Some thoughts after watching a lot of NFL games on a Sunday for a change:
Where we stand at the moment:
• If the playoffs started today, the Texans would be traveling to Gillette for a wild-card game. More on that in a minute.
• Strength of remaining schedule:
Denver 4th
New England 24th
Jacksonville 21st
Pittsburgh 16th
Buffalo 26th
LA Chargers 5th
Houston 23rd
Indianapolis 1st
Baltimore 14th
Kansas City 30th
Miami 22nd
• I know it's popular in New England this morning to dance on the graves of the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, but I won't be doing that. The Chiefs could very well win out (a win against the Broncos would be a big help for the Patriots' hopes for the top seed). The Colts are done after Daniel Jones' injury. Riley Leonard was a good third quarterback as a project, he's no starter. The Ravens look broken as Lamar Jackson isn't right, and could lose out against the Bengals, Patriots, Packers and Steelers. The Dolphins are a nice story but play at the Steelers and Patriots, along with games against the Bengals and Buccaneers.
That leaves the beat up Chargers, who could very well lose out, starting tonight against the Eagles, with the Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans and Broncos. Basically, next Sunday's Chargers at Chiefs game is an elimination game, and that's not even 100 percent.
• The Chiefs look old, tired and not very good, but that defense can play some really good football when Chris Jones decides to bring it, and, like Tom Brady, I'll believe Mahomes is dead and buried when I see the stake sticking out of his chest.
• But now even Andy Reid has lost it - or now we remember his poor clock management because Mahomes papered over it for so long. Both decisions to for it on fourth down in the fourth quarter (tied, and down seven) were colossaly dumb and cost his team the game. It was worse than the six or seven dropped passed, two for interceptions. Nick Caley and the Texans' offense was doing absolutely nothing in the second half as Steve Spagnuolo figured them out (even without Trent McDuffie). The only way the Texans were scoring against the Chiefs was getting great field position from turnovers and/or turnover on downs. Reid handed them seven points, and the corpse of Travis Kelce handed them the final three.
• You guys can go nuts with the "Brady would never" memes in regards to Mahomes' performance last night, but I won't be. Considering the drops, and the Chiefs were down to their fifth and sixth tackles (I really feel for the Patriots missing Will Campbell, truly) against the best defense in the league, I thought Mahomes played pretty well all things considering.
That was the second time in his career that Mahomes put up a passer rating less than 50.
Brady did it in eight starts (I know his sample size is much bigger).
Plus, Brady and the Patriots never had divisional competition like the Broncos and Chargers (if healthy). The best they had was Rex Ryan's Jets with Mark Sanchez.
• The Texans' defense is truly awesome, and CJ Stroud made some really good plays last night as he seemed to take a step forward. They would absolutely be a tough postseason opponent, but I don't fear them because Caley, the former Patriots assistant, showed that he can't adjust against the likes of Spagnuolo. Caley can't provide answers. I know Josh McDaniels can do that, and has done that on the biggest stages.
• I'd be thankful the Bills knocked the Bengals out on Sunday. Probably more than the Chiefs or Texans, that's the one team I wouldn't have wanted to see come to Gillette in the postseason. Joe Burrow was starting to heat up, and the defense was getting better although it was tough to tell on Sunday due to the poor footing in Buffalo. Al Golden gave Maye the most issues he's had since Week 1, and the Patriots barely survived the Bengals who didn't have Burrow and Chase in that game. If the Bengals got into the playoffs, they could have made a run at the Super Bowl. I thought both Burrows interceptions were fluky/bad luck.
• As for the Bills, nothing I saw from them on Sunday changes my thinking about them, and I'm shocked the Bills are a 1.5-point favorite at Gillette (expect that to be used in the building a few times). Burrow carved them without really using Chase, the Bills got a couple of good bounces in a weather game, and it took Allen being superhuman (78.6%, 78 yards rushing, four touchdowns) to emerge with a close victory. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Sean McDermott does not deserve Allen. The QB makes him look like a better coach than he is.
• As for the MVP at the moment, I'd say Matthew Stafford moved back into the lead making it look easy against the Cardinals, with the AFC East winner (either Drake Maye or Allen) the only competition. And they're all close. Going to need to see the entire season.
• The Rams are the best team in the league because they can beat you so many different ways. The Seahawks are close, but I don't trust Sam Darnold in a big spot.
• My AFC rankings:
1. Patriots
2. Broncos
3. Texans
4. Bills
5. Chiefs
6. Bengals
7. Jaguars
8. Steelers/Ravens/Dolphins
• That should have been a touchdown for Everett's Isaiah Likely. He had control long enough. And what I'll continue to understand is that if that catch was on the end line or sideline, it would be a catch. Or if he caught the ball short of the goal line and just stuck it over, it would be a touchdown. That was a touchdown.
But, I will say, it's over for John Harbaugh in Baltimore. That place has gotten stale and they need to air the place out. Time to bring in a fresh voice.
• Another likely unpopular decision: I liked the two point play the Browns dialed up against the Titans, and it would have looked brilliant if the back actually handed the ball off like he was supposed to. The play was there:
By protecting Shedeur Sanders (on this 2-point conversion attempt), did Kevin Stefanski get himself fired? pic.twitter.com/wwusWessBa
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) December 7, 2025
• Caleb Williams and the Bears (the last throw notwithstanding) showed me a lot more in the loss at Lambeau to the Packers than they did in the win at Philadelphia. They're not going to be an easy out.
