*sorry I know I missed a week but my wife and I welcomed our first child the other week and things have been a bit busy since then. Should be back though to normal going forward now.
Layout:
— Individual Team News + Stone’s Cold Takes
— Miscellaneous/Other NFL News
— Picks of the Week
— Featured Team of the Week - Carolina Panthers
Arizona Cardinals (2-10):
- Lost 37 to 14 against the Rams
Tough loss for the Cardinals despite QB Kyler Murray overall playing well. Big thing here for the Cardinals was that they were not able to establish and stick with the run game very well. There are clear holes on this team in multiple different places and there is going to need to be some significant moves made in order to make this team a contender again for the playoffs. It will be interesting how they end up treating the draft given that they could end up with one of the top picks if not potentially the top pick depending on how things pan out with the Panthers the rest of this season.
Atlanta Falcons (5-6):
- Won 24 to 15 against the Saints
Great team win for the team as QB Desmond Ridder found ways to once again turn the ball over multiple times. At least now it appears he is making some pretty dang good throws but he still is far from being the QB the Falcons need for the future. The defense has proven to hang in there and give the offense a chance all year this year and a pick six by Jessie Bates III was a big difference maker in this game since the Saints were in the red zone threatening to score.
Baltimore Ravens (9-3):
- Won 20 to 10 against the Chargers
Great win for the Ravens on a day where the offense did not have to do too much. When you win the turnover battle 4 to 0 there really aren’t going to be many games that you lose. Overall though the receiving unit looked good in a game where they lacked TE Mark Andrews and it appears that the Ravens are going to keep on rolling. The Ravens know how to play hard nose football and in this game especially it goes to show what good coaching can do for teams. The Ravens find ways to constantly compete despite their talent.
Buffalo Bills (6-6):
- Lost 37 to 34 against the Eagles
What a game. The Bills lost a tough one though and the schedule does not appear to really get any easier. QB Josh Allen threw an interception in the 4th quarter that gave the Eagles back the momentum. Despite making huge plays before that pick and after. The interception is what gave the Eagles the key opening and life they needed to be able to get their offense going. Once again the Bills lost in an overtime game after only being able to come up with a field goal in overtime that was followed by a TD by Philly. What as interesting to me was that it appeared that they took WR Stefon Diggs out quite a few times on key 3rd down plays. It does not appear that any controversy is brewing but it just seems interesting that you would take him off the field in those situation where he would likely be helpful to the team in taking attention from others or to just get open himself. Either way the Bills need to do something fast because they are slipping out of playoff contention with each week that they lose.
Carolina Panthers (1-10):
- Lost 17 to 10 against the Titans
- Fired HC Frank Reich
Hard fought game by the Panthers that still ended in the Panthers losing again like they have done all season long basically. Owner David Tepper left the locker room very angry and ended up firing HC Frank Reich shortly after it appears. There is some concern here because it is believed that ownership wanted QB Bryce Young but the coaching staff wanted QB CJ Stroud the whole time. I will say the disaster that has been the Panthers this year stretches much further than just the QB or coaching staff with them needing to rebuild in just about every part of this team offensively.
Chicago Bears (4-8):
- Won 12 to 10 against the Vikings
Not really much good to say here despite the win. The defense looked good but they were playing QB Josh Dobbs who has been known this year to have a few good games before falling apart. On offense the Bears were horrible and didn’t manage a touchdown all game. I would still say nothing has changed in Chicago and that they are more than likely headed for a total rebuild this offseason from the front office to the QB position but we shall see. The sad thing is that the main issue here may be with the ownership group but that is not going to change anytime soon.
Cincinnati Bengals (5-6):
- Lost 16 to 10 against the Steelers
With QB Joe Burrow being out for the rest of the season it is hard to get excited to watch the games because he is so much of the team. Clearly the defense will still play well but in order to make playoff runs and actually win you need QB Joe Burrow playing. It was clear that moving the ball on offense was going to be a struggle and it doesn’t make it any easier when you are playing the Steelers who are considered by many to have one of the better defenses in football. Even with inspired play from the skill position players on this team it is clear that this season is not going to be their season to win the Super Bowl or event potentially make the playoffs.
Cleveland Browns (7-4):
- Lost 29 to 12 against the Broncos
The AFC North has been hit hard by QB injuries with QB Deshaun Watson also being injured and out for the rest of the season. His loss definitely hurts but I feel like hurts more emotionally for this team than it does physically. QB Watson had not really been himself since joining the Browns so the QB play does not fall off much when he doesn’t play but there was always that hope that with him they would have a chance to win and see him return to form. The game against the Broncos was just a mess in terms of them turning the ball over 3 times. When that happens it makes it a lot easier on the opposing team to be able to find ways to win rather than lose.
Dallas Cowboys (8-3):
- Won 45 to 10 against the Commanders
Dak Prescott has been playing really well lately along with the entire team. This game was a good one too because the run game really got going as well with RB Tony Pollard averaging over 6 yards per carry. If the Cowboys can continue playing like they did against the Commanders there may not be a team that can beat them. The problem is that they don’t always do this. The Cowboys may be considered the most complete team as we are getting ourselves into this last stretch of the season which could bode well for them as one dimensional teams get figured out or have to rely too much on one side of the ball.
Denver Broncos (6-5):
- Won 29 to 12 against the Browns
It appears the HC Sean Payton may actually know what he is doing again. The Broncos are back to playing the brand of defense they were last year and it appears the offense is starting to click a little more as well but did not have to do as much on a day where the defense provided. QB Russell Wilson is still looking far from being back to his old self but there are definitely more flashes of the old Russ over the last few weeks. Denver could be an interesting team to watch as we head down this last stretch in the season to see how they close things out.
Detroit Lions (8-3):
- Lost 29 to 22 against the Packers
The main story here for why the Lions lost is because they turned the ball over 3 times and did not force any turnovers out of the Packers. The game just looked like one where the Lions came out expecting to win and allowed the Packers to come out an punch them in the chin a bit. QB Jared Goff looked off and gave up all 3 turnovers via fumbles. He still threw the ball pretty well and thankfully he is not someone who is super fumble prone so it shouldn’t be an issue going forward. Definitely a rough loss though against a divisional opponent that could mean more down the line depending on how things shake out.
Green Bay Packers (5-6):
- Won 29 to 22 against the Lions
Great game for QB Jordan Love that should silence his doubters for at least a week. Avoiding turnovers was the main thing that helped take this team to victory. It still hurts that they don’t have RB Aaron Jones to supplement the rushing game but if WR Christian Watson can make plays like he did the other day then this team should be just fine. The nice thing here too is that the offensive line kept QB Jordan Love clean which has not been the case all season long. Right now the Packers are the first team out of the playoffs so very reasonable to believe they have a chance if they continue to play the brand of football they did on Thanksgiving.
Houston Texans (6-5):
- Lost 24 to 21 against the Jaguars
Tough fought game but the Texans came up just short. It looked like for a second that the Texans were going to be able to pull of another come back and at least tie the game but the field goal miss hurt. QB CJ Stroud overall played pretty well but there are certain times where he just needs to throw the ball away rather than take the sack. Overall the main thing that did not go right for the Texans the other day was there running game did not ever get established. If they could have done that they could have done a better job of controlling the game and helping keeping guys off of QB CJ Stroud. Either way this was a great game and one that the Texans can feel comfortable with despite the loss because they are hanging with the AFCs best.
Indianapolis Colts (6-5):
- Won 27 to 20 against the Buccaneers
Great win for the Colts. They are finding ways to win and it is really showing that HC Shane Steichen must be a pretty dang head coach. He is winning with a mediocre receiver room and QB Gardner Minshew at QB against the Bucs who have a good passing offense and a top tier defense in the NFL. It has definitely been helpful for the Colts to have RB Jonathan Taylor back as he is making things a lot easier on everyone on the offensive side of the ball.
Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3):
- Won 24 to 21 against the Texans
Great win by the Jaguars. They are needing to make sure they win the types of games they just did if they are going to have a good chance at taking the number 1 seed in the AFC. They have played well overall this year and QB Trevor Lawrence had a great game. Need him to avoid turning the ball over but it was good to see him make some plays with WR Calvin Ridley. It still has felt like this whole season those two have been figuring each other out. The key with this team though is that they have lots of weapons on offense and can really spread the ball around.
Kansas City Chiefs (8-3):
- Won 31 to 17 against the Raiders
Despite going down by 14 points to start off the game the Chiefs righted the ship and ended up easily handling the Raiders. QB Patrick Mahomes had a good game after a few lackluster performances which is good to see as he was able to get WR Rashee Rice more involved who led the team in receiving. IT seems like Rice has been the guy he has been hoping would step up all season so hopefully now they are finally able to get on the same page going forward. The defense struggled stopping the run but were able to the keep the Raiders from scoring for most part besides early in the game so won’t hold that against them
Las Vegas Raiders (5-7):
- Lost 31 to 17 against the Chiefs
Tough loss for the Raiders who were feeling pretty good early on after getting out to an early lead before the Chiefs just poured it on and their defense put the clamps down on the Raiders. QB Aidan O’Connell continues to play well though and being able to do what he did against the Chiefs is no joke since their defense has made most QBs look bad this year. The other good things for the Raiders is that RB Josh Jacobs played really well. This team is one that is playing different since firing HC josh McDaniels.
Los Angeles Chargers (4-7):
- Lost 20 to 10 against the Ravens
The Chargers are going to do what they do and that is disappoint. This game was no different than any other for them. Despite some decent performances from certain individuals, overall the team as a whole fell short once again. It is really tough here because on paper the Chargers have all the talent in the world and arguably are a much more talented team overall than the Ravens. HC Brandon Staley should be updating that resume which he should have been doing the past few years. Also, this can’t look good for OC Kellen Moore who has not really brought anything new to the Charger offense. Sure seems like the Chargers are going to miss the playoffs and be in difficult conversations this offseason.
Los Angeles Rams (5-6):
- Won 37 to 14 against the Cardinals
The Rams came to play and made easy work of the Cardinals. QB Matt Stafford was very efficient and RB Kyren Williams had a great game rushing for well over 100 yards. The Rams are hanging around and with QB Matt Stafford healthy they are a sneaky good team that could make some noise in this last part of the season. It is going to be key for them that WRs Nacua and Kupp figure things out with Stafford to keep the offense rolling against some of the tougher defenses in the league.
Miami Dolphins (8-3):
- Won 34 to 13 against the Jets
Great win for Miami to go in and take care of business against a Jets team who has a really good defense that makes things difficult for just about everyone. Despite the struggles from their offense at times, the Dolphins defense actually was just about able to match turnovers with the Jets defense and then it was clear that the Dolphins had a much better offensive plan and players who were able to take advantage of holes and score points. The only concern I have here is that QB Tua Tagavailoa is still the weakest link on the offense and they will go as far as he will let them. My worry is that when he has to make off schedule plays or deal with pressure that he will crumble like he has done so many times in the past.
Minnesota Vikings (6-6):
- Lost 12 to 10 against the Bears
Tough loss for Minnesota who was coming off a high of QB Josh Dobbs playing inspired football. He ended up throwing 4 interceptions and managing to only score 10 points. The Vikings are headed into a bye and it is critical they make the right decisions here going down the stretch since they are very much in the playoff race but have a lot of options at QB, none of which are ideal. If I were them I have been waiting for this to happen so that they can put QB Jaren Hall in to see what they have with him and then go from there.
New England Patriots (2-8):
- Lost 10 to 7 against the Giants
The defense looked good against a bad Giants offense but the offense continues to look horrible. People try to blame it all on QB Mac Jones or on the offensive scheme but at the end of the day I think a lot of it has to do with the playmakers they have on offense not being who everyone hopes they would be. There is not a true #1 receiver on the team and not even a top #2 receiver in the group. The best receiver on the Patriots would likely be the third option on most other teams. HC Bill Belichick’s days as GM and Coach are almost certainly numbered and we may even see him leaving New England all together.
New Orleans Saints (5-6):
- Lost 24 to 15 against the Falcons
The Saints offense played well until they had to get the ball in the end zone. It is weird for them because the defense is good and so is the offense but for some reason when they get down to the red zone they can’t seem to put things together to score. I don’t know if it is just because QB Derek Carr and co. are still learning the offense and getting comfortable with each other but they should have enough going on with RB Kamara and jack of all trades Taysom Hill to make things easier on them to get in the end zone. Once again because the division is so bad as a whole the Saints still have a chance to make the playoffs but they have a lot to figure out on the offensive side of the ball.
New York Giants (4-8):
- Won 10 to 7 against the Patriots
What an ugly game but the Giants found a way to win in part due to a field goal miss at the end of the game for the Patriots. I would still not be thrilled if I am Giants fan and almost would have preferred a loss for the draft pick. QB Tommy Devito played interception free football and then rookie WR Jalin Hyatt had over 100 receiving yards in a bit of another breakout performance. When they score 10 points the Giants are not going to win many games and need to figure something out if they want to even be competitive in their remaining games.
New York Jets (4-7):
- Lost 34 to 13 against the Dolphins
Will Aaron Rodgers still come back this year? That has to be the question a lot of folks minds as the Jets have struggled in recent weeks. They benched QB Zach Wilson because they were looking for someone to blame and surprise surprise the result was just as bad if not worse against a defense that has been known for being bad all season long. The offensive line is still really bad and with all the turnovers on offense it made things extremely difficult on a good Jets defense to stop the Dolphins. They are always having to try and find ways to save the offense rather than just playing good solid defense that can rely on the offense to score at least 20 points a game.
Philadelphia Eagles (10-1):
- Won 37 to 34 against the Bills
What a win for the Birds! They got late life when QB Josh Allen threw a 4th quarter interception and the Eagles just kept rolling from that point on. QB Jalen Hurts was dynamic and RB Deandre Swift is back to making plays all over the field. Also, WR Devonta Smith was making plays all over the field the other day. The Eagles are finding ways to win and despite an overall rough performance by the defense they managed to find a way to pull through and get the win in the end. Good that they have gotten these early wins in their tough stretch because it sets themselves up well for the rest of the season even if they do end up dropping a game or two more against some of these tough teams they are going through right now.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4):
- Won 16 to 10 against the Bengals
The Steelers finally gained over 400 yards in their first game without OC Matt Canada and while in the first week it did not result in a bunch more points, it did result a refreshed feel from the team. QB Kenny Pickett looked a lot more comfortable and there were a lot more throws down the field and over the middle. Overall just the vibes from the team seemed a lot better. I imagine that as the new offense in implemented we will see more and more points scored and the Steelers could be a sneaky good playoff team with the change made resulting in a different offensive performance from what we had become accustomed to over the past few years.
San Francisco 49ers (8-3):
- Won 31 to 13 against the Seahawks
Good win the for the Niners especially in a game where QB Brock Purdy had a “off day” for his high standards he has set. It is good for the team to win these still handily and show that they are able to win games in a lot of different ways. The Niners appear to be getting rolling again now at the right time and keeping the team healthy, especially RB Christian McCaffrey will be key down this last stretch of the season.
Seattle Seahawks (6-5):
- Lost 31 to 13 against the 49ers
It was very clear that the Seahawks have a lot of work to do after watching them play the Niners. QB Geno Smith looked out of sorts and the running game couldn’t get going. The defense looked lost for the most part despite making the good play to get the interception off QB Purdy. Recently though the biggest difference from last year is that QB Geno Smith does not look as good as he did last year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7):
- Lost 27 to 20 against the Colts
The Buccaneers feel like a team that is always just almost there. I would still say the biggest issues here are the lack of a threat in the run game despite them to doing a decent job of sticking to it most of the time and then a really bad offensive line. Despite that normally being the biggest issue RB Rachaad White had a great game and was a big reason why the Bucs were in this game til the end. In a bad division the Bucs still have plenty of opportunity to turn things around but if they don’t figure it out here soon they will even be out of time to pull something off depending on how the the Falcons and Saints finish out the year.
Tennessee Titans (4-7):
- Won 17 to 10 against the Panthers
Nothing too special or fancy about this game. It was just a hard fought game and the Titans just ended up outlasting the Panthers in this one. RB Derrick Henry was able to find the end zone a couple of times and QB Will Levis played a turnover free game. That Titans are always a tough game for teams because they are well coached. At this point I imagine they are really trying to see what they have though in this team to understand how best to position themselves this offseason. They may still have an outside chance making the playoffs but if they don’t see significant improvement from their offense they aren’t going to make it.
Washington Commanders (4-8):
- Lost 45 to 10 against the Cowboys
Rough loss for the Commanders and it feels like this team has just kind of fallen apart since the trade deadline when they got rid of some of their best defensive players. QB Sam Howell appears to still be playing well but I imagine a total rebuild is coming this team’s way. It will be interesting how they handle things in the offseason and in the draft. They will likely have a lot of options with where they end up falling in the draft. To be able to compete with the likes of the Cowboys and the Eagles a lot of work needs to be done.
Picks of the Week:
- Falcons -2.5 v. Jets +2.5
- 49ers -2.5 v. Eagles +2.5
- Seahawks +9.5 v. Cowboys -9.5
- Colts -2.5 v. Titans +2.5
- Chargers -6 v. Patriots +6
- Lions -4 v. Saints +4
- Cardinals +5.5 v. Steelers -5.5
- Dolphins -9.5 v. Commanders +9.5
- Broncos +3.5 v. Texans -3.5
- Panthers +5.5 v. Buccaneers -5.5
- Browns +4.5 v. Rams -4.5
- Chiefs -6.5 v. Packers +6.5
- Bengals +8.5 v. Jaguars -8.5
Featured Team of the Week: Carolina Panthers
*links for the Diner and the jersey are at the link in my bio
Do you still believe in rookie QB Bryce Young. If so get his jersey here.
Restaurant of the Week: (Midnight Diner)
No need to explain their hours here because they are always open which also makes them the perfect choice for this week’s restaurant because it has been a rough one for the Panthers. So any day, any time if you need some comfort food for what has been a rough season, Midnight Diner has got you covered. Here I am big fan of their Brunch Burger, Chicken & Waffles, and their Cool Ranch Wrap to give y’all some variety. Don’t worry there are lots of desserts as well since those are typically the best way to drown our sorrows. I will let y’all just check out the menu and choose for yourself.