Welcome to the deep dive. This is where we cut
through all the noise surrounding the gridiron
and deliver only the critical insights you need
to be thoroughly well informed. That's the goal.
We're deep diving into everything football this
week from week 11 and beyond. We're talking the
international stage. It's a pretty serious quarterback
crises. And of course, the monumental contract
figures shaking the league's entire financial
foundation. And it really is the perfect time
for a deep dive like this. The NFL season is
hitting that organizational turning point. It's
a fascinating time. What do you mean by organizational
turning point? Well, you're seeing this powerful
blend of... competitive urgency on the field.
Teams are desperately fighting for those playoff
spots. And it's happening at the same time as
these huge organizational decisions behind the
scenes. Right. Decisions about coaching, free
agency. Exactly. Coaching stability, massive
free agency implications, and franchises are
having to figure out right now where they stand
with the upcoming draft classes. So our mission
today is to connect these immediate, you know,
on -field results directly to that long -term
strategic outlook for these teams. Okay. So let's
start. Let's start with maybe the biggest strategic
play of all. Yeah. The global game. I want to
unpack this major, truly historic international
event. The NFL is officially landing in Spain
for the very first time. A huge claim in the
European market. It really is. And we're looking
ahead to the Washington Commanders facing the
Miami Dolphins in Madrid in a game that, honestly,
it transcends their current. It absolutely does.
This isn't just another game they've shipped
overseas. It's a profound statement about global
expansion into a high value soccer mad market.
The matchup itself, you know, Commanders versus
Dolphins, is happening at the Santiago Bernabeu
Stadium. The home of Real Madrid. I mean, that's
just an iconic venue. It is. And we really need
to focus on the scale of the logistical undertaking
here. This is the NFL's debut in Spain, and it
wraps up a record setting seven international
games for this 2025 season. Trying to host an
NFL game, I mean, with two full organizations,
all their equipment. inside a historic stadium
like the Bernabeu is, well, it's an organizational
feat bordering on heroic. Absolutely. And I was
reading that Real Madrid has been an incredible
partner, but the stadium still had to undergo
some pretty serious temporary changes. Oh, massive
changes, even with its recent multi -million
dollar renovations. The biggest issue, and it's
one people often overlook, was the pitch dimensions
and player safety. Right. An NFL field is a very
specific size. Very specific. The NFL requires
a minimum field size of 190 9 .7 by 48 .8 meters.
The Burner Bay pitch is designed for soccer,
which is 105 by 68 meters. So to make it work,
they had to extend the field length. Which means
what? They just paved over some seats. Pretty
much. It necessitated removing several rows of
the really expensive front row seating around
the perimeter, all just to get the required depth
for the end zones and, crucially, the safety
margins for players running out of bounds. That's
a huge undertaking. And it wasn't just the field,
right? The sheer human element, the NFL Traveling
Roadshow, it demands an incredible amount of
space. Correct. The scale of an NFL travel party
just dwarfs a soccer team. It's not even close.
You're dealing with a 53 -man active roster.
Plus the practice squad, guys. Plus the practice
squad and then dozens upon dozens of staff, coaches,
medical personnel. You're looking at a group
that can easily top 150 people per team. So the
Burnaby had to expand its locker rooms into adjacent,
you know, high -end VIP zones just to accommodate
that sheer size. All to make sure they have proper
space for equipment, for meetings, and I imagine
most importantly, player recovery and treatment.
That's non -negotiable for these athletes. And
Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn actually emphasized
that point. He said the biggest challenge is
just establishing a routine. When you're used
to practicing at home and just flying out, setting
up those recovery and treatment areas in a completely
foreign environment takes days to normalize.
And that search for a routine can affect how
you play. And you have to assume this massive
logistical headache is justified, right? The
local excitement, it sounds like the demand proves
the NFL made the right choice in picking Madrid.
Oh. The reaction was explosive. Tickets for the
84 ,000 capacity stadium sold out on the very
first day. The most astonishing number I saw
was that there were reportedly 700 ,000 digital
devices waiting in the queue. 700 ,000. That's
insane. That's nearly 10 times the stadium's
capacity. It shows a level of immediate, ravenous
demand that few other markets could possibly
match. And that kind of initial demand is exactly
why the NFL sees Spain as a foundational step.
But here's the deeper challenge for the league.
Right. It's one thing to sell tickets once. It's
another to convert that initial demand into genuine,
lasting, knowledgeable fandom. And that means
overcoming a pretty significant cultural and
language hurdle. Exactly. It's easy to sell a
spectacle, but translating the complex lexicon
of American football into Spanish, a market that
is so thoroughly accustomed to the fluid nature
of soccer, that's a whole different beast. It
creates these fascinating challenges for the
interpreters and the broadcasters. I mean, think
about it. It's not just the no huddle offense
for which a term like reunion just sort of comes
close. It doesn't quite capture it. No, but you
also have concepts like the line of scrimmage
or the sequence of downs. These are completely
foreign ideas in sports where play is continuous.
So the interpreters, they have to simplify. They
focus on translating the idea of the play, emphasizing
the speed attack rapido rather than getting bogged
down in the mechanics of the huddle itself. So
the goal isn't just to sell tickets. It's to
generate real, lasting fandom that's rooted in
actually understanding the game. That's what
NFL internationals... Jarrett Meyer said. And
the benchmark for that really is London. Right.
