NFL 2011–Week 13 Recap

From Buffalo Wild Wings Sportsbar in South Florida, I watch the Raiders play the Dolphins knowing I am definitely in the minority. I am a Jewish Republican Raider fan, a triple minority today.

Enough waxing poetic. Time for the NFL 2011 Week 13 Recap.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Seattle Seahawks was the Thursday night game. Years ago this would have been the Walrus Bowl but Mike Holmgren is now in Cleveland, leaving only Walrus Lite Andy Reid in Philly. What else can one say about a pair of 4-7 teams given a primetime Thursday night game? Flex scheduling does not exist, leaving viewers stuck with it. Both of these teams were division champs lat year although Seattle was only 7-9. Philly was expected to be an elite team this year and have collapsed. Vince Young again filled in for Michael Vick.

After a Seattle punt, Philly took over and Vince Young needed one play to throw a pass to Chancellor, who plays defense for Seattle. Seattle took over at their own 40. Tarvaris Jackson immediately hit Jackson for 19 yards and Obomanu for 26 more. Marshawn Lynch ran for a 15 yard touchdown as the Seahawks quickly led 7-0.

Near the end of the first quarter Seattle took over at their own 12. On 2nd and 2 Lynch gained 16. On 3rd and 7 at the Seattle 39, Jackson hit Baldwin for 21 as he opening quarter ended. On the first play of the second quarter Lynch broke free again for a 40 yard touchdown to have the Seahawks up 14-0.

Philly took over at their own 29. Young hit Riley Cooper for 16. From midfield, Young went deep to Cooper for a 47 yard gain. McCoy took it in from the one to have the Eagles within 14-7. The game slowed, and at the 2 minute warning the Seahawks took over at their own 35. Jackson went deep to Zach Miller for a 28 yard gain. Steve Hauschka kicked a 49 yard field goal at the end of the half to give the Seahawks the 17-7 lead.

In the third quarter the Eagles took over at their own 25 and Young led them to a 3rd and 10 at the Seattle 37. Young then went deep and found Browner. Browner also plays defense for Seattle, and he returned the interception 5 yards to the Philly 30. Lynch gained 9, 5, and after a sack, 11. On 3rd and 5 from the 11, Jackson hit Golden Tate to have the Seahawks up 24-7.

Normally Andy Reid would be pleased with Young leading a staggering 17 play, 80 yard drive that took over 10 minutes off of the clock. However, such fantastic ball control does little good when down by 3 scores. Nevertheless, a 2 yard touchdown to McCoy with 13 minutes left in regulation had the Eagles within 24-14.

Philly got the ball back with 8 minutes left at their own 11, and Young led them to the Seattle 22. Young then found Hawthorne for another touchdown. Hawthorne also plays defense for Seattle, and his 77 yard interception return turned out the lights with 4 1/2 minutes left. Seattle is 5-7 while Andy Reid is on the hot seat as his dream team is all but mathematically eliminated form contention. Jeffrey Lurie has to decide whether to blow up the team or consider this lost season an aberration in an otherwise solid Andy Reid era. 31-14 Seahawks

Tennessee Titans @ Buffalo Bills–The 1999 season saw these teams play in the Adelphia Miracle game as home run throwback crushed Buffalo. 12 years later and these teams are just fighting to stay in the playoff hunt as they cling to life at 5-6. Buffalo quickly went 3 and out and a 23 yard punt return by Mairana had the Titans starting at the Buffalo 44. Rob Bironas would hit a 48 yard field goal to have the Titans up 3-0.

After a touchback Buffalo faced 3rd and 1 at their own 29. Tashard Choice gained 2. On 3rd and 11 Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Nelson for 14 and Brad Smith for 21 to the Tennessee 35. CJ Spiller got the carry and raced 30 yards to the 5, where he was hit and fumbled the ball out of the end zone for a touchback. Yet the play was challenged and it was ruled that Spiller regained possession before going out of bounds, making it a touchdown and a 7-3 Bills lead.

Tennessee struck right back from their own 25. Chris Johnson gained 11 and Matt Hasselbeck hit Williams for 16 more. Johnson then took a handoff and raced 48 yards for the touchdown to have the Titans back in front 10-7. Buffalo would reach a 4th and 3 at the Titans 34, and Chan Gailey decided to go for it. Fitzpatrick got stopped and fumbled, and the Titans took over at their own 43.

Johnson gained 3 and then 19 as the second quarter began with the Titans facing 2nd and 6 from the Buffalo 31. After an offsides, Hasseleck hit Williams for 10, Hall ran for 12, and Johnson took it 4 yards for the score to have the Titans up 17-7. After a touchback the Bills moved down the field with a 25 yard Spiller run leading the way. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the 10, a short pass gained only one yard. Buffalo settled for a 27 yard Dave Rayner field goal to complete the 7 minute drive and trail 17-10.

Tennessee began the third quarter by going 3 and out, setting up Buffalo at their own 41. Fitzpatrick found Chandler for a 22 yard gain, but Chandler was hit and fumbled to kill the drive. From the Titans 37, Johnson ran for 9 and 6. Hasselbeck ten hit Graham for a 21 yard gain. On 4th and 1 from the 18 Mike Munchak decided to go for it. Hall gained 2. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the 14, a short pass left 4th and 3 at the 9. Rob Bironas hit the 27 yarder to have the Titans up 20-10.

The Titans began the fourth quarter at their own 17, and on 3rd and 8 Hasselbeck hit Nate Washington for 12. Ringer gained 7 and Johnson picked up 14 more. On 3rd and 10 from the Bufalo 48, Hasselbeck hit Williams for 18. Ringer gained another 11, but from the 18 Chris Johnson was tackled in the backfield for a 5 yard loss. 13 plays and 6 1/2 minutes meant only a 44 yard Bironas field goal as the Titans led 23-10 with 9 minutes left in regulation.

After a touchback, facing 3rd and 2 from the 28, Fitzpatrick hit Nelson for 17. On 3rd and 10 from the Buffalo 45, Fitzpatrick hit Brad Smith for 13 and Stevie St Johnson for 22 more down to the 20. On 3rd and 1 from the 11 Fitzpatrick got nothing, and going for it was a must. On 4th and 1 Choice got 3. On 3rd and goal at the 2 Fitzpatrick threw incomplete. On 4th and goal Fitzpatrick found St Johnson for the score. The Bills were within 6 and 3 minutes still remained.

The Bills used their timeouts and held, and got the ball back at their own 15 with one minute left. A 6 yarder to Smith and a 25 yard completion to Roosevelt allowed Fitzpatrick to spike the ball and stop the clock with 26 seconds to play. Yet from the Buffalo 46, it was 3 straight incompletions as the this time the Titans held. Chan Gailey knows that Buffalo is all but finished at 5-7 while the Titans at 7-5 are very much alive in the playoff hunt and even have an outside shot at the division as Mike Munchak has seen the Hasselbeck resurgence keep them alive. 23-17 Titans

Kansas City Chiefs @ Chicago Bears–Tyler Palko vs Caleb Hanie is not what the league expected, but with Matt Cassel and Jay Cutler out for the season, that is what we get. Kyle Orton is in Kansas City but for some reason will not be starting against his former team. Chicago at 7-4 has to hold serve at home to have a shot at the playoffs. For 29 minutes and 59 seconds, this was a hideous football game as only a 32 yard Robbie Gould field goal in the second quarter had the Bears up 3-0. With 4 minutes left in the half the Chiefs were at their own 13, and on the last play of the half they were at the Chicago 38. Todd Haley decided against the 55 yard field goal and had Tyler Palko throw the Hail Mary. Brian Urlacher knocked it down…right into the waiting arms of Dexter McCluster. A shocked Lovie Smith and entire Bears crowd saw one miracle put the Chiefs up 7-3 at halftime.

