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The latest wave of NFL action has ushered in plenty of entertainment. The Rams and Ravens went to overtime, where a walk-off punt return helped keep a particular team in good standing for the playoff race. Joe Flacco threw three touchdowns to build upon his rapidly forming Browns legacy. And the Bears didn’t just hang with the Lions this time; they straight-up beat them.
Which coaches, players and teams deserve our biggest praises or critiques? Here are Week 14’s top winners and losers:
Winner: The Joe Flacco revenge tour
Who, exactly, is Flacco proving wrong? Everyone that told him for months that he was too old, too blah, too whatever to deserve a backup job! And especially the Jets, who declined a reunion he sought despite sorely needing quarterback help all year. At 38, he already clearly looks like the Browns’ best QB of 2023, fresh off a three-touchdown outing in a win over the Jaguars. Coach Kevin Stefanski has rightly crowned him the starter for the rest of the year. Imagine a playoff matchup with his old squad, the Ravens!
Loser: The Panthers’ future
It’s been cratering all season, to be fair, but man, even on a day where Derek Carr — cracked ribs and all — tried his best to be even more inefficient than ailing rookie Bryce Young, Carolina could muster just six points and 3.8 yards per play. Unlike last year, the switch to an interim coach hasn’t sparked any momentum here. Young faced a tall task going up against New Orleans’ veteran defense, but once again his struggles were more pronounced than expected. How and when will the reinforcements arrive?
Winner: Justin Fields’ value, on and off the field
It feels like Fields has been written off as the Bears’ long-term QB at least twice this year, but he’s now led two straight upset wins over rivals in the playoff picture. Has he been perfect? No. But considering his perpetually lackluster supporting cast, it’s very clear he…
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Author : Cody Benjamin
Publish date : 2023-12-10 23:38:58
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