Big questions and takeaways: Vikings keep rolling, Eagles hang on

December 9, 2024 ndowd

NFL Nation, ESPNDec 8, 2024, 08:00 PM ET

Week 14 of the NFL season began with a great Thursday night matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. The Lions came out on top with a 34-31 win.

On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings coasted past the Atlanta Falcons, quarterback Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers‘ upset attempt fell flat to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Miami Dolphins won an overtime thriller over the New York Jets.

In the later games, the Los Angeles Rams overpowered the Buffalo Bills, and the Seattle Seahawks secured a series sweep over the Arizona Cardinals.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.

Seahawks

Where do the Seahawks rank in the NFC hierarchy? They’ll soon find out with home games against the Packers and Vikings over the next two weeks. But the question for the Seahawks is shifting from whether they’ll make the playoffs to how deep they can go. They now lead Arizona by two games and hold the tiebreaker, while the Rams — whom Seattle plays in Week 18 — are a game behind. According to ESPN Analytics, the Seahawks’ odds are now 64% to make the playoffs and 62% to win the NFC West. Winning the division could set up a wild-card rematch at home versus either Green Bay or Minnesota.

Most surprising performance: Seattle’s run game came alive despite not having Kenneth Walker III. The Seahawks entered Sunday averaging 90.5 rushing yards per game and 4.1 per carry, but even without their best back, they exploded for 176 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Zach Charbonnet led the way with 134 yards and two touchdowns.

What we learned about the QB today: Geno Smith can keep his patience. Checkdowns and other short throws were often there, and he (24-of-30, 233 yards, one touchdown) repeatedly took them since they had a lead and he didn’t need to force the ball downfield. Smith has 13 interceptions on the year but none in the past two. — Brady Henderson

Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Cardinals

How do the Cardinals survive Kyler Murray‘s interceptions? They can’t seem to figure out a way. Murray threw two on Sunday, marking the first time in his career he threw multiple interceptions in consecutive games — both of which were losses. In order to counteract Murray’s picks, Arizona’s defense needed to make a stop, which they couldn’t do either time Sunday as Seattle scored two touchdowns off the turnovers. It’s one thing for Murray to throw a pick, which happens, but when the opponent can capitalize on it, that makes it difficult for Arizona to bounce back.

Most surprising performance: It took until the 5:29 mark of the third quarter for tight end Trey McBride to get his first catch of the game. McBride was coming off a three-game stretch of 71, 133 and 96 yards, respectively. He eventually finished with seven catches for 70 yards.

Early prediction for next week: McBride will be involved earlier in the game. Yes, he had three targets before his first catch Sunday, but none of them hit. Murray will make sure to get McBride a couple of catches early against the Patriots to set the tone. McBride makes things happen when the ball is in his hands. — Josh Weinfuss

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

49ers

What does Sunday’s blowout win mean for the 49ers? Not as much as they’d like. For the first time in a long time, the Niners looked like the juggernaut many expected them to be entering this season. While a comfortable win was much needed, the 49ers didn’t gain any ground in the NFC West given Seattle’s win over Arizona. Sunday’s victory also came against a Bears team in disarray, which makes it hard to believe this is a sign of a team on the verge of a surge. If San Francisco can beat the Rams on Thursday, it would be a much better indicator that San Francisco can still make the playoffs.

Most surprising performance: Running back Isaac Guerendo. The rookie made the most of his first start in place of the injured Christian McCaffrey (knee) and Jordan Mason (ankle). He had 78 rushing yards on 15 carries for two touchdowns and was a solid pass threat with 50 yards on two receptions. A fourth-quarter foot injury put a damper on his day, but it was a promising opening act. The 49ers think Guerendo has a sprained foot, and he will undergo an MRI on Monday.