The London crowd started out as just a rainbow
of jerseys, right? Everyone wearing their favorite
team's gear. A total mix. But now, after years
of annual games, about 80 % of the crowd wears
the designated home team's colors. That's the
true sign of market maturity, of organic allegiance.
And that's what the NFL is chasing in Spain.
And that organic growth, it's definitely helped
by a powerful human narrative, which... this
specific matchup actually delivers, despite the
team's poor records. We have to talk about the
Polynesian quarterback story. It's a great angle.
This game features two Polynesian QBs from the
exact same high school in Honolulu St. Louis
School, Tua Tagovailoa of the Dolphins and Marcus
Mariota of the Commanders. And this is more than
just a footnote. It's a real cultural connection.
It's a wonderful generational story. It highlights
this successful pipeline from that one school
in Hawaii. Mariota, who's five years older than
Tua, actually served as a mentor to him at camps
when Tua was just a young kid. I read that Tua
said when other older guys were kind of pushing
him away, Mariota would be the one to pull him
aside and offer guidance. Even though Mariota
was already one of the top quarterbacks in the
country at the time, it really speaks volumes
about the culture of mentorship within that St.
Louis school program. And now here they are lining
up against each other on the biggest international
stage. Mariota is starting this game because
the commander starter. Jaden Daniels is unfortunately
out with a dislocated elbow. This will be Mariota's
fifth start of the season. And that global visibility
holds a profound meaning for them, way beyond
just the win -loss column. Tago Vailoa called
it a really cool opportunity for Polynesian kids
all across the Pacific, in Hawaii, Australia,
New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, to see two players
from their community on this huge global platform.
It's inspiration. It's visibility for a population
that has historically been underrepresented in
sports media. Okay, so let's talk about the immediate
stakes on the field for these two 3 -7 teams.
Washington is reeling. They're riding a five
-game losing streak. which has forced a massive
coaching shakeup on the defensive side of the
ball. Yes. Head coach Dan Quinn, who, you know,
he earned his reputation as the celebrated defensive
coordinator for the Legion of Boom in Seattle.
He is now taking over defensive play calling
duties. Moving those duties away from the current
coordinator, Joe Witt Jr. And I have to say,
there was a remarkable maturity in Witt Jr.'s
response, which suggests that the team dynamic,
at least publicly, is still pretty strong despite
the demotion. According to Quinn, Witt Jr. took
it like a pro. He said, I understood it and I
expected it. It's about winning. That's what
it's all about. And look, the commander's defense
clearly needed a directional change. Quinn himself
openly acknowledged it, saying the defense just
felt off and it lacked the discipline and intensity
he demands. And the numbers back that up completely.
Washington's defense has been severely struggling.
Oh, it's been bad. particularly against the pass.
They're allowing more passing yards per attempt,
8 .4, than any other defense in the league. They
also rank second highest in yards per play allowed
at 6 .4. I mean, those are statistically unsustainable
numbers if you hope to salvage any part of your
season. And the problem isn't just the yardage,
it's the lack of discipline that results in these
huge back -breaking plays. They're tied for the
most completions of 20 -plus yards allowed in
the entire NFL with 36. So Quinn is inheriting
a unit that just consistently fails to communicate
in the secondary and struggles with gap control
in the run game. Which is why they're giving
up an average of 151 .8 rushing yards per game
over this five -game skid. It's a total breakdown.
That lack of run defense discipline leads us
directly to the massive key matchup for Washington
this week, containing Dolphins running back Devon
A. Shane. Coup is electric. He just put up 174
rushing yards last week in Miami's win over the
Bills, showcasing that elite game -breaking speed.
And Washington has already struggled mightily
against versatile explosive backs. I mean, just
look at the tape. We saw the Lions' Jameer Gibbs
rack up 172 total yards and three touchdowns
against them. He averaged 9 .5 yards per touch.
And then there was B. John Robinson of the Falcons,
who had 181 total yards against the Commanders,
with 106 of those coming as a receiver out of
the backfield. What those examples show you is
that versatility is Washington's kryptonite this
season. They can't defend the run. and they absolutely
cannot cover backs out of the backfield. So Quinn
taking over play calling will be immediately
tested by trying to find an answer for A -Chain
who can beat them both between the tackles and
on the perimeter. Meanwhile, on the other side,
the Dolphins defense, which started really slow,
is actually showing some signs of life. And that's
a key reason they're 3 -7 and not, you know,
0 -10. They needed those signs because that defense
was highly criticized early on. They allowed
over 150 rushing yards in four of their first
five games. But you're right. There's been a
notable shift since week six. What's changed?
Well, since week six, they have morphed into
a genuinely elite rush defense. And this turnaround
is largely attributable to the accelerated growth
of young players in their defensive rotation.
Specifically, defensive tackles Kenneth Grant,
who's only 22, and Jordan Phillips, who is 21.
And you couple that with the arrival and impact
of rookie linebacker Chop Robinson. Also 22.
