THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

NFL 2016 Week 10 Recap

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens was the Thursday night game. Justin Tucker hit a 25 yard field goal to get the Ravens on the board first. Cody Kessler then threw a 25 yard touchdown pass to DeValve as the winless Browns had the 7-3 lead. Cleveland’s defense hung tough but the offense gave them no more help. Tucker hit from 40 as the Ravens trailed 7-6 at halftime. The second half was all Baltimore. How Flacco threw touchdown passes of 4 yards to Waller and 11 yards to Steve Smith in the third quarter and 27 yards to Brandon Perriman in the fourth quarter to turn a slugfest into a blowout. Hue Jackson still lacks his first win as the Browns head coach. 28-7 Ravens.

Kansas City Chiefs at Carolina Panthers — Early on it was all Carolina. Graham Gano hit a 42 yard field goal in the first quarter for the Panthers. In the second quarter Cam Newton led drives of 80 and 87 yards against the normally stingy Chiefs defense. Newton ran for a 4 yard touchdown and threw a 38 yard touchdown pass to Devon Funchess for a 17-0 Panthers lead. Kansas City finally got on the board before the half when Cairo Santos hit a 42 yard field goal. Despite 1st and 10 at the Carolina 18, Alex Smith threw 3 straight incompletions. Santos hit from 36 with 12 minutes left in regulation to get the Chiefs within 17-6.

Carolina was still in total control, but late turnovers killed them. On 3rd and 6 from the Carolina 29, Newton was intercepted by Eric Berry, who returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. Smith hit Kelce for the 2 point conversion as the Chiefs were only down 17-14 with a full 11 minutes left. Midway through the fourth quarter, Hill returned a punt 21 yards just past midfield. The Chiefs moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Carolina 14, where Smith threw incomplete. Santos hit from 33 to tie the game 17-17 with 4 1/2 minutes to play. With 30 seconds left in regulation, the Panthers took over after a punt at their own 20. One kneel down would take the game to overtime. Instead, Riverboat Ron Rivera went aggressive. Newton hit Kelvin Benjamin for a 14 yard gain, but Benjamin had the ball ripped out of his hands. In front of a shellshocked home crowd, The Chiefs took over at the Carolina 29. With 3 seconds left, Santos came in for the 37 yarder to win it. The kick was good, and 20 unanswered points had the Chiefs at 7-2 tied atop the AFC West, making Andy Reid one happy Walrus Lite. 20-17 Chiefs

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars — Jacksonville has made mistakes all year, and this game began with Blake Bortles being intercepted by Jackson for a 42 yard touchdown return and a 7-0 Texans lead. Bortles brought the Jaguars back 75 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. Bortles hit Julius Thomas from 5 yards out for a 7-7 game. Brock Osweiler brought the Texans back 75 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. A one yard touchdown pass to griffin made it 14-7 Texans. In the second quarter Jared Myers nailed a 54 yard field goal for a 14-10 Jaguars deficit at the half.

With 4 minutes left in the third quarter, Ervin returned a punt 57 yards to the Jacksonville 7. Oseweiler then hit Anderson for the touchdown as the texans led 21-10 after three quarters. On the first play of the fourth quarter, facing 4th and 1 at the Houston 26, Gus Bradley opted for the field goal. Jared Myers hit from 44 to get the Jaguars within 21-13. Nick Novak countered from 51 yards to make it 24-13 Texans. This is when Bortles piles up garbage time yards and touchdowns to create the illusion the Jaguars are any good at anything. Jacksonville moved 92 yards and hit Robinson for a 14 yard touchdown pass and the 2 point conversion. Within a field goal, Jacksonville needed the ball back. At the 2 minute warning with Jacksonville out of timeouts, the Texans faced 3rd and 5 at their own 13. A safe run was not in the card as Bill O’Brien went big and bold. An incompletion would stop the lock, but Osweiler hit Deandre Hopkins for 10 yards as Houston ran out the clock. Osweiler had only 99 yards passing all game to 265 for Bortles, but Houston is 5-3 while Jacksonville is 2-6 and sinking. 24-21 Texans

Denver Broncos at New Orleans Saints — Pinball wizard Drew Brees brought his offense against Von Miller and the Denver defense. Early on Denver had the advantage. A 13 play, 85 yard drive took over 7 minutes. Trevor Siemian hit Taylor for a 14 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Broncos lead. After a Saints turnover in the second quarter, Brandon McManus hit a 50 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Broncos. Will lutz hit a 30 yard field goal just before the half as the Saints trailed 10-3. In the third quarter the Saints moved 90 yards. Brees hit Willie Snead for a 3 yard touchdown and a 10-10 tie. Siemian’s second interception gave New Orleans a short field at the Denver 38. Brees hit Snead again for a 5 yard touchdown and a 17-10 Saints lead.

In the fourth quarter the Saints self-destructed. The Saints faced 2nd and 2 at their own 40. Brees found Thomas for 12 yards, but Thomas fumbled. Stewart returned the fumble 28 yards to the Saints 27. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Siemian hit Denarius Thomas for the touchdown as the game was tied 17-17 with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation. New Orleans went 3 and out after a sack of Brees, and a 17 yard punt return put Denver at their own 47. Denver settled for a 28 yard McManus field goal but the Broncos led 20-17 with 3 1/2 minutes left. From their own 13, the Saints quickly fumbled and the Broncos recovered at the Saints 20. The defense held, but with 2:50 to play McManus hit from 37. The Broncos led 23-17, but they had not closed the door. After a touchback came the shocking conclusion that will be talked about in both cities for awhile.

Brees found Brandon Cooks for 29 yards and then again for a 32 yard touchdown. With 90 seconds to play, the game was tied. The extra point would give the Saints the lead. The kick was blocked by Simmons. Parks picked up the ball and raced all the way the other way. Rather than a 24-23 Saints lead, it was Denver that was up by 2 points in front of a shellshocked home crowd. The Saints now needed an onside kick, and it failed. Denver is now 7-3 in the hyper-competitive AFC West. 25-23 Broncos.

Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets — Todd Bowles has had enough of bad quarterback play. Ryan Fitzpatrick was benched, and with Geno Smith injured, Brice Petty got his first NFL start. In the first quarter the Rams moved 73 yards in 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Yet on 1st and goal at the one, a run lost a yard and Case Keenum threw incomplete twice. Jeff Fisher opted for the field goal and Greg Zuerlein hit the 20 yarder to make it 3-0 Rams. In the second quarter, pinned at their own one, Petty led a 99 yard against Jeff Fisher’s defense. A 4 yard touchdown pass to Brad Powell made it 6-3 Jets. The extra point failed, but Gang Green led at the half. In the third quarter the Jets held the ball for over 8 minutes and 15 plays, yet settled for a 38 yard Zuerlein field goal and a 6-6 game. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Rams got it back at their own 48. Zuerlein hit a 34 yard field goal to put the Rams back in front. At the 2 minute warning, with the Jets at their own 42, Petty was intercepted. Jeff Fisher has no offense and a stifling defense, and on this day that was enough. In a game only Fisher’s former mentor Buddy Ryan could love, the Rams got it done. 9-6 Rams

Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles — Early on the Eagles moved 81 yards in 12 plays in over 7 minutes. Ryan Mathews ran it in from 4 yards out for a 7-0 Eagles lead. After that the field goal kickers took over. Matt Bryant hit from 38 and 43 in the second quarter as the Falcons trailed 7-6 at halftime. In the third quarter Caleb Surges hit from 29 and Bryant countered from 46 as the Falcons still trailed 10-9. In the fourth quarter Sturgis hit from 25 to make it 13-9 Eagles. Finally, the logjam was broken when Many Ryan went deep to Tyler Gabriel for a 76 yard touchdown. In a game of field goals, the extra point was no good as the Falcons led 15-13 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. The ensuing kickoff was returned 52 yards to the Atlanta 45. Yet from the Atlanta 31, a delay of penalty was a killer. Doug Pederson had Sturgis try a 55 yard field goal for the lead, but with a full 11 minutes remaining, Sturgis was no good.

