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

 

 

 

NFL - Week Eleven Preview

Keeping it short and simple this weekend regarding the games in the NFL. 

There have been numerous "upsets" around the league in the last few weeks, if you can even consider them upsets. The key word is inconsistency in the 2021 NFL season. With that stated, some of the top games this week feature the Dallas Cowboys (7-2) at the Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) in a battle of divisional leaders. Another game that could be an interesting one is the Buffalo Bills (6-3) hosting the Indianapolis Colts (5-5) is a re-match of two playoff foes from last season. 

 The Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders (5-4) in a battle of teams vying for the AFC playoffs. Back in the NFC, Green Bay (8-2) will face the Minnesota Vikings (4-5) in a battle of NFC North opponents. The Sunday night game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3-1) and the Los Angeles Chargers (5-4) is another one that will go along in the process of helping to sort out contenders for the AFC playoffs. 

So yet again this week, here goes nothing in previewing (in the capsule style format) the games for Week Eleven as well as the predictions for the games. 

 

New Orleans Saints (5-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) - The Eagles have been competitive in recent weeks while the Saints have dropped two straight games. 

Miami Dolphins (3-7) at New York Jets (2-7) - The two bottom feeders of the AFC East go at it in this one. 

Washington (3-6) at Carolina Panthers (5-5) - Guess who's back for Carolina? Cam Newton . . . this one will be a wild game for sure. 

Indianapolis Colts (5-5) at Buffalo Bills (6-3) - The Bills had better keep on winning because the New England Patriots are right on their heels in the AFC East race. Colts have won four of their last five games and need to keep the momentum going. 

Detroit Lions (0-8-1) at Cleveland Browns (5-5) - Will the real Browns team please stand up? 

San Francisco 49ers (4-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) - On paper, this one looks like a complete mismatch, but the Jags have looked better in recent weeks. 

Houston Texans (1-8) at Tennessee Titans (8-2) - Titans roll ! 

Green Bay Packers (8-2) at Minnesota Vikings (4-5) - Vikes need this one bad to stay close in the NFC playoff picture. Packers have been so-so the last couple of games with Aaron Rodgers having COVID issues.

Baltimore Ravens (6-3) at Chicago Bears (3-6) - Can Lamar Jackson and company spank the Bears? Will the Bears be able to keep it close in this game? 

Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) at Las Vegas Raiders (5-4) - Toss up in this one as these two teams mirror each other. 

Arizona Cardinals (8-2) at Seattle Seahawks (3-6) - The Seahawks always seem to give the Cardinals fits in the Great Northwest. Toss up here. 

Dallas Cowboys (7-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) - The Chiefs seem to be getting back on track and now they face a tough opponent at home. 

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3-1) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-4) - The Steelers have COVID-19 issues again and the Chargers have issues within themselves in recent weeks. Toss up. 

New York Giants (3-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) - The Giants have won two of their last three games while the Bucs have looked average at best since they humiliated Chicago a month ago. Bucs and Brady should rebound for the win in this Monday night game. 

 

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

New England over Atlanta 

Philadelphia over New Orleans 

Miami over N.Y. Jets 

Carolina over Washington 

Buffalo over Indianapolis 

Cleveland over Detroit 

San Francisco over Jacksonville 

TENNESSEE over Houston 

Minnesota over Green Bay 

Baltimore over Chicago

Las Vegas over Cincinnati 

Seattle over Arizona 

Kansas City over Dallas 

L.A. Chargers over Pittsburgh 

Tampa Bay over N.Y. Giants 

 

Last Week's Record - 6-7-1 

SEASON RECORD - 88-61-1

Lock of the Week Record - 9-1

 

NFL - Week Ten Recap

The Washington Football Team did the unexpected and won at home, 29-19 against the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) on Sunday afternoon. Washington quarterback Taylor Heinecke (pictured left) had a touchdown pass and running back Antonio Gibson scored twice on the ground while the defense intercepted Bucs QB Tom Brady twice to lead the way as they improved to 3-6 this season. In addition, Washington held the football for nearly 40 minutes in the win. On the down side, Washington defensive end Chase Young was lost for the season with a knee injury.

The New England Patriots (6-4) are starting to serve notice they should be in consideration among the favorites in the AFC as they annihilated the visiting Cleveland Browns, 45-7 for their fourth straight victory. The Browns (5-5) led 7-0 and then it was all New England as rookie QB Mac Jones had three TD passes as the Pats amassed 452 yards in offense, including 184 rushing yards. Browns QB Baker Mayfield left the game with a knee injury as the Patriots defense totaled five sacks.

