Week 15 of the 2017 NFL season was full of a bunch of intriguing moments that definitely drew a large reaction from the world of social media. With events like Aaron Rodgers starting in a game for the first time since Week 5, the Jacksonville Jaguars making the playoffs for the first time since 2007, and first downs being measured with index cards, there were plenty of happenings out on the field this week for fans to react to.
So what were some of the best NFL-related tweets responding to the notable moments that occurred in Week 15?
Aaron Rodgers is back! Well, sort of
After being out of action since Week 5 with a broken collarbone, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers returned to the field on Sunday for the team’s big matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Three interceptions later and Rodgers probably wishes he just stayed in his sweats.
Aaron Rodgers is ready for the #Panthers pic.twitter.com/ud6wl3kVjS
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 16, 2017
Aaron Rodgers is back.
And he’s the Panthers MVP today.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) December 17, 2017
Bring Aaron Rodgers back against the @Panthers they said, it’ll be fun they said.
— Bring Back The Buzz (@BringBackTheBuz) December 17, 2017
Three interceptions in a game against the Carolina Panthers when you’re coming back from a broken collarbone?
Aaron Rodgers wants to be Tony Romo so badly.
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) December 17, 2017
Panthers 2-0 vs. Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
— Marc (@MarcCTB) December 17, 2017
Aaron Rodgers won’t run the table and the Packers won’t make the playoffs.
Maybe media types can focus on players and teams that actually matter the rest of the way.
— The Daily Norseman, a Minnesota Vikings blog (@DailyNorseman) December 17, 2017
Absolutely no one in the NFL knows what a catch is
Each of the two most important games in Week 15 was impacted by a controversial catch-related call. First during the Carolina Panthers’ matchup with the Green Bay Packers and then later in the afternoon during the Pittsburgh Steelers showdown against the New England Patriots.
Plenty of time left, but the #Panthers convert the Aaron Rodgers 2nd INT to a touchdown pass by Cam Newton. Had good field position to start following the turnoverpic.twitter.com/g4soypL6yv
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 17, 2017
This was ruled a TD in the #Packers and #Panthers game pic.twitter.com/stwXiEjXLF
— Jesse Foster (@Jesse__Foster) December 17, 2017
The greatest first career touchdown in NFL history goes to Damiere byrd #GBvsCAR #NFLxFOX #top10 #Legendary pic.twitter.com/gcLt1pymuP
— Yūreidesu. (@TheSimpleGhost) December 17, 2017
I have zero explanation for the officials ruling that Damiere Byrd catch a touchdown.
— Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) December 17, 2017
Damiere Byrd already has a name for his touchdown catch! ? pic.twitter.com/AG9usJuxZy
— SB Nation (@SBNation) December 17, 2017
That was a a nice ASS catch by Damiere Byrd!
— THICC RIVEROAT RON (@SavageRiverboat) December 17, 2017
Cam Newton on Damiere Byrd’s first TD: “I guess it pays to have little cheeks.”
— Bill Voth (@PanthersBill) December 17, 2017
Did Jesse James have the touchdown catch or nah? #HereWeGo #GoPatriots #NEvsPIT
— Sports Degens (@TheSportsDegens) December 18, 2017
Patriots fans 364 days out of the year: “The NFL is a joke! Goodell is a clown with no credibility! Don’t believe anything the NFL says!”
Patriots fans after the Jesse James play: “Well you see, the rule is pretty clear – not a catch. The NFL knows what it’s doing. Great call.”
— Will Oleksak (@WillOleksak8) December 18, 2017
According to rule 63A in the NFL rulebook:A player is not allowed to score a touchdown at the end of the game against the Patriots, therefore Steelers TE Jesse James’ catch was correctly ruled an incomplete pass.
— Michael Davis (@davismichael21) December 18, 2017
Jesse James now joins Zach Miller, Dez Bryant, and Calvin Johnson in the @NFL ‘s Mount Rushmore of What The Hell Is A Catch?
