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NFL 2020: ICY HOT TD Week 13

(originally written 12/9/20)

What the hell 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:

 

  • In a very unpretty game, the Dolphins outlasted the visiting Bengals 19-7. In the game, Bengals WR Tyler Boyd and S Shawn Williams were ejected, as were Miami WR's DeVante Parker and Mack Hollins plus CB Xavien Howard. (Boyd's removal could have been catastrophic to my Fantasy team, but he'd already put up 14.2 points on a 72-yard TD reception, thankfully.)

  • The Colts went to Houston and won 26-20. This was the first NFL game where both teams scored 20+ points in the first half, then combined for three or less points in the second half. Also, Indy DE Justin Houston—coincidentally enough—recorded his 4th career safety, tying him with three others for the NFL record.

  • For the first time since 1994, Cleveland moved to 9-3 with a 41-35 road win over Tennessee. Browns QB Baker Mayfield threw four TD passes in the first half; the last Browns QB to do that was Otto Graham in 1951. Cleveland's 38 first half points set a franchise record, and for the first time in the new Browns era (since 1999), the team scored on its first six drives of a game.

  • Detroit got past host Chicago 34-30. Lions QB Matthew Stafford threw for 402 yards...only the 10th-highest of his career. His teammate, RB Adrian Peterson, passed Jim Brown for 3rd all-time in career games with multiple rushing TD.

  • More from Chicago: the Bears scored three rush TD in the first half for the first time in 30 years.

  • Hapless Jacksonville fell in Minnesota 27-24, despite leading 16-6 early—their largest lead of the season! Minnesota's Justin Jefferson became the team's second rookie receiver with 1,000 yards (Randy Moss, 1998).

  • The Saints topped the Falcons in Atlanta 21-16; New Orleans WR Michael Thomas, despite all his missed time this year and not having QB Drew Brees lately, became the fastest to 500 receptions (69 games; the previous record was 80 held by Julio Jones and Anquan Boldin). Over the past two seasons, New Orleans is 8-0 without the legendary Brees...wow.

  • Green Bay jumped out early and held on vs. visiting Philadelphia 30-16. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers fired his 400th career TD pass; he is the fastest to join the seven-member club (193 games). The Eagles scored 17 or fewer points for the 4th straight game, a streak they last endured in 1999.

  • More from Green Bay: check out this punt return by Philly's Jalen Reagor...

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  • The visiting Rams outlasted division rival Arizona 38-28 despite three TD passes from QB Kyler Murray of the Cardinals. Murray became the 4th to reach 40+ total passing TD and 10+ total rushing TD over his first two seasons.

  • For the second time this century (2014), the Chargers were shut out, as the Patriots came to Los Angeles and racked up 45 unanswered points. That wasn't too close to the Pats' all-time shutout record of 59-0 over the 2009 Titans, but it was the worst loss in Chargers franchise history, surpassing a 43-point destruction by the 1964 Chiefs.

  • More from LA: New England became the 7th team to return both a punt and a blocked field goal for a TD in the same game; it was last done by the 2015 Ravens. Patriots coach Bill Belichick passed the great Tom Landry with his 455th game coached.

  • The Giants handed Seattle their first home loss of 2020, 17-12. The Seahawks led 5-0 at halftime—not done in the NFL since the 2013 Seahawks vs. the 49ers.

  • Denver got their quarterbacks back but still lost in Kansas City, 22-16. The Chiefs rolled to 11-1 for the second time ever (2003); their QB Pat Mahomes broke Trent Green's franchise record with his 25th game with 300+ yards passing. Mahomes' 31/2 TD/INT ratio is the best in league history.

  • More from KC: Chiefs star Travis Kelce became the first TE in league history with 80+ receptions in five consecutive seasons.

  • Las Vegas pulled out the miracle road win at the Jets, as Raiders star Darren Waller became the second TE ever with 12+ receptions, 185+ yards and 2+ touchdowns in one game (Shannon Sharpe). The Raiders hadn't beaten the Jets on the road since 1996 (0-6).

  • In case you were one of the seven Americans who didn't see the game's final play:

  • Washington stunned previously undefeated Pittsburgh 23-17 on Monday evening. In doing so, they became the first team to trail an unbeaten, 10-win team at halftime, and emerge victorious. Shout-out to Elias Sports Bureau. Also, the Steelers defense recorded a sack in its record-tying 69th straight game.

  • Speaking of Steelers sacks, LB T.J. Watt's 12th sack of 2020 made him the first Steeler with as many in three straight seasons since individual sacks became official in 1982.

  • On Monday Night Football in Arizona, the 49ers fell to the visiting Bills 34-24. Buffalo QB Josh Allen became their first to throw 40+ passes in a game and complete at least 80% of them, per Elias. Plus, the 49ers dropped to 1-4 on MNF under coach Kyle Shanahan; they had won nine of their previous 10 MNF clashes.

  • On Tuesday Night Football, host Baltimore doubled up Dallas 34-17 despite K Justin Tucker's streak of 70 straight made field goals under 40 yards coming to an end in the first half. Ravens star Lamar Jackson's 37-yard rushing TD is the longest Dallas has ever allowed to an opposing QB.

  • The Buccaneers and Panthers enjoyed bye weeks. Road teams finished 10-5 during Week 13.

Sources: ESPN.com, SI.com, NFL.com, NFL Primetime, CBSSports.com, ProFootballTalk.com, YouTube.com, ProFootballReference.com, USAToday.com and various TV and radio broadcasts

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