Looking for some Philadelphia Eagles optimism after the team’s overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers? The losing streak might soon be coming to an end. The Birds host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15 and the home team is favored by 11.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Further, the Eagles’ moneyline is currently […] Looking for some Philadelphia Eagles optimism after the team’s overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers? The losing streak might soon be coming to an end. The Birds host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15 and the home team is favored by 11.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Further, the Eagles’ moneyline is currently -950. That means you’ll need to wager $950 just to win $100. The Raiders’ moneyline is +640, which means you can wager $100 to win $640. Make no mistake: it’s hard to feel amazing about the Eagles right now. But the Raiders are truly dreadful. Las Vegas has two wins this year and one of them is over the Tennessee Titans. The other was a weird Week 1 win over the New England Patriots. The Raiders’ quarterback situation is currently unclear with Geno Smith getting banged up in Week 14. If he can’t play, it’ll seemingly be old friend Kenny Pickett under center. Regardless, the Eagles’ defense should be able to have success against this Raiders offense. Not unlike the Chargers, the Raiders have a terrible offensive line. While it’s impossible to trust the Eagles’ offense to play well, the Raiders’ defense should give them some scoring changes. Only eight teams have allowed more points than Las Vegas has this season. And it seems like Lane Johnson might be returning to the starting lineup, which could help to shut down the Raiders’ best player in Maxx Crosby. If the Eagles can’t beat the Raiders, I’m not sure they can win any of their three remaining games after that. I’m taking the Eagles to beat Las Vegas but I can’t be confident it’ll be pretty. What say you? See More: Philadelphia Eagles odds
Eagles open as double-digit home favorites against Raiders in Week 15
NFC Playoff Picture: Eagles on track to No. 3 seed if they don’t blow NFC East lead
Playoffs?! Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles still have a really good chance to make the playoffs despite losing three games in a row. If you disagree, you can bet the Eagles to miss the postseason at +820 on FanDuel Sportsbook. With an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Eagles blew a chance to cut […] Playoffs?! Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles still have a really good chance to make the playoffs despite losing three games in a row. If you disagree, you can bet the Eagles to miss the postseason at +820 on FanDuel Sportsbook. With an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Eagles blew a chance to cut their magic number to win the NFC East down to two. Instead, it remains at three. As a reminder, here are the final four games for the top two teams in the division. EAGLES REMAINING SCHEDULE vs. Las Vegas Raiders at Washington Commanders at Buffalo Bills vs. Washington Commanders COWBOYS REMAINING SCHEDULE vs. Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Chargers at Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants I see the Eagles winning two more regular season games at most. The Raiders game and one of the two Commanders games seem most likely in that regard. If that’s the case, the Eagles need the Cowboys to lose at least one more game for Philly to clinch the NFC East. I do think Dallas loses at least one, though I don’t think it’s impossible they could win out. If the Cowboys do win out, the Eagles have to win three of their final four games to clinch the division. Predicting the Eagles to win just isn’t easy. Yes, they play some really bad teams down the stretch. But they’re a really bad team right now, too! Philly’s defense provides room for optimism. But the offense flat out sucks. It’s unconscionably bad. Assuming the Eagles do find a way to not surrender their division lead, it’s looking like they’re going to be the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff picture. They hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so, that can help prevent them from dropping to the No. 4 slot. But it could be tough to move ahead of the NFC West and NFC North leaders. If you’re of the mind that the Eagles can still get the No. 1 seed, well, it’s not impossible. But it is unlikely. Here’s the path to the first-round bye, via the great Deniz Selman: I wouldn’t hold your breath. Again, the No. 3 seed seems most likely at the moment. And if the Eagles’ season ended today, which it doesn’t, they’d host the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field. Do you feel good about them winning that one? Or maybe it’s a rematch with the Chicago Bears or Detroit Lions. Or maybe the Eagles really do just continue to collapse and miss the playoffs entirely. What do you think is the most likely outcome? Here’s the entire updated NFC playoff picture after Week 14. PROJECTED PLAYOFF TEAMS DIVISION LEADERS 1) Los Angeles Rams: 10-3 2) Green Bay Packers: 9-3-1 3) Philadelphia Eagles: 8-5 4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-6 WILD CARD TEAMS 5) Seattle Seahawks: 10-3 6) San Francisco 49ers: 9-4 7) Chicago Bears: 9-4 … ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN IN THE HUNT 8) Detroit Lions: 8-5 9) Carolina Panthers: 7-6 10) Dallas Cowboys: 6-6-1 UNSERIOUS 11) Minnesota Vikings: 5-8 OFFICIALLY ELIMINATED 12) Atlanta Falcons: 4-9 13) Arizona Cardinals: 3-10 14) New Orleans Saints: 3-10 15) Washington Commanders: 3-10 16) New York Giants: 2-11 See More: Philadelphia Eagles Playoffs
NFL Week 14 Recap: Los Angeles Chargers 22, Philadelphia Eagles 19
The Chargers outlasted the Eagles 22–19 in a chaotic overtime thriller, rallying late behind Cam Hart’s first career interception, two clutch Cameron Dicker field goals — including the 54-yard OT go-ahead — and a wild, game-sealing pick by Tony Jefferson in the red zone. In a turnover-marred matchup featuring eight giveaways and even a three-turnover single play, Justin Herbert and the Bolts did just enough to move to 9–4 and escape Philadelphia’s final push.