As awful as the first half was, the second half was even worse. The Chiefs need 16 plays to get to their Hail Mary, and in the third quarter they needed 15 plays and 7 minutes to go 86 yards as Palko got them from their 11 to 4th and goal at the Chicago 3. Ryan Succop hit from 21 to have the Chiefs up by 7. In the fourth quarter Caleb Hanie quickly led the Bears from their 41 to 1st and 10 at the 13 with 4 minutes left in regulation. Another miracle deflection made the difference. Hanie hit Williams near the goal line with a perfect pass. It bounced out of his hands, was batted around like in the tip drill, and intercepted in the end zone by a diving McGraw. The Ineptitude Bowl between Palko and Hanie ended with the Chiefs getting to 5-7 and the Bears falling to 7-5. May this game never be replayed ever again. 10-3 Chiefs

Atlanta Falcons @ Houston Texans–The 7-4 Falcons and 8-3 Texans are in the thick of things but a loss changes the dynamics quickly. At this moment, Houston is actually tied for the best record in the AFC, and they would have the top seed and home field throughout the playoffs if the season ended today. It does not. No Matt Schaub or Matt Leinart means TJ Yates gets his first ever NFL start.

Defense ruled early. After a punt, from the Atlanta 24, Matt Ryan was intercepted. Houston took over at their own 35. Houston would eventuall have 3rd and 8 at the Atlanta 15. TJ Yates was sacked, resulting in a fumble that Sanders returned for 90 yards and a touchdown. Yet this was not Deion Sanders, and the score did not count as offsetting penalties just gave the Falcons the ball at their own 35. Ryan would get intercepted again, giving the Texans the ball at the Atlanta 40. On 4th and 1 from the Atlanta 21 Gary Kubiak decided to go for it. Yet a false start killed the chance and the Texans settled for a 43 yard Neil Rackers field goal to lead 3-0.

The Texans began the second quarter at their own 20. On 3rd and 12 from their 18, TJ Yates found Arriun Foster for 28 yards. On the next play Yates went deep to Andre Johnson for a 50 yard gain down to the 4. On 3rd and goal from the 3, Yates hit Joel Dreesen for the score as the Texans led 10-0.

Atlanta took over at their own 20 and Ryan hit Tony Gonzalez for 17 . On 3rd and 1 just past midfield Michael Turner gained 16. Ryan then found Gonzalez for a 16 yard gain. Yet with 5 minutes left in the half, 3rd and goal at the 1 saw Ryan throw incomplete. On 4th and goal at the 1, riverboat gambler Mike Smith went back to being average non-descript white guy Mike Smith, as he opted or the field goal. Matt Bryant hit the 19 yarder to get Atlanta within 10-3.

Houston would punt in the third quarter, and Ryan led the Falcons from 1st and 20 at their own 10 to a 4th and 3 at the Houston 34. Mike Smith decided to go for it and Ryan threw incomplete. Foster gained 9 and 18, which was enough for Neil Rackers to try a 54 yard field goal. It was no good. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 46, Ryan hit Gonzalez for 18. On 3rd and 4 from the Houston 30, Ryan went to Julio Jones for 26 yards and then found Roddy White for the 4 yard touchdown to tie the game 10-10 late in the third quarter.

Houston took over and soon faced 2nd and 15 at their own 10. Yates threw incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant 1st and 10 at the 18. On 3rd and 1 Foster gained 7 as the third quarter ended. On 2nd and 12 from the 32, Yates was intercepted, and Peterson returned it for a 31 yard touchdown. Before the Falcons could celebrate, defensive holding on Dunta Robinson nullified the score. On 3rd and 4 from the Houston 43, Yates hit Walter for 12. On 3rd and 9 from the Atlanta 30 and the Falcons smelling pass, Foster ran for 12.  On 3rd and 9 from the 17, Yates scrambled for 8. On 4th and 1 from the 9 in a tie game midway through the fourth quarter, Gary Kubiak decided to go for it. Foster gained 7, picked up one more, and got the final yard to break the tie. The ridiculous 19 play…yes 19 play…drive took over 10 1/2 minutes and 85 yards and had the Texans up 17-10 with 6 minutes left in regulation.

Ryan calmly led the Falcons from their 20 to a 3rd and 1 at the Houston 20 with 2 1/2 minutes to play. Ryan threw incomplete, and on 4th and 1 a costly false start now meant 4th and 6. Ryan threw incomplete again. The Falcons held on defense and used their timeouts, getting one more shot with one minute left from their 33. With 35 seconds left Atlanta was already at the Houston 25 as Matty Ice spiked the ball to stop the clock. Yet several incomplete passes left 3rd and 15 from the 30 with one tick left. Ryan went deep, and it was incomplete. Of course Ryan had a much better game than Yates, but the Texans gutted out another win as Yates got his very first win. Atlanta at 7-5 sees their division slipping away while the 9-3 Texans somehow are still the top AFC seed. Everyone expects them to fall, but they showed a ton of heart today. 17-10 Texans

Oakland Raiders @ Miami Dolphins–For more on the game of the day go to http://www.justblogbaby.com Miami began 0-7 but came within a field goal on the last play of winning 4 straight since then. Tony Sparano has Miami fighting hard. As for the 7-4 Raiders, with all of their injuries the last thing Hue Jackson needed was another distraction, but Rolando McClain getting arrested on a weapon’s charge did not help matters. Yes the Raiders used to win with felons, but the Sea of Hands game was 37 years ago and these Raiders are not good enough to overcome losing players at critical junctures.

On offense the Raiders were still without McFadden but on defense McClain did play. After a touchback Oakland went 3 and out as Palmer threw to nobody on 3rd and 2. Miami took over on their own 30. Despite dating a Kardashian, Reggie Bush somehow managed 100 yards on the day. He began by gaining 15. On 2nd and 15 from the Miami 40, Matt Moore found Athony Fasano for 22. On 3rd and 6 a pass to Marshall came up 2 yards short. Dan Carpenter hit the 48 yard field goal as the Dolphins led 3-0.

The Raiders went 3 and out and Miami took over at their own 25. On 3rd and 9 Moore found Bess for 12 yards. Reggie Bush then gained 29 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Oakland 30, Moore threw incomplete. Yet an illegal contact penalty on Sheppard killed the Raiders and kept the drive going. Miami reached 1st and 10 at the 11, before a pass lsot 8 yards and offensive holding meant 3rd and 28 from the 29. Tony Sparano played it safe and Moore got half of it on the ground. Carpenter hit the 33 yarder as the Raiders led 6-0. The defense was keeping Oakland in it, but the offense was non-existent.

Oakland took over after a touchback, and soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 34. Carson Palmer found Darrius Heyward-Bey for 14 as the Raiders began the second quarter at their own 48. Back to back holding penalties meant 2nd and 30, and the safe running play gained only one yard. On 3rd and 29 from their 29, Palmer was intercepted. Yet luckily defensive holding meant an automatic first down. The Raiders were given a gift and did nothing with it. On 3rd and 9 Palmer was sacked for an 8 yard loss as the Raiders punted again.

Miami took over at their own 37 and made it look easy. On 2nd and 8 Moore went deep to Fasano again for a 28 yard gain, and went to him again for 10 more. Reggie Bush gained 11 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the 12, this time the Silver and Black defense that had bent finally broke. Moore hit Bess for the score as the Dolphins led 13-0 with 8 1/2 minutes left in the half. Both defenses clamped own hard as the Dolphin led 13-0 at halftime. The defense was keeping the Raiders in the game, but no Darren McFadden, Jacoby Ford or Denarius Moore meant no offense. Hue Jackson does not offer excuses, but relying on Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler is not a strategy for winning games.

