Week 10 of the NFL season was one of the more exciting weeks. We saw one of the most incredible catches of most of our lifetimes by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson against the Buffalo Bills, a comeback by the Green Bay Packers at home over the Dallas Cowboys, and a wild ending to the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears game.
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In fact, those are the top-three bad beats of the week. These games made some bettors happy but left others in despair with how mesmerizing the games became. Here, we'll examine those bad beats.
Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
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Bad Beat: Cowboys -3.5
Heading into this game, the Packers were home underdogs—let us know the last time that was the case with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. On top of that, Mike McCarthy returned to Lambeau Field as the head coach of the Cowboys. This game went back and forth until the third quarter. There was no scoring in the first quarter, followed by a 14-14 tie at halftime.
However, in the third quarter, the Cowboys scored two touchdowns within less than five minutes of one another. The Packers were down 28-14 heading into the fourth quarter but quickly found themselves back with 13:23 remaining in the game. On that drive, Rodgers converted a third down using his legs, and they found themselves on a 4th and seven on their 39-yard line.
On this play, Rodgers was back in shotgun; the ball was snapped; Rodgers stepped up in the pocket and delivered a pass deep over the middle of the field for rookie wide receiver Christian Watson who had his second touchdown of the day.
Down 28-21, the Packers got the ball back with about nine minutes left. This drive had multiple vital plays, including a 17-yard run by A.J. Dillon and a 23-yard run by Aaron Jones on what looked like a tackle for loss on a 2nd and 6. To cap off this drive, Rodgers found Watson for his third touchdown on a short pass directly to the end zone.
Regulation ended with both teams tied at 28-28.
The Cowboys got the ball to start overtime and had a nine-play, 40-yard drive that ultimately ended with a turnover on downs. The Cowboys had an incomplete pass on 4th and three at the Green Bay 35-yard line. The Packers got the ball back on their own 35 and drove 55 yards over six plays before kicker Mason Crosby hit a 28-yard field goal to complete the comeback.
What a finish. This win breathes new life into the Packers, indeed.
Buffalo Bills vs. Minnesota Vikings
Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
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Bad Beat: Bills -6.5
Who knows where to even begin with this game? There's so much to discuss, but we'll fast-forward to halftime.
At halftime, the Bills were leading 24-10. The Vikings offense was struggling, scoring on their opening possession but not again until the second quarter. There was also an interception near the end of the first quarter.
After halftime, the Vikings got the ball back, but Kirk Cousins threw his second interception, setting the Bills up on their 42-yard line. With this field position, the Bills were in a great spot to score again and shut this game down. Instead, they got a penalty on the drive's first play before finding themselves in a 4th and 14 back in Vikings territory.
The Vikings got the ball back but needed to punt. The Bills then kicked a field goal to go up 27-10. However, the next two Vikings drives made it possible for this improbable comeback.
After kicking the field goal, the Vikings got the ball at their own 19, but it didn't matter—running back Dalvin Cook instantly took it to the house for an 81-yard rushing score. The Bills got the ball and marched 67 yards across 13 plays, but Josh Allen threw an interception on 4th and 2 to Patrick Peterson.
The momentum shifted when the Vikings also went 13 plays on their drive following the interception, but it ended with a touchdown. This drive included a 4th and six conversion on a pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson and Cousins assisted later with a scramble for 15 yards. The drive capped off with a C.J. Ham rushing score—his first in five years. The Vikings were down 27-23 after Greg Joseph missed the PAT.
Now buckle up. It's about to get wild.
After the touchdown, the Bills had a quick three-and-out, then the Vikings had a 12-play 75-yard drive that landed them on the Bills one-yard line on a 4th and goal. However, on that drive, the catch Jefferson happened. There are no words that can illustrate it. Jefferson went up for the ball on a 4th and 18 play. There was one defender. He reached his right arm up and battled with the defender's two hands. However, as they came to the ground, Jefferson corralled the ball one-handed without it ever touching the turf. The Vikings converted an improbable play and continued the drive.
The Vikings tried to quarterback sneak it back to the fourth and goal, but they couldn't and turned the ball over. At this point, the Vikings had lost, certainly—there were 50 seconds to go; the Bills just needed to kneel it out. Well, they tried that, but the snap was bobbled, fumbled, and recovered by the Vikings for a touchdown.
The Vikings took a 30-27 lead. Wild.
The Bills got another chance—they kicked a field goal with seconds to go in the game to send it to overtime. Still, there was a catch by wide receiver Gabe Davis that, if reviewed, the officials would've seen wasn't a catch.
To overtime, we go.
The Vikings started with the ball and went 60 yards on 12 plays. The drive lasted over six minutes. They settled with a field goal to take a 33-30 lead. The Bills got the ball back on their own 28, and here's how the series of events went:
- Allen ran for 18 yards
- Allen ran for 20 yards
- Allen passes to Stefon Diggs for seven yards
- Allen to Diggs for another 7 yards
- Allen incomplete to Dawson Knox
Now, on the Vikings 20-yard line with 1:12 to go, Allen threw deep to Davis but was intercepted by, you guessed it—Peterson.
The Bills lost 33-30. They were once up 27-10 and scored six points from halftime. A brutal loss to say the least.
Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions
Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
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Bad Beat: Bears -3
If you bet the Bears -3, you went into the fourth quarter feeling great. The team was up 24-10, and the Lions couldn't get anything going on offense.
In the fourth quarter, something happened because they scored three touchdowns to the Bears one and ultimately won 31-30. The first touchdown came from running back D'Andre Swift to cap off a 4-play, 55-yard drive that included an unnecessary roughness and two illegal use of hands penalties. The Lions were down 24-17 at this point.
The Bears got the ball back, but quarterback Justin Fields threw a pick-six to his former Ohio State teammate Jeff Okudah. 24-24 ball game.
To redeem himself, Fields, on the very next drive, scrambled for 67 yards and scored. He finished the day with 147 rushing yards and two scores. At this point, they went up 30-24 because Cairo Santos missed the extra point. That missed extra point would come back to bite them, sadly.
After back-to-back drives that ended in punts, the Lions were on their nine-yard line before marching 91 yards across eight plays. Goff completed a 20, 44, and 13-yard pass on this drive before Jamaal Williams took it in for the one-yard score. Their extra point was good, and they went up 31-30, but the Bears still had over two minutes to go.
There were multiple incompletions, but the Bears lucked out on a 3rd and five as there was defensive golding. They got new life on their 30-yard line with a fresh set of downs. Fields got sacked for five, and it was then 3rd and 15. He completed a pass to David Montgomery but gained just seven yards.
