NFL 2011–Week 15 Recap

With 3 weeks to go, the NFL is getting red hot as teams jockey for position.

In the AFC, 4 teams are 10-3. New England, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore all have tough road games. Only Houston is at home, and they have to contend with rookie phenom Cam Newton. In the NFC, Green Bay is 13-0 but a pair of teams are 10-3 as well. On the other end, Indy is 0-13. We saw an unbeaten team at 14-0 in 1972 and a winless team at 0-14 in 1976. Yet then we went to 16 games. We saw a 16-0 team in 2007 and an 0-16 team in 2008. This year we may see both. This is the week where a bunch of 7-6 teams will either get above .500 and help themselves or drop to even and face a perilous final couple weeks. As football philosopher and Hall of Famer John Randall reminds, this is December. “This is when the big dogs come out.”

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Atlanta Falcons was the Thursday night game. The game was on the same night as a Fox News presidential debate, which means that the debate was given less relevance than baseball. Football took center stage, as it always does. Yet the game of football took a back seat to reality last week. The Falcons won their game but afterward coach Mike Smith was hospitalized with chest pains. Everything came back negative and he was released, but it was a scary moment for the entire Falcons family.

We joke about how Mike Smith is the poster child for average non-descript white guy monthly, but what he really is, is the best coach in Falcons history. As for the Jaguars, the owner sold the team and fired the coach. The Jaguars are awful, and the NFL loves to brag about how awful teams can go on the road and shock very good teams. This was not that game, and not why they play the games. Goliath beat up David and stole his lunch money.

Atlanta took over at their own 25 and quickly put the game away. Michael Turner gained 15 and 4. Matt Ryan hit Roddy White for 7 and Tony Gonzalez for 14. On 3rd and 4 from the Jacksonville 29, Ryan found Julio Jones, who took it the distance for the touchdown and the 7-0 Falcons lead. Jacksonville punted and Atlanta took over at their own 42. Ryan led the Falcons to a 4th and 1 at the Jaguars 10. Mike Smith decided to go for it, but a delay of game penalty instead resulted in a 33 yard Matt Bryant field goal and a 10-0 Falcons advantage. In the second quarter Atlanta would punt, and Jacksonville fumbled deep in their own territory. The Falcons recovered at the Jaguars 5 yard line, and one play was enough for Turner to take it in and put the Falcons up 17-0.

The game was not completely out of reach when Atlanta took over at their own 28 with 6 minutes left in the half. On 3rd and 6 Ryan hit White for 27 yards. Turner gained 16 and Ryan went back to White for 18 more. On 3rd and goal at the 6 Ryan hit White again for the touchdown just past the 2 minute warning to have the Falcons cruising 24-0. With one minute left in the half, Blaine Gabbert was sacked by John Abraham, who is not Jewish. The resulting fumble had the Falcons at the Jaguars 19. The defense held, but a 31 yard Bryant field goal had the Falcons up 27-0 at halftime. The NFL does not have a mercy rule, and the Falcons showed none.

The third quarter was deja vu all over again. Gabbert was sacked by Abraham, resulting in another fumble. Corey Peters picked it up and rumbled 13 yards for a touchdown to have the Falcons up 34-0. Atlanta got it back at their own 21. Turner ran for 9 and Jones gained 6 more. Ryan hit White for 13. On 3rd and 14 from the Atlanta 47, a completion would have meant 4th and 5. Yet unnecessary roughness instead meant 1st and 10 at the Jacksonville 29. Ryan went deep to White for another touchdown to make it 41-0 with a quarter and a half still to play. Mike Smith smartly gave Matt Ryan a baseball cap and clipboard at that point, as Ryan finished 19 of 26 for 224 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Chris Redman finished the game.

Jacksonville finally cracked the scoreboard late in the third quarter on special teams when Osgood blocked a punt and Potter returned it 46 yards for a touchdown. After completing a pass to the Atlanta defense, Gabbert would eventually throw a touchdown pass during garbage time to make the score something nowhere near respectable but slightly less horrid. Atlanta is 9-5 and on track for the playoffs despite their division being out of reach. 41-14 Falcons

Dallas Cowboys @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the Saturday night game. Dallas is coming off a tough loss and is tied for their division lead at 7-6. They are desperate, and facing a Buccaneers team that seems to have quit on Raheem Morris.

It was over from the start. Tampa Bay fumbled on their first series and Dallas tok over at their own 44. Tony Romo quickly hit Felix Jones for 14 and Dez Bryant for 16. Jones ran for 9 and 7. On 3rd and goal from the 8 Romo hit Miles Austin for the touchdown. Although it clearly looked like Austin did not have full control of the ball until he was back at the one, Raheem Morris did not challenge the ruling as the Cowboys led 7-0. Dallas got it back at their own 31. On 3rd and 10 Romo found Jason Witten for 28 and Robinson for 9. Morris ran for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 8 Romo hit Bryan for the score as the Cowboys led 14-0 after the opening quarter.

Midway through the second quarter Dallas took over at their own 11. A defensive penalty added 15 yards and Romo hit Robinson for 11. Jones broke free for a 38 yard gain and Romo hit Bennett for 11 more. On 3rd and 5 from the 9 Romo found Robinson for another touchdown to put Dallas up 21-0. With 3 minutes left in the half Dallas got it back at their own 38. Romo hit Jones for 7, Austin for 9, Bryant for 11, Witten for 22, and Austin for 9 more. On 3rd and 2 from the 5 with 40 seconds left in the half, Romo hit Ogletree for 3 and then snuck it in himself to have Dallas up 28-0 at halftime.

Tampa Bay desperately tried to rally in the second half. With Dallas facing 3rd and 19 at their own 11, Romo was sacked and fumbled. Watson picked it up and returned it 7 yards for a touchdown to get the Bucs within 28-7. Romo settled down and led a 12 play, 7 minute drive after a touchback. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the Tampa 12, Romo threw incomplete. Dan Bailey hit the 30 yard field goal to have the Cowboys up 31-7. Josh Freeman responded by putting together a 12 play, 6 minute, 75 yard drive for Tampa Bay. On 3rd and 7 from the Tampa 28 Freeman hit Briscoe for 17. On 3rd and 3 from the Dallas 48, Freeman hit Lumpkin for 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Dallas 28 Freeman found Lumpkin for 9. On 3rd and 4 from the 13 Freeman went to Briscoe for the touchdown. The 2 point conversion to Kellen Winslow succeeded and the Bucs were only down 31-15 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter Dallas reached the Bucs 33, but a sack of Romo ended the drive. Freeman led the Bucs from their 20 to a 4th and 9 at the Tampa 44. Freeman hit Lumpkin for 14. Yet on 4th and 12 from the Dallas 44 with 6 minutes left, Freeman threw incomplete as the Bucs were out of miracles. The scoreless fourth quarter sent the Bucs to their 8th straight loss while Dallas got to 8-6 to temporarily regain the lead in the NFC East and stay alive in the playoff race. 31-15 Cowboys

Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills–Miami started 0-7 and then 4 of their next 5 before losing at home last week. That was enough to get Tony Sparano fired. Meanwhile Buffalo started 3-0 but has gone 2-8 since as Chan Gailey can’t seem to right the ship. This game has no playoff implications, as Dan Marino and Jim Kelly remained retired.

With the snow coming down, Miami would fumble and the Bills would fail to capitalize. Miami fumbled again, and Buffalo took over at the Miami 42. CJ Spiller did the rest, running for 18 and then the 24 yard touchdown to have the Bills up 7-0.  On the last play of the first quarter Miami took over at their own 48. Matt Moore hit Clay for a 30 yard gain. On the first play of the second quarter Moore hit Anthony Fasano for the 22 yard touchdown to make it 7-7.

