NFL Report Cards: Team-by-Team Grades for Week 14
In this week's report cards:
• The Steelers learn to love something besides the bomb, and the Bengals start worrying.
• Khalil Mack knifes past Michael Schofield and steals home-field advantage from the Broncos.
• Eddie Lacy escapes Mike McCarthy's doghouse and runs through the Cowboys secondary instead of the buffet line.
• The Redskins and Eagles make the NFC East a little less ridiculous, while the Colts and Texans make the AFC South a little more ridiculous.
• Russell Wilson wishes that Cam Newton didn't run away with the MVP vote two months ago but positions the Seahawks for some playoff retribution.
...and much more.
Reminder: These are the report cards, not the power rankings. Each team starts with a clean slate every week. Year-to-date GPAs can be found on the final slide.
All stats via NFLGSIS.com unless otherwise noted.
Carolina Panthers: A
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This Week's Result: Panthers 38, Falcons 0
Offense (A): The only things that stopped the Panthers this week were the end zone, the clock and the prudence to get starters out of the game late. The first eight Panthers possessions resulted in five touchdowns, one field goal and two punts. Derek Anderson made a brief second-quarter cameo when Cam Newton injured his non-throwing hand, and even Anderson could not be stopped.
Defense (A+): Five sacks, four turnovers. If you haven't made room on your Pro Bowl ballot for Kawann Short (two sacks, two forced fumbles), please do so.
Special Teams/Coaching (A): Ron Rivera has home-field advantage in his sights and isn't letting divisional spoilers stand in his way.
Looking Ahead: If the Panthers beat the Giants, they could buy themselves nearly a month off from meaningful games.
Seattle Seahawks: A
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This Week's Result: Seahawks 35, Ravens 6
Offense (A): With Thomas Rawls out for the season with a broken ankle and Marshawn Lynch not expected back anytime soon, the Seahawks are down to DuJuan Harris, Fred Jackson and wishful thinking at running back.
Luckily for them, Russell Wilson (five passing touchdowns) has morphed into Tom Brady 2007 over the last month. Wilson wasn't sacked and was knocked down just once against the Ravens, and he only had to run once, too. Doug Baldwin added three touchdown receptions against a defense that was ready for a few months off by the fourth quarter.
Defense (A-): The Ravens moved the ball reasonably well in the first half. Just sayin'.
Special Teams/Coaching (A): The Seahawks' offensive transformation in the past month has been amazing, and Darrell Bevell deserves credit for the adjustments. If you suggested in Week 6 that Wilson would have a four-game stretch with 16 touchdowns, zero interceptions and just five sacks without Lynch, people would think you had started hanging out with Shia LaBeouf.
Looking Ahead: Browns, Rams, Cardinals, a blowout playoff win on the road against some terrible NFC East champion and then things get interesting.
New York Jets: A
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This Week's Result: Jets 30, Titans 8
Offense (A-): At times, it looked like the Titans defense wasn't really there. At times, the Titans defense really wasn't there.
When Ryan Fitzpatrick wasn't hitting Brandon Marshall for 69-yard touchdown passes while the Titans defense looked to its own sideline in confusion, Fitzpatrick was distributing the ball among Marshall, Eric Decker, Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell on long, methodical drives that gobbled up the entire first half.
Defense (A): Muhammad Wilkerson recorded three sacks. The Titans' first five possessions netted two first downs and one interception, and Tennessee didn't cross midfield until the score was 27-0.
Special Teams/Coaching (A): Todd Bowles and his staff have made the most of their opportunities over the last three weeks. The Jets are consistent week-to-week and aren't likely to trip over a bad opponent, which is good news because...
Looking Ahead: ...a Saturday night win in Dallas will guarantee a winning record and push the Jets one step closer to the playoffs.
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Pittsburgh Steelers: A-
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This Week's Result: Steelers 33, Bengals 20
Offense (B+): Mad bomber Ben Roethlisberger gave way to game manager Ben Roethlisberger against the tough Bengals pass rush and secondary. Roethlisberger completed 30 of 39 passes for 282 yards and one interception, working underneath to Heath Miller (10-66-0) and his receivers while picking his spots downfield. DeAngelo Williams (23-76-2) finished drives and helped munch the clock in the fourth quarter.
Defense (B+): Stephon Tuitt picked off an Andy Dalton screen pass near the goal line early in the game. Dalton was injured on the play and replaced by AJ McCarron, who threw two more interceptions, including William Gay's game-breaking pick-six. There were still some sloppy moments, however, like Antwon Blake's breakdown against A.J. Green.
