It's a good thing we're not the betting type (Image via Reddit.com/r/nfl)

And so it was that bizarro NFL Week 15 ended the quest for both the perfect and winless seasons in 2011.

Packers lose, Colts win. Up is down, in is out, bad is good … except for the Saints crushing the Vikings, not much from the early round of games made sense today.

Let’s see if Tebow can restore some sense of normalcy by pulling out a miraculous win against the Patriots.

UPDATE: Nope. Not only couldn’t Denver summon the late-game magic today in their 41-23 loss, but “Tebow Time” actually came during the first quarter instead of the fourth, with the Broncos scoring on their first three possessions and New England forced to mount the comeback.

Bizarro Sunday remains fully intact.

The Lions look to feast on the undefeated Packers today in Detroit (Photo: SFGate.com)

Thanksgiving annually means 3 things: 1) awkward family gatherings 2) overeating/drinking and 3) football. Guess what we’ll be doing today?

We’ve got three games on tap for the holiday ahead – and 2 of them are actually exciting!! The surprise Lions will be looking to take down their rival Packers, who have been perfect so far, as the early highlight (even though Nickelback will still be playing at halftime), followed by Dallas-Miami coming just in time for your post-meal nap, and the 49ers-Ravens capping things off in a nighttime showdown of Harbaugh brothers.

All of us here at ReadAndReact are extremely grateful for all of our readers, and hope you have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving with friends and loved ones … enjoy the games!

With the ridiculous trend of “Tebowing” sweeping the nation, Detroit LB Stephen Tulloch was the first person to “Tebow” in the face of Tim Tebow himself, dropping to a knee after sacking the Denver quarterback during the first quarter of today’s Broncos-Lions game:

(Image via mocksession.com)

It looks like this whole Tebowing thing is really picking up steam, huh? I mean, it’s mildly amusing now, but give it a week or two, tops, before it’s officially annoying.

VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP

Nothing wrong with a little man-love to celebrate a score in Buffalo (Image: 30fps.com)

The city of Buffalo is delirious tonight as their Bills beat the mighty New England Patriots 34-31 in Orchard Park this afternoon, snapping a 15-game losing streak to their division rival. After jumping out to a 21-0 lead, Patriots QB Tom Brady threw 4 interceptions (matching a career low), which allowed the Bills to claw their way back into the game, with the Bills eventually winning it with a last-second 28-yard field goal by Rian Lindell.  To put things into perspective for you, the last time Buffalo beat a Patriots team it was 2003, and the SARS scare was gripping the world.

Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 369 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Bills improved to 3-0 on the strength of their second consecutive comeback conference win. Perhaps the most exciting moment of the game came with just over 10 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter, moments after Buffalo had tied the game on a Fred Jackson touchdown run. On the Patriots ensuing drive, CB Drayton Florence picked off a deflected Brady pass and brought it 27 yards all the way to the house, putting Buffalo ahead 31-24 and sending the Bills fans in attendence into a full-on frenzy (see banner pic):

VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP

[Video via SportsGrid]

The Pats countered with a quick scoring strike from Brady (who also had 4 TDs and 387 yards passing) to Wes Welker, who finished the day with a career-high 16 receptions for 217 yards receiving and 2 TDs in the loss. But Fitzpatrick marched his team 70 yards in 8 plays to set up the game-winning field goal, and prove that these Bills are definitely for real.

Vick got roughed up again today in Philly (Photo 30fps.com)

2nd UPDATE: According to Eagles HC Andy Reid, Vick’s hand is NOT broken, it’s just a bruise, and Vick could possibly play in Week 4

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Remember when everyone was prematurely handing the Eagles the NFC East crown – and some the Super Bowl – during the off-season??? Well that’s why they play the games, folks.

Eagles QB Michael Vick left the game during the 4th quarter with a broken right hand and the New York Giants beat Philadelphia 29-16 today at Lincoln Financial Field. Eli Manning threw 4 touchdowns as the Giants improved to 2-1, while Philadelphia falls to 1-2 after back-to-back losses.  It is unknown how long Vick  - who came into the game dealing with the effects of a concussion – will be out. UPDATE: According to reports, Vick could miss 3-4 weeks.

The Giants jumped out to an early 14-0 lead on the strength of 2 big plays – a 40-yard passing score to Brandon Jacobs and a 74-yard touchdown reception by Victor Cruz (video after the jump). Cruz, who was starting in place of the injured Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon, had a breakout performance today, finishing with 2 TDs and 110 yards receiving. Vick and the Eagles were able to regain the momentum, battling back to take a 16-14 lead midway through the third quarter, but from there the Giants defense tightened up, and their front four continued to reign down blows on Vick, with Chris Canty seemingly delivering the knockout shot:

[Video via CosbySweaters]

Vick went to the locker room for X-rays shortly after this hit, but returned to the game without missing a play, only to exit for good a few minutes later. Most speculated it was Vick’s head (or possibly mouth/tongue) after the hit from Canty, but we later learned he had broken his right – non-throwing – hand.  It’s difficult to tell whether that injury came on the same play or not, possibly when Vick put his right hand down to break his fall.

Without Vick in the game, the Giants were able to put things away with 4th quarter scores from Cruz and Ahmad Bradshaw, with the vaunted Philadelphia defense putting on a shoddy display of tackling in the process. Watch the first TD by Cruz, where the Eagles secondary looks more like the keystone cops than a bunch of highly paid all-stars.

(Image via Gifulmination.com)

WATCH VICTOR CRUZ’S 74-YARD TD AFTER THE JUMP

(Photo: Louis DeLuca/Dallas Morning News)

The Tony Romo we’ve come to know and love finally showed up in the 4th quarter of tonight’s Jets-Cowboys tilt at the newly-christened MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

After an impressive three quarters of football, Romo and the Cowboys led New York 24-17 with 9:12 remaining in the game, and 3rd & goal from the 2-yard line. With a chance to seal the win with a touchdown (or at least a field goal), Romo took the snap from shotgun, looked right, then left, then straight downfield before tucking the ball and deciding to run for it.  See if you can guess what happens next:

The Jets later tied the game on a blocked punt & return for a score, and Romo – who finished 23-of-36 for 342 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT – had a chance at a game-winning drive with under a minute to play.  But Romo’s first pass attempt was an awful one, getting picked off by Darrelle Revis, which set up Jets kicker Nick Folk to be the hero, drilling a 50-yard field goal with :27 to go.

For his part, Romo owned up to the loss after the game:

“We win that football game if I don’t do what I did. We lost this game because of me,” Romo said.

That’s all well and good, but with this latest glaring example, Romo has only furthered his reputation for falling apart at the seams when it matters most. Granted it’s only one loss, but despite playing well for most of the game against the vaunted Jets secondary, the Cowboys faithful are rightfully freaking out right now, and Jason Garrett will need to figure out how his team can put it together for a full 60 minutes of football without shooting themselves in the foot.

The 9/11 tribute ceremonies from Chicago (Photo: NFL.com)

On the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the National Football League pauses to pay tribute to the memory of those lost, as well as the heroes from that fateful day.  In addition to allowing players to wear 9/11 tribute gear, a recorded introduction by Robert De Niro, followed by a trumpet performance of “Taps” ran across all networks before the national anthem was sung along with a similar flag ceremony in each stadium.

The video below includes the complete intro, along with the ceremonies from Baltimore prior to the Ravens-Steelers game, not far from where the attack on the Pentagon took place ten years ago, with the anthem being sung by Mishael Miller:

But perhaps the most emotional anthem came from Chicago before the Bears-Falcons contest, where local favorite Jim Cornelison gave another sitrring rendition (previously), with Bears fans cheering along:

VIDEO OF CORNELISON’S ANTHEM AFTER THE JUMP

The ceremonies will continue at NFL stadiums all day long, and we expect the proceedings in Washington later today – and even more so those at the Meadowlands in New Jersey tonight – to be especially moving.

