NFL - Week Fourteen Recap

Tampa Bay QB Tom Brady celebrates the OT win.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3) pulled out a big win in overtime, 33-27 against the visiting Buffalo Bills (7-6) for their fourth straight win when quarterback Tom Brady (363 passing yards) threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Breshad Perriman. The Bucs had squandered a 24-3 halftime lead as the Bills (7-6) mounted a big comeback by scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter, including two TD passes by QB Josh Allen and a game tying 25-yard field goal with 22 seconds left in regulation.  

The San Francisco 49ers (7-6) squeaked past the host Cincinnati Bengals, 26-23 in OT as WR Brandon Aiyuk hauled in a short pass from QB Jimmy Garoppolo and tip toed the final ten yards on the sideline into the end zone for the win. The Bengals (7-6) went ahead, 23-20 in the OT on a Evan McPherson 41-yard field goal, but then the 'Niners stormed back and drove down the field for the winning score. Bengals QB Joe Burrow (348 passing yards) had two TD passes in the fourth quarter to wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase to help force the OT session.

The Thursday night game was a wild one as the host Minnesota Vikings (6-7) held on for a 36-28 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1), who nearly overcame a 29-0 deficit. It came down to the final play of the game, but Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger's pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth was incomplete as time ran out. Roethlisberger passed for 308 yards with three TD and one interception in the losing effort while the Vikings got 205 rushing yards from Dalvin Cook and a pair of touchdowns. In addition, Vikings QB Kirk Cousins had two TD passes and also two interceptions to help provide the winning margin.

The Cleveland Browns (7-6) held off the Baltimore Ravens, 24-22 to tighten the AFC North division standings. It was the second straight loss for Baltimore (8-5), who also lost starting QB Lamar Jackson to an ankle injury as the Browns built up a 24-3 lead, which included a 15-yard scoop and score fumble recovery for touchdown by defensive end Myles Garrett. Baltimore backup QB Tyler Huntley passed for 270 yards with one touchdown, but it wasn't enough as Browns QB Baker Mayfield had two TD passes and the Cleveland defense stopped the Ravens after a successful onside kick in the final minute.

The Dallas Cowboys (9-4) took a big step to winning the NFC East division title with a 27-20 road win at Washington (6-7) as quarterback Dak Prescott had a TD pass and defensive end Dorance Armstrong returned a fumble 37 yards for another score. Cowboys defensive star Micah Parsons had a big game with two sacks and a fumble recovery as the 'Pokes held off Washington's comeback effort in the fourth quarter (two scores) to provide the final outcome and snap the football team's four-game win streak.

The Sunday night game was action packed as the Green Bay Packers (10-3) defeated the Chicago Bears, 45-30 at Lambeau Field. The Bears (4-9) had a 27-21 halftime lead as Jakeem Grant hauled in a 46-yard TD pass from QB Justin Fields (224 passing yards with two TD and two INT) and also returned a punt 97 yards for another score. 

The Packers took a 14-10 lead in the second quarter when Rasul Douglas took back an interception 55 yards for a touchdown and then  the Packers dominated in the second half as QB Aaron Rodgers (pictured right), who had 341 passing yards and four scoring passes, threw for two scores and RB Aaron Jones added a rushing touchdown to lead the way. 

The Los Angeles Rams (9-4) got a huge win on Monday Night Football, a 30-23 road victory against the NFC West leading Arizona Cardinals (10-3), who dropped to third place in the NFC playoff standings following the setback. Rams QB Matthew Stafford had three TD passes while the defense intercepted Cards QB Kyler Murray (383 passing yards) twice (one a pick at the Rams goal line in the first half) and also had four sacks, including three by DE Aaron Donald, who got to Murray on the final play of the game to help seal the win. Arizona RB James Conner had two rushing scores in the loss.

                                                         Elsewhere Around the NFL . . . . . . . . .  

The Kansas City Chiefs improved to 9-4 with their sixth consecutive win in a 48-9 blowout against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders (6-7) as the defense forced five turnovers, including four fumble recoveries while QB Patrick Mahomes had two scoring passes . . .  The New Orleans Saints (6-7) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 30-9 thumping of the host New York Jets (3-10) as RB Alvin Kamara (120 rushing yards) scored a TD and Taysom Hill added two scoring runs while the defense had three sacks and limited the Jets to 256 total yards in offense . . .  The Los Angeles Chargers (8-5) rolled to a 37-21 home win against the New York Giants (4-9) as QB Justin Herbert had three TD passes . . .  The Atlanta Falcons (6-7) held off the host Carolina Panthers, 29-21 as linebacker Mykal Walker had a 66-yard "pick six" interception return and the Atlanta defense got three turnovers . . .  The Seattle Seahawks (5-8) buried the Houston Texans, 33-13 for a road win as QB Russell Wilson had two TD passes and RB Rashaad Penny had two long TD runs (32 and 47 yards) to go with 137 rushing yards to lead the way . . .  Denver (7-6) beat down the visiting Detroit Lions, 38-10 with RB Melvin Gordon (111 yards rushing) scoring twice on the ground while QB Teddy Bridgewater had a pair of scoring passes for the Broncos balanced offense, which gained 184 rushing yards and 174 passing yards . . .  The Tennessee Titans (9-4) smashed the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-0 for the home win as their defense intercepted rookie QB Trevor Lawrence four times while also limiting the Jaguars (2-11) to a paltry eight rushing yards in the game.