The Tennessee Titans held off the New Orleans Saints, 23-21 as their defense thwarted a two-point conversion attempt in the final minute. It was the sixth consecutive win for the Titans (8-2) as QB Ryan Tannehilll scored a rushing TD and also threw for a score to pace the victory. The Saints (5-4) lost their second straight game even though reserve QB Trevor Siemian had two scoring passes.

In Arizona, the Carolina Panthers buried the Cardinals, 34-10 as Cam Newton returned with an early fury, scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter with a run and later with a pass to wide receiver Robby Anderson as they improved to 5-5 this season. The Cardinals (8-2) were without starters Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins for a second straight game and this time it showed as they fell behind 23-0 by halftime. In the second half, the Panthers put it on cruise control as the defense limited the Cards to just 169 yards in total offense while also getting four QB sacks and forcing two turnovers in the rout.

In the Sunday night game, the Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) throttled the host Las Vegas Raiders, 41-14 behind a tremendous performance from QB Patrick Mahomes, who had 406 passing yards along with five touchdown passes. It was the third straight win for Kansas City and they regained first place in the AFC West division. The Chiefs totaled 516 yards of total offense in the game while their defense held Las Vegas (5-4) to only 50 yards on the ground and had two sacks while also forcing two turnovers.

The Green Bay Packers (8-2) shut out the visiting Seattle Seahawks, 17-0, spoiling the return from injury for Seattle QB Russell Wilson, who was sacked three times and threw two interceptions. Green Bay got two scoring runs from A.J. Dillon and the Packers defense limited the Seahawks (3-6) to only 208 yards in total offense. 

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

There was a tie as the Pittsburgh Steelers and visiting Detroit Lions finished in a 16-16 score in the sloppy weather. The Steelers defense registered four QB sacks while the Lions defense forced three turnovers. Lions kicker Ryan Santoso missed a 48-yard field goal in the OT and also botched an extra point kick  . . .  The Minnesota Vikings (4-5) did enough to beat the host Los Angeles Chargers, 27-20 as QB Kirk Cousins hooked up twice with Tyler Conklin on scoring passes while the defense limited the Chargers (5-4) to 253 yards in offense . . .  The Buffalo Bills (6-3) bounced back big time this weekend with a 45-17 drubbing of the host New York Jets, who fell to 2-7 this season. Bills QB Josh Allen had two TD passes and the offense gained 489 yards in offense while the Bills defense intercepted four passes in the blowout win . . .  The Dallas Cowboys (7-2) also rebounded well with a 43-3 win against the visiting Atlanta Falcons (4-5) as their defense intercepted three passes and QB Dak Prescott had two TD passes and a rushing TD while RB Ezekiel Elliott had two rushing scores . . .  In the Thursday night game, the Miami Dolphins (3-7) stunned the visiting Baltimore Ravens, 22-10 as Xavien Howard had a 49-yard fumble return for a score and QB Tua Tagovailoa scored a rushing TD while kicker Jason Sanders nailed three field goals to lead the way. Baltimore (6-3) turned the ball over twice and were limited to only 94 yards rushing in defeat . . .  The Indianapolis Colts (5-5) raced out to a 17-0 lead against Jacksonville (2-7) and then held on for a 23-17 home victory (their third in a row) despite being outgained 331-295 in total yardage as kicker Mike Badgley made three field goals. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor scored a TD and gained 116 yards rushing to pace the offense. The Jags scored twice on the ground, but a blocked punt for a score by Indy linebacker E.J. Speed proved to be the difference in the final outcome . . .  The Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) got a 30-13 road win against the Denver Broncos (5-5) as QB Jalen Hurts had two scoring passes and defensive back Darius Slay scooped up a fumble and went 82 yards for another touchdown in the easy win . . .  The San Francisco 49ers (4-5) crushed the visiting Los Angeles Rams (7-3) on Monday Night Football, 31-10 behind a stingy defense that had two interceptions, including a "pick six" 27-yard touchdown return by Jimmie Ward in the first quarter. The 'Niners dominated from start to finish in this one as QB Jimmy Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes and WR Deebo Samuel scored twice, one on a 40-yard TD catch and also an eight yard scoring run.

