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NFL Sunday’s 10 most attention-getting performances

(Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)

(Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)

Week 12 should have provided some level of separation in the race for the AFC’s final wild card spot. Instead, the Jets and Dolphins blew opportunities to keep a one-game advantage on a handful of conference rivals while the Chargers and Ravens each found ways to keep themselves very much a part of the discussion.

With each of the first five spots (all four division leaders and the first wild card) enjoying at least a two-game advantage, the biggest suspense in the AFC in the remaining five weeks (other than seeding among the top five) will likely be which of the six 5-6 teams ends up righting their ship just enough to earn themselves one extra road trip in the first weekend of January.

In a strange twist of NFL parity, all six of these sub-.500 teams now have nearly equal footing in their quest to become their conference’s final playoff team.

The Tennessee Titans, who two weeks earlier became the first team to lose to Jacksonville this season, now holds the tiebreaker for the sixth postseason spot.

The Pittsburgh Steelers began the season 0-4, their worst start in 45 years. The defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens can’t run the ball, averaging 2.9 yards per carry all season. The New York Jets are led by a rookie quarterback who has thrown 10 interceptions and one touchdown in his last six games. Five of San Diego’s six losses came against teams with a combined 19-35 record (The Broncos are the only winning team to beat the Chargers). The Miami Dolphins, well, we’ve read a lot about them lately.

None of these six teams exactly look like a playoff team right now. But unless one of the 4-7 teams (Buffalo, Cleveland or Oakland)  somehow goes on a five-game winning streak, one of them most likely will be. It might not be pretty, but it’s certainly going to be interesting.

On to our list of good and bad from Sunday’s first eleven games.

(Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)

(Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)

The Good: Philip Rivers
The Chargers quarterback put together one of the most clutch performances of his career to keep the San Diego (5-6) in the AFC wild card hunt. With his team trailing by four points with 1:22 remaining in the game, Rivers led a seven play, 78-yard drive that culminated  in a 26-yard touchdown pass to Seyi Ajirotutu with 24 seconds remaining. Rivers finished with 392 yards passing for three touchdowns and zero interceptions in San Diego’s 41-38 win.

(Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports)

(Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports)

The Bad: Geno Smith
The rookie quarterback was dreadful in the Jets’ 19-3 loss to Baltimore, completing 9 of 22 passes for 127 yards and throwing two key second half interceptions to Ravens cornerback Corey Graham. Smith has only thrown one touchdown in his past six games (along with 10 interceptions during that time). After the game, head coach Rex Ryan did not commit to starting the second-round pick in the team’s Week 13 game versus Miami next Sunday.

 

(Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports)

(Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports)

The Good: Josh Gordon
Despite losing his starting quarterback Jason Campbell to a concussion in the third quarter, the Browns wideout set a team record with 237 yards receiving in Cleveland’s 27-11 loss to the Steelers. Gordon was targeted by Campbell and his replacement Brandon Weeden a combined 17 times. He caught 14 of those passes, including one for a late game touchdown.

 

(Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)

(Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)

The Bad: Greg Jennings
In his first game at Lambeau Field since leaving Green Bay in the offseason, the Vikings receiver wasn’t much of a factor for his new team. He was targeted three times by Christian Ponder, catching two passes for 29 yards (and hearing loud boos from the Green Bay fans on the first one.) His biggest impact ended up coming on a 3rd & 5 from the Minnesota 44 late in overtime, when he dropped what would have been a sure first down for the Vikings. A continued drive could have set up kicker Blair Walsh for a potential game-winning field goal try but instead Minnesota was forced to punt as their defense held on to preserve a 26-26 tie.

(Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports)

(Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports)

The Good: Tampa Bay secondary
Already playing without suspended safety Dashon Goldson, the Bucs defense suffered another setback when Darrelle Revis didn’t return for the second half after suffering a groin injury. No worries. The team finished with four interceptions, including a crucial late game pick by rookie Johnthan Banks off a Calvin Johnson deflection that sealed Tampa Bay’s 24-21 win.

(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The Bad: Tamba Hali and Justin Houston
The Chiefs took a double dagger to the heart of its pass rush, losing both star outside linebackers to injuries versus the Chargers. The pair, which has combined for 20 total sacks so far this season, both left the game in the first half as Hali suffered an ankle injury early in the second quarter while Houston injured his elbow just before halftime. Kansas City’s defense, which entered Week 12 with the third most sacks in the league, was only able to sack Philip Rivers once all game as San Diego rallied to give the Chiefs (9-2) their second straight loss.

 

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

The Good: Karlos Dansby
The Cardinals linebacker picked off Andrew Luck for a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter of Arizona’s 40-11 rout of the Colts. Dansby was also his team’s leading tackler as the Cardinals dominated on both sides of the ball to improve to 7-4.

(Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)

(Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)

The Bad: Trent Richardson
The Colts gave up a first-round pick earlier this season to acquire what they thought would be their most dominant running back since Edgerrin James. The second-year back, who was battling a calf injury all week, hasn’t run for more than 60 yards in any game since joining Indianapolis. Richardson was outrushed by both Dan Herron and his quarterback Andrew Luck against the Cardinals, gaining only 15 yards on seven carries.

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

The Good: Ryan Fitzpatrick
Fitzmagic returns. The Titans’ backup quarterback hit Kendall Wright on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left to give Tennessee a 23-19 win over the Raiders and keep his team in the mix for the AFC’s sixth seed.

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The Bad: Bruce Carter and Jeff Heath
The two Cowboys defenders didn’t bother to touch Giants tight end Brandon Myers after he caught a ball and fell to the ground at the Dallas 8-yard-line on a 4th & 3 play late in the third quarter. Myers got up and ran the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. The defensive lapse allowed to Giants to narrow the Cowboys’ 21-6 lead and start a rally that eventually resulted in a 21-21 tie late in the fourth quarter. The only lasting consequence of the play was likely just a lecture from their coaching staff, as Tony Romo and Dez Bryant were able to lead a crunchtime drive that resulted in a game-winning Dan Bailey field goal as time expired.

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