Both conference championship games feature an upstart versus a team that has been at or near the top in recent years.

Major markets are not represented in the Final Four, with Tampa Bay the largest.

METROPOLITAN AREA SIZE

Tampa Bay                   18

Kansas City                  31

Buffalo                          49

Green Bay                   158  (Milwaukee)

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

The Packers are hosting their first NFC Championship Game since 2007-08 when Brett Favre’s OT pass, his last as a Packer, was picked off at sub-zero Lambeau Field.  Eight different teams have hosted the 12 games since.  This is the 7^th different city to host the NFC Championship Game in the last seven years.

– – –

Some Peter King stuff on the Packers:

There’s a big reason why a team that was 15-19-1 and floundering in the last 35 games pre-LaFleur is 28-7 in in the second-year coach’s first 35. LaFleur and Rodgers zig when they’re supposed to zag. Present a rock-solid run wall with only two receivers, both doubled, and throw anyway. At this precise point of the game, 7:01 on the clock and the Packers wanting to chew the clock and Green Bay with 176 yards rushing in the first 53 minutes . . . I mean, what’s a defense supposed to think? Like putting Adams into jet-motion at the Rams’ 1-yard line in the first half, and Rodgers insta-throwing to him as soon as Adams was clear of the formation. Easy touchdown. This is one reason why the Packers will be so tough to beat as the NFL enters its Final Four: Great quarterback, totally unpredictable offense.

In the end zone, as the Packers celebrated the 58-yard yard score, Rodgers, with a huge grin, came up behind Lazard and mimed putting a crown on his head. “I’ve been ‘crowning’ Davante [Adams] after he scored a touchdown this year because he’s the best in the game at wide receiver,” Lazard said. “And obviously Aaron is the best quarterback in the league right now. So I’ve been crowning both of those guys this year and I think Aaron was just reciprocating that back to me, especially with the dropped pass beforehand, in that crucial moment.”

– – –

Matt LaFleur is among a mixed bag of coaches who have reached championship games in each of their first two seasons.  John Breech of CBSSports.com:

It’s not often you see an NFL head coach reach a conference title game during EACH of their first two seasons on the job, but that’s exactly what Packers coach Matt LaFleur has pulled off in Green Bay.

After leading the Packers to the NFC title game in 2019 during his first year as head coach, LaFleur has them back in the NFC Championship for the second straight year following Green Bay’s 32-18 win over the Rams on Saturday. The win means LaFleur is now just the third coach over the past 25 years to reach a conference title game in each of his first two seasons. LaFleur is also now just one of seven coaches who have pulled off the feat in the Super Bowl era.

The last coach to get this far in both of their first two seasons was Jim Harbaugh, who did it in 2011 and 2012 with the San Francisco 49ers. After being hired in 2011, Harbaugh actually led the team to three straight NFC title games and one Super Bowl.

Here’s a full list of the coaches who have made it to the conference title game during their first two years on the job:

John Madden, Raiders (1969-70)

Don McCafferty, Colts (1970-71)

George Seifert, 49ers (1989-90)

Barry Switzer, Cowboys (1994-95)

Rex Ryan, Jets (2009-10)

Jim Harbaugh, 49ers (2011-12)

The good news for Packers fans is that four of the previous six coaches ended up reaching a Super Bowl and of the four that made it, three ended up winning it all.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

Much like Sean McVay with Wade Phillips when McVay took over the Rams, young Falcons coach Arthur Smith may team up with veteran defensive coach Dean Pees.  Nick Gray of The Tennessean:

Dean Pees’ next try at retirement may be a short one.

The former Titans defensive coordinator is considering to join former Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Atlanta in some capacity, NFL Network reported Saturday.

It was unclear whether or not Peas would be the defensive coordinator or would serve in another capacity, should he take a role in Atlanta.

Pees, 71, was Tennessee’s defensive coordinator in 2018 and 2019, following a 28-day retirement after six seasons as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator. Pees retired a second time following Tennessee’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game last January.  Despite that, Pees told The Tennessean in November that he’d consider a return to coaching.

“I’ll be honest with you, I miss it. I miss it a lot,” Pees said. “… If the right situation came along, I would certainly consider it. I’ll put it that way. I don’t know that I’d do it. But I’m not saying that I wouldn’t at least consider it.”

NEW ORLEANS

Not that we’re surprised by this, but Jane Slater of NFL Network notes the oddity of the TD pass thrown by JAMEIS WINSTON:

@SlaterNFL

Fun fact: Jameis Winston is the 1st former #1 overall pick to throw his 1st career playoff TD against the team that drafted him

– – –

This from Katherine Terrell in The Athletic:

In the end, Drew Brees was human after all.

There were times, years really, that it seemed impossible it would ever end, that Brees would ever play so long that things would come full circle to his early years in the NFL, that people would wonder if he was still the right man for the job.

Because during the best of times, and there were many of those, the legend of Brees in New Orleans was so great one could practically imagine he was a superhero sent to carry his teams on his back to January football. Brees, they would say, always had one more play left in him. Brees would always give the team a fighting chance. Brees was immortal.

