The Buffalo Payments did what the Buffalo Payments do. They beat the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the common season.
2024 marks the fourth straight 12 months wherein the Payments have overwhelmed the Chiefs earlier than the playoffs. As encouraging as these wins have been, none have led to a Tremendous Bowl breakthrough; two of them merely served as window dressing for a Kansas Metropolis win within the postseason. Will this January serve extra of the identical? Or was it the precursor to Buffalo’s inevitable glory?
Chiefs-Payments wasn’t the one gave with main playoff implications performed Sunday. The Baltimore Ravens ceded management of the AFC North to the Pittsburgh Steelers, for now. The San Francisco 49ers continued what’s turn out to be a troubling hunch. And the New York Jets continued to spelunk in a reverse-Sisyphus quest to seek out all-time low.
What stood out most from a busy slate? Let’s speak about it.
[Please bear with me for any Twitter embed issues. Our editing software has become a whole problem on that front the past couple weeks. Rest assured, if there’s a play alluded to in the text it’s worth clicking through to see if it didn’t make it into the article itself.]
1. The New York Jets, and cease me in case you’ve heard this earlier than, are cooked
Let’s begin with the excellent news. The Jets scored greater than 24 factors for the primary time this season. They scored extra factors in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts than that they had the final two weeks mixed. Aaron Rodgers threw two landing passes with out an interception and led his crew again from a 13-0 deficit.
This didn’t matter. The Jets nonetheless misplaced to the Colts at dwelling, regardless of their opponent beginning the participant who’d been the NFL’s least environment friendly quarterback by an extended shot. Rodgers’s offense remained caught in impartial far too lengthy:
Video games with no first down on first 4 opening drives:
New York Jets: 3
Remainder of NFL: 3Video games with no first down on first FIVE opening drives:
New York Jets: 1 (as we speak)
Remainder of NFL: 1Per @ESPNStatsInfo
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) November 17, 2024
A protection that’s been largely aimless since firing head coach Robert Saleh after Week 5 continued to flounder. Anthony Richardson got here into Week 11 having accomplished simply 44.4 % of his passes. He’d been benched in favor of a virtually 40-year-old Joe Flacco. He’d by no means earlier than performed an NFL sport wherein he threw no less than 5 passes, accomplished greater than half of them and had a passer score higher than 99.0.
And but, in opposition to New York’s as soon as proud protection:
5 plus 1 equals 6.
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/j2K6XV5RNa
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 17, 2024
Richardson was a menace by way of the air and on the bottom, the place he scored nearly all of Indianapolis’s touchdowns. Sunday marked the primary time in his profession the place he’d thrown no less than 30 passes and accomplished two-thirds of them. It was the second time in his profession the place he’d thrown for no less than one landing with out an interception. This might have been an announcement sport for interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich’s protection; as a substitute it was additional proof Saleh was the haggard thread holding every part from unraveling.
The Jets have given up no less than 23 factors in 5 of the six video games they’ve performed with out Saleh on the sideline. The 26.2 factors per sport they’ve allowed in that stretch would rank twenty sixth within the league this winter, proper subsequent to the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars. By way of anticipated factors added (EPA) allowed per snap, nobody within the NFL has been worse than Ulbrich’s guys.
This was not what Rodgers signed up for. His legacy was imagined to be secured by a protection that had completed within the high 5 in yards allowed the final two seasons. As an alternative, that group has crumbled regardless of the presence of stars like Quincy Williams, Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. They had been the balm that might soothe his aches on the tough days sure to chase down a soon-to-be 41-year-old man coming off main damage.
As an alternative, it’s positioned the onus of victory proper on Rodgers’s shoulders, creating the sort of surroundings that helped gas his dissatisfaction in Inexperienced Bay. Rodgers performed a wonderfully advantageous sport. Statistically, his 114.1 passer score makes this one of many three greatest performances of his 2024.
