MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — With the Minnesota Vikings gathered in their humbled locker room at halftime in a huge hole, cornerback Patrick Peterson set the tone for an historic escape by promising his offensive teammates the defense would do its part to hold the Indianapolis Colts.
“You just need five touchdowns,” Peterson told them. “That’s nothing.”
This rally sure was something, though.
The Vikings completed the biggest comeback in NFL history, erasing a 33-point deficit by beating the Colts 39-36 on Greg Joseph’s 40-yard field goal with three seconds left in overtime Saturday to win the NFC North division in their typical dramatic fashion.
Click the video box on this page to watch postgame press conference with Kevin O’Connell and Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins passed for 460 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Vikings (11-3), who trailed 36-7 late in the third quarter and became just the third team in league history to win 10 games in a season by eight points or fewer.
Minnesota Vikings place kicker Greg Joseph (1) celebrates after kicking a 40-yard field goal during overtime in an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 39-36 (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Abbie Parr
Fans cheer during overtime in an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 39-36. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Abbie Parr
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore (5) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Andy Clayton-King
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan sits on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Abbie Parr
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“We’re going to grind it out until they tell us there’s no more ball left to play,” coach Kevin O’Connell said.
The Colts (4-9-1) landed on the infamous side of this list, just ahead of the Houston Oilers in the 1992 postseason. They blew a 32-point lead (35-3) and lost to Buffalo (41-38) in overtime.
“When you have chances to put people away, we’ve got to do a better job than we’ve done up until this point,” quarterback Matt Ryan said.
According to Sportradar data available since 1930, the Vikings became only the second team in 1,551 regular-season or playoff games to trail by 30 or more points and still win.
RELATED: Vikings postgame locker room interviews after historic rally vs Indianapolis
“Nothing fazes us. We showed that in Buffalo,” said Peterson, who aided a 33-30 overtime victory over the Bills on Nov. 13 after a 17-point deficit. “We showed that again today.”
The Vikings took this rally all the way to their second possession of overtime. Cousins hit K.J. Osborn — who caught the first score and had a career-high 157 yards — for 15 yards. He found Adam Thielen — who had the second of three fourth-quarter touchdown passes — for 21 yards. Then he threw to Justin Jefferson for 13 yards to move into range.
Ifeadi Odenigbo was called for delay of game for lying on Jefferson to try to keep the Vikings from setting up for the kick, putting Joseph 5 yards closer for the winner.
“It’s a special group, a lot of fighters,” Thielen said.
Colts interim coach Jeff Saturday didn’t exactly get conservative in this collapse. Ryan was stopped short on a fourth-and-1 sneak at the Minnesota 36 with 2:19 left in regulation. Then Cousins hit Dalvin Cook for a 64-yard touchdown on a screen pass on the next play and T.J. Hockenson for the 2-point conversion to tie the game before the 2-minute warning.
“We would have closed the game out and ended the game,” Saturday said. “I’m in. Everybody’s in. We didn’t convert.”
Outscored 33-0 in the fourth quarter of their most recent game, a 54-19 loss to Dallas on Dec. 4, the Colts came back fresh from their bye week and stunned the Vikings with a 33-0 halftime lead that was the second-largest in the NFL this season. Cincinnati led Carolina 35-0 on Nov. 6.
The intermission deficit for Minnesota was the second-biggest in franchise history, behind a 45-10 score at Seattle in 2002.
The Vikings even overcame a pair of fumble returns for touchdowns by Chandon Sullivan that were wiped out by the whistle.
“I know that there’s other games that don’t end like that. It was just cool to see everybody battle back and I’m just happy that I get to share this moment with my teammates,” linebacker Eric Kendricks said, wiping away tears.
YOU LIKE THAT?
The last team to overcome a deficit of 24-plus points to win a regular season game was Washington over Tampa Bay in 2015, when Cousins was the quarterback. The previous regular season comeback record was 28 points in 1980, when San Francisco rallied from down 35-7 to win 38-35.
ALARMING START
The special teams units bore the brunt of the brutal start for the Vikings. Dallis Flowers returned the opening kickoff 49 yards, and the Colts were in scoring position within seconds.
Odenigbo plowed past two blockers and sideswiped Ryan Wright’s punt with his right arm. JoJo Domann caught the deflected ball and returned it 24 yards for the too-easy score and a 10-0 lead.
Then with the Vikings trailing 20-0 on fourth-and-1 from their own 31, Wright’s pass on a fake punt sailed over Jalen Nailor’s head for a second straight turnover on downs.
JEFFERSON WATCH
Jefferson left the game twice for brief examination following jarring hits to the chest. On the second occurrence, Stephon Gilmore also got him in the facemask and drew an unnecessary roughness penalty in the fourth quarter.
Both times after Jefferson left the game, Cousins threw to Jalen Reagor on the next play and was intercepted after an apparent miscommunication on the routes. The first one was returned by Julian Blackmon for a 17-yard touchdown that made it 30-0 in the second quarter.
Jefferson had 12 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown and raised his season total to 1,623 receiving yards. Calvin Johnson’s all-time record of 1,964 yards was set in 16 games in 2012.
INJURY REPORT
Colts: RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle) left the game on the opening drive after a hard tackle as he tumbled out of bounds. He missed three games with the injury earlier this season.
Vikings: LT Christian Darrisaw returned from a three-game absence for a concussion. He limped off twice in overtime with leg cramps. Peterson left briefly with the same problem.
UP NEXT
Colts: Host the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 26.
Vikings: Host the New York Giants on Dec. 24.
___
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It took 13 weeks, but we finally have our first team eliminated from playoff contention this year and to no one’s surprise, that team is the Houston Texans (the Bears were also eliminated on Sunday, but the Texans won the honor of officially being the first team).
Houston, you have a problem and your problem is that the Texans are the worst team in football this year and their loss on Sunday pretty much sums up everything that’s wrong with them. The Texans didn’t give up a single offensive touchdown to the Browns in Week 13, and yet, they still somehow managed to lose by 13 points, which is so bad that it’s actually impressive.
One thing I know for sure is that I won’t be picking the Texans to win any of their remaining games, and crap, now that I’ve told you that, that means I’ve now spoiled one of my picks for Week 14, because now you know that I’m picking the Texans to lose to the Cowboys. I don’t want to spoil any more of my picks, so let’s hurry up and get to the Week 14 picks.
Actually, before we get to the picks, here’s a quick reminder that you can check out the weekly picks from every CBSSports.com NFL expert by clicking here. If you don’t click over, I won’t be offended. However, I will be offended if you don’t sign up for CBSSports.com’s NFL newsletter, which I pump out four days per week. I also have a newsletter about what it’s like to write newsletters, but I won’t ask you to subscribe to that one.
As for the football newsletter, if you want to subscribe, all you have to do is click here and enter your email address. It takes 9.3 seconds to sign up and if you’re wondering how I know that, it’s because I got bored and timed it once. One thing that’s not boring is the podcast the early picks podcast that I recorded with Will Brinson this week. You can find out our four favorite early picks for Week 14 by listening below.
Alright, I think that’s all the self-promotion I have for the week. Let’s get to the picks.
NFL Week 14 Picks
Minnesota (10-2) at Detroit (5-7)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Featured Game| Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
When two division rivals play each other for the second time in a season, I usually throw the results of the first game out the window, but I’m writing this pick from a windowless closet, so I can’t do that, which is probably for the best, because I think that first game gives us a small hint of what’s going to happen this time around.
In that first game, the Lions jumped out to a 14-0 lead before doing what you would expect the Lions to do in that situation: Fully imploding and losing. The Lions shot themselves in the foot so many times in that game that you’d think they would’ve have run out of bullets or even feet, but nope, they just kept doing it.
They missed two field goals in the first game, they had two failed fourth downs and Jared Goff threw an interception in the final minute that iced the game. No one is better at giving away games than the Lions and it really felt like they gave away the first game. However, that was the old Lions. Now, the Vikings will be dealing with the new Lions, who are suddenly one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
The new Lions don’t blow games, unless you count the Buffalo loss on Thanksgiving. OK, the new Lions do blow games, but not as often as the old Lions.
The last four games between these two teams have been decided by an average 2.5 points per game, so I fully expect things to get crazy once again on Sunday and crazy would be the Lions actually holding on to beat a good team at home. So yes, I’m picking the Lions here, but that’s arguably a good thing for the Vikings since I’ve whiffed on four straight games involving Minnesota. I need this streak to end. Don’t let me down Lions.
