The Networks United would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! For the second year in a row, I will be working at NFL Network.
Last week, I bust a month-long slump by going 9-5. I should write on planes more often, I guess. Here are the 5 games I missed on:
– The Buffalo Bills held the Bengals to only 93 rushing yards in a 16-12 road victory.
– The Buccaneers held the Chiefs to only one score in the 2nd half, getting a key INT to kill one drive and hold on for a 19-17 road win.
– The Minnesota Vikings got a pair of 100-yard scores: a 100-yard INT return TD by CB Xavier Rhodes, and a 104-yard KR TD by WR Cordarrelle Patterson to beat the visiting Arizona Cardinals 30-24.
– The Rams gave up a 10-0 lead in the 4th quarter and were held to only 125 pass yards as the Dolphins won in Los Angeles 14-10.
– Washington RB Robert Kelley ran for 137 yards and 3 TD in a 42-24 win over the Packers.
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Deion Sanders looks towards the stands from the field during a timeout against the Phoenix Cardinals in the Falcons’ last game of the season at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Jan. 2, 1994. (AP Photo/Ric Feld)
The last time the Arizona Cardinals won in Atlanta, they were the Phoenix Cardinals and Hall of Fame CB Deion Sanders was playing his last game with the Falcons. The Cardinals have lost 7 straight games in Atlanta, but perhaps they get what would be a tough win to get this week at the Georgia Dome:
2016 #NFL Week 12 picks (9-5 in Week 11, +39 for 2016): MIN, WAS, PIT, ARI, CIN, BUF, CHI, NYG, HOU, MIA, LA, SEA, OAK, NYJ, KC, GB#TheNU
— Law Murray ?? (@LawMurrayTheNU) November 23, 2016
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: The first two games on Thanksgiving were already going to be the best of the week even before Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck was ruled out with a concussion. This is a rematch from Week 9, a game that saw Detroit WR Golden Tate score a game-winning TD in Minnesota following a 58-yard FG by Detroit K Matt Prater to force OT. Special teams promises to be a factor in this game after the Vikings and Lions both scored on offense, defense, and special teams in Week 11. Will the Lions get a 100-yard rusher? The Vikings have been vulnerable to the run, but Detroit hasn’t had a 100-yard rusher since Thanksgiving 2013, the longest drought in the league.
Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys: This is the Game of the Week, and it’s not just because the Cowboys are the best team in the league at 9-1. Washington is 6-1-1 since their Week 2 home loss to the Cowboys, and the Washington offense is 2nd in the league. Despite being on the road, allowing a season-high 4 sacks, and getting 0 pass TD from rookie QB Dak Prescott and benching rookie RB Ezekiel Elliott for multiple fumbles, the Cowboys were able to get their first of 9 straight wins at Washington. Needless to say, the Cowboys are a lot better now. Look for them to run all over Washington.
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos: The NFL flexed this game into Sunday night to replace the New York Jets game – if only they could have flexed this into Thursday night. Oh well. The Chiefs messed up in a big way with the home loss to Tampa Bay, and Oakland’s win in Mexico put both of these teams down a game headed into this key AFC West showdown. The Chiefs should have swept the Broncos last year, and if they take care of the football and get some production from RB Spencer Ware, then they’ll be able to win another game in Denver. The Broncos are getting healthier on defense, but the offense needs to show improvement coming out of the Week 11 bye.
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles: The Packers have played embarrassing defense to go with an offense that is entirely too reliant on the pass. Fortunately for them, they get to face an Eagles team that rarely has it together offensively. Philadelphia rookie QB Carson Wentz has thrown more INTs than TDs since Philadelphia lost RT Lane Johnson to suspension, RBs Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles are hurting, and the WRs have been wholly unproductive. There’s no way Philadelphia scores 30 points. Now, the Eagles have been flawless at home this season, so Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers will need to be at his best early on.
The NFL-best Cowboys are led by rookies QB Dak Prescott and RB Ezekiel Elliott – and they’re better now than they were against Washington in Week 2. (Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)