Within one minute of the second half starting, the game was all but over. Gates returned the kickoff 77 yards to the Miami 25. A defensive pass interference penalty on Stanford Routt put the ball on the one. Bush took it in to have Miami up 20-0. After a touchback Oakland would gain one 1st down before 3 straight incompletions by Palmer meant another punt. Lechler did his job, pinning Miami at their own 9. It didn’t matter.

On 3rd and 7 from the 12, Moore went deep to Marshall for a 38 yard gain to midfield. On 3rd and 1, Hilliard gained 3. On 3rd and 1 from the Oakland 29, Hilliard gained 4. The Raiders were clearly being dominated, and on the next play Richard Seymour was ejected for throwing a forearm. He is supposed to be a team leader. Matt Moore would take it in from 6 yards out as the 13 play, 91 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the Dolphins up 27-0. After a touchback, the worst play of the season happened. Palmer threw to Louis Murphy for what should have been a first down. It bounced out of his hands and was intercepted by Burnett. There were plenty of chances to tackle him, but the Raiders looked like they did not care. Burnett went 34 yards for the score. The Dolphins led 34-0, but this was not about the score. The Raiders looked like they had quit.

The Raiders avoided the shutout as Palmer went deep to TJ Houshmanzadeh for a 40 yard touchdown to make it 34-7 with 8 minutes left. He then threw a 38 yarder to Marcel Reese to set up a 3 yard touchdown to Heyward-Bey with 3 1/2 minutes left. It was beyond too little, too late. Matt Moore finished only 13 of 25 for 162 yards and one touchdown with 0 interceptions. Palmer ws 20 of 41 for 272 and 2 touchdown with the one freak interception that was totally not his fault. Yet most of the yards came in garbage time, which was the entire second half. Michael Bush had a miserable game, with 10 carries for 18…yes 18…yards. The Raiders were not playing the 2000 Ravens defense, but it sure felt like it.

Miami is 4-1 since their awful beginning, and the Raiders slipped to 7-5. Their division lead is now gone and they are tied for first place. All they have to do next week is play on the road against undefeated Green Bay. Perhaps this is better than playing an angry 11-1 Green Bay, but the Raiders cannot win with backups anymore, even good ones. Their stars have to get healthy now if they are to win the division and make the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Hue Jackson has a big challenge ahead, and it starts with Seymour and McClain getting their act together on and off the field respectively. This was not a loss. It was an outright humiliation. 34-14 Dolphins

Denver Broncos @ Minnesota Vikings–Denver at 6-5 is in the playoff hunt and Tebowmania has taken over. Minnesota at 2-9 has packed it in, and Leslie Frazier just released Donovan McNabb. Yet early on it was Minnesota punter Kluwe who provided the action, pinning the Broncos at their own 1. On the next play Willis McGahee was tackled in the end zone for a safety as the Vikings led 2-0.

Minnesota took the free kick and Christian Ponder moved the Vikings from their own 35 to a 1st and goal at the 9. Yet on 3rd and goal from the 8, Ponder was sacked and fumbled as the Vikings wasted the opportunity. Denver took over at midfield but only gained 8 yards and punted. Minnesota took over at their own 7. From the 9, Ponder was intercepted by Haggan, who returned it for a 16 yard touchdown to have the Broncos up 7-2. The Vikings received another gift when McGahee fumbled and the Vikings took over at the Denver 36. Yet all Minnesota could muster was a 40 yard Ryan Longwell field goal to get within 7-5.

With 9 1/2 minutes left in the half the Vikings were pinned with 2nd and 12 at their own 2. Ponder went to Armonashodu for 20. On 3rd and 7 from the 25 Ponder went back to Aromashodu for 14 more. With 5 minutes left in the half the Vikings faced 3rd and 16 at their own 47, and Ponder yet again went to Aromashodu for 18. From the Denver 35, Toby Gerhart gained 16 and Ponder went to Rudolph for the 19 yard touchdown. The 96 yard, 12 play,  minute drive had the Vikings up 12-7 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half.

With 47 seconds left in the half, Denver faced 2nd and 2 at their own 28. Tebow was sacked and fumbled. Minnesota took over at the Denver 21 with 39 seconds left. On 1st and goal at the 6 with 8 seconds left, Ponder threw incomplete. Leslie Frazier took no chances as Ryan Longwell hit the 25 yarder to have the Vikings up 15-7 at halftime. Tebow completed only 4 passes in the first half, but as usual, the second half was a different story.

From the Denver 22 to start the third quarter, Tebow hit Eric Decker for 17. McGahee ran for 11, 14 and 9. On 3rd and 1 from the 27, Ball gained 5. On 3rd and 9 from the 21, Tebow went to Thomas for the touchdown. Jon Fox must have remembered those 3 failed 2 point conversion tries in the Super Bowl so he now knows you don’t go for 2 until you absolutely have to. The extra point had Denver within 15-14.

After an exchange of punts, the Vikings took over at their own 15. Booker gained 6, Harvin gained 13 more, and Gerhart another 14. On 3rd and 10 from the Minnesota 48, Ponder went short to Harvin, and the speedster did the rest, racing 52 yards for a touchdown as the Vikings led 22-14. In the blink of an eye Denver was on the board again as a 63 yard kickoff return by Cosby was followed by Tebow going to Thomas for a 41 yard touchdown. Again Jon Fox opted against the 2 point conversion as Denver was within 22-21.

With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation after an exchange of punts, Minnesota took over at their own 23 in a game where both defenses had pretty much take the day off. Defensive pass interference moved the ball 13 yards, and Gerhart then ran for 9 and 7. From the Denver 48, Christian Ponder found Harvin, who again torched the Denver secondary for a 48 yard touchdown as the Vikings led 29-21 with 9 1/2 minutes left. After a couple of blinks, Cosby returned the ensuing kickoff 28 yards to the Denver 34. Tebow then went deep to Thomas for a 42 yard gain. One play later McGahee ran for the 24 yard touchdown. Now with 9 minutes left it was time for the 2 point conversion. The whole world knew Tebow would take it himself, and it didn’t matter. He got in easily as the game was tied 29-29.

After a touchback, Ponder continued moving the Vikings with ease. He hit Gerhart for 8 and Harvin for 11. On 3rd and 7 from the Minnesota 42, Ponder ran for 12. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 43, Ponder hit Burton for 17. Yet with 1st and 10 from the 20 with 4 minutes left, rather than run down some clock or force Denver to use timeouts, Frazier had Ponder keep throwing. A pair of incompletions and short sack meant Longwell would have a 39 yard try. He made it, but after 13 plays and 6 minutes, Minnesota only led 32-29 with 3 minutes left in regulation. The entire world knew how this was going to end.

After a touchback, Tebow hit Willis for 12 and then went deep to Thomas for a 40 yard gain. The entire world knew how this was going to end. Tebow actually threw a pair of incompletions, but Matt Prater came in for a 46 yard try to tie the game. The kick was good and the game was 32-32.

Minnesota had the ball after a touchback with 1:33 to play, and Ponder had played well all game. Yet one play from scrimmage meant a short pass that was intercepted by Goodman. Goodman returned it 20 yards to the Minnesota 15. The entire world knew how this was going to end. Minnesota took a couple timeouts and Ball gained 11 to make it 1st and goal at the 4. The Vikings had one timeout left and Leslie Frazier felt it would be better to bring it to the locker room rather than use it. Even letting Denver score a touchdown would have made sense, but instead, the clock wound down to 2 seconds and Prater came in for a 23 yarder. Again, the entire world knew how this game was going to end.

Perhaps a fumbled snap or a block? No. The kick was good and the Broncos had another miracle win. They are 6-1 under Tebow, and 7-5 overall, now tied for the division lead. Even without Adrian Peterson, Minnesota moved at will. Ponder was 29 of 47 for 381 yards and 3 touchdowns, but also with 2 costly interceptions. Tebow was 10 of 15 for 202 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. The Tebow haters point to his pathetic numbers, and some are getting tired of hearing that Jesus is rooting for Denver. Yet the Minnesota quarterback is named Christian, providing more confusion. Tebow blesses God, but is quite humble despite desperate attempts to make him holier than thou. Either way, he sure is exciting. 35-32 Broncos

Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots–This is the annual AFC Title Game preview and mini-Sper Bowl. Yet this year due to Peyton Manning being injured, the Colts are 0-11 and at the 8-3 Patriots. All of the epic history between these teams over the last decade will not save this mismatch. With Kerry Collins also out for the year, Jim Caldwell benched Curtis Painter and inserted Dan Orlovsky, who was on the 2008 winless Detroit squad. All he had to do was battle Bill Bellichick and Tom Brady.

After Indy punted, New England took over at their own 45. On 3rd and 1 Brady gained 2 and then hit Wes Welker for 15 more. On 3rd and 2 from the 21 the Indy defense corraled Brady as the Patriot settled for a 39 yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal and a 3-0 lead.

Indy took over at their own 20 and Orlovsky simply kept the Patriots off the field. The Colts ran 19…yes 19…plays…They held the ball for almost 10 1/2 minutes. The second quarter began with the Colts facing 1st and goal at the 1. Joseph Addai got stopped and Orlovsky threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal at the 1, a critical false start was followed by a sack. A 31 yard Adam Vinatieri field goal tied the game 3-3.

After an exchange of punts, New England took over at their own 14. On 3rd and 5 Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for 7. Brady went back to Gronkowski for 16 more as the Patriots soon faced 3r and 6 at midfield. Brady went to Deion Branch for 7. On 3rd and 8 from the Colts 41, Brady found Chad Johnson for 12. On 3rd and 15 from the Indy 34, Brady hit Wes Welker for 18. Brady would find Gronkowski for the 11 yard touchdown as the Patriots 16 play, 86 yard drive took 6 1/2 minutes. With 3 minutes left in the half the Patriots led 10-3.

The Colts punted as the Patriots took over at their own 36 with 1:34 left in the half. What happened next was no surprise. Brady went to Welker for 17, Branch for 13, Kevin Faulk for 12, and underwood for 10. Green-Ellis took it in from a yard out with 13 seconds left in the half as the Patriots broke it open to lead 17-3.

New England took over to start the third quarter at their own 23 and in their typical fashion looked to put the game away. Brady hit Branch for 17 and Welker for 16. Brady would throw a 21 yard touchdown to Gronkowski as Bellichick and Brady kept their foot on the accelerator to lead 24-3.

The Colts moved fro their own 15 to a critical 3rd and 2 just shy of midfield. Carter gained 10 yards, but then fumbled it away, giving the Patriots the ball on their own 34. New England does not leave wounded animals living. Ridley gained 8 and 4, and Brady went to Hernandez for 23 and 5 more. From the Indy 26, Brady ran for 6, Ridley picked up 8 more, and Brady threw to Gronkowski for 9. Gronkowski took it in from the 2 to have the Patriots winning the expected laugher 31-3.

Dan Orlovsky and the Colts are 0-11, but they are still fighting hard for Jim Caldwell. Despite being down by 28, Orlovsky tried to pull off a miracle comeback. From the Colts 14, he led a 15 play, 86 yard drive that ended when Donald Brown ran it in from 5 yards out. Yet the drive took 9 minutes, and ball control is not the best strategy when needing 4 touchdowns. With 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Colts were down 31-10, as there seemed very little reason for concern in New England

New England would punt, and Orlovsky quickly moved the Colts from their 24 to the Partiots 46. Yet he was then intercepted with 7 minutes left ending any hopes of a comeback. Yet New England from their 44 went 3 and out and the Colts took over at their own 7 with 6 1/2 minutes left.

On 3rd and 5 Orlovsky hit Austin Collie for 23. On 3rd and 2 from the Patriots 46, Orlovsky found Collie for 9. On 3rd and 6 from the 33 Orlovsky went deep to Pierre Garcon for the touchdown. The Colts were within 31-17 with only 2:18 to play. The onsides kick failed and the Patriots took over at their own 47. The Colts had their timeouts and again the Patriot went 3 and out. Another good punt had the Colts at their own 10 with 1:43 left.

Orlovsky hit Reggie Wayne for 15 Collie for 12, and Jacob Tamme for 11. From the Indy 48 Orlovsky went deep to Garcon for a 40 yard gain. and then back to Garcon for the 12 yard touchdown. Only 40 seconds remained, and the Colts were one successful onsides kick away from potentially tying the game.

The onsides kick failed, and the Patriots defense breathed a sigh of relief. Orlovsky would finish a blistering 30 of 37 for 353 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception. Brady was 29 of 38 for 289 yards for 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Some will lament what if Manning had played. Last year Indy trailed 31-14, Manning ked a 4th quarter rally, and down 31-28, Manning was intercepted. So the results were about the same. Yet this year there will be no AFC Title Game rematch as New England is 9-3 but the Colts are a woeful 0-12. If anybody desperately wants a win, it is Orlovsky. 31-24 Patriots.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers–Cincy is 7-4 and Pittsburgh is 8-3, but the Bengals have lost to Pittsburgh at home and at Baltimore, proving they are paper tigers. They barely beat Cleveland las week. Marvin Lewis has an improved team, but Mike Tomlin has a very good team bordering on great. Early on the Bengals hung tough, but after a scoreless first quarter reality set in.

Pittsburgh took over at their own 13 Ben Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward for 5 and Redman gained 7. Roethlisberger hit Saunders for 14 and Brown for 15 more as the Steelers began the second quarter at the Cincy 15. Redmain gained 9, 1 and 2 and Rashard Mendenhall got the 3 yard touchdown to have the Steelers up 7-0. Pittsburgh got it back at their own 35 and Big Ben instantly went deep. A 45 yard pass interference penalty was followed by Mendenhall running for 15 and then the 5 yard touchdown to have the Steelers up 14-0. Cincy then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving the Steelers the ball at the Bengals 23. Brown ran for 9 and Roethlisberger threw a 12 yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace as the Steelers rolled to a 21-0 lead.

After a touchback Andy Dalton finally got going after seeing Pittsburgh score 3 touchdowns in 6 1/2 minutes. From the Cincy 30, Dalton hit Gresham for 20 to midfield. Cedric Benson gained 8 and Green picked up 15 more. On 3rd and 10 from the 27 Dalton hit AJ Green for 14 and again for 11 yard touchdown to get the Bengals within 21-7 with 4 minutes left in the half.

Cincy got it back with 1:48 left in the half at their own 13. 3 plays lost 5 yards and a punt was taken by Brown at the Pittsburgh 40. Brown returned it for a 60 yard touchdown for the fourth Pittsburgh touchdown of the quarter as the Steelers led 28-7 at halftime.

An uneventful second half simply separated the men from the boys. In the third quarter Roethlisberger moved the Steelers from their own 7. Mendehall ran for 13, and from the Pittsburgh 44, Redman gained 27. A facemask penalty would lead to a 19 yard touchdown pass from Big Ben to Mike Wallace to complete the scoring. The Bengals are 7-5 but have lost 3 of 4, all in the division. They are improved but still pretenders, while Pittsburgh at 9-3 is still battling with Baltimore for the division crown. Marvin Lewis has an improved team, but Mike Tomlin has a veteran battle tested team. 35-7 Steelers

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers–Yes Cam Newton is exciting, but a pair of bad teams often makes for a bad game. Carolina took over at their own 17. Deangelo Williams ran for 9 and Stewart added 19 more. Newton then hit Greg Olsen for 21. Stewart took an end around 31 yards and Newton ran it in from one yard out as 83 yards came easily to put the Panthers up 7-0.

