Tag: baltimore-ravens

NFL Week Eight Winners and Losers

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Week eight was an unexpected and wild start to November. We saw some surprising teams in first place while some playoff-seasoned teams continue to fade. The first two months of this season were anything but dull. It’s time to break down the week eight winners and losers.

Winners: Tony Pollard

This is one of the few times during the regular season where a standout player/performance makes the winners column despite his team going home with a loss. Tennessee runningback Tony Pollard had a fantastic game in Cincinnati and deserved to go back to Nashville with a win. Unfortunately for Pollard, his career day meant taking home a loss that had nothing to do with him.

Tony Pollard gashed the Bengals defense with 117 yards on 21 carries. He had both of the Titans touchdowns before the fourth quarter and was the most dangerous offensive player before quarterback Cam Ward got hot in the fourth.

Fans and analysts will talk all week about Cincinnati star quarterback Joe Burrow and his phenomenal performance for all the right reasons. Burrow carried the Bengals to a wild win. However, had Tennessee prioritized Tony Pollard on their last two offensive possessions, the Titans could have won the game and Pollard would have gotten more praise. At least Tennessee knows they have another good player they could use as trade bait before the deadline (should they continue to rebuild).

Detroit Lions

Compared to Tennessee and Cincinnati, most analysts and viewers will talk about Minnesota’s disappointing offense against Detroit’s defense rather than the latter playing a great game. Those who have watched the Lions this season know the offense and special teams are pretty good while the defense can be a sieve. Detroit almost had another complete game Sunday and got their second division win of the season.

The defense in particular was fantastic. Despite injuries to cornerback Brian Branch and rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder, and linebacker Jack Campbell, the Lions defense played mean, physical and aggressive. Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray was sacked three times and threw one interception. Murray didn’t crack 200 yards until the last touchdown Minnesota scored midway through the fourth quarter. The Vikings had 80 rushing yards from four combined runners. It was the third game in a row Detroit’s defense kept their opponent’s offense to under 25 points.

The Lions offense did what was necessary to take the lead multiple times and hold it. Quarterback Jared Goff completed 18 of 25 passes for 176 yards, an 88.1 passer rating, a touchdown and interception. It was Detroit’s running game that made the difference. Jahmyr Gibbs ran 23 times for 153 yards and a score, while Sione Vaki had 65 yards on 11 carries.

Despite the scary injury to Jack Campbell, the Lions locker room must be filled with confidence. The defense had been seen as the liability that could keep them out of the playoffs and from winning the NFC North. If the defense and offense mirror each other more like they did Sunday, Detroit could come out as the best team in the division.

Sean Payton

Many who watch the NFL had serious suspicions the Chiefs would use Denver as a punching bag on national T.V. yesterday after Seattle ripped Kansas City into ribbons in week seven. Not only did that not happen, the Broncos wound up splitting the season series and leaped into first place in the AFC West. That credit goes to head coach Sean Payton.

Payton had Denver ready to play almost a complete game. The Broncos got the first lead of the game and only trailed by four at the end of the first half. After Kansas City dominated the third quarter, the Broncos roared back and dominated most of the fourth. Head coach Sean Payton made sure Denver’s offense scored two touchdowns and the defense sealed the win with a goal-line stand. The Broncos ended the game with 15 unanswered points after trailing 24-13.

Not only did the Chiefs lose a divisional game at the goal-line via turnover on downs, but their special teams kicking issues continue. Sean Payton’s team played well and disciplined, especially on offense. Rookie runningback Jonah Coleman looks more like the featured back Payton wanted back in training camp. The defense is still one of the NFL’s best and now the offense is finally playing better. Denver could be a more serious threat if they keep their one game lead in the west. Despite being the AFC’s top seed last season the Broncos look more like a balanced threat. That’s bad news for the rest of the conference.

Losers: Baltimore Ravens offense

No team had worse luck Sunday than Baltimore. Confidence was high because of the return of two-time league MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson after he was out for almost a month. Then Jackson injured his throwing hand his first throw of the game. That meant backup quarterback Tyler Huntley had to play the rest of the game. Well, Huntley didn’t last long either.

That meant third stringer Joe Fagnano had to finish the game on his own. Fagnano had no chance of pulling out a win in Buffalo, even though the Ravens defense played well most of the game. At some point, viewers knew the Bills offense was going to break out and put the game away. Of course, that happened in the fourth quarter. Yet Baltimore’s game-plan was almost non-existent after Derrick Henry ran for a touchdown the possession after a Josh Allen interception.

It stuns that the Ravens had two runningbacks average (close to) five yards a carry and not get a spark on offense. Derrick Henry could wind up as the second best rusher in NFL history, but Baltimore doesn’t use him as much as they should. Head coach Jesse Minter has a lot of issues on the defense to fix. Wildly, the overhyped offense is what may cost the Ravens another shot at the playoffs and bring more questions on what to do with the roster after this season.

Cleveland Browns

But wait. Baltimore wasn’t the only AFC North disappointment on Sunday. Appearing not to wish to be outdone, Cleveland played terribly and got crushed against their division rival Pittsburgh. Not only were the Browns blown out, it appeared as if they hadn’t even practiced.

Cleveland’s offensive line was almost non-existent. Starting quarterback DeShaun Watson threw for over 325 yards but took eight sacks as punishment. It didn’t help the Browns had ~35 rushing yards. There was no commitment to running the football because the defense got shredded early and Cleveland had to play catch up the entire game. Although Harold Fannin Jr. had a 150+ yard game, the Browns missed a few chances to add more than six points onto the scoreboard.

The Browns had a chance to sweep the Steelers for the first time since 1988. Instead, they fell back in both the division and playoff race. Cleveland has won some close games this season, but they will regret not playing sharper in week eight.

Shane Steichen

Ever since quarterback Daniel Jones tore his Achilles last season, it’s been a nightmare for Indianapolis. The season is all but over for the Colts and playoff chances are non-existent. One has to wonder how soon head coach Shane Steichen will get fired.

Indianapolis was everything but competitive in a blowout loss in Jacksonville. After general manager Chris Ballard was fired, the Colts traded star offensive guard Quinton Nelson to Seattle and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to San Francisco. More trades are coming soon. Receiver Joshua Downs has gone public for asking to be traded, and word is star runningback Jonathan Taylor will be traded before the deadline. A big part of why things have fallen apart is because Steichen never recovered the magic from last season’s first half start. Now, even he looks lost and knows time is short.

Shane Steichen can’t be expected to shoulder blame for the off-field issues plaguing this franchise. On-field, he has no answers and was another popular name that got passed by both his division rivals and the rest of the league. Many names past and present can relate to this and his incoming fate.

Note: NFL’s Winners and Losers will not be published next week due to personal reasons for the writer, editor and publisher. Publications will resume around the conclusion of week ten.

NFL Week Five Winners and Losers

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Week five in the NFL had a lot of thrills, jaw-dropping surprises and stunning, hair-pulling moments. Some of the best games of 2026 were played yesterday. Audiences found out which teams may be legitimate contenders and which ones could be one and done if they reach the playoffs. Here are this weeks winners and losers.

Winners: Aaron Rodgers

It has been a mixed few weeks for Pittsburgh veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This is his last NFL season and it has shown at times. That was not the case Sunday. Rodgers turned back the clock and had a vintage performance.

Aaron Rodgers was the Steelers best offensive player in a dominant home win versus Indianapolis. He completed 22 of 31 passes for 235 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 125.1 passer rating. Rodgers also had a run for six yards and was sacked once. The Colts had almost no answer on how to stop the 42 year old passer.

Pittsburgh’s offense has improved after an awful week two loss in New England, and that’s mostly because Aaron Rodgers has played better. The Steelers offense has scored 30+ points twice in their last three games. When Rodgers plays better, Pittsburgh is surprisingly a top team in the AFC.

Liam Coen

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has and will continue to catch heat for how the final seconds in London were handled after taking a one point lead, but the same should be applied to Jacksonville’s head coach Liam Coen for how he handled the end. Unlike Sirianni, Coen had his players fully prepared to play for any scenario.

The Jaguars stole a win Sunday no matter the timezone (for many in the U.S., it was morning while in London it was late afternoon). Jacksonville played from behind the entire second half until quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw his second touchdown pass of the game to Parker Washington. While kicker Cam Little missed the extra point, a two point lead finally let the Jaguars breathe and consider how to play the final two minutes.

In Sirianni’s defense, Philadelphia had only eight seconds left after getting the lead back. All special teams had to do was make a simple kick to pin Jacksonville far back and seal a win. However, it seems Sirianni’s special teams had not practiced that scenario and were not ready to preserve a lead with eight seconds left. Coen’s team had and did.

Ameer Abdullah returned the 57 yard kickoff for 53 yards. He worked the angles of the field well and got great blocking that didn’t get called for a penalty. Cam Little then got to attempt and make a 57 yard field goal with one second left.

