Bobby Martinez – Sports Writer
NEW HAVEN — With the NFL season almost coming to its end, the fight to clinch a playoff berth is heating up each week. Surprising teams such as Carolina, Arizona and Philadelphia, have been playing their best football in past years.
Coming off a dramatic come from behind win against the Denver Broncos, the New England Patriots can possibly win out there division once AGAIN. The Patriots head into week 13 with an 8-3 record with five games left. Tom Brady is playing the best football at the right time because the Patriots have been banged up with injuries all season.
Despite trailing at the half 24-0 against the Broncos, Brady and wide receiver Julian Edelman sparked a major comeback in the second half scoring 34 points. Brady said the first half was difficult to move the ball but he is happy that his team didn’t give up in the second half.
“We had some plays in the first half that didn’t go our way,” said Brady in a postgame interview following a 34-31 win against the Broncos. “So it was nice to get a good bounce, and we needed it.”
As for the Broncos, they managed to dominate the once undefeated Kansas City Chiefs 27-17. The Broncos defense continues to hurt them each week. The Broncos have the 26th overall defense in the league and the number one offense.
The New Orleans Saints have been clicking on all cylinders this season. Drew Brees is doing what he does best this season and that is dominating defenses by scoring at will. The Saints are second in league in passing and fifth in the league on defense. A good balance for this team is the reason why they are 9-2 heading into week 13.
Their toughest matchup will be against a Carolina team that has come out of nowhere this season. The Panthers have managed to start the season with a 1-3 record. Since their brutal 1-3 starts, the Panthers have turned their season around by winning seven straight games improving their record to 8-3. The Saints have a half game lead over the Panthers with five games left in the season. Both teams play each other in week 14 and also week 16 to determine who will win the NFC south division.
The Philadelphia Eagles have found their franchise quarterback FINALLY. With Mike Vick out of a job due to Nick Foles emergence, the Eagles are finally playing good football. Vick has been injured throughout this year’s season and has hurt his chances on ever playing another down for the Eagles.
Vick said he is happy for Foles and the Eagles because they are finally winning despite Vick being injured.
“If we weren’t winning games then I’d be extremely upset within myself I wouldn’t be upset with him,” said Vick during an Eagles press conference after practice. “But your emotions change when you’re not winning football games. We just feel good about what we’re doing and we want to keep it in the right direction.”
The NFC East this year has been terrible overall. The New York Giants started the season with a 0-6 record, the Washington Redskins are 3-8, and the Dallas Cowboys are 7-5. The Cowboys and Eagles will be the only two fighting for a playoff berth before seasons end. The Cowboys defeated the Eagles 17-3 in week eight and play the Eagles again in week 17.
The Cowboys defeated the Oakland Raiders on Thanksgiving Day with a 31-24 victory. Cowboy’s running back Demarco Murray scored three touchdowns on 17 carries for 63 yards. The Cowboys sit atop the NFC East with a 7-5 record and hope to make a run in the playoffs. Since 1997, the Cowboys have made the playoffs eight times and have only won one game which was a wild card victory against the Eagles 34-14 in 2010.
Percy Harvin was traded to the Seattle Seahawks from the Minnesota Vikings for one purpose; help Russell Wilson in the passing game. Throughout Harvin’s NFL career, Harvin has never managed to stay healthy. Harvin underwent hip surgery before the season and has returned to field playing his first game against the Vikings. Harvin hauled in one catch for a 17 yard gain in a victory against the Vikings 41-20.
With the Seahawks looking like the clear winners of the NFC West division with a 10-1 record, the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals are fighting for a wild card playoff spot. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been struggling all season.
The 49ers rank 32nd in the league in passing yards and Kaepernick has started all games this season. The 49ers sixth ranked defense has carried the 49ers throughout the season. Hopefully wide receiver Michael Crabtree makes a full recovery after tearing his Achilles in the off season and help Kaepernick in the passing game.
