| If The Season Ended Today in the AFC: The AFC is down to 9 teams for its 7 playoff spots (and Indy has tough road to hoe). But Benjamin Solak does point this out: @BenjaminSolakIt’s Week 16 and we have no divisional winners yet. First time this has happened since 2016. AFC ConfDenver p West 12-2 7-2New England East 11-3 6-3Jacksonville South 10-4 7-2 Pittsburgh North 8-6 7-3LA Chargers WC1 10-4 8-2Buffalo WC2 10-4 7-3Houston WC3 9-5 7-2Indianapolis 8-6 6-4Baltimore 7-7 5-6Kansas City 6-8 3-6 (eliminated)Miami 6-8 3-6 (eliminated) Nothing changed in the AFC in Week 15 in terms of seedings – the teams are lined up in the same order as last week as all but New England won. Only nine of the 16 AFC teams can still make the playoffs with the Chiefs and Dolphins eliminated. Kansas City must run the table with Gardner Minshew to avoid the team’s first losing season since 2012. The Chiefs were 2-14 that year under Romeo Crennel, then Andy Reid was hired in ’13. It has been noted in several places that this will be the first time in 27 seasons that the AFC playoffs won’t include Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes. After Monday night’s win, it could be the first time the AFC playoffs will included Aaron Rodgers. The Ravens have a tough road ahead with the Rams this week and at Green Bay before finishing at Pittsburgh in Week 18. Pittsburgh has things a bit easier with Detroit and Cleveland before the big finish. The Baltimore Banner looks some scenarios from a Ravens point of view: The Ravens went into Week 15 with a 27% chance of making the playoffs. But by beating the Cincinnati Bengals, they simultaneously pushed themselves back into contention while knocking the Bengals out. The win briefly pushed their chances to 44%, according to the New York Times NFL Playoff Picture. But with the Pittsburgh Steelers winning their “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Miami Dolphins, the Ravens’ chances fell to 37%. The Steelers are currently ahead of the Ravens with a 63% chance of making the playoffs, but the race for the AFC North is not over. Here’s how the Ravens can get in with one, two and three wins over the final three weeks: 3If the Ravens run the table, that means they would have a 10-7 record and a win in Week 18 over the Steelers. The Steelers could also finish with a 10-7 record if they win their two games before the season finale. The head-to-head matchup between the two teams would be tied, as would the teams’ division records (4-2). However, the Ravens would get in with more wins over common opponents (9-3 vs. 8-4). The Ravens’ win over the Chicago Bears would effectively be the difference. Likewise, if the Steelers win out, they get in over the Ravens, who would be 9-8. 2If the Ravens go 2-1, they would finish the season 9-8. The only scenario in which they could get into the playoffs would be if they beat the Steelers. Even if the Steelers lost to the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns but beat the Ravens to finish 9-8, the Steelers would get in with the better head-to-head record. With a win over the Steelers in that scenario, the Ravens would get in with a better division record since losses to the Browns and Ravens would give Pittsburgh a division record of 3-3. Baltimore would be at 4-2. However, if the Steelers win their next two to get to 10 wins and the Ravens drop one in that span, Baltimore would have no chance to catch up. So if Pittsburgh loses to Detroit, but beats Cleveland – Baltimore would be out if it loses both games (Patriots, Packers). But if they win one or two of those games – Week 18 is for all the marbles.- – -In addition to taking a toll on the star power of the playoffs, the floundering Chiefs have also contributed to a now-lackluster slate of Christmas games. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: They can’t all be winners, can they? As the NFL continues to make Christmas a pro football holiday, the trend has potential pitfalls. Including the very real possibility that the games to be played on December 25 will have little if any meaning to either or both of the teams involved. Recent developments have made this season’s three-pack of games something far less enticing than gold, frankincense, and myrrh. It will get started in nine days with Cowboys at Commanders. Both teams are more cooked than overdone roast beast. Then comes Lions-Vikings. Detroit is scrambling to avoid missing the playoffs, which gives the game a little pop. The Vikings — who have won two in a row and are 6-8 — were eliminated on Sunday, when the Bears beat the Browns. The day ends with the Broncos at the Chiefs. With the Chiefs eliminated. And with Gardner Minshew playing quarterback for the home team. Why would folks in Kansas City want to venture out on Christmas night to watch that one? For in-home viewers who root for other teams, there’s a certain schadenfreude factor that will prompt those who had developed Chiefs fatigue to tune in and relish what should be a long night for the franchise that had appeared in three straight Super Bowls and five of the last six. Still, it will hardly be must-see streaming for Prime Video. One factor is the calendar. With Labor Day landing on September 1 this year, the season started as early as it ever does. Which puts Christmas in Week 17. Which makes it harder to effectively predict in May the games that will matter in late December. For that reason, don’t be surprised if the NFL eventually builds flexibility into the Christmas games, like it does for the late-season Saturday when five games are flagged as candidates for the three standalone spots. Few teams are eliminated and thus irrelevant by Thanksgiving. More teams are and will be out of it by the time Christmas rolls around. If the NFL wants to maximize the audience for those games, it will have to either hit the bull’s-eye in May, or it needs to have the ability to move the dart. Christmas will be on Friday next year. Saturday in 2027 and Monday in 2028. |
| NFC NORTH |
| GREEN BAYBill Barnwell of ESPN.com on the injury to EDGE MICAH PARSONS: What Parsons’ injury means for the PackersAs they flew home from Denver on Sunday night, the Packers might have felt like a Super Bowl was slipping through their fingers. Just as Green Bay was getting healthier late in the season, injuries collapsed one of the league’s most complete teams. Parsons is likely done for the year with a torn ACL. Christian Watson, who has looked like a star receiver for stretches since returning from his own ACL injury, went down with a chest injury on a Jordan Love interception and did not return. Right tackle Zach Tom was injured in the second quarter and didn’t play in the second half, while safety Evan Williams wasn’t able to play in the fourth quarter after suffering a knee injury. With the likes of Tucker Kraft, Elgton Jenkins and Devonte Wyatt already on injured reserve, the Packers are staring down the threat of another postseason without multiple starters on both sides of the football. GM Brian Gutekunst’s draft-and-develop philosophy generally leads the Packers to one of the deepest rosters in the league, but as we saw in last season’s playoff loss to the Eagles, even that depth has its limits. Gutekunst’s stunning move to trade two first-round picks and Kenny Clark to acquire Parsons before the season both went against type and served as an announcement that the Packers weren’t just accumulating talent. Factoring in a record-setting contract as part of the trade, Gutekunst was making an enormous bet that Parsons was going to be among the very best players in football over the next few seasons. As teams trading for players such as Khalil Mack and Jamal Adams have shown in years past, it’s difficult for that bet to pay off. Trading unknown future picks for known superstars is great on paper, and there have been times (mostly involving the Rams) where it has worked, but the bar for success is extremely high. With the implied value of the draft picks sent to the Cowboys included, the Packers are paying Parsons the equivalent of $65 million per season over the next four years. There’s nothing inherently wrong with making that sort of move, but anything short of being the best player in the NFL is going to make that contract difficult to swallow. It’s also putting a dramatic amount of the budget — between actual cash and draft capital — into one player staying both healthy and productive. Spreading the money and draft capital around throughout the roster means a team is less susceptible to one big injury than by concentrating so many resources into one player. Parsons’ upside is such that I can (and still do) understand why the tradeoff would be worth it, but this is the football equivalent of putting a lot of your eggs in one basket. To the extent that any non-quarterback can live up to that sort of price tag, Parsons was holding his own in Green Bay. He had 12.5 sacks in 14 games with the Packers, an even more impressive number when we consider that he was playing only in a part-time role early in the season after joining the Packers in August. Parsons led the league with 83 pressures, and his 34 quick pressures were second in the NFL behind Nik Bonitto. He wasn’t going to win Defensive Player of the Year, given that Myles Garrett is currently producing one of the great defensive seasons in NFL history, but