W-L                Conf            16           17           18

San Francisco*  West     11-3                 9-1           BAL         was        LAR

Dallas                East      10-4                 7-3            mia          DET      was

Detroit               North     10-4                 6-3           min           dal         MIN

Tampa Bay       South       7-7                6-4            JAX          NO        car

Philadelphia      WC1      10-4                6-3            NYG         ARZ      nyg

Minnesota         WC2        7-7                6-3             DET           GB       det

LA Rams           WC3        7-7                5-4             NO           nyg        sf

Seattle                              7-7                6-5              ten            PIT       arz

New Orleans                    7-7                 4-5             lar             tb         ATL

Atlanta                              6-8                4-6             IND           chi         no

Green Bay                        6-8                4-5             car            min        CHI

Things to remember – the Rams have a sweep of the Seahawks and only have to win as many games as Seattle the rest of the way to finish ahead of them.

The Packers lost the first game to the Vikings, but if they win out to get to 9-8 (with the Vikings re-match the toughest of the three), the Vikings would have to sweep the Lions to win the division.

Seattle should be slight favorite in each of its three remaining games, but winning all three will be tough.

It’s hard to see the loser of TB-NO winning the division.

GREEN BAY

Mike LaFleur is not going to fire beleaguered DC Joe Barry at this time.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur isn’t planning to make a change at the top of the team’s defensive coaching staff.

The Buccaneers put up 452 yards in Sunday’s 34-20 win over the Packers and that touched off another round of grumbling from the team’s fans about defensive coordinator Joe Barry. On Monday, LaFleur said he thinks there were some play calls that Barry would like to have back, but answered affirmatively when he was asked if Barry would remain with the team through the end of the season and explained why he would not make a change.

“If I thought that was the best solution today, then we’d make that decision,” LaFleur said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “But when you’re having basic communication problems and you’re supposed to be in a certain coverage or a certain rotation and we’re not getting that communication, that’s what’s so disappointing to me is the fact that it was poor communication. And it always starts with us. It starts with myself, and it goes to all our assistant coaches. So obviously the coaching wasn’t up to the standard and our performance on the field definitely showed that as well.”

The Packers got shredded by Baker Mayfield Sunday and they gave up 209 rushing yards in a Week 14 loss to the Giants, so there’s issues to fix across the defense and not much time to get it done if the Packers want to find their way into the postseason

DALLAS

Michael Gehlken on how razor close the NFC East finish could be:

@GehlkenNFL

If the Eagles win out (vs. Giants, vs. Cardinals, at Giants) and the Cowboys win out (at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Commanders), both teams finish 13-4. They remain deadlocked after first four tiebreakers: head-to-head record, division record, common-game record and conference record.

Eagles would then likely own tiebreaker for strength of victory, although it’s not mathematically impossible today for the Cowboys to overtake them.

Realistically, Dallas must overcome a tougher rest-of-season schedule to make up a game in the final three weeks in order to win the NFC East

At the moment, Dallas has 10 wins over teams with 53 wins.  Philadelphia is 16 games ahead at 69 combined wins for their 10 defeated foes.

But If Dallas wins out they pick up 24 current wins.  The Eagles would pick up just 13.

So, at 13-4, the Eagles are currently 5 wins ahead in strength of victory.  The Cowboys need wins from teams like the Rams, Jets, Seahawks and Panthers – teams they beat and the Eagles did not.

NEW YORK GIANTS

QB TOMMY DeVITO doesn’t need $10,000 since his living expenses are so low. ESPN.com:

Tommy DeVito and his agent apparently have run afoul of a New Jersey pizzeria, which says it canceled an event featuring the New York Giants quarterback because he doubled his appearance fee.

Coniglio’s Old Fashioned pizzeria announced on social media that it would no longer be hosting DeVito on Tuesday after the restaurant “received word from his agent that his appearance fee would be doubling” from $10,000 to $20,000.

According to an Instagram post by Coniglio’s, agent Sean Stellato raised the appearance fee after DeVito led the Giants to a comeback victory over the Packers on “Monday Night Football.” The Morristown, New Jersey-based restaurant posted the cancellation Sunday after DeVito struggled in the Giants’ 24-6 loss to the Saints.

Stellato told sports reporter Darren Rovell that it is “a shame that the restaurant promoted that they would have Tommy when we didn’t have a signed contract. We didn’t raise the price because nothing was ever agreed to.”

But Nino Coniglio, the pizzeria’s owner, responded to Rovell: “We agreed in principle to terms — two hours, 250 autographs and $10,000, and then the agent couldn’t be reached. He reached back out after Monday’s game to tell us the price was now $20,000.”