And their veteran leaders like Zach Seeler and
Minka Fitzpatrick have been instrumental in getting
this young rotation in sync. The results are
showing up on the field, and that gives them
a big advantage against Washington's pretty inconsistent
running game. Before we move on from the international
angle, Dan Quinn had a really interesting, almost
strategic perspective on the future of these
global games. He did. When he was asked if teams
could potentially play abroad once a season,
he actually considered it and responded with
a thoughtful, why not? He noted that while these
games come with huge logistical hurdles, the
extended time the team spends together oversees
forces connection, and it builds a chemistry
that regular road trips just don't. He said he
personally liked the feeling of an extended trip.
As long as the logistics, like their planned
Monday night departure, are handled thoughtfully
to prioritize rest and recovery. It's a fascinating
strategic view suggesting that international
travel could become a kind of mandated team building
exercise rather than just a logistical drain.
Which is clearly tied to the NFL's desire to
fulfill Commissioner Roger Goodell's ambition
of expanding to 16 international games per season.
I mean, they're talking Melbourne, Rio, Paris.
The world is the goal. All right, here's where
we pivot to where the season is starting to come
apart at the seams for some major franchises.
We're diving into the turmoil affecting the playoff
picture and the existential pressures facing
quarterbacks and coaches. Let's start with that
season -defining collapse down in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars' Week 10 loss to the Texans, a 36
-29 defeat, was just brutal. Not just because
they lost to a division rival, but because of
how they lost. They were holding a 19 -point
lead late in the third quarter, and they completely
imploded. And what we need to analyze is the
aftermath. It showed a level of professional
frustration from the quarterback that suggests
the internal pressure there is reaching a critical
point. Exactly. Trevor Lawrence himself admitted
the frustration. He said, it's tough losing in
general, but to lose that way, to control the
game and let it go and give it away is tough.
That quote just highlights the immense pressure
on him as the supposed franchise savior. And
the numbers highlight just how complete that
implosion was. After building all that momentum,
The offense completely stalled, managing only
one single first down in the entire fourth quarter.
One first down. That level of stagnation is just
unacceptable for a team with playoff aspirations.
That lapse in execution led to 26 unanswered
points by the Texans, who were led by their backup
quarterback, Davis Mills, which just makes the
defeat even more embarrassing. So Lawrence's
final stat line, 13 of 23 for 158 yards, one
touchdown, one pick. It really mirrored the team's
inability to finish the job. It did. And this
loss has absolutely reignited the national criticism,
not just about Lawrence's consistency from week
to week, but about his leadership and his decision
-making under fire. And that raises some serious
concerns about his growth under head coach Liam
Cohen's system. And if that inconsistency continues,
it shifts the dynamic entirely when they eventually
try to negotiate his mega deal, right? That pressure
has to be bleeding into the locker room, affecting
how players view his command of the offense.
It absolutely does. When a highly paid quarterback
or one who is expected to be highly paid fails
to finish games consistently, it breeds skepticism
among teammates. It gives the organization pause
when it comes time to hand out that, you know,
50 plus million dollar per year contract. The
missing insight here is whether Cohen's system
is fundamentally flawed or if Lawrence is simply
buckling under the weight of expectation. That
question is defining their entire season. Shifting
up north, we have the ongoing quarterback dilemma
in Green Bay with Jordan Love. The Packers are
showing some signs of defensive competence, but
that offense remains stunted. The criticism of
the Packers offense following their narrow 10
-7 loss to Philadelphia centered squarely on
caution and philosophy. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky,
he criticized the play calling as way too cautious,
especially since the offense failed to produce
any of those decisive, explosive plays you need
to put a game away. So it's less about Love's
raw ability and more about the coaching philosophy
being imposed by Matt LaFleur. What's the long
-term risk of that approach? The risk is profound.
The key consensus among analysts is that the
coaching staff needs to empower Love to throw
into tight windows and trust his arm to diversify
the attack. If LaFleur continues to coach Love
to just be a game manager... Someone who just
minimizes mistakes and relies on short, easy
throws. Exactly. If that's the plan, he is fundamentally
limiting the ceiling of the guy who is supposed
to be their franchise quarterback. You risk stagnation.
A franchise quarterback has to be capable of
carrying the offense when the running game stalls
or the defense gives up a big play. If they don't
give him that freedom, they may never know if
Love is truly capable of being that guy. And
speaking of coaching decisions, my goodness.
The absolute coaching drama in New York has reached
a fever pitch. The Giants fired Brian Dable after
throwing away yet another lead in Week 10. This
is a monumental, franchise -defining move. Dayball's
firing is only the second midseason coaching
firing the Giants have executed since 1977. John
Mara, the president and CEO, is now facing immense
pressure after overseeing four coaching firings
since 2015. And the team's overall record since
that 2015 season is just abysmal. 59 wins, 114
losses, one tie. It ranks as the second worst
in the entire NFL. Narrowly better than only
the Jets and the Browns. I mean, the organization
is just paralyzed by its own instability. So
the search for the next coach is underway, and
it's full of fascinating high -stakes rumors.
The biggest name swirling around is, of course,
Bill Belichick. due to his deep ties to the organization.
Right. He was their defensive coordinator for
their first two Super Bowl wins under Bill Parcells.