Tampa punted and Carolina got it back in excellent field position at the Bucs 43. Newton hit Smith for 9, and on 4th and 2 from the Tampa 35, Ron Rivera decided to go for it. Newton ran for 6, and on the next play Rivera went to the bag of tricks. Newton tossed a lateral to Legadu Naanee, who tossed it back to Newton for a 27 yard gain down to the 2. On 3rd and goal at the 1 Newton threw incomplete, but defensive holding meant 1st and goal. Stewart took it in to have the Panthers up 14-0.

Tampa Bay took over at their own 27 and on 3rd and 9 Johnson went deep to Benn for a 38 yard gain. That was enough for a 50 yard Connor Barth field goal to get the Bucs within 14-3. The second quarter began with the Bucs getting it back after a punt at the Carolina 47. Tampa reached a 3rd and 2 at the Carolina 17 when an end around by Benn was blown up in the backfield for a 12 yard loss. Barth hit from 47 to get the Bucs within 14-6.

After a touchback the Panthers faced 2nd and 6 from their 24. Newton hit Jeremy Shockey for 26 to midfield. On 3rd and 8 from the Tampa 43 Newton ran for 22. On 3rd and 8 from the 19 Newton went to the end zone to Naanee as the Panthers now led 21-6.

Tampa Bay soon faced 2nd and 8 at their own 27. Johnson went deep to Williams for a 42 yard gain. Again Tampa stalled and Barth connected from 46 to have the Bucs down 21-9. With 3:20 left in the half the Bucs got it back at their own 47. On 3rd and 5 Johnson scrambled for 14. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 26, Johnson threw incomplete. Raheem Morris again opted for the field goal as Barth hit his fourth one of the half from 44 to get the Buccaneers within 21-12 with one minute left in the half.

After a touchback, Newton quickly hit Stewart for 7 and 12. On 2nd and 5 from the Carolina 44, Newton went deep to Brad LaFell for 31 yards, setting up a 43 yard Olindo Mare field goal to have the Panthers up 24-12 at the break.

In the third quarter Johnson moved the Bucs from their own 20 to a 3rd and 8 at the Carolina 30. Yet Johnson was then intercepted by Keiser, giving the Panthers the ball at their own 39. Williams gained 4 and 6. Newton hit LaFell for 28 and then ran for 20. Newton took it 2 more yards and then the last yard to have the Panthers quickly up 31-12.

Late in the third quarter Carolina took over at their own 9. On 3rd and 1 Newton gained 2. On 3rd and 14 from the 16, an unnecessary roughness penalty on the defense gave the Panthers 1st and 10 at their own 31 as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 5 Newton threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 8 more yards. On 3rd and 14 from the Carolina 40 Newton hit Naanee for 19. Stewart gained 11 more to the Tampa 30. Newton hit Steve Smith for 23 and Williams ran it 7 yards down to the one. Newton took it in to complete the 15 play, 91 yard, 8 minute drive and make the game a blowout with Carolina up 38-12.

With Josh Freeman out with an injury this game and Josh Johnson leading the Bucs, only so much could be asked. Johnson would throw a 23 yard touchdown pass to Briscoe and a 34 yard punt return had the Bucs at the Carolina 29 with 4 minutes left. Yet on 4th and 3 from the 22 Johnson threw incomplete to end the lack of suspense. Tampa Bay kicked field goals and Carolina scored touchdowns, and that was the difference. 38-19 Panthers

New York Jets @ Washington Redskins–Mike Shanahan finally saw Washington snap a 6 game losing streak last week while Rex Ryan and all of his bluster can no longer hide that the Jets are only 6-5. A couple years ago the Jets were 4-7 and they came within 30 minutes of the Super Bowl. That was then.

Washington took over at their own 18 and Helu ran for 15 and then 3 more. Grossman hit Helu for an 8 yard gain and then went deep to Davis for a 30 yard completion to the Jets 14. Helu did the rest, running for 9, 3, and 2 to have the Redskins up 7-0 with ease.

The Jets then got down to the kind of football Rex Ryan likes as Gang Green took over at their own 26. On 3rd and 4 Mark Sanchez hit Santonio holmes for 5 and then again for 11. on 2nd and 11 from the Jets 47, Sanchez hit Ladanian Tomlinson for 16. Shon Green gained 4 and Sanchez hit Plaxico Burress for 7 more. On 4th and 1 from the 17 Rex Ryan decided to go for it, and Conner got the yard. On 3rd and 3 from the 9 Sanchez found Burress for 8. Greene got the final yard to complete the staggering 17 play, 74 yard drive that took 9 minutes off of the clock to tie the game 7-7.

The second quarter saw the defenses clamp down as Graham Gano hit a 33 yard field goal for the Redskins and Nick Folk answered for the Jets with a 45 yarder to tie the game 10-10. With one minute left the Redskins faced 4th and 21 at their own 39 and punted. Kerley fumbled the punt, and the Redskins recovered at the Jets 18. Yet on 2nd and goal from the 5, Grossman threw incomplete twice and the Redskins settled for a Gano field goal from 23 to take a 13-10 lead into the locker rooms.

The third quarter was defense and punts, as a field position game had the Jets starting at the Washington 47 with 9 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. On 3r and 1 Conner again got the tough yard. That was just enough for Folk to hit a 51 yard field goal to tie the game 13-13 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the period. After that the defenses and punters took over again.

With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation a 20 yard punt return had the Redskins starting at the Jets 31. Yet 3 plays netted only 3 yards. Gano hit the 46 yarder to give the Redskins the 16-13 lead with 8 minutes left in the game. Yet 52 minutes of defense and field goals was about to give way to an offensive explosion in the final 8 minutes.

Baker took the very short kickoff at his 20 and brought it back 29 yards. On 3rd and 4 Sanchez hit Greene for 10. On 2nd and 5 from the Washington 30, Sanchez went deep to Santonio Holmes for the touchdown as the Jets led 20-16 with 5 minutes left in the game. After a touchback, facing 3rd and 10, Rex Grossman was sacked for an 11 yard loss. Grossman also fumbled, and the Jets took over at the Redskins 9 with a chance to put the game away. Greene took the wildcat snap and ran it as the Jets led 27-16. Banks returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to the Washington 45, but the Redskins needed 2 scores in 3 1/2 minutes.

On 3rd and 10 Grossman hit Santana Moss for 11. On 3rd and 10 again Grosmman found Dante Stallworth for 14 to the Jets 30. Yet 2nd and 5 from the 25 was followed by a pair of incompletions. Mike Shanahan opted for the field goal. Gano hit from 43 at the 2 minute warning as the Redskins were within one score at 27-19.

The onsides kick failed, as the much criticized Antonio Cromartie took it at the Washington 47 and returned it 17 yards, with 5 more tacked on for a penalty. From the Washington 25, only one play was needed as Greene ran around the end for the touchdown. 3 touchdowns in a 6 minute span turned a defensive battle intoa  decisive win as Washington continued their losing ways and the Jets defiantly hung around in the playoff race with a 7-5 record. 34-19 Jets

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns–Baltimore seems to lose against bad teams on the road after big emotional wins against good teams. Jon Harbaugh just beat his brother in the Harbaugh Bowl last week, and now has to be careful not to overlook a Cleveland team looking to play the spoiler. As expected, the Ravens had a very tough time on the road with an inferior opponent.

