NFL 2018 Week 15 Recap

Hello readers!

LA Chargers 29, Kansas City 28: TW: Chiefs, CV: Chargers
The Chiefs really let this one slip away from them. They had a 14-point lead going into the 4th quarter and would lose the game by one-point. Patrick Mahomes would finish the game with 243 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs running game was led by Damien Williams with 49 yards rushing and two touchdowns of his own. Phillip Rivers finished the game with 313 yards and two touchdowns. He would also throw two interceptions. Justin Jackson would run the ball for 58 yards and a touchdown as well. The Chargers would attempt a 2-point conversion and would get it, and that would be the final result.

Week 16: LA Chargers: vs Baltimore; Kansas City: @ Seattle

TW: 0-1; CV: 1-0

Houston 29, NY Jets 22: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
It was a back and forth affair between the two teams. Both quarterbacks played outstanding ball throughout the game. DeShaun Watson had 294 yards passing with two touchdowns while rushing the ball for 26 yards. Sam Darnold had a better game throwing the ball for 254 yards and two touchdowns. With no interceptions mind you. The Texans could win the division with a Colts loss or tie and a Titans loss or tie.

Week 16: Houston: @ Philadelphia; NY Jets: vs Green Bay

TW: 1-1; CV: 2-0

Cleveland 17, Denver 16: TW: Browns, CV: Browns
Around this time last year, the Browns were trying to get their first win. After tonight's game, they won their 6th game. Both teams had their share of mistakes but it would be the Browns that would hold on to win. Baker Mayfield threw the ball for 188 yards for two touchdowns and a pick. Nick Chubb had a good day on the ground with 20 carries for 100 yards. Case Keenum threw for 257 yards for two interceptions. The Broncos running game was stagnant with Philip Lindsay rushing the ball for only 24 yards. Keenum scored the only touchdown for the Broncos on a 1-yard rush. Tough loss for the Broncos. A win is a win for the Browns.

Week 16: Cleveland: vs Cincinnati; Denver: @ Oakland (Christmas Eve)

TW: 2-1; CV: 3-0

Oakland 16, Cincinnati 30: TW: Raiders, CV: Bengals
The game was really a show of how dominant the Bengals were earlier in the season. Jake Driskell threw for 130 yards while getting a touchdown pass and an interception. The real star was Bengals running back Joe Mixon running the ball for 129 yards for two touchdowns. The Raiders fared much less good on offense though Derek Carr threw for 263 yards for a touchdown (the only touchdown for the Raiders all game). Doug Martin couldn't get a lot going on the ground with 39 yards rushed. Only two more weeks Raiders fans.

Week 16: Oakland: vs Denver (Christmas Eve); Cincinnati: @ Cleveland

TW: 2-2; CV: 4-0

Tampa Bay 12, Baltimore 20: TW: Ravens, CV: Ravens
The Ravens defense kept the high flying Buccaneers pass offense in check for most of the game. Jameis Winston did get the start, throwing for 157 yards for an interception. The Buccaneers had some success on the ground with Peyton Barber getting 85 yards on 19 carries while scoring a touchdown. It was a game that was again a showcase of how good Lamar Jackson can be with both his arm and legs. Jackson threw for 131 yards while scoring a touchdown and getting 95 yards. Gus Edwards had a great day with 104 yards rushing with a touchdown. Baltimore could be dangerous in the future.

Week 16: Tampa Bay: @ Dallas; Baltimore: @ LA Chargers (Saturday night)

TW: 3-2; CV: 5-0

Tennessee 17, NY Giants 0: TW: Giants, CV: Titans
I was somewhat expecting the game to be a showcase of two great running backs, one came up huge, the other was eh. Derrick Henry had a repeat performance, gaining 170 yards while scoring two touchdowns. Marcus Mariota only got 88 yards passing with zero touchdowns. Eli Manning could only manage 229 yards passing with an interception. Saquon Barkley could only get 31 yards rushing on 14 carries. Not quite what you would expect with Barkley. Sorry Tennessee for doubting you... again.

Week 16: Tennessee: vs Washington; NY Giants: @ Indianapolis

TW: 3-3; CV: 6-0

Washington 16, Jacksonville 13: TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
Both teams were looking for a win in a down year, Washington's offense would ultimately show up to play. Josh Johnson threw for 151 yards with a touchdown pass, Washington's only one for the day. Adrian Peterson provided a boost in the running game with 51 yards rushing. Cody Kessler would get the start again for the Jaguars only throwing for 57 yards with an interception. Kessler would be the team's leading rusher in the game with 68 yards. Dede Westbrook would provide the only touchdown for the Jaguars on a 74-yard punt return. Washington was down 13-6 at the start of the 4th quarter.

Week 16: Washington: @ Tennessee; Jacksonville: @ Miami

TW: 3-4; CV: 6-1

Miami 17, Minnesota 41: TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
In the past, I had Dalvin Cook for not showing up when his team needed him most, in this game he showed up to the ball. Cook would run the ball for 136 yards on two touchdowns. Latavius Murray would get a touchdown as well with 68 yards rushing. Kirk Cousins gave the Vikings pass attack a boost with 215 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Kalen Balledge of the Dolphins had a good day with 123 yards rushing with a touchdown run of his own. The Dolphins defense did manage to pick off Kirk Cousins for a pick-six.