Matt Ryan quickly threw 3 incompletions as the Eagles got it back at their own 24. The Eagles moved 76 yards and Mathews scored again from 5 yards out. Mathews ran in the 2 point conversion as the Eagles retook the lead 21-15 midway through the fourth quarter. With 2:24 to play and the Falcons facing 4th and 5 at their own 40, Ryan threw incomplete. That was enough for Sturgis to try a 48 yarder to lock up the game. This time Sturgis was good. The Falcons had one last chance from their own 25 with 1:55 to play. Matty Ice went ice cold as he was intercepted by Leodis McKelvin to end the threat. 24-15 Eagles

Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jay Cutler can always be counted on to throw touchdown passes. The issue is which team he will throw them to. Early on he threw a 20 yard touchdown pass to Conte, who plays defense for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The pick had the Bucs up 7-0. Conor Barth hit a 54 yard field goal to get the Bears on the board. The Bears turned the ball over four times in the first half, and the Bucs made them pay. A short field at the Chicago 29 led to Jameis Winston hitting Brate for a 10 yard score to make it 14-3 Buccaneers. Roberto Aguayo hit a 30 yard field foal to make it 17-3 Buccaneers.

With the Buccaneers in total control, the Bears needed a miracle and got one. On the last play of the half from midfield, cutler unloaded the Hail Mary and Meredith came down with the deflected ball in the back of the end zone. Despite awful play all half, the Bears only trailed 17-10 at halftime. After that, reality returned. In the third quarter Winston threw a 43 yard touchdown pass to Martino for a 24-10 Buccaneers lead. Aguayo tacked on a 27 yard field goal for a 27-10 Buccaneers lead. Cutler was then sacked in the end zone, resulting in a fumble and a safety. Doug Martin ran it in from one yard out to complete the blowout. At least Chicago has the Cubs. 36-10 Buccaneers

Green Bay Packers at Tennessee Titans — This game was just a shocker. Although Tennessee’s offense has been putting up points, their defense has regressed. Green Bay was supposed to steamroll over them. As ESPN user-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “THAT’s why they play the games.” 11 seconds was enough time for DeMarco Murray to run for a 75 yard touchdown. The next two times the titans got the ball they moved 85 and 71 yards in addition to their opening 80 yard drive. mike Mularkey went to his bag of tricks and had Murray throw a halfback option pass. It went for a 10 yard touchdown pass to Delanie Walker. It may have been the first time in NFL history of a touchdown connection between a Delanie and a DeMarco. Meanwhile, a more traditional 9 yard touchdown pass from Marcus Mariota to Anthony Fasano had the Titans up 21-0 after the first quarter.

The Packers did move 75 yards in the second quarter, and Aaron Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for a 1 yard touchdown. Yet there was no momentum shift. Tennessee rapidly came back 75 yards again as a 32 yard touchdown pass from Mariota to Matthews made it 28-7 Titans. The Packers drove to the red zone but settled for a 29 yard Mason Crosby to get within 28-10. Green Bay finally held on defense, but then they fumbled the punt. The Titans took over at the Packers 12. On 3rd and 4, Mariota hit Kenny Wright for the 6 yard touchdown and a shocking 35-10 Titans lead. Rodgers would work the 2 minute drill to perfection, moving 75 yards in barely more than one minute. Rodgers hit James Starks for a 13 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Packers trailed 35-16 at halftime.

In the third quarter the Packers moved 78 yards in 10 plays. Rodgers scrambled for a 20 yard touchdown. As Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network remarked, “A Rodgers scramble sounds like an omelette.” The 2 point try failed as the Packers were within 35-22. Yet while Mike McCarthy calls the plays for the offense, he does not do the defense. Dom Capers is one of the all time great defensive coordinators, but on this day his squad was torched. 55 yards came easily as Mariota threw a 33 yard touchdown pass to Sharpe for a 41-22 Titans lead. Crosby hit a 38 yard field goal to get the Packers within 41-25 after three quarters. There would be no comeback. Ryan Succop hit field goals of 51 and 23 to complete the blowout and leave Packers fans searching for answers. Their team was expected to contend and instead is 4-5. Meanwhile, one year after being 2-14, the Titans have quietly gotten to 5-5 in the very winnable AFC South.  47-25 Titans

Minnesota Vikings at Washington Redskins — Early on the Redskins moved 68 yards in 10 plays as Kirk Cousins hit Crowder for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Redskins. In the second quarter the Redskins moved 91 yards. Cousins hit Vernon Davis for a 38 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Redskins. Minnesota finally got back in the game, moving on successive drives 67 and 75 yards. Matt Asiata got in for a one yard touchdown and Sam Bradford found Kyle Rudolph for a 20 yard touchdown connection for a 14-14 game. With one minute left in the half after a touchback, the Redskins fumbled and the Vikings recovered at the Washington 33. With 5 seconds left in the half, the Vikings faced 3rd and goal at the 3. Mike Zimmer decided to gamble with one more play. Sam Bradford hit Thielen for the touchdown. Blair Walsh has had a nightmarish season, and he missed another extra point. The Vikings led 20-14 at halftime.

In the second half, everybody went to sleep except Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins. He hit field goals of 30 and 37 in the third quarter to tie the game and from 50 and 28 in the fourth quarter to give the Redskins the 6 point lead. The Vikings took over with 2 1/2 minutes left at their own 25 to try and get the win. With 45 seconds left, Bradford had led the Vikings to a 1st and 10 at the Washington 21. Victory was in sight. Instead, an incompletion, a sack of Bradford, and another incompletion meant 4th and 17 from the Washington 28 with 11 seconds left. Bradford was sacked again for a 14 yard loss as Minnesota lost its fourth straight game after their 5-0 start. Mike Zimmer last week was heard screaming “I love adversity.” Well now the former military man has it. Meanwhile, Jay Gruden has quietly gotten his team to 5-3 in the NFC East. 26-20 Redskins

Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers — After a scoreless first quarter, the Chargers got on the board first when Josh Lambo hit a 45 yard field goal. San Diego got it back and moved 80 yards. Philip Rivers hit Antonio Gates for an 11 yard touchdown and a 10-0 Chargers lead. The Dolphins moved 74 yards before the half. Ryan Tannehill threw a 39 yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills to get the Dolphins within 10-7 at halftime. The game became a second half see-saw. The Dolphins moved 75 yards and Deangelo Williams got in from 2 yards out to make it 14-10 Dolphins. The Chargers moved 75 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. Rivers hit Henry for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 17-14 Chargers. Miami came back 75 yards again and Tannehill on 3rd and 2 hit Williams for an 18 yard touchdown for a 21-17 Dolphins lead.

Early in the fourth quarter the Chargers punted and the Dolphins fumbled it. San Diego started out with 1st and goal at the 5. On 3rd and goal Rivers threw incomplete, but defensive holding gave San Diego 1st and goal at the 2. Rivers then went to the end zone and was intercepted by Lippett for a touchback. Miami quickly went 3 and out and the Chargers moved from their 12 to a 1st and 10 at the Miami 30. Rivers went deep and was intercepted again. Brandon Maxwell returned it 27 yards to the Miami 41 midway through the fourth quarter.    

