The last week of the season. Stay tuned for my Good, Bad, and Ugly next week of the 2024-25 Regular Season. A playoffs edition will follow after the Super Bowl.
This week’s games feature the LA Chargers finishing with the #5 seed in the AFC and they will face the Houston Texans next week in the wild-card round. Denver punched their ticket, earning the #7 seed by beating a team that tapped out before the opening bell rang. Tampa Bay earned the #3 seed in the NFC by making the Saints march our of Raymond James Stadium with an L and the Seahawks beating the Rams, who earned the #4 seed.
My Good, Bad, and Ugly this week will focus on non-playoff teams.
Good: The Seattle Seahawks getting to ten wins on the season, which is a foundation for the ensuing off-season. Depending on what they do in free agency and the draft, they could do better next season, maybe win the NFC West in 2025. Another majorly notable plus, from the individual accomplishment standpoint; Brock Bowers should be the Offensive Rookie of the Year in the NFL. When a Tight End is the best tight end in the NFL while still a rookie, he warrants the award, hands down. Honorable Mentions: The Bears going into Lambeau Field and escaping with a win, the Arizona Cardinals crushing the San Francisco 49ers, and the Colts, in overtime, beating the Jaguars.
Bad: The Miami Dolphins losing to a Jets team who might be the dumbest team in the history of the NFL based on several reports. When the Jets have the owner’s son (or grandson) making personnel decisions, then we know the situation with them is dreadful. How emasculating of a loss this is for the Dolphins. Other Noteworthy Mentions: The Falcons losing in overtime to a bad Panthers squad, The Browns packing up and going home before week 18’s game started; the latter of the two almost being classified as Ugly. But I have a different one for that.
The Downright Ugly: The Raiders injuries are likely going to cost HC Antonio Pierce his job. The only question is “Is Tom Brady finally calling the shots in Vegas when it comes to coaches, or is Mark Davis still doing it?” I hope for the sake of the team’s future success Tom is now the President of Football Operations in Vegas and they’d announce it soon if that’s the case. If Mark is still hiring and firing coaches, the Raiders might never sniff the Super Bowl again.