NFL Sunday Recap, Week 12: Overtime finishes and last-second drama take center stage on a wild Sunday across America

Browns 23, Buccaneers 17 (OT)

The Cleveland Browns hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday in what quarterback Jacoby Brissett always knew would be his last start with Deshaun Watson waiting in the wings for Week 13. The Browns’ offense played inspired on their opening drive, moving downfield quickly en route to Anthony Schwartz’s end-around carry for a 31-yard touchdown. Tom Brady led an explosive Bucs’ drive downfield to immediately tie the game from there, eventually finding Chris Godwin heading toward paydirt. The first half was a bit of an adventure for the Browns in the kicking game, as Cade York drilled a 51-yarder but missed another kick badly to put Cleveland up 10-7. Tampa Bay added a field goal of their own late in the second quarter, sending the game into the break deadlocked at 10. The Buccaneers struck first in the second half, as Tom Brady connected with fullback Ko Kieft for a short touchdown pass and a 17-10 lead. Cleveland finally put together a drive nearing the end of regulation, and managed to make it count when David Njoku’s acrobatic catch in the end zone with 32 seconds left tied the game at 17. The Buccaneers took the ball first in overtime, but were forced to punt. Each defense came up with an additional stop, and suddenly the overtime period reached the two-minute warning with a tie very much in play. Cleveland quarterback Jacoby Brissett, uninterested in the notion of a tie, connected with Amari Cooper deep in Bucs’ territory in the final moment of the overtime period – and after Nick Chubb’s touchdown run with 19 seconds to play, the Browns took home an impressive 23-17 win. 

Next Week: Tampa Bay: vs. New Orleans, Cleveland: at Houston

Bengals 20, Titans 16

The Tennessee Titans welcomed the Cincinnati Bengals to Nissan Stadium for a rematch of January’s playoff loss, seeking revenge on last season’s AFC Champions. That game was led by both defenses, a trend that continued as neither offense scored in the first quarter Sunday afternoon. The Titans eventually got on the board first with a field goal early in the second quarter, leading 3-0. After Cincinnati responded with a field goal of their own to tie the game, Tennessee retook the lead in strange fashion. Derrick Henry broke free on what appeared to be a certain 70-yard touchdown run, but had the ball punched out as he approached the goal line by a Bengals’ defender. Traylon Burks of the Titans recovered the ball in the end zone anyway, scoring a touchdown to put Tennessee up 10-3 in the second quarter. Cincinnati tied things up before the half in Nashville on running back Samaje Perine’s touchdown run, filling in admirably for the injured Joe Mixon. Cincinnati jumped ahead 13-10 on a field goal in the third quarter, but Tennessee tied it back up in the third quarter’s final minute. Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins connected for a Bengals’ touchdown early in the fourth quarter, putting them ahead 20-13 after the 27-yard hook up. Tennessee kicked a field goal midway through the fourth quarter to cut the lead to four, but desperately needed a defensive stop if they were to give themselves a chance to win. The Titans’ defense had picked up the stop they needed with just under two minutes to go, forcing Cincinnati to attempt a field goal – but after a penalty on the defense gave the Bengals a first down, the Bengals calmly ran out the clock for a 20-16 victory. 

Next Week: Cincinnati: vs. Kansas City, Tennessee: at Philadelphia

Jets 31, Bears 10

The New York Jets made a change at quarterback heading into their Week 12 matchup with Chicago, replacing struggling Zach Wilson with Mike White in hopes that the offense would improve. White was sharp on the Jets’ first drive, completing his first five passes and eventually connecting with rookie Garrett Wilson in the back of the end zone for an early lead. The Bears’ quarterback situation was fluid all week, and remained that way up until their offense finally took the field. Trevor Siemian would end up the starter, and he led a successful opening drive for a Chicago offense that had been all Justin Fields in recent weeks. Chicago would settle for a field goal to get on the scoreboard, but continued to look good with Siemian under center as the first half continued. Siemian found Byron Pringle for a touchdown early in the second quarter, giving Chicago a 10-7 lead. Jets’ Mike White flipped the script from there, putting together an impressive second quarter. His 54-yard touchdown throw to Garrett Wilson put New York ahead, and Greg Zuerlein’s long field goal gave the Jets a 17-10 halftime lead behind a 235-yard half from their quarterback. Mike White’s third touchdown pass of the day kicked off the second half scoring, a 22-yard strike to Elijah Moore for a 24-10 lead. New York officially put the game in blowout territory late in the third quarter when Ty Johnson broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run to make it 31-10. Both teams struggled to get anything going in the driving rainstorm at Metlife Stadium from there, and the Jets were perfectly happy to take home a blowout win. 

