It was somewhat apropos that in the same week that Veterans’ Day was observed we got this season’s final staging of “The Longest Day”, with action kicking off mid-morning East Coast time and finishing well past 11 PM. The level of quality action and scoring was subpar at both bookends, particularly so in the early-early window which took the NFL to yet another new country where a regular season game was being played. CBS SPORTS’ Garrett Podel was stuck with the assignment of trying to make it sound exciting:
The NFL’s 2025 international series finale in Madrid, Spain pitted two 3-7 teams against each other, and that’s exactly what it looked like. After a sloppy first half, the Miami Dolphins played a cleaner game in the second half and overtime to survive with a 16-13 victory to improve to 4-7 and send the Washington Commanders to a 3-8 record after their sixth consecutive defeat.
False start penalties, delay of game penalties and ill-timed sacks were regular occurrences in the first half for both teams, which is why the game was tied at six apiece at the half. Both teams found the end zone in the second half with Washington scoring first on a 20-yard catch-and-run score by wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Miami countered with a one-yard rushing touchdown from rookie running back Ollie Gordon after a steady, 10-play scoring drive.
In overtime, Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota made his worst decision of the day at the worst possible time. He threw both late and into a crowd of Dolphins defenders while targeting tight end Zach Ertz, which allowed Miami defensive back Jack Jones to easily pick off the throw. Kicker Riley Patterson’s 29-yard field goal, his third make of the day, sent the Dolphins back to the United States a winner.
Back in North America, the evening action was no less thrilling but at least produced both a key victory for the defending Super Bowl champion and a potetnially devastating loss for a team still seeking to play in one. As the anonymous UPI recapped:
The Philadelphia Eagles scored just once, but leaned on their defense to beat the Detroit Lions, holding onto their status as the NFC’s top team. Quarterback Jalen Hurts found the end zone on a 1-yard run at the end of the first half of the 16-9 triumph Sunday in Philadelphia. Kicker Jake Elliott made three field goals for the Eagles, who capitalized on a turnover, strong pass rush and ball control to fuel the victory.
And they absolutely needed it, because earlier in the day a recent champion reaffirmed their potential to repeat in a far more compelling game that actually lived up to the hype and buildup it received. Per the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER’s Adam Grosbard:
There was no space to think in the Rams’ locker room after a 21-19 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Bow Wow and Snoop Dogg’s “Bow Wow (That’s My Name)” thumped through the space, players roaring along with the “Bow wow wow, yippie yo, yippie yay” refrain. When receiver Davante Adams walked into the press conference, he couldn’t help scream out a cathartic expletive. He was interrupted a few questions later by Puka Nacua, popping his head in to yell, “Yeah 1-7!” Strength assistant Chris Aninye even did a backflip amid the swarm of dancing.
“I told everybody put their helmet on, we’re gonna go run another quarter,” outside linebacker Jared Verse said. “It was a good time, it was great energy, it was a good time.”
That enthusiasm was in direct contrast to the team that won the two Super Bowls in between the Rams and Eagles. Podel’s stablemate Zachary Pereles provided the synopsis:
Bo Nix and Wil Lutz showed off their clutch genes again, and the Broncos are now firmly in control of the AFC West — a division the Chiefs have won nine straight times — after a 22-19 win over Kansas City. It’s Denver’s eighth consecutive win. Down 19-16 halfway through the fourth quarter, Nix led two field goal drives, the first ending in a 54-yarder from Lutz to tie the game, the second ending in a 34-yarder from Lutz to win it.
A quick glance at the AFC standings shows the 5-5 Chiefs in an unfamiliar place: ninth. That’s not one but two spots outside the playoff picture. Kansas City is one of three teams at 5-5 along with the Texans and the Ravens. The Chiefs have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Ravens and will host the Texans in Week 14, a crucial “Sunday Night Football” affair. But the Chiefs are also one game behind — and don’t have the head-to-head tiebreaker against — the 6-4 Jaguars, who occupy the No. 7 seed. They’ve also lost to the 7-4 Chargers, who occupy the No. 6 seed. A key rematch is coming in Week 15.
At least one title did get decided in this continent, where a changing of the guard did actually take place, as the mystery writer at CBC Radio-Canada robotically recounted:
Tevaughn Campbell forced Montreal quarterback Shea Patterson’s fumble at the goal line and Marcus Sayles recovered it in the end zone with 3:05 left to help the Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Alouettes 25-17 on Sunday night for their fifth Grey Cup title.
Saskatchewan also won Canadian Football League championships in 1966, 1989, 2007 and 2013. Montreal won the last of its eight titles in 2023.
That’s five titles for a franchise representing the smallest market in all North American sports–yes, Regina has less than half the population of Green Bay. And that’s five Grey Cups in 112 years–which means that they’ve been playing the three-down, 110-yard version of the Super Bowl nearly twice as long as we’ve been contesting ours.
So you see, Lions fans? Even though you’re 0-for-59 and counting, you’ve still got time to catch up.