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Anthony Gharib, ESPN
A Saturday NFL slate meant the trolls came out early during Week 15 of the 2023 NFL season.
The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time since 2008, while the Cincinnati Bengals needed overtime to beat the Minnesota Vikings. The Las Vegas Raiders dominated the Los Angeles Chargers on “Thursday Night Football.”
Here are the best verbal jabs of Week 15.
The Saints’ defense held the Giants scoreless in the second half and to just 193 total yards the entire game.
Derek Carr threw for 218 yards and a season-high three touchdowns on 23-of-28 passing. Tommy DeVito struggled with 177 passing yards and no touchdowns. New Orleans had a season-high seven sacks and held New York to 2-of-16 on third down.
The Saints made sure to troll DeVito’s signature celebration.
Chef’s kiss 🤌#Saints | @FastTwitchDrink pic.twitter.com/fwOC5FsiMq
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 17, 2023
W 🤌 pic.twitter.com/KcqrpgVIhL
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 17, 2023
No C.J. Stroud, no problem for the Texans, who kicked a 54-yard field goal to win the game in overtime.
Texans quarterback Case Keenum threw for 229 yards and one touchdown in his first start since the 2021 season. Devin Singletary had 121 rushing yards, his third time this season with at least 100 rushing yards, a career high. The Titans had just 204 total yards and running back Derrick Henry had 10 scrimmage yards on 20 total touches, the fewest yards from scrimmage among players with at least 20 touches since individual stats were first tracked in 1933.
Houston and J.J. Watt trolled Tennessee in a game where the Titans wore Houston Oilers-inspired “Luv Ya Blue” uniforms.
happy oiLers game! https://t.co/fg5IXVAMVZ pic.twitter.com/8PPFqPrgF4
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 17, 2023
Luv ya, H-Town! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/L9Q4eiELR2
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 17, 2023
We get the uniforms back.
That’s how this works, I don’t make the rules.
Sorry, not sorry.
Too bad, so sad.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 17, 2023
The Browns scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win their second straight game.
Joe Flacco threw for 374 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Flacco had 212 passing yards in the final frame, the most by a Browns quarterback in any quarter over the past 45 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Two Browns players had at least 100 receiving yards — Amari Cooper (109) and David Njoku (104). Justin Fields finished with 196 total yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Cleveland had a creative video troll for Chicago.
*don’t feed the bears*
us: pic.twitter.com/KGAcmp5ZsG
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2023
Indianapolis 30, Pittsburgh 13
After falling behind 13-0 with 14:07 remaining in the second quarter, Indianapolis outscored Pittsburgh 30-0 the rest of the way.
Gardner Minshew threw for 215 yards and three touchdowns. The Colts outgained the Steelers 372 to 216, the fourth time the Steelers have been outgained by at least 150 yards this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Indianapolis snapped its eight-game losing streak against Pittsburgh.
What losing streak? pic.twitter.com/hGc8r1b1C2
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) December 17, 2023
Cincinnati 27, Minnesota 24
The Bengals scored 21 fourth-quarter points to force overtime and win their third straight game.
The Vikings went up by seven with 3:48 remaining in regulation, but Jake Browning drove the Bengals for a touchdown to tie the score at 24. After Minnesota failed to convert on fourth down in overtime, Cincinnati capped a six-play, 47-yard drive with a winning field goal.
Browning is the first Bengals quarterback to win three of his first four starts since Boomer Esiason in 1984.
Cincinnati kept receipts after its win.
We’ve got one long receipt list 🥱 pic.twitter.com/idgJkP34HU
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 16, 2023
Las Vegas 63, Los Angeles Chargers 21
Everything worked for the Raiders on “Thursday Night Football,” as they put up the most points in a prime-time game since the 1970 merger.
Eight players scored — the first time that’s happened since the 1950 Los Angeles Rams — including two Raiders on defense. Aidan O’Connell threw for 248 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers had a receiving and passing touchdown, the first Raiders player to do so in the same game since Marcus Allen in 1983.
The Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco the next day.
Las Vegas posted a clever graphic after the comfortable win.
Shock and awe. #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/HiKMqc9Kqr
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) December 15, 2023
