December 09, 2025
Week 14 is in the books, and the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers squandered opportunities to put their stamps on the NFC East and NFC South, while the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks have separated from the rest of the NFC. There are no new obituaries this week.
None.
10) Buccaneers (7-6): The Bucs lost at home to the Saints (OOF!), blowing a huge opportunity to pull away from the Panthers. The Bucs still hold a tiebreaker over the Panthers, though the two teams haven't played each other yet. The Bucs' and Panthers' remaining schedules:
| Week | Bucs | Panthers |
| 15 | Falcons | At Saints |
| 16 | At Panthers | Buccaneers |
| 17 | At Dolphins | Seahawks |
| 18 | Panthers | At Buccaneers |
I'd watch a Bucs-Panthers game for the division Week 18. But ultimately, whoever wins this division is going to get wrecked by whichever of the Rams or Seahawks doesn't win the NFC West.
Last week: 8
9) Panthers (7-6): It was a huge bye week for the Panthers, who as noted above are now even with the Bucs, but with a -50 point differential on the season. NFL point differentials, by division:
• NFC West: +285
• NFC North: +138
• AFC East: +85
• AFC South: +66
• AFC West: +28
• NFC East: -167
• AFC North: -189
• NFC South: -246
Last week: 10
8) Cowboys (6-6-1): George Pickens has had a phenomenal season. 78 catches, 1,179 yards, 8 TDs. But he rightfully got called out for a weak effort in the Cowboys' Thursday night loss to the Lions, via @WarrenSharp.
Also, two things about the TNF broadcast:
• If you did a shot every time Kirk Herbstreit referred to Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer as "Schotty," you'd have been dead by the middle of the second quarter.
• It's funny how often Herbstreit said the Cowboys could "run the table" all while their defense couldn't do anything to stop a Lions offense that had been shut down in recent weeks.
Last week: 7
7) Lions (8-5): There are some weeks when the Lions have everything working offensively, and they look like the team that went 15-2 in 2024. For example, against the Cowboys:
• Jared Goff was 25 of 34 for 309 yards, a TD, and no INTs.
• Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown combined for 13 catches for 188 yards.
• Jahmyr Gibbs had 7 catches on 7 targets for 77 yards, and 3 rushing TDs.
• David Montgomery had 6 carries for 60 yards and a 35-yard TD.
And then there are other weeks they look like the 8 seed that they are presently.
They obviously have a lot of talent, but losing both coordinators and other other coaching assistants has taken a toll on their consistency.
Last week: 9
6) Eagles (8-5): Remember back in the offseason, when every jabroni with a keyboard put out quarterback rankings?
It always fascinated me how little credit Jalen Hurts got for how good the Eagles' rushing attack was.
Let's look at the divisional round against the Rams, for example. First quarter, zone read, Jared Verse is going to be all over Saquon Barkley, so Hurts keeps it and runs for a 44-yard TD.
A big part of the offensive philosophy and identity was built on the quarterback being a weapon as a runner. Opposing defenses had to respect it, and because of that, he also put Barkley in favorable positions to break off long runs, like he did all season long.
For example, later in the game against the Rams, here's another zone read. Verse is purposely left unblocked and he respects the possibility of Hurts keeping the ball. Hurts gives to Barkley, and Verse is now eliminated from the play by the threat of a Hurts keeper. The Eagles get hat-on-hat blocking across the board up front, including a pancake by Mekhi Becton, and all Barkley has to do is beat the safety for a 62-yard TD run:
That's all pretty basic stuff. There's nothing that's all that creative or groundbreaking schematically.
In 2025, the threat of Hurts as a runner is not part of the offensive identity the way that it has been since he became the starter in 2021. Opposing defenses don't fear it, and when the Eagles try to go back to it on rare occasions, it's not as effective because it's not who they sought out to be this season, and it's far from the well-oiled machine it once was. (It also doesn't help that the offensive line isn't playing like it did in 2024, though the shift in identity is likely part of that.)
As we have mentioned here over the past couple of weeks, it's my understanding that Hurts does not want a lot of designed quarterback runs in the game plan. And I think that what we're finding out this season is that if this major strength of his game is being put to waste, then he kind of is what the keyboard jabronis said he is.
Last week: 5
5) 49ers (9-4): The Niners entered their Week 14 bye week as the 7 seed in the NFC, and they were guaranteed to pass either the Packers or Bears in the standings, as long as that game didn't end in a tie.
But really, it's wasn't a very fruitful bye week for the Niners, as the Rams, Seahawks, Packers, and Lions all won. Their remaining schedule:
Week 15: Titans
Week 16: At Colts
Week 17: Bears
Week 18: Seahawks
That Colts game just got easier with Riley Leonard (?) or maybe even Philip Rivers (lol) at quarterback.
Last week: 6
4) Bears (9-4): The Bears entered Week 14 as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They'll exit it as the 7 seed after losing to the Packers.
Ben Johnson has helped the Bears become a legitimately good offense this season, but he got a little lesson in running his mouth on Sunday. During his introductory press conference after becoming the Bears' head coach, here's what he had to say about Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
And here's what the postgame handshake looked like after the Packers held off the Bears:
If you're going to run your mouth, you better back it up.
This is probably the appropriate spot to show the NFC standings/seeding:
| Seed | Team | Record |
| 1 | Rams | 10-3 |
| 2 | Packers | 9-3-1 |
| 3 | Eagles | 8-5 |
| 4 | Buccaneers | 7-6 |
| 5 | Seahawks | 10-3 |
| 6 | 49ers | 9-4 |
| 7 | Bears | 9-4 |
| 8 | Lions | 8-5 |
| 9 | Panthers | 7-6 |
| 10 | Cowboys | 6-6-1 |
| 11 | Vikings ☠️ | 5-8 |
| 12 | Vikings ☠️ | 4-9 |
| 13 | Cardinals ☠️ | 3-10 |
| 14 | Commanders ☠️ | 3-10 |
| 15 | Saints ☠️ | 3-10 |
| 16 | Giants ☠️ | 2-11 |
Three of the Bears' remaining games are against the NFC North-leading Packers; the 9-4 49ers, currently the 6 seed; and the 8-5 Lions, who are currently the first team out of the playoffs, but who already have a win over the Bears, way back in Week 2.
Those are all extremely high-leverage games for Chicago's playoff hopes. The Bears could pretty easily go from the 1 seed to out of the playoffs entirely.
Last week: 4
3) Packers (9-3-1): I was impressed by the Packers' offensive line while watching Bears-Packers live, and Shawn Syed did a great job of showing how they obliterated the Bears' blitz on Sunday:
Honestly, that's a pretty dumb defensive scheme by the Bears. They're just begging to get ripped apart by explosive plays. The Eagles had opportunities to make the Bears pay on blitzes Week 13, but they didn't execute. The Packers actually did Week 14.
Last week: 3
2) Seahawks (10-3): The last two weeks, opposing quarterbacks are 34 of 60 for 288 yards (4.8 YPA) with 0 TDs and 6 INTs.
OK, so, those quarterbacks were Max Brosmer and Kirk Cousins, but when the Seahawks' defense smells blood they are relentless.
If they are able to win out, the Seahawks will be the 1 seed in the NFC.
1) Rams (10-3): In my opinion one sign of a great team is when they lose a game they probably shouldn't one week and then come out and just obliterate their next opponent.
In Week 13, the Rams lost to the Panthers. I didn't think they played all that poorly in that game. The Panthers just made a lot of big plays and earned the win. In Week 14, the Rams took it out on the Cardinals, scoring 35 straight after a 10-10 start to the game.
On a side note, the Cardinals have lost 10 of 11. No way Jonathan Gannon survives.
Last week: 1
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