“He’s more than advertised,” Saints linebacker Demario Davis said. “Drew is the reason I came here. When I came to New Orleans, I wanted to help Drew Brees win another Super Bowl, because I felt like he deserved it.”

But in reality, Brees finally had nothing left to give.

It was striking just how ordinary Brees looked on the Superdome sideline on Sunday, holding back tears in the final minutes of the New Orleans Saints’ 30-20 loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in the NFC divisional round of the playoffs. He had just turned 42 on Friday and looked every bit of his years, as if Father Time had swept in over the weekend to declare that all of the heart-pounding comebacks and two-minute drives and breathtaking passes needed to be paid back in turn.

Brees said that he’d take time to think things over before making any decisions about whether he would return to play football in 2021. but on Sunday night, all signs pointed to his retirement in the near future.

It wasn’t just the emotions, although there were plenty of those. As he left the field for perhaps the final time in a Saints uniform, he pointed up to the stands, blowing kisses in the direction of his wife and children. Then he paused and looked back, just for a second, taking it all in.

“I always soak in the moment,” Brees said. “I’m looking up at my family and I’m blowing kisses to my wife and daughter and fist-bumping my boys. They’ve become so much a part of this as my kids have gotten older and they’re so invested in this as well. So it makes the moment special to be able to share it all together.”

There would be no standing ovations from the sparse crowd of 3,750, no “Who Dat” chants, no “Casanova” blaring on the PA system. There was just Brees and a gaggle of camera operators behind him, running through the tunnels of an empty stadium. It was a quietly striking moment in a season full of bizarre moments. That it almost felt like a sign of mercy was perhaps the strangest element of all.

Brees was no longer the savior. In fact, on Sunday, he was perhaps even the liability. He had one of the worst statistical games of his career and certainly his worst playoff performance. Nineteen completions, 34 attempts for 132 yards, three interceptions, one touchdown and a 38.1 passer rating didn’t quite tell the story of how some passes seemed to float in the air a tick too long, how some seemed just a little off-center and how a 10-point deficit toward the end of the game seemed downright insurmountable.

The lone attempt at a downfield passing game belonged to Jameis Winston, who came in on a nifty play taken from the Bears last week and installed with the intention of passing it to Deonte Harris, who left with an injury early in the game. Instead, Alvin Kamara lined up in the wildcat, handing off to Emmanuel Sanders who pitched it to Winston, who easily heaved the ball downfield to Tre’Quan Smith for a 56-yard touchdown.

The Saints’ two last-gasp attempts at a comeback concluded with interceptions. It just wasn’t going to be their night, no matter how much Brees’ mind willed his tired body to make one more play. The magic was gone.

Later, after Brees had composed himself and transformed his face into the polite mask that he’d donned for so many press conferences over the years, he was asked if it was all worth it. Was returning for one more try worth the broken ribs and the injuries and the heartache that must have come with such an abrupt, disappointing ending to yet another season?

“I would never regret it, never. No complaints. No regrets,” he said. “I’ve always tried to play this game with a great respect and a great reverence for it. And I appreciate all that this game has given to me. There are obviously so many incredible memories, so many incredible relationships that have come as a result of playing this game. And, man, you find out so much about yourself and you have to fight through so much when you play this game. And I’d say this season, I probably had to fight through more than I had to in any other season in my career. From injury to all the COVID stuff to just crazy circumstances. Man, it was worth every moment of it. Absolutely.”

In the locker room, Davis told the team they’d never forget this season.

“This one was one for the ages,” he told them. “A lot of memories just because of the uniqueness of this season.”

Long after the game had ended, Brees came back on the field with his family, smiling at his wife and patiently throwing passes to his sons for hours as daughter Rylen cartwheeled across the end zone. Buccaneers players crossed the field to get to their team buses, occasionally stopping to say goodbye. Eventually, Tom Brady came by, placing his bag on the ground and chatting with the Brees family for 10 minutes.

The Bucs eventually got on the buses and left. Rylen got bored and laid on the sideline with her tablet. And still the game went on and on, just Brees and his boys, tossing footballs into the night.

TAMPA BAY

Peter King with some quotes on QB TOM BRADY:

“Thing I love about Tom is he’s always teaching,” White said. “Teaching me how to be a great leader. Every single day, every single practice, he puts the team before himself. First few days he’s in the locker room, we’re all like, We’re in the locker room with the greatest quarterback of all time! Like, I wanna talk to him, I wanna get a picture with him. But then, he’s your teammate. You’re here for a reason.

“Few weeks ago, I was kinda upset I didn’t make the Pro Bowl. He’s like, ‘D, there’s a bigger bowl I’m chasing. We’re all chasing it. C’mon.’ I just thought, man, it’s a blessing to hear that. I need to hear that. This thing’s about us. He’s still chasing those bowls in his forties. I am just so grateful to be able to spend this time with him.”

