The playoff picture is getting clearer in the NFL. However, the MVP race is now over. Week 12 in the NFL was another one all over the map. Here's some of my observations:
The Good
-Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should be given the MVP award now. Against the Rams on Monday Night Football, he went 15/20 for 169 yards and five touchdown passes. He also added 95 rushing yards on eight carries. One of those runs should've been a touchdown had he not tripped. He's part of the reason my column this week is about putting to bed sports stereotypes.
-We all love when we see the big guys from defense on offense. Usually it's a run play and he's going to be a human plow either running the ball or clearing a path for a runner. Tampa lined up Vita Vea, it's 3457lb defensive tackle, at fullback. After a play action by Jameis Winston, he threw a one yard touchdown pass to the big fella who was wide open (pun intended). Name something more fun in football, outside the celebrations, than seeing a big fat guy catch a touchdown pass. You can't!
-I can't say enough about Frank Gore. The guy overcame a learning disability, two ACL injuries in college within an 18-month span, and often questioning whether or not he should keep playing, by himself and others. The Buffalo Bills running back is now the third all-time leading rusher in NFL history with 15,289 after passing Barry Sanders, and is fourth on the yards from scrimmage list with 19,154 after passing Marshall Faulk. The 15 year vet is a testament to hard work, never giving up, and believing in yourself. We're all privileged to have seen his story play out.
The Bad
-Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz threw one of the worst passes I've seen this year. On 3rd&9 from the Seahawk 10 yard line, running back Miles Sanders was wide open but Wentz threw the ball about five yards in front of him and way over his head. Wentz was closer to throwing a pick six to the Seahawk defensive back on that side of the field. They settled for a field goal on the next play and went on to lose at home 17-9.
-The Packers were thoroughly beaten in their 37-8 loss to the 49ers. Much has been made of the relationship between Aaron Rodgers and head coach Matt LeFleur. They managed to put a lot of it to bed with a 8-2 start. They're now 8-3 after this loss in which they averaged a putrid 2.8 yards per play. The only thing worse than that is the fact that they now have -11 punt return yards...ON THE ENTIRE SEASON!
-The Raiders' nice run was abruptly halted with a 34-3 drubbing at the hands of the hapless Jets. Thing got so bad, Jon Gruden pulled Derek Carr and inserted Mike Glennon. Glennon returned the favor by fumbling twice in his first three snaps! Backups are put in these situations to help save the starters from getting hurt in a game that's out of control. They aren't expected to lead a comeback, but they aren't expected to make things worse either.
The Ugly
-On a key 3rd&1 while down 13-9 to the Patriots, the Cowboys' offensive lineman Travis Frederick was called for a tripping penalty. They went from converting a crucial 3rd down, to a 3rd&11 that eventually turned into a turnover on downs when they couldn't convert. The call itself was absurd and was only outshadowed by the league coming out and saying the call shouldn't have been called. This literally could've cost a team a shot at the playoffs all things considered.
-Speaking of officiating, am I the only one who thinks CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore slurps the refs a bit too much instead of calling things the way he sees them? I almost hate watching games on CBS because he will defend the most egregious calls and/or explain why it's the "right" call. He has to realize he isn't a ref anymore so defending their stupidity isn't necessary. Call it straight jackass!
-Eagles right guard Brandon Brooks left the game due to an illness related to anxiety. People often like to make fun of others suffering from things they know nothing about. As someone who suffers from anxiety, it's no joke. While mine isn't nearly as bad as others, it still can cause issues. Kudos to him for being so forthcoming about his illness and why he left the game. Talking about it and being honest is the only way to get the word out and start to kill the stigmas associated with it.
Half of the 14 games played were decided by one score. In the AFC, the Patriots and Ravens are ahead of the pack, while only one gae seperates teams in the final wildcard spot from 10th place. In the NFC, there are five teams with three or less losses. The Cowboys (the current NFC East division leader) are the only team in the playoffs with more than three losses and Jerry Jones has already put the word out that he's disappointed in his coaching staff. The Buffalo Bills are 8-3 and firmly in control of their destiny as the lead wildcard team in the AFC. Who would've thought that would be possible outside Bills fans? The Steelers are in the final wildcard spot in the AFC after losing Ben Roethlisberger and trading their first round pick for Minkah Fitzpatrick. These last few weeks will have some meaning because nobody is running away with homefield advantage in either conference and teams are fighting to either make the playoffs, or save their asses.
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After the beating C.J. Stroud took in Houston’s divisional playoff loss to Kansas City it was clear the team’s top offseason priority should be upgrading its offensive line.
Instead, the Texans traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and 2022 first-round pick left guard Kenyon Green and released right guard Shaq Mason.
They added tackle Cam Robinson and guards Ed Ingram and Laken Tomlinson, but as the NFL draft approaches their porous offensive line remains the most glaring weakness of the team.
Though the Texans won’t say that they plan to use their first-round pick (No. 25) on an offensive lineman, they’ve said plenty about the need to better protect Stroud this upcoming season. Stroud led Houston to its second straight AFC South title last season despite being sacked 52 times, which was the second most in the NFL.
“Getting better protection for C.J. is definitely a main point of emphasis for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We know when C.J. is protected, he has a clean pocket, he’s a pretty good quarterback. ... He’s capable of making any throw on the football field. But it’s just a matter of protecting him and giving him that comfort when he’s in the pocket.”
General manager Nick Caserio said he doesn’t believe they have to draft an offensive lineman next week.
“We feel like we have to add good football players to our football team,” he said. “That’s what we’re focused on. Whatever those positions entail, that’s what’s going to work. That’s how we’re going to approach it and handle it.”
Houston’s pick in the first round is one of seven selections it has in this year’s draft. The Texans return to the first round this season after not having a pick in the opening round last season because of trades, including the one to move up to get defensive end Will Anderson with the third overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Though the offensive line has several holes, Houston’s top priority should be drafting the left tackle of the future.
Robinson could protect Stroud’s blind side this season to give whichever player they draft a season to develop and learn behind him.
A couple of players who could be available when the Texans pick are Kelvin Banks from Texas and Oregon’s Josh Conerly. Banks was a three-year starter for the Longhorns and won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman last season. Conerly started 28 games at left tackle in the past two seasons for the Ducks and was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award given to the nation’s best offensive lineman.
Pick ’em
The Texans have two picks in the third round and two in the seventh this year after receiving the 79th and 236th overall picks from the Commanders as part of the trade for Tunsil.
Needs
Along with the offensive line, the Texans could use some help at receiver. Nico Collins, who has had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, has developed into an elite option. But the Texans need a solid second option after they moved on from Stefon Diggs after one disappointing season that ended in a season-ending injury in Week 8.
They traded for Christian Kirk, but he’s coming off a tough season where he had a career-low 379 yards before breaking his collarbone in October. The Texans also don’t know when they’ll get Tank Dell back, with the receiver still recovering from a serious knee injury he sustained in December.
Don’t need
The Texans are set at running back after signing Joe Mixon before last season and having a reliable backup in Dameon Pierce.
Draft success
While Caserio has added some stars to the team with first-round draft picks including Stroud, Anderson and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., he’s also had a knack for finding starters beyond the first round since joining the Texans.
Caserio nabbed Collins in the third round in his first draft with Houston in 2021 and added safety Jalen Pitre in the second round in 2022. He also found starting linebackers Christian Harris in the third in 2022 and Henry To’oTo’o in the fifth in 2023.
Last year he drafted cornerback Kamari Lassiter in the second round and safety Calen Bullock in the third. In their rookie seasons, Lassiter started 14 games while Bullock started 13.