NFL 2008–Week 15 Recap

As the weather gets colder by the week, the intensity level gets hotter. To quote 2008 Hall of Fame Finalist John Randall, “This is when the big dogs come out.”

New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears was the Thursday night game. The 2006 season saw a pair of teams overachieve and reach the NFC Title game, where Chicago broke open a close game in the second half at home and advanced to the Super Bowl. These teams fell sharply backwards in 2007, and faced off in 2008 with identical 7-6 records. The loser would be almost certainly on the brink of playoff elimination.

This game did feature points on the board despite virtually no offense in the first half. Three big plays led to points despite little offensive success. Devon Hester still returns punts, but his new wide receiver duties have led to Lovie Smith removing him from kickoff returns. The rest of the league cannot breathe easy because the new kickoff return man Daniel Manning is also talented. Manning returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to put the Bears up 7-0 only 12 seconds into the game.

Later on, a Saints punt had the Bears starting on their own one yard line. Kyle Orton fumbled the snap, and the Saints recovered. The gift turnover set up the touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Thomas to tie the game. The Bears retook the lead when a 3rd and 13 from the New Orleans 44 led to a deep pass to Devon Hester. The pass was incomplete, but defensive pass interference had the Bears at the 5 yard line. Matt Forte ran it in from the one to put the Bears back up 14-7. After a punt, the Bears took over at the New Orleans 42 with 3 minutes left in the half. Orton ran it in himself from 6 yards out to give the Bears a 21-7 halftime lead.

The Saints took the second half kickoff, and Brees led the Saints to a 4th and 1 at the Chicago 10. Brees picked up the first down, but on the next play he was intercepted in the end zone to waste a 6 1/2 minute drive. 4 minutes later Orton was intercepted. Thomas then ripped off a 42 yard run to pull the Saints within 21-14. After a Chicago punt, Brees led a 14 play, 8 1/2  minute drive that broke down in the red zone. A field goal pulled the Saints to within 21-17 with 9 minutes left.

The game was just getting red hot in terms of excitement. The Bears were forced to punt from their own 47 with 7 minutes left. Lovie Smith gambled on a fake punt that didn’t work. The pass was thrown into double coverage, but still almost caught. A great defensive play prevented the trick play from succeeding. The Saints then faced a critical 4th and one from the Chicago 38. For some reason Sean Payton decided to call a pitchout rather than bull straight ahead. The play lost 5 yards. Yet the Bears gave the ball right back when Orton was intercepted again.

On 3rd and 15 from the Chicago 36, Brees hit Marquis Colston for 22 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the 11, Brees hit Colston for the touchdown. The Saints led 24-21 with 3 minutes left. The Bears began at their own 30, and Orton hit Hester for 20 yards to midfield. On 3rd and 5 form the New Orleans 45, Orton hit Hester for 9 yards. With 19 seconds remaining, the Bears faced 3rd and 1 at the New Orleans 16. The Bears converted but could not get past the 9 yard line. A field goal as time expired sent the game into overtime tied 24-24.

The Bears won the coin toss in overtime and Orton again went deep for Hester. For the second time in the game, Hester’s speed forced a desperation defensive pass interference penalty. 3rd and 7 from the Chicago 47 was now 1st and 10 from the Saints 15. Orton tooka  knee on 1st down to center the ball, and on 2nd down the field goal ended this fine football game. The Bears moved to 8-6, 1/2 game behind Minnesota. New Orleans fell to 7-7, and despite Brees shredding the league in passing, the Saints are on life support. 27-24 Bears, OT

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons–The 9-4 Buccaneers, trailing division leader Carolina by one game, faced their second consecutive division road game against the 8-5 Falcons in a game with major playoff implications. After a punt, the Falcons had golden field position at the Tampa Bay 34. The short field only led to a field goal. After another punt, Atlanta took over at their own 28. Matt Ryan hit Ronny White for a 30 yard gain to the Tampa Bay 42. Michael Turner ripped off an 18 yard run, and capped off the drive from one yard out to give the Falcons a 10-0 lead.

With 1:15 left in the half, the Buccaneers finally got going. With Brian Griese in for Jeff Garcia, the Bucs took over at their own 33. A 14 yard pass to Bryant was followed by a 20 yard pass to Clayton down to the Atlanta 33. Griese hot Bryant for 12 yards, and then 20 yards for the touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 10-7 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Falcons began celebrating when Ryan appeared to hit Rader for a 27 yard touchdown pass. The ball did come out after the catch. Tampa Bay challenged the call, and it was ruled that the ball was ripped out at the one yard line before Rader broke the plane. Instead of a touchdown, it was a fumble and a touchback. The defenses took over, but the last 4 minutes of the 4th quarter saw plenty of action.

Facing 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 30, the Buccaneers faced a costly delay of game penalty. After failing to convert, a 53 yard field goal attempt by Matt Bryant was no good. All the Falcons had to do was wind down the clock. Yet after going 3 and out, Buccaneers crashed through and blocked the punt. Taking over at the Atlanta 22, the Buccaneers were at the 9 yard line with 1:44 left. They went from a chance to win to 3rd and 28 at the 30 and long field goal range. Warrick Dunn picked up 10 yards, and Bryant redeemed himself to tie the game 10-10 and send it into overtime.

The Buccaneers got the ball first in overtime, but on 3rd and 8 from their own 37, Griese was sacked for a 13 yard loss. The Falcons took over at their own 29. 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes later, the Falcons were in position. From the Tampa Bay 35, Michaelt Turner ran 17 yards to set up Jason Elam for a 34 yard field goal. Elam drilled it, and the Falcons survived this barefisted slobberknocker. Both teams are 9-5, trailing Carolina. 13-10 Falcons, OT

Washington Redskins @ Cincinnati Bengals–The Bengals have won only one game all year, while the Redskins have faded to the cliff of playoff elimination after a promising start. A Washington fumble one minute into the game set the Bengals up at the Washington 41. From the 15, Ryan Fitzpatrick ran 14 yards, and then ran the final yard on the next play to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead. Later in the quarter the Bengals took over at their own 6. After moving forwards and backwards, they faced 2nd and 19 at their own 8. Fitzpatrick then hit Cedric Benson on a swing pass that went for 79 yards to the Washington 13. Fitzpatrick hit Chris Henry for a 12 yard touchdown pass as the Bengals led 14-0.

In the second quarter the Bengals added a field goal to lead 17-0. Then the game changed. An exchange of punts had the Redskins starting at the Cincinnati 40. On 3rd and 1 from the 16, Betts picked up the first down. On 3rd and 4 form the 10, Jason Campbell hit Santana Moss for the score to make it 17-7. After a punt, Campbell led the Redskins from their own 24 and mounted a 12 play drive. Yet the drive stalled at the Cincinnati 5 yard line, and the Redskins settled for a field goal and a 17-10 game at the break.

The Redskins began their first possession of the second half at their own 12 yard line. Campbell led a 7 minute drive, and on 2nd and goal from the 1, Sellers was ruled to have scored. The Bengals successfully challenged that the ball did not break the plane. On 3rd and goal from the , Sellers leapt over the top and got rocked backwards. The whistle did not blow the play dead, and Sellers stretched the ball out to again try and break the plane. It was ripped out of his hands for a fumble in the end zone and a Bengals touchback.

With 9 1/2 minutes left, The Bengals took over at their own 32 and mounted a 16 play drive that ate over 7 minutes off of the clock. The drive ended in a field goal that had the Bengals up 20-10 with 2:20 remaining. Most games would be over at that point, but these are the Bengals. Cartwright returned the kickoff 87 yards to the Cincinnati 13. The Redskins went nowhere, and settled for a field goal. The onsides kick went out of bounds, and with the Redskins out of timeouts, Fitzpatrick took 3 kneels. The Redskins fell to 7-7, and are all but eliminated. 20-13 Bengals.

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans–The Texans are eliminated, while the Titans with a win would clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. A 3-3 game in the second quarter was changed when Matt Schaub hit Andre Johnson for a 65 yard gain. Schaub hit Johnson for the 13 yard touchdown to put the Texans up 10-3. The Titans drove deep late in the half but settled for another field goal as the Texans led 10-6 at halftime.

This game was a defensive bonelock. Rob Bironas hit his 3rd field goal of the game to have the Titans within 10-9. The Texans then mounted an 18 play, 9 minute drive that produced nothing but disappointment when Kris Brown shanked a 26 yard field goal attempt. Early in the 4th quarter, the Texans drove deep again, but again could not reach the end zone. Brown made a 24 yard field goal to give the Texans a 13-9 lead with 12 minutes left. With 5 1/2 minutes left, Bironas nailed his 4th field goal to get the Titans within one point.

