Saints go into the bye week at 3-2 after rallying vs. Chargers

The New Orleans Saints overcame a slow first-half start to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers in overtime, winning 30-27 off a Wil Lutz kick.

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The New Orleans Saints overcame a weak showing in the first half with their best effort in the second half, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 30-27. A promising opening drive in overtime ended with a Saints field goal, but rookie Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert wasn’t able to match it after his receivers dropped several passes near midfield.

It sends the Saints into their Week 6 bye with an ugly 3-2 record. That’s disappointing on face value, but it could be so much worse. After letting a few winnable games slip away, they’re sitting on top of the NFC South — by a hair.

The game wasn’t without its bright moments. The Saints were led in receiving by Emmanuel Sanders, who recorded his first 100-yard game in black and gold (totaling 122 yards and 12 catches on 14 targets). On defense, the Saints hit Herbert a dozen times, with three sacks. But like other big-bodied quarterbacks Cam Newton and Josh Allen, the 6-foot-6, 236-pound Herbert was too often too difficult to bring down.

New Orleans has a lot to work on and polish during their bye week; Herbert completed just 20 passes in this game, but he averaged 13.2 yards per completion and scored 4 touchdown catches. But there’s enough positives to take away from this to keep expectations high.

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Texas Football: Longhorns escape Lubbock unbeaten

After a wild three quarters between the Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech Red Raiders, it got wilder. Texas remains unbeaten with the OT win.

It was a lot closer than many thought it would be. The Longhorns entered the game as 17.5 point favorites over Texas Tech. Going into the fourth quarter, the Longhorns found themselves down 42-38 after a SaRodorick Thompson touchdown run as time expired in the third quarter. The Longhorns would score on a Cameron Dicker field goal to get within one point.

The Longhorns fumbled their next opportunity with the football and the Red Raiders would take advantage. They scored on back to back drives to put the Longhorns down 15 points with three minutes left in the game. Then Sam Ehlinger and company went to work.

Two big passes to Brenden Schooler and Kai Money put the Longhorns in business at the Texas Tech 12 yard line. Ehlinger then found Brennan Eagles for the touchdown to get within one possession. After an onside kick recovery from Malcolm Epps, the Longhorns had new life.

Texas drove down the shortened field but penalties pushed them to the 18 on first and goal. Ehlinger found Joshua Moore for his second touchdown on the afternoon, Eagles added a two-point conversion to tie it up at 56. After the defense held, it meant this game was going to overtime for the first time ever in 70 meetings.

A one-yard pass to Schooler and a 12-yard run by Keaontay Ingram set up another Ehlinger to Moore touchdown to take the lead 63-56.

When the Longhorns went on defense it only took four plays to end the game. After it appeared that Joseph Ossai recovered a fumble to win the game, it was overturned giving Texas Tech new life. On the very next play Caden Sterns picked off Alan Bowman to seal the deal. The Longhorns come out on top in the highest scoring game in the series between these two schools. It also marked the most points scored by the Red Raiders against Texas.

 

2 Broncos wins made NFL.com’s list of best games of the 2010s

NFL.com included two Broncos wins on its list of the top games of the 2010s decade.

In celebration of the new decade, NFL.com has been publishing top-10 lists for the 2010s decade. On Wednesday, NFL.com’s Adam Rank published a list of the top-10 games of the last decade.

Two Denver Broncos wins made the cut.

Denver’s 51-48 win over the Dallas Cowboys in 2013 is ranked No. 10. It was a thrilling game (unless you love defense) that featured 414 passing yards and five total touchdowns from Peyton Manning and 506 passing yards and five touchdowns from Tony Romo. Talk about a shootout.

The Broncos’ 29-23 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round of the 2011 AFC playoffs is ranked No. 8. Denver quarterback Tim Tebow threw for 316 yards in that win and connected with wide receiver Demaryius Thomas for an 80-yard game-winning score on the first play of OT. That was one of the Broncos’ top plays of the 2010s.

