National Football League

NFL Week 14 top plays: Bucs and 49ers win OT thrillers, Cowboys top WFT, more

Updated Dec. 13, 2021 12:57 a.m. ET

Week 14 of the NFL season was chock-full of memorable moments.

In Denver, the Broncos kicked off their win over the Detroit Lions by paying tribute to former receiver Demaryius Thomas, who died last week. The team held a pregame moment of silence, before taking their first snap with 10 men on the field in honor of No. 88.

Broncos start with 10 men on the field in tribute to Demaryius Thomas

After former Pro Bowler Demaryius Thomas died ahead of the Denver's Week 14 game, the Broncos started with 10 men on the field, leaving a WR spot empty in tribute to the late wide receiver.

NFL Hall of Famer and former Broncos Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton Manning was also on hand Sunday and reflected on his late teammate Thomas.

Earlier, the Dallas Cowboys earned a key division victory in D.C. over the rival Washington Football Team on FOX, the Los Angeles Chargers dominated the New York Giants by double digits at home, and the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won in overtime thrillers.

Closing things out, the Chicago Bears fell to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Here are the top moments from Week 14.

Green Bay Packers 45, Chicago Bears 30

Getting tricky!

Chicago took an early 3-0 lead with a short field goal, and the Bears' defense started off hot, sacking Rodgers twice in the opening frame.

With momentum on its side, the Bears jumped out to a 10-0 lead when Jakeem Grant found the end zone on this trick-play toss from rookie QB Justin Fields.

G.B. strikes

The Packers came up with back-to-back TDs in the second. First, Rodgers round Allen Lazard on fourth-and-goal, followed by a dazzling 55-yard pick-six from Rasul Douglas — for the second week in a row.

Road warriors

The Bears responded with back-to-back TDs of their own. Fields came up with another huge TD drive, this time connecting with Damiere Byrd on a 54-yard dime on third down.

Then, Grant came up with the first punt return TD of the season on this 97-yard house call to make it a 10-point game.

No time to waste

With less than a minute to spare before the break, Davante Adams snagged this laser from Rodgers for six.

Battle ready

Green Bay came out strong in the second half, punching in back-to-back TDs — courtesy of Aaron Jones — to take 35-27 lead midway though the third.

Pulling away

In the final frame, Adams and Rodgers connected once again, this time to seal the deal for Green Bay.

San Francisco 49ers 26, Cincinnati Bengals 23 (OT)

Don't doubt Deebo

After trading off field goals in the first half, things heated up when Deebo Samuel broke off on this 27-yard rush (yes, you read that right) for the 49ers' first TD of the day.

How'd he catch that?

How about this doozy of a connection from Ja'Marr Chase and former LSU teammate Joe Burrow!

The People's Tight End

Jimmy Garoppolo connected with superstar tight end George Kittle, as the 49ers took a 17-6 lead at the break.

Toe tappin'

Chase reeled in this 17-yard strike from Burrow in the final frame to make it a one-score game at 20-13.

Double trouble

Then, with 1:19 to play, Chase snagged this 32-yard bomb from Burrow to knot things up in Cincinnati.

Wide right

After charging downfield, San Francisco attempted the game-winning kick with four seconds to spare, but it was no good. With that, things headed into overtime.

The Bengals took a 23-20 lead in overtime after kicking a field goal, but the 49ers had the last word.

San Francisco took over with 6:15 remaining, and Brandon Aiyuk sealed the deal after sneaking into the end zone on this pass from Garoppolo.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33, Buffalo Bills 27 (OT)

Unstoppable Lenny

The Bucs were first on the board when Leonard Fournette took it to the house early in the first.

Heating up!

Tensions were high between Tom Brady and the Bills' defense after TB12 & Co. picked up a huge first down.

On the ensuing play, Brady moved the sticks once again — this time with his legs (!) –– and added a ball flip for good measure.

Making a statement

Then, Tampa Bay took a double-digit lead when Mike Evans reeled in this bullet from Brady.

History made

Ahead of the break, Brady made history with this completion. He is now the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns and completed passes.

QB1, RB1

The Bills opened the second-half scoring, as Josh Allen took off for 18 yards and a Buffalo TD to make it a two-score game.

Comeback tour!

Then, Buffalo added back-to-back scores in the fourth, this time courtesy of Dawson Knox and Gabriel Davis.

And just like that, it was a three-point game in Tampa. Buffalo clawed its way back from a 21-point deficit, and things headed to OT after a Tyler Bass field goal knotted things up in the final seconds.

History in OT!

In the end, the Buccaneers had the last word, as Brady found Breshad Perriman for the win – notching his 700th touchdown pass (617 regular season, 83 postseason) in the process.

Los Angeles Chargers 37, New York Giants 21

Bolt Up

Austin Ekeler got the scoring started in L.A. with this short scamper for six.

Quick response

The Giants knotted things up when Mike Glennon connected with RB Eli Penny on this all-out effort.

Big-time drive

Justin Herbert & Co. didn't let New York stay tied for long.

