You saw the Los Angeles Rams lose (lose?!) to the Carolina Panthers in the most stunning upset in a week of upsets. You saw the Thanksgiving and Black Friday slate, where the underdogs (Packers, Cowboys, Bengals, Bears) swept. You saw Josh Allen take care of business against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
So let’s try to spin it forward, dive deeper and think outside the box about what we just saw. This is “Sound Smart,” where we prepare you for Monday morning with seven observations from the Sunday slate. If I do my job, you’ll be fluent in the NFL’s Week 13 action.
1. IF THERE’S ONLY ONE THING TO CONSIDER FROM SUNDAY …
It’s that maybe Sam Darnold wouldn’t have fixed this Vikings team.
Back when the NFL schedule came out, Sam Darnold and the Vikings must have circled this week on their calendars. It would be somebody’s revenge game.
Seahawks versus Vikings.
NFC Heavyweights!
But leading into this game, we all knew how it would end — with a Seahawks win. The biggest surprise was that no one would walk away vindicated, if only because the Seahawks were not picking on someone their size. No, this was just a sadly lopsided game where Seattle looked like a superteam compared to the lowly Vikings.
The Vikings’ quarterback problems got to the point where people actually thought — myself included — that Max Brosmer, an undrafted free agent, might be an upgrade over J.J. McCarthy. No, Brosmer was just as bad as (and probably worse than) McCarthy.
Brosmer threw four interceptions.
The Vikings finished the game with 162 yards and 11 first downs on 13 drives.
They were so bad that I wonder if this was inevitable for Minnesota. And rather than thinking, Wow, Darnold really could’ve gotten this team into the playoffs and they should have re-signed him. I found myself thinking, Wow, maybe Darnold actually escaped a Minnesota team that would’ve sunk him.
And the Vikings have to figure out not just who they’ll play at quarterback but also how they’ll support him in ways that they failed to do this year. Coach Kevin O’Connell was awesome last year. But the quarterback whisperer might need to renew his reputation next year — and with whispers to a new quarterback.
But who?
One thing is for sure, Darnold is better off in Seattle, where all he had to do was throw for 128 yards in a blowout win. And given the inconsistency we’ve seen in the NFC, the Seahawks are legit contenders. They seem like the type of team that can support Darnold — and help him face his demons (ghosts?) in big games.
2. LOST MY TRUST & EARNED MY TRUST
Earned my trust: Jerry Jones
No owner is easier to mock than Jerry Jones. No general manager is easier to mock than Jones. And that’s partially because he’s the only guy who does both jobs, for better and for worse. But it’s also because he has the spirit of a Kardashian, enjoying the drama. It’s hard to tell — when Jones makes a major transaction (or doesn’t ink a major contract) — whether he’s doing something for team-building value or for entertainment value.
But just because it’s easy to mock him, it doesn’t mean it’s always right. So when Jones bailed on linebacker Micah Parsons and bought in on defensive tackles Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark (while retaining some draft value in the process), people could not see the logic in it. And they ripped him.
I felt like I could see what Jones was trying to do — rebuilding the Cowboys’ shoddy defense in ways that he once did with the team’s offense in the 1990s after the Herschel Walker trade. It’s actually working. This defense has life, in large part because of Williams, who has been a monumentally better player for the Cowboys than he was for the Jets this season. Now, Parsons remains one of the NFL’s most dominant pass-rushers. That was on full display on Thanksgiving, with Parsons racking up 2.5 sacks and 10 pressures, per Next Gen Stats. But the Cowboys outlasted Patrick Mahomes because of their offense (built around Dak Prescott and their two receivers, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens) and their top-to-bottom defense, which is on the rise.
Mahomes was absolutely incredible. He played one of the best games I’ve seen him play in quite some time. Despite that, the Cowboys kept their season alive.
I’m starting to believe the Cowboys can make the playoffs. Which is empirically stupid. Their chances are just 17%. Make fun of me all you want. Make fun of Jones all you want. I’m starting to believe in the 2025 Cowboys.
Lost my trust: 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall
In the Niners’ first four games, Pearsall put up two 100-yard games and totaled 20 catches for 327. He seemed to be on his way. There was a chance — a good chance — he could be the solution to San Francisco’s receiver problem, with Brandon Aiyuk dealing with injuries (and attitude issues).
And then he suffered a knee injury that knocked him out for six weeks.
In the last three games since his return, he has just five catches for 20 yards. And now, Pearsall remains yet another uncertainty in the Niners’ receiving corps. It hasn’t really mattered, because their defense has been dominant and tight end George Kittle has lifted the passing offense. But it has clouded the picture of whether Pearsall can be WR1.
3. BLIND PASSING CHART TEST
4. WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS AFRAID TO SAY:
The Panthers shouldn’t give Bryce Young a big extension this offseason, but they should exercise his fifth-year option.
The Panthers’ upset over the Rams had me thinking: If the QB keeps this up, Carolina might feel like it has to extend Young.
It was an incredible game from Young — the best of his career. His total EPA was 15.1. His completion percentage over expected was 8.8. He was great against the blitz (5 of 6 for 93 yards). And of course, he was absolutely stellar on money downs, with a pair of long touchdowns on fourth down and a handful of impressive third-down conversions, including the game-clinching throw. He did all that against the Rams, the team we’ve considered the NFL’s best and most complete.
So, yeah, it’s time to start thinking about the Panthers’ level of commitment to Young.
