Week 16 - Sunday

'15 Panthers vs. '68 Colts

After being one of the standout teams in the league, the Panthers are on a 2 game losing streak and looking to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Colts are a long shot, but have been a difficult team to put down. With a win, they would have a record higher than 50%. It's no surprise 48,000 fans showed up at Memorial Stadium to see this matchup.

The first quarter moved slow, but the Colts' rushing game started breaking down Carolina's defense, and Matte sprinted for an 18 yard TD to give the colts a 7-0 lead.

In the 2nd quarter, things were not so slow. Carolina would get some motion against the Colts and Gano would take an easy FG. But in response, the Colts would run several yards, and several minutes off the clock. With just under 2 minutes left, the work paid off as Baltimore scored a 2nd TD. But Carolina's chance to respond was cut short, as Newton was picked off. Morrall would then hit Richardson deep for a 48 yard TD throw, and lead 21-3 at half time.

The Colts would keep that lead in the 2nd half, as their defense continued to confound the Panthers. Final score Baltimore 28, Carolina 3.

The Colts had over 450 yards total on the day, with 200 yards rushing from 6 different ball carriers sharing the load. Morrall was also 16-22 for 251 yards.

'91 Detroit vs. '97 Denver

The first quarter of this game was mostly a stalemate, but the Broncos managed to get 3 on the board with an Elam FG. The 2nd half opened up with a big more bang, as Denver was nearing Detroit territory, when Davis broke some tackles to haul 53 yards of turf for a TD.

But the excitement was over yet - Gray would take the return kick 97 yards for Detroit, giving the Lions their first score and some breathing room. Elway, on the following drive, would quickly retaliate with several good throws, scoring on a 22 yarder to Smith.

Up 17-7 at the half, Denver still barely had a lead over the Lions, and it shrunk even more with a 3rd quarter FG late in the 3rd quarter. But Elway didn't give up, and ended up driving downfield for yet another TD, this time on a keeper. Up 24-10, the Lions had over 12 minutes of game time, but continued to struggle against the Broncos D.

Barry Sanders had 100 yards on the day, but Davis had 155 with an average of almost 12 yards / carry. Elway had a good day, completing 72% of his passes for 216 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT.

Lions lose 24-10, breaking a 3 game win streak, and putting their playoff hopes even more up in the air.

'88 Cincinnati vs. '72 Miami

The Bengals have been a force to be reckoned with this later half of the season, and with slim playoff hopes in line, travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins, who are still competing with 2 other teams for top record in their division.

The Dolphins picked up a FG in the first quarter, but otherwise both teams seemed well matched. Despite a strong rushing effort by the Dolphins, by the 2nd quarter, it would be the Bengals who would get a rushing TD on the efforts of Icky Woods after a good drive from Esiason. The Bengals would head to halftime with heads, and hopes, up high on a 7-3 lead.

In the 3rd quarter, a Miami FG would decrease that lead to just 1 point, and with just 1 quarter of ball time left, the game was anyone's for the taking. After stopping the Bengals, it would be Miami who would take a TD, as Morrall threw a TD pass to Warfield.

The Bengals, down 6 points, would quickly retaliate with a FG, and after holding the Dolphins off, would end up with another chance to score. Down by 3, they would get the opportunity they needed after some good passing by Esiason. Having been held over 30 yards from the end zone, Breech was still able to tie the game on a 48 yard FG.

With just 1:43 left in the game, the Dolphins continued their rushing efforts, and when the Bengals seemed to be wearing down, they held them inside the red zone. But with just 8 seconds left, Yepremian was good on his FG attempt to give Miami the win. Dolphins 16, Bengals 13

Breech had a missed FG attempt earlier in the game that Bengals fans will now be talking about for time to come. The Dolphins' win keeps them on top of the division and shatters the Bengals postseason hopes. Miami's rushing efforts racked up 244 yards across 50 attempts, matching Esiason''s passing yards. Boomer was 70% for accuracy, but his inability to get a TD would hold the Bengals back. Csonka ran for 62 yards, but it was Morris who had a big game with 122 yards total.

'76 Pittsburgh vs. '69 NYJ

Over 54,000 fans showed up in Stadium for this AFC matchup, and for many in New York, they'd end up leaving saying "It's a good day". Why?