If Jacksonville didn’t have a terrible second half in Denver, they would be the talk of both the NFL and the North American sports world. Coen has his team ready to go at least 90% of the time and ready to play out any scenario no matter how good the team is plays. The Jaguars are due for a lot of credit and respect with how they play every intangible of the game well.

The Fred Warner-led 49ers defense

The 2025-26 49ers defense was well respected because of former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Saleh is an excellent coach and evaluator of defensive talent. No matter the injuries, he knew how to make the defense play well. However, the defense had pitfalls when he didn’t have his best player and captain Fred Warner on the field. Seattle was one of the few teams that could exploit that.

Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris had to rely on Warner in what many believe was America’s game of the week. The Seahawks offense is different this year, especially at the runningback position. The 49ers defense turned those changes into overwhelming mismatches.

San Francisco’s defense intercepted quarterback Sam Darnold on Seattle’s first possession of the game. It set up head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense at the Seahawks 18 yard line, and the 49ers scored a fast touchdown in four plays. The Seahawks tied it up and even took a lead, but San Francisco wasn’t done creating turnovers.

Whenever Seattle got their first lead of the game, Fred Warner led the defense to another turnover. He forced a fumble from runningback Emanuel Wilson. Safety Malik Mustapha recovered the fumble, and San Francisco’s offense scored a touchdown the next play. Right before halftime, 49ers defensive lineman Gracen Halton forced another fumble at the Seahawks two yard line and rolled onto the ball in the endzone. San Francisco led by eight instead of one at the half because of that play.

Seattle came close to winning several times in the second half, but was limited to six points on their last two of three possessions. The 49ers also caught a few breaks on the Seahawks last possession and came out with the win after a turnover on downs.

San Francisco is still undefeated because of how well the offense plays with quarterback Brock Purdy, but they are also undefeated because a fully healthy Fred Warner makes a difference for the defense. They are more feared, respected and play better football. The reigning Super Bowl champions are winless against him the last two times he’s been on the field. That should say everything about how important Warner is to San Francisco’s success.

Baltimore Ravens

Without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson in week five, Baltimore faced an uphill task of winning in Atlanta against the high-flying Falcons. Despite an early lead and stopping Atlanta’s offense most of the first half, the Ravens still trailed…and then the Falcons offense started playing well.

Baltimore head coach Jesse Minter kept the team focused even after Atlanta went up by eight points. Quarterback Tyler Huntley led the Ravens to their first touchdown of the game and cut the deficit to two. After Baltimore trailed by eight again, Huntley and the offense scored another touchdown and converted a two point conversion to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Tyler Huntley led the Ravens offense to another touchdown after a long, seven minute possession in overtime. According to OptaSTATS on X (formerly Twitter), Huntley is the only quarterback in NFL history to go 10-for-10 or better with a passing and a rushing touchdown in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter plus overtime. He also didn’t turn the ball over in his third start replacing Jackson.

Baltimore won the game when Falcons backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw an interception on the first play of Atlanta’s following possession. The Ravens had no reason to come back multiple times down eight points with a backup quarterback and steal a win in overtime. Head coach Jesse Minter has some great moments the first few weeks of the season, but a Sunday night win in Atlanta could be his best one.

Losers: Klint Kubiak

Las Vegas has been a great team to watch and analyze the first month of the regular season. It’s mostly because head coach Klint Kubiak has done a stellar job with turning around the confidence, play-calls, and better usage of time management. Sometimes there are bad games. Sunday was one such example.

The Raiders got smacked around in New England start to finish. The Patriots scored touchdowns on their first two possessions in the game and never worried about Las Vegas making a comeback. Quarterback Drake Maye had five total touchdowns and 399 total yards. It got so bad Kubiak finally let number one overall pick Fernando Mendoza play and close out the game.

The Raiders had not played a terrible game a quarter into the season and that is a miracle given what viewers watched from them the last two decades. Sunday felt like a return to the past. Kubiak somehow didn’t have his team ready to play after a heavy, divisional game the previous week. It can happen for rookie coaches, but there will be concern if it happens again this month.

DeShaun Watson

Cleveland had won three games in a row and had to play a Jets team in New York that was humiliated the prior weekend in Chicago. While the Jets had a better chance to score and play a competent football game, one expected the Browns would do the same given their winning record. That didn’t happen…at least on the offensive side of the ball.

Quarterback DeShaun Watson played better the last two weeks and had a good chance to steal another win on the road. Watson completed 15 of 33 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown. That was good enough for 12 points, but not a win after Cleveland’s defense kept New York’s offense to 17. Watson was sacked eight times and struggled to get rid of the ball To compare, Tyson Bagent was sacked once against the Jets defense in week four, and he is a less talented quarterback than Watson.

New York has a young defense that plays hard. They were embarrassed and wanted a bounce-back performance. DeShaun Watson’s improvement is a big reason the Browns have three wins and are over .500. When Cleveland does lose, it is mostly because Watson plays badly. The AFC North is a tight race and these types of games keep more inept teams out of the playoffs.

Kellen Moore

Klint Kubiak wasn’t the only offensive-minded head coach working with an undermanned team to flounder the last two weeks. New Orleans’ Kellen Moore has done a phenomenal job most of the last calendar year with turning the Saints around and getting them closer to winning the NFC South. The last two games were not kind to Moore. New Orleans’ early afternoon home loss to the Vikings was definitely on him.

The Saints offense in particular struggled. FOX put this graphic up at one point.

Not only was that terrible for the Saints offense, it highlights how Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough had no answers despite runningback Alvin Kamara getting some touches.

It’s fair to say Kellen Moore does not have enough talent to work with especially when trying to run the ball, but it’s hard to tell when there are few attempts to run said ball. A defense that heavily blitzes can be worn down by running the ball or using pass/run option read decisions. New Orleans still has a lot to work on and it’s disappointing their last two losses stem from coaches exacerbating certain offensive issues.

Arizona Cardinals offense

Two of the NFL’s worst defenses played in Arizona Sunday. The Lions and Cardinals are supposed to have really good offenses that can stretch the field and put up a lot of points. Well, Detroit listened, showed up and scored 45. Arizona though, struggled most of the game.

The Cardinals started well and got a lead early when quarterback Jacoby Brissett found tight-end Teagan Quitoriano for a two yard touchdown. That was it for Arizona until midway through the third quarter when the game was out of reach at 31-7. There was a point in the first and early second quarter where the Lions couldn’t do anything on offense. Instead of putting long scoring drives together, the Cardinals went three-and-out multiple times, couldn’t establish a stable running game, and got Brissett sacked whenever he looked downfield.

Arizona is in a serious spiral after a promising start to the season. Jeremiyah Love is struggling because of multiple ankle injuries. Love also said at one point last week that it has been a long season. That is alarming considering he said that after week four. Former high first round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. was in a slump until the Cardinals front office and staff decided to deactivate him ahead of playing one of the NFL’s worst defenses, and subsequently traded him to Houston right before kickoff. Finally, Brissett cannot keep taking a lot of hits every week. Jacoby Brissett trying to elude defensive linemen every week is a big reason why he has not inspired too much confidence outside of finding open tight-ends. A lot of pressure will turn to the Arizona’s coaching staff to start rookie Carson Beck sometime this month or next if there is no progress.

NFL Week Two Winners and Losers

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It’s hard to have a spectacular follow-up week of games after the NFL’s regular season premiere, but week two didn’t disappoint. There were comebacks and interesting stories that will dominate headlines and progress the following months. Here is who and what stood out most after this season’s week two.

Winners: Green Bay Packers

Green Bay had not won a game in 286 days before Sunday. They had given up consecutive double digit leads to division rivals in back-to-back games. Head coach Matt LaFleur and starting quarterback Jordan Love faced constant criticism throughout all of 2026. The Packers needed a win to get back to .500.

Not only did Green Bay get a win Sunday, they won after trailing by ten points midway through the fourth quarter. Love found Christian Watson for a three yard touchdown the possession after the Jets extended their 17-7 lead. The Packers got the ball back after forcing another punt from New York and tied the game their following possession.

LaFleur and the offense could have mentally checked out after the Jets took a ten point lead. Instead, Green Bay rallied to win an overtime, road thriller. New York will be a better team this season, but they went through some growing pains against a veteran Packers team that is now tied for second in the NFC North.

Kyle Shanahan

Matt LaFleur wasn’t the only head coach who impressed in a win against an AFC East opponent Sunday. San Francisco dominated Miami in their first game back in the United States this season.

Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers left no doubt which team was superior start to finish. San Francisco jumped out to an early 14-6 lead to end the first half. The 49ers dominated the first two quarters so they could take as much time off the clock as possible. However, the undermanned Dolphins played hard and tried to keep the game close.