Next Week: Chicago: vs. Green Bay, New York: at Minnesota

Commanders 19, Falcons 13

The Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders, despite both hovering around .500 on the season, have been two of the NFL’s more pleasant surprises this season. Both still in clear playoff contention, it was Atlanta who struck first with a field goal on their opening drive on the road. Washington quickly responded thereafter, as Taylor Heinicke connected with Brian Robinson Jr. for an early touchdown and a 7-3 lead. Marcus Mariota responded in the second quarter for the Falcons, locating Mycole Pruitt in the end zone to retake the lead for Atlanta at 10-7. Washington would tie the game with a field goal, and neither offense could get much going in the final seconds before halftime. The Commanders scored first in the second half, a touchdown pass from Taylor Heinicke to John Bates to put them ahead 16-10 due to a missed extra point. Each team connected on another field goal as the game moved into the final period, giving Washington a 19-13 lead with nine minutes to go. Atlanta, hoping to take a lead as the clock began to dwindle away, drove deep into Washington territory following the two minute warning. Kendall Fuller made the play of the game for Washington with just seconds to play, intercepting Marcus Mariota in the end zone to all but preserve the massive Commanders win. Atlanta forced a punt with less than a minute to go, but blew any opportunity they might have had with a roughing the punter penalty. The win moves Washington to 7-5, keeping them very much alive in the NFL Playoff picture. 

Next Week: Atlanta: vs. Pittsburgh, Washington: at N.Y. Giants

Panthers 23, Broncos 10

Points figured to be at a premium between two of the NFL’s lowest-scoring offenses when the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers met Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium. The first quarter almost expired scoreless, but Panthers’ quarterback Sam Darnold completed a touchdown pass to D.J. Moore with just 30 seconds to play for a 7-0 Carolina lead. Both teams connected on field goals in an otherwise quiet second quarter, leading to a 10-3 Panthers’ lead at the break. Carolina extended their lead in the third quarter, as Sam Darnold rolled, literally, into the end zone after recovering his own fumble to make it 17-3. Carolina added a field goal early in the fourth quarter for a 20-3 lead, marking just the third time all year Denver’s defense had allowed 20 or more points. After another Eddy Pineiro field goal extended Carolina’s lead to 23-3, Russell Wilson finally found Brandon Johnson for the Broncos’ first touchdown of the afternoon. It was far too little too late, though, and the Carolina Panthers picked up their fourth win of the year 23-10. 

Next Week: Denver: at Baltimore, Carolina: Bye

Jaguars 28, Ravens 27

The Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars started their game 25 minutes late due to a lightning delay, but the sun was shining brightly before the game kicked off at TIAA Bank Field. The opening Ravens’ drive brought them deep into Jacksonville territory, and Justin Tucker’s chip shot field goal put Baltimore ahead 3-0 in a hurry. Tucker would make another field goal to make it 6-0 in the first quarter, and things began to look especially bleak for Jacksonville when star running back Travis Etienne Jr. left the game early in the second quarter with an injury. Backup running back JaMycal Hasty took advantage of the opportunity though, catching a pass from Trevor Lawrence and turning it into a 28-yard touchdown and a 7-6 Jaguars lead. Justin Tucker continued his impressive afternoon on the Ravens’ next drive, moving Baltimore back ahead with a 55-yard field goal. The Jaguars would kick a field goal of their own before half, taking a 10-9 lead at the break. Justin Tucker’s fourth field goal of the afternoon gave Baltimore back a 12-10 lead shortly after halftime, as both defenses continued to prove stingy. Gus Edwards finally gave the Ravens some separation early in the fourth quarter with a short touchdown run, making it 19-10. Jacksonville didn’t go away, scoring to pull back within two points with six minutes to play on Jamal Agnew’s short reception – but the Jaguars would need a stop on defense to give themselves a fighting chance. They’d manage to do just that when Gus Edwards fumbled deep in Baltimore territory, and Riley Patterson’s field goal gave Jacksonville a 20-19 advantage with just over four minutes to go. Unfazed, Baltimore put together an impressive drive to take back the lead on Joshua Oliver’s wide open touchdown catch with just over two minutes to play. After a successful two-point conversion pass to Mark Andrews, Baltimore extended their lead to 27-20 at the two minute warning. Miraculously, the Jaguars managed to drive the length of the field and complete a touchdown drive with zero timeouts anyway. Trevor Lawrence found Marvin Jones Jr. along the edge of the end zone with 14 seconds left, bringing Jacksonville within a point – and after Lawrence’s pass to Zay Jones converted the two-point conversion for a 28-27 lead. Justin Tucker attempted and missed what would have been the longest field goal in NFL history at the buzzer, preserving the upset win for the Jaguars.  

