Reacting and overreacting to all the pieces that took blueprint within the Week 12 Sunday afternoon video games…
Things That Made Me Giddy
Derrick Henry Déjà Vu: Twenty-seven carries for 178 yards and three TDs because the Titans retake the AFC South lead with a decisive purchase in Indy. This time Henry didn’t wait for the second half; 140 yards and all three of his touchdowns got right here sooner than halftime, staking Tennessee to a 35–14 lead. From Week 10 and on in all places in the final two seasons (in conjunction with playoffs), a span of 12 video games: 296 carries, 1,756 speeding yards (146.3 per sport), 16 TDs.
Mahomes-to-Tyreek: It’s a consume-your-poison notify, and it’s one thing to dedicate additional consideration to Travis Kelce in blueprint of Tyreek Hill. Nonetheless it’s one other thing to explore completely unprepared for Hill’s chase and Mahomes’s arm. Hill had 13 catches for 269 and three touchdowns (of 75, 44 and 20 yards)—and fittingly sealed the game with a third-down have interaction—in an completely dominant efficiency.
Brady Received the Deep Ball Going a Cramped: It was smooth an underwhelming efficiency by the Bucs offense, but Brady hit a downfield seam shot to Resolve Gronkowski, hit Chris Godwin on a deep submit and situated Mike Evans on a 9-route on fourth-and-short for an extended touchdown. Downfield accuracy is no longer a strength of his anymore, but it indubitably’s no longer as problematic because it’s been in previous weeks.
Deebo Samuel Returns: Accidents possess tiny him to 5 video games this season, in conjunction with a hamstring damage that payment him the outdated four. Returning in opposition to L.A. on Sunday, he was reduction to his untackleable self, with 11 catches for 134 yards, in conjunction with a key third-down have interaction-and-chase for 24 and one other short have interaction on the closing power to situation up the game-winning discipline aim.
Kyle Shanahan Gets McVay All but again: With a second upset purchase over the Rams, Shanahan’s 49ers possess now won four straight over McVay’s Rams. It goes to also simply no longer procure them reduction to the postseason (despite the fact that, the style the Cardinals are taking part in, the door is open), but it indubitably could possibly well very neatly break L.A.’s chase for a division title.
Buffalo’s Defense Picks Up the Slack: It was a rocky first a part of the season for Sean McDermott’s community, but of their first sport after the bye they held Justin Herbert in test—football’s most prolific gigantic-play passing offense in 2020 had honest one passing play that went for bigger than 18 yards, and that was a Hail Mary within the closing seconds of a 10-level sport. On a day when Josh Allen didn’t possess it, the protection was there to bail him out. That’s the magic of complementary football.
A Greater Baker: He was wild on a pair of red-zone gimmies (how could possibly well that be—did throwing perfectly into this earn during a Senior Bowl observe indicate nothing?!?!), so there’s some work to impression. But overall, it was an even bigger efficiency for Mayfield in Jacksonville than what we’ve been seeing for tons of of 2020.
Fundamental Stephon Gilmore: The reigning Defensive Player of the twelve months’s encore season has no longer been a memorable one, but he went toe-to-toe with DeAndre Hopkins on Sunday and bought the higher of the matchup (Hopkins had five catches for 55 yards, drew one keeping penalty within the tip zone and the two of them had offsetting hasten interference penalties on which Hopkins-ideal must smooth had been flagged.)
Jeremy Chinn: Esteem a younger Cris Carter, he ideal rankings touchdowns. I haven’t had time to overview it, but I’m guessing two fumble-return TDs in a 10-second span for the Panthers rookie is a pronounce.
Joey Bosa Is in Josh Allen’s Face: Bosa was dominant in Orchard Park, with three sacks (despite the fact that one was free attributable to a blown protection) and one stuff of Allen on a third-and-short designed chase.
Bengals Educate Joe Ponder the Lawful Which components of Special Groups: Desiring some answers with Brandon Allen below center, Cincinnati bought Brandon Wilson’s 103-yard kickoff return TD early and a wrong punt conversion from their very comprise 20 within the third quarter. A 29-yard punt return by Alex Erickson gave them the ball on the 50, down two points, with 57 seconds left sooner than Allen was strip-sacked to total it. But in a roundabout intention, they’d a risk to beat the Giants despite being outgained 386-155.
