Week 14 of the NFL may have been the best so far. There were blowouts, upsets, and shocking finishes to games that left you looking to someone on the couch asking, ‘Did that just happen?’ The Vikings won a game against the Raiders 3-0 on the road with a game-winning field goal. The scoreline sounds like a baseball shutout rather than a football score. The Steelers stunningly lost to the Patriots at home on Thursday Night Football. The team went from 7-4 to losing two games to the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots to collapse in the wild card race. Their rivals, the Bengals and Browns, won their respective games with backup quarterbacks under center who never dreamt of playing in critical games in December at the start of the season. Yes, the NFL is wild. In this article, we will discuss the contending teams reeling from losses in Week 14 and which is in trouble the most.
1. Which team had the most damaging loss on Sunday afternoon- Houston Texans or Detroit Lions?
These two teams were favorites to win their early Sunday afternoon game against the New York Jets and Chicago. Justin Fields and the Bears dominated the Lions and the former 1st round pick by completing 19 of 33 passes, 223 yards, and one touchdown. Field also tallied 12 carries for 58 yards on the ground. On the other hand, Jared Goff struggles with turnovers continued with two interceptions, and the offense stalled in the Windy City. The Texans looked like a team primed for the playoffs, but in their matchup against the Jets, Houston got dominated on both sides of the football. Rookie sensation CJ Stroud completed only 10 of 23 passes for 91 yards with 0 touchdowns. The Texans’ offense was awful by going 1 of 12 on third down, having eight punts, and allowing five sacks to a ferocious Jets defense. Surprisingly, Zack Wilson impressed after returning from being benched by completing 27 of 36 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. The more damaging loss was for the Texans because it pushed them to the eighth slot in the AFC standings, which means they would miss the playoffs if it started today. The Lions hurt their chances for the number 1 seed, but at worst, they look likely to be the number 3 seed in the NFC.
2. Which Monday Night Football loss was more stunning and damaging-Green Bay Packers or the Miami Dolphins?
Monday Night Football has been an American tradition to start the work week in the fall for decades. However, for the past few years, I have preferred Sunday Night Football because the game has been more competitive and usually the best game of the weekend. In Week 14, there were two games on the slate involving a team contending for a playoff spot against a team with an incentive to tank for a higher seed in the NFL draft. Surprisingly, the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants rose to the occasion, providing fantastic games and ultimately winning their matchups. The Green Bay Packers clawed back into the game after facing a 21-13 deficit, but Jordan Love catapulted his team into a 22-21 lead with only 1:33 remaining in the 4th quarter. However, Tommy Devito led his team down the field and to a game-winning field as the time expired. On the other hand, the Dolphins enjoyed a 27-13 with 4:34 left in the fourth quarter. Yet, the Titans did not give up, with Will Levis leading the team down the field to score two touchdowns and blanking the Dolphins during the time span. The more stunning and damaging loss is the Dolphins because they became the first NFL team ever to lose a 14-point lead in a game with less than 2:55 left and without overtime. The Dolphins lost the edge in the race for the number one seed to the Ravens, while the Packers remain the number 7 seed in the NFC.
3. Which team is more likely to recover from a disastrous week 14 loss- the Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs?
It feels as if we analyze these teams on a week-to-week basis because, at the start of the season, they were pre-imminent favorites to win the Super Bowl. However, both teams have endured a rollercoaster season, and in week 14, it felt like a plunge on the Superman ride. The Kansas City Chiefs offense struggled on Sunday and trailed the entire game. However, late in the fourth quarter, it appeared Travis Kelce had pulled off the play of the year after making an instinctive backward pass to Kadarius Toney to score a touchdown. Yet, the play did not count because Toney lined up in the neutral zone. Yikes! Patrick Mahomes was incensed by the decision and was visibly frustrated by the call which led to a 3-point home loss. However, for the second straight week, the Eagles were bludgeoned on both sides of the football by their NFC counterparts. The Cowboys dominated with Dak playing scintillating football against a struggling Eagles defense. I think the Eagles have a better chance to recover because they play one of the easiest remaining schedules, and they could still win the NFC East over the Dallas Cowboys, who play tougher opponents. The Chiefs will still win the AFC West but are vulnerable compared to other teams in the conference.