Minnesota's Playoff Chances Continue To Slip Through Their Finger
No more Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, the Chicago Bears are rebuilding with a young quarterback in Justin Fields and the Detroit Lions are, well, supposed to be the Detroit Lions.
The table was set for Minnesota to win back-to-back NFC North championships for the first time since 2008-2009 but with their 21-17 loss to the Denver Broncos, the Vikings have now dropped their last three games and find themselves tied with the Bears for second place in the division behind the Lions.
It's been a streaky year for the Vikings who started the season 2-0 before dropping two straight games to the Chargers and Panthers before impressive wins over the Chiefs and Bears to sit at 4-2. Since then, they've gone 1-4 with their only win coming against the Green Bay Packers who have the second worst record in the NFL.
The Vikings host the Bears on Monday night before entering their bye week and then it's a tough stretch to end the season with road trips to Las Vegas, Cincinnati and Detroit, all playoff caliber teams.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 11 NFL Results 26 - 20 ---------28 - 21 --------- 16 - 27---------14 - 10 31 - 21 ---------14 - 11 ---------31 - 28 --------- 25 - 28 31 - 10 --------- 23 - 28--------- 14 - 49---------22 - 21 17 - 21--------- 17 - 49
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- NFL Playoff Picture AFC
1. Kansas City, 8-2
2. Cincinnati, 8-2
3. New England, 7-3
4. Tennessee, 7-3
5. Baltimore, 8-3
6. LA Chargers, 7-3
7. Buffalo, 7-4
-- Las Vegas, 7-4
-- Pittsburgh, 6-4
-- NY Jets, 5-5
-- Jacksonville, 5-5
NFC
1. San Francisco, 9-1
2. Atlanta, 7-3
3. Detroit, 6-4
4. Philadelphia, 6-4
5. Seattle, 7-3
6. New Orleans, 6-4
7. NY Giants, 6-5
-- Dallas, 5-5
-- Minnesota, 5-6
-- Chicago, 5-6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Players of the Week QB Dak Prescott: 26 of 34, 342 yards, 3 touchdowns, 6 carries, 26 yards, touchdown LB Bobby Okereke: 11 tackles, sack, 2 interceptions QB Patrick Mahomes: 29 of 41, 398 yards, 5 touchdowns LB Jaylon Smith: 9 tackles, interception
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- NFL Tackle Leaders ILB Divine Deablo: 117 tackles ILB Robert Spillane: 106 tackles ILB Ja'Whaun Bentley: 93 tackles OLB Matt Milano: 91 tackles ILB De'Vondre Campbell: 87 tackles
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notable Injuries G Teven Jenkins: Season (leg) G Andrew Norwell: Season (knee) DE Von Miller: Season (ankle) HB Nyheim Hines: Season (knee) LB Jonas Griffith: Season (knee) CB Patrick Surtain II: Season (groin) WR Tim Patrick: Season (Achilles) WR Jakeem Grant Sr.: Season (knee) C Ryan Jensen: Season (knee) WR Russell Gage Jr.: Season (knee) QB Kyler Murray: Season (knee) S Lamarcus Joyner: 5 Weeks (collarbone) WR Richie James: Season (hip) HB Jonathan Taylor: Season (knee) CB Jalen Ramsey: Season (knee) CB Isaiah Rodgers Sr: Season (knee) LB Jarrad Davis: Season (knee) S Chuck Clark: Season (knee) T Cam Robinson: Season (foot) WR Quintez Cephus: Season (tibia) TE Austin Hooper: Season (chest) LB Azeez Al-Shaair: Season (knee) QB Ryan Tannehill: 6 Weeks (ankle)
Last edited by Soapy on 03 Oct 2023, 17:17, edited 1 time in total.
Week 12 Preview: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Record: 8-2, 1st AFC West
Head Coach: Any Reid (255-140)
Offensive Coordinator: Matt Nagy (West Coast Spread)
Defensive Coordinator: Steve Spagnuolo (Base 4-3)
Injury Report EDGE Maxx Crosby (doubtful - toe) G Greg Van Rotten (doubtful - wrist) TE Austin Hooper (IR - pectoral) T Thayer Munford Jr. (IR - ankle) T Jermaine Eluemunor (out - abdomen) DT Nesta Jade Silvera (out - elbow) WR Richie James (out - hip) DE Charles Omenihu (out - calf)
Patrick Mahomes, Maxx Crosby 'duel' likely delayed as Crosby appears on injury report
Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby made headlines last season when he headbutted NFL star and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in an on-field exchange that was revisited during the 'QB' series on Netflix.
“We were going back and forth,” Crosby recalled. “I got him with a sack on the first drive and then I ended up getting him a second time, and I’m talking. I’m always barking at everybody. That’s just part of my nature. Pat wasn’t going for it. He was talking back. He’s like, ‘Alright, what’s up?’
“And so, they went down and scored. And I’m standing and I’m watching them in the end zone, and they were all running around the end zone. I get bumped behind my back. I get hit with a shoulder. I turned, and it was Pat, and he was still running. I’m like, ‘Oh no, I’m not going for that,’ and so I ran straight to him and I head-butted him, like ‘What’s up?’”
With Kansas City set to face the Raiders for the first time this season, many Raiders fans were looking forward to this rematch but it looks like it won't quite be happening with Crosby suffering a toe injury at practice that will likely sideline him. Crosby is listed as 'doubtful' in the Raiders final injury report of the week along with starting right guard Greg van Rotten who missed the last two practices of the week with a wrist injury.
On the season, Crosby leads the Raiders with 8.5 sacks and is second on the team with 14 tackles for loss.
Raiders make it interesting with last minute touchdown but Chiefs secure sixth straight victory over AFC West rival
For the sixth straight time and 18th time in the past 23 matchups, the Kansas City Chiefs have beaten their AFC West rivals Las Vegas Raiders, holding on to their 34-27 victory on Saturday afternoon.
Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo connected on two long touchdown passes to Davante Adams (54 yards) and Tre Tucker (66) in the final four minutes of the game to make the score look more competitive than it was as the Chiefs were in complete control of the game, rushing for over 180 yards behind the play of Jerick McKinnon (136 rushing yards) while Patrick Mahomes did Patrick Mahomes things, throwing for 337 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers.
The Raiders were able to slow down Travis Kelce, dedicating two and sometimes three defenders on him and limiting him to just three catches for 36 yards. He did have an early touchdown on Marcus Peters, who returned as a starter this week after being benched against the New York Jets in the fourth quarter two weeks ago and not starting last week against the Miami Dolphins.
Peters had a solid day, bouncing back from the early surrendered touchdown and finishing the game with seven tackles and a tackle for loss.
With all of the attention on Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scanting had a big game against rookie cornerback Jakorian Bennett, catching seven passes for 122 yards and a touchdown which came with 1:09 remaining in the game to help put the Chiefs up two touchdowns following Adams' long touchdown.
Garoppolo finished with 403 yards passing and three touchdowns, most of it coming in the second half when the Raiders were trailing. Tucker put up historic numbers, catching eight passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns, breaking the Raiders record for most receiving yards by a rookie in a game. He came nine yards short of the Raiders record of most receiving yards in a game and with three drops in the game, he easily could have had it.
Scoring Summary
Quarter 1 Harrison Butker, 37 Yd FG (11:25) Travis Kelce 10 Yd pass from Patrick Mahomes (3:31) Tre Tucker 45 Yd pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (1:33)
Quarter 2 Harrison Butker, 39 Yd FG (12:53)
Quarter 3 Daniel Carlson, 45 Yd FG (12:12) Jerick McKinnon, 2 Yd run (8:16) Daniel Carlson, 19 Yd FG (4:57)
Quarter 4 Patrick Mahomes, 4 Yd run (9:01) Davante ADams 54 Yd pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (4:43) Marquez Valdes-Scantling 2 Yd pass from Patrick Mahomes (1:09) Tre Tucker 66 Yd pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (0:46)
Bill O'Brien Sparks Renaissance in Patriots Offense, Mac Jones' Career
Being benched for Western Kentucky's Bailey Zappe likely won't on Mac Jones' bingo card after being drafted in the first round by the New England Patriots to be the their heir to the kingdom that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick built over two decades, winning six Super Bowls in the process.
Jones had a rocky sophomore campaign, going from Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator during his impressive rookie season to working with a mash unit of Matt Patricia, a defensive specialist, as a play caller on offense and Joe Judge, a special teams guy, as his quarterbacks coach. Belichick fixed that heading into Jones' pivotal third season, hiring former Patriots offensive coordinator and Texans head coach Bill O'Brien from Alabama.
Jones' numbers are now on par with his rookie year, averaging 211.6 yards per game with fifteen touchdowns to just four interceptions, completing a career high 68 percent of his passes and averaging 7.7 yards per attempt, nearly a full yard more than last season.
The Patriots are once again atop the AFC East with an 8-3 record, bouncing back from a 1-2 start to the season to win their last six games with Jones throwing five touchdowns and no interceptions in the last two starts against the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 12 NFL Results 28 - 34--------- 10 - 24---------31 - 24 --------- 17 - 24 20 - 17 ---------38 - 28 ---------17 - 10 ---------24 - 21 31 - 21 ---------24 - 14 ---------35 - 17 ---------27 - 06 21 - 14 ---------34 - 27 ---------21 - 14 ---------28 - 21 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- NFL Playoff Picture AFC
1. Kansas City, 9-2
2. Baltimore, 9-3
3. New England, 8-3
4. Tennessee, 7-4
5. Cincinnati, 8-3
6. Buffalo, 8-4
7. Pittsburgh, 7-4
-- LA Chargers, 7-4
-- Las Vegas, 7-5
-- NY Jets, 6-5
-- Jacksonville, 6-5
NFC
1. San Francisco, 10-1
2. Detroit, 7-4
3. New Orleans, 7-4
4. Dallas, 6-5
5. Seattle, 7-4
6. Atlanta, 7-4
7. Philadelphia, 6-5
-- Chicago, 6-6
-- NY Giants, 6-6
-- Tampa, 5-6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Players of the Week QB Dak Prescott: 20 of 27, 270 yards, 3 touchdowns DE Micah Parsons: 9 tackles, 4 sacks QB Jimmy Garoppolo: 19 of 36, 403 yards, 3 touchdowns CB Marlon Humphrey: 11 tackles, 2 interceptions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- NFL Sack Leaders DE Aaron Donald: 15.5 sacks DE Micah Parsons: 13 sacks DT Chris Jones: 11 sacks OLB Khalil Mack: 9 sacks OLB Rashan Gary: 8 sacks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notable Injuries G Teven Jenkins: Season (leg) G Andrew Norwell: Season (knee) DE Von Miller: Season (ankle) HB Nyheim Hines: Season (knee) LB Jonas Griffith: Season (knee) CB Patrick Surtain II: Season (groin) WR Tim Patrick: Season (Achilles) WR Jakeem Grant Sr.: Season (knee) C Ryan Jensen: Season (knee) WR Russell Gage Jr.: Season (knee) QB Kyler Murray: Season (knee) TE Zach Ertz: Season (ankle) S Lamarcus Joyner: 4 Weeks (collarbone) WR Mike Williams: Season (wrist) WR Richie James: Season (hip) HB Jonathan Taylor: Season (knee) CB Jalen Ramsey: Season (knee) CB Isaiah Rodgers Sr: Season (knee) HB Elijah Mitchell: Season (hamstring) LB Jarrad Davis: Season (knee) S Chuck Clark: Season (knee) T Cam Robinson: Season (foot) WR Quintez Cephus: Season (tibia) TE Austin Hooper: Season (chest) LB Azeez Al-Shaair: Season (knee) QB Ryan Tannehill: 5 Weeks (ankle)
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ILB Ja'Whaun Bentley: 93 tackles
HB Jonathan Taylor: Season (knee)
EDGE Maxx Crosby (doubtful - toe)
WR Richie James (out - hip)