Special Teams/Coaching (A): Chris Boswell kicked four field goals; Jacoby Jones is no longer the designated kickoff fumbler; adopting a more conservative game plan against a backup quarterback proved to be a wise move; and despite the respectable final score, the Bengals were never really in the game once Gay took a McCarron pass to the house.
Looking Ahead: Steelers-Broncos is gonna be fun.
Jacksonville Jaguars: A-
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This Week's Result: Jaguars 51, Colts 16
Offense (B+): The Jaguars may have found "triplets" in Blake Bortles, T.J. Yeldon and Allen Hurns.
Bortles overcame early fumbles and mistakes to throw three touchdowns. As a sign of progress, he stopped short of the line of scrimmage when scrambling and completed a pass instead of throwing the ball when he was six yards downfield as he has in past games. Yeldon was impressive before a minor knee sprain. Hurns (3-105-1) scored the 80-yard touchdown that started this game's rapid descent into chaos.
Defense (A): Seven Colts possessions resulted in 10 yards or fewer. Andre Branch's strip-six sack flipped momentum in a game that was going the Colts' way in the first half.
Special Teams/Coaching (A): Rashad Greene returned a punt for a touchdown. The Jaguars adjusted and seized an opportunity in the second half after looking flat early.
We can assume that center Stefen Wisniewski will spend the whole week shotgun-snapping a football with a bungee cord attached to it at a target, catching the ball when it springs back and snapping again, even during meals and potty breaks.
Looking Ahead: The Jaguars and Falcons pass each other heading in opposite directions on I-75 as well as the standings.
New England Patriots: B+
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This Week's Result: Patriots 27, Texans 6
Offense (C+): Rob Gronkowski (4-87-1) returned to give Tom Brady both a big-play threat and a red-zone mismatch target. He arrived in the nick of time, as LeGarrette Blount (hip) became the latest casualty of the Patriots' skill-position plague. The Patriots' touchdown drives were all assisted by field position.
Defense (A-): Jabaal Sheard recorded two sacks and forced two fumbles. Akiem Hicks added two more sacks. The Patriots allowed a few big plays but kept the Texans from moving the ball consistently.
Special Teams/Coaching (A): Keshawn Martin provided useful punt-return yardage. Stephen Gostkowski kicked a pair of field goals. With Gronkowski back, the Patriots used their mix-and-match motion tactics in the red zone to great effect.
Looking Ahead: The Titans offer the Patriots a chance to pull a little further away from the Broncos and Bengals. Remember all that gloom and doom from last week? Neither do we.
Green Bay Packers: B+
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This Week's Result: Packers 28, Cowboys 7
Offense (B): Eddie Lacy emerged from Mike McCarthy's doghouse/fat farm to combine with James Starks for 195 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Aaron Rodgers (218 yards, two touchdowns) sprayed short passes and enjoyed playing with a lead and favorable down-and-distance situations against a defense that grew less interested in participating by the snap.
Defense (B): The run defense fell completely apart during one third-quarter drive. Otherwise, the Packers handled their assignments and let the Cowboys play their brand of football, which involves ignoring Dez Bryant, throwing passes short of the sticks on third downs and punting.
Special Teams/Coaching (B+): McCarthy hasn't handled the Lacy situation as well as he should have this season. But if last week's demotion was Lacy's light-bulb moment, then the Packers will be getting one of their most critical offensive weapons back to close to his physical and mental peak in just the nick of time.
McCarthy has also taken over play-calling duties. That may not be a cure-all, but it should make the Packers less predictable, and they need every boost they can muster down the stretch.
Looking Ahead: The road to the playoffs will generate lots of frequent-flyer miles, as the Packers visit the Raiders and the Cardinals.
Cleveland Browns: B+
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This Week's Result: Browns 24, 49ers 10
Offense (B+): Johnny Manziel (270 yards, one touchdown, one interception) is both dangerous and fun to watch when throwing on the run, and he's an effective play-action passer. It's enough to make us wish he didn't force us to add TMZ.com to our web browsers' work-related bookmarks.
Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson Jr. combined for 223 rushing yards, a testament to both improvements on the Browns line and the 49ers' disinterest in professional football.
Defense (A-): Seven different defenders contributed to a nine-sack carnival.
