Week 13 Sunday Scores & Monday Prediction

By TLarner

If you missed the battle between the Steelers and Ravens last night, you better glue yourself to the recliner tonight for the AFC East battle. Check out the scores from yesterday and prepare for Monday night.

Game of the Week Results: PIT 13, BAL 10

If you were expecting a hard-hitting slugfest last night, you were in luck. The low scoring affair is typical when the Steelers and Ravens meet. If you walked on the field without any injuries, you sure didn’t finish the game without one. Just ask Big Ben, who started the game with a foot injury. Minutes into the game, he also had a broken nose to deal with. On a sack by Haloti Ngata, Ngata hit Roethlisberger in the helmet, leaving the QB with a misshaped and bloody nose. Ngata was fined $15,000 on Monday.

Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco struck first with a 14-yard touchdown to Anquan Boldin. Boldin set up the drive with a 61-yard catch with the offense backed up to its own end zone. Pittsburgh added a field goal, and the Steelers entered the break trailing 7-3. On a drive kept alive by multiple Baltimore penalties, Heath Miller took a vicious hit to the helmet, and left the game with a concussion. No flag was thrown on that play, but on Monday, linebacker Jameel McClain was fined $40,000.  Roethlisberger then found rookie receiver Emanuel Sanders inside the five-yard line, but again, the team settled for a field goal. With about 3:21 left in the game, up 10-6, Flacco was sacked by safety Troy Polamalu, forcing a fumble. Linebacker LaMarr Woodley recovered the ball and was stopped at the Baltimore 10-yard line. On third and goal, Roethlisberger hit running back Isaac Redmen on a short pass, but the back plowed through arm tackles on his way to the end zone. With 43 seconds left on a fourth and two, Flacco had tight end Ed Dickson open for the first down, but didn’t put enough mustard on the throw as it landed about a yard short.

 Roethlisberger threw for 253 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Rashard Mendenhall ran for only 45 yards. Mike Wallace led all Pittsburgh receivers with five catches for 76 yards. The defense recorded four sacks and forced a fumble. Both teams had under 290 yards of total offense. Each also had more penalty yardage than rushing yards. Flacco threw for 266 yards with a touchdown for Baltimore. Running back Ray Rice had only 32 yards on the ground. Boldin caught five passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens’ defense had three sacks, and interception, and a forced fumble.

Remaining Scores from Sunday

New Orleans 34, Cincinnati 30

Chicago 24, Detroit 20

San Francisco 16, Green Bay 34

Denver 6, Kansas City 10

Cleveland 13, Miami 10

Buffalo 14, Minnesota 38

Washington 7, New York Giants 31

Jacksonville 17, Tennessee 6

Oakland 28, San Diego 13

St. Louis 19, Arizona 6

Dallas 38, Indianapolis 35

Carolina 14, Seattle 31

Atlanta 28, Tampa Bay 24

Breaking News

The Denver Broncos have fired coach Josh McDaniels. Running back coach Eric Studesville will take over has interim head coach. McDaniels won his first six games, but has lost 17 of his last 22. He also was involved in another filming scandal when the Denver video coordinator filmed a 49ers practice while in London. Many have questioned his personnel moves. He traded Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, as well as Peyton Hillis, who went from the Denver bench to becoming one of the best running backs in the league with Cleveland.

Monday Night Football

Both teams enter Monday night 9-2, and both teams are atop of the AFC East. The New England Patriots host the New York Jets. They will battle on the field for the second time this season. In the first matchup, Mark Sanchez threw three touchdowns as the Jets beat New England 28-14. But that was in Week 2. Tonight is a battle for the division and bragging rights.

The New York Jets have won four straight games. The offense, lead by Sanchez in his sophomore year, is ninth in the league in yards per game (361.6). Sanchez has thrown for 2,472 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. LaDainian Tomlinson has run for 741 yards and five touchdowns. Shonn Greene has followed up with 575 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Receiver Braylon Edwards leads the Jets with 618 yards receiving and six touchdowns. The New York defense is fifth in the league in points allowed per game (17.0). Veteran Jason Taylor has a team-high four sacks. Antonio Cromartie has three interceptions. Darrelle Revis hasn’t picked off one pass this season, although he continues to shut down many of the top receivers.

The Patriots are first in the NFL in points per game (30.4). Tom Brady has won 25 straight home games. He has thrown for 2,703 yards with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions (Two came in the Week 2 loss to New York). New England has developed a solid rushing attack behind BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Green-Ellis has ran for 627 yards and nine touchdowns. Danny Woodhead, the former New York Jet, has made a big impact on the New England offense. He 344 yards with three touchdowns on the ground, and 230 yards and a score threw the air. Without Randy Moss, Wes Welker has become more of a primary receiver. He has 65 catches for 592 yards and six touchdowns. Linebacker Jerod Mayo leads the league with 132 total tackles, but the Patriots’ defense is the worst in the league, allowing yards allowed per game (399.1). Rookie corner Devin McCourty has a team best five interceptions.

Prediction

The Patriots are almost unbeatable at home. They always find a way to win. However, in Week 2, the Jets handed Coach Bill Belichick an embarrassing loss. Sanchez has played well against AFC East opponents. Both teams know how important this game is in the playoff picture, as well as for pride. Both teams have weapons on offense, and both have defenders to fear. Although Rex Ryan is my favorite of all the NFL coaches (I loved the comparison to Brady about having super model wives), I think Brady and his Patriots will win tonight, and stay on top of the AFC East.

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