NFL Weekly Recap Week Eleven
Week eleven matchups (byes: Cowboys and Rams)
Indianapolis Colts 30 @ Tennessee Titans 27 (TNF on NFL Network)
Chris Johnson scored two touchdowns in the first quarter to give the Titans a 14-0 lead. The Colts came back to take a 23-17 lead in the third quarter as Donald Brown and Andrew Luck each scored a rushing touchdown. With just over three minutes remaining, Brown scored again to give the Colts a ten point lead, but the Titans closed the gap as Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a touchdown pass to Delanie Walker with 1:54 remaining. Rob Bironas attempted an onside kick, but Indy’s special teams recovered the ball and the Colts hung on for the win. Luck completed 23 of 36 passes for 232-yards and his main target was Coby Fleener, who made eight catches for 107-yards. Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 22 of 28 passes for 222-yards and a touchdown pass while Chris Johnson rushed for 86-yards on 17 carries.
Buffalo Bills 37 vs. New York Jets 14
E.J. Manuel was playing pain free as he completed 20 of 28 passes for 245-yards and two touchdown passes. The Bills defense reigned all over Geno Smith and the Jets offense as Smith completed only 8 of 23 passes while throwing three interceptions. Overall, Buffalo committed four turnovers and recorded just as many sacks, including two by Kyle Williams. The defense also scored some points when safety Da’Norris Searcy intercepted a pass and returned it for a 32-yard touchdown.
Chicago Bears 23 vs. Baltimore Ravens 20 (OT)
Following a two-hour rain delay which left field conditions muddier than a swamp, the Ravens had zero trouble moving the ball in the first quarter despite winds gusts of over 40 miles per hour. Baltimore took a 10-0 lead behind a Ray Rice touchdown and a 52-yard field goal by Justin Tucker. Rice carried 25 times for 131-yards in the game, but the Bears came back to tie the score when defensive end David Bass returned an interception for a 24-yard touchdown. Flacco came right back to throw a touchdown pass to Torrey Smith. With Baltimore still leading by four in the fourth quarter, Josh McCown hit Matt Forte for a 14-yard touchdown pass to give the Bears the lead. Tucker kicked a field goal with three seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime where Robbie Gould won it for Chicago on by making a field goal from 38-yards out.
Cincinnati Bengals 41 vs. Cleveland Browns 20
In this battle of Ohio, the Browns stunned the Bengals by taking a 13-0 first quarter lead following a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown by Joe Haden. Andy Dalton overcame the deficit as well as two interceptions by throwing three touchdown passes during the game as Cincy scored 31 unanswered points in the second quarter. The Bengals defense intercepted Jason Campbell three times while committing four turnovers and recording just as many sacks. Linebacker Vontaze Burfict recovered a fumble and returned it for one score while the special teams blocked a punt and returned it for another in the convincing win.
Philadelphia Eagles 24 vs. Washington Redskins 16
The Eagles jumped out to a 24-0 lead behind a Nick Foles scoring run and a pair of touchdowns by LeSean McCoy. Foles completed 17 of 26 passes for 298-yards in the game, but just like their opening day encounter, the Redskins would come back to close the gap to eight as Robert Griffin III passed for 264-yards and two touchdown passes. Griffin and the Washington offense still had a chance to tie the game with 3:26 remaining and they were knocking on the door after starting on their own four. With the ball at the Philadelphia 18-yard line with 40 seconds remaining, Griffin heaved up a pass to the end zone and the ball was intercepted by Brandon Boykin. The Eagles hung on to end a streak of ten straight home losses, but more importantly, they took the first place lead in the NFC East.
Pittsburgh Steelers 37 vs. Detroit Lions 27
Ben Roethlisberger completed 29 of 45 passes for 367-yards and four touchdown passes, including two to Antonio Brown, who made seven receptions for 147-yards. Matthew Stafford and the Lions would mount a comeback and take a seven point lead at halftime. Stafford passed for 362-yards and a pair of touchdown passes to Calvin Johnson, who made six receptions for 179-yards. Roethlisberger threw two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to put the game out of Detroit’s reach.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41 vs. Atlanta Falcons 28
The Buccaneers won their second straight game with Mike Glennon as the catalyst. The rookie quarterback completed 20 of 23 passes for 231-yards and a pair of touchdown passes, including one to Vincent Jackson, who made 10 receptions for 165-yards. Running back Bobby Rainey even ran for 163-yards on 30 carries while scoring twice while the Tampa Bay defense contributed with a score of its own when linebacker Mason Foster returned an interception for a 37-yard touchdown. Matt Ryan passed for 254-yards and two touchdown passes, including an 80-yard strike to Harry Douglas, who caught six passes for 134-yards. Ryan could not overcome two interceptions and three sacks as Atlanta lost their fourth straight.