Special Teams/Coaching (B+): A blocked field goal lowers the grade. Game plans on both sides of the ball were sound: Steady blitzing turned Blaine Gabbert back into a pumpkin, while coordinator John DeFilippo concocted yet another brew of rollout passes and misdirection concepts to protect an inexperienced quarterback.
Looking Ahead: The Browns have three straight spoiler opportunities, starting with a visit to the Seahawks. Maybe they will make them count.
New York Giants: B
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This Week's Result: Giants 31, Dolphins 24
Offense (B+): Odell Beckham Jr. (7-166-2) has had plenty of great games. But Monday night's performance showed just how much of an impact player he has become.
Beckham flew past the Dolphins secondary for a long touchdown and scraped the side of the end zone with his toes for a short one, but he also set up scores with tough catches over the middle and iced the game with a third-down grab in the final seconds.
As Beckham grows into more than a highlight-per-week performer, Eli Manning (337 yards, four touchdowns, just four incomplete passes) can spread opportunities around knowing that Rueben Randle (5-58-1) and Dwayne Harris (5-41-0) are facing favorable coverage.
Defense (B-): The Dolphins ran the ball too easily in the first half. Both the run and pass defense stiffened in the fourth quarter.
Special Teams/Coaching (B): The Giants made adjustments and played good situational football in the fourth quarter, something they rarely did early in the season.
Tom Coughlin also got knocked down by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on the sideline but popped right up. That has to count for something. A missed field goal (with a bad snap-hold "operation") and a short fourth-quarter punt lower the grade a bit.
Looking Ahead: The Giants face the Panthers. Say, didn't they beat a famous undefeated team once before?
Washington Redskins: B
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This Week's Result: Redskins 24, Bears 21
Offense (B): Kirk Cousins (24-of-31, 300 yards, one touchdown, one interception, one rushing touchdown) has made strides as a field general. He targeted 10 different players and led the Redskins to a 7-of-12 conversion rate on third downs.
The running game churned out 99 yards on 33 attempts. That's not great (there were still a lot of "waste pitch" handoffs), but it's good enough to provide Cousins will a little support in miserable weather conditions.
Defense (B): Ryan Kerrigan (one sack, two tackles for losses) and the front seven continue to be the strength of the team. The secondary has become less of a liability than it was early in the season. Admittedly, rainy conditions served as a 12th defender late in the game.
Special Teams/Coaching (B+): The Redskins were a little less predictable, and therefore less offensively hapless, than they were Monday night against Dallas. Cousins even threw deep to DeSean Jackson on first down from a six-lineman formation, which was a heck of a tendency-breaker.
Jay Gruden needed a missed field goal by a halfhearted opponent on a rainy day to pick up the second road win of his head coaching career. But hey, there are a lot of employed head coaches (Mike McCoy, Jim Tomsula and Jeff Fisher leap to mind) who would be nowhere near 6-7 given Gruden's roster and situation.
Looking Ahead: Redskins-Bills will begin immediately following the conclusion of LeSean McCoy's tantrum.
Philadelphia Eagles: B
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This Week's Result: Eagles 23, Bills 20
Offense (C): Zach Ertz (5-98-0) provided most of the Eagles' big-play production. Nelson Agholor (53-yard touchdown) provided the rest. The three-headed backfield churned out 113 yards, doing just enough to glue together drives and prevent DeMarco Murray from erecting a "GIMMIE THE BALL" billboard in front of Jeffrey Lurie's house.
Defense (B): The Eagles allowed a few deep passes before Ed Reynolds chased down a game-clinching interception in the fourth quarter. But for the most part, the Eagles defense clamped down on the Bills receivers, forcing Tyrod Taylor to scramble, which forced Taylor's blockers to commit holding penalties.
Special Teams/Coaching (A): Darren Sproles was again an asset in the return game, Bryan Braman recovered a muffed punt, Donnie Jones won a punting battle with several boomers and Caleb Sturgis provided three field goals.
Some Eagles fans wished Rex Ryan, not Chip Kelly, was the team's head coach during the week of DeMarco-Shady drama in Philly. Not as many felt that way after this game.
Looking Ahead: Kelly versus the Cardinals and Bruce Arians. It's like the brainy kid who tells everyone he's a genius against the old guy who knows he's a genius and doesn't care what anyone thinks of him.
Oakland Raiders: B
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This Week's Result: Raiders 15, Broncos 12
Offense (D+): The Raiders were shut out in the first half. Their running game (23 carries, 27 yards) was useless. Derek Carr completed just 12 passes, but he made enough of them count—including a pump-fake touchdown to Mychal Rivera that snookered the entire Broncos secondary—to squeak out a victory.
