NFL Week 12 Review

No major surprises yesterday, which was not entirely in keeping with the numerous shockers we have seen in recent weekends.

Oakland Raiders 24, Kansas City Chiefs 20 - I was beginning to wonder if this season's Raiders would join the 2008 Detroit Lions as a recent winless season. But, they found a way to win a game, shocking the red-hot Chiefs and putting a serious hurting on Kansas City's division title hopes with the loss.

Seattle Seahawks 19, Arizona Cardinals 3 - Perhaps the big game with the most potential implications was the Arizona Cardinals at the Seattle Seahawks. The defending champions used their home field advantage to really shut down the Cardinals, who only managed 3 points for the game, and were dominated by a Seahawk team that obviously wanted this game more. The defense was spot on, and the Seattle offense was efficient enough to earn a convincing win against the team with the NFL's best record. A solid win for Seattle.

Denver Broncos 39, Miami Dolphins 36 - I was watching this game for a while, and it seemed like there was an upset in the making for much of it. That, to me, would have effectively placed the Broncos as a longshot for another return trip to the Super Bowl, because it would have marked their second loss in a row, and their first home loss of the season. That, in turn, would have meant that they suddenly look vulnerable. But in gutting out a win, finding a way to get it done late in the fourth quarter to eke out a win, they showed some of their character, and seem to have luck on their side, as they are now again alone atop the AFC West, following Kansas City's surprise defeat to the Raiders.

Dallas Cowboys 31, NY Giants 28 - With the Raiders beating the Chiefs and ending their futility, the Giants now own the longest active losing streak in the league, with six straight losses now. Yet, for the second week in a row, they played well, and kept things close. Still, there were costly turnovers, and the defense slipped up at crucial times, such as when they left Bryant wide open for a touchdown late in the third quarter. The 8-3 Cowboys now look forward to hosting the Eagles in a big showdown for first place in the NFC East on Thanksgiving, while the 3-8 Giants are just trying to stop the bleeding at this point. .

Philadelphia Eagles 43, Tennessee Titans 24 - No real contest here. The hosting Eagles pounded their weaker opponents into submission. Tennessee is, of course, one of the worst teams in the NFL, and the Eagles are looking to win the race for NFC East tile with the Cowboys, with whom they are presently deadlocked. Philadelphia will now look to a big showdown with Dallas on Thanksgiving.

New England Patriots 34, Detroit Lions 9 - You could see this coming, right? The Lions are in trouble of seeing yet another promising seasons slip away from them, following their second straight loss. This one was not even close. Detroit's offense was stymied all day, while their defense just had no answers to contain the potent New England offense. The Patriots now are tied with the Arizona Cardinals for the best record in the league.

San Diego Chargers 27, St. Louis Rams 24 - This was a back and forth game between two of the most inconsistent teams in the league. The Rams had some chances, and kept it very close right to the end. However, the Chargers proved to have just enough to squeak by with a much needed win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Indianapolis Colts 23, Jacksonville Jaguars 3 - This was pretty much what everyone expected from this game, right? The Colts defense was very effective against the Jags offense, and their offense, while not putting up earth shattering numbers, was far and away too good for Jax's defense. A solid win that solidifies the Colts superior status in the AFC South even further.

Cleveland Browns 26, Atlanta Falcons 24 - The Browns needed this win badly, and they got it. With the victory, the Browns kept both their division title hopes, and playoff chances, alive. For the Falcons, this was a hugely disappointing outcome. Yet, even at 4-7, they are still very much alive and awaiting the results of the New Orleans game tonight to see if they will be tied should the Saints lose, or one game behind, if the Saints win. What a terrible division the NFC South is!

San Francisco 17, Washington 13 - The Niners squeaked out another win against a weak opponent. This time, it was at home to miserable Washington, a team that seems to be in disarray in more ways than one. Not much in terms of highlight reels, but the 49ers were effective enough to earn the win, and now look towards a Thanksgiving evening showdown with the Seattle Seahawks.

Cincinnati Bengals 22, Houston Texans 13 - The Texans helped the Bengals out tremendously the last couple of weeks, first by pulling off a big upset in Cleveland that knocked the Browns out of first place, then by losing to the Bengals this weekend, securing Cincinnati's razor thin lead in the AFC north.

Chicago Bears 21, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13 - The Bears kept their slim playoff hopes alive by earning their second straight win of the season. It was a home game against a weak team, but a win is a win, and they will take it. They cannot afford to take anything for granted this season.

Green Bay Packers 24, Minnesota Vikings 21 - With the Detroit Lions losing big in New England, the Packers were able to take advantage by earning a solid win in a place where they have traditionally struggled - Minnesota. The Vikings hung tough, and were in this thing throughout. But the Rodgers and the Pack proved a bit too much for the Vikings.