The Dolphins went backward and punted. On 3rd and 8 from the San Diego 44 Rivers threw incomplete. Yet defensive holding gave the Chargers another chance, and Rivers made the Dolphins pay. Rivers went bombs away to Williams for a 51 yard touchdown to make it 24-21 Chargers with 4 minutes left. Miami struck back quickly. After a touchback, Tannehill went deep to Parker for a 56 yard gain wth 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. Yet despite 1st and goal at the 10, a run went nowhere and Tannehill threw incomplete twice. Andrew Franks hit the 27 yard field goal to tie the game 24-24 with 3 minutes left. After a touchback, Melvin Gordon ran for 13 yards and caught a pass for a 20 yard gain. With 1:13 to play, the Chargers faced 1st and 10 at the Miami 42. A few more yards would give Novak a chance at a field goal to win it. Rivers then threw a perfect pass to Alonso. Problem: Alonso plays defense for Miami. The interception was returned 60 yards the other day for the go ahead touchdown. Down by 7, the Chargers tried to tie it. From the San Diego 37, Rivers then threw his fourth interception. These are the Chargers. 31-24 Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals — Arizona could get to .500 by dispatching of the dumpster fire 49ers. Early on the Cardinals moved 91 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. Carson Palmer on 3rd and goal hit David Johnson for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. On the last play of the opening quarter, the 49ers fumbled a punt. The Cardinals took over at the San Francisco 44. On the first play of the second quarter, defensive pass interference meant a 38 yard gain. One play later Johnson got the carry and ran up the middle for the touchdown and a 14-0 Cardinals lead.

The 49ers tried to make a game of it by going 75 yards. Colin Kaepernick hit Justin Kerley for a 17 yard touchdown to get the 49ers within 14-7. Chandler Catanzaro hit a 39 yard field goal to extend the lead for Arizona, but Phil Dawson hit from 49 to get the 49ers within 17-10 with 90 seconds left in the half. Carson Palmer rapidly moved the Cardinals from their own 18 to a 1st and goal at the one with 6 seconds left. Palmer threw incomplete. With 2 seconds left, Bruce Arians opted for the field goal. Catanzaro hit the 19 yard chip shot as the Cardinals led 20-10 at halftime. The game slowed drastically in the second half. Dawson hit a 53 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 20-13.

With 3 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Cardinals had 1st and 10 at midfield. Rather than put the game away, Palmer was intercepted. The 49ers took over at their own 43. Kaepernick quickly found Kerley for a 24 yard gain. At the 2 minute warning, the 49ers faced 3rd and 2 at the Arizona 4. Kaepernick got around the end and got in the end zone for a 20-20 game. From their own 15 with 1:51 left, Palmer went deep to Malcolm Floyd for a 26 yard gain, David Johnson for 8, and Larry Fitzgerald for 14 more. With one minute left the Cardinals faced 3rd and 8 at the San Francisco 35. Palmer found Johnson for 12 yards. With 3 seconds left, Catanzaro came in for the 34 yarder to win it. The kick was good, the Cardinals got to 4-4, and Chip Kelly’s 49ers lost their eighth straight game. 23-20 49ers

Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers — Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach are long since retired, but Ben Roethlisberger and Dak Prescott put on an exciting game that did both franchises proud. On the third play of the game, Prescott was sacked and fumbled and the Steelers recovered at the Dallas 38. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Roethlisberger hit LeVeon Bell for the touchdown. Mike Tomlin likes to go for 2 frequently, and this time the conversion try failed as the Steelers led 6-0. Christ Boswell hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, setting the Cowboys up at their own 40. They settled for a 37 yard Dan Bailey field goal to get within 6-3.

The Steelers came back 75 yards and Big Ben hit Rogers for a 3 yard touchdown. Again the 2 point try failed as the Steelers led 12-3. Yet one minute later Dallas was in the end zone. Prescott connected with Ezekiel Elliott on an 83 yard touchdown to get the Cowboys within 12-10. The second quarter was relatively quiet. Bailey hit a 53 yard field goal to put Dallas up by a point, but Chris Boswell answered from 39 as the Steelers took a 15-13 lead into the locker rooms. These teams were just getting started. In the third quarter Boswell hit a 25 yard field goal to extend Pittsburgh’s lead. Bailey answered from 46 to get the Cowboys back within 18-16. The field goal kickers were done for the day as both teams fired at will to the end zone.

From the midfield stripe, Prescott went bombs away to Dez Bryant. The extra point had the Cowboys up 23-18 after three quarters. The fourth quarter featured plenty of points but no more extra points. A 22 yard punt return had Pittsburgh starting over at the Dallas 46. Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for 12 and again for 20. Bell got in from one yard out as the Steelers led 24-23 midway though the fourth quarter. After a touchback, the Cowboys moved to a 3rd and 8 at the Pittsburgh 28. Prescott hit Jason Witten for 14 yards and then Elliott ran for the 14 yard touchdown. The Cowboys led 29-24 with only 1:55 left, but this thriller was far from over.

Roethlisberger put on a passing clinic. He hit Green for 10, Bell for 23, and James for 24 to the Dallas 15. Roethlisberger channeled his inner Dan Marino and ran the fake spike play. The Miami defense stopped playing as Big Ben fired to Brown for the touchdown. Each team tried and failed to make three 2 point conversions, but the Steelers led 30-29. After a touchback, only 42 seconds remained. Prescott hit Cole Beasley for 10 and Willten for 13 more to the Dallas 48 with 23 seconds left. A short completion to Witten gained 5 yards, and a critical defensive facemark personal foul had the Cowboys at the Pittsburgh 32 with 15 seconds left. A field goal try would be 50 yards, no sure thing. The Cowboys still had one timeout left, so Jason Garrett called a simple run up the middle. Garrett never needed to use the timeout.

Elliott raced for the 32 yard touchdown. With 9 seconds left the Steelers took over at their 25. With 2 seconds left from their 36, Big Ben hit Brown, who raced 44 yards. Yet as he reached the Dallas 20, rather than lateral the ball, he was forced out of bounds and the game was over. Prescott was 22 of 32 for 319 yards and 2 touchdowns. Roethlisberger was a lights out 37 of 46 for 408 yards and 3 touchdowns. Neither quarterback was intercepted. Elliott had over 200 combined yards rushing and receiving. The Steelers fell to 4-5 in the mediocre AFC North while the Cowboys won their eighth straight game for the first time since the 1977 team won it all. 35-30 Cowboys

Seattle Seahawks at New England Patriots was the Sunday night game. Two years ago, the entire world saw the worst play call in Super Bowl history. Two years later, both of these teams have the potential to get back to the Super Bowl. Early on the Patriots moved 75 yards, as LaGuarrette Blount got in from one yard out to make it 7-0 Patriots. Seattle twice reached the red zone but had to settle for Steve Hauschka field goals of 27 yards in the first quarter and 31 yards in the second quarter as the Seahawks trailed 7-6. In the second quarter the Seahawks moved 65 yards in 10 plays. Russell Wilson hit Doug Baldwin for a 6 yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked as the Seahawks led 12-7.

The Patriots came back 81 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. From the one, Blount ran into a brick wall, kept churning laterally, and somehow fought off most of the Seattle defense to lunge past the pylon for a 14-12 Patriots lead with one minute left in the half. That was plenty of time. On 3rd and 9 from their own 26, Wilson hit Jimmy Graham for 14 and Tyler Lockett for 24 more. A 12 yard completion to Prosise set up 1st and 10 at the New England 18 with 13 seconds left in the half. Wilson went to the end zone and found Doug Baldwin for the touchdown as the Seahawks took a 19-14 lead into the locker rooms.

