NFL Week 13 Recap

The Ravens win a thrilling Thanksgiving game against their rival Steelers, the Broncos complete the season sweep of the Chiefs, and the Seahawks thoroughly dominate the Saints in a potential playoffs preview. Let's recap Week 13!

Green Bay Packers 10 Detroit Lions 40

The Lions turned the ball over a couple of times in the first half, but when they got rolling right before halftime, it was over for the Packers. Mike McCarthy said the Packers have to win out to make the playoffs. He's right in that assessment. However, they'll only win out if Aaron Rodgers returns next Sunday. Matt Flynn can only impress for so long before we realize the inevitable. He isn't that good.

Oakland Raiders 24 Dallas Cowboys 31

Matt McGloin impressed once again, but it's too early to tell if he will be the franchise quarterback going forward. Even though he's 1-2 in three starts, he had the Raiders competitive in every game. For the Cowboys, they need to keep winning to keep pace with the Eagles and keep the Giants in their rear view mirror. The way the game was playing out, it appeared the Cowboys were in for a major letdown. The Raiders at one point had a 21-7 lead. It would've been a crushing home loss.

Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin's stunt might cost him a hefty
six-figure fine.

Pittsburgh Steelers 20 Baltimore Ravens 22

The talk of this game was Mike Tomlin's folly on the sideline, briefly distracting Jacoby Jones as he appeared to be returning the kickoff for a touchdown before being brought down. However, the end of the game was a thriller, and people should talk a lot more about that. It's unfortunate for the Steelers they came up on the losing end, but they can't afford to dwell on that now. With seven losses, the Steelers must believe they have to win the rest of their games. Even in a weak AFC, another loss could effectively eliminate them.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6 Carolina Panthers 27

The Buccaneers did all of their scoring in the first quarter, so the Panthers' defense really locked them down from that point forward. Cam Newton accounted for three touchdowns, with two of them being passing touchdowns. Mike Glennon wasn't too impressive, but wasn't poor either. He just couldn't get the offense into the end zone.


Jaguars' WR Cecil Shorts catches game-winning touchdown
pass with under a minute remaining.

Jacksonville Jaguars 32 Cleveland Browns 28

Josh Gordon remains on fire, racking up another game with 200 yards receiving. However, the Jaguars have impressed as of late, winning three out of their last four games with all of them coming on the road. These former AFC Central foes traded leads throughout the game, but it was Cecil Shorts' touchdown reception with under a minute to go that won the game for the Jaguars. They now have a chance to win four out of five if they win Thursday night at home against the lowly Texans.

Patriots' TE Rob Gronkowski celebrates a first half touchdown.

New England Patriots 34 Houston Texans 31

Antonio Smith couldn't believe the Patriots were able to make adjustments to what he called brand new plays that were installed this week. Smith is bringing up a sensitive topic, as his claims seem to suggest the Patriots may be involved in another edition of Spygate. The Texans are a bad football team, however, but that doesn't mean Smith is wrong. I doubt the Patriots cheated in any way, but if they did, that would be something.

Tennessee Titans 14 Indianapolis Colts 22

The Colts got the win, but their level of play should still alarm fans. They're simply not that good of a team anymore, and if they win the division and capture the fourth seed in the AFC, they'll most likely have to play the Chiefs. That is what the Chiefs are dreaming of right now because the Colts don't look like a team that has any business competing in the postseason.

Vikings' K Blair Walsh celebrates his game-winning kick
in overtime.

Chicago Bears 20 Minnesota Vikings 23 OT

The Vikings love long overtime periods. It appeared as if this game could be another tie for the Vikings, but a surprising missed field goal from Robbie Gould gave the Vikings an opportunity to get into field goal range to make one of their own. They did miss one themselves early in overtime, so they almost lost. The Bears just can't seem to get the wins needed to overtake the Lions. This loss hurts.

Miami Dolphins 23 New York Jets 3

This was a pathetic game from the Jets, but I don't believe the quarterback situation is the main culprit. There was one pass where Geno Smith had David Nelson wide open, and Smith's pass was so far off, it warranted boos. However, it doesn't matter if Smith or Matt Simms is playing. The wide receivers for the Jets suck, and they can't get any separation at all. It's hard for the quarterback when there is no one open.

Eagles' QB Nick Foles eludes pressure as he continues
to impress and win games.

Arizona Cardinals 21 Philadelphia Eagles 24

The Cardinals have every right to be angry with the officiating in this game. Patrick Peterson had a clutch interception, but a questionable penalty against Tyrann Mathieu negated that. On the other hand, there was a lot more contact on Michael Floyd when Carson Palmer tried to connect with him on a fourth down pass that fell incomplete, ending any comeback chance for the Cardinals.

Toronto mayor Rob Ford was the headliner in this game,
which turned out to be a good one.

Atlanta Falcons 34 Buffalo Bills 31 OT

The Falcons shocked me a little by coming into Toronto and coming out with a win. Not that the Bills are a great team, but with E.J. Manuel, the Bills are a decent football team. It appears the Bills just don't like to play in Canada. Last year, they were thoroughly blown out by the Seahawks in Toronto. I think they'd prefer to play all of their home games in Buffalo.

St. Louis Rams 13 San Francisco 49ers 23

The 49ers didn't impress in this one, but a win is a win and they'll take it. Coupled with the Cardinals loss, the 49ers have moved ahead of the Cardinals in the NFC West race and in the race for the final Wild Card spot. It might come down to those two teams, so the 49ers must continue to win to keep pace. A battle with the division-leading Seahawks awaits them.

Cincinnati Bengals 17 San Diego Chargers 10

Keenan Allen had eight catches for 106 yards, but it was his fumble that hurt the Chargers the most. The Bengals shocked me a little by going to the West Coast and coming out with a victory. They need wins because the Ravens aren't too far behind. The Bengals are in the driver's seat in the final month of the season. They must play like it.

Broncos' QB Peyton Manning and WR Eric Decker celebrates
after Decker scores one of his four touchdowns on the evening.

