NFL: Bo Nix and Denver Broncos present they’re Tremendous Bowl contenders as Trevor Lawrence’s Jacksonville Jaguars face greatest take a look at

Christmas soccer is right here and the NFL playoffs are on the horizon. With simply three weeks of the common season remaining, postseason locations are on the road…

Editor’s notice…

Because it stands, the Denver Broncos are the category of the AFC, maybe even the NFL. It’s all going in response to plan as they search a return to perennial competition, a decade on from their Tremendous Bowl 50 triumph.

They seem to have come by means of the post-Peyton Manning and No Fly Zone storm, quarterback purgatory seemingly over and each ruthless ounce of Sean Payton’s successful make-up a treatment to irrelevance. Now, in a season of query marks, they’re championship frontrunners with No 1 seed and home-field benefit future in touching distance.

Denver have received 11 straight video games, 10 of which have seen them come from behind whereas 10 of their 12 complete wins have arrived by one rating. They proceed to ship clinics in four-quarter stamina, carrying opponents down on each side of the ball to go away them on the point of ending Kansas Metropolis’s nine-year AFC West successful streak.

Bo Nix is coming off maybe his finest recreation as an NFL quarterback after out-duelling Jordan Love as he threw for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns in final weekend’s 34-26 win over the Inexperienced Bay Packers. He was torching Inexperienced Bay off-script and off-platform on the transfer, he was demonstrating good contact and accuracy from probably the most spotless pockets seen all season in opposition to the Packers’ go rush – a credit score to his offensive line – he was diagnosing the sector like a veteran and he was commanding the sport like one of many league’s premier quarterbacks.

“This is probably one of the best games of his career,” mentioned tight finish Adam Trautman mentioned. “He was unbelievable tonight.”

“I don’t think anybody was stopping No. 10 today,” added offensive deal with Mie McGlinchey.

At instances his success has been attributed to Payton-guided coaching wheels or safety blanket designs; by now these queries really feel unfair and out-dated.

It had been Payton who drove Denver’s curiosity in Nix popping out of faculty, interested in the consistency and effectivity of a quarterback whose pattern measurement of unfavorable performs was past restricted. Not often did he make a mistake, as a lot serving as a desired basis for a play-caller Payton believed he may harness right into a successful machine.

“There’s no way that I can keep being negative about Bo Nix when I’m like, look what he did last week, right?” mentioned Sky Sports activities NFL’s Phoebe Schecter.

“I’ve got to at some point just come to terms with the fact that he’s executing the playbook, whether Sean Payton is pulling the strings or not, he’s able to show his athleticism and again, watching him on the move, the bootlegs and what he’s able to do.”

Nix has now received 22 video games within the NFL, tied with Dak Prescott, Andrew Luck and Ben Roethlisberger for the second-most by a quarterback in his first two seasons. Russell Wilson at present holds the file with 24. He’s in the meantime simply the second quarterback in historical past to throw for greater than 7,000 yards and 50-plus touchdowns and win greater than 20 video games in his first two seasons behind Dan Marino.

A staple of Denver’s success continues to be one of many league’s smartest and stingiest defenses, with Vance Joseph’s unit at present permitting the second fewest factors whereas rating fourth finest in complete yards. They lead the NFL with 58 sacks on the yr – 10 greater than Atlanta’s second-most 48 – in addition to in quarterback pressures behind focus go rusher Nik Bonitto, whose team-high 12.5 sacks stem from one of many quickest rush charges in soccer. The Broncos additionally stay one of many stickiest and achieved man protection protection within the NFL, Riley Moss rating third with 15 go breakups, adopted by Pat Surtain II’s fifth-most 12, aided by the flexibility to work behind a four-man rush customary to any good workforce in fashionable soccer.

They’ve performed all the way down to lesser opponents at instances, however so too have they showcased a successful high quality to show it on in opposition to the league’s finest.

A belief take a look at of the Jaguars?

They face a Jacksonville Jaguars workforce driving a five-game successful streak whereas seeing former No 1 general decide Trevor Lawrence enjoying the very best soccer of his NFL profession.

Jacksonville are averaging 32.9 factors throughout their final seven video games having exploded into life underneath Liam Coen since their one-sided defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in London. They sit high of the AFC South at 10-4 and heading in the right direction for a return to the playoffs for the primary time for the reason that 2022 marketing campaign.

“This is as real as it gets,” mentioned Sky Sports activities NFL’s Schecter. “This defense is going to truly expose who this Jaguars team is and almost more importantly, who Trevor Lawrence is.

“As a result of what’s been great to see, and I actually really feel like the sport final week was in all probability among the best of Trevor Lawrence’s profession, it isn’t simply what he is doing on the sector, the arrogance with which he was enjoying.”

Lawrence threw for 5 touchdowns and rushed for one more in Sunday’s rout of the New York Jets, having thrown for 2 scores within the earlier week’s win over the Indianapolis Colts, with the Jags combining for 84 factors throughout each video games.

It’s the Lawrence for whom the NFL has been ready.

“It was his belief and ability to continue and extend plays, to scramble, to get that rushing touchdown for himself,” mentioned Schecter. “I just feel like this is the Trevor Lawrence that we have been looking for and we’ve had flashes of it, but it’s never been consistent enough.