Now, Belichick publicly issued a statement saying
he will not pursue any NFL head coaching vacancies
and that he's committing his focus to UNC. But
there's always a but. There is always a but.
Analysts are quick to point out that things are
rarely that simple when a prestigious franchise
comes calling. A hard push from the Giants. especially
if they guarantee him full personnel control,
which he demands, could still lure him, despite
legitimate concerns about his age. He'll be 74
soon. So the ownership has to weigh that risk
of hiring a coach who demands absolute control
and is approaching his mid -70s against the potential
reward of bringing in a historically proven winner
who could instantly fix that organizational paralysis.
They absolutely must. And the other candidates
include established veterans like Mike McCarthy,
who is a proven regular season winner. And then
you have younger options like Seattle's offensive
coordinator, Clint Kubiak, who is noted for his
innovative offenses. and Notre Dame coach Marcus
Freeman, known for his recruiting and defensive
intensity. It's a massive decision for Mara and
general manager Joe Schoen. It's one that could
define the next decade for a franchise that is
just desperate to reclaim its former prestige.
And to add to the immediate headaches, there's
the quarterback situation. Rookie Jackson Dart,
who has been a real bright spot since week four,
he's out with a concussion. He was playing really
well, too. Over 1 ,400 passing yards, 10 touchdowns
and seven rushing touchdowns. I mean, a real
testament to his dual threat ability. So Janus
Winston will start against Green Bay, a team
fighting for a playoff spot. And Winston's presence
brings a really distinct change in the locker
room demeanor compared to the high intensity,
often volatile style of Dable. Players have noticed
that. They've said Mike Kafka, the interim coach,
has a calming presence, and Winston brings a
different skill set than Dart. How so? Well...
Winston himself was praised by some observers
as the best passer on that team, even when he
was sitting on the bench. He's poised, he's experienced,
and he's capable of executing those deep throws
that Dort was less consistent with. But he's
going to be leading a team whose run defense
is historically bad right now. Allowing a league
-worst 5 .5 yards per carry. Which puts incredible
pressure on the offense to score often. Now let's
pivot down to the Miami Dolphins, where the contract
situation has created a kind of organizational
paralysis, making their future trajectory almost
impossible to navigate. Yeah, the organizational
breakdown in Miami appears to be deeply entrenched.
General Manager Chris Greyer has already been
held accountable for... poor personnel decisions,
and head coach Mike McDaniel is highly likely
to be relieved of his duties at the end of the
season. Barring some kind of miracle. A miraculous
turnaround or a deep playoff run, neither of
which looks probable, but the real anchor weighing
them down is Tua Tagovailoa's contract, which
makes him essentially unmovable. It's a massive
obstacle to any kind of rebuild or reset. It
is. Tua signed that four -year, $212 million
contract back in 2024, and it includes an eye
-watering $54 million guaranteed in 2026. This
huge guarantee, coupled with his persistent inconsistency
and his long history of injuries, which include
those bell -rung episodes that raise serious
long -term health questions, it makes him nearly
impossible to trade. Even if the team decided
he wasn't the long -term answer, no team wants
to absorb that kind of guaranteed money for an
injury -prone, inconsistent player. Exactly.
And that lack of trade flexibility is compounded...
by the poor outlook on the horizon for drafting
a replacement. It's creating a perfect storm
of immobility. We'll get to that draft class
later. Analysts are already describing the 2026
quarterback draft class as putrid and incredibly
thin at the top. So if Miami is stuck with Tua
and his massive cap hit, and the draft class
offers no high -end replacement talent, it severely
limits their ability to bring in a legitimate
high -end head coaching candidate who would demand
a stable quarterback situation. They're entering
a strategic line where they have high expectations,
but zero flexibility to meet them. OK, so let's
shift the focus from current performance and
collapse to the underlying economics of football.
This is where we talk about who is earning the
premium contracts and why, and the incredible
power of quarterback scarcity in a league that's
obsessed with the position. And that leads us
straight to the what you call the hundred million
dollar quarterback resurgence starring Daniel
Jones of the Colts. That is a market reality
that defies conventional expectations, given
his injury history and his previous tenure with
the Giants. Jones, now thriving in Indianapolis,
is positioned for a massive free agency payday
in 2026. Despite his history. His recent performance
leading the Colts to this unexpected 8 -2 record
in a run -heavy scheme has just skyrocketed his
market profile. And league insiders are projecting
he could command a nine -figure contract, something
worth around $100 million over three or four
years. So why that number specifically? What
comparisons are driving this projection for Jones,
a quarterback many people, myself included, considered
replaceable just last year? The projection is
driven by recent reclamation deals. It's comparable
to what Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold secure
when they hit the market deals designed to stabilize
teams at the most critical position. And Mayfield's
contract was heavily scrutinized. Jones is currently
performing better than Mayfield was before his
extension. He is. And the logic is crystal clear.
Teams prioritize quarterback stability over gambling
on an unproven draft pick, especially in a weak
QB class year, which, as we just discussed with
Miami, amplifies Jones's leverage dramatically.
When the draft well runs dry, you pay for the
established talent, even if it's merely, you
know, C grade talent. So the Colts, who appear
all in on making a long term offer to keep Jones.
are essentially paying the scarcity tax because
they believe their window to win is right now.
Exactly. This negotiation will define their entire
offseason. They have to calculate not just Jones's
value, but the cost of not having him if the
alternative is starting over with a rookie from
a lackluster class. This is the definition of
strategic necessity outweighing perceived talent
level. But the quarterback isn't the only position
commanding astronomical money. We have to talk
about the premium edge rusher market, which is
being led by Trey Hendrickson of the Bengals.
Hendrickson is drawing early attention as the
expected top non -QB free agent for 2026. His
profile is just elite and highly consistent.
He posted 17 .5 sacks and 65 pressures in 2024,
and he's described as an immediate upgrade for
any contending defense with deficient edge play.
Edge rushers really are the defensive equivalent
of quarterbacks in terms of market value, aren't
they? They are, because they disrupt the passing
game with unmatched consistency. So what kind
of money are we talking about for a top -tier
rusher like this, and what challenges does that
present for Cincinnati? Market projections suggest
he could command north of $34 million per year
on a multi -year deal. That will place him among
the highest -paid edge defenders in the league,
comparable to Miles Garrett or Nick Bosa. The
complicating factor, though, is his age. He'll
be 31 at the start of the 2026 season. And that
age profile might push teams toward shorter deals,
maybe two years with heavy incentives, rather
than a full five -year commitment with full guarantees.
That's the strategic decision for the Bengals.
It's a tough one. They're trying to maintain
a championship window while dealing with significant
financial constraints. They have three options.
Pay him the market rate, which hurts their ability
to sign younger players. Use the franchise tag,
which is projected to cost roughly $36 million
for one year. Or they might even consider a sign
-and -trade to recoup some draft capital. But
losing Hendrickson would create a clear defensive
hole. It would. So they have to balance those
long -term cap implications against the immediate
need to maintain their pass rush as a defensive
cornerstone. We saw several key moves happen
around the trade deadline that showed just how
desperate teams are to acquire established, proven
talent, even if it costs future picks. Let's
start with the Colts again. We're clearly building
around Jones with an immediate focus on winning.
The Colts made a huge splash by acquiring star
cornerback Sauce Gardner, recognizing that elite
cover corners are also a premium asset. And to
get him, they had to pay a steep price. They
packaged the disappointing Adonai Mitchell. a
2024 second -round pick who hadn't performed,
with a pair of future first -round selections.
That's a strategic move that highlights the team's
willingness to sacrifice future depth for immediate
defensive stability. It's a clear mandate from
ownership to win now. And while we're on the
Colts, wide receiver Alec Pierce is quietly setting
himself up for his own massive payday. thanks
to his extreme efficiency in that offense. Pierce
is trending toward a lucrative second contract,
potentially upward of $20 million per year. His
efficiency has been elite, leveraging his speed
and deep threat ability. He led the league with
22 .3 yards per catch in 2024, and he's at the
top of the league again in 2025 with 20 .9. He's
on track for his first 1 ,000 -yard season, establishing
a strong deep ball rapport with Daniel Jones.
And the Colts will have to find a way to make
the finances work to keep both Jones and Pierce
long term, which may require restructuring some
other contracts on the books. Moving to the edge
rushers again, the Chicago Bears were clearly
aggressive at the deadline. even if they didn't
get their top target. The Bears are an up -and
-coming team that was trying to speed up their
rebuild and contend this season. They reportedly
tried unsuccessfully to trade for star defensive
end Miles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns,
who flatly refused to part with him. Garrett
is non -negotiable talent. He is. The Bears ultimately
settled for acquiring Joe Tryon -Shienka, but
failing to land a player of Garrett's caliber
really shows the gulf between their ambition
and what established contenders are willing to
sacrifice. And finally, let's look at the Dallas
Cowboys, who decided to bolster their struggling
defense just before their Monday night game against
the Raiders, showing that even contending teams
have major holes. The Cowboys' defense was truly
abysmal before these moves. I mean, ranking 31st
in both points and yards allowed per game, you
just cannot compete for a championship with those
numbers. So they made two key acquisitions to
plug these gaps. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams
from the Jets and linebacker Logan Wilson from
the Bengals. Williams is a disruptive force in
the interior, so he should immediately help shore
up their leaky run defense and command double
teams. Which frees up other pass rushers, like
Micah Parsons. And Wilson will also help stabilize
their run defense at that second level. It was
a clear sign of urgency from their front office.
All right, now we're moving to the weekly wrap
-up, focusing on major upcoming matchups and
surprising individual performances that are defining
the current narratives. Let's start with a massive
NFC West showdown. The Rams versus the Seahawks.
Both teams are 7 -2, riding significant momentum.
This is a battle for division supremacy that
feels like an instant classic in the making.
Both the Rams and Seahawks are on four -game
win streaks and boast stellar statistics, ranking
in the top five for both scoring offense and
defense. The Rams are averaging almost 28 points
per game and allowing just 17. Seattle is scoring
over 30 and allowing 19. I mean, this pits two
incredibly well -rounded teams against each other.
