The Daily Briefing Thursday, December 22, 2022

By admin | December 24, 2022

THE DAILY BRIEFING

AROUND THE NFL

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com sums up the playoff picture:

With three games to go in the 2022 NFL season, six teams are already in the playoffs — and 11 more know that if they win out, they’ll get in.

More teams can get in with help, and the possibilities involving various results over the next three weeks are almost endless, but for teams and fans alike, the best position to be in is knowing that you control your playoff destiny.

Here’s where each of the 32 teams stand with respect to the playoffs with three games to go:

Clinched playoff berth: Bills, Chiefs, Eagles, Vikings, 49ers, Cowboys.

Clinch playoff berth if they win this week: Bengals.

Clinch playoff berth if they win their next two games: Ravens, Chargers, Giants, Buccaneers.

Clinch playoff berth if they win out: Dolphins, Titans, Jaguars, Patriots, Commanders, Panthers.

Need help: Jets, Raiders, Browns, Steelers, Colts, Lions, Seahawks, Packers, Falcons, Saints.

Mathematically eliminated: Broncos, Texans, Bears, Cardinals, Rams.

All four NFC East teams are in good shape to make the playoffs, but the Eagles are by far the best of the bunch.

With three weeks remaining in the 2022 NFL season, the Eagles are almost certain to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. And the three wild card teams at the moment are the Cowboys, Giants and Commanders.

Here’s how the NFC playoff picture looks heading into Week 16:

CURRENTLY IN

1. Eagles (13-1) The class of the conference.

2. Vikings (11-3) Clinched the NFC North.

3. 49ers (10-4) Clinched the NFC West.

4. Buccaneers (6-8) Someone has to win the terrible NFC South.

5. Cowboys (10-4) Clinched a playoff berth.

6. Giants (8-5-1) Sunday night’s win over the Commanders has them in excellent shape with three weeks to go.

7. Commanders (7-6-1) Sunday night’s loss to the Giants hurts, but they still have a clear path ahead of them.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

8. Seahawks (7-7) Own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Lions.

9. Lions (7-7) Playing the best football of any of the wild card contenders right now, but they’ll need some help to reach the playoffs.

10. Packers (5-8) Not giving up on the season yet, but they need to win out and get help.

11. Panthers (5-9) They own all the NFC South tiebreakers.

12. Saints (5-9) They own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Falcons.

13. Falcons (5-9) They still have a chance because the NFC South is so terrible.

NO CHANCE OF GETTING IN

14. Rams (4-9) Baker Mayfield might make the Rams games more interesting, but they’re out of playoff contention.

15. Cardinals (4-10) Mathematically eliminated.

16. Bears (3-11) Mathematically eliminated.

– – –

With the prospect of not one, but two divisions sending teams to the playoffs with losing record – the DB would just say that such a possibility will happen as long as you divide your league into just four team divisions. The more teams in each division, the less likely you are not to be stuck with nothing but losers.

College football has found that out and they are moving away from divisions, even though they were going with six and seven-team sub-conferences. Too likely to have the two or three best teams on one side of a conference championship game.

With that in mind, and with the NFL’s Sunday TV deals abandoning the conference structure – we would propose four eight-team divisions. Each team would play each team in their division annually for seven games, then the other 10 would be rotated by an annual formula among the 24 teams in the other three divisions.

Some would miss the twice-a-year rivalry games (Dallas and Philadelphia every year just once) but they are still largely preserved as once a year in our four eight-team divisions. And new annual rivalry games would be created – Houston-Dallas, Jets-Giants, Rams-Chargers, Baltimore-Washington.

And no team gets punished by playing a powerhouse twice or rewarded with two games with a patsy. 17 different opponents makes for a fairer division of opposition.

Top 2 in each division make playoffs, plus six wild cards.

