THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

Hanukkah 2016 Night 8–NFL 2016 Week 17 Prequel

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl/nfl-2016-week-17-preview-and-bettors-guide-75963/

Hanukkah 2016 Night 7–AFC and NFC Playoff Possibilities and Predictions

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl/nfl-2016-2017-afc-playoff-permutations-combinations-and-predictions-75838/

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl/nfl-2016-2017-nfc-playoff-permutations-combinations-and-predictions-75848/

eric

Hanukkah 2016 Night 6–NFL Black Monday Predictions

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl/nfl-2016-black-monday-predictions-75930/

NFL 2016 Week 16 Recap

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles was the Thursday night game. The Eagles were done for the year, but relished a chance to play spoiler against a Giants team coming off big wins against Dallas and Detroit. Early on it was all Eagles. They moved 78 yards quickly as Darren Sproles ran for a 25 yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 Eagles. Eli Manning then completed a perfect pass to Malcolm Jenkins, who plays defense for Philadelphia. Jenkins returned the interception 34 yards for another touchdown to make it 14-0 Eagles. The Giants tried to get back in the game but twice bogged down in the red zone. Robbie Gould hit a pair of 35 yard field goals, one in the first quarter and one in the second quarter to get the Giants within 14-6. Yet the Eagles scored touchdowns as 75 yards was capped off by a 40 yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz to Nelson Agholor to make it 21-6 Eagles.

The Giants tried to mount a comeback. A 12 play, 84 yard drive saw Manning throw a 13 yard touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard to get the Giants within 21-13. In the third quarter the Giants faced a 3rd and 11 at their own 32. Manning went deep to O’Dell Beckham for a 27 yard gain. Despite 2nd and 9 at the Philly 11, Manning threw incomplete twice. Gould hit from 29 to get the Giants within 21-16. The Eagles took over after a touchback. On 3rd and 14 from the Giants 38, Wentz threw incomplete but benefitted from roughing the passer. The Eagles kept the ball but Wentz was injured on the play. Chase Daniels came in at quarterback and the Eagles soon faced 2nd and goal at the one. Ryan Matthews got the carry and lost 2 yards. On 3rd and goal he got the 2 yards back to set up 4th and goal at the one. Doug Pederson decided to go for it with just over one minute left in the third quarter. Matthews got the carry and ran into a Big Blue brick wall.

The goal line stand had the Giants fired up, but with 12 minutes left in regulation they hurt themselves again on offense. On 3rd and 5 from their own 37, Manning went deep and was intercepted. The Eagles moved from their 44 to a critical 4th and 1 at the Giants 23 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. This time Pederson took no chances. Caleb Sturgis hit from 41 to give the Eagles a 24-16 lead. The Giants moved from their 25 to a 4th and 5 at the Philly 45. Ben McAdoo decided to go for it and Manning hit Beckham for 10 yards. On 4th and 3 from the Philly 18 with 5 1/2 minutes left, this time McAdoo opted for the field goal. After a false start, Gould hit his fourth field goal from 41 yards. The Giants were within 5 points and needed a defensive stop.

The Eagles went 3 and out and the Giants got it back at their one 27 with 4:15 to play. With 2:19 to play, the Giants faced 3rd and 4 at the Philadelphia 35. Manning found Beckham at the sticks, and the referees called it a first down. replay showed Beckham was clearly short, and Doug Pederson challenged the spot. The call was reversed, and at the 2 minute warning the Giants had 4th and inches at the Philadelphia 32. The Giants again suffered a false start, and this one was a killer. On 4th and 6, Manning threw incomplete. The Giants again held on defense and got the ball back at their own 15 with 90 seconds to play and one timeout. The Giants took their last timeout with 25 seconds left and facing 1st and 10 at the Philly 34. Manning went deep incomplete, and on second down fired to the end zone. He had Beckham open but overthrew him. With 14 seconds left, on 3rd and 10, looking for the win, Manning went deep and was intercepted by Brooks at the 5 yard line.

Wentz finished only 13 of 24 for 152 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Manning threw a franchise record 63 passes, completing 38 of them for 356 yards and one touchdown. Yet Manning also suffered 3 killer interceptions, including the one that sealed the Giants fate at the end of the game. Despite the loss, the 10-5 Giants clinched a playoff spot two days later due to action in other games. They cannot win the division, and will be a wild card. 24-19 Eagles

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills — The 9-5 Dolphins have the inside track on the playoffs while the 7-7 Bills needed a miracle. early on the Dolphins moved 72 yards and Jay Ajayi ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. After a touchback the Bills moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Miami 30. A costly delay of game penalty killed the drive. Dan Carpenter’s 46 yard field goal try was no good. The second quarter began with the Dolphins in excellent field position. From the Buffalo 45, Drake took a handoff up the middle, got nowhere, spun all the way to the sideline, got some blocks, and made it to the end zone to make it 14-0 Dolphins. After doing nothing for the first 20 minutes or so, the Bills finally got going, moving 79 yards. Tyrod Taylor went deep to Sammy Watkins for a 38 yard touchdown. With 5 minutes left in the half the Bills were only down 14-7.

The Dolphins quickly struck in the third quarter as Matt Moore went deep to Parker for a 56 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Dolphins. The Bills came back 77 yards in 10 play and 5 1/2 minutes. LeSean Shady McCoy ran for a 19 yard touchdown to get the Bills back within 21-14. Miami quickly struck again 75 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Miami 32, a short pass from Moore to Williams followed by several awful tackling attempts meant a 44 yard gain. Moore found Kenny Stills for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 28-14 Dolphins. From their own 22, the Bills came right back as neither team was interested in tackling. Taylor went deep to Watkins for a 53 yard gain. From the 18, Taylor fired to Clay at the goal line. Clay bounced off two defenders and spun into the end zone to get the Bills back within 28-21. The Dolphins kept moving but with 10 minutes left in regulation a 46 yard field goal try by Andrew Franks doinked off the upright no good.