10 takeaways from Rams’ ‘get right’ game vs. Cardinals
The Los Angeles Rams needed a get-right game heading into Week 14 following a loss to the Carolina Panthers. That’s exactly what they got, beating the Arizona Cardinals 45-17. Whenever the Rams have needed to get back on track, the Cardinals have played that role well. Matthew Stafford was back to his MVP self while […] The Los Angeles Rams needed a get-right game heading into Week 14 following a loss to the Carolina Panthers. That’s exactly what they got, beating the Arizona Cardinals 45-17. Whenever the Rams have needed to get back on track, the Cardinals have played that role well. Matthew Stafford was back to his MVP self while the defense had a performance much more reminiscent of the rest of the season. Here are 10 takeaways as the Rams improve to 10-3. 1. Slow start, but defense finds groove The Rams defense looked like it was going to be picking up where it left off last week on the opening drive. Jacoby Brissett found tight end Trey McBride on two big plays and then Michael Wilson in the back of the end zone. It took all of five plays for the Cardinals to score their first touchdown of the game and take a 7-0 lead. However, the defense found itself as the game progressed. After the Cardinals tied the game at 10, the next six drives lasted less than five plays. The defense played more aggressive, bringing pressure from the second level. Nate Landman even got his first career interception with the Rams. If not for a garbage time touchdown in the fourth quarter, the defense would have had a shutout in the second half. Offensively, the Rams are in a very good spot. There are two teams that have stopped them this season and both of those units are two of the best in the NFL. Those two defenses would be the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks. If the Rams can protect the ball, the offense has the ability to control the game if they need to and they did to start this game. This is an offense that can lift up the defense when they need it and until they can get a stop. To start this game, the Rams scored on their first five possessions. They faced a single third down in the entire first half. The Rams offense had a success rate of 64.2 percent. No team in the NFL had a success rate over 60 percent this week. This is an offense that has become very difficult to stop, scoring 30 or more points in five of their last seven games. As they avoid the self-inflicted mistakes, it’s hard to see them slowing down. 3. Rams find variety in red zone There were certainly some frustrations when the Rams got down into the red zone on the opening drive with the run game and then opted for three consecutive passes. While the Rams should have leaned on the run game more in that situation, Matthew Stafford just missed Davante Adams on two ‘would have been’ touchdowns. In a sense, it was an example of the Rams becoming overly reliant on Adams in the red zone. That changes for the rest of the game. On the next two red zone possessions, Blake Corum and Kyren Williams scored from two yards out. On the first red zone possession of the second half, Stafford found Colby Parkinson in the end zone for the score. The Rams can keep Adams as their bread and butter in the red zone, but finding the running game in that area of the field and using Parkinson’s size was a needed change up. 4. Matthew Stafford returns to MVP-level Following his three turnover game last week, Stafford was back to playing at an MVP level. After the media focused on Stafford throwing touchdowns from inside the five, all three of his touchdown passes on Sunday came from outside the five. Additionally, two of those touchdowns came from outside of the red zone. Stafford has thrown three or more touchdowns in seven games this season. While he finished under 300 yards, the Rams pulled him with over 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. In the first half, Stafford had 197 passing yards and looked sharp. With Drake Maye and the Patriots on a bye week, it was an opportunity for Stafford to shine and re-take the lead in the MVP race. Following Sunday’s game, he now has a better passer rating than Maye. The Rams are going to need this version of Stafford for the rest of the rest of the season. 