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Chief Rum · 11-22-2003, 04:06 AM

Week Fourteen

Week Fourteen's Big Games

Indianapolis (7-5) at Tennessee (9-3)

This might be the game of the year in the AFC South. This division has looked like a walk for the Titans at times, but the Colts have been playing well and charged back into contention. A win here would move them within one of Tennessee with three games left to play. A Titan victory would pretty much seal up the division for the Titans for good, and would also keep the pressure on the Steelers for home field advantage.

Oakland (9-3) at Pittsburgh (10-2)

This could be a preview of the AFC Championship Game. The two division leaders both have two-game leads, which are good leads at this point, but not yet safe. They are also competing with each other for home field advantage, with Pittsburgh currently on the inside track.

San Diego (7-5) at Detroit (6-6)

This is a game featuring two teams that played themselves away from bad starts and into playoff contention. The Chargers are two games back of the Raiders in the AFC West and have a good shot at a wildcard spot. The Lions have overtaken the Vikings for the lead in the weak NFC North (albeit on tiebreakers). Needless to say, neither team can afford to lose at this point after coming so far.

Seattle (9-3) at Minnesota (6-6)

After looking like the NFC North was theirs for the taking, the Vikings lost their lead last week. With their record being what it is, they need to take the division to get into the postseason. So a visit from Seattle is the last thing the Vikings need.

Arizona at San Francisco

Let's face it. Even as the "weak sister" of the three top teams in this division, the Niners are far, far better than we are. This will probably not be too close.

The fact we are missing our starting quarterback and a key linebacker doesn't help the cause. Preston Parsons returns to the starting lineup today.

Hmmm...17-0 just 14 seconds into the second quarter. And, no, I'm not the 17. We broke up the monotony of Niner marches up and down the field by putting up a field goal. After that, it was back to business as usual.

The Niners utterly stomped us, 37-3.

For the second time in the past month, we were held to under 200 yards of total offense. The Niners ahd 394 to our 194. At least we only had two turnovers and no interceptions. Say what you will about his other qualities, but Parsons is pretty good at avoiding the picks.

QB Parsons: 16-for-39, 149 yd, 0 td, 0 int
RB Smith: 27 yd (1.8 ypc), 0 td
TE Jones: 4 rec, 67 yd, 0 int

The line gave up three sacks again. Wow, does this ever change. I suppose I am still happy we haven't been seeing the 5,6,7 sack days of earlier in the year, but at some point, will this line actually have a good day where it might keep sacks down to 1 or 2?

McKinnon was back on top of the team tackle totals with 10, and DT Russell Davis had 5 tackles and a sack.

The Niners have many ways to hurt an opponent. Today, that person was Kevan Barlow (177 rush yd, 2 td). Ouch. Terrell Owens (5 rec, 96 yd, 1 td) had a good day, of course.

It will be so satisfying when I can one day compete with these guys and Seattle and St. Louis, too. I hope one day to be put up at the top of the division in more ways than just alphabetical.

Other Games

Home Team in CAPS

TENNESSEE 44, Indianapolis 27: Wow, the Titans came to play. They took the lead from the start, and a 14-3 first quarter was highlighted by an 82-yd bomb from Steve McNair to Tyrone Calico. Still, the Titans were just up 21-13 as the seconds dwindled to halftime. It was at that point they stepped it up. A half-ending field goal and a good third quarter had the home team up 35-13 and not looking back. This was a fun, clean game for the fans, with 71 points, 935 yards and just one turnover (an Indy fumble). Eddie George (134 yd, 3 td) had his first real dominant game of the season, after a year of splitting time with backup Chris Brown. McNair (16-21, 225 yd, 2 td, 0 int) was his usual efficient self. The Colts got great numbers from the usual three: Edgerrin James (121 yd, 2 td), Peyton Manning (19-37, 326 yd, 1 td, 0 int), and Marvin Harrison (7 rec, 161 yd, 0 td). Tennessee clinches AFC South title!

Oakland 31, PITTSBURGH 17: What'dya know? The Steelers can be beaten in Pittsburgh, and in 28-degree weather, too. The Raiders charged out to a 14-0 lead early and really never let go. After a rough stretch in the midseason, they seem to have the AFC West under control. The Steelers, meanwhile, have fallen from favorites for home field advantage to wondering if they can hold onto the division title which had semed like a gimme. Two losses in a row will do that to a team. This was another high-scoring affair, with the teams putting up 892 total yards of offense. The Steelers had the edge (489-402), but also turned the ball over twice. Rich Gannon (28-37, 274 yd, 4 td, 0 int) was incredible, completing touchdown passes to four different receivers. One of them went to Charlie Garner (3 rec, 15 yd, 1 td) who was also effective in the running game (83 yd). The Steelers didn't lose this game on offense, that's for sure. Tommy Maddox (25-36, 368 yd, 2 td, 1 int, 65 rush yd) continued his impressive season, as did Plaxico Burress (10 rec, 163 yd, 1 td). Oakland clinches AFC West title!