I think we might see a shootout here and that’s because we have the the team that’s given up the most points in the NFL this year (Lions) going up against the team that’s surrendering the most passing yards per game (Vikings).
The pick: Lions 34-31 over Vikings
Baltimore (8-4) at Pittsburgh (5-7)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Featured Game| Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens
If you would have asked me five weeks ago who I thought was going to win this game, I probably would’ve picked the Ravens by seven touchdowns. I’m not sure why you would have asked me about this game back then, but I’m a nice person, so I would have answered your question even if I thought it was weird.
After nine weeks of play, the Steelers were 2-6 and it looked like they were going toe-to-toe with the Texans for the unofficial title of worst team in the AFC. As for the Ravens, they were 6-3 after 10 weeks and they easily could have been 9-0 with all three losses coming by four points or less. However, things have slightly changed over the past few weeks. On the Steelers’ end, they got T.J. Watt back in Week 10 and they’ve been nearly unbeatable ever since. Watt is one of the most dominant players in the NFL and since his return, the Steelers have gone 3-1, which makes them 4-1 on the season in any game where Watt plays. If the NFL was fair, it would only count the games this season that Watt has played and the Steelers would be in the thick of the playoff hunt, but the NFL isn’t fair and no one knows that more than the Ravens, who will likely be playing without Lamar Jackson on Sunday.
Normally, when a starting QB goes down, that’s when a team will hit the panic button, but I don’t think that will be the case for Baltimore. The Ravens have Tyler Huntley to take his place and Huntley is like the store-brand Lamar Jackson, and let me just say, that’s not necessarily an insult. If you’ve ever had store-brand Froot Loops, then you know that sometimes the store-brand is better than the national brand and Huntley has the talent to be store-brand Froot Loops.
Huntley is basically a mini-me version of Lamar Jackson and based on what he did in four starts last year, he might actually be able to provide a spark for a Ravens offense that’s been in a rut over the past few weeks.
I think we’ll see a minor drop-off from the Ravens offense without Jackson, but I also think that Huntley plays well enough to lead Baltimore to a win.
The pick: Ravens 20-17 over Steelers.
Tampa Bay (6-6) at San Francisco (8-4)
4:25 p.m. ET (Fox)
Featured Game| San Francisco 49ers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This game was supposed to be giving us Tom Brady against Jimmy Garoppolo for the FIRST TIME ever, but apparently, that’s too much handsomeness on the field at one time, so the Football Gods decided not to let it happen. With Garoppolo now out for the season, we’ll instead be getting Brady against Brock Purdy. We’re getting a QB who made his first career start 21 years ago against a QB who will be making his first career start on Sunday.
We’re getting a QB who has seven Super Bowl rings against a QB who was literally selected with the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The final player taken in the draft is known as “Mr. Irrelevant” and I’m guessing that’s because they almost always end up having an irrelevant NFL career.
If you’re a seventh-round pick trying to play quarterback in the NFL, the deck is pretty stacked against you. Over the past 15 years, there have been exactly 26 quarterbacks taken in the seventh-round and of those 26 quarterbacks, only six of them ended up starting a game and those six quarterbacks have combined to go 17-35. Trevor Siemian is carrying a lot of the load there with a career record of 13-17 and if you don’t include him, then the record for seventh-round draft picks drops to 4-18 over the past 15 years.
Purdy actually looked purdy good (HA HA) against the Dolphins, going 25 of 37 for 210 yards and two touchdowns, but that was against a defense that wasn’t prepared to face him. The Buccaneers will be prepared to face him and he will not be catching them by surprise.
The only upside for Purdy is that he’s in an offensive system where nearly any QB can thrive. Thanks to Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers offense is essentially a self-driving car that can function with anyone behind the wheel. The only way it doesn’t work is if the driver somehow crashes it and that’s what I’m afraid might happen with a seventh-round pick behind the wheel.
Also, I should probably point out that Tom Brady has never lost in a game where the opposing QB was making his first career start.
Since Purdy is a Mr. Irrelevant, I think it only makes sense here to predict that the game is going to be won by another Mr. Irrelevant: Ryan Succop. The Buccaneers kicker was the final pick of the 2009 NFL Draft and as the most successful Mr. Irrelevant in history, I’m going to say he continues that success by kicking the Bucs to an upset win on Sunday.
The pick: Buccaneers 23-20 over 49ers
Miami (8-4) at L.A. Chargers (6-6)
8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Featured Game| Los Angeles Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins
If I’ve learned one thing about Chargers fans over the past 48 hours, it’s that I think they’ve all given up on Brandon Staley. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure that “fire Brandon Staley” was trending on Twitter after the Chargers lost to the Raiders.
I’m not sure the Chargers should be making large organizational decisions based on what they read on Twitter, but I have to say, these fans are pretty persuasive. Not only do they want to see Staley canned, but they also know who they want to replace him: Sean Payton.
One reason fans are so upset with Staley is because the Chargers haven’t quite lived up to expectations this year. The Chargers were supposed to be contending for an AFC West title, but instead, they’re sitting at 6-6, a full three games behind the Chiefs.
One reason they’ve struggled is because their defense can’t stop the run. And when I say their defense can’t stop the run, I mean that they are literally the worst team at stopping the run in more than 60 years. They are giving up more than 5.4 yards per carry which is more than any other team since 1960.
The problem for Staley is that he’s supposed to be a defensive mastermind, but I’m not sure you’re allowed to have that title if you’re on a list like this. I mean, the 1933 Cincinnati Reds were so bad that they folded after two seasons, which is kind of a weird coincidence, because at the rate things are going, Staley might only last two seasons with the Chargers.
Fortunately for Staley, if there’s one team that might not be able to run the ball on the Chargers, it’s Miami. The Dolphins are averaging just 89.7 yards per game on the ground, which makes them one of just five teams averaging under 100 yards per game for the season. They also have the fifth-worst yards per carry rate in the NFL. If the Chargers defense can’t slow down the Dolphins’ rushing attack, then Staley might just want to go ahead and call it quits.
If I know one thing about the Chargers, it’s that they love to tease their fans and a big tease would be beating the Dolphins this week only to lose all that momentum by losing next week, so that’s exactly what I’m going to say happens.
The pick: Chargers 30-27 over Dolphins
New England (6-6) at Arizona (4-8)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Featured Game| Arizona Cardinals vs. New England Patriots
If I’ve learned one thing about the Patriots this season, it’s that the key to beating them is to have a mobile quarterback. Bill Belichick is arguably the best defensive mind in NFL history, but when you throw a mobile quarterback at him, it’s like he forgets how to coach. In three games this season against mobile quarterbacks, New England has gone 0-3 and you know what, let’s go ahead and quickly recount how the Patriots’ defense fared in each of those games:
Week 3: Ravens 37-26 over Patriots. Lamar Jackson throws for 218 yards and four touchdowns while adding another 107 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown.
Week 6: Bears 33-14 over Patriots. Justin Fields throws for 179 yards and a touchdown while adding another 82 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown.
Week 13: Bills 24-10 over Patriots. Josh Allen throws for 222 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 20 yards rushing on the ground.
In each game, the quarterback’s ability to run the ball opened things up on the ground and the Patriots ended up surrendering an average of 187.7 rush yards per game in these three losses. What this means is that Kyler Murray could give New England fits, but that’s only if he’s not throwing his own fits.
One thing that makes this game hard to pick is that I’m not sure which quarterback is more frustrated right now. On one hand, you have Murray, who will yell at anyone and everyone when he gets frustrated.
Murray yelling at Kliff Kingsbury? We’ve seen plenty of that this year.
However, it’s not just Kingsbury who’s been yelled at by Murray. He’s also expressed frustrations with DeAndre Hopkins.
Of course, the only person more frustrated than Murray with his offense right now might be Mac Jones.
So we have two frustrated quarterbacks going at it on Monday night in a game where the guy who gets more frustrated is probably going to lose. Due to the fact that the Patriots can’t seem to stop mobile quarterbacks, I’m going to say Belichick ends up getting frustrated, but in the end, I’m going to say that Kliff Kingsbury ends up as the most frustrated guy on the field because his team is going to find a way to lose another close game.
The pick: Patriots 19-16 over Cardinals
NFL Week 14 picks: All the rest
Raiders 27-17 over Rams Bengals 30-20 over Browns Bills 27-20 over Jets| Cowboys 31-17 over Texans Titans 24-16 over Jaguars Eagles 34-24 over Giants Chiefs 24-13 over Broncos Seahawks 26-23 over Panthers
Best pick: Last week, I predicted that the Bengals would beat the Chiefs by exactly three points and guess what happened? The Bengals beat the Chiefs by exactly three points. When it comes to picking Chiefs games, there are only two rules: If they’re not playing the Bengals, you pick them to win. If they ARE playing the Bengals, you pick them to lose. It’s that simple. Since the start of the 2019 season, Mahomes has a record of 33-4 in the months of November, December and January: He’s 0-3 against the Bengals and 33-1 against everyone else.
