New on SI: NFL Power Rankings Poll: Ravens Finish on Top, Lions and Panthers Stumble to the Bottom

It’s the final NFL power rankings poll of the season (and the decade!). Where does every team land?

This week’s NFL Power Rankings Poll voters:

Andrew Brandt, Business of Football Columnist
Gary Gramling, Senior Editor
Mitch Goldich, Producer/Writer
Kalyn Kahler, Writer/Producer
Bette Marston, Associate Editor
Conor Orr, Staff Writer
Jenny Vrentas, Senior Writer

Skinnies for each team written by Mitch Goldich.

1. BALTIMORE RAVENS (14-2)

Previous rank: 1
Points in poll: 223
Highest-place vote: 1 (6 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 2 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Beat Pittsburgh, 28-10
This week: First-round bye

No matter what happens in the playoffs, the Ravens should be ecstatic about their season. They dominated, they set records, they deserve to be No. 1 in the power rankings.

2. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (13-3)

Previous rank: 2
Points in poll: 211
Highest-place vote: 2 (3 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 4 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Beat Seattle, 26-21
This week: First-round bye

The 49ers were an inch away from dropping to the No. 5 seed, but their memorable turnaround season now comes with home field advantage through the NFC playoffs. Not many teams hit all of their regular season goals, but this is one that did.

3. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (13-3)

Previous rank: T-3
Points in poll: 207
Highest-place vote: 2 (3 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 7 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Beat Carolina, 42-10
This week: vs. Minnesota in wild-card round

The Saints have been on a mission all year to avenge the blown call in the NFC championship game, and right now they’re playing as well as anyone in the conference.

4. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (12-4)

Previous rank: T-3
Points in poll: 203
Highest-place vote: 3 (2 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 5 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Beat L.A. Chargers, 31-21
This week: First-round bye

It didn’t look as easy as last year, but it has to feel good to be 12-4 with a first-round bye. No need to apologize for getting a little help from Miami in Week 17.

5. GREEN BAY PACKERS (13-3)

Previous rank: 5
Points in poll: 195
Highest-place vote: 3 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 6 (3 voters)
Last week’s result: Beat Detroit, 23-20
This week: First-round bye

We weren’t always sure how the Packers got all those wins, but they did. You can’t complain about being 13-3 with a Hall-of-Fame quarterback.

6. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (11-5)

Previous rank: 8
Points in poll: 184
Highest-place vote: 3 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 13 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to San Francisco, 26-21
This week: at Philadelphia in wild-card round

The Seahawks are one of the most confusing teams in the league. How does a team with Plus-7 point differential on the season go 11-5, and an inch away from 12-4? But somehow they find a way to win and they’re still dangerous going into the playoffs.

7. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (12-4)

Previous rank: 6
Points in poll: 183
Highest-place vote: 1 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 9 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to Miami, 27-24
This week: vs. Tennessee in wild-card round

Every year we talk about the end of the Patriots dynasty. This year they went long stretches where they didn’t look very Patriots-like and they still put up 12 wins.

8. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (10-6)

Previous rank: 7
Points in poll: 176
Highest-place vote: 6 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 11 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to Chicago, 21-19
This week: at New Orleans in wild-card round

The Vikings had sort of a rollercoaster season, but it ended with more ups than downs and a playoff berth with a week to spare.

9. BUFFALO BILLS (10-6)

Previous rank: 9
Points in poll: 162
Highest-place vote: 9 (4 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 12 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to N.Y. Jets, 13-6
This week: at Houston in wild-card round

If a great defense is the recipe for a wild-card playoff sleeper, then maybe the Bills are the perfect dark-horse candidate. Either way, they made great progress this year.

10. TENNESSEE TITANS (9-7)

Previous rank: 12
Points in poll: 160
Highest-place vote: 8 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 12 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Beat Houston, 35-14
This week: at New England in wild-card round

The Ryan Tannehill—Derrick Henry—A.J. Brown triplets are suddenly very dangerous. What a fun season from the playoff-bound Titans.

T-11. HOUSTON TEXANS (10-6)

Previous rank: 10
Points in poll: 158
Highest-place vote: 7 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 12 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Lost to Tennessee, 35-14
This week: vs. Buffalo in wild-card round

The Texans were in win-now mode all offseason and it got them an AFC South title with a chance to rest starters in Week 17. But they’re still a cut below the AFC’s top tier.

T-11. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (9-7)

Previous rank: 11
Points in poll: 158
Highest-place vote: 6 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 12 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Beat N.Y Giants, 34-17
This week: vs. Seattle in wild-card round

If you went back in time and told Eagles fans they’d win the division and Carson Wentz would be healthy for 16 games, they might not ask how it happened. (Which would probably be good for their blood pressure.)

13. LOS ANGELES RAMS (9-7)

Previous rank: 13
Points in poll: 143
Highest-place vote: 7 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 15 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Beat Arizona 31-24

It would be cliché to call it a Super Bowl hangover, but the Rams just weren’t the same this year.

14. DALLAS COWBOYS (8-8)

Previous rank: 14
Points in poll: 135
Highest-place vote: 13 (2 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 14 (5 voters)
Last week’s result: Beat Washington, 47-16

If this is truly the end of the Jason Garrett Era, going out with a wildly talented roster and an underwhelming 8-8 record is perfectly fitting.

T-15. ATLANTA FALCONS (7-9)

Previous rank: 18
Points in poll: 118
Highest-place vote: 14 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 22 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Beat Tampa Bay, 28-22

The Falcons played well enough in the second half to save some jobs and climb some spots in the power rankings. Whether that translates to success in 2020 is yet to be seen.

T-15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-8)

Previous rank: 15
Points in poll: 118
Highest-place vote: 15 (3 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 18 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to Baltimore, 28-10

The Steelers deserve a lot of credit for how they fought this year, but all 32 teams should know how important it is to have a backup QB you can trust.

17. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (7-9)

Previous rank: 17
Points in poll: 104
Highest-place vote: 17 (3 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 20 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Lost to Atlanta, 28-22

Bruce Arians’s first season in Tampa will always be remembered for Jameis’s 30-30. Now you get the sense he’d like his second season to be remembered for somebody else under center.

18. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (7-9)

Previous rank: 16
Points in poll: 100
Highest-place vote: 16 (4 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 24 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Lost to Jacksonville, 38-20

The Colts were dealt a tough hand with Andrew Luck’s retirement on the eve of the season. They handled it really well, for as long as they could, until it unraveled over the second half of the season.

19. DENVER BRONCOS (7-9)

Previous rank: 20
Points in poll: 94
Highest-place vote: 17 (2 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 24 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Beat Oakland, 16-15

Bringing in Joe Flacco during the offseason was a win-now move, but the Broncos had their biggest gains in our power rankings with Drew Lock under center. That’s not how they hoped this season would turn out.

20. CHICAGO BEARS (8-8)

Previous rank: 22
Points in poll: 92
Highest-place vote: 18 (2 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 22 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Beat Minnesota, 21-18

Turns out spending the whole offseason talking about the double doink might not have been the most productive use of everyone’s time. Now they’ll have an offseason of talking about Trubisky’s future.

21. OAKLAND RAIDERS (7-9)

Previous rank: 19
Points in poll: 88
Highest-place vote: 18 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 24 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to Denver, 16-15

Pour one out for the Oakland Raiders. In 25 years since the move back from L.A., they went 160-240, with four playoff appearances and a Super Bowl loss. This was an encouraging season, but it’s on to Vegas.

22. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (5-11)

Previous rank: 23
Points in poll: 77
Highest-place vote: 20 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 24 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to Kansas City, 31-21

The L.A. experiment hasn’t worked out for this franchise. Will the new stadium be enough of a fresh start, or will they look to have a splashy offseason too?

23. ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-10-1)

Previous rank: 21
Points in poll: 75
Highest-place vote: 19 (2 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 26 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to L.A. Rams, 31-24

So Kliff and Kyler did not revolutionize the game in their first season at the pro level, but the Cardinals saw some encouraging signs as the pairing heads into Year 2.

