Week 9 Results: Go Figure
The 2013 NFL season has been anything but normal, so why would Week 9 be any different?
Maybe it's fitting that this is the season that the Super Bowl will be in the New Jersey swamps. It'll probably be in the midst of a February blizzard with President Obama and Governor Christie together again, this time in a luxury box sharing a boda bag full of who-knows-what because the power went out.
It's just that kind of season.
Thursday night's game ended with an overtime safety, something you may not see again for a long while. The early games on Sunday proved that no one can say that there is a lock of any week. The New York Jets were coming off a 49-9 pasting against Cincinnati, who lost by that safety on Thursday night. The Jets came back this week, however, and upset Drew Brees and the Saints, 26-20, as Rex Ryan defeated his brother for the fifth time in five tries. The undefeated Chiefs had to score twice on defense to beat Buffalo and Jeff Tuel, their third string quarterback, while Tennessee had to hold on to handle an injury-plauged St Louis squad.
The NFC East had two of the crazier games, as the Cowboys almost blew one to the lowly Vikings before Tony Romo bailed them out with a late touchdown pass to Dwayne Harris. The Chargers scored what they thought was the winning touchdown on the road against Washington but it was overruled giving them a first down and a half-yard to go for the winning touchdown. The Redskins took the OT kickoff, duly marched down the field, and rambled in for the winning touchdown that marked a stunning turn of events. Perhaps San Diego was stuffed on their first-and-goal with less than a minute in regulation, but to totally abandon the running game as a result was unbelievable. It served as a symbolic write-off of their post-season hopes, as it should have.
Conventional wisdom was the Ravens would get back on track against Cleveland and their third string quarterback, Jason Campbell, but the New Browns upset the Old Browns, 24-18. Too bad Art Modell wasn't alive to see it. Meanwhile, viewers shifting to the Seattle - Tampa Bay game had to be stunned to see the Bucs leading 21-0 in the Pacific Northwest. The Seahawks clawed back in the second half, with the momentum truly swinging their way on Golden Tate's gutsy 71-yard punt return to set up a field goal.
How could a team not comeback after a show of determination like that? A last-minute touchdown, a hold in overtime, and a Russell Martin/Marshawn Lynch march down the field for the field goal that sealed the 27-24 victory.
The game thought to have upset potential was far from it. Pittsburgh got crushed in New England, 55-31. And did someone say Philadelphia needed a quarterback? Not when they're playing Oakland. What a difference a week makes! Nick Foles tied an NFL record by tossing seven touchdown passes on the way to a 49-20 rout of the Raiders.
Should the league start putting coaches on curfew? Another one went down in the late game, as Gary Kubiak collapsed at halftime and had to be hospitalized. Hopefully, they didn't have television monitors in the emergency ward, as the Texans also collapsed in the second half; Indianapolis rallied to post a 27-24 triumph.
There's a chance of brisk wind in Green Bay for the Monday night game, even though Mike Ditka is thought to be nowhere near Lambeau Stadium. Looks like Josh McCown and the Bears are on their own.