HIGHLIGHTS
Cowboys Beat a Good Team?- Miracles, apparently still do happen as my beloved Cowboys actually won a game against a team with a winning pedigree. I know I tend to give the Cowboys a hard time, but there was something truly special about this game. Usually, in games against superior opponents (especially in December), one of two things happen; either the Cowboys get totally blown out or they hang in there long enough, only to lose it at the end. While Sunday’s match-up against the Steelers had all the makings of the latter, they strangely did not blow it. Not only that, but on the strength of two critical back-to-back sacks late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys were able to force overtime and beat and clinch victory with another Dan Bailey field goal. If you are a true Cowboys fan, you know that this never happens and that maybe, just maybe, we are witnessing something special.
The 49ers Big Road Victory in New England- Although week 15 in the NFL saw some of the worst collection of football games of all-time, the Sunday night game in Foxboro was a real gem. The game saw the 49ers come into New England and lay the smack down on New England for almost three quarters, only to see the Patriots wake up and make a game of it late. It truly was a spectacular game for anyone who didn’t turn it off 10 minutes after half-time, and while New England valiantly attempted to fight back, they were gassed late and allowed a brutal kick-off return which turned into an even more Brutal Michael Crabtree touchdown late. The decision to bench Alex Smith late in the season was seen as a suspect move by many (myself included), but Colin Kapernick seems to be proving the naysayers wrong in fantastic fashion so far. The question is, if he gets hurt, will Alex Smith be able to comfortably take back the reins with his confidence and disposition now shot?
Seattle for real??- There must really be something in the water in Seattle, because a week after beating Arizona 58-0, the Seahawks came into Buffalo Toronto and laid 50 points on the Bills. Usually the Seahawks have their edge at home, but in their last two games are proving that they are a force to be reckoned with no matter where they play. Although the Seahawks have been solid all season, they somehow seem to have rallied around the loss of their best defensive player in Brandon Browner (due to suspension) and have taken their play to the next level. This week however, the Seahawks are no longer teams in the basement but rather a division leading 49ers team who just came off their biggest win in years. This game promises to be a big one.
LOWLIGHTS
Raiders v.s. Chiefs- Do I really need to write anything more? If I am trying to put a positive spin on this game without descending into madness, all I can say is that of all the games played this weekend, this one is probably the only one that met its pre-game expectations. Although, the Chiefs played their hearts out under highly emotional circumstances against Carolina two weeks prior, from wire to wire this Chiefs team might end up being one of the top 5 worst teams of all time. As for the Raiders, when your best player is your kicker, you know you’ve got problems. However, when your kicker is your best player and the only person on your team to put up any points, you know you’ve really got some serious issues.
Those Bungling Bears- Six weeks ago, the Chicago Bears seemed like not only the best team in their Division or Conference, but the way they were playing lights out defense, you could have made a case that they were the best team in the NFL. What a difference six weeks can make, as now their defense is getting booed at home and the team is in complete disarray. In this latest bungle, the Bears once heralded defense managed to yield 154 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to Adrian Peterson. And I know Adrian Peterson is the best back in football, but no football team can expect to win games consistently giving up that kind of yardage on the ground at home. However, more troubling for the Bears appears to be the play they are getting from the Quarterback position, as something has seemed wrong with Cutler since he first went out with injury a couple of weeks ago. The Bears have already coughed up the Division title to the Packers, and if they don’t right the ship soon enough in their next two winnable games, it could make for a very long off-season.
The Champs Were Here- A week after torching the Saints on the road, the Giants went into the Georgia Dome and absolutely got pummelled by the Falcons. Usually, this is the type of game the Falcons love to lose (i.e. playing a good team at home with something to prove), but the Giants seemed to want none of it, and put on possibly the worst display of their entire season (although their loss at home against the Bengals is a contender). If you are a fan of either the Redskins or the Cowboys you have to love watching the Giants 2012 implosion, but if you reside anywhere in the tri-state area you have to be worried. This week the Giants go on the road to face Baltimore, so while both they and the Bears are in similar positions, the G-men face a much tougher road to the playoffs.
