Ryan Shazier was there for the Steelers, and 6 more things we loved from NFL Week 15

The Patriots played the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday in a game that featured a close game with a wild finish and an Antonio Brown calf injury. The best moment came early in the first quarter, when Ryan Shazier was shown on the jumbotron.

When people realized Shazier was at the game in a suite, he received a roaring standing ovation from the Pittsburgh faithful:

CBS cameras showed Shazier up in the suite as he was being shown on the jumbotron, and he was waving one of the Steelers’ signature Terrible Towels:

It was Shazier’s first public appearance since his frightening injury on what appeared to be a routine tackle against the Bengals in Week 13.

News on his injury was slow at first. When the injury first happened, Shazier did not move or give any type of thumbs up that you typically see when a player is carted off the field. By the time the next morning rolled around, it was reported that he started to have movement in his extremities.

He returned to Pittsburgh on Dec. 6, where he received medical attention. There, he had spine stabilization surgery and was undergoing physical rehabilitation.

While we knew Shazier was getting better, it felt good to see him at the game, smiling, and waving that towel with joy. Hopefully we can see him back on the field one day kicking some ass.

Here’s what else we loved in Week 15.

There might not have been a more intense ending to an NFL game this season. After Rob Gronkowski guided the Patriots to a touchdown drive that put them up 27-24, the Steelers need a big play with 56 seconds to go.

That’s usually Antonio Brown’s music. But Sunday they had to call on JuJu Smith-Schuster, who answered with a nice 69-yard reception:

We thought the game was over after this Jesse James touchdown reception, but it got called back because rules are bad and meant to be broken:

Here’s Referee Guy to explain it:

Yes, but whatever.

Let’s see how the Steelers feel. Gentlemen!?!?!?

There you have it!

Ben Roethlisberger then did a fake spike and threw an interception on a slant at the goal line against the Patriots:

That’s never happened in history before. Never. Nope. Not once.

This didn’t go exactly the way that most of us expected. He threw three interceptions in a game for the first time since 2009, but the Packers still almost pulled out the win.

But tell me this doesn’t look like the most talented quarterback in the NFL we’re used to seeing:

The Packers probably won’t make the playoffs now, but at least we get to see Rodgers get after it a couple of more times this season.

This team is so much more interesting with him at quarterback in comparison to Brett Hundley. I feel as strongly about that as some of you do about your favorite and least favorite Starburst flavors (they’re all good, you lunatics), which says a lot.

We have all been anticipating the return of Teddy Bridgewater for quite some time now, but I’ll let the fans at Minnesota show just how much it meant to them:

Bridgewater entered the game after the Vikings were spanking the Bengals 34-0 in the fourth quarter. He threw only two passes, with most of the plays being handoffs at that point of the game. But it was incredible to see No. 5 back out on the football field.

His first pass was an interception, but it wasn’t his fault, as it went off the hands of Jerick McKinnon.

While it wasn’t some incredible Disney Movie Comeback Performance, just to have him on the field was dope. He was also happy to see Keenum really leading the fans in gassing him up:

It might be the last we see of him in 2017 with Case Keenum having played as well as he has. But Teddy is back, and that’s a damn good start, considering we weren’t sure if we’d ever see him again.

Cam basically called his shot here. Clay Matthews starts yelling, “It’s that wheel route! It’s that wheel route!”

You can hear Newton say back to him, “You’ve been watching film, huh? That’s cool, watch this.”

He sure showed them all right. And Christian McCaffrey dominated on that drive. The rook had five carries for 20 yards and four receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown.

We know Newton can get pretty cranky when things aren’t going his way, but when he’s winning, nobody in the NFL has more fun than he does.

Stefon Diggs knows legendary talent when he sees it. He paid tribute to Randy Moss earlier this season, and on Sunday, he did the same for Kobe Bryant.

Look at the Mamba lean he does and the long, lanky fadeaway jumper:

We’re going to assume that was a No. 8 Kobe or early No. 24 Kobe impression. Those didn’t land quite as often when he got older, but that’s neither here nor there.

I don’t really have much to say about this; I just want you to look at it.

Gross!

The Packers celebrated Rodgers’ first touchdown pass back from injury with racewalking. You don’t see that every day!

(This is indeed that event you see during the Olympics.)

This looks like — you know — after you eat Chipotle, or something like that. Pick your poison; we all have different ones.

Panthers 31, Packers 24

Rams 42, Seahawks 7

Patriots 27, Steelers 24

Bills 24, Dolphins 16

Ravens 27, Browns 10

Vikings 34, Bengals 7

Saints 31, Jets 19

Eagles 34, Giants 29

Washington 20, Cardinals 15

Jaguars 45, Texans 7

49ers 25, Titans 23

Cowboys 20, Raiders 17