Sunday’s Week 13 video games adopted a few of the tendencies we noticed on Thursday and Friday — favored groups making slim escapes.
BACK ON TOP!
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— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 1, 2024
What to make of these oh-so-close victories, the Eagles’ continued ascension and one other low-scoring win for the Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers? The Athletic NFL writers Mike Jones, Ted Nguyen and Dan Pompei share their ideas on these storylines and extra.
With the Philadelphia protection, regardless of some accidents, holding the Ravens in test in Baltimore for an eighth straight win, how a lot of a spot is there between the Eagles and Lions within the NFC?
Nguyen: There isn’t a spot. The Eagles obtained off to a sluggish begin as they have been studying Vic Fangio’s and Kellen Moore’s programs, however since their bye week they’ve been dominant, beating high quality opponents such because the Bengals, Commanders and Ravens. The Lions have been equally spectacular.
Possibly there’s a distinction in notion as a result of the vibes and expectations for the Lions have been so excessive since final yr whereas the Eagles have been so disappointing on the finish of final season. However these are two completely loaded rosters which can be taking part in extraordinarily nicely. Each groups are overwhelming on the line of scrimmage on each side of the ball. You wouldn’t need to reside with both quarterback within the dropback sport, however Jalen Hurts will get helped out by the choice sport and Jared Goff is nearly as good as any quarterback throwing play-action. A playoff sport between these two could be a bodily battle and enjoyable to look at for followers of nice line play.
Jones: I don’t assume there’s a lot of a spot, if any. Sure, the Lions are spectacular and well-rounded. Their offense is electrifying and their protection is resilient. However the Eagles, who proceed to ascend, look simply as dominant in their very own approach. They, too, can assault in a wide range of methods offensively, and have a protection that provides nice help for his or her offense. Philadelphia boasts a extra bodily model of soccer, and a variety of its core gamers have the expertise of getting reached the Tremendous Bowl to attract upon. So, in my eyes, the Eagles are outfitted to compete with any elite staff within the league. The Lions and Eagles are seemingly on a collision course for the NFC Championship sport, and it seemingly could be a extremely entertaining showdown.
Pompei: The Lions clearly have an edge within the competitors for home-field benefit, however there may be loads of soccer to be performed. In addition to the Lions have carried out, it’s honest to surprise if they’ll keep their excellence with the variety of important accidents they’ve incurred on protection. The Eagles, conversely, appear to be constructing towards a peak. It is a staff that’s doing many issues nicely. However each have been excellent and need to be on high of the NFC. A convention championship sport between the Lions and Eagles could be a becoming option to decide the Tremendous Bowl participant. Not a lot separates the 2.
Should you have been John Harbaugh, what would you do concerning the instantly — and stunningly — slumping Justin Tucker?
Pompei: Signing one other kicker to compete with Tucker is perhaps an excellent transfer. If Tucker kicks higher in follow, he can earn the chance to proceed kicking in video games. If he’s outperformed, the Ravens may give him an opportunity to get his mechanics and confidence again. Chopping him most likely isn’t prudent, on condition that he might/ought to regain his type sooner or later and has a résumé as probably the most correct kickers of all-time. However one thing must be executed within the quick time period as a result of missed kicks will forestall the Ravens from attending to the place they’re able to going.
Jones: It’s very tough to look at a legendary participant like Tucker wrestle like this. He’s now had a number of essential misses on both subject targets or further level makes an attempt in 4 of the Ravens’ 5 losses. Harbaugh and the Ravens love Tucker, although, in order that they need to deal with this example with nice care. However loyalty might wind up costing them, both down the stretch of this common season or within the playoffs. They actually haven’t any different alternative than to discover different choices at kicker. I’m not saying minimize Tucker, however it’s simply good to convey another person in to a minimum of compete with him after which consider the state of affairs on a week-by-week foundation.
Nguyen: I believe we’ve seen sufficient of Tucker this season to conclude that this isn’t only a droop. He’s value them video games and there may be an excessive amount of using on this season to have the Ravens’ playoff hopes derailed by a kicker. As legendary as Tucker is, I believe Baltimore has to a minimum of discover different choices at kicker. Those out there received’t have the ceiling that Tucker does, however he’s been horrible from over 50 yards this season and I can’t think about it might get any worse. There’s an opportunity he’s capable of get issues collectively, however we’ve seen first-round quarterbacks get benched this season — nobody ought to be secure in the event that they’re costing you video games.
Contemplating their fashion of play (and its relative success to this point), do you purchase the Chargers as a staff that would transfer into AFC contender standing when the climate will get ugly in January?
Jones: Robust protection and dashing assaults often translate into success within the postseason. However till Sunday, the Chargers hadn’t crushed a staff with a profitable document; Atlanta was only a sport above .500 and now drops to 6-6. However towards the groups they’ll seemingly face within the postseason (Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Kansas Metropolis), the Chargers are 0-3, getting outscored by a mixed 67-43 and giving up a median of 354 yards per sport.
The Chargers capitalized on Kirk Cousins making some actually unhealthy choices on Sunday, which led to 4 crippling interceptions. They’ll’t count on Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson and even Josh Allen, who they don’t face this common season, to be as reckless with the soccer. And 14.3 factors per sport (the Chargers’ scoring common towards these AFC front-runners) received’t get the job executed within the postseason. It is a nice basis that Jim Harbaugh and his gamers are laying, however they don’t seem to be but AFC contenders.
Nguyen: This staff will want dominant efforts from its protection each week, and though that unit was lights out towards the Falcons, it has faltered towards high offenses. Earlier than this week, the Chargers gave up a mixed 57 factors to the Bengals and Ravens.