“Consummate leader,” Arians said. “Has been all year. Got the air of confidence that permeates through our team every day. I allow him to be himself. Like, New England didn’t allow him to coach. I allow him to coach. I just sit back sometimes and watch.”

New England didn’t allow him to coach?

– – –

This update on WR ANTONIO BROWN from NFL.com:

Antonio Brown is headed for further evaluation on a knee injury that kept him on the sideline for the majority of Sunday’s win over the New Orleans Saints.

Brown is set to undergo an MRI on his knee, Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians told reporters Monday.

Brown played just 27 offensive snaps in the Divisional Round triumph, with a mere three snaps coming in the final two quarters of a tight game in which Brown caught one pass for 10 yards. Tampa Bay instead relied on Tyler Johnson and Scott Miller to replace Brown in the Bucs’ receiving corps in the second half, with the latter making a spectacular catch on a back-shoulder throw down the sideline early in a drive that ended in Ryan Ryan Succop’s go-ahead field goal.

Tampa Bay can make do without Brown if necessary, but Brown’s presence makes the Buccaneers that much more dangerous against a team that brings its own brand of high-flying football to Sunday’s NFC Championship Game. We’ll stay tuned throughout the week to see if the veteran receiver can get ready in time for Sunday.

– – –

DT VITA VEA may not be done for the season after all.  Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com:

The Buccaneers could be getting a big piece back on their defensive line for the NFC Championship Game.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Bucs are designating defensive tackle Vita Vea for return from injured reserve. Vea can practice with the team on Wednesday and could be added to the active roster for Sunday’s game in Green Bay.

Vea broke his leg in early October and the injury was deemed a season-ender at the time. Two playoff wins have extended Tampa’s season to a point where Vea could find himself back in the mix.

If Vea’s not ready to go this week and the Bucs win, he’d have two more weeks to get healthy for a possible appearance in Super Bowl LV.

Vea had 10 tackles and two sacks in five games before the injury.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Mike McDaniel is the new OC of the 49ers.  That and other changes in the wake of the departure of Robert Saleh for the Jets from Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

The San Francisco 49ers are losing more than just defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to the New York Jets, leaving Kyle Shanahan several holes to fill.

NFL Network’s Mike Silver reported Saleh is taking two Niners offensive assistants: passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur, as offensive coordinator, and OL coach John Benton, as OL coach/run game coordinator.

With LaFleur’s defection, the Niners are promoting run game coordinator Mike McDaniel to offensive coordinator, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. The team later made the moves official.

McDaniel has been a popular candidate for coordinator jobs. The 37-year-old has been a part of Shanahan’s staff in every stop since joining Washington in 2011, including stops in Cleveland and Atlanta before moving to San Francisco.

Rapoport added that 49ers inside linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans would be promoted to replace Saleh as defensive coordinator. Ryans, a former pro linebacker, has risen through the ranks since joining Shanahan’s staff in 2017 as a quality control coach.

Chris Foerster will replace Benton as OL coach, and one-time Broncos OC Rich Scangarello returns to San Francisco as QB coach, Silver reported.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Sean McVay issues less than a ringing endorsement for QB JARED GOFF.  Kevin Modesti of the LA Daily News:

Rams coaches and teammates praised Jared Goff’s competitiveness, cool confidence and oft-tested resilience in an up-and-down 2020 season.

He might need those qualities in the 2021 offseason too.

A day after a 32-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers knocked the Rams out of the playoffs, coach Sean McVay stopped short Sunday of promising Goff will be his quarterback come September.

McVay said he wants to create more competition for starting roles at all positions — and pointedly included quarterback.

“Everything’s being evaluated,” McVay said in a Zoom chat with reporters. “I’m not ready to make any sort of statements with regards to anybody’s starting position or not. We’re going to have a level of competition at everything that we do.

“That’s where we’re at.”

That was McVay’s answer when he was asked to elaborate on the brief and lukewarm endorsement he offered when a writer asked Saturday if Goff is the Rams’ quarterback.

“Yeah, he’s the quarterback, right,” McVay said in the hour after the loss at Green Bay.

If Goff wants a little more assurance, he wouldn’t have heard it Sunday.

“I’m not saying anything other than we’re evaluating that right now,” McVay said, “and I think it’s important that you do that at every single spot, and no position is excluded from that conversation.”

The coach wouldn’t even offer a guarantee when he was asked if he could envision a scenario in which Goff isn’t on the Rams’ roster next season.

“I can’t answer any of those questions until I take a step back and evaluate (what) I think is in the best interest of the Rams,” McVay said.

If Goff, 26, faces competition in training camp this summer, it will be the first time for that since the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft became the Rams’ starter as a rookie under coach Jeff Fisher.

The Rams had three other quarterbacks on the roster for the season that just ended: John Wolford, Blake Bortles and practice-squad rookie Bryce Perkins. Wolford and Perkins remain under contract.

McVay clearly was tantalized by Wolford’s solid performance with his arm and legs in his NFL debut when Goff missed the regular season-ending win over Arizona following thumb surgery.