Coniglio also sent a screenshot of a text message exchange with Stellato, posted to social media by Rovell, that purportedly confirms the original agreement to the $10,000 fee.

DeVito and Stellato have basked in newfound fame amid the undrafted rookie’s success as the Giants’ unlikely starting quarterback. DeVito, who began the season on the practice squad, helped revive the Giants’ faint playoff hopes by leading them to a three-game winning streak punctuated by his game-winning drive on Dec. 11 against the Packers.

DeVito has become an overnight sensation as Giants teammates and fans have embraced the celebration of his Italian heritage, highlighted by his now-signature hand gesture with pinched fingers in the air. The Saints had some fun with DeVito, however, by mocking the hand gesture after sacking him during Sunday’s lopsided loss.

Coniglio’s added to DeVito’s rough day hours later.

“Sorry about that loss today #nygiants fans- but we’re Italian too & don’t like when someone says one thing & does another,” the pizzeria said.

Despite his struggles in New Orleans, DeVito will remain the starting quarterback when the Giants (5-9) visit the rival Eagles (10-4) on Christmas Day.

PHILADELPHIA

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com second-guesses the Eagles strategy at the end of Monday’s loss:

Seahawks safety Julian Love made an incredible play to intercept the pass that cemented Seattle’s Monday night win over the Eagles. Love never should have gotten the chance.

Before the play that sealed the deal, the Eagles had a first and 10 on their own 45. Thirteen seconds remained. They were 15 yards away from a potential game-tying field goal of 58 yards. With two timeouts, the entire field was available. They could have run two plays before kicking the field goal.

So why did they throw deep? Who called the play? Did the play as designed call for quarterback Jalen Hurts to heave it deep? Did Hurts make the decision on his own?

Whoever made the decision, it was not a good one. Even if Love hadn’t made his way over from centerfield to make the catch and receiver A.J. Brown had snagged it, the Eagles would have had the ball at or around the Seattle 20, with six seconds left. They might have had time for one shot at the end zone, but it would have been risky.

The better approach would have been to throw a couple of short passes and let kicker Jake Elliott try to force overtime.

It wasn’t foolproof, but it would have been a better decision than the frankly foolish move to throw a deep ball 20 yards short of the end zone. Thus, at a time when much attention is being paid to the Eagles’ defense, it might make sense to ask some tough questions about the decisions made late in the game on offense.

ATLANTA

Arthur Smith turns to QB TAYLOR HEINICKE to save the season (and perhaps Smith’s job).  Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com:

The Atlanta Falcons are once again making a quarterback switch.

Taylor Heinicke is listed to start Sunday against Indianapolis, the team announced Tuesday, replacing Desmond Ridder for the second time this season.

Going back and forth is not something Falcons coach Arthur Smith wanted to do, saying multiple times that he didn’t want to go on a quarterback carousel. But he talked about the possibility Monday when he discussed potentially making a switch at the position again.

“That’s usually not a great situation to have,” Smith said. “You want to be fair and objective and obviously give people an opportunity. It was a belief in him, no matter what happens. It doesn’t mean anybody’s career is over, but we have to do what’s best for this team right now.”

Ridder again made an error at a critical time, throwing an interception in the red zone on Atlanta’s final drive that eventually led to Carolina’s game-winning score. It was Ridder’s sixth red zone turnover of the season, the most in the NFL.

Ridder completed 63.3% of his passes this season for 2,528 yards, 10 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 11 fumbles. He also ran the ball 51 times for 193 yards and five touchdowns.

Smith had gone with Ridder to start the season before replacing him after seven turnovers over three games in October. Heinicke started losses against Minnesota and Arizona, and this season has completed 55.4% of his passes for 498 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

Heinicke is 12-14-1 as a starter. For his career, he has completed 63.2% of his passes for 6,243 yards, 37 touchdowns and 25 interceptions with Washington, Atlanta, Carolina and Houston.

The Falcons are making the change two days after Smith said they would once again be evaluating everything following Atlanta’s 9-7 loss to Carolina, as the franchise scored one touchdown against the worst team in the NFL.

It was the second straight loss for Atlanta, taking the Falcons from first place in the NFC South and in control of their playoff fate to 6-8 and needing to win games plus get help to make the playoffs, starting Sunday against the Colts.

So, if Heinicke beats the Colts and Bears and New Orleans beats Tampa Bay in Week 17, the 8-8 Falcons would likely be playing the Saints in Week 18 for the division title (in all likelihood, Atlanta won the first game so even if New Orleans was 9-7 a sweep would win the crown).

