New York Giants 24, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17
What you need to know
New York Giants - Eli Manning didn't let a shaky start rattle him, as the Giants bounced back from a 0-7 first quarter deficit to rattle off 17 unanswered points to help them advance to Dallas next week. Manning completed 20 of 27 passes for 185 yards and connected with RB Brandon Jacobs from five yards out for his first passing score and later hooked up with WR Amani Toomer from four yards out for his second score of the game.Brandon Jacobs followed up his five yard scoring reception from Manning with an eight yard second quarter run for his second score of the game. While Jacobs had a quiet day yardage wise, he made his mark on those two scoring plays. He was forced from the game late with cramping and Ahmad Bradshaw filled in with 66 yards on 17 carries to help close out the game for the Giants.
Amani Toomer led the way receiving for New York, with seven receptions for 74 yards and a four yard touchdown reception. Plaxico Burress had a quiet game with four receptions for 38 yards.
The Giants were able to hold the Buccaneers running game in check and shut down their biggest offensive weapon in WR Joey Galloway, and those two factors are the biggest reasons New York is moving on in the playoffs. Galloway was held to just one catch for nine yards and was shut out after the first quarter. New York's defense sucked it up after Tampa Bay dominated the first quarter and got on the scoreboard first and the defense did not allow anything else until late in the fourth quarter. They came up with two big interceptions, including one in the end zone, which ended up being game changing plays.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Jeff Garcia and the Buccaneers dominated the first quarter, and had a 7-0 lead heading into the second period. However, New York's defense began forcing the issue in the second quarter, and Tampa Bay was unable to match the play of New York's offense as they ran off 17 unanswered points. Garcia threw two costly interceptions, but connected with TE Alex Smith on a six yard scoring reception late in the fourth quarter to close the gap. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, that was as close as they would get.Earnest Graham shouldered the load on the ground for Tampa Bay and finished with 18 carries for 63 yards, including a first quarter scoring plunge from one yard out. Graham ran hard, as he always does, but couldn't find much running room as he had a long run of just 11 yards for the game.
TE Alex Smith scored on a fourth quarter reception that cut the lead to 24-14, but the Buccaneers couldn't get any closer than that. WR Joey Galloway was a non-factor, with just one catch for nine yards and Galloway failed to record a reception after the first quarter.
The Tampa Bay defense did not play all that badly against the Giants, but failed to come up with the turnovers they have been accustomed to forcing all year long. As a result, Eli Manning was able to get comfortable in the pocket and picked them apart on 20 of 27 passing and two scores. The Manning to Toomer score late in the fourth quarter was a dagger for Tampa Bay, as it put the game out of reach and ended their season.
What you ought to know
QB Eli Manning, Pass: 20 - 27 - 185 - 2 TD / 0 INT - Eli Manning delivered in a big way for New York, as he made great decisions with the ball and did not try to force things that weren't there. He had an efficient day passing as he completed 20 of 27 passes for 185 yards. More importantly, he threw touchdown passes to RB Brandon Jacobs and Amani Toomer and did not turn the ball over. The score to Jacobs came from five yards out, and the touchdown pass to Toomer was a four yard score that put the game out of reach for the Buccaneers.RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Rush: 17 - 66 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Bradshaw delivered for the Giants, rushing the ball 17 times for 66 yards on the ground that included a 15 carry, 59 yard second half. Bradshaw got the bulk of the work in the second half with starting RB Brandon Jacobs on the sidelines due to cramping. He was also used in the passing game, catching one pass for nine yards.
RB Brandon Jacobs, Rush: 13 - 34 - 1, Rec: 2 - 16 - 1 (2 targets) - Brandon Jacobs scored two second quarter touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, and totaled 13 carries for 34 yards on the ground and two receptions for 16 yards receiving. Jacobs was forced to miss most of the second half with cramping, but he should be good to go for next week.
WR Amani Toomer, Rec: 7 - 74 - 1 (7 targets) - Amani Toomer played well for the Giants. The veteran was targeted a team high seven times and responded by catching all seven passes thrown his way for 74 yards. Toomer hauled in a four yard touchdown reception halfway through the fourth quarter that basically sealed the victory for New York.
WR Plaxico Burress, Rec: 4 - 38 - 0 (6 targets) - Burress was targeted six times and finished with four receptions for 38 yards. While he wasn't able to get much going downfield, Burress was able to pull in two first down receptions for the Giants.
WR Steve Smith, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (5 targets) - Smith received five targets and finished with three receptions for 29 yards.
TE Kevin Boss, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (4 targets) - Boss was targeted four times and came down with two receptions for 14 yards. One of his receptions resulted in a New York first down.
PK Lawrence Tynes 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points - Tynes connected on a 25 yard field goal and added three extra points as he finished with six points for the game.
NYG Rush Defense - The Giants played inspired defense, and it showed on both sides of the ball. In the running game, they allowed just 69 yards on 22 attempts, for just a 3.1 ypc average. While they did allow a first quarter rushing touchdown, they tightened up and gave Tampa Bay no running lanes, as their long run for the game was just 11 yards.
LB Antonio Pierce led the linebacker crew with six solo tackles and veteran DL Michael Strahan added eight solo tackles, one assist, a sack and a forced fumble to lead the defense.
NYG Pass Defense - New York's defensive backfield was a force against Tampa Bay, even without starting CB Sam Madison. They allowed just 202 net passing yards, and while they did give up a late touchdown, they completely shut down WR Joey Galloway and did not give Tampa Bay any big plays in the passing game.DB Corey Webster filled in for the injured Madison and came through with an interception and fumble recovery and R.W. McQuarters picked off a Garcia pass late in the game for New York's second takeaway.