From their own 36, Taylor ran for 13 yards and hit Goodwin for 16 more. On 4th and 1 from the 16 midway through the fourth quarter, Rex Ryan lined up to go for it. The Dolphins had 12 men on the defense. Yet on 2nd and 3 from the 4, Taylor was sacked for a 6 yard loss and then threw incomplete. With 6 minutes left down by 7, Rex Ryan opted for the field goal. Dan Carpenter hit from 28 to get the Bills within 28-24. Grant returned the ensuing kickoff to give Miami the ball at their own 46. Yet they did nothing with it and punted. The Bills took over at their own 11 with exactly 4 minutes left.

On 3rd and 1 from their 20, Mike Gillislee gained 25 yards. From the Miami 41 at the 2 minute warning, Taylor went deep to Woods for a 34 yard gain. With 1:25 to play, the Bills took their first timeout as they faced 4th and goal at the 7. Taylor fired to Clay for the touchdown and the Bills led 31-28. Never bet against a Rex Ryan team when Rex is about to be fired. The guy is Lazarus. Nobody circles the wagons like Rex Ryan.

Yet the game was not over as Drake took the ensuing kickoff at the goal line and brought it to the Miami 39. Moore hit Stills for 17 yards. With 46 seconds left, on 3r and 10 from the Buffalo 44, Moore threw to Williams near the sideline for a 7 yard gain. Williams inexplicably did not go out of bounds. The clock ticked down with the Dolphins out of timeouts. The Dolphins brought Franks out to try a 55 yard field goal to tie the game. As the clock ticked down Rex Ryan tried to call timeout but the referee never saw him. With 6 seconds left, Franks snuck  the kick just over the crossbar and inside the right upright good. At 31-31, this game was going to overtime.

The Bills won the toss and took over after a touchback. Gillislee broke free for a 35 yard gain. The Bills had 1st and 10 at the Miami 17 and were in total control. A touchdown would end the game but a field goal would give Miami one chance with the ball. A run by McCoy lost a couple yards. A run by Reggie Bush was a disaster, losing 8 more yards. After an incompletion, Dan Carpenter came in for a 45 yard field goal to give the Bills the lead. Carpenter was no good in front of a shocked home crowd. The Dolphins moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Buffalo 45, but Moore threw incomplete. Perfect punt coverage pinned the Bills back at their own 4 yard line. On 3rd and 8 from the Buffalo 17, Taylor hit Clay for 16 yards. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the Buffalo 41, Taylor threw incomplete. The Dolphins took over at their own 15 with 4 minutes left in overtime.

Jay AJayi got the carry and ran for a 57 yard gain. Moore took a knee on 1st and goal at the 7 just to center the ball. Adam Gase called for the field goal on 2nd and goal from the 8. From 27 yards out, Franks was good. After starting 1-4, the Dolphins have gone 9-1 to get to 10-5 overall. With a win next week or a loss by Denver, he Dolphins would clinch a playoff spot as a wildcard. At 7-8 and out of the playoffs, Rex Ryan just went from circling the wagons to circling the drain. We leatherheads love Sexy Rexy but he may be done as an NFL head coach. 34-31 Dolphins, OT

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers — The Falcons were trying to win the NFC South and punch their ticket to the playoffs. They quickly moved 75 yards and Matt Ryan threw a 26 yard touchdown pass to Perkins to begin the scoring. An interception of Cam Newton gave the Falcons a short field at the Carolina 44. Matt Bryant hit a 44 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Falcons. Atlanta got it back and Bryant tacked on a 48 yard field goal for a 13-0 Falcons lead. The Panthers finally got on the boar din the second quarter when Graham Gano hit a 31 yard field goal. After a touchback the Falcons soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 25. Ryan went to Mohammed Sanu for a 22 yard gain and again for 28 more yards. On 3rd and 4 from the 12, Matty Ice hit Freeman for 7 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Ryan hit Tialavea for the score. Do not confuse Tialavea with actress Tea Leoni. Either way, the Falcons led 20-3.

In the third quarter Gano hit from 40 for the Panthers, but Bryant responded from 29 to make it 23-6 Falcons. Newton threw a 26 yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin to get Carolina to within 23-13 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Falcons turned out the lights. A 55 yard punt return for a touchdown by Tevin Coleman made it 30-13 Falcons. Needing three scores, all Carolina could muster was a 31 yard Gano field goal. Bryant countered from 50 to end any suspense. By getting to 10-5, Dan Quinn saw the Falcons clinch the NFC South. If Atlanta wins next week, they get a first round bye. 33-16 Falcons

Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears — Washington severely damaged their playoff hopes last week with a home loss that dropped the redskins to 7-6. The Redskins started out by moving 65 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 7, Chris Thompson ran for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Redskins. The Bears moved from their 15 to a 2nd and goal at the 4. Matt Barkley threw incomplete twice. Connor Barth lined up for a 22 yard field goal. The kick was blocked. Kirk Cousins then threw a short pass to DeSean Jackson that went for a 57 yard gain. On 3rd and 9 from the Chicago 17, Cousins went to Thompson for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Redskins. In the second quarter after an interception at their own one yard line, the Redskins moved 88 yards. They settled for a 29 yard Dustin Hopkins field goal to lead 17-0.

The Bears soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 28. Barkley found Alshon Jeffery for 9 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Washington 33, Barkley went deep to Meredith for a 32 yard gain down to the one. Langford got in on the next play to get the Bears within 17-7. The Redskins came back 91 yards. On 3rd and 10 from their own 9, Cousins went deep to Jackson for a 29 yard gain. On 3rd and 11 from their 37, Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference gave the Redskins 28 more yards.  and Cousins ran for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 24-7 Redskins. Yet after a touchback with only 1:41 left in the half, Barkley went to work. From the Chicago 37, Barkley was sacked but illegal use of hands moved the ball to the 42. Barkley then went deep to Jeffery for 37 yards and then to Meredith for a 21 yard touchdown as the Bears only trailed 24-14 at the break.

