Five Wide: 2024 Week Seventeen
By Thomas Willoughby
Back in my day, the NFL season would be over. 16 games, a nice, round record, and only 12 teams remaining. Now, thanks to capitalism’s desire for exponential growth, we’ve got one more regular season game to play. Is the league better for it? No not really. Am I complaining? I mean, yes, but only because that’s another week I need to pour my own emotional resources into a team that seemingly actively hates me.
Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you’re all well rested and ready to make 2025 your own! Christ I sound like a line manager in an office job. Anyway, here’s the first Five Wide of 2025
Genuine Coach of the Year
Week Nine, first section. Somehow they did it. I can’t believe it. Is it more the state of the 2024 NFC West that The Rams managed to win the division with a week to spare? Or are the Rams a secret dark horse? I can’t really tell. But they’re 10-6. Sean McVay. A wizard.
What’s more, there doesn’t feel like an obvious coaching job comparable to what McVay has achieved here. Dan Quinn and Jim Harbaugh taking the Commanders and Chargers respectively to the playoffs, maybe? Did anyone have the Rams finishing above the Seahawks, let alone the 49ers? Not me, that’s for sure. Yes, San Francisco had a horrible time of it, but they still had to get it done. Can’t believe it. Sean McVay. A bloody wizard.
Changes at the bottom
A few weeks back, I did a bit of a cheat-sheet as to who’s in the running for the elusive first overall pick. Since then, both the Raiders and the Giants have won, blowing their chances. Vegas, incredibly, are on a winning streak, and have tumbled out of the top 5 all together.
So now, we have a new occupier of the number one spot. The former juggernaut New England Patriots are one defeat away from the first overall pick. On Sunday, they host their in-division rivals, the Buffalo Bills, who are likely to rest their starters ahead of their playoff campaign.
This kind of feels like the ideal scenario for the Patriots. Drake Maye, their first round pick from the 2024 crop, kind of looks the business. They’re not in a position where they need to look at the QB spot. I count 6 sides in the (current) top 10 who would love a shot at Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. Lose the game, sell the pick to the highest bidder, and pour all your resources into supporting the new face of the franchise.
Though, if I’m Buffalo, I’m doing everything I can to derail that roadmap as much as possible. Load up your roster with lads from Canada. Your future might depend on it.
Play Ins
A crazy week in the NFL has us down to the final two playoff spots. One wildcard slot in the AFC, and one divisional title in the NFC. It all comes down to this.
As it stands, the Denver Broncos are playing playoff football. Their path is simple; beat Kansas City, and they’re in. It’s looking very likely the Chiefs will rest their starters, too, making that job slightly more straightforward. Lose, however, and the door is opened for either the Dolphins (@ Jets), or Bengals (@ Steelers). I expect the Broncos to get it done, but the Dolphins will jump them if they falter. Sorry Cincy. Burrow’s been really good, though.
The NFC South is a mess, but it’s very very straightforward. Thanks to the Falcons ineptitude over the course of the season, Tampa Bay just need to beat the 5-11 Saints (whom they defeated 51-27 earlier this season). Easy. In the unlikely event Spencer Rattler has a career defining game in him, however, the door is slightly ajar for the Abysmal Falcons, assuming they can defeat the 4-12 Carolina Panthers at home. Congratulations to the Buccaneers, in short.
Define "valuable"
The MVP conversation seems to be focussing on two main characters; Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Despite Jackson besting Allen in every individual statistic this season, it appears the favourite for the gong is the Buffalo Bills’ QB. On the Bills/Jets broadcast, Tony Romo suggested Allen might win it because Jackson has already won it twice. Bizarre reason, if that indeed comes to pass.
That feels a bit premature, though, right? Both Jared Goff and Sam Darnold have lead their sides to the doorstep of the NFCs first seed (a Sunday night showdown is very fun, by the way), and have been excellent on the way. If the Bengals somehow sneak into the post-season, Burrow will have had arguably the most impressive individual season of every QB involved. And what of Saquon Barkley, who literally wrote himself into the history books this week by surpassing 2000 rushing yards in 2024. He’s 101 yards from setting the rushing yards season record. Eric Dickerson will hope he’s benched this weekend.
The conversation feels too narrow, is what I’m saying. And, if it is to be Lamar vs Allen, it’s Lamar. Come on.
Slow Moving Carousel
There are currently 4 teams with a 3-13 record, which would usually be grounds to have your head coach fired. Of those 4, however, am I crazy for thinking none of those sides will be in a rush to make a change at the position? New England have been horrendous this year, of course, but the Jerod Mayo had been courted for this role for a while. Would be strange to hit the panic button after one year with a bad roster?
Titans feel the most likely, to me, to make a move. Unlike New England, who can at least hang their hat on Drake Maye, they have nothing to be excited about coming out of this season. Tying a new head coach and a new QB (assuming they land a top 2 pick) feels like the right move to reignite interest in Tennessee. Would it be harsh on Brian Callahan? Probably. But thems the breaks, I’m afraid.
Neither the Browns or Giants move. Kevin Stefanski would be top of everyone’s list if he was moved on, and Brian Daboll has next to nothing to work with on offense, outside of Malik Nabers. Both have been hamstrung by their quarterback options. Both will get another crack at it in 2025.
Features Image Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Thomas Willoughby
NFL ANALYST
THOMAS IS A WRITER, AND REGULAR GUEST ON THE TOUCHDOWN REVIEW SHOW PODCAST, FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. YOU CAN FIND HIM @WILLO290592 ON TWITTER