NFL Trade Rumors
Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers, and happy normal Thursday to our international fans! We have a loaded slate of holiday football to enjoy this week, so I hope you’re ready to settle in next to your family with the turkey and pie, because you won’t want to miss it.
In a week to reflect on what we’re thankful for, I’m thankful for such a crazy playoff picture this season. Each conference has 10 teams vying for playoff bids, setting up for an exciting finish to the season with many twists and turns yet to come.
We might be 12 weeks into the season, but it still seems like we don’t know what a lot of teams are. Inevitably, that leads to upsets and wild playoff runs. Should be a fun time.
This tier is for the one team standing above the rest right now.
Last week: W 34-7 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Rams get their own tier because they are so clearly the best team in football right now. They’re the only team in the league to rank in the top three in both offensive and defensive EPA per play, PFF grade, and scoring per game. Matthew Stafford might clinch a berth in the Hall of Fame if he wins the MVP he’s on pace for, and this defense is suffocating at all three levels. Los Angeles legitimately might not have a weakness.
This tier belongs to the locked-in Super Bowl contenders.
Last week: W 23-20 OT vs. Indianapolis Colts
Are the Chiefs back? They won their first one-score game of the season by taking down the Colts in overtime. The offense exploded in the fourth quarter, with WR Rashee Rice running rampant through the Indy defense. All the advanced metrics have loved Kansas City all season, and now they have a manageable closing schedule to stack wins and work their way into the playoffs.
Last week: W 30-24 vs. Tennessee Titans
It wasn’t pretty all the way through, but the Seahawks took care of business. Third-year WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues his historic season, currently on pace to be the first receiver to top 2,000 yards. The question will be whether QB Sam Darnold can hold his own in the playoffs.
Last week: L 20-23 OT vs. Kansas City Chiefs
An overtime loss on the road in Kansas City is nothing for the Colts to hang their heads about, but questions still remain about whether QB Daniel Jones can execute in high-leverage moments when Indy needs to pass to win. He wasn’t able to against the Chiefs, and the Colts have a tough closing schedule. If they win their way to a division title, they’ll have proven their legitimacy.
5 — Philadelphia...