It does. And the battle of the quarterbacks here
is fascinating, especially considering Sam Darnold's
stunning efficiency for Seattle this year. It's
the reclamation story of the year. It really
is. Darnold has been hyper -efficient. He holds
the best deep ball completion percentage in the
entire NFL, converting a stunning 72 .4 % on
29 attempts. That is a career -high efficiency,
far surpassing his previous best of 56 % back
in 2022. But what really underscores his value
is the advanced metric estimated points added,
or EPA. For those less familiar with the specifics,
What exactly is EPA and why is it so significant?
So EPA, or estimated points added, is a widely
used metric that quantifies the value a player
adds on every single play relative to league
average expectations. If a quarterback makes
a play that significantly increases the team's
chance of scoring, they get a high EPA score.
And Darnold is at the top of the league in that.
He ranks first in EPA per dropback, meaning he
is maximizing the offensive opportunity on every
pass attempt right alongside Matthew Stafford,
who is second. And don't forget, Darnold's last
loss to the Rams. when he was sacked nine times
at the Vikings, sets up a fascinating revenge
narrative this week. Wow. And for the Rams, we
have to talk about the debut of the kicker that
instantly became a legend, the Thisser kicker.
Yes, the 245 -pound kicker Harrison Mavis. He
made his NFL debut last week, replacing the struggling
Joshua Carty, who had been horrendous, missing
eight total kicks, including pay tees, and having
three blocked. That's a crisis point for a team
trying to win the division. It is. So Mavis,
an All -American from Mizzou, went 6 of 6 on
Pey Atiz in his debut. This game is expected
to be incredibly close, so special teams, and
Mavis' first field goal attempt in an NFL pressure
cooker could be absolutely vital. The kicker
narrative is almost always irrelevant until a
division title hinges on a 40 -yarder. On the
Seattle side, the focus shifts heavily to the
interior offensive line, particularly rookie
guard Gray Zabel, who is facing the ultimate
test against that Rams defensive front. Zabel's
performance will be critical against the Rams'
stout defensive line, which features disruptive
tackles like Kobe Turner and Braden Fisk. The
Seahawks rank 22nd in yards per carry -on runs
between the tackles, so run blocking is a major
question mark for Zabel. PFF grades him pretty
low on run blocking. They do. And for the audience,
PFF, or pro football focus, uses proprietary
metrics to grade every snap a player takes. But
what's interesting is Seattle actually ranks
15th in yards before contact on runs inside the
tackles, which suggests the interior is doing
OK when they're healthy. This game against a
top five run defense like the Rams is Zabel's
biggest test yet. If he can't hold up, the entire
running game stalls. OK, shifting to the east,
we have the Lions versus Eagles matchup. which
involves a bizarre mixture of winning football
and some very high -profile internal dysfunction.
The Eagles, despite their 7 -2 record, are dealing
with significant internal drama that seems to
be bubbling over. Wide receiver A .J. Brown caused
a major stir when he called the team a sus show
on a Twitch stream and told fantasy managers
to get rid of me. And then he doubled down. He
said he's trying to laugh through this, and would
not apologize, suggesting that the team's issues
are deeper than the win column suggests. He did.
And quarterback Jalen Hurts, facing repeated
questions about Brown's comments, maintained
composure but acknowledged the underlying tension.
He responded diplomatically, saying his focus
was on the upcoming game against Detroit and
that driving the drama further would only create
more distraction. It's classic crisis management
by a franchise quarterback, prioritizing stability
over confrontation. But the criticism didn't
stop there. Former Panthers QB Cam Newton weighed
in, arguing the issues were fundamental to the
organization. He argued that the team is a walking,
ticking time bomb of dysfunction whose issues
have only been masked by winning. But that raises
a critical question, doesn't it? If Nick Sirianni's
dysfunction resulted on a Super Bowl appearance
just last year, isn't that just the price of
dealing with elite, highly competitive and demanding
personalities like A .J. Brown? That's the key
analytical challenge. Is this true toxic culture,
or is it just the difficulty of managing greatness?
The Eagles, much like the Patriots of old, might
simply tolerate internal heat because they know
it leads to wins. The problem is whether that
heat eventually melts the roster down the stretch.
Precisely. On the Detroit side, their defense
is generating pressure, ranking fourth in the
NFL with 30 sacks, but the reliance on Aiden
Hutchinson is becoming a strategic concern that
the Eagles can exploit. The pass rush is inconsistent.
Hutchinson is the star, but he put up goose eggs
in his last outing against the Commanders, recording
his lowest PFF grades of the season. A 25 .7
tackling grade and a 61 .0 pass rush grade. Yeah,
that drop off is alarming. A 61 .0 pass rush
grade is slightly above average, but a 25 .7
tackling grade is failing. It indicates a lack
of discipline. The team seems to only generate
pressure when safety Brian Branch blitzes, which
tells you the surrounding defensive line needs
significant help. And they can't rely too heavily
on the blitz against a quarterback as careful
as Jalen Hurts. No, because blitzing exposes
a secondary that has been inconsistent this year.
The key matchup here is the Lions' interior offensive
line against the Eagles' defensive tackles, particularly
Jalen Carter, who has 28 pressures, and the newly
acquired Jalen Phillips, who recorded eight pressures
in his Eagles debut last week. If Detroit can't
contain that interior pressure, Jared Goff will
be under duress all afternoon. Finally, we have
to look at one of the most surprising metrics
defining explosive running backs this season,
highlighting a player who needs more touches.