Here is one breakdown with 2022 current records

EAST

Philadelphia 14-1

Buffalo 11-3

Baltimore 9-5

Giants 8-5-1

Washington 7-6-1

New England 7-7

Jets 7-7

Carolina 5-9

SOUTH

Dallas 10-4

Miami 8-6

Tennessee 7-7

Jacksonville 6-8

Tampa Bay 6-8

Atlanta 5-9

New Orleans 5-9

Houston 1-12-1

NORTH

Minnesota 11-3

Cincinnati 10-4

Detroit 7-7

Green Bay 6-8

Pittsburgh 6-8

Cleveland 6-8

Chicago 3-11

Indianapolis 4-9-1

WEST

Kansas City 11-3

San Francisco 10-4

Chargers 8-6

Seattle 7-7

Las Vegas 6-8

Denver 4-10

Rams 4-10

Cardinals 4-10

The playoff line at the moment would be 7-7 with two of the five teams in purple would be likely to get in.

Obviously, with a different schedule, the records would have been different, but we did this just to get a feel for it.

We realize that Jerry Jones would not want to leave the New York division, but the South needs some brand awareness that the other divisions don’t lack. Carolina, Baltimore, Miami and Indianapolis are other teams that leave their current division mates for geographical balance.

NFC NORTH

DETROIT

Seth Walder of ESPN.com thinks QB JARED GOFF belonged on the NFC Pro Bowl team – at the expense of a division rival:

Jared Goff, QB, Lions

Who he should replace: Kirk Cousins, QB, Vikings

There’s no super obvious candidate for the third NFC quarterback spot, but Goff’s numbers are clearly better than Cousins’. Goff is more than 10 points clear in QBR (62.5 to 51.6) and is leading the offense that ranks third in EPA per dropback this season. Third! And he did all that despite not having as strong a receiving group to throw to as Cousins.

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA

And now the Eagle find out if they have guessed right with QB GARDNER MINSHEW as the back-up (we think they have for what it is worth). Tim McManus of ESPN.com:

With MVP front-runner and starting quarterback Jalen Hurts dealing with a right shoulder sprain, signs are pointing to backup Gardner Minshew getting the nod for the Philadelphia Eagles (13-1) in their biggest game of the year against the Dallas Cowboys (10-4) on Saturday.

Hurts sustained the injury during the third quarter of Sunday’s 25-20 win over the Chicago Bears when he was driven into the cold Soldier Field turf by defensive tackle Trevis Gipson. He remained in the game and connected with DeVonta Smith on an out route on the very next play. Later, he hit wide receiver A.J. Brown on a long ball.

If Hurts is ruled out for Week 16, here’s what it means for Minshew and the Eagles.

How worried are the Eagles about Hurts missing time?

Fortunately, there are no alarm bells ringing inside the Eagles’ NovaCare Complex about Hurts’ long-term availability. From the team’s perspective, any missed time will be about getting strength and functionality in his throwing arm back to 100 percent for the playoffs.

The Eagles have plenty of wiggle room, needing just one win over their remaining three regular season games to secure the top seed in the NFC. They entered Monday with a 99.7% chance to finish with the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a bye according to ESPN Analytics.

But they’d like to avoid any drama. A win over Dallas Sunday locks them in and allows coach Nick Sirianni to rest starters for the final two weeks as he sees fit.

What would Philly like to see from Gardner Minshew?

Minshew’s primary job might be to secure Philadelphia’s positioning for that playoff run.

Minshew has proven more than capable in spot duty. Last December during a start for the injured Hurts against the New York Jets, he went 20-of-25 for 242 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 33-18 win. The roster has been upgraded since his last meaningful action, with Brown (1,201 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns) playing like a top receiver. Tight end Dallas Goedert has a chance to return from a shoulder injury for this one, too.

Operating behind one of the best offensive lines in football and alongside one of the better skill position groups, Minshew can play point guard and doesn’t have to worry about taking too much on his own shoulders.

What type of challenge will the Cowboys defense present for Minshew?

The opponent for Minshew’s likely first start of the season, granted, is less than ideal. The Cowboys have the second-best pass defense in the NFL (191.6 yards per game), are tops in takeaways (26) and second in sacks with 49. He’ll have his hands full.