Denver Broncos 35 Kansas City Chiefs 28

Eric Decker catches four touchdown passes, so now all of the analysts are raving about how dangerous he is. Truth is any receiver on the Broncos is dangerous. Heck, even Andre Caldwell can come in and catch a couple touchdowns and become a factor and threat. Peyton Manning is simply that good. The win for the Broncos is big. They are in the driver's seat with a friendly schedule the rest of the way. They should be the top seed again in the AFC.

New York Giants 24 Washington Redskins 17

The Giants went down 14-0, and it appeared the Redskins were well on their way to scoring a lot of points. However, they only managed to score three more the rest of the game, and the disappointing season from the Redskins continues. Robert Griffin III and Mike Shanahan seemed to be putting the blame of the loss on the referee blunder. The blunder shouldn't happen at all, but a drop by Fred Davis that would've picked up a first down was devastating. Pierre Garcon went on to convert the fourth down try, but had the ball ripped out of his hands by Will Hill. There's no one to blame but themselves.

New Orleans Saints 7 Seattle Seahawks 34

This was a thorough beating the Saints took at the hands of the Seahawks. I remember the Ravens taking a thorough beating at the hands of the Broncos in December at home, only for those two teams to meet again in Denver in the postseason. The Ravens ended up winning that one en route to winning a championship, so don't completely discredit the Saints. They'll learn from this and if they see the Seahawks again in Seattle, they'll be completely prepared and it'll be a lot closer than yesterday's outcome.

NFL Week 13 Preview

The defending champion Ravens face their division rival on Thanksgiving night, the Broncos and Chiefs battle again for first place atop the AFC West, and the Saints and Seahawks battle for NFC supremacy. Let's preview Week 13!

Lions' Ndamukong Suh won't be able to hit Packers' Aaron Rodgers
in this one.

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions 
Thursday November 28, 2013 12:30pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

Josh Sitton has already laid the foundation for an angry Lions' defense. Let's see how it all works out. Sitton, offensive lineman for the Packers, stated yesterday the Lions were a dirty team and head coach Jim Schwartz and the defensive coaches are dirtbags. There's been no comment from the Lions yet, but this is just the latest example of how the league has gotten soft.

Green Bay Packers 13 Detroit Lions 24

Oakland Raiders vs. Dallas Cowboys
Thursday November 28, 2013 4:30pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

Matt McGloin will get his third career start, and it'll come on the traditional Thanksgiving Day game against the Cowboys. When McGloin went undrafted out of Penn State, he couldn't have imagined he'd be in this position at this point. He's done some good things for the Raiders so far, so Dennis Allen will look for him to show improvement over the last month of the season. For the Cowboys, this should be an easy win though.

Oakland Raiders 14 Dallas Cowboys 31

The Steelers and Ravens will play an important one on
Thanksgiving night.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens
Thursday November 28, 2013 8:30pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

Both teams are currently tied at 5-6, and the Bengals haven't been good lately either. This means this game has gotten that much more important. The Titans currently occupy the final Wild Card spot with an identical 5-6 record, so the team that wins in this one will hold that spot. You know how intense it can get with these two teams as well. This should be a good one. Look for the upset.

Pittsburgh Steelers 20 Baltimore Ravens 17

Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts
Sunday December 1, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Bill Macatee, Steve Tasker

The Colts have been struggling badly, and owner Jim Irsay called his team out on Twitter to let them know about it. Personally, Irsay should really get off of Twitter, but he does have the right to be very upset with the play of his team so far. The trade to acquire Trent Richardson hasn't worked at all so far, as Donald Brown looks like the better back. The Titans are just two behind in the division. The Colts know this and they'll straighten out for this one.

Tennessee Titans 20 Indianapolis Colts 24

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cleveland Browns
Sunday December 1, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots

Brandon Weeden will most likely play in this one after Jason Campbell was injured, so that probably gives the Jaguars a chance. The Jaguars have won twice now, with both wins on the road. They can make it 3-0 in their last three road games with a win here. Even if Weeden isn't really good, I couldn't see the Jaguars winning this game.

Jacksonville Jaguars 16 Cleveland Browns 23

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
Sunday December 1, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Chris Myers, Tim Ryan

Mike Glennon has avoided the mistakes, but it may be coming in this game. There can be opportunities against the Panthers' secondary, but Glennon will need enough time in the pocket to deliver the ball. The status of Charles Johnson is unknown at this point, but according to the Charlotte Observer, he's expected to be on the practice field today. If Johnson isn't able to go, Greg Hardy must step up. Still, the Panthers should win this one easily.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10 Carolina Panthers 27

Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings
Sunday December 1, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick

The Bears aren't playing as well, despite the fact that Josh McCown has played fairly well. The Bears' defense is giving up a ton of rushing yards, so they must correct that or Adrian Peterson will have a field day in this one. I don't think the Bears will have those problems corrected by Sunday, so I expect the Vikings to win.

Chicago Bears 23 Minnesota Vikings 28

New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans
Sunday December 1, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf

This was scheduled to be CBS's Game of the Week. However, as you can see, the Texans are terrible, so this game was removed. Andre Johnson stated it accurately when he said the Texans could be the worst team in football. They are playing like it, and it's now looking like they'll need to draft a quarterback in the 2014 NFL Draft. I'll be shocked if they beat the Patriots.

New England Patriots 34 Houston Texans 14

The Eagles will look for a win against the surprising Cardinals.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday December 1, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa

There were reports that said this game would be flexed into NBC's Sunday Night Football. It would make sense since the Eagles are tied with the Cowboys atop the NFC East, and the Cardinals are in playoff contention at 7-4. However, they decided a matchup between the two worst teams in the NFC East would still gather more viewers. They're probably right, since the New York and Washington DC markets are fairly big. Still, this game should be an interesting one and could go either way. Look for Nick Foles to throw his first interception. The Cardinals are too good to not come up with one.