 

WEEK FOURTEEN RESULTS 

Minnesota 36, Pittsburgh 28 

New Orleans 30, N.Y. Jets 9 

Tennessee 20, Jacksonville 0 

Kansas City 48, Las Vegas 9 

Cleveland 24, Baltimore 22

Atlanta 29, Carolina 21 

Dallas 27, Washington 20 

Seattle 33, Houston 13 

L.A. Chargers 37, N.Y. Giants 21

Denver 38, Detroit 10

San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 23 (OT) 

Tampa Bay 33, Buffalo 27 (OT)

Green Bay 45, Chicago 30  

L.A. Rams 30, Arizona 23

 

NFL - Week Fourteen Preview

 

Week Fourteen started last night with the Minnesota Vikings topping the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 36-28 to further tighten up the playoff races in each conference. This weekend, there are several key games that will help determine the playoff picture even further. 

The Dallas Cowboys travel to Washington to face the football team that is 6-6 and has a four game winning streak going. The Cowboys (8-4) lead the NFC East division race and face Washington twice in the final five games. The Cowboys have been erratic since getting out to a 6-1 start, so they need to get it right in this one. If they do, they will have a three game cushion with just four to play. But if WFT can get their fifth consecutive win, it will be air tight in the NFC East race the rest of the way. 

The Las Vegas Raiders (6-6) face the Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) in a big AFC West battle. The Chiefs have won five in a row and their defense has been nothing less than stellar during the streak after a terrible start this season. Las Vegas needs this game in the worst way and if they can pull it off, it could bolster them into the AFC playoffs, either as a division winner or a wild card team. 

Another big AFC battle will take place in Cleveland where the Browns (6-6) will host the Baltimore Ravens (8-4), the leaders in the AFC North division. The Ravens offense has struggled mightily the past four weeks and quarterback Lamar Jackson needs to cut back on the turnovers in order for his team to win this one. Just two weeks ago in Baltimore, the Ravens won a tight 16-10 defensive struggle against the Browns, so the Browns cannot afford to lose this one. It will be interesting to see what develops in this game and the winner will be the team that does not turn over the football.

The San Francisco 49ers (6-6) travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals (7-5) in a game that will go a long way to help sort out the wild card races in both the AFC and NFC playoff races. The 'Niners lost in Seattle last week while the Bengals got smashed last Sunday at home against the Los Angeles Chargers, committing four turnovers in the process. The Bengals still have a legitimate shot to win their division while 49ers are vying for a wild card spot in the NFC. 

The Buffalo Bills (7-5) lost a tough one at home last week against New England and that put them into the seventh and final AFC playoff spot heading into this week's inter-conference game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3), who lead the NFC South by four full games. The Bucs have won three in a row after a slump and are just one game behind the Arizona Cardinals for the top spot in the NFC playoff picture. The Bills had best have their "A game" ready for this one or they could fall out of the playoff ranks and into the "in the hunt" category. 

Finally, the Monday Night Football Game features the Arizona Cardinals (10-2 and the top dog in the NFC playoff picture) hosting the Los Angeles Rams, who are 8-4 and have already lost to the Cards this season. This one is a must win for L.A. if they want to stay in contention for the NFC West title. Look for a high scoring game with the Cards pulling it out late to all but wrap up the division crown. 

 

The rest of the action for this week's NFL games are featured below in the capsule style format and the Heftyinfo picks follow up. 

 

Atlanta (5-7) at Carolina  (5-7) - The loser of this game will pretty much be out of the playoff chase in the NFC. 

N.Y. Giants (4-8) at L.A. Chargers (7-5) - This one could be closer than most people might think. The Chargers could be without their top two wide receivers due to COVID protocols while the Giants will likely have their third string QB starting this one. Take the 'Bolts in a close game. 

Detroit (1-10-1) at Denver (6-6) - The Broncos will look to snap the one game win streak the Lions have going while also helping their chances for making the AFC playoffs. 

Jacksonville (2-10) at Tennessee (8-4) - Can the Titans avoid another embarrassing loss to a bottom feeder team? They have lost two in a row and one was to the Houston Texans. 

Seattle (4-8) at Houston (2-10) - Who cares? 