On the sphere, nonetheless, it was a way more generic sport than we’ve grown accustomed to from a particular participant:
Rodgers had a single completion that went greater than 11 yards downfield. He ran the ball simply as soon as for seven yards. He robbed us all the alternative to observe one in all his superb Hail Marys by taking a sack on the worst doable time.
Kwity Paye takes down Rodgers to seal the win for the @Colts! pic.twitter.com/ObcjmxnRXK
— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
That is, successfully, who Aaron Rodgers is now. He’s solely had two video games with greater than two passing touchdowns since 2022. His yards per scramble have dropped from 7.8 in his final pre-injury season (2022) to 4.8 this fall. His 3.2 deep balls per sport are his lowest since an injury-marred 2017.
Father Time has come for Rodgers’s sport. Whereas he’s been in a position to mitigate that together with his imaginative and prescient and a nonetheless full of life arm, there’s no denying he’s not the constant terrifying presence he as soon as was. He’s nearing the sport supervisor stage of his profession, albeit with extra zip on his passes than Ben Roethlisberger or Drew Brees earlier than him.
Roethlisberger and Brees nonetheless made it to the playoffs as a result of that they had stout defenses and playmakers round them. Rodgers has Breece Corridor, Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams, every of whom can create short-term magic on their very own. What they can’t do, apparently, is overcome the curse of what’s someway turn out to be the NFL’s worst protection in latest weeks.
That leaves Rodgers looking for a six-game successful streak simply to snap New York’s eight-year span of dropping seasons. The Jets are a large number proper now in a means that extends past the problems of a veteran quarterback for whom they paid dearly.
New York piled up expectations this offseason simply to smash them again into mud. All their efforts to rebuild on the fly this fall have failed mightily. However hey, no less than they bought a head begin on their 2025 teaching search.
2. Firing Shane Waldron didn’t repair the Bears, however it reminded us how nice Caleb Williams might be
The Chicago Bears didn’t defend their dwelling turf Sunday in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers. This was not Caleb Williams’s fault.
Williams, taking part in beneath interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown after former play-caller Shane Waldron’s firing, thrived in an offense that prioritized getting the ball out early and turning upfield on the first signal of strain. The offensive line that had gotten him run over in a 19-3 Week 10 loss to the New England Patriots held up nicely sufficient to restrict Williams to just one sack within the sport’s first 57 minutes.
Targets over the center had been sparse, however finally Williams unfold the ball out and maximized his targets in a badly wanted bounce-back sport. From Caleb Williams is extraordinarily fixable, even when the Bears as soon as once more had probably the most Bears end doable:
After one half, Williams had 145 yards of complete offense. Chicago as a crew had gained simply 142 complete yards by way of the whole thing of Week 10’s 19-3 loss to the New England Patriots. 60 of these yards got here on the bottom — a profession excessive after simply half-hour of play. When his pockets shrank, he made a concerted effort to drive ahead relatively than dance the place a loss was nearly assured.
Generally that led to massive positive aspects on the bottom. Others, clear strikes to open targets downfield.
this one did not rely as a result of DJ Moore’s movement moved towards the road, however good to see Caleb Williams step up and ship an on-target strike right here, even when it appears to be like ugly pic.twitter.com/WchdSSnMdr
— Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 17, 2024
His spectacular play wasn’t restricted to fast hits and drive-extending scrambles. He showcased the imaginative and prescient and contact that made him a Heisman Trophy winner in conditions the place his legs restricted the Packers’ willingness to blitz. When given a clear pocket, Williams seemed nice.
Caleb Williams: clear pocket, good throw for 25 yards pic.twitter.com/RqtcS34Y68
— Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 17, 2024
One week after being sacked 10 occasions by a bottom-five cross rush, Williams was sacked thrice in opposition to a Inexperienced Bay crew whose 6.7 % sack charge is true in the course of the pack amongst NFL defenses this 12 months. The lone sack earlier than Chicago’s scuttled game-winning drive was the results of a really Bears miscommunication the place they appeared to neglect Brenton Cox Jr. existed.
