NFL - Week Twelve Review

The Kansas City Chiefs improved to a 10-1 record with a 27-24 road win at Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon behind three touchdown passes from quarterback Patrick Mahomes (pictured left) to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who also had 13 receptions for 269 yards. Mahomes passed for 462 yards as Kansas City raced out to a 17-0 first half lead. The Buccaneers (7-5) battled back in the fourth quarter to provide the final outcome as QB Tom Brady threw for three scores, but was also intercepted twice. 

Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill had a huge game.

 

 

 

 

The Buffalo Bills (8-3) won at home, 27-17 against the Los Angeles Chargers (3-8) with a balanced offense (172 rushing yards and 160 passing yards) to overcome three turnovers. Bills QB Josh Allen had a scoring pass and run while Chargers QB Justin Herbert passed for a score and had 316 passing yards in defeat.

The Tennessee Titans (8-3) turned the tables on the host Indianapolis Colts (7-4) with a 45-26 trouncing to take over sole possession of first place in the AFC South division. Tennessee running back Derrick Henry rushed for 178 yards (on 27 carries) and scored three touchdowns to lead the way. The game was tied 14-14 early in the second quarter before the Titans scored 21 unanswered points to blow it open at halftime and avenge a blowout loss to the Colts (in Tennessee) just over two weeks ago. Colts QB Philip Rivers had two TD passes and one interception in the loss. 

The San Francisco 49ers (5-6) topped the Los Angeles Rams, 23-20 as kicker Robbie Gould made a 42-yard field goal as time expired. Rams QB Jared Goff had three of the four turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble lost), including a "pick six" touchdown for the 49ers defense. The Rams (7-4) also scored on defense with a fumble return while getting three turnovers on an interception and two fumble recoveries.

Cleveland (8-3) won at Jacksonville, 27-25 to send the Jaguars (1-10) to their tenth consecutive defeat while maintaining control of second place in the AFC North race. The Browns used a balanced offensive attack (207 rushing yards, 252 passing yards) to hold off the Jags, who could not convert a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Browns QB Baker Mayfield had two scoring passes and RB Nick Chubb rushed for another score and had 144 rushing yards, offsetting two TD passes by Jaguars QB Mike Glennon and rushing touchdown by RB James Robinson, who had 128 rushing yards in the loss.

The Green Bay Packers (8-3) demolished the visiting Chicago Bears, 41-25 in the Sunday night game with QB Aaron Rodgers throwing four TD passes. The Packers defense forced three turnovers in the win, including a fumble recovery for a 14-yard score by linebacker Preston Smith for a 27-3 lead in the second quarter as Chicago (5-6) lost their fifth consecutive game. The Packers rushed for 182 yards in the game while amassing 393 total yards in offense. Bears QB Mitch Trubisky had three TD passes and two interceptions in his first start since the third week of the season. 

On Wednesday afternoon, nearly one week after the game was originally scheduled for Thanksgiving night, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens finally played their game and the Steelers won, 19-14 to remain unbeaten at 11-0 while the Ravens dropped to 6-5 this season. 

The Ravens were without many starters on both offense and defense due to the COVID-19 restricted list and that included starting QB Lamar Jackson. But Pittsburgh's defense scored the first touchdown of the game when Joe Haden took an interception back 14 yards for the score. The Ravens forged ahead, 7-6 on a one-yard TD run by Gus Edwards. Following two field goals by kicker Chris Boswell, the Steelers scored on a one-yard TD pass from Ben Roethlisberger to WR JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 19-7 lead. The Ravens then scored with 3:10 remaining in the game on a 70-yard TD pass from Trace McSorley to WR Marquise Brown. From there, the Steelers were able to run the clock out.

                                                               Elsewhere Around the NFL   . . . . . . . .  

 

The Atlanta Falcons (4-7) stunned the visiting Las Vegas Raiders, 43-6 as their defense forced five Raiders turnovers, including a 67-yard TD interception return by Deion Jones to put the game away in the third quarter. Falcons QB Matt Ryan had two TD passes and kicker Younghoe Koo made five field goals to help send Las Vegas (6-5) to a second straight loss . . .  The Minnesota Vikings (5-6) scored on a ten-yard TD pass from QB Kirk Cousins (three TD passes in the game) to WR Chad Beebe with 46 seconds remaining to defeat the Carolina Panthers, 28-27. The Panthers (4-8) took a 21-10 lead after defensive back Jeremy Chinn scored his second TD of the game on a fumble return in the third quarter, but then Minnesota made the comeback . . .  The Miami Dolphins improved to 7-4 with a 20-3 road win against the New York Jets (0-11) as QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had two TD passes . . . The New York Giants (4-7) won their third straight game, 19-17 at Cincinnati (2-8-1) as Graham Gano kicked four field goals and the defense limited the Bengals to only 155 total yards in offense . . .  The New Orleans Saints (9-2) crushed the host Denver Broncos, 31-3 for their eight consecutive victory while holding the Broncos (4-7) to 112 yards in total offense, including just twelve passing yards as Denver was forced to use Kendall Hinton as the emergency quarterback due to the league COVID-19 protocols. Saints RB Latavius Murray scored twice on the ground while rushing for 124 yards to pace the rout . . . The New England Patriots beat the visiting Arizona Cardinals, 20-17 on a 50-yard field goal by Nick Folk as time ran out to move to 5-6 this season. The Cardinals (6-5) missed a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter when Zane Gonzalez missed a 45-yard field goal. Patriots RB James White scored two rushing touchdowns as did Cards RB Kenyan Drake . . .  In the Thanksgiving Day games, it was no contest as the Houston Texans (4-7) blasted the Detroit Lions, 41-25 with QB Deshaun Watson tossing four touchdown passes along with 318 passing yards with two of the scoring passes going to WR Will Fuller, who had six receptions for 171 yards. The Lions (4-7) turned the football over three times in the loss and also fired Head Coach Matt Patricia the following day . . .  In the game at Dallas, the Washington football team (4-7) rolled past the Cowboys, 41-16 by scoring 21 unanswered points with RB Antonio Gibson going for 115 rushing yards and three touchdowns for the game, including two in the decisive fourth quarter. Montez Sweat had a 15-yard interception return for another score as Washington's defense limited the Cowboys (3-8) to just 60 rushing yards and 247 yards in total offense while also getting four quarterback sacks . . . The Monday night game went to the Seattle Seahawks (8-3) as they earned a 23-17 road win against the Philadelphia Eagles (3-7-1), who dropped their third straight game. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson threw a one-yard scoring pass to WR David Moore and RB Chris Carson scored a rushing touchdown while kicker Jason Myers made three field goals and wide receiver DK Metcalf had ten receptions for 177 yards to lead the way. Eagles QB Carson Wentz was sacked six times, but had two TD passes and threw one interception in defeat.

