NFL Week 14 Review – Scores and Key Takeaways

After a week full of upsets, we recap the key takeaways from each NFL game.

Tennessee Titans 30 def. Jacksonville Jaguars 9

This game was over in the second quarter after Titans RB Derrick Henry ran 99 yards for a touchdown. That unbelievable run signalled that the Jaguars couldn’t stop Henry and the Titans running game. And for the Jaguars, a team built on defence, that’s a huge psychological blow. The Titans pass rush also kept control of the game, allowing only 3.8 yards per play, and sacked Cody Kessler four times. On to next week for the Titans who will push for that coveted sixth seed in the AFC playoffs.

New York Jets 27 def. Buffalo Bills 23

A sneaky-good game took place in Buffalo. We got to see two high-potential rookie QB’s go out and sling the ball around – consequence free. Both guys, Josh Allen and Sam Darnold, are showing signs of good things to come, even though they have kinks in their games to work out this off-season.

Everything good about this game – between two teams with nothing to lose – culminated in a fourth and goal play to win the game. Jets RB Elijah McGuire got the one yard needed for the touchdown and the win. Nothing wrong with a fun game for two fanbases enduring a frustrating season.

Cleveland Browns 26 def. Carolina Panthers 20

After five straight losses, the Panthers are officially out of playoff contention. Hard to believe that this team was 6-2, and although they haven’t been great this past month, they haven’t been terrible. You would expect such a talented team to accidentally win one of these last five games against a team like the Lions or this week against the Browns. I have a theory about the Panthers’ collapse: this team runs off the fumes of confidence, an identity they’ve built around Cam Newton. That confidence was shattered when the Steelers embarrassed the Panthers five games ago, and they haven’t been the same since. That is the only explanation that makes sense to me, considering the Panthers have not been that bad, but they just can’t seem to trust themselves in the big moments – remember, in this game and in the Lions game they had a chance to win on one play and missed. In the alternate timeline, this team is 8-5 and poised to make the playoffs.

Green Bay Packers 34 def. Atlanta Falcons 20

The battle of the two most disappointing teams of the 2018 season went down in Green Bay (barring the Philadelphia Eagles). One week after the Packers fired Head Coach, Mike McCarthy, and they win handily. Aaron Rodgers hasn’t exactly had a bad year by most quarterback’s standards – see 21TDs to 1INT going into this game. But, by his standards he has been a bit off. In this game, he regained that spark that makes him so good, and one has to wonder just how despondent Rodgers was with his former coach. On the other side, it seems the Falcons just need a fresh start, and will back in the playoff hunt next year if they can avoid injuries. Expect more out of these teams next season.

Indianapolis Colts 24 def. Houston Texans 21

A great game played by both teams, and a well-deserved win for the Colts. The key to victory in this was the Andrew Luck/TY Hilton connection tearing apart the Texans secondary. Hilton averaged over 20-yards per catch, and nearly got 200 total receiving yards. Luck was just shy of 400 passing yards. They needed every one of those yards too, because the running game was nowhere to be found. Even though the Texans ran a more balanced offence, the Colts were far more willing to go for big plays down the field, and on this day, they had some Luck.

Kansas City Chiefs 27 def. Baltimore Ravens 24

The runner-up for our Game of the Week, and for good reason. Like our actual GOTW, this one went into overtime off a botched Harrison Butker field goal. Lamar Jackson was valiant in defeat, but his inability to throw downfield came back to haunt his team. The Ravens defence is for real though, and so are their chances of making the playoffs, especially after the Steelers upset loss to the Raiders.

The real story to come out of this game though: Patrick Mahomes. The young phenom was superb, keeping his team alive with two fourth down completions on the game tying drive. The first of which was ridiculous – on 4th and 9, game on the line, Mahomes gets flushed out of the pocket, and as he scrambles almost all the way to the right sideline, throws across his body to find Tyreek Hill in the middle of the field. The throw was about 30-yards in the air, once again, across his body.

Patrick Mahomes is the MVP – end of discussion.

Miami Dolphins 34 def. New England Patriots 33

Wow. Just… wow.

The Patriots looked solid and in control. For them to lose on one bad play is very anti-Patriots. This is yet another signal that, finally, this is the year when the Patriots splutter in the playoffs. The Dolphins played fine, and once again, for the life of me I don’t know how they continue to remain above .500. If they could somehow pull off a win against Minnesota next week, the Dolphins may sneak into the playoffs, which would be absurd.

Back to that final play: as other pundits have noted, having Gronkowski play safety on the final play might be the worst Belichick coaching blunder of all time. In fairness, that is a very short list of blunders. The logic behind the decision is odd – Gronk is out there to go up and bat down a Hail Mary. Ok, fine, he’s probably the best player they have for that singular purpose. But that presumes Ryan Tannehill can throw a 75-yard Hail Mary. Even Tannehill knew he wasn’t capable of that, which is why he didn’t do it. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.

New Orleans Saints 28 def. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14

The Saints looked a bit shaky to start this game, coming off their loss to Dallas last week. But, the ever-reliable Drew Brees pulled things together, helped in large part by the Ingram-Kamara duo. Sean Payton split their carries evenly and they had almost identical games – they are the perfect compliment to each other. Due credit to the Saints special teams though, after a Taysom Hill blocked punt swung the momentum of the match. Taysom is quickly becoming the swiss army knife of the NFL.

New York Giants 40 def. Washington Redskins 16

I feel bad for Washington. After the last few weeks, Washington seem destined to relinquish the NFC East, with or without Alex Smith. Still, this moment stings the most. A blowout loss to the Giants leaves Washington the unquestionable worst team in their division – and they led the division only three weeks ago.

I feel like a broken record, but Saquon Barkley continues to quietly have a terrific rookie season. If the Giants can have a good draft this off-season, they will be a playoff-calibre team next year led by their dynamic running back.

Los Angeles Chargers 26 def. Cincinnati Bengals 21

This game was closer than expected, but like all good teams, the Chargers found a way to beat the inferior opponent. A bit of redzone inefficiency hampered the Chargers, something they must correct before the playoffs. Melvin Gordon will go a long way to correcting those holes. Despite all this, the Chargers seemed to never leave second gear. A cruisy victory for a playoff-bound team facing a mediocre opponent is pretty forgivable at this time of the year.

San Francisco 49ers 20 def. Denver Broncos 14

The way Shanahan has used Kittle in the offence

A disappointing loss for the Broncos, a team with momentum and a window of opportunity for a playoff spot. That window looks shut now. You just can’t lose to a 2-10 team when you’re trying to make up for early season losses. The good news is, they have a lot to build with next year, namely their star rookies – Bradley Chubb and Phillip Lindsay.

For the 49ers, the big story is George Kittle, and how clever an offensive mind Shanahan has in the ways he utilises his weapons. Kittle’s 210 receiving yards came within four yards of breaking the record for most receiving yards by a tight-end in a single game. When Garoppolo returns next season, he’ll have a nice safety blanket in Kittle, who has the potential to become a star.

Detroit Lions 17 def. Arizona Cardinals 3

Not much to say here. Two teams that need an overhaul – whether it be in the playing group or the coaching staff. Unfortunately, both teams already did the latter, so it’s hard to see a way forward. At least the Cardinals can hold out hope that Josh Rosen improves and leads the team to success.

Dallas Cowboys 29 def. Philadelphia Eagles 23

Our Game of the Week lived up to the title. They took a while to get going, but by the fourth quarter, the rivals in the East were trading points. Carson Wentz played well, and Dak Prescott matched him when it counted the most. The Cowboys took an ill-advised risk in overtime, going for it on fourth down rather than taking the field goal. Fortunately, they got the first down and finished the drive off with a game-winning touchdown. The outcome of this game and the Carolina game essentially makes the Vikings v Seahawks result meaningless. That’s why this game was selected for GOTW honours – because the stakes were high independent of any other game in the league. And now, the Eagles’ season is over. They have had a tough run of injuries this year and should be right in the playoff mix next season. For Dallas, it’s time to start preparing for an unlikely playoff berth. They may possess the most potent defence in the NFC, although the Bears may have something to say.

Oakland Raiders 24 def. Pittsburgh Steelers 21

The upset of the week. This game showed us that there are no certainties in football. Don’t look now, but the Steelers are teetering. They are leading the Ravens by only half a point in the AFC North. Their remaining schedule is the Saints, the Patriots, and the Bengals. The Bengals game should be a win (but so should’ve this game), but the other two will be tough. They’ll likely have to win two of those last three games. Although the Patriots and Saints have looked flawed the last couple of weeks, it won’t be easy. We may have to start entertaining the possibility that the Steelers could miss the playoffs. How did that happen?

Chicago Bears 15 def. Los Angeles Rams 6

The Bears’ defensive performance yesterday may be the greatest achievement by a team all season. Going in, the Rams had scored at least 23 points in every game this season. Chicago’s defence held the Rams to 6 points in this game, and only 214 total yards. This was also the first game in Sean McVay’s career as Rams head coach where his team were unable to score a touchdown. Chicago possesses the unquestioned best defence in the league. They stand tall over other impressive outfits like the Cowboys and the Ravens on the defensive side of the ball. If Trubisky can get hot in the playoffs, look out.

Seattle Seahawks 21 def. Minnesota Vikings 7

Defence reigned supreme in this match, as both quarterbacks felt the pressure of potent pass rushes. The difference was that Russel Wilson took the cards he was dealt and did all he could, having to pick up almost half his total yards on the ground as he was continually flushed out of the pocket. Vikings QB, Kirk Cousins, showed his lack of athleticism and spluttered under the pressure of the Seahawks defence. The Vikings defence also couldn’t stop the Seahawks running game, which continues to lead the league in yards gained.