CowboyMike
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Week 14 brought us checks that weren't cashed, onside kicks that weren't recovered and division titles that weren't clinched. Anthony Smith's well-publicized guarantee didn't work out as planned, the Jets attempted three onside kicks in a three-minute span and the Buccaneers failed to lock up the NFC South with a win in Houston.
Some things, of course, remained constant. The Seahawks won their fourth straight division title, the Patriots won their 13th straight game and the Dolphins lost their 16th straight contest dating back to last season.
Week 15 presents a host of solid matchups, with Browns-Bills serving as the weekend's most intriguing game.
NFL Power Rankings
1
Patriots 1 - 1/2 What's the old saying? If an unknown defensive back makes a big guarantee in the locker room, does it make a sound? Well, apparently, Anthony Smith's check he couldn't cash got heard. The Patriots came out looking ready to strike, picking on him multiple times for long scores in the process. The Pats became the fifth team with a 13-0 record in NFL history, and move within three wins of becoming the first team since the '72 Dolphins to finish a regular season undefeated. The Pats' 34-13 blowout win followed close victories over the Eagles and Ravens. Brady is now just four touchdown passes shy of tying Peyton Manning's record of 49 set in 2004. Meanwhile, Randy Moss is just four TD receptions shy of breaking Jerry Rice's single-season record of 22. They've got the Jets this weekend.
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2
Cowboys 2 - 2/12 The Cowboys just can't seem to lose. In a game in which Dallas led for less than a minute, the 'Boys escaped Detroit with a 28-27 victory. Tony Romo hit Jason Witten on a 16-yard pass with just 18 ticks left on the clock, capping off a 14-0 run to give the Cowboys their 12th win of the season. Romo and Witten were the story. The two connected 15 times for 138 yards, with the biggest completion coming on the game-winning score. Dallas now improves to 12-1 with the tiebreaker over Green Bay. It looks like all roads to Glendale will have to go through Irving.
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3
Colts 3 - 1/4 Eleven months after upsetting Baltimore in the playoffs last season, the Colts blew the Ravens out of their own building on Sunday night. Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes for the second straight week, including the 300th of his career. Combined with the Titans' loss, the Colts are assured their sixth straight trip to the playoffs. Manning was special, going 13-for-17 for 249 yards in the win. Keep an eye on the Colts. They're peaking at the right time.
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4
Packers 4 - 3/22 Ten days after losing to Dallas down in Irving, the Pack bounced back with an absolutely dominating win over Oakland. The Packers clinched the NFC North title and are headed back to the playoffs for the first time in three years. The Packers are 11-2 with three games against sub-.500 teams left on the schedule. Will Blackmon, a second-year player out of Boston College, scored a pair of special-teams touchdowns in the 38-7 rout. The Packers are getting production from everywhere this year.
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5
Jaguars 6 (+1) 4/18 Fred Taylor racked up a season-high 132 yards as the Jaguars bounced back from a 28-25 loss to Indy with a 37-6 blowout of the Panthers. Taylor's biggest run of the day was an 80-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter, a finishing touch on a downright dominant effort for the Jags. The defense was the real story, though. The Jaguars held the Panthers to just 149 yards of offense, caused two turnovers and held DeShaun Foster and Steve Smith under 50 yards apiece. At 9-4, the Jags are a safe bet for the playoffs. They'll likely take on the Steelers or Chargers in a terrific first-round matchup.
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6
Seahawks 7 (+1) 5/20 In a matchup of the NFC West's two top teams, Seattle showed why it's still the best. The Seahawks came out swinging, going up 24-0 midway through the second quarter. The defense stole the show, intercepting Kurt Warner five times and consistently getting into the backfield. The win clinched the 'Hawks' fourth straight division title and guaranteed at least one home playoff game in January. Patrick Kerney had three sacks. It was his third such performance in four games.
