In Week 12 of the NFL regular season, football is briefly not the focus – instead, the fan base is worried about RedZone host Scott Hanson. The Pittsburgh Steelers find their offense (with one exception), the lights go out in Buffalo and Philly is simply unbeatable. Also: The best play of the week, several milestones and losers who end up being winners. The findings of the week.
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NFL, Week 12 – Gewinner: Philadelphia Eagles
There was no “Super Bowl hangover” after the lost final game last February, but how much the Eagles’ good start to the season was really worth seemed unclear for a long time – the good opponents were still to come. After victories against the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs and now against the Buffalo Bills, these question marks are a thing of the past: The Eagles are an absolute power!
Not because they shoot down one opponent after the other – in fact, only three of the ten victories this season were won by a difference of more than six points. But because they always win in the end. Even if it’s close. Even if they are trailing at half-time, as they have been in the last four games. Because they have a good, deep, strongly coached team. Because they have the “tush push”. A good running and a good passing game. An ice-cold kicker in Jake Elliott. A strong pass rush. Arguably the best center in the NFL in Jason Kelce. And of course quarterback Jalen Hurts (more on him in the MVP rankings later this week).
An NFL season is incredibly long, every team is extremely dangerous on the right day, so often a play or a few centimeters make the difference. That’s why every team in the league has already suffered at least three defeats – except Philadelphia.
Are the Eagles still on the way to becoming the top seed in the NFC? Next Sunday there will be a summit meeting with the San Francisco 49ers (8-3) at Lincoln Financial Field. The eleventh win and the thing is actually over, even if the subsequent away games in Dallas and Seattle are not without their own. But let’s make up our minds: the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC only leads through the City of Brotherly Love.
PS: How the heck did the JETS win against Philly?
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NFL, Week 12 – Loser: Buffalo Bills
Let’s move on to the game of the week. Buffalo isn’t here because they narrowly lost to the Eagles – who doesn’t have that happen to them? But the way it was played really hurts again because the team played so well for so long, because it was so close – and because in the end they screwed it up again. Over 500 yards of offense away from home in Philadelphia were sensationally good, and quarterback Josh Allen was in MVP form for long stretches (and better than his opposite number, Jalen Hurts!). But there was another unnecessary interception, or two missed field goal attempts by Tyler Bass that suddenly wobbled. A late lost lead on top of that – and the sixth defeat in the sixth overtime game in Allen’s career.
So it will be really difficult in the fight for the playoffs in the extremely balanced AFC: The Bills can only afford a maximum of one defeat in the race for the postseason place, and that could also be too much – and there are still games waiting for the Chiefs , against the Cowboys and at the Dolphins.
The following statistic shows how bitter it would be to miss the playoffs: With a point differential of +101 after twelve weeks, Buffalo is the fourth-best team in the NFL in this regard. The last team that was so strong in this statistic but still didn’t have a positive record was the Eagles – in 1950! But the Bills also waste one close game after another: out of eight one-score games, six were lost, which puts them level with the New England Patriots. And that says it all.
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NFL, Week 12 – Alert of the Week: Scott Hanson
Who doesn’t love him, the likeable, broad-shouldered presenter with a square chin and always perfect hairstyle! Scott Hanson has been leading through the NFL RedZone, which is around seven hours long, every Sunday since 2009 and is probably more popular in the States than Günter Jauch here. Hanson doesn’t get upset easily – but this time there was actually a first for him: fire alarm! “We have to evacuate the building,” he explained live on air, while the Alam yodeled in the background. So his team let the Eagles-Bills game play and he said goodbye.
Luckily, the whole thing turned out to be a false alarm, and the 52-year-old, who only made it to the scout team in college, was back at his usual spot in the studio just a few minutes later. “This reminds me of an old Chinese saying: May you live in interesting times,” he said, confidently handling the incident as usual, even though the alarm had not yet been switched off. “Over 250 episodes of NFL RedZone – but that’s never been done before,” he later told The Athletic.
By the way: Allegations that he only wanted to cover up the first toilet break of his RedZone career with the fire alarm. sent Hanson into the realm of fables. We wouldn’t have believed him either!
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NFL, Week 12 – Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers Offense
The fact that we named Kenny Pickett perhaps the worst quarterback in the NFL last Monday did not go unnoticed by those in charge in Pittsburgh: a day later, offensive lineman Matt Canada was fired, and everything was about to change against the Cincinnati Bengals. The result: Eureka! The offense is alive! She lives!
Well, according to head coach Mike Tomlin, a “eureka” wasn’t appropriate; he didn’t want to accept anything more than a must-win against the Joe Burrow-less Bengals. And if you score an impressive 16 points, you can leave the church in the village. But 421 yards of offense! That hasn’t happened with the Steelers in 58 (!) games. Combined, that consisted of 153 rushing yards (4.6 per carry) and 278 yards from Pickett, a season high. There were big plays, there were throws up the middle of the field, there were long drives… Pickett was sacked only twice and had no turnovers. Cheers to new playcaller Mike Sullivan. Now all that’s left to do is get the problems in the redzone under control and – stay calm, dear Steelers fans! – 20 points are within reach next week against Arizona.