QB Jeff Garcia, Pass: 23 - 39 - 207 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 - Jeff Garcia had a rough outing against the Giants, as he threw for just 207 yards and one touchdown, but was picked off two times and faced constant pressure from the New York front seven. He completed 23 of 39 attempts, but threw a costly interception in the end zone that was intended for WR Joey Galloway, and killed a promising drive. Garcia's touchdown came on a six yard connection with TE Alex Smith in the fourth quarter, but it ended up being too little, too late for the Buccaneers.RB Earnest Graham, Rush: 18 - 63 - 1, Rec: 4 - 27 - 0 (6 targets) - Earnest Graham ran the ball 18 times for 63 yards and added a first quarter touchdown from one yard out that put Tampa Bay on the board 7-0. Unfortunately for Graham and the Buccaneers, that was the only scoring they could manage until the fourth quarter. Graham was also used in the passing game, as he received six targets and brought in four receptions for 27 yards.
RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0, Rec: 5 - 62 - 0 (5 targets) - Pittman ran the ball just one time for five yards, but made a nice contribution in the passing game as he finished with five receptions for 62 yards on five targets. He was targeted three times on third downs and turned two of those targets into Tampa Bay first downs.
WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 4 - 27 - 0 (6 targets) - Hilliard was targeted six times and finished with four receptions for 27 yards. Two of his targets came on third downs, and Hilliard was able to convert one of those third down targets into a first down.
WR Michael Clayton, Rec: 3 - 39 - 0 (5 targets) - Clayton finished with three receptions for 39 yards on five targets. Two of his receptions resulted in Tampa Bay first downs, but one intended pass for Clayton was picked off by the Giants for one of their two interceptions.
WR Joey Galloway, Rush: 1 - -4 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (8 targets) - Joey Galloway was completely neutralized by the Giants, as he finished with just one reception for nine yards. That catch came in the first quarter, and Galloway was shut out for the remainder of the game. It wasn't for lack of opportunities, however, as the speedster was targeted a team high eight times, including a red zone target that was picked off in the end zone. Galloway was forced to leave late in the game with a shoulder injury.
TE Alex Smith, Rec: 3 - 26 - 1 (5 targets) - Alex Smith was targeted five times and finished with three receptions for 26 yards, including a six yard touchdown reception.
PK Matt Bryant 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points - Bryant did not attempt a field goal and finished with two extra points in the game.
TB Rush Defense - Even though they did give up a rushing touchdown, the Buccaneers played well against the run, giving up 100 yards on 33 carries, for 3.3 yards per carry. They held Brandon Jacobs to 34 yards on 13 carries and they didn't give up a run of ten yards or longer for the ballgame.
LB Derrick Brooks and DB Jermaine Phillips led the way with eight solo tackles and three assists a piece for Tampa Bay.
TB Pass Defense - The Buccaneers defense could not rattle QB Eli Manning, who completed 20 of 27 passes and two touchdowns. This defense, which has flourished all year long because of their turnover ratio, could not come up with any big, game-changing plays.Rookie DL Gaines Adams recorded Tampa Bay's only sack in the game, and the aforementioned Phillips led the way with eight solo tackles and three assists to lead the DBs.
Tennessee Titans 6, San Diego Chargers 17
What you need to know
Tennessee Titans - RB LenDale White ran very effectively, despite the stats suggesting otherwise. He was consistently able to move the San Diego defenders backwards off the ballQB Vince Young didn't make very many critical errors until his late interception with the Titans already down by eleven, but he also didn't make very many big plays to help them win. A lot of that can be attributed to a very suspect group of receivers he's throwing to.
The Titans defense came to play in the first half, holding San Diego to zero points and consistently bottling up RB LaDainian Tomlinson. But in the second half, the defensive line could get no pressure on QB Philip Rivers and several breakdowns in the secondary allowed constant long gains down the field for the Chargers passing game.
San Diego Chargers - The Chargers won a playoff game for the first time in 4,739 days (the last victory coming at Pittsburgh in the 1994 AFC Championship game in January 2005). The excitement was evident on the faces of the players and coaches, especially HC Norv Turner who was seen hugging LB Shawne Merriman and trying to dance with DE Luis Castillo on the sideline as the final seconds ran off the clock.TE Antonio Gates suffered what is being called a sprained toe midway through the second quarter. In his absence, WRs Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson both excelled (each went over 100 yards) but losing Gates for an extended period could prove devastating to this team.
QB Philip Rivers played one of his best games of the season, and he was the talk of the locker room afterwards. Everyone heaped praise upon him, but he correctly identified the offensive line play as the biggest reason he was able to have success throwing the football.
RB LaDainian Tomlinson was bottled up for most of the game, but did manage to leap the pile for a controversial one yard touchdown run that put the game out of reach.
What you ought to know
QB Vince Young, Pass: 16 - 29 - 138 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 12 - 0 - Young was a game time decision after being banged-up in the season finale versus the Colts a week ago. While he took a few big shots in this game on several occasions and was slow to get up a couple of times, he never once left the game. As for his play, it left much to be desired though it's difficult to tell if it's entirely his fault. Obviously, Young has struggled in his second season, as evidenced by his 9:17 touchdown to interception ratio during the regular season. But there are very few playmakers on this Tennessee roster, and a quick look at the stat line for the Titans receiving corps shows that no one was able to capitalize downfield on what was a porous San Diego defense. The Tennessee passing game as a whole looks pretty putrid, as no one can get any separation and at one point they had two receivers run the same route to the same exact spot down the sideline. They just look very out of synch. Young was under very little pressure for most of the first half and seemed to be moving around fairly well. He didn't take off and run very often, but he seemed able to elude would-be tacklers like he normally does. At one point, he showed terrific strength in avoiding a sack despite having LB Shaun Phillips hanging all over him. He managed to throw the ball away for an incompletion. In the third quarter there was still very little pressure on Young, and it wasn't until the fourth quarter when the Chargers really started applying any sort of pass rush on Young. It worked very well, specifically on back to back sacks late in the quarter that quelled a potential Tennessee drive.RB LenDale White, Rush: 19 - 69 - 0, Rec: 1 - -3 - 0 (1 targets) - White had a lot of success running the football right at the heart of the Chargers defense, much like he did in the first meeting between these teams. A lot of his runs were of the straight ahead, smash them in the mouth variety. This plan worked extremely well in the first half of the game, but the Titans got away from him later in the contest. White had 50 yards at the half, but finished with just 69. It was his running that consistently gained 3-5 yards that always set the Titans up for manageable third down situations, and they took advantage of those repeatedly for much of the afternoon. At one point late in the first quarter, White carried the ball five teams in a row and seven of nine plays overall. When the Tennessee offense was running through him, the team was controlling the clock and holding the lead. When Tennessee could no longer run or chose to no longer run, the game got away from them.
