Week 13 of the NFL season is in the books and things are tightening up as the season is drawing closer to a close. December football is here and teams are making their final pushes for seeding and survival. The New England Patriots have gone from 2-4 to the number one overall seed, as they took out Buffalo throwing only three passes. Baltimore gave up the number one seed losing to the Steelers on a failed 2-point conversion. Buffalo went from being on top of the AFC East to the 7th seed in the conference. With only five weeks left each week carries more importance and the stakes increase. Let’s breakdown the important action from Week 13.
Patriots vs Bills:
Bill Bellicheck has proven to be the best coach at adapting his game plan to the conditions presented in a given week. The weather conditions were tough for passing the football, especially for a rookie quarterback, so the Patriots coach decided to only pass the ball three times. New England ran the ball 46 times for 222 yards and two touchdowns, and their defense shut down the Bills offense. Josh Allen was only 15-30 for 146 yards and the Bills ran for just 99 yards. With the win the Patriots were able to secure the #1 seed in the AFC, which will be huge as few teams have been able to win playoff games in Foxboro.
Steelers vs Ravens:
In typical Steelers vs Ravens fashion this game came down to the wire, but it was Pittsburgh that was able to secure a big-time win in what may be Ben Roethlisberger’s last stand. Ben was 21-31 for two touchdowns and was able to lead Pittsburgh to a 20-13 lead late in the 4th, but the Steelers’ kicker would kick the ball out of bounds on the kickoff – giving the Ravens the ball on the 40-yard line. Lamar Jackson would lead the Ravens down the field and was able to find Sammy Watkins for a six-yard touchdown pass. John Harbaugh then decided to go for the 2-point conversion, part of his reasoning was that Baltimore was decimated at the cornerback position and Harbaugh felt the need to win the game in that moment. TJ Watt was able to pressure Lamar Jackson – forcing Lamar’s throw to Mark Andrews to be just off the mark enough to fall incomplete. If the pass was completed Andrews would’ve been able to walk into the end zone for the win. Football can be a game of inches and this one came down to a pass that was a few inches off the mark. The Steelers were able to keep their push for the wild card alive.
Kansas City vs Denver:
Kansas City was able to remain on top of the AFC West with a 22-9 win over the Broncos. The Chiefs were fueled by their defense which forced three turnovers, including a pick-six and three fourth-down stops. But questions remain about Kansas City’s offense that only produced 267 yards of total offense and just a single touchdown. For a team that’s 8-4 it feels like there is some disappointment, because their high-octane offense has been stuck in the mud for a good portion of this season.
Chargers vs Bengals:
The Bengals missed an opportunity to take advantage of the Ravens loss, as the Chargers came in and took advantage of four Bengals turnovers in a 41-22 win. The Chargers jumped out to a 24-0 lead, but the Bengals rallied to make the game 24-22. From there it was all Chargers. Justin Herbert was solid, going 26-35 for 317 yards and three touchdowns – out-dueling fellow draft class QB Joe Burrow. The win kept the Chargers alive in the AFC West race sitting a game behind Kansas City with the two teams meeting in Los Angeles December 16th.
Quick takes:
- The 49ers and Vikings suffered bad losses as they fight to earn a wild card spot.
- The Washington Football Team has won four straight and are in position to not only make a wild card, but maybe steal the division from the Dallas Cowboys.
- The Panthers fired their offensive coordinator Joe Brady and the seat is heating up for head coach Matt Rhule.
AFC Playoff Picture:
1) New England Patriots 9-4
2) Tennessee Titans 8-4
3) Baltimore Ravens 8-4
4) Kansas City Chiefs 8-4
5) LA Chargers 7-5
6) Cincinnati Bengals 7-5
7) Buffalo Bills 7-5
In the mix: Steelers 6-5-1, Colts 7-6, Raiders, Browns, and Broncos 6-6, Dolphins 6-7
NFC Playoff Picture
1) Arizona Cardinals 10-2
2) Green Bay Packers 9-3
3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-3
4) Dallas Cowboys 8-4
5) LA Rams 8-4
6) Washington 6-6
7) San Francisco 6-6
In the mix: Eagles 6-7, Vikings Panthers Falcons and Saints are 5-7