Thanksgiving Day Action
Again, spectators enoying turkey, cranberries and pumpkin pie had something interesting to watch. Until about 5 minutes left in the game, the Patriots-Lions game was interesting. The Saints-Cowboys game came down to the last minute. And the Jets kept another defensive struggle against the Bengals close. And in college, Texas A&M against Texas wasn't decided into the clock struck double-zeros, and Cal vs Temple proved interesting in college basketball.
Lets kick off the action.
Patriots at Lions
At the half the New England Patriots trailed the lowly Detroit Lions, the team that had a record of 4-39 in it's last 43 games, by a touchdown. Bill Belicheck knew they needed to exploit something, and they chose Lions CB Alphonso Smith, who was picked by the Seahawks then traded to the Broncos, who dealt him to the Motor City.
It turned out to be a good call.
Tom Brady threw 4 TD passes, Benjarvis Green-Ellis plowed into the end zone twice as New England dominated the fourth quarter to take a 45-24 Thanksgiving Day W over the Patriots.
After 3 straight punts, New England finally struck. A nice catch on a slant to pick up a first down and a 19 yard gain both by Wes Welker set up a 19 yard field goal by Shayne Graham. But Detroit came back, getting to the 41.
On 3rd and 6, Shaun Hill scrambled to the left broke a tackle, and picked up the first, then another scramble got him to the 19. There he hit Calvin Johnson on a 20 yard comebacks route, and Johnson scored to give Detroit a 7-3 lead after 1.
The Lions got the ball at the 37 and quickly started downfield. On 3rd and 2 at the 31 Hill found Nate Burleson for a first down, then on 3rd and 7 at the 9, Hill found Derrick Williams, who got to the 2. On fourth and goal Shaun Hill picked up the first down, then handed off to Maurice Morris for a score.
But Tom Brady knew what to do, hitting Aaron Hernadnez for 18 yards on a wide route and getting the Pats to the 15, and then letting Benjarvis Green-Ellis do the rest. Green-Ellis gained 12 yards, then pushed Alphonso Smith an extra 3 for the score. But the Lions would score a field goal, and the game was 17-10 in favor of the Lions.
The Pats punted on their opening second half drive, but when Shaun Hill left a ball up for grabs Devin McCourty took advantage and changed the game with a pick. Brady's Boys got inside the 8, and Brady hit Welker on a wide route to tie the game.
But Shaun Hill and Detroit answered right back, getting to the one before Maurice Morris took a pitch to the left and scored. But New England would answer, getting back into the rhythm that was exploiting Alphonso Smith.
On 3rd down at their own 21, the play called for Deion Branch to go straight, hesitate for barely any time, then go back into the same pattern. He easily beat Smith, caught the pass, made a move on him, broke a tackle and scored to tie the game.
When New England got the ball back, Brady took over again. He got New England down to the 19, where the OC sent in a play. It was for Branch to fake running a wide route and cut sharply in, and again he beat Smith. Brady threw a perfect pass, Branch hauled it in and the Pats had the lead.
And the defense, who allowed 24 points in just 38:10 to one of the NFL's worst teams, came through with another stop. The Lion defense couldn't. Brady threw a short pass to Wes Welker for a TD, and New England led 38-24.
Then came the game-sealer. Devin McCourty intercepted an overthrown ball, and it set up a Benjarvis Green-Ellis TD. The defense didn't allow anything else, and that ended the game. New England improved to 9-2, while the Lions fell to 2-9.
Texas A&M at Texas
The Texas A&M Aggies hate Texas. They wanted to drop the Horns to 5-7 and improve to 9-3 so badly. And I guess Cyrus Gray knew that, and he wanted to make it happen.
He helped the cause.
Gray had TD runs of 84 and 48 and ran for 223 yards, including a key first down late as Texas A&M beat Texas 24-17 and knocked Mack Brown's club out of a bowl game for the first time in 13 years. A late interception thrown by Garett Gilbert sealed the deal, and an unsuccessful season for Texas.
It was a defensive struggle early, with the only scoring chance for the first 13 minutes being a 38 yard FG try that was missed by approximately 50 yards. But with 1:21 in the first Marques Goodwin caught a pass, made a juke and trotted into the end zone to give UT a 7-0 lead after 1.
But Texas A&M, a team that was playing sloppy all game, finally came through. On second down at the 16 Cyrus Gray took a handoff, ran to the right, broke a tackle, and raced 75 more yards into the end zone to tie the game. The score was 7-7 at the half.
Texas started the second half with the ball, but they couldn't take the lead. A&M took advantage, and Randy Bullock, who was wide right from 38 earlier, nailed a 50 yard kick to give Texas A&M a 10-7 lead.
On Texas' next play from scrimmage, Von Miller ripped the ball out of D.J Monroe's hands and gave the Aggies the ball back. 20 yards later, Jeff Fuller caught a Ryan Tannehill jump ball and gave the Aggies a 17-7 lead.
