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2025 NFL playoffs: Purpose for hope for seven bubble groups getting into Week 14 | NFL.com
REASON FOR HOPE: Patrick Lavon Mahomes II.
That’s actually the best approach to clarify any optimism round Kansas Metropolis as of late. The Chiefs fell to 6-6 after their Thanksgiving Day loss to Dallas, and that kind of defeat can be sufficient to clear most bandwagons across the league. In any case, Kansas Metropolis is now 1-5 on the street this season and 1-6 in one-score video games. However Mahomes has made a reputation off doing miraculous issues, and it’s not out of the realm of prospects that he wills his staff to the postseason in spite of everything their struggles. The fact is the Chiefs don’t have any different alternative at this stage. Their protection has been inconsistent all through the season, because it tends to vanish in crucial moments and fails to generate constant stress on quarterbacks. Mahomes additionally doesn’t have a dependable operating recreation and his offensive line is now beat up (left deal with Josh Simmons left the loss with a damaged wrist, proper deal with Jawaan Taylor didn’t end the sport due to an elbow harm and Professional Bowl guard Trey Smith didn’t even play due to an ankle harm). However guess what occurred on Sunday? Mahomes did sufficient to tug his staff inside three factors late within the fourth quarter — together with a loopy play when he prevented a sack, stumbled and nonetheless threw a 42-yard strike to Xavier Worthy whereas falling to the bottom — and he completed with 4 landing passes and no interceptions in that 31-28 defeat. There’s no query he’s able to happening a heater over the past 5 video games, all of which the Chiefs have to win simply to have an opportunity of reaching the playoffs. The query is whether or not he can do this towards three of the very best defenses within the league (the Texans subsequent weekend, the Chargers after that and the Broncos on Christmas Day). Most people would snort on the thought of a mean quarterback being requested to steer his staff to victory towards all these contenders in a playoff push. The individuals who’ve seen Mahomes play previously are most likely considering in a different way. He provides them a shot. He all the time does.
AFC playoff image shifts in Chiefs’ favor after key Justin Herbert harm replace | Arrowhead Addict
The Chiefs discover themselves a number of video games behind the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos and the Wild Card-occupying Los Angeles Chargers. Nevertheless, the Chiefs could be higher positioned to get again on the horse and really make a run on the playoffs after the latets information surrounding Justin Herbert.
Herbert suffered a hand harm in a simple victory towards the moribund Las Vegas Raiders that was so extreme that head coach Jim Harbaugh instantly confirmed that Herbert was going to bear an operation on that hand on Monday.
With the Chiefs at 6-6 and the injury-riddled Chargers at a really precarious 8-4 with Herbert struggling this newest ailment, there’s a likelihood that his play is hampered for the rest of the season. Kansas Metropolis groups of yesteryear would use this run of fine fortune to get again on their toes, plug forward, and make a honest push to contend.
NFL playoff image, Week 13: Bears surge to prime of NFC; Colts plummet in AFC | The Athletic
Denver Broncos
The Broncos will run their profitable streak to 10 video games subsequent week if they’ll beat the Raiders for the fourth consecutive time. Whereas the Broncos might be knocked for making the most of a comfortable schedule, that’s the theme of the AFC this season. There isn’t a single staff within the AFC playoff subject with a power of schedule above .500. Nonetheless to come back on Denver’s slate, nonetheless: a four-game stretch that options three present playoff groups and the Chiefs.
Subsequent three weeks: at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars
The Winners and Losers of NFL Thanksgiving Day Soccer | The Ringer
Loser: The Chiefs’ postseason possibilities
Any celebration of Kansas Metropolis’s demise is untimely. Sure, the loss in Dallas dropped their playoff chance to 44 p.c, in accordance with The Athletic’s mannequin, but when the Chiefs can beat the Texans at house subsequent Sunday, it jumps again as much as 57 p.c. A house win over the Chargers the next week would push it to 71 p.c. The trail to the playoffs will get loads clearer if the defending AFC champs can win these two video games. Right here’s the remainder of Kansas Metropolis’s schedule:
Week 14: Texans (house)
Week 15: Chargers (house)
Week 16: Titans (away)
Week 17: Broncos (house)
Week 18: Raiders (away)That isn’t simple by any means, however all of their difficult video games shall be performed at Arrowhead Stadium.
