NFL Week 11 Recaps Posts -- FanHouse

Latest NFL Week 11 Recaps Stories

Rumors of the Bronco Demise Were Greatly, Well, Somewhat Exaggerated

Posted: Nov 20th 2007 12:30AM by Josh Alper (author feed)
Filed under: Broncos, Titans, Denver, Nashville

You didn't see many prognostications, including my own, for tonight's Broncos-Titans game that foresaw a lot of scoring. That means you didn't see too many correct predictions. Instead you got two stellar performances from the two quarterback standouts of the 2006 Draft and a highly entertaining 34-20 Bronco win. The victory puts them into a first place tie with the Chargers for the AFC West lead and they've got a lot more momentum than Norv Turner's underachieving bunch.

Jay Cutler had his best game as a professional. 16-of-21 for 200 yards and two touchdowns in a nearly flawless performance for the Broncos. He moved with confidence in the pocket, running with effect when needed and throwing on the move with precision. His first quarter touchdown to Brandon Stokley was a smart throw made better by some nifty running from the wideout. In the third quarter he recognized Brandon Marshall had drawn a mismatch with Titans safety Chris Hope out of the game and exploited it for a 41-yard score that upped Denver's lead to 27-10.

They opened the lead thanks to an unlikely source. The Bronco kick return game had been miserable all season but Glenn Martinez scored his first career touchdown on an 80-yard return in the first quarter that staked the Broncs to a 14-0 lead. Martinez later fumbled a punt to allow Tennessee back into the game but his touchdown represented the second unit that's emerged in as many weeks for Denver.

Continue Reading Rumors of the Bronco Demise Were Greatly, Well, Somewhat Exaggerated

Patriots Destroy Buffalo Enroute to 10-0

Posted: Nov 19th 2007 7:18AM by Dan (author feed)
Filed under: Bills, Patriots, AFC East, Buffalo

14 COMMENTS

Bill Belichick has publicly expressed his respect and affection for the Buffalo Bills and coach Dick Jauron, but that didn't stop him or his team from manhandling them last night at Ralph Wilson Stadium. In fact, the Patriots showed no mercy at all as they tallied up 56 points, which included touchdowns on their first seven possessions.

What more can be said? It was another dominant performance by a team that is probably the best the NFL has ever seen. Tom Brady and Randy Moss connected 10 times for 128 yards and four touchdowns, while the Patriots defense held the Bills to 78 yards rushing and 229 yards overall.

Not all was lost for Buffalo, however. Despite their ugly performance on the field, the entire stadium was treated to a heartwarming message prior to the game.

Minutes before the players took the field to do battle, the Jumbotron came on and played a video from Bills tight end Kevin Everett, who suffered a near fatal spinal cord injury only 10 weeks ago. And his message was an extremely positive one. He let everyone know that he is finally home and expressed his thanks for the support from teammates, coaches and fans.

A loss is a loss and a life is a life. And while losing is never fun, the Bills and their fans have to walk away feeling great about their night after hearing such great news from Kevin Everett. I know I did.

Antrel Rolle Comes Up Huge In Win Over Lowly Bengals

Posted: Nov 18th 2007 10:25PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: AZ Cardinals, Bengals, AFC North, NFC West, Phoenix, Cincinnati

0 COMMENTS

Arizona got a huge win in Cincinnati, 35-27, led by Antrel Rolle's three interceptions. Not just interceptions, but pick-sixes. All three were returned for TDs (one was called back after a Cardinal took a cheap shot on Carson Palmer).

It wasn't all about Rolle; it was about a turnaround. During the past 15 years or so, no NFL franchises embodied losing more than the Cardinals and Bengals. The Jake Plummer-led Cards had a brief moment in the sun several years ago while these Bengals made good back in 2005.

These Bengals are supposed to be one of the NFL's elite. Right now, they are in shambles with a 3-7 record. Still, this was a game that Arizona tended to lose: a road game. Arizona went into "the jungle" and beat the Bengals in ways not known to Cardinal fans.

The defense really stepped up. Arizona picked off Carson Palmer four times and recovered a Chad Johnson fumble. The offense, while not blazing, did what it had to do to win. Kurt Warner was throwing the ball with his right hand, left hand, underhand and backhand. They outmuscled the Bengals on both sides of the ball. Arizona took advantage of Cincy's mistakes and didn't make many of their own. Who would've thought going into the season that it would be the Cardinals as the poised, gritty team in this one?