New Orleans (5-7) at N.Y. Jets (3-9) - The Saints are looking to snap their five game losing streak while the Jets are just playing out the string of remaining games. Toss up in this one. 

Chicago (4-8) at Green Bay (9-3) - The Sunday night game between two of the oldest rivals in the league. Take the Packers. 

The Heftyinfo picks for Week Fourteen  . . . . . . . .    (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS) 

 

Minnesota over Pittsburgh 

Dallas over Washington

Carolina over Atlanta 

Tennessee over Jacksonville 

Seattle over Houston 

New Orleans over N.Y. Jets 

Kansas City over Las Vegas 

Cleveland over Baltimore 

Cincinnati over San Francisco 

L.A. Chargers over N.Y. Giants 

Denver over Detroit 

Tampa Bay over Buffalo 

GREEN BAY over Chicago 

Arizona over L.A. Rams 

 

Last Week's Record - 9-5

SEASON RECORD - 117-76-1 

Lock of the Week Record - 10-3

 

 

 

NFL - Week Thirteen Recap

Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown celebrates game winning TD catch.

The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the host Cincinnati Bengals, 41-22, improving their record to 7-5 as quarterback Justin Herbert (317 passing yards) threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Keenan Allen and another to WR Jalen Guyton and the Bolts cornerback Tevaughn Campbell returned a forced fumble 61 yards for a touchdown. Cincinnati (7-5) cut their 24-point deficit to just two points (24-22) in the third quarter on a Joe Mixon seven yard TD run, but the Chargers defense rose up and thwarted the two-point attempt. 

 

From there, Campbell scored his defensive TD the next time the Bengals had the ball and it was all Chargers the rest of the game as the defense had six QB sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries to help preserve the win. Bengals QB Joe Burrow passed for 300 yards with one TD pass and the two interceptions (and one fumble) in defeat.

Break up the Detroit Lions (1-10-1) as they finally won a game this season when QB Jared Goff (296 passing yards with three TD and one INT) threw an 11-yard TD pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown on the final play of the game for a 29-27 victory against the visiting Minnesota Vikings (5-7), who had gone ahead 27-23 with 1:50 remaining in the game when QB Kirk Cousins (340 passing yards) threw a three yard TD pass to Justin Jefferson.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5-1) won a nail biter at home against the Baltimore Ravens, 20-19 as they thwarted a two-point attempt by the Ravens (8-4) to get the win. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson threw a six yard TD pass to Sammy Watkins with just twelve seconds remaining in regulation to get his team to within the one point margin. The Steelers defense sacked Jackson seven times, including 3 1/2 sacks for T.J. Watt in the win while QB Ben Roethlisberger had two TD passes.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) rolled past the host Atlanta Falcons, 30-17 as QB Tom Brady (368 passing yards) had four TD passes, including two of them to tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Falcons (5-7) dropped into a three-way tie with Carolina and New Orleans behind the first-place Buccaneers in the NFC South with the loss. The Bucs defense sacked Falcons QB Matt Ryan five times to help pace the winning effort. 

The Arizona Cardinals steam rolled the host Chicago Bears, 33-22 to improve to an NFL best 10-2 record behind two touchdown runs from QB Kyler Murray, who also had two TD passes in the win. The Cards defense intercepted four passes to help make the difference in the outcome as they were out gained by the Bears (4-8), 329-257 in total yardage.  

On Thursday night, the Dallas Cowboys (8-4) got a huge 27-17 road win against the New Orleans Saints (5-7), who dropped their fifth consecutive game. The Cowboys got rushing scores from Michael Gallup (one yard) and Tony Pollard, who had a 58-yard run to paydirt. Cowboys defensive end Carlos Watkins took an interception back 29 yards for another score to make it 27-10 late in the fourth quarter. Saints QB Taysom Hill had two TD passes, but was intercepted four times in the loss. 

In the Monday Night Football Game, the New England Patriots defeated the host Buffalo Bills, 14-10 in terrible weather conditions in Buffalo. The winds were whipping up to gusts of more than 50 miles per hour and the Patriots (9-4) used that to their advantage, attempting just three passes in the game while rushing for 222 yards with running back Damien Harris going 64 yards for a TD in the first quarter for an 8-0 lead following the two-point conversion. 

The Bills (7-5) got back into it on QB Josh Allen's touchdown pass to make it 8-7. From there, it was just field goals as Pats kicker Nick Folk made two field goals to help provide the difference in the final outcome as New England made it seven consecutive wins and the top spot in the AFC playoff race.

                                                                Elsewhere Around the NFL . . . . . . . . .   

