NFL 2022: the Minnesota Vikings smudge out the Buffalo Bills

Two weeks ago, the Atlanta Falcons won against the Carolina Panthers.  Both teams met again on Thursday Night Football, and Carolina was victorious with 25 points to 15.  I did not watch that Falcons loss.  It was somewhat of a toss-up today of which teams I would tune in to, and I chose the Buffalo Bills‘ attempt to sever the Minnesota Vikings‘ consecutive-game winning streak.  The second and third quarters showcased the Bills’ defense and offense talents (including a beautiful one-handed catch by Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs).  Going into the fourth quarter, they were ahead 27 to 17.  And then Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw an interception into the arms of Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson.

The last five minutes of the fourth quarter unfolded around the goal line, where the Bills’ defense demonstrated their athleticism enough to keep the Vikings to being in the lead by just a field goal.  Buffalo tied the game with two seconds left.  Once again, their defense showed up in overtime, and then like deja-vu, after getting the ball back, Josh Allen was threw an interception in the end zone into the arms of Patrick Peterson.  The Vikings won 33 to 30 in OT.  Final score.

I’m not a fan of either team but, my, was it an exciting experience, especially in those final minutes of the fourth quarter.

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

NFL 2022: The Atlanta Falcons roast the Carolina Panthers

Happy birthday, Marcus Mariota.  I wonder if the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons could have asked for a better birthday present today.  His team went up against the Carolina Panthers during this Halloween weekend.  Not only did the Falcons beat the Panthers in overtime 37 to 34, but they’ve now also taken the lead in the NFC South.

The score gap was very small throughout the entire game.  By the end of the first half, Atlanta was only up by four points (14 to 10).  Going into the bottom of the fourth quarter, they were only up by three points (31 to 28), and the Panthers managed to tie the game with twelve seconds left.  I imagine that the Panthers kicker is one very unhappy camper at the moment, but it was because of two missed kicks (one extra point and one field goal in OT) that the Falcons kicker Yonghoe Koo was able to win the game.  Running back Tyler Allgeier and wide receiver Damiere Byrd were also instrumental in contributing to Atlanta’s victory today.

It’s been a very long time since I felt excited while watching an NFL game.  It’s been an even longer time since I’ve shouted at the TV for a Falcons offense player with the ball and headed towards the end zone to “go! go! go!”.   Good times.

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

Suspense Pastoral

I’ve been watching the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros swing it out in the World Series and noticed an element of baseball game play that I’d never before contemplated.  Compared to other team sports, the rhythm and suspense of baseball game play in relation to scoring is that no matter which team you root for, you can be more hopeful that your team can keep the lead or shrink the score gap.  There are nine innings after all.  Ninety-five minutes into a baseball game and you’re not even at the fifth inning yet.  There’s a more fluid stop-and-go of “plays” that lessens the sense of fiendish urgency to score points (in contrast to football, which consists of a much more blatant stop-and-go of plays and feeds into the o-m-g-we-are-losing energy).

Moreover, unlike the rapidly changing points in basketball, baseball’s scoring fluctuates in moderation (nevermind that the Astros took quite the lead against the Braves in Game 5 of the World Series and in a short period of time).  Though the game play is slower than that of futbol and hockey, the players have an easier time hitting balls, running bases, and making homeruns.  In other words, watch a baseball game for forty-five minutes and both teams would likely have at least one or two runs.  Watch a futbol or hockey game for the same amount of time and you’re lucky if one team made one point.

It’s easier to passively watch baseball too.  One can mute the game and knit a pair of gloves without feeling as though one is missing anything that cannot be seen on the screen.  Although I have muted Falcons’ games in the past (and other football games), there’s inevitably a part of me that wonders if something illuminating is being imparted by the commentators in relation to a play or a penalty.  Speaking of the Atlanta Falcons, they did not beat the Carolina Panthers on Halloween.  They lost 19 to 13, aka, three field goals or one touch down.  After skimming the scoring summary, it turns out that the Falcons missed a field goal in the bottom of the third quarter.  Even if they’d made that field goal, they would still be down by three points going into the end of the fourth quarter.  So, unless someone pulled a TD out of their elbow before the two-minute warning, they wouldn’t have won anyway.

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

Pic cred: Lesly Juarez, unsplash

NFL 2017: Atlanta Falcons scrub off the Carolina Panthers

One can’t say the Atlanta Falcons won that dramatically over the Carolina Panthers (until that part where Falcons cornerback Robert Allen intercepted Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s pass meant for wide receiver Brenton Bersin and Falcons kicker Matt Bryant made a fifty-six yard field goal in the bottom of the fourth quarter).  Final score: Falcons 22 and Panthers 10.  Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

The Falcons are going to the playoffs.

NFL 2013: Panthers sasquatch the Falcons

Don’t you hate the moment when you realize that you’re a fair-weather fan?  Even when you’re not that emotionally invested in the outcome of a game and there isn’t any risk of financial setback due to the final score, it is still too painful to watch the Atlanta Falcons keep pace with but then succumb to the charms of the Carolina Panthers’ offense.  Yep. A 34 to 10 succumbing.  Click here for game summary, stats, and play-by-play.

In less discouraging news, how to protect the contents of your package.