Similar to a matchup between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning all the time managed to ship, so too does Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, the modern-day model of the matchup between the 2 finest quarterbacks within the NFL going face to face. Jim Nantz stated it finest: we’re fortunate to have gotten each single certainly one of these video games.
He meant CBS airing them particularly and that is true too, however simply getting to observe the 2 greatest stars within the NFL do battle is a freaking deal with and Sunday was no completely different.
Because it has all however one time within the regular-season model of the heavyweight battle, Allen emerged victorious because the Bills gained the sport 30-21 to open the window for them to steal the No. 1 seed within the AFC. That Allen sealed the take care of a remarkably athletic and eye-popping landing run by a number of Chiefs tacklers to provide the Payments a two-score cushion was becoming. It put Buffalo over the 30-point mark, giving them a five-game streak of 30 factors or extra. It was additionally their eighth 30-point sport of the season, probably the most within the NFL.
It was a becoming method for Buffalo to win, at dwelling towards a loathed rival, with Allen’s signature combo of energy and athleticism merely taking up and ending issues in a method that Kansas Metropolis was powerless to cease.
Extra importantly, it moved Allen to 4-1 all time towards Mahomes … within the common season. Within the playoffs? Properly, the file ain’t so nice, with Allen and Buffalo staring down an 0-3 file towards the Chiefs when elimination season comes round.
Which begs the query: does this sport imply something for Buffalo when the bracket will get constructed? I would wish to assume it does, primarily as a result of the Chiefs aren’t the identical Chiefs of the previous few years. However then once more, perhaps they’re equivalent to 2023, after they needed to go on the highway to beat the Payments and Ravens and rendered a “meh” season meaningless because of Mahomes and Travis Kelce flicking the sunshine swap.
However perhaps this chance, notably with the Chiefs successful once more by way of some smoke and mirrors, plus having one of the best coach and quarterback within the NFL, permits the Payments to steal the No. 1 seed and get home-field benefit. That would pressure Kansas Metropolis to go to Baltimore earlier than assembly the Payments in Buffalo and open up an opportunity for Allen to have his breakthrough a la Jordan versus the Pistons within the 90s.
At 9-2 they’re only a half-game again of the Chiefs now and Buffalo heads into its Week 12 bye on a six-game win streak with the 49ers, Rams and Lions looming after the break. That is robust however so are the Payments, they usually’ve received three video games towards the Patriots (twice) and Jets to shut out the season, so 4-2 could be very affordable.
The Chiefs additionally draw an, ahem, pretty pleasant matchup subsequent, with the Panthers on deck in Charlotte. And so they have the Raiders and Browns left too. However additionally they nonetheless should play the Chargers, Broncos, Steelers and Texans. It is very conceivable for Buffalo to steal the primary general seed and safe all the advantages that include being one of the best workforce in your convention.
As a result of the fact is Buffalo’s a greater workforce proper now. They had been higher Sunday on each offense — 366 yards to the Chiefs 259 plus 5.2 yards per play to Ok.C.’s 5.2 — and protection — two sacks to the Chiefs zero plus seven QB hits to the Chiefs 4 — and it was notable to see each Von Miller and Curtis Samuel, a pair of current offseason additions, step up in a giant method. Amari Cooper is beginning to actually mesh with this offense and James Cook is dominant close to the aim line, notably with the looming menace of Allen operating.
The one factor holding the Payments again is historical past. Possibly that is lastly their yr to vary it.
Mea culpa time
Earlier than the season, I received completely roasted by Steelers followers for predicting they might go 6-11 this season. That was silly! My choose, after all, not the roasting. That half appears well-deserved, particularly after Pittsburgh discovered one other technique to win on Sunday, taking down the Ravens 18-16 and transferring to 8-2 with a hefty quantity of management over the AFC North.
Credit score everybody for the efficiency this season. Mike Tomlin is proving as soon as once more why he is a future Corridor of Fame coach, not simply with the week-to-week stuff however with the daring resolution to maneuver away from Justin Fields and go along with Russell Wilson regardless of the Steelers sitting at 4-2 on the time. Wilson is not taking part in at an elite degree, and he had a close to disastrous crimson zone choose late on this one with an opportunity for the Steelers to seal the sport, however the offense has sufficient juice to compete week to week and his presence underneath middle emphasizes the flexibility to get vertical.