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7
Steelers 5 (-2) 3/14 The Steelers could have clinched a playoff berth with a win over the Patriots. Alas, they fell to New England in Foxborough, 34-13. Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, connecting with Randy Moss twice. Safety Anthony Smith guaranteed a victory during the week leading up to the game. He was burned badly twice for scores. After the game, Bill Belichick — not one to comment on any individual players, let alone the other team's — told reporters, "We've played against a lot better safeties than him." Ouch. Pittsburgh looks to bounce back against Jacksonville on Sunday.
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8
Chargers 10 (+2) 3/21 The Chargers rallied from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to earn a 23-17 victory against the Titans in overtime. The gritty win was San Diego's third straight victory and seventh in nine games. For all the negativity surrounding the Chargers this season, they're suddenly 8-5 and in position for a division title and first-round home playoff game. Norv Turner's caught a lot of slack this year. But hey, San Diego's undoubtedly one of the hottest teams in the league.
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9
Giants 9 - 4/29 The Giants escaped a close one in Philadelphia, sweeping the season series with a 16-13 win. Eli Manning connected with Plaxico Burress seven times for 136 yards and a touchdown, and the Giants improved to 6-1 on the road. Justin Tuck forced Brian Westbrook to fumble for the first time since Week 5 of last season, ending a streak of 559 touches in the regular season without losing the ball. It was one of many defensive highlights for the Big Blue D. The Giants look to sweep the season series with a different division foe, the Commanders, on Sunday night.
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10
Browns 11 (+1) 9/32 Up two points with a little over a minute left, Jamal Lewis had arguably his biggest run of the season, carrying three Jets en route to a game-sealing, 31-yard touchdown. In a game that pitted childhood rivals Derek Anderson and Kellen Clemens, the former came out with the victory. With the win, the Browns improved to 8-5 and took control of the second wild-card spot in the AFC. The Browns haven't made the playoffs since 2002. A win over Buffalo next week, and they should be on the fast track to a postseason return.
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11
Titans 12 (+1) 6/26 An absolutely devastating home loss for the Titans on Sunday. Up 14 points with under eight minutes to go, Tennessee fell to San Diego in overtime, 23-17. The Titans had their chances. Leading by a touchdown with the ball late in the fourth quarter, Tennessee failed to run out the clock. Then, with the ball in the extra session, the Titans went three-and-out. The defense sacked Philip Rivers five times and picked him off on three occasions. But it wasn't enough. At 7-6, Tennessee's now going to need a bit of help to qualify for the playoffs.
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12
Buccaneers 8 (-4) 8/30 With Jeff Garcia out with an injury, the Bucs struggled on offense and fell to the Texans in Houston. A win would have locked up the NFC South title for the Bucs. Instead, they'll have to wait on the locker room celebration and commemorative T- shirts. The loss also snapped Tampa's four-game winning streak. The Bucs take on lowly Atlanta at home this weekend.
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13
Vikings 13 - 13/28 Defensive tackle Kevin Williams, who is 311-pounds, intercepted the first pass of Sunday's game with the Niners and returned it for a touchdown. The Vikings never looked back in the 27-7 win. The Vikings got a lift from the defense when Adrian Peterson was held to just three yards. Chester Taylor ran a score in from 84 yards out. At 7-6, the Vikings now control their destiny for the final spot in the wild-card race.
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14
Bills 14 - 11/31 A week after grinding out a hard-earned victory against the Commanders, Buffalo had an easy win against woeful Miami on Sunday. Rookie Trent Edwards had a career day, tossing for 165 yards and four touchdowns. The Bills offense also produced two 100-yard rushers for the first time since 1996, with Fred Jackson going for 115 and Marshawn Lynch chipping in for 107. At 7-6, the Bills are still very much alive in the playoff race. They take on Cleveland on Sunday in what should end up being the most important game of the weekend.
