The Dallas Cowboys outlast the Oakland Raiders at home, making a 14-point comeback en route to the team’s seventh win of the year. The Raiders sprinted out to a 21-7 lead on the strength of a couple of nice drives pieced together by Matt McGloin, and a fumble returned for a touchdown on the opening kickoff. However, Tony Romo woke up and was able to lead his team down the field for a touchdown right before the half. This cut the Oakland lead to 21-14. In the second half, the ‘Boys’ defense took over and held the visiting team off the scoreboard until late in the fourth quarter. At the same time, the Dallas offense was rolling. They seemed unstoppable in the second half (and were helped out by some poor tackling along the way). Tony Romo was under a ton of pressure in the first half, but the offensive line really sured up and protected him better later in the game. This allowed him to scan the field and find the open receiver. To me, the Raiders came out on fire but were unable to keep the flame burning for four full quarters of play and as a result they fell to a superior team on the road. Dallas now holds sole possession of first place in the NFC East (pending the outcome of the Cardinals-Eagles game on Sunday). For the Cowboys, they can ill afford another December slide. However, Tony Romo has showed signs of turning the corner in that month. I wouldn’t bank on another dismal December in Dallas. Now for the Raiders, they did fight pretty hard, but came up short. However, this game did prove to me that Matt McGloin can play. The evaluation of him and comparison with Terrelle Pryor is a priority in this team’s final four games.
Tag Archives: week 13
Week 13: Detroit Lions 40, Green Bay Packers 10- Post Game Thoughts
For the first time since 2003, the Lions have won on Thanksgiving day and they did so in impressive fashion. Besides the score, which is obviously lopsided, Detroit out-gained Green Bay in total yardage 561-126. Going into the game, the Lions had the #5 ranked offense in the league and the Packers had the #2 ranked offense in the league. As a result of this blowout, the Pack is now ranked 6th and Detroit jumps to second overall. Now, the Lions did not play a perfect football game; they turned the ball over four times and had a missed field goal at the end of the first half. Punter Sam Martin did boot the ball out of bounds twice (on kickoffs), giving Green Bay possession at their own 40, so as you can see mistakes were made. However, that did not stop them from going over on their rivals by 30 points. Simply put, Detroit was unstoppable on offense. They were running the ball well, throwing it well, and really the only thing that stopped them was themselves. Defensively, the Lions ruined this game. They got all kinds of pressure on Matt Flynn and sacked him seven times. Flynn really did not have much time to throw the ball all game long. So for the Packers, this is their biggest loss since Week 12 of last year against the Giants (where, again, their quarterback did not have much time to throw the ball). With this extended resting period (10 days), the team hopes to have Aaron Rodgers back for the game against the Falcons. It may be too late though. Green Bay is going to have to hope for Detroit and Chicago to sputter a bit before they can crawl back into the picture. The Lions head to Philly next week to take on the Eagles in what will be a measuring stick game for both clubs. Anyways, this win for the Lions was huge and it now sets them up as the clear favorites to take the NFC North, with a 4-1 divisional record.
2013 Season: Week 13 Predictions
Alright, it’s Week 13 and that is a good thing. I have a chance to redeem myself after the train-wreck that was my prediction column from last week. A 6-7-1 record is pretty ugly, but it might not be as ugly as some of the games that will take place this weekend. There are (as usual) a couple of stinkers here in the thirteenth round of the NFL, but there are also a couple of gems on tap for this weekend. First of all there is a trifecta of (somewhat) meaningful games to be played on Turkey Day. The Lions and Cowboys will each be favored to win their traditional Thanksgiving games, and each could really use a win to maintain a lead in their respective divisions. Also, in the night game the Steelers and Ravens renew their great rivalry in a contest that is very relevant with playoff hopes hanging in the balance. On Sunday, we have three intriguing games between six teams that we can officially call “tweeners”. You know, the teams that might or might not be playoff material. Said games include the Cardinals-Eagles, Titans-Colts, and Bengals-Chargers. The Rams-49ers contest should be intriguing as well, just as long as it doesn’t end in a tie again. When the Broncos and Chiefs square off for their Week 11 rematch, things should break down a bit differently than they did the first time. It will be some good stuff. Week 13 will reach the crescendo when Monday Night Football rolls around. The Saints and Seahawks will be battling in the Emerald City for NFC supremacy in what should be a good game. Okay, I can’t wait for this week to roll past. Let’s get into the predictions.
Thursday, November 28th, 12:30 e.t.
