Each school season normally accommodates a “Heisman second” — some sort of signature play by the successful participant (normally a quarterback today) that stands out to most of the people and, extra importantly, the media members who vote on the award. The NFL is not any totally different, and Josh Allen delivered his on Sunday evening throughout the Payments 35-10 throttling of the 49ers on nationwide tv.
Really, Allen delivered two of them. Perhaps even two and a half, for the reason that first one was not simply an Allen passing landing, however an Allen receiving landing as nicely. Allen wasn’t credited with a catch, however after finishing a two-yard snipe to Amari Cooper, Allen eagerly accepted a reverse lateral from his receiver, took the ball, powered his method down the left sideline and dove by way of the snow, arm outstretched and into the top zone for a landing to basically put the sport away.
The shot of him — with an injured left hand by the best way — leaping into the top zone and rolling into the snow can be proven each time there’s any sort of MVP dialogue the remainder of the best way.
Allen wasn’t credited with a catch, but it surely was simply the fourth time in NFL historical past a participant threw a landing go and scored a receiving landing on the identical play (the final was Marcus Mariota’s batted landing reception within the playoffs for the Titans towards the Chiefs).
To not be outdone — twice, by himself — Allen punctuated the sport with a dashing landing, turning into the primary quarterback to report a passing landing, dashing landing and receiving landing in the identical sport in NFL historical past.
Allen and the Payments have been so dominant, Mitchell Trubisky performed basically your complete fourth quarter. And even with out 12 minutes or so of manufacturing, Allen nonetheless noticed his MVP odds drop from +150 to -210.
If Saquon Barkley’s Sunday evening landing run to seal the Eagles win towards the Ravens was a powerful, late-round punch, Allen’s two second-half scores felt just like the sort of counter-punch that nearly causes a TKO, a few huge uppercuts from the most effective boxer on the planet who one way or the other hasn’t held the belt but as a consequence of different heavyweights displaying up with huge seasons.
Amongst quarterbacks, Allen has created some huge distance by way of anticipated factors added per play.
There’s nonetheless 5 weeks left within the season. Quite a bit can occur in 5 weeks. We have seen the MVP race, to not point out different award races, shift massively over the ultimate month of the season. However Allen is not simply the most effective participant in soccer proper now, he is additionally somebody voters are snug pulling the set off on, having completed within the high 5 for the MVP race 3 times already.
Because it stands proper now, he is the prohibitive favourite to win MVP and Sunday would possibly nicely have been his signature second to lastly win the award.
Not the 49ers yr
Generally within the NFL, you are simply snake bit. The 49ers season definitely appears like a type of seasons the place every thing that would go incorrect did go incorrect. You’ll be able to incite the “Super Bowl Hangover” if you need, but it surely feels extra like simply the kind of reverse sun-running that may derail a workforce. And the Niners are presently derailed, sitting at 5-7 and in lifeless final within the NFC West.
It in all probability began when Brandon Aiyuk declined to signal an extension for a lot of the offseason, absorbing headlines with commerce rumors earlier than lastly inking one. He appeared somewhat off early within the season and whereas his ACL damage is proof he was good to get his cash now, it additionally appears like one other a type of snake bit gadgets.
Then you definately’ve received Christian McCaffrey, who handled an offseason damage that sidelined him proper earlier than the 49ers opener towards the Jets. When he lastly returned, he was rusty, proper up till final evening when he appeared extremely explosive within the run sport for San Francisco. Proper up till he suffered a freak PCL damage that prompted him to drop to the bottom and limp off the sphere instantly. It would not look good for CMC, which sucks for everybody as a result of he is so enjoyable to observe, and it feels microcosmic for the 49ers.
Trent Williams has missed a while as nicely. Deebo Samuel was sick for a number of weeks. Brock Purdy’s been injured. Nick Bosa’s missed a number of weeks.
And the 49ers late-game disasters in all probability value them an opportunity to drag off the power to try to tread water and snipe the division. They’ve blown a number of double-digit, fourth-quarter leads this season and have 4 one-score losses to their title. The schedule down the stretch is brutal and it has been punctuated with a number of blowout losses the final two weeks at Inexperienced Bay and at Buffalo.
Closing out with the Bears, Rams, Dolphins, Lions and Cardinals means San Francisco needs to be good the remainder of the best way with a purpose to discover its method into the playoffs. It simply may not be their yr.
Coach of the Yr race
Speak about heated! There is a ridiculous record of candidates for this award in 2024, headlined by two former Tremendous Bowl champions in Mike Tomlin and Sean Payton.
Making a case for Tomlin is simple. The Steelers are punching above their weight however proceed to appear to be a workforce with an ideal mix of the appropriate expertise and even higher chemistry, with a coach who’s pulling each lever completely, together with the stunning resolution to modify quarterbacks after a 4-2 begin. The transfer to Russell Wilson’s paid off in spades, and was actually highlighted on Sunday with Wilson tossing for 414 yards and three touchdowns within the Steelers dominant 44-38 shootout win over the Bengals that moved them to 9-3 and stored them in agency command of the AFC North.
Payton’s case is simple too. He drafted Bo Nix twelfth total, began him from leap road and the offense has appeared miles higher than it did final yr (when it was, considerably satirically, captained by Russell Wilson). The protection took a large leap ahead and the Broncos, who play on Monday evening, hold wanting like a playoff workforce. They will not win the division, but when they make the playoffs with this roster, it is going to be teaching that will get many of the credit score and Payton might simply discover himself touchdown some {hardware}.
