Thanksgiving is over and I have nothing football related to be thankful for this season. This turkey got stuffed worse than Shooter. The Vikings outlasted the Lions and took full control of the NFC North. Atlanta, Los Angeles, Carolina, and Seattle all won to expand their wild card leads. Let’s take a look at the Week 12 action.
Bears at Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles and Jim Schwartz spanked the Bears 31-3. Philadelphia is the best team in the NFC right now at 10-1. Chicago had 7 first downs all game. Fly Eagles Fly.
Packers at Steelers
The Packers looked decent and hung with a tough Steelers team at Heinz Field on Sunday Night football. The Packers tied the game at 28 but had a late failed drive with a questionable helmet to helmet hit on Hundley.
Green Bay punted and the Steelers drove for the late back breaking field goal for the 31-28 win. Hundley tossed 3 TDs and gave the Packers hope but the Steelers were just too much at 10-2 now. Green Bay falls to 5-6 and will need to run the table to make the playoffs again this year.
Vikings at Lions
Well fuck me. Minnesota started hot and held on to beat the Lions to ruin my Thanksgiving. Case Keenum had a huge game somehow with a 121.8 passer rating and 2 TDs. Stafford tossed 2 TDs as well but was injured after his second TD to Marvin Jones. Stafford was off after the injury and threw a late interception down 30-23 to seal the game for the Vikings.
First Half
The Lions started with the ball but went 3 and out as Marvin Jones was tackled one-yard shy of the sticks on 3rd down. Minnesota got the ball and marched right down the field on Detroit for another slow Detroit start. Keenum hit Thielen on 3rd and 6 and Spence got hit with a personal foul to tack on 15 more yards. Keenum scrambled on a 3rd and 4 for a first and hit Thielen again for a first down. Case found Stefon Diggs to convert a 3rd and 6 and Latavius Murray ran 10 yards for a first down. The Lions couldn’t get off the field and Keenum found Kyle Rudolph wide open for the one-yard TD. Forbath missed the extra point and Minnesota led 6-0.
Detroit had disaster strike on the next drive with a strip fumble. The Vikings recovered and had great field position. Minnesota found Jerrick McKinnon for 31 yards for most of the 39-yard drive. Keenum scrambled again for the score and the 13-0 early lead.
The teams traded 3 and outs as the Lions offense looked terrible to start. Detroit finally woke up on offense and drove 69 yards from their own 17-yard line. The drive stalled and Stafford under pressure missed Riddick on a screen for a wide open TD on 2nd down. Rhodes blanketed Marvin Jones on 3rd down and Detroit settled for the field goal and cut the lead to 13-3.
The Vikings drove down the field again with good offense. However, this time Detroit bent but didn’t break and forced a field goal. A Shawn Robinson blocked the kick and the score remained 13-3. Detroit did not on the next drive with 3 off Stafford passes for another Detroit punt.
The Vikings offense was still red hot as Keenum found Rudolph for 34 yards and Wright for 14 yards. Finally, Keenum despite getting hit hard somehow threw a perfect pass to Rudolph for the 22-yard score. Keenum was on fire and the Vikings led 20-3.
Detroit would get back in the game with a 41-yard bomb to Kenny Golladay. Rhodes was commit DPI on Jones and Kendricks had a face mask. The Lions got the 6-yard line and Stafford connected with Marvin Jones for the 6-yard score. Detroit trailed only 20-10 at half time.
Second Half
Detroit’s defense was still in the locker room. The Vikings had 4 straight run plays and easily marched 75 yards on all 4 runs. The Vikings quickly took a 27-10 lead with Detroit sleeping.
The Lions would claw their way back into the game. Detroit started with a 61-yard play drive but had to settle with a field goal. Darren Fells dropped a sure TD on 3rd down and Prater nailed the field goal to cut the lead to 14 (27-13).
The Lions defense finally forced another punt and Detroit. Detroit drove 40 yards this time but the Prater weapon was unleashed from 50 yards. The Lions were down 27-16 now.
The Lions defense forced another big 3 and out as Ziggy Ansah sacked Keenum on 3rd down. Keenum flipped the ball and was called for taunting. Detroit started at the Vikings 39-yard line and made quick work to get back in the game.
Stafford hit Marvin Jones on a deep ball beating double coverage despite getting his legs taken out. Jones won the jump ball over Rhodes and Newman and the Lions had all the momentum. Detroit trailed 27-23 and the Lions couldn’t go for two due to Stafford’s ankle injury.
The Vikings drove 42 yards but the Lions held strong and forced a big punt. Detroit started at their own 9-yard line. Stafford connected with Golden Tate on 3rd and 3 and he seemed to have the first down but he jumped backwards and was tackled short of the sticks. Tate made a boneheaded play to kill the drive.
Minnesota started at their own 37 and drove into field goal range with two first downs to Stefon Diggs. Forbath nailed the field goal and Minnesota led by 7 points now. The Lions still had one more short.
An ailing Stafford was off. He couldn’t set his feet properly with the ankle injury and his comeback throws were off. Stafford had Tate wide open on 3rd down but missed. Stafford didn’t have anyone open on 4th down was a picked off to seal the game for the Vikings. Minnesota was stopped quickly for the field goal attempt. However, Slay was offside on the block and it gave the Vikings a first down. Minnesota was able to kneel and essentially win the NFC North with five games to play.