Miami got it right back after a punt at their own 15. On 2nd and 15 Moore found Brad Hartline for 31 yards. Reggie Bush ran for 11 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Buffalo 40, Bush ran for 28 with a personal foul adding 6 more. On 2nd and goal from the 2, an incomplete pass was wiped out by defensive holding. Yet 1st and goal at the 1 led to a run that lost a yard and 2 more incomplete passes. On 4th and goal at the 2 it was field goal time as Dan Carpenter put the Dolphins up 10-7. Ryan Fitzpatrick was quickly intercepted, and the Dolphins took over at the Buffalo 24. Defensive pass interference quickly meant 1st and goal at the 9. Yet again the Bills held on defense and a 26 yard field goal made it 13-7 Miami.

The third quarter saw Miami take over at their own 20. On 3rd and 2 from the 28, Moore hit Marshall for 5. From the 35, Moore went deep to Marshall for a 65 yard touchdown bomb as the Dolphins led 20-7. The rest of the third quarter saw Fitzpatrick get intercepted twice and Miami fumble it once. Miami began the fourth quarter at their own 41. Reggie Bush ran for 14 and Thomas added 28 more. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the 9, Bush, who dated a Kardashian, came up short. On 4th and 1 from the 8, it was time for a field goal and a 23-7 Dolphins lead.

After a touchback Fitzpatrick hit Nelson for 8 and Spiller ran for 8 more. Fitzpatrick went to Nelson again for 6 and Stevie St Johnson for 21. On 3rd and 15 from the 19 Fitzptrick found Spiller one yard short. On 4th and 1 from the 3 FItzpatrick gained 2 and then hit Spiller for the 3 yard score. The 2 point conversion failed as the Bills trailed 23-13. Reggie Bush would quickly atone for his dating a Kardashian and his failed run earlier. He quickly broke free for a 76 yard touchdown run and would finish with 203 yards on the day. The Dolphins now led 30-13 with only 6 minutes remaining.

Buffalo would mount a furious rally. Yet by the time Fitzptrick hit Hagan with a 2 yard touchdown pass, only 2 1/2 minutes remained. Down 30-20, an onsides kick worked perfectly and Buffalo retained possession at their own 45. Fitzpatrick hit Martin for 28 yards. Yet on 2nd and 2 from the 6 with 1:34 to play, a false start and  a pair of incompletions meant a field goal. Buffalo was within 7. Yet the next onsides  kick was recovered Miami to end the comeback. 30-23 Dolphins

Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears–Seattle has clawed to a 6-7 record for Pete Carroll and faces a reeling 7-6 Bears team that has lost 3 straight since Jay Cutler went down. Lovie Smith also had to deal with the shocker that his wide receiver Hurd was arrested on federal drug charges. This was not a guy getting caught enjoying recreational pharmaceuticals. This was kingpin distribution territory and perhaps the biggest black eye for the NFL since the Rae Carruth tragedy. Chicago is fighting for its playoff life and Caleb Hanie will have to deliver.

After a couple punts the Bears faced 3rd and 6 from their own 7. Hanie hit Johnny Knox for 17 yards, but Knox fumbled and the Seahawks took over at the Chicago 22. Tarvaris Jackson hit Morrah for 21 down to the one. A pair of plays lost 6 yards and on 4th and goal at the 4 the choice was the 22 yard field goal. The kick was good but the Bears were flagged for a leverage penalty. Pete Carroll took the points off the board and Marshawn Lynch ran for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks.

The Bears would move to a 4th and 6 at the Seattle 38. Lovie Smith decided to punt and play field position. Seattle soon faced 3rd and 13 at their own 1. Jackson was sacked in the end zone by Julius Peppers, and the resulting fumble was recovered by Israel Idonije, who is not Jewish. The non-Hanukkah present was still a gift touchdown as the game was tied 7-7 after the opening quarter.

In the second quarter Hanie led the Bears from their own 26 to the Seattle 29. Yet he was then intercepted in the end zone to kill the drive. Midway through the second quarter the Bears got it back at their own 43. On 3rd and 4 Hanie got just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 41 Hanie hit Sanzenbacher for 8. On 2nd and 12 from the 25, Hanie went for it all again and this time found Bell in the end zone to at the 2 minute warning to have the Bears up 14-7.

In the third quarter after a touchback, Seattle soon faced 3rd and 9. Jackson found Golden Tate for 33 yards and then went deep to Obomanu for a 43 yard gain. Marshawn Lynch ran it in from 3 yards out to tie the game 14-14. Only 2 plays later on 2nd and 7 from their 28, Hanie was intercepted by Bryant. Bryant returned it 20 yards for the score to put the Seahawks  up 21-14.

A field position game hd the Seahawks starting at their own 46 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. On 3rd and 5 an incompletion was nullified by defensive pass interference at the Chicago 33. Jackson hit Butler for 15. The drive stalled but a 33 yard Steve Hauschka field goal had the Seahawks up 24-14 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter began with the Bear punting, and Leon Washington returned it 36 yards to the Chicago 29. Jackson found Tate for 11. On 3rd and 4 from the 12, Jackson hit Forsett for 9. Jackson found Robinson for the 2 yard score as Seattle led 31-14 early in the fourth.

Late in the game Hanie was intercepted by Browner, who returned it 42 yards for the final nail in the coffin. Last year Seattle was knocked out of the playoffs in Chicago. This year they outscored the Bears 31-0 in the second half. Seattle started 2-6 but has gone 5-1 since to get to 7-7. Chicago has lost 4 straight to drop to 7-7. Both of these teams will be fighting for their playoff lives as the screws just got tighter. 38-14 Seahawks

Carolina Panthers @ Houston Texans–Houston lost Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, and Mario Williams, and still won 7 straight to get to 10-3 and their first playoff birth and division championship. Now they have lost defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who is taking leave for health reasons. Gary Kubiak has the Texans in a 4 way tie for the top seed and home field advantage in the conference. Carolina has the dangerous Cam Newton.

A couple plays into the game Houston fumbled in their own territory and the Panthers recovered. On 2nd and 20 from the 26, Newton went deep to Steve Smith, who did what he does to quickly put the Panthers up 7-0. Late in the quarter Carolina took over at their own 39. On 3rd and 15 Newton hit Smith for 20. On 2nd and 10 from the Texans 47 Newton threw incomplete but roughing the passer tacked on 15 more yards as the quarter ended. On 3rd and 3 from the 25 Newton hit Greg Olsen for 17. Newton found Jeremy Shockey for a 9 yard touchdown to have the Panthers up 14-0.

With 6 minutes left in the half the Texans faced 3rd and 13 at the Carolina 43. TJ Yates was intercepted by Senn, giving Carolina the ball at the Houston 48. On 2nd and 12 Newton gained 11 and Stewart gained 5 more. It was Edwards who threw a pass to Smith for an 11 yard gain. At the 2 minute warning the Panthers faced 3rd and 2 at the 15. Stewart gained 4, and with one minute left in the half Brockel took it in to have the Panthers all over Houston 21-0 at halftime.

Last week the Panthers blew a 23-7 lead on the road to give up 28 unanswered points. Houston would chip away at their deficit as again Carolina saw an easy lead dwindle. After a Carolina punt in the third quarter, Jones returned it 42 yards to the Carolina 35. Arriun Foster ran for 5, 18, and another 5. With the running game working, on 2nd and 5 from the 7 Gary Kubiak called pass plays and a pair of incompletions meant a 26 yard Neil Rackers field goal. The Texans were finally on the board but down 21-3.

