Hour 10 Sunday introduced an much more implausible leaving for the Chiefs, the Steelers staying sizzling and foiling extra Jayden Daniels late-game witchcraft, the Falcons stumbling in Untouched Orleans, and the Bucs falling quick towards the 49ers regardless of some Baker Mayfield heroics.
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The Athletic NFL writers Mike Jones, Ted Nguyen and Dan Pompei percentage their ideas on all of those storylines and extra.
Then profitable in Washington, the primary match of a frightening second-half time table, do the Pittsburgh Steelers belong within the Tremendous Bowl dialog?
Jones: Getting a hard-fought win towards a constituent Washington crew used to be large, nevertheless it doesn’t raise as a lot weight as a win over Baltimore nearest age would. The Steelers are for sure a playoff crew, however let’s store off for every other few weeks prior to we claim them Tremendous Bowl contenders (in the event that they beat Baltimore, nearest you may be able to sway me). For now, I see the Steelers as just right, however want to see extra. We all know this crew has a balanced offense and a difficult protection. They appear to have the entire parts important to contend. However conserve in thoughts that simplest 3 in their seven victories have come towards groups with profitable data. This moment half of of the season will inform me a bundle about this crew — as famous, it’s a brutal stretch for Pittsburgh. But when they emerge from this run (Baltimore, at Cleveland, at Cincinnati, as opposed to Cleveland, at Philadelphia, at Baltimore, as opposed to Kansas Town and Cincinnati) in large part unscathed and atop the AFC North standings, nearest I’ll rank them a number of the Tremendous Bowl contenders.
Nguyen: Let me first say: I used to be useless flawed about Russell Wilson. I didn’t assume he can be an improve over Justin Areas in keeping with what we noticed in Denver, however he’s enjoying to his strengths: making just right selections on boot performs, throwing at the run, and launching moon balls. The Steelers offense is as just right as it’s been in years. Sunday used to be a plenty win towards an excellent Washington crew however it will have come at a price. Edge Alex Highsmith harm his ankle within the fourth quarter. With the Steelers’ edge intensity already being examined, if Highsmith misses pace, it will considerably have an effect on the protection. T.J. Watt is already visual a bundle of double groups and chips. If opposing offenses can flip their consideration utterly to Watt, the protection may just try. The Steelers have two tricky video games forward of them, towards the Ravens and Bengals, however they’re going to additionally get to play games the Browns two times in 4 video games. Cleveland is getting more healthy and has appeared higher with Jameis Winston at quarterback, however he’s nonetheless itching to throw interceptions. If the Steelers can produce it out of the nearest 4 video games 2-2, they’ll be in just right environment. If they may be able to beat the Ravens, they’ll be in actually just right environment. They want to i’m ready themselves up the most productive they may be able to for the general 4 video games, towards the Eagles, Ravens once more, Chiefs, and Bengals. I believe we’ll see them within the playoffs.
Pompei: Right here’s what we all know in regards to the Steelers: They’re tricky, resourceful and aggressive — as each and every Mike Tomlin-coached crew has been. Right here’s what we don’t know: whether or not they have got enough quantity juice to constantly produce large performs to win large video games ailing the stretch. They are going to want to beat some daunting combatants (Baltimore? Philadelphia? Kansas Town?) to bring to get the place they wish to proceed. And whether or not they may be able to do this relies reasonably at the play games of Wilson, who has simplest began 3 video games upcoming bottoming out in Denver. Given their histories, the Steelers and their unutilized quarterback have earned the good thing about the hesitancy.
The Chiefs survived once more — this pace by way of blockading a would-be game-winning chip-shot area function towards the Broncos. Surroundings apart how they examine to the residue of the NFL in 2024, how do you’re feeling this 12 months’s version compares to the Chiefs groups of the age two seasons? Are they higher or worse provided for a Tremendous Bowl run?
Pompei: We will be able to beat up the Chiefs as a result of their offense isn’t as notable as age variations, however that may be shortsighted. It is a assured crew that is aware of how you can win. Just right groups, be mindful, virtually at all times get fortuitous bounces and type cries. What the Chiefs do higher than any crew is that they don’t beat themselves — within the NFL, that’s a actually underrated constituent. In addition they be on one?s feet up within the moments that modify video games. There may be each and every explanation why to consider the Chiefs will recuperate as the elements will get less warm, particularly their offense. Reinforcements are at the approach. When the season is over, we may well be announcing this used to be the most productive of all of the Mahomes-led Kansas Town groups.
Jones: I wrote about this a pair weeks in the past upcoming their win over San Francisco, and it remainder true as of late because the Chiefs enhance to 9-0: The offensive fireworks that we got here to be expecting from Kansas Town may well be missing as a result of the being lacking a constant, field-stretching house run blackmail. However that doesn’t heartless the Chiefs are not stunning. Patrick Mahomes remainder as talented and snatch as ever, and Andy Reid nonetheless has all of his unrivaled creativity. In playground of that explosive passing match is a extra bodily and constant speeding assault and a dominant protection. This Chiefs crew is extra balanced and extra well-rounded. In years age, you knew the Chiefs would sunny up the scoreboard, however you needed to hope the porous protection may just get a block or two. Now that GM Brett Veach and Reid have labored to improve this roster and right kind weaknesses, you’ve gotten a Chiefs crew that, pace now not as prolific, is now extra balanced. Any other extraordinarily remarkable issue: The entire core gamers in this crew are battle-tested and know what it takes to win. They don’t cringe. They climate storms and get the activity accomplished. And so, even if the supply would possibly vary, this Chiefs crew is simply as provided to produce a Tremendous Bowl run as any of the former iterations.