The Titans got the ball back at their own 17 with 4 minutes remaining. Despite struggling all game, Kerry Collins hit Justin Gage for 34 yards to the Houston 49. At the 2 minute warning, the Titans had 4th and 3 at the Houston 32. All they had to do was bring in Rob Bironas for his 5th field goal attempt. 49 yards is long, but Bironas holds the NFL record for 8 field goals in one game, against the Texans of all teams. He was 4 for 4 in this game. Yet for some bizarre reason, Jeff Fisher decided to go for it.

This was not an attempt to get Houston to jump offsides. Fisher went for it, and Collins went for the end zone incomplete. On the next play, STevel Slaton rambled 32 yards for the Texans to the Tennessee 34. Had he stayed in bounds, the game would have ended. Despite the long run, going to the sidelines gave Tennessee hope. It did not matter. On 3rd and 8 from the 32, Slaton picked up 12 yards. Houston ran out the clock. Tennessee dropped to 12-2. Jeff Fisher might be the best coach in football, but even the very best can go brain dead once every 15 years. Unless Bironas was injured, giving a kicker who has nailed kicks from 60 a try from 49 would be the only sensible decision. The Titans maintain the best record in the AFC despite the loss. 13-12 Texans

Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville Jaguars–Before the season this was supposed to be a matchup of teams with the potential to go deep in the playoffs. Instead a pair of teams are playing out the string took the field. David Garrard began the game leading the Jaguars 73 yards in 12 plays over 7 minutes. Garrard hit Dennis Northcutt for the 30 yard touchdown to give the Jaguars the 7-0 lead. Aaron Rodgers took over for the Packer at their own 17 and drove them deep over 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. However, Green Bay got no closer than the 4 yard line, and settled for a field goal.

In the second quarter, after a Jacksonville punt, Green Bay took over at their own 41 and moved the distance over 6 minutes and 10 plays. After a roughing the passer penalty, Rodgers hit Greg Jennings for 11 yards, and then went back to Jennings for the 4 yard touchdown to give Green Bay the 10-7 lead. With 4 minutes left in the half, Rodgers and the Packers took over at their own 20. Rodgers hit Donald Driver for 24 yards and 40 yards to Jones. Yet the drive stalled at the 5 yard line, so a field goal had Green bay up 13-7 at intermission.

A scoreless third quarter had Ryan Grant fail to convert on 2nd and 1 and 3rd and 1 from the Jacksonville 44. On the first play of the 4th quarter, Mike McCarthy gambled on 4th and 1, and Kuhns hit a brick wall. The Jaguars took over, and on 3rd and 18 from the Green Bay 49, Garrard hit Northcutt to set up 4th and 1 at the Green Bay 32. Jack Del Rio gambled as well, and Garrard picked up 4 yards on the quarterback draw. Garrard hit Maurice Jones-Drew from 14 yards out to give the Jaguars the 14-13 lead with 11 minutes left.

The Packers came back, and needed 5 minutes to retake the lead. Rodgers hit Jones for a 34 yard gain from the Green Bay 33 to the Jacksonville 33. With 5 1/2 minutes left, a field goal had Green Bay in front 16-14. David Garrard needed one play to change the momentum. From the Jacksonville 20, Garrard hit Northcutt for 41 yards down to the Green Bay 39. Jones-Drew ran 15 more yards. On 3rd and 4 from the 18, Garrard ran the quarterback draw again, for 14 yards down to the 4. Garrard fumbled, but was lucky enough to quickly fall on the ball to avoid being the goat. Jones-Drew ran it in from 2 yards out to put the Jaguars up 4 points after a failed 2 point conversion. 1:56 remained, but Rodgers was intercepted with 46 seconds left to snuff out any comeback. Both teams are 5-9 and looking to next year. 20-16 Jaguars

San Francisco 49ers @ Miami Dolphins–The Dolphins came in 8-5 in a 3 way tie for the division lead. The 49ers are eliminated but playing hard for new Coach Mike Singletary. Chad Pennington threw a 61 yard bomb to Martin to give the Dolphins the 7-0 advantage. Leading 7-3 in the second quarter, a 27 yard punt return had the Dolphins starting at the San Francisco 34. Pennington hit Joey Haynos from 19 yards out to give the Dolphins a 14-3 lead at halftime.

