| If The Season Ended Today in the AFC: AFC W-L Conf Last Week p’off %Kansas City West 11-1 6-1 1 100Buffalo East 10-2 7-2 2 100Pittsburgh North 9-3 6-2 3 99 (+6%)Houston South 8-5 6-2 4 97 (+3%)LA Chargers WC1 8-4 5-3 WC2 93 (+7%)Baltimore WC2 8-5 5-4 WC1 96 (+1%)Denver WC3 8-5 4-4 WC3 76 (+3%)Indianapolis 6-7 5-4 8 27 (+6%) We can’t remember a conference where the seven spots seemed so clear cut with five weeks to go. Each of the four division leaders has at least a two-game edge. Each of the three Wild Card candidates has at least a two-game edge over the first team on the outside looking in, the Colts. There can and will be shuffling among the Select Seven with Buffalo having the tiebreaker over the Chiefs. Can the Colts catch one of the three teams at 8-5? NextGen Stats says they have a 27% chance of doing so. The reason? They go on bye this week, the play at the Broncos on December 15 in their make it or break it game. But if they win in the rarified air of Denver, the final three are all very doable – Titans, at Giants, Jaguars with seven wins between them. Denver’s finish is harder as they too go to bye. After the Colts – at Chargers, at Bengals, Chiefs. |
| NFC NORTH |
| CHICAGOCourtney Cronin of ESPN.com on The Final Days of Matt Eberflus: While Chicago Bears players gathered their belongings inside the visitors locker room at Ford Field on Thanksgiving afternoon, team president and CEO Kevin Warren hung around longer than normal. Warren stood near quarterback Caleb Williams’ locker and spoke at length with Ted Crews, the Bears’ special adviser and chief administrative officer who spent a decade with Chicago general manager Ryan Poles in Kansas City. Warren talked with a handful of players one by one as they headed toward the buses after another embarrassing loss fueled by questionable coaching decisions, this time 23-20 to the Detroit Lions. “We need to be better,” Warren told the players, according to a team source. Warren assured them he was committed to seeing that through. The Bears had fought back from a 16-0 halftime deficit, but time ran out on their final drive, which reached the Detroit 41. After Williams was sacked with about 30 seconds remaining, coach Matt Eberflus failed to call his final timeout to set up a potential tying field goal. It was Chicago’s sixth straight loss. Speculation about Eberflus’ job security had been growing since a tipped Hail Mary in Washington a month earlier sparked the Bears’ losing skid. One of his biggest shortcomings was the team’s inability to finish games. Eberflus’ 5-19 record in one-score games is the worst in NFL history for a coach with at least 20 such games, and it featured several unusual endings. The conclusion of his Chicago tenure was no less strange. As players filed into the locker room after the loss, Eberflus began delivering a message that fell on deaf ears. The tone, according to one player, spoke to how players battled and came up short. As Eberflus spoke, an exasperated Jaylon Johnson interrupted his head coach and began shouting obscenities out of frustration from the same results playing out over and over. Eberflus cut his message short and walked out of the room. “There was frustration,” Johnson said Monday on WSCR radio in Chicago. “There was words from myself that I expressed just from my frustration from losing.” Johnson, a second-team All-Pro cornerback, has yet to experience a winning season since being drafted by the Bears in 2020. Johnson was stoic as he sat at his locker when the media entered the room, a complete departure from his mood minutes before. “Part of what I said after the game was I’ve been losing for five years,” Johnson said on WSCR. “I feel like a high-level player like myself, after a certain point, losing games how we’ve been losing games, somebody has to express something. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and it went the way it went.” One team source said that Eberflus’ message was “seconds” and that the vibe of the room was “contentious. It was different. Players were telling the truth.” One player’s categorization of what transpired: “s— show.” Bears nickel corner Kyler Gordon fielded questions in front of his locker about the unusual ways Chicago lost during the ongoing streak. When asked for the underlying reason, Gordon declined. “Next question,” Gordon said. “No comment.” Another player told ESPN that although he believed Eberflus had the right intentions, the message became redundant and wasn’t landing. “You only want to hear it so much,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “Coach is going to say what he’s going to say. “At the end of the day, we all realize we want the results. We just haven’t had the results. That falls upon everybody.” Warren’s presence in the postgame locker room is routine at Soldier Field and on the road, but things felt different this time. There was a growing sense that change was coming. The following afternoon, Eberflus was fired — the first head coach in franchise history to be fired during a season — but not before another twist. On Friday morning, when many expected Poles to announce a coaching change, Eberflus conducted his normal day-after-game news conference via Zoom. He said he was confident he would be coaching the Bears the following week in San Francisco. A few hours later, ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news of his ouster, followed by the team issuing a news release. “In retrospect, could we have done it better? Absolutely,” Warren said Monday, “and I’ll be the first one to raise my hand, yes.” BEARS DIRECTOR OF player personnel Trey Koziol erupted from his seat in the press box when a defensive pass interference penalty gave Chicago a first down at the Lions’ 25-yard line with 56 seconds remaining. With 36 seconds left, the Bears attempted to run a draw play on second-and-20, but edge rusher Za’Darius Smith blew past right tackle Larry Borom — who entered the game after starter Darnell Wright was carted off with an injury — to sack Williams for a 6-yard