game was one-sided.

After a touchback the Browns soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 41. Watson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 8 yards and a first down. A sack of Watson forced a fumble that led to a 16 yard loss. Yet on 2nd and 26, Watson threw a deep incompletion that drew a 37 yard defensive pass interference penalty. On 3rd and 1 from the Tennessee 21, Bryant gained 2. Watson hit Ford for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Browns. The Browns got the ball back at their own 20 at moved to a 3rd and 8 at the Tennessee 38. Watson hit David Njoku for only 4. Hopkins hit a 52 yard field goal to make it 13-3 Browns. In the second half the Dawg Pound defense unleashed. 

In the third quarter the Browns took over at their own 15. Ford gained 9. Watson went to Donovan Peoples-Jones for 29. On 4th and 2 from the Tennessee 39 after an incompletion, Kevin Stefanski went for it rather than try a 57 yard field goal. Watson threw incomplete again, but defensive holding meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and 5 from the Tennessee 29, Watson went to Peoples-Jones for 12. Watson gained 4 and 10. Ford ran for a 3 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 85 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 20-3 Browns.  In the fourth quarter the Browns faced 3rd and 1 at their own 45. Bryant gained 2. On 2nd and 11, Watson threw incomplete but defensive holding again kept the drive going. On 4th and 1 from the Tennessee 40, Kevin Stefanski went for the kill shot and Watson gained 2. Watson went deep to Amari Cooper for a 43 yard touchdown to complete the scoring. 27-3 Browns  

Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins — Both teams will talk about this game forever. In the 1940 NFL Championship Game, Chicago defeated Washington 73-0. That remains the highest scoring pro football game for one team. The highest combined scoring game came in 1966 when Washington defeated the Giants 72-41. 70 is a crazy number. In professional football, especially in the National Football League, it’s unfathomable. The Miami Dolphins came in undefeated with an explosive offense. The Broncos came in winless but having lost both games by a combined three points. This game was over barely after the opening touchback. Tua Tagovailoa went to Smythe for 15. Then Tagovailoa went deep to Tyreek hill for a 54 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins and start the deluge. The Dolphins got it back at their own 19. Raheem Mostert ran for 15. Achane ran for 26. Achane also had runs of 4, 3, and the 8 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Dolphins.

After a touchback, the Broncos managed a 10 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive. On 3rd and 6 from the Miami 12, Russell Wilson hit Cortland Sutton for the touchdown. The Broncos were only down 14-7 after the first quarter, but they would not get that close again. The Dolphins faced 2nd and 16 from their own 19. Tagovialoa went to Hill for 19. On the first play of the second quarter from his own 43, Mostert ran for 17. On 3rd and 4 from the Denver 34, Tagovailoa hit Braxton Berrios for 11. Achane ran for 10 and 5 and then caught a 4 yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to make it 21-7 Dolphins. 

After a touchback the Broncos moved to a 3rd and goal at the 7. Wilson hit Sutton for the touchdown, but offensive pass interference nullified it. The Broncos settled for a 31 yard Wil Lutz field goal to get within 21-10. With 3 minutes left in the half, the Dolphins took over at their own 14. Tagovailoa went to Hill for 15, to Mostert for 8, to Hill again for 15, and to Cracraft for 13. Mostert ran for 9 and then for a 20 yard touchdown. With 1:49 left in the half, the Dolphins led 28-10. The Broncos quickly fumbled the ball away, and Van Dinkel returned it 29 yards to the Denver 3 yard line. One play later, Mostert ran it in to make it 35-10 Dolphins. The Broncos got another field goal before the half, but this game was over. For some crazy reason, the second half was played. 

In the third quarter, the Dolphins faced 3rd and 3 from their own 17. Tagovailoa hit Hit for 9. Mostert ran for 7. Tagovailoa hit Berrios for 22. Achane ran for 40. On 3rd and goal at the one, Tagovailoa threw incomplete. Mike McDaniel kept his foot on the gas and went for it. On 4th and goal, Mostert got in to make it 42-13 Dolphins. The Broncos fumbled the ball away again and the Dolphins tool over at their own 23. Achane ran for 7 and caught a pass from Tagovailoa for 17. Achane ran for 2 with 15 more tacked on for defensive unnecessary roughness. Achane ran for 12 more. Tagovailoa went to Hill for 7 and 19. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 19, Tagovailoa went to Mostert for the touchdown to make it 49-13 Dolphins after three quarters. They were far from done.

On the next play from scrimmage from his own 18, Wilson was intercepted. The Dolphins took over at the Denver 8. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa hit Achane for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 56-13. The Dolphins got it back at their own 32, but without Tagovailoa. He has a history of injuries, and Mike McDaniel was not taking any chances. He was given a clipboard as Mike White finished the game. On 3rd and 10, White went deep to Chosen for a 68 yard touchdown to make it 63-13 Dolphins. The Broncos did have a brief moment of pride when Mims returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, but that was it. Two plays after a touchback, Achane followed up an 8 yard run with a 67 yard touchdown run. 

There were still 8 minutes left to play in the game. The Dolphins got it back with 4 minutes left just trying to run out the clock. Brooks took a run up the middle for a 52 yard gain. With 33 seconds left, the Dolphins had 4th and 14 at the Denver 27. A field goal from 45 yards out would give the Dolphins 73 points. This was more than merely a victory. It was now a shot at NFL history. They could tie the record for the most points ever in an NFL game. Jason Sanders had already kicked 10 extra points, but had not tried a single field goal. He had a chance at being in the history books for the kick that would tie the NFL record. Sanders never got the chance. The home crowd didn’t like it, but Mike McDaniel did the classy honorable thing. He passed up the field goal attempt. He had White take a knee. After the game, he made it crystal clear that professionalism matters. Running up the score is not what he is about. 

The records set in this game were staggering. The Dolphins became the first team in NFL history to have 5 rushing touchdown and 5 passing touchdowns. They had 726 yards of offense, second in history only to the 735 yards the 1951 Rams achieved. Only 4 times in NFL history has a team scored at least 70 points. They were the second team in NFL history along with the 2004 Chiefs to have 2 players with at least 4 touchdowns. They were the second team since 1940 along with the 2012 49ers to have at least 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing. They finished with 350 on the ground and 376 through the air.

The Dolphins 1,651 yards of total offense are the most in NFL history to start the first 3 weeks of an NFL season. Their 130 points over those 3 games to start a season are second by 2 points to the 1968 Cowboys. Tagovialoa completed his first 16 passes. He had 4 touchowns and only 3 incompletions. Miostert and Achane both had 4 touchdowns. Tagovailoa finished a lights out 23 of 26 for 309 yards. He was not intercepted. Achane had 203 yards rushing on only 18 carries. This was a royal beating. The Dolphins are 3-0 while the Broncos at 0-3 can only pray this is rock bottom. 70-20 Dolphins 

New England Patriots at New York Jets — In 2001, the Patriots started 0-2 including a loss to the Jets. Then Tom Brady came along and tormented the Jets for 20 years. Even without the injured Aaron Rodgers, the Jets had their best chance to finally beat Evil Hoodie Bill Belichick. As expected, Mac Jones and Zach Wilson fought to see who wanted it least. In the first quarter a field position game had the Patriots move from their own 42 to a 3rd and 3 at the Jets 29. Jones threw incomplete. Ryland hit a 48 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Patriots. Early in the second quarter Ryland missed from 48. The Patriots got the ball back early in the second quarter at their own 22. On 3rd and 5, Jones went to Douglas for 15 and deep to Brown for a 58 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Patriots.

The Jets took over at their own 33 and moved to a 3rd and 6 at the New England 38 at the 2 minute warning. Wilson hit non-relative Wilson for only 4. Robert Saleh decided not to chance it. Greg Zuerlein hit the 52 yard field goal to get the Jets within 10-3. The Patriots moved into position in the final 80 seconds for a 57 yard field goal try, but Ryland again was no good. After a third quarter touchback, the Patriots moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Jets 33. Jones threw incomplete, but this time Ryalnd was good from 51 as the Patriots led 13-3.

The Jets finally mounted a drive in the fourth quarter. On 3rd and 5 from their own 18, Wilson hit Conklin for 18. Wilson then hit Dalvin Cook for 8, non-relative Wilson for 9, Allan Lazard for 21 and 6, and Randall Cobb for 8. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Nick Bawden got in as the 13 play, 87 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Jets right back in it down 13-10 with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation. 

The defense held, and the Jets got the ball back at their own 10. Wilson had a chance to be the hero and win over the Gang Green home crowd. On 3rd and 15 from his own 5, Wilson was sacked in the end zone by Matthew Judon for a safety. The Patriots took the free kick but the Jets took their timeouts on defense. The Jets got the ball back at their own 17 with 16 seconds left. Wilson went deep to non-relative Wilson for a 29 yard reception and quickly spiked the ball to stop the clock with one second left. From their own 46, it was Hail Mary time. Wilson’s heave reached the end zone, was batted in the air, and a Jets player on the ground got their fingertips on it. They could not haul it in as it hit the ground incomplete. Once again, the Evil Hoodie triumphed over his arch-nemesis in this one-sided rivalry, albeit by a hair. 15-10 Patriots   

Buffalo Bills at Washington Commanders — The Commanders entered this game unbeaten, but a test against Buffalo would provide a real measure of the Washington squad. This game was never a contest. After an opening touchback, the Bills drove to the Washington 18. Tyler Bass hit a 36 yard field goal for a 3-0 Bills lead. A field position game followed by a 23 yard punt with 10 yards tacked on for a penalty had the Bills with a short field at the Washington 35. One play and 6 seconds was enough for Josh Allen to go deep to Gabriel Davis for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Bills. In the second quarter the Bills moved from their own 2 yard line on a 15 play, 62 yard drive that consumed nearly 10 minutes. Bass hit a 54 yard field goal to make it 13-0 Bills with1:55 left in the half. The Commanders soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Sam Howell was intercepted to set up the Bills at the Washington 33. On 4th and 2 from the Washington 14, Sean McDermott decided not to gamble. Bass hit the 32 yard field goal as the Bills led 16-0 at the intermission.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Bills exploded in the fourth quarter. The Commanders fumbled, and the Bills took over at the Washington 31. Allen ran for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 23-0 Bills. Three plays after a touchback on 3rd and 5, Howell was intercepted by Epenesa. Epenesa returned the pick for another touchdown to make it 30-0 Bills. The Bills got it back at their own 36 and moved easily. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Latavius Murray ran it on to make it 37-0 Bills with 2:15 to play. With 46 seconds left and facing 4th and 19 at the Buffalo 33, Riverboat Ron Rivera was in no gambling mood. He just wanted to avoid the humiliation of a home shutout. Joey Slye hit the 51 yard field goal as the Commanders settled for humiliating home defeat but not a shutout. The Bills are every bit as good as their hype. 37-3 Bills

Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions — Despite a thrilling comeback win over Green Bay, it was still too early to take the 2-0 Falcons seriously. Meanwhile, the Lions lost at home in overtime last week as some questioned whether they were finally for real after 30+ mediocre years. In the first quarter the Lions moved from their own 34 on an 11 play, 48 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. They settled for a 37 yard Riley Patterson field goal and a 3-0 Lions lead. After a touchback the Falcons moved 45 yards in 10 plays and over 5 minutes. They settled for a 48 yard Younghoe Koo field goal and a 3-3 game in the second quarter. 

After that the Lions took over. On 3rd and 8 from their own 27, Jared Goff hit St Brown for 19. Goff then went deep to LaPorta for a 45 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 27 and moved 67 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. Yet on 1st and goal at the 4, a run went nowhere and then offensive holding killed the drive. Patterson hit from 24 to make it 13-3 Lions. Midway through the third quarter Koo missed a 47 yard field goal try that would have made it closer. Early in the fourth quarter Arthur Hill passed up a 55 yard field goal try and went for it on 4th and 4 from the Detroit 37. Desmond Ridder threw incomplete. Gibbs ran for gains of 4, 12 and 21. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Goff got in to make it 20-3 Lions. The Falcons mounted a staggering 17 play drive, but it only led to a field goal. They never reached the end zone. With just over 2 minutes left, a sack of Ridder forced a fumble that was the final nail in the coffin. 20-6 Lions 

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers — The Saints came in with Derek Carr playing well and Dennis Allen’s defense playing ferociously. The Packers came in having blown a double digit fourth quarter lead at Atlanta. Early in the game Matt LaFleur gambled with the Packers facing 4th and 2 the New Orleans 44. After a fumbled snap, Jordan Love threw incomplete. Defensive unnecessary roughness on the Saints first play from scrimmage had them at the Green Bay 40. Carr hit Crhis Olave for 12. On 3rd and 6 at the Green Bay 23, Carr hit Jones for 10. On 3rd and 5 from the Green Bay 8, Carr hit Jimmy Graham for the touchdown and the 7-0 Saints lead. In the second quarter their special teams delivered a blow as Rashid Shaheed returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0 Saints. The Saints got it back at their own 11 and moved 82 yards in 14 plays. Yet on 1st and goal at the 7, a pair of Carr incompletions were wrapped around a run that went nowhere. Blake Grupe hit the 25 yard field goal as the Saints were dominating 17-0 at halftime. On the first series of the third quarter, Love was intercepted. The Saints took over at their own 38. They were cruising toward a 3-0 start to the season. Then one play changed the game and perhaps their season. 

On 3rd and 9 from midfield, Carr went back to pass and got belted. He was absolutely drilled and stayed down. His shoulder was mauled. He went to the x-ray tent, but everyone knew he would not be playing football for the next several weeks. On came the man who keeps getting benched but somehow stays on the team. In Tampa Bay, Jameis Winston became expandable when Tom Brady arrived. In New Orleans, Winston only played when Brees was injured. Then last year Winston became the starter, got injured, and saw Red Rifle Andy Dalton take over. Even when Winston was healthy, Dennis Allen kept him out for the rest of the season as a precautionary measure so he could fully heal. With Carr out, Winston had another chance to show he could play football. All he had to do was manage the game. The Saints defense was playing stellar, as the third quarter was scoreless. On the first play of the fourth quarter, on 4th and 2 from the Saints 13, Matt LaFleur went for it and Love threw incomplete. The Saints defense was playing lights out. The Saints offense needed a couple of long drives to close out the game.

The Saints went 3 and out and punted. The Packers moved from their own 34 to a 2nd and 7 at the Saints 20. Love threw incomplete twice. Carlson hit a 38 yard field goal with 11 minutes left in regulation. The Packers had avoided the shutout but still trailed 17-3. The Saints took over at their own 19. On 3rd and 4 from their 39, instead of a short pass to move the chains, Winston went deep incomplete. The Packers took over at their own 20. Defensive pass interference on a deep ball meant a 45 yard gain. On the very next play defensive pass interference meant 22 more yards. On 3rd and 10 from the New Orleans 13, Love hit Reed for 11. The Saints defense stiffened. On 1st and goal at the 2, Love threw incomplete twice. On 3rd and goal, Taylor only gained one. Midway through the fourth quarter, Matt LaFleur had to go for it. One more defensive stop would pretty much ice the game. On 4th and goal at the one, Love got in. LaFleur inexplicably went for a 2 point conversion. Love hit Toure successfully and the Packers only trailed 17-11.

Winston had yet another chance to try and close out the game. Even a field goal would lock up the win. Yet on 3rd and 3 from his own 24, Winston again instead of just moving the chains went deep incomplete. The Packers soon faced 3rd and 1 from thrown 29 with 5 minutes left. AJ Dillon gained 2. Love ripped off a 24 yard gain. Love then went deep to Reed for 30. With 3 minutes left on 3rd and 3 from the New Orleans 8, Love went to Romeo Doubs for the touchdown. The extra point was good as 18 unanswered points gave the Packers a one point lead. The Saints had done nothing on offense the entire second half. Yet after a touchback they still had a chance to win. They moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Green Bay 30. After an incompletion, the Saints inexplicably took their 2nd timeout on offense. On 3rd and 8, this time Winton completed a 2 yard pass. The Packers took their 1st timeout on defense with 1:10 left. Grupe came in for the 46 yard field goal try to give the Saints the lead. The kick was wide right no good. This week rather than blow a big lead, the Packers overcame a big fourth quarter deficit. As for Winston, he must execute better rather than rely on the defense to do everything. The Saints season without Carr may have just circled the drain. 18-17 Packers 

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars — The Texans came in a complete mess, perhaps the worst team in the league. The Jaguars despite a tough home loss to Kansas City were on the rise. The Jaguars were expected to stomp all over the Texans. This game was expected to be a blowout and it was. Early in the game Brandon McManus came on to try a 48 yard field goal to give the Jaguars the early lead. His kick was wide right no good. The Texans soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 47. Damien Pierce gained 2. CJ Stroud then went deep to Dell for a 46 yard gain. Pierce  got in from the one to make it 7-0 Texans. In the second quarter McManus liked up for another field goal from 51 yards out to get the Jaguars on the board. This time his kick was blocked. The Texans took over with a short field at the Jacksonville 41. Stroud hit Robert Woods for 17. On 3rd and 5 from the Jags 19, Stroud hit Dell for 7. Stroud ran for 11. On 3rd and 2 from the Jags 4 , Stroud hit Jordan for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Texans midway through the second quarter. The Jaguars then fumbled and the Texans recovered. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 28 yard field goal as the half ended with the Texans up 17-0 in front of a shellshocked home crowd in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars came out with a spark in the third quarter at their own 33. Travis Etienne ran for 11, 16 and 5. Trevor Lawrence went to Etienne for 17. On 3rd and 13 from the Houston 26, Lawrence went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Bigsby got in to get the Jaguars within 17-7. The Jaguars got the ball back at their own 32 and moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Houston 18. Lawrence gained only 3. McManus this time hit from 33 as the Jaguars were right back in it down 17-10.

The Jaguars were right back in it, and then 16 seconds later, they were not. Beck fumbled the ensuing kickoff, picked it up, and raced 85 yards for a touchdown to make it 24-10 Texans. Lawrence was then intercepted, giving the Texans the ball just past midfield. They reached a 2nd and 7 at the Jacksonville 8. A run went nowhere and Stroud threw incomplete. Fairbairn hit the 26 yard field goal to make it 27-10 Texans early in the fourth quarter. 

After a touchback, Lawrence went to Agnew for 13, Evan Engram for 9, and Calvin Ridley for 21. On 3rd and 4 from Houston 26, Lawrence went deep to Christian Kirk for the touchdown. With 10 1/2 minutes left in the game, the Jaguars were only down 27-17. Yet there would be no rally. Three plays after a touchback on 3rd and 3 from their own 32, Stroud could have just moved the chains. Instead he went deep to Dell for a 68 yard touchdown to salt the game away. Fairbairn tacked on one more 33 yard field goal to complete the stunning upset. Stroud got his first win as an NFL quarterback. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 37-17 Texans

Los Angeles Chargers at Minnesota Vikings — This was the wasted potential bowl, with both teams being 0-2 after starting the season with perhaps unrealistically high expectations. They did both make the playoffs last year, but to be fair the Chargers consistently underachieve. If these teams ever met in the Super Bowl, they might both lose. The Chargers lose winnable games because Brandon Staley makes mind-numbingly stupid decisions with the game on the line. His arrogance causes him to cross the line from boldness to insane recklessness. he sabotages his own team. 