Green Bay Packers (5-5-1) @ Detroit Lions (6-5)
Both of these teams are coming off of rather disappointing performances from a week ago. Obviously, the Packers would have liked to have done better than tie the Vikings at home, but that was the hand they were dealt. Meanwhile, the Lions actually dropped one at home to Tampa Bay and have to be madder than Tom Coughlin after a special teams error. I look for Detroit to play some inspired football in front of their home crowd on Thanksgiving as the team looks for their first home win on the holiday since 2003 when they played… yup, you guessed it: these Packers. Green Bay is not expecting to have Aaron Rodgers at the helm for this game, and so it looks like Matt Flynn will be the guy. We all remember what happened the last time Matt Flynn played the Lions. Will he be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat and go all beast mode on Detroit again? I’m not a believer. And if this helps any, I think Calvin Johnson is a boss. There’s nothing keeping me from believing that he won’t rip apart that Green Bay secondary, one that has been susceptible to giving up the big plays in the passing game all year long. Also, I don’t see Matthew Stafford throwing four picks again. Simply put, I don’t think that the Pack has the horses necessary to run with the Lions on the road without Aaron Rodgers. I’ll Detroit at home.
Detroit 28, Green Bay 21
Thursday, November 28th, 4:30 e.t.
Oakland Raiders (4-7) @ Dallas Cowboys (6-5)
It’s Matt McGloin’s Raiders versus Tony Romo’s Cowboys. Who shall emerge victorious from this game, one that promises to provide a lot of yardage? I’m not feeling very froggy at the moment, so I am taking Dallas here. Sure, the Cowboys are primed for another letdown here seeing as how they always fall into such a funk following an impressive win. However, people still forget that this is November and Tony Romo tends to play well in this month. I like the ‘Boys to stash away a seventh win before hitting rolling into December, a month that plagues this team every year. Generally speaking, the Cowboys have played very well at home. They can throw a lot of points on the board and overwhelm their opponents with a fairly efficient offense. Defensively, they may not be as good but in a game against the Raiders I don’t think it will matter. Oakland is a team that is still trying to find its identity on offense and has really struggled on defense since Week 9. I’m just not so sure these guys can engage in a Texas shootout with the ‘Boys in Dallas this week. Give me the Cowboys at home.
Dallas 33, Oakland 23
Thursday, November 28th, 8:30 e.t.
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (5-6)
Boy, is this game ever huge for these teams. It is especially big for the Ravens, having already lost to the Steelers this season. Both teams could really use a “W” in this situation as it will set them up for a chance to make a run at the #6 seed in the AFC. The loser will likely be watching the playoffs from their couches like the rest of us as well, so knowing what is at stake I expect both teams to throw their best stuff at one another. This should be an entertaining defensive slug-fest because each squad has finally hit its stride on that side of the ball. The Ravens have played some good defense at home this year and are coming off of a dominant 19-3 win over the Jets. The Steelers roll into town after having disposed of the Browns 27-11 last week as well. I’d be shocked if we saw more than 50 points on the board after this game concludes. Therefore, I am predicting a low-scoring game. This being the case, I gotta put my faith in the Ravens at home. Neither team has been able to run the ball very well this year, but I could see Ray Rice doing a little more on the ground than Le’Veon Bell. Also, say what you want about Joe Flacco but he plays well at home normally. I think he will play well enough to win at home this week as well as the Ravens edge the Steelers with a late defensive stand in the fourth quarter. It should be a good game though, I’m looking forward to it.
Baltimore 20, Pittsburgh 16
Sunday, December 1st, 1:00 e.t.
New England Patriots (8-3) @ Houston Texans (2-9)
The Texans offense was completely shut down last week when the Jaguars came to town and took control of third place in the AFC South. I can’t see them faring so much better against a Patriots “D” that really did some nice work against Denver last Sunday night. They effectively made the Bronco offense one-dimensional by jamming the wide receivers and forcing Peyton Manning to hand the ball off to his backs over 40 times. I don’t see why that same strategy wouldn’t work in Houston this weekend. The only offensive weapon that the Pats really need to fear is Andre Johnson, and I’m sure Aquib Talib will be attached to his hip all afternoon long. Let’s see how well Case Keenum fares when his number one wide-out is locked up. Last week he looked lost against the Jaguars’ soft zone coverage and let’s face it, New England has a better defense than does Jacksonville. To be frank, I can’t see the Texans doing much better on offense this week against the Pats. I’m sorry, Houston just isn’t a good team and the Patriots are. This pick is relatively easy.
