Who knew fashion actually had a place in the NFL. This the good, the bad, and the ugly of Week 13 in the NFL.
The Good
Have a day, Eric Berry! The Kansas City Chiefs safety earned Week 13’s AFC Defensive Player of the Week after his performance in the 29-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons. In the game, Berry returned a Matt Ryan interception 37 yards for a touchdown to give the Chiefs a 20-13 lead. He had a second clutch interception in the fourth quarter when the Falcons tried to convert for two points. Instead, Berry caught it and raced down the field for a “pick-two,” the first in NFL history. Berry’s interception sealed the win for the Chiefs. While the win was nice, this was also an emotional homecoming for the Fairburn, Ga. native. This was Berry’s first time back in Georgia after undergoing chemotherapy treatments, at Emory University, for Hodgkin’s lymphoma two years ago.
Bonus: Just weeks after being called out by former teammate Ray Lewis for showing a lack of passion, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco lit up the field in the 38-6 win over the Miami Dolphins. Flacco completed 36-of-47 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns.
The Bad
The Carolina Panthers received a brutal 40-7 beatdown from the Seattle Seahawks. However, that loss may have been avoided if Cam Newton had just put on a tie. The Panthers quarterback did not comply with head coach Ron River’s travel dress code when he did not wear a shirt with a tie. As a consequence, Newton was benched for the team’s opening drive. The Panthers instead played back up QB Derek Anderson, whose first play was an interception. I can’t tell what’s worse, the fact that Cam Newton didn’t show up dressed correctly or Ron Rivera’s strict enforcement. It’s not like Newton looked a mess, however a team captain should know team policy. A case could also be made for Rivera making a big mistake. Why on earth would you bench a NFL MVP over a wardrobe dispute?
Bonus: Speaking of coach’s blunders, Jeff Fisher took more than one L in Week 13. While his team, the Los Angeles Rams, were losing their third-straight game, he was struggling to find his challenge flag. During Sunday’s loss to the Patriots, Fisher couldn’t find his challenge flag because of added layers to survive the cold chill at Gillette Stadium. “I thought it was hilarious,” Fisher said.
The Ugly
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Cecil Shorts III will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a major knee injury during the first half of Sunday’s win over the Chargers. Shorts dislocated his right knee and tore his ACL, MCL and PCL. While it wasn’t a dirty hit on the sixth-year player, there is nothing pretty about this injury since that’s essentially every ligament in the knee. The 28-year-old was carted off the field and now faces some uncertainty regarding the rest of his career.
