Last Place Update - Week 13

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Today's entry begins on a somber note.  This past Saturday, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher murdered the mother of his three month old daughter and later committed suicide at the Chiefs' practice facility. Thoughts and prayers go out to Belcher's family, Kasandra Perkins and her family, and the Kansas City Chiefs organization.

   Now to the update...

   The 2-10 Chiefs played an inspiring game and beat the Carolina Panthers 27-21. Because of that and a Jacksonville loss, making both teams 2-10, the Chiefs are not Kings of the Cellar this week. The Jags' loss breaks the tie, so that honor goes to the Jacksonville Jaguars. After beating the Tennessee Titans at home, the Jags went to Buffalo and were dominated by the Bills. In both of their wins, Jacksonville kept the opposing teams to less than twenty points. However, in all of their losses, the opposing teams scored more than twenty points.

   And the broken record continues. This week's honorable mention, once again, goes to the 4-8 Arizona Cardinals and the 3-9 Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams lost games they could have or should have won. Their losing streak is now at eight games. Philly's new starting quarterback, Nick Foles had respectable numbers against the Dallas Cowboys, but it wasn't enough. It appears Philly's weakness is defense and Arizona's weakness is offense. The Eagles go to Tampa Bay to face an improved Buccaneers team. They have a chance for an upset, but it's only a toss-up. The Cardinals go to Seattle to play the Seahawks. Seattle is 5-0 at home. Upset Special? Maybe, but it's doubtful. Chances are, Seattle will avenge their Week 1 loss to the Cardinals.

Next Loss...

   Jacksonville hosts the New York Jets. Upset Special? Actually, the Jags have a real chance here. If the Jets continue to have quarterback problems, then Jacksonville could take advantage. The Jets are 2-2 since their bye week and have scored more than twenty points only once in that stretch. If the Jags play like they did against Tennessee, they will win. Otherwise, it's an easy loss.

   These are usually fun, but not this one...not today. The Chiefs go to Dawg Pound to face the Cleveland Browns. Upset Special? As much as it should be one, it probably isn't. Kansas City beat a Carolina team that's 3-9 and Cleveland, although 4-8 and 2-1 since their bye week,  is clearly playing better than Carolina. If the Chiefs show up with their running game, a good defense, and the same level of intensity, then they could pull off a win in the Dawg Pound. Otherwise, as with the Jags, it's an easy loss.

Here are some historical scores for teams playing each other this week, on December 4:

1977  Green Bay 10 - Detroit 9
1988  Detroit 30 - Green Bay 14
1988  Los Angeles Raiders 21 - Denver 20
1994  Detroit 34 - Green Bay 31
2005  Carolina 24 - Atlanta 6
2005  Indianapolis 35 - Tennessee 3