Philadelphia Eagles electric punt returner/receiver DeSean Jackson is Week 15′s Game Ball Winner for his dramatic game-winning punt return against the NY Giants in a huge Birds’ comeback victory
2010 NFL Week 15 Games
Thu, Dec 16
Chargers (8-6) over Niners (5-9), 34-7..Thursday Night Football game that was a must-win for both teams…Star of the game had be WR Vincent Jackson (5 rec 112 yds, 3 TDs)..QBPhilip Rivers continues putting up big numbers…Chargers jump out to big lead and cruise home…Matthews and Tolbert both run hard in win…SD still in AFC West race, but need help from KC…Niners still alive in terrible NFC West…Niners DE Justin Smith denies intentionally shoving an official (ejected from game)…
Sun, Dec 19
Bengals (3-11) over Browns (5-9), 19-17…In the Battle for Ohio, the Bengals win in comeback fashion…Bengals snap a 10-game losing streak…T.O limps off with left knee injury…Big game for Bengals RB Cedric Benson (31 ATT 150 yds 1 TD)…Browns’ McCoy and Watson have a strong showing in loss…Both team will be in 2011 NFL Draft’s Top Ten picks
Bills (4-10) over Dolphins (7-7), 17-14..Miami is eliminated from the playoffs after a bad home loss to BUF..Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter misses 3 FGs…Brandon Marshall has a big game (11 REC 106 yds 1 TD)..QB R. Fitzpatrick (16/26 223 yds 2 TD, 1 INT) had a solid game for Buffalo..Henne continues to be King Checkdown (33/45 276 yds 1 TD, 1 INT)…The NFL’s worst run defense basically bottled up RB’s Williams and Brown
Chiefs (9-5) over Rams (6-8), 27-13 …Chiefs are 1 win away from clinching AFC West…Big game for RB Jamaal Charles (11 ATT 126 yds 1 TD and career-long 80-yard run in the fourth quarter)…veteran RB Tom Jones contributes for KC (22 rushes for 62 yds and 1 TD, over 10000 for career)…Cassel makes a huge difference for Chiefs after coming back quick from appendix…Bradford looks like a rookie at points in loss…S-Jax runs hard, but is held to less than 70 yds rushing…KC in AFC West driver’s seat..STL still can win terrible NFC West
Colts (8-6) over Jaguars (8-6), 34-24..Big win for Colts in a back-and-forth game for the division lead..Never count out Peyton Manning (2nd game in a row w/ No INTs)…Collie has big game (8 REC 87 yds 2 TD) before leaving with 2nd concussion of the season… LB Hagler makes huge play by returning an onsides kick for a TD…Colts may have found a running game (D. Brown 14 ATT 129 yds 1 TD)…Colts D holds MJD to 46 yards rushing…If Colts win last 2 games (@Oak and Ten), they win AFC South
Cowboys (5-9) over Redskins (5-9), 33-30…Old-time NFL rivalry game that had a ton of points…Shanahan first benches McNabb (3rd string) and then embarasses him further by sending him out as a captain for the coin flip…Kitna continues to put up big numbers in Romo’s absence…Witten (10 rec, 140 yds, 1 TD and fastest TE to 600 receptions) displays his Pro Bowl skills…Grossman (25/43 322 yds 4 TD, 2 INTs) puts up numbers as starter in loss…Cowboys now 4-2 under Garrett…Redskins fourth straight loss
Eagles (10-4) over Giants (9-5), 38-31…Miracle at the Meadowlands 2…Exciting 1PM game for the NFC East Lead…Giants jumped out to a 24-3 halftime lead (Eli career-high 4 TDs)…Vick is the Eagles cataylst in historic win (130 rushing yds and 4 total TDs)…Philly is 8-1 in games Vick has started and finished…Eagles became 9th team in NFL history to comeback from a 21-point 4th quarter deficit …Eagles 28 fourth-quarter points set a franchise record…Manningham fumble near sidelines hurt bad…More big plays for Eagles (four plays of 30+ yards in the fourth quarter)…No Giant in sight when Eagles rookie WR Riley Cooper recovers an Akers on-side kick…Giants punter Matt Dodge doesn’t listen to Coughlin (livid after game) and punts to D-Jax with :12 seconds on the clock…DeSean Jackson becomes the first player in NFL History to end a game by scoring a Punt Return TD (fumbled punt then burst through G-Men coverage unit)..Eagles Rookie LB Chaney has huge game (16 TKLs)..Birds lead NFC East with a chance for conference 2nd seed if Chicago stumbles
Falcons (12-2) over Seahawks (6-8), 34-18..In the Babineaux Bowl, the Falcons used a variety of Seahawks turnovers to a win…three 3rd-quarter turnovers by QB Matt Hasselbeck, including a fumble recoverd in the end zone by Falcons DL Jonathan Babineaux for a TD…Falcons make the playoffs for the 2nd time in Ryan’s 3 years in the NFL..Falcons are 1 win away from NFC South title, NFC #1 seed, and homefield advantage in the playoffs…Possible QB Controversey in Seattle…Falcons vs. Saints in WK16…Seattle’s 8th eighth loss (all by15 points or more) but can still win NFC West by winning out
Jets (10-4) over Steelers (10-4), 22-17…Possible playoff preview game that was physical and entertaining….NYJ Brad “Slash” Smith takes the opening kickoff back for a TD..Sanchez protected the football (zero INTs) while LaDainian Tomlinson (11 rushes 49 yds) and Shonn Greene (12 rushes for 40 yards) ran hard against Steelers D…No Polamulu (ankle) hurt the Steelers overall game….Big running day for Mendhall in the loss…Hometown kid DE Jason Taylor has a key play in the game by sacking Big Ben for a safety in the 4th qtr…Steelers clinch a playoff spot despite loss..NY Jets firmly in AFC Wildcard race while P-Burgh needs to keep winning to take AFC North over Ravens
Lions (4-10) over Buccaneers (8-6), 23-20…Overtime win that really hurts the wildcard hopeful Bucs…Lions get first road win since ’07 (26-game road losing streak)…Calvin Johnson shines again — Megatron had 9 of 10 catches for first downs and 152 yds…Poor tackling by the Bucs…Lions fueled by backup RB Maurice Morris (15 rushes for 109 yards and 1 TD)…big game for Bucs rookie RB LeGarrette Blount (15 ATT 110 yds 1 TD)
Panthers (2-12) over Cardinals (4-10), 19-12…Panthers win a game over hapless Cardinals in this week’s Toilet Bowl…Fox is out after season, but if he keeps winning the 1st overall pick may not be there either…Breaston’s fumble recovery in the end zone was Arizona’s lone TD…Fitzgerald is the youngest player in NFL history to reach 600 receptions…Two rookie QB starters as Claussen gets the better or Skelton
Raiders (7-7) over Broncos (3-11), 39-23… The Raiders stayed alive in the AFC division title race by beating Denver..Broncos rookie Tim Tebow had some good and bad plays in his starting debut (1 TD rushing and passing)…Raiders runs the ball for over 200 yards on the Broncos swiss-cheese defense..Run DMC has another big game (20 ATT 119 yds)…Raiders even have “track” speed at the fullback position..Oakland is 5-0 in the AFC West and has a shot at title if KC falters…Broncos will be looking for new head coach after season.
Ravens (10-4) over Saints (10-4), 30-24…Ravens give the champs a physical game in the cold..Ravens RB Ray Rice had a career-high 36 touches with numbers 31 carries for 153 rushing yards and TD plus 5 receptions for 80 yards and TD…Ravens responded to being challenged by veteran Ray Lewis…Saints abandon running game early and air the ball out…Possible catch of the year on Lance Moore’s acrobatic play in the corner of the endzone…Baltimore tied with Steelers, P-Burgh holds tiebreaker…Brees 5th straight 4,000-yard season…Saints vs. Falcons in WK16
Titans (6-8) over Texans (5-9), 31-17… The Texans will definitely be looking for a new DC for 2011 and maybe a new HC…Titans snap a six-game losing streak…Collins goes bombs away with WR Kenny Britt making several big plays (6 REC 128 yds 0 TD)…CJ2K finally stopped seeing 8-man fronts (24 ATT 130 yds 1 TD)…Schaub puts up big stats in another loss…Texans fall to back under .500 after two season above that mark…Finnegan and A. Johnson behave themselves as there is no Rd 2
Patriots (12-2) over Packers (8-6), 31-27…What a game in Sunday Night Football!!! Packers backup Matt Flynn accounted well for himself….Brady once again gets it done in the clutch (NFL record 292 passes without an INT)…Patriots comeback from a 4th qtr deficit to win against Rodgers-less Packers in cold Foxborough…Woodhead continues shining (9 ATT 59 yds)…Connolly rumbles 71 yards for longest kickoff return by an offensive lineman in NFL history…Flynn sacked/stripped by Tully Banta-Cain and recovered by NT Vince Wilfork to end game…Patriots need 1 more win in their last two games (@Buf and Mia) to wrap everything up
Mon, Dec 20
Bears (10-4) over Vikings (5-9), 40-14…Chicago survives the cold elements in the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium, to dominate the Vikings to clinch the 2010 NFC North crown…The biggest surprise was early in the game when the NFL’s version of John Wayne, Vikings QB Brett Favre, was under center for his 298th regular start instead of rookie Joe Webb…Jay Cutler (14 of 24 for 194 yards and 3 TD’s) used his big arm to go deep to Knox, Hester, and Bennett…Bears DL Wouton creams Favre on a sack and knocks the former league hero from the game with a concussion…KR Devin Hester took another one back to the house to set an NFL record for return touchdowns…With two games left, Chicago is the NFC’s #2 seed and they hold the tiebreaker over the Eagles
Breaking Down the Standing after Week 15
2 teams — (12-2) Patriots,Falcons
6 teams — (10-4) Bears, Saints, Steelers, Eagles, NY Jets, Ravens
1 team – (9-5) Chiefs
6 teams — (8-6) Chargers, Packers, Jags, Bucs, NY Giants, Colts
2 teams — (7-7) Dolphins, Raiders
3 teams — (6-8) Seahawks, Rams, Titans
6 teams — (5-9) Vikings, Niners, Redskins, Browns, Texans, Cowboys
3 teams — (4-10) Cardinals, Lions, Bills
2 teams — (3-11) Bengals, Broncos
1 team – (2-12) Panthers
Division Leaders
NFC
Eagles (NFC East – 1 game lead over NYG), Falcons (NFC South — 2 game lead over NO), Bears (NFC North Champs – 2- game lead over GB), Seahawks/Rams (NFC West — 1 game lead over SF), Colts/Jags (AFC South — 2 game lead over TEN; Colts Hold tiebreaker),
AFC
Steelers/Ravens (AFC North — 5 game lead over CLE; Steelers Hold tiebreaker), Patriots (AFC East — 2 game lead over NYJ),
Chiefs (AFC West — 1 game lead over SD)
Current Streaks
Winning: Falcons (8); Patriots (6); Eagles (3);
Losing: Broncos (5); Redskins (4); Texans (3)
If playoffs started today, Here would be the Seeds….
NFC — 1. ATL, 2. CHI, 3. PHI, 4. STL, 5. NO, 6. NYG/GB
AFC — 1. NE, 2. PIT, 3. KC, 4. IND, 5. BAL, 6. NYJ
How 2009 Playoff teams are fairing — Saints (10-4), Eagles (10-4), Packers (8-6), Vikings (5-9), Cowboys (5-9), Cardinals (4-10),
Patriots (12-2), NY Jets (10-4), Ravens (10-4), Colts (8-6), Chargers (8-6), Bengals (3-11)
Weekly Leaders
Passing
M. Schaub 325 yds, 2 TDs
R. Grossman 322 yds, 4 TDs
J. Kitna 305 yds, 2 TDs
Rushing
R. Rice 153 yds, 1 TDs
C. Benson 150 yds, 1 TDs
J. Stewart 137 yds, 0 TDs
C. Johnson 152 yds, 0 TDs
Vick 130 yds, 1 TD
Receiving
J. Witten 140 yds, 1 TDs
K. Britt 128 yds, 0 TDs
TDs
E. Manning 4 TDs
M. Vick 4 TDs
D. Brees 3 TDs
Kickers
R.Gould 16 points
D. Buehler 15 points
S. Janikowski 13 points
J. Kasay 13 points
Remaining Games for Playoff Contenders
Atl – NO,Car
Bal – @Cle,Cin
Chi – NYJ, @GB
GB – NYG, Chi
Ind – @Oak, Ten
Jac – Was, @Hou
KC – Ten, Oak
NE – @Buf, Mia
NO – @Atl, TB
NYG – @GB, @Was
NYJ – @Chi, Buf
Oak – Ind, @KC
PHI – Min, Dal
Pit – Car, @Cle
SD – @Cin, @Den
Sea – @TB, StL
SF – @StL, Ari
StL – SF, @Sea
TB – Sea, @NO
Looking Ahead to NFL Week 16
Thu, Dec 23
CAR @ PIT Heinz Field 8:20 PM —- NFLN
Sat, Dec 25 — Christmas Game
DAL @ ARI University of Phoenix Stadium 7:30 PM —- NFLN
Sun, Dec 26
DET @ MIA Sun Life Stadium 1:00 PM —- FOX
SF @ STL Edward Jones Dome 1:00 PM —- FOX
MIN @ PHI Lincoln Financial Field 1:00 PM —- FOX
NYJ @ CHI Soldier Field 1:00 PM —- CBS
NE @ BUF Ralph Wilson Stadium 1:00 PM —- CBS
SEA @ TB Raymond James Stadium 1:00 PM —- FOX
WAS @ JAC Jacksonville Municipal Stadium 1:00 PM —- FOX
TEN @ KC Arrowhead Stadium 1:00 PM —- CBS
BAL @ CLE Cleveland Browns Stadium 1:00 PM —- CBS
IND @ OAK Oakland Coliseum 4:05 PM —- CBS
HOU @ DEN Invesco Field at Mile High 4:05 PM —- CBS
NYG @ GB Lambeau Field 4:15 PM —- FOX
SD @ CIN Paul Brown Stadium 8:20 PM —- NBC
Mon, Dec 27
NO @ ATL Georgia Dome 8:30 PM —- ESPN
Lloyd Vance is a NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and the Sports Journey Broadcast Network, who is also an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)