Right here we go — it’s December, Christmas is lower than three weeks away, the common season is winding down, and the playoff race is heating up. My apologies, I’m not attempting to hurry issues; blame the three groups which have already punched their tickets to the postseason: the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Buffalo Payments and Detroit Lions. That’s a transparent signal we’re getting near the top.
It’s additionally the top of the highway for a number of groups. The New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants are formally out of the playoff image, with work towards subsequent season already underway of their buildings. NFL house owners will meet in Irving, Texas, subsequent week and I count on a lot of dialog in regards to the subsequent wave of head coach firings and hirings. At this level, Cleveland Browns guide and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson are the 2 prime names groups are discussing internally.
We’ll have a lot to share over the following few weeks on the hiring and firing entrance. For now it’s crunch time within the NFL. Right here’s what I’m listening to:
• How the Falcons are dealing with Kirk Cousins’ stoop
• Forward of his return to Minnesota, a glance again on the top of Cousins’ Vikings days
• Invoice Belichick, school coach? It may actually occur
• How enticing is the Bears job?
• The Al-Shaair suspension stays a dialog subject throughout the NFL
• What that Broncos-Browns shootout can educate us about vacation procuring
Falcons’ religion in Cousins nonetheless holds
Regardless of latest struggles, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has been clear: He’s standing by Cousins. Typically, we see head coaches open the door to hypothesis in moments like this, after Atlanta’s depressing loss to the Chargers, during which Cousins threw 4 interceptions and the remainder of the offense seemed misplaced. However Morris is assured Cousins will bounce again.
Across the league, different coaches have identified Morris’ steadiness and perception within the quarterback, realizing it’s by no means straightforward when you have got a prime draft decide sitting on the bench behind you. There isn’t any denying Cousins performed poorly final week, however the group isn’t listening to these clamoring for Michael Penix Jr. I’m instructed no inside discussions of a QB swap have occurred at this level. Atlanta is displaying religion in Cousins, significantly with the added motivation of dealing with his former group, the Vikings, on Sunday.
We’ll see if something shifts because the season winds down — particularly if the group decides it wants a spark to assert the division it was anticipated to dominate.
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The way it resulted in Minnesota
From what I perceive, Cousins has no regrets about leaving Minnesota. It was by no means going to get messy when he left both — Cousins simply isn’t that sort of man, and neither is Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. Everybody knew they wished to maintain working collectively for the 2024 season and past, however typically, plans change. And like every breakup, it stung. Cousins was upset and O’Connell needed to modify.
Anticipating a powerful market in a quarterback-needy league, O’Connell knew his probabilities of retaining Cousins have been slim. For months main as much as free company, contained in the Vikings’ facility, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah led some powerful discussions in regards to the future. Cousins was recovering from an Achilles harm — a problem for any quarterback, particularly one in his mid-30s. The Vikings had a choice to make. O’Connell believed in Cousins and was assured he may bounce again and proceed because the starter, however not everybody within the group shared that optimism. The group additionally had its eyes on the long run, realizing the upcoming draft class was loaded with quarterback expertise. Possession was clear: They wished to draft a younger QB. That information didn’t sit nicely with Cousins, who had been hoping for a vote of confidence, not a smaller window with the Vikings.
Nonetheless, as choice day in March drew nearer, Cousins was optimistic it could work out and Minnesota would step up. He and O’Connell have been staying in contact and each have been hoping the group’s supply could be adequate. On the identical time, rumblings of curiosity from the Falcons grew louder. Rumors have been swirling that, with a powerful roster already in place, Atlanta was prepared to present a number of years of assured cash to land a seasoned quarterback.
Kevin O’Connell and Kirk Cousins have been each hoping for the quarterback’s return to Minnesota final offseason. (Quinn Harris / Getty Photos)
When the authorized tampering interval opened, the Falcons swooped in with a four-year, $180 million deal, $100 million assured. It was the sort of contract that mentioned, “You’re our man.” As for the Vikings, they didn’t budge when it got here to that sort of assured cash.
Minnesota weighed different choices. It had monitored Matthew Stafford’s tough contract negotiation with the Rams (O’Connell was Stafford’s offensive coordinator in the course of the Tremendous Bowl season in LA), however Sam Darnold emerged as their first alternative. Sooner or later after Cousins left for the Falcons, Minnesota agreed to a one-year cope with Darnold.