Early on a short 27 yard punt gave the Vikings great field position at their own 43. They moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Chargers 26. After a completion gained nothing, Cousins hit TJ Hockenson for 9 and a first down. Yet Hockenson fumbled and the Chargers recovered at their own 21. On 3rd and 5 from their own 38, Justin Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 7. Herbert ran for 12. On 3rd and 7 from the Minnesota 28, Herbert went deep to Allen for 25. Herbert hit Donald Parham for the 3 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 79 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Chargers.

After a touchback, Cousins hit Mattison for 8 and Justin Jefferson for big gains of 21 and 34. Cousins hit Josh Oliver for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Chargers then fumbled, giving the Vikings a short field at the Chargers 45. The Vikings reached 1st and goal at the 3. A run lost 2 yards and Cousins threw incomplete twice. Greg Joseph hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Vikings with 2:08 left in the half.  

After a touchback, Herbert hit Allen for 7 and 6, Everett for 13, Allen for 9, Mike Williams for 5, and Palmer for 29. On 3rd and goal at the one, Kelley got stopped. Now everyone knows Brandon Staley gambles on 4th down in insane situations. However, this time on 4th and goal at the one, Staley was justified in going for it. Herbert hit Parham for the touchdown as the Chargers led 14-10 at the midpoint. In the third quarter Cameron Dicker missed a 53 yard field goal try that would have extended the lead. The Chargers got it back at their own 20 and struck quickly. Herbert went to Allen for 25 and to Williams for a 49 yard touchdown. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter the Chargers led 21-10.

Momentum shifted after a touchback. Cousins went to Hockenson for 21. On 3rd and 11 from his own 45, Cousins only gained 10. Yet instead of 4th and 1, it was 1st and 10 due to a defensive holding penalty. After a pair of incompletions set up 4th and 6 at the Chargers 36, Kevin O’Connell decided to go for it rather than try a 54 yard field goal. A short pass from Cousins to KJ Osborn ended up being a touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter the Vikings were within 21-17. The fourth quarter began with the Vikings at their own 17. Mattison gained 14. On 3rd and 5 from their own 36, Cousins hit Addison for 6. Mattison ran for 10. On 2nd and 14 from his own 48, a short pass to Jefferson went for a 52 yard touchdown. With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Vikings now led 24-21. 

The end of this game was ridiculous, a battle of who wanted it least. After a touchback, Herbert hit Allen for 21, Kelley for 5,, Everett for 6, and Allen for 23. On 3rd and 17 from midfield, Herbert hit Allen for 20. Yet midway through the fourth quarter came the craziest play up to that point. Herbert went deep to Palmer, who was well defended. The ball should have been intercepted, or at least incomplete. Somehow after bouncing around and hanging in the air, it landed to a falling Palmer in the end zone for a miracle touchdown. The Chargers led by 4. After a touchback, the Vikings moved 73 yards in 13 plays and 5 minutes. With 3:40 to play, the Vikings had 2nd and goal at the one. The lead was there and there’s for the taking. A run lost a yard and cousins threw incomplete. with 3 minutes left, Kevin O’Connell went for it, a reasonable decision. Cousins threw incomplete. 

The Chargers moved to a 4th and 1 at their own 24. The Vikings were out of timeouts. One more first down would end the game. There was 1:51 left. Yet the Chargers were up by 4. Only an idiot, an arrogant SOB, or both would go for it in this situation on 4th and 1 from his own 24. Brandon Staley is that man. It failed when the genius Bill Belichick tried it. It failed when Barry Switzer tried it. At least those men won Super Bowls, with Switzer also winning an NCAA championship as well. The call was mind-numbingly stupid, and Kelley got stopped cold for no gain. The Vikings now had gift field position to win the game and end Staley’s reign of error. 

On 3rd and 11, Cousins threw incomplete but defensive illegal use of hands meant an automatic first down. With 41 seconds left, on 4th and 5 from the Chargers 15, Cousins hit Hockenson for 9. The Vikings had 1st and goal at the 6, but rather than hurry up to the line and spike the ball, the Vikings moved like they had all the time in the world. Cousins fired over the middle to Hockenson for what should have been the winning touchdown. The ball was well thrown right in Hockenson’s bread basket. Instead it bounced off of Hockenson’s chest, was batted up in the air, and intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. The Vikings had plenty of time to run 3 or 4 plays, but for some reason tried a forced throw over the middle with 12 seconds left after wasting 30 seconds. The Vikings are 0-3. The Chargers finally have a win, but most Chargers fans want Brandon Staley fired anyway. His players bailed him out. This time. 28-24 Chargers

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks — After a big emotional overtime road win at Detroit, the Seahawks had to avoid a home letdown against lowly Carolina. Veteran Red Rifle Andy Dalton was starting in place of the injured rookie Bryce Young. The Panthers moved from their own 21 to a 2nd and 5 at the Seattle 20. Dalton was sacked to kill the drive. Eddie Pineiro hit from 47 to make it 3-0 Panthers. Jason Myers then took over, hitting from 33 in the first quarter and from 35 and 33 in the second quarter to make it 9-3 Seahawks. 

The Panthers soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Dalton hit Adam Thielen for 5. Sanders gained 15. On 3rd and 10 from the Seattle 47, Dalton went deep to D Chark for the game’s first touchdown and a 10-9 Panthers lead. An interception of Smith had the Panthers at the Seattle 28. The Panthers went nowhere but Pineiro hit from 44 to make it 13-9 Panthers. The Seahawks took over at their own 27 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Carolina 19 with one minute left. Smith threw 3 straight incompletions. Myers hit from 37 to get the Seahawks within 13-12 at the half. In the third quarter the Seahawks moved from their own 24 to a 3rd and 3 at the Carolina 21. Smith threw incomplete. Myers hit from 39 to make it 15-13 Seahawks. Midway through the third quarter Pineiro lined up for a 55 yard try to give the Panthers the lead. He was wide no good.

The Seahawks took over from their own 45. Smith went to Parkinson for 14. On 1st and 21 after an illegal blindside block penalty on the offense, Smith went deep to Walker for 36. Smith hit Fant for 12. On 3rd and goal at the one, Walker got in to make it 22-13 Seahawks. The Panthers soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Dalton threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 12 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Carolina 46, Dalton hit Thielen for 23. On 3rd and 5 from the Seattle 26, Dalton hit Thielen for 25 down to the one. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Sanders got in to make it 29-20 Seahawks. With 5 minutes left the Panthers had to go for it on 4th and 2 from their own 40. Dalton hit Sanders for 14 but an illegal shift nullified it. On 4th and 7, Dalton was sacked. The Seahawks took over at the Carolina 27. Smith hit Bobo for a 5 yard touchdown and Tyler Lockett for the 2 point conversion to make it 37-20 Seahaks and put the game out of reach. The Panthers got one garbage touchdown but not the onside kick. 37-27 Seahawks

Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals — The Dallas Cowboys are constantly declaring themselves Super Bowl contenders because Jerry Jones says they are. Yet after blasting a pair of opponents by a combined 60 points, Jerrah had reason for optimism this year. Now they faced a Cardinals team that was winless, witless and worthless. This was expected to be a mismatch, and it was. On the second play from scrimmage from his own 27, Joshua Dobbs ran for 44 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Dallas 22, a completion gained only one yard. Matt Prater hit from 39 to make it 3-0 Cardinals. The Cardinals got it back at their own 18. Dobbs hit Wilson for 17. Defensive pass interference on an incompletion added 22. James Conner gained 20. On 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 15, Dobbs hit Conner for 10. Conner ran for a 5 yard touchdown. An inexplicable 2 point try by rookie coach Jonathan Gannon failed but the Cardinals led 9-0. The Cowboys after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Arizona 31. Dak Prescott threw incomplete. Aubrey hit from 49 to get the Cowboys on the board. The Cardinals soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Dobbs hit Hollywood Brown for 12 as the Cardinals began the second quarter at their own 43. On 3rd and 11, Dobbs threw incomplete but defensive holding meant a new set of downs. Moore broke free for a 45 yard touchdown run. Another 2 point try again failed but the Cardinals led 15-3 in front of an elated home crowd.

After a touchback, Tony Pollard ran for a pair of 8 yard gains. Prescott ran for 10. On 3rd and 4 from the Arizona 43, Prescott hit Cooks for 5. CeeDee Lamb got around the end for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 29, Pollard gained 5 and then 8 more. On 2nd and 14 from the Arizona 15, Prescott hit Dowdle for the touchdown to get the Cowboys right back in it down 15-10. After a touchback, the Cardinals moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Dallas 24. A completion lost a yard. Prater hit from 43 to make it 18-10 Cardinals with 90 seconds left in the half. The Cardinals got it back at their own 29 with 26 seconds left. Dobbs hit Brown for 14. Prater leveled a 62 yard field goal to end the half with the Cardinals up 21-10. 

After a touchback, the Cowboys moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Arizona 8. Prescott threw incomplete twice. Aubrey hit form 27 to get the Cowboys within 21-13. The Cowboys got it back and moved from their own 16 to a 4th and 3 at the Arizona 4. Mike McCarthy went for it and Prescott threw incomplete. The Cowboys got it back again to start the fourth quarter at their own 36. They moved to a 2nd and goal at the Arizona 8. A run went nowhere and Prescott then threw incomplete. Aubrey hit the 26 yard field goal to get the Cowboys within 21-16 with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The cardinals took over at their own 24. Rather than run down some clock, they risked it all in one big bite. Dobbs went deep to Wilson for a 69 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Dobbs hit Brown for the touchdown to give the cardinals breathing room. After a touchback, the Cowboys moved to a 3rd and goal at the 6 with 3 minutes left. Prescott went to the end zone and was intercepted. In an absolute shocker, the previously winless defeated the previously undefeated. For the 28th year in a row, the Cowboys are not as great as they think they are. Again, Chris Berman’s maxim rings true. “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 28-16 Cardinals

Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs — Pop singers have nothing to dow with football. This is a football column. Whether or not some celebrity dates a football player means nothing to me. Now back to football. The Chiefs are very good. The Bears are pathetic, perhaps the worst team in football. This had the potential to be a blowout and it was. The Chiefs took over at their own 41. Patrick Mahomes went to Taylor Swift’s future ex-boyfriend Travis Kelce for 24 and to Moore for 21. Mahomes ran for 11. Mahomes hit McKinnon for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs exploded in the second quarter to put the game away. From their own 20, Clyde Edwards-Helaire caught a pass from Mahomes for 2 and then ran for 9 and 2. The second quarter began with the Chiefs facing 3rd and 2 from their own 39. Mahomes hit Kelce for 15. Pacheco ran for 18. On 3rd and 7 from the Chicago 25, Mahomes hit McKinnon for 10 and Rice for 14 down to the one. Edwards-Helaire got in from there to make it 14-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 12. Mahomes went to Watson for 37. Pacheco ran for 5, 4 and 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 7, Pacheco ran for 4. Mahomes hit McKinnon for a 4 yard touchdown for a 21-0 Rams lead with 3 minutes left in the half.

That was plenty of time for the Bears to self-destruct. After a touchback, they quickly fumbled. The Chiefs took over at the  Chicago 26. This time they moved backward but Harrison Butker hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 24-0 Chiefs. Two plays after a touchback, Justin Fields was intercepted by Edwards, who returned it 16 yards to the Chicago 26. Mahomes hit rice for 12 and 13. Pacheco got the last yard to make it 31-0 Bears with one minute left in the half. The Chiefs got the ball back at their own 35 with 35 seconds left. Mahoms scrambled for 15. A touchdown bomb was nullified by an illegal formation, but a defensive facemark penalty on the next play had the Chiefs in field goal range. Butker hit from 38 to end the half with the Chiefs up 34-0. In the third quarter the Chiefs faced 3rd and 6 at their own 40. Mahomes went deep to Marques Valdes-Scantling for 37. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 16, Mahomes hit Moore for 6. On 3rd and goal from the 3, Mahomes hit Kelce for the touchdown to make it 41-0 Chiefs. Walrus Andy Reid had seen enough and benched Mahomes. Blaine Gabbert finished the game. The Bears managed a field goal and a touchdown in the fourth quarter long after anyone cared. The Chiefs are already in sole possession of first place in the AFC West en route to their 8th straight division crown, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. As for the Bears, Matt Eberflus remains uber-flustered. This is NOT why they play the games. 41-10 Chiefs

Pittsburgh Steelers at Las Vegas Raiders was the Sunday night game. Last December the Raiders collapsed in the final minute in a 13-10 loss to the Steelers. The loss effectively eliminated them from postseason contention. Josh McDaniels responded by benching Derek Carr and then running him out of town. McDaniels replaced Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo, who lacks Carr’s arm strength but will obediently throw the 4 yard West Coast Offense dink and dunk passes that McDaniels loves. At home, the Raiders had a chance to show that they were better than the team that lost by 28 points at Buffalo last week. Unlike McDaniels, Mike Tomlin pounds the rock and wears down opposing defenses. In a battle between physical and finesse, of physical was going to win. Everyone except McDaniels understands this.

Mike Tomlin after a touchback came out running the ball. On 3rd and 1 from his own 34. Hayward got stopped for no gain. It was an inspiring defensive stand. The Raiders responded by going 3 and out, but then the Steelers got it back and went 3 and out a second time. The Raiders took over at their own 26. Garoppolo hit Davante Adams fir gains of 9 and 19. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 32, Garoppolo got stopped for no gain. Josh McDaniels had his first big decision. He decided to go for it. This was the right call. Yet he is still too gutless to smash the ball up the gut. He has a battering ram in Jacobs but refuses to use him when it matters. McDaniels tries to out-think people rather than just out-muscle them. This often fails. 

This time it did not fail. Garoppolo faked the handoff and used the play action pass to go deep to Adams for a 32 yard touchdown. Yes, the play worked, but it doesn’t hide glaring flaws. For one, the ball was underthrown. Adams had to come back for it. He caught it and fell into the end zone. The Raiders led 7-0 for the third straight week. For the third straight week, their offense slept for much of the rest of the game. The Raiders had all the momentum. They rapidly squandered it away. Three plays after a touchback with the Steelers facing 3rd and 7 at their own 28, Kenny Pickett went bombs away to Austin for a 72 yard touchdown. Just like that it was 7-7.

In the second quarter the Raiders moved from their own 14 to the Pittsburgh 43. Garoppolo threw an ill-advised pass over the middle into traffic that was intercepted. The Steelers moved from their own 31 to a 2nd and 4 at the Raiders 23. A run lost yards and Pickett then threw incomplete. Chris Boswell hit from 43 to make it 10-7 Steelers. The Steelers got it back and moved to a 4th and 7 at the Raiders 23. Boswell hit from 42. The Steelers led 13-7 with 1:56 left in the half. 

Yet the Raiders had a chance to double up with the last possession of the half and receiving the second half kickoff. The Raiders after a touchback in the first half moved to a 2nd and 4 at their own 48. Garoppolo threw incomplete and then was sacked. Other teams make adjustments. Josh McDaniels stubbornly sticks to his failed system. After the second half touchback, McDaniels still could have run the ball. Instead, Garoppolo threw a pair of incompletions. On 3rd and 10, rather than throw past the marker, Garoppolo completed a 7 yard pass.The Steelers moved from their own 9 to a 3rd and 7 at the Raiders 39. Pickett threw incomplete. Mike Tomlin sent in Boswell for a 57 yard try. Boswell was good and the Steelers led 16-7. Like many games under McDaniels, the game gets away very gradually but it does get away.

After a touchback the Raiders moved to the Pittsburgh 48. Garoppolo went deep and was intercepted again. The Steelers moved from their own 19. Pickett went to George Pickens for 17, to Warren for 16, and to Pat Freiermuth for 14. Harris gained 17. Pickett went to Freiermuth for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 23-7 Steelers. The Raiders after a touchback moved 53 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. Early in the fourth quarter the Raiders faced 4th and 5 at the Pittsburgh 22. There was still over 13 minutes left. Daniel Carlson can hit a 40 yard field goal in his sleep. Instead, Josh mcDaniels made a horrendous decision to go for it. Garoppolo threw incomplete. 

Yet despite 23 unanswered points, the game was somehow not over. The Raiders got it back at their own 20. Garoppolo went deep to Adams for 26 and again for 6. Carr then went to forgotten Hunter Renfrow for 10. Carr had a great rapport with Renfrow. Garoppolo rarely targets him. Jacobs banged out runs of 10, 9 and 2. A sack of Garoppolo had the Raiders facing 2nd and 16 from the Pittsburgh 23. A completion from Garoppolo to Abdullah gained 13, with defensive holding adding 5 more. Another sack of Garoppolo was wiped out by roughing the passer. On 3rd and goal at the one, Josh McDaniels still would not try to muscle the ball in. Garoppolo hit Adams for the touchdown. Garoppolo hit Mayer for the 2 point conversion. With 5:41 to play, the Raiders were within 23-15.

The Raiders defense forced a 3 and out. A 16 yard punt return had the Raiders taking over at their own 48. A full 4 1/2 minutes remained. The defense and special teams did their jobs. Now it was up to the offense, which is supposedly McDaniels’s specialty. The Raiders quickly moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Pittsburgh 27. Jacobs gained 2. Now it was 4th and 1 at the Pittsburgh 25. McDaniels decided to go for it. This was the right call. Yet then came the false start. Only 3:11 remained. Down by 8, McDaniels opted for a field goal. Given that the Raiders had all 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning, the decision was justified. Either way could have been. Carlson made the 48 yard field goal, but then chaos ensued.

The Steelers were called for a 15 yard personal foul for using leverage on the kick. McDaniels properly took the field goal off the board. Now the Raiders were at the Pittsburgh 14. There was plenty of time to run the ball Instead McDnaiels kept dinking and dunking. On 2nd and 4, Garoppolo threw incomplete twice. Now it was 4th and 4 from the Pittsburgh 8. Only 2 1/2 minutes remained. This time the Raiders had to go for it. Yet McDaniels again opted for the field goal. After the game he denied having a total lack of confidence in his own offense. That would be admitting that his personal system is a failure. Yet if he was going to be gutless, he should have just taken the first field goal. Carlson hit from 26, but the Raiders still trailed by 5. All he did was waste an entire minute.  

Now the Raiders defense had to get a stop. On 3rd and 2 from their own 33, Pickett hit Robinson for 6 yards and a killer first down. The Raiders eventually held, but by the time they got the ball back, only 12 seconds remained. From their own 15, they had maybe 2 or at the most 3 plays to move 85 yards with 0 timeouts. Dinking and dunking would not get it done. They had to get to midfield to have a shot at a Hail Mary. Remember, Garoppolo does not have a strong arm. There would be no Hail Mary. Garoppolo quickly threw his third interception. Dink. Dunk. Death. This is Josh McDaniels football. Mike Tomlin football is hard-nosed running up the gut to send a message. McDaniels might be French. He had a chance to win, and he surrendered. 

The Raiders are now 1-2. McDaniels is the problem. He got rid of Carr. He brought in Garoppolo. He refused to trust Garoppolo with the game on the line. A leader would have demanded a chance to win. For Jewish Raiders fans, this was a Yom Kippur debacle that the entire team should atone for. Mark Davis blew up a playoff team 2 years ago. Now he needs the courage to blow up a team heading South fast. Firing McDaniels is the answer. Until then, this season and franchise is lost. 23-18 Steelers 

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the first Monday night game. Both of these teams came in 2-0 but the Buccaneers had not faced a real test yet. The Eagles are a favorite to get back to the big game. Early on this was a defensive slugfest.  A 52 yard punt return gave the Eagles a short field at the Tampa Bay 44. The drive died at the Tampa 13 but Jake Elliott hit a 36 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Eagles.The Buccaneers began the second quarter at their own 16. They moved 69 yards in 13 plays and 6 minutes. They also hit a wall at the Philadelphia 15. Chase McLaughlin hit a 33 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. 