Shanahan made the necessary changes and San Francisco made it a rout in the second half. The 49ers scored three third quarter touchdowns and sealed an easy win before the fourth. Brock Purdy threw two touchdowns that quarter; one to tight-end George Kittle and the other to fullback Kyle Juszczyk. The second scoring pass capped off a five minute drive that exhausted all of Miami’s defensive players.

Many viewers did not think San Francisco would be undefeated after two games because of the mounting injury concerns. Free agent wide receiver addition Mike Evans left because of a hip injury in the dominant win yesterday. It is increasingly difficult to ignore the mounting injury concerns with the 49ers wide receiving room. They are even more thin after another game. Despite this serious analysis, head coach Kyle Shanahan guided San Francisco to another winning record that again seems next to impossible because of how competitive the NFC West is. It will be hard to beat the 49ers each week because of how the roster, no matter the replacements, is well-coached.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Few wide receivers can claim to be the NFL’s best. Fewer can dominate every facet on offense. When all is said and done, Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba could easily be the best wide receiver and offensive player the NFL sees every week.

After a week and a half off, the Seahawks played their first road and division game late Sunday afternoon. Arizona impressed many with a dominant road win in Los Angeles last week. Anyone who has paid attention to the NFL for a few years knows the Cardinals last beat Seattle almost five years ago. Jaxon Smith-Njigba made sure Arizona came up empty-handed again and even surpassed the Cardinals offense in total yards by himself.

Smith-Njigba dominated from the second snap of the Seahawks first offensive possession. He started the game with an 82 yard catch and run for a touchdown. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 100+ yards before halftime despite a tie. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year came out the second half and gave Seattle their second lead of the afternoon the first possession. Smith-Njigba then added to the Seahawks lead to begin the fourth quarter and seal up another road win. Yesterday’s win was also Seattle’s 12th straight, their longest in franchise history.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is one of the hardest players to cover and get a read on. As FOX’s Tom Brady analyzed in last year’s playoffs, Smith-Njigba always hides what routes he’s running by keeping his body parallel, head and shoulders stiff, and not giving away any movements pre-snap. Arizona’s secondary struggled to cover him all afternoon and even franchise great safety Budda Baker had no solutions on how to eliminate Smith-Njigba one-on-one. The nine catch, 155 yard, three touchdown performance is an impressive stat-line, but the Seahawks’ best receiver plays a complete game whenever one watches him. It’s not a surprise he has all of Seattle’s receiving touchdowns two weeks into the season (He is the first receiver to have scored his team’s first four receiving touchdowns in a season since Minnesota’s Ahmad Rashad did in 1979).

Sunday Night Football

Indianapolis usually plays Kansas City well. The Colts are one of the few teams that give Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes II, Steve Spagnuolo and Travis Kelce heart palpitations no matter who is on their roster. Despite a devastating loss last season, Indianapolis came out swinging early Sunday night and didn’t let up.

Although the Chiefs have played two games this season, Sunday night’s home win could go down as their most impressive so far. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo threw everything he could at Mahomes who still found a way to throw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Kenneth Walker III had another 100 yard night and the offense was elite in the redzone.

Despite Kansas City’s big stars playing well, the Colts either tied or took the lead several times. In overtime, Indianapolis nearly won the game on their only possession. Their decision to kick a field goal on fourth and eight after Spagnuolo’s defense smothered the previous three plays was smart. However, Mahomes is just different. He and Walker III led the offense the final possession in overtime and got enough yards for kicker Harrison Butker to attempt and make a 40 yard field goal.

Patrick Mahomes is undefeated in his eight, regular season overtime games. Sunday Night Football on NBC gave viewers one of, if not the best game in September. There have been valid criticisms of what games the NFL gives for the U.S.’ top country program early in the season, but there are none after week two. If anything, we should watch these two teams on primetime more often.

Losers: Jason Licht

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their 50th season in franchise history on a dismal note. They bottomed out of the NFC South division race and gave up countless leads. The worst may have been the week 15 Thursday night loss to Atlanta when Kirk Cousins led a double digit comeback. Anyone with working eyes knew a head coaching change and a roster overhaul was inevitable. Yet, Tampa Bay’s front office and upper management decided to delay the inevitable and keep head coach Todd Bowles and most of the roster intact. Two weeks into the regular season, those delays have cost the team in many ways.

Cleveland came into Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium Sunday off a humiliating 34-10 loss to Jacksonville. Everything that could have gone wrong for the Browns off and on the field, did. The Buccaneers had nothing to worry about after losing a tight game to Cincinnati. All they had to do was handle business and make Cleveland’s offense uncomfortable. That worked for one half.

The second half was almost all about the Browns. Tampa Bay went up by ten after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw a five yard touchdown to sophomore star receiver Emeka Egbuka. The Buccaneers then lost control and made Deshaun Watson look like his old Houston self the rest of the game. Even with a two hour lightning storm delay, Tampa Bay could not complete a two-minute drive. They bumbled around on offense and gave up big chunk plays to less experienced playmakers on defense.

One could say this is all on head coach Todd Bowles for not having the Buccaneers ready to play better. This is on management, especially the Glazer family and general manager Jason Licht for delaying more serious moves in the offseason and not understanding this would carry over to begin the regular season. When Tampa’s all-time best receiver decided to move on and play for another NFC team, Licht should have recognized it was time for necessary, massive changes. Instead the Buccaneers top brass decided to sit on their hands, cross their fingers and hope last season was a mirage. Last season was a warning. Now it’s a nightmare.

The 2024 quarterback draft class

We are in the third season of the 2024 draft class leaving their mark on the NFL and while there have been highlights, it has mostly been a mess for the quarterback position. Usually there aren’t too many memorable weeks where a specific quarterback class makes headlines, but this one did Sunday. Almost none were for good reasons.

The 2024 quarterback class includes number one overall pick Caleb Williams, second overall pick Jayden Daniels, third overall pick Drake Maye, eighth overall pick Michael Penix Jr., tenth overall pick J.J. McCarthy, twelfth overall pick Bo Nix, and late rounders Spencer Rattler, Jordan Travis, Joe Milton, Devin Leary, and Michael Pratt. Clearly the late rounders are not starting on any of the 32 teams. Fine. Rattler did start for New Orleans last year, but couldn’t prove he was the guy who could keep the Saints competitive. The first round quarterbacks though were all supposed to be both good and starting worthy. Well, most are starting worthy, but all have faced unfortunate fates.

Sunday was bad luck for most of the starters. Both Williams and Daniels left their divisional bouts after suffering serious injuries. While Caleb Williams injured his hamstring running on a play deep in Minnesota territory, Jayden Daniels dislocated the same left elbow he injured last season. This time it was in Dallas before the first half ended. The injury was so outlandishly bad, it made FOX’s Tom Brady swear live on-air during the call re-play. While Williams and Daniels won’t be out the rest of the season, they will miss time and their teams will play more low-scoring games.

The other two quarterbacks who played Sunday also struggled. Defenses are adapting to Drake Maye and Pittsburgh became the newest team to halt the potent Josh McDaniels offense, limiting it to 13 points. Maye threw an interception and was sacked three times. Bo Nix again played a great half of a game, but he still struggles to play a full four quarters and dazzle both his coaches and audiences. One never knows when or which Nix will show up each game.

At least the previous four got to play. Michael Penix Jr. remains out with multiple leg injuries and his team plays like they miss him…or any good quarterback with a pulse. Finally, there’s J.J. McCarthy. By all appearance, he is an all-time bust up there with JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf, Brodie Croyle, Johnny Manziel and Nathan Peterman in the Super Bowl-era.

All the quarterbacks (minus McCarthy) are all talented and can in theory lead their teams far into the playoffs if given the chance. The problem is none of them can stay healthy long enough for that to happen. This could become the most cursed quarterback class in a long time.

Baltimore Ravens defense

Baltimore has one of the most talented defenses in the NFL. They have a deep linebacker core, a fantastic secondary, and generate a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and offenses. When head coach Jesse Minter was hired this offseason, the hope was he’d turn it back into a fearsome unit similar to the Ray Lewis-led days or what previous coordinator Mike Macdonald had three years ago. That could still happen, but the defensive issues stand out after an unexpected week two loss.

The Ravens led by eight points twice in their home game against New Orleans. Although the Saints kicked field goals to trim Baltimore’s lead multiple times, there was no threat of a lead change…until the fourth quarter. The Ravens defense forgot how to cover New Orleans’ receivers, gave up big plays, and played sloppy in their own redzone.

Baltimore’s defense gave up both a touchdown and a tying two-point conversion after a five and a half minute drive in the fourth quarter. What was worse was how the Saints didn’t get the conversion the first time. The Ravens committed a holding penalty that gave New Orleans a second attempt and the successful conversion after.

