NFL 2010: Week 15 Recap

The season has winnowed out the chaffe from the rest...if you want to see who's left for our playoff plate go to my playoff story HERE.

2010-11 NFL Season: Week 15 Recap

San Diego 34 San Francisco 7...San Diego looks to be cruising and my prediction in week 8 that they would run the table since that early bad start has almost come true...just a loss to the Raiders a few weeks ago has slowed them down. This game against the 49ers was never in doubt...the Chargers could go to the Super Bowl despite their lack of a home field throughout the playoffs.

Buffalo 17 Miami 14...Buffalo beat Miami on the road. Miami has given up on the playoffs despite their tough defense....the injured offense kept them down and without injuries they could have been a playoff team.

Cincinnati 19 Cleveland 17...these two teams never seriously challenged for the divisional title...the Bengals almost achieved a double-digit losing streak this year with Cleveland keeping that from happening. I can't figure the Bengals...I guess they really have made bad personnel choices that me as an onlooker can't evaluate...next year hope springs eternal.

Detroit 23 Tampa Bay 20...Tampa Bay is a puffed-up team who beat up on poor or average teams while Detroit has come on in the late season with an offense that has impressive players and will improve next year if their quarterback problems don't recur...injuries hurt them this year. Detroit beat Tampa Bay in this game where the Bucs were favored by 6 points.

Indianapolis 34 Jacksonville 24...Indy can always seem to put up thirty points and win a game against a good offensive team while Jacksonville will always be dangerous with David Garrard at quarterback...he's mobile and is a very exciting play maker. Indy won't make the playoffs it doesn't appear to me...a ton of injuries hurt them badly this year. I don't think the Jags have a defense to go far into the playoffs.

Carolina 19 Arizona 12...this was nice because the Panthers got some evenly matched competition to play against and they won. These are two horrible offensive teams who won't be in the playoffs any time soon.

Baltimore 30 New Orleans 24...the Saints might go to the Super Bowl and maybe the Ravens are good enough too...on this day in Baltimore, though, the Ravens beat the Saints in an exciting game which was close to the end.

Philadelphia 38 New York Giants 31...the Eagles came back from 21 down in the fourth quarter and won this game with a long punt return on the last play of the game...WOW! The most exciting finish in a game maybe ever. The Giants must be stunned and the Eagles look like Super Bowl material, but so do a lot of teams. The Eagles offense is explosive.

Kansas City 27 St Louis 13...this road game was a needed win for the Chiefs who lost last week...the Chiefs can still win their division, but the Chargers are close now.

Dallas 33 Washington 30...Jon Kitna has made the Cowboys look purposeful while the Redskins look like who they are namely an average in need of some offensive weapons...neither of these teams is playoff-bound.

Tennessee 31 Houston 17...Tennessee was heading for the Super bowl before Kenny Britt and then Vince Young were injured...both these teams are playing out the season. Tennessee will be good depending on whether Vince Young is traded...without him they're not heading for the Super Bowl soon.

Atlanta 34 Seattle 18...the Falcons won this road game easily against the maybe-playoff-bound Seahawks. Atlanta is good enough to go the Super Bowl and may have home field throughout...it looks like one win more may clinch home field for them. Seattle is horrible evn though they are a psosible division winner this year.

New York Jets 22 Pittsburgh 17...these two teams are tough...the Jets beat a battered Pittsburgh offensive team in this one which went down to the wire with the Steelers near the goal line as time expired. The Steelers are good enough to go to the Super Bowl, but I think injuries will stop them. The Jets have a young offense led by second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez who looks bewildered at times by opposing defenses. Sanchez has average numbers that will stop the Jets short this year.

Oakland 39 Denver 23...Oakland is resurgent this year featuring a sometimes explosive offense, but their defense has let them down...Jason Campbell seems to me to be the best fit for Oakland at quarterback yet the national sports media never seems to explain the apparent controversy at quarterback in Oakland...Campbell is mobile and that almost always looks to be a desirable trait with all other things being mostly equal. Denver is in turmoil this year having just fired their head coach...I could never get a grip on their offensive personality...their offense couldn't get a grip on the offensive scheme either. Oakland won this home game easily...it was never really close.

New England 31 Green Bay 27...my fave team though they're Favre-less for a few years now looked to be crushed, but they brought their best A-game even with Matt Flynn at quarterback and were in the red zone as time expired...it would have been a monumental upset for Boston College grad Flynn to beat the Pats in his FIRST pro start...he was oh so close! THIS game was THE game of the year in a season with many,MANY choices. The Pats look to be a first overall seed lock while the Pack might make it into the playoffs , but don't buy your tickets yet...up next for the Pack is the New York Giants.

Chicago 40 Minnesota 14...Chicago looks good with a defense that spine-tingles me as I sit and write of it...they lack the nasty, aggressive personality of the mid-80s Bears who were offensive to fans with their defensive superiority. I don't feel that in this Bears defense. I'm really excited because if the Bears make the Super Bowl trip I might wrangle a ticket somehow...you see, Robbie Gould the Bears kicker is from my home town and attended my high school. Furthermore, his Mom and his aunt are friends of mine from high school. My small home town of Lock Haven, Pa. sent four dozen fans to the Super Bowl four years ago as the then second-year kicker played in his first Super Bowl. Lets GO Bears! In this blowout in week 15 the Bears scored in every way possible and crushed the hapless Vikes. The Bears can get more than one home playoff game if they keep on winning!

To see how your favorite team might fare this week go to my week 16 predictions story HERE.

Resources:
www.NFL.com
www.ESPN.go.com

Related Articles:
Tommy Hayfield's Sports
NFL 2010: the Playoff Chase