Unfortunately, a third Denver game made NFL.com’s list. The team’s heartbreaking 38-35 double-overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional round of the 2012 AFC playoffs is ranked No. 2. It’s probably best for Broncos fans to just forget that game ever happened.

To view the NFL’s complete list of top games from the 2010s, click here.

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Report card: Bills lose Wild Card to Texans, 22-19

The Bills lost to the Houston Texans, 22-19 in a heartbreaking overtime defeat.

The Buffalo Bills first playoff appearance of this decade did not disappoint. The Bills and Texans battled all four quarters, forcing overtime.

Ultimately, Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense made enough plays in overtime giving Houston the Wild Card victory.

After a heartbreaking loss, here’s how the Bills graded out in what will be their final report card of the 2019 season:

Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Quarterback: C

Josh Allen started the first half strong, with a touchdown reception on the opening drive that seemingly set the tone for the rest of the game. The Bills never capitalized on that momentum, settling for field goals throughout the game.

When looking at Allen’s stat line it shows that he wasn’t consistent, he completed 24 of his 46 throws, 264 yards, zero passing touchdowns, and zero interceptions. To be fair, Allen wasn’t sharp in the second half and when the Texans were sending pressure he was making rash decisions. As the game progressed Allen started looking for the game winning play, when a more effective option was available.

Allen also tried to extend plays when they were dead, and cost his team valuable yards down the stretch. Allen has been an enigma all season, and Saturday was no exception. At times he extended plays with his legs, and made some sensational throws. Other times, especially late in the game he made some head-scratching decisions, like taking a deep shot to Patrick DiMarco in the fourth quarter.

Taiwan Jones, who caught pass after Deshaun Watson’s miracle escape, is a former Bill

Incredibly, the Texans’ Taiwan Jones, who caught the pass after Deshaun Watson’s escape, is a former Buffalo Bill.

Deshaun Watson’s escape against the Buffalo Bills in overtime was miraculous. Almost as incredible is the person who caught the pass, Taiwan Jones, the running back you haven’t heard of that has been in the NFL since 2011.

Who on earth is Taiwan Jones, you ask?

  • Jones signed with Eastern Washington in 2007 as a cornerback and was redshirted. Jones started four games at cornerback in 2008 after missing much of the first part of the season with a broken fibula suffered in the first week of preseason practices.
  • Jones, who rushed for 1,742 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010, despite missing three games due to injury, was the rare Football Championship Subdivision talent to forgo his senior year for the NFL, per Spokesman.com.
  • He was clocked in the 40-yard dash by NFL scouts with times ranging from 4.25 to 4.35 seconds during his 2011 pro day and eventually drafted in the fourth round by the Oakland Raiders.

Jones played six years for the Raiders before signing with — wait for it — the Buffalo Bills in 2017. He was named a special-teams captain in 2018. He can be found on Youtube for taking a brutal hit after losing his helmet against the Chargers in 2018,

Of course, to make the story come full circle, Jones signed with the Houston Texans before the 2019 season.

There could not have been a less likely target for Watson, leading to one of the most unlikely heroes in NFL playoff history on the receiving end of the 34-yard reception and run.

Jones had one catch in the regular season for a grand total of  nine yards. He has three catches over the last three seasons for 20 yards, targeted a total of five times. The most receptions Jones had in a season came in 2015 with Oakland when he caught seven passes for 106 yards and his lone NFL TD catch. The 31-year-old has 19 catches in his NFL career. Primarily a special-teams player, Jones was on the field for 14 offensive snaps in the regular season.

The 6-0, 195-pounder thought he was going to end the overtime contest.

“I thought I was going to score,” said Jones, who went for his number, 34 yards on the play. “But I was definitely excited and, like I said, it was more of a great play by Deshaun. I don’t know how he got free, but he did and he made a play.”