Carolina punted again and the Texans were backed up to their own 9. On 3rd and 6 Yates found Walter for 7 and Joel Dreesen for 11. Foster ran for 9. Yates hit Iwen Daneils for 17 and Foster for 25 more. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the 16 Yates threw incomplete and a 34 yard field goal had the Texans down 21-6.

Houston got it back at their own 32 and Yates scrambled for 15. Foster ran for 7 and 22. On 2nd and 16 from the Carolina 30, Yates found Walter for 19 as the third quarter ended. Foster then ran for 6, 4, and the final yard as the Texas were now down only 21-13 only one minute into the fourth quarter. After the touchback Newton scrambled for 13. on 3rd and 4 from their 41, Newton found Legadu Naanee for 9 to midfield. Newton then found Shockey for 26 and Deangelo Williams ran the final 24 as the Panthers were back with a comfortable 28-13 lead with 10 minutes left in regulation.

Quentin Demps returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to the Houston 44. Yates hit Jones for 24 and Foster for 22. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 9 Yates was intercepted to kill the drive. With 7 1/2 minutes left the Panthers were at their own 3. On 3rd and 8 Newton gained 8. Newton then hit Smith for 22. Stewart gained 12. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 43, Newton gained 3. On 3rd and 4 from the Houston 34, Williams gained 6. Houston never got the ball back as they fell to 10-4 and saw their chances at the top seed take a serious hit. 28-13 Panthers

Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts–Jim Caldwell wants to get his team one win, and the Colts face a desperate 7-6 Titans team under Mike Munchak who is fighting for playoff survival.

After several punts, the Colts took over at their own 15. On 3rd and 1 Carter ran for 10. On another 3rd and 1 from the Indy 43, Carter gained 4. Donald Brown then ran for 17. The drive stalled, but Adam Vinatieri hit from 47 yards out to put the Colts up 3-0. Bill Polian then cut Peyton Manning and made Dan Orlovsky the permanent starter. No, not really.

Midway through the second quarter a field position game had the Titans starting at their own 47. Matt Hasselbeck found Chris Johnson for 16, and that was just enough to allow Rob Bironas to try a 53 yard field goal. It was good to tie the game 3-3. With less than 3 minutes left in the half from the Colts 31, Orlovsky hit Garcon for 17 yards. Yet Garcon fumbled and the Titans took over at the Indy 48. On 3rd and 1 from the 28 Hasselbeck hit Hawkins for 22. Yet on 3rd and goal from the 3 Hasselbeck threw incomplete and another field goal had the Titans only up 6-3 at halftime.

After a Titans punt to start the third quarter, unsportsmanlike conduct on the Titans had the Colts starting at the Tennessee 43. On 3rd and 6 Orlovsky connected with Joseph Addai for 7 yards. Orlovsky hit Felton for 9. On 2nd and 6 from the 18, Orlovsky found Reggie Wayne for the touchdown as the Colts led 10-6. On the next series the Titans faced 3rd and 16 from their own 14. A completion came up short but illegal contact meant 1st and 10. Yet the Colts did not fold. On 1st and 10 from their 29, Hasselbeck was intercepted by Lacey. Lacey jumped the route and raced 32 yards for another touchdown as the Colts now led 17-6. Things got worse for the Titans when they fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and had to start at their own 1. Tennessee barely avoided a safety before punting.

After the touchback, Donald Brown quickly raced 39 yards, then ran for 2 more and another 9 as the third quarter ended. Brown kept getting the ball, losing 3 but gaining 6. On 3rd and 7 from the Titans 27 it was Addai who got the carry, gaining 5. On 4th and 2 from the 22 Jim Caldwell took no chances. Vinatieri hit from 40 as the Colts led 20-6 with 13 minutes left in regulation.  Hasselbeck quickly after a touchback fired to Nate Washington for 15 and to Cook for 27 more. Yet Cook was stripped of the ball and Chris Rucker recovered as the Colts got one step closer to the upset.

With 10 minutes left Hasselbeck moved the Titans from their 25 to the Indy 25. Hasselbeck then went to the end zone and was intercepted by Angerer for a touchback midway through the fourth quarter.

Tennessee got it back at their own 31 with 6 minutes left. Mike Munchak benched Hasselbeck and brought in Jake Locker to try and spark the Titans. On 3rd and 1 Locker hit Cook for 9 and ran for 9. On 2nd and 19 from the Indy 42, Chris Johnson broke free for a 35 yard gain. Locker hit Washington for the 7 yard touchdown as the Titans were only down 20-13 with 4 minutes left. Needing one stop, it did not come.  Donald Brown exploded for an 80 yard touchdown run to end things.

The 1976 Bucs and 2008 Lions popped their champagne corks as the 2011 Colts would not be joining them. For the first since 1997, the Colts won a game without Peyton Manning. The Colts won their first game of the season. There was no gatorade bath as Jim Caldwell remained as dignified and stoic in defeat as he had during the losses. As for the Titans, it was a crushing loss that dropped them to 7-7 and may kill their playoff hopes. 27-13 Colts

Green Bay Packers @ Kansas City Chiefs–Green Bay has all but locked up home field throughout the playoffs, and Mike McCarthy is going full throttle. Kansas City is a mess, having just fired Todd Haley and replaced him with Romeo Crennel. With Mike Holmgren in a front office position, Crennel joins Andy Reid as the only other Walrus on the sidelines.

The Tyler Palko era was over as Kyle Orton started. After a touchback, on 3rd and 8, Orton hit Copper for 10 and the Chiefs were on the move. Ortone led a staggerin 19 play drive that consumed 6 minutes and led to 1st and goal at the 1. Battle then got stopped, and Orton threw incomplete twice. On 4th and goal at the 1 Romeo Crennel opted for the field goal and Ryan Succop hit from 19 to put the Chiefs up 3-0. Aaron Rodgers would move Green Bay in position for a 59 yard field goal by Mason Crosby. He missed it, but a penalty on the Chiefs gave him a second chance from 54. He missed again.

The Chiefs took over at their own 44. Orton hit Steve Breaston for 12 and 8 and to McClain for 12. Yet on 3rd and 6 from the Packers 14, Orton threw incomplete and another field goal from 32 made it 6-0 Chiefs. In the second quarter the Chiefs would get it back at their own 15 and Orton led a 9 minute drive. On 3rd and 5 from the Chiefs 40 Orton hit Dwayne Bowe for 7. From midfield Orton hit Battle for 7, Bowe for 15, and Breaston for 13. On 3rd and 2 from the 4 Thomas Jones came up short. On 4th and 1 from the 3 Romeo Crennel decided to go for it. Battle got stopped by big man BJ Raji and the defense as the entire drive was for naught. Aaron Rodgers and the offense were totally out of sync with several dropped passes, but the Packers only trailed 6-0 at halftime.

After an exchange of punts, the packers took over in the third quarter with excellent field position at their own 46. On 3rd and 4 Aaron Rodgers went deep to Finley for a 41 yard gain. On 3rd and goal from the 2 Rodgers hit Donald Driver for the score as the Packers finally got on the board to lead 7-6. Kansas City was backed up to their own 11 but Orton found Pope for 39 yards to midfield and then to Baldwin for 17 more. The drive stalled but Succop hit from 46 as the Chiefs retook the lead 9-7.

