NFL Week 14 Recap — The Giants Own the Cowboys & Other Things We Learned
Dallas is still the only team to qualify for the postseason, but they had a rough Week 14 of the 2016 NFL season. Here’s what else we learned this week:
The Giants Beat The Cowboys. Again.
Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. hooked up on a 61-yard touchdown play late in the third quarter, and the New York Giants snapped the Dallas Cowboys' 11-game winning streak, 10-7, on Sunday night. With the win, New York (9-4) kept Dallas (11-2) from clinching the NFC East title.
The Cowboys hadn't lost since Week 1 against the Giants. This time, New York’s defense allowed Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott to run for 107 yards, but held quarterback Dak Prescott to just 165 yards passing, with a touchdown, two interceptions and three sacks.
Manning wasn’t much better for the Giants, finishing 17 of 28 for 193 passing yards, the touchdown, an interception and two fumbles.
Still, the New York defense was good enough to stop the Cowboys, something no other team has done this season.
The Packers Are Getting Hotter As The Weather Gets Colder
Aaron Rodgers threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns, and the Green Bay Packers routed the Seattle Seahawks, 38-10, on Sunday. Rodgers hurt his right calf early in the fourth quarter, but Green Bay (7-6) hung on for their third consecutive win.
The Packers’ franchise QB is not expected to miss any starts as his team attempts to close the two-game gap between itself and first-place Detroit in the NFC North.
After losing four straight, Green Bay has been dominant on this win streak. The Packers looked very comfortable in the snowy home conditions at Lambeau Field.
Seattle (8-4-1) could have clinched the NFC West title, but instead they must wait another week to enter the playoff field. Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson finished 22 of 39 for 240 yards and a touchdown, with a career-high five interceptions.
Le'Veon Bell Is A Beast
Le'Veon Bell had 298 total yards and three touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Buffalo Bills, 27-20, on Sunday afternoon. Bell set a franchise record with 236 rushing yards, as Pittsburgh (8-5) won its fourth consecutive game.
Ben Roethlisberger was 17 of 31 for 220 yards and three interceptions that kept Buffalo (6-7) in the game until late. The Bills’ loss puts them thisclose to being eliminated from the postseason for the 17th consecutive year.
Buffalo’s offense was generally awful throughout the game, as quarterback Tyrod Taylor finished 15 of 25 for 228 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
The Texans & Titans Both Lead The AFC South
Both the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans came up with big wins on Sunday to remain tied atop the AFC South standings with just three games left in the regular season.
Lamar Miller ran for 107 yards and Houston's only touchdown and the Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts, 22-17, on Sunday. Houston (7-6) preserved the win with defense, stopping Indy’s Andrew Luck on his team’s final drive of the game.
Luck led Indianapolis (6-7) to the Texans 42-yard line with 1:24 left, but the drive stalled on his incomplete pass on fourth-and-1.
Luck finished 24 of 45 for 276 yards, with two scoring passes and two interceptions. T.Y. Hilton caught nine passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.
Brock Osweiler was 14 of 24 for 147 yards, with one interception for the Texans.
In Nashville, DeMarco Murray ran for 92 yards and a touchdown, and the Tennessee Titans beat the Denver Broncos, 13-10, on Sunday. Tennessee (7-6) jumped out to a 13-0 lead and hung on for the win, marking the first time they’ve been above .500 this season.
Trevor Siemian threw for 334 yards and one touchdown for Denver (8-5), but it wasn’t enough. As good as the Broncos’ pass rush is, their run defense continues to give ground that hurts the team’s chances of winning games.
Marcus Mariota threw for just 88 yards for the Titans.
The two teams clashed when Denver cornerback Aqib Talib and Tennessee wide receiver Harry Douglas scrapped one play after Douglas had exacted a low block on Broncos’ cornerback Chris Harris Jr.
The Dolphins Won, But They Lost QB Ryan Tannehill
Andrew Franks kicked a 21-yard field goal as time expired, and the Miami Dolphins beat the Arizona Cardinals, 26-23, on Sunday. Miami (8-5) got the win despite losing starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill with a knee injury in the third quarter.
Tannehill threw three touchdown passes before leaving after Cardinals’ defensive tackle Calais Campbell hit him low on a completed pass play. Tannehill could be out for the remainder of the regular season.
Backup quarterback Matt Moore, who at first struggled in place of Tannehill, had 12- and 29-yard completions to Kenny Stills on the drive that set up Franks’ game-winning kick.
Arizona (5-7-1) remained in the playoff hunt, but just barely. After they seemed finished early in the second half, the Cardinals scored on touchdown drives of 99 and 50 yards to tie the game. Carson Palmer was 18 of 33 for 145 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked three times for 20 yards.
Other Scores
Thursday, Dec. 8
Kansas City 21, Oakland 13
Sunday, Dec. 11
Detroit 20, Chicago 17
Cincinnati 23, Cleveland 10
Washington 27, Philadelphia 22
Carolina 28, San Diego 16
Minnesota 25, Jacksonville 16
N.Y. Jets 23, San Francisco 17 (OT)
Tampa Bay 16, New Orleans 11
Atlanta 42, Los Angeles 14