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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.
“I think this is my craziest play I ever made,” said Simmons, who leaped through a hole over a blocked lineman. “I think it’s just the fact that I jumped over.”
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.
“It (Moody’s injury) impacted it but the biggest thing was those turnovers,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said about an interception and fumble.
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 snap was good. The snap came back really clean,” Rehkow said. “I think I just tried to get it down a little too quick, give Evan enough time to look at it, and I just didn’t get it down cleanly.”
McPherson refused to blame the rookie, saying he should’ve make the kick anyway.
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.
“It’s comforting to know you have a guy who can hit it at that critical moment,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said. “It’s clutch time and he stood up. He didn’t waver. He put it through the uprights. It’s comforting for everyone to know wherever we are, ‘Imi’ can make a play. When you’re in that situation, not a lot of time left, we know we got to get down quickly and we know we’re kicking it, wherever we end up we got to take a shot at it.”
Fairbairn had a chance to win it because punter Tommy Townsend pinned the Bills at the 3 with a 46-yard punt. Buffalo, which rallied from a 20-3 deficit, then mismanaged the clock after taking possession with just 32 seconds left.
Josh Allen threw three straight incomplete passes, using up only 16 seconds. Robert Woods returned the punt 13 yards to the Bills 46. C.J. Stroud completed a 5-yard pass, setting up Fairbairn’s kick.
“There’s a potential if the situation goes three straight runs, you run 6 seconds off potential each time, you may be in a similar situation,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said, explaining the strategy to pass three times because Houston had all of its timeouts. “So, either way, we got to do a better job and that starts with me 100%.”
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.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
San Francisco 49ers' Jordan Elliott (92) blocks a field goal attempt by Arizona Cardinals place kicker Chad Ryland, right, that 49ers' Deommodore Lenoir returned for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
New York Giants wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton (88) runs for a touchdown after a Seattle Seahawks blocked field goal attempt during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
NEW DELHI (AP) — India stepped up its development assistance to the Maldives after the two leaders held talks in New Delhi on Monday in a bid to repair strained ties that saw the president of the Indian Ocean archipelago forging closer relations with China.
After the talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will offer financial support to the cash-strapped Maldives in form of a $100-million treasury bills rollover. The countries also signed a $400-million currency swap agreement.
The two leaders virtually inaugurated a new international airport in the Maldives, and Modi announced that work will be accelerated on the India-assisted Greater Male Connectivity Project, which aims to link key islands of the Maldives through modern transport networks.
“India is Maldives’ nearest neighbour and a close friend,” Modi said during a joint news conference. He said the Maldives held an important position in India's “neighbourhood first policy.”
Tensions between India and the Maldives have grown since President Mohamed Muizzu, who favors closer ties with China, was elected last year after defeating India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Leading up to the election, Muizzu had promised to expel Indian soldiers deployed in the Maldives to help with humanitarian assistance. In May, New Delhi replaced dozens of its soldiers with civilian experts.
In January, Maldivian leaders lashed out at Modi for promoting India’s Lakshadweep archipelago for Indian travelers. Lakshadweep is off the southwestern coast of the Indian mainland.
Maldivians saw the move as a way to lure Indian tourists away from their country. It sparked angry protests from Indian celebrities who called for a tourism boycott to the Maldives. Tourism is the mainstay of the Maldives’ economy.
The dispute deepened when Muizzu visited China ahead of India in January, a move seen by New Delhi as a snub. On his return, Muizzu spelled out plans to rid his tiny nation of dependence on India for health facilities, medicines and import of staples.
A thaw ensued after Muizzu attended Modi’s June swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi for a third five-year term. Since then, Muizzu has toned down his anti-Indian rhetoric, and official-level contacts have intensified with New Delhi as concerns rose that the Maldives could be staring at an economic crisis.
“India is a key partner in the socio-economic and infrastructure development of the Maldives and has stood by the Maldives during our times of need,” Muizzu said after the meeting. He said the currency swap agreement “will be instrumental in addressing the foreign exchange issues we are facing right now.”
Muizzu will also hold meetings with senior Indian officials during his five-day visit.
Regional powers India and China compete for influence in the archipelago nation, which is strategically located in the Indian Ocean.
For decades, India has been a critical provider of development assistance to the Maldives. Meanwhile, the Maldives joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative to build ports and highways and expand trade as well as China’s influence across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Muizzu’s visit is essential for Modi, who is facing a challenging time in neighborhood diplomacy with Marxist politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake taking over as Sri Lanka’s president and India-friendly Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India in August after being forced to resign by students-led protests. Nepal also elected pro-China K.P. Sharma Oli as its prime minister.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu along with First Lady of Maldives Sajidha Mohamed pay tributes at Rajghat, a Mahatma Gandhi memorial, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, walks with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu before their delegation level meeting in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo)
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu , second from left, along with First Lady of Maldives Sajidha Mohamed left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, and Indian President Droupadi Murmu, second from right stand during a ceremonial reception for Muizzu at the Indian presidential palace, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu shake hands before their delegation level meeting in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.(AP Photo)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, shakes hand with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, second from left, as Indian President Droupadi Murmu, second from right, shakes hand with First Lady of Maldives Sajidha Mohamed during a ceremonial reception for Muizzu at the Indian presidential palace, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, walks with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu before their delegation level meeting in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, walks with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu before their delegation level meeting in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.(AP Photo)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, along with Indian President Droupadi Murmu, left, greets Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, second from right, and First Lady of Maldives Sajidha Mohamed during a ceremonial reception for Muizzu at the Indian presidential palace, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.(AP Photo)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu shake hands before their delegation level meeting in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo)
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, second from left, along with with First Lady of Maldives Sajidha Mohamed left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, and Indian President Droupadi Murmu, second from right stand walk during a ceremonial reception for Muizzu at the Indian presidential palace, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo)
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu , second from left, along with with First Lady of Maldives Sajidha Mohamed left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, and Indian President Droupadi Murmu, second from right stand during a ceremonial reception for Muizzu at the Indian presidential palace, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo)