Worst pick: I only missed three picks in Week 13, but I won’t be taking a victory lap and that’s because if I try to take one, I’ll trip over my own feet and fall flat on my face, kind of like I did with all my upset picks. Last week, I predicted that we’d see three big upsets in Week 13 — Titans over Eagles, Jets over Vikings and Dolphins over 49ers — and every single one of those predictions backfired on me. The worst part isn’t that I got the picks wrong, it’s how I got them wrong. The Titans forgot that A.J. Brown existed, the Dolphins couldn’t beat a rookie seventh-round QB who was playing the first game of his career and the Jets had THREE chances to score from the one-yard line with under two minutes left to play and they couldn’t do it. And since you’re now probably wondering, yes, I did cry myself to sleep on Sunday night.
Finally, if you guys have ever wondered which teams I’m actually good at picking, here’s a quick look at my best and worst teams when it comes to picks this year.
Teams I’m 11-1 picking this year (Straight up): Chiefs. Longest winning streak: Chiefs (Nine straight games picked correctly)
Team I’ve been the worst at picking this year (Straight up): Raiders (4-8). Longest losing streak: Vikings (Four straight games picked incorrectly)
Every other team is somewhere in the middle.
Picks Record
Straight up in Week 13: 11-3-1 SU overall: 117-76-1
Against the spread in Week 13: 9-6 ATS overall: 92-95-8
You can find John Breech on Facebook or Twitter and if he’s not doing one of those things, he’s probably eating store-brand froot loops by himself while searching online for any merchandise he can find that features the 1933 Cincinnati Reds.
It took 13 weeks, but we finally have our first team eliminated from playoff contention this year and to no one’s surprise, that team is the Houston Texans (the Bears were also eliminated on Sunday, but the Texans won the honor of officially being the first team).
Houston, you have a problem and your problem is that the Texans are the worst team in football this year and their loss on Sunday pretty much sums up everything that’s wrong with them. The Texans didn’t give up a single offensive touchdown to the Browns in Week 13, and yet, they still somehow managed to lose by 13 points, which is so bad that it’s actually impressive.
One thing I know for sure is that I won’t be picking the Texans to win any of their remaining games, and crap, now that I’ve told you that, that means I’ve now spoiled one of my picks for Week 14, because now you know that I’m picking the Texans to lose to the Cowboys. I don’t want to spoil any more of my picks, so let’s hurry up and get to the Week 14 picks.
Actually, before we get to the picks, here’s a quick reminder that you can check out the weekly picks from every CBSSports.com NFL expert by clicking here. If you don’t click over, I won’t be offended. However, I will be offended if you don’t sign up for CBSSports.com’s NFL newsletter, which I pump out four days per week. I also have a newsletter about what it’s like to write newsletters, but I won’t ask you to subscribe to that one.
As for the football newsletter, if you want to subscribe, all you have to do is click here and enter your email address. It takes 9.3 seconds to sign up and if you’re wondering how I know that, it’s because I got bored and timed it once. One thing that’s not boring is the podcast the early picks podcast that I recorded with Will Brinson this week. You can find out our four favorite early picks for Week 14 by listening below.
Alright, I think that’s all the self-promotion I have for the week. Let’s get to the picks.
NFL Week 14 Picks
Minnesota (10-2) at Detroit (5-7)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Featured Game| Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
When two division rivals play each other for the second time in a season, I usually throw the results of the first game out the window, but I’m writing this pick from a windowless closet, so I can’t do that, which is probably for the best, because I think that first game gives us a small hint of what’s going to happen this time around.
In that first game, the Lions jumped out to a 14-0 lead before doing what you would expect the Lions to do in that situation: Fully imploding and losing. The Lions shot themselves in the foot so many times in that game that you’d think they would’ve have run out of bullets or even feet, but nope, they just kept doing it.
They missed two field goals in the first game, they had two failed fourth downs and Jared Goff threw an interception in the final minute that iced the game. No one is better at giving away games than the Lions and it really felt like they gave away the first game. However, that was the old Lions. Now, the Vikings will be dealing with the new Lions, who are suddenly one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
The new Lions don’t blow games, unless you count the Buffalo loss on Thanksgiving. OK, the new Lions do blow games, but not as often as the old Lions.
The last four games between these two teams have been decided by an average 2.5 points per game, so I fully expect things to get crazy once again on Sunday and crazy would be the Lions actually holding on to beat a good team at home. So yes, I’m picking the Lions here, but that’s arguably a good thing for the Vikings since I’ve whiffed on four straight games involving Minnesota. I need this streak to end. Don’t let me down Lions.
I think we might see a shootout here and that’s because we have the the team that’s given up the most points in the NFL this year (Lions) going up against the team that’s surrendering the most passing yards per game (Vikings).
The pick: Lions 34-31 over Vikings
Baltimore (8-4) at Pittsburgh (5-7)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Featured Game| Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens
If you would have asked me five weeks ago who I thought was going to win this game, I probably would’ve picked the Ravens by seven touchdowns. I’m not sure why you would have asked me about this game back then, but I’m a nice person, so I would have answered your question even if I thought it was weird.
After nine weeks of play, the Steelers were 2-6 and it looked like they were going toe-to-toe with the Texans for the unofficial title of worst team in the AFC. As for the Ravens, they were 6-3 after 10 weeks and they easily could have been 9-0 with all three losses coming by four points or less. However, things have slightly changed over the past few weeks. On the Steelers’ end, they got T.J. Watt back in Week 10 and they’ve been nearly unbeatable ever since. Watt is one of the most dominant players in the NFL and since his return, the Steelers have gone 3-1, which makes them 4-1 on the season in any game where Watt plays. If the NFL was fair, it would only count the games this season that Watt has played and the Steelers would be in the thick of the playoff hunt, but the NFL isn’t fair and no one knows that more than the Ravens, who will likely be playing without Lamar Jackson on Sunday.
Normally, when a starting QB goes down, that’s when a team will hit the panic button, but I don’t think that will be the case for Baltimore. The Ravens have Tyler Huntley to take his place and Huntley is like the store-brand Lamar Jackson, and let me just say, that’s not necessarily an insult. If you’ve ever had store-brand Froot Loops, then you know that sometimes the store-brand is better than the national brand and Huntley has the talent to be store-brand Froot Loops.
Huntley is basically a mini-me version of Lamar Jackson and based on what he did in four starts last year, he might actually be able to provide a spark for a Ravens offense that’s been in a rut over the past few weeks.
I think we’ll see a minor drop-off from the Ravens offense without Jackson, but I also think that Huntley plays well enough to lead Baltimore to a win.
The pick: Ravens 20-17 over Steelers.
Tampa Bay (6-6) at San Francisco (8-4)
4:25 p.m. ET (Fox)
Featured Game| San Francisco 49ers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This game was supposed to be giving us Tom Brady against Jimmy Garoppolo for the FIRST TIME ever, but apparently, that’s too much handsomeness on the field at one time, so the Football Gods decided not to let it happen. With Garoppolo now out for the season, we’ll instead be getting Brady against Brock Purdy. We’re getting a QB who made his first career start 21 years ago against a QB who will be making his first career start on Sunday.
We’re getting a QB who has seven Super Bowl rings against a QB who was literally selected with the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The final player taken in the draft is known as “Mr. Irrelevant” and I’m guessing that’s because they almost always end up having an irrelevant NFL career.
If you’re a seventh-round pick trying to play quarterback in the NFL, the deck is pretty stacked against you. Over the past 15 years, there have been exactly 26 quarterbacks taken in the seventh-round and of those 26 quarterbacks, only six of them ended up starting a game and those six quarterbacks have combined to go 17-35. Trevor Siemian is carrying a lot of the load there with a career record of 13-17 and if you don’t include him, then the record for seventh-round draft picks drops to 4-18 over the past 15 years.
Purdy actually looked purdy good (HA HA) against the Dolphins, going 25 of 37 for 210 yards and two touchdowns, but that was against a defense that wasn’t prepared to face him. The Buccaneers will be prepared to face him and he will not be catching them by surprise.
