MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

They should and probably will.

 

Justin Fields: Win on Sunday would mean a lot to the Bears



The Bears’ season will be over whether they win, lose or draw on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean they are heading into their game against the Packers without care for the result.

A win will put the Packers into the playoffs and Bears quarterback Justin Fields made it clear on Wednesday that keeping that from happening is motivation enough for the team to come up with a big effort in Green Bay.

“I think it would mean a lot to the team, the fans, the city,” Fields said, via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I think it’d be great. We know Green Bay’s playing for a lot, what’s at stake. They’re playing for a playoff spot right now. So I just think that with all of that on the table it would be a great feeling to end the season with a win in Lambeau up there.”

Fields left out what a win would mean for him, but it would be a good final act as the Bears move toward some big decisions this offseason. With the first overall pick in the draft, the Bears have a choice to make about picking one of the top quarterbacks coming out of college or committing to Fields as he moves into his fourth NFL season.

There will be arguments on both sides, to be sure, but leading the Bears to wins in five of their final six games while showing off improved play makes Fields a more appealing option than he was at the start of the year.

PFT

 

Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts tied with an NFL-record 15 rushing TDs, with one game to go

Prior to this season, no quarterback in NFL history had ever recorded 15 rushing touchdowns in a season. This season, two quarterbacks have done it.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts both have 15 rushing touchdowns this season, meaning they’ve both broken the NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. Prior to this season, the record was 14, set by Cam Newton in 2011.

Allen and Hurts both have a chance to add to their totals on Sunday, with Allen’s Bills taking on the Dolphins and Hurts’ Eagles taking on the Giants. Allen ran for a touchdown in the Bills’ previous meeting with the Dolphins this season, and Hurts ran for a touchdown in the Eagles’ previous meeting with the Giants, so no one should be surprised if they add to their total.

Both Allen and Hurts likely have plenty more years remaining in their careers, but they’re already near the top of the all-time rushing touchdown list for quarterbacks: Newton is the all-time record holder with 75 rushing touchdowns, Allen is second in NFL history with 53, Steve Young is third with 43 and Hurts is fourth with 41.

PFT

 

Baker Mayfield will play Sunday



Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is good to go for Sunday.

Mayfield injured his ribs late in last Sunday’s game against the Saints, but was able to practice on Thursday and head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Friday that Mayfield is going to start against the Panthers in the regular season finale.

A win in that game will make the Buccaneers the NFC South champions for the third straight season and it would send Mayfield to the playoffs for the second time in his career.

Bowles said that everyone else on the 53-man roster is also good to go. Cornerback Carlton Davis and edge rusher Shaq Barrett both missed the Saints game, but they have been practicing this week.

PFT

 

Texans rookie QB C.J. Stroud on win-and-in game vs. Colts: 'The time is now'

The Houston Texans are a year ahead of where most predicted entering the season, with a playoff berth on the line Saturday night in Indianapolis.

Houston went all in on the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting C.J. Stroud No. 2 overall and trading up to add edge rusher Will Anderson No. 3 overall. Couple those studs with a Coach of the Year-type season from DeMeco Ryans, young players like Derrick Stingley Jr., Nico Collins and others making massive strides, and the Texans are on the rise.

But Houston isn't satisfied with being ahead of schedule in their rebuild. They want that postseason bid.

"The time is now," Stroud said, via the team's official website. "It's not next year. It's not the year after that. It's right now. We have the opportunity to control our own destiny. I'm excited to do that."

The winner of Saturday night's Texans-Colts tilt is assured of a playoff spot -- either an AFC South title with a Jacksonville loss on Sunday or a wild-card berth.

Regardless of the outcome, what's happening in Houston is a resounding success -- no ands, ifs, or buts about it.

Of course, rightfully, that's not what they're focusing on in the locker room.

"As our guys said, we didn't come this far just to get this far," Ryans said. "We have a lot to still play for that's ahead of us."