Parsons would have been competing with Will Anderson Jr. for the second edge rusher spot on the All-Pro team. While the splits with and without Parsons weren’t quite as significant as they were during his time with the Cowboys, we also saw a pretty significant split in Green Bay’s pass defense with their star edge rusher on and off the field. With him in the lineup, the Packers allowed the league’s 10th-lowest QBR to opposing quarterbacks. Across 109 dropbacks without him this season, the Packers fell to 22nd by that same metric. What Parsons gave coordinator Jeff Hafley and the defense, really, was protection. The weak link on the Green Bay defense is at cornerback, where Nate Hobbs has been alternately injured and disappointing as the team’s biggest free agent addition on defense. Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine struggle with consistency, and while Javon Bullard has had a very good second season working in the slot, the roughest games for the Packers’ defense have typically come when its corners have been exposed. The Packers’ defense ranks 26th in the league in Total QBR when it doesn’t get home with pressure on the opposing quarterback. Now, without Parsons, the pressure rate will inevitably drop. Players such as Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare have looked imposing at times across from Parsons, but they’ll see more attention without Green Bay’s best defender in the lineup. One way to respond to those pressure concerns would be to send more bodies, something Hafley has been able to mostly avoid this season because of Parsons. The Packers send four or fewer rushers on nearly 80% of opposing dropbacks, the fifth-highest rate in the NFL. Despite dropping seven or more into coverage on the vast majority of snaps, the Packers still manage to get pressure on just under 35% of dropbacks, which is the eighth-best rate in the league. Every one of the teams ahead of the Packers in pressure rate also blitz more often than Green Bay. When the Packers do blitz, their 53.8% pressure rate is second best, trailing only the Seahawks. Parsons plays a huge role in these pressures and creating opportunities for his teammates. Hafley knows that teams are terrified of what Parsons is going to do on every snap, and his presence can essentially serve as an indicator for what offenses will do in pass protection and what the Packers can do to break those rules. I’m skeptical that their blitz pressure rate will keep up without Parsons if the Packers lean further into sending extra pressure. Hafley’s sim pressures (which aren’t technically always blitzes) have gotten more imposing as the season has wore on, and Parsons has created havoc on stunts and twists, with offensive linemen worried about letting him through and in turn allowing Green Bay’s other rushers to run free in the process. Hafley didn’t have the sort of time a coordinator would want to build the game plan around Parsons, given that the Packers acquired their new star only days before the season began. The Packers were getting better at maximizing Parsons, though. Now, all of that comes to a halt. Parsons and the increased pressure rate were also covering for an issue the Packers have dealt with throughout the season: a lack of turnovers. Led by Xavier McKinney’s eight interceptions, the Pack forced 31 turnovers in 2024, the fourth most of any team. On a drive-by-drive basis, only the Bills and Vikings forced more turnovers than the Packers, who turned 16.4% of opposing possessions into takeaways. Turnover rates can fluctuate from year to year, though, and the Packers have forced only 13 in 14 games this season. They’re ending just 9.1% of drives in turnovers, which has the Pack all the way down in 23rd, right ahead of the Vikings (who are dealing with the same year-to-year variance). The defense is recovering fumbles at about the same rate, but it is forcing fumbles about half as often as it did a year ago. The bigger problem is that Green Bay has only seven interceptions in 14 games. One of those was Nixon’s interception to seal up last week’s win over the Bears, which was obviously a huge play, but Hafley’s unit felt those missing picks in the loss to the Broncos. Bo Nix had his best game as a pro, going 23-of-34 for 302 yards with four touchdowns, but he also left a few balls in dangerous areas for the Packers. He threw two near-interceptions on the drive in which Parsons suffered his ACL injury, and Carrington Valentine dropped a third with 5:47 to go. When things are going well — as they were in 2024 — those throws turn into interceptions. When they aren’t — as has been the case for this secondary in 2025 — they fall harmlessly