The Kansas City Chiefs won their fifth straight game as they held off the visiting Denver Broncos, 22-9 on Sunday night to improve to 8-4 this season. The Broncos (6-6) turned the football over three times, including a back breaking interception thrown by QB Teddy Bridgewater that was taken back 75 yards for a touchdown by Chiefs LB Daniel Sorenson with 9:42 remaining in the fourth quarter to give K.C. a 22-3 lead . . .  The Miami Dolphins (6-7) won their fifth straight game, 20-9 against the visiting New York Giants (4-8) with stout defense (limiting the Giants to just 250 total yards) and two TD passes from QB Tua Tagovailoa . . .  The Seattle Seahawks (4-8) won at home, 30-23 against the San Francisco 49ers (6-6), snapping the 'Niners three-game win  streak. Seattle QB Russell Wilson threw for two touchdowns to offset two TD strikes from San Francisco QB Jimmy Garoppolo . . .  The Indianapolis Colts (7-6) dominated in a 31-0 road win against the Houston Texans (2-10), who became the first team in the NFL to be eliminated from playoff contention. The Indy defense limited the Texans to only 141 total yards in offense and had four QB sacks along with a fumble recovery and an interception. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (143 rush yards) scored twice on the ground to lead the offense . . .  The Los Angeles Rams (8-4) snapped their three-game losing streak with a 37-7 trouncing of the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) as QB Matthew Stafford passed for three touchdowns while the defense forced two fumbles for turnovers and limited the Jags offense to just 197 yards . . .  Washington (6-6) won in Las Vegas, 17-15 as kicker Brian Johnson connected on a 48-yard field goal with 37 seconds left in the game. The Raiders (6-6) had a chance, but could not get it done as the 'Hail Mary' pass fell short as time expired . . .  The Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) rolled past the host New York Jets (3-9), 33-18 as they shut them out in the second half while using a balanced offense (418 total yards with 185 rushing and 233 passing yards), which also included two TD passes from backup QB Gardner Minshew (filling in for injured starter Jalen Hurts) and four field goals from kicker Jake Elliott.

WEEK THIRTEEN RESULTS 

Dallas 27, New Orleans 17 

Arizona 33, Chicago 22

Miami 20, N.Y. Giants 9 

Philadelphia 33, N.Y. Jets 18 

Detroit 29, Minnesota 27 

Indianapolis 31, Houston 0 

Tampa Bay 30, Atlanta 17 

L.A. Chargers 41, Cincinnati 22

Washington 17, Las Vegas 15

Pittsburgh 20, Baltimore 19

L.A. Rams 37, Jacksonville 7 

Seattle 30, San Francisco 23 

Kansas City 22, Denver 9

New England 14, Buffalo 10

 

 

 

NFL - Week Thirteen Preview

 

There are several NFL games that look to be more than just interesting this weekend, among them the Los Angeles Chargers at the Cincinnati Bengals. Also, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be hosting their hated rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. The two prime time games feature the Denver Broncos at the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night and finally the game of the week on Monday Night Football that has the red hot New England Patriots taking their six game win streak to Buffalo to face the Bills in a battle for first place in the AFC East division. 

 

Cincinnati (7-4) has been up and down all season, but they are coming off a couple of impressive wins in recent weeks (32-13 win at Las Vegas and a 41-10 rout of the Steelers) after losing to the lowly Jets and getting smashed by the Cleveland Browns. Meanwhile, the Chargers (6-5) are in the same boat as they have dropped four of six games after a 4-1 start this season. The defense has been erratic and cannot stop the run while the talent laden offense inexplicably struggles every other game. They struggled last week in a loss to Denver, so maybe that bodes well for them against the Bengals this Sunday. Expect a shootout with the home team pulling it out in the final minutes.

The Steelers (5-5-1) will host the Ravens (8-3), who are coming off a tough win last weekend against the Browns. Pittsburgh was thoroughly destroyed by the Bengals last Sunday and haven't won a game in four weeks. Baltimore will look to pressure Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and force turnovers, which is what worked so well for Cincinnati last week. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will look to get back in form after throwing four picks last week. In addition, the entire Ravens offense needs to get it going as they have averaged just 14 points per game the last three weeks. 

On Sunday night, Kansas City (7-4 and coming off their bye week) will put their four game win streak on the line against the surprising Denver Broncos (6-5), who dominated the L.A. Chargers last week in the Mile High City. Can Denver's resurgent defense hold the Chiefs in check? That will be the key in this one at Arrowhead Stadium with first place in the AFC West on the line. 

Finally, on Monday night in Buffalo, the Bills (7-4) will look to leap frog the surprising New England Patriots (8-4), who have won six straight games with solid defense and a mistake free offense led by rookie QB Mac Jones. Buffalo is just 3-3 after a hot start this year and the defense needs to get back to pressuring the quarterback and forcing the turnovers that helped enable that 4-1 start and first place in the AFC East division. This game should go down to the wire, with the Bills pulling it out and cooling off Bill Belichick's team. 

The rest of the 14 game NFL schedule is featured with the capsule style format and the Heftyinfo picks following up. 

