NFL Recap Week 12
It’s the final weekend before the stretch run… time to decide the Wild Card, Division, and Home Field races in the months of December and January. Remember this recap and these records by the end of the season. Which team collapsed? What team marched down the field and won at the final second? Finally, who won the Sunday Night Classic? Let the recap begin….
Tampa Bay 17, Atlanta 20- With their season on the line, and two of their key players gone from the game due to injury, the Atlanta Falcons found a way to save their season. On 4th & Goal from the 5, Chris Redman, filling in for Matt Ryan (who left the game with a toe injury), threw a five yard touchdown pass to Roddy White for the go-ahead touchdown, and the Falcons avoided a major upset at home to the Buccaneers. Rookie QB Josh Freeman had a decent game, going 20-29 for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and the Buccaneers defense played very well until the final drive. But the questionable offensive playcalling led to a missed 51 yard field goal by Connor Barth, and the game winning drive. The win puts Atlanta a game behind Green Bay and Philadelphia and still in the hunt for the playoffs, and a remote chance to win the NFC South. Tough loss for the Buccaneers as they still get used to Raheem Morris. Buccaneers (1-10), Falcons (6-5)
Miami 14, Buffalo 31- Fred Jackson ran for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and Terrell Owens scored on a 51 yard touchdown reception and the Buffalo Bills dominated the fourth quarter and gave the interim head coach Perry Fewell his first win at the NFL level over the Dolphins. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a solid game, going 17-26 for 246 yards and a couple of touchdowns (one pass, one rush). The Bills generated 336 yards of total offense, and for the second straight game, they reached 300+ total yards. The loss was a blow to the Dolphins, who got back into the playoff picture 10 days ago against the Panthers. Dolphins (5-6), Bills (4-7)
Cleveland 7, Cincinnati 16- In a hard-fought game between in-state rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals used a stingy defense and timely plays on offense to knock off the Browns to sweep the AFC North and beat all three division rivals twice. Shayne Graham kicked three field goals (37, 53, and 28) and Carson Palmer threw a touchdown pass to J.P Foschi. Larry Johnson came in the game for an injured Cedric Benson and a slowed up Bernard Scott (who had a minor injury to his knee) and ran 22 times for 107 yards. It was the most significant time he has received since coming over from Kansas City. Brady Quinn went back to the quarterback we have seen all year that he’s played by going 15-34 for 100 yards, far from the 4 TD 300+ effort he had against Detroit. (Then again…) The Browns’ 10th loss of the season is their eight in the past 11 years since rejoining the NFL in 1999. Browns (1-10), Bengals (8-3)
Indianapolis 35, Houston 27- This can be looked at two different ways: One way is that Indianapolis knows how to come back, and the other way is that Houston melted down… again. For the fifth straight game, the Colts have overcome a deficit to win the game, and for the second time in two years in Houston, the Texans had a double-digit lead squandered. Trailing 20-7 at halftime, Indianapolis scored 28 second half points, including 21 in the third quarter, and beat the Texans for the 15th time in 16 games all-time. Peyton Manning overcame his two first half interceptions and threw two touchdowns in the second half, including the go-ahead pass to Dallas Clark with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. On the next Texans drive, Matt Schaub threw an interception to Clint Session for a 26 yard touchdown return to ice the game for Indianapolis, who goes to 11-0 and in the process, wins the AFC South for the sixth time in the past seven years. Colts (11-0), Texans (5-6)
Carolina 6, NY Jets 17- Darrelle Revis took back a bizarre interception from Jake Delhomme which bounced off the foot of Steve Smith for 67 yards, and Thomas Jones ran for a touchdown, and the Jets kept their playoff hopes alive with a huge victory over the Panthers, who were trying to keep their own hopes alive. Delhomme threw four interceptions in the game, which was turned into 14 points, and with the running game not as effective as it has been the past few weeks, the Panthers were in clear trouble. Mark Sanchez went 13-17 for 154 yards, with an interception, but looked the best he has been in the tough stretch the Jets had in the past few weeks. Big momentum for them going into their rivalry game against the Bills in Toronto on Thursday night. Panthers (4-7), Jets (5-6)
Washington 24, Philadelphia 27- Donovan McNabb threw for 265 yards and a touchdown, David Akers kicked four field goals, including the game winning 32 yarder, and the Eagles won over the Redskins for the second time this season, sweeping the series. The Skins fought for most of the game, leading 24-16, when McNabb marched his team down the field and the drive went 90 yards, capped off by a 1 yd TD run by Eldra Buckley. After tying the game with a two point conversion, McNabb led the Eagles again down the field which led to the go-ahead field goal. The rallied from behind for the second straight week, keeping pace with the Green Bay Packers for the NFC Wild Card, and staying a game behind Dallas for first place in the more-important NFC East. The loss eliminates Washington from playoff contention. Redskins (3-8), Eagles (7-4)
Seattle 27, St. Louis 17- Justin Forsett continues to be effective at running back for the Seattle Seahawks, running for 130 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns and Josh Wilson took back an interception from Kyle Boller 65 yards and the Seahawks picked up their first road win of the season, and kept the Rams winless at home. The win also gave Seattle their 10th straight victory over St. Louis. Matt Hasselbeck did not have the best days statistics-wise, going 14-25 for 102 yards, but since Forsett was effective on the ground, there was not a need to rely too much on the passing game. Steven Jackson ran for 89 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown, and Kyle Boller, starting for an injured Marc Bulger, threw for 282 yards on 28-46 passing. The Rams are tied with the Buccaneers and Browns for the worst record in the NFL. Seahawks (4-7), Rams (1-10)
Kansas City 14, San Diego 43- Phillip Rivers went 21-28 for 317 yards and two touchdowns, LaDainian Tomlinson ran for two touchdowns, and Antonio Gates caught two touchdowns, and the San Diego Chargers defense forced the Kansas City Chiefs into four turnovers and the offense turned into 28 points which made all of the difference. Matt Cassel was 19-31 for 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Chargers defense also forced three fumbles, but lost Shawne Merriman in the game due to a foot injury. The Chargers have won six straight and remain in first place in the AFC West over the Denver Broncos. Chiefs (3-8), Chargers (8-3).
