The Skillz Report

2017 NFL ICY HOT TD, Week 15

 

(originally written 12/22/17)

 

 

What is NFL ICY HOT TD, anyway? I'll tell you—ICY HOT TD = In Case You Had Other Things To Do.

While some of us are able to watch NFL football all Sunday long and follow it up with postgame analysis/highlight shows well into the night...many of us can't. I aim to bring those fans bits of trivia, data, and news  they likely missed on Game Day.

Such as:

 

 

• We usually stick to news and notes, but this excerpt from ESPN's recap of Jacksonville's 45-7 destruction of the visiting Texans simply cannot be omitted:
  
  "(Jaguars QB) Blake Bortles threw three touchdowns passes, including two to a reserve receiver who slept in his car earlier this season."
  
  The receiver in question was Jaydon Mickens, by the way.

• More from that game: the Jags' 31-0 halftime lead represented the largest in franchise history. The win was Jacksonville's 6th such of 20+ points this season; they'd combined for five such wins in the past NINE years!

• Visiting Denver defeated Indianapolis 25-13 on Thursday Night Football; Broncos TE Jeff Heuerman's 54-yard TD reception—from Brock Osweiler—broke Denver's 18-game streak without a pass play over 50 yards.

• In that same game, Colts RB Frank Gore became the second player to amass 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 12 consecutive years. Hall-of-Fame RB Emmitt Smith did it 13 straight times (1990-2002, with another in 2004).

 

• With their 24-16 win over Miami, the Bills upped their home record to 6-2—their best since 1999. RB LeSean McCoy helped Buffalo's cause with 50 rush yards, becoming Member #10 of the 10,000-rush yards club in the process.

• Speaking of Buffalo, In Philadelphia's 34-29 road win over the Giants, they became the first team since the 1991 Bills to log a blocked extra point, punt and field goal in one game.

• Have the Ice-pak handy—in that same game, Giants QB Eli Manning passed 57 times, his second-highest career tally behind a 63-heave effort on 12/22/16...also a loss to the Eagles.

• Nearly two calendar years (1/3/16) after his last regular-season game, heralded Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater returned to action...and threw a pick on pass attempt #1. Prior to that, his teammate Case Keenum completed 20 of 23—an 87% clip that stands as 2017's NFL high and Minnesota's 2nd-best ever behind Brett Favre's 88% in 2009 Week 11 (both minimum 20 attempts).

• More from Minneapolis: Jerick McKinnon became the first Vikings RB with 100+ yards receiving in a game since Onterrio Smith back in 2004.

 

• You likely saw THE highlight from New England's 27-24 win at Pittsburgh (okay, the TWO highlights). What you aren't likely aware of: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski's 168 receiving yards set a career high, while Antonio Brown became the 1st in league history with 100+ receptions for five straight years.

• Pittsburgh LB Vince Williams intercepted Brady in the 3Q. The Steelers had not picked Brady off since 2005, a nine-game span (regular season).

• Arizona K Phil Dawson supplied all their points in a 20-15 loss at Washington. In fact, Dawson's leg has accounted for the Cardinals' last 30 points covering the past three games.

• By leading the 49ers to a 25-23 home win vs. Tennessee, Jimmy Garoppolo became the second Niners QB to win his first three starts (Hall-of-Famer Y.A. Tittle). Overall, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was the last to win his first five NFL starts (2004).

• The Ravens upended host Cleveland 27-10, marking the Browns' 31st consecutive Sunday loss. Baltimore forced four turnovers to up their league lead to 33.

 

• Carolina spoiled QB Aaron Rodgers' return to Green Bay's lineup with a 31-24 home win. Rodgers was intercepted thrice—whether due to unfamiliarity or coincidence, all four of his career three-pick games have been away clashes with the NFC South.

• In the infamous "Index Card Game", Oakland's Derek Carr became the 5th QB to reach 100 TD passes in his first four seasons and the 4th Raiders QB to reach the mark—though his effort couldn't prevent the 20-17 Dallas win on Monday Night Football.

• More from Oakland: that was not the first time an index card was used to aid a measurement—referee Bill Vinovich did so in Week 2 of the 2013 season; the 4th-down measurement was short and the Browns (naturally) forfeitted possession to the Ravens.

 

• Detroit beat visiting Chicago 20-10 on Saturday Night Football; after rushing for 222 yards vs. the Lions in Week 11, Chicago was held to 43 here—that has to be a record, though I can't confirm. (Bears KR Tank Cohen's 90-yard KO return was called back by a penalty.)

• Unheard of even one year ago, the Rams went into Seattle and dominated, winning 42-7. LA set a franchise road record with a 34-0 halftime lead. Rams RB Todd Gurley's 152 rush yards fell just seven short of his NFL high, set 10/11/15. He became the Rams' first four-TD scorer since Steven Jackson in 2006.

• More unprettiness for the Seahawks: the loss is their worst in the Pete Carroll era and second-worst halftime deficit—in 2010, they lost by 34 to the Giants after trailing by 35 at halftime. Seattle QB Russell Wilson passed under 50% for the 8th time in his career, most recently in November 2015.

 

• In the Saints 31-19 home win over the Jets, Saints WR Michael Thomas became just the second man (after Odell Beckham) to post 90+ receptions in his first two seasons. He stands just six shy of Marques Colston's single-season franchise record. Also...watch the first 40 seconds of this highlight; New Orleans RB Mark Ingram embarrasses multiple Jets.

• The Chiefs topped the visiting Chargers 30-13, while Atlanta got past host Tampa Bay 24-21 on Monday Night Footballl. The latter game could have knocked me out of my Fantasy Football playoffs, as my opponent owned Bucs QB Jameis Winston and Falcons WR Julio Jones. Fortunately, I survived by a fraction of a point.

 

 

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