5. Nacua provides big plays in passing game Throughout this game, the Rams relied on Puka Nacua in the passing game and their running back duo of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. At one point, Corum and Williams had combined for 109 yards while Nacua had 108 yards. The Rams wide receiver finished with seven receptions for 167 yards. He averaged 23.9 yards per reception and had his first career game with two touchdown catches. Stafford completed passes to nine different wide receivers, but it was Nacua’s production that made the most impact. All seven of his receptions went for a first down or touchdown. He averaged 8.35 yards per route run which was almost double the next closest wide receiver. 6. Pass rush finds its rhythm Prior to Sunday, there was a lot of criticism when it came to the Rams’ pass rush. To say they found themselves against the Cardinals would be an understatement. They pressured Brissett a total of 24 times at a 48 percent rate. It was their highest pressure rate in a single game since Week 4. Taking Ty Hamilton’s snaps on the defensive line, Desjuan Johnson led the Rams with six pressures. Kobie Turner had a sack and five pressures with Byron Young remaining a threat on the edge. The Rams could have had a few more sacks, but the
5 winners and 5 losers from the Chiefs’ Week 14 loss to the Texans
We’re all losers after that game. A “Murphy’s law” season continues for your Kansas City Chiefs with a 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans in Week 14, and it’s the same stuff going wrong as always. My submission in this week’s prediction post said it all (other than the correct outcome): Sure… officiating has been […] We’re all losers after that game. A “Murphy’s law” season continues for your Kansas City Chiefs with a 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans in Week 14, and it’s the same stuff going wrong as always. My submission in this week’s prediction post said it all (other than the correct outcome): Sure… officiating has been terrible, but the defense couldn’t get off the field on third down, either. Still, what seems to really derail these games is when Kansas City’s playmakers can’t quite bring in a pass — or a big play is wiped out by a penalty. For the Chiefs to save their season, they’ll need tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Rashee Rice to make plays. While I expect Mahomes to deliver under pressure, I worry that this is a season where he won’t get enough help to make a run. Injuries and stale offense have piled on to the recurring mix of penalties and drops we’ve come to loathe. At least the Chiefs’ defense came to play, until they were put in a bad spot one too many times. To no surprise, there weren’t many members of the offense in the “Winners” column this week. Winners Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) celebrates after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn ImagesDenny Medley-Imagn Images Defensive lineman Chris Jones: This was a tremendous effort from Jones. He was relentless, disruptive and explosive off the line of scrimmage. Jones finished with 4 quarterback hits (including a sack), a batted pass, and a tackle-for-loss. He heard the criticism from last week and responded like a man possessed. Defensive end George Karlaftis: With Jones playing well, Karlaftis was also better — and that’s no coincidence. This defense works when each player has a great pass-rushing effort, and doesn’t when either one of them is quiet. Furious George finished with five total tackles (one for loss), a sack and another quarterback hit. Linebacker Nick Bolton: His limitations are still there, but Bolton continues to execute his job for this defense. Against the Texans, he had 12 tackles (two for loss) and one quarterback hit. He was everywhere, as usual, and they almost had one of their best defensive efforts of the season as a result. Cornerback Nohl Williams: The defensive back rotation continues to be insane. Rookie cornerback Nohl Williams has been fantastic, but was only on the field this week due to the injury to star cornerback Trent McDuffie. Williams had two passes defended and put up a good fight in coverage. Can we please see him on the field for every defensive snap moving forward? Left tackle Esa Pole: The undrafted rookie made his NFL debut after left tackle Wanya Morris was injured early on and earned praise: “He wasn’t perfect, but he was good enough,” said head coach Andy Reid in post-game. Losers KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – DECEMBER 07: Azeez Al-Shaair #0 of the Houston Texans intercepts a pass intended for Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on December 07, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)Getty Images Head Coach Andy Reid: I’m still not on the bandwagon to fire Reid, but I do think that Big Red has allowed this offense to get stale. The unit has the same problems it has had for seasons: too many penalties, too many drops, not enough depth and an ineffective running game; there are just not enough answers. That’s on the coach. No amount of positive thoughts, “tonsil tickling”, or expressed good vibes can override the fact that this season will likely be a failure. The canned “we have to be better” statements have worn thin. It’s hard to see what is going to change at this point, but fans should prepare for major changes this offseason. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: The two-time MVP is not to blame for the loss; in fact, he continues to be an elite quarterback this season despite everything around him. There seemed to be a consensus among those watching “Sunday Night Football” that Mahomes did what he could, but his team let him down. I’m not going to argue that point — but then again, Mahomes set a new career high for consecutive incompletions (10) and tied his career high with three interceptions. He’s a leader with transcendent talent who is largely responsible for this franchise’s success over the last seven years. He also hasn’t been able to finish close games this season. Both can be true. Mahomes can’t do it all himself, but it’s fair to expect him to elevate the team around him when conditions aren’t perfect. That didn’t happen enough against Houston or in 2025. Wide receiver Rashee Rice: When you’re the team’s number one wide receiver, expectations are high. Prior to Week 14, Rice has put up number one-type stats, but against the Texans, his eight targets resulted in four catches for 34 yards. Even more disturbing was the trend of drops in key situations that began against the Dallas Cowboys. This week, Rice had some incredibly frustrating almost catches, including one on third down and two on fourth down in the second half. Tight end Travis Kelce: While we’re talking about drops, we’ve got to talk about Kelce. With 3:44 left in the game, down seven points and backed up inside their own ten-yard line, it was go time for Kelce and Mahomes. The result? Practically a season-ending sequence of bobbling the ball, eventually leading to an interception. Houston
Eagles vs. Chargers: The good, the bad, and the ugly
The Eagles are in free fall, now riding a three-game losing streak into the most important time of the season, after a 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night at SoFi Stadium. The Eagles fell to 8-5 and should still win the NFC East, with four games left against three teams […] The Eagles are in free fall, now riding a three-game losing streak into the most important time of the season, after a 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night at SoFi Stadium. The Eagles fell to 8-5 and should still win the NFC East, with four games left against three teams (Las Vegas, Buffalo and Washington) that have a combined 14-24 record. But that appears all the Eagles will win this season, if this offensive fog continues. This is a team destined for an early playoff exit—and the scary part is that a Super Bowl-winning coaching staff has no idea how to fix the problems that plague this team. Jalen Hurts was not good. He was late getting the ball out of his hands. He missed open receivers. He simply did not see the field. Hurts, it seems, has lost confidence in himself, completing 21 of 40 for 240 yards, throwing a career-high four interceptions, with a career-high five turnovers. Hurts was seeing ghosts in powder blue. The Chargers loaded up the line of scrimmage, sometimes attacking Hurts, sometimes peeling off into coverage. Hurts appeared thoroughly confused. Hurts is clearly not getting the proper guidance he should be from head coach Nick Sirianni or offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. What is even more troubling is that fault may not be entirely on Sirianni and Patullo. Plays are being called and designed, where receivers are open and Hurts is not seeing them. Even the shouts will ring loud from the mountain top, Sirianni would never think—nor should he think—about benching Hurts. The overtime loss wasted a fine effort from the defense, which sacked Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert, playing with screws and a plate in his non-throwing left hand, seven times for minus-33 yards, with strong games from Byron Young, playing in place of the injured Jalen Carter, Reed Blankenship and Jordan Davis. Saquon Barkley also showed a burst of 2024 with a 52-yard touchdown run, and ran for 122 yards, averaging 6.1 yards a carry. But the Eagles abandoned the run in overtime. There was plenty of good, some bad, and a mound of ugly in the Eagles 22-19 overtime Monday night to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Good DeVonta Smith’s 28-yard reception down the middle of the field on a third-and-16 to the Chargers’ 47 in overtime. Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips taking down Kimani Vidal for a one-yard loss with 5:46 to play on a first-and-10 at the Chargers’ 25. Jordan Davis’ seven-yard sack with 4:28 to play on a third-and-seven at the Chargers’ 28. Davis finished with six tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two tackles for losses. Saquon Barkley’s 52-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Eagles’ offensive line got out on the play, led by Fred Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and real key blocks by Dallas Goedert kicking out Los Angeles cornerback Ben St-Juste, and Darius Cooper taking out safety RJ Mickens. Mailata actually got away with a hold on the play, clearly grabbing Chargers’ linebacker Khalil Mack. Barkley finished with 122 yards on 20 carries, averaging 6.1 yards a carry. Linebacker Zack Baun and Davis combining to take down Justin Herbert for a nine-yard sack with 2:06 left in the third quarter on second-and-13 at the Chargers’ 13. Defensive tackle Byron Young’s three-yard sack of Justin Herbert at the Eagles’ 16 on the Chargers’ first drive of the second half. Young, playing in place of the injured Jalen Carter, played great, making eight tackles, and had 1.5 sacks. Safety Reed Blankenship coming up to stop Kimani Vidal for a four-yard loss on a first-and-goal at the Eagles’ 13 on the Chargers’ first drive of the second half. Blankenship had a team-high eight tackles, with a team-high six solo tackles. Adoree Jackson’s interception with seven seconds left in the first half, which after the Chargers’ personal foul call, put the Eagles at the Chargers’ 30. The Eagles blew it, when Jake Elliott missed a 48-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. A.J. Brown’s 22-yard reception on the Eagles’ third drive, putting them at the Chargers’ 29. Brown’s third-quarter 26-yard reception set up an Elliott 54-yard field goal with 3:22 to play in the third quarter. Brown later came up with a 19-yard reception with 2:33 to play on a second-and-10 to the Chargers’ 25. Linebacker Nakobe Dean breaking through to rush Herbert on the Chargers’ second drive, forcing an incompletion on third-and-15. Dean causing the fumble by sacking Herbert after Hurts’ second interception, recovered by Byron Young at the Eagles’ 42 with 4:30 left in the first half. The Eagles got a Jake Elliott 30-yard field goal from the turnover. Saquon Barkley on the Eagles’ second drive, which resulted in a Jake Elliott 41-yard field goal. Barkley started the series with runs of 19 and 10 yards. Dallas Goedert’s nine-yard reception on third-and-nine at the Eagles’ 43 on the Eagles’ first drive of the game. It converted a third down, and was an encouraging start that quickly sagged with the fresh set of downs. Goedert came back for another big reception on a third-and-12 with a 13-yard catch to the Chargers’ 25, where the drive began to stall. Jalyx Hunt finished with 2.5 sacksand eight tackles. The Bad Elliott missing the 48-yarder on the last play of the first half. Left guard Landon Dockerson limping off the field with just over two minutes left in the first half. Right guard Tyler Steen getting flagged for holding on first-and-10 The Eagles’ opening drive. It started well with the third-down conversion, but quickly sent bad with conservative, dink-and-dunk short routes and the nine-yard sack
Eagles vs. Chargers overtime
The Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers are tied after regulation: 19 to 19. Now each team will get at least one possession in OT (barring a defensive touchdown on the first possession). Discuss the overtime happenings here! Here is some basic information to help guide you through the game: … Note: This is an […] The Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers are tied after regulation: 19 to 19. Now each team will get at least one possession in OT (barring a defensive touchdown on the first possession). Discuss the overtime happenings here! Here is some basic information to help guide you through the game: How to watch the game – TV schedule and online streaming information; Follow us on Twitter: @BleedingGreen; Follow along with Chargers fans at Bolts from the Blue; Live game stats; Eagles full regular season schedule; Current Eagles depth chart; Current Eagles roster … Note: This is an open thread. Discuss the game and stay tuned for new threads after each quarter.