The Miami offense did nothing in the second half, and the defense did just enough. In the 3rd quarter, the 49ers mounted a 16 play 7 1/2 minute drive that moved from the San Francisco 13 to the Miami 5. The 49ers could not crack the end zone, and a field goal made it 14-6. The 4th quarter was instant replay. The 49ers had a 13 play, 7 minute drive that began at the San Francisco 21 and bogged down at the Miami 10. Another field goal had the 49ers within 5 points with 9 1/2 minutes left. With 2:41 left, a 49 yard field goal for Miami hit the crossbar. With one minute left, Sean Hill had the 49ers facing 4th and 10 at the Miami 21. They turned it over on downs. The Dolphins spectacular turnaround from 1-15 has them at 9-5 and still in a  3 way tie for the division lead. 14-9 Dolphins

Seattle Seahawks @ St. Louis Rams–Even Bitter division rivalry games fail to be compelling when both teams are 2-11. Nevertheless, the Rams scored first in the misery bowl when Marc Bulger hit Torry Holt for a 31 yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 Rams lead. Later in the quarter Jed Babineaux picked up a St. Louis fumble and returned it 24 yards for the score to tie the game 7-7.

As the second quarter began, the Rams rook over at their own 3 yard line. Bulger led a staggering 18 play drive that consumed 97 yards and 8 1/2 minutes of clock. On 3rd and 15 from their own 28, Bulger hit Holt for 20 yards. On 4th and 1 from the Seattle 43, Stephen Johnson picked up 14 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 23, Bulger hit Holt for 5 yards. Jackson ran it in from 6 yards out to complete the marathon drive and put the Rams on top 14-7. A Seneca Wallace fumble had the Rams at the Seattle 21, but the Rams settled for a field goal and a 17-7 lead.

Seattle had a pair of drives lead to field goals to make it a 17-13 game after 3 quarters. The Rams mounted a 13 play, 8 1/2 minute drive that led to a field goal of their own to lead 20-13 with 11 minutes left in the game. After a punt, Seattle took over at their own 20 with 8 minutes left. Seneca Wallace hit Koren Robinson for 21 yards. From the St. Louis 49, Wallace fired 37 yards to Bobby Engram down to the 12. TJ Duckett scored from one yard out to tie the game 20-20 with 2:47 left.

The Rams fired incomplete passes and punted, using up only 37 seconds. With 2:10 left Seattle took over at their own 32. With 54 seconds left, the Seahawks were at their own 46. Wallace went deep to Deon Branch for 45 yards down to the 9 yard line. The Rams could not stop the clock, and Olindo Mare nailed the field goal as time expired. Jim Haslett deserves better, and at least the Walrus Mike Holmgren got his 3rd win of the year. 23-20 Seahawks

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets–The Jets have lost two straight to drop into a 3 way tie for the division lead with Buffalo all but eliminated. Brett Favre went right to work, hitting Laverneous Coles for 22 yards to midfield. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 41, Favre ran himself for 27 yards. A Richardson 12 yard run set up Thomas Jones from 2 yards out to put the Jets up 7-0. After a Buffalo field goal, Favre hit Coles for 20 yards to the Buffalo 42. Favre hit Baker for 19 yards, and then hit Jerricho Cotchery for the 11 yard touchdown pass to give the Jets a 14-3 lead.

In the second quarter, Favre was intercepted, setting up the Bills at the New York 37. JP Losman ran it in from 8 yards out 5 minutes later to pull the Bills to within 14-10. A 56 yard punt return by Parrish had the Bills starting at the Jets 24 on their next possession. After a 14 yard run by Marshawn Lynch, Losman hit Johnson for a 2 yard touchdown pass to put the Bills in front 17-14. The Jets came right back, as the always dangerous Leon Washington broke another one. This time it was not a kickoff return, but a 47 yard run up the middle. While 1/2 of his normal distance on scores, the touchdown had the Jets back on top 21-17.

