NFL Week 16 takeaways: Browns, Joe Flacco continue to roll; are the Chiefs broken?
NFL Week 16 takeaways: Browns, Joe Flacco continue to roll; are the Chiefs broken?
Week 16 delivered clarity through a series of sudden jolts. The MVP had a clear front-runner in Brock Purdy, and then Lamar Jackson snatched the award out of his hands with help from his defense
We are in the final phase of the 2023 NFL season, with the playoff race in full swing. In the early window of Sunday’s schedule, two games featured teams currently positioned in the postseason field: Browns versus Texans and Lions versus Vikings.
With a come-from-behind 30-24 win in Minnesota, the Lions have emerged as the champions of the NFC North, marking their first division title since their NFC Central victory in 1993. The Browns established a commanding 36-7 lead and ultimately secured a 36-22 victory in Houston. Cleveland’s quarterback, Joe Flacco, achieved his third consecutive 300-yard passing game, while wide receiver Amari Cooper set a franchise record with 265 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the triumph.
In other games played earlier, the Texans and the Colts (against the Falcons) both suffered defeats, culminating in a four-way tie for the No. 7 seed in the AFC with a record of 8-7. In the NFC, the Seahawks’ win over the Titans, paired with the Vikings’ loss to Detroit, means Seattle now sits in the NFC’s final playoff spot.
In the late window of Sunday’s game, the Dolphins staged a comeback to secure a 22-20 victory over the Cowboys, thanks to a game-winning field goal by Jason Sanders just as time ran out. It was Sanders’ fifth field goal, and the win clinched a playoff spot for Miami.
During their Christmas Day home loss to the division rival Las Vegas Raiders, quarterback Patrick Mahomes displayed a performance far from his elite self, resulting in two turnovers that led to defensive touchdowns for the Raiders within seven seconds.
The Baltimore Ravens defense showcased an overwhelmingly dominant performance against the San Francisco 49ers in the Christmas Day evening game, concluding the week. Purdy’s NFL career hit a low point when he threw four interceptions in a 33-19 prime-time home loss to the Baltimore Ravens, making it his worst performance. If San Francisco manages to reach Super Bowl LVIII, they may face the Ravens again.
The Cowboys struggled on the road once again
The Cowboys have lost two straight against solid opponents. The upcoming game against the Lions becomes more crucial, even though all hope is still possible. If the Cowboys were to suffer a third consecutive loss, it would undoubtedly thrust them into a pronounced downward spiral during the most critical period of the year. By achieving a victory against a playoff team, they can leave the losses in the past.
Despite their immense talent, it isn’t easy to place great confidence in Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys this postseason. This loss will make it considerably challenging for them to secure victory in the NFC East, especially after the Eagles triumph over the Giants yesterday with a score of 33-25.
The Dallas Cowboys have two remaining regular-season games before the playoffs. On Saturday, they will play their last home game of the year against the Detroit Lions, a team currently performing well and showing continuous improvement. The Cowboys have suffered their fifth loss this year, all of which have occurred on the road and in games where Mike McCarthy’s offense scored less than 30 points. The Dallas Cowboys have only achieved a victory by a margin of less than 30 points this season, which occurred in week six on turf in Los Angeles. Chargers. It will be a relief for the Cowboys to be back home and have the opportunity to face the Lions, who are also leading their division, after suffering defeats on the road against the Bills and Dolphins.
The Ravens are a dominant force
Throughout the season, the title of Super Bowl favorite has been passed between teams frequently, and the Ravens must defeat the Dolphins in Baltimore next week to stay on top of the league. However, there was no question that they earned it with their dominant victory over the 49ers on Christmas night. They outplayed their opponents and won convincingly with a score of 33-19. This impressive performance solidified Jackson as the frontrunner for the MVP award. The Ravens have consistently held the lead in the fourth quarter of each game they’ve participated in, and they haven’t suffered a loss by a margin greater than seven points throughout the entire season. Additionally, they possess an impressive point differential of plus-173. They are an undeniable force to be reckoned with.
The Ravens dominated the 49ers’ potent offense by having a vigorous defense similar to the 49ers’ offense, with exceptional players at every position. The defensive lineup boasts star players such as Justin Madubuike, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, and Marlon Humphrey, all backed by a talented group of teammates in Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme. Monday night saw a display of their expertise, talent, and mental prowess, resulting in five interceptions, four of which were taken from Purdy before he was forcefully removed from the game by a brutal hit from the Ravens.
Cleveland Browns bolster playoff hopes
With Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback, the Cleveland Browns improved to a record of 3-1 by defeating the Houston Texans 36-22. The final score does not accurately reflect the game’s outcome, as Cleveland substituted their main players when they were leading 36-7 in the fourth quarter. After being subbed in, Davis Mills took charge for the Texans and guided them to two consecutive touchdown drives, capitalizing on a successful onside kick. Nonetheless, it proved to be insufficient as the game progressed.