Defense (A): Khalil Mack (five sacks) had his Bruce Springsteen Born to Run moment, the one that takes him from next big thing to big thing. Charles Woodson recovered a fumble and nearly intercepted a pass.
Special Teams/Coaching (C+): The Raiders recovered a muffed punt to set up their go-ahead touchdown, but they were sloppy for most of the game.
The Raiders committed 10 penalties, Sebastian Janikowski missed a makeable kick and Jack Del Rio attempted a two-point conversion when leading by three points, which would have been the story of the week in the NFL if the Broncos had a single offensive lineman who could block Mack in the fourth quarter.
Looking Ahead: The Packers arrive, giving the Raiders another chance to play spoiler.
Arizona Cardinals: B
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This Week's Result: Cardinals 23, Vikings 20
Offense (B): Speed killed the Vikings, with Michael Floyd and John Brown scoring catch-and-sprint touchdowns along the sidelines while David Johnson (123 total yards) outran the Vikings defense to set up a short field goal.
The Cardinals do need to be concerned about their short-yardage offense. They ranked 29th in the NFL in "power success" entering the game, according to Football Outsiders, and their inability to convert short third downs and touchdowns helped the Vikings stay close.
Defense (B): Dwight Freeney spun his way to a game-saving sack. Calais Campbell (one sack, three tackles for a loss) remains one of the NFL's most underrated defenders. Deone Bucannon and Tyrann Mathieu were everywhere.
Special Teams/Coaching (B): Some minor quibbles. First, it's up to the coaches to figure out the short-yardage problem. Second, punt coverage needs to improve. Third, when facing the Vikings, it makes no sense at all to blitz heavily while leaving short middle zones vulnerable, because the Vikings passing game consists entirely of shallow crossing routes.
The Cardinals played too well for this game to come down to a sack in the final moments.
Looking Ahead: The Cardinals head to Philly. No Cardinals player has a personal grudge with Chip Kelly as of now—but the week is young.
Kansas City Chiefs: B-
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This Week's Result: Chiefs 10, Chargers 3
Offense (C): The Chiefs generated just enough offense out of Alex Smith scrambles, misdirection runs and one Albert Wilson slant-and-run to beat the listless Chargers on a rainy, windy day.
The Chiefs didn't score many points, but they managed to generate first downs and control field position for the entire second half. It worked. They just shouldn't try it against a good, motivated opponent.
Defense (A-): Dee Ford (three sacks) and Tamba Hali provided steady pressure. Rain and the out-of-sync Chargers offense did the rest. The Chiefs are docked half a point for allowing so many fourth-down conversions, including one early in the game where Jaye Howard was drawn offside.
Special Teams/Coaching (B-): Frankie Hammond muffed a punt, and Cairo Santos missed a field goal. Those were rainy-day errors, but the Chiefs can't afford to make them against quality opponents as they try to grind out defensive victories.
Looking Ahead: A tour of the AFC North's soft white underbelly, starting with a trip to Baltimore.
New Orleans Saints: B-
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This Week's Result: Saints 24, Buccaneers 17
Offense (B+): Drew Brees (312 yards, two touchdowns) has been picking apart Tampa 2 defenses since most of the Buccaneers defenders (and Brees' own receivers) were in middle school. Brees threw enough touch passes downfield to compensate for the Saints running game.
Tim Hightower (28-85-1) was serviceable in relief of Mark Ingram but did most of his work while the Saints were trying to preserve a lead.
Defense (B): This was the Saints' best defensive performance of the year. Sure, they still gave up one touchdown just by penalizing themselves down the field—Kyle Wilson's "slam into a receiver's helmet in the open field after the whistle" tackling technique indicates he has never listened to a coach or read a newspaper—but they also forced three-and-outs and played mostly assignment-disciplined defense.
Special Teams/Coaching (C+): The game plans were solid. But really, this felt like a pride win for Brees and the offensive veterans, not some rallying point for the Sean Payton regime.
Looking Ahead: Lions, Jaguars, Falcons. Don't be surprised if the Saints end the season at .500.
St. Louis Rams: C+
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This Week's Result: Rams 21, Lions 14
Offense (C-): New offensive coordinator Rob Boras installed a system that was completely reliant on big plays by Todd Gurley (16-140-2) and Tavon Austin reverses and Wildcats.
