NFL 2017 Week 3 Recap
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers was the Thursday night game. Sometimes a pair of boring teams can come together and play a very exciting game. This actually was that game. Four days after a solid defense could not make up for an anemic offense, the 49ers flipped the script. This game was so beautiful that even the Thursday night Teletubbies uniforms the players wore looked beautiful. Jared Goff finished 22 of 28 for 292 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Bryan Hoyer was 23 of 37 for 332 yards, 2 touchdowns and one interception. Early on it looked like the 49ers would get blown out again. On the first play from scrimmage, Hoyer was intercepted by Robey, who returned it 25 yards to the San Francisco 3 yard line. Todd Gurley scored on the next play for a 7-0 Rams lead only 12 seconds into the game, but it was Hoyer’s last mistake of the game.
The 49ers got it back at their own 19 yard line. The 49ers would have to punt on 4th and 2 just shy of midfield, but the Rams were offside on the punt. The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 4 at the Rams 40, and Hoyer hit Breida for 12 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Rams 9, Hoyer scrambled for the touchdown himself. The 14 play, 81 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive made it a 7-7 ballgame. The Rams came back and faced 3rd and 7 at their own 28. Goff was sacked for a 12 yard loss, but defensive holding kept the drive going. From the Rams 37, Goff went deep to Woods for a 31 yard gain and Carrier for 17 more. On 3rd and 2 from the San Francisco 7, Goff hit Gurley for the score to make it 14-7 Rams.
The 49ers again took over at their own 19 and soon faced a 2nd and 8 from the Rams 39. Mostert got the carry and fumbled the ball away. The Rams took over at their own 32. After gains of 10 and 5 by Gurley, Goff hit Woods for 21 yards. On the first play of the second quarter, Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein hit a 48 yard field goal to make it 17-7 Rams. After a touchback, the 49ers moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Rams 43. Hoyer threw incomplete and the 49ers punted. The Rams fumbled the punt and the 49ers had a golden chance when they recovered at the Rams 12. They squandered the chance as a pair of offensive penalties moved them backward. Robbie Gould hit a 36 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 17-10.
The Rams went 3 and out and the 49ers took over at their own 23. Hoyer went deep to Juszczyk for a 34 yard gain. On 3rd and 17 from midfield, Hoyer hit Pierre Garcon for an 18 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Rams 26, Hoyer was sacked for a 4 yard loss. Gould hit a 48 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 17-13 with 3:45 left in the half. After a touchback, the Rams moved down the field. From their own 41, Goff hit Sammy Watkins for a 22 yard gain. With 1:24 left in the half, the Rams faced a critical 3rd and 3 at the San Francisco 30. Goff hit Cooper Kupp for a 13 yard gain and Woods for 13 more. Gurley ran it in from yards out as the Rams took a 24-13 lead to the locker rooms in a game where the offenses were just getting warmed up.
After a touchback to start the second half, the Rams immediately went to work. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Gurley gained 5. On the next play Goff went deep to Watkins for a 47 yard gain. On 3rd and 5 from the San Francisco 9, Goff threw incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. The Rams had a chance to put the game away. After a false start, a short completion set up 2nd and goal at the 2. Gurley gained one yard, and on 3rd and goal at the one, Gurley was stopped. On 4th and goal at the one, Sean McVay decided to kick the field goal. Zuerlein hit the 19 yarder for a 27-13 Rams lead, but after 10 plays, 74 yards and 6 minutes, they left the door open.
After a touchback, Hoyer hit Garcon for a 19 yard gain with 15 more tacked on for rushing the passer. Initially the call was incomplete, but Kyle Shanahan successfully challenged the call. On 3rd and 10 from the Rams 23, Hoyer hit Robinson for 17 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 6. Carlos Hyde gained 5 yards, but from the one he got stopped on 2nd and 3rd and goal. On 4th and goal at the one, Shanahan made the call that McVay did not. Shanahan went for it, and Hyde got the ball again. No tricks, no surprises, just smashouth football. Hyde got in and the 49ers were within 27-20.
The Rams soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Goff hit Watkins for 15 and Woods for 9 more. From the Frisco 34, Goff hit Woods for 25 yards. Tavon Austin ran it in, but on further review was ruled down at the one. It was still 1st and goal due to a horse collar tackle. Twice Gurley got the carry and twice he got stopped. This time McVay did not have to make the toughest of calls. On 3rd and goal at the one, Goff hit Watkins for the touchdown. After three quarters the Rams led 34-20, but this game was far from over.
On the last play of the third quarter, Hoyer went deep to Goodwin for a 50 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Rams 17, Hoyer hit Hyde for a 5 yard gain and Taylor for 11 more. From the one, Hoyer hit Greg Celek for the score. With 13 minutes left in regulation the 49ers were right back in it. However, in a game of key plays, the normally automatic Gould missed the extra point as the 49ers were down 34-26.
After a touchback, Gurley immediately broke free for a 29 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from the San Francisco 46, Goff hit Gurley for a 27 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the 13, Goff hit Watkins for the touchdown. with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Rams had a comfortable 41-26 lead. That comfort would not last for long. In a game dominated by the offenses, a rare pair of defensive stops led to a pair of punts. The 49ers got it back at their own 36 with 6 1/2 minutes left.
Hoyer immediately went deep to Pierre Garcon for a 59 yard gain to set up 1st and goal at the 5. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Hoyer hit Taylor for the touchdown. With 5 minutes left to play the 49ers were within 41-33. Shanahan decided not to go onside, instead opting to kick it deep. The 49ers got an immediate break when the Rams fumbled the kick and the 49ers recovered at the Rams 29. On 3rd and 3, Hoyer hit Garcon for 7 and Goodwin for 12 more. On 1st and goal at the 3, Hyde gained 2. After an incomplete pass, Hyde failed to get in on 3rd and goal. Again, the game saw a crucial 4th and goal at the one. 2:17 remained in regulation. Again, Shanahan planned nothing flashy. This was pure attitude time. Hyde got the carry and got in for the touchdown.
