By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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It wasn’t Brock Osweiler‘s fault the Texans lost on Sunday.

In fact, despite constant snowfall, Osweiler had one of his better games, completing 22 of 35 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Bob McNair wants to make sure real recognizes real.

“I thought he played great,” the Texans owner said of Osweiler, via the Houston Chronicle. “He played as well as his competitor did. If not for the passes that were dropped, his grade would have been higher than (Packers quarterback Aaron) Rodgers. Don’t be critical of him. He played well.”

Well, it’s great to know that as the franchise’s latest major investment, you still have the support of the owner. But for much of the season, the constant theme of the struggling but contending Texans has been the stagnant, seemingly handcuffed offense that begins and often ends with Osweiler. Don’t take it from us; take it from Houston Chronicle beat writer John McClain. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Miami had spent the last month and a half among the league’s hottest, but suddenly came back to earth on Sunday in a loss to Baltimore.

Ryan Tannehill completed 29 of 40 passes but threw three interceptions, and completed his lone touchdown pass only after taking possession at Baltimore’s 8-yard line. Miami drives frequently stalled, and if they didn’t stall, they ended in interceptions.

Ranked seventh in the league against the pass, Baltimore lived up to its billing, and will be more than happy to take the credit in the aftermath. Continue reading →

By Around the NFL staff
NFL.com
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As we head down the season’s final stretch, the AFC’s stalwarts are upping their game.

Without their most valuable offensive weapon, the Patriots looked unfazed in their assured win over the listless Rams. New England’s 26-10 victory put Tom Brady into rarified air as the quarterback passed Peyton Manning for most career wins, including playoffs.

In Atlanta, Eric Berry had an emotional homecoming, recording a pick-six and a game-winning pick-two to keep Kansas City afloat in the wild-card race and a half-game back in the AFC West.

Joe Flacco and his veteran Ravens squad proved their worth to the overachieving Dolphins, while the Broncos survived without their starting quarterback in Duval. Oakland came back from 15 points down to drounce the Bills, and the Steelers held off Odell Beckham and the Giants.

Who will keep up? Who will fall off? This AFC playoff race is just getting started. Here’s what we learned from Week 13:

Denver Broncos 20, Jacksonville Jaguars 10

1. Denver scored the perfect week to be forced to start Paxton Lynch. Jacksonville has a defense that, on paper, should be stingy against any offense, even if their record doesn’t show it. Denver wisely remedied early struggles by turning to a ground game that found a little daylight in the second quarter with the combination of Kapri Bibbs and Devontae Booker. But make no mistake — a Denver offense that already had its issues was only worse with Lynch in the lineup. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Everyone knows the Cowboys sit atop the NFL as the league’s best through 13 weeks. It appears the Buccaneers are also a hot ticket.

Fresh off the Cowboys clinching a playoff spot, the NFL has decided to flex the Dec. 18 game between Tampa Bay and Dallas out of the 1 p.m. ET slot and into the Sunday Night Football slot of 8:30 p.m. ET. The Week 15 contest will be played AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Tampa Bay moved into a tie atop the NFC South with Atlanta after the Buccaneers defeated the Chargers 28-21, and the Falcons lost to the Chiefs 29-28 on Sunday.

The Steelers-Bengals game in Week 15, originally scheduled in the SNF slot, has been flexed to 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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A low-scoring, defensive affair marred with incompletions and turnovers turned out in favor of the Denver Broncos, which triumphed over the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-10 to stay in the thick of the AFC West race. Here’s what we learned:

1. Denver scored the perfect week to be forced to start Paxton Lynch. Jacksonville has a defense that, on paper, should be stingy against any offense, even if their record doesn’t show it. Denver wisely remedied early struggles by turning to a ground game that found a little daylight in the second quarter with the combination of Kapri Bibbs and Devontae Booker. But make no mistake — a Denver offense that already had its issues was only worse with Lynch in the lineup.

2. The Jaguars were in it late, but having witnessed three quarters of complete unpredictability on offense, it never felt like they were really in it. Jacksonville turned the ball over twice entering the latter stages of the fourth, including a Bradley Roby pick-six, and as we watched Bortles escape and fire rockets to anyone, anywhere, at any time, it seemed only a matter of time before turnover No. 3 happened. It eventually did, though only when the pocket collapsed on Bortles, forcing him to fumble and bringing a ho-hum finish to a ho-hum day that didn’t appear as such on the scoreboard. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Any hope the New England Patriots had of getting tight end Rob Gronkowski back this season has officially been quashed.

The team has placed the big tight end on injured reserve, ending his season after he underwent back surgery Friday, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday. Gronkowski initially injured the back diving for a deep ball against the New York Jets last weekend.

It’s an abrupt end to a season that only briefly lived up to the promise it possessed for Gronkowski. That result isn’t the fault of Gronkowski for lack of effort, but lack of good health. The tight end got off to a late start due to a hamstring injury that hindered him throughout camp, and suffered a perforated lung after getting drilled by Seattle safety Earl Thomas three weeks ago. The back injury completed the in-season injury trifecta and, unfortunately for he and the Patriots, was the finishing blow. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Alex Smith will have to look elsewhere in an important contest against Atlanta on Sunday, because he’ll be without his top target.

Jeremy Maclin (groin) has been downgraded to out for the Chiefs‘ game versus the Falcons, the team announced Saturday via Twitter.

Without Maclin in 2016, Smith has been forced to look elsewhere — most notably, Tyreek Hill — and Kansas City’s offense has suffered, even in victory. It was especially evident in Kansas City’s 19-14 win over Jacksonville, but the Jaguars are not the Falcons, so a greater performance sans-Maclin will be necessary for Smith and the Chiefs in order to secure a win.

Kansas City also added cornerback Phillip Gaines (knee) to the injury report as questionable. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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In the wake of the Patriots receiving some of the most disheartening news possible that isn’t related to Tom Brady, New England had a nice little rebound on Saturday.

Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch, who was facing a four-game suspension, has had his ban rescinded, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported per agent Blake Baratz. Branch had been planning to appeal his suspension, but it was rescinded before the appeal and the Patriots were informed Saturday, Rapoport added.

Branch had been notified in late November that he was facing a four-game ban for violation of the league’s policy on substances of abuse. His unexpected return will be welcomed by a Patriots‘ defense that was facing the prospect of replacing Branch with a combination of inexperienced defensive linemen.

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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With kicker Chris Boswell becoming a late addition to the injury report, Pittsburgh has made an 11th-hour addition to its roster.

The Steelers have signed kicker Randy Bullock and released cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz, the team announced Saturday. Boswell was added to the injury report early Saturday with an abdomen injury and is listed as questionable.

Bullock most recently kicked for the New York Giants, and had spent three years with the Houston Texans and part of 2015 with the New York Jets. Over his career, Bullock has made 75 of 93 field goal attempts and 90 of 94 point after attempts.

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Seahawks are coming off perhaps their most forgettable offensive performance in years in a 14-5 loss to Tampa Bay, but that isn’t luring the Panthers into taking the NFC West leaders lightly.

Never mind that Russell Wilson has spent much of the season hampered by injuries — ankle, knee, pectoral, you name it. Charles Johnson thinks Seattle’s quarterback is as good as ever, with an uncommon compliment on top. Continue reading →