Shutdown Corner - NFL

All four teams in the AFC North lost today in as gut-wrenching a fashion as you could imagine. It'd be bad enough for an entire division to go winless (especially when said division is arguably the best in the NFL), but for each of the four teams to lose games in which they held fourth-quarter leads, well that's a whole new level of disappointment.

Shutdown Corner recounts the carnage, listing the games in order of least to most crushing:

Baltimore Ravens 15, Indianapolis Colts 17 – The box score doesn't look too bad: A two-point loss to the undefeated Colts is nothing to hang your head at. But when you consider that the eventual game-winner for Indy was kicked by Matt Stover(notes), the long-time Ravens vet who was cut in the offseason and that the Ravens replacement for Stover's replacement missed a 30-yarder in the third quarter, then it hurts a bit. Throw in a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line that resulted in a field goal and, ouch.

Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Kansas City Chiefs 30 (OT) – Losing while giving up two touchdown returns of 95+ yards, dropping an interception before the play that put the Chiefs in overtime field-goal range, having another possible concussion suffered by Ben Roethlisberger(notes), outgaining their opponent by 257 yards and holding the ball for 19 more minutes than their opponent would all be bad enough. But when it comes against the woeful Chiefs, that's a whole other level.

Cleveland Browns 37, Detroit Lions 38 – We already recapped this one earlier today on Shutdown Corner. The Browns have the distinction of being the only NFL team to lose this year after the clock hit zero while they had the lead. But a pass interference penalty gave the Lions another untimed down and the rest is another chapter of Cleveland infamy. For any other team this would have rated as the biggest stomach punch of the day. But, for Browns fans, it's just another regular Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals 17, Oakland Raiders 20 – This game was done. The division-leading Bengals held a seven-point lead with under one minute to go and the hapless Raiders, led by a quarterback (Bruce Gradkowski(notes)) who hadn't thrown a touchdown pass since 2006, were facing fourth-and-10 from near midfield. But, just like that, Chaz Schilens(notes) hauled in a first-down reception and then, on the next throw, Gradkowski hit Louis Murphy(notes) for the game-tying score. So it was going to overtime. Except that Andre Caldwell(notes) fumbled the kick return with 27 seconds remaining and the Raiders recovered and kicked a game-winning field goal 11 seconds later. From one play from victory to one return from overtime to another crushing loss, all in a span of 43 seconds. On the bright side, at least Cincy knows how to deal with late-game disappointment.

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71 Comments

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  1. Steely Mcbeam
    1. Posted by Steely Mcbeam Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:25 pm EST

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    The Superbowl winner is still coming from this division.
  2. NFLRULZ
    2. Posted by NFLRULZ Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:34 pm EST

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    no
  3. Edward K
    3. Posted by Edward K Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:38 pm EST

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    who get's to draft 1st. who's the worst team out there.
  4. Steely Mcbeam
    4. Posted by Steely Mcbeam Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:44 pm EST

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    The Rams, Bucs and Browns are all one win teams Edward K.
  5. wtfk
    5. Posted by wtfk Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:58 pm EST

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    @ Chris Chase - How about a nice big effing mug of STFU? The "hapless" Raiders played good defense all day and found some offense without the pothead at QB. Bruce Gradkowski isn't exactly Joe Montana, but at least he has a pulse, and even a mediocre veteran gave receivers a chance to catch some balls. They earned your props, not your disdain, jackass!
  6. YGM
    6. Posted by YGM Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:59 pm EST

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    wow bench russell and you win mr. davis. ur a fat@$$. GO PATS!!!
  7. wtfk
    7. Posted by wtfk Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:02 pm EST

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    @ Chris Chase - How about a nice big effing mug of STFU? The "hapless" Raiders played good defense all day and found some offense without the pothead at QB. Bruce Gradkowski isn't exactly Joe Montana, but at least he has a pulse, and even a mediocre veteran gave receivers a chance to catch some balls. They earned your props, not your disdain, jackass!
  8. John
    8. Posted by John Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:02 pm EST

