By Brandon Simmons
Rams Get Revenge on Panthers in the Last Minute
The Los Angeles Rams beat the Carolina Panthers with a lae touchdown in the final minute of the game. Rams QB Matthew Stafford threw a TD to tight end Cody Parkinson with 38 seconds left to put the team up 31-27. The Rams jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind 2 touchdown passes from Stafford, both going to Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. However, that seemed to spark the Panthers even more. Carolina responded with a touchdown drive but Los Angeles extended the lead with a field goal. The Panthers closed the half with a rush TD from QB Bryce Young. Both teams open up the 2nd half trading field goals, but a pick by Panthers cornerback Micael Jackson sets up a Carolina touchdown to give them a 24-20 lead in the 4th quarter. Rams and Panthers began trading touchdowns, including Young throwing a TD pass to Panthers wide receiver Larry Coker to take a 27-24 lead. The Rams got the ball back to go down the field and hit Parkinson for the game winning score.
This is a game that the Los Angeles Rams survived with their MVP Matthew Stafford. The Rams QB threw for 304 and 3 touchdowns, with just one interception. It seems that whatever temperature he had, that was how things were going for the Rams. When Stafford was getting off to a hot start in the beginning of the game, LA jumped to a 14-0 lead. When he was getting stalled, it slowed the Rams down too. In the 3rd quarter, the interception that Stafford threw, set up the Panthers’ touchdown drive. However, when he locked in for that game winning drive, he was able to find Rams wide receivers Davante Adams and Puka Nacua – who had 10 catches for 111 yards and a receiving touchdown as well as a rushing touchdown. Adams had a slow start but finished with 5 catches for 72 yards. As evidence points to from this game, going forward, it should be noted that the Rams have a talented roster on both sides of the ball, but their success starts and ends with Matthew Stafford.
Bears Complete Historic Comeback over Historic Rival
The Chicago Bears completed another comeback, this time over their rival Green Bay Packers. The Bears were down 21-3 at halftime before outscoring the Packers 28-6 in the 2nd half, with 25 of those points coming in the 4th quarter. At that point, it was looking real scary for Chicago, being down 21-6 heading into the final frame, until the Bears kicked a field goal to cut the score tp 21-9. After a strong Bears defensive stand, Chicago goes on a drive that ends with a rushing TD by Bears running back DeAndre Swift, making the score 21-16. Pakers answer with a touchdown catch and run from rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden, to make the score 27-16, after Green Bay kicker Brett McManus missed the PAT. Chicago then scores a touchown with Bears QB Caleb Williams throwing to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheus, with the 2 point try being successful to make the score 27-24. After McManus misses a field goal, then the Bears answer with another touchdown to go up 31-27.
The Chicago Bears wee a completely different team coming into the 2nd half of this game. Bears QB Caleb Williams threw 2 touchdowns in the 4th quarter after the scpore was at 27-16; he also finished the game with 361 passing yards and 2 interceptions. The key for him was his ability to move in and out of the pocket, escaping pass rushers and either scrambling for extra yards, or looking for open receivers down the field. The latter could be seen when he hit Bears running back DeAndre Swift on a checkdown for a first down and when he got mobile to launch a passto Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze, to convert a 4th and 8. It’s also shouldn’t be lost that Williams found a variety of receivers, including rookie tight end Courtland Loveland, who had 8 catches for 137 yards in addition to the reception for the 2 point conversion that made the core 27-24. Defensively, the Bears deserve a tn of credit as well. Bears defensive end Montez Sweat generated the pass rush that caused 1 of 2 intentional grounding penalties called on the Packers. The applauding of their comeback shouldn’t acknowledge that some of their mistakes got them in this position, suh as Williams’ interceptions, but they deserve credit for overcoming these obstacles.
The Bears had a tremendous comeback, but it can’t be left out that the Packers blew this game completely in the 2nd half. They had this team dead to rights and everything that could have went wrong for them, happened in that 3rd and 4th quarter. McManus missed field goals at the end of the first half but also in the 4th quarter, as well as the extra point; 7 points down the drain which makes for a different conversation if he hits either of those. But there were more opportunities for the Packers to save themselves in this game. At the top of the 4th quarter, on 3rd down, Bears QB Caleb Williams fumbles the ball but the Packers fail to recover it. Also, on the drive with Swift’s rushing touchdown, the previous play the Packers defense could not tackle Swift in the backfield so that allowed him to make the next play just 3rd and a few. It’s also irritating when you think about all the opportunities that put Green Bay in a position to win this game, but they just didn’t capitalize.
Bills Bulldoze Jaguars for Late Touchdown
The Buffalo Bills etched out a win in a close battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bills QB Josh Allen scored a touchdown on a QB sneak play att he goal line, which was set up by QB sneak that went for 10 yards on a previous play. What was already a close game for most of the afternoon, things turned a notch in the 4th quarter, where Buffalo entered with a 13-10 lead. Jacksonville opened with Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence throwing a touchdown to wide receiver Parker Washington to put them up 17-13. Bills respond when Allen threw a pass to Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid to go up 20-17 then Lawrence throwing a touchdown to Jaguars running back Travis Etienne to go up 24-20. Allen took over on Buffalo’s offensive possession. He converted a 3rd down on a QB sneak then threw a deep pass to wide receiver Brandin Cooks, 2 plays that led to the game winning plays.
The QB sneak plays at the end of the game were symbolic of how the game went for the Buffalo Bills. Josh Allen had to carry this Bills team when they thought they had enough but didn’t. Allen finished with 273 yards passing and a touchdowns and 2 rushing TD’s. Thoe 2 rushing scores came in a game where the Bills were held to just 79 rushing yards overall. However, Allen is not a running back, he is a passer as he reminded us today. He hit 9 different receivers, including Khalil Shakir, who had 12 catches for 82 yards. Bills tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson nox both received passes that converted 3rd downs, while Kincaid caught a touchdown form him in the 4th quarter. The big pass he launched to Cooks helped set up the closing plays to win the game. When it comes down to it, both teams traded shots with equal vigor but only one team had a Josh Allen.
49ers Fight Through Injuries to Win
The San Francisco 49ers beat the Philadelphia Eagles in a close game that saw them catch more of the injury bug, but in a worst way. 49ers tight end George Kittle suffered an achilles injury in the 2nd quarter, leaving the team without one of their biggest playmakers, at a time when they needed him the most. Turns out, that really wasn’t the case at all. In the 2nd half, they held the Eagles to only 6 points. That was just enough for Niners running back Christian McCaffrey to score 2 touchdowns, to go with his 104 scrimmage yards (48 rushing and 66 receiving). Niners QB Brock Purdy threw fro 262 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions to lead this offense on the road when it mattered most. His biggest beneficiary was 49ers wide receiver Demarcus
The difference between in this game between the two teams really comes down to what offense is better and that shouldn’t come a s a shocker seeing how this game went. The Philadelphia Eagles had 2 touchdowns in the first half, and that was it; the rest of their scoring was field goals. Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown had 3 catches in the 1st quarter and that was it; who finished the game with that number in addition to the 2 drops he had on the evening. The 49ers set the tone on how their offense would be during this game. They opened the game with a 58 yards catch and run by Robinson which did set up the touchdown pass to Robinson from Purdy. When Kittle got hurt, Niners wide receiver Jajuan Jennings stepped up. After the Kittle injury, Jennings had a big catch and run to set up the field goal. Later in the 4th quarter, Jenning threw the TD on a reverse pass to McCaffrey. The 49ers found ways to be move the ball on offense when it seemed there would be no way due to injuries.
Patriots Defense Rip the Spark from the Chargers
The New England Patriots crushed the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 on a masterful defensive performance. The Patriots ran up 6 sacks, led by linebacker K’Lavon Chisson and defensive end Milton Williams, who each had 2 sacks. While the defense was busy putting the Chargers QB on the ground, Patriots offense was moving the ball across it. New England QB Drake Maye threw for 268 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 pick, nut also got sacked 5 times.
It was a close defensive battle the entire game so the better defense decided the game, simple as that. The secondary held the Chargers receivers to only 9 catches in the game. This included Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez covering an incomplete pass on 4th down and cornerback Marcus Jones knocking away a pass on 3rd down, forcing a 3 and out at the top of the 3rd quarter. The Patriots pass defense allowed these pass rushers to run up the sack total by providing time to generate QB pressure. Offensively, New Engalnd made strides in moving the ball but were susceptible to the Chargers defense from sacks and turnovers, which kept the score as close as it was throughout the game. The New England Patriots got to the number 2 seed with a first year head coach – who has a decent playoff resume – and a 2nd year quarterback. Their offense showed some struggles but thwy overcame that as a team and pulled off the win.
Texans Defense Stomp Steelers
The Houston Texans beat down the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 in a game that was close until it wasn’t. The Texans defense teroroized the Steelers offense holding them to only 6 points and 8 sacks. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins lead the way with 1.5 sacks while defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson shared 0.5 but lots of momentuous plays created by their pass rush. Offensively, The Texans were up and down, in the sense of they had some big plays but also some costly turnovers in which the Steelers could not take advantage of.
There’s nothing else to talk about in this game other than the Texans defense carried this teea through their mistakes. Texans QB C.J. Stroud had 3 turnovers and mishandled the snap on multiple occasions, yet the team was able to hold a slim lead over the Steelers for most of the game. It really starts with te pass rush of the Texans defense. Hunter and Anderson either combined for taking down Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers or created their own havoc. On separate plays, they pushed the Steelers offensive line into Rodgers causing a sack. Another notable member from tonight’s performance is Texans safety Jalen Pitre, who seemed to be all over the line of scrimmage. The Texans racked up 8 tackles for loss, but at least 3 or more could be credited to Pitre even though he had recorded 2. You also have to credit the rest of the secondary, led by All Pro cornerback Derek Stingley. The secondary took away Steelers wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. Limiting him to just 3 catches. The playoffs are where the run game and defense are called upon and the Texans answered both to get the win.
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