“I think they’re the best pass-rush unit in the league,” right tackle Lane Johnson said. “[Linebacker] Micah Parsons is a dynamic player. [Defensive ends] DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, all those guys across the board. So they’re no joke. They play hard, they play well.”

Is Minshew an effective QB stopgap?

Hurts has been performing at an MVP clip. His prowess as a runner (he has 13 rush touchdowns, just one behind the all-time single-season leader for quarterbacks, Cam Newton) has made life hard on defenses while his improvements as a passer (67.3% completion rate, up from 61.3% in 2021) have made the Eagles offense explosive.

Still, Minshew is set up well for success. The offensive line ranks seventh in pass-block win rate (64 percent); Brown (first, 94 rating) and Smith (12th, 77 rating) are the highest-rated receiver combo in the league, per ESPN’s metrics; running back Miles Sanders is fifth in rush yards (1,110) and rush touchdowns (11); and the defense is tops in pass rush win rate (53 percent), sacks (55) and interceptions (15).

Nothing can take away from Hurts’ accomplishments this year. But with 41 career touchdowns to 12 interceptions and 22 starts under his belt, the 26-year-old Minshew has proven that he can get the job done. And he’s never been better set up in terms of a supporting cast.

WASHINGTON

One doesn’t usually associate Dan Snyder’s Commanders with feel good stories – but that is the case here as the team recorded Coach Ron Rivera notifying his four Pro Bowl players – especially the newly-minted DB JEREMY REAVES.

The Pro Bowl has been marginalized to the point that it’s no longer a game of tackle football, but the players still do care about being recognized as one of the best at their position.

For evidence of that, look no further than a touching video the Washington Commanders posted on Wednesday after the 2022-23 Pro Bowl rosters were announced. The video shows Rivera surprising each of the Commanders players with the news they’ve received the honor.

Tools that turn into titles

Four Commanders made the Pro Bowl: wide receiver Terry McLaurin, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, punter Tress Way and safety/special-teamer Jeremy Reaves. It was the latter player who made the video a tearjerker, as he was clearly stunned and began tearing up before embracing Rivera.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1605746548230410240

To understand the emotion behind that video, you have to understand what Reaves did to make it to the Pro Bowl.

After four seasons at South Alabama, Reaves went unselected in the 2018 NFL draft and landed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He didn’t last long in Philly, getting waived before the season started and eventually signing with the Commanders’ practice squad. Then he waited nearly the entire season to make his NFL debut, only getting called up to the active roster in December.

The next two seasons were déjà vu; Reaves was waived before the season, quickly signed to the practice squad and saw sporadic playing time late in the season. There are dozens of players like that in the NFL, and very few break out into any meaningful role after three years.

Here’s what that sort of life looks like on an NFL transaction page:

01/08/2022 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

01/03/2022 Washington (NFL) Returned to the Practice Squad

01/01/2022 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

12/27/2021 Washington (NFL) Returned to the Practice Squad

12/25/2021 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

12/22/2021 Washington (NFL) Returned to the Practice Squad

12/14/2021 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

12/13/2021 Washington (NFL) Returned to the Practice Squad

12/11/2021 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

09/01/2021 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Practice Squad

08/31/2021 Washington (NFL) Waived

10/27/2020 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

09/06/2020 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Practice Squad

09/05/2020 Washington (NFL) Waived

10/12/2019 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

09/01/2019 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Practice Squad

08/31/2019 Washington (NFL) Waived

12/19/2018 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Active Roster from the Practice Squad

10/22/2018 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Practice Squad

09/18/2018 Washington (NFL) Released from the Practice Squad

09/12/2018 Washington (NFL) Signed to the Practice Squad

09/01/2018 Philadelphia (NFL) Waived

05/11/2018 Philadelphia (NFL) Signed as an undrafted free agent

Finally, Reaves made the Commanders 53-man roster to open this season, his first time to break camp on an active roster. So far, he has been on the field for a career-high 86 percent of the team’s special teams snaps and, as shown by his Pro Bowl selection, he has managed to stand out.