The Bears had momentum in the third quarter and John Fox called a fake punt with Chicago acing 4th and 1 at their own 48. Prosinksi got 2 yards. Yet 2 plays later Barkley was intercepted, Giving the Redskins the ball at their own 45. On 3rd and 5 from the Chicago 28, Cousins hit Vernon Davis for 13 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the 7 Robert Kelley got stopped but defensive illegal use of hands meant 1st and goal at the 3. Cousins got in from the one to make it 31-14 Redskins. In the fourth quarter Barkley threw his fourth interception. On 4th and goal at the one, Jay Gruden played it safe and padded the lead. Hopkins hit from 20 to turn a close game into a 34-14 Redskins rout. Barkley did lead the Bears 85 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes, throwing a 3 yard touchdown to Thompson to get the Bears within 34-21. Yet Brown then raced for a 61 yard touchdown to ice the game for the Redskins. At 8-6 the Redskins are most likely out of the playoffs, but they have an outside shot. 41-21 Redskins

San Diego Chargers at Cleveland Browns — Neither team is going to the playoffs so the only storyline is whether the 0-14 Browns can avoid infamy. The Chargers moved 75 yards and Philip Rivers hit Antonio Gates for a one yard touchdown and a 7-0 Chargers lead. The Browns came back 72 yards and Isaiah Crowell ran for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Chargers responded with a 43 yard Josh Lambo field goal to lead 10-7. In the second quarter the Browns moved 75 yards in 10 plays. Crowell scored again from 4 yards out for a 14-10 Browns lead. An interception of Rivers led to a 49 yard Cody Parker field goal and a 17-10 Browns advantage.

In the third quarter the Browns moved 57 yards into the red zone. The drive stalled at the 10 but Parkey hit the 27 yard field goal as the Browns led 20-10. The Chargers moved 75 yards and Rivers hit Williams for a one yard touchdown to get within 20-17. For the first time since Week 4, the Browns led entering the fourth quarter. The Browns had to collapse. The only question was when. Robert Griffin III was knocked out of the game and had to be replaced by Cody Kessler. With 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Browns punted on 4th and 18 from their own 3. The Chargers took over at the Cleveland 33 and Rivers hit Gates for 20 yards. Yet despite 1st and 10 from the 13, a run lost a yard and Rivers threw incomplete twice. Lambo came in for a 32 yard field goal try to tie the game. The kick was blocked. The Browns still led with 3:45 to play.

The Chargers held on defense and got it back at their own 22 with 1:46 to play and 0 timeouts. With 1:06 left, after 3 straight Rivers incompletions, the Chargers faced 4th and 10 at their own 40. One stop and the Browns had the win. Rivers found Gates for 25 yards. After spiking the ball, Rivers then fumbled the snap but the Chargers retained possess. On 3rd and 13 from the Cleveland 38, Rivers hit Gates for 11 yards but the clock kept ticking down. The Chargers rushed Lambo on to the field for a 45 yard field goal try to tie the game. The kick was no good!

Santa Claus and Hanukkah Harry exist! The Cleveland Browns won! Congratulations, Cleveland Browns fans. The Dawg Pound are among the best fans in sports. Football fans everywhere understand their pain. Oakland started 0-10 two years ago. It takes time to change a losing culture. Hue Jackson will turn them around. For now, Cleveland Browns fans are thrilled they did not go 0-16. 1-15 is a bad team that will be forgotten about in a few years. 0-16 is forever. Well done, Browns. Plenty of heart on this day. For Mike McCoy, he may get more than a lump of coal on NFL Black Monday. 20-17 Browns

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers — The Packers started out 4-6 and Aaron Rodgers said they could run the table. They are now 8-6 and one game back in the NFC North. Minnesota started 5-0 but collapsed to 7-7 and now need a miracle to make the playoffs. The Packers quickly moved 61 yards and Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Packers. The Vikings came back 65 yards but on 3rd and goal at the 4 Sam Bradford threw incomplete. Kai Forbath hit the 22 yard field goal to get the Vikings within 7-3. From the Green Bay 26, Rodgers went deep to Nelson for a 48 yard gain. on 3rd and 4 from the Minnesota 20, Rodgers went deep to Devonta Adams for the touchdown to make it 14-3 Packers. In the second quarter the Vikings again moved into the red zone and again came up short. On 3rd and 6 from the 12, a delay of game penalty killed the drive. On 4th and 2 from the 8, Mike Zimmer played it safe and took the points. Forbath hit from 26 to get the Vikings within 14-6.

The Vikings got the ball back but a fumble gave Green Bay a short field at the Minnesota 42. Rodgers went deep to Nelson for a 33 yard gain and then threw a 2 yard touchdown pass to Nelson in the back of the end zone for a 21-6 Packers lead. This time the Vikings responded quickly. Bradford went deep to a wide open Adam Thielen for a 71 yard touchdown to get the Vikings within 21-13. With one minute left in the half and the Vikings with 2nd and 1 at the Green Bay 41, Bradford was sacked and fumbled. Green Bay took over at their own 46. Rodgers went deep to Allison for a 32 yard gain. Rodgers then ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 28-13 Packers at the half. Aaron Rodgers and Sam Bradford threw for a combined 500 yards and it was only halftime. So much for NFC North smashmouth. Bradford was 13 of 20 for 231 yards and one touchdown. Rodgers was a lights out 19 of 22 for 268 yards and 3 touchdowns. Neither quarterback was intercepted.

The first half belonged to the offenses and the second half belonged to the defenses. A field position game and a short punt had the Packers taking over at the Minnesota 44. On the first play of the fourth quarter Crosby hit a 48 yard field goal to make it 31-13 Packers. Another short punt had the Packers starting at their own 47. On 3rd and 7 from the Minnesota 18, the Vikings entered the neutral zone. On 3rd and 2, Rodgers hit his non-relative Richard Rodgers for the 13 yard touchdown to turn a shootout into a blowout at 38-13 Packers. Minnesota reached the end zone a couple times but that was it. The Vikings at 7-8 are done while the Packers at 9-6 have a showdown next week against Detroit for the NFC North title. 38-25 Packers

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars — After shocking wins over Denver and Kansas City, all the 8-6 Titans had to dow as beat the 2-12 Jaguars, who just fired Gus Bradley. Easier said than done. Early on the Jaguars moved 75 yards and Blake Bortles found Marquis Lee for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Jaguars. Jacksonville got it back and moved to the red zone again before settling for a 29 yard Jason Myers field goal to make it 10-0 Jaguars. In the second quarter the Titans finally got going and moved 69 yards in 10 plays. On 3rd and 12 from their own 48, Marcus Mariota found Sharpe for a 13 yard gain. Roughing the passer on the next play moved the Titans closer. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Mariota hit Rashad Matthews for the touchdown to get the Titans within 10-7.