Colt McCoy managed to move the Browns from their 20 to a 3rd and 2 at the Baltimore 39. McCoy then threw incomplete and Fritz Shurmur decided to punt, given the difficulty in the kicking game. At least they had a different long snapper, who was cut after a pair of tremendously bad snaps cost the Browns 2 games. Joe Flacco led the Ravens from their 14 to a 4th and 1 at the Cleveland 26. John Harbaugh decided to go for it, and Ray Rice got stuffed by the Dawg Pound.

After a punt, the Ravens took over at their own 39 and Ray Rice ran free for 7, 14, and 10. On 3rd and 10 from the Browns 30, Flacco hit Dickson for 9. Another 4th and 1 at the Cleveland 21 meant another decision by Harbaugh to go for it. This time Flacco gained 2. On 3rd and 1 from the 10, Rice got 2. Rice took it in from 6 yards out early in the second quarter to have the Ravens up 7-0. The Ravens got the ball back at their own 6 and Flacco led a long, brilliant drive that eventually came down to 4th and 6 at the Browns 16. After 6 1/2 minutes and 78 yards, Billy Cundiff missed from 34 yards out to keep the game dull.

Cleveland went nowhere, unlike Art Modell in 1995. Baltimore got it back at their own 21 with 2:39 left in the half. Flacco hit Dickson for a 25 yard gain, and Anquon Boldin for 12 more. The drive stalled, but with one minute left in the half Cundiff did connect from 41 as the Ravens took the 10-0 halftime lead.

Midway through the third quarter on 3rd and 10 from midfield, Flacco was sacked and fumbled. Now it was Cleveland with the ball at midfield. On 2nd and 17 from their own 43, McCoy went deep to Peyton Hillis for a 52 yard gain and 1st and goal at the 5. The Browns could get right back in it, but Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, and Haloti Ngata did what they do. 3 plays netted only 2 yards as a pair of McCoy incompletions meant 4th and goal at the 3. Phil Dawson actually got a good snap and hold and the 21 yard field goal was uneventful, getting the Browns within 10-3. Yet the defense that had held up through the first half quickly fell apart. From the Baltimore 27, Ray Rice broke free for a 67 yard gain down to the Cleveland 6. Ricky Williams gained 5 and then got the final yard as the Ravens led 17-3.

Any suspense, and let’s be honest, there was none, was ended in the fourth quarter. The Ravens have always been about defense, with some special teams thrown in. Lardarius Webb returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown to have the Browns up 24-3 and lead to the obligatory mention that Mike Holmgren remained a most unhappy walrus. Colt McCoy would lead the Browns to a 4th and 10 at the Ravens 22, and he actually connected with Moore for the touchdown. Yet with only 4 1/2 minutes left it was too little too late as the Ravens still led 24-10. The onsides kick failed, and the Ravens at 9-3 remain tied atop the division. They hold the division tiebreaker, and are also tied for the top conference record. 24-3 Ravens

Dallas Cowboys @ Arizona Cardinals–Dallas has won 4 straight for Jason Garrett to get to 7-4 and Tony Romo has looked very good. They play an Arizona team that can beat the Rams and virutally nobody else as Ken Whisenhunt struggles for answers and a healthy quarterback. Kevin Kolb did return, and his impact early on was minimal at best. A terrible football game saw Jay Feely kick a 48 yard field goal in the first quarter and Dan Bailey kick a 50 yarder in the second quarter as Dallas was locked in a surprisingly tough 3-3 game after 26 minutes.

Dallas Cowboys @ Arizona Cardinals–Dallas has won 4 straight for Jason Garrett to get to 7-4 and Tony Romo has looked very good. They play an Arizona team that can beat the Rams and virtually nobody else as Ken Whisenhunt struggles for answers and a healthy quarterback. Kevin Kolb did return, and his impact early on was minimal at best. A terrible football game saw Jay Feely kick a 48 yard field goal in the first quarter and Dan Bailey kick a 50 yarder in the second quarter as Dallas was locked in a surprisingly tough 3-3 game after 26 minutes.

The Cardinals had to then punt on 4th and 21 from their own 2. Leach returned the punt 14 yards to the Arizona 33. Tony Romo went deep to Jason Witten for a 28 yard gain, and on the next play Romo hit Dez Bryant for the 5 yard touchdown. That was the difference in the first half as Dallas led 10-3 at intermission.

The third quarter saw the Cardinals march from their own 21 to a 4th and goal at the 1. Ken Wisenhunt added to the excitement of this game by going for the field goal. A false start made things even more scintillating, yet Feely connected to have the Cardinals within 10-6. Tony Romo moved the Cowboys from their own 16 to the Arizona 17 before the inevitable sack meant yet another field goal try. Bailey hit from 37 to have the Cowboys up 13-6 after three quarters.

Arizona began the fourth quarter at their own 21 and Beanie wells gained 6. Kolb then went deep to Roberts for a 40 yard gain. Wells gained 7 more, and on 3rd and 3 from the Dallas 26, Kolb found Roberts for a 22 yard gain down to the 4. On the next play Wells ran it in as the game was tied 13-13 with 13 minutes left in regulation. The only unlucky people among all these 13s were the viewers.

With 4 minutes left in regulation Dallas faced 4th and 1 at the Arizona 44. Jason Garrett took no chances, and punted to play field position. McBriar pinned the Cardinals at their own 5. The 125 year history of the Cardinals meant they would most likely turn it over deep in their own territory, but they managed to gain 4 net positive yards before going 3 and out and punting. Dallas took over at their own 32 with 3 minutes left.

Romo hit Holley for 13 and Ogletree for 10. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 46, Romo got the yard. Yet even though Dallas had all 3 timeouts, 27 seconds burned off the clock to take it down to 1:15 left. A false start and a delay of game led to 2nd and 20 from the Dallas 45 with one minute left in what was dreadful clock management. Romo hit Bryant for 9 as the clock ticked down to 30 seconds. On 3rd and 11 from the Arizona 46, Romo hit Bryant for 15. There was plenty of time, and Dallas kept wasting it. By the time Romo spiked the ball, only 8 seconds remained. Rather than have 2 or even 3 more offensive plays, Garrett had to immediately bring in Bailey for a 49 yard field goal try. It was no good, as Dallas took their 2 remaining timeouts to the locker room. If ever a game deserved overtime, this was not it.

Arizona won the toss and after a touchback Kolb went to work. He hit Roberts for 14. Offensive holding soon meant 1st and 20, but on 2nd and 19 defensive pass interference by Terrence Newman gave the Cardinals new life. On 2nd and 7 from the Arizona 37, Kolb found Roberts for 16. A false start meant 1st and 15 at the Arizona 48. On the next play, a routine short pass to Larod Stephen-Howling was followed by several terrible attempts at tackling. Somehow Stephens-Howling ended up in the end zone for a 52 yard touchdown to shock the Cowboys.

Dallas saw it 4 game winning streak snapped to fall to 7-5. Arizona remains Arizona, but give Ken Whisenhunt and the guys credit. They hung around all game and got it done. Some will complain about the overtime rule because Tony Romo and the Cowboys never got a chance with the ball. Ridiculous. They did at the end of fourth quarter and blew it. Despite the loss, the Cowboys still maintained their one game lead in the division. 19-13 Cardinals, OT

Green Bay Packers @ New York Giants–Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers are trying to create a dynasty, and an 11-0 start is a good beginning. The Giants have lost 3 straight to fall to 6-5, one game out of the division lead. Tm Coughlin has seen his team swoon again late, and the defense was scorched by Drew Brees for 49 points last week. This week they face another challenge at a terrible time.