This is a fun stat that measures how often a
running back exceeds 20 miles per hour on a carry,
indicating elite breakaway speed. The league
leader is Jonathan Taylor, who has hit that mark
six times on 189 carries. Okay, so who's the
surprise? The Baltimore Ravens' Keaton Mitchell.
He has achieved 20 -plus miles per hour three
times on just 15 carries this season. 15 carries.
That is a phenomenal rate of explosion. It confirms
that every time he touches the ball, he has home
run capability. It puts Mitchell's explosiveness
on par with Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and
Brees Hall. But Mitchell is doing it with a tiny
fraction of the carries. He may not have a clear
starting role yet, backing up Derrick Henry,
but he's clearly one of the most explosive backs
in the NFL when he gets a chance. He's a player
every defense must account for whenever he steps
onto the field. Okay, turning to the collegiate
game now, where huge matchups are happening just
in time for a major broadcast resolution that
had fans worried about missing critical playoff
implications. That's right. College football
fans who rely on streaming can finally breathe
a sigh of relief. Disney and Google reached a
new multi -year distribution agreement restoring
all ESPN and ABC channels to YouTube TV subscribers
after a tense two -week blackout. And that restoration
is crucial for viewing this massive Week 12 slate,
which features huge games with college football
playoff implications. We're talking about highly
anticipated clashes like No. 4 Alabama hosting
No. 11 Oklahoma. But the gigantic SEC showdown
on ABC is between No. 10 Texas traveling to face
No. 5 Georgia. A loss for Texas would almost
certainly eliminate them from both SEC contention
and the CFP discussion. While Georgia is trying
to avoid a loss that could dash their hopes of
reaching the SEC championship game, these are
games that define coaching legacies and, of course,
draft stock. And speaking of draft stock beyond
the current season, let's look ahead to the draft
pipeline where league executives are sounding
the alarm bells about the 2026 quarterback class,
a concern that directly impacts the high price
of quarterbacks like Daniel Jones. The fear is
palpable across the league, huh? It is. Executives
are expressing serious concerns about the lackluster
2026 QB draft group. The class was expected to
be stronger than the 2025 group, but one executive
was quoted saying, I don't love any of them right
now, noting that there's no clear -cut blue -chip
top prospect to set the pace. What's driving
this perceived drop in talent? Why are prospects
that were highly rated early on now faltering?
It's a combination of underperformance and economics,
specifically the impact of NIL money. And to
clarify, NIL stands for name, image, and likeness,
which allows college athletes to earn income.
Many of the higher end players expected to materialize
just haven't met expectations on the field. And
the high NIL money is encouraging prospects who
might otherwise declare early to stay for another
season. So guys like Oregon's Dante Moore, who
draft expert Todd McShay says is likely returning
to school, are opting for guaranteed income and
another year of seasoning over, rushing into
the NFL draft where their stock might be middling.
Exactly. Even Arch Manning, once seen as the
next big thing from the famous Manning lineage,
has reportedly played himself out of a projected
first round grade with inconsistent tape. This
combination of NIL retention and on -field underperformance
at the top means the talent pool is frighteningly
shallow. And this lack of talent at the top has
massive implications for quarterback needy teams
like the Jets, the Browns, or the Titans. It
creates enormous strategic challenges. The Jets
and Browns, with their glaring QB holes, would
rely on a strong top end to the draft to find
a long -term solution. It also hurts the Tennessee
Titans, who have the inside track on the top
pick, but may lose the ability to auction that
selection off to a desperate QB needy franchise
if the talent pool is thin. Right. There's no
consensus star. Teams are less willing to pay
that premium trade price for the top pick. Leaving
the Titans with less leverage and potentially
forcing them to take a player they don't truly
believe in. So if we have to look for bright
spots among the prospects, for those teams that
must take a quarterback, Who stands out right
now? Alabama's Ty Simpson is having the best
year of the prospects, according to one executive.
He's got poise and consistency, even if he doesn't
have the highest physical tools. He's played
his tail off and is throwing the ball well in
high -pressure SEC games. Any other names? South
Carolina's Lenore Sellers is noted for having
traits on top of traits. Big, explosive, powerful
arm, tough to tackle, but he still needs to solidify
his decision -making and play consistency before
he can be considered a first -round lock. OK,
finally, let's check in on the Georgia Bulldogs
pipeline to the NFL, specifically the Chargers
connection, which has proven pretty successful
recently. The Chargers have been very happy with
their recent Georgia picks. Ladd McConkie, selected
in the 2024 draft, has been a huge success. He's
racked up nearly 2 ,000 receiving yards and set
an NFL record for receiving yards by a rookie
in a playoff game with 197 yards against the
Texans. That's a massive endorsement of the Georgia
program's ability to produce NFL -ready talent.