The Flacco-Amari Cooper connection took center stage in this win, with the two players teaming up for two touchdowns and demonstrating an unstoppable performance all day. Flacco successfully threw 27 out of 42 passes for 368 yards, resulting in three touchdowns and two interceptions. Meanwhile, Cooper made an impressive 11 catches, setting a new franchise record of 265 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Also, he achieved a notable feat by becoming only the second player in NFL history to record a 200-yard receiving game for three teams: the Raiders, Cowboys, and Browns. He joins Terrell Owens, who had 200-yard outings with the 49ers, Cowboys and Bengals.
Stefanski is in the running for coach of the year, while Schwartz is a contender for assistant coach of the year. However, Schwartz is driving a Cadillac with the defense he is working with. The way Stefanski has addressed the missing components on offense is imposing. He has managed to make it function effectively even in the absence of Deshaun Watson and Nick Chubb, who is regarded as one of the top running backs in football. Had any general manager in the league believed that Joe Flacco could perform as well as he currently is, they would have signed him at the beginning of last offseason. However, he is a strong candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year.
The Lions clinched the NFC North for their first division title since 1993
The Detroit Lions are celebrating as if it were 1993. After 30 years, the franchise has finally won its division by defeating the Minnesota Vikings with a 30-24 victory, securing the NFC North title.
Against a relentless blitzing defense, Goff’s performance was vital in the team’s triumph. Goff’s underwhelming showing against Brian Flores’ defense while playing for the Rams contributed to his departure from Los Angeles. He showed calm and assurance, completing 75% of his passes and keeping the offense in sync. Goff proved his ability to excel against a solid defensive team, indicating a level of maturity. The Lions have done what is necessary to be recognized as legitimate contenders. They may be weaker than the 49ers or Eagles, but their offense makes them a threat against any opponent.
There’s something about the Detroit Lions that I just can’t put my finger on. In one week, they experienced bullying from the Bears, but the following week, they completely dominated the Broncos in all aspects of the game. They are undoubtedly skilled, but there is an element with this team that makes it difficult to have complete faith in them. Perhaps it’s how the Packers defeated them and had difficulty securing a win against the Vikings. It could be because they suffered a significant defeat against the Ravens, a fate shared by most teams in the league. Once more, they are a strong team. However, I don’t believe they pose a threat to the 49ers. They will probably need help against the strong defense of the Cowboys. If the Eagles regain their confidence, Detroit will not surpass them either. It is a remarkable achievement to win a division for just the ninth occasion in the franchise’s 93-year history. However, they are not legitimate contenders to win the NFC.
The Chiefs are a broken team
It’s looking increasingly like the curse of being the reigning Super Bowl winners will be extended another year. Since the 2004 New England Patriots, no team has been able to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The 2022 champion Kansas City Chiefs are teetering on the edge of not belonging in the Super Bowl conversation.
During their Christmas Day home game, the quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a disappointing performance against their division rival, the Las Vegas Raiders, resulting in a loss. Mahomes did not play at his usual elite level and had two turnovers that led to defensive touchdowns for the Raiders within seven seconds.
It could have been an unusual occurrence, but it marked the third game in a row with multiple turnovers for a team that has a record of 2-4 since their bye week in Week 10 and can no longer secure the top seed in the AFC.
And the situation could deteriorate. After losing three consecutive games at the prestigious Arrowhead Stadium, there are no guarantees for their upcoming game at home against the desperate Cincinnati Bengals or their subsequent away game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The competition for the AFC West title is still wide open.
Hey, let’s not underestimate the Chiefs just yet. Despite their current state of being broken, Mahomes’ wizardry, Reid’s legendary coaching, and the team’s abundance of talent and experience could propel them to make a surprising run to Super Bowl LVIII in January. The team has become negligent, lacking concentration, prone to mistakes, and showing signs of apathy. Once again, the Chiefs faced familiar issues in this loss, which have persisted since the beginning of the season. Perhaps it cannot be fixed.
This isn’t their year.
The Eagles do not look like a Super Bowl team
Teams vying for the Super Bowl rarely have the luxury of enduring a four-game losing streak during December. Few people can afford three-game winning streaks, but the Philadelphia Eagles have proven themselves worthy of some trust in the past few seasons.
Regardless, it was critical that Philly found a way to beat a bad team at home by a narrow margin on Monday, despite a Jalen Hurts pick-six, a fumble on a kickoff return leading almost directly to a New York Giants touchdown, and nine penalties to New York’s three.
Like Dallas, their division rival, and the Chiefs mentioned earlier, the Eagles commit numerous ill-timed errors. They haven’t won a game convincingly in over two months, and their next real challenge will come in the playoffs, with games against Arizona and the Giants on the horizon.
They’ve got to figure out quite a bit between now and then. Otherwise, they won’t stand a chance against the San Francisco 49ers—if they even survive to meet the presumed NFC top seed.
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