Week 11 was a success for the top of the North. Let’s take a look at the game action.
Vikings 24 Rams7
Minnesota won a huge game at home against the Rams. The Vikings moved to 8-2 by pounding the 7-3 Rams with great defense. Case Keenum had another good day with a 100.8 QB rating 1 TD and no turnovers. Latavius Murray ran well with 95 yards on 15 carries with 2 TDs. Adam Thielen continued his impressive season with 123 yards and a TD on the day.
First Half
The Rams started hot and marched right down the field for 75 yards. Gurley ran in for the 6-yard score and the Rams offense looked great against the stingy Vikings defense.
Minnesota had a 12 play drive but only went 24 yards. They were forced to punt and the Rams were in control. The Vikings defense woke up and forced a quick 3 and out from the Rams with a big Danielle Hunter sack on 3rd down. The Rams didn’t get much on the punt and the Vikings started at the Rams 30.
Minnesota made quick work on the 30-yard drive and Murray punched it in the end zone to tie the game at seven. The Rams were stopped again after five plays and the Vikings got the ball back. Minnesota moved the ball well for 55 yards but missed a field goal to keep the score at 7.
The Rams drove down the field well but Cooper Kupp fumbled on the 1-yard line and Minnesota got the ball. Minnesota moved the ball again under 2 minutes in the half but were forced to punt again. The game was tied at 7 at the half.
Second Half
The Vikings owned the second half eventually. Each team punted to start the half and the Vikings had another big missed field goal. The Rams were stopped again with the Vikings defense playing great football against Goff and Gurley.
Finally, the Vikings offense completed a drive with a 71-yard march. Murray had a 25 yard first down run and Keenum threw several first downs. Murray punched it in again for his second score and a 14-7 Vikings lead.
The Rams punted in five plays again and the Vikings were fully in charge. Minnesota had a really long field but drove 93 yards to take a double digit lead. A roughing the passer extended the drive for the Vikings. Keenum hit Thielen for 65 yards for the huge back breaking TD.
The Rams were stopped easily one more time. The Vikings drove for almost 6 minutes and earned their first field goal of the day after two previous misses by Forbath. The Vikings now led by three scores with 2:23 to play. The Rams drove 50 yards but turned the ball over on downs. This was an incredibly impressive defensive performance by Minnesota. Minnesota kept their two game lead in the division but have a huge three game road stretch coming up. The game on Thanksgiving at Detroit will be for the division.
Ravens 23 Packers 0
Quoth the Ravens, you didn’t score!!! Packers played like Edgar Allen Poo on Sunday in Lambeau. Brett Hundley had a turnover filled day and the Packers looked like the Cleveland Browns again. Hundley threw three (3) interceptions and the Packers only ran for 3,0 YPC missing Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery. Baltimore earned two first half field goals and a TD on the opening drive of the second half to take control of the game. A final 3-yard Ravens TD after a Hundley interception made it 23-0 in favor of the Ravens.
The Packers could do nothing on offense and Hundley’s picks killed them. Clay Matthews and Kenny Clark were also hurt. Green Bay falls to 5-5 and they don’t seem to have the magic of the 2013 season without Rodgers.
Lions 27 Bears 24
Lions swept their division opponents on the road with a victory over Chicago. Detroit started slow again falling down 10-0 and 17-7 early before Stafford woke up. The Lions gave up 200 yards rushing for the second week in a row as Howard, Cohen and Trubisky ran wild. The Lions miss Ziggy Ansah setting the edge and Haloti Ngata clogging the middle of the field.
First Half
The Bears opened the game with a field goal drive and Stafford fumbled on a failed blitz pickup and whiff by Rick Wagner. The Bears took over at mid field and Howard had a 50 yard run. Trubisky hit rookie Adam Sheehan on 2nd down for the TD and 10-0 Bears lead.
The Lions were in trouble but Trubisky fumbled a snap and DJ Hayden was able to scoop and score for another Lions defensive TD. Detroit was back in the game at 10-7. The Bears offense and run game was still red hot and drove 78 yards for the 17-7 lead. Things looked bleak for Detroit.
The greatest QB in the NFL woke up and Matt Stafford ended up having a great game (120.8 rating) after the slow start. Stafford led two masterful drives in the second quarter. The Lions moved the ball 85 yards on the second TD drive including converting a 3rd and 15 after a bogus OPI call on Kenny Golladay. Stafford hit TJ Jones on an incredibly tough throw under pressure deep in their own territory. Stafford hit Golladay for 40 yards to make up for Golladay’s penalty. Finally, Stafford anticipated well and found Marvin Jones on the double move for 28 yards and the TD. The Lions were quickly back in the game down 17-14.
The Lions defense woke up and forced a quick 3 and out. Detroit quickly drove 72 yards to take the lead. Golladay, Tate, Marvin Jones and Ebron all caught big first downs on the drive. Finally, Ameer Abdullah snuck open from 2 yards out for the 2-yard TD pass and the 21-17 Lions lead at half time.
Second Half
The third quarter was very defensive as nobody managed to score points. The Bears and Lions each punted twice in the quarter.
The Lions finally started moving the ball late in the quarter and marched down to the Bears 6-yard line. TJ Lang missed a block though and was sacked by Christian Jones. The Lions were stopped short on 3rd and 11 and Prater nailed the field goal for the 24-17 lead with 10 minutes to play.
The Bears wasted no time and ran right down the Lions throats. Chicago drove 78 yards in five minutes and Tarik Cohen had a nifty 15-yard TD run on the pitch. The game was tied again at 24.
Matt Stafford loves close games. Detroit marched 42 yards with huge completions to Marvin Jones and Eric Ebron (26 yards). However, on first and 10, TJ Lang was called for a huge holding penalty that pushed Detroit back. Stafford had to run 2 yards on 2nd and down and missed on 3rd and 18. It was up to Matt Prater for heroics with swirling Chicago wind. Prater stepped up and nailed the 52-yard field goal for the 27-24 Lions lead. Prater is the most clutch kicker ever.
Chicago responded with two quick first downs. The Lions seemed to be in great shape though after a big sack by Cornelius Washington/rookie Jeremiah Ledbetter on 3rd down. Facing 4th and 13, Trubisky had nobody opened. Trubisky managed to dance around and nearly avoid Washington while scrambling for 19 yards and a huge first down to keep the Bears alive. Mitch hit newcomer Dontrelle Innam for 15 yards on a great throw to put the Bears in field goal range. Connor Barth trotted onto the field for the 56 yard try but we all witnessed the difference between a good and average kicker. Barth missed badly in the swirling wind and the Lions won the game after a Stafford kneel down. Detroit moves to 6-4 and will have a huge Thanksgiving matchup for the division with the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions have won 3 in a row and are ready to sweep the Vikings. Get your turkey ready!!