The Jaguars responded by going 75 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. Chris Ivory got in from the one to make it 16-7 Jaguars after the failed extra point. The Jaguars got it back and Bortles worked the 2 minute drill well. Myers hit a 48 yard field goal to end the half with the Jaguars holding a surprising 19-7 lead. In the third quarter the Jaguars took over at their own 17 and quickly fumbled the ball away. The inevitable collapse was coming. Not just yet. The Jags held on defense and the Titans settled for a 42 yard Ryan Succop field goal to trail 19-10. The Jaguars responded and got a jolt of energy when Myers nailed field goals of 56 and 50 to lead 25-10. Things got very scary for the Titans went Mariota was sacked around the ankles and had to be carted off the field He would not return as Matt Cassel played the fourth quarter for the Titans.

The Titans took over one minute into the fourth quarter at midfield. On 3rd and 8 from the Jags 14, Cassel went to Melanie Walker for the score. The Titans were within 25-17. After a touchback, the Jaguars were determined not to blow another game. For those wondering who the interim head coach of the Jaguars is, his name is Doug Marrone. He may not know who he is. Yet from the Titans 20, Marrone went to his bag of tricks. Bortles tossed a lateral to Marquis Lee. Bortles then went out as a wide receiver. Lee threw a touchdown pass to Bortles. The extra point was again no good but the Jaguars led 31-17 with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Trying to make something happen, Cassel was intercepted by Jalen Ramsey, who returned it 30 yards for the clinching touchdown. Bortles finished 26 of 38 for 325 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Doug Marrone is now unbeaten as the Jaguars coach at 1-0. Mike Mularkey may be the same as Doug Marrone, but Mularkey’s team dropped to 8-7. Even worse, Mariota has a fractured fibula and is done for the year. Even worse than that, next week’s showdown with Houston is now meaningless as the Titans have been eliminated from playoff contention. 38-17 Jaguars

New York Jets at New England Patriots — The Patriots already locked up a 1st round bye and were seeking to move one step closer to home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Jets are a mess, and Todd Bowles had to be hospitalized earlier this week. He is still healthier than his team. This was expected to be easy for the Patriots, and early on it was. New England moved into the red zone and Stephen Gostkowski hit a 29 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Patriots. After an interception of rookie Brice Petty, the Patriots had a short field at the Jets 47. Tom Brady hit Marcellus Bennett on 3rd and goal at the 5 for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Patriots. In the second quarter the Jets fumbled to give the Patriots another short field at the Jets 28. On 3rd and goal at the 4, a pass to the end zone was well defended. Gostkowski hit from 22 to make it 13-0 Patriots.

In the second quarter with Brice Petty knocked out of the game, Ryan Fitzpatrick and his beard returned. He led the Jets from their 21 to a 3rd and 6 at the Patriots 16. Fitzpatrick threw incomplete, Nick Folk’s 34 yard field goal try was no good, and the Jets misery continued. On the next Jets series Fitzpatrick was intercepted, giving the Patriots the ball at their own 46. Brady threw an 18 yard touchdown pass to Matt Lengel to make it 20-0 Patriots. The Patriots got it back in the 2 minute drill and quickly moved 87 yards. Brady hit White for a 25 yard touchdown. The Patriots led 27-0 at halftime as JETS again stood for Just End The Season. For some reason league rules required that the second half be played.

In the third quarter the Patriots faced 3rd and 16 at their own 31. Brady went deep to Julian Edelman for 28 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Brady was sacked. Yet defensive holding instead meant 1st and goal at the one. Laguerrette Blount got in to make it 34-0 Patriots. One more turnover meant one more sort field and one more touchdown as Blount got in from the one to make it 41-0 Patriots. Tom Brady was then benched. We all knew he was overrated. Patriots owner Bob Kraft is Jewish. The United Nations issued a resolution condemning him for disproportionate use of force against the Jets.The Patriots got to 13-2 atop the AFC. Even Bill Belichick had to be pleased, although he may have to cut someone given that the Jets kicked a field goal to avert the shutout. 41-3 Patriots

Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders — The 11-3 Raiders have already clinched a playoff spot but not their division. The 7-7 Colts were clinging to playoff life. After each team punted, Andrew Luck went deep to Swoope for a 45 yard gain. The defense held after that, and Adam Vinatieri came in on 4th and 5 from the Oakland 30 for a 48 yard field goal try. Chuck Pagano called a fake, and punter Pat McAfee as the holder was blown up. The Colts got it back after Carr threw 3 straight incompletions. From the Colts 43, Luck was intercepted by Nate Allen. The Raiders took over at their own 46. The Raiders ran 12 plays to go 54 yards and held the ball for over 7 minutes. On 3rd and 5 from just past midfield, Carr found Clive Walford for 15 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Colts 17, Carr found Michael Crabtree for 15 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Carr threw incomplete but defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. On the first play of the second quarter, Carr hit Andre Holmes for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Raiders.

The Colts came back 75 yards without much difficulty. Luck went deep to a wide open Donte Moncrief for a 7-7 ballgame. Yet on this day, the Raiders would not make things more difficult than they had to be. They had been winning close games all year, but on this day they asserted themselves. On 3rd and 8 from the Oakland 23, Carr went deep to Crabtree for a 35 yard gain. Jalen Richard ran for gains of 12, 15 and 9 yards. Carr hit Clive Walford for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 13-7 Raiders with 6 minutes left in the half. Sebastian Janikowski had not missed an extra point all season, going a perfect 35 for 35. He had missed only 4 extra points in his 17 year career. Yet this one was pulled wide left no good.

