Week 16’s Sunday motion introduced the elimination of the defending NFC champs, the debut of Michael Penix Jr. because the Falcons’ beginning QB and the Commanders preserving the NFC East race alive.
JAMISONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
📺 #PHIvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/k718liTMwK
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 22, 2024
The Athletic NFL writers Mike Jones, Ted Nguyen and Michael Silver share their ideas on all of those storylines and extra.
The 49ers had been eradicated from playoff rivalry earlier than their Week 16 sport kicked off. Are they proper to largely keep the course — particularly, signal Brock Purdy to a top-of-the-market extension — heading into 2025?
Silver: Paying Purdy is the suitable name. Nevertheless, there will probably be some severe roster reckoning within the months to come back, partly due to the influence Purdy’s deal can have on the wage cap, and partly as a result of so most of the 49ers’ core gamers have endured lots of wear-and-tear in pursuit of a championship these previous six seasons. Alas, the window is closing. It’s time for a brand new period, with a group constructed round Purdy, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and some different completed holdovers. The 49ers must reboot by getting youthful, sooner and (at some positions) cheaper. That places a ton of stress on Purdy, who must compensate by being nearer to his 2023 kind (when he completed fourth within the MVP voting) than what we’ve seen this season. He has it in him, but when Purdy can’t elevate his sport, the 49ers received’t stand a lot of an opportunity to get again into the Tremendous Bowl dialogue.
Nguyen: This was a nightmare season for the 49ers that was marred by accidents — they’ve gone on deep playoff runs and this seems to be like a drained group. I feel they do must get youthful however I don’t suppose they want a tough reset or rebuild. They’ve a call to make about Deebo Samuel — he’s not the participant he as soon as was and carries a heavy price ticket. And who is aware of if Christian McCaffrey can return to being a workhorse subsequent season? The 49ers ought to negotiate onerous with Purdy, however finally they’re going to must pay him top-of-the-market cash or near it. He’s a younger quarterback that has had elite manufacturing on this league, so it will be onerous for him to just accept a Baker Mayfield-type of deal. For my part, he’s a very good quarterback however he’ll inevitably be overpaid. Will the 49ers be capable to encompass him with sufficient expertise to maintain him enjoying at a excessive degree?
Jones: Purdy’s rookie contract runs by way of 2025, so the 49ers technically don’t have to do something together with his contract this offseason. They might commit their assets to fortifying the roster round him — the offensive and defensive traces want reinforcements, and so they may use one other difference-making weapon in case McCaffrey doesn’t return to full dynamic kind — and drag issues out with Purdy. However the fact is, Kyle Shanahan loves Purdy, and the quarterback has an awesome understanding of the system and the way to function inside it. That’s what you need in the event you’re the 49ers. Finally they need to reward Purdy, but it surely doesn’t must be this offseason in the event that they imagine they should use their cash to deal with extra urgent wants in areas that may assist them lengthen their window of rivalry.
After a slim loss as heavy underdogs in Buffalo, have Jerod Mayo’s Patriots proven sufficient for the coach to get a second season?
Jones: Discuss of the Patriots being one and executed with Mayo is foolish. Robert Kraft knew this wasn’t going to be a one-year repair. They went 4-13 below Invoice Belichick final season, and this yr’s roster — exterior of Drake Maye — isn’t a lot better. There aren’t many gamers on both aspect of the ball who would begin for different groups. So, Patriots GM Eliot Wolf has lots of work to do. Mayo is a first-year coach with loads of room for progress, however we haven’t seen indicators that his gamers have given up on him. Persistence and aggressiveness this offseason are to ensure that this group, not one other reset at head coach.
Nguyen: The Patriots, with a rookie quarterback, have been aggressive with playoff groups this yr. The protection taking a step again is a little bit of concern, with Mayo being a defensive man, however the plan was for Mayo to be Belichick’s successor and nobody anticipated the Patriots to be a group vying for a playoff spot this yr. He ought to no less than get yet one more yr with an upgraded roster and Maye in his second season.
Silver: On paper Mayo ought to be tremendous, with or with out Sunday’s shut name. Robert and Jonathan Kraft, who anointed him as Belichick’s successor lengthy earlier than the transfer was made, had been clearly excited by his potential, and so they must be actual concerning the roster Mayo was handed in 12 months 1. This was not an immediate rebuilding mission. That mentioned, plans can change. Per week in the past, Mayo appeared to throw offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt below the bus after a loss when he responded to a reporter’s query about some key playcalls contained in the 5-yard line (“You mentioned it; I didn’t”). We don’t know for positive how that performed within the locker room — or within the house owners’ places of work. That mentioned, giving up on Mayo this shortly could be a nasty look, and in the long run I imagine the Krafts will select continuity and persistence over a knee-jerk choice.
Did Sunday’s efficiency clinch Offensive Rookie of the 12 months honors for Jayden Daniels?
Jones: Daniels has led the pack almost your entire season. Sure, Bo Nix is enjoying nicely; sure, Brock Bowers is a stud; however Daniels is legit carrying the Commanders. He has been the catalyst for his or her franchise turnaround, on and off of the sphere. The comeback win over the Eagles on Sunday ought to remove any doubts about his R.O.Y. credentials. Although the Commanders’ efficiency definitely wasn’t fairly. Groups that flip the ball over 5 occasions and commit almost 100 yards price of penalties aren’t alleged to win video games in opposition to one of many elite groups of their convention. Sure, dropping Jalen Hurts modified issues for the Eagles, however Daniels by no means flinched on Sunday, and with the sport on the road he was as clutch as they arrive, marching his group downfield to present them the win and transferring them even nearer to ending a four-year playoff drought.
Nguyen: Nix has a few video games left in opposition to the Bengals and Chiefs. If he performs nicely and the Broncos win these two video games, I feel he nonetheless has an opportunity to win. I wouldn’t say it’s over, however Daniels’ efficiency in opposition to the Eagles will make it a lot more durable to catch him. I’m unsure the Commanders win that sport if Hurts doesn’t get knocked out, however Daniels was nonetheless productive (5 landing passes and 81 yards speeding) in opposition to arguably the perfect protection within the league. To me, Daniels has been extra spectacular as a result of a lot of the offense relies on his capacity to create. It’s additionally an awesome signal that he seems to be so poised in these clutch conditions. However recency bias is actual, so the final two video games of the season will probably be contemporary within the minds of voters.
Silver: I hate deciding this stuff earlier than the season is over, but it surely’s robust to think about Daniels not being the man after main the Commanders to that epic comeback win in opposition to the Eagles. Although Nix and Bowers have sturdy circumstances, I’ve regarded Daniels because the main contender since September, when he made it clear that he has the “It” issue each group craves on the sport’s most essential place. He’s doing greater than Nix is, and his poise and playmaking capacity are uncanny. In any case these darkish days for this franchise, the solar is shining on so many fronts (possession, stadium, and so forth.). Daniels is the brightest gentle of all.
Any early ideas on Michael Penix Jr. because the Falcons’ starter?
Nguyen: The Falcons picked an awesome sport to insert Penix because the starter — the Giants protection stinks. Regardless, Penix did what Kirk Cousins couldn’t — he moved round, made robust throws, and the offense opened up. Bijan Robinson actually benefited from having Penix on the sphere; the specter of Penix on keepers opened up some working lanes from him. Penix is an older rookie and his poise and preparation had been evident. His solely interception was a results of tight finish Kyle Pitts dropping a go that landed within the palms of a Giants defender. Falcons followers ought to be inspired to this point. There’s lots of expertise on this offense and Penix’s skillset seems to be prefer it may assist unlock everybody.
Silver: It was a promising debut for the rookie, who was thrust into what amounted to a must-win state of affairs in his first NFL begin. Penix’s solely huge mistake wasn’t actually his fault: Pitts, one of many extra overvalued gamers in latest NFL reminiscence, couldn’t deal with a go close to the objective line, and the Giants capitalized with a present interception. Might the Falcons have received this sport, in opposition to a sad-sack group enjoying out the string, with Kirk Cousins at QB? In all probability. Nevertheless, Penix confirmed loads of potential, organising one other must-win begin in opposition to Daniels and the Commanders subsequent Sunday evening.
Juggled and picked off by the Giants on the objective line!
📺: #NYGvsATL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/PdRfXIGHCa— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024
Jones: Penix was strong. He accomplished 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards and an interception — he was a very good sport supervisor for the Falcons in opposition to the lowly Giants. He largely made good selections and displayed a very good really feel for the sport. Atlanta’s coaches properly didn’t put an excessive amount of on his shoulders. They leaned on working backs Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, who mixed for 116 speeding yards and two touchdowns. Penix principally did every little thing the Falcons may have hoped for in his debut.
Do you agree with the Rams being billed as “the group nobody needs to see within the NFC playoffs”?
Silver: I imply, let’s be trustworthy: The Lions are the group nobody needs to see within the NFC playoffs, however that’s sort of apparent, so I’ll go along with the premise right here. Sure, the Rams are scorching; that is much like what went down final season, when Sean McVay’s group received seven of its final eight common season video games and took Detroit right down to the wire within the wild-card spherical. When Matthew Stafford is on — as he was in opposition to the Payments two Sundays in the past — L.A.’s offense is frightening. Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp and (now) Tyler Higbee are wholesome, Kyren Williams is working it successfully, and Defensive Rookie of the 12 months candidate Jared Verse is a part of an enhancing unit. The Rams are in nice place to win the NFC West and host a first-round playoff sport, presumably in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers. In the event that they keep scorching — or get even hotter — they may very well be an issue in January.
Jones: They’re definitely considered one of them. That is the Rams group that McVay and common supervisor Les Snead thought they’d have this season, however accidents derailed issues early on and L.A.’s gamers and coaches have needed to scratch and claw their means out of the outlet that they fell into. Now they’re wholesome on offense, their younger gamers on protection have grown into their roles, and the Rams are enjoying as much as their potential. Beating the Jets wasn’t precisely a press release win. Nevertheless it was one other instance of the Rams taking good care of enterprise, and with that victory L.A. has a four-game win streak and, at 9-6, stay accountable for the NFC West with simply two weeks left. This momentum ought to carry over into the postseason, when the Rams definitely have an opportunity to make a run.
Nguyen: The Rams have gotten wholesome on the proper time and so they’re enjoying nicely. After they have their offensive stars on the sphere, they’re pretty much as good as anybody with trick-shot Stafford behind heart. Their defensive backs and run sport are suspect, but when they get an early lead and pressure groups right into a passing script they’ve a powerful go rush. Their 9-6 document is a results of their dangerous harm luck at first of the season. With a wholesome squad they’re extra of a 12-win group — so sure, groups ought to be weary of seeing a group of that caliber within the playoffs.
(High picture: Carmen Mandato / Getty Pictures)