The Bills kicked a field goal in the 3rd quarter, while the Jets added a field goal of their own to lead 24-20 with 13 1/2 minutes remaining. For the Jets, it was bittersweet since an interception of Losman at the Buffalo 20 did not produce a touchdown. With 8:45 left, Losman began firing at will. He hit Fine for 11 yards, Reed for gains of 14 and 11, and Evans for 8 more down to the New York 20. Switching to the ground game, Marshawn Lynch picked up 9 and Jackson ran the final 11 to give the Bills a 27-24 lead with 5 1/2 minutes left.

Leon Washington returned the kickoff 43 yards to midfield, but the Jets went nowhere and punted. Buffalo took over at their own 10. All they needed to do was run the ball. At that moment Dick Jauron decided to repeat the Miracle at the Meadowlands. That play is a curse for the Giants, but was a blessing for the Jets. From the Buffalo 27, with 2:06 remaining, Losman was sacked at the 16. He fumbled, and the ball was picked up by Shaun Ellis at the Buffalo 11. Ellis rumbled the 11 yards for the go ahead score in front of a shocked Buffalo team.

On the next series, Losman was intercepted on the first play. Taking over at the Buffalo 33, that should have ended things. Yet on 4th and 2 from the Buffalo 25, Mike Mangini inexplicably decided to go for it rather than kick the 42 yard field goal. The Bills held, and had 1:17 to work wth. On the game”s final play, Losman’s hail; mary from midfield was intercepted in the end zone. The Bills are all eliminated after starting 5-1, while the Jets were moments away from a 3 game losing skid and a punishing New York media. Instead the Jets are 9-5 and still in a 3 way tie for 1st place in the divison. 31-27 Jets

San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs–Norvelous Norv Turner and the underachieving Chargers faced the long since eliminated Chiefs. After a San Diego punt, Tyler Thigpen led the Chiefs on a 96 yard drive that took 15 plays and 8 minutes. Thigpen hit Bowe for 5 yards on 3rd and 3 from their own 11. On 3rd and 4 from the 38, Thigpen continued the drive by running 5 yards himself. Larry Johnson picked up the first down on 3rd and 1 from the 48. From the San Diego 23, Thigpen hit Tony Gonzalez down to the 4. A halfback option pass from Johnson to Gonzalez put the Chiefs up 7-0.

Kansas city wasted 2 golden opportunities in the second quarter. On 4th and 1 from the San Diego 16, Herm Edwards opted for the 34 yard field goal, which was no good. Later on, from tSan Diego 5 yard line, Thigpen was intercepted in the end zone. Yet a San Diego fumble had the Chiefs starting at their own 46. A defensive pass interference call was followed by a 21 yard pass from Thigpen to Bowe at the San Diego 5. On 3rd and goal, Thigpen hit Bowe from 1 yard out to give the Chiefs a 14-0 lead. San Diego kicked a field goal just before the half ended.

In the third quarter, Philip Rivers was intercepted by Patrick Surtain at the San Diego 47. Surtain returned it to the 3 yard line, and Thigpen ran it up the middle on a quarterback draw for the score to put the Chiefs up 21-3. The Chargers finally got goingon their next drive, as Rivers led the team 65 yards in 10 plays. Rivers completed passes to Chris Chambers and Jacob Hester for 18 and 13 yards respectively, setting up Ladanian Tomlinson from 6 yards out to pull the Chargers to within 21-10.

The Chargers had the ball at their own 11 with 5 minutes left knowing a loss would end their season. Rivers rapidly led an 89 yard drive in 15 plays. A 4 yard touchdown pass to Floyd made it 21-16. The 2 point conversion failed, and only 1:19 remained. The Chargers needed an onsides kick and anouther touchdown, basically meaning they were done. They got the onsides kick. From their own 39, Rivers went deep to Vincent Jackson for 42 yards down to the Kansas City 19. 55 seconds remained. On 3rd and 1 from the 10, Rivers hit Jackson for the touchdown with 36 seconds remaining. The 2 point conversion again failed, but the Chargers led by a point.