Well, you know it's a good day in New Jersey when Namath has 3 TD throws in the 1st half of game play alone. Maynard alone had 2 TD catches for 25 and 50 yards, respectively. 

You also know it's a bad day for Pittsburgh when they don't score until the 3rd quarter. Despite a decent rushing effort from Pittsburgh, Bleier would get the Steeler's only TD of the game. Bleier only managed 23 yards on the day in 13 carries. 

Despite only completing 40% of his throws, Namath threw for 279 yards all day. Maynard also led receiving, totaling 156 yards on just 3 extra catches aside from his TDs (5 total). On top of Maynard averaging 30 yards per catch, Sauer averaged 18 yards, Turner had a 42 yard catch and Mathis a 24 yarder.

Jets win 30-7 over Pittsburgh. 

With the Jets win, they join the Dolphins and Patriots in the AFC East now with 10-5 records. Only a loss by any team next week can change the current situation, with Miami set to clinch the division.

The Steelers, with their 3rd straight loss, must now continue to compete with the Ravens for top spot in their division. The matchup between both teams next will now be the deciding factor for the playoff spot.

'09 New Orleans vs. '08 Tennessee

The Saints picked up a first quarter FG, but the Titans poked some big holes in the Saints rushing D with the "Smash and Dash" duo. Johnson would run for 2 TD's in under 2 minutes of game time, the first a long one of 41 and the 2nd, on the opportunity provided by a turnover.

Down 17-3 at the half the Saints D had begun some improvement, but they continued to struggle on offense until halfway through the 3rd quarter, when Brees found Henderson open for a TD throw. Unfortunately, despite several yards on offense the remainder of the game, the Titans D did a great job of keeping the Saints out of striking range.

The Titans crushed the Saints 27-10. Both teams totalled over 350 yards, with the Titans grabbing over 250 rushing and Brees breaking 250 passing. For the Titans, both Johnson and White, had 100 yards or more on the day, averaging over 7 yards per carry among them. Johnson alone carried all 3 Titans TD's.  Henderson caught just 5 of Brees' 24 completions, but totaled over 120 yards. His 1 TD and 3 INT's are a major reason for the Saint's failure.

'74 Oakland vs. '79 San Diego

The first quarter made it difficult to discern the game's momentum, as the Chargers slid in a short 20 yard FG with a super-safe 4th down call. On the following drive, Stabler showed his versatility with a 59 yard deep ball to Branch, but Blanda botched the PAT. Raiders 6-3.

In the 2nd quarter, several possessions would come up short, but Oakland would turn to Davis for a rushing TD just at the 2 minute warning when Stabler's efforts came up short. With 2 minutes left, it was time for Fouts to show his versatility. After just a few quick plays to inch just past the 50-yard line, he would hit Jefferson on a 46 yard throw to get back within 3 points at halftime.

With a scoreless 3rd quarter, it was clear this divisional match up could likely be determined by 3 points. After several minutes of back and forth, Oakland looked to trash that theory as Hubbard ran a TD to top off a great drive on Oakland's rushing efforts.

San Diego would take time moving the ball with their next possession, and with time ticking down inside the 2 minute warning, Fouts would get the break he'd been looking for with another TD throw. Unfortunately for him, only 34 seconds remained in the game, and the Chargers were still down 3. Their efforts to get the ball would fail The Raiders take home the win 20-17, and with that clinch the division. The Chargers now find themselves out of the hunt altogether.

The Chargers had an amazing 400+ yards for the day, but it was Oakland's defensive efforts and 4 picks on Fouts that would prove to be the best red-zone defense.  Fouts' 250 passing yards came from just 15 of his 29 attempts. Several rushers on both sides would carry the ball for more than 20 yards, but both teams grabbed 166 yards rushing each.

'99 Jacksonville vs. '98 Atlanta

In another highly anticipated game this week, the Falcons and Jaguars put everything out on the field in a high stakes shootout. Only 56,000 fans showed up at Georgia, but they would go home with smiles on their face as the Falcons just edged out the Jaguars.

The first half of the game ended in a tie as each team traded TD efforts.  The Falcons scored on a 14 yard run by Jamal Anderson and a late Chandler throw to Mathis. Similarly, the Jags would score 1 each running and passing.

