Table of Contents
Jameis Winston’s experience came to a head when the Cleveland Browns lost to the Denver Broncos on Monday night. The Browns are not your typical 3-9 team, which the Pittsburgh Steelers are already familiar with.
Should the first-place Steelers be on alert again in Week 14? Our writers Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe answer the question The Athletics‘s roundtable with a preview of the remaining Week 14 slate.
Our writers also wonder if it’s too late in the season for a team in the thick of the playoffs to throw a rookie quarterback into the fire. It’s the talk in Atlanta as the Falcons and Kirk Cousins (at Vikings) continue to fall while the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Raiders) rise.
Read more about what else is on our writers’ minds this week below.
As Monday night showed, you never know what you’ll get out of the Jameis Winston experience. Should Pittsburgh be alert on Sunday against the Browns?
Beetle: Absolute. For starters, they lost to the same Browns team in Week 12, and it’s no secret around the league that Cleveland’s offense is much more potent with Winston under center than Deshaun Watson. Maybe Winston’s prayer to get rid of the pick-sixes will work, because without those deadly mistakes, he’s unlocked something in the Browns’ passing game. For starters, look at what Jerry Jeudy is doing (he’s eighth in the league in EPA per reception). With Winston at QB, the Browns have also had their three most productive days on offense this season.
How: The Steelers would have to be suffering from momentary amnesia if they aren’t upset because the Browns beat them two weeks ago in one of the funniest games of the season. The Browns are playing much better on offense with Winston, similar to how the move to Joe Flacco led to the offense in 2023. You can tell that the Browns are playing hard for their coach and quarterback, and that they want nothing more than to sweep their rivals during an otherwise losing season. The Browns may not be able to predict what they will get out of Winston every game, but the results were much more predictable and a lot less successful earlier this season when they could foresee the results.
Sando: Yes, because it’s a divisional game and Pittsburgh recently lost to the Browns. The Mike Tomlin-era Steelers are 19-4 against the Browns when Cleveland had a losing record entering the game. The record is 4-2 since 2019 and 0-1 this season.
The Jaguars meet the Titans without Trevor Lawrence, who suffered a concussion while sliding after taking a hit from Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair last week. There has been some debate about whether Lawrence started his slide too late. Is there any value in that idea? Can you imagine the league ever addressing “fake” QB slides in the future?
Beetle: I don’t buy that. Lawrence began to slide when he saw the defender approaching and gave himself up to the play. Al-Shaair leveled the quarterback with a forearm to the upper part of Lawrence’s yoke and his neck. It was late. It was dirty. It was unnecessary. And it’s not the first time this season that Shaair has been criticized for a late hit on a QB. I do think that if quarterbacks start faking slides to keep the game alive, the league will intervene. But it wasn’t.
How: Lawrence slipped later than the critics might have liked to maximize his chance for a first down, but that doesn’t come with an open invitation for a defender to launch himself with a lead elbow to the head area. Later slides usually involve some degree of contact from the defense, and the referees tend to be careful to determine which of those hits are incidental and which others rise to the level of a penalty. When quarterbacks get the urge to fake a slide, a la Kenny Pickett at Pittthe competition must absolutely put an end to this. The closest we’ve seen to that, at least in terms of some semblance of regularity, is QBs benefiting from a few extra yards near the line, but I’m not sure how that can be enforced objectively.
Sando: The first coach I talked to about the Lawrence goal immediately pointed out that he thought Lawrence slid too late. There is merit in the idea. Texans GM Nick Caserio speaking out so forcefully in defense of Al-Shaair does raise the possibility that some in the NFL could push for clarifications/changes. But because the league would rather have critics complaining about too much protection for quarterbacks than not enough protection for them, I think it will take examples more egregious than the one involving Lawrence before the league can crack down on “fake” slides.
The Bears and 49ers meet on Sunday. Who would be the best fit as the next Bears head coach? What should be at the top of the 49ers’ offseason to-do list: Should they miss the playoffs?
Beetle: Can they get Ben Johnson? If Kevin Warren is right — and this is the best job of the upcoming NFL recruiting cycle — then this franchise should do everything it can to lure the Lions’ offensive coordinator to Chicago. Nothing is more important than Caleb Williams’ development and the rookie has shown enough promise this season despite the recent chaos surrounding the organization that he can become a star in this league with the right coach. The old regimes in Chicago would misunderstand this. Maybe this year they are right.
As for the 49ers, despite what some experts say, I don’t think a complete rebuild is necessary. There is too much talent. Brock Purdy is young. Christian McCaffrey will return next season. This year has been plagued by a ridiculous rash of injuries and likely the lingering effects of last year’s devastating Super Bowl loss. The squad needs some adjustments and some youth, but there are too many good building blocks to continue.