The most controversial play in the game was Tyler Shough’s one yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal. There is an angle where Shough broke past the goal-line for the score, but many believed the touchdown didn’t count. The problem is if the play was reversed, defensive captain and middle linebacker Roquan Smith would have been flagged for a blatant face-mask penalty that would have been an automatic first and goal and a fresh new set of downs inside the one yard line. That would have been a probable touchdown for New Orleans anyway.

It was a sloppy sequence at the end and a mess of a second half for the Ravens defense. Baltimore’s defense should improve during the season, but that was a game that could keep the Ravens lower in the playoff seeding later in the year.

Second half Jacksonville Jaguars

Denver had a great, comeback home win against Jacksonville after Kansas City thumped them last Monday Night in Kansas City. Since the Broncos needed everything to go right in order to win, that meant everything that could go wrong for the Jaguars, did.

Both teams had four possessions each in the second half. Both got field goals their first possession. Denver still needed to get at least a touchdown against the hottest team in their conference. They got two.

The two touchdowns were only possible because Jacksonville’s offense gave the Broncos hope. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was intercepted by cornerback Riley Moss. Denver tied the game after a five minute drive the following possession.

Yet, the Jaguars still had a chance to take a lead and shut down the Broncos offense after. However, kicker Cam Little missed a 54 yard field goal attempt and gave Denver the ball back at mid-field. The Broncos predictably went downfield and scored another touchdown to take a seven point lead. Jacksonville’s last gasp was a five play final drive that resulted in a punt.

The Jaguars could still be one of the AFC’s best teams this season, but by not closing out a winnable game on either side of the ball, Jacksonville showed why many viewers still don’t believe they are a serious championship contending team. Denver was humiliated by a division rival not even a full week ago and somehow the Jaguars could not capitalize off that. It will eat at them most of the season.

NFL Week 17 Winners and Losers

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Christmas weekend was an exciting time for NFL action. More teams clinched postseason berths and more teams were eliminated from playoff contention. Some teams also secured their divisions and still have chances at the number one playoff seeds. The last week of the regular season sets up more anticipation for the postseason. It’s time to see who or what else stood out in the last Winners and Losers of both 2025 and the regular season.

Winners: Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens

There wasn’t a bigger winner this Christmas weekend than the Baltimore Ravens and their star runningback Derrick Henry. Baltimore had to win in Green Bay and get help to stay alive in the AFC North race. They got everything they desired in two days.

The Ravens dominated the Packers almost the entire game. Henry led the way with 36 carries for 216 yards and four touchdowns. Derrick Henry’s phenomenal game finally put him into the top ten of the NFL’s all-time rushing list, surpassing Tony Dorsett by over 100 yards. Henry also rose to fourth in all-time rushing touchdowns. He’s one behind tying Marcus Allen for third and could finish at second before retiring years from now.

Every time Green Bay tried to lead a comeback and put together scoring drives, Baltimore found ways to pull ahead. Whether Henry had a large run or quarterback Tyler Huntley got a first down, the Ravens didn’t let their guard down. Then Baltimore got their best gift of the Christmas weekend: Cleveland beat Pittsburgh in an ugly, low scoring game. A Steelers loss means the Ravens have a chance to win the AFC North in Pittsburgh next Sunday night. After week 16 ended with Baltimore all but eliminated, week 17 showed the Ravens could finish as the best team in their division.

Quinn Ewers

It looked all but certain that Miami’s new starting quarterback Quinn Ewers would flame out of the NFL and be another forgotten name after a bad loss to Cincinnati last week. After all, Ewers couldn’t consistently beat the dreadful Bengals defense. Surprisingly, Ewers redeemed himself and Miami in a shocking Sunday win.

Tampa Bay didn’t have to beat Miami before their NFC South winner-take-all game Saturday against Carolina, but they needed a win after three straight losses. The Buccaneers have turned into one of the worst NFL teams over the past two months despite All-Pro talent on every side of the ball. Quinn Ewers completed 14 of 22 passes for 172 yards, two touchdowns and a 118 quarterback rating. His first scoring pass to Theo Wease Jr. tied the game early and deflated Tampa Bay’s hopes for an easy win. Ewers’ second scoring pass to Greg Dulcich sealed the early victory.

Quinn Ewers may not be the Dolphins franchise starting quarterback after this season, but he gets his first pro-career touchdown passes and a win against a team fighting for a playoff spot. That’s a nice memory to tell people about decades from now.

Brock Purdy’s touchdown pass to Kyle Juszczyk

San Francisco starting quarterback Brock Purdy had a fantastic performance against Chicago. His five touchdown performance is one of week 17’s best. No play showed how Purdy dominated than his touchdown pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Brock Purdy’s scrambling and having five defenders focus on where the ball would go instead of making a play on the ball will go on his regular season highlight reel.

Losers: Jonathan Gannon

It’s been one painful horror after another for Arizona. The Cardinals have won one game since they started the season 2-0. While franchise quarterback Kyler Murray hasn’t played this season, one would think the performances of his replacement Jacoby Brissett would be enough to get some wins. It has been the opposite.

Arizona was shelled again by Cincinnati 37-14. They trailed 23-7 at half-time and looked done in the first quarter. This was the most important season for head coach Jonathan Gannon. The Cardinals were supposed to show how close they were to being a playoff team. Not only did every other team in the NFC West make the playoffs and record eleven or more wins, but Arizona is easily the worst. The Cardinals were the first team to lock up their division placement before Thanksgiving. That is hard to do unless the team is one of the NFL’s worst.

Jonathan Gannon has no chance of being Arizona’s head coach next season. Not all of what has plagued the Cardinals is his fault, but Gannon’s clearly shown he is not the answer and cannot lead this 53 man roster to the playoffs.

The Philip Rivers comeback story

Long-time starting quarterback Philip Rivers has always been an NFL anomaly. From his unique throwing motion to never playing in a Super Bowl, Rivers was always in the shadow of true greatness no matter when and where he played. Sunday was another reminder of that.

Indianapolis was eliminated from playoff contention before their home game versus Jacksonville. Yet the competitive Colts played the Jaguars hard. Indianapolis led most of the game and red-hot Jacksonville struggled until midway through the third quarter. Once the Jaguars pulled ahead, the Colts had no answers on offense.

Although Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence didn’t fully out-duel Rivers, the sign the comeback was over (even when the game was out of reach) was when head coach Shane Steichen wanted backup Riley Leonard to throw a Hail Mary pass at the end of the game. Rivers’ age and lack of arm strength meant he couldn’t attempt that throw even if he wanted to. The backup quarterback would have one play and maybe-just maybe it would result in a game-winning score. No.

Either way, Philip Rivers wouldn’t be on the field no matter what happened. It’s a touching reminder of how Rivers put so much into the game and was hardly rewarded the way many other passers have been over the decades.

Michael Badgley

Anyone who saw kicker Michael Badgley miss the extra point after quarterback Josh Allen’s first rushing touchdown instantly knew it would affect the outcome in Buffalo Sunday afternoon. Not only was Badgley’s miss the biggest play of the game, it affected the AFC East playoff standings.

After Allen whiffed on a two point conversation pass, the loss bumped Buffalo to the seventh and last seed in the AFC. It also meant New England won the east and no longer has to worry about many tiebreakers for the first or second seed on January fourth.

Kickers are always controversial because of how little they have to do while they also affect a lot of games, no matter the situations. Badgley has rarely been a top kicker in the NFL. The Bills may suffer the most this postseason because of his late miss.

Notes: This is the last Winners and Losers for the NFL season. Wild-card weekend playoff picks will be up before January tenth.

Happy Holidays to you all. Many thanks to those who have read, liked, commented on and shared jdsportscorner.com articles this year. There will be more exciting and detailed sports posts in 2026. May you all enjoy the rest of 2025.

NFL Week 14 Winners and Losers

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The fourteenth week of the regular season eliminated more teams from playoff contention and solidified division leaders. The postseason is a month away and most franchises are getting ready for a higher playoff seed or the offseason. Time to break down this weekends’ winners and losers.

Winners: Tony Pollard

A lot of analysts will correctly discuss and break down how Cleveland rookie quarterback Shadeur Sanders is the real deal and leads, adapts and makes the Browns offense better even in a loss. Most of those analysts won’t talk about how runningback Tony Pollard almost single-handedly got Tennessee their second win of the season.

Tony Pollard is one of the few NFL offensive players who has shredded the vaunted Cleveland defense this season. Instead of a sack-fest on number one overall pick quarterback Cam Ward, Pollard led the offense and ran 25 times for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Every time the Browns defense seemed to stifle the Titans passing game, Tony Pollard broke out for a long run and put Cleveland back on their heels.

Yes it has been a season to forget for Tennessee’s offense, but most of the defenses that have played the Titans struggled to contain Tony Pollard and have had to account for his added strength and agility compared to previous years. If Tennessee adds more talent to the offense this offseason, Pollard could become a more dangerous player next year.