The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 21. Jalen Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 13 and Zaccheaus for 24. On 3rd and 10 from the Philadelphia 34, Hurts went deep to Zaccheaus for the touchdown to make it 10-3 Eagles. Baker Mayfield was then intercepted to give the Eagles another short field at the Tampa 37.  Yet Hurts threw it right back to White, who returned it 26 yards to his own 43 for the Buccaneers with only 39 seconds left in the half. Yet a short completion resulted in the ball being chopped out. The Eagles recovered the fumble at the Tampa 36 with 24 seconds left. With 3 seconds left, Elliott came in for a 38 yard try to end the half. The kick was good as the Eagles took a 13-3 lead to the intermission.  

The Eagles began the third quarter facing 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Hurt gained 4. Hurts hit AJ Brown for 11 and Goedert for 9. Deandre swift broke off runs of 26, 9 and 5. On 3rd and goal at the one, Hurts took the quarterback sneak but was stopped inches short. Nick Sirianni went for it. Hurts took the sneak again on 4th and goal and crossed the goal line for the touchdown to make it 20-3 Eagles. The Eagles got it back at their own 13. They appeared headed for another score when Hurts went deep into double coverage and Delaney made a spectacular diving interception for the Buccaneers at his own one yard line. Yet on the next play rom scrimmage, White took the handoff and got buried ins own zone by the Eagles defense. The safety made it 22-3 Eagles. The Eagles took the free kick at their own 37 and moved 55 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. Early in the fourth quarter the Eagles faced 3rd and goal at the 2. Hurts was sacked. Elliott hit the 26 yard field goal to make it 25-3 Eagles. The Buccaneers got one garbage touchdown and a two point conversion but nothing more. The Buccaneers were exposed. The Eagles are for real. 25-11 Eagles 

Los Angeles Rams at Cincinnati Bengals was the second Monday night game. These teams are not what they were two years ago. The Rams are rebuilding. The Bengals despite still being elite have started 0-2 for the second straight year. This game was almost exclusively about the kickers. The Bengals missed a chance to score first when Evan McPherson missed a 56 yard field goal try. Brett Maher hit from 30 to make it 3-0 Rams. McPherson hit from 49 to make it 3-3 in the second quarter. Maher hit from 23 to make it 6-3 Rams. McPherson drilled a 53 yarder to make it 6-6 at the half. Maher hit from 42 to make it 9-6 Rams in the third quarter. After a touchback, Joe Mixon ran for 13 and 2. Joe Burrow hit JaMarr Chase for 16. On 3rd and 10 from the Rams 44, Burrow hit Chase for 13. and tee Higgins for 13 more. Mixon ran for a 14 yard score. The 10 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive made it 13-9 Bengals. McPherson hit from 48 in the third quarter and from 54 in the fourth quarter to make it 19-9 Bengals. By the time the Rams reached the end zone, only one minute remained. The onside kick failed as the Bengals got a tiny measure of revenge for the Super Bowl by nearly the exact same score. The Bengals finally got their first win this year. 19-16 Bengals

NFL 2023 Week 3 Prequel

Thursday, September 21, 2023, 8pm

New York Giants at an Francisco 49ers (-10 1/2) — The Giants showed grit in overcoming a 21 point deficit against lowly Arizona, but the 49ers are playing on another level. This is a complete mismatch. Brock Purdy is playing well. Daniel Jones fumbles a lot. The 49ers have a defense. The math is ugly. 49ers cover

Sunday, September 24, 1pm

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens (-7 1/2) — The Colts are a young team. The Ravens are an experienced team. Lamar Jackson will handle business. The spread is high but the Colts do not have the firepower to keep up. Ravens cover

Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns (-3 1/2) — This spread is a surprise given that Deshaun Watson is not playing well. Neither is Ryan Tannehill, but he has Derrick Henry. With Nick Chubb out, the Browns are bringing back Kareem Hunt. In a slugfest, go with Derrick Henry. Upset special, Titans win outright.

Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins (-6 1/2) — The Broncos lost twice at home while the unbeaten Dolphins are flying high. Tua Tagovailoa is on the verge of finally reaching his potential Russell Wilson has struggled in Sean Payton’s offense. The Dolphins are putting up points but not blowing teams out. Dolphins win but fail to cover

New England Patriots (-2 1/2) at New York Jets — If the Jets cannot win this game, they may never defeat the Patriots ever again. The Patriots are 0-2 for the first time since 2001. Bill Belichick loves to torment the Jets. Neither Mac Jones or Zach Wilson are anything to write home about. expect a heavy dose of Raimondre Stevenson. The Evil Hoodie may no longer get the benefit of the doubt, but the Patriots have been competitive while the Jets were listless last week. Patriots cover

Buffalo Bills (-6 1/2) at Washington Commanders — The Bills got back to their winning from last week while the Commanders survived a Hail Mary to win. Josh Allen seems back on track. The Bills have the better defense, the better quarterback, and more weapons. Yet the spread is high for a road team against another well-coached team. Bills win but fail to cover

Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions (-3) — The Falcons are 2-0 and starting to believe their own hype. The Lions had their bubble burst last week with an overtime loss at home. Yet it’s too early to jump on the Atlanta bandwagon or jump off the Detroit bandwagon. Jared Goff at home indoors gives the Lions the edge. Lions cover

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers (-2) — The Saints have won ugly twice while the Packers blew a fourth quarter double digit lead at Atlanta. Derek Carr and Jordan Love are both under the microscope. So are Dennis Allen and Matt LaFleur. The Saints have the better defense but their offense kicks too many field goals. At home, the Packers get back on track. Packers cover

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-9) — The Texans are bad. The Jaguars, despite a tough home loss to Kansas City, are quite good. This is a mismatch. Go with Doug Pederson, Trevor Lawrence and a good defense over the rookie coach and quarterback. Jaguars cover

Los Angeles Chargers at Minnesota Vikings (-1) — These teams are either underachieving or they were overrated to begin with. Either way, the loser is 0-3. Given that both of these teams are playing below their talent level, go with the home field. Also, Brandon Staley makes boneheaded decisions that cause close wins to become close losses. Vikings cover

1pm

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks (-6) — The Panthers are young and experiencing growing pains. The Seahawks have ageless Pete Carroll, who led an inspired squad to an upset win at Detroit last week. Geno Smith is competent enough, and the Panthers lack the talent to make this a game. Seahawks cover

Dallas Cowboys (-12) at Arizona Cardinals — The Cowboys followed up a 40 point win with a 20 point win. At this rate, they will only win this by 10. The Cardinals blew a 21 point lead last week to the same Giants team that the Cowboys crushed by 40. The spread is still too high, and the Cowboys could take the Cardinals too lightly. A garbage touchdown to defeat the spread is possible. Cowboys win but fail to cover

Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs (12 1/2) — The Chiefs have not returned to their Super Bowl form yet, but the Bears are awful. Patrick Mahomes should be able to spread the ball around with ease. Matt Nagy would love to beat the team that fired him. His replacement Matt Eberflus seems uber-flustered. Chiefs cover

8pm

Pittsburgh Steelers at Las Vegas Raiders (-2 1/2) — These teams played a brutal match last year that saw the Raiders collapse late in a 13-10 Steelers win in Derek Carr’s final game before being benched and exiled. Neither of these teams are any good and the home field will not matter. Mike Tomlin is a far superior coach to Josh Mcdaniels. Tomlin runs the ball. McDaniels dinks and dunks. The Raiders have more talent on offense. If McDaniels can avoid his terrible play-calling instincts, the Raiders have a shot. Raiders cover

Monday, September 25, 7pm

Philadelphia Eagles (-5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Both teams are 2-0, but it’s too early to take the Buccaneers seriously. Baker Mayfield is playing well, but the Eagles are on a mission. Jalen Hurts is in midseason form. Give the Buccaneers one chance to show they are for real and make the game close. Eagles win but fail to cover

8pm

Los Angeles Rams at Cincinnati Bengals (-2 1/2) — Two years after a thrilling Super Bowl, the Rams are in rebuilding mode and the Bengal are a surprising 0-2 for the second straight year. Joe Burrow has not forgotten how to play football, but he may be more injured than he is letting on. The Rams were manhandled by San Francisco, and expecting the Bengals to go 0-3 at home is a tall order. Go with the home field given that both teams have playmakers. Bengals cover

NFL 2023 Week 2 Recap

Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles was the Thursday night game. After an opening touchback, the Eagles moved 69 yards and held the ball for over 5 minutes. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 8, Jalen Hurts gained only 2 yards. Jake Elliott hit the 24 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Eagles. Late in the opening quarter Elliott missed from 55. The miss gave the Vikings excellent field position at their own 45. On 3rd and 3 to start the second quarter, Kirk Cousins hit Osborn for 6. On 3rd and 9 from the Philadelphia 41, Cousins hit TJ Hockenson for 24. Cousins connected with Hockenson again for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Vikings.

After a touchback, Swift ran for 7 and 3. On 3rd and 3 from their own 42, Swift gained 4. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 45, Boston Scott gained 4. Nick Sirianni was running pure ground and pound. Swift gained 7, 5 and 4 down to the one. Hurts got in for the touchdown to cap the staggering 16 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive and make it 10-7 Eagles. After a touchback, the Vikings quickly moved to the Philadelphia 31. Cousins went deep to Justin Jefferson for what appeared to be a 30 yard gain, with Jefferson fumbling the ball out of bounds at the one yard line. With only 41 seconds left in the half, the official booth review ruled that Jefferson fumbled the ball threw the end zone, resulting in a touchback.

The Eagles from their own 20 were just trying to run out the half. Scott gained 7 and 18. On 3rd and 6 just shy of midfield, Hurts gained 8. With 4 seconds still left on the clock, Nick Sirianni gave Elliott a shot at a 61 yard field goal try. Elliott delivered as the home crowd erupted with the Eagles up 13-7 at the break. After a second half touchback, the Vikings on the second play from scrimmage saw Cousins get sacked and fumble the ball away. Fletcher Cox picked it up at the Minnesota 15 and take it 8 yards down to the 7. Two plays later Hurts ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 20-7 Eagles. The Eagles got the ball back and soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 37. Hurts went deep to Smith for a 63 yard touchdown. The Eagles were winning a laugher 27-7. Yet just like the previous week, the Eagles let a big lead dwindle. Against New England, they led 16-0 early and 25-14 late before barely surviving by 5 points.

This time a 20 point lead was not safe. After a touchback, Cousins hit Jefferson for 13. On 3rd and 10 from his own 38, Cousins went deep to Addison for a 62 yard touchdown to get the Vikings within 27-14. In the fourth quarter the Vikings faced 3rd and 3 from their own 21. Cousins hit Jefferson for 23 and again for 22. On 3rd and 6 from the Philly 24, Cousins hit Jefferson for 14 and Osborn for the 10 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Vikings were within 27-21. Nick Sirianni went to the ground game as swift gained 7, 4, 3 and 2. On 3rd and 5 from his own 41, Hurts hit Brown for 12. Swift then ripped off a 43 yard gain. Swift then gained 2 and again ran for a 2 yard touchdown. With 4:13 to play, the Eagles led 34-21.

Cousins led a furious rally as the Vikings went 75 yards. Cousins hit Hockenson for a 10 yard touchdown with 1:10 to play to get the Vikings within 6 points. The onside kick failed but the Vikings still had 2 timeouts left on defense. The defense held, but by the time the Vikings got the ball back at their own 17, only 7 seconds remained. Rather than try and throw a 20 yard pass to the sideline to set up a more realistic Hail Mary, Cousins just went deep right away. He has a decent enough arm, but not one that can throw an 83 yard pass. The ball fell incomplete well short of the end zone as the clock ran out. The Vikings fell to 0-2 while the 2-0 Eagles escaped with another win that somehow became too close for comfort. 34-28 Eagles

Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons — Both teams won their openers over bad teams. In the first quarter the Falcons moved methodically from their own 27 to a 1st and goal at the one. Yet Arthur Hill chose finesse over smash mouth, a football sin. Desmond Ridder threw a pair of incompletions sandwiched around a run that went nowhere. Hill decided to go for it on 4th and goal, but a false start killed the attempt. The Falcons settled for a 24 yard Younghoe Koo field goal to lead 3-0.

The Packers took over at their own 16. Jordan Love hit Doubs for 15. On 3rd and 1 from their own 40, Love hit Musgrave for 17. On 3rd and 10 from the Atlanta 43, Love ran for 24. On 3rd and 2 from the Atlanta 11, Dillon gained just enough. Love then hit Reed for a 9 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 84 yard, 5 minute drive and make it 7-3 Packers early in the second quarter. The Falcons moved from their own 17 backward to their own 8 and then forward to a 4th and 4 at the Green Bay 41. Arthur Hill opted to go for it and Ridder threw incomplete. A short field led to Carlson hitting a 33 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Packers with 3 minutes left in the half.

After a touchback, Robinson ripped off gains of 9 and 13. Runs and short passes moved the Falcons to a 3rd and 1 at the Green Bay 26. Ridder got stopped cold as the Falcons called timeout with 30 seconds left. Hill passed up a field goal try and went for it on 4th and 1. Robinson gained 13 yards. Ridder hit Smith for 10 and Drake London for a 3 yard touchdown with 12 seconds left. Koo missed the extra point as the Falcons trailed 10-9 at the break.

Early in the third quarter, the Packers took over at their own 35. From their own 47, Love hit Doubs for 15. Love then went to Wicks for a 32 yard touchdown to make it 17-9 Packers. After a touchback the Falcons moved 60 yards in 13 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 1st and 10 from the Green Bay 12, Ridder went to Hollins for the touchdown. Yet on further review, the play was reversed to an incompletion. A run lost a yard and Ridder was then sacked. Koo hit a 33 yard field goal to get the Falcons within 17-12. The Packers took over at their own 22. Defensive pass interference on a deep ball meant a 43 yard gain. Love hit Reed for 8, 10, and then a 10 yard touchdown as the Packers had a solid 24-12 lead after three quarters.

After a touchback, the Falcons soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 43 to start the fourth quarter. Ridder went deep to Hollins for a 45 yard gain. On 4th and 4 from the Green Bay 6 with 12 minutes left in regulation, Arthur Hill went for it again. Ridder got around the end and got in to get the Falcons within 24-19. The Falcons got the ball back and faced 3rd and 2 at their own 43 with 9 1/2 minutes left. On 3rd and 7 from the Green Bay 21, Ridder threw incomplete. This time Hill decided not to chance it. Koo hit the 39 yard field goal to get the Falcons within 24-22 midway through the fourth quarter.

The Atlanta defense forced a second consecutive 3 and out and got the ball back at their own 27 with 6 minutes left. With 2:07 to play, The Falcons faced a 4th and 1 at the Green Bay 23. A 41 yard field goal would give them the lead but still give the Packers plenty of time to win. Hill gambled. Robinson gained 7 yards. With one minute left and the Packers out of timeouts, the Falcons again faced 4th and 1, this time from the Green Bay 7. A 25 yard chip shot field goal would give the Falcons the lead, but a first down would let the Falcons take the clock all the way down. This time Hill was not going to risk losing by getting greedy. Koo made the field goal. After a touchback, Love had time but no timeouts. It didn’t matter. Love threw 4 straight incompletions as the Falcons with a dominant fourth quarter were the surprise 2-0 team. 25-24 Falcons

Las Vegas Raiders at Buffalo Bills — The Bills blew a 13-3 lead on Monday Night Football in a surprising overtime loss to the Jets. The Raiders briefly papered over their many deficiencies by eking out a one point win at Denver. The Raiders were the only AFC West team to win their opener, making them the division leader. This game was expected to be the reality check. Rather than just lineup and play normal smash mouth, Josh McDaniels loves his shotgun formations that fool nobody. Out of the shotgun, Josh Jacobs began the game by losing 4 yards. Jimmy Garoppolo did complete passes of 12 yards to Jacobs and on 3rd and 2 hit Davante Adams for 17. Tucker got around the end for a 34 yard gain. Garoppolo then went to Adams for a 16 yard touchdown. For the second straight week on the road, the Raiders led 7-0 on their first drive. It almost seemed too easy. For the second straight week, that first drive was a large chunk of the Raiders total offense.

The Raiders defense even forced a 3 and out. The Raiders got the ball back at their own 16. From their own 30, a West Coast Offense dink and dunk pass that Josh McDaniels and Jimmy Garoppolo love was intercepted. The Bills had gift field position at the Raiders 28. On 4th and 1 from the Raiders 6, Sean McDermott went for it and Josh Allen gained 2. Former Raiders running back Latavius Murray ran for a 4 yard touchdown against his former team for a 7-7 game.

The Raiders got the ball back in good field position at their own 31. Naturally, Josh McDaniels refused to run the ball at all. 3 straight passes saw 2 straight Garoppolo incompletions. The Bills got the ball back and soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 20. Allen hit Dawson Knox for 7, Gabriel Davis for 7 more, and Davis again for 19. The Bills began the second quarter facing 3rd and 3 from the Raiders 37. Harris gained 11. Defensive pass interference on Nate Hobbs meant a 25 yard gain down to the one. Allen hit Knox for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Bills. After a touchback the Raiders did respond with a 47 yard Daniel Carlson field goal to get within 14-10.

A 41 yard kickoff return set up the Bills at their own 47. The Bills moved to a 3rd and goal at the one. Murray got stopped. Sean McDermott went for it on 4th and goal. Allen threw incomplete. The Raiders much maligned defense had an inspired goal line stand. The offense wasted the effort by going 3 and out and giving the Bills the ball back at their own 43. On 3rd and 8, Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 17. Jared Cook ran for 9 and Allen added 15. Allen hit Davis for 15. With only 18 seconds left in the half, the Raiders defense finally broke. Allen hit Khalil Shakir for an 11 yard touchdown as the Bills led 21-10.

In the third quarter the Bills moved to turn out the lights. A 15 play, 75 yard, 9 minute drive steamrolled the Raiders defense that has been awful for at least a decade. Allen had a pair of incompletions and Cook had runs of 16 and 5. On 3rd and 2 from the Raiders 21, Allen hit Diggs for 10. On 4th and 1 from the Raiders 12, Sean McDermott went for the kill and Allen gained 2. On 4th and goal at the 2, McDermott again saw no reason to respect the Raiders defense. Allen hit Davis for the touchdown to make it 28-10 Bills. 4 plays later Garoppolo was intercepted again to set up a 29 yard Tyler Bass field goal to make it 31-10 Bills. The Bills added one more humiliation, gashing the Raiders defense on a 14 play, 95 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. On 3rd and goal at the one, Harris got in to complete the blowout. Even in garbage time, the Raiders could only reach the Buffalo 15 before fumbling the ball away. 38-10 Bills

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals — Both teams were expected to be good, but the Bengals got blasted by 21 points at Cleveland last week. After an opening touchback, Lamar Jackson went right to work. Runs and short passes led to a 3rd and 2 for Jackson from his own 44. Jackson hit Mark Andrews for 9. More runs and short passes led to a 3rd and 4 at the Cincinnati 10. Jackson hit O’Dell Beckham Jr. for 9. Edwards got the last yard to cap the 13 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive and make it 7-0 Ravens. Late in the first quarter, John Harbaugh had Justin Tucker try a 59 yard field goal to extend the lead. The greatest kicker in the history of the NFL missed this one. It was the Cincinnati special teams that came through in a big way early in the second quarter as Charlie Jones returned a punt 81 yards for a Bengals touchdown and a 7-7 game.

