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NFL


WHAT TO KNOW FROM NFL WEEK 14: THE VIKINGS WENT NUCLEAR, AND NEW YORK’S TEAMS
ARE IN FLAMES

In Week 14, the Eagles survived against the Panthers, Baker Mayfield moved the
Bucs back into playoff position, and the Chiefs did it again.

Updated yesterday at 12:20 a.m. EST
13 min
94

Wide receiver Xavier Legette and the Carolina Panthers came this close to
toppling the Eagles on Sunday. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
Skip to main content
 1. The Eagles hung on for dear life
 2. Baker Mayfield is back in playoff position
 3. The Chiefs did it again
 4. The Vikings have the best wideout combo in the NFL
 5. The Steelers are elite
 6. New York football is a tire fire
 7. The Seahawks may have knocked out the Cardinals
 8. The Rams will have their say in the NFC West
 9. A new wrinkle in the season of blocked field goals

Analysis by Adam Kilgore

The thrilling Thursday night showdown between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay
Packers stole some luster from Week 14’s Sunday slate. Who knew that the
Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers could deliver just as much drama? Here
is what to know.

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THE EAGLES HUNG ON FOR DEAR LIFE

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For a fraction of a second, rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette held the shock
of the NFL season in his hands. He had sprinted behind Darius Slay and C.J.
Gardner-Johnson, and Bryce Young’s pass floated about 50 yards into his grasp.
If he held on, the Panthers would have completed a 97-yard drive and led the
Eagles, a two-touchdown favorite, with less than 90 seconds left.

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The ball slipped through Legette’s fingers, and a horrific upset became a
collective exhale in Philadelphia. The Eagles survived Young’s final, desperate
push and won, 22-16, to avoid a humiliating end to their winning streak and
maintain contact with Detroit in the race for the NFC’s top seed.

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NFL PLAYOFF PROJECTIONS

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The Eagles’ ninth consecutive victory was surprisingly difficult, but it
revealed only minor cracks in their 11-2 record. It’s not shocking to see a team
on a dominant stretch look flat against an also-ran. The primary takeaway may be
further evidence that Young’s revitalization is for real.

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The close call, though, did surface some mild concerns. The Eagles’ inability to
produce explosive plays stood out — Jalen Hurts threw for 108 yards, and
Philadelphia managed just two gains of at least 20 yards. Slay and
Gardner-Johnson are key veterans for Philadelphia’s culture, but they are also
the clear weak points of Philadelphia’s dominant defense. (In Slay’s defense, he
also batted away a pass from Adam Thielen on the game-sealing incompletion.)

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The most pressing issue may be kicker Jake Elliott, who has become the JV
version of Justin Tucker: a struggling mainstay too ingrained to easily move on
from. Elliott missed a 52-yarder, which made him 0 for 5 this season on kicks
from at least 50 yards. He also hooked an extra point wide before an offside
call on Carolina gave him a reprieve. For a team whose realistic Super Bowl
hopes could come down to a kick, that’s troubling.


BAKER MAYFIELD IS BACK IN PLAYOFF POSITION

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rewarded Baker Mayfield with a three-year, $100 million
contract extension last offseason after he led them to the NFC South title and a
playoff victory over the Eagles. Mayfield has proved his career resurgence is a
not a one-year fluke.

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Tampa Bay’s 28-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders pushed them to 7-6 and,
combined with the Atlanta Falcons’ loss at the Minnesota Vikings, into the NFC
South lead. Mayfield threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns. For the season,
Mayfield ranks fourth in passing yards and is tied for third in touchdown
passes.

Mayfield’s gunslinging approach and rugged scrambling have given the Buccaneers
an identity since they signed him off the scrap heap before last season. He only
has been better this season under new offensive coordinator Liam Coen. His
competitiveness permeates the franchise. The Bucs are the only team to beat the
Lions and one of two to beat the Eagles. They also took the Chiefs to overtime.

If the Bucs make the playoffs, they can compete with anybody. Given that their
final four opponents include the Panthers, Cowboys and Saints, it looks as if
they will get there.




THE CHIEFS DID IT AGAIN

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For the better part of two years, even though a Super Bowl title came in the
middle of that span, the discussion around the Kansas City Chiefs has revolved
around what is wrong with them. The Chiefs were far from their regal best again
Sunday night in a madcap, 19-17 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Chargers
that required the aid of a kickoff that sailed short of the landing zone and a
chip shot that banked in off the left upright as time expired. But at 12-1 they
clinched their ninth consecutive AFC West title, an occasion that begs for
perspective.