Jacksonville 3, San Francisco 20- Alex Smith went 27-41 for 232 yards and threw two touchdowns, and the San Francisco 49er defense forced Jacksonville QB David Garrard to fumble the ball twice in the redzone and the 49ers kept their playoff hopes alive with a Singeltary-style victory with great defense and timely offense. The loss was bad for Jacksonville, as they fall out of the lead for the AFC Wild Card, and handed the AFC South division crown to Indianapolis. Maurice Jones-Drew became the second player in Jaguars’ history with 1000 yards for the season (joining Fred Taylor) with 75 yards on the day. Garrard threw for 307 yards on 25-36 passing, but the missed opportunities didn’t just come on the fumble, but also on special teams as kicker Josh Scobee missed on a 40 yard field goal wide left in the second quarter and a 21 yard field goal off the left upright in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville is 0-2 on the West Coast this season (they lost to Seattle 41-0) Jaguars (6-5), 49ers (5-6)
Chicago 10, Minnesota 36- Brett Favre is getting better and better as the season goes on. Favre wen 32-48 for 392 yards and three touchdowns, and Adrian Peterson ran for another touchdown along with 85 yards rushing, and the Minnesota Vikings steamrolled the Bears to keep pace with the New Orleans Saints for the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Ryan Longwell kicked three field goals for the Vikings as well. The Vikings defense was not bad either, as Jay Cutler was forced into throwing two interceptions and was sacked four times to go along with it. The loss is another blow to Chicago’s playoff hopes as they are not eliminated, but in trouble. Bears (4-7), Vikings (10-1)
Arizona 17, Tennessee 20- In What was the game of the day, and what will be known as “The March”, Vince Young marched his Tennessee Titans 99 yards from one end of the field to the other, on 18 plays, which included three fourth-down conversions, and took 2:37 off the clock. On the final play of the game and time expiring, Young found Kenny Britt in the back of the endzone for the game-winning 10 yard touchdown and the Titans won their fifth straight game after starting 0-6, and putting them right back in the playoff hunt. Young went 27-43 for 387 yards, with that touchdown, outdueling Matt Leinart for the second time the two have met (2006 Rose Bowl in which Young scored the GW TD with his legs). Leinart went 21-31 for 220 yards and no touchdowns. Chris Johnson has to be in serious discussion for MVP, rushing for 154 yards on 18 carries, including a 85 yard touchdown run, giving him six straight games with 125+ rushing yards, joining Earl Campbell and Eric Dickerson. Cardinals QB Kurt Warner missed the game due to sensitivity in his eyes from his injury last week at St. Louis. He may be ready for the Sunday night game against Minnesota. Cardinals (7-4), Titans (5-6)
Pittsburgh 17, Baltimore 20 (F/OT)- Dennis Dixon made his first NFL start, and played very well, going 12-26 for 145 yards and a TD, along with a rushing touchdown, but it was a costly interception to Paul Kreuger in overtime which set up Billy Cundiff’s game-winning 29 yard field goal to give the Ravens the victory and move into the final Wild Card spot over Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. Dixon started the game due to Ben Roethlisberger’s ill effects from his concussion last week against Kansas City and backup Charlie Batch fracturing his wrist in the same game, threw his first career NFL touchdown on a 33 yd TD pass to Santonio Holmes, and made plays with his legs on the 24 yard TD run. Joe Flacco had a good game, going 23-35 for 289 yards and a touchdown of his own to Derrick Mason. With five games left, the banged up Super Bowl champs are on the outside looking in, and are in a little jam going into crunchtime. Steelers (6-5), Ravens (6-5)
Be back next week with the Sunday Slate, but be on the lookout for the Monday Night Recap from the Bayou, as the New England Patriots take on the New Orleans Saints.