Week 17 recap: Vikings make a statement, Saquon makes history, Rams make us scratch our heads & more

[@stephenwilson645]

Timestamps of Note: 3:20...Vikings make statement with win over Packers 23:27...Cincinnati Bengals...You Have My Attention 37:42...The AFC 7th Seed...You Have My Attention 39:17...Washington Commanders...You Have My Attention 54:08...LA Rams...WTF 1:05:06...Indianapolis Colts...WTF 1:09:50...2025 Draft Intrigue 1:13:24...Did You See That...Saquan Hits the 2,000 Yards Mark 1:15:54...Did You See That...The Jets are Just Sad 1:18:52...Did You See That...Duck 1:20:38...Did You See That...Rookies Show Out (Brock Bowers, Bucky Irving, etc.) 1:23:54...Did You See That...The Chargers Plan Came Together 1:26:45...What Did We Learn...Christmas Weekend Game Scheduling 1:29:17...What Did We Learn...We Don't Know Shit About Anything

[@BM-si2ei]

If the Packers would have had Christian Watson available today, we'd be talking about how lucky the Vikings were when Watson dropped a wide open go ball

[@philibusters]

I think Jayden Daniels has a plausible argument that he has been the fourth best QB this year behind Allen, Jackson, and Burrow. There are a handful of guys to that claim: Daniels, Goff, Mahomes, Herbert, Darnold. I think saying he is a top half QB is a big understatement. He has a serviceable but below average O-Line, McLaurin and a bunch of other guys at receiver, yet he has produced the #7 offense is terms of DVOA. Of the 6 offenses ahead of them some of them like like Lions and Eagles are in a different league in terms of supporting cast and others like Tampa (Top 8 O-Line and maybe similar receiver room after the Godwin injury and much better receiver room before the injury), Baltimore (deeper receiver room if you include TE's and superstar RB), Buffalo (solid O-Line and deeper receiver room), and Cinn (elite WRs) are in the same league as them but probably ahead of them in the standings in terms of supporting offense cast. I don't think there is a single offense ahead of the Commanders that the Commanders have a better supporting cast than. Daniels has the 5th highest PFF grade (90.1) and is closer to the top #1 guy, Lamar Jackson (93.5)--which is a 3.4 difference than he is to the 6th guy, Patrick Mahomes and Sam Darnold who both have 85.8 grades, which is a 4.3 difference. I haven't seen the post 17 week data yet but going into the week he was 4th in total EPA behind only Allen, Jackson, and Goff. Going into last week he was 10th in CPOE. In terms of just this season he is pretty clearly in that second tier behind Burrow, Allen, and Jackson and based on a combo of PFF grade and EPA which when combined give you a pretty good idea of a QB he is right at the top of that tier. Of the other second tier guys only Herbert has a higher PFF grade by .4 points (90.5 vs. 90.1) but Herbert's total EPA is way behind and the Chargers offense is not near as productive indicating Herbert is great but they don't ask him to do as much and only Goff has more actual EPA and he is 15th in PFF grade meaning playcalling and supporting cast are probably doing more of the lifting for him.

[@jasonmahr5397]

Josh Allen, last 5 years, Wins and Total Touchdowns: 2020: 13-3, 46 Touchdowns 2021: 11-6, 42 Touchdowns 2022: 13-3, 42 Touchdowns 2023: 11-6, 44 Touchdowns 2024: 13-3, 40 Touchdowns Most prolific Touchdown scorer in NFL HISTORY!!!

[@MrDavidknigge]

Kind of like Marino.

[@jasonmahr5397]

@ Marino could barely move and was strictly a pure pocket passer

[@MrDavidknigge]

@jasonmahr5397 you presented stats that are comparable.

[@ShiftyBTW]

the packers have wins over 3 teams with a winning record (hype); the vikings have 4 (diminish).

[@Newjawns42]

Worth noting the bengals can tag and trade tee. $26mil

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

Most likely outcome they'll get at least a 2 and another pick, possibly a late 1 if the Bills fancy grabbing a WR1 if they don't get over the line this year.