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    Cincy's disappointment pales to that of readers that would like to avoid the crappy writing in your article, but get drawn in by intriguing titles. Too bad the writers name isn't posted by the titles.
    Oh, you still suck. Louder than the Raiders. Or Chiefs. Or Loins. Even the directionless Browns.
  9. DEN
    9. Posted by DEN Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:45 pm EST

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    k..c beats pitt whats your excuse this week Pittsburg HA HA
  10. PleaseFireMJD
    10. Posted by PleaseFireMJD Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:58 pm EST

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    Browns will get the top pick. Hopefully they do the right thing and draft a new Coach. Oh wait. Ok, that's wrong... but I still don't Mangina.
  11. christian.hermanas@...
    11. Posted by christian.hermanas@... Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:15 pm EST

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    Pretty sure the Pittsburgh, KC game was 24 to 27 KC won... Just saying
  12. J O
    12. Posted by J O Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:52 pm EST

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    I bet the bengals wish that J. Russell had played the game. Raiders look like a differant team with a real NFL QB. Not a jenny craig drop out QB.
  13. Erik
    13. Posted by Erik Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:11 pm EST

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    Okland broke it off in the kitty cats.......
    looks like they will die off again......
  14. Lew Ghost
    14. Posted by Lew Ghost Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:13 pm EST

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    strange world eh?
  15. Scott
    15. Posted by Scott Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:14 pm EST

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    Yeah, he got the Steelers-KC game wrong. Bad day for Steelers fans everywhere...
    http://www.theklowntimes.net
  16. Stephen A
    16. Posted by Stephen A Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:44 pm EST

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    I looked forward to catching Ocho Cinco in the Black Hole, but yo a Raiders win sealed by a Nnamdi int is a million times better.
    http://hubpages.com/hub/Black-Hole-Adventures-Chad-Ocho-Cinco-vs-Nnamdi-Dos-Uno
  17. Rob S
    17. Posted by Rob S Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:59 pm EST

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    Wow. A mediocre division goes 0-4 on one random weak. What a newsflash.
  18. Rob S
    18. Posted by Rob S Mon Nov 23, 2009 12:00 am EST

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    *week. Not weak. Well, it is kind of an apropos word for the AFC North this year.
  19. david_heiser@...
    19. Posted by david_heiser@... Mon Nov 23, 2009 12:01 am EST

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    Arians needs to go!!!!!!!!! He sucks. Every team knows to play the pass to beat the steelers. That idiot has 2 damn good backs in the back field but doesn't try to use them. If we stay pass happy, the Steelers are screwed. RUN THE BALL YOU IDIOT.
  20. Bill Thompson
    20. Posted by Bill Thompson Mon Nov 23, 2009 12:16 am EST

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    To DEN post #10
    Who is Pittsburg? They play in the NFL, CFL, NCAA, High School maybe.
    I know of the Pittsburgh Steelers the 6 X Super Bowl Champions!
  21. S
    21. Posted by S Mon Nov 23, 2009 12:27 am EST

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    #21, what do you think dumbass? this is an NFL blog, so figure it out
  22. CHARGED LT
    22. Posted by CHARGED LT Mon Nov 23, 2009 12:44 am EST

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    Pittsburgh. haha. what a joke this year.
  23. Robert
    23. Posted by Robert Mon Nov 23, 2009 1:44 am EST

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    Morons at Yahoo....cant even get the score of the Steeler game right.......
  24. Go Leafs Go!
    24. Posted by Go Leafs Go! Mon Nov 23, 2009 1:45 am EST

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    @10 You saw some of the reasons Pittsburgh lost this week in the blog dumbass. Tomlin will get the Steelers special teams in order. Tough tough tough day at Arrowhead. But post #1 got it right - the Super Bowl champs are coming from this division, and the team that is coming from this division to win in Miam will be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh - the real Titletown! 7th Super Bowl coming up with some fine tuning on offence and defence @21 Bill Thompson. Go Steelers!
    @22 You are the dumbass.

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