For Cousins, the Falcons represented a contemporary begin and stability — one thing he craved after the uncertainty in Minnesota. He additionally wasn’t anxious about his group drafting a rookie quarterback. Nevertheless, that safety lasted lower than 60 days.
On April 25, the primary evening of the NFL Draft, all the pieces modified once more. As Cousins instructed the “Scoop Metropolis” podcast final summer time, he was heading dwelling from a Falcons draft occasion at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when his cellphone rang. It was Zac Robinson, Atlanta’s offensive coordinator, calling with a heads-up: The Falcons have been about to draft a quarterback with the No. 8 decide. The decision was transient, and moments later, Penix grew to become a Falcon.
That evening, the shock was palpable across the league. I known as Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, who answered instantly. He was getting calls from dozens of reporters wanting to grasp the dynamic. I may inform he was additionally shocked by the transfer. After I requested if he knew in regards to the decide, McCartney mentioned they knew Atlanta had mentioned taking a quarterback in some unspecified time in the future within the draft, however they didn’t count on it could be within the first spherical. Cousins, he instructed me, was additionally shocked and upset.
This was presupposed to be Cousins’ final cease, a spot the place he may settle together with his household and play and not using a rookie respiratory down his neck. But right here he was, as soon as once more dealing with uncertainty. Cousins dealt with the sudden change with class, reaching out to Penix to welcome him to the group. Since then the Falcons have been up and down. Cousins began out scorching, however the group is presently on a three-game shedding streak and questions nonetheless linger relating to Cousins’ consolation within the pocket since his Achilles surgical procedure.
In the meantime, O’Connell is a powerful contender for the NFL Coach of the Yr award after one other stellar season with one more quarterback. The expectation is that the Vikings will supply O’Connell a contract extension — 2025 is the ultimate 12 months of his present deal — although at this level, there have been no discussions.
For now, although, the Vikings are targeted on preserving their momentum and making a deep playoff run. And for Cousins, the problem now could be proving that, regardless of all of the twists and turns, he’s nonetheless the man Atlanta can belief to ship it into January.
Belichick again to high school?
Eight NFL groups modified coaches in the course of the earlier cycle, and Belichick — a six-time Tremendous Bowl winner, and arguably essentially the most completed head coach in professional soccer historical past — attracted shockingly little curiosity. Belichick, fired by the Patriots in January after 24 seasons, formally interviewed for less than one of many different seven openings, rising as a finalist for the Falcons job that finally went to Morris. Since then, Belichick has develop into extremely seen by way of numerous media ventures, and I’ve been instructed by a number of folks that he’s targeted on a head-coaching place in 2025. That additionally contains school jobs.
Belichick was in attendance for a sport between the College of Washington, the place his son Steve is defensive coordinator, and the College of Michigan in October. (Steph Chambers / Getty Photos)
If we’ve discovered something from his day off the sphere, you continue to get a powerful sense that Belichick loves speaking and educating soccer. However because it seems, Belichick could also be uninterested in ready for NFL house owners to name. He has had a number of conversations with the College of North Carolina about its teaching emptiness. He’s one in all a number of candidates for the job beforehand held by Mack Brown — and the talks aren’t for present. The curiosity is actual, and if Belichick is obtainable the job, a supply aware of his considering expects him to take it.
Why would Belichick, 72, blink early and take a school job? Properly, for one, he was turned off by January’s expertise and the shortage of motion he acquired. There’s the standard knowledge that Belichick needs to return to the NFL and surpass Don Shula’s document for profession victories (Belichick, with 333, trails the previous Dolphins and Colts teaching legend by 14 wins). Breaking that document would imply loads to Belichick, however it’s not the be-all, end-all. Remember, Belichick needs to run a program with out interference, and primarily based on the NFL jobs which might be anticipated to be accessible, there aren’t many organizations who match that mould.
Although he has spent his complete profession within the NFL, Belichick typically had school coaches like Kirk Ferentz, Greg Schiano and City Meyer go to in the course of the offseason, and spent high quality time with Nick Saban. He has additionally develop into extra aware of the faculty sport this season as his son, Steve, has served because the College of Washington’s defensive coordinator. Presumably, the Belichicks may reunite in Chapel Hill. However the backside line: Coaches coach.