Next Week: Baltimore: vs. Denver, Jacksonville: at Detroit

Chargers 25, Cardinals 24

Sitting at 4-7 and after being blown out last Monday night in Mexico City, the Arizona Cardinals needed to get off to a hot start at home with the Los Angeles Chargers visiting Sunday afternoon. Arizona would manage to do just that, taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on DeAndre Hopkins’ 33-yard touchdown reception. Matt Prater would add a field goal to extend the advantage to 10-0, but Los Angeles finally started to heat up on offense in the second quarter. Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert connected on a touchdown with Keenan Allen, bringing L.A. back within three with eight minutes to go before halftime. Herbert’s second touchdown pass of the second quarter put the Chargers ahead, this one to DeAndre Carter for a 14-10 lead. Kyler Murray responded with a rushing touchdown for Arizona to stop the bleeding, sending the game into halftime with the Cardinals ahead 17-14. Los Angeles tied the game in the third quarter with a field goal by Cameron Dicker, but couldn’t stop Arizona’s offense early in the fourth quarter. James Conner’s touchdown reception put Arizona up 24-17 early in the fourth, as the Cardinals fought to improve on their 1-5 home record this year. Both defenses exchanged stops as the clock wound down, and eventually the Chargers were down to a final possession in Arizona territory with less than a minute to go. With just 15 seconds to spare, Justin Herbert connected with Austin Ekeler to make it 24-23 – and after Gerald Everett’s catch on the two point conversion, the Chargers were just moments away from a 25-24 win. The triumph for Los Angeles delivers a crushing blow to Arizona’s slim playoff hopes, and bolsters their own at 6-5. 

Next Week: Los Angeles: at Las Vegas, Arizona: Bye

Raiders 40, Seahawks 34

The Seattle Seahawks knew heading into Sunday afternoon’s matchup with Las Vegas that they needed to continue winning to keep pace with the red-hot 49ers, and they got exactly the start they needed early in the first quarter. Quandre Diggs intercepted Derek Carr’s first pass of the night to set up Seattle quickly in plus territory, and Kenneth Walker II made it count with a touchdown to put the Seahawks ahead. Derek Carr would leave briefly with an injury on the ensuing Raiders’ drive, but came back after a play to deliver a tying touchdown pass to Ameer Abdullah. Seattle continued to move the ball effectively as the first half wore on, converting two field goals to take a 13-7 second quarter lead. Las Vegas struck back early in the second quarter, as Derek Carr found Mack Hollins wide open for a 36-yard score and a 14-13 lead. Las Vegas would expand their lead to 21-13 on a run by Josh Jacobs, but Geno Smith’s deep pass to Tyler Lockett brought Seattle back within a point not long after in what was clearly becoming a shootout. Las Vegas added a field goal before the intermission, leading 24-20 at halftime. Kenneth Walker III’s second touchdown run of the game opened the second half scoring, a 14-yard push through defenders to put Seattle back ahead 27-24. Las Vegas tied the game at 27 with a field goal of their own in the third quarter, and took over again early in the fourth after recovering a Geno Smith fumble in Seahawks’ territory. Seattle stood up on defense when they needed to though, giving their offense back the football with opportunities to take back the lead. Before long, Seattle would do just that on Travis Homer’s touchdown reception in the fourth quarter to make it 34-27. Las Vegas responded with another impressive drive, and Derek Carr connected with Foster Moreau for the game-tying score with just 1:54 to play. Seattle would threaten in the final moments, but ultimately Las Vegas and Seattle moved into overtime tied at 34. Las Vegas took the fall first in the extra period, but came up empty after Daniel Carlson’s 56-yard field goal attempt missed. The Raiders’ defense got the stop they needed though, setting up another chance with the football – and after Josh Jacobs’ broke free for an 86-yard touchdown run, the Raiders left Seattle with a massive 40-34 win to improve to 4-7.