“I feel if he can come out and play like this in opposition to this Denver Broncos workforce, imply, this not solely is promising for this season, however for what the longer term appears like for him as a result of we had so many questions on him earlier on.

“I think it’s great also for Liam Cohen to understand who is it that I’m working with? Which version of Trevor Lawrence are we getting?”

Playoff clinching situations

AFC

Buffalo Payments (10-4) – @ Browns

How Payments can clinch playoff spot:

• Win & Texans defeat vs Raiders
• Win & Colts defeat vs 49ers

Denver Broncos (12-2) – vs Jaguars

How Broncos can clinch AFC West title

• Win & Chargers defeat vs Cowboys

How Broncos can clinch No 1 seed in AFC

Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) – @ Broncos

How Jaguars can clinch playoff spot:

Los Angeles Chargers (10-4) – @ Cowboys

How Chargers can clinch playoff spot:

New England Patriots (11-3) – @ Ravens

How Patriots can clinch playoff spot:

• Win
• Texans defeat vs Raiders
• Colts defeat vs 49ers

NFC

Chicago Bears (10-4) – vs Packers

How Bears can clinch playoff spot:

• Win & Lions defeat vs Steelers

Inexperienced Bay Packers (9-4-1) @ Bears

How Packers can clinch playoff spot:

• Win & Lions defeat vs Steelers

Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) – @ Commanders

How Eagles can clinch playoff spot:

• Win
• Cowboys defeat vs Chargers

San Francisco 49ers (10-4) – @ Colts

How 49ers can clinch playoff spot:

• Win
• Lions defeat vs Steelers

Benedict’s stats nook

Sky Sports activities statistician – and Buffalo Payments fan – Benedict Bermange breaks down among the key stats heading into Sunday’s matchups…

• The Payments are the primary workforce to attain 28-plus factors within the second half of back-to-back video games for the reason that Broncos did it to begin the 2013 season.
• The Browns protection has allowed an NFL-low 169.0 passing yards per recreation this season, with Myles Garrett’s 8.5-sack lead over the NFL’s next-closest participant is tied for the most important hole between the NFL’s high two sacks leaders since sacks had been first tracked in 1982 (Reggie White; 8.5 greater than Richard Dent/Andre Tippett in 1987).
• The Cowboys lead the NFL with 5,557 complete internet yards this season with Dak Prescott finishing not less than 60 per cent of his passes in 16 straight video games, the longest streak of his profession.
• Travis Etienne Jr. leads the Jaguars with 5 receiving touchdowns this season and could be the primary working again in franchise historical past to guide the workforce in receiving touchdowns outright in a single season.
• Mike Vrabel’s 11 wins are essentially the most by any head coach in his first season with the Patriots and he’s hoping to grow to be simply the fourth head coach to win every of his first seven highway video games with a workforce after Jim Caldwell (Ind), Wade Phillips (Dal), and George Seifert (SF).
• James Pearce Jr. has recorded not less than one sack in six straight video games, solely behind Jevon Kearse’s eight-game streak in 1999 for the longest streak by any NFL rookie since particular person sacks had been formally recorded.

Who mentioned what?

Rams HC Sean McVay following Puka Nacua’s apology for antisemitic gesture on livestream look: “I know this guy’s heart. And for anybody that was offended, terribly sorry about that. I know he feels that same exact way. He’s a young guy, that’s a great kid that’s continuing to learn about just the platform that he has. I love him, we’re going to continue to put our arm around him and help him learn and grow. But we never want to do things that ever offend anybody, and I know he feels that same way.”

Dolphins QB Quinn Ewers on taking up from Tua Tagovailoa: “It’s a dream come true for me. I’ve always wanted to have the opportunity to play in the NFL, and for that to be coming is truly a blessing. I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

Tom Brady’s recommendation to Patrick Mahomes following season-ending ACL harm: “The only thing you can do is focus on what’s ahead of you and not look back. And just say, OK, this is part of what my career is going to be. And a lot of people have gone through it and a lot of people have overcome it. You’ve just got to put as much diligence into the rehab process.”

Jason Kelce on brother Travis Kelce’s potential retirement: “In my opinion, to nail that decision, you gotta step away from the game for a little bit. Play these last three games, enjoy ’em with your teammates, enjoy ’em with your coaches. The team is going to be different whether or not you come back next year. Then play these three games and then let it sink in. It’ll come to you with time.”

Payments QB Josh Allen on Browns go rusher Myles Garrett: “I do like highlight tapes, but I don’t like being a part of other people’s highlight tapes. He’s one of the greatest of all time. He is a force to be reckoned with. And we’ve got to be ready for everything that they can throw at us.”

Titans QB Cam Ward on Tennessee’s head coach search: “I want to meet all of them. Every coach who gets the opportunity to come here, I want to have conversations throughout the process with them. I’m going to be here for that whole time.”

Information across the league

• The Dolphins benched quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, with Quinn Ewers taking up as starter in Miami
• Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes underwent surgical procedure to restore two torn ligaments in his left knee
• The Packers confirmed go rusher Micah Parsons might be out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL
• The Jaguars and large receiver Jakobi Meyers agreed a three-year $60m extension
• Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson returned to apply after a two-month absence
• Cowboys nook DaRon Bland could also be required to bear one other surgical procedure on his foot harm

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