Feel like starting over again? Me neither. (Source: gridironfans.com)

In a season where four NFL head coaches have been fired heading into Week 17, it doesn’t look good for Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini.

There was a sense midseason that the tenuous connection between president Mike Holmgren and Mangini could work — and should be forced to work — after the Browns consecutively dismantled the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots, only to lose to the hyped-up New York Jets by a hair.

All the talk about Holmgren’s coaching roots not jiving with the Belichick/Parcells tree seemed half-baked, as the team was suddenly worth three hours of your Sunday. For a shimmering moment, the Browns were the team nobody wanted to face.

Problem is, down the stretch, the same Browns team that had played far beyond expectation during a brutal stretch in the schedule — led by galvanizing rookie quarterback Colt McCoy — dissembled against soft opponents when McCoy became the third starting passer this season to suffer a high ankle sprain. Jake Delhomme took over, the offensive line took some hits, and the attack never recovered.

Had the Browns stayed relatively healthy after the Patriots win, and polished off the few teams they were favored against, Holmgren would have nothing to point to in firing Mangini. This is a coaching staff that’s enthused large segments of the Browns’ faithful — downtrodden fans who’ve watched this team closely since its return in 1999, and finally see signs of progress.

Colt McCoy, the first legitimate quarterback prospect in Cleveland since Bernie Kosar, could be a factor in Holmgren's coaching decision. (Source: Cleveland.com)

Some feel that losses to Buffalo and Cincinnati rightfully marked the end of Mangini by giving Holmgren something to hang his hat on in making a change.

If Holmgren is truly committed to playing the role of president and not, at some stage, coach of the Browns, it’s hard to imagine that those losses, taken in context, mean much of anything.

Holmgren sees that Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan have gotten this Browns team to fight to the end in nearly every game this season. Cleveland’s garnered — for the first time since Reagan was in office — respect around the league with its gritty style of play, despite a poor talent base.

When McCoy plays the Steelers for the second time this season, it will mark the first time under Mangini that the same quarterback has faced a division opponent more than once.

Bottom line: Mangini, perhaps to his discredit, has been saddled with some of the worst NFL quarterbacks around (read: Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Delhomme), and still managed to keep games close. In McCoy, the Browns feel they have something special.

But it’s McCoy’s emergence that might work against Mangini. Holmgren lives to develop quarterbacks. His (to be fair, distant) reputation for doing so does not come without its fair share of ego and need for control.

Holmgren has shown poise and grace as president of the Browns, and he has done a tremendous job in adding value to a previously floating franchise, but not unlike that ever-drunk friend you have — who, despite promises of sobriety, is guaranteed to show up hammered and surly to your wedding, despite his intentions — Holmgren is fighting, utterly struggling, against the urge to dispatch the entire coaching staff and take over. Screw this president thing — GET ME THE HEADSET.

I wonder what was floating through Holmgren’s mind watching McCoy out-chess-match Tom Brady on the field, only to trot off to visit with — Brian Daboll.

These days, Holmgren spends portions of his week deciding what concessions will be sold at the stadium — while the coaching staff down the hall holds the fate of his team in their hands.

Had McCoy not hit the scene with such verve — and had the season plodded along with the excruciating Delhomme under center — Mangini would likely be swept out of town with full support from the fanbase.

Now, with the quarterback piece perhaps in place, Holmgren’s left questioning: do I trust anybody but myself with this kid?

None of this bodes well:

“One of my greatest challenges is I’m up there, and … I try not to get too boisterous up there,” Holmgren told reporters in November. “You’ll see things and you’ll go, ‘Aw, gee.’ That’s the coach in me talking and I apologize for that right now. Whether it’s Rob Ryan, who’s a wonderful coach, they’re fine coaches, but when we start moving around on defense and do all of those things, it drives me crazy, but it works. I’m not used to that. This first year in many ways, I’m getting used to a certain style, if you will. I do not question their work ethic and how hard they’re trying to get this done. They are working very hard at this.”

