NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Good for the Steelers!

 

The Dolphins gave up a seven-point lead halfway through the fourth quarter on a Tua Tagovailoa interception, but they were able to bounce back in time to secure their sixth-straight win.

Tua Tagovailoa hit DeVante Parker for an 11-yard touchdown with 3:37 left in the game and the defense held off the Jets to seal a 31-24 home win for Miami. The win lifts their record to 7-7 and keeps them very much alive in the AFC playoff chase as they head toward a Week 16 Monday night matchup with the Saints.


Parker got the game-winning score, but the running game was the primary offensive generator for the Dolphins on Sunday. Duke Johnson ran 22 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns while Myles Gaskin had 10 carries for 54 yards, including a 30-yarder on the game-winning drive.

Tagovailoa was less accurate than he’s been throughout the winning streak as he threw another pick in the first half and finished 16-of-27 overall.

The Dolphins have been one of the league’s worst rushing teams this season, so repeats of this performance would be welcome as they continue their push for a postseason bid. The role of the Jets defense in their success can’t be overlooked, especially when it comes to the number of missed tackles over the course of the afternoon.

Miami would also welcome the kind of effort they got from their pass rush. They sacked Zach Wilson six times, including one by Zach Sieler that resulted in a lost fumble for the Jets first-round pick. After helping the offense produce 17 points in the first half, Wilson was just 4-of-9 throwing the ball in the second half as the Jets only ran 18 plays and gave him little time to throw when they did call passing plays.

The Jets are now 3-11 and they’ll face the Jaguars in a battle for draft positioning next Sunday. They’ll hope to see some signs of progress from Wilson in that game and the other two left to play in another losing season.

PFT

 

The Texans have three wins. Two came against Jacksonville.

Houston beat Jacksonville 37-21 in the season opener. The Texans won 30-16 on Sunday. It is the only two games this season that Houston has scored 30 or more points.


The Texans had scored only 27 points in their past three games combined.

Davis Mills outplayed Trevor Lawrence in a battle of rookie quarterbacks, as the Texans starter completed 19 of 30 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The No. 1 overall choice went 22-of-38 for 210 yards.

Brandin Cooks caught seven passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Tremon Smith had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Jaguars, playing their first game since firing Urban Meyer last week, improved their chances of securing the No. 1 overall choice after the Lions’ upset of the Cardinals. So a loss really is a win for Jacksonville.

PFT

 

Heading into Week 15, the Bills had lost two games in a row and looked like they were on their way out of the AFC East race.

But the last two days have put Buffalo right back in it, as the team got right with a 31-14 victory over Carolina on Sunday.


The Panthers played without their kicker, as Zane Gonzalez suffered a right quad injury during pregame warm-ups. It clearly affected the way Carolina played certain situations, as the club went for it on fourth down five times. The offense converted just one of the opportunities.

But even if Gonzalez had been available, it likely wouldn’t have affected the ultimate outcome. The Bills led the game from cover to cover, taking a 14-0 lead in the second quarter with a Devin Singletary 16-yard touchdown and 11-yard touchdown from Josh Allen to Stefon Diggs.

Though an Allen interception led to quarterback Cam Newton’s 4-yard touchdown run — plus a two-point conversion — the Bills scored a 26-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to put Buffalo up 17-8.

Receiver Gabriel Davis caught a 20-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give Buffalo a 24-8 lead, which would be enough. Ameer Abdullah took a catch and run 23 yards for a TD in the fourth quarter, but Carolina couldn’t score any more points. Davis got another 14-yard touchdown to put the game on ice with 2:07 left in the fourth quarter.

Allen finished the game 19-of-34 for 210 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, also taking three carries for 24 yards. Singletary had 86 yards on 22 carries with a TD.

Though Panthers head coach Matt Rhule had said this week he would continue to play both Newton and P.J. Walker at quarterback, Walker didn’t get on the field. Newton finished 18-of-389 for 156 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Newton also led the team with 71 yards rushing on 15 carries with a TD.

Now at 8-6, the Bills will play the Patriots, Falcons, and Jets to end the season.

The 5-9 Panthers finish 2021 with the Buccaneers, Saints, and Buccaneers again.

PFT

 

Well said Will.

Anytime some team pulls that crap i hope they lose. Titans look like classless clowns.

 

Interesting I was there and somehow missed that??

 

I was stoned and I missed it.

