It’s hard to believe the Los Angeles Rams are the defending Super Bowl champions. They have been beset by injuries every bit as much as the Denver Broncos have this season and both teams sit at 4-10 looking to end the season on a high note.
In-Game Updates
1:00 PM: The Broncos gameday inactives looks a bit normal for a change. The starters on the inactives lists over the last several games are all coming back. Randy Gregory, Courtland Sutton, Dalton Risner, K’Waun Williams, and Latavius Murray were all questionable heading into this game, but all will be active.
3:01 PM: Russell Wilson and the Broncos offense is off to a very rough start in the first quarter. After the Rams opened up the game with a field goal drive, Wilson has thrown two interceptions and both have converted into touchdowns for a 17-0 lead over Denver.
3:15 PM: The Broncos offense finally woke up, but a holding penalty hamstrung the drive. Brandon McManus would have to kick a 54-yard field goal to get the Broncos on the board for the first time in the game. Full first quarter recap.
3:34 PM: Answering the Broncos scoring drive, Baker Mayfield and the Rams drove right down the field and punched it in for another touchdowns to put the Rams up 24-3.
3:54 PM: The Rams offense is proving to be unstoppable on this day. Mayfield and the offense put together a long 14-play, 85 yard touchdown drive before the end of the first half to extend their lead to 31-3 over Denver.
4:01 PM: Russell Wilson came alive with less than two minutes to go in the half to drive the Broncos down into field goal range with 1 second left to give McManus a 49-yard field goal to cut the Rams lead to 31-6 at halftime. Full second quarter recap.
Game Preview
This game is going to come down to Russell Wilson and the Broncos’ offense once again. If they can score points, then Denver’s strong defense should be able to limit Baker Mayfield and force him into some costly errors that will help the Broncos to their fifth win of the season.
Now that Klint Kubiak has been calling plays for a good 3-4 games, I feel like we could see the offense continue to see more and more efficiency moving forward. I’d love to see them put up 20+ points again this week.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Mile High time on Sunday, December 25, 2022 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. You can watch the live stream of the game through FuboTV or on CBS or Nickelodeon.
My Prediction
In partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook, I am covering all my picks this year on TallySight. For once, I actually like the Broncos here and I think they can cover that 3-point spread advantage. As is typical of Broncos games in 2022, I also took the under on that 36 over/under. I’d be crazy not to given the Broncos track record this season on that front.
The Rams came into Lambeau Field looking to play spoiler in Baker Mayfield’s first official start as Los Angeles’ quarterback. And for at least a half, it looked like they might, even though Mayfield struggled to move the ball out of the gate. After his own sluggish start in the red zone, however, Aaron Rodgers found a groove leaning on the Aaron Jones-AJ Dillon backfield combo, and the Packers cruised to a 24-12 prime-time victory, staying alive in the NFC wild-card race in the process.
Matt LaFleur’s offense wasn’t necessarily fully back on track in front of the home crowd. Rodgers threw an ugly deep-ball pick to Taylor Rapp, and Jones lost a fumble in the second half that could’ve rejuvenated the Rams’ chances. But A-Rod also showcased some signature zip while feeding rookie receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs down the stretch. And both Jones and Dillon found success close to the end zone, combining for more than 120 rushing yards and three total scores in the win.
Stay tuned for additional takeaways from Monday’s Packers win.
Baker Mayfield had an inkling that the Rams would request his services after he was released by Carolina earlier this week. Mayfield was so certain that Los Angeles would sign him that he actually booked a flight for Los Angeles before he had officially cleared waivers.
In a performance befitting a Hollywood script, Mayfield led the Rams to an epic 17-16 victory on Thursday night after throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to Van Jefferson with 10 seconds left. The score capped off a 98-yard drive that saw Mayfield complete several big passes while helping the Rams snap their six-game losing streak.
“This is up there,” Mayfield told Amazon’s postgame crew when asked to compare Thursday night’s win to other notable moments in his career. “Originally, I was angry about having to go through so many coaching changes and learn so many new things, but it sure helped right there. … They put some good plays out there and put me in a good position to win.”