 

Week Twelve Results 

Houston 41, Detroit 25

Washington 41, Dallas 16

Atlanta 43, Las Vegas 6

Buffalo 27, L.A. Chargers 17 

Minnesota 28, Carolina 27

Tennessee 45, Indianapolis 26 

New England 20, Arizona 17 

Cleveland 27, Jacksonville 25

N.Y. Giants 19, Cincinnati 17 

Miami 20, N.Y. Jets 3  

New Orleans 31, Denver 3

San Francisco 23, L.A. Rams 20

Kansas City 27, Tampa Bay 24 

Green Bay 41, Chicago 25 

Seattle 23, Philadelphia 17  

Pittsburgh 19, Baltimore 14

 

NFL - Week Twelve Preview

The traditional Thanksgiving Day football games will be going back to a time when only two games were played. That is because it was announced by the NFL the night game between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers (in Pittsburgh) was being moved back to Sunday afternoon due to the many issues of COVID-19 concerns with the Ravens football team. (The latest update as of 11/27/2020 is the Ravens at Steelers game is now being moved back until Tuesday, December 1.)

Therefore, the two teams that always play on Thanksgiving Day, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, will host their games. The Lions (4-6) face the Houston Texans (3-7) while the Cowboys (3-7) will play Washington, which is also 3-7 in the putrid NFC East division race. 

The Cowboys finally got a win last weekend and along with Washington and the New York Giants are tied for second place in their division with the Philadelphia Eagles in first place with a 3-6-1 record. Meanwhile, the Lions laid an egg last weekend and were shutout by the Carolina Panthers, 20-0 to remain in the basement of the NFC North division. The Texans have won two of their last three games and could pose a big challenge to the Lions on turkey day. 

As for the Steelers and Ravens, it's round two this season as Pittsburgh won, 28-24 in Baltimore a month ago. The Ravens (6-4) have lost three of their last four games and trail the Steelers (10-0) and Cleveland Browns (7-3) in the AFC North chase. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has struggled in recent weeks and looks nothing like the MVP from the 2019 season. Meanwhile, the Steelers have allowed the fewest points in pro football this year while Baltimore ranks third in the NFL in that area. 

Look for the teams to battle it out again and perhaps the Ravens can get back some of the players they were going to be missing had the game taken place on Thanksgiving Day due to positive tests for the virus. The Steelers rate the edge in this one as they have been more consistent on both sides of the ball and QB Ben Roethlisberger has been outstanding so far this season, passing for 24 touchdowns with just five interceptions. 

Two other games of note this weekend include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-4) hosting the Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) and the battle for first place in the AFC South division between the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts taking place in Indy. Both teams are coming off overtime victories last week, The Colts outlasted the visiting Green Bay Packers, 34-31 while the Titans came back to defeat the Baltimore Ravens, 30-24 with running back Derrick Henry leading the way and scoring the winning touchdown on a 29-yard run. 

The Buccaneers fell at home last Monday night to the Los Angeles Rams, 27-24 with QB Tom Brady struggling all game long, including a costly interception in the final two minutes of the game. The Chiefs won a thriller in Las Vegas last Sunday night, 35-31 against the Raiders to run their winning streak to five games. This one could go in one of two directions. The Chiefs could blow out the Bucs or it could come down to the final possession with quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Brady going at it with the passing attacks. 

The rest of the action for Week Twelve is included with the capsule style format and the Heftyinfo predictions following up. 

 

Las Vegas (6-4) at Atlanta (3-7) - Falcons could spring the upset in this one, but the Raiders cannot afford to lose this game in what is a wild AFC playoff race. 

Arizona (6-4) at New England (4-6) - Exciting young Cardinals QB Kyler Murray goes against aging, but one time exciting QB Cam Newton for the Patriots in this one. Toss up. 

Miami (6-4) at N.Y. Jets (0-10) - Can this be the game where the Jets put it together and get a win? It's possible, but not likely. 

Cleveland (7-3) at Jacksonville (1-9) - The Jaguars have lost nine consecutive games. The Browns are in serious playoff contention. Recipe for an upset? Not likely, but you never know. 

L.A. Chargers (3-7) at Buffalo (7-3) - The Chargers have been in every game they play this season, so the Bills better be ready. 

N.Y. Giants (3-7) at Cincinnati (2-7-1) - The Giants could emerge from this game tied for first place in their division. The Bengals begin the rest of the season without rookie QB Joe Burrow. Toss up in this one.

Carolina (4-7) at Minnesota (4-6) - The Vikings let one get away last week while the Panthers rolled past the Detroit Lions. Toss up here as well.

New Orleans (8-2) at Denver (4-6) - The Saints are going for their eighth consecutive victory while the Broncos will look to rattle reserve QB Taysom Hill with their defensive attack. Saints win in a squeaker. 

San Francisco (4-6) at L.A. Rams (7-3) - The Rams should win this game, but the 49ers will not just roll over. 

Chicago (5-5) at Green Bay (7-3) - The Bears play their arch rivals in "prime time" on Sunday night with perhaps Mitch Trubisky back as the starting quarterback. Packers would like to put more distance between themselves and the rest of the divisional foes. 

Seattle (7-3) at Philadelphia (3-6-1) - The Monday night game in the battle of the birds. Seahawks better be ready because the Eagles are a desperate football team. 

The Heftyinfo picks for Week Twelve  . . . . . . . .     (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

 

Thanksgiving Day Games

Houston over Detroit 

Dallas over Washington 

Sunday Games 

Atlanta over Las Vegas

Buffalo over L.A. Chargers 

N.Y. Giants over Cincinnati 

Minnesota over Carolina 

Indianapolis over Tennessee 

New England over Arizona 

Miami over N.Y. Jets 

Cleveland over Jacksonville 

New Orleans over Denver 

L.A. RAMS over San Francisco 

Kansas City over Tampa Bay 

Green Bay over Chicago 

Monday Night Game

Seattle over Philadelphia 

Tuesday, December 1 (subject to change)

Pittsburgh over Baltimore 

 

Last Week's Record -  11-3 

SEASON RECORD -  113-47-1 

Lock of the Week Record -  9-2

 

 

NFL - Week Eleven Review

 

Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship celebrates game winning field goal.