Gould’s earlier extra point miss was now looming large. Instead of trying the tying extra point, the 49ers had to try a 2 point conversion to tie the game. Despite a valiant comeback, this time Hoyer’s pass to Taylor fell incomplete. The 49ers were still down 2 points, and needed an onside kick. This time Gould delivered a beauty and the 49ers recovered at midfield. With 2:10 to play, the 49ers had a chance to pull off a stunning comeback. At the 2 minute warning, the 49ers faced 3rd and 10. Hoyer hit Taylor for 11 yards, and the 49ers were within very long field goal range. However, offensive pass interference on Taylor nullified the gain and instead put the 49ers back to 3rd and 20 at their own 40. After an incompletion, on 4th down, Hoyer was sacked. On 3rd and 10 at the 49ers 31 and San Francisco out of timeouts with 53 seconds left, one stop would give them one more chance. Gurley ran for 20 yards and that chance evaporated. The game 49ers fell to 0-3 while the 2-1 Rams were lucky to survive. The real winners were the fans, who got treated to a thrilling Thursday night football game. 41-39 Rams
Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars was the Sunday morning London game. Both teams kneeled for the national anthem but only one team got up. Apparently the Ravens were not protesting. They were surrendering before the game started. This is what happens when you spend more time practicing politics than football. As for the Jaguars, nobody can figure them out. The first week they look resurgent, then last week they look like the same old Jaguars, and this week Blake Bortles plays like he is headed toward Canton.
Early on after Jared Myers kicked a 23 yard field goal to get the scoring started, Jacksonville got the ball back and moved 80 yards. Bortles hit Mercedes lewis for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Jaguars. Again Baltimore could not move the ball and again Jacksonville put points on the board. A 45 yard field goal by Jared Myers in the second quarter made it 13-0 Jaguars. Midway through the second quarter Joe Flacco was intercepted, setting the Jaguars up at the Baltimore 28. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Bortles hit Alex Hurns for the score and the 20-0 Jaguars lead. Jacksonville got it back at their own 23 with less than 3 minutes left in the half and kept rolling. A pair of defensive penalties including a 29 yard infraction for pass interference had the Ravens facing 3rd and 3 at the Baltimore 11. Bortles threw incomplete but Myers hit from 29 as the Ravens led 23-0 at halftime.
In the second half the blowout continued. Another interception of Flacco had Jacksonville taking over at the Baltimore 32. Two plays later Bortles threw a 30 yard touchdown to Mercedes Lewis to make it 30-0 Jaguars. On the next series, a Baltimore fumble was returned 52 yards to the Baltimore 2 yard line. Two plays later Bortles hit Lewis for a 4 yard touchdown and a 37-0 Jaguars lead. Doug Marrone poured it on. At the end of the third quarter with the jaguars facing 4th and 1 at their own 35, Marrone called a fake punt. Grant took the direct snap and raced 58 yards, as the Jaguars now had 1st and goal at the 3. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Fournette scored to make it 44-0 Jaguars.
Flacco was benched for Ryan Mallett, who finally led one garbage touchdown drive to get the Ravens on the board. Flacco finished 8 of 18 for 28 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Bortles was 20 of 31 for 244 yards, 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Steve Biscotti stood by his players kneeling for the anthem but probably will not stand for too many 44 point deficits in games. As for Jacksonville, Captain Grumpy Tom Coughlin was so pleased at the blowout win that he almost smiled. 44-7 Jaguars
Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts — A pair of bad teams played, with Jacoby Brissett filling in for Andrew Luck. In the first quarter the Colts moved 70 yards in 10 plays. Brissett ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Colts. The Browns took over after a touchback to start the second quarter. From the Cleveland 35, DeShaun Kizer went deep to Kenny Britt for a 35 yard gain. Johnson ran for a 19 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. After that the game turned lopsided.
The Colts quickly moved 75 yards and on 3rd and 2 from the Cleveland 7, Brissett ran again for the touchdown to make it 14-7 Colts. The Colts got it back and soon faced 2nd and 12 at their own 1 yard line, but it did not matter. 99 yards came easily. Rather than play it safe and run, Chuck Pagano got aggressive. Brissett went deep to Donte Moncrief for a 34 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the Colts 39, Brissett connected with TY Hilton on a 61 yard touchdown and a 21-7 Colts lead. The next time the Colts got it back with a short field at the Cleveland 45. Defensive pass interference on Julius Peppers moved the ball 34 yards. Frank Gore ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 28-7 Colts
Late in the half the Browns tried to make a game of it as Kizer led them 75 yards in 10 plays. Njoku got in from the one as the Browns trailed 28-14 at the break. The second half was supposed to be a formality. After a scoreless third quarter, a 33 yard Adam Vinatieri field goal in the fourth quarter had the Colts up 31-14. The Browns tried to make a game of it, quickly moving 75 yards in 10 plays. Kizer hit Njoku for a one yard touchdown to get the Browns within 10 points.
The Browns got the ball back with 4 minutes left in that their own 30. On 3rd and 1, Kizer hit Johnson for 6 yards. On 4th and 10 from the Indy 39, Kizer threw incomplete. However, defensive pass interference meant 1st and 10 at the 23. Kizer got in from one yard out and the Browns were within a field goal with 2:08 to play. However, they were out of timeouts. The onside kick failed. The Browns got it back with 23 seconds left at their own 9 yard line. With 9 seconds left from their own 5 yard line, Kizer’s Hail Mary was 58 yards short of the end zone and intercepted. Hue Jackson has an 0-3 team while Chuck Pagano got his first win of the year. After blowing a 10 point fourth quarter lead last week, the Colts barely managed to avoid another collapse. With the way this season has gone they will take it. 31-28 Colts.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears — Mike Tomlin announced that the Steelers would stay in the locker room for the national anthem. Apparently they stayed there for most of the game. Early on the Steelers fumbled a punt, setting the Bears up at the Pittsburgh 29. Howard ran for a 3 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Bears lead. The Steelers finally woke up in the second quarter and moved 77 yards in 13 plays, taking over 7 minutes off the clock. Ben Roethlisberger, who is not Jewish and did not celebrate Rosh Hashanah, threw a 7 yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown for a 7-7 ballgame.
