| If The Season Ended Today: NFC ConfLA Rams West 10-3 5-3Green Bay North 9-3-1 7-2-1Philadelphia East 8-5 7-3Tampa Bay South 7-6 5-4Seattle WC1 10-3 6-3San Francisco WC2 9-4 8-2 Chicago WC3 9-4 6-3Detroit 8-5 5-4Carolina 7-6 5-3Dallas 6-6-1 3-5-1 The NFC reminds the DB of the CFP. Tampa Bay and Carolina are like Tulane or James Madison – the contract requires one of them in the playoffs. The Lions are like Notre Dame, a team that could win it all if it gets in, but at the moment it’s not. This won’t be decided by a committee in a room laden with smoke and cash, this can still be decided on the field. The Bears, top-seeded a week ago, now cling to the 7th seed. After Cleveland on Sunday, Chicago has Green Bay again, San Francisco and Detroit in Week 18 at Soldier Field. The 49ers have two winnable games (TEN, IND), then home with the Bears and Seahawks. Before Week 18 at Chicago the Lions have at Rams, Pittsburgh and at Minnesota. If The Season Ended Today in the AFC: AFC ConfDenver West 11-2 7-2New England East 11-2 6-2Jacksonville South 9-4 6-2 Pittsburgh North 7-6 6-3LA Chargers WC1 9-4 7-2Buffalo WC2 9-4 6-3Houston WC3 8-5 7-2Indianapolis 8-5 6-4Baltimore 6-7 4-6Kansas City 6-7 3-5Miami 6-7 3-5 In the AFC, the Colts were the top seed in the AFC after Week 10’s win in Germany. In Week 11, they had a bye and in Week 12 led the Chiefs by 11 after 3. Now, 10 quarters later, they are out of the playoffs.- – -After 14 weeks, the AFC has battled back to tie the NFC at 32-32 in the interconference series. Led by New England’s 5-0 record, the AFC East is 12-5 against the NFC (largely the NFC South) With SF and Seattle unbeaten, the NFC West is 10-5 against the AFC (largely the AFC North).- – -We have a Week 16 flex as the NFL hopes for a Ravens win in Cincinnati on Sunday. Tarohn Finley of YahooSports.com: The New England Patriots–Baltimore Ravens game was flexed to Sunday Night Football in Week 16, while the Cincinnati Bengals–Miami Dolphins game will move to the early window, the NFL announced. The Patriots lead the AFC at 11-2 and are on a 10-game winning streak. The Ravens are 6-7 and were on a five-game winning streak before their Thanksgiving loss to the Bengals. After Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, the Ravens have dropped two straight games against divisional opponents. Sunday night’s matchup will have playoff and seeding implications for both teams and will feature a quarterback battle between New England’s Drake Maye and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson. Maye has thrown for 3,412 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in his second season. He has emerged as one of the favorites to win MVP. Jackson has won the MVP award twice and was the runner-up last season, but he is having a down season while dealing with multiple injuries. He’s thrown for 2,060 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also run for 307 yards, which is on pace for a career low. The Bengals are 4-9 and the Dolphins are 6-7. Both teams face nearly impossible odds of making the playoffs. If we understand the Flex rules properly, the NFL could have put Jacksonville at Denver on Sunday night, but opted for Patriots-Ravens.- – -As determined by the secret sauce of DVOA, Adam Scaatz has the toughest and easiest schedules to date: @ASchatzNFLToughest schedule this year (so far) by average DVOA of opponent: 1 Cardinals 9.3%2 Titans 9.3%3 Texans 8.5% (!!!)4 49ers 4.6%5 Eagles 4.5% I was asked about the easiest schedules. So far, the easiest through Week 14 by average DVOA of opponent: 1 Patriots -14.8%2 Broncos -8.3%3 Dolphins -6.9%4 Bills -5.5%5 Bears -5.3% Going into the season, we thought the Patriots would have an easy schedule – and they do along with the other teams in the AFC East that also get to play the Jets. So three of the biggest surprise teams of the year – Patriots, Bears and (to a lesser extent) Broncos are on the easy list. We also thought the 49ers had things a bit easier than most, but that has not proven the case as they show up on the toughest five list. Kudos to the Niners and Texans who have used strong defenses to post winning records against tough slates. |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASOwner Jerry Jones doesn’t think WR GEORGE PICKENS has a serious problem with effort. Jon Machota of The Athletic: George Pickens had his worst game of the season last Thursday night in Detroit. The Dallas Cowboys’ leading receiver caught only five of his nine targets for 37 yards. What was most concerning was his apparent lack of effort on multiple routes. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that he recently talked with Pickens about several topics, including his effort in the Cowboys’ 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions. “We talked a little about it,” Schottenheimer said. “In his words, he goes, ‘Hey, Schotty, I didn’t play my best game.’ Unfortunately, none of us played our best game. That’s real. But I don’t worry about George and his love for football and playing this game.” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn’t have concerns about Pickens’ effort when asked on 105.3 The Fan the morning after the game. Jones’ thoughts didn’t change over the weekend as he was asked again about Pickens on The Fan on Tuesday morning. “One of the things that you got to appreciate about George Pickens is his intensity for the competition,” Jones said. “Now, he is a big-time competitor. When it comes to competing and when it comes to loving the game, I emphasize that point right there, loving the game, then I give him A-pluses. “I like what George Pickens has done all year. … Just so that I’m real clear about it, I don’t have the concern that (others) debate about what George Pickens did or didn’t do in that game. I don’t have that kind of concern about him as far as his competing and helping us win football games on the field, at all.” Jones has said several times over the last couple of weeks that Pickens has exceeded expectations since Dallas traded for him in May. Pickens, who is having a career year, is third in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,179 and is tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns with eight. He leads the Cowboys in both categories. Pickens is graded as sixth overall among all wide receivers by Pro Football Focus. Pickens is in the final year of his rookie contract. Dallas has no plans of letting him leave in free agency. If the two sides are unable to work out a long-term deal, the franchise tag is expected to be used on the 24-year-old. “Pickens brings everything to the table,” Jones said. “He brings enough pluses to the table to frankly live with what’s going on, this type of criticism. The criticism in my mind is, is he a competitor, and when he gets out there, can he come down with the ball? Does he compete when he’s out there? A-triple-plus.” |
| PHILADELPHIAHistory made on Monday night: BenjaminSolakFrom Elias Sports Bureau: We checked back to 1978, which is as far back as we could, and no player before tonight committed two turnovers on one play. Jalen Hurts: making history An interception and a fumble on the same play. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| TAMPA BAYThe Colts aren’t the only team bringing back a blast from the past: @AdamSchefterBuccaneers are signing OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, who last played in the NFL in 2023 for Miami, to their practice squad, per source. Pierre-Paul played for the Bucs from 2018-21. |
| AFC WEST |
| LAS VEGASAmerica’s gamblers either got a surprising win with the points and over or a brutal beat when Pete Carroll kicked a field goal as time ran out Sunday. Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com: Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll said the decision to kick a field goal down 10 points with five seconds remaining in Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Denver Broncos might have seemed odd, but he explained his reasoning. Before kicker Daniel Carlson buried the 46-yarder, Carroll said he pleaded with the officials to put eight seconds on the clock instead of five. He hoped that the additional time would provide an opportunity for Las Vegas to attempt an onside kick and potentially regain possession. “I knew it was going to look stupid, like you couldn’t figure out why we were doing it,” Carroll said Monday. “… But there was a clear thought of what we were trying to get down there, just to take it down to the very last click. That might not be good enough for you, I understand that, but I think you can see what we were trying to do, but it just didn’t work out.” The Raiders trailed 24-7 with four minutes to go in regulation until backup quarterback Kenny Pickett threw a touchdown pass to Shedrick Jackson to cut the deficit to 24-14. On Las Vegas’ next possession, Pickett completed a 26-yard pass to Tyler Lockett that set up the field goal. The Raiders were 7.5-point underdogs, and the game had an over/under of 40.5. The field goal impacted both, leading many to question Carroll’s decision. But he said he never cared about factoring public opinion into coaching. “I can’t bend and twist and go with whatever the public sentiment is, or one person’s sentiment for that matter, regardless of who it is,” Carroll said. “I just can’t do that and do my job the right way to the best of my ability.” Also Monday, Carroll said cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly ruptured his patellar tendon against the Broncos and will miss the rest of the season. Kelly played in 13 games (eight starts) and totaled a team-high three interceptions. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CLEVELANDQB SHEDEUR SANDERS had quite a day Sunday: 1) Shedeur delivers breakout game despite Browns falling shortIt seemed like perfect timing for Shedeur Sanders to lead the Browns to their fourth victory of the season in a matchup against the one-win Titans. While that result did not go according to plan, Sanders showcased the top-end talent that put him at the upper echelon of mock draft boards back in the spring. The fifth-round rookie finished with 364 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, 29 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Sanders led a potential game-tying touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter but was not on the field for the Browns’ two-point try. (Cleveland utilized rookie running back Quinshon Judkins on a Wildcat play, as the team has often done near the goal line.) Although the Browns failed on the two-point attempt and lost, 31-29, their rookie quarterback made history and attached his name to a pair of high-profile quarterbacks. Sanders became just the second rookie in NFL history with at least 350 passing yards, three passing TDs and a rushing TD in the same game, joining Joe Burrow, who did so in 2020 against the Browns (also in a loss). Many of those passing yards for Sanders came on explosive big plays — namely a 58-yard screen pass to Judkins and a 60-yard touchdown toss to Jerry Jeudy. Sanders has four completions of 50-plus yards since making his first career start in Week 12, which is twice as many as any other quarterback in that span. Sam Darnold, who has two, is the only other QB with multiple such completions during that time frame. Sanders joined Aaron Rodgers as the only quarterbacks since 2000 to have four completions of 50-plus yards within their first three career starts. Rodgers did so in 2008 after sitting behind Brett Favre for three seasons. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| INDIANAPOLISWill QB PHILIP RIVERS prove to be the Colts knight on a white horse? @AdamSchefterWith Daniel Jones out for the year and Riley Leonard week to week with a strained knee ligament, the Colts will work out QB Philip Rivers on Tuesday, as NFL Network reported. It is Rivers’ birthday today; he turned 44 years old and last played in the NFL in 2020. @AdamSchefterWhile the Colts need to work out Philip Rivers to see what type of shape he is in, the former quarterback who is now a grandfather also needs to figure out whether he’s willing to play, per source. For now he’s clearly intrigued enough to fly to Indianapolis. At the moment, the Colts don’t have a rostered QB that they know can play Sunday. Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report: Quarterback Daniel Jones is done for the season after suffering a torn Achilles, leaving the Indianapolis Colts with very few options under center heading into the rest of the year. Jones’ backup coming into the season, Anthony Richardson, has been on the injured reserve since October because of a broken orbital, and head coach Shane Steichen said he won’t be activated this week. Unfortunately for Indianapolis, the injuries don’t stop with Jones and Richardson’s. Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard, who stepped in for Jones after he exited on Sunday, is dealing with a right knee injury, Steichen revealed Monday. Steichen said Leonard will “hopefully” play this weekend. Richardson was warming up for the Colts’ Week 6 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals when “a pole that he had affixed an elastic stretch band to snapped,” according to ESPN’s Stephen Holder. The injury hospitalized him, and he’s been on injured reserve ever since. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Oct. 26 that Richardson underwent surgery for the eye injury and has “a chance” to return before the end of the 2025 season. The eye injury was just another setback for Richardson, a former first-rounder who has had a rough start to his NFL career. He played just four games as a rookie due to various injuries. He was the starter for most of last year, but struggled, throwing for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Though Richardson battled Jones for the QB1 role coming into the year, it became evident very quickly that Jones was the man for the job. Before his season-ending injury, Jones had racked up 3,101 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, leading the Colts to an 8-5 start. Leonard saw significant playing time for the first time this year on Sunday. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards and an interception, adding a rushing touchdown in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. With all three of their quarterback dealing with injuries, the Colts may be forced to turn to Brett Rypien, who is currently on the practice squad. The 29-year-old has not played for Indianapolis yet this season. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren, who played quarterback in high school, is the Colts’ emergency backup. And as we go to press – the Colts go ahead and sign Rivers – a 2026 Hall of Fame semifinalist. Does this signing toll his enshrinement for another 5 years? Yes, according to an anonymous spokesperson located by Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com: So, what happens if Rivers opts to sign with the Colts? According to a Pro Football Hall of Fame spokesman, Rivers’ clock would reset if he signs to the Colts’ active roster. He would not be eligible for induction until at least 2031, and the Hall would remove him from the eligible modern-era players. It gets complicated only if Rivers signs to the team’s practice squad and remains there for an extended period of time without being activated to the active roster or promoted to the game-day roster. He would still be eligible for the Hall of Fame in that case. That could create a situation where the Hall of Fame ends up with 14 modern-era finalists. “If he’s signed to the practice squad, and that’s his status with the team (and thus still eligible for Hall) for an extended period to the point that we announce the final 15, and he then goes active, he’d come off, and we’d have 14,” the spokesman said. If the Colts sign Rivers, though, it’s expected to be for him to play and try to save the team’s season. This from Adam Schefter: The last time the Colts made the playoffs was in 2020 with Philip Rivers as their quarterback. Now, at 44 years old, he returns with the team sitting at 8–5 and just outside the AFC playoff picture, hoping to help get them back to the postseason. And this: @AdamSchefterStarting quarterbacks the Colts have gone through since the last time Philip Rivers played for them: 🏈Carson Wentz🏈Matt Ryan 🏈Sam Ehlinger🏈Nick Foles🏈Gardner Minshew🏈Anthony Richardson🏈Joe Flacco🏈Daniel Jones J.J. Watt with insight: @JJWattFun Fact learned in production meetings: Philip Rivers ran the same offense as the Colts for his son Gunnar’s HS team this season. He and Shane Steichen spoke weekly about it, discussing plays and even film. So familiarity with the scheme should be no problem whatsoever. Rivers is four years older than his head coach. |
| JACKSONVILLEBen Solak of ESPN.com likes what he sees in the 9-4 Jaguars with WR JAKOBI MEYERS taking over for rookie WR TRAVIS HUNTER and TE BRENDON STRANGE back from IR: Two weeks ago, my “second take” was that the AFC South was up for grabs. The Colts were 8-3 and about to play the Texans and Jaguars; the 7-4 Jaguars were about to play the Titans and Colts; the 6-5 Texans were about to play the Colts and Chiefs. The Colts went 0-2 over those games, while the Texans and Jaguars went 2-0. Things have become as topsy-turvy as we could have hoped. The current mainstream AFC playoff take is “watch out for the Texans.” Back-to-back road wins against the Colts and Chiefs, powered by an elite defense, sit the Texans firmly as AFC contenders. No, they aren’t guaranteed to make the playoffs. Yes, they’d play most of their postseason games on the road if they do make it. But that defense can beat anybody. Sleep with one eye open if the Texans are on your schedule. I agree with that take wholeheartedly. I’ve been a Texans believer for much of the season. But let’s not overlook the Jaguars. Since their Week 8 bye, the Jaguars are 5-1. Their only loss was to the Texans (led by Davis Mills) in an end-of-game collapse so spectacular it can only be described as Jagsian. In that six-game stretch, the Jaguars’ offense is sixth in success rate, fifth in points per drive and 13th in EPA per play. The Jaguars’ defense is 13th in success rate, seventh in points per drive and seventh in EPA per play. Quite simply, they have been good. Their opponents over that stretch have not been. Jacksonville has played the Raiders, Texans, Chargers, Cardinals, Titans and Colts. The Raiders and Cardinals also took them to overtime. These wins have not always been pretty. But playoff football doesn’t care what you’ve been so much as what you are, and the Jaguars are rounding into form. Offensively, the skeleton key has been wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, a midseason trade acquisition who has stepped into the shoes left behind by injured Travis Hunter — and then some. The Jaguars’ previous wide receiver corps featured Hunter, a rookie moonlighting at cornerback, and Brian Thomas Jr., a second-year player fighting drops and, seemingly, a fear of contact. It was the image of inconsistency. Add in the erratic play of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and every Jacksonville dropback was one bad coin flip away from disaster. Meyers has brought unbelievable consistency and smoothness. Since he arrived in Week 10, 67.7% of his targets have turned into successful plays for the offense — plays that generated positive expected points — leading all wide receivers. And 51.6% of his targets have gone for first downs or touchdowns, sixth in the NFL. Because of his reliability, Meyers has gotten the designed touches that were previously apportioned for Hunter and Thomas. He saw multiple jet sweeps Sunday, including one in the low red zone, and was also targeted on a screen. Meyers is not a particularly impressive ball-in-hand athlete, but coach Liam Coen is no longer chasing massive plays with these touches. He just needs them to not end in TFLs, fumbles, drops or miscommunications, which occurred too often early in the season. Thomas has slid back into his preferred role of field-stretcher now that Meyers handles the more mundane responsibilities. In only his second game on the field with Meyers, Thomas had 25.5 air yards per target — his biggest number this season by a substantial margin. His closest target to the line of scrimmage was 16 yards downfield. The return of tight end Brenton Strange, another trustworthy stick-mover, also further clarified Thomas’ role. With Strange and Meyers in hand, Thomas moves to a more Jameson Williams-like spot in the offense. No, he isn’t the WR1 … but that doesn’t mean he isn’t the scariest wide receiver on the field. Likewise, this was Lawrence’s best game of the Coen era. Before we get way too far over our skis, we should look at the circumstances. Lawrence’s offense scored two short-field touchdowns from Colts turnovers, and the Jaguars were never threatened in the second half, as Daniel Jones’ second-quarter Achilles injury left the Colts’ offense rudderless. We also should not overlook history. Lawrence has done this before, playing 1-4 games with lights-out accuracy and decisiveness only to lose all of that precision suddenly and disastrously. With that said … Lawrence was shredding against the Colts. The kid gloves have come off the offense as Lawrence and Coen have become more comfortable with each other. The Jaguars called 33 screens in the seven games before their bye (4.7 per game) and have called 10 screens in the six games since (1.7). Before the bye, 34.7% of Lawrence’s throws went at least 10 yards downfield; since the bye, it has been 44.6%. That’s the highest rate for all quarterbacks in that span. Lawrence loves to throw to the intermediate level of the field. It’s one reason his interception rate is so high — there are a lot of defenders in that area and the windows are tight. But because Coen does more than Doug Pederson or Urban Meyer did to create easy windows with pre-snap motion and condensed formations, Lawrence is afforded more layups and can more easily stay out of his own way. He plays decisively, gets the ball out in rhythm and avoids hits. In this mode, Lawrence’s accuracy and arm talent — you remember, the thing that got him drafted No. 1 in 2021 — shines. Lawrence dropped balls into buckets for four quarters against Indianapolis. He hit Thomas on the two vertical throws, had another seam ball to Thomas, threw a couple of high-risk 50-50 balls against free rushers that weren’t snagged, hit Tim Patrick on a perfect out-and-up on third-and-15, and hit Patrick again on this throw to his left. This is the sort of throw that gets me jacked up. Some of this is game state. The Jaguars have led all six games of their current 5-1 run almost pole-to-pole, so Lawrence hasn’t been shoved into a pass-first game plan. Again, postseason danger levels aren’t about what was but rather what is, and the Jaguars have used this soft stretch to iron out many of the kinks in this passing game. Harder to talk about but no less impressive has been the defense. The Jaguars are deploying a preposterous defensive line rotation. Beyond known stars Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker this week were DaVon Hamilton, rookie Danny Striggow (a UDFA out of Minnesota who was inactive the first five weeks), Maason Smith, Matt Dickerson (a career practice squad player), Dawuane Smoot and Dennis Gardeck. Consider what we know about elite defensive lines such as the ones in Philadelphia, Denver and Houston and the importance of depth. Then look at what the Jaguars are fielding week over week. Yet since Week 10, they are seventh in the league in pressure rate at 39.4% despite time missed by Walker and defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who was active but largely unavailable against the Colts. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has gone deep into his bag of simulated pressures, sending rushers from depth while dropping defensive linemen into coverage to manipulate protection rules without additional blitzers. Again, some of this is game script. The Jaguars can’t get into their designer pressure packages as often without taking big leads. But by limiting explosive plays (third in explosive pass rate allowed since the bye) and stymieing early-down runs (fifth in rushing success rate), a defense can create the third-and-long environments necessary for sick pressure designs. And on plays in which nothing is schemed up, the ever-underappreciated Hines-Allen can generate one of his 63 pressures on the season (fourth most in the league). We’re going to learn a lot about the Jaguars in two Sundays, when they face the 11-2 Broncos in Denver. (They have the Jets this Sunday and are currently 12.5-point favorites, the most the Jaguars have been favored in a game in 18 years.) Denver’s pass rush has the speed and depth to fluster Lawrence as he waits for downfield routes to develop, and the Broncos’ offensive line is easily the best the Jaguars have faced since playing the Rams in Week 7 in London (Jacksonville lost 35-7). But the Jaguars can fall to an excellent Broncos team and still prove to me they’re legit as an AFC contender much in the way the Bears’ recent games against the Eagles and Packers proved why they belong in the NFC race. The Texans have passed that heat check and now set their eyes on sweeping their last four games and stealing the division from Jacksonville. They’re all the rage given their five-game winning streak and prime-time victories over the Bills and Chiefs. All of their flowers are deserved. I’m in awe and terrified of them. But I’m just as impressed with the quiet Jags, who have rebuilt their roster and adjusted their coaching approach to match. They are well-coached, deep and versatile. In a surprisingly down AFC with fewer elite quarterbacks in the playoff field than years past, the Jaguars are capable of a deep playoff run. |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW ENGLAND Dianna Russini: I do remember the 21st night of September. That was the last time the Patriots lost a football game. It came against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and everything for New England (and Pittsburgh!) has looked different since. Who saw that coming? And here’s something else I do know: Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson were the names every owner wanted last offseason. Now? Those two have their new teams leading their conferences, and one of them will probably win NFL Coach of the Year. (I have a vote. I’m undecided. Still plenty of time.) |
| NEW YORK JETSA shooter has been arrested in New York for the bullet that ended up in Jets CB KRIS BOYD. He was tracked down far from Gotham. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com: An intensive manhunt ended with the apprehension and arrest of a 20-year-old male suspected in the shooting of New York Jets player Kris Boyd, law enforcement agencies said Tuesday. The suspect, whose name is being withheld by police, was transported to a Midtown Manhattan police precinct, where he was being questioned and faces charges. He was taken into custody near the University of Buffalo North Campus in Amherst, New York, on Monday morning. Boyd, 29, was shot in the abdomen on Nov. 16 at 2 a.m. during a dispute outside a popular Manhattan restaurant. Initially listed in critical but stable condition with a bullet lodged in his lung, Boyd was released from the hospital and surprised the Jets last Wednesday with a visit to the team facility. He was accompanied by teammates Jamien Sherwood and Irvin Charles at the time of the shooting. Investigators believe the suspect fled the New York City area to avoid capture, according to the U.S. Marshals office. The suspect was located in the Buffalo area, leading to a tense standoff at an apartment complex. Early Monday morning, the U.S. Marshals Service in Buffalo, along with the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, confirmed the suspect’s presence in a second-floor apartment, the U.S. Marshals office said. The suspect was seen peeking out the apartment window looking for an escape avenue but retreated inside after seeing the team and a canine officer. As the team began to evacuate the tenants in the neighboring apartments to safety, the suspect exited his apartment with his hands up. Authorities were unable to locate the unrecovered firearm involved in the shooting, per the U.S. Marshals, which also said the suspect “significantly changed his physical appearance, presumably to avoid detection.” Boyd signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Jets last March after playing for the Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in training camp. Known for his special teams prowess, Boyd attended a special teams meeting last week and broke down the meeting when it was over, much to the delight of teammates and coaches. Boyd was seen using a walker for assistance. Boyd’s visit came one week after he posted on social media that he had returned to the hospital “due to my health issues.” In New York, many are apprehended, fewer face long-term incarceration. Not a good sign that the name hasn’t been released here. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| WHAT IS A CATCH?The lost TD in Baltimore is not consistent with the lost fumble by QB JALEN HURTS on Monday night says Mike Florio? The NFL’s curious decision to overturn a touchdown reception by Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely reintroduced needless confusion into the question of what a catch is, and what a catch isn’t. Adding to that confusion, indirectly, was last night’s failure to overturn the ruling on the field that Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had possession of the ball long enough to fumble it. (It didn’t matter to the outcome of the play, since the Chargers recovered the ball. But if it had trickled out of bounds, the ruling that Hurts had the ball long enough to fumble it would have determined which team was awarded possession.) The possession rule is virtually identical to the catch rule. From Rule 3, Section 1, Article 7 (Player Possession): “To gain possession of a loose ball that has been caught, intercepted, or recovered, a player (a) must have complete control of the ball with his hands or arms and (b) have both feet or any other part of his body, other than his hands, completely on the ground inbounds, and, after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, clearly perform any act common to the game (e.g., extend the ball forward, take an additional step, tuck the ball away and turn upfield, or avoid or ward off an opponent). It is not necessary that he commit such an act, provided that he maintains control of the ball long enough to do so.” Watch the play. If Hurts possessed the ball long enough to fumble it, Likely had it long enough to catch it. Also, and as previously explained, if Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had the ball long enough to complete the process of catching it, Likely had it long enough to catch it. (It’s impossible to reconcile the two rulings, and the NFL knows it.) Bottom line? It took the NFL years to create the impression that it has finally figured out what a catch is. In one fell swoop on a December afternoon in Baltimore, the league has thrown the entire question back into the “who the hell knows?” category. Congratulations. |
| ANOTHER VIEWING RECORDEric Fisher of Front Office Sports on the growth of things streaming in general and at Amazon in particular: Just six days after setting several records on Black Friday, Amazon made more history with the National Football League. The streaming and online retail giant said it averaged 19.39 million viewers for its Thursday Night Football coverage on Prime Video on Dec. 4 with the Cowboys and Lions, the largest such regular-season figure since Amazon began showing TNF in 2022. The viewership total beat Amazon’s prior high-water mark, an average of 17.76 million for a Sept. 11 game between the Commanders and Packers to start its 2025 NFL schedule, by 9%. The latest viewership figure provides another data point in the increasing ability of streamers such as Amazon to draw linear-type audiences. This latest TNF figure is slightly higher than the NFL’s season-to-date average of 18.6 million viewers per game across all networks—itself the league’s best mark through Week 13 since 1989. The Cowboys-Lions game happened less than a week after its 15-hour live sports bonanza on Black Friday that generated an average of 16.3 million viewers for a Bears-Eagles game, its best football mark to date on the unofficial holiday, as well as season-best NBA viewership. For the entire 2025 NFL season to date, Amazon is averaging 15.2 million viewers, up 15% from the comparable point last year, and up 28% from 2023. As has been the case since the Thursday-night package moved to Amazon, viewers there have been much younger as well, as the TNF audience has a median age of 49 years old, nearly seven years younger than the comparable linear NFL figure of 55.9. The Lions beat the Cowboys, 44–30, to keep their playoff hopes alive. Detroit has an 8–5 record, one game out of the final postseason spot in the National Football Conference. The Cowboys fell to 6–6–1, and are 10th in the conference. |
