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| Authored by Andrew Perna - 29th November, 2005 - 5:57 pm
 In week twelve we saw four overtime battles. One ended on a 41-yard touchdown run by LaDainian Tomlinson, another ended on a field goal after Ron Dayne busted for a 55-yard gain, and another ended on a 56-yard touchdown pass from St. Louis quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to Kevin Curtis.
We won?t bring up the other overtime game. We?ll just say in ended on a 36-yard field goal by Seattle kicker Josh Brown ? Mr. Feely I?ll spare you the pain, just wear a hat and sunglasses next time to walk around in New York or New Jersey.
We also saw the Saints end their 6-game losing streak with a win over the hapless New York Jets, Tom Brady get picked off four times by the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich break his ankle against the Arizona Cardinals.
And oh yeah, the Colts are 11-0.
Those were just some of the highlights from week twelve in the NFL. Here is my complete list of highs and lows.
The Highest of Highs
LT?s OT-ending Run
LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns against the Washington Redskins, and that was just in regulation. He added a 41-yard, game-winning touchdown in overtime. The win kept the San Diego Chargers alive in the AFC playoff race, having won their fourth straight game. The three rushing touchdowns put Tomlinson at 17 for the season, and tied his career high with 5 games left in the season. Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer called Tomlinson the best running back in football, and he may not be too far off. Tomlinson needs 11 rushing touchdowns in his last 5 games to break Priest Holmes? single season record, that?s just over 2 scores a game. Definitely not out of LT?s reach.
Saints End Skid
New Orleans ended their six-game losing streak with a 21-19 victory over the disastrous New York Jets. Quarterback Aaron Brooks threw for three touchdowns, with one coming late in the fourth quarter to Devery Henderson that gave the Saints their decisive lead. They should enjoy their fun while it lasts. They have Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Carolina coming up on their schedule.
Wesley Collects Hat Trick
Before the Chiefs game against the Patriots on Sunday safety Greg Wesley told his teammates he would intercept Tom Brady three times, and he did. The turnovers allowed Kansas City to defeat New England 26-16, and keep them in the tight AFC playoff race. Overall, Brady was picked off 4 times, which tied a career-high. The Chiefs will face off against the Denver Broncos this Sunday, in a game that has major playoff implications. The AFC West leading Broncos are 9-2, while the Chiefs stand at 7-4.
Fitzpatrick?s Best Show on Turf
The Rams had already lost quarterback Marc Bulger, then in the first quarter back-up Jamie Martin was knocked out of the game because of a concussion. The Rams were left with rookie Ryan Fitzpatrick. All he did was lead the Rams back from a 21-point deficit against the Houston Texans. Fitzpatrick, a Harvard graduate, threw his first NFL pass on Sunday, which led to 310 passing yards and three touchdowns. If Martin is still inactive, Fitzpatrick will try his luck against the Washington Redskin defense next week.
The Broncos Ride Dayne
Denver had a comfortable 21-14 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. Then Cowboy quarterback Drew Bledsoe connected with Jason Witten for a 4-yard touchdown reception, and the Thanksgiving battle headed into overtime. The extra session didn?t last long at all. A 55-yard run by Bronco running back Ron Dayne set up a game-winning 24-yard field goal by Jason Elam. The win extended Denver?s lead in the AFC West, as they improved to 9-2. Dayne finished with 98 yards and one touchdown on Thursday, nearly becoming the third Denver running back ? along with Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell, to pass the century mark in a game this season.
The Lowest of Lows
Mariucci Sent Packing
The Lions fired head coach Steve Mariucci and several of his assistants on Monday. Detroit lost 27-7 to the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving, and rumors heated up that the coach would be fired over the weekend. They have lost four out of five games, after starting strong and holding a lead in the weak NFC North division. Since then the Lions have been passed by the red-hot Vikings and Bears. Mariucci used three quarterbacks in the loss on Thursday, ending the game with rookie Dan Orlovsky running the offense.
Leftwich Breaks Ankle
Third-year quarterback Bryon Leftwich left the Jaguars game against the Cardinals after he suffered a broken ankle. Leftwich broke his left ankle after being sacked by the Cardinals Adrian Wilson on his first play of the game. He stayed in for several more plays before limping off the field. In the best-case Leftwich will be out for a month, but it could end up being worse depending on how fast he heals. Jacksonville, 8-3, is battling for an AFC Wild Card spot, because they are in the same division as the Indianapolis Colts. If the playoffs began today the Jaguars would earn a playoff berth, but they will begin a tough stretch without their star quarterback.
Struggling Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost consecutive games for the first time since the 2003 season, and the losing streak couldn?t have come at a worse time. Pittsburgh, 7-4, is now looking up at the AFC North-leading Cincinnati Bengals, and is locked in a tight race with Jacksonville, San Diego, and Kansas City for the AFC Wild Card spot. The Steelers can win their way into a first-place tie with a win over Cincinnati this Sunday. On the other hand, if the Bengals can replicate the spanking the Colts gave Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football they would virtually lock up the division title.
Michael Irvin Arrested
Former Cowboy receiver and current ESPN football analyst Michael Irvin was arrested over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend after police found drug paraphernalia in his car during a traffic stop. Irvin claimed the pipe that police found belonged to a friend who left it at Irvin?s house on Thanksgiving. Apparently Irvin had been speeding in Plano, Texas and also had outstanding speeding ticket. ESPN planned to allow Irvin to appear on television Monday Night, but they will continue to speak with Irvin about the situation.
Bills Miss Opportunity
The Patriots lost to the Chiefs on Sunday, leaving the door open to the Buffalo Bills to make up ground on New England in the race for the AFC East title. Instead, Buffalo fell to the Carolina Panthers 13-9, after Jake Delhomme connected with Michael Gaines for a 3-yard touchdown score. Carolina took the lead with three minutes left in the game, and Buffalo was unable to put together a game-winning drive after JP Losman was intercepted in the final minute. The Bills are now two games behind the defending-champion Patriots with five games left to play. |
