| Give Mike Florio credit for sniffing out the Falcons QB change (see ATLANTA), and the DB will take a bow for calling out the possible return of QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER. High school football season is over for Teddy Bridgewater, who won a state championship in his first year at his alma mater. Things don’t start up again until February. In the interim, he’s thinking about returning to the NFL. Bridgewater made the disclosure during an appearance on NFL Network. It seems as if the hosts knew to ask the question about his future. When it was asked, he provided one hell of an answer. “Might be signing with a team or something and then returning back to coach high school football,” Bridgewater said. When asked if he’s coming back to the NFL, Bridgewater said, “That’s the plan.” The 32-year-old Bridgewater, a first-round pick of the Vikings in 2014, has plenty of gas in the tank. It remains to be seen which contenders would want him at this point. Most of the playoff teams have their depth charts in place. Still, Bridgewater can sign with any team at any time. All it takes is one injury to open the door to a return — and possibly to a shot at a Super Bowl ring. |
| NFC NORTH |
| DETROITEveryone but RB DAVID MONTGOMERY thinks David Montgomery is done for the 2024 season. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Lions coach Dan Campbell said this week that running back David Montgomery needs season-ending surgery. But Montgomery isn’t conceding that his season is over just yet. Montgomery has not been placed on injured reserve, and he said in a video posted on the Lions’ social media that nothing is official just yet. “We don’t know. We’re kind of working through the logistics right now. Things may change,” Montgomery said. Asked if there’s a chance he could play again this season, Montgomery answered, “I hope so.” Montgomery was hosting a coat drive for needy families in Detroit on Tuesday, and he said he’s going to keep a positive attitude and remember how lucky he is. “I’m good. I’m alive, I’m well, I can breathe, my son’s healthy, my family’s healthy, I’m good,” Montgomery said. The Lions have had a brutal run of injuries and are desperate for some good news on the health front. Montgomery being able to play would be very good news in Detroit.– – -Shiel Kapadia of The Ringer on the post-Bills state of the Lions: Detroit Lions: Are the injuries too much to overcome?There’s an alternate universe in which I’m telling you to be encouraged after the Lions’ loss to the Bills. That it was a narrative buster, because there was this idea that the Lions couldn’t play from behind, or that if they couldn’t run the ball, well, their offense wouldn’t work. But the Lions scored touchdowns on their final four drives against the Bills on Sunday. They had 30 first downs and 521 yards. We’re talking about an offensive performance that ranked in the 96th percentile this season in terms of expected points added per drive. If there were any questions about the Lions offense (and there shouldn’t have been many), they were answered on Sunday. Of course, that’s not likely the tone of Lions fans’ group chats this week. That loss to the Bills was about as costly as a contending team can have this time of year. Detroit lost defensive tackle Alim McNeill and running back David Montgomery for the season, and cornerback Carlton Davis III is out indefinitely. I still have a lot of faith in the Lions offense. Its line is intact. Quarterback Jared Goff has played at a high level. Ben Johnson is still calling the plays. And while they’ll miss Montgomery, the Lions still have a quality back in Jahmyr Gibbs, who’ll just have to carry more of the load. Offensive efficiency is king, and the Lions still have the pieces in place to produce at an elite level. The question is whether the defense can find enough answers. This was already a banged-up unit, and at some point, there’s just no scheme or game plan that can make up for a depleted roster. So where do I actually stand with this team? I’m not giving up on Detroit. We’ve seen a lot of Super Bowl teams overcome tough injury situations, and they have the right makeup to face this sort of adversity. This is part of the allure of Dan Campbell. He won’t make excuses, and the Lions will have their backups prepared. The offense will still be a problem for opponents, and they’ll win the special teams battle most weeks. The key for Detroit? Simply take care of business down the stretch. Right now, they have a 53 percent chance of earning a first-round bye, according to the New York Times’ playoff simulator. The Lions have the 10th-hardest remaining schedule, with games at the Bears, at the 49ers, and home against the Vikings. If they can secure that first-round bye and home-field advantage, I think they’ll still be the NFC favorites and will have a good chance of getting to New Orleans. But if they get jumped for the top spot in the next three weeks, this could quickly turn into a “what if?” season for the Lions. |