Week 16: Miami: vs Jacksonville; Minnesota: @ Detroit

TW: 4-4; CV: 7-1

Green Bay 17, Chicago 24: TW: Bears, CV: Bears
I had hoped for a Bears victory, and boy did I get it. It pained me to watch it as a Packer fan, but it was necessary. Aaron Rodgers threw the ball well enough to get 274 yards with an interception (his first in a long time). Jamaal Williams gave the Packers rush some help with 55 yards with a touchdown, the only touchdown the Packers could put up all game. Mitch Trubisky gave the Bears a good game with 235 yards passing with two touchdowns. Jordan Howard got 60 yards with a touchdown while running the ball. Keep the faith, Packer nation!

Week 16: Green Bay: @ NY Jets; Chicago: @ San Francisco

TW: 5-4; CV: 8-1

Dallas 0, Indianapolis 23: TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys
It was a weird game. The Cowboys can look like a Super Bowl contender in one game, then look like a dud in another. Dak Prescott threw the ball for 206 yards with an interception while Ezekiel Elliot ran the ball for 87 yards with zero touchdowns. Certainly not the performance that we've expected to see from the Cowboys. You have to give credit to the Colts. Marlon Mack ran the ball for 139 yards on two touchdowns. Andrew Luck gave the Colts passing game some help with 192 yards passing on zero touchdowns. Kudos to the Colts though.

Week 16: Dallas: vs Tampa Bay; Indianapolis: vs NY Giants

TW: 5-5; CV: 8-2

Arizona 14, Atlanta 40: TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
The Falcons have had a down season, they needed a spark to their team. They would get it when they hosted the Cardinals. Matt Ryan threw for 231 yards with two touchdowns while running it in for a touchdown himself. Tevin Coleman would have a great day on the ground with 145 yards with a touchdown. The Cardinals fared less good. Josh Rosen would throw for 132 yards with two interceptions before getting benched in favor for Mike Glennon who would finish for the Cardinals with 111 yards passing on a touchdown. David Johnson would run the ball for 33 yards while scoring a touchdown. Only two more weeks for you Cardinals fans for your season to be finally over.

Week 16: Arizona: vs LA Rams; Atlanta: @ Carolina

TW: 6-5; CV: 9-2

Detroit 13, Buffalo 14: TW: Bills, CV: Lions
The game truly came down to a missed 2-point conversion. Josh Allen would run the show on offense for the Bills with 204 passing yards with a touchdown while running it in for a score himself. He would finish the day with 16 rushing yards. Keith Ford would give the Bills some boost in the running game with his 46 yards rushing. Matthew Stafford threw the ball for 208 yards with a touchdown. Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner would both have 47 and 45 yards rushing respectively. Zenner would score the 2nd touchdown for the Lions.

Week 16: Detroit: vs Minnesota; Buffalo: @ New England

TW: 7-5; CV: 9-3

Seattle 23, San Francisco 26 (F/OT): TW: Seattle, CV: Seahawks
Special teams were the MVP for the 49ers in the contest. Seattle's Russell Wilson had 237 passing yards with two touchdowns. Chris Carson had 119 yards rushing with a touchdown. Nick Mullens had 275 yards passing with a touchdown. Matt Breida and Jeff Wilson had 50 and 46 yards on the ground respectively. Richie James had a kick return for a touchdown for 97 yards. Robbie Gould finished with 4/4 on field goals. He hit the 36-yard game winner in overtime.

Week 16: Seattle: vs Kansas City; San Francisco: vs Chicago

TW: 7-6; CV: 9-4

New England 10, Pittsburgh 17: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
It was an uncharacteristic performance from the Patriots. Tom Brady would give the Patriots 279 yards passing with a touchdown and interception. Sony Michel would be the team's leading rusher with 59 yards. Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers had 235 yards passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Jaylen Samuels had an off day last week but he would ring the bell (pun intended perhaps) with 142 yards on 19 carries. His longest was for 25 yards. A first-round bye is in jeopardy for the Patriots. Pittsburgh finally gets the Patriots monkey off their back.

Week 16: New England: vs Buffalo; Pittsburgh: @ New Orleans

TW: 7-7; CV: 9-5

Philadelphia 30, LA Rams 23: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The defense was the name of the game with both defenses getting three interceptions. Nick Foles would start for the Eagles again, throwing the ball for 270 yards passing with an interception. Wendell Smallwood would get 48 yards rushing on two touchdowns for the Eagles. Jared Goff had another off game with two interceptions while getting 339 yards passing. Todd Gurley would pick up the slack with 48 yards rushing with two touchdowns of his own. The defending champs aren't dead... yet.

Week 16: Philadelphia: vs Houston; LA Rams: @ Arizona

TW: 7-8; CV: 9-6

New Orleans 12, Carolina 9: TW: Saints, CV: Saints
The game wasn't pretty, it was not the offensive showdown that most probably expected, but it was a win for the Saints. Drew Brees had 203 yards in the air with an interception. Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, the versatile running back tandem, had 67 and 63 yards rushing respectively. Kamara had a touchdown as well. Cam Newton had 131 yards passing with an interception as well. Christian McCaffrey had a touchdown pass on a 50-yard play. McCaffrey had 53 yards rushing on 15 carries. It was Carolina's sixth straight loss after going 6-2.

Week 16: New Orleans: vs Pittsburgh; Carolina: vs Atlanta

TW: 8-8; CV: 10-6

Records:

Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Week 12: 11-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 8-8
Overall: 133-89-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Week 12: 13-2
Week 13: 11-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 10-6
Overall: 133-89-2

See you guys on Wednesday for the Week 16 picks column!
-Tom