How: They need to prioritize offensive consistency for Williams, so there should be concern about a defensive coach who could lose his offensive coordinator every few years. Thomas Brown will deserve a serious look if the Bears play better down the road, and the Bears should also bring in Ben Johnson, Zac Robinson and Liam Coen for interviews. It’s been a few years now for the Niners where rival executives marvel at the top talent but remain wary about its depth. That’s why they encounter these problems when their stars go down. They don’t hand out bad contracts to their stars, but there is an injury risk associated with it that has come to a head. The same goes for the Trey Lance pick. Sure, they eventually figured it out at quarterback, but they would be in a much better place now if they made the trio of first-round picks it took to draft Lance. This would be a logical time to move on from the veterans on the back nine and strengthen the depth via the draft.
GO DEEPER
Thomas Brown’s chances of staying? Trade for a coach? Bear mailbag, plus picks from week 14
Sando: How fun would it be if the Bears made a run at Deion Sanders? I think outside the box, considering the other coaches in this division. Dan Campbell is one of a kind, an outsized personality. Kevin O’Connell and Matt LaFleur are more conventional and are both thriving. Coach Prime would make the Bears immediately relevant. And while most high-profile coaches would want more personnel and organizational control than Chicago seems willing to, Sanders may not. He could bring in some experienced NFL coaches and shake up the division. Is anyone with me?
Could Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders be a good fit for the Chicago Bears? (Ron Chenoy / Image Images)
The Bucs (vs. Raiders), Cardinals (vs. Seahawks) and Rams (vs. Bills) are all 6-6 and likely need to win their respective divisions to make the playoffs. Which team should have the most confidence right now?
Beetle: I like Tampa Bay’s chances in the NFC South simply because the Falcons feel like frauds. Atlanta has been so inconsistent this season and Kirk Cousins is in one of the worst slumps of his career. The Bucs won’t see a team with a winning record for the remainder of the regular season.
How: If the Bucs take care of business, they should win four of their last five games and clinch the NFC South. Their defensive inconsistencies are concerning because such a winning streak is difficult to break, but their schedule is the most accommodating compared to the Seahawks and Cardinals. The NFC West is completely unpredictable and has been that way for pretty much the entire season. The only thing I’m confident in is that the Niners won’t win the division, so you might as well print their championship t-shirts now.
Sando: Tampa Bay is also the team for me. I find it amazing that the Bucs lost twice to the Falcons, but they did, and that’s why they’re in this position. The Athletics‘s model puts the Bucs’ playoff chances at 54 percent, compared to 35 percent for Arizona and 26 percent for the Rams. That feels about right to me.
Our writers are confident that Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will finish atop the NFC South while the Atlanta Falcons struggle. (Elsa/Getty Images)
The Falcons are on the road against the Vikings. Throwing a rookie QB into the fire against a Brian Flores defense seems unwise. But should the Falcons consider signing Michael Penix Jr. this season? about letting Kirk Cousins go if things get worse?
Beetle: Yes. If Cousins continues to struggle — his third interception Sunday against the Chargers was one of the worst I’ve seen all year as a starter — the Falcons should consider giving Penix a chance. The division is still within reach, and if you stick with a starter who kills drives and costs the team games, you’re doing the locker room a disservice. Players know it. Players pay attention. They just want the guy who gives them the best chance to win on Sunday. Penix played a lot of games in college; it’s entirely possible he can step in and give this offense a spark.
How: I’m told Penix has lit it up in practice, so a move would be justified if they felt like making the move. Under no circumstances would I start Penix against the Vikings, but the remaining games against the Raiders, Giants, Commanders and Panthers would be attractive. But this decision would not be made in a vacuum. If the Falcons go with Penix while they are still in contention and he plays decently enough, I don’t see how they can keep Cousins in 2025. And it’s fair to believe that Cousins will be better next season once he fully heals from the torn Achilles. But if the Falcons move on to Penix once they’re out of contention and he plays well, even if it’s just for the regular season finale, Cousins won’t have any room for error with the fanbase in 2025. to stay with cousins. But if the Falcons believe a move for Penix would fire up the locker room and improve his chances of starting in Week 1 next season, such an aggressive move would be the right thing to do.
Sando: The Falcons would have to play Penix in their final four games if Cousins plays poorly and/or the team loses in Minnesota. They’ll get an extra day to get Penix ready as they follow their Minnesota game with a Monday night visit to Las Vegas in Week 15. Atlanta then finishes with the Giants, Commanders and Panthers. In the absence of great expectations, it seems like a good idea to gain some experience for Penix. There is also value in getting Cousins into the offseason without another injury.
(Photo: Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)