24. NEW YORK JETS (7-9)

Previous rank: T-24
Points in poll: 58
Highest-place vote: 20 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 27 (3 voters)
Last week’s result: Beat Buffalo, 13-6

It was a strange way to get there, but 7-9 sorta feels right for this team. They have a few big moves to make, but we know this team rarely has a quiet offseason.

25. CLEVELAND BROWNS (6-10)

Previous rank: T-24
Points in poll: 56
Highest-place vote: 23 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 26 (3 voters)
Last week’s result: Lost to Cincinnati, 33-23

OK, so we were totally wrong. In our defense, so were a lot of people.

26. MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-11)

Previous rank: 27
Points in poll: 55
Highest-place vote: 23 (2 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 29 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Beat New England, 27-24

Five wins for this Dolphins team is a massive accomplishment. They cost themselves some draft position, but the good news is they have plenty of other team’s picks too.

27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (6-10)

Previous rank: 28
Points in poll: 53
Highest-place vote: 21 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 29 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Beat Indianapolis, 38-20

Few teams had as disappointing a 2019 as the Jaguars, who now have a tough decision to make at quarterback.

28. NEW YORK GIANTS (4-12)

Previous rank: 26
Points in poll: 34
Highest-place vote: 26 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 31 (1 voter)
Last week’s result: Lost to Philadelphia, 34-17

Goodbye, Eli. Hello, unknown future. Can you believe it’s been eight years since this team won a playoff game?

29. WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-13)

Previous rank: 30
Points in poll: 25
Highest-place vote: 28 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 30 (4 voters)
Last week’s result: Lost to Dallas, 47-16

The Redskins have too many issues to name, but at least this year they have the No. 2 overall pick to show for it.

30. CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-14)

Previous rank: 32
Points in poll: 21
Highest-place vote: 28 (2 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 32 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Beat Cleveland, 33-23

Judging by what we’ve seen from Joe Burrow, it’s a good season to be on the clock.

31. CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-11)

Previous rank: 29
Points in poll: 19
Highest-place vote: 28 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 32 (2 voters)
Last week’s result: Lost to New Orleans, 42-10

No team fell apart quite like the Carolina Panthers, who went from 5-3 to 5-11. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see them with the healthy Cam Newton we were promised. Now we wait to see who their QB is in 2020.

32. DETROIT LIONS (3-12-1)

Previous rank: T-32
Points in poll: 11
Highest-place vote: 31 (4 voters)
Lowest-place vote: 32 (3 voters)
Last week’s result: Lost to Green Bay, 23-20

The Lions ended the season on the league’s longest losing streak. Do they really think a healthy Matthew Stafford would fix all their issues next year?

Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.

New on SI: Doug Marrone Returning to Jaguars For 2020 Season

Despite finishing 6-10 in 2019 and 5-11 in 2018, the Jaguars are keeping HC Doug Marrone a heading into next season.

Despite finishing 6-10 in 2019 and 5-11 in 2018, the Jaguars are keeping Doug Marrone as their head coach heading into next season. GM Dave Caldwell will also be retained.

"I have met on several occasions over the past few days with Dave Caldwell, Doug Marrone and their staffs to fully understand their plans to reverse our coursee and compete for a postseason berth in 2020," owner Shad Kahn said in

a statement on Tuesday morning. 

Less than 24 months ago, Marrone and the Jaguars took a lead into the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. But since winning 10 games in 2017-18 and being one quarter away from a Super Bowl appearance, the Jags have gone 11–21 over the past two seasons. 

On Saturday, it was reported that the Jaguars informed Marrone that he would be dismissed following the regular season finale against the Colts. However, Jim Woodcock, owner Shad Khan's spokesperson, released a statement denying the rumor.

"Reports that Doug Marrone will be dismissed after Sunday's game are 100% incorrect. Owner Shad Khan will meet with his football staff, which includes coaching and personnel, midweek next week."

According to Kahn, he held "numerous" one-on-one meetings in recent days with players on Monday as well as with Caldwell, Marrone and their respective staffs to discuss the team's past and its future.

The Jaguars defeated the Colts 38-20 on Sunday, though, Kahn said in his statement that the team's victory over Indianapolis had nothing to do with his decision to retain Marrone and GM Dave Caldwell and "everything to do with my positive meetings with Dave, Doug, the coordinators and our players..."

Before Week 17, Marrone had thanked his team for their support during a disappointing season. 

"For me, I look at it as, 'I understand this business,'" Marrone told the Jaguars' official website. "I understand what my job is – is to win games. When you don't do that, you have to be able to accept whatever the consequences are. I've always been a realist. I've never ducked things or anything.

"It doesn't go to an inner feeling of, 'I didn't have this, or I didn't have that.' It goes more to, 'I let a lot of people down.' That's how I always looked at it."

Marrone came to Jacksonville after two years as the head coach of the Bills. He took over as Jacksonville's interim head coach at the end of the 2016 season and was hired full-time shortly after the season. 

On Dec. 18, Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin was dismissed from the team. 

Coughlin's firing came after the Jaguars attempted to require injured players to get all rehab treatment at the team facility. In 2018, Jacksonville defensive end Dante Fowler was fined over $700,000 for missing "mandatory" appointments with team trainers or physicians in the offseason, but under the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams cannot require rehabilitation or medical appointments at team facilities during the offseason.

The NFLPA won its grievance against the Jaguars after disputing the fines.

As part of the team's new framework, the position of Executive Vice President of Football Operations will not be filled in 2020 and Marrone and Caldwell will instead report directly to Kahn.

"I want to see what what we produce under a new organizational structure in 2020," Kahn said in his statement. "Goals have been established. Accountability will be paramount."

New top story on Hacker News: The Old Internet Died and We Watched and Did Nothing

The Old Internet Died and We Watched and Did Nothing
35 by eplanit | 29 comments on Hacker News.

New on SI: The 10 Worst Officiating Mistakes of 2019

You already know what No. 1 is.

This past year saw the continued proliferation of replay review in sports. VAR came to the Women’s World Cup, the NBA instituted coach’s challenges and the NFL expanded its replay procedures to make pass interference penalties a reviewable play. 

In theory, these changes are supposed to prevent mistakes from being made. In practice, they often just highlight flaws in how sports are officiated. You realize that in sports, nothing is perfect. Such is being a sports fan. 

There weren’t more officiating blunders in 2019 than any other year, but there were a few very notable ones. Although only one gaffe was bad enough that it forced the NFL to make a rule change, fans still found plenty to get up in arms about over the past 12 months. Let’s look at 10 of the worst calls from 2019. 

10. Cody Eakin called for major penalty in Game 7 vs. Sharks

Hockey is rough. Playoff hockey is rougher. And in a Stanley Cup playoff Game 7, usually anything goes. Not for Golden Knights center Cody Eakin, though. 

Eakin was handed a five-minute major penalty for cross-checking in Game 7 of Vegas’s first-round playoff series against the Sharks after the hit on Joe Pavelski you see above. Pavelski was injured on the play, but it wasn’t as a result of Eakin’s hit.

You can argue about whether Eakin should have been whistled for a penalty but there’s no doubt that a five-minute major was uncalled for. 

To make matters worse, the Sharks scored four goals while Eakin was in the box and went on to win in overtime. The NHL later

apologized to the Golden Knights for the mistake. 

9. Angel Hernandez called this a ball

It’s a bad thing when you know an umpire’s name, and people know Angel Hernandez’s name for cases just like this. The way Masahiro Tanaka froze in his tracks tells you everything you need to know. 

Here’s where MLB’s pitch-tracking software plotted the pitch. 

Yeah, pretty much dead center.

8. Two bogus tripping calls go against the Cowboys

If these plays had occurred in a playoff game, would the NFL have added tripping to its list of reviewable calls? Probably not, but that won’t make Cowboys fans any happier after they were victimized by two tripping calls in a tight game against the Patriots. 

The second trip was called on Travis Frederick (No. 72 in the second clip above) on third down with two two minutes to play and Dallas trailing by four points. It negated a first down and instead forced the Cowboys into a third-and-11 situation. They turned the ball over on downs and the Patriots were able to run out the clock.

7. Kevin Durant ruled not out of bounds despite being halfway across the Bay

KD didn’t just put a toe on the line there. He had both feet well outside the boundary and still wasn’t called for being out of bounds. 

