What we learned from week 14 in the NFL

Something strange happened as quarterback Patrick Mahomes continued to grapple with the Rubik’s Cube known as the two-deep shell cube. When he looked unbelievably human in front of an NFL defense that played two safe games deep to stop long passes, the Kansas City Captain built a methodical build in an unpopular area. more famous: their defense.

The team’s most recent defeat – a 48-9 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders (6-7) in Kansas City, Mo. – added a sixth game to the Captains’ winning streak, giving them a 9-4 record similar to the New England Patriots and the Tennessee Titans, and gave us the most important of all in Week 14:

The defense has Kansas City ready to challenge New England for the top spot of the AFC.

This is a mess of a conference. Titans run again Derrick Henry was on track to set a career rush record when he broke his leg in November. That’s right when Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, who were considered contenders for the race. The award for the best player, started stammering in front of poor opponents.

A trend over the past two months has been that the Kansas City defense has hammered opponents that, if continued, could lead the team to a third consecutive Super Bowl.

Mahomes is responsive, completing 20 of 24 258-yard passes with two touches and no interception, but he’s not the deadliest man in Kansas City right now. It was Steve Spagnuolo, the team’s defensive coordinator, who was stunning the opposing midfielders with his endless shots.

On Sunday, Kansas City was forced to make five turns and faced Raiders quarterback Derek Carr 11 times. As Kansas City went ahead, 21-0, early in the second quarter, safe Tyrann Mathieu picked up a Carr pass that tight-ended Foster Moreau dropped. In his ninth season, Mathieu still excelled at the end of the extra, a presence that warranted giving Spagnuolo the freedom to send more agency in midfield.

Switching back to his natural position inside the defence, Chris Jones continued to destroy the game.

In the last three games, Kansas City have dropped a total of 16 points in the first half, making it difficult for the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott (57.9 passes, five misses), the Packers’ substitute Jordan Love (15 zeros) completion, 69.5 rating points) and Carr in process. It’s a far cry from the defense that surrendered 30 points or more in four of the first five games.

Now that the defense has had breathing room for his attacking behaviour, Mahomes has returned to his usual, melodious character, a sight no team wants to see in January.

The guarantee is odd, to say the least. Coaches of first-place teams rarely appear desperate in mid-December, but with the Dallas Cowboys having lost two of their last three games heading into Sunday’s game against NFC East rival Mike McCarthy announced that the Cowboys (9-4) would beat the Washington Soccer Team (6-7).

His counterpart, Ron Rivera, didn’t like it. He called McCarthy’s statement a “huge mistake.”

The Cowboys of the 1990s can guarantee the same. But in the new millennium, the prognoses are often followed by a series of unsettling things for Dallas.

Not so in the 27-20 win in Washington.

McCarthy can speak with such confidence because his two top players, CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper, are back on the field at the same time after Lamb was absent in Week 12 and Cooper was benched in Week 11 and 12. Dallas’ forward defense has been historically lousy in 2020. , but has played with tenacity this season behind outfielder Micah Parsons, who has been sacked twice and once. was arrested on Sunday, bringing him up to 12 covers during his rookie season.

Parsons’ first sacking came in fourth and third in midfield. In a game delay late in the first quarter, he pushed four-time Pro Bowl keeper Brandon Scherff into the backyard. Dorance Armstrong completed a 37-meter clearance for a touchdown that knocked Dallas, 18-0.

In Washington’s ensuing possession, Parsons darted midway in third and eighth at Washington’s 38-yard line for a sack.

Unlike passing racers who mostly line up in one spot, Parsons, the Cowboys’ 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, moves around the field. Any attention given to blocking him will give other passers a chance, like Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence, as they did on Sunday, when Lawrence laments Taylor Heinicke to the field with one hand.

Around the NFL

Falcons 29, Panthers 21: Atlanta linebacker Mykal Walker stepped in front of Cam Newton’s pass and returned it 66 yards for a touchdown, reaching a top speed of 21.05 mph – the fastest speed scored by a full-back with the ball in his hand for the past five years. Newton was benched in the second half to substitute for him, PJ Walker, who returned to the pine forest after throwing a pick in his second attempt to pass.

Saints 30, Jets 9: Navigating the post-Drew Brees era is not a good thing for New Orleans. After defeating the defending champion Buccaneers in Week 8, the Saints have lost five games in a row. The team’s slide came to an end on Sunday with the return of Alvin Kamara from a knee injury. He punishes the Jets with 120 yards and one touchdown in 27 dash attempts.

Seahawks 33, Texans 13: Too little, too late in Seattle. There’s a good chance this is Russell Wilson’s last season with the Seahawks, so play like him The moon ball is 55 yards long with Tyler Lockett just teasing what could be in 2021.

Browns 24, Raven 22: Baltimore lost Lamar Jackson to an ankle injury in the second half, an injury the team couldn’t handle in a season that was rife with them. The bye week helped defeated Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield, who threw 190 yards and a pair of points.

Titan 20, Jaguar 0: Things took a turn for the worse in Jacksonville, where Coach Urban Meyer threatened to fire any of his assistant coaches in a leak he called “failures” last week. Meanwhile, the Titans went 3-2 without Derrick Henry, who could return as soon as Week 18 from surgery on his broken foot.