Early NFL Thrillers

While the NFL kickoff was just over a month ago, the first few weeks have already caused fans many heart attacks after last-minute touchdowns, missed field goals, and costly mistakes. Here’s a breakdown of some of the surprises in the league so far.

The Jets come back to beat the Browns

Going into the game’s final two minutes, everything was against the New York Jets. They had lost their starting quarterback Zach Wilson to a preseason injury and were playing in front of a loud Cleveland home crowd, down 13 points after a Browns’ rushing touchdown. According to ESPN stats, teams leading by at least 13 points in the last two minutes had won the last 2,229 consecutive games, so no one expected the Jets to come out with the win. But after the Browns missed the extra point on that touchdown and were unable to significantly run down the clock, the Jets took their chance. In just one minute and 30 seconds, the Jets’ backup quarterback Joe Flacco was able to get the ball into the endzone for a 66-yard touchdown. After recovering an onside kick, Flacco threw another touchdown, giving the Jets the lead. The Browns had one last chance to retake the lead with less than 30 seconds left, but the Jets’ win was secured when the Browns’ quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw an interception. This win for the Jets, along with the hard-fought Giants’ win against the Panthers, and the Mets’ and Yankees’ baseball wins against the Pirates and Brewers, marked the first time since 2009 that these four New York teams had all gotten wins on the same day.

The Falcons almost come back from 3-28

In Super Bowl LI, the Atlanta Falcons were at the losing end of history after blowing the largest lead in Super Bowl history and losing to the New England Patriots, even after they were up 28-3 late into the third quarter. In Week Two, after a start riddled by a missed field goal, a turnover on downs, and an interception, the Falcons found themselves down 28-3 at the start of the second half against the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams. Yet the momentum soon shifted in favor of the Falcons as they were able to score touchdowns on their next three possessions. With a touchdown converted after an interception and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, the Falcons cut it down to a one-score game. After getting the ball back after a Rams fumble, it looked as if the Falcons might have been able to come back from their own infamous score. However, the Falcons appear to be cursed with that score forever, because in the last minute, Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota’s end zone pass was intercepted, ending their chance at a redemption comeback.

The Jaguars shut out the Colts

Going into the game, the Indianapolis Colts hadn’t beaten the Jaguars in Jacksonville since 2014. The most recent example was in Week 17 last season, when the 3-14 Jaguars beat the 9-8 Colts, preventing the Colts from securing their Wild Card spot in the playoffs. However, the Colts were still the slight betting favorites going into their Week 2 matchup. But after the kickoff, Indianapolis had no response for Jacksonville. The Jaguars defense was electric against quarterback Matt Ryan and the Colts, picking Ryan off three times and sacking him five, while also holding Jonathan Taylor, the league’s reigning rushing yards leader, to just 54 yards. Unable to either produce anything off of their two red zone visits or convert on downs, the Colts were shut out for the third time by the Jaguars in just the past six seasons.

The Saints lose to the Vikings after a Double Doink

The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings started the NFL 2022 International Series by playing their Week Four matchup at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. While the Vikings held the lead the entire game going into the fourth quarter, it was always close, staying within a one-score game. Yet after a Saints touchdown and a successful two-point conversion, the Saints got their first lead in the game. After a Minnesota touchdown and back-to-back kicks by both teams, the Vikings had the lead once again with less than 30 seconds on the clock. A 33-yard reception put the Saints into field goal range, allowing kicker Will Lutz a chance to kick a 61 yarder that would tie up the game and bring it to overtime. Many in the stadium, including Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, believed that Lutz would make the kick, as he had make the kick from 60 yards just the possession before. Even after the ball left Lutz’s foot, it appeared that the kick would be good, but just as it seemed like it would go in, the ball hit the left upright, then the crossbar, and bounced out, giving the Vikings their win in London.

With many weeks left in the football season, there are bound to be many more thrillers and upsets, highlighting the excitement, and heartbreak, of the NFL.