It took three running plays and one possession for Sean McVay to make the switch from John Wolford to Mayfield. Mayfield entered the game with 2:21 left in the first quarter and the Rams trailing 10-0.
“I knew I wasn’t going to start,” Mayfield. “Honestly, we were just seeing how John was going to feel, just how that was going to go and just going to play it out. I was going to be ready no matter what.”
Mayfield went 22 of 35 for 230 yards in his Rams debut. Trailing 16-3 late, Mayfield engineered a 17-play drive that ended with Cam Akers’ 1-yard touchdown run. After the Rams defense forced a quick punt, Mayfield’s 32-yard completion to Ben Skowronek on Los Angeles’ final drive helped set up his game-winning pass to Jefferson.
“To be honest with you, I was completely shocked they lined up in press coverage with 15 seconds left,” Mayfield said of his game-winning touchdown pass. “I really thought they’re going to try to pop out and play zone but they just stayed with it. Their weak side safety stayed down. Van’s a great go ball runner. He won off the line and did a good job.”
On his first play as a Ram, the former Browns and Panthers quarterback zipped a 21-yard completion to Jefferson. Mayfield then had a 6-yard run that helped set up Matt Gay’s 55-yard field goal.
“For him to get here and just do he just did, it just shows how determined and what kind of a guy he is. I’m glad he’s here,” Jefferson told Amazon’s Kaylee Hartung. “He just came in and worked out. He’s only been here for a day. … When he came in we knew he was going to execute.”
Mayfield and the Rams offense didn’t do much in the second or third quarters, but turned it on in the fourth quarter. He had considerable success throwing the ball to Skowronek and Tutu Atwell. Skowronek caught seven passes for 89 yards. Atwell caught five passes for 50 yards after catching just six passes during the season’s first three months.
Mayfield signed with the Rams a day after he was released by the Panthers. Mayfield, who signed with Carolina this past offseason, lost his starting spot after sustaining an injury in Week 5. His last start in Carolina occurred during a Week 11 loss to the Browns, the team he spent the first four years of his career with.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is don’t let the on the field play affect who you are day in and day out,” Mayfield said when asked about the biggest thing he’s learned during his career up to this point. “Be the same guy for your teammates, and that’s been the biggest thing this year that I think I’ve tried to just handle overall. Just try to help out where I can, not letting all that other stuff affect me and roll with the punches. Be who I am and kind of be that leader.
“I love football. I love playing this game and love playing and competing. Just go enjoy it.”
Mayfield did that and then some on Thursday night, and it resulted in a memorable finish that helped his new team stave off playoff elimination.
“It speaks to the culture of the locker room,” Mayfield said of the Rams’ overall performance on Thursday night. “Them coming in here and still trying to compete, even though the record speaks for itself. Just welcoming me in, competing and fighting to the very finish. That says everything you need to know about this place.”
The Los Angeles Rams scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull off a huge upset victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, 17-16. New Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield led an eight-play, 98-yard drive with 1:45 remaining in the fourth quarter down six points, and hit Van Jefferson for a 23-yard touchdown with just 10 seconds remaining.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Rams’ 98-yard TD drive was the longest go-ahead TD drive that began in the final two minutes over the last 45 seasons.
The Raiders controlled tempo all evening, but Josh McDaniels’ squad clearly lifted their foot off the gas pedal in the second half. Derek Carr finished with 137 passing yards and two interceptions, while Josh Jacobs rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown. Davante Adams made some splash plays as well, and caught three passes for 71 yards.
John Wolford got the start for the Rams at quarterback, but Mayfield replaced him after just one drive. The former No. 1 overall pick completed 22 of 35 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown, while Ben Skowronek caught seven passes for 89 yards.
Here’s a breakdown on how this incredible comeback transpired on Thursday evening.
Why the Rams won
Baker. Mayfield. Showed. Up.
Mayfield was waived by the Carolina Panthers this week and not only had to adjust to a new offense, but he also was dealing with a short week. Mayfield received the playbook on Tuesday night, studied it on the plane ride to L.A. and despite only having Wednesday with the team, he somehow had the chemistry needed with his receivers to lead a 13-point comeback. Mayfield has barely adjusted to the time change, but it looks like he has adjusted to his new offense. The defense helped the offense by never letting the Raiders get too much of a lead. The Rams had more passing yards, fewer turnovers and fewer penalties, which always helps with a win.
