Which NFL teams went in the wrong direction in week 12?
2009 NFL Black Logo [Image by Michael Tipton |Flickr| Cropped | CC BY-SA 2.0]
These two teams had the most abysmal performances in week 12 of the NFL season.
by Greg Sousa
November 27, 2017 at 6:58 PM November 27, 2017 at 6:58 PM
With week twelve of the NFL season basically in the books, these two teams put on abysmal performances yesterday. The Kansas City Chiefs continued to sputter, losing at home to a Buffalo Bills team that had been struggling mightily in recent weeks. Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars dropped a key game on their trip out west to face the Arizona Cardinals.
Following their impressive 5-0 start, the Kansas City Chiefs went into yesterday's matchup having lost four of their last five games. They faced a home game against the Buffalo Bills, who were soundly beaten in three straight games.
However, the Chiefs' offense once again struggled, as they did not manage any points until the 1:54 mark in the second quarter and faced a 13-3 halftime deficit.
Kansas City opened the third quarter with a touchdown drive but Buffalo countered with a field goal and the Chiefs' next three drives ended in punts. With 2:54 left in the fourth quarter on the Bills' 46-yard line Kansas City turned it over on downs. Their defense then forced the Bills to go three-and-out, giving the offense one last chance to win.
The Chiefs offense gained 85 yards in 9 plays on their opening drive of the 2nd half, capped by Alex Smith's 19-yard TD pass to Albert Wilson
Kansas City managed 57 total yards on 20 offensive plays in the first half
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) November 26, 2017
However, Alex Smith was intercepted with 1:25 left at the Bills' 36-yard line and the Chiefs lost 16-10. Now at 6-5 for the season, Kansas City only has a tentative one-game lead over the Los Angeles Chargers and Oakland Raiders at the top of the AFC West.
Next week, they travel to New York to take on the Jets.
The Chiefs are the 4th team in the Super Bowl era to go 1-5 or worse in the 6 games immediately after a 5-0 start.
The previous three teams all missed the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/zNvlnaoPye
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 27, 2017
The Jacksonville Jaguars got off to a very slow start in Arizona, as their first five drives ended with four punts and a turnover by Chris Ivory.
They finally got on the board with a field goal just before halftime, as Jacksonville was losing to the Cardinals 13-3.
Arizona added to their lead with another field goal in the third quarter but Jacksonville immediately countered with a one-yard touchdown run by Blake Bortles on fourth-and-goal to make it 16-10. This was then followed by six consecutive punts before Jacksonville's defense made a big play on their only sack of the game.
Yannick Ngakoue sacked Blaine Gabbert, he fumbled, and Calais Campbell returned it 10-yards to give the Jaguars the lead.
Calais Campbell scored his 2nd career TD in his first game back in Arizona.
The Jaguars have now scored 6 defensive TD's this season, most in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/VU2Kfnha3e
The Cardinals then countered as Gabbert threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Brown and successfully went for two. Jacksonville then drove down and Bortles scored on a 17-yard scamper to tie the game at 24-24. Both quarterbacks then traded awful interceptions, with their teams then trading three-and-outs.
Gabbert then completed two passes to gain 22-yards in 15 seconds and Phil Dawson nailed a 57-yard field goal as the Jaguars lost 27-24.
With Tennessee winning, Jacksonville lost first place in the AFC South and now heads back home to face the rival Colts next week.
The Jaguars are now 5-23 in franchise history in games that Blaine Gabbert has started.
— Football Perspective (@fbgchase) November 27, 2017
Greg Sousa
I am a jack-of-all-trades type of writer who will write about any topic that seems interesting. I graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a B.A.
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