In the second frame, Joshua Palmer found the end zone on third down as the Chargers took the lead once again.

Bombs away!

Herbert dropped a 59-yard bomb to Jalen Guyton for a jaw-dropping touchdown before the half.

Beginning of the end

The Chargers took a 30-point lead after adding two field goals in the third and a fourth-quarter Jared Cook TD. Then, Saquon Barkley and Glennon both punched in late scores for the Giants, but it was too little too late for New York, and things ended there.

Denver Broncos 38, Detroit Lions 10

Broncos roll

It was all Denver in the first half, as Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon opened the scoring with early TDs.

Reverse Raymond

The Lions made it a one-score game when Kalif Raymond reeled in this pass from Jared Goff.

Happy Feet

Williams punched in his second score of the day thanks to this fancy footwork, followed by a second Gordon TD to extend the Broncos' lead to 31-10 in the third.

For DT

Midway through the final frame, the Broncos' defense picked off Goff and celebrated by leaving the football on the field:

That's a wrap!

Teddy Bridgewater found Albert Okwuegbunam for six as Denver jumped out to a 38-10 lead in the fourth.

Dallas Cowboys 27, Washington Football Team 20

Self-help

What's the old saying? If you want something done, you've got to do it yourself?

Randy Gregory wholly embodied that adage on this tipped interception.

Love to see it

Later in the first, Dak Prescott found Amari Cooper in the end zone to put the Cowboys up 10-0.

Dak Prescott finds Amari Cooper for a seven-yard touchdown

Dak Prescott finds Amari Cooper for a seven-yard Dallas Cowboys touchdown.

ROY

Micah Parsons already has Defensive Rookie of the Year pretty much locked up. He's shooting for another piece of hardware now: DPOY.

This strip sack-turned-touchdown will certainly help his cause.

Micah Parsons' strip-sack leads to Cowboys' touchdown

Micah Parsons forces a fumble which leads to a Dallas Cowboys touchdown.

Body contortion

Washington's first TD was a dazzler. Cam Sims whipped around to haul in a wild over-the-shoulder grab, after a nifty move from Taylor Heinicke freed him up for the pass.

Kansas City Chiefs 48, Las Vegas Raiders 9

Getting going early

It was right out of the gate for Kansas City. The Chiefs' defense came up with a tide-changing play on the game's first snap, jarring the ball loose and scooping it up for a fumble recovery TD.

Early … and often

Don't let Kansas City open a game with this type of momentum. Past outings have shown that the next three quarters would be incredibly difficult for the Raiders' defense.

Have mercy

… and the beat went on. This time, Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the man of the moment.

In a flash!

Welcome back, Josh Gordon!

Inflicting more damage

Welcome to the dance, Derrick Gore.

Seattle Seahawks 33, Houston Texans 13

Whose man?

It's probably safe to say Seattle's defense had a miscommunication on this play. Brevin Jordan's path to the end zone was unscathed, as in he hauled in Houston's first score of the day.

How do you do?

Rashaad Penny: Five fingers to the face! He unleashed this massive stiff arm en route to his first rushing TD of the day.

Later, Penny's second touchdown of the day — a fourth-quarter, 47-yard run — sealed the win for Seattle.

Rashaad Penny scores two long touchdowns in Seahawks' 33-13 win

The Seahawks had a solid offensive performance from RB Rashaad Penny.

Atlanta Falcons 29, Carolina Panthers 21

Excuse me!

"Hi, my name is Cam Newton. I'll be bulldozing my way into the end zone to kick off this game."

Do it all guy

Cordarrelle Patterson: See above.

He. Will. Go.

All the way! Have yourself a pick-six, Mykal Walker!

Untouched

Get the Staples buttons out! That one was too easy for Chuba Hubbard.

Ice-cold

Matt Ryan was not deterred by the Panthers' TD. He brought his team right back down the field on its own scoring drive, finding Hayden Hurst to cap off a 10-play, 49-yard possession.

Cleveland Browns 24, Baltimore Ravens 22

Strum it up!

Jarvis Landry is the TD celebration king. He had to do the dirty work first to give himself room for festivities.

Baker's Man

Baker Mayfield was cooking up scores early against Baltimore's defense.

Not through yet

With Lamar Jackson sidelined due to an ankle injury, Tyler Huntley took over the reins at QB. He found Rashod Bateman on a deep heave to the one-yard line, and Latavius Murray punched in the culminating TD.

New Orleans Saints 30, New York Jets 9

A nice reminder

Message from Alvin Kamara: I'm back!

I can run too!

Taysom Hill has some pretty potent legs of his own. He showed off his lower-body dexterity on this short run for six to put New Orleans up 23-9.

Make that two

Hill added insurance points with this 44-yard dash for another six.

Tennessee Titans 20, Jacksonville Jaguars 0

Power runner

Need a red zone TD? Hand to D'Onta Foreman. Tennessee did just that on its first drive.

When all else fails …

… just run it in! Ryan Tannehill showed off his foot speed on this one to waltz into the end zone.