A mobile quarterback with a pedigree stronger than Wolford’s would have to come in a trade, free agency or the draft.

Given general manager Les Snead’s willingness to make bold moves to nip problems in the bud, nothing is unimaginable. The four years and $104 million left on Goff’s contract (according to Spotrac) makes dealing him an attractive but difficult prospect.

Although he quarterbacked the Rams to that 2018 NFC title, Goff’s career regular-season passer rating (91.5) ranks only 14th among 34 active quarterbacks listed at pro-football-reference, and his playoff passer rating (75.8) is 13th among 14.

The latest reminder of the things Goff doesn’t do came from watching Aaron Rodgers lead the Packers.

But in some ways, it’s odd that Goff’s job security comes into question now.

• His performance against the Packers was Goff at his playoff best, 21 completions in 27 passes for 174 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions on a day when the Rams had only 24 minutes’ possession.

“For him to come back from thumb surgery, to do what he did in Seattle, do what he did (Saturday), it’s a real credit to him, his competitiveness, his resilience, and I think there’s a lot of positives to that,” McVay said.

• With Goff facing Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks in his last four playoff games, the Rams have gone 2-2, beating Drew Brees’ Saints in 2018 before losing to Tom Brady’s Patriots in the Super Bowl, beating Russell Wilson’s Seahawks this month before losing to Rodgers’ Packers.

• You might not think a guy with four years left on his contract would be the topic as the Rams go into an offseason with 12 unrestricted free agents, including outside linebackers Leonard Floyd, cornerback Troy Hill and safety John Johnson from their league-leading defense.

Running back Cam Akers was bubbling with enthusiasm after ending his rookie season with 272 yards from scrimmage in the two playoff games.

“I have a lot of confidence, not only in myself but in the team, knowing the guys that we have and the way that we work,” Akers said. “I have full confidence that we’ll be right back next year, Lord willing, in the same boat, but progressing and moving forward.”

The lingering question is who “we” is going to be.

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY

Andy Reid continues to build his Hall of Fame credentials.  He’s hosting his 6^th championship game.  This tweet from NFLonCBS:

@NFLonCBS

Chiefs are the first team to host THREE straight conference championship games since the 2002-04 Eagles.

Andy Reid coached both teams.

– – –

Peter King on the final moment in Kansas City:

Fourth and a foot now, at the KC 48. Surely with 75 seconds left, Reid would call for a punt. A turnover on downs here would give the Browns maybe 65 seconds left and 48 yard to go for the winning touchdown. But Henne told me in the Saturday night meeting, part of the time was spent on fourth-and-one, fourth-and-five and fourth-and-10 or more plays they liked. Reid, Mahomes, Henne, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, all decided what they liked. In particular, there was one play all liked on fourth-and-short: Tyreek Hill lining up as the first of three receivers split right, closest to the right tackle, taking one jab step upfield, and then a cat-quick veer right. Hill’s one of the quickest players in football. “I just loved the play,” Henne said. “Very confident it’d work.”

Before the play was called, Reid asked Bieniemy, “You ready to roll?” What Reid meant: This is Henne, not Patrick. We sure we want to call a pass? If it’s incomplete, our season’s 48 yards from being over.

Bieniemy understood the ramifications.

“Absolutely,” he said.

Reid: “There was no flinch on the play. It was, ‘Here we go, Chad.’ “

I told Henne what great TV the play had made, with Tony Romo of CBS absolutely convinced that Henne, lined up with maybe 32 second left on the play clock, would not run a play. Listen to Romo’s words, as the play clock winds down and Henne and the offense are set, stock still:

:30 “Right here, really smart. Send everybody out here.”

:27 “You’re trying to draw ‘em offside. Take a timeout. Take it down. Try to draw ‘em offsides.”

:19 “Walk up, pretend like you’re gonna go up and quarterback-sneak it. Try to draw ‘em offsides …”

:15 “ … then take a timeout. Walk up there and say, ‘No play everybody. DON’T JUMP.”.

:09 “There’s no play. Just look at the body language.”

:06 In shotgun, Henne calls out: “Blue 80SET!”

:05 Shotgun snap to Henne.

“There is a play!” Jim Nantz said.

Hill, split narrowly on the line, right, one step forward, spring right. Henne faded right five steps, and threw to an open Hill right at the line-to-gain. Hill ran upfield five yards and sat down. Game over.

Romo: “ONLY ANDY REID GETS IN SHOTGUN ON FOURTH AND AN INCH!!! AND THROWS THE BALL WITH THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK!!! THERE’S NO WAY!!! HE SHOCKED EVERYBODY!!! I MEAN, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE!!! I’VE NEVER SEEN IT!!!

“We just thought it was the smart play, the best play,” Henne said.

Imagine the implications of Henne throwing a ground ball there, or air-mailing the ball over Hill. Would Cleveland have another miracle victory this morning? Nope. Reid trusted Henne to do what Mahomes would do right there, and he did. Now, if Henne has to play Sunday against Buffalo, that 13-yard scramble and the fourth-down conversion pass tell Henne and his mates, Hey, we can win with this guy.