There were plenty of close games and exciting finishes around the NFL this weekend and none more so than the Indianapolis Colts 34-31 victory in overtime against the visiting Green Bay Packers. The Packers (7-3) raced out to a 28-14 halftime lead, but the Colts defense stifled the Packers offense in the second half and forced the OT session, where they came up with a fumble recovery that set up the game winning 39-yard field goal by kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. 

Both (quarterbacks) Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers had three touchdown passes and one interception in the game with turnovers being the key in the Colts win. Green Bay turned it over four times while the Colts (7-3) committed two turnovers.

Another game that went into overtime saw the Tennessee Titans (7-3) beat the host Baltimore Ravens, 30-24 when running back Derrick Henry (28 carries for 133 yards) scored on a 29-yard run. The Titans came back from a 21-10 second half deficit thanks to QB Ryan Tannehill (two TD passes in the game) and three field goals from Stephen Gostkowski. The Ravens (6-4) lost for the third time in four games to drop into third place in the AFC North division. 

In the Thursday night game, the Seattle Seahawks (7-3) held on for a 28-21 victory against the Arizona Cardinals (6-4) with QB Russell Wilson throwing for two scores and RB Carlos Hyde rushing for another touchdown to lead the way. The Seahawks defense held off the Cardinals late in the game to help preserve the win. Arizona QB Kyler Murray had two touchdown passes in defeat. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers (10-0) remained perfect this season with a 27-3 drubbing of the host Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9) as their defense intercepted four passes and limited the Jags to just 209 total yards in offense. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger threw for two touchdowns and his team controlled the clock throughout the game. 

In the Sunday night game, the Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) defeated the host Las Vegas Raiders, 35-31 with QB Patrick Mahomes (pictured right) throwing his second TD pass of the game to tight end Travis Kelce (eight receptions for 127 yards) from 22 yards with just 28 seconds remaining in the game. Raiders QB Derek Carr had three TD passes, but was intercepted to seal the game in the final seconds. Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Chiefs, as the team totaled 460 yards in total offense.

 

The New Orleans Saints rolled to an NFC best 8-2 record as they beat the visiting Atlanta Falcons, 24-9 with Taysom Hill filling in at quarterback for the injured Drew Brees. Hill scored twice on rushing touchdowns and RB Alvin Kamara added another TD run to pace the win. The Falcons (3-7) managed just three field goals in the loss and QB Matt Ryan was sacked eight times and threw two interceptions. 

The big Monday Night Football showdown between the Los Angeles Rams (7-3) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-4) ended in a 27-24 decision for the visiting Rams as their defense harassed Bucs QB Tom Brady (two TD passes and two INT) into a costly interception as they were driving in the final two minutes of regulation. The Buccaneers totaled just 258 yards in offense, including a meager 42 rushing yards.

Rams QB Jared Goff passed for 376 yards and three touchdowns along with two interceptions while kicker Matt Gay made two field goals, including the deciding boot from 40 yards with just under three minutes to play. 

                                                        Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . .     

The Carolina Panthers (4-7) shutout the Detroit Lions, 20-0 to snap a four-game losing streak as P.J. Walker (258 passing yards, one TD, two INT) made his first start at quarterback. The Lions (4-6) managed just 185 total yards in offense and just ten first downs . . .  The Denver Broncos (4-6) surprised the Miami Dolphins, 20-13, snapping Miami's five-game winning streak. The Denver defense had six QB sacks and limited the Dolphins (6-4) to only 223 total yards in offense while RB Melvin Gordon scored two rushing touchdowns to help make the difference . . .  Dallas (3-7) won 31-28 on the road against the Minnesota Vikings (4-6) as QB Andy Dalton had three TD passes after missing two games due to injury and COVID-19 restrictions. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins threw for three scores in the setback, which snapped the Vikings three-game win streak . . .  The Los Angeles Chargers (3-7) won at home, 34-28 against the New York Jets (0-10) with rookie QB Justin Herbert passing for 366 yards and three touchdowns while wide receiver Keenan Allen had 16 receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown . . .  The Washington football team (3-7) beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-9 with a balanced attack (164 rushing yards and 161 passing yards) to move into a three-way tie for second place in the NFC East. The Bengals dropped to 2-7-1 and lost starting QB Joe Burrow (knee injury) for the remainder of the season . . .  The Cleveland Browns improved to 7-3 with a 22-17 home victory against the Philadelphia Eagles (3-6-1) with running back Nick Chubb rushing for 114 yards and RB Kareem Hunt scoring a rushing TD to help pace the win in bad weather. Eagles QB Carson Wentz had two TD passes along with a pair of interceptions, including a "pick six" that gave Cleveland an early 7-0 lead . . .  The Houston Texans (3-7) outlasted the New England Patriots (4-6) for a 27-20 home win as QB Deshaun Watson had two TD passes and a rushing score along with 344 passing yards to offset 365 passing yards and one TD pass from Pats QB Cam Newton. 

 

Week Eleven Results

Seattle 28, Arizona 21

Carolina 20, Detroit 0

Tennessee 30, Baltimore 24 (OT)

Pittsburgh 27, Jacksonville 3 

Washington 20, Cincinnati 9 

Cleveland 22, Philadelphia 17

Houston 27, New England 20 

New Orleans 24, Atlanta 9

L.A. Chargers 34, N.Y. Jets 28 

Dallas 31, Minnesota 28

Denver 20, Miami 13

Indianapolis 34, Green Bay 31 (OT) 

Kansas City 35, Las Vegas 31

L.A. Rams 27, Tampa Bay 24

 

 

NFL - Week Eleven Preview

The NFL season is in Week Eleven and tonight's game between the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks should be an exciting one. The Cardinals (6-3) are coming off that epic finish last weekend when they defeated the Buffalo Bills, 32-30 as quarterback Kyler Murray connected with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for the game winning touchdown pass with two seconds remaining in the game.

The win for Arizona, coupled with Seattle (6-3) losing to the Los Angeles Rams (6-3) created a three-way tie for first place in the NFC West division. No doubt the Cardinals have been flying high so far this year and after a 5-0 start, the Seahawks have lost three of their last four games with QB Russell Wilson committing many turnovers, especially with interceptions thrown. Wilson needs to stay in control of things against Arizona in this one if the Seahawks want to win. Look for another shootout that will most likely come down to the final possession. 

Four other games taking place this week with important meaning include the "prime time" games on Sunday night between the Kansas City Chiefs (8-1) and Las Vegas Raiders and the Monday night game featuring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) hosting the Los Angeles Rams. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans travel to face the Baltimore Ravens with both teams having identical 6-3 records, while the Indianapolis Colts (6-3) will host the Green Bay Packers, who are 7-2 this season.