WEEK TEN RESULTS 

Miami 22, Baltimore 10 

Washington 29, Tampa Bay 19 

Dallas 43, Atlanta 3

New England 45, Cleveland 7 

Tennessee 23, New Orleans 21

Indianapolis 23, Jacksonville 17

Buffalo 45, N.Y. Jets 17

Detroit 16, Pittsburgh 16 (OT) 

Carolina 34, Arizona 10 

Minnesota 27, L.A. Chargers 20

Philadelphia 30, Denver 13

Green Bay 17, Seattle 0

Kansas City 41, Las Vegas 14 

San Francisco 31, L.A. Rams 10

 

NFL - Week Ten Preview

Upsets galore last weekend in the NFL, so will we see more of the same in Week Ten? 

This season has been so erratic and no one team has really stood out so far. The Arizona Cardinals (8-1) have the best record in the NFL and the Tennessee Titans (7-2) are the current top seed in the AFC. But it seems like every week there is a different team being hailed as the one to beat. "Flavor of the week" seems to be in order this season. 

As for the action this weekend, games between the New Orleans Saints (5-3) and Tennessee as well as the Cleveland Browns (5-4) at the New England Patriots (5-4) top the slate. The Sunday night game features the Las Vegas Raiders (5-3) hosting the Kansas City Chiefs, who are now 5-4 and have won two straight games to get back into the thick of the AFC West race. 

One other game that could be interesting is the Green Bay Packers (7-2) hosting the Seattle Seahawks (3-5) in what could be the return of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson from the injury list. Meanwhile, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is back in the fold after missing last week's game due to a positive COVID-19 test. Rodgers came under a huge amount of fire for his nonchalant attitude about it all, including a scathing lecture from Hall-of-Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw on the Fox Sports pregame show. 

Four teams have their bye weeks once again this weekend, so there are 14 games on the slate and the division races are really beginning to take shape as the potential playoff contenders are being separated from the pretenders. 

The games are featured in the capsule style format with the fearless Heftyinfo predictions following up.

 

Baltimore (6-2) at Miami (2-7) - Lamar Jackson and company should run wild against the Dolphins in the Thursday night tilt. 

Buffalo (5-3) at N.Y. Jets (2-6) - Which Bills team will show up this week? The Jets are on their third quarterback this season, so they literally have nothing to lose. 

Tampa Bay (6-2) at Washington (2-6) - The Bucs, led by the ageless Tom Brady, are rolling this season and coming off a bye, they should handle the Washington Football Team. 

Atlanta (4-4) at Dallas (6-2) - The Cowboys got a heaping helping of humble pie last week, so they should be ready to go against the up and down Falcons. 

New Orleans (5-3) at Tennessee (7-2) - The Titans are really looking like the real deal, but that could be said for a lot of different teams so far this season. The Saints fell flat last week after a huge win against Tampa Bay two weeks ago. 

Jacksonville (2-6) at Indianapolis (4-5) - The Colts are looking to play their way back into the playoff mix and the Jaguars could be just the tonic. 

Detroit (0-8) at Pittsburgh (5-3) - The Steelers have won four in a row and should make it five this week. 

Cleveland (5-4) at New England (5-4) - Can the Patriots continue to confound their foes? The Browns will definitely put up a good fight in this one. 

Minnesota (3-5) at L.A. Chargers (5-3) - The Chargers got back on track last week while the Vikings blew a big lead in their OT loss against the Ravens. Chargers should prevail in a tight one. 

Carolina (4-5) at Arizona (8-1) - The Panthers just re-signed Cam Newton for the quarterback position. The Cardinals don't care and they should win yet again to keep the NFL's best record. 

Philadelphia (3-6) at Denver (5-4) - Can the Broncos make it three in a row following their huge win at Dallas? The Eagles need this one bad. 

Seattle (3-5) at Green Bay (7-2) - Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is ready to start cooking again, but the Packers are angry after a tough loss last week . . . plus QB Aaron Rodgers is back for this one. 

Kansas City (5-4) at Las Vegas (5-3) - A huge game in the AFC West race in this one. Toss up. 

L.A. Rams (7-2) at San Francisco (3-5) - The disappointing 49ers host the Rams on Monday Night Football in what could be their last chance this season to stay alive in the NFC playoff chase. 