DETROIT 30, San Diego 10: Better sit down, Lions fans. The Detroit Lions--the 2003 Lions--are in sole possession of first place in the NFC North, and playing as well as anyone right now. This one was all Detroit, even when the Chargers scored first with a field goal. The Bolts turned the ball over 5 times, giving the Lions way too many opportunities for them not to take advantage of it. The Lions scored 27 straight points in the middle quarters. Joey Harrington (21-31, 304 yd, 3 td, 1 int) is quietly coming into his own, it seems. His top target was Shawn Jefferson (6 rec, 152 yd, 2 td). I wasn't even sure that guy was still in the league.

Seattle 29, MINNESOTA 28: Heartbreaker! To have been so far up in your division and to lose it in a game like this. It's been a cardiac-stressing year for the Vikings and their fans. Making it all the more maddening is the fact the Vikings seemed to have a comfortable lead at 21-6 with just a few minutes left in the second quarter. It was there for the taking. But the Seahawks aren't 10-3 because they sat on their asses and let people walk over them. Josh Brown kicked five FG for the Hawks, none bigger than the 38-yarder he hit with 49 seconds left in the game to complete Seattle's impressive comeback. Trent Dilfer (22-31, 273 yd, 1 td, 0 int) did the dirty work and kept the Seahwaks in this one. He got a little help, of course, from Daunte Culpepper (2 int), who has been known to keep teams in games with his errant throws this season. That said, several Vikings offensive players had big days. Onterrio Smith (118 yd, 1 td) continues to be very solid. Randy Moss (6 rec, 55 yd, 2 td) caught the scores if not the bombs. D'Wayne Bates (8 rec, 114 yd, 1 td) did his once-a-month great performance here. And Culpepper himself (20-35, 233 yd, 3 td) was no slouch himself. Despite all this, the Vikings are looking up at the Lions in the NFC North.

Carolina 33, ATLANTA 27
GREEN BAY 13, Chicago 10
BALTIMORE 23, Cincinnati 10
Dallas 17, PHILADELPHIA 7
Houston 28, JACKSONVILLE 26
Kansas City 33, DENVER 27
Miami 33, NEW ENGLAND 23
BUFFALO 27, NY Jets 7--Buffalo clinches AFC East title!
St. Louis 30, CLEVELAND 20
Tampa Bay 26, NEW ORLEANS 20
Washington 27, NY GIANTS 17

Injuries

Rejoice! Jeff Blake will return next week! Did I just say that?

In fact, Gerald Hayes is returning to action, too. To an extent, several players are still Probable or even Questionable, but they can all play, and this is the healthiest we have been all year.

CR

11-22-2003, 04:06 AM	#74
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	Week Fourteen Week Fourteen's Big Games Indianapolis (7-5) at Tennessee (9-3) This might be the game of the year in the AFC South. This division has looked like a walk for the Titans at times, but the Colts have been playing well and charged back into contention. A win here would move them within one of Tennessee with three games left to play. A Titan victory would pretty much seal up the division for the Titans for good, and would also keep the pressure on the Steelers for home field advantage. Oakland (9-3) at Pittsburgh (10-2) This could be a preview of the AFC Championship Game. The two division leaders both have two-game leads, which are good leads at this point, but not yet safe. They are also competing with each other for home field advantage, with Pittsburgh currently on the inside track. San Diego (7-5) at Detroit (6-6) This is a game featuring two teams that played themselves away from bad starts and into playoff contention. The Chargers are two games back of the Raiders in the AFC West and have a good shot at a wildcard spot. The Lions have overtaken the Vikings for the lead in the weak NFC North (albeit on tiebreakers). Needless to say, neither team can afford to lose at this point after coming so far. Seattle (9-3) at Minnesota (6-6) After looking like the NFC North was theirs for the taking, the Vikings lost their lead last week. With their record being what it is, they need to take the division to get into the postseason. So a visit from Seattle is the last thing the Vikings need. Arizona at San Francisco Let's face it. Even as the "weak sister" of the three top teams in this division, the Niners are far, far better than we are. This will probably not be too close. The fact we are missing our starting quarterback and a key linebacker doesn't help the cause. Preston Parsons returns to the starting lineup today. Hmmm...17-0 just 14 seconds into the second quarter. And, no, I'm not the 17. We broke up the monotony of Niner marches up and down the field by putting up a field goal. After that, it was back to business as usual. The Niners utterly stomped us, 37-3. For the second time in the past month, we were held to under 200 yards of total offense. The Niners ahd 394 to our 194. At least we only had two turnovers and no interceptions. Say what you will about his other qualities, but Parsons is pretty good at avoiding the picks. QB Parsons: 16-for-39, 149 yd, 0 td, 0 int RB Smith: 27 yd (1.8 ypc), 0 td TE Jones: 4 rec, 67 yd, 0 int The line gave up three sacks again. Wow, does this ever change. I suppose I am still happy we haven't been seeing the 5,6,7 sack days of earlier in the year, but at some point, will this line actually have a good day where it might keep sacks down to 1 or 2? McKinnon was back on top of the team tackle totals with 10, and DT Russell Davis had 5 tackles and a sack. The Niners have many ways to hurt an opponent. Today, that person was Kevan Barlow (177 rush yd, 2 td). Ouch. Terrell Owens (5 rec, 96 yd, 1 td) had a good day, of course. It will be so satisfying when I can one day compete with these guys and Seattle and St. Louis, too. I hope one day to be put up at the top of the division in more ways than just alphabetical. Other Games Home Team in CAPS TENNESSEE 44, Indianapolis 27: Wow, the Titans came to play. They took the lead from the start, and a 14-3 first quarter was highlighted by an 82-yd bomb from Steve McNair to Tyrone Calico. Still, the Titans were just up 21-13 as the seconds dwindled to halftime. It was at that point they stepped it up. A half-ending field goal and a good third quarter had the home team up 35-13 and not looking back. This was a fun, clean game for the fans, with 71 points, 935 yards and just one turnover (an Indy fumble). Eddie George (134 yd, 3 td) had his first real dominant game of the season, after a year of splitting time with backup Chris Brown. McNair (16-21, 225 yd, 2 td, 0 int) was his usual efficient self. The Colts got great numbers from the usual three: Edgerrin James (121 yd, 2 td), Peyton Manning (19-37, 326 yd, 1 td, 0 int), and Marvin Harrison (7 rec, 161 yd, 0 td). Tennessee clinches AFC South title! Oakland 31, PITTSBURGH 17: What'dya know? The Steelers can be beaten in Pittsburgh, and in 28-degree weather, too. The Raiders charged out to a 14-0 lead early and really never let go. After a rough stretch in the midseason, they seem to have the AFC West under control. The Steelers, meanwhile, have fallen from favorites for home field advantage to wondering if they can hold onto the division title which had semed like a gimme. Two losses in a row will do that to a team. This was another high-scoring affair, with the teams putting up 892 total yards of offense. The Steelers had the edge (489-402), but also turned the ball over twice. Rich Gannon (28-37, 274 yd, 4 td, 0 int) was incredible, completing touchdown passes to four different receivers. One of them went to Charlie Garner (3 rec, 15 yd, 1 td) who was also effective in the running game (83 yd). The Steelers didn't lose this game on offense, that's for sure. Tommy Maddox (25-36, 368 yd, 2 td, 1 int, 65 rush yd) continued his impressive season, as did Plaxico Burress (10 rec, 163 yd, 1 td). Oakland clinches AFC West title! DETROIT 30, San Diego 10: Better sit down, Lions fans. The Detroit Lions--the 2003 Lions--are in sole possession of first place in the NFC North, and playing as well as anyone right now. This one was all Detroit, even when the Chargers scored first with a field goal. The Bolts turned the ball over 5 times, giving the Lions way too many opportunities for them not to take advantage of it. The Lions scored 27 straight points in the middle quarters. Joey Harrington (21-31, 304 yd, 3 td, 1 int) is quietly coming into his own, it seems. His top target was Shawn Jefferson (6 rec, 152 yd, 2 td). I wasn't even sure that guy was still in the league. Seattle 29, MINNESOTA 28: Heartbreaker! To have been so far up in your division and to lose it in a game like this. It's been a cardiac-stressing year for the Vikings and their fans. Making it all the more maddening is the fact the Vikings seemed to have a comfortable lead at 21-6 with just a few minutes left in the second quarter. It was there for the taking. But the Seahawks aren't 10-3 because they sat on their asses and let people walk over them. Josh Brown kicked five FG for the Hawks, none bigger than the 38-yarder he hit with 49 seconds left in the game to complete Seattle's impressive comeback. Trent Dilfer (22-31, 273 yd, 1 td, 0 int) did the dirty work and kept the Seahwaks in this one. He got a little help, of course, from Daunte Culpepper (2 int), who has been known to keep teams in games with his errant throws this season. That said, several Vikings offensive players had big days. Onterrio Smith (118 yd, 1 td) continues to be very solid. Randy Moss (6 rec, 55 yd, 2 td) caught the scores if not the bombs. D'Wayne Bates (8 rec, 114 yd, 1 td) did his once-a-month great performance here. And Culpepper himself (20-35, 233 yd, 3 td) was no slouch himself. Despite all this, the Vikings are looking up at the Lions in the NFC North. Carolina 33, ATLANTA 27 GREEN BAY 13, Chicago 10 BALTIMORE 23, Cincinnati 10 Dallas 17, PHILADELPHIA 7 Houston 28, JACKSONVILLE 26 Kansas City 33, DENVER 27 Miami 33, NEW ENGLAND 23 BUFFALO 27, NY Jets 7--Buffalo clinches AFC East title! St. Louis 30, CLEVELAND 20 Tampa Bay 26, NEW ORLEANS 20 Washington 27, NY GIANTS 17 Injuries Rejoice! Jeff Blake will return next week! Did I just say that? In fact, Gerald Hayes is returning to action, too. To an extent, several players are still Probable or even Questionable, but they can all play, and this is the healthiest we have been all year. CR __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready. Last edited by Chief Rum : 11-22-2003 at 05:23 AM.