RB Chris Brown, Rush: 4 - 13 - 0 - Brown didn't do anything well in the game, and actually had one of the costliest errors of the afternoon. Early in the second quarter, Tennessee led 3-0 and was driving deep in San Diego territory. The Titans were chewing up chunks of yardage on the ground and faced a second and nine from the San Diego 12 yard line. Brown was hit from behind by LB Shawne Merriman and coughed up the football, which was recovered by San Diego. That play didn't lead to any San Diego points, but it did keep Tennessee points off the board.
WR Eric Moulds, Rec: 3 - 18 - 0 (4 targets) - Moulds is clearly nowhere near the player he once was, but he is still adept at getting off the line for short yardage and has good hands when the ball is near him. All three of his receptions came on drives that eventually led to points for Tennessee.
WR Justin Gage, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (5 targets) - Gage dropped an early pass, caught a 19 yarder soon after, and wasn't heard from all that much for the remainder of the afternoon. He was involved in a strange play where both he and Chris Davis ran the same deep route down the sideline to the same exact spot. If nothing else, the play truly illustrated the issues there are with the Tennessee passing game, and it would be an all-time upset if Gage is one of Vince Young's primary targets in the passing game in 2008.
TE Ben Troupe, Rec: 3 - 44 - 0 (3 targets) - Troupe ran a nice route on a perfect fade pass down the sideline from Vince Young, which by itself would have made Troupe Tennessee's leading yardage receiver in the game. With Bo Scaife out with a lacerated liver, Troupe had a great opportunity for a big day. Three receptions for 44 yards won't wow anyone, but it was a solid performance on a day when no other receivers really impressed all that much.
TE Ben Hartsock, Rec: 3 - 16 - 0 (3 targets) - Hartsock was effective in short yardage, catching all three passes thrown in his direction. But his big gain went for just six yards, and he's not a factor in the passing game for this or any other team.
PK Rob Bironas 2 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 6 points - On a day when Bironas provided all of the point scoring for his team, it was the kick he didn't make that will stand out the most. With San Diego leading the Titans 10-6 early in the fourth quarter, Bironas lined up for a very makeable 38 yard field goal attempt. The kick sailed just wide to the left, and the Chargers took the ensuing possession and marched downfield 72 yards on twelve plays for the touchdown that put the game out of reach.
TEN Rush Defense - The Tennessee defensive plan was clearly to stop LaDainian Tomlinson at all costs and force QB Philip Rivers to beat them. The plan worked to perfection, as Rivers was under a lot of pressure and the receivers had a tough time getting separation. Not to mention, San Diego was hit with a couple of untimely penalties and could never really establish any kind of rhythm. In the second half, Rivers and company opened up the passing game a lot more and were able to move the ball downfield with much greater ease. Rather than commit extra defenders to the passing game, Tennessee stuck to its guns about not allowing Tomlinson to beat them. It worked, to an extent. Tomlinson did not beat them -- but Rivers did. In statistical terms, the Titans dominated against the run. Twelve of Tomlinson's 42 yards came on one run, which means he had just thirty yards on his twenty other carries (1.5 YPC). And even on his touchdown run, the Titans made a far better play than the Chargers did. Facing a fourth and goal from inside the one yard line, Tomlinson tried leaping over the pile for the touchdown. LB Stephen Tulloch came up and drilled Tomlinson in mid-air and sent him backwards. It was only after reaching the ball across the plan on the second effort that San Diego was credited with the touchdown.
TEN Pass Defense - The Titans did a masterful job of throttling LaDainian Tomlinson in the first half while also managing to keep the San Diego passing game in check. When TE Antonio Gates left the game with a toe injury, the chances for the Chargers to have much success through the air seemed to dwindle greatly. But rather than falter, the Chargers came up big. The offensive line protected Rivers extremely well and kept DE Kyle Vanden Bosch and DT Albert Haynesworth at bay, something that could not be said for the previous meeting between these teams. Additionally, the Titans defensive backfield suffered a number of breakdowns resulting in San Diego receivers getting completely wide open twenty and thirty yards downfield. In a tight game like this, even one big pass play can swing a game's momentum. For Tennessee, they repeatedly broke down in coverage and allowed the Chargers a number of long pass plays to help set up multiple second half scores. S Michael Griffin had an up and down game, saving a loss touchdown pass to Chris Chambers in the corner of the end zone, and then helping out underneath on a few plays where he should have instead been giving deep help over the top and subsequently allowing the Chargers to throw the ball downfield almost at will a few times. QB Philip Rivers, Pass: 19 - 30 - 292 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - -2 - 0 - Rivers proved his mettle in this contest, coming back from some early game struggles to lead his team on three separate scoring drives in the second half and claim the Chargers' first playoff win since the 1994 AFC Championship game (played in January 1995). The afternoon began inauspiciously, as Rivers fumbled on his very first drop-back of the game (the ball was recovered by Tomlinson). Soon afterwards, he made a bad pass in the end zone on a deep ball to Chris Chambers that was well underthrown and resulted in an interception. He had plenty of time to throw it and managed to set his feet well, but the pass still failed to reach its intended target. Soon after, Rivers was seen yelling at someone on the sideline, perhaps Chambers, and seemingly blaming him for not doing more to knock the ball away. At halftime, several CBS analysts put at least some of the blame for the interception on Chambers, but at the end of the day it was still a poorly thrown pass. It was, however, one of the only poorly thrown passes Rivers would make all game. He hit Chambers in stride down the seam for 30. He hit Jackson down the sideline for 32 after a terrific pump fake. He hit a wide open Chambers deep downfield for 39 when Chambers wasn't even the original target of the play call. He hit Jackson in stride