We’ve reached the week of Thanksgiving which suggests it’s the greatest time of the 12 months.
Meals is everywhere, we shall be seeing household and the soccer is beginning to actually warmth up. This previous Sunday’s early slate regarded bleak and meager on paper, but it surely delivered with all types of chaos, enjoyable and anarchy.
With all the mud settled the time has now come for us, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, to place it via the lens of The Skinny Publish and supply our most vital takes, ideas and aggressive concepts.
Let’s start.
The place are the Philadelphia Eagles among the many greatest groups within the NFL?
RJ:
I’ve been apprehensive to purchase all the best way in on the Detroit Lions from the second that individuals began to behave like they had been the primary particular person to say that they had been good. Greater than something it was this precise factor that drove me away. Possibly I’m a hipster.
Regardless of the case I simply don’t know that I can say that I might decide Detroit, as wonderful as they appear, in a hypothetical recreation towards the Philadelphia Eagles. It pains me significantly to confess, however Philly is a freaking machine. They’re relentless and appear extra sustainable than any of the earlier variations of themselves and clearly Saquon Barkley is the rationale why. With San Francisco flailing and the remainder of the convention on the whole disarray (I suppose you’ll be able to toss the Inexperienced Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings within the dialog) I can’t decide towards Philly within the NFC.
Fortunately they play the Baltimore Ravens subsequent week which can allow us to see how they stack up towards one of many AFC’s greatest.
Michael:
I’m going to be the hipster to your opinion and say that I disagree concerning the Eagles. They’re a very good workforce, however to go so far as saying they’re the highest workforce within the NFL, I don’t suppose so.
Philadelphia has a 9-2 file however solely two of their wins have come from beating one other workforce with a successful file. Additionally, these video games had been nonetheless simply one-score choices. On prime of that, I don’t like the best way they ended up beating a few of the lowly squads on their schedule both.
They beat the Jaguars by 5 factors. The Lions beat that very same workforce by over 5 TOUCHDOWNS. Let’s add in a four-point win over the Browns and a three-point win over the Saints whereas we’re at it. The file appears good, however I’d solely go so far as saying the Eagles are in the identical tier because the Vikings. They’ve gained shut video games over unhealthy groups and have one or two good wins on the 12 months out of their 9 victories this season, however they nonetheless have a toe dipped into the “fraud watch” pond and that retains them a step behind a workforce just like the Lions.
Will Antonio Pierce be one and achieved following his first full season as head coach of the Raiders?
Michael:
The Raiders head coach place has lengthy been a spot the place hopes go to die, much like the Jets, Commanders (earlier than this season), and Bears in recent times. Antonio Pierce bought the vote of confidence from his gamers for the job he did to complete the 12 months because the interim head coach however issues have seemingly solely modified for the more serious this season.
As a substitute of drafting a quarterback for the longer term early on this 12 months’s draft, the Raiders went with tight finish Brock Bowers. Bowers has been unbelievable as a rookie as he at present leads ALL rookies in receiving yards. Nevertheless, that hasn’t translated into wins with the Raiders sitting with solely 2 hashes within the win column.
Oh, and the workforce traded away receiver Davante Adams which actually could as nicely have been the nail within the coffin for any form of aggressive viability this 12 months.
So I ask: Is that this going to be Pierce’s solely 12 months as head coach of the Raiders? A part of me says no as I don’t actually perceive how you could possibly hearth a head coach after making transfer after transfer that confirmed you probably did NOT plan to compete in 2024, however we’ve additionally seen loads of examples of one-and-done coaches unfairly blamed for the workforce’s struggles.
My mind says it will not make sense to maneuver on after the season, however my intestine says in any other case.
RJ:
Personally talking, I put a number of inventory into what gamers need with issues like how the Raiders wished to convey Pierce again. It’s logical to take their phrase as one thing very severe.
Whereas that’s the case, gamers may, like all of us, develop into emotionally compromised. Keep in mind when the Indianapolis Colts petitioned to convey Chuck Pagano again and bought their want and it was all horrible? This form of looks like that.
Clearly the Shedeur and Deion Sanders mixture is one to look at right here so I believe a number of the reply will depend on the provision of various candidates. To get private once more although, I’m not positive how one can really feel like something Antonio Pierce is doing is understanding and as an Arizona State Solar Satan, he helped flip this system into an enormous mess when he was concerned… just for it to thrive after he departed and correct management joined.
I believe that I believe it could be one and achieved.
Are the Dolphins making their approach again into the AFC playoff image?
RJ:
A number of weeks again I began the dialog round right here that Mike McDaniel was form of skating by, void of any actual criticism. I stand by that, for what it’s value.
Possibly Mike heard that. Or possibly the Dolphins began enjoying some lower-quality groups. Both approach, Miami has gained three video games in a row towards the Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots to get to 5-6 on the season. Fortunately for all of us they are going to go to Lambeau Discipline on Thanksgiving night time which can enable us to sit down again and choose with full bellies.
I’m going to say that I’m nonetheless unwilling to behave like Miami is a legit contender, by the best way. Discuss to me on Black Friday if and after they win in skilled soccer’s holiest cathedral.
Michael:
Yeah I’m not bought on the Dolphins as something aside from a middling workforce that’s at present on the upwards trajectory of their 2024 curler coaster in anticipation of the inevitable drop that tends to observe.
In my eyes, all McDaniel has achieved in current weeks is beat bad-to-decent groups whereas nonetheless possessing the most effective offenses within the NFL on paper. If something, these wins solely stopped him from feeling the temperature of his seat improve versus solidifying his standing as an excellent coach.
This was a very cool play, although!
Which workforce at present with a dropping file do you suppose has the perfect likelihood of constructing the playoffs this 12 months?
Michael:
I can’t assist however suppose the Buccaneers are primed to complete this season sturdy with a very easy remaining schedule.
They’re at present 5-6 and coming off a dominant 30-7 win over the Giants behind the return of vast receiver Mike Evans. By way of the subsequent six video games, they face the Raiders, Chargers, Saints, Cowboys, and Panthers twice. There’s a authentic likelihood they might win all six with an upset over the Chargers on the street however I’d say going 5-1 may be very lifelike. That might imply they’d end with a 10-7 file and in first place of the NFC South.
The Falcons at present lead the division however with video games towards the Chargers, Vikings, and Commanders left, I believe they falter simply sufficient to let the Bucs leapfrog them on the prime.
Baker Mayfield is enjoying a few of the greatest ball of his profession in Tampa Bay and I wouldn’t need to be the one to guess towards him down the stretch.
RJ:
It will be significant for individuals who don’t know to be educated… Michael appears A LOT like Baker Mayfield so I might supply that he’s a bit biased right here. However transferring on.
I just like the Bucs as a solution however need to throw out the Indianapolis Colts, as nicely. Since 2008, we now have seen 5 groups who had been 4-7 (or worse) via 11 video games go on to achieve the playoffs. All of them had one factor in widespread in that they every gained a subpar division. It is not going to shock you to be taught/keep in mind that the Buccaneers had been a type of 5… final 12 months.
In that spirit… inform me that the Colts can’t catch the Houston Texans. Indy is 5-7 in the mean time the place Houston is 7-5, but it surely feels just like the Texans are taking over severe water within Fraud Watch Pond. The Colts go to New England this week earlier than occurring their bye, however after that they’ve video games towards the Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars. Counting the Patriots we could possibly be speaking about 5 wins right here.
