NFL 2023 Week 14 Recap

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was Week 14 brought us some crazy storylines. Such storylines like an upset in Pittsburgh, controversy in Kansas City, a soaker in New Jersey, and a low-scoring affair in Las Vegas. All those games and more in this week's recap post.

NFL Week 14 Freaky Stat

Bailey Zappe's three touchdown passes in the first half was the first time since Week 17 of the 2018 season that a Patriots quarterback did that sort of feat. A guy named Tom Brady did it against the Jets. 

NFL Week 14 Recap

New England 21, Pittsburgh 18: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers

Bailey Zappe's three touchdowns were just enough to win. Zappe hit 19 of 28 passes for 240 yards with three touchdown passes but also tossed an interception. Ezekiel Elliott one of the touchdowns and Hunter Henry got two others in the game. Elliott would get most of the carries as he rushed for 68 yards with 22 carries. JuJu Smith-Schuster made his return to Pittsburgh again and was a decent force for the Patriots pass game with four catches for 90 yards, including a 37-yard play. At the end of the day the Patriots put up 303 total yards in the game. Mitchell Trubisky got the start for the Steelers. The former Bear hit 22 of 35 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson but also tossed an interception. The quarterback would head into the endzone for the 2nd touchdown while getting 30 rushing yards. The score came after a blocked punt. Najee Harris rushed for a paltry 29 yards on 12 carries. They were limited in the run game for sure. Pittsburgh's offense got 264 total yards in the game. For the Patriots, they snap a five-game losing streak and get their first win since Week 7 against Buffalo but still have a 3-10 record. For the Steelers, they drop to 7-6 and going 0-2 against teams with two wins coming into their contests. 

Next week: 
New England: vs Kansas City
Pittsburgh: Indianapolis

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

Detroit 13, Chicago 28: TW: Lions; CV: Lions

Murphy's law reigns supreme for the Lions in the Windy City. Jared Goff hit 20 of 35 passes for 161 yards with a touchdown pass while tossing two interceptions. Goff's passing touchdown went to Josh Reynolds in the 2nd quarter on a 8-yard play up the middle. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 66 yards with a touchdown. Former Bear David Montgomery rushed for 66 yards. It wasn't pretty for 3rd or 4th down conversions for the Lions as they went 6 for 15 on 3rd down while going 1 for 5 on 4th down. Detroit also fumbled in the game on a bad snap. Justin Fields had one of his better games in this one. He hit 19 of 33 passes for 223 yards with a touchdown pass to DJ Moore for a 38-yard play. The two players also rushed for scores as Justin Fields had 58 yards rushing with an endzone trip while DJ Moore had 20 yards rushing with a touchdown. There would be no comeback for the Lions who were down by two scores in a Week 11 matchup against the Bears. Total yardage for the Lions was 267 yards while the Bears got 336 total yards. For the Lions, they drop their 2nd game in the last three games while at a 9-4 record. For the Bears, they get one of the best wins of the season with a 5-8 record. 

Next week: 
Detroit: vs Denver (Saturday)
Chicago: @ Cleveland

TW: 0-2; CV: 0-2

Carolina 6, New Orleans 28: TW: Saints; CV: Saints

New Orleans cruises over the hapless Panthers. Bryce Young hit 13 of 36 passes for 137 yards in the game while rushing for 40 yards in the game. Chuba Hubbard got 87 yards rushing on 23 carries in the game. Miles Sanders got 74 yards on 10 carries in the game. Carolina got 303 total yards in the game while getting just two field goals from Eddie Pineiro. Derek Carr hit 18 of 26 passes for 119 yards with two touchdown passes to Chris Olave and Jimmy Graham. A Derek Carr pass was grabbed by Panthers defender Derrick Brown. Alvin Kamara got 56 yards in the game while seeing the endzone on a 9-yard run that saw him make some sneaky moves. New Orleans somehow got just 207 total yards in the game. Field position was a factor in the game as the Saints would score touchdowns in Panthers territory twice of the three touchdowns. New Orleans got a fumble six that was recovered by D'Marco Jackson on a Johnny Hekker punt. For the Panthers, they drop to 1-12 on the season. For the Saints, they get to 6-7 on the season with somewhat of a hope of staying with the NFC South division race. 

Next week: 
Carolina: vs Atlanta
New Orleans: vs NY Giants

TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2

Houston 6, NY Jets 30: TW: Texans; CV: Texans

Zach Wilson dominates the Texans in rainy East Rutherford. CJ Stroud got 10 of 23 passes for 91 yards. Stroud wouldn't finish the game as he suffered a head injury. Davis Mills hit 1 of 5 passes for four yards in the game. Devin Singletary scored the only touchdown in the game on a 1-yard dive. The game was 0-0 at halftime. Zach Wilson made his return to starting and did well as he hit 27 of 36 passes for 301 yards with two touchdown passes to Randall Cobb and Breece Hall. The Zach Wilson touchdown pass to Cobb was the first score in the game that came on a 15-yard play. The Jets fans in the stands couldn't believe it. Breece Hall got 40 yards rushing on 10 carries. Total yardage for the Texans was 135 while the Jets got a respectable 347 total yards in the game. Zach Wilson's return was part of some controversy as he was possibly being run out of town in the New York media. At least for the moment, he can stay in the area for a bit longer. For the Texans, they miss out of a possible opportunity to improve on playoff positioning with a 7-6 record. For the Jets, they improve to 5-8 with the upset win. 

Next week:
Houston: @ Tennessee
NY Jets: @ Miami

TW: 1-3; CV: 1-3

Indianapolis 14, Cincinnati 34: TW: Colts; CV: Colts

Miscues cost the Colts in Cincinnati. Gardner Minshew hit 26 of 39 passes for 240 yards with a touchdown pass to Mo Alie-Cox for a 2-yard score. Indy's defense got a pick-six from a Jake Browning pass that was grabbed by Ronnie Harrison that would be the Colts 2nd touchdown in 29 seconds. They wouldn't score again in the game. Special teams were an issue for the Colts as Matt Gay missed a field goal and an extra point. Zack Moss rushed for 28 yards on 13 carries. Jake Browning would start for the Bengals. The quarterback hit 18 of 24 passes for 275 yards with two touchdowns but also tossed an interception that was returned for the aforementioned pick-six. He would leave the game with an injured hand. AJ McCarron, the 3rd string quarterback, came in and helped seal the deal for the Bengals. Browning would sneak into the endzone on a dive play. Joe Mixon, the regular running back got 79 yards rushing with a touchdown. The Bengals would get their offense going a lot more in the 2nd half and somehow shut out the Colts after halftime. Total yardage in the game for the Colts was 272 yards while the Bengals finished with 385 total yards. For the Colts, they drop to 7-6 while dropping out of the playoff hunt. For the Bengals, they reach to 7-6 while going into a playoff spot. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: vs PIttsburgh (Saturday)
Cincinnati: vs Minnesota (Saturday)

TW: 1-4; CV: 1-4

Jacksonville 27, Cleveland 31: TW: Browns; CV: Jaguars

A fight in Cleveland sees the Browns winning it in tight fashion. Trevor Lawrence hit 28 of 50 passes for 257 yards with three touchdowns and tossed three interceptions in the game. Evan Engram got two touchdown catches and Parker Washington caught the other touchdown. Travis Etienne got 35 rushing yards with a touchdown run. It was an ugly game if you hate turnovers as along with the three interceptions, the Jaguars fumbled on a play targeted to Washington. It was questionable if Lawrence would play as he had a rough ankle injury on Monday night. Joe Flacco had one of his best games as a Browns starter this season. He hit 26 of 45 passes for 311 yards with three touchdown passes but also tossed an interception of his own. David Njoku got two of the passes and David Bell got the other pass.  The first Njoku touchdown came where the tight end was wide open to sail forth into the endzone. Jerome Ford had a decent game with 51 yards rushing on 12 carries. Kareem Hunt got 27 yards rushing on 10 carries. Cleveland's offense was firing on all cylinders as they got 389 total yards. NFL fans will also remember that these two teams met 22 years ago in 2001 on the anniversary of Bottlegate. The infamous game will turn 22 on December 16th. With the way the Jaguars were coming back, it might've looked like it would turn into a reiteration of it. Fortunately for them, it didn't happen. For the Jaguars, they drop to 8-5 but will still have possession of the AFC South. For the Browns, they keep pace in the playoff hunt with a 8-5 record. 

Next week: 
Jacksonville: vs Baltimore (Sunday night)
Cleveland: vs Chicago

TW: 2-4; CV: 1-5

LA Rams 31, Baltimore 37 (F/OT): TW: Ravens; CV: Rams

A back and forth effort in Baltimore and Tylan Wallace calls game. Matthew Stafford hit 23 of 41 passes for 294 yards with three touchdowns. Cooper Kupp, Davis Allen and Demarcus Robinson were the Rams that caught the touchdown passes from Stafford. Kyren Williams got 114 rushing yards in the game. Los Angeles would put forth a magnificent fight as the Rams got 410 total yards. Lamar Jackson would stay alive and fight in this game. He hit 24 of 43 passes for 316 yards with three touchdown passes but also tossed an interception in the game. Lamar was also the leading rusher in the game as he got 70 yards rushing. Unfortunately he would be subjected to a safety on a play where the Ravens attempted to kick the ball illegally. Odell Beckham Jr. played against his former team and caught four passes for 97 yards. The game would have ten lead changes and two ties in what might be the game of the year. Interestingly enough, the normal punt returner Devin Duvernay was injured. Wallace made use of the opportunity and proceeded to break tackles en-route to a 76-yard game-winning punt-six. For the Rams, they drop to 6-7 and miss a chance to get to get back into the playoff hunt. For the Ravens, the dogfight helps them improve to 10-3 as they are the first team in the AFC with a double-digit win record this season. 

Next week: 
LA Rams: vs Washington
Baltimore: @ Jacksonville (Sunday night)

TW: 3-4; CV: 1-6

Tampa Bay 29, Atlanta 25: TW: Falcons; CV: Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield lifts the Buccaneers in an NFC South clash. The quarterback hit 14 of 29 passes for 144 yards with two touchdown passes to Rachaad White and Cade Otton. The Otton touchdown was the game-clinching score. Baker Mayfield would also push himself forward to get six points on a dive play that saw him get some contact. Rachaad White got 102 yards on 25 carries. Tampa Bay got 290 total yards in the game. Desmond Ridder was average in the game. He hit 26 of 40 passes for 347 yards with a touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts but also tossed an interception. The Ridder interception was grabbed by Carlton Davis in a play that was read by Davis like a short story. Atlanta would once again give up a safety in back-to-back weeks. Tyler Allgeier got 40 yards rushing on nine carries. Bijan Robinson got 34 yards rushing with a touchdown. Desmond Ridder got 15 yards rushing with a touchdown that gave the Falcons a temporary lead late in the 4th quarter. Atlanta got a good game from Drake London as the wide receiver got 172 receiving yards on 10 catches. Atlanta got 434 total yards in the game. For the Buccaneers, they get to 6-7 and sole possession of the NFC South. For the Falcons, they drop to 6-7 with a missed opportunity to get to having sole possession of the NFC South. 

Next week: 
Tampa Bay: @ Green Bay
Atlanta: @ Carolina

TW: 3-5; CV: 2-6

Seattle 16, San Francisco 28: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers

San Francisco handles its business against Seattle. Geno Smith would not get the start as Sunday morning he was ruled out with an injury. Drew Lock would get the nod. Lock hit 22 of 31 passes for 269 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. DK Metcalf and Colby Parkinson were the Seahawks that caught those passes. Zach Charbonnet rushed for 44 yards on nine carries in the loss. Seattle got 324 yards of offense in the game. It was a dominating effort by San Francisco. Brock Purdy got 19 of 27 passes for 368 yards with two touchdown passes but did have a pass intercepted. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle were the players that caught those passes from Purdy. Christian McCaffrey would do his thing and ran over the Seahawks defense with 145 rushing yards on 16 carries, including a 72-yard run. San Francisco would do some scoring on the ground as Jeff Mason got a touchdown while getting rushing 20 yards. Deebo Samuel would sneak into the endzone on a sweep 1-yard play. San Francisco got 527 total yards in the game. Brandon Aiyuk would forget his awareness for a moment as he fumbled the ball on a pass play and was recovered by Seattle. Other than that it near flawless victory for the Red and Gold. For the Seahawks, they drop to 6-7 losing their fourth game in the last five games. For the 49ers, they get to 10-3 and clinch the first playoff spot in the NFC. 