Eye-popping stat: The first half was the most lopsided half in the NFL this season, as San Francisco was up 24-0 at halftime. The 49ers posted 319 yards, the most by any team in the opening 30 minutes this season. The Bears managed just four yards, the fewest by any team in 2024. The 315-yard margin was the highest by a 49ers team in any half over the past 40 seasons. — Nick Wagoner

Next game: vs. Rams (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Bears

How did the Bears manage to look worse after firing coach Matt Eberflus? Chicago experienced no bump after firing Eberflus and promoting Thomas Brown to interim coach. The Bears were outgained by 315 yards, mustered one first down and were shut out in the first half, which felt similar to how things transpired in their disastrous loss in Detroit. But unlike the Lions game, Chicago mustered no real comeback. Rookie receiver Rome Odunze was the lone bright spot with two touchdowns in the Bears’ seventh straight loss, but his efforts were for naught as this game was basically over at halftime.

Describe the game in two words: Total domination. The 49ers hadn’t scored five touchdowns in a game this season until Sunday. Chicago had the No. 1 red zone defense and allowed San Francisco to convert on five trips inside the 20. The 49ers sacked quarterback Caleb Williams seven times and limited the Bears to 3.2 yards per play.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Why was George Kittle always wide open? The Bears defense allowed eight plays of 20-plus yards, four of which were catches by the 49ers tight end. He became the third tight end to record a 100-yard game on Chicago’s defense this season (T.J. Hockenson and Evan Engram), which is the most such performances by any team through 14 weeks. — Courtney Cronin

Next game: at Vikings (Monday, 8 p.m. ET)

Steelers

What’s the ceiling for the Steelers? With the win against the Browns, the Steelers emerged from a four-game divisional gauntlet with a two-game lead in the division. Though they’ve secured another 10-win season, the Steelers have their sights set on much bigger goals, like winning their first playoff game since 2016 and hosting their first playoff game since 2020. They have a championship-caliber defense, leading the NFL in takeaways — the Browns had three turnovers on Sunday — and holding opponents to fewer than 19 points per game. And the offense has shown an ability to adjust and thrive with Russell Wilson at quarterback.

What we learned about the QB today: Though he struggled against Cleveland’s pass rush early, Wilson shook off a rocky first half to throw two third-quarter touchdowns. The Browns pressured Wilson on 39% of dropbacks in the first half, per ESPN Research, and went 1-of-6 for minus-1 passing yards under pressure. In the second half, he went 3-of-5 for 61 yards under pressure, including one touchdown pass.

Early prediction for next week: After a slow start to his Steelers career, wide receiver Mike Williams will continue the uptick in targets. Williams, who finished with three catches for 36 yards on four targets, benefitted from Pickens’ absence Sunday. Pickens, who was inactive after a hamstring injury late in the week, is likely to be back against the Eagles. But Williams showed his value as a field-stretching target. He had a one-handed, third-down snag in the third quarter. — Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Browns

Will the Browns find a way to minimize their self-inflicted mistakes? When the Browns took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, it looked like Cleveland had the formula to win its first regular-season game in Pittsburgh since 2003. But that quickly evaporated with several miscues, from quarterback Jameis Winston‘s interception that led to Pittsburgh’s first touchdown to kicker Dustin Hopkins‘ two missed kicks. Cleveland isn’t headed to the postseason but limiting errors could be the difference in pulling off another upset in its next four games.

Describe the game in two words: Collective collapse. All sides of the ball played a role in giving up 24 straight points after building a 7-3 lead. Winston continued his trend of interceptions, the defense allowed a Steelers offense without wide receiver George Pickens to generate explosive passing plays and Hopkins’ misses ruined productive drives.

Early prediction for next week: Tight end David Njoku records a season-high in receiving yards. Njoku has received 10-plus targets in the Browns’ past two games. His season-high is 81 yards, and he will face a Chiefs defense that entered Week 14 allowing the second-most yards per attempt to tight ends (9.1). — Daniel Oyefusi

Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Saints

Can the Saints’ offense regroup without Taysom Hill (and possibly Derek Carr)? The Saints have scored 26.8 points per game with Hill in the lineup versus just 15.2 without him. Hill went on IR (ACL) this week and the Saints’ offense struggled against the Giants, particularly in the run game. They’ll have to figure out how to succeed without their do-everything player, and potentially without Carr if he’s out indefinitely with an injury.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The run game. The Saints had their starting offensive line back, but they couldn’t get anything going on the ground, with the exception of an 8-yard touchdown run in which Kendre Miller was pushed into the end zone. Miller, Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams combined for only 81 yards, and Kamara averaged only 2.6 yards per carry.

Early prediction for next week: The Saints didn’t fare well in their three games without Carr earlier in the season, and they likely experienced some déjà vu after he collided with a teammate late in the fourth quarter and left the game. He went to the locker room with a wrist injury and potential concussion; if he’s out, the Saints could struggle against the Commanders. — Katherine Terrell

Next game: vs. Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Derek Carr taken to locker room after falling hard on wrist

Derek Carr scrambles and leaps, but he comes down hard on his wrist and heads to the locker room.

Giants

How does the latest loss affect coach Brian Daboll’s future? This was the Giants’ eighth straight loss, and it seems they’re finding new ways to lose, after their game-tying field goal attempt was blocked in the final seconds. This all reflects poorly on Daboll. As if it wasn’t enough, a plane flew over MetLife Stadium prior to the game with a banner directed at Giants owner John Mara that read: “MR MARA ENOUGH — PLZ FIX THIS DUMPSTER FIRE.” The optics of this and a half-empty stadium aren’t good for Daboll and this regime. Sure, the Giants are extremely short-handed, but this type of embarrassment is what generally irks Mara.

Eye-popping stat: Quarterback Drew Lock had zero completions on his first eight pass attempts. Two of those eight passes were drops, but it was still the most consecutive incompletions to start a home game since the Jets’ Ken O’Brien on Dec. 15, 1991, against the Patriots. It only got slightly better from there, as Lock went 6-of-19 for 52 yards in the first half.

Most surprising performance: Cornerback Tre Hawkins III‘s big day. The second-year cornerback has been buried on the depth chart all season. In fact, the Giants had recalled corners from the practice squad to play over Hawkins. He had the Giants’ first interception since Week 1, their first interception by a defensive back this season and was an asset against the run before an injury in the fourth quarter. — Jordan Raanan

Next game: vs. Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Eagles

Will slow starts come back to bite the Eagles eventually? Most likely, if they don’t get it fixed between now and the playoffs. The Eagles have been shut out in the first quarter in 10 of their 13 games this season, including this Sunday. They have scored a league-low 17 points in the opening frame, which is unacceptable given the level of talent on the offensive side of the ball. To their credit, they make adjustments well and have often gone on to dominate games. But a high-quality team will eventually make them pay.

Describe the game in two words: Saquon’s record. Barkley set a new franchise mark for single-season rushing yards, moving past LeSean McCoy, who rushed for 1,607 yards in 2013. He took over first place midway through the fourth quarter and finished the game at 1,623 total. Chants of “MVP” broke out as his achievement was announced in the stadium. It was Barkley’s ninth 100-yard rushing game this season, which is also the most in Eagles history.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Receiver A.J. Brown was not targeted until the waning moments of the second quarter. After Barkley, Brown has been the team’s top offensive player with four games of 100-plus receiving yards. He broke open a couple of different times early in the game, but the ball did not come his way. He showed some frustration as a result. — Tim McManus

Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Panthers

Did Bryce Young finally prove he can be the Panthers’ franchise quarterback? Young did throw his first interception in 125 attempts. The fact that this is being mentioned shows how well he has been playing. More significantly, he went toe-to-toe against the NFL’s best defense in a hostile environment. Young was a dropped touchdown catch by Xavier Legette away from getting the win. Stack that on top of his performance the previous five games, and there’s no doubt the job should be his next season.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Not accounting for quarterback Jalen Hurts in the run game. The league’s worst run defense (allowing 166.9 yards per game) did a decent job of holding down Saquon Barkley, the league’s leading rusher. But it gave up too many big runs to Hurts, who had six rushes for 58 yards.

