New York Giants @ Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos scored a record-breaking 33 points in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning field goal as time expired, to defeat the New York Giants 33-32. With that victory, the Broncos improved to 5-2 and moved into sole possession of first place in the AFC West.
New York scored first in this game. After four straight punts to start things off, quarterback Jaxson Dart threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger to put New York in front 7-0. Bellinger finished the game with a career-high 88 receiving yards.
Big Blue scored again in the second quarter. Jaxson Dart completed three straight passes for 60 yards to get to Denver’s 22 yard line. Once they got into the red zone, New York picked up a fresh set of downs after executing a quarterback sneak on a 4th and 1. Not long after that, running back Cam Skattebo dashed into the end zone on a 13-yard reception to increase the lead to 13-0 with 8:46 to go in the half.
Denver had a chance to get on the board, but failed miserably. After a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton, the Broncos made their way into the red zone. While faced with a 4th and goal at New York’s two, the Giants stuffed a screen pass to force a turnover on downs.
Following three straight punts to open the second half, New York scored again. After starting a drive at their own 41, Big Blue made it onto Denver’s side of the field by leaning on Cam Skattebo. That eventually led to a 31-yard ground touchdown by Tyrone Tracy for a 19-0 lead in the wake of a missed two-point conversion.
The Broncos finally put up some points in the fourth quarter. A 16-yard catch by Courtland Sutton and a 32-yard run by running back J.K. Dobbins got Denver into the red zone. At the two yard line, a pass attempt by quarterback Bo Nix was deflected in the air and caught by a diving Troy Franklin for a touchdown. Nix then connected with Sutton for a two-point conversion and a 19-8 deficit with 14:08 to go in the game.
The Giants didn’t seem all that concerned with Denver’s scoring efforts. On their next possession, Jaxson Dart threw a pass that was deflected in the air and caught by tight end Theo Johnson, who reached the end zone from 29 yards out to go ahead 26-8.
The Broncos refused to go away. They had a 13-play, 74-yard drive that resulted in a seven-yard TD run by Bo Nix to cut the deficit to 26-16 after a successful two-point conversion.
Denver continued to put pressure on the Giants. Their defense picked off Jaxson Dart and returned the INT 21 yards to Big Blue’s 19 yard line. Four plays later, Bo Nix threw a two-yard touchdown pass to running back RJ Harvey to bring the score to 26-23 with 3:51 remaining in the game.
After forcing a quick three-and-out, Denver’s offense took the field with 2:42 to go in the fourth quarter. Just before the two-minute warning, Bo Nix completed a 31-yard pass to Marvin Mims to get to the Giants’ 38 yard line. After a 20-yard completion, Bo Nix ran into the end zone from 18 yards out to give Denver its first lead of the day, 30-26, with 1:51 to go in the game.
Big Blue made it down to Denver’s 40 yard line with 48 ticks left on the clock. On a 3rd and 10, the Giants were able to draw a defensive pass interference penalty, which allowed them to set up shop on the one yard line. One play later, they scored a touchdown but missed the extra point for a 32-30 lead.
The Broncos’ offense took the field with 33 seconds remaining in the game. On the first play of their drive, Marvin Mims made a 29-yard reception before Denver spiked the ball to stop the clock. A five-yard penalty on the Giants moved them to New York’s 43 with 18 seconds to go in the game. On the very next down, Courtland Sutton made a 22-yard catch, which allowed the Broncos to kick a 39-yard field goal as time expired for the victory.
Indianapolis Colts @ Los Angeles Chargers
The Indianapolis Colts ran the Los Angeles Chargers out of the building in a 38-24 win. The Colts now find themselves with a 6-1 record and in first place in the AFC.
The Chargers could not stop the Colts’ offense, with five of Indy’s first seven possessions ending in touchdowns.
Indy made quick work of LA’s defense on the opening drive. Quarterback Daniel Jones found tight end Tyler Warren for 29 yards. Two downs later, running back Jonathan Taylor reached the end zone on a 23-yard run. However, the Colts missed the extra point, so they only led 6-0.