In the third quarter the Patriots went 91 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Blount scored his third touchdown, running in from 13 yards out to make it 21-19 Patriots. After a touchback, the Seahawks had their turn marching down the field. Wilson went deep to Richardson for a 39 yard gain to the New England 30. Despite 2nd and goal at the 5, a sack of Wilson and an intentional grounding penalty meant 4th and goal at the 23. Hauschka hit the 41 yard field goal to make it 22-21 Seahawks later in the third quarter. The Patriots came right back after a touchback. Brady hit Martellus Bennett on a short pass that went for a 36 yard gain. After successive offensive penalties, the Patriots faced 3rd and 25 from the Seattle 42. On the last play of the third quarter, Brady went deep to Julian Edelman for a 33 yard gain. New England began the fourth quarter with 1st and goal at the 9.

On 3rd and goal at the 7, Brady was sacked. Stephen Gostkowski hit the 30 yard field goal as the Patriots regained a 24-22 lead. Lockett returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the Seattle 37. Wilson hit Graham for a 19 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the New England 40, Wilson then went bombs away to Prosise for a 38 yard gain to set up 1st and goal at the 2. A run by Prosise came up inches short, and Pete Carroll challenged the call. While it appeared Prosise cracked the plane of the goal, the call stood. The Seahawks were down to one timeout. On 3rd and goal from inches away, a killer false start penalty followed by an incompletion ended the drive. Hauschka hit the 23 yard field goal for a 25-24 Seahawks lead with 9 minutes left in regulation. 7 lead changes had already taken place in this great football game.

Cyrus Jones returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards but fumbled the ball. The Patriots were lucky to retain possession at the Seattle 43. Two plays later a short pass to Edelman resulted in another fumble. The Legion of Boom got it this time as Kam chancellor ripped it out and Richard Sherman recovered it. The Seahawks took over at the New England 48. On 3rd and 4, Wilson found Prosise for 7 yards and Lockett for 12 more to the New England 22. On 3rd and 3, Wilson lobbed a pass to the end zone and Baldwin easily came down with it for the touchdown. Pete Carroll then took a bold gamble and went for a 2 point conversion. The logic was that if it succeeded, a 9 point Seattle lead would be a 2 score game. The try failed, and Seattle only led 31-24 with 4 1/2 minutes left.

That was plenty of time for Brady, as the Patriots moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 5 just past midfield. After a false start, Brady went deep on 3rd and 10 to Edelman for a 30 yard gain to the Seattle 24 as the two minute warning came. After a run lost 4 yards, Brady went deep to Rob Gronkowski for a 26 yard gain to set up 1st and goal at the 2. Brady took the quarterback sneak and got to the one as the Seahawks took their final timeout on defense with 37 seconds left. Blount got the carry and went airborne. Kam Chancellor pulled Blount from behind and kept Blount just short of the goal line. New England took a timeout with 19 seconds left. On 3rd and goal, Brady fumbled the snap and was lucky to recover it. With 13 seconds left, everything came down to 4th and goal at the 2. Seattle was somehow called for having 12 men on the defense, and now it was 4th and goal at the one. This was not the Super Bowl, but it certainly had the drama.

Brady through a fade to the corner of the end zone where only two people had a chance at the ball: Rob Gronkowski and Kam Chancellor. There was plenty of contact, but the officials properly did not call a penalty. New England screamed for a flag, but if anything it appeared Gronkowski shoved Chancellor to the ground. From dangerously close to their own goal line, taking a knee would have meant a safety. A couple runs up the middle could have resulted in a fumble, but there was no further drama. The Seahawks had gotten revenge in dramatic fashion as Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll hugged after the game. New England is 7-2, Seattle is 6-2, and a rematch of this game in the Super Bowl would be must-see television. 31-24 Seahawks

Cincinnati Bengals at New York Giants was the Monday night game. Early on each team moved 80 yards with ease. Eli Manning threw a 10 yard touchdown to Adams to get the Giants on the board first. Andy Dalton went deep to Tyler Eifert for a 71 yard gain. Red Rifle Andy Dalton then threw a 13 yard touchdown pass to AJ Green for a 7-7 ballgame. With 10 minutes left in the half, the Giants moved to a 4th and 2 at the Cincy 37. Ben McAdoo went for it and Manning was sacked. With 5 minutes left in the half, Manning was intercepted in his own territory, giving the Bengals gift field position and 1st and goal at the 7. They gained nothing and settled for a 25 yard Mike nugget field goal and a 10-7 Bengals lead. The Giants came back 75 yards. With 1:17 left in the half, Manning hit O’Dell Beckham for a 10 yard touchdown as the Giants took a 14-10 lead into the locker rooms. Erickson returned the second half kickoff 84 yards to the Giants 13. Two plays later Jeremy Hill ran for a 9 yard touchdown and a 17-14 Bengals lead. The Bengals got it back at their own 39 and moved to the Giants 20, where Dalton threw incomplete on 3rd and 5. Nugent hit the 38 yard field goal for a 20-14 Bengals lead after three quarters. A field position game had the Giants taking over at the Cincy 47. Less than one minute into the fourth quarter, Ben McAdoo decided again to go for it on 4th and goal at the 3. The gutsy call paid off when Manning hit Sam Shepard for the touchdown. Big Blue led by a point, but there was plenty of time left. The teams traded interceptions, and the Bengals then failed to convert a 3rd and 1 run in their own territory. From the Cincinnati 30, consecutive sacks of Dalton killed another drive. With 2:50 to play, everything came down to the Giants facing 3rd and 6 at their own 45. Rashad Jennings gained 9 yards and the Giants ran out the clock to gut out another tough win. 21-20 Giants

NFL 2016 Week 10 Prequel

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl/nfl-2016-week-10-preview-and-bettors-guide-73769/

NFL 2016 Week 9 Recap

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the Thursday night game. In the season opener, the Buccaneers went into Atlanta and stunned the Falcons. Since then Atlanta has played well with a couple stumbled while the Bucs have regressed. Early on the Buccaneers moved 75 yards in 13 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Jameis Winston threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans for a 7-0 Buccaneers lead. The Falcons quickly came back 75 yards. On 3rd and 9 from their own 26, Matt Ryan hit Devonta Freeman for 27 yards and Toilolo for a 32 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. The defenses then settled in. On 1st and 21 at their own 14, the Bucs fumbled and Atlanta took over at the Tampa Bay 14. The Falcons went nowhere and settled for a 29 yard Matt Bryant field goal and a 10-7 lead. Bryant tacked on a 41 yarder in the second quarter for a 13-7 Falcons advantage.

A sack of Ryan caused a fumble that the Buccaneers recovered at the Atlanta 19. Two plays later Winston went to Evans in the end zone. Evans just out-jumped the defender for the score and the 14-13 Buccaneers lead. The Falcons came back 74 yards. On 3rd and 12 from the Tampa 28, Ryan hit Hooper for 16. Gabriel got around the end for a 9 yard touchdown and a 20-14 Falcons lead at halftime.