And this:

“I’m doing okay. Does it sound like I want to coach? No, I’m doing okay,” Holmgren said. “The challenge of this is really something for me and I’m enjoying the challenge.  I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say I get fired up watching the games, I mean I did that for too long not to react sometimes the way I do, but I also recognize what I was hired to do and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Followed by this enigmatic gem:

“I made a promise and I’m going to stick with it. Now, if I keep wearing a suit or not, we’ll see,” he said, adding: “You are catching me at a weak moment. I just came off vacation (joking). I love coaching. I am doing what I am doing now and that’s what I plan to be doing. My commitment is to get the Browns going in the right direction and having people feel good about their football team in my role as the president. When I talk to Randy (Lerner) honestly about those things, I am being honest about it. Right now, that’s what I am going to do.”

Right now.

Less coaching-tree symantics. More patience. (Source: waitingfornextyear.com)

There has been hideous discussion about Holmgren firing young Eric Mangini for the likes of John Fox, whose contract will not be renewed by the 2-13 Carolina Panthers. That should galvanize the fanbase.

Oh, and then there’s word that Holmgren is hot on his boy Marty Mornhinweg. I’m not going to waste another sentence on that.

Of course, you get the Jon Gruden talk — another Holmgren guy.

None of it feels right. Mangini, despised last season, and unfairly portrayed in the media, has been a gentleman. This is someone who seems to genuinely care about his players, his coaches, his organization — and even the media covering him, who have slowly come to see that there may be more to this coach than last season’s rough start.

Mangini had the courage to take apart a Browns team that was diseased in 2009 — and it nearly cost him his job. One year later, there is no question the squad has begun to reflect his philosophy of “team first.” The lack of wins are an issue — and there must be results next season, if there is one, but the Browns are not a smoke-and-mirrors team. They are beginning to resemble, in the early stages, an organization built to last.

There is an AP story out today about Belichick’s work in New England this season, perhaps his finest as a coach. Impossible to name another mid-season, shifting-gears rebuilding job that resulted in 13 wins. The article talks about the “Patriot Way,” really just another phrase for the “Belichick Way.”

Belichick, who 20 seasons ago today was guiding the New York Giants defense to a Super Bowl win over the Buffalo Bills — days before becoming the Browns head coach, where he worked alongside Ozzie Newsome, the rising personnel man — on a team that was moved to Baltimore.

Had Art Modell not sold his soul, and endured less riches to keep the Browns in C-Town, I would not be writing this column tonight.

Still, all of this is yesterday. The franchise has a chance this week to exhibit patience and allow a young coach to develop — this time with the Browns.

Dumping Eric Mangini — especially to address a personal need to return to the sideline — will be Mike Holmgren’s greatest mistake.

Win or lose against Pittsburgh on Sunday, it time for this team to stop the cycle of tearing down — only to half-rebuild and then do it all over again.

It is my hope that Mangini will be afforded something Holmgren was given in his time with both the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks — a third season.

(Photo: KCStar.com)

The Kansas City Chiefs clinched their first division championship in seven years today with an impressive 34-14 win over the Tennessee Titans. The Bengals helped the Chiefs out by downing the Chargers, but KC did their part to secure the division title, opening up a 31-7 halftime lead and not looking back.

Matt Cassel led the way with 314 yards and 3TDs, while Dwayne Bowe had 153 yards receiving, including this 75-yard second quarter strike from Cassel:

The win completed the best turnaround in franchise history for Kansas City. In just his second season at the helm, Todd Haley’s club went from 4-12 last year to 10 wins (so far) in 2010. And those ten wins equal the total number of wins in the Chiefs’ previous three seasons combined … so it looks like Haley and GM Scott Pioli‘s plan to resurrect the Chiefs seems to be working.