New England 31, Houston 16
Arizona Cardinals (7-4) @ Philadelphia Eagles (6-5)
This should be a good one. Chip Kelly will get to test his offense out against a rock solid defensive unit boasted by the Cardinals. The redbirds have really gotten it going on offense as well, so should this game turn into a shootout, I would not discount them. Philly needs to be ready to be attacked through the air. This defense has done well enough to hold teams off the scoreboard as of late, but they have still shown vulnerability to the big play. Carson Palmer will be taking his shots down the field in this one, I can guarantee you this. Larry Fitzgerald has also been cooking the Eagles’ secondary ever since he emerged on the scene back in 2004. He could be primed for a big day in this game. I love what Philly presents on offense, especially when they aren’t turning the ball over, so if they can keep the Cardinals from stealing possessions away from them they should come out on top. However, that is much easier said than done. Historically, Arizona has been a bad match-up for the Eagles as they have won the last three head-to-head games. Simply put, I like the way the Cards match up on paper against Philadelphia. For that reason, I am taking them to extend their winning streak from four games to five on Sunday. By the way, if you are watching this game be sure to pay attention to the war that will take place on the outside between DeSean Jackson and Patrick Peterson. That should be some pretty good stuff.
Arizona 27, Philadelphia 23
Tennessee Titans (5-6) @ Indianapolis Colts (7-4)
Indianapolis was flat embarrassed by Arizona in the desert last week. Their offense has been ugly in the first half of games ever since Week 7 when Reggie Wayne went down with a torn ACL. The Colts did beat these Titans two weeks back, but it took a nice second half comeback to do so. If they get off to another slow start in this game, I’m not so sure they will be able to dig their way out of it. Offensive weapons are really lacking outside of Andrew Luck for Indy. This means that they absolutely have to get their ground game going. If only the Colts could run the ball better… For this Sunday, I’m not predicting an absolute breakout game for Trent Richardson, but something tells me that he will be able to make some headway in between the tackles this week. If he can’t get’r’done on the ground, the team could always turn to the explosive Donald Brown for a spark. In either case, I see Pep Hamilton staying committed to the running game here and if they can get it going this game could be a walk in the park. Also, I’m still not sold on the Ryan Fitzpatrick product. His description includes a section pointing out his turnover issues. We have not seen these from him over the last two weeks, but this analyst thinks he is due. I like the Colts to get back on the horse at home over the Titans, a team that they have handled pretty well since Andrew Luck came to town (he is 3-0 in his career against Tennessee).
Indianapolis 24, Tennessee 18
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-8) @ Carolina Panthers (8-3)
The Buccaneers have been playing well as of late, they have won their last three in a row including a shocker on the road against Detroit. The Panthers have been playing REALLY well as of late, they have won their last seven in a row including a come from behind victory against the Dolphins in Miami. So, what we have here are two teams that have not lost a game in a while heading for a collision in Carolina. A small part of me wanted to take Tampa Bay in an upset here. Mike Glennon has been playing some very smart football and that Buccaneer defense has shut it down over the last three weeks (outside of a couple of big plays they surrendered). While the thought of a Buc win did cross my mind here, another thought also ran through my head. That being the fact that these teams have swept each other in every year since 2009. Last season it was Tampa Bay that won twice against Carolina and the year before that the Panthers handled their business twice against the Buccaneers. That said, I like home team in this situation. I want to see how Mike Glennon performs on the road against a great defense before I can put my money behind him and his team. So, in rather lazy fashion, I am leaning towards Carolina at home here.
Carolina 21, Tampa Bay 17
Chicago Bears (6-5) @ Minnesota Vikings (2-7-1)
Much like the Panthers and Buccaneers game, I can see an upset coming in this game. The only difference here is that I am actually going to ride with that gut feeling. The Vikings have actually been playing quite well since they got stomped by the Packers a few weeks back (outside of the egg they laid in Seattle). Christian Ponder had a nice game last week and the team really moved the ball well through the first three quarters. The fourth quarter collapse did cost Leslie Fraiser and company a win, but the crew was able to salvage a tie in Green Bay for their troubles. While that five quarter game was taking place the Bears were getting rocked in St. Louis by the Rams and their tandem of Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham. Teams have been able to run the ball on Chicago this season and the Vikings have the best running back in the game dotting the “I” in their backfield. So how much do you wanna bet that A.P. is going to get the ball in his belly at least 25 times in this game? 25 is my personal over/under for this beast. I like the Vikings to grind one out at home by force-feeding Peterson to a soft Bears’ defense. Plus, it is still hard to go on the road and win in Minnesota. Josh McCown may have trouble calling out signals at the line of scrimmage, and that could be the difference.