CAROLINA

Contending teams, if you have a problem with your pass rush, do you want Houston?  DE JUSTIN HOUSTON that is.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Veteran pass rusher Justin Houston is available to join a new team for the final weeks of the 2023 season.

The Panthers announced that they waived Houston on Tuesday. The team’s announcement says that the move came at Houston’s request.

Houston has been out since early November because of a hamstring injury, but a team looking for some help off the edge could claim him with the hope that he’ll be able to help them get to the quarterback.

Houston had nine tackles, a half-sack, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits while starting the first seven games of the year in Carolina. He is 26th in league history with 112 career sacks.

TAMPA BAY

It seems pretty clear that LB DEVIN WHITE shut himself down in a pout after he learned he wasn’t going to start against Green Bay.  But truth in gambling advocates like Mike Florio are offended he was a nearly healthy scratch on Sunday.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Things are currently going well for the Buccaneers. They aren’t going as well for Buccaneers linebacker Devin White.

White was officially questionable for Sunday’s game at Green Bay. He did not play. After Friday’s designation was applied, he had not been downgraded to out.

With the explanation he provided on Monday, coach Todd Bowles might have walked right into an injury-reporting issue.

“Devin told me Friday he couldn’t play, or Saturday or Friday he couldn’t play,” Bowles said Monday, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “So K.J. [Britt] started.”

Amid reports that White’s absence wasn’t related to injury but to the fact that he wasn’t going to be starting, Bowles was pressed on the decision not to downgrade White to out.

“It didn’t have to be communicated because there was nothing to communicate,” Bowles said. “He practiced on Friday. He practiced on Thursday. And he said he couldn’t go Saturday morning. That’s the end of it.”

That’s actually just the beginning of it. Once the team knows a player won’t play due to injury, it has an obligation to promptly inform the league and the other team about the development.

It’s just the latest example of teams playing fast and loose with the injury-reporting rules. Until the league does something about it, it will continue. Eventually, teams will get more brazen about it.

In this case, it’s possible that the Bucs are using the injury excuse as cover for White tapping out. The problem is that the failure to downgrade White could get them in hot water with the league.

The problem is that the Buccaneers didn’t want to give White the cover of an official “out” designation.

SAN FRANCISCO

QB BROCK PURDY is now favored to be the first Mr. Irrelevant to be voted NFL MVP.

Dak Prescott held a slight edge over Brock Purdy as the favorite to win the NFL MVP award heading into Week 15. Leaving Week 15, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback has jumped the Dallas Cowboys passer and everyone else by leaps and bounds.

Purdy walks into Week 16 with a commanding lead for the MVP award at -225 as of Tuesday morning, via BetMGM. The rough showing by Prescott and the Cowboys in a Week 15 loss at the Buffalo Bills has dropped Prescott to third on the leaderboard at +700.

And don’t look now, but the Bills’ Josh Allen has crept into the top four at +1000. His team is ninth in the AFC playoff race, meaning Buffalo would miss the postseason if it started today.

Niners running back Christian McCaffrey rounds out the top five at +1600.

Here’s a look at the odds from all of the NFL individual awards (odds are live and will shift accordingly):

AP MVP Winner

Brock Purdy                        -225

Lamar Jackson                   +500

Dak Prescott                       +700

Josh Allen                           +1000

Christian McCaffrey            +1600

Does McCaffrey have a chance?

Purdy did his best to help the McCaffrey MVP campaign by claiming the 49ers running back is the deserving award winner following McCaffrey’s stellar performance in Week 15. Could that be enough to sway voters? Probably not. Here’s how good Purdy has been.

Since 2000, Purdy possesses the fourth-highest single-season passer rating through 15 weeks of any quarterback (790 quarterback seasons) with a 119.0 rate. The top three above Purdy all won the NFL MVP award in those seasons:

123.9 — Peyton Manning, 2004

120.1 — Aaron Rodgers, 2011

119.7 — Tom Brady, 2007

SEATTLE

Matt Calkins in the Seattle Times on the adrenaline jolt from QB DREW LOCK:

The replays may show the ball flying 29 yards into the hands of Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But anyone who was watching knows that ball sailed right off into history.

It doesn’t matter if Drew Lock ever throws a pass as the Seahawks quarterback again. Monday night, he forever etched his name into this organization’s lore.

Seriously, what odds were you giving Lock — starting for just the second time since 2021 — when he took over on Seattle’s 8 with 1:52 to go? What percentage — and it may start with a decimal point — did you give the backup to pull it out with his team down four against the reigning NFC champs?

The first 58 minutes of that prime-time contest was a monument to mediocrity — at least as it pertained to the home team’s QB. Then came the final drive of the Seahawks’ 20-17 win over the Eagles, when Drew locked up his Emerald City legacy.

