IT’S SUNDAY NIGHT and you know what that means. Stick on the Sky+ box and tell Nidge and the lads to hold off for a bit — there’s football to be played!
As always, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch in the usual ways: email niall@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_ie, check us out on Facebook or use the comment section below.
You may need to refresh your page for video and imagery to display correctly.
Good evening, good evening. As per usual for this time on a Sunday evening, welcome to our weekly NFL hangout.
If you’re watching any of tonight’s American football action, we’re the second screen you never knew you were missing.
“America’s team” are in London with the Cowboys just about to kick off against the Jags. Who’ve you got in the Wembley game?
Alright folks, here’s the full line up of 6pm games. If you haven’t sorted your fantasy football teams already, it’s probably too late.
That said, it was too late for most of my teams after three weeks so if you’re still in with a shot of making your playoffs, I tip my cap to you.
- Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins @ Detroit Lions
- Dallas Cowboys @ Jacksonville Jaguars
- San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints
- Tennessee Titans @ Baltimore Ravens
- Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Jets
- Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NATIONAL ANTHEM WATCH: It’s Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child fame, now of NFL Wembley fame.
Before kick-off in Wembley, fans produced this Remembrance Sunday mosaic.
In case you’re wondering, Tony Romo plays and he’s immediately called into action as the Jags win the toss and chose to defer.
DeMarco Murray runs for a first down on the opening play. Business as usual.
TOUCHDOWN! The first score of the evening goes to the 49ers and it’s Frank Gore. They lead the Saints 7-0 inside the first two minutes.
If you missed it, we challenged Cork footballer Daniel Goulding in our week Pick 6 competition. We’re in agreement on the London game — click here for the full set of selections.
Daniel Goulding: The Cowboys will have too much for the Jags, especially if Tony Romo is back. Demarco Murray didn’t get 100 yards rushing last weekend and I think he will want to make up for that this weekend.
TheScore.ie: Apologies to any Jaguars fans out there, but they suck. Easy Cowboys win. In fact, Dallas could win with me at quarter-back instead of Tony Romo.
WEMBLEY TOUCHDOWN! Denard Robinson runs in a 32-yard TD for the Jags, with all-time rushing leader Emmitt Smith watching on from the sidelines as part of the Sky team.
This might get interesting.
Ouch.
st.ultan: Regarding your headlining picture – having lived there for four long years, the first thing on any Nebraskan’s plan should be escape.
He’s back, baby. Calvin Johnson has just hauled in a 49-yard TD for the Lions.
Romo has thrown a short TD pass to Jason Witten in Wembley and the Cowboys are back in front. Here’s how things look as we near the end of the first quarter.
- Kansas City Chiefs 3 @ Buffalo Bills 7
- Miami Dolphins 0 @ Detroit Lions 10
- Dallas Cowboys 10 @ Jacksonville Jaguars 7
- San Francisco 49ers 14 @ New Orleans Saints 3
- Tennessee Titans 7 @ Baltimore Ravens 0
- Pittsburgh Steelers 0 @ New York Jets 17
- Atlanta Falcons 7 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3
And no, in case you’re wondering, that’s not a typo in the Steelers-Jets game. Michael Vick has thrown two touchdown passes and Rex’s boys are rolling.
TOUCHDOWN! How about it from Dez Bryant who picks up the first down and much, much more in Wembley…
To get you up to speed with one of the evening’s more entertaining game, Brandin Cooks has snagged a 31-yard pass for a TD for the Saints. That cut their deficit to four points but Colin Kaepernick has hit back with a TD pass to Anquan Boldin. It’s SF 21-10 Saints in New Orleans.
Here are the half-time scores. The biggest shock brewing is still that game in New York where the Jets lead the Steelers by 14 points.
They’ll find a way to mess it up though, don’t worry.
- Kansas City Chiefs 3 @ Buffalo Bills 10
- Miami Dolphins 3 @ Detroit Lions 10
- Dallas Cowboys 24 @ Jacksonville Jaguars 7
- San Francisco 49ers 21 @ New Orleans Saints 10
- Tennessee Titans 7 @ Baltimore Ravens 7
- Pittsburgh Steelers 3 @ New York Jets 17
- Atlanta Falcons 13 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
Remember when the Jags scored their TD and I said this might be interesting? Well, it’s interesting but it’s certainly not close. This time it’s Joseph Randle taking the 40-yarder to the house.
The Cowboys lead 31-7… surely it’s time to give Romo and his ropey back a break?
Meanwhile in New York…
It’s now NYJ 20-3 PIT. Time to believe, Jets fans?
The Chiefs are making a game of it in Buffalo. Jaamal Charles’s TD has cut the Bills lead to 13-10 at the start of the fourth.
The Lions have got the field goal they needed to tie things up against Miami. That’s 13-13 now.
The Ravens lead the Titans 14-7 and the Saints — yes, the Saints — are threatening a comeback against the 49ers. That’s 21-17 in San Fran’s favour as they get set for the fourth quarter.
The Steelers are on the Jets’ 1-yard line as I type, so I’ll say nothing…
Don’t forget the Bucs — they’ve just got the go-ahead TD against the Falcons, it’s 17-16 now.
Here’s Mike Evans doing his thing on an earlier play in the second quarter.
BIG STOP BY THE JETS! (Yes, I’m a Jets fan, deal with it)
The defence holds the Steelers on the goal-line and they’re forced to settle for the field goal. It’s 20-6 to the Jets now with just over seven minutes to play in New York.