 

Tampa Bay (8-3) at Atlanta (5-6) - Can the Falcons shock the world and save their season with a win this Sunday? 

Arizona (9-2) at Chicago (4-7) - Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy still under fire in Chicago and a win against the Cards would do wonders. But don't count on it happening. 

Minnesota (5-6) at Detroit (0-10-1) - Can the Lions get that elusive first win of the 2021 season this week against a divisional foe? Not likely. 

N.Y. Giants (4-7) at Miami (5-7) - Two teams that have been hot of late; but the Dolphins are the hotter team entering this one. 

Philadelphia (5-7) at N.Y. Jets (3-8) - Upset alert? Maybe so as the Eagles looked awful last week in the Meadowlands against the Giants and now they face the Jets, who have shown some life in the last month. 

Indianapolis (6-6) at Houston (2-9) - No excuses for the Colts in this one. Must win game to stay in AFC playoff picture. 

Washington (5-6) at Las Vegas (6-5) - Toss up in this one. 

Jacksonville (2-9) at L.A. Rams (7-4) - The Rams need to stop the bleeding and beat a terrible team. 

San Francisco (6-5) at Seattle (3-8) - The 'Hawks have lost three straight and six of their last seven. 'Niners have won three in a row. Anything is possible when these two teams meet. 

The Heftyinfo picks for Week Thirteen  . . . . . . . .   (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

Dallas over New Orleans 

Tampa Bay over Atlanta 

Arizona over Chicago 

Cincinnati over L.A. Chargers 

Minnesota over Detroit 

Miami over N.Y. Giants 

N.Y. Jets over Philadelphia 

Indianapolis over Houston 

Washington over Las Vegas 

L.A. RAMS over Jacksonville 

Baltimore over Pittsburgh

Seattle over San Francisco 

Kansas City over Denver 

Buffalo over New England 

 

Last Week's Record - 10-5

SEASON RECORD - 108-71-1 

Lock of the Week Record - 9-3 

 

NFL - Week Twelve Recap

The Patriots are pumped up with six straight wins.

The New England Patriots (8-4) continue to roll along, getting their sixth straight win as they beat the visiting Tennessee Titans, 36-13 behind a pair of touchdown passes from rookie quarterback Mac Jones to wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and five field goals by kicker Nick Folk. 

The Titans (8-4) trailed 16-13 at the half, but were shut out in the second half in losing their second consecutive game. Tennessee turned the football over four times (three fumbles and one interception) as New England continued to pull away in the second half.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3) rallied back from a ten point deficit to knock off the host Indianapolis Colts, 38-31. Bucs running back Leonard Fournette scored four touchdowns (three rushing and one receiving) and ran for 100 yards on 17 carries to lead the way. The Colts (6-6) committed five turnovers in the loss, three fumbles and two interceptions. The Colts last second pass to the Tampa Bay end zone was knocked down to finish the game.

On Thanksgiving Day, the Las Vegas Raiders (6-5) surprised the host Dallas Cowboys, 36-33 in overtime in a game filled with penalty flags. Each team was flagged 14 times in the game and the Raiders won it on a 29-yard field goal by kicker Dan Carlson. 

Raiders QB Derek Carr passed for 373 yards and one touchdown as the team gained 509 yards. Dallas (7-4) had 437 total yards in offense, but only 64 rushing yards. Dallas RB Tony Pollard ran a kickoff back 100 yards midway through the third quarter to keep things close and when Cowboys QB Dak Prescott passed 32 yards for a score to WR Dalton Schultz and also the two-point conversion, the game was even at 30-30 late in the fourth quarter. The teams then exchanged late field goals to force the OT session.

The Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) blasted the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 41-10 behind a big game from RB Joe Mixon, who rushed for 165 yards and scored twice. The Bengals defense forced three turnovers, including a 24-yard interception return for a touchdown by Mike Hilton. The Steelers (5-5-1) gave up 40 or more points in back to back games for the first time since the 1989 season.

The Green Bay Packers (9-3) outlasted the Los Angeles Rams, 36-28 at Lambeau Field as QB Aaron Rodgers passed for 307 yards and had two scoring passes and also scored a rushing touchdown. In addition, Green Bay DB Rasul Douglas took an interception back 33 yards for a score. The Rams (7-4) dropped their third straight game and turned the ball over three times. Rams QB Matthew Stafford had three TD passes in the loss.

San Francisco (6-5) beat the visiting Minnesota Vikings, 34-26 behind a pair of touchdowns by Deebo Samuel and another rushing TD from RB Elijah Mitchell, who went for 133 yards on 27 carries. The Vikings (5-6) scored twice on passes from QB Kirk Cousins to WR Adam Thielen and also had a 99-yard kickoff return TD by Kene Nwangwu.

 

                                                       Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . . .   