“Nobody will forget that game,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. “What an event.”

Let’s start with the stakes: If Seattle (7-7) loses Monday night, it probably says sayonara to its season. The Hawks still would have had a mathematical shot at the playoffs if they swept their final three opponents on their schedule, but they would have needed an army’s worth of assistance.

Oh, and they were near five-point underdogs vs. Philly for a reason. Seattle’s four-game losing streak entering Monday was its longest since Carroll took over as head coach before the 2010 season, and with starting quarterback Geno Smith out for the second consecutive game, the outlook was bleak.

Especially after the first drive.

The Eagles (10-4) looked the part of the team that bullied their way to the Super Bowl last January, when they won their first two playoff games by a combined 55 points. They used 15 plays on their first possession to march 75 yards into the end zone — bulldozing through a Seattle squad that entered the game 28th in total defense. Then they went up 10-0, and though the Seahawks rallied to tie it at 10-10 in the third quarter, it wasn’t due to the prodigious play of their second-string signal caller.

Before that last possession, Lock’s day was mostly defined by a string of short completions, a drive-killing intentional grounding and an overthrown deep ball intended for an open Tyler Lockett.

The night had this sort of “yeah, the Seahawks lost again — but what did you expect with Geno out?” feel. Then, Lock went legend.

Down 17-13 with 1:47 left, Lock connected with DK Metcalf for an 18-yard pass on second down to move it to the Seahawks’ 26. Back-to-back completions — one for 5 yards to Noah Fant and another for 6 yards to Metcalf followed, providing another Seattle first down. Two plays later, on third-and-10, Drew found Metcalf for a third time that drive — this time for 34 yards to the Eagles’ 29.

This is when the belief meter at Lumen Field was officially activated. This is when the country collectively moved a good 18 inches forward on its couch cushion.

Was this going to happen?

Three plays later — again on a third-and-10 — we got the answer. Lock placed a kissed-by-the-gods pass to Smith-Njigba in the right corner of the north end zone to give the Seahawks a 20-17 lead with 28 seconds to go.

It was Drew’s signature moment in the NFL — and he let the world know how he felt. First with a not-safe-for-work message delivered straight to the camera, and then — after Julian Love’s interception sealed the game for Seattle — to ESPN’s Lisa Salters.

“Amazing won’t do it justice. Amazing won’t do it justice,” said Lock, who praised as many teammates as he could during that postgame interview. “It takes a special group to rally around a guy that has come into his second game of the year. … You wonder, ‘Can I do this still?’ I haven’t been out there on the field, that’s the human nature of it. You get back out there last week and I’m like, ‘You know what, I’m the man still, I can go do this.’

How about that last play call?

“I’ll remember that last play call for the rest of my life,” said Lock, who finished 22 of 33 for 208 yards. “I said, ‘Hey Jax, if you’re one-on-one, I’m throwing you this pill.’ “

It’s not just Lock that is going to remember that for the rest of his life. Regardless of how the Seahawks season ends up, that one’s going down as a Seattle all-timer.

Drew Lock may not be at the top of the Seahawks’ depth chart. But that moment? That won’t soon be topped.

Michael Shawn-Dugar of The Athletic with some good stuff on the bond between Lock and QB GENO SMITH – and how close Smith came to starting:

“All week it’s knowing Geno is close,” Lock said. “Prepare like you’re the starter, prepare like you’re going to play. He’s going to do his workout, and we’re going to tell you after that. That was just the mindset going into it.

“I mean, that’s my job. It’s what I signed up for, knowing and not knowing when I’m going to have to step out there on the field.”

Smith’s workout, which the Seahawks posted a clip of on X (formerly Twitter), revealed that he could play if needed, but it would be risky. Smith was medically cleared to suit up. He wasn’t 100 percent, but it would be enough to function.

“But he still hadn’t had the opportunity to go full speed, run and really show it,” Carroll said Tuesday morning on Seattle Sports radio. “All of the trainers and the docs wanted him to get another week if he could get it.”

It was on Carroll to make the final call. Practice squad quarterback Sean Mannion was elevated four hours before kickoff as insurance, which wasn’t needed because of how well Smith moved in the workout, but it was good to have just in case. Carroll had told Lock during the week, “You’re starting until you’re not.” When the pregame workout went better than expected, Carroll activated Smith even though he was still undecided on a starter.

“(Smith) was well enough that he could dress and, if we needed him, he could play,” Carroll said. “Maybe if we did need him and we went bang-bang and the guys got hurt, at least we would have him available.”