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15
Broncos 15 - 7/26 Jay Cutler completed 20-of-27 passes for 244 yards and tossed four touchdowns in the win over Kansas City. Selvin Young rushed for a career-high 156 yards on 17 carries and 2006 fourth-round pick Elvis Dumervil recorded three sacks. The 34-point win marked the Broncos' biggest blowout in seven seasons. Two games behind the Chargers in the AFC West standings with just three to play, Denver will need a lot of help to get to the postseason this year.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
16
Texans 16 - 11/26 Sage Rosenfels looked pretty good against the Bucs in Houston. Matt Schaub's backup got the start, went 27-for-36 for 209 yards and threw three touchdowns in the Texans' 28-14 win. Rosenfels is 2-0 as the starter this season. Andre Davis returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown. Amazingly, it was the first Texans third-quarter touchdown since Week 2. Darius Walker, the former Notre Dame star, gobbled up 81 total yards in his first NFL game. Who would have ever thought Walker would get regular action before Brady Quinn? Good win for Houston.
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17
Commanders 18 (+1) 10/24 It was had been three years since Todd Collins last attempted a pass and five years since he threw a touchdown pass. No issue. Collins led the Commanders to potentially a season-saving 24-16 win on Thursday night. Jason Campbell left in the second quarter with a dislocated left kneecap a few plays after hurting his right elbow, and Collins filled in admirably. Collins went 15-for-20 for 224 yards and threw two touchdowns.
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18
Cardinals 19 (+1) 12/26 The Cardinals beat the Seahawks earlier this season in Glendale behind a ferocious defense and a high-powered offense. Arizona trailed 24-0 midway through the second quarter in Seattle. Kurt Warner was picked off five times as the Seahawks clinched their fourth straight division title with a dominant 42-21 win over the sputtering Cards. Now 6-7, Arizona will focus on the wild-card race. With games against New Orleans, Atlanta and St. Louis ahead, the second wild-card spot is certainly still a possibility.
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19
Lions 20 (+1) 9/26 At the midway point of the season, the Lions were 6-2 and on the fast track to a playoff spot. Five weeks later, they're 6-7 and on the outside looking in. Jon Kitna had his team up 14 points on the Cowboys late in the third quarter, only to see the Lions fall at home, 28-27. Detroit hasn't made the playoffs since Matt Millen took charge of the franchise in 2001. Looks like that streak will continue another year.
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20
Saints 17 (-3) 4/30 The Saints rebounded from one of the worst losses any team's had all season against Tampa by routing the Falcons in Atlanta on Monday night. Drew Brees was on fire, connecting on 28-of-41 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns. The defense also played well. On top of a Roman Harper 31-yard interception return for a touchdown, the Saints held the Falcons to just 37 yards rushing. New Orleans, amazingly enough — despite all its inconsistency — is just a game out as far as the NFC's final playoff spot goes.
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21
Eagles 21 - 11/27 The Eagles lost their third straight game on Sunday, falling to the Giants in Philadelphia. The loss was the Eagles' second to the Giants this season, and their fifth loss of the year by four points or less. Donovan McNabb looked pretty good, but the defending NFC East champions couldn't get past surging New York. At 5-8, it's likely time for Philly fans to look ahead to next year.
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22
Bears 22 - 4/24 So much for a repeat trip to the Super Bowl. Following a devastating 24-16 loss in Washington, it looks like an NFC title defense won't be in the cards for the Bears. At 5-8, any shot at the playoffs looks to be slim. "It's pretty much over now," defensive end Alex Brown told reporters after the game. With Rex Grossman out with a knee injury early in the first quarter, Brian Griese never quite got the Bears going. The former Michigan star threw interceptions on consecutive passes in the second quarter and never really recovered. Now Kyle Orton is getting a shot.
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23
Bengals 26 (+3) 7/26 The Bengals grinded out a win in what ended up being downright horrendous weather conditions on Sunday. Cincinnati beat St. Louis, 19-10, getting a solid performance out of a beleaguered defense from start to finish. The pouring rain really played a role, as both teams failed to get their offenses going. Rudi Johnson, battling a hamstring injury all year, put the game away with six carries for 48 yards in the closing minutes, setting up Shayne Graham's game-clinching field goal.