“When I saw Patrick,” Henne said, “he seemed fine. Great spirits. We’ll see tomorrow, I guess.”

In the meantime, Kansas City can breathe this morning—both about being in the final four and about the city’s favorite son.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Word came Sunday night that the Chargers had jumped on Rams DC Brandon Staley, completing one of the most rapid rises up the coaching ranks after a slow start since Gus Bradley.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

There were reports last week that Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was the favorite for the Chargers head coaching job, but that was before the Chargers spoke to Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley a second time.

Staley spoke with the team for the second time on Sunday and he reportedly convinced the team that their search was over. NFL Media reports that Staley will be the team’s next head coach.

The hire would make for a rapid rise up the ranks for Staley. He just wrapped up his first season as a defensive coordinator and was coaching at John Carroll University in 2016. That was also where Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco went to college, although that may not have had anything to do with Staley landing the job.

Staley will have high-level defensive talents like Joey Bosa and Derwin James available to him if he officially changes Los Angeles allegiances. There’s also a pretty big offensive asset on hand in quarterback Justin Herbert and it appears Staley will be charged with continuing his development in the years to come.

More from Peter King:

Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Stanley got to bed in California on Saturday around 1:45 a.m. PT. By 8:30 a.m. PT, he was up doing a Zoom coaching interview with Houston GM Nick Caserio. By 1:30, he was on his way to the Chargers’ offices in Orange County for a formal interview. By 7:45 p.m. PT, he was being announced as the new coach of the Chargers. That is one heck of a day, and today would have been a continuation of that. He was scheduled to fly to West Palm Beach at the crack of dawn for his interview today with the Eagles. (They’ve been doing the interviews in Florida.)

I don’t think the Chargers rushed to hire Staley because they feared the Eagles might; I bet it was a factor, but a small one. More of a factor was this: They were convinced no matter how long the process went on that Staley would be their guy. I had Staley on my podcast last week, and you could see why he’d be sought after. He finds ways—with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, say, with the Rams—to get them to buy into what the defense is doing.

On my pod, he told this story: “Back in the springtime, I made like a 90-play cut-up of Jalen from Florida State, Jacksonville, to last year in LA. Lot of good, some not so good, and then, ‘Hey, here’s our vision for you.’ We talked through a lot of things philosophically about how he plays technique and how we want to play and just learning about what he’s comfortable with and what he’s not comfortable with, and then where we think we can go. We were talking about him playing inside at what we call the star, you know, in the slot. He goes, ‘Well coach, I’ve been dying to play that my whole career. I’ve been dying to play in there.” Like, ‘I don’t see myself as a corner. I see myself as a football player.’ When he said that, it’s like, I didn’t know how this was gonna go! I was hopeful. But you don’t know how anyone’s gonna receive it.”

Should be interesting to see his approach to Justin Herbert as well as the D. Staley was a three-year college quarterback at the University of Dayton.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE

Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic on Baltimore’s offense coming up short on Saturday:

Snaps hitting the ground. Offensive line breakdowns. Jackson looking indecisive. A lack of complementary receiving targets. Predictable route concepts.

Those were issues all year and they reared again Saturday night and effectively ended the Ravens season. The Ravens managed just a field goal in a mistake-filled 17-3 road divisional playoff round loss to Buffalo, matching their lowest offensive playoff output in franchise history.

On a night when the Ravens defense held the NFL’s second-highest scoring team to just 10 total points, 220 total yards and 4.0 yards per play, the unit was hung out to dry on a frigid night in Buffalo by an offense that couldn’t overcome mistakes or its season-long flaws. With the way the defense played, the Ravens didn’t need to be great offensively Saturday night to still be playing in the postseason. They just needed to avoid any back-breaking mistakes and finish a few drives. They did neither.

Instead, they were outscored, 7-3, by a Bills defense that ranked in the middle of the pack in many categories during the regular season and gave up 472 yards to the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the playoffs. They were inside the Buffalo 30-yard line five times and came away with three whole points.

“They didn’t do anything that surprised us,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after the game. “We were prepared for it. I thought they executed well. We executed well at times. We weren’t able to finish the drives and get the points that we needed — that’s the bottom line.”

Look, the Ravens had other issues. Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, missed two first-half field goals, doinking the ball off the upright both times. The wind also wreaked havoc on a Sam Koch punt that traveled just 23 yards and set up a Bills’ field goal.

On the Bills’ lone touchdown drive, the Ravens somehow got caught with their No. 5 cornerback, Tramon Williams, on Stefon Diggs as the Bills picked up a big first down on second-and-long, and were out-numbered on the near side of the field on Josh Allen’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Diggs that made the score 10-3.

You had to know a high-powered offense like Buffalo’s was going to get in the end zone at some point. As for the special teams mishaps, nobody had to deal with the elements more than the kicking batteries. The Bills’ Tyler Bass missed two field-goal attempts as well.

