#NFL Week In Review - Week 14

 Welcome to the Week in Review.  RIP Mike Leach.

[TNF] Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Rams

The Narrative

"Are they really gonna be crazy enough to play Baker Mayfield after one practice?"

The Outcome

 It was as dull and predictable as feared...  Right up until the fourth quarter.

Where it started to look exactly like the Bucs/Saints.  Only even more unbelievable because A) Baker Mayfield.  B) Probably doesn't' know the names of all his receivers yet.

Also like Bucs/Saints; the Raiders stans are trying to blame the loss on one missed call.  To which I say:

Did the refs cause Amik Robertson to commit a blatant PI on Van Jefferson, negating a game-sealing INT?  Did the refs -  ON THE VERY NEXT PLAY - cause Jerry Tillery to commit a STUPID Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty (swatting the ball out of Mayfield's hands after the whistle), negating a crippling Maxx Crosby sack? Did the refs make the Raiders play both the Rams' final scoring drives in press coverage, rather than clock-eating zone coverage?

I think my point is made.

In those 25 plays, Baker Mayfield played better ball than he did arguably all of 2021.  DEFINITELY better than anything he did in Carolina.¹  I thought the Rams grabbed Mayfield with an eye on 2023.  Apparently, the future is now.

And, as many have pointed out:  Josh McDaniels' last two losses have been to a head coach who was in a TV booth the week prior and a quarterback who was on another team less than a week ago.  I don't care what kind of financial gymnastics the Raiders need to do, but they need to get rid of Josh McDaniels yesterday.

Whodat Shoutout:

Ben Skowronek,  Seventh round (2021) WR out of Notre Dame.  Doing his best Cooper Kupp impression, he led the Rams with 89 yards on seven receptions.

Rams 17, Raiders 16

1. Which may be taking over from the Raiders as the "the team where careers go to die."

Houston Texans @ Dallas Cowboys

The Narrative

This is going to be ugly (Dallas names the score) or ugly (the Texans turn it into a rockfight).

Even then, I cannot conceive of a scenario where Dallas actually loses to this trash fire.

The Outcome

 And yet... It almost happened. 

 A mix of the sloppy play and baffling play calling decisions that have plagued the Cowboys all season and the Texans apparently deciding "This is our Super Bowl" and going YOLO (platooning QBs in 2022?  Why not?) kept the Texans within a score or ahead for most of the game.  It took a 98-yard drive at the end to put away the suddenly scrappy Texans.

Wins are wins, true enough.  But Dallas loses this game if they played like that vs. literally anyone else.  They escaped a clear trap game (looking ahead to the final stretch, containing Philly and three other playoff contenders).

As stated earlier, this felt like the Texans making one last grasp at a win, given that they're three back in the loss column for the worst record/#1 pick.  They can afford to screw up and win a couple of feel-good games  and still secure the bag.

Whodat Shoutout:

Texans WR Chris Moore (2016, 4-106  - Cincinatti).  Pulled down a career-high 10 catches for 124.  His previous high this year was five catches and 70 yards (in separate games)

Cowboys 27, Texans 23

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans

The Narrative

A suddenly surging Jaguars team travels to a suddenly shaky looking Titans squad.

The Outcome

Derrick Henry, first quarter 11 carries, 84  yards 1 TD.  Titans 14, Jags 7.

Henry,  rest of the game: 7 carries, 25 yards, 1 fumble .  Jaguars 29, Titans 8

How to beat the Titans, in a nutshell:  Stop Henry, and the Titans don't have the second option or the passing game to compensate. Especially if their opponent has the firepower to push the lead. (Trevor Lawrence threw for a career-high 368 yards and 3 TDs).  The four turnovers didn't help, to be sure.

The Titans have lost three straight for the first time under Mike Vrabel and to Jacksonville at home for the first time since 2013.  The Jags are now two back of the Titans with a home rematch still to come.

Yes, the Jaguars have a real chance at winning the AFC South.  A team that started 2-7 can make the playoffs.  And that's the wonderful/horrible thing about NFL football.  #TheDreamIsReal

Whodat Shoutout:

LB Foyesade Oluokun (2018, 6-200, Yale): Led the Jags with 10 tackles and 4 assists.

Jags 36, Titans 22

 

New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills

The Narrative

 It's the battle for AFC North supremacy!  Or more likely another section of the Jets collapse from dark horse contender to division cellar dweller.

The Outcome

Not only was it the latter, they lost QB Mike White via concussion protocol.  And replaced him with Joe Flacco, not Zach Wilson (who was inactive).  Pretty much says it all about how the current J-E-T-S (So Disappointing) view Wilson.

Not that it was all sunshine and lollypops for the Bills.  Josh Allen had another lackluster game (147 yards passing, 1 TD) and the Jets managed to shut down Stefan Diggs (3-37).  They've got four games to get back on track.  They're looking like a one-and-done candidate right now.