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

 

Baltimore over Miami 

Buffalo over N.Y. Jets 

Tampa Bay over Washington 

Dallas over Atlanta 

Tennessee over New Orleans 

Indianapolis over Jacksonville 

Pittsburgh over Detroit 

Cleveland over New England 

L.A. Chargers over Minnesota 

ARIZONA over Carolina 

Denver over Philadelphia 

Green Bay over Seattle  

Kansas City over Las Vegas 

L.A. Rams over San Francisco 

Last Week's Record - 7-7 

SEASON RECORD - 82-54

Lock of the Week Record - 9-0

 

 

NFL - Week Nine Recap

 

The Denver Broncos celebrate their rout of the Dallas Cowboys.

The Tennessee Titans (7-2) went into SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and beat down the Rams, 28-16 on Sunday night. The Titans did it without their best player as well as running back Derrick Henry is out with a foot injury. The defense did most of the work with five quarterback sacks and two interceptions of Rams' QB Matthew Stafford, including a 24-yard TD pick by Kevin Byard. 

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill had a passing touchdown and also scored a rushing TD as the team gained just 194 yards in total offense. Tennessee led 21-3 at halftime and cruised the rest of the way, limiting the Rams (7-2) to just one touchdown with only 24 seconds remaining in the game. 

The Denver Broncos (5-4) stunned the host Dallas Cowboys, 30-16 as they built a 30-0 lead thanks to a big rushing attack that gained 190 yards. Running back Melvin Gordon scored a rushing TD and QB Teddy Bridgewater had both a TD run and pass. The Cowboys (6-2) turned the football over twice and were limited to 290 yards for the game. 

The Cleveland Browns routed the host Cincinnati Bengals, 41-16 as cornerback Denzel Ward set the tone early with a 99-yard interception return for touchdown. The Bengals had three turnovers, including two interceptions thrown by QB Joe Burrow. Browns RB Nuck Chubb went for 137 yards (on just 14 carries) and scored two touchdowns, including a 70-yard TD run and QB Baker Mayfield had a pair of TD passes. Both teams are now 5-4 in the very competitive AFC North division. 

The Baltimore Ravens (6-2) rallied back for a 34-31 win in overtime against the visiting Minnesota Vikings as kicker Justin Tucker made a 36-yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining. The Vikings (3-5) squandered a 14-point lead as Ravens QB Lamar Jackson had three TD passes to offset a pair of TD strikes and a TD run by Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins. 

Arizona (8-1) went into San Francisco and won, 31-17 without starting QB Kyler Murray (ankle injury) and top wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Cardinals backup QB Colt McCoy (22-of-26 passing for 249 yards) had a 45-yard TD pass to RB James Conner, who scored three times in the easy win. Conner rushed for 96 yards and also had five receptions for 77 yards. The 49ers (3-5) had three turnovers in the loss. 

The New York Giants (3-6) defeated the visiting Las Vegas Raiders, 23-16 as safety Xavier McKinney had a 41-yard "pick six" interception to help make the difference in the outcome. Giants QB Daniel Jones had a TD pass and Graham Gano kicked three field goals. The Raiders (5-3) had a 13-10 halftime lead, but were shut down in the second half as the Giants defense forced three turnovers in the win. 

