The List: Saints are first to clinch and NFL 100 front seven named
Thanksgiving week in the NFL spotlights the Lions and Cowboys in holiday games every season. This year, the schedule also featured a Super Bowl rematch and a meeting between AFC North teams whose last contest ended with a brawl. Here is a look at the good and bad from Week 13.
WINNERS
Saints top Falcons to win NFC South - While many football fans were settling into their post-Thanksgiving food comas, New Orleans became the first team in the NFL to clinch a division title. The Saints overcame two late Falcons onside kick recoveries to score a 26-18 victory and earn their third straight NFC South championship. Jack-of-all-trades dynamo Taysom Hill was the game’s star after catching a touchdown from Drew Brees in the first quarter and rushing 30 yards for another score in the second. Matt Ryan threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns for Atlanta in a losing effort.
A Super Bowl rematch that could also be a preview - The Ravens and 49ers met in Super Bowl XLVII at the end of the 2012 season. The score was 34-31 in favor of Baltimore, but the game was remembered more for John Harbaugh beating his brother, Jim, in the first Super Bowl battle of coaching brothers, as well as a 22-minute power outage before the third quarter at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Current Ravens star Lamar Jackson was in high school when that game was played, but he forged his own memorable experience when the teams met on Sunday. Jackson threw for 105 yards and a touchdown and ran for 101 yards and another score, but the contest was tied late. Justin Tucker lived up to his reputation as the NFL’s all-time leader in field goal percentage, hitting a 49-yarder as time expired for a 20-17 Baltimore win. Both teams now are 10-2 on the season. Jackson has 977 rushing yards in 2019, the second-highest single-season total in league history (Michael Vick had 1,039 for Atlanta in 2006, the year before he faced a dogfighting scandal). Jackson also became the first player to have 950 yards rushing and 25 passing touchdowns in a season.
Best game of the week? - Most people thought the Ravens-49ers game was the week’s top contest. However, the Vikings and Seahawks put on quite an entertaining game on Monday night. Trailing 17-10 at halftime, Seattle scored the next 24 points. Russell Wilson hit David Moore with a 60-yard touchdown pass with five seconds left in the third (followed by an entertaining tandem dance from the receivers). After an incomplete pass ended the quarter, Tre Flowers intercepted Kirk Cousins on the first play of the fourth, giving Seattle the ball at the Minnesota 25. Two Rashaad Penny runs set up a Wilson-to-Penny 13-yard pass for a 34-17 Seahawks lead with 13:30 left.
Cousins threw a 15-yard pass to Alexander Mattison (who took over for Dalvin Cook after he left with a shoulder injury), setting up a Cousins 58-yard strike to Laquan Treadwell. Seattle kept its next drive alive with a 29-yard run by Travis Homer on a fake punt, but three plays later, Mackensie Alexander recovered DK Metcalf’s fumble. Cousins led Minnesota on an eight-play drive that included a 30-yard pass interference call and a touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph with 7:14 left to cut the Vikings’ deficit to 34-30 (with Dan Bailey’s missed the extra point).
Minnesota held Seattle to a three-and-out on the next possession, but after a first down pass to Rudolph, Cousins could move his team no further and a pass to rookie Irv Smith Jr. on fourth down fell incomplete. The Seahawks held the ball nearly to the end, and a Jason Myers field goal with 21 seconds left opened up a 37-30 lead. The ensuing squib kick was fumbled away by C. J. Ham and recovered by Homer. One Wilson kneel down later, and Seattle improved to 10-2.
NFL 100 all-time defensive linemen and linebackers announced - The front seven was announced last Friday and the 14 lineman and 12 linebackers have one thing in common: they are all members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Here is a look at the 26 players.