Atlanta broke the game open in the third quarter. An 11 play, 86 yard, 6 minute drive saw Ryan connect with Julio Jones for gains of 11, 21, 19 and 11. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Ryan threw incomplete but defensive pass interference made it 1st and goal. Ryan hit DiMarco for the one yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but Atlanta led 26-14. Atlanta got it back and went 82 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 6 from the Atlanta 22, Ryan hit Mohammed Sanu for 20 yards. Ryan found Jones for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 33-14 Falcons. In the fourth quarter Ryan threw a 2 yard touchdown to Hooper for a 40-14 Falcons blowout. Tampa scored a couple garbage time touchdowns to make the score look respectable, but this was all Atlanta. 43-28 Falcons

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs — The Chiefs defense was supposed to help the team route the pathetic Jaguars offense, especially with Nick Foles in for Alex Smith. Late in the first quarter the Jaguars fumbled a punt, giving the Chiefs the ball at the Jacksonville 23. Two plays later Foles went deep to Wilson for the score and a 7-0 Chiefs lead. Early in the second quarter an interception of Blake Bortles gave Kansas City the ball at the Jags 13. The defense held, but Cairo Santos hit the 26 yard field goal. 2 turnovers were the difference in a 10-0 Chiefs lead. From their own 12, the jaguars were bailed out by 2 defensive pass interference calls. With 7 seconds left, on 3rd and goal at the one, Bortles hit Robinson for the score as the Jaguars only trailed 10-7 at halftime. The second half was equally boring as the Chiefs continued to win with lackluster offense and stifling defense. Satons hit field goals of 51 and 24 in the third quarter and 36 in the fourth quarter for a 19-7 Chiefs lead. Bortles is the king of garbage stats, and a hit TJ Yeldon for a 13 yard touchdown with 4:15 to play. Jacksonville got it back with a chance to win. With 2:10 to play on 3rd and 1 from the Chiefs 30, a run lost 2 yards. On 4th and 3, Bortles threw incomplete. These are the Jaguars. 19-14 Chiefs

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings — This game was pure NFC North black and blue football. Matt Prater hit a 47 yard field goal in the first quarter for the Lions. In the second quarter Blair Walsh hit a 33 yarder for a 3-3 tie. The Lions then mounted a staggering 17 play, 84 yard drive that consumed 9:45 off the clock. Matthew Stafford hit Anquon Boldin from one yard out as the Lions took a 10-3 lead into the locker rooms. In the third quarter Sam Bradford hit Kyle Rudolph for the one yard touchdown. Blair Walsh has had a nightmarish year, and he doinked another extra point off the upright no good as the Vikings trailed 10-9 after three quarters. The fourth quarter had plenty of drama.

Walsh lined up for a 46 yard field goal to give Minnesota the lead. The kick was blocked, giving the Lions the ball at the Minnesota 42. On 3rd and 7 Stafford went deep and was intercepted, but defensive offsides nullified the play and gave Stafford another chance with 3rd and 2. He threw incomplete, but Matt Prater drilled a 53 field goal to make it 13-9 Lions with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Minnesota got it back and moved from their 31 to a 3rd and 2 at the Detroit 6. A run gained only one yard, and Mike Zimmer decided to go for it. Asiata got the ball and ran into a Detroit brick wall.

Minnesota got it back with 4:14 left at their own 21. On 3rd and 7, Bradford went deep to Thielen for a 29 yard gain and again for 17 more. With 1:48 left and 3rd and 2 at the Detroit 22, the Lions jumped offsides. With 1:17 left, the Vikings faced 4th and 4 at the 11. Bradford found Diggs for an 8 yard gain. With 27 seconds left, the Vikings took a timeout as they faced 3rd and goal at the one. Ellison got the carry and got in. The Detroit collapse was complete as the Vikings led 16-13. Now all Mike Zimmer’s defense had to do was hold on for 23 seconds after a touchback.

Stafford hit Golden Tate for 8 yard and Roberts for 27 more at the Minnesota 40. Stafford raced everyone up to the line and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 2 seconds left. Prater came in for a 58 yard field goal. Prater nailed it, and this tough game was going into overtime. Detroit got the ball first in the extra session at their own 13. On 3rd and 3, a short pass from Stafford to Eric Ebron gained 23 yards. On 3rd and 8 from their own 45, Stafford hit Tate for 12 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Minnesota 43, Stafford threw incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference added 13 more yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Minnesota 28, a short pass from Stafford to Tate saw him work miracles along the sideline. Tate clearly stayed inbounds, split tackles, and dove just past the pylon. Minnesota never saw the ball in overtime. The Vikings were 2 seconds from winning, but miracles from Prater and Tate instead gave the Vikings their third straight loss after a 5-0 start. Detroit is just behind them at 5-4. Jim Caldwell was so pleased at the win that he almost made a facial expression. 22-16 Lions, OT

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants — Carson Wentz’s second pass of the game ws intercepted by Collins, setting the Giants up at the Philadelphia 31. Two plays later Manning found O’Dell Beckham, who raced for a 26 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Giants lead. 3 plays later on 3rd and 5 from their 30, Wentz was intercepted again, as the Giants took over at the Philly 30. Two plays later on 3rd and 10, Manning went deep to Lewis for the touchdown. 2 short fields had the Giants up 14-0. Yet after this, Wentz caught fire. The Eagles moved from their 25 to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 11 before a sack of Wentz ended the drive. Caleb Surges hit the 34 yard field goal to get the Eagles on the board.

In the second quarter the Eagles rapidly moved 70 yards. An 8 yard touchdown run by Ryan Mathews had the Eagles within 14-10. The Giants came back 86 yards. Manning again hooked up with Beckham for a one yard score as Big Blue led 21-10 at the midpoint. In the third quarter the Eagles again moved 70 yards and Barner scored from 3 yards out to get the Eagles within 21-17. Yet again the Giants got some breathing room as they moved 75 yards. Manning hit Sam Shepard for a 32 yard touchdown as the Giants led 28-17 after three quarters.

Sturgis hit fourth quarter field goals of 26 and 38 yards to get the Eagles within 5 points with 4 minutes left. With 1:55 to play the Giants faced a critical 3rd and 4 at their own 29. The Eagles still had one timeout left. A first down would end it. Earlier in the quarter, Manning was intercepted. When it mattered most, he was again. The Giants were giving the game away, as the Eagles took over at the Giants 34. Wentz hit Agholor for 17 yards. With time no longer a factor, Wentz had already torched the Giants for 364 yards. He needed 17 more for the win. Instead he threw 4 straight incompletions as the Giants defense bailed the offense out for the win. Wentz finished 27 of 47, but did not have a touchdown. Manning finished 22 of 36 for 257 yards and 4 touchdown passes. Each signal caller was picked off twice. 28-23 Giants

Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns — The winless Browns had to face off against a revitalized Dallas team led by Dak Prescott. Cody Parker hit a 31 yard field goal early to make it 3-0 Browns, but then reality set in. Prescott hit Jason Witten for a 26 yard touchdown to cap a 75 yard drive. In the second quarter it was Dallas moving 69 and 67 yards. Ezekiel Elliott ran for a 10 yard touchdown and Prescott hit Cole Beasley for a 6 yard score and a 21-3 Cowboys lead. Cody Kessler moved the Browns 80 yards quickly at the end of the half, hitting Terrelle Pryor for a 12 yard score as the Browns only trailed 21-10 at halftime. In the third quarter Dallas quickly closed the door. A 75 yard drive culminated in Elliott scoring again from 8 yards out. A 64 yard drive saw Prescott throw his third touchdown pass, a 2 yarder to Escobar to complete the blowout. Hue Jackson still has not gotten his first win as Cleveland’s head coach. At least Cleveland has the Indians. never mind. At least they have the Cavaliers. Of course, LeBron James is a Cowboys fan. 35-10 Cowboys

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins – Sometimes a pair of boring teams can play an interesting game. This actually was that game. The Jets early on held the ball for 13 plays and 6 1/2 minutes and moved 70 yards, but had to settle for a 23 yard Nick Folk field goal to make it 3-0 Jets. Each team then moved 75 yards. Jay jay ran for a 20 yard touchdown for the Dolphins and Matt Forte answered with a 31 yard touchdown run and a 10-7 Jets lead. In the second quarter Ryan Tannehill capped off a 75 yard drive by hitting Jones from one yard out for a 14-10 Dolphins lead. After that both teams let their kickers do the work for awhile. Folk hit from 21 as the Jets again got to the 5 yard line and could not get in the end zone, trailing 14-13 at halftime. Franks hit from 33 and 29 for a 20-13 Dolphins lead after three quarters. The latter kick was setup by an interception of Fitzpatrick, setting up Miami at the Jets 14. Yet both teams struggled in the red zone all day and settled for field goals. The fourth quarter began with the Jets having 1st and 10 at the Miami 17. Yet Fitzpatrick threw incomplete on 3rd and 7 as both teams red zone nightmares continued. Folk hit from 28 as the Jets trailed 20-16 with 13 minutes left in regulation. Then came the crazy finish.

