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Bleeding Green Nation
Do you want the Eagles to play the Packers or Commanders in the Wild Card round?
[T]he Eagles should win no matter who it is, and we know heading into Week 18, the No. 7 seed will be either the Washington Commanders (currently the No. 6 seed) or the Green Bay Packers (currently No. 7).
Both teams have winnable games and, by the time their game with the Giants is over, they should know which team it will be. The Packers host the moribund Bears while Washington travels to Big D to take on a going nowhere Cowboys team. As of Tuesday morning, Green Bay is a 9-point favorite over Chicago, while the Commanders are a 4-point road favorite.
Should both teams win their games, as expected, the Eagles would host the Packers in the wild card round, and Washington would travel to L.A. to take on the Rams.
The Birds have faced both teams this season, defeating Jordan Love and Green Bay in the opening week of the season, way back in September, in Brazil, 34-29. They came back to beat the Commanders at the Linc in Week 11, 26-18, and then fell to Jayden Daniels and in Week 16 in rather fluky fashion, 36-33.
Green Bay excels at spreading the ball around, with Josh Jacobs 5th in rushing (1,285 yards) and a cadre of receivers between 360 and 800 yards receiving.
Surprisingly, Washington’s offense behind Daniels has been more dynamic and productive. They are 5th in points-per-game (28.8), 16th in passing yards and 3rd in rushing, behind only the Eagles and Ravens. Daniels is obviously going to be the offensive rookie of the year and, honestly, should be at least in the conversation of NFL MVP. His 864 rushing yards are 20th in the NFL, pretty dang good for a QB, he’s thrown for 3,530 yards (more than Love or Hurts), has a 25/9 TD/INT ratio and has become a master of the late-4th quarter comebacks.
Sports Illustrated
Jerry Jones Issues Statement After Cowboys Release Ezekiel Elliott Again
It was the second time the Cowboys have released Elliott in his career.
“Out of respect and appreciation for Zeke and wanting to provide him with an opportunity to pursue any potential playoff participation possible, we are releasing him from the Cowboys roster today,” Jones said. “As I have said many times previously, Zeke’s impact as one of the greatest to ever play with the Star on their helmet will never change and is etched in our record books and history forever. We thank him, love him and wish him the absolute best.”
Ezekiel’s agent Rocky Arceneaux released a statement after Jones.
“I’d like to thank Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys for affording Zeke this unique opportunity in granting us our release,” Arceneaus said. “Even though nothing is imminent, Zeke is excited about the possibilities and is grateful. He’s got a lot of good football left in him, and will remain a Dallas Cowboy for life.”
Big Blue View
New York Giants’ rookie class is making the grade
Positivity is scarce around with this disastrous 2024 New York Giants team. The team is currently 3-13, fresh off a home victory which ended a franchise record 10-game losing streak. Embarrassing is an understatement with this team. It’s difficult to imagine a worse scenario transpiring since the end of the 2022 season, especially considering the 2025 NFL Draft situation.
We at Big Blue View wrote a mid-season rookie report card during the BYE week. The Giants were outscored 140-59 prior to their 45-33 beatdown of the Colts in Week 17. Brian Daboll received a forlorn quarterback situation of Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito after the departure of Daniel Jones, who was also mediocre at best.
Daboll’s future is uncertain, although it’s clear that ownership does not want to cycle through regimes. General manager Joe Schoen will attempt to hang his hat on this 2024 Draft. Quality assets were identified in this class, but that doesn’t excuse the many oversights that transpired in recent memory. The future cap situation and the Giants’ 2024 class are Schoen’s defense to ownership for retaining his job. Is it enough?
Here’s the 2024 Rookie Report Card with just one week left in the season:
NFL league links
Articles
Washington Post (paywall)
MVP, coach of year races
It is becoming increasingly difficult…to envision anyone other than the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell being named the NFL coach of the year.
There are plenty of others who deserve to be in the conversation, including the Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh, the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin, the Commanders’ Dan Quinn and the Rams’ Sean McVay. The Chiefs’ Andy Reid probably won’t get many (or any) votes, given that he coaches the two-time defending Super Bowl champs. But he has used some sleight of hand — and good fortune — to get the Chiefs to 15-1.
O’Connell, though, has transformed Sam Darnold into a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. He has taken a team that lost Kirk Cousins in free agency and then saw rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffer a season-ending knee injury during the preseason to 14 wins and a Week 18 opportunity to be the No. 1 seed. Few saw that coming.
Discussion topics
Washington Post (paywall)
Lions-Vikings showdown puts NFL playoff seeding in the spotlight
Is it unfair the Lions-Vikings loser will open the playoffs on the road despite a superior record? NFL owners have never thought so.
The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings have matching 14-2 records entering their highly anticipated meeting Sunday night in Detroit to close the regular season. The winner will be the NFC North champion and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, with the conference’s lone opening-round bye and home-field advantage through the NFC championship game. The loser will be the NFC’s No. 5 seed — slated to play a first-round game on the road against the No. 4 seed, most likely the NFC South winner. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead that division with a record of 9-7.
The Washington Commanders, with an 11-5 record, are in line to be the NFC’s No. 6 seed. That could bring an opening-round game on the road against either the Los Angeles Rams, who lead the NFC West with a record of 10-6, or the Buccaneers.
[Is this unfair?] NFL owners have never thought so and have not shown much inclination toward changing the system that guarantees every division winner a home playoff game.