In the third quarter, the Bears moved 75 yards in 5 minutes. Mike Glennon hit Shaheen for a 2 yard touchdown as the Bears led 14-7. Then with 6 seconds left in the half, things got wild. Chris Boswell lined up for a 35 yard field goal try that was anything but routine. The kick was blocked, and Cooper picked it up for the Bears and raced the other way. After running it 70 yards he fumbled the ball at the one out the back of the end zone for a touchback instead of a touchdown. On further review, Cooper was ruled down at the one. John Fox decided to go for it as the Bears were given one untimed down due to a penalty on Pittsburgh. Fox watched helplessly as a false start moved the Bears back to the 6. The Bears settled for a 24 yard Connor Barth field goal to lead 17-7 at halftime.
The Bears were in control but after an exchange of punts in the third quarter, the Bears fumbled at their own 25 and the Steelers recovered at the Chicago 16. On 3rd and 6 from the 12, Big Ben scrambled for just enough. On 3rd and goal at the one, Roethlisberger threw incomplete. Yet defensive holding killed the Bears. On the next play Leveon Bell got in to get the Steelers within 17-14. After a touchback the Bears moved to a 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 25. They then soon faced 3rd and 31 and would punt again.
With 9 minutes left in regulation, the Bears faced 3rd and 7 at their own 12. Glennon was managing the game, but winless teams find ways to lose. Glennon was intercepted, setting the Steelers up at the Chicago 21. Give the Bears defense credit. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 14, Big Ben threw incomplete. Chris Boswell hit the 32 yard field goal for a 17-17 game. Both defenses dug in and the game went into overtime. The new overtime rules shortened the extra session from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. Yet it took less than 90 seconds to settle matters.
Perhaps the Steelers protested the overtime period. Maybe they thought the game ended after four quarters because nobody expected the Bears to be competitive. Maybe they just forgot to come out of the locker rooms. Whatever the reason, the Bears took over at their own 26. On 2nd and 9, Cohen got the carry and appeared to run for a 73 yard touchdown to end the game. On further review it was only a 36 yard gain since Cohen stepped out of bounds at the Pittsburgh 37. It didn’t matter. Howard ran for an 18 yard gain and on the next carry ran for the 19 yard touchdown. The Steelers are no longer unbeaten and the Bears are no longer winless. Not every Steelers player boycotted the national anthem. Allejandro Villanueva is a former Army Ranger. He stood with his hand over his heart. The rest of the Steelers had no heart on the field or off it. 23-17 Bears, OT
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets — This game was expected to be hideous, and it lived down to expectations. After a scoreless first quarter, in the second quarter Chandler Catanzaro hit a 40 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Jets. After more than 28 minutes of unwatchable football, one play of excitement somehow occurred. Josh McCown went deep to Anderson for a 69 yard touchdown and a 10-0 Jets lead. In the third quarter a short punt had the Jets starting just past midfield. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 28, McCown hit Thomas for 15 yards and Matt Forte ran for 12 more down to the one. Powell got in as the Jets had a shocking 17-0 lead.
In the third quarter the Jets moved 45 yards in 13 plays and took 7 minutes to do it. They settled for a 22 yard Catanzaro field goal but still led 20-0. Miami Dolphins fans threatened a boycott over the national anthem, and by national anthem they meant Jay Cutler and the entire Miami offense. on the last play of the game, the Dolphins scored to avoid being shut out. Meanwhile, it was a sweet win for embattled Todd Bowles. Those who had the Jets going 0-16 were proven wrong. 20-6 Jets
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills — Bills players said they were triggered by President Trump’s comments about football. They should be triggered about not making the playoffs this entire century. The Bills last made the playoffs in 1999, the longest drought in the NFL. When people think of Denver and Buffalo, the think of football in cold weather. It was 88 degrees at kickoff, but there were no climate change riots during the national anthem.
Early on the Broncos moved 53 yards in 12 plays and 5 minutes. Brandon McManus hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Broncos. In the second quarter the Bills moved 74 yards in 10 plays. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Tyrod Taylor hit Andre Holmes for the touchdown to make it 7-3 Bills. Denver came right back. On 2nd and 3 from their 28, CJ Anderson ran for 32 yards, with 15 more tacked on for unnecessary roughness. On the next play, roughing the passer moved the ball to the Buffalo 12. One play later, Jamal Charles dragged everybody with him for the touchdown and the 10-7 Broncos lead.
After that the teams traded field goals. Steve Hauschka hit from 49 for a 10-10 game. McManus hit from 35 to give the Broncos the lead again, but Hauschka drilled a 55 yarder to end the half with the teams tied 13-13. In the third quarter McManus answered again from 28 for a 16-13 Broncos advantage.
The Bills came right back from their own 31. Taylor hit O’Leary for a 31 yard game and Matthews for 25 more. A 6 yard touchdown pass to Clay broke the string of field goals and put the Bills up 20-16 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Broncos went backward and faced 2nd and 23 from their own 12. Trevor Siemian was intercepted, and the Bills had a golden opportunity at the Denver 32. LeSean Shady McCoy ran for 18 yards, but offensive holding negated the play and pushed the Bills out of field goal range as they squandered the opportunity.
As the third quarter was ending, Vance Joseph took a very big gamble. With the Broncos facing 4th and 2 at their own 31, Joseph called for a fake punt. It was blown up in the backfield for a 4 yard loss. Buffalo failed to move the ball but the fourth quarter began with Hauschka nailing a 53 yard field goal to make it 23-16 Bills. Denver then moved from their 38 to a 1st and 10 at the Buffalo 24 with 11 minutes left in regulation. Again the Buffalo defense came up big as Siemian was intercepted again.
The Bills took over at their own 38. On 3rd and 5, Taylor scrambled for 7 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Denver 46, a very controversial call took place. Taylor threw incomplete and got nailed by Von Miller. The hit was legal, but Miller was not flagged for the hit itself. He offered an outstretched hand to Taylor. When Taylor reached for it, Miller pulled his hand away. Kids used to yell “psyche” on the playground when doing this. This drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Miller and moved the Bills into field goal range at the Denver 31. More importantly, they kept burning clock. On 3rd and 6 from the Denver 27, Taylor found McCoy for 7 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the 12, McCoy gained 3. With 1st and goal at the Denver 10, Sean McDermott played it safe and bled the clock. Hauschka hit the 27 yard field goal with just over 3 minutes left to lock up the big win. Taylor finished 20 of 26 for 213 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Siemian was 24 of 40 for 259 yards but 2 costly interceptions without a touchdown. 26-16 Bills
Houston Texans at New England Patriots — Early on Danny Amendola returned a punt 33 yards just shy of midfield. On 3rd and 13 from their own 46, Tom Brady went bombs away to Cooks for a 44 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for the touchdown. The Patriots led 7-0, but the expected rout did not materialize.
