Brief observations about every NFL game except for the Thursday Night game and the Seahawks game.
Pittsburgh 27 – Cleveland 11
After being written off by many following a 0-4 start, the Steelers have won five of seven to inexplicably get back into the thick of the AFC playoff race. Their victory over the Browns was perhaps there most complete game of the season. The offense played mistake-free football for the second week in a row and didn’t allow a sack for the first time in 2013. The defense, resembling a steel curtain for the first time this year, sacked Cleveland’s signal-callers a season-high five times and forced a season high four turnovers. In the process, they knocked Jason Campbell out of the game, which meant Brandon Weeden was thrust once more onto the field for the Browns. I’m pretty sure there is nothing more chilling for Cleveland fans than to see Weeden putting his helmet on and jogging into the pocket. It appears like the Browns will miss the playoffs again, while the Steelers lurk one spot out of the final wild card position currently held by Tennessee.
Tampa Bay 24 – Detroit 21
Congrats to the Bucs, who are one of just three teams in NFL history to win three consecutive games after starting a season 0-8 or worse. Keep in mind that they should really be working on four straight victories if they had been able to close out the Seattle Seahawks a few weeks ago. It’s too late for Tampa to make a playoff run, but they are probably buying their head coach another season with their strong play. I’m puzzled by all of the supposed unrest in the Bucs’ locker room that has been reported this season because they don’t have the look of a team that hates their head coach. Maybe Josh Freeman was truly the locker room cancer he was painted to be because Tampa has been a lot more competitive, even in their losses, since he was jettisoned.
Green Bay 26 – Minnesota 26
It’s no mind-blowing revelation, but ties are the most unsatisfying result in sports. Players in both locker rooms described it as feeling like they had lost the game. Jared Allen, in a unique Jared Allen kind of way, described it as “going to prom with your sister.” This empty feeling is one of the major reasons why I have such a hard time following professional soccer. I want to have a definitive result of which team was better. Unfortunately, we had no such luck in this match-up, which will go down in history as the first tie game since the new overtime rules were introduced. The one thing that I did learn from this game is that apparently Matt Flynn only performs like a credible NFL quarterback when he dons the hunter green and gold of the Green Bay Packers. The well-traveled and well-compensated quarterback came off the bench to nearly lead the Packers to victory after they trailed 23-7 early in the fourth quarter. His performance rekindled some of the memories of his infamous six-touchdown performance in the 2011 season finale and demonstrated some of the skills that made him one of the most sought after free agents following that season. While Aaron Rodgers continues to rehab, Flynn has definitely earned the right to start in week 13.
San Diego 41 – Kansas City 38
The good vibes that the Chiefs had created during their 9-0 start to the season have quickly dissipated after back-to-back losses. The setback to the Broncos last week was very explainable, but the loss to the 4-6 Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium is extremely puzzling. On the positive side of the ledger, Kansas City can feel good about their offense generating 38 points, even though it was the most they have scored in a loss in franchise history. Unfortunately, their supposedly elite defense got lit up by Philip Rivers and the Chargers and continued a troubling trend of generating virtually zero pass rush, which started in week eight versus Cleveland. The Chiefs allowed over 420 total yards for the third consecutive game and three red zone touchdowns for the second straight week after allowing only three total red zone touchdowns in the first nine games of the season. Even more discouraging for Chiefs’ fans is the prospective of facing the Denver Broncos this week without the services of their book-end pass rushers, Tamba Hali and Justin Houston, who both were injured this week. I have always contended that the KC defense was overrated, so seeing them struggle against quality quarterback play is not such a big surprise.
St. Louis 42 – Chicago 21
What the heck has gotten into the St. Louis Rams? They have destroyed their past two opponents by a combined 51 points and they have suddenly developed a running game, which was completely nonexistent through the first seven weeks of the season. Their modest two-game winning streak has the Rams convinced that they can make a run to the playoffs. I think there are too many teams ahead them.