Norvelous Norv Turner decided to squib kick the kickoff so that the Chiefs would have good field position and a chance to win it. On 3rd and 5 form the San Diego 49, with 15 seconds remaining, Thigpen completed a pass to the 37. The Chargers tried to prevent the referee from spotting the ball, and were penalized a critical 5 yards. With one second left, the Chiefs had a 50 yard field goal attempt. It was no good, and the Chiefs had blown an 11 point lead with 90 seconds remaining to a Norv Turner coached team. The Chargers improved to 6-8, and still have a chance to win their horrible divison. 22-21 Chargers

Detroit Lions @ Indianapolis Colts–The Colts came in winning 6 straight while the Lions are trying to get one win this season to stave off ignominy and have one of the biggest upsets in pro football history. Peyton Manning took the Colts 78 yards in 14 plays over 7 1/2 minutes. A 20 yard pass from Manning to Reggie Wayne led to Dominic Rhodes running it in from one yard out to put the Colts up 7-0. The Lions punted, but the Colts fumbled the punt, leading to a Detroit field goal.

In the second quarter, starting at their own 44, a defensive pass interference penalty had the Colts on the move. From the Detroit 22, Manning hit Rhodes for 17 yards. Simpson ran it in from 2 yards out to give the Colts a 14-3 lead. The Lions hung tough, as Orlovsky hit a pair of 33 yard passes. The first one went to Gaines, and the next one went to Calvin Johnson for the touchdown to pull the Lions to within 14-10. Yet leaving 3 1/2 minutes for Peyton Manning is just asking for another touchdown. The Lions did not ask for it, but Manning gave it anyway. An 18 yard pass from Manning to Dallas Clark had the Colts at the Detroit 34 at the 2 minute warning. From the 27, Manning hit Clark for a 24 yard gain down to the 3, and then hit Clark for the touchdown to give the Colts a 21-10 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Colts fumbled deep in their own territory, setting up Detroit at the Indy 21. Yet the Lions could only muster a field goal, making it a 21-13 game. Later in the quarter, the Lions began a drive at their own 9 yard line. Orlovsky moved the team methodically. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 38, Kevin Smith picked up 4 yards. Orlovsky hit Calvin Johnson for 33 yards down to the Indy 25. A 9 yard pass to SMith was followed by a 12 yard Smith run to the 4 yard line. Smith ran it in from one yard out, and Orlovsky hit Fitzsimmons for the 2 point conversion. The Lions had a chance to shock the football world by tying the game 21-21 with 13 minutes remaining.

The Colts took over at their own 12, and Manning simply fired at will. He hit Rhodes for 8 yards, Marvin Harrison for 12 more, and Clark for 11. From the Detroit 40, Manning went deep to Reggie Wayne for a 39 yard gain down to the one. Rhodes plowed through to put the Colts up 28-21 with 8 1/2 minutes left.

After a punt, The Colts took over at their own 20 with 5 1/2 minutes left. From the Indy 38, Manning hit Clark for a 31 yard gain down to the Detroit 31. With 1:16 remaining, the key play came on 3rd and 6 from the 14. Simpson fumbled the ball, and the Lions appeared to have one last chance for a miracle. However, 0-13 teams do not get breaks. Despite Detroit players all over the ball, the Colts somehow retained possession. A field goal with 44 seconds left iced it. The Colts at 10-4 have won 7 straight, while the 0-14 Lions have 2 chances to avoid eternal shame. 31-21 Colts

Minnesota Vikings @ Arizona Cardinals–A pair of 8-5 teams battled. The Vikings came in leading their division by half a game, while the Cardinals had clinched theirs. Yet this game was a blowout from the start. 4 minutes into the game, Bernard Berrian returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown to put the Vikings up 7-0. Tarvaris Jackson then hit Berrian for a 41 yard touchdown to make it 14-0. An Arizona fumble had Minnesota starting at the Arizona 23. Jackson hit Rice from 6 yards out to have the Vikings cruising at 21-0 after the opening quarter. In the second quarter Jackson led a 12 play, 91 yard drive that took 7 minutes. Jackson hit Chester Taylor to have the Vikings rolling 28-0 at halftime.