NFL Week 14 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Eagles-Chargers Monday Night Football
PFF’s fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2025. NFL Week 14 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Eagles-Chargers Monday Night Football Omarion Hampton returns for the Los Angeles Chargers: Their first-round rookie played in his first game since Week 5, and a big overtime run helped Los Angeles score the game-winning field goal, but Kimani Vidal remained a significant part of the Chargers’ offense. Saquon Barkley breaks his second long touchdown run: The Philadelphia Eagles running back broke long touchdown runs at a historic pace last season. His second long touchdown this season helped the Eagles reach overtime despite four offensive turnovers during regulation. Get PFF+ for 30% off: Use promo code HOLIDAY30 to unlock the PFF Player Prop Tool, Premium Stats, fantasy dashboards, the PFF Mock Draft Simulator, industry-leading fantasy rankings and much more — everything you need to win your season. Omarion Hampton returns for the Chargers: The Chargers’ first-round rookie was activated off injured reserve after last playing in Week 5. Hampton began the year as Los Angeles’ lead running back, playing 77.9% of offensive snaps over the first four weeks. He was an every-down back, taking at least 72% of snaps in all situations, including 100% of the goal-line and two-minute drill snaps. He suffered an ankle injury in Week 5, which led to his placement on injured reserve. He was limited in practice on Thursday but practiced in full on Friday and Saturday, leading to his activation on Monday. Najee Harris began the year as the backup and Hassan Haskins as the third-string back. Harris is out for the season, and Haskins also missed most of the games Hampton missed with a hamstring injury. Haskins was similarly limited on Thursday, practiced in full on Friday and Saturday, and was activated as well. They joined Kimani Vidal, who started the year on the practice squad but was activated once Harris landed on injured reserve. Vidal played 71.6% of snaps from Weeks 6–11, taking at least 62% of snaps in all situations. With three healthy running backs, Los Angeles waived Jaret Patterson to clear a roster spot. The Chargers used Hampton and Vidal in a frequent rotation, with each back taking only a few snaps at a time before the other subbed in. Haskins wasn’t involved on offense. There was a general tendency to use Hampton in run situations and Vidal in pass situations, though the split wasn’t as defined as most backfields. As the game progressed, the team leaned more on Vidal, with the second-year back dominating snaps in the fourth quarter when Los Angeles started playing from behind. Vidal caught a 60-yard pass on the opening drive, while Hampton scored a touchdown on that same drive — plays that accounted for most of their fantasy production. There is a chance the Chargers were easing Hampton back in, but Vidal played well enough during his time as the starter that this could simply remain a two-man backfield for the rest of the season. Los Angeles has a tough matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs next week, followed by a favorable one against the Dallas Cowboys, and then finishes with another difficult game against the Houston Texans. Both running backs could be considered flex plays next week, but expectations should be tempered, as neither is likely to match the fantasy production from their peak usage weeks. The Chargers adjust their tight end rotation: Will Dissly served as the Chargers’ backup tight end, marking his first game since Week 7. Los Angeles started the season with Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin as its top two tight ends, with Oronde Gadsden and Tucker Fisk serving as healthy inactives for the first two games. Dissly suffered a knee injury, which led Gadsden to emerge as the Chargers’ receiving tight end, while Dissly regained his role as the run-blocking tight end, similar to last season. Dissly returned in Week 6 and was part of a temporary three-man rotation. From Weeks 8–13, Gadsden played 72.0% of the offensive snaps, primarily in 11 and 12 personnel. Fisk played 40.9% of snaps in 12 and 21 personnel, and Conklin logged 9.8% as a backup to both players, while Dissly has been a healthy inactive. Fisk suffered an ankle injury last week, which kept him out of practice. He was placed on injured reserve, opening the door for one of the Chargers’ veterans to handle the 12 and 21 personnel roles. Los Angeles chose Dissly. They made Conklin inactive, which freed up a roster spot for another position. In future weeks, it’s at least possible that Conklin will also be active as a backup. Gadsden’s role was unaffected by the movement among the backup tight ends, with his situational snap rates differing only a few percentage points from his averages over the last two months. He was a top fantasy tight end in October, but he hasn’t been nearly as involved in the Chargers’ passing game over the past month. He had his worst receiving performance of the season with one catch for seven yards. None of their fantasy playoff matchups are favorable, so he likely shouldn’t be in fantasy lineups going forward. Dissly served as a direct replacement for Fisk, as expected. Jahan Dotson plays a limited role: The Eagles’ third wide receiver has seen his playing time decrease in recent weeks, and he showed up on the injury report this past week. Dotson has spent the last two seasons as the Eagles’ third wide receiver, playing in three-receiver sets and rarely seeing snaps in two-receiver sets unless there is an injury. He played 90.8% of the team’s 11-personnel snaps over the first 11 weeks and just 9.0% of its 12-personnel snaps, with 14 of his 19 snaps in 12 personnel coming in Week 8 when A.J. Brown was out. His week-to-week playing time has varied entirely based on game script and formation usage. That trend shifted