 

The Chicago Bears (4-7) snapped a five game losing streak with a 16-14 road win against the Detroit Lions (0-10-1) on Thanksgiving Day as kicker Cairo Santos drilled a 28-yard boot as time ran out . . .  The Denver Broncos (6-5) surprised the visiting Los Angeles Chargers, 28-13 as the defense scored a TD on a 70-yard "pick six" by DB Patrick Surtain, who had two picks in the win. Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater had a TD pass and a ten-yard TD run in the win. Chargers QB Justin Herbert passed for 303 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions as the 'Bolts fell to 6-5 this season . . .  The Baltimore Ravens (8-3) knocked off the visiting Cleveland Browns, 16-10 on Sunday night behind three field goals from kicker Justin Tucker and a TD pass from Lamar Jackson to tight end Mark Andrews. The Browns fell to 6-6 this season as Baker Mayfield had a scoring pass and the defense intercepted four passes in defeat . . .  The Buffalo Bills (7-4) crushed the host New Orleans Saints, 31-6 last Thursday night as QB Josh Allen had four TD passes while his team built a 24-0 lead through three quarters. The Bills defense limited New Orleans (5-6) to 190 total yards in offense as the Saints dropped their fourth game in a row . . .  The New York Giants (4-7) won a defensive struggle at home, 13-7 against the Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) as QB Daniel Jones had a TD pass and Graham Gano kicked a pair of field goals . . .  The New York Jets (3-8) came back from an 11-point deficit to beat the Houston Texans, 21-14 for the road win. The Texans (2-9) jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first half in two TD passes by QB Tyrod Taylor, but the Jets took over from there as the defense limited Houston to just 202 yards in total offense . . .  Miami (5-7) won their fourth straight game, 33-10 against the visiting Carolina Panthers (5-7) as the Dolphins defense had five QB sacks, three interceptions and allowed just 198 total yards. Dolphins RB Myles Gaskin had two rushing scores in the win . . .  The Atlanta Falcons (5-6) won at Jacksonville, 21-14 behind a pair of scoring runs by Cordarrelle Patterson (16 carries for 108 yards). The Jaguars (2-9) rallied back from a 21-3 deficit on a TD pass by rookie QB Trevor Lawrence and a field goal to make it closer, but the Falcons held them off . . .  Washington (5-6) defeated the visiting Seattle Seahawks, 17-15 on Monday Night Football as RB J.D. McKissic scored two touchdowns and Antonio Gibson rushed for 111 yards. The Seahawks (3-8) pulled to within two points with 15 seconds remaining on QB Russell Wilson's second TD pass in the game, but the two-point conversion attempt failed.

 

WEEK TWELVE RESULTS 

Chicago 16, Detroit 14

Las Vegas 36, Dallas 33 (OT) 

Buffalo 31, New Orleans 6

N.Y. Giants 13, Philadelphia 7

Cincinnati 41, Pittsburgh 10 

Miami 33, Carolina 10 

Atlanta 21, Jacksonville 14

N.Y. Jets 21, Houston 14 

New England 36, Tennessee 13 

Tampa Bay 38, Indianapolis 31

Denver 28, L.A. Chargers 13

Green Bay 36, L.A. Rams 28

San Francisco 34, Minnesota 26

Baltimore 16, Cleveland 10 

Washington 17, Seattle 15

NFL - Week Twelve Preview

It's Thanksgiving Day and time for the traditions of turkey dinners and pumpkin pie and all the good stuff(ing) and everything else that goes with it. And of course, let's not forget about the football games being played. 

Three games are on tap for Thanksgiving Day, beginning with the Detroit Lions (0-9-1) hosting the Chicago Bears. Both of these teams are going through miserable seasons and the Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy has been under intense fire from local media and fans alike. The Bears (3-7) have lost five in a row coming into this one and if they should be the first team to lose to the Lions in 2021, it could be curtains for Nagy sooner rather than later. It's likely he will be gone after this season is completed, but that's another topic altogether.

The Dallas Cowboys are hosting the Las Vegas Raiders in the late afternoon game. The Cowboys (7-3) are in first place in the NFC East division and have been rolling this year, especially on offense. But they did hit a stumbling block last week in Kansas City, losing 19-9 to the Chiefs and managing just three field goals in the loss. The Raiders (5-5) have had more drama than a teenage reality show this season and they definitely need to get things right if they want to make the playoffs. 

The night game will see the Buffalo Bills (6-4) at the New Orleans Saints (5-5) and both teams have been in slumps in recent weeks, falling out of first place in their respective divisions. The Bills now trail the New England Patriots by half a game in the AFC East while the Saints (three straight losses) are two full games behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South division. Buffalo has lost three of their last five games after a 4-1 start.

The rest of the action around the NFL takes place on Sunday and Monday night, so it will be another busy week. Two first place teams (Arizona in the NFC West and Kansas City in the AFC West) have their byes this weekend. The capsule style previews for all of the games follows below and the Heftyinfo picks for the games as well.

