Sunday Football Afterword: Week 13 Early Games

Adrian Peterson glances at the Jumbotron for pursuing
Packers defenders on an 82-yard touchdown run.
Photo credit to TwinCities.com

For the first time in half a season, we had sixteen games with only one Thursday game to offset the Sunday crowd. It was a packed Sunday, so let’s get into it.

Jacksonville kept things close in Buffalo until the third quarter, but five consecutive scoring drives by Buffalo was too much to overcome. C.J. Spiller was supposed to be the starter, but Fred Jackson got a majority of the team’s carries. He finished with over 100 yards but Spiller had a higher per-carry average and also had the team’s only rushing touchdown by a running back – Fitzpatrick ran for a score in addition to two touchdowns passes.

I will save my ragging on the Chicago Bears for this week’s radio show (be sure to like our Facebook Page because we will not be broadcasting live this week). But a loss against a Seattle team that had only one other road win all season is not very reassuring. A late fourth quarter drive, with a truly remarkable catch by Brandon Marshall, was the only reason the Seahawks had to sweat it out into overtime.

Detroit seemed to have their game locked up against Indianapolis. Andrew Luck threw three interceptions and completed less than 50% of his passes when the game ended. But the Lions got conservative and their defense collapsed, allowing Luck to push his team to two late touchdown drives, including the game-winner to Donnie Avery with no time left on the clock, accurately portrayed in Tecmo, here.

Minnesota did all their scoring in the second quarter and it was not enough to top division rival Green Bay. The Packers move into a virtual tie with the Bears, but they currently own the tiebreaker with one more meeting with Chicago yet to come. The bright spot for the Vikings is that Adrian Peterson continues to make his case for Comeback Player of the Year. He gained over 200 yards on the ground yesterday and is chasing 2000 yards on the year.

After a tragic day in which linebacker Jovan Belcher shot his girlfriend and later turned the gun on himself at the team’s practice facility in front of Romeo Crennel and others, Kansas City rallied around its team and the Chiefs fought to a 27-21 victory against the Panther for their second win of the season.

Tom Brady didn’t look great, but he got the job done in Miami with the help of a good ground attack from Stevan Ridley and Danny Woodhead. Miami did a great job of getting pressure on Brady, but a late time-killing drive was the dagger as New England clinched the AFC East division title, it’s ninth in the last ten years.

The Jets beat the Cardinals, 7-6. The game itself is only worth mentioning because the lone touchdown drive of the game was conducted by Greg McElroy. And for those of you who were upset Tim Tebow was not put in when Rex Ryan removed Mark Sanchez, who threw three interceptions and no touchdowns, keep in mind that Tebow was inactive.

We looked to be headed to a second tie between the 49ers and Rams. Not only would it have been unusual for being a tie between the same two teams who tied earlier in the year, it would have been the first time since 1997, and just the third time since overtime was instituted in 1974, that there would have been two tie games in the same season. Instead, Greg Zuerlein, who connected on a 53-yard field goal with time expiring to send the game into overtime, hit a 54-yarder to win the game for St. Louis with time expiring in overtime to win the game.

Houston had no trouble with Tennessee as they clinched a playoff birth for the second consecutive year, and just the second time in franchise history. They have also tied their record for wins at 11, their total from last season. Houston next faces the Patriots in New England next Monday night.

Check back later for my Sunday Football Afterword for the five late games. Thanks for reading everyone!