NFL - Week Thirteen Recap

 

The San Francisco 49ers (8-4) defeated the visiting Miami Dolphins (8-4) in convincing fashion on Sunday afternoon, 33-17 but lost starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for the remainder of the season with a broken foot. It was the fifth straight win for the 'Niners as they also snapped Miami's five-game winning streak. Reserve QB Brock Purdy (pictured left) had two TD passes while the 49ers defense intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble to keep the Dolphins in a hole. Miami's high powered offense was limited to 308 total yards, including just 33 yards rushing in the loss.

The Cincinnati Bengals continued their mastery of Patrick Mahomes (223 passing yards, one pass TD and one rushing TD) and the Kansas City Chiefs as they won at home, 27-24 to improve to 8-4 this season. The Chiefs (9-3) had a 24-17 lead entering the fourth quarter, but the Bengals defense stymied the K.C. offense and their offense scored the final ten points as QB Joe Burrow (286 passing yards) finished the game with two TD passes and a rushing score.

The Philadelphia Eagles (11-1) squashed the Tennessee Titans, 35-10 for the easy home victory as QB Jalen Hurts led the way with three TD passes and a rushing touchdown. Two of the scoring passes went to wide receiver A.J. Brown, who torched his former team for eight catches and 119 yards. Tennessee (7-5) trailed 14-10 late in the first half, but then Hurts and the Eagles took over and blew the game wide open. In addition, the Eagles defense held the Titans to just 209 total yards in offense while also getting six QB sacks.

The host Minnesota Vikings (10-2) keep on rolling as they finished off a season sweep of the AFC East division teams by beating the New York Jets (7-5), 27-22. Vikings running backs Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison each had rushing touchdowns and QB Kirk Cousins threw a TD pass to WR Justin Jefferson for a 27-15 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein made five field goals and QB Mike White had a scoring run, but he was intercepted at the Vikings goal line in the closing seconds to seal the loss. 

The Buffalo Bills (9-3) had an easy time in a 24-10 road win against the New England Patriots (6-6) on Thursday night. QB Josh Allen had two TD passes and RB Devin Singletary scored a rushing TD to lead the way. The Buffalo defense held the Patriots to 242 yards in total offense and just 60 yards rushing,

The New York Giants and Washington Commanders played to a 20-20 tie in their game to throw a monkey wrench into the NFC playoff picture. The Giants (7-4-1) had a chance to win the game, but Graham Gano's 58-yard field goal attempt was no good as time ran out in the overtime. Washington (7-5-1) tied the game with 1:53 left in regulation when QB Taylor Heinicke (275 passing yards with two TD) threw a 28-yard TD pass to rookie WR Jahan Dotson. Giants QB Daniel Jones had a TD pass and RB Saquon Barkley had a 13-yard scoring run.

Detroit (5-7) thumped visiting Jacksonville, 40-14 behind a pair of TD passes from QB Jared Goff (340 passing yards) and rushing scores from backs Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift. The Jaguars (4-8) trailed 14-3 after the first quarter and were never in this one.

The Cleveland Browns won in Houston, 27-14 as their defense scored twice and they also got a 76-yard punt return from Donovan Peoples-Jones for another score to improve their record to 5-7. The Texans (1-10-1) had been looking forward to this game as their former QB Deshaun Watson (now with Cleveland) was playing in his first game since the 2020 season after a lengthy suspension for off the field conduct and they had a 5-0 lead in the second quarter, but four turnovers proved to be too much to overcome.

The Seattle Seahawks (7-5) outlasted the host Los Angeles Rams, 27-23 as QB Geno Smith (367 passing yards with three TD and one INT) threw an eight-yard TD pass to WR DK Metcalf with 36 seconds left in the game. The Rams (3-9) took a 23-20 lead when RB Cam Akers scored his second TD of the game with a six-yard run with 2:56 remaining in the game.

The Las Vegas Raiders (5-7) won their third consecutive game, a 27-20 decision against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers (6-6) with QB Derek Carr throwing two scoring passes to WR Davante Adams (eight  receptions for 177 yards) and RB Josh Jacobs (144 yards rushing) scoring on a 20-yard run. The Chargers took a quick 7-0 lead when defensive back Bryce Callahan returned an interception 26 yards for a score. Midway through the fourth quarter, 'Bolts QB Justin Herbert threw a 35-yard scoring pass to WR Keenan Allen to account for the final score, but the Raiders twice held L.A. off the board the rest of the way to get the win.

 

Cowboys DB Malik Hooker scores on fumble return.

The Sunday night game in Dallas saw the Cowboys (9-3) destroy the Indianapolis Colts, 54-19 as they scored 33 points in the fourth quarter. The Colts (4-8-1) had a 10-7 lead after the first quarter. The Cowboys went ahead 21-13 at halftime and their lead was cut to 21-19 following a 15-yard TD pass from Colts QB Matt Ryan to Alec Pierce late in the third quarter. But then Dallas put this one away in a hurry as they got two scores in the first minute and a half of the final quarter on a TD pass from QB Dak Prescott to WR Michael Gallup and then a 38-yard fumble return for score by DB Malik Hooker to make it 34-19. Running backs Tony Pollard, Ezekiel Elliott and Malik Davis each scored rushing touchdowns to complete the rout. 

The Green Bay Packers rallied from a 16-3 first half deficit to beat the Chicago Bears, 28-19 and improve to 5-8 with the road win. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers threw a TD pass to WR Christian Watson and both Watson (46-yard run) and A.J. Dillon (21 yards) had scoring runs. Meanwhile, the Bears (3-10) dropped their sixth straight game by blowing the lead after QB Justin Fields scored on a 55-yard run and RB David Montgomery on a seven-yard scoring run. Fields threw two interceptions as the Bears had three turnovers to factor in the setback.

The Baltimore Ravens (8-4) won a snooze fest at home against the Denver Broncos, 10-9 as reserve QB Tyler Huntley scored on a two-yard run with just 28 seconds left. Ravens starting QB Lamar Jackson left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and is listed as week-to-week. The Broncos (3-9) only scoring came on three field goals by kicker Brandon McManus.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7) defeated the host Atlanta Falcons, 19-16 as rookie QB Kenny Pickett threw a 17-yard scoring pass to tight end Connor Heyward and kicker Matthew Wright drilled four field goals. The Falcons (5-8) got three field goals from Younghoe Koo and a TD pass from QB Marcus Mariota in the loss. 

In the Monday night game, Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter to rally the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) past the New Orleans Saints, 17-16 in Tampa. The Saints (4-9) led 16-3 following Will Lutz' third field goal of the game with 8:02 remaining in the game. But Brady and the Bucs rallied back to win it as the winning six-yard TD pass went to rookie RB Rachaad White with just three seconds left to play. Saints QB Andy Dalton had a 30-yard TD pass to Taysom Hill to take the lead in the second quarter.

WEEK THIRTEEN RESULTS 

Buffalo 24, New England 10 

Green Bay 28, Chicago 19 

Washington 20, N.Y. Giants 20 (OT) 

Minnesota 27, N. Y. Jets 22 

Cleveland 27, Houston 14 

Detroit 40, Jacksonville 14 

Baltimore 10, Denver 9 

Pittsburgh 19, Atlanta 16 

Philadelphia 35, Tennessee 10 

Seattle 27, L.A. Rams 23

San Francisco 33, Miami 17 

Cincinnati 27, Kansas City 24

Las Vegas 27, L.A. Chargers 20 

Dallas 54, Indianapolis 19  

Tampa Bay 17, New Orleans 16