Fitzpatrick moved the Jets from their 10 to a 3rd and 8 from the Miami 11 midway through the fourth quarter. Fitzpatrick and his beard went to the end, and both were intercepted for a touchback. The Dolphins went 3 and out, and then gave the Jets a gift. Miami fumbled the snap on the punt, giving the Jets the ball at the Miami 18. Two plays later Fitzpatrick and his beard both hit Marshall for the touchdown. With 5 1/2 minutes left the Jets had a 23-20 lead. The Jets were offside on the ensuing kickoff, forcing them to kick it again. Drake made the Jets pay, returning in 96 yards the other way to put Miami back in front by 4 points. The Jets went 3 and out and Todd Bowles with 3 minutes left decided to punt and trust his defense. At the 2 minute warning, the Dolphins faced 3rd and 3 at the Jets 47. Tannehill threw incomplete, but defensive pass interference let Miami keep the ball to run out the clock. These are the Jets. Just End The Season. 27-23 Dolphins

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens — These teams are not what they were when their defenses were beating each other up, but they still play physical football. Big Ben Roethlisberger was back from injury, but could not get anything going. Early on the Ravens had the ball at their own 5 yard line. Joe Flacco went deep and found Mike Wallace for a 95 yard touchdown connection. The defenses then settled in for a long slog. Justin Tucker hit field goals of 49 yards in the second quarter and 42 in the third quarter for a 13-0 Ravens lead after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the special teams got into the act. Baltimore blocked a punt and Moore returned it 14 yards for a score. Flacco hit Steve Smith for the 2 point conversion for a 21-0 Ravens lead. Big Ben finally mounted a comeback. Roethlisberger moved the Steelers 75 and 65 yards, hitting Antonio Brown for a 23 yard touchdown and running for a 4 yard score with one minute left. The onside kick failed as both teams are 4-4 at the midpoint. 21-14 Ravens

New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers — When one of the best quarterbacks of all time in Drew Brees faces off against one of the worst teams in the league, a potential blowout is in the works.   Phil Dawson got the 49ers on the board first with a 49 yard field goal, but after that reality set in. The Saints moved 83 yards in 10 plays and Tim Hightower ran it in from 4 yards out to put the Saints up 7-3. Colin Kaepernick was then intercepted near midfield. Robertson returned it 29 yards, with a horse collar tackle adding 13 more as the Saints took over at the 49ers 12 yard line. On 3rd and goal at the one after a pair of trees incompletions, Brees hit Thomas for the touchdown to make it 14-3 Saints. In the second quarter the Saints moved 76 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and goal at the 5 Brees hit Mark Ingram for the touchdown as the Saints were cruising 21-3.

Every time the 49ers tried make a game of it, the Saints struck back. Kaepernick hit Harris on a short pass that went for a 47 yard touchdown. Yet one play later after a touchback, Ingram broke free for a 75 yard touchdown run and a 28-10 Saints lead. With 4 minutes left in the half, Dawson nailed a 48 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 28-13. The 49ers got it back with 1:47 left in the half. With 1:16 left the 49ers faced 3rd and 3 at their own 35. Kaepernick threw a short pass to McDonald that turned into a 65 yard touchdown as the 49ers were only down 28-20. Yet Brees kept firing. Completions of 26 yards to Coby Fleener, 17 yards to Brandon Cooks and 19 yards to Snead led to Will Lutz hitting a 26 yard field goal to close the half. The Saints took a 31-20 lead into the locker rooms.

After a 34 point second quarter that saw each team put 17 points on the board, the game slowed considerably in the second half. Dawson hit a 46 yard field goal in the third quarter as the 49ers only trailed 31-23 entering the final quarter. Yet the Saints salted it away. Brees capped a 77 yard drive by hitting Thomas for a 32 yard touchdown and a 38-23 Saints lead. Lutz tacked on a 41 yard field goal to complete the scoring. Both quarterbacks threw 39 passes, with Brees completing 28 and Kaepernick 24. Brees threw for 323 yards and kaepernick 398 yards. Yet Kaepernick had 2 touchdowns and one interception while Brees threw 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. The 49ers lost their 7th straight under Chip Kelly. To end the game, Brees took a knee. He was not protesting the national anthem like his Mod Squad counterpart. He was winning another game on his way to Canton. 41-23 Saints

Carolina Panthers at Los Angeles Rams — This game was all defense. Cam Newton threw a first quarter 9 yard touchdown to Greg Olsen. After three quarters, the Panthers still only led 7-0. In the fourth quarter Graham Gano hit a 38 yard field goal to extend the lead. Greg Zuerlein hit from 25 to get the Rams on the board, but Gano countered from 37 to make it 13-3 Panthers with 3 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Rams moved down the field desperately, and on 4th and goal at the 10, Case Keenum hit Kenny Britt for the touchdown. However, only 34 seconds remained. The onside kick failed and that was that. Both teams are 3-5, but Ron Rivera’s squad has won two straight while Jeff Fisher’s squad has lost four straight. Fisher has a fantastic defense but a struggling offense, the same problem his late mentor Buddy Ryan used to have. 13-10 Panthers

Indianapolis Colts at Green Bay Packers – Four years ago, rookie Andrew luck led the Colts back from an 18 point deficit to beat Aaron Rodgers. The rematch also featured an exciting finish. The Colts jumped all over the Packers from the start, as Todman returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Colts lead. The Packers got on the board with a 34 yard Mason Crosby field goal, but the Colts came back 62 yards. Frank Gore ran for a 7 yard touchdown for a 14-3 Colts lead. Late in the first quarter, Luck was intercepted, giving the Packers a short field at the Indy 47. On 3rd and 1 from the 26 on the last play of the first quarter, Rodgers went deep to Jordy Nelson for the touchdown to get the Packers within 14-10.

In the second quarter Adam Vinatieri hit a 28 yard field goal for a 17-10 Colts lead. The Colts got it back at their own 4 yard line, and Luck was masterful. A 15 play drive took 5 1/2 minutes. Luck hit Moncrief from 8 yards out as the 96 yard drive made it 24-10 Cots at the half. In the third quarter the Packers moved into the red zone but had to settle for a 27 yard Crosby field goal to trail 24-13 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Colts moved 71 yards. Gore got in from 4 yards out as the Colts had a 31-13 lead with 9 1/2 minutes remaninig in front of a shellshocked home crowd.

Luck was playing like a champion, but Rodgers already is one. This time it was the Packers down by 18, and Rodgers was going to will his team back into the game. After a touchback, an unnecessary roughness penalty on the defense had Green Bay at their own 47. Rodgers went deep to Devonta Adams for a 40 yard gain and hit him again for the 2 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but midway through the fourth quarter the Packers were within 31-19.

The Packers held on defense and got it back after a touchback with 5 1/2 minutes left. Rodgers hit montgomery for 18, Nelson for 13 and Richard Rodgers for 9. Rodgers then scrambled for a 21 yard gain, hit Nelson for 13, and finally hit Randall Cobb for the 3 yard touchdown. The Packers were within 5 points with 3 1/2 minutes left. Mike McCarthy now needed Dom Capers’s defense to get a stop. With the Colts facing 3rd and 10 at their own 25, Luck went deep to Doyle for 20 yards and a killer first down. With 2:21 left and the packers out of timeouts, everything came down to the Colts facing 3rd and 2 at the Green Bay 47. Rather than bang it up the middle, Luck went deep to TY Hilton for a 27 yard gain. It was  a gutsy call by Chuck Pagano, and it preserved the big road win. 31-26 Colts

Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers — 50 years ago, the American Football League saw the Chargers and Houston Oilers put on aerial shows. Somewhere in heaven, the late Sid Gilman was smiling over this one. Early on it was all Chargers. They moved 75 yards and Philip Rivers hit Antonio Gates for a 13 yard touchdown. Josh Lambo missed the extra point as the Chargers led 6-0. San Diego got it back and Lambo hit a 32 yard field goal to make it 9-0 Chargers. In the second quarter San Diego got it back and rapidly moved 87 yards. Rivers hit Williams for a 6 yard touchdown and a 16-0 Chargers advantage.

