Kelsey Tucker

Sports Editor

   This year’s NFL season has certainly been one of interest. Upsets, injuries, and surprises galore, fans have been kept on the edge of their seats since the kickoff of the season in September. These past few weeks have been no different.

    Week 8 brought with it a huge upset. The St. Louis Rams took on the New Orleans Saints at home, beating them 31-21. This is especially surprising because Rams quarterback Sam Bradford was out with an ankle injury for the second week in a row, and backup A.J. Feeley had to fill in. However, Saints running back Mark Ingram was out with a heel injury, perhaps preventing the team from claiming victory. This was the Rams’ first win of the season. The New England Patriots faced the Steelers in Pittsburgh, with Pittsburgh winning 25-17. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys played in Philadelphia, with the Eagles annihilating the Cowboys 34-7. Cowboys running back Felix Jones was out with an ankle injury, maybe contributing to their loss.

    Week 9 was certainly action-packed with exciting and close games. A rematch of the Week 1 game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers gave the Steelers a chance to claim victory. However, the Ravens prevailed once again in a 23-20 win. A huge upset occurred when the New England Patriots took on the New York Giants at home, with the Giants winning 24-20. Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw the winning 1-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left, echoing Manning’s preseason remarks that he saw himself on the same level as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Quarterback Sam Bradford returned, though not to his full potential, for the Rams in Week 9 and took on the Cardinals in Arizona. The Cardinals won 19-13. The Chicago Bears gain momentum as they defeated the Eagles 30-24.

    With Week 10 came surprises and upsets. The Ravens played the Seahawks in Seattle, with the Seahawks shockingly upsetting the Ravens 22-17. Ravens running back Anthony Allen was out with a thigh injury, which could explain the Ravens’ loss. The Patriots bounced back in their game against the Jets in New York, defeating them 37-16. The Saints barely scraped by the Atlanta Falcons, beating them 26-23. The Cardinals hosted the Eagles and won 21-17. Eagles’ quarterback Michael Vick suffered an injured rib in the first quarter after a hard hit by a Cardinals’ defender. Vick did not leave the game, and instead played through the pain, which could explain his poor performance.

    Week 11 was a week of injuries. The Oakland Raiders played the Minnesota Vikings at home. Despite quarterback Jason Campbell being out with a collarbone injury and wide receiver Jacoby Ford being out with a foot injury, the Raiders won 27-21. The Cowboys took on the Washington Redskins at home. Regardless of wide receiver Miles Austin being out with a hamstring injury, the Cowboys managed to beat the Redskins 27-24. The Bears continued their win streak, beating the San Diego Chargers 31-20. The Patriots obliterated the Kansas City Chiefs 34-3. The Rams were defeated by the Seahawks 24-7. The Denver Broncos hosted the Jets, beating them 17-13. Newly started Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has won 3 games in a row since his start.

    On Thursday, November 24, the Lions hosted the Green Bay Packers and the Cowboys took on the Miami Dolphins at home. A Thanksgiving tradition, the Lions and the Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving Day. The Packers beat the Lions 27-15, and the Cowboys barely conquered the Dolphins, beating them 20-19. In the evening, the Ravens hosted the San Francisco 49ers, beating them 16-6.

    The Green Bay Packers have remained undefeated the entire season, an impressive feat. It seems as if they are well on their way to another Super Bowl bid this year. However, the Indianapolis Colts still have not won a single game the entire season, due to star quarterback Peyton Manning’s absence.

    It’s almost hard to believe there are only a few weeks left of play in the regular season. If it’s going to be anything like the previous games, we’re in for exciting and close games as well as surprising, but almost expected, upsets.