Later in the quarter, the Longhorns were forced to punt and it looked like A&M would dominate. But Kenric McNeal fumbled the punt, and Texas recovered and scored a touchdown, making it a 3 point game.
But Texas A&M fought back. Gray found a hole up the middle and raced 48 yards into the EZ to give the Aggies a 24-14 lead. But Texas fought back as well, with a field goal and a drive that took them to the 15 yard line.
But on 3rd down, Spencer Nealy tipped a Gilbert pass. Von Miller jumped and intercepted the pass, and on 3rd down Cyrus Gray found a hole to the outside and picked up the first down, sealing a 24-17 win for Texas.
Dallas vs New Orleans
Drew Brees led a 88 yard TD drive late as the Saints stormed back to beat the Cowboys 30-27 after blowing a 20-3 lead. New Orleans held on late after David Buehler missed a 59 yard field goal.
A Devery Henderson 57 yard Hail Mary catch set up an early TD run by Chris Ivory, then after Sedrick Ellis tipped and intercepted a Jon Kitna pass Garrett Hartley nailed a 50 yard field goal. A Dallas punt set up a 25 yard pass from Brees to Henderson, and then another Ivory TD. New Orleans then led 17-0.
Field goals were exchanged before the end of the half, including a 53 yard kick by David Buehler. The score was 20-6 at the half, but after Miles Austin found a hole on a reverse and scored the score was 20-13. But Drew Brees led the Saints to a field goal, and it was now 23-13.
But using a short pass philosophy, Dallas got to the 1. Marion Barber took a pitch and scored on 4th down, making it 23-20. After a high Drew Brees pass was tipped by Jeremy Shockey, Gerald Sensabaugh intercepted a pass and set up a Tashard Choice TD run.
The Saints then had to punt, and after Roy Williams took off on a slant the game looked over. But Malcolm Jenkins ripped the ball out of his hands and gave the Saints possession and momentum.
Brees hit Marques Colston on a 20 yard out, then hit Robert Meachem on a 55 yard hook and go. On 1st and 10 at the 11 Brees found Lance Moore a step ahead of 2 Cowboy defenders for a TD, and the Saints had a 30-27 lead.
Dallas used the same short pass strategy, but New Orleans finally caught on. Jason Garrett decided to go for a 59 yard FG try, but David Buehler was wide left, giving the Saints a huge win.
Headlines
Zone defense forces 2-18 Temple 3 point shooting, rebounding, 13 points by Harper Kamp lead Cal to 57-50 win over #20 Temple.
Lets kick off the action.
Patriots at Lions
At the half the New England Patriots trailed the lowly Detroit Lions, the team that had a record of 4-39 in it's last 43 games, by a touchdown. Bill Belicheck knew they needed to exploit something, and they chose Lions CB Alphonso Smith, who was picked by the Seahawks then traded to the Broncos, who dealt him to the Motor City.
It turned out to be a good call.
Tom Brady threw 4 TD passes, Benjarvis Green-Ellis plowed into the end zone twice as New England dominated the fourth quarter to take a 45-24 Thanksgiving Day W over the Patriots.
After 3 straight punts, New England finally struck. A nice catch on a slant to pick up a first down and a 19 yard gain both by Wes Welker set up a 19 yard field goal by Shayne Graham. But Detroit came back, getting to the 41.
On 3rd and 6, Shaun Hill scrambled to the left broke a tackle, and picked up the first, then another scramble got him to the 19. There he hit Calvin Johnson on a 20 yard comebacks route, and Johnson scored to give Detroit a 7-3 lead after 1.
The Lions got the ball at the 37 and quickly started downfield. On 3rd and 2 at the 31 Hill found Nate Burleson for a first down, then on 3rd and 7 at the 9, Hill found Derrick Williams, who got to the 2. On fourth and goal Shaun Hill picked up the first down, then handed off to Maurice Morris for a score.
But Tom Brady knew what to do, hitting Aaron Hernadnez for 18 yards on a wide route and getting the Pats to the 15, and then letting Benjarvis Green-Ellis do the rest. Green-Ellis gained 12 yards, then pushed Alphonso Smith an extra 3 for the score. But the Lions would score a field goal, and the game was 17-10 in favor of the Lions.
The Pats punted on their opening second half drive, but when Shaun Hill left a ball up for grabs Devin McCourty took advantage and changed the game with a pick. Brady's Boys got inside the 8, and Brady hit Welker on a wide route to tie the game.
But Shaun Hill and Detroit answered right back, getting to the one before Maurice Morris took a pitch to the left and scored. But New England would answer, getting back into the rhythm that was exploiting Alphonso Smith.