Durant knew he got away with one, too. 

Luckily for the Rockets, James Harden was still able to win the game with a last-second three. 

6. N’Keal Harry denied a TD vs. Chiefs

Sometimes, calls do go against the Patriots. 

In New England’s loss to the Chiefs, the Pats were robbed of a touchdown when N’Keal Harry was ruled to have gone out of bounds short of the goal line. He hadn’t, and the Patriots—because Bill Belichick had already used two challenges, one unsuccessfully—couldn’t challenge the play. 

Instead of a touchdown, the Patriots were forced to settle for a field goal on the drive and ended up losing by six. 

It’s not especially egregious that the official thought Harry’s foot was on the line. What makes this play frustrating, though, is that all scoring plays are reviewed, so if the official thought Harry was close to going out of bounds he could have just let Harry into the end zone and let the booth review it. 

5. Missed double-dribble screws Auburn in Final Four

Virginia redeemed its historic loss to UMBC by winning the 2019 national championship, but not without a little help from the men in stripes during the Final Four. 

With 5.4 seconds to play and the Cavaliers trailing 62–60, Virginia’s Ty Jerome dribbled the ball off his foot, regained possession and was fouled. What should have been a turnover that likely would have allowed Auburn to extend its lead and run valuable time off the clock was simply ignored and Virginia was able to win the game in dramatic fashion.

4. Jonathan Jones mugs Golden Tate

The application of the NFL’s new pass interference rule has been endlessly frustrating. At times, it appears like the league’s officials are willfully refusing to admit to their mistakes on review. 

Take this play from Week 6’s Giants-Patriots game for example. Anybody sitting at home would tell you that Jones should have been flagged for pass interference for contacting Tate before the ball arrived. That’s what Giants coach Pat Shurmur was thinking when he threw the challenge flag. The replay crew disagreed. No penalty. 

3. Marlon Humphrey mauls DeAndre Hopkins

Just like the call above, Humphrey was not called for pass interference, even after a challenge. What makes this play worse than the Jones play, though, is that Humphrey interfered with Hopkins in two ways. Not only did he grab the arm of Hopkins before the ball arrived, he also yanked on the receiver’s jersey. 

2. James Harden’s dunk doesn’t count

There are some things that are so simple they probably don’t even bother teaching them when you train to be an NBA referee, like, if the ball goes through the hoop, that’s a basket. And yet, the guys on the floor for this Rockets-Spurs game didn’t give Houston two points when James Harden dunked the ball. 

The play occurred during a furious San Antonio comeback that saw the Spurs overcome a deficit that had swelled to as many as 22. Houston lost in double overtime and filed a protest with the league arguing that the uncounted basket changed the outcome of the game. It was denied.

1. Missed pass interference by Nickell Robey-Coleman on Tommylee Lewis

Obviously this has to land in the top spot. No other play was scrutinized as closely this year as this one. No other play forced the NFL to hastily adopt a rule change. No other blown call occurred at such a big spot in such a big game. 

New on SI: NFL Week 17 Takeaways: Patriots Run Out of Time, and the Chiefs (!) Get the First-Round Bye

A stunning loss to Miami (their fifth win this season!) means that New England will be playing in the wild-card round for the first time since the 2009 season. Also, the Packers clinch a bye, the Browns close out a disappointing season with a loss to the NFL’s worst team, Mike Boone shows up the week that fantasy owners don’t need him and more from Week 17.

Subbing in for Gary Gramling today to react and overreact to everything that happened in the Week 17 Sunday afternoon games…

Things That Made Me Giddy

The Drama of the 1 p.m. Window of Games: The AFC’s No. 2 seed was decided in dramatic symphony this afternoon. The Chiefs scored a touchdown that secured a win against the Chargers moments before the Dolphins scored their go-ahead touchdown against the Patriots. That left Tom Brady just 24 seconds to either get New England into position to attempt a game-tying field goal, or to score a game-winning touchdown. That last-chance drive failed, and the crowd in Arrowhead heard that news while their Chiefs were kneeling out the clock. Kansas City clinched the No. 2 seed, and the Patriots won’t have a first-round bye for the first time in a decade, a major shake-up in the AFC. Those games ended just in time to watch the final two minutes of the Packers’ thrilling comeback against the Lions to earn their first-round bye. That was fun.

Brian Flores’s Future in Miami: Given a roster designed to tank, the first-year head coach won five games this season. Ultimately this could make it more difficult for the Dolphins to get their desired quarterback in next year’s draft, but it sure looks like they have the right coach.

Ryan Fitzpatrick Gains Another Life: If you live anywhere outside of the six New England states, how could you not appreciate the 37-year-old quarterback—who, this past offseason, admitted he needed to lose weight because he had eaten too much cake at his seven kids’ birthday parties—running through the vaunted Patriots defense to get in the end zone for a score. Or the fact that Fitzpatrick kept targeting DeVante Parker despite the fact he was covered by prospective defensive player of the year Stephon Gilmore. Another person giddy by this performance: Fitzpatrick’s agent.

Elandon Roberts, Revelatory Offensive Weapon: If you caught only the end of the play, No. 52 sprinting toward the end zone with the football, you might have assumed this was a Fitzpatrick pick-six returned by Roberts. Rather, this was Roberts the fullback, catching a pass on a wheel route out of the backfield entirely uncovered for a 38-yard score. While it’s not a great sign that New England had to dump out its bag of tricks to keep pace with the Dolphins at home, Roberts has been one cheery spot for a Patriots offense that has been grappling all season to find its groove.

Mason Crosby’s Bye-Clinching Kick: The Packers kicker has had a challenging year, personally. His wife, Molly, had surgery to remove a rare tumor in her right lung days before the season started. His sister-in-law, Brittany, passed away after a years-long battle with ovarian cancer the day after Thanksgiving. In the context of difficult news at home, the game of football is very small. But it has been nice to see Crosby experience professional joy this year, making a career-best more than 90 percent of his field goals, including the 33-yarder that clinched the first-round bye.

David Montgomery and the Great Pile Push: The Bears RB was swarmed by no fewer than four Vikings defenders at the five-yard line, but he bulldozed his way into the end zone, with a little extra push from his offensive linemen. (At least one Viking, linebacker Kentrell Brothers, thought the play was over long before it was, given the way he loitered nearby without jumping in on the pile).

David Blough’s First Career Touchdown Catch: Well, of course it was his first. Blough, the Lions’ rookie quarterback, only has four touchdown passes. Trick plays are always great, and this one was a beauty. Blough faked the handoff to the RB and flipped it to Danny Amendola, who was motioning across. Blough, totally unaccounted for by the Packers defense, then slips up the field to make the catch on the throw by Amendola. Blough did also make a throw on the play—he launched the football into the stands after he crossed the goal line.

***

Regrets

The Freddie Kitchens Hire: A report from NFL Network Sunday morning suggested that Kitchens’s future as the Browns head coach could be determined by the Week 17 game against the Bengals. That notion sounded absolutely absurd until Kitchens’s Browns actually lost to the worst team in the league, 33-23. No team has been more disappointing in 2019 than the Browns. This was a fitting finale.

A Very Un-Brady Interception: Brady threw an awkward pass that floated between Julian Edelman and Sony Michel, prime for Eric Rowe to pick it off and return it for a 10-0 Dolphins lead that was a harbinger of things to come.

Jaire Alexander Body-Slams Amendola: It may just be me (it’s definitely just me) but this reminded me a bit of the infamous Bachelorette moment when Luke P. body-slammed Luke S. during a rugby match on a group date. Alexander’s extra violence on the tackle earned an obvious unnecessary roughness penalty that set up a Lions’ first-and-goal in the second quarter.

People Who Started Mike Boone in Fantasy Finals Last Week: The Vikings RB opened the game with a 59-yard run, more than double his entire rushing total last week. His next play was a fumble on a mishandled pitch from QB Sean Mannion, but Boone kept going, racking up 148 yards and a rushing touchdown, with a whopping 8.7 yards per carry average. The Vikings are hoping Dalvin Cook, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury, will be back for the playoffs but if they need Boone to contribute in January, his Week 17 performance was far more encouraging than Week 16.

Tackling is not Greedy Williams’s Strength: That’s probably why he was still on the board when the Browns picked in the second round, even though Williams was viewed by many as the top cover corner in last year’s draft. “Corners are paid to cover,” GM John Dorsey said after the team picked Williams. That’s true, but that also results in plays like this one: Williams spinning around on what looked like a halfhearted effort to stop Bengals RB Joe Mixon, who took off for a 41-yard run.

The Wildcat Lives, Dies: It’s rarely a joy when the Wildcat pops up every now and then. For the Jets, it resulted in Le’Veon Bell going nowhere on a third-and-two on the Jets’ first drive in Buffalo.

***

Moments They’ll Be Talking About Next Decade

The New Single-Season Record Is 149 catches: Saints WR Michael Thomas broke the single-season mark last week, and he extended it with four more catches today.

The Saints Won A Pass Interference Challenge: A somewhat tongue-in-cheek entry in this category, but… Sean Payton challenged that there was DPI on Thomas in the end zone, and he won. I have doubts that PI will remain challengeable next season, given the wild inconsistency with which it has been applied, but you can’t say Payton didn’t get anything from the rule change he forced through.

Jameis Winston Passed For 5,000 yards: …While also throwing 30 TDs and 30 INTs. There may be no stronger stat to illuminate the NFL’s transformation into a passing league during the past decade than Winston, a former No. 1 pick whose current team is undecided on if they’ll keep him. He joins a group of elite passers in throwing for 5,000 career yards, but he is the only QB in the very undesirable 30-30 club. Put me down for saying it's hard to get on board with re-signing a player who has shown no signs of learning to take care of the football.

Terrell Suggs Is Eighth All-Time in Career Sacks: Playing for his third NFL team in his 17th season, Suggs recorded sack No. 139. It was also his first sack with the Chiefs, who claimed him off waivers two weeks ago and are starting to round into form as a defense.

Brady Sets Career Benchmark on a Pass to a Linebacker: A true mark of the Patriots’ positional flexibility that Brady’s throw to Roberts was the one that catapulted him past Peyton Manning into second place for career passing TDs.

***

What We’ll Be Talking About This Week

How good are the Packers? I have some doubts. Aaron Rodgers’s missed throw to a wide-open Aaron Jones in the end zone just before the half, forcing the Packers to settle for a field goal, is just one example the kind of easy throw we were not used to the QB missing in past seasons. Rodgers rallied back after starting the game 2-of-11 passing, but coupled with the stumbles against the Blough-led Lions, I’m not sold on The Pack.

The Saints built a 35-0 first-half lead: It was a 42-10 win against the toothless Panthers, but, it’s a stark contrast to Green Bay’s Week 17 performance.

The Patriots Waving the White Flag on the First Half: What does it all mean? An evergreen question when analyzing the Patriots, especially this year. There will be plenty parts of the Patriots’ Week 17 doozy to over-analyze in the hours and days ahead but this one is a head-scratcher. The Patriots had three time outs left when the Dolphins did not convert on third down just inside the two-minute warning before halftime. Instead, they let Miami run the clock down to 1:05 before punting, and when they got the ball back, New England drained the rest of the clock. Why weren’t they aggressive there? 

Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.

New on SI: Redskins vs. Cowboys Live Stream: How to Watch, TV Channel, Start Time

Find out how to watch Redskins vs. Cowboys on Sunday.

The legacy of Jason Garrett’s nine-plus seasons coaching the Dallas Cowboys might be different if he can somehow get them into the playoffs. A victory over the Washington Redskins Sunday and some help from the New York Giants would make Dallas the NFC East champions.

How to Watch

When: Sunday, Dec. 29

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Live Stream: fuboTV

(try for free)

Considered one of the teams to beat in the NFC in the preseason, the Cowboys (7-8) have been in a death spiral for the past month-plus, losing four of their last five games to drop one game behind Philadelphia after a 17-9 loss to the Eagles last Sunday. As the losses have mounted, so too has the scrutiny around Garrett, who has reached the playoffs just three times in his eight full seasons in charge and has yet to get Dallas into the conference title game.

While owner Jerry Jones has shown patience in not publicly saying Garrett’s job is at stake after each defeat, it is increasingly clear that a failure to reach the postseason will likely end up in the Cowboys making a coaching change. The only way Dallas can win the NFC East is with a victory and a loss by the Eagles to the Giants, which would give the Cowboys the division by virtue of a better record against their NFC East foes.

After erupting for a season-high 44 points in beating the Rams in Week 15, the Cowboys struggled on offense, as they were limited to three Kai Forbath field goals. Dallas finished with 311 yards, and running back Ezekiel Elliott was bottled up -- finishing with 47 yards on 13 carries.

Dak Prescott appeared out of rhythm with his receivers all game long, missing some passes and having other dropped. He threw for 265 yards, but had no touchdowns and only reached the Eagles’ 23-yard line on the final potential game-tying drive. Prescott, who is dealing with an injured right shoulder that forced him to miss practice Wednesday, has a chance to set the club’s single-season yardage record, needing 305 yards to surpass Tony Romo’s mark of 4,903 set in 2012.

The Redskins (3-12) are assured of finishing last in the NFC East regardless of the outcome of this game after a 41-35 overtime loss to the Giants completed a sweep of the season series. Washington did gain the inside track to the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, but that is little solace to a team entering the season finale looking to avoid a 10th-consecutive division loss dating back to last season.

Redskins rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins was tracking to have his best game of the season, completing 12 of 15 passes for 133 yards and a pair of touchdowns before suffering a high ankle sprain in the second quarter. Interim coach Bill Callahan has ruled Haskins out for this contest, with Case Keenum getting the start. Keenum also played well in the defeat, going 16 for 22 for 158 yards and a touchdown.

However, Washington’s defense has not been up to snuff, as it has been torched for 1,308 yards, while giving up 98 points during its current three-game losing streak. The Redskins have finished 3-13 on two other occasions in franchise history -- 1994 and 2013.

Prescott and Elliott carried Dallas to a 31-21 win at Washington in Week 2, with Prescott throwing for 269 yards and three touchdowns, while Elliott added 111 rushing yards and a score. The Cowboys have won three straight at home and six of the last seven meetings between the teams as they try to sweep the season series for the third time in four seasons.

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The Year in Books

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The Year in Books

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New on SI: Week 16 Takeaways: Wentz’s Masterpiece and a Dallas Dud

Plus, Dak misses the mark and Amari disappears, Lamar Jackson toys with Cleveland, Michael Thomas catches everything, Daniel Jones cooks, Duck Hodges melts down, Bill Callahan chickens out, and the Bengals are (picking) No. 1, all part of a wild penultimate week in the NFL regular season.

Reacting and overreacting to everything that happened in the Week 16 Sunday afternoon games...

Things That Made Me Giddy

Carson Wentz and a Philly Masterpiece: Wentz has taken a ton of heat in 2019 (part expectations created by the contract, part lots of people who don’t watch games closely enough to understand them throwing out lazy criticisms). Wentz is working with a receiving corps that’s untalented, young and mistake-prone to the point of being completely unreliable. To be able to manufacture just enough offense each of the past three weeks is what a franchise quarterback does. He had 40 dropbacks on Sunday, finishing with 313 passing yards, one sack taken and no turnovers.

Michael Thomas Catches Everything: Everything as in an NFL single-season record 145 catches.

Lamar’s Ball Placement: This is an awkward arrangement of moving bodies, and exceptional that Jackson—under duress—still manages to put it where only his target can catch it.

Nyheim Hines’ Daily Double: If you need one person to return your punts this holiday season, Colts scatback Nyheim Hines is your man. Two punt-return TDs on Sunday—no one has done that since Reggie Bush in 2008.

Derek Carr Gets Some Love: I mean, sheesh, the guy has had a good year while surrounded by underwhelming talent, and he gets booed and pelted after the final game in Oakland in large part because of a blown call. Nice to see him getting some adoration from the fans in Los Angeles—he is, after all, the quarterback of the most popular team in L.A.

Jared Cook Up the Seam: He had a long catch-and-run TD on a crosser, but this is where he’s a difference-maker for the Saints (and this has been Drew Brees’s favorite throw for, literally, decades).