THANKSGIVING DAY GAMES 

Chicago (3-7) at Detroit (0-9-1) - These two teams are having nightmare seasons. Toss up in this game. 

Las Vegas (5-5) at Dallas (7-3) - The Cowboys should make quick work of the Raiders in this Turkey Day game. 

Buffalo (6-4) at New Orleans (5-5) - Something has to give in this battle between two teams that have been in slumps in recent weeks. 

SUNDAY GAMES 

Tampa Bay (7-3) at Indianapolis (6-5) - The Colts have been rolling and their defense gives them a chance to win this one. Bucs trying to stay in contention for top spot in the NFC. 

N.Y. Jets (2-8) at Houston (2-8) - Texans shocked the Tennessee Titans last week; Jets are still awful. 

Philadelphia (5-6) at N.Y. Giants (3-7) - Suddenly the soaring Eagles are wild card contenders, but the Giants would love to play spoilers. 

Carolina (5-6) at Miami (4-7) - Two teams that are not likely to make the post-season go at it in this one. The loser will likely be finished this season regarding playoff hopes. 

Tennessee (8-3) at New England (7-4) - This is a top game this weekend and the top seed in the AFC is at stake. Patriots are rolling lately while the Titans saw their six-game win streak stopped last week. Toss up here. 

Pittsburgh (5-4-1) at Cincinnati (6-4) - When was the last time the Bengals swept the Steelers in a season series? 

Atlanta (4-6) at Jacksonville (2-8) - Two reeling teams in this tilt. Toss up. 

L.A. Chargers (6-4) at Denver (5-5) - The Broncos really need to win this game. The Chargers showed life last weekend in a big win against Pittsburgh in prime time. 

L.A. Rams (7-3) at Green Bay (8-3) - Another top notch game as two of the better NFC playoff contenders square off in Lambeau Field. Take the Packers. 

Minnesota (5-5) at San Francisco (5-5) - The winner of this game will stay in the mix in the NFC wild card playoff picture. Another toss up here. 

Cleveland (6-5) at Baltimore (7-3) - The Browns are still on a roller coaster ride in the 2021 season while the Ravens need to stay healthy down the stretch. 

MONDAY NIGHT GAME 

Seattle (3-7) at Washington (4-6) - Who cares? 

The Heftyinfo predictions for Week Twelve   . . . . . . . . .     (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

Chicago over Detroit 

DALLAS over Las Vegas 

Buffalo over New Orleans 

Indianapolis over Tampa Bay 

Houston over N.Y. Jets 

Philadelphia over N.Y. Giants 

Miami over Carolina 

New England over Tennessee 

Cincinnati over Pittsburgh

Atlanta over Jacksonville 

L.A. Chargers over Denver 

Green Bay over L.A. Rams 

San Francisco over Minnesota 

Baltimore over Cleveland

Washington over Seattle 

 

Last Week's Record - 10-5

SEASON RECORD - 98-66-1 

Lock of the Week Record - 9-2 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Eleven Recap

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler scored four touchdowns in Sunday night win.

By far the game of the week was the Sunday night game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers in L.A., which the Chargers won, 41-37 after coughing up a 17-point fourth quarter lead. 

The Chargers (6-4) were ahead 27-10 after three quarters before the Steelers (5-4-1) scored ten quick points in the final quarter on a field goal and then a one-yard TD run (by Najee Harris) following a blocked punt and a fourth down pass interference call against the 'Bolts defense at the goal line. That made it 27-20 before the Chargers scored again on running back Austin Ekeler's fourth touchdown of the game (five yard run) to make it 34-20. The Steelers scored the next 17 points to go ahead 37-34 on a pair of TD passes by QB Ben Roethlisberger and Chris Boswell's 45-yard field goal with 3:24 remaining. 

From there, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (382 passing yards with three TD and 90 rushing yards) completed a 53-yard TD pass to wide receiver Mike Williams to make the final outcome of 41-37. The Steelers had one last chance, but the Chargers defense rose up and sacked Roethlisberger twice to seal the win. Roethlisberger finished with 273 passing yards and three TD passes in defeat. In addition, the Chargers racked up 533 total yards in offense, including 159 rushing yards.

The game that was being touted as the "Game of the Week" was the one between the host Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) and Dallas Cowboys, which Kansas City won, 19-9 in a lackluster effort by both teams. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce scored on an four-yard run  and Clyde Edwards-Helaire scored on an option run for the only touchdowns in the game. The Cowboys (7-3) came into the contest as the top offense in the NFL, but they were limited to only three field goals in the loss. The Chiefs defense intercepted Cowboys QB Dak Prescott twice in the win, their fourth straight. 

How about the Houston Texans (2-8) going to Tennessee and winning, 22-13 to snap the Titans (8-3) six-game winning streak? 

