The pieces are all finally starting to come together in regards to the 2023 NFL playoff picture. More teams were eliminated this weekend, whilst others made a last gasp push to sneak in. There’s not long left in the regular season, so enjoy it while it is still here.
With that said here are my winners and losers from Week 15.
Winner – Los Angeles Rams
Don’t look now, but it looks like we might get two teams from the NFC West in this year’s playoffs. After Sunday’s 28-20 win against the Washington Commanders, the Rams find themselves at 7-7. They have now won four of their last five, and during this time, Matthew Stafford has been on another level. On Sunday he completed an efficient 75% of his passes and threw for two touchdowns. That brings his season total to 19 and positions the Rams in the seventh seed.
The Rams got off to a fairly hot start in this one, despite turning the ball over twice on their first four drives. The went into the half in the driver’s seat with a 13-0 lead. To kick off the second half, Stafford would find Kupp on a 62-yard touchdown to extend their lead to 20 points. It felt like 2021 again for a second there as there was not a defender in sight.
Washington did give the Rams a bit of a scare after making a change at quarterback, with Jacoby Brissett putting up a pair of touchdowns and making it a one score game late in the fourth quarter. They failed to recover a crucial onside kick though and Stafford and co went on to run out the clock. That victory was made all the sweeter with losses for both the Packers and Falcons.
Loser – Arthur Smith
Entering the week it felt as though Arthur Smith’s job was safe barring any funny business. But after a loss to the Carolina Panthers, I have my doubts. From a coaching standpoint it was a pitiful performance, especially with a roster that has got plenty of talent on it. Bijan Robinson had just seven carries for 11 yards and a fumble. Drake London had just two catches for 24 yards, and Kyle Pitts had just three receptions for 37. By now you get the point – it was an embarrassing performance against the worst team in the league.
The Falcons have now lost two in a row and are looking to miss the playoffs again. They currently sit at 6-8 and don’t have a very favorable schedule. Compared to last season, this is a better roster, yet they are looking at similar results. The NFC South is a mess and they are right in the thick of it.
Everything felt off on Sunday. Bank of America Stadium sat empty and it was an eerie sight. Nothing noteworthy really happened up until the very end. The Falcons were driving and looking to put this thing away until Desmond Ridder threw a costly interception. Bryce Young went on to lead a 90-yard drive and set up Eddy Pineiro for a chip shot for the win, sealing a 9-7 loss for the Falcons – yikes.
Winner – Jake Browning / Tee Higgin’s mom
Jake Browning was thrown into the deep end and became Michael Phelps. That is the best way to describe how he has looked as quarterback for the Bengals. He has been on a tear these last few weeks and was due a spot in the winners column. As the starter he currently is 3-1 and has the Bengals at 8-6 on the season, keeping them right in the mix. During this span of games he has found the end zone a total of eight times and has thrown for 1,180 yards.
But on Sunday it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. One of his two touchdowns was a great heads up play from Tee Higgins. On a ball that was severely underthrown he made his way back, caught it, and still found a way to get into the end zone. It was an incredibly savvy play from the receiver, and did Browning a huge favor. Higgins had been ice cold in recent weeks but caught both of Browning’s touchdown passes on Sunday.
One of the best stories this weekend came from off the field with Tee Higgins’ mom. She went on an incredible run defending Tee, and putting fans in their place. Honestly it was one of the highlights of the weekend.
Loser – Sam Howell and ‘Riverboat’ Ron Rivera
Things are looking grim for Washington quarterback Sam Howell and head coach Ron Rivera. Howell hasn’t done anything to really prove that he is the long-term answer in Washington. On Sunday the offense immediately found a spark once he was benched.
As it currently stands, Washington possesses the fourth overall pick, putting them in play for a top quarterback. Keep in mind, it is no guarantee that Chicago is to take a quarterback, so we could see the No. 1 overall pick traded to a quarterback-needy team like Washington. But as it currently stands, is that really their biggest issue?
The offensive line is nothing to write home about. The defense has also done them zero favors either, allowing 30 points per game this season. Honestly, much of this team’s issues fall on Ron Rivera. He has had plenty of time to build this roster in his image and now they are 4-10, seemingly heading backwards after a somewhat promising season a year ago. I would not be surprised to see them land a guy like Jayden Daniels in this years draft in an attempt to find some sort of spark.
Winner – Baker Mayfield
What a year it has been for Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On Sunday, Mayfield became the first ever visiting quarterback to post a PERFECT passer rating at Lambeau Field. The Buccaneers quarterback was firing on all cylinders as he finished with 381 yards and four touchdowns. It was an impressive performance and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Mayfield had finished the two previous games with a completion percentage below 50% and needed a big game. Fans will be hoping that this game turn things around, as the Buccaneers now find themselves as the favorite to win the NFC South. Sunday’s game was utter dominance from Tampa Bay’s offense as it completely overwhelmed a banged up Packers unit.
Baker Mayfield has had a nice career resurgence with the Buccaneers, and could finish with career highs in many statistics. But first he needs to worry about making the playoffs. He will still have to face Trevor Lawrence and Derek Carr, who is coming off of an excellent week. If this offense can continue to outpace opponents then they should represent the NFC South in the playoffs.
Loser – The New York Jets
What a year it has been for the New York Jets, who will be making their final appearance in my column this season. There are plenty of reasons for the Jets being underwhelming this year. Aaron Rodger’s injury is obviously one of them, but something that many aren’t discussing is their underwhelming rushing attack. This is a team that brought in Dalvin Cook to ease the load on Breece Hall. Just a year ago before his injury, Hall was averaging nearly six yards per carry. As it stands he is just above four yards per carry.
The Jets have not had a player rush for more than 55 yards in a game since week five. And on Sunday they combined for only 23 yards on 12 attempts. In their defense, most teams know what the Jets are going to do. They are going to tempt them to beat them through the air with their assortment of mid quarterback play.
The New York Jets are officially eliminated from the playoffs after what many would consider a disappointing season. Robert Saleh’s future with this team is up in the air, and I would not be shocked to see him on the chopping block. On Sunday, the team looked unmotivated and unprepared which is the last thing an owner would want to see, especially when Rodgers had been teasing a return as long as they’re in playoff contention.