The rest of the half belonged to the kickers. Tucker hit from 44, Evan McPherson answered from 27, and Tucker countered from 40 as the Ravens took a 13-10 lead to the locker rooms. In the third quarter an interception of Joe Burrow had the Ravens taking over at their own 38. Jackson immediately went deep to Zee Flowers for a 52 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Jackson hit Andrew for the touchdown to make it 20-10 Ravens. The Bengals soon face 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Burrow hit Jamarr Chase for 13. On 3rd and 4 just past midfield, Burrow hit Boyd for 12 and Tee Higgins for 18. On 3rd and 3 from the Baltimore 12, Burrow hit Chase for 4 with roughing the passer adding 4 more. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Burrow hit Higgins for the touchdown. The 13 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive had the Bengals within 20-17 late in the third quarter.

After a touchback, Edwards broke off a 20 yard run. Jackson ran for gains of 8. Penalties had the Ravens facing 2nd and 23 at their own 43 to start the fourth quarter. Jackson hit Andrews for 20 to set up 3rd and 3. Out of the shotgun with the defense expecting a pass, Edwards ran for a 4 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincy 25, Edwards gained 3. On 3rd and 5 from the Cincy 17, Jackson hit Nelson Agholor for the touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive had the Ravens up 27-17. The Bengals after one change of punts took over at their own 20. They needed 16 plays but got it done. Burrow hit Boyd for 13. On 3rd and 10 from his own 33, Burrow found Higgins for 16. On 4th and 4 from the Baltimore 45, Burrow hit Boyd for 9. Burrow then went to Higgins for 20. On 3rd and 1 from the Baltimore 7, Joe Mixon gained 3. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Burrow hit Higgins for the touchdown.

The Bengals were within 3, and there was still 3 1/2 minutes left in the game. With 2 1/2 minutes left, the Ravens faced 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Jackson gained 12 as the Bengals took their last timeout on defense. With 1:15 to play, the Ravens faced 3rd and 1 at the Cincy 47. Edwards gained 5 and Jackson took a knee. The Bengals fell to 0-2 for the second straight year. Last year they still rallied to reach the AFC Title Game. Meanwhile, the Ravens are 2-0 and looking like they did for several years before injuries last year derailed them. The rematch of these teams will be eagerly anticipated. 27-24 Ravens

Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions — The Seahawks looked awful in a home loss last week. The Lions shocked the football world by winning at the defending champions in Kansas City in the opener. This set up the most anticipated home game for the Lions in 30 years, perhaps since Bobby Layne and Tobin Rote in the 1950s. An emotional letdown for the Lions was a big possibility, and the Seahawks came out on fire. After an opening touchback, Kemba Walker ran for a 14 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from their own 47, the Seahawks caught a break when the Lions were penalized for having 12 men on the field. Geno Smith hit Walker for 11 and DK Metcalf for 18. On 3rd and 9 from the Detroit 17, Smith hit Metcalf for 16. Walker got the last yard to culminate the 12 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive and make it 7-0 Seahawks.

The Lions after a touchbacks David Montgomery run for 8 and Jared Goff hit Laporta for 11. From the Seattle 42, Goff hit Reynolds for 20 and again for the 22 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Lions got it back at their own 12 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Seattle 28. A run by Montgomery was blown up for a 3 yard loss. Dan Campbell is willing to take risks, but passing up a 49 yard field goal try for a 4th and 4 gamble was a big risk. Goff threw incomplete. The Seahawks failed to capitalize when Jason Myers missed a 45 yard field goal try. The Lions took over at their own 35. On 3rd and 5 from the Seattle 47, defensive pass interference meant an 11 yard gain. On the next play Goff went deep to Raymond for a 36 yard touchdown and a 14-7 Lions lead with 5 minutes left in the half.

The final 7 seconds of the half featured plenty of drama. Myers missed another field goal try from 58 yards out. That left the Lions with 2 seconds and one try from their own 46. Goff connected with St Brown for a 39 yard gain, but Brown fumbled the ball away to end the half. After a second half touchback, the Lions fumbled the ball away on their second consecutive play from scrimmage. This one was costly as the Seahawks took over at the Detroit 23. Smith hit Parkinson for 20. Walker ran for a 3 yard touchdown and a 14-14 tie. After a touchback, Goff went deep to St. Brown for 27. Montgomery ran for 15 with a defensive facemark adding 15 more. On 4th and 3 from the Seattle 11, Dan Campbell passed up an easy 29 yard field goal for the lead and went for it. Goff hit St. Brown for 5. On 3rd and goal at the 4 and the defense expecting pass, Montgomery ran it up the middle for the touchdown and a 21-14 Lions lead.

The Seahawks soon faced 4th and 1 from their own 41. This time it was Pete Carroll’s turn to gamble. Walker gained 3. The Seahawks moved to a 1st and goal at the 7. The drive died when a run went nowhere and Smith threw incomplete twice. Myers hit from 25 to get the Seahawks within 21-17. After a touchback the Lions faced 4th and 2 from their own 45. At this point Dan Campbell’s risk-taking went from bold to reckless. Goff threw deep incomplete and the Seahawks had a short field. Smith went to Charbonnet for 9 to end the third quarter and began the fourth quarter by hitting Dissly for 13. On 3rd and 10 from the Detroit 17, Smith hit Tyler Lockett for 12. Smith hit Lockett for the 3 yard touchdown to give the Seahawks the 24-21 lead. After a touchback, the Lions soon faced 2nd and 15 from their own 35. Goff’s pass was intercepted by Brown, who raced 40 yards for a defensive touchdown to put the Seahawks up 31-21 with only 6 minutes left in the game.

After a touchback, Goff hit Raymond for 10 with roughing the passer adding 15 more. On 3rd and 12 from their own 48, Goff hit Laporta for just enough. On 3rd and a7 from the Seattle 37, a great play call by Dan Campbell out of the shotgun had Gibbs running for 8. Goff hit Laporta for 23. Goff hit Reynolds for a 4 yard touchdown to get the Lions within 31-28 with 3 minutes left. The Seahawks self-destructed on offense. on 3rd and 8 from their own 20, offensive pass interference was followed by a 17 yard sack of Smith. The Seahawks punted on 4th and 35 from their own 3 yard line. A 17 yard punt return gave the Lions the ball at midfield at the 2 minute warning.

The Lions had all of their timeouts, but Dan Campbell seemed to be content playing for the tie and overtime. On 3rd and 6 from the Seattle 23, a short pass gained only 3 yards. This time on 4th and 3, Campbell was taking on chances. He let the clock run down to 3 seconds and brought in Riley Patterson for a 38 yard field goal try. The kick was good and this topsy-turvy game was tied 31-31 and headed to overtime. The Seahawks got the ball first after a touchback. Smith hit Fant for 17. On 3rd and 6 from his own 46, Smith found Metcalf for 16. Smith then went to Parkinson for 21. Everything came down to 3rd and 2 from the Detroit 6 nearly halfway through overtime. Rather than a safe run, Pete Carroll called a pass play. Smith found Lockett for the touchdown. The game was over. The Lions have come down to earth. 37-31 Seahawks, OT

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans — This was the first matchup between rookie quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and CJ Stroud. Richardson went right to work. On 3rd and 3 from his own 44, Richardson hit Granson for 11. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 40, Richardson hit Downs for just enough. Richardson then hit Mo Alie-Cox for 15. Richardson ran for an 18 yard touchdown as the dual threat quarterback made it 7-0 Colts. Stroud had a tougher start. on 3rd and 5 from his own 23, Stroud was sacked and fumbled. The colts recovered at the Houston 15. One play later, Richardson was in the end zone again with another electric rushing touchdown to make it 14-0 Colts.

The Texans tried to make a game of it. On 3rd and 4 from their own 38, Stroud hit Collins for 28 and Dell for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Indianapolis 25, Beck gained 2. On 4th and 1 from the indy 14, Demeco Ryans gambled. Ogunbowale gained 2. On 3rd and 6 from the Indy 8, Stroud hit Collins for the touchdown to get the Texans within 14-7. In the second quarter the Colts took over at their own 24. Richardson was out injured and in the concussion tent. It was time for the mustache. Minshew Mania was back, with Gardner Minshew playing the rest of the way. was From their own 39, Minshew went deep to Mallory for a 43 yard gain. Moss ran for 7 and then for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Colts.

The Texans did manage another field goal before the half, but the Colts soon turned out the lights. On 3rd and 4 from their own 31, Minshew hit Downs for 12. On 3rd and 3 from midfield, Minshew hit Pittman for 8. On 3rd and 3 from the Houston 35, Minshew hit Mallory for 6. On 3rd and 7 from the Houston 15, Minshew hit Downs for 11. Minshew went to Kylen Granson for the 4 yard touchdown with 10 seconds left in the half to have the Colts cruising 28-10. Matt Gay tacked on a 42 yard third quarter field goal to make it 31-10 Colts. From there, the Colts just coasted. The Texans did manage a field goal and another touchdown in the fourth quarter, but got no closer. Kaimi Fairbairn’s 51 yard field goal try with 2:44 left to get the Texans within 8 was no good. The Colts won, but their big concern is Richardson’s reckless style of play leaves him open to serious injuries. 31-20 Colts

Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars — The Jaguars are on the rise, while the Chiefs despite losing their home opener are still the defending champions. Patrick Mahomes and Trevor Lawrence are both every bit as good as advertised. Walrus Andy Reid is an offensive genius, and his former protege Doug Pederson learned very well. Yet this game was a surprising defensive slugfest rather than a shootout. The first quarter was scoreless. Early in the second quarter, the Chiefs fumbled a punt and the Jaguars recovered at the Kansas City 17. The Jaguars had to settle for a 32 yard Brandon McManus field goal and a 3-0 lead. Then came 4 straight turnovers and each team fumbled, Patrick Mahomes was intercepted, and the Jaguars turned it over on downs.

At the 2 minute warning the Chiefs faced 4th and 2 at the Jacksonville 42. Doug Pederson’s prior gambled failed but Walrus Andy Reid’s succeeded. Mahomes hit Clyde Edwards-Helaire for 10. Mahomes then went to Travis Kelce for 7, Gray for 16, and Skyy Moore for a 9 yard touchdown. With 27 seconds left in the half, the Chiefs had the 7-3 lead. After a touchback, Lawrence quickly hit Kirk for 11 and Ridley for 26. McManus nailed a 49 yard field goal to end the half with the Jaguars within 7-6.

The Chiefs began the third quarter at their own 19. Isaiah Pacheco ran for a 31 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from midfield, Mahomes went deep to Watson for 34. On 3rd and 3 from the Jacksonville 9, Mahomes hit Taylor Swift’s future ex-boyfriend Travis Kelce for the touchdown and the 14-6 Chiefs lead. The Jaguars moved from their own 23 to a 1st and goal at the one to start the fourth quarter. Lawrence went around the end and lost 3 yards. Lawrence then threw incomplete twice. Doug Pederson was not in a gambling mood with most if the entire fourth quarter to play. McManus hit the 22 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 14-9.

The Chiefs after a touchback moved 65 yards in 13 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 1 from the Jags 30, Andy Reid went for it with 10 1/2 minutes left. Pacheco gained 2. Yet on 1st and goal at the 10, a pair of false starts along with 3 incompletions killed the drive. Harrison Butker hit the 38 yard field goal to put the Chiefs back up by 8 midway through the fourth quarter. After a touchback the Jaguars moved to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 14. Yet a pair of incompletions and a sack meant 4th and 12. With 4 1/2 minutes left, Doug Pederson went for it rather than kick another field goal. Lawrence threw incomplete.

Mahomes ran for 14 as the clock ticked down. On 3rd and 6 from his own 34 just before the 2 minute warning, Andy Reid went high risk, high reward. Mahomes went deep to Moore for a 54 yard gain. On 2nd and 4 from the Jags 6 with the Jaguars out of timeouts, Pacheco gained 5. Despite 1st and goal at the one, a very classy Andy Reid decided not to run up the score. Mahomes took 3 knees for the tough defensive win. 17-9 Chiefs

Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Both teams were expected to be bad, but the Buccaneers went into Minnesota and got an upset win last week. They had to avoid a letdown at home against the lowly Bears. After an opening touchback, the Buccaneers moved 67 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. On 1st and 10 from the Chicago 13, a run lost yards to kill the drive. Chase McLaughlin hit the 26 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. After a touchback, the Bears responded quickly. Justin Fields went deep to Moore for 33. On 3rd and 5 from the Tampa Bay 37, Fields hit Moore again for 31 more. Fields ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Bears.

The Buccaneers after a touchback moved 63 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. The second quarter began with the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 6 at the Chicago 22. Baker Mayfield threw incomplete. McLaughlin’s 40 yard field goal try was blocked. The Buccaneers got the ball back at their own 23 and this time struck quickly.Mayfield went bombs away to Mike Evans for a 70 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Rachaad White ran it in to put the Buccaneers in front 10-7. The Bears moved from their own 20 to a 1st and 10 at the Tampa Bay 24. Fields was sacked and then on 3rd and 13 sacked again. Cairo Santos bailed the Bears out with a 52 yard field goal for a 10-10 game with 1:55 left in the half.

The Buccaneers rapidly moved after a touchback to a 1st and goal at the 7 with 9 seconds left. A pointless scramble by Mayfield gained one yard. Then he threw incomplete. McLaughlin hit the 25 yard field goal as the Buccaneers took a 13-10 lead to the locker rooms. The Buccaneers began their first drive of the third quarter at their own 11. Mayfield went to Evans for a 36 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 42, Mayfield hit Wells for just enough. On 4th and 1 from the Chicago 32, Todd Bowles decided to go for it. White gained 4. On 3rd and 14 from the Chicago 32, Mayfield went deep to Evans for another touchdown and a 20-10 Buccaneers lead with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.

With 10 minutes left in regulation, the Bears took over at their own 10. From their 23, Fields hit Kenneth Herbert for 23. On 3rd and 10, Fields went to Moore for big gains of 22 and 12 and to Chase Claypool for a 20 yard touchdown. With 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Bears were right back in it down 20-17. With 2:24 to play, the Bears got the ball back at their own 7 yard line as Fields had a chance to be the hero. A short pass was complete to Barrett, who plays defense for Tampa Bay. He took the interception and strolled 4 yards into the end zone for the dagger. Fields threw in another interception for good measure. The Buccaneers are 2-0 and surprising everyone. Yet Baker Mayfield, who is on his 4th team in 2 years, is a good quarterback. The Bears are 0-2 and surprising nobody. Fields is not playing well and the Matt exchange of a Nagy for an Eberflus is not improving things. 27-17 Buccaneers

Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans — Both teams lost their opener in heartbreaking fashion. Nobody squanders talent and loses close games like the Chargers, especially in the Brandon Staley era. Early on Mike Vrabel gambled on 4th and 4 from the Chargers 46. Ryan Tannehill was sacked to give the Chargers gift field position at the Tennessee 48. On 3rd and 2, Kelley gained 5. On 4th and 2 from the Tennessee 27, Justin Herbert hit Mike Williams for 20. Yet 1st and goal at the 7 saw a pair of Herbert incompletions sandwiched around a run that lost 2 yards. Cameron Dicker hit the 27 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chargers.

The Titans had to punt the ball on 4th and 22 from their own 3 yard line. A 19 yard punt return gave the Chargers another short field at the Tennessee 47. On 3rd and 1, Herbert got stopped. Brandon staley went for it on 4th and 1 rather than try a 56 yard field goal. Davis got around the end for a 10 yard gain with a horse collar tackle penalty adding 14 more. Staley gambled again on 4th and 4 from the Tennessee 6, a reckless move that frequently backfires on him. Yet this time Herbert hit Keenan Allen for the touchdown. Staley also went for a pointless 2 point conversion. Herbert hit Trey Pipkins successfully as the Chargers led 11-0 midway through the second quarter.

After a touchback, Tannehill went bombs away to Burks for a 70 yard gain. Derrick Henry ran for 4 and then for the one yard touchdown to get the Titans within 11-7. After a touchback, the Chargers moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Tennessee 12. Herbert threw incomplete. Dicker hit the 30 yard field goal to put the Chargers up 14-7 the hard way. After a touchback, the Titans moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Chargers 16. A run only gained one yard as both teams let the clock tick down to 4 seconds. Nick Folk hit the 33 yard field goal to get the Titans within 14-10.

Early in the third quarter the Titans faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Tannehill hit Deandre Hopkins for 9. On 3rd and 13 from the Chargers 43, Tannehill threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 15 yards and a new set of downs. On 3rd and 6 from the Chargers 24, Tannehill threw incomplete again but roughing the passer meant 12 yards and another first down. On the next play Tannehill ran for a 12 yard touchdown. Imbecilic mistakes by the Chargers defense had the Titans up 17-14.

Late in the third quarter the Chargers took over at their own 20. On 2nd and 10m Herbert went to Williams for 11, to Smartt for 24, and to Everett for 29. The Chargers began the fourth quarter facing 2nd and 6 at the Tennessee 12. Herbert hit Allen for the touchdown as the Chargers retook the lead 21-17. With 6 minutes left in regulation the Titans took over at their own 18. Tannehill went deep to Moore for 49 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 27, Tannehill hit Hopkins for 14 with another roughing the passer call adding 7 more. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Tannehill hit Westbrook-Ikhine for the touchdown. With 2:22 to play, the Titans led this see-saw game 24-21.

After a touchback, Herbert hit Williams for gains of 15 and 9 and Donald Parham for 7. Herbert went to Allen for 14 and 11. With 20 seconds left, the Chargers had a chance to win facing 3rd and 3 at the Tennessee 7. With everything on the line, Herbert was sacked. Dicker hit the 33 yard field goal to send this game into overtime tied 24-24. The Chargers got the ball first in overtime after a touchback but Herbert threw 3 straight incompletions. The Titans took over at their own 39. Spears gained 14. On 3rd and 2 from the Chargers 39, Henry got just enough. Tannehill then hit Hopkins for 14. Midway through overtime, the Titans faced 3rd and 10 at the Chargers 23. Mike Vrabel was not taking any chances. Folk came in for the 41 yard try to win it. His kick was good as the Chargers suffered another brutal loss. At 0-2, fans know Brandon Staley is wasting the potential of his team. 27-24 Titans, OT

New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals — The Cardinals blew a fourth quarter lead last week while the Giants suffered a humiliating 40-0 home loss to Dallas. Early on the Cardinals had a chance to strike first but Matt Prater missed a 55 yard field goal try. The Cardinals got the ball back at their own 14. Joshua Dobbs ran for 13, with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15 more. On 3rd and 7 from the Giants 39, Dobbs hit Wilson for 21. James Conner ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. The Cardinals got it back at their own 20. Dobbs hit McBride for 23 and Zac Ertz for 14. On 3rd and 5 from the Giants 37, Dobbs hit Moore for 14. On the first play of the second quarter, Dobbs scrambled for a 23 yard touchdown and a 14-0 Cardinals lead.

Matt Prater tacked on field goals of 44 and 37, the latter one being set up by a Daniel Jones interception. The Cardinals led 20-0 at halftime. The Giants had been outscored 60-0 on the season. Would the Giants be the first team in NFL history to go the entire season without scoring a single point? No. After a touchback, Jones went deep on the very first play from scrimmage to Hyatt for 58 yards. Two plays later Jones ran for a 14 yard touchdown to get the Giants their first points of the season. Yet after a touchback the Cardinals kept rolling. Conner ran for 22 and again for 10. An interception of Dobbs was wiped away by a 10 yard defensive pass interference penalty. Conner ran for 21 more. Dobbs hit Malcolm Hollywood Brown for a 3 yard touchdown. Jonathan Gannon called for a 2 point conversion try. Dobbs ran it in himself to give the Cardinals a 28-7 lead.

After a touchback, Jones went to Darren Waller for 9 and to Darrius Slayton for 29. On 3rd and 12 from the Arizona 34, Jones scrambled for 13. A sack of Jones was wiped out by defensive unnecessary roughness. On 3rd and goal at the one, Saquon Barkley got in for the touchdown as the Giants trailed 28-14. The Giants got the ball back to start the fourth quarter at their own 20. Jones went to Slayton for 15 and Waller for 25. Jones ran for 9 and on 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 31 gained 2. Jones hit Waller for 14. On 4th and 1 from the Arizona 6, Brian Daboll went for it 10 minutes left. Jones gained 2. On 3rd and goal from the 9, Jones went to Barkley for the touchdown. The Giants were now within 28-21.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Giants got the ball back at their own 36. Jones scrambled for 15. Jones then went deep to Hyatt for 31. Jones went to Waller for 13. Jones hit Hodhins for an 11 yard touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left, the Giants came all the way back to tie the game 28-28. With 2 1/2 minutes left the Giants got the ball back again at their own 28. Barkley caught a pass from Jones for 8 and ran for 10. Jones went to Clayton for 18. Barkley then gained 16. With 19 seconds left in the game, Graham Gano came in for a 34 yard field goal try for the win. The kick was good as 24 unanswered points gave the Giants a stunning comeback win. Last year in Week 2 the Cardinals overcame a 20-0 halftime deficit at home to win in overtime. This year in Week 2 they blew a 20-0 halftime lead and lost on the final play. 31-28 Giants

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams — The Rams looked impressive in getting a road win at Seattle last week, but the 49ers presented a far sterner test. After a touchback, runs and short passes had the 49ers at midfield. Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy hit Brandon Aiyuk for 12. On 3rd and 7 from the Rams 35, Purdy went to Aiyuk for 13. Christian McCaffrey ran for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. After a touchback, the Rams moved 50 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 1st and 10 from the San Francisco 27, an 11 yard completion was wiped out by offensive holding. The Rams settled for a 43 yard field goal to trail 7-3.

The 49ers after a touchback soon faced 1st and 10 from their own 36. McCaffrey got around the end for a 51 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the Rams 9, Purdy threw incomplete. Moody hit a 27 yard field goal to make it 10-3 49ers early in the second quarter. Moody hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set up the Rams at their own 40. On 3rd and 4, Matthew Stafford hit Nacua for 20, Williams for 10, and Nacua for 9. Stafford hit Williams for a 6 yard touchdown for a 10-10 game.

The Rams got the ball back at their own 12. Stafford hit Nacua for 8, Atwell for 11 and 18, and Nacua for 13. Williams did the rest, gashing the defense for gains of 6, 4, 7, 2, and on 3rd and 1 from the Frisco 4, the touchdown. With 1:45 left in the half, the Rams had a 17-10 lead. After a touchback, Purdy went to Deebo Samuel for 23, McCaffrey for 9, and Jennings for 20. Defensive pass interference added 19 yards down to the one. Purdy threw incomplete twice, leaving one second. Kyle Shanahan gambled. Purdy kept the ball on the quarterback sneak and got in the end zone for a 17-17 tie at the half.

In the third quarter the Rams moved from their own 28 to a 1st and 10 at the San Francisco 25. Offensive holding was followed by Stafford getting interception. The 49ers took over at their own 28. Purdy hit Aiyuk for 18 and George Kittle for 12. On 3rd and 7 from the Rams 39, Purdy threw incomplete. Kyle Shanahan trusted Moody with a 57 yard field goal try. Moody delivered as the 49ers led 20-17 after three quarters. The 49ers began the fourth quarter at their own 26. Purdy went to Samuel for 16 and Jennings for 31. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 15, Purdy gained 4. Samuel ran for an 11 yard touchdown as 17 unanswered points had the 49ers up 27-17 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

The Rams after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the San Franciscon19. An intentional grounding penalty on Stafford meant an 11 yard loss and killed the drive. Maher hit a 48 yard field goal to get the Rams within 27-20. The Rams got the ball back with a chance to tie the game. Yet on 3rd and 5 from his own 25, Stafford was intercepted. The 49ers took over at the Rams 15. They settled for a 26 yard Moody field goal but led comfortably 30-20 with 3 minutes left. With 2 1/2 minutes left on 4th and 1 from their own 39, Williams got stopped for a one yard loss. The Rams got it back again with 90 seconds left at their own 30. Sean McVay wanted to kick a field goal, get an onside kick, and have a shot at a Hail Mary. The drive took too long. By the time Maher hit the 38 yard field goal, the clock was at zeroes. The outcome was not affected, but the gamblers were angry that a pointless field goal defeated a 7 1/2 point spread. Meanwhile, the 49ers are 2-0 after a pair of convincing road wins. 30-23 49ers

New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys — The Jets won an overtime thriller in the opener over Buffalo but lost Aaron Rodgers for the year. The Cowboys went on the road and obliterated the Giants 40-0. After an opening touchback, the Cowboys soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 45. Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for 6 and then again for 25. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 20, Prescott gained 15. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Prescott hit Ferguson for the touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Cowboys. In the second quarter the Cowboys faced 2nd and 12 from their own 3 yard line. Prescott went to Lamb for a 33 yard gain. The Cowboys moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Jets 20. A completion gained only 3 yards. Aubrey hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Cowboys.

Midway through the second quarter the Jets took over at their own 32. One play was all Zach Wilson needed to connect with his non-relative Wilson for a 68 yard touchdown to get the Jets within 10-7. After a touchback, Prescott hit Lamb for 20. On 3rd and 3 from the Jets 47, Prescott hit Turpin for 9. Prescott then hit Vaughn for 11. Vaughn then ran for 13 and 3. On 3rd and 7 from the Jets 11, Prescott threw incomplete but roughing the passer kept the drive going. On 3rd and goal from the 13, Prescott threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Prescott hit Shoonmaker for the touchdown. Defensive holding and roughing the passer put the ball on the one for the conversion, so Mike McCarthy went for 2. Tony Pollard got in to make it 18-7 Cowboys.

The Jets did get a 34 yard field goal from Siebert to end the half, but nothing else. The second half belonged to the Dallas defense and their kicker. Aubrey connected from 21 and 55 in the third quarter, the latter one set up by a Jets fumble. In the fourth quarter. Aubrey hit from 26 and 30. Wilson threw interceptions on 3 straight fourth quarter drives to end the game. 30-10 Cowboys

Washington Commanders at Denver Broncos — The Commanders mounted a fourth quarter comeback win last week after trailing 16-10 while the Broncos blew a 16-10 fourth quarter lead at home in a loss to the Raiders. In the first quarter the Broncos took over at their own 39. Russell Wilson went to Jerry Jeudy for 11. Williams gained 15. On 3rd and 2 from the Washington 27, Wilson ran for 14. McLaughlin ran for 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Broncos. The Commanders did get a 44 yard Joey Slye field goal to almost end the first quarter. Yet after a touchback and a roughing the passer penalty, Wilson went deep to Mims for a 60 yard touchdown. The Broncos led 14-3 after the first quarter. The Broncos in the second quarter soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 16. Wilson went deep to Mims for a 53 yard gain. On 4th and 1 from the Washington 22, Sean Payton went for it. Wilson gained 2. Wilson hit Johnson for a 16 yard touchdown to have the Broncos cruising up 21-3.

The Broncos were in total control midway through the second quarter and had the ball again at the Washington 45. Then Wilson was sacked and fumbled. The Commanders recovered just past midfield. A defensive facemark penalty added 15 yards. With 1:47 left in the half after a pair of incompletions, the Commanders faced 4th and goal at the 4. Riverboat Ron Rivera needed to spark his team. Sam Howell found Logan Thomas for the touchdown. Rivera went for 2 and Robinson ran it in to get the Commanders within 21-11. The Commanders got it back with 1:20 left at their own 23. Howell hit Curtis Samuel for 14. On 3rd and 13 from their own 34, Howell hit Bates for 35 yards. Slye ended the half with a 49 yard field goal as the Commanders only trailed 21-14.

The Commanders began their first drive of the third quarter at their own 43. On 3rd and 10, Howell ran for 11 with defensive holding adding 5 more. Robinson ran for 11. Howell then went deep to Terry McLaurin for a 30 yard touchdown. 18 unanswered points tied the game 21-21. Wilson was then intercepted. The Commanders had a golden opportunity to take the lead with a 3rd and 3 at the Denver 24. Howell was sacked and fumbled. The Commanders retained possession after a 17 yard loss. Ron Rivera brought in Slye for a 59 yard field goal try for the lead. The kick was no good.

The great field position had the Broncos facing 4th and 2 at the Washington 43. Wilson hit Cortland Sutton for 13 and Perine for 9. On 3rd and 2 from the Washington 10, Wilson was sacked. Wil Lutz hit a 31 yard field goal to put the Broncos back in front 24-21. The Commanders soon faced 2nd and 15 at their own 20. Howell threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 7 yard gain and a 1st down. Robinson then ripped off a 27 yard gain. The fourth quarter began with the Commanders facing 2nd and 14 at midfield. Howell connected with Gibson for 36 yards and Turner for 14 more. Robinson ran for a 2 yard touchdown to give the Commanders their first lead 28-24.

The Commanders got it back and soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 38. Howell was sacked but defensive holding meant another automatic first down. Howell hit Robinson for 21. Robinson ran for a 15 yard touchdown. A 28-3 scoreboard run had the Commanders up 35-24 midway through the fourth quarter. Then the game changed again. After a touchback, the Broncos moved 61 yards in 15 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. With 2:07 to play, the Broncos faced 1st and goal at the one. Wilson was sacked twice. With 1:50 left and needing 2 scores, Sean Payton went with the field goal. Lutz hit from 32 to get the Broncos within 35-27.

The onside kick, just like in the opener, was a good one. Just like in the opener, it still failed. Yet the Broncos took their timeouts on defense and held. The Broncos took over at their own 13 with 48 seconds left and 0 timeouts. With 28 seconds left on 4th and 3 from their own 20, Wilson gained 14. With 9 seconds left from his own 34, Wilson hit Sutton for 15. From midfield, 3 seconds remained. It was Hail Mary time. Wilson heaved it short of the end zone. It was batted up in the air a first time, a second time, and then a third time. Brandon Johnson caught it for the miracle touchdown. The Broncos were a 2 point conversion away from forcing overtime. Yet this time, Wilson’s 2 yard pass was incomplete. The Commanders survive to get to 2-0 while the Broncos in the Sean Payton era are 0-2. They lost both games by a combined 3 points, but both losses were at home. 35-33 Commanders

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots was the Sunday night game. For the first time in forever, the Dolphins were favored on the road against the Patriots. The Dolphins in the first quarter took over at their own 15. They moved 81 yards in 13 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 3, a run lost a yard. Then Tua Tagovailoa threw incomplete. Jason Sanders hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Dolphins.

After a touchback the Patriots moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Miami 39. Mac Jones hit Douglas for 10, but Douglas fumbled the ball away. The Dolphins took over at their own 27 to start the second quarter. On 3rd and 7, Tua Tagovailoa hit Tyreek Hill for 8. Ahmed ran for 10. Tagovailoa hit Jalen waddle for 15. On 2nd and 19, Tagovailoa went back to Waddle for 28. Raheem Mostert ran for an 8 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 73 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 10-0 Dolphins.

The Patriots finally got on the scoreboard with 1:49 left in the half on a 49 yard Ryland field goal, but Dolphins kept coming. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Mostert gained 6. Tagovailoa hit Cracraft for 22, Smythe for 6, Cracraft again for 12, Berrios for 18, and Hill for a 2 yard touchdown with 11 seconds left in the half for a 17-3 Dolphins lead. The Dolphins moved from their own 6 to the New England 31 in the third quarter, but a 49 yard field goal try by Sanders was blocked. The Patriots moved from the Miami 49 to the Miami 22 but then Mac Jones was intercepted. The third quarter was scoreless.

A field position game had the Patriots getting the ball back at their own 42 to start the fourth quarter. Jones hit Hunter Henry for 13 and Juju Smith-Schuster for 12. On 3rd and 15 from the Miami 35, Jones scrambled for 18, with defensive holding adding 5 more. Jones hit Henry for a 6 yard touchdown to get the Patriots within 17-10 with 11 1/2 minutes left. Tagovailoa was intercepted, but the Patriots could not capitalize. The Patriots punted on 4th and 20 from their own 4. The Dolphins got the ball back at the New England 43. One play later, Mostert was running the ball into the end zone for a 24-10 Dolphins lead.

In desperation mode after a touchback, Jones got a pair of breaks with 2 defensive pass interference penalties. On 3rd and 7 just shy of midfield, Jones hit Parker for 14. aimondre Stevenson gained 12 and 5. Jones hit Smith-Schuster for 11. Stevenson got the last 2 yards. With 5 1/2 minutes left, the Patriots were within 7 points. After a touchback, the Dolphins ground up the clock and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the New England 35. Tagovailoa fumbled the snap and recovered with a 2 yard loss. Mike Mcdaniel gambled on a 55 yard field goal try to ice the game, but Sanders was no good.

The Patriots had 2:14 to work with from their own 45 to tie the game. With one minute left the Patriots had 4th and 4 at the Miami 35. A hook and lateral appeared to gain a first down, but officials reviewed the spot and reversed the call to short of the first down. The Patriots fell to 0-2 for the first time since 2001, when an unheralded 6th round pick helped start a dynasty. He’s retired. The Patriots fought back in both losses to erase double digit deficits, but fell short. Both losses were at home. The Dolphins are 2-0, with both wins coming on the road. 24-17 Dolphins

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers was the first Monday night game. Derek Carr helped the Saints eke out a one point win in their opener while the Bryce Young era in Carolina began with a loss. The first half was a slog. Eddie Pineiro hit a 52 yard field goal for the Panthers in the first quarter. Grupe answered from 28 and in the second quarter hit from 23 as the Saints led 6-3 at the break. Pineiro hit again from 54 for a 6-6 deadlock in the third quarter.

The Saints soon faced 3rd and 7 from their own 28. Carr went deep to Chris Olave for a 42 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 22, Jones gained 6. On 3rd and 1 from the Carolina 7, Jones gained 5 and then ran for the 2 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter, the game’s first touchdown capped the 10 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive and had the Saints up 13-6. In the fourth quarter the Panthers took over at their own 20 and moved 62 yards in 11 plays and nearly 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 3 from the New Orleans 13, Young was sacked. Pineiro hit from 36 but the Panthers trailed 13-9.

The Saints took over at their ow 21 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the game. Carr went deep to Shaheed for a 45 yard gain. Taysom Hill came in and got around the end for a 19 yard gain. Jones ran for a 2 yard touchdown to give the Saints breathing room up 20-9 with 3:14 to play. The Panthers quickly moved 75 yards 11 plays. Young went to Adam Thielen for a 3 yard touchdown with 1:16 to play. Young went to Thielen again for the 2 point conversion. The onside kick failed and Carr took 3 knees to get the Saints to 2-0 on the year. The Panthers are winless. 20-17 Saints

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers was the second Monday night game. The Browns last week at home belted Cincinnati while the Steelers at home were belted by San Francisco. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Deshaun Watson was immediately intercepted. Alex Highsmith returned the pick 30 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 7-0 Steelers lead. After another touchback, the Browns offense rebounded and moved 50 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 8 from the Pittsburgh 25, Watson threw incomplete. Dustin Hopkins hit a 43 yard field goal to get the Browns on the scoreboard. Kenny Pickett was then quickly intercepted to set up the Browns at the Pittsburgh 19. Yet all the Browns did was move backward and see another 43 yard field goal try by Hopkins miss the mark.

The teams exchanged fumbles to set up the Browns at the Pittsburgh 23. Watson hit Amari Cooper for 12 and Ford for a 3 yard touchdown. Ford ran in a 2 point conversion try that seemed unnecessary. Kevin Stefanski’s gamble paid off as the Browns led 11-7 early in the second quarter. Yet the drive came at a cost as Nick Chubb suffered an injured knee and is now out for the year.

A 14 yard punt return had the Steelers with a short field goal at the Cleveland 39. Yet on 3rd and 5, Pickett threw incomplete. Chris Boswell hit from 52 to get the Steelers within 11-10. The Steelers got it back and faced 3rd and 10 from their own 18. Pickett went to Warren for 11. Pickett then connected with George Pickens for a 71 yard touchdown. Mike Tomlin’s 2 point conversion try failed but the Steelers led 16-11. Hopkins nailed a 55 yard field goal for the Browns to end the half, but Boswell countered from 50 in the third quarter to make it 19-14 Steelers.

After a touchback, the Browns struck quickly. Ford ripped off a 69 yard run down to the one yard line. Strong got in for the touchdown. Kevin Stefansky again went for 2 and Watson ran it in himself. The Browns led 22-19. The Browns got it back and had an impressive drive from their own one yard line to a 3rd and 2 at the Pittsburgh 35. Offensive holding was followed by a rare offensive facemark penalty. Even more rare was that it was committed by Watson, who grabbed at the defender trying to tackle him. On 3rd and 28, a completion’s fumbled.

