CNNSI.com's Jon A. Dolezar reviews the Week 11 games.
| Week Eleven |
|---|
 |
Green Bay 29 |
at Pontiac, Mich. |
 |
Detroit 27 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
8 -- Consecutive seasons with 20 or more touchdown passes for Brett Favre, second all-time only to Dan Marino's 10 seasons in a row.
|
Player of
the Game |
Ahman Green, RB, Green Bay: Gained 150 total yards and had two touchdowns on 24 touches, giving him 1,333 total yards in 10 games this season.
|
| Breakdown |
If it's Turkey Day in Detroit, referee Jeff Tripplette must be involved in a controversy. The officials' non-review of Lamont Warren's just-barely-on-the-line incompletion, followed by the review and overrule on Scotty Anderson's sideline catch cost the Lions time at the end of a close game. But Detroit never should've been in the position to even force overtime, as the Packers blew a 29-13 lead in the last six minutes against a winless team. With the loss, the Lions have the dubious distinction of being the only team to ever lose seven games in a row by single digits, proving at least they aren't quitting on Marty Mornhinweg despite their 0-10 record. |
|
 |
Denver 26 |
at Irving, Texas |
 |
Dallas 24 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
4-17 -- Career record of Ryan Leaf as a starting quarterback.
|
Player of
the Game |
Mike Anderson, RB, Denver: Came off the bench after Olandis Gary was injured to rush 33 times for 118 yards and one touchdown.
|
| Breakdown |
The Broncos led 26-3 with 11:13 left before packing it in and allowing the Cowboys to begin a furious comeback. If not for Dave Campo's math-challenged ways, Dallas might have had a shot to pull of the miraculous fourth-quarter rally. Leaf completed only 16-of-32 passes for 193 yards, but he didn't throw an interception. Rod Smith caught seven passes for 81 yards to give him his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season.
|
|
 |
Atlanta 10 |
at Charlotte, N.C. |
 |
Carolina 7 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
7 -- Inches the Panthers couldn't come up with in key situations. They were stopped 6 inches from the goal line in the first half, and late in the fourth quarter came up an inch short on fourth down to seal their fate.
|
Player of
the Game |
Keith Brooking, LB, Atlanta: Had nine tackles and a sack, and led the charge on the goal-line stand by making the key tackle on fourth down. |
| Breakdown |
Granted it's not like their Super Bowl season of 1998, but the Falcons' 6-4 mark is their best since then. Fullback Bob Christian continues to be a dual threat for Atlanta with his second consecutive 100-yard total yardage game. Christian had 78 yards rushing and 44 yards receiving, both team highs. The Panthers lost their 10th consecutive game.
|
|
 |
Miami 34 |
at Orchard Park, N.Y. |
 |
Buffalo 27 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
24 -- Points scored by the Dolphins in the fourth quarter to pull out a comeback victory.
|
Player of
the Game |
Jay Fiedler, QB, Miami: Threw for 262 yards and three TDs, including a 32-yard game-winner with 48 seconds left. |
| Breakdown |
Much-maligned when the Dolphins lose, Fiedler tried to silence his critics by engineering his fourth fourth-quarter comeback of the season. He completed 18 of 31 with no INTs. Chris Chambers, who caught the game-winner, is becoming Fiedler's go-to guy. Chambers had 101 yards receiving and two TDs. The Dolphins moved into a first-place tie with the Jets in the AFC East. The Bills lost their fifth and in a row and eighth consecutive home game. |
|
 |
Cleveland 18 |
at Cleveland |
 |
Bengals 0 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
7 -- Turnovers by the Bengals, including five interceptions between Jon Kitna (2) and Scott Mitchell (3).
|
Player of
the Game |
Phil Dawson, K, Cleveland: His four field goals were all the Browns needed. |
| Breakdown |
The Browns finally stopped Corey Dillon and forced the Bengals' passing game to beat them, which it couldn't. Dillon, who came into the averaging 144 yards against Cleveland, was held to just 63. The Browns padded their NFL-leading INT total to 25. Cleveland posted its first shutout since returning to the league in 1999. |
|
 |
San Francisco 40 |
at Indianapolis |
 |
Indianapolis 21 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
23 -- Points scored by the 49ers off five Colts turnovers. |
Player of
the Game |
Garrison Hearst, RB, San Francisco: Ran for 106 yards on 12 carries (8.8 average) and scored his first rushing TDs since his comeback after a two-year layoff. |
| Breakdown |
Peyton Manning gets the pub, but Jeff Garcia gets results. Manning threw for 370 yards to Garcia's 179, but Manning had a career-high four INTs, three in the second half that led to 49er TDs. One was intercepted 48 yards for a TD, the fifth time this season Manning has had a pick returned for a scroe. Garcia had two TD passes to Manning's one, and most important, Garcia's Niners are 8-2; Manning's Colts 4-6.
|
|
 |
Kansas City 19 |
at Kansas City, Mo. |
 |
Seattle 7 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
1 -- Wins by the Chiefs in five home games this season. Kansas City had the best home winning percentage in the '90s with a 65-15 mark. |
Player of
the Game |
Priest Holmes, RB, Kansas City: Had 190 yards of total offense, 120 on the ground. |
| Breakdown |
Trent Green played nothing like the QB who came into the game with a leage-worst 62.6 rating. He was 16-of-26 for 256 yards and did not add to his NFL-high 16 INTs. The Chiefs held Shaun Alexander, fourth in the league in rushing, to 43 yards.
|
|
 |
Washington 13 |
at Philadelphia |
 |
Philadelphia 3 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
5 -- Wins by the Redskins after five losses to start the season, the first team in NFL history to do that.