Carolina 20 – Miami 16
The red hot Panthers are taking the NFL by storm after winning their seventh consecutive game, which is their longest streak since 2003. They won’t get a lot of style points for this win, but they continue to show that they cannot be counted out until the clock reads zeroes. The Dolphins seemed to be in total control after a 23-yard Caleb Sturgis field goal gave them a 13-point lead with just over one minute left in the first half. Unfortunately, the Dolphins allowed Carolina to get three points before halftime and then were shut out in the second half while the Panthers scored two touchdowns. It was another face plant by Miami, who is now 2-2 since the bullying and hazing allegations came to light. The Dolphins can pin the blame for this latest loss on their inability to sustain drives (4-16 on third down) and score touchdowns in the red zone (2 FGs in 2 opportunities). While Carolina continues to apply pressure to the Saints for the lead in the NFC South, Miami has to once again circle the wagons to see if they can sustain one final playoff push.
Baltimore 19 – NY Jets 3
It is a shame that poor quarterback play is threatening to completely undermine the Jets’ season because they are a playoff caliber team in most other areas. They have a top 10 running game and a top 10 defense, including number one against the run, but the inability to get consistent production from Geno Smith is killing their playoff chances right before their very eyes. Since Smith’s breakout game against Atlanta in week five, he has thrown one touchdown pass against 10 interceptions. In that span, he hasn’t registered a QB rating over 72.3, completed more than 62% of his attempts, or thrown for more than 233 yards in any single game. His yards per attempt have plummeted from 8.2 yards through the first five weeks to just under 6 yards in the last six weeks. He has become the opposite of a game manager. I think it might be time for Rex Ryan to give Matt Simms an opportunity to see if he can protect the ball better than Geno.
Jacksonville 13 – Houston 6
I think it is time to declare the Texans the worst team in football. They are working on a nine-game losing streak with the latest indignity being a loss to the rotten Jaguars at home when they mustered only six points and produced their lowest total offense figure of the season. Remember that they are extremely fortunate to have two victories needing miraculous comebacks to beat San Diego and Tennessee in the first two weeks of the year. How does a team with this much talent on both sides of the football collapse so epically? I guess you start with a veteran quarterback self-imploding due to a barrage of pick-sixes and a subsequent crisis of confidence. Then you add the general ineffectiveness of and later season-ending injury to your franchise running back. Finally, to spice things up, you mix in a young quarterback learning on the job and a health scare for the head coach. This is a recipe for people to get pink slips and the house to get cleaned. Don’t be surprised if Gary Kubiak, along with several veterans on the offense, get trap-doored to pay for the sins of the 2013 season.
Tennessee 23 – Oakland 19
As unbelievable as it sounds, the Titans would be the sixth and final playoff participant in the AFC if the season ended today. They are the kings of the mediocre. The best 5-6 team by virtue of winning head-to-head match-ups with Pittsburgh, New York, and San Diego. Can the Titans hold on to the final playoff spot? I doubt it, primarily because Ryan Fitzpatrick is prominently involved, but they have just as good of a shot as any of the other five teams currently sitting at 5-6.
Arizona 40 – Indianapolis 11
Let me start by channeling my inner Marshall Faulk and stating that I don’t believe in either of these teams. The Cardinals have won four games in a row, but their four victims are a combined 13-31. Furthermore, they played three of the four games in the comfy confines of University of Phoenix stadium. I will agree that their defense is playing lights out football, but shouldn’t it be assumed that a halfway decent defense should dominate the dregs of the NFL. Just prior to their winning streak, the mighty Cardinals gave up an average of 33 points and 366 yards of total offense in back-to-back losses to Seattle and San Francisco. I’m even more incredulous about Carson Palmer’s recent play. Yes, he has only thrown two picks over the last four games, but he is still the same quarterback that threw 13 interceptions over the first seven games. With a tough schedule down the stretch, featuring three road games, I’m predicting that the old Carson Palmer will reemerge. As for the Colts, how long can they rest on their laurels of beating San Francisco, Denver, and Seattle? While I can admit that those are three of the most impressive victories for any team, the Colts that took the field on Sunday and got throttled by Arizona are not the same team. In the last four games, Indy has been outscored 93-12 in the first half and has led for only 26:46, which is 11.1% of the total game time. Their running game has been awful the last four weeks (76 yards per game) and Andrew Luck has struggled to throw the ball consistently especially since the loss of Reggie Wayne to injury. I believe that the Colts will make the playoffs due to the fact they have a commanding lead over the second-place Titans, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see them lose in the wild card round.
