We're back on the blog front after a nice week and a half off, just couldn't stay away after such a consequential slate of NFL football! With so much to discuss, let's get to it:
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| Photo: Vikings.com |
Heating Up
Don't look now, but the two-time defending champs' offense is really starting to put it together. Hollywood Brown's healthy and looks the part, Xavier Worthy has emerged as a legit WR1, and then there's still Deandre Hopkins and Travis Kelce to worry about. The running game hasn't clicked yet for Isiah Pacheco since returning from the IR, but if they can get that going...look out AFC.
Cooling Down
That's three straight losses now for the formerly 10-3 Steelers, all against top tier competition. Excusable? Perhaps to a team content with mediocrity. But that's not what Pittsburgh claims to be, as the situation gets tenuous in the Steel City. Russell Wilson's poor play has been a key part of the slide: averaging just 183 yards passing over the stretch, turning the ball over four times and posting a paltry 13.3 PPG.
Seems like the Steelers will be back on the QB market this offseason.
Lamarkable
The Ravens will not join them in that market. LJ8 was, once again, phenomenal in primetime, with outstanding efficiency this go round. Jackson only threw 15 passes while adding just 4 carries, yet managed to rack up 255 total yards and three scores. 13.4 yards for Baltimore anytime Lamar was asked to do something other than hand it off, as they ran up 31 points effortlessly in Houston. Another dominant performance for the two-time MVP.
Benefactors of a Terrible Division
Let's just rip the band-aid off: the Houston Texans suck. CJ Stroud's regression has been as alarming as it has been rapid, with the second year quarterback looking completely lost in the pocket far too often. Their offensive line can't block, the receivers are severely banged up and the defense was never anything special-- an indictment on head coach Demeco Ryans. They're fortunate to be a part of the sadness that is the AFC South, otherwise this sorry squad wouldn't be sniffing the postseason. One and done incoming.
Sorry Folks
Anyone who stayed up for the Seahawks-Bears game couldn't have enjoyed themselves. Seattle won 6-3, for those who care, in a very fitting finale to 2024's Thursday Night football slate. 444 total yards of offense...yikes.
No Accountability
The Chicago crowd was none too pleased with Caleb Williams performance, with the rookie going 16/28 for 122 yards and a pick. It's surely a frustrating situation for all parties, but for Caleb to defend himself from the boos by saying, "this is [his] first year. Their frustrations go way longer back than, you know, I've been here," feels like an immediate deflection from his generally ineffective style of play. The red flags we saw at USC are starting to show, on and off the field. Can the Bears surround him with the kind of coaching staff he needs to maximize his talent?
X-Factor
It's crazy that all it took was JK Dobbins returning to get the Chargers offense going again. LA scored exactly 17 points in the first three games he missed, really failing to look competent until the second half of their fourth game sans Dobbins. They ran up a 40 burger in New England with him back in the backfield to punch their playoff ticket.
Poor Drafting
Outside of a few hits here and there, the Patriots haven't drafted well over the past couple of years. Saturday exemplified this fact, with Ladd McConkey torching their defense for 94 yards and two scores. New England traded the 34th overall pick to LA last April, which netted them McConkey and the 137th selection-- which turned into rookie breakout corner Tarheeb Still. The Pats took receivers Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker with their picks, who've combined for 12 catches on the year. Ladd had 8 in this one alone. Hard to build a team up with misses like that.
Joe Burrow
What more is there to say? Biggest Lamar supporter in the world here, let's get the MV3! But the fact of the matter is that award belongs to Mr. Shiesty. 4,641 yards, 42 touchdowns and just 8 picks, easily accounting for majority of Cincy's wins on the season. Sounds most valuable to me.
Mr. Mims!
Marvin Mims Jr. had a career day in the Broncos' attempt to topple Cincinnati and secure their playoff spot, popping for a previously unprecedented 8/104/2 line, topped off with an incredible late TD catch to force OT. In a game where big points were expected, not sure many expected Mims to be a primary contributor.
Rams Take the West
Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford are going to have at least one more week together as the Atlanta loss officially clinched the NFC West for LA. Despite the 10-6 record and dangerous roster, as their -14 point differential really tells the story about this team's maddening inconsistencies. They've got the guys to go off for forty any given night, but more regularly resort to grinding away with Kyren Williams and their underrated defense.
Finally in the End Zone
Trey McBride entered this game with 92 catches, yet had failed to score. After racking up 6 more on Saturday night, he finally found pay dirt on his 99th reception of 2024. An insane anomaly in an outstanding season for the third year tight end. Big payday incoming!
My Goodness.
The Jets. I've never seen a professional team lay down like that. Aaron Rodgers should be ashamed, razing a dumpster fire to previously unforeseen levels of pathetic. Fans...only one more week to suffer through this.
Air-Mari Cooper
Buffalo was only leading 12-0 halfway through the third quarter, before Amari Cooper's moss of a touchdown broke open the flood gates, a must-see replay if you haven't. The trade deadline acquisition hasn't constantly contributed, but he's helped change the culture in the Bills receiving room while providing some massive moments along the way.
More Brock Bowers History
We write about Bowers a lot, but he just keeps giving us reasons to. This Sunday, he snapped Puka Nacua's rookie reception record and Mike Ditka's record for receiving yards by a rookie tight end-- one that'd stood since 1961. Most impressive is that he's doing it with virtually no other weapons around him and the trio of Minshew/O'Connell/Ridder throwing him the ball. Imagine Bowers in a real NFL offense...maybe one day.
Zero Fun
Watching the Saints play football sucks. They've got some injuries, sure, but so does everyone. Sad, boring, dull, lame. This had to have been Dennis Allen's last home game. If not, expect much of the same in this new year.
Career Day
The G-Men were on the precipice of the first 0-9 home record in NFL history, but Drew Lock said, "not this year!" The journeyman QB had a career day, throwing for 309 yards and 4 touchdowns while adding a score with his legs. Indianapolis was completely unable to stop him, in one of the more shocking developments of the weekend. Rookie receiver Malik Nabers was a key part of the 45-point explosion, taking 7 catches for 171 and 2 trips to the end zone. Can't celebrate too long though, as they're no longer in control of the #1 pick.
Pathetic
The Colts defense. A must win game to stay alive, when you put up 33 points offensively. And you just roll over against Drew Lock and the hapless Giants. Go home Indy, not ready for the big stage.
Cooper Rush Stock Plummeting
Alright, maybe it was just one (really) bad game, but Rush was almost beginning to convince some he'd earned a right to compete as a starter somewhere next season. Gotta be able to hang with the big boys better than that, CeeDee or not.
2,000
Congratulations to Saquon Barkley on his massive achievement of topping to 2K mark. All it took was one year out of New York, who'd have thought!? Unfortunately, he won't be suiting up this Sunday against his former team to try and snap Eric Dickerson's rushing record, so we won't need to have the debate on if it's legitimate or not due to the extra game. Hell of a season though.
And shoutout to Tanner McKee! Philly's third stringer had to step up to the plate once Kenny Pickett left with a rib injury and looked pretty respectable doing it, tossing two touchdowns on his four attempts. AJ Brown caught the first one, promptly whipping it 40 rows into the stands. Had to sign some gear to get that ball back for Tanner, but can't let TD #1 slip away!
Bucky's Shared Ownership
Move over David Tepper, there's a new guy on the Carolina ownership committee: Bucky Irving. Tampa's fourth rounder has absolutely demolished the Panthers this season, taking 52 total touches for 375 yards, surprisingly just finding pay dirt once for his efforts. He'll be looking forward to seeing them twice again next year.
Inferior
Once word broke that Chuba Hubbard was hitting the IR, you knew their was no shot the Panthers hung in Tampa Bay, but that was an eye-opening display on inferiority. The defense gave up 551 yards, letting the Bucs do whatever they wanted with the ball, while only mustering 204 of their own. Outside of Adam Thielen, nobody on this Carolina team has any good film from this one.
Rest Up Ty'Jae
Sending positive vibes to Ty'Jae Spears, who suffered another concussion on Sunday in midst of career performance. With Tony Pollard out, the oft-injured Spears hit the 100-yard rushing mark, before losing five on the play he was injured and finishing with 95. Dude was looking so explosive too, you hate to see it.
Not That Terrible
For as much grief as Mac Jones gets, he's actually had a bad Jags team playing pretty scrappy. Jones helped Jacksonville take two wins in the month of December-- albeit both against Tennessee-- but he's had them competing each week, with 3, 7 and 5 point defeats in their other 3 games. Definitely isn't more than a career backup, but you could do substantially worse. Speaking of which...
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Do you remember when DTR announced a few weeks ago that he was, in fact, a QB1. Pepperidge Farms remembers. Dude is horrendous at playing football.
Still in the Hunt(ley)
See what I did there? The Dolphins weren't easy to watch Sunday afternoon but they did enough to keep their playoff hopes alive without Tua. They need to beat the Jets and have the Broncos lose to the Kansas City backups in order to extend their season.
Gunslinger
What more is there to say about Sam Darnold? The man absolutely mangled the Packers, putting up 27 through three quarters before taking his foot off the gas. The Vikings are miraculously 14-2 and his play has been an integral part of that. Dude is going to get paid... Crazy that he and Baker Mayfield were both on Panthers' roster two seasons ago, yet neither clicked. The two combined for 736 passing yards today.
No Juice at Receiver
People love to talk about how most top receivers never win a title, but you've got to have something to work with at the position. The Packers have some decent guys at wideout, but there's no real alpha. Jayden Reed is small, Romeo Doubs is mostly average and Christian Watson's always hurt. Jordan Love is good but he's failed to elevate this iffy receiving core versus really good teams.
Your Offensive Rookie of the Year
What a night for Jayden Daniels, throwing for 227 yards and three touchdowns while adding 127 on ground, all with virtually no contribution from Terry McLaurin. To quote Daniels himself, he "willed" the Commanders to victory Sunday night over the Falcons, staking their claim in the playoffs and emphatically slamming the door on the OROY discussion.
Should've Started Penix Earlier
Maybe putting Penix Jr. in too early could have messed up his development, but that seems unlikely. The Falcons have looked completely reenergized with the rookie taking over for Kirk Cousins, but it may be too little too late given the hole they'd dug themselves. Curious if it was Raheem Morris or Terry Fontenot in charge of pulling those strings? What a bad investment Cousins has turned out to be.
Ben Johnson
Having the skill players he does obviously is beneficial, but Johnson's simply a masterful and creative play caller. As banged up as Detroit is defensively, Ben and the Boys will consistently keep them in games. Will this be the offseason he finally gets swayed to spread his wings and take a head coaching role?
What Could've Been
The 49ers really hung with the Lions Monday night, but they were eventually overpowered by an elite unit. It was one final glimpse of how high this team's ceiling was in this lost ceiling.
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@Choppinglines
*I own no rights to any images found in this blog
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