Staubach, Landry and the 'Boys faced the Vikings outdoors in frigid Metropolitan Stadium. Could an outdoor venue be next for the Vikes? And, if so, will it be in Minnesota? (Source: knowyourdallascowboys.com)

With the Minnesota Vikings’ Metrodome lease ending after the 2011 season, ownership is sorting through a laundry list of potential suitors. The team could stay put at the Metrodome — or they could break ground on a brand new Minneapolis-area stadium. Those options rest on the stable end of the spectrum. The remaining possibilities are unsettling.

It’s enough to give Vikings fans pause, and history would suggest reason for concern, as stadium issues have historically been central to franchise relocation. Any discussion along those lines is speculation at this stage, and the Vikings appear committed to Minnesota, but Tuesday’s partial transcript includes the revelation that a Los Angeles-based group has approached Vikings ownership.

Sections of the transcript are below — and the Los Angeles issue is brought up after the jump.

Q: How did the recent election results affect the Vikings stadium effort?

Lester Bagley: This is a good question to start. The 2011 Legislative Session is a critical session for the Vikings, the NFL and our fans. Leadership of the new house and senate majorities as well as the new Governor have indicated that this issue needs to be addressed and will be on the agenda.

While there are certainly tremendous challenges and other priorities, the one issue that brought candidates for office together was creating jobs and as you know, this will create 13,000 jobs, including 7,500 construction jobs.

The Vikings will have only 10 games remaining at the Metrodome when the session convenes. We have a strong bi-partisan support at the legislature. When we left last session, we were given the directive to go put together a package that includes an ideal site, cost projections and funding options. That’s what we’ve been working on since that session ended.

Q: Why cant the Stadium use the MoA  (Mall of America) site?

Lester Bagley: In terms of where we’re at with sites, we are completing our due diligence on a number of potential stadium sites. Some in Minneapolis and one suburban site. No conclusions have been reached and we’re working to bring forward a package with a single site as soon as our work is completed and as soon as the new legislature and the new governor are ready.

Q: I keep reading about different groups in LA trying to lure an NFL team to relocate and that the Vikings are on a list of potential teams. Have you been approached by these groups?

Lester Bagley: Yes, we have been approached by 2 different groups in Los Angeles — the Ed Roski group and more recently by former Timberwolves CEO Tim Leiweke and AEG. In 2009 when the NFL had an Owners’ meeting in southern California, Mr. Wilf and Vikings management toured LA Live to try to get ideas on building a similar sports/entertainment district in Minnesota. Clearly, the Vikings stadium issue is being followed nationally and it’s no secret that we’re down to the last year on our lease. We’ve told those groups that we are focused on resolving the issue in Minnesota. We feel solid momentum and feel we’re well-positioned with the new legislature and governor. Instead of spending energy speculating on other markets, let’s keep the focus on building a world-class facility for the community and the State of Minnesota.

Q: Where would the Vikings play their games while the new stadium is being built?

Lester Bagley: That issue would only be in play if it is determined that the Metrodome site is the ideal site. If that’s the case, we would need to engage in conversations with the University of Minnesota about access to TCF Bank Stadium. Again, we are completing our due diligence on sites and no conclusions have been reached. Stay tuned.

Q: What about a grassfield, outside where football was meant to be played? Are we getting an out door field?

Lester Bagley: There is strong support across the State for a multi-purpose, year-round facility. Adding a roof makes this a state-wide asset and benefits the State of Minnesota – we need to have the important conversation about how to pay for the roof. While it might be great to have outdoor football again, we need to look at maximizing use of this publicly-owned facility – a facility that would host high schools sports, amateur sports, a Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, etc.

Q: When’s the earliest we can expect to have a resolution?

Lester Bagley: As noted, 2011 is a crucial year. The Legislature runs from early January to late May, and this is likely to be resolved later in the Legislative Session. In terms of next steps, we need to continue our productive discussions and forward progress with State and local leaders, we need to complete our due diligence and bring forward an ideal site, specific project costs and a funding plan. Again, the State has significant priorities but we need to move this forward. We need your help to build the public support that it’ll take to push this over the top.

Here’s a little clip from old Metropolitan Stadium: