JERMAINE EVERY'S OBSERVATIONS

The good, bad and ugly from the NFL's Week 13

The good, bad and ugly from the NFL's Week 13
Russell Wilson had a big week. Getty Images

Week 13 in the NFL is in the books. The playoff picture still isn’t crystal clear. In fact, it may be murkier than before. Here’s how I saw things:

The Good

-Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw four touchdown passes in their 43-16 beatdown of the 49ers. Sure, others have thrown for more touchdowns in a game, but the fact that he was 11 of 17 and threw four touchdowns was the impressive part. Wilson was knocked for his size and proved the doubters wrong. He’s also proving he can do it without a once stout defense and run game.

-Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald may have solidified his stronghold on the Defensive Player of the Year Award with a two sack performance in their 30-16 win over the Lions. Donald has a league-leading 16.5 sacks on the year. With a 1.375 per game average, he’s on pace for 22 this season, one shy of the record.

-Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay led them to a 24-10 win over the Broncos. The hometown hero (born, raised, and played college ball in the Colorado) had 19 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Lindsay was an undrafted free agent who is fourth in the league in rushing. Talk about living the dream.

The Bad

-Ravens rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson left the game under concussion protocol after being kicked in the head by a teammate. Although he was cleared an came back, running him as much as they have in his two starts this season leave him exposed to unnecessary contact. The Ravens may want to rethink how they use him.

-The Bengals are now 5-7 and have lost stud wideout A.J. Green for three to four months. Head coach Marvin Lewis’ tenure may finally be over and I believe it’s time. However, team owner Mike Brown is notoriously cheap and may not want to pay Lewis to go away.

-The Panthers fired two defensive coaches following their 24-17 loss to the Bucs. Head coach Ron Rivera will take over calling the plays on that side of the ball. Strange to say the least considering quarterback Cam Newton threw four picks and the defense still held the Bucs to 315 yards.  

The Ugly

-The Jags beat the Colts 6-0 in an awful game. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck threw the ball 52 times and they still couldn’t score! The Jags had more penalties accepted on them (eight) than points!

-Packers fired head coach Mike McCarthy less than three hours after his presser following an embarrassing loss to the Cardinals. The team is now 4-7-1, fully invested in quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and now in need of a new coach. McCarthy accomplished a lot in his tenure, but this is a “what have you done for me lately” league.

-The Chiefs have parted ways with running back Kareem Hunt following the release of a video showing him assaulting a woman in a hotel. Hunt is an incredible talent who committed a heinous act and will be another example of an athlete squandering the opportunity of a lifetime because he chose to be stupid.

Both conferences are top-heavy, with a cluster of teams fighting for the final few spots. Four division races are just about done, while the other four are up in the air. Last few weeks will be exciting to watch because so much will be at stake. Congrats NFL on making the end of the season matter by scheduling division games in week 17.

 

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
Is Kyle Tucker at least another month away from returning? Composite Getty Image.

The latest update from Astros GM Dana Brown on the club's flagship station did not ease anyone's concerns this week. Brown said he was optimistic that Kyle Tucker would be back before September. September?

Which made us wonder what type of injury Tucker is really dealing with? A bone bruise doesn't typically take this long to heal.

Be sure to watch the video above as ESPN Houston's Joel Blank and Barry Laminack share their thoughts on Tucker's health, the Astros' secrecy when it comes to injuries, and much more!

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome