Even though the regular season is winding down, the NFL is more exciting than ever as we approach the playoffs. In Week 15, we saw the only undefeated team finally get beat, the only winless team finally win and, of course, there were some ridiculously awesome plays and some ridiculously terrible plays.
NFL Week 15, Best And Worst: Colts Win, Packers Lose And A Monkey Rides A Dog
From the Colts’ first win of the season to the Raiders blowing it in the final minutes of the game, here are five of the best and worst plays from Week 15 of the 2011 NFL season.
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Here’s the best and the worst from Week 15:
The Best:
| No. 5: Another Fat Guy TD |
There aren't many things better than watching one of the NFL heavy weights score a touchdown. One, it doesn't happen very often, and two, everybody loves a fat-guy dance. Red Bryant was able to pick off a pass from Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie, thanks to some heavy pressure, and rumbled into the end zone.
Beautiful.
| No. 4: A.J. Green Goes Over 1,000 |
On Sunday during the Bengals' 20-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams, A.J. Green became the first rookie wide receiver to go over 1,000 yards since Marques Colston in 2006. Green led the Bengals with six receptions for 115 yards last Sunday and becomes the first Bengals rookie wide receiver to go over 1,000 yards since Cris Collinsworth in 1981. Worth the No. 4 overall pick? Yeah, I think so.
Here’s one of his big catches over the Rams on Sunday.
| No. 3: Panthers Trickeration |
A week after the Texans went to Cincinnati and won, sealing their first franchise trip to the playoffs, they hosted the Carolina Panthers...and got beat. At one point in their 28-13 loss, Cam Newton and the offense were in the red zone when they pulled off this trick play to perfection.
That looks like something only a kids football team could pull off in a Disney movie. (Annexation of Puerto Rico?)
| No. 2: Chiefs End the Packers Perfect Season |
In Romeo Crennel's first game as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, he faced the daunting task of facing he undefeated Green Bay Packers. Virtually nobody thought it would be possible for the Chiefs to pull of the upset, but that's why they play the games. The Chiefs topped the Packers, 19-14, and as the seconds ticked off the clock, Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel felt the Gatorade shower.
| No. 1: Colts Finally Win |
Not only did the Packers get beat, but the worst team in the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts, finally won a game. They faced the Tennessee Titans, who were in the playoff hunt in the AFC, and thanks to this Donald Brown play, they won by a score of 27-13.
Where has that been all season?
***
And the Worst.
| No. 5: Why Keep Big Ben In? |
The 49ers didn't just beat the Steelers on Monday Night Football, they dominated them. Of course, a big reason that happened was the health of Ben Roethlisberger. He wasn't able to plant on his back foot due to a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 14. In the final minutes of the game, the 49ers led 20-3. The 49ers had sacked Big Ben three times but they knocked him down roughly a million times. The Steelers had the ball with only minutes left and for some reason Roethlisberger was still in the game.
The Steelers had no chance to win. What they did have a chance of doing was getting their starting quarterback, and only quarterback that makes them a Super Bowl contender, hurt.
Not smart.
| No. 4: Harvey Dahl Didn't F-ing Hold |
Early in the fourth quarter of the Rams 20-13 loss to the Bengals in St. Louis, Cadillac Williams ran for a first down but the play was called back because of a holding penalty. Nobody likes penalties, especially when they're called on them, but Harvey Dahl, the Rams' right tackle, really hates them. He wanted to make sure the referees knew that what he did wasn't holding and the way he did that was by yelling "That's not f***ing holding!" so close to the ref that his microphone picked it up for all to hear.
Language warning in the video below:
Not only was Dahl called for holding but he was also flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, essentially ending the drive.
| No. 3: Why? |
The Patriots-Broncos game was one of the most highly publicized games of the season. The Broncos, partially due to Tim Tebow, were on a hot streak in which they worked their way back into the playoff picture and the Patriots are, well, the Patriots. Tom Brady and the Pats had an 11 point lead at half time but the game was still in hand. Everybody was excited for the second half.
And what was the half-time entertainment, you ask?
I wonder if I’m the only person who would rather see a whole army of monkeys riding dogs like horses than Tim Tebow versus Tom Brady.
| No. 2: This Wasn't Santonio's Week |
This was a big game for the Jets. If they win, they complete the first step of locking up a playoff spot. But a loss and they open the door for the Bengals to take their spot. They were facing the Eagles in Philadelphia and, like the Steelers, they didn't just get beat, they were slaughtered. Santonio Holmes, the Jets' No. 1 receiver, had a terrible game. He fumbled once, which resulted in a touchdown, had a pass deflect right off his hands and into the arms of a defender and when he finally did score a touchdown, he celebrated too much (like a moron) and was called for a penalty.
Not a good game.
| No. 1: Raiders Give Away the Game |
The Raiders had a six point lead over the Detroit Lions with just over two minutes left in the game on Sunday. On top of that, the Lions were starting their drive on their own one-yard line. Most defenses should be able to stop an offense from driving 99 yards in that period of time and all they really had to do was cover Calvin Johnson. Yes, that's easier said than done, but holy crap. Johnson caught three passes on the drive and drew a pass interference penalty for a total of 57 yards. If the Raiders just take him out of the equation, they win.
Note to all NFL defenses: When the Lions are down late in the game, they’re going to throw the ball to Calvin Johnson. Try not to let that happen.
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