Key events
Full time: Colts 38-14 Titans
Jonthan Taylor rules this one with two rushing touchdowns and one through the air. The running back finishes with 153 yards on 12 totes, 12! Unreal production. Indianapolis rise up to 7-1 and the Titans sink to 1-7. Another absolute thrashing on a day filled with them.
TOUCHDOWN! Broncos 44-24 Cowboys 4:44, 4th quarter
The Cowboys are kicking the tyres of their backup quarterback Joe Milton. Dallas came into this one with Dak Prescott leading the MVP conversation. He leaves not doing so anymore. As I muse on who it should be, Patrick Mahomes, Milton throws his name into the conversation and leans back then drops a bomb on Jalen Tolbert for a 35-yard score. That was completely out of nowhere. Pretty incredible throw right over the receiver’s shoulder and into his hands. The commentators are trying to manufacture some tension on whether it was a TD or not. Not a huge issue really, beautiful throw though. Who needs Dak?
I was just about to wax lyrical about Denver’s passing defense. The timing is poor but they have been brilliant to keep CeeDee Lamb quiet without Pat Surtain.
TOUCHDOWN! Colts 38-14 Titans 2:36, 4th quarter
Good old garbage time. Tyjae Spears slaps a bit of lipstick on the pig with a three-yard run.
TOUCHDOWN! Broncos 44-17 Cowboys 7:14, 4th quarter
Another Denver drive, another painful penalty for Dallas. Safety Markquese Bell interferes with the man he is marking and gifts 17 yards to the Broncos to move them to within 20 yards of the endzone. RJ Harvey then grabs a five-yard touchdown this time for a hat-trick of scores. Amazing for the rookie, he will be taking a game ball home with him for sure. Best thing about this incoming win for Denver is how varied this attack is, they might not have a huge star at the skill positions but they have a large cast of characters all able to contribute. Scary for the AFC.
Full time: Saints 3-23 Buccaneers
Grim day in the big easy. Tampa never needed to get out of second gear as evidenced by Baker Mayfield’s 124 net passing yards and zero touchdowns being enough to get his team over the line. New Orleans are 1-7 and certainly in the running for the worst team in the league award while the Bucs rise to 6-2. Not one to rewatch on game pass.
Broncos 37-17 Cowboys 10:31, 4th quarter
Oh dear, Dak. Dondrea Tillman snaffles up a reception and runs it back from around the 10-yard line and up to midfield. Fair play to Prescott for keep trying to push the ball downfield to CeeDee Lamb but he just plum hits the defender and Tillman is a very grateful recipient. Another touchdown here would tie a ribbon on another impressive win for the Broncos. They are really starting to build something great in Denver.
TOUCHDOWN! Colts 38-7 Titans 14:22, 4th quarter
Jonathan Taylor just cannot stop scoring. What a season he is having. This time the running back takes a dump off from DJ and does the rest. He romps in for the 19-yard touchdown and completes his hat-trick. Not too shabby.
TOUCHDOWN! Broncos 37-17 Cowboys 12:48, 4th quarter
Denver just keep moving at will against a Dallas defense struggling with a severley banged up secondary. A 39-yard pass to Courtland Sutton at the start of the 4th quarter puts them straight into the red zone. A few plays later Nix is scanning, scanning, scanning, target acquired. He nails a wide-open Troy Franklin for a seven-yard touchdown and his second of the game. Turns out Romo was right the Cowboys should have gone for it earlier on 4th down. This defense is just very, very weak but Sean Payton is seriously exploiting them.
Saints 3-23 Buccaneers 3:47, 4th quarter
QB Spencer Rattler has been benched for New Orleans in this one. Replacement Tyler Shough has not been much better well to be brutally honest he has been worse. Back to the drawing board for the Saints in the offseason I think. They are moving to 1-7 shortly.
Broncos 30-17 Cowboys 15:00, 4th quarter
Cornerback Reddy Steward delivers a brutal hit on JK Dobbins but the back keeps on trucking and grinds for the first down on the following play. JK is a machine. Can the Cowboys pull of a comeback? The defense need a big play to spark something and sooner rather than later would be the time to do it.