The players respect for Rivera shines through. As does the respect between teammates, especially punter Way and the guy that covers his punts. Take a look at the video if you want to feel good.

– – –

Should we get excited this time about a possible return for EDGE CHASE YOUNG? John Keim of ESPN.com also has QB CARSON WENTZ lurking in the wings:

Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young said he “definitely” feels closer to being on the field and that he was able to “cut loose” in practice Wednesday more than he had previously.

Young has not played since tearing the ACL and rupturing the patellar tendon in his right knee last season in Week 10. He was able to start practicing Nov. 2 but has not been active for any games. There have been times he has felt good at the start of the week only to feel differently by the end, preventing him from playing.

On Sunday, Washington coach Ron Rivera said Young, the second overall pick in 2020, would play this season. His debut could come Saturday when Washington (7-6-1) plays at San Francisco (10-4) in a pivotal game for playoff positioning. The Commanders hold the seventh and final spot. If Young plays, he would be limited to around 10 to 15 snaps.

Quarterback Carson Wentz, another No. 2 draft pick (2016 in his case), also might return — if the offense continues to struggle under quarterback Taylor Heinicke against the 49ers and the game starts to get out of hand. Wentz hasn’t played since Oct. 13, when he broke his right ring finger.

Meanwhile, Rivera has said the Commanders want to see Young “cut it loose” with his knee in practice to show his confidence level. They have not always seen that during his recovery, but Young said he was able to do that Wednesday.

“Every day I feel I’m getting better,” he said. “Every day I feel like I’m getting stronger and more comfortable.”

Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery on Young last year, met with the third-year end before Washington played the New York Giants on Sunday. Andrews told Young the knee was good. Young said he’d eventually like to detail the extent of his recovery. But for now, he said, he must stay patient.

“I wish it was a faster process,” he said.

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY

Let the record show – there is a long apology to RB GIOVANI BERNARD fromESPN.com reporter Jenna Laine that can be found

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

RB CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY is a Pro Bowl snub, but a vital part of San Francisco’s rise.

@gregolsen88

Wait, @CMC_22 didn’t make the Pro Bowl? The entire process is called into question when one of the best overall players in the NFL isn’t represented.

Okay, we buy that McCaffrey would be a worthy Pro Bowl choice. But there are only so many spots. Who would you kick out to put him on? Seth Walder of ESPN.com takes on that task:

Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers

Who he should replace: Miles Sanders, RB, Eagles

Sanders might have had the better season on the ground, but what McCaffrey brings in the passing game is worth much, much more. McCaffrey’s 2.0 yards per route run is best among all backs with at least 15 routes per game, and his 79 overall score in the receiver tracking metrics is second best among running backs.

Nick Wagoner at ESPN.com:

As the San Francisco 49ers closed in on their fifth consecutive win on Dec. 4, run game coordinator Chris Foerster approached running back Christian McCaffrey with some congratulatory words and a little bit of dap.

But before Foerster could say anything, McCaffrey stood up, looked him in the eyes and in a tone Foerster described as “serious as a heart attack” offered what was essentially an apology.

“[He] goes, ‘I promise I’ll get better, I missed some holes and I left too much out there,'” Foerster said. “‘I won’t let you guys down again. Just give me time. Be patient with me.'”

McCaffrey’s mea culpa would have landed better had he not just torched the Miami Dolphins for 146 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown, the latest in an increasingly long line of all-purpose performances that have made McCaffrey the NFL’s most important midseason addition.

“I’m like, ‘Christian, relax man,'” Foerster said. “He wants to be absolutely perfect in everything he does. He’s been like that since he’s been here and I really appreciate that about him.”

Perhaps McCaffrey hasn’t been perfect since arriving in San Francisco via trade Oct. 20, but the 49ers’ record has been since he was placed in the starting lineup. It’s no coincidence that the Niners are 7-0 with him as a starter after beginning the season 3-4. It has worked out well for McCaffrey, too, who left the then-1-5 Carolina Panthers and now finds himself the focal point of the NFC West champions.