The Texans moved 57 yards and Fairbairn hit a 39 yard field goal to get them on the board. A field position game followed by a short punt had the Teams taking over at the New England 44. DeShaun Watson hit Miller for 15 yards and then went deep to Ellington for the 29 yard touchdown and the 10-7 Texans lead. The second quarter began with the Patriots facing 4th and 5 at the Houston 37. Bill Belichick decided to punt and play field position. The strategy paid off as Watson was soon intercepted by Gilmore, setting the Patriots up at the Houston 12 yard line. After a defensive holding call, Brady hit Chris Hogan for the 7 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Patriots.
The Texans moved 55 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Fairbairn hit a 40 yard field goal to get the Texans within 14-13. Two plays later from the New England 28, Brady got belted in the pocket and fumbled. Jadavean Clowney picked up the ball and raced for a 22 yard touchdown. The Texans led 20-14. Brady gave up and said football was just not for him anymore. No, not really. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half and the Patriots facing 3rd and 10 at their own 36, Brady went to Danny Amendola for a 17 yard gain. On the next play Brady went deep to Hogan for a 47 yard touchdown to make it 21-20 Patriots.
The Patriots took over at their own 19 to start the third quarter and struck quickly. From their 39, Brady found Hollister for 19 yards and then went deep to Brandon Cooks for a 42 yard touchdown. Brady’s fourth touchdown pass had the Patriots up 28-20. Yet the Texans would not go away. The Texans after a sack of Watson faced 2nd and 22 at their own 34. Watson fumbled but the Texans were lucky to retain possession on the sack. Watson is a rookie, and he stayed calm enough to throw a 35 yard touchdown to Griffin. Watson came back to Griffin for a 12 yard touchdown. With much of the entire second half to play, Bill O’Brien smartly opted against the 2 point conversion try as the Texans trailed 28-27.
After a touchback the Patriots moved to the Houston 34. Yet Brady was sacked and fumbled. The Patriots retained possession but 2nd and 9 was now 3rd and 21. On 4th and 13 from the Houston 38, Belichick again decided to punt rather than try the long field goal. The Texans soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 23, and Watson hit Ellington for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from their 39 to start the fourth quarter, Foreman gained 4 yards. From the Houston 46, Watson hit Foreman for a 34 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the Patriots 13, Watson threw incomplete. Fairbairn hit the 31 yarder as the Texans led 30-28 with 12 minutes left in regulation and were smelling upset.
Twice the Texans defense stopped the Patriots, including an inspired run stop on 3rd and 1. With 6 minutes left the Texans took over at their own 33 with another chance to put the game away. Offensive pass interference had them facing 1st and 20, but Watson connected with Foreman for a 23 yard gain. With 2 1/2 minutes to play, the Texans faced 3rd and 1 at the New England 18. A touchdown would ice the game. Miller got the carry and did not make it. The Patriots took their second timeout. On 4th and 1, Bill O’Brien had a major decision to make. If he goes for it and doesn’t make it, the Patriots need only a field goal to win. Yet with Tom Brady on the sideline, you have to go for it. O’Brien played it conservative and Fairbairn hit the 36 yard field goal. The Texans led 33-28, but the Patriots had one timeout plus the two minute warning plus the greatest quarterback of his generation.
Offensive holding had the Patriots facing 2nd and 20 at their own 15. Brady hit Gronkowski for a gain of 8 and on 3rd and 12 a gain of 15. With 90 seconds left on 1st and 10 from the Houston 44, Brady was sacked and fumbled. The Patriots survived and retained possession. With 54 seconds left in regulation the Patriots faced 3rd and 18 from their own 48. The Texans were smelling blood. So was Brady. He did it again.
A 27 yard completion to Amendola was followed by a 25 yard touchdown pass to Brandon Cooks. The 2 point conversion to Cooks put the Patirots up by a field goal with 23 seconds to play. after a touchback, Watson hit Deandre Hopkins for a 21 yard gain. With 3 seconds left from the Houston 46, Watson unleashed the Hail Mary. It was long and deep enough, but intercepted by Harmon. Watson is a rookie, but he finished an impressive 22 of 33 with 301 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. He also threw 2 interceptions including the final play. Brady was spectacular, going 25 of 35 for 378 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. As amazing as Brady is, blame for the loss has to go to Bill O’Brien for not going for it on 4th and 1. If the Texans convert, they run out the clock and Brady never sees the ball again. 36-33 Patriots
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers — The Saints were supposed to be a team in decline with no defense. The Panthers were supposed to have a revitalized defense. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminded us for 30 years, “That’s why they play the games.” The theme of this game early on was ball control. The Panthers held the ball for over 8 1/2 minutes, moving 61 yards in 15 plays. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the Saints 8, Cam Newton was sacked. Graham Gano hit a 32 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Panthers. The Saints responded 75 yards in 13 plays, taking 6 minutes of clock to do it. They finished their drive as Drew Brees threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Thomas to make it 7-3 Saints. In the second quarter the Panthers moved the ball again, but again had to settle for a 48 yard Gano field goal to trail 7-6.
Midway through the second quarter, Newton was intercepted to set up the Saints at the Carolina 24. On 3rd and 8, Brees hit Thomas for 11 yards and Coleman for the 11 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Saints. The Saints got it back and moved 54 yards in 10 plays in under 5 minutes. Will Lutz hit a 33 yard field goal for a 17-6 Saints lead. In the third quarter the Saints quickly moved 75 yards. Brees hit Ted Ginn for a 40 yard touchdown as the Saints led 24-6 in front of a shocked Carolina home crowd.