They could extend him as early as this offseason. That has been the trend recently, with teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles signing their quarterbacks to a big deal before their fourth season.
The Dolphins and Giants did their best to wait out Tua Tagovailoa and Daniel Jones, respectively, by going into their fourth year. But both teams ended up signing their guy — and for too much money. By waiting, they ended up backing themselves into a corner.
So how will Carolina handle Young? He has been so hot and cold from game to game. But if he keeps this up down the stretch, maybe the Panthers will consider inking him, especially if he makes a playoff game and/or wins it.
Before considering a long-term commitment, Canales should look at the Miami Dolphins and decide if that’s what’s about to happen to him. Canales and Young are doing roughly what Mike McDaniel and Tua did together when they were at their best. But over the past two years, that all fell apart without the team ever really contending. After his massive contract extension, Tua took on too much cap space for a QB of his value. McDaniel — one of the brightest offensive minds — couldn’t contend with a defense that wasn’t good, especially when his offense began to lose quality talent.
I like Canales. I like Young. Similarly, I like McDaniel and Tua.
The Panthers might not have to rush to decide on an extension, but they do have a deadline on his fifth-year option in May. Unless they plan to part ways with Young this offseason — or bring in direct competition — they should take on that extension. It’s a placeholder (that can burn the team), but is a good piece of contract leverage if they want to sign the guy long term. Plus, it’s a show of good faith that the team wants Young to be their guy for the long term.
5. RANDOM RANKING
The AFC South
- Jacksonville Jaguars: In basically every metric, the other teams are better than Jacksonville. But it’s coach Liam Cohen that has me believing in the Jaguars at this point in the year. He has quietly put himself in consideration for the Coach of the Year award, managing the human roller-coaster that is Trevor Lawrence — and making wins happen despite the erratic QB. There’s so much talent on this Jacksonville roster. Cohen is the first Jaguars coach in a long time who is getting the most out of that talent.
- Houston Texans: The Texans also have a great defense. They also have an erratic QB. They also have a lot of talent. And while DeMeco Ryans has continued to get the most out of his defense, offensive coordinator Nick Caley is still figuring out how to get C.J. Stroud back onto an upward trajectory.
- Indianapolis Colts: Oh no. Is the collapse upon us? Jones continued to look messy on money downs (third and fourth), completing just two of his final seven passes for 44 yards and a sack. His inability to handle blitzes and pressure has proven an Achilles heel in the last few games. The Colts have two games against the Jaguars and another game against the Texans. It might be a heartbreaking finish for Indy.
- Tennessee Titans: At least they haven’t ruined Cam Ward? He could be good!
6. HE SAID WHAT!?
Part 1 — Browns defensive tackle Shelby Harris called 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings “a h–.”
Browns defensive tackle Shelby Harris did not mince words when weighing in on 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings, who exchanged words with Browns defenders after Maliek Collins went down with an injury.
“He’s a h–,” Harris said after the game, via ABC Cleveland’s Camryn Justice. “He said some things that you should not say to another man — ever. But I don’t respect it because you say that and then run behind your O-line. That’s some real soft s—. I want that known. I see exactly why they punched you in the nuts. I’m surprised they didn’t punch you in the jaw yet.”
Jennings was involved in a controversy last week where Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig punched Jennings … between the legs. The NFL gave Moehrig a one-game suspension for it.
Part 2 — NFL analyst Richard Sherman: “I don’t think I have seen any team manhandle the Eagles like the Bears are tonight.”
The Bears own the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and I think I’m as guilty as anyone of conflating the hype around Caleb Williams with the hype around Chicago.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves when it comes to “Cardiac Caleb,” who has been good — and who has improved greatly since the beginning of the season. But his progress has not been the reason the Bears are such a good football team right now.
No, that’s because of coach Ben Johnson. (Who, by the way, is partially to credit for Johnson’s progress.)
Johnson has modeled his team after the Detroit Lions, who — for years — have displayed a rare blend of toughness and flashy explosiveness. That’s what the Bears are. And by borrowing the Lions’ identity, they have seemingly drained Detroit to fill up Chicago with that identity.
We saw that against the Eagles, who are a flagging team — lost for an identity. Richard Sherman said it. The Bears absolutely manhandled the Eagles. Even when they’re vulnerable, that’s not easy to do. The Bears aren’t the best team in football. But they’re dangerous. And they’re a heck of a lot of fun.
7. WHAT I’M THANKFUL FOR …
Football is a remarkable game. But in my line of work, it’s easy to focus on tense, complicated or fraught topics. It’s Thanksgiving weekend, so it feels like a great moment to acknowledge all the football things I’m grateful for …
The players … deceptive eyes … quarterback controversies … Jahmyr Gibbs … Micah Parsons … Jaxon Smith-Njigba … the ghost rush … “The eye in the sky don’t lie” … fourth-quarter comebacks … a type of onside kick you’ve never seen before … exotic third-down blitzes … seeing a blockbuster at the NFL trade deadline … Tex stunt … left tackle “eligible receiver” touchdowns … that feeling you get in early April that the draft will never arrive … that friend you ask for fantasy football advice … Andy Reid … Patrick Mahomes … Tom Brady … LaDainian Tomlinson … “Let’s name some guys” … Kenbrell Thompkins … no-look throws …
What did I forget? Hit me up on Twitter, email, whatever.
ANSWER: BLIND PASSING CHART TEST
The Bears helped Caleb Williams get a win on Friday. Not the other way around.
Before joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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