With the playoffs only a couple weeks away, contenders are starting to separate themselves from pretenders. In an eerie similar way to last season, the Cincinnati Bengals are playing their best football at the most important time of the NFL season. In a week full of high profile matchups, the defending AFC Champions had the most impressive performance, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs for the third straight time.
Bengals Are Officially Clawing Their Way Back to AFC Champion Selves
The Cincinnati Bengals opened the season with high expectations after making a surprise appearance in last season’s Super Bowl, but found themselves with a disappointing 0-2 start and a revamped offensive line that looked in disarray. Those same Bengals have now won four straight games and six of their last seven, including an impressive 27-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend, looking very much like the team that caught the whole AFC by storm last year.
When looking at how Cincinnati earned the win, it has to start with Joe Burrow’s play. Burrow outplayed MVP favorite Patrick Mahomes, carving up the Kansas City defense for 286 yards, two passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown. With the return of Ja’Marr Chase, Burrow has the benefit of having one of the great wide receiving duos in football with Chase and Tee Higgins. With Joe Mixon out with injury, the Bengals also got an unbelievable game from Samaje Perine who ran for 108 yards.
Defensively, the Bengals held the league’s best offense to about 70 yards less than they average and defended Travis Kelce so well that he was practically a ghost on the field. This was a Chiefs offense that averaged 423 yards and 29 points per game and was held to 349 yards and 24 points. An unbelievable effort by Cincy’s defense.
It has taken weeks, but Cincinnati officially feels like they are on the short list of Super Bowl contenders. With Burrow getting more protection and a defense that has been a top ten-ish unit, this is a football team that can play with anyone, no matter the type of game. The offense has an ability to put points up in a hurry and the defense is able to make big stops when called upon.
With five more weeks in the regular season, it’s scary to think this Bengals trajectory could have them ready for another postseason run. Could Cincinnati really do this again? Watching “Joe Cool” calmly outduel Mahomes in a late season game should be all the convincing you need.
Giants and Commanders Tie Sets Up Major Week 15 Game
For all of us who thought that either New York or Washington would separate themselves from the other to claim a current third place in the NFC East and a wild card spot, we will need to wait another two weeks for what will hopefully be a better answer. In what may be the most fitting ending in the first game between the Giants and Commanders, they finished in a 20-20 tie. The tie kept New York in the second wild card position, but bounced Washington to the first team out in favor of Seattle. Now the Giants and Commanders are set up for an even more important matchup in two weeks that would give the winner a game gained over the other and the all important potential playoff tiebreaker.
The box score would say that Washington was the slightly more deserving team to win the game as they owned the possession time by 13 more minutes and gained nearly 100 more yards, but could never make a game separating play. Despite the tie, Washington may be the team that in the end feels better about the position they are in even if they have been bounced out of the current playoff picture as this game took place in New York. Washington will now have the opportunity to play the biggest game of their season at home with their own fans.
Go ahead and circle that December 18th game in Washington now. Washington will be on bye in Week 14, but New York will welcome the top seeded Philadelphia Eagles next week in a game they will be a decent underdog. Chances are good that both of these teams will have the exact same record when they meet in Week 15. Of course, Roger Goodell could save us all and eliminate the NFC South for one season so that both of these more deserving teams are in the postseason. One can dream.
Mr. Irrelevant 2022 Keeps Niners Winning Streak Going
The San Francisco 49ers extended their winning streak to five games, but it didn’t come without a cost as for the second time this season they’ve learned they will lose their starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. Yes, Jimmy Garoppolo will join Trey Lance on the sidelines after he exited the Niners game against the Miami Dolphins with a broken foot. Brock Purdy, a rookie quarterback who was the very last pick in the NFL Draft, filled in and helped orchestrate an impressive 33-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Although the loss of Garoppolo and the unexpected play of Purdy will be the storylines, it was really the 49ers defense that was the difference in the game. The defensive unit forced four turnovers on the high powered Dolphins offense while helping the offense dominate the total time of possession by an impressive 40:34 to 19:26. The Dolphins didn’t convert a third down the entire day.
The victory is the fifth straight for San Francisco, but it is easily the most impressive on the season. This was a Miami team that has true Super Bowl potential and has maybe been the most impressive offense in football this side of the Kansas City Chiefs. The fact that the loss of Garoppolo didn’t really seem to affect the Niners offense should also make Kyle Shanahan feel okay about continuing the remainder of the season with a rookie 7th round quarterback. Purdy will play three straight potential playoff teams as San Francisco’s next games are against Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Washington. If any team is built to win with a third string quarterback it might be the 49ers who have continued to win despite a lack of elite talent at the position.
Questions After Week 13
What does the loss of Jimmy Garoppolo mean for the San Francisco 49ers?
When Trey Lance went down in the beginning of the season, the reaction was that San Francisco would go from a team with an unknown floor and ceiling of potential to a team that would be good, but possibly limited by the abilities of Jimmy Garoppolo. Once the 49ers acquired Christian McCaffrey, that ceiling went up to the point that it seemed like they could probably overcome most of the shortcomings of Garoppolo as long as costly turnovers didn’t become an issue. With Garoppolo now done for the year and rookie Brock Purdy expected to take over, I don’t think the 49ers are necessarily in any more or less trouble.
This San Francisco team was never going to be a team that was heavily dependent on the arm of Trey Lance or Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers are one of the most balanced teams in the league with pro bowl level players in multiple positions. Since acquiring McCaffrey, it has seemed like this offense is more dependent on him and Deebo Samuel than it would be any middle tier quarterback. Don’t get me wrong, the Niners would love to have Josh Allen or Joe Burrow, but they obviously didn’t have that and were making it work anyways.
With Monday’s news that Baker Mayfield was released by Carolina, speculation was rising that San Francisco would spin the tires on the former first overall pick. Although intriguing to see what Mayfield can do with a multitude of weapons, I think the Niners are better off rolling with the Purdy. This has less to do with having high expectations for the final pick in this year’s NFL Draft and more to do with thinking Mayfield is not a very good NFL quarterback. Purdy looked good filling in against Miami and although it is likely teams will find weaknesses after looking at the tape, he wouldn’t bring the potential distraction of a name like Mayfield. Purdy could become a guy this veteran team could rally around similar to when Case Keenum inexplicably led the Vikings to an NFC Championship. Until Purdy shows he can’t handle taking control of the steering wheel, I believe the 49ers should still have Super Bowl expectations.
Could Baltimore be at risk of losing a playoff berth without Lamar Jackson?
The Ravens currently have an 8-4 record and lead the AFC North division due to their tie breaking win over Cincinnati. The first team out of the AFC playoff picture is New England with a 6-6 record. It is unlikely that those Patriots are going to get above nine wins so that would mean Baltimore should only need to win two of their final five games to ensure they are playing in the postseason.
Four of Baltimore’s final five games are against division rivals (two games with Pittsburgh, at Cleveland, and at Cincinnati). The Ravens other remaining game is against the Atlanta Falcons. By no means an extremely difficult schedule, but Cincinnati will be tough while the Browns now has Deshaun Watson on the field and Pittsburgh has been playing much better as of late. There’s also the fact that the Ravens with Lamar Jackson have had a knack for allowing teams to hang around in games they probably should’ve put away. Tyler Huntley played well last season when he filled in, but it’s unlikely that anyone can be confident in how the remainder of the season plays out for Baltimore, regardless of whether you think they play well or poorly. They are a team that can be defeat or lose to anyone on any given Sunday.
Maybe the biggest concern for Baltimore is what seems like an increased likelihood that they will lose first place in the division and be forced to play as a wild card team on the road in the playoffs. Cincinnati is blazing hot right now and it is possible that their second matchup in Week 18 may determine the division champion. It is unlikely that the Lamar Jackson injury prevents Baltimore from missing the playoffs, but it is may mean losing the opportunity to play a playoff game in the comfort of M&T Bank Stadium.
“Everybody Loves to Hate-read Power Rankings so Go Ahead and Hate-read” Power Rankings
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-1)
- Buffalo Bills (9-3)
- Kansas City Chiefs (9-3)
- Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-4)
- Minnesota Vikings (10-2)
- San Francisco 49ers (8-4)
- Miami Dolphins (8-4)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-4)
- Washington Commanders (7-5-1)
- New York Giants (7-4-1)
- Seattle Seahawks (7-5)
- Tennessee Titans (7-5)
- New York Jets (7-5)
- New England Patriots (6-6)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)
- Los Angeles Chargers (6-6)
- Detroit Lions (5-7)
- Cleveland Browns (5-7)
- Las Vegas Raiders (5-7)
- Arizona Cardinals (4-8)
- Green Bay Packers (5-8)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7)
- Atlanta Falcons (5-8)
- New Orleans Saints (4-9)
- Carolina Panthers (4-8)
- Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8)
- Denver Broncos (3-9)
- Los Angeles Rams (3-9)
- Chicago Bears (3-10)
- Houston Texans (1-10-1)
Week 14 Game Watchability Rankings
Teams on Bye: Bears, Colts, Commanders, Falcons, Packers, Saints
13. Raiders vs Rams: The last place ranking has much more to do with Los Angeles than it does Las Vegas. The Raiders have won three straight games and have positioned themselves into a very outside shot at a wild card berth. The defending champion Rams are injured and awful.