Describe the game in two words: Close again. For the third straight week, the Panthers were in it until the end. And it was the second time in three weeks that it came against a top team (Week 12 vs. Kansas City). This shows how far coach Dave Canales and his staff have come since the start of the season, when Carolina went 1-7. — David Newton

Next game: vs. Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Vikings

Are the Vikings really going to let Sam Darnold leave after the season? That’s been the guess ever since Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract in March, but it’s getting harder to make that assumption. It made sense that rookie J.J. McCarthy would take over as the starter in 2025 once he recovered from his knee injury. Darnold, however, has pushed his game to a new level lately, culminating with a career-best five touchdown passes against the quarterback he replaced in Minnesota. He is on pace for a 4,000-yard, 36-touchdown season at age 27. At the very least, the Vikings are going to have a much more difficult set of conversations around their 2025 quarterback room than they were planning.

Describe the game in two words: Fantasy football. Vikings receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison combined to catch 15 passes for 265 yards and all five of Darnold’s touchdown passes, becoming the second set of teammates in franchise history to each have 100 receiving yards and multiple scores in a game. The others were Hassan Jones and Steve Jordan in 1986.

Most surprising performance: Kickoff unit. The Vikings entered the game with the NFL’s third-highest touchback rate (85.3%), but a rare short kickoff Sunday proved to be a game changer when linebacker Brian Asamoah II forced a fumble midway through the fourth quarter. — Kevin Seifert

Next game: vs. Bears (Monday, 8 p.m. ET)

Jordan Addison dives in for his third TD of the game

Sam Darnold finds Jordan Addison who gets his third touchdown of the game for the Vikings vs. the Falcons.

Falcons

Will the Falcons bench Kirk Cousins after throwing two more interceptions? It seems unlikely. This game was always going to be a tough one for the Falcons to win on the road, and Cousins played better than his four-interception performance last week. As long as Atlanta remains in the playoff picture — and the NFC South is still up for grabs — rookie Michael Penix Jr. will probably remain on the bench. But this has become a legitimate week-to-week question.

Describe the game in two words: Beat themselves. Down a single score in the fourth quarter, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III fumbled the kickoff return, which led to a Vikings touchdown. The Falcons also had the most penalty yards of any NFL team in a game this season (127). Plus, the Cousins interceptions.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Falcons defense was once very effective in limiting explosive plays. It needed to do that Sunday against a team with big-play wide receivers. Instead, quarterback Sam Darnold threw for five touchdowns. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison had catches of 52 and 49 yards, respectively. — Marc Raimondi

Next game: at Raiders (Monday, 8 p.m. ET)

Dolphins

Is this season over? Technically no. The Dolphins likely need to win out and get a little help in order to make their third straight playoff appearance, but their performance Sunday inspired little confidence that they’ll be able to do so. Three of their four remaining games are on the road, and their home game is against a mercurial 49ers team. Miami is still alive, with a 13.8% chance at the playoffs (independent of other results, per ESPN Analytics), but it needs to play like its back is against the wall.

Describe the game in two words: No urgency. In a get-right spot against a listless Jets team, the Dolphins were pushed around for four quarters, allowing nearly 7.0 yards per play while converting just 1-of-9 third-down attempts. They managed to win thanks to some overtime heroics from Tua Tagovailoa and Jonnu Smith, but this did not look like a team with its season on the line.

