Falcons in free fall after loss to Vikes

NFL fans, rejoice.

We’re entering the final month of the regular season and several key playoff races are heating up.

Nothing is more competitive than the AFC Wild Card Chase, with all three teams currently in position to claim those spots – the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos – sitting at 8-5.

In the NFC, the 8-5 Washington Commanders, who were on a bye in Week 14, may be the most concerned; The Los Angeles Rams (7-6) are one game behind and are fresh off a huge win against the AFC’s runner-up Buffalo Bills.

Everything points to a wild, exciting end to the 2024 season.

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Here are the winners and losers from Sunday of Week 14 in the NFL.

WINNER

The Rams are inconsistent. But if they play well…

You can compete with anyone. Los Angeles earned a huge 44-42 win over the AFC’s No. 2 seed to climb to No. 8, just one game behind the Commanders (8-5), who are in the final wild-card slot.

Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua had a great day, with Nacua completing 12 of 14 targets for 162 yards and a score. Cooper Kupp was also indispensable with 92 yards and another touchdown. Both players helped the Rams convert nearly three quarters (11 of 15; 73%) of their third downs. LA’s defense chose not to spy on Josh Allen and allowed him to run free for 82 yards. Allen also hit .342 and three scores. The difference is that the Rams offer more balance, while the Bills often force Allen to take on an unsustainable level of responsibility. In any case, the Rams’ season could come down to their finale against the current NFC West leader Seattle Seahawks.

The Niners dominate for a much-needed win, but that too comes at a price

It feels like the 49ers can’t catch a break because of their injuries. San Francisco ended a three-game losing streak, defeating the Chicago Bears and taking a 24-point lead with a 38-13 win. This was a game without running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason, although Isaac Guerendo showed great potential.

Guerendo had 17 touchdowns for 128 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns against Chicago before having to leave the game. Coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game that it was believed to be a sprained foot. San Francisco (6-7) is in the 11th^Th is seeded in the NFC and needs a lot of help to get into the playoffs. Edge rusher Nick Bosa and left tackle Trent Williams remained out. Frankly, the Niners are going to need some luck down the stretch — and they need to win the rest of the way.

The Dolphins are salvaging their season, but serious flaws need to be addressed

Miami was on the cusp of the season and fought back late to force the New York Jets into overtime, where it dominated and scored a touchdown on the first drive to prevail 32-26. However, the Dolphins have serious deficiencies that threaten their progress in the home stretch.

The rushing game was anemic; Over the last three games, it has gained just 49.3 yards per contest. Against the Jets, De’Von Achane ran 14 times for just 24 yards. The next rusher was rookie Jaylen Wright (two carries, 7 yards). Overall, the short-range attack was completely ineffective. And the defense has been shattered over the last month. The Dolphins (6-7) remain the AFC’s No. 9 seed, two games behind the seventh-seeded Broncos. But complicating matters for Miami is its Week 7 loss to the Colts (6-7), who would hold the tiebreaker. There is simply no room for error.

The Bucs are riding their new identity to the top of the NFC South

Tampa Bay (7-6) has taken first place in the NFC South on its three-game winning streak, and it’s the fast-paced offense that’s controlling games. Admittedly, the teams that beat the Bucs during this stretch – the Raiders, Panthers and Giants – are three of the worst teams in the NFL, with a combined record of 7-32 (.179). But Tampa Bay outgained each of those teams by an average of 100 yards per game.

This has allowed the Bucs to control the clock, create favorable yardage on third downs and extend drives; Tampa Bay entered the day second in third-down efficiency. The Bucs have record wins this year against the Lions – they are the only team to beat Detroit this season – and the Eagles, but they have another test next week against the Chargers.

LOSER

Fringe teams and candidates in the AFC wild card race

Things are very crowded at the bottom of the AFC playoffs following the Chargers’ loss to the Chiefs on Sunday night. Four teams – including the AFC South-leading Texans – are tied at 8-5. This means that the three teams, the Colts (6-7), Dolphins (6-7) and Bengals (4-8), outside the field but currently in the playoffs, are in extremely difficult situations.

It also means teams like the Ravens (8-5), who have tons of talent but big holes, and the Broncos (8-5), who still have the Chiefs (12-1) and Chargers (8-5) Given their remaining schedule, they cannot afford to stumble in the final month of the season. Even the Steelers (10-3), who play in a difficult league but still have the Chiefs, Eagles (11-2) and Ravens on their schedule, should be cautious.

The real winners here are the fans, who will surely have fun making the wild decision about the Wild Card.

The Falcons’ November nightmare continues into December

It’s time to sound the alarm in Atlanta: The Falcons (6-7), who have lost four straight, are imploding. A month ago, after their Week 9 win over the Cowboys, the Falcons were 6-3 and in third place in the NFC, with a two-game lead in the NFC South.

Now Atlanta is out of the playoff picture entirely (as the current No. 9 seed), has relinquished the division lead, and quarterback Kirk Cousins is on a high. While Atlanta lost four games, Cousins had a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 0:8. Atlanta is also 4 of 13 (30.8%) on red zone conversions over the last four games. Despite generating nine sacks in the last two weeks, the defense continues to miss coverages in the secondary, leading to big plays. This is not winning football.

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Falcons in free fall after loss to Vikes

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