Minnesota 23, Chicago 22
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) @ Cleveland Browns (4-7)
All aboard the Jag Wagon, or should I say the “Jagon”? After picking up a tough win on the road in Houston, Gus Bradley’s team looks to keep the momentum rolling against the Browns. Cleveland had its struggles moving the ball against the Steelers for a majority of the game last week. In the fourth quarter they were able to breath a little bit, but Pittsburgh was really conceding much of that yardage. Luckily for them, the Jaguars don’t sport the same type of defense that the Steelers did, so they should not be completely stagnant in this game. Also, the weather for this game calls for some form of precipitation (be it snow or rain). I’m not sure that Jacksonville will be able to adjust to these inclement conditions. If they can’t run the ball (which has been a problem for them all season long), they don’t stand much of a chance. I like the Browns to shut the Jaguars down at home with their defense. This game probably won’t be very pretty, but it is one that will be hard-fought. Cleveland will impose their will and overwhelm the Jaguars in front of the “Dawg Pound”. Remember, they are averaging just over 13 points per game this year. I think the Browns will find a way to squeeze out more than that en route to their fifth win of the year.
Cleveland 17, Jacksonville 12
Miami Dolphins (5-6) @ New York Jets (5-6)
Much like the Steelers-Ravens contest on Thursday night, this will be a game where playoff hopes hang in the balance and will go to the winner of this divisional game. The Jets have looked awful over the past two weeks on offense. Geno Smith has tossed five interceptions and no touchdowns since their BYE week and has been benched because of his mistakes. However, Rex Ryan (as per his personality) is showing faith in the team’s second round pick and starting him this week against the Dolphins. To win, he will have to avoid turning the football over. Meanwhile, Miami has some problems of its own heading into this game, the main one being the fact that they cannot protect Ryan Tannehill. To be honest, I’m surprised Tannehill hasn’t been snapped in half during the course of this season. In this game, the easiest way to cut down on some of the pressure that their quarterback will be facing will be to get their running game going. Lamar Miller has been hit-or-miss in many of his games this year and this will be a tough match-up for him. New York currently rocks the #1 defense in the league against the run, so the ground game does not figure to be any help. When the Jets shut down Miller and company, it will be easy for their front-four to pin their ears back and get after Ryan Tannehill. Now I don’t know if the Jets are a playoff-calibur team, but I can say that they are better than their last two weeks would lead you to believe. These guys are much better when Geno Smith plays turnover-free football, and I can see him doing that this weekend. Therefore, I will give this win to the Jets.
New York 26, Miami 20
Sunday, December 1st, 4:05 e.t.
Atlanta Falcons (2-9) @ Buffalo Bills (4-7) (In Toronto)
Each of these teams shall be well rested for this game as the Falcons have not played since last Thursday and the Bills took Week 12 off due to their late BYE. So, I think it is fair to say that the best team will win this game. However, the tough part about this one is determining which team is the better team. The Falcons have looked pretty bad over the last month, although they didn’t look terrible against the Saints last week, so they have that going for them. Buffalo’s defense prevented a team from scoring at least 20 points against them for the first time all season in Week 11 when they dominated the Jets at home. Their run defense played very well until Chris Ivory ripped a 69 yarder against them in the fourth quarter. So, they will be sure to play more consistently when trying to brawl with Steven Jackson this week. For me, I would like to see the Falcons use Jackson, Jaquizz Rodgers, and Antone Smith. Trying to spawn a three-headed-monster in the backfield could bode well for these guys. I can see Atlanta moving the ball well enough in this game to get inside the Buffalo 20. What they do from that point forward will ultimately determine the outcome of this game. Scoring touchdowns in the red zone is something that the Falcons have struggled to do this year. Red zone defense is also something that the Bills have excelled in this season (they are eighth in the league, allowing opponents to score touchdowns in just 47.4% of the time). So, touchdowns may be hard to come by for the birds. That said, I still think Atlanta will do just enough to steal a win away from Buffalo up in Canada. I’m not sure why, this one is just a weird feeling I have.
Atlanta 19, Buffalo 16
St. Louis Rams (5-6) @ San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
This game gets my “old-fashioned football game” tag of the week. We should see each team try to run the ball at one another all afternoon long and the tougher team will come out the winner. After seeing how well the 49ers performed on the road against the Redskins, I would have to say that they have the edge in that department, however the Rams have been pretty rough in their own right as of late. Even without Sam Bradford under center, they have looked pretty good against some of the better teams in the NFL. So don’t count Jeff Fisher and friends out just yet. Zac Stacy has really been ripping it lately, but as of Wednesday he is listed as questionable for this game with a concussion. If he cannot go, the team will lean on Benny Cunningham and I can’t say I like his odds against this vicious San Francisco defense. The Rams have been winning their games lately with their strong running attack and the occasional big play from Tavon Austin. The Niners are really built to stop those kind of teams, so I have to take them in this situation. Frank Gore should be able to run the ball well in this game coming off of a relatively quite performance against the Redskins on Monday. Look for the game-plan to be pretty simple for San Fran (what with a short week and a cross-country travel). A simple plan for them is a good thing. Plus they will need to play well seeing as how the Cardinals are breathing down their necks in the standings. I like the 49ers to win a game that they almost have to win (at home).