Miami Dolphins running game

Miami’s mid-season resurgence has been led by their running game. Many viewers know De’Von Achane is one of the NFL’s most underrated runningbacks, so it wasn’t surprising he had a good game. However, Achane had company that helped seal an early win.

The Dolphins’ leading rusher in New York was Jaylen Wright. Wright had 24 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown. When Wright wasn’t cutting through the Jets, Achane took over for one of his seven carries. De’Von Achane finished with 105 all-purpose yards and a rushing touchdown.

New York had nothing on offense and that gave Miami more chances to put scoring drives together. Even with the lopsided advantage, the Dolphins have put together a more sensible game-plan where the running game takes over and puts the passing game in easier situations. Head coach Mike McDaniel may have saved his job with this change.

Blake Corum

Los Angeles needed to regroup after a shocking road loss in Charlotte last Sunday. A great way to do that was to lean on the running game. With the now official, last place Cardinals on the schedule, the Rams constantly ran the ball and crushed their division rival.

Blake Corum was the best player in a dominant 45-17 win. Corum ran 12 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown gave Los Angeles their first lead of the game and his last score sealed the easiest win of the late afternoon matchups.

The running game will be key for how far the Rams go in the postseason. Backs like Blake Corum and Kyren Williams are dangerous players for any top tier defense. The more Los Angeles relies on a runningback duo, the closer they will come to making the Super Bowl.

Losers: Baltimore Ravens defense

Serious NFL analysts struggle to cover a lot of objective game content without fixating on a losing team’s offense. Baltimore’s offense wasn’t good in a divisional home loss to Pittsburgh (the winner would lead the AFC North), but it was understandable that there were several issues ranging from injuries to terrible officiating calls.

The Ravens defense had no excuses. There are at least four former Pro Bowlers back healthy, yet an injured, mostly one handed Aaron Rodgers threw for almost 300 yards against them. The Steelers led almost the entire game. Whenever Baltimore’s offense tried to get back in the game or cut the deficit, Pittsburgh shredded the Ravens secondary and got their extended leads back. Receiver DK Metcalf had seven catches for 148 yards after three straight weeks of averaging 50 yards per game. Again, there is no excuse for former Pro Bowlers to play helpless against younger, more inexperienced division rival receivers.

Sunday’s home loss shows Baltimore shouldn’t make the playoffs. Whoever wins the fifth seed would want the Ravens to win the AFC North so they can have an easy wild-card weekend win. Nobody respects Baltimore’s defense, and they won’t be stopping any of the four remaining offenses on their regular season schedule.

Dan Quinn

Everything about Washington’s shutout road loss was awful. Jayden Daniels re-injured his left elbow, tight-end Zach Ertz may have suffered multiple career ending injuries in his right leg, and a Bobby Wagner led defense was obliterated by the NFL’s worst quarterback. When a team is shut out, that falls on the head coach.

Dan Quinn is revered by many and has earned a lot of respect. However, his game-plan for Minnesota was putrid. There were people publicly asking if the Commanders bothered to practice or plan against the Vikings. Washington has veteran, All-Pro leaders on every side of the ball, and most of them played lost on Sunday. That is not a common sight among Quinn’s players. It’s as if the coaching staff didn’t take that game seriously.

With Sunday’s humiliating loss, the Commanders are officially eliminated from playoff contention. It stuns that one of the most hyped teams before the regular season went from playoff favorite filled with older, All-Pro veterans on every side of the ball, to a flaming, crash-out mess in salary cap and free agent nightmare once the off-season begins. Dan Quinn has to better prepare for next year and make sure no one takes any “easy” games off.

4th quarter Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati had not lost a game with Joe Burrow as their starting quarterback since mid-December 2024. Burrow makes the team better and the Bengals were in command of a pivotal road game in Buffalo…until the fourth quarter.

Everything fell apart after tight-end Mike Gesicki scored Cincinnati’s fourth touchdown to take a 28-18 lead. The Bengals defense is now a top contender for worst defense of all-time and showed why on a Josh Allen 40 yard rushing touchdown the following possession. That meant Cincinnati’s offense had to seal the win and score again. And score they did…

…by giving up an interception return touchdown to the Bills two minutes later.

Buffalo didn’t end there. The Bills got their final score of the game after a second straight interception from Burrow five plays later. The Bengals’ playoff hopes were on the line against an opponent also fighting for a playoff spot, and squandered it in the worst way possible during the most important quarter of their season. What a devastating way to be eliminated from postseason contention!

NFL Week Eight Winners and Losers

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Week eight was a fun and wild end to October. There are some surprising teams in first place while some playoff-seasoned teams continue to fade. The first two months of this season were anything but dull. It’s time to break down the week eight winners and losers before Halloween.

Winners: Mike McDaniel

Miami head coach Mike McDaniel has received a lot of deserved criticism almost all of 2025. The Dolphins have been more sloppy, soft and terrible at every end of the field. So when Miami dominated in Atlanta Sunday, it was a reminder the head coach isn’t finished yet.

The Dolphins offense was close to perfect. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played his best game of the season. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 205 yards, four touchdowns and a 138.6 passer rating. The best part for Tagovailoa was his focus and determination. He didn’t turn the ball over and he completed a pass to nine different receivers. An active running game helped. Three runningbacks, led by Devon Achane, ran for 131 total yards.

The defense also had their best game of the season. Although the Dolphins sacked quarterback Kirk Cousins once, they snuffed out the Falcons’ running game. Miami has been last in stopping the run all season. They gave up less than 50 rushing yards and forced Atlanta to beat them throwing the ball downfield. The Falcons couldn’t do much but score a garbage time touchdown at the end and punt the ball away almost every possession.

Sunday’s win gives Mike McDaniel some time and helps him retain control of the locker room. A head coaching change at the end of October would show the Dolphins giving up on the regular season. A dominant road win the last Sunday of October changes that view and gives Miami some hope for November.

New England Patriots defense

Many raved about Cleveland’s Myles Garrett having a five sack day, but New England had the better all-around performance Sunday afternoon. The Patriot defense is quietly one of the NFL’s best.

Although New England played a middling Browns offense, they didn’t play down to competition and dominated most of the game. The Patriots forced a safety, intercepted quarterback Dillon Gabriel twice, and sacked Gabriel once. New England gave up less than 70 yards rushing, forcing Cleveland’s offense to throw most of the second half.

Head coach Mike Vrabel was hired to make sure the Patriot defense kept playing at a high level while getting better offensive production. That defense is a big reason New England ends October at first place in the AFC East.

Tucker Kraft

Week eight is usually seen as National Tight-End Week. No tight-end had a better Sunday than Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft.

The Packers double digit win in Pittsburgh wouldn’t have been possible without Kraft. He had seven catches on nine targets for 143 yards, five first downs and two touchdowns. Both of Kraft’s scores gave Green Bay leads, and the second was the final lead change of the game.

Tucker Kraft’s physical play specifically stood out in the second half. The Packers scored on all but one possession and every time quarterback Jordan Love needed to complete a critical pass, Kraft delivered. There are a good number of offensive pieces Green Bay can rely on, but Tucker Kraft is the easy go-to option for both Love and and the passing game.

Losers: San Francisco 49ers defense

Despite injuries to captains and star players, San Francisco’s defense played well the last few weeks. Viewers knew at some point the injuries and lack of pass rush would catch up to the 49ers. It finally and spectacularly happened Sunday.

Houston’s offense was embarrassed last Monday night in Seattle. With receiver Nico Collins out, quarterback C.J. Stroud IV had to complete passes to different receivers trying to win their coverage matchups. Stroud shredded San Francisco’s secondary for 318 yards, two touchdowns and a 106.6 passer rating. The 49ers pass rush couldn’t sack Stroud and were dominated in first half time of possession. At one point in the second quarter, NFL Redzone reported that of the 23 minutes played, San Francisco was on offense for five and a half minutes.

The 49ers offense scored a few times to narrow Houston’s lead, but the damage was done. The Texans’ offense found a way to get their double digit lead back every time San Francisco came close. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has done a great job and should be a head coaching candidate for next season, but this is something even he cannot fix.

All the late afternoon games

There were six teams on a bye this weekend. That meant fewer games, and it also meant a lot more objective fanbases could check in on a lot more conference matchups. Anyone who chose the opposite and skipped the late afternoon trio of games won the weekend.

The early 3:05 p.m. central time game between Tampa Bay v. New Orleans was painful to watch. The Buccaneers defense led a one-sided win and the Saints were unwatchable on offense. Dallas v. Denver was a one-sided, high-scoring game. The Cowboys had not beaten the Broncos in 30 years. That record was unbroken with a 20 point loss keeping the streak going. Tennessee v. Indianapolis ended how everyone thought it would: a double digit Colt win.