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

 

 

Warriors drop ball on New Year’s Eve, falling 117-113 in San Antonio

The Warriors close out the decade with an overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs, 117-113.

Even with the magic of a new year on the horizon, the AT&T Center is a house of horrors for the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors have struggled to find wins in San Antonio, only winning three games in 31 attempts since the opening of the AT&T Center in 2002. With three key players hitting the injury report before tip-off, things weren’t any easier.

D’Angelo Russell (shoulder), Willie Cauley-Stein (illness) and Kevon Looney (abdominal soreness) all didn’t suit up for San Antonio putting the Warriors at a disadvantage from the start.

Even with a shorthanded rotation, Steve Kerr’s squad battled the Spurs down to the win in their last game of the decade, falling in overtime 117-113.

The Warriors took a two-point advantage into halftime, but Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge didn’t go down easy. The Spurs lead going into the final period. However, a valiant effort from rookie Alen Smailagic, Damion Lee and Alec Burks forced the game into overtime.

In the extra period, the Warriors’ light rotation started to catch up with them, as they had no answer for San Antonio backcourt of Mills, Dejounte Murray and Bryn Forbes.

Countdown to GR3

After bouncing around the NBA in his young career, Robinson III looks like he’s found a home in Golden State. Robinson continued his career season during the Warriors’ New Year’s Eve date with the Spurs, adding 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field.

Without Russell, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Robinson turned into Golden State’s lead scoring option in San Antonio. The Michigan Wolverine product gave the Warriors a chance to steal a game in San Antonio with his play in the first half. Robinson paced the Warriors in the first half, scoring 18 of his points early.

Lee closes out 2019 making a case for a full-time roster spot

Two-way contract guard is putting in the Warriors in a tough place with his hot play of late. Lee’s solidified himself as the Warriors shooting guard to start 2020, but only has limited time left on his 45-day, two-way contract.

Lee is doing everything he can to make a case for him to stick around with the big club for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, with his game in San Antonio being the perfect example.

Lee tallied 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, adding seven rebounds and two assists. Lee played solid defense down the stretch while hitting a few clutch shots in the fourth quarter, including a three as the play clock expired.

Alec Burks leads Warriors into 2020

Similar to Robinson III, swingman, Burks stepped up with Russell out and got buckets. Burks carried the Warriors down the stretch, nailing several big shots to add to his game high-28 points. The Colorado product was on fire from beyond the arc, hitting four of five shots from long range.

Burks’ stellar play of late could force the Warriors to make a tough decision with the veteran. To start 2020, trading Burks now, or keeping him as a piece for when Curry and Thompson’s return will be a question the Warriors’ front office will have to answer.

Oklahoma City wins wild one in OT over Timberwolves

Dennis Schröder made a layup as time expired to send the Thunder and the Timberwolves into overtime tied at 121.

It took a hail Mary pass, a buzzer-beating layup, and overtime but the Thunder emerged victorious from their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday with a 139-127 victory.

The bizarre ending inside Chesapeake Energy Arena started like this: Oklahoma City trailed 121-119 with one second remaining in regulation when the Thunder fouled Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns missed the first of two free throws, but Minnesota was assessed a technical foul when Jordan Bell checked into the game in between shots because he didn’t have his shirt tucked in.

Danilo Gallinari made his technical free throw, cutting the Timberwolves’ lead to one.

Towns then made the second of his free throws, but despite putting Minnesota up two, the make allowed OKC to take the ball out of bounds.

Adams then threw a pass the length of the court to Dennis Schröder, who beat the buzzer with a layup to send the game into overtime.

He was so excited, he included the security guard on the sidelines in his celebratory hugs.

Schröder told reporters after the game that he and Adams had been communicating about a potential final play prior to Towns’ second free throw.

“I missed a wide-open layup to tie the game first. Everybody came to me and was like, ‘you’re going to make up for it”, he said. “Karl Towns wanted to miss that free throw, he didn’t miss. He (Steven Adams) took it out, and I mean, I had to make up for it. After that, I don’t know what happened, I blacked out a little bit.”