San Francisco 20, St. Louis 14
Sunday, December 1st, 4:25 e.t.
Denver Broncos (9-2) @ Kansas City Chiefs (9-2)
And so they meet again. After handing the Chiefs their first loss of the season just two weeks ago, the Broncos have been unable to separate themselves in the standings (despite a KC loss last week) and thus this game looms largely for each team. One would think that the winner of this game is going to win the AFC West, that is how important it is. A week ago, I would have had no problem taking the Chiefs at Arrowhead, but with injuries to Justin Houston and Tamba Hali we all saw just how ineffective this defense is when they can’t pressure the quarterback. We know that Justin Houston will no be participating in this contest with an elbow injury. Hali is listed as questionable with an ankle injury for this game and if he can’t go, I would fear for the Kansas City secondary. Peyton Manning was really humbled at the hands of New England last week and I expect Adam Gase (the offensive coordinator) to call in more passing plays this week. Of course, Peyton really does run the show so ultimately it will be his decision to run the ball into a light box or throw it outside if the Chiefs decide to stack it. Either way, I like a healthy Denver team to sweep KC on the season. I’m not calling for a collapse from Kansas City, but it is possible that their remarkable run at the start of the season has come to a screeching halt. The Broncos are the better team overall, and they should prove it this Sunday.
Denver 35, Kansas City 19
Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) @ San Diego Chargers (5-6)
The Chargers managed to keep their season alive with an improbable win against the Chiefs last week and now head home to host the Bengals. Philip Rivers had himself a game a week ago and will look to keep the gravy train rolling this time out against another great defense. This game is tough to call because of the fact that the Bengals have been so inconsistent on offense this year. In some games they have looked great and others they have not. Andy Dalton is sort of a mixed bag at the moment. He provides his team with a lot of good plays and some not-so-good plays. Cincy fans have to learn to live with his mistakes though because it looks like the team is dedicated to him. So, on the road in sunny San Diego, it will lie on his shoulders to win a shootout with the Chargers. I think he can get it done. Yet again, I can’t really provide a great reason as to why I am taking the Bengals here. It is just another gut feeling. My head says go with San Diego but I’ll ignore that thought for the time being. Cincy should do a better job putting some pressure on Rivers than Kansas City did, even minus Geno Atkins in the middle. This should be a back and forth game, one which will see the final team with the ball winning it. I think that will be the Bengals.
Cincinnati 30, San Diego 27
Sunday, December 1st, 8:30 e.t.
New York Giants (4-7) @ Washington Redskins (3-8)
This is a game that lacks a bit of luster due to the records that each team sport coming into it, however it should be a good one as Giants-Redskins games usually are. Washington has been pretty bad in the first half of games this year, especially over the last two weeks. They will need to get out to an early lead on the Giants if they are to have a chance. Clearly, the Redskins are a run first team and when they are put in positions where they cannot run the ball we all see some problems. Making some room to run the ball against the Giants may be a problem though; New York has played well against the run as a whole this year (they are currently 7th in the league at stopping the run). In fact, Big Blue has looked like the team we have all gotten used to seeing lately. They are getting a lot of pressure on quarterbacks and hurrying a lot of their passes. Cullen Jenkins looked like a beast in the middle against the Cowboys, and interior pass-protection is something that Washington has struggled with all season long. If their offensive line can’t block the Giants’ pass rush up, it is going to be a long game for RGIII. Furthermore, the Redskins’ defense has been nothing special this year, and while the same can be said about the New York offense, I do like what they present more now that they have a competent running game. With that being said, I will take the Giants on the road here. The Redskins just aren’t that good of a team this year.
New York 22, Washington 11
Monday, December 2nd, 8:40 e.t.
