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