to the ground. The Packers have dropped from third in interception rate in 2024 to 26th this season. If there’s a way they’re going to overcome the Parsons injury, it’s probably going to be through that turnover rate spiking back toward where it was in 2024. We’ve already seen much of the same key personnel produce an excellent takeaway rate in 2024, and the randomness of turnover rates is such that a team could go three months with a middling figure and then suddenly jump over the final few games of the season. The Eagles had 16 takeaways through their first 14 games a year ago and then racked up 23 over their final seven matchups, including 13 across their four-game run to the Super Bowl. The Packers could have that sort of late-season spree in them. Parsons and his pressure should have made it easier to force those turnovers, though, so it’ll be tougher to create takeaways without the superstar on the field. The combination of a Parsons-led rush and a turnover spike would have given the Packers a truly terrifying defense the rest of the way. And while Parsons is young enough at 26 to make an impact for years to come even after returning from the ACL tear, the Packers were least likely to feel the pain of missing out on those picks in 2025, given that the selections don’t come off their books and won’t be missing from the roster until 2026 and beyond. This wasn’t a one-year, all-in trade by any means, but the Packers were a Super Bowl-caliber team with Parsons in the mix. Now, suddenly, things are much tougher for the Packers in the NFC. |
| NFC EAST |
| WASHINGTONA lost season is coming to a merciful end for QB JAYDEN DANIELS. Jason Owens ofYahooSports.com: The Washington Commanders have decided to shut down quarterback Jayden Daniels for the rest of the season. Head coach Dan Quinn announced the decision to reporters on Monday, calling it “part medical, part team.” With Washington out of the playoff picture, backup Marcus Mariota is scheduled to start the final three games of the season, including a Christmas matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Daniels initially dislocated the elbow on his non-throwing arm late in a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9. He missed three games, then returned to play against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14. Daniels aggravated the injury against the Vikings when he landed on his elbow while being tackled. He has not played since. Mariota completed the 31-0 loss to the Vikings, then started in Sunday’s 29-21 win over the New York Giants. Washington is 4-10 and has been eliminated from the playoffs. The Commanders have two games remaining against the Philadelphia Eagles in Weeks 16 and 18 in addition to the Christmas matchup against the Cowboys. Daniels’ disappointing second season is overMonday’s announcement officially concludes a disappointing second season for Daniels, who won Rookie of the Year in 2024 with what many consider the greatest season for a rookie quarterback in NFL history. A dynamic passer and runner, Daniels completed 69% of his passes as a rookie for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He added 891 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground. He led the Commanders to a 12-5 record and their first playoff appearance since the 2020 season. Once there, he led the Commanders to their first two playoff wins since the 2005 season as they advanced to the NFC championship game. Injuries and regression plagued Daniels’ second season. He finishes the 2025 campaign having completed 60.6% of his passes for 1,262 yards with 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in seven starts, two of which were cut short by injury. He rushed for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns as his average yards per carry dropped from 6 in 2024 to 4.8 in 2025. The Commanders, meanwhile, lost eight straight games following a 3-2 start before Sunday’s win over the Giants. For Daniels, it’s time to put his 2025 season to bed and turn the page to 2026, where he and the Commanders will hope to harness his tremendous talent again in the hopes of returning to playoff contention. |
| NFC WEST |
