RANT SPORTS – State of the NFL
Unless you were an optimistic enough Philadelphia Eagles fan that you thought the team was going to catch the Detroit Lions for the NFC’s No. 1 seed, than Sunday’s 36-33 loss to Washington could turn out to be a blessing. What’s that? A good loss in the NFL?
In this case it just might be exactly that.
Forget how they loss — on a last-second touchdown pass. Or that quarterback Jalen Hurts was knocked out of the game with a concussion and safety Gardner-Johnson was thrown out for being stupid. Oh yeah and forget about the No. 1 seed as well.
So what was so good about the Eagles first division loss of the season? If the Eagles had won and then gone onto win their final two games against Dallas and the New York Giants it would have sent them into the playoffs on a 13-game win streak.
If they didn’t get the No. 1 seed, and they likely wouldn’t have, it would have meant they needed a 17-game win streak to win the Super Bowl.
A 17-game win streak just doesn’t happen. The last time it did over the course of one season was 2007 the New England went undefeated in the regular season and won two playoff games to stretch it to 18-0.
And then, well you know what happened next.
So maybe, just maybe, this was a good loss for the Eagles who can now set their sights on a six-game win streak and a Super Bowl.
Finally
Washington’s win over the Eagles marked the first time this season it beat a team that was .500 or better. Before Sunday Washington was 0-4 against winning teams with losses to Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Tampa Bay and the Eagles in the first meeting between the two teams.
Streaking
Atlanta’s blowout win over the Giants made it 10 straight losses for the Giants, which set a franchise record for consecutive losses.
At the same time the Chicago Bears lost for the eighth straight time, which is the second-longest losing streak in Bears history. The longest is 14 set in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
And later in the day the Raiders, with a win over Jacksonville, snapped their 10-game losing streak.
We’re No. 1
That Giants loss coupled with the Raiders win gave the Giants (2-13) the first overall pick in the NFL draft (for now and probably for good).
The last time the Giants had the No. 1 overall pick in the draft was 1965 when they selected running back Tucker Frederickson.
We Were No. 1
Speaking of No. 1 NFL overall picks.
Carolina quarterback Bryce Young continues to look better and was good in the Panthers overtime win that eliminated the Arizona Cardinals from the playoffs.
Young’s win vs. Arizona’s Kyler Murray was his first win against another No. 1 overall pick. He had lost his first four games against fellow No. 1s.
And this past year’s No. 1 pick, quarterback Caleb Williams isn’t winning, but he isn’t throwing interceptions, either. Williams has now thrown 326 consecutive passes without a pick. That is both a rookie and a Bears record.
Not Ready For Prime Time
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield has had a resurgence with the Bucs for sure. There is one thing the former No. 1 overall pick has not done.
Win in prime time.
Tampa Bay’s loss to Dallas Sunday night lowered Mayfield’s record in prime time to 0-9.
