Dolphins, Giants and Bears, Oh My!

Week 14 of this 2018 NFL season is the reason we LOVE Pro Football and the NFL! Sure there are many problems with players’ behavior on and off the field and with the officials calls becoming worse and worse, but the GAMES are what we care about and Week 14 brought us some incredibly exciting games and plays.

I have to begin of course with the Miracle in Miami.

Maybe it’ll go down in history as the Magic City Miracle but whatever they call it, wow, what a play! After 5 lead changes in an exciting back and forth game, NE 33- MIA 28. NE had just kicked a FG (0:16) to stretch the lead from 2 to 5 points. After the kickoff, with 7 seconds to go, Miami sets up from their own 31 for the old hook and lateral, the usual trick play that all defenses wait for that usually ends up with a botched fumble or an illegal forward lateral or a tackle somewhere down the field to end the game.
New England however sets up their defensive personnel in formation to block the Hail Mary. The Hail Mary defense is usually reserved for when the offense is around midfield and can heave the jump ball into the end zone looking for the lucky tip to win it ala Aaron Rodgers. Miami just runs their play, a 14 yard Tannehill pass to Stills who laterals to Parker who in turn laterals to Drake, now at midfield. The Pats defenders who had been in formation to prevent the long pass now converge on Drake but keep their distance, assuming another lateral. The defenders play soft like they want to be the hero who gets the glory by picking up the expected fumbled lateral and running it in for a score. But Drake senses this and instead of looking to lateral again, he turns on the burners. As he heads toward the goal line, he picks up a couple of blocks and sees there is one man standing to beat to the right pylon. GRONK! Yes, Gronk, who was in there presumably to knock down the Hail Mary that never materialized. Yes, the Gronk, who is tall but has lead weights for ankles was supposed to knock down the imaginary Hail Mary! Drake speeds by a stumbling bumbling Gronk as he bolts into the end zone for the winning score! The stadium goes wild, Brady hangs his head. The unexpected happened. A Bill Belichick coached team blew the call and in doing so, did not clinch their 10th straight AFC East title. The play called “Boise” that the Fins practice every Friday and Saturday for 3 minutes that may be used once every 3 years has magically worked! Final: Miami 34- NE 33. Dolphins stay alive at (7-6) tied for the final wild card spot with three games to go.
One more thought, when the Pats were up by 2 with 16 seconds to go facing 4th down at the Miami 5, they could have simply tried to run the ball in the end zone. If they score, they extend the lead to 9. Game over. If they don’t score, Miami gets the ball inside their own 5 with 10 seconds left instead of after a kickoff return to the 31. I think Billy Boy outsmarted himself twice. Setting up for the Hail Mary was a huge blunder and it might wind up costing NE a home field playoff game.

The NY Football Giants were up at the half 34-0 on the QB depleted Washington Redskins before Jay Gruden replaced an ineffective Mark Sanchez with the 4th stringer Josh Johnson. Saquon solidified his Rookie of the year status as he ran for 178 yards, which included another long run from scrimmage, this one was dynamite- from 78 yards. This kid is a Godsend, the real deal and the G-Men are being rewarded for their draft immediately. Eli threw 3 TDs and made his case for starting next year. Former Spider Kyle Lauletta helped Eli’s cause by going 0-5 and an interception in relief. Giants had another Pick-6 early in the game and rolled to a 40-16 win quashing all hopes for the Skins, who fell to (6-7). The Giants, winners of 4 out of their last 5 are now (5-8). In a season lost too early, New York, with two ridiculous losses to Philly and Carolina could easily been in the NFC playoff hunt. Woulda, coulda, shoulda….

The Bears may have played their best game in decades Sunday night in their 15-6 Soldier Field win against the NFC juggernaut (11-2) LA Rams. Defensively, Chicago dominated the Rams heralded offense and actually held the unstoppable Todd Gurley to 28 yards and the Rams to only 2 FGs. The NFC Norris winners Bears (9-4) have decidedly announced their presence as an NFC force in the playoffs. Nobody wants to face this Khalil Mack-led defense in a winner-take-all game.

There were 3 other exciting games with playoff implications that went down to the wire Sunday.

The KC Chiefs converted a clutch 4th down pass from Mahomes to Hill to set up another 4th down TD pass to Damien Williams to send KC (11-2) and Baltimore into overtime. Mahomes flipped a no-look pass reminiscent of the great Clyde Frazier while running to his right for the completion. Mahomes is another exciting young star in the league who is lighting up the record book. He’s only 23 and is headed to the playoffs with a real shot at a Super Bowl ring. Ravens (7-6) rookie Lamar Jackson valiantly led Baltimore deep into the 4th quarter to a 24-17 before Mahomes brilliant comeback tied it up. A Harrison Butker 38-yard FG in OT clinched it for KC 27-24 and sent a dejected Ravens squad home with a hard fought loss. The Chiefs face the very tough Chargers (10-3) division foe Thursday night for a huge game that will decide the AFC West crown.

NFC Least winner Dallas (8-5) scored their 5th straight win, aided again by Jerry Jones donations to the Referee’s Christmas bonus fund, and beat the Eagles 29-23 in OT. A 6-6 game entering the 4th quarter turned into a wild one with 37 points tallied in the last frame and OT. Amari Cooper, stolen from the Raiders, has made his impact with the Cowboys, scoring 2 late TDs, one on a fluke tip in OT, and had a career high 217 yards receiving. The Eagles (6-7) spit the bit again and will be teeing off at Merion come January.

Big Ben, injured during the game, then returned to bring the Steelers to within a game ending tying FG, however the kicker Boswell lost footing and missed it. Oops! Raiders win, Raiders win! As 10-point home dogs, Derek Carr threw for 322 yards and 2 TDs for Gruden’s 3rd and most exuberant win, 24-21. Everybody in the AFC North lost, except the Browns! The Steelers at 7-6-1 hold only ½ game lead over the Ravens with three to play. Baltimore, as it stands, is tied with the Dolphins, Colts and Titans at (7-6) for the 6th and final playoff spot in the AFC.

In other games, Indianapolis (7-6) halted Houston’s 10 game winning streak 24-21 as they stayed in the playoff hunt.

The Jets Sam Darnold played his best game of the season so far as the rookie led New York on a come-from-behind road win in Buffalo 27-23.

Denver (6-7) was upset by home dog San Francisco 20-14 most likely ending the Broncos playoff dreams.

Cleveland booted Camster and the Panthers 26-20 as Carolina (6-7) lost their 5th straight. Riverboat Ron just rolled Craps! Cam threw 4 picks essentially knocking his team from post season contention. It wasn’t his fault though, just ask him.

The Saints (10-2), after being down 14-3 at the half to TB, came back to nail Famous Jameis and the Bucs 28-14. The Groper was visibly upset and screaming at his center on the sidelines after the lineman deleted Winston’s UBER app. The discipline that surrounds the Tampa Bay organization is most impressive.

The rest of the games were lame.

Bozos hit the BOZO Best Bets again this week with the Ravens covering and the Bears winning outright.

Stay tuned, this is getting really fun!

-HB