Next Week: Las Vegas: vs. L.A. Chargers, Seattle: at L.A. Rams

Chiefs 26, Rams 10

The Los Angeles Rams had their work cut out for them from the start on the road in Kansas City on Sunday afternoon against the 8-2 Chiefs. L.A., down to their third string quarterback Bryce Perkins, without their top two wide receivers, and with a severely injured offensive line, unsurprisingly fell behind early. Travis Kelce’s 39-yard rumble to the end zone after catching a pass from Patrick Mahomes gave Kansas City a 7-0 first quarter lead. Los Angeles put together a decent drive of their own heading into the second quarter, settling for a field goal – and after Kansas City responded with three points of their own, it was a 10-3 ballgame midway through the second quarter. Kansas City added another field goal before halftime, leading 13-3 at the break in a game both defenses had controlled more often than not. The Chiefs extended their lead to 20-3 in the third quarter, capping off their first drive of the second half with Isiah Pacheco’s touchdown run. The Rams, short-handed and out-manned, kept competing. Bryce Perkins connected with Van Jefferson on a touchdown pass to make it 20-10 early in the fourth, and safety Nick Scott extinguished the next Chiefs’ threat by intercepting Patrick Mahomes in the end zone to keep the score there. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, they’d turn it right back over to the Chiefs when Bryce Perkins was picked by L’Jarius Sneed. Kansas City would turn the possession into a short field goal, extending their lead to 23-10 with 6:36 to go. Another interception by the Chiefs would set them up with yet another opportunity deep in Rams’ territory, but the Rams’ defense once again held Kansas City to a field goal and a 26-10 lead. Still, time was running out on Los Angeles needing two scores with an offense almost entirely of backups on the field. The game would end with a whimper from there, as the Chiefs improved to 9-2 while L.A.’s nightmare season moved to 3-8. 

Next Week: Los Angeles: at Las Vegas, Arizona: Bye

49ers 13, Saints 0

The San Francisco 49ers have established themselves as a Super Bowl contender out of the NFC in recent weeks, momentum they looked to build off of against the visiting New Orleans Saints. The 49ers got on the board first with a field goal in the opening quarter, but both defenses controlled the action early on. San Francisco moved the ball all the way down inside the Saints’ five yard line late in the second quarter, but a fourth down stop by the New Orleans defense kept the score 3-0. Jimmy Garoppolo would lead a 49ers’ touchdown drive before halftime nonetheless, finding Jauan Jennings in the end zone with seconds to play to send the game to the intermission 10-0. San Francisco added another field goal in the third quarter, and held onto their 13-0 lead after Wil Lutz missed a 48-yard attempt for New Orleans. The 49ers’ defense held up repeatedly near their own goal line in the fourth quarter, maintaining a shutout heading into the final minutes. San Francisco would close out the 13-0 win, moving them to 7-4 and maintaining their lead atop the NFC West via tiebreaker over Seattle regardless of their result. 

Next Week: New Orleans: at Tampa Bay, San Francisco: vs. Miami

Eagles 40, Packers 33

The Philadelphia Eagles entered Sunday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers looking to become the NFL’s first team with double-digit wins, and started the game on fire offensively. Kenneth Gainwell and Miles Sanders ran in touchdowns on Philly’s first two possessions, giving them a 13-0 lead after Jake Elliott’s missed extra point just six minutes into the game. Green Bay, unbothered by the early hole they’d fallen into, responded effectively. A.J. Dillon broke a 20-yard touchdown run to make it 13-7, and Aaron Rodgers’ 11-yard touchdown pass on the following Packers possession to Randall Cobb gave Green Bay the lead. Miles Sanders’ second rushing touchdown came on the second quarter’s first play, giving the Eagles back a 20-14 lead. Philadelphia was driving to extend the lead in the second quarter once again, but A.J. Brown’s fumble was recovered and returned deep into Eagles’ territory by Packers’ rookie linebacker Quay Walker. Green Bay’s offense quickly made the most of the opportunity, tying the game after Aaron Rodgers’ touchdown pass to Aaron Jones was followed by a missed extra point. Philadelphia responded with one last score before the half, a beautiful throw from Jalen Hurts to Quez Watkins to put the Eagles up 27-20 at the break. Hurts would fire another touchdown pass to kickoff the scoring in the second half, this time finding A.J. Brown to make it 34-20 in favor of Philadelphia. Green Bay’s field goal made it 34-23 on the next drive, after which Aaron Rodgers seemed to be in obvious pain. After the Eagles added a field goal of their own to make it 37-23, it was backup quarterback Jordan Love leading the Green Bay offense onto the field with 11 minutes to play. Love immediately made an impact, finding Christian Watson over the middle for a 63-yard touchdown to pull Green Bay back within seven. Philadelphia picked up some massive insurance with a field goal before the two minute warning, giving them a 40-30 lead. Green Bay would threaten in Eagles’ territory with just over a minute to go, but settled for a field goal and a seven point deficit with 1:08 to go. The Philadelphia offense did what was needed to run out the clock in the final minute, finishing out a shootout win to move to 10-1.

Next Week: Green Bay: at Chicago, Philadelphia: vs. Tennessee