The only upside for Purdy is that he’s in an offensive system where nearly any QB can thrive. Thanks to Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers offense is essentially a self-driving car that can function with anyone behind the wheel. The only way it doesn’t work is if the driver somehow crashes it and that’s what I’m afraid might happen with a seventh-round pick behind the wheel.
Also, I should probably point out that Tom Brady has never lost in a game where the opposing QB was making his first career start.
Since Purdy is a Mr. Irrelevant, I think it only makes sense here to predict that the game is going to be won by another Mr. Irrelevant: Ryan Succop. The Buccaneers kicker was the final pick of the 2009 NFL Draft and as the most successful Mr. Irrelevant in history, I’m going to say he continues that success by kicking the Bucs to an upset win on Sunday.
The pick: Buccaneers 23-20 over 49ers
Miami (8-4) at L.A. Chargers (6-6)
8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Featured Game| Los Angeles Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins
If I’ve learned one thing about Chargers fans over the past 48 hours, it’s that I think they’ve all given up on Brandon Staley. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure that “fire Brandon Staley” was trending on Twitter after the Chargers lost to the Raiders.
I’m not sure the Chargers should be making large organizational decisions based on what they read on Twitter, but I have to say, these fans are pretty persuasive. Not only do they want to see Staley canned, but they also know who they want to replace him: Sean Payton.
One reason fans are so upset with Staley is because the Chargers haven’t quite lived up to expectations this year. The Chargers were supposed to be contending for an AFC West title, but instead, they’re sitting at 6-6, a full three games behind the Chiefs.
One reason they’ve struggled is because their defense can’t stop the run. And when I say their defense can’t stop the run, I mean that they are literally the worst team at stopping the run in more than 60 years. They are giving up more than 5.4 yards per carry which is more than any other team since 1960.
The problem for Staley is that he’s supposed to be a defensive mastermind, but I’m not sure you’re allowed to have that title if you’re on a list like this. I mean, the 1933 Cincinnati Reds were so bad that they folded after two seasons, which is kind of a weird coincidence, because at the rate things are going, Staley might only last two seasons with the Chargers.
Fortunately for Staley, if there’s one team that might not be able to run the ball on the Chargers, it’s Miami. The Dolphins are averaging just 89.7 yards per game on the ground, which makes them one of just five teams averaging under 100 yards per game for the season. They also have the fifth-worst yards per carry rate in the NFL. If the Chargers defense can’t slow down the Dolphins’ rushing attack, then Staley might just want to go ahead and call it quits.
If I know one thing about the Chargers, it’s that they love to tease their fans and a big tease would be beating the Dolphins this week only to lose all that momentum by losing next week, so that’s exactly what I’m going to say happens.
The pick: Chargers 30-27 over Dolphins
New England (6-6) at Arizona (4-8)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Featured Game| Arizona Cardinals vs. New England Patriots
If I’ve learned one thing about the Patriots this season, it’s that the key to beating them is to have a mobile quarterback. Bill Belichick is arguably the best defensive mind in NFL history, but when you throw a mobile quarterback at him, it’s like he forgets how to coach. In three games this season against mobile quarterbacks, New England has gone 0-3 and you know what, let’s go ahead and quickly recount how the Patriots’ defense fared in each of those games:
Week 3: Ravens 37-26 over Patriots. Lamar Jackson throws for 218 yards and four touchdowns while adding another 107 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown.
Week 6: Bears 33-14 over Patriots. Justin Fields throws for 179 yards and a touchdown while adding another 82 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown.
Week 13: Bills 24-10 over Patriots. Josh Allen throws for 222 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 20 yards rushing on the ground.
In each game, the quarterback’s ability to run the ball opened things up on the ground and the Patriots ended up surrendering an average of 187.7 rush yards per game in these three losses. What this means is that Kyler Murray could give New England fits, but that’s only if he’s not throwing his own fits.
One thing that makes this game hard to pick is that I’m not sure which quarterback is more frustrated right now. On one hand, you have Murray, who will yell at anyone and everyone when he gets frustrated.
Murray yelling at Kliff Kingsbury? We’ve seen plenty of that this year.
However, it’s not just Kingsbury who’s been yelled at by Murray. He’s also expressed frustrations with DeAndre Hopkins.
Of course, the only person more frustrated than Murray with his offense right now might be Mac Jones.
So we have two frustrated quarterbacks going at it on Monday night in a game where the guy who gets more frustrated is probably going to lose. Due to the fact that the Patriots can’t seem to stop mobile quarterbacks, I’m going to say Belichick ends up getting frustrated, but in the end, I’m going to say that Kliff Kingsbury ends up as the most frustrated guy on the field because his team is going to find a way to lose another close game.
The pick: Patriots 19-16 over Cardinals
NFL Week 14 picks: All the rest
Raiders 27-17 over Rams Bengals 30-20 over Browns Bills 27-20 over Jets| Cowboys 31-17 over Texans Titans 24-16 over Jaguars Eagles 34-24 over Giants Chiefs 24-13 over Broncos Seahawks 26-23 over Panthers
Best pick: Last week, I predicted that the Bengals would beat the Chiefs by exactly three points and guess what happened? The Bengals beat the Chiefs by exactly three points. When it comes to picking Chiefs games, there are only two rules: If they’re not playing the Bengals, you pick them to win. If they ARE playing the Bengals, you pick them to lose. It’s that simple. Since the start of the 2019 season, Mahomes has a record of 33-4 in the months of November, December and January: He’s 0-3 against the Bengals and 33-1 against everyone else.
Worst pick: I only missed three picks in Week 13, but I won’t be taking a victory lap and that’s because if I try to take one, I’ll trip over my own feet and fall flat on my face, kind of like I did with all my upset picks. Last week, I predicted that we’d see three big upsets in Week 13 — Titans over Eagles, Jets over Vikings and Dolphins over 49ers — and every single one of those predictions backfired on me. The worst part isn’t that I got the picks wrong, it’s how I got them wrong. The Titans forgot that A.J. Brown existed, the Dolphins couldn’t beat a rookie seventh-round QB who was playing the first game of his career and the Jets had THREE chances to score from the one-yard line with under two minutes left to play and they couldn’t do it. And since you’re now probably wondering, yes, I did cry myself to sleep on Sunday night.
Finally, if you guys have ever wondered which teams I’m actually good at picking, here’s a quick look at my best and worst teams when it comes to picks this year.
Teams I’m 11-1 picking this year (Straight up): Chiefs. Longest winning streak: Chiefs (Nine straight games picked correctly)
Team I’ve been the worst at picking this year (Straight up): Raiders (4-8). Longest losing streak: Vikings (Four straight games picked incorrectly)
Every other team is somewhere in the middle.
Picks Record
Straight up in Week 13: 11-3-1 SU overall: 117-76-1
Against the spread in Week 13: 9-6 ATS overall: 92-95-8
You can find John Breech on Facebook or Twitter and if he’s not doing one of those things, he’s probably eating store-brand froot loops by himself while searching online for any merchandise he can find that features the 1933 Cincinnati Reds.
The Patriots and Vikings have one half of football in the books as these two clubs cap off the NFL’s Thanksgiving Day triple-header. At the break, the teams were knotted at 16 apiece.
After being held to field goals in Week 11, both of these offenses wasted no time getting the end zone to begin this game. Minnesota needed just eight plays to travel 80 yards to score a touchdown on the opening drive of the game. Then, New England matched that score with one of their own as Mac Jones connected with Nelson Agholor for a 34-yard score.
From there, these offenses traded field goals before Kirk Cousins connected with T.J. Hockenson for a touchdown just before halftime. With around 90-seconds left, the Patriots were able to knot the game with a last-second field goal.
So, which one of these team will pull away in the second half? We’re about to find out. As this game continues to unfold, check out our live blog of Thursday’s matchup where you’ll find instant analysis and real-time highlights.
NFL Up Vote: Has Tua finally solidified himself as the Dolphins franchise QB?
The NFL Up Vote crew debates if Tua is a MVP front runner and a true franchise QB for Miami.
USA TODAY
Career moments defined the early Week 11 slate.
Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson set an NFL record with his ninth career kickoff return touchdown. Patterson scored a 103-yard touchdown in the Falcons 27-24 victory over the Chicago Bears.
Detroit Lions standout Jamaal Williams also had a big day. He scored three rushing touchdowns as the Lions upset the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Williams finished with 64 rushing yards on 17 carries.
Around the league, the New England Patriots extended their 14-game winning streak against the New York Jets. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles improved to 9-1 after rebounding against the Indianapolis Colts.
