By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Rams held a one-touchdown lead Saturday in a game that seemed to drag on forever with little cause for excitement.
Then the fourth quarter arrived, the Niners mounted a furious comeback and Jared Goff had a nice little opportunity to boost his Q Score. A game-sealing interception likely isn’t what he had in mind, though. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Every Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum during the 2016 season has felt like one big party — until Week 16.
The Raiders were again rolling to what appeared to be another win when quarterback and rejuvenating sparkplug Derek Carr went down with a leg injury. He knew it immediately, and it didn’t take long for team doctors to also learn the severity of the injury: a broken fibula, surgery on deck and an indefinite amount of time away from the field. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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What began as a scary occurrence that could have produced a serious accident turned into a hassle and nightmarish Friday evening that has roundly summed up 2016 for the Minnesota Vikings.
While taxiing after a safe landing in Appleton, Wisconsin, the Vikings‘ team plane slid off the runway and became stuck, the team announced. The Vikings faced an additional two-hour wait on the plane after the incident, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported, before a firetruck was dispatched to carry the passengers off the plane. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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In the aftermath of Luke Kuechly‘s latest concussion, and his extended time away from the field, the opinions of the linebacker’s next move have run the gamut. Perhaps none, though, carry more weight than that of Kuechly’s superstar teammate.
“Luke is a person that could potentially to be the greatest linebacker that has ever played — straight up,” Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said Thursday. “… I don’t think, for me, I would want to jeopardize that for a long, long-term issue just to bring him back.” Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Buccaneers surprised the football world with a key inactive that no one saw coming.
Tampa Bay listed running back Doug Martin as inactive for Saturday’s game against New Orleans. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Martin was a healthy scratch via a coach’s decision, which is fairly peculiar for a team that has dealt with a bevy of injuries at the position. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Just weeks ago, we filled this space with a breakdown of why Green Bay’s defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed in the passing game. My, how times have changed.
Since surrendering truckloads of points in a three-game stretch, the Packers are in the midst of indeed running the table. Green Bay got Damarious Randall back and remedied its issues on defense, and ditched the idea of the traditional running back after injuries decimated the position and forced the Packers to deal for Knile Davis in an ill-fated attempt to acquire a stopgap. Mike McCarthy’s offense has since resorted to turning wide receiver Ty Montgomery into a running back, and while yes, it’s odd to see a player wearing No. 88 lining up in the backfield, it’s working for the Packers. Continue reading
By Around the NFL staff
NFL.com
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Baby, it’s cold outside — but the playoff races are heating up!
The moribund AFC South showed signs of life on Sunday with each of its three contenders coming away with victories. Brock Osweiler was finally — mercilessly — benched in favor of Tom Savage, who led a major Texans comeback over the Jaguars to stay tied in the lead in the South with the Titans … whose quarterback, Marcus Mariota overcame early errors to ignite a 10-point comeback in frigid Kansas City … but don’t count out the Colts, who rolled over the hapless Vikings and are just one game back.
Elsewhere, a Lions loss to the Giants and a close Packers victory in the sub-zero Windy City closed the former’s lead in the NFC North to one game; and with their respective wins, Baltimore and Pittsburgh stayed neck-and-neck atop the AFC North with next week’s matchup looming. Here’s what we’ve learned so far from Week 15: Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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2016 has been the year of the Cowboys, save for opening weekend, when Dallas fell to division rival New York. They received a shot at redemption on a frigid Sunday night in Week 14, but in surprising, almost stunning fashion, again came up empty-handed.
Dallas has played 13 games, and the Cowboys are 11-0 against teams not named the New York Giants. So what is so special about the Giants?
It begins — and really, ends — with disciplined defense. As other units across the league turn to exotic blitz schemes and innovative usage of personnel, New York keeps it simple and traditional because it works. Continue reading
By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Minnesota has tried to patch a large hole in its running game with various stopgaps over the course of the regular season.
It might get the permanent fix in time for Week 16.
Adrian Peterson intends to return to practice this week and plans to play against the Packers in Week 16, he said Monday during a 15-minute interview with DJ Skee on dashradio.com, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Continue reading
By Around the NFL staff
NFL.com
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Who wants the sixth seed?
The Titans‘ upset win over the Broncos in Nashville drew Denver even with teams previously out of the playoff picture in the AFC. With a win over Arizona, the Dolphins moved to 8-5, tied for the final spot, but their victory was costly; Ryan Tannehill is believed to have torn his ACL.
There are zero questions at quarterback or running back in Pittsburgh. The Steelers rolled over Buffalo in the snow, thanks to a three-score afternoon from Le’Veon Bell. Also at 8-5, Pittsburgh has a brief stranglehold on the third seed, one that will be questioned when Baltimore plays the Patriots on Monday night.
Meanwhile, in the NFC, Washington all but knocked Philadelphia out of playoff contention with a late strip sack on Carson Wentz and moved to within a half-game of the Buccaneers. Minnesota escaped disaster in Jacksonville, keeping its playoff hopes alive at 7-6, while the Packers kept pace following their dismantling of Seattle at Lambeau. Continue reading
Nick Shook 