This is also the time of year many complain that the NFL has to start flexing games. After watching a few clips of yesterday’s late afternoon games, one cannot argue that commissioner Roger Goodell again lacked foresight in flexing a few matchups.

Terry Bradshaw

When will the NFL on FOX decide to move on and force former Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw to retire? There is no way a decent sports commentator has either a mental lapse or breakdown while talking about a sports matchup or head coach without getting some form of public blowback. The fact that both former Hall of Fame commentators Howie Long and Michael Strahan were also stunned by Bradshaw’s incoherent sentences shows how awkward and out-of-touch pre-game commentary has gotten on FOX. The network should be glad no one filed a lawsuit.

NFL Week Six Winners and Losers

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Week six was full of eye-opening play and revealed who is closer to the playoffs. Conversely, some teams are close to preparing for the offseason. It’s time to break down the weekend’s winners and losers.

Winners: Bryce Young

Another slow regular season start for former number one overall pick Bryce Young had a lot of people wondering if head coach Dave Canales would bench him at some point. Those questions are shelved for the rest of October.

The third year quarterback had a rare, shootout win against the favored Cowboys. Every time Dallas’ offense scored, Bryce Young answered back with a scoring drive. Young completed 17 of 25 passes for three touchdowns and a 114.8 quarterback rating. His most impressive drive was the game’s last possession as he led Carolina’s offense down the field the remaining six minutes and seven seconds for kicker Ryan Fitzgerald to attempt a game winning field goal. Bryce Young completed three passes for 25 yards and used his intangibles and game intelligence to both position the spot for Fitzgerald’s game winning field goal and take maximum time off the clock each play.

This game is big for Young’s confidence as the first half of the season is nearly over. The Panthers are at .500 and are in position to be a dark-horse wild card team. More NFC teams are faltering and losing quality players to season ending injuries. As Bryce Young showed us last season, the more he plays, the better he gets. Carolina’s offense could be hard to stop by Thanksgiving.

The number one seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If someone said Tampa Bay would be the NFC’s best team at the end of week six a week ago, many would have called it crazy. The Buccaneers sit atop their division and conference as the only team with one loss after six weeks.

Tampa played their most complete game Sunday in a dominant home win against another team with only one loss, San Francisco. After quarterback Mac Jones threw an interception to cornerback Kindle Vildor on the 49ers first possession of the game, the Buccaneers scored a touchdown on two plays. After San Francisco got their first lead in the second quarter, Tampa’s offense scored two straight touchdowns and went into half-time up four.

Head coach Todd Bowles called a great game for the defense. Besides the Vildor interception that helped the offense get in position for an easier opening game score, the defense inflicted nightmares on the 49ers offense. The Buccaneers sacked Jones five times and intercepted him once more. The blitzes Bowles threw at Jones and San Francisco’s offensive line showed audiences who controlled the game start to finish. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had no answers and at one point, offensive captain and tackle Trent Williams was so frustrated he picked a fight with Tampa Bay safety Tykee Smith and drew a personal foul.

The Buccaneers didn’t need a fourth quarter rally after quarterback Baker Mayfield found rookie Tez Johnson for a 45 yard touchdown to close out the third. Both the fans and analysts believe Mayfield is an MVP candidate given how poised, tough and bold Tampa Bay plays every game. As David Carr said on NFL Network’s Game Day Final, “There isn’t a team in the NFC that Tampa Bay thinks they can’t beat.”

Patrick Mahomes II

Baker Mayfield isn’t the only MVP favorite after Sunday night. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes II had a good game against Detroit. The aggressive Lions defense played like rookies against the NFL’s most dangerous quarterback.

Mahomes completed 22 of 30 passes for 257 yards, three touchdowns and a 132.2 passer rating. He also ran ten times for 32 yards and another score. Patrick Mahomes found a way to complete at least one pass to eight different receivers, even when the Lions applied more pressure. The Chiefs last two offensive drives were the most important. Both went over 4:40 and ended any chance of a Detroit comeback. Mahomes found Hollywood Brown for the final touchdown of the game and made sure Harrison Butker was in position to make a 33 yard field goal before the two minute warning.

Viewers love the big plays Mahomes makes, but former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck’s segment on ESPN’s Sportscenter with Scott Van Pelt shows why he’s the NFL’s best passer, especially against the league’s best teams. Kansas City had no penalties on offense or turnovers. Hasselbeck broke down Mahomes’ wits, throwing speed, reading the field and redzone decision making late Sunday night (for those who want to watch the analysis and fast forward past the game recap, start around the 1:30 mark). This offense will also get better each week.

Losers: Cam Little

Anyone who reads Winners and Losers knows at some point a kicker will be featured for the wrong reasons during the year (minus last week because of the odd injuries so close together). This year’s annual first kicker in the losers column award goes to Cam Little.

Little cost Jacksonville a home win Sunday against Seattle. He missed an extra point after the Jaguars scored the game’s first touchdown. The Seahawks scored 10 straight points and took the lead, but Jacksonville had a chance to close the deficit to one with a 50 yard field goal and one minute left before halftime. Since Cam Little’s in the losers section, you know how this went. Seattle then went down the field in 51 seconds and kicker Jason Myers made his field goal attempt.

Four points may not be a lot for new viewers, but when a team trails 20-6 to start the fourth quarter, it’s a problem. The Jaguars scored on a Trevor Lawrence 26 yard pass to Tim Patrick, but because Little missed important kicks earlier, Jacksonville went for two…and failed.

The difference between 20-12 and 20-17 came down to critical errors. Instead of a 52 yard field goal with under six minutes left in the game, the Jaguars punted. That was their best scoring chance before Seattle closed out the game a few possessions later. Even if Cam Little made one of his attempts, having an additional point or three would’ve helped Jacksonville’s patience and not play scattered near the end.

Baltimore’s last possession of the first half against Los Angeles

Baltimore suffered an awful home loss against the Rams Sunday. The turnovers, sloppy play and quarterback change showed how bad the Ravens are this season. However, one drive crystalized how bad it’s been not even two months into the season.

Baltimore’s offense was gifted a starting drive deep in Los Angeles territory late in the second quarter. The Ravens offense had to go 32 yards and score a touchdown for their first lead of the game. Baltimore got a first and goal at the Rams four yard line. The first and goal play wasn’t bad. Derrick Henry ran for three yards. One would think the next play or two would give the Ravens the touchdown.

But no. Instead, Baltimore decided to do two tush-push plays (when the ball is snapped to the primary ball carrier at a very close distance and an offensive player or two push the carrier forward through both offensive and defensive lines) with tight-end Mark Andrews. On paper, this should work. This season though, Baltimore hasn’t been good so of course, neither attempts worked.

That meant head coach John Harbaugh had to rely on his strengths as a former special teams coach and go for a…who am I kidding, he went for it on fourth down. This time the offense decided to hand the ball to their best player and runner Derrick Henry for the score. Henry was pancaked for a two yard loss by Los Angeles’ defense. The Ravens did not score the rest of the game.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

It has been a cruel start for wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Arizona Cardinals career. He wasn’t utilized well his rookie year in head coach Jonathan Gannon’s offense. His struggles continue this season.

Harrison Jr. left in the second quarter of Sunday’s game in Indianapolis due to a concussion. Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett had a hard time finding open receivers and Indianapolis took advantage of the mistakes until Marvin Harrison Jr. got dinged up. After Harrison Jr. left the game, the Cardinals offense broke out. Arizona’s offense scored 17 of their 27 points in the second half.

Maybe Brissett and the offense found out what to fix at half-time. There was a late, controversial no-call on the Colts for defensive pass interference that led to a turnover on downs and sealed an Indianapolis win. One has to wonder if Harrison Jr. had been in for the play and final drive if it would have led to an easier decision and scoring play for the Cardinals offense. No matter what viewers think, almost everyone can agree Marvin Harrison Jr. has had one of the unluckiest timelines since Arizona drafted him.

NFL Week Five Winners and Losers

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Week five in the NFL had a lot of thrills, jaw-dropping surprises and hair-pulling moments. Some of the best games of 2025 were played yesterday. Audiences found out which teams may be legitimate contenders and which ones could be one and done if they reach the playoffs. Here are this weeks’ winners and losers.

Winners: C.J. Stroud IV

Houston’s offense was unwatchable most of September. The Texans lone win entering Sunday was a shutout against what many considered the worst team in Tennessee. If Houston wanted to turn the tide on their season, they needed a win and for the offense to play well. Both happened Sunday.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud IV had a great game against one of the league’s worst defenses. Stroud completed 23 of 27 passes for 244 yards, four touchdowns and a 143.9 passer rating. His third touchdown pass gave Houston a 21 point lead and put the game out of reach late in the second quarter.

There were growing worries about C.J. Stroud’s regression. The last two weeks showed that if Houston’s offensive line can beat opposing defensive fronts, Stroud is still one of the league’s best quarterbacks. It’s not surprising that the Texans’ two wins are when C.J. Stroud IV plays like the franchise quarterback many saw when he won Rookie of the Year.

Denver Broncos

While last week’s Winners and Losers admitted the AFC west as an overhyped division, many believed Denver was still a quality wildcard choice. After a stunning road win in Philadelphia, more people believe the Broncos are a serious division title and playoff contender.

Denver’s 18 point fourth quarter is a top performance for any team this season. The reigning champion Eagles dominated the first three quarters and there was no chance they would ease up entering the final 15 minutes. Not only did the Broncos turn the game around, they dominated Philadelphia on every side of the ball. Denver sacked quarterback Jalen Hurts six times throughout the game and forced four punts on six second half possessions.

The Broncos offense had three fourth quarter possessions that went over 3:30. Two had ten or more plays for at least 3:50. Head coach Sean Payton knew what quarterback Bo Nix and runningback J.K. Dobbins had to do and made sure the right plays were called each set of downs.

Not many teams can or have the talent to beat the Eagles in a 60 minute game. Fewer can do it in Philadelphia. Both of Denver’s losses now look like bad luck considering how well they have played the last two games.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Any attention analysts gave Washington in their matchup against Los Angeles either went to the return of sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels or how head coach Dan Quinn needed to make some tweaks to the defense. Nobody considered how the running game could help the Commanders get a pivotal win.

Seventh round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt almost single handedly won Washington a pivotal game against the Chargers. He ran 14 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Croskey-Merritt’s first score cut Los Angeles’ lead to three, and his second gave the Commanders their first lead of the day. He was such an issue that the Chargers defense started blitzing the run and eventually caused a fumble, (though Los Angeles didn’t get any points off the turnover).

Washington could have another offensive playmaker the rest of 2025. With Austin Ekeler on injured reserve and Chris Rodriguez Jr. a non-factor in almost every game since, the starting running back position is Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s to lose the rest of this season. He’ll be an interesting player to watch in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s system.

The insane touchdown fumble recovery made by Tyler Lockett

In now what is the leading candidate for play of the year and most insane American football play you’ll see for 2025, veteran receiver Tyler Lockett scored his first touchdown as a Titan in what may be the most memorable of his career. There aren’t enough words to type what happened. Just watch it for yourself here.

Many viewers, including the CBS broadcasting crew, couldn’t believe what happened. Sports pundits throughout the country had a variety of reactions after the play, and many believe the series of errors was a big reason Arizona lost. It will be hard to find a stranger play this regular season.

Losers: AJ Cole and Spencer Shrader

Indianapolis dominated Las Vegas almost the entire game early afternoon Sunday, but there was a scare for both the Raiders punter and the Colts kicker when they both got whacked and had to leave the game.

Las Vegas punter AJ Cole faced a defensive onslaught after he punted at the end of a drive midway through the second quarter. Ian Thomas recovered the fumble, but Indianapolis got possession of the ball in the Raiders redzone. Cole wound up getting injured on the block and that was his only punt of the game.

After the Colts scored on an easy three yard touchdown from Jonathan Taylor, kicker Spencer Shrader made the extra point. A Vegas defender ran into Shrader’s kicking leg long after the extra point was in the air. While the Raiders took a penalty, that was the end of the game for Spencer Shrader. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported early Monday afternoon that Shrader suffered a season-ending knee injury on the play.

Both teams had kicking issues the rest of the afternoon. Las Vegas’ were worse since they had to try and convert a lot of two point conversions and fourth downs. Thankfully it didn’t seriously impact the game since Indianapolis won by double digits.

Brian Daboll

The Giants and their fans entered week five on a wave of optimism many hadn’t felt since last decade. Many believe rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will be the franchise quarterback for a long time. Viewers should have been more objective about Dart and the team given how there are a lot of positions lacking talent and proper coaching. Reality hit hard in a brutal loss Sunday.

New York started well and even led by double digits at one point in the first half. While New Orleans climbed back and took a two point lead at halftime, the Giants still looked the better team. Head coach Brian Daboll should have emphasized certain changes and how drives cannot end because of turnovers. Neither happened in the second half.

The Saints defense forced a turnover on every New York second half possession. The first two Giants possessions ended in fumbles recovered by New Orleans. One was returned by defensive back Jordan Howden for an 86 yard touchdown. Jaxson Dart threw two interceptions the next two possessions and threw a catchable ball through receiver Wan’Dale Robinson’s hands for a turnover on downs to end the game.

New York’s offense should get better the next few months but that was an ugly game offensive minded head coach Brian Daboll will want back if that winds up costing the Giants a playoff spot.

Seattle Seahawks defense

Sunday’s best game could have been the one that featured twin teams celebrating their 50th anniversary of playing in the league while wearing throwback uniforms. On one hand, the offensive shootout was entertaining, exhilarating and must-watch T.V. On the other, whichever team lost would have to take a serious look at the defensive lapses.

Seattle’s defense has been lauded by many analysts to be one of the league’s best this season. Despite how well the front four defensive linemen have played, more viewers are aware the Seahawks secondary is one of the league’s deepest. Although linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence and cornerback Devon Weatherspoon did not play Sunday, there was a lot of optimism the defense could make a lot of stops given how battered Tampa Bay’s offense was. That didn’t happen.

Seattle’s secondary allowed 29 of 33 completions and was shredded by rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka and veteran tight-end Cade Otton for a combined 244 yards. The front seven didn’t fare better. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was sacked once and although the runningbacks mustered 70 yards, the Seahawks defense gave up their first two rushing touchdowns of the season.

Cornerback Tariq Woolen was also concussed after he played well most of the first half. It didn’t help Seattle’s secondary had to be on the field more after the offense committed a few turnovers and gave Tampa’s offense favorable field position. Almost every elite defense has bad games, but this was a performance analysts could be talking about near the end of the season if the Seahawks playoff position and division-winning chances falters.

Buffalo Bills

Many believed Sunday night’s divisional matchup against Buffalo and New England would be great. While most believed the Patriots would make the game difficult for the Bills, almost no one thought the road team would win.

Buffalo was out-played almost the whole game. Outside of a Curtis Samuel touchdown where the Bills led by four, New England bullied Buffalo on every side of the ball. Head coach Mike Vrabel emulated his predecessor Bill Belichick and quarterback Drake Maye mirrored the play of franchise legend Tom Brady. The defense clouded quarterback Josh Allen’s downfield reads and didn’t give him any big plays. The Patriots’ game winning field goal and clock management caught Bills head coach Sean McDermott off-guard.

It’s not a terrible loss given how many viewers believe New England is a playoff candidate, but the standings are not in Buffalo’s favor. Indianapolis now has control of the AFC’s one seed and probably won’t lose another game for at least a month. Pittsburgh is a game behind but benefitted off a bye week and should look better the next few weeks. The Bills have to win almost every game in order to get the one seed and home field advantage. With Kansas City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New England (at Foxborough) and Tampa Bay on the schedule, that might not happen after a surprising Sunday night loss.

NFL Week One Winners and Losers

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Except for the inevitable injury or two, the first week of the NFL regular season is usually mild. It was anything but mild on Sunday. Week one is seen by some as a fluke week, while others see it as a prelude of what will come once teams settle in. Here are my winners and losers from Sunday’s games.

Winners: Aaron Rodgers

The 21 year veteran quarterback had an abysmal two years in New York. In what many consider his last gasp at both a championship run and starting job at quarterback, Aaron Rodgers signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason. Week one was a revenge game against his previous team–the New York Jets, and Rodgers gave his viewers a vintage performance.

Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 30 passes for 244 yards, four touchdowns and a 136.7 passer rating. Two of Rodgers’ scores were lead changes, and two came a minute apart to start the fourth quarter. His control of the two minute offense gave the Steelers an extra 39 yards before Chris Boswell kicked the game winning 60 yard field goal.

Many analysts still believe Pittsburgh will have a hard time scoring more than 24 points a game given the lack of offensive talent around Aaron Rodgers, but a 34 point performance against what is considered one of the league’s better defenses in New York should make some question the Steelers ceiling.

The Pete Carroll and Geno Smith-led Las Vegas Raiders

The reunion for head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith was big news in the offseason. Las Vegas’ first game to start the 2025 season was on the road against a re-booted New England. Many viewers believed the game would be close, but the Raiders would find a way to pull out the win. Those were correct predictions.

Geno Smith found Tre Tucker for the first touchdown of the game. Smith finished 24 of 34 for 362 yards and a 102.8 passer rating. The new Raiders quarterback posted a franchise debut record in yards and passer rating. Smith also led a balanced attack and Las Vegas won the time of possession battle.

Defense is Carroll’s specialty. Vegas held the Patriot running backs to under three yards a carry and New England’s passing game to under 300 yards. Sophomore quarterback Drake Maye threw one interception and was sacked four times. The Patriots offense was suffocated after the first quarter.

Pete Carroll became the oldest head coach in league history to coach a game (73 years and 357 days) and the first head coach in NFL history to win all four of his team debuts (via Sportscenter with Scott Van Pelt). Carroll’s defense is predicted to continue improvement. If the offense stays as balanced and the defense continues to fluster opposing offenses, this could be the start of something special in Sin City.

Daniel Jones

Analysts will and have judged Indianapolis’ win against Miami as an all-around disaster for the Dolphins. That take ignores how historical the Colts offense was in a dominant performance. Led by new starting quarterback Daniel Jones, Indianapolis became the first team to score on every offensive possession since 1978.

Jones completed 22 of 29 passes for 272 yards, a touchdown and a 115.9 passer rating. He also ran seven times for 26 yards and two scores. Jones’ two consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter sealed an easy win.

NFL Network panelists discussed how Daniel Jones’ time in Minnesota wound up helping and re-programming some of the stability and basics under center. The newfound confidence seems to have paid off.

Los Angeles Rams defense

If one were told Los Angeles’ offense would score just 14 points against Houston, the assumption would be the Rams lost. Not only would that be wrong, but the result wound up a resounding Los Angeles win.

The Rams’ defense feasted on Houston’s offense. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud IV completed 19 passes for 188 yards and an interception. Los Angeles’ front seven sacked Stroud three times while the secondary confused him and messed up reads to his receivers. Outside of three field goals in the first half, the Texans couldn’t do anything right.

While Houston’s defense mostly stifled the Rams’ offense, it was the Los Angeles defense that won the game. The Rams’ offense could be slow to start a lot of games this year, but now they know the defense will show up and play hard.

Losers: Tennessee Titans second half offense

For some reason, Tennessee kept offensive coordinator Nick Holz after last season’s failures. Someone should have informed the Titans front office that a team usually relieves coordinators after they end up with the number one pick. Otherwise, there are results like Sunday’s in Denver.

Tennessee’s rookie quarterback and first overall pick Cam Ward was ok in his regular season debut. He didn’t make many mistakes but he definitely didn’t do anything special. Ward’s conservative play did give the Titans a lead most of the game, but Holz didn’t put him in better positions or utilize offensive strengths when the Broncos faltered.

After Denver took a 13-12 lead, Tennessee had two good chances to get a scoring drive before the Broncos could extend their lead. On the first, two penalties forced a punt. The second resulted in Denver fumbling a punt return and the Titans were gifted with an extended possession at the Bronco 24 yard line. A two yard run by Tony Pollard would be the only play with positive yardage. Ward was sacked twice for 27 yard losses after Pollard’s two yard run. Tennessee punted, and Denver went on to score the last touchdown of the game.

The Titans will have a rough season and few weeks when they’ll be favored to win any games. Sunday was one of the best opportunities to leave with a victory. It could have been done if there was a better run offense.

Cleveland Browns

For anyone who has read Winners and Losers before, or are familiar with the NFL for any reasonable length of time, it’s well known that with rare exceptions, the Cleveland Browns are losers. They lose in ways that defy belief and expectations. While the in-state loss to division rival Cincinnati felt familiar, it doesn’t excuse how sloppy, unprepared and deflating it was for Cleveland.

The Bengals did everything possible to lose the game. The only reason Cincinnati didn’t lose, was because the Browns made worse mistakes. Undrafted kicker Andre Szmyt missed an extra point and a potential game winning field goal. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco had an interception after a pass intended for Jerry Jeudy bounced off another receiver’s hands deep in Cleveland territory. Flacco’s second interception doomed any chance for the Browns to get the last score of the game.

Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski’s issues this year range from who will be quarterback every week to if the kicker can make an extra point. It could be a long, rough year for Browns fans…again.

John Morton

Anyone who has watched the NFL the last few years knew the hottest offensive coordinator and assistant coach was Detroit’s Ben Johnson. When the Chicago Bears hired Johnson to be their next head coach this offseason, many expected the Lions offense would have some drop-off, especially to begin the regular season. Few expected a week one crater.

Detroit was overwhelmed almost the whole game in Green Bay. While new defensive addition Micah Parsons played less than half of the defense’s snaps, the Packers bullied the Lions in every way possible. Goff was sacked four times, intercepted once, and constantly hit until near the end. Detroit’s lone touchdown came in garbage time when Green Bay led by 21 points.

The most concerning part might be the Lions offensive line. They missed Frank Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler. The Packers took advantage of those losses and applied constant pressure. There was a point at which the NFL Network and beat reporters said Green Bay’s defensive front didn’t look like four men…it looked like seven.

There is no need yet to panic over Detroit. This is the Lions first road loss since the 2024 NFC championship game. Many knew the Packers would improve this season, and this was before getting Micah Parsons from Dallas. Offensive coordinator John Morton has a lot of work to do, but the Lions schedule is brutal. It may take a longer time for the offense to look anywhere near elite this season.

John Harbaugh

Spring has Groundhog Day, October third has Mean Girls, and these articles bring in the new NFL year with John Harbaugh in the Losers section. It’s a tradition unlike any other.

U.S. audiences were treated to Baltimore demolishing Buffalo Sunday night–they thought. After Ravens running back Derrick Henry ran for a 46 yard touchdown, Baltimore’s 15 point lead with 11:50 remaining all but assured a decisive week one win. While Bills receiver Keon Coleman scored a touchdown the following possession, the Ravens had an eight point lead with four minutes remaining. Enter coach Harbaugh.

One might think in a close scoring game where the result would matter further into the season, Harbaugh would have a better game plan than running the football the remaining four minutes. Quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for a first down the first play after Coleman’s touchdown. Buffalo expected another run the following possession. Henry also needed some rest and should’ve sat out a few more possessions. Harbaugh decided Henry should carry the ball next. That led to a nine yard loss and a fumble recovered by Bills defensive lineman Ed Oliver.

After Buffalo scored a touchdown (and missed the two point conversion), all Baltimore had to do was run down the remaining 1:51 in the game. But no. The Ravens ran two run plays and a pass for seven yards that took 25 seconds off the clock. The Bills got the ball back and won with a last second field goal.

Harbaugh’s continuous blunders, time mismanagement and inability to make the hard decisions somehow remain accepted and overlooked. The second most tenured coach in the league with one team somehow defies expectations by blowing double digit leads and leaving with losses. Given how Harbaugh has yet to learn from his mistakes, expect Baltimore to make the same errors with little to no accountability. Another head coach could never get away with this if they tried.

2025 NFC Conference Championship Playoff Pick

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Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the NFC are the east wildcard Washington Commanders and their division winning rival Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams have potent offenses, solid quarterbacks, hard-hitting defenses, and intelligent coaches. Time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.

#6 Washington Commanders v. #3 Philadelphia Eagles

In a thrilling divisional conference finals matchup, the winner could be determined by which starting quarterback has the better game.

Conference championship games featuring division rivalries are some of the best and most memorable playoff games in NFL history. Casual viewers can remember which year a team won a Super Bowl because of a rare, divisional matchup in this round. It’s also more fun if the teams split their regular season series.

Washington has nothing to lose since no one expected they’d reach the conference finals with first year head coach Dan Quinn re-vamping the roster. Philadelphia has to protect starting quarterback Jalen Hurts as much as possible after he suffered a knee injury last weekend. That means the winner of this game will be determined by two factors: the better receiving core and which offensive and defensive lines plays best.

Both teams have great receiving cores and tight-end depth. The Commanders great play-calling and complimentary slot receivers will be a reason the game stays close. However, the Eagles have better receiver depth with Jahan Dotson and Parris Campbell. Philadelphia’s receiving core should have another big game against a mediocre secondary.

Philadelphia’s receiving core features one of the league’s best wideouts in A.J. Brown (11). Brown was great against Washington’s secondary in both regular season games.

There’s no offensive and defensive line comparisons. The Eagles dominate both sides of the line of scrimmage and overwhelmed the Commanders with their pass rush and running game in both matchups. The offensive line cleared paths for starting runningback Saquon Barkley in both high scoring divisional games. Washington doesn’t have the same number of highly skilled players on both sides of the ball the Eagles do. That will show in the second half.

Finally, all five previous rookie quarterbacks who went to a conference championship game lost. Second overall pick Jayden Daniels might not play like a rookie, but his team’s not where they want to be yet. Philadelphia has more roster depth at their disposal to tire out the Commanders.

Prediction: Eagles win the NFC championship 34-28 and advance to Super Bowl LIX

NFC divisional round playoff picks record: 1-1

2025 NFC playoff picks record: 3-2