The offense has improved however isn’t a unit that may win in loads of shootouts. The working sport was explosive with J.Okay. Dobbins however very inefficient. Additionally, the Chargers have one of many worst inside offensive traces within the league and quit loads of pressures. Their solely receiver who can catch the ball constantly is Ladd McConkey. If defenses cease him, L.A. simply doesn’t have sufficient playmakers. How the protection performs towards the Chiefs and Buccaneers within the subsequent two weeks will inform us much more about how reliable this protection is, and whether or not the Chargers are a critical playoff contender.
Pompei: The Chargers play the sort of soccer that interprets nicely in ugly climate. They run the ball nicely. They’ll play the sort of protection that forces offensive errors. They’ve a quarterback who can win when the clock is ticking down. Their coach has been there earlier than and has received massive video games. The Chargers have received 5 of six, and it’s doable they haven’t performed their finest soccer. Beating the Falcons on the street was an announcement win, however their greatest problem can be in Kansas Metropolis subsequent Sunday evening. A win over the Chiefs might make the Chargers consider they’ll beat any opponent.
Let’s get forward of ourselves for a second: Has free-agent-to-be Russell Wilson earned himself a multi-year dedication from the Steelers?
Pompei: What’s the definition of “multi-year”? Wilson is 36 and the problem is what number of extra years he can carry out the best way he’s performing now. Given how Wilson has lifted his staff, the Steelers actually ought to need him to be their quarterback in 2025. In an ideal world, they might signal him for yet one more season and see how that goes. However Wilson can be searching for extra of a dedication, and if the Steelers aren’t prepared to make it, one other staff most likely can be. A 3-year deal is perhaps a good compromise, so long as the Steelers have a option to get out of it after two years.
Jones: We’re not speaking five-year deal right here, however a two-year deal — or maaaaybe a three-year cope with an out for the Steelers — feels reasonable. Wilson appears to be like comfy on this offense, and that consolation would seemingly improve in 12 months 2. However he has bodily limitations. The Steelers hold sprinkling in Justin Fields when they need the specter of a dashing quarterback as a result of they perceive the necessity to shield Wilson. I don’t assume a prolonged contract for Wilson, who simply turned 36, is probably going.
Nguyen: A brief time period, team-friendly deal would make sense. Locking in Wilson with an enormous contract at his age wouldn’t be smart. This staff continues to be constructed across the protection and working sport. Wilson has executed an incredible job of supplementing the offense and distributing the ball, but when his cap hit on a possible extension hurts their skill to maintain collectively a powerful protection, that would result in bother down the street. Moreover, if his mobility ever takes the kind of hit that Aaron Rodgers’ has, Wilson’s sport might fall off a cliff. Accidents need to be considered with older quarterbacks who need to create exterior of the pocket.
We noticed seemingly playoff groups within the Chiefs (two factors), Texans (three) and Vikings (one level) win narrowly as favorites once more. Do you think about tight wins towards shaky (or worse) opponents a trigger for concern, or one thing to be inspired by going into the postseason?
Nguyen: The Vikings beat a reasonably good Cardinals staff, however as I’ve written on this column earlier than, this Vikings staff is shaky. Should you kind out their blitzes — which is not any straightforward activity — that secondary could be uncovered. Additionally, I’m not fully bought on Sam Darnold’s skill to carry out in a pure passing sport script simply but, although he performed a reasonably clear sport at the moment.
The Chiefs have main points in go safety they usually’re having a tough time pressuring the quarterback, which is why they’ve performed in so many shut video games. I might usually say a staff that has received this many coin flips is fraudulent however we’ve seen the Chiefs flip the swap so many instances earlier than, they get the advantage of the doubt.
The Texans are extraordinarily flawed as a result of their offensive line is so unhealthy. I don’t know if I’m extra involved about any of those groups after this week. The problems that stored the video games shut have been the identical ones which have plagued these groups all through 2024.
Jones: You’d undoubtedly wish to see contenders crush weak opponents. However the fact is, it’s approach more durable to win video games on this league than we regularly care to acknowledge. There’s typically a fantastic line between 7-5 and 5-7, and at instances between 9-2 and 2-9, particularly if it’s a divisional matchup like we noticed between the Chiefs and Raiders and Texans and Jaguars. Sure, nice groups at instances gentle up scoreboards and ship breathtaking performs. However different instances, nice groups merely handle to maintain self-inflicted wounds — particularly underneath stress — to a minimal.
We noticed the Raiders burn themselves in high-pressure conditions, and that’s why they’re the Raiders. I don’t in any respect fault the Vikings for not blowing out the Cardinals. Arizona is an effective, well-rounded staff with an offense that retains defenses off steadiness, and a protection that retains stress on offenses. The Vikings ought to be inspired by the resilience they confirmed as they compelled the Cardinals to accept a subject objective late relatively than surrendering a landing within the crimson zone, after which marched downfield and scored on that Darnold landing go to Aaron Jones to win the sport.
Pompei: A dominating win at all times is preferable to an in depth win, however tight video games are far more widespread within the NFL. That’s why the league is so unpredictable and so watchable. And each staff has flaws. There’s something to be stated for figuring out learn how to win and creating good luck; it separates the contenders from the pretenders each season. Victories create confidence, even flimsy victories.
All three groups, however significantly the Chiefs and Vikings, ought to be assured within the closing weeks. So long as they’re profitable, it actually doesn’t matter how they’re profitable. But when there are constant points which can be enabling inferior opponents to play it shut (and there could also be with all three), these points may very well be deadly towards extra gifted opponents.
(Prime photograph: Patrick Smith / Getty Photos)