for a 25 yard touchdown. And perhaps most importantly, the Chargers said to a man that the biggest thing they saw from Rivers was that he maintained his poise and really grew as a leader. HC Norv Turner commented on it after the game, saying that the plan all season long was to not be a one-dimensional team that relies solely on LaDainian Tomlinson. As evidenced by this game, the Chargers can now find ways to win even when their star running back is struggling. And a lot of that had to do with the outstanding play of Rivers. Aside from the interception, the only blemishes on Rivers' performances are minor. One a pass play early in the third quarter and facing a third and four from the Titans' five yard line, he opted to throw a pass to Vincent Jackson for three yards. He never saw LaDainian Tomlinson wide open in the right flat with just one man to beat for the touchdown (and the one man wasn't really all that close to Tomlinson, either). The other wasn't Rivers' fault at all, but rather a product of bad luck fantasy-wise. He threw a pass to Tomlinson early in the fourth quarter that resulted in a nine yard gain and a tackle at about the one foot line. Tomlinson nearly broke the plane, but was tackled just shy and cost Rivers a score. Tomlinson would go on to score on the ensuing play.RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Rush: 21 - 42 - 1, Rec: 3 - 19 - 0 (5 targets) - Tomlinson had one of his toughest games, individually speaking, as a professional. His six yards at halftime was the second lowest rushing total in one half in his career, and the Titans clearly were making a concerted effort to ensure that they wouldn't allow Tomlinson to beat them. There was literally no room to maneuver, and he had to fight hard for every one of those 42 yards he picked up. And, as usual, despite a meager stat line, Tomlinson still managed to please fantasy owners by finding the end zone. He took a third down pass down to the one yard line and it was unclear whether the Chargers would kick the field goal and go up 13-6 or opt to try for the touchdown. HC Norv Turner elected to go for the score, and it worked. It was a controversial score, as Tomlinson leapt up and over the pile and was seemingly stopped. He was initially knocked back by LB Stephen Tulloch, but a second effort (with a little help on a shove from behind) resulted in the ball breaking the plane of the end zone for the score. That touchdown put the Chargers up 17-6 and put the game out of reach.
Tomlinson probably could have scored earlier in the game when he was wide open in the flat from five yards out, but Rivers never saw him. However, if the Chargers had scored there then it's unlikely they'd have gone for it on the fourth down run, so it's not like he missed out on a potential two touchdown day.RB Michael Turner, Rush: 9 - 28 - 0 - Turner didn't get a ton of action, but he worked hard for his 28 yards. When he came into the game, it most definitely gave the San Diego running game a different feel. No one is suggesting that Turner is a better runner than LaDainian Tomlinson, but against a defense like this, power running was much more valuable than shiftiness and elusiveness. Perhaps that explains why Turner picked up 28 yards compared to Tomlinson's 42 despite taking 12 fewer carries.
WR Chris Chambers, Rec: 6 - 121 - 0 (12 targets) - Chambers showed just how much of an impact player he still is on multiple occasions in this game. Perhaps more importantly, with a possible serious injury to TE Antonio Gates, Chambers is clearly going to be looked to as the number one option in the team's passing game as long as the team is still alive in the playoffs and Gates is out.
Chambers started by showing terrific hands on a 30 yard reception down the seam early in the second quarter, and continued with a wide open bomb for 39 yards in the fourth. Had the ball been thrown a bit further downfield, Chambers likely would have scored, but Rivers cannot really be blamed on the play since it wasn't even designed for Chambers anyway and the Chargers were much more concerned with picking up the first down on third and ten than they were with immediately scoring. Chambers had nearly scored earlier in the game on another deep ball, but S Michael Griffin tipped the ball away at the last moment.WR Vincent Jackson, Rec: 5 - 114 - 1 (7 targets) - Jackson, who has slowly been coming around lately, really came on strong and picked a great time for his best game of the season. He took advantage of breakdowns in coverage on several occasions by Tennessee defensive backs and got wide open down the sideline for several big gains. He had four different receptions of twenty yards or more, none more important than the 25 yard touchdown reception that put the Chargers up 10-6. Jackson came across the field near the goal line, made the catch, and sensed S Michael Griffin floating in his direction behind him. Rather than continue on his route and probably get tackled at the one or two yard line, Jackson made a great cut-back to lose Griffin, and then eventually dove into the end zone for the score. It was a terrific demonstration of both athleticism and awareness, and with the injury to TE Antonio Gates, the heroics by Jackson were made all the more crucial. If Gates is going to miss any time, Jackson would very definitely see an increased role over his typical duties in the offense.
WR Craig Davis, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Davis caught an early pass and then wasn't looked to again the rest of the game. Still, if TE Antonio Gates is going to miss time next week or any subsequent weeks should the Chargers advance, it's likely that Davis' role would increase at least somewhat as everyone tries to pick up the slack.
TE Antonio Gates, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) - After a short pass in the flat resulted in Gates slipping to the turf for a one yard loss, he attempted to get to his feet and advance the ball. Planting his feet into the turf, he was hit up high by the defender and had his foot/toe bent backward at an awkward angle despite his cleats remaining planted in the ground. He was helped off the field and eventually carted to the locker room with what was termed a sprained toe, though in the postgame press conference HC Norv Turner indicated that there is a possibility that it's more serious than that. Obviously, Gates did not return to the game and even more telling is the fact that he didn't return to the sideline. We'll keep you updated throughout the week on his status, and he is officially considered questionable to play against the Colts.