Arizona Cardinals 20 Philadelphia Eagles 27

Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets
Sunday December 1, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Marv Albert, Rich Gannon

It is clear that Geno Smith is on thin ice. The media has gotten on him lately, especially after two embarrassing games from the Jets' offense against the Bills and Ravens. At home, I believe Smith can turn it around and get the Jets back on track. The Dolphins have their own issues, which involves a depleted offensive line going up against a strong defensive line unit. The Jets should be able to get back in the winning column.

Miami Dolphins 13 New York Jets 20

Atlanta Falcons vs. Buffalo Bills
Sunday December 1, 2013 4:05pm
FOX -- Dick Stockton, Ronde Barber

The Falcons have been dreadful this year, and the Bills have had an up and down season. Still, they're at home and they'll have the services of E.J. Manuel. That'll be enough for them to win this one.

Atlanta Falcons 17 Buffalo Bills 20

St. Louis Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers
Sunday December 1, 2013 4:05pm
FOX -- Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch

The 49ers were able to get back on track with an easy win over the hapless Redskins on Monday night. This game isn't as easy as it seems, even though the 49ers are at home. The Rams have a very good pass-rushing tandem in Chris Long and Robert Quinn. Colin Kaepernick has struggled with pressure in his face as well, so the 49ers' offensive line need to do a better job protecting. I still see a win for the 49ers.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. San Diego Chargers
Sunday December 1, 2013 4:25pm
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

The Chargers are coming off an impressive road win, so they'll come in feeling good about themselves, especially since they're right there in the Wild Card race. The Bengals has struggled lately, and they aren't showing anything to suggest they'll go into San Diego and come out victorious.

Cincinnati Bengals 13 San Diego Chargers 23

Broncos' Peyton Manning probably won't have Chiefs' Tamba Hali
to worry about.

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday December 1, 2013 4:25pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

It appears Justin Houston won't play in this game with an elbow injury. Tamba Hali is also questionable so it's not looking good for the Chiefs in this one. It should still be a good game because Alex Smith is smart with the football, and you know the Broncos will put up points. The crowd at Arrowhead Stadium will be loud, but it won't be enough.

Denver Broncos 34 Kansas City Chiefs 27

New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins
Sunday December 1, 2013 8:30pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

This is the battle of the bottom of the NFC East, but the Giants have been playing decent football lately. On the other hand, the Redskins have been awful, but this is a winnable game for them. I think the Giants come up with just enough for the win.

New York Giants 16 Washington Redskins 13

Saints' Drew Brees and Seahawks' Russell Wilson will battle
for the top seed in the NFC.

New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks
Monday December 2, 2013 8:40pm
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden

This is the premier game of Week 13. Both teams need home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs if they want to get to the Super Bowl. The Saints are able to win games on the road, while the Seahawks have a little more difficulty. The Seahawks are glad to have this one in their home. They can create a two-game lead over the Saints for the top seed in the NFC. I believe, out of these two teams, whoever can get home-field advantage will advance to the Super Bowl.

New Orleans Saints 23 Seattle Seahawks 27

NFL Week 12 Recap

The Patriots came back and beat the Broncos after trailing by 24 points at halftime, and the Chargers stun the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. Let's recap Week 12!

Saints' Jimmy Graham celebrates after scoring a touchdown.

New Orleans Saints 17 Atlanta Falcons 13

The Falcons put up a better fight than I was expecting. I think there really is something to be said for that rivalry. Matt Ryan was sacked five times, so the improvement from last season to this season starts with the improvement of the defense. They were historically bad last year. Under Rob Ryan, who Jerry Jones mysteriously fired at the conclusion of last season, has gained the trust of the defensive players, and they're playing much better football.

New York Jets 3 Baltimore Ravens 19

The Jets are still in the middle of the playoff race despite losing badly the past two games. Rex Ryan shouldn't make a quarterback switch now, as he has indicated he won't do. However, if the Jets continue to lose and fall out of the playoff race eventually, they should see what they have in Matt Simms.

Pittsburgh Steelers 27 Cleveland Browns 11

Brandon Weeden had to play the majority of the game after Jason Campbell left with an injury. This did not help anything for the Browns, as Weeden continues to disappoint. It wasn't like Campbell was doing anything against the Steelers' defense either. The Steelers are now right back in the thick of things with a division game against the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. It'll be a huge win for the winner.

Buccaneers' Johnthan Banks intercepts the pass that goes
through the hands of the Lions' Calvin Johnson.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24 Detroit Lions 21

Mike Glennon continues to avoid the mistakes, something Matthew Stafford couldn't. Stafford threw four interceptions as the Buccaneers stunned the Lions in Detroit. The good thing about it is no one in the NFC North won in Week 12. Still, it's disappointing for the Lions because they could've created a little separation. Instead, they're still tied with the Bears.

Packers' Matt Flynn came in to relieve an ineffective
Scott Tolzien, and led a big comeback.

Minnesota Vikings 26 Green Bay Packers 26 OT

There's something about Matt Flynn being the quarterback for the Packers that probably has the Seahawks and Raiders frustrated. Flynn couldn't win the starting job with the Seahawks, and as Russell Wilson became the franchise quarterback, Flynn was traded. Flynn was horrible with the Raiders, and he was promptly released. However, he relieves an ineffective Scott Tolzien, and leads a big comeback that results in a tie. It's strange he only seems to have success with the Packers.

Jacksonville Jaguars 13 Houston Texans 6

The Texans went from having Super Bowl hopes at the beginning of the season, to being the worst team in the NFL. The Buccaneers and Jaguars were previously the worst teams in football, but the Jaguars now have two road wins in the division, and the Buccaneers have won three straight. This leaves the Texans as the worst in football. Who would've known?

Chargers' Seyi Ajirotutu catches the game-winning
touchdown pass.

San Diego Chargers 41 Kansas City Chiefs 38

The Chargers only had three points in the second quarter when Justin Houston left the game with what has been reported as an elbow injury. The Chargers promptly scored 38 points in just over a half of football. This illustrates just how valuable Houston and Tamba Hali are. Hali left the game before Houston with an injury. If Hali or Houston can't play against the Broncos next week, they can forget about winning.