We've seen teams "ahead of schedule" in a rebuild crumble in years after making an unexpected postseason bid -- see: 2023 New York Giants. But with Stroud and a host of young players sporting key roles and Ryans' leadership, it feels like the Texans will have staying power for seasons to come.

NFL.com

 

Kevin Stefanski: Joe Flacco’s Super Bowl MVP experience resonates with his teammates

It’s not often that a Super Bowl MVP quarterback is available in the middle of the season, but the Browns are glad they found one.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski says the arrival of Joe Flacco, who went from his couch to Cleveland after Deshaun Watson’s season-ending injury and is now preparing to lead the Browns into the playoffs, has meant a lot to his teammates. Stefanski calls Flacco’s experience, as a player who won a Super Bowl MVP with the Ravens, important to the whole team.

“Joe, it’s the been there, done that. I mean, he’s been to the Super Bowl, won the Super Bowl,” Stefanski said, via Cleveland.com. “He’s been in those big moments. So, I think he carries that with him. He doesn’t tell anybody that. I mean, the players know that. But in these games, when you’re in the huddle and you have a guy that you trust in those moments, I think it resonates with the offense, certainly, and probably with the team as well.”

Flacco is taking Sunday’s regular-season finale off because the Browns have already clinched their playoff position, but he’ll start for the Browns in the wild card round as they attempt something that no one would have thought possible a few months ago: A run to a second Super Bowl for Flacco.

PFT
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Experience goes a long way.

 

Patrick Mahomes finishes with the worst statistical season of his career

Patrick Mahomes’ worst season is still a good season by the standard of most quarterbacks, but his stats from 2023 represent easily the worst of his NFL career.

Mahomes, whose regular season is over as he’ll sit out on Sunday to stay healthy for the playoffs, finished with the worst numbers of any of his six seasons as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback.

Mahomes averaged 7.0 yards per pass, the worst of his career. He averaged 261.4 passing yards per game, the worst of his career. He threw a touchdown on 4.5 percent of his passes, the lowest of his career. He threw an interception on 2.3 percent of his passes, the highest of his career. His passer rating was 92.6, the worst of his career. He was sacked on 4.33 percent of his dropbacks, the most of his career.

Those are all still acceptable numbers, but the Chiefs have come to rely on Mahomes not to be just acceptable, but to be the greatest quarterback in the NFL. That’s been particularly difficult for Mahomes this year, when he’s been saddled with the worst supporting cast of his career. The Chiefs’ receivers have combined to drop 40 passes this season, or 6.6 percent of their targets, according to Pro Football Reference. Those are both the worst marks in the NFL this season.

So getting Mahomes back on track may be more about getting his receivers playing better than about anything Mahomes himself needs to do. A better supporting cast will be a focal point for the Chiefs in the offseason. Whether that supporting cast can play better in the postseason remains to be seen.

PFT

 

They did... per; Yahoo

When Joe Flacco signed with the Browns this season, he signed an incentive-laden contract that would pay him more the better he and the team did. It's fair to say he has exceeded expectations.

So to reward him for that, the Browns have decided to go ahead pay Flacco a $75,000 bonus that he won't be able to earn on Sunday because he is sitting out with the Browns having already clinched their playoff spot.

According to Field Yates of ESPN, Flacco's deal includes a $75,000 incentive for each game he plays at least 50 percent of the Browns' offensive snaps and the Browns win. Flacco will rest in Sunday's regular-season finale to be healthy for the playoffs, but the Browns converted that incentive to a $75,000 roster bonus for being on the 53-player roster. So Flacco gets the money, even though he won't play and regardless of whether the Browns win.

It's a nice gesture from the Browns for a player who has rescued their season by showing up off the couch and playing at a far higher level than anyone could have expected.

 

Kwesi Adofo Mensah: “Certainly my intention” to bring Kirk Cousins back

Quarterback Kirk Cousins will hit the open market as a free agent in March if the Vikings don’t sign him to a new contract and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah discussed the team’s plans on that front during a Wednesday press conference.

Cousins was off to a great start in 2023 with 2,331 yards and 18 passing touchdowns before he tore his Achilles in the Vikings’ eighth game of the season and Adofo-Mensah said on Wednesday that he is heading into the offseason hoping “to find a place in the middle” in talks with Cousins about extending his stay in Minnesota.

“Yeah. I’ve been pretty consistent with that. Kirk the player is somebody that, as we saw what he does to this team, I thought we were playing really good football before he got injured. It’s the most important position in sports,” Adofo-Mensah said, via Jeff Wald of Fox 9. “It ultimately always comes down to can you find an agreement that works for both sides and all those things, but as a player it’s certainly my intention to have him back here.”

Cousins said recently that winning football games is his top priority when he signs his next contract and said that he’s not going to “try to sell myself” to teams. Cousins won’t have to sell himself to a Vikings team that fell short of the playoffs after cycling through three other starting quarterbacks, but it remains to be seen if the other pieces will all fall into place.

NBC

 

Give him 2 years at a good rate and draft a QB, the end.

 

• Behind Joe Flacco, QB Jeff Driskel will be the No. 2 quarterback going forward, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt told reporters.

 

NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark reports Jalen Hurts (finger) “did not throw the ball much at all, if at all” during Thursday’s practice.

Hurts sustained a dislocated finger on his throwing hand during the Eagles’ Week 18 loss to the Giants. Subsequent X-rays showed Hurts avoided a fracture. “This is a tough injury,” Clark said. “Hopefully [Hurts] will be able to throw before heading to Tampa on Sunday.” Hurts should suit up for the team’s Super Wild Card Weekend game against the Bucs, though his passing could be limited by the finger injury. The once-dominant Philly offense is severely banged up headed into the postseason.

 

I havnt heard an update for today, but this is obviously a huge concern for the Eagles.

 

Good news from Eagles practice today. Hurts was listed as a full participant.

 

News you cant use... might even make you snooze.

Stroud was 6 years old when Flacco made his NFL debut.

 

Steelers intend to have competition for Kenny Pickett at QB entering 2024

Even after Kenny Pickett recovered from his late-season ankle injury, the Steelers stuck with the proverbial “hot hand” by starting Mason Rudolph at quarterback.

In his end-of-season press conference on Thursday, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin said the plan entering the offseason is for Pickett to be the club’s QB1. But, Tomlin said, “Obviously, there will be competition.”

“There’s always competition in this thing,” Tomlin said. “We don’t anoint anyone. Man, I’m appreciative of [Pickett’s] efforts and where he is and excited about continuing to work with him. But certainly, he will be challenged from a competition perspective moving forward. Competition brings the best out in all of us.”

At this point, Tomlin said that the Steelers hope Rudolph will be a part of that competition. But Rudolph is a free agent, so there’s no guarantee of that.

“We’ve got a lot of decisions regarding free agency,” Tomlin said. “Mason is going to be a free agent. So I’d be speculating about some of those things.”

Receiver Diontae Johnson mentioned this week that he’d like to have Rudolph be the starter next season. Asked about that, Tomlin said he’s not concerned about a potential rift in the locker room when it comes to quarterback.

“I think competition is good,” Tomlin said. “I think it’s good for all of us. I think it brings out the best in all of us.”

In 12 games this season, Pickett completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,070 yards with just six touchdowns and four interceptions. His passer rating was 81.4.

Rudolph completed 74.3 percent of his throws in four appearances with three starts, passing for 719 yards with three touchdowns and no picks — good for a 118.0 passer rating. In the playoff loss to Buffalo, Rudolph was 22-of-39 for 229 yards with two touchdowns and one pick.

PFT

 

Now Mike Florio at PFT is spreading the rumor of Kirk Cousins and Belichick teaming up in Atlanta.

 

lol

I can't see that happening.

I think the Vikings are going to make an offer that Kirk can retire in purple on.

 

I really hope so, but you just never know. Im thinking Cousins on a 2 year deal would be ideal and he could mentor a drafty like Nix or someone similar.