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24
Panthers 28 (+4) 12/30 The Panthers lost for the sixth time in seven games, getting absolutely blown out by the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Vinny Testaverde struggled, going just 13-for-28 for 84 yards and an interception before being replaced by undrafted rookie Matt Moore. Moore fared no better. Carolina is 5-8 and pretty much done. For the second season in a row, Jake Delhomme's backups just couldn't get the job done when called upon.
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25
Ravens 25 - 5/27 Talk about a hangover. Six days after nearly beating the Patriots in a Monday night thrill ride, the Ravens got absolutely destroyed by the Colts. Peyton Manning sliced and diced the Ravens, going 12-for-16 for 209 yards and three touchdowns in the first half to build a 37-7 lead. If there was any bright spot, it was the Ravens' final drive. Rookie Troy Smith looked fantastic leading the Ravens to a touchdown. Of course, it was against the Colts' eighth-string defense.
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26
Jets 29 (+3) 12/29 Questionable clock management and late-game coaching decisions, as well as red zone miscues and an inability to stop Jamal Lewis led to a 24-18 loss to Cleveland. Derek Anderson beat Kellen Clemens three out of four times in high school and the two quarterbacks split their meetings in college. Anderson got the best of Clemens in their first matchup as NFL starting quarterbacks. Clemens threw for more yards but had two costly interceptions. Kerry Rhodes extended his interception streak to four games, but the Jets fell to 3-10 with the loss. They take on the Patriots in New England next weekend. Yikes.
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27
Chiefs 23 (-4) 10/30 The Chiefs lost their sixth straight game and fell to 4-9 with a devastating 41-7 loss in Denver. KC went three-and-out eight times and had three turnovers in the defeat. Denver outgained the Chiefs 453 to 129, including a 215-16 margin in the rushing game. It was a true manhandling. Kansas City, once 4-3 and in first place in the AFC West, takes on playoff-hungry Tennessee this weekend.
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28
Raiders 24 (-4) 18/32 The Raiders entered Sunday's game with the Packers as winners of two straight. They left with a grasp of just how good Green Bay is this season. Oakland struggled to get the offense going in the 18-degree cold and got lit up by the Packers' special teams. Will Blackmon posted the first punt-return TD ever surrendered by Raiders punter Shane Lechler. It doesn't get much easier for the Raiders. Oakland takes on Indy this weekend.
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29
49ers 30 (+1) 9/31 The 49ers held Adrian Peterson to just three yards on 14 carries but still fell to the Vikings at home, 27-7. Shaun Hill played admirably in relief of Trent Dilfer, going 22-for-28 for 181 yards, but it wasn't enough to bring the home crowd a victory. At 3-10, the Niners are now playing for pride from here on out. They take on the Bengals this weekend.
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30
Rams 27 (-3) 17/32 Brock Berlin did what he could in his first NFL start, but it wasn't enough. He went 17-for-28 for 153 yards and threw an interception. Now 3-10 with the 11-2 Packers up ahead, the Rams look to be in for more trouble.
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31
Falcons 31 - 25/32 On the same day that the former face of the franchise was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison, the rudderless Falcons fell to the Saints 34-14 in Atlanta. Despite a solid effort out of receiver Michael Jenkins (8 catches, 83 yards and 1 touchdown), the offense was more or less inept against a Saints' defense that hasn't exactly been the '85 Bears this season. The bright side of all this? There's just three weeks left in the season. The draft is right around the corner. And so, perhaps, is the chance to snag Louisville quarterback — and former Bobby Petrino disciple — Brian Brohm.
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32
Dolphins 32 - 28/32 For as bad as the Dolphins have been this season, they may have had their worst game of the season Sunday in Buffalo. Two different Bills players ran for over 100 yards and rookie Trent Edwards threw for four touchdowns. The Buffalo D sacked John Beck five times and forced four turnovers. Miami has now dropped 16 straight dating back to last season, matching the eighth-longest losing streak in NFL history. They are an awful, awful football team.
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Some things, of course, remained constant. The Seahawks won their fourth straight division title, the Patriots won their 13th straight game and the Dolphins lost their 16th straight contest dating back to last season.
Week 15 presents a host of solid matchups, with Browns-Bills serving as the weekend's most intriguing game.
NFL Power Rankings
1
Patriots 1 - 1/2 What's the old saying? If an unknown defensive back makes a big guarantee in the locker room, does it make a sound? Well, apparently, Anthony Smith's check he couldn't cash got heard. The Patriots came out looking ready to strike, picking on him multiple times for long scores in the process. The Pats became the fifth team with a 13-0 record in NFL history, and move within three wins of becoming the first team since the '72 Dolphins to finish a regular season undefeated. The Pats' 34-13 blowout win followed close victories over the Eagles and Ravens. Brady is now just four touchdown passes shy of tying Peyton Manning's record of 49 set in 2004. Meanwhile, Randy Moss is just four TD receptions shy of breaking Jerry Rice's single-season record of 22. They've got the Jets this weekend.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
2
Cowboys 2 - 2/12 The Cowboys just can't seem to lose. In a game in which Dallas led for less than a minute, the 'Boys escaped Detroit with a 28-27 victory. Tony Romo hit Jason Witten on a 16-yard pass with just 18 ticks left on the clock, capping off a 14-0 run to give the Cowboys their 12th win of the season. Romo and Witten were the story. The two connected 15 times for 138 yards, with the biggest completion coming on the game-winning score. Dallas now improves to 12-1 with the tiebreaker over Green Bay. It looks like all roads to Glendale will have to go through Irving.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
3
Colts 3 - 1/4 Eleven months after upsetting Baltimore in the playoffs last season, the Colts blew the Ravens out of their own building on Sunday night. Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes for the second straight week, including the 300th of his career. Combined with the Titans' loss, the Colts are assured their sixth straight trip to the playoffs. Manning was special, going 13-for-17 for 249 yards in the win. Keep an eye on the Colts. They're peaking at the right time. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
4
Packers 4 - 3/22 Ten days after losing to Dallas down in Irving, the Pack bounced back with an absolutely dominating win over Oakland. The Packers clinched the NFC North title and are headed back to the playoffs for the first time in three years. The Packers are 11-2 with three games against sub-.500 teams left on the schedule. Will Blackmon, a second-year player out of Boston College, scored a pair of special-teams touchdowns in the 38-7 rout. The Packers are getting production from everywhere this year. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
5
Jaguars 6 (+1) 4/18 Fred Taylor racked up a season-high 132 yards as the Jaguars bounced back from a 28-25 loss to Indy with a 37-6 blowout of the Panthers. Taylor's biggest run of the day was an 80-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter, a finishing touch on a downright dominant effort for the Jags. The defense was the real story, though. The Jaguars held the Panthers to just 149 yards of offense, caused two turnovers and held DeShaun Foster and Steve Smith under 50 yards apiece. At 9-4, the Jags are a safe bet for the playoffs. They'll likely take on the Steelers or Chargers in a terrific first-round matchup. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
6
Seahawks 7 (+1) 5/20 In a matchup of the NFC West's two top teams, Seattle showed why it's still the best. The Seahawks came out swinging, going up 24-0 midway through the second quarter. The defense stole the show, intercepting Kurt Warner five times and consistently getting into the backfield. The win clinched the 'Hawks' fourth straight division title and guaranteed at least one home playoff game in January. Patrick Kerney had three sacks. It was his third such performance in four games. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
7
Steelers 5 (-2) 3/14 The Steelers could have clinched a playoff berth with a win over the Patriots. Alas, they fell to New England in Foxborough, 34-13. Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, connecting with Randy Moss twice. Safety Anthony Smith guaranteed a victory during the week leading up to the game. He was burned badly twice for scores. After the game, Bill Belichick — not one to comment on any individual players, let alone the other team's — told reporters, "We've played against a lot better safeties than him." Ouch. Pittsburgh looks to bounce back against Jacksonville on Sunday. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
8
Chargers 10 (+2) 3/21 The Chargers rallied from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to earn a 23-17 victory against the Titans in overtime. The gritty win was San Diego's third straight victory and seventh in nine games. For all the negativity surrounding the Chargers this season, they're suddenly 8-5 and in position for a division title and first-round home playoff game. Norv Turner's caught a lot of slack this year. But hey, San Diego's undoubtedly one of the hottest teams in the league. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
9
Giants 9 - 4/29 The Giants escaped a close one in Philadelphia, sweeping the season series with a 16-13 win. Eli Manning connected with Plaxico Burress seven times for 136 yards and a touchdown, and the Giants improved to 6-1 on the road. Justin Tuck forced Brian Westbrook to fumble for the first time since Week 5 of last season, ending a streak of 559 touches in the regular season without losing the ball. It was one of many defensive highlights for the Big Blue D. The Giants look to sweep the season series with a different division foe, the Commanders, on Sunday night. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
10
Browns 11 (+1) 9/32 Up two points with a little over a minute left, Jamal Lewis had arguably his biggest run of the season, carrying three Jets en route to a game-sealing, 31-yard touchdown. In a game that pitted childhood rivals Derek Anderson and Kellen Clemens, the former came out with the victory. With the win, the Browns improved to 8-5 and took control of the second wild-card spot in the AFC. The Browns haven't made the playoffs since 2002. A win over Buffalo next week, and they should be on the fast track to a postseason return. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
11
Titans 12 (+1) 6/26 An absolutely devastating home loss for the Titans on Sunday. Up 14 points with under eight minutes to go, Tennessee fell to San Diego in overtime, 23-17. The Titans had their chances. Leading by a touchdown with the ball late in the fourth quarter, Tennessee failed to run out the clock. Then, with the ball in the extra session, the Titans went three-and-out. The defense sacked Philip Rivers five times and picked him off on three occasions. But it wasn't enough. At 7-6, Tennessee's now going to need a bit of help to qualify for the playoffs. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
12
Buccaneers 8 (-4) 8/30 With Jeff Garcia out with an injury, the Bucs struggled on offense and fell to the Texans in Houston. A win would have locked up the NFC South title for the Bucs. Instead, they'll have to wait on the locker room celebration and commemorative T- shirts. The loss also snapped Tampa's four-game winning streak. The Bucs take on lowly Atlanta at home this weekend.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
13
Vikings 13 - 13/28 Defensive tackle Kevin Williams, who is 311-pounds, intercepted the first pass of Sunday's game with the Niners and returned it for a touchdown. The Vikings never looked back in the 27-7 win. The Vikings got a lift from the defense when Adrian Peterson was held to just three yards. Chester Taylor ran a score in from 84 yards out. At 7-6, the Vikings now control their destiny for the final spot in the wild-card race. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
14
Bills 14 - 11/31 A week after grinding out a hard-earned victory against the Commanders, Buffalo had an easy win against woeful Miami on Sunday. Rookie Trent Edwards had a career day, tossing for 165 yards and four touchdowns. The Bills offense also produced two 100-yard rushers for the first time since 1996, with Fred Jackson going for 115 and Marshawn Lynch chipping in for 107. At 7-6, the Bills are still very much alive in the playoff race. They take on Cleveland on Sunday in what should end up being the most important game of the weekend. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
15
Broncos 15 - 7/26 Jay Cutler completed 20-of-27 passes for 244 yards and tossed four touchdowns in the win over Kansas City. Selvin Young rushed for a career-high 156 yards on 17 carries and 2006 fourth-round pick Elvis Dumervil recorded three sacks. The 34-point win marked the Broncos' biggest blowout in seven seasons. Two games behind the Chargers in the AFC West standings with just three to play, Denver will need a lot of help to get to the postseason this year. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
16
Texans 16 - 11/26 Sage Rosenfels looked pretty good against the Bucs in Houston. Matt Schaub's backup got the start, went 27-for-36 for 209 yards and threw three touchdowns in the Texans' 28-14 win. Rosenfels is 2-0 as the starter this season. Andre Davis returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown. Amazingly, it was the first Texans third-quarter touchdown since Week 2. Darius Walker, the former Notre Dame star, gobbled up 81 total yards in his first NFL game. Who would have ever thought Walker would get regular action before Brady Quinn? Good win for Houston. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
17
Commanders 18 (+1) 10/24 It was had been three years since Todd Collins last attempted a pass and five years since he threw a touchdown pass. No issue. Collins led the Commanders to potentially a season-saving 24-16 win on Thursday night. Jason Campbell left in the second quarter with a dislocated left kneecap a few plays after hurting his right elbow, and Collins filled in admirably. Collins went 15-for-20 for 224 yards and threw two touchdowns.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
18
Cardinals 19 (+1) 12/26 The Cardinals beat the Seahawks earlier this season in Glendale behind a ferocious defense and a high-powered offense. Arizona trailed 24-0 midway through the second quarter in Seattle. Kurt Warner was picked off five times as the Seahawks clinched their fourth straight division title with a dominant 42-21 win over the sputtering Cards. Now 6-7, Arizona will focus on the wild-card race. With games against New Orleans, Atlanta and St. Louis ahead, the second wild-card spot is certainly still a possibility. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
19
Lions 20 (+1) 9/26 At the midway point of the season, the Lions were 6-2 and on the fast track to a playoff spot. Five weeks later, they're 6-7 and on the outside looking in. Jon Kitna had his team up 14 points on the Cowboys late in the third quarter, only to see the Lions fall at home, 28-27. Detroit hasn't made the playoffs since Matt Millen took charge of the franchise in 2001. Looks like that streak will continue another year.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
20
Saints 17 (-3) 4/30 The Saints rebounded from one of the worst losses any team's had all season against Tampa by routing the Falcons in Atlanta on Monday night. Drew Brees was on fire, connecting on 28-of-41 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns. The defense also played well. On top of a Roman Harper 31-yard interception return for a touchdown, the Saints held the Falcons to just 37 yards rushing. New Orleans, amazingly enough — despite all its inconsistency — is just a game out as far as the NFC's final playoff spot goes.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
21
Eagles 21 - 11/27 The Eagles lost their third straight game on Sunday, falling to the Giants in Philadelphia. The loss was the Eagles' second to the Giants this season, and their fifth loss of the year by four points or less. Donovan McNabb looked pretty good, but the defending NFC East champions couldn't get past surging New York. At 5-8, it's likely time for Philly fans to look ahead to next year. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
22
Bears 22 - 4/24 So much for a repeat trip to the Super Bowl. Following a devastating 24-16 loss in Washington, it looks like an NFC title defense won't be in the cards for the Bears. At 5-8, any shot at the playoffs looks to be slim. "It's pretty much over now," defensive end Alex Brown told reporters after the game. With Rex Grossman out with a knee injury early in the first quarter, Brian Griese never quite got the Bears going. The former Michigan star threw interceptions on consecutive passes in the second quarter and never really recovered. Now Kyle Orton is getting a shot.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
23
Bengals 26 (+3) 7/26 The Bengals grinded out a win in what ended up being downright horrendous weather conditions on Sunday. Cincinnati beat St. Louis, 19-10, getting a solid performance out of a beleaguered defense from start to finish. The pouring rain really played a role, as both teams failed to get their offenses going. Rudi Johnson, battling a hamstring injury all year, put the game away with six carries for 48 yards in the closing minutes, setting up Shayne Graham's game-clinching field goal. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
24
Panthers 28 (+4) 12/30 The Panthers lost for the sixth time in seven games, getting absolutely blown out by the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Vinny Testaverde struggled, going just 13-for-28 for 84 yards and an interception before being replaced by undrafted rookie Matt Moore. Moore fared no better. Carolina is 5-8 and pretty much done. For the second season in a row, Jake Delhomme's backups just couldn't get the job done when called upon.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
25
Ravens 25 - 5/27 Talk about a hangover. Six days after nearly beating the Patriots in a Monday night thrill ride, the Ravens got absolutely destroyed by the Colts. Peyton Manning sliced and diced the Ravens, going 12-for-16 for 209 yards and three touchdowns in the first half to build a 37-7 lead. If there was any bright spot, it was the Ravens' final drive. Rookie Troy Smith looked fantastic leading the Ravens to a touchdown. Of course, it was against the Colts' eighth-string defense. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
26
Jets 29 (+3) 12/29 Questionable clock management and late-game coaching decisions, as well as red zone miscues and an inability to stop Jamal Lewis led to a 24-18 loss to Cleveland. Derek Anderson beat Kellen Clemens three out of four times in high school and the two quarterbacks split their meetings in college. Anderson got the best of Clemens in their first matchup as NFL starting quarterbacks. Clemens threw for more yards but had two costly interceptions. Kerry Rhodes extended his interception streak to four games, but the Jets fell to 3-10 with the loss. They take on the Patriots in New England next weekend. Yikes.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
27
Chiefs 23 (-4) 10/30 The Chiefs lost their sixth straight game and fell to 4-9 with a devastating 41-7 loss in Denver. KC went three-and-out eight times and had three turnovers in the defeat. Denver outgained the Chiefs 453 to 129, including a 215-16 margin in the rushing game. It was a true manhandling. Kansas City, once 4-3 and in first place in the AFC West, takes on playoff-hungry Tennessee this weekend. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
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Raiders 24 (-4) 18/32 The Raiders entered Sunday's game with the Packers as winners of two straight. They left with a grasp of just how good Green Bay is this season. Oakland struggled to get the offense going in the 18-degree cold and got lit up by the Packers' special teams. Will Blackmon posted the first punt-return TD ever surrendered by Raiders punter Shane Lechler. It doesn't get much easier for the Raiders. Oakland takes on Indy this weekend.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
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49ers 30 (+1) 9/31 The 49ers held Adrian Peterson to just three yards on 14 carries but still fell to the Vikings at home, 27-7. Shaun Hill played admirably in relief of Trent Dilfer, going 22-for-28 for 181 yards, but it wasn't enough to bring the home crowd a victory. At 3-10, the Niners are now playing for pride from here on out. They take on the Bengals this weekend. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
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Rams 27 (-3) 17/32 Brock Berlin did what he could in his first NFL start, but it wasn't enough. He went 17-for-28 for 153 yards and threw an interception. Now 3-10 with the 11-2 Packers up ahead, the Rams look to be in for more trouble.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
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Falcons 31 - 25/32 On the same day that the former face of the franchise was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison, the rudderless Falcons fell to the Saints 34-14 in Atlanta. Despite a solid effort out of receiver Michael Jenkins (8 catches, 83 yards and 1 touchdown), the offense was more or less inept against a Saints' defense that hasn't exactly been the '85 Bears this season. The bright side of all this? There's just three weeks left in the season. The draft is right around the corner. And so, perhaps, is the chance to snag Louisville quarterback — and former Bobby Petrino disciple — Brian Brohm. Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
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Dolphins 32 - 28/32 For as bad as the Dolphins have been this season, they may have had their worst game of the season Sunday in Buffalo. Two different Bills players ran for over 100 yards and rookie Trent Edwards threw for four touchdowns. The Buffalo D sacked John Beck five times and forced four turnovers. Miami has now dropped 16 straight dating back to last season, matching the eighth-longest losing streak in NFL history. They are an awful, awful football team.Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy
holy crap, 9 sacks in 4 games? and I thought he was washed up before this year, silly me