One minute into the second half, Kurt Warner hit Urban for a 50 yard touchdown pass to make it 28-7. A field goal attempt by Ryan Longwell to make it 31-7 was instead blocked and returned for a touchdown 68 yard by Hood. The Cardinals were within 28-14. Yet The Vikings came right back, and Jackson hit Wade for a 59 yard touchdown pass. The 4th quarter was scoreless, as the Vikings maintained a 1 game lead in their division. The Cardinals, despite being in the playoffs, have lose 4 of 4 since a 7-3 start. 35-14 Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens–The 10-3 Steelers took on the 9-4 Ravens with 1st place in the AFC North on the line and the Steelers still with an outside shot at home field throughout the playoffs with the Tennessee loss earlier in the day. As expected, a pair of defenses known for beating the hell out of teams beat the hell out of each other. 4 trips inside the 10 yard line led to 4 field goals, with the Ravens getting 3 of them for a 9-3 lead after 3 quarters. With 9 1/2 minutes left, Pittsburgh added another field goal to trail 9-6.

With 3 1/2 minutes left, Pittsburgh took over at their own 8. Ben Roethliosberger hit Hines ward for a pair of 13 yard completions to the 34. A 16 yarder to Nate Washington had Pittsburgh at midfield at the 2 minute warning. Passes of 9 and 24 yards to Washington had Pittsburgh at the Baltimore 14. A 10 yard pass to Ward had the Steelers at the 4 yard line with 1 minute left.

On 3rd and goal from the 4, Big Ben hit Santonio Holmes inches short of the goal line. Holmes’s feet were in the end zone, but the ball appeared short. On 4th and goal from the 1, the Steelers had a big decision to make. Then a shocker came from the refs. The call was reversed and called a touchdown in front of a shocked Baltimore crowd. The Steelers had the lead with 43 seconds left. A squib kick had the Ravens near midfield, and Joe Flacco’s desperation hail mary was intercepted in the end zone by Gay. The Steelers clinched the division and a 1st round bye. At 11-3, they travel next week to 12-2 Tennessee for what could decide home field throughout the playoffs. The Ravens at 9-5 are still in the hunt for a playoff birth. This game will be talked about for years to come due to the controversial ending. 13-9 Steelers

Denver Broncos @ Carolina Panthers–Denver took the ball at their own 39 and moved 61 yards with relative ease. Jay Cutler hit Pope for a 7 yard touchdown to put the Broncos up 7-0. Jake Delhomme came right back with passes to Steve Smith of 24, 27, and finally 15 yards for the touchdown to tie the game 7-7. Both teams tacked on a field goal to make it 10-10 after the first quarter. The rest of the game was all Carolina.

Delhomme went back to Steve Smith for completions of 38 and 16  yards, setting up Stewart from 2 yards out to put the Panthers up 17-10. With 17 seconds elft in the half, just trying to ruin out the clock deep in their own territory, Denver fumbled the ball away. Carolina kicked a gift field goal to lead 20-10 at halftime. 2 minutes into the second half, Williams ran for a 56 yard touchdown to salt the game away as the Carolina defense did the rest. Carolina at 11-3 is on track to win the division, and next week are on the road against the 11-3 Giants in a showdown with the winner getting home field in the NFC. Even at 8-6, Denver should limp to a division championship soon enough. 30-10 Panthers

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

Matt Cassel lost his faher earlier in the week, playing with a heavy heart, he played like Brett Favre did when he lost his dad right before a game against the Raiders. This was bad for Oakland in a game that was effectively over after several minutes. The pouring rain in Oakalnd was a good metaphor for a once proud franchise that has washed away into ruins.

The Raiders punted, and New England started at the Oakland 40. With a short field, Cassel hit Kevin Faulk for the 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Patriots. The only reliable player on the Raiders, punter Shane Lechler, had an 18 yard shank that had the Patroits starting at the Oakland 35. Sammy Morris ran 15 yards and then Cassel hit Randy Moss for the 20 yard touchdown to make it 14-0. Lechler then punted 62 yards to the New England 5, forcing New England to start at their own 17. It didn’t matter. A 29 yard Sammy Morris run had N ew England up 21-0 still in the first quarter. Jamarcus Russell did hit Johnny Lee Higgins on a  slant pass that went for a 56 yard touchdown to pull the Raiders within 21-7 after the opening quarter.

Minutes later the Patriots became the first team all year to score 4 touchdowns on their first 4 drives. Cassel hit Wes Welker for a 30 yard gain to set up a 13 yard toss to Welker for the score and a 28-7 lead. The Raiders had an ounce of life when Justin Miller returned the kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown to make it 28-14. That life was extinguished seconds later when Ellis Hobbs returned the favor 95 yards for the score to put the Patriots up 35-14, the lead they took into the locker rooms. For some reason, the Raiders came out to play the second half.