TE Brandon Manumaleuna, Rec: 2 - 18 - 0 (2 targets) - Manumaleuna hauled in a critical third down reception in the flat and made a nice cut-back move against the grain to fake out the defender. It was one of only two receptions for Manumaleuna, this despite the fact that starting TE Antonio Gates left the game with a toe injury in the second quarter. Still, if Gates misses time next week, Manumaleuna has shown that he can be a factor in short yardage and goal line situations as a pass catcher.
PK Nate Kaeding 1 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Kaeding's playoff struggles continued, as he pushed a 45 yard attempt wide to the right on his first field goal try of the game. He did later bang in a 20 yard chip shot, but his confidence has to be an issue at this point with his history of missing kicks in big spots. Perhaps his injury or the field conditions came into play somewhat, but the reasons aren't nearly as important as the results at this point.
SD Rush Defense - San Diego was getting gashed the entire first half by LenDale White and anyone else on Tennessee that started off in the backfield. At times, no Chargers defender even got a hand on White until he was a good three yards past the line of scrimmage. And once he gets going, he can be extremely difficult to bring down. Some shoddy tackling by the Chargers also led to Ahmad Hall picking up a first down run on a crucial third and two carry late in the third quarter. In fact, the Chargers made it a habit of allowing crucial first downs on Tennessee runs, and the interior run defense (typically a strength of this team early in the season) was getting chewed up. The only time this run defense really rose up and made a huge play was early in the second quarter. The Titans were in the process of moving the football 59 yards on eleven plays (ten of them run plays) when Chris Brown took a handoff from the twelve yard line. LB Shawne Merriman got in behind Brown and put a helmet on the football, popping it up into the air where it was recovered by fellow LB Shaun Phillips. The Chargers weren't tested as much in the second half as they opened up a lead on the Titans and forced them to throw the ball a lot more than they wanted to, especially late.
SD Pass Defense - Through the first three quarters of the game, the Chargers appeared very content to give QB Vince Young all the time he wanted in the pocket and instead worry about keeping the receivers contained. That worked to at extent as the Chargers were never beaten for any big plays downfield, but it didn't work for the fact that the Titans consistently found themselves in manageable third down situations which they repeatedly converted. It wasn't until the fourth quarter that the Chargers really ramped up the pressure on Young. By that point, the Titans were in obvious passing downs and trailing by ten plus points, so the Chargers were having a little fun. Amazingly enough, on what would become essentially the game-clinching interception, CB Drayton Florence picked off Young's pass and turned upfield to run with the football rather than simply dropping to the ground. Apparently not all of the San Diego defensive backs learned their lessons from last year's playoff debacle against the New England Patriots.S Clinton Hart had a rough game, capped off by his failure to intercept an easy pass that was lofted right into his hands. It's understandable that he's a defensive back and not a receiver and so his hands may be a bit suspect. But the ball was thrown so lightly that it's likely that 95% of all Pop Warner players across the land would have been able to catch the ball.
Another near miss came earlier in the game when LB Shaun Phillips appeared to have Young wrapped up for an easy sack, but the 6'5" 233 pound quarterback managed to maintain his footing and somehow throw the ball away.
Jacksonville Jaguars 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 29
What you need to know
Jacksonville Jaguars - QB David Garrard did not have much success on the night. He threw two interceptions while under heavy pressure. He ended up getting the job done on the drive that counted though, converting a key fourth down and two with a 32 yard run that sealed the deal by getting Josh Scobee into comfortable field goal range.RB Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew split time at running back. Jones-Drew had a 96 yard kickoff return which led to a Fred Taylor touchdown to answer Pittsburgh's first touchdown. Both players had big roles in other parts of the game but neither running back had much success rushing the football.
WR Ernest Wilford and Reggie Williams led the Jaguars at the wide receiver position. They were only targeted six times though. Garrard only threw the ball 21 times on the night.
Pittsburgh Steelers - QB Ben Roethlisberger could not get much going in the first three quarters as the team got into a hole, but ended the game on a hot streak that brought the Steelers back from an 18 point deficit, but that ended up not being enough.RB Najeh Davenport carried the load at running back with Willie Parker injured. He failed to have any success against the tough run defense of Jacksonville. It seemed clear that the interior line of Jacksonville won the battles against the Steelers in running situations.
WR Santonio Holmes caught a 37 yard touchdown, breaking a couple of tackles along the way. Hines Ward trash talked with the Jacksonville secondary all night, and seemed to get the better of them throughout the game. He caught a two point conversion in the fourth that would have made it 25-28 and brought the Steelers within three, but there was a holding penalty which ended up costing them the two points. Heath Miller proved to be a reliable target for Roethlisberger throughout the second half, catching several key passes including a touchdown.
What you ought to know
QB David Garrard, Pass: 9 - 21 - 140 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 5 - 58 - 0 - Garrard struggled on the night, completing only nine of his 21 passes for 140 yards -- including two interceptions. He did have a touchdown pass to Maurice Jones-Drew. He also was able to orchestrate the game winning drive, which included an impressive 32 yard scramble on fourth and two. Pittsburgh sacked Garrard four times and pressured him often.RB Fred Taylor, Rush: 16 - 48 - 1, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) - Fred Taylor rushed for only 48 yards on 16 carries. He did manage to get a rushing touchdown, but there was not much to be had against the stingy Steelers rush defense. He often turned nothing into something; however there just was not much to be had.
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Rush: 8 - 29 - 1, Rec: 1 - 43 - 1 (3 targets) - Jones-Drew showed his value to the team Saturday night. He was effective in the run, pass, and kick return portions of the game. He blocked extremely well. He returned his first and only kickoff 96 yards to the Pittsburgh two. He caught a 43 yard touchdown pass tiptoeing down the sideline. He also ran for a touchdown. He only ran for 29 yards on eight attempts, though.
