NFL roundup: Steelers ride Le’Veon Bell’s record day to win
By Brad Weiss
Le’Veon Bell made Week 14 of the NFL season a memorable, rushing for a franchise-record 236 yards on 38 carries in the Steelers’ 27-20 win.
There is no doubting the talent of Le’Veon Bell, the star running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It seems like he goes over 100 yards from scrimmage every week, and on Sunday, he set an NFL record by having over 100 yards from scrimmage in 30 of his first 45 games. Against the Buffalo Bills, Bell set the Steelers single-game record for most rushing yards, as he blasted the Bills for 236 yards in the snow. For good measure, Bell scored three touchdowns in the record-setting effort.
The Miami Dolphins continued their improbable run to the playoffs on Sunday, winning a close one against the Arizona Cardinals. The win was their seventh in the last eight games, though they may find it hard to continue that trend. Starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill injured his knee during the third quarter, and early reports are that he done for the season. The 8-5 Dolphins will have to roll with veteran Matt Moore the rest of the way.
Staying in the AFC, the San Diego Chargers likely saw their playoff chances come to an end on Sunday, as they were beaten pretty soundly by the Carolina Panthers on the road. In the loss, the team saw two of its young stars go down to injury, as running back Melvin Gordon and defensive end Joey Bosa all had to leave the game. Gordon hurt his hip, and Bosa hurt his neck, with both players leaving the game in the first half.
Despite playing with a hobbled Aaron Rodgers under center, the Green Bay Packers won a huge NFC matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Rodgers played like a warrior against the Seahawks, throwing for 246 yards and three touchdowns. The Packers kept their playoff hopes alive with the win, and with the way their offense looked on Sunday, no teams is going to want them to sneak in.
In a battle of horrible teams, the New York Jets needed overtime to defeat the San Francisco 49ers. The game was played in front of 241 fans, no that is not a typo, and those who showed up saw their team blow a 14-0 early lead. Bryce Petty, who was named the Jets starter for the last four games of the season, threw for 257 yards in the game, leading his team to two late game drives to come away with the victory, 23-17.
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One of the biggest wins of the day was earned by the Tennessee Titans, who knocked off the Denver Broncos, 13-10. Playing against one of the toughest defenses in the league, the Titans offense did just enough to win, while the defense stepped up to the task, matching the Broncos stop for stop. The win vaulted the Titans into a tie with the Houston Texans for first place in the AFC South, which is a race that should go down to the wire.