The Panthers moved from their 25 to a 4th and 5 at the Saints 35. Riverboat Ron Rivera forsake his name and decided to punt. Things then appeared to get worse for Carolina when they took over at their own 17. Newton was sacked and fumbled. The Panthers were lucky to retain possession at their own 7. The Saints almost put the game away, but on 2nd and 20, Newton hit Funchess for 19 yards. On 3rd and 1 McCaffrey gained 2 yards. From the Carolina 28, Newton went deep to McCaffrey for a 66 yard gain. On the next play Newton ran for a 3 yard touchdown as the Panthers got within 24-13 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter the Saints put the game away. Lutz hit a 50 yard field goal to make it 27-13 Saints. New Orleans got it back with a short field at the Carolina 35. Kamara ran for a 25 yard touchdown run to complete the blowout in front of a stunned home crowd. Brees was 22 of 29 for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns. Cam Newton was 17 of 26 with 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The Saints are no longer winless and the Panthers are no longer unbeaten. 34-13 Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings — Tampa Bay was supposed to be the improving team on the rise, but early on it was Minnesota with the edge. Case Keenum filled in for the injured Sam Bradford, but it did not matter. Early on the vikings moved 75 yards and Cook got in from the one for a 7-0 Vikings lead. The Buccaneers did move 53 yards but settled for a 40 yard Nick Folk field goal to trail 7-3. In the second quarter the Vikings moved 76 yards in 13 plays and 6 minutes. Keenum hit Wright for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Vikings. The vikings got it back at their own 8 yard line and Kennum…yes, Case Keenum…led a 92 yard drive. A 17 yard touchdown pass to Diggs had the vikings up 21-3 at the intermission.
Keenum kept firing. A 59 yard touchdown pass to Diggs in the third quarter had the Vikings up 28-3. At this point the Viking scouted as the Buccaneers tried to rally. with a short field at the Minnesota 46, Jameis Winston threw a 15 yard touchdown pass to Brate to get the Buccaneers within 28-10. The Vikings then held the ball for 6 1/2 minutes, moving 73 yards in 14 plays. They settled for a 20 yard Kai Forbath field goal for a 31-10 Vikings lead. The Bucs came back 75 yards quickly, as Winston hit DeSean Jackson for a 25 yard touchdown and a 31-17 Buccaneer deficit.
Yet early in the fourth quarter with Tampa Bay at the Minnesota 44, Winston was intercepted by Sandejo, who returned it 36 yards. The Vikings took over at the Tampa Bay 35. Forbath hit a 37 yard field goal with 8 1/2 minutes left to lock up the win. 34-17 Vikings
Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions — Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan are good friends, but they are also opposing quarterbacks on unbeaten teams. Jim Caldwell was on the hot seat a couple years ago, now he just signed a new contract extension. Caldwell was so pleased that he almost made a facial expression. Kidding aside, Caldwell’s calm demeanor sometimes obscures the fact that he turned the perennial losers into winners. Also credit Marcia Ford, who stuck with Caldwell and has been rewarded. The 90 year old matriarch has far less patience than her late husband, and the team has responded.
Early on it was the Falcons moving 75 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. Ryan hit Mohammed Sanu for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. Atlanta got it back and moved 53 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 2 from the Detroit 7, Ryan was sacked. Matt Bryant hit a 36 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Falcons. The Lions finally got on the board with a 55 yard Matt Prater field goal, but the Falcons kept rolling. 64 yards and 5 1/2 minutes culminated in Devonta Freeman running it in from one yard out to make it 17-3 Falcons. Prater would hit a 40 yard field goal to get the Lions within 17-6.
The Falcons were in control, but this was not Matty Ice’s best game. He went ice cold as an interception was returned 37 yards by Glover Quinn for a touchdown to get the Lions right back in it down 17-13. Atlanta rebounded to tack on a 48 yard Bryant field goal before the half to lead 20-13. In the third quarter a 27 yard punt return had the Falcons taking over at the Detroit 41. Brady tacked on a 40 yarder to make it 23-13 Falcons.
The Lions showed resiliency at home in a comeback win and they fought back again for their fans. Stafford led a 12 play, 75 yard drive that took nearly 7 minutes. A 12 yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate had the Lions within 23-20. Ryan was then intercepted again, setting up the Lions at the Atlanta 21. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 12, Stafford threw incomplete. On 4th and 1 Jim Caldwell opted for the field goal. After a delay of game penalty, Prater hot from 35 to tie the game 23-23.
The Falcons showed resiliency as well. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Ryan threw a 40 yard touchdown pass to Gabriel to put the Falcons up 30-23. After a touchback the Lions soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Stafford hit Tate for 18 yards. With 12 minutes left in regulation on 4th and 8 from the Atlanta 38, Jim Caldwell gambled on a 57 yard field goal. Prater has the NFL record of 64 yards, and he nailed this one to get the Lions within 30-26.
The Falcons moved from their 25 to the Detroit 19. Looking to put the game away, Ryan was intercepted for the fourth time. Slay returned the interception 37 yards to the Detroit 45. The Lions failed to capitalize as the teams exchanged punts. With 3 minutes left on 4th and 10 from their own 31, Caldwell again decided to punt and trust his defense. The Lions had all 3 timeouts as the Falcons took over at their own 37. A penalty on the Falcons had them facing 3rd and 12. A completion from Ryan to Julio Jones left Atlanta one yard short. On 4th and 1 from their own 46, Dan Quinn took not chances. The Falcons punted and the Lions took over at their own 11 with 2:23 to play.
Stafford is the NFL’s highest paid player, and he went right to work. He hit Tate for 15 yards and Jones for 29 more. An 11 yard run by Stafford had the Lions facing 1st and 10 at the Atlanta 18 with 1:10 to play. Time was no longer an issue. Yet offensive holding followed by offensive pass interference pushed the Lions back to 1st and 30 from the Atlanta 38. Things got worse with 40 seconds left when a deep ball by Stafford was intercepted by Alford in the end zone for a touchback. The Falcons celebrated, but their celebrations was premature.
Defensive holding nullified the interception. The Lions had 1st and 10 at the Atlanta 33. Stafford hit Jones for 14 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the 19, Stafford threw his third straight incompletion, but again the Falcons could not celebrate. Defensive pass interference on Trufant meant 1st and goal at the one with 19 seconds left. The Lions were out of timeouts but they had more than enough time for 3 or 4 plays to gain one yard. A pair of incompletions left 12 seconds on the clock. On 3rd and goal at the one, the play that will be talked and argued about all season took place.