General manager John Schneider conducted his weekly pregame radio interview an hour before kickoff and said the team still hadn’t made a decision. Inside Seattle’s locker room, not long before kickoff, Carroll at one point leaned toward rolling with Smith.

“We could do it and see what could happen,” he thought before being advised otherwise. “Everybody, they’re looking at me like, ‘It’s not the right thing. Give him another week and he’ll be at his best.’”

It wasn’t until a “little bit before kickoff” that Lock officially learned he’d start. That was the best possible news for Lock, who had yet to play in a regular season game at Lumen Field. Here he was about to start on “Monday Night Football” with the world watching.

For Smith, the news of a second straight game on the sideline was devastating. Carroll described his pregame conversation with Smith as “gut-wrenching.”

“We were hugging it up. He felt sick about it,” Carroll said. “He didn’t understand. He wanted to play. I want you to understand Geno — he’s a frickin’ warrior. He would have gone in a heartbeat. ‘I made it through that workout. I can do it. I can do it.’ He’s selling his soul to me. But, we had to tell him (some) hard news.”

Lock had the support of all of his teammates, but it was notable that Smith had his back Monday night. Lock lost a QB competition to Smith in the 2022 preseason. However, during the regular season, he committed to doing all he could behind the scenes and on game day to support Smith.

On Monday, Smith returned the favor. He stood bundled up on the sideline wearing a headset instead of a helmet, cheering Lock on all night. Smith gave Lock words of encouragement ahead of the game-winning drive, then did Lock’s signature celebration after the final touchdown.

“It was just a full-circle moment, I think, for the both of us,” said Lock, who dedicated a chunk of his postgame interview to showing Smith some love. “I’m supposed to be there for him. I’m supposed to be helping him out. Unfortunate situation for him. For him to reverse those roles, be my biggest supporter out there, it’s really cool. Really cool stuff.”

Lock completed 22 of 33 passes for 208 yards and a go-ahead touchdown to rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds to play. He had zero turnovers, and his EPA per dropback of 0.08 would fall in the top 10 if maintained throughout the course of a season, according to TruMedia. Lock didn’t air it out against the Eagles the way he did against the 49ers, but he delivered in the clutch when called on.

At a moment’s notice, Lock played his best and most efficient game as a Seahawk when they desperately needed a win to save their season, displaying to the world what he had been showing his teammates behind the scenes.

“Drew has that moxie, that confidence to go make those plays,” safety Quandre Diggs said. “He’s had days where he’s carved us up on defense, (and) we kind of question our game plan. But that’s just what he does. He’s played a lot of football in this league. It was fun to see him do that.”

Now, coming off of his biggest moment as a pro, Lock will return to practice on Wednesday knowing he’s likely heading back to the bench. Carroll said Tuesday he expects Smith to practice fully and face the Titans on Sunday.

“Drew will be ready to go,” Carroll said. “They’ll both be cranked up about it. You’ll see Drew, he’ll flip it and support the hell out of Geno, getting him ready. It’ll be cool to see that.”

Just another week in the life of an NFL backup.

BALTIMORE

It looked bad, it was bad.  RB KEATON MITCHELL is done for the season and headed to surgery. ESPN.com:

Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell suffered a full tear of the ACL in his left knee on Sunday night, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Monday.

There is optimism that Mitchell will make a full recovery, the source told Fowler.

At his Monday media session, Ravens coach John Harbaugh confirmed there was ligament tear with Mitchell but wouldn’t confirm the specific nature of the injury.

“It’s a long-term knee thing,” Harbaugh said. “There wasn’t cartilage-type damage and things like that, so that helps quite a bit. It’d be a little cleaner and he’ll go to work. I’m sure he’ll be here every single day with the team and doing his part to get back.”

Mitchell, an undrafted rookie, sustained the injury in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ 23-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars when he was tripped up by safety Andrew Wingard, causing his left leg to bend awkwardly after he landed on it.

This is the third significant player the Baltimore offense has lost. Starting running back J.K. Dobbins sustained a season-ending Achilles injury in the season opener, and tight end Mark Andrews will miss at least the rest of the regular season after injuring his ankle in Week 11.

Now, the Ravens will be without Mitchell, who started Sunday and totaled 73 yards on nine carries (8.1-yard average) before the injury. Mitchell has 396 yards on 47 carries this season (8.4-yard average) and two rushing touchdowns.

With Mitchell out, the NFL’s No. 1 rushing attack will rely on Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. Baltimore will promote two-time Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon from the practice squad to fill Mitchell’s spot on the 53-man roster, according to Harbaugh.