RB Greg Jones (2 targets) - Jones was the fullback on the night, and ended up dropping one of the passes thrown his way which would have been for a big gain on second and long.
WR Reggie Williams, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (3 targets) - Williams caught two of the three balls thrown his way. He gained 23 yards on the night, including a key second and long eight yard catch on the game winning drive.
WR Ernest Wilford, Rec: 2 - 39 - 0 (3 targets) - Wilford was able to bring in two of the three balls thrown to him successfully. The third was a long pass where Wilford dove for the ball but the tip found the ground before he was able to secure it.
WR Dennis Northcutt, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (3 targets) - Northcutt was targeted three times on the night, catching one of them for 17 yards. One of the other passes was intercepted. He also served as the punt returner and had a nice 16 yard return before Jacksonville's game winning drive.
TE Marcedes Lewis, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (5 targets) - Lewis was targeted five times and caught two passes.
TE Richard Angulo (1 targets) - Angulo was unable to catch the only ball he was thrown in his backup tight end role.
PK Josh Scobee 1 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points - Scobee missed a 46 yard field goal in the second quarter, he kicked it well but it was just never on line. He overcame that though by making a 25 yard game winner in the final minute of the game.
JAX Rush Defense - Jacksonville completely shut down the Pittsburgh rushing attack. They only allowed 30 yards on 22 carries. They did allow a couple of short touchdown runs to Najeh Davenport, but for the most part they were absolutely dominant.
JAX Pass Defense - The Jacksonville pass defense did a solid job against a potent passing offense. They intercepted Ben Roethlisberger three times, including a 63 yard return for a touchdown by Rashean Mathis. They sacked Roethlisberger six times, but ended up allowing 337 passing yards. QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 29 - 42 - 337 - 2 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 4 - 13 - 0 - Roethlisberger threw the ball early and often as the Steelers could not get anything going in the run game. He threw the ball 42 times for 337 yards, two touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions. He seemed to do things assuming the Jacksonville defense would react. Many of the times he was right, but the other times he threw into trouble and it was very costly.RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 16 - 25 - 2, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (4 targets) - Davenport could not get much going on the night. He tried to run directly at the strength of the Jaguars' defense, and only gained 25 yards on 16 carries. He did however score two touchdowns on short runs.
RB Carey Davis, Rush: 3 - 3 - 0, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (4 targets) - Davis played a combination of running back and fullback on the night. He dropped a pass at the 1 yard line but the Steelers still scored a touchdown on the drive.
WR Hines Ward, Rec: 10 - 135 - 0 (14 targets) - Ward was all over the field all night. Roethlisberger threw the ball to him 15 of the 46 times he threw the ball, and Ward earned it by catching ten balls for 135 yards. He made a great catch in the back of the end zone on a two point attempt but it was called off due to offensive holding. Ward was in the right place all night, and at one time a pass that went off of Heath Miller's hands came right to Ward who took it for a 33 yard gain.
WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 3 - 49 - 1 (7 targets) - Holmes caught three balls for 49 yards and a touchdown. He was generally targeted on the deeper routes and was well covered. On his touchdown catch, Holmes broke two tackles after his catch and basically walked into the end zone.
WR Nate Washington, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (4 targets) - Washington was only able to catch one of the four balls thrown his way. He was targeted on a fade route on a two point conversion attempt that was not thrown very well.
WR Cedrick Wilson, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) - Wilson caught the only ball thrown his way for a ten yard gain.
TE Heath Miller, Rec: 8 - 85 - 1 (9 targets) - Miller caught eight balls thrown his way for 85 yards and a touchdown. He was very reliable and often able to make the first defender miss. That being said, his routes were generally short and his longest gain on the night was 16 yards. The ball Miller did not catch went off of the end of his hands and was caught by Hines Ward for a 33 yard gain.
PK Jeff Reed 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points - Reed made his only field goal attempt, which came from 28 yards away.
PIT Rush Defense - The Pittsburgh run defense was extremely solid, holding Jacksonville running backs to 77 yards on 24 attempts. They stopped the Jaguars from being able to run the clock out and gave the offense the opportunity to make their comeback. They did however, give up a long run to David Garrard on a designed draw on fourth down and two.
PIT Pass Defense - Pittsburgh's secondary did a great job against Garrard, holding him to nine completions on 21 attempts and forcing two interceptions.Washington Redskins 14, Seattle Seahawks 35
What you need to know
Washington Redskins - Even though Todd Collins completed 29 of his 50 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns, his performance was more impressive than you'd think. The Seattle pass rush was relentless throughout the game, constantly beating Collins up for standing in the pocket. In addition to that, receivers Santana Moss and Chris Cooley both struggled with dropped passes, often in key situations. The pressure eventually did get to Collins though, throwing two fourth quarter interceptions, both going for touchdowns. On the first one, Santana Moss seemed to give up on the ball, which Marcus Trufant easily intercepted, and returned 78 yards for the score. The second was in a must throw situation with them down 14 late, that Jordan Babineaux took back for a 57 yard touchdown, icing the game.Clinton Portis had literally no room to work in this game, as the Seahawks defensive line was exploding through the Redskins offensive line on virtually every play. He did get 20 carries, to Ladell Betts' three, and ran for 52 yards while catching four balls for another 28. Portis was mainly ineffective, but stayed in the game on most downs with Betts struggling so badly in pass protection, a few times being run right over by the defender.
Santana Moss certainly improved his numbers under the play of Todd Collins, however he hasn't corrected inconsistency and focus issues that have plagued him throughout the year. One play Moss is bringing in a 30 yard touchdown to help the Redskins take the lead, or jumping high to haul in a 14 yard grab on a crucial third and long. The next he's dropping a pass at an important time, or giving up on his route to allow Marcus Trufant to easily intercept a pass and take it to the house for a touchdown. His play is especially frustrating, given that he's a player with all the ability in the world. He finished with six receptions for 68 yards and a score, but played more poorly than the numbers would indicate.