Defensive Ends: Doug Atkins was an eight-time Pro Bowler who starred for the Bears in the 1950s and ’60s. Bill Hewitt was a four-time All-Pro who was a two-way star with Chicago and Philadelphia in the 1930s. David “Deacon” Jones and Gino Marchetti are in the argument for the greatest and most intimidating ever at the position. Jones was a five-time unanimous All-Pro, an eight-time Pro Bowler and he invented the term “sack.” Marchetti was selected to 11 straight Pro Bowls and was voted the league’s top defensive end over the NFL’s first 50 years. Lee Roy Selmon was a six-time Pro Bowler, the 1979 Defensive Player of the Year and Tampa Bay’s first true star. Bruce Smith was an 11-time Pro Bowler and an eight-time All-Pro. He was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, played in four straight Super Bowls with the Bills and holds the NFL record with 200 career sacks. Reggie White also is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. The “Minister of Defense” went to 13 straight Pro Bowls and totaled 198 sacks, including 12 seasons with 10 or more.
Defensive Tackles: Junious “Buck” Buchanan played in two Super Bowls with the Chiefs and was an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. “Mean Joe” Greene was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, a 10-time Pro Bowler and a four-time champion with the Steelers. Bob Lilly was a two-time Super Bowl participant who played both end and tackle on Dallas’ “Doomsday Defense.” He went to 11 Pro Bowls and was selected an All-Pro eight times. Merlin Olsen joined Jones on the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome” defensive front. His 14 Pro Bowl selections are tied for the most in NFL history, and he was an All-Pro five straight years. Alan Page was the league’s MVP in 1971 and was a six-time All-Pro. He played in four Super Bowls with Minnesota’s “Purple People Eater” defense, and all 218 games during his 15-year career. John Randle was a seven-time Pro Bowler, a six-time All-Pro, and he posted double-digit sack totals nine times. Randy White went to nine straight Pro Bowls and was a seven-time All-Pro. He played in three Super Bowls with Dallas and was the co-MVP with Harvey Martin in Super Bowl XII.
Outside Linebackers: Chuck Bednarik’s mangled hands tell the story of a time gone by, when he was the NFL’s “Iron Man” and the last person who played full-time on both offense (as center) and defense. He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a six-time All-Pro. Bobby Bell played six in six AFL All-Star Games and three Pro Bowls as a member of the Chiefs. He scored six touchdowns on interceptions, two on fumble returns and one on an onside kick return. Derrick Brooks was a tackle machine for the Buccaneers, and he was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2002. He was also an 11-time Pro Bowler and a five-time All-Pro. Jack Ham was a four-time champion with Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” defense. The 1975 Defensive Player of the year was also an eight-time Pro Bowler and a six-time All-Pro. Ted Hendricks was an underrated star who went to eight Pro Bowls and won three titles with the Raiders. Lawrence Taylor is a two-time champion who joined Page as the only defensive players to with the NFL MVP award after amassing 20½ sacks in 1986. He was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a 10-time Pro Bowler and an eight-time All-Pro.
Middle/Inside Linebackers: Dick Butkus was one of the most intimidating defensive players ever. Although he played on some bad Bears teams, Butkus was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a five-time All-Pro. He was adept at finding the ball, with 22 career interceptions and 27 fumbles recovered (a record when he retired in 1971). Jack Lambert was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1976 and joined Greene and Ham on four Steelers title teams. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and a six-time All-Pro. Willie Lanier played with Bell on Kansas City’s title team in Super Bowl IV. He was named to a pair of AFL All-Star Games and six Pro Bowls. Ray Lewis was a 13-time Pro Bowler, a seven-time All-Pro and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Lewis was a two-time champion (and the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV), and he is the only player in NFL history to record 40 sacks and 30 interceptions. Joe Schmidt was a 10-time Pro Bowler and an eight-time All-Pro, and he led the Lions to their last two titles in 1953 and ’57. Before his death became a study in the effect of concussions on NFL players, Junior Seau was a 12-time Pro Bowler and a six-time All-Pro. The 1994 NFL Man of the Year led the Chargers to their only title game appearance in Super Bowl XXIX.