The Titans woke up and started playing football. A 75 yard drive saw Marcus Mariota hit Ryan Matthews for a 16 yard score to get the Titans within 16-7. With 2 1/2 minutes left in the half the Titans got it back, but Mariota was quickly intercepted. Hayward returned it 25 yards to the Tennessee 15. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Rivers threw incomplete. Tennessee dodged a bullet as Lambo hit from 23 to make it 19-7 Chargers with 90 seconds left in the half. That was enough time for Mariota after a touchback. Mariota hit Wright for 16 and Matthews for 7 more. With 24 seconds left in the half, the Chargers faced a critical 3rd and 1 at the Titans 36. Mariota went deep to Sharpe for a 29 yard gain and then to Matthews for the 7 yard touchdown to get the Titans within 19-14 at halftime.

In the third quarter after a touchback, Mariota unleashed a flurry of passes. 8 straight completions moved the ball to the San Diego 14. Mariota then ran for the touchdown himself to make it 21-19 Titans. The Chargers came back 75 yards, taking 14 plays and nearly 7 minutes to do it. On 3rd and 8 from the Tennessee 37, Rivers threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. On 3rd and 7 from the 18, Rivers hit Gates for 17. From the one, Melvin Gordon twice got stopped. On 3rd and goal, Rivers was sacked for a 9 yard loss. Yet defensive holding again killed the Titans. On the next play Gordon did get in as the Chargers retook the lead 26-21 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.

The Titans took over at their own 35. On 2nd and 15 from the San Diego 47, disaster struck. Mariota was hit and fumbled. Lowery recovered it and returned it 36 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 33-21 Chargers lead. In the fourth quarter, the Titans faced 3rd and 1 at their own 29 with 12 minutes left in regulation. Mariota hit Wright on a short pass that went for a 48 yard gain. On 3rd and 5 from the 18, Mariota hit DeMarco Murray for 10 and Melanie Walker for the 8 yard touchdown. With 10 minutes left in regulation the Titans were within 33-28.

The Chargers moved from their 25 to a 4th and 1 at the Titans 18 with 6 minutes left in regulation. Mike McCoy took no chances. Lambo hit the 36 yard field goal, but it was still only a one score game with the Chargers up 36-28. With 5 minutes left the Titans faced 3rd and 6 from their 29. Mariota was then intercepted by Brandon Flowers, who jumped the route and raced for a 33 yard touchdown. San Diego’s second defensive touchdown had the made it 43-28 Chargers.

After a touchback, the Mariota hit Douglas for a 27 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from the San Diego 46, Mariota hit Matthews for gains of 14 and 9. On 3rd and 1 from the 23, Murray gained 13 yards. on 2nd and goal from the 7 Mariota threw incomplete, but defensive holding put the ball on the one. Murray took it up the gut for the touchdown. With 2:45 to play, the Titans were within 8 points again. Tennessee had all 3 timeouts, so Mike Mularkey decided to kick it away and trust his defense rather than go onside kick. With 2 1/2 minutes left, it all came down to the Chargers facing 3rd and 7 at their own 28. Gordon got the carry and broke free for a 47 yard gain as the Chargers ran out the clock. Both teams are now 4-5, but the Chargers have won three of the last four to stay alive but still far back in the ultra-competitive AFC West. 43-35 Chargers

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders was the Sunday night game. The Raiders came out jacked up full of emotion. The Broncos began at their own 15 and Trevor Siemian quickly threw 3 incompletions. The Raiders began their first drive with excellent field position at their own 48. On 2nd and 5 Carr fired over the middle to Jalen Richard. It bounced off his hands but he caught his own tip for an 11 yard gain to the Denver 36. Carr then fired another quick slant to Amari Cooper, who broke a tackle for a 21 yard gain. After a pass to the end zone to Clive Walford was broken up at the last moment, Latavius Murray gained 8 yards to set up a critical 3rd and 2 at the 6. Carr found a wide open Seth Roberts in the flat, but after catching it Roberts just slipped and fell for no gain. Jack Del Rio has gambled all season, but this time against a great defense, he played it safe and took the points. Sebastian Janikowski hit the 24 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Raiders.

Denver punted again when a 3rd and 12 pass was dropped by the receiver and a defender as Siemian still did not have a completion after 2 series. The Raiders again had great field position at their own 42. Carr went back to Roberts for a 21 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 33, Carr hit Andre Holmes for a 16 yard gain. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the 6, Carr was sacked by Von Miller. Seabass hit the 29 yard field goal, but the Raiders only led 6-0.

Denver again went 3 and out for the third straight time. On 3rd and 7 Siemian finally completed his first pass, but it only gained 4 yards. Denver still had 0 first downs. For the third straight time the Raiders had excellent field position to start a drive, this time at their own 43. Carr hit Holmes and Cooper for a pair of 11 yard gains. Again the Raiders reached the red zone as Carr hit Roberts for 10 more. The Raiders absolutely dominated the first quarter, racking up 137 yards and giving up only 9 yards. They Raiders had the ball for over 12 minutes to less than 3 for Denver. The Raiders, one week after an NFL record 23 penalties, had 0 penalties in the first quarter. Yet despite all of that, they only led 6-0. Oakland began the second quarter with 1st and goal at the 9.

Murray got the carry, bounced to the outside, and appeared to reach the pylon. Yet the referees ruled Murray down at the 2 yard line. The call was not challenged. Murray got the carry and got stopped just short. On 3rd and goal Olawale got the call and appeared stopped cold as well. However, Olawale stretched the ball just barely over the plane of the goal line as the Raiders had the shocking 13-0 lead.

Denver went 3 and out as Siemian threw incomplete on 3rd and 5. It was the first time in 5 years that Denver started with 4 straight 3 and outs, with Tim Tebow being the quarterback at the time. During the 4 years between Tebow and Siemian, Peyton Manning was not known for going 3 and out. After starting past their own 40 on their first 3 drives, this time the Raiders started at their own 26. They would have to punt, but Marquette King was fantastic the whole night. Denver took over at their own 16. After 19 minutes of regulation, they still did not have a first down. On 3rd and 4 from their 22, Siemian retreated backward and unloaded a duck under heavy pressure. Somehow Denarius Thomas came down with it for a 23 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Oakland 46, Bibbs gained 10 yards. On the next play Siemian went deep to Jerrius Norwood for a 36 yard touchdown. Despite being dominated all game, the 84 yard drive had the Broncos right back in it down 13-7. Momentum had swing, and the crowd would soon know if the Raiders would collapse once the initial adrenaline rush wore off.

The Raiders kept moving the ball well, going from their 34 to a 1st and 10 at the Denver 24. However, a delay of game killed the drive. Seabass came in for a 48 yard field goal, but it was no good. Denver soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 47. Siemian threw incomplete and the Raiders got it back at their 25. At the 2 minute warning the Raiders faced 3rd and 1 at their 34. Murray got the carry and rumbled for a 42 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from the 24, Carr went deep incomplete. however, defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. After a touchdown pass was nullified by an ineligible man downfield, another defensive pass interference call put the ball back on the one again. Murray crashed in for the score as the Raiders led 20-7.

