As was the case last week, there were numerous surprises around the National Football League. From the New England Patriots winning at Pittsburgh on Thursday night, to the Chicago Bears stunning the Lions at Soldier Field.
The New York Giants rallied in the closing moments to cool off the Green Bay Packers on Monday night. That same evening, the underdog Tennessee Titans came from seemingly nowhere to hand the Miami Dolphins their first home loss of the season.
What other shocks could be in store in Week 15? Speaking of Mike Vrabel’s team…
3. Titans win back-to-back games for the first time in over a year
A season ago, Mike Vrabel’s team dropped its first two contests but rebounded to win seven of their next eight games. In Week 10 at Nashville, the Titans knocked off the Denver Broncos, 17-10. Four days later on a Thursday night at Lambeau Field, Vrabel’s team flexed its muscles in a convincing 27-17 victory over the Packers.
Since then, Tennessee owns a dismal 5-15 record. The team lost its final seven outings a year ago and this season just got its fifth victory of 2023 by stunning the Dolphins at Miami on Monday night. Now they play three of their last four games at home, starting this Sunday with a date with the much-improved Houston Texans.
Those aforementioned triumphs over the Denver and Green Bay in 2022 marked the last time Vrabel’s team won two games in a row. That’s about to change this week as running back Derrick Henry, who has run for a pair of touchdowns in three straight games, has his way with the Texans’ defense one more time.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars cool off the Ravens in prime time
It was quite the Week 14, especially in the AFC and in particular when it came to the four division leaders. John Harbaugh’s team survived the visiting Los Angeles Rams, 37-31, in overtime when speedy Tylan Wallace took back a punt 76 yards for a touchdown. It raised the Baltimore Ravens’ record to 10-3, equaling the team’s record from a year ago.
The other three teams atop their respective perches were not so fortunate. On Sunday afternoon, the Jacksonville Jaguars turned over the ball four times in a 31-27 loss at Cleveland. Later that day, the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs fell at home to the Buffalo Bills, 20-17. On Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium, the Tennessee Titans pulled off the surprise of the season by rallying to nip the Dolphins, 28-27.
Baltimore features the league’s top running game, the NFL’s second-ranked defense and has allowed the second-fewest points in the league. The team owns a two-game lead in the AFC North over the 8-5 Cleveland Browns. The Ravens have had their share of issues late in games. They’ve been outscored a combined 98-86 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Harbaugh’s team has outscored the opposition in each of the first three quarters, including 200-87 in the first half.
The Jaguars are tied for the NFL lead with 24 takeaways. It says here that Lamar Jackson and company make a few too many mistakes.
1. Desperate Seattle Seahawks extend the Eagles' recent misery
In 2021, the Seattle Seahawks were the only NFC West team not to finish with a winning record and the only club in the division which failed to reach the playoffs. A season ago, Pete Carroll’s club was a surprise postseason entry. It took a Detroit Lions’ win at Lambeau Field in the final Sunday night game of the season for the 9-8 club to grab a wild card berth.
The Seahawks were one-and-done a year. This season, the team was humbled at home by the rival Rams but rebounded to win three straight and six of their next eight games. At one time, they and the 49ers owned identical 6-3 records. Since then, the Niners haven’t lost and the Seahawks haven’t won. Carroll’s club has dropped to 6-7 and will have to scramble to get back to the playoff this year.
The Philadelphia Eagles recently owned an NFL-best 10-1 resume. However, the team has taken a licking the past two Sundays by the 49ers (42-19) and Cowboys (33-13) by a combined score of 75-32. In their last three contests, the Birds have allowed 109 points. That defense could certainly be the cure for the ‘Hawks on Monday night.
As of this writing on Wednesday evening, it was very unclear whether quarterback Geno Smith would return to the starting lineup after missing last week’s game at San Francisco. In any case, don’t be shocked if Carroll’s club comes up with a huge effort against the defending NFC champions.