NFL Week 14
We are in the home stretch in this wild and unusual NFL season. The contenders are starting to play one another and the playoff picture is becoming clearer. Just as the good teams are playing on another, we are starting to witness bad teams play each other for entertaining games. These aren’t tank bowls per se, rather they pit evenly matched teams that are less talented. In the NFL season that has brought us a lot of uncertainty, light is at the end of the tunnel. The playoffs are only a few weeks away and have gotten a week closer.
Cardinals-Giants
The NFL has figured out Daniel Jones. Likewise, the NFL defenses have figured out Kyler Murray. Fortunately for Kyler Murray, he can still make enough throws to be effective against defenses that force him to throw. Unfortunately for Daniel Jones, defenses have also figured out that his arm isn’t accurate past 20 yards, and rushing four will get to Jones. As the game got out of hand and the Giants only scored one touchdown this week, we saw more proof of Daniel Jones is a bust. Honestly, after a 26-7 defeat, the Giants should consider starting Colt McCoy for their final three games, a move that will give them a better chance of making the playoffs.
Cowboys-Bengals
The Bengals aren’t tanking, they are just done. The players wanted to prove what next season could bring and all the promise that Cincinnati had, since Joe Burrow’s injury in week 11, we have seen a team check out for the season. You can’t blame them, any team that would lose the future of their franchise like the Bengals would do the same. The Cowboys winning this game doesn’t prove anything. The Cowboys are not back in the playoff chase and Andy Dalton is not a viable starter after this game. The win against a sad Bengals team just helps keep morale high for the time being but rest assured, Mike McCarthy is going to get fired.
Broncos-Panthers
This was the first of the good games that were a result of two equally matched bad teams. I have been trying to be hopeful of the Panthers but they are not ready yet as a roster to be contenders. Do they have talent on defense? Yes. Do they have enough talent on the whole roster to win games? No. The Broncos are in a similar situation where they have the talent but this season has given them tough breaks. The Broncos would have been a playoff team if not for Von Miller going down to injury before the season started. Similarly, the Broncos would be a playoff team if Drew Lock played every game, he was injured and had to miss a game to Covid-19 rules. The Broncos winning this game only gives more optimism for next season.
Chiefs-Dolphins
This is a game that reminded us why the Chiefs are the best team in the NFL. The Dolphins’ defense picked off Patrick Mahomes three times, and they lost. The Dolphins jumped out to a 10-0 lead and the Chiefs went on a 28-0 run and essentially ended the game. The Chiefs defense is once again not going to receive much credit in this victory. However, the Tyrann Mathieu interception turned the game around to give Kansas City the lead entering the half. The defense also forced back to back punts to start the second half, one of those punts turned into a touchdown and essentially put the game out of reach. The defense also forced a safety that helped keep the lead comfortable as the Dolphins tried a comeback. The Chiefs are the team to beat in the NFL and now it’s obvious to the public.
Vikings-Buccaneers
This game was a bad kicking game from one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history in Dan Bailey. You hate to see it but it cost the Vikings the game and a possible spot in the playoffs. The Vikings lost by 12 points and 10 of those points were left on the board by Dan Bailey. The sad reality is that Dan Bailey probably played his last game in his career. The Bucs winning this game does turn their season around but only slightly. Nobody will view this team as a Super Bowl contender or a serious threat to the other NFC teams. This win just assures that the Buccaneers will make the playoffs.
Texans-Bears
Many like to point to the fact that Mitch Trubisky had a great game against Deshaun Watson, one of the two quarterbacks taken after Trubisky. Many also see this game as a great victory for a team that needed one desperately in Chicago.
This game doesn’t teach us any of this. This game showed us how broken the Texans are. To be specific, Bill O’Brien has destroyed this franchise and it’s going to take someone at the Vince Lombardi or Bill Belichick level to bring them back. The Texans have Deshaun Watson, one of the most talented, young quarterbacks in the NFL. Unfortunately, they don’t have much else in their favor. The offensive line would end Watson’s career if he wasn’t mobile enough, the offense lacks the skill players that can turn good plays into great ones. Also, the Texans don’t have a first-round pick. The Bears will take this deceive win and they deserve it, only because the team they played might be damaged beyond repair.
Titans-Jaguars
This game went as expected. The Titans took an easy victory against a team that we know accidentally won their first game of the season. The Jaguars brought Garner Minshew back which only further indicates that they will be drafting a quarterback. The Titans just fed Derrick Henry and against a defense that traded away all their veteran playmakers in the offseason and it worked. At this point, we have figured out who the Titans are. They will win if they keep giving the ball to Derrick Henry, the problem is that doesn’t translate to enough victories to win the division or the Super Bowl.
Colts-Raiders
This game was a reassurance that the Colts are as good as their record displays. The Raiders aren’t good but they are good enough to have a statement victory against. Granted, any defensive coordinator that allows an offense to gash them for 40 points deserves to be fired. However, this game allowed us to see how potent the Colts offense can be when they are a run-first offense. The offensive line is a run-blocking line and the two-headed monster of Jonathan Taylor and Nakiem Hines is going to turn good runs into great ones. Philip Rivers isn’t the type of quarterback that is going to win playoff games but with a great team around him, the Colts are going to be a dangerous team in January.
Falcons-Chargers
This was the second game of the week that gave us two bad teams (like genuinely bad at football) and a good game. The Falcons and Chargers gave us a uniquely good game since both teams are equally bad and equally capable of blowing leads. This game went down to the wire with both teams turning over the ball in hopes of being the ones to lose yet the Chargers had the ball last and their kicker (who apparently has the nickname “Moneybadger”) nailed the game-winner.
The Falcons lost again and are going to be in an interesting position come draft time. Say they end up with a top ten draft pick, do they draft a Kyle Trask or a Trey Lance? Do they trade Matt Ryan this offseason if they do that? Should they trade Julio Jones for a surplus of draft picks? These questions will have to wait a few weeks.
Packers-Lions
This looked like a trap game for Green Bay. The Lions can always pull an upset if Matthew Stafford has a good enough game. Aaron Rodgers took care of business and the defense did just enough to erase that thought of a loss. The Packers didn’t dominate as many thought they would but a win is a win. This week particularly, we saw how important this win would be. The Packers are now in the driver seat for the top seed in the NFC and they might not look like the best team in the conference but the bye week will make a Super Bowl appearance incredibly likely (almost a guarantee).
Saints-Eagles
It has become clear in so many ways that the Eagles are better with Jalen Hurts as their starter (as previously mentioned here). Watching the Eagles beat the Saints would be enough proof. The roster looking ready to rally around Hurts, the offense being able to move the ball, the offensive line not needing to protect a quarterback with no mobility (an open target), and a quarterback that isn’t turning the ball over is also going to help the cause. The Eagles didn’t just beat the Saints this week, they controlled the game from start to finish. The Eagles are going to have to figure out what to do with Carson Wentz but if Hurts continues to impress the answer won’t be Wentz and they will have to find a way to move him.
The Saints were regarded as the best team in the NFC. While they now recognize the absence of Brees, this loss was the one they couldn’t afford to have. It’s uncertain if Drew Brees will be back for next week. Who do the Saints play next week you might wonder? The Kansas City Chiefs. Good luck New Orleans.
Washington-49ers
There is a strategic dilemma for general managers when drafting in the top five. You want to draft the savior (the player that can bring your team to a Super bowl) and statistically, those players are quarterbacks. Ron Rivera proved that it is worth it to draft the player on the board that is the transcending talent on the defensive side of the ball. Chase Young has solidified a strong defensive line and the defense as a whole looks like it can propel the Football Team into the playoffs. Chase Young has a career day against a good 49ers offensive line and players like Young or Nick Bosa or Myles Garrett are the players worthy of drafting in the top five because of the impact they make on the team as a whole.
Steelers-Bills
This game might not only spell doom for the Steelers, but it might also have assured us that the Chiefs are going to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Many will look back on this game as a sign that Josh Allen is an MVP and the Bills are back. I will say that the Bills are good but are they on the same level as the Kansas City Chiefs? Not in the slightest.
The Steelers, on the other hand, have to figure out what is going to work in time for the playoffs. They tried to run the ball, they failed throughout the game. The short passing game is leading to dropped passes, this can be blamed on the receivers but Ben Roethlisberger has to make tough throws for most of the short passes across the middle and they aren’t working. To make matters worse, the deep ball is non-existent, allowing defenses to shrink the field. The great defense can only carry them so far and now that side of the ball is starting to unravel to injuries.
