NFL News Update
The Pittsburgh Steelers laid a long, methodical beating on the down-trodden Houston Texans and got the reward they sought – a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs. The Philadelphia Eagles (at least offensively) stumbled around like overserved bar patrons but somehow managed to slip past the Oakland Raiders and secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC bracket in the second half of the NFL’s Christmas Day doubleheader.
Pittsburgh’s 34-6 win was a foregone conclusion at halftime. A couple of Houston turnovers led to a 20-0 lead at halftime. The Steelers sacked a pair of Houston quarterbacks seven times, three by defensive back Mike Nelson.
The Eagles couldn’t generate a thing in the second half, as the football bounced repeatedly off the hands of receivers. But a late, long field goal by Jake Elliott after an interception produced a victory inflated to 19-10 by a fumble return for a score on the final play.
If you’re a Steelers fan, you are nothing but encouraged. They just keep handling their business. They’re 12-3, 7-1 on the road. If you’re an Eagles fan, you’re more than little worried how this offense will fare with Nick Foles at quarterback for the injured Carson Wentz.
Foles was 19 of 38 for 163 yards with a touchdown and an interception. His passer rating: 59.4. Uh-uh. Not good enough at home against a Raiders team that is now 6-9.
The Eagles (13-2) don’t have to worry much about their season-ender against the Dallas Cowboys (8-7), who are out of playoff contention. Resting starters could be a good idea. And then the Eagles have two additional weeks to get Foles more in sync.
No point lavishing too much praise on Pittsburgh for beating the stripped-down Texans (4-11), who have lost five straight. But the focus they brought on the road and their ferocity speak of a team ready to do some damage in the playoffs.
The Eagles? We shall see.
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman
sandbox-mf101
-
The rookie player shot 8-under 64. At the 150th Open Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland, an up-and-coming golfer made...
-
The Browns will receive a draft pick in exchange. Today, the Cleveland Browns announced that they would be trading...
-
Williams was beaten by Harmony Tan after a lengthy match. Yesterday, tennis star Serena Williams took on Harmony Tan...
-
Cole’s streak lasted until the eighth inning. Last night saw the New York Yankees take on the Tampa Bay...
-
Mayweather called the induction one of the highlights of his career. Over the weekend, retired professional boxer Floyd Mayweather...
-
Brady will join up with Fox Sports when he retires. Earlier this year, superstar NFL player Tom Brady temporarily...
-
Zalatoris said watching Woods made him feel something akin to imposter syndrome. Last week saw the first few rounds...
-
The three will play in a featured group in the first two rounds. Since recovering from a severe car...
-
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic criticized the decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players. Recently, the organizers of this...
-
Owen Woodward has been removed from the college team after tackling a player. This week, the baseball teams of...
-
Coach Steve Nash wants to try integrating Ben Simmons into the lineup in the heat of the season. After...
-
Woods is planning on competing in this week’s tournament. The 2022 Masters Tournament is set to begin tomorrow, April...