NFL 2018 Week 16 Recap

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has passed us by. The holiday rush is over, the gift unwrapping is over, the carolers are silent, and Santa can sleep easy again for another year. In this column, I'll be recapping the week's action. Let's get to work!

Washington 16, Tennessee 25: TW: Titans, CV: Titans
The game was somewhat a duel between Adrian Peterson and Derrick Henry. It was still a pass offense-happy game though. Peterson did run for 119 yards for 0 touchdowns, a respectable effort. Henry would run for 84 yards with a touchdown. Obviously, Washington's defense would try to contain Henry as Henry's longest run was for 18 yards. Josh Johnson threw for 153 yards for a touchdown while throwing two interceptions. Marcus Mariota would throw the ball for 110 yards before getting injured. Blaine Gabbert would carry the load while throwing 101 yards for a touchdown. The Titans playoff hopes are still alive.

Week 17: Washington: vs Philadelphia; Tennessee: vs Indianapolis

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Baltimore 22, LA Chargers 10: TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
It was a game that the Ravens needed to win to stay alive. They answered the call. The Ravens defense would hold the Chargers for 198 total yards. Lamar Jackson would throw for 204 yards for a touchdown. The Ravens leading rusher was Gus Edwards for 92 yards. Philip Rivers would throw the ball for 181 yards while throwing two interceptions. Melvin Gordon would run the ball for 41 yards while scoring the only touchdown for the Chargers in that game. Tough go-around for the Chargers.

Week 17: Baltimore: vs Cleveland; LA Chargers: @ Denver

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Jacksonville 17, Miami 7: TW: Dolphins, CV: Dolphins
It was a bit of redemption for Blake Bortles in this game. To a degree. Cody Kessler would start the game with 106 yards in the effort with zero touchdowns. Bortles would throw for 39 yards while scoring no touchdowns. Carlos Hyde and Leonard Fournette would give the Jaguars rushing attack some help with 47 and 43 yards respectively. Fournette would score a touchdown as well. Ryan Tannehill threw for 146 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Dolphins rushing game would get not a lot of help in the game as Kenyan Drake would run for 23 yards on six carries. Not the effort that Dolphins fans had hoped.

Week 17: Jacksonville: @ Houston; Miami: @ Buffalo

TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2

Houston 30, Philadelphia 32: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The game ended up being a shootout. A really good game nonetheless. Deshaun Watson threw the ball for 339 yards while putting up two touchdowns. The Texans running game didn't get a lot going as Watson ran for 49 yards, while Alfred Blue put up only 14. Nick Foles was vintage Nick Foles throwing the ball for 471 yards while putting up four touchdowns and an interception. Darren Sproles would give the Eagles some help with 32 rushing yards on nine carries. The 471 yards by Foles was a new franchise record for passing yards in a game. Insane!

Week 17: Houston: vs Jacksonville; Philadelphia: @ Washington

TW: 1-3; CV: 1-3

Minnesota 27, Detroit 9: TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
The Vikings needed a win to stay in the wild card hunt and they stepped up in a desperation game. Kirk Cousins threw the ball for 253 yards with three touchdowns. Dalvin Cook would run the ball for 73 yards, giving the Vikings some help in an already balanced attack. It was a lackluster effort on offense for the Lions. Matthew Stafford would only throw the ball for 116 yards and zero touchdowns. Zach Zenner was the Lions leading rusher with 45 yards on eight carries.

Week 17: Minnesota: vs Chicago; Detroit: @ Green Bay

TW: 2-3; CV: 2-3

Tampa Bay 20, Dallas 27: TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys
The Cowboys would lock up the NFC East, a nice prize after a hectic season. Jameis Winston threw for 336 yards with a touchdown in the game. Peyton Barber was the Buccaneers leading rusher with 43 yards with zero touchdowns. Jaquizz Rodgers did score a touchdown in the game while putting up two yards. Dak Prescott threw the pigskin for 161 yards and a touchdown pass of his own. He would also score a rushing touchdown as well. Ezekiel Elliot was the leading rusher for the Boys with 85 yards. Dallas will host a playoff game in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Week 17: Tampa Bay: vs Atlanta; Dallas: @ NY Giants

TW: 3-3; CV: 3-3

Green Bay 44, NY Jets 38 (F/OT): TW: Packers, CV: Jets
The game was a wild one. It was a game that I had some doubt that the Packers could win but nevertheless, they did. Aaron Rodgers would throw the ball for 444 yards with two touchdowns. Rodgers would score two rushing touchdowns as well. The Packers leading rusher was Jamaal Williams with 95 yards with a touchdown. The Jets got a great effort from Sam Darnold who threw for 341 yards with three touchdowns. Elijah McGuire had 35 yards with a touchdown. The win was the Packers first road win dating back to last season.

Week 17: Green Bay: vs Detroit; NY Jets: @ New England

TW: 4-3; CV: 3-4

NY Giants 27, Indianapolis 28: TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The game was a great one as Andrew Luck willed his team to a possible playoff berth. Andrew Luck got 357 yards for two touchdowns while throwing the ball. He did throw an interception in the game. Marlon Mack got 34 yards rushing with a touchdown in the game. Eli Manning had 309 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the game for the Giants. Saquon Barkley would run the ball for 43 yards for a touchdown. Barkley would out-gain Mack in the game.