The fourth quarter began with the Packers facing 3rd and 8 at the Chiefs 39. Rodgers threw incomplete and Mike McCarthy decided to go for it rather than try a 57 yard field goal. Rodgers threw incomplete again. Orton quickly hit Breaston for 16. McCalin ran for 9 and Orton went deep to Pope for 33 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 3. Yet a failed run and a false start meant 3rd and goal at the 10. Orton hit Dexter McCluster but that only meant 4th and goal at the 2. Again Romeo Crennel went with the field goal. The Chiefs led 12-7 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

A sack of Rodgers meant another punt and the Chiefs took over at their own 34 with 9 minutes left. Breaston took an end around 25 yards and Orton hit Bowe for 13 more. McClain ran for 7 and Rodhers hit Becht for 16 down to the 5. From the 4, McClain got it down to the one. Replay clearly showed that McClain fumbled it out of the end zone for a touchback before he stepped out of bounds. Yet Mike McCarthy never challenged the call. On 3rd and goal from the 1, Battle took it in to have the Chiefs up 19-7 with 5 minutes left.

Champions don’t down without a fight. After a touchback, Rodgers hit Randall Cobb for 16. On 2nd and 20 from the 26, Rodgers hit Nelson for 22, John Kuhn for 11, and Finley for 31 more. on 3rd and 3 from the 8 Rodgers took it in himself. With just over 2 minutes to play the Packers were within 5. They had all of their timeouts and the 2 minute warning. One more stop meant a chance to save their perfect season.

The onsides kick failed, and the Chiefs took over at their own 44. Thomas Jones ran for 6 to the 2 minute warning. Jones ran for another 7 and a critical first down. Battle gained 4 as the Packers took their second timeout. On 2nd and 6 Battle ran for 15. It was all over. There would be no comeback and no perfect season as the 1972 Dolphins popped their champagne corks again. Green Bay can now just focus on being the best team of 2011. Romeo Crennel got the Gatorade bath as his first game as the head coach with Orton’s first game as the quarterback meant a win over the world champs. 19-14 Chiefs

New Orleans Saints @ Minnesota Vikings–The Saints at 10-3 are clicking on all cylinders and are tied for the #2 seed in the conference, although the Saints lose the tie-breaker. Sean Payton and Drew Brees look every bit as good as they did when they won it all a couple of years ago. Minnesota only has 2 wins all year for Leslie Frazier, and Adrian Peterson has decided to play rather than let his injured body heal in a lost season.

After a touchback, the Saints soon faced 2nd and 10 from their 30. Drew Brees hit Graham for 18 yards, but Graham coughed it up and Raymond recovered it for the Vikings. Raymond returned it 26 yards to the Saints 26. Minnesota would go 3 and out, but Ryan Longwell hit a 44 yarder to put the Vikings up 3-0.

Later in the quarter the Saints would take over at their own 16. Brees hit Robert Meachem for 13 and Marques Colston for 16. On 1st and 20 from midfield Brees hit Colston for 10 and Pierre Thomas for 25 more. Thomas then ran for 10 and Brees hit Moore for the 5 yard touchdown to have the Saints up 7-3. The second quarter began with the Saints fumbling again and the Vikings having excellent field position at the Saints 21. Yet 3 plays actually lost 10 yards. Longwell hit from 49 as the Vikings were down 7-6 with nothing earned.

After a touchback Brees went back to work. Ivory gained 7 and Brees hit Colston for  more. From the Saints 36, Brees found Darren Sproles, who raced 39 yards with unnecessary roughness tacking on 13 more. A pair of penalties on the Saints appeared to kill the drive. Yet on 1st and 25 from the 27, Brees went deep and defensive pass interference made it 1st and goal at the one. Brees hit Graham for the score as the Saints were up 14-6.

This time Minnesota came right back from their own 39. Peterson gained 8, 1, and on 3rd and 1 rumbled for a 39 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the 10 Christian Ponder hit Toby Gerhart for the touchdown to have the Vikings within 14-13  with 5 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Saints took over at their own 24 and on 3rd and 1 Collins gained 2. On 3rd and 1 from the Saints 44 Brees hit Graham for 5 and Moore for 22 more. On 3rd and 11 from the 30 Brees found Moore for just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the 13 Brees hit Sproles for the touchdown to have the Saints up 21-13 at halftime.

After a Minnesota punt, Sproles returned it 22 yards to the Minnesota 44. Brees hit Graham for 18, Sproles ran for 6, and Brees hit Sproles for 18 more down to the 2. Brees hit Gilmore for the touchdown to make it 28-13 Saints. The Saints got it back at their own 47. On 3rd and 4 Brees found Moore, who raced 47 yards for another touchdown to make it 35-13. The Saints got it back again at their own 13. This time it was not a quick strike but a blistering 19 play, 87 yard drive that consumed over 10 1/2 minutes. Pierre Thomas would crash over from one yard out with 13 minutes left in regulation to make it a 42-13 Saints Carpetbombing.

The Saints would get it back again and miss a field goal, the only thing that went wrong on the day. Christian Ponder would throw a touchdown pass to Gerhart to round out the scoring as Brees put on a baseball cap and held a clipboard for most of the fourth quarter. In barely more than three quarters of work he was a ridiculous 32 of 40 for 412 yards out with 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Even in the Brees era this was lights out as the Saints got to 11-3 to keep their chances of a 1st round bye very much alive. Minnesota has an outside chance at the top pick inthe draft. 42-20 Saints

Washington Redskins @ New York Giants–Mike Shanahan saw a promising season go down the drain while Tom Coughlin saw the Giants right the ship with a major road win after 4 straight losses. Big Blue is 7-6 and tied for the division lead.

Rex Grossman was intercepted early but the Giants went 3 and out. Washington got it back at their own 30 and Grossman quickly hit Jabar Gaffney for 15. Armstrong gained 14 more. On 3rd and 12 from the Giants 39 Grossman hit Dante Stallworth for 19. The drive stalled and Graham Gano hit a 36 yard field goal to have the Redskins up 3-0. Grossman would get intercepted again and again the Giants would fail to capitalize.

With 5 1/2 minutes left in the opening quarter Washington took over at their own 18. A defensive facemask moved the ball to the Washington 40. On 3rd and 17 from the Washington 43, Grossman found Stallworth for 16. On 4th and 1 Mike Shanahan decided to go for it and Grossman found Gaffney for 7 yards. The second quarter began with the Redskins facing 3rd and 1 at the Giants 25. Young gained 3. On 3rd and 8 from the 20, Grossman went deep to Santana Moss for the touchdown to have the Redskins up 10-0.

Eli Manning was intercepted, and the Redskins took over at the Giants 41. Helu ran for 8 and Young gained 3. On 3rd and 1 from the 21 Helu gained 3. On 3rd and 14 from the 22, Grossman found Gaffney for 16. Young ran it in from 6 yards out to have the Redskins up 17-0 in front of a shellshocked home crowd.

With one minute left in the half the Redskins were looking for more and they soon faced a 4th and 1 at the Giants 32. Mike Shanahan decided to go for it and Grossman threw incomplete. Manning quickly hit Ballard for 15, Mario Manningham for 13, and Ahmad Bradshaw for 22. Lawrence Tynes hit a 40 yard field goal as the half ended with the Giants down 17-3.

The Giants got the ball to start the second half but Eli Manning was quickly intercepted. Hall returned it 26 yards to the Giants 34. On 3rd and 1 Helu got stopped and on 4th and 1 Shahanan decided on the field goal. Gano was good and the Redskins led 20-3. Manning led the Giants from their own 20 to 3rd and 6 at the Washington 18. Yet Manning was then sacked and Tynes missed a 44 yard field goal. Grossman led the Redskins from their 34 to a 3rd and 10 at the Giants 14. A pass to Helu meant 4th and 3 at the 7. On the first play of the fourth quarter Gano hit from 25 to have the Giants up 23-3.

