The biggest news was the huge showdown between the visiting, undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, and the hosting Denver Broncos. The two teams entered the game with a combined record of 17-1, which was a record for best combined record in a game between two teams this late in the season since the 1970 merger between the AFC and NFC.
The best offense in the league versus the best defense. Two teams that have among the best records in the league. A feature match like nothing perhaps that we have seen in quite a few years.
For the Chiefs, what they wanted was respect. They were, perhaps, the least respected 9-0 team that I have ever seen. A part of it, of course, is that they were 2-14 last season, and so had a relatively weak schedule, not really having been tested thus far. This game against Denver would be their first real test.
And I must say, that they acquitted themselves fairly well last night. They dictated the tempo of the game, which everyone seemed to expect would be a shootout, but which was actually a fairly physical game that was not nearly as high scoring or explosive as some imagined.
The Broncos went ahead early, and when they took a 10-0 lead, it was threatening to be the kind of game that the Chiefs feared, a blowout that truly would have put their legitimacy into question. But there is a reason that they have gone 9-0 so far, and they showed it, getting a strong drive that culminated in an exclamation point touchdown to close the margin.
Of course, Denver is pretty good as well. They got yet another touchdown, to go up by ten again, before KC managed to make it 17-10 for the half.
The second half seemed slow for a while, as both teams kept one another in check. Then, the Broncos began to exert themselves and take over the game a bit, going up 27-10 in the fourth.
But, again, the Chiefs are where they are for a reason, and they responded accordingly, getting a touchdown to make a game of it.
Ultimately, they lost. But their defense was tough against the prolific passing of Manning, and held him to just one touchdown pass. Denver's running game really was productive, and probably helped them greatly to win this one.
It was a solid game by both teams, and they meet yet again in just a couple of weeks - this time in Kansas City!
Should be good.
Elsewhere, the Giants got another solid victory, their fourth in a row, against the suddenly struggling Packers, playing without Aaron Rodgers. After an 0-6 start, the Giants are trying to fight to remain relevant in the NFC East, and they now head towards a big divisional showdown against Dallas at the Meadowlands next week!
The Cowboys had a bye this weekend, but their was a divisional game, with the Eagles tearing up Washington, much like they did in the season opener. Washington looks like they are on the brink, and just about ready to hang it up for the season, now three games back in the NFC East. And let's be clear: for NFC East teams, the goal has to be winning the division, because it is extremely unlikely that anyone but the division champion will reach the playoffs this season.
In the AFC East, the Jets had a chance to either gain ground, or at least not lose ground, to the New England Patriots, who play tonight at Carolina (I predicted a Carolina win, so let's see what happens). But the Jets played terribly, particularly in a very short span of time in the second quarter, when they committed two costly turnovers (both interceptions), and allowed the Bills to score 17 quick points to make a tight, defensive game (the Bills led at the point, 3-0), into a laugher. New York never seriously got back in the game, and lost in a blowout, 37-14.
And just when you think Miami's season is done, they manage to surprise you, like they did with a solid and impressive win against the San Diego Chargers, to remain relevant.
The Detroit Lions seemed to have a good opportunity to stay atop the NFC North, playing the struggling Steelers in Pittsburgh. But the black and gold played like old times, with Roethlisberger enjoying a very strong passing day, and the Steelers wearing down the Lions for a victory that, for all intents and purposes, keeps their flickering hopes this season still alive, for now.
In Chicago, another struggling AFC North team came to visit the Bears, who still have high hopes of taking the NFC North division. This game was delayed by very severe weather, with tornados even sighted close by. After a long delay, the game resumed. When the dust settled, the Bears pulled off a tight, come from behind victory, which was very important, because they are now tied with the Lions once again atop the division, with Green Bay still only a game back. For the Ravens, their difficulties in the title defense continue.
Two other AFC North teams were pitted against one another also, as the two Ohio teams took the field at Cincinnati. The Browns were playing well early, and looked very good. But the Bengals began to assume control and Cleveland simply was not able to answer, and their hopes for a division title were likely buried by the avalanche of points that the Bengals poured on in what wound up as a blowout.
Tampa Bay, a team that a week ago at this time (of my writing this) were the only winless team remaining in the league, have now won two games in a row. This time, they beat up on the hapless Atlanta Falcons, a team that was very close to reaching the Super Bowl last season, yet are playing horribly so far this season.
Another team that entered the season with high hopes and expectations, and have since watched their once promising season crash and burn, are the Houston Texans. They lost another tight game yesterday in Oakland, as the Raiders pulled off a come from behind, 28-23 victory.
Nobody really believed the Cardinals were going to do much this season. But very quietly, this team has played some solid football. They had a strong, come from behind victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and remain very much in the playoff hunt.
Seattle managed to keep rolling yesterday, as well. It was a surprisingly tight game for quite a while, with Minnesota hanging in there, keeping the game tied up at 13 points apiece fairly late, before Seattle roared to life and buried the Vikings with a barrage of points, in a game that looked like a laugher if you only look at the final score. The Seahawks now own the best record in the league at 10-1.
Seattle managed to take one big step closer to clinching the NFC West, in large part because the 49ers lost their second game in a row. This time, it was to a tough Saints team that is actually contending with Seattle for home field advantage. In recent years, the Saints have always had difficulty with the San Francisco 49ers, and yesterday was no different, with the 49ers leading for much of it, and seeming to control the tempo. But New Orleans rallied late in the fourth, first with a field goal to tie it, and then with a field goal in the final seconds of the game to win it - a huge win! Also, a huge loss, frankly, for San Francisco.
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