Takeaways, big questions: Blowouts galore, offensive revivals for Chiefs, Seahawks

Week 14 of the 2021 NFL season featured some massive blowouts in the early window, including a 48-9 win for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs over the Raiders. The Seahawks’ offense got a spark in the form of running back Rashad Penny and dropped 33 points on the Texans, while the Titans got an important victory in their bid for the AFC’s top seed, shutting out the Jaguars at home. And the Saints beat the Jets by three touchdowns on the road.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered an ankle injury, as Baltimore lost to Cleveland despite a late push to make it close. Dallas’ defense made big plays to help it narrowly beat Washington and bring a division title a little closer, and the Falcons beat the Panthers, who used both Cam Newton and P.J. Walker at quarterback. And on Thursday night, a game that once seemed like a blowout became a lot closer late in the fourth quarter — but the Vikings ultimately held on to beat the Steelers and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Our NFL Nation reporters react with the takeaways and lingering questions. Plus, they each look at the bigger picture with their current team confidence rating — a 0-10 grade of how they feel about a team’s outlook coming out of the week. Let’s get to it.

Jump to a matchup:
BAL-CLE | DAL-WSH | LV-KC
JAX-TEN | ATL-CAR | NO-NYJ
SEA-HOU | PIT-MIN

Cowboys

What to know: Well, Mike McCarthy was right — the Cowboys were going to win against the Washington Football Team. He just never envisioned it would be in such a manner. The Cowboys went from dominating — leading 24-0 at halftime and 27-8 entering the fourth quarter — to holding on for dear life in a 27-20 victory. A stagnant offense nearly let down a dominating defense. Quarterback Dak Prescott was intercepted twice, including one that was returned for a touchdown to cut the game to one score. The Cowboys were without left tackle Tyron Smith because of an ankle injury and right tackle La’el Collins because of an ejection. The defense had to carry the day. Defensive end Randy Gregory’s sack and forced fumble of WFT quarterback Kyle Allen with 2:24 to play was as needed as Gregory’s first-quarter interception of Taylor Heinicke that was turned into a Cowboys touchdown. Linebacker Micah Parsons’ sack/fumble of Heinicke led to Dorance Armstrong’s 37-yard return for a touchdown. The Cowboys had two other takeaways, giving them 27 on the season, which ranks second in the NFL. Perhaps not as convincing as they would prefer, but the 9-4 Cowboys are now 3-0 in the NFC East and are in prime position to claim the division title with four games to play. — Todd Archer

Can the Cowboys really be a contender with this offense? The easy answer is no. The running game was better but not explosive, especially with the absence of Tony Pollard. Prescott had two interceptions and a case could be made three other passes could have been picked. There just isn’t any rhythm to the unit going on more than a month now. They scored one touchdown on six red zone trips vs. Washington, and that was one part of the offense that remained serviceable during this lull. The Cowboys have four games to find some form. If they want to be taken seriously, it had better happen quickly. — Archer

Archer’s confidence rating (0-10): 8.7, up from 8.4. It might have bumped up to