The 3rd quarter opened with Atlanta receiving the ball, and Dwight taking the kick 89 yards for a score to shake up Jacksonville. It worked, as Atlanta continued to dominate the 2nd half with a FG and 2 Chandler passing TD's. At the start of the 4th quarter, Brunell would get a passing TD of his own, but would come up short with his other efforts against the recently dominant Atlanta defense.

Atlanta wins 38-21.

As usual, Jamal Anderson was over 100 yards on the day with 23 carries. 3 of Chandler's receivers had over 75 yards, showing his ability to spread his deadly attack to whoever he needs.  Smith came up huge for Jacksonville, with 12 receptions on the day for 150 yards. Both QB's threw for over 250 yards, , but Chandler's 66.7% accuracy outshone Brunell's efforts. And this is one of the reasons Jacksonville continues to struggle.

With the earlier Carolina loss, Atlanta was set for division championship. But with this, their 5th straight win, they clinch it. The Jaguars and Texans live to fight one more week for the guaranteed playoff spot. With Houston facing the Buccs next week and  the Jags facing the Colts, no team can be certain their fate.

'86 NYG vs. '91 Washington

The Giants traveled to RFK Memorial to take on the Redskins, and would show that, despite their record, they are not a team to take likely.

After a Redskins FG early in the game, the Giants would dominate for several quarters. With both top notch defenses churning out top notch performances, each of the Giants' efforts would result in a FG at best, but by early third quarter the 9-3 lead would seem enough.

For Washington's defense, it wasn't enough, and their efforts paid off in a Safety against Sims to make a 6 point lead just 4 points. Although unable to convert off the following possession, they would eventually score with an Ervins run to capitalize on Rypien's efforts.

The Giants still had over 13 minutes of time to fight back, but where Simms would struggle, Morris would show not even 2 minutes were needed for a TD, giving New York back the lead on a 2 yard score. Unfortunately for NY, the Redskins didn't need 11 minutes of game time to fight for a score. Rypien continued to exploit the Giants, ultimately hitting Clark for a 23 yard throw. Up 19-16, 4 minutes of clock time remained, but the Redskins defense continued to come through for Washington. Redskins win by a final of 19-16.

Morris ran up 137 yards for the Giants on 21 carries for an impressive performance. But Allegre's strong performance early with FG's would fall apart with a miss on his 4th attempt, and would come to define the Giants' hopes. Gary Clark had 6 catches for 120 yards for Washington, and Rypien completed 70% of his throws for 200 yards.

The Redskins remain in the fight for the NFC East after this win, and have proven a tough team to beat at home. The Giants, with now their 5th straight loss, still remain without a road win.

'00 Ravens vs. '69 Browns

If there's anything Cleveland has shown in recent weeks, it's that their losing record is not a reflection of poor effort on their part, but simply an inability to score as efficiently as their opponents. That theme would continue to playout today, as they lose to the Ravens by just 2 points.

Those 2 points would come with the game's first score, as Baltimore's devastating defense sacked Nelsen for a Safety. From there, each team was able to match the other's, efforts.

Nelsen, despite only completing 1/3 of his throws, racked up 143 yards, but also threw 2 INT's. His favorite target became Collins with 8 catches. Banks, despite completing more passes, would have fewer yards per catch. But with Jamal Lewis running over 100 yards, he had all the support he needed for the Win. Baltimore 12, Cleveland 10

With Pittsburgh's earlier loss, the Ravens grab the top spot in the division. With both teams facing each other next week, however, a Pittsburgh win would still give the Steelers the championship. Cleveland, even 16 weeks in, has yet to win a game at home or against the AFC.

'92 Dallas vs. '17 Philadelphia

The Cowboys put up a good offensive effort against the Eagles, but had trouble scoring. The Eagles would get a TD on their first drive from a Wentz-Ertz connection.

At the start of the 2nd quarter, Emmitt Smith would find an opening to return the favor. but Wentz-Ertz would remain a problematic duo for Dallas. The Eagles would score a second TD with this combo from 33 yarads out, and also kick an Elliot FG to go up 16-7 at half.

The 2nd half would see more defense and less offense. After several stops for both sides, the Eagles would get a Safety against Dallas. But as the Dallas D continued to hold the Eagles, they would look for more desperate measures to keep their lead.

Unfortunately for Dallas, those desperate measures would pay off in the 4th quarter, as Wentz went deep to Agholor, who was open enough to run the remaining 76 yards for a score. Up 24-7 after a 2nd failed PAT, it would be the Cowboys who would be desperate to even score. After some good holds by Philly, Dallas would get a break, but it would be on a Safety, still putting them 15 points of offense behind with just 4:30 to play.

The Eagles wouldn't let it happen, and they take the win 24-9.

Emmitt Smith had a good day for Dallas, churning out 125 yards and Dallas' only TD. The Eagles, however, ran for 185 yards total as Blount, Clement, Ajayi and Barner all ran for over 30 yards.

Aikman finished with 60% completion for just 188 yards, with a crucial 2 INT's against the Eagles secondary. Wentz completed 16/25 for 230 yards, 3 TDs and no picks. Ertz and Agholor were his main targets, with Ertz grabbing 6 balls for 112 yards and 2 TDs.

With this crucial win against Dallas, they remain on top of the NFC East and live to try and keep the division next week. They have to win, and have their work cut out for them if the Giants show up like they did against Washington.

'15 Arizona vs. '13 Seattle

This divisional showdown between 2 giants is the game of the week. Both teams are tied for the division, and whoever wins will take their guaranteed playoff spot. Seattle has previously beaten Arizona and has the edge, but all is still up for the grabs

Despite 69,000 fans in attendance, many Cardinals fans were likely close to walking home before the 2nd half. The Seahawks scored 4 TD's unanswered in the 1st quarter alone. The first would be a 96 yard return on the opening kickoff by Kearse. The other 3 would be a Wilson rushing TD and 2 passing scores for over 40 yards.

Just under 10 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, Arizona got a break on a Williams TD run, but the Seahawks would answer with the same from Lynch.

Luckily for Arizona, their hopes remained alive when Palmer found Floyd for an end zone throw. Despite being down 35-14 at the half, Arizona's efforts were beginning to payoff. This payoff would continue in the 3rd quarter as Johnson broke free for a 34 yard TD run. But down to just 1 quarter, and a 14 point deficit, would Palmer make it happen?

After the Seahawks were held to a Hauschka FG from 51 yards out, the Cardinals got a chance. And with under 6 minutes to go, Palmer would hit Brown for a TD. But as it looked like Seattle might be held to another FG by the Cardinals, Marshawn Lynch came up big with a 3rd down play for 29 yards to get in the end zone and keep a 17 point lead. With less than a minute to play, Palmer would throw another TD JJ Nelson from 40 yards out, but it would be too little too late.

Seattle wins again, 45-35. With this 2nd win over Arizona, they take the division as well, accounting for 3 confirmed NFC playoff spots so far. Both teams racked up over 400 yards offense, over 300 yards passing for each unit. Fitzgerald, with just 1 catch for the day, watched Floyd take 7 throws from Palmer for over 100 yards. Wilson had 3 receivers with 70 yards or more on no more than 4 catches. He completed an astonishing 17/21 (81%), averaging 18 yards per catch. He also had 2 TD's and 0 picks. Palmer, on the other hand, despite throwing 3 TD's, also had 3 picks against the Legion of Boom.

'69 Kansas City vs. '85 Chicago

This game was the tale of two really outstanding defensive units, especially on turnovers, facing off. All eyes were on this game to see who would prevail. They would not have expected a shutout.

The Chiefs defense would put up a spectacular effort, holding the Bears to just 13 points despite over 460 yards offense. The Chiefs offense, however, was less than spectacular against the Bears, totalling just 144 yards. Dawson completed just 4 passes, was picked off 3 times, and Stenerud missed his only FG attempt. The Chiefs simply looked sloppy.

Chicago's 460 yards offense looks much more like that of the team that opened this season, and that has playoff potential. McMahon threw for 284 yards, completing 20/29 , averaging over 14 yards per catch. He had no TD's, however, and left that to Payton. Sweetness pounded out 149 yards against the Chiefs in one of his best performances all season, averaging 5.5 yards per carry with a long of over 50.

Bears win 13-0. With the loss here by KC, the Raiders clinch the AFC West and Kansas City is out for good. Chicago moves back ahead of the Lions, and with Detroit facing Green Bay next week, likely will keep the 2nd place spot and earn a playoff spot.