Sunday’s action in Week 16 saw the elimination of the reigning NFC champions, the debut of Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons’ starting QB and the Commanders’ retention of the NFC East race.

JAMISONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

📺 #PHIvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/k718liTMwK

– Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 22, 2024

The athlete NFL writers Mike Jones, Ted Nguyen and Michael Silver share their thoughts on all of these storylines and more.

Did Sunday’s performance earn Jayden Daniels the Offensive Rookie of the Year award?

Jones: Jayden Daniels has led the field for most of the season. Yes, Bo Nix plays well; yes, Brock Bowers is a stud; But Daniels definitely wears the Commander. He was the catalyst for their franchise’s turnaround, on and off the field. Sunday’s comeback win over the Eagles should dispel any doubts about his ROY qualities. However, the commanders’ performance was certainly not pretty. Teams that turn the ball over four times and incur 100 yards worth of penalties are not allowed to win games against one of their conference’s elite teams. Yes, the loss of Jalen Hurts changed things for the Eagles, but Daniels never batted an eyelid on Sunday, and when the game was on the line, he was as determined as can be and marched with his team down to give them victory And the decisive playoff title that ends a four-year drought for this long-suffering franchise.

Nguyen: Nix still has a few games left against the Bengals and Chiefs. If he plays well and the Broncos win these two games, I think he still has a chance to win. I wouldn’t say it’s over, but Daniel’s performance against the Eagles will make him a lot harder to catch. I’m not sure the Commanders will win this game if Hurts isn’t shut down, but Daniels was still productive (five touchdown passes and 81 yards receiving) against arguably the best defense in the league. To me, Daniels was more impressive because a lot of the offense relies on his ability to create. It’s also a great sign that he appears so confident in these difficult situations. But recency bias is real, so the final two games of the season will remain fresh in voters’ minds.

Silver: I hate to decide these things before the season is over, but I find it hard to imagine that Daniels isn’t the guy who led the Commanders to that epic comeback win against the Eagles. Although Nix and Brock Bowers have compelling arguments, I’ve viewed Daniels as the leading candidate since September, when he made it clear he had the “it” factor that every team craves at the sport’s most important position. He does more than nothing and his attitude and playing talent are uncanny. After all these dark days for this franchise, the sun is shining on so many fronts (ownership, stadium, etc.). Daniels is the brightest light of all.

Any initial thoughts on Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons starter?

Nguyen: The Falcons chose a great play to insert Penix as a starter – the Giants defense stinks. Regardless, Penix did what Kirk Cousins ​​couldn’t – he moved, made tough throws and the offense opened up. Bijan Robinson really benefited from having Penix on the field; Penix’s threat to the goalkeepers opened up some running lanes for him. Penix is ​​an older freshman and his poise and preparation were evident. His only interception came when tight end Kyle Pitts dropped a pass that ended up in the hands of a Giants defender. Falcon fans should be encouraged in this regard. There’s a lot of talent in this offense and Penix’s skillset seems to help unlock it all.

Silver: It was a promising debut for the rookie, who found himself in a must-win situation in his first NFL start. Penix’s one major mistake wasn’t really his fault: Pitts, one of the most overrated players in recent NFL history, failed to handle a pass near the goal line, and the Giants capitalized on a poison interception. Could the Falcons have won this game against a woeful team that was playing the series with Kirk Cousins ​​at quarterback? Probably. However, Penix showed great potential and set up another must-win start next Sunday night against Daniels and the Commanders.

Juggled and blocked by the Giants at the goal line!

📺: #NYGvsATL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/PdRfXIGHCa

– NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024

Jones: Penix was solid. He completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards and one interception – he was a good game manager for the Falcons against the lowly Giants. For the most part he made good decisions and showed a good feel for the game. Atlanta’s coaches wisely didn’t put too much on his shoulders. They leaned on running backs Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, who combined for 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Penix basically did everything the Falcons hoped he would in his debut.

Do you agree with the Rams being touted as “the team no one wants to see in the NFC playoffs”?

Silver: I mean, let’s be honest: The Lions are the team no one wants to see in the NFC playoffs, but that’s kind of obvious, so I’ll stick with the premise here. Yes, the Rams are hot; This is similar to what happened last season, when Sean McVay’s team won seven of the final eight games of the regular season and beat Detroit all the way in the wild-card round. When Matthew Stafford starts — as he did two Sundays ago against the Bills — LA’s offense is scary. Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp and (now) Tyler Higbee are healthy, Kyren Williams is running it effectively and Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Jared Verse is part of an improving unit. The Rams are in a good position to win the NFC West and host a first-round playoff game, possibly against the Green Bay Packers. If they stay hot – or get hotter – they could be a problem in January.

Jones: You are certainly one of them. This is the Rams team Sean McVay and Les Snead expected they would have this season, but injuries derailed things early and LA’s players and coaches had to struggle out of it Free the hole they had fallen into. Now they’re healthy on offense, their young players on defense have grown into their roles and the Rams are reaching their full potential. The win against the Jets wasn’t exactly a statement win. But it was another example of the Rams taking care of business, and with this win, LA snapped a four-game winning streak and remains in control of the NFC West at 9-6 with just two weeks left . That momentum should continue into the postseason, when the Rams certainly have a chance to prevail.

Nguyen: The Rams got healthy at the right time and are playing well. When they have their offensive stars on the field, they are as good as anyone with Stafford shooting skillfully behind center. Their defensive backs and running game are suspect, but when they take an early lead and force teams to pass, they have a strong pass rush. Their 9-6 record is the result of their bad luck with injuries early in the season. With a healthy roster, they’re more of a 12-win team – so teams should be tired of seeing a team of this caliber in the playoffs.

(Top photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)