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

The Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) won 27-24 on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) as QB Justin Herbert passed for 356 yards with two touchdowns and also had a rushing score to lead the way. Chargers kicker Dustin Hopkins atoned for a missed PAT earlier in the game by booting the game winning 29-yard field goal with two seconds left. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts had a TD pass in the loss . . .  The Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) won at home, 13-7 against the Green Bay Packers (7-2), snapping the Packers seven-game win streak as QB Patrick Mahomes had a TD pass and Harrison Butker made two field goals to help the winning effort. Backup Green Bay QB Jordan Love had a TD pass in his first start, but it wasn't enough . . .  The Atlanta Falcons (4-4) surprised the host New Orleans Saints, 27-25 as kicker Younghoe Koo kicked a 29-yard field goal as time ran out. The Saints (5-3) roared back from an 18-point deficit in the final ten minutes as QB Trevor Siemian had two TD passes and RB Alvin Kamara scored on a two-yard run. But the Falcons drove downfield as QB Matt Ryan (two TD passes and a TD run) got them into position to get the winning field goal . . .  The New England Patriots (5-4) knocked off the Carolina Panthers, 24-6 for a road win. Pats DB J.C. Jackson took an interception back 88 yards for a score as the defense intercepted Panthers QB Sam Darnold three times . . .  In perhaps the surprise of the week, the host Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) beat the Buffalo Bills, 9-6 in a battle of field goals. The Bills (5-3) turned the ball over three times and were penalized twelve times in the loss . . .  The Miami Dolphins (2-7) snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 17-9 home win against the Houston Texans (1-8) despite five turnovers (three fumbles and two INT). The Texans had four turnovers as well (three INT and a fumble) in losing for the eight consecutive time . . . The Thursday night game was a wild one as the host Indianapolis Colts (4-5) beat the New York Jets, 45-30. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor rushed for 172 yards and scored twice, including a 78-yard TD run while QB Carson Wentz threw for three touchdowns. The Jets (2-6) stormed back from a one time 42-10 deficit in the final quarter, but fell short as QB Josh Johnson passed for 317 yards and three scores. The Colts gained 532 yards in total offense and the Jets 486 yards as the teams combined for 1,018 yards of offense . . . In the Monday Night Football game in Pittsburgh, the Steelers (5-3) knocked off the Chicago Bears, 29-27 when kicker Chris Boswell made a 40-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining in the game. It was the fourth consecutive win for Pittsburgh. The Bears (3-6) dropped their fourth straight game, but did mount a furious fourth quarter comeback with three touchdowns. Bears WR Darnell Mooney scored twice (a 15-yard run and a 16-yard TD reception) to give Chicago a brief lead. Bears QB Justin Fields had a TD pass and one interception along with 291 passing yards. Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger had two TD passes in the win. Chicago out gained the Steelers 414-280, but twelve penalties against the Bears  helped make a difference in the final outcome.

WEEK NINE RESULTS 

Indianapolis 45, N.Y. Jets 30 

Cleveland 41, Cincinnati 16

Atlanta 27, New Orleans 25

Jacksonville 9, Buffalo 6 

N.Y. Giants 23, Las Vegas 16

Denver 30, Dallas 16 

Miami 17, Houston 9 

New England 24, Carolina 6 

Baltimore 34, Minnesota 31 (OT)  

L.A. Chargers 27, Philadelphia 24

Kansas City 13, Green Bay 7

Arizona 31, San Francisco 17

Tennessee 28, L.A. Rams 16

Pittsburgh 29, Chicago 27

 

 

NFL - Week Nine Preview

Here it is the month of November and the NFL season has reached the halfway point. 

Last week's games definitely provided surprises and the picks here for those games took a beating. In fact, it was the first losing record for the Heftyinfo NFL weekly picks in well over a year. Oh well, back at it this week with several key matchups taking place, including the Green Bay Packers traveling to Kansas City to face the Chiefs. 

Only the Packers will be without quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who tested positive for COVID-19 this week. The Chiefs are 4-4 and need to keep a good thing going if they want to stay in contention in the AFC West chase. The Packers (7-1) have a comfortable lead in the NFC North, but would like to keep their winning streak going. 

The Browns and Bengals will do battle in Cincinnati and the AFC North is a tight race. The Bengals are 5-3 and just a half game behind the first place Baltimore Ravens. The Browns are 4-4 and just two games back of first place in the loss column. However, after their 3-1 start this year, the Browns have dropped three of their last four games to fall to the cellar. 

The Sunday night game is an interesting one with the Tennessee Titans (6-2) traveling to facing the red hot Los Angeles Rams (7-1). The Rams added linebacker Von Miller to their roster in a trade with the Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, the Titans lost Derrick Henry, the league's leading rusher, to a foot injury and he could very well be out for the rest of this season. That definitely tilts things to the Rams' favor for this game. 

The previews for all the games are condensed into the capsule style and the Heftyinfo predictions follow up. Looking to have a rebound weekend after last week's disastrous results. 

 

Atlanta (3-4) at New Orleans (5-2) - The Saints stunned Tampa Bay last week, so now they have to be ready for the Falcons. They should come away with the win. 

Denver (4-4) at Dallas (6-1) - Can the Cowboys' magic carpet ride continue? It should this week.

New England (4-4) at Carolina (4-4) - These two teams are very similar so far this season. Toss up in this one. 

Minnesota (3-4) at Baltimore (5-2) - The Ravens are smarting after their blowout loss two weeks ago. Minnesota let one get away at home against a depleted Cowboys team last week. Something has to give. 

