It's tough to win on the road, even if you are the Seattle Seahawks, owners of the best record in the NFL (12-2) but historically bad in games played outside the comfy confines of the Pacific Northwest.
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Greatest on the road ...
Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks made themselves right at home in the building that will host Super Bowl XLVIII -- MetLife Stadium -- dump trucking the hapless New York Giants, 23-0. That rout was fueled by five interceptions of the quarterback who was once upon a time considered among the NFL's elite passers, Eli Manning. That narrative seems sillier now than it did a couple seasons ago when Manning was leading the Giants on a second unexpected Super Bowl title run in five seasons.
Collecting two of those five interceptions by the fiesty Seahawks defense was Sherman, who is making a strong case to also be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year this season. Sherman now has six interceptions on the season, tying him for the league lead. Sherman's first pick led to a brilliant touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch that was befitting of his "Beast Mode" moniker. Sherman's second interception thwarted a Hail Mary attempt to end the first half. Later, Manning's fifth pick of the game was tipped by Sherman and intercepted by Earl Thomas.
Joining in on the pick party was Byron Maxwell, who also had two interceptions while playing in the place of cornerback Brandon Browner.
The win helped the Seahawks close in on the No. 1 playoff seed in the NFC. The road win was the Seahawks' sixth of the season, as the team closed its road slate for 2013 with a 6-2 record, the best in team history (the Seahawks were 3-5 on the road last season).
Also considered:
Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
Charles came within a touchdown of tying a long-standing NFL record, but instead joined 10 other players who scored five touchdowns in a single game as the Chiefs steamrolled the Oakland Raiders, 56-31, at O.Co Coliseum and in the process clinching a playoff berth with two weeks still left to play. That's impressive stuff given that the Chiefs finished 2012 tied for the league's worst record.
Charles scored a franchise-record five touchdowns, four of which came on receptions and one on a rush. While chasing a league record of six touchdowns held by Gale Sayers (set in 1965) and Ernie Nevers (set in 1929), Charles tied Shaun Alexander, Billy Cannon, Cookie Gilchrist, Abner Haynes, Paul Hornung, Clinton Portis, Jerry Rice, James Stewart, Ricky Watters and Kellen Winslow as players who scored five touchdowns in a single game.
Still, Sunday's effort helped Charles become the first player in NFL history with four receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in a single game.
Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers
In what have been Flynn's final start in place of injured starter Aaron Rodgers, the Packers matched their largest comeback in franchise history (23 points) and earned their first win over the Dallas Cowboys on the road since 1989. The Packers' dramatic 37-36 win over the Cowboys could have a far-reaching ripple effect in Dallas, where two costly interceptions by Tony Romo helped facilitate the come-from-behind victory for Green Bay.
Flynn led five consecutive touchdown drives -- including four that concluded with touchdown passes -- as the Packers overcame that 23-point halftime deficit for a season-saving victory. Flynn's heroics helped him join Packers legends Lynn Dickey (who led that 23-point comeback back in 1982) and Don Majkowski (who was responsible for that 1989 win in Dallas) in the pantheon of Packers passers.
Previous Greatness on the Road winners:
» Week 1: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
» Week 2: Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins
» Week 3: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
» Week 4: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
» Week 5: Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
» Week 6: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
» Week 7: A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
» Week 8: Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers
» Week 9: Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles
» Week 10: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
» Week 11: Matt McGloin, Oakland Raiders
» Week 12: Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
» Week 13: Eric Decker, Denver Broncos
» Week 14: Charles Clay, Miami Dolphins
Follow Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.