Broncos 30-17 Cowboys 3:25, 3rd quarter
Dallas have to punt after KaVontae Turpin drops an easy ball on third down. Commentator Tony Romo wants his Cowboys to go for it owing to Denver’s efficiency on offense. He has a point but on fourth and five at midfield that feels a little too risky with so much of this one to go. No doubt Denver will score here then.
TOUCHDOWN! Colts 31-7 Titans 5:12, 3rd quarter
Daniel Jones finds Josh Downs for a 10-yard score. Game over, not that it was ever really on for Tennessee. These teams couldn’t be much further apart if they tried.
It’s good! Broncos 30-17 Cowboys 8:10, 3rd quarter
Marvin Mims take a bow. The receiver blasts up field and puts the Broncos inside Cowboys territory on a 47-yard return from the kick off. JK Dobbins says “hold my beer”, finds the edge and tears off up the left for 25 yards. Denver are averaging an incredibly punchy 8.5 yards a carry. Sean Payton dials up the pass and it pays off for an easy touchdown to Courtland Sutton. Tight end Adam Trautman sadly has other ideas and commits an offensive pass interference penalty. They go for it again but Sutton cannot hang on this time and the ball bangs off his body. Will Lutz bags the 42-yard field goal.
Week eight roundup
Here is your roundup of the games from earlier featuring some thrashings and an epic in Cincinatti.
TOUCHDOWN! Broncos 27-17 Cowboys 8:10, 3rd quarter
Is that John Cena’s music?!?!?!? The time is, indeed, now for the Cowboys. The drive is sparked into life by a 17-yard toe tapper on the sideline from George Pickens on 4th and 2 of all downs. Very brave to go for it but the risk pays off a huge reward and plonks them down on the Broncos 10-yard line. Javonte Williams then gouges out a five-yard run to put them within touching distance. CeeDee Lamb then pulls in the catch to set up a huge third down with a yard and change to go. The time is now. The throw is wild. Only the Broncos foul Lamb and they cough up the pass interference. Riley Moss getting very handsy. And gets even more handsy two plays later. Someone have a word. Williams finishes off the drive with his ninth overall touchdown of they year. Huge seven-minute drive.
On the Broncos front Pat Surtain II is out with an injury. The Broncos sure could have used him on that drive. Game on!
TOUCHDOWN! Colts 24-7 Titans 11:10, 3rd quarter
The muscle hamster starts spinning in his wheel and just does not stop. Jonathan Taylor takes off for an 80-yard home run and now has 152 yards on the ground from just nine carries. Averaging 17 yards a tote is definitely going to get the job done. What an excellent safety net the running back is for Daniel Jones. Not that he really needs one.
Email from Rowan
Rowan Sweeney kindly points out my prediction the Jets would go winless was rather, well, embarrassing. Rowan says on the winless season that never was: Prediction: > 11 weeks Reality: < 55 minutes.
That’s me told. What a win for the Jets that was, so lovely they got the W on the day New York legend Nick Mangold died.
That ridiculous touchdown grab from Michael Pittman earlier. Doesn’t quite do it justice but you can see how the ball is sort of wedged in his arm that’s how he caught it. If you could even say he “caught” it. Oh and he is literally wearing a defender. Unbelievable, Jeff.
Broncos 27-10 Cowboys, half-time
Prescott forces one deep and is picked off by Jahdae Barron. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer says “not a good half of football” and seems a little vexed. Denver have been better in every facet of this one. Great to see Bo Nix pick up from where he left off against the Giants last week he is 13/17 for 169 yards with two touchdowns and one pick. Performance of the game though is RJ Harvey’s, two touchdown runs on three carries. Efficient.
TOUCHDOWN! Broncos 27-10 Cowboys 0:39, 2nd quarter
Denver are just shredding Dallas right now. Nix drops back and hurls it deep over rookie receiver Pat Bryant’s shoulder who makes the catch for a 24-yard touchdown, the first of his career.
Now I for one am very happy about this. So in my dynasty fantasy league I unfortunately accidentally drafted Pat Bryant with my first pick when I could have picked Travis Hunter. Unfortunately I tried to pre-draft as I was playing a tennis match but messed it up rather spectacularly. I must have the most stock in Bryant of anyone in the world. Even Pat Bryant wouldn’t draft Pat Bryant with his first-round pick.