— Matt Gingrich (@MGingrich68) December 18, 2017
Jaguars clinch a playoff spot for the first time in a decade
By defeating the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars guaranteed themselves a spot in this season’s AFC playoffs. For the Jaguars, this will be their first time playing in the postseason since 2007.
Clinched. pic.twitter.com/0LaSRXLAez
— x-#Sacksonville (@Jaguars) December 17, 2017
#Jaguars fans rolling into the playoffs for the first time in a decade like
pic.twitter.com/9CGCZ3tRqN— Adam B. (@Bealzies) December 17, 2017
Not going to lie: Even as a hardcore #Falcons fan I’m kind of low key excited that the #Jaguars made the playoffs.
— Tim Williams (@timwilliamsart) December 18, 2017
If the season ended today the playoffs would start with Bills at Jaguars, thus opening the seventh seal and starting the apocalypse
— Clue Heywood (@ClueHeywood) December 19, 2017
Week 15 last year, the #Jaguars fired Gus Bradley after a loss in Houston.
Week 15 this year, the #Jaguars make the playoffs for the first time in 10 years with a win over Houston.
What an incredible turnaround.
— Andrew Gibson (@1010XLAG) December 17, 2017
Pats fan, to me: it would be great if the @Jaguars could beat the Steelers in the playoffs
me: oh we’re not just going to beat the Steelers…— Ned Fulmer (@nedfulmer) December 17, 2017
Teddy Bridgewater plays in a game for the first time since 2015
It has been a long, long time since the NFL last saw Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater play in an actual regular season game. After suffering an unfortunate knee injury in 2016, the quarterback returned to the football field on Sunday for the first time since the 2015 season. At least a few people in the Vikings’ stadium were happy about it. And who keeps cutting all of these onions?
A year ago, doctors were trying to save Teddy Bridgewater’s leg.
Today he’s back taking his first snaps since his injury. ✊ pic.twitter.com/A4RTFOdopk
— Athlete Nation (@AthleteNation) December 17, 2017
Teddy Bridgewater back on the field ??
— Cris Carter (@criscarter80) December 17, 2017
Teddy Bridgewater’s coming in with the Vikings up 34 and the crowd’s cheering so loudly that Bridgewater can’t hear the playcall in his helmet and no you’re crying
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) December 17, 2017
Deafening standing ovation for Teddy Bridgewater #Vikings pic.twitter.com/5kFaa3Y1cv
— David McCoy (@DavidMcCoyWCCO) December 17, 2017
No one cheering more for Teddy Bridgewater’s coming into the game than Case Keenum. Classy guy.
— VikeFans (@VikeFans) December 17, 2017
Cowboys get a win over the Raiders thanks to… an index card?
As the Dallas Cowboys were driving to break a 17-17 tie in their showdown with the Oakland Raiders on Sunday night, they needed a measurement following a rush by quarterback Dak Prescott on fourth down. Apparently, the measurement was too close to call and referee Gene Steratore felt the need to use a folded index card to determine that the Cowboys had indeed gained a first down.
FIRST DOWN!!! By the hair of my…index card? Even the ref is smirking at that. #DALLASCOWBOYS pic.twitter.com/NyqSL64sAj
— FnA Cowboys (@FnA_Cowboys) December 18, 2017
A folded index card just determined a first down in the #Cowboys/#Raiders game. What a time to be alive.
— Ryan Talbot (@RyanTalbotBills) December 18, 2017
Can someone explain how the index card BETWEEN the ball and the marker affirms a first down?
— Mary Beth Hand (@mbhand20) December 18, 2017
A piece of paper just decided a first down in #DALvsOAK. In a league where it takes multiple camera angles and reviews to determine what a catch is, a possibly game-changing first down was determined with an index card. Anyone else see a problem here?
— Ryan Graves (@rcgravesy) December 18, 2017
About this many days before the holiday weekend, so get your A’s Holiday Pack before time runs out! https://t.co/F8hBVpr77F pic.twitter.com/rkvV4idytF
— Oakland Athletics ??⚾️ (@Athletics) December 18, 2017
