Close Games, Special Teams Mark NFL Week 5

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Blocked field goals. Botched holds. Bad snaps.

Wacky special teams contributed to wild finishes, upsets and more in Week 5.

NFL coaches always emphasize how it takes all three phases — offense, defense and special teams — to win games. That’s not a cliche. One big play can make all the difference. It happened across the league on Sunday.

Giants safety Isaiah Simmons blocked the potential tying field goal in the final minute and Bryce Ford-Wheaton returned it 60 yards for the clinching touchdown, helping underdog New York hold on for a 29-20 win at Seattle.

The 49ers benefited from cornerback Deommodore Lenoir returning a blocked field goal by Jordan Elliott for a 61-yard score. But San Francisco lost kicker Jake Moody to an ankle injury in the first half, and ended up having to go on fourth-and-23 from the 27 in the third quarter instead of letting punter Mitch Wishnowsky attempt a 45-yarder in a 24-23 loss to Arizona. Wishnowsky was good from 26 yards at the end of the second quarter.

The Bengals blew three 10-point leads in the second half but still had a chance to defeat Baltimore in overtime when Evan McPherson lined up for a 53-yard attempt after Lamar Jackson lost a fumble. However, his kick sailed wide because holder Ryan Rehkow mishandled the snap.

The Ravens won a 41-38 shootout that featured nine TD passes combined from Jackson and Joe Burrow on Justin Tucker’s 24-yard field goal. Tucker connected on a 56-yarder with 1:35 remaining to send the game to overtime.

Miami’s special teams had an awful first half in New England but the Dolphins overcame a blocked punt, a bounced snap that led to one missed field goal and another field goal try that hit an upright.

They escaped with a 15-10 victory over the Patriots when Ja’Lynn Polk’s go-ahead TD catch with 1:02 left was overturned after replays showed his second heel came down on the end line.

The Texans beat Buffalo 23-20 thanks to superb kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, who nailed a 59-yard field goal as time expired. Fairbairn also connected from 50 and 47, improving to 11 for 12 this season.

Another blocked field goal almost played a role in the outcome in the final game of the day but the Cowboys got away with letting Pittsburgh swat down Brandon Aubrey’s 38-yard try in the third quarter. Dak Prescott tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert in the final minute to lift the Cowboys to a 20-17 victory over the Steelers.

That made six games where the game-winning score came in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime.

(Associated Press)