NFL Week 14 story lines
By Star Tribune
The Ravens (10-2) take a league-best eight-game winning streak to Buffalo, where the 9-3 Bills are six-point underdogs. The key AFC game features the most combined rushing yards (1,407) by the starting quarterbacks in NFL history. Baltimore's Lamar Jackson has 977, which is more than five NFL teams, while Buffalo's Josh Allen ranks third among quarterbacks with 430.
Battle of 10-2 teams in Big Easy
New Orleans is 10-2, clinched its division on Thanksgiving and holds the NFC's No. 1 seed. San Francisco also is 10-2 but is No. 2 in its division, holds the NFC's No. 5 seed and is a 2½-point underdog at New Orleans. The 49ers are trying to become the first team to make the playoffs that didn't make last year's playoffs. The NFL has had at least four new faces in the playoffs every year since 1990.
Can Seattle get rare sweep of Rams?
Vikings fans who have cursed the Seahawks (10-2) now need to cheer them on as they travel to Los Angeles looking to sweep the Rams (7-5) for the first time since 2013. The Rams sit just a game behind the Vikings in the race for the final NFC wild-card spot. Seattle beat the Rams 30-29 on Oct. 3. The Seahawks are 9-1 in games decided by 8 or fewer points.
100 NFL SEASONS a LOOK BACK at 1940
Dec. 8, 1940: The biggest blowout in NFL history occurred on this date when the Bears crushed the Redskins 73-0 in the NFL championship game in front of a capacity crowd of 36,034 at Griffith Stadium. In 100 seasons, no other team has reached 73 points in a game.
The root of the rout actually sprouted three weeks earlier when Bears coach George Halas complained to reporters that officials missed what he thought was defensive pass interference on the Redskins in the end zone on the final play of a 7-3 loss at Washington.
Imagine that. An NFL coach complaining about not getting a call for pass interference. Weird, huh?
Washington owner George Preston Marshall was asked about Halas' comments after the game. Marshall shot back, telling reporters, "The Bears are a bunch of crybabies. They're front-runners. They can't take defeat. The Bears are quitters."
Three weeks later, the Bears scored the first of 11 touchdowns on the second play of the game. Using their new T-formation, which ultimately would change the NFL and push it closer to becoming a wide-open game, the Bears led 28-0 at the half and 54-0 after three quarters.
Washington threw eight interceptions, three were returned for touchdowns.
Halas got his revenge, forcing Marshall to absorb the worst beatdown in league history in what was the first championship game to be broadcast nationwide on the radio. UPSET OF THE WEEK
The Patriots are 36-4 at home in December since 2001. But their offense suddenly can't be trusted in a shootout. And, besides, it's about time for another wave of media talking heads asking, "ARE THE PATRIOTS REALLY FINISHED THIS TIME!!"? Kansas City wins at Foxboro as a three-point underdog. Pick: Chiefs 34, Patriots 28. Last week: 49ers 31, Ravens 24. Result: Ravens 20, 49ers 17. Record: 4-9.
MARK CRAIG
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Star Tribune
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.