Carolina Panthers 20 Miami Dolphins 16

The Panthers showed great resiliency in getting this victory. They were thoroughly outplayed by the Dolphins in the first half, but the Dolphins couldn't score again. Meanwhile, Cam Newton just led the Panthers to two touchdown drives in the second half for the win. It may not seem like many touchdown drives in an entire half of football, but with the defense playing well, the Panthers had time. They took advantage.

Chicago Bears 21 St. Louis Rams 42

There was a particular play that's being shown on many sports sites where Kyle Long is involved in a fracas with a Rams player. Apparently, his big brother Chris runs from the sidelines to separate Kyle from the Rams. Kyle Long was hit with a personal foul penalty, but this was the highlight for anyone watching. The Rams won this game easily and thoroughly. They are a bit of a surprise also, considering they don't have Sam Bradford for the rest of the season.

Indianapolis Colts 11 Arizona Cardinals 40

The Cardinals are looking for real, and the Colts are lucky to be playing in the AFC South. The Colts will make the playoffs, but since Reggie Wayne's injury, they have looked bad on offense. The 49ers won also so the Cardinals and 49ers are both 7-4. They play each other in Arizona later this season, so it should be an important one.

Tennessee Titans 23 Oakland Raiders 19

Matt McGloin wasn't as good as he was last week in Houston, but he still had a solid day. Therefore, he'll start the Thanksgiving Game against the Cowboys. Ryan Fitzpatrick played very well, and now the Titans are in the playoff race despite an up and down season. If the Raiders won this game, they would've been right there in it with all of the other five-win teams. The battle for the final Wild Card spot will be very interesting.

The Cowboys celebrate after Dan Bailey kicks the
game-winning field goal as time expires.

Dallas Cowboys 24 New York Giants 21

The Giants came into this game running their mouths. I'm not sure why, because as Orlando Scandrick put it, they were still just 4-6 coming into the game. The offense still struggled with consistency, but having Eli Manning as the quarterback is always a good thing. He calmly led the Giants on two touchdown drives to tie it up, but Tony Romo led the Cowboys on a clutch drive for the win. With the Cowboys undefeated in the division and the Giants falling to 4-7, they probably eliminated themselves from playoff contention.

Patriots' Tom Brady and Julian Edelman celebrate Edelman's
second touchdown that put the Patriots on top.

Denver Broncos 31 New England Patriots 34 OT

Even though the Broncos raced out to a 24-0 lead, Peyton Manning wasn't the reason. Manning seemed content handing the ball off, as the wind was blowing a lot in Foxboro. Knowshon Moreno carried the ball an astounding 37 times for 224 yards. When the Broncos went to Montee Ball for some touches, he had a critical fumble in the third quarter that spearheaded the Patriots' comeback. Blowing a 24-point lead hurts. For Manning, it hurts blowing that lead to Tom Brady.

San Francisco 49ers 27 Washington Redskins 6

This is the first time in Robert Griffin III's NFL career that the Redskins didn't score a touchdown in a game. With the Redskins now at 3-8, it might be time to consider going to Kirk Cousins and see what they have in him. I know this will make Griffin III lose trust in the organization, but this is about wins and losses, not anyone's feelings.

NFL Week 12 Preview

The two best quarterbacks in the NFL will square off once again in Foxboro, and Howie Long will be in St. Louis to enjoy his two sons face off against each other for the first time. Let's preview Week 12!

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons
Thursday November 21, 2013 8:25pm
NFL Network -- Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock

The NFL and NFL Network were probably excited this game was on their Thursday night schedule. However, this game doesn't look interesting at all. It will still be hyped as a division rivalry with both teams disliking each other. Mike Smith said the game should be fun because of the hate from both fan bases. This rivalry hasn't been around long enough to peak anyone's interest, especially when the Falcons have been this bad. Other than the Jaguars, they really look like the worst team in football.

New Orleans Saints 31 Atlanta Falcons 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Detroit Lions
Sunday November 24, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick

The Buccaneers keep plugging in running backs and they're getting the job done. Bobby Rainey was the star last week, shredding the Falcons defense and scoring a bunch in the blowout win. This Lions team isn't nowhere close to as bad as the Falcons, so I do not expect the Buccaneers to win this one. The Lions also want to win as many games as possible while Aaron Rodgers is out.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16 Detroit Lions 35

Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers
Sunday November 24, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch

The Vikings have a chance in Lambeau Field, but Scott Tolzien has shown flashes of great play against the Eagles and Giants. The Vikings' defense is also terrible so Tolzien can have the surprise game of this week. This could be a shootout.

Minnesota Vikings 31 Green Bay Packers 38

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans
Sunday November 24, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Bill Macatee, Steve Tasker

Both teams aren't playing well, so I'll give this game to the home team by default. Case Keenum is starting, but we'll see how it's going to be if he struggles. He was pulled for Matt Schaub last week, so it's probably an indication the Texans will be looking for a quarterback in the near future. Johnny Manziel?

Jacksonville Jaguars 20 Houston Texans 23

San Diego Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday November 24, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

Sometimes you get good defensive play from the Chargers, and other times you get inconsistent play. Since the Chiefs' defense will make life hard on the Chargers' offense, the defense must limit the amount of yards and big plays they give up. It'll be hard to create turnovers because Alex Smith simply doesn't turn the ball over. The Chargers lost in Miami last week so I'll be shocked if they win in Kansas City.

San Diego Chargers 13 Kansas City Chiefs 23

Carolina Panthers vs. Miami Dolphins
Sunday November 24, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Chris Myers, Tim Ryan

The Panthers have been on a roll, thanks mostly to their defense. Cam Newton must be given a lot of credit though. His passes are accurate now, and he's not that gadget quarterback anymore. He can let it fly from the pocket, and this comes at the right time. If the Panthers can keep this together, they can be very good for a while also.