| LOS ANGELES RAMSCoach Sean McVay raced to the hospital after Sunday’s win – for a good reason. Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com: – On Tuesday, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay announced that he and his wife, Veronika, had welcomed the newest member of their family, a baby boy named Christian Alexander McVay. The Rams announced the news on social media with a humorous post likening Christian’s birth to a traditional roster decision. @RamsNFLLA Rams Transactions:• Delivered Christian Alexander McVay Christian was born Monday morning, the day after the Rams clinched a playoff berth — and three days before Los Angeles plays the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night Football.” “What a crazy week to be playing on a Thursday,” McVay said. When asked whether he had slept at all since Sunday, McVay said: “Not really.” “This is a good challenge,” he said. “But it’s a blessing to be able to play in meaningful games this late in the season. And so I’ve got a lot of appreciation for our staff. And fighting a good fight right now.” Sean and Veronika McVay, who were married in 2022, have another son, Jordan, born in 2023. |
| SEATTLEEven with more teams passing up what previously would be field goal attempts, there is a kicker on pace (with an extra game) for the record for most FGs in a season. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Seahawks kicker Jason Myers made six field goals, including the 56-yard game-winner with 18 seconds remaining, in Sunday’s 18-16 win over the Colts. And he’s now on pace to kick more field goals in a season than any kicker, ever. The all-time record for field goals in a season is 44, set by David Akers of the 49ers in 2011. Myers had made 37 field goals so far this season, putting him on pace to finish the season with 45. Overall, Myers is 37-for-42 on field goals this season, a success rate of 88.1 percent, with a long field goal of 57 yards. He’s also 42-for-42 on extra points. If there’s a concern in Seattle, it’s that Myers is kicking too many field goals and not enough extra points. The Seahawks are a good team but they’ve been below-average in the red zone, ranking 18th in the NFL by scoring touchdowns on only 57.4 percent of their red zone appearances. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald has also been quick to settle for field goals: The Seahawks have only gone for it on fourth down 10 times this season, the fewest in the NFL. But while settling for field goals isn’t always a good thing, it is a good thing to have a kicker you’re confident can make them. And the Seahawks have that in Myers. |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYQB PATRICK MAHOMES and the Chiefs wasted no time in getting him under the knife. Torn ACL Sunday, surgery Monday. Nate Taylor of ESPN.com: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes underwent successful surgery Monday night in Dallas to repair the tear in his left ACL, the team announced. The surgery was performed by Dr. Dan Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys’ head team physician. A league source told ESPN that Dr. Cooper also repaired the torn LCL in Mahomes’ left knee, confirming a report by NFL Network. According to the Chiefs, Mahomes “will begin his rehab process immediately.” Mahomes was injured with less than two minutes remaining in Sunday’s 16-13 loss to the Chargers, a result that ended the Chiefs’ playoff hopes. The typical recovery for such an injury is about nine months, meaning Mahomes will miss the team’s offseason program, and his availability for the start of next season is in question. The 2026 NFL season opener is Sept. 10. “He’ll attack it, just like he does everything else,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said earlier Monday when addressing Mahomes’ rehab. “There have been some pretty good quarterbacks who have had the same injury, and they’ve done pretty well after they came back. He’ll get after it, and he’s got good people here to rehab him. He’ll be right on top of all of that.” One of the most prominent quarterbacks to rehab a torn ACL is Tom Brady, who was injured in the 2008 opener when he was 31 and in his ninth NFL season. During Monday’s episode of his “Let’s Go!” podcast, Brady shared some advice for Mahomes based on his own experience. “You’ve just got to put as much diligence into the rehab process,” said Brady, who went on to win four Super Bowls after his injury. “I always feel like the faster you rehab, the faster you can get back to practicing the sport that you know you love. I think sometimes people will pace themselves. Instead of training mode, they’re in rehab mode. I think you got to get through rehab mode as fast as possible, and then you get back to training mode. “But that requires an all-out commitment and it’s the same commitment that the great professional athletes make to be great at their profession. When you go through the rehab process, you need that same level of focus and determination. It’s a tough rehab. It’s one of the toughest rehabs.”– – -This: @PolymarketBlitzThe Chiefs have a money problem… In 2026 they are due to pay:Patrick Mahomes $78MChris Jones $45MJawaan Taylor $27MTrey Smith $24MNick Bolton $19MJaylon Moore $19MCreed Humphrey $18MGeorge Karlaftis $15M(Per overthecap) This already accounts for $342M of a projected $304M team salary cap. The Dynasty is DONE. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CLEVELANDAn update for EDGE MYLES GARRETT and his quest for the all-time season sack record: Week 15: at Chicago Bears, Sunday (31-3 loss)Garrett’s performance: He recorded 1.5 sacks to increase his season total to 21.5, one shy of tying the single-season record. Week 16: vs. Buffalo Bills, Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS)Key stats and trends on Garrett’s sack-happy season: Garrett is the 11th player (12th instance) to record more than 20 sacks in a season since the stat became official in 1982. What we’re hearing on his season: “I don’t even think about it as a want. I just think about something that I’m going to knock down. It’s already been written in my mind that it’s going just how far I’m going to take it. So, just going to go out there and do what I do, and whatever number I end up at.” — Garrett said before the Browns’ Week 13 game against San Francisco. What Garrett needs to do to stay on pace: Garrett is on pace for 26 sacks, a number that would not only shatter the current record of 22.5 but would get Garrett the record at or before the 16th game, which marked the end of the season when Strahan originally set the mark. In his most recent game, Garrett recorded 1.5 sacks against the Bears to get to 21.5. His next matchup is the Bills, whose 33 sacks allowed are tied for 13th most in the NFL. |
| PITTSBURGHQB AARON RODGERS was talking about his teammates, in a good way, after Monday’s win. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com: Aaron Rodgers grinned as he scanned the box score and shouted out the names of his teammates who helped the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Miami Dolphins 28-15 on “Monday Night Football.” Kenneth Gainwell. Connor Heyward. Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Asante Samuel Jr. Adam Thielen. To the quarterback, they all had something in common. “There’s some castoffs if you look at our roster, which makes it really special,” Rodgers said with a grin, adding that he doesn’t consider himself a castoff. “Kenny Gainwell signed a next-to-nothing contract. Connor Heyward, an afterthought, had a touchdown run. Marquez has been on a couple teams. Adam Thielen got cut. Samuel was on the street for a long time. So says a lot about the character of the guys we brought in.” Rodgers, who posted his highest completion percentage since 2014, connected with eight different receivers as the Steelers scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives for the first time since Week 2 of the 2018 season. He completed 23 of 27 passes (85.2%) for 224 yards. Both Heyward and Valdes-Scantling scored touchdowns in the win. Heyward’s score gave the Steelers their first points of the game with a tush push on third-and-1 just before halftime. Then, the Steelers double-dipped with a 19-yard touchdown strike from Rodgers to Valdes-Scantling on their first possession of the third quarter for a 14-3 lead. After connecting with Valdes-Scantling for a score for the first time since the pair played for the Green Bay Packers in 2021, Rodgers met the wide receiver, who was signed to the 53-man roster earlier in the day, with a smile. “Happy to have you back,” Rodgers said to him. “It’s just who he is, spreading the ball around,” Valdes-Scantling said. “He’s not afraid to throw it to anybody. If you can get open, he’ll find you.” Rodgers found Gainwell most often Monday night. Gainwell, who signed a one-year deal for $1.79 million in free agency, caught all seven targets for 46 yards, and he added 80 yards rushing on 13 carries. “He is super smart, and I still cannot believe what we got him for,” Rodgers said. “I told him a long time ago my goal was to get him paid, because I’ve been a fan of his since he was in Philly and thought that every time he went in the game something good happens. … He’s as fluid as anybody on the team catching the football. For a guy that’s making damn near a vet minimum, he’s been a tremendous asset to our team this year.” And even though left tackle Dylan Cook didn’t show up in the box score, the fourth-string offensive lineman — who was recently elevated to the active roster and made his first career start — earned praise from coach Mike Tomlin. “I definitely thought he was above the line, but it was also our job to assist him schematically,” Tomlin said. “Both things happened. He’s another example of a guy upholding the standard. We’ve absorbed some attrition to say the least at that position. He was part of a winning effort tonight. He’s deserving of congratulations for that.” On the other side of the ball, the Steelers got a boost from Samuel, who made his first start as a Steeler with cornerback James Pierre sidelined because of a calf injury. Samuel wasted little time making an impact as he intercepted Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the first quarter. Samuel initially joined the team on the practice squad in November, just seven months after undergoing spinal fusion surgery. “It’s a testament to guys buying in,” defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “Coach always talks about jumping on a moving train. These guys are professionals. I’m watching, as soon as Thielen gets here, he’s opening up his playbook and still studying. They spend a lot time really learning the offense, learning the defense. Asante has been really chomping at the bit to get reps, and he played very well with them.” With the win, the Steelers further bolstered their spot atop the AFC North over the Baltimore Ravens and earned their first set of back-to-back wins since late September into early October. “It’s big, especially right now,” linebacker Patrick Queen said. “Just part of the season that’s when you create momentum. … I think we went through all the stuff that we went through to prepare us to go into what we got. It’s going to be three extremely tough games, but we got the guys to do it.” |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONRB JAWHAR JORDAN has never played in an NFL game in which he did not rush for 100 yards. Jared Koch of ESPN.com: The Houston Texans saw a breakout performance from their practice squad elevation running back Jawhar Jordan in their 40-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals, as he became the team’s first rusher of this season to put together over 100 rushing yards in a single game, doing so with his first-ever snaps on an NFL field. Naturally, there’s set to be some buzzing questions about what the future of Jordan may hold in the Texans’ offense, both in terms of his fit on the 53-man roster and his role in Houston’s running game on a weekly basis. But as the Texans begin preparation for their upcoming matchup vs. the Las Vegas Raiders, head coach DeMeco Ryans remained uncommittal on what Jordan’s role may look like in Houston’s offense once Woody Marks and Nick Chubb return to the lineup. “We’ll cross that bridge when we gets there,” Ryans said of Jordan’s role in the offense. “I think more so for right now… it’s just giving Jawar his praise for what he was able to accomplish.” “I thought he did an outstanding job of taking advantage of the opportunity that was presented to him, and he did a great job of gaining over 100 yards rushing, making some explosive runs for us. So, it’s just a credit to Jawhar. But right now, we’ll deal with the other issue when we get there.” What’s Next for Jawhar Jordan?Jordan, in his first practice squad elevation, totaled 15 carries for 101 yards, rattling off an explosive 50-yard run in the third quarter that really made his day pop off the page, and ultimately stepping up in the injured backfield that was without Nick Chubb and Woody Marks for most of the day. But as for the games that lie ahead, it remains to be seen where Jordan will fill in on the 53-man roster, if at all, once he’s out of practice squad elevations. Houston will have two more game elevations at their disposal to use on Jordan before needing to elevate him to the 53-man roster, and if his showing against the Cardinals proves anything, he’s more than worthy of claiming that opportunity. The Texans’ running back room is currently held down by the duo of Marks and Chubb, followed up by Dare Ogunbowale and British Brooks on the depth chart. There’s a chance Houston could add a fifth back to their active roster in order to retain Jordan, or they could even look to make a cut to someone like Brooks in the room already to make space. Again, for Ryans and the Texans, it’s a bridge that’ll be crossed in due time, but it’s certainly an interesting situation to keep an eye on while he’s not signed onto Houston’s official roster. |
| AFC EAST |
| MIAMIJoe Schad with some Dolphins negativity: Joe Schad@schadjoe·Dolphins fall to 0-14 streak when under 40 degrees0-6 for Tua as starter when 40 degrees or colder4-13 in primetime under Mike McDaniel25th straight season without playoff win At 34-31, the Dolphins are 16th in wins under McDaniel – same as the Buccaneers (4 division titles) and one more than the Texans (two, maybe three, division titles) McDaniel is signaling a QB change – but to who? Kevin Patra of NFL.com: Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is contemplating a quarterback change. Following Monday night’s dismal blowout loss in Pittsburgh that eliminated them from playoff contention, McDaniel said he’s considering benching Tua Tagovailoa. “The quarterback play last night was not good enough. So for me, everything is on the table,” the coach told reporters on Tuesday, via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. McDaniel noted that he has yet to determine whether he will indeed bench Tagovailoa, saying he expects a final decision on Wednesday. If history is any indicator, once a coach starts waffling on whether he’s making a QB change, one generally follows. “I think the biggest thing is that my job … is to do the best thing for the football team,” McDaniel said. “A lot of times, that’s doing the hard thing, but regardless, it’s always with that same best interest in mind, which is what gives us the best chance to win the game whoever the next opponent is.” Tagovailoa leads the NFL with 15 interceptions. He was previously yanked from the Dolphins’ Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns during a three-interception performance, but remained the starter. On Monday night, Tagovailoa’s stat line read: 22 of 28 passing for 253 yards with two touchdowns and an INT. Those numbers are far from the real story. The QB struggled for three quarters, padding his stats with three garbage-time drives when the outcome was already decided. Through the first three quarters, Tagovailoa completed 6 of 10 passes for 65 yards with an interception and took two third-down sacks. Over that span, Miami earned five first downs and 93 total yards. In the third quarter, Miami’s offense generated -20 yards on two drives. Tua looked lost for long stretches, struggling with pressure, missing receivers and playing ineffectively until the Steelers defense backed off with a big lead. On his interception, he didn’t read the corner — with no receiver holding him in the flat — dropping back to take the lane away. It wasn’t a one-game issue for the sixth-year quarterback. During the Dolphins’ four-game win streak, his struggles were hidden by a dominant rushing attack. He had thrown for fewer than 175 yards in each game with three TDs and three INTs. With the ground game slowed, Tagovailoa’s issues had a glaring spotlight. The Dolphins handed Tagovailoa a four-year, $212.4 million contract in the summer of 2024, putting him under contract through 2028. Now, he could be benched. Tua is due $54 million guaranteed in 2026. Should McDaniel go through with the benching, the options are Zach Wilson, who served as the backup on Monday night, and seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers. Wilson, the former New York Jets first-round pick, has appeared in three games this season, going 6 of 9 passing for 32 yards. Ewers has made one appearance, going 5-of-8 passing for 53 yards. |
| NEW YORK JETSWR ALLEN LAZARD is off the Jets listing ship. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: Wide receiver Allen Lazard is officially a former member of the Jets. PFT reported on Tuesday that Lazard asked for his release and the Jets announced the move a couple of hours later. Lazard will be subject to waivers and will become a free agent if he is unclaimed. The Jets signed Lazard to a four-year, $44 million contract before the 2023 season and hoped that he’d join former Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers in providing a spark to their offense. That did not work out as the team hoped. Rodgers tore his Achilles a few plays into the season and moved on after a losing season in 2024 while Lazard had 70 catches for 911 yards and eight touchdowns in 36 games for the team. It remains to be seen if the Steelers will have interest in another reunion with Rodgers or if Lazard’s next stop will see him catching passes from another quarterback. The Jets also announced that they have signed linebacker Ochaun Mathis to the practice squad and released quarterback Adrian Martinez from that roster. Martinez backed up Brady Cook in Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars and his departure could signal that Tyrod Taylor and/or Justin Fields will be healthy enough to suit up this week. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY PIPELINEA note from Sam Block: Sam Block@theblockspot NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:2016 – J Bosa (Ohio State)2017 – Marshon Lattimore (Ohio State)2019 – N Bosa (Ohio State)2020 – Chase Young (Ohio State)2022 – Garrett Wilson (Ohio State)2023 – CJ Stroud (Ohio State)2025 – Henderson or Egbuka (Ohio State) This is absolutely insane. |