Next week: 
Seattle: vs Philadelphia (Monday night)
San Francisco: @ Arizona

TW: 4-5; CV: 3-6

Minnesota 3, Las Vegas 0: TW: Raiders; CV: Vikings

Greg Joseph is the hero for the Vikings in Vegas. Josh Dobbs would get the start for the Vikings. He hit 10 of 23 passes for 63 yards. He wouldn't finish due to a coach's decision. The coach's decision was to give Nick Mullens a jump start to the Vikings offense. Mullens got 9 of 13 passes to complete for 83 yards. Alexander Mattison got 10 carries for 66 yards. With two minutes left in the 4th quarter Vikings kicker Greg Joseph hit a 36-yard field goal that would give the Vikings the lead and eventually the win. Minnesota would have 231 total yards in the game. Aidan O'Connell got 21 of 32 passes completed for 171 yards with an interception. The interception was picked off by Ivan Pace Jr. Josh Jacobs got 34 rushing yards on 13 carries. Las Vegas would get 202 total yards in the loss. It wasn't pretty on 3rd down conversions as the Vikings got 8 of 20 3rd downs converted while the Raiders got 3 of 14 conversions on that down. The final score marks the 2nd time in the last 20 years where it was decided by one field goal. The first was a Dolphins-Steelers game back in 2007. Yeah that one Monday night game where the ball would just sit in the puddled field water of Heinz Field. 

Next week: 
Minnesota: @ Cincinnati (Saturday)
Las Vegas: vs LA Chargers (Thursday)

TW: 4-6; CV: 4-6

Denver 24, LA Chargers 7: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

Denver gets back on track in Hollywood but ends in tragedy for the Chargers. Russell Wilson was effective in the game as he hit 21 of 33 passes for 224 yards with two touchdown passes but also tossed an interception. The Broncos that caught those passes for scores were Cortland Sutton and Adam Trautman. Javonte Williams got 66 yards rushing with a touchdown. Denver put forth 322 total yards in the game. Justin Herbert started the game for the Chargers. He would hit 9 of 17 passes for 96 yards with an interception. He would feel the heat as he was sacked four times in the six drives that the Chargers would have. It would be one too many as he was injured while attempting a pass. Easton Stick would take over. The former North Dakota State Bison hit 13 of 24 passes for 179 yards. He would help lead the Chargers to their only touchdown drive in the game. Austin Ekeler would score that lone touchdown in the 4th quarter. Los Angeles had 283 total yards in the game. An interesting note is that the Broncos win over the Chargers is their first win against an AFC West opponent on the road since beating the same Chargers team in 2019. For the Broncos, they rebound after a heartbreaking loss and get to 7-6. For the Chargers, they fall to 5-8 with little hope of getting to the playoffs. 

Next week: 
Denver: @ Detroit (Saturday)
LA Chargers: @ Las Vegas (Thursday)

TW: 4-7; CV: 4-7

Buffalo 20, Kansas City 17: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

An offsides penalty would doom the Chiefs in Allen-Mahomes V. Josh Allen hit 23 of 42 passes for 233 yards with a touchdown pass to James Cook but also tossed an interception in the game. Allen would also score a touchdown while on the ground. He had 32 rushing yards. James Cook had 58 yards rushing on 10 carries while catching five balls for 83 yards. All in all, the Bills got 327 yards of offense. Patrick Mahomes got 25 of 43 passes completed for 271 yards with a touchdown pass to Rashee Rice but also tossed an interception. Clyde Edwards-Helaire got 39 yards rushing on 11 carries. Jerrick McKinnon got 19 yards rushing on four carries with a touchdown. Kansas City outgained Buffalo in yardage as they put up 346 total yards of offense. On a play that looked like the Chiefs would score a game-winning touchdown, the play was called back due to Kadarius Toney being offsides. Afterwards, Patrick Mahomes in a rare display of rage, was spouting out words to officials. As far as what words, is probably up to you. Chances are not safe for work words. For the Bills, they improve to 7-6 in a needed win to possibly reach the playoffs. For the Chiefs, they drop to 8-5 but still hold a game lead over the Broncos in the AFC West. 

Next week: 
Buffalo: vs Dallas 

Kansas City: @ New England

TW: 4-8; CV: 4-8

Philadelphia 13, Dallas 33: TW: Eagles; CV: Cowboys

Dominating effort by the Cowboys on Sunday night. Jalen Hurts got 18 of 29 passes completed for 197 yards. D'Andre Swift got 39 yards rushing on 11 carries. Hurts would have 30 yards on five carries. Philadelphia got a fumble-six by Jalen Carter that lead to the Eagles only touchdown in the game. Jake Elliott got two field goals in the game. The Eagles on offense got 324 total yards in the game. Dak Prescott was quite effective in the game as he got 24 of 39 passes completed for 271 yards with two touchdowns. CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup were the Cowboys that got those touchdown passes from Prescott. Tony Pollard got most of the carries in the Cowboys running game with 16 carries for 59 yards. Rico Dowdle got 12 carries for 46 yards with a touchdown run. Brett Aubrey got four field goals in the game. Dallas excelled in offense as they got 394 total yards. Penalties were huge for the Eagles as they were flagged 10 times for 95 yards. Turnovers hurt the Eagles as they gave up the ball three times via fumbles. All in all, the Eagles could do nothing on offense. For the Eagles, they drop to 10-3 with two big losses with a combined scoring margin by 43 points. For the Cowboys, they reach the mark of 10-3. 

Next week: 
Philadelphia: @ Seattle (Monday night)
Dallas: @ Buffalo

TW: 4-9; CV: 5-8

Green Bay 22, NY Giants 24: TW: Packers; CV: Packers

Randy Bullock's late field goal gives the Giants the win. Jordan Love hit 25 of 39 passes for 218 yards with a touchdown pass to Malik Heath that happened on the Packers last drive in the game. Love would toss an interception in the game. AJ Dillon did most of the work on the ground game with 15 carries for 53 yards. Jayden Reed would score a touchdown on the ground while getting 38 yards rushing. Anders Carlson hit three field goals in the game. The Packers would have some miscues including a missed two-point conversion late in the 4th quarter and a muffed punt that would help give the Giants a score. Green Bay got 326 total yards in the game. The legend of Tommy DeVito continues as he hit 17 of 21 passes for 158 yards with a touchdown pass to Isiah Hodgins. DeVito also rushed for 71 yards on 10 carries in the game, including a 26-yard run. Saquon Barkley was a force to be reckoned with as he put forth 86 rushing yards while running it in for two touchdowns. New York would have miscues of their own as they fumbled twice while going 3 for 10 on 3rd down conversions. Randy Bullock's game-winning kick came on a 36-yard game decider that gave the G-Men the win. They finished with 367 total yards. For the Packers, they miss an opportunity to get some traction in the NFC playoffs but falter with a 6-7 record. For the Giants, they improve to 5-8 and play the spoiler role. 

Next week: 
Green Bay: vs Tampa Bay
NY Giants: @ New Orleans

TW: 4-10; CV: 5-9

Tennessee 28, Miami 27: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins

The Titans would fight and claw their way to a win. Will Levis hit 23 of 38 passes for 327 yards with a touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins. Levis also threw an interception in the game. Derrick Henry wouldn't get the yards but he got the touchdowns to prove it with two scores while putting forth 34 yards rushing. At least the Dolphins could do something about that. DeAndre Hopkins had one of his best games as a Titan in this one, catching seven passes for 124 receiving yards. Tennessee got 403 total yards out of their offense. Along with the interception, they also fumbled twice. Tua Tagovailoa hit 23 of 33 passes for 240 yards but didn't throw a touchdown pass. The touchdowns came from Raheem Mostert who rushed for 96 yards while scoring two times. Miami got a touchdown from a Will Levis interception that came from Zach Sieler who turned it into a pick-six from 5 yards. Jason Sanders got two field goals in the game for Miami. The Dolphins really missed out on an opportunity to put to bed the Titans as the turnovers alone should've doomed the Titans. Sadly the Dolphins helped them stick around. For the Titans, they get their first win on the road while improving to 5-8. For the Dolphins, they miss an opportunity to stay even with the Ravens with the #1 seed and fall to 9-4. 

Next week: 
Tennessee: vs Houston
Miami: vs NY Jets

TW: 4-11; CV: 5-10

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Week 6: 9-6

Week 7: 4-9

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 6-8

Week 11: 7-7

Week 12: 9-7

Week 13: 9-4

Week 14: 5-10

Total: 114-94

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 7-7

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 8-8

Week 13: 9-4

Week 14: 4-11

Total: 123-85

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 15 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 14 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming up on us yet again! Week 14 is here and with it brings us just five more weeks of regular season play before the NFL's second season starts. Teams are starting to show their mettle and making a run to the playoffs while others are just playing out the season to get into the offseason. In this week's picks post, I'll do the latest playoff picture, the Week 14 preview and picks as well as the Early and Late TV Broadcast pairings. Let's get to work!

NFL Playoff Picture: Week 14

With five weeks left of regular season play the picture is starting to show some clarity but it is a bit muddled. At least one team in the field won't be playing it at all past week 18. For starters, let's look at the AFC

Seeding

1st seed: Miami Dolphins (9-3)

2nd seed: Baltimore Ravens (9-3)

3rd seed: Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)

4th seed: Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)

5th seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

6th seed: Cleveland Browns (7-5)

7th seed: Indianapolis Colts (7-5)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups 

Indianapolis @ Baltimore

Cleveland @ Kansas City

Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville

In the Hunt

Houston (7-5), Denver (6-6), Cincinnati (6-6), Buffalo (6-6), LA Chargers (5-7), Las Vegas (5-7), NY Jets (4-8), Tennessee (4-8), New England (2-10)

Miami is ahead of Baltimore based on conference record. Kansas City is ahead of Jacksonville because of head-to-head record. Cleveland is ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head record. Pittsburgh is ahead of Cleveland based on division record. The Steelers are ahead of the Colts based on common games record. A lot of tiebreakers in the AFC. Let's look at the NFC. 

Seeding

1st seed: Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)

2nd seed: San Francisco 49ers (9-3)

3rd seed: Detroit Lions (9-3)

4th seed: Atlanta Falcons (6-6)

5th seed: Dallas Cowboys (9-3)

6th seed: Minnesota Vikings (6-6)

7th seed: Green Bay Packers (6-6)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Green Bay @ San Francisco

Minnesota @ Detroit

Dallas @ Atlanta

In the Hunt

LA Rams (6-6), Seattle (6-6), Tampa Bay (5-7), New Orleans (5-7), NY Giants (4-8), Chicago (4-8), Washington (4-9), Arizona (3-10)

Better Luck Next Year

Carolina (1-11)

San Francisco is ahead of Detroit based on conference record. Minnesota is ahead of Green Bay based on head-to-head record. Minnesota is ahead of Los Angeles based on conference record. A bit interesting to keep an eye on the NFC. If the Eagles lose to the Cowboys on Sunday night, all hell breaks loose in the NFC. 

Week 14 Preview

The fourteenth week of the National Football League's regular season will start in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and finishes in Miami, Florida. It will feature a 15-game slate where 30 teams will play. Teams on a bye this week are the Arizona Cardinals and the Washington Commanders. The week features: a Thursday night game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game and two Monday night games. FOX will have the single, regional game and CBS will have the doubleheader this week. Let's get to the picks!

Week 14 Picks

Note: All game times are in US Eastern. TW is me and CV is Cardinal Viking, my former roommate.

New England (2-10) @ Pittsburgh (7-5) (Amazon; 8:15 pm): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers

The Patriots lost to the Chargers and the Steelers lost to the Cardinals last week. The week starts with a meager game in the AFC. New England comes into this game with one of the worst seasons in the Bill Belichick era. They have 10 losses and the most that the Patriots have lost to in that era is 11 (back in 2000 during Bill Belichick's first season as a head coach). The Patriots defense is doing their best. The offense makes you just wish you could revert your eyes and watch paint dry. Pittsburgh has had its issues with offense as well. There is a chance that Kenny Pickett won't be playing in this game so the Steelers might swing it over to Mitchell Trubisky. New England will likely give Bailey Zappe the nod again to start. At least he didn't toss an interception last week. I think the home team will take it. 

Detroit (9-3) @ Chicago (4-8) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Lions; CV: Lions

The Lions beat the Saints and the Bears had a bye last week. Detroit and Chicago meet again for the 2nd time this season. The last time these two teams met, the Bears had a lead with four minutes to go. Detroit was lucky to get the win. They have gotten it done this season with their offense with a good defense to match. It helps that Dan Campbell isn't afraid to take risks and play aggressive football. Chicago hasn't had much success. Their offense has been a mess and their defense hasn't done much better. While I do think the Bears are a better team with Justin Fields, I think the Lions are a bit too much. 

Carolina (1-11) @ New Orleans (5-7) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Saints; CV: Saints

The Panthers lost to the Buccaneers and the Saints lost to the Lions last week. Carolina is a dumpster fire of a dumpster fire. The offense can’t score points and the defense can’t really stop anyone. They are just playing out this season. New Orleans has a shot to stay in the playoff contention but they have to win out every game the rest of the way. The run game got something going against Detroit but the defense couldn’t find a way to win. I’ll go with New Orleans. 

Houston (7-5) @ NY Jets (4-8) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Texans; CV: Texans

The Texans beat the Broncos and the Jets lost to the Falcons last week. The game feels like a tale of two opposites. The expectations for the Texans going into the season were meager. If you said that they would reach to 7-5 at this time of the season, I feel most people would've said you're crazy. New York on the other hand, had some great expectations going into the season. Aaron Rodgers achilles tendon snapping was the derailer in what has become a de-railed season for the Jets. Granted the Jets are still the Jets. Maybe a part of me could see that the Texans stumble a bit in this game but I feel its a general risk that is small. I'll take Houston. 

Indianapolis (7-5) @ Cincinnati (6-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Colts; CV: Bengals

The Colts beat the Titans and the Bengals beat the Jaguars last week. Indy has had a tough road to journey through this season. They are battle tested and have scored more points than they have allowed. The margin of error for them is small. The Colts are 5-1 on the road this year. Cincinnati's margin for error is small as well as one loss might spell doom for them in the tough AFC North. They're down but not out yet. I think both teams really need to watch out for ball protection in this game. The Bengals somehow squeaked by the Jaguars. I'm not sure who will win exactly but I like the road team. 

Jacksonville (8-4) @ Cleveland (7-5) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Browns; CV: Jaguars

The Jaguars lost to the Bengals and the Browns lost to the Rams last week. Jacksonville really missed an opportunity to solidify themselves as a contender for the #1 seed in the AFC. Along with that pain, they might not have their quarterback Trevor Lawrence in this game due to a right ankle injury. If he doesn't play in this game, they will have to lean on the throwing arm of CJ Beathard. I don't question Beathard's ability to play, I'm just not sure if he can play well against the Browns defense. Cleveland got a good outing from Joe Flacco. I feel the former Raven will get a bit better as the weeks go on. We'll learn a bit more about how well he can play against a good defense. I like the Browns by a field goal. 

LA Rams (6-6) @ Baltimore (9-3) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Ravens; CV: Rams

The Rams beat the Browns and the Ravens had a bye last week. Los Angeles is looking to do something that hasn't been done in a while. Baltimore has an unblemished record against NFC teams in the regular season. They have about as much of a shot as the Lions and Seahawks have had this season. Surely the rest of the AFC is watching this game and seeing if the Ravens fall. Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense has gotten better in recent weeks and have a chance to get into the playoffs wild card. Baltimore will be rested. They have a chance to really solidify themselves and keep the pressure on Miami for the conference's #1 seed. I'll stick to the NFC dominating Ravens. 

Tampa Bay (5-7) @ Atlanta (6-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Falcons; CV: Buccaneers

The Buccaneers beat the Panthers and the Falcons beat the Jets last week. A huge game in the crazy NFC South. It is just about as wide open as last year's iteration of the NFC South. Tampa got off of a rough skid of losses and have a chance to get back into the playoff consideration group. Baker Mayfield can be a good quarterback when he has to be. Atlanta has a quarterback that can be like that as well. Desmond Ridder has been a mixed bag. I feel if the Falcons lose like the way that they do, they just should call it a year and hibernate down south. I'd like to see Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier get back into being the tandem that we expect them to be. I'll go with Atlanta. 

Seattle (6-6) @ San Francisco (9-3) (FOX; 4:05 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers

The Seahawks lost to the Cowboys and the 49ers beat the Eagles last week. Seattle had been looking good for a portion of the season. Then their tough schedule came and hit them hard. The Geno Smith version of 2023 has been a bit of a disappointment compared to the 2022 version. Seattle has also been dealing with injuries and not solid defense. It won't get easier with their rival 49ers. San Francisco had gotten off to a good start then had a three-game losing streak and then made a rebound effort. If there was any doubt that they are a great team was destroyed last week when they came and not only beat Philadelphia, they destroyed them. San Francisco would have to fall off a cliff to lose this game. 

Minnesota (6-6) @ Las Vegas (5-7) (FOX: 4:05 pm): TW: Raiders; CV: Vikings

The Vikings had a bye and the Raiders had a bye as well last week. Minnesota had gotten off to a rough start but then found themselves getting to above .500 football. Losses to Denver and Chicago have brought them back down to a 6-6 record. Minnesota has had its tough times as Kirk Cousins was lost for the season with an Achilles injury. Joshua Dobbs has been kind of a savior for the Vikings but the Chicago game was an exception. He wasn't that great. Las Vegas will have a tough time getting into the playoffs at the moment. They would have to win out to get in and have some luck their way. Las Vegas will get some more reps and time with Aidan O'Connell who can possibly lead the Raiders to the promised land. I have confidence that the Raiders defense can beat up the Vikings offensive line. If Maxx Crosby can't be stopped, it might be a long day for the Vikings. 

Buffalo (6-6) @ Kansas City (8-4) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

The Bills had a bye and the Chiefs lost to the Packers last week. Allen-Mahomes V! The 2023 iteration of the quarterback duel has both the Bills and Chiefs coming off tough losses. Buffalo had lost the other week to the Eagles in heartbreaking fashion. The Chiefs lost to what possibly might be a win or loss in Green Bay. Controversy ensues in the NFL I suppose. Buffalo's offense has gotten back on track as of late since the firing of Ken Dorsey. It's the Bills defense that scratches my head. Kansas City's lack to the attention to details has costed them in big games. Drops have been a part of it. They would have leads in games but then falter at the end of them. All this makes this game an intriguing matchup. I'll give the nod to the Chiefs. 

Denver (6-6) @ LA Chargers (5-7) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

The Broncos lost to the Texans and the Chargers beat the Patriots last week. Remember when Denver had a 1-5 record and it looked like Nathaniel Hackett might have the last laugh. Yeah that feels like centuries ago. Denver has since went 5-1 during that stretch. Both sides of the ball got their heads out of the collective sand and played football. Los Angeles is in a dire situation. They need to make the playoffs and at least win a game in the postseason to possibly save head coach Brandon Staley's job. Anything less than that might make his seat a bit hot. Let alone scorching hot. The Chargers have the capabilities to play well on offense that can keep them in games. I just don't trust enough of their defense to keep opponents out of the endzone. Denver could possibly run away with this game based on their run game and ball control capabilities of Russell Wilson. I like the Chargers just a bit more. 

Philadelphia (10-2) @ Dallas (9-3) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Eagles; CV: Cowboys

The Eagles lost to the 49ers and the Cowboys beat the Seahawks last week. A big game in the NFC on Sunday night! The loss to the 49ers kind of put Philly in a bit of a peculiar situation. If the 49ers win and the Eagles lose again, San Francisco gains the #1 seed. While a loss at worst would put them in the 4th seed, I am a bit concerned with the Eagles. During last week's game, Jalen Hurts looked a bit shaken up which might give a raise of concern to any Eagles fan. I do feel that they can win with him but at all cost, he needs to be protected. Dallas looks like a team that might overtake them. The Dallas offense is quite legit with a plethora of pass catchers and some good numbers with their running backs. I think the Eagles will find a way to win.

Green Bay (6-6) @ NY Giants (4-8) (ABC; 8:15 pm): TW: Packers; CV: Packers

The Packers beat the Chiefs and the Giants had a bye last week. One of two games on Monday night. The Packers come into this game with a bit of a hot streak winning three straight games. Their offense has been slowly turning it around. The arm of Jordan Love has been the most improving with their offense. It would be nice for the Pack to run the ball a bit more but Aaron Jones has seen his season spent mostly on the injury part. New York has had a rough season with their offense being about as inept as possible. The Giants barely put up enough points to win against New England a few weeks ago but a win is a win. I think the Packers will take it. 

Tennessee (4-8) @ Miami (9-3) (ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins

The Titans lost to the Colts and the Dolphins beat the Commanders last week. Tennessee has had a bit of a rough go of it this season. Will Levis has been a bit of a mixed results in the Music City. He's looked solid at times and then not so great. The defense is playing as well as it could but I feel its the offense that's somewhat of an issue. Miami hasn't had a whole lot of issues this season. With Tua Tagovailoa still upright the Dolphins offense continues to do its thing on the field. I think the Dolphins will take it. 

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area, check local listings

CBS Early

Indianapolis @ Cincinnati

Tom McCarthy, James Lofton, Jay Feely

Jacksonville @ Cleveland

Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Houston @ NY Jets

Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta

Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

CBS Late

Buffalo @ Kansas City

Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

Denver @ LA Chargers

Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan

FOX Single

LA Rams @ Baltimore

Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston

Detroit @ Chicago

Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

Carolina @ New Orleans

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Minnesota @ Las Vegas (Late)

Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

Seattle @ San Francisco (Late)

Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2023 Maps: Week 14

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Week 6: 9-6

Week 7: 4-9

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 6-8

Week 11: 7-7

Week 12: 9-7

Week 13: 9-4

Total: 109-84

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 7-7

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 8-8

Week 13: 9-4

Total: 119-74

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all after the Monday night game for the Week 14 Recap! Enjoy the games!

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 13 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. Week 13 brought us some crazy storylines. Such storylines like Dallas pulling off a win against Seattle, an ugly game in Foxborough, an upset in Pittsburgh, and an overtime thriller in Tennessee. All those games and more in this week's recap post!

NFL Week 13 Freaky Stat

Dallas hasn't lost at home since Week 1 of the 2022 season against Tampa Bay. Mike Evans joins only Jerry Rice as the only players to string together 10 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. 

NFL Week 13 Recap

Seattle 35, Dallas 41: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys

Geno Smith and Dak Prescott fired off in Big D. Geno Smith was solid in this game as he hit 23 of 41 passes for 334 yards with three touchdown passes to DK Metcalf but also tossed an interception in the game. Metcalf's touchdowns went for 73, 1 and 5 yards. The 73-yard touchdown was Seattle's first in the game. Geno Smith would rush into the endzone for a touchdown. Zach Charbonnet finished the game with 60 yards rushing with a trip to the endzone. DK Metcalf was a force to be reckoned with as he caught just six passes for 134 yards receiving. Just crazy that three of those catches went for touchdowns. Seattle finished with 406 total yards of offense. Dak Prescott had similar numbers as he hit 29 of 41 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns. Of the players that caught those passes were CeeDee Lamb for 15 yards, Brandin Cooks for 7 yards, and Jake Ferguson for 12 yards. Tony Pollard had similar numbers to his counterpart but he rushed for 68 yards with a touchdown run. CeeDee Lamb had a good day catching passes as he caught 12 passes for 116 yards. Brandon Aubrey was utilized a lot in this game as he kicked four field goals.Tidbits of this game would remark of the fact that both teams combined for 19 flags for 257 yards with a good portion of them being defensive pass interference penalties. For the Seahawks, they drop to .500 football with a 6-6 mark, losing three straight games. For the Cowboys, they get their first win against a team with a winning record at a mark of 9-3.

Next week: 
Seattle: @ San Francisco

Dallas: vs Philadelphia (Sunday night)

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Atlanta 13, NY Jets 8: TW: Jets; CV: Jets

Ugly game in East Rutherford. Desmond Ridder hit 12 of 27 passes for 121 yards with a touchdown pass to Mycole Pruitt. It would be the only touchdown in the game for either team. Bijan Robinson got 53 yards rushing on 18 carries. He would get sacked in his own endzone for a safety by Quinnen Williams. Tyler Allgeier rushed for 26 yards on eight carries. Atlanta got 194 total yards in the game. Tim Boyle got the start for the Jets but wouldn't amount to much as he hit 14 of 25 passes for 148 yards with a terrible pass thrown for an interception. Trevor Siemian got some playtime as he hit 5 of 13 passes for 66 yards. Dalvin Cook rushed nine times for 35 yards. New York somehow got more yardage in this game than the Falcons with 259 total yards for Gang Green. Greg Zuerlein hit two field goals in the game. For the Falcons, they improve to 6-6 with sole possession of the NFC South with the Saints loss. For the Jets, they drop to 4-8 with smaller hopes of getting into the playoffs. 

Next week:

Atlanta: vs Tampa Bay
NY Jets: vs Houston

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Arizona 24, Pittsburgh 10: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers

James Conner makes his return to Pittsburgh and doesn't disappoint. Kyler Murray hit 13 of 23 passes for 145 yards with a touchdown pass Trey McBride. James Conner rushed for 105 yards with two touchdowns. It was his first game back in Pittsburgh since they let him go in 2021. Arizona got 282 total yards in the game. The key to the win was limiting penalties and converting 3rd down tries as the Cardinals converted 10 of 17 times on that down as well as only were flagged six times for 51 yards. Kenny Pickett would get the start and looked solid as he hit 7 of 10 passes for 70 yards. He would leave the game with an ankle injury. Mitchell Trubisky came in relief and hit 11 of 17 passes for 117 yards with a touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson. Pittsburgh's running game wouldn't amount too much in the game. Najee Harris got most of the carries with 16 carries for 63 yards. Jaylen Warren the underrated back got 59 yards rushing on nine carries. Pittsburgh got 317 total yards in the game. The game would have two delays in the game as there was inclement weather and lightning in the area. For the Cardinals, they get their 3rd win of the season while at 3-10. For the Steelers, they fail to solidify some playoff positioning and drop to 7-5. 

Next week:
Arizona: Bye
Pittsburgh: vs New England (Thursday night)

TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2

Denver 17, Houston 22: TW: Texans; CV: Texans

The Broncos five-game winning streak ends in Houston. Russell Wilson would have a rough game. The quarterback hit 15 of 26 passes for 186 yards with a touchdown pass but also tossed three interceptions. Have to think what this game would be like without those interceptions. Cortland Sutton was the Bronco that caught the pass from Wilson. The play was from a 45-yard deep pass to Sutton that would catch the Texans sleeping. Javonte Williams rushed for 46 yards on 13 carries. Russell Wilson rushed for 44 yards with a touchdown run that would cut the lead down to a 22-17 score. Denver's offense would not do well on 3rd down as they were 0 for 11 on 3rd down conversions. CJ Stroud hit 16 of 27 passes for 274 yards with a touchdown pass to Nico Collins. Dameon Pierce rushed for 41 yards with a touchdown run. Nico Collins had a solid game as he caught nine passes for 191 yards. For total yards, the Broncos had 282 yards and the Texans had 353 total yards. Despite the turnovers the Broncos only lost by five points. For the Broncos, they drop to 6-6 as their five-game winning streak ends. For the Texans, they improve to 7-5 and stay pace in the AFC playoff picture. 

Next week:
Denver: @ LA Chargers
Houston: @ NY Jets

TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2

Detroit 33, New Orleans 28: TW: Lions; CV: Lions

Offense abound in the Big Easy. Jared Goff hit 16 of 25 passes for 213 yards with two touchdowns. Sam LaPorta and AmonRa St. Brown were the Lions that caught the passes from Goff. David Montgomery rushed for 56 yards with a touchdown run. Jamaal Williams would get a carry of 19 yards that would get a touchdown. Jahmyr Gibbs got 60 yards rushing for the Lions. Detroit's offense got 347 total yards. Derek Carr would have an alright game as the passer hit 17 of 22 passes for 226 yards with a touchdown but also tossed an interception. Jimmy Graham was the Saint that caught the pass (yeah that Jimmy Graham). New Orleans rush offense would do the rest of the scoring. Taysom Hill carried the ball 13 times for 59 yards with a touchdown. Alvin Kamara would come alive in the game as he got 51 yards and two touchdowns. New Orleans would outgain the Lions in yards as they had 362 yards. A big thing that affected the Saints in the loss was six penalties for 50 yards and fumbling the ball. For the Lions, they improve to 9-3 and keeping an eye on the 49ers-Eagles game. For the Saints, they drop to 5-7 on the season with a missed opportunity to get back into the NFC South picture. 

Next week: 

Detroit: @ Chicago

New Orleans: vs Carolina

TW: 3-2; CV: 3-2

Indianapolis 31, Tennessee 28 (F/OT): TW: Colts; CV: Colts

The Colts take care of business in the Music City despite a good performance for Derrick Henry. Gardner Minshew hit 26 of 42 passes for 312 yards with two touchdown passes. Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce were the players that caught those passes from Minshew. Zack Moss rushed 19 times for 51 yards in the game. Jonathan Taylor didn't play in the game due to a thumb injury. The game-winner came on a Minshew to Pittman connection for a 4-yard play. The Titans hit a field goal in their prior possession in overtime. Pittman had 11 catches for 105 yards while Alec Pierce had three catches for 100 yards, including a 55-yard play. Indianapolis had 355 total yards in the game. The Colts special teams got a punt block six as Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse's punt was blocked and recovered by Grant Stuart. Will Levis wouldn't do great but not terrible either. He hit 16 of 33 passes for 224 yards with a touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins. Derrick Henry had quite the game as he carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards with two touchdowns. Tyjae Spears got 75 yards rushing on 16 carries. For the Colts, they help solidify their positioning in the AFC Wild Card with a 7-5 record. For the Titans, they drop to 4-8 on the season. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: @ Cincinnati

Tennessee: @ Miami (Monday night)

TW: 4-2; CV: 4-2

LA Chargers 6, New England 0: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

Rain and a baseball score in Foxborough. Justin Herbert hit 22 of 37 passes for 212 yards. Keenan Allen caught five passes for 58 yards. Austin Ekeler rushed for 18 yards on 14 carries so at least the Patriots defense could limit that. Los Angeles offense wouldn't amount to much but they did get 241 total yards in the game. The Chargers points came from Cameron Dicker's two field goals. Bailey Zappe would get the start for the first time this season. The quarterback hit 13 of 25 passes for 141 yards. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 39 yards on nine carries before he left the game with a leg injury. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 52 yards on 17 carries. The lone big play for New England came on a Tyquan Thornton 39-yard play. New England's offense got 257 total yards but sadly wouldn't get points in this game. For the Chargers, they improve to 5-7, ending a three-game losing streak, staying alive in the AFC Wild Card. For the Patriots, they drop to 2-10 as they now have double-digit losses for the first time since 2000. 

Next week:
LA Chargers: vs Denver

New England: @ Pittsburgh (Thursday night)

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

Miami 45, Washington 15: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins

Miami takes care of business against the Commanders. Tua Tagovailoa hit 18 of 24 passes for 280 yards with two touchdown passes. The two touchdowns went to his favorite target Tyreek Hill. Hill finished with five catches for 157 yards with a 78-yard play being the longest in the game. D'Evon Achane rushed for 73 yards with two touchdowns. Raheem Mostert rushed for 43 yards with a touchdown. Miami finished with 406 total yards in the game. Sam Howell hit 12 of 23 passes for 127 yards with an interception. Howell the runner scored two touchdowns while rushing for 21 yards. Brian Robinson got 53 yards rushing while running for a 29-yard gain on a play. Washington wouldn't have much of an offense in the game as they got to 245 yards. Pass protection would be a factor in the game as Howell was sacked three times for 20 yards. For the Dolphins, they improve to 9-3 as they tie with the Ravens for the best record in the AFC. For the Commanders, they drop to 4-9 as the 2-0 start they had earlier this season seems like a distant memory. The 45-15 score was also a Scorigami! 

Next week: 
Miami: vs Tennessee (Monday night)
Washington: Bye

TW: 6-2; CV: 6-2

Carolina 18, Tampa Bay 21: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers

Carolina can't pull off the win in Tampa. Bryce Young hit 15 of 31 passes for 178 yards with an interception. The interception would come with two minutes left in the game. So it hurt. Chuba Hubbard would put together quite a game as he carried the ball 25 times for 104 yards with two touchdowns. Carolina would put together some decent drives but finished with 282 total yards. Baker Mayfield hit 14 of 29 passes for 202 yards with a touchdown pass to Mike Evans that went for 75 yards. Mayfield would also toss an interception in the game. Rashaad White rushed for 84 yards with a touchdown. Chris Godwin would play running back for a play that yielded in a 19-yard touchdown that would be the Buccaneers third touchdown in the game. Tampa Bay finished with 322 total yards in the game. Carolina dominated the time of possession category but it wouldn't translate to a win. For the Panthers, they drop to 1-11 a week after firing head coach Frank Reich. For the Buccaneers, it is a much needed win as they are a game back in the NFC South leading Falcons. 

Next week:
Carolina: @ New Orleans
Tampa Bay: @ Atlanta

TW: 7-2; CV: 7-2

Cleveland 19, LA Rams 36: TW: Browns; CV: Rams

Rams prove to be too much for the Browns. Joe Flacco got the start for the Browns after signing with them a week ago. The former Raven hit 23 of 44 passes for 254 yards with two touchdown passes but also tossed an interception. Jerome Ford and Harrison Bryant were the Browns players that caught those passes Kareem Hunt rushed 48 yards on 12 carries. Cleveland finished the game with 327 total yards in the game. Not too bad for a player that was on his couch a few weeks ago. Matthew Stafford was good in the game. The passer hit 22 of 37 passes for 279 yards with three touchdown passes to Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson. Nacua would have four catches for 105 yards in an impressive rookie season. Kyren Williams rushed for 88 yards with a touchdown. The Rams finished the game with 399 total yards in this game. Despite the score, the Browns would have the ball for 34:03 while the Rams had the ball for 25:57. For the Browns, they drop to 7-5 but still have a playoff spot. For the Rams, they improve to 6-6 and have won three straight games and are on a run for a playoff spot. 

Next week: 
Cleveland: vs Jacksonville
LA Rams: @ Baltimore

TW: 7-3; CV: 8-2

San Francisco 42, Philadelphia 19: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers

Brock Purdy and the 49ers take down Philly in a revenge game. The Niners passer had a solid game as he hit 19 of 27 passes for 314 yards with four touchdowns. Deebo Samuel had two touchdowns while Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings caught one each of the Purdy passes. Christian McCaffrey finished the game with 93 yards rushing with a touchdown. Deebo Samuel scored a touchdown on the ground with 22 rushing yards. San Francisco finished with 456 total yards in the game. They'd start off slow on offense as they had at one point had -2 total yards in the game. They would score 14 points each in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters. Jalen Hurts did the scoring in the game as the passer hit 26 of 45 passes for 298 yards with a touchdown pass to Devonta Smith. Jalen Hurts scored a touchdown on the ground from a tush push play. Both teams had 100-yard receiving days from Deebo Samuel with 116 yards on four catches and AJ Brown with 114 receiving yards with eight catches. Philadelphia's offense put up 333 total yards in the game. There was some controversy in the game as linebacker Dre Greenlaw got into a pointing match with Eagles security staffer Dom DiSandro which saw both gentlemen ejected from the game. For the 49ers, they move up to 9-3 and helped the rest of the NFC with the win over the Eagles. For the Eagles, they drop to 10-2 with a date against the Cowboys next week. 

Next week: 
San Francisco: vs Seattle
Philadelphia: @ Dallas (Sunday night)

TW: 8-3; CV: 9-2

Kansas City 19, Green Bay 27: TW: Packers; CV: Chiefs

The Packers survive against the defending champs. Patrick Mahomes hit 21 of 33 passes for 210 yards with a touchdown pass to Noah Gray. Mahomes did also toss an interception in this game. Isiah Pacheco carried the ball 18 times for 110 yards with a touchdown. Pacheco wouldn't finish the game as the running back was ejected after getting into an altercation. Travis Kelce caught four passes for 81 yards. For the record, Taylor Swift was in attendance in the game. Kansas City finished the game with 337 total yards in the game. Jordan Love played solid as he hit 25 of 36 passes for 267 yards with three touchdown passes. Christian Watson caught two and Ben Sims caught the one of the three touchdown passes from Love. AJ Dillon carried the ball 18 times for 73 yards. Green Bay finished with 382 total yards in the game. For the Chiefs, they drop to 8-4 but still have a hold on the AFC West. For the Packers, they get to 6-6 and play some .500 football and get to the 7th seed in the NFC playoffs. 

Next week:
Kansas City: vs Buffalo
Green Bay: @ NY Giants (Monday night)

TW: 9-3; CV: 9-3

Cincinnati 31, Jacksonville 28 (F/OT): TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars

Cincinnati pulls off the upset. Jake Browning got his 2nd career start in this game. He hit 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards with a touchdown pass but also got a touchdown run and put up 22 rushing yards. Ja'Marr Chase was the Bengals player that caught the pass from Browning Joe Mixon rushed for 68 yards with two touchdown runs of his own. All in all, the Bengals offense put up quite the show as they gained 491 total yards in the game. They didn't fall asleep that's for sure. Trevor Lawrence started this game for the Jaguars. The passer hit 22 of 29 passes for 258 yards with two touchdowns. Lawrence would also get a rushing touchdown in the game. He would ultimately leave the game after taking a huge hit and having his ankle stepped on. A possible PCL injury. Travis Etienne got 45 rushing yards with a touchdown run in this game. Jacksonville kept it a close game yardage wise finishing with 376 total yards. Two field goals paved the way towards the final result. The first was a 40-yard field goal by Brandon McManus that sent the game to overtime. The 2nd was a 48-yard field goal by Evan McPherson that came on the 2nd drive of the overtime period. For the Bengals, they reach 6-6 and aren't still dead in the AFC playoff picture. For the Jaguars, they miss an opportunity to get to the #1 seed in the AFC, instead they fall to 8-4.

Next week:
Cincinnati: vs Indianapolis
Jacksonville: @ Cleveland

TW: 9-4; CV: 9-4

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Week 6: 9-6

Week 7: 4-9

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 6-8

Week 11: 7-7

Week 12: 9-7

Week 13: 9-4

Total: 109-84

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 7-7

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 8-8

Week 13: 9-4

Total: 119-74

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 13 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom