Week twelve was full of benched quarterbacks and offensive explosions. This was actually a record setting stretch, as the NFL went over 800 points scored in a week for the first time in its history. Let’s get to the best of week twelve in this edition of the Final Drive!
New York Jets 34, Tennessee Titans 13
The balance of power has shifted in the AFC. The Jets are flying high on a five-game winning streak, the latest of which coming against the formerly undefeated Tennessee Titans. They jumped on the Titans early and never looked back as their defense shut down the opposing running game and picked off the nigh-unpick-able Kerry Collins. What remains to be seen is how each team will handle the outcome. There’s already unrest in Tennessee coming from running back Lendale White, who had only one carry in Sunday’s loss. It might be hard to believe, but the Titans could be in trouble come playoff time.
New England Patriots 48, Miami Dolphins 28
Two straight 400 yard passing games for Patriots QB Matt Cassel in key divisional contests have all but ensured he’s going to be snared in the off-season for big money. The Patriots are now at 7-4 and in the thick of the AFC Wildcard hunt. Miami’s road to the post-season has gotten significantly more difficult with the loss, putting them behind the pack at 6-5. Despite their troubles, the ceiling in Miami has increased exponentially this season. Chad Pennington looks to be a stable presence in their huddle for the foreseeable future.
Baltimore Ravens 36, Philadelphia Eagles 7
The real story coming out of this blowout loss was the benching of All-Pro Eagles QB Donovan McNabb at halftime. McNabb did not play especially well, going 8 for 18 with 2 interceptions. Even with those struggles, the Eagles were only behind 10-7 at the break. Kevin Kolb started the second half and failed to put any points on the board, throwing two interceptions of his own, including one in the end zone that was returned 108 yards for a touchdown by Ed Reed. Whether it was Kolb’s inefficiency or the Ravens’ smothering defense or a mixture of the two that led to the offensive woes, Coach Andy Reid has already named McNabb the starter for Thursday night’s game against the Cardinals. It will be the last gasp for Philly, if they haven’t suffocated already.
New York Giants 37, Arizona Cardinals 29
No surprises here. This game proved what everyone was already thinking. The Giants are the best team in the NFC hands-down, while the Cardinals aren’t quite ready to take the conference reigns. The Cardinals hung around most of the afternoon, but they couldn’t make enough plays on the defensive side of the ball to stop Eli Manning. Arizona only ran for a total 23 yards on 15 attempts, showcasing their dependency on Kurt Warner and the passing game. Against a team with a pass rush like the Giants, Warner had no chance. He may have only been sacked once, but he fumbled twice (losing one), and threw an interception. The Cardinals may get a rematch in the playoffs, so they’ll need to learn from their mistakes.
Atlanta Falcons 45, Carolina Panthers 28
With the Panthers having a tough stretch through the final five weeks, the Falcons have an inside track to the division title. Their remaining schedule is a difficult one, but they have another divisional game against Tampa Bay (8-3 at the top of the NFC South) that will factor heavily come January. At the least one wildcard team could easily come out of the South, and Atlanta has a great chance to take that spot. Carolina’s defense was overmatched by Matt Ryan and Michael Turner, never stopping the Falcon offense from marching down the field. Jake Delhomme is now unquestionably the worst quarterback in the division.
Indianapolis Colts 23, San Diego Chargers 20
Including the Chargers, the Colts don’t face a team with a winning record until week 17 when they meet up with Tennessee again. This was going to be their biggest test for a while, so coming out with a last-second victory was huge. They now sit at 7-4 along with Baltimore and New England, but they hold head-to-head victories over both teams. They have the easiest road to a wildcard slot out of the AFC. San Diego gave themselves a chance to win late, but left too much time for Manning and the Colts to drive down the field. Coach Norv Turner was visibly upset with his team’s clock management and their inability to halt the Colts final drive, despite numerous chances. However, with Oakland pulling a massive upset over Denver, the Chargers are shockingly not out of the hunt.
