Gang Green Grounded

Good morning. This is the Opening Drive, the weekly newsletter that brings you the best of the NFL so you’re always the smartest one at the water cooler.

The Jets will miss the playoffs for a 14th straight year, extending the longest active drought in all four major U.S. sports, the Chiefs clinch the AFC West, Josh Allen made NFL history, Saquon passed ‘Shady’ McCoy, we got a ‘scorigami’ in the Dolphins game, and tickets for the Giants game were selling for $1.00—yes you read that right.

Let’s dive in.

QUICK HITS

• Chiefs ‘doink’ it in to win over the Chargers, capture 9th straight AFC West Division crown (Yahoo Sports)

• Eagles extend winning streak to nine straight (Bleacher Report)

• Josh Allen makes NFL history with three passing and three rushing touchdowns in a single game (CBS Sports)

• Sam Darnold throws career high five TDs in Vikings route of Cousins and Falcons (Pro Football Focus)

• Russell Wilson throws two TDs, Steelers beat Browns 27-14 (PFT)

• Rams fend off late comeback, hang on to defeat Bills 44-42 in highest scoring game of the season (CBS Sports)

• Seahawks run away from Cardinals in 30-18 win (SBNation)

• 49ers beat the Bears 38-13 to spoil Thomas Brown's coaching debut (ESPN)

• Jaguars score final 10 points, end Titans' slim playoff hopes with 10-6 win (CBS Sports)

• Cousins throws away Falcons' chances, and possibly their season, in return to Minnesota (Yahoo Sports)

• Saints QB Derek Carr leaves win over Giants early with hand injury (Yahoo Sports)

• Tampa Bay survives scare, moves into NFC South lead (Bucs Nation)

• Dolphins knock off Jets 32-26 in overtime (PFT)

• Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is the first player in NFL history to surpass 7,000 receiving yards in his first five seasons (PFT)

• Jets extend brutal playoff drought to 14 straight seasons (Clutch Points)

• Fans are ready to see Kirk Cousins benched in favor of Michael Penix Jr. (SI.com)

• Derek Carr suffered fracture to left hand (PFT)

• The Lions are holding out hope that Aidan Hutchinson could return if they make it to the NFC Championship Game (Yahoo Sports)

• George Pickens fined $20,462 for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties (PFT)

• Ticket prices for the Saints-Giants game were going for as low as $1.00 ahead of Sunday’s matchup (Daily Snark)

• Lions fan who taunted Packers and coach Matt LaFleur during pregame on Thursday night was asked to leave (PFT)

• NFL teams are budgeting for the 2025 salary cap in $265M - $275M range (NFL.com)

• A jury has convicted a Santa Clara politician of perjury after he lied about leaking a classified document to the San Francisco 49ers (FOS)

• NFL reaches a milestone for women in officiating (Football Zebras)

WHO’S UP?

The Eagles. The Philadelphia Eagles continued their winning ways on Sunday, notching their 9th consecutive victory with a 22-16 triumph over the Carolina Panthers and clinching a spot in the playoffs. The win improves Philadelphia's record to 11-2, keeping them firmly in the #2 seed in the NFC behind only the 12-1 Detroit Lions.

While not their most impressive performance, the Eagles did enough to get past a scrappy Panthers squad. Quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and added another score on the ground, bringing his season rushing touchdown total to 13.

The star of the day was running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 124 yards and broke LeSean McCoy's franchise single-season rushing record in the process. Barkley now has 1,623 rushing yards on the year with four games still to play.

Despite some offensive struggles, the Eagles defense came up big when it mattered most. Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson's second quarter interception swung momentum, while cornerback Darius Slay's pass breakup on the final drive sealed the victory.

At 11-2, Philadelphia is hitting its stride at the perfect time as the playoffs approach. Their nine-game win streak has them looking like legitimate Super Bowl contenders. If they can maintain the #2 seed, a potential NFC Championship showdown with the Lions looms large.

While there's still work to be done, the Eagles appear poised for a deep postseason run behind their dynamic offense and opportunistic defense. The next month will be crucial as they look to secure home field advantage and enter the playoffs firing on all cylinders.

WHO’S DOWN?

Kirk Cousins. Kirk Cousins' return to Minnesota turned into a nightmare for the Atlanta Falcons, as the Vikings cruised to a 42-21 victory in Week 14. Cousins, who parted ways with Minnesota last season, was thoroughly outplayed by his replacement, Sam Darnold.

The Falcons' quarterback woes continued as Cousins threw two interceptions, bringing his total to six in the last four games. This dismal performance follows a four-interception debacle against the Chargers last week, raising serious questions about Cousins' ability to lead the team.

Darnold, on the other hand, shined with five touchdown passes, including two to Justin Jefferson. The Vikings' defense stifled Cousins all day, holding him to zero touchdowns.

Atlanta's struggles weren't limited to Cousins, as the team committed 12 penalties for 127 yards, the most by any NFL team this season. The loss drops the Falcons out of first place in the NFC South, surrendering control of their playoff destiny.

Calls to bench Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. are growing louder. Despite head coach Raheem Morris' insistence that "Kirk Cousins is our quarterback," the veteran's recent performances make it increasingly difficult to justify keeping him as the starter.

With several winnable games remaining, the Falcons face a critical decision: stick with the struggling Cousins or give Penix a chance to salvage their season. As pressure mounts, Atlanta must weigh their significant financial investment in Cousins against the need for improved quarterback play.

BEST LOOK 🔥 

Bills and Rams was close to uniform nirvana

Chiefs and Chargers was actual uniform nirvana

Great 🏴‍☠️ combo

Panthers with a sneaky good uni

Loved Josh Allen’s cleats

STAT OF THE WEEK

With his 124 rushing yards on Sunday, Saquon Barkley passed LeSean McCoy for the most rushing yards in a single season in Eagles franchise history. Barkley is at 1,499 yards and on pace for 2,214 yards this season.

BONUS stat of the week:

The Dolphins and Jets game, which finished with a score of 32-26, was the 1,089th unique score in NFL history. Until Sunday, that score combination had never happened, ever.

MEMES OF THE WEEK

It’s not just the offense that’s the problem for the Jets

Cowboys catching strays after TNF

Jameis is on a generational run of memes

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