2020 NFL Week 14 Recap

Ravens 47
Browns 42

What. A. Game.

Third-highest scoring game in Monday Night Football history. An NFL-record nine rushing touchdowns combined. Nearly 25 years after the Browns left Cleveland heartbroken, the Ravens did it all over again by winning a back-and-forth thriller that keeps Baltimore alive in the wild card race and all but cripples the Browns’ hopes of winning the AFC North. Lamar Jackson rushed for a MNF-record 124 yards, took perhaps the most highly publicized poop ever (I know he denies it … but circumstantial evidence says otherwise) and then directed the sort of come-from-behind victory we hadn’t seen from him before. Lamar may have saved his reputation and Baltimore’s season all at once.

Steelers 15
Bills 26

Man, Pittsburgh is plummeting. The Steelers are the fifth team in NFL history to suffer back-to-back losses after an 11-0 start. Quarterback Big Ben is hurting and even if he were healthy, his receivers still have a wicked case of the dropsies. Pittsburgh better pull it together or else face the prospect of spending Week 17 in Cleveland having to fight for a division title they should already have just about wrapped up.

But give it up for first place Buffalo. Former Maryland Terp Stefon Diggs is the first player to tally 100 catches this season and has already set a career high with over 1,100 receiving yards, providing a reliable target for low-key MVP candidate Josh Allen. Diggs and the Bills, not the Steelers, are the biggest threat to Kansas City’s crown. Speaking of DMV high school stars …

Washington 23
49ers 15

If you’re tired of Washington’s slow starts, so is Chase Young. The DeMatha grad and cinch Defensive Rookie of the Year had a historically great first half and basically willed the Burgundy and Gold to victory on a day when Alex Smith struggled mightily against the team that drafted him first overall 15 years ago. Wouldn’t it be cool if another local high school star sparked an unexpected postseason run by bringing some consistent play to the quarterback position? Your move, Dwayne Haskins.

Oh, and a pressing follow up question:

Who did it best? Kamren Curl or @davpresto? Help me out @GWallaceWTOP @WTOP pic.twitter.com/DOJWGNS5EW

— Rob Woodfork (@RobWoodfork) December 14, 2020

Saints 21
Eagles 24

Philadelphia head coach Doug Pederson certainly got the spark he was looking for.

Jalen Hurts registered a double-triple in his first NFL start to lead Philly to the upset victory of the week and keep the Eagles in the mix for the NFC East title. He’s the captain now.

This was such a bad look for New Orleans. Philly’s middle-of-the-road rushing attack had not one, but two 100-yard rushers against a Saints defense that had a streak of 55 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher, thus ending New Orleans’ nine-game win streak that put them atop the NFC. The defensive letdown was especially disappointing considering this Taysom Hill project is clearly a bust.

Packers 31
Lions 24

Led by a beautiful bromance, Green Bay clinched the NFC North and slid ahead of New Orleans for the 1-seed in the NFC. Davante Adams is incredible and everything is falling into place for the Packers.

Jets 3
Seahawks 40

Jamal Adams had a sack against his former team to set the single-season sack record among defensive backs with 8.5. If that’s him not holding a grudge, I’d hate to see him be petty.

Falcons 17
Chargers 20

At long last! I’ve been awaiting this meeting between the two worst-luck franchises in the NFL, and this certainly didn’t disappoint. The Chargers tried to blow it, but the Falcons let ’em off the hook by getting a better passing performance from receiver Russell Gage than their former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan. Both teams have earned their 4-9 records.

Colts 44
Raiders 27

I’m not sure which was better: Trent Brown’s facemask or Kenny Moore’s interception. I give the facemask the slightest edge because it was the only good look for a team that fired their defensive coordinator a week after getting the Jets’ defensive coordinator fired.

Cardinals 26
Giants 7

Arizona has beaten all three New York teams in a season for the first time since 1971. Take that for data.

And how about Haason Reddick? Back in his home state of New Jersey, he had a franchise-record five sacks — the most in an NFL game in three years. If the Cardinals are going to sweep the NFC East with a win over Philadelphia, they’ll need another defensive effort like this against Jalen Hurts.

Speaking of great homecomings …

Cowboys 30
Bengals 7

Andy Dalton and Dallas better drink in this dose of “pure joy” now because it’s likely their last win of 2020.

Vikings 14
Bucs 26

Hey, Tampa. Instead of using trite ways to demonstrate your coach and quarterback are cool, maybe just play well enough to qualify for the postseason for the first time in 13 years. The Bucs didn’t win this game as much as Minnesota — namely Dan Bailey — blew it.

Chiefs 33
Dolphins 27

Man, Kansas City has to be frustrating to play against.

Patrick Mahomes took a historically awful 30-yard sack and threw two picks in his first seven pass attempts, yet still did enough to erase another double-digit deficit and clinch the Chiefs’ fifth straight AFC West title on the same field in which they just won the Super Bowl. Miami didn’t need 14 defenders, just some better luck.

Texans 7
Bears 36

The only thing Houston has is a quarterback. The main thing missing in Chicago is a quarterback. Deshaun Watson will always be the Bears’ great “what if.”

Broncos 32
Panthers 27

This Super Bowl 50 rematch was actually better than the game five years ago. Denver would be pretty good if Drew Lock can ever ease up on the interceptions.

Titans 31
Jaguars 10

Tennessee clinched its fifth straight winning season thanks to a sick catch by A.J. Brown and Derrick Henry’s league-record fourth 200-yard, 2-TD game to break him out of a month-long slump. It’s King Henry season and methinks he’ll run wild in the final three games to clinch the Titans a playoff berth.

And I know Jacksonville, losers of 12 straight games, are a total afterthought, but let’s give it up for James Robinson, the fastest undrafted rookie to reach 1,000 rushing yards in NFL history. He’s been one of the few bright spots in the Jaguars’ lost season.

Patriots 3
Rams 24

New England was no match for L.A. in this Super Bowl LIII rematch.

The Rams’ resurgent defense was a big reason for the statement victory, but the real star of the show was a player who wasn’t even in the league when that Super Bowl was played: Cam Akers rushed for 171 yards — the most ever by a rookie against the Patriots — and looks ready to carry the load for a Rams squad in position to make a deep playoff run.

Meanwhile, the days of such postseason runs appear to be over for the Patriots. The unprecedented 17-year streak of double-digit wins is snapped, and though Cam Newton is still the quarterback, it feels like that will only be the case for three more games, tops. I know several key players will be back from COVID opt-outs, but without an answer at quarterback, we’re about to find out how much Bill Belichick wants to be around for a rebuild.