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What the Chiefs have done is remarkable. They are only two titles away from the
New England Patriots’ 11 straight division titles from 2009 to 2019. Those Tom
Brady and Bill Belichick teams had a .767 regular season winning percentage with
three Super Bowl titles during their streak. The Chiefs have won at a .757 clip
with three Super Bowl titles during theirs. Since Patrick Mahomes became the
Chiefs’ starting quarterback in 2018, their winning percentage is .777.

The Chiefs have evolved over Mahomes’s tenure from a pyrotechnic juggernaut to a
methodical, defensive team that keeps games close enough for Mahomes and Coach
Andy Reid to come up with something that wins them. They are not as impressive
as they once were. They just win — week after week, year after year.

Sunday night’s triumph, their 15th consecutive victory in a one-score game, was
vintage 2024 Chiefs. The Chargers erased a 13-0 halftime deficit with two quick
touchdowns. The Chiefs retook the lead, then lost it again. Mahomes received the
ball at his team’s 40-yard line after a shaky kickoff. Under constant pressure
all game, Mahomes dragged the Chiefs down the field. After he exhausted the
Chargers’ timeouts, Mahomes scrambled, evaded a blitz and flipped a pass to
Travis Kelce for a first down. The Chiefs drained the clock, and then fill-in
kicker Matthew Wright hooked the game-winning off the left upright and through.
The Chiefs have treated this season — which includes victories on a toe out of
bounds, a blocked field goal and a botched snap — as an experiment to find the
smallest possible margin of victory.

The breathless finish helped them inch closer to a third consecutive Super Bowl.
The Buffalo Bills’ upset loss to the Los Angeles Rams gave the Chiefs a two-game
lead for the AFC’s top seed and the accompanying first-round bye.




THE VIKINGS HAVE THE BEST WIDEOUT COMBO IN THE NFL

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Sam Darnold built the best day of his NFL career Sunday by leaning on the best
tandem of wide receivers in the league. In the Vikings’ 42-21 destruction of the
reeling Falcons, Justin Jefferson (seven catches, 132 yards, two touchdowns) and
Jordan Addison (eight catches, 133 yards, three touchdowns) combined for 15
catches, 265 yards and five touchdowns.

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Atlanta’s defense could not accomplish the reasonable task of slowing down at
least one of them. But together, they are nearly unstoppable against any
opponent. Jefferson, of course, might be the best wideout in the league. He
scored his first touchdown in nearly two months Sunday and moved just ahead of
Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, who plays Monday night, for the NFL lead in
receiving yards with 1,170.

Addison, a 2023 first-round pick who won the Biletnikoff Award in college, has
punished defenses when they shift coverage toward Jefferson. His pedigree and
production suggest he could be a No. 1 wideout on most teams. Across from
Jefferson, he is a nightmare thanks to his quickness, great hands and knack for
big plays.

As the Vikings improved to 11-2, Darnold passed for 347 yards. Their defense
leads the NFC in turnovers and picked off Kirk Cousins twice. The Vikings will
have to go on the road in the postseason if they can’t catch the Lions, but they
will be tough to beat in January.

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THE STEELERS ARE ELITE

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The longer the season goes, the clearer it becomes that the Pittsburgh Steelers
belong on any short list of potential Super Bowl winners. They dominated the
Cleveland Browns, who under Jameis Winston are much better than their 3-10
record, in a 27-14 victory that pushed them to 10-3 and two games ahead of the
Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North.

Pittsburgh has been expertly designed by Mike Tomlin, who should be the favorite
for coach of the year honors, to win games. Only the Bills have a better point
differential in the AFC than Pittsburgh’s plus-85. The Steelers lead the NFL in
forced turnovers. While that can be a volatile statistic, it’s not an accident
given the Steelers’ personnel and emphasis. “It’s not a lightning strike,”
defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said this past week. The Steelers instruct
pass rushers to swat at the ball as quarterbacks throw. They set aside practice
time for turnover-focused drills, including scooping rolling footballs off the
turf.

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Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and quarterback Russell Wilson have been
perfect for each other. Smith’s system uses the running game as the foundation
and relies on a quarterback using play-action, moving out of the pocket and
throwing deep, all of which are among Wilson’s strengths. Even without wideout
George Pickens to create big plays and open space for others Sunday, Wilson
played efficiently and mistake-free against a fierce defensive line.


NEW YORK FOOTBALL IS A TIRE FIRE

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The Jets and Giants deserve credit for their creativity. In wretched seasons for
both New York franchises, they continue to find ways to reach new depths.

The Jets blew an eight-point, fourth-quarter lead, moved back ahead of the Miami
Dolphins with a last-minute field goal and still went to overtime after yielding
a big kickoff return and an ensuing field goal drive. Their defense laid down on
the first possession of overtime and gave up a touchdown that finalized a 32-26
loss that kept alive Miami’s faint playoff hopes.

