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The New York Giants broke an abysmal nine-game losing streak with a commanding victory against the Las Vegas Raiders 34-10 on Sunday. The win, however, significantly reduced their chances of winning the rights to the first overall pick, now occupied by the Raiders. Hopes of a king’s ransom for the first overall pick seem to be dashed from reality, forcing the team to now consider their other options if they stay at the second overall pick. The bad news is that a trade to a quarterback-needy team is now harder than it ever has been and might force the team to just eat the selection in 2026. The good news is that the team gave some signs of life heading into the season finale. My Hottest Take: Abdul Carter Is Poised For A 2026 Breakout It was only a month ago that questions about rookie linebacker Abdul Carter’s motivation and character were being called into question. Sleeping through team meetings, being late to meetings, and seemingly just a lack of interest in the game. Those actions led to his benching by interim head coach Mike Kafka, a move that has turned around his attitude and performance on the field. Against Las Vegas on Sunday, Carter continued to make his presence known by splitting a sack, recording two tackles for losses, and racking up four total quarterback hits. In fact, the rookie linebacker recorded his second-straight week with nine pressures, totalling 52 on the season and ranking second in the entire league. His four quarterback hits were also the same as last week. New York’s linebacker corps appears to be set for the foreseeable future if the team decides to keep Thibodeaux or draft linebacker Arvell Reese in the 2026 NFL draft. Brian Burns has become a stalwart of this defense and essentially the co-captain alongside defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. If they can get some serious secondary upgrades over the offseason, the team has something good on their hands. What You Need To Know: The Pieces Are There For A Successful 2026 Injuries derailed the Giants’ 2025 season, along with coaching that was questionable at best but downright confusing and self-sabotaging at worst. The good news is that the team will be getting a lot of their weapons back on offense in 2026 alongside an emerging quarterback in Jaxson Dart. That’s alongside what will likely be an entirely new coaching staff, including an offensive coordinator. Some of the players the team will get back on offense next year include wideout Malik Nabers, who was poised to excel this year with Dart under center but suffered a torn ACL in week four. New York will also get rookie running back Cam Skattebo back next year despite concerns about his off-field activities; he’s bound to be a feature back for the time being. Joshua Ezeudu might also make an appearance next year as a backup guard. The Giants also might consider getting some help on offense from free agency. A hole at tight end might be filled by Kyle Picks if the Atlanta Falcons do not re-sign him, or they could use a deep-ball threat in Rashid Shaheed or Jauan Jennings, depending on their negotiations. The seeds are planted for 2026. Before You Go: Thibodeaux On The Block? Most Giants fans are focused on who the Giants might get in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft after losing their rights to the first overall pick. Caleb Downs would still be on the table if the Raiders went with Fernando Medoza, but Arvell Reese could also be there on the table at number two. With Thibodeaux approaching the last year of his rookie deal, it might make sense for the Giants to trade him. A trade pre June 1 would save the team $14 million in cap space, and potentially net them a top-10 pick if they give up a little more outside of that. The Tennessee Titans have been pointed to as a potential team needing a linebacker, and they hold the No. 4 spot in the draft. The key, however, is that the Giants need more than one pick in the first round to help boost their roster. They need to make some magic happen.

It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for the Chargers in 2025, but this week is a celebration, as the Bolts are going to the playoffs back-to-back seasons for the first time since their 2008 and 2009 seasons. Today’s Hottest Take: The Bolts Will Win Out Three weeks ago, I stated that the Chargers would go through the gauntlet of the Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, and Broncos and leave with a winning record . Fast forward to now, and with two games remaining, the Chargers have already made me a truth-telling man, with a primetime slugfest win over Philly, a fatal blow to Kansas City, and an emphatic second-half destruction of Dallas (including a shutout of an extremely potent Cowboys offense in said half). Now the Bolts have officially punched their ticket to the dance, but can realistically eye even bigger aspirations such as claiming the AFC West crown, as a Jacksonville Jaguars win over the Denver Broncos past Sunday now allows the Chargers to control their own destiny in that race. To do that, the Chargers must defeat a Houston Texans team that has rattled off seven in a row (after narrowly escaping a scare against the Las Vegas Raiders) and then go into Denver and once again beat the Broncos to finish off a historic 6-0 divisional sweep for the first time in the Modern NFL era. This would change with a Christmas Miracle (Kansas City beating Denver on Christmas night), which would set up a Week 18 winner-takes-the-AFC-West matchup no matter what the Chargers do on Saturday night against Houston. (It didn't happen, though it got close!) My take, though, is very simple. The Chargers will overcome the suspension of Denzel Perryman, and the likely loss of standout left tackle Jamaree Salyer, and beat the Texans on Saturday (keeping Philip Rivers and the Colts alive in the process!), and then they walk into Denver, Harbaugh and Herbert move to 4-0 against Payton and Nix. The Chargers have the quarterback, they have the coach, they have the defense, and most importantly, they have the belief and confidence that they are capable of walking into anywhere against anyone and leaving with a win, no matter how they have to get it. As Melvin Ingram said years ago, the last time the Chargers were among the top of the AFC... ASAP . What You Need to Know: Clicking On All Cylinders For the first time all season, Justin Herbert was not sacked in a game. The outcome? Genuinely one of the best performances by a quarterback in all of the 2025 NFL season. The run game produced 150 yards and two scores. The defense shut out one of the most potent offenses in the league in the second half of what was headed directly towards a shootout. Hell, even the special teams units were playing at a shutdown level against one of the most dangerous return men in football, KaVontae Turpin! The team that showed up to Jerry World this past Sunday is a genuine threat to take home the Lombardi Trophy. The Dallas Cowboys are not a playoff team, but they are a talented team, one that was favored by Vegas heading into Sunday’s matchup, and the Chargers put together a dominant performance that displayed how good the Chargers are right now, and that they may very well be hitting their peak at just the right time. Before You Go: A Path to the No. 1 Seed? The Chargers are now realistically staring at a path to not just the AFC West crown by winning these next two games, but also a chance to ensure the AFC runs through SoFi, as well as securing a first-round bye for the playoffs. To pull off the unlikely feat of taking home field advantage for themselves, the Bolts need a little bit of luck and a lot of skill. As mentioned, they can get the ball rolling by taking home Ws in their next two contests; if they don’t do that, this conversation may as well never happen. The Chargers then need these remaining things to happen: The Jacksonville Jaguars to lose in Week 17 against the Indianapolis Colts (Let's Go Phil!) OR lose in Week 18 to the Tennessee Titans The New England Patriots to lose in Week 17 to the New York Jets OR lose in Week 18 to the Miami Dolphins If that happens? Your AFC #1 Seed, the Los Angeles Chargers. Now, of course, both the Jags and Pats will be heavily favored in both of their remaining games, so it’s not extremely likely, but crazier things have happened, and with the chaos of divisional games in the NFL, I’m not willing to write it off as impossible just yet!

Coming into the second half of the NBA Cup final, the New York Knicks chances at winning the in-season tournament were slim. The San Antonio Spurs held a two-point lead and remained in the driver's seat until the fourth quarter. That’s when momentum swung in the Knicks' direction, as they began shooting the lights out. Jordan Clarkson hit two consecutive threes before OG Anunoby got in on the action. Before you knew it, Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson were making shots and playing tough defense against San Antonio. This gave the Knicks a clear advantage and a decisive 124-113 victory . With the NBA Cup in their possession, the Knicks winning ways continued against the Indiana Pacers, whom they defeated thanks to Jalen Brunson’s game winning three. Their momentum began to fade after they were outmatched by division rivals Philadelphia 76ers. That night, it seemed the Knicks had fallen back down to earth until Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat. Brunson had another statement performance, scoring 47 points, which is his career best at Madison Square Garden. His performance gave the Knicks their 20th win of the season and 14th at home. Games like these have put them in a great position to take the top seed in the Eastern Conference from the Detroit Pistons. What I think will help them even more is for the front office to make two moves before the league’s Feb. 2 trade deadline. Today’s Hottest Take: The Knicks should trade for either Donte DiVincenzo or Jose Alvarado Before this season got underway, there was talk about the Knicks making a blockbuster trade for Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. But the deal fell through after both sides couldn’t create a suitable deal. Fast-forward a few months, and Antetokounmpo’s time with the Bucks might end this season. Even though I would love to see the Knicks go all in for the two-time league MVP, it just doesn’t seem realistic. If New York wants to trade for Antetokounmpo, that would mean giving up Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges or Anunoby, who have been key to the team's recent success. I completely understand that Towns and Bridges have not been playing as well compared to last season, but trading them for Antetokounmpo will be risky. Rather than risk it all, I think the Knicks should make two other moves to add more depth and shooting to the lineup. The first of which would be for Donte DiVincenzo, who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Towns. To reunite with DiVincenzo, the Knicks will likely have to give up young talent and draft capital. If I’m the team's front office, that's a deal I’m willing to make because DiVincenzo is a good shooter and is familiar with the team already. In his lone season with the Knicks, he averaged 15.5 points per game on 40.1% from three . A secondary trade they can make is for veteran guard Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans. I think trading for Alvarado is the safer option because it would mean only giving up draft picks to acquire him. Alvarado’s main upside is his playmaking and shot-creating abilities. He can be the Knicks' backup guard alongside Clarkson and Kolek. Before You Go: The Knicks Have Time Before the Trade Deadline If trade talk excites you, the one thing that you should keep in mind is that we still have time until the deadline. The Knicks are in luck, because they still have a good team that can compete even without making any major additions. Their starting rotation has all been playing well enough when it matters most. Making trades will help them reach another level. The Knicks will also benefit from a rather light upcoming schedule with matchups against the Spurs, 76ers and Pistons being the most important.

The train keeps on rolling for the San Francisco 49ers, and well it might – in a season where even the most positive 49ers fan likely had low expectations, given the mass exodus of players prior to the season, the injuries in-season, and just general PTSD from supporting this team for so many years, the team will play at least one playoff game. This is a quite incredible victory for Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, and all concerned with the building of this young, hungry 49ers team. How far can the team go? We’ll find out soon enough. My Hottest Take: The 49ers hired a world-class coordinator this year. It wasn’t Robert Saleh. Almost from the first time toe was put to pigskin this season, we’ve been hearing about the impact former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has had on the defensive unit. That’s led to the usual fan angst on whether his ‘success’, such as it is, will lead to him landing another head coaching job. Simply put, with there likely to be a number of coaching opportunities available to him in the offseason, nothing can be guaranteed. As usual, however, people are somewhat missing the point. Saleh has massively improved the defensive unit, yes, but given some of the issues that side of the ball has had of late, it won’t be his unit carrying the team (hopefully) in the playoffs, but likely the offense. That leaves one unit to fill the ‘complementary football’ gap, and that’s the 49ers previously much-maligned special teams unit. Fortunately, the hiring of Brant Boyer in the offseason to the special teams role seems to have done the trick. Thanks to the hardening of the coverage units, thanks to the addition of the likes of Siran Neal and Luke Gifford, the replacement of a failing kicking and punting battery (with both Eddy Piniero and Thomas Morestead doing a great job), and the addition of the potential for dynamic returns thanks to the use of former Chief Skyy Moore, the unit has quietly become one of the league’s best, and has helped move the razor-thin line between success and failure closer to the success line on numerous occasions this year. That was exemplified by Monday night’s win over the Colts, where, in a game that Saleh’s defense failed to fire and threaten to turn into a shootout, 49ers special teams made some game-shifting plays that made things much easier, from a couple of explosive returns by Moore, to a forced fumble by Ji’Ayir Brown of the kickoff team (recovered by Jake Tonges) that gave the team’s red-hot offense extra possessions. It’s just the regular season, and long-time Niner fans will know how special teams can bite in the playoffs, but it’s looking positive for all concerned in San Francisco. When it comes down to it, Boyer’s hire may prove to be as effective, if not more, than that of Saleh by season’s end. What You Need to Know: The offense is San Francisco’s best weapon In case it hasn’t become obvious, I’m not exactly jumping for joy about the play of the 49ers defense in the last few weeks. After outright costing the team games against the Texans and Rams, it also failed to produce anything approaching its best in the wins over the Giants, Titans and Colts. Against the Colts in particular, the defenses failure to put pressure on 44-year-old Philip Rivers either by rush or by coverage, with the veteran having a comfortable night and briefly threatening to turn the game into a score-for-score confrontation. It seems pretty clear that to be the surprise package of the playoffs, the team will have to look elsewhere for a spark. They might have found it, as the 49ers offense finally showed everything it was capable of, truly performing a demolition job on the Indianapolis Colts’ defense, which has been quietly putting together an excellent year under first-year coordinator Lou Anarumo. Brock Purdy and company, however, shredded it underneath the prime-time lights, with Purdy throwing five touchdowns amid impressive displays for George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey and Jauan Jennings, among others. For once, this season, it was able to find its potential, putting up 41 points (the other seven being scored off a pick-6 by linebacker Dee Winters), and generally kept the Colts at arm’s length throughout the contest. Such is the nature of NFL battles, of course, but with better units to defend against and playoff football on the horizon, what the Purdy-directed machine can put out over the next few weeks will be crucial in figuring out just how far this 49ers team can go. Before You Go: Home Cooking to Immortality? One of the more amusing facts about the 49ers’ remaining games is that both come at home. Should the 49ers win both, then they’ll lock up the #1 seed in the NFC, guaranteeing home field advantage throughout the playoffs…and then, should they win those , they’d be in the Super Bowl, which is being played in…yep, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara. So, essentially, if the 49ers win five home games, they’ve won a Super Bowl championship. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? When you mix in that four of those five will be against the Seahawks, Bears, and likely some combination of the Packers, Panthers, Rams, and Eagles, though, maybe not so much. Still. You’d have ripped their arm off for this in March … see you soon.

The Titans captured their third win of the season on Sunday, taking down the Chiefs 26-9 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Today’s Hot Take: Cam Ward and Tony Pollard shine again as the Titans continue to gel offensively The Titans had their third week in a row in which they scored 20+ points. Although this season hasn’t been what the Titans hoped for, it is good to see the offense making strides and getting better as they await next season. Cam Ward was excellent again as he went for 228 yards and two passing touchdowns, one to Chig Okonkwo and the other to Chimere Dike . Tony Pollard went over 100 yards again, as he had 102 yards on 21 carries. This was Pollard’s third straight week with over 100 yards rushing. This is what Titans have been waiting for as they progress through the season. Most fans knew this team was going to have a steep hill to climb, but they wanted to see competitive results, which this team is now bringing. With the Saints and Jaguars left to play this season, the Titans have the opportunity to finish with at least four wins, and depending on whether the Jags play all their guys in Week 18, it could be five wins. The Titans are projected to have the most cap space going into next season, and this doesn’t involve what they might do with the aging contracts on Calvin Ridley and La’Jarius Sneed. Regardless, the Titans have a fantastic opportunity to improve their team as a whole and come back with a revamped squad next season. What You Need to Know: Jeffrey Simmons and Chimere Dike were named to the Pro Bowl The Titans had multiple players named to this year’s Pro Bowl, as Jeffrey Simmons got his fourth selection and rookie Chimere Dike got his first selection. Simmons has been the heart and soul of the Titans, and even in a bad season, has found ways to be successful. Simmons is on pace for the second-most tackles in a season in his career. He set a career high with nine sacks so far this season, including two forced fumbles, and an offensive touchdown catch as well. The one thing the Titans did well was not trading Simmons, he is having a career season and will set the foundation for this Titans team moving forward. Dike has been the breakout star no one expected for the Titans as he leads the NFL in scrimmage yards, and also has four receiving touchdowns and two punt return touchdowns on the season as well. Dike has solidified himself as a top returner in this league for the next three to five years, and the Titans are lucky to have him going forward. Special teams is one of the most underrated parts of the game, and having a bad special teams unit can make or break a team. Having a game-changer like Dike can change a team completely as he can swing momentum in the blink of an eye. The Titans haven’t done a good job at drafting the last few years, but they didn't miss with this one. Before you go: The Titans have the chance to win their second game in a row as they take on the Saints The Titans will be taking on the red-hot Saints from Nissan Stadium this Sunday as two rookie quarterbacks, Tyler Shough and Ward, face off for the first time in their careers. The Saints are coming off three straight wins against the Buccaneers, Panthers, and Jets. Shough–a 26-year-old rookie coming out of the University of Louisville–has turned the season around for the Saints and has now emerged as a contender for Rookie of the Year. Many football fans scratched their heads at this pick, but Shough has brought his experience and proved the doubters wrong as he continues to turn around the Saints franchise. The Titans are looking for Cam Ward to do the same going forward for this franchise, as he can be the player who puts Tennessee on top once again. For now, though, the Titans need to focus on finishing the season on a high note and prep to stop Shough and the Saints.

The Seattle Seahawks pulled off a spectacular overtime win against the Los Angeles Rams last Thursday, rallying from a 30-14 fourth-quarter deficit to stun their division rivals and take control of their path to a potential number one seed in the NFC. Two-point conversions told the story, as Seattle converted tries on their last three touchdowns, the second of which was a highly controversial backwards pass that bounced into the endzone after hitting the helmet of Jared Verse ... ... and the last of the three saw Darnold find an open Eric Saubert to secure the gutsy victory. My Hottest Take: Seattle Controls its own Destiny, but the Path is Challenging That Thursday night thriller was the last regular-season home game for the Seahawks, and they exited it at 12-3, one game ahead of the Rams and two up on the San Francisco 49ers, who have yet to play as of this article’s writing. Seattle’s last two games present two likely playoff opponents in the Carolina Panthers and the 49ers, both on the road. Carolina sits at 8-7 and is easy to scoff at given their weak division, but they should absolutely scare Seahawks fans. The Panthers run a very balanced offense, attempting 28 rushes per game , and pairing them with 30.4 passing attempts per game , but they’re at their best when Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard are gashing defenses on the ground. The Panthers also take “any given Sunday” far too seriously, alternating impressive wins against playoff teams like the Green Bay Packers and Rams with head scratching losses to the New Orleans Saints twice(!) and Arizona Cardinals. Given how random they are week to week, it’s impossible to predict what Panthers team Seattle sees. Should the Seahawks get out of Carolina unscathed, it would set up a simple scenario in Santa Clara: win and receive a bye, lose and likely head on the road for a wildcard game against Carolina or Tampa Bay. What You Need to Know: Sam Darnold Won a Big Game! The narrative that Sam Darnold can’t win big games is very premature. Darnold spent his first six seasons playing nothing but meaningless games for the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, then as a backup for San Francisco before getting his shot with Minnesota last year. He didn't play well down the stretch for the Vikings against the Detroit Lions and especially against the Rams in the playoffs, which is what gave this narrative life. His four interception game against the Rams in October only amplified the noise, and it felt like Chris Shulas defense might just have Darnold’s number through three quarters on Thursday. Rashid Saheed got Seattle’s comeback started, but Darnold led a game tying drive that took only two plays, and the game winning drive in overtime to capture a win against the NFC favorites. The point of this isn’t to say Darnold should be forgiven from past performance, but that a guy whose about to finish up just his second year of high pressure football and play in his second career playoff game should get a bit more time before fans and media declare that he’ll never be able to get it done in big moments. Before You Go: Welcome Back Kenneth Walker It’s been a rough fourth season for Kenneth Walker. He’s topped 15 carries just four times this season, and only had one 100-yard rushing performance before Thursday, but he showed up in a big way for Seattle against the Rams. His 55-yard touchdown run was his longest carry of the season and it propelled him to his second 100-yard rushing game, although he still only received 11 carries. Walker also chipped in 64 yards on three catches, easily a high for the season. Walker’s involvement has deteriorated as Klint Kubiak clearly prefers Zach Charbonnet’s more consistent approach to the position as opposed to Walker's desire to hunt the big play, but he can still be a weapon for Seattle if they can keep Thursday's momentum going.