|
Player of
the Game |
Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Washington: Rushed for only 56 yards and his first TD in two years, but the former No. 1 overall pick has overcome inconsistency, injury and a year off to find a role in D.C. |
| Breakdown |
Written off after their 0-5 start, the Redskins are playoff contenders. Washington moved to within one game of Philadelphia for the NFC East lead by shutting down an Eagles team that had scored 84 points in its previous two games. The Redskins held the Eagles to 186 yards of offense and seven first downs. Donovan McNabb had only 92 yards passing on wasn't much of a threat on the ground, either, with just three rushes. |
|
 |
Pittsburgh 34 |
at Nashville, Tenn. |
 |
Tennessee 24 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
8-2 -- Record of the Steelers, their best mark after 10 games since 1983. |
Player of
the Game |
Kordell Stewart, QB, Pittsburgh: Passed for 254 yards and two TDs and rushed for 54 yards and another score. |
| Breakdown |
Much-maligned for years, Stewart is becoming the force the Steelers envisioned when he made his debut as "Slash." Stewart did not throw an INT, and his 48-yard TD run added to his league-leading rushing total for QBs. After losing seven in a row to the Titans, the Steelers swept the season series and won for the first time in Tennessee. The Titans' watched their slim playoff hopes evaporate into the arms of Chad Scott, who returned an INT 45 yards for a TD to seal the victory for the Steelers.
|
|
 |
New England 34 |
at Foxboro, Mass. |
 |
New Orleans 24 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
6-3 -- Record of the Patriots since Tom Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe.
|
Player of
the Game |
Tom Brady, QB, New England: Was 19-of-27 for 258 yards and four TDs.
|
| Breakdown |
Brady made Bill Belichick's decision to stay with Brady over a healthy Bledsoe less controversial with his four TD passes. Antowain Smith continues to give the Patriots a strong running presence with 111 yards, his third 100-yard game in the past four. He scored two TDs, one covering 41 yards on a pass play. |
|
 |
Arizona 20 |
at San Diego |
 |
San Diego 17 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
4 -- Consecutive losses by the Chargers, who fell under the .500 mark for the first time after starting out 3-0.
|
Player of
the Game |
Bill Gramatica, K, Arizona: Kicked two field goals, including a 42-yard game-winner with one second remaining.
|
| Breakdown |
Doug Flutie was his usual fourth-quarter self with two TD passes, but it wasn't enough to save the Chargers' fleeting season. After a promising start, San Diego has lost six of eight and is 5-6. Gramatica beat Wade Richey in a game decided by field goals. Gramatica made both his attempts; Richey connected on only one of three. It was the third consecutive time the Cardinals beat the Chargers by a field goal. |
|
 |
Baltimore 24 |
at Jacksonville, Fla. |
 |
Jacksonville 21 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
74 -- Yards covered by the Ravens in their game-winning TD drive with 1:30 left in the game. |
Player of
the Game |
Elvis Grbac, QB, Baltimore: The subject of criticism engineered the game-winning drive and capped it with a 3-yard TD pass with nine seconds left.
|
| Breakdown |
Grbac apparently didn't hold Shannon Sharpe's sharp words against him. Grbac connected with Sharpe for the winning score as Baltimore (7-4) stayed within striking distance of AFC Central-leading Pittsburgh (8-2). Grbac, whose five turnovers in a loss the week before prompted Sharpe's to speak out, was 21-of-30 for 259 yards.
|
|
 |
Oakland 28 |
at East Rutherford, N.J. |
 |
New York 10 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
182 -- Combined receiving yardage of Oakland's Tim Brown and Jerry Rice.
|
Player of
the Game |
Tim Brown, WR, Oakland: Had six catches for 117 yards and two TDs (46 and 19 yards). |
| Breakdown |
There are no guarantees for Jim Fassel these days. A week after Fassel challenged his team, albeit not in the same manner he did last season, the Giants were thoroughly beaten. The Raiders look flawless on offense behind Rich Gannon, the league's highest-rated QB. He 13-of-20 for 221 yards and three TDs. |
|
 |
Chicago 13 |
at Minneapolis |
 |
Minnesota 6 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
97 -- Regular-season games the Vikings went with scoring a touchdown before being kept out of the end zone by the Bears. |
Player of
the Game |
Michael Green, S, and Brian Urlacher, LB, Chicago: Led the Bears' staunch defense with 12 tackles each. Green had 10 solo tackles, Urlacher eight. |
| Breakdown |
The Bears are winning because they are playing like the great Bears team of the past: great defense, good enough offense. Chicago held Minnesota's WR duo of Randy Moss and Cris Carter to a combined nine catches for 70 yards. Moss was especially bottled up with only 25 yards receiving and a couple of drops. James Allen was the workhorse back for the Bears with 107 yards on 27 carries. The Vikings at 4-6 look like they'll miss the playoffs for just the second time in head coach Dennis Green's 10-year tenure. |
|
 |
Tampa Bay 24 |
at St. Louis |
 |
St. Louis 17 |
• Recap
• Game Summary
|
| Key Stat |
5 -- Turnovers by the Rams, who took over the league lead with 32. |
Player of
the Game |
Warren Sapp, DT, Tampa Bay: Set the tone for the Bucs' defense with two sacks and a forced fumble. |
| Breakdown |
The Bucs kept their playoff hopes alive behind a defense caused three fumbles and forced Kurt Warner to throw two fourth-quarter interceptions. Warner has thrown 11 INTs in the past four games. He also fumbled once. Sapp, who had 29 sacks the past two years but came into the game with only three this season, proved he could still change the outlook of a game. The Rams, considered a favorite to reach the Super Bowl, are now tied with the 49ers in the NFC West. |
