We’ve got reached the week of Thanksgiving which implies it’s the finest time of the yr.
Meals is all over, we will probably be seeing household and the soccer is beginning to actually warmth up. This previous Sunday’s early slate seemed bleak and meager on paper, but it surely delivered with every kind of chaos, enjoyable and anarchy.
With all the mud settled the time has now come for us, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, to place it via the lens of The Skinny Put up and provide our most essential takes, ideas and aggressive concepts.
Let’s start.
The place are the Philadelphia Eagles among the many finest groups within the NFL?
RJ:
I’ve been apprehensive to purchase all the way in which in on the Detroit Lions from the second that individuals began to behave like they had been the primary individual to say that they had been good. Greater than something it was this actual factor that drove me away. Possibly I’m a hipster.
Regardless of the case I simply don’t know that I can say that I might decide Detroit, as wonderful as they appear, in a hypothetical recreation in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles. It pains me significantly to confess, however Philly is a freaking machine. They’re relentless and appear extra sustainable than any of the earlier variations of themselves and clearly Saquon Barkley is the rationale why. With San Francisco flailing and the remainder of the convention normally disarray (I suppose you may toss the Inexperienced Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings within the dialog) I can’t decide in opposition to Philly within the NFC.
Fortunately they play the Baltimore Ravens subsequent week which is able to allow us to see how they stack up in opposition to one of many AFC’s finest.
Michael:
I’m going to be the hipster to your opinion and say that I disagree concerning the Eagles. They’re a great crew, however to go so far as saying they’re the highest crew within the NFL, I don’t assume so.
Philadelphia has a 9-2 file however solely two of their wins have come from beating one other crew with a profitable file. Additionally, these video games had been nonetheless simply one-score choices. On prime of that, I don’t like the way in which they ended up beating a number of the lowly squads on their schedule both.
They beat the Jaguars by 5 factors. The Lions beat that very same crew by over 5 TOUCHDOWNS. Let’s add in a four-point win over the Browns and a three-point win over the Saints whereas we’re at it. The file appears to be like good, however I’d solely go so far as saying the Eagles are in the identical tier because the Vikings. They’ve gained shut video games over dangerous groups and have one or two good wins on the yr out of their 9 victories this season, however they nonetheless have a toe dipped into the “fraud watch” pond and that retains them a step behind a crew just like the Lions.
Will Antonio Pierce be one and completed following his first full season as head coach of the Raiders?
Michael:
The Raiders head coach place has lengthy been a spot the place hopes go to die, just like the Jets, Commanders (earlier than this season), and Bears lately. Antonio Pierce bought the vote of confidence from his gamers for the job he did to complete the yr because the interim head coach however issues have seemingly solely modified for the more serious this season.
As an alternative of drafting a quarterback for the long run early on this yr’s draft, the Raiders went with tight finish Brock Bowers. Bowers has been unbelievable as a rookie as he at the moment leads ALL rookies in receiving yards. Nevertheless, that hasn’t translated into wins with the Raiders sitting with solely 2 hashes within the win column.
Oh, and the crew traded away receiver Davante Adams which actually could as properly have been the nail within the coffin for any kind of aggressive viability this yr.
So I ask: Is that this going to be Pierce’s solely yr as head coach of the Raiders? A part of me says no as I don’t really perceive how you could possibly fireplace a head coach after making transfer after transfer that confirmed you probably did NOT plan to compete in 2024, however we’ve additionally seen loads of examples of one-and-done coaches unfairly blamed for the crew’s struggles.
My mind says it might not make sense to maneuver on after the season, however my intestine says in any other case.
RJ:
Personally talking, I put plenty of inventory into what gamers need with issues like how the Raiders wished to deliver Pierce again. It’s logical to take their phrase as one thing very severe.
Whereas that’s the case, gamers can even, like all of us, turn into emotionally compromised. Bear in mind when the Indianapolis Colts petitioned to deliver Chuck Pagano again and bought their want and it was all horrible? This kind of looks like that.
Clearly the Shedeur and Deion Sanders mixture is one to look at right here so I believe plenty of the reply relies on the provision of various candidates. To get private once more although, I’m not positive how one can really feel like something Antonio Pierce is doing is understanding and as an Arizona State Solar Satan, he helped flip this system into an enormous mess when he was concerned… just for it to thrive after he departed and correct management joined.
I believe that I believe it could be one and completed.
Are the Dolphins making their approach again into the AFC playoff image?
RJ:
A number of weeks again I began the dialog round right here that Mike McDaniel was kind of skating by, void of any actual criticism. I stand by that, for what it’s price.
Possibly Mike heard that. Or possibly the Dolphins began enjoying some lower-quality groups. Both approach, Miami has gained three video games in a row in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots to get to 5-6 on the season. Fortunately for all of us they are going to go to Lambeau Area on Thanksgiving evening which is able to permit us to take a seat again and choose with full bellies.
I’m going to say that I’m nonetheless unwilling to behave like Miami is a legit contender, by the way in which. Discuss to me on Black Friday if and after they win in skilled soccer’s holiest cathedral.
Michael:
Yeah I’m not offered on the Dolphins as something aside from a middling crew that’s at the moment on the upwards trajectory of their 2024 curler coaster in anticipation of the inevitable drop that tends to observe.
In my eyes, all McDaniel has completed in current weeks is beat bad-to-decent groups whereas nonetheless possessing among the best offenses within the NFL on paper. If something, these wins solely stopped him from feeling the temperature of his seat improve versus solidifying his standing as an important coach.
This was a very cool play, although!
Which crew at the moment with a shedding file do you assume has one of the best likelihood of constructing the playoffs this yr?
Michael:
I can’t assist however assume the Buccaneers are primed to complete this season robust with a very easy remaining schedule.
They’re at the moment 5-6 and coming off a dominant 30-7 win over the Giants behind the return of large receiver Mike Evans. By way of the following six video games, they face the Raiders, Chargers, Saints, Cowboys, and Panthers twice. There’s a official likelihood they may win all six with an upset over the Chargers on the street however I’d say going 5-1 may be very real looking. That might imply they’d end with a 10-7 file and in first place of the NFC South.
The Falcons at the moment lead the division however with video games in opposition to the Chargers, Vikings, and Commanders left, I believe they falter simply sufficient to let the Bucs leapfrog them on the prime.
Baker Mayfield is enjoying a number of the finest ball of his profession in Tampa Bay and I wouldn’t need to be the one to wager in opposition to him down the stretch.
RJ:
It is necessary for individuals who don’t know to be educated… Michael appears to be like A LOT like Baker Mayfield so I might provide that he’s a bit biased right here. However shifting on.
I just like the Bucs as a solution however need to throw out the Indianapolis Colts, as properly. Since 2008, now we have seen 5 groups who had been 4-7 (or worse) via 11 video games go on to succeed in the playoffs. All of them had one factor in frequent in that they every gained a subpar division. It is not going to shock you to be taught/do not forget that the Buccaneers had been a type of 5… final yr.
In that spirit… inform me that the Colts can’t catch the Houston Texans. Indy is 5-7 for the time being the place Houston is 7-5, but it surely feels just like the Texans are taking over severe water within Fraud Watch Pond. The Colts go to New England this week earlier than happening their bye, however after that they’ve video games in opposition to the Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars. Counting the Patriots we could possibly be speaking about 5 wins right here.