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The Giants somehow overcame Drew Lock’s attempt to commit offensive football and
drove to set up a 35-yard field goal attempt on what was essentially the game’s
final play. New Orleans defensive tackle Bryan Bresee hopped over the line and
blocked Graham Gano’s kick, sealing a 14-11 victory for the Saints that kept
them within shouting distance in the NFC South.



Another week, another two losses for the smoldering wreck that is New York
football. The Jets and Giants are 5-21 combined, and neither has won since
November began. The Kansas City Royals have won more recently than the Giants.
The Jets have fired their coach and their general manager, and Brian Daboll and
Joe Schoen — who hold those jobs for the Giants — may want to consult a real
estate agent.

The Giants at least have a silver lining. They strengthened their chances of
landing the first pick in next year’s draft. Not only did their loss drop them
to 2-11, but the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans, 10-6, for their
third victory. Only the Raiders also have two victories, and the Giants are
ahead of them on tiebreakers in the race to the bottom.

As for the Jets’ future outlook? They, uh, have an Aaron Rodgers Netflix
documentary to watch.




THE SEAHAWKS MAY HAVE KNOCKED OUT THE CARDINALS

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The diametric trajectories of the Seahawks and Cardinals crossed paths in
Seattle’s 30-18 steamrolling of host Arizona. The Seahawks remained in first
place in the NFC West at 8-5. The Cardinals, who controlled the division less
than a month ago, lost their third straight and have tumbled to the fringes of
playoff contention at 6-7.

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His latest defeat continues the unfortunate trend of Cardinals quarterback Kyler
Murray’s career. Late in the season, whatever the reason, his effectiveness
wanes. The Cardinals are 22-16-1 in games Murray starts in Week 8 or earlier. In
games in Week 9 and later with Murray starting, they are 12-28, his one playoff
appearance included.

The Seahawks have continuously improved under first-year coach Mike Macdonald
and have emerged as a physically imposing team. With running back Kenneth Walker
III out with an injury, muscular backup Zach Charbonnet ran for 134 yards and
two touchdowns on 22 carries. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who last week
returned an interception for a touchdown, has been one of the best defensive
players in the league and submitted another dominant performance.

Though Seattle is in command, only two games separate them and every other NFC
West team. The San Francisco 49ers are not bowing out quietly. They dismantled
the Chicago Bears, 38-13, in interim coach Thomas Brown’s debut, outgaining them
in the first half by the absurd total of 319-4.


THE RAMS WILL HAVE THEIR SAY IN THE NFC WEST

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The Rams have slogged through a slew of injuries, but Sunday they demonstrated
the full extent of their capability when healthy. With Sean McVay calling plays
for Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, the Rams were as lethal as any
offense in the NFL. Even as the Bills’ Josh Allen became the first player in NFL
history to pass for three touchdowns and run for three in one game, the Rams’
offense controlled a shootout as Los Angeles won, 44-42.

The Rams’ victory kept them in the NFC West race. They are a game behind the
Seahawks, whom they own a tiebreaker over owing to a victory in Seattle last
month. With three division games left — starting at San Francisco on Thursday
night and ending in Week 18 at home against Seattle — the Rams maintain control
of their own fate.

The Bills had no answer for Kupp, Nacua and Stafford. Nacua caught 12 of 14
targets for 162 yards and a late, game-sealing touchdown. The Rams’ young,
emerging defense couldn’t prevent Allen from cementing his MVP favorite status.
But their offense delivered a victory that keeps them relevant.


A NEW WRINKLE IN THE SEASON OF BLOCKED FIELD GOALS

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There was an easy play to miss during the Vikings’ victory that provided a
window into how the league office is reacting to the surge in blocked field
goals. As Vikings kicker Will Reichard booted a 39-yard attempt, referees threw
a flag on Atlanta’s Kentavius Street, who had lined up across from the snapper,
for defensive holding.

Some special teams coordinators had questioned whether block units had been
exploiting a rule loophole or violating a rule without being caught. Eighteen
field goals have been blocked this year — including the kick Bresee deflected at
the gun to clinch New Orleans’s victory over the Giants — which is one more than
all of last season. The flag shows the league could be cracking down on
techniques that have led to blocked field goals through pressure up the middle.

In the Minnesota example, the flag proved costly for Atlanta. Three plays after
Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell took three points off the board, Darnold hit
Jefferson for a touchdown that gave Minnesota a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.


Share
94 Comments
NFL
HAND CURATED
 * Des Bieler
   Cowboys, Bengals to enter ‘Simpsons’ universe in alternate ‘MNF’ telecast
   3 hours ago
   
 * Mark Maske
   Chiefs escape yet again, doinking their way to ninth straight division title
   Earlier today
   
 * Adam Kilgore
   What to know from NFL Week 14: The Vikings went nuclear, and New York’s teams
   are in flames
   December 9, 2024
   

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