The home teams enjoyed Thanksgiving, while the Kansas City Chiefs spent Black Friday repelling another attempt by the Las Vegas Raiders to upset the road.
The result is that the holidays leave Sunday’s schedule for week 13 lighter than normal, but certainly not missing. Our writers Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe discuss Trevor Lawrence’s return, Aaron Rodgers’ future, a possible jump for second-year quarterbacks, a potential Philadelphia Eagles-Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl LIX preview and more in the roundtable of this week.
The Panthers, who nearly beat the Chiefs in Week 12, host the Bucs on Sunday. The Titans, who have defeated the Texans, are on their way against the Commanders. Do you feel like second-year quarterbacks Bryce Young and Will Levis have turned a corner or do you need to see more?
Sando: Young appears to have stabilized to the point where the Panthers can leave him in the lineup and hope he develops. However, I wouldn’t mistake his progress for a sky-high ceiling. We’re still not sure if he can be anything more than a mid-tier starter. However, he appears viable and that is a positive reflection on him and coach Dave Canales. At Tennessee, Levis just became the third player since 1960 to win a start while recording at least eight sacks and throwing a pick-6 interception. That’s not a winning formula. It was also the second time this season he had at least eight sacks and a pick-six in the same game. Definitely need to see more.
How: They’ve certainly turned a corner, but they haven’t left the neighborhood. Young is playing well, so the time on the bench seemed like a good reset for the No. 1 pick. I think it’s fair to be optimistic that Canales has helped Young take his game to the next level, given his track record with quarterbacks of the past. But until there is more help around Young, it’s too early to know where his potential lies. Levis is also playing better, although I had him ranked as the worst starter in the league for a few weeks before this turnaround, so there was clear room for growth. Levis still needs to iron out the crucial mistakes before he can be considered a long-term starter in the league.
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Beetle: Young deserves a lot of credit. Rarely has he had a top player who has failed so badly in his career, then been benched and bounced back more impressively with the same team. I still believe the Panthers see him as part of the organization’s future, and that wasn’t a guarantee just a few weeks ago. As for Levis, Jeff is right: his groundbreaking mistakes remain a serious mistake. I think the Titans will look long and hard to add a new starting quarterback this offseason.
Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) tries to come back from injury and he succeeds expects to play this week against the Texans for the Jaguars in last place. Is it worth it? Should he be shut down this season?
Sando: If Lawrence is healthy, he should play. I think this is the general norm for players and I wouldn’t ban him from matches otherwise.
How: It’s absolutely worth it. Lawrence’s job is safe because of his contract, but there are many other jobs in the organization at stake and he owes it to them to be on the field. He must also try to create optimism for 2025. If Lawrence plays well under the injury circumstances, that will carry weight in the locker room. That would be very important in a lost season.
Beetle: When you sign a $275 million contract that pays you as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, there are certain expectations that come with it. First, if you’re healthy, you’re fit. Period. Lawrence is also staring at his fourth different head coach next season when Doug Pederson is ultimately let go – including interims – which tells you how chaotic his tenure in Jacksonville has been. I still think the Jaguars have enough to pull off an upset one of these weeks, and it’s not like the Texans are playing well right now.
The Jets host the Seahawks with a chance to play spoiler, but the talk in New York these days is about Aaron Rodgers, whose future is now in question. What’s best for the Jets at quarterback? What do you think will happen at this point?
Sando: Turning the page would be best for the Jets given Rodgers’ age and everything that comes with having him on the team. It was worth the risk to acquire him because the upside was high and the team looked poised to win, but his Achilles injury and the overall state of the team make a reset more attractive. I imagine this will be it for Rodgers and the Jets.
How: I asked three high-ranking executives who will be GM candidates how they would handle the Rodgers situation if they were running the Jets. All three said they would release him with the designation after June 1, and I agree with them. Barring a significant turnaround in performance, this should not be a difficult decision, especially for a new regime that does not want to be anchored by the contract.
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Beetle: It’s time to move on. This gamble has been a failure from the start, and in typical Jets fashion, none of the immense hype – hype this team welcomed – has translated into any real success. The Jets need to find new leadership and a new quarterback for 2025.
The Chargers and Falcons meet on Sunday. Los Angeles is trying to hold on in the AFC wild card hunt. Atlanta is trying to hold on in the NFC South race. Both teams have been somewhat exposed this past week. What is your current trust in them?
Sando: I have more confidence in the Chargers than the Falcons. There’s no shame in losing to Baltimore, as the Chargers did to end a four-game winning streak. Atlanta lost to New Orleans and then was eliminated by Denver, causing coach Raheem Morris to question the team’s efforts. That’s much more concerning than the Chargers’ misstep Monday night.
How: As inconsistent as the Ravens have been at times, the Chargers encountered a buzzsaw this week. I think they’re in a good spot to make the playoffs because Justin Herbert is playing well and the defense needs to stay steady, but I don’t consider them a threat to make a run in January. The Falcons have too many sporadic appearances. There are weeks where the defense looks pretty good and others where it can’t stop, and the offense has faced similar inconsistencies. They earned the tiebreaker by beating the Bucs, which is important with a one-game lead in the NFC South, but it will be a nervous ride to the finish.
Beetle: I still don’t see the Chargers as a great team – certainly not on the level of Kansas City, Buffalo and maybe even Pittsburgh in the AFC – but they remain a solid playoff contender. All four losses this season have come against a team in the thick of the postseason race. The Falcons? They remain more of a mystery — good enough to beat the Eagles early in the year and bad enough to get blown out by the Broncos the last time they played. Give me Los Angeles here, because the NFC South race is getting muddier.
Running back Saquon Barkley (26) is a boost to the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl hopes this season. (Alex Gallardo/Imagn Images)
Eagles-Ravens feels like it could be a preview of the Super Bowl and one storyline is what Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry have done for their respective teams this season. Has their play done enough to revive the running back market?
Sando: Running back salaries at the top of the market have already recovered somewhat after a decline. I think those salaries at the top should continue to recover, in part because of the success these players have enjoyed. The running game in general has made a comeback and that will likely benefit the running backs on the market.
How: No, they are seen as exceptions because they are elite talents who have joined strong organizations with solid rosters. It would be just as easy to look at Christian McCaffrey and point out how quickly a running back can go from being the best in the league to someone with potentially career-altering injuries. That’s why teams are so reluctant to go all-in on a running back. This past offseason helped stabilize the second and third tier of the running back market, but it will be rare for teams to break the bank at this position.
Beetle: Not really. The running back market as a whole won’t change that much, but what Barkley and Henry do this season is remind personnel officials how much an elite position really matters. There are only one or two on the market each year, but the game changers at running back are still important. Imagine where the Eagles would be this season without Barkley? His three-year, $37.8 million contract was a bargain.
(Top photo of Trevor Lawrence: Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)