Cleveland (4-4) at Cincinnati (5-3) - The battle of Ohio with two playoff contenders going at it. Toss up. 

Buffalo (5-2) at Jacksonville (1-6) - The Bills should win this one, but the Jaguars will not just lay down in this game. 

Houston (1-7) at Miami (1-7) - Who cares? 

Las Vegas (5-2) at N.Y. Giants (2-6) - The Raiders are reeling again with off the field events. The Giants looked better in their last two games, so this one could go either way. 

L.A. Chargers (4-3) at Philadelphia (3-5) - The Chargers have struggled in their last two games. The Eagles had a big win last week  . . . against Detroit. 

Green Bay (7-1) at Kansas City (4-4) - Can the Chiefs make it two in a row? The Packers enter this game without QB Aaron Rodgers. 

Arizona (7-1) at San Francisco (3-4) - The 49ers find themselves in a must win situation this week against an NFC West foe. The Cardinals might not have starting QB Kyler Murray in this one. 

Tennessee (6-2) at L.A. Rams (7-1) - The Rams are on a roll while the Titans have been the same in recent weeks. However, no Derrick Henry for Tennessee will likely spell trouble. 

Chicago (3-5) at Pittsburgh (4-3) - The Monday night game in the Steel City should be a good one. Steelers rate a slight edge in this one. 

 

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

 

INDIANAPOLIS over N.Y. Jets 

New Orleans over Atlanta 

Dallas over Denver 

New England over Carolina

Baltimore over Minnesota 

Cincinnati over Cleveland 

Buffalo over Jacksonville 

Miami over Houston 

Las Vegas over N.Y. Giants 

L.A. Chargers over Philadelphia 

Kansas City over Green Bay 

San Francisco over Arizona 

L.A. Rams over Tennessee 

Pittsburgh over Chicago 

Last Week's Record - 6-9 

SEASON RECORD - 75-47 

Lock of the Week Record - 8-0 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atlanta Braves Win World Series

The Atlanta Braves celebrate World Series victory.

The Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros, 7-0 in Game Six to win the 2021 World Series, four games to two. It's the first World Series title for the Braves since the 1995 season. 

 

Atlanta's Jorge Soler was named the World Series Most Valuable Player and he hit a three-run home run to get things started in the third inning. From there, Braves Shortstop Dansby Swanson cracked a two-run shot and later Freddie Freeman jacked a solo shot to account for the final score. Max Fried was the winning pitcher for the Braves. 

NFL - Week Eight Recap

Halloween indeed proved to be a scary day for many NFL teams that were considered to be "contenders" around the league. 

Just ask the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers about that. Both of those teams lost games going against rookie quarterbacks. The Bengals (5-3) fell to the New York Jets (2-5) by a 34-31 count as Jets quarterback Mike White (pictured left) had 405 passing yards and three touchdown passes to lead the way. Meanwhile, the Chargers (4-3) lost at home, 27-24 to the New England Patriots (4-4) and rookie QB Mac Jones, who passed for 218 yards in the win.

The Patriots defense intercepted Chargers QB Justin Herbert twice, including a "pick six" INT by Adrian Phillips to give New England a 24-17 lead with just over ten minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Herbert had two TD passes in the loss, which was the Chargers second in a row following their 4-1 start this season. 

In the Jets victory, White was the hero on offense, but the defense came up big with an interception of a Joe Burrow pass attempt late in the fourth quarter to set up the winning touchdown. White threw a 13-yard TD pass to tight end Tyler Kroft to make the difference in the final outcome.

In the Thursday night game, the visiting Green Bay Packers (7-1) held on for a 24-21 win against the Arizona Cardinals (7-1) to notch their seventh straight win and also knock the Cards from the unbeaten ranks. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers had 184 passing yards and threw two scoring passes to Randall Cobb and RB Aaron Jones scored a rushing touchdown. Meanwhile, Arizona QB Kyler Murray passed for 274 yards, but was intercepted twice, including by Packers defensive back Rasul Douglas in the end zone to clinch the Packers victory.

 

Backup Cowboys QB Cooper Rush played big in win against Vikings.

The Dallas Cowboys (6-1) surprised the host Minnesota Vikings, 20-16 in the Sunday night game as reserve QB Cooper  Rush (325 passing yards) threw two TD passes, including the game winner to WR Amari Cooper from five yards with 51 seconds to play. Dallas won their sixth straight game and did so without starting QB Dak Prescott, who was out with a calf injury. The Vikings (3-4) managed only 278 yards of total offense. 