The Packers blitzed on apparent passing downs and did not crack a quarterback who seemed damaged simply seven days earlier. Williams accomplished 10 of 12 passes on third or fourth down for 112 yards. He ran 4 occasions for 40 extra yards to select up 4 extra very important first downs. He did stuff like this:
Caleb Williams, good once more pic.twitter.com/Iz0gAB3XFW
— Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 17, 2024
to show, past an inexpensive doubt, there are particular traits to his sport that give him the next upside than Fields or Trubisky earlier than him.
3. Justin Tucker is ageing suddenly
Some NFL kickers age gracefully. Morten Andersen and Adam Vinatieri had been each dependable contributors nicely into their 40s. Others age suddenly. Mike Vanderjagt was probably the most correct kicker in league historical past in 2005. By 2007, he was unemployed.
Tucker is trending towards the second class. The soon-to-be 35-year-old had by no means missed a kick within the usually swirling winds of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Acrisure Stadium. In Week 11, he began his day 0-for-2, prompting earnest concern from the CBS broadcast sales space.
“The struggles are actual.” – Ian Eagle on Justin Tucker pic.twitter.com/8nskdLryKG
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 17, 2024
This isn’t a one-off; a foul sport that may be brushed apart. 2024 has been the backdrop of an incredible kicker regressing to merely good. Tucker hasn’t missed greater than two kicks from 40 to 49 yards away in a season since he was a rookie in 2012. His first miss Sunday from 47 yards means he’s already at two with six video games left within the season.
Tucker constructed his fame as one of many league’s deadliest kickers from lengthy vary — somebody who dealt with lengthy bombs like additional factors. Between 2012 and 2021 he transformed 73 % of his kicks from 50-plus yards. Cracks started to point out in 2022 when he made 9 such discipline targets however on 14 makes an attempt (64 %). Within the season-plus since, he’s linked on solely 4 of 12 kicks from lengthy vary (33 %).
Justin Tucker discipline aim proportion over anticipated per @NextGenStats:
2016: +18.8%
2017: +13.0%
2018: +8.5%
2019: +9.9%
2020: +10.1%
2021: +14.0%
2022: +9.8%
2023: +4.0%2024: -5.4%
— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) November 17, 2024
The factor is, Tucker’s been so nice it’s mind-boggling when he isn’t. His struggles are actual, however they don’t obscure the actual fact he hasn’t missed a discipline aim from beneath 40 yards out since 2020. He’s been a mannequin of consistency on the kicks you’d anticipate an NFL kicker to make, however getting left behind in an period the place makes from 55-plus yards are commonplace.
That’s a bummer for Tucker, arguably the primary kicker to earn the common advantage of the doubt each time he lined up from his opponent’s 50-yard line or deeper. However typically the wheels come off. That doesn’t imply Tucker’s 2024 will outline what occurs subsequent — simply that it is likely to be time to rethink his strategy now that he’s staring down his mid-30s.
4. Farewell, Doug Pederson
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport broke the information Friday that Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson wanted a win in Week 11 to keep away from a mid-season firing. That was a giant ask; not solely was he on the street in opposition to the NFC’s greatest crew, he’d additionally been diminished to beginning Mac Jones at quarterback because of an damage to Trevor Lawrence.
As grim as that appeared, issues someway bought worse from there. The Lions scored touchdowns on every of their first seven drives. Pederson’s destiny was seemingly sealed in a 52-6 loss.
From The Jaguars performed precisely like a crew that’s about to fireside its head coach:
The Jaguars tried, however not likely. This was a crew frolicked to dry. They had been challenged by their possession to stand up and save their head coach’s job if they really wished Pederson within the fold. They responded by taking a beating the likes of which hasn’t been seen within the NFL in additional than 4 many years.
The Lions out-gained the Jaguars by 475 yards as we speak. That is the most important yardage differential in an NFL sport since 1979.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) November 17, 2024
This was a silent vote of no confidence with a deafening impact. It wasn’t the mere final result of a expertise disparity or Jones’s presence behind middle. This can be a crew that leaned into the skid realizing the one means out of the ice cave of defeat wherein it’s been trapped is to go deeper into the crevasse and begin over.
Thus, the Doug Pederson period seemingly ends not with a bang however with the volumeless screech of a black gap set down upon a bustling city. Pederson, ought to he be fired Monday, finishes his Jaguars profession on a 3-14 slide owed partially to accidents to Trevor Lawrence, partially to the drafting and expertise acquisition round him and partially to Pederson’s personal incapability to create one thing extra useful than the sum of its elements.
5. David Montgomery correctly revered a legend
Montgomery scored a landing to open the Detroit Lions’ scoring Sunday. This itself just isn’t newsworthy. The final time the Lions failed to seek out the top zone on the bottom was again in 2022 (24 video games in the past). The veteran again is flourishing as soon as once more alongside Jahmyr Gibbs and operating behind one of many NFL’s greatest offensive strains.
Week 11’s landing celebration, nonetheless, deserves additional scrutiny.
David Montgomery loves a speeding TD 🦁
📺: #JAXvsDET on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/0cLUPwlGDM— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
Whereas different dance traits have been a staple within the league — most notably Justin Jefferson’s griddy — Montgomery threw it again to a real legend of the sport. He channeled fellow stars like Brandon Graham, Steve Smith and, uh, Jared Odrick by placing on his massive footwear, buzzing the riff to The Champs’ hit Tequila and paying homage to the one and solely Pee-Wee Herman.
Hell yeah.
Montgomery’s Pee-Wee dance was one in all seven Lions landing celebrations Sunday afternoon. Was it higher than Jameson Williams copying Marshawn Lynch (and nearly actually drawing a league advantageous for grabbing his nethers)? You be the decide.
Lions aren’t slowing down! JAMO TD 🦁
📺: #JAXvsDET on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/2pPKz1VI81— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
6. Sam Darnold is dancing on a razor’s edge on the circle of belief
The Minnesota Vikings had an exquisite offseason. Week 11 was proof.
Move speeding veterans Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard bullied Will Levis into two sacks, three quarterback hits and 4 tackles for loss. In-season acquisition Cam Akers had a receiving landing. Veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore continued to supply useful protection alongside the boundary.
None of those additions, nonetheless, has had the lasting impression of the journeyman quarterback whose $10 million contract has shortly flipped from a minor overpay to a major discount.
What a transfer by Sam Darnold for the first down 😮💨
📺: #MINvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/NeyAfGA0pe— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
Sam Darnold continued his streak of huge video games for the Vikings, tossing a pair of landing passes and operating for a 3rd to maintain Minnesota within the hunt for the NFC’s high seed. He continued to showcase why he isn’t fairly trustable on the similar time.
Darnold is a chaos engine because of his penchant for large throws downfield. He additionally sows doubt about his skills because of occasional mind farts that lob balls into double protection or whip toss sweeps onerous and behind his tailback for a drive-killing turnover.
Finders keepers @GrindSimmons94
📺: Watch #MINvsTEN on @NFLonCBS stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/ugsVT9lzz8
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) November 17, 2024
Darnold has precisely one sport this season wherein he hasn’t fumbled or been intercepted. He holds onto the ball longer within the pocket than any starter however Jalen Hurts or Lamar Jackson. That’s led to a backside 5 sack charge regardless of a merely under common strain charge. Darnold has been given the liberty to be the quarterback he believes himself to be. Generally, that’s great!
Stunning. Simply lovely.
📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/enWvDEymon
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 17, 2024
Generally, it’s not!
.@KennethMurray will get to the QB on third down!
📺: Watch #MINvsTEN on @NFLonCBS stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/zAsszSWlno
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) November 17, 2024
Typically occasions, the border between these two nations is razor skinny. Anybody who noticed him fall off regardless of flashes of… nicely, not greatness, however pretty-goodness as a Jet or Carolina Panther is aware of he’s all the time a number of missed coverages away from spelunking into the caverns of his personal thoughts and overthinking his means again to the bench. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has been fast to chop off these notions, nonetheless.
That’s a part of Darnold’s lengthy leash — understanding his previous makes him susceptible to spiraling if requested to regulate his sport too harshly.
That is the belief that’s turned Darnold into the league’s most correct deep ball thrower by way of 11 weeks. O’Connell can take care of that as a result of he’s bought Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison (and, finally, a totally wholesome T.J. Hockenson) to bail him out of powerful conditions. That doesn’t imply Darnold might be the reply for one more quarterback-needy crew, however he’s been one hell of a pickup for O’Connell and the 8-2 Vikings.
Minnesota’s going to maintain giving Darnold the inexperienced mild to bounce within the pocket and take dangers as a result of he’s confirmed he can return a worthy reward. Additionally, as a result of we’ve seen what tweaking his sport in-season can do to his total stage of play. The Vikings preserve playing and successful; they haven’t any selection however to experience it till that scorching streak involves an finish.
7. The Atlanta Falcons are making us really feel silly for believing in them (as is custom)
Oh dang, one other “cease in case you’ve heard this earlier than” headline. Ah nicely, cliche although it could be, that is precisely the place we’ve landed.
The Falcons started their season 6-3. With two shut wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they appeared to have sewed up the NFC South title midway by way of the 2024 season. After beginning slowly whereas recovering from a torn Achilles, Kirk Cousins emerged as a high 10 quarterback often eye to eye with this season’s MVP candidates.
Then, issues bought familiarly irritating for Falcons followers. First, a loss to arch rival New Orleans days after the Saints had fired head coach Dennis Allen. However that’s advantageous; dropping a decent rivalry sport in opposition to a fired-up crew getting a post-coach bounce is comprehensible.
Getting shredded into breakfast hash by Bo Nix? That’s… one thing else.
.@LJ_Humphrey23 breaks free for the 41-yard TD!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/E3Y6P4obUo
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 17, 2024
The protection that held three of its first 5 opponents to fewer than 180 passing yards collapsed in opposition to the sixth quarterback chosen in final spring’s draft. Nix had:
- the primary 300-plus passing yard efficiency of his profession
- the primary four-touchdown efficiency of his profession
- his first single sport passer score above 125.0
all in a 38-6 destruction of a as soon as competent Falcons protection. Primaries like Jessie Bates, Justin Simmons and A.J. Terrell had been all within the lineup and it didn’t matter as a result of Atlanta had no reply for probably the most composed model of Nix we’ve ever seen on Sundays.
Nix with an absolute DART 🎯
📺: #ATLvsDEN on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/ywVpsY2lYp— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
Credit score the place it’s due; Nix’s progress this season has been spectacular if not linear. When he’s given time to set his toes and drive the ball downfield he’s confirmed he could be the distinction between a win and a loss. On Sunday, that manifested in eight completions on 9 makes an attempt that traveled no less than 9 yards downfield — racking up 184 yards, one landing and a 155.8 passer score within the course of.
The Falcons could have been in a position to counter this if Cousins may even approached Bo Nix at Mile Excessive Stadium. As an alternative, high wideouts Drake London and Darnell Mooney had simply 5 catches on 11 targets. Kyle Pitts had one catch for 9 yards. Cousins was sacked in a single in 10 dropbacks and turned in his second-straight zero-touchdown, one-interception efficiency.
All day, Cody Barton 👐
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/qIXyelKsnS
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 17, 2024
The excellent news is there’s loads of room to work by way of rising pains. Atlanta remains to be 1.5 video games forward of the second-place Buccaneers within the NFC South. However it’s simple to see the cracks and assume they’ll unfold whenever you’re coping with a veteran quarterback with a scarcity of lasting postseason success and a franchise that, nicely, similar.
