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What to know from NFL Week 16: Sam Darnold is the man, and Joe Burrow is still alive
The Eagles suffered through a brutal day in Washington, Kyler Murray’s Cardinals were eliminated, and the New York Giants are just about on the clock.
After another solid showing from Sam Darnold, the Minnesota Vikings are 13-2 with a path to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Sam Darnold states his case
The Bengals are alive — barely
What a disaster for the Eagles
Buffalo had a scary day
The Lions won’t fade away without a fight
The Chiefs are figuring it out
Kyler Murray is going home early again
Here come the Ravens
The Michael Penix era has started in Atlanta
The Giants are (almost) on the clock
Analysis by Adam Kilgore
The NFC playoff field will not be finalized for another two weeks, but it’s worth considering just how fantastic the bracket could look. With the Los Angeles Rams inching closer to a playoff spot Sunday, it’s realistic to think it could include seven teams with 10 wins and at least four with 12. It’s likely to include three quarterbacks picked first overall and two more taken in the top three. Every game will feel titanic.
Here is what to know from Week 16:
Sam Darnold states his case
After the first two weeks of the season, Jordan Palmer, the offseason quarterback coach for a slew of NFL passers, said something that resonates now. Palmer works with Sam Darnold. Back in September, he wanted to make the point that Darnold was overlooked for tangible reasons.
“There’s some really exciting players at the top of the NFL right now at the quarterback position,” Palmer said then. “Fans and media have it in their minds how it looks when they do it — how fast they are and how strong their arms are. People think there’s a gap between Sam Darnold and that group. I’m uniquely positioned to have this opinion: There is no gap.”
Palmer, by the way, counts Josh Allen among his clients. Darnold can’t claim to be on an MVP level, but this season he has occupied a tier only slightly below. Darnold submitted another elite performance in the Vikings’ 27-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, which pushed Minnesota to 13-2. The Vikings still have to play Green Bay and Detroit, but if they win out, they will be the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Darnold passed for 246 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, but he was better than those numbers. Late in the fourth quarter, trailing by three, the pocket closed in on Darnold. He scooted forward and launched a 39-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson as two pass rushers decked him.
Darnold doesn’t just manage games. When necessary, he can conjure magic. The Vikings have an apparent dilemma with first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings and Darnold’s one-year contract expiring. It shouldn’t be a difficult choice. Darnold will be far more expensive, but he has demonstrated that he can lead an NFL team to the top of the league. Potential cannot compare with that.
The Eagles suffered through a brutal day in Washington, Kyler Murray’s Cardinals were eliminated, and the New York Giants are just about on the clock.
After another solid showing from Sam Darnold, the Minnesota Vikings are 13-2 with a path to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Sam Darnold states his case
The Bengals are alive — barely
What a disaster for the Eagles
Buffalo had a scary day
The Lions won’t fade away without a fight
The Chiefs are figuring it out
Kyler Murray is going home early again
Here come the Ravens
The Michael Penix era has started in Atlanta
The Giants are (almost) on the clock
Analysis by Adam Kilgore
The NFC playoff field will not be finalized for another two weeks, but it’s worth considering just how fantastic the bracket could look. With the Los Angeles Rams inching closer to a playoff spot Sunday, it’s realistic to think it could include seven teams with 10 wins and at least four with 12. It’s likely to include three quarterbacks picked first overall and two more taken in the top three. Every game will feel titanic.
Here is what to know from Week 16:
Sam Darnold states his case
After the first two weeks of the season, Jordan Palmer, the offseason quarterback coach for a slew of NFL passers, said something that resonates now. Palmer works with Sam Darnold. Back in September, he wanted to make the point that Darnold was overlooked for tangible reasons.
“There’s some really exciting players at the top of the NFL right now at the quarterback position,” Palmer said then. “Fans and media have it in their minds how it looks when they do it — how fast they are and how strong their arms are. People think there’s a gap between Sam Darnold and that group. I’m uniquely positioned to have this opinion: There is no gap.”
Palmer, by the way, counts Josh Allen among his clients. Darnold can’t claim to be on an MVP level, but this season he has occupied a tier only slightly below. Darnold submitted another elite performance in the Vikings’ 27-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, which pushed Minnesota to 13-2. The Vikings still have to play Green Bay and Detroit, but if they win out, they will be the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Darnold passed for 246 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, but he was better than those numbers. Late in the fourth quarter, trailing by three, the pocket closed in on Darnold. He scooted forward and launched a 39-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson as two pass rushers decked him.
Darnold doesn’t just manage games. When necessary, he can conjure magic. The Vikings have an apparent dilemma with first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings and Darnold’s one-year contract expiring. It shouldn’t be a difficult choice. Darnold will be far more expensive, but he has demonstrated that he can lead an NFL team to the top of the league. Potential cannot compare with that.
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