 

 

The Tennessee Titans toppled the host Indianapolis Colts, 34-31 in overtime behind three TD passes from QB Ryan Tannehill and a two-yard interception return for a score by DB Elijah Molden. The Titans improved to 6-2, but the bad news is that All-Pro running back Derrick Henry injured his foot and could be out for the rest of the season. The Colts (3-5) had a quick 14-0 lead as QB Carson Wentz threw two of his three scoring passes in the first quarter. Tennessee kicker Randy Bullock made a 44-yard field goal in the OT session to win it. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) lost a road game to the New Orleans Saints, 36-27 as P.J. Williams took an interception back 40 yards for the clinching touchdown with 1:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Bucs came back from a 23-7 deficit as QB Tom Brady had four TD passes (and also two interceptions) and 375 passing yards, but the Saints (5-2) defense came up big in the final minutes to help preserve the win. New Orleans QB Jameis Winston suffered a knee injury and is likely out for the remainder of the season. But backup QB Trevor Siemian had a TD pass as the Saints used a balanced offense (152 yards rushing and 209 passing) to thwart the Buccaneers. 

 

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

 

The Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) won their third consecutive game in a 15-10 game at Cleveland as the defense had four QB sacks and RB Najee Harris scored a rushing TD while QB Ben Roethlisberger threw a TD pass to pace the win. The Browns (4-4) vaunted running attack gained just 96 yards in the loss . . .  The Buffalo Bills (5-2) sleepwalked to a 26-11 home win against the Miami Dolphins (1-7) as QB Josh Allen had two TD passes and a scoring run to lead the way . . .  The San Francisco 49ers (3-4) beat the Chicago Bears, 33-22 with a big second half as they racked up 467 yards in total offense. QB Jimmy Garoppolo had two scoring runs and RB Elijah Mitchell (137 rushing yards) scored on a five-yard run to lead the way. Bears rookie QB Justin Fields ran for 103 yards and scored on a 22-yard run to keep it close early in the fourth quarter, but the Bears (3-5) lost their third consecutive game . . .  The Seattle Seahawks (3-5) won at home against Jacksonville, 31-7 as backup QB Geno Smith (20 of 24 passing) had two TD passes to WR DK Metcalf and the defense held the Jaguars (1-6) scoreless until the final two minutes of the game . . .  The Los Angeles Rams buried the Houston Texans, 38-22 to improve to 7-1 this season with the road win. Rams QB Matthew Stafford had 305 passing yards and three TD strikes in the rout . . .  The Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) crushed the host Detroit Lions, 44-6 behind two rushing touchdowns from Boston Scott and Jordan Howard and a 33-yard fumble recovery score by Darius Slay to keep the Lions (0-8) winless this season . . .  Denver (4-4) outlasted Washington, 17-10 in a listless game as they snapped a four-game losing streak, thanks to a pair of scores by RB Melvin Gordon (one receiving and one rushing) while the Broncos defense had two interceptions and five sacks . . .  The Carolina Panthers (4-4) beat the host Atlanta Falcons, 19-13 to snap their own four-game losing streak. Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard had a rushing touchdown and kicker Zane Gonzalez made four field goals to provide the difference. The Falcons (3-4) managed only 213 yards in total offense in the loss . . .  The Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) won a tight game, 20-17 against the visiting New York Giants (2-6) on Monday Night Football. Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker made a 34-yard field goal with 1:07 remaining to win it. Derrick Gore scored a rushing TD and QB Patrick Mahomes had a TD pass in the victory. Giants QB Daniel Jones had two TD passes in defeat. 

WEEK EIGHT RESULTS 

Green Bay 24, Arizona 21

San Francisco 33, Chicago 22

Buffalo 26, Miami 11

Pittsburgh 15, Cleveland 10 

N.Y. Jets 34, Cincinnati 31

Philadelphia 44, Detroit 6

L.A. Rams 38, Houston 22

Tennessee 34, Indianapolis 31 (OT) 

Carolina 19, Atlanta 13

New England 27, L.A. Chargers 24

Seattle 31, Jacksonville 7

Denver 17, Washington 10

New Orleans 36, Tampa Bay 27

Dallas 20, Minnesota 16 

Kansas City 20, N.Y. Giants 17