Oklahoma City outscored the Timberwolves 17-5 in overtime to earn the victory.

Chris Paul scored a season-high 30. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been in somewhat of a slump as of late, had 29. Schröder, Adams, and Gallinari all made of the bulk of the rest of the scoring with 25, 22, and 21 respectively.

With the win, the Thunder split their two-game homestand and improve to 9-12 on the season.

Oklahoma City will head on the road where they will take on Portland on Sunday.

WATCH: How did Syracuse manage a 9-point victory in OT?

A defensive TD gave Syracuse a rare 9-point victory in overtime Saturday against Wake Forest.

Syracuse downed Wake Forest, 39-30 Saturday at the Carrier Dome. The final score is not unusual. What is odd is the Orange won the game by 9 points in overtime.

How can that happen?

Well. the teams went to free football tied at 30. Syracuse managed a field goal in its possession to take a 33-30 lead.

Wake got the ball and was driving for what would have been a winning touchdown until Trill Williams got in the act.

Watch as the Orange sophomore DB from Yonkers, NY, rips the ball from Wake Forest receiver Kendall Hinton at the 4 and racing 96 yards for a defensive touchdown.

And, there you go. Syracuse gets the field goal in overtime and a defensive touchdown and that adds up to a 39-30 victory that concludes the Orange season.

Purdue’s circus catch is the best play you’ll see today

Just run this play every time. It’s easy.

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than it is to be good. Take it from Purdue. The Boilermakers were staring a loss to Indiana in the face on 3rd and 14 in overtime down 38-31 when they needed to make a play.

Boilermaker QB Aidan O’Connell threw the ball a bit short of the sticks to his receiver and ended up picking up the first down — but not in the way you’re thinking.

Instead of the intended receiver catching the ball and picking up the first after the catch, the ball deflected off of his leg and ended up in wideout Jackson Anthrop’s hands for 23 yards and a first down on Indiana’s 5 yard line.

Just like they drew it up, y’all. I don’t know why teams don’t do this more often. Seems easy enough.

A few plays later on fourth down the Boilermakers finally scored a touchdown and tied the game up at 38. They ended up losing the game 44-41, but it’s still a win in my book because you won’t find a better play than this anywhere else.

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Heads or tails? A look at the Geno Smith coin toss controversy

The Seattle Seahawks won the coin toss in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers, but did quarterback Geno Smith say heads or tails?

After the clock flashed zeros in regulation on Monday evening against the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Geno Smith strolled onto the field with the roar of the sideline behind him chanting his name.

Smith, along with 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, met with referee Alex Kemp before he tossed a silver dollar to determine which team would get the ball in overtime.

What happened next has been a source of controversy for the last few days.

As the representative of the visiting team, Smith was asked to call heads or tails. The call was heads, the coin showed heads and Seattle had the first chance to score in overtime.

That, seemingly, was the end of it.

However, many people felt that Smith actually said tails and that Kemp misheard him and awarded the Seahawks the ball unfairly.

It sounds pretty clear on the TV audio that Smith said “heads,” and surely Sherman would have “griped” — as coach Pete Carroll put it — had the referee made such a huge mistake.

However, other versions make it sound like Smith said “tails,” including this one, although it’s pretty easy to manipulate audio files.

Smith confirmed he said heads and explained he always says the opposite of whatever Russell Wilson called before the opening kickoff.

Smith also had poked a little fun at the brouhaha on Twitter.

Fans, and even Carroll, have likened the “controversy” to the “laurel/yanny” debate that took the internet by storm last year, or the dress that appeared to some people to be blue and black but looked yellow and white to others.

In the grand scheme of things, the coin toss didn’t end up mattering. The Seahawks failed to score on the opening drive, and the teams remained tied until Jason Myers finally hit the game-winner on the final play.

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