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Browns say Shedeur Sanders to get third straight begin in Week 14 | ESPN
Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will get a 3rd straight begin subsequent Sunday towards the Tennessee Titans, head coach Kevin Stefanski introduced after the staff’s 26-8 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Sanders, the 144th choose on this yr’s draft, accomplished 16 of 25 passes for 149 yards and one landing in his first house begin Sunday.
“I’d have to have a look at it. Clearly, he’s battling, like all of our guys are battling,” Stefanski mentioned when requested about Sanders’ efficiency. “I do know there’s performs he needs again, however we’ll take a look at it and proper them.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that the Browns had been open to giving Sanders an prolonged look for the remainder of this season, simply as fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel had within the first half of this season when he made six consecutive begins.
Panthers are the largest shock staff of 2025
Overreactions or actuality: Actuality
In a season the place the Chicago Bears are the No. 1 seed within the NFC on the finish of Week 13, and Daniel Jones has resurrected his profession in Indianapolis, there are many groups you possibly can level to as the largest shock of 2025. Nevertheless, none maintain a candle to the Carolina Panthers. Nobody anticipated this staff to do a lot of something in 2025, however they’re immediately within the thick of the NFC playoff dialog getting into their Week 14 bye. After starting the yr at 1-3, Carolina has ripped off a 6-3 file, which features a beautiful upset victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. At 7-6, the Panthers are scorching on the heels of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5) for first place within the NFC South with each head-to-head matchups nonetheless on the horizon (Week 16 in Carolina and Week 18 at Tampa). They’re additionally simply two video games again within the loss column for a wild-card spot. Once more, no person had this on their 2025 bingo card, which is a credit score to Dave Canales and Bryce Younger.
4 Takeaways From the Payments’ Win Over the Steelers | FOX Sports activities
1. If Josh Allen can’t discover his MVP kind, the Payments gained’t be severe Tremendous Bowl contenders
There’s no method round it: This Buffalo Payments staff is simply not loaded with offensive expertise. They do have a robust operating recreation (extra on that in a second), however not almost sufficient weapons within the passing recreation.
That’s most likely why Allen hasn’t appeared very similar to he did final season when he gained the NFL MVP award. That’s positive. Nobody anticipated him to try this once more. Nevertheless it’s additionally fairly clear these Payments wanted him to come back shut.
As a result of if he can’t do higher than he did on Sunday towards a struggling Steelers protection (15 of 23, 123 yards, one landing, one interception), and if he can’t begin utilizing his legs as a severe weapon once more, this Payments staff gained’t be capable of compete with the very best groups within the AFC. And that’s a disgrace for them as a result of the convention seems as large open because it’s appeared, possibly in a decade. It is a actually dangerous yr for a participant like Allen to regress, as a result of the chance for a championship actually appears to be there.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Satisfaction
6 winners and 9 losers from the Chiefs’ Week 13 loss to the Cowboys
Working again Brashard Smith: After making some performs final week, there was hope that the operating again was discovering his function within the offense. However towards Dallas, he was in for less than 4 offensive performs — and by no means touched the ball. Whereas he did showcase his pace on a kick return, the coaches have to discover a logical method to make use of him. Sure.., operating again Isiah Pacheco was again within the lineup, so there have been fewer snaps to go round. However that shouldn’t imply that one in every of Kansas Metropolis’s quickest playmakers ought to be sidelined.
Head coach Andy Reid: The offense punted on each second-quarter drives and each third-quarter drives. All 4 of these punts had been between the Kansas Metropolis 49-yard line and the Dallas 35-yard line. After sacks and penalties pushed them to longer yardage, Reid shouldn’t essentially have tried to transform each one in every of these fourth downs, however not less than one might need been possible. In these conditions, the Chiefs aren’t placing playmakers in place to do what they do greatest (for instance: large receiver Xavier Worthy’s stop-motion carry for a loss). The penalties had been maddening — 10 for 119 yards — and that’s on the coaches, too. On recreation day, the top coach’s job consists of changes, creativity, good choices and the correct personnel in the correct locations. On Thursday, Reid’s efficiency simply wasn’t ok.