Tennessee QB Ryan Tannehill threw four interceptions to help aid the loss, even though the Titans outgained the Texans, 420-190 in total yardage. Houston QB Tyrod Taylor scored two rushing touchdowns and kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn made three field goals to provide the difference in the final score. 

The Indianapolis Colts (6-5) routed the host Buffalo Bills, 41-15 with RB Jonathan Taylor going for 185 yards and scoring five touchdowns to lead the way for the Colts third straight win. The Colts rushed for 264 yards against one of the league's top defenses. Meanwhile, the Indy defense forced four turnovers, including three interceptions. Buffalo (6-4) lost for the third time in their last four games and fell out of first place in the AFC East division.

The Minnesota Vikings (5-5) beat the visiting Green Bay Packers, 34-31 on a 29-yard field goal by Greg Joseph as time expired. The Packers (8-3) battled back from a 14-point deficit as QB Aaron Rodgers had four TD passes, but Vikings QB Kirk Cousins tossed three TD passes and wide receiver Justin Jefferson torched the Packers D for 169 yards on eight receptions and scored twice. 

In the Thursday night game, the New England Patriots (7-4) ran their win streak to five games with a 25-0 road victory against the Atlanta Falcons (4-6) as the defense had four interceptions (including a 35-yard TD return by linebacker Kyle Van Noy) and held the Falcons to just 165 yards in total offense. Pats rookie QB Mac Jones had a TD pass on 22-for-26 passing accuracy. 

                                                  Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . . .    

The Baltimore Ravens (7-3) pulled off a last second 16-13 win against the Chicago Bears (3-7) as RB Devonta Freeman scored on a three-yard run with 22 seconds remaining. The Ravens played the game with reserve QB Tyler Huntley starting in place of Lamar Jackson, who was out with a non related COVID illness. Bears QB Justin Fields left the game with a rib injury and Andy Dalton tossed a pair of scoring passes in relief, but the Bears lost their fifth consecutive game . . .  The Cincinnati Bengals (6-4) pasted the host Las Vegas Raiders, 32-13 as RB Joe Mixon (123 yards rushing) scored two rushing touchdowns and the defense did enough to keep the Raiders out of the end zone . . .  The Cleveland Browns (6-5) kept pace in the AFC North race with a hard fought 13-10 win over the visiting and winless Detroit Lions (0-9-1) as QB Baker Mayfield had a TD pass and Jarvis Landry scored a rushing touchdown. Lions RB D'Andre Swift had a 57-yard TD run in the loss as the Lions mustered just 77 passing yards from backup QB Tim Boyle, who also threw two interceptions . . .  The San Francisco 49ers (5-5) rolled past the host Jacksonville Jaguars, 30-10 behind a pair of TD passes by QB Jimmy Garoppolo and the defense limiting the Jaguars (2-8) to just 200 yards in offense . . .  The Arizona Cardinals (9-2) went up to Seattle (3-7) and buried the Seahawks, 23-13 with backup QB Colt McCoy passing for 328 yards and throwing two TD passes to tight end Zach Ertz while the defense sacked Seattle QB Russell Wilson four times . . .  The Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) crushed the visiting New Orleans Saints, 40-29 behind three TD runs by QB Jalen Hurts and a 51-yard interception return for score by Darius Slay. The Saints (5-5) lost their third straight game even though QB Trevor Siemian had three TD passes (and two INT) and a scoring run . . .  The Washington Football Team (4-6) won at Carolina, 27-21, spoiling the start for Panthers QB Cam Newton, who had two TD passes and a 24-yard scoring run. Washington QB Taylor Heinicke threw for three touchdowns and kicker Joey Slye made two field goals to provide the difference in the outcome . . .  The Miami Dolphins (4-7) won a road game against the New York Jets (2-8) by a 24-17 final score with QB Tua Tagovailoa throwing for two scores to offset a pair of TD passes from Jets QB Joe Flacco . . . The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 30-10 home victory against the New York Giants (3-7) on Monday Night Football. Bucs QB Tom Brady passed for 307 yards with two TD passes and one interception as they pulled away after a 10-10 tie in the second quarter. Giants QB Daniel Jones had a TD pass along with two interceptions in the loss.

WEEK ELEVEN RESULTS 

New England 25, Atlanta 0 

Baltimore 16, Chicago 13

Minnesota 34, Green Bay 31

Houston 22, Tennessee 13 

Miami 24, N.Y. Jets 17

Cleveland 13, Detroit 10 

Washington 27, Carolina 21 

Indianapolis 41, Buffalo 15 

Philadelphia 40, New Orleans 29 

San Francisco 30, Jacksonville 10  

Cincinnati 32, Las Vegas 13 

Arizona 23, Seattle 13

Kansas City 19, Dallas 9 

L.A. Chargers 41, Pittsburgh 37 

Tampa Bay 30, N.Y. Giants 10