Those are all great signs for a Cardinals team that now finds itself in the thick of the NFC playoff race. The Cards trail the NFC West leading Seahawks by just a game in the two-team race ... and are just a game behind the Lions in the wildcard race.

Cincinnati, on the other hand, have found themselves in the thick of nothing more than a dark cloud of doubt and chaos. In the AFC, only the winless Dolphins and 2006's dog Raiders have a worse record than the Bengals.

And Now for Something Completely Different - The Jets Win

Posted: Nov 18th 2007 8:15PM by Josh Alper (author feed)
Filed under: Jets, Steelers, New York, Pittsburgh

14 COMMENTS

Last year the Jets returned from their bye week with a brand new defense. They cut their points allowed in half and became one of the stingiest teams in the league. That propelled them from the middle of the AFC pack to the playoffs. This year there's no chance of a playoff berth but, after today's 19-16 win over the Steelers, there's reason to believe that Eric Mangini and company may have pulled off a similar defensive resurrection.

The Jets had nine sacks through their first nine games. They dropped Ben Roethlisberger seven times today. They've been giving up more than 150 yards per game on the ground but held the Steelers to 112 through four-plus quarters. They forced two turnovers and limited the Steelers to three second half field goals when a touchdown would have made their chances at victory quite slim indeed.

The Jets were much more aggressive than they've been up to this point and the Steeler line looked like it was stuck in (nonexistent) mud. Dewayne Robertson, who's been more of a rumor than an actual player this year, had two and a half sacks by shooting past Sean Mahan, Alan Faneca and Kendall Simmons like he was John Randle circa '97. Shaun Ellis, another much malinged defensive lineman, ran through Willie Colon like bad clams. They wore green and white but in no way resembled the 2007 Jets.

Continue Reading And Now for Something Completely Different - The Jets Win

Terrell Owens Torches Redskins For Four TDs

Posted: Nov 18th 2007 7:46PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Cowboys, Redskins, NFC East, Dallas, Washington, DC

28 COMMENTS

Last time the Redskins and Cowboys met, Terrell Owens was the topic of discussion. Except it was in a bad way. Remember, it was Owens' dropping a sure TD pass in the Cowboys' wacky loss ... and Owens catching a TD pass, laying down and using the football as a pillow.

One year later. We're talking about him again.

This time, it his big game in the Cowboys' 28-23 victory over the Redskins. Owens caught 8 passes for 173 yards and 4 touchdowns. Yep, four of 'em. He caught TD passes of 4, 31, 46 and 52 yards and exposed a depleted Skins' secondary for huge plays. The Redskins were without CB Carlos Rogers (who is out for the year) and S Sean Taylor

Tony Romo was also extremely effective, completing 22 of 32 passes for 293 yds and those four T.O. TDs. Dallas was an amazing 8 of 13 on third downs.

Continue Reading Terrell Owens Torches Redskins For Four TDs

After Further Discussion ... The Browns Win

Posted: Nov 18th 2007 6:06PM by Josh Alper (author feed)
Filed under: Browns, Ravens, AFC North, Cleveland, Baltimore

7 COMMENTS

You won't see many kicks like Phil Dawson's as the clock ran out in regulation. It hit one upright, ricocheted off the back of the crossbar and back out. The crowd went wild, the Ravens went wild and Baltimore's playoff hopes were jolted back to life. But just for a second. The kick hit a part of the crossbar that was through the uprights and the Browns protested that the call was wrong. The officials conferred and ruled that the kick was good. That sent the game to overtime where Dawson plugged another kick, in more conventional style, and won the game 33-30 for the Browns.

Here's the rub. Field goals aren't reviewable plays and the kick was ruled no good by one official in the end zone while the other one saw it good. Referee Pete Morelli brought them together and, after much deliberation, called the kick good. Morelli termed it a discussion between the officials, as opposed to a review (it appeared that he did give the play a look on replay but NFL Head of Officiating Mike Periera said he didn't, according to Bill Cowher on CBS), and they ended up getting the call right. I doubt Brian Billick takes much comfort from that, however.

The confusion was fitting on an afternoon overflowing with miscues by both teams and the officiating crew.

Continue Reading After Further Discussion ... The Browns Win