Week 14 was an odd one. The scoring was higher than past weeks, other than the lowest-scoring game of 3-0 between two teams that don’t even have a good defense. Four of the eight division leaders lost and three of those divisions saw their No. 2 ranked team win. It’s going to get closer.
No running backs scored twice and yet three tight ends did. There were 17 running back touchdowns and yet 16 by a tight end. The wideouts saw five with 100+ yards but only two of them had a touchdown. There are fewer big scores from all the positions, so latching onto one of the weekly stars is a major advantage.
There are two Monday night games tonight. And next week there are no more byes and yet three Saturday games so get those lineups in early.
Tampa Bay 29, Atlanta 25
Far more points than expected in this one. The score was 12-10 at halftime, but it heated up in the fourth quarter, with each team scoring twice. The Falcons took the lead 25-22 with a six-yard run by Desmond Ridder but the Buccaneers responded with an 11-yard score to Cade Otton with just 31 seconds left to play.
Baker Mayfield threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns and rushed in a score. Chris Godwin (5-53) led the wideouts, while no other receivers gained more than 18 yards. Mike Evans turned in a dud with only one catch for eight yards though he he was barely out on a long touchdown catch. Rachaad White stood tall with 102 yards on 25 rushes and caught two passes for 33 yards and one score. The Bucs offense moved mostly through White, but Mayfield answered the call when needed. The 6-7 Buccaneers head to Green Bay for Week 15.
Desmond Ridder threw for 347 yards and a touchdown to Kyle Pitts (3-57, TD), while Drake London turned in a monster performance with ten catches for 172 yards. Bijan Robinson (10-34, TD) and Tyler Allgeier (9-40) didn’t offer much, but Robinson added five receptions for 54 yards. Ridder looked better than ever and even ran in a touchdown, but he was at home against one of the worst secondaries in the league. The 6-7 Falcons head to Carolina this week for their free win.
Los Angeles Rams 31, Baltimore 37 Overtime
This matchup was back and forth with no team ever having more than as six-point lead on the other. Zay Flowers caught a 21-yard touchdown to make the score 31-28 with 1:16, but the Rams tied it with seven seconds left on a 36-yard field goal. In overtime, each team had a three-and-out, but the Broncos punt was returned 50-yards for the winning Ravens’ touchdown.
The Rams offense exceeded all expectations. Matthew Stafford passed for 294 yards and three touchdowns on a Top-5 secondary. Cooper Kupp (8-115, TD), Puke Nacua (5-84), and DeMarcus Robinson (3-46, TD). Rookie Davis Allen (4-50, TD) replaced the inactive Tyler Higbee and also was a major contributor. Kyren Williams (25-114) handled nearly all the backfield touches. The 6-7 Rams host the Commanders for Week 14.
Lamar Jackson threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns between Odell Beckham (4-97, TD), Isiah Likely (5-83, TD), and Zay Flowers (6-60, TD). Jackson, of course, was also the leading rusher with 70 yards on 11 rushes while Keaton Mitchell gained 54 yards on just nine carries. Gus Edwards ran six times for 15 yards and it made no sense to limit Mitchell with his 6.0 yards per carry while Edwards only managed 2.5 YPC. The win lifts the Ravens to 10-3 and they play at the Jaguars on Sunday night.
Detroit 13, Chicago 28
Looks like someone peaked a bit too early. The Lions passing offense stumbled badly against what had been an average (at best) secondary. He only threw for 161 yards and a score with two interceptions. Josh Reynolds (3-44, TD) and Sam LaPorta (2-23) were the top receivers and Amon-Ra St. Brown was left with just three catches for 21 yards despite getting a team-high nine targets. Jahmyr Gibbs (11-66, TD) and David Montgomery (10-66) were both highly effective when they ran though neither did much as receivers. The loss drops the Lions to 9-4 and they host the Broncos on Saturday night.