Arizona Cardinals 27 @ Jacksonville Jaguars 14
Carson Palmer completed 30 of 42 passes for 419-yards and a pair of touchdown passes, including one to Michael Floyd, who made six catches for 193-yards. Larry Fitzgerald also added a touchdown as Arizona dropped 20 unanswered points on Jacksonville after trailing 14-7. The Cardinals are now in a tie for second place in the NFC West right behind the Seahawks.
Oakland Raiders 28 @ Houston Texans 23
Former Penn State standout Matt McGloin dazzled the Houston defense in his NFL debut by completing 18 of 32 passes for nearly 200-yards and three touchdown passes. Rashad Jennings ran for 150-yards on 22 carries while he scored a touchdown from 80-yards out. Case Keenum threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Graham, who made seven catches for 136-yards. Keenum and Matt Schaub combined to throw for over 300-yards and their other feature target was Andre Johnson, who caught ten passes for 116-yards.
Miami Dolphins 20 vs. San Diego Chargers 16
Ryan Tannehill completed 22 of 35 passes for 268-yards and a touchdown pass while Philip Rivers completed the same amount of passes in 34 attempts for 298-yards with a touchdown pass to Antonio Gates. Ryan Mathews rushed for 127-yards on 19 carries to bolster San Diego’s offense. However, Miami’s defense did its job by sacking Rivers four times and when the Chargers were driving with 1:54 remaining, they drove to Dolphins 25-yard line with time for one final play. The last ditch effort by Rivers fell incomplete as Miami hung on for the win.
New Orleans Saints 23 vs. San Francisco 49ers 20
Drew Brees completed 30 of 43 passes for 305-yards and a touchdown pass. Colin Kaepernick came right back to throw for a pair of touchdown passes to Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis as the 49ers built a 20-14 lead in the fourth quarter. Garrett Hartley kicked a pair of field goals to help the Saints tie the game. With 1:41 remaining, New Orleans got the ball back. Brees completed three passes in three attempts as he took the Saints to the San Francisco 13-yard line, where Hartley hit his third straight field goal as time expired to provide the Saints with another last second victory.
New York Giants 27 vs. Green Bay Packers 13
Eli Manning completed 25 of 35 passes for 279-yards and a touchdown pass to Reuben Randle. Manning also connected with Victor Cruz eight times for 110-yards. Scott Tolzien passed for 339-yards and he hit Jordy Nelson with eight catches for 117-yards. Tolzien even led a five play 83-yard drive at the start of the fourth quarter and it ended with Eddie Lacy scoring from four-yards out to pull the Packers within seven. Green Bay had a chance to tie the game when they got the ball back, but on the first play, Tolzien was intercepted by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who scored from 24-yards out. The young quarterback threw three interceptions as the Packers lost their third straight while New York won their fourth in a row.
Seattle Seahawks 41 vs. Minnesota Vikings 20
Russell Wilson completed 13 of 18 passes for 230-yards and a pair of touchdown passes to Doug Baldwin and Marshawn Lynch on a shot-put pass. Lynch also added two more scores on the ground and the defense contributed to the onslaught as cornerback Walter Thurmond intercepted a Christian Ponder pass and took returned it for a 29-yard touchdown. Seattle took a close game and broke it wide open by torching the Vikings for 24 unanswered points, including 17 in the fourth quarter.
Denver Broncos 27 vs. Kansas City Chiefs 17 (SNF on NBC)
Peyton Manning completed 24 of 40 passes for 343-yards and threw his 34th touchdown pass to Julius Thomas. Manning completed five passes to Demaryius Thomas, who racked up 121-yards on the night, including a 70-yard reception that helped set up the Broncos first touchdown. Rookie running back Montee Ball also added a pair of scores and Denver’s defense was instrumental in preventing Alex Smith and the Chiefs from mounting a comeback. The Broncos handed Kansas City their first loss of the season.
Carolina Panthers 24 vs. New England 20 (MNF on ESPN)
Tom Brady completed 29 of 40 passes for 296-yards and a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski to help the Patriots come back from a ten point deficit. New England took a 20-17 lead in the final period, but Cam Newton brought Carolina back by completing 19 of 28 passes for 209-yards and three touchdown passes, including the game winning score to Ted Ginn, Jr. with 59 seconds remaining. The touchdown capped off a 13 play, 83-yard drive, but the Patriots still had one final chance for victory. On the final play, Brady’s pass that was intended for Gronkowski was picked off in the end zone by safety Robert Lester. During that same play, the Panthers were called for pass interference, but the officials picked up the flag and waved the penalty off in a controversial ending.
Week twelve matchups (byes: Bills, Bengals, Eagles, and Seahawks)
New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons (TNF on NFL Network)
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers
San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Chicago Bears @ St. Louis Rams
Carolina Panthers @ Miami Dolphins
New York Jets @ Baltimore Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans @ Oakland Raiders
Indianapolis Colts @ Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots (SNF on NBC)
San Francisco 49ers @ Washington Redskins (MNF on ESPN)