Whodat Shoutout:

Jets RB Zonovan Knight (Rookie UDFA, NC State).  The Jets' leading rusher for the last three games, gaining 17-71 and his first TD vs. the Bills.

Bills 20, Jets 12

Cleveland Browns @ Cincinatti Bengals

The Narrative

Round Two of The Deshaun Watson Error Era

The Outcome

 Two games, one TD pass, two INTs, two losses.

The savior of Browns football, folks!

Granted, the Bengals utterly shutting down Nick Chubb¹ didn't help that cause.  This was a team that beat Cincy four times out of five coming in.

And they did it all without Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, to boot.

Whodat Shoutout:

Bengals WRs Trent Taylor (2017, 5-177, LA Tech) and Trenton Irwin (2021 UDFA, Stanford): They filled in  for the aforementioned Boyd and Higgins, combining for 3 catches for 94 yards and a TD .  The bulk of Joe Burrow's passes going to Ja'Maar Chase (10-119-1)

 
Bengals 23, Browns 10

1. Who, don't forget, led the league in rushing for basically the first half of the season.  WTF happened there?
   

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions

The Narrative

 The Vikings came in at 10-2.  The Lions at 5-7.

Detroit was favored by 2.5.

The Outcome

 Break up the goddamned Lions!

From 1-6 and on the cusp of firing coach Dan Campbell, to 6-7 and within range of the playoffs.  Fueled by Jared Goff having his best stretch since his Super Bowl season in LA. (330 and 3 for the game). And they seem  to have zeroed in on the secret of beating the Vikes consistently: Let Kirk Cousins go nuts and they'll forget they have a running game. (15-23-1 for Dalvin Cook).

Even with Justin Jefferson making Vikings Nation forget Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielan was actually a thing (a franchise record 223 yards on 11 catches) and Kirk Cousins having his best game of the season (425 and 2), the injury-depleted defense simply couldn't get stops in crunch time.

The Vikes need one more win to clinch the division (and with it, a home playoff game).  With the Colts, Giants, Packers and Bears left on the schedule, they'll likely lock it down.  But given their current downward trend, it's not out of the question that their clinching win will be their last of the season.

Whodat Shoutout:

WR Jameson Williams (Rookie, 1-12).  Yeah, you might not think of a first rounder as a Whodat, but he qualifies when this was his second game of 2022.  After what was bascially his preseason game last week, the Lions gave him a full game and he responded with a 41-yard TD catch.  He was drafted to give Goff a deep threat and this shows they might be on the right track.

Lions 34, Vikings 23

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants

The Narrative

 The Eagles look to lock down the NFC East and maintain their hold on teh #1 seed.  The Giants look to come out of their current 1-3-1 tailspin.

The Outcome

 Unlike the Vikings, the Eagles have answered the bell at nearly every call¹.  Even scarier, they seem to be hitting their stride, winning their last three (including here) 133-65. Jalen "Y'all Thought Tua Was Better Than Me!" Hurts continues his "Cam Newton from 2015" impersonation, throwing for 217 and 2 and rushing for another 77 and 1.  

Hurts became the second QB with multiple seasons of 10 or more rushing TDs (Newton is the other) and the first with back-to-back such seasons.

Not content to let Hurts have all the fun, Miles Sanders went 17-144-2

The Eagles' #2-ranked defense also shut down the Giants offense.  Put it simply, when Tyrod Taylor is yur leading ground gainer (2-40), something has gone horribly wrong.

Whodat Shoutout:

Eagles WR Britain Covey (Rookie UDFA, Utah):  The Eagles' primary punt returner stepped in as holder on kicks when the regular holder (punter  Arryn Siposs) was injured.

Eagles 48, Giants 22

1. Which makes their loss to Washington even more of a headscratcher.
   

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

The Narrative

 Tyler Huntley vs. Kenny Pickett!  That's a marquee matchup baby!

The Outcome

 A matchup that somehow turned into Anthony Brown vs Mitch Trubisky.

The Steelers added fuel the concussion protocol fire by pulling Pickett in the first quarter, letting him play one more series, then sitting him for the rest of the game.  Then the Ravens lost Huntley to the CP, leaving the Raiders in teh hands of Brown, an undrafted rookie out of Oregon, who was a practice squad player prior to RB8's injury.

 Mention must be made of JK Dobbins, making his return after his second knee surgery in a calendar year (15-120-1)

TL;DR: The injury list was more interesting than the game.

Whodat Shoutout:

Brown, obviously.  His stats were nothing to write home about (3-5 for 16), but the fact that he answered the bell at all deserves a shoutout.

Ravens 16, Steelers 13

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

The Narrative

Dallas vs. Houston, but divisional.

The Outcome

 If Denver played offense like this earlier, they're probably a playoff team.

KC looked liek they were cruising to victory, being up 27-0 against the league's worst offense.