Week 17: NY Giants: vs Dallas; Indianapolis: @ Tennessee

TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4

Cincinnati 18, Cleveland 26: TW: Browns, CV: Browns
The Browns would sweep their neighbors to the south of Ohio for the first time since 2002. The Bengals got some help in the passing game from Jake Driskell. Driskell would throw the ball for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Joe Mixon would run the ball for 68 yards. Baker Mayfield threw the ball for 284 yards on three touchdowns. Nick Chubb ran the ball for 112 yards with zero touchdowns. It was a far cry from the time two years ago when the Browns got their first win on Christmas Eve against the Chargers.

Week 17: Cincinnati: @ Pittsburgh; Cleveland: @ Baltimore

TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4

Atlanta 24, Carolina 10: TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
There was a time when the Panthers were 6-2, after this game it would be their 7th straight loss. The Falcons got a great effort from Matt Ryan who threw the ball for 239 yards on three touchdowns. The Falcons got a great boost on the running game with Brian Hill running the ball for 115 yards. The Panthers started Taylor Heineke at quarterback. The QB threw for 274 yards with a touchdown pass. He threw three interceptions in the game. Christian McCaffrey got the Panthers help while running the ball for 101 yards on 21 carries. Both teams are now at 6-9, how crazy.

Week 17: Atlanta: @ Tampa Bay; Carolina: @ New Orleans

TW: 7-3; CV: 6-4

Buffalo 12, New England 24: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Patriots would get their 10th straight AFC East title after this game. Josh Allen had 217 yards passing the ball with a touchdown pass and throwing two interceptions. Keith Ford would run the ball for 33 yards with zero touchdowns. Tom Brady had an off game while throwing the ball for 126 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Sony Michel would help pick up the slack for the Pats with his 116 yards while compiling a touchdown of his own. It was more of a defensive effort for the Patriots than the usual offensive game. Then again Buffalo isn't that great.

Week 17: Buffalo: vs Miami; New England: vs NY Jets

TW: 8-3; CV: 7-4

Chicago 14, San Francisco 9: TW: Bears, CV: Bears
It was more of a defensive game than the one that some expected to see. The Bears defense kept the 49ers at bay while the Bears offense gave them enough points to win. Mitchell Trubisky threw the ball 246 yards with a touchdown pass. The Bears leading rusher was Jordan Howard with 53 yards with a touchdown of his own. The Niners quarterback Nick Mullens had a similar game with 241 yards passing with an interception. Jeff Wilson was the 49ers leading man in rushing with 27 yards. The Bears would be the 3rd seed in the NFC playoffs.

Week 17: Chicago: @ Minnesota; San Francisco: @ LA Rams

TW: 9-3; CV: 8-4

LA Rams 31, Arizona 9: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
It was a game that most people would expect to turn in the Rams favor. Jared Goff threw the ball for 216 yards with a touchdown in the game. CJ Anderson would start the game for the Rams in place of the injured Todd Gurley and Anderson didn't lose a step in the game. He racked up 167 yards with a touchdown. Robert Woods and Goff would also score a rushing touchdown for the Rams. The Cardinals had trouble finding stability at quarterback as Josh Rosen threw the ball for 87 yards, Mike Glennon threw for 63 yards and Larry Fitzgerald would see some time throwing the ball, scoring the only touchdown for the Cardinals on a 32-yard pass to David Johnson. One more week to go Arizona!

Week 17: LA Rams: vs San Francisco; Arizona: @ Seattle

TW: 10-3; CV: 9-4

Pittsburgh 28, New Orleans 31: TW: Saints, CV: Saints
The game that a lot of people had their eye on. Some wanted the Steelers to win, some wanted the Saints to win. Ben Roethlisberger attempted to throw the ball for nearly 50 times while compiling 380 yards passing on three touchdowns. The Steelers running game wasn't too much of a factor as Jaylen Samuels only ran for 53 yards. Drew Brees had a good day throwing the ball for 326 yards with a touchdown. The Saints running back duo in Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram ran the ball for 35 and 23 yards respectively. Ingram scored a touchdown while Kamara scored two. The Saints locked up the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Week 17: Pittsburgh: vs Cincinnati; New Orleans: vs Carolina

TW: 11-3; CV: 10-4

Kansas City 31, Seattle 38: TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
Defensive troubles continue to haunt the Chiefs in a time when momentum is huge going into the playoffs. The Chiefs got a great game offensively. Patrick Mahomes had 273 yards passing the ball for three touchdowns. Damien Williams had 103 yards rushing on 13 carries. Russell Wilson threw for 271 yards on three touchdowns of his own with zero interceptions. Chris Carson ran the ball for 116 yards with two touchdowns against the Chiefs. The Seahawks locked up a playoff spot as they will most likely play Dallas in the Wild Card game in a few weeks.

Week 17: Kansas City: vs Oakland; Seattle: vs Arizona

TW: 11-4; CV: 10-5

Denver 14, Oakland 27: TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
With the possibility of playing in Oakland for the last time, the Raiders gave their fans something to celebrate. The Broncos passing game comprised of Case Keenum throwing the ball for 202 yards with two touchdowns while throwing two interceptions. Philip Lindsey would run the ball for 46 yards with zero touchdowns. Derek Carr threw the ball for 167 yards for zero touchdowns. The Raiders running game was led by Doug Martin running the ball for 107 yards with a touchdown. Jalen Richard would also score a touchdown in the game for the Black & Silver. Richard ran the ball for 11 yards.

Week 17: Denver: vs LA Chargers; Oakland: @ Kansas City

TW: 11-5; 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
Week 16: 11-5
Overall: 144-94-2

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
Week 16: 10-6
Overall: 143-95-2

I'll see you guys on Friday for the Week 17 picks column! See you guys in a few days. 
-Tom