“It’s hard to put into words,” McCaffrey said. “It’s been a wild roller coaster and obviously we still have a lot more left. … I’m just so fortunate to be a part of this team.”

After an abbreviated appearance against the Kansas City Chiefs in his first game with the 49ers, McCaffrey stepped into the starting role in a Week 8 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, announcing his presence to the NFC West by becoming the fourth player since the 1970 merger to throw for a touchdown, run for one and catch one in the same game.

San Francisco’s offense is averaging roughly 8 points, 15 total yards and 25 rushing yards more per game since McCaffrey joined the starting lineup. A team that leaned more heavily on its defense than just about any NFL squad in the first seven games suddenly had the ability to play complementary football, with McCaffrey’s versatility plugged into an offense that already featured tight end George Kittle and receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, among others.

In seven games as the 49ers’ starting running back, McCaffrey has 818 scrimmage yards (fourth in the NFL), seven touchdowns (tied for fifth), 257 yards after catch (fourth) and 45 first downs (second among non-quarterbacks). For the season, McCaffrey sits at 1,550 scrimmage yards (third), 10 touchdowns (tied for 10th), 647 yards after catch (third) and 78 first downs (second).

McCaffrey has surpassed 100 scrimmage yards in five games he has started for the 49ers and 10 games overall this season, most in the NFL. He has done that 42 times since entering the NFL in 2017, topping the league in that span.

At minimum, McCaffrey should be a prime candidate for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award after injuries cost him 23 games the previous two seasons. Given what he’s meant to the hottest team in the league the past two months, his name should also start popping up in Offensive Player of the Year discussions.

“I’ve never been around a guy who cares more about performing,” defensive end Nick Bosa said. “Adding a guy like that to the team, especially at a position where it’s obviously super important in Kyle’s offense, it was a very important addition …

“Football means everything to him. I don’t think he would be happy if he wasn’t performing at the level that he expects, and even when he is performing well, I think the biggest thing for him is there’s always more. He’s a beast.”

After the Niners acquired McCaffrey, general manager John Lynch referred to him as a “force multiplier” who was not only good enough to produce at a high level but also could raise the level of everyone around him. That has showed up in multiple ways since his arrival in the Bay Area.

For one, it hasn’t mattered who has played quarterback, as McCaffrey has offered the ideal security blanket to Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Brock Purdy. McCaffrey’s ability to make defenders miss in the open field has produced 20 receiving first downs. He has also served as a sounding board for Purdy, who, in the course of helping McCaffrey learn the playbook after his arrival, grew a quick chemistry with him.

“Just the way he went about things and studying and how serious he is with literally everything that he does, I’m like, ‘Man, this is what greatness looks like,'” Purdy said. “I feel like they always have to account for him because he can do so much. He doesn’t just run the football. He can do stuff out of the backfield, he can line up out as a receiver and make plays that way. Literally there is so much, he’s like a Swiss Army knife.

“We have all these weapons and then Christian can do everything, so I imagine it’s sort of a nightmare being a defensive coordinator trying to plan for Christian.”

As Purdy points out, McCaffrey also brings some gravity to the Niners’ offense. When he isn’t creating offense with the ball in his hands, he’s drawing plenty of attention from opposing defenses, which opens up opportunities for teammates.

On the second play of the third quarter against the Seahawks this past Thursday, Niners coach Kyle Shanahan called a play designed to go to McCaffrey in the flat. Three Seahawks defenders flowed toward McCaffrey on the left side, leaving Kittle, who was Purdy’s fourth read on the play, running free down the sideline. Purdy hit Kittle in stride and the tight end raced 54 yards for a touchdown.

“To have a back who’s such a threat out of the backfield on pass plays, to me as good as anyone in the league at that,” Shanahan said. “Plus the runner he is, pairing him with some of our guys. We haven’t had to force much to him. When he can run the ball, catch checkdowns, also be the main guy on some routes, just a great weapon to have.”

AFC WEST

DENVER

Another sad running back death. Former Bronco Ronnie Hillman gone before his time.

Adam Schefter:

@AdamSchefter

Denver’s Super Bowl-winning running back Ronnie Hillman died Wednesday after a battle with liver cancer, his family announced on Instagram. He was 31.

KANSAS CITY

Adam Teicher of ESPN.com sees some disturbing trends in the Chiefs recent play:

With two Super Bowls and four AFC Championship Game appearances in the past four seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs have set a high standard for themselves.

That’s why, despite an 11-3 record, seven wins in their past eight games and Sunday’s clinching of another AFC West championship, some people are asking, “What’s wrong with the Chiefs?”

In their past four games, the Chiefs have a listless win over the Los Angeles Rams, a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and narrow victories over the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans — a less-than-inspiring month for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Struggling against some of the NFL’s bottom dwellers does not bode well for their chances against the high-quality opponents they’ll meet in the playoffs, which could include the Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, responsible for two of their three losses this season.

“We know we have a lot to work on, to clean up at least with the turnovers and the penalties,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said after the Chiefs needed overtime to beat the one-win Texans on Sunday. “We have to continue to get better as a team so when we get to the playoffs, we’re ready to go to try to make a run.”

The Chiefs are still doing many things well. They lead the league in scoring. Mahomes is on pace for his second 5,000-yard season and is a strong candidate for MVP. They are fourth in the league in sacks.

But the past few weeks have left little doubt they have some areas to fix, as well. Here are some of them.

Turnovers

The Chiefs are minus-6 this season in turnover differential, which is otherwise the domain of losing teams. The two teams with a worse differential are the 5-9 New Orleans Saints and the 4-9-1 Indianapolis Colts. Those immediately above them are the 4-10 Rams, the 6-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 1-12-1 Texans, the 6-8 Green Bay Packers, the 6-8 Las Vegas Raiders, the 6-8 Cleveland Browns and the 7-7 New York Jets.

The Chiefs have committed at least one turnover in nine straight games. Week 5 against the Raiders is the most recent clean game they’ve played.

“Ridiculous,” coach Andy Reid said of the turnover streak. “You can’t have that. The guys know that. Nobody tries to turn it over, but you’ve got to do the best you can and hang on to the football and take care of the football.”

Not only have the Chiefs created few turnovers on defense, but they have also been lousy in preventing the opponent from scoring after a Kansas City interception or fumble. The opponent has gone on to score a touchdown after seven of the Chiefs’ past nine turnovers.

The Chiefs committed just one turnover in Cincinnati, but it was Travis Kelce’s crushing fumble in the fourth quarter of a close game. Mahomes threw three interceptions in Denver, and they allowed the Broncos to climb from a 27-0 deficit to make it a close game. The Chiefs fumbled twice in Houston, and the offensively challenged Texans used favorable field position to drive for a touchdown each time.

After the three-interception game against the Broncos, though, Mahomes didn’t put the ball in harm’s way in Houston. He had just five incompletions in 41 attempts and none after halftime.

“I looked at the tape of the Denver game, and there were a lot of easy completions that I didn’t take, and I was trying to be aggressive and it worked sometimes, but obviously hurt us sometimes,” Mahomes said. “So I just went back to the fundamentals of taking what’s there and when the stuff underneath is there, give it to the guys, let them make plays, and we were able to have success.”

Special teams

The Chiefs have usually been strong in the kicking game since Reid arrived as coach in 2013, but not this season. They’ve lost four fumbles on kick returns, with a botched punt return being the game’s most significant play in a three-point loss to the Colts in Week 3.

A bigger problem of late has been the kicking of Harrison Butker. One of the league’s most accurate kickers in recent years, Butker has struggled most of the year since a sprained ankle kept him out of the lineup for four games early in the season.

The Chiefs this season are making 75.9% of their field goals, third worst in the league. They are 88.9% on point-after kicks, fourth worst. They’ve missed seven field goals and five PATs, meaning they’ve forfeited 26 points directly with their kicking game. Their opponents have missed two field goals and zero PATs for six points.

“Being a kicker is little like being a batter, and sometimes you get in a slump,” Reid said. “He’s a great one, and he’ll get through it and then he’ll come out of it even better than what he was. You’ve got to keep kicking, and that’s what we’re going to do with him.”

Of late, Butker was perfect against the Rams with four field goals and two PATs. But the next week in Cincinnati, he missed what would have been the tying field goal, albeit from 55 yards, late in the fourth quarter.

He was perfect on two field goals and four PATs in Denver but ran into problems Sunday in Houston, where he missed a PAT early in the game and later a 51-yard field goal in a tie game near the end of the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs couldn’t have been comfortable with the thought of sending Butker out for a potential winning field goal in overtime. They never had to make the choice because Jerick McKinnon scored the winning touchdown on a 26-yard run on the first play after they recovered a Houston fumble.

Butker said he was working on fixes with snapper James Winchester and holder Tommy Townsend, but that making change for change’s sake can make things worse.

“You don’t want to reinvent the wheel, especially during the season,” Butker said. “Obviously you’ve got to go back to the drawing board if things aren’t working out and make some small changes, [but] you don’t want to do too much. You’ve got to stick to the process. You can’t just throw everything out the window and try to do something completely new.”

Penalties

Penalties haven’t been a season-long problem for the Chiefs. They have been penalized fewer times than their opponents (83-72) but for more yards (725-629).

They were a huge problem against the Texans. The Chiefs had at least one defensive penalty on three of Houston’s four scoring drives, a big aid to a struggling opponent that was playing without its two top wide receivers and its leading rusher because of injuries.

The Chiefs were penalized three times for pass interference and once for illegal contact.

“You’ve got to work your fundamentals and techniques and then you’ve got to trust them when you’re out there,” Reid said when asked how the Chiefs can clean up the penalties. “That’s what we’ll do. That’s the simplest way.”

AFC SOUTH

TENNESSEE

QB RYAN TANNEHILL may not be able to tough it out through his ankle injury after all. Turron Davenport of ESPN.com:

The Titans will “very likely” be without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the remainder of the season due to a right ankle injury that is likely to require surgery, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

Tannehill suffered the injury Sunday, when Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack landed on his right foot on Tennessee’s first offensive drive.

Team trainers took Tannehill to the locker room on a cart. The quarterback missed only one offensive series and returned to the game with his right ankle heavily taped.

“We are never going to question his toughness or his willingness to get back and help us win,” coach Mike Vrabel said of Tannehill following the Titans’ 17-14 loss.

The injury was to the same ankle Tannehill injured in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite finishing that game, Tannehill missed the following two weeks, with backup QB Malik Willis starting in his place.

Willis took all of the first-team snaps in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Titans, who currently lead the AFC South at 7-7, also signed veteran quarterback Joshua Dobbs to the active roster on Wednesday.

With Tannehill unable to play, Dobbs would slide in as the backup with Willis as the starter.

The 7-7 Titans’ lead atop the AFC South, the division they’ve won the past two seasons, has dwindled to one with a four-game skid. They host the Texans (1-12-1) on Saturday — the same team Willis made his first NFL start against Oct. 30 in a 17-10 win. Tennessee closes the regular season at home against the Dallas Cowboys and on the road at Jacksonville.

Tannehill has thrown for 2,536 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions this season. NFL reporter Paul Kuharsky was first to report him likely being done for the season.

THIS AND THAT

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Jay Feely admires Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy:

@jayfeely

Tony Dungy won a Super Bowl as HC

Played in the NFL

Works as a studio analyst on NBC

But I respect him as a man more than anything he has done in football.

Here he is (without any fanfare) quietly volunteereing with The Salvation Army at the local grocery store-Servant leader

BROADCAST NEWS

And, YouTube it is for NFL Sunday Ticket. Tom Pelissaro of NFL.com:

@TomPelissero

It’s official: NFL Sunday Ticket has a new home.

The NFL today announced a multi-year agreement with Google granting YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels the right to exclusively distribute NFL Sunday Ticket to consumers in the U.S. starting with the 2023 NFL season.

The Daily Briefing Thursday, December 22, 2022

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