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NFL, Week 12 – Work refusal of the week: Diontae Johnson
Only one touchdown, not yet a game with 100 receiving yards: The Steelers’ offensive problems have not left receiver Diontae Johnson unscathed. What went past him easily, however, was teammate Jaylen Warren’s fumble: Trust me, this scene is a must see!
Okay, receiver and cornerback agreeing on an unspoken “non-aggression pact” during a running play, that already exists: “Let’s take it easy and save energy, the play has nothing to do with us.” But you can also take it to the extreme, as seen in the clip above. The way Johnson doesn’t lift a finger during the fumble while his opponent (!) picks up the ball and carries it back is impressive in his “don’t give a damn” attitude. Apparently never heard of the mantra “Play to the whistle.”
“I didn’t see the ball,” he said later in the locker room. Instead, he “did what I just did, blocked or whatever.” Right, that’s why he promptly turned on the turbo when he realized that the game wasn’t over yet… although: Maybe he would have gone in the wrong direction anyway.
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NFL, Week 12 – Winning Loser: New England Patriots
Yes, there is no “tanking” in the NBA sense in the NFL. The season is too short for that, the contracts are not guaranteed, and the sport is just too physically hard and too dangerous to lose a few percent on the pitch (well, Diontae Johnson is the exception to this rule).
But you can definitely work on reducing your own chances of victory a little. For example, by giving an obviously overwhelmed quarterback Mac Jones one chance after another, only to send him to the bench again and again as the game progresses, completely destroying his self-confidence. Just like Bill Belichick recently did with the New England Patriots. Before a “must-lose game” against the equally terrible Giants, you could divide the training snaps between two quarterbacks and let it be known that both will play so that neither one can really get into the rhythm. Like Bill Belichick with the Patriots this week.
That can work too, as can be seen from the combined 136 passing yards and three interceptions from Jones and Bailey Zappe against the Giants. Nevertheless, they still need a little help if their own defense holds up and the running game puts up at least 147 yards. Your appearance, Chad Ryland: The rookie kicker obviously knew what phase was in the final seconds and narrowly missed his field goal to equalize. At least if you want to put it in a positive light, otherwise it was just a really miserable kick.
Be that as it may, the Patriots are on course for a top-3 pick in the upcoming draft thanks to the bankruptcy. And that somehow makes them winners.
(Completely unlike Mac Jones. If you want to see the worst interception of the week, click here.)
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NFL, Week 12 – Trick Play of the Week: Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers)
A really nice trick play makes every football fan’s heart soar. Be it a flea flicker, a fake punt or an offensive tackle who suddenly scores a touchdown as a receiver. What, in my opinion, is still neglected in the playbooks are lateral passes, i.e. passes backwards. Of course they are inherently risky, but with reasonably skilled skill players they can be easily rehearsed. The Chargers offered the perfect example in the Sunday Night Game against the Baltimore Ravens when Keenan Allen passed a pass to Austin Eckeler on the sideline and the Chargers got a difficult first down.
Maybe it will take another five years, maybe ten, but I am convinced that sooner or later such plays will be firmly anchored in (almost) every playbook.
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NFL, Week 12 – Stat of the Week: Quarterback Starts
Comes from NFL guru Adam Schefter, ESPN’s breaking news machine: Jake Browning became the league’s 50th starting quarterback this season with the Cincinnati Bengals. And that’s… less than last year! After twelve weeks there were 53 (in 2021 also 50 and in 2022 even 52).
Although I haven’t done the math personally, it’s still surprising that in 2023 we’ll be at the average of recent years despite the many injured stars and starters. Learned something again!
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NFL Week 12 – Milestones of the week
There’s still time for a few pats on the back:
Thanks to 76 rushing yards in a 17:10 win over the Carolina Panthers, Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans is now the eighth running back in NFL history with at least 9,000 rushing yards and 80 touchdowns before his 30th birthday. A total of 84 rushing TDs means 17th place all-time. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens has cracked 5,000 rushing yards. Only quarterbacks Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson have achieved that before him. Jackson was the only one to do this in under 100 games (82). TJ Watt recorded the 90th sack of his career against the Bengals in his 97th NFL game. In under 100 games, only Hall of Famer Reggie White had broken this mark before him.
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NFL Week 12 – the best games of Week 13
The season is entering the final third, so why not take a quick look at what’s in store next week?
Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos: Both teams are 6-5 and fighting for a wild card in the AFC – one defeat and that slips out of reach againPhiladelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers: Probably the two best teams in the NFC – the NFL ? – in a direct duel. If the Niners lose, the top seed is definitely gone. New York Jets vs. Atlanta Falcons: Zach Wilson vs. Desmond Ridder – a game for gourmets!
That’s it! Dolly, take us home!
2023-11-27 12:16:00
#Week #winners #losers #football #world #briefly #worried #Scott #Hanson
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