Teaching candidates measurement up Chicago
There’s chatter across the league — and loads of blended opinions — about whether or not the Bears’ head-coaching job is as interesting as group president Kevin Warren claims it to be. On paper, you’ll be able to see his argument. They’ve obtained a younger quarterback on a rookie deal and a positive salary-cap state of affairs, that are massive promoting factors to any coach.
However that’s not the difficulty. There are many years value of cautionary tales relating to the group from the highest down, and any candidate goes to need a clear understanding of the connection between Warren and GM Ryan Poles. Who has the ultimate say, and the way will that dynamic have an effect on the pinnacle coach’s authority?
It’s no shock that teaching brokers and potential candidates are already doing their homework on Chicago’s possession and management dynamic. They’re attempting to determine if this can be a secure state of affairs, or if it’s a dangerous touchdown spot. The group claims it’s trying to find a “chief of males,” and that may be true — however in Chicago, it appears the lads already within the constructing may be beneath analysis as nicely.
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The Al-Shaair debate
Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is formally out for the following month after the NFL spent about 45 minutes listening to arguments within the enchantment of his three-game suspension. The ruling stood. With the Texans on a bye this week, Al-Shaair gained’t be allowed close to the group’s services, assembly rooms or video games till after the group’s Christmas Day sport towards the Ravens.
It’s no secret Texans GM Nick Caserio, head coach DeMeco Ryans and Al-Shaair himself are pissed off with the league’s course of and what they think about inconsistencies in it. This suspension has sparked widespread debate across the NFL, with loads of differing opinions about how the league dealt with the state of affairs. One NFL head coach provided some perception into the league’s perspective: “The NFL has to guard its $250 million investments — it’s that straightforward. No person needs to look at video games with backup quarterbacks, and the league understands that. The refs do a strong job recognizing the ball the place the primary physique half touches, and faux slides aren’t actually a problem anymore. After Kenny Pickett’s transfer, they modified the rule to mark gamers down in the event that they pretend a slide, in order that’s been addressed.
“However issues occur quick on the sphere, and late slides are at all times going to be a grey space. Generally quarterbacks are going to get hit, however the hot button is ensuring defenders aren’t concentrating on the pinnacle or neck with a helmet, shoulder or forearms — that’s the place the large penalties are available. Defenders have to be coached to guide with their arms, not their heads. Sliding QBs decrease their goal space, which makes it harder to land a clear hit.
“I inform my quarterbacks to go for the Superman dive, like Carson Wentz used to do. You may get a number of additional yards whereas nonetheless being protected against head and neck hits. The foundations are what they’re.”
Classes in worth procuring
Lastly, a lesson as gift-giving season enters its most frenzied time: It seems, you don’t at all times get what you pay for.
Monday evening’s sport between the Broncos and Browns was an ideal instance. The 2 groups lit up the scoreboard, combining for 73 factors and 952 yards of offense. Main the best way? Jameis Winston and rookie Bo Nix, quarterbacks making a mixed complete of lower than $9 million this 12 months.
Bo Nix and Jameis Winston put up monster numbers, whereas taking part in on comparatively paltry quarterback salaries, on Monday evening. (Justin Edmonds / Getty Photos)
However right here’s the bogus half: Each groups are nonetheless shelling out large quantities of cash for quarterbacks who didn’t even go well with up. Denver is paying Russell Wilson greater than $39 million, and Cleveland is forking out $45 million-plus for Deshaun Watson. That’s roughly $84 million mixed.
Denver and Cleveland are prime case research within the dangers of swinging massive on the quarterback place — buying and selling for veteran stars and inking them to large contract extensions. Quick ahead to as we speak, and Wilson is having fun with a profession resurgence in Pittsburgh after flaming out as a Bronco, and Watson has suffered his second season-ending harm in as a few years.
Sean Payton endured criticism for benching Wilson late final season earlier than finally chopping him and rolling with Nix, the No. 12 decide of the draft. Watson nonetheless hasn’t recorded a 300-yard passing sport since becoming a member of Cleveland in 2022. However each groups are examples of the significance of figuring out worth. Joe Flacco led the Browns to the playoffs final 12 months. Winston has injected life into his group, even when a postseason look isn’t within the playing cards. And Payton — bolstered by an bettering Nix and one of many league’s stingiest defenses — has an inside monitor on ending the NFL’s second-longest lively playoff drought.
In order you’re racing by shops or scrolling on-line for items, keep in mind: It isn’t in regards to the price ticket — it’s about getting the proper match.
(High photograph: Matthew Stockman / Getty Photos)