Did you spot the difference? Didn't think so. It's hard to swallow the "major improvement" storyline when the Rams offense was shut out in the first half and Case Keenum managed just 124 passing yards.
Defense (B+): Aaron Donald (three sacks, six quarterback hits) was monstrous. Everyone else benefited from a Lions game plan built around the star power of Theo Riddick and TJ Jones.
Special Teams/Coaching (B): Outcoaching Jim Bob Cooter is not the same as coaching well, and narrowly defeating a franchise with even more organizational housecleaning to do than the Rams doesn't prove a whole heck of a lot.
Looking Ahead: The Rams host the Buccaneers. More Gurley! More Donald! More wondering why the Rams have almost nothing to show for three rebuilding years but Gurley and Donald!
Minnesota Vikings: C
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This Week's Result: Cardinals 23, Vikings 20
Offense (D+): The Vikings' top offensive priority appeared to be placating Adrian Peterson instead of scoring points or winning. Peterson (23-69-1) started the game strong but kept getting force-fed the ball in the second half.
As usual, Teddy Bridgewater (335 yards, one touchdown) completed lots of shallow crosses, but shots downfield were rare. Bridgewater continues to make sure each sack is as devastating as possible.
Defense (B): Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter (one sack each) brought consistent pressure off the edges. Xavier Rhodes played through a wrist injury and broke up several deep passes. This was a fine effort for a defense missing stars Linval Joseph, Harrison Smith and Anthony Barr.
Special Teams/Coaching (C): Blair Walsh kicked 44- and 54-yard field goals, Cordarrelle Patterson contributed some important kick returns and Mike Zimmer had the team ready to compete coming off an ugly loss to Seattle and a short week.
However, Peterson's promotion to offensive coordinator yielded predictable results.
Looking Ahead: A homestand against the Bears and Giants should solidify the Vikings' playoff credentials. The way the NFC is shaping up, it would take a lot to destroy them.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C
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This Week's Result: Saints 24, Buccaneers 17
Offense (C-): The Buccaneers took too long to get going offensively. Overly conservative drives went nowhere early in the game, putting the Buccaneers in a 14-0 hole before they adjusted.
Defense (C): The Buccaneers don't have the personnel in the secondary to handle Drew Brees when he is on a mission.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): Offensive penalties were a big problem, from an early-game hold that erased a big play, to Mike Evans' attempt to out-flag Brandon Browner late in the game. The late-game penalties included some composure fouls, which are the coaching staff's responsibility for such a young team.
Connor Barth missed a third-quarter field goal that might have mattered. Losses to the Giants, Colts and Saints have established a trend: The Buccaneers lack the fit and finish to beat established teams with veteran quarterbacks.
Looking Ahead: The Rams lack a veteran quarterback and have not established much of anything.
Detroit Lions: C-
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This Week's Result: Rams 21, Lions 14
Offense (D): Awkward sportswriter moment: You notice early in the third quarter that Calvin Johnson has zero catches, so you race through local beat reports, terrified that you missed a major injury while writing game previews and weekly around-the-league segments. Then you realize Johnson is not injured. He's just the world's most expensive downfield blocker on screen passes.
Defense (B): The Lions defense shut the Rams offense out in the first half but allowed Todd Gurley to run the ball down their windpipes in the second half.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): The special teams recovered an onside kick late and played mistake-free football in what was a punting battle for most of the first three quarters. (A Tavon Austin punt-return touchdown was negated by a Rams penalty.)
The offensive game plan was guano crazy, with Johnson as a blocker/decoy and Theo Riddick the focal point of the passing game. At one point in the third quarter, Matthew Stafford tried and failed to feed Riddick the ball on short passes twice on 2nd-and-4 and 3rd-and-4.
If only the Lions were so committed to getting the ball to, you know, their most talented player.
Looking Ahead: Lions at Saints. Terrible offensive game-planning battles terrible defensive game-planning to a draw.
Denver Broncos: C-
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This Week's Result: Raiders 15, Broncos 12
Offense (D): Right tackle Michael Schofield had the kind of game no offensive lineman wants to have: a really memorable one. Schofield was beaten by Khalil Mack for several of Mack's five sacks as well as numerous plays that resulted in stuffed runs or hurries.
With no support from the running game and zero time to throw in the second half, Brock Osweiler's limits as a quarterback—he's a pocket-stationary play-action passer who is reluctant to push the ball downfield—began to shine through.