Nguyen: The Chiefs have reached some degree the place it’s strenuous to pass judgement on them in keeping with regular-season efficiency. At this level of the season final 12 months they appeared a lot worse, but they ended up profitable the Tremendous Bowl. Their secondary isn’t as just right as they had been final season so the offense must be higher. They’re a lot more environment friendly — easiest luck price within the league — than they had been final season however they haven’t had a match when the offense simply takes keep watch over. The addition of DeAndre Hopkins raises the ceiling for this offense; as he will get extra relaxed I believe that unit has a prospect to be a lot better. The Chiefs are 9-0. It’s an unsightly 9-0 however they’re environment themselves for homefield, and we’ve perceivable them turn the transfer within the playoffs. As bizarre because it sounds, even with the unsightly wins, I’m extra assured within the Chiefs now than I’ve been at midseason the age few years.
We noticed a… related clash in Munich between two groups with minute temporary hope and quarterbacks at the breaking point. Protecting in thoughts the underwhelming QB draft elegance and insufficiency of free-agent choices bobbing up this offseason, do you are expecting Daniel Jones, Bryce Younger, each quarterbacks, or neither quarterback to be founding (with their wave groups or anyplace else) in Hour 1 of the 2025 season?
Nguyen: Daniel Jones has had an extended, lengthy, lengthy leash or even were given a pleasant word of honour extension to end up that he might be the man. It’s strenuous to believe him getting every other prospect with the Giants, particularly for the reason that crew used to be already flirting with quarterback possibilities on this final draft cycle. Bryce Younger has performed a bundle higher ever since being reinserted into the founding lineup however I believe he must proceed to turn growth for them to decide to him — which is bizarre to mention taking into consideration he used to be simply drafted final 12 months however impatience with younger quarterbacks appears to be the craze across the league already. If Younger begins reverting nearest I’d believe the Panthers would have a major dialog whether or not they will have to proceed to spend money on him.
Jones: Bryce Younger can be founding for the Carolina Panthers in 2025. The second one-year professional simply wishes pace and advanced help. He’s appearing indicators of expansion. Possibly now not dramatic indicators, however he has certainly displayed growth since going back on the founding lineup. Sunday’s appearing (15-for-25 for 125 yards and a landing, plus two carries for 30 yards) wasn’t attractive, however he performed inside of himself, made forged selections, and above all, took aid of the soccer. The Panthers have their first win streak since Hour 3 of the 2021 season — mad. The extra of this Carolina season is all about Younger’s construction. If he can proceed to snatch those child steps ahead, he’ll have one thing to form on for 2025 when, with a bit of luck for his sake, the Panthers can have advanced the roster round him so he doesn’t really feel love it’s all on him. Now, so far as Daniel Jones, who threw two extra interceptions and deny touchdowns within the loss … we’ve perceivable enough quantity. It’s now not committing to get any higher. I wouldn’t wager on him founding nearest 12 months. Sure, quite a few groups will want quarterbacks, and it’s true this isn’t a robust draft or unfastened company elegance at QB, however I will be able to’t see the Giants sticking with him, or any crew determined enough quantity to obtain Jones with the function of the usage of him as a starter.
Pompei: The perhaps situation is each QBs will start the 2025 season with unutilized groups as backups. It may well be tricky for the Giants and Panthers to justify bringing the quarterbacks again, however each have enough quantity possible to advantage hobby, pace and sources from unutilized groups. The formulation of taking a step again with a unutilized crew to snatch a step ahead has labored not too long ago (see Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield). Younger and Jones can be starters once more given their skills and the availability and insist issues on the place. In the event that they finally end up in really helpful instances, they can even produce their used groups feel sorry about give up on them.
Revisiting the now-struggling NFC South: Used to be losing a street match to a Saints crew whose entrance place of job has already waved the white flag come up with refreshment in terms of the Falcons maintaining off the Bucs within the section?
Jones: This used to be necessarily a entice match for the Falcons. It’s now not unusual for a crew with an meantime head teacher to have a short lived fireplace lit underneath it and win a match it shouldn’t have. Upcoming, throw in the truth that this used to be a divisional match, which will at all times be a minute wonky, and this Falcons’ loss isn’t all that sudden. Atlanta continues to be a forged crew. They’re now not stunning. They’re now not dominant. However they do a bundle of items properly. They nonetheless have a just right shot at profitable the NFC South. They’re additionally helped by way of the truth that the injury-riddled Buccaneers misplaced their fourth immediately match as of late. If Tampa can get wholesome, nearest we’ll see those two groups clash it out for the divisional identify within the ultimate weeks of the steady season.
Nguyen: Happily for the Falcons, the Bucs additionally misplaced a match to a last-second area function. The Bucs are ailing two video games, had been swept by way of the Falcons and are coping with a ton of accidents. The Falcons have a unholy protection and a quarterback who can’t progress. The ones problems are going to turn up in some video games — I wouldn’t be stunned if the Falcons beat any crew within the league and I wouldn’t be stunned in the event that they dropped a match to any crew. Mayfield has been enjoying properly with out Mike Evans and Chris Godwin nevertheless it hasn’t translated to wins. The Falcons can have 3 video games in a row towards groups with out shedding data and the Bucs can have 3 video games towards groups with shedding data upcoming their bye age. This will have to be essentially the most important stretch for the NFC South.
Pompei: The Falcons are allowed a mulligan. They seem like a just right crew, now not a stunning one (which you might want to say about virtually each and every midseason contender) – which means they have got to do the minute issues properly each and every age to bring to succeed. Their time table is somewhat type ailing the stretch, and 10 wins are properly inside of succeed in. With two victories over the Bucs of their again area, they’re well-positioned to snatch the section. In the event that they don’t, it’ll be on them.
(Govern photograph: Patrick Smith / Getty Pictures)