The Colts moved from their 25 to the Oakland 29 with 1:21 left in the half. Luck then went deep to the end zone and was intercepted by Reggie Nelson. for a touchback. Richard then gained 19 yard and the Raiders caught a break when the Colts had to take a timeout due to a defensive injury. From the Oakland 44, Carr went deep to Amari Cooper for a 34 yard gain and then to Washington for 18 more. The Raiders took their last timeout with 25 seconds left as they faced 1st and goal at the 4. After an incompletion, Carr threw a pass in the flat to Richard. had Richard been tackled the clock would have run out. Yet Richard bulled his way in for the 4 yard touchdown catch. Seabass doinked another extra point off the upright no good but the Raiders led 19-7 at halftime.

The Raiders have been criticized for not finishing games, for not playing complete games. This game they went for the kill. They quickly faced 3rd and 7 at their own 26 to start the third quarter. Carr found Crabtree for 11. Washington ran for gains of 9 and 10. From the Indy 44, Carr went deep to Holmes for half of it and Washington ran straight up the middle for a 22 yard touchdown and a 26-7 Raiders lead. Two plays later from the Colts 26, Frank Gore fumbled and the Raiders took over at the Colts 38. it was instant replay as Washington ran for another 22 yard touchdown to have the Raiders up 33-7.

This time the Colts got going after a touchback. From the Oakland 44, Luck went deep to TY Hilton for a 39 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Luck hit Robert Turbin for the touchdown. The Colts were within 33-14 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter as Chuck Pagano decided against the 2 point conversion. After a touchback, Carr quickly hit Crabtree for 10 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Oakland 40, Jack del rio called a run and Washington gained 11 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Indy 45, Carr Carr hit Crabtree for 8 yards. Carr hit Cooper for 14 yards to give the Raiders 1st and 10 at the Colts 23. Looking for the knockout blow, the Raiders knocked themselves out with penalties. The fourth quarter began with the Raiders facing 1st and 25. A couple safe runs set up 3rd and 15 at the Indy 28.  Carr fired deep incomplete, but before the Raiders could bring out Seabass for the field goal, a stunning intentional grounding penalty was called. Carr said to referee Ed hochuli that his receiver just ran the wrong route. Carr was not even in danger of being sacked. Yet a bomb incomplete was called grounding, pushing the Raiders out of field goal range. Jack Del Rio opted against having sea bass try a 56 yarder. Marquette King got great punt coverage as the Colts were pinned at their own 4 yard line.

The Colts punted it and the Raiders fumbled, but a penalty flag immediately came out. TJ Carrie of the Raiders was hit before the ball arrived. So the Raiders took over with a short field at the Colts 44 with a little over 12 minutes left in regulation.  On 2nd and 7 from the Indy 41, again the Raiders went backward. An illegal crackajack penalty made it 2nd and 22 from the Oakland 44. On the next play disaster struck for the Raiders in the worst possible way. Carr was sacked and stayed on the ground. He had to be helped off the field by a couple teammates. The entire Raider Nation hoped it was not a season ending injury. Matt McGloin came in on 3rd and 26 and handed the ball off. A personal foul after the play had the Raiders punting on 4th and 36. The Colts took over at their own 22 with 10 1/2 minutes left.

As expected, the deflated Raiders quickly collapsed on defense. 68 yards came too easily for the Colts. On 2nd and 3 from the Oakland 18, Luck threw incomplete but a questionable defensive pass interference call put the ball on the Oakland 11. Luck went back to pass, avoided a sack, and scrambled all the way for the touchdown. Luck hit Hilton for the 2 point conversion as the Colts were down 33-22 midway through the fourth quarter. After a touchback, Jack Del Rio played it very safe with McGloin. A couple of runs set up 3rd and 6 from the Oakland 29. McGloin went back to pass, slipped, recovered, and fired to the sideline. Andre Holmes caught it and got both feet down for 10 yards and a big first down. The Colts unsuccessfully challenged the catch and lost a timeout. Now it was back to the ground game to eat the clock. On 3rd and 4 from the Oakland 45, McGloin threw a short pass high and incomplete. With 4 minutes left the Colts got the ball back after a touchback. A facemark penalty against the reeling Raiders had the Colts starting at their own 35.   

Luck immediately hit Hilton, who split the seams for a 39 yard gain. The defense finally held. On 4th and 9 and needing 2 scores, Chuck Pagano opted for the field goal. Adam Vinatieri hit the 42 yard field goal. 18 unanswered points had the Colts within 33-25 with 2 1/2 minutes to play. The Colts still had 2 timeouts and the 2 minute warning. Chuck Pagano decided against the onside kick as the deep kick went for a touchback. Derek Carr was out. Michael Crabtree was out. It was up to McGloin. A pair of runs went nowhere as the Colts took their timeouts. At this moment Jack Del Rio decided to break out his balls of steel. On 3rd and 8 from the Oakland 27 and the Colts unable to stop the clock, a run would take the game to the 2 minute warning. Del Rio put it in McGloin’s hands and called a pass play. It appeared the ball was intercepted, but McGloin’s laser was grabbed by Cooper for a 19 yard gain. McGloin pumped his fist. The Raiders defense did not have to go back on the field.

McGloin took three knees. The Raiders had survived to get to 12-3. Del Rio’s steel balls and total trust his players did it again. McGloin made the throw of his life. Cooper made the catch of the game and ripped away a potential interception. Now the entire team and Raider Nation awaited words of Derek Carr’s health. The Raiders still have not clinched the AFC West, but if Kansas loses to Denver or in it’s finale, the Raiders would be division champs. If Kansas City wins out and the Raiders lose next week at Denver, the Raiders tumble all the way to the wild card. On the flip side, if the Raiders win next week at Denver and New England loses its finale, the Raiders would have home field throughout the playoffs. For Mark Davis, Reggie McKenzie, and the rest of the Silver and Black, this was another big one. Sadly for the Raiders, there would be no Christmas or Hanukkah miracle. Carr had a broken fibula and would be out indefinitely. 33-25 Raiders

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams — This week’s futility bowl saw the 49ers face off against the team they blanked 28-0 in the opener before losing 13 straight games. On the Rams first drive, Jared Goff was intercepted by Brock, who returned it 39 yards to the Rams 17. Colin Kaepernick found Carlos Hyde on a short pass that went for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. Cooper returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards to the Rams 48. On 3rd and 11, Goff hit Tacon Austin for 11. On 4th and 2 at the San Francisco 30, the Rams decided to go for it. Goff hit Kendricks for a short pass that went for 24 yards. Todd gurney ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-7. Kaepernick was quickly intercepted, giving the Rams the ball at the 49ers 30. One play later Tavon Austin took an end around all the way to the end zone to make it 14-7 Rams. The teams took off the second and third quarters.