| MINNESOTAWe would say that the Eagles, Lions, Bills and Chiefs are the current top shelf of Super Bowl contenders (if Detroit can overcome its run of injuries). The next level is Green Bay, the Rams, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and maybe Houston, Washington, Denver and the Chargers. But where should the Vikings go? Alec Lewis of The Athletic: Nobody around here is making much of the fact that the Minnesota Vikings clinched a playoff spot this weekend. The postseason had already become a foregone conclusion, and everyone wants more. Because the Detroit Lions lost to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the Vikings control their destiny in the NFC North. Beat the Seattle Seahawks on the road, handle the Green Bay Packers at home and win Week 18 in Detroit, and Minnesota will be vying for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. No longer are the Vikings simply the fun-loving overachievers. They have the sixth-best odds, via BetMGM, to win the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, The Athletic’s projection model gives Minnesota a 31 percent chance to win the NFC North and an 11 percent chance to earn a first-round bye. When head coach Kevin O’Connell was presented Tuesday afternoon with those possibilities, he wanted none of it, clinging instead to the appropriate cliches. Be where your feet are. Take it one day at a time. Pay attention to this week and this week only. If only it were that easy. Given the spot the Vikings find themselves in, it feels like the right time to ask an important question: How good is this team? Not just in the context of this season, but compared to the best Vikings teams in recent history, and when held up against the Super Bowl-winning teams of the past decade. We selected five key areas in which to evaluate the 2024 Vikings: point differential, passing success, defensive play, the running game and turnover margin. These were not cherry-picked metrics but broad numbers that apply directly to wins and losses. Our findings are by no means the be-all, end-all. Strength of schedule and other factors play into this, so it’s a rough gauge. But it’s also an informative one in that these Vikings aren’t lacking in any of these particular categories. Point differentialThis seemed like an obvious statistic to start with. A team’s margin of victory indicates its level of dominance. The Vikings are plus-117 through 14 games, trailing only the Lions, Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. None of the five previous Super Bowl-winning teams led the NFL in point differential. All of them, though, slotted somewhere in the top 10. That the Vikings are where they are is unquestionably a positive sign. Early in the season, multiple pundits including legendary coach Bill Belichick questioned the Vikings’ ability to play from behind, especially late in games. Those opportunities have been rare, but the response late against the Cardinals in Week 13 provided a data point. The Vikings also challenged the Rams in Los Angeles. For additional perspective, here is where Minnesota stacks up through 14 games against the Super Bowl-winning teams of the last decade. 2014 Patriots 1622015 Broncos 492016 Patriots 1322017 Eagles 1592018 Patriots 642019 Chiefs 1102020 Bucs 802021 Rams 832022 Chiefs 922023 Chiefs 742024 Vikings 117 As you’ll notice, the Vikings reside on the more promising end of the spectrum among the most elite of teams. The same goes for this year’s Vikings compared to the 2009 and 2017 Vikings teams that reached the NFC Championship Game. This year’s total of plus-117 is smack in the middle of the ’09 (plus-127) and ’17 (plus-101) teams through 14 games. Passing successYears ago, one Pro Football Focus writer assessed the previous decade to discern common themes among the best teams. He deemed that there is no one formula for reaching the mountaintop, but that “above-average passing” was a consistent attribute. If you know anything about O’Connell’s approach, you know how integral passing the ball is — and how successful these Vikings can be through the air. Since he became Minnesota’s head coach, the only team with more completions of 20 yards or more is San Francisco. This year’s passing game is more explosive than Brett Favre’s was in 2009 and more efficient than the Case Keenum-led unit in 2017. These Vikings rank comparably with past Super Bowl winners, too. 2014 Patriots 0.27 15.0%2015 Broncos 0.03 13.6%2016 Patriots 0.27 16.3%2017 Eagles 0.29 13.2%2018 Patriots 0.23 17.1%2019 Chiefs 0.29 17.8%2020 Bucs 0.12 13.3%2021 Rams 0.29 17.3%2022 Chiefs 0.32 18.1%2023 Chiefs 0.11 12.7%2024 Vikings 0.25 18.7% The question comes down to Sam Darnold. Eight of the last 10 Super Bowls have been won by sure-fire Hall of Famers: Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning. Another likely Hall of Famer, Matthew Stafford, won one of the others. Nick Foles is the outlier of the bunch, but the 2017 Eagles rode the underdog wave to the finish line. One interesting layer to Darnold’s season is how effective he’s been in the fourth quarter and overtime. Darnold ranks ninth in EPA per dropback in these moments and has completed 63 percent of his passes. Interestingly, his EPA also ranks second in the NFL when the Vikings are trailing behind only Joe Burrow. Running the footballIt’s the old adage: Throw to score, run to win. O’Connell even said Monday night, “To be able to (run) and finish drives (by running) is important for us moving forward.” The ground game is not the Vikings’ offensive identity per se. It likely never will be with O’Connell at the helm. That’s OK, but some success is essential, and the Vikings have shown they’re capable. They rank 17th in the league this season in yards per carry and 15th in EPA per rush. Here’s how those metrics look against the last 10 Super Bowl champions. 2014 Patriots 4.2 4th 2015 Broncos 4.3 19th2016 Patriots 4.0 13th2017 Eagles 4.5 11th2018 Patriots 4.5 7th2019 Chiefs 4.1 17th2020 Bucs 4.5 10th2021 Rams 4.2 20th2022 Chiefs 4.6 16th2023 Chiefs 4.0 17th2024 Vikings 4.1 15th Whether the Vikings offensive line can handle imposing fronts remains a pivotal question down the stretch. On Monday night, the Bears’ movement up front flustered left tackle Cam Robinson, left guard Blake Brandel, center Garrett Bradbury and right guard Dalton Risner. Right tackle Brian O’Neill has been the most stable of the group, but he suffered a knee injury. O’Connell does not expect O’Neill to miss any time, but even a dinged-up O’Neill would make the line less formidable. It’s also worth noting that many of the Vikings’ potential playoff opponents possess elite interior defenders. The Eagles have Jalen Carter. The Bucs have Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey. The Commanders have Daron Payne. The Rams have Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. Defensive productionOne fascinating element about recent Super Bowl-winning teams is how successful their defensive coordinators have been. Belichick needs no further explanation. Steve Spagnuolo of the Kansas City Chiefs has done a phenomenal job. Jim Schwartz coordinated the Eagles in 2017, and Wade Phillips led the Broncos in 2015. Brandon Staley’s Rams were helped by Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, but even that defense could be game-plan-specific. These Vikings don’t have that type of talent, but defensive coordinator Brian Flores is capable of bespoke plans that torpedo offensive tendencies. That should give his unit a puncher’s chance against anyone. This defense is allowing more explosive plays than both the 2009 and 2017 teams, but its efficiency nears the 2017 team. Any issues that arise will likely stem from the lack of a pass rush or an inability to stop the run. Minnesota’s defense has the lowest success rate against rushes over the last three weeks. Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. should return from an injured hamstring, which will help Minnesota’s cause. If the Vikings can get back to stopping opponents’ rushing attacks, it’ll become hard to argue against this defense being capable enough. 2014 Patriots 0.0 12.1%2015 Broncos 0.12 8.4%2016 Patriots 0.08 10.3%2017 Eagles 0.10 9.1%2018 Patriots 0.05 13.7%2019 Chiefs 0.0 10.8%2020 Bucs 0.07 9.5%2021 Rams 0.02 10.5%2022 Chiefs 0.01 9.8%2023 Chiefs 0.09 9.0%2024 Vikings 0.10 11.5% Turnover marginThere is no more predictive statistic when it comes to winning or losing a football game. Here’s where the Vikings are positioned compared to the best teams of the past decade. 2014 Patriots +112015 Broncos E 2016 Patriots +62017 Eagles +92018 Patriots +72019 Chiefs +72020 Bucs +52021 Rams +52022 Chiefs -62023 Chiefs -82024 Vikings +8 Even though the 20 offensive turnovers are at the higher end, this Vikings defense has made up for it. Darnold threw the ball into traffic multiple times Monday night, but only one pass was picked off. Running back Aaron Jones fumbled four times in a span of three games but has not put the ball on the deck in the team’s last two victories. O’Connell is 28-2 as a head coach when the Vikings win the turnover margin. Only the Chiefs are better since the beginning of 2022. Continue to win this metric, and there’s no telling how all of this will end. |
| NFC EAST |
| WASHINGTONIt looks like the Commanders/Redskins will be back where they came from in the District with the help of the United States Congress. Ben Standig of The Athletic: The notion of the Washington Commanders playing home games in the nation’s capital has moved one step closer. Recent negotiations on Capitol Hill led to Congress including measures relating to the control of the RFK site in a stopgap funding bill released Tuesday evening. If the bill passes — a strong likelihood as funding the federal government through mid-March is the primary agenda — the District of Columbia government would gain control of the roughly 170-acre campus that previously served as the NFL franchise’s home.The RFK site is the nostalgic favorite for longtime fans of the three-time Super Bowl champions. However, the Washington franchise has played in Landover, Md., a nearby suburb, since 1997. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has been vocal about wanting to keep the team in Maryland on the property owned by managing partner Josh Harris. As part of the negotiations allowing the RFK site’s inclusion in the continuing resolution, the District agreed to give its F-16 fighter jets from its National Guard to Maryland. In addition, Congress will fund the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The organization and Harris, a D.C.-area native and lifelong fan of the franchise, formally agreed to participate in the redevelopment of the current stadium property should the franchise leave the state. The stadium, previously known as FedEx Field, is considered among the NFL’s worst. Harris previously stated a target of 2030 for a new venue. Moore emphasized that Maryland remains invested in keeping the franchise. “Commanders: Our position on the stadium hasn’t changed,” Moore said in a statement shared with The Athletic. “We are not afraid of competition, and we believe that we can continue to build on decades of partnership with the team here in Maryland. We are confident that Landover is still the best, and fastest, path to a new stadium for the Washington Commanders. “We have said from the start of this process that regardless of what happens with the RFK legislation, we are focused on making sure that Landover receives the investment it deserves. While the stadium location is still an open question, the Commanders and the state of Maryland both agree on the importance of the team’s commitment to the Prince George’s community if the team decides to move.” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is hoping the Commanders make the move across the Anacostia River. “As a city, we have worked for years to get control of the RFK campus,” Bowser said in a statement via her official account on X. “And today, we’re taking a giant step forward in unlocking its true potential. “We’re celebrating this moment, and we’re looking to the future of a field of possibilities on the banks of the Anacostia.” The social media post concluded with “#OurRFK.” Bowser and House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) worked together to pass a bill through the House of Representatives earlier this year to grant D.C. control of the site where the old stadium has become a rusted-out eyesore rather than an economic driver. Previous language in the agreement with the federal government would not allow for a stadium project to include retail or other commercial possibilities. “Including the bipartisan D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act in the continuing appropriations for Fiscal Year 2025 shows Congress is doing its job to oversee the District of Columbia,” Comer said in a statement. “This landmark legislation will unlock the District’s full potential, generate meaningful new jobs and add millions in additional city revenue for the nation’s capital. Without Congressional action, this land would remain vacant, leaving ongoing maintenance costs and liabilities to burden the American taxpayer.” After a lengthy delay in the Senate, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed the bill allowing for a vote on the Senate floor. One major aspect remains: whether the D.C. city council will help fund a stadium project. The D.C. Council on Tuesday unanimously signed off on a previous $515 million deal to keep the Washington Wizards and Capitals in the Chinatown area of the city. There would be no discussion at all without Tuesday’s action on the Hill. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAMike Florio on the switch at QB, without taking a victory lap on reading between the lines of Raheim Morris’ postgame comments: The Kirk Cousins era in Atlanta is over. There was one? There was. For fourteen games. After five subpar performances, Cousins has been benched for rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons made the announcement on Tuesday night. “After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward,” coach Raheem Morris said in the statement. “This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.” It’s no surprise, given the things Morris said after Monday night’s unexpectedly tight win over the Raiders, and then earlier today. Still, it’s a stunner. The Falcons gave Cousins a contract with $100 million fully guaranteed. Several weeks later, they made Penix the eighth overall pick in the draft. But it’s apparently time to shake things up. Cousins has thrown one touchdown pass and nine interceptions in the last five games. His passer rating landed under 80 in each one. And so Penix gets his chance to shake things up. He was drafted to be the future. With three games left and a game to make up on the Buccaneers in order to get to the playoffs, the future is now. More from Charles McDonald of YahooSports.com: The Atlanta Falcons made the move that was inevitable after results of their recent five-game stretch have them fighting for their postseason lives. After starting 6-3 with the NFC South in control, the Falcons have executed a 1-4 stretch capped off by a victory Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders that felt more like a loss. Their big-time offseason acquisition of quarterback Kirk Cousins started off in a very productive manner for the team. But his play devolved and he became the Falcons’ biggest obstacle toward success in recent games. Just 14 games into a contract that has $100 million guaranteed through the first two seasons, the Cousins experiment in Atlanta is over and the team will be moving forward with rookie QB Michael Penix Jr., the eighth pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Head coach Raheem Morris announced the move Tuesday night, saying in a statement, “we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward.” Atlanta has had almost two completely separate seasons on the offensive side of the football. Over the Falcons’ 6-3 start, they looked to have a unit capable of at least getting to the playoffs. According to TruMedia, over the first nine weeks of the season, the Falcons ranked seventh in expected points added (36.47), 10th in success rate (44.7%) and 10th in points per drive (2.33). They were doing what was expected of them coming into the season — add a veteran quarterback to an offense with young, talented skill players and watch the floor rise. Since then, Cousins turned into a liability and the Falcons plummeted. From Week 10, the Falcons rank 24th in expected points added (-27.02), 13th in success rate (43.2%) and 31st in points per drive (1.37). They went from a top-10 offense to one of the worst offenses in the league overnight. Cousins himself was posting strong numbers at the start of the season, ranking seventh (among 37 qualifying quarterbacks) in expected points added per dropback (0.15) during those nine weeks when things looked good. Since then, Cousins’ expected points added per dropback (-0.14) has plummeted to 30th (among 32 qualifying quarterbacks) and he ranks dead last in interception percentage (5.7%). Even with the litany of turnovers and costly plays, the Cousins and the Falcons never really dropped below league average in terms of success rate. The Falcons’ steadiness in terms of offensive success rate throughout the losing streak actually creates the framework for beginning to explain what happened to them. They still move the ball fairly well, but have become too constricted as an offense as the season has gone along. No team runs less play-action than the Falcons and Cousins has scrambled only three times this season — understandable for a 36-year-old coming off an Achilles injury. However, his physical limitations have become a colossal hindrance to this offense. With no play-action, the Falcons don’t have any changeups to throw at defenses and can’t take advantage of having one of the best rushing attacks in the league. They’re just dropping back and firing with no real constraints on defenses, which has made them increasingly easier to cover. That’s an approach that can work when the quarterback is actually seeing the field well and throwing with accuracy. Cousins is doing anything but that right now, making costly mistakes routinely for Atlanta. Cousins leads the league in interceptions over the past five games, with nine, and has fumbled the ball five times in that stretch. It doesn’t matter how well the Falcons can move the ball when those drives are abruptly ending in catastrophe. Success rate counts how well they move the ball, expected points measures what’s happening on those plays — hence Atlanta’s incredibly low marks in terms of actually being able to put the ball in the end zone. With how constricted the Falcons’ offense has become, it’s not surprising that they’re also one of the worst red zone teams, despite having players like Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and Drake London. Think about how bad that win over the Raiders had to feel in order to make this move. Atlanta didn’t even run a play in the red zone against a team that was 2-11 entering the game. Cousins mustered just 93 net passing yards and had another brutal interception that shouldn’t have been thrown in a million years. This was not the scenario the Falcons expected when they signed Cousins. The plan was to start him for a couple years while Penix sat on the bench behind him. Cousins’ recent stretch of play has made his position in the starting lineup untenable and, like most teams who draft a rookie quarterback in the first round, the rookie will play. Penix will take over a team that is still alive for the playoffs despite its recent blunders. He’ll likely need to go 3-0 to make that playoff berth a reality. |
| NFC WEST |
| ARIZONAThe Cardinals have reached a deal an extension for S BUDDA BAKER. Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com: Almost two years after asking for a new deal or to be traded, Arizona Cardinals All-Pro safety Budda Baker received a new contract Tuesday. Budda reached an agreement on a three-year extension worth up to $54 million with $30 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The $18 million per year is the third-largest contract for a safety in NFL history. Baker is in the final year of a four-year, $59 million extension that’s paying him $14.2 million. That deal, which he signed in 2020, made him the highest-paid NFL safety at the time. Baker, a six-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro who is second in the NFL with 142 tackles, didn’t head into this season looking at it as a contract year. “I treat every single year like a contract year,” Baker said last offseason. “So, of course I want to be a Cardinal, but at the end of the day, I understand it’s a business.” Now, Baker, 28, could be in position to retire with the Cardinals. Baker’s teammates knew he was heading into the last year of his contract and wanted to help keep him in Arizona, linebacker Kyzir White said. Baker has become the backbone of Arizona’s defense, both on and off the field. His presence has influenced how teams attack Arizona’s defense, with offenses committing numerous resources throughout a game to neutralize Baker. Off the field, Baker has been Arizona’s defensive leader for the past few years. His work ethic has been praised by teammates as the standard on defense. “Big leader,” fellow safety Jalen Thompson said. “I feel like he’s a leader. Kind of gets everybody going. When the energy is down, it’s low, he’s the guy that’s getting everybody up. He’s just one of those guys that does everything right.” |
| LOS ANGELES RAMSShiel Kapadia of The Ringer on the NFC West race from a Rams perspective: Los Angeles Rams: Can they hold off the Seahawks (and others!)?Week 15 couldn’t have gone much better for the Rams. They won an ugly game against the 49ers on Thursday night, got to enjoy a mini-bye, and then watched the Seahawks get smoked by the Packers on Sunday night. That moved the Rams (8-6) into first place in the NFC West—for now. I tend to view the Rams as an any given Sunday team, but I don’t think they’re actually an every given Sunday team. What the *&^% am I talking about? Glad you asked. On any given Sunday, their offense can go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the NFL. We saw that a couple of weeks ago when they beat the Bills. I just don’t think the Rams can consistently rise to that level for an extended period of time—or at least they haven’t yet shown us that they can. Having said that, the Rams have to love where they’re at. They now have a 68 percent chance to win the division. The Seahawks (24 percent) and Cardinals (8 percent) make up the remaining 32 percent. Here’s what the next three weeks look like for each team: Rams: They have the 10th-easiest remaining schedule: at the Jets, home vs. the Cardinals, home vs. the Seahawks. Seahawks (8-6): They have the 11th-hardest remaining schedule: home vs. the Vikings, at Chicago, at the Rams. Cardinals (7-7): They have the 12th-easiest remaining schedule: at the Panthers, at the Rams, home vs. the 49ers. As of this writing, it’s unclear whether Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith will miss any time after injuring his knee Sunday night. So where does that leave us? The Rams have the best offense. The Seahawks have the best defense. And the Cardinals might have the best overall team. I still think there’s a good chance that this thing will come down to Seahawks-Rams in L.A. in Week 18. |
| AFC WEST |
| LAS VEGASCoach Antonio Pierce makes it seem likely QB AIDAN O’CONNELL will be back to take on QB MAC JONES and the Jaguars on Sunday in a battle with implications for the first overall pick. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: The Raiders may be turning back to Aidan O’Connell at quarterback in Week 16. O’Connell was scratched from the lineup on Monday night due to a knee injury, but he had been listed as questionable heading into the game and head coach Antonio Pierce gave a positive update on O’Connell’s condition on Tuesday. Pierce said at his press conference that O’Connell is “trending upwards to playing” against the Jaguars in Week 16. O’Connell took over as the starter in Week Six, but injured his thumb the next week and missed four games before returning to make two more starts. Desmond Ridder started on Monday and went 23-of-39 for 208 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in a 15-9 loss. This on what O’Connell and TE BROCK BOWERS did Tuesday. Andrew Gamble of The Mirror: The Las Vegas Raiders’ dismal 2024 NFL season was summarised at ‘The Showdown’ in Sin City as rookie tight end Brock Bowers was given VIP treatment while injured quarterback Aidan O’Connell watched on. The Raiders have endured a difficult campaign thus far. The AFC West franchise slipped to 2-12 following a difficult ‘Monday Night Football’ showing against the Atlanta Falcons, falling 15-9 in a putrid offensive performance. With their season all but over, Bowers and O’Connell decided to entertain themselves by attending ‘The Showdown’ at Las Vegas’ Shadow Creek Golf Club. But Golf Digest writer Christopher Powers took to X to highlight the differing experiences the teammates are facing on Tuesday. Kirk Cousins finally benched by Falcons as Michael Penix Jr. handed playoff chanceRaiders have upper hand in Shedeur Sanders NFL Draft race due to obscure rule“Probably the funniest thing I’ve seen so far at the Showdown is Las Vegas raiders tight end Brock Bowers getting the inside the ropes VIP treatment while Raiders’ injured quarterback Aidan O’Connell is standing firmly outside of the ropes,” Powell wrote. Bowers has enjoyed a terrific rookie season. Through 14 games this season, the first-round pick has 968 receiving yards, putting him on pace for 1,175 receiving yards in a 17-game season – which would break Mike Ditka’s rookie tight end record of 1,076 yards set back in 1961. Bowers has already broken the rookie tight end receptions record, which was set by the Detroit Lions’ Sam LaPorta last year. LaPorta had 86 catches in 2023; Bowers has 90 catches so far this year. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| SO YOU’RE SAYING THERE IS A CHANCETyler Sullivan of CBSSports.com looks at the teams clinging to the underside of the playoff table: We are mere days away from when Kris Kringle jumps into his sleigh, gets Rudolph in gear and flies across the globe to deliver gifts for the Christmas holiday. Hopefully, the big man with the white beard has installed some streaming capabilities to that sleigh because the NFL is ramping up. This season, the league has an array of games leading up to the holiday, which includes a doubleheader on Christmas Day. While this is Santa’s busy season, it’s also crunch time across the NFL, with playoff spots being solidified. Already, four teams in the AFC have stamped their tickets, and three are locked in over in the NFC. Those spots are filling up fast, but there is still a glimmer of hope for some teams that have already been cast aside by the public, albeit not mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. Those are the clubs that we’ll focus on here because we got a peak at their Christmas list. All of them have the same thing atop their wish lists: a playoff berth. Below, we’ll look at the teams .500 or below that are still technically in contention for a playoff spot and highlight the Christmas miracle they’ll need to get into the postseason. AFC Indianapolis Colts (6-8)Need to win outNeed Chargers to go 1-2 down stretch*wild-card spot only option Indy’s path to an AFC South title was closed off last week, with the Houston Texans clinching the division following their win and the Colts’ loss to Denver. With that avenue closed, the Colts now need to sneak in as a wild-card club. At 6-8, they come into Week 16 two games behind the Los Angeles Chargers for the No. 7 seed. If Indy wins out and the Chargers go 1-2 down the stretch, they’d both finish the season at 9-8. In that scenario, Indy would win the tiebreaker, thanks to what would be a superior conference record (7-5 vs. 6-6). The Colts also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Dolphins, who are next on this list. Miami Dolphins (6-8)Need to win outNeed Colts to go 2-1 down stretchNeed Chargers to go 1-2 down stretch (OR) Broncos to go 0-3 down stretch*wild-card spot only option Similar to Indy, any path forward to the playoffs for the Dolphins includes them winning their final three games. This week, they wrap up their final game at home against the 49ers before a two-game road trip to end the season against the Browns in Cleveland (Week 17) and then the Jets in New York (Week 18). Those are must-win games in order to keep the playoff dream alive. After that, the South Florida Sun Sentinel relays that the Colts must lose at least one more game. Then, the Chargers need to drop two or their final three games, or the Broncos lose out down the stretch. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)Need to win outNeed Colts and Dolphins to go 2-1 down stretchNeed Broncos or Chargers to go 0-3 down stretch*wild-card spot only option Despite having the same records as both the Colts and Dolphins, Cincinnati’s path is made much more difficult due to its poor conference record (3-6), which is one of the tiebreakers. Like the teams above them, the Bengals must win out to get to 9-8 on the season. They’d need to couple that with both the Colts and Dolphins losing at least one more game, which would see Cincy leapfrog them in the standings. Then, the Bengals would need either the Broncos or Chargers to lose out (h/t Cincinnati.com). NFC Atlanta Falcons (7-7)Need to win outNeed Buccaneers to go 2-1 down stretch (to win NFC South)Need Commanders and Seahawks to go 1-2 down stretch (for wild-card spot) Out of all these teams that we’re discussing, the Falcons have the easiest path, and using the term “Christmas miracle” is admittedly a stretch in the scenario, but they met the criteria to be on this list. Atlanta owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Buccaneers, so if the Falcons win out and Tampa Bay loses one game down the stretch, Kirk Cousins and Co. would win the NFC South. Even if they can’t get atop the division, there’s still a path for Atlanta as a wild-card entry. For that, they’d need to win out and have both the Commanders and Seahawks go no better than 1-2 over the final three weeks. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)Need to win outNeed Rams and Seahawks to go 1-2 down stretch (to win NFC West)Need Commanders to go 0-3 down stretch, Seahawks to go 1-2 down stretch, Falcons to go 2-1 down stretch (for wild-card spot) Similar to Atlanta, Arizona has a path to the playoffs both as a division winner and a wild-card team. At 7-7, they are a game behind both the Rams and Seahawks in the loss column for first place, and they currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Los Angeles (they play again in Week 17). If Arizona wins out and both the Rams and Seahawks finish the year no better than 1-2, the Cards are NFC West champions. As for the wild-card avenue, Arizona would again need to win out. From there, they’d need the Commanders to lose out, the Seahawks to finish no better than 1-2, and the Falcons to finish no better than 2-1. San Francisco 49ers (6-8)Need to win outNeed Cardinals to lose or tie vs. Panthers (Week 16) and then beat the Rams (Week 17)Need Rams to lose to Jets (Week 16) and Cardinals (Week 17)Need Seahawks to lose to Vikings (Week 16) and Bears (Week 17)Need Rams and Seahawks to tie in Week 18 matchup The 49ers have been snakebitten all season, which has the defending NFC champions on the brink of elimination from playoff contention. But there’s still a chance — albeit slim — to get into the playoffs as the NFC West winner. AZ Sports highlights the one scenario above where the Niners can thread the needle down the stretch to win the division. Yes, we’re at the stage where we need ties. Unlikely? Yes. Impossible? Not during the holiday season! Dallas Cowboys (6-8)Need to win outNeed Commanders to go 0-3 down stretchNeed Seahawks and Falcons to go 1-2 down stretchNeed Cardinals to go 2-1 down stretch *wild-card spot only option The NFC East is out of reach for the Cowboys, but they are still technically alive as a wild-card entry in the NFC. If they win out to get to 9-8 and the Commanders (currently the No. 7 seed) lose out, they’d finish with the same record, and Dallas would own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Then, the Seahawks and Falcons (who own the head-to-head tiebreaker) would each need to go 1-2 over the final three weeks, while the Cardinals can’t finish any better than 2-1. In this scenario, Dallas (7-5) would edge out Arizona (5-7) and Seattle (5-7) due to their superior conference record. New Orleans Saints (5-9)Need to win outNeed Buccaneers and Falcons to go 0-3 down stretch (to win NFC South)*wild-card spot not option Remarkably, New Orleans is still technically alive as we enter Week 16, despite being four games under .500. However, that’s more of an indictment on the NFC South at large. A wild-card path is nonexistent for the Saints, but there’s a slim chance they could end up the NFC South champions. For that, they’d need to win out and have both the Buccaneers and Falcons lose out. |
| 2025 DRAFTNick Baumgardner of The Athletic on how the top 10 picks might play out: Only three weeks remain in the race for the best seat in the NFL’s basement. As of right now, the Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) hold the top spot in the 2025 NFL Draft over another two-win team, the New York Giants, but the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns are all sitting on just three victories. So, there’s still a lot to sort out. Here’s this week’s look at how the top 10 might fall come April’s draft: 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Shedeur Sanders, QB, ColoradoDesmond Ridder went 23-of-39 for 208 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Monday night’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons — and that felt like a marked improvement from the Raiders’ recent quarterback play. It’s been miserable. The plan now should be to get Aidan O’Connell healthy so he can serve a bridge/long-term backup role and add Sanders as the spark the franchise desperately needs. I don’t know whether Sanders will be ready to lead a team (especially a bad one) when the 2025 season starts, but O’Connell can hold down the fort until he is. The mere presence of an exciting new face in the QBs group could offer the type of hope Raiders fans haven’t had in a long time. 2. New York Giants: Cam Ward, QB, MiamiIt’s hard for me to blame the Giants’ collapse completely on Brian Daboll. A coach is never innocent, but New York’s roster (and roster decision-making) has been a massive issue. It’ll be interesting to see whether ownership opts to just start over, ahead of what should be an opportunity to draft a QB in the top two. The other option, of course, would be to allow the new regime to trade this valuable draft asset and further build out the rest of the roster before rolling the dice on a rookie QB. The Giants are the Giants, though, and New York loves to talk about quarterbacks. 3. New England Patriots: Will Campbell, OT, LSUShould the top two QB-needy teams hold, the draft could start in earnest here, with a Patriots team needing a lot all over the place. Drake Maye needs more weapons, but New England’s protection has been horrific this season — and that issue is going to limit Maye’s growth if it’s not addressed quickly. This feels a bit high for Campbell, especially since some teams will view him as a guard due to length concerns. However, he’s a very sturdy football player and would instantly help the culture inside Maye’s offense. 4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, ColoradoHunter played high school ball in Georgia, but he was born in West Palm Beach — a four-hour straight shot from Jacksonville down I-95. This feels almost too perfect for the Jaguars, who could use Hunter on either side of the ball. And though Trevor Lawrence needs protection the same way Maye does, he also needs weapons. Hunter, the best player in the draft, would be outstanding value at No. 4 for whoever the coach is in Jacksonville next season. Only the Raiders have more draft capital than the Jaguars, so this franchise will have a real opportunity to improve come spring. 5. Carolina Panthers: Mason Graham, DT, MichiganThe Panthers desperately need pillars, and Graham — maybe more so than any player in this class — fits that description. Just plant him in the ground with cement and watch him prop up everything nearby. The Panthers are probably more in need of an edge (we gave them Abdul Carter last week), so that’s an option in Round 1. However, there isn’t a more versatile interior tackle in this class than Graham. He also can play wide in odd fronts and really never has to leave the field. He’s a potentially dominant presence, worthy of a top-five pick. 6. Tennessee Titans: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn StateCollege football players are about to find out what the NCAA Tournament bump feels like for basketball prospects. Penn State has a few players who could qualify for that boost, including QB Drew Allar and Carter, the freakiest edge in the class and a player who has gotten better each week. If Carter rips off a dominant College Football Playoff run, he could stamp himself as a top-five pick — and maybe even the top defensive player off the board. 7. Cleveland Browns: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise StateNick Chubb’s foot injury won’t require surgery, Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said, but the injury is just another in a lengthy line of health setbacks for the Browns’ star back. Jeanty is the rare type of back — not unlike Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs — who can provide three-down value in multiple situations. He’d also fit everything Stefanski is about and, possibly (maybe?!) make Deshaun Watson’s on-field life a bit easier, if Cleveland gets stuck with Watson at QB next season. The Browns also need OL help, but with Campbell off the board, Jeanty’s the pick. 8. New York Jets: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, ArizonaPretty much everything feels on the table for the Jets right now, no matter where this pick lands in the top 10. So much of the approach is going to depend on the coach and GM hires, and on what the franchise wants to do with Aaron Rodgers. The Jets don’t have to draft a QB this year either way, though they might. Building out the rest of the roster for a year with a veteran free agent before gearing up for what could be a very talented 2026 QB class might be the move. 9. Chicago Bears: Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, TexasIt feels like the Bears need more help inside than out on the offensive line, at least at the moment. Banks, a tackle for the Longhorns, could slide inside and hold his own as a guard (while providing OT value). This is too high for Banks, but I also thought No. 10 was too high for Darnell Wright and he’s proved me wrong — a fit is a fit. If the Bears are in the top 10 and like Banks, even if he might be slightly lower on their board … do it. Caleb Williams would thank them. 10. New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, edge, GeorgiaPut Williams in the Carter bucket of players who could use a huge Playoff run to vault their draft stock. Health hasn’t always cooperated here, but Williams’ physical traits — and the possibilities for what an NFL team could do with them — are off-the-charts good. Williams reminds me of an even less polished college version of Travon Walker. He’s a big, long, fast, versatile weapon who will need time to grow but might hit it big by the end of his rookie deal. |
