Each week we get closer to see who will be the twelve particpants in this year’s dance. So far we know that the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and Denver Broncos have all clinched their divisions while the Houston Texans just need one more win to seal their division and possibly home-field advantage as well.
First Down: “The BATCH man” 38-year old Charlie Batch did what most 38 year old men DON’T do and that is win a football game. After losses to Baltimore and Cleveland, Batch had one more outing to prove that he can still play football. If you were to tell me that Charlie Batch would throw for 100 more passing yards then his counterpart Joe Flacco and beat the Baltimore Ravens, I’d say you were nuts, but that is exactly what happened. Batch outplayed Flacco and the Steelers defense with the return of Troy Polamalu was better then ever in a 23-20 stunning road win. Batch led his team to 10 points in the fourth quarter including a drive that ended with a Shaun Suisham game winning field goal as time expired and oh yeah Ray Rice got no touches in the fourth quarter. The Steelers should look at it as a blessing to have won 1 of 3 without Big Ben and with his return the Pittsburgh Steelers could be gearing up for a playoff run.
Second Down: “Those Darn Detroit Lions” Some in the media said that the Detroit Lions would be better then last year as they take the next step forward. I did say the Lions would make the playoffs at the beginning of last year and they did, but this year teams were prepared for the Lions and took more notice and I didn't feel that they had the personnel to respond. The Lions have not shown any resistance and my premontion of them not making them the playoffs has become true. The Lions besides Calvin Johnson are not what they once were. The defense is atrocious, Ndamukong Suh has been in the headlines for all the wrong reason, Jim Schwartz literally costed his team a win on thanksgiving and then what happened last Sunday may have been the straw that broke the camels back. Many teams in the AFC wild card race were hoping for the Lions to beat an Indianapolis Colts that have been brutal on the road. While the Buffalo Bills were finishing up the Jaguars and the Jets and Bengals were winning; a 33-20 Lions lead with under 5 looked good and would ensure that those teams would move up a game. Until Andrew Luck connected with LaVon Brazil with just under 3 to play and then led the drive of the week and on fourth down and ten after the Lions went 3-and-out. Luck hit Donnie Avery who ran untouched into the end zone for the win as time expired in one of the most thrilling games of the year. Colts win 35-33, Luck plays amazing, they inch closer to the playoffs, Chuck Pagano is on his way back all signs are looking good to a team that won just 2 games all of last year. For the Lions they showed that they can't come up big when it matters most. It would be nice to see Megatron beat Jerry Rice's record for receiving yards.
Third Down: “You got to be kidding me” Just when you thought that the Seattle Seahawks had no chance on the road against the tough Chicago Bears they find a way to pull one out. Russell Wilson continues to have a great year at quarterback for the Seahawks who initially brought in Matt Flynn for a whole boatload of money to be their guy. Wilson coupled with one of the best defenses playing well resulted in 23-17 thrilling overtime win. He led the what should have been game winning drive when he hit Golden Tate for a touchdown with just 23 clicks left in the game. However, Jay Cutler somehow found Brandon Marshall deep to set up a Robbie Gould field goal. In overtime the Seahawks won the toss and drove 8 minutes and won the game on a Sidney Rice 13-yard reception. The Seahawks have been strong at home and have 3 of their last 4 at home. They also have tiebreakers on Green Bay *, Chicago, Dallas, Minnesota and Tampa Bay.
Fourth Down: “Just pure emotion” Although the playoffs are way out of reach, after what happened at Aarowhead Stadium with Linebacker Jovan Belcher taking his girlfriends life and then his, it was tough to play a football game. They took a poll and the passionate Chiefs fans wanted/needed football to help get them through this. If the Kansas City Chiefs showed any of that emotion they had on that field last Sunday earlier in the season, they would have a better record. Brady Quinn won his first game in the NFL in over three years and did not turn the ball over once. Quinn was solid throwing for 203 and 2 touchdowns and got help from Jamaal Charles who ran for 127-yards. Cam Newton was good too, but the Chiefs defense buckled down when it had too and came out on top 27-21 over the Carolina Panthers in their only home win of the season. This game will be a lone bright spot for the Cheifs, not because of the death of course but because of they way they overcame it, became a team and won a hard fought game.
Bold Prediction: Phillip Rivers will have more interceptions thrown then touchdowns.
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