Week 14’s Bloody Sunday

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NFL

Week 14’s Sunday Games Shift Playoff Bracket with Multiple Upsets

Sunday, Bloody Sunday. After 14 games, the NFL reminded fans that it is a week by week league. Over half of the games played resulted in an upset or dramatic fashion.

Several of the results have changed the current playoff bracket. With just three weeks remaining in the regular season, Week 14 likely decided several teams’ futures.

Biggest Upsets

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

As always, the Dolphins left nothing on the field in attempts to take a win from Tom Brady and the Patriots. After a hard fought game filled with rarely missed opportunities from Brady, Patriots’ kicker Stephen Gostkowski drilled a 50-yard field goal to put New England ahead.

With just four seconds left on the game clock, Dolphins’ quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw a bullet pass to Kenny Stills. Stills then set in motion a series of laterals that culminated in a 52-yard touchdown run by Kenyan Drake with no time left on the clock. The Dolphins won 34-33

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans

The Colts managed to snap the Texans’ nine-game winning streak in an incredibly important division matchup. After going down 7-0 in the first quarter, Andrew Luck and the Colts put up 17 points in the second half. After both teams put up a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, and the Texans scoring another in the fourth, the Colts were able to hold on.

Colts’ QB Andrew Luck was one yard away from a 400 passing yard game. His top receiver, T.Y. Hilton was one yard away from a 200 receiving yard game. While the backfield didn’t contribute much, Luck himself ran for 16 yards.

The Texans’ backfield struggled as Deshaun Watson had a moderate performance. Their defensive blunders in the second quarter were too much to make up for. The Colts won 24-21.

Carolina Panthers at Cleveland Browns

As outlined earlier in the week, this matchup was one of the less publicized but maybe one of the most important. The Browns, who were fittingly underdogs, took charge early in the game off of an impressive performance by rookie QB Baker Mayfield. What may have been the Browns’ best offensive performance all year, was countered with one of Christian McCaffery’s worst.

McCaffery, the Panthers’ star RB and the backbone of the offense, ran for just 63 yards and 38 receiving yards. For most backs in the league that would be a great day, for the Panthers, however, it wouldn’t be enough. Cam Newton completed only 26 of 42 attempts throwing one interception and zero touchdowns. The Browns won 26-20.

Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers

The previously 2-10 49ers pulled off one of the most shocking upsets from this weekend. The team who was once led by Jimmy Garoppolo, now being led by Nick Mullens, put up 332 yards in the air and 94 yards on the ground. George Kittle had seven receptions for a staggering 210 receiving yards.

Broncos’ running backs Philip Lindsay and Royce Freeman combined for only 66 rushing yards. Case Keenum completed just 24 of 42 passes for 186 passing yards. Much to everyone’s surprise, it was the San Fran defense who impressed on Sunday, rather than Denver’s. The 49ers won 20-14.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Oakland Raiders

The Steelers have historically not done well in the Black Hole. That didn’t change in Week 14. Oakland came into the game with a 2-10 record, tied for worst in the league, and left the matchup with a victory. Ben Roethlisberger would leave the game with an injury and then return.

The game’s momentum and the lead went back and forth several times. The two squads alternated scores throughout the game. At the half, the Steelers were up 14-10, after no one scored in the third quarter it came down to the fourth.

A 78-yard drive by the Raiders resulted in a touchdown followed by a 70-yard drive by the Steelers resulting in another touchdown. After another eight plays and 75 yards, the Raiders scored the final touchdown of the game. A pass from Derek Carr to Derek Carrier with just seconds left on the clock gave Oakland the lead. Pittsburgh marched down the field setting up a 40-yard field goal for their kicker, Chris Boswell. Potentially due to turf conditions, he missed resulting in a loss. The Raiders won 24-21.

Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears

Sunday Night Football put on a show. One of the NFL’s best offenses against one of the NFL’s best defenses going head to head. The 11-1 Rams at the time were heavily favored. All week Bears’ players stated they weren’t worried and were looking forward to playing Chicago football.