Carolina Panthers 24 Miami Dolphins 10

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns
Sunday November 24, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots

The Steelers are fully capable of winning this game, but I believe the Browns' defense is good enough to win at home. Both teams hate each other, so this could be chippy. Both teams are also not too far behind the Bengals for the AFC North lead, but both teams need wins.

Pittsburgh Steelers 20 Cleveland Browns 24

Bears' Kyle Long (left) and Rams' Chris Long (middle) will
face off against each other for the first time in their careers.

Chicago Bears vs. St. Louis Rams
Sunday November 24, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa

The highlight of this game will be the battle between Howie Long's sons. Chris Long of the Rams will most likely be blocked by Kyle Long of the Bears on several occasions, so it'll be must-see television. Howie isn't missing this moment for anyone or anything. He will not be in the FOX Studios in Los Angeles for the pregame show, as he and his family will be in St. Louis for the battle. Did I forget to mention both teams will be starting backup quarterbacks? Even if Kellen Clemens isn't good, the Rams will win this game.

Chicago Bears 21 St. Louis Rams 26

New York Jets vs. Baltimore Ravens
Sunday November 24, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf

Dan Dierdorf has stated that he'll retire at season's end, so the last time we'll see him is probably one of the AFC Divisional Round games. Will the Jets or Ravens be in that game? Both teams can make the playoffs, but they have to start winning games. The Jets are due for a win since they keep alternating wins and losses. However, winning in Baltimore is one of the more difficult things to do, especially with a rookie quarterback. It can be done, but Baltimore is desperate and they'll play better.

New York Jets 17 Baltimore Ravens 34

Tennessee Titans vs. Oakland Raiders
Sunday November 24, 2013 4:05pm
CBS -- Marv Albert, Rich Gannon

Matt McGloin looked good in his debut, a road win against the Texans. Terrelle Pryor also looked good when he started playing, but he has lost the confidence of the coaching staff, which is why McGloin is playing. McGloin has always been doubted, so he's probably using that as fuel to better himself. At Penn State, it appeared he was always platooning with Rob Bolden, not gaining the trust of Joe Paterno and the coaching staff despite the fact Bolden was bad. McGloin went undrafted as well, so it'll be a nice story if he can be a good quarterback in this league.

Tennessee Titans 17 Oakland Raiders 27

Cardinals' Bruce Arians faces his former team in
this intriguing matchup.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Arizona Cardinals
Sunday November 24, 2013 4:05pm
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

Bruce Arians will face his former team in this one, and he knows a lot about the personnel on the Colts. However, Pep Hamilton doesn't run the same stuff Arians ran with the Colts last year, so it's not necessarily going to be easy. However, the Colts have struggled offensively without Reggie Wayne, and the Cardinals' defense is solid. The Cardinals should be able to win this one.

Indianapolis Colts 20 Arizona Cardinals 31

Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
Sunday November 24, 2013 4:25pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

The Cowboys' pass defense has been horrible, but the Giants' offense hasn't lit anything up either. However, Manning torched them on opening night with over 400 yards passing and almost led them to victory despite five turnovers up to that point. The Cowboys will miss their best defensive player in Sean Lee. All signs point to a Giants' victory, but this is still the NFC East and anything can happen.

Dallas Cowboys 20 New York Giants 27

The two best quarterbacks in the NFL will square off
once again.

Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots
Sunday November 24, 2013 8:30pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

The Patriots' offense still has not clicked like they expected at this point in the season. While the Broncos' defense isn't top five, they are a decent bunch who can create turnovers. They have fast players who can get to the football and make plays. The Patriots' defense is also suffering from a lot of injuries, so they may not be able to get off the field if Peyton Manning is having his way. I think this will be a statement win for the Broncos.

Denver Broncos 38 New England Patriots 27

San Francisco 49ers vs. Washington Redskins
Monday November 25, 2013 8:40pm
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden

Ray Lewis will see Ahmad Brooks, and according to him, will be ready to physically hand him a check for his fine. Roger Goodell might personally attend that game to make sure that doesn't happen. The 49ers must get back to playing good football, especially on offense, and this is the perfect game. The Redskins' defense still suck, meaning there should be no excuses for Colin Kaepernick. Robert Griffin III, on the other hand, seems to be losing the locker room a little. Maybe he should've sat down with Donovan McNabb and get some guidance. Then again, McNabb is a bully. Get guidance elsewhere.

San Francisco 49ers 31 Washington Redskins 13

NFL Week 11 Recap

 

The Broncos beat the Chiefs in the matchup of the AFC's best teams, and the Panthers scrape by the Patriots after a controversial no-call. Let's recap Week 11!

 

Indianapolis Colts 30 Tennessee Titans 27

The final score really doesn't indicate how disappointing of a loss this was for the Titans. The Titans jumped all over the Colts early, and it appeared the Colts had no answer for them. However, the Titans couldn't find a way to score again until it was too late. Two consecutive home losses to division foes gives them very little hope for a wild card spot.

New York Jets 14 Buffalo Bills 37

The Jets continued the trend of alternating wins and losses with this loss, but the Jets are right there for a playoff spot. This is why it makes this loss disappointing, confusing and unacceptable. The pressure that was applied to Geno Smith in the first half was unacceptable, and it appeared the Bills were much more prepared than the Jets in that department.

Bears' Robbie Gould makes the game-winning kick in overtime.

Baltimore Ravens 20 Chicago Bears 23 OT

The Ravens were almost burned in the Super Bowl because of the power outage delay. After dominating before the power outage, the 49ers stole momentum and got back in the game before the Ravens held them off at the end. This time, the Ravens couldn't overcome the momentum swing. They jumped out to an early 10-0 lead before a tornado warning in Chicago forced a weather delay. After, the Bears gained momentum and outscored the Ravens 23-10 the rest of the way for the win. The Ravens are hoping for no more delays going forward.

Cleveland Browns 20 Cincinnati Bengals 41

It was appearing as if the Browns could win this one after having a double-digit lead early. However, the ensuing onslaught from the Bengals kept the Browns in check and they got a much needed win. They were probably motivated by keeping their in-state rivals at a good distance in the standings.