Seattle Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck didn't have the strongest of games, throwing two interceptions, both at the hands of Redskins safety LaRon Landry. However, he made it count at the right time, when the Seahawks were reeling from 14 straight Washington points to find themselves trailing mid way through the fourth quarter. Hasselbeck led a drive that culminated in a 20 yard touchdown to DJ Hackett that would give the Seahawks the lead for good. He finished with 229 yards, with the single score, while completing 20 of his 32 attempts. It wasn't the strongest of games given that he wasn't pressured all that heavily, and he had some poor decisions, notably checking down on third and longs with no chance of getting first downs. He got the job done, though much or even most of that credit should go to the Seahawks front seven.Even though the Seahawks carried the ball as a team 21 times, fullback Leonard Weaver made more of an impact with his single carry than any other Seattle running back did with theirs; a scenario which epitomizes the current state of the Seahawks running game. Shaun Alexander got most of the early down work, accounting for 15 carries and an underwhelming 46 yards, a few longer gains coming on draw plays against an unsuspecting Redskins defense. Maurice Morris did not fare much better, only getting four carries for 13 yards. However, Weaver, their starting fullback showed why he's their most versatile and potentially best player in their backfield. A tweener fullback/halfback, Weaver is a good lead blocker, and an exceptional receiver out of the backfield, scoring on his only carry from 18 yards out. When he does get the ball, he runs with power and explosiveness, something his teammates Alexander and Morris have showed all too little of this season. With the loss of Mack Strong to retirement, Weaver is forced to play in fullback formations as the lead blocker, but you'll also frequently find him on the field in obvious passing situations as the halfback.
Even with the absence of injured starter Deion Branch, the Seattle receivers played a solid game All three of Bobby Engram, DJ Hackett, and Nate Burleson started in a three receiver set. Engram is the dependable option over the middle, caught four passes for 57 yards out of the slot, while sliding over to flanker position on the outside in two receiver formations. Burleson playing outside at flanker in three receiver formations hauled in six receptions for 64 yards. Hackett, playing split end for the entire game, made the most impact catching six passes for 101 yards, his final catch a 20 yard touchdown to put the Seahawks ahead for good. Hackett, an impending free agent, is choosing the best time of year to show that when healthy can be an impact player in the league.
What you ought to know
QB Todd Collins, Pass: 29 - 50 - 266 - 2 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 2 - 0 - Todd Collins went 29 of 50 for 266 passes, while throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions. The numbers don't look bad, but considering the Seattle pass rush was in his face all day, combined with how his receivers were dropping passes all over the field means he probably deserved a better result. Collins was composed in the pocket, but did not have a lot of time to work for much of the game. In the fourth quarter he came alive; first finding Antwaan Randle El over the middle for a seven yard score, then a drive later hitting Santana Moss down the field for a 30 yard touchdown. Two late interceptions for touchdowns sealed Collins fate. He ran twice for two yards.RB Clinton Portis, Rush: 20 - 52 - 0, Rec: 4 - 28 - 0 (5 targets) - Clinton Portis carried the ball 20 times for 52 yards, while catching four of his five targets for another 28 yards. Portis played the bulk of the game even though he was ineffective on the ground. Backup Ladell Betts did get some playing time on third downs, and may have spelled Portis more, but he was an obvious liability in pass protection.
RB Ladell Betts, Rush: 3 - 15 - 0, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (2 targets) - Ladell Betts only carried the ball three times for 15 yards, all of which came late in the second quarter with the Redskins essentially letting the clock run out to head into the locker room for halftime. Betts did play on the occasional third down, collecting both of his receptions for 19 yards, however his pass protection was notably poor, being run over on a few occasions by the pass rush.
WR Antwaan Randle El, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 10 - 94 - 1 (11 targets) - Randle El caught an amazing ten of his 11 targets, for 94 yards and a touchdown. With his main targets Chris Cooley and Santana Moss dropping passes throughout the game, Todd Collins found comfort in Randle El, mostly on routes over the middle. He took an end around for two yards. The only target he did not catch was a ball intercepted by Jordan Babineaux and taken for a 57 yard touchdown, to break the Redskins backs.
WR Santana Moss, Rec: 6 - 68 - 1 (13 targets) - Santana Moss caught six passes for 68 yards on 13 total targets. With the Redskins storming back in the fourth quarter, Moss caught a ball down the field in double coverage for a 30 yard touchdown, giving them the lead with 12 minutes left in the game. Moss also had a great leaping grab on third and eight that extended a Redskins drive a little later Unfortunately, Moss had two key drops, and was targeted on one of Todd Collins' interceptions where it looked as though he gave up on the ball. Marcus Trufant intercepted it and took it back for a 78 yard touchdown, putting the Seahawks up by 14 with five minutes to play.
WR Reche Caldwell, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (4 targets) - Caldwell played in three receiver sets, however only caught one pass for seven yards on his four targets. He did appear to be on the field more frequently than Keenan McCardell though.
WR Keenan McCardell - Though active for this game, McCardell failed to garner a single target. He lost playing time to Reche Caldwell.
TE Chris Cooley, Rec: 5 - 46 - 0 (9 targets) - Chris Cooley caught five of his nine targets for 46 yards, with no touchdowns. Cooley started the game off slow only having two receptions for six yards through the first half, but got things going in the second half with a beautiful one handed grab for 20 yards. Overall it was still a disappointing game for the talented tight end, with two key drops.
PK Shaun Suisham 0 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points - Suisham missed his only attempt of the day, a 30 yarder that went wide left. It would have put the Redskins up 17-13 mid way through the fourth quarter. He was successful on both of his PAT converts.
WAS Rush Defense - It's difficult to gauge how successful the Redskins rush defense was, simply because the Seahawks have struggled to run the ball this season. They allowed 77 yards on 21 carries for an average of 3.7 yards per carry. The longest play they allowed was to fullback Leonard Weaver, who took the ball in for 17 yards on his only carry of the game. They appeared to have little trouble with Shaun Alexander though, who carried most of the load.