Stafford fired to Golden Tate, to stretched the ball just past the plane of the goal line. The Lions celebrated. Stafford had pulled out another spectacular win and the home crowd went wild. Then total chaos reigned. The officials ruled that Tate was down short of the end zone. Replay showed a touchdown, but the officials said no. The Lions then thought they had 4th and goal inches away, but this was not the case either. Since Tate came in bounds, the officials declared a 10 second runoff. Since the clock would have expired anyway with Tate being inbounds, officials declared the game over. Just like that in front of a shellshocked home crowd, the Lions lost. Some will say the controversy is great because it is long past time the NFL do something controversial. No, not really. The Falcons and not the Lions were the 3-0 team in a highly debatable finish. Stafford finished 25 of 45 for 264 yards and 1 touchdown instead of 2. He was not intercepted. Ryan was 24 of 35 for 294 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. On Any Given Sunday, it was Al Pacino saying you have to fight for that inch. on this Sunday, that inch separated wining from losing. 30-26 Falcons
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles — This game was insane. For three quarters it was dull as dishwater. The fourth quarter was ridiculous. The Giants came in a surprising 0-2 as they could not get their offense going. The Eagles were not much better, but in the second quarter a staggering 18 play, 90 yard drive consumed over 9 1/2 minutes off the clock. LaGuerrette Blount banged in from the one for a 7-0 Eagles lead. With the half ending, Ben McAdoo decided to go for it on 4th and goal at the one. 2 plays earlier an Eli Manning touchdown was reversed to down at the one. Darkwa got the carry and ran into a brick wall. The Eagles defense jubilantly left the field after the goal line stand. In the third quarter the Eagles Elliott missed a 52 yard field goal. The Eagles got it back and Carson Wentz hit Zac Ertz for a 3 yard touchdown on 3rd and goal to cap a 54 yard drive and make it 14-0 Eagles. The Giants moved to a 4th and 2 at the Philly 13. Again McAdoo went for it and Manning threw incomplete. This hideous slog of 14 points through three quarters featured a combined 37 points in the fourth quarter as a dull game ended in thrilling fashion.
A short punt had the Giants starting the fourth quarter at their own 45 yard line. Finally the Giants struck pay dirt. Manning hit Darkwa for 11, Brandon Marshall for gains of 14 and 18, and O’Dell Beckham for a 10 yard touchdown to get the Giants within 14-7. The Eagles took over at their own 29. A short pass was immediately fumbled away and the Giants took over at the Philly 33. dark gained 20 and Manning hit Beckham for the 4 yard touchdown. 11 minutes still remained, but a 14-0 game was now 14-14. The Giants got it back at their own 22 midway through the fourth quarter. On 2nd and 9, a short pass by Manning to Sam Shepard went for a 77 yard touchdown.
21 straight points had the Giants up 21–14, but the chaos of this game was just starting. After a touchback, Wentz hit Smith for gains of 8 and 14. A defensive pass interference call on a deep ball meant a 36 yard gain to the Giants 15. On the next play Clement got around the end for the touchdown and a 21-21 game with 5:40 to play. Again, the craziness was far from over.
After a touchback, Manning hit Shane Vereen for 15 yards. On 2nd and 20 from their own 30, Manning hit Shepard for 16. On 3rd and 4 Manning threw incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant a 28 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Philly 18, a 7 yard gain was wiped out by a costly delay of game penalty. After an incompletion, the Giants settled for a 41 yard field goal by Rosas. The Giants led 24-21 with 3:11 left.
After a touchback, Smallwood caught a pass from Wentz for 9 and ran for gains of 20 and 9. With one minute left on 3rd and 7 from the Giants 28, Wentz threw incomplete. Rookiekicker Elliott came in to try and hit the pressure 46 yarder to tie the game. He was good and it was 24-24. Another touchback had the Giants taking over with 51 seconds left.
A pair of offensive penalties left the Giants facing 3rd and 15. A completion to Evan Engram left the Giants one yard short. From their own 34 with 19 seconds left, McAdoo was not taking any chances. Yet a shanked punt went only 28 yards. With 13 seconds left the Eagles were at their own 38. Doug Peterson is one of those West Coast Offense dink and dunk guys, but 4 yard passes were not going to get it done. After an incompletion, Wentz hit Alshon Jeffery for a 19 yard gain. With one second left, the Eagles were at the Giants 43. Doug Peterson decided not to have Wentz try a Hail Mary. He brought his rookie kicker in to try a 61 yard field goal. Elliott leveled the ball through the uprights as the home crowd went crazy. The Giants remained winless while the Eagles have a new hero in their rookie kicker. 27-24 Eagles
Seattle Seahawks at Tennessee Titans — The Seahawks defense may start boycotting the NFL if they do not get help from their offense. After a scoreless first quarter, the Titans twice moved into the red zone and twice did not reach the end zone. A 11 play, 61 yard drive ate up 5 1/2 minutes. A 12 play, 49 yard drive ate up 6 1/2 minutes. The Titans settled for Ryan Succop field goals of 24 and 37 yards to take a 6-0 lead. With 4 minutes left in the half, the Seahawks punted on 4th and 19 from their own 16. Jackson took it, split the seams, and raced 80 yards for a touchdown. Before the Titans could celebrate being up 13-0, an illegal block nullified the return.
After 28 hideous minutes, the Seahawks took over at their own 14. Russell Wilson went deep to Doug Baldwin for a 36 yard gain to midfield. Wilson then went deep to CJ Prosise for a 46 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Wilson hit Baldwin for the touchdown. Just like that the Seahawks led 7-6. Yet that left the Titans 1:09 to work with from their own 24. Marcus Mariota moved the Titans to the Seattle 29. Succop hit his third field goal from 47 yards out as the Titans led 9-7 at the break. In the third quarter the Seahawks moved 75 yards and Wilson hit Carson for a 10 yard touchdown. The Seahawks led 14-9, but after that, Tennessee exploded. The Seattle defense had held them to field goals, but now came the touchdowns.