Then things got even stranger. The Browns got the ball back at their own 6. From their own 20, Watson was sacked, resulting in another fumble. This time TJ Watt picked it up and rumbled 16 yards for the score. The defensive touchdown had the Steelers up by 4 points midway through the fourth quarter. The Browns began their last drive with 3 minutes left at their own 25. At the 2 minute warning the Browns were very much alive, facing 2nd and 7 at the Pittsburgh 47. Then came a Watson incompletion, a sack, and another Watson incompletion. 26-22 Steelers

NFL 2023 Week 2 Prequel

Thursday, September 7, 2023, 8pm

Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles (-7) — The Vikings had no excuses for losing at home to a Tampa Bay team that was supposed to be reeling. The Eagles were on the verge of blowing out New England but nearly blew the game. The spread is high, but after Minnesota’s anemic performance last week, it’s hard to trust them against the defending NFC Champions. Eagles cover

Sunday, September 17, 1pm

• Green Bay Packers (-1 1/2) at Atlanta Falcons — Neither of these teams were supposed to be good, but they won in impressive fashion against fairly inferior talent. If Jordan Love truly can play, the Packers will be better than expected. After his impressive opening week road win, Love gets the benefit of the doubt. Packers cover
• Las Vegas Raiders at Buffalo Bills (-9 1/2) — The Raiders are supposed to be a dumpster fire, but they somehow eked out a win on the road over a Denver team dumber than they are. Those kinds of mistakes won’t cut it against an angry Bills team coming off a terrible Monday Night Football road loss. The Bills are the far superior team. This game could be over by halftime. Bills cover
• Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (-3 1/2) — The Ravens efficiently took care of business at home but lost running back JK Dobbins for the season. The Bengals shockingly ran into a buzzsaw in Cleveland. This is the week the Bengals right the ship, but it won’t be a cakewalk. This could be a grind it out game. Bengals win but fail to cover
• Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions (-6) — The Seahawks looked surprisingly awful in a humiliating home loss to the Rams. The Lions shocked much of the football world by going into Kansas City and beating the defending champs. For the first time in 30 years. the Lions have sky high expectations. Those expectations are deserved, but the spread is high for a team in danger of a letdown after an emotional win. Lions win but fail to cover
• Indianapolis Colts (-1 1/2) at Houston Texans Anthony Richardson & CJ Stroud meet for the first time in a battle of teams expected to share a cellar. Given that the Colts put up a fight against a good Jacksonville team while Houston was defeated relatively easily. The Colts show more promise. Colts cover  
• Kansas City Chiefs (-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars — This could be a dandy. The Chiefs suffered a stunning home loss in the season opener. This week they get Chris Jones back to fortify the defense. Now they need receivers to catch Patrick Mahomes’s passes. Doug Pederson has turned Trevor Lawrence into what everyone thought he was as the top pick two years ago. It’s very difficult to see the Chiefs going 0-2, but the Jaguars have a serious defense. Doug Pederson and Walrus Andy Reid know each other inside out. Upset special, Jaguars win outright
• Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3) — Both teams were expected to be terrible, yet somehow the bears still fell below expectations. The Buccaneers got a surprising road win at Minnesota. Against the inept Bears, give them another chance. Buccaneers cover 
• Los Angeles Chargers (-3) at Tennessee Titans — Both teams lost last week, but in different ways. The Chargers went down in a thrilling shootout to Miami. The Titans still have not gotten back to the physical from of Mike Vrabel from last year before injuries depleted the team. Justin Herbert is a stud, but the Titans defense still knows how to knock people around. Ryan Tannehill still has questions swirling around him. If the Titans can pound the rock, they will win. Upset special, Titans win outright

4pm

• New York Giants (-5 1/2) at Arizona Cardinals — The Giants were humiliated 40-0 at home in Dallas. Somehow they are favored this week on the road. The spread is based on the idea that the Cardinals are wretched, but they put up a fight against Washington. The Giants could rebound, but the spread is way too high given last week’s debacle. Giants win but fail to cover
• San Francisco 49ers (-8 1/2) at Los Angeles Rams — The 49ers just seem to own the Rams in recent years. The 49ers looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender in going on the road and throttling Pittsburgh. Yet the Rams did the same in going on the road to Seattle. The 49ers are the better team, but the spread is too high against a Rams team that overachieves for Sean McVay. 49ers win but fail to cover
• New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys (-9 1/2) — The Cowboys looked like a Super Bowl team in going on the road and obliterating the Giants 40-0. The Jets showed guts and heart in overcoming an injury to Aaron Rodgers and a 13-3 deficit to win in overtime against Buffalo. Yet with Rodgers done for the year, so are the Jets. Zach Wilson will not go into Dallas and get a win. Cowboys cover 
• Washington Commanders at Denver Broncos (-3 1/2) — The Broncos suffered a shocking home loss to the Raiders in a game both teams tried to lose. The Commanders came back in the fourth quarter and won their game against Arizona. Expecting the Broncos to lose at home two straight weeks with the talent on their roster is unlikely. Sean Payton knows offense and Ron Rivera knows defense. The Broncos have more talent. Broncos win but fail to cover

8pm

• Miami Dolphins (-2 1/2) at New England Patriots — It would be stunning to see the Patriots fall to 0-2 with both losses at home, but the Dolphins with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa are scary. Belichick’s defense put up a fight against Philadelphia, but the weather is not cold enough to give New England an advantage. Miami is the better team. Dolphins cover 

Monday, September 18, 7pm

New Orleans Saints (-3 1/2) at Carolina Panthers — Derek Carr won a squeaker in his home debut while the Panthers were unimpressive in Bryce Young’s first game, a loss. The Saints have talent on offense and Dennis Allen runs a solid defense. The Panthers will improve, but not any time soon. Saints cover

8pm

Cleveland Browns (-2 1/2) at Pittsburgh Steelers — Both of these teams surprised also week. The Steelers got throttled at home, albeit against a great San Francisco team. The Browns at home beat the tar out of the Bengals. This is the week sanity is restored. No, the Browns are not as good as their first game. No, the Steelers are not as awful as their first game. It’s difficult to see the Steelers starting 0-2 with both losses at home. The Browns are due for a letdown after their big win. Upset special, Steelers win outright

NFL 2023 Week 1 Recap

Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs is the season opening Thursday night game. Despite being an improved team, the Lions were expected to be a sacrificial lamb as the defending champion Chiefs began their quest to establish a dynasty. After a rousing National Anthem and the jets flying overhead, Walrus Andy Reid actually decided to defer. Even more surprising was the Chiefs, after facing a 3 and out, going 3 an out themselves. Then came the game’s first big shock. On 4th and 2 from his own 17, Dan Campbell called a fake punt. Yes, you read that correctly. From his own 17. It worked as a run straight up the gut got the first down. Jared Goff then got in a rhythm, hitting Amon St. Brown for 13 and Joshua Reynolds for 21. Gibbs then banged out a tough 17 yard run. On 3rd and 6 from the Kansas City 9, Goff, found St. Brown in the flat for the first first score of the 2023 NFL season. The 13 play, 91 yard, 8 minute drive was sparked by several hard runs. Dan Campbell’s Big Balls of Steel in calling that fake punt was why the Jumbotron read 7-0 Lions.

The Lions carried that lead into the second quarter, but the Chiefs then moved 75 yards in 15 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 8 from his own 27, Patrick Mahomes went to Watson for 19. On 3rd and 6 from midfield, Mahomes scrambled for just enough. Mahomes hit Marques Valdez-Scantling for 14 and ran for 16 more. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mahomes fired over the middle of the end zone to Bell for the touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame. The Lions after a touchback continued to move the ball well, reaching a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 17. Then  bad snap out of the shotgun led to a 10 yard loss. On 3rd and 10, a simple dum-off pass turned disastrous when a short completion to Jones saw jones get belted and cough up the football. The Chiefs recovered the fumble at their own 7 yard line as the game remained deadlocked with 6 minutes left in the half.

The Lions again forced a 3 and out and got the ball back with 3:47 left in the half at their own 41. Yet a takedown of Goff meant a 3 and out for the Lions as well. The Chiefs took over at their own 18 with 2:02 left. The Chiefs got a break when a false start was not called. Mahomes rolled out and found Rice for a 25 yard gain. With one minute left in the half, a very clean game saw an offensive holding call against the Chiefs be the game’s first penalty by either team. On 3rd and 17 from his own 36, Mahomes went deep to Valdez-Scantling for a 34 yard gain. Mahomes then went deep to Watson for 26 more down to the 4. Mahomes fired to Bell for the touchdown. The Lions had battled the entire first half, but the Chiefs with their 92 yard drive took the 14-7 lead with 34 seconds left in the half. 

The Chiefs got the ball to start the second half but did not quickly deliver the knockout blow. The Detroit defense remained stout, but a great punt had the Lions starting their first drive of the third quarter at their own 7 yard line. The Chiefs held and got the ball back at their own 42. Then came the play of the game up to that point. On 3rd and 6, Mahomes threw a simple pass in the flat to Toney near the first down marker. Yet the ball bounced off of Toney’s hands and was corralled out of the air by safety Brian Branch at midfield. Branch immediately raced the other way for a 50 yard touchdown. In front of a stunned home crowd at Arrowhead, this dogfight of a game was now tied 14-14. 

The Lions defense was fired up as they forced the Chiefs to punt again. The Lions took over at their own 17 but ended up punting as well. The Chiefs took over at their own 10 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. From his own 34, Mahomes went bombs away incomplete. Yet with 3 minutes left in the third quarter, the Lions first penalty of the game was a killer. A 41 yard defensive pass interference call had the Chiefs sitting pretty. On 3rd and 2 from the Detroit 17, Mahomes had a wide open receiver over the middle for an easy first down. Yet one receiver cut in front of the other one, deflecting view and leading to a drop. Walrus andy Reid was taking on chances. Harrison Butker hit the 35 yard field goal to give the Chiefs the 17-14 lead.

The Lion first offensive penalty on the next series was another killer as a tripping call set the Lions back 15 yards. Yet on 2nd and 22, Goff fired over the middle to Raymond for 20. On 3rd and 2, Goff threw incomplete. On the last play of the third quarter with the Chiefs facing 2nd and 6 at their own 40, a short pass from Mahomes to gray followed by mistackles led to a 24 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Detroit 21, Mahomes somehow escaped a sack and threw an off-balance pass just before he was sacked that should have been caught. Instead, another dropped pass meant a 39 yard field goal by Butker and a 20-14 Chiefs lead with 12 minutes left in regulation. 

The Lions soon faced 3rd and 12 at their own 23. Goff just before being sacked found Reynolds over the middle for 18. On 3rd and 1 from midfield Montgomery  gained 3 off right tackle. Goff on a perfect play-action went to Reynolds again for 33 more. Montgomery busted up the gut for an 8 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 80 yard, 5 minute drive had the Lions leading 21-20 in a shocker midway through the fourth quarter. 

On 3rd and inches from their own 34, Walrus Andy Reid went to his bag of tricks. Bell lined up at quarterback and Mahoems was in the backfield. Bell tried the hard count. The Lions defense jumped, but Bell did not snap the ball. by the time Bell did snap it and hand it off, the defense blew up the play for a 3 yard loss. The Lions got the ball back at their own 31 with 5:15 to play. They needed to continue playing smash mouth and not let Mahoems back on the field. 

Instead a false start right out of the gate made things tougher. Gibbs ripped off a 15 yard gain. On 4th and 2 from the Chiefs 45 with 2 1/2 minutes left, punting the ball back to Mahomes was not an option. It wad time for a dan Campbell gamble. Goff’s pass was batted down. Mahomes had a wide open receiver deep but the ball was just dropped on a night where several drops occurred. Offensive holding, another pair of incompletions, and a false start had the Chiefs facing 4th and 25 at their own 30. Mahomes threw incomplete again as the Lions took over in long field goal range at the 2 minute warning. The Chiefs still had all 3 timeouts. This game was not over. On 3rd and 2 from the Kansas City 22, Montgomery got the carry straight up the gut and got the deuce for the first down. Goff took 3 knees and now it was over. This game says less about the Chiefs than it does about the Lions. The team that beat Green Bay to lose out 2022 is for real. The expectations are legitimate. Dan Campbell deserves to receive the game ball. On a deeper level, this was a phenomenal way to kick off the 2023 NFL season. 21-20 Lions

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons — The top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft Bryce Young had a rough start in his rookie debut. The Falcons started with Desmond Ridder at the helm. If nobody knows who coaches these teams, don’t worry. Neither do they. After a scoreless first quarter, an interception of Young gave the Falcons a short field at the Carolina 17. On the first play of the second quarter on 3rd and 4 from the Carolina 11, Ridder hit Robinson for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. Yet Young stayed calm. On 3rd and 2 from his own 33, Young hit Hurst for 11 and Marshall for 11 more. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 41, Young hit Mingo for 9. Young went to Hurst for 14 more and to Hurst again for a 4 yard touchdown. Young’s first ever NFL touchdown pass capped the 12 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and tied the game 7-7. In the third quarter Eddie Pineiro hit a 43 yard field goal to give the Panthers the lead, but an interception of Young led to a 49 yard Younghoe Koo field goal. The game was tied 10-10 after three quarters.

The Panthers got it back after a touchback and moved to a 1st and 15 just past midfield. Miles Sanders gained 10 yards but then fumbled the ball. The Falcons recovered at their own 39. Tyler Allgeier ran for 12. Ridder hit Pitts for 10 and Allgeier for 12. On the last play of the third quarter, Robinson ripped off a 25 yard gain down to the 4 yard line. The fourth quarter began with Algeier running for one and then the 3 yard touchdown to make it 17-10 Falcons. Midway through the fourth quarter, a punt pinned the Panthers at their own one yard line. They punted it back to give the Falcons excellent field position at their own 44. Allgeier ran for 11. Ridder went deep to Pitts for 34. Allgeier did the rest, running for 4 and then the 3 yard touchdown to ice the game with 5 minutes left. The Falcons ran for 130 yards on 26 carries, 5 yards per carry. 24-10 Falcons 

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts — Anthony Richardson began his NFL career as the Colts looked to shed predictions of being bottom dwellers. The Jaguars were bottom dwellers 2 years ago, but Doug Pederson quickly turned Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars around. In the first quarter the Jaguars moved 61 yards, aided by a 24 yard pass from Lawrence to Ridley. On 3rd and 7 from the Indianapolis 9, Lawrence went to Ridley for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Jaguars. After a touchback, Richardson went to Granson for 11, Jackson for 8, and on 3rd and 2 from his own 45, back to Granson for 7. Richardson then ran for 12. Richardson hit Downs for 22. On the first play of the second quarter, Richardson ran 2 yards for his first NFL touchdown and a 7-7 game. 

After an interception of Lawrence, Shane Steichen twice gambled on 4th down and twice came up snake eyes The Jaguars took over at their own 43. On 3rd and 1, BIgsby got the yard. Lawrence went to Ridley for 29 and then to Zee Jones for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Jaguars. Early in the third quarter the Colts took over at their own 37. Richardson went to Pittman for 16. Defensive unnecessary roughness added 15 more. Richardson connected with Pittman for 9 more but an illegal blindside block penalty on the offense followed by a loss on a run had the Colts facing 2nd and 28 from the Jacksonville 39. A short pass from Richardson to Pittman turned into Richardson’s first NFL touchdown pass and a 14-14 game. 

The Jaguars moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 1 at the Indy 25. A run was blown up for a 2 yard loss. Brandon McManus hit a 45 yard field goal to make it 17-14 Jaguars. Late in the third quarter the Jaguars had the ball back at their own 46. A 24 yard completion was wiped out by offensive holding. On the next play disaster struck as a fumble was returned 26 yards for a defensive touchdown by DeForest Buckner. The Colts led 21-17 after three quarters and were smelling upset. early in the fourth quarter a 48 yard punt return gave the jaguars a short field at the indy 46. Lawrence scrambled for 11 and hit Evan Engram for 9. midway through the fourth quarter the Jaguars faced 4th and 2 at the Indy 15. Doug Pederson decided to go for it. Lawrence hit Jones for 4. Bigsby ran for a one yard touchdown with 5 minutes left. The Colts were game, but the Jaguars got the win. 31-21 Jaguars

Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns — The Bengals are the elite team with franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. The Browns have Deshaun Watson to start a season. Yet as talented as Watson is, the Bengals were expected to cruise. Instead, the Dawg Pound rocked as their defense rolled over, around and through Burrow. After a scoreless first quarter, Dustin Hopkins hit a 42 yard field goal early in the second quarter for the Browns. After 28 1/2 minutes of a defensive slugfest, The Browns took over at their own 33. Moore gained 19. Watson hit Amari Cooper for 11 and Donovan Peoples-Jones for 12. With 17 seconds left in the half, Watson ran for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Browns. 

In the third quarter the Bengals got some momentum with a 42 yard field goal from Evan McPherson and an interception of Watson. Yet Watson missed another try from 51 and the momentum evaporated. The Cleveland defense suffocated Burrow and knocked him around. Hopkins hit field goals of 34 late in the third quarter and 43 early in the fourth quarter for a 16-3 Browns lead. With 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation, a desperate Zac Taylor went for it on 4th and 4 from his own 31. Burrow was smothered for a 13 yard loss. Watson threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to Harrison Bryant and ran the 2 point conversion in himself to complete the scoring. Last year the Bengals started 0-2 before reaching the AFC Title Game again. Time will tell if this was a harbinger or an aberration for both teams. 24-3 Browns

Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints — This was a tale of 2 quarterbacks. Derek Carr arrived to the Saints after being run out of town by the Raiders. Ryan Tannehill is constantly on the verge of being run out of town by the Titans. Pre-game, emotions ran sky high at midfield. Former Saints player Steve Gleason and former Titans player Tim Shaw both have ALS, and they showed up in their wheelchairs to adulation from the crowd. Gleason will forever be remembered for the most meaningful blocked punt in NFL history. Much of the game was a slog. The Saints fumbled the opening kickoff and the Titans took over at the New Orleans 24. The Titans went backward but were bailed out by Nick Folk hitting a 50 yard field goal. Rookie kicker Blake Grupe responded from 26. Folk hit again from 27 for a 6-3 Titans lead. In the second quarter, the Saints faithful went crazy. With Gleason watching, the Saints blocked a punt to set up a short field. Grupe hit from 33 for a 6-6 game. The Titans came back and Folk connected again from 31. In the third quarter Grupe hit from 52 for a 9-9 deadlock.

Late in the third quarter an interception of Tannehill set up the Saints at the Tennessee 33. On 3rd and 7 from the Tennessee 19, Carr went to Shaheed in the end zone. The game’s only touchdown had the Saints up 16-9 after three quarters. The Titans moved the ball up and down the field but could not crack the end zone. In the fourth quarter Folk hit from 45. With 2:17 to play in the game, the Titans had 4th and 6 at the New Orleans 11 yard line. Mike Vrabel opted for a field goal and to trust his defense. Folk hit from 29 and the Titans trailed by one point. With 1:55 left the Saints faced 3rd and 6 at their own 33. Dennis Allen is a West Coast Offense guy, so everyone was expecting a dink and dunk with Dennis and Derek 2 yard pass. Not on this day. Carr wanted it all. He went bombs away to Shaheed for a 41 yard gain. With 1:39 left, it all came down to 3rd and 4 at the Tennessee 20. Williams got the carry and gained 11 yards. Carr knelt twice to get his first win in the Big Easy. 16-15 Saints 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings — The Buccaneers were supposed to be a mess as Bruce Arians and Tom Brady are now both retired. Todd Bowles is supposed to be a defensive mind who cannot run an offense. The Vikings were supposed to be one of the better teams in the league, especially at home. The Vikings fumbled on consecutive first quarter drives, with the latter one setting up a short field and a 36 yard Chase McLaughlin field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. The Vikings finally got going in the second quarter from their own 17. Kirk Cousins went to Justin Jefferson for 25 yards and to Chandler for 18 more. On 3rd and 11 from the Tampa 39, Cousins went deep to Addison for the touchdown and a 7-3 Vikings lead.

The Vikings got it back at their own 31 and moved to a 1st and goal at the 6 with a chance to take a commanding lead. Yet a pair of incompletions were sandwiched around a run that lost a yard. Greg Joseph hit a 25 yard field goal as the Vikings led 10-3 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the half. 

At the 2 minute warning, the game changed. Facing 3rd and 7 at their own 42, the Buccaneers caught a break the the Vikings jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 2, Baker Mayfield hit Chris Godwin for 14. With just over one minute left in the half, Mayfield went deep to Mike Evans for a 28 yard touchdown and a 10-10 ballgame. The Buccaneers began the third quarter with a staggering 16 play, 75 yard drive that consumed 9 minutes off the clock. On 3rd and 6 from their own 29, Mayfield hit Evans for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Minnesota 29, Mayfield hit Thompkins for 8. On 4th and 2 from the Minnesota 13, Todd Bowles played it safe and opted for the field goal. The kick was good but the Minnesota defense jumped offside. Bowles took the points off the board. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Mayfield hit Palmer for the touchdown. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, the Buccaneers led 17-10.

