When Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott ran in a touchdown with more than 14 minutes left in Sunday’s fourth quarter, a quarter-century’s worth of football history suggested the game was effectively over.
uncertain
game → run → history
The score put Dallas ahead of Arizona 24-10, and since 2000, the Cowboys had never lost when they led by at least 14 points in the fourth quarter at home.
asserted
they → put → home
Their record in such circumstances was a perfect 69-0, according to ESPN.
uncertain
record → accord → ESPN
Now it’s 69-1.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
As has been the case for the last two seasons, the Cowboys’ much-maligned problems defensively cost them again.
asserted
problems → malign → them
This time, even though the Arizona Cardinals had benched their starting quarterback and turned to backup Gardner Minshew, Dallas allowed 20 fourth-quarter points en route to a 33-30 loss in overtime.
asserted
Dallas → bench → overtime
The Cowboys were lucky to make it to overtime, too — Arizona missed a point-after kick with 6 seconds left in regulation that would have broken a 30-30 tie.
asserted
that → make → tie
It was the Cowboys’ second improbable loss of the season, following a Week 3 loss in which they led with 7 seconds to play, only to lose on a walk-off field goal after having surrendered a long pass play to set up the kick.
asserted
they → follow → kick
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was shown on the broadcast Sunday banging the tabletop in front of him after the loss.
asserted
Jones → show → loss
Asked about the possibility of firing coach Brian Schottenheimer amid a 3-5 start to the season, Jones told reporters afterward that “that’s not in my mind at this time” and expressed confidence in the coach.
asserted
that → ask → coach
Prescott said, “It’s all of us; don’t put the blame on one person.”
asserted
It → say → person
Schottenheimer will have more time, but how much?
His background is on offense, and Dallas’ has regularly ranked among the league’s best during his tenure, yet the Cowboys gained only 3.6 yards per play Sunday, with their rushing offense gaining an anemic 2.4 yards per carry.
Arizona committed two turnovers, it was just 8 of 18 on third down, and it still won.
Lamar Jackson out at least four weeks
Ever since Lamar Jackson became an MVP candidate early in his career in Baltimore, the Ravens have begun each season wondering whether this would be the year they would break through to a Super Bowl appearance behind their star quarterback.
asserted
they → have → quarterback
It has yet to happen, and this doesn’t seem to be their year, either.
asserted
this → have → ?
Playing his first game since he missed the past three with a high ankle sprain, Jackson was hit on the thumb of his throwing hand on Sunday’s first play and never returned in a 36-10 loss in Buffalo.
asserted
Jackson → play → Buffalo
The injury will require surgery on the thumb, and he will miss at least the next four games and was placed on injured reserve, Ravens coach Jesse Minter said.
asserted
Minter → require → reserve
When Jackson has been injured in recent seasons, backup Tyler Huntley has often subbed in capably.
asserted
Huntley → injure → seasons
Yet when Huntley left the Buffalo loss, too, because of an injury, Baltimore struggled behind its third-string option.
asserted
Baltimore → leave → option
The Ravens are just 4-4, while Buffalo improved to 6-1.
asserted
Buffalo → improve → 6
The Bills have won 12 consecutive regular-season games when they have come off byes, the second-longest streak all time.
asserted
they → win → streak
Cleveland comes back to earth
How real was Cleveland?
asserted
Cleveland → come → earth
The question loomed over the Browns’ 5-2 start, which, while it was unexpected, also seemed unsustainable.
asserted
it → loom → start
Deshaun Watson had led game-winning drives in either the fourth quarter or overtime in all five wins.
asserted
Watson → lead → wins
Sunday’s game on the road against division rival Pittsburgh — whom the Browns had already beaten once — was a key litmus test.
asserted
Browns → beat → whom
Pittsburgh won, 27-6.
asserted
Pittsburgh → win → ?
The Browns still very well may turn a corner this season, but they still can’t win in Pittsburgh, where they have lost 23 consecutive games, helping the Steelers tie the record for most consecutive home victories against the same opponent.
uncertain
Steelers → turn → opponent
Watson threw for 324 yards but was sacked eight times.
asserted
Watson → throw → yards
Pittsburgh is now 6-2, but its next two games are on the road, where it has averaged just 17.3 points per game this season.
asserted
it → average → game
At home, the Steelers are averaging 27.7.
asserted
Steelers → average → 27.7
A most unusual win
Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles came up with the Buccaneers’ extraordinary game plan when he saw the forecast for Week 8.
asserted
he → come → Week
“We knew it was going to be nasty,” he said.
asserted
he → know → ?
With standing water on their home field and rain falling after kickoff, the Buccaneers became the first team since 1974 to win without completing a pass in their 16-0 victory over Atlanta.
asserted
Buccaneers → stand → Atlanta
In a game featuring five fumbles and four interceptions, the Buccaneers were 0-3 passing but rushed for a franchise-record 324 yards to pull off the kind of win the NFL might not see for 50 more years.
uncertain
NFL → feature → years
The Chargers can’t win or score touchdowns
While Tampa Bay was using the season’s most one-dimensional offense to succeed, the Los Angeles Chargers can’t score a touchdown no matter what offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel attempts.
asserted
McDaniel → win → coordinator
During Sunday’s 24-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, their SoFi Stadium co-tenant, the Chargers remained winless (0-7) while producing another bleak offensive performance.
asserted
Chargers → remain → performance
They have now gone 27 consecutive drives without a touchdown, per ESPN’s tabulation.
asserted
They → go → tabulation
It’s the league’s longest touchdown dry spell since Miami did it in 2024, when McDaniel called plays for that offense, too.
asserted
McDaniel → ’ → offense
Los Angeles has scored nine offensive touchdowns this season, the fewest in the league by three.
asserted
Angeles → score → three
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t want to address whether McDaniel was the right play-caller for the job afterward.
asserted
McDaniel → want → job
“I’m focused on this game, we’re gonna go watch this tape, and I believe in our guys, I believe in our players, our coaches,” he said.
asserted
he → ’m → players
They’re 2-4-1.
asserted
They → ’re → ?
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