In the afternoon window, the Dallas Cowboys will battle the Minnesota Vikings. The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are set to take center stage on Sunday night.
Week 11 will conclude with the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals playing in Mexico City. The game is the latest installment in the 2022 NFL International Series this season.
HOT SEAT: Eight NFL coaches that could be in jeopardy this season
POWER RANKINGS: Vikings make leap to No. 2 as Seahawks fall outside top 10
GRASS DEBATE: NFL players voice concerns regarding field turf safety
Here’s a rundown of all the Week 11 action.
Tennessee Titans 27, Green Bay Packers 17
Briefly: The Titans rolled into Lambeau Field for Thursday Night Football and left with a huge victory. They improved to 7-3 behind the heroics of running back Derrick Henry. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound standout rushed for 87 yards on 28 carries. He accounted for two scores. The Packers have lost six of their last seven games. Green Bay was held in check with just 271 total yards. However, rookie receiver Christian Watson continued his hot streak. He finished with four receptions for 48 yards and two scores. He now has five touchdowns in his last two games.
One highlight to know: Titans running back Derrick Henry threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Austin Hooper in the third quarter. Henry faked a halfback dive and executed a jump pass to Hooper as he walked into the end zone.
Next up: The Titans host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12. The Packers play the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday night.
Baltimore Ravens 13, Carolina Panthers 3
Briefly: The Ravens scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat the Panthers on Sunday. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson led the way with 240 total yards and a rushing touchdown. The Ravens defense stood tall as well. Baltimore forced three turnovers and sacked Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield four times. Carolina was held to just 36 rushing yards and fell to 3-8 on the season.
One highlight to know: Ravens cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey teamed up to force a fourth-quarter turnover. Peters tackled Panthers receiver Shi Smith and forced a fumble. Humphrey recovered and set up the go-ahead touchdown.
Next up: The Panthers will play the Denver Broncos in Week 12. The Ravens will face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Atlanta Falcons 27, Chicago Bears 24
Briefly: Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson set an NFL record with his ninth career kickoff return touchdown. Patterson returned the kickoff 103 yards and raced into the history books. The play led to the Falcons scoring 17 unanswered points en route to victory. Bears quarterback Justin Fields accounted for 238 total yards and two touchdowns (one rushing) in his return to Atlanta.
One highlight to know: Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson scored a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter. The touchdown was the ninth of his NFL career as he passed Leon Washington and Joshua Cribbs in the record books.
Next up: The Falcons play the Washington Commanders in Week 12. The Bears face the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Philadelphia Eagles 17, Indianapolis Colts 16
Briefly: Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts capped a late fourth-quarter drive with a go-ahead 7-yard touchdown. Hurts finished with 86 rushing yards to lead the backfield group. Philadelphia rebounded from a 10-point deficit to improve to 9-1 on the season. Indianapolis dropped their first game under interim head coach Jeff Saturday. Colts running back Jonathan Taylor added 84 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
One highlight to know: With 1:23 remaining in the game, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scored a 7-yard touchdown. Hurts rushed up the middle untouched to propel the Eagles to victory.
Next up: The Eagles play the Green Bay Packers in Week 12. The Colts host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium.
New England Patriots 10, New York Jets 3
Briefly: The Patriots won their 14th consecutive game against the Jets in grand fashion. Late in the fourth quarter, Patriots defensive back Marcus Jones scored a game-winning 84-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was the lone score in a defensive struggle between both teams. The Jets were held to just 103 total yards and averaged 2.1 yards per play.
One highlight to know: Patriots defensive back Marcus Jones turned in a heroic effort against the Jets. Jones raced past the Jets special teams’ unit as he headed to the end zone. It was the first NFL touchdown for the talented rookie.
Next up: The Jets play the Chicago Bears in Week 12. The Patriots face the Minnesota Vikings on Thanksgiving.
Detroit Lions 31, New York Giants 18
Briefly: The Lions won their third consecutive game against the Giants. Lions running back Jamaal Williams scored three touchdowns to lead the way. Conversely, Giants superstar Saquon Barkley was held in check with 22 yards on 15 carries. Daniel Jones also threw two interceptions in the upset loss. In a tight NFC playoff race, the Lions are sitting at 4-6 and right in the mix.
One highlight to know: Lions rookie defensive back Kerby Joseph intercepted Giants quarterback Daniel Jones in the third quarter. It was his third interception in three weeks.
Next up: The Lions play the Buffalo Bills in their annual Thanksgiving game. The Giants also play on Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Washington Commanders 23, Houston Texans 10
Briefly: The Commanders won their fourth consecutive road game against the Texans to improve to 6-5 this season. Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke completed 15 of 27 passes for 191 yards. However, it was the Washington defense that set the tone as cornerback Kendall Fuller scored a 37-yard interception return. The Texans dynamic rushing attack was grounded. Texans rookie Dameon Pierce was limited to eight rushing yards on 10 carries.
One highlight to know: Commanders cornerback Kendall Fuller started the game in a big way. He intercepted Texans quarterback Davis Mills to get the Commanders on the board in the first quarter. The interception return set the tone for the remainder of the game.
Next up: The Commanders host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 12. The Texans play the Miami Dolphins.
Buffalo Bills 31, Cleveland Browns 23
Briefly: The Bills overcame a stressful week to defeat the Browns. Buffalo relied on standout kicker Tyler Bass to carry the scoring load. Bass made six field goals, including a 56-yarder in the third quarter. The Browns got a strong effort from quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The talented backup completed 28 of 41 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns. However, the Bills held the Browns backfield in check. Cleveland running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were held to 51 yards on 19 carries.
One highlight to know: Bills receiver Stefon Diggs hauled in a 5-yard touchdown from Josh Allen in the second quarter. The touchdown gave the Bills an early lead as they held on to win the game.
Next up: The Bills face the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. The Browns host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
New Orleans Saints 27, Los Angeles Rams 20
Briefly: The Rams continued their disappointing start to the 2022 season. It was a difficult performance that was compounded by starting quarterback Matthew Stafford being evaluated with a head injury. The Saints pulled out the victory behind quarterback Andy Dalton. The journeyman signal-caller completed 21 of 25 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns. The Saints outscored the Rams 17-6 in the second half to improve to 4-7 on the season.
One highlight to know: Saints receiver Chris Olave hauled in a 53-yard reception in the third quarter. He finished with five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Next up: The Saints face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12. The Rams play the Kansas City Chiefs.
Las Vegas Raiders 22, Denver Broncos 16
Briefly: The Broncos had their third overtime game of the season. For the Raiders, this matchup was their second. Denver took an early 10-0 lead, but Daniel Carlson made three field goals, including a career-long 57-yard score in the fourth quarter for the Raiders. Derek Carr found his college teammate Davante Adams for two touchdowns as Las Vegas took its third win of the season, two of which come at the hands of their AFC West rivals.
One highlight to know: In the extra period, Carr marched his team down the field, capping off the winning drive with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Adams, who waved his adieu to the crowd.
Next up: The Raiders travel north to face the Seattle Seahawks, who will be fresh off their bye. The Broncos will seek to rebound against the Carolina Panthers.
Dallas Cowboys 40, Minnesota Vikings 3
Briefly: In what was anticipated as a matchup of the NFC’s elite, the Dallas Cowboys steamrolled the Minnesota Vikings, handing them only their second loss of the season. The game marked the return of Ezekiel Elliott, who missed the last two matchups with a knee injury. The Pro Bowler had 15 carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns. Kicker Brett Maher made four field goals, including two 60-yard scores. He now has four 60-yard field goals in his career, the most in NFL history. The Vikings were held to 183 yards of offense and the Dallas defense thrashed Kirk Cousins, sacking him seven times.
One highlight to know: On third and 14,Tony Pollard caught a 68-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to cap off the first possession after the break. The score put the Cowboys up 30-3 and showed they were prepared to keep their foot on the gas the entire game.
Next up: The Cowboys have the next chapter of their Thanksgiving tradition against the New York Giants. The Vikings also play on Thursday and host the New England Patriots.
Cincinnati Bengals 37, Pittsburgh Steelers 30
Briefly: The Cincinnati Bengals got revenge for their Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bengals outscored their AFC North rival 20-10 in the second half, which was the difference. Despite losing running back Joe Mixon to a concussion, Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow went 24-of-39 for 355 yards for four touchdowns and two interceptions. Najee Harris, who’s struggled with his own injuries, had two scores on the ground for the Steelers.
One highlight to know: Samaje Perine had three of Burrow’s touchdown scores. His third one came in the fourth quarter, a 6-yard catch that put the Bengals up two scores and essentially sealed the victory.