Defense (A-): The Raiders only had one extended scoring drive all game. They rushed for just 27 yards on 23 carries. Even late in the fourth quarter, the Broncos defense kept handing the offense stops and opportunities. The offense just didn't do anything with them.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): Conservative play-calling in the red zone resulted in a 12-0 halftime lead, despite the fact the Broncos dominated the first half and should have led about 20-0.
Gary Kubiak kept assigning Schofield to cover Mack without tight end support in his own end zone, almost daring the Raiders to produce a safety. (They did.) A muffed Emmanuel Sanders punt led to the Raiders' go-ahead touchdown.
There were other weird moments, like designed Osweiler runs. Has Kubiak spent so much time with Peyton Manning and Joe Flacco that he now considers Osweiler fast?
Looking Ahead: The Steelers are watching the second-half game film and licking their chops.
Buffalo Bills: C-
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This Week's Result: Eagles 23, Bills 20
Offense (C): LeSean McCoy ran 20 times for 74 yards, Mike Gillislee added a 19-yard touchdown off the bench, Tyrod Taylor ran hard and threw some deep passes and Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods combined for 10-187-1.
Those pieces did not fit together to create a quality offense for most of the game, however, thanks to penalties, Taylor's inconsistent short passing and a game plan designed to help McCoy prove a point instead of generating first downs and touchdowns.
Defense (B): The Eagles offense was held to a handful of big plays.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): The Bills committed 15 penalties for 101 yards. The second half was a cavalcade of holding penalties on offense and neutral-zone infractions on defense. The holds were a function of Taylor's need to keep tucking and scrambling in the second half.
Toss in some short, returnable punts and a muffed punt return, and the Bills did all the little things to ensure their own defeat.
Looking Ahead: A trip to Washington. McCoy and DeSean Jackson can swap Chip Kelly stories.
Chicago Bears: C-
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This Week's Result: Redskins 24, Bears 21
Offense (C): Want to see something scary? Here are Jay Cutler's passing numbers for the last four weeks:
- Broncos loss: 18-of-32, 265 yards
- Packers win: 19-of-31, 200 yards
- 49ers loss: 18-of-31, 202 yards
- Redskins loss: 19-of-31, 315 yards
The Bears scored 15 to 21 points in each of these close games in which Cutler threw 31 or 32 passes and completed 18 or 19 of them. Perhaps they are stuck in a bit of a strategic rut.
Defense (C): The Bears scattered some big defensive plays but couldn't get off the field on third downs.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): Robbie Gould once again failed to make a crucial last-second field goal, and field position was the Bears' enemy on a rainy day, with two drives starting inside the 10-yard line.
Looking Ahead: Cutler completes 19 of 32 passes for 242 yards in a close game against the Vikings that comes down to a last-second Gould field goal.
Miami Dolphins: D+
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This Week's Result: Giants 31, Dolphins 24
Offense (B): Lamar Miller rushed for 69 yards in the first half but just 20 in the second. Ryan Tannehill uncorked a sweet 47-yard touchdown to Kenny Stills in the third quarter but dinked and dunked his way through much of the game and couldn't mount any fourth-quarter drives despite great field position.
Defense (D+): Losing track of Odell Beckham Jr. in deep coverage is not something a defense should ever do.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): The fourth quarter was marred by offensive penalties, and the second-half game plan took Miller out of the equation, even though he was unstoppable early.
Looking Ahead: A trip to San Diego, then spoiler bids against the Colts and Patriots.
Cincinnati Bengals: D+
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This Week's Result: Steelers 33, Bengals 20
Offense (D): AJ McCarron (280 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions) made his decisions a beat too slowly and needs about five extra miles per hour on his fastball.
He did move the ball well in spurts before garbage time, however, and he might have faced better situations if Andy Dalton hadn't thrown that goal-line interception. Come to think of it, McCarron would never have entered the game if Dalton hadn't injured his thumb after that goal-line interception.
Whatever. It was a bad day for the Bengals offense.
Defense (C): The Bengals took away Ben Roethlisberger's deep-passing game for most of the afternoon but allowed the Steelers to convert eight out of 14 third downs. The Steelers controlled the clock for 35 minutes and 47 seconds.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): Coordinator Hue Jackson kept running his wacky A-11 wrinkles and complex pre-snap motion with McCarron in the game. The complexity produced a few positive plays, but McCarron looked like a quarterback who could use a little less to think about.
The Bengals did not show much composure in a chippy game. That does not bode well for a team with Cincinnati's reputation for late-season foolishness.
Looking Ahead: McCarron is the canary. The 49ers are the coal mine. If the Bengals collapse, everyone out of the mine shafts!
Houston Texans: D+
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This Week's Result: Patriots 27, Texans 6
Offense (D): Brian Hoyer completed just 11 passes and endured five sacks. T.J. Yates had to finish the game after Hoyer suffered a concussion.
As is often the case, Jonathan Grimes produced a big play early in the game (a 37-yard second-quarter run), then disappeared from the game plan so Chris Polk could plod along for 34 yards on 11 carries.
Defense (C+): Jadeveon Clowney sacked Tom Brady twice, which is pretty darned exciting for people who have waited for a big Clowney performance since his sophomore year of college. The Patriots didn't move the ball well for most of the game.
Special Teams/Coaching (F): Shane Lechler and the punt-coverage units had a bad night, with Lechler delivering short, returnable punts that put the Patriots near midfield. The Grimes utilization strategy is ridiculous, as is the random Wildcat tactic that is still part of the game plan when trailing 27-6 in the fourth quarter.
Looking Ahead: Texans at Colts. A battle of 6-7 division leaders. When did the AFC South become the NFC East?
San Diego Chargers: D
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This Week's Result: Chiefs 10, Chargers 3
Offense (F): Melvin Gordon (14 carries, 35 yards) is starting to look disturbingly like Trent Richardson. The Chargers sometimes appear to not even be trying to convert third downs. Effort was generally lacking until the final drive.
Defense (B): Jason Verrett (seven tackles, one interception) did a fine job limiting Jeremy Maclin. Everyone else waited around for the offense to do something. The Chargers could have used some late-game stops or turnovers to flip field position, but the defense kept allowing the Chiefs to drive 20 or 30 yards downfield before punting.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): The Chargers squandered their best scoring opportunity when Josh Lambo missed a short field goal after a muffed punt recovery. There's not much to say about the Chargers after they have been held to a field goal by three of their last four opponents. There's no excuse for being this listless and ugly.
Looking Ahead: The Dolphins kept trying to snap out of their funks this season by firing coaches. It sort of worked. But the Chargers will wait until January, thank you very much.
Baltimore Ravens: D
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This Week's Result: Seahawks 35, Ravens 6
Offense (D): Jimmy Clausen, LOL. Though Matt Schaub would have prompted more of a ROTFL.
Defense (F): The Seahawks had the ball for 35 minutes and 43 seconds. Russell Wilson was not sacked and had only one knockdown.
The Seahawks were down to their third running back and don't have a good offensive line on their best day. The Ravens weren't going to win, but they could have at least caused some trouble.
Special Teams/Coaching (C-): The special teams played well. Coordinator Marc Trestman took care of Clausen as best he could. Heck, Clausen looked better than Matt Ryan did. There's really nothing John Harbaugh's staff can do with the current personnel except give some young players a look.
Looking Ahead: Chiefs, Steelers, Bengals and an eventual end to misery.
San Francisco 49ers: D
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This Week's Result: Browns 24, 49ers 10
Offense (F): Blaine Gabbert did what he does best: get sacked a bunch of times (nine, to be precise), complete short passes on 3rd-and-long and generate some meaningless late-game production to make his stats and the final score look decent.
Defense (D): It was like watching your nephew control a defense in Madden. Everyone kept taking really dumb angles, then diving at the feet of Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson Jr. or Brian Hartline.
Special Teams/Coaching (D): Quinton Dial blocked a field goal, and Bruce Ellington returned a punt 36 yards. Yeah, we're really reaching for positive things to say about the 49ers this week.
Looking Ahead: Johnny Manziel was too much for you, 49ers? Let's find another superstar college quarterback and see if you can handle him. Oh, hey, here comes AJ McCarron!
Dallas Cowboys: D-
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This Week's Result: Packers 28, Cowboys 7
Offense (F): The Cowboys offense is painful to watch. It's just a series of horizontal passes and short throws underneath to everyone except Dez Bryant (one catch for nine yards on six targets).
Even the Rams are more creative about getting the ball to their best playmakers, and the Rams only have about five total plays. Other than three consecutive runs by Darren McFadden and Robert Turbin on one third-quarter drive, the Cowboys appeared to be actively stalling for time all afternoon.
Defense (C): The Cowboys mounted an early goal-line stand and contained Aaron Rodgers for most of the game. By the fourth quarter, the worn-out defense joined the offense on the midnight train to Quitsville.
