The early Sunday NFL games featured MVP-type performances from Tom Brady and Carson Wentz as they led their teams to blowout wins. But the afternoon games featured a massive brawl involving the Broncos and Raiders.
Raiders (5-6) defeat Broncos (3-8) - 21-14
Following the fireworks to start the game, the first quarter was fairly uneventful as both teams failed to score. But the Raiders offense picked up the pace in the second following a red zone interception of Broncos’ quarterback Paxton Lynch. Oakland turned the turnover into points, driving 80 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead.
Following a Denver punt, the Raiders went up 14-0 on a Marshawn Lynch one-yard run before halftime.
The Raiders' scored again on their first possession of the second-half when David Carr threw to Jalen Richard for a six-yard touchdown. Down 21-0, the Broncos made a change at quarterback and began to mount a fourth-quarter comeback. Backup Trevor Siemian led the offense on a 10-play 93-yard drive, hitting Cody Latimer for a 25-yard score. Following an Oakland missed a field goal, Siemian tossed another 22-yard touchdown to Bennie Fowler III. The Broncos nearly got the ball back with a chance to tie, but Carr hit Cordarrelle Patterson on a 54-yard bomb to put the game on ice.
Rams (8-3) defeat Saints (8-3) - 26-20
The game of the day featured a future Hall of Fame quarterback (Drew Brees) looking to make another run at Super Bowl glory and a second-year, former number-one overall pick (Jared Goff) who started the season just trying to prove he belonged in the league. The young upstart, Goff, put points up on the Rams’ first two possessions, helping them jump out to a 10-0.
But Saints rookie running Alvin Kamara responded by taking a handoff 74 yards to pay dirt.
A second Goff touchdown pass to Josh Reynolds put Los Angeles up 10. The Rams extended that number to 13 early in the fourth quarter, but Drew Brees proved last Sunday (Nov. 18) that no lead is safe with him behind center. A 33-yard Kamara reception put the Saints first-and-goal on the five-yard line; however, New Orleans couldn't punch the ball in the end zone.
The Saints did score with 1:45 left in the game to cut the deficit to six but failed to secure the onside kick. Goff passed for 354 yards, along with two touchdowns and interception. Brees threw for 246 yards and a score.
Steelers (9-2) vs Packers (5-6) - 31-28
The no-Aaron Rodgers experience for the Packers has been downright dreadful. With Rodgers, Green Bay had a 4-1 record, without him, they’ve dropped four of their last five games. But the Packers gave the Steelers everything they had. After giving up a touchdown to Pittsburgh on their first possession, Green Bay responded with 39-yard touchdown pass from Brett Hundley to Randall Cobb. The Packers got the ball right back on a Ben Roethlisberger interception and scored again on a Hundley 54-yard pass to Jamal Williams.
But the Steelers’ explosive offense stormed back. Roethlisberger found Martavis Bryant for a 17-yard score to tie the game 14-14 at the half.
Green Bay opened the third quarter with Hundley’s third touchdown pass, hitting Devante Adams for a 55-yard bomb. The Packers had a chance to take control of the game following two Steelers’ turnovers but failed to capitalize each time. Two touchdowns from Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown put Pittsburgh up seven, but Green Bay answered with a 12-play, 77-yard drive to tie the game with 2:02 left in the game. After punts by each team, the Steelers got possession with 17 seconds left and quickly got themselves into Field Goal Range, where Chris Boswell kicked one in from 53 yards.
Cardinals (5-6) defeat Jaguars (7-4) - 27-24
The Cardinals raced out to a 13-0 lead behind two field goals and a Blaine Gabbert 29-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Seals-Jones. A Jaguars’ kick made the score 13-3 at halftime. Arizona opened the second-half by tacking on three more points, but Jacksonville subsequently went on a seven-play, 75-yard drive to reduce the deficit to six. The two teams traded punts six times before Jaguars’ defensive lineman (former Cardinal) Calais Campbell returned a fumble ten yards for a touchdown, putting Jacksonville ahead. But that was just the start of an exciting, drama-filled fourth quarter.
The Cardinals answered on their next possession when Gabbert hit Jaron Brown on a 52-yard bomb to reclaim a 24-17 lead.
The Jaguars clapped right back to tie the score when quarterback Blake Bortles ran for his second touchdown of the game. A Gabbert interception gave the Jaguars a chance to take the lead, but the Cardinals intercepted Bortles with 2:47 left in the game. Arizona failed to get points off the turnover but got the ball back with 16 seconds on their own 39-yard line. Two quick passes for 22 yards put the Cardinals in field goal range and Phil Dawson kicked a 57-yarder between the uprights for the win.
Seahawks (7-4) defeat 49ers (1-10) - 24-13
The 49ers picked off Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson on the first play of the game, but from there, the highlights were few and far between. San Francisco failed to score off the turnover, and the Seahawks missed a field on their next possession.
The game remained 0-0 until Seattle intercepted a C.J. Beathard pass. Just two plays later, Wilson rushed in two yards for the first score of the game. A San Francisco field goal cut the lead to 7-3 by halftime and then another 49ers' kick in the third quarter made it a one-point game.
But the Seahawks responded with a six-play, 71-yard drive that resulted in a Russell Wilson to Nick Vannett touchdown. Two more unanswered Seattle scores (touchdown and field goal) put the game out-of-reach. On San Francisco’s final drive of the game, Beathard was knocked out with a knee injury, which meant newly acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo got to see his first action as a 49er. Garoppolo didn’t disappoint, throwing a touchdown pass on the final play of the game to give San Francisco fans some hope for the future.
Panthers (8-3) defeat Jets (4-7) - 35-27
The Jets lose more than they win but do play an entertaining style of football. The two teams took their time to heat up offensively; it was just a 3-3 game when Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter (the extra point was missed). A Carolina field goal put the Panthers up 12-3, but the Jets responded in kind when receiver Robby Anderson hauled in a 33-yard pass from Josh McCown. This was the fifth consecutive game that Anderson had a touchdown reception. Down by two in the third quarter, another McCown to Anderson connection, this time from 54 yards, put the Jets up by five.
However, the Panthers reclaimed the lead, going on a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to go ahead 18-17.
The back-and-forth lead exchanged hands again to start the fourth quarter when New York kicked a 19-yard field goal. But after the Jets’ defense held Carolina to a three-and-out, McCown coughed up the ball and linebacker Luke Kuechly scooped it up and scored from 24 yards out. The Panthers went up two scores following a Kaelin Clay punt return for a touchdown. A Jets’ score with 5:32 left gave them a chance, but Carolina kicked a field goal with 21 seconds to effectively ice the game.