And now they are projected to double down on
the Georgia defense. Yes. A mock draft projects
the Chargers could take linebacker C .J. Allen
late in the first round of the 2026 draft. Allen
leads the Bulldogs in tackles, looking to do
so for the second straight year. This fit makes
perfect sense because the Chargers run a 3 -3
-5 defense, which is structurally similar to
what Georgia runs. Plus, the Chargers linebacker
coach is Navarro Bowman, a former All -Pro who
played a similar style to Allen, suggesting he
could be the perfect mentor. Continuing that
valuable pipeline of collegiate talent. OK, now
we need to cover some essential stories that
go beyond the box score. Stories that speak to
the human element and cultural impact of the
game. Providing that crucial context often missed
in the rush of weekly scores. We start with the
tragic news regarding Marshawn Nealon, which
has profoundly impacted the Cowboys organization
and his college alma mater. Former Western Michigan
and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Nealon
died on November 6th. He was only 24 years old
and was in his second season with the Cowboys.
His death, which occurred unexpectedly during
the season, has prompted immediate tributes across
the football community. It's a stark reminder
of the fragility of life. And Western Michigan,
his alma mater. honored him in their game against
Ohio, making sure his memory was central to the
day. They paid deep respect. WMU painted his
Nober 99 on both sidelines. Coaches and players
wore his jersey or initials on their helmets.
And defensive lineman Rodney McGraw changed his
number to number four for the rest of the season
to honor his former teammate. And the game captains
carried his Nober 99 jersey to the grindhouse.
Ensuring his presence was felt in every aspect
of the game. This tragic event also spurred a
powerful, timely demonstration of mental health
awareness by an active player, Mack Hollins,
leveraging the NFL's massive platform. Patriots
wide receiver Mack Hollins used his entrance
before a Thursday night game against the Jets
to spread awareness for mental health resources.
He wore a shirt featuring the suicide and crisis
lifeline number 988. on the front and the powerful
message, you are worth it on the back. Crucially,
the shirt also listed words like alone, scared,
and vulnerable, acknowledging the internal struggles
so many people face. regardless of their public
persona. And the Hollands emphasized the need
to normalize this conversation, especially for
men in high -pressure, hyper -masculine environments
like professional football. He spoke eloquently,
stating, it's okay to not be okay, and noted
that this topic often gets pushed aside for men.
He wanted to emphasize that mental health struggles
happen to all men and need to be addressed more
openly. A really powerful statement. Finally,
we need to touch on the intersection of football
and public opinion, specifically regarding political
and cultural choices made by the league on its
biggest stage. Dallas Cowboys co -owner Charlotte
Jones publicly defended the selection of Bad
Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show, emphasizing
the NFL's global stage and its desire for wide
cultural reach. She stated that the choice was
purely about securing the number one performer
in the world. and celebrating the mixed culture
of society, noting that the game is not about
politics. She said the Super Bowl is a global
event, and they believe the entertainment must
reflect that global audience. And when she was
asked directly if they should have chosen someone
who didn't touch politics, Jones firmly replied
that people tune in for the game and the music
and the NFL strategy is to do everything we can
to avoid politics. It really highlights the league's
ongoing high stakes effort to navigate these
major cultural moments while trying to avoid
the political division that permeates so much
of American life. And we also saw former Steelers
star Alejandro Villanueva weigh in on the reaction
President Donald Trump received at a Commanders
game. addressing the complicated relationship
between the military and public political expression.
Villanueva, who served multiple tours in the
U .S. Army, called the booing of President Trump
during the salute to service moment unfortunate.
He acknowledged the intense political division
in the United States, but expressed a profound
hope that the military does not become seen as
supporting one political party over the other.
Emphasizing the crucial nonpartisan nature of
the military civilian relationship. He stressed
that the military serves the country, not a party,
and that public displays of political partisanship
during moments meant to honor service can erode
that vital distinction. What a sweep across the
football landscape this week. I mean, we've covered
everything from the global stage in Madrid with
the logistics and that fascinating Polynesian
QB matchup to the shocking contract values like
Daniel Jones potentially hitting a nine -figure
deal and the pressure cooker environments for
coaches like Dan Quinn and the struggling Jaguars.
And the overarching theme that connects all these
threads from Miami's paralysis to the high price
of Daniel Jones is scarcity. Scarcity of proven
talent. scarcity of good young quarterbacks,
and scarcity of coaching stability. We talked
about the New York Giants, a franchise with the
second worst record in the league since 2015
who just fired Brian Dable. They are an organization
trapped in a vicious cycle. A cycle of changing
direction every two years. And given the incredibly
high price of acquiring proven talent, whether
it's an edge rusher like Trey Hendrickson demanding
$34 million a year, or a quarterback like Daniel
Jones commanding $100 million due to market desperation,
and then you factor in the dire projections for
the upcoming draft classes. This all boils down
to a critical question about resource allocation
and strategic organizational priority. So the
final provocative thought for you to consider
is this. How much longer can Giants ownership,
or any struggling ownership group facing a rebuild,
afford to prioritize a high -stakes, expensive,
and often failed coaching search over aggressively
acquiring immediate established superstar players?
Should they risk another coaching hire failure
when they have young talent like Jackson Dark,
or should they instead use every available resource
draft capital and future cap space to trade for
stability and guaranteed top -tier talent, even
at the astronomical prices we've outlined? It's
a necessary balance between organizational identity
and sheer competition. That is truly the strategic
tightrope walk defining the next five years for
these struggling franchises. And you now have
the critical knowledge to be well informed on
where the football world stands right now. We'll
catch you next time for another deep dive.