NFL Monday Morning Quarterback……Week 11… by Emperor Cole

The Playoff chase is in full swing and the viable teams are still raging forwards trying to stack those wins. In Week 11 we saw some decisive games amongst the post season hopefuls and some games that are sure to have impact on home field advantage. I’m here as always to cover the NFL’s most relevant games in this week’s Monday Morning Quarterback.

NFL

I will jump right into the week’s most intriguing game which for me was the Kansas City Chiefs going into Mile High Stadium for the first meeting with the Denver Broncos. This game featured the league top offense vs the top defense. It has always been said that “defense wins championships” and this adage was true in last year’s Superbowl– we will see how far Kansas City’s defense takes them.

USP NFL: AFC WILD CARD PLAYOFF-CINCINNATI BENGALS S FBN USA TX The Chiefs were able to keep it close for most of the game but failed to cash in on a turnover opportunity in the 2nd quarter when they recovered a fumble. Instead 1 play later fullback Danny Sherman fumbled it right back to the Broncos. Denver got up 10-0 but the Chiefs answered with a TD of their own. The surprise sequence came with the Chiefs were down 17-7 and made it to the goal line and were STUFFED on three running plays in a row. The Broncos D-line held it together to force them to settle for a field goal. And quite frankly fields are going to get it done against Peyton Manning and company.

Denver Broncos v Kansas City Chiefs

Denver’s coaching staff did a great job of making sure they called enough running plays to keep the Chiefs guessing. SInce KC had two weeks to prepare for this game I am sure there was heavy emphasis on pass defense and “staying with your man” and not getting beat deep. And to counter that preparation…… Monte Ball/Moreno combined for 35 carries for 104 yards and 2 TD’s. Good coaching and play calling Denver.

BroncosChiefsJA3_8385

 

Another big question mark about this impending matchup was of course could Andy Reid’s quarterback Alex Smith keep up in a shootout scenario with Peyton Manning? And although Smith did take some shots down field they didn’t do much to stretch the field and were very ineffective on offense. Alex Smith was 21/45 for 230 yards and 2TD’s. Manning finished with 323 yards on 24/40 passing.

Kansas City Chiefs v Buffalo Bills

 

Watching the Chiefs on offense in this game is why I still stand by my statement that they will be one and done in the playoffs. Losing to the Bengals or Colts  (who will both be division winners) in the wild card game.

In the 2nd most significant game of the day the 49ers were on the road in the Superdome to go toe to toe with the New Orleans Saints. This one here will be a decider in home field advantage for sure. The 49ers were running the football well and playing tough defense to get the wins going again. They lost a defense battle last week to the Carolina Panthers and now they would be tested again with the Saints high powered explosive offense AND the Saints Defense which is much improved and for real this season.

San Francisco 49ers v New Orleans Saints

Colin Kaepernick has shown that he really is NOT that good of an NFL Quarterback– he is a good runner who makes average throws occasionally. Kaepernick is about 20% better than Tim Tebow. I have been saying for quite a while that he was going to struggle a lot when he had to play a FULL season and he’s proving me right. Kaepernick was only 17/31 for 127 yards with 2 TDs. If it weren’t for a Lance Moore botch punt that the Niners recovered this game would have likely been a runway by New Orleans. They GAVE the 49ers easy turnovers and that was all the kept San Fran in the game. I guess the “pistol offense” novelty has worn off and the clock as struck twelve for Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick

Brees was good in this game but not spectacular. The 49er defense did a good job of forcing him to go to his 3rd and 4th options and they took aways Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston.

Brees trying to throw

The game had a controversial “illegal blow to the head” call that went against San Francisco but in reality how many times have we seen bad calls go in favor of Kaepernick running down the sideline and somebody “breathes” on him and they call late hit or unnecessary roughness?….Exactly…. 49er fans deal with it. Your team SHOULD have lost this game by 10 points or better with the way your offense played. Unless the Seahawks start losing games left and right– the 49ers will be the 5th seed in the playoff and will have to travel to play either Detroit or the Bears in the wild playoff game. (Prediction)

San Francisco 49ers vs Chicago Bears in San Francisco

 

The New York Jets were coming off their bye week well rested to take on the up and down Buffalo Bills for what was suppose to be “an easy win” but any given Sunday…

New York Jets v Buffalo Bills

Buffalo must have taken the underdog mentally to heart because they came out firing on all cylinders and rocked the Jets early and often knocking them out in this game. Geno Smith was a turnover machine and looked like a high school QB trying to play in the pros.

Jets Bills Football.JPEG-01512

Bills defense locked this game up the entire way and it was not close at all. Buffalo avoided a 4 game losing streak by getting the win.