12. Texans vs Cowboys: Houston is getting really close to clinching the worst record in the NFL and the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. At this point, that may be the best thing for the future of the franchise. The Texans haven’t had a longterm starting quarterback since Matt Schaub and have an opportunity to find a franchise player at the position. Dallas won’t need any convincing to add an eleventh loss to Houston’s season. The Cowboys offense has been on fire and the team looks like they are bound for a deep playoff run.
11. Ravens vs Steelers: Lamar Jackson may miss some time with a knee injury. Not great news for a Baltimore team that leaves every game in the balance. Suddenly a Pittsburgh team that was one of the worst in the league has started to play much better. Amazing what returning TJ Watt back and having some games under Kenny Pickett’s belt can do for a team.
10. Chiefs vs Broncos: The Chiefs are coming off a loss to Cincinnati and Denver is the biggest train wreck of a team in the NFL. The Broncos appeared to have made one of the worst trades in NFL history for a quarterback who seems to have lost his former pro bowl ability to throw the ball, made one of the worst coaching hires in recent history, have very few positives to hang their hat on this season, and they’re pets heads are falling off. If not for the opportunity to watch Patrick Mahomes, this game would likely be the worst game of the week. It will be a bloodbath.
9. Jaguars vs Titans: The AFC South has been nearly unwatchable this season. Tennessee may be the only exception in the division as a team that is the best in the division, plays good teams tough, but ultimately struggles to close out victories against the NFL’s best. It will be another season out of the playoffs for Jacksonville, but continued improvement from Trevor Lawrence and taking a road win against a division rival during Doug Pederson’s first season would be a positive.
8. Patriots vs Cardinals: New England is battling with the Jets and Chargers for the final AFC playoff spot so a win against a disappointing Arizona team is a necessity. With no playoff hopes, Kliff Kingsbury is likely coaching these final weeks of the season to keep his job as head coach of the Cardinals.
7. Panthers vs Seahawks: It is absolutely insane that a Carolina team who fired their coach in the middle season and is 4-8 can still have playoff aspirations, but I give you the NFC South. It’s a lifeless wasteland where only the worst teams in the NFL play. Seattle is holding on by a thread to the final NFC playoff spot and can’t afford a loss at home to the Panthers. Not necessarily a great game, but one with lots of playoff implications.
6. Vikings vs Lions: Minnesota continues to win games despite having lapses of looking like a 4-8 football team each week. At 10-2, it’s hard to remember a team with a record so strong that no one believes in. At the same time, not sure anyone can really blame people if they’ve watched the Vikings play. Minnesota’s metal will be tested by a Lions team that’s won four of five games, including a dominating win over Jacksonville this week. Detroit arguably should’ve won a Week Three game in Minnesota. Like most Vikings games, expect a one score game.
5. Browns vs Bengals: The Bengals are officially rolling and are starting to feel like the team we saw make a run to the Super Bowl last season. Their only loss in the last seven games? The Cleveland Browns. Those Browns will bring Deshaun Watson to town. As if the game between Ohio’s two teams needed anything else to cause dislike amongst the franchises, Watson will have his first experience traveling to a new divisional opponent’s home stadium. The boo birds are going to fly in Cincinnati.
4. Dolphins vs Chargers: Los Angeles just can’t close games. A team with so much upside entering the season, but this game against Miami may just be the kiss of death if they can’t put together a complete game. Miami will enter Los Angeles humbled after a butt kicking by a Brock Purdy led San Francisco 49ers. The Dolphins still have a realistic chance at the AFC East crown or even the top seed in the conference so the Chargers shouldn’t expect any type of a break.
3. Buccaneers vs 49ers: The Tampa Bay offense is still a struggle, but will Monday night’s game winning drive over New Orleans be the spark to light a fire for the Bucs? They may need a spark and some gasoline to handle this 49ers team that keeps cruising. Will San Francisco return Brock Purdy to make his first official start in the NFL against the greatest quarterback of all time, or will there be a Baker Mayfield signing before next Sunday?
2. Jets vs Bills: All of that concern over Josh Allen’s elbow and the Buffalo Bills tripping up only for them to now be sitting as the number one seed in the AFC once again. That’s not to say there haven’t been legitimate concerns with their play, but a good win against New England showed the Bills seemingly getting back on track. Buffalo should be motivated to play a New York team they lost to a few weeks ago. With New York holding on to the third wild card spot, a loss may bump them to the outside looking in.
1. Eagles vs Giants: We get plenty of NFC East matchups in these final weeks and as it stands every single one of them will be heavily weighted in NFC playoff scenarios. Philadelphia is still holding on to the number one seed with a game separation and win over Minnesota. New York’s post season hopes will be determined in the final weeks. With this being the first of two matchups against Philadelphia, it may not be crazy to say that it may be a must win for the Giants to get the one in New York.