That is the sword dangling over the Falcons’ throne. Atlanta has spent 2024 proving it could possibly dangle with nice groups but in addition implode spectacularly on the smallest signal of resistance. Which model will present up within the playoffs? That’ll be the enjoyable half for non-Falcons followers to determine and torture throughout the state limits of Georgia.
8. Geno Smith might need closed the 49ers championship window
Geno Smith had by no means overwhelmed the San Francisco 49ers as a beginning quarterback. This 12 months’s 49ers crew, nonetheless, may be very totally different from the perennial NFC title sport invitees that preceded it.
On Sunday, Smith overcame some early struggles to shred the Niners protection when it counted most. After opening the second half with an interception, he accomplished 14 of his closing 16 passes for 130 yards, erasing a pair of late deficits to earn his first win in San Francisco and preserve Seattle alive in a turbulent race for the NFC West crown.
With 12 seconds left, @GenoSmith3 does it himself. 👏 pic.twitter.com/QXR3jEodxh
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 18, 2024
Smith was, as is his hallmark, correct as hell to maximise his offense on a day the place his operating backs averaged solely 3.2 yards per carry. His 16.4 completion proportion over anticipated (CPOE) was his highest of the season — spectacular stuff for a participant who has ranked within the high 10 in that class every of the final two years.
That’s all nice for the Seahawks, however it might be closing the blinds on a championship window San Francisco would keep open no less than a number of months longer. The 49ers have slumped earlier than, however these dropping streaks both shortly dissipated or had been the results of devastating quarterback accidents (and typically even that didn’t make a distinction). 2024, to date, feels totally different.
During the last two years, San Francisco was undefeated in opposition to division foes aside from a meaningless 2023 Week 18 sport that pit Sam Darnold in opposition to Carson Wentz. This 12 months Brock Purdy is 1-3 in opposition to these rivals. The younger quarterback was 2023’s most effective quarterback however has backslid from “nice” to merely “above common” within the Niners’ 5-5 begin.
What’s the offender there? Kyle Shanahan’s offense has all the time been in a position to glean probably the most from an underwhelming quarterback because of a cache of dynamic playmakers who may flip quick targets into lengthy positive aspects. The 49ers have led the league in yards after catch (YAC) 5 of the final six years and by no means completed decrease than third place in that stretch.
This season, they rank seventeenth, dropping from 6.6 YAC to five.2. Not having Christian McCaffrey within the lineup many of the season and dropping a rusty Brandon Aiyuk to damage performed a job there. Even so, Shanahan’s offense isn’t hitting the best way it as soon as did.
San Francisco averaged 3.5 yards of separation between supposed goal and nearest defender in Purdy’s first two seasons within the league — a determine that was barely above common in comparison with different offenses. His 2024 targets common 3.0 yards of separation per throw — the lowest quantity within the NFL this fall.
Hankins with the TIP DRILL. pic.twitter.com/OhutJjJeHF
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 17, 2024
In consequence, Purdy’s needed to look downfield for larger positive aspects relatively than depend on higher-percentage dump-offs to now-covered gamers. His common throw distance has gone up (from 8.2 yards to eight.9) and his accuracy has gone down (from 69 % to 64 %). These are all modest drops, however it’s been sufficient to blow gaskets within the Niners’ high-octane offense.
Additional complicating issues is a protection that’s gone from elite to common. San Francisco ranked first in scoring protection in 2022 and third in 2023. It sat at seventeenth coming into Sunday’s sport with the Seahawks. The crew’s as soon as relentless cross rush has dropped from tenth to fifteenth in strain charge this fall. Dre Greenlaw and Tanaloa Hufanga have been damage and De’Vondre Campbell is trying like a 31-year-old off-ball defender.
The ultimate product are two items that aren’t fairly adequate. The 49ers are 5-5, and whereas they’ve come again from worse spots to create complications for the NFC — they had been 3-5 earlier than rallying to the NFC title sport in 2022 — this 12 months’s issues really feel totally different. Returns from Greenlaw and Hufanga (taking part in in a solid) will assist, as will getting McCaffrey and Ricky Pearsall in tune with the offense.
Even so, 2024 has been a transparent step backward for San Francisco. With a bunch of powerful contract choices looming, this can be the top of their title hopes as at present constructed.
9. Josh Allen continued the Buffalo Payments’ common season mastery of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
For the fourth straight season, the Payments beat the Chiefs within the common season. Now Buffalo has to hope it could possibly break the streak on the opposite aspect of that mirror — the one which’s seen Kansas Metropolis finish its season within the playoffs three of the final 4 years.
The Payments did precisely what wanted to be carried out to beat the Chiefs. They discovered from errors of the Denver Broncos (settled for a discipline aim) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (selected to not go for 2 in a one-point sport and opted for extra time). Relatively than await the inevitable and provides Patrick Mahomes the ball with a five-point deficit and greater than two minutes to play, head coach Sean McDermott trusted Josh Allen on fourth-and-two.
It is best to all the time belief Josh Allen on fourth-and-two.
JOSH. ALLEN. GREATNESS.
📺: #KCvsBUF on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/3HyIoDCaAC— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2024
Allen did what he did greatest, embracing a operating model greatest described as “marauding” and dusting the Chiefs’ protection for a game-sealing landing in a second that might have been a precursor to Kansas Metropolis’s 10-0 begin. As an alternative, Mahomes took the loss, Taylor Swift haters quietly fist bumped (bizarre) and somebody dropped off a bottle of champagne at Mercury Morris’s grave in accordance to his final will and testomony.
Importantly, Sunday’s win felt like a second the place the Payments stole Mahomes’s magic. They took away his comeback alternative. They held him to 181 complete yards on 35 dropbacks (5.2 yards per cross play). They pressured him simply sufficient to make him depend on a bunch of playmakers that isn’t the hydra it as soon as was.
this is the Mahomes deep miss to Xavier Worthy that had the QB saying “i’ve to be higher” postgame pic.twitter.com/n9alAyD5Vb
— Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 18, 2024
Mahomes threw three landing passes however countered that with a pair of interceptions. He continued a superb season that doesn’t fairly dwell as much as his stage of greatness — a designation that didn’t matter when he was 9-0 and barely does now that he’s 9-1. This will likely not make a distinction in the long term for Kansas Metropolis.
For Buffalo, nonetheless, it’s enormous. It’s but extra hope the nail can sooner or later defeat the hammer. Extra importantly, it’s validation after an 8-2 report got here devoid of spectacular wins. Earlier than Sunday, the Payments had one victory over an opponent with a successful report and that was in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. After an offseason of roster turnover, it was honest to surprise if this scorching begin was merely the product of a simple schedule.
Being the primary blemish on the Chiefs’ resume adjustments that. A protection that unloaded a number of key veterans rose to the event.
THERE WE GO T RAPP!!
📺: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/I9EBNcZT92
— Buffalo Payments (@BuffaloBills) November 17, 2024
Allen did the remainder. That’s not a foul recipe for a Tremendous Bowl breakthrough.
10. Fantasy crew you completely didn’t wish to discipline in Week 11
- QB: Russell Wilson, Steelers (205 passing yards, 1 speeding yard, 4 sacks, 9.9 fantasy factors)
- RB: Nick Chubb, Browns (50 speeding yards, 5.0 fantasy factors)
- RB: Tony Pollard, Titans (15 speeding yards, two catches, 14 receiving yards, 4.9 fantasy factors)
- WR: Terry McLaurin, Commanders (one catch, 10 yards, 2.0 fantasy factors)
- WR: Romeo Doubs, Packers (one catch, 17 yards, 2.7 fantasy factors)
- WR: Tyler Lockett, Seahawks (two catches, 19 yards, 3.9 fantasy factors)
- TE: Kyle Pitts, Falcons (one catch, 9 yards, 1.9 fantasy factors)
- D/ST: Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (30 factors allowed, one interception, -2.0 fantasy factors)
Complete: 28.3 factors