Half-time: Colts 17-7 Titans
It’s NO good! Joey Slye goes wide right from 58 yards to end the half and looks mighty beaten up about it for his troubles. The kicking game has changed so much, that length of try wouldn’t have even been attempted not so long ago. Now they look upset when they miss.
TOUCHDOWN! Saints 7-14 Buccaneers 10:08, 3rd quarter
The first offensive score of the game comes from a Sean Tucker goal line carry straight down the middle on 4th and goal. Gutsy call pays off after three failed attempts.
Broncos 20-10 Cowboys 2:00, 2nd quarter
Cowboys have to bring out the punt team as Jonathon Cooper almost picks off Dak Prescott. Bit of a shocker from Dak but Cooper will be disappointed that he couldn’t haul that one in after his giant leap to block the pass. That could have been a pick six. Denver take over at their 28-yard line for the two-minute drill. Huge if they can get a TD before the break.
Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau
The former Green Bay Packer is going through his pre-game warmup at Lambeau Field. He has a look in his eye. Not sure what it is, could be annoyed but also could be massively hungry for a win at his old stomping ground. He would complete the set of beating all 32 NFL teams in his career with a win for Pittsburgh tonight.
Broncos 20-10 Cowboys 3:47, 2nd quarter
Ooh big error from the Cowboys. They cough up 32 yards from a very blatant pass interference call on Alijah Clark. That puts Denver on the goal line, Sean Payton says thank you very much. Not content with one mental error, they commit another with their fifth pre-snap penalty of the game and inch the Broncos even closer to the endzone after an encroachment flag. Second and goal, JK Dobbins bangs in the pile and he is pushed over the line. But wait the whistle blows! No score. OK Dallas, third and goal. Harvey gets the direct snap for his second touchdown!! Masterful bit of trickery opens up the lead again. Ah and then Dallas get all pissed off and Williams gets an unnecessary roughness penalty but Nix whiffs the two-point conversion. Really sloppy from Dallas but that is the story of their season on defense.
TOUCHDOWN! Broncos 10-14 Cowboys 7:29, 2nd quarter
Rookie running back Jaydon Blue is getting some action for Dallas. He bursts up the right for 14 yards to kick the drive off in style then follows it up with gritty runs for 5 yards apiece. The Cowboys then hit the pass button as Dak Prescott finds his tight end Luke Schoonmaker who falls down just shy of the endzone on a 14-yard catch. They hand it off to Javonte Williams who bangs in for the score.
Before that however colour commentator Tony Romo makes a big call to try and sing “money, money, money, mohnaaay … MUHnEy”. Huge swing, even bigger miss. Next time commit to the bit Tony, and maybe falsetto isn’t your thing.
It’s good! Saints 3-7 Buccaneers, half-time
Blake Grupe smacks in a 48-yarder to get the Saints on the board. Defenses absolutely dominating in this one. Both running games are going nowhere and Baker Mayfield has only 50 yards passing. The only way is up!
TOUCHDOWN! Colts 17-7 Titans 7:44, 2nd quarter
Michael Pittman with his armpit?! It is tough to overstate how amazing that catch was. He is absolutely mobbed by the defender but somehow snags the ball with his arm rather than his hand. Unbelievable from Pittman for the 21-yard touchdown.
TOUCHDOWN! Colts 10-7 Titans 11:14, 2nd quarter
Tennessee hit back with a one-yard touchdown catch from Gunnar Helm. Methodical drive from Cam Ward with three nice midrange passes and big old 41-yard scamper from Tyjae Spears.
TOUCHDOWN! Cowboys 3-14 Broncos 3:04, 1st quarter
What a quick turnaround! From staring down a 7-0 deficit after the Bo Nix interception the Broncos have gone 14-3 up. Troy Franklin catches a deep ball from Nix for the second touchdown in two drives from 25 yards out. This Cowboys defense is being torn apart by Sean Payton’s playcalling. Your move Dallas.
Fun start to the late window, but my time is up. Graham is back to see out the rest of the action.
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