Early in the fourth quarter from the San Francisco 34, Kaepernick threw toward Hyde incomplete. Los Angeles challenged the call, and it was reversed to a completion for no gain and a fumble recovered by the Rams at the San Francisco 25. On 2nd and 10 Goff went deep incomplete bu defensive pass interference put the ball on the 9. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Goff hit Higbee for the touchdown to make it 21-7 Rams. The 49ers moved 75 yards in 13 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 10 from the Rams 13, Kaepernick scrambled for the touchdown. With 5 minutes to play the 49ers were within 21-14.

The Rams went 3 and out and the 49ers got the ball back at their own 27 with 3:10 to play. Kaepernick hit Celek for 12 and Rod Streater for 11 to midfield. Unnecessary roughness on the next play against the defense moved the 49ers to the Rams 35. On 3rd and 1, dragon gained 2. Kaepernick hit Rod Streater for the touchdown. With nothing left to lose but their 14th straight game, Chip Kelly went for the 2 point conversion. Kaepernick fired to Streater and the 49ers had the one point lead with 30 seconds to play. A short kick was returned 24 yards to the Rams 42. A couple passes could mean a winning field goal try. Instead Goff was quickly intercepted at the 49ers 42 with 16 seconds left. The Rams still had all their timeouts. With 7 seconds left, the 49ers lined up to point on 4th and 14 from their own 38. It was punted out of bounds as the clock ran out. If the 49ers played the Rams every week they would be 16-0 instead of 2-13. Meanwhile, the Rams cannot blame this collapse on Jeff Fisher. 22-21 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints — The Saints at 7-7 are done while the Buccaneers at 8-6 are clinging to playoff life. In the first quarter the Saints moved 91 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Mark Ingram ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Saints. In the second quarter a field position game had the Buccaneers taking over at the Saints 39. On 3rd and 14 from the 26, Jameis Winston threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and 10 at the 12. On the next play Winston hit Brate for the touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame. The Saints responded by moving from their 25 to a 3rd and 3 at the Tampa Bay 24. Brees threw incomplete but will Lutz snuck a 42 yard field goal just inside the upright to make it 10-7 Saints. Lutz tacked on a 34 yarder as the Saints took a 13-7 lead into the locker rooms.

The Buccaneers fumbled the second half kickoff and were lucky to retain possession at their own 4. Winston was quickly intercepted by Byrd, who returned it 24 yards to the Tampa Bay 14. One play later Mark Ingram ran for a touchdown to make it 20-7 Saints.Both offense began moving at will. The Buccaneers moved 75 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Jacquez Rodgers ran for a 3 yard touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 20-14. The Saints responded 75 yards quickly. Brees hit Cadet for an 11 yard touchdown. They went for the 2 point conversion and Ingram got in to make it 28-14 Saints. The Buccaneers made 75 yards look easy again. Winston went to Mike Evans for a 34 yard touchdown as the Buccaneers were back within 28-21.

The Saints then moved 72 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 1 from the 9, a facemark on the offense instead meant 3rd and 16 from the Bucs 24. Brees fired to Marcellus Thomas for 17 yards. On 2nd and goal from the 3, Brees fired incomplete twice. Lutz hit from 21 to make it 31-21 Saints with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Bucs moved from their 25 to a 1st and 10 at the Saints 24. Yet on 3rd and 14 from the 28, Winston was intercepted. The Bucs got it back at their own 43. On2nd and 21 from the saints 47, Winston ran for 8 and on 3rd and 13 hit Shepard for 22 yards. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Saints 17, Winston threw 3 incompletions. Needing two scores, Dirk Koetter sent out Roberto Aguayo for a 35 yarder. The kick was good and the Buccaneers were within 7 with 2:05 to play. The onside kick failed. On 3rd and 1 from the Buccaneers 36, Ingram gained 10 yards as the Saints ran out the clock. The 7-8 Saints can still get to .500 next week with a win while the 8-7 Buccaneers saw their playoff hopes go down the drain. 31-24 Saints

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks — Seattle still has a shot at a first round bye while Arizona is done. This game was all defense early on. The Cardinals punted on 4th and 26 from their own 14. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 23 at their own 24. Russell Wilson fumbled and Campbell recovered for the Cardinals at the Seattle 23. David Johnson ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. In the second quarter the Cardinals had the ball at their own 9. From the 20, Carson Palmer went deep to JJ Nelson for an 80 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Cardinals. Wilson came right back after a touchback by scrambling for 15 yards and hitting Doug Baldwin for 31 more. From the Arizona 29, Wilson went to Tyler Lockett for what appeared to be a touchdown. Yet official reversed the call to 1st and goal at the one. Thomas Rawls got stopped. Then Wilson got stopped. Then Wilson threw incomplete. Pete Carroll decided to go for it with 1:15 left in the half. Wilson was sacked for a 7 yard loss.

Yet while the Cardinals defense was celebrating, the offense fumbled the ball right back. With 32 seconds left in the half the Seahawks had 1st and goal at the 9. Yet again the Arizona defense held as Wilson threw 3 incompletions. Steve Hauschka hit the 27 yard field goal as the Seahawks trailed 14-3 at the intermission. In the third quarter the Seahawks moved 66 yards in 13 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Wilson hit Jermaine Kearse for a 2 yard touchdown to get the Seahawks within 14-10. The first three quarters were all defense, just like the 6-6 tie between these teams earlier in the year. Yet in this game, the fourth quarter was a track meet as Bruce Arians and Pete Carroll saw Palmer and Wilson put on an aerial show.

The Cardinals moved 61 yards and began the fourth quarter at the Seattle 17. Palmer found Larry Fitzgerald for 16 yards. David Johnson got in to make it 21-10 Cardinals. The Seahawks came right back 75 yards. Wilson found Baldwin for a completion that went for a 4 2yard touchdown. Wilson hit Marcel Reece for the 2 point conversion to get the Seahawks within 21-18 with 9 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, Johnson ran for a 33 yard gain. A short pass from Palmer to Nelson went for 41 yards down to the one. Johnson got in as the Cardinals were back up 28-18 with less than 7 minutes to play. With 5 minutes to play the Seahawks faced 4th and 1 at their own 30. Pete Carroll decided to go for it. Wilson threw incomplete. with the short field, the Cardinals could not move the ball. Chandler Catanzaro hit the 42 yard field goal. The Cardinals led 31-18 with 4 minutes left, but they had not put the game away.

The Seahawks moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 3 at the Arizona 37 with 3 minutes to play. Wilson connected with Graham, who carried tacklers into the end zone. The Seahawks were now down 31-25. with 2 timeouts and the 2 minute warning, Pete Carroll decided to kick it deep. The Cardinals went 3 and out and penalty on the Cardinals on the punt had the Seahawks taking over at the Arizona 45 with 2:22 to play. Wilson went deep to Baldwin for a 31 yard gain. With 1:10 to play, on 3rd and 6 from the 11, Wilson found Richardson for just enough. Wilson then threw the 5 yard touchdown to Richardson. The game was tied with one minute left, and the extra point would give the Seahawks the lead. It was no good! Are you kidding me? These teams played 5 full quarters last time, and were tied 31-31 again.

After a touchback, Palmer hit Johnson for 13 and then again for 29 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Seattle 33 with 27 seconds left, Palmer hit Fitzgerald for 8 yards as the clock ticked down. The Cardinals rushed Catanzaro on the field to try the winning kick. From 43 yards out, this time the kick was good. There would be no overtime or jumping over the center to block a kick or last moment timeouts. The Seahawks at 9-5 had already clinched their division, but they fell 1/2 a game back in the race for the first round bye. They now need a win next week and help to get it back. Last time these teams combined for 12 points. This time they put up 65 points, with 41 of them in an explosive fourth quarter. 34-31 Cardinals   

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans was the Saturday night game. Houston at 8-6 came in knowing that if they won, they would clinch the AFC South while a loss would have them on the verge of missing the playoffs altogether. however, with Tom Savage making his first NFL start over benched Brock Osweiler, offense did not come easy. Houston had only 13 passing yards and 34 total yards of offense in the first half. Cincinnati was not much better until their final drive of the half. Randy Bullock hit a 43 yard field goal on the last play of the half for a 3-0 Bengals lead. Twice in the second half the Bengals had long drives of 11 and 12 plays and 68 and 71 yards that took six minutes. Both times the texans bogged down inside the 10 as Nick Novak hit field goals of 25 in the third quarter and 22 in the fourth quarter to make it 6-3 Texans. An interception of Red Rifle Andy Dalton gave the Texans 1st and 10 at the Cincy 40. They gained 0 yards and punted, pinning the Bengals at their own 9 yard line.

With 11 minutes left in regulation, on 3rd and 5 from their 14, Dalton found Brandon LaFell, who outraced everyone for an 86 yard touchdown in front of a shocked home crowd to make it 10-6 Bengals. This time after a touchback the Texans came alive.  Tom Savage hit Will Fuller for 19 yards. Savage then ran for 11 and hit Deandre Hopkins for 21 yards. Alfred Blue ran for a 24 yard touchdown to give the Texans the 12-10 lead with 8 1.2 minutes left. The extra point was blocked. The Bengals took over at their own 15 with 3:46 to play. On 3rd and 5 from the Cincy 33, Dalton hit Uzomah for 8 yards as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. On 4th and 3 from the Cincinnati 48, Dalton hit Uzomah again for 8 yards. With 5 seconds left, Randy Bullock came in for the winning field goal try. The kick was no good, wide right. The Texans are now AFC South champs under Bill O’Brien. Marvin Lewis now has to survive Black Monday. 12-10 Texans

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers was the Christmas Day game. The 9-5 Steelers and 8-6 Ravens have been known for tough, hard-nosed football, and this game was no exception. Early on the Steelers moved 87 yards, taking over 5 minutes to do it. Ben Roethliseberger, who is not Jewish, fired to the end zone to Xavier Grimble. Grimble caught the ball between two defenders and somehow hung on for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Steelers. After that the defenses took over. Baltimore managed field goals from Justin Tucker of 41 yards in the first quarter and 38 yards in the second quarter as the Ravens trailed 7-6 at halftime. On the first play of the third quarter after a touchback, Roethlisberger was intercepted Zac Orr. On 3rd and 8 from the Pittsburgh 18, Joe Flacco went to Steve Smith for the touchdown. Flacco went back to Smith for the 2 point conversion to make it 14-7 Ravens. The Steelers moved 65 yards into the red zone but settled for a 36 yard Chris Boswell to get within 14-10. The Ravens held the ball for 12 plays and 8 minutes but could only muster a 46 yard Tucker field goal to extend the lead back to 17-10.

The third quarter ended just as badly as it began for the Steelers, with Ben Roethlisberger dropping back to pass from his 29 and getting intercepted again. This time Mosley returned the interception 28 yards to the Pittsburgh 11 yard line. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the 4, Flacco threw incomplete. Tucker hit the 23 yard field goal to give the Ravens some breathing room up 20-10 less than one minute into the fourth quarter. The Steelers came right back. On 2nd and 12 from their own 23, Roethlisberger hit Jesse James for 21 yards. From midfield, a deep bomb drew a 35 yard defensive pass interference call. LeVeon Bell ran for a 7 yard touchdown to get the Steelers within 20-17 with more than 11 1/2 minutes still left to play.