A 55 yard touchdown pass from Mariota to Ryan mathews gave the Titans the 16-14 lead. Tennessee got it back at their own 46 and Mariota went to Smith for a 24 yard touchdown for a 23-14 Titans advantage. The Titans got it back at their own 25 and needed only one play and 15 seconds. DeMarco Murray followed a convoy of blockers and weaved through the middle of the field for a gorgeous 75 yard touchdown. After three quarters, the Titans were winning big 30-14.
In the fourth quarter the Seahawks fought back. They moved 75 yards and Wilson hit his non-relative Willson for a 27 yard touchdown. Pete Carroll went for the 2 point conversion and the pass was incomplete. The Seahawks trailed 30-20. The Titans stayed calm, and moved 58 yards. Succop hit his fourth field goal of the day, a 35 yarder that had the Titans up 33-20 with 10 minutes to play.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Pete Carroll made a questionable decision. The Seahawks faced 4th and 22 at the Tennessee 28. Down by 13, Carroll passed up a very makable 46 yard field goal try and had Wilson throw a Hail Mary to the end zone. It was well defended and fell incomplete. Seattle got it back at their own 28 with 5 minutes left. On 4th and 6 from the Tennessee 46 with 3:20 left, Wilson looked like he was going to be sacked. Somehow he threw a duck just before going down and found Tyler Lockett for a 14 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Titans 11, Wilson scrambled for 3 yards as the clock reached the 2 minute warning. Wilson hit Richardson for an 8 yard touchdown with 1:50 to play. Seattle was within 6 but needed an onside kick. It failed.
With 11 seconds left the Titans had to punt on 4th and 3 from the Seattle 40. Seattle was called for 12 men on the field. Pete Carroll couldn’t believe it as Mike Mularkey celebrated. Wilson was 29 of 49 for 373 yards and 4 touchdowns, but it was not enough. Mariota was 20 of 32 for 225 yards and 2 touchdowns. Neither signal caller was intercepted. The Titans are 2-1 while the Seahawks are a 1-2 head-scratcher. 33-27 Titans
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers — Nobody wins ugly like the Chiefs. Nobody loses winnable games like the Chargers. Philip Rivers decided to protest the national anthem by refusing to throw the ball to his teammates. Instead he repeatedly played pitch and catch with the opposing defense. From his own 16, Rivers was quickly intercepted. The Chiefs took over at the Chargers 43. On 3rd and 1, Alex Smith gained 4 and then threw a 30 yard touchdown pass to Tyreeq Hill to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Chargers moved from their 23 to 3rd and 8 at the Chiefs 36. Rivers was intercepted again and Peters returned it 38 yards to the Chargers 34. Smith found Wilson for a 6 yard touchdown as the Chiefs led 14-0.
The Chargers quickly faced 2nd and 12 at their own 9 Melvin Gordon gained 6 and Rivers hit Keenan Allen on 3rd and 3 for a 6 yard gain. On 3rd and 13 from their own 21, Rivers hit Williams for a 14 yard gain. On 2nd and 12 from their own 33, Rivers went deep to Travis Benjamin for a 44 yard gain. On the next play Gordon ran for an 11 yard touchdown. The Chargers trailed 14-7 after the first quarter, but the game soon turned into a defensive slugfest.
Rivers began the second quarter just like he began the first quarter. On 3rd and 8 from his own 34, he was intercepted. The Chiefs took over at their own 47. On 4th and 13 from the Chargers 33, Cairo Santos missed a 51 yard field goal. Yet roughing the kicker gave him another chance from 34 yards out. He made it and the Chiefs led 17-7. Koo answered with a 29 yarder on the last play of the half as the Chargers trailed 17-10. An unwatchable, entirely forgettable half so only one play worth mentioning. At the 2 minute warning, with the Chiefs at their own 31, Kareem Hunt raced for a 69 yard touchdown to seal the win. With 23 seconds left and the Chargers at the Chiefs 2 yard line, a Rivers completion lost 2 yards. New City, same winless Chargers. The Chiefs are 3-0, and Andy Reid is one happy Walrus Lite. 24-10 Chiefs
Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers — There was no way the winless Bengals would go into Green Bay and win. Cue Chris Berman again: “That’s why they play the games.” The Bengals moved 79 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Red Rifle Andy Dalton hit AJ Green for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bengals. Aaron Rodgers brought the Packers back 60 yards. Rodgers hit Kendricks for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-7 after the first quarter.
In the second quarter it was the Bengals moving 60 yards and Dalton hitting Giovanni Bernard for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Bengals. Rodgers was then intercepted by Jackson, who returned it 75 yards for another touchdown as the Bengals led 21-7 at the half against a shell-shocked Wisconsin crowd.
In the third quarter the Packers moved 75 yard and Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for a one yard touchdown to get Green Bay within 21-14. In the fourth quarter the Packers drove deep but settled for a 28 yard Mason Crosby field goal to trail 21-17. The Bengals countered by going 63 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 27, a run lost a yard. They settled for a 46 yard Randy Bullock field goal to put the Bengals up 24-17.
The Packers took over at their own 25 with 3:46 to play. Rodgers hit Allison for 17 yards. With 3 minutes left on 3rd and 9 from their own 43, Rodgers hit Allison again for 11 yards. The Bengals defense desperately needed a stop to pull off the upset, but could not get one. With 54 seconds left, on 3rd and 1 from the Bengals 13, Ty Montgomery gained 6 yards. From the 3 yard line, Rodgers fired a laser to Jordy Nelson for the touchdown. With 17 seconds left, the game was tied and headed for overtime.
In the extra session, the Bengals went 3 and out. The Packers soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 21. One more stop and the Bengals would get the ball back. It was not going to happen. Rodgers went deep to Allison for a 72 yard gain to set up 1st and goal at the 7. Rodgers took a knee to center the ball. Crosby came in for the 27 yarder. There would be no upset. These are the Bengals. They lose games. There is nothing Marvin Lewis can do with this winless team. As for the Packers, they have Aaron Rodgers. He wins games for Mike McCarthy. 27-24 Packers, OT
Oakland Raiders at Washington Redskins is the Sunday night game. Owner Mark Davis, Coach Jack Del Rio and quarterback Derek Carr stood for the national anthem. The offensive line did not. They should have spent less time protesting and more time blocking because Carr was sacked 3 times early on and a few more times later. Kirk Cousins completed 15 of his first 16 passes for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns. Carr started 3 of 7 for 23 yards and an interception. It was an ugly first half for the Silver and Black. On the second play from scrimmage, Carr was intercepted on a deep ball. The Redskins took over at their own 33. On 3rd and 6, Cousins hit Vernon Davis for a 26 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the Oakland 22, Cousins went to Thompson for the touchdown and the 7-0 Redskins lead.
