The NFL regular season is almost over, but there are still plenty of fireworks to go following Week 16. The Baltimore Ravens defense proved that with their 22-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night. However, fireworks exploded in Northeast, Ohio, where Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis likely signed his pink slip after a devastating 26-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Here are the highs and lows of an eventful weekend in the NFL:
Highs
3. The dominant Ravens' defense returns
Social media is an interesting place, especially when most of the people you follow are from Southern California. The sheer vitriol towards the Chargers and Philip Rivers, in particular, blew my mind following their 22-10 loss to the Ravens. Rivers and the Chargers took plenty of heat for the offense's performance, but the Ravens defense dominated the game. Sometimes there is nothing you can do against the right team with the right scheme. The Chicago Bears did the same to the Los Angeles Rams a couple weeks ago.
Baltimore's defense has had this potential for the last two years. Unfortunately, inconsistency plagued the Ravens throughout the last two years. When the Ravens defense is on its game, few teams can do anything against it. That includes offensive powerhouses like the Chargers.
Baltimore held the Chargers to 198 total yards, including 51 rushing yards. Possible former MVP candidate Philip Rivers completed 23 of 37 passes for only 181 yards with two interceptions. He ran for his life throughout the game and took four sacks for his troubles.
That's the Ravens defense we've grown used to over the years. Time will tell if the team can remain consistent for the rest of the season.
2. The Eagles live another day
Few experts believed that the defending Super Bowl Champions had a chance to make the playoffs two weeks ago. Instead, the idea was to sit the injured Carson Wentz and get healthy for 2019. Two wins over playoff teams later, and the Eagles have a solid chance of making the NFC Playoffs.
Quarterback Nick Foles led the charge again in a 32-30 victory over the Houston Texans. He completed 35 of 49 passes for an Eagles-record 471 yards and four touchdowns in place of Wentz. He's brought energy to a roster loaded with injuries, and it's possible that Foles could lead this team on a playoff run for the second straight year.
However, the odds aren't in their favor. They must beat the Washington Redskins and hope the Bears top the Minnesota Vikings next weekend. Philadelphia should win, but it's really about the Bears. Chicago still has a shot at the No. 2 seed if the Rams lose to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Bears may choose to go for it, or they could protect their stars and sit them with the No. 3 seed locked up. Time will tell, but the Eagles aren't done yet, and I'm not sure anyone wants to play them in the postseason.
1. Andrew Luck's resurgence
I should have written on this earlier this season, but the Indianapolis Colts did a great job flying under the radar throughout much of the season. This team was thought to be a season away from competing for a playoff berth when the 2018 campaign got underway. However, the returning Andrew Luck changed the Colts' fortunes for the better. He completed 31 of 47 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns to lead Indianapolis over the New York Giants 28-27 on Sunday.
What's even more amazing about the Colts' performance is that there was some thought that Luck would never play again a year ago. Luck wasn't even throwing yet in early June. Yet here we are with Luck and the Colts on the brink of a playoff berth. Lesson learned: never doubt Andrew Luck again. He's been proving doubters wrong since the Colts drafted him in 2012.
Lows
2. Time to go, Marvin Lewis
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis led his team onto the field for possibly the last time against the rival Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The final score may have been a close 26-18 loss to the Browns, but the truth is Cleveland dominated the Bengals in every aspect of the game. What was once a promising year for the Bengals ended with injuries across the board and a struggling, undisciplined defense unable to stop anyone.
Lewis dragged this franchise from the depths of the NFL 16 years ago. He brought them to respectability on a shoestring front office budget and little support from a broken fanbase. His Bengals teams brought back many of those fans and helped them forget how awful the 1990s were for the franchise.
However, there comes a point when a head coach will grow stale. Actually, I believe Lewis probably should have moved on five years ago. He hoped to finish the job he started, but there is a point where teams are better off with a new voice.
Think of Tony Dungy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the early 2000s. Dungy performed a near miracle rescuing that franchise, but it couldn't get over the hump. Finally, the Bucs realized Dungy could take them no further, and they fired him. One year later, the Bucs were Super Bowl champions. Dungy eventually won his own Super Bowl title following the 2006 season.
Lewis remains one of the better coaches in the NFL, but it's time for both sides to move on, for both their sakes.
1. Officiating, officiating
I'm going to keep this short, because I've vented about this time and time again throughout the season. The NFL must do something about the officiating. I haven't seen officiating this bad since the 2001 season. Pro Football Talk's Peter King quoted an NFL club source in his weekly Monday article talking about the problems with the league and it's officials:
“Something has to give on the officiating in our league. The random nature of things week to week, the volume of penalties that breaks up the game. I hear Joe Buck and Troy [Aikman] on FOX and Cris [Collinsworth] and Al [Michaels] on Sunday night confused. Everyone is at a loss. There is no consistency. The game is choppy. It’s obvious that something is broke. Teams, coaches, GMs are at a loss for what will be emphasized week to week. At the same time, officials feel like they have been betrayed by the league and no one has their back. I’ve been around this league for over 25 years. This is as bad as I have seen it.”
There are several problems for the NFL to solve there, but let's be clear: I don't care if the officials feel betrayed by the league. If the officials can't do their jobs when the integrity of the game is at stake, then they don't deserve the NFL's backing. The horrible pass interference call against Pittsburgh's Joe Haden in the end zone was only the latest example of terrible officiating.
If NFL officials want respect, they must take ownership for their failures. Yes, the NFL must also provide them every tool to be successful. But, the on-field administration of the games are in the hands of the officials.
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