When the Bears’ first drive resulted ended in an interception, hopes of an upset seemed to vanish. After the first half, the score was tied 6-6, both teams were limited to field goals. A safety and a touchdown in the third quarter by the Bears would put the game out of reach for the Rams. 

Jared Goff threw four interceptions and zero touchdowns for 180 yards. Top running back, Todd Gurley had just 28 rushing yards. Chicago’s defense led by Khalil Mack maintained control of the game from kickoff to rundown. This will probably go down as the most impressive defensive performance of the season. While the Bears’ offense wasn’t necessarily impressive, RB Jordan Howard ran for 101 yards off 19 carries. Tarik Cohen had 69 yards off nine carries. Their performance was just enough to get Chicago over the hurdle. The Bears won 15-6.

Any Given Sunday

Several other games besides the ones that were mentioned included almost scares and surprise finishes. The New York Giants defeated Washington 40-16. After being shutout in the first half 34-0, Washington put in Josh Johnson, the franchise’s fourth quarterback this year. Johnson was originally slated to play in the AAF this Spring. On the other side of the ball, Saquon Barkley rushed for 170 yards off 14 carries.

In what would have been a stunning upset, the Baltimore Ravens almost defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. As predicted, the game was incredibly close with Baltimore’s top defense chomping away at the Chiefs’ offense. A touchdown by Kansas City in the last minute tied the game. After a Lamar Jackson fumble, the Chiefs were set up for a game-winning field goal that they then missed. A field goal in overtime set up by Patrick Mahomes would prove to be enough. The Chiefs barely escaped the Ravens 27-24.

To cap things off, the Packers took down the Falcons, the Chargers defeated the Bengals more narrowly than they would have liked, and the Jets beat the Bills by a hair.

The Cold Road to the Playoffs Narrows

Prior to Week 14, the playoff bracket was beginning to form. Only one team had clinched their division, the LA Rams, while the Saints were one game away from taking their division. The Cowboys narrowly held the fourth seed while the Bears clung to the top spot in the NFC North as the third seed. Carolina, Philadelphia, and Green Bay were in the hunt without a seed.

The Chargers had practically solidified one of the two AFC Wild Card bids while the Chiefs and Patriots were projected as the first and second seeds respectively. The second Wild Card team, the Ravens, were just one game ahead of the four 6-6 teams fighting for seat at the postseason table.

Accounting for Sunday’s Damage

After Sunday, the postseason-hunt pecking order looks a little different.

The Chiefs became the third team to clinch a playoff berth, however, they are still just one game ahead of the Chargers in their division. Had they’ve lost, it would be a different bracket. The Saints win against Tampa Bay gave them their division.

In the NFC, the Rams and Saints swapped seeds while the Eagles are now practically without a shot at the playoffs after falling to Dallas in overtime. 

The Patriots’ loss put the first seed out of reach but by no means puts their division hold into peril. The Dolphins win further propelled themselves in the hunt. The Texan’s loss cost them an early division clinch and kept the Colts in the running. Those two victors along with the Titans separated themselves from the rest of the pack this Sunday. The odd team out from Week 13, the Broncos who fell to the 49ers.

The Steelers falling to the Raiders puts Pittsburgh’s seeding into serious jeopardy. With an incredibly tough upcoming schedule (Patriots, Saints, Bengals) they took a loss they couldn’t afford. Now just half a game ahead of the Ravens, who luckily for Pittsburgh also lost, they may find themselves fighting for a Wild Card in a few weeks. If that is the case, they join a group of teams with equal records and easier schedules.

The Panthers and the Eagles had the chance to capitalize off of the other team losing to try and steal the 6th seed, however, both teams lost this Sunday. The Rams only suffered potential home-field advantage in the NFC Championship if both themselves and the Saints were to make it.

Photo Credit

Featured Image courtesy of Red Weasel Media

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