Colts at Texans
The Colts and Texans each entered the Thursday night matchup hoping to prove that they can challenge for the division title. The Colts were 2-2, but they were without the services of Andrew Luck. The Texans came into the game with a 1-3 record and have been struggling behind Ryan Mallett.
Former Texan Andre Johnson had six catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns against his former team. Johnson’s first touchdown put the Colts up 10-0 in the first quarter. The Colts extended the lead to 13-0 with less than eight minutes to go in the half.
Mallett took a hard hit on what would be called roughing the passer and had the wind knocked out of him. Brian Hoyer came in and drove the Texans into field goal range.
Even though it appeared that Mallett was ready to come back in, the Texans stuck with Hoyer, who led the team to a touchdown with just over a minute to go in the first half. In just two drives, Hoyer led the team back to within 13-10 at halftime.
The G Whalen took the opening kickoff 50 yards to give the Colts the ball on the 44 yard line. They drove down the field in just four plays, capped by a three yard touchdown run by Frank Gore.
Hoyer led another touchdown drive for the Texans later in the third quarter. He capped it off with an 11-yard touchdown to bring the Texans to within 20-17.
Johnson caught his second touchdown with 10:31 left in the game. That score put the Colts up 27-17.
Hoyer led another drive that ended up with a field goal to bring them to within one score, but he threw an interception at the Colts’ six yard line with less than two minutes remaining to seal the game for the Colts.
Bills at Titans
The Bills entered the game with a 2-2 record, and they are trying to keep up with the Patriots. The Titans were 1-2 and trying to put themselves in position to contend for the weakened AFC South.
The only score in the first half was a Titan field goal early in the second quarter.
The Titans were forced to punt on their first drive of the second half, but Denarius Moore fumbled on the return and the Titans recovered. They scored a touchdown seven plays later to go up by a score of 10-0.
The Bills answered that with a 9-play touchdown drive of their own to cut the lead to 10-7. The Titans marched down the field on a drive that ended in a field goal for a 13-7 lead. The Bills answered again with an eight-play touchdown drive to take their first lead of the game, 14-13.
So, after just three points in the first 12 drives, these two teams scored on four consecutive drives.
With less than two minutes to play, Stephon Gilmore intercepted a Marcus Mariota pass to allow the Bills to run the clock out. This was the second straight game that the Titans blew a double digit lead.
Browns at Ravens
The Browns and Ravens game was a battle of 1-3 teams that seemed to be going in opposite directions. The Browns came in with a two game losing streak, including last week’s loss to the Chargers where a penalty allowed the Chargers a second chance at the game-winning field goal. The Ravens were coming off of a Thursday night overtime win at Pittsburgh.
The Ravens jumped out to a 14-3 first quarter lead with a touchdown run by Joe Flacco and a touchdown pass from Flacco to Kyle Juszczyk. A pair of Browns field goals cut the lead to 14-9 at half-time.
Flacco had another touchdown run in the third quarter, and the Ravens had a 21-9 lead, which would normally be more than enough for the Ravens.
But that is when Josh McCown took over. He had a 10-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 21-16. Then, in the fourth quarter, McCown threw an 18-yard touchdown to Gary Barnidge, who made the catch of the year. The catch involved just about every part of Barnidge’s body. After a missed two-point conversion, the Browns led 22-21.
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The Ravens answered with a touchdown of their own, and they also missed the two-point conversion. The Browns wasted no time as they took the next drive 80 yards in six plays, capped off by a 34 yard touchdown pass. After a converted two-point conversion, it was the Browns leading 30-27.
The Ravens tied the game with a field goal with 29 seconds left to play. They won the toss and started overtime with the ball, but they went three and out and were forced to punt. The Browns marched down the field and kicked a 32-yard field goal to win the game.
McCown threw for 457 yards, a new record for the Browns. Brian Sipe held the record with 444 yards against the Baltimore Colts.
Bears at Chiefs
The Bears and Chiefs both came into the game with 1-3 records, and both teams were trying to stay relevant in divisions that were being led by undefeated teams. It was a must win game for both teams.
The Chiefs opened the scoring with its defense. Jay Cutler lost the ball when he was sacked and R Wilson recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. Alex Smith added a touchdown pass in the second quarter, and the Chiefs took a 17-3 lead into halftime.
On the first drive of the third quarter, Jamaal Charles had 35 yards on five carries and the Chiefs had the ball on the Bears’ nine yard line. Charles took the ball on first down for no gain, and he stayed on the ground with an apparent knee injury. It turned out to be a torn ACL, and he will miss the remainder of the season.
That injury turned the game around. The Bears held the Chiefs at the nine to force a field goal, which they would block. The Bears’ ensuing drive ended up with a field goal to bring them to within 17-6.
Jay Cutler led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter (both two-point conversions failed) to give the Bears an 18-17 lead with less than 30 seconds left in the game. Last week’s hero, Chiefs kicker Cairo Santos, missed a 66-yard field goal as time expired to seal the win for the Bears.
Seahawks at Bengals
The Seahawks came into the game at 2-2 and needed a win to try to gain ground on the Cardinals. The Bengals were 4-0 and looking to stay undefeated and in firm control of the AFC North.
After the Bengals took the lead on an Andy Dalton to Tyler Eifert touchdown, the Seahawks scored 24 straight points to take a 24-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Bengals scored on all three of their possessions in the fourth quarter. Dalton threw another touchdown pass to Eifert, then he ran one in himself to bring the Bengals to within three points. Dalton then drove the Bengals down the field so they could kick a 31-yard field goal to tie the game with just 3 seconds left.
The Bengals won the game in overtime with a 42-yard field goal.
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Broncos at Raiders
The 2-2 Raiders were hoping to gain ground on the undefeated Broncos in Sunday afternoon’s game in Oakland. The Broncos defense had something to say about that.
The Raider defense was up for the task as well. Charles Woodson intercepted two Peyton Manning passes, and the Bronco offense was kept out of the end zone.
The Broncos had a 9-7 lead in the fourth quarter when Chris Harris intercepted Derek Carr and ran it back for a 74-yard touchdown.
The Bronco defense got a turnover on downs with 2:38 left in the game at about mid-field. Once the Raiders got the ball back, they kicked a field goal to get to within 16-10. The onside kick was not successful and the Broncos held on to win.
Steelers at Chargers
The Steelers and Chargers both came into the game with 2-2 records and trying to stay within striking distance of their undefeated division leaders.
Antonio Gates was playing in his first game after returning from a suspension. He wasted no time, scoring a touchdown in the first quarter.
The Steelers signed rookie kicker Chris Boswell this week to shore up a kicking game that cost them the game last week. He responded by nailing a 47-yard field goal in the second quarter to bring the Steelers to within 7-3.
Antwon Blake intercepted a Philip Rivers pass and took it 70 yards to the end zone to give the Steelers a 10-7 lead in the third quarter.
Rivers found Gates for another touchdown with about eight minutes to go in the game. That play capped off an eight play drive that lasted almost six minutes.
The Steelers answered on the very next play with a 72-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Wheaton to tie the game at 17.
The Chargers drove the ball 44 yards on 12 plays to set up the go ahead field goal. Rookie kicker Josh Lambo was good for a 54-yard field goal to put the Chargers up 20-17 with just under three minutes to go.
Once again, the Steelers answered with the next drive. The Steelers got the ball in the red zone and connected on a pass to Heath Miller just outside of the goal line with five seconds left. An unnecessary roughness penalty stopped the clock and allowed the Steelers to attempt on more play. Le’Veon Bell scored on a close play, and the replay review let the touchdown stand to give the Steelers a 24-20 win in San Diego.
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