Green Bay Packers 14, Kansas City Chiefs 19
The Packers were going into Kansas City undefeated, and the Chiefs didn’t look much like a formidable opponent, but the Chiefs pulled off one of the most resounding wins of the season.
Simply put, Aaron Rodgers never got going, and the Chiefs didn’t roll over and play dead. The Chiefs were aggressive, even going for it inside the 5 yard line on 4th and inches early on, although they didn’t get a first down on the play. This game has no real playoff significance. The Packers will still most likely be the 1 seed in the NFC, and the Chiefs will still be left at home to watch the post-season, but when an undefeated team loses their first game this late in the season, it feels as if someone just popped a balloon in your face.
Seattle Seahawks 38, Chicago Bears 14
The Bears were effectively eliminated from playoff contention today in an ugly loss to the Seahawks after staking an early 14-7 lead. The Bears have missed Jay Cutler in the worst way since he was injured trying to make a tackle following a turnover.
The Seahawks are continuing to build, putting one block on top of the previous one. It’s a slow process, but they were able to dominate a Bears team that I would still classify as a good football team, despite the lack of a solid, healthy quarterback. Tarvaris Jackson may not be the long-term answer in Seattle, but he’s beginning to grow into the role of a starting quarterback. Sometimes, it’s all about confidence, and wins like this will go a long way towards Jackson’s cause.
Carolina Panthers 28, Houston Texans 13
The Panthers were finally able to beat a very good team today, and they did so in convincing fashion. As good a win as this was, the score isn’t indicative of the complete team effort put in by the Panthers. They scored points, didn’t shoot themselves in the foot, and held a very good offense to just 13 points over the course of a game. Most importantly, however, they didn’t blow an early lead. Cam Newton is the real deal, and he continues to show it week in and week out.
The Texans are now in a much less comfortable position, despite being guaranteed a playoff birth for the first time in franchise history. They no longer hold the top seed, and it looks likely that they may not get another crack at a first round bye, especially with the Patriots, Steelers, and Ravens all in line for the top 2 AFC playoff positions. T.J. Yates is still growing, though; and I doubt we’ll see the Texans fade quietly as we head towards the playoffs.
Other Games:
Jacksonville Jaguars 14, Atlanta Falcons 41
Dallas Cowboys 31, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 15
Miami Dolphins 30, Buffalo Bills 23
Tennessee Titans 13, Indianapolis Colts 28
New Orleans Saints 42, Minnesota Vikings 20
Washington Redskins 23, New York Giants 10
Cincinnati Bengals 20, St. Louis Rams 13
