Mark Craig's Week 15 story lines

December 15, 2019 at 6:48AM
FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2015, file photo, Oakland Raiders fans watch during the second half of an NFL football game between the Oakland Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals in Oakland, Calif. The south end zone sections, called The Black Hole, of Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum are known to have some of the rowdiest fans in American sports, face painters who dress up in evil costumes, often with spike-covered shoulder pads. The slow, agonizing demise of the Oakland Raiders will continue for at le
Raiders fans watched during a game against the Bengals in 2015. (Ken Chia — AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Raiders bid adieu to Oakland

Sunday's game against Jacksonville isn't the first last game for a Raiders team that spent 13 seasons in Los Angeles before returning. And, who knows, if for some reason there are delays on the new digs in Vegas, the Raiders could serve another season in the stadium they first played in back on Sept. 18, 1966. Some great teams and greater characters played in the "Black Hole" in the franchise's heyday. As for the stadium, well, it's been a dump for decades.

Texans, Titans match up

Tied atop the AFC South at 8-5, the Titans and Texans will meet Sunday for the first of two times in 14 days. Sunday's game is at Tennessee, where the Titans are 4-2 with four straight wins, including a 35-32 victory over the Chiefs. Tennessee also has won four straight overall and is coming off back-to-back road wins. Houston, meanwhile, was an upset loser to Denver at home last week.

Is Allen ready for prime time?

Pittsburgh's decimated offense hasn't kept its sixth-ranked scoring defense (18.6) from putting coach of the year candidate Mike Tomlin in the thick of the playoff race. Sunday night, the 8-5 Steelers host Josh Allen and the Bills (9-4). It will be the first prime-time start for Allen. The second-year quarterback has four touchdowns passes, no interceptions and a 119.6 passer rating in his past two road games, going 2-0 against Dallas and Miami.

100 NFL SEASONS: A look back at 1927

Dec. 11, 1927: The 1927 Duluth Eskimos finished 1-8 while playing all nine games on the road. On this date, they fell to the Chicago Bears 27-14 with brothers Joe, Cobb and Bill Rooney on the roster.

According to the NFL, that was the last known time more than two brothers played in an NFL game. It's expected to happen again Sunday night in Pittsburgh when the Edmunds family walks into Heinz Field.

Running back Trey Edmunds, 24, and safety Terrell Edmunds, 22, play for the Steelers. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, 21, plays for Buffalo.

Of course, the Edmundses aren't strangers to making history. Last year, Tremaine and Terrell became the first brothers to be selected in the same first round.

Their father, Ferrell Edmunds, made two Pro Bowls as a tight end and played seven seasons (1988-94) for Miami and Seattle. He was a third-round pick of the Dolphins.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Can the NFC East get any worse? Yes. Yes, it can. Dallas loses at home to the Rams. And Washington, a 5½-point underdog at home, holds Philly's woeful offense in check. Pick: Redskins 23, Eagles 16. Last week: Chiefs 34, Patriots 28. Result: Chiefs 23, Patriots 16. Record: 5-9.

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

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