From the Giants 23, Manning hit Cruz for 4, Barden for 6, Manningham for 34, and Nicks for 20. Yet from the Washington 13, Manning went to the end zone and was intercepted. The Giants got it back with 11 minutes left at their own 25 and Manning quickly led them to a 3rd and goal at the 4.  Manning hit Ware for the touchdown but on further review it was ruled Ware was down at the 2. On 4th and goal Manning threw for the touchdown again but offensive holding instead meant 4th and goal at the 12. Manning was sacked for a 13 yard loss to kill that drive.

The Giants would finally reach the end zone with a garbage time touchdown with 37 seconds remaining, but the stunning upset was complete. One week after an inspired road win over Dallas, the Giants looked uncharacteristically flat in the Tom Coughlin era. The loss dropped Big Blue to 7-7 and one game behind Dallas in the division. Yet if they win next week, they have a rematch with Dallas at home in the finale and can still win the division. 23-10 Redskins

Cincinnati Bengals @ St. Louis Rams–The Rams are a total mess and Steve Spagnuolo is on the hot seat. Marvin Lewis saw the Bengals get to 6-2 by beating up weaker teams and then go 1-4 as reality set in. Yet at 7-6 Cincy is still in the hunt and desperate. A loss here would probably finish them off.

The Rams punted and the Bengals soon faced 3r and 7 from their 23. Andy Dalton threw incomplete but roughing the passer kept the drive going. From the Cincy 43, Dalton went deep to AJ Green for a 55 yard gain to make it 1st and goal at the 2. Yet Cedric Benson lost a yard and Dalton threw incomplete twice as the Bengals settled for a 21 yard Mike Nugent field goal to lead 3-0.

The Bengals began the second quarter at the Rams 19 looking to add more. Yet a penalty led to 2nd and 21. Dalton was then intercepted by Gordy, who returned it 30 yards to the Bengals 48. It led to nothing. Midway through the second quarter a key play would be a Bengals punt that would be shanked for only 21 yards. The Rams took over at the Cincy 39. On 3rd and 1 a run lost 3 yards, but a defensive facemask instead meant 1st and 10 at the 15. On 3rd and 4 from the 9 a short pass gained only one yard as a 26 yard Josh Brown field goal made it 3-3 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.

Cincinnati then moved from their own 26 to a 3rd and 1 at the Rams 42 at the 2 minute warning. Cedric Benson got stopped, and on 4th and 1 Marvin Lewis decided to go for it. Benson got stopped again and the Rams had 1:17 to work with.  Kelly Clemens hit Stephen Jackson for 11 and Brandon Lloyd for 12. On 4th and 1 from the Cincy 25 with 30 seconds left in the half, Steve Spagnuolo took no chances. Josh Brown hit the 43 yarder and the Rams led 6-3 at halftime.

The Bengals began the third quarter at their own 26. On 3rd and 5 Dalton hit Whalen for 7. Cedric Benson gained 12. On 3rd and 3 from the Rams 42, Dalton hit Simpson for 10 and Gresham for 9. Yet on 2nd and 1 from the 23, Dalton threw incomplete and Benson got stopped cold. On 4th and 1 Marvin Lewis opted for the field goal and the game was tied 6-6.

Late in the third quarter the Rams punted and Tate returned it 56 yards to the Rams 24. Unnecessary roughness moved the ball to the 12. Scott ran up the middle for 11. As the third quarter was ending, Scott got the final yard to have the Bengals in the end zone to lead 13-6. The Ram punted and the Bengals got it back at their own 20 with 12 minutes left in the game. Dalton hit Green for 14 and Benson gained 11 more. Benson would fumble but the Bengal retained possession at the Rams 47. A pair of unnecessary roughness penalties on the defense made it easy as Benson took it in from 4 yards out to put the Bengals up 20-6 with 9 minutes left.

Clemens would lead the Rams in desperation time to a 4th and 6 at the Cincy 23 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Yet he was then called for intentional grounding to kill the drive. Clemens would throw a 25 yard touchdown pass to Alexander with just over one minute left, but the onsides kick failed. Even with Sam Bradford the Rams are awful. Without him they have no chance. The Rams still have an outside shot at the top pick next year in the draft, while the Bengals at 8-6 continue to beat bad teams to keep their playoff hopes very much alive. 20-13 Bengals

Detroit Lions @ Oakland Raiders–For more on the game of the day, go to http://www.justblogbaby.com

Both of these teams are in the playoff hunt and fighting for survival. Detroit started 5-0 but has gone 3-5 since. Jim Schwartz gets Ndamokung Suh back from suspension. The Raiders have dropped 2 straight on the road to fall to 7-6, one game out of the division lead. They need a win at home and still do not have their top offensive playmakers. Hue Jackson knows a loss here could finish off what was a promising season for the Raiders. These are the 2 most penalized teams in the league as usual, so discipline will be key. Richard Seymour and Rolando McClain will be key in this area.

The Lions took overt at their own 20 and Matthew Stafford led them to a 3rd and 2 at their own 47. Yet Stafford then threw incomplete and the Lions punted. The Raiders took over at their own 36. They were still without Darren McFadden and Jacoby Ford, but at least Denarius Moor returned after missing 3 games. Carson Palmer hit Darrius Heyward-Bey for 5 and Moore took an end around 13 yards. Palmer found Michael Bush for 18. On 3rd and 6 Palmer found Schilens for 5. On 4th and 1 from the 24 Hue Jackson decided to go for it. Faking the run up the middle, Palmer had a wide open Denarius Moore for an easy touchdown. Yet Palmer overthrew Moore incomplete and the game remained scoreless.

Detroit punted again and the Raiders took over at their own 24. Marcel Reese appeared to run for a 56 yard gain but Detroit challenged the play and on review Reece stepped out of bounds at midfield after a 26 yard gain. At this point Detroit came unglued. 3 straight defensive penalties, 2 for horse collar and one for illegal contact, put the ball on the 12. Louis Murphy took an end around for the score to have the Raiders up 7-0.

After a touchback Detroit soon faced 3rd and 4. Stafford threw incomplete but defensive holding on Stanford Routt kept the drive going. On 3rd and 11 from the 30, Stafford hit Young for 13 and Nate Burleson for 6. Stafford then went deep to Calvin Johnson for a 51 yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7.

The Raiders took over at their own 12. On 3rd and 1 Bush gained 4. Yet on 2nd and 1 from the 25 Palmer threw incomplet, and on 3rd and 1 Bush lost 3 as the Raiders punted. In the second quarter the Lions punted and the Raiders soon faced 2nd and 12 at their own 4. Palmer made it look easy, going deep to Heyward-Bey for a 35 yard gain and then to Moore for 13 more. Palmer then found Heyward-Bey in traffic, and he broke free for a 43 yard touchdown to put the Raiders back up 14-7.

After an exchange of punts the Lions took over at their own 32 with 3:40 left in the half. Stafford found Johnson for 17. At the 2 minute warning the Lions faced 3rd and 4 at the Raiders 45. Stafford hit Johnson for 6 and then went deep to Nate Burleson for the 39 yard touchdown to tie the game 14-14 with 1:14 left in the half.

From the Oakland 21, Palmer hit Bush for 13, TJ Houshmanzadeh for 6, Bush again for 10, and Houshmanzadeh again for 16. Bush gained 6 more and Sebastian Janikowski came in for a 46 yard field goal on the last play of the half. Seabass was good and the Raiders led 17-14 at the break.

The Raiders had to begin the second half at their own 5 yard line. Palmer calmly went to eyward-Bey for 11 and 12. Bush ran for 7 and Palmer found Heyward-Bey for 11 more. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 37, Palmer found Chaz Schillens for 15. Yet rather than be in field goal range, offensive pass interference on Schillens instead killed the drive. The Lions took over at their own 12 and on 3rd and 4 Stafford hit Young for 5. Yet on 3rd and 5 from the Oakland 48, Stafford threw incomplete and the Lions punted.

The Raiders were trapped back at their own 8 yard line and would punt. The Lions took over at their own 40. On 1st and 20 from the 30, Stafford hit Johnson for 17 and Smith for 5. On 3rd and 1 from the Oakland 39, Smith got stopped cold. On 4th and 1 Jim Schwartz decided to go for it. This time Williams got the carry and he also got stopped cold by a Silver and Black brick wall. From the 39, Palmer hit Kevin Boss for 13. On 2nd and 6 from the Lions 44, Palmer found Heyward Bey for a 29 yard gain down to the 15. Yet Heyward-Bey would fumble it as the Lions recovered at their own 8 to kill another promising drive.

After the scoreless third quarter, the Lions would punt as the Raiders took over at their own 34 with 12 minutes left in regulation. Bush gained 5 and Palmer hit Heyward-Bey for 9. After an offsides, Bush ran for 2, 5, and 2. On 3rd and 8 from the Lions 38, Palmer hit Houshmanzadeh for only 5. On 4th and 33 from the 33, Seabass came in for  51 yarder. He leveled it as the Raiders led 20-14 with 8 1/2 minutes left.

The Lions took over at their own 14. On 3rd and 10 Stafford was sacked by Tommy Kelly and fumbled. Aaron Curry recovered it and ran 5 yards for the touchdown. With 8 minutes remaining, Hue Jackson curiously decided not to go for the 2 point conversion. The extra point had the Raiders up 27-14. Curry was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the score for doing the Ken Norton Jr/Vai Sikehema move of punching the goal posts. That is no longer allowed in the No Fun League. The Lions would take over at their own 29, and the key would be if the Raiders could finally finish a game. All year this has been a problem.

Stafford threw incomplete but defensive pass interference on Stanford Routt meant 1st and 10 at the Detroit 43. On 3rd and 10 the Raiders needed a stop. Stafford hit Brandon Pettigrew for 17 and Calvin Johnson for 24. On 3rd and 10 from the 16, Stafford found Pettigrew for 8. Only 5 1/2 minutes remained, and on 4th and 2 one stop on defense could end it. Stafford ran, broke through a tackle short of the line of scrimmage, and gained 5. Stafford hit Young for the 3 yard touchdown. 5 minutes remained and the Lions were within 27-21. The Raiders do not finish games.

The Raiders took over at their own 15. The key was to run out the clock and not give Stafford one more chance. Bush ran for 12, a critical 1st down. Bush gained 3 more as the Lions took their second timeout. Bush broke free for a 15 yard gain and another critical 1st down as the Lions took their final timeout with 4 minutes left. One more 1st down would end it. Bush ran for 5 and then 2. The clock ticked down to 2 1/2 minutes with the Raiders facing 3rd and 3 at the Lions 48. 3 more yards would end the game. A run would take it down to the 2 minute warning. Hue Jackson is a riverboat gambler, and he decided to go for it all with a pass play.

Palmer had Schillens open and it bounced off his hands. For the second time in the game, a bold gamble had backfired. The Lions were going to have one more chance, but Shane Lechler buried Detroit at their own 2 yard line. The Lions had not led at any point in this game, and to win they would have to go 98 yards in 2:14 with no timeouts. Had the Raiders run instead of pass he would not have the 2 minute warning. Now it was up to the defense. The Raiders had every chance to finish the game.

After an incompletion, Stafford hit Pettigrew for 8 as the 2 minute warning saw the Lions with 3rd and 2 at their own 10. Stafford found Burleson for 8 and then went to Johnson for a 21 yard gain. It looked like he may have only gotten one foot down but it was ruled a catch. From the Detroit 39, Stafford went deep to Johnson, who got past double coverage, and caught an underthrown ball for a 48 yard gain. With one minute to play the Lions were at the Oakland 13 as the Raiders were in full meltdown mode. Offensive holding moved the Lions back to 1st and 20 at the 23.

Yet this time Stafford went deep to Johnson again, and Routt was called for defensive pass interference at the 6. Despite the entire world knowing who Stafford was going to throw to, on 2nd and goal he went to Johnson. The decision earlier not to go for 2 loomed large as the extra point now had the Lions up by one point. Unlike the miracle finish earlier this year in Houston, at home the Raiders were unable to make a stop. They had every chance to put the game away. Now they needed a miracle on offense.

The Raiders took over at their own 16 with 35 seconds left and 2 timeouts. Palmer hit Boss for 13 and called their second timeout. Palmer then found Boss again for 29 yards as the Raiders were at midfield with 21 seconds left. Yet on the next play Palmer was sacked for a 3 yard loss and the Raiders had to burn their final timeout with 13 seconds left. A quick incompletion left 8 seconds left. On 3rd and 13 Palmer hit Houshmanzadeh for a 6 yard gain at the sideline. Houshmanzadeh got out of bounds with 4 seconds left.

On 4th and 7 from the Detroit 47, Seabass came in for a 65 yard field goal attempt. Earlier this year Seabass hit from 63 to tie the NFL record. While nobody could blame him if he missed, a successful kick would put him in the history books all by himself and be one of the great Raider wins of all time. With Al Davis looking up above, his 1st round Polish Cannon swung his foot. Ndomakung Suh blocked it.

Instead of a pair of 8-6 teams, the Lions got to 9-5 and are now all but in the playoffs as everyone around them lost. As for the 7-7 Raiders, this may not have been the worst loss in franchise history, but it was one of the most heart-breaking. Everyone around the Raiders lost, and a win would have put them solidly in the playoff picture. The gut-wrenching loss keeps the Raiders one game back in the division. They no longer control their own destiny. After winning 3 straight they have lost 3 straight. A desperate situation in a game they had every chance to win now has their entire season on the brink. Carson Palmer was a fantastic 32 of 40 for 367 yards and a touchdown. Yet the 2 critical incompletions loomed large. Stafford was 29 of 52 for 391 yards and 4 touchdowns. Neither quarterback was intercepted, and in the end one point separated the playoffs from misery. 28-27 Lions

Cleveland Browns @ Arizona Cardinals–Arizona has fought back to 6-7 with a pair of hard fought wins over superior teams. Their third straight home game comes at a good time since Cleveland is a disaster. Walrus Mike Holmgren has come under fire since nobody seems to know who let Colt McCoy go back on the field after sustaining a concussion. He got belted by James Harrison and both players would be out this week as Harrison was suspended one game and McCoy was just knocked silly. Walrus protege Seneca Wallace got the start. Kevin Kolb was also concussed, forcing Ken Whisenhunt to start John “Red” Skelton again.

From the Cleveland 24, Peyton Hillis gained 18 and Wallace hit Little for 12 more. Hillis gained another 12 and Wallace went to Massaquoi for 29 yards down to the 4. Hillis took it in from one yard out to have the Browns quickly up 7-0. The Browns began the second quarter facing 3rd and 4 at their own 48. Wallace gained 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 36, Hillis gained 2. Phil Dawson would hit a 44 yard field goal to put the Browns up 10-0.

With 1:49 left in the half the Cardinals got it back at their own 35. On 3rd and 3 Skelton hit Todd Heap for 18 and 7 and then Taylor for 10 and 11. Skelton would hit Roberts for the 9 yard touchdown with seconds left in the half to get the Cardinals within 10-7. A quiet third quarter saw only one notable play, but it was a big one. With 3 minutes left in the period Seneca Wallace went deep to Little for a 76 yard touchdown as the Browns led 17-7, making Mike Holmgren a most unhappy Walrus. Skelton would be intercepted late in the third quarter.