The Vikings responded with an almost identical 16 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive of their own. On 3rd and 3 from their own 32, Cousins hit TJ Hockenson for 8. Cousins found Oliver for 18. On 3rd and 13 from the Tampa Bay 33, Cousins found Addison for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 11, Mattison gained 2. The fourth quarter began with the Vikings facing 3rd and goal at the 5. Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a new set of downs. Cousins hit Mattison for a 4 yard touchdown. 90 seconds into the fourth quarter, the game was tied 17-17. The Buccaneers moved from their own 23 to a 4th and 3 at the Minnesota 39 with 5 minutes left in regulation. Todd Bowles took a major gamble with a 57 yard field goal try. mcLaughlin delivered to give the Buccaneers the lead. The Vikings quickly went 3 and out and the Buccaneers took over with 4 minutes left at their own 30. The Vikings took their last timeout on defense with 3 1/2 minutes left and the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 3 at the Minnesota 43. Mayfield scrambled for 4 yards. At the 2 minute warning on 3rd and 10 from the Minnesota 39, Mayfield hit Godwin for 11 and then took 3 knees for the upset win. 20-17 Buccaneers

San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers — Both of these teams were hyped as very good teams before the start of the season, but only one of them came to play this game. Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance were both shipped out of town, and Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy became the best feel-good story since Kurt Warner, taking the 49ers to the NFC Title Game last year. Purdy was back in the saddle and ready to prove last year was no fluke. A short 34 yard punt had the 49ers taking over at their own 46. Purdy went right to work. After getting stopped on 3rd and 1, Kyle Shanahan gambled on 4th and 1 from the Pittsburgh 45. Purdy hit George Kittle for 11. Christian McCaffrey ran for 9 and 17. Purdy hit Brandon Aiyuk for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. An interception of Kenny Pickett gave the 49ers a short field at the Pittsburgh 46. Moody hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 10-0 49ers.

The 49ers took over at their own 32. Christian McCaffrey ran for 5 and 11. The second quarter began with the 49ers facing 1st and 15 at the Pittsburgh 39 Purdy hit Deebo Samuel for 22 and Aiyuk for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 49ers. The 49ers got the ball back at midfield and Moody added a 32 yard field goal to make it 20-0 49ers. The Steelers somehow managed in the final 1:35 of the half to quickly go 95 yards for a touchdown, but nothing more. The 49ers defense clamped down in the second half. On the second play of the third quarter, McCaffrey raced for a 65 yard touchdown. Moody tacked on a fourth quarter field goal to complete the blowout. 30-7 49ers

Arizona Cardinals at Washington Commanders — Neither of these teams were supposed to be any good, but they put on a relatively decent game. The Commanders began a drive at their own 9 and got a break when a defensive personal foul for lowering the head to initiate contact added 15 yards. Shockingly, a second Arizona defender committed the same penalty 3 plays later for 15 more yards. Defensive pass interference added 37 more yards. Sam Howell hit Robinson for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Commanders. 67 yards on the 91 yard drive came on penalties. After a touchback, the Cardinals moved to a 3rd and 9 at the Washington 11. Joshua Dobbs, filling in for the injured Kyler Murray, threw incomplete. Matt Prater hit a 28 yard field goal to get the Cardinals on the board. On the second play of the second quarter, Howell was intercepted by Collins to set the Cardinals up at the Washington 37. The Cardinals offense went nowhere but Prater nailed a 54 yard field goal to get the Cardinals within 7-6. 

With one minute left in the half the Commanders moved from their own 12 to a 3rd and 10 at their own 26. Howell was sacked and fumbled. Thomas recovered the ball for the defense all the way back at the Washington 2 yard line and rumbled into the end zone. The Defensive touchdown made it 13-7 Cardinals. The Commanders took over at their own 19 with only 49 seconds left. Howell quickly hit Samuel for 18, Logan Thomas for 19, and Samuel again for 32. Joey Slye hit a 30 yard field goal to get the Commanders within 13-10 at the break. After a third quarter touchback, the Cardinals moved 56 yards in 11 plays and nearly 5 minutes. On 3rd and 11 from the Washington 19, Dobbs threw incomplete. Prater hit from 37 to make it 16-10 Cardinals. 

The Washington offense was going nowhere but the Arizona offense kept giving up the ball. On the last play of the third quarter facing 3rd and 15 from their own 35, Dobbs was sacked and fumbled. Payne recovered for the defense at the Arizona 29. On 3rd and goal from the Arizona 6, Howell ran it in. With 12 minutes left in regulation the Commanders reclaimed the lead 17-16. The Cardinals took over at their own 21 and moved to a 1st and 15 at their own 40 with 4 1/2 minutes left to play. Dobbs fumbled again and the Commanders recovered again. Additionally, another defensive penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct added 15 more yards to the Arizona 22. The Arizona defense held. Slye hit from 33 to put the Commanders up by 4, but they did not close the door. After a touchback, the Cardinals still had 2:23 to work with. Yet on 4th and 10 from their own 37, Dobbs threw incomplete as the rally fell short. 20-16 Commanders

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens — CJ Stroud’s first ever NFL game came on the road against one of the better teams in the league. The first half was surprisingly competitive. A field position game saw the Ravens eventually take over at their own 42. On 3rd and 1, Lamar Jackson got the yard and then ran for 11 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 32, Jackson went deep to Flowers for 21. JK Dobbins ran for a 4 yard touchdown as the Ravens led 7-0 after the opening quarter. Houston’s defense was stingy in the second quarter. Kaimi Fairbairn hit field goals of 35 and 38 yards as the Texans only trailed 7-6 at the midpoint. 

In the third quarter the Ravens turned out the lights. From his own 29, Jackson found Flowers for 20. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 46, Jackson went back to Flowers for 19 more and to Bateman for 18. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Justice Hill ran it in. John Harbaugh went for a 2 point conversion to make it a 2 score game. Edwards got in as the Ravens led 15-6. Yet the Ravens suffered a major blow on the drive as Dobbins went down with a torn achilles tendon. He is most likely out for the season. The entire Ravens business model is winning with hard running and defense. Harbaugh will turn to a committee of backs, with Jackson always being a threat. 

Demeco Ryans is a first time head coach in his rookie season with the Texans. To try and spark his team, he gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 42. The Baltimore defense stopped a run cold. With a short field, Edwards ran for 3 and 13. Defensive pass interference added 17. Hill ran for 4 and then for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 22-6 Ravens. The teams exchanged field goals in a quiet fourth quarter. 25-9 Ravens

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks — The Rams fell apart after winning it all 2 years ago, and this was supposed to be another rebuilding year. The Seahawks escaped the rebuilding mode and made the playoffs last year. Sean McVay knows offense and Pete Carroll knows defense. Home field rarely matters in this series, but the Seahawks on paper were supposed to win this one without much difficulty. After a touchback, the seahawks moved to a 1st and 10 at the Rams 12. A sack of Geno Smith killed the drive. Jason Myers hit from 36 to make it 3-0 Seahawks. 

The Rams soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Matthew Stafford hit Tyler Higbee for 7. Cam Akers ran for 12 and 2  On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 44, Williams ran for 9. On 3rd and 10 from the Seattle 35, Stafford hit Van Jefferson for just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 19, Stafford hit Higbee for 12. A 16 yard pass from Stafford to Nacua got the bay down to the one. Williams ran it in to cap the staggering 16 play, 75 yard drive that consumed over 9 minutes and put the Rams up 7-3. 

After a touchback the Seahawks mounted a long drive of their own. Smith went to Will Dissly for 10 and DK Metcalf for 9. Walker ran for 13. Smith culminated the 12 play, 75 yard 6 1/2 minute drive with a 10 yard touchdown pass to Metcalf to make it 10-7 Seahawks. The Seahawks got back just shy of midfield and moved in position for Myers to hit from 42. The Seahawks led 13-7, but the rest of the half was ridiculous. Just past the 2 minute warning, Brett Maher lined up for a 57 yard field goal try for the Rams. The kick was blocked. The Seahawks took over with a short field at the Rams 42. With 36 seconds left Myers came in for a 39 yard field goal. The kick doinked off the upright no good. The Rams took over at their own 29 with 30 seconds left and quickly moved to give Maher another shot from 56 yards out. He was no good again as the half ended.

The Rams began the third quarter facing 3rd and 4 at their own 30. Stafford hit Nacua for 5 and again for 11. On 3rd and 8 from his own 48, Stafford went deep to Atwell for 44. Williams then ran for a 7 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 76 yard, 6 minute drive and give the Rams the 14-13 lead. The Rams got it back at their own 20 and moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Seattle 20. A run went nowhere and Stafford threw incomplete, but Maher hit from 38 to make it 17-13 Rams. The Rams got it back and on the last play of the third quarter faced 3rd and 1 at their own 30. Stafford gained 2. Stafford began the fourth quarter by going to Atwell for big gains of 15, 21 and 14. On 3rd and 11 form the Seattle 13, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive illegal use of hands meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and goal at the one, Stafford threw incomplete. Sean McVay gambled and on 4th and goal, Akers got around the left end for another touchdown and a 24-13 Rams lead. Maher tacked on field goals of 54 and 45, the latter coming with 11 seconds left. The Rams scored on all 5 second half drives to turn a deficit into a blowout win. 30-13 Rams  

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos — The Raiders had beaten the Broncos 6 straight times, but this was expected to be an easy win for the Broncos. Josh McDaniels was in the process of destroying the Raiders as he had previously done with the Broncos. He replaced Derek Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo, angered Josh Jacobs and Devontae Adams, and alienated Chandler Jones to the point where he refused to play and may leave the team. The Broncos on the other hand brought in Sean Payton, who was expected to immediately revive Russell Wilson. The Broncos ownership has more money than virtually anyone to lavish on future free agents. With the home crowd, the Broncos were ready to roll over the hapless Raiders. Instead, the game turned out to be a typically ugly Raiders-Broncos matchup that both teams did everything they could to lose.

Sean Payton decided to start his tenure with the Broncos in the biggest way possible. He began the season with a surprise onside kick. This worked for him in the Super Bowl that made him a champion. This onside kick also was recovered by his team, but it was all for naught as one of the Broncos players was ruled to  have touched the ball before it went the full 10 yards. It was a very close call, but the Raiders began their season with a short field at the Denver 44. On 3rd and 1, Josh McDaniels was supposed to just hand the  ball off to Josh Jacobs. Instead, Garoppolo to t he quarterback sneak and was stopped cold. McDaniels then gambled on 4th and 1. Again he refused to call a handoff. A high risk, low percentage play worked when Garoppolo found Dams for 13 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 19, Garoppolo gained 8, with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 6 more. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Garoppolo hit Jakobi Myers for the touchdown. The Raiders were gifted a 7-0 lead. 

Naturally, this was supposed to be the year that the Raiders finally fixed their defense, which has been awful for over a decade. Instead, the Broncos marched 86 yards in 14 plays, taking nearly 9 minutes off the clock. Wilson hit Adam Trautman for 6 and Johnson for 21 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Raiders 43, Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 5 yards and a new set of downs. Same old dumb Raiders mistakes. On 3rd and 10 from the Raiders 38, Wilson hit Dulcich for 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Raiders 18, Wilson hit Trautman for 15. Lil-Jordan Humphrey ran for a 5 yard touchdown. Wil Lutz, who was personally brought over by Sean Payton from New Orleans,missed the extra point. The very popular Brandon McManus was jettisoned by Payton, and the Broncos trailed 7–6.  

The Raiders actually mounted a real offensive drive after a touchback, moving to a 3rd and goal at the 5. Yet Garoppolo threw incomplete. Daniel Carlson hit from 24 to make it 10-6 Raiders. The defense had played well enough, but the Broncos took over at their own 25 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half and quickly shredded that defense. Wilson hit Dulcich for 9 and Perine for 6 and 10. On 3rd nd 6 from the Raiders 37, Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 17 yards. More dumb Raiders mistakes. With 12 seconds left, Wilson hit Cortland Sutton for a 5 yard touchdown. The Broncos led 13-10 at the half and had all the momentum. The Broncos took that momentum in the third quarter and moved from their own 26 to a 4th and 3 from the Raiders 37. Lutz came in for a 55 yard field goal try. The kick was no good. 

The Raiders from their own 45 mounted a mind-numbing 18…yes, 18…plays. They took 7 1/2 minutes loonily go less than 50 yards. They had 1st and goal at the one. Naturally, Garoppolo fumbled the snap. He was lucky enough to recover. On 2nd and goal at the one, rather than hand the ball to Jacobs, McDaniels for some imbecilic reason called a pass play. The imbecilic reason is his own ego. He worships West Coast Offense dink and dunk passes, which is Garoppolo’s specialty. Garoppolo doesn’t have Derek Carr’s arm strength. Garoppolo threw incomplete, but an illegal formation moved the raiders back. On 2nd and goal at the 6, McDaniels called another pass play. He is allergic to smash mouth football. Garoppolo threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal at the 6, even another incompletion could be followed by the tying field goal. That was too much to ask. Carlson never got a chance. Garoppolo’s pass was batted in the end zone high in the air and intercepted. The entire drive was for nothing. 

The Broncos mounted their own ridiculous drive of 16 plays, 75 yards, and over 8 minutes. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 5, it was Sean Payton refusing to play ground and pound. Wilson threw incomplete twice. Lutz hit the 24 yard field goal as the Broncos led 16-10 midway through the fourth quarter. After a touchback, Garoppolo found Adams for 18 yards. Then he went to Meyers for 16 more. A rouging the passer call added 15 more. This time it was the Broncos being dumber than the Raiders. Garoppolo hit Austin Hooper for 20. Then Garoppolo hit Meyers for a 6 yard touchdown. With 6 1;/2 minutes left in regulation, the Raiders actually had a one point lead. Now it was up to the defense to fold in typical fashion.

Yet they didn’t. With 5 minutes left, Payton on 4th and 3 from his own 32 opted to punt. The Raiders took over at their own 31. The smart money was on them giving the ball back again. This time after one short pass, McDaniels did the right thing and gave the ball to Jacobs, who gained 6 and 5. On 3rd and 8 from their own 44, Garoppolo hit Meyers for only 7. Yet Meyers got belted in the head. The play call was awful because McDaniels did not have Garoppolo throw past the first down marker. Yet the Broncos penalty was much dumber. Instead of 4th and 1, the Raiders were gifted another 15 yards and another first down. At the 2 minute warning the Raiders fa ed 3rd and 7 at the Denver 31. Garoppolo rolled out and appeared to be trying to push the Raiders out of easy field goal range. Yet rather than pass, Garoppolo did the smart thing. He tucked the ball, ran, gained 8 yards and a first down, and slid inbounds. It was over. He took 3 knees. The Raiders got the hideously ugly win, but Al Davis’s maxim is still true. Just win baby. The Raiders are 1-0 and in sole possession of 1st place in the AFC West. Enjoy it while it lasts. 17-16 Raiders

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears — For 30 years the Packers tormented the Bears with superior quarterback play from Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. With Favre on his Mississippi ranch and Rodgers forcing his way out to a trade to the Jets, the entire world wondered if Jordan Love could play. For the first time in 30 years, the Bears had hopes of finally turning the tables. The Bears began at their own 12 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at their own 40. Matt Eberflus had Cole Kmet take the direct snap and get stopped cold. So Eberflus gambled on 4th and 1 in his own territory. This time Fields kept it himself and also got stopped cold. The Packers took the short field and soon faced 3rd and 13. Love then hit Doubs for just enough. Aaron Jones ran for 7, 3, 6, and on 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 12, 7. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Love hit Doubs for his first touchdown as the starting Packers quarterback. It took 11 plays and 5 1/2 minutes to go a mere 40 yards, but the Packers led 7-0. The rest of the half belonged to the kickers as Cairo santos hit from 47 and in the second quarter from 29 to get the Bears within 7-6. 

Carlson nailed a 52 yarder at the gun as the Packers took a 10-6 lead to the locker rooms. Then they broke the game open in the third quarter. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Love got the yard. Jones gained 7 and then took a short pass from Love 51 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Jones got in to make it 17-6 Packers. A 35 yard punt return gave the Packers a short field at the Chicago 42. Matt LaFleur gambled on 4th and 3. A short pass from Love to Jones went for a 35 yard touchdown and a 24-6 Packers lead. Justin fields did throw a 20 yard touchdown pass and with a 2 point conversion got the Bears within 24-14. Yet in the fourth quarter the Packers turned out the lights. On 3rd and 8 from their own 41, a short pass from Love to Reed went for 18. Love then went deep to Musgrave for 37. Love hit Doubs for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 31-14 Packers. 3 plays later with the bears facing 3rd and 11 at their own 24, Fields was intercepted by Walker. Walker returned the pick 37 yards for the defensive exclamation point touchdown to make it 38-14 Packers. The Bears got a garbage touchdown, but the results were the same. New quarterback. Same Packers. Same Bears. 38-20 Packers

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers — Last year the Dolphins missed the playoffs and the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead in the Wildcard round to get bounced out on the final play. Tua Tagovailoa was drafted one spot ahead of Justin Herbert. Herbert has been brilliant, but Tagovailoa has been hobbled by injuries. When healthy, he has shown flashes of greatness as well. This game was not as big as Dan Fouts and Don Strock in the 1981 season’s epic playoff match, but it was still a thrilling battle to the finish between 2 teams with lots of promise. The Dolphins after a touchback quickly moved to a 1st and goal at the 2. Tagovailoa fumbled the snap and the Chargers recovered at their own 6. 

On 3rd and 4, Herbert gained 5. Herbert went deep to Keenan Allen for 36 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the Miami 35, Herbert again gained 5. Austin keeper ran for 6 and Kelley added 6 and 10. The 9th consecutive running play came on 3rd and goal at the one. Ekeler got in. The 14 play, 94 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Chargers. After a touchback, Tagovailoa went to cracraft for 24. Raheem Mostert gained 10. On 3rd and 8 from the Chargers 39, Tagovailoa hit Braxton Berrios for 11. A defensive facemark penalty on Joey Bosa added 14. Mostert gained 12 and then scored the 2 yard touchdown for a 7-7 game.

The Dolphins got it back at their own 23 to start the second quarter and Tagovailoa hit Tyreek Hill for 29 and again for 28. Tagovailoa then hit Alec Ingold for 15. Yet on 1st and goal at the 5, Tagovailoa threw 3 straight incompletions. Jason Sanders hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Dolphins. After a touchback and a couple of short runs, Ekeler ripped off a 55 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Herbert hit Donald Parham for the touchdown to make it 14-10 Chargers. The Dolphins took over at their own 20. Tagovailoa went to Smythe for 18 and again for 16. With 3 minutes left in the half, Mike McDaniel decided to gamble on 4th and 7 from the Chargers 42. Tagovailoa hit Smythe for 10. Tagovailoa then found hill for gains of 19, 4, and 8 down to the one. Tagovailoa hit Cracraft for the touchdown to put the Dolphins up 17-14 with 1:42 left in the half. 