The Raiders (6-3) have no less than ten (or eleven) players on the COVID-19/IR list but they could be eligible to play if they test negative prior to game time in accordance with league protocol. Kansas City lost at home to the Raiders last month for their only blemish and would love to get some payback in this game. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been his usual brilliant self in the first nine games, throwing for 25 touchdowns with only one interception. The Raiders blew out the Denver Broncos last week, 37-12 and their defense forced five turnovers in the process.

The Colts are coming off a huge road win at Tennessee last week and lead the AFC South division to this point and face a Packers team that barely escaped with a 24-20 home win against lowly Jacksonville last weekend. The Colts have the best defense in the NFL and Green Bay has been among the league leaders in scoring through their first nine games, so something has to give. 

In the game between the Ravens and Titans, both teams are coming off disappointing losses and need a win to get back on track, especially Baltimore, which is three full games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-0) in the AFC North division race. In fact, Cleveland (another 6-3 team) is tied for second place in that race with the Ravens. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson hasn't been nearly as dominant in the 2020 season as he was last year when he ran away with the NFL MVP award. 

The Titans have struggled as well after a 5-0 start and in losing three of their last four games, one came against the Cincinnati Bengals. If they can control the football with their running game like they did in last year's playoff victory against the Ravens, they should have success this week. If not, then look for the Ravens to attempt to do the same and win a grind it out type of game. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been erratic this season, losing to the Chicago Bears in "prime time" last month and getting blown out at home by New Orleans two weeks ago. They also clobbered the Green Bay Packers and last week put up 46 points in crushing the Carolina Panthers in a road win. So which team will show up against the Rams and their stellar defense on Monday night in Florida? 

Four teams have the bye this weekend, including Chicago, Buffalo, San Francisco and the New York Giants. Therefore, the remaining nine games are featured in the capsule style format with the Heftyinfo picks for Week Eleven following up. 

 

Detroit (4-5) at Carolina (3-6) - Lions won a thriller last week after squandering a 21-point lead and Carolina is banged up and coming off a blowout loss. Toss up. 

Philadelphia (3-5-1) at Cleveland (6-3) - This game could go either way. 

New England (4-5) at Houston (2-7) - See above comment. 

Pittsburgh (9-0) at Jacksonville (1-8) - This one seems like a laugher, right? Jags almost stunned the Packers last week, so watch out. 

Cincinnati (2-6-1) at Washington (2-7) - The Washington football team should win this one, but the Bengals will battle them to the end. 

Atlanta (3-6) at New Orleans (7-2) - Saints should win this one, but will be without QB Drew Brees due to injured ribs. The Falcons have been improving each week. 

Miami (6-3) at Denver (3-6) - Broncos have been inconsistent this season, but coach Vic Fangio knows how to rattle young quarterbacks, so the Dolphins better be ready in what should be a low scoring game.  

N.Y. Jets (0-9) at L.A. Chargers (2-7) - Will this be the one win the Jets get this season? Not likely. 

Dallas (2-7) at Minnesota (4-5) - Vikings have won three consecutive games and the Cowboys are a mess. 

 

The Heftyinfo predictions for Week Eleven  . . . . . . . .   (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

Seattle over Arizona 

Carolina over Detroit 

Cleveland over Philadelphia 

Houston over New England 

Pittsburgh over Jacksonville 

Washington over Cincinnati 

Baltimore over Tennessee

New Orleans over Atlanta 

Denver over Miami 

L.A. Chargers over N.Y. Jets 

Indianapolis over Green Bay 

Minnesota over Dallas 

KANSAS CITY over Las Vegas 

Tampa Bay over L.A. Rams  

Last Week's Record -  12-2

SEASON RECORD -  102-44-1

Lock of the Week Record -  8-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Ten Review

Arizona WR DeAndre Hopkins made the game winning TD catch.

Wow! 

What a finish in the desert as the Arizona Cardinals (6-3) won the shootout, 32-30 against the Buffalo Bills (7-3) when quarterback Kyler Murray connected with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a 43-yard touchdown pass with two seconds remaining in the game. That came after the Bills had gone ahead 30-26 when QB Josh Allen hit WR Stefon Diggs on a 21-yard scoring strike with just 34 seconds left in the final quarter. Murray also had two scoring runs for the Cardinals while Allen threw for two touchdowns and also caught a scoring pass from WR Isaiah McKenzie in the wild game.

The Los Angeles Rams (6-3) beat the visiting Seattle Seahawks, 23-16 as their defense intercepted two passes and held Seattle QB Russell Wilson without a touchdown pass. Rams running back Malcolm Brown scored two rushing touchdowns in the win for the Rams, which created a three-way tie for first place in the NFC West division between the Rams, Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals (all 6-3) to this point in the season.

The Miami Dolphins (6-3) won their fifth straight game, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers, 29-21 behind two TD passes from rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa and a solid defensive effort that limited the NFL's second best offense to just 273 total yards. Chargers rookie QB Justin Herbert had a pair of TD passes and also threw an interception in the loss, which dropped the Bolts to 2-7 this season.

The New England Patriots (4-5) surprised the visiting Baltimore Ravens, 23-17 on Sunday Night Football as their defense limited the Ravens (6-3) to 115 yards rushing while QB Cam Newton had a TD pass and a rushing score to help make the difference. The Patriots also used a little trickery as wide receiver Jakobi Meyers threw a 24-yard TD pass to running back Rex Burkhead, who caught both Patriots scoring passes in the win. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson had two TD passes to WR Willie Snead along with one interception in the loss.

The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 9-0 this season with a 36-10 drubbing of the visiting Cincinnati Bengals (2-6-1) with their defense dominating with four quarterback sacks and two fumble recoveries. Meanwhile, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger had four touchdown passes along with 333 passing yards in the rout. 

The New Orleans Saints (7-2) rolled past the visiting San Francisco 49ers, 27-13 while losing starting QB Drew Brees to a rib injury in the second half. Reserve QB Jameis Winston filled in and running back Alvin Kamara did the rest by scoring three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) to pace the offense. The 49ers fell to 4-6 this season as reserve QB Nick Mullens was intercepted twice and the 'Niners committed four turnovers in defeat.

                                                             Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . .    

The Detroit Lions won at home, 30-27 against the Washington Football Team (2-7) as kicker Matt Prater made a 59-yard field goal as time expired to rescue the Lions (4-5), who had blown a 21-point second half lead . . .  The Green Bay Packers (7-2) struggled at home, but came away with a 24-20 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8), who lost their eighth consecutive game. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers had two TD passes and ran for another touchdown to offset a big game from Jags' WR Keelan Cole, who scored twice with a 12-yard TD reception and a 91-yard punt return . . .  The Cleveland Browns fought off the visiting Houston Texans, 10-7 to go to 6-3 this season. Browns running backs Nick Chubb (126 yards and one rushing TD) and Kareem Hunt (104) each went for over 100 yards rushing to lead the offense. The Texans fell to 2-7 this season . . .  The New York Giants (3-7) won their second straight game by beating the visiting Philadelphia Eagles, 27-17 with QB Daniel Jones scoring a rushing TD and RB Wayne Gallman scoring two rushing touchdowns to lead the way in a game which had no touchdown passes. Despite the loss, the Eagles lead the NFC East division with a 3-5-1 record . . .  In Las Vegas, the Raiders (6-3) blasted the Denver Broncos, 37-12 as their defense had five takeaways in the win as Broncos QB Drew Lock was picked off four times and also lost a fumble. Raiders running backs Josh Jacobs (112 yards rushing) and Devontae Booker each scored twice on the ground as the team rushed for 203 yards in the win . . .  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) bounced back from a blowout loss last week with a 46-23 road win against the Carolina Panthers (3-7), which lost their fifth consecutive game. Bucs QB Tom  Brady had three TD strikes in the win and running back Ronald Jones, who rushed for 192 yards on 23 carries, scored on a 98-yard run to lead the way. Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater threw a pair of TD passes and also had a rushing score before he left the game with a knee injury . . .  In the Thursday night game, the Indianapolis Colts (6-3) got a huge 34-17 road victory against the Tennessee Titans (6-3) by outscoring them 21-0 in the second half with solid defense and efficient play from QB Philip Rivers, who passed for 308 yards and one touchdown in the win. Colts RB Nyheim Hines had a pair of touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) and defensive back T.J. Carrie scored on a six-yard blocked punt return as well. The Colts D held the Titans to 294 yards in total offense, including just 137 passing yards . . .  The Minnesota Vikings (4-5) defeated the host Chicago Bears, 19-13 in the Monday night game as QB Kirk Cousins hooked up twice with WR Adam Thielen for touchdowns to help make the difference. The Bears managed just 32 yards in total offense in the second half and lost QB Nick Foles late in the game to injury as they lost their fourth straight game to drop to 5-5 this season. Cordarrelle Patterson scored the only TD for the Bears on a 104-yard kickoff return.

 

Week Ten Results 

Indianapolis 34, Tennessee 17 

Detroit 30, Washington 27 

Tampa Bay 46, Carolina 23

Cleveland 10, Houston 7 

Green Bay 24, Jacksonville 20 

N.Y. Giants 27, Philadelphia 17 

Miami 29, L.A. Chargers 21

L.A. Rams 23, Seattle 16 

New Orleans 27, San Francisco 13

Arizona 32, Buffalo 30 

Pittsburgh 36, Cincinnati 10 

Las Vegas 37, Denver 12 

New England 23, Baltimore 17  

Minnesota 19, Chicago 13

 

 

NFL - Week Ten Preview

Will they play or won't they? 

That seems to be the prevailing question around the NFL lately as (sigh) COVID-19 continues to dominate across the United States of America. This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers are waiting to see if their star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be able to play after being placed on the COVID-19/IR list along with three other teammates. 

 

 

There is also a possibility of the league expanding the playoffs yet again if the full schedule of games cannot be reached by Week Seventeen. The NFL approved plans to go from 12 to 14 teams for the post-season this year and that might go up even higher (to 16 teams) due to circumstances beyond their control. 

As for the action in Week Ten, the premier games look to be the Seattle Seahawks (6-2) facing the Los Angeles Rams (5-3) and the Arizona Cardinals (5-3) playing host to the surging Buffalo Bills. The Rams, like the Cardinals, are just one game behind the first-place Seahawks in the NFC West division. So that is a huge matchup for sure. The Bills (7-2) lead the AFC East by one game in the loss column over the Miami Dolphins and will be in for a shootout with Big Red in the desert. 

The "prime time" games on Sunday and Monday night will have the Baltimore Ravens at the New England Patriots (on Sunday) and the Minnesota Vikings, who have been heating up thanks in large part to running back Dalvin Cook, taking on the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago in the Monday Night Football game. 

Here is a look at all the games this weekend with the capsule style previews and then the predictions for each game. 

Tampa Bay (6-3) at Carolina (3-6) - The Buccaneers got crushed at home last week and will be looking to get back on track against a Panthers team that continues to play hard each week. This game should be a close one. 

Houston (2-6) at Cleveland (5-3) - The Browns need a win to stay close in the AFC playoff chase. 

Washington (2-6) at Detroit (3-5) - Lions should win this game, but then again neither of these teams has been inspiring this season. 

Jacksonville (1-7) at Green Bay (6-2) - Packers roll !

Philadelphia (3-4-1) at N.Y. Giants (2-7) - Look for a close one here, but the Eagles should pull it out. 

L.A. Chargers (2-6) at Miami (5-3) - How will the Chargers lose this week?  

Buffalo (7-2) at Arizona (5-3) - This game should be a shootout with two young, exciting quarterbacks lead the offenses. 

Denver (3-5) at Las Vegas (5-3) - This game could be tighter than most might think. Raiders have the better offense and that should be the difference. 

Seattle (6-2) at L.A. Rams (5-3) - Seahawks defense is terrible, but will the Rams score enough points to win this game? 

San Francisco (4-5) at New Orleans (6-2) - Saints have been on a roll with five straight wins, but the 49ers won't just roll over in this one. 

Cincinnati (2-5-1) at Pittsburgh (8-0) - Steelers might not have starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in this game (COVID-19/IR list), but it might not matter because their defense is one of the best in the NFL. 

Baltimore (6-2) at New England (3-5) - Ravens looking to get the "magic" back into their offense this season. Patriots looking to get back-to-back wins for first time this season. Take the Ravens. 

Minnesota (3-5) at Chicago (5-4) - Bears looking to end three-game skid. Vikings are heating up after a 1-5 start. 

 

The Heftyinfo predictions for Week Ten  . . . . . . .     (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

Indianapolis over Tennessee

Tampa Bay over Carolina 

Cleveland over Houston 

Detroit over Washington 

GREEN BAY over Jacksonville 

Philadelphia over N.Y. Giants 

Miami over L.A. Chargers 

Arizona over Buffalo 

Las Vegas over Denver 

L.A. Rams over Seattle 

New Orleans over San Francisco 

Pittsburgh over Cincinnati 

Baltimore over New England 

Minnesota over Chicago 

 

Last Week's Record -  10-4

SEASON RECORD -  90-42-1

Lock of the Week Record -  7-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Nation Of Imbeciles

 

Welcome to the United States of America in 2020 - we have become a nation of imbeciles. 

Several months ago when this coronavirus pandemic first hit the United States of America, it was obvious things were not going to be normal anytime soon. But as the days and weeks went by, people started to grow restless of staying indoors and having to wear protective masks out in public, etc.  We all know the story so there is no sense in recounting it all. 

A big part of the reason this country is being ravaged again by the COVID-19 virus is because Trump and his clown show hijacked the coronavirus task force last spring and he turned it all into a freak show. Again, there's no need to recount everything in detail. We all know Trump is a complete idiot and he is currently giving us more reasons to believe it. 

The guy lost an election and continues to live in looney land by claiming he didn't lose. Trump obviously doesn't know his math too well. But again, no need to go into details regarding this imbecile because in roughly 70 days he will be gone from the White House.

The unfortunate part is so much damage has been done by this boob and his incompetence it will take quite some time to repair it. I don't envy Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as they take over the Executive Branch in January. Very happy they won the election, but they have a mountain of work ahead of them. 

They will be dealing with a traitorous party we call the Republican party. These people from the GOP  are already doing what they can to gum up the works in the transition period and the chief culprit is current U.S. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) who will do all he can to ensure our country stays stuck right where it is. 

Along with Trump, Mitch McConnell is the asshole of the decade for sure. 

Now let's get to the media and their role in all of this. Having studied in journalism nearly 40 years ago, it is appalling to see the amount of blatant false reporting and the "kids glove" treatment Trump has received these past four or five years. Most of that is the fault of FOX (so called) News. They finally FINALLY called out Trump in the past week and questioned his motives with his frivolous lawsuits to stop election results where he lost. Other networks have finally started to cut away from the press conferences he holds in recent days as well. Should have been doing that since 2015 gang.

When it comes to sports in this country, we have also gone off the deep end. We are in the middle (STILL) of a fucking pandemic that is raging once again and has killed nearly a quarter of a million Americans and the body count continues to move upward. But to hear reporters and announcers on the sports networks (ESPN, CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, etc.) tell it, everything is just fine and sports can continue on. 

Good luck with that one.

The NFL and college football are being body slammed in recent weeks with the COVID-19 forcing postponements of games and rescheduling of the games as well. This year's sports have been a joke. And I'm also including the NHL and NBA and their bubble approaches. Sure, they did go through their playoffs and crown a champion as did Major League Baseball with a 60-game season, but let's be real, all that was about was money and lost revenue with major networks and advertising. There is the talk of college hoops starting in a week or two and the NBA by Christmas for the 2020-21 seasons . . . again, good luck with that one because there won't be any bubbles for protection this time around.

Having posted about that subject a couple of months back as well, I can only say I am not budging on my views about it. I'm still as big a sports fan as anyone, but these people in charge have to face reality and just bag it for this year and come back next year when this vaccine for COVID-19, which we are now hearing from Pfizer (not idiot Trump) could be ready soon. 

It's being reported that could happen in just a couple of months from now. So fingers crossed on that.

The fact is we have to deal with this virus pandemic in real world terms, not looney land terms. Trump and his madness wants to continue with the "herd immunity" strategy and that is nothing but insanity. It's the main reason his ass was voted out by nearly 76 million people and counting. The people of the USA are ready to move onward and upward with or without Trump and his followers. Enough said.

Let's keep it real folks and get back to sanity and the real world once Joe Biden and Kamala Harris can set forward a real agenda for our country. 

Let's Go!  

 

 

NFL - Week Nine Review

Drew Brees and the Saints crushed Tampa Bay on Sunday night.

There were a lot of fantastic finishes around the NFL this weekend and when the games were completed, the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed unbeaten and the Kansas City Chiefs just continue to win. And regarding the big showdown on Sunday night, the Saints went marching in and blasted the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 38-3 to take over first place in the NFC South division.

 

The Steelers (8-0) did indeed stay unbeaten with a 24-19 road victory against the Dallas Cowboys (2-7) with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leading the way with three touchdown passes along with 306 passing yards. The Cowboys had a chance to get the win, but the Steelers defense held up in the closing seconds to stop their effort. 

The Kansas City Chiefs (8-1) stormed back from an 11-point deficit to beat the visiting Carolina Panthers, 33-31 as QB Patrick Mahomes threw four TD passes along with 372 passing yards to get it done. Carolina (3-6) lost their fourth straight game even though QB Teddy Bridgewater had 310 passing yards and two scoring passes along with a touchdown run. Panthers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey returned from injury and had a rushing touchdown along with 151 combined yards in the loss. 

The Sunday night game was a one-sided blowout win for the New Orleans Saints (6-2) as they won, 38-3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) and took over first place in the NFC South division. The Saints swept the two games with Tampa Bay as QB Drew Brees had four touchdown passes and the

Saints defense limited the Bucs to just 194 total yards in offense, including EIGHT yards rushing on only five rushing attempts, which was the lowest ever for a team in one game in NFL history. New Orleans also intercepted Bucs QB Tom Brady (pictured right) three times and had three sacks. 

 

 

The Buffalo Bills (7-2) blasted the visiting Seattle Seahawks, 44-34 as QB Josh Allen had 415 yards passing with three TD passes and a rushing score to pace the offense. The Bills defense had two interceptions and two fumble recoveries while also sacking Seattle QB Russell Wilson five times. Seattle dropped to 6-2 with the loss. 

In the Thursday night game, the Green Bay Packers (6-2) got a big road win, 34-17 over the San Francisco 49ers (4-5) with QB Aaron Rodgers throwing four touchdown passes while completing 25-of-31 passes for 305 yards. The Green Bay defense limited the injury ravaged 49ers to 55 rushing yards and forced two turnovers. 

The Baltimore Ravens improved to 6-2 with a 24-10 win at Indianapolis behind a stellar defense that forced two turnovers and made key stops while defensive back Chuck Clark took a fumble back 65 yards for a score to lead the way. The Colts (5-3) held a 10-7 halftime lead, but were shut out in the second half even though they out gained the Ravens in total yardage. 

The Miami Dolphins (5-3) held on for a 34-31 shootout win on the road against the Arizona Cardinals (5-3) as their defense scored a touchdown for the second straight game while QB Tua Tagovailoa threw for two scores and kicker Jason Sanders made two field goals from beyond 50 yards. The Cardinals had a chance to tie the game in the final minute, but kicker Zane Gonzalez came up short on a 49-yard field goal attempt. Arizona QB Kyler Murray had three scoring passes and a touchdown run in defeat. 

                                                              Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . .    

The Tennessee Titans (6-2) battered the visiting Chicago Bears (5-4) in a 24-17 home win to move into first place all alone in the AFC South division. The Titans defense recovered two fumbles, including a scoop-and-score of 63 yards by Desmond King to help build a 17-0 lead. Bears QB Nick Foles passed for 335 yards and two scores in the loss, which was the Bears' third in a row . . .  The Las Vegas Raiders (5-3) dodged a bullet in Los Angeles as they won, 31-26 over the Chargers (2-6) when an apparent game-winning TD pass from Chargers QB Justin Herbert (326 passing yards with two TD) to tight end Donald Parham on the final play of the game was overturned on a replay review. Raiders QB Derek Carr had two touchdown passes in the win . . .  The Atlanta Falcons (3-6) beat the visiting Denver Broncos, 34-27 behind three TD passes from QB Matt Ryan while the Broncos (3-5) QB Drew Lock had two TD passes and a scoring run in defeat . . .  Minnesota (3-6) beat the visiting Detroit Lions, 34-20 with running back Dalvin Cook rushing for 206 yards and scoring twice, including a game sealing 70-yard TD romp. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins had three TD passes in the win while the Lions (3-5) had three turnovers (on interceptions) in the loss . . .  The New York Giants improved to 2-7 as they toppled the Washington football team (2-6) for the second time this season, winning 23-20 on the road behind a defense that forced five turnovers (three interceptions and two fumbles) while controlling the clock with nearly 37 minutes of ball possession. Washington QB Kyle Allen left the game with an ankle injury and will be out for the rest of the season . . .  The Houston Texans (2-6) sent the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7) to their seventh straight defeat with a 27-25 road win as QB Deshaun Watson had a pair of TD passes. Jags QB Jake Luton filled in for injured starter Gardner Minshew (thumb) and passed for 304 yards with a touchdown pass and also had a 13-yard scoring run in defeat . . .  Nick Folk made a 51-yard field goal as time ran out to help the New England Patriots (3-5) snap a four-game losing streak with a 30-27 road victory against the New York Jets, who dropped to 0-9 this season. Pats QB Cam Newton had two scoring runs in the win to offset three touchdown passes by Jets QB Joe Flacco.

Week Nine Results 

Green Bay 34, San Francisco 17

Tennessee 24, Chicago 17

Buffalo 44, Seattle 34

N.Y. Giants 23, Washington 20 

Houston 27, Jacksonville 25

Minnesota 34, Detroit 20

Atlanta 34, Denver 27 

Kansas City 33, Carolina 31

Baltimore 24, Indianapolis 10  

Las Vegas 31, L.A. Chargers 26

Miami 34, Arizona 31

Pittsburgh 24, Dallas 19

New Orleans 38, Tampa Bay 3

New England 30, N.Y. Jets 27

 

 

 

 

 

It's Over - Joe Biden Is Declared The Winner For President of the United States

 

NFL - Week Nine Preview

As the NFL season goes into Week Nine, the COVID-19 virus is starting to wreak havoc around the league and that was evident in the Thursday night game where the San Francisco 49ers had numerous players out of action due to either testing positive for the virus or because they had contact with persons who tested positive. The Green Bay Packers also have had many issues with the virus as well as the state of Wisconsin is one of the hottest spots in the country for new cases.

The Packers destroyed the depleted 49ers, 34-17 with quarterback Aaron Rodgers throwing four touchdown passes. The 'Niners were without starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle (both injured) as well as other starters who are out with the virus or having to go on COVID-19/IR list. Hopefully, other teams won't suffer similar fates as quite a few teams have seen cases rising on their rosters. 

As for the action this weekend, the Baltimore Ravens travel to face the Indianapolis Colts (both teams are 5-2) in what should be a physical contest with both teams having strong defenses. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson has struggled in recent games and turned the football over four times in last week's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Colts QB Philip Rivers started out the season as a turnover machine, but has improved in the last three games, throwing no interceptions while tossing for five scores. 

The Seattle Seahawks (6-1) will play at the Buffalo Bills (6-2) who are coming off a close win against New England last Sunday. The Seahawks bounced back from their only defeat two weeks ago with a 37-27 win over the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown 26 touchdown passes so far this season. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) host the New Orleans Saints (5-2) in a huge game in the NFC South division on Sunday night. Bucs QB Tom Brady has 18 TD passes with four interceptions and will now have much maligned wide receiver Antonio Brown in the mix as he has completed his eight-game suspension. Tampa Bay is averaging just under 31 points per game while the Saints, led by QB Drew Brees, have averaged 28 points per game. 

The Chicago Bears (5-3) will be in Tennessee facing the Titans (5-2) as each team has lost their last two games. The Bears offense has been struggling to put points on the board and QB Nick Foles hasn't been real effective since taking over for Mitch Trubisky as the starter. The Titans defense has been getting ravaged, allowing 31 points per game in the last three since their blowout victory over Buffalo. This game could come down to the final possession. 

One other game that looks to be real interesting is the Miami Dolphins (4-3) at the Arizona Cardinals (5-2) on Sunday afternoon. Both teams have won three consecutive games and the Dolphins have been destroying opponents in that time frame, outscoring the opposition by a 98-40 count. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are coming off a bye and knocked off the Seattle Seahawks, 37-34 in overtime two weeks ago. The Cards have averaged 29 points per game this season while the Dolphins defense has been real stingy in recent games, so something has to give. 

The rest of the games for Week Nine are featured in the capsule style previews and are followed up by the Heftyinfo predictions. 

 

Denver (3-4) at Atlanta (2-6) - Two teams that need to keep winning games battle it out. This could go either way. 

Houston (1-6) at Jacksonville (1-6) - Round Two in the battle for possibly the top pick in the next NFL Draft. 

N.Y. Giants (1-7) at Washington (2-5) - See above comments.

Carolina (3-5) at Kansas City (7-1) - The Chiefs should win big, but the Panthers have been in every game they play so far this season. 

Detroit (3-4) at Minnesota (2-5) - Will Lions QB Matthew Stafford (COVID-19/IR list) be able to play in this game? 

Las Vegas (4-3) at L.A. Chargers (2-5) - The Chargers cannot possibly blow a big lead in a fifth straight game, can they? 

Pittsburgh (7-0) at Dallas (2-6) - This should be a complete blowout for the Steelers. 

New England (2-5) at N.Y. Jets (0-8) - The stinker game of the week on Monday Night Football?  Sure looks like it. 