Special Teams/Coaching (F): This is a rudderless team whose two wins since the start of autumn came on a rainy day against the equally leaderless Dolphins and in one of the worst Monday night games in the history of Western civilization (versus Washington).
Looking Ahead: A Saturday night matchup with the Jets. Canceling other holiday plans to watch is not advised.
Indianapolis Colts: D-
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This Week's Result: Jaguars 51, Colts 16
Offense (D): Matt Hasselbeck provided some old-guy magic but also some strip-sacks before getting hurt, then returning to the game in blowout conditions, then getting hurt again.
In other news, the team that entered the season with the NFL's best skill-position talent now has a major offensive role for Zurlon Tipton.
Defense (D): Great in the first half. Eager to beat traffic in the second half.
Special Teams/Coaching (F-): Yes, F-minus. Bringing Hasselbeck back into the game after a scary hit and leaving him in when the Jaguars led 37-16 may have been the dumbest thing a coaching staff has done all season.
This loss was an indictment of the Chuck Pagano Colts, who were capable of 42-3 halves (or similar meltdowns) against mediocre foes even in their best years. The Colts are a sloppy, disorganized mess destined to get the tar beaten out of them by the Steelers, Jets or Chiefs in the playoffs.
If they reach the playoffs.
Looking Ahead: The Colts and Texans vie for the right to be six-point home underdogs in the first round of the playoffs.
Tennessee Titans: D-
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This Week's Result: Jets 30, Titans 8
Offense (F): One awesome trick play, 24 rushing yards and three third-down conversions on 14 tries.
Defense (D): No run defense. No pass rush. No common sense to call a freakin' timeout when the play is late getting in from the sideline and the opponent is lining up.
Special Teams/Coaching (D-): Neither Mike Mularkey nor Ken Whisenhunt got any traction beneath a rebuilding plan or identity on either side of the ball this year. With three exceptions (scattered across three months), the Titans have played the same lackluster game on both sides of the ball since the start of the season.
There is talent all over this roster. We'll have to wait until 2016 for someone to really marshal that talent.
Looking Ahead: A trip to Foxborough. Poor Marcus Mariota.
Atlanta Falcons: F
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This Week's Result: Panthers 38, Falcons 0
Offense (F): At the rate Matt Ryan is regressing, he will soon start hitting himself in the face with his own passes. No one else on the Falcons offense has room to criticize: Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman each fumbled. Sean Renfree was terrible in late-game long relief, lest you get any zany ideas.
Defense (F): Vic Beasley chased Cam Newton all over the field and sacked him for a 13-yard loss early in the third quarter. It was an impressive moment for an important prospect. If only the score was not already 28-0 when it happened, or the sack wasn't the sole Falcons highlight on either side of the ball.
Special Teams/Coaching (F): Hey, Dan Quinn, it's time for one of those regime-defining, pride-restoring late-season surges. Any week now. Clock's ticking. No...you're heading the wrong way!
Looking Ahead: Falcons vs. Jaguars. Diet Seahawks vs. Gluten-Free Seahawks. The Jaguars are early-week favorites. Nice work, Falcons.
Year-to-Date GPAs
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Here are the year-to-date GPAs for all 32 NFL teams:
1. Carolina Panthers: 3.45
2. New England Patriots: 3.32
3. Cincinnati Bengals: 3.27
4. Arizona Cardinals: 3.02
5. Green Bay Packers: 2.83
6. Denver Broncos: 2.80
7. Kansas City Chiefs: 2.79
8. Seattle Seahawks: 2.74
9. Pittsburgh Steelers: 2.68
10. New York Jets: 2.61
11. Minnesota Vikings: 2.49
12. New York Giants: 2.44
13. Oakland Raiders: 2.41
14. Washington Redskins: 2.32
15. Chicago Bears: 2.31
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2.25
17. Buffalo Bills: 2.18
18. Atlanta Falcons: 2.14
19. Detroit Lions: 2.11
20. Houston Texans: 2.03
21. New Orleans Saints: 1.97
22. Philadelphia Eagles: 1.91
23. Jacksonville Jaguars: 1.90
24. Miami Dolphins: 1.82
25. Baltimore Ravens: 1.80
26. Indianapolis Colts: 1.80
27. Cleveland Browns: 1.80
28. St. Louis Rams: 1.70
29. Tennessee Titans: 1.68
30. San Francisco 49ers: 1.68
31. San Diego Chargers: 1.66
32. Dallas Cowboys: 1.56
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.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")