For the second time in the game, Boswell hit the kickoff out of bounds, giving the Ravens the ball at their own 40. Yet Flacco threw incomplete on 3rd and 3 and the Steelers got it back at their own 10. Bell quickly ran for gains of 23 and 13 yards. Big Ben found Antonio Brown for gains of 21 and 26 yards. From the Baltimore 7, Big Ben rolled to his right, fired to Bell, who appeared stopped at the one. A huge pile on moved the pile forward and got Bell into the end zone to make it 24-20 Steelers midway through the fourth quarter.

Baltimore soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Flacco found Dennis Pitta for 11 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the baltimore 48, Dixon ran for 4 yards. After a 2nd and 10 ball was dropped by Brad Perriman, Flacco went back to Perriman on 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 48. permian hauled it in for a 15 yard gain. At the 2 minute warning, Baltimore was sitting with 2nd and 4 at the Pittsburgh 13. The Ravens still had 2 timeouts. As expected, John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin saw their mirror image teams fight to the end. On 3rd and 1 from the 10, out of the shotgun, Kyle Juszczyk took the delayed handoff. Juszczyk got the first down, somehow used his hand to stay on his feet, bowled over a couple defenders, and lunged past the pile on. This was AFC North football, and the Ravens had the 3 point lead with 1:18 to play.

After a touchback, Roetholisberger went right to work. Passes to James for for 16 yards and Rogers for 20 more had the Steelers at the Baltimore 19 with 41 seconds left as Roethlisberger spiked the ball to stop the clock. A completion to Hamilton forced the Steelers to use their last timeout to stop the clock with 32 seconds left. On 3rd and 4 from the 13, Roethlisberger fired to James for a 9 yard gain and 1st and goal at the 4 as the clock ticked down. Big Ben spiked the ball again to stop the clock with 14 seconds left. Roethlisberger fired to Antonio Brown at the goal line. Brown caught the ball but was immediately met by 2 defenders. It looked like the clock was about to run out. Somehow Brown stretched the ball just past the plane of the goal line for the touchdown with 9 seconds left. With 4 seconds left from the Baltimore 41, Flacco prepared for the Hail Mary. He has a cannon of an arm, and he pulled out a miracle in 2012 that helped Baltimore win a Super Bowl. Yet this time Flacco decided to go short and try the hook and lateral. The ball was deflected and intercepted.

Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday talked about fighting for that inch. That inch was the difference in this game. For a moment, the Ravens had the game, both teams were 9-6, and Baltimore had the inside track on winning the division. Instead Brown fought for that inch. At 10-5, the Steelers clinched the division and knocked the 8-7 Ravens out of the playoffs altogether. This was AFC North football. 31-27 Steelers

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs was the Christmas night game. Due to action earlier in the day, the 10-4 Chiefs found out they had clinched a playoff spot before kickoff. Denver at 8-6 was on the outside looking in and clinging to playoff life. By the end of the first quarter, this game would be all but decided. The Chiefs quickly moved 77 yards and Alex smith ran for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 19 and struck quickly. Tyreeq Hill is a game changer, and he raced around the end for a 70 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back and faced 3rd and 9 at their own 21. Smith was intercepted by Simmons, who returned it 38 yards to the Chiefs 6. Justin Forsett got in from the one. The Broncos were within 14-7, but it was short lived. Two plays later Smith threw a short pass to Travis Kelce that went for an 80 yard touchdown as the Chiefs led 21-7 after the first quarter. Denver did manage a 52 yard field goal in the second quarter, but after that the Chiefs defense strangled the Denver offense and turned out the lights. In the fourth quarter Cairo Santos hit field goals of 27 and 39 yards to put the game out of reach. The latter field goal came after a Denver fumble, and another Denver fumble led to Andy Reid rubbing it in. A 2 yard touchdown pass from Dante Poe of all people to Harris provided the final margin. Right now the Chiefs are the wild card, but if they win next week and Oakland loses, the Chiefs win the AFC West and the first round bye. As for last year’s Super Bowl champs, they are done. 33-10 Chiefs

Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys was the Monday night game. The 12-2 Cowboys came in having already locked up home field throughout the playoffs. The 9-5 Lions could clinch a playoff spot with a win in either of their final two games. The Cowboys moved 66 yards and Dak Prescott hit Brice Butler for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cowboys. The Lions came back 75 yards and Zenner ran for a 7 yard touchdown to tie the game. The Cowboys quickly came back 75 yards. Ezekiel Elliott ran for a 55 yard touchdown for a 14 -7 Cowboys lead. In the second quarter the Lions moved 58 yards in 11 plays. Matthew Stafford on 4th and goal at the one took the quarterback sneak and was initially ruled short of the goal. Yet replay showed he broke the plane and the officials reversed the call to a touchdown for a 14-14 game. The Lions got it back at their own 47. Zenner ran for another touchdown from 5 yards out to make it 21-14 Lions. The Cowboys got it back just shy of midfield. From the Detroit 25, Prescott went deep to Michael Irvin’s son Dez Bryant. The younger 88 made a juggling catch as the teams took a 21-21 tie to the locker rooms.

In the third quarter Stafford threw a ball into traffic that was deflected and intercepted, setting up the Cowboys at the Detroit 38. Elliott got in from the one to make it 28-21 Cowboys. Dallas got it back at their own 5 yard line and broke the Lions backs with a 95 yard drive. From the Detroit 10 yard line, Jason Garrett went to his bag of tricks. Prescott lateraled to Bryant, who threw a halfback option pass to Jason Witten for another touchdown and a 35-21 Cowboys lead. In the fourth quarter Dallas did it the more traditional way, going 63 yards. Prescott threw a 19 yard touchdown to Bryant to turn a tie game into a rout. At 13-2, Garrett needs to teach his star players how to hold a clipboard. If any of them even get a hangnail Jerry Jones will explode. For now, Jerrah is smiling and ready for all the playoff games to be in Big D. Consecutive losses have the Lions at 9-6. They host archrival Green Bay next week for the NFC North crown. If the Lions win, they are in the playoffs. If they lose, they are most likely out. 42-21 Cowboys