A trio of NFC North coaches deserve some love as nicely. Kevin O’Connell has the Vikings at 10-2 regardless of shedding J.J. McCarthy earlier than the season and rolling with Sam Darnold. Darnold’s had some brainfarts this season, however he is largely been extraordinarily efficient for the Vikings offense. Contemplating the vast majority of his profession earlier than this yr, it is extremely spectacular what KOC has gotten out of him. Matt LaFleur has the third-place Packers at 9-3, however he is accomplished it regardless of lacking Jordan Love for a stretch when Malik Willis and the run sport appeared wonderful. It felt like one hundred pc teaching to maintain the offense buzzing with a backup and the run sport’s been so enjoyable to observe all through your complete season due to LaFleur’s creativity. Dan Campbell cannot be counted out both. The Lions have been alleged to be good, however not THIS good. They’re an NFL greatest 11-1 after staving off the Bears on Thanksgiving and regardless of having an outrageous variety of accidents, they hold cooking. Campbell ought to get factors for retaining his coordinators and for a way unselfish his offensive ability gamers stay, to not point out the continued defensive efficiency regardless of shedding some key gamers.
Yow will discover another fringe candidates, too. Mike MacDonald in Seattle. Andy Reid! Jim Harbaugh should not be counted out for what he is accomplished with the Chargers, truthfully. Dan Quinn’s accomplished nice work for Washington.
It is a unbelievable race with loads of time left.
Optimism in Carolina!
The Panthers misplaced in hearbreaking trend on Sunday, with Bryce Younger managing to arrange a would-be game-winning landing earlier than the Bucs received in place for a discipline purpose to power additional time. A brutal Chuba Hubbard fumble led to a Tampa game-winning discipline purpose. Had the Panthers discovered a strategy to win, they’d have been simply two video games again of first place within the NFC South.
They’d in all probability nonetheless be a longshot to win the division (duh) however given how nicely Bryce has performed during the last month they would not be utterly dominated out.
Nonetheless, experiences on Sunday indicated the Panthers will not be drafting a quarterback early within the 2025 NFL Draft. And that is factor. Younger has been actually good the final month or so, enjoying the most effective soccer of his profession for a practical stretch towards some powerful, playoff-caliber groups. His final two video games towards the Chiefs and Bucs have featured a completely totally different quarterback, one who seems to be the a part of an NFL starter.
Even with the losses, the Panthers must be thrilled in regards to the progress Bryce has made and what it means for them constructing round him, as an alternative of changing him, with regards to the draft in a couple of months.
Thanksgiving leftovers
- Matt Eberflus was fired after not simply his boneheaded clock administration, however his press convention defending stated boneheaded clock administration the place he basically threw Caleb Williams below the bus. Eberflus is the primary EVER Bears coach to be fired midseason, however he is the third-straight Bears coach to be fired after/throughout one yr with a rookie, first-round quarterback, following within the footsteps of John Fox/Trubisky and Matt Nagy/Justin Fields. Kevin Warren and Ryan Poles will reportedly be heading up the search and it’s a must to be somewhat involved with the primary names being bandied about. Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame HC) and Kliff Kingsbury (Washington OC) out of the gate is not precisely what you wish to hear! The Bears means to land a coach can be aided by Williams spectacular play regardless of some sub-par teaching on the offensive finish for many of the season. But it surely is perhaps inhibited by the construction inside Halas Corridor and who’s operating the search.
- I really feel like I say this each week however the Chiefs actually do really feel equivalent to the Patriots groups who challenged for the Tremendous Bowl each single season for a number of many years. We all know they have the most effective coach in soccer. We all know they have the most effective quarterback in soccer. Each would possibly retire as the most effective to ever do it. They usually do not at all times blow groups out, as an alternative simply discovering mysterious voodoo methods to win a ton of soccer video games and place themselves to steal a first-round bye, homefield benefit after which get scorching within the playoffs. Since their bye the Chiefs have one double-digit win (over the Niners) after which have two one-score wins over the Raiders, a six-point victory over the Bucs, a two-point miracle blocked discipline purpose win over the Broncos, a loss to the Payments and a semi-miracle win towards a frisky Panthers workforce. They’ve the identical report because the Lions however the groups could not be extra totally different.
- It was actually enjoyable to think about the Dolphins with a wholesome Tua and an explosive offense discovering a method into the playoffs. And it is not completely lifeless but however Thanksgiving evening in Inexperienced Bay was fairly miserable for these hopes, with Miami getting utterly bodied in chilly climate as soon as once more by a extra bodily workforce. The rating belies what truly occurred within the sport, as Miami by no means actually threatened the Packers. The schedule is somewhat pleasant to shut — two video games towards the Jets, one towards the Browns plus matchups with the semi-struggling Texans and ragged 49ers — however these two end-of-year video games in New York and Cleveland must be frigid. The narrative about their struggles in that sort of climate feels extra like truth than fiction and it’d decide if there’s any sort of miracle run on the desk. That miracle run, by the best way, requires the Broncos, Ravens and Chargers to sort of collapse in addition to the Colts simply going away. It is turning into an actual longshot at this level.
