NFL - Week Fifteen Review

Three more teams joined Dallas in stamping their post-season tickets as the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders each took care of business this past weekend by winning their games.
The Seahawks blasted the visiting Los Angeles Rams, 24-3 limiting them to just 183 yards in total offense. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw for three touchdowns to lead the way on offense as the Seahawks (9-4-1) clinched the NFC West division.
The Oakland Raiders are playoff bound for the first time since the 2002 season as they squeaked by the host San Diego Chargers, 19-16 to improve to 11-3 for the season. Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski made four field goals and QB Derek Carr connected with wide receiver Michael Crabtree for a touchdown to make the difference. Chargers QB Philip Rivers had two TD passes in the loss.
The New England Patriots won the AFC East for the eighth consecutive season as they beat the host Denver Broncos, 16-3 to improve to 12-2. LeGarrette Blount scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge and the Pats defense smothered the Broncos offense, forcing three turnovers and sacking QB Trevor Siemian four times.
The Sunday night game saw the Dallas Cowboys (12-2) win a 26-20 thriller against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Cowboys defense forced four turnovers (three interceptions and a fumble) while sacking Bucs QB Jameis Winston four times. 'Pokes QB Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott (159 rushing yards) each scored a rushing touchdown to go with four Dan Bailey field goals to make the difference.



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The New York Giants improved to 10-4 with a 17-6 win against the Detroit Lions (9-5) as QB Eli Manning threw for two touchdowns . . .  The Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5) rallied past the host Cincinnati Bengals, 24-20 as kicker Chris Boswell made six field goals . . .   The Houston Texans (8-6) rallied as well as they beat the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, 21-20 behind backup QB Tom Savage leading the offense after starter Brock Osweiler was benched. RB Lamar Miller scored on a one-yard run to clinch the win. The Jaguars (2-12) fired Head Coach Gus Bradley following the loss . . .  The Baltimore Ravens (8-6) kept pace with the Steelers in the AFC North as they held off the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-26 behind two TD passes from Joe Flacco. The Eagles decided to go for two points following a late touchdown, but the Ravens defense stymied the play to provide the win . . .  The Tennessee Titans continued their "magic carpet ride" season going as they improved to 8-6 (tied for first place in AFC South with Houston) by beating the host Kansas City Chiefs, 19-17 as former Kansas City kicker Ryan Succop nailed the game winning 53-yard field goal as time expired . . .  The Atlanta Falcons (9-5) claimed sole possession of first place in the NFC South with a 41-13 trouncing of the hapless San Francisco 49ers (1-13) as their offense piled up 550 total yards.
Heftyinfo NFL Player of the Week Devonta Freeman (pictured lower right) scored three rushing touchdowns and went for 139 yards on the ground to lead the way. 

The Indianapolis Colts (7-7) kept alive their slim playoff hopes with a huge win, 34-6 at Minnesota. Colts QB Andrew Luck had a pair of scoring passes while the defense gathered three turnovers. The Vikings dropped to 7-7 (after a 5-0 start this season) and third place in the NFC North division . . .  The Green Bay Packers (8-6) took over second place in the NFC North with a 30-27 win at frigid Chicago. Packers RB Ty Montgomery ran for 162 yards and two scores and Christine Michael rambled 42 yards for another TD to pace the offense. The Bears rallied back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but Packers kicker Mason Crosby drilled the game winning 32-yard field goal as time expired to give Green Bay their fourth straight win . . .  The Buffalo Bills (7-7) kept the Cleveland Browns winless by virtue of a 33-13 blowout in Buffalo. Bills RB LeSean McCoy ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns to pace the rout . . .  The highest scoring game of the weekend happened in Arizona as the New Orleans Saints topped the host Cardinals, 48-41 behind four TD passes from Drew Brees and a pair of scoring runs by former Cardinals RB Tim Hightower . . . The Miami Dolphins (9-5) leaped back into playoff contention in the AFC with a 34-13 rout of the host New York Jets (4-10) on Saturday night. Dolphins QB Matt Moore made his first start in over four years and had four TD passes while the Miami defense forced four turnovers, including three picks. The game was close (13-10 in favor of Miami) at halftime, but the Dolphins rolled the Jets with 21 points in the third quarter to get the easy victory . . .   The Washington Redskins (7-6-1) blew a big game at home on Monday Night Football by losing to the Carolina Panthers, 26-15 that could very well cost them a wild card playoff spot in the NFC. The Panthers defense came up with three turnovers and QB Cam Newton had two TD passes while RB Jonathan Stewart ran for 132 yards to pace the offense.

WEEK FIFTEEN SCORES
Seattle 24, Los Angeles 3
Miami 34, NY Jets 13
Green Bay 30, Chicago 27
NY Giants 17, Detroit 6
Tennessee 19, Kansas City 17
Indianapolis 34, Minnesota 6
Baltimore 27, Philadelphia 26
Buffalo 33, Cleveland 13
Pittsburgh 24, Cincinnati 20
Houston 21, Jacksonville 20
Atlanta 41, San Francisco 13
New England 16, Denver 3
Oakland 19, San Diego 16
New Orleans 48, Arizona 41
Dallas 26, Tampa Bay 20
Carolina 26, Washington 15