The defense kept the Raiders in the game as the Oakland offense could not get anything going. With 10 minutes left in the half, the Raiders faced 3rd and 1 at the Washington 48. Rather than run the ball, out of the shotgun Carr was intercepted again. The Redskins took over at their own 28. The defense finally broke. On 3rd and 6 at the Oakland 25, Cousins hit Crowder for just enough. On 3rd and 9 from the 18, Cousins hit Davis for the touchdown. With 4 minutes left in the half the Redskins led 14-0.
The Redskins began the third quarter facing 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Cousins hit Chris Thompson for a 19 yard gain. On 2nd and 20 from the Washington 28, Cousins hit Thompson for 16. On 3rd and 4 Cousins hit Thompson again for just enough. On the next play Cousins went deep to Doctson for a 52 yard touchdown. David Emerson was right there but totally mistimed the jump. Rather than knock the ball away he went for the interception and gave up a score instead as the Redskins led 21-0.
The Raiders did nothing right, but the Redskins gave the Raiders every chance to get into the game. Dustin hopkins missed a 52 yard field goal, giving the Raiders the ball at their own 42. On 3rd and 3, a swing pass to Seth Roberts lost two yards. The Raiders punted, and got another break when the Redskins fumbled the punt. The Raiders recovered at the Washington 18. After losing 3 yards, Carr hit Jared Cook, who stretched the ball past the pileon for the score. The Raiders were within 21-7.
The Redskins soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 26. The Raiders were now fired up and had a chance to make a game of it. Cousins scrambled for 12 yards, but offensive holding meant 3rd and 19. One stop and the Raiders would have great field position. Instead, a simple swing pass to Thompson went for a 74 yard gain. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Hopkins hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 24-7 Redskins.
The Raiders received another break. With the Redskins facing 2nd and 8 at their own 11, Perine fumbled and Cowser recovered. The Raiders had 1st and 10 at the Washington 12. On the next play defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 4. Then came 3 straight incompletions on a night when nothing worked. Georgio Tavecchio hit the 22 yard field goal to get the Raiders within 24-10 with 12 minutes remaining, but it was a clear victory for the defense.
After a touchback, Cousins hit Crowder for a 30 yard gain. Thompson then ran for gains of 8 and 7. Mack Brown added gains of 11 and 6. Hopkins hit a 28 yard field goal with 6 minutes left to lock up the win. At the 2 minute warning, the Raiders had less than 100 yards of total offense. The defense gave up over 400 yards of offense. The Raiders were beaten badly in the trenches as the offensive line never gave Carr time to throw. The Raiders were knocked from the unbeaten ranks in a big way. 27-10 Redskins
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals was the Monday night game. Both of these teams came into this season with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations only to stumble badly in the first couple weeks. In the first quarter the Cardinals moved 82 yards in 5 minutes. They made it look easy as Carson Palmer hit Brown for a 25 yard touchdown and the 7-0 Cardinals lead. After that, little came easy for them. The Cardinals began the second quarter facing 3rd and 5 at the Dallas 10. Palmer hit Brown again for the touchdown, but before the Cardinals could celebrate a 14-0 lead, offensive holding on Jerald Veldheer nullified the score. Things got worse when normally reliable Phil Dawson missed a 36 yard field goal.
The Cowboys were doing nothing on offense but a field position game had the Cardinals punting on 4th and 15 from their own 5 yard line with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. A 21 yard return had the Cowboys starting at the Arizona 33. Das Prescott ran for a 10 yard touchdown with 1:16 left in the half for a 7-7 ballgame. In the third quarter it was again field position that had the Cardinals punting on 4th and 6 from their own 11. Dallas took over at the Arizona 46. From the Arizona 35, Ezekiel Elliott ran for a 20 yard gain and Prescott hit Dez Bryant for the 15 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Cowboys.
The field position game reversed as the Cowboys punted on 4th and 10 from their own 11 and the Cardinals took over at their own 46. Palmer went deep to Larry Fitzgerald for a 37 yard gain and back to Fitzgerald for a 15 yard touchdown. With 3:20 left in the third quarter, the teams were tied 14-14.
The fourth quarter began with another key field position switch. With the Cardinals facing 3rd and 1 at their own 13, Palmer threw incomplete. A punt had the Cowboys taking over at midfield. On 3rd and 3 from the Arizona 43, Prescott hit Cole beasley for 4 yards. Prescott then went deep to Brice Butler for a 37 yard touchdown and a 21-14 Cowboys lead with 12 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, the Cardinals soon faced 3rd and 18 at their own 33. Palmer went deep to Fitzgerald for 24 yards. Two more third down conversions had the Cardinals facing 1st and 10 at the Dallas 19 looking to tie the game. Yet 3 straight Palmer incompletions had the Cardinals settling for a field goal try. This time Dawson hit from 37 as the Cardinals trailed 21-17 with 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Yet 16 plays went for nothing more than that.
After a touchback, Prescott appeared to go to Butler for a 75 yard touchdown. On further review it was a 53 yard gain down to the Arizona 22. Three plays later Elliott followed up a 7 yard run with an 8 yard touchdown run. With 5 minutes left the Cowboys had an 11 point lead. After an exchange of punts, the Cardinals got it back at their own 13 with 3 minutes left. Palmer furiously led them down the field. With 1:11 to play and needing 2 scores, the Cardinals had 1st and goal at the 5. After a pair of incompletions, the third down pass was inexplicably short of the marker. The clock ticked down to 40 seconds as the Cardinals faced 4th and goal at the 2. Bruce Arians decided to go for it, and Palmer there over the middle incomplete. Both quarterbacks finished with 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Prescott only threw 18 passes, completing 13 of them for 183 yards. Palmer threw 48 passes, completing 29 of them for 325 yards. Yet it was Dallas that got the win as Jason Garrett’s squad got to 2-1. Meanwhile, the 1-2 Cardinals could be in real trouble. 28-17 Cowboys