loss. There were 32 seconds remaining when Williams hit the ground. Chicago had one timeout left. Eberflus said postgame and again Friday that the Bears had hoped to run a play that would have gone to Kmet or wide receiver Rome Odunze with 18 seconds remaining before using their last timeout to kick a field goal. But no timeout was called, a decision that left players stunned. “We practice those situations all the time,” wide receiver Keenan Allen said. “I feel like we did enough, even though we were going backwards [because of penalties] a couple of those plays down in the red zone. We’ll say if we don’t have those penalties, we probably score. But with those penalties, we still should have a field goal [attempt].” Internally, the fact that no timeout was called raised questions among the front office and coaching staff over in-game management, team sources said. Although the decision to call timeouts, throw a challenge flag or go for it on fourth down ultimately rests with the head coach, Eberflus’ headset allows him to communicate with coaches upstairs in the booth, including those on staff responsible for game management decisions. “There’s a system that’s broke and wasn’t fixed,” a team source said. Williams said he could have called a timeout, but after calling one earlier in the drive, the 23-year-old rookie said he didn’t feel comfortable doing it again. As the clock wound down, he knew there would be time for only one more play, so he changed the play to a deep pass to Odunze, but it fell incomplete. “Maybe in the later years of my career [I’ll call a timeout],” Williams said, “but right now, I get the call, I’m trying to lead the guys to win, and I’m trying to get everybody lined up and from there I’m trying to make a play for the Chicago Bears.” AT THE END of Warren’s first season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2005, the team’s brass met with coach Mike Tice shortly after a win against Chicago. Despite the victory, the Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention, and Tice was fired in the locker room. That move never sat well with Warren. “I have just learned over my career that it’s important to try to at least get a good night’s sleep, which I don’t think any of us did Thursday night, but at least try to think clearer and be respectful to make better decisions,” Warren said Monday. Warren, Poles and team chairman George McCaskey met Friday at Halas Hall around 7 a.m. to discuss Eberflus’ future. The Bears were aware of Eberflus’ regularly scheduled day-after-game media availability that was set to take place two hours later, but their meeting continued until they arrived at a decision. As one team source told ESPN, it wasn’t just the losses, it was what the future looked like. The powers that be had to factor in Williams’ performance the rest of the season and whether staying with Eberflus would hinder his development as a franchise quarterback. With Williams surrounded by improved offensive playmakers, the 2024 season was supposed to be the year Chicago took major steps forward, but a 19-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Nov. 10 — the third loss during the streak — seemed like a breaking point, according to a team source. The Bears “looked like a bad football team, and that’s not what we are,” the source said. The loss to the Patriots was followed by three much more competitive outings, a 20-19 loss to the Packers in which the Bears had a 46-yard field goal blocked after opting not to go for more yardage, an overtime loss at the Vikings, then the Thanksgiving Day meltdown. Three losses that easily could have been wins. As the Chicago brass deliberated, Eberflus went on with his normal media availability. He had caught heat for saying after the game that things were handled “the right way” in the final sequence, and he doubled down Friday, explaining why he believed that. “Our decision at that point was to be on the ball, hold our timeout and get the play off at 15 to 10 seconds, in that range, throw it into field goal range there and then call a timeout and then kick the game[-tying field goal] on fourth down,” Eberflus said. “The operation wasn’t fast enough, and we didn’t do a good job of executing there in that moment.” His news conference had “zero” to do with his firing, per a team source. After Poles, Warren and McCaskey were done meeting, Eberflus was fired. Eberflus met with his staff members around 11 a.m. CT to inform them of the decision. EBERFLUS HAD PLANNED to give his staff the weekend off following Thursday’s loss. After Thomas Brown learned he was being promoted from interim offensive coordinator to interim head coach, he had one question. “Do I have any obligations this weekend?” Brown said. Brown had a 4 p.m. flight to Charlotte to spend time with his wife, Jessica, and three sons, whom he had not seen in over a month and a half. He said going home for a belated Thanksgiving, and to spend time with his family, was what he needed to recharge before taking over coaching duties for the final five games. “He’s the real deal,” one front office source said of Brown. Brown will continue to call plays and transition from the coaches booth to the sideline. His role in Williams’ development has been noticeable. Brown replaced the fired Shane Waldron on Nov. 12, and Williams has thrown five touchdowns over the past two games after not throwing one in the previous four. Williams also has thrown 232 consecutive passes without a pick, which is the longest streak by a rookie in NFL history. With five games left, the Bears will have a chance to evaluate Brown but do not want to view these games as an audition, a team source said. Seeing how the team plays and competes carries weight, but the team is also aware of the situation Brown has been put in by taking over late in the season while running an offense that is not his. Two team sources told ESPN that Brown will be considered among the candidates in January as Chicago begins its coaching search. Other names the Bears hope to interview include Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, the latter of whom interviewed for Chicago’s offensive coordinator opening before the team hired Waldron. In his weekly radio appearance on WSCR, wide receiver DJ Moore said Poles told him the Bears would aim for a coach who is “a leader of men.” What Poles saw in that locker room on Thanksgiving Day convinced him that Eberflus was no longer that leader. “We were all frustrated,” Poles said. “Anytime where you get to a situation like that, where you can’t finish a game with a win — and it had been a few weeks there, I think everyone was frustrated. “I saw frustration.” |
| NFC EAST |
| PHILADELPHIAThe DB admits to being among those who doubted in Nick Siriani and re-worked Eagles coaching staff for 2024. Pete Prisco on what they have achieved. It seems like a long time ago when the Philadelphia Eagles went to their bye week with a 2-2 record, fresh off a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that had fans and media members alike calling for the head of coach Nick Sirianni. Not only did the Eagles look inept in that loss, but Sirianni was 3-8 in his last 11 after that debacle. The Super Bowl appearance of February of 2022 seemed a long time ago. Now what actually seems like years ago is the catcalls for Sirianni’s job. The Eagles have ripped off eight straight victories, including an impressive 24-19 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on the road Sunday, to stake their claim as one of the NFL’s best teams. Philadelphia has an MVP candidate in running back Saquon Barkley, running behind the league’s best offensive line, a quarterback who can run it and throw it in Jalen Hurts and a defense that has grown in a big way for star coordinator Vic Fangio. Add it all up and the heat is off of Sirianni. Whatever he did during that bye week, he should bottle it and sell it to other coaches because it changed the fortunes of this Eagles team. The Eagles are rolling. They are up to No. 4 in my latest Power Rankings and are proving to be the top contender to the Detroit Lions in the NFC. With a schedule that is far less daunting than what the Lions will face, plus a much-healthier defense, the Eagles could be in line for another Super Bowl appearance. It’s a far cry from the cries for the firing of Sirianni from Week 4. Barkley has been on a tear the during the eight-game streak, showing his greatness but also showing how the Eagles can beat you down with their run game. They ran it on 12 consecutive plays to the game-clinching touchdown Sunday against the Ravens. That brutish football against a team known to be a bully. The defense has really come on as well. Since the bye, they are giving up 13.6 points per game. The defensive line, led by Jalen Carter, has been dominant and the secondary has been sticky. It’s a formula that has the Eagles ready to push for the top seed in the NFC. Their remaining games are home against Carolina and Pittsburgh, then at Washington, before closing with home games against the Cowboys and Giants. The Lions have a much tougher schedule. The Eagles have put the rest of the league on notice. When you go to Baltimore and bully the bully, the message is loud and clear. The Eagles are legit. (The betting markets are bullish on them as the Eagles have the second-best odds to win the NFC Championship, per FanDuel Sportsbook. Philadelphia also owns the second-best Super Bowl odds at FanDuel, behind only Detroit.) And Sirianni has to be laughing privately at all those who called for his job in October. You know who you are. |
| WASHINGTONEven as the Commanders were getting their mojo back against the Titans, they were sending CB EMMANUEL FORBES packing. The Rams decided that Washington’s trash was their treasure. Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com: The Los Angeles Rams have claimed cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. off waivers from the Washington Commanders, head coach Sean McVay said Monday. Forbes, the No. 16 pick in 2023, was cut by the Commanders on Saturday. He started seven games in two seasons but only one in 2024. He was benched in both seasons and missed time due to injury. He was selected by the Commanders’ previous front office and coaching staff that liked that Forbes was adept at taking the ball away. He intercepted 14 passes in his career at Mississippi State, setting a Division I record with six returned for a touchdown. McVay said Forbes was a player the Rams liked coming out of college, praising his ball production, versatility, “competitive toughness on the edge” and good ball skills. “He was a guy that we liked and had a familiarity with just based on the evaluation coming out of Mississippi State,” McVay said. “And then I thought there was some good tape that he’s put out there when we’ve gone against them, particularly later in the year last year.” Forbes is under contract through 2026 with a fifth-year option in 2027 the Rams can exercise. In two seasons, Forbes has two interceptions and 45 tackles in 20 games. Bryan Manning of USA TODAY on why Forbes was expendable: It didn’t take long once the season started to see the Washington Commanders were done with second-year cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. Unlike most situations, this one was a little different, considering Forbes was a first-round pick just over a year ago. Head coach Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., secondary coach Tommy Donatell, defensive pass game coordinator Jason Simmons and assistant secondary coach William Gay all have a history of developing cornerbacks. None could get through to Forbes. On Saturday, the Commanders released Forbes with five games remaining in his second NFL season. Over the last five games, a healthy Forbes played eight total defensive snaps and was a healthy scratch in three games. The move was coming, whether it was now or in the offseason. After Sunday’s 42-19 win over the Tennessee Titans, Quinn explained why Washington left Forbes. “Yeah, [CB] Marshon’s [Lattimore] close, we talked about that, I think it was Friday, for him being back in it,” Quinn saif. And so, when we made the decision to release him, really just the best opportunity for the team at this point.” Quinn then said that he told Forbes a change of scenery could do him good. “And I had a chance to visit with him, and I explained to him sometimes that the change of scenery is good, and I’ve seen other players go to other clubs, and it turns out differently, and sometimes that’s a good thing. And I said that that can happen with you too. And so, I wanted to make sure he heard that from me, and there was even guys on his own team here that had started somewhere else as a first-round player and all of a sudden, just a different scenery and different shift. The new system can help. And so, we wanted to wish him best on this football journey wherever that goes from here.” You have to appreciate Quinn. Telling any player you are cutting him is difficult. However, to waive a second-year player who has struggled but has done everything you’ve asked him to do is even more challenging. Quinn wanted Forbes to hear it from him while encouraging him at his next stop. The Forbes’ pick shuts the door on a disastrous run of Ron Rivera draft classes. All four of Rivera’s first-round picks have been traded or cut. And it’s not like the traded players are necessarily thriving elsewhere. The primary knock on Forbes coming out of the draft was his slight frame and inability to tackle consistently. That showed up repeatedly, but to make matters worse for Forbes, he struggled in coverage. He was never the same after Eagles star A.J. Brown beat him for multiple touchdowns in Week 4 of his rookie season. Rivera should never have selected Forbes over Christian Gonzalez. Secondly, Rivera’s disastrous coaching staff last season didn’t help Forbes; they ruined his confidence and benched him. Quinn and his staff had their work cut out trying to rebuild Forbes’ confidence while also trying to scheme around the concerns about his size. |
| NFC WEST |
| SAN FRANCISCOWhile RB CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY was tending to his Achilles, the 49ers were lucky to have RB JORDAN MASON to pick up the slack. Now, they will have neither of them for the final five games. Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com: As the San Francisco 49ers departed Buffalo in the wee hours Monday morning, they were bracing for the possibility that running back Christian McCaffrey had played his final game for them this season because of a right knee injury. What the Niners didn’t know then was that not only were they going to lose McCaffrey for the season’s final five games but that Jordan Mason, McCaffrey’s backup, was also likely finished for 2024. On Monday afternoon, all of that became the Niners’ new reality as coach Kyle Shanahan announced that McCaffrey’s posterior cruciate ligament injury would keep him out for about six weeks and that Mason suffered a high ankle sprain in the 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Both players are expected to land on injured reserve, according to Shanahan. Shanahan said McCaffrey won’t need surgery but lamented the loss of a player who was rounding into form after missing the first eight games with bilateral Achilles tendinitis. “I just feel for him,” Shanahan said. “It was a real frustrating year for him. He worked his ass off to get back to this point and I think he was really feeling good and about to take off. He just had that real unfortunate injury last night. I know he’s as crushed as anyone, but he’ll get through this. He’s a hell of a player, a hell of a person and an unbelievable 49er. And he’ll be back stronger than ever next year to help us.” Suddenly, the Niners’ starting running back on Sunday against the Chicago Bears will be rookie Isaac Guerendo with practice squad back Patrick Taylor Jr. expected to be promoted to the 53-man roster and another back likely to be added. McCaffrey was in the midst of his best game of the season Sunday night against the Bills, posting 53 yards on seven carries before leaving a few plays after banging his right knee on the Highmark Stadium turf when Bills safety Taylor Rapp narrowly prevented him from breaking a long touchdown run. McCaffrey briefly left the game, returned with 11:23 left in the second quarter and then promptly took himself out after he slid down on a toss to the right for a loss of 5 yards. After McCaffrey departed, Mason capably filled in, much like he has all season. Mason had 13 carries for 78 yards against Buffalo, despite the ankle injury and, at one point, being evaluated and cleared for a concussion. Mason finishes his season while leading the Niners in rushing with 789 yards and three touchdowns through the team’s first 12 games. McCaffrey posted 202 rushing yards and no touchdowns in his abbreviated action. Mason is set to be a restricted free agent after the season with McCaffrey under contract at a cap charge of $9.8 million for 2025. Guerendo, a fourth-round pick out of Louisville in April, scored San Francisco’s lone touchdown against the Bills and has, at times, offered promise in the run game with his home run speed. On 42 attempts, Guerendo has 246 rushing yards on the season (5.9 yards per carry) to go with a pair of touchdowns. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIWe have the two top current MVP candidates below. Jay Busbee of YahooSports.comsays QB JOE BURROW should be among them except his supporting cast has let him down: Football is a team game played by individuals, which means that on occasion an individual can singlehandedly undo the work of an entire team. The kicker who misses a crucial game-winning field goal, the quarterback who throws a crushing pick-6, the defensive lineman who commits a back-breaking penalty … when one player’s failure is the pivot point on which a game is lost, it’s maddening, but at the same time every player realizes that he could be that player one day, too. The exact opposite scenario is playing out in Cincinnati right now, a strange dynamic where the team is undoing the excellence of the individual. Joe Burrow is playing some of the best football of his career … and the Bengals defense is taking a sledgehammer to all that hard work. Look, “Joe Burrow of the 4-8 Bengals deserves MVP consideration” is the kind of clickbaity headline that makes everyone hate the media, but it’s not quite as ridiculous as it sounds. The numbers are pretty staggering, starting with the fact that Burrow leads the NFL in passing yards per game (278.1) and touchdowns (30) and ranks fourth in passer rating, behind only Lamar Jackson, Jared Goff and Tua Tagovailoa. The Bengals as a team rank fifth overall in points scored (27.9), tied with Tampa Bay and behind only Detroit, Buffalo, Baltimore and Washington. And thanks to Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase’s 1,142 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns both lead the NFL. The problem, quite simply, is that Burrow is playing on a team with an atrocious, nearly league-worst defense. Consider, for instance, the many ways in which Cincinnati is reaching or setting dubious records for losses despite offensive fireworks: Bengals losses this season* 2 with 38+ pts (T-most by any team ever)* 3 with 34+ pts (T-most by any team ever)* 4 with 33+ pts (most by any team ever)* 6 with 25+ pts (T-most by any team ever) — Doug Clawson (@doug_clawson) December 1, 2024 Only Carolina has given up more points per game than Cincinnati’s 28.3. The Detroit Lions score an average of 15 more points a game than their opponents. The Bengals score about half a point less. Put another way, Burrow’s offense has to score more than four touchdowns a game just to outrun his own defense. That’s a phenomenal burden on your shoulders every single game, and Burrow conceded after Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh that it’s weighing on him. “I feel it. I feel it. I feel the pressure on me to be great,” he said, then deftly pivoted away from an indictment of his own defense. “That is part of playing QB in the NFL. I have to play to the absolute peak of my ability each week to go and win.” He’s doing his damndest. Sunday marked the third straight game in which Burrow threw for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns. The Bengals’ record over that stretch: 0-3, thanks to the fact that the Cincinnati defense has allowed at least 34 points in all three of those games. All told, Cincinnati has held exactly one team to fewer than 14 points on the season: the woeful New York Giants, who only managed 7 in October. Even more impressively, he’s compiling numbers that put him in the company of giants — and not the terrible New York kind. According to ESPN research, only six players in NFL history have averaged 275 passing yards, thrown 30 passing touchdowns and five or fewer interceptions through 12 games: Burrow, plus Tom Brady (2007), Aaron Rodgers (2011, 2014, 2020) and Patrick Mahomes (2020). All except Mahomes would go on to be named MVP. Guess who the only player of that crew with a losing record is? It’s all enough to make Burrow almost — almost — break the code of clubhouse omerta that defines football. At the very least, he launched a Fourth of July firework into the locker room. “We’ll learn a lot about who we have in the locker room, the guys we can count on going forward and guys that we can’t,” he said Sunday. “I think the next five weeks are gonna say a lot about who we can count on and who we can’t.” Under any normal scenario, those five games would offer some substantial hope to a league-leading offense. Cincinnati finishes out the season with Dallas, Tennessee, Cleveland, Denver and Pittsburgh. The playoffs are all but out of reach — Cincinnati is five games back of Pittsburgh for the division lead, and 2 ½ games out of the seventh playoff spot. But dignity is still on the table. If the Bengals can manage to come out of 2024 with some measure of self-respect, they can figure out what to do about the defense in the offseason. More than almost any team in the league, the quarterback ain’t the problem. |
| CLEVELANDMonday night’s game was a snapshot of the frustrating career of QB JAMEIS WINSTON – 6 of his passes went for touchdowns, but only 4 for his team: Last year, the people’s choice was QB JOE FLACCO who outplayed big money, big problems QB DESHAUN WATSON. Flacco was allowed to leave. This year the people’s choice is Winston. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com makes the case that it shouldn’t happen again: Early in Monday night’s game, after quarterback Jameis Winston had thrown his first touchdown pass and had not yet thrown any of his three interceptions, I posted this on Twitter: “The Browns are insane if they don’t re-sign Jameis and make him the starter next year over Deshaun Watson.” Even after his final interception of the night, I stand by that. The Browns have a mess on their hands. They owe Watson $46 million in 2025 and another $46 million in 2026. Every penny is guaranteed. And the cap numbers are crippling: $72.9 million in 2025; $72.9 million in 2026; $26.9 million in 2027. Winston has a 2-3 record as the starter in 2024. Watson was 1-6. What if Winston got the benefit of being the wire-to-wire QB1, from the start of the offseason program through the end of the regular season (or the postseason)? How good could he be? How good could the Browns be? Winston has thrown 218 passes in five starts. That’s an average of 43.6 attempts per game. Last night, he threw the ball 58 times. And, again, he didn’t get the benefit of proper preparation. It’s not just about winning. The Browns are fun, thanks to Winston. They continue to play hard, even though the season is lost. That’s because of Winston. He’s a great leader. Players respond to him. Football fans who aren’t Browns fans respond to him. The interceptions are a bonus, in a strange sort of way. There won’t be as much of a land rush for his services in free agency. The Browns should be able to get him for an affordable contract, especially with so much money tied to Watson. Of course, it doesn’t matter if the Browns won’t do it. They made a massive mistake with the Watson trade and contract. They still refuse to admit it. There’s no reason to think they’ll finally ‘fess up to it next year — especially since they don’t have to worry about the fans boycotting. Which they should do. But why would they deprive themselves of something they love? Bad football is like bad pizza. It’s better than having no pizza at all. Browns fans want their pizza. And their football. They also want someone other than Watson playing quarterback. Whether they get that before 2027 remains to be seen. But it should be Jameis Winston in 2025. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONThe NFL suspends LB AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR for three games – not only for his vicious hit on QB TREVOR LAWRENCE of the Jaguars, but for his status as a repeat offender and his belligerence in escalating the post-incident brouhaha. Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com: The NFL has suspended Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for three games for his hit on quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the actions that followed. It was reported on Monday that Al-Shaair was expected to be suspended. In its statement, the NFL noted Al-Shaair’s “repeated violations of rules intended to protect the health and safety of players and promote sportsmanship.” Jon Runyan, NFL vice president of football operations, issued the suspension. The league’s release included Runyan’s letter to Al-Shaair. “During your game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 1, with 4:20 remaining in the second quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules,” Runyan wrote. “Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide…You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact. “After the illegal hit, you proceeded to engage in a brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask. After the referee announced that you were disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you removed your helmet and reengaged with your opponent while walking down and across the field, which started another physical confrontation near the end zone. “Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL…Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.” While Al-Shaair can appeal the suspension, he’s currently eligible to return to the Texans’ roster after the club’s Week 17 Christmas Day game against the Ravens. The Texans are on their bye in Week 14 before playing the Dolphins in Week 15 and the Chiefs in Week 16. We get it that Coach DeMeco Ryans, himself a former linebacker who understands the split second reaction time that defenders operate under on sliding QBs and QBs skirting the sidelines, would stand up for his player. Still… Jason Owens of YahooSports.com: On Monday, Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans addressed the hit by Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair that concussed Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Sunday. He placed blame on Lawrence. And he believes that Jaguars players overreacted when they responded to the hit. Ryans spoke about the hit during his news conference Monday afternoon. “We stand behind Azeez and everything that came from that,” Ryans said. “Of course the unfortunate hit on a quarterback. But it’s two-fold. A lot of the quarterbacks in this day and age, they try to take advantage of the rule where they slide late and they try to get an extra yard. “Now, you’re a defender, and a lot of onus is on the defender. Whether it’s on the sideline or it’s on the quarterback, you don’t know what a guy is thinking. You don’t know if a guy’s staying up and he’s continuing to run. You don’t know. And you get a late slide and you hit the guy. “Unfortunate that Trevor got hurt. We hope Trevor’s OK. But also, if we’re sliding, you have to get down.” Lawrence initiated his slide as Al-Shaair braced for the tackle. Al-Shaair then launched himself head first toward Lawrence after Lawrence had given himself up. The hit left Lawrence lying dazed on the field and out of the game with a concussion. It also sparked a brawl as Jaguars players responded in kind to Al-Shaair’s hit. Ryans also has a problem with this. “The entire thing is, Azeez hits the guy, but their sideline overreacts, and it turns into a melee,” Ryans said. “It wasn’t our guys. Their team overreacted, pushed our guy, dragging our guy to the sideline. So that’s uncalled for on that side. We have to be better on the sideline as well with both teams.” The NFL doled out ejections for both teams on Sunday. Al-Shaair got tossed for the hit that sparked it all. Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones was ejected for his role in the ensuing melee. Earlier Monday, Al-Shaair issued a statement apologizing for injuring Lawrence and declaring that “I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them especially one that’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’” The quote marks around “late” and “unnecessary” are his own. The NFL weighed in on Tuesday, suspending Al-Shaair three games without pay for his illegal hit on Lawrence. Al-Shaair is reportedly appealing the suspension. Al-Shaair will exert his right to appeal. Al-Shaair’s appeal will be heard by either Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, Kevin Mawae, or Jordy Nelson — the appeal officers jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA. The GM of the Texans, Nick Caserio, with a vehement denouncement of the suspension and the rhetoric in the letter. Armando Salguero of Outkick.com: Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio is fired up about the NFL’s three-game suspension of his linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair to the point he’s “embarrassed” by the league’s handling of the matter and calls the portrayal of his player “bulls–t.” “We’re going to say Azeez Al-Shaair, nobody embodies our program more than Azeez,” Caserio told reporters on Tuesday. “What he’s about, what he’s been through, you all know his story. There’s not a more selfless individual who’s more about the team, who’s earned the respect, that represents everything we want this program to be about. I mean, this morning, he’s at a United Way event. “So some of the commentary that’s been made about his character, who he is and what his intentions are, from people who quite frankly don’t know anything about Azeez Al-Shaair. And for the league to make some of the commentary he made about lack of sportsmanship, lack of coachability, lack of paying attention to the rules, quite frankly, it’s embarrassing.” Umbrage To NFL Al-Shaair PortrayalCaserio was referring to the third paragraph of the suspension letter NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan sent to Al-Shaair in announcing his three-game suspension (boldfaced above). “What we take umbrage to is the picture that’s been painted about Azeez, his intentions, who he is as a person, I mean quite frankly, it’s bulls–t,” Caserio said. “And it’s unfair to the individual. It’s unfair to the organization … To speak about Azeez’s intentionality, what he intended to do and some of the comments that have been made, quite frankly, it’s embarrassing.” “That essentially implies Azeez doesn’t give a crap about the fans, doesn’t give a crap about playing football the right way, is not coachable. It couldn’t be further from the truth, but when you make these statements and accusations and then you paint a picture of a player, quite frankly, nobody has a lot of respect for that.” To be clear: Caserio portrays his player as a volunteer on his off days and a great team leader and all that is true. Al-Shaair is a team captain on the Texans. But he’s also earned a reputation for questionable tactics. Al-Shaair escaped ejection and suspension but was fined $11,817 for unnecessary roughness against Bears running back Roschon Johnson in Week 2. He punched Johnson. And this(video of going for the throat of Tom Brady): Caserio Upset By NFL ‘Consistency’The NFL clearly took Al-Shaair’s history into account when handing out the three-game suspension. But Casario contends the NFL is being inconsistent in its punishment. “One of the biggest issues, and I probably speak for a lot of teams, not only Houston Texans, is all teams ask for is consistency from the league,”Caserio said. “And I’d say in this situation, quite frankly, there’s no consistency at all relative to the level of discipline that’s been handed down. Caserio in his press conference then went through multiple examples of players who were flagged for unnecessary roughness then ejected from games. Detroit’s Brian Branch was ejected earlier this season in a game against Green Bay. He played the following week. Chargers safety Derwin James was suspended one game in September for repeated violations of the playing rules. Kareem Jackson Got Steeper PunishmentDenver’s Kareem Jackson was ejected from multiple games and suspended twice in 2023. Caserio brought him up as an example of how the NFL has treated other players with leniency but, in fact, Jackson was suspended for four games – twice. Jackson appealed the first suspension, and it was subsequently reduced to two games. But when he returned to the Broncos lineup, he was flagged and ejected again during his first game back and then served a four-game suspension. The Jackson example does not serve Caserio’s argument of inconsistency by the NFL at all. “I think the big thing from our standpoint, and all teams want this, is some level of consistency,” Caserio said. “We talked to the league, quite frankly, we don’t have a good explanation. DeMeco [Ryans] talked to them yesterday, so it is what it is.” Mike Florio: The statement announcing the move isn’t clear. The NFL’s preamble to the letter from Jon Runyan to Al-Shaair mentions the player’s history of “multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons.” The letter mentions the illegal hit, which was the focal point of the incident. The Runyan letter also mentions Al-Shaair’s involvement in a “brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask.” It ties the ejection to “the hit [and Lawrence] and your unsportsmanlike acts.” And the letter then mentions the second altercation in which Al-Shaair engaged. So what was he suspended for? The hit? His history? The first fight? The second one? Some of them? All of them? The absence of any semblance of a formula creates the impression that the league makes it up as it goes, picking the punishment to fit the circumstances. Next, one of the four hearing officers will have to decide whether to uphold, scrap, or reduce the suspension. No one knows what will happen, in large part because precedent doesn’t seem to matter. It’s all case-by-case, with no real sense that prior outcomes impact future decisions. That makes it harder for players to know the stakes of misbehavior, and it takes the saying “f—k around and find out” to its most literal extreme. Yes, the player will find out. Along with everyone else. Because nobody seems to really know what will happen in any of these cases until it does. |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW YORK JETSYou could have made some money betting against the Jets this year. Ben Fawkes: @BFawkes22The New York Jets are the first team in the Super Bowl era to be FAVORED in 9 of their first 12 games and end up 3-9 or worse SU, per @ESPNStatsInfo The Jets are 3-9 against the spread, with six outright losses as favorites. The Giants are also 3-9 against the spread, making “New York” 6-18. That’s not the worst mark though, the Titans are 2-10. Pittsburgh, Detroit and Denver are the three best bests – all at 9-3.- – -Rich Cimini of ESPN.com on the calculations faced by the Jets on whether or not to bring back QB AARON RODGERS next year: A look at what’s happening around the New York Jets: Another season of Aaron Rodgers would mean far-reaching salary-cap implications for the incoming regime — a major factor in the decision on whether to retain the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Rodgers is signed for 2025 (he has four void years, through 2029), but there’s no guaranteed money remaining in his deal. That will help mitigate the cap ramifications when he’s gone, but the damage still will be significant. Let’s examine the financial pros and cons of another year. If Rodgers doesn’t play for the Jets in 2025 — if he’s cut or retires — the Jets have a $49 million “dead” charge, which is an accumulation of pro-rated bonuses from past years. That’s a substantial cap hit, more than double his cap charge if he’s on the roster ($23.5 million). The $49 million can be spread over two years by designating him a post-June 1 cut — $14 million in 2025 and $35 million in 2026. For long-term planning purposes, it might make sense to absorb the full hit next year, creating cap flexibility for the future. Now let’s say Rodgers returns in 2025. While the cap charge ($23.5 million) would be manageable, they’d have to pay him a $35 million option bonus by the first regular-season game in addition to a $2.5 million base salary. Now, the downside. If he does come back for one year, the dead charge balloons to $63 million in 2026. The reason for the increase is the option bonus, which would be pro-rated for cap purposes over the length of the contract (the void years) and then accelerate into 2026 upon his departure. Once again, they could use the June 1 designation, but then you’re talking about spreading money into 2027 — $21 million in 2026 and $42 million in 2027. Does a new regime really want to be paying off the Rodgers bill until 2027? They could renegotiate the $35 million option bonus if they want to keep him, but that would only push more money into the back end of the deal — hardly ideal. What about a straight pay cut? Rodgers took a voluntary $34 million pay cut last year, so it seems unlikely that he’d want to give back more money. Rodgers’ future will be a talking point for the next few months. He said he’s undecided on whether he’ll play next year. If he does, the Jets are his No. 1 option. “I’m open to everything and attached to nothing,” Rodgers said. Maybe so, but that massive cap hit is attached to him. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| MVP WATCHThe oddsmakers say it is a two-horse race for 2024 MVP. Khari Demos of The Athletic: The journey to the MVP trophy looks like a two-man voyage, with one traveling by air and the other by ground. The play of Josh Allen (-250) and Saquon Barkley (+310) in recent weeks has vaulted them to favored status for NFL MVP as we wrap up Week 13. They are followed in the distance by Jared Goff (+1100), Lamar Jackson (+1200) and Patrick Mahomes (+2200) with five weeks to go in the 2024 season. Josh Allen: Superman returnsAllen is the undisputed favorite to win the regular season MVP this year, with his odds sliding into the minus-money territory after an electrifying showing in Week 13. Allen’s season has been more about his impact on the field and winning games rather than running up the numbers. Sunday’s win over the San Francisco 49ers was similar to others from a yardage standpoint (166 total yards), but he dominated elsewhere. Despite playing in snow globe conditions, Allen went 13-of-17 through the air, rushed for a score, threw for two touchdowns (one to himself), and became the first quarterback in NFL history to have a passing, rushing and receiving score in the same game. The Wyoming product is one of only four players in the 21st century to do so, joining Christian McCaffrey, LaDainian Tomlinson and David Patten. Allen has guided Buffalo to seven straight wins and a 10-2 record and helped the franchise clinch a fifth consecutive AFC East title. And again, his numbers aren’t super gaudy (20 touchdown passes, five interceptions, 2,691 passing yards, six rushing touchdowns, 334 rushing yards), but he’s been efficient and effective for a team vying for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Allen’s best statistical measure may be his QBR (74.5), which currently ranks second in the league. Eagles-Ravens: Saquon outshines LamarIn a battle of MVP candidates, it was Barkley who got the last laugh as he pushed the 10-2 Philadelphia Eagles to an eighth straight win by knocking off the Baltimore Ravens. The Pro-Bowl back notched his third straight 100-yard rushing game and eighth of the year to push his rushing total to 1,499, first in the league. Barkley also leads the league in yards from scrimmage (1,766) to go with 13 total touchdowns. To break Eric Dickerson’s vaunted single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, Barkley needs to average 121.2 rushing yards per game over the final five games. He has rushed to the tune of 124.9 yards per game through the first 12 games of the season. For Barkley to win MVP, though, he likely will need to win not just the rushing crown but also lead the league in scrimmage TDs and finish atop the yards-from-scrimmage leaderboard. He’s already at the top of the rushing yards and scrimmage yards boards, but trails Derrick Henry in total TDs (Henry has 15 to Barkley’s 13). Barkley boosted his MVP odds at the expense of Jackson, who continues to put up dazzling numbers. But the Ravens have hit a rough patch, going 3-3 in their last six games. The reigning MVP’s stats were strong vs. Philly (23-of-36, 237 passing yards, two touchdown passes, 79 rushing yards), but were not enough to get the win. Jackson has 3,290 passing yards, 29 touchdowns with only three interceptions, a 73.4 QBR and a league-best 678 rushing yards among QBs to go along with three more scores on the ground. Statistically, he’s having a better season than his second MVP campaign in 2023. But to claim his third, the Ravens will have to improve on their 8-5 record, with division-leaders in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans still on the slate. |