Eye-popping stat: Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey allowed 131 yards and five catches on seven targets as the nearest defender in coverage, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. In his defense, a large portion of those yards came on a 42-yard Garrett Wilson catch, during which Ramsey fell down. But it was a rough showing for the perennial Pro Bowler. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: at Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Jets

Will the spiraling Jets win another game? Led by Aaron Rodgers‘ first 300-yard performance in 35 games, the Jets played one of their best offensive games of the season — and they still managed to choke away a late lead. This was their fourth straight loss, officially eliminating them from playoff contention. Late breakdowns on offense, defense and special teams resulted in another gut-wrenching defeat. Good teams know how to win close games. The Jets are 0-7 in games decided by six or fewer points. Case closed.

Most surprising performance: No Breece Hall, no problem. The Jets turned to their rookie running backs, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, and they delivered as dual threats. They combined for 83 yards from scrimmage, with Davis scoring for the second straight week after being a nonfactor for the first 11 games. The future looks bright at running back.

What we learned about the QB today: Like a snowbird, Rodgers found comfort in the warm weather. The 41-year-old quarterback played his best game since September. Finally healthy, he moved well and connected on three passes of 30-plus yards — a rarity this season. He found a nice groove with Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams, but the mojo disappeared late in the game. — Rich Cimini

Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Buccaneers

What stalled the Bucs’ momentum after jumping out to an early lead? Starting in the second quarter, the Raiders were able to disrupt quarterback Baker Mayfield‘s passes to the flats and out routes. He particularly struggled with their zone coverages. Mayfield was 7-of-13 for 84 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on passes for 5 or fewer air yards, according to ESPN Research. His 54% completion percentage on those throws is tied for his lowest with the Bucs. With today’s victory and the Falcons’ loss, the Bucs now have a 71% chance to make the playoffs, says ESPN Research.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Stopping the running game. The Raiders came into this game averaging just 3.7 yards per carry — dead last in the NFL. Yet running back Sincere McCormick averaged 5.2 yards per carry, with particular success on the perimeter.

Most surprising performance: Rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan led the Bucs with two touchdown catches after his last touchdown came in Week 1. The Bucs have very much needed receivers outside of Evans to step up, and McMillan did. Sterling Shepard helped too (four catches for 63 yards). — Jenna Laine

Next game: at Chargers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Jalen McMillan high-steps into end zone for 2nd TD of the game

Jalen McMillan takes the screen pass and cruises into the end zone to give Tampa Bay a bigger lead late in the fourth quarter.

Raiders

Is this now quarterback Desmond Ridder‘s team? By default. Unless the Raiders elevate practice squad quarterback Carter Bradley, who has been with the team since April, Ridder is the lone signal-caller standing. With Gardner Minshew on IR with a broken collarbone and Aidan O’Connell‘s left leg in an air cast after a sideline push, Ridder is auditioning for the rest of this season and beyond. He passed for 101 yards and completed 12 of 18 passes.

Describe the game in two words: Slow start. The Raiders trailed 14-0 before their offense took their fourth snap. That’s not a recipe for success. Three first-half takeaways by the defense kept Las Vegas within striking range. The team trailed by just four points at halftime and were to receive the ball to start the second half, which seemed promising. Alas, the slow start was too much to overcome.

Most surprising performance: Running back Sincere McCormick, who has mostly been a practice squad player, is looking more like RB1 for a rebuilding Raiders offense. McCormick, taking advantage of injuries to Alexander Mattison and Zamir White, rushed for a career-best 78 yards on 15 carries. — Paul Gutierrez

Next game: vs. Falcons (Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET)

Jaguars

Does this prove that coach Doug Pederson hasn’t lost the locker room? One week after losing quarterback Trevor Lawrence likely for the season and going on the road against one of the NFL’s worst teams, some wondered just how motivated the Jaguars would be against the Titans. But the gritty performance — rallying from a 6-0 deficit with 10 points in the fourth quarter — should end the question about whether Pederson has lost the locker room. There’s nothing at stake for the Jaguars other than trying to finish a lost season on a positive note. That was apparently enough Sunday.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. finally got involved in the third quarter, and the offense finally produced points. Thomas didn’t get his first catch until 4:24 remaining in the third quarter (he had no catches on three targets until that point), and he touched the ball on four consecutive plays. He’s the offense’s best player and needs to be involved early.

What we learned about the QB today: Quarterback Mac Jones threw two interceptions but showed the ability to bounce back in the fourth quarter, when he led the Jaguars to 10 points. That included a 31-yard hookup with Thomas on a broken play in which Jones had to scramble out of trouble. Jones had managed just 13 points combined in his first two starts, so this is progress in his audition for a chance to compete for a starting spot somewhere in 2025. — Mike DiRocco

Next game: vs. Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Titans

Can the Titans defense figure out how to get to quarterbacks? The Titans defense finished with two sacks and Arden Key got a pressure to force an interception by Mac Jones. But for most of the day, the Titans could not finish the deal on Jones, giving him time to complete long-developing plays on critical drives. Quarterbacks have managed to extend plays by eluding the pass rush and getting the ball to receivers downfield all season. It won’t get any easier next week when quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals come to town. The Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase connection yielded a league-high 13 touchdowns entering this week.

Most surprising performance: Reese filled in admirably after injuries kept Jerome Baker and Kenneth Murray Jr. out of the lineup. Reese was mostly used on special teams and had played just seven defensive snaps all season. But he played like his helmet was on fire. The second-year linebacker cashed in with an interception and a tackle for a loss on a double reverse.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Third-down defense. The Titans uncharacteristically played a lot of off-coverage, costing them against Jacksonville. The Jaguars converted six of their 13 third-down opportunities. Four of the conversions came against off coverage, including a 31-yard play by Brian Thomas Jr. late in the fourth quarter that led to the Jaguars’ first lead of the day. — Turron Davenport

Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Lions

Will the defensive injuries catch up to the Lions? The injury bug has continued to bite the Lions as defensive lineman Alim McNeill was ruled out ahead of the second half with a concussion. For now, Detroit has been able to maintain with 11 straight victories, but only time will tell if defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn can continue to adjust. Entering the game, the Lions’ defense was already short-handed with 13 defensive players on the injured reserve list. No other team in the league had more than seven defensive players on injured reserve, per ESPN Research, and the Lions also ruled out defensive linemen DJ Reader (shoulder), Josh Paschal (knee) and Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) before kickoff.

Most surprising performance: Lions kicker Jake Bates. Bates was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November earlier in the day and responded with his third game-winning kick of the season. With the game knotted at 31, he nailed a walk-off 35-yarder after game winners at Houston in Week 10 and at Minnesota in Week 7.

Eye-popping stat: Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran 19.83 yards to lose 1 total yard on the Lions’ fourth-and-1 play late in the third quarter, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Green Bay would take advantage of that, as running back Josh Jacobs capped off a four-play drive with a 4-yard touchdown to give the Packers a 28-24 edge. — Eric Woodyard

Next game: vs. Bills (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Packers

What makes the Packers think a third game vs. the Lions will be any different? The Packers want another shot at the Lions, but perhaps after what happened in the two losses to them this season, there’s reason to think it would be just another fool’s errand. Sure, the second meeting was a tooth-and-nail game, but did anyone really think the Packers were going to come up with the defensive stop they needed at the end? The Packers’ best path through the NFC might be avoiding the Lions.

Describe the game in two words: Frustrated again. From the pregame shouting match between coach Matt LaFleur and a Lions fan to another slow start on offense to an inability to stop Detroit on fourth down (it converted 4-of-5 chances) to griping about penalties and non-penalties, the Packers were left exasperated.

Early prediction for next week: The Packers will try to get Jayden Reed more involved. He is one of their best receivers this season, but he dropped his only target of the game and played half of the offensive snaps. Since his 113-yard game against the Bears in Week 9, he has just 73 receiving yards combined in the past four games. — Rob Demovsky

Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

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