Raiders' Matt McGloin threw three touchdown passes in his first
career start, guiding the team to a road victory.

Oakland Raiders 28 Houston Texans 23

Matt McGloin came in and directed the Raiders to a surprise road victory, which means people will believe McGloin is the answer. He certainly could be and deserves to continue to start, but people must not get far ahead of themselves. The Texans have all kinds of issues and no one saw this coming. Towards the end of the game, Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub could be seen arguing on the sideline after they failed to connect on a fourth down. It's ugly in Houston.

Arizona Cardinals 27 Jacksonville Jaguars 14

The Cardinals are now tied with the 49ers at 6-4 in the NFC West. No one really saw this coming, even though people knew the Cardinals would improve. The 49ers hold the tiebreaker because of their victory over the Cardinals earlier this season, but don't count out the Cardinals. Their defense is good and Carson Palmer doesn't seem to be making the costly mistakes that hurt him late in his tenure with the Bengals and in his time with the Raiders.

Washington Redskins 16 Philadelphia Eagles 24

There's an excuse from Robert Griffin III every week it seems. Now, he says the Eagles knew what was coming and they were a step ahead all the time. Griffin III might actually benefit from talking less and just owning up to the loss and moving on. Trent Williams is also trying to get a referee fired when he makes millions of dollars when he could've found the referee somewhere after the game and talk things over. After all, Tom Brady was able to find the referees after his game last night.

Lions' Calvin Johnson dominated in the first half, but the
Steelers locked in on him in the second half.

Detroit Lions 27 Pittsburgh Steelers 37

This game was set up for the Lions to win. They couldn't be stopped in the second quarter, racking up over 300 yards of offense and 27 points. That would be about 95% of their total offensive output as they did nothing in the first quarter or the second half. Still, they could've been up 30-23 had they simply kicked the field goal. Instead, they faked it, failed to convert, and watched the Steelers march 96 yards for the go-ahead score. Brutal!

Atlanta Falcons 28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41

This game was nowhere close to what the final score is showing. The Buccaneers were ripping the Falcons apart all game before the Falcons found a little pride and made the score respectable. Who could've figured the Falcons and Texans would struggle this badly this season?

San Diego Chargers 16 Miami Dolphins 20

This was a good and important win for the Dolphins, considering what they've had to deal with these past couple of weeks. The Chargers usually find themselves losing games they probably should win. They must find a way to win these games. This happened when they played the Redskins as well. It's a game they should've won but couldn't find a way to win. This has to be frustrating for Philip Rivers.

Green Bay Packers 13 New York Giants 27

Scott Tolzien looked good at times, but his three interceptions were costly. The Giants' offense still isn't a unit opposing defenses fear, so the Giants must get that together if they want to continue their winning streak. However, their run defense continues to get the job done.

Minnesota Vikings 20 Seattle Seahawks 41

Percy Harvin only had one catch in his return to action, which happened to be against his former team. However, the Seahawks were able to control the game in the second half en route to the victory. The Seahawks now have a bye before they face the Saints in two weeks. That's a good one.

This sack and forced fumble by 49ers' Ahmad Brooks was
overturned by penalty late in the fourth quarter.

San Francisco 49ers 20 New Orleans Saints 23

Ahmad Brooks has every right to be upset at the penalty that probably cost the 49ers the game. Drew Brees should be ashamed of himself for sounding soft in explaining the hit, especially being on a Saints team that was punished hard for Bountygate. Brooks hit happened to be in the neck area simply because of Brees short stature. Had it been Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, Brooks doesn't even come anywhere near the neck. Disheartening!

Broncos' Montee Ball gets a touchdown run in the victory.

Kansas City Chiefs 17 Denver Broncos 27

The Chiefs actually played better than I expected. The Broncos weren't able to move the ball up and down the field on a consistent basis. However, the plays were made when they needed to be made, so we now see if the Chiefs can make adjustments for the matchup in Arrowhead Stadium.

Should this have been called pass interference?
The Patriots believe so.

New England Patriots 20 Carolina Panthers 24

I believe a pass interference should've been called on Luke Kuechly, but I'm glad to see a penalty didn't affect the outcome of the game. Sometimes, you have to let the players decide who wins and who loses, and I think that was the appropriate call for that situation. The Panthers worked hard for the victory, so to allow the Patriots a shot at winning the game by placing the ball at the 1-yard line would've been too much. Then again, I'm not a fan of pass interference penalties being spot-foul penalties. They should only be 15 yards.

NFL Week 11 Preview

The Chiefs and Broncos will battle for AFC West supremacy, and the Panthers host an important Monday night game against the 7-2 Patriots. Let's preview Week 11!

Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans
Thursday November 14, 2013 8:25pm
NFL Network -- Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock

Both teams are coming off of bad losses, so I'm unsure of who's going to win this game. This is one of those games where I'd pick the home team just because it's a safe pick, but Jake Locker is out for the season and they lost to the winless Jaguars at home. So the easy pick now is the Colts.

Indianapolis Colts 24 Tennessee Titans 10

New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
Sunday November 17, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

There was an interesting story on NBC's Pro Football Talk website about how the Bills have a lot of games against teams coming off of a good amount of rest. This game is one of them. The Jets are coming off a bye, and when these two teams played earlier in the season, the Jets were coming off a Thursday night game, so they had extra rest as well. The Bills certainly aren't happy about it, but I guess the league will do something about that.

New York Jets 24 Buffalo Bills 17

Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sunday November 17, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Sam Rosen, Heath Evans

Even though the Falcons have a better record, they have been just as pathetic as the Buccaneers. I actually like what I see from Mike Glennon, but he seems to flame out as the game progresses. He needs to learn to continue his solid play for 60 minutes. The Buccaneers are at home, so I'll pencil them in for the win.

Atlanta Falcons 20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23

Lions' Matthew Stafford looks to lead his team to another
solid road victory.

