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| The Vikings celebrate historic comeback win. |
Yes!
No, that wasn't Al Michaels calling the football game in Minnesota between the Vikings and Indianapolis Colts on Saturday afternoon, which the Vikings won, 39-36 in overtime to make history by overcoming the largest deficit in NFL history.
The Vikings (11-3) overcame a 33-0 halftime deficit to win and clinch the NFC North division. The Colts (4-9-1) could do no wrong in the first half while building the huge lead as quarterback Kirk Cousins had four touchdown passes and 460 yards passing to overcome two interceptions, including a "pick six" that gave the Colts a 30-0 lead with 5:50 left in the first half. Indy kicker Chase McLaughlin made his fourth field goal just before the half to make it 33-0. The Colts defense forced three turnovers and had seven sacks in the loss.
In the second half, it was all Vikings as they outscored the Colts 36-3 to force the overtime. The four TD passes by Cousins (which included the game tying 64-yard scoring pass to running back Dalvin Cook, who had 95 yards receiving and also 95 rushing yards) and a one-yard TD run by C.J. Ham provided the heroics to give kicker Greg Joseph the chance to win it with just three seconds remaining in the OT, which he did by drilling a 40-yard field goal.
The night cap to the Saturday triple header of NFL games was an epic battle between the Buffalo Bills (11-3) and the Miami Dolphins. The Bills got a 25-yard field goal from kicker Tyler Bass as time expired to win, 32-29 and clinch an AFC playoff spot for the fourth straight season. The snow was coming down hard and swirling throughout the fourth quarter in Buffalo and the Bills overcame a 29-21 deficit when QB Josh Allen (304 yards passing and four TD) threw a five-yard TD pass to tight end Dawson Knox with 9:02 left in the game and then ran for the two-point conversion to tie the game.
Buffalo held a 21-13 halftime edge, but the Dolphins (8-6) battled back with two touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 26-21 lead into the final quarter. Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa (234 passing yards) threw TD passes to wide receivers Jaylen Waddle (67 yards) and Tyreek Hill (20 yards) to take the lead. But the Bills battled back and held Miami to just a field goal in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.
The middle game of the Saturday slate was a snoozer with the host Cleveland Browns (6-8) knocking off the Baltimore Ravens, 13-3 as Browns QB Deshaun Watson tossed a three-yard TD pass to wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones late in the third quarter to make the difference in the final outcome. The Ravens (9-5) only scoring was the 53-yard field goal by Justin Tucker, who also missed one and had another attempt blocked.
In the games played on Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles ran their record to 13-1 with a 25-20 road win against the Chicago Bears. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts scored three rushing touchdowns to offset throwing two interceptions. Philadelphia scored on Hurts' third TD run with 4:20 remaining in the fourth quarter to go up by twelve points and that was the difference. The Bears (3-11) dropped their seventh straight game as QB Justin Fields threw a TD pass and went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season.
The Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) wrapped up their seventh consecutive AFC West title with a 30-24 overtime win at Houston when running back Jerrick McKinnon scored on a 26-yard run with 5:13 left in the OT following a fumble recovery by the defense. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (336 yards passing) threw for two touchdowns and also had a rushing score as his team out gained the Texans (1-12-1) by a 502-219 yardage margin. Texans QB Davis Mills had two TD passes and a scoring run in the loss.
The Jacksonville Jaguars (6-8) shocked the visiting Dallas Cowboys (10-4) in overtime, winning 40-34 when safety Rayshawn Jenkins intercepted Dak Prescott and took it all the way back 52 yards for the game winning score. Dallas coughed up a 17-point lead in the second half as Jags QB Trevor Lawrence passed for 318 yards and four touchdowns as his team piled 503 yards in total offense. Meanwhile, Dallas QB Dak Prescott had three TD passes along with two interceptions, including the one that ended the game in defeat for the Cowboys.
Not to be outdone, the host Las Vegas Raiders (6-8) pulled a real trick out of their bag and won, 30-24 on the final play of regulation when the New England Patriots (7-7) were lateraling the football all over the field, but defensive end Chandler Jones (pictured right) picked it off and went the distance (48-yard fumble recovery return) as time expired to win the game. The Raiders had a 17-3 halftime lead, but the Patriots battled back with a defensive score (Kyle Dugger INT return) and a 34-yard rushing TD by Rhamondre Stevenson (172 yards on 19 carries) to go up 24-17. Raiders QB Derek Carr (231 passing yards with three TD and one INT) hit WR Keelan Cole for a 30-yard scoring pass with just 32 seconds left in the game. Last Thursday night in Seattle, the San Francisco 49ers (10-4) won their seventh straight game to wrap up the NFC West title with a 21-13 win over the Seahawks, who dropped to 7-7 following that loss. 49ers QB Brock Purdy passed for two scores to tight end George Kittle and RB Christian McCaffrey (108 rushing yards) also ran for a score to lead the way.
The Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) won at home, 17-14 against the Tennessee Titans (7-7) when Cameron Dicker made a 43-yard field goal with four seconds left to play. The winning kick was set up by a 35-yard pass from QB Justin Herbert (313 yards passing with two INT) to WR Mike Williams. The Titans had tied the game with just 48 seconds remaining on a one-yard run by QB Ryan Tannehill. It was the fourth straight loss for the Titans, who saw their once huge lead in the AFC South drop to just one game over Jacksonville.
The Detroit Lions (7-7) won again, this time beating the host New York Jets, 20-17 when QB Jared Goff hooked up with tight end Brock Wright on a 51-yard TD pass with 1:49 remaining. It was the Lions sixth victory in seven games. The Jets (7-7) had just gone ahead earlier in the fourth quarter, 17-13 when QB Zach Wilson threw a second TD pass to tight end C.J. Uzomah.
In Tampa Bay, the Cincinnati Bengals (10-4) won their sixth consecutive game to take over first place in the AFC North with a 34-23 win against the Buccaneers (6-8) as they reeled off 34 unanswered points after falling behind 17-0 in the first half. Bucs QB Tom Brady was intercepted twice and two fumbles resulted in four consecutive turnovers that aided the Bengals comeback effort. Cincy QB Joe Burrow was efficient and had four TD passes to four different receivers to offset three scoring passes by Brady.
New Orleans won at home, 21-18 against the Atlanta Faclons (5-9) with QB Andy Dalton throwing two TD passes and Taysom Hill also throwing a 68-yard scoring pass. The Falcons kept it close with rookie QB Desmond Ridder starting the game in place of injured Marcus Mariota, but fell into a three-way tie with the Saints (5-9) and Carolina for second place in the NFC South.
The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-8) won for the third time in four games as they outlasted the host Carolina Panthers, 24-16 with a balanced offense (156 rushing yards, 169 passing) and a stingy defense that had four sacks and allowed the Panthers (5-9) only 209 total yards in offense, including only 21 yards rushing.
In a game of teams going for NFL Draft position, the Denver Broncos won, 24-15 against the Arizona Cardinals (4-10) with both teams having to play reserve quarterbacks with both starters out with injuries. The Broncos (4-10) got rushing scores from three different players and the defense limited the Cardinals to 240 total yards in offense while getting three interceptions, including two by Justin Simmons.
The Sunday night game in Washington, D.C. went down to the wire with the New York Giants (8-5-1) winning, 20-12 as their defense held off the Commanders (7-6-1) in the final seconds. Washington had a costly penalty (illegal procedure) that took away a touchdown and then two incomplete passes ended the drive at the Giants six-yard line. Giants rookie linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux recovered a fumble for a touchdown and RB Saquon Barkley scored a rushing TD to go with two field goals to provide the difference. Two fumbles by Washington, including the scoring one for New York, proved too much to overcome.
The Green Bay Packers beat the visiting Los Angeles Rams, 24-12 on Monday Night Football in very cold weather at Lambeau Field. Green Bay running back AJ Dillon scored two rushing touchdowns and QB Aaron Rodgers passed for another score (seven yards to RB Aaron Jones) to lead the way as the Packers improved to 6-8 this season. The Rams (4-10) managed only 156 total yards in offense as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention, ensuring there will not be a repeat Super Bowl champion. The last time it happened was when the New England Patriots did so in the 2004 season.
WEEK FIFTEEN RESULTS
San Francisco 21, Seattle 13
Minnesota 39, Indianapolis 36 (OT)
Cleveland 13, Baltimore 3
Buffalo 32, Miami 29
Pittsburgh 24, Carolina 16
Philadelphia 25, Chicago 20
Detroit 20, N.Y. Jets 17
Jacksonville 40, Dallas 34 (OT)
New Orleans 21, Atlanta 18
Kansas City 30, Houston 24 (OT)
Denver 24, Arizona 15
Las Vegas 30, New England 24
L.A. Chargers 17, Tennessee 14
Cincinnati 34, Tampa Bay 23
N.Y. Giants 20, Washington 12
Green Bay 24, L.A. Rams 12
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