Wilson’s presence clearly unlocks George Pickens, who had one other strong sport towards the Ravens. Najee Harris was high quality on Sunday, however the Ravens are a very robust run protection. He is having a profession yr for positive.
The protection is an elite unit, managing to actually decelerate Lamar Jackson and this harmful Ravens offense in Week 11. How about rookie Payton Wilson with the play of the day and perhaps the choose of the yr up to now, operating again into protection towards speedy again Justice Hill and ripping the ball away as he was going to the bottom?
The Steelers delivered six hits on Jackson Sunday, and at this level, whenever you see them shut down an offense just like the Ravens and are available away with a win, it is clear the protection is nice sufficient to maintain them within the sport towards nearly anybody within the NFL.
So, my unhealthy, Steelers followers. This workforce wanted first rate quarterback play to get within the combine with one of the best of one of the best within the AFC they usually’re getting it together with a ton of actually good complementary items, a fantastic protection and high-end teaching. It is not a system for torching your technique to a Super Bowl however it’s definitely provides them an opportunity each single week. In a top-heavy NFL, they’re completely an issue.
Poor, poor Bears followers
The final time the Bears beat the Packers? Dec.16, 2018. 2018! It has been 2,138 days since Chicago gained a sport towards Inexperienced Bay. And this yr’s preliminary matchup — the eleventh straight loss to their division rival — led to notably painful trend, with the Bears coughing up a late landing to Jordan Love that was answered by a Caleb Williams drive to the Packers’ 28-yard line, just for Cairo Santos game-winning discipline aim try to get blocked for a walk-off Inexperienced Bay win.
Credit score to the Packers for the particular groups movie examine that led them to consider they might find yourself with a block on Santos:
However Chicago did not do itself any favors both, eschewing a chance to run the ball an extra time and get nearer for Santos forward of the sphere aim try.
The Bears outgained the Pack 391 yards to 366 and held Inexperienced Bay to a single third-down conversion. Chicago, the week after firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, chewed up clock all sport and scored on 4 of its first 5 possessions. However the Bears could not maintain on after which could not shut out and it’d imply yet one more teaching change coming in Chicago.
John Fox received a single season with Mitchell Trubisky earlier than he was fired. Matt Nagy received a single season with Justin Fields earlier than he was fired. And Matt Eberflus is monitoring to get only a single season with Caleb Williams earlier than he is canned as effectively.
I am unsure he is accomplished sufficient to warrant an extended leash, however the beforehand talked about sample and penchant for kicking coaches to the curb nearly ensures we’ll see extra change in Chicago sooner slightly than later.
Change in Jacksonville
It brings me no nice pleasure to report this column is on a two-week “streak” of appropriately predicting high-profile firings. We appropriately nailed Dennis Allen getting canned after the Saints‘ Week 9 loss to the Panthers and were spot on by expecting Shane Waldron to be relieved of his duties after the Bears’ pathetic effort in Week 10.
Staying “scorching” after Week 11 appears like a layup courtesy of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who received traditionally throttled by the Lions on Sunday to the tune of a 52-6 remaining.
With the win, the Lions turned the primary workforce to attain 50+ factors in back-to-back dwelling video games for the reason that 2014 Packers; they want only one extra 50-point sport to tie the NFL single-season file held by 5 completely different golf equipment. Solely a type of groups (2013 Broncos) pulled off the feat in a post-merger world.
In addition they set a franchise file with a preposterous 645 complete yards towards a pathetic Jacksonville protection. The Jaguars offense was much more hapless, managing simply 170 complete yards with Mac Jones underneath middle. You have received journey again in time to 1979 for the final time a workforce outgained their opponent by 475 yards.
Each week I am going on and on concerning the Lions. They are a selfless, well-oiled machine with PROBLEMS on either side of the ball. I am unsure what else there’s to say: Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are a deadly mixture, Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown are excellent complementary receivers and the protection continues to develop, even with an damage to its finest participant.
The Jaguars are the polar reverse. They can not actually defend. They’ve used excessive draft capital and free company {dollars} to improve their weapons they usually nonetheless really feel utterly neutered. Defensively they are a sieve and it will not get higher because the workforce slips into full irrelevancy for the remainder of 2024.
Pederson was requested about being fired after the sport and gave a whole “meh” reply by saying “if it may occur, it may occur.” He isn’t unsuitable per se: the best way coaches get fired can appear ruthless and plenty of a fanbase is aggressively rabid when trying to make a change. However the Jaguars’ collapse from the workforce that gained the division in 2022, coupled with Trevor Lawrence’s lack of growth over the previous two years, makes it fairly straightforward to see why Jacksonville may make a change.
I am going to say this too: if Pederson is fired this week, basic supervisor Trent Baalke must go along with him. Baalke famously gained an influence wrestle with Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco earlier than ultimately being ousted after San Francisco didn’t do something in a publish Harbaugh world. Baalke’s liable for this roster and his file as GM is simply as unhealthy as something Pederson’s accomplished contemplating he was in energy in Jacksonville lengthy earlier than the coach arrived.
Extra importantly, proprietor Shad Khan wants to make sure he can appeal to the very best candidate for this job. With Baalke’s presence lingering, it may restrict who’s eager about coming to work with Lawrence. And you’ll nearly assure it is going to be somebody new teaching this workforce subsequent yr. And perhaps subsequent week.
Is Bo Nix in operating for OROY?
A number of weeks in the past I advised Nix may be getting within the combine for Offensive Rookie of the Yr. That was rapidly debunked by Jayden Daniels throwing a Hail Mary in his “Heisman Second” and Nix might be nonetheless an extended shot to take dwelling that {hardware}. However Sunday’s domination of the Falcons places Nix again within the combine, a minimum of for now.
Denver destroyed Atlanta, with the protection utterly shutting down Kirk Cousins and this offense. The actual story was Nix, although. He registered his first ever 300-yard passing sport whereas tossing 4 passing touchdowns and as soon as once more trying extraordinarily comfy in Sean Payton’s offense, albeit towards a nasty protection.
The Broncos’ M.O. this season is thrashing up on unhealthy soccer groups, however Atlanta is a playoff contender and division chief and issues weren’t shut in Denver. Nix was the instrument of destruction for Payton’s detest for the Falcons, as the previous Saints coach unleashed his offense towards Raheem Morris’ workforce.
Payton wished a Drew Brees-like quarterback for his offense and perhaps Nix, who the Broncos took at twelfth general, may be simply that based mostly on greater than a half season of returns. He was a punching bag early within the season however has put collectively some actually good video games during the last month because the Broncos surged their technique to a 6-5 file.
Denver’s received two VERY winnable video games within the Raiders and Browns earlier than their Week 14 bye, then will get a little bit of a gauntlet down the stretch, drawing wild-card matchups with the Colts, Chargers and Bengals. Their Week 18 matchup towards the Chiefs may characteristic Denver’s starters towards backups, so do not sleep in any respect on Nix and the Broncos persevering with this surge.
Probably the most ridiculous stat line I’ve ever seen
Taysom Hill is a gadget man and buddy was he on Sunday for the Saints. New Orleans smoked the Browns 35-14 in Darren Rizzi’s second sport as head coach and it was unleashing Hill that apparently queued up the offensive explosion. Hill was concerned everywhere: speeding receiving and passing and he ended up with the wildest stat line I’ve ever seen.
Dashing: 7 carries, 138 yards, 3 TD, fumble
Receiving: 8 catches, 50 yards
Passing: 1/2, 18 yards, 1 INT
Hill turned the primary participant in NFL historical past with 100 speeding yards, three speeding touchdowns, 50 receiving yards and 10 passing yards in the identical sport. So he is positively the primary participant to ever do this and ALSO fumble AND throw an interception.
It wasn’t probably the most spectacular efficiency I’ve ever seen, not even shut. Nevertheless it was value a 40-burger in Fantasy, helped the Saints get a blowout victory and possibly will not ever be repeated once more.
