Week 15 of the NFL season kicked off with a bang, as Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings pulled off the largest comeback in NFL history, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 39-36.
Greg Joseph‘s game-winning 40-yard field goal in the final seconds of overtime sealed the rally — the Colts led 33-0 at halftime — and clinched the NFC North in the process.
In the second game of the day, the Cleveland Browns‘ defense forced two turnovers and Deshaun Watson hooked up with Donovan Peoples-Jones for a touchdown pass in a 13-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
And in the nightcap, the Buffalo Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins on a game-winning field goal as time expired. The 32-29 victory clinched a fourth straight playoff berth for the Bills.
Here are the top plays!
Buffalo Bills 32, Miami Dolphins 29
Diggs showing off the hands
Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs made a nice catch despite the ball being well behind him, showing off strong hands for a 16-yard gain.
Down Goes Tua
Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson came through with a big sack in the red zone on third down that dropped the Dolphins back 8 yards.
It’s good! Dolphins on the scoreboard first
Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders drilled a 39-yard field goal to give Miami a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Touchdown! Bills take the lead back
Josh Allen connected with Quintin Morris for the touchdown to give the Bills a 7-3 lead late in the first quarter. The touchdown was the first for Morris in his NFL career.
Mostert with tough running!
Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert showed off strength and speed, barreling down the sideline for a 68-yard gain! The big run also put the speedster over 100 rushing yards in the first quarter.
The run would lead to another field goal for the Dolphins.
Bills strike again
Allen dumped a pass off to Nyheim Hines, who took it 10 yards into the end zone for the Bills touchdown. It was the first touchdown for Hines in a Bills uniform since the trade from Indianapolis.
Tua to Waddle for the big gain!
Tua Tagovailoa hit wide receiver Jaylen Waddle down the sideline for a 32-yard gain to move into Buffalo territory.
Dolphins answer
Dolphins running back Salvon Ahmed refused to go down, breaking multiple tackles on his way to Miami’s first touchdown of the night.
Bills fans getting rowdy
Here’s something you don’t see every day … An announcement was made at the game that if Bills fans continued to throw snowballs onto the field, it would be a 15-yard penalty.
Allen working his magic
Allen and the Bills were able to add another score right before the half. The Bills superstar QB bought some time, rolled to his right, and delivered a perfect pass to James Cook for the touchdown. The score gave Buffalo a 21-13 lead at halftime!
Waddle turning on the jets
Tagovailoa hit Waddle for the pass over the middle and then Waddle torched the defense for the 67-yard touchdown!
Cheetah gives Dolphins lead
Tagovailoa tossed a perfectly thrown ball to Tyreek Hill for a 20-yard touchdown and gave the Dolphins the 26-21 lead late in the third quarter.
Strip sack!
Allen is sacked and stripped by Jaelan Phillips and the Dolphins take over at midfield. They extend their lead to 29-21 early in the fourth with a 47-yard field goal from Sanders.
Allen’s long run sets up Bills
Allen sprinted past the Miami defense for a huge 44-yard gain to the Bills inside the red zone.
Allen to Knox for six!
Allen connected with a wide-open Knox for the touchdown, followed by an Allen converting the two-point try. This game is tied!
Heavy, heavy snow
The snow has officially arrived late in the fourth quarter!
Bills win!
Kicker Tyler Bass knocked through a 25-yard field goal as time expired to send the Bills home with the win.
Cleveland Browns 13, Baltimore Ravens 3
Making history!
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker made his 355th career field goal, which makes him Baltimore’s all-time leader in field goals made.
DPJ for six
Holding onto a three-point lead late in the third quarter, Watson found Peoples-Jones for a 3-yard score to give the Browns a 13-6 lead.
Not so fast
The Ravens lined up for a 50-yard field goal in an attempt to make it a one-score game, but the kick was blocked.
Back-to-back!
The Ravens had their chances to cut into the Browns’ lead, but Myles Garrett was not going to let that happen. The do-it-all pass-rusher recorded back-to-back sacks late in the game, which helped seal the victory for Cleveland.
Minnesota Vikings 39, Indianapolis Colts 36
Jonathan Taylor injury
The Colts starting running back left the game in the first quarter. ESPN reported that he will not return due to an ankle injury.
Making a play
Indianapolis put a field goal on the board on the opening possession of the game. Then after forcing a three-and-out from Minnesota, the Colts blocked a punt and ran it in for a touchdown.
They do it again
The Vikings began their ensuing drive in auspicious fashion, as Dalvin Cook took off for a 40-yard run. However, Cook had the ball knocked out of his possession on the next play, and the Colts recovered it.
Seven plays later, quarterback Matt Ryan hit running back Deon Jackson for a goal-line score. The Colts took a 17-0 lead.
This isn’t going well
Down three scores in the first quarter, Minnesota chose to go for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 31-yard line. Cook was stuffed, and the Colts took over on downs. The Vikings held them to a field goal.
Another Vikings miscue
Minnesota went three-and-out but then attempted a fake punt. Punter Ryan White was unable to connect with wide receiver Jalen Nailor, though. The Vikings held the Colts to another field goal.
It just gets worse
The latest Minnesota woe came when quarterback Kirk Cousins was intercepted by safety Julian Blackmon, who ran the pick back for a touchdown. The Colts took a 30-0 lead with 5:50 remaining in the first half.
Indianapolis got another field goal before halftime, taking a 33-0 lead into the break.
Vikings strike
The Vikings finally got on the board on their second possession of the second half. Two plays after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, Cousins hit wide receiver K.J. Osborn for a 63-yard completion. Three plays later, Cousins and Osborn hooked up on a 2-yard touchdown pass. Minnesota trailed 33-7.
Down to three scores
After Indianapolis got its fifth field goal, Minnesota got its second touchdown. An eight-play drive ended with Vikings fullback C.J. Ham running in a goal-line score. The Vikings trailed 36-14.
No. 18 arrives
We’ve got a game.
The Colts went three-and-out, and the Vikings found the end zone shortly thereafter. A six-play drive, which was assisted by a personal foul on Colts defensive back Rodney Thomas II, saw Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for three completions, including an 8-yard touchdown. The score cut the Colts lead to 36-21.
One-score game!
Cousins had a deep ball intercepted by Thomas at the 2-yard line, but then the Colts failed to get a first down. On the fifth play of Minnesota’s next drive, Cousins hit wide receiver Adam Thielen for a goal-line score. The touchdown cut the deficit to eight points.
Vikings get a raw deal
Jackson fumbled on the first play of the Colts’ next drive, and Vikings cornerback Chandon Sullivan corralled the loose ball and ran it in for the TD. However, Jackson was initially ruled down. After Minnesota challenged the play, it was overturned and ruled a fumble, though, they took over at the spot of the fumble, which was the Indianapolis 38-yard line.
The Vikings then turned it over on downs.
TIE GAME!
Minnesota trailed 33-0 at halftime. With 2:15 remaining in the fourth quarter, they tied it up at 36 apiece.
The Vikings stood Ryan up on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1. On the first play of the next possession, Cousins hit Cook, who ran through the Colts defense for a 64-yard touchdown. Then Cousins hit tight end T.J. Hockenson for the two-point conversion.
The game went to overtime.
THEY DID IT!
Both teams punted on their first possession of overtime. Then, Minnesota got it done.
Cousins hit Osborn, Thielen and Jefferson for a trio of completions that combined for 51 yards, setting up a game-winning 40-yard field goal for Greg Joseph as time expired.
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