“He’s been working super hard,” Harbaugh said Sunday night of Gordon. “He’s in great shape, and he’ll be ready to go.”

CLEVELAND

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com makes the case that Kevin Stefanski is the greatest Browns coach of this entire century (and a significant part of the last):

The Browns won their ninth game of the season on Sunday, clinching a winning record this year. And that means Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has accomplished something no coach did in Cleveland in the last three decades.

Stefanski now has two winning seasons as head coach of the Browns, this year and 2020, when Cleveland went 11-5. The last time the Browns had a head coach who had more than one winning season during his tenure in Cleveland it was Marty Schottenheimer, who had three straight winning seasons from 1986 through 1988. He was fired after the 1988 season.

That version of the Browns franchise became the Baltimore Ravens, but the Browns name has remained, and coach after coach failed to build a consistent winner in Cleveland. Between Schottenheimer and Stefanski, the following people served as head coach (or interim head coach) of the Browns: Bud Carson, Jim Shofner, Bill Belichick, Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Terri Robiskie, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski, Mike Pettine, Hue Jackson, Gregg Williams and Freddie Kitchens. Only Carson, Belichick and Crennel even had one winning season; no coach had two winning seasons.

Now Stefanski has had two winning seasons, accomplishing the second one in a year when he’s had four different starting quarterbacks. He deserves a lot of credit for taking the worst franchise in the NFL and bringing them back to respectability.

PITTSBURGH

NFL Justice declares that Steelers S DAMONTAE KAZEE has forfeited his right to play the rest of the season as Colts WR MICHAEL PITTMAN, Jr. head to the concussion protocol.  And Tom Brady opines that it’s all QB GARDNER MINSHEW’s fault.  Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com:

After an ejection for a hard hit on Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on Saturday, Steelers safety Damontae Kazee has been suspended for the final three games of the regular season without pay for repeated violation of rules meant to protect the health and safety of players, the NFL announced Monday.

The suspension also includes any potential playoff games.

NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension for a violation of the rule that states it’s a foul if a player “forcibly hits the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, face mask, forearm or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him.”

In a letter to Kazee, Runyan said the Steelers safety had an “unobstructed path” to Pittman and that “illegal contact could have been avoided.”

“With 8:49 remaining in the 2nd quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers a serious violation of the playing rules,” Runyan wrote. “The video of the play shows that you delivered a forcible blow to the head/neck area of Colts’ receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was in a defenseless posture. You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided. Your actions were flagrant, and as a result, you were disqualified from the game.”

Coach Mike Tomlin said after the game the ejection came from “New York,” and on Monday he said Kazee isn’t “a dirty player.”

“Usually I talk about lowering the target,” Tomlin said when asked about coaching points he gives his safeties. “The target was low and both guys were going. It was just unfortunate. I know he is not a dirty player. He doesn’t aspire to do some of the things that came to light under those circumstances.

“Sometimes it’s just professional football today, and how difficult it is to operate, but the National Football League is really clear, man. They put a hundred percent of the onus on the defender in those circumstances. It’s unfortunate, but we understand it.”

Kazee has been previously fined five times for various unnecessary roughness violations for a total of $59,030 this season.

Runyan’s letter also notes Kazee’s status as a repeat offender as a contributing factor to the suspension, which will cost him roughly $208,000 in salary.

“When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, and particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player, it is appropriate to impose substantially greater penalties,” Runyan wrote.

Retired quarterback Tom Brady, who has been outspoken about his displeasure with the NFL’s rule changes made in the name of player safety, reacted to Kazee’s suspension in a comment under a SportsCenter post on Instagram.

“Nobody likes seeing players hurt. But hard hits happen. QBs should not be throwing the ball in areas where they are exposing their own teammates to these types of hits,” he wrote. “Coaches need to coach better, QBs need to read coverages and throw the ball to the right places and defenders should aim for the right hitting areas. To put the blame on the defense player all the time is just flat out wrong. Need better QB play!! It’s not OK QBs to get your WRs hit because of your bad decisions!”

Colts assistant secondary coach and former Steelers defensive back Mike Mitchell tweeted Monday, “I don’t know what to tell my safeties anymore.

“I guess just let them catch it. If I were a WR I would dive for every catch. That would ensure no contact and a completed pass. Playing deep safety in today’s nfl where rules are made mostly by people who’ve never played is tough.”

Under the collective bargaining agreement, Kazee is allowed to appeal the suspension. If he does, either Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, the hearing officers jointly appointed by the NFL and the players’ association, would hear the appeal.

Pittman entered the concussion protocol after the hit and did not return to the game.

The Steelers lost safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to a knee injury the next play, and he has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are moving on from QB MITCHELL TRUBISKY with Rudolph hopefully not looking like a deer in the headlights this Christmas Saturday.  More Pryor:

The Steelers, losers of three straight games, are turning to quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Though coach Mike Tomlin stopped short of definitively naming Rudolph the starter for Saturday’s pivotal division game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he said Rudolph “is the guy with the ball.”

“It’s our intention as we sit here today to give Mason Rudolph an opportunity to start,” Tomlin said in his weekly news conference. “He’s a veteran guy. He’s a backup but he’s also a veteran guy. He’s been in our program a long time. He’s here for those reasons. We got a great deal of comfort with him.”

Tomlin also added he’s not ruling out quarterback Kenny Pickett, who had “TightRope” surgery for a high ankle sprain on Dec. 4, for Saturday’s game.

“He had a really good rehab today,” Tomlin said of Pickett. “His availability is not out of question this week, but at the front part of the week our attention and emphasis will be on Mason Rudolph, and we’ll leave the door ajar and see how Kenny responds to the work that he did today and the limited work that we’re probably going to give him tomorrow.”

Just a week earlier, Tomlin deflected the idea of Rudolph getting an opportunity to start, saying the environment wasn’t appropriate to “open up competition” for the starting quarterback job because Rudolph “hadn’t had a lot of exposure in terms of in-helmet prep.”

But Tomlin changed his tune Monday after Mitch Trubisky threw two interceptions and the offense put up a season-low 216 yards in the 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Trubisky, who was signed to an extension in the offseason, was benched for Rudolph after throwing his second interception with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Rudolph played six snaps of garbage time, completing 2 of 3 attempts for 3 yards.

“Not dumping the outcome of the game at Mitch’s feet,” Tomlin said. “I’m not saying that, but I am saying the guy [at] that position is at the controls and does have a big say in how some things unfold. It’s more about really Mason Rudolph being deserving of an opportunity and us trying to change the trajectory of what’s been transpiring.”

What’s been transpiring is the Steelers’ playoff chances evaporating with three consecutive losses. In those losses, the Steelers are averaging 13.7 points per game. Since firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada following the 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11, the Steelers have scored more than 16 points just once — 18 in the loss to the New England Patriots in Week 14.

In two games with Trubisky starting in place of Pickett, the Steelers are averaging 240 yards of offense, a decline from their season average of 287.1, which ranks 27th in the NFL. Trubisky has thrown three interceptions to two touchdowns in his starts this season and has a QBR of 33.4, second worst of his career behind 33.3 in his rookie season with the Chicago Bears. By comparison, Pickett’s QBR is 38.2, ranking 25th among 29 qualified quarterbacks.

“Why are we making the change, man? We don’t like what we’re looking at and the consistency of it,” Tomlin said in explaining the decision. “What I mean is we’re not scoring enough points. Particularly as you move into December football, man, you got to score more than 12, 14, 16 points in games this time of year. You better assume that others are doing the same.

“The engineering of victory is not going to be fluid if you’re not doing those things, and obviously by nature of the position, the guy that has the ball, quarterback position, that’s a catalyst for change and opportunity. And so, we want to give [Rudolph] some snaps from a preparation standpoint, some in-helmet perspective.

Rudolph, who didn’t see any game action in 2022, got his last start in a tie against the Detroit Lions in Week 10 of the 2021 season when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was placed on the COVID-19 list the night before the game.

Rudolph completed 30 of 50 attempts for 242 yards and had one touchdown and one interception. He also attempted eight passes in garbage time to conclude the 36-10 Week 16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that season.

Rudolph got the bulk of his experience in 2019 following Roethlisberger’s season-ending elbow injury. Splitting time with fellow backup Devlin “Duck” Hodges, Rudolph started eight games that season and completed 62.2% of his attempts for 1,765 yards, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

“Rudolph, he’s been a part of our program,” Tomlin said. “He knows us, we know him. He’s tough-minded. He’s got a lot of confidence in himself. He’s a competitor. Those are some of the things that are really attractive about giving him an opportunity this week.”

HOUSTON

DT TEAIR TART who wore out his welcome with the Titans has been claimed by Houston.  ESPN.com:

Defensive tackle Teair Tart, who was waived by the Tennessee Titans on Friday, is staying in the AFC South.

The Houston Texans claimed Tart off waivers on Monday.

The Titans moved on from their starting defensive tackle because of issues with his effort and attitude, a team source confirmed to ESPN’s Turron Davenport on Friday.

The issues hit a breaking point after the Titans’ 28-27 win over the Miami Dolphins last Monday when, team sources told Davenport, there were problems with the effort Tart played with in the game. Limited playing time had frustrated Tart, who was hoping to secure a long-term deal in free agency this offseason.

Tart played 30 of Tennessee’s 69 defensive snaps against Miami. For the season, Tart had played 332 snaps (47%), with 21 tackles and one sack in 11 games.

BUFFALO

If the Bills run the table (which would include a Week 18 win in Miami), Buffalo wins the AFC East unless Miami sweeps Dallas and Baltimore.  And the smart money has noticed.  Nick Bromberg of YahooSports.com:

The Buffalo Bills are quickly becoming one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl despite sitting outside the playoffs with three weeks to go in the regular season.

The Bills’ dominating 31-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15 dropped Buffalo’s odds to win the title from +1800 to +1200. The Bills have gone from +3000 to +1200 over the last two weeks after they beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14.

Buffalo currently sits in ninth in the AFC at 8-6. The Bills are tied with the Bengals, Colts and Texans at 8-6 but rank fourth among those four teams due to tiebreakers.

The Bills could — and should — be at 10-6 by the time they meet the Miami Dolphins in Week 18. The Bills play the 5-9 Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16 and the 3-11 New England Patriots in Week 17. Those two potential easy matchups are a big reason why people believe the Bills will get into the playoffs.

Heck, Buffalo could even be in contention for a division title ahead of that game against the Dolphins. Miami plays the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and then visits the 11-3 Baltimore Ravens on New Year’s Eve.

NEW ENGLAND

G COLE STRANGE will end the season on IR.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Patriots placed offensive lineman Cole Strange on injured reserve Monday, the team announced.

Strange, a first-round pick in 2022, injured his left knee in the second quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs and was carted off the field.

He started 10 games at left guard for the Patriots in 2023.

Fifth-round rookie Atonio Mafi replaced Strange.

Strange had a knee injury in training camp that lingered into the regular season. He was inactive for four of the first six games but had started the past eight games.

NEW YORK JETS

QB ZACH WILSON was concussed by the Dolphins.  Zach Rosenblatt of The Athletic:

The New York Jets will start Trevor Siemian at quarterback this Sunday against the Washington Commanders if Zach Wilson does not clear concussion protocol, coach Robert Saleh announced Monday. Saleh added Wilson will be the Jets’ starter whenever he does clear protocol.

The announcement comes a day after New York was eliminated from playoff contention after Sunday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins. Wilson started that game but was replaced in the second quarter by Siemian after entering concussion protocol.

Siemian took over under center with the Dolphins leading 24-0 and finished 14-of-26 passing for 110 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Wilson was 4-of-11 passing for 26 yards and no touchdowns before exiting. The Jets allowed five sacks in the first half (six total). Wilson entered Sunday’s game as the reigning AFC Player of the Week following what Saleh had called his best game — a 30-6 win over the Houston Texans.

He’s 4-7 as a starter this year with eight touchdowns, seven interceptions and 2,271 passing yards.

Saleh’s announcement also follows multiple reports that Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers may be cleared to play this week. New York opened the 21-day practice window for the four-time MVP at the end of November. Rodgers was placed on the injured reserve after tearing his Achilles four plays in to the Jets’ season opener.

Rodgers had previously said on “The Pat McAfee Show” he would consider New York’s AFC playoff position when gauging whether or not he’d return this season. The deadline for the Jets to activate him is this week.

More from Rodgers.  Josh Alper from ProFootballTalk.com:

During a Tuesday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers said that he would be pushing to play if he was 100 percent but that he has not reached that point in his recovery from a torn Achilles. Rodgers intimated that there would be a conversation about playing without reaching that point if the Jets were still alive, but they were officially eliminated from playoff contention last Sunday and Rodgers has shifted his attention toward the future.

Rodgers said he thinks that future will see him playing for the Jets beyond the 2024 season.

“I don’t think so,” Rodgers said when asked if next season will be his final one. “I felt like when I came here that I got a renewed passion and love for the game. Everything has been amazing here. . . . I wanted at least two years. I feel like this year is kind of a lost year now that I only played a couple of snaps. Wasn’t able to go out there and prove what I’m capable of, what we’re capable of as a team. I don’t think next year will be my last year.”

Rodgers said he thinks the Jets need to “reload a little bit,” but that they have talented players on both sides of the field and that he’s a believer in head coach Robert Saleh, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and General Manager Joe Douglas.

“The night is always darkest before the dawn and we’re gonna rise again and it’s going to be exciting,” Rodgers said.

That rise was the hope for the 2023 Jets and it looks like they’ll be trying to do it all over again in 2024.