 

Sunday Night Football: Saints stun Buccaneers with dominant 9-0 victory



For whatever reason, the Saints continue to be a bad matchup for the Buccaneers in the regular season.

Even without head coach Sean Payton, who missed the game after testing positive for COVID-19, New Orleans used a dominant defensive performance to defeat the Buccaneers 9-0 on Sunday.

Quarterback Tom Brady hadn’t been shut out in 255 consecutive starts. The last time it happened was back in 2006 when the Patriots lost to the Dolphins.

Brady finished the game 26-of-48 for 214 yards with a lost fumble and a fourth-quarter interception with 3:47 left in the contest. He was hit a total of seven times.

It was a banner day for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who also served as the acting head coach with Payton out. The Buccaneers averaged just 4.1 yards on 73 total plays.

Defensive end Cam Jordan, who missed the Saints’ last game while on the COVID-19 list, led the way with 2.0 sacks, getting a total of three quarterback hits and another couple of tackles for loss. New Orleans had a total of six tackles for loss in the contest.

Offensively, the Saints didn’t get much from quarterback Taysom Hill or running back Alvin Kamara. But they did get enough to win. Hill was 13-of-27 passing for 154 yards also taking 11 carries for 33 yards. Kamara had 18 yards on 11 carries plus two catches for 13 yards.

Receiver Marquez Callaway caught six passes for 112 yards to lead the team and lead the game.

Though Tampa Bay will welcome back receiver Antonio Brown on Monday after his three-game suspension, the offense lost several key players during the game. Receivers Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (knee) exited the game and didn’t return in the first half. Then running back Leonard Fournette (hamstring) left the game in the third quarter. Those absences were significant, but New Orleans’ defense was effective even when those players were on the field.

The Buccaneers would have won the NFC South title with a victory. Instead, that will have to wait at least another week. At 10-4, Tampa Bay plays the Panthers, Jets, and Panthers to finish the 2021 season.

At 7-7, the Saints are still in playoff contention. They will be at home against the Dolphins and Panthers, and on the road against the Falcons to end the year.

PFT

 

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is officially out for Monday’s game against the Raiders.

Stefanski tested positive for COVID-19 last week and would have been able to return to be with the team for the game with the right test results, but the Browns confirmed on Monday afternoon that Stefanski will remain away from the team.


Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will serve as the team’s head coach for the game. Priefer took on those duties and helped the Browns to a playoff win over the Steelers after Stefanski tested positive last year.

The Browns will also be without 19 players, including quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Jarvis Landry, and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, because they are on the COVID-19 reserve list.

 

Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin (knee) expected to miss rest of regular season, return for playoffs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' shutout loss to the New Orleans Saints came with a host of injuries, including to star receiver Chris Godwin.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Godwin suffered an MCL sprain that is expected to knock him out the rest of the regular season.

With three games remaining, the club could put Godwin on IR.

Godwin exited Sunday's loss in the second quarter with a knee injury. The Bucs offense also saw Mike Evans and Leonard Fournette leave with hamstring injuries. Rapoport noted that Evans' injury isn't expected to be major, and Fournette might miss a game or two, but also won't be on the shelf long.

The Buccaneers receiving corps is expected, however, to see the return of Antonio Brown on Monday following his three-game suspension for violating the joint NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that Brown has been been present at the team facility during his suspension and the team appears to be satisfied with how he has acquitted himself in the wake of the suspension.

The expectation with Godwin is that he should return for the Bucs' playoff run, per Rapoport. Tampa's 9-0 loss to the Saints dropped the Bucs (10-4) to the No. 3 seed in the conference, but they still hold a three-game lead in the NFC South.

Godwin's season ends with 98 catches for 1,103 yards and five TDs. He currently has the third-most catches and fifth-most yards of any pass-catcher in the NFL.


Playing on the franchise tag, Godwin's regular season being over is a blow, but luckily it's not worse for the star wideout. Tampa getting Godwin back for the postseason run is the most important thing at this stage.

NFL.com

 

Raiders get last-second field goal to beat a depleted Browns team



COVID-19 ravaged the Browns’ roster to such an extent that some doubted whether they could even field a competitive football team today against the Raiders. But not only did the Browns compete, they almost won.

Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson hit a field goal as time expired to give Las Vegas a 16-14 victory, but it was to the credit of the Browns and third-string quarterback Nick Mullens that they made the Raiders sweat.

With starting quarterback Baker Mayfield and backup Case Keenum both out because of COVID-19, it fell on Mullens to run the offense. And he got the job done in the fourth quarter, looking calm and collected if not spectacular, and throwing a touchdown pass with 3:40 left in the game to give the Browns their first lead.

The Raiders got the ball back with plenty of time to re-take the lead, but Derek Carr threw a deep ball to a well-covered Zay Jones, and Cleveland’s Greedy Williams intercepted it, and it appeared that the Browns were going to win.

But the Raiders got one last chance with a drive starting at the two-minute warning, and Carr got them into field goal range, and Carlson’s game-winning kick was good.

The Browns’ defense was also hit hard by COVID-19, and it got even worse during the game when Browns defensive end Takk McKinley had to be carted off because of an ankle injury. But after the Raiders marched down the field for a long touchdown on their opening possession, the Browns kept them out of the end zone the rest of the way.

The Raiders’ win leaves both teams at 7-7 in a wide-open AFC playoff race.

PFT

 

I was probably too busy shivering.

 

You just knew it if the Vikings if they keep pushing there luck and the Bears would score Vikings win 17 Bears 9 why does every game they play just ties your stomach in knots

 

Lots of credit to the Browns. I know there's no moral victories but they were one step short of calling Bernie Kosar. One more 1st down would've won it after the INT

 

Monday Night Football: Vikings earn 17-9 win over Bears



Dalvin Cook rushed for 89 yards on 28 carries and Kirk Cousins tossed two touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings picked up a 17-9 victory on the road over the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

In a game that was far from an offensive clinic for either team, the Vikings did just enough and made fewer mistakes.


The Bears fumbled four times with three being recovered by Minnesota. Justin Fields, Damiere Byrd and David Montgomery all lost fumbled for the Bears while Fields had a second fumble that he managed to recover to maintain possession.

Justin Jefferson gave the Vikings the lead on a 12-yard pass from Cousins on Minnesota’s second drive of the night. Fields’ lost fumble led to more points as Greg Joseph converted a 37-yard field goal to make it a 10-0 game.

The Bears survived Montgomery’s lost fumble without allowing points and Cairo Santos got the Bears on the board with a 34-yard field goal to make it 10-3 late in the second quarter.

Minnesota marched 77 yards in 12 plays with the help of 20 yards in penalties from the Bears as Ihmir Smith-Marsette caught a 7-yard touchdown, the first of his career, to extend the Vikings lead to 17-3.

Cousins threw for just 87 yards on the night, completing 12-of-24 passes with the two scores and a an interception.

The Vikings went three-and-out on four consecutive drives in the second half and managed just 193 yards of total offense on the night to continually give Chicago chances to get back in the game. However, they were unable to do so.

The Bears turned it over on downs on three straight fourth quarter drives with all three possessions ending deep in Minnesota territory.

Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks was ejected after hitting a sliding Fields in the head midway through the fourth quarter.

Fields scrambled for a first down and slid in an upright position. Kendricks hit Fields helmet-to-helmet and led to his disqualification from the rest of the game for the personal foul.

The penalty gave the Bears a first-and-goal at the Minnesota 7-yard line. However, tight end Jimmy Graham was unable to secure a third down pass in the end zone and wide receiver Darnell Mooney was unable to catch a fourth down pass and stay in bounds to keep the Bears off the board.

Byrd dropped a pass that would have resulted in a fourth down conversion on Chicago’s next possession.

A last-second 19-yard touchdown pass from Fields to Jesper Horsted closed the final deficit to 17-9. The extra point was not attempted because it didn’t matter to the result of the game.

Fields finished the night with 285 yards and a touchdown on 26-of-39 passing. Montgomery led the way on the ground with 60 yards on 18 carries. Cole Kmet had six catches for 71 yards.

The Bears were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.

PFT

 

Im digging this spread out scheduling. I dont like the cause/reason, but i do like having NFL on a Tuesday and so forth.

Vikings sitting at, 7-7, so I dont know who to root for in the WFT and Eagles game... havnt examined the tie-breakers yet.

Wild scenarios for the playoffs so far... all but a hand-full are still alive. Makes for some real important/exciting football.

 

You want the eagles to win so that the Vikings stay in the top seven

 

@Lyman - just wanted to make sure you saw this. Hoping for an answer to my question. Looking for your input.

 

Ya, I saw it.