CALL THE FIGHT: The Steelers beat the Colts on Sunday night, 45-10, and the game didn’t even feel that close. There may be nothing stopping the Steelers’ offense at this point. Antonio Brown had a magnificent night, catching eight passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns and running back a punt return for another TD. That last score led to the most interesting celebration of the season -- Brown literally attacking a goal post with his groin. Here it is set to Pony!
The Steelers’ offense is rolling because Antonio Brown is incredible
The Steelers’ offense may actually be unstoppable right now and they can thank their superstar wideout.
PATRIOTS FACEPLANT: No blaming the refs this week. If not for an impressive late comeback, the score of the Patriots’ loss to the Eagles might have looked a lot worse.
Granted, the Patriots aren’t going to give up a blocked punt for a touchdown, a pick-six AND a punt return for a touchdown every week -- Foxborough shouldn’t panic just yet. But the loss did strip them of home field advantage for now, and the passing game certainly looked like it missed Rob Gronkowski. Against a secondary that had just gotten torched in consecutive games, Tom Brady arguably looked better as a receiver than as a quarterback.
NEW PLAYOFF PICTURE: We’re one week closer to the playoffs, and there still isn’t much clarity within the NFL standings. The Patriots fell to No. 3 in the AFC, and the Jets are barely fending off the Steelers for a wild card spot. In the NFC, things are little more settled, though the NFC East is still a hot mess.
CLEVELAND! Congrats, you’re the first team to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs! Enjoy this projected No. 1 overall pick!
PANTHERS STILL PERFECT: It was certainly a nail-biter, but the Panthers are 12-0 and Cam Newton may have solidified himself as the favorite to win NFL MVP with a five-touchdown performance. He can’t lose right now. Refs even tried to keep him from giving a touchdown ball away and he still got it to a lucky fan.
WUT: The Saints didn’t win, but they did score the most confusing touchdown of the season AND became the first team to ever score a defensive two-point conversion.
NFL KICKERS: There were more missed extra points Sunday than there were throughout ALL of the 2014 season, just like the league intended. The system works!
ALEX SMITH STILL FLAWLESS: Which isn’t to say he was perfect, but Smith has now gone nine straight games without throwing an interception, and it likely isn’t a coincidence that the Chiefs haven’t lost since mid-October.
THAT’S THE SEAHAWKS WE KNOW: Seattle may finally be rounding into Super Bowl form after futzing around for most of the season. The defense held Adrian Peterson to 18 yards on 10 carries, Russell Wilson scored four total touchdowns and Thomas Rawls ran for more than 100 yards yet again against what has otherwise been a good-looking Vikings team. If the adorable bickering of Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas is any indication, the Seahawks are feeling loose.
SO MUCH FOR HOUSTON: The Texans were darlings heading into Week 13 thanks to the play of their defense. Then they gave up 30 points in a loss to the Bills. Is anyone even trying to win the AFC South?
BLAINE GABBERT OR BATMAN: Where the hell did this version of Blaine Gabbert come from? Have the 49ers seriously solved their quarterback problems?
WE GET IT ODELL: Oh, you can effortlessly make amazing one-handed catches and you’re insanely fast and come up with awesome touchdown celebrations like running hurdles in the end zone? We had no idea!
THIS WEEK’S CATCH RULE LESSON: See if you can figure out why officials thought Greg Olsen caught this pass!
RUN, MARCUS, RUN: Marcus Mariota scrambled for an 87-yard touchdown, and it was amazing.
MORE HIGHLIGHTS:
The start of the Jags-Titans game was as bad as you’d imagine. It got even worse when the Jags snapped the ball over Blake Bortles’ head, leading to an easy TD.
The Rams used trickery to run their favorite play: a punt.
Russell Wilson hit the B button and then later scored after a Vikings defender tried to lift him by the leg.
Just a suggestion, Bills: You might want to cover someone. Anyone.
You’d think the 49ers would be able to fall correctly, but nope.
Mariota found Dorial Green-Beckham for a nice 47-yard TD and then showed off his wheels with an 87-yard TD run, the third-longest by a quarterback in NFL history.
A Bucs coach and Patrick Peterson need to wash their mouths out with soap, according to their mothers.
Jameis Winston’s first-down run was more entertaining than it had any right to be.
It’s not unusual for Mike Tolbert to break out the Carlton dance.
Bill Belichick’s not touching you, ref. He’s not touching you. He’s not touching you ...