[@banned4life857]

I think the Broncos have a better chance to upset a team than the Bengals. I could see the Broncos beating anyone other than maybe the bills or chiefs.

[@MrDavidknigge]

This Chiefs fan would rather play Bengals who have an awful defense and offensive line. Broncos defense is legit.

[@benrecht7300]

All that talk about how insanely good Jayden Daniels is and then … “he’s a top half nfl quarterback”. I mean obviously he’s only done it for one year but he’s easily a top 8 qb right now

[@philibusters]

I think he has a good argument as QB4 this year.

[@aakeshfleckinger4633]

Tee switched agents to Jamarr chase’s rep, plus burrows and tees comments make it sound like they’re keeping the band together

[@mattmccabe2946]

Would be a mistake. Imo the Bengals course of action should be what the Steelers did when Big Ben was still in his prime. They drafted Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace, martavis bryant, juju, Pickens, Diontae Johnson, yet the only one they ever paid was AB. Burrow is good enough to make guys into really good to great #2 WRs, I don’t think it would be wise for a cash poor team to have their entire cap tied to that position. Chase and Burrow are so good I think you would be surprised how easy it would be to replace Tee.

[@aakeshfleckinger4633]

@ I can agree with that. IMO honestly if before this season you take the 20+ million they franchised Tee with and spend it on a left guard and some pass rush help, this team is probably winning 11+. Tho as a bengals fan I love Tee and the offense is so damn fun when it’s burrow, chase, and tee all playing snaps together

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

​@@mattmccabe2946completely agree I think the move if you find a WR1 like Chase then once you pay them you use a high value pick on your wr2 who might be wr1 by the time the WR1 ages out in year 3 or 4 of their new deal. Look at the Vikings, paid JJ drafted Addison that's like 40m on a wr1 and a good wr2. Chase is gonna be close to 40m alone now they waited a year, Tees gonna want 27 or above .

[@waalaman]

7:10 MIN playing more man coverage was a curveball GB wasn't expecting?!?!?! C'mon coach. Quality podcasts were talking about it last week even! Love rocks vs zone, meh vs man. Sigh. Go Pack 🧀🏈🧀🏈

[@ericsantiago4076]

Pretty decent teams? So, are we gonna move the goal posts every time the vikes win a game and say that teams like the niners, jets, Texans, don’t count as “good” teams because the played them early in the season, and beat them, and now these teams are not performing to standards these guys same lame ohs! Expected they would performed early on, are not performing to that standard? Please! Its about logic! Go back and check your narratives before you start prancing a teams you had no faith in.

[@BM-si2ei]

You see, if you believe the Vikings are frauds , it means you have to denigrate anything good they do.

[@MrDavidknigge]

But were the Niners, Jets, and Texans as good as we thought they were even early in the season? Clearly not. But the Vikings helped to expose them as fraudulent.

[@CM-jc7gk]

Derrik called Adam Peters "incompetent" last Spring, why would anybody listen to trash like this?

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

Counter narrative Giants just saved themselves to being forced into picking 1 of the 2 QBs in the draft, they both bust. Giants get Darnold and Hunter or another need.

[@YouKnow-m4i]

Darnold is NEVER going to the Giants bud

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

​@YouKnow-m4i I know its unlikely, but missing out on using a top 2 pick on qb that you might not be enamoured with to get another position filled, go 2-15 next year get the 1 and move on from Daboll and Schoen then might be a better timeline still. I'm not convinced anyone picking Ward or Sanders are going to be as happy as the Washington and the Pats are with their qbs from this draft.

[@MrDavidknigge]

Why didn't the Giants select a QB in the last draft? Instead they selected a great receiver but still have no one to throw him the ball.

[@Ryan-ys2bq]

​@MrDavidknigge because they didn't like Penix, JJ or Bo clearly. They wanted to move up for Maye though, no point forcing a QB pick just because you have a top 10 if you don't like the options. You have to give the top 10 pick 3 to 4 years because sunk cost fallacy (very few do the Josh rosen and bail that soon)

[@MrDavidknigge]

@@Ryan-ys2bq another poor draft choice.