0-for-5 in the red zone, Josh Jacobs fumbling inside the five-yard line, a would-be game-ending sack by Warren Brinson turning into a 15-yard facemask penalty, Romeo Doubs muffing the onside kick and Malik Willis and Sean Rhyan botching the snap on fourth-and-one in overtime — these were just some of the mistakes that led to the Green Bay Packers’ 22-16 collapse against the Chicago Bears. It was like reliving the 2014 NFC Championship all over again: offenses unable to capitalize on opportunities, a defense playing hard for 57 minutes and special teams finding a way to blow it. The parallels were painfully familiar. Now, the Green & Gold must dig deep and find the strength to finish the regular season strong. Today’s Hottest Take: The Packers can still win the NFC North It’s shaping up to be a tough road for the Packers to win the NFC North in 2025. Even putting aside all the injuries to Jordan Love, Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, Tucker Kraft, Devonte Wyatt, Micah Parsons and Evan Williams, Green Bay still needs to win its final two games against the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings. At the same time, the Bears would have to lose to the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. The good news for Green Bay is that San Francisco and Detroit should have plenty to play for in the final two weeks. The 49ers will likely be chasing the No. 1 seed and a division title, while the Lions will need to beat Chicago to secure a playoff spot. Still, the most likely path for the Packers goes through a wild-card berth — and potentially a third meeting with the Bears, once again in Chicago. What You Need to Know: Firing anyone now won’t help Green Bay achieve its short-term goal of a Super Bowl appearance. Sure, one could argue that the Rich Bisaccia experiment should have ended already, but firing him now, as the Packers enter Week 17, wouldn’t solve anything. Bisaccia is responsible for an entire unit, with other coaches reporting directly to him — just like the situation with Joe Barry in the past. Removing him at this point wouldn’t magically fix the issues on the field; the problems are systemic and involve the entire coaching structure, not just one person. The Los Angeles Rams recently fired their special teams coordinator following a poor showing against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. Green Bay could theoretically take a similar path, but it’s highly unlikely. It’s not the Packers’ modus operandi, and Bisaccia is a highly respected figure within the organization. If any changes are going to be made, they’ll come after the season ends — which would be the right call. Before You Go: Let’s give Jeff Hafley’s defense some credit The numbers might not fully reflect it, but Jeff Hafley’s defense played a hell of a game for 57 minutes. They held the Bears scoreless in the first half — and this was Green Bay’s first game without Parsons. Furthermore, the Packers were also without Williams and Wyatt. Chicago didn’t find the end zone until two minutes remained in the fourth quarter. It was an impressive showing against a top-ten offense by nearly every advanced metric .

The New York Giants suffered another series of injuries to their starters following their 16-13 loss against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16. The loss drops the team to 2-13 on the year, putting them in position to secure the first overall pick in next year’s draft. New York’s season has been marred by significant injuries to its starting roster, including a gruesome ankle injury to running back Cam Skattebo and an ACL tear to wide receiver Malik Nabers. The team now has serious holes in their offensive line that cannot be addressed and a dwindling depth chart in their secondary. It’s unknown how the team plans to address the issues before their Week 17 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. My Hottest Take: Bench The Injured Players For The Rest Of The Season In the second quarter, the Giants lost their star left tackle, Andrew Thomas, to a hamstring injury. The team immediately placed rookie tackle Marcus Mbow into the game while Thomas was later ruled out for the rest of the game. It marked the second time the star lineman has been injured this year, recovering from Lisfranc surgery earlier this year. Then, the team lost its starting center, John Michael Schmitz, to a hand injury in the third quarter. Schmitz had recently recovered from a concussion and had been emerging as a top-tier center in the NFL following a rocky debut a few years ago. It also didn’t help matters that the team also lost Cor’Dale Flott, arguably their best cornerback, to a leg injury in the game as well, stretching an already-thin secondary. With nothing left to play for except the exclusive rights to the first overall pick, the team might be better off just benching its starters for the last two games. Most of their coaching staff has been fired, the general manager is likely on his way out the door, and the team is in the middle of what could be their worst season in franchise history. At the same time, they have pieces on their roster that could very well help them return to playoff contention in three years, such as quarterback Jaxson Dart, the aforementioned Skattebo and Nabers, and Abdul Carter on defense. Meanwhile, on the draft side, there are quarterback-needy teams that would be desperate to trade up for Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza. That’s something to take into consideration. What You Need To Know: The Defense Nearly Won The Giants The Game The Giants' defense has seen somewhat of a turnaround since the firing of Shane Bowen from the defensive coordinator job. After a lackluster defensive performance against the New England Patriots in Week 13, they limited the Washington Commanders to 340 yards on offense, while also recovering two fumbles, including one that put the Giants in striking distance to win. They did even better against the Vikings, capping them at 240 yards while forcing a fumble for a touchdown and an interception in the first half. There’s been more aggressive playcalling under interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen, who previously served as the outside linebackers coach. Abdul Carter is also breaking out, recording three sacks in his last three games, along with two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He also has six quarterback hits during that time frame. As mentioned previously, the defense will be one area of improvement to watch for the Giants in the draft. Given their recent play, it’s easy to see this defense could be one of the more solid groups if they get the right players. Before You Go: The Giants Must Lose Next Week To Save Their 2026 Season The Giants and Raiders will face off in Las Vegas next Sunday for what will be the game to decide who locks in the first overall pick . Both teams have stagnant offenses and questionable defense, even with the Raiders having Ashton Jeanty on their team and Geno Smith as their quarterback. The problem for New York lies in the fact that the Raiders' offense is stagnant, especially if Carter and Brian Burns run havoc on the Las Vegas offensive line. The goal is simple: Play worse than the other team. If they do, they could be getting a king’s ransom during the offseason.

Hottest Take: I Believe In The Steelers Again, And That Scares Me The Steelers fans in my life are some of the most pessimistic people I know. When I started covering the team here at Sidelinr, I subconsciously adopted a lot of their jaded resignation to a middling season with nothing to show for it in Pittsburgh. For most of the season, that attitude was rewarded with up-and-down play, inconsistency, and chaos that seemed to waste a lot of potential on the roster. The failures seemed insurmountable, and the successes felt like flukes. Then Pittsburgh survived that fiasco in Detroit. All of a sudden, I think Pittsburgh might have what it takes to do something this year. The defense held Jahmyr Gibbs and the rest of the Lions ground crew to 15 rushing yards , a far cry from the liability that made the Jets seem dangerous. Aaron Rodgers and his receivers have built a connection, and the passing attack seems more balanced than rudderless. The injuries have been adjusted to in stride, and everything looks to be operating as it should be, and either a win over the Browns or a Ravens loss to the Packers next week will grant the Steelers a playoff spot as winners of the AFC North. Is there a chance that my optimism is misplaced? Absolutely. There’s a real chance that everything goes up in flames and Pittsburgh misses the playoffs. But it’s the holidays, so I’d rather spread Steelers cheer and look forward to an opportunity to make some noise in the postseason. Worst case scenario, Tomlin and company are more than welcome to blame me for jinxing the season–the engagement would make a great christmas present. What You Need To Know: DK Metcalf Got Suspended Steelers Receiver DK Metcalf was issued a two-game suspension on Monday stemming from an altercation with a Lions fan on the sideline during Sunday’s game. Metcalf appeared to exchange words with a fan in the front row, grabbing the man by his shirt before swiping at his blue novelty wig. According to reports from NFL insider , the fan has had altercations with Metcalf in the receiver’s previous visits to Detroit as a member of the Seahawks. The fan, identified as Ryan Kennedy, claimed that Metcalf took issue with Kennedy referring to him by his full legal name (DK is short for DeKaylin), while Metcalf’s camp has accused Kennedy of using hateful language directed at both him and his mother. While the facts of the case continue to develop, Metcalf has yet to appeal his punishment, which means that for now he’ll miss Pittsburgh’s final two regular-season games against Cleveland and Baltimore. Hopefully he'll return for a potential playoff run. While his absence will surely be a huge blow to an offense that’s caught fire in recent weeks, Pittsburgh will look to minimize the damage by turning to their leading receiver for an even bigger workload ... Before You Go: Kenneth Gainwell Saves Christmas If this ridiculous touchdown catch isn’t enough for you, let’s look at some numbers for the Memphis product in his first year in Pittsburgh. Gainwell has 501 rushing yards as the secondary back to Jaylen Warren, 410 receiving yards on a team-high 62 receptions, and 578 kickoff return yards to go along with it. After four years with the Eagles to begin his career, he’s looking like the team MVP after 15 games on the other side of Pennsylvania. If Gainwell can continue his all-purpose explosiveness, look for Arthur Smith to increase his volume even more in Metcalf’s absence as the regular season winds down.

Just two months ago, I was firmly on the side of extending Coby White . Now, the Chicago Bulls need to trade him... immediately. Not because he’s a bad player, a locker-room issue, or someone holding the team back, but because he is the only asset of real value on a roster stuck in NBA purgatory. White has done everything right: he developed, stayed professional and became a reliable scorer and shooter. Ironically, that’s exactly why the Bulls can’t afford to keep him. His contract expires at season’s end, and he’s poised to command over $30 million per year. Paying that kind of money to a team going nowhere isn’t just going to hamper the Bulls in the short term; it could delay the inevitable by a half-decade. The hard truth is this: the Bulls don’t have trade leverage anywhere else. Josh Giddey just signed a four-year, $100 million extension and isn’t moving. Nikola Vučević’ s low-post, old-school game has little demand in a league obsessed with spacing and pace. Kevin Huerter , Zach Collins and Jevon Carter are fine rotation pieces, but not assets that change a franchise’s outlook. That leaves White as the lone chip that still has league-wide interest, even if that interest only nets a mid-to-late first-round pick. And yes, that return may be underwhelming, but it’s far better than the Bulls’ specialty: letting assets walk for nothing. At season's end, the Bulls can potentially free up just over $90 million . This is enough to net a big free agent, but that's also something the Bulls have never accomplished. Holding onto White also continues to block the very thing this franchise claims to value: development. Matas Buzelis looked like a future building block late in his rookie season, only to regress as minutes and responsibility vanished. Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips can’t grow if they’re stuck playing spare minutes behind veterans who don’t fit a long-term plan. Ayo Dosunmu , a pending free agent, should be retained on a team-friendly deal and not overshadowed by a roster still pretending to compete. You can’t rebuild halfway, and the Bulls have lived in that gray area for years. What makes the situation worse is the looming roster cliff. After this season, the Bulls have six players — Vučević, White, Huerter, Dosunmu, Carter and Collins — who could all be unrestricted free agents. Outside of White, none carry first-round value. If the Bulls wait, they risk watching their most valuable piece leave while the rest of the roster depreciates further. This isn’t about tanking or giving up; it’s about finally choosing a direction. Trading Coby White isn’t controversial. It’s overdue.

After a promising NBA Cup semis showdown, it seems that the clock is turning back with another generation of the Thunder-Spurs rivalry finally kicking off. At this point, no one can deny that the seeds were already there to begin with — long before either team was contending to the top of the league. Remember, these two franchises have been warring in the Western Conference before the Warriors dynasty even began. Back then, it was the Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Durant era. So, when the Thunder drafted Chet Holmgren and redshirted him to coincidentally begin his NBA run alongside Victor Wembanyama, we all knew this was going to be a rivalry in the making. The San Antonio Spurs drew first blood against the Thunder this season. That’s a new thing to begin with. Wembanyama came from a 12-game absence to fuel the Spurs to the NBA Cup Finals. It was the latest installment to an ever-growing saga of elite hoops. The fact Oklahoma City is defending its title this season, while San Antonio is steadily rising to contend in the West is a sight to behold. It has been nearly a decade since we’ve last seen a massive Thunder vs. Spurs anticipation. With two more games to play in December for these teams, both are becoming a war for fans to enjoy. Chet vs. Wemby Is a Match Made in Heaven Let’s get started with the most obvious thing. The Chet vs. Wemby talks will be there for years to come as long as both players stay relevant. Last season, we saw how the path for these two players is really impressive. Wemby was named an All-Star for the first time, while Holmgren ended up winning the NBA Finals. Both suffered massive injuries, and yet they still had fruitful seasons. This will be a rivalry that will fuel every Thunder vs. Spurs matchup. No one can deny the fact that these players are going at it. We’ve seen Chet talk about respecting his rival, and Wemby, on the other hand, passively dismissing his fellow junior player. Nothing beats a rivalry between two impressive players whose careers will be forever intertwined. Both of these players have been grinding out to prove their worth in the league. They are even battling for the Defensive Player of the Year honors this season, all the more reason to watch every time they play against each other. You don’t see such generational talent battle it out on the big stage all the time. The fact that we are seeing the next generation of centers is astounding, and it shows a lot about how a Thunder vs. Spurs game will also be considered a Chet vs. Wemby Super Bowl now and then. Thunder and Spurs are More Alike Than You Think To be fair, the Spurs and Thunder are very much alike. They have towering centers who dominate the paint and space the floor. They have very athletic guards who can play defense and run the court faster than any other team in the league. And most of all, they are nearly in the same age bracket. That says a lot about what you should expect in every Thunder vs. Spurs game. San Antonio is a legendary team, we all know that. But OKC is becoming a rare team like the 72-10 Bulls or the 73-9 Warriors at this point. Both sides still have a lot to prove, but this is what makes them fun to watch. No one can deny the Thunder are poised to become what seems to be the next dynasty in the league . By design, it seems the Spurs are equally equipped to at least combat what OKC has to offer. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams may well find their match in Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell. It’s a promising basketball storyline that you would not want to miss. The Future of NBA Rivalries is Here In a sense, yes, maybe we are finally back to a time where a Spurs team will be seeing a lot of the Thunder squad in the years to come. It’s a matchup that will feed families in the long run, all while fueling massive debates on social media and even among basketball experts. We haven’t seen such a relevant rivalry in years, since LeBron James and Stephen Curry always battled it out in consecutive seasons. Maybe this time, the basketball gods have missed seeing intense showdowns and massive emotions flowing down in a single game, so they gifted us two incredible teams to begin with. If anything, this Thunder vs. Spurs rivalry has just begun. To make it even more interesting, we’ve got a whole lot of years to witness these epic moments.

Today’s Hottest Take: They Can’t Live Up To The Past The Clippers had plenty of expectations coming into this season. They had just come off a successful season, making the playoffs and going to a Game 7 with the Denver Nuggets. They got players like Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and Chris Paul to help out the starters. However, the biggest change was trading away Norman Powell for John Collins. While Powell was just coming off of an All-Star caliber season, people still thought this would be a good trade. Collins is a good finisher, he can shoot the 3-ball well, and he is an above-average defender. Bogdan Bogdanović was traded to the Clippers in February 2025 for Terrence Mann. This was a great trade at the time because Mann was on a $33 million contract even though he barely played. Bogdanović, on the other hand, was in a bit of a slump but had been playing great for the Hawks. Once he got to the Clippers, he provided an immediate impact, bringing scoring, shooting and ball handling off of the bench. He was a much needed piece for the Clippers, as they had one of the worst benches in the whole league. Coming into this season, the Clippers were the oldest team in the league. All of their best players were past their prime besides these two. These two were both thought to be in the prime stages of their careers, and their numbers proved that. They both were efficient scorers who made their mark on the teams they had played on. They were thought to be the players who could insert some intensity into the Clippers’ elderly lineup. The opposite has proved to be true. What You Need to Know: This Duo Is Killing the Clippers This season, this duo is having career lows across the board. Collins is shooting career lows from the field and on 3-pointers this season. He’s also averaging career lows in rebounds and assists, and this is his lowest points per game since his rookie season. He has a terrible box plus/minus and net rating as well. Bogdanović isn’t doing much better this season. His points per game and field-goal percentage are career lows this year. He's shooting under the league average from 3 and is averaging 1.5 turnovers per game, as well. These two being nonexistent on the court has seriously hurt the Clippers. With Beal and Derrick Jones Jr., the Clippers could desperately use another ball-handling guard who can score at all three levels, and a forward who can play defense and then run down and catch a lob or shoot a 3. This is what these two were supposed to do. Instead of that, they are screwing up the entire Clippers’ rotation At this point, the Clippers need to do something. If they want any chance to make the playoffs, they can’t wait around for these two. Collins looks lost offensively, and Bogdanović hasn’t been able to create separation or knock down shots at the rate the Clippers desperately need. Despite the fact these two were brought in to help stabilize the Clippers, fans now hate to see them sub into the game. Before You Go: Trades That Could Save The Clippers. With the Clippers desperately needing to change up their rotation, trading these two would be the easiest solution. This first trade is a bit risky, and both teams might have some problems with it, but it could be a win-win trade. The Clippers would send Collins and Bogdanović along with two of their first round picks that are swaps with OKC for LaMelo Ball. Ball has long been rumored to be traded to Clippers after LaVar Ball said he wanted LaMelo to be a Clipper. With Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller playing great, the Hornets might want to offload LaMelo while he is still valuable for some role players they hope will bounce back. The Clippers will get an All-Star level talent who can fit in between James Harden and Kawhi Leonard to form a deadly trio. This would also be inserting some much needed youth into the Clippers lineup. The issue with this is that LaMelo is notoriously injury prone, almost as much as Kawhi, and it would make the Clippers lineup even more uncertain. The second trade would be the start of a reset for the Clippers, with them trying to get draft capital and young players. It would send Collins and Bogdanović to the Wizards for Kris Middleton and Marven Bagley, along with two first rounders. The Clippers get Middleton on an expiring contract, meaning they will have $33 million in cap space next year. The Wizards can get two role players who can get the ball a lot and inflate their numbers to make them more valuable trade assets in the future. While both of these trades have their flaws, doing either of them is better than sitting down and watching as these two players actively sabotage the Clippers.

Sports are often poetic. The Los Angeles Chargers, a team and franchise that has spent almost a decade under the iron fist of the Kansas City Chiefs, just happened to get the privilege of walking into Kansas City and officially ending the Chiefs playoff hopes ( and making me look like a genius in the process ). My Hottest Take: The 2025 Draft Class is Franchise-Altering Every couple of years, you look at a player that gets drafted as franchise-altering, but sometimes you’re lucky enough to view an entire draft class and see it almost immediately change the direction of a franchise. This Sunday was a perfect example of what a strong draft class can do when it comes to impacting a franchise. Omarion Hampton? A 26-yard scamper in crunch time to single-handedly take the Chargers into field goal range for what ended up being the game-winner. Tre Harris? A 37-yard over-the-shoulder grab to flip the game on its head and set the Chargers up for a score right before half. Oronde Gadsden II? Added to his historic rookie campaign by leading the Chargers in yards on the day, including a beautiful grab to set up the game-tying score. And lastly, we have to show some love to KeAndre Lambert-Smith! KLS added some juice with a kick return to set the Chargers up at the 40 before filling in for an injured Tre Harris to catch the aforementioned touchdown right before half. And that’s just this Sunday. I could rave about the contributions of Jamaree Caldwell, who has done a sensational job helping fill the void left by Poona Ford. As well as RJ Mickens, whose rapid progression and production allowed the Chargers to move on from Alohi Gilman and bring in Odafe Oweh. The main takeaway is this: when you have a draft class that produces five first-year starters (Hampton, Harris, Caldwell, Mickens, Gadsden II), you’re looking at a very bright future. What You Need to Know: Welcome to the “Unction” For years, the Chargers were the soft but flashy team, the bad run game, the swiss cheese run defense, mentally falling apart at the first sign of struggle. Now they are so nasty, tough, and just got done being so physical in a divisional matchup that the other fanbase is claiming foul play. How the times have changed. Yes, it’s most certainly a Jim Harbaugh mentality. But there’s one player in particular who embodies what Harbaugh has been trying to accomplish since he got into the Chargers facilities. Enter Tony Jefferson, aka “Unc.” When Unc landed this hit on Rashee Rice I damn near broke the sound barrier with my reaction, and when not long after he was flagged and subsequently ejected for a hit on Tyquan Thornton it sparked a lengthy back and forth on the field where tempers flared and Jefferson walk off the field giving Kansas City fans a “parting message” that all but guaranteed the 33-year-old would be playing next week's game for free considering the fine he was about to incur. Among all of that, you saw two different reactions from both squads unfold, a Chiefs team that became extremely emotional and lost focus of the goal at hand, and a Chargers team that relished the opportunity to be the heel in this matchup and used the confrontation as a catalyst to send another message. As Jefferson was escorted to the locker room, leaders Derwin James and Daiyan Henley told the vet that they had his back, and responded by ending both of the Chiefs final drives with interceptions, one by Daiyan and one by Derwin. I could go on and on about his actual on-field production, his 19th-ranked PFF grade amongst safeties, four interceptions on the year, his 33.0 (!!!) passer rating when targeted, the dude has been an absolute baller. But that doesn’t even give full appreciation to the fact that guys like him have entirely transformed the mentality of the entire roster into what looks to be a Super Bowl contender. Before You Go: Where Does the AFC Stand? As another week passes, we gain more clarity on the playoff picture as a whole. The Chargers have all but locked up a spot; it’s now more a matter of where they fall in terms of seeding. And everything is on the table at this point! The Chargers still have a path to the No. 1 seed , which I’m sure is a shock to some, but realistically are looking to maintain a hold on the No. 5 seed, as their path through the playoffs is much easier in that case than if they were to fall to the sixth or seventh seed and draw a stiffer matchup than whoever wins the AFC North. That brings us to our Week 16 Rooting Guide! To officially clinch a playoff berth, the Chargers would need to win over Dallas; if they are unable to do so, they would have to wait until Week 17 to officially secure a spot in the playoffs. The division is pretty simple: if the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Denver Broncos this week, the Chargers control their own destiny to host a playoff game. As far as games that would assist them in gaining a grip on the 5 seed, here’s what you should be looking for: The Cleveland Browns over the Buffalo Bills The Las Vegas Raiders over the Houston Texans The Baltimore Ravens over the New England Patriots At the end of the day, the Chargers can only control what they do, and if they take care of business, it seems as if everything else will take care of itself.

My Hottest Take: The Titans' offense is finally starting to make some noise It was evident that the Titans were going to struggle on the offensive end this year, with a difficult schedule, a rookie QB, and a horrendous offensive line. I don’t think anyone expected them to be this bad. They have been held under 14 points in half their games this season and have been shut out on multiple occasions. However, these last few weeks, something has clicked in the offense, as they have put up 31 and 24 points against two top defenses in the league in the Browns and 49ers. Cam Ward has thrown for 300 yards and four touchdowns in those games, and not to mention that Tony Pollard has had 275+ yards with three touchdowns as well. As stated in a previous article, this offense excels when Pollard controls the run game, and it is no coincidence that in back-to-back 100-yard games, the Titans have put up two of their best weeks, points-wise, all season long. If the Titans get the right coaching staff and some quality draft picks to pair with pending free agents, this offense could be above-average, if not better, moving forward. What You Need to Know: Gunnar Helm broke the record for the most receptions by a rookie tight end in franchise history Gunnar Helm recorded his 41st reception on Sunday and became the leader for the most receptions by a rookie tight end in franchise history. He passed Bo Scaife, who set the mark back in 2005. Helm on the season now has 41 receptions, 347 yards, and two touchdowns. Helm hasn’t lit it up yards-wise, but he has been a reliable pair of hands for Ward. Helm and Chig Okonkwo have made a great duo this year as the two tight ends have combined for over 800 yards. With the uncertainty of Okonkwo’s contract expiring this offseason, Helm could be the TE1 going into next season. If that is the case, then Titans have struck gold with another rookie, as they drafted both Helm and Chimere Dike in the fourth round. Helm is an above-average run blocker who can also make plays down the field. The Titans will have Helm for the foreseeable future, and if they can turn him into a dominant pass catcher, he can be a top tight end in the league for years to come. Before You Go: The Titans have a good chance for their third win of the year against the Chiefs The Titans are looking for their third win of the year against the Chiefs this Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The Titans have an excellent opportunity to win this game, considering the Chiefs will be without Patrick Mahomes, who tore his ACL this past Sunday. Gardner Minshew will likely be getting the start for the Chiefs and is familiar with the Titans, as he played them many times while in Jacksonville. With the Chiefs now out of playoff contention and the possibility of a full year without Patrick Mahomes, I can easily see the Chiefs tanking for a better draft pick the rest of the year. With the Titans' offense scoring 20 points in back-to-back weeks for the first time all year, I expect them to stay hot offensively and play spoiler to a beat-up Chiefs team this Sunday. If the defense holds up, this could be another confidence builder for the Titans to end the year.

When the Denver Broncos beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5, it was the biggest win in years. When they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11, that was the next biggest game in years, but Sunday’s win over the Green Bay Packers is right up there as one of the most significant performances of this season, and for the past few years. Today’s Hottest Take: Sunday’s win over the Packers is arguably the most significant of the year The Broncos have had plenty of tests this season, but Sunday’s game against the Packers was the latest, and Denver was the underdog going into the game. Denver is used to being an underdog and thrives. This time it resulted in arguably the biggest win of the year. Philadelphia was the reigning Super Bowl champion, but they have had clear flaws this season. Kansas City has been a dynasty and is in the division, but they aren’t even a playoff team (thankfully). Green Bay had been trending up, though. Quarterback Jordan Love has been on a tear and is, in some people’s eyes, an MVP candidate. In the first half of Sunday’s game, he looked the part. Through two quarters, Love completed 17 of his 22 pass attempts for 215 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. Frankly, Love was torching a normally stout Broncos defense. Love got the ball out quickly, so the Denver pass rush was a non-factor, and when he had more time in the pocket, he hurt Denver deep down the field. The second half was an entirely different story, though. Denver ended the day with just three sacks, two of which came in the closing minutes of the game, but the secondary more than did its job in the second half. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II came up with a crucial pick with the team down nine points at the beginning of the third quarter. Denver went on a run, regained the lead and the cornerback Riley Moss came up with another. In the second half, Love was seven of 18 for 61 passing yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. The Denver defense hasn’t been immune to strong offensive play, but it has rarely found a way to recover. At this rate, the Broncos might be the most battle-tested team in the league. Denver has won 10 one-score games against a range of teams from bad to great. The Broncos have kept finding ways to win, and beating a team like Green Bay this way proves their status as a clear contender. After hardly beating struggling opponents or getting “lucky” wins over good teams, this is just how Denver plays, and it has the team sitting atop the AFC. What You Need To Know: Broncos may need to lean on Nix once again A win Sunday afternoon against the Jacksonville Jaguars would secure the No. 1 seed for Denver going into the playoffs, but to get the job done, they may need another great performance from quarterback Bo Nix. The second-year passer had potentially the best game of his career Sunday against Green Bay. Against a good rush defense in the Jaguars, though, he will need to bring his A-game again this weekend. Jacksonville’s defense runs through its run defense, and Denver isn’t getting much from its rushers. Rookie RJ Harvey had a great game two weeks ago against the Las Vegas Raiders, but the most recent game was a return to form. Harvey has been a great rookie, but he was best when utilized as the change-of-pace back. Now that he’s the starter, he hasn’t been overly efficient. Green Bay is a great defense, but his 3.4 yards per carry on 19 attempts was just decent. While it may not be of much importance, Denver did recently sign former Los Angeles Rams running back Cody Schrader off waivers . He likely isn’t a part of the offense, but he could earn a few attempts if Denver is desperate for answers. If Nix is playing how he did Sunday, there’s no doubt he gives the team its best chance to win. Before You Go: Brandon Jones is out for the remainder of the regular season Unfortunately for the Broncos, they will be without safety Brandon Jones for the rest of the regular season. Jones had appeared in every game this season, but after suffering an injury on Sunday, he was placed on IR. Now , he’ll be required to miss the rest of the regular season, but he could return in the postseason. P.J. Locke earned more reps Sunday because of the injury to Jones. While Locke was replaced by safety Talanoa Hufanga this offseason, Denver has a player available who used to get starter reps. Locke isn’t the player Jones is, but his experience will be crucial for a team looking to lock down a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs.

As the clock ticked down to zeros in the fourth quarter of last Thursday’s showdown in Tampa, an exasperated Mike Evans looked on as the ball sailed through the uprights. The 43-yard field goal from the Atlanta Falcons’ kicker, Zane Gonzalez, put the nail in the coffin of his team’s 14-point fourth-quarter comeback, which handed the Bucs their fifth loss in their last six games. Evans quickly took to the tunnel and headed for his squad’s locker room, visibly upset with how his first game back from injury had ended. Usually stoic, silent and respectful, he saw his frustration boil over, which gave members of the media a quip to run with. “It’s 3rd and 28!” he repeated to himself as he stormed through the tunnel. “It’s 3rd and 28!” Evans was referring to the situation the Bucs’ defense was facing during the Falcons’ game-winning drive. With just over a minute left on the game clock, Atlanta’s offense stalled momentarily at its own 29 yard line. The score read 28-26 in favor of Tampa, and needing to reach the Tampa Bay 33 for a first down, the Falcons had just two downs to travel 28 yards and stay alive in the game. With two passes—a 14-yarder and a 21-yarder—the Falcons did just that. There is no pass rush. There is no ability to cover the middle of the field. There is no discipline. Now tied for the NFC South lead with the Carolina Panthers—who had a stinker of their own Sunday, losing to the New Orleans Saints—the Bucs still have a good-to-fair shot to make it to the NFL Playoffs. But with this defense, they might not even want to. My Hottest Take: The Bucs’ Pass Rush Is The Team’s Biggest Blemish Let’s start with the pass rush, which has been the issue most have harped on throughout the season. During the Bucs’ six-week slide, they have recorded a grand total of eight sacks—just over one per game—which is tied for the third-least in the NFL. In last Thursday’s loss to the Falcons, with 37-year-old, largely immobile quarterback Kirk Cousins taking the snaps for Atlanta, the Bucs recorded just one sack. Somehow, despite some relatively large names in the Bucs’ defensive line rotation (Haason Reddick, Vita Vea, Yaya Diaby), Tampa refuses to be able to get pressure with four players. Most plays, Vea eats up a double-team, which should theoretically leave lanes for the other three to pursue the quarterback. But try as they might, nobody seems to be able to find the backfield until the ball is already gone. To mitigate this glaring issue, head coach and ‘defensive guru’ Todd Bowles has resorted to throwing a stale barrage of zone blitzes at opposing defenses. Typically, these blitzes vacate a large portion of the space between the hashes, which allows opposing quarterbacks to dump four-yard passes into the void for 12-yard gains. You can ask Kirk Cousins (373 yds, three TDs) and Kyle Pitts (11 rec, 166 yds, three TDs) how difficult Bowles’ defensive scheme was to attack on Thursday. The issues the Bucs have rushing the passer are not the only factors that contribute to their struggles in the middle of the field. We’ll get to that next. What You Need To Know: The Fans Love You, Lavonte, But It Might Be Time The newest generation of Bucs fans holds linebacker Lavonte David in high regard. He captained the Tampa Bay defensive unit for the team's recent Super Bowl, and he should likely be a Hall-of-Famer. But he’s also 35. And for the modern National Football League, that is ancient—especially for a linebacker. PFF Grades are typically something that should get limited credence, but they are a metric that attempts to quantify a player’s effectiveness on the field. In 2022, David graded out at an astonishing 84.1—a top-three linebacker in the NFL, by that measurement. That grade included an 88.4 coverage grade, which is what David has been known for throughout large portions of his career. Oh, how times have changed. Last year, David fell to a 68.7 overall, including a dismal sub-60 coverage grade. It was a historically bad season for him. This year, it has gotten worse. He now sits at a 53.3 overall grade, which encompasses his 46.3 coverage grade. He is not in the top 45 among graded linebackers in any PFF category. He looks old. That’s not a knock on his career, and Bucs fans across the board likely agree that David is among a select group of some of the most loved guys to ever don the red and pewter. Maybe it isn’t age—maybe it’s scheme, a different training regimen, the players around him, etc. But the proof is in the pudding. His tape has been tough to watch, and the sample size is big enough to say the shift is not a fluke. On Thursday, David—like every other linebacker on the roster—was outpaced by safety Antoine Winfield Jr. for the team lead in tackles. While that stat could mean Winfield had a fantastic game, the film says otherwise. Winfield was on clean-up duty after a slew of missed tackles and missed assignments on the first and second levels. Moving Forward: Panthers in the Crosshairs If ever there was a time for an abysmal defensive unit to prove something, it is now. The Bucs officially have their backs against the wall, likely needing two wins in their next three games to seal the division and capture a playoff berth. They will head north to Charlotte for a date with the Carolina Panthers—led by ex-Tampa OC Dave Canales—on Sunday. Canales worked alongside Bowles, and the two of them should have some level of familiarity with each other’s systems. Bowles’ defense now ranks as a bottom-10 unit in the league in total yards allowed and total points allowed. By all accounts, the product on that side of the ball has been atrocious. With Bowles’ seat getting consistently hotter, all the stops should be pulled out to get a road win this Sunday. For the sake of Bowles’ job, he better empty the playbook.

My Hottest Take: ‘Through the Wire’ is the New Steelers Anthem Pittsburgh’s depth chart from Week 1 against the Jets is a distant memory, a victim of countless injuries. Rather than throw in the Terrible Towel, the front office has brought in multiple high-impact free agents off the waiver wire to keep the season duct-taped together. Monday night saw a huge interception for newcomer Asante Samuel Jr, who looks to be returning to form after spinal surgery . Marques Valdez-Scantling, whose arrival was overshadowed by the addition of fellow wide receiver Adam Theilen, reconnected with longtime teammate Aaron Rodgers for a third-quarter touchdown. (Note: Allen Lazard, another Rodgers favorite, was released by the Jets this week, which might be something to keep an eye on despite the surplus of receivers on the roster at the moment.) Mike Tomlin deserves credit for making it easy for newcomers to immediately impact the game, especially on short notice. The culture of the Steelers continues to impress, exceeding short-term expectations even if they haven’t been able to compete for a conference championship as of late. Need to Know: Former Dolphins Take Revenge The Steelers and Dolphins completed a trade back in June that brought Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh in exchange for returning Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami, where he began his career. While Fitzpatrick played well in his return to Acrisure Stadium, the Dolphins were haunted all game by Ramsey and Smith, with the latter rushing for a touchdown as a part of Arthur Smith’s madman offensive scheme . Ramsey, for his part, seemed to take great joy in wreaking havoc on his old team, lighting up Tua Tagovailoa for a sack and denying a two-point conversion attempt that would have given the Dolphins a fighting chance for a comeback attempt. It’s hard to truly quantify what impact this trade has had on Pittsburgh’s season–they’ve certainly missed Fitzpatrick’s consistency at times this year–it was great to see two former Dolphins punish their old team for casting them away. Before You Go: One Time for Dylan Cook Few position groups for the Steelers have been as injury prone as their offensive line, as I mentioned last week . Due to starters dropping left and right, players like Dylan Cook have been called upon to move up from the practice squad and step into starting roles without much experience. The former college quarterback turned lineman for FCS Montana, Cook saw his first ever action last week against Baltimore and earned his first career start against Miami. Cook’s debut action included all 66 offensive snaps and featured a complete shutdown of Dolphins star Bradley Chubb, earning some postgame flowers from Tomlin during the coaches’ media availability . Players like Cook showcase the silver lining of a team like the Steelers; if the team can win with so many players injured, they will continue to grow even more dangerous as players (such as superstar TJ Watt) gradually return from injury, hopefully in time to make some noise in the postseason.

A continuing series of miscues plagued the New York Giants in their 29-21 loss to the Washington Commanders on Dec. 14. Continuous bad routes by dwindling wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, two missed field goals by a kicker quickly fading into obscurity, and continued poor play by the defense is allowing the team to slump into the first overall pick . It can be a good thing, given they could have exclusive rights to Caleb Downs or a wide receiver early in the draft, but fans suffered through a lot of pain this season to hopefully achieve that. My Hottest Take: No Cohesion In The Locker Room The longer the season goes on, the clearer it gets that there is no leadership on the team anywhere. Dexter Lawrence seems very upset and is almost defeated every time he talks to the media. Brian Daboll’s been gone for well over a month, and the lack of stars on offense has the team in neutral. Mike Kafka hasn’t done a good job trying to right the ship, either, even garnering laughs online for what seemed to be an uninspiring, tin-can pep talk. On the offense, the only thing they have going for them is the continued success of Jaxson Dart at quarterback. The Ole Miss product has thrown 13 touchdowns and rushed for seven over nine gams, garnering over 2,600 yards from scrimmage to keep the team in the game. It can even be argued that he’s the only thing keeping this team from getting shut out every single week. The problems really shine on defense. New York should be considered lucky to have the services of Brian Burns on their team, who has 13 sacks and two forced fumbles this season in place of a decent pass-rusher on the line. When looking past Burns, there isn’t really a lot to be excited about, including Lawrence who seems to be having a real tough time stopping running backs. It really showed against the Commanders, who have been exceptionally dysfunctional this season after a Cinderella run to the NFC Championship game last year. The lack of a leader and harmony in the locker room resulted in arguably the most lifeless performance from the team so far, never mind the closeness of the scoreboard. What You Need To Know: Mistakes, Mistakes, and Mistakes We saw a team that has, essentially, given up to the point where mistakes don’t faze them anymore. Darius Slayton, the longest-tenured Giant on the offense, dropped a critical would-have-been touchdown pass in the third quarter right at the goal line. Sure, Dart took the blame for it, but those drops cannot happen in a game like that, much less against a team with their own issues. Hyatt, on the other hand, ran another bad route that nearly turned into a pick-six if not for an athletic tackle at the end of the play. As mentioned before, there were also two missed field goal attempts by former Pro Bowl kicker Younghoe Koo. The veteran kicker missed both of his attempts from more than 50 yards out which would have brought the game within one point if he had made both. It also didn’t help the Giants completely missed out on several tackles and looked exceptionally sluggish trying to chase down Jaylin Lane on a punt return touchdown. There was no fight on the team at all during Sunday’s contest. Abdul Carter finally emerged with a sack and a fumble recovery, but that’s too little and too late. Either the team is just tanking at this point or things were really bad from the start and we’re just seeing the full effects now. Before You Go: The Giants Might Play Themselves Out Of The First Pick Again There are three games left in the 2025 NFL season, and the Giants still have a lot of competition for the rights to the first overall pick. Their schedule doesn’t help matters. Next week, they will play against the Minnesota Vikings, who have been inconsistent at best and awful at worst. Then they play in week 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders, who arguably have the most inept offense anywhere in the league despite Ashton Jeanty in the backfield. Finally, they wrap up the season against the Dallas Cowboys, who are coming off a loss to the aforementioned Vikings but are still in the playoff hunt. Last year, a surprise win against the Indianapolis Colts pushed them out of the first overall slot to the Tennessee Titans. They, once again, have to compete with them for the slot alongside Las Vegas and even the crosstown Jets. If they win two games, they’re out of contention completely.

There’s no other way to put it: the Green Bay Packers are staring at a nightmare. Injuries mounted on both sides of the ball in Denver, capped by Micah Parsons’ season-ending knee injury during Green Bay’s 34–26 road loss to the Broncos. Parsons leads the Packers this season in sacks, pressures, hurries and quarterback hits. He was the heart and soul of the defense, and the truth is, Green Bay won’t be able to replace him. He’s a generational player, and those don’t come around often. Now, the Packers must move forward on a short week, capped by a Week 16 Saturday matchup against the Chicago Bears in the Windy City. Today’s Hottest Take: The Packers can still be a top defense without Micah Parsons Losing Parsons hurts — a lot — but let’s not forget what this defense has already shown it can be. Last season, Green Bay finished as a top-10 unit in nearly every major advanced metric : fifth in EPA per play, fifth in total EPA, sixth against the pass and seventh against the run, and they did that while Parsons was still terrorizing quarterbacks for the Dallas Cowboys. Now, Jeff Hafley may need to adjust some of the dynamics within his unit. Losing Parsons removes the defense’s most reliable source of disruption, and that changes everything up front. Last season, when Parsons wasn’t part of the picture, Green Bay’s pass rush struggled badly, finishing as a bottom-10 unit in pass rush win rate . Without a player who consistently wins one-on-one, Hafley will likely need to be more creative with how pressure is generated. What You Need to Know: Expect Green Bay to blitz more moving forward The Packers entered Week 15 with a 19.6% blitz rate , ranking 29th in the NFL, largely because they were able to create pressure without committing extra defenders. With Parsons likely done for the year, that approach may no longer be sustainable. Expect Green Bay to manufacture pressure more often, which likely means a noticeable increase in blitz frequency moving forward. One of Hafley’s strongest traits as a defensive mind is his creativity, and that quality will be tested even more without Parsons. With Green Bay no longer able to rely as heavily on its base pressure packages, Hafley will need to dig deeper into his bag of tricks to keep the front seven disruptive and unpredictable. That could mean leaning more on linebackers as part of the pass rush. Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper have both been more effective when used as blitzers, particularly in timely, well-disguised pressures. Without Parsons, Green Bay may need to feature those looks more often, using second-level pressure to compensate and prevent opposing quarterbacks from getting too comfortable in the pocket. Before You Go: Rashan Gary needs to answer the moment The upcoming stretch is a career-defining one for Rashan Gary. With Parsons done for the year, Gary now becomes the focal point of the Packers’ pass rush. A first-round pick in 2019, he has yet to record a double-digit sack season, and last year, he ranked 31st among edge rushers in total pressures . He signed a four-year, $96 million extension in 2023, and it’s time for his production to start matching Green Bay’s investment. With the opportunity in front of him, the timing couldn’t be better. The opportunities will be there. If you’re Gary, this is your chance to show you can step into the void left by a generational pass rusher. It’s a chance to prove you belong in the conversation among the league’s top edge defenders — and that Green Bay’s investment in you was justified. If there was ever a moment to define your career, this is it. Green Bay’s Super Bowl odds will undoubtedly take a hit with Parsons sidelined for the year, but this team should still be firmly in the playoff picture. From here on out, it’s going to take a true all-11 effort on defense. No one player can replace Parsons, but collective execution, communication and complementary pass rush will determine how much his absence is ultimately felt.