Jabaal Sheard Saves Christmas: After an extended punt return brought the Bengals to within a play or two of a sport-winning discipline-aim strive, the aged journeyman saved the Giants—and their plight atop the NFC East—with a strip-sack of Brandon Allen.
Aaron Donald Takes Over: With the offense struggling and the Rams going by intention of an 11-level deficit dull within the third quarter, Donald took matters into his comprise arms by forcing a Raheem Mostert fumble within the backfield that was scooped and scored, then selecting up a sack on the next possession that was soon followed by a hasten-ahead touchdown. T.J. Watt has a compelling case, but Donald is Defensive Player of the twelve months as of now.
Frank Gore’s Sisyphean Afternoon: Twenty-one touches for 86 yards because the Jets’ lead reduction.
Jason Sanders Joins the League of Legs: The Dolphins kicker associated from 54 and 51 yards in East Rutherford, making it 10 straight makes from previous 50, in conjunction with a ideal 8-for-8 this season.
Regrets
Daniel Jones’s Hammy: Abracadaniel limped off after a non-contact damage, tried to advance reduction but didn’t final previous his first hasten strive. If he’s healthy, the Giants are your favorites within the NFC East. If he’s no longer, and it’s Colt McCoy time for Big Blue, obtain a three-sided coin and flip it.
It Gets Away From the Raiders: They’ve overachieved all season—they honest don’t possess the horses on protection excellent now. But coming off a advance-upset of the Chiefs, they got right here out flat as could be in Atlanta and by no components climbed reduction into it. They’re now very noteworthy on the outdoor wanting in on the AFC Wild-Card chase.
Whatever the Broncos Factual Had to Conclude at Quarterback: No team must smooth be made to impression again. Kendall Hinton, the one-time Wake Forest QB, completed 1-for-9 for 13 yards and two interceptions. The Broncos had 112 yards of offense. Their one scoring power was four plays for one yard, ensuing in a 58-yard discipline aim off an interception.
Chargers’ Clock Administration: With 30 seconds left on a running clock and the ball at midfield on the tip of the critical half, they burned their final timeout sooner than a fourth-and-short and proceeded to punt, which is one components of doing things. On the tip of the game, down 10 with the clock running and no timeouts, they got right here up on the ball within the Bills’ 5 after a Hail Mary and tried to chase it. They didn’t ranking, and the clock ran from 24 seconds to six, successfully ending the game.
Zane Gonzalez Comes Up Dinky in Big Second All but again: We seen him miss a possible sport-winner in opposition to Seattle (sooner than making one later in time previous legislation) and advance up short from 49 on a possible sport-tying kick in a loss to Miami. On Sunday in Foxboro, the Playing cards’ embattled kicker disregarded a hasten-ahead kick from 45 within the closing two minutes, leaving the game tied and opening a risk for Sever Folk to purchase it from 50 soon after.
Tampa’s Safeties: Did they no longer know Tyreek Hill was mercurial?
Anthony Castonzo Goes Down: The Colts fade an attractive line when it involves O-line injuries; Philip Rivers requires flawless protection, and Castonzo’s MCL damage could possibly well very neatly payment him a pair video games Indy can’t come up with the cash for to lose. When Castonzo disregarded a sport earlier this season, Le’Raven Clark was torched by Myles Garrett in a loss at Cleveland.
Jared Goff Is Relating to: It’s possible you’ll maybe well presumably presumably also presumably forgive the two interceptions, which got right here below heavy power. But Goff continues to fight when the Rams procure knocked off-schedule. They would possibly be able to’t attach apart it on the protection as noteworthy as they’ve.
A Sloppy Josh Allen: The Chargers took away the gigantic plays, as Allen had ideal one completion for longer than 14 yards (despite the fact that Allen and Stefon Diggs did scheme an early 47-yard hasten interference flag). He compelled a pair throws into nervousness, bigger than the one interception would counsel, and lost a fumble on an change. Had the Bills protection no longer stepped up with their simplest efficiency of the season, Buffalo was ripe for a home upset in opposition to the Chargers. As I deem I’ve talked about roughly 4 million times in all places in the final 16 months: Josh Allen is immense, but streaky.
The Bills’ Hail Mary Defense: This one didn’t payment them, but one sport after the heartbreaker in Arizona they allowed a 53-yard Hail Mary TD that was erased by offensive hasten interference, then on the next play allowed a 55-yarder honest short of the tip zone.
A Handsy Rock Ya-Sin: It was an extended day in an otherwise solid season for the Colts’ second-year nook, who had penalties to erase (despite the fact that, to an extent, trigger) two third-down stops during a second-quarter Titans touchdown power.
Joey Slye Heartbreak from 54: It’s a practice unlike every other: the Panthers kicker attempting a possible sport-winning discipline aim from anyplace between “very long” and “absurdly long.” He situation up from ideal very long in Minnesota, and pulled it broad left by a mile.
Please, Obtain the Flags Away From Alex Kemp’s Crew: No officiating crew throws more phantom flags, namely after the play. The unsportmanlike behavior flag on Zack Moss—it appears for losing the ball and strolling to the sideline Barry Sanders-style after a future—confirmed a total lack of human decency. Any person at Park Avenue, please, terminate the madness.
Missing DeForest Buckner: With their Defensive Player of the twelve months candidate on the COVID list, the Colts looked luxuriate in a assorted protection on Sunday.
Josh Jacobs Residing Dangerously: He’s a perfect participant, and right here’s slightly the collision, but it indubitably’s one thing that has to advance out of his repertoire (and he was, rightfully, flagged for reducing the helmet and initiating contact). It was a tough afternoon in Atlanta for Jacobs, where he rushed seven times for 27 yards and lost a fumble on which he tweaked his ankle.
CBS’s Game Administration: Now unsure why they didn’t air the opening power of the Chiefs-Bucs sport in expose to expose the tip of the Titans-Colts blowout at as soon as followed by an extended chase of commercials. But presumably there is an even bigger target audience quiz for Brie Larson Nissan Rogue commercials than I perceive.
Moments We’ll Sing Our Grandkids About
The Patriots’ Objective-Line Stand: You’re excellent to wonder how a aged team feeble to taking part in for Big Bowls will react over the closing weeks of a lost season. This aim-line terminate on fourth down to total the critical half—the chronically underrated Lawrence Man paving the style for Ja’Whaun Bentley—supplied an resolution.
What We’ll Be Speaking About This Week
Taysom Hill Is Factual Swish: How would he explore if the Saints fell within the support of within the second half? We’re potentially no longer going to search out out this season.
Kliff Kingsbury’s Very Corrupt Month: “How impression you hasten 5-7 with Patrick Mahomes as your quarterback?!?!?!” you identify a query to. Probably this season is offering an resolution on your query. The Cardinals possess continuously gotten beat by groups with a ways much less skills this season despite a protection that continues to overachieve without its simplest participant (198 yards allowed and two takeaways in Foxboro). If no longer for a Hail Mary two weeks ago, the Cardinals could possibly well presumably be sub-.500 and within the midst of a four-sport losing scurry, and we’d be questioning if it’s time for a regime alternate in Arizona.
Send Sam Darnold to Pittsburgh: Let him sit for a year or two within the support of a aged who, luxuriate in Darnold, doesn’t impression the play-plug thing.
How the NFC East Flee Will Be Received: Washington’s technique is attention-grabbing. The minute they went with Alex Smith over Dwayne Haskins they made the commentary that they had been eschewing a passing offense. If this was a 100-yard chase, it’s luxuriate in the Football Team made up our minds they’d sit down on the starting line and belief that the different three runners would all crash their Achilles sooner than reaching the procure line. With Daniel Jones now happening, that technique could possibly well very neatly work. (Though if Jones is healthy, the Giants are the favorites.)
Bucs + AB: Tampa, 6-2 and utilizing a three-sport winning scurry honest about a weeks ago, is now 1-3 since they added Antonio Brown to the roster. You honest if truth be told feel for them. Anyway, as we wrap up the Sunday afternoon plug, delight in this musical different for no inform motive…
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