The Patriots put the game away minutes into the second half whena  35 yard run by Sammy Morris set up Cassel’s 9 yard touchdown pass to Moss to make it 42-14. Cassel finished with 4 touchdown passes. Even when the Raiders did crack the end zone again, Sebastian Janikowski had his extra point blocked. The Patriots at 9-5 remained in a 3 way tie for 1st place in their division, while the Raiders at 3-11 are a mess. The Raiders became the 1st team in NFL history to have 6 straight seasons with at least 11 losses. This is more futility than Tampa Bay in the 1970s, Cincinnati and the Rams in the 90s, and the Lions in this century. 49-26 Patriots

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys was the Sunday night game. The 11-2 Giants, looking to move closer to home field throughout the playoffs, traveled to the 8-5 Cowboys, looking to keep on pace for the playoffs. It was a low scoring head knocker. After a scoreless opening quarter, facing 2nd and 14 from the Dallas 38, Tony Romo hit Choice for 22 yards, and then fired 34 yards to Patrick Crayton for the 7-0 Cowboys lead 90 seconds in the second quarter. The Giants responded with a field goal, and after a scoreless third quarter, Dallas led 7-3 going into the final quarter.

From the Dallas 28, Romo hit Austin for 23 yards, and then Choice ran another 23 yards to the New York 15. Romo hit Jason Witten down to the one yard line, and found Anderson for the touchdown to make it 14-3 with 12 minutes left. The Giants got back in the game with 8 1/2 minutes left when Romo was sacked in the end zone for a safety to make it 14-5. The Giants took the free kick and hit a 47 yard field goal to make it 14-8 with 6 minutes left.Desperately needing a stop, the Giants never got one. Choice burst through the middle for a 30 yard run to ice the game. At 9-5 the Cowboys are in the hunt. At 11-3, the Giants have a showdown at home next week against Carolina for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. 20-8 Cowboys

Cleveland Browns @ Philadelphia Eagles was the Monday night game. The Eagles were fighting for their playoff lives against a Cleveland team starting their 3rd string quarterback. Donovan McNabb took over for the Eagles at his own 36 and quickly went to work. Moving easily, a 14 yard touchdown pass to Curtis had the Eagles up 7-0 only 4 minutes into the game. Ken Dorsey led the Browns right back on their first drive, but bogged down at the 9 yard line. A field goal made it a 7-3 game. Philadelphia then took over at their own 43, and a 12 pl;ay, 6 minute drive stalled at the Cleveland 6 yard line. A field goal had the Eagles up 10-3 after the first quarter.

The Eagles had plenty of chances to turn the game into a blowout by halftime, but failed to capitalize. A 6 minute drive had McNabb move the ball from the Philadelphia 16 to the Cleveland 7. Andy Reid then went for a trick play out the Wildcat formation. Jackson’s direct snap pass was intercepted in the end zone. Yet Ken Dorsey was intercepted at midfield by Asanta Samuel, who raced half the field for the touchdown to have the Eagles up 17-3.

With 3 minutes left in the half, McNabb led the Eagles from their 34 to 2nd and goal at the Cleveland 1 yard line. With 9 seconds left and no timeouts, Andy Reid called a pass. McNabb was intercepted in the end zone by McDonald. McDOnald returned the ball 98 yards without scoring a touchdown. He started 5 yards deep and was finally caught at the Philadelphia 7. Philadelphia could have led 31-3 at the half, and Cleveland could have been within 17-10. Instead, the Eagles led 17-3 at intermission.

The Eagles bled the 3rd quarter dry with a 14 play, 8 minute drive that led to a field goal and a 20-3 lead. Another field goal in the 4th quarter had Philadelphia up 23-3. Dorsey was then intercepted, giving Philadelphia the ball at the Cleveland 37. Correll Buckhalter ran 27 yards, and then McNabb threw the 10 yard touchdown pass to Lewis to have the Eagles up 30-3.

Andy Reid then benched McNabb for Kevin Kolb, but this was a good benching. In mop up, Kolb did his part to make McNabb look good by throwing an interception for a touchdown to close the scoring. The score could have been 44-3, or a much closer 30-17, but in the end, the Eagles had a decisive win to stay alive for a playoff spot. 30-10 Eagles

eric

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