In the first of four games that will likely define the 49ers season, the team came up with a surprisingly close back-and-forth shootout win over the Titans, winning 37-24. Despite the good feelings, and the momentum going into next week’s game against the Colts, I can’t be alone in feeling somewhat flat after an uneven performance. Let’s take a look at why, and what might come next. My Hottest Take: The offense can carry this team (and might have to) One of the biggest positives about Sunday’s performance was the talent, effort, and cohesion shown by the team’s offense. It’s possibly one of the few times this season that all parts of the offense seem to have gelled, with Jauan Jennings, George Kittle, and Ricky Pearsall (more of him later) all helping Brock Purdy put up a great game, while Christian McCaffrey proved to be his usual self out of the backfield. Purdy’s 295-yard, three-touchdown performance was excellent, and he also showed some pretty good wheels when scrambling too. At his best, Purdy can evoke memories of great 49ers quarterbacks like Steve Young; much like Young, he may only be respected when he wins a Super Bowl. Racking up 430 yards in total offense was key in keeping the Titans at bay, with the team looking pretty much like they could score on every possession, and converting what looked like a difficult game at halftime into a relatively sedate second half. It’s a good job they did, because the 49ers defensive unit had one of its poorest games of the season. It’s hard to know what was worse: giving up around six yards per carry on the ground, or showing all the ball skills in the secondary of a horse with blinkers, but it was a truly incredibly bad performance against an offensive unit that hardly strikes fear in the heart. We seem to incessantly hear how Robert Saleh is battling attrition, but it’s still his job to get the best out of his unit, and none of the three phases of it are playing well right now, even down to the defensive backs, who aren’t depleted by injuries. With bigger tests coming up, the 49ers offense might have to put up upwards of 30 points a game to get those vital wins, particularly if the defense continues to misfire as it did on Sunday. Fortunately, they might be rounding into form at just the right time. What You Need To Know: It gets harder from here I think much of the reason I feel so flat after Sunday’s performance is the knowledge that that was supposed to be the easiest game remaining on our schedule. The Titans are feared by no one (with the possible exception of the Raiders), and most observers had the 49ers winning handily. Perhaps two scores could be considered that way, but I didn’t feel it was a particularly dominant performance. That’s troubling, because we’ve got some really big tests coming up. Alright, Phillip Rivers is 44 and looks to have had a great Thanksgiving, but they have some threatening playmakers on the outside, and perhaps most troublingly for a run defense leaking oil, they’re about to face one of the best running backs in the league in Jonathan Taylor. Following that with the Bears, who are an increasingly improving offensive unit, is not likely to be easy, while for all Seattle’s sputtering on offense, they’ve enough to worry this team. The 49ers are going to have to get back to basics on defense: winning the early downs and therefore hiding some of the anemia within the pass rush by being able to play the sticks on long third downs. Before You Go: It’s Ricky Pearsall SZN (injuries pending) Let’s end on a positive note, especially because it’s a player I’ve often gone to bat for since he was drafted last year. Pearsall is awesome. After having the unfortunate welcome to the professional ranks of being shot in the chest in his rookie season, Pearsall started his second season on fire, but again had it curtailed by a troublesome PCL injury which saw him miss several games. He finally looked back up to full speed and talent on Sunday, snagging six passes for 96 yards and frequently providing the team explosive play at the receiver spot–which is needed, as the 49ers offense has lacked explosive plays with him out. He’s so important to the team: his speed opens up so much more of the field, and he seems to have excellent chemistry with Brock Purdy. He’s improving all the time and looks set to ascend to another level, which is well-timed for the 49ers given Brandon Aiyuk’s disappearing act and Jauan Jennings’ expiring contract. The problem? He’s aggravated that PCL injury again … let’s hope it’s nothing serious, because Pearsall being a part of the 49ers' offensive unit genuinely makes them a better team. He’s a chance to be an elite playmaker, if he can stay healthy.

If this loss against the Lions — and the issues we've seen throughout the season — haven’t shown you the Cowboys’ needs, nothing will. This team just allowed 309 passing yards and a touchdown, plus 109 rushing yards and four touchdowns, so we’ll be discussing the four positions the Cowboys should target in their two first-round picks, and yes, this will be defense-oriented. Linebacker The Cowboys are in serious need of a true MIKE linebacker, as the team hasn’t solidified the position. Kenneth Murray is set to hit free agency, and Logan Wilson is likely entering the tail end of his career, making him more of a solid veteran depth piece at this point. Dallas needs a MIKE who can be the QB of the defense, drop into coverage, and anchor the run game. Cowboys Fit – Ohio State LB Sonny Styles Styles is a former safety who transitioned to linebacker two years ago, and it shows in his game. At 6'5” and over 240 pounds, he has smooth, fluid hips and impressive speed that allow him to cover tight ends and running backs with ease. His background at safety gives him excellent drop-coverage ability, and his length allows him to play with real physicality and disengage from blockers. This year, he wore the Green Dot, operating as Ohio State’s MIKE linebacker. He fits exactly what the Cowboys should be looking for in a modern linebacker, no matter who the defensive coordinator is. Cornerback With Trevon Diggs’s future with the Cowboys in question, the past three years have raised real concerns about his long-term reliability. He’s been riddled with injuries, and his production hasn’t been the same since his standout 2022 season. When healthy, Diggs is one of the most gifted ball-hawks in the league. Still, the inconsistent availability has forced Dallas to rethink its security at the cornerback position. Because of this, the Cowboys may need to look into drafting a cornerback with one of their first-round picks. Adding a young, high-upside CB not only provides insurance if Diggs can’t stay on the field, but also helps stabilize a secondary that has struggled whenever he’s been sidelined. Cowboys Fit – Clemson CB Avieon Terrell The younger brother of A.J. Terrell, Avieon, has solidified his own name at Clemson. At 5'11”, 180 pounds, he’s not the biggest corner, but he’s competitive, physical and fully capable of playing outside. He’s improved his strength, leverage and ability to shed blocks, and he’s a sticky cover corner with smooth hips that make life tough on receivers. Before his late-November injury, Terrell ranked among the top defensive backs in yards allowed per attempt (around 4.5) and forced incompletions at a high rate. He’ll spend the offseason recovering and preparing for the NFL Draft. Edge The Cowboys have solidified their defensive tackle room with Quinnen Williams, Osa Odighizuwa, Kenny Clark and Solomon Thomas, giving them one of the strongest interior groups in the league. However, the edge rusher situation is far less stable. While Donovan Ezeiruaku looks promising, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler Jr., Jadeveon Clowney and James Houston are all set to hit free agency in 2026. With so much uncertainty at the position, Dallas needs to keep its options open, and that includes targeting an edge rusher with one of their first-round picks. Cowboys Fit- Alabama Edge LT Overton Overton is a 6'5”, 283-pound edge defender with true versatility, able to play outside or slide to 3-tech on passing downs. He fires off the ball with power, uses his 34-inch arms to extend and shed blocks — exactly the kind of traits the Cowboys love in their linemen. For his size, he shows impressive bend and leverage, plus a strong bull rush that consistently collapses the pocket. Alabama has produced dominant defensive linemen for years, Williams included, and Overton fits right into that mold. Pairing him with Ezeiruaku’s bend, speed and relentless motor would give Dallas a perfectly balanced edge duo, with Overton bringing the power and versatility.

Starting December 13-6, the New York Knicks were in need of some wins, and they got exactly that, granted a lighter schedule to start the month. The Knicks started by winning three straight at home over the Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic. After a 34-point victory against Utah, they took Orlando down to the wire, ultimately winning by six. The hot start swung momentum in their direction, as they took on the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Thanks to Jalen Brunson’s 35-point performance, New York escaped with a convincing triumph, sending them to Las Vegas for the tournament semifinals. That same moment carried over into Saturday’s game, where they surpassed the Magic by 12 points, thanks to all five starters finishing in the double digits. On the other side of the bracket, the San Antonio Spurs snapped the Oklahoma City Thunder's impressive 16-game win streak. San Antonio’s win set up a date with the Knicks for the NBA Cup championship. The matchup is scheduled for Tuesday, and I am confident in the Knicks' ability to emerge victorious and become the third team to ever win the tournament. Today’s Hottest Take: The Knicks defense can stop Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama if all goes according to plan. Sitting at 18-7, the Spurs are arguably the toughest team to play in the Western Conference. Their lineup is as deep as it gets with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox at the face of it. Take Wembanyama, for example. Even though he has missed 12 games due to injury, he has still averaged a double-double . What’s even more noteworthy is that he came off the bench for the first time in his young career against Oklahoma City, but still tallied 22 points and nine rebounds. When you also factor in that Fox and Castle combined for 44 points against the 24-2 Thunder, there’s a reason why the Spurs are as dominant as they’ve been. However, let’s insert the Knicks into this conversation about dominance, considering they have shown they can compete with the likes of the Magic and Boston Celtics. What gives New York an advantage over others is that they have a great defense, led by OG Anunoby, who can also score the ball well on any given occasion. He did so against Orlando, totaling 24 points, six rebounds, three steals and a block. When facing offensive threats like Fox and Castle, it will be important for Mike Brown to assign Anunoby to defend them. And when it comes to Wembanyama, the 7-foot-5 big man, it will be up to Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson to protect the interior from an offensive attack. What makes Wembanyama so tough to guard is his ability to exploit holes in the defense, given his large wingspan and 3-point shooting talent. For the first time since last season, Towns and Robinson will face off against the 21-year-old French superstar. I am confident in Robinson’s abilities because he’s had six games this year with two or more blocks. I’m more worried about how Towns will perform against Wembanyama because he has had trouble defensively so far this season. It will be up to the defensive strategy Brown draws up to stop the Spurs, who can easily get going early in any matchup. Before You Go: Brunson Has Led the Knicks Offensively Even though the defense is the main point of emphasis for this upcoming game against San Antonio, I’m not as worried about New York’s offense. In their last 10 games, the Knicks have scored more than 100 points, which I attribute to their offensive success. Brunson has been a key contributor, scoring over 25 points in his last five appearances. If Brunson can get going early and especially from long range, the Knicks will be in good hands. However, I would like to see the bench get more involved and assist Brunson with scoring. If Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson can have better performances than New York has, it has an even better shot at winning Tuesday’s NBA Cup Final against the Spurs.

OKC is known for finding talent in unlikely places. Branden Carlson is one of those shining talents who also deserves a spotlight on the team. So far, we have always seen him play a few minutes every now and then, and get a spotlight when the core OKC squad takes a break. At this point, if you see Carlson on the scorer’s table with OKC up by double digits, it’s a sign that the Thunder are calling it a day, and their starters aren’t touching the floor for the rest of the game. However, it also goes without saying that Carlson is a player who is developing his talent well in rhythm with the rest of the team. He’s not that far out of the age bracket for its core players, and he’s been with them for quite some time now. On top of that, we’ve also seen him come up with big games in his time with OKC. He’s an ideal big man who could be a backup for Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein with the ability to shoot the three. At this point, he is making a strong case for earning one of OKC’s final roster spots in the long run. Carlson Has Been a Standout We all know how talented Oklahoma City is when it comes to putting up impressive performances on the big stage. They own the league’s highest point differential in history, and boast the best defense in league history as well. If you are not impressed, the next best team on both fronts is the previous year’s version of the Thunder. That team is not much different from this year’s squad. Carlson, for all of his impressive run with the defending champs, is still one of their talented big men at this point. This season, the Utah native is averaging 5.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.6 blocks on 56.5% shooting, including 40% from three. That’s not much of a big deal, considering that he’s just playing 10 minutes of basketball in 17 games this season. However, it says a lot about how valuable Carlson is on a long-term basis. Considering that he’s a more productive player than Thunder project Ousmane Dieng , it’s safe to say that Carlson is a good choice to sign for a standard contract. Don’t let his stats fool you, Carlson has managed to come up with impressive production when he played more than 10 minutes in a game. In the last three games, Carlson is averaging 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks on 19.3 minutes of action. He’s also shot a staggering 66.7% from three, which is the kind of game you’d want for a modern center. To sum it up, Carlson does make a strong case for one of the potential long-term players in OKC. To be a player in this team, you have to play well, and Carlson is doing it right because he’s getting some play time alongside regulars in Ajay Mitchell, Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams and Dieng. Is There a Future for Branden Carlson in OKC? Branden Carlson is actually not a bad center to line up alongside Holmgren and Hartenstein. The Thunder also has Thomas Sorber coming in next season after redshirting this year with an injury. Let’s also not forget that the Thunder has a strong chance to land the top pick by the end of the season. What this means is that Carlson truly deserves a standard contract with the Thunder , yes. However, he has to consistently show that he has more potential in his game in the long run. After all, Oklahoma City is seeking to be the next big dynasty since the Golden State Warriors in 2015. Who knows, maybe he will play a huge role in their success in the years to come.

Today’s Hottest Take: Harden Is One of the Best Clippers of All Time The Clippers are not a franchise known for their greatness. They’ve never had an MVP or even made it to the semifinals under their current name. Despite only joining the Clippers in 2023, Harden has been setting records and carrying them in an all-time fashion. He holds their scoring record in a single game with 55 points and appears in the top 10 of that again with 50 points. He is their all-time leader in triple-doubles, has the most 3-point attempts per game with the second most makes and is top 10 in 3-pointers made, assists, free-throw percentage, points per game, free-throw attempts per game, player efficiency rating, offensive rating, box shares and box plus/minus. For only being here for a short period of time, Harden has left his mark on the Clipper’s history What You Need to Know: Harden’s Impact is Beyond The Box Score Despite putting up impressive stats for the Clippers, Harden’s true impact is outside of a stat sheet. His ability to lead a team, even when it is missing key players, is what makes him truly special. While he has been part of the team, Kawhi Leonard has missed 69 regular season games and at least one playoff game every series. Harden has been forced to play through inconsistent and subpar lineups throughout his Clippers tenure. Despite this, he has thrived, turning the Clippers into a playoff team every year. Last season, the Clippers were voted the second most likely team to come out of the West, in front of teams like the Nuggets, Rockets, Timberwolves and city sister team, the Lakers. And this wasn’t for no reason either. They were one of the best offensive and defensive teams in the entire league. While Harden didn’t contribute much on the defensive end, he was one of the main reasons why the Clippers were so successful on offense. After the All-Star break last year, the Clippers were the No. 3 offense in the league, ahead of teams like the Celtics, Knicks and Pacers. While Leonard coming back helped with this, the real reason the Clippers were so good is because their roster was playing so well together and had great chemistry. Harden had been carrying the team for the first five months and was thriving. His unique scoring and playmaking combination allowed players like Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones Jr. and many others to play great offense. Also, with Harden carrying most of the offensive burden, it allowed for other players to save their energy for defense. With the team playing this well, they could easily insert Leonard into their lineup and let him cook on both sides of the floor. This season, Harden is dealing with Leonard's load management, but with a worse team construction and even worse injury luck. Players like John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanović and Brook Lopez have not lived up to their names, and Bradley Beal and Jones are both out for a long period of time. The Clippers are in a bad slump, and if it weren’t for Harden, they would be hopeless. Harden is doing his best to carry this team by averaging 27/5/8 on good efficiency. He's the only reason the Clippers can even hope to turn their season around, because with him there, they just need some of their roleplayers to fix their games. Before You Go: He Lived Long Enough to See Himself Become the Hero Two Face once said, “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain”. This quote once fit Harden perfectly. He was once the hero when he was a young player on the Thunder, winning Sixth Man of the Year and making the finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. He was the hero when he was on the Rockets, averaging 30, winning an MVP and pushing the loaded Golden State team to 7. However, he became the villain when he started demanding out of Houston and making unreasonable requests. People hated him when he was on the Nets, and then when the Nets' superteam imploded and he went to Philly, people hated him more. He was called a playoff choker and out of shape by fans, and when he went on a campaign calling Daryl Morey a liar and wanted out of Philly, that was the last straw. When he went to the Clippers, he was called a lazy hypocrite that only brought downfall to the teams he went to. However, he has proved all of these statements wrong and once again become the league’s hero. He has shown that it wasn’t his fault, he isn’t lazy and that he is a winning player. Now, his public perception has changed completely. Everyone but the Thunder fans want him to succeed. He has the leagues backing behind him with every game he plays. In a way, it is kind of thematic, with the player who was called the biggest foul baiter of all time doing his best to stop the current biggest foul baiter’s team.

Despite some optimism that hadn’t been felt around the Charlotte Hornets in years, the performance hasn’t matched it. Now 24 games into the year, it’s about that time for fans and the front office to begin their Christmas wishlist of prospects coming out of this loaded 2026 NBA Draft class. A lot of what the Hornets will look for will depend on what the roster looks like at the end of the season, with trade rumors centered around LaMelo Ball feeling more real than ever. The positional needs could change along with the roster if a move around Ball were to be made. The current needs are precise: defense, shooting, consistent scoring ability and more defense. At roughly the quarter mark of the season, the Hornets are in the bottom nine league-wide in five of the six main stat categories; 21st in points per game, 23rd in assists per game, 25th in field-goal percentage, 23rd in 3-point percentage and 23rd in opponent points per game. The team, while sometimes fun to watch, is simply playing bad basketball in basically every facet, and the problem is this is nothing new. The only real positive of the season is rookie Kon Knueppel, who still leads the NBA.com rookie ladder so far this season. It’s a great start to the rebuild, but it’s going to take more. Here are two college stars who would immediately help Charlotte move in the right direction. Cam Boozer, Forward, Duke Front-court rebounding and offensive productivity are much needed in the Spectrum Center right now, and Cam Boozer fits that mold and so much more. His balanced and consistent offense, combined with his knack for grabbing rebounds over both larger and smaller defenders, makes him the perfect player to plug into Charlotte's front court, who will clean the glass on both ends of the floor. Boozer is second in the country in scoring within the Power Four conferences and also leads Duke in every statistical category except for blocks, where he’s second by a very thin margin. Lottery luck likely has to go Charlotte's way to make this happen, but if Charlotte can land in the top three, Boozer very well could be up for grabs. Darryn Peterson, Guard, Kansas Charlotte could draft Darryn Peterson with or without Ball on the roster, but this idea mainly comes from a roster perspective without Ball. Either way, Peterson can contribute immediately; he's already shown how he can make winning plays whether he's on or off the ball. Peterson is averaging 20 points per game for the Jayhawks this season and perfectly fits the mold of a modern NBA guard: tall for the position at 6-foot-6, can finish at the rim in a multitude of ways, and is shooting over 42% from 3-point range. His decision-making as a lead guard is way beyond his years as well, only averaging about one turnover per game. Peterson was the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 ESPN 100, even over the likes of other prospects like Boozer and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa. Whether or not it’s with LaMelo, Charlotte Hornets fans would love to see Peterson in the teal and purple.

Everyone, take a deep breath. In arguably the most chaotic and pivotal game of the 2025 Chargers campaign, the Chargers hung their hat on two key factors to come out on top: one of the best defenses in football, and one of the best QBs in football. Today’s Hottest Take: The Chargers Put the Nail in the Kansas City Chiefs' Season Earlier, I called the win against the Philadelphia Eagles the most important game of the season; the lovely part about the end of an NFL season is that every new week starts to become the most important. Now, the Chargers travel to Arrowhead and take on a Chiefs team that has officially entered Win or Go Home territory. The Chargers have a chance to go into Kansas City and be the final thing the Chiefs season sees before it has to boot up Tankathon and look at draft position scenarios instead of playoff scenarios. The Chargers opened this week as large as six-point underdogs in this matchup, and similarly to Week 1, I’m going to plant my flag and let everyone know that the Chargers will upset the Chiefs to end KC’s playoff hopes. How do they get it done? Last week , I mentioned this time as the correct time to catch both Philly and Kansas City, and that feels more true now than it did then. The Chiefs are spiraling. Patrick Mahomes is coming off one of the worst statistical performances of his career , Travis Kelce no longer looks like himself, the offensive line is extremely banged up, and the coaching staff is under fire for a litany of reasons. I expect Jesse Minter to continue to enable this defense to fly around, and the offense to do just enough to take care of business. While the world of sports is often unpredictable, and it wouldn’t be the first time a “dynasty” had to experience the outside noise claiming that the sky is falling, this simply isn’t one of those times where the champs pick themselves up off the deck when hope is fading. There is no storybook ending for KC this go around; on Sunday the Chargers walk into Arrowhead and get the sweet satisfaction of being the ones to keep Kansas City out of playoff football for the first time in the Mahomes Era. What You Need to Know: Justin Herbert is a Cyborg By no means did Justin Herbert play his best football on Monday Night. He didn’t light up the stat sheet, but fittingly against an Eagles team whose fanbase loves to claim Jalen Hurts' superiority based on the fact that he “just wins” even without the numbers, Justin Herbert put on one of the gutsiest performances that, despite the rough statline, allowed a primetime audience to really understand how absurd he really is. The plays I have replayed in my head over and over again are when Herbert made his own call to pull the ball on two separate plays on the game-tying drive at the end of regulation ... and the game-winning drive in overtime, including one when he flashed his broken hand out to stiff-arm Eagles DB Cooper DeJean. I cannot stress how psycho it is to try stiff-arming someone with a broken hand, but it’s probably the same level of psycho that allows him to continue to play through genuine historic levels of pressure, get sacked seven times, hit 14 times, and then add to his already impressive game-winning drive total because he’s that damn good. Before You Go: The AFC Playoff Picture We move one week closer to those sweet, sweet clinching scenarios! Here’s a quick update on the playoff picture. For those keeping track at home, what should you be rooting for to maximize the Bolts playoff chances? Look no further because your Week 15 Rooting Guide is pretty simple! As lovely as the Philip Rivers story is, it just happened to come at a time when every Colts loss is a big-time win for the Chargers, as their game against Seattle is the most important outside of the Chargers themselves. As far as a playoff berth is truly concerned, the Chargers all but lock one up with a win this week, thanks to the Jaguars' decisive win over Indy. All in all, these outcomes will one way or another benefit the Chargers in their path to not just making the postseason, but a possible favorable postseason matchup against whoever can squeak out the AFC North. The Arizona Cardinals over the Houston Texans The New England Patriots over the Buffalo Bills The Cincinnati Bengals over the Baltimore Ravens The Seattle Seahawks over the Indianapolis Colts The Green Bay Packers over the Denver Broncos For those of you still holding out hope for the division, the Chargers currently stand at a 13% chance to win the AFC West, but that could increase to as high as 34% with a Chargers win over KC and Green Bay taking care of business against Denver.

Today’s Hot Take: Tony Pollard setting the tone with the run game is exactly what we've been waiting for The Titans finally found themselves back in the win column on Sunday as they earned a hard-fought win over the Browns, 31-29, for their second win of the season. In that victory, Tony Pollard had his best game as a Titan, rushing for 161 yards and two touchdowns as he solidified the run game for the Titans. Pollard has been a great addition to the Titans since he signed with them last season, posting 1,079 rushing yards then, and now he is at 743 this season. Titans fans only have good things to say about Pollard, as he has been a great running back with one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Pollard gets solid yardage every game, around 60-70 yards with multiple receptions, but if he can command the run game the way he did Sunday, it will take all the pressure away from Cam Ward. Ward only threw for 117 yards on Sunday, on just 14 completions. This did include two touchdowns to Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, but normally, those numbers would not be enough to win a game. This is the help that a quarterback needs to be successful, and Titans fans know very well what Derrick Henry brought to the table for a long time while in Tennessee. Now Pollard won’t put up crazy numbers like that, but the consistency will go a long way in helping Ward grow in the future. What You Need to Know: Chimere Dike looks like a steal in last year’s draft Dike is currently on pace to break the record for the most scrimmage yards in a season for this team. He had a 41-yard kick returns on Sunday, which led to the Browns staying away from him the rest of the game. Dike also scored what would be the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter, for his third receiving touchdown of the year. Whether the Titans win or lose, it seems that Dike’s name is constantly coming up every week. He just keeps getting better as time goes on, and as he continues to develop now at the wide receiver position, it isn’t out of the question that he could be a solid WR3 next year. Titans rookies have continued to have great development throughout this season, and I think that with the right free agents, and especially the right coaching staff, this team can make a solid jump heading into next year. Before you go: The Titans face a difficult test on the road against San Francisco The Titans will now travel to the Bay Area to take on the 49ers this Sunday. The Titans getting back-to-back wins seems like a long shot, especially with the improvements the 49ers have made this season, after an expected fall off. Robert Salah has revitalized their defense, and the offense continues to produce with Christian McCaffrey at the forefront. This may be one of Ward’s toughest challenges yet. Salah has an excellent winning percentage of 75% against rookie quarterbacks. Ward is going to have to play a near-perfect game if the Titans want a shot in this one, but another quality game will once again demonstrate the growth that this Titans team is seeing.

For Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans—and even everyone living in the Tampa area—Sunday was as miserable as miserable gets. Residents awoke to dreary, overcast skies with a promise of rain for nearly the entire afternoon. What they were supposed to be able to take solace in was the fact that their home Buccaneers were playing one of the worst teams in the NFL: the New Orleans Saints, who were toting a measly 2-10 record into the Bay Area. The skies opened up before kickoff, and pouring rain swallowed Raymond James Stadium for nearly the entire game. The rain was, at times, almost laughably hard to see through—and it set a single-day Tampa record for December rainfall. Through it, Waterlogged fans tried to maintain a baseline of stadium energy as they watched the God-awful Saints strip their Bucs of all dignity. The dust has now settled, and after the Saints left town with a 24-20 victory, Tampa, which was once the top team in the NFC, finds itself tied for the NFC South lead with the 7-6 Panthers. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Since being at the conference’s pinnacle, the Bucs have now lost five of their last seven. First, the excuse was injuries. Then, people were pinning the slide on their gauntlet of a schedule. Well now, it may just be time to admit that the team has incompetent coaching and a low effort level. Those are not ways to rationalize a midseason skid—they are descriptors for a poor football team. These days, it is difficult for anyone to argue that the Bucs do not fall into that category. Today’s Hottest Take: The Bucs Coaching Staff Will See an Offseason Overhaul A terrible division is the only thing that has kept head coach Todd Bowles employed, but the restlessness has reached a new high. For multiple years of mediocrity, competent offensive coordinators have kept Bowles’ head above water—coordinators who are now leading two teams to winning records as head coaches—and the Bucs haven’t missed the playoffs since the turn of the decade. Well now, the jig is up with current OC Josh Grizzard, and without a dynamic offense to bandage Bowles’ defense’s blemishes, the team just looks disgusting. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has been criminally inefficient since the team’s bye, including going 14-for-30 in the Saints loss. He is averaging just 160.6 passing yards per game over his last five games . Without the firepower that allowed the Bucs to drop 38 on a premier Seattle Seahawks defense earlier this season, Bowles has run out of smoke and mirrors. He is the proud leader of a defense that just allowed a 26-year-old rookie pro-style quarterback to achieve his best quarterback rating of the year—and tack on a pair of rushing touchdowns. Barring an extremely unlikely deep playoff run for the Bucs, not much can separate Bowles from the fanbase’s restlessness at this point. Grizzard’s offense has hit the freezer, so he is on the hot seat, as well. This is the kind of season that gets coaches fired, and unless the team whips a 180, expect Bowles and Grizzard to head that way. What You Need to Know: This Fanbase Had Super Bowl Hopes Less Than Two Months Ago Two months seems like a long time for a Bucs fan right now. Two months prior to today, the Bucs were coming off a 38-35 road victory over Seattle—the team that is now 10-3 and leads the best division in football. Tampa was looking ahead to a matchup with San Francisco, who now holds a 9-4 record. The Bucs beat them comfortably. Fast-forward to now, and if Tampa fans don’t feel like they’re at rock bottom, they feel close. When a season is derailed to this extent, two things are usually true: In the pouring rain, onlookers saw what could be described as a poor effort this past Sunday. And of course, when questioned about the team’s poor effort for all four quarters, Bowles hit the media with the usual placation. “We lost yesterday and we’ve got to get over it,” coach Todd Bowles said Monday. "We’ve got be big boys, we’ve got to get over it and own what we did, and we’ve got to get better at things we need to get better at. ... We understand that as a group we’ve been through this before, but it’s different every single year and every time (we) do it. Nobody likes to lose, and you’re coming on a short week, (we have) a chance to get the bad taste out of your mouth, but they should be upset. They should own what they do. We as coaches own what we do, and as a team own what we do, and we’ve got to come out Thursday and we’ve got to correct them.” That keep-it-pushing attitude would work after one loss, maybe even two. But after five of seven? The product has to be better, and that falls largely on Bowles and Grizzard. Before You Go: 3-1 is The Floor, But Winning Out Should Be The Expectation A split with the Panthers, who the Bucs square off with in Weeks 16 and 18, would not be the end of the world. However, with the talent discrepancy between those two rosters, the only explanation for a Bucs loss would be coaching incompetence—and that’s another notch in the strike column for Bowles and Grizzard. Bucs fans, the team has officially reached crunch time. They’re tied for the division lead with four games left, and they control their own destiny. But with what has happened thus far this season, and with the roster this team has on paper, you should want coaching changes if this squad fails to reach the divisional round. The coaching staff has a substantial part of the blame. Each loss makes the team’s self-belief and effort level more difficult to maintain.

The Seattle Seahawks won their third consecutive game on Sunday, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 37-9 thanks to a monster 31-3 second half scoring margin. Tied at six coming out of the locker room, trade deadline acquisition Rashid Shaheed got Seattle off the mat with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Shaheed has mostly played special teams and contributed minimally as a receiver. But Sunday's game looks like a positive step forward for a guy whose speed could increase the weekly ceiling of the Seahawks offense. My Hottest Take: Rashid Shaheed will be worth the trade The NFL trade deadline is often more eye candy than anything of substance. It’s difficult for players to switch teams in November, pick up a new playbook, and immediately contribute to winning football. You’ll occasionally get home run deals like the Philadelphia Eagles' move for Jaelen Phillips, but those are few and far between. Giving up 2026 fourth- and fifth-round picks for Shaheed wasn’t nothing. After four games with a total receiving line of 4-37 , it looked like Seattle was yet another team with a trade deadline miss, but Shaheed came on strong against Atlanta, with the previously mentioned kick return touchdown and four catches for 67 yards. Seattle wants a field-stretching receiver on the outside to keep defenses honest when trying to cover Jaxon Smith-Njigba. It’s what Klint Kubiak tried to acquire with the Marques Valdes-Scantling in the offseason, but he didn’t have enough juice left. Shaheed is only going to keep getting more involved, and he should be Seattle’s second-best receiver by the time the playoffs start, if not sooner. What You Need To Know: Should Seattle re-sign Boye Mafe? Boye Mafe is likely Seattle’s biggest impending free agent, with his rookie deal set to expire after the season. Mafe has had a solid career in Seattle so far, with 19 sacks in 3.5 years and PFF run defense grades that range from 61.3 to 77.8. He’s a solid player who has grown alongside the rest of the Seahawks' defensive front and helped turn it into the elite unit it is today, but Seattle has added depth to the position. Uchenna Nwosu also occupies a spot on the edge, and he’s put quarterbacks on the turf eight times this season compared to just one for Mafe. Derrick Hall only has two sacks, but his 18% pass-rush win rate dwarfs Mafe’s 10.4%. Finally, Damarcus Lawrence has had a resurgent season with seven sacks of his own, despite his age. Mafe feels like the odd man out here, and that’s without mentioning Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy on the inside, the latter of the two likely being due a large extension within the next calendar year. Mafe is a quality edge rusher, and those don’t grow on trees, so he’s likely going to command a contract with a yearly number over $12 million, something Seattle shouldn’t try to match, and instead take a compensatory draft pick for letting Mafe sign elsewhere. Before You Go: Can Seattle capture the number 1 seed in the NFC? The first overall seed feels like it could be decided on December 18th, when Seattle hosts the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. Both teams share the conference's best record at 10-3, with the Rams holding the first seed thanks to their win against Seattle on November 16th. The Rams' schedule is significantly softer than Seattle's to end the season, with games against the lowly Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals to close out their season. Seattle, on the other hand, has to face the same Carolina Panthers team that handed the Rams their third loss two weeks ago, before another road game against the San Francisco 49ers in week 18. That paints a bleak picture for the Seahawks, which is why the next two weeks become incredibly important. Seattle has the benefit of a home game this week against the Indianapolis Colts, who are in a freefall after the announcement that Daniel Jones will miss the rest of the season . There aren’t any free wins in the NFL, but that sounds a whole lot better than facing the Detroit Lions, like the Rams will. If Seattle can beat the Colts and the Lions pull off a road upset, it sets Seattle up with a chance to wipe away the Rams' tiebreaker and take a two-game lead over their division foe with two weeks to play, and puts them in the driver's seat for a bye week.

The bye week could’ve gone better or worse for the 49ers, but in reality, it didn’t change much in terms of the equation. While the team did move up in playoff seeding thanks to the Packers’ late win over the Bears, almost any result would’ve seen an improvement in standing, ranging from the definite (any result in the Packers-Bears game changed the standings) to the unlikely (the Rams losing to the Cardinals, which didn’t even come close to happening). Very little has changed, though. Here’s the state of things as we get back to action this week. My Hottest Take: Four weeks will decide the season The challenge for the 49ers remains the same: four games, and in all likelihood, the team will need (at least) three wins out of the four. The good news? All four games are eminently winnable ... if the 49ers play somewhere near their best. First up is the Titans this Sunday. Is it strange that I’m slightly more worried about this game than the others? On paper, it’s by far the easiest game of the four, as the Titans have been terrible this season, but they’re coming off their best performance of the year, and it’d be very 49ers-like to lay an egg in the easiest game. Start fast, start strong, and bring home the W, and things will look a lot rosier. We follow that with a trip to Indianapolis that loomed large a few weeks ago, but that path might have got a little easier with the news of Daniel Jones’ season-ending injury on Sunday. Facing Anthony Richardson or Riley Leonard is unlikely to strike fear in the 49ers, but then, I’ve grown up watching us lose to Colt McCoy and Ryan Lindley, so who knows. We’ll have to nail our 10am hoodoo for this one, but it feels more likely than it did. Then it’s a home-stand against the Bears, and that might be the hardest game of the four, or possibly the most consequential. Neither my blood pressure nor the 49ers likely want to go into Week 18 needing to beat the Seahawks, so winning this game could end up being the difference between elation and devastation. We didn’t handle Ben Johnson’s offense so well last year when he was with the Lions, but this is a less beat-down defensive unit and team, and Kyle Shanahan often brings his best for the big occasions. This is a Sunday Night Football game and could well be a classic. Finally, as always, it’s the Seahawks. It feels like the 49ers have to have a consequential season finale against either the Seahawks or the Rams every year. There’s not much else to say about that game. It always means something and always brings the best out of both sides. Here’s hoping for another Dre Greenlaw moment. Either way, I’ve gone back and forth how I feel about it over the last few weeks, but I think it’s great overall. No one expected us to be here; most wrote us off in March. Yet weeks later, with some emotional wins, all options are open to us, and it’s in our hands. Let’s try and enjoy it. What you need to know: Here comes the cavalry…maybe? Bye weeks are never fun, but one coming so late in the season seems even stranger. That said, the rest week in an injury-ravaged year is certainly not to be sniffed at. At the time of writing, the 49ers could get the following players back at practice this week: Kicker Eddy Pineiro - While Matt Gay has done a fine job in his absence, dinero Pineiro would be a morale-boosting return. Linebacker Tatum Bethune – Fred Warner’s understudy was just coming into his own in the middle of the defense prior to his high-ankle sprain, and getting him back would put sticking plasters on the middle of a defense that’s been slightly abused in recent weeks. Defensive linemen Yetur Gross-Matos and Sam Okuayinonu – Getting either one of these back would be a huge boon to the 49ers’ beleaguered defensive line. Matos might be the bigger return of the two if it happens, as he’s been productive rushing the passer, an area the team badly needs a shot in the arm. The team are unlikely to get all four back, but anything is a bonus ahead of four huge games. Let’s see what happens throughout the week. Before You Go: Put Roger Craig in the Hall Of Fame Finally, I’m going to use my tiny-but-growing platform for good and urge the Pro Football Hall Of Fame to elect Roger Craig in its seniors class this year. Craig was announced as one of several semi-finalists in recent weeks. In an era where we are lauding players, including current 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey’s, dual-threat potential as a runner and receiver, it’s astonishing to me that a player who had a 1000/1000 season in rushing and receiving yards barely seems to incur a shred of outrage when he misses the Hall of Fame. He also led the NFL in scrimmage yards in 1988 with 2036. Essentially, Craig walked so the likes of McCaffrey, Marshall Faulk and others could run. He was a cornerstone of two Super Bowl teams and an integral part of the 49ers dynasty. I’m astonished he’s not in, and even more astonished that he’s still fighting to get in in crowded seniors classes. It’s his time. Get it right this time, voters.

The Chicago Bulls, once one of the league’s most pleasant surprises in the early weeks of the season, have spiraled into one of its most frustrating stories. After a promising start, Chicago has dropped 13 of its last 16 games, including several to teams near the bottom of the standings. As a fan, I expected the hot start to cool off. The schedule was always going to stiffen, and the Bulls were going to face legitimate playoff teams. But what happened next wasn’t simply regression to the mean. It was a collapse. When the schedule finally softened in late November, the Bulls didn’t seize the opportunity. They played down to their competition, and the losses piled up. Now sitting at 9–14, Chicago has a few days off before a rematch with Charlotte, a game that could either spark a shift or extend this downward free fall. Today’s Hottest Take: It’s Been Time to Blow This Team Up — Now You Have to Take a Risk This is the part where my fandom shows. I, along with countless other Bulls fans, have been pleading for one thing: commitment. Either commit to acquiring a legitimate superstar, or commit to a real rebuild. What the Bulls cannot afford is the middle ground — this endless loop of being competitive enough to hover around the Play-In but never good enough to matter. The Bulls have solid players in the 4–10 range of their rotation. If you could drop a Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic onto this roster, sure, you’d have something real. But those players don’t get traded, and even if they were, Chicago doesn’t have the level of assets necessary to win that kind of bidding war. A more realistic gamble would be targeting a player like Zion Williamson , a true superstar talent whose health concerns have lowered his price. Even then, I wouldn’t be fully comfortable mortgaging the future, but it is very tempting at this point given where the team is. Then there are the reports: unconfirmed but circulating, that Giannis’ camp reached out to gauge the Bulls’ interest, and the Bulls said they weren’t interested. If there is any truth to that, front-office jobs should be on the line. A near-top-five player in the league asks whether you’d like to have a conversation, and your response is no? That’s malpractice. But the truth may also be that even if the Bulls wanted to talk, they had no realistic way to build a competitive roster around him afterward. This brings us to the real issue… What You Need to Know: Being Mediocre in the NBA Is Worse Than Being Bad Unlike the NFL or MLB, where you can find elite talent in later rounds, the NBA’s stars are almost always found at the very top of the draft. Yes, there are rare exceptions like Jokic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Historically speaking, the transformative players, the kind who change your franchise’s trajectory, are found in the first five picks. That’s why it hurts so much that the Bulls have lived in draft purgatory. They’re never bad enough to get into the top three, and they’re rarely good enough to matter. Even when they jumped to the fourth pick in 2020, they used it on Patrick Williams, passing on Tyrese Haliburton, who went ninth and is now an All-NBA level guard. Right now, the Bulls’ best internal hope for a future superstar is Matas Buzelis . While he has shown improvement from year one, his development curve looks more like baby steps than leaps. Superstars pop early. Buzelis hasn’t popped yet. Josh Giddey has grown into an excellent, versatile contributor; the type of player who can absolutely help a championship team. But help is not lead. And the Bulls continue to operate as if someone currently on the roster is secretly waiting to bloom into a franchise cornerstone. The reality? That player probably isn’t in the league yet. Before You Go: The NBA Rewards Patience and Preparedness You never know when a superstar becomes unexpectedly available. You never know when another team signals a rebuild, a player demands out, or a market shifts. But you can’t capitalize on those moments if you’re stuck in the middle with no direction, no assets and no identity. The Bulls need to choose a path. Either take the big, uncomfortable swing for a franchise-level star — or tear this thing down and finally commit to a real rebuild. Because if there’s one lesson the NBA teaches over and over, it’s this: In this league, being mediocre is the one place you can least afford to be.

Whether it was the goal or not, the Denver Broncos have become the most battle-tested team in the NFL. Outside of two games this year, Denver has played its opponents close. The players and fans alike needed a game with little worry. The Broncos’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday was exactly that. Las Vegas made a late run, but Denver was never really in danger. After playing almost exclusively in one-score games for the first 13 games of the season and before facing four good teams over the final stretch of the season, it was important to Denver to win an easy one in convincing fashion. Today’s Hottest Take: Run Game Needed Easy Matchup The Broncos didn’t struggle much in their 24-17 win over the Raiders, but the run game needed to have a big day. Since J.K. Dobbins’ season-ending injury, rookie RJ Harvey has struggled to find his footing in the backfield. In the two games before Sunday, Harvey combined for 65 yards on 24 carries — less than three yards per carry. This weekend was a different story, though. His 75 rushing yards weren’t jaw-dropping, but his 4.4 yards per carry on 17 carries were promising. That, paired with his six catches for 25, showed the vision for Harvey. Washington and Kansas City aren’t stout interiors, but they’re respectable units. The Raiders, though, were a perfect get-right opponent for the Denver rushing attack. Harvey often is best in space, as his vision lacks real consistency, but coach Sean Payton and the offense have put him in plenty of different spots to see where he is best used, and with him taking the lead back duties, he needs to be a more well-rounded back. Against the Raiders, he found plenty of success on outside runs. Harvey had just a couple of runs in between the guards and was highly efficient on the day. While Las Vegas doesn’t have a great run defense, they knew the Broncos were going to run the ball a lot, especially down the stretch, but Harvey was still efficient. Harvey ran 13 times against a stacked box and produced 60 yards — the second-most by a Broncos rusher in the Next Gen Stats era — and a touchdown on those looks. He had 10 successful runs against a stacked box — the most in an NFL game since Derrick Henry in Week 8 of 2022. The competition from opposing defensive lines will continue to ramp up, but it was important for Harvey to find some success before the games get too important. What You Need To Know: Denver Now Leads the Conference With an Important Tie-Breaker Despite having the same record, 11-2, as the New England Patriots, Denver now sits atop the AFC. If the Broncos do their part down the stretch, they have the chance to earn home-field advantage through the AFC championship and a bye week for the first round. The Broncos swept the Raiders, whom New England lost to to start the season, giving the Broncos the edge among common opponents. The rest of the schedule looks to be fairly challenging, though. Denver will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers, all of which are nine-win teams. The only opponent against a team with a losing record happens to be the Kansas City Chiefs. Denver is also fortunate that it has the fan base that it does. The fans took over Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, and with all but the Chiefs game being played at home, Payton and his team likely view themselves as the favorites in each of those matchups. Before You Go: The Wide Receiver Room May Need Some Shuffling Going into this past offseason, one of the rumblings was that Denver needed more targets on the outside. Instead of making a big move, though, Denver spent a third-round pick on Pat Bryant and banked on internal development at wide receiver. For the most part, that plan has been effective enough. Courtland Sutton still is a great player, Troy Franklin is much improved, Marvin Mims Sr. is a solid playmaker and Bryant has become a reliable target. Yet a seemingly inconsequential move has changed the DNA of the room. As other Broncos fans may have done, I sighed when Denver brought Lil’Jordan Humphrey back after his release from the New York Giants. Humphrey is a solid player and a good run blocker, which is the reason Payton loves him so much, but his presence takes away valuable reps from more explosive receivers that need to be a part of the offense. Last week, Humphrey had 28 reps, according to Pro Football Focus . Franklin was on the field for 19, and Mims got 20 on offense. Sure, the game script didn’t demand pass-catchers; it favored Humphrey’s run blocking. Though that can’t continue going forward in more pass-heavy games. At this point, Bryant is viewed as the WR2, behind Sutton and Franklin is on the field the third-most. While Sutton and Bryant are great players, Payton can’t let run plays keep Franklin off the field. Sutton and Bryant don’t have the same explosiveness that Franklin exhibits, and when the offense is looking for a spark, Franklin is a frequent source.

The New York Giants had a disastrous 2025 season that saw everything go completely wrong. They lost their rookie running back to a gruesome ankle injury, lost their star wide receiver to an ACL injury, and have lost their head coach and defensive coordinator. It’s also likely that the front office could see a shakeup during the long offseason, with Joe Schoen close to being ousted. There have been a few silver linings during this season, however. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is proving doubters wrong with his versatile play, Brian Burns is the new captain of the defense, Cor’Dale Flott is playing good secondary, and the offensive line is as sturdy as it’s been in years. For all the ups and downs this team has, it has the foundations of a stellar team in due time. With the season ending next month, now is a good time to take inventory of what the Giants have, what they need, and how they can get it in the offseason. Today’s Hottest Take: New York Must Trade Down In Round One Last week, it was a matter of possibly trading down in the first round. This week, it's no longer a matter of "should we" but rather "who can we get?" As of Dec. 8, the Giants hold possession of the first overall pick if the season ended today. There are still a lot of factors at play where they could lose that spot, including a sudden winning streak to end the year or if the Tennessee Titans or Las Vegas Raiders play worse than them. They are not in control of their own destiny yet when it comes to the draft order, but they are in a good spot to get a high pick. If they end up with the first overall pick, their best bet might be to trade down with a quarterback-needy team. The New York Jets might be an option, so would the New Orleans Saints, and maybe the Arizona Cardinals if they want to move on from Kyler Murray. Some other teams exist, but they would be further down the draft board. The Giants need more than one player to try and help them in 2026, so they can get a king’s ransom if they do secure the first overall pick this year. A first-round pick this year and then one next year is obviously the goal, but they can tag on second- and third-rounders if they want to get greedy. They can turn these into secondary players or perhaps a wideout later in the draft to supplement Nabers and give a new weapon to Dart. Either way, the worse the Giants play, the more value they could get in the 2026 draft. What You Should Know: The Giants Have No Depth In Wide Receiver, Secondary The Giants' wide receiver corps has been stretched completely thin this year with the loss of Nabers. Wan’Dale Robinson has been good, but outside of that, Dart doesn’t really have any weapons. Darius Slayton’s mainly been missing in action, and Jalin Hyatt hasn’t lived up to his potential. Despite all of this, the team is essentially at the league average when it comes to passing yards and passing yards per play. Their sack rate is high, but it's also not the highest in the league, bringing on a great "what if" question if Nabers wasn't hurt this year, or Dart started in the first game of the season. There’s also been no secret that the team’s secondary has been one of the worst in the NFL this year. Thanks to Shane Bowen’s mismanagement in play-calling and a lack of talent outside of Flott, there’s been nothing to show against deep-ball plays. Holland Adebo also hasn't been the answer the Giants wanted this year. While some mock drafts suggest the team could go for a wide receiver, most agree that defense is a priority. Two players immediately come to mind for the Giants to look at: wide reciever Jordyn Tyson and safety Caleb Downs. Tyson is the standout receiver in a rather lackluster receiver corps this draft cycle. Tyson has only one 1,000-yard season under his belt at ASU, but he's still an explosive receiver off the line. He'd fit perfectly as a WR2 with Nabers as WR1 and give Dart a secondary option he can rely on. Downs, on the other hand, has the makings of a day-one impact player in their secondary. The Big Ten defensive player of the year shut down wideouts with only 23 receptions for 136 yards and zero touchdowns. That’s not including two deflected passes and two interceptions on top of one sack. A shutdown safety is what the Giants need, and they have to get. Before You Go: Don’t Rule Out Player Trades To net picks and free up some salary cap, there could be some trades made by the Giants during the offseason. Deonte Banks, Darius Slayton, Jameis Winston and other small-role players could be on the block for picks. This team needs to rebuild into something more cohesive. The Giants do not have a third-round pick, which was used to trade with the Houston Texans for the rights to select Dart last year. They do, however, have three sixth-round picks they could use to trade up in another round or sweeten a prospective deal. Expect Schoen or whoever is at the helm to deal at least two of these picks for either players or higher-round selections. Banks could slide into a roster elsewhere nicely, and Darius Slayton’s experience can help a younger quarterback in another city. They will likely move if the front office's marching orders call for it.

The Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a huge win against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, but it came at a cost. My Hottest Take: Beat the Ravens, Lost to the Injury Bug Broderick Jones, DeShon Elliott, Kyle Dugger, Calvin Anderson, Derrick Harmon and others didn’t play in Sunday’s contest, leaving the Steelers thin from the start. Throughout the course of the game, three more players (Darnell Washington, Andrus Peat, and Malik Harrison) were sidelined as part of concussion protocol, and DK Metcalf ended a productive day in the hospital with stomach issues. Several other players, including Pat Queen, continued to be affected by nagging ailments while on the field. There’s never a great time for injuries, but with four games left in the season and a shaky hold on the AFC North, the Steelers need to be at their sharpest if they want to continue their season beyond those four games. Mike Tomlin excels at working magic in the face of adversity, but with increasingly loud questions about his future in Pittsburgh, he’d rather not deal with even more hurdles than he already has to- Road Trips to Detroit and Cleveland remain in front of them, as well as a rematch with Baltimore. Hopefully the Steelers can be healthier in time to lock up a playoff bid, but until then it’s time for the backups to rise to the occasion. Chuck Clark and recently signed Asante Samuel Jr will likely see more time in the secondary, while Dylan Cook and Spencer Anderson will do their best to fill in holes on the offensive line. Metcalf’s intestinal difficulties appear to be minor, but veteran Adam Thielen has the capability to build on his Steelers debut if he needs more time to recover. What You Need to Know: The Secondary is Cooking Lamar Jackson is usually excellent in the month of December , but a patchwork Steelers secondary held him in check thanks to outstanding performances from Brandin Echols and James Pierre. Echols made big plays all over the field, stopping a Zay Flowers touchdown on one drive and lighting up Jackson in the backfield on another. Pierre also got the best of Jackson with a slick one-handed interception in the second quarter. Both defensive backs are playing some of their best football at this point in the season, and their performances can elevate a position group that also features Joey Porter Jr, Jalen Ramsey, and eventually a healthy Dugger and Elliott. If Pittsburgh can do enough to make the playoff, this is a group that no opposing quarterback wants to see in January. Before You Go: Rare Air for Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers had a fantastic game on Sunday, finally unlocking the deep ball on his way to 284 yards through the air and picking up his first rushing touchdown since 2021 (respect the Discount Double-Check!), but he also inadvertently put his name in the history books during a broken play. During the fourth quarter, a Rodgers pass was deflected straight up in the air by CJ Okoye, leading Rodgers to grab the ball in an attempt to prevent a turnover. Rodgers and Teddye Buchanan both fought for the ball as they went to the ground. Officials ruled that the play qualified as a completed reception for Rodgers, who was awarded possession after the toss-up. While the play didn’t end up as much more than a loss of yards for Pittsburgh, it was historic for the veteran quarterback. As of Sunday, Aaron Rodgers is officially fifth all-time in receiving yards for NFL players over 40 … with -9 yards. Above him, ironically, is former Packer and Rodgers mentor Brett Favre with -2. Marcedes Lewis has two yards, Tom Brady has six. Jerry Rice maintains his comfortable lead in the category, with 2,169. A strange group to be a part of, but surely a legendary one for Rodgers, who’s written his name in the record books plenty of other times. Maybe Tomlin will dial up a play for him against the Dolphins on Monday so he can pass Favre yet again.

The cornerback room was the clear weakness of Green Bay’s defense heading into the 2025 season. The Packers entered Week 14 against the Bears with zero interceptions from their corners — a streak finally broken when Keisean Nixon picked off Caleb Williams in the end zone to seal the game. Still, one of the most improved members of that group — and honestly, of the entire team — has been Javon Bullard. He’s been playing with so much confidence and swag, and it’s great to see him in his element. He’s been instinctive, flying to the football and making impact plays every week. Today’s Hottest Take: Bullard has played like a top-three slot CB in the NFL. Bullard has spent the early part of his Green Bay career splitting time between post safety and slot duties, but he’s undeniably in his element when he’s near the line of scrimmage. That’s where the Packers have been letting him play — and they’re getting the results to prove it. “He's the type of guy that I'm confident playing back at safety, playing at nickel. He can kind of do it all. He can play in the half, he can play in the middle of the field, he can insert in the run game and he can blitz,” Jeff Hafley said of Bullard in November. “There's times we do want to get him back there in certain situations, in certain personnel groupings that we feel are better, where there's some down-and-distances where we're comfortable with that,” he added. “We just try to rotate him in, and it's also depending how much he's been at nickel and how many reps he's had. We need to get him involved in the game, because he's really a player you don't want to take off the field.” What You Need To Know: Bullard hasn’t even been fully healthy. The Packers have had an extensive list of players on the injury report over the last few weeks, and Bullard has been part of it. He didn’t practice on Tuesday and Friday ahead of Green Bay’s clash with Chicago. Yet he was active and played on Sunday, which says a lot about how the coaching staff views him. "Just having some lingering effects, so we thought it would be best to shut him down and see how he progresses over the course of the week,” Matt LaFleur said on Friday. Bullard has been one of Green Bay’s five highest-graded defenders in each of the last five games. He’s also the team’s highest-graded defensive back in coverage this season. For context, he ranked 24th in coverage grade for the Packers last year — the lowest among all starters in the secondary. Before You Go: Bullard’s ascension gives Hafley more versatility on the back end. The Packers have fully embraced versatility as a core roster-building philosophy, and it has paid off. A healthy Bullard can impact all three levels of the defense, and his ascension has become central to that approach. Sustaining this level of play will only elevate Hafley’s unit moving forward. Bullard’s growth also gives Hafley far more flexibility to vary his looks and disguises. Green Bay can rely on Nate Hobbs’ extensive slot experience and Nixon’s versatility there as well. With multiple defensive backs capable of handling different roles, the Packers can present unscouted looks and keep opposing offenses constantly guessing.

Today’s Hottest Take: Once a Dysfunctional Franchise, Always a Dysfunctional Franchise For as long as they’ve been around, the Clippers have always been a bottom of a barrel team. In 1978, the Buffalo Braves moved to San Diego and became the Clippers, and then in 1984, they moved to Los Angeles. In the 34 years of being the Clippers, they've had four playoff appearances (three of them first-round exits) and nine All-Star appearances. Then Chris Paul went to the Clippers, teaming up with young stars Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to form one of the most entertaining teams of all time. Paul led the Lob City Clippers to the playoffs every year with multiple second-round appearances. He made All-NBA every year and helped Griffin and Jordan make it as well. He holds plenty of records for the Clippers and has serious cause for being the franchise GOAT. What You Need to Know: CP3 Was Never The Problem While the Clippers are playing poorly with a 6-18 record, and while Paul was playing poorly, blaming the losing record on him is completely unfair. The moment he signed with the Clippers, it was clear this was his farewell tour season. He wasn’t brought on to be a key player, but rather a point guard who could play a couple minutes here and there and provide great leadership. On Nov. 22, he announced this was his last season and would retire a Clipper. He planned to have a storybook ending, retiring on the team that he helped make great. Instead the Clippers went and waived him on a random Wednesday, stabbing him in the back. While he clearly wasn’t a major contributor to the team this season, he's not the cause of the losses. Those can be attributed to poor injury luck in players like Bradley Beal, Derrick Jones Jr. and Kawhi Leonard. It's also the fault of players like Brook Lopez, Bogdan Bogdanović and John Collins who were supposed to be winning players but are currently playing below their expected level. Paul was the least of the Clippers' problems, and cutting him was a senseless and irrational move. Before You Go: Public Enemy No. 1? The Clippers’ Front Office While players getting injured and underperforming are hurting the Clippers this season, the real cause is the incompetence in the front office. Their latest mistake is cutting Paul, but their blunders go much deeper. In the offseason, they picked up Beal and Lopez. These seemed like good moves in the moment, but the Clippers forgot two things: These two were old, and they have not played well recently. These two facts translated over to this season, where both players have been putting up bad stats and becoming unplayable. They also traded away Norman Powell, who out of nowhere last season became an All-Star level talent. This season, he is going insane on the Heat averaging 25/4/2, while the player they traded him for, Collins, is averaging 12/1/5 on poor efficiency. The front office has also been unable to draft well for years. They have drafted Yanic Konan Niederhauser , Kobe Sanders, Cameron Christie , Kobe Brown , Jordan Miller and Moussa Diabate in recent years. They traded away the one competent player, Diabate, and left these subpar draft picks. While some of these players, like Cam Christie and Kobe Sanders, have been decent for them, most of their picks end up riding the bench. They have missed out on good players like Quinten Post, Toumani Camara, Jalen Wilson and Vince Williams Jr. While none of these players are stars, they would greatly benefit the Clippers' roster. Instead, the front office has been actively sabotaging the Clippers’ chance to capitalize on James Harden’s and Kawhi Leonard’s greatness.

Chris Paul is without a team in the final run of his career after being waived by the Clippers, but should OKC consider picking him up? It’s rare for a retiring player who has played a huge chunk of games for the same team to get waived in a snap. Paul couldn't believe it , and neither could other players, critics and even coaches. But business is business, and we all know that players should take it lightly in that regard. Now that Paul is without a team for the rest of the season – even though we’re barely into the half of the campaign – it seems that there are only a few teams who are keen to take him in. The Los Angeles Lakers, for instance, don’t have enough good rotational pieces to let go of to bring in Paul. The Oklahoma City Thunder, on the other hand, do have some pieces who can be valuable trade pieces or even good for waiving. Considering that Paul is good to take on a veteran minimum, and is only playing for one final season, you won’t find a better-written story than Paul finally retiring with the first team he originally played for. Why should OKC even consider bringing in Paul? Well, there are a lot of talks as to how he actually proved to be a pivotal piece in shaping both the past and the future of the team. The fact that he is a homegrown talent in Oklahoma is a good start. If you’re not impressed, there’s even a valid argument for Paul having his jersey retired at Paycom Center. Paul is The Cornerstone of Oklahoma City Basketball There are a lot of talents from Oklahoma. Blake Griffin is a native of the state, and even Lindy Waters III got the chance to play for the team based on where he lived. However, no other player would make the biggest impact in innovating basketball in Oklahoma than Paul himself. Sure, Paul was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets back then, but he played his first games in OKC. In fact, he spent two seasons there due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina ravaging through New Orleans, which forced the team to relocate to Oklahoma temporarily. During that time, the NBA would eventually find the state capable of having its own NBA team. In fact, Oklahoma City would soon have passionate fans for basketball, even seeing competitive seasons from Paul and the Hornets, as well. Paul was so good that he brought life to basketball in OKC, invigorating the fans about having a major league team, as they didn’t have any from the MLB, NFL or NHL. In his rookie season with the Hornets – which he played in OKC – Paul averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game. He went on to earn the Rookie of the Year Award, which makes him the first to earn the award in Oklahoma City long before there was even a Thunder team. So, when the Seattle Supersonics couldn't afford to stay in the NBA, it opened up the chance for OKC to earn its own NBA team. Eventually, the Thunder was born. While Paul went his separate way with different teams, Oklahoma City would become a team that was very competitive in the Western Conference for years to come. Chris Paul and the Thunder Rebuild Paul and the Thunder would eventually cross paths again in the 2019-20 season. It was the fresh start for OKC, as they let go of Paul George for a hefty amount of first-rounders, Danilo Gallinari and future face of the franchise Shai Gilgeous-Alexander . Paul came in when the team decided to trade away franchise player Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets. At the time, Paul’s run with the Los Angeles Clippers failed to bear fruit, and so was his short-lived contention with Houston. On the other hand, Westbrook’s era was coming to an end in OKC, so it made sense to move on from him. Initially, the Thunder were seen as a rebuilding team from that point. They were expected to finish at the bottom of the league and come up short of the playoffs. If you don’t remember, they were given a 0.2% chance to make it to the postseason. So, the fact there wasn’t really a competitive squad on paper in OKC at that time made this run more surprising. As fate decided, Paul would go on to lead this band of misfits, including a young SGA and Lu Dort, who were beginning to learn the ropes as the future leaders of this Thunder team. Eventually, OKC finished as the fifth seed in the West, shocking a lot of critics in the process and proving their worth on the big stage. While the Thunder would go on to lose in seven games in the 1st Round, it was Paul’s leadership that paid off in OKC. He would mentor SGA to become the elite player and MVP candidate that he is right now, which says a lot about the way Paul has impacted the team’s growth and trajectory in the years to come. Should OKC Bring In Chris Paul? The best pick for a retiring player who has yet to win the Finals is to sign up with a team that has a strong chance of doing so. We all know the Los Angeles Clippers initially looked good on paper, but then it turned out for the worse. James Harden is the saving grace for this team. Kawhi Leonard’s in-and-out performances are disappointing, and Bradley Beal being out for the season definitely was a slap in their faces. Waiving Paul didn’t do anything good except earn them the ire of many fans. In the case of the Thunder, they do have a bunch of players to move on from, such as Ousmane Dieng . This just means that they can add Paul to bring in a slice of leadership, and perhaps gift a championship to the man who ignited basketball in Oklahoma City.

Despite remaining atop the NFC East, the Eagles have struggled as of late. After blowing a 21-point lead to the Dallas Cowboys the week prior, Philadelphia fell to the Bears on Black Friday 24-15 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles struggled on both sides of the ball, allowing 281 rushing yards on defense while the offense didn’t find the end zone until halfway through the third quarter. As of today, the Eagles would be the No. 3 seed in the NFL playoffs sitting at 8-4 with five weeks remaining. Philadelphia hasn’t looked like a title contender, but there is still time to turn things around for the defending champions. Today’s Hottest Take: The Eagles shouldn’t change playcallers at this point in the season Now, let me be clear–I am by no means saying he should still call plays now and in the future. Philadelphia is ranked 24th in the NFL in offense and has been out-gained in 10 of their 12 games this season. But my point here is that it’s Week 14 and the Eagles are 8-3. Six of those wins came against teams who made the playoffs last year and are in the running still this season. And as head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo have said, everyone on the offensive staff works as a cohesive unit to come up with the gameplan. Going from one coach who was already previously in the building before being promoted to another could end up making things even more difficult. Not only does it prevent a sense of doubt within the team, it could create another layer of confusion to an already out-of-sorts offense. Sirianni has stated that Patullo will remain the play caller multiple times over the last week, but said after the loss to the Bears that “everything will be evaluated.” “We’re all involved, that’s what’s cool. He’s (Sirianni) not just someone who says this is what I want, this is how it has to be done. It’s all of us, together, working through this as an offensive staff with him,” Patullo said on Wednesday. “Every coach has a big role in it. So, when you process through information, you’ve got to decide is this something that is a schematic issue? Is it an execution issue? What is it? And then what are we doing well and what do we have coming up down the line.” I don’t think giving play calling responsibilities to Sirianni or another coach on staff would change things much, especially if execution really is an issue for this offense. While the offense has shown small flashes of what it can be and has been mediocre the rest of the time, Philadelphia simply has to ride this season out and hope to catch fire at the right time ahead of January. Before You Go: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s injury status is up in the air The Eagles defense will need to have a major bounce back game after their worst performance of the season against the Bears. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert underwent surgery to stabilize a fracture in his left hand Monday and is considered day-to-day. On Wednesday, head coach Jim Harbaugh said the team is preparing as if Herbert will be the starter, which would make the task a tall one for the visiting Eagles and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. If Herbert cannot go, Trey Lance would be the next man up. Lance has appeared in three games for the Chargers this season, going 7-13 for 90 yards. Fangio was asked on Wednesday how the Eagles are preparing for the matchup despite the Chargers’ quarterback situation being up in the air. “Yeah, we’ll have to prepare for both quarterbacks. Probably knowing that if Herbert plays, he’ll be in the pistol a lot and in the gun (formation). We’ll have to be ready for both.

My Hottest Take: The Tennessee Titans' offensive line is by far their biggest weakness The Titans' offensive-line struggled once again this Sunday as the Jags got to Cam Ward for three sacks, five QB hits, and 12+ QB hurries in their 25-3 loss to Jacksonville. The line had some decent expectations this season, but they have once again been one of the worst in the league: the Titans have allowed 48 sacks on the season in just 12 games, for an average of four sacks per game. They are ranked at the bottom in QB hits and pressures as well. All while having a mobile quarterback in Ward. It is embarrassing considering the moves they made this past offseason, and the expected development of some of their draft picks, such as JC Latham. Kevin Zeitler, and Dann Moore were brought in as veterans to tighten up this unit, but they have somehow gotten worse. It should scare fans, knowing the Titans are going to have to spend more picks and salary cap space on offensive linemen because they can’t protect the quarterback. I don’t know when this Titans o-line will be at the form it was at in 2021, but the Titans could use all the help they can get in the trenches. What You Need To Know: The are lots of options for a new head coach After Sunday’s loss to the Jags, it was revealed that Tennessee once again is looking for a new head coach. The top candidates currently are Matt Nagy and Mike McCarthy. Now I do think both coaches are solid, but they need talent around them to be good coaches. I know it sounds strange, but more often than not, Mike Vrabel did a lot with less as the Titans coach, including developing players into phenomenal players. Nagy did an ok job in Chicago, and Mike McCarthy did a good job in Green Bay, but really struggled in Dallas. As enticing as these two coaches sound, the Titans have also tried going the younger route, as they have looked into Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Both come from great coaching systems, as Minter comes from Michigan and the Chargers, via John Harbaugh. Shula has been a part of the Sean McVay coaching system practically his whole coaching career, as he joined the team in 2017 and worked his way to defensive coordinator. If the Titans go with either of those two options, I think it will be the start of a good future in Tennessee. Before You Go: Cam Ward and Sheduer Sanders will do battle this Sunday The Titans need to get a win badly. This Sunday could be a great opportunity as they take on the 3-9 Browns. The Browns have had a roller coaster season, headlined by a great defense, but a bottom-five offense. Myles Garrett looks like he is going to break the all-time sack record. Meanwhile, Sanders is the third QB the Browns are using this season after going through Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. This may be the Titans' best chance to win a game until the end of the year when they play the Saints. I think the Titans' defense will be well prepared for Sanders, but the Browns' defense will be a nightmare for Cam Ward. The Titans have allowed at least three sacks in four games this season, and I can easily see that happening this Sunday. The Titans need a win this Sunday for a morale booster, and the defense will have to be lights out, as we should be in for a low-scoring affair in Cleveland this Sunday.

Over the past couple seasons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ fanbase has not grown tired of slandering head coach Todd Bowles. With how former Tampa offensive coordinators Dave Canales and Liam Coen are looking in their new head coaching roles, perhaps the harsh words are justified? Canales, who made the move to become the head coach of a then-awful Carolina Panthers franchise ahead of the 2024 season, just coached his squad to take out arguably the best team in the NFL in the Los Angeles Rams. The Panthers now sit at 7-6 entering their bye—breathing down the 7-5 Bucs’ necks in the NFC South. Coen’s Jacksonville Jaguars did not take out a top team on Sunday, but they did trounce the Tennessee Titans by a score of 25-3 to move to 8-4 and take command of the AFC South. And what were the Bucs doing while their past two OCs were making statements with their new teams? Oh yeah. Tampa was hardly squeaking past the three-win Cardinals at home to snap a three-game losing streak. In the grand scheme of things, Bowles is not a terrible coach. The team is in position to claim its fifth consecutive NFC South division title, which would stretch the franchise record. It is very difficult to gripe about making the playoffs every year. However, seeing Canales and Coen flourish with less talented rosters while the Bucs are on pace for their same slightly-above-average season is enough to frustrate fans—and it’s enough to warm Bowles’ seat, too. Today’s Hottest Take: The Bucs Would Be Better Off With Either Coen or Canales In the modern NFL, smart, young, offensive-minded coaches have become increasingly attractive for head coaching positions. Both Canales and Coen fit all three of those categories. Respectfully, when it comes to Bowles, he fits either zero or one of them, depending on how you view his intellect. Of Bowles’ seven complete seasons as a head coach in the NFL, fewer than half of them have ended with a winning record. Granted, the last two (2023 and 2024) were two of them, but those were while he was partnered with Canales (2023) and then Coen (2024). During that two-season span, the Bucs were in the bottom half of the league in total defense—the portion of the team’s success Bowles is supposed to be responsible for. This season, Josh Grizzard took over offensive play-calling. Though he had a great start, he isn’t Canales or Coen, and the offense has cooled off substantially over the past few weeks. And guess what? It still ranks higher than the defense in terms of both yardage and scoring. If it weren’t for the defense’s ability to force turnovers, opposing teams would often not struggle to score. Bowles cannot scheme pressure without blitzing, and the secondary has been a consistent problem, no matter what coverage is being played. Canales and Coen both took over teams that were terrible when they made the transition. The Panthers hired Canales after a 2-15 season, and the Jags took Coen after last year’s 4-13 debacle. This year, with new coordinators, both teams have defenses that have allowed fewer yards per game than the Bucs. Both teams have as many or more wins than the Bucs. And they’re doing it with less talent. What You Need to Know: Todd Bowles Is Good For One Thing, And It’s Stability Bowles can be called a lot of things, and bad at his job is certainly one that has made a repeated appearance. But nobody can say his time with Tampa has been anything other than steady. He is perfectly mediocre. No matter how much talent is put in front of him, he has found a way to squeak past the other teams in the NFC South to a playoff spot with a record around .500. He began in 2022 with an 8-9 record, ramped it up to 9-8 in 2023 and got to a personal-best 10-7 with the team in 2024. During that time, his squad has been able to win just one playoff game—a 32-9 rout of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2023 Wild Card round, when the Eagles were already falling apart. If stability is what the Bucs’ fanbase wants, keeping him around is the perfect route. Recently, the pulse of the fans has said otherwise. Before You Go: Liam Coen Or Dave Canales Might Have Been Able To Take This Team To The Top For Canales and Coen to be able to reach the same level Bowles has in fewer years is troubling. Tampa watched both coaches walk to other teams, keeping Bowles around and promoting another guy from within, thinking the Tampa OC position just produced boy geniuses. But with the offense sputtering now, it’s becoming evident that the position is not magical. Canales and Coen were just really good coaches. Bowles will most likely never get fired as long as the Bucs are making the playoffs. And with how weak the NFC South has been, unless the Panthers take the next step, they will probably have a spot every year. But this should not be a hot take: Bowles is not a good enough coach to win a Super Bowl—probably not even an NFC Championship. Tampa will probably allow Bowles to prove he’s bad before parting ways with him—they have not made him prove he is good. With aging superstars on the roster, whatever window the Bucs have might be closed by then.

Family. Trust. Respect. If you know, you know! The Los Angeles Chargers swept the lowly Raiders with a dominant second half, but all eyes are now directed towards the rocky road ahead of the Chargers. Today’s Hottest Take: The Chargers Will Leave “The Gauntlet” With a Winning Record Do me a favor, look at the Chargers' next five matchups: The reigning Super Bowl Champs, the reigning AFC Champs, a scorching hot Dallas team that just beat both of those previously mentioned squads, a surging Texans team with arguably the best defense in the NFL, and the current No. 1 seed in the AFC. I don’t think the term “Gauntlet” has ever been more appropriate. To control their destiny as far as a playoff berth is concerned, the Chargers must finish 3-2 in this five-game stretch, especially after last week's “ Rooting Guide ” didn’t exactly come to fruition. As tricky as this stretch could be to navigate, every game has certain things Bolts fans can look to for a jolt of optimism. Starting with the Week 14 primetime matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, there’s no better time to catch this Eagles team. Despite the 8-4 record, the Birds are fresh off allowing 281 rushing yards and providing another dismal offensive showing, and it feels like they are in total disarray. In Week 15 against Kansas City, their aura of invincibility is gone. The Chargers have already defeated the Chiefs once this year, and with the state of Andy Reid’s team right now, there’s no reason to think they can’t do it again. As far as the final three games, a lot can change in two weeks. Does Dallas come back to Earth? Does Houston’s offense fall back into ineptitude? Does Denver need to play their starters in Week 18? As terrifying as this gauntlet looks on paper, I’m backing Jim Harbaugh’s squad to come out battle-tested with a playoff berth to show for their efforts. What You Need to Know: Justin Herbert’s Health Is The Big Question Now, pretty much everything I’ve said to this point (and really, since the beginning of September) comes down to one thing: Is Justin Herbert healthy? Despite the season-altering scare every Chargers fan, player, coach, and front office member experienced when QB1 had to run to the locker room and backup Trey Lance (who did an exceptional job in relief) had to check in, Herbert re-emerged later with a gloved-up left hand and returned to play. Despite some obvious limitations, including the inability to go under center, Herbert regrouped his team after halftime and outscored the Raiders 24-7 in the second half. We even got to see Herbert let his personality fly a couple of times, letting the Raiders know all about the fact that they had no answer for his offense. It was all fun and games until after the game, until it came out that Justin Herbert was headed for surgery on Monday morning, and his status for Monday’s showdown with the Eagles was in jeopardy. Now, Twitter doctors from all across the nation have come out in droves to try to predict QB1’s status going forward, and it seems like the majority opinion is #10 will suit up going forward, and considering Herbert’s track record when it comes to playing through injuries , I’d venture to believe the same. We will most certainly gain some clarity as practice reports come out through the week. Before You Go: The Team's Post-Bye Renovations Look Good Nothing angers me more as a fan of the sport of football than when a team leaves the bye week the same way they entered it, especially in a league that rewards proactive evolution. It is very clear that Harbaugh, and more specifically Jesse Minter, feel the same. We saw plenty of new wrinkles with the Chargers this past week. Probably the one that stood out the most was Jamaree Salyer getting the nod at left tackle, a position where he excelled as a rookie when filling in during the 2023 season. If you’ve watched the Chargers in recent weeks, that performance probably felt like an out-of-body experience. The next batch of changes really came on the defensive side of the ball, as Jesse Minter started to add to his bag of tricks, with a season-high Cover 0 rate of 15.2%, indicating we might see the second-year defensive coordinator dial up the pressure much more often during this end-of-the-season stretch. Minter also used his own tendencies against the Raiders by breaking his 2-high shell, and rolling extra bodies into the box or off the edge much more often than usual. Messing with pass protection schemes and using Daiyan Henley as a chess piece, both off the edge and as an off-ball linebacker. The Chargers defense has been scrutinized throughout the season after rough performances, but Jesse Minter has done a good job constantly rebounding and now evolving this unit and his scheme, which is the sign of a good coach. If the Chargers want to do anything of consequence, this was a very good step in that direction.

The now 10-2 Denver Broncos continue to pull out unlikely victories, but it’s important to not lose sight of the issues that have persisted during their nine-game win streak. Denver beat the Washington Commanders in a 27-26 overtime primetime game, but the Commanders highlighted some of Denver’s biggest weaknesses. Today’s Hottest Take: Denver Has a Problem Stopping Tight Ends The Broncos couldn’t do a thing to stop Washington tight end Zach Ertz from torching their defense. Ertz ended the night with 10 catches on 14 targets for 106 yards. Whatever he wanted, he got. He isn’t the only tight end who has hurt the Denver defense this season. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. Houston’s Dalton Schultz had six catches for 77 yards. New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson had three for 66 and a touchdown, with most yards coming on his fourth-quarter touchdown. Occasionally, Denver can slow down opposing tight ends, but it is more often than not a liability of a usually elite defensive unit. The worst part is Denver has tried plenty of matchups and can’t find the man for the job. Pro Football Focus credited nine Denver defenders with seeing targets against Ertz. Safety Brandon Jones is best utilized over the top of the defense. Fellow safety Talanoa Hufanga is a great roamer who can play in the box, on the line, or over the top, but struggles in man-to-man coverage. Linebackers Alex Singleton and Dre Greenlaw aren’t great for the job, either. Singleton is a sure tackler but doesn’t thrive in coverage. Greenlaw is strong, physical and smart in coverage, but he isn’t the same athlete he used to be. Ja’Quan McMillian is the team’s best slot defender, but he is too small to guard tight ends. That leaves Jahdae Barron as potentially the best option, but he’s just a rookie. Barron’s performance against Kelce was his breakout moment in the eyes of Broncos fans looking for a tight end stopper. Barron matched up a handful of times with Kelce and allowed just two catches for 14 yards. Relying on a rookie to win against a physical, cerebral position like tight end could be risky, but Barron may need to be leaned on more in that role. He saw just two targets lined up from Ertz and didn’t see much run against TEs Sunday night. Barron saw just 25 total snaps against Washington, according to PFF , following the return of star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, so he didn’t have many reps regardless of position. What You Need To Know: The Rushing Games Appear to Be a Weakness With Dobbins missing his second game following his season-ending injury, it’s clear Denver’s run game could use a boost, and ideally, it would come from internal improvements. Two games into rookie RJ Harvey’s starting tenure, it doesn’t appear he is quite ready to earn starter touches. Across the past two games, Harvey is averaging 2.7 yards per carry on a combined 24 rushes for 65 yards. He did find the end zone twice against Washington, but Harvey isn’t providing the same down-to-down consistency Dobbins found. Harvey actually looked better as the change-of-pace running back he was, with Dobbins garnering the majority of carries. Denver reportedly had interest in now-Chiefs running back Dameon Pierce after he was released by the Houston Texans. Obviously, they know the running back room isn’t the same as it was a few weeks ago. The Broncos may just need to utilize Harvey differently than they did with Dobbins. If they can get Harvey into space with outside zones and passes, he could become more useful, but Denver is missing their every-down back. Before You Go: Broncos Are In a Race For No. 1 Seed Denver still is looking to clinch a playoff spot, something not on the table for this week, but there are still playoff implications surrounding the team’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. With the New England Patriots currently leading the race for the No. 1 seed with an 11-2 record, Denver may need to win tiebreakers over New England to have a shot at the first-round bye. A win would give the Broncos a 6-0 record against common opponents, while the Patriots would be sitting at 5-1 after losing to the Raiders in Week 1.

The (6–5–1) Dallas Cowboys are finally back in winning contention, riding a three-game streak with five games remaining to fight for a playoff spot. According to Next Gen Stats, their postseason chances sat at 14% before the Chiefs game, jumped to 22% after the win, and could climb to around 50% with a victory over the Lions, putting Dallas firmly back in the playoff realm. New Additions and Big Returns Spark Momentum I am not saying these players are the only reason the Cowboys have been winning, but since their return, the Cowboys have gone undefeated since November 17th. The addition of DT Quinnen Williams has had an immediate impact in the trenches, helping contain running backs under five yards per carry and creating problems for opposing QBs. Also, the supporting cast of LB DeMarvion Overshown, Safeties Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker and new addition LB Logan Wilson, who are getting back to their normal play after their injuries. Once they get back to themselves on the field, sooner or later. Offenses beware!!! On the offense side, the Cowboys have elevated longtime practice squad RB Malik Davis to be a solid, impactful RB 2 that this team has been needing. In the last three games, he has run for 10 carries for 91 rush yards, 9.6 yards per carry and a Touchdown. He has shown to be an impactful RB2 reliever for Javonte Williams. Cowboys' Path to the Playoffs If the Cowboys were to win out, their playoff chances would skyrocket to around 98%. To take the division crown, however, they'd still need the Philadelphia Eagles to drop at least two games. Realistically, Dallas can only afford one loss the rest of the way; finishing with 10 wins would keep them firmly in the wild-card race, but dropping two games, leaving them at nine wins, would force them to rely on tiebreakers and help from other teams — a scenario where their chances become extremely slim. For the Cowboys, the hope is simple: keep the streak alive, and who knows… maybe ride it all the way into February, if you catch my drift.

For the seventh time in their last 10 games, the Arizona Cardinals lost a competitive football game by one possession, falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-17. Arizona never led in Tampa Bay, but kept the game within reach thanks to another solid defensive performance, but two turnovers and two failed fourth downs erased the Cardinals' 22-13 first-down advantage, and a total yards advantage of over 100, 386-279. Main Takeaway: The Josh Sweat signing was a homerun When the Cardinals signed defensive end Josh Sweat to a four-year, 76 million dollar deal, it was fair to wonder what his ceiling would be with the team. Sweat was fantastic during his seven-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he totaled 54 sacks and capped it off with a dominating three-sack performance in Super Bowl 59. His talent was undeniable, but the question was, could Sweat anchor a defensive line after having the privilege of sharing the field with the likes of Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Jalen Carter and Milton Williams? The answer in year one has been a resounding yes. Sweat already has 11 sacks in 12 games, and is on pace to match his career high of 15 sacks without any extra opportunities in the postseason. Despite being the 17th highest-paid edge rusher in the league at $19 million APY, Sweat is tied for fifth in sacks. Sweat isn’t just sacking the QB, but creating turnovers, as he’s got four forced fumbles on the season. It’s a lost season for the Cardinals, but having Sweat under contract for three more seasons and being able to build around him and Walter Nolen upfront is a win for the organization. The Monti Ossenfort discussion is a tough one The unrest among Cardinals fans grows louder with every loss, and a failure to even appear in the playoffs after three years should put pressure on any regime, yet it feels difficult to say that general manager Monti Ossenfort deserves the axe with any conviction. Ossenfort hasn’t been perfect; Darius Robinson feels like a first-round pick gone to waste, and at this point, it feels like the best they could get out of four third-round picks in 2024 is a good blocking tight end in Tip Reiman, which isn’t enough. On the flipside, Paris Johnson Jr. was a great, if not obvious, first-round pick, and Micheal Wilson has proved well worth the third-round pick spent on him in 2023. The 2025 draft feels like Ossenfort’s best work, as Arizona has gotten meaningful contributions from its first five selections . It feels like a divorce is coming between Kyler Murray and the Cardinals franchise, so this offseason is going to be a pivotal one for the franchise's future. Ossenfort should get one more season to prove he can pull this in the right direction, but only with a new coaching staff. There is no way to justify a young QB being brought in to develop under Jonathan Gannon and Drew Petzing. Finally, Arizona should extend Jalen Thompson Jalen Thompson has been a reliable, if unspectacular, member of the Cardinals' secondary for seven seasons now. His PFF defensive grade has never dropped below a 64.4 and never risen above a 71.3. Thompson has only missed two tackles against the run this season, and his 93.3 passer rating when targeted is much better than Budda Baker’s 115.3. This doesn’t have to be a deal that breaks the bank; think of the three-year, 31.5 million dollar deal that the New Orleans Saints gave Justin Reid this offseason. It would take Thompson through his age-30 season and provide Arizona with reliable play on the back end while they continue to bring Dadrion Taylor-Demerson along.

The New York Giants' 2025 campaign is well over following their seventh-consecutive loss this season, falling to the New England Patriots. The head coach has been fired, the defensive coordinator followed suit, and it appears General Manager Joe Schoen is next. The team should look forward to the offseason now and take inventory of what they got now and what they need. There’s one real answer here: The Giants need a lot more than they thought at the start of the season. My Hottest Take: The Giants Should Trade Their Early First-Rounder There is a high likelihood that New York ends the season with a top-five draft pick again for the second consecutive year. The problem is that the team is in dire need of a secondary and an upgrade to their wide receiver corps. While the team will get Malik Nabers back in 2026 after tearing his ACL, the Giants lack any depth outside of Cor’Dale Flott in the secondary after years of neglect. A number one pick seems unlikely, according to the New York Times , due to the Tennessee Titans' horror show in Nashville. New York also has to compete with the Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, and the neighboring New York Jets for a top-five pick. Securing a high pick would be hard, given that they will play against the Washington Commanders and Raiders before the season is over. If they do finish with under three wins, their best course of action would likely be to trade the pick away for a larger haul from a desperate team. Trading down to a team desperate for a new quarterback could be the best bet, which could include the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Jets. What You Need To Know: The Giants Have Numerous Options The draft class is far from formulated, especially since the college football playoffs are just getting underway. We don’t know who is going to declare, which draft stock is going to increase or decrease, or what players will have a breakout performance. As of December 1, however, there are some early options for New York to pursue. Per ESPN , the Giants’ best option for a secondary improvement would be Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Pre-draft analysis puts Downs as a strong player who can limit passing production and aid the Giants’ dreadful run defense. If the team trades down and gets another first-rounder, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy could be an option despite missing the 2025 season with an ACL injury. If the team is desperate for an edge rusher, there are numerous options for the draft. Arvell Reese is a strong linebacker who could replace Kayvon Thibodeaux if the Giants cannot afford him (possibly used as trade bait) or select Rueben Bain Jr. to help Dexter Lawrence on the line. Keldric Faulk and Matayo Uiagalelei also provide great build with freakish speed that can get to an opposing quarterback. The wide receiver class is weaker this year, with Arizona State’s Jordan Tyson leading the pack despite having only 711 receiving yards. Spencer Fano could also help on the offensive line, but given the team’s sudden improvement on the line, that might not be their first focus. Before You Go: The Giants Have No Third-Rounder For the Giants to make a big impact this draft, they must give up their first-rounder this year, but they also need to aim for a third-rounder as one of their hauls. A third-rounder could be used to give depth to their secondary or potentially snag a second wide receiver to aid Nabers. Expect the Giants to make a trade before draft day. When they do, it could involve someone on their roster alongside their first-round pick. They will get a large haul from it.

After a crushing loss to Buffalo, it’s time to question how this season ends for Pittsburgh. My Hottest Take: Anything But 9-8, Please! As crazy as it sounds, I’d feel better about Mike Tomlin if he experiences his first losing season this year. The Steelers have been stuck in the middle of the pack for the last few years: they are too bad to make a deep run into the playoffs, but too good to earn higher draft picks that can push them over the edge. It could definitely be worse (we’re not the Jets), but Pittsburgh is sick of mediocrity, and maintaining Tomlin’s perfect streak of winning seasons shouldn’t be the goal. It’s time to go big or go home. Let the team prove they don’t need a rebuild, or let them fail and start over. It starts with doing away with the conservative playcalling on offense. Aaron Rodgers is tied for dead last in the league for intended air yards per pass attempt, a victim of a scheme that asks him to dink and dunk rather than turn loose. Rodgers has proven that he still has a live arm, and Metcalf and Austin both have the speed to get downfield. Rolling the dice and hunting big plays, especially in the middle of the field, will either elevate this team to a contender or net them better draft capital. Either way, it’s time to move on from mediocrity and being afraid to fail. What You Need to Know: The Baltimore Ravens Loom Pittsburgh might have it rough right now, but they still have the opportunity to take control of the AFC North this week. The Ravens have turned it around as of late after crumbling during Lamar Jackson’s absence, although they looked rough against the Bengals last week. The Ravens defense is certainly beatable, although the lethal presence of Kyle Hamilton will require some improved attention to detail from Pittsburgh’s pass catchers. Offensively, the two-headed monster of Jackson and Derrick Henry will demand perfection from TJ Watt and the front seven. Keeping Baltimore in check for two games is Pittsburgh’s easiest path to the playoffs, which means that this game couldn’t be more important. Before You Go: Who’s The Real TE1? The expectation coming into this season was that newcomer Jonnu Smith would battle with incumbent Pat Freiermuth to be the top tight end in this offense, but there would be enough room in Arthur Smith’s TE-heavy offense for both of them to eat. Through the last three games, however, they’ve both been eclipsed by Darnell Washington, who was projected to primarily be utilized as a blocker. While he’s certainly been effective in that aspect, he’s also earned the team’s trust as a receiver over the last few games. Washington’s massive frame and sure hands make him an easy target, and his ability to find yards after the catch continue to earn him more looks in the passing game. He’s made the most of limited opportunities, and there could be legitimate star potential if he’s given a higher workload. Look for Washington to continue to eclipse his teammates as the season progresses and Rodgers continues to grow comfortable with his biggest weapon.

How nice to have a (for me, at least, in the UK) early kickoff, and relatively easy win. After much teeth-gnashing over the conditions, Cleveland’s defense, and our record there since 1984, the 49ers took care of business quietly and efficiently, picking up an excellent 24-8 road win over the Browns. My Hottest Take: You Should Shut Up About Brock Purdy I barely mentioned Brock Purdy’s three-interception game last week, if only because I knew you could turn on any media outlet across the Eastern seaboard and hear about it–you certainly didn’t need to hear it from me, not when I’ve got thousands more interesting things to use my word count up for. Regardless, the endless debate started again after an up-and-down performance, and to read some of the discourse from my fellow analysts and fans, you’d think Purdy walks around with a crash helmet on in case the sky falls in. Happily, Sunday’s game against the Browns showed exactly why he’s the 49ers' No. 1 quarterback, but also one of the best in the league. In tough conditions, with howling winds and freezing temperatures, Brock Purdy produced an efficient game that helped lead the team to victory. Sure, it was only 168 yards and a touchdown, but his command of the offense and ability to pull out big drives when required (such as in the two-minute drill before the half, which helped give the Niners a 10-8 lead they never let slip) was on full display. It had to be, too, as the 49ers' run game was largely bottled up in terms of explosive plays, with only 91 rushing yards on 33 carries. Honestly, guys, it’s time to stop talking about Purdy so much. He has the occasional bad week, as every quarterback does, but he’s the most efficient and reliable quarterback this team has had in decades. He’s the guy. It becomes clearer every year, and winning in a place the team hasn’t for 41 years should help to prove that. It’s frustrating that the league’s discourse and yards and yards of television film are devoted to players like Shedeur Sanders' "potential," while Purdy continues to produce at a high level for years with people waiting to knock him down. What You Need To Know: Off-season (and In-season) Moves are Paying Off I’ve said a few times before that I think I’m on the optimistic side of team coverage. There are times I’ll be frustrated–see my comments on the team prioritising "solid veterans" over youngsters with upsides, or our abandonment of offensive line development)–but generally, I’ll come down on the team’s side. (If only because rather than assume the upper brass are clueless, I assume there's a "why" to the decisions the team make, and more often than not, that’s been borne out by the results.) That was true again on Sunday. The 49ers decision to go younger on defense, shore up special teams with the likes of Skyy Moore, Siran Neal, and Luke Gifford has been criticised at times by analysts, and actually resulted in me having something of a Bluesky war with Tim Kawakami, but oddly enough, they seem to be working out. Youngsters like Dee Winters and Upton Stout impressed again on Sunday, while mid-season pickups Cle Ferrell and Keion White also had impactful plays on defense. Ferrell is now second on the team in sacks, and only joined the team in November. The special teams unit, meanwhile, handed the offense two short fields and was also flawless in the field position battle. After criticism of the team’s offseason moves and quiet trade deadline, recent results prove that maybe these guys running the show know what they’re doing after all. Before You Go: All the Paths are Open The win was the big news on Sunday, but perhaps one of the other most consequential moments came in a game far away from Ohio, with the Los Angeles Rams falling to the Carolina Panthers. With the Rams still having to play the Seattle Seahawks, suddenly, the NFC West, as well as a wildcard spot, looks open to the Niners. We’ll likely need to win out for the division, and probably need three wins for a wildcard, but the picture looks a hell of a lot rosier than it did after the Rams blowout win over us a few weeks ago. My guess is that the looming Week 18 battle with the Seahawks might be yet another game with our long-time rivals that has huge implications. Nervous? Good; it means something to you.

Today’s Hottest Take: Always Improving, Always Learning Last season, Kris Dunn's player archetype was labeled as a dying breed, like a Tony Allen or an Avery Bradley. The type of player that would be guarding the other team's best player, making hustle plays and being a sparkplug for the whole team. He was not thought at all to be a scorer, and his handle was shaky. In the playoffs last year, he was left wide open from three 63.3% of the time and only shot 34%. He also only averaged 1.3 assists in 22 minutes as a point guard. His lack of shot creation and ability to pass was one of the main reasons the Clippers didn’t win their series versus the Nuggets. This season, Dunn came in determined to change his narrative. He not only is playing at a First Team All-Defense level, but he's also transformed his offensive game. While his playmaking has only slightly improved with now 2.4 assists a game, it's his shooting that has changed the public perception on him. He is now shooting slightly above average from 3 with 36.4%, which may not sound like a lot, but for the Clippers, this is a godsend. Now with players having to respect his 3-point shot, it opens the paint for his teammates. His shooting has allowed Ivica Zubac to dominate the paint, averaging 16/10/2 on 62.2% efficiency. He also has improved his handle, allowing him to drive more effectively and turn the ball over less. His energy hasn’t left him at all either, making him a great sparkplug for the team on both offense and defense. What You Need To Know: Dunn’s Defensive Gravity is Changing Everything Kris Dunn has become the Clippers identity, the guy who sets the tone before he even checks into the game. His defensive pressure has become so trusted by Ty Lue that Lue uses him to control the game's tempo, sticking him on the opposing ball handler to disrupt possessions before they even start. What makes him so dangerous is how it connects the rest of the roster. James Harden gets to conserve energy for late-game creation. Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr. get good looks from 3. Zubac benefits the most, often waiting at the rim untouched because Dunn has already blown up the first action of the play. And his defensive impact is seen so clearly; the blind screens he navigates perfectly, weak-side digs he times perfectly, and the trademark swipes that switch defense to offense in an instant. The way he is able to create chaos on the court has quietly become one of the Clippers’ most reliable weapons. If L.A. ends up salvaging this season stretch, it’ll be because Dunn’s defense keeps giving them chances when nothing else is working. Before You Go: Dunn’s Contract Might be the Clippers’ Best Trade Asset The NBA trade deadline always has the chance for value, and the Clippers have a $5 million contract that every playoff team would love to trade for. Dunn’s work ethic and grit has shown by bouncing around the league and becoming an elite defender when people thought he was done for, makes him the exact type of player front offices call about when searching for playoff-ready players. From a roster-building angle, Dunn’s strengths are exactly what contenders crave: point-of-attack defense, zero ego, plug-and-play utility, and an improving jumper. The weaknesses are minimal, and the style fits into any system. That combination makes him both indispensable and extremely tradable. With the rough stretch the Clippers have had, if they suffer any more injuries, they could end up falling out of the playoff race. With no real picks for the future, they could end up in an extremely dark place with nowhere to go. Dunn could help them out of this situation if the Clippers are still doing poorly by the trade deadline. Dunn’s main weakness right now is his age, and if the Clippers can’t compete this year, keeping an aging small guard on the roster would not be a smart move. Instead, they could sell him to a team that is in need of his services like the Nuggets, 76ers or Pistons for draft capital. One trade they could do is send Dunn and Kobe Brown to the Nuggets for Zeke Nnaji and two first-round picks. The Nuggets would get an elite defensive guard, allowing them to compete with the Thunder, while the Clippers can get draft picks and a young stretch big that can be mentored by players like Brook Lopez and Batum. Another good trade the Clippers could make is sending Dunn to the Pistons for Paul Reed and two lottery protected picks. This allows for the Pistons to get a two guard that would fit next to Cade Cunningham perfectly and for the Clippers to prepare for the draft. All this being said, no matter what route the Clippers go, Dunn is an extremely underrated player that doesn't get the love he deserves.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has played at an elite level this season, and the advanced metrics back it up. Only three passers have a turnover-worthy play rate under 3% and a big-time throw rate over 5%: Jordan Love, Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye — the latter two firmly in the MVP conversation . One of the biggest concerns among Packers fans heading into 2025 was Love’s ball security, but he’s flipped that narrative. He’s thrown just one interception over his last seven starts and has only three picks entering Week 14. For context, he had 11 at this point in 2024 and 10 in 2023. Today’s Hottest Take: Love is the best QB in the NFC Love delivered another masterful performance on Thanksgiving — once again at the Detroit Lions’ expense — throwing for 234 yards and four touchdowns. Entering Week 13’s Sunday slate, he ranked 2nd in total EPA, 1st in EPA per play, 1st in passing EPA, 7th in passing yards and 6th in passing touchdowns. He also sat 9th in success rate, 3rd in CPOE, 1st in clean-pocket EPA, 2nd in clean-pocket success rate, 3rd in non-play-action EPA per play and 8th in non-play-action success rate. Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott are having great seasons, but context matters. Stafford is operating with a Pro Bowl running back in Kyren Williams, plus Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, all while being coached by arguably the best play-caller in football. Prescott has CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens at his disposal. Meanwhile, Love has played multiple games without Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and Tucker Kraft. On top of that, Green Bay’s offensive line is on track for its worst pass-blocking efficiency in the last 15 years. What You Need To Know: Love has taken what was once a weakness and turned it into one of his defining strengths. One of the stories of the 2024 Packers offense was their inability to consistently attack the intermediate areas of the field. That limitation put a cap on their ceiling. In 2025, that weakness has flipped into a strength, and Love’s growth in that range has been one of the biggest drivers of Green Bay’s offensive leap. Among 41 quarterbacks with at least 69 dropbacks , Love ranks 10th in completion rate, 8th in passing yards, 10th in yards per attempt, 3rd in passing grade, 7th in big-time throws and 4th in passer rating on intermediate concepts — while sitting 34th in turnover-worthy play rate. Technically, intermediate concepts were a weakness for Love last year — or was he simply playing through injuries that affected his mechanics? Maybe. But what we’re seeing now is that a fully healthy version of Love has no issues operating in that area of the field. He’s attacking intermediate windows with confidence and precision, and it’s paying off in a big way for Green Bay’s offense. Before You Go: Love’s best is yet to come If you’re familiar with the Toyotathon conspiracy theory , then you know what it implies: Love turns into Superman once mid-November hits. His production during the Toyotathon window over the past two seasons has been absurd — 28 touchdowns to just two interceptions. Outside of that stretch, he has 29 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. Love has already played two Toyotathon games in 2025 — the 23–6 win over the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau and the 31–24 victory in Detroit. Across those two matchups, he posted a 75.9 passing grade with four touchdowns, four big-time throws and just one turnover-worthy play, finishing with a 104.7 passer rating. Green Bay has a tough stretch ahead. They’ll face the Chicago Bears twice in three weeks, travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in between and then host Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17. If Love lets the Toyotathon spirit take over, Green Bay should have more than enough firepower to put points on the board — and potentially stack wins during this run.

Reports have come out recently stating that Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball is open to being traded elsewhere. With the Hornets struggling with and without him, fans are becoming more and more split on whether the sixth-year guard can really figure this out with Charlotte and show signs of growth. While the flash and flair of Ball are eye-popping and draw crowds at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, it's not leading to wins, and it's time to move on. Here’s why. In 12 games this year, LaMelo Ball is averaging just 19.9 points per game on a tough 38% from the field and 28% from 3-point range. As a scorer, much of his offense has felt rushed and forced, especially with his shot selection. While this is nothing new regarding Ball’s development and style of play, it’s not something that can just be ignored anymore. The scoring inefficiency is causing him to no longer be the primary option on his team, and honestly, he's not even the second option with how well Kon Knueppel has been playing to start his rookie year. Another alarming stat is that he’s shooting this low despite putting up only 17.8 shots per game, his lowest field-goal attempt average since 2022. Last night’s win over the rising Toronto Raptors added more support for the idea of moving on from Ball, and it was Miles Bridges and Knueppel who led the Hornets to victory. Not only did they lead Charlotte to a win, but Ball wasn’t even on the court during the Hornets’ critical run. Ball was benched in the fourth quarter when the Hornets were still behind; after he was benched, the Hornets went on a 26-8 run and secured the win. It’s clear as day that Charlotte is finding their identity on offense as the season goes on, and more often than not, Ball isn’t the catalyst. In Ball’s defense, the low-minute total was due to a minutes restriction, but the Hornets still managed to overcome it and, frankly, look more cohesive on offense. With Charlotte having young players to build around outside of Ball, it seems they should at least throw out feelers to gauge his market. If Charlotte can’t get back multiple firsts or young pieces to build upon, let this ride, cause while they should be shopping him, they can’t sell too low, which is what makes this tricky given Ball’s offensive woes and injury history. It’s not to say LaMelo is a lost cause; his talent remains undeniable, but he needs a significant change in his scoring approach and usage. It seems that with Brandon Miller, Knueppel and Bridges all showing offensive ability, Ball should shift toward being more of a facilitator who finds his shots without forcing them off the dribble, as he’s known to do. With Charlotte having just achieved possibly their biggest win of the season, it’s now time to build on that momentum. They'll aim to see what they can accomplish now that Ball and Miller are healthy again. If things don’t improve, don’t be surprised if trade rumors about Ball intensify.