NFL: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

Buffalo is a dark horse in the AFC because they are a much better team capable of beating anyone when they have EJ Manuel. If the O-line can keep him upright look for Buffalo to upset a few times down the stretch. Geno Smith on the other hand needs to find some consistency in his game because I still think he is playing for his coach’s job next season and ultimately his future as the starter in New York is directly tied to Rex Ryan’s stint as head coach. With this loss the playoff race in the AFC now has 9 teams in the mix.

Manuel

 


Rex job

Bears crazy weather

The defending Superbowl Champion Baltimore Ravens went up to play the Chicago Bears– the game was delayed for 2 hours due to tornado like weather that was in the area. Wind gust were up to 60 miles an hour! When the game resumed it was a tight and muddy affair. Flacco looked unimpressive going 17/31 with a TD and 2 INTs. Given the conditions Ray Rice got 25 carries for 131 and a TD. The game went to overtime where Robbie Gould got the win for Chicago.

Bears win

Robbie Gould kicks the game winner in overtime! The Bears are now tied for 1st place in the NFC north with the Lions.

Bears TD

Speaking of the Lions…the were on the road at Heinz Field, a place they don’t win at very often and yesterday turned out to be no different. The Lions offense exploded for 27 points in the 2nd quarter! Unfortunately for them that was all she wrote for them– ALL the team’s points came in that quarter and the Steelers rocking the ugliest uniforms EVER.

Ben:Brown

Ben Roethlisberger looked like his old self throwing for 367 yards and 4 TD’s and 0 INT. He connected with AntonioBrown early and often. Brown finished with  7 catches for 147 and 2 TD’s.

Steeler catch

The Steeler defense came up big when the needed to intercepting Matthew Stafford and holding him to only 35 passing yards in the 2nd half. The Steeler look like they will make a late run at trying to make the playoffs. Now if I were a Pittsburgh fan I’m not sure if I would want the team to win 3 or 4 more games that are still remaing and STILL NOT make the post season. Why you say? Because then they go from getting potentially the 5 or 6th overall pick in the 2014 Draft down to 16th or 17th pick.

steelers-2

RGIII and the Redskins took the show on the road to Philly in what was basically an elimination game for them of a sort. The Skins look inept on offense for most of the game and tried to pull a late comeback but Griffin lobed an ill advised pass into the end zone that was intercepted to seal the win for the Eagles. Griffin much like Kaepernick looked a lot better last season…..He threw for 26 yards in the 1st half.

Robert Griffin III, Brandon Graham

Griffin has been a MAJOR disappointment this year and really should NOT have returned until week 4 or 5. If he gave his knee full time to recover and worked himself back up to being able to play at full game speed Washington might be in the lead in the NFC East Division instead of Philadelphia.

Griffin sack Philadelphia seems to have found their QB in Nick Foles who has 16 TD’s with 0 INT on the season. Michael Vick is sure to be released in the offseason at which time I think he will become a journeyman back up QB landing in Arizona, Oakland, Green Bay or Cleveland. Remember you heard it here first.

Nick+Foles+Washington+Redskins+v+Philadelphia+UKrcX93i8DBl

The Seattle Seahawks were at home against Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings. The game was a runaway with the Seahawks jumping all over the Viks. Instead of Peterson running wild it was Marshawn Lynch who did his “Beastmode” thing and ran for 54 yards and 2TD. Percy Harvin played his first game of the season against his old team. He had 1 catch for 17 yards and a 58 yard kick return. Seattle is poised and in position to be the #1 seed in the NFC playoff picture. They host the Saints in week 13 and still have a game left in San Francisco.

NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks

 

Minnesota Vikings v Seattle Seahawks

 

 

Minnesota Vikings v Seattle Seahawks

 

In other games yesterday..

Atlanta continued their season spiral by losing to Tampa Bay 41-28.

The New York Giants defense lifted them to get their 4th win in a row over Green Bay 27-13.

The Bengals handled business defeating the Browns 41-20.

Oakland went into Houston and got the win 28-23. Andre Johnson was asked if he were still “happy” being in Houston and he responded “Hey I’m under contract”…so interpret that as what ever you want it to be.

Miami put San Diego’s playoff hope in jeopardy beating them 20-16.

And the Jacksonville Jaguars reclaimed their title of the leagues worst record losing to Arizona at home 27-14.

The Monday Night game is the New England Patriots @ Carolina Panthers…I will take the Panthers to win 27-23. Brady gets picked off 3 times in the game and Newton runs for 2 TD’s.

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