Justin Fields threw for 223 yards and a touchdown to DJ Moore (6-68, TD). Fields was the leading rusher with 58 yards and a score on his 12 runs. D’Onta Foreman (11-50) reassumed his role as a the lead back and added two catches for 22 yards. Cole Kmet (5-66) and Darnell Mooney (2-44) were the only other receivers with more than one catch. The Lions led 13-10 at halftime but then the Bears owned the second half. They rise to 5-8 and head to Cincinnati for the early game on Saturday.
Indianapolis 14, Cincinnati 34
Gardner Minshew’s hot streak is over and the Colts managed to catch up 14-14 at halftime but never scored again. And one of the Colts’ touchdowns was from an interception return. Writing off the Bengals without Joe Burrows seems to have been premature.
Minshew only threw for 240 yards and one score in a game that they almost always trailed. Michael Pittman (8-95) still excelled but no other receiver managed more than 46 yards and the lone offensive touchdown was caught by Mo Alie-Cox on his only catch in the game. Zack Moss was held to only 28 yards on 13 carries but added four receptions for 28 yards. The Colts’ offense couldn’t handle the Cincy defense and they fall to 7-6 and play next in the afternoon game on Saturday against the Steelers.
Jake Browning was very effective, passing for 275 yards and two scores, plus rushing for 25 yards and a touchdown on eight runs. Browning had hand cramps but it did not impact the game. Chase Brown (3-80, TD) led the receivers and gained 25 yards on his eight rushes. Tee Higgins (2-72) and Ja’Marr Chase (3-29) were the top wideouts and Joe Mixon caught three passes for 46 yards to add to his 79 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries as a rusher. This was a solid effort by the Bengals and while Chase was quiet, the rest of the offense more than compensated. The 7-4 Bengals host the Vikings in the early game on Saturday.
Jacksonville 27, Cleveland 31
This game also contained far more points than expected. The Browns led throughout though the Jags kept within a touchdown for most of the contest. After Cleveland’s two initial scores, the team traded scores four times. The final score by the Jags was with 1:33 left to play, and they could not recover the onside kick.
Trevor Lawrence played despite suffering what seemed to be a season-ending injury in Week 13. He had a slight limp but was effective with 257 yards and three touchdowns but he threw three interceptions that proved critical in this close matchup. Evan Engram (11-95, 2 TD) was huge for the second week in a row while Calvin Ridley was held to four catches for 53 yards. Travis Etienne ran for 35 yards and a touchdown on 14 rushes and added four catches for 37 yards. Lawrence kept them in the game but they were unable to catch up after trailing 14-0.
Joe Flacco should have been the starting quarterback from Week 1. He passed for 311 yards and three touchdowns. He’s given new life to the receivers. David Njoku (6-91, 2 TD) had a season-best performance and Amari Cooper (7-77) led the team in targets (14). David Bell caught one pass for a 41-yard touchdown. Jerome Ford (12-51) and Kareem Hunt (10-27, TD) handled the backfield work and Ford added five catches for 31 yards. It ends up pairing a very effective pass offense with a great defense is a good thing. The 8-5 Browns host the Bears on Sunday.
Carolina 6, New Orleans 28
The Panthers’ defense looked better than usual and the score was 14-6 at the middle of the fourth quarter, but the Saints posted two touchdowns to finish and take the win without much trouble. It was a classic mail-in effort against a bad team.
Bryce Young threw for 137 yards but gained 40 yards on three rushes. Adam Thielen (5-74) came back to life while Jonathan Mingo (2-22) went in reverse from the past few games. Chuba Hubbard (23-87) added two receptions for nine yards while Miles Sanders gained 74 yards on ten carries thanks to a nice 48-yard gain up the middle. The rushing effort was far more effective but the passing effort couldn’t handle the Saints defense. The 1-12 Panthers host the Falcons on Sunday.