It was not all just Mayfield, he had help from Skowronek who lead the team in receiving with 89 yards and despite the run game not being as effective as the passing game, Cam Akers ended with 42 yards on the ground.
Why the Raiders lost
Las Vegas started the game out strong, but struggled to get first downs and could never get a lead comfortable enough to run away with it. Derek Carr finished with a rating of 36.9 compared to Mayfield’s 91.4.
The Raiders had a 13-point lead with just over four minutes to go in the game and the Rams driving. The Rams offense had yet to score a touchdown in the game, but the Raiders let up and once they did, they opened up the chance for a comeback. Mayfield saw his opportunity and made the most of it, coming back with quick play, accurate passes and confidence. The Raiders defense lost its steam and in turn, the game.
The Raiders appeared to be improving, but they continue to blow leads and their inability to close games is now becoming a pattern.
Turning point
The Rams finally got in the end zone and did so at the right time. Cam Akers’ 1-yard score capped off a 17-play, 75-yard drive that gave Los Angeles hope.
Play of the game
The play of the game section of the takeaways is now getting an upgrade to: Drive of the Game. Mayfield and the offense he just joined this week had 98 yards to go with 1:45 left in the game and needed a touchdown. With 10 seconds to spare, Mayfield completed the improbable game-winning pass, a play he calls one of the most memorable of his career.
Take a look at the strike to Van Jefferson:
What’s next
The Rams were facing elimination tonight, with a loss kicking them out of the playoffs, but after a wild comeback, they live to see another chance to qualify (though the chances are still slim). The Rams will face the Packers, another struggling team, next week in Green Bay. Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels will face his former boss next week when the Raiders take on Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Not long after Baker Mayfield led the Los Angeles Rams to a 17-16 comeback victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, Sean McVay stood at the podium and laughed.
“Just like we drew it up,” McVay said.
The Rams won the game to snap their six-game losing streak in spectacular fashion, led by Mayfield, who was playing two days after he was claimed off waivers. Mayfield came off the bench after Los Angeles’ first series, replacing starting quarterback John Wolford.
After the Rams had trailed by 13 points in the fourth quarter, Mayfield led the team on a 98-yard game-winning drive, ending with a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Van Jefferson with 10 seconds remaining.
“I don’t know if you can write it any better than that,” Mayfield said. “Obviously we’d like to be a little bit more stress free, but it’s a pretty damn good story, I’ll be honest with you.”
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 98-yard drive was the longest go-ahead touchdown drive that began in the final two minutes over the past 45 seasons.
“You can’t say enough about Baker Mayfield and the leadership, the resilience [and] the competitiveness,” McVay said. “And what a quick study. I mean, he just got here five minutes ago and figured out a way to be able to do some special things tonight.”
Mayfield said the past three days were “pretty hectic,” as he went from Carolina on Monday to playing in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
“Some tough decisions, but everything happens for a reason,” Mayfield said. “Right now I’ve just got a lot of emotions, but I’m really, really blessed and I’m really thankful right now, especially just the guys here that welcomed me in and helped me do the crash course here.”
The Rams trailed 16-3 after Daniel Carlson’s third field goal with 12:20 to play, but Mayfield led a 75-yard drive capped by Cam Akers’ touchdown run with 3:19 to play.
After stopping Derek Carr and the Raiders at the 2-minute warning, the Rams found themselves in a precarious situation when AJ Cole dropped a 64-yard punt at the Rams 2. With no timeouts, Mayfield led the Rams downfield and got to the Raiders’ 23 with 15 seconds left. Mayfield then connected with Jefferson in the back corner of the end zone.
On the winning play, Mayfield said he was “completely shocked” to see the Raiders line up in press coverage with 15 seconds left.
“I really thought they were going to pop out and play zone,” he said. “But they just stayed with it, and I saw the weakside safety stay down, and Van’s a great go-ball runner, go up and get it and he won off the line and did a good job.”