The Early Promise of Daniel Jones: Jones returned to the lineup and put up 352 yards with five touchdowns and no turnovers against a Washington defense that’s been game in 2019. Jones needs to become more urgent in the pocket—a far easier habit to correct than the other end of the spectrum (known in the medical community as “Blaine Gabbert disease”)—because his turnovers are often a result of holding onto the ball too loose and for too long. But anyone pushing the “do the Giants pull a Cardinals and draft another first-round QB?” narrative has a fundamental misunderstanding of quarterbacking. Jones is in a good place in terms of development.

Bad Teams Play Exciting Games: It doesn’t mean it’s good football (though the Giants undoubtedly have their quarterback of the future in Daniel Jones and Dwayne Haskins had the best performance of his rookie year). But with Giants-Washington and Bengals-Dolphins, you had evenly matched teams and aggressive (except for Bill Callahan) coaches, leading to close games.

Chris Boswell, Even If It Is a Year Too Late: He quietly had one of the best bounce-back years you’ll ever see from a kicker. A year ago, as everything broke wrong for a good Steelers team, he went 13-for-20 on field goals (6-for-11 from 40 and beyond) and missed five PATs. This year, as everything breaks right for a not-so-good Steelers team, he’s 28-for-30 (10-for-12 from 40 and beyond) and perfect on PATs.

* * *

Regrets

An Unforgivable Dud From the Dallas Offense: Dak Prescott was scattershot all day in Philly. And when he was on-target, his receivers were drop-prone. Ultimately, the Cowboys offense couldn’t take advantage of a weak group of cornerbacks in a do-or-die game. They’re probably going to figure out a way to extend Prescott and Amari Cooper, but after watching what transpired on Sunday, that can’t give you much peace of mind.

Amari Cooper Goes Invisible (Again): The Cowboys are at their best when he’s a big factor. The offense often doesn’t do anything when Cooper doesn’t do anything. On Sunday, Dak Prescott’s accuracy was an issue, but it was another dud on the road for Cooper, against a team with glaring weaknesses in the secondary. Perhaps fittingly, he was on the sideline for the Cowboys' final offensive play.

The Legend of Duck Hodges: The Endening: And boy, was it ugly for the Pittsburgh folk hero. Hodges looked like an undrafted rookie from Samford the past two weeks, which makes sense considering he’s an undrafted rookie from Samford. He was game after re-replacing and injured Mason Rudolph late, but he’s a long way from being a starting-caliber quarterback. In a combined six quarters against the Bills and Jets, Hodges averaged 5.4 yards per attempt and threw six interceptions.

Another Browns Meltdown: Surely, the Haslams don’t have the appetite for firing another first-year coach. But the Browns—especially the offense—have looked so unprepared, the game plans so half-baked, the in-game management so full of mistakes . . . the process has truly matched the results in 2019.

Bill Callahan Goes Down a Coward: A meaningless game for an interim coach, the young quarterback already sidelined by an injury, Callahan watched Washington backup Case Keenum lead a touchdown drive in the final minute to pull within a point, and then . . . kicked the PAT!?!?! Daniel Jones took it down the field on the first possession of overtime and won the game, giving Callahan precisely what he deserved.

That Nashville Turf: It looks like an ice rink far too often. Someone get the Wizard of Sod over to Nissan Stadium.

I Don’t Know About These Seahawks, Man: Granted, next Sunday night, when they host the 49ers, is the one that really matters, but getting outclassed at home by the Cardinals could end up costing them the 1-seed if they get that Week 17 win. Overall, this is an 11-win team with a total point differential of +12 on the year and inexplicable outlier numbers in red-zone efficiency, takeaways (32 takeaways despite no pass rush!) and opponent kicking. Chris Carson, the centerpiece of the run game that’s the foundation of their offense, left on Sunday, and they're down to their fourth running back. Does this team really belong in the NFC’s upper echelon?

It Would’ve Been a Day for Derrick Henry: The Titans made do without him, but protecting a lead over the Saints for the first 35 minutes of the game, it would have been nice to have Henry in there grinding down the New Orleans defense.

Lions-Broncos in the Running for Most Poorly Officiated Game of 2019: If you like extended delays in the form of conferences and reviews that end up leading to the wrong call anyway, this was your dream game.

What Is Bless Austin Doing?: With nine seconds left in the first half, no timeouts and the ball at the Jets’ 29, it was pretty clear that the Steelers would be taking a shot at the end zone. By all looks it was supposed to be a Cover-3 look for the Jets (and considering Austin was benched to start the second half, it probably was), yet there was Austin, trailing a wide-open Diontae Johnson into the end zone.

Dwayne Haskins’ Bum Ankle: It was a shame, because an afternoon against that Giants defense was serving as a nice confidence-builder for the rookie.

Zac Taylor and Brian Flores Go From Opposing Each Other in the Super Bowl: To coaching a December game in front of 18 fans in Miami.

People Who Root for Draft Position: Are lame. Sorry. You only get 16 games a year. Root for your team to win. (They’re probably going to screw up the draft anyway.)

Dan Snyder’s Personal Touch: To be clear, team medical staff had already told Dwayne Haskins not to return to the game. But any owner weighing in on gameday personnel decisions is a terrible idea. And when it’s the owner who seems to have nothing but terrible ideas . . .

* * *

Moments We’ll Tell Our Grandkids About

Vernon Butler Earns This Ejection: It starts with yanking Mark Glowinski to the ground by the facemask, a penalty but not ejection-worthy.

Then I guess he lost track of who’s who, because Jack Doyle is just lying there wondering what’s going on and Butler just socks him in the face, like Butler is Flanders and Doyle is Lenny:

Butler also had a message for the Indy crowd on the way out: “Peace Among Worlds.”

This Truly Obscene Gesture by Odell Beckham Jr.: Thank goodness that, in another case of wonderful judgment by a person whose only role in the sport is to judge things properly, this was flagged as a 15-yard penalty. For those of us who saw it, the healing process can now begin.

Lamar Hands Out a Metaphorical Swirly:

* * *

What We’ll Be Talking About This Week

Jason Garrett’s Fate Almost Sealed: The Giants did almost knock off the Eagles in Philly two weeks ago, and if they can finish the job this time (and the Cowboys can beat Washington at home) Dallas still gets into the postseason. If not, Sunday alone was legitimate cause for Jerry Jones to start the coaching search.

Which AFC Division Champ Wants to Spoil Someone’s Season?: The Steelers need it to be the Texans. The Titans have the tiebreak over Pittsburgh, which means the Titans will get the 6-seed in the AFC unless, in Week 17, the Texans (with nothing to play for) beat Tennessee and the Steelers beat the Ravens (who also have nothing to play for).

Banged Up Ravens: They have three weeks to get well, but Mark Ingram, Mark Andrews, Marcus Peters and Jimmy Smith all left the game in Cleveland.

What Is the Future of the Steelers at Quarterback?: Obviously it will be Ben Roethlisberger as long as he’s anywhere near healthy, but he’s going to be 38 and coming off elbow surgery when next season starts, and neither Mason Rudolph nor Duck Hodges have looked like more than far-down-the-depth-chart guys. Do they dip into the 2020 draft QB class?

Get Well Soon, Cam: As long as he’s (relatively) healthy, there’s no logical reason he shouldn’t be the Panthers’ starter in 2020.

Joe Burrow Will Be a Bengal: Congratulations! Or, congratulations? Cincinnati’s loss in Miami clinched the No. 1 pick. The good news is that they’ll get 2019 first-rounder Jonah Williams in the lineup next year, and Zac Taylor runs a fine system. The bad news is most everything else, but worry about that later.

Chargers Bid Farewell to the Soccer Stadium: It was an emotional day, like a Sarah McLachlan song for the season-ticket holders. Both of them.

A Reminder: Players and coaches don’t tank; front offices do. No one coaching or playing for the Dolphins or Bengals was trying to lose games this season. Rather, the front offices of those teams intentionally constructed teams that made it difficult to win (or, at least Miami’s did).

• Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.

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New on SI: Jaguars Make a Sweeping Change by Firing Tom Coughlin. Could the Cowboys Be Next?

