Vikings 16-0 over the Packers: Well with QB Aaron Rodgers going back on injured reserve it showed what the issue has been all year. They have no offense and the Vikings used their strengths on defense to take advantage as they picked off QB Brent Hundley twice and shut out the Packers. They also used their other strength which is running the ball by chewing up clock, and let QB Case Keenum do his thing not forcing anything and managing the game. He had 1 TD pass and the kicker did the rest.
Ravens 23-16 over the Colts: The team with the better QB came out ahead with QB Joe Flacco’s 2 TD passes. His team led for the whole game compared to QB Jacoby Brisset’s 1 TD game. The difference in the game came down to two missed field goals by the Colts with one being blocked.
Redskins 27-11 over the Broncos: Another game where the team with the better QB won, despite each with one interception and a one fumble. QB Kirk Cousins had 3 TD passes compared to the 0 by QB Brock Osweiler. Denver had only one 1 TD but it was by RB CJ Anderson who has been a part of a committee of RBs all year, never knowing who would show up. This is like having the three QBS for them as well.
Rams 27-23 over the Titans: Some would say QB Marcus Mariota is the better QB. However, the way the Rams have played this year in particular the play of their QB Jared Goff, this would be the difference today on why LA won. Goff had 4 TD (one them being the go ahead TD) passes with two of them going to RB Todd Gurley who has been on a tear, as he led the team in receiving with 158 yards receiving and 118 yards rushing. Mariota had an interception with a fumble and no TD passes as they had an offense TD scored on RB DeMarco Murray’s rushing TD. Well the Rams got lucky in some part since Goff had two fumbles with one being recovered for a defensive TD, and their new kicker missed a field goal and an extra point. They definitely missed having the security blanket of Greg Zuererlin being almost automatic as a kicker.
Chargers 14-7 over the Jets: With TE Hunter Henry going on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney, future Hall of Famer TE Antonio Gates came in right on a cue with a TD from the better QB in the matchup, Philip Rivers. Jets QB Bryce Petty had no TD passes with an interception, and RB Matt Forte fumbled the ball. His backup Bilal Powell ran all over the Chargers with 145 yards rushing with the Jets only scoring. The difference was SD RB Melvin Gordon’s rushing TD.
Saints 23-13 over the Falcons: In a divisional game which has playoff implications, both QBs had one interception to 1 TD pass and both teams fumbled it away, it all evens out in the end. The difference was the Saints having a rushing TD from Mark Ingram and took advantage more often than not, as they kicked one more field goal and held on to the ball longer (33 minutes compared to 26 minutes).
Patriots 37-16 over the Bills: QB Tom Brady had 2 TDs passes with 1 interception, while QB Tyrod Taylor had a fumble with no TD passes as Buffalo’s only TD was off one of Brady’s interceptions being returned for a TD. Even the kicking wasn’t perfect as it accounted for 10 of their points but they missed one field goal as well. RB Deion Lewis had 129 yards rushing with a rushing TD and caught one of Brady’s TD passes. RB Mike Gillislee who hasn’t even suited up in weeks was active and had a rushing TD.
Chiefs 29-13 over the Dolphins: When you fumble the ball three times and miss a field goal those are not the things to do when trying to win, and again the team with the better QB won. QB Jay Cutler didn’t have an interception but he had one of the fumbles, which cancels out his TD pass. While QB Alex Smith had over 300 yard passing with a TD pass to TE Travis Kelce, and RB Kareem Hunt had over 100 all total purpose yards with a rushing TD. The kicker Harrison Butker did the rest, accounting for 17 points despite a missed field goal.
Bengals 26-17 over the Lions: The difference in the end was Matt Prater missing one of his field goals and the Bengals pretty much coming up with any points in the Red Zone as their kicker accounted for 14 of their points. Both QBs had 1 TD pass with an interception and both teams had rushing TDs. Giovani Bernard had 116 yards rushing to go with that TD (the go ahead TD), while little known Tion Green had the rushing TD for Detroit who really needed the win for the playoffs but came up short.
Bears 20-3 over the Browns: The way the Bears defense has been playing it was great timing for them to face the team leading the league in turnovers, the Browns. Chicago picked off QB DeShone Kizer twice and forced one fumble while preventing them from scoring a TD. Despite QB Mitchell Trubisky having no passing TDs he had a rushing TD with zero interceptions but he did have a fumble. The star of the game was RB Jordan Howard making up for his poor game last week, he had two rushing TDs. The only thing Cleveland can be happy is they blocked an extra point.
Panthers 22-19 over the Buccaneers: Even if QB Jameis Winston had 1 TD pass he had three fumbles but QB Cam Newton had a fumble as well and an interception, so this wasn’t a game for QBS to do well. Carolina had only 2 TDs with one coming from a kick return and Newton’s game winning rushing TD. To make matters worse for Tampa Bay who was turning the ball over, they also missed one of their field goals and the score doesn’t lie.
Seahawks 21-12 over the Cowboys: The team with the better QB came out on top again. QB Russell Wilson had 2 TD passes, with no interceptions but a fumble, while Dak Prescott had no TD passes with two interceptions and WR Dez Bryant had a fumble. Also, one of Prescott’s interceptions was returned for a TD. For Dallas. it was all kicker Dan Bailey who only made four out of six field goals, imagine if he made all of them it might have been closer.
Cardinals 23-0 over the Giants: Despite having the better QB in Eli Manning he fumbled it twice and threw two interceptions, while QB Drew Stanton despite his two interceptions and a fumble had 2 TD passes. WR Larry Fitzgerald had 119 yards receiving while catching one of Stanton’s TD’s, and he also completed one pass. One of Manning’s fumbles lead to a recovery TD as well.
49ers 33-44 over the Jaguars: When QB Blake Bortles has 1 or no interceptions the Jaguars win most of their games this year. Well he had three interceptions with one fumble which cancels out any good his 2 TD passes did. He even had 382 yards passing with one receiver topping 100 yards, and both his RBS had a rushing TD in Leonard Fournette and TJ Yeldon. Even if the 49ers aren’t a good team you can’t give the ball away four times and expect to win especially a team with the better QB. QB Jimmy Garoppolo despite an interception had 2 TD passes, and both of his RBS had rushing TDs in Carlos Hyde and Matt Breida. One of Bortles’ interceptions was returned for a TD as well.
Steelers 34-6 over the Texans: Once rookie QB Deshaun Watson was lost for the year that signaled the end of the season for Houston. Using their 3rd QB, TJ Yates had three fumbles with one interception. He also failed on a two point conversion attempt. The only constant thing has been WR DeAndre Hopkins, who no matter the QB caught a TD pass. That set the table for the better QB in Ben Roethlisberger to throw 2 TD passes and then let RB Le’Veon Bell take over the game which he did with a rushing TD, and so did his FB Roosevelt-Nixon Jones who got a rushing TD too.
Eagles 13-10 over the Raiders: When both teams have three fumbles, each miss a field goal and the QBs each had at least 1 interception (two for Derek Carr) the game is going to be a wash. In a game that the Eagles didn’t need since they clinched the division they are just trying to escape healthy. The game ended on a failed lateral attempt as time expired by WR Jalen Richard, who fumbled earlier in the game, fumbled it, and the Eagles returned it for a TD to end the game.