16. Indianapolis Colts
(6-6. Last week: 14)
We all know that the Colts are short on explosive plays with Jacoby Brissett as their quarterback, and that continued in a 31-17 loss to the Titans in which Brissett completed just one pass in three attempts of 20 or more air yards. That was OK when Indianapolis took a 17-7 first-half lead, but when Ryan Tannehill got hot and Derrick Henry started running wild, the Colts, with most of Brissett’s primary targets injured, had no answer. Brissett, whose two interceptions matched his combined total for October and November, has been put in a position where he has to do more than he’s capable of doing, and though Indy’s defense is solid most weeks, they had few answers for the Titans on Sunday. Brissett may not be the long-term answer to replace Andrew Luck, but when the Colts are doing their offseason shopping, they’ll need to address several more deficient positions before that one.
15. Dallas Cowboys
(6-6. Last week: 11)
Jerry Jones may have quieted those questioning Jason Garrett’s job security in the short term after Dallas’ 26-15 Thanksgiving loss to the Bills, in which the Cowboys looked outmatched in every category.
“This is not the time for me,” an emotional Jones said after the game. “I’m looking ahead at another ballgame. I’m looking ahead at winning four or five straight and helping write a story they will talk about, how it looks like you’re down and out. And I mean that. That’s the way that I’m operating. Every decision that I make over the next month will be with an eye in mind to get us in the Super Bowl now.”
That would indeed be an amazing story. The Cowboys still haven’t beaten a winning team this season. Ezekiel Elliott hasn’t had a 100-yard game since Nov. 4, and that four-game drought marks the longest of his career. Amari Cooper got eight catches for 85 yards after barking about getting more targets from Dak Prescott (he had two against the Patriots in Week 12 and caught neither). Dallas’ defense has recorded just four interceptions on the season, the NFL’s worst total, and through 13 weeks, the Cowboys are minus-4 in overall turnover differential. This team has too much talent at too many positions to play this inconsistently, and if that doesn’t come down to coaching, what does?
14. Oakland Raiders
(6-6. Last week: 12)
After a 40-9 embarrassment against the Chiefs in which Jon Gruden’s offense mercifully ended a touchdown-less streak that went back to the second quarter of Oakland’s Week 11 win over the Bengals, Kansas City safety Tyrann Mathieu mentioned that the offense he was facing was eminently predictable, based on what quarterback Derek Carr did at the line of scrimmage.
“The biggest thing is we knew that when [Carr] did take shots downfield, we understood it pre-snap by the formation, and it put us in position to make a play. … Tight ends, running backs, check-downs, that’s his game. We were able to capitalize when he did try to throw it downfield.”
Carr’s response?
Derek Carr said the Chiefs didn’t do anything differently than they normally do, they just disguised it well and did it during different times of the game where they usually don’t.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) December 2, 2019
Well, that does count as doing something different. Carr finished his day with 20 completions in 30 attempts for 222 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, including one by Mathieu. Last week, Gruden benched Carr in favor of Mike Glennon, who fumbled on two of his first three snaps. Perhaps it’s time for Gruden, who has never been patient with quarterbacks, to understand that the guy he’s stuck with through at least the end of this season is fundamentally limited, and must be schemed to success.
13. Los Angeles Rams
(7-5. Last week: 19)
If Jared Goff could play consistently as he did against the Cardinals on Sunday, there wouldn’t be so much angst about his contract, his future, and how limited Sean McVay’s offense has become with him at the helm. But against Arizona’s leaky pass defense, Goff looked as good as he ever will, completing 32 of 43 passes for 424 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Todd Gurley also got back on track with 95 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. It may be too late for the Rams to do anything in a postseason sense, but for one Sunday, they managed to look like the team they envisioned in training camp.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers
(7-5. Last week: 18)
The big story of Pittsburgh’s 20-13 win over the Browns wasn’t the revenge factor following the brawl that happened when these teams met on Nov. 14. Nor was it the efforts of Devlin “Duck” Hodges, the 12th-string quarterback who completed 14 of 21 passes for 212 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and had some impressive deep passes. The story of this game, and of the Steelers’ season, is a defense that looks able to match any Mike Tomlin has guided since he became Pittsburgh’s head coach in 2007. Per ESPN’s Dianna Russini, several players spoke about Tomlin’s brilliant halftime adjustments that shut the Browns down. And since Week 3, when they made the trade for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick that redefined Pittsburgh’s secondary, the Steelers rank first in the NFL in takeaways (28), first in quarterback hits (78), first in passes defended (65), first in forced fumbles (17), first in fumble recoveries (13), second in interceptions (15), second in sacks (38), and tied for third in defensive touchdowns (3).
No matter what happens with this team this year — and right now, they have serious playoff aspirations despite a nightmarish quarterback situation — Tomlin should earn heavy consideration for Coach of the Year when all is said and done.
11. Tennessee Titans
(7-5. Last week: 11)
For once, Ryan Tannehill wasn’t the big story in a Titans win. Though the reformed quarterback looked good in a 31-17 win over the Colts, completing 17 of 22 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns, this game was really in running back Derrick Henry’s hands. Henry gained 149 yards and scored a touchdown on 26 carries, proving once again that he is the kind of powerful, sustaining back you can build an old-school offense around. Over his past three games, Henry has rushed 68 times for 496 yards, a 7.3 yards per carry average, and five rushing touchdowns. With Tannehill looking explosive and consistent and a defense rounding into shape, the Titans — who have won five of their past six games — are starting to look like that wild-card team nobody wants to deal with in the playoffs.
10. Minnesota Vikings
(8-4. Last week: 7)
Minnesota’s 37-30 loss to the Seahawks on Monday night wasn’t Kirk Cousins’ fault, though Cousins became the first quarterback in NFL history to lose his first eight Monday Night Football games. If anyone was to blame, it was a secondary that’s been the bane of Mike Zimmer’s existence all season — especially cornerback Xavier Rhodes on this 60-yard touchdown to receiver David Moore.
LET'S GO! What a bomb right into the hands of David Moore! 🙌
Q3: SEA 27, MIN 17 pic.twitter.com/iWYXxcjiba
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 3, 2019
Rhodes gave up four receptions on four targets for 99 yards and that touchdown on the night, adding to his 47 catches on 55 targets for 525 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Given the extent to which head coach Mike Zimmer relies on his cornerbacks to execute properly, Rhodes’ performance all season has to be a giant concern.
9. Kansas City Chiefs
(8-4. Last week: 10)
Over his past two games, Patrick Mahomes has completed just 55.7% of his passes for 357 yards, 5.85 yards per attempt, two touchdowns, one interception, and just three deep completions in eight attempts. It’s the worst two-game stretch of Mahomes’ career, and while one assumes he’ll snap out of it, it’s also good news for the Chiefs that they’ve beaten the Chiefs and Raiders in that span. In fact, the Chiefs dragged Mahomes to the finish line Sunday in a 40-9 beatdown of the Raiders in which the defense atypically led the way. Steve Spagnuolo’s squad picked off Derek Carr twice, including a 46-yard pick-six from rookie safety Juan Thornhill. Carr was pressured often and sacked twice, and the Raiders didn’t score a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter. A Chiefs team that can sustain through an unusual Mahomes slump with its defense is bad news for the rest of the NFL when Mahomes gets back to his usual groove.