But what’s the offense’s excuse? When Jackson went down on the last play of the third quarter and undrafted rookie Tyler Huntley came in, the Ravens were trailing 17-3 and facing a third-and-33 on their own 2-yard line. It’s not like a comeback was percolating.

Don’t misunderstand. There’s no glossing over a concussion to your franchise quarterback and the reigning league MVP. It was a scary scene and you wish Jackson well in his recovery. He was cleared to fly home with the rest of his teammates late Saturday night and that’s a good sign.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on recent developments in Houston:

Last month, SI.com took a close look at the uncanny rise of Jack Easterby in Houston. Now, SI.comhas a new article that sifts through the aftermath of a failed season and the intense dysfunction the team’s various moves have created.

The new article from Jenny Vrentas and Greg Bishop amounts to a treasure trove of news and nuggets, and we’ll spend much of the day — and possibly much of the weekend — presenting different angles from the story in quickly digestible chunks.

First up: It’s clear that quarterback Deshaun Watson has migrated past the point of no return when it comes to his relationship with the team.

“He just wants out,” a source close to Watson told SI.com.

Per the report, Watson found owner Cal McNair’s public remarks regarding the relationship with the quarterback to be “patronizing.”

The Texans had promised to give Watson input in the hiring of a new G.M. and a new coach. Then, the Texans hired Nick Caserio to be the G.M. without consulting Watson. Next, the Texans failed to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, despite Watson’s suggestion that Bieniemy be targeted.

The Texans have, in the aftermath of the uproar over Watson’s frustration with the team, sought permission to interview Bieniemy. However, because they didn’t interview him during the bye week, the Texans now must wait until the Kansas City playoff run ends before doing so. Which, if the Texans are serious about talking to Bieniemy, may force them to wait until after the Super Bowl before interviewing him and then filling the job.

For all anyone knows at this point, Bieniemy isn’t interested in the job. At this point, who would be? Without knowing that Watson can be convinced to change his mind and/or that McNair can be convinced to sideline or terminate Easterby (more on that to come), no coach in his right mind should want to accept employment with a team that continues to head in the wrong direction.

Ultimately, the choice for McNair could come down to Watson or Easterby. If put to a vote of Texans fans and/or anyone of sound mind who isn’t related by blood or marriage to Easterby, the outcome would be the landslide of all landslides.

In this specific election, however, only one vote counts. And it belongs to Cal McNair. And since owners can’t be fired, Texans fans have no choice but to deal with McNair’s decision to keep his thumb pointing up, not down, when it comes to the fate of Jack Easterby.

Kevin Patra of NFL.com on what could happen if Watson truly goes on the market:

Deshaun Watson is not happy in Houston. Like with all disgruntled stars, the QB’s discontent has led to rampant speculation that he could force a trade from the Texans.

The reports that Watson wants out have led other clubs to enquire about said availability.

To get the facts out of the way first before we delve into theory crafting: No one in Houston, including owner Cal McNair, has suggested they’d trade Watson; and the QB hasn’t officially requested a trade.

Those two facts won’t do anything to slow speculation.

If Watson chooses to force the issue in the coming months, there should be no shortage of suitors. Outside a handful of teams — Kansas City, Green Bay, Buffalo, Seattle, L.A. Chargers, etc. – every club should consider the possibility of acquiring Watson. With a no-trade clause in his contract, the QB could dictate his destination if he chooses. Still, at the very least, most teams should do their due diligence and at least make a call to new GM Nick Caserio. Make the Texans say no.

Some teams are obvious landing spots.

The Miami Dolphins have a plethora of draft picks to offer Houston, including the Texans’ own No. 3 overall selection. Watson would be a clear upgrade over Tua Tagovailoa at this stage.

The New York Jets could be another logical trade partner, given they own the No. 2 overall pick, which would allow Houston to select a rookie QB to start over with or add Sam Darnold to the package.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport added another potential candidate to the rumor mill: the Carolina Panthers.

“I would not discount the Carolina Panthers in this situation,” Rapoport said Monday on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “They have the eighth pick, so obviously not as high as, say, the Jets or Dolphins, but that is also a team that needs very badly to solve its quarterback issues. And (has) an owner who is not afraid to make big bold moves.”

With Teddy Bridgewater under contract for another year, the Panthers have already begun the search for a long-term solution at QB. Matt Rhule has stuck by Bridgewater, but landing Watson would be a game-changer for a club like Carolina. Panthers owner David Tepper isn’t one likely to shy away from the high price-tag Watson would cost.

At the moment, we’re living in Speculation Township.

Watson is unhappy he wasn’t involved in Houston’s management decisions. He’s not the first player to experience such dismissal. Whether he holds the club’s feet to the fire by withholding his services — and all that comes along with such a holdout — remains to be seen. And whether the Texans would decide to move on from their franchise QB also remains a huge question.

Until we know one way or another, rumors will continue to swirl. Every team with QB questions should be calling Houston. Game-changing quarterbacks in their prime like Watson never become available.