In addition to the players, one additional coach was named, joining Bill Belichick and Paul Brown in the Top 10. Chuck Noll became the first coach to win four Super Bowls. He led the Steelers to a 209-156-1 record and nine division titles over 23 seasons. The NFL 100 team will expand again this Friday night when defensive backs and special teams players are named.
Dolphins get creative against the Eagles - Late in the second quarter, the Dolphins were trailing the Eagles, 13-7. Given their 2-9 record, that was not a surprise. Miami lined up to kick a field goal and cut into the lead, but then things got strange. The Dolphins players started moving around, and soon there were five “receivers” to the left, four to the right, and only center Daniel Kilgore and punter/holder Matt Haack in the middle. Haack took the snap, scrambled to his left a little, then flipped the ball into the end zone, where it was caught by Jason Sanders for a touchdown as Miami took a 14-13 lead. You did read that correctly, the pass went from a punter to a kicker for a score. Although the Eagles took a 28-14 lead early in the third quarter, Miami came back for a 37-31 victory.
Not to be lost is the performance of Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who threw a touchdown pass against the Eagles with his seventh team (Rams, Bengals, Bills, Texans, Jets, Buccaneers and now Dolphins).
Weekly stat leaders - The Rams beat the Cardinals, 34-7, on Sunday, and most of the credit goes to quarterback Jared Goff, who threw for 424 yards and two touchdowns. Aaron Rodgers threw four scoring passes in a 31-13 win over the Giants. Rodgers now has 23 career four-touchdown games, tying him with former teammate Brett Favre for the most in the NFL since 1950. All the talk of Mitchell Trubisky being a draft bust was pushed off, at least for another week, after a 338-yard, three-score performance in a win over the Lions on Thanksgiving. Fitzpatrick and Carson Wentz each tossed three touchdowns in the Miami-Philadelphia game, but Fitzpatrick and his 365-yard performance earned the victory. Finally, Tom Brady threw for 326 yards and three scores on Sunday night, but the Texans earned their first win in six tries against the Patriots under head coach Bill O’Brien.
Jacoby Brissett threw for 319 yards, but it was Derrick Henry’s 149 rushing yards that proved to be the difference in Tennessee’s win over Indianapolis. Jackson’s big performance helped Baltimore to a win, but San Francisco’s Raheem Mostert had a long touchdown run on his way to a 146-yard game. Derrius Guice rushed for 129 yards and two scores in Washington’s 29-21 win over Carolina. Finally, Josh Jacobs became the first Raiders rookie to rush for 1,000 yards (after a 104-yard performance), but Oakland was routed in Kansas City on Sunday.
The main beneficiary of Goff’s play was Robert Woods, who caught 13 passes for a league-high 172 yards on Sunday. DeVante Parker had seven receptions for 159 yards in Miami’s win, despite a strong performance on the other side by Alshon Jeffery (nine catches, 137 yards). Trubisky’s favorite target on Thursday was Anthony Miller, who had nine receptions for 140 yards. Also in that game, Kenny Golladay made David Blough’s first start for Detroit a memorable one. He caught four passes for 158 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown four minutes into the game.
Johnson now league’s highest-paid offensive lineman - On Friday, the Eagles signed right tackle Lane Johnson to a four-year, $72 million extension through 2025 that includes more than $54 million guaranteed. The deal makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman, both in terms of guaranteed money and per year salary. Johnson, who was drafted fourth overall by Philadelphia in 2013, has made the last two Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2017, which ended with a Super Bowl LII win for the Eagles.
LOSERS
Cardinals’ Shaw suspended for gambling on games - Arizona cornerback Josh Shaw, who has not played this season due to a shoulder injury, was caught gambling in Las Vegas and suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell through the 2020 season. Betting on NFL games is not allowed if you are employed by the league in any way, so this was an easy call. According to reports, Shaw gambled against his own team for Arizona’s game against Tampa Bay on November 10 (not only did the Cardinals lose the game, but Shaw lost the bet when Arizona failed to cover). Shaw also listed his job as “professional football player” on his betting account application.