Next up: The Bengals travel to face the Tennessee Titans, who have won seven of their last eight games. The Steelers have a Monday night matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Betting info: Odds, moneyline and more
What to know: The Chargers get a chance to avenge a Week 2 loss to the Chiefs. Los Angeles has stayed afloat behind quarterback Justin Herbert and running back Austin Ekeler offensively. Help could be on the way as top receivers Mike Williams and Keenan Allen returned to practice this week. If they can suit up Sunday, it will be the first time in a while that the Chargers have their full complement of playmakers. They will need them against the Chiefs. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes continues to thrive in head coach Andy Reid’s offense, which is now armed with a new weapon in receiver Kadarius Toney.
San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET Monday
TV: ESPN
Betting info: Odds, moneyline and more
What to know: In 2005, the Cardinals beat the Niners in front of a massive crowd the first time a regular-season game was played in Mexico. . Things could be different this time around. The 49ers are hitting their stride after acquiring Christian McCaffrey. The Cardinals are in scramble mode at 4-6 in the NFC West race. All eyes will be on the health of star quarterback Kyler Murray. He missed Week 10 due to a hamstring injury.
FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott’s pronouncement was hardly hyperbole.
Sure, at face value, the Dallas Cowboys’ visit to the Minnesota Vikings this weekend predates the postseason slate.
But when the Cowboys quarterback said the contest between a 6-3 squad (Dallas) and an 8-1 powerhouse “is a playoff game,” he wasn’t simply hyping up the environment or the stakes. Rather, this November game of conference foes indeed features two currently postseason-eligible squads. And the teams share a telling trait: They’re winning without a likely MVP quarterback.
Entering Week 11 of the NFL season, clarity is emerging on the teams in playoff position across the league. Ten have won at least two-thirds of their games, five of which are quarterbacked by the players with the five best odds to win this season’s NFL MVP honor, per BetMGM.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes (+125), Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen (+500), Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts (+500), Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa (+500) and Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson (+1200) top the list. No other player’s chance is better than +2500.
While none of those five players are operating in isolation, their passing efficiency correlates closely with their path to the playoffs. Tagovailoa leads the league with a 118.4 passer rating, a measurement that factors in pass attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns and interceptions. Hurts ranks third, Mahomes fourth, Allen seventh and Jackson tied for eighth.
Cousins and Prescott, meanwhile, post the 20th and 24th best passer ratings, respectively.
Which begs the question: What role has each quarterback played in his team’s fast start? And how will that impact their face-off this weekend?
A touch of clutch
Cousins has been consistent if not elite. He has thrown one to two touchdowns per game, averaged just under an interception per contest and produced 261.8 yards per game in the air, eighth most among league quarterbacks.
His touchdown-to-interception ratio has dipped from last year’s impressive 4.7 multiple (33-to-7), to his current 1.75 (14-to-8). But Cousins has executed when it matters most as the Vikings prevailed in seven of eight games by a nail-biting one score or less. No quarterback has guided more game-winning drives this year than Cousins’ five. No passer, either, has surpassed his five comebacks. After the Vikings dropped eight of their nine losses last season by a one-possession margin, the swing is staggering.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins isn’t putting up eye-popping numbers this season, but he’s getting the job done when it matters. (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
“It’s finding those inches,” Cousins said. “I prefer not to have to rely on that play at the end of each game, but you understand in this league, they do tend to come down to the final drive. And that’s just the way these games are. Being battle-tested, I think is a good thing for us.
“It will help us going forward.”
The Vikings have mounted the seventh-most explosive passing attack with a deep stable of weapons. Receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen offer Cousins consistently reliable targets. Minnesota has also immediately integrated tight end T.J. Hockenson in two games since acquiring him at the trade deadline. Jefferson’s acrobatics wowed the league last Sunday when he stole back a fourth-and-18 target from the grasp of a Bills defender. His 1,060 receiving yards trail only the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill (1,148). Jefferson’s route-running instincts, speed and elite body control would likely produce success with most passers. But Cousins deserves credit for his connection with the third-year skill player.
“Both of them have been highly, highly critical for our success this year and continue to prove to me that they’re huge parts of not only what we are now but what we’ll be moving forward,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said this week. “They’ve come together in a way where I’ve seen their relationship grow. I’ve seen both Justin’s maturation as a professional here in Year 3 as a premier player in this league but also Kirk Cousins’ in Year 1 of an offense where he’s played a lot of football.”
With a bottom-five defense and a below-average rushing attack, the Vikings’ passing attack has so far been the most reliable element of their season. O’Connell’s philosophies on game-plan specific packages, personnel groupings, disguises and tempo help maximize his talent. Still, Cousins has spearheaded execution of the plan.
“He’s had a lot of success in his career, but some elements of this year have been new and different and we’re asking a lot out of him,” O’Connell said. “He’s striving to be at his best when it’s required and I think you can’t say enough about the quarterback position.”
‘Not as clean or as good as I want it’
Prescott, meanwhile, has competed in only four of Dallas’ nine games. He missed Weeks 2-6 after fracturing the thumb of his throwing hand in Dallas’ season-opening loss. With a bye week in between his past two starts, his schedule and performance have each been inconsistent.
When the Packers upset the Cowboys last Sunday, that was on full display.
Prescott opened the game 0-for-4 as the Cowboys put up a couple of three-and-outs, head coach Mike McCarthy later attributing the slow start to footwork rust in Prescott’s first outdoor game of the year. The next series: Prescott completed 10 of 11 attempts (albeit some short ones), while also rushing for three first downs, in a 17-play, 83-yard drive capped by a Prescott to CeeDee Lamb touchdown.
It has been an up-and-down stretch for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the four games since he returned from a thumb injury. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Prescott finished the game with 265 yards and three touchdowns — but he also completed just 58.7% of attempts and threw two interceptions on anticipatory throws that the Cowboys said his receivers didn’t run crisply.
In four games, Prescott has completed 63.8% of attempts for 865 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. He has flashed on some series, but also thrown picks at the highest clip of his seven-year career.
Prescott was asked Thursday whether his performance this season has been erratic.
“Erratic? That’s a good question,” he said. “I can’t necessarily say that. Obviously as you said it’s five games in for me, some things are just getting on the same page, making sure guys understand, and they do … But obviously not 5-0 in those games so damn sure not as clean or as good as I want it.”
Prescott insisted that he believes in his arm and his targets so he intends to continue to “let it rip.” McCarthy said Prescott’s “best days are ahead of him” but he has “zero concerns.”
The reality: The Cowboys’ 4-1 record without Prescott, versus their 2-2 record with him, doesn’t imply backup quarterback Cooper Rush is a superior option. But it does point to the formula that has powered the Cowboys’ wins, namely a dominant run game complementing an initially stingy defense with a vicious pass rush.
When Rush played, the Cowboys didn’t ask too much from their quarterback. In the Cowboys’ four wins, Rush threw four touchdowns with no interceptions. (He threw one touchdown and three picks at Philly.) The run-first attack bled the clock and kept Cowboys defenders fresh, while the clean football reduced the opportunities for opponents to capitalize. The defense rose to the occasion and prided themselves on carrying the team in Prescott’s absence. Since his return, some defenders admit that sense of urgency has slipped. Each of the past two games, opponents have burned the Cowboys for more than 200 rushing yards in an alarming game-plan trend. The Cowboys ceded a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead against the Green Bay Packers.
“S***, it won’t happen again,” linebacker Micah Parsons said. “If Dak go out there and give me that lead again, I promise we ain’t going to do that again.”
So what can fans expect between the Cowboys and Vikings?
Who has the edge?
The Cowboys have won at Minnesota each of the past two seasons. They’re favored by 1.5 points on the road despite the Vikings’ superior record.
Perhaps that stems in part from general biases about the Cowboys, but it also likely reflects the team’s relative strengths. The Cowboys’ pass defense could faze Cousins and tempt mistakes. If running back Ezekiel Elliott (knee) returns from a two-week absence as expected, the Cowboys can wear down the Vikings with Elliott and shifty back Tony Pollard.
“They have so many rushers,” O’Connell said. “I mean, they just have so many guys up front that can really wreak havoc. They get 1-on-1s a lot of different ways, and … I’ve told our team: ‘You cannot let one snap go by [without] fundamentally, technique, understanding of the assignment, what the call is, being 100 percent dialed in. Because if you let one play go, that can be the play that changes the game.”
The Cowboys, similarly, must defend against outside-zone runs and Jefferson heroics or risk their playoff chances in a loaded division taking a hit.