 

The Heftyinfo picks for Week Nine   .  .  .  .  .  .  .    (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS) 

Green Bay over San Francisco 

Atlanta over Denver 

Seattle over Buffalo 

Indianapolis over Baltimore 

Houston over Jacksonville 

Kansas City over Carolina 

Minnesota over Detroit 

Tennessee over Chicago 

N.Y. Giants over Washington 

Las Vegas over L.A. Chargers 

Arizona over Miami 

PITTSBURGH over Dallas 

Tampa Bay over New Orleans 

New England over N.Y. Jets 

 

Last Week's Record -  9-5 

SEASON RECORD -  80-38-1 

Lock of the Week Record -  6-2 

 

 

Election Day 2020

 

The Choice Is Yours America - Which Side Are You On?

 

NFL - Week Eight Review

The Steelers celebrate a big road win against the Baltimore Ravens. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers remain the only unbeaten team in the NFL as they won, 28-24 in Baltimore to go to 7-0 this season. The Ravens (5-2) were thwarted on the final play as the Steelers defense held them out of the end zone by breaking up a pass. 

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had two touchdown passes, including the game winner to wide receiver Chase Claypool with 7:29 left in the game. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson also threw for two scores, but he was intercepted twice and Steelers linebacker Robert Spillane took one back 33 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. The Ravens rushed for 265 yards in the loss and out gained the Steelers by 457 yards to 221, but had four turnovers and that was the difference. 

The Minnesota Vikings went into Green Bay and punched the Packers (5-2) in the mouth as running back Dalvin Cook rushed for 163 yards and scored all four touchdowns for the Vikings (2-5) in a 28-22 victory. Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers had three touchdown passes in defeat. 

The Miami Dolphins surprised the Los Angeles Rams, 28-17 for a home win to improve to 4-3 as rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa had a touchdown pass in his first start while the defense and special teams also scored to make the difference in the final score.

The Rams (5-3) turned the ball over four times, including two interceptions by QB Jared Goff. In a bizarre statistic, the Rams totaled 471 yards to just 145 for the Dolphins, but Miami got the win as linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel took a fumble back 78 yards for a score and Jakeem Grant ran back a punt 88 yards for another touchdown in a 21-point second quarter that gave the Dolphins a 28-7 lead. 

The Las Vegas Raiders (4-3) won a defensive game, 16-6 in rainy Cleveland as Dan Carlson made three field goals and QB Derek Carr threw for a touchdown to lead the way. The Raiders rushed for 203 yards as neither team could get much from the passing attack in the miserable weather. 

The Seattle Sehawks (6-1) blasted the visiting San Francisco 49ers, 37-27 behind four TD passes by QB Russell Wilson, giving him 26 for the season. The game wasn't close at all as the 'Hawks built a 30-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. Seattle wide receiver DK Metcalf hauled in 12 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, 49ers starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo left the game after re-injuring his ankle and replacement QB Nick Mullens had two scoring passes in the loss, which dropped the 49ers to 4-4 this season. 

The New Orleans Saints (5-2) outlasted the host Chicago Bears, 26-23 in overtime with Will Lutz making the game winning 35-yard field goal, sending the Bears (5-3) to a second consecutive defeat.  Saints QB Drew Brees had two scoring passes in the win while Bears QB Nick Foles also had two scoring passes, including one to WR Darnell Mooney in the final quarter. Bears kicker Cairo Santos made three field goals, which included a 51-yard boot with only 13 seconds remaining in regulation to force the overtime. 

                                                        Elsewhere Around the NFL   . . . . . . .       

The Denver Broncos (3-4) pulled off an improbable comeback win, 31-30 against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers (2-5) as QB Drew Lock threw his third TD pass of the game as time expired to complete the big comeback from 21 points down. The Chargers blew the big lead and it was the fourth time this season they have done that with at least a 16-point lead or more. Chargers rookie QB Justin Herbert had three TD passes and two interceptions in the loss . . .  The Cincinnati Bengals (2-5-1) pulled off the upset win at home, 31-20 against the Tennessee Titans (5-2) with rookie QB Joe Burrow throwing for a pair of scores and RB Gio Bernard scoring twice to pace the win. The Titans lost their second straight game despite having a balanced offense (218 rushing yards and 223 passing) and a pair of scoring passes from QB Ryan Tannehill and 112 rushing yards and one TD by RB Derrick Henry . . .  The Buffalo Bills (6-2) stayed atop the AFC East with a 24-21 win at home against New England (2-5), which lost their fourth straight game. The Bills defense recovered a fumble late in the game by Pats QB Cam Newton deep in Buffalo territory to seal the win in a game that had no touchdown passes . . .  The Indianapolis Colts (5-2) throttled the host Detroit Lions, 41-21 behind three TD passes from QB Philip Rivers and a defensive score. The Lions (3-4) took the early 7-0 lead before the Colts rattled off 20 unanswered points in the second quarter to take the game over. Detroit QB Matthew Stafford had three TD passes and threw a "pick six" interception in defeat . . .  The Atlanta Falcons (2-6) topped the host Carolina Panthers, 25-17 on Thursday night with kicker Younghoe Koo making four field goals while RB Todd Gurley and QB Matt Ryan scored rushing touchdowns to pace the win . . .  The Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) rolled over the New York Jets, 35-9 in Kansas City behind five TD passes from QB Patrick Mahomes, sending the Jets to an 0-8 start this season . . .  The Philadelphia Eagles (3-4-1) took over a lackluster game in the second half for a 23-9 home victory against the Dallas Cowboys (2-6) on Sunday night. Eagle defensive back Rodney McLeod took a fumble back 53 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. The Eagles had four turnovers, including two interceptions by QB Carson Wentz, who also had two TD passes . . .  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) got the road win on Monday Night Football, topping the New York Giants, 25-23 behind a pair of TD passes by QB Tom Brady and four field goals by kicker Ryan Soccup. Giants QB Daniel Jones had two TD passes and two interceptions in the loss. The Giants (1-7) had a chance to tie the game with just 28 seconds left to play following Jones' 19-yard scoring pass to WR Golden Tate, but the two-point attempt pass was incomplete.

Week Eight Results 

Atlanta 25, Carolina 17

Pittsburgh 28, Baltimore 24

Minnesota 28, Green Bay 22

Indianapolis 41, Detroit 21

Kansas City 35, N.Y. Jets 9 

Cincinnati 31, Tennessee 20 

Las Vegas 16, Cleveland 6

Miami 28, L.A. Rams 17 

Buffalo 24, New England 21

Denver 31, L.A. Chargers 30 

Seattle 37, San Francisco 27

New Orleans 26, Chicago 23 (OT)

Philadelphia 23, Dallas 9  

Tampa Bay 25, N.Y. Giants 23