New ways for the Chargers to lose - Los Angeles had a good defensive showing against Denver and quarterback Drew Lock, who was making his first career start. Despite an incredible diving touchdown catch by Courtland Sutton, Philip Rivers threw his second touchdown pass to tie the score early in the fourth. Brandon McManus used his home-field advantage to kick a 52-yard field goal for a 20-17 Broncos lead with 4:26 left. Rivers led the Chargers on an eight-play drive, including a crucial 38-yard pass to Mike Williams on 4th-and-11, to set up Michael Badgley’s game-tying 46-yard field goal with 14 seconds left.
Those of you who got up to get a snack and prepare for overtime missed a wild finish. The kick return started Denver’s “drive” at the 28, and Lock launched a pass down the field for Sutton almost assuredly to try and get a pass interference call. Casey Hayward obliged, bumping Sutton as he tried to track down the ball near the sideline. The 37-yard penalty set up McManus’ 53-yard kick as time expired for the win. Both teams now have a 4-8 record.
Pryor stabbed, arrested in domestic dispute - Terrelle Pryor, a former college quarterback who moved to wide receiver in the NFL, was involved in a dispute with his girlfriend early Saturday morning which resulted in him being stabbed in the shoulder and chest. Pryor is in stable condition and has been charged with simple assault. Shalaya Briston faces attempted homicide and aggravated assault charges from the altercation, according to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Pryor has not played since 2018. He was released by the Jaguars in September after sustaining a hamstring injury.
Kicker carousel keeps spinning in New England - All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski had surgery for a left hip injury, ending his season after four games. Over the next four weeks, Mike Nugent missed three field goals and an extra point, so he was released, despite the Patriots having an 8-0 record. Another former Jets kicker, Nick Folk, was signed, and he hit 7 of 9 field goals before being cut last week due to an appendectomy. The Pats signed ex-Redskin Kai Forbath, who hit a short field goal but missed an extra point in New England’s 28-22 loss to Houston. Forbath was released on Monday, possibly opening to the door for Folk to return (or for the Patriots to turn to a fifth different option).
Cowboys’ Williams tops injury list - Dallas guard Connor Williams had his leg rolled on by Zack Martin on a second-quarter run by Ezekiel Elliott during a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Bills. The injury turned out to be a torn ACL, which will put an end to Williams’ season.
Carolina Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen suffered a concussion in Sunday’s loss to the Redskins. The helmet-to-helmet hit led to linebacker Ryan Anderson getting ejected. Redskins wide receiver Trey Quinn, Broncos guard Ron Leary and Giants cornerback Cory Ballantine also suffered concussions. On Monday night, Vikings running back Dalvin Cook left the game with a shoulder injury and offensive lineman Riley Reiff sustained a concussion, adding injury to Minnesota’s 37-30 loss to Seattle.
Other key players to leave games this weekend with injuries include: Dolphins running back Kalen Ballage (leg), Colts wide receiver Chester Rogers (knee), Redskins tackle Morgan Moses (back) and linebacker Montez Sweat (quad), Titans cornerback Adoree Jackson (knee), 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt (rib), Broncos linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu (lower leg), and Chiefs running back Darrel Williams (hamstring) and defensive end Frank Clark (shoulder).
Stat company owner dies - Seymour Siwoff, the owner of the Elias Sports Bureau for more than 65 years, passed away on Friday at age 99. Al and Walter Elias started the business in 1913 and it became the official statistics company for baseball’s National League six years later. Siwoff worked for the brothers as a teenager, then came back as an accountant after serving in World War II. In 1952, he purchased the company from the Elias brothers’ widows and nine years later, he brokered a deal that made Elias the official statistician of the NFL.
Under Siwoff, Elias added the American League to its ranks in 1980, and the company also works with the NBA, WNBA, MLS, and several broadcast networks. Siwoff helped usher in split stats, such as day-night, home-road and batting totals for right- versus left-handers. Elias is now run by Siwoff’s grandson, Joe Gilston, who took control of the company in March.
-By: Kevin Rakas
Writer