PFF grades: Nate Landman stands out in Week 14 blowout win
There wasn’t much to dislike in the Los Angeles Rams’ 45-17 blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams moved to 10-3 on the season to keep pace with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West and climbed back to first place in the NFC conference. The next two weeks bring difficult challenges in the […] There wasn’t much to dislike in the Los Angeles Rams’ 45-17 blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams moved to 10-3 on the season to keep pace with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West and climbed back to first place in the NFC conference. The next two weeks bring difficult challenges in the Detroit Lions and Seahawks. Before we turn the page, let’s visit the Pro Football Focus (PFF) game data from Week 14: Top five grades on offense 1 – Puka Nacua, WR: 97.4 What is there left to say about Puka Nacua? He hadn’t been filling up the stat sheet as much as we are accustomed to in recent weeks, but he blew the lid off this game and was clearly the best player on the field. He finished with seven receptions on 10 targets for 167 yards and two scores. Just 32 yards came after the catch, which is somewhat unusual for him. He made catches on four different Cardinals defenders, burning them all for more than 20 yards: Jalen Thompson, FS: 1/2 for 20 yards Will Johnson, CB: 3/4 for 69 yards, 2 TDs Denzel Burke, CB: 2/2 for 46 yards Budda Baker, SS: 1/1 for 32 yards 2 – Matthew Stafford, QB: 93.9 The offensive line allowed just two pressures on the day and provided time for Matthew Stafford to find his targets downfield. This was the most vertical as we’ve seen of the connection between Stafford and Nacua. Stafford tossed a season-high six big-time throws without a single turnover-worthy play. He finished with 22 completions on 31 attempts (71.0%) for 281 yards and three scores. 3 – Alaric Jackson, LT: 92.1 Jackson was basically perfect in this game. He earned an impressive run blocking grade of 94.5 and drew a pass blocking grade of 86.8 without a pressure. Jackson was flagged once for a penalty. 4 – Blake Corum, RB: 91.9 5 – Kyren Williams, RB: 83.4 Let’s take Corum and Williams together. Williams: 13 rushes for 84 yards (6.5 avg), 1 TD Corum: 12 rushes for 128 yards (10.7 avg), 2 TDs Corum had 45 yards after contact (3.75 avg) while Williams gained 64 (4.92 avg). Williams forced more missed tackles at five (Corum four). Corum finished with four runs over 10 yards and three over 15 yards while Williams had two and one, respectively. Other notes on offense While he didn’t finish with a reception with only a single target, Terrance Ferguson still made an impact on this game with his run blocking. He earned a grade of 82.0 which finished behind only Jackson and Kevin Dotson. The Rams are running out of excuses to not grow the rookie’s role in the offense. Top five grades on defense *Limited to players with more than five snaps. Shaun Dolac would have made the top five but was on the field for only four plays. 1 – Nate Landman, MLB: 87.4 Landman made one of the biggest plays on the day for the defense. His interception of Jacoby Brissett set up an offensive touchdown. He also recorded one pass breakup and drew a PFF coverage grade of 90.4. He missed a tackle and that lowered his overall grade. 2 – Josaiah Stewart, EDGE: 83.4 There have only been two games this season where Stewart played less than 20 snaps. He had 25 against the Cardinals, meaning he wasn’t only on the field during garbage time. The rookie has a real role on this defense and makes a difference when given the opportunity. Sunday was one of his most productive pass rush outings on the season—he recorded three and brought his total to-date to 16. 3 – Josh Wallace, SCB: 80.7 After a rough debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Josh Wallace has steadied the ship in Quentin Lake’s absence and performed well over the last two weeks. In this game he was targeted five times, allowing just two receptions for 11 yards with a PBU. He fared well in run defense with a grade of 74.5 (highest on the defense), but he missed both of his tackle attempts for a tackling grade of 25.8. It’s something to monitor moving forward. 4 – Desjuan Johnson, EDGE: 77.8 This was the first time Johnson played a defensive snap since Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He made the most of his opportunity and tied Byron Young for a team lead with six pressures. Rookie Ty Hamilton was inactive for the first time in a while, but it does beg the question why Johnson hasn’t been playing over Hamilton all season long. They play different positions, sure, but Johnson for most of his career has been an interior player and in theory could provide inside/outside versatility. That flexibility alone should dress him on gamedays. 