The Giants began at their own 21 and Eli Manning came out firing, hitting Ahmad Bradshaw for 7 yards. Bradshaw then gained 5. On 1st and 10 from the 33 Manning went deep and hit Beckum for a 67 yard touchdown in front of a shocked Packers team. Only 74 seconds had elapsed, and the Giants led 7-0. Green Bay did not get to 11-0 by getting rattled.

The teams would exchange punts, and Green bay took over at their own 36. On 2nd and 7 Aaron Rodgers went deep to Jordy Nelson for a 33 yard gain. On 2nd and 14 from the 32, Rodgers hit Greg Jennings for 18 and then Finley for the 12 yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7.

The Giants took over at their own 29. Manning hit Victor Cruz for 5 and then deep to Cruz for a 42 yard gain to the Green Bay 24. Yet on 2nd and 2, a short pass lost 4 yards and Manning threw incomplete and lost a challenge on the play Lawrence Tynes hit a 38 yard field goal as the Giants led 10-7 after the opening quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, the Giants had 1st and 10 at their own 39. Manning was intercepted by Clay Matthews, and his royal hairness returned it 38 yards for a touchdown to have the Packers up 14-10 and make Tom Coughlin a grumpy man whether or not he gets his Social Security on time.

The defenses and punters settled in, and with 8 minutes left in the half the Packers were pinned at their own 6. From the 10, Rodgers was intercepted by Blackburn, who returned it 9 yards to the 12. Manning immediately hit Hakeem Nicks for 11, and Big Blue football meant battering ram Brandon Jacobs would take it the final yard as the Giants led 17-14 midway through the second quarter. Again, the Packers did not get to 11-0 by getting rattled.

After a touchback, Rodgers hit Jennings for 9 and John Kuhn gained 5. Rodgers then hit Finley for 23. On 3rd and 10 from the Giants 43, Rodgers scrambled for 11 and then again for 13 at the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 5 from the 13, Rodgers hit Donald Driver for the touchdown as the Packers led 21-17 with 1:17 left in the half. From the Giants 48 with 32 seconds left in the half, Manning was intercepted again. From midfield Rodgers hit Saine for 22. Yet Mason Crosby missed the 43 yarder as the Packers only led 21-17 with a thrilled Tom Coughlin looking on.

The Packers began the third quarter after a touchback and a defensive pass interference penalty on Prince Amukamara moved the Packers to their own 42. Rodgers then hit Jennings for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Giants 40, Rodgers hit Driver for 7. Tom Couglin challenged the call and lost, leaving him naturally grumpy. On 3rd and 9 from the 20, Rodgers went to Jennings for the touchdown, leaving Coughlin even grumpier and putting the Packers up 28-17.

From the Giants 29, Manning quickly brought the Giants back. On the first play from scrimmage he went deep to Nicks for a 51 yard gain. On 2nd and 8 from the 18, Manning hit Nicks for 9. Manning would hit Nicks for the 4 yard touchdown as the Giants were back within 28-24.

Rodgers moved the Packers from their own 20 to midfield but no further. A perfect punt pinned the Giants back at their own 1. On 3rd and 6 from the 5, Manning hit Cruz for 12. Jacobs ran for 12 more as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 1 Jacobs gained 8. On 3rd and  7 just before midfield, Manning hit Ballard for 17. Yet on 3rd and 7 from the Green Bay 31, Manning threw incomplete. 14 plays, 6 1/2 minutes and 68 yards meant a 50 yard field goal try. Tynes nailed it, and with 11 minutes left in regulation the Giants trailed 28-27.

The defense would get a stop, but then the offense went 3 and out to give it back to the Packers at their own 43 with 7 minutes left. Rodgers hit Driver for 7 and Ryan Grant gained 8. On 2nd and 10 from the Giants 31, Rodgers hit Nelson for 21 Rodgers hit Driver for the 7 yard touchdown as the Packers led 35-27 with 3 1/2 minutes left. Yet in a game where the offense went wild, the pinball machine was far from done.

From the Giants 31, Manning put on a clinic, hitting Ballard for a pair of 15 yard gains and Cruz for 22 more. At the 2 minute warning the Giants faced 2nd and 7 at the 14. Manning hit Ware for 12 and Nicks for the 2 yard touchdown. The decision by Tom Coughlin to not go for the 2 point conversion earlier was very smart. Now the G-Men had to go for 2, and Ware took it in to tie the game 35-35. Yet the Giants made one mistake. They scored too early. After a touchback, Rodgers had just under one minute to kill the Giants. Oh yeah, and Green Bay does not get rattled.

Rodgers put on his own clinic, hitting Finley for 24, Nelson for 27, and Jennings for 18. Crosby came in with 3 seconds left for the 30 yarder to win it. It was good, and Green Bay had won a thriller to get to 12-0. The Giant could claim they went toe to toe with the undefeated Packers and almost won. In fact, he 2007 team lost to unbeaten New England by the exact same score and beat them in the Super Bowl. A week before that those same Giants went into Green Bay and beat the heavily favored Packers in overtime in the NFC Title Game. Those Giants only finished 10-6.

Now the reality. The Giants are 6-6 and need to run the table to get to 6-6. They are only one game out of the division lead, and they play Dallas twice. Yet they have lost 4 straight and the defense is a mess. Tom Coughlin may or not be fired, but defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is on a flaming hot seat. Nobody else is stopping Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers, but 87 points given up in 2 weeks is not good. The big winners of this game were football fans, who saw a thrilling game from start to finish. 38-35 Giants

St. Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers–During a string of 17 straight wins by the 49ers in the 1990s, Tim McDonald said “Same 49ers, same Rams.” The tide turned in 1999, but starting this year shifted back as Jim Harbaugh has won with Alex Smith. Sam Bradford has regressed and Steve Sapgnuolo has no answers. This game is looking like a blowout for the home crowd.

The first half was typical of how the teams have played for much of the year. The 49ers moved the ball but could not get into the end zone, settling for field goals. That would be enough since the Rams could not do anything at all. Alex Smith managed the game while Sam Bradford watched again from the sideline with an injury. David Akers would hit a 36 yard field goal in the first quarter and a 19 yarder and a 28 yarder in the second quarter. The 19 yarde came when AJ Feeley was sacked and fumbled, giving the 49ers the ball 1st and goal at the Rams 6. On 3rd and goal at the 1 Frank Gore got as little as Al Gore a a frustrated Harbaugh sent out Akers. That was how the 49ers had a thrilling 9-0 lead at halftime.

The Rams began the second half at their own 18. From the 28, Feeley went deep to Brandon Lloyd for a 34 yard gain. Yet on the next play Feeley went deep again and was intercepted. The 49ers took over at their own 12. Gore gained 6, Ted Ginn picked up 16 more, and Walker ran for 14 to the 49ers 8. Alex Smith then went deep to Michael Crabtree for a 52 yard touchdown pass. Up 16-0, the 49ers could just bore everyone to death with defense and perhaps more field goals. In fact, they did just that as they got the ball back at their own 37 and quickly moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Rams 9. A run lost 7 yards and Akers connected from 34 to make it 19-0.

Early in the fourth quarter the 49ers took over at their own 40. On 3rd and 6 Smith passed t o Williams, who took it all the way for a 56 yard exclamation touchdown against the lifeless Rams. A season of misery continued for Steve Spagnuolo and the Rams as Jim Harbaugh saw his 49ers moved one step close to a 1st round bye in the NFC. 26-0 49ers

Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints is the Sunday night game. After a 5-0 start, the Lions have gone 2-4. Now they have lost Ndomakung Suh for 2 games due to a suspension. Without him the Lions face Drew Brees, who is simply on fire. The Lions are still in the playoff chase while the 8-3 Saints still have hopes of a first round bye. At home, Brees may continue the pinball machine pace of the offense.

After an exchange of punts, the Saints took over at their own 38. On 3rd and 1 Mark Ingram gained 4. On 3rd and 4 from the Detroit 43 Brees hit Graham for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the 23 Brees found Moore for 3. The drive would stall there as Jon Kasay hit a 39 yarder to put the Saints up 3-0.

The Saints would end up pinned after a punt at their own 3 yard line. The second quarter began with them facing 3rd and 4 from the 9. Brees went deep to Robert Meachem for a 38 yard gain. On 3rd and 3, Brees fired incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant 5 yards and 1st and 10 at the Detroit 41. Brees then hit Marques Colston for 18, Meachem ran for 8, and Ingram ran for the 14 yard touchdown to have the Saints up 10-0. The Saints got it back at their own 25. 2 plays later Brees went deep to Meachem for a 67 yard touchdown to have the Saints up 17-0.

Detroit took over after a touchback with 8 minutes left in the half. Matthew Stafford finally got going, hitting Smith for 9 and Nate Burleson for 17. From the Saints 43, Stafford hit Morris for 11 and Burelson for 14. A 14 yard pass to Calvin Johnson was followed by Smith taking it in from 2 yards out as the Lions trailed 17-7 with just over 2 minutes left in the half.

After a touchback, Brees hit Colston for 13. On 3rd and 4 at the 39, Brees found Graham for 10. On 2nd and 13 from the Saints 46, Brees found Darren Sproles for 22 and again for 12. From the 20 with 28 seconds left in the half, Brees went to Moore for the touchdown as the Saints led 24-7. Detroit took over at their own 27 with only 22 seconds left. Stafford went deep to Young for a 49 yard gain and called timeout with 8 seconds left. Jason Hanson came in for a 45 yard field goal to end the half. The kick was blocked.

Lions began the third quarter after a touchback and Stafford went straight to Johnson for a 22 yard gain. Stafford led the Lions all the way to a 2nd and 5 at the Saints 7. Morris gained 3, but instead of 3rd and 1 at the 3, a costly unnecessary roughness penalty on the offense meant 3rd and 16. Jason Hanson came in for a 31 yarder and this time was good as the Lions got within 24-10.

After a Saints punt, the Lions took over at their own 12 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Morris ran for 6 and Stafford found Johnson for 9. From the 29 Stafford hit Davis for 22 yards. On 3rd and 14 from the Detroit 47, Stafford threw incomplete. Yet illegal contact meant an automatic first down. From the Saints 45, Stafford went deep to Tony Scheffler for a 36 yard gain. On the next play Stafford hit Morris for the 9 yard touchdown as the Lions entered only trailed 24-17 after three quarters.

The Saints began the fourth quarter by going 3 and out. The Lions took over at their own 15. Stafford immediately went deep to Burleson for a 47 yard gain. Yet from the Saints 35, 3 plays lost 2 yards. Jim Schwatz decided to bring Hanson in for a 55 yard try knowing that a miss would give the Saints excellent field position. Hanson was no good, and the Saints took over at their own 45. On 3rd and 7, Brees found Graham for 16, 14, and 13. Brees then hit Darren Sproles for the 6 yard touchdown to have the Saints up 31-17 with 10 minutes left in regulation.

Stafford led the Lions from their own 22 to a 2nd and 3 at the Saints 33. Yet a critical holding penalty pushed the Lions out of long field goal range. Needing 2 scores to tie it with only 7 minutes left, Jim Schwartz decided to punt. New Orleans took over at their own 14 and went nowhere. Detroit got it back at their own 36 with 5 minutes left.

Everything went wrong for Detroit as they soon faced 3rd and 25 at their own 21. Stafford was sacked again, and the Lions should have faced a laughable 4th and 40 from their own 6. Instead, a roughing the passer call gave the Lions 1st and 10 at their 36, where they had started. The Lions had to go for it on 4th and 2 at their own 39 with 3 minutes left. This time there would be no miracles as Stafford was intercepted by Tracy Porter, giving the Saints the ball at their own 48. The Lions would stop the Saints on 4th and 1 from the Detroit 29, but they only had one minute left. It was too much to overcome.

The Lions are in free fall at 7-5, but everyone around them is also losing. They remain in the playoff picture but have to right the ship soon. As for the Saints, they just keep rolling along at 9-3. They still have a shot at a 1st round bye, and now have a stranglehold on the division. Sean Payton and Drew Brees have the offense clicking, just as it did when they won it all. 31-17 Saints

San Diego Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars is the Monday night game. San Diego is 4-7 under Norvelous Norv Turner, as 6 straight losses may finally get him fired. At 3-8, Jack Del Rio was just fired by Owner Wayne Weaver, who also sold the team. Despite all of the drama with the teams themselves, that cannot paper over a pair of bad teams wasting what was once the glorious status of Monday Night Football.

After a Jacksonville punt, San Diego took over at their own 30. Mathews gained 14 to midfield and Philip Rivers hit Antonio Gates for 13 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Jaguars 28, Jacob Hester got the yard. Mathews gained 14 and Mike Tolbert ran for the 13 yard touchdown to complete the 11 play, 70 yard, 6 minute drive to have the Chargers up 7-0.

San Diego got the ball back at their own 37 an Mathews ran for 21 yards. On 3rd and 14 from the Jaguars 46, Rivers hit Malcolm Floyd for 27. A 3rd and 4 pass form the 13 only got half, and on 4th and 2 from the 11, Nick Novak connected from 29 to have the Chargers up 10-0.

The second quarter began with Jacksonville at their own 21. Blaine Gabbert hit Thomas for 8, Maurice Jones-Drew for 13, and Mercedes Lewis for 12 and 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Charger 14, Jones got 3 and 2 and then caught a 9 yard touchdown pass from Gabbert to have the Jaguars within 10-7.

Jacksonville got it back at their own 30 and Jones-Drew ran for 11 and 5. On 3rd and 3 from the Jacksonville 48, Gabbert hit Jones-Drew for a 48 yard gain to the 4 yard line. On 3rd and goal from the 5 Gabbert hit SHorts for the touchdown as the touchdown as the Jaguars now led 14-10. Yet the momentum would then swing back.

Only 2 1/2 minutes remained in the half, but that was plenty of time for Rivers. From the San Diego 32, Rivers hit Floyd for 14 and Vincent Jackson for 15. On 2nd and 20 from the Jaguars 45, Rivers hit Gates for 23 and Brown for the 22 yard touchdown to put the Chargers back in front 17-14 with 1 1/2 minutes left.

On 1st and 10 from the Jacksonville 39, Gabbert was intercepted by Eric Weddle. The Chargers took over at their own 41 with 53 seconds left. On 2nd and 6, Rivers hit Jackson for 20 and then again for the 35 yard touchdown as 2 late touchdowns had the Chargers up 24-14 at the half. Jacksonville showed some fire in the second quarter, but the second half was all San Diego. The first half was offense while the defense took over after the break.

San Diego began the third quarter after a touchback and quickly put the game away. Rivers hit Gates for 15, 6, and 7 on 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 41. On the next play Rivers went deep to Floyd for the 52 yard touchdown to have the Chargers safely up 31-14.

In the fourth quarter Jacksonville tried to make a game of it. Yet on 4th and 12 from the Chargers 30, a field goal try led to a fumbled snap. The Chargers took over at their own 31, and one play later Mathews took an end around all the way for the touchdown to end things. San Diego snapped their 6 game losing streak to get to 5-7 and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Rivers was 22 of 28 for 294 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. 38-14 Chargers

eric

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