Denver got it back at their own 20 with only 1:19 left in the half. With 27 seconds left in the half Denver had the ball with a 3rd and 3 just past midfield. Siemian went deep incomplete, but defensive holding kept the drive going. From the Oakland 44, Siemian went deep to Emanuel Sanders, who made a diving catch for the touchdown in front of a shocked home crowd. Yet the Raiders dodged a major bullet when replay showed the ball hit the ground. It was reversed incomplete. On the last play of the half, Brandon McManus drilled a 55 yard field goal. The Broncos trailed 20-10 at halftime, but this game was far from over.

In the third quarter the Raiders moved from their 25 to a 1st and 10 at the Denver 41. Yet on 3rd and 8 Carr threw incomplete. Oakland held the ball for 6 minutes but did not score. A 57 yard field goal try was not in the cards as the Raiders punted. King placed a beauty as perfect punt coverage pinned the Broncos at their 2 yard line. The Raiders got it back at their 36 and moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Denver 42. Yet a completion gained 0 yards and again the Raiders punted. Again, spectacular play by King and the coverage team pinned Denver at their one yard line.

On 3rd and 8 from their 3, Siemian threw deep incomplete. Yet pass interference on DJ Hayden meant 27 yards for Denver. On 3rd and 14 from their 26, Siemian fired to Sanders for an 18 yard gain. As short pass to Green gained 26 yards to the Oakland 30. An offensive holding penalty killed the drive as the third quarter was scoreless. On the first play of the fourth quarter, McManus hit the 44 yard field goal. The Broncos were only down 20-13. Again, the Raiders had not put the game away.

This time the Raiders offense kept grinding. A 10 play, 58 yard drive chewed up another 6 1/2 minutes. The Raiders moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 7 at the Denver 21. Offensive holding meant 3rd and 17, but a juggling catch by Michael Crabtree on the next play gained 14 yards. Seabass hit the 35 yard field goal. With only 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Raiders led 23-13. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Broncos faced 2nd and 10 at their 47. Siemian was sacked by Khalil Mack, forcing a fumble. The Raiders recovered at the Denver 39. It was the first turnover of the game. Now the Raiders had a chance to turn out the lights.

On the very next play Carr was intercepted. The defense looked in anger knowing they had to go right back on the field. Yet again the Raiders got a major break, as replay for the second time in the game showed the ball hitting the ground. Oakland dodged another major bullet as the calls as reversed to an incomplete pass. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 36, Carr went deep incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference instead meant 1st and goal at the 5. Chris Harris would then get called for 2 more defensive penalties as 3 penalties in 4 plays put the ball on the one. Murray got it in as the Raiders had a 30-13 lead with only 6 minutes left.

The game appeared over, but the Raiders never make it easy. They do not finish games. With the Broncos facing 1st and 15 at their own 31, Bibbs took a short pass, shook off several very and attempts at tackling, and weaved his way for a 69 yard touchdown. Just like that, with more than 5 minutes still left, the Broncos were back within 10. The Raiders took over at their own 19. With 3 1/2 minutes left the Broncos took their first timeout as the Raiders faced a critical 3rd and 8 at their own 34. Carr found Amari cooper for 9 yards. The Broncos would get the ball back at their own 28, but only 2:20 remained and they were out of timeouts. After 3 straight incompletions, on fourth and 10 simian was intercepted by Reggie Nelson. This time, the Silver and Black delivered the Raider Nation the best franchise win in awhile.

While the Broncos were without star cornerback Aqib Talib, this was a statement win for the Raiders. They held the ball for 42 minutes compared to only 18 minutes for Denver. Siemian finished 18 for 37 for 283 yards, 2 touchdowns, and the one interception at the end. Carr was only 20 of 31 for 184 yards without a touchdown or interception, but that was because the Raiders gashed Denver’s defense for 218 yards on the ground. Murray had 114 yards on 20 carries. The Oakland Raiders are in sole possession of first place in the AFC West at 7-2. Raider fans really wish there was no presidential election this week. Make it next week. Let the Raider Nation have a whole week to enjoy this win. Politics returns much sooner than most of us want, but for now, football is front and center. Reggie McKenzie may get some votes for president. This was a Silver and Black Sunday. Just Win Baby! 30-20 Raiders

Buffalo Bills at Seattle Seahawks was the Monday night game. This was an exciting game of big plays. Early on the Bills blocked a Seattle punt and recovered at the 3 yard line. One play later Tyrod Taylor ran it in for a 7-0 Seahawks lead. Barely a minute later the game was tied. Russell Wilson went deep to Doug Baldwin for a 50 yard gain to the Buffalo 3. One play later it was Wilson with the rushing touchdown as both quarterbacks had 3 yard scampers in a 7-7 game. The Bills came back with what may have been the drive of the year. Buffalo  Held the ball for a staggering 17 plays and 10 minutes off the clock. The 75 yard drive was capped with Taylor hitting Hunter for a 5 yard touchdown and a 14-7 Bills lead.

In the second quarter, Seattle quickly moved 65 yards. Wilson hit Jimmy Graham for a 17 yard touchdown for a 14-14 game. Buffalo held the ball for another 5 1/2 minutes, going 62 yards in 12 plays. Yet this time they bogged down in the red zone when Taylor was sacked on 3rd and goal at the 6. Dan Carpenter hit the 31 yard field goal to make it 17-14 Bills. With 6 1/2 minutes left in the half, a 22 yard punt return had Seattle at the Buffalo 40. On 1st and 25 from the Buffalo 27 after an offensive clipping penalty, defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 3. Michael got in on the next play to make it 21-17 Seahawks with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.

Seattle got it back with 2:19 left in the half at their own 32. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 32, Wilson hit Graham for 14 and again for the 18 yard touchdown to make it 28-17 Seahawks with one minute left in the half. Buffalo moved from their 25 to the Seattle 35 with 3 seconds left in the half. Dan Carpenter’s 53 yard field goal try was no good, mainly because Carpenter got obliterated by Richard Sherman. While there was defensive offside on Sherman, there was no roughing the kicker call. Rex Ryan went ballistic to no avail. Carpenter then made the 48 yard field goal, but Pete Carroll had called timeout at the last moment. So Carpenter tried a 53 yard field goal again, and the third time was not a charm. The kick was no good as the teams went to the locker rooms with the Seahawks still up 28-17.

The third quarter was scoreless, but Buffalo did move 82 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. The fourth quarter began with Gillislee getting in from one yard out to get the Bills within 28-23. Taylor executed the quarterback draw perfectly on the 2 point conversion to get the Bills within 28-25. The Bills moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 6 at the Buffalo 31 with 10 minutes left in regulation. Wilson threw incomplete. Steve Hauschka made the 49 yard field goal. The Seahawks had a 6 point lead, but they had not closed the door.

The Bills moved from their 25 to a 1st and 10 at the Seattle 32. After a pair of Taylor incompletions, on 3rd and 10 a tripping penalty instead means 3rd and 21. A safe run actually then lost 2 yards. Buffalo was out of field goal range. They took 6 minutes off the clock and got nothing. The Bills took their timeouts and got the ball back in excellent field position at their own 40 with 2:41 to play. A sac of Taylor had Buffalo facing 3rd and 21 at their own 40. Taylor found Woods for 22, with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. With 1:09 to play, Buffalo had 1st and goal at the 10. Seattle took timeouts on defense in case the Bills scored. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Taylor was sacked by Cliff Avril. On 4th and goal from the 15 with 20 seconds left, Taylor fired to the end zone. The ball was well thrown but well defended by double coverage. It landed incomplete and the Legion of Boom gutted out another tough win. 31-25 Seahawks

NFL 2016 Week 9 Prequel

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl-2016-week-9-preview-and-bettors-guide-73363/