The Chargers moved quickly after a touchback. With 9 seconds left in the half, Cameron Dicker hit a 50 yard field goal to tie the game 17-17. Yet after a touchback, Mike McDaniel was not about to take a knee. Tagovailoa hit Jalen Waddle for 22, leaving only 2 seconds. The desperation pass fell incomplete, but in a rarely called penalty, defensive pass interference gifted the Dolphins 30 yards. Sanders hit from 41 to end the half with the Dolphins back on top 20-17. The second half was even wilder. 

After a third quarter touchback, runs and short passes had the Chargers facing 2nd and 5 at the Miami 47. Kelley then ran for 14 and Ekeler added 11. Defensive pass interference added 13 yards down to the 5. Another defensive pass interference penalty put the ball on the one. Herbert got in to finish the 11 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 24-20 Chargers. The Dolphins moved from their own 25 as Tagovailoa went deep to hill for 30 yards. Yet on 3rd and 12 from the Chargers 26, Tagovialoa was intercepted. The Chargers had to punt on 4th and 13 from their own one. A short punt meant a short field for the Dolphins at the Chargers 35. One play was enough for Tagovailoa to hit Hill for the touchdown and reclaim the lead for the Dolphins 27-24. 

After a touchback, Herbert connected with Ekeler for a 35 yard gain. Herbert hit Everett for 11. The fourth quarter began with the Chargers facing 3rd and 1 at the Miami 10. Kelley gained 3. Kelley ran for a 2 yard touchdown to again give the Chargers the 31-27 lead in this topsy turvy game. The Dolphins moved after a touchback to a 1st and 10 at the Chargers 30. A swing pass to Hill was blown up for a 5 yard loss, killing the drive. Sanders hit from 45 to get the Dolphins within 31-30. The Chargers after a touchback moved all the way to a 3rd and 5 at the Miami 7 with 4 minutes left in regulation. They had a chance to ice the game. Herbert threw incomplete. Dicker hit the 25 yard field goal as the Chargers led 34-30. Yet they left the door open. This wild game was headed for a wild finish.

On 3rd and 10 from his own 25, Tagovailoa went deep to Hill for 47 yards. Tagovailoa then hit Cracraft for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Tagovailoa hit Hill for the touchdown. Sanders missed the extra point, so the Dolphins only led by 2 points. The Chargers had 1:45 left needing only a field goal to win. Yet an intentional grounding penalty and a sack had the Chargers facing 4th and 12 at their own 33. Herbert was sacked again as the Dolphins survived this instant classic. The Chargers rushed for 234 yards. Herbert played mistake-free football. Yet Tagovailoa threw for a mind-boggling 466 yards and 3 touchdown passes with one interception. More importantly for him, his last touchdown pass was decisive. A playoff rematch between these teams would be eagerly anticipated. 36-34 Dolphins 

Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots — These teams met in 2 Super Bowls, with each team winning one. The names of the Eagles change, but Bill Belichick is still coaching the Patriots. Tom Brady is long gone, and Mac Jones regressed last year. The Eagles are the defending NFC champions, and early on they looked it.  After an opening touchback, they drove to a 3rd and goal at the 6. Jalen Hurts was sacked. Jake Elliott hit the 32 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Eagles. Jones moved the Patriots from their own 24 to a 3rd and 5 at the Philadelphia 42. Jones then threw a pass meant for Kendrick Bourne that was intercepted by Darrius Slay and returned 70 yards the other way. The defensive touchdown made it 10-0 Eagles. One play after a touchback, a short completion by Jones was fumbled and recovered by the Eagles at the New England 26. Four plays later Hurts found Davonta Smith for a 5 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Eagles were dominating 16-0 after the first quarter.

For those wondering if Bill Belichick would get blown out 64-0 at home, he would not. In the second quarter the Patriots faced 3rd and 6 at their own 33. Jones went to Mike Gesicki for 9. On 3rd and 10 from his own 42, Jones hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 15, Douglas for 23, Ty Montgomery for 11, and Hunter Henry for a 9 yard touchdown to get the Patriots on the board with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Patriots got it back at their own 37 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Jones went to Henry for consecutive 13 yard gains. With 25 seconds left, Jones found Bourne for a 19 yard touchdown. After getting blown out early, the Patriots only trailed 16-14 at the intermission. 

The second half was uglier. It looked like the Eagles would slowly grind down the Patriots with field goals. Elliott leveled a 56 yarder in the third quarter and then connected from 48 and 51 in the fourth quarter to give the Eagles a 25-14 lead with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Yet the Patriots fought back. After a touchback, Jones went to Stevenson for a 32 yard gain, to Douglas for 16, to Stevenson again for 11, and to Bourne for an 11 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Patriots were very much alive down by 5 with 3 1/2 minutes left. The Eagles took over at their own 27 and disaster immediately struck. Hurts fumbled and the Patriots recovered at the Philadelphia 41. They had plenty of time and a short field to grind out a win themselves. They went backward and on 4th and 17, Jones threw incomplete. Yet the eagles could not put the game away either. Just past the 2 minute warning, Nick Sirianni gambled on 4th and 2 at the New England 44 rather than punt the ball. Hurts threw incomplete and again the Patriots had life and great field position. With 27 seconds left, the Patriots had 4th and 11 at the Philly 20. Jones went to Boutte for 12 and the home crowd celebrated. Yet on further review, Boutte was ruled to not have both feet inbounds. It was a brutally close call and a tough home loss for the Patriots. 25-20 Eagles

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants is the Sunday night game. In the first week of the 1995 NFL season, the Cowboys went into Giants stadium on Monday Night Football. The Cowboys scored on the first play and humiliated the Giants 35-0 en route to their most recent Super Bowl title. This Game in 2023 kicked off the season on Sunday Night Football. With the 9/11 anniversary one day away, the Giants wrapped themselves in the American flag. The drove straight down the field after a touchback to a 3rd and 2 at the Dallas 8 yard line. Then came a false start. Then came a bad snap, a fumble, and a 14 yard loss. Yet a makable field goal of 45 yards would still give the Giants the lead. Instead the kick was blocked and returned 58 yards for a touchdown the other way by Noah Igbinoghene. The extra point was no good, but the Cowboys led 6-0 in front of a shellshocked crowd at Metlife Stadium. 

The Giants misery was just getting started. After going 3 and out, the Giants punted and the Cowboys moved from their own 26 to a 3rd and goal at the 2. Dak Prescott threw incomplete, but Aubrey made the 21 yard field goal. The Cowboys led 9-0, but the defensive stand seemed like  moral victory for the Giants.Yet 3 plays after a touchback, this game was effectively over. On 3rd and 19 from his own 16, Jones was intercepted by Bland, who returned the pick 22 yards for another touchdown. The Cowboys led 16-0 after the first quarter and were just getting started. In the second quarter Aubrey hit again from 38. One play after a touchback, Jones was intercepted again to give the Cowboys a short field at the Giants 34. Tony Pollard ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 26-0 Cowboys. The last chance for any dignity evaporated when Graham Gano missed a 36 yard field goal try for the Giants. The uneventful second half saw Pollard cap off a 75 yard drive with a one yard touchdown in the third quarter and Turpin run for a 7 yard fourth quarter touchdown to conclude the Royal Blue black and blue beatdown over not-so-Big Blue. The Giants were so bad that New Yorkers were debating whether to claim the G-Men were from New Jersey. As for the Cowboys, Jerry Jones hypes them every year. This year Jerrah’s hype might be real. 40-0 Cowboys 

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets is the Monday night game. In the first Monday night football game after the September 11th attacks, the Jets were supposed to inspire the home crowd. They lost. 22 years later, they were playing on Monday Night Football on the anniversary of 9/11. For the first time since 1999, the Jets were talked about as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. After the 1998 Jets reached the AFC Title Game, the 1999 Jets deserved to be the favorite. In the first quarter of that game, Vinny Testaverde went down without being touched. He suffered a ruptured achilles tendon and was out for the season. The Jets were done and Bill Parcells left after the season. This 2023 Jets team acquired Aaron Rodgers. He was still playing at a Hall of Fame level. Yes, the Bills had emotion on their side as well. Damar Hamlin’s miracle journey saw him return to football after nearly dying on the field in a game last year. Yet the Jets had the home crowd at Metlife Stadium and all the 9/11 hometown goodwill. Rodgers was the last piece of the puzzle. Then the game started. 

The Jets began their first possession at their own 12 yard line. On the 4th play from scrimmage with the Jets facing 1st and 10 at their own 43, the entire AFC East landscape changed. Rodgers was sacked. He was in terrible pain and managed to walk to the sideline. Yet he did not return to the game. Even worse he had ruptured his achilles tendon. After only 4 snaps with the Jets, Rodgers was out for the season. Now the Jets had to try and win with Zach Wilson, who regressed so badly last year that Rodgers was brought in to replace him. Yet now the team had to try and rally around Wilson. 

On his first drive, the Jets punted and the Bills took over at their own 23. They moved to a 4th and 2 at the Jets 22. Sean McDermott decided not to gamble on the road. Tyler Bass hit the 40 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bills. Yet Allen had a very tough night. Early in the second quarter, Allen was intercepted on  deep ball. The Jets were pinned at their own 4 yard line, but Are Hall gashed the defense to an 83 yard gain. His effort was wasted when Wilson on 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 8 threw incomplete. Greg Zuerlein hit from 26 for a 3-3 game. 

The Bills soon faced 2nd and 15 at their own 20. Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 18. On 3rd and 2 from his own 46, Allen gained 6. Cook added 12 more. Allen went deep to Davis for 26. On 3rd and 4 from the Jets 5, Allen hit Diggs for the game’s first touchdown. With less then 5 minutes left in the half, the Bills led 10-3. Three plays later, Wilson was intercepted. The Bills took over at midfield. Bass hit a 34 yard field goal to make it 13-3 Bills at the half. This game seemed over. 

The Jets were resilient, especially Robert Saleh’s defense. On 3rd and 10 from their own 25, Wilson hit non-relative Wilson for 12. Wilson then went to Cook for 7 and Hall for 20. The drive stalled but Zuerlein hit from 43 to get the Jets within 13-6. The Bills moved after a touchback to a 2nd and 13 at the Jets 41. Allen went deep to the end zone and was intercepted again. Early in the fourth quarter the Bills moved from their own 15 to a 3rd and 2 at their own 43. Allen was intercepted a third time to give the Jets the ball at their own 43. On 3rd and 5, Wilson hit newly acquired Rodgers teammate Allan Lazard for 24. On 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 23. Wilson hit non-relative Wilson again for 14. Wilson finally went to non-Wilson for a 3 yard touchdown. The game was tied 13-13 with 5 minutes left. It was about to get completely crazy. 

On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Allen followed up his 3 interceptions by fumbling the ball away. The jets recovered with gift field position at the Buffalo 27. They tried to take down as much clock as possible. Yet they settled for a 30 yard Zuerlein field goal. The Jets led 16-13, but 1:48 still remained. The Bills after a touchback still had one timeout left. Allen hit Davis for 6 and Diggs for 15 and 10. A spike and a pair of incompletions left 2 seconds on the clock. Bass came in for a 50 yard field goal try to tie the game. As everyone held their breath, Bass’s kick doinked off the upright but got a favorable carom through. The kick was good. This game was headed to overtime. Yet barely one minute into overtime, the game was over. The Bills punted, and Xavier Gipson retuned it 65 yards through traffic for the winning touchdown. The Bills screamed about the officials missing a clipping penalty, but the score stood. The worst news about Rodgers was confirmed the day after the game. He is out for the year. Wilson is the guy this year. For those again claiming JETS stands for Just End The Season, they won this game. On 9/11 of 2023, the Jets delivered for the FDNY, NYPD, and the whole city. The game will be remembered here forever. 22-16 Jets, OT

NFL 2023 Week 1 Prequel

Thursday, September 7, 2023, 8pm

Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs (-5 1/2) — Yes, football is back. yes, for the first time in 30 years, the Lions have real expectations. Yes, Dan Campbell is more than a dumb jock. Yes, their 2022 regular season finale going into Green Bay was a big win. No, they do not have a chance in this game. The Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions looking to build a dynasty. With Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and the Arrowhead crowd, this game could be over by halftime. The Lions are improving. The Chiefs are great. Chiefs cover

Sunday, September 10, 1pm

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-3 1/2) — Does anyone even know who coaches or plays for these teams anymore? The Panthers feature top overall pick Bryce Young starting in his very first game. The Falcons start Desmond Ridder. Trying to figure out who they throw the ball to or hand it off to would take too much time. Neither of these teams will be any good. Go with the home field in a close game. Falcons win but fail to cover.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-5) at Indianapolis Colts — Doug Pederson gave the Jaguars instant respect, and Trevor Lawrence led a playoff win for the ages. The Jaguars fell behind 27-0 and won 31-30non the final play. The Colts start rookie Anthony Richardson. The Colts were so good for so long that it’s hard to see them as bad, but new coach Shane Steichen has little to work with. Star running back Jonathan Taylor is holding out in a contract dispute. Pederson’s defense will feast on Richardson. The spread is high for a road team, but the talent gain is that wide. Jaguars cover

Cincinnati Bengals (-2 1/2) at Cleveland Browns — For a long time, this was a battle of bad teams. Now the Bengals are an elite team while the Browns remain themselves. With Joe Burrow, the Bengals have swagger. With their defense, they have a clear advantage. Deshaun Watson needs to show that he is the quarterback he was three years ago before getting the benefit of the doubt. Bengals cover

Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints (-3) — The Titans are a tough, physical team in Mike Vrabel’s image, but injuries also year saw a 7-3 start go down in flames with 7 straight losses. The Saints are the big story. Dennis Allen is a great defensive coordinator, but is he head coaching material? He is now out of excuses. He has Derek Carr, who gave everything to the Raiders in exchange for the back of their hand. Carr has a chip on his shoulder and is eager to show the NFL world that he is elite. Unlike the Raiders, the Saints have a defense. In the opener, take the home field and the emotion. Saints cover

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings (-6) — For some reason, Baker Mayfield has been a journeyman. The guy is tough. He can play. So can Kirk Cousins, who is under heavy pressure to show that he is still the guy. Mayfield has lifted inferior talent before, but this will most likely be the year that Todd Bowles gets fired. Bowles is a great defensive mind who has shown no ability to get an offense going. The Vikings jettison Dalvin Cook, a head-scratching move. Yet at home against a depleted Buccaneers squad, the men in Purple should roll. Vikings cover

San Francisco 49ers (-2 1/2) at Pittsburgh Steelers — The battle between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance saw them both get injured and both get traded away. Now Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy is tall in the saddle. The Steelers need to find out if Kenny Pickett can truly play. Mike Tomlin remains an underrated coach, but this is not the week to test that. Kyle Shanahan has a nasty defense. For a West Coast Offense guy, Shanahan is willing to win ugly. 49ers cover

Arizona Cardinals at Washington Commanders (-7) — The Cardinals are a dumpster fire and Kyler Murray regressed. With Murray injured, Joshua Dobbs gets the start. Riverboat Ron Rivera is still taking big risks. Rivera named rookie Sam Howell as the starter over experienced quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Rivera knows defense, and he will release the hounds after Dobbs. Howell will not be asked to do too much. The spread is high, but the Cardinals are truly wretched. Commanders cover

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens (-10) — This game could get ugly very early. The Texans are among the worst teams in the league. The Ravens are still very good. John Harbaugh knows how to win with power football. Lamar Jackson is still a thrilling duel threat. The Ravens are known for running the ball and playing defense. That formula has not changed since they began their existence in 1996. CJ Stroud will be playing his very first NFL game. The Ravens defense will give him a cold welcome. Ravens cover

4pm

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (-5 1/2) — Both teams have regressed since their glory days, but they both have stud coaches. Sean McVay knows offense and Pete Carroll knows defense. Aaron Donald chose millions of dollars over retirement. Yet the Rams are simply not who they were two years ago. The Rams seem old. The Seahawks seem young, as Carroll remains the oldest coach in the league while appearing young and happy. Carroll has revitalized Geno Smith. These teams are mirror images of each other, so expect a nasty dogfight that could go down to the wire. Although home field rarely matters in this series, go with the emotional 12th man in the opener. Seahawks win but fail to cover

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos (-3 1/2) — Both teams are bad, but the Broncos are expected to immediately get better. They have the richest owners in sports and Sean Payton brings instant credibility. He will fix Russell Wilson. The Raiders are a disaster. They got rid of Derek Carr, the heart and soul of their team. They refuse to pay give running back Josh Jacobs a new deal, although he did report to headquarters. Josh McDaniels is great at destroying teams. The Raiders have beaten the Broncos 6 straight times, but that streak ends here. These teams are headed in opposite directions. Broncos cover

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (-1) — For 30 years, the Packers dominated the Bears. Can Jordan Love play? Nobody knows. Yet with Aaron Rodgers gone, an automatic Green Bay win is no longer a thing. This is the year we find out if the twin Matts LaFleur and Eberflus can actually coach. This is the year Love and his counterpart Justin Fields have to show who they are. If the Bears cannot win this game, they may never beat their oldest rival again in this decade. Bears cover

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers (-3) — Yes, Justin Herbert is better than Tua Tagovailoa. Herbert stays in the pocket. Tagovailoa runs around and gets killed. Mike McDaniel may look like he’s 12, but he can coach. Brandon Staley is a terrible coach who makes mind-numbingly risky decisions due to arrogance. The Chargers talent is often overhyped, but this team has truly underachieved on his watch. One year after being knocked out of the playoff race by the Raiders, Staley saw his team blow a 27-0 playoff led in an epic 31-30 loss to Jacksonville. The Chargers are loaded, and Tagovailoa does not get the benefit of the doubt until he stays healthy and strings some wins together. Chargers cover

Philadelphia Eagles (-4) at New England Patriots — The Eagles lost the Super Bowl but kept their nucleus. For the first time in over 23 years, Bill Belichick is being questioned. Mac Jones has regressed, but Belichick had success in the league before Tom Brady. Belichick at his core is about smash mouth and defense. Raimondre Stevens can pound the rock, and the Patriots defense is good. On paper the Eagles are better, but at home with the wolves circling, look for Belichick to again prove the naysayers wrong. Upset special, Patriots win outright.

8pm

Dallas Cowboys (-3) at New York Giants — Once again, the Dallas Cowboys have big expectations. Once again, those expectations are misplaced. Dak Prescott is good but not elite. Micah Parsons can’t play all by himself on defense, but he does have help now. The Giants went all in with Daniel Jones, which still seems like a mistake. Brian Daboll had a great rookie season as coach, but so did Ben McAdoo. While this game will be played in the shadow ow the 9/11 anniversary, patriotism won’t save the G-Men. Prescott is better than Jones and the Cowboys have the better defense. Cowboys cover

Monday, September 11, 8pm

Buffalo Bills (-2 1/2) at New York Jets — This game will be played on 9/11, but do not expect the Jets to play inspired football. Heck, they lost their first home game after the 9/11 attacks, also on Monday night. Aaron Rodgers is a great player, but his final game in Green Bay was a disaster. Detroit hit Green Bay in the mouth, knocked the Packers out of the playoff race, and knocked Rodgers out of Green Bay. The Jets have high expectations, but it takes time for a team to gel. The Bills have the experience. Sean McDermott and Robert sales both know defense, but McDermott usually wins these battles. Josh Allen is elite. Yes, the home crowd will be emotional, but the Bills will have emotion as well. Damar Hamlin nearly died in a football game last year. This walking miracle of a man is not only alive but back on the field. While a person risks getting punched by calling the Bills the only true New York team, in this game they are the better team. Bills cover