Dallas 24 – NY Giants 21
Hallelujah, Tony Romo led a game-winning drive to beat the Giants on the road! Let’s absolve him for all of the choke jobs and poor performances he’s had in the past. He’s a clutch quarterback again! Yeah, right. Listen, give Romo and the Cowboys some credit for winning a game they absolutely had to have, but don’t get carried away. This version of the Giants is terrible. Everyone got excited about New York’s four-game winning streak, but they had beaten four of the worst quarterbacks in professional football (Josh Freeman, Hobbled Mike Vick/Matt Barkley, Terrelle Pryor, and Scott Tolzien). You will never confuse Tony Romo for Joe Montana, but he is a considerable step up in class from the aforementioned bums. The Giants defense couldn’t rise up to the challenge and their offense couldn’t take complete advantage of the worst defense in football. Neither of these teams is truly playoff caliber, but, by winning, the Cowboys made sure that they kept their postseason hopes alive.
New England 34 – Denver 31
The much-hyped match-up between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning was compelling television, but I’m not sure that we can call it a good display of football. The Patriots fumbled the ball three times in the first half on their way to trailing 24-0 at halftime. Brady played terribly in the first half, as he has done regularly this season, with only 81 yards passing and a 59% completion percentage. The game completely flipped after the break as the Broncos turned the ball over two times and allowed the Patriots to score 31 unanswered points before tying the game at 31 apiece late in the fourth. Neither team looked like they wanted to win the game in overtime until the Broncos committed their fourth, and most fatal, turnover to set-up an easy Stephen Gostkowski field goal. Denver should not have lost this game, but their defense completely fell apart in the second half and Manning played like a stiff, old man the entire game. It was Manning’s worst performance of the season by far and a major reason why he fell to 4-10 in head-to-head match-ups with Brady. For the Patriots, this victory is a huge feather in their cap and puts them squarely in play for the best record in the AFC. For a team that has seen its offense sputter all year long due to dramatic changes at the skill positions and its defense ravaged by injuries, it has to feel good that they can still earn home field advantage despite all of the trials and tribulations.
San Francisco 27 – Washington 6
I’ll take the bait. Robert Griffin III should not be playing. At the beginning of the year, I thought it was a bad decision to rush him back for the first game of the season. I don’t think he was 100% healthy when the year started and there is no way he was going to get healthy playing week in and week out in the NFL. There was a brief moment after the victory over Chicago that it appeared as if the old RGIII had finally made his appearance in 2013. However, he has struggled intermittently since that game culminating in a shockingly impotent performance on Monday night. The 49ers defense sacked him four times, pressured him countless other times and held him to a mere 127 yards passing. His two tackles, Tyler Polumbus and Trent Williams, didn’t appear motivated in the least to protect their supposed franchise quarterback and RGIII has not regained his prior explosiveness, which he desperately needed against Ahmad Brooks, Aldon Smith and company. The bigger issue to me is the frustration level that started to set in with RGIII. There didn't seem to be a lot of love shown by him to his offensive teammates and it appears that the feeling is mutual. I read today that RGIII has been sacked 26 times this year, but has been helped up by one of his teammates on only three occasions. The bottom line is that something, beyond just the performance of the team on the field, has gone wrong in year two of the RGIII Experience. The end game will most likely be the firing of Mike Shanahan, which will mean that Washington will have to reboot once again with a new coach in an attempt to reclaim the glory days of Joe Gibbs.
