Sunday's games are in the books for Week 14. What plays will we remember? Marc Sessler chooses the five runs that defined the action.
OK, Adrian Peterson. We get it. We'll just hold your spot on this list. Granted, there's no better back in the NFL, and Sunday's 21-14 win over the Chicago Bears was another example of why. The Minnesota Vikings runner was on fire out of the gate, rushing for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter alone (a career best) before finishing with 154 on the day. The Bears repeatedly stacked the box with nine men and couldn't shut down Peterson. Here's a look at his day's work.
Our weekly "five runs" column isn't always a bed of roses. It was unfortunate to see Robert Griffin III suffer a knee injury during Sunday's 31-28 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Washington Redskins' rookie quarterback was hurt while running into Ravens nose tackle Haloti Ngata on this second-and-19 scramble. Griffin tried to play, but the pain was too steep. The Redskins are calling it a sprain, and RG3's health will be monitored with laser focus all week.
This 72-yard, highlight-reel touchdown scamper by Cam Newton was more than enough to land the Carolina Panthers quarterback a spot inside this humble post. Newton's 116 yards on the ground in Sunday's 30-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons was the most by a quarterback in Panthers history. Cam also became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 250-plus yards, run for 100-plus and have at least one passing and rushing score. Don't look now, but Ace Boogie has a higher passer rating this season (88.0) than he did last (84.5).
The Dallas Cowboys carried heavy hearts into Sunday following the tragic death of practice-squad linebacker Jerry Brown Jr. Their 20-19 win over the Cincinnati Bengals called for a total team effort, and DeMarco Murray delivered with this 6-yard run on third-and-5 with just over a minute to go in the game. Murray's big-time conversion set up the winning field goal and kept the Cowboys alive in the NFC playoff picture.
Let's dial it back to Thursday night and the handiwork of Knowshon Moreno. The Denver Broncos running back, filling in for the injured Willis McGahee, was sensational in a 26-13 win over the Oakland Raiders. Moreno's 119-yard night was filled with plenty of prime-time runs, including this 18-yard dart through the heart of Oakland's defense. Many questioned if the oft-injured Moreno could fill McGahee's shoes. So far, so good.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