New Orleans Saints (9-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-1)
Oh, how I am looking forward to watching this game. What we have here is a contest between the two best teams in the NFC, with the winner getting the inside track to the #1 seed in the conference. Also, depending on how things shake out down the road, this could be a potential NFC Championship game preview. It will have a big-game feel and we all remember the last time the Saints headed to Seattle under this stipulations. In case you forgot, here’s something to jog your memory. It was the official birth of “Beast Mode” est. 2012. I expect the atmosphere to be electric at Century Link Field on Monday, and normally I would take the Seahawks in front of their home crowd, but this time out I am going the other way. I really think that people are underrating the Saints this year; these guys have a great offense and a well coordinated defense. If any team in the NFC stands a chance at beating the ‘Hawks in Seattle this year, it is them. No team is perfect, and this will be proven on Monday night. The absence of Brandon Browner could have an impact in this one as well. I think Drew Brees will make it a point to go after Jeremy Lane (with Walter Thurmond III also out). Also, I want to see how the Seahawks plan on covering Jimmy Graham in this game. He has proven to be unstoppable this year and will completely rip Dan Quinn’s defense apart if he doesn’t have a specific plan to stop him. Overall, the Saints are built to win big games with the team they have and plus they are hard to beat on Monday Night Football. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Seahawks are a great team, easily one of the best in the NFL. I just think they may get caught by the Saints at home this week. The Titans and Buccaneers have come into Seattle and played well enough to scare these guys, so there is no reason for me to think that New Orleans can’t do the same thing. In short, I am betting that the Saints offense will do just enough to eek out a victory in a classic game between two of the NFC’s superpowers.
New Orleans 23, Seattle 17
Week 13 Bonus Predictions-
Upset of the Week: New Orleans over Seattle
Sure Bet of the Week: New England over Houston
Rookie of the Week: Sheldon Richardson (gonna feast on Ryan Tannehill this weekend)
Offensive Player of the Week: Calvin Johnson
Defensive Player of the Week: Patrick Peterson
Best Overall Offense: Dallas Cowboys
Best Overall Defense: Cleveland Browns
And these, folks, are my Week 13 picks. By now, you should know the drill. My thoughts and breakdowns of all sixteen games this weekend can be found here in this blog at their conclusion. Until then, enjoy your Thanksgiving and get psyched for weekend filled with great football!!!
Week 13: Washington Redskins 17 New York Giants 16- The Post Game Breakdown
Not unlike how the Giants always draw the Packers on their off-day, the Redskins seem to always catch New York at a bad time. The G-Men played one of their sloppiest games in recent memory. While they did not commit any turnovers, they did get flagged nine times (for the first time since 2010). Their run defense turned out to be painful to watch; they were allowing an average of 6.7 yards per pop. Despite fumbling once, Alfred Morris had a nice game when he rushed for 124 yards. While the ‘Skins defense left a little bit to be desired, they did well enough to only surrender one touchdown. That is pretty impressive when facing the New York Giants.
For the majority of this game, the Giants dominated in time of possession. They were piecing together long drives whereas the Redskins were concluding their drives rather quickly. Eli Manning was precise and made some good throws. Of course, it helps out when the offensive line can keep his jersey clean for an entire four quarters. On the one sack he did take, it almost appeared as though he thought a whistle blew. He seemed lethargic when pressure was right in his face on that particular play. Anyways, New York moved the ball well. The only problem is that they had to settle for a field goal four times (one was missed). That has been the story of the year for these guys: they move the ball with ease inside of the twenties, and then their drives sort of stall out right around the red zone. They also committed a lot of penalties that forced them to play from second and third and long situations. It does not matter how good of an offense a team has, they will not overcome constant obstacles such as 3rd and 14 or 2nd and 20.
The brilliance of RGIII showed during the final quarter of play. He ran the ball phenomenally all game, but in the final frame Griffin was lights out. He was reading the defense well, making spectacular play action fakes, and keeping plays alive like a champion. Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul were duped into the play fakes and crashed quickly at times. That is when Griffin broke contain and made big plays. His execution of the four minute drive was perfect- he stayed in bounds on a scramble he had, he handed the ball to Morris after assigning him the correct hole to run into, and he made a beautiful play fake to Morris and threw the ball over the top to Pierre Garcon, which essentially ended the game. Kyle Shanahan deserves a lot of credit for the game-plan he put together for this one. He and the Redskins offense were one step ahead of New York for the entire game. Washington won this game because of superior play-calling combined with a sloppy effort from the Giants.
This win was huge for the Redskins. With it, they make the leap to 3-1 within the division and now have a 6-6 record overall. This puts them only one game behind the Giants (at 7-5) who own a 2-3 division record. Also, New York could just as easily be 0-5 within the division had it not been for a couple of breaks in their games vs. Dallas and the first match-up with Washington. The ‘Skins draw Baltimore next week in a game that will be very difficult to predict. As they play, the Giants will be making preparations for a late-window game against the New Orleans Saints. This will not necessarily be a must-win game for them, but it is certainly one the G-Men would like to have with the Redskins and Cowboys breathing down their neck in the NFC East.
Week 13 Diagnosis: New York Giants @ Washington Redskins- Pre-Game Breakdown and Final Score Prediction
Very quickly, let’s examine the Monday night game between the Redskins and the Giants. Washington has been playing well lately. They have won two straight against NFC East opponents and came very close to beating the Giants the first time around. Now they get a second crack at the defending Super Bowl Champions, this time in their backyard. New York looked impressive last week against Green Bay after looking very flat versus Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Eli Manning keeps pin-balling back and forth between elite and non-elite status. Their running game is sort of hit or miss these days and the defense is still suspect to giving up big plays. The Redskins are going to try and run the ball down the Giants’ throat and settle for some hard play-actions. The key for New York will be containing RGIII in the pocket and getting some pressure on him. The G-Men should be able to do so and will win this game because of the duress that Robert Griffin will be under for a majority of this game.
New York 27, Washington 16
Week 13: Dallas Cowboys 38 Philadelphia Eagles 33- The Post Game Breakdown
This game turned out to be just another day at the office for the Eagles; they play well through the first 55 minutes, and then they cough the ball up on a potential game-winning drive. What’s worse is they let Morris Claiborne return the Bryce Brown fumble for a touchdown. If they had tackled Claiborne and held the Cowboys to a FG, then it would have been a 34-27 game; only a one score deficit. As is the case with everything else in the Philly season, anything that can go wrong will. Their best player on the defensive side of the ball, DeMeco Ryans, left early with an injury. Their defense played very poorly all night long; they could not get off the field on third down (which is something that has been plaguing the Eagles since Todd Bowles has taken over as defensive coordinator. Tony Romo played well again and passed Troy Aikman on the all-time Dallas Cowboys passing TDs thrown list. That is pretty darn impressive. Luckily for him it came in a winning effort.
Nick Foles deserved better than to lose this game. He played brilliantly. There were maybe two or three bad decisions he made- one almost leading to an interception and one poor choice on the two point conversion. Other than that, he showed intelligence beyond his years at the quarterback position. He was checking into the right plays at the line of scrimmage, making solid throws, sliding in the pocket to avoid pressure, and showing patience while letting the play develop in front of him. These are all things that the great quarterbacks can do. He resembled Tom Brady in this way. The Eagles played one of their best games of the year. Their offensive line was great (only allowing one sack and blocking well for the running game), their offense was smooth and they only had to punt the ball twice all game, and they committed one penalty for five yards all night long. All and all this was a pretty solid effort. So why did they lose the game? It was because of their defense.
Tony Romo was having a field day. He was finding his guys wide open, and was getting decent enough protection to do so. The reason why this Eagles defense is not respected anymore is because they are simply not forcing turnovers. They don’t have an interception during the Todd Bowles era, and they are just not getting pressure. These corners are giving up big plays into the middle of the field and Romo was picking them apart. If the Eagles made one or two third down stops in this game, then they would have won. The Cowboys converted 9/14 third downs (64%). And on one of those failed conversions they went for it on fourth down and got it. So the Eagles defense really only stopped the Cowboys four times on those third down conversions. Protection was also a strong point for the ‘Boys. Their offensive line held together pretty well and Dallas was able to run and pass the ball with great balance. They won this game because of balance up-front.
Looking ahead, Eagles fans have reason to be optimistic. Nick Foles is turning out to be a great young prospect and Bryce Brown had another impressive game (outside of his costly fumble). Once LeSean McCoy gets back, Brown will be a great spell option that opposing defenses will have to pay great attention to. Next week the Eagles fly to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers in what should be a high scoring game. Dallas will go to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in a very important game for both teams. Next week should tell a lot about both of these teams.
Week 13: Cincinnati Bengals 20 San Diego Chargers 13- Post Game Thoughts
The Bengals pick up a much needed victory in a close game out on the west coast. AJ Green’s and Ben Jarvus Green Ellis’s good performances were key in this victory. They now can keep pace with the Steelers whom they will meet again in Week 16. The Bengals need to win a game down the road that most do not think they can win. That is their problem as they try to return to the playoffs for the second year in a row. If they want a wild card spot, a win over Pittsburgh is a necessity and a win over Baltimore in Week 17 is almost as important. Their other two games come against NFC East teams in Dallas and Philadelphia. The road to the playoffs will not be easy for Cincy, but if they get in then they will have earned it. And maybe this will be the game that the Chargers finally decide to can Norv Turner… probably not, but his job security is not in good standing. If the Eagles get rid of Andy Reid, then he will most likely find himself donning the powder blue next year, should the Chargers decide to go that route. They will need to win out to go to 8-8 and that may be the only way that Norv stays on the San Diego bus.
Week 13: Cleveland Browns 20 Oakland Raiders 17- Post Game Thoughts
The Browns are building quite a bit of momentum with this young team that they have. They now have won three of their last five and their second in a row. Also, 4-8 is not a horrible record for them considering they started off 0-5 to begin the year. Brandon Weeden played alright, throwing for 364 yards, a career high. Carson Palmer had another typical Carson Palmer game; a ton of yards in a losing effort. The Raiders hardly got a chance to run the ball since they trailed early on in the game. Oakland Raiders fans have got to be demoralized. They came within a game of winning the AFC West last year, and most thought the team was on its way to making things right and finishing a season with a winning record. It seems as though they took a huge step backwards this year in disappointing fashion. (It’s okay, they are not alone.) Cleveland may be on its way to seeing a team that can make a playoff run in the next couple of years. They are a good young team with a solid defense and a workable offense. There could be light at the end of the tunnel for Browns fans.
Week 13: Pittsburgh Steelers 23 Baltimore Ravens 20- The Post Game Breakdown
Charlie Batch plays out of his mind as the Steelers go on the road and shock the heavily favored Baltimore Ravens. For a majority of the game, it looked like the Ravens defense was going to be too much for Pittsburgh to overcome. They were unable to run the ball at all (save the one Dwyer rushing TD) and Batch did not look like he had what it took to bring his team to a win. Obviously this diagnosis was wrong. Once Heath Miller got involved in the second quarter, this offense looked completely different. There were guys running open down field and big plays were made pretty frequently by the Steelers. Batch ended the game by hitting on his last eight throws and driving his team for the game winning FG as time expired. Talk about impressive. Antonio Brown goofed when he fumbled the ball as he was about to run in for a score in the third quarter. Also, Mike Wallace was absolutely wide open in the back of the end zone and Charlie missed him. However, those mistakes did not end up costing Pittsburgh as they played great game overall.
The deciding factor in this game ended up being the timeouts that Baltimore had wasted in the third quarter. One was burnt trying to get a play together and the other was lost on a questionable challenge from John Harbaugh. The third timeout was taken late in the fourth quarter when an injured Raven had to be taken out of the game; an injury timeout. Not a single one of the timeouts were taken with the intent purposes of conserving time on the clock, and that is why the Ravens lost this game. They simply ran out of time. Speaking of running out of time, it seemed like Joe Flacco was being hurried a lot in the pocket. His throws were rushed at times and the pressure caused him to unleash some throws that ended up being much too high for his receivers. Ray Rice ran the ball with authority, but Baltimore may have spelled him with Bernard Pierce too much. Now, Pierce is a great young talent and an excellent spell for Rice but the Ravens almost forgot about Ray down the stretch. He carried the ball only 12 times in the whole game. Cam Cameron may have been a little too aggressive in this one.
There was really no reason why the Ravens should not have won this game. They played better on offense, and on defense they did a much better job of containing the run game. But Todd Haley called a masterful game that fit Charlie Batch’s skill set perfectly. Batch delivered the goods as well, making only a couple of bad throws. A lot of his incompetions turned out to be drops as well. Anyways, the Steelers can feel very good about this win. They should have Roethlisberger back next week as they eye a run at the postseason. A division crown, although unlikely, is not out of the question yet for them. However, the final four games are all winnable for Pittsburgh. It will not be shocking to see them end the 2012 season with an 11-5 or 10-6 record. As for the Ravens, they need to win three of their next four if they want a shot at a first round BYE. A win over Denver in Week 15 may be just what the doctor ordered for Baltimore.
Week 13: Denver Broncos 31 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23- Post Game Thoughts
The Denver Broncos become the second team in the AFC to clinch its division (behind New England). Also, with this win over the Bucs, Atlanta clinches their division. The Peyton Manning show lives on in the Mile High City. The Broncos have won their seventh straight and are now beginning to look like they may not lose until the postseason (if they even do lose again). This was a rough loss for Tampa Bay. Neither Josh Freeman or Doug Martin had a big game, which just goes to show just how good this Denver defense is. The Buccaneers had a nice opportunity to pick up a game on Seattle and Chicago in the wild card race with a win. As of right now, the Bucs seem to be the only other player in on the race. Minnesota may not be able to make any noise because of their difficult remaining schedule. Von Miller had another outstanding game, with a sack, a forced fumble, and a pick-six. He left the game late with an injury, but it did not look too bad. Anyways, the Broncos are looking like they might actually be the best team in the AFC. They have improved a lot since their loss to the Patriots, and the Week 15 game against the Ravens in Baltimore will tell a lot about what teams will earn a first round BYE in the American Football Conference.
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