Nothing generates as much buzz and excitement as the NFL. Week after week, the intensity continues to be ratcheted up as we race toward the postseason. As usual, several noteworthy headlines emerged from this week’s gridiron action.
Without further ado, here are five overreactions to what we saw in the NFL in Week 18:
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots were synonymous with winning for decades. Belichick built one of the most imposing dynasties in NFL lore, winning six Super Bowl Championships in an 18-year span. Like every empire before him, though, it was just a matter before it all turned to ashes.
Although Belichick’s tenure as Patriots head coach is punctuated with glory, he will be most remembered for going 29-38 at the end of his reign. Worse, New England made the playoffs only once across his last four seasons, a sad reminder of winning’s fleeting ways.
Ultimately, it turned out Bill Belichick needed Tom Brady as much as Brady needed him. Unfortunately, neither got the send-off they deserved.
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If anybody paid attention to the AFC South, this would go down as one of the worst blunders in NFL history. The Jacksonville Jaguars were sitting pretty at 8-3, seemingly on their way to consecutive division titles. Alas, they couldn’t get out of their own way, dropping five of their last six games to miss out on the postseason. If this were any other franchise, fans would be demanding for heads to roll.
Any self-respecting GM would shake up the roster, starting with a new pivot under center. Trevor Lawrence had a disappointing end to the campaign, completing 62.4% of his throws for nine touchdowns to seven interceptions over his last five starts of the year. Not surprisingly, the Jags went 0-5 in those outings.
Nothing has ever seemed to work in Jacksonville, but fans have even less reason to believe after this disastrous conclusion.
It took 17 games, but Puka Nacua achieved a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since 1960. The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver set the single-season record for receptions and receiving yards by a rookie. Cooper Kupp’s glory days are behind him, but Sean McVay already has his replacement primed to exceed his lofty standards.
We’re a long way from knowing what next season’s schedule will look like or what the odds will be for Offensive Player of the Year. Still, Nacua will be worth a flyer as a presumed mid-to-long shot. McVay has a superb track record of getting the most out of his offense, and Nacua is the next big thing.
Whatever the price, Nacua is worth the investment in next season’s futures pool.
Tiered sports leagues have never been a thing in North America, and for the Los Angeles Chargers’ sake, that’s definitely a good thing. LA concluded an abomination of a season, failing to get past the Kansas City Chiefs backups in the regular season finale. The only appropriate punishment would be relegating the Chargers to the CFL.
Have fun north of the border with those goofy three-down bastards, LA.
Week 18 delivered some of the most jaw-dropping NFL action in recent memory. Divisions switched hands, playoff seeding was thrown on its head, and miracles happened. But this year’s excitement wasn’t contained to just one week, month, division, or conference. The 2023 season will go down as the best ever.
The cherry on top is the playoff matchups that await us in the postseason. Several compelling narratives emerged as players visit former stomping grounds and coaches take on their former teams. Like Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner, we’re left trying to capture the majesty of the season that was.
Maybe the most important consideration is that the best has yet to come.
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