Derek Carr cleared the concussion protocol and started but only threw for 119 yards and two touchdowns between Chris Olave (4-28, TD) and Jimmy Graham (2-16, TD). A.T. Perry (1-44) led the receivers with just one catch, Alvin Kamara gained 56 yards and one score on 12 rushes while Jamaal Williams split the load with 11 rushes for 43 yards. Kamara added three catches but lost 11 yards on them. The win lifts the Saints to 6-7 and they host the Giants in Week 15.
Houston 6, New York Jets 30
The Texans’ hot streak was going to end sometime, and facing a tough defense on the road made it possible, along with losing their third starting wide receiver. The Jets had their best passing in a long time, with Zach Wilson looking like an advantage instead of a liability. The Texans lost Nico Collins on the first offensive series and the Jets’ secondary wasn’t challenged even by C.J. Stroud who was playing without his top three wideouts and starting tight end.
Stroud only passed for 91 yards and left late in the game with a possible concussion. Brevin Jordan (3-35) was the top receiver because there were no first-stringers to catch the ball. Devin Singletary ran for 65 yards and the lone touchdown on 13 runs while Dameon Pierce was held to just nine yards on four runs. It was the worst offensive showing for the year and troubling if Stroud and Collins miss any time with their injuries. The Texans fall to 7-6 and head to Tennessee next Sunday.
Zach Wilson never looked better. He threw for 301 yards and two scores between Breece Hall (8-86, TD) and Randall Cobb (1-15, TD), while Garrett Wilson (9-108) led the receivers. Hall ran for 40 yards on ten carries but the game was won on great defense and, I’m not kidding, effective passing. The 5-8 Jets head to Miami for Week 15.
Seattle 16, San Francisco 28
The Seahawks led 10-7 entering the second quarter but would not score again until the end of the third quarter. The 49ers’ offense worked in every facet and the final outcome was not in doubt by halftime.
Drew Lock took over for Geno Smith and passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns but had two interceptions. Tyler Lockett (6-89) and DK Metcalf (2-52, TD) were the only two receivers that mattered (as usual) and the backfield also struggled. Zach Charbonnet (9-44) and Kenneth Walker (8-21) didn’t get enough volume to do much though Walker added four catches for 33 yards to salvage some fantasy value. The 6-7 Seahawks host the Eagles on Monday night.
It all went right for the 49ers. Christian McCaffrey (16-145) ran for over 100 yards. Deebo Samuel (7-149, TD) and Brandon Aiyuk (6-126) both gained over 100 receiving yards. Brock Purdy (368 yards, 2 TD) threw for over 300 yards. Even George Kittle (3-76, TD) was one of the top tight ends for Week 14. The win lifts the 49ers to 10-3 and they travel to Arizona this week.
Buffalo 20, Kansas City 17
Both franchises are not nearly as productive as last year or even earlier this season. The Bills took a 14-0 lead in the second quarter and the Chiefs finally tied them 17-17 in the fourth quarter. But the Bills ended up with a 39-yard field goal to pull ahead with 1:54 left to play. The Chiefs reached midfield where Patrick Mahomes threw a 25-yard completion to Travis Kelce who lateraled it to Kadarius Toney for the go-ahead touchdown… but Toney was offsides. It was called back and Mahomes ended the game with three incompletions and an uncharacteristic melt down on the sideline.
Josh Allen was held to 233 yards and one touchdown but also scored on his eight runs for 32 yards. James Cook was the star, rushing for 58 yards on ten carries and leading the team with five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, Stefon Diggs (4-24) continues his invisibility trend and no other receivers gained more than 36 yards. The 7-6 Bills host the Cowboys on Sunday.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 271 yards and one score (almost two) to Rashee Rice (7-72, TD). Travis Kelce (6-83) was the only other receiver with more than 30 yards, including Toney (3-25). Clyde Edwards-Helaire had the start and ran for 39 yards on 11 carries with two receptions for 29 yards. It was yet another low-key offensive effort by Mahomes and the Kansas City offense. The loss drops the Chiefs to 8-5 and they play at the Patriots on Sunday.
Denver 24, Los Angeles Chargers 7
This game was already going south when Justin Herbert injured his finger and left Easton Stick to take over near the end of the second quarter. The Broncos led 17-0 entering the fourth quarter and the Chargers finally scored on an Austin Ekeler run, but the Broncos added their third score to end the game.
Early speculation is that Herbert will be out a while, and maybe the rest of the season. Downshifting to Stick means it only gets worse for the Chargers who already looked like a team heading for changes in the offseason. Quentin Johnston led the team with three catches for 91 yards but only thanks to catching a 57-yard bomb late in the game. Keenan Allen (6-68) and Austin Ekeler (5-49) were the only other receivers of any note. Ekeler ran for 51 yards and a touchdown on ten carries, but Isaiah Spiller (6-19) and Joshua Kelley (3-6) were also involved. The loss drops the Chargers to 5-8 and they play the Raiders on Thursday, so there is no time to adjust to a new quarterback.
The Broncos won without any big stats by any player. Russell Wilson passed for 224 yards and two scores. Courtland Sutton (3-62, TD) caught the obligatory touchdown but no other receiver gained more than 36 yards. Javonte Williams (17-66, TD) also caught three passes for 25 yards. It was plenty of production to beat the reeling Chargers who just lost another critical piece. The 7-6 Broncos play at the Lions on Saturday night.
Philadelphia 13, Dallas 33
And another division leader looks as if they peaked too early. The Cowboys jumped out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back. The Eagles offense also never scored a touchdown for the first time in several years. The Cowboys not only three touchdowns, but they got four field goals from Brandon Aubrey, but they were all long – 45, 50, 59, and 60 yards.
Jalen Hurts only passed for 197 yards and ran for 30 yards on just five rushes. Only four receivers caught a pass for the Eagles. AJ Brown (9-94) and DeVonta Smith (5-73) were the best and Dallas Goedert was held to only four receptions for 30 yards. No Philadelphia running backs caught a pass and D’Andre Swift gained just 39 yards on 11 rushes. It was the exact sort of game that the Eagles did not need, not on the heels of being crushed by the 49ers last week. The 10-3 Eagles look to get right in Seattle this week.
None of the Cowboys had more than a solid showing. Dak Prescott passed for 271 yards and two scores, with Jason Ferguson (5-72) and CeeDee Lamb(6-71, TD) led the group and Michael Gallup (3-48, TD) had the rare score unlike Brandin Cooks (2-37). Tony Pollard ran for 59 yards and led the team with seven receptions for 37 yards, Rico Dowdle (12-46, TD) also scored. The Cowboys made this matchup look like they were playing a basement dweller, not a division leader. Oh wait – now they are tied at 10-3. The Cowboys head to Buffalo for Week 15.
GAME-O-THE-WEEK: Minnesota 3, Las Vegas 0
Wow. Just wow. And the lone field goal was kicked with just 1:57 left to play.
You saw it. Tell your grandkids. 3-0. You will remember this game.
Joshua Dobbs started for the Vikings but was replaced by Nick Mullens and neither did much. T.J. Hockenson (5-53) led the receivers and Justin Jefferson triumphant return only lasted for two catches for 27 yards before getting hit so hard that his chest injury sent him to the hospital as a precaution. No other receivers topped 30 yards. Alexander Mattison ran for 66 yards on ten carries while Ty Chandler added 35 yards on 12 carries. This was the ultimate “just enough to win.” The 7-6 Vikings play in Cincinnati in the early game on Saturday.
Aidan O’Connell couldn’t get close enough for even a field goal attempt. He passed for 171 yards and one interception. Davante Adams ended with seven catches for 53 yards as the top receiver but the Vikings defense didn’t allow much. Josh Jacobs ran for 34 yards on 13 rushes but this was a brutal game to watch and each defense was no better than average heading into the matchup. The loss drops the Raiders to 5-8 and they play the Chargers on Thursday.
