Week 15 Recap
week 15 recap
By: Alyssa
Week 15 for the NFL highlighted some underestimated matchups where we saw some crazy comebacks and unfortunate downfalls for some teams. Weeks 15, 16, and 17 are extremely important if teams want to clinch their spots in the playoffs.
Buc’s vs. Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals overwhelmed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday 34-23, in which they claimed the number one spot in the AFC North with a record of 10-4 after the Ravens lost to the Browns 13-3 Saturday.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were up 17-3 in the first half of the game when after halftime, the game’s momentum changed; the Buccaneers only put up six points. Tom Brady turned the ball over in the Bucs territory, where he had two interceptions and two fumbles in Sunday’s game. Frustrating for the Bucs fans is how the offense in the first half used play action and drove the ball with ease, where everything was smooth until the ball kept getting thrown away. If the ball were protected, the Bucs could have punted it where there may have been a possibility of the defense having a better chance of stopping the Bengals offense. After the Bucs loss to the 49ers, they have clearly shown progress but could be more consistent in playing four quarters.
Vikings vs. Colts
Moving away from the NFC South, the Minnesota Vikings had the biggest NFL comeback in history, erasing a 33-point deficit and defeating the Indiana Colts 39-36 in overtime. The Colts were up 33-0 until halftime when the momentum completely changed as the Vikings created the most significant comeback. During halftime, where the team gathered after they were humbled in the first half, cornerback Patrick Patterson set the tone for what became the most incredible comeback in NFL history. He promised the offense that the defense would do its part in defeating the Colts. Kirk Cousins passed for 460 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Vikings, who trailed late in the third quarter. The score tied 36-36 at the end of the fourth, with three seconds left in overtime, kicker Greg Joseph’s 40-yard field goal won it all Saturday. This left the Vikings with an unbelievable comeback, where they then claimed the number one spot in the NFC North division. The Minnesota game was the second-biggest in Franchise history, from a 45-10 score at Seattle in 2002.
Bills vs. Dolphins
The Buffalo Bills clinched the number one spot in the AFC East Saturday against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were not in their element Saturday as before the game started the stadium was covered with snow, only for more snow to fall in the fourth quarter. It was an intense game when the Bills got a penalty for their fans throwing snowballs. I would have voted for the game to be one big snowball fight, but the Bills still probably would have won against the Sunshine State Florida Boys. The Bills overcame an eight-point deficit as Josh Allen oversaw scoring drives on two possessions, and Tyler Bass hit a 25-yard field goal to secure the victory for the Bills 32-29 Saturday. The weather conditions for this game were much different from the Dolphin’s victory 21-19 against Buffalo in Miami, where the temperature was 89 in September during week 3.
Eagles vs. Bears
The Philadelphia Eagles are on the run this season with a 13-1 record. Despite difficult circumstances Sunday in the bone-chilling weather where Hurts had trouble with feeling in his hands and seeing the field, Hurts managed to keep the momentum. Nothing would stand in his way of leading the Eagles to their franchise record with their 13th win of the season. The Bears’ 3-11 record was not quite the game Eagles fans anticipated Sunday. The Eagles have the best record in the NFL and left Chicago with a tighter score than projected, as they left Sunday 25-20. The Bears have lost their seventh straight game, their worst since 2002. However, Justin Fields had something to be proud of, as he is now one of the few quarterbacks to rush for 1,000 or more yards. Fields ran precisely 95 yards to reach 1,000, joining Lamar Jackson and Michael Vick. Hurts also closed in on history as a ball carrier with 13 rushing touchdowns, one short of the NFL record for a QB that was set by Cam Newton during his rookie year.
Jaguars vs. Cowboys
The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Dallas Cowboys Sunday in overtime 40-34 with an incredible play by Rayshawn Jenkins as he intercepted the ball from Cowboys Dak Prescott. This win ended the Cowboys’ four-game winning streak and prevented them from securing the NFC playoff berth. They claimed a wild-card spot just hours later as the Giants beat the Commanders. The Jaguars responded to their 27-10 deficit with a comeback leading in the fourth quarter. As the Cowboys were ready to respond, Trevor Lawrence drove the ball into position for Riley Patterson to kick a 48-yard field goal, sending the game into overtime. Jenkins returned the ball 52 yards for a touchdown securing a Jaguars win after his interception from Prescott.
Chiefs vs. Texans
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans Sunday in overtime 30-24. The Chiefs have now conquered the AFC West title, and this streak of division titles is tied with the Rams 1973-1979 as the second longest in NFL history. Behind the Patriots, who have captured 11 in a row in the AFC West from 2009-2019. Kansas City overcame two turnovers and a season-high 102 penalties to win for the seventh time in eight games. The Texans dropped their ninth straight game, their longest since losing 14 final games in 2013. The Chiefs trailed early in the fourth quarter when Patrick Mahomes 2-point conversion pass to McKinnon put Kansas City in the lead 24-21. The Texans tied it at 24 on a field goal as five minutes remained in the fourth quarter. Kansas City won the game in overtime as Jerick McKinnon had a 26-yard touchdown to win it 30-24.
Week 16 is now here, as it is prime time for teams to prepare for the playoffs. While it is fair to anticipate the outcome of this week’s games, it was made clear this weekend that a losing record means nothing to a winning record in the NFL. Many teams with low records were too close to beating the high-record teams. What is to come in the rest of the season can be unexpected.
