NFL Week 14

Let it Snow! x3

Not the easiest of conditions this week in the National Football League. In fact things were downright seasonal. If there wasn’t a snowstorm, it was still windier than a barn-raising, Oz-transporting Kansas City tornado, and if not that then it was still next to freezing. In Chicago they had to keep the water bottles in front of heaters to keep 'em from freezing over. The worst was in Philly, where there was a damn blizzard! Detroit couldn’t handle it, fumbling about a thousand times, while the Eagles adjusted to a running game that better suited the conditions. See Calvin Johnson, here, made a good catch, fell as he did so and came up with a helmet full of snow.

Tight Finishes and Blown Opportunites

This week saw some of the most incredible finishes in recent memory, all within half an hour of each other. There was Pittsburgh, trailing Miami as time expired, they went for the lateral pass tactic (why don’t teams incorporate it more?), throwing the ball around like the local first XV (if there is such a thing). Normally this is a last ditch tactic of desperation, and it was here too, only they managed to find some space and Antonio Brown skipped past the last man to appear to take it in for the most unbelievable winning touchdown in history. And it was unbelievable. Literally. Because he stepped out on his way. A single inch of white paint may be the deciding factor in the Steelers’ and Dolphins’ seasons.

Then in New England, Tom Brady proved once more why he can never be counted out, leading his Patriots to two late touchdowns to win the game. They even recovered an onside kick – their first since New Year’s Day 1995. The Browns were unlucky with a late pass interference call that went against them, but watching on, the Pats were always wining that game once they recovered that kick.

But the pick of the bunch was a mental last few minutes between Baltimore and Minnesota – where FIVE touchdowns were scored in the final 125 seconds!

With 2:05 on the clock, Dennis Pitta catches a Joe Flacco pass to give Baltimore a 15-12 lead.
1:27 to go, sub Vikings RB Toby Gerhart (in for the injured Adrian Peterson) breaks through the Ravens D for a 41 yard TD run. 19-15 Vikings.
Immediately after Jacoby Jones runs the kickoff back the distance. 22-19 Ravens
The Vikings try to get in position for a game-tying field goal, but Cordarrelle Patterson goes four points better with a 71 yard TD from what was initially a short screen pass. 26-22 with 46 seconds remaining.
But Joe Flacco wasn’t done, taking his team the length of the field, and throwing the winner to rookie Marlon Brown with 4 seconds on the clock. Final score: 29-26 to Baltimore.

Mile High & 64 Yards Long

We know how the altitude of Denver’s Mile High Stadium affects players, we hear about it every damn time they play there. Kickers especially have an advantage, but that doesn’t take the gloss off this moment for Denver K Matt Prater. He broke the NFL record for longest field goal (3 had previously hit 63 yarders) with a 64 yard deep bomb to end the half. Wow.

Playoff Hunt

Guarantees: Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts

Near Certainties: New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs

Division Hunts: Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys

Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers

Wildcard Hunts: 2 of San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers & Arizona Cardinals

Miami Dolphins vs Baltimore Ravens vs San Diego Chargers vs New York Jets

No Hopers: Everyone else

Power Rankings

Denver Broncos
Seattle Seahawks
New Orleans Saints
San Francisco 49ers
Kansas City Chiefs

P. Manning – Record Watch

Tom Brady 2007 – 50 TD passes in a season

Peyton Manning 2013 – 45 TD passes (3 games remaining)

Drew Brees 2011 – 5476 pass yards in a season

Peyton Manning 2013 – 4522 pass yards (3 games remaining)

In Honour of Ditka the Great

Legendary Chicago icon and NFL player/coach/pundit/personality Mike Ditka had his number 89 retired by the Bears on Monday Night Football. A fitting tribute to a man more synonymous with that franchise than any other. Ditka won Superbowls as both a player and a coach with the Bears, along with a popular career as a TV analyst. Then there’s possibly his most glittering career achievement of all: appearing in the Will Ferrell film ‘Kicking and Screaming’. he Bears responded by almost matching his retired number in points (they got half way at least) in pummelling the Cowboys.

Rudy's On the Road

A big time and curious trade went down this week in the NBA. Sacramento picked up small forward Rudy Gay from Toronto in a seven player deal. The Kings get Gay, Aaron Gray and Quincy Acy (the first a very tall journeyman, the latter a youngster), while the Raptors in return, along with dumping Gay’s salary, get Greivis Vásquez, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons, and Chuck Hayes. Vasquez is a very handy guard who’ll definitely contribute, the other three will probably play depth roles. Rudy Gay is a high scorer, but a sloppy one and can be a greedy player. Interesting to see how that fits in with Boogie Cousins’ me-first attitude. The Kings also added guard Derrick Williams from Minnesota last week.

MLB Offseason

Robinson Cano has gotten himself a nice big new contract, only it’s with the Seattle Mariners not the New York Yankees. It had become clear that the Yanks weren;t willing to pay Cano quite what he was asking for. So Cano and his agent Jay Z (or rather Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports) went with the best offer on the table, a 10 year $240m deal to play in Seattle.

This is another deal in a busy offseason for the AL West, which is dominating proceedings. Texas has already acquired Prince Fielder, 2-time defending division champs Oakland have been up to their usual wheeling and dealing, and the LA Angels have picked up former World Series MVP David Freese while working hard to improve their pitching. Oh and Houston still suck.

The Yankees are gonna be looking very different in 2014 too. Gone is their lynchpin infielder and star player Cano. Jeter and A-Rod are still around but to call them injury prone would be like calling Al Capone ‘a little short tempered’. Mo Rivera’s retired. So’s Andy Pettitte. Curtis Granderson has been replaced by Red Sox icon Jacoby Ellsbury. Bryan McCann’s in town to catch. T’ain’t your fathers Yankees no more.

Good Week:

LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles) – Maybe more of a good half, but you can’t deny the influence of the Philly RB. Struggling early in a Philadelphia blizzard, he basically ran down hill in the second stanza – all the way to a franchise record 217 rush yards on 29 carries, with 2 TDs. He basically changed this game, with the Eagles able to rally from behind to take a crucial win.

Some Guy at an OKC game a while back – so this fella hits a half court shot in a half time competition. Wins $20k, right? Only he’s a college athlete, so they say he can’t keep the money because he has to be an amateur. But now they say it’s allgood and he can keep it.

Bad Week:

Dallas Cowboys – Specifically their defence. It seems like every time they play in a nationally broadcast game, they bring the turnstile defence. RB Matt Forte and QB Josh McCown picked them off all day, scoring on every single possession except the kneel down with 6 seconds to go.

Jason Kidd (Brooklyn Nets) – The noose is tightening for the new Nets coach. 6-14 is not even close to good enough. Now he’s rowing with his assistant. Paul Pierce and Deron Williams are coming back now, hopefully for him they can give this team a shot in the arm.

Inglorious Fail of the Week:

Nick Young (LA Lakers) - Went for the 360 degree spinning layup. Much embarrassment ensued.

Weekly Pondering:

Kirk Cousins or RG3?

Jay Cutler or Josh McCown?

Trent Richardson or a large rock?

Peyton Manning Honourable Player of the Week:

Peyton Manning. Like a broken record he just does the same thing every week. Only it’s the best broken record you’ve ever heard. Like it froze on the solo in Stairway or the riff from Brown Sugar. 39/59 for 397 yards and 4 tds. Just another day at the office.

Upcoming Dates (NZ Time):

December 30 - NFL Regular Season Ends

February 3 - Superbowl XLVIII

February 17 - 2014 NBA All-Star Game