“They’re going to find a weak link and attack,” Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse said. “They’re going to get you in mismatches.”
Individual mismatches may arise. But these two teams, at the sport’s most impactful position, are well-matched.
The NFL is about to learn a little more about this pair of postseason contenders — and how serious a threat their quarterbacks pose now and in the playoffs.
Follow Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein
Through Sunday, the 8-1 Vikings boast the NFL’s second-best record, trailing only the undefeated Eagles. So … is Minnesota the NFL’s second-best team? Well, if this were the NFL Power Rankings, as opposed to the Schein Nine, I would indeed put the Vikes in the No. 2 spot. They fully deserve it following a thrilling overtime win in Buffalo. Thus, the above statement is factual.
I love Kevin O’Connell. I love his playbook and his positivity. He’s a gem, a top-notch Coach of the Year candidate. Can’t imagine many folks thought he’d take eight of his first nine games as a head coach, and this latest triumph was more than just another notch in the win column. We’d been waiting for Minnesota to provide a true statement victory. Sunday in Western New York, O’Connell’s team erased a 17-point second-half deficit and knocked off Buffalo, my preseason Super Bowl pick. That’ll do.
Minnesota survived — and eventually thrived in — the zaniest and best game of this season so far. Justin Jefferson offered up another masterpiece, catching 10 balls for 193 yards and a touchdown. His highlight reel from this game alone includes numerous jaw-dropping feats, but none greater than the 32-yard grab on fourth-and-18 where the 23-year-old used one hand to highpoint Kirk Cousins’ heave and rip the ball away from Bills DB Cam Lewis before somehow maintaining possession on his descent to the turf. Simply amazing — but also nothing new for No. 18. Jefferson has played 42 games in this league, and he already boasts 20 100-yard efforts. That’s the most century-mark outings by any NFL player in his first three seasons, and the guy still has eight more games to add to the record! Credit is also due to Cousins, who bounced back from two ghastly interceptions to provide brilliant returns in the fourth quarter and overtime, where he notched his fifth game-winning drive of the season — already a career high!
I know the Vikings have won seven straight games by one score. I know that if Josh Allen hadn’t come apart down the stretch, we’d be having a different conversation. I know Sean McDermott fouled up not kicking the field goal in the fourth quarter that would’ve re-extended Buffalo’s lead to 13 points. But the Vikings ran the ball with authority, as Dalvin Cook piled up 119 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries (8.5 yards a pop). They made clutch plays on defense, notching four takeaways, including two game-defining picks from Patrick Peterson. Jefferson did Jefferson things, and Cousins delivered down the stretch in a huge spot.
These Vikings, who already own a five-game lead over the rest of the NFC North in the loss column, are legit. Deal with it.
Patrick Peterson intercepted Josh Allen with 1:12 left in overtime to finally end a sloppy yet thrilling back-and-forth game between two of the NFL’s best teams, and the Minnesota Vikings completed their rally from a 17-point second-half deficit to beat the Buffalo Bills 33-30 on Sunday.
The Vikings took advantage of two turnovers by Allen, pulling ahead late in the fourth quarter when the quarterback mishandled a snap and fumbled in the end zone.
Greg Joseph put the Vikings ahead to stay by hitting a 33-yard field goal with 3:42 left in overtime. The game didn’t end until Allen, facing second and 10 at Minnesota’s 20, forced a pass over the middle intended for Gabe Davis, only to have Peterson intercept it a few yards into the end zone. He ran out and slid to the turf to end the game.
Kirk Cousins threw for 357 yards, and Justin Jefferson had a monster game with 10 catches for 193 yards for the NFC North-leading Vikings (8-2). Minnesota rallied to win when trailing with 2 1/2 minutes or less remaining in regulation for the fifth time this season.
The Bills (6-3) dropped out of the AFC lead with their second straight loss, this one a thriller that featured several momentum-turning plays in the final minute of regulation alone.
Cleveland Browns 17-39 Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa maintained his scorching form since his return from a concussion, throwing three touchdown passes as the Miami Dolphins got their fourth straight win.
In a game that was a blowout by the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa connected with three receivers for his third straight three-touchdown game. Since returning in Week 7, Tagovailoa has 10 TD passes and no interceptions. He finished with 285 yards on 25-of-32 passing. Jeff Wilson rushed for 119 yards on 17 carries as the Dolphins (7-3) finished with 491 yards of offense against Cleveland (3-6).
Dallas Cowboys 28-31 Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes to rookie Christian Watson and led a 55-yard drive in overtime to set up Mason Crosby’s game-winning field goal, and the Green Bay Packers stopped a five-game skid with a win over former coach Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys. Green Bay (4-6) appeared well on three way to losing six straight games in the same season for the first time since 1988, trailing 28-14 in the fourth quarter before Rodgers led two long drives that ended with scoring passes to Watson.
Indianapolis Colts 25–20 Las Vegas Raiders
Matt Ryan got his job back as the Colts’ starter under TV analyst-turned-interim coach Jeff Saturday, and the veteran quarterback delivered a 35-yard touchdown pass to Parris Campbell to lead Indianapolis to victory. The touchdown with 5:07 left came shortly after the 37-year-old quarterback converted a third-and-3 with a 39-yard run to the Raiders 36-yard line.
Jacksonville Jaguars 17-27 Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes threw for 331 yards and four touchdowns, Kadarius Toney showed glimpses of stardom in his second game for the Chiefs and Kansas City rolled to victory.
Toney, who was acquired a couple of week ago from the Giants, had 33 yards rushing to go with four catches for 57 yards and his first NFL touchdown reception, helping the Chiefs (7-2) win their sixth straight over the Jaguars. The win came at a cost for Kansas City: wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was placed in the concussion protocol after a helmet-to-helmet hit by Jacksonville safety Andre Cisco early in the game.
Detroit Lions 31–30 Chicago Bears
Jamaal Williams scored on a one-yard run in the closing minutes, Jared Goff threw for 236 yards and a touchdown, and the Detroit Lions overcame another spectacular effort by Chicago’s Justin Fields. The Lions (3-6) scored 21 points in the fourth quarter on the way to their second straight win after losing five in a row.
Fields ran for 147 yards and two scores, after going for 178 the previous week against Miami – the highest rushing total by an NFL quarterback in a regular-season game since at least 1940. He became the only quarterback in the Super Bowl era with multiple rushing touchdowns of 60-plus yards in the same season.
Houston Texans 16–24 New York Giants
Daniel Jones threw two touchdown passes, Saquon Barkley ran for 152 yards and a TD and the surprising New York Giants returned from their bye week with a win.
Jones, who was 13 of 17 for 197 yards, hit tight end Lawrence Cager on a nine-yard TD pass and Darius Slayton on a 54-yard catch and run as the Giants (7-2) scored on their opening possession of each half in building a 14-3 lead.
Seattle Seahawks 16–21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady stayed undefeated abroad by throwing two touchdown passes to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks in the first regular-season game played in Germany. Brady connected with Julio Jones and Chris Godwin on scoring passes and Leonard Fournette ran one in as the Bucs (5-5) improved to .500 and snapped Seattle’s four-game winning streak.
Denver Broncos 10–17 Tennessee Titans
Ryan Tannehill threw two touchdown passes to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as the Tennessee Titans rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat the Denver Broncos 17-10.
The Titans (6-3) won for the sixth time in seven games. Tannehill returned after missing the last two games with a sprained right ankle, and he appeared rusty early as the Titans fell behind 10-0 in the second quarter and were trailing 208-53 in total yards shortly before halftime.
Denver came in rested off a bye, not that it helped as the Broncos (3-6) now have lost five of six.
The Broncos had plenty of chances but couldn’t score after halftime. Russell Wilson had a final chance to tie the game, but his pass on fourth-and-8 from the Titans 25 was tipped and picked off by Terrance Mitchell, who dropped a would-be pick earlier, with 11 seconds left.
Arizona Cardinals 27–17 Los Angeles Rams
Colt McCoy passed for 238 yards in his first start of the season, James Conner rushed for two touchdowns and the Arizona Cardinals hung on for victory over the Los Angeles Rams, who lost Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp to a possibly serious ankle injury.
Both teams played their backup quarterbacks with starters Matthew Stafford and Kyler Murray sidelined by injury. McCoy threw a TD pass to AJ Green and hit DeAndre Hopkins for 98 yards on 10 catches, while Los Angeles’ John Wolford passed for 212 yards in a much more inconsistent performance.
New Orleans Saints 10–20 Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny Pickett and George Pickens ran for one-yard touchdowns and the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled away from the listless New Orleans Saints.
Fueled by the return of star outside linebacker TJ Watt, the Steelers (3-6) held the Saints to 186 yards to win for just the second time in eight games. Pittsburgh sacked Andy Dalton twice and forced a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions to thwart any hope of a late rally by the Saints (3-7).
Sunday’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills appeared to be won by each team in regulation at multiple points before the Vikings preserved a 33-30 overtime victory in Week 10. Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson, the eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro, flashed his pedigree in the clutch as the 32-year-old came through for his second end zone interception of Bills quarterback Josh Allen to end the game in overtime after the Vikings kicked a field goal on their opening extra time drive.
It was a historic comeback as Minnesota became the first team to beat Buffalo in Highmark Stadium when trailing by at least 14 points at halftime as the Vikings fell behind 24-10 at the break. The last time the Bills lost a home game with a halftime lead of 14 or more was also in Week 10, but it occurred in the 1968 season at War Memorial Stadium.
Minnesota, improving to 8-1 with a seventh straight victory, won its third game this season when trailing by 10 or more points in the fourth quarter, tied for the third-most such comeback wins in a season in the 21st century, and the Vikings still have eight games left to play. They miraculously overcame double-digit, fourth-quarter deficits on the road for consecutive weeks. They beat the Washington Commanders in Week 9 – winning 20-17 on a game-winning field goal with no time left after trailing 17-7 — and on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. However, unlike Week 9, Minnesota’s rally wasn’t enough to decide the game in regulation.
Trailing 27-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, Minnesota ripped off 20 consecutive points to take a 30-27 lead with 41 seconds remaining in regulation. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook got the rally started with an 81-yard scoring sprint down the left sideline that was the longest carry in his career and the longest rushing touchdown by a Vikings player since Adrian Peterson in Week 15 of the 2012 season (82 yards) against the Rams. A huge play from an expected source, unlike the next Vikings touchdown — a five-yard rush from fullback C.J. Ham — which marked just the second rushing touchdown of his career and first since his rookie year in 2017. What ensued following a seemingly mundane score came back to have major implications on the outcome of this thriller: Vikings kicker Greg Joseph doinked his point after try off the right upright, preventing Minnesota from drawing within three as it then trailed 27-23 with 4:34 left to play.
Minnesota’s defense stiffened to force a Bills punt, giving the Vikings offense the ball back at their own 24 with 3:23, trailing 27-23. That’s when the drama began. After, Bills linebacker Von Miller came through for his first sack of the game to put the Vikings in a fourth-and-18 situation as the two-minute warning hit. However, wide receiver Justin Jefferson had plans to showcase his hypothesis as to why Minnesota won the 2020 trade of Stefon Diggs and a seventh-round pick to the Bills in exchange for four draft picks, one of which became Jefferson 22nd overall in the ensuing NFL Draft. The third-year wideout finished with 10 receptions, a career-high 193 receiving yards and a touchdown in Week 10, including the game-extending 32-yard gain on fourth-and-18 that made Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-handed catch against the Dallas Cowboys years ago look like child’s play.
His performance on Sunday broke multiple NFL records as he totaled his 20th career game with 100 or more receiving yards as well as his seventh career game with 150 or more receiving yards. Both are the most such games through a player’s first three seasons in NFL history, and Jefferson has eight more games left to play this season. His 193 receiving yards were the most by any Viking since teammate Adam Thielen’s career-high of 202 yards in Week 16 of the 2016 season in a 38-25 loss at the Green Bay Packers. Jefferson made sure his career day wasn’t going to be in vain as he caught two more passes on the drive to get Minnesota down to the Buffalo one with a minute left. He momentarily had his second receiving touchdown and what appeared to be the game-winner before a replay review ruled he was a yard short.
The Vikings appeared to have come up short in their effort to secure a win after quarterback Kirk Cousins’ sneak on fourth-and-goal was stuffed for no gain and a turnover on downs with 50 seconds left.
The very next play the game turned around for the visitors in purple as Allen, backed up in his own end zone, fumbled an under-center snap on a sneak attempt of his own that linebacker Eric Kendricks recovered for the go-ahead touchdown, 30-27.
The Bills regained possession on their own 32 with 36 seconds left and no timeouts trailing by three, an eerily similar scenario to what Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs faced against these Bills in the AFC divisional round last year. Allen pulled off his best impression of Mahomes’ back-against-the-wall performance, getting kicker Tyler Bass in range for a game-tying, 29-yard field goal with five seconds left in only five plays. However, it was a controversial possession as Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis bobbled what was ruled as a 20-yard completion down the left sideline. Allen displayed some veteran savvy, quickly snapping the ball before any replay review could be initiated by the referees.
Heading into overtime, the Vikings won the coin toss and elected to receive with the potential to win the game on a touchdown, which would have left Allen and the Bills with the same feeling they had at the end of the 2021 playoffs. Jefferson made it appear as if that was the direction Minnesota’s opening possession was going as he secured a 24-yard deep ball to put the Vikings on the Bills’ two. However, the Vikings went backwards from there as Cook was stuffed on his first down run for a loss of five, followed by Cousins absorbing a 10-yard sack on second-and-goal. Minnesota settled for a 33-yard field goal, needing one last stop.
After consecutive Allen scrambles gained a combined 38 yards, the quarterback hit Diggs for two straight seven yard gains, and all of the sudden the Bills were in the red zone at the Vikings 20. The former Viking tied his season-high with 12 catches to go along with 128 receiving yards. Two plays later, the game was over as Peterson intercepted a scrambling Allen in the end zone for a second time.
In the end, it was a sloppy performance for both Cousins (30-of-50 passing for 357 yards, one passing touchdown, two interceptions) and Allen (29-of-43 passing for 330 passing yards, one passing touchdown, two interceptions). The win improves the Vikings to 8-1 overall as their seventh straight victory allows them to keep pace with the 8-0 Philadelphia Eagles, who play Monday night against the Washington Commanders. The Bills fall to 6-3 overall and out of first place in the AFC East after consecutive defeats.
Here are some takeaways from the wild OT win.
Why the Vikings won
The Vikings are the NFL’s never-say-die team of the 2022 season. Three wins when trailing by double digits certifies their mental fortitude under first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell. However, it surely helps having a player who can make just about any catch in any moment, erasing complete failure on downs one through three like Jefferson can. His 32-yard catch on fourth-and-18 was the first of many Minnesota game-saving plays. Although the Vikings defense deserves plenty of credit as well, limiting the NFL’s third-ranked scoring offense to only three points in the fourth quarter and overtime, leaving the space for Jefferson’s heroics.
Minnesota went 6 of 8 in one-possession games a season ago in Mike Zimmer’s final campaign as head coach, losing the most such games in the league. Now, the Vikes are 7-0 when a game is decided by the same margin under O’Connell, tied for the most such wins in the NFL this season with the New York Giants. Those seven one-possession wins through the first nine games are tied for the most by any team through nine games since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. New coaching staff, new season, new vibes.
Why the Bills lost
One of Josh Allen’s biggest strengths is his ability to pull explosive plays out of thin air with both his arm and his legs. However, that same big-game hunting hurt the Bills in critical spots in their loss. Allen threw his first interception after Cook’s 81-yard score on fourth down when even an incompletion would’ve been beneficial as the Vikings offense would’ve taken the field on their own seven. Peterson returned his first pick for 39 yards, and the Vikings scored another touchdown to draw within four. The last one lost the game. First-year offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and Allen need to sit down to chat about a happy medium between hitting big plays and forcing the football into bad spots. The Bills quarterback now leads the NFL with 10 interceptions, six of which have come in the last three games.
Turning point
After the Vikings came up short on fourth-and-goal down by four at the end of regulation, it appeared the Bills had the game won. Eric Kendricks’ fumble recovery of Allen’s bobbled snap changed the game, putting the Vikings in the lead for the first time since the opening position when they were ahead 7-0. This play turned the Vikings from surefire losers on Sunday to eventual winners.
Play of the game
The play of the game couldn’t be anything else besides Jefferson’s game-saving, 32-yard catch. Yes, it’s only a Week 10 game, but the degree of difficulty and the have-to-have-it nature of the play make the one-handed, arm wrestle of a catch immediately among some of the best the NFL has ever seen.
What’s next
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Vikings as they return home for a Week 11 showdown against the Dallas Cowboys, one the NFL’s best defenses. The Bills remain at home to host the struggling 3-6 Cleveland Browns in front of Bills Mafia next week.
