Anybody else dropping observe of what day it’s? Between NFL on Wednesdays and Saturdays, limitless meals and end-of-year chaos, it’s a whole blur (and one way or the other I’m additionally already out of AA batteries for my toddler boys’ new toys). The vacations actually do include a time warp; add in all of the unsolicited life recommendation from the elder members of the family, and — yeah, it’s so much. Blessed for positive, however so much.
With that, it’s nice to be again right here with you, simply two weeks away from the postseason — and with lots nonetheless to kind out. Right here’s what I’m listening to across the league:
• The Vikings’ offseason choices with Darnold.
• What the Deshaun Watson contract restructuring means — and doesn’t imply — for Cleveland.
• Lesson No. 1 in the case of stopping Josh Allen.
• No determination but for the Giants — although coach and GM aren’t a bundle deal.
• “The ‘good play’ could be in your playbook, however in actual time …” A query each proprietor must ask head-coaching candidates.
• Patriots vs. Chargers: very completely different groups enjoying for very completely different stakes.
• “Has Tom ever executed something on a small scale?” How Brady will form the Raiders’ future.
• Saquon’s report chase and the previous man serving to it alongside.
First, let’s declare Darnold the “Story of the Yr”
“$10 million for Sam Darnold?!” That’s the textual content I obtained from an NFL basic supervisor when the Minnesota Vikings signed Darnold in March, after Kirk Cousins left for the Atlanta Falcons. Quick-forward 9 months, and Darnold is having the perfect season of his profession, main the Vikings to a 13-2 report. They spent a first-round decide on J.J. McCarthy final spring and Darnold is in for a giant payday in March. Regardless of that, after conversations with a staff supply, one factor is evident: The Vikings need Darnold again in Minnesota for 2025.
Whereas the unique plan was for McCarthy to slowly become the beginning quarterback whereas Darnold was there to carry the rookie’s place, McCarthy’s harm modified issues. Now, the Vikings have an issue — Darnold has been virtually too good (not in a nasty manner, however in a “that is now difficult” manner). McCarthy hasn’t performed since August, and realistically he received’t be totally within the combine till spring on the earliest. He’s across the constructing and with the staff consistently however he hasn’t been medically cleared.
So, what’s the transfer? One choice on the desk: the franchise tag. It’s dear (greater than $40 million) however it buys time. It could give McCarthy one other yr to develop from the bench, or no less than arrange an actual competitors. (There’s nothing improper with McCarthy sitting — take into consideration what the Packers did with Jordan Love.) And it will give the Vikings an opportunity to do a shorter-term deal that’s extra cap-friendly, but additionally provides Darnold related cash to what he’d get on the open market.
These are good issues to have, but it’s not a straightforward name. Extra importantly, earlier than the group makes any determination at quarterback they should get head coach Kevin O’Connell signed up for years to come back. They took a chance by not signing him with two years left on his deal. O’Connell has since orchestrated one other successful season, reviving one other quarterback in Darnold, and is anticipated to garner Coach of the Yr votes. The expectation is a brand new deal may occur quickly. In any other case, O’Connell is a lame duck in 2025 and shall be in excessive demand. Extra good issues in Minnesota.
Deshaun Watson’s restructured deal provides the Browns a little bit extra monetary flexibility. (Elsa / Getty Photographs)
Cleveland sticking with Watson — and gaining some flexibility
The Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson have made some tweaks to his contract, and it’s not about slicing his pay or altering his wage construction — it’s all about managing the monetary influence, based on a league supply. Watson, who’s been again within the constructing rehabbing from his Achilles harm, nonetheless has $92 million totally assured for the 2025 and ’26 seasons. These hefty cap hits stay untouched.
The restructure provides the Browns a little bit respiration room by spreading potential lifeless cash into extra void years. As an alternative of going through one huge cap hit in 2027 if Watson sticks by ’26, they’ve unfold that value over a number of years. It’s a wise transfer to handle the cap, however it doesn’t change their long-term dedication to the quarterback.
That mentioned, whereas the Browns are financially locked into Watson for the subsequent few seasons, I’ve been advised this transfer doesn’t rule out the potential for including competitors to the QB room down the road.
How do you cease Josh Allen?
On paper, the New York Jets visiting the red-hot Payments in Buffalo won’t seem to be probably the most thrilling matchup, however don’t be fooled — it is a huge recreation for the Payments. A win locks them into the second seed, which might give them the posh of both resting their starters or conserving issues as vanilla as potential of their last regular-season recreation.
In the meantime, groups gearing up for a possible showdown with the Payments in January are asking the identical query: How do you cease Josh Allen? The primary rule, based on opposing defensive coordinators I spoke with this week: Don’t let him scramble to his proper. He’s one of many strongest quarterbacks within the NFL, with a potent stiff arm, and when he avoids the push and escapes to his proper, it virtually all the time results in a giant play. (Simply assume again to each Payments spotlight you’ve watched.)
The times of banking on Allen to make errors are lengthy gone. This season, he’s thrown 25 touchdowns to simply 5 interceptions — an enormous enchancment in comparison with the 47 turnovers he racked up over a three-year stretch earlier in his profession. Again then, these interceptions usually got here within the purple zone, killing drives and taking factors off the board. Now? The Payments are third in purple zone scoring, changing almost 70 % of their journeys into touchdowns.
What’s extra, he’s spreading the ball round greater than ever. Eight gamers have no less than 27 targets this season, making it almost not possible for defenses to key in on only one man.
So if you wish to cease Josh Allen, you’ve obtained to play disciplined and sort out effectively. And, no matter you do, don’t let him escape to his proper.
Brian Daboll has two extra video games to make his case to stay with the Giants. (Todd Kirkland / Getty Photographs)
A Large determination but to be made
New York Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch haven’t made a last determination concerning the futures of basic supervisor Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll. In October, Mara voiced his help for the duo, who had been employed collectively in 2022, however so much has modified since. It’s been an extended, troublesome season. A supply near Mara mentioned earlier this week that the proprietor plans on sticking to his phrase, however he’ll nonetheless sit down with each Schoen and Daboll after the season to determine what went improper in 2024.
This season has been a curler coaster for the Giants, to say the least. Schoen and Daboll confirmed promise early on, however the staff’s struggles down the stretch have given possession so much to consider. Across the league, there’s rising chatter that the Giants would possibly transfer on from Daboll whereas Schoen continues to function like he’ll nonetheless be round for 2025. Although I’m advised that whereas there’s plenty of hypothesis proper now, no determination has been made.
One factor that’s turn into clear from these near the scenario: Schoen and Daboll are not seen as a bundle deal. Although they arrived from Buffalo collectively and have contracts that align, possession is evaluating them individually.
If the Giants lose their last two video games, they’re assured to complete with the No. 1 decide in April’s draft. We’ll discover out quickly who shall be making the decide and if possession will give Daboll an opportunity to work his “Josh Allen magic” with a rookie QB.
A query NFL house owners should be asking teaching candidates
With video games feeling nearer than ever this season, the power to handle essential moments has turn into a separator between successful and dropping groups. Because the teaching carousel begins to spin over the subsequent few weeks, one query that completely wants to come back up in interviews is: What’s your game-management plan?
It’s not nearly being a genius with X’s and O’s, it’s about how a coach handles the chaos of recreation day. Clock administration, deciding when to go for it on fourth down, deciding when to problem a play or when to name a timeout — these split-second selections could make or break a season.
One NFL head coach put it completely throughout a latest dialog: “The ‘good play’ could be in your playbook, however in actual time, it’s about responding to the scenario in entrance of you. Down, distance, subject place, time on the clock, realizing when to name trip, even momentum — all of it dictates what occurs subsequent. It’s arduous to name performs and handle the sport on the similar time. It strikes quick.”
Once we’re watching video games from the skin, with out the strain of creating these calls, it’s straightforward to see how the perfect groups regulate on the fly — whether or not it’s coping with accidents, stunning performances, or simply the circulate of the sport. If groups are going to rent an excellent play caller as their head coach, they need to additionally be certain that there’s somebody centered on recreation administration to maintain all the things balanced. It might be the important thing to turning shut video games into wins. And fewer dumb game-management errors will certainly be good for my blood strain.
Maye vs. Herbert, and two groups with a lot at stake in several methods
Saturday’s matchup between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers has main implications for each groups, albeit for very completely different causes. For the Patriots, a loss would mark a historic low in franchise historical past, clinching a sub-.300 win proportion in back-to-back seasons for the primary time since 1968 and ’69, once they had been the AFL’s Boston Patriots. It’s a far cry from the dominance followers grew accustomed to throughout the Brady-Belichick period. New England must kind this out this offseason as a result of, in Drake Maye, they’ve the QB!
On the opposite facet, Justin Herbert and the Chargers have all the things to play for. A win towards the Patriots would safe a playoff spot. However even when they stumble, they may nonetheless sneak into the playoffs if the Colts lose to the Giants and the Dolphins fall to the Browns. It’s a high-stakes recreation for a staff trying to solidify its spot in January. If there was any assertion made by the Chargers this yr, it’s that Jim Harbaugh is a winner and possession nailed this rent. By the way in which, I used to be advised final hiring cycle that former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel completely nailed his interview with the Chargers. In actual fact, he was all set to get the job if Harbaugh determined to again out. Now, on this upcoming cycle, Vrabel is the man each staff with a training emptiness is lining as much as discuss to (although he legally can’t begin assembly with groups as a result of he’s thought-about a Browns worker).
Raiders proprietor Mark Davis is ready to offer Tom Brady loads of affect over the Raiders’ operations. (Ethan Miller / Getty Photographs)
How Tom Brady’s possession is shaping the Raiders’ future
Not too long ago, I had a dialog with one in every of Tom Brady’s former teammates about Brady’s new function as a minority proprietor with the Las Vegas Raiders. He summed it up by saying: “Has Tom ever executed something on a small scale?”
It’s arduous to argue with that. Brady has by no means been one to take a backseat or strategy something half-heartedly. Relentless consideration to element and a drive for excellence have outlined his profession, and it’s secure to say these traits will carry over to his function with the Raiders.
Mark Davis, the Raiders’ majority proprietor, has already hinted on the influence Brady could have, describing him as having “an enormous voice” in shaping the staff’s future. That affect probably received’t cease at participant acquisitions or technique — it would lengthen to all the organizational tradition. Brady brings a successful mentality and a wealth of soccer data, and it’s clear Davis values that experience.
Davis is, correctly, letting the seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion have a say within the staff’s path. With Brady concerned, anticipate nothing lower than an all-in strategy.
The Lane Saquon Barkley is following
Lastly, Saquon Barkley is closing in on an enormous milestone; he must common 134 dashing yards per recreation over these final two weeks to interrupt Eric Dickerson’s single-season dashing report. However Dickerson isn’t simply handing over that title. When requested about it, Dickerson mentioned, “I don’t assume he’ll do it.” We’ll see.
For Giants followers, although, it’s bittersweet watching Saquon dominate week after week for Philadelphia. As we all know, with the Giants he by no means had the sort of blocking he’s getting now with the Eagles, led by proper sort out Lane Johnson. After their Week 15 win over the Steelers, I caught up with Johnson whereas he was sitting at his locker, trying utterly wiped. After I requested him how he was feeling, he simply grinned and mentioned, “Getting previous sucks.”
Certain, getting older isn’t precisely a blast, however for Johnson, it hasn’t slowed him down one bit. At 34, he could make a declare to being the perfect offensive sort out within the league. In keeping with Professional Soccer Focus, he hasn’t allowed a sack all season. He’s solely given up 10 pressures and 9 QB hurries, even whereas squaring off towards among the NFL’s prime go rushers. And right here’s the wild half: In keeping with PFF, he’s among the many NFL leaders in “island fee” — snaps on which he will get no assist from a guard or a working again/tight finish chip — and he’s been the perfect sort out in soccer this season in these “island” conditions. That’s virtually extraordinary, but Johnson makes it look easy. And he’s not only a wall in go safety, he’s a drive within the run recreation, too. Johnson ranks within the prime 4 for win charges in each go and run blocking, proving he’s as well-rounded as they arrive.
What’s much more spectacular is how this offensive line has adjusted after the retirement of Jason Kelce, their Corridor of Fame heart. Certain, gamers will let you know they miss Kelce’s management and brilliance, however the unit has figured issues out, and plenty of that credit score goes to Johnson. His regular presence has been the glue holding all the things collectively. (Since Johnson joined the Eagles in 2013, Philadelphia has a .647 regular-season successful proportion when he’s within the lineup, versus .378 within the video games he’s missed.)
As proficient because the Eagles are this season, they’re no strangers to drama — truthfully, typically it looks like they thrive on it. However Johnson has this calming, grounding presence. He’s been doing this for the final decade and has proven no indicators of slowing down.
(High photograph: Harry How / Getty Photographs)