After the NFLPA probe, it was clear that Coughlin wasn’t working in Jacksonville, and owner Shad Khan confirmed that by firing him Wednesday evening. The Cowboys—whose season depends on Sunday’s game against the Eagles—could also see drastic changes to both the front office and the team roster if the team isn’t playing in January.

Over the last three years in Jacksonville, in his role as executive vice president of football operations, Tom Coughlin did his best to be respectful of Doug Marrone, the Jaguars’ head coach. But Coughlin’s desire to do coach-like things sure did make for a bizarre dynamic in Jacksonville. And you don’t have to look far to find people who picked up on it.

“Anyone would tell you they’d never seen anything like it,” one source said.

“Look across the other 31 teams, there’s not another role like that,” said another.

Indeed, Coughlin, in his golden years, was one of one; nowhere else was there an executive vice president who’s also a boots-on-the-ground minister of discipline. Nowhere else would simple mention of an EVP’s name elicit such a visceral response, well beyond the normal hard feelings of a tough contract negotiation or roster decision. Nowhere else would the head coach throw up his hands and openly concede a major football decision wasn’t his.

All this was happening in Jacksonville, which is the best explanation you can give to describe

why Coughlin was ousted after three years, ending his second at the helm of the franchise (with his first time as head coach).

And the fact that he wasn’t the head coach this time sealed his fate well before he was fired Wednesday afternoon.

***

Week 16 is here, and while Thursday Night Football is finished for the season, there are three Saturday games this week, with plenty to sort out. Four AFC teams (New England, Buffalo, Baltimore, Kansas City) and four NFC teams (New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle, Green Bay) have clinched playoff spots. The NFC East (Dallas-Philadelphia) and AFC South (Houston-Tennessee) champions will account for two more. Minnesota will almost certainly round out the NFC field, though the Rams are hanging by a thread. And the AFC South runner-up or Pittsburgh gets the last AFC spot.

You ready for it? You will be after this Game Plan, where we’ll give you a good look at …

• The Cowboys ahead of their showdown with the Eagles, after chatting with COO Stephen Jones.

• A couple under-the-radar draft prospects, one from Florida Atlantic and the other from Boise, to keep tabs on Saturday.

• The Week 15 Watch List, with key players from all the big NFL games this weekend.

• My power rankings ballot!

But we’re starting with the news of the day.

***

There wasn’t outward in-fighting in Jacksonville. In fact, to those that worked there, Coughlin, Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell appeared to be in lockstep on some decisions, even if it wasn’t clear to those outside that immediate circle who was actually making them. However it was clear that Coughlin was really in charge—and elements of the draconian nature of the team’s program, and problems that arose, were easily pinned on him.

• Coughlin feuded with star corner Jalen Ramsey to the point where Ramsey told people that his desire to be traded out of Jacksonville was related to his broken relationship with a single person—his team’s EVP of football operations.

• Just before training camp last summer, Coughlin declared that the Jags had made their final and best offer to pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue. The problem? It was late July, and negotiations were still in the early stages, having only started earlier that month. And the comments sufficiently angered Ngakoue, who was planning on reporting to training camp, to the point where he launched a training camp holdout instead. And this was a player that the team wanted to sign.

• Coughlin fined RB Leonard Fournette $99,000 for sitting on the bench last year’s season finale (he was inactive and in street clothes for the game). The third-year back won his grievance against the team over the fine this week. He was also suspended a game earlier in the season.

• Coughlin couldn’t demand attendance at the team’s 10-week offseason program, but he messaged that the players’ presence was strongly suggested. At one point, he even told the team website, "We're close to 100% attendance—and quite frankly all of our players should be here."

• Coughlin fined DE Dante Fowler $700,000 for missing on-site rehab sessions between January and March 2018. The NFLPA grieved the fines, and an arbitrator found that while team can required injured players participate in rehab work, they can’t demand that it be held at or near the team facility. It’s up to the player, per the CBA, to decide on location.

And that last incident led to his firing. Upon winning the grievance, and getting Fowler his money back, the union issued a stern warning to its players: “In the last two years, more than 25% of the grievances filed by players in the entire league have been filed against the Jaguars. You as players may want to consider this when you have a chance to select your next club.”

Khan was then pushed to react in real time. And react he did—with plenty of reasons to do so.

***

NOW OR NEVER FOR THE COWBOYS

On one hand, the Cowboys head to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday staring down every goal they set out to achieve in August. If they win, they’ll clinch a second straight NFC East title and would host a wild-card game. Sunday’s trucking of the Rams potentially served as a good head start toward achieving these goals.

On the other hand, no one’s off the hook for what’s preceded it. If this goes the other way, there’s a good chance that a lot of people won’t return next season, which, for now, remains the unavoidable, unspoken truth inside the team’s opulent Frisco, Texas headquarters.

“That’s for you guys to speculate on,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said over the phone early Wednesday afternoon. “What’s never happened with us, whether it’s Jerry, myself, the organization, the coaching staff, the players … we worry about each game each week. We’ll worry about our future when the season’s over. Hopefully, that’s a couple months away.”

It’s not hard to envision the Cowboys on a winning streak heading into the playoffs. It’s also not hard to see a scenario where the Cowboys are knee-deep in a coaching search 11 days from now. We’ll know more at about 8 p.m. ET on Sunday night. For now? It’s one interesting spot for a team to be in. And you can be assured the guys in charge still believe in what they’ve put together.

Stephen Jones and I had a long conversation back during training camp about that, and he was steadfast then that the franchise was in a sweet spot, with a strong veteran line, ascending young quarterback on a rookie deal, reworked skill group blending youth with experience, a defensive core loaded with speed and playmaking ability entering its collective prime.

To that end, Jones said, “We believe this roster, because of the depth, is right there with the ’90s roster.” And when I gave him the opportunity to walk that back even a little four days before the Week 16 game in Philly, he wouldn’t consider it.

“I’ve never wavered on our roster,” Jones said this week. “It’s obviously been a huge disappointment in terms of where are record has been. The great news is we can still right the ship. I’ve got all the confidence in the world that we can. Someone asked me last week before played the Rams, ‘What do you think’s happened to your running game?’ I said the only thing that’s happened to our running game is we don’t stick with it. That says a little bit about our team.

“Because we have such high expectations, whether it’s our coaching staff, whether it’s our players, you get in the game and you get behind a couple scores and you kind of push too much. I think part of pushing, even with the staff, you want to make it all up quickly and get away from what you do best.”

Jones, whose Cowboys are now 7-7 under the weight of those expectations, then said, “I just feel like when we execute and go out and do our jobs, we’ve got a team that can play with anybody.”

Saying it is one thing. Proving it is another. And whether the Cowboys can or not, starting Sunday, will paint the future of the world’s most valuable sports team. That may sound hyperbolic, but in reality, it’s more simple statement of fact. 

Consider that Jason Garrett’s contract is up, meaning there’s no kick-the-can-down-the-road option after this year for the team. Either the team walks away, or re-up for four or five more years and $30 million or $40 million. Garrett can’t just make the playoffs and expect to survive this time around. He’ll have to do something when he gets there.

Dak Prescott’s contract is also up after the year, and multiple offers from the Cowboys in excess of $30 million per year have been rebuffed. The team may well be forced to put a version of the franchise tag on him (the exclusive tag projects to $33.43 million, the non-exclusive tag is expected to come in around $27 million) in March.

If the team is forced to franchise Prescott, it wouldn’t be able franchise Amari Cooper; the wide receiver made the choice to wait on a new contract, and Cooper’s gamble on himself has, for the most part, paid off. He’s registered his fourth 1,000-yard year with a career-high eight touchdowns, and Mike Thomas and Julio Jones reset the top of the receiver market in the meantime.

There are other integral parts here on expiring deals—corner Byron Jones, edge rusher Robert Quinn and linebacker Sean Lee are three—that may be tough for the team to retain after taking care of Prescott and Cooper.

If the Cowboys win on Sunday and later advance deep into the playoffs? A lot of these guys get rewarded, for sure. If they lose? Then there will be some tough questions to answer for everyone in North Texas. Here are a few that Jones and I covered ahead of all of that.

• Dak’s future. Prescott remaining unsigned isn’t for lack of effort on the part of either side to get something done, nor is it a reflection, Jones promises, of any doubt the team might harbor in its 25-year-old quarterback. Is the team confident in Prescott? Jones answered without equivocation: “Absolutely. It’s kind of gotten out there, we’ve got big offers on the table to Dak and always have. If anything, we’ve got more confidence than we’ve ever had in him. All he’s done is gone out and proven that he deserves to make money. And we’ve certainly offered him a lot of money.”

• The coaching staff. Everyone knows what it is here. Garrett most certainly has to win to keep his job. That said, Jones was adamant that his confidence in the staff to handle the end of this season remains: “I’ve had confidence in this staff since Day 1. ... It’s very frustrating. It’s frustrating for them, it’s frustrating for the players, it’s frustrating for the organization, that we’re in the spot we’re in. The good news is we go out and do our job against the Eagles, and we win our division, which is goal No. 1, and we’ll have a home playoff game and you go to work from there.”

• The turning point. Could the win against the Rams, a 44-21 thrashing, be that for the Cowboys? Jones doesn’t see that way, actually. “I think we’ve known what we can do. And we’ve done that. In the seven games that we’ve won, I think six of them have been blowouts. You get to the fourth quarter and it’s over. We’ve known how to play this way for seven games. And unfortunately, unlike last year, when we had some tight ones, we didn’t get it done. That’s added to where we’re maybe pushing a little too much when we do get behind.” 

Jones’s point checks out. Dallas is 0-5 is games decided by seven points or fewer. Their wins have been by 18, 10, 25, 10, 27, 19, 8, and 23 points. Their plus-90 point differential is sixth best in the NFL, better than the 11-3 Saints. The Eagles’ point differential, by comparison, is plus-six.

Interestingly enough, those Eagles are the other 7-7 NFC East team that’s fallen short of outsized expectations. Sunday’s winner gets new life, with its first goal for the season complete (or in Philadelphia’s case, nearing completion) in a sort of haphazard way.

“Your first goal is to win the division,” Jones said. “If we go out and take care of business—that’s gonna be difficult, we’re going in their backyard, they know what’s at stake—then we take care of Step No. 1. And we certainly feel like we can still accomplish all our goals.”

A loss will bring something else entirely. And after the year the Cowboys have had, that’s not a secret to anyone.

WEEK 16 WATCH LIST

Bills WR Cole Beasley: It looks like the Patriots are going to be without slot corner Jonathan Jones (groin), and that would make how they handle Beasley an important piece in how they defend the Bills offense. Beasley been relatively quiet in the two weeks since his big revenge game against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins: Good opportunity for Cousins to show up on a big stage, at home on Monday Night Football against the rival Packers, and sew up a playoff spot for Minnesota. The first time these two teams met, Cousins had his worst game of the season, and maybe his worst game as a Viking.

Eagles CB Ronald Darby: Philly’s No. 1 corner practiced on Wednesday, which is a good sign that he’ll be available on Sunday. He wasn’t for the Eagles’ first game against Dallas, a 37-10 loss, and Cooper wound up with five catches for 106 yards.

Rams RB Todd Gurley: L.A.’s star has failed to hit four yards per carry in nine of the Rams’ 14 games this year, and so how he finishes the year—with the Rams’ playoff hopes on life support—could color how the Rams handle the position in the offseason. A big one against a really good 49ers defense would be good for Gurley’s case to stay as the centerpiece.

Saints DE Cam Jordan: How the New Orleans defensive line will hold up without Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Davenport remains an open question, and this week will be a good test in that regard, with a physical Tennessee offense piloted by a red-hot quarterback on the docket. Jordan’s a legit DPOY candidate. The Saints need him to keep playing like one.

TWO FOR SATURDAY

Florida Atlantic TE Harrison Bryant (vs. SMU, Boca Raton Bowl, ABC, 3:30 p.m.): The early part of bowl season is a good place to look for draft sleepers, and Bryant could be one. The 6' 5", 240-pounder has 65 catches for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns through 13 games, and played well against the Owls’ toughest competition, No. 2 Ohio State (six catches, 79 yards).

“He’s a pass-catching tight end —limited in the run game as a blocker because of size and strength but not effort,” one NFC exec said. “Very good hands, physical after the catch, he’ll be able to break a few tackles. The Senior Bowl will help him, and I won’t be surprised if he’s the first tight end taken in a down tight-end year.”

An AFC college scouting director echoed that in saying he’s solid, if a little limited, across the board—“Short arms are a problem as a blocker, but he’s really competitive.”

Boise State LB Curtis Weaver (vs. Washington, Las Vegas Bowl, ABC, 7:30 p.m.): There’s no arguing the production here. He has 34 career sacks and 13.5 this year, and going up against the Huskies’ star-studded line—and left tackle Trey Adams, in particular—should give him the chance to validate those numbers.

“He’s a savvy and instinctive player,” an AFC exec said. “He won’t win the combine from a height/weight/speed perspective, but he’s productive.”

Weaver’s best physical trait going into the process will his ability to explode off the ball, which makes up for not having a freakish athletic profile. Based on how pass-rushers are valued, it’s not out of the question that he lands in the first round, though I’m not sure those I spoke with view him that way.

POWER RANKINGS BALLOT

1. Ravens (12-2): I don’t think there’s much question about this right now.

2. Saints (11-3): If the Saints team we saw Monday night is who they continue to be, and they win home-field through January – meaning Drew Brees wouldn’t have to play outdoors until the Super Bowl – then this group has a really good shot at putting to bed the bad memories of its last two playoff exits.

3. Seahawks (11-3): The loss of Josh Gordon would worry me a little bit, because Seattle has been thin all year in pass-catching options for Russell Wilson.

4. Chiefs (10-4): Kansas City’s lurking – the defense has come together in holding four straight opponents under 20 points, and the offense is finally getting healthy. So I’ll give the Chiefs the nod over a banged up New England team as the AFC’s second best team. KC in Foxboro in the divisional round would be interesting.

5. 49ers (11-3): The loss to Atlanta wasn’t great, but I didn’t see any massive signs of trouble in there either. The Falcons are better than their record, and have won four of six, and the Niners were coming off a stretch of the schedule where they played the Packers, Ravens, Saints consecutively. A little letdown is understandable.

THE ONE THING NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT

The role of Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta in where Cleveland goes from here—and how ownership there trusts him. DePodesta advocated for the team to hire then-Panther defensive coordinator Sean McDermott in 2016 and Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski last January, and the team went in different directions in both cases, and those are things that haven’t been forgotten inside the building.

Will DePodesta return for another year in 2020? If he does, will he have more of a say in what happens going forward? Those questions are fair to ask with owner Jimmy Haslam still looking to find solid footing for his franchise.

Cleveland hosts Baltimore on Sunday, and the Ravens will be looking to avenge their September loss to the Browns and lock up the No. 1 seed. It doesn’t look like a great spot for the home team, but it is a chance for the current group to make a strong case for getting another chance in 2020. And if that doesn’t happen? Then there’d be one guy in-house that Haslam might turn to for advice.

Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.

The Best (and Worst) Theater in Europe in 2019

By Unknown Author from NYT Theater https://ift.tt/2sH6prV

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New on SI: Top Fantasy Football Streaming Options For Week 16

Gain an edge by streaming the right player who could be a difference-maker this week.

If you stream the right player it could be the difference between hoisting your league trophy or crying over a six-pack of your favorite beer. Making the correct lineup choices is never more important than those made this week by fantasy owners. Streaming is always a difficult task because most owners must resist the temptation to overreact to the previous week. For example, many owners were burned in Week 15 by highly-ranked players like Phillip Lindsay (3.2 PPR points), Julian Edelman (2.9) and Amari Cooper (2.9). If you have underperforming players in your starting lineup, or have possible major injuries, you only get one shot to make the optimal lineup for all the glory. Here are several players to consider in the final edition of streaming options for 2019.

Quarterback

Phillip Rivers, LAC (vs CAR)

My model projects Rivers (started in 18% of leagues) as the top streaming option among all quarterbacks for the championship round of the fantasy playoffs. The veteran signal caller has thrown for 300-plus yards in consecutive games while passing for six touchdowns over his last three contests. Rivers has a tremendous ceiling in Week 16 with a plus-matchup against a 27th-ranked Raiders pass defense. The sharps out in Vegas are betting the Silver and Black will come out flat after their colossal fourth-quarter meltdown in their final home game at the Black Hole last Sunday. Although he has struggled at points in his 16th season, Rivers is a reliable streaming option who can help you win your fantasy championship.

Running Backs

Kenyan Drake, ARZ (at SEA)

The fourth-year running back, who has been off the fantasy radar for the majority of the season, has posted two monster performances since joining the Cardinals. The versatile back, who was superb back in Week 9 against San Francisco, was sensational last week rushing for 137 yards and four touchdowns against Cleveland. Despite losing snaps to RB David Johnson, Drake (started in only 44% of leagues) is a great streaming option in Week 16 against a Seattle defense that ranks 15th against the run surrendering the third-most rushing touchdowns (17).

Devonta Freeman, ATL (vs JAX)

The veteran back (started in only 46% of leagues) has been quietly dependable with three double-digit PPR efforts in his last five games. In Week 16, the Falcons get a favorable matchup against a 29th-ranked Jaguars defense that has allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns (19). My model has identified Freeman, who has led all Atlanta running backs in snap percentage (71%) and touches (56) over the last three games, as a strong streaming option due to tremendous volume against a porous Jacksonville run defense.

Wide Receivers

Breshad Perriman, TB (vs HOU)

Perriman (started in only 6% of leagues) could be in a prime position to carry fantasy teams following the injuries to starting wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Amidst increased snap counts and targets, the fifth-year wide receiver has exploded with 183 receiving yards and four touchdowns in his last two games. Perriman has a high ceiling and favorable matchup against a 28th-ranked Houston pass defense in Week 16. The Texans have allowed the fourth-most passing touchdowns (30) this season, making Perriman an intriguing streaming option running routes for the

history making Jameis Winston.

Terry McLaurin, WAS (vs NYG)

The rookie wideout was superb in Week 15 against the Eagles making five receptions for a career-high 130 receiving yards and a touchdown. McLaurin, started in less than 32% of leagues, has produced three 12-plus PPR fantasy performances in his last four games. The former Ohio State Buckeye, who ranks as WR21 among all wideouts in fantasy over the last month, has emerged as a dependable option with nine receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns over the last two games. McLaurin has an extremely safe floor and high ceiling as a dependable streaming option in Week 16 against a 26th-ranked Giants defense that has surrendered 12 passing touchdowns to opposing wide receivers over the last seven games.

Tight End

Tyler Higbee, LAR (at SF)

Higbee, started in less than 46% of leagues, ranks as the best tight end in fantasy football over the last three weeks . The fourth-year veteran has now caught 26 passes for 334 yards and a touchdown over the Rams last three games. Higbee, who has 18-plus PPR fantasy points since taking over for the injured Gerald Everett (knee), has emerged as a weapon down the stretch. The former backup is a top-10 streaming option against San Francisco defense that has surprisingly surrendered three touchdowns to opposing tight ends over the last three games.

Kicker

Younghoe Koo, ATL (vs JAX)

Koo, who is 11-of-11 on field goals and PATs over the last two games, has a great matchup against a poor Jacksonville defense in Week 16. The experts in Vegas have listed the Falcons as a 7-point home favorite. As Sports Illustrated readers know my model loves the angle of kicking indoors at this time of year. Koo gets that luxury of not having to face any inclement weather playing inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium this Sunday. The implied spread of a full touchdown in Atlanta’s favor, indicates increased red zone opportunities for Koo against a vulnerable Jaguars defense that has allowed an average of 30.3 points over their last six games.

D/ST

Denver Broncos vs Detroit Lions

The Broncos D/ST, started in 5% of leagues, has a great home matchup in Week 16 against a struggling Lions (3-10-1) offense led by undrafted rookie QB David Blough.

The Broncos defense has filled up the box score of late recording nine sacks, six turnovers and a touchdown over their last three games. Fantasy owners should stream the Broncos D/ST with confidence as the top streaming unit with an extremely favorable matchup.

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You Could Die Today. Here’s How to Reduce That Risk.

By BY ALEXANDER WEBB from NYT Smarter Living https://ift.tt/2PPHRF8

New on SI: Raiders Fans Shower Players With Boos and Field With Trash After Final Oakland Game

Fans also threw trash on the field and clashed with security.

Not the finale they were hoping for

Raiders fans are defined by their passion. They show up week after week at the worst stadium in the NFL to watch a team that only has four winning seasons since returning from Los Angeles in 1995. And now the team is being taken away from them because the NFL was able to convince the government of Las Vegas to pony up $750 million to help build a stadium. 

The team’s final game in Oakland was yesterday, and it ended in characteristically heartbreaking fashion—with a Hail Mary attempt that bounced off a receiver’s face and essentially knocked the Raiders (6–8) out of the playoff race. 

After the game, the players wanted to show their gratitude to the fans but you could understand if the fans weren’t feeling all that grateful after that finish. 

Other fans showered the field with trash. 

Some people even hopped the fence and tried to run out onto the playing surface. 

The Coliseum security staff had its hands full trying to deal with some of the more unruly fans. 

But it wasn’t as chaotic in other parts of the stadium. Plenty of fans hung around to show their respect for the players. 

Even though Carr was booed, he doesn’t hold it against the fans. 

“Oh gosh, what’s new with our crowd?” Carr said after the game. “Trust me, it’s not under my skin, it’s nothing new.”

The scene was ugly but it’s tough to fault Raiders fans for reacting so strongly. Their team is being taken away from them as a result of corporate greed and because the powerful decision makers actually responsible for ripping the team away from the fans hide in luxury boxes, the players and stadium security are the ones who bear the brunt of the frustration. One thing’s for sure: it will be a long time before the Raiders have fans in Vegas as passionate as the ones in Oakland. 

What a sendoff for Eli

If that really was Eli Manning’s final home game with the Giants, he went out with a classic Eli game—283 yards, two touchdowns and three head-scratching interceptions. 

With the game already decided, Manning took the field for one last snap in the final minutes so that he could come off the field to a standing ovation from the home faithful. 

In the locker room later, he received the game ball from coach Pat Shurmur and a rousing reception from is teammates. 

Here’s what the Patriots did

Fox Sports scoopmaster Jay Glazer has obtained footage of Bengals security confronting the Patriots videographer who was caught filming the Cincinnati sideline and it’s awfully interesting. 

I’m not smart enough with football stuff to realize if anything filmed there is useful information for the Patriots. But the way the Pats employee tries to wiggle himself out of the situation and the incredulous reaction of the Bengals staffer makes it seem like there’s something amiss for sure. 

The best of SI

Meet the women who are changing what it means to be a mom and a pro athlete. ... Joe Burrow’s Heisman win helped ease his family’s pain after a tragedy this spring. 

Around the sports world

“Radio” Kennedy, the man who inspired a 1996 SI story and a movie starring Cuba Gooding Jr., has died at age 73. ... The officials in the Cowboys-Rams game somehow managed to mess up the coin toss. 

The Bills clinched a playoff spot and fans greeted them at the airport in the middle of the night

Mascot 1, kid 0

In what world is this a penalty?

Brutal bad beat

I’m so mad they didn’t pull this off

George Kittle is the best blocking tight end in the NFL and maybe the best receiving tight end

Joe Burrow’s Heisman speech was amazing

Newtown won a state championship with a walk-off score on the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting

At least it’s not where his dirt bike is

Congratulations to the Falcons on finding new ways to lose

Jameis of all people?

Gardner Minshew got the last laugh in the Raiders’ final game in Oakland

47-year-old Jaromir Jagr scored four goals in a game

Not sports

A Wells Fargo employee accused of stealing $88,000 from the bank vault was busted after posting about the cash on social media. ... A Michigan family passes down a 141-year-old fruitcake as a family heirloom. 

The new Xbox is tall for some reason

I’ll be here if you need me

View the original article to see embedded media.

Interesting.

This guy has too much time on his hands

A good song

Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.