More speculation from Mike Sando of The Athletic:

1. The gulf between Deshaun Watson and the Texans has grown. Here are the options and, as promised, five blockbuster trade proposals.

Let’s jump into the blockbuster trade proposals first. I’ve arranged these by 2021 first-round draft positioning of the acquiring teams, on the logic that higher picks would be of greater value for the Texans, who would need to land a quarterback in the absence of Watson.

We assume the Jacksonville Jaguars will use the first pick on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, instead of immediately creating unrealistic expectations by adding Watson. We assume the price for acquiring Watson will be higher for Houston’s brethren in the AFC. And we realize Watson’s no-trade clause would let him screen potential suitors. Finally, while it’s easy to find salary-cap reasons for why certain trades might not work, it’s also easy for teams to find ways around those problems, should sufficient motivation exist.

Trade No. 1: Watson to Jets

Deshaun Watson

Sam Darnold

Randall Cobb

2021 1st (No. 2)

2021 3rd

2022 1st (highest of two)

2022 4th

2023 1^st

My partner on The Football GM Podcast, former NFL executive of the year Randy Mueller, shared this trade for the Jets. He set the price too high on purpose, because he would prefer repairing the relationship with Watson or waiting out the quarterback to shipping away the best thing Houston has going. This deal would dent the draft capital Jets general manager Joe Douglas has accumulated, but Watson would bring instant star power to the only franchise without a Pro Bowl selection on offense over the past five seasons.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were the Jets because they have (Mike) LaFleur coming in as offensive coordinator and they will probably feel Sam Darnold can be salvaged to some degree,” an exec said. “I think Darnold has a chance if he gets out from under what he’s been under. They need to fill that roster.”

Trade No. 2: Watson to Dolphins

Deshaun Watson

Tua Tagovailoa

2022 4th (via Arizona)

2021 1st (No. 3)

2022 1st

2023 2nd (can upgrade)

The Texans went 4-12 last season even though Watson ranked first in expected points added (EPA) per pass attempt. The Miami Dolphins went 10-6 even though Tua Tagovailoa, their rookie quarterback, ranked 29th in that category (Ryan Fitzpatrick was 17th). Imagine how many games the Dolphins might win with Watson throwing passes for them.

“This works for Houston if they like Tua,” an exec said.

Houston would be buying back the third pick in April’s draft, which Miami acquired in the Laremy Tunsil trade. The 2023 second-round pick involved in this deal would upgrade to a first-round choice if the Dolphins reached the playoffs. Right now, the Dolphins might not know whether they have a quarterback good enough to overtake Buffalo in the AFC East and contend for a championship. Watson would make them such a team.

“The one constant with Tua, even though he was up and down, is his accuracy,” an offensive coach said. “From that standpoint, you can say he’s got a chance.”

Trade No. 3: Watson to Falcons

Deshaun Watson

2021 1st (No. 4)

2021 2nd

2022 1st

2023 2nd (can upgrade)

Watson goes home to Atlanta in this scenario, revitalizing a franchise whose owner, Arthur Blank, hopes for a quick return to relevance under new coach Arthur Smith and new GM Terry Fontenot. The Texans would not get Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in return, preferring instead to use the No. 4 pick on a Watson replacement. The Falcons could try to trade Ryan to another team (San Francisco?) if the Texans were not interested, perhaps as part of a three-team deal. The 2023 second-round choice headed to Houston in this deal could upgrade to a first-rounder if the Falcons reached the playoffs.

“Matt Ryan would be a hard sell in Houston with a new coach,” an exec said.

Trade No. 4: Watson to Lions

Deshaun Watson

Matthew Stafford

2021 1st (No. 7)

2022 1st

2022 2^nd

Matthew Stafford would head home to Texas under this scenario, finally escaping Detroit, only to land with a franchise that appears to have sunk lower. Houston would regain some of the draft capital needed to refortify its offensive line and defense over the next couple of seasons. Would Watson approve a trade to Detroit? That’s a question for another day.

“I like this deal best of the five,” an exec said. “Stafford is only 32 and can play another five years, at least. You might not get a quarterback at seven if you are Houston, but you wouldn’t need one.”

Trade No. 5: Watson to 49ers

Deshaun Watson

Jimmy Garoppolo

Nick Bosa

2021 1st (No. 12)

2022 2nd (can upgrade)

The Texans would be getting from the 49ers a premium pass rusher to succeed J.J. Watt, plus a quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo who would be familiar to new GM Nick Caserio, a fellow New England alum. The 2022 conditional second-round pick would upgrade to a first-rounder if the 49ers reached the playoffs with Watson. This deal was tough on a couple of fronts. Garoppolo and the 12th pick might not sufficiently replace Watson, while the 49ers would be losing a dominant pass rusher one year after unloading DeForest Buckner.

Three paths forward for Watson

The Texans could solve this problem, it seems, in a single news release announcing the hiring of a head coach with impeccable integrity and credibility — Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier comes to mind as an example — while announcing a mutual parting of the ways involving executive vice president Jack Easterby. Owner Cal McNair seems all-in with Easterby, so the second part of this scenario might be unlikely. But if the Texans were to hire an especially credible coach who reached out to Watson in a respectful manner, the tensions that have persisted would seem to dissipate some, unless Watson and his agents were dead set on forcing their way out, in which case public opinion could turn against the quarterback.

Another option would include the Texans trading Watson for a bounty in a James Harden-type deal that would turn Watson and his agents into trailblazers who toppled the established NFL system of player control. Football players (and especially football agents) have long envied their more empowered counterparts in the NBA and MLB. Under this scenario, Watson would invoke his no-trade clause to hand-pick potential destinations, then broker what could become a massive trade involving multiple first-round draft choices.

The third option would have Watson and the Texans engaging in a staring contest. If Watson blinked first, he would report to the team and resume his role as starting quarterback, probably in time for the start of the season, to avoid missing game checks. This has generally been the way of the NFL world for decades, but that could be changing. If the team blinked first, Watson might pull a Carson Palmer by threatening to retire, missing regular-season games and making it clear he would not report to the team no matter what. Under this scenario, the regular season might begin without Watson, with the Texans deciding after a while they would be better off getting whatever value they can command, which might be less at that time of the year. Palmer went that route with the Cincinnati Bengals a decade ago. The Oakland Raiders acquired him for a first-round pick in the draft and a second-rounder in the draft after that (the second-rounder could have upgraded to a first-round choice if the Raiders had reached the AFC title game).

– – –

The Texans are being allowed to interview KC OC Eric Bienemy, even though the rules say they can’t.  Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle:

The Texans are set to interview Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on Monday after the NFL adjusted its interview rules.  This according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly confirmed.

The NFL Network first reported the interview.

The Texans had previously requested an interview for Bieniemy, who has interviewed with every other team with a head coaching vacancy except for the Texans and the Eagles.

Because of the virtual nature of the interviews, and with club consent, the NFL adapted its rules to allow interviews with head coaching candidates whose teams are still in the playoffs, per an NFL source.

JACKSONVILLE

Peter King on the hiring of Urban Meyer and the role of Jimmie Johnson in the process:

The Jaguars on Friday named the 56-year-old Meyer head coach and beacon of a franchise that desperately needs a leader. In 17 years as a major-college coach, Meyer lost 32 games. In the last three years, Jacksonville lost 36. So there’s a lot for him to get used to, and a lot of work for him to do to get to know a league he never spent one day employed in before Friday. In his opening press conference, Meyer lavished praise on Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson for being his sounding board in recent weeks as he strongly considered getting back into coaching. Johnson told me that Meyer texted this to him Friday morning: “Gonna take one last swing.”

As Johnson said from his Florida home: “Losing’s gonna be difficult for Urban. He knows that. But he’s got a better team with more draft picks than I had when I got to Dallas. He’s not gonna have to go through 1-15. Through the draft, and through free agency, and with the cap money they have, I think he can turn it around fast. But he goes into it with his eyes open. He knows it’s different than college. But I think it’s a great hire for Jacksonville, and a great move for Urban. The opportunity is there, and just like anybody who has had the success in college that he’s had, it’s always in the back of your mind, ‘Can I meet that challenge in the NFL?’ That’s what’s driving him now. For a competitor like him, with the resources Jacksonville has, it’s a fantastic opportunity.”

Johnson got to know Meyer in 2015, when Meyer visited the Keys with his son Nate, and Johnson took them out fishing off the coast of Islamorada on his boat, “Three Rings.” (Two from Super Bowls coaching Dallas, one from a college title at Miami.) “We caught a big dolphin, about 40 pounds, and I worked with Nate reeling in the fish. Urban videotaped it. He was so excited: ‘Man, Jimmy Johnson showing my son how to catch a big dolphin!’ ”

And Meyer said Friday he’d continue to lean on Johnson for NFL advice as he gets to know the ropes in Jacksonville. As of Friday, Meyer had already been briefed by the Jags’ capologist. There’s a lot of good about this: a league-high $74-million in cap space (per Over The Cap), four picks in the top 45 of the April draft (1, 25, 33, 45), knowing that Trevor Lawrence is his if he wants him, a promising young running back in James Robinson, and a defensive leader in linebacker Myles Jack. But there’s a major talent gap at most positions, and he’s playing in a division with two playoff teams that went 11-5 this year.

Meyer quit three college jobs by age 55, and he’ll have to learn to take many deep breaths on the road to winning in Jacksonville. Nick Saban couldn’t do it, walking away from Miami after going 15-17 in two years. So many of the other star college coaches couldn’t make it long-term in the NFL—Steve Spurrier, Chip Kelly, Saban—and Meyer’s about to learn that Akron’s not on the Jags’ 2021 schedule but Seattle and Buffalo are. “The biggest challenge,” Meyer said, “is looking across the field and saying they’ve got what you’ve got—or sometimes they’ve got more than you’ve got.”