But somehow, something must have clicked in Mr. Ciara's head.  The Broncos scored 21 straight points to pull within 6: Russ hitting Jerry Jeudy twice and a third with a 66-yd screen pass to Marlon Mack.

Then Russ was absorbed by the Concussion Protocol Collective and that was that.  The Chiefs (who played a damn sloppy game, truth be told) took back over and the Broncos never threatened again.  Brett Rypien threw a fourth-quarter TD to make it respectable, but the end was the same for Denver.

I do wonder if, if the Broncos offense kept this pace up for the rest of the season, if that would be enough to save Nathaniel Hackett's job?

Whodat Shoutout:

Chiefs LB Willie Gay (2020 2-63, Miss. St) who had a pick 6 off Wilson.  Up to this point,Gay's had stints on IR as a Chief than highlights.

Chiefs 34, Broncos 28

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ San Francisco 49ers

The Narrative

Brock Purdy, the first Mr. Irrelevant to start an NFL game at QB vs. Tom Brady (who has infamously feasted on newbies).

The Outcome

Score one for the Irrelevants!

 Purdy was 16-for-21 for 185 yards and two TDs in his first start and looked like a vet out there.  He clearly outplayed Brady, who had more yards (253) but also threw two bad INTs).  In the process, he not only became the first Mr. Irrelevant to win a game as starting QB, but the first QB to beat Brady in his first start. Run CMC backed his rookie up with 117 and 1 on the ground.

Without the defense (down several starters cming in and losing Vita Vea and Jamel Dean over the course of the game), the Bucs offense just couldn't get it down against an inspired Niners team.

For extra feel good vibes, Purdy's parents were at the game.  For extra LOLs: They'd bought tickets months ago... In anticipation of seeing Brady. Though, to be fair, at the time they'd have bought the tickets, Purdy would've been on the practice squad and Trey Lance would've been the starter.

I do wonder how  Lance feels about all of this, watching this nobody come in and look better under center than he every has.

Whodat Shoutout:

Purdy, of course.  And he'll get the chance to show he's not a one-game wonder.

Niners 35, Bucs 7

Carolina Panthers @ Seattle Seahawks

The Narrative

I got nothing.  M.I.P. in-waiting Geno Smith should feast today.

The Outcome

They lost.  At home.  To Sam Darnold.

The fuck?

Whodat Shoutout:

Panthers RB Raheem Blacksheer (UDFA Rookie, Virginia Tech): Scored his second TD of the year on a nifty 8 yard run in the fourth.

Panthers 30, Seahawks 24 

 

[SNF] Miami Dolphins @ Los Angeles Chargers

The Narrative

Oh look, another shaky looking playoff team vs. a team desperate to make the playoffs (and save their coach's job in the process).

The Outcome

Though the real narrative is one I've heard all season long:  How, if you redid the 2020 draft, everyone would take Justin Herbert over Tua Tangyvanilla.  That bunch is probably grinning like the cat that ate the canary at this point.

 Herbert threw for 367 yards and a TD, thoroughly outplaying Tua (10/28 for 145 and 1).  Keenan Allen and Mike Williams combined for 18 catches, 208 yards and a TD.  Tyreke Hill was basically the entire Dolphins offense, scoring on a 57 yard fumble recovery and a 61-yard TD catch

 The win gives the Chargers the final playoff slot - pending the results of the Monday Night game. The loss puts Miami in "Win out and get help" mode as far as the playoffs go.

Whodat Shoutout:

Chargers K Cameron Dicker (Rookie UDFA, Texas) on his fourth team this year, Dicker booted three field goals in the win.

Chargers 23, Dolphins 17 

 

[MNF] New England Patriots @ Arizona Cardinals

The Narrative

Let's be real:  No one knew what to make of this game.

The Outcome

Oh look.  Kyler Murray's hurt.  Again.

And Devante Parker.

And Rhamondre Stevenson.

And Jack Jones. 

 And goddamn this game was hard to watch. 

The Cards may have suffered the more major injury, but the Pats had to reach into the depts of their bench to compensate.  And the Whodats came through for them. Colt McCoy, wily vet that he is, did his best.  But he was under siege all game (6 sacks and 9 QB hits) and doesn't have Murray's athletic ability to compensate. The Cards seemed to come apart as teh game went on (multiple mental mistakes, penalties and turnovers kneecapped any chance at a win).  The Pats came together.

That's basically the difference between between a head coach with championship rings on both hands and a head coach who had a mediocre record in college and a pro record of late season meltdowns.

Early word on Murray is that it's likely an ACL tear, which would likely put him out into the 2023 regular season.  I would be surprised if anyone on this staff or front office will be there to welcome him back.

Whodat Shoutout:

Plenty to choose from on the NE side, but we'll go with RB Pierre Strong (Rookie 4-127, S. Dakota St):  He filled in for Stevenson and answered the call to the tune of 5-70-1.

Patriots 27, Cardinals 13