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday November 17, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick

You know what you'll get from Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Stafford loves to look for him, and Johnson rarely lets him down. However, it's been the defense that has improved their play, and is the reason for the team's 6-3 record so far. DeAndre Levy already has five interceptions, and he's only a linebacker. This game is a trap game, as the Lions aren't good on the road and the Steelers are desperate for wins. However, I think the Lions will pull this out.

Detroit Lions 27 Pittsburgh Steelers 20

Washington Redskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday November 17, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch

I'm just going to give the win to the Redskins because the Eagles hate playing at home. Not much needs to be assessed or analyzed in this one.

Washington Redskins 21 Philadelphia Eagles 20

Arizona Cardinals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday November 17, 2013 1pm
FOX -- Dick Stockton, Ronde Barber

The Jaguars have a legit opportunity at a win, but don't underestimate the Cardinals. They are currently sitting at 5-4 and just a game behind the 49ers. If they win and the 49ers lose on the road in the Superdome, which is most definitely possible, the Cardinals tie for second place in the division. The 49ers still hold the tiebreaker, but no one expected the Cardinals to compete like this. Bruce Arians will have them ready to play.

Arizona Cardinals 24 Jacksonville Jaguars 13

Oakland Raiders vs. Houston Texans
Sunday November 17, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots

For a second, Raiders' fans thought they had a quarterback who can progress and have this team in playoff contention in a couple of years. Well, Terrelle Pryor is starting to regress, as he's taking sacks and not throwing the ball well at all. For Case Keenum, he's done a good job taking over for Matt Schaub, but he doesn't have a win yet. He should get that here.

Oakland Raiders 13 Houston Texans 31

It's a safe bet President Barack Obama will be rooting for the
Bears against the defending champions.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Chicago Bears
Sunday November 17, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

Josh McCown will get the start in this one, and Brandon Marshall keeps saying Jay Cutler is the best quarterback and gives them the best chance to win. Cutler has been in the league since 2006, and really hasn't shown me he gives any team the best chance to win. McCown is playing well right now, and if he can keep it up, I think the Bears should definitely entertain a permanent quarterback switch.

Baltimore Ravens 16 Chicago Bears 27

Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday November 17, 2013 1pm
CBS -- Marv Albert, Rich Gannon

The Browns are actually tied for second in the division, just one game behind in the loss column from the division-leading Bengals. I can't imagine the Bengals letting the Browns beat them in their own home, especially after the Browns easily beat them in Cleveland earlier this season. Still, Andy Dalton needs to play better consistently or he'll be on the hot seat soon.

Cleveland Browns 17 Cincinnati Bengals 30

San Diego Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins
Sunday November 17, 2013 4:05pm
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierforf

The Dolphins have their issues, but this is a manageable game for them at home. The Chargers are a decent team, but I'm not sure they can travel to the East Coast and get a victory. They did it in Philadelphia earlier this year, but the Eagles don't believe in winning at home. This is a good chance for the Dolphins to have something positive after all the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin drama. I think the Dolphins' struggles will continue.

San Diego Chargers 24 Miami Dolphins 17

Green Bay Packers vs. New York Giants
Sunday November 17, 2013 4:25pm
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa

Even though Scott Tolzien played a significant amount against the Eagles, he is still virtually unknown. The Giants' offense must play better, but that won't be easy with Clay Matthews back in the Packers' lineup. Still, there are opportunities for the Giants against the Packers' secondary, and they must capitalize.

Green Bay Packers 14 New York Giants 28

Minnesota Vikings vs. Seattle Seahawks
Sunday November 17, 2013 4:25pm
FOX -- Chris Myers, Tim Ryan

Percy Harvin was activated off the PUP list, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's ready for action. He most likely won't play, which sucks a little for viewers because Harvin probably wanted to take his anger of the Vikings out on them. Christian Ponder looks like he's going to play, but he doesn't want to see that Seahawks' defense.

Minnesota Vikings 10 Seattle Seahawks 27

49ers' Colin Kaepernick will look to duplicate last year's
success against the Saints in the Superdome.

San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints
Sunday November 17, 2013 4:25pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

Last year when these two teams played in the Superdome, Colin Kaepernick was making his second start. He impressed against the Saints, but the Saints' defense last year was historically bad. Rob Ryan has turned things around, and the 49ers' offense is coming into this game struggling, so the Saints should be able to feast. It is near impossible to beat Drew Brees in the Superdome, and I don't expect this game to be any different.

San Francisco 49ers 24 New Orleans Saints 30

Broncos' Peyton Manning will try to avoid Tamba Hali
and the pass rush of the Chiefs as much as possible.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
Sunday November 17, 2013 8:30pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

When these two teams played last year in Arrowhead Stadium, the Broncos were stymied a bit offensively, only scoring 17 points in the win. However, a couple Chiefs' players drew headlines for asking for Peyton Manning's autograph after the game. It's a gesture they probably didn't think would blow up in the media, but it did. Now that these two teams are battling for AFC West supremacy, I don't think Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe will be seeking another autograph. Probably they will, you just never know. The Broncos will look to run more with Manning's ankle injuries and the pass rush he'll face. This should be a good one.

Kansas City Chiefs 16 Denver Broncos 30

Patriots' Tom Brady will try to get an impressive road win against
the Panthers' stingy defense.

New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers
Monday November 18, 2013 8:40pm
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden

The NFL usually doesn't give good games to ESPN for their Monday Night Football, and when this game was on the schedule, it was another one of those expected blowout wins for the Patriots. However, the Panthers have other plans in mind, and this game is now possibly the best game of Week 11. The Panthers' pass rush will get to Tom Brady, so the Patriots must try to hang on for dear life. Will Cam Newton be able to put points on the board to help? This will be good.

New England Patriots 17 Carolina Panthers 20

NFL Week 10 Recap

The two remaining winless teams, which just happens to be teams from Florida, get their first win of the season, while the Panthers shock the 49ers in a defensive battle. Let's recap Week 10!

Vikings' Adrian Peterson scores one of his two touchdowns
in the Thursday night win.

Washington Redskins 27 Minnesota Vikings 34

Robert Griffin III had three touchdowns in this one, but it was the two touchdowns each from Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder that got the Vikings the win. The Redskins were 3-6 last year as well, and went on to win seven straight to win the division. I have a feeling it won't be deja vu.

Seattle Seahawks 33 Atlanta Falcons 10

This was supposed to be a thrilling rematch of last year's NFC Divisional Round game, but instead it became an easy win for the Seahawks. Who would've known the Falcons would've fallen this far? Sure, they haven't had Roddy White or Julio Jones, but even when they were playing, the Falcons weren't playing good football. You got to feel sorry for Tony Gonzalez to play his final season for a loser.

Bengals' A.J. Green catches an improbable hail mary touchdown
pass that sends the game into overtime.

Cincinnati Bengals 17 Baltimore Ravens 20 OT

These are the games the Bengals will need to win if anyone should take them seriously. They have the weapons on offense and Giovanni Bernard in the backfield has given them a young, explosive back. Andy Dalton is clearly in the way of their success, but can you find a better option going forward? The Bengals may have to stick it out with him like the Ravens have done with Joe Flacco. By the way, that hail mary was impressive.

Lions' DeAndre Levy catches his fifth interception of the season
in the win.

Detroit Lions 21 Chicago Bears 19

Coming into this game, many people believed the Bears were the favorites to win the NFC North after Aaron Rodgers' collarbone injury. However, it's clear the Lions have been the better team this season, and it was Calvin Johnson's two touchdowns and the defensive stand from Nick Fairley that put the Lions over the top in Soldier Field. The Lions have manageable games coming up they should win. They should be able to win this division.

Philadelphia Eagles 27 Green Bay Packers 13

Even the backup quarterback got hurt in this one, so now it's up to the backup of the backup to get the job done going forward. Scott Tolzien is now the quarterback for the Packers. Even with Seneca Wallace playing, this game was easy for the Eagles to win. Simply put, Wallace or Tolzien aren't Aaron Rodgers. The Packers have issues.

St. Louis Rams 38 Indianapolis Colts 8

There were a couple of big surprises in Week 10, and I think this Rams' win is tied with the Jaguars' road win for most surprising this weekend. Even though the Colts did beat the Texans last week, you can tell the offense is struggling without Reggie Wayne. Furthermore, they haven't been able to protect Andrew Luck throughout the year. For the Rams, when the schedule was released and they had to play the Texans and Colts on the road, it was seen as two sure losses. Two blowout wins for the Rams against those two teams have me shocked.

Oakland Raiders 20 New York Giants 24

Sure, the Giants are on a three-game winning streak. However, if Eli Manning isn't slinging the ball all over the field and carrying this offense, the Giants have no shot at winning some of the games they have later this season. They have the Packers next week, so that should make it four straight wins. However, games against the Cowboys, Redskins twice, Chargers, Seahawks and Lions are extremely difficult, and playing conservatively offensively won't get the Giants past most of those teams. The offense must get it together soon.

Buffalo Bills 10 Pittsburgh Steelers 23

It was good to see E.J. Manuel back. The Bills continue to struggle, and it's frustrating Stevie Johnson. For the Steelers, some of us were shocked to hear of trade rumors involving Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger has been the face of the franchise, so it's unlikely he goes anywhere anytime soon. He quickly shot down those rumors. For now, the Steelers are happy to get this win after surrendering 55 points and over 600 yards to the Patriots last week.

 

Jaguars' Ace Sanders, Cecil Shorts, and Mike Brown celebrate
the team's first victory.

Jacksonville Jaguars 29 Tennessee Titans 27
The Titans must be embarrassed with this result. Adam Schefter reported it was the first time Devin McCourty went to a Titans' game to see his twin brother Jason McCourty play. Let's just say Devin was not impressed with the Titans.

49ers' Colin Kaepernick was harrassed by the Panthers' pass rush
all day in the loss.

Carolina Panthers 10 San Francisco 49ers 9

I knew this game would be a low-scoring affair between two great defenses, but the Panthers' defense showed me they can compete at a championship level. The only thing holding them back now is Cam Newton. If he can just be decent, the Panthers have a legit shot at going deep in the playoffs. They have the Patriots at home next Monday night. That should be a great one.

Houston Texans 24 Arizona Cardinals 27

The Texans keep on losing, and it prompted Ed Reed to question the team's coaching. Not only is Reed's former team struggling, but his current team is struggling even more and Reed hasn't played all that well either. This is a lost season for the Texans. At least they can go forward with Case Keenum and see if he can be the franchise quarterback.

Denver Broncos 28 San Diego Chargers 20

The Chargers were impressive in the second half, shutting out the Broncos. However, they couldn't quite complete a comeback. The Broncos wanted this win so they could go into next week's showdown against the undefeated Chiefs with an opportunity to vault into first place with a win. Peyton Manning's ankle is a little gimpy. That's something to watch out for when he's going to have Tamba Hali and Justin Houston rushing him next week.

Dallas Cowboys 17 New Orleans Saints 49

It appears Jerry Jones has taken a shot at current defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. After the game, Jones says the replacing of Rob Ryan for Kiffin doesn't look good now. I think Jones shouldn't be given a camera and a microphone because he always says something pretty stupid or offensive. As for the performance in this game, it's simply hard for any road team to come into the Superdome and perform well. Drew Brees simply owns this building.

Buccaneers' Donald Penn scores touchdown and helps
team get their first win.

Miami Dolphins 19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 22

One team has a problem with their head coach, while the other team has issues with players in the locker room. Both of these teams have issues, but the Buccaneers issues have been silent since the departure of Josh Freeman. The controversy surrounding the Dolphins is front and center all over the country. It probably didn't have anything to do with the outcome of the game, but losing two of the five starting linemen on your offensive line doesn't help either. The Buccaneers and Jaguars got their first win, and the other Florida team surrendered one of the wins. Odd.