Arizona took over 90 seconds into the fourth quarter at their own 13. Skelton hit Doucet for 11. A sack meant 2nd and 19, but Skelton found Larry Fitzgerald for 23. On 3rd and 3 from the Arizona 45, Skelton hit Roberts for 21 and Early Doucet for 20. Beanie Wells took it in from one yard out to complete the 11 play, 5 minute, 87 yard drive and have the Cardinals within 17-14. Cleveland quickly fumbled on their next drive, and the Cardinals faced 1st and goal at the 5. They lost 10 yards and kicked a 3 yard field goal to tie the game 17-17 with 6 minutes left.

The game went into overtime and the Browns got the ball first. They would punt, and once again Patrick Peterson was the difference.  The second coming of Devon Hester returned it 32 yards to the Cleveland 40. On 3rd and 6 Skelton went to Larry Fitzgerald for a 32 yard gain. On 1st and goal at the 4 Ken Whisenhunt took no chances. Jay Feely came in right away for the 22 yarder. It was good, and the Cardinals after starting 1-6 have gone 6-1 since to get to 7-7 and actually stay alive in the playoff hunt. Mike Holmgren once again was a most unhappy Walrus as the Cardiac Cards did it again. 20-17 Cardinals, OT

New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos–Two of the most charmed individuals on Earth play against each other for the first time as Tom Brady and Tim Tebow face off. Denver has won 6 straight to get to 8-5 and hold a one game division lead while New England at 10-3 is in the 4 way tie for top conference record. Evil Hoodie Bill Bellichick defeated John Fox in the Super Bowl 8 years ago on the final play, and Bellichick will have surprises for Tebow. The question is if Tebow will win that chess match.

On 3rd and 4 from the 26 at the start, Tebow ran for 7. Willis McGahee ran for 15. Tebow hit Lance Ball for 7 and Johnson then ran for 25 down to the 13. Tebow scrambled got the 9 yard score. A bad snap on the extra point kept it at 6-0 Broncos. New England quickly faced 3rd and 9 from their 21. Brady found Hernandez, who broke several tackles for a 46 yard gain. Brady then went deep to Chad Johnson for the 33 yard touchdown as the Patriots led 7-6. From the Denver 18, McGahee ran for 29, Tebow hit Thomas for 22, and Ball raced for a 32 yard score to have the Broncos up 13-7.

After a punt, Denver took over at their own 29. Tebow hit Eric Decker for 22 yards. Ball ran for 12. On 3rd and 9 from the Patriots 36, Tebow ran for 19. The second quarter began with 3rd and 6 from the 13. Tebow gained 5, and on 4tha nd 1 from the 8 John Fox went for the field goal. Matt Prater connected from 26 to have the Broncos up 16-7.

After a touchback Brady went to Hernandez for 8 and Welker for 5. Danny Woodhead ran for 8 and Hernandez ran for 16. Brady hit Woodhead for 12 and Woodhead ran for 4 and 6. From the 20, Brady Hit Welker for 19. Brady hit Hernandez for the one yard score to have the Patriots within 16-14.  Denver fumbled on the first play from scrimmage as the Patriots took over at the Denver 19. On 3rd and goal from the 3, Brady threw incomplete as the Patriots settled for a 21 yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal and a 17-16 lead.

With 6 minutes left in the half the Broncos were in full self-destruction mode. They quickly moved from their 20 to their 46 but then Tebow fumbled. The Patriots took over at the Denver 40. On 3rd and 1 Green-Ellis got stopped, and on 4th and 1 Bill Bellichick decided to go for it. Brady went to Hernandez for a 25 yard gain. Brady took it in himself from one yard out to lead 24-16 with just over one minute left in the half. An exchange of punts had the Patriots kicking away with 14 seconds left in the half. Denver fumbled it again and the Patriots recovered at the Denver 16 with 3 seconds to go. Gostkowski hit from 34 as the 20 point barrage had New England up 27-16 at halftime.

The defenses settled in for much of the third quarter and the Patriots took over at their own 15 with 4 minutes left in the half. Brady found Green-Ellis for 21. Green-Ellis then ran for 7, 2, and 5. From midfield Brady hit Welker for 13 and Hernandez for 8 with a facemask adding 15 more. Woodhead would run it in from 10 yards out to put the Patriots up 34-16.

With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation Denver took over at their own 11. Tebow hit Thomas for 8 and 14. Tebow was sacked to set up 3rd and 18 at the Denver 25. Tebow went deep to Thomas for 39 and found Ball for 34 more down to the 2. Tebow took it in himself and with 9 minutes left the Broncos were within 34-23. With 6 straight comeback wins, Tebow was trying to get a 7th.

Yet Tom Brady had other ideas. After a touchback, Brady found Rob Gronkowski for a 38 yard gain and Hernandez for 16 more to the Denver 19. On 2nd and 14 Brady hit Hernandez for 22. On 3rd and goal at the 1, Green-Ellis took it in to turn out the lights. The final indignity came on 4th and 17 from the New England 37. Tebow was chased until he was finally sacked for a 28 yard loss.

Denver dropped to 8-6 but maintained a one game lead in the division. They need one more win to clinch it. New England got to 11-3 to maintain the inside track on home field advantage. For those witnessing Tebow miracles, the bottom line is that today he simply ran into one of the greatest leaders of all time on a team on pace to reach another Super Bowl. The loss does not diminish Tebow, but it clearly shows that Tom Brady is still the master. 41-23 Patriots

New York Jets @ Philadelphia Eagles–The Jest have won 3 straight and at 8-5 are in the playoffs if they ended before this game. They don’t, but the Eagles are a disaster. Walrus Lite Andy Reid will have Michael Vick but the season is over. Rex Ryan has seen his defense get carved up this year, and Vick will provide another test.

Vick moved the Eagles from their 17 to a 3rd and 6 at the Jets 40 before an incompletion ended the drive. The Jets began at their own 7 and Mark Sanchez led them  to a 2nd and 14 at the Jets 36. Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes for 7 more, but Holmes fumbled. Parker picked it up and raced 47 yards for a touchdown to have the Eagles up 7-0.

The Jets would receive a break of their own when they punted and the Eagles fumbled it. The Jets took over at the Eagles 14, but Sanchez was then intercepted by Asanti Samuel. Samuel returned it 19 yards to the 23. Vick hit Jeremy Maclin for 16. Lewis ran for 7 and McCoy gained 11 and 6. Vick scrambled for 10 and then hit Captain Morgan Brent Celek for a 26 yard touchdown and a 14-0 Eagles lead.

The Jets punted again and the Eagles began the second quarter with a critical 3rd and 1 at the Jets 48. McCoy gained 3 and a defensive personal foul added 15 more. On 3rd and 7 from the Jets 27, Vick hit Desean Jackson for 16. Vick then scrambled for the 11 yard touchdown to have the Eagles up 21-0. The Jets took over at their own 9 and on 3rd and 2 Sanchez was hit and fumbled. The Eagles recovered at the Jets 17. McCoy ran it in from 9 yards out as the Eagles led 28-0 only 20 minutes into the game.

The Jets took over at their own 21 and finally got going. Shon Greene ran for 6 and Sanchez hit Dustin Keller for 12 and then again for a 41 yard gain down to the 20. The drive stalled and down by 28, Rex Ryan went for the field goal just to have something on the board. Nick Folk hit from 39 as the Jets trailed 28-3 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Eagles fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Jets took over at the Philly 24. On 2nd and 21 from the 25, Sanchez went to Holmes for the touchdown as the Jets were within 28-10. On the next series Philly fumbled again and the Jets took over at the Philly 27. On 3rd and 3 Sanchez hit Kerly for 6. Yet the defense held and a 28 yard field goal had the Jets within 28-13. There was plenty of time for a comeback for the ages.

Yet it would not be coming. After a punt in the third quarter, the Eagles took over at their own 11. Vick hit Harbor for 16 and then found Captain Morgan Brent Celek for a 73 yard gain down to the one. McCoy took it in to have the Eagles up 35-13. The Eagles got it back at their own 47. Vick hit Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper for a pair of 18 yard gains. The drive stalled but a 28 yard Henery field goal made it 38-13. A bad punt had the Eagles beginning the fourth quarter at the Jets 39. McCoy ran for 6 and then broke free for a 33 yard touchdown as the Eagles were carpetbombing the Jets 45-13.

The Jets would eventually reach the end zone again but Rex Ryan saw is team get blasted to fall to 8-6. By sheer luck, virtually all of their playoff competitors also lost, keeping the Jets in the hunt by default. As for Andy Reid, the Eagles for the second week in a row played like the team everybody expected them to be before the season got away from them. 45-19 Eagles

Baltimore Ravens @ San Diego Chargers is the Sunday night game. Norvelous Norv Turner has seen the Chargers win 2 straight to get to 6-7, leading everyone to talk about running the table and sneaking into the playoffs. John Harbaugh has one of the 4 teams in the AFC at 10-3, and the Ravens are still fighting to win their division and the conference. Ray Lewis returns, and Philip Rivers will throw early and often at the vaunted Baltimore defense.

After a touchback Ray Rice ran for 22 and the Ravens were on the move. On 3rd and 12 Joe Flacco hit Anquon Boldin for 33 yards. On 4th and 1 from the 18 John Harbaugh decided not to go for it. Billy Cundiff missed the 36 yard field goal. From the 26, Philip Rivers hit Mathews for 13. On 3rd and 8 from the 41 Rivers hit McMichael for 9 to midfield. Vincent Jackson gained 9 and Mathews picked up 6. Rivers hit Jackson for 15 and Malcolm Floyd for 12. On 3rd and goal at the 2 Mike Tolbert took it in to make it 7-0 Chargers.

From the Baltimore 25, Rice gained 7 and 3. Flacco hit Pitta for 11. Rice gained 6 and Williams added 7. On 3rd and 10 from the Chargers 41, Flacco scrambled for 12 as the first quarter ended. RIce gained 12 more. On 3rd and 8 from the 15 Flacco hit Dickson for the touchdown to make it 7-7.

After a touchback Rivers hit Antonio Gates for 11. On 2nd and 9 from the 35, Rivers was sacked. Yet unnecessary roughness on Terrell Suggs instead moved the ball to midfield. Rivers hit Gates for 20 and Nick Novak hit a 45 yarder to put the Chargers up 10-7. San Diego got it back after a touchback with 3 minutes left in the half. On 3rd and 8 Rivers went deep to Jackson for a 58 yard gain at the 2 minute warning. Rivers then found Floyd for 19 down to the one. Mathews took it in as the Chargers led 17-7 at halftime.

San Diego began the third quarter and again faced 3rd and 8 at their own 22. Rivers hit Floyd for 16 and Brown for 13. Mathews ran for 18 and Rivers went to Floyd for a 28 yard touchdown to have the Chargers up 24-7. From their 20, Flacco hit Smith for 10 and Dickson for 12. On 3rd and 14 from their 38, Flacco was sacked. Yet a facemask instead meant 1st and 10 at their 46. Flacco hit Rice for 9 and Williams ran for 8. From the Chargers 37, Flacco was intercepted by Taeko Spikes to kill the drive. From the Baltimore 4, Rivers hit Jackson for 11 and Floyd for 21. Mathews took it in from 3 yards out as the Chargers now led a blowout 31-7.

Flacco would get intercepted again, but Novak doinked a 37 yarder off the upright no good. In the fourth quarter San Diego took over at their own 1 yard line and Rivers led a 14 play, 89 yard drive that consumed over 9 minutes. Novak hit a 28 yard field goal to make it 34-7. The Ravens would get a garbage time touchdown to complete the scoring.

The Ravens are 10-4 but the loss put them behind Pittsburgh in he division pending the Monday night game. The Ravens are one game out of the best conference record with the New England win. As for San Diego, Norvelous Norv Turner refuses to die. The 4-7 Chargers have won 3 straight and are now 7-7. They were 3 games back of Oakland and have now tied them, one game back of Denver. San Diego could even win the division. 34-14 Chargers

Pittsburgh Steelers @ San Francisco 49ers is the Monday night game. Ben Roethlisberger is injured and may play anyway. Both of these teams are 10-3. Pittsburgh is tied for the division and conference lead, but could end up playing road games in January if they lose this game. San Francisco long ago locked up the NFC Worst, and is on track for a 1st round bye. Yet a loss could force the 49ers to play a wildcard game. Both Mike Tomlin and Jim Harbaugh are about defense, which could make for a hard hitting game.

Pittsburgh was without James Harrison, who was serving a one game suspension for helmet to helmet hits. The game was expected to be lights out even without Harrison, but apparently that applied to Candlestick Park itself. A power failure delayed the start of the game, and again in the second quarter the power went out to cause another delay.

As for the offense, there was virtually none. Roethlisberger did drive the Steelers from their 30 to the Frisco 19, but Big Ben was then intercepted in the end zone. Alex Smith responded by moving the 49ers from their 27 to a 1st and goal at the 2. Yet a run lost 2 yards and a pair of incompletions meant a 22 yard David Akers to put the 49ers up 3-0. Big Ben was intercepted again, and the 49ers were at the Steelers 36 to start the second quarter. David Akers would connect from 38 to make it 6-0 49ers. The last play of the half had the Steelers with 3rd and 5 at the Frisco 38. Mike Tomlin passed up a 55 yard field goal try, but rather than go for the Hail Mary, Roethlisberger threw a medium range pass. It was caught for 24 yards at the 14, but the clock ran out.

In the third quarter Roethlisberger moved the Steelers from their own 10 to a 3rd and 2 at the Frisco 33. Roethlisberger hit Brown, but it was ruled incomplete. Tomlin unsuccessfully challenged the call. On 4th and 2, Shawn Suisham was brought in for a 51 yard field goal. It was good, and the Steelers were within 6-3. From the Frisco 21, Alex Smith went deep to Vernon Davis for a 31 yard gain. Smith then hit Hunter for 27 and back to Davis for 21 down to the one. Smith hit Davis for the game’s first touchdown as the 49ers led 13-3 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. Roethlisberger moved the Steelers from their 20 to the Frisco 30. Yet from 48, Suisham was no good as the 13-3 score remained after three quarters.

Early in the fourth quarter the Steelers faced 3rd and 10 at their own 8. Roethlisberger hit Jerricho Cotcherry for 20. Yet Big Ben was then sacked and fumbled. The 49ers took over at the Steelers 18 with a chance to close out the game. The defense held and on 4th and 3 Akers connected on a 28 yard field goal to make it 16-3. However, the defense was called for unsportsmanlike conduct for using leverage on the kick. Jim Harbaugh took the points off the board as it became 1st and goal at the 5. On 2nd and goal Frank Gore ran it in to have the 49ers up 20-3 with 9 minutes left in regulation.

The 49ers got to 11-3 to maintain tied for the second best record in the conference. The 49ers hold the tie-breaker edge for the 1st round bye. Pittsburgh dropped to 10-4. They are now one game back of New England for the best conference record. They are also tied with Baltimore for the division lead, and Baltimore holds the tie-breaker. Pittsburgh still could win home field throughout the playoffs, but as of now are a wildcard having to travel on the road. 20-3 49ers

eric

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