Grab that remote and save the rest of Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever for later. It’s Sunday Night Football on NBC and this one might actually be worth watching past the first quarter.
The Patriots (9-3) come in after their first loss since September. The Chargers (8-4) have won three in a row after being blanked by the Dolphins, 37-0, on Nov. 2. By the power of Carrie Underwood’s cut-offs, here we go!
Anybody got a bigger microphone for Michele Tafoya? I can still see her behind that one.
No team in the universe gets more flags picked up and waved off than the New England Patriots. I blame Putin.
New England LB Jamie Collins just shot through the line unblocked on a 3rd-and-4. My dog did a better job blocking me from sitting on the coach a few minutes ago.
Usually it takes a player a few weeks to get up to speed with a new offense once he’s picked up this late in the season, but LeGarrett Blount has wasted no time in making me dislike him.
That one’s going to hurt Chargers. Offsides and blocked kick touchdown called back. Gostowski lines it up again, this time for a 22-yarder. It’s good New England 3, San Diego 0.
End 1st quarter. The Chargers are moving the ball and past midfield. Ryan Matthews has yet to leave the field injured. Things are going well.
Incredible touchdown catch from Malcom Floyd right over Brandon Browner. Chargers take a 7-3 lead.
Stuckey with the fumble recovery for a touchdown. There’s a chance they might call the pass to LaFell incomplete. Also a chance that Stuckey is down.
“New York” loves the whole thing so touchdown Chargers. San Diego leads 14-3 with 11:06 to go in the first half.
9:21 Gronk makes his first significant appearance tonight.
9:30 Manti Te’O drops a pop-up pick in the end zone right after Dwight Freeney introduced himself to Tom Brady for the 3,782nd time. NE gets the field goal and trails 14-6. That’s two trips to the red zone for the Pats and two field goals.
9:36 Mike Scifres gets his punt blocked, but turns in the best acting performance I’ve seen since I watched a CGI Chimp cry in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Patriots ball deep in SD territory.
9:41 Evidently Scifres somehow hurt his arm or his shoulder or his neck on a play where the only part of him that was touched was his leg. I thought he was doing a flop. Now I have to question every emotion those talking Apes gave me. Thanks, Scrifres!
9:43 Touchdown Gronk. Over 5-foot-9 Brandon Flowers. No chance. SD leads 14-13. 3:28 left in the 2nd quarter.
9:54 Rivers gets lucky on a Brett Favre-ian forward pass into his receiver’s back.
10:00 Tom Brady with the Brett Favre play in the red zone, wasting a chance at any points. Manti Te’o gets his second chance for a pick and doesn’t waste it. Somewhere Lennay Kekua is smiling. Halftime. San Diego leads 14-13.
10:18 New England opens the second half with a three-and-out. They ran the ball once on third down. They’ve gone away from it and it’s hurting them. Gronk is making plays, but San Diego is doing as good a job against him so far as anybody in the NFL.
10:30 Teams trade punts and now San Diego has the ball again. The Chargers need to make a move right now to create some space, but have their backs in the end zone.
10:36 Both teams left their offenses in the locker room. We’ve not had a first down in the third quarter and five possessions between the Pats and Chargers. There’s only been four positive yardage plays.
10:39 Huge penalty on Browner and a horrible call. Negates a pick and a defensive touchdown. Browner Green him shoulder-to-shoulder. Not only does the pick and TD go away, but the Chargers get 15 free yards.
10:46 Philip Rivers makes it up to them, serving up an interception to Akeem Ayers with a side salad and baked potato.
10:48 Weddle blanketing Gronk and the Patriots waste their chance after the pick. New England still does not have a first down in the second half. 3:09 left to go in the 3rd quarter.
10:55 Huzzah. Brady to Gronk for the only Patriots first down in the third quarter right as the horn sounds.
11:03 Pats back in the red zone. One touchdown in five tries tonight.
11:04 Now one TD for six tries. But the FG is good so New England takes its first lead since the opening possession of the game. 16-14.
11:12 69-yard TD pass from Brady to Edelman. San Diego bit hard on the run action. That was the longest TD reception of Edelman’s career. Patriots taking control and lead 23-14.
11:20 San Diego punts again. That might do it. And there’s still five minutes left.
11:35 That’s your ballgame. Gates stopped a yard short Tavon Wilson for a turnover on downs. Pats secure their 12th consecutive season with double-digit wins.
Leaders:
Pats – Brady: 317 yards, 2 TDs
Pats – Edelman: 8 catches, 141 yards, 1 TD
Pats – Collins: 9 tackles, 8 solo
Chargers – Kavell Conner: 9 tackles, 7 solo