5 – Kobie Turner, DT: 74.6 Turner finished just behind Young and Johnson with five pressures. Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, and Stewart all had three apiece. Turner’s run defense grade of 58.5 (18th) was only ahead of Emmanuel Forbes, Fiske, and Larrell Murchison on Sunday. Other notes on defense It simply wasn’t a good day for the Rams’ secondary. Kamren Kinchens and Emmanuel Forbes both allowed touchdowns to Michael Wilson. They graded 14th and 20th of 21 players on defense, respectively. Forbes allowed receptions on four of five targets for 50 yards, the aforementioned score, with a pass breakup. Kinchens was only targeted on the touchdown that he allowed. But veteran Ahkello Witherspoon was the worst graded individual of all who appeared on defense. He missed two of six tackle attempts—good for a tackling grade of just 28.7. He also drew a coverage grade
Colts to host Philip Rivers, 44, for workout ahead of final month
The Indianapolis Colts reached out to a retired signal caller in hopes of finding a solution to the active quarterback conundrum and will fly in 44-year-old retired quarterback Philip Rivers for a workout at the team facility on Tuesday. Rivers was celebrating his 44th birthday when he received the offer to fly into Indianapolis. The […] The Indianapolis Colts reached out to a retired signal caller in hopes of finding a solution to the active quarterback conundrum and will fly in 44-year-old retired quarterback Philip Rivers for a workout at the team facility on Tuesday. Rivers was celebrating his 44th birthday when he received the offer to fly into Indianapolis. The eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback has not played in the NFL since the 2020 season, when he finished his career fueling one last playoff run with the Colts. Indianapolis has not reached the playoffs since Rivers’ last NFL game. Rivers has strong ties to Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who moved up the ranks in the Los Angeles Chargers organization across two stints in nine seasons from defensive assistant, to quality control coach, to quarterbacks coach, to offensive coordinator. During the four seasons Steichen was the quarterbacks coach, Rivers ranked second in the league in passing yards and fourth in touchdown passes. Steichen took over play-calling duties as interim offensive coordinator for the Chargers in the final seven games of the 2019 season and was promoted to full-time offensive coordinator in 2020. It’s absolutely bonkers to think how just one month ago, the Colts left Berlin with the best record in the NFL at 8-2, following a massive overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons. Fast forward to this past weekend, when the Houston Texans beat the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football to momentarily seize the final wild card spot over Indianapolis after Week 14. After three straight losses, the Colts sit at 8-5 with just four games left to reinsert themselves back into the playoff picture and must do so without their starting quarterback. Colts QB Daniel Jones will miss the rest of the season after he suffered a ruptured Achilles against the Jaguars, Head Coach Shane Steichen confirmed in an announcement on Monday. Jones was in the midst of a dream resurgence in his newly found home, but collapsed to the grass with a season-ending, non-contact injury at the end of the first quarter in Jacksonville. The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $14 million deal with intentions to take the reins in Indianapolis, but a nine month absence could and probably will derail those long-term plans that were seemingly resurrected after a sensational 7-1 start with the Colts in 2025. Rookie QB Riley Leonard took over after Jones exited the game and finished 18-of-29 passing for 145 passing yards with one rushing touchdown and one interception in Sunday’s 36-19 loss to the Jaguars. To make matters worse, Leonard walked into Monday’s practice dealing with soreness in his right knee. The Colts cannot plan to start a rookie, who had no experience with the starting unit before this past Sunday and will also miss practice this week while recovering from his knee injury. Third-year quarterback Anthony Richardson is still on injured reserve, while recovering from a broken orbital bone he suffered during a bizarre pre-game incident in Week 6. Richardson will not be activated for Week 15 and it would be a Christmas miracle if he could return for the final three games. The next possible return for Richardson would be two weeks away in a Monday Night Football showdown against the San Francisco 49ers inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Richardson has played just 14 snaps this season and has completed only one pass, to himself… Rivers is a father of 10 kids and the grandfather of his one-year old grandson, born to his oldest daughter. The Colts reached out to Grandpa Phil to help steer the ship on a desperate final push at the playoffs. See More: