Thanksgiving weekend featured some great matchups and some exciting games, and here are five things we learned after the dust settled:
1. The Packers Are The Team To Beat In The NFC: Aaron Rodgers is unbelievable nearly all the time, but he takes it to another level when he plays at Lambeau. The running game is coming together for Green Bay, and Davante Adams is emerging as a legit third wide receiver. The Packers are now on track to earn the top seed in the NFC, and it looks like it will be awfully tough for someone to go into Lambeau and beat them in the playoffs.
DeMarco Murray, Brennan Clay Latest
2. The Patriots Are Still The Team To Beat In The AFC: Belichick's crew suffered a loss on Sunday, but they are the only team that has looked like they belong on the same field as the Packers recently. A couple of small breaks going the other way could have easily led to a Patriots win. As it stands, they still hold the tiebreaker over Denver and have the inside track to the top seed in the AFC.
3. The Dolphins Control Their Own Destiny: The win over the Jets was ugly, but it is encouraging to see the Dolphins win a game they needed to when they were obviously not playing their best. Three of their final four games are at home, and they have a good shot at the playoffs.
Jim Harbaugh Headed Across The Bay?
4. Arizona's Season Is Over: Everyone thought it when Palmer went down, but now it appears certain. Arizona cannot win the Super Bowl with Drew Stanton at quarterback. The defense simply has to do too much because the offense struggles to move the ball at all. Yes, the Falcons are much better at home, but a team expecting to make a deep playoff run should never lose to a team like Atlanta. The Cardinals are more likely to miss the playoffs than make noise in them.
5. Oakland Should Win The Marcus Mariota Sweepstakes: The Raiders were gifted the inside track to the top draft pick next year when the Jaguars kept fighting in a meaningless game and beat the Giants. If Oakland loses out, which they probably will, they will finish with the worst record in football and get to draft Mariota or trade the pick to a team that wants him.
See the video below for discussion on whether Aaron Rodgers is now the clear favorite to win MVP.
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