WAS Pass Defense - Matt Hasselbeck completed 63 percent of his passes for 229 yards and a touchdown, while throwing two interceptions both caught by rookie safety LaRon Landry. They only sacked Hasselbeck once, and the pass rush was only adequate throughout, despite the Seahawks not mounting much of an attack on the ground. D.J. Hackett caught a 20 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Seahawks the lead for good. Hackett got behind backup Redskins safety Pierson Prioleau for the score. QB Matt Hasselbeck, Pass: 20 - 32 - 229 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0 - Matt Hasselbeck completed 20 of 32 passes for 229 yards with one touchdown, and two interceptions. Hasselbeck had sufficient time to run the offense that started in a three receiver set, however seemed to be under the microscope for some inaccuracy issues, and questionable decisions on third and longs where he dumped the ball off. He threw an interception in the second quarter where Redskins safety LaRon Landry jumped a D.J. Hackett route in man coverage. Later in the fourth quarter, Hasselbeck again found the wrong team, as Landry picked him on a ball that sailed over Bobby Engram's head for an easy pick. He would later make up for that, in finding Hackett for a 20 yard touchdown to put the Seahawks up for good. Hasselbeck fumbled the ball once, but it was recovered by Seattle. He ran once for one yard, on a play where he took a huge hit to the thigh that had him eventually flipping through the air. He stayed in the game.RB Shaun Alexander, Rush: 15 - 46 - 0, Rec: 2 - -1 - 0 (2 targets) - Alexander carried the ball 15 times for 46 yards, while catching two passes for negative one yard on two targets. Alexander did not break many tackles, and picked up most of his yards on draw plays where the defense may not have been expecting the run. Even though he showed a lack of power and burst, Alexander carried the load for the Seahawks, though they're more of a pass first team at this point.
RB Maurice Morris, Rush: 4 - 13 - 0 (1 targets) - Maurice Morris carried the ball four times for 13 yards, and did not have any receptions on one target. With Alexander still getting a majority of the carries, and fullback Leonard Weaver playing a majority of the passing downs at halfback, it would appear Maurice Morris is without a role while either is healthy. Many have expected he'd split carries with Alexander, and given the former MVP's lack luster performance to this point in the year, he could see an increased workload as the Seahawks progress in the playoffs.
RB Leonard Weaver, Rush: 1 - 17 - 1, Rec: 2 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) - Leonard Weaver only carried the ball once, but he made it count, taking it to the house for a 17 yard touchdown. With fullback Mack Strong's career over, Weaver has started at fullback for the Seahawks, and provides the team with a dynamic option given his running and receiving ability. He caught two passes for eight yards on three targets.
WR D.J. Hackett, Rec: 6 - 101 - 1 (8 targets) - Hackett caught six passes for 101 yards, while scoring a touchdown in his eight targets on the day. Hackett started the game slowly only having 30 of his yards in the first half, including an offensive pass interference call in the second quarter. In the second half though Hackett opened things up by hauling in a 35 yard pass down the right sideline. With the Seahawks down 14-13 mid way through the fourth quarter, Matt Hasselbeck found Hackett behind Redskins safety Pierson Prioleau for a 20 yard touchdown that would put the Seahawks up for good.
WR Nate Burleson, Rec: 6 - 64 - 0 (7 targets) - Nate Burleson started in the three receiver set, and caught six passes for 64 yards. Burleson's biggest play came on a ball thrown down the right sideline that he hauled in for a 25 yard grab. Normally the fourth receiver, Burleson provided Matt Hasselbeck with a reliable target in the absence of Deion Branch. Burleson also looked dangerous in the return game, with a 14 yard punt return average.
WR Bobby Engram, Rec: 4 - 57 - 0 (7 targets) - Bobby Engram caught four passes for 57 yards, not surprisingly all over the middle. Though he played in two receiver sets, when Nate Burleson came in on three receiver formations, Engram would slide over to the slot. He did have a drop, but played a steady game, accounting for four of the Seahawks' 11 first downs through the air.
TE Marcus Pollard (2 targets) - Marcus Pollard dropped both of his targets, and when he was on the field generally stayed in to block for Matt Hasselbeck.
PK Josh Brown 2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points - Josh Brown connected on field goals of 50 and 33, while converting all three of his extra point attempts.
SEA Rush Defense - The Washington Redskins carried the ball 29 times for 75 yards, an average of 2.6 yards per carry. The Seahawks defensive line absolutely dominated the Redskins offensive line in this game, and that was essentially the biggest difference. Clinton Portis didn't have any room to work, often being met in the backfield. His longest gain was of 14, but had seven carries of zero or negative gains. It was an outstanding effort by this unit.
SEA Pass Defense - Again, the Seahawks defensive line man handled the Redskins offensive line in this game, and that lead to constant and unrelenting pressure on Todd Collins throughout. Patrick Kerney, though never actually accounting for a sack, seemed to be in the backfield just as much as Clinton Portis, constantly knocking Collins down and pressuring him. Kerney was easily the best player in this game. Leading 13-0 the defensive approach changed in the second half going to a deep zone. This didn't work, as Collins was able to lead the Redskins back to take the lead at 14-13 early in the fourth quarter. Going back to their scheme of sending pressure at Collins in the late part of the game did the trick, as Collins was intercepted twice, both going for touchdowns. First by Marcus Trufant for 78 yards where Santana Moss gave up on the ball, and the second by Jordan Babineaux on an under thrown ball to Bobby Engram that the Seattle safety took back for 57 yards. Given the outstanding play of the line, the fact that Collins was able to muster 266 yards and two touchdowns is the one potential negative to the performance of this unit, though had they stayed with the same attacking scheme throughout that likely would have been different. They ended up getting to Collins four times, hitting him 12 times, knocking him down ten times, and batting two of his pass attempts down at the line.