LA was able to narrow the gap, thanks to a 25-yard defensive pass interference penalty on their first drive of the afternoon. Though the possession stalled at Indy’s 25, the Chargers kicked a field goal for a 6-3 deficit.
The Colts had no issue answering that field goal with a score of their own. After methodically moving the football down to LA’s four yard line, the Colts were faced with a 4th and 2. Indy didn’t waver, though, as Daniel Jones linked up with wide receiver Michael Pittman for a touchdown and a 13-3 advantage.
Following an LA punt, Daniel Jones threw a 48-yard bomb to wide receiver Alec Pierce on a 3rd and 17 to get down to the Chargers’ 25 yard line. Jonathan Taylor then had a 19-yard catch-and-run to get into the red zone. On a 3rd and goal, Daniel Jones found Tyler Warren in the back of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown pass to go up 20-3. Warren has three TD catches in his last three games.
Things did not get any better for the Chargers. A pass by quarterback Justin Herbert was deflected straight up into the air before falling into the hands of a Colts defender, who was taken down at Indy’s 37 yard line. In his last five games, Herbert has thrown six INTs.
After getting the ball back, LA looked poised to cut into the 17-point deficit. Justin Herbert completed a 30-yard pass to wide receiver Keenan Allen to get into enemy territory. A facemask on the tail end of a 13-yard catch by wideout Ladd McConkey got the Bolts into the red zone. In the end, though, a Justin Herbert pass was intercepted in the end zone, killing a potential scoring drive.
Indianapolis capitalized on that turnover. They gained 61 yards in 1:50 to kick a field goal as time expired in the first half for a 23-3 lead at the break.
Coming out of halftime, LA got into the red zone again on the heels of a 53-yard catch by rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II. That set up a seven-yard TD catch by wideout Quentin Johnston for a 23-10 deficit. Gadsden was phenomenal in this one with seven catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. Coming into this game, he had 144 receiving yards on the season.
Any momentum the Chargers might have been building immediately disintegrated when Indy took the ensuing kickoff back 81 yards to Los Angeles’ 14 yard line. Two plays later, Jonathan Taylor reached the end zone on a jet sweep for a 31-10 advantage after a successful two-point conversion.
Los Angeles knew how to respond. Justin Herbert accumulated 76 yards on the ground and through the air before connecting with Keenan Allen for a four-yard touchdown pass that cut the lead to 31-17. That was Allen’s first TD catch since Week Three.
Indy wasn’t intimidated by the scoring drive. Daniel Jones completed passes of 29, 11, and 14 yards to get into the red zone. From there, Jonathan Taylor scored another rushing touchdown for a 38-17 advantage. Taylor finished the game with 132 scrimmage yards and three rushing touchdowns.
After an incompletion on the Chargers’ next drive, Justin Herbert completed five straight passes for 61 yards to get into the red zone. On a 3rd and goal from 15 yards out, Herbert threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Oronde Gadsden for a 38-24 score with 13:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.
In a last-gasp attempt to keep this game close, the Chargers had no choice but to go for it on a 4th and 27 at Indy’s 45 yard line. Though they picked up 24 yards, it wouldn’t be enough to move the sticks, which led to a turnover on downs.
With this matchup in the books, the Chargers have lost three of their last four games despite starting the season 3-0.
Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys destroyed the Washington Commanders 44-22 to improve to 3-3-1 on the season.
Quarterback Dak Prescott was awesome, completing 21 of 30 passes for 264 yards and three TDs. Meanwhile, it was a rough afternoon for Jayden Daniels, who had to leave the game early due to an injury.
The Cowboys hit pay dirt first, thanks in part to a 37-yard defensive pass interference penalty on the game’s opening drive. That allowed running back Javonte Williams to punch the ball into the end zone for an early 7-0 lead.
A punt by the Commanders that was downed at Dallas’ one yard line came back to haunt the Cowboys. Javonte Williams was tackled in his own end zone for a safety to cut the lead to 7-2 in the first quarter.
After the ‘Boys punted the ball to the Commanders, they reached the red zone on a 44-yard catch-and-run by wide receiver Chris Moore. A few plays later, Jayden Daniels found tight end Zach Ertz wide open for a five-yard touchdown and an 8-7 lead after a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Dallas did retake the lead on their next drive. Dak Prescott hit wide receiver George Pickens for 24 yards, which later allowed the Cowboys to kick a 47-yard field goal for a 10-8 advantage. Pickens finished the game with four catches for 82 yards.
Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was an immediate difference-maker after returning from injury. He had a 74-yard touchdown after a Commanders punt to increase the lead to 17-8. That was Lamb’s first TD catch of the season.
Following a turnover on downs by the Commanders, the Cowboys struck again. Dak Prescott connected with tight end Jake Ferguson for a 15-yard gain on a 3rd and 12, which eventually resulted in a 61-yard field goal for a 20-8 lead.
The Commanders scored once more before halftime. Washington’s offense took the field with 1:56 to go in the second quarter and found the end zone in just 1:11 on a Jayden Daniels TD run to cut into the lead and make the score 20-15 with 45 seconds left in the quarter.
The Cowboys also scored before the break. George Pickens made a fantastic 44-yard reception. On the next play, Javonte Williams gained 33 yards to get down to Washington’s two yard line. One down later, Dak Prescott hooked up with Jake Ferguson for a two-yard TD and a 27-15 halftime lead. In his last four games, Ferguson has six touchdown catches.
Disaster unfolded on Washington’s first possession of the third quarter. Jayden Daniels took a big hit and lost the football. That fumble was recovered by Dallas at their own 45 yard line. Jayden Daniels was injured on that play and had to be checked out by trainers in the blue medical tent. He was later ruled out of the game with a hamstring injury.
With good field position, the Cowboys made the Commanders pay. They orchestrated a nine-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a five-yard TD pass to Jake Ferguson to extend their lead to 34-15.
Marcus Mariota, who came in to replace the injured Daniels, made a disastrous mistake. He threw an interception on his second pass of the game that was intercepted and returned 68 yards for a touchdown to put Dallas ahead 41-15.
Marcus Mariota rebounded from the INT. His 25-yard run got the offense deep into enemy territory. It also set up a three-yard TD run by running back Chris Rodriguez to cut into the deficit and bring the score to 41-22 in the third quarter.
Dallas would kick another field goal to close this one out. With that loss, the Commanders are just 1-3 in their last four games.
Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals
The Green Bay Packers scored a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, while the defense forced a turnover on downs on a potential game-winning drive to defeat the Jacoby Brissett-led Arizona Cardinals 27-23.
Though Jacoby Brissett threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns, the Cards had no answer for Green Bay’s pass rush. The Packers finished the game with six sacks, including a three-sack outing from defensive end Micah Parsons.
The Cardinals had an incredibly promising opening drive that took over seven minutes off the board. Despite getting into the red zone, Micah Parsons sacked Jacoby Brissett on a 3rd and goal to force a field goal for a 3-0 Cardinals lead.
On Green Bay’s first series, quarterback Jordan Love connected with wide receiver Matthew Golden for an eight-yard gain on a 4th and 2 to get onto Arizona’s side of the field. On their next fourth-down attempt, Jordan Love overthrew wide receiver Romeo Doubs for a turnover on downs.
Once Green Bay got the ball back, they made the Cardinals pay. Arizona was penalized for defensive holding and a facemask on back-to-back plays, which led to Jordan Love finding Romeo Doubs for 15 yards to get into the red zone. However, the drive died out there, so Green Bay kicked a field goal for a 3-3 tie in the second quarter.
On the Cards’ next possession, they retook the lead. Jacoby Brissett threw a 22-yard pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. to get down to Green Bay’s 27. Even though they only gained five more yards from there, Arizona kicked a field goal to take a 6-3 lead with 5:02 remaining in the second quarter.
Coming out of the two-minute warning, Jacoby Brissett hit wide receiver Zay Jones for a 43-yard gain on a 3rd and 23 to get to the Packers’ 41. Soon, they had a 3rd and 4 at Green Bay’s 16 yard line with 12 ticks left on the clock. In spectacular fashion, Trey McBride made a 15-yard TD catch for a 13-3 lead with seven seconds left before the break.
That would be all the time the Packers would need to make it a one-score game. Jordan Love completed a 22-yard pass to Romeo Doubs, which allowed kicker Lucas Havrisik to hit a franchise-record 61-yard field goal for a 13-6 deficit at the break. Havrisik, who is filling in for the injured Brandon McManus, has made every kick he has attempted since being elevated to the active roster last weekend.
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Just when it looked like the Cardinals were going to score again, the Packers’ defense showed up. Defensive end Rashan Gary forced a fumble of Jacoby Brissett that was recovered by Green Bay on Arizona’s side of the field. That was only the Packers’ third takeaway of the season and their first forced turnover since Week Three.
Green Bay got down to the Cards’ 24 yard line after Romeo Doubs made back-to-back catches for 25 yards. Matthew Golden then got the offense into the red zone on a 17-yard catch-and-run. On the next down, running back Josh Jacobs scampered into the end zone for a seven-yard TD run to tie the game at 13 points apiece. Jacobs, who was a game-time decision due to injury, finished with 55 rushing yards, three receiving yards, and two ground touchdowns.
On their next drive, the Cardinals regained the lead. Marvin Harrison Jr. made a 35-yard catch on a 3rd and 14 for a fresh set of downs. Once they got into the end zone, Trey McBride had a 12-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown to put Arizona ahead 20-13. McBride finished the game with ten catches for 74 yards and two TDs.
The Green and Gold managed to get into position to score again. Tight end Tucker Kraft had a 22-yard catch-and-run to get onto Arizona’s side of the field. Jordan Love then scrambled for a 12-yard gain to get into the red zone. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Tucker Kraft reached the end zone from seven yards away to tie the game 20-20.
The Cardinals answered right back after a facemask penalty and a good kick return set up the offense with possession on Green Bay’s 45 yard line. On a 3rd and 2, Jacoby Brissett threw his 14th straight completion for a first-down at the Packers’ eight. From there, Green Bay’s defense held firm and recorded a sack on third down to force a field goal that put Arizona ahead 23-20 with 9:01 to go in the game.
After forcing a three-and-out, Arizona had a chance to put this game away. Facing a 4th and 1 near midfield, the Packers stuffed a quarterback sneak to force a turnover on downs with 5:51 to go in the game.
On a third down at the Cards’ 45, Tucker Kraft made an eight-yard reception to keep the drive alive. Soon, they had the option to kick a field goal on a 4th and 2 at Arizona’s 29. Instead, they went for it on fourth down, where Jordan Love completed a 15-yard pass to Tucker Kraft to get down to the Cardinals’ 14. Coming out of the two-minute warning, Josh Jacobs powered his way down to Arizona’s one yard line, where the Cardinals took their first timeout of the second half. One down later, Jacobs reached the end zone for a 27-23 lead with 1:50 remaining.
On Arizona’s final series, Jacoby Brissett completed a 24-yard pass to Zay Jones to get to Green Bay’s 45. After that, a defensive penalty stopped the clock with 1:04 to go in the game. Micah Parsons recorded his third sack of the day on this last-minute drive, which forced the Cards to burn a timeout to stop the clock with 27 seconds left in the game. On a 4th and 11, the Packers batted a Hail Mary attempt out of bounds to force a turnover on downs and win the game.
*Author’s note: all information and statistics are tracked in real time and are provided by the game’s broadcaster, NFL.com, and ESPN.com*
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