Are the stinky 1-8 Jets about to become a slightly less stinky 2-8?
I don’t know Edward but, with just over a minute on the clock and the Jets’ win all but complete, I like him:
There are a lot of games still in the balance as we hit the two-minute mark. Here’s how we’re looking:
- Kansas City Chiefs 17 @ Buffalo Bills 13
- Miami Dolphins 16 @ Detroit Lions 13
- Dallas Cowboys 31 @ Jacksonville Jaguars 9
- San Francisco 49ers 21 @ New Orleans Saints 24
- Tennessee Titans 7 @ Baltimore Ravens 21
- Pittsburgh Steelers 13 @ New York Jets 20
- Atlanta Falcons 27 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17
How bout dem Saints?
And have I spoken too soon about the Jets? I have, haven’t I? Big Ben has just thrown an 80-yard bomb to breathe life into the game.
J-E-T-S! It’s all over. The Jets recover the onside kick and run down the clock. The Jets win 20-13.
Here are the other final scores so far:
- Kansas City Chiefs 17 @ Buffalo Bills 13
- Tennessee Titans 7 @ Baltimore Ravens 21
The Lions have just snatched a late, late TD against the Dolphins, and if you can get to a TV, the finish to 49ers-Saints looks to be cracker. Colin Kaepernick has the ball and we could be heading for OT.
- Miami Dolphins 16 @ Detroit Lions 20
- Dallas Cowboys 31 @ Jacksonville Jaguars 9
- San Francisco 49ers 21 @ New Orleans Saints 24
- Atlanta Falcons 27 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17
This is it now.
HOLY… The Saints think they’ve won it in sensational fashion only to see the play called back for a flag.
Drew Brees chucks up a 50-yard+ Hail Mary which is caught by Jimmy Graham… but he’s called for offensive pass interference.
Oh me, oh my. That one is going to overtime.
While they’re still resolving that little OT issue in New Orleans, here’s a reminder of the evening games. It’s the Giants at the Seahawks if you’re watching on Sky.
- Denver Broncos @ Oakland Raiders
- St Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals
- New York Giants @ Seattle Seahawks
Who’ve you got?
49ers win! All over in New Orleans. Drew Brees fumbles and Phil Dawson kicks the game-winning field goal. The Saints’ magnificent comeback falls just short.
Are we all still here? Better not have skived off to watch Love/Hate!
In a possible upset to rival the Jets, the Raiders — yes, the sucky 0-8 Raiders — lead the Broncos 10-6 midway through the second quarter.
The Rams are 7-0 up on the Cards while it’s 7-7 between the Giants and the Seahawks after a TD apiece for Beast Mode Marshawn Lynch and Preston Parker.
Here’s the Raiders defending exactly like an appalling 0-8 team. CJ Anderson took this 51 yards for the touchdown and the Broncos now lead 13-10.
Ah well, it was fun while it lasted.
Yeah, we’re still trying to work that one out too…
Dermot McLoughlin: FML
After a few weeks smashing all defences and breaking records in the process my Steelers fall to Michael Vicks and his terrible Jets.
Wtf?
Now that Love/Hate is over, here are your half-times, football fans:
- Broncos 20 @ Raiders 10
- Rams 14 @ Cardinals 10
- Giants 17 @ Seahawks 14
This Giants-Seahawks game is turning into a most enjoyable evening, I have to say. Definitely worth staying up for an hour anyway.
It’s business as usual in Oakland. Peyton Manning has just thrown his fourth TD of the evening, and a second to everybody’s favourite tight end* Julius Thomas.
(*Yeah, he’s on my fantasy football team.)
Anyway, the Broncos lead the Raiders 34-10. The Rams aren’t giving up against the Cards without a fight; they still lead 14-10.
And in the TV game, Russell Wilson has thrown a pick to give the initiative back to the Giants. They lead 17-14 midway through the third.
Big stop by the Giants. They stop Beast Mode not once but twice on the goal-line, and then Wilson can’t produce the magic to convert on third down. The Seahawks have to settle for a field goal and it’s 17-17.
GAME ON IN ARIZONA! Drew Stanton is in for Carson Palmer and he throws a 48-yard touchdown to John Brown. They’re 17-14 up on the Rams with just under eight minutes left. Are they about to go 8-1?
BEAST MODE! Marshawn Lynch is having some night in Seattle. He has just run for his fourth touchdown of the night and Seattle are nearly home and hosed. They lead 31-17.
That’s the game in Seattle — Russell Wilson runs in the Seahawks’ fifth TD and they now lead 38-17. There’s no way back for the Giants.
The Cards are having fun now and they will go to 8-1. Patrick Peterson brought a pick all the way home to make it 24-14 and then Antonio Cromartie recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown.
Two massive plays in a matter of moments by the Cards’ D and they lead 31-14 now.
It’s done and dusted in Seattle where the Seahawks have beaten the Giants 38-17 to improve to 6-3.
In Oakland, the Broncos finished up with a 41-17 victory over the winless Raiders. Peyton and the lads are 7-2 now and still looking good.
And it’s all over in Arizona as well where the Cardinals have beaten the Rams 31-14. They’re 8-1 now and remain the only one-defeat team in the league.
That’s it from us for tonight. Thanks for reading.
The evening, or the latter part of it at least, certainly belonged to one man.
#BEAST