On 3rd down at their own 21, the play called for Deion Branch to go straight, hesitate for barely any time, then go back into the same pattern. He easily beat Smith, caught the pass, made a move on him, broke a tackle and scored to tie the game.
When New England got the ball back, Brady took over again. He got New England down to the 19, where the OC sent in a play. It was for Branch to fake running a wide route and cut sharply in, and again he beat Smith. Brady threw a perfect pass, Branch hauled it in and the Pats had the lead.
And the defense, who allowed 24 points in just 38:10 to one of the NFL's worst teams, came through with another stop. The Lion defense couldn't. Brady threw a short pass to Wes Welker for a TD, and New England led 38-24.
Then came the game-sealer. Devin McCourty intercepted an overthrown ball, and it set up a Benjarvis Green-Ellis TD. The defense didn't allow anything else, and that ended the game. New England improved to 9-2, while the Lions fell to 2-9.
Texas A&M at Texas
The Texas A&M Aggies hate Texas. They wanted to drop the Horns to 5-7 and improve to 9-3 so badly. And I guess Cyrus Gray knew that, and he wanted to make it happen.
He helped the cause.
Gray had TD runs of 84 and 48 and ran for 223 yards, including a key first down late as Texas A&M beat Texas 24-17 and knocked Mack Brown's club out of a bowl game for the first time in 13 years. A late interception thrown by Garett Gilbert sealed the deal, and an unsuccessful season for Texas.
It was a defensive struggle early, with the only scoring chance for the first 13 minutes being a 38 yard FG try that was missed by approximately 50 yards. But with 1:21 in the first Marques Goodwin caught a pass, made a juke and trotted into the end zone to give UT a 7-0 lead after 1.
But Texas A&M, a team that was playing sloppy all game, finally came through. On second down at the 16 Cyrus Gray took a handoff, ran to the right, broke a tackle, and raced 75 more yards into the end zone to tie the game. The score was 7-7 at the half.
Texas started the second half with the ball, but they couldn't take the lead. A&M took advantage, and Randy Bullock, who was wide right from 38 earlier, nailed a 50 yard kick to give Texas A&M a 10-7 lead.
On Texas' next play from scrimmage, Von Miller ripped the ball out of D.J Monroe's hands and gave the Aggies the ball back. 20 yards later, Jeff Fuller caught a Ryan Tannehill jump ball and gave the Aggies a 17-7 lead.
Later in the quarter, the Longhorns were forced to punt and it looked like A&M would dominate. But Kenric McNeal fumbled the punt, and Texas recovered and scored a touchdown, making it a 3 point game.
But Texas A&M fought back. Gray found a hole up the middle and raced 48 yards into the EZ to give the Aggies a 24-14 lead. But Texas fought back as well, with a field goal and a drive that took them to the 15 yard line.
But on 3rd down, Spencer Nealy tipped a Gilbert pass. Von Miller jumped and intercepted the pass, and on 3rd down Cyrus Gray found a hole to the outside and picked up the first down, sealing a 24-17 win for Texas.
Dallas vs New Orleans
Drew Brees led a 88 yard TD drive late as the Saints stormed back to beat the Cowboys 30-27 after blowing a 20-3 lead. New Orleans held on late after David Buehler missed a 59 yard field goal.
A Devery Henderson 57 yard Hail Mary catch set up an early TD run by Chris Ivory, then after Sedrick Ellis tipped and intercepted a Jon Kitna pass Garrett Hartley nailed a 50 yard field goal. A Dallas punt set up a 25 yard pass from Brees to Henderson, and then another Ivory TD. New Orleans then led 17-0.
Field goals were exchanged before the end of the half, including a 53 yard kick by David Buehler. The score was 20-6 at the half, but after Miles Austin found a hole on a reverse and scored the score was 20-13. But Drew Brees led the Saints to a field goal, and it was now 23-13.
But using a short pass philosophy, Dallas got to the 1. Marion Barber took a pitch and scored on 4th down, making it 23-20. After a high Drew Brees pass was tipped by Jeremy Shockey, Gerald Sensabaugh intercepted a pass and set up a Tashard Choice TD run.
The Saints then had to punt, and after Roy Williams took off on a slant the game looked over. But Malcolm Jenkins ripped the ball out of his hands and gave the Saints possession and momentum.
Brees hit Marques Colston on a 20 yard out, then hit Robert Meachem on a 55 yard hook and go. On 1st and 10 at the 11 Brees found Lance Moore a step ahead of 2 Cowboy defenders for a TD, and the Saints had a 30-27 lead.
Dallas used the same short pass strategy, but New Orleans finally caught on. Jason Garrett decided to go for a 59 yard FG try, but David Buehler was wide left, giving the Saints a huge win.
Headlines
Zone defense forces 2-18 Temple 3 point shooting, rebounding, 13 points by Harper Kamp lead Cal to 57-50 win over #20 Temple.
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