Mayfield completed 15 of 20 passes in the fourth quarter, the second-most completions in any quarter of his career, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
A former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick, Mayfield was asked where Thursday night’s comeback win with his new team ranked among his career highlights.
“This is up there to be honest with you,” he said on the Amazon broadcast. “I didn’t think it was going to play out like this, but I am sure happy we covered the two-minute operation, my goodness.”
Mayfield is 0-22 in his career as a starter when trailing by 13 or more points, but this was the second time he has led a 13-point comeback off the bench. He also erased a 14-0 deficit in his NFL debut in 2018.
Despite starting the game, Wolford didn’t attempt a pass. It is the third time in the past 10 seasons that a team’s starting quarterback did not attempt a pass, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Mayfield has now played for three teams in his first five seasons, making him just the second player taken No. 1 overall in the common draft era (since 1967) to do so.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Derek Carr and Davante Adams have the Raiders rolling. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
After a miserable start to the 2022 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders are finally firing on all cylinders. Derek Carr has settled into Josh McDaniels’ offense after a shaky start and Davante Adams remains one of the best offseason acquisitions.
It would have been comical to mention the Raiders as a playoff hopeful a month ago, but the team’s recent three-game winning streak has them in the hunt. A win over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday would push Las Vegas that much closer to the postseason.
The Rams, meanwhile, can really only play spoiler down the stretch. Injuries ruined the team’s Super Bowl follow-up season. Without Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, the Rams’ offense is vastly underpowered.
Can the Raiders continue their win streak and make a push for the playoffs? Or will the Rams play the role of the spoiler in Week 14? Follow along as Yahoo Sports gives you the latest scores, news and injuries from Thursday’s game.
The rumors of Baker Mayfield heading to the Rams were true.
Mayfield was awarded to the Rams on waivers today. He’ll reportedly fly to Los Angeles tonight and could play as soon as Thursday night for the Rams, who are desperate at the quarterback position with Matthew Stafford injured.
The Rams will pay Mayfield $1.35 million for the remainder of this season. Mayfield will hit free agency after the season, and although the Rams are invested in Stafford as their franchise quarterback, they’ll surely evaluate Mayfield for the possibility of bringing him back as Stafford’s backup next year.
There’s no immediate word on how many other teams put in waiver claims for Mayfield, but the 3-9 Rams are currently third in the waiver order, so only the Bears and Texans — the two teams with worse records — could have gotten Mayfield once the Rams put in a claim.
The Panthers, who traded for Mayfield over the summer, are now off the hook for that $1.35 million remaining on his 2022 salary.
There are 12 teams that have never won a Super Bowl: the Vikings, Bills, Bengals, Falcons, Panthers, Cardinals, Titans, Chargers, Browns, Lions, Jaguars, and Texans.
The Jets haven’t won since the 1968 season. For the Dolphins it’s 1973. Teams like the Raiders and Bears haven’t won since the 1980s. Even rock-solid franchises like the Packers and Steelers have gone more than 10 years since their last championship.
You probably know a fan of one of those teams (or are one yourself). Give them a call and ask a simple question: Would you trade a few years of absolute misery for one Super Bowl title? Don’t worry about the answer, because we know what it is already. Just time how long it takes for them to answer yes. It won’t be long.
Social media isn’t the right place to get rational conversation most of the time, but it’s still weird to see some people dunking on the Rams for trading all their picks. Yes, the pick they sent to the Lions would have been third overall if the season ended Sunday night. Given the sad state of the 2022 Rams, it seems likely it’ll be a top-five pick.
And while it stinks in the moment — their 26-10 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday was miserable to watch — it’s hard to believe they’d do anything different. The Rams went all-in to win a Super Bowl, and it worked. There is a high-wire act involved with the “f— them picks” approach and we’re seeing the downside of it this season. The Rams are a top-heavy roster and a couple injuries and personnel losses decimated them fast. It’s not like they didn’t know that risk existed.
But what would you rather have? A Super Bowl championship and all the history and memories that come along with it? Or the third pick of a draft? If you chose the pick, you’re doing this wrong.
The Rams are going to have a horrible final stretch to this season. There’s no reason to rush back injured stars like Matthew Stafford or Cooper Kupp. Receiver Allen Robinson is done for the year. It could get even worse for the Rams if defensive tackle Aaron Donald misses time with an ankle injury. They’re probably going to have the worst record of any reigning Super Bowl champ ever. Because they have traded so many picks, building back up could take a few years. Though don’t overestimate the timeframe of a rebuild; the Rams are a smart organization and unlike other sports, NFL turnarounds can happen fast.
It’s bad now, and jealous fans and NFL observers who will push back on any innovative approach will get off their jokes and criticisms for the rest of the season. But here’s what the Rams and their fans will do: They’ll go to their DVR and rewatch the Super Bowl. Or they’ll go to a game and stare at the banner in SoFi Stadium a little longer. Players and staff will check out their rings again. Fans will find one of their “Super Bowl Champions” shirts and not really care that Bryce Perkins is their starting quarterback this week.
Last season’s Rams playoff run was magical. There was the long pass to Kupp that set up the game-winning field goal against the Buccaneers. Then it was a fourth quarter comeback on the rival 49ers in the NFC championship game. The Rams had a drive for the ages to beat the Bengals in the Super Bowl. That’s what everyone will remember 20 years from now. Not what happened to the draft picks that brought them the star players who earned a championship.
Yeah yeah, Sean McVay and the Rams are having a tough time this season thanks in part to their all-in gamble. It did win them the Super Bowl, though. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
Here are the power rankings after Week 12 of the NFL season:
The Texans’ season is just going to keep getting worse, it seems. The first half against the Dolphins, when they were down 30-0, was embarrassing and an indictment of the franchise. Bryce Young is the presumed No. 1 overall pick, but I worry about any QB prospect going to play for Houston. It’s going to be a tough road.
The problem with the Broncos is they’re absolutely unwatchable. It’s not just a bad team. It’s a team that is hard to watch because the offense can’t execute simple things. Defensive lineman Mike Purcell yelled at quarterback Russell Wilson coming off the field, which both downplayed and the whole exchange is probably being overblown, but who would blame any Broncos defensive player for being frustrated?
Ultimately, it was the right decision to sit Justin Fields, who has a shoulder injury. But that meant for an ugly day of football after a surprising start with Trevor Siemian. It’s just time for them to be very safe with their personnel decisions the rest of this lost season.
We’ve heard a lot about how the Rams’ offense has been surprisingly bad. The defense hasn’t been great either. It ranks 16th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA and a troubling 26th in passing defense. Jalen Ramsey was beat by a long touchdown by New Orleans’ Chris Olave two weeks ago and was cooked by Travis Kelce for a TD on Sunday. If Aaron Donald misses time with an ankle injury, the defense might drop near the bottom of the league.
It’s not like Sam Darnold did much on Sunday. He completed 11 passes for 164 yards. But he was fine, and it helped that Carolina was playing the Broncos. I don’t know why he wouldn’t keep starting even if PJ Walker is healthy again. Baker Mayfield isn’t an option.
The Saints’ leading rusher Sunday was Andy Dalton, who had 21 yards on four carries. There’s a lot wrong with the Saints’ offense, and it’s a guarantee they won’t score much if their leading non-Dalton rusher has 13 yards.
Josh Jacobs had 303 yards from scrimmage, including an 86-yard walk-off touchdown in overtime. That’s tied for the eighth-most yards from scrimmage in any game. The list of players ahead of him, from top to bottom, is fun: Flipper Anderson, Billy Cannon, Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Stephone Paige, Priest Holmes, Antonio Brown. There are some really good players on that list. Jacobs’ career has gone to another level this season and the free-agent market for him will be interesting.
You can try to make some argument that not calling timeouts was the right call by the Colts — they might have wanted to hurry up on third down and catch the Steelers with a run play while the defense was reeling — but it was pretty bad game management by Jeff Saturday on Monday night. That will happen when you hire a coach with no experience above the high-school level.
Kyler Murray’s explanation of what happened on a fourth-and-1 interception — “schematically, we were kind of f—ed” — got a lot of attention and allowed people to pile on Kliff Kingsbury. Maybe that was Murray’s intention, but it’s reasonable to think it was just Murray’s colorful way of saying the play design got blown up and he had no choice but to throw a desperation pass to DeAndre Hopkins. The play was a run-pass option, and the Chargers took away the run. At that point Murray is supposed to have tight end Trey McBride open in the flat, which should have been his throw but the Chargers covered it very well. The Chargers played it so well that the Xs and Os for the Cardinals were kind of, well, what Murray said.
These things happen in the NFL. Team can blow up well-intentioned plays. But that won’t be the reaction to Murray’s words.
The Steelers obviously believed in Kenny Pickett. They drafted him 20th overall. If you made that investment, then watch Pickett make the strides he has the past few weeks, you have to feel very good that you made the right pick. Pickett isn’t great yet but he’s giving the Steelers plenty of hope.
The 129.8 passer rating Trevor Lawrence posted on Sunday was the best of his career. It’s the first time he has posted a rating of 100 or better and also threw for more than 262 yards. It was the first time Lawrence has led a game-winning fourth-quarter touchdown drive in his NFL career. (He gets credit for one other against the Raiders, but the Jaguars scored the go-ahead TD four seconds into the fourth quarter.) It’s quite possible the Jaguars’ win Sunday was a landmark day for Lawrence and the entire franchise. But he has to build on that great performance.
The Packers aren’t going to step in and tell Aaron Rodgers to take a seat if Rodgers believes he can play through a rib injury. It’s just not realistic, no matter how much this seems like a great time to see if Jordan Love can play. So we’ll see how Rodgers feels as the week goes on.
The Lions wanted a better result on Thanksgiving, but being in a position to beat the Bills right until the end is ultimately a good thing for Detroit. Like last season, they’re playing better as the season goes on. They have some cornerstones like receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The trick will be finishing well and then not starting slow next season.
The Browns go from the likable Jacoby Brissett to Deshaun Watson at quarterback this week. There will be plenty said about Watson’s return from suspension this week, but from a strictly football sense, it will be interesting to see what Watson looks like. He hasn’t played a regular-season game since the end of the 2020 season. He is in a new offense with new teammates and had just a few preseason snaps. Watson is undeniably talented, but how good can he possibly be right away?
Now that Kyle Pitts is out for the season, we can complain how Drake London isn’t getting enough targets. After a great start to London’s career, he hasn’t had more than 40 yards in a game since September. London was the eighth pick of the draft, the Falcons are desperate for playmakers on offense, and yet they can’t get him involved. It doesn’t make much sense.
With 32 seconds left in regulation in a tie game, a screen pass to Rachaad White got just 1 yard. But the Buccaneers didn’t use a timeout, despite having all three available. There there were 15 seconds on the clock when the next play was snapped, and Julio Jones gained 26 yards. There was not enough time left after that gain to do much more. The Bucs lost in overtime. Todd Bowles was asked about that no timeout sequence afterward and said perhaps Tom Brady might have thrown an interception. Brady has two interceptions in 470 attempts this season. Bowles was in a tough spot coming into the season, taking over for Bruce Arians with a suddenly aging quarterback and a supporting cast that had injuries and couldn’t carry the team anymore. But Bowles is not having a great year either.
If the Chargers don’t get that two-point conversion with 12 seconds left and win, Brandon Staley would be getting a lot of criticism. Staley was known for his gambling nature last season, and many of them didn’t work out. This season he seemed indecisive on what do to in certain situations and that has led to some bad decisions. A miss in that situation, leading to a loss, would have cranked up the heat on him.
If the season ended today, all four NFC East teams would be in the playoffs. For weeks, we knew the Giants were a team that was fortunate to have its record. They’ve been joined in that group by Washington, which is battling hard and is well-coached, but it’s hard to buy them as a strong playoff team. But any playoff spot would make it a great season for Washington.
It’s a little surprising that the Giants aren’t getting more out of Saquon Barkley as a receiver. In the last six games Barkley has 17 catches for 80 yards. Barkley posting 13.3 receiving yards per game over that stretch is a reason the offense hasn’t been better. We know Barkley can have a huge impact in the passing game too.
The Seahawks have lost two in a row and you have to wonder if they’re fading a bit after a surprising start. The good news is their next two games are against the Rams and Panthers. If they lose one of those two, then there’s a problem.
Before we get too crazy about Mike White’s 315-yard game, let’s acknowledge that the Bears defense is really bad, especially since trading Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn. Still, the Jets offense looked much different. The ball was coming out fast. Playmakers who were being entirely underused before emerged with White at quarterback. We’ll see what it means for White the rest of the season, but the Jets offense clicking like it did Sunday is certainly not a good look for benched Zach Wilson.
Mac Jones throwing for 382 yards might say more about the Vikings defense. But it was still a positive performance for Jones and the Patriots offense. And Hunter Henry caught it.
The Titans rely on Derrick Henry, so his last three games are a bit concerning. His yards per carry over the last three weeks: 2.8, 3.1, 2.2. I don’t want to make the mistake of claiming Henry is in decline, but Tennessee needs him to play well or their offense is going to struggle.
A strong win at Tennessee and the Ravens’ loss to the Jaguars was a great combination for Cincinnati. They’ll be getting Ja’Marr Chase back soon too. The Bengals will probably have to beat Baltimore on Jan. 8 to win the division, but they’re coming on strong.
The Ravens offense needs some more pop. They ended up with 27 points Sunday but if you watched the game you saw an offense that didn’t score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. They could have put the game away long before the Jaguars’ last-minute comeback. The lack of any explosive playmakers on offense will probably be the difference between simply making the playoffs and making a playoff run.
The Vikings’ defense probably isn’t good enough to win a Super Bowl. They have given up the second-most yards in the NFL this season. Mac Jones looked like a Pro Bowler against them. It has been a great season for the Vikings, but to make a playoff run they’ll need to create a lot of turnovers on defense. They can’t count on getting stops.
DeMeco Ryans has to be a top coaching candidate this upcoming offseason. He is doing a great job as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, his energy is infectious and he is young enough to relate to players. As Charles Robinson pointed out on the latest “You Pod To Win The Game,” podcast, he’s also a Texans legend and Houston might have an opening after the season. Hmm.
A tight win over the Lions isn’t what championship dreams are made of, but the Bills dealt with a lot over a week’s time and got two wins before mini-bye. Let’s assume with some time to rest and reset, they’ll be fine.
Mike McDaniel almost pulled Tua Tagovailoa too early. Tagovailoa came out of the game in the third quarter, with the Dolphins leading 30-6. The Dolphins ended up winning 30-15 but there were some moments in which it looked like Houston could cut it to a one-score game. That second half means little; the 30-0 first half was a measure of how good Miami is right now. However, left tackle Terron Armstead missing some time with a partially torn pec — likely a reason Tagovailoa was pulled when he was — is a potential problem.
Ezekiel Elliott gets too much criticism. Is Tony Pollard better? Probably. Is Elliott’s salary too high? Yes. Does Jerry Jones say some ridiculous things about Elliott’s importance to the team? Without a doubt. But some people seem to think the Cowboys would be better off if Pollard got 30 carries and Elliott was sent packing. Elliott had 92 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries against the Giants. He’s still a good NFL back. Put the contract, the Pollard love (perhaps fueled by fantasy football hopes) and Jones’ nonsense aside and give Elliott credit for being a key part of a good Cowboys team.
The Eagles ran for 363 rushing yards, their most as a team since 1948. That won’t happen every week, but it’s a reminder that the Eagles can beat you in different ways. The defense has to get out of its slump though.
The Chiefs were sleepwalking through the Rams game and it’s tough to blame them. It was clear from early in the game they were in no danger of losing. And they still won by 16.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ defense was arguably more exciting than the offense on Sunday afternoon, as the home team turned in a 26-10 win over the dilapidated Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.
Regardless of who is under center, holding any NFL team to under 200 net yards and 10 points is one achievement. Getting to 9-2 without too much suspense is another. The Chiefs also won their fifth straight game, which is something that’s happened in every season head coach Andy Reid has been in Kansas City. He also became the winningest coach in Arrowhead history.
The Week 13 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals should be more interesting. For now, though, let’s take a look at who stood out on Sunday.
Note: Applying the labels “winners” and “losers” is not intended to be a judgment on the talent or character of any of these players. It’s just a simple way to grade their performance in a single game. No disrespect is intended.
Winners
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
Running back Isiah Pacheco: The rookie only averaged 3.1 yards per attempt on this day, but he was central to the offense. Carrying the ball 22 times — showing his burst and signature enthusiasm along the way — Pacheco was great. He also showed something we haven’t seen yet: picking up 17 yards through the air. He is a perfect fit to bring balance to the Chiefs’ offense — but if he can also be a threat in the passing game, it might be years before he lets go of his starting job.
Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed: The Chiefs’ do-it-all defender really did it all on Sunday. Sneed got pressure on blitzes, made huge tackles in the running game — including one for a loss — broke up two passes and came down with an interception to help salt the game away. He briefly left the game with an injury — so it was great to see him not only return, but flourish.
Linebacker Nick Bolton: Another week, another fourth-quarter interception for Bolton. That goes along with his customary double-digit tackle figure (11). Bolton was great against the Rams, also notching a tackle for loss and a pass defended.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones: Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense finally has a double-digit sack artist. Jones continued his dominance with his 10th sack on the year. As usual, he was in the backfield a lot — and found other opportunities to disrupt Bryce Perkins.
Defensive end George Karlaftis: The rookie once again turned in a solid all-around performance, finally getting on the board with a full quarterback sack. We thought he was due! Perhaps this starts a productive stretch run for Karlaftis.
Running back Ronald Jones: The first regular season touch for Jones was, ironically, a 22-yard reception. While not known as a great receiver, he still announced his presence by picking up a nice gain. His rushing performance was uneventful, gaining just 12 yards on four carries — but for Jones, just getting in the game was a win.
Wide receiver Skyy Moore: With another six targets, Moore was able to haul in five catches — but the box score doesn’t do him justice. The 36 yards he gained don’t tell the full story: Moore converted key third downs with some really solid catches. The Chiefs had several interesting play designs featuring the rookie on a variety of different looks — including a failed trick play in the red zone where he threw back to Mahomes. He’ll kick himself for the one he didn’t bring in — because even though it was low and away, he had a chance at the ball. Moore is continuing to gain quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ trust — and looks like he’ll continue to be a part of the offense.
Losers
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Punt returner Skyy Moore: It’s gone beyond the typical rookie struggles — and beyond the point where a coach should want to give a guy another shot to build his confidence. After Moore’s third muffed punt of the season, the shots should be over for now. Justin Watson stepped in and fielded the rest of the punts. There was even a funny moment where he celebrated a fair catch, getting applause from the crowd. It’s clear that Kansas City fans are over Moore as a punt returner — but is special teams coordinator Dave Toub?
Dave Toub: The comedy of errors on the third phase of the team have gone on long enough that Toub deserves his own entry. He clearly shouldn’t be putting Moore out there to field punts. But he also needs to do a better job of preparing his guys for fakes. The Rams easily converted a fake punt on a fourth-and-5 on their own 41-yard line that extended a ten-play drive.
With both starting quarterbacks sitting out due to injuries, the Arizona Cardinals held a 17-3 lead over the Los Angeles Rams at halftime at SoFi Stadium. The Rams’ Matthew Stafford (concussion) and Cardinals Kyler Murray (hamstring) were both game-time decisions, and neither could go.
That meant it was Colt McCoy starting for the Cardinals and John Wolford starting for the Rams. Unsurprisingly, the game has been slow offensively, with each team managing just a field goal until the end of the second quarter, when the Cardinals finally got in the end zone. James Connor got in with a four-yard run, giving Arizona its first lead of the game.
The Cardinals got some momentum from their first touchdown and came back before the half ended to score another one, this time a pass from McCoy to A.J. Green.
The Rams specifically struggled offensively in the second quarter, with no first downs in the quarter as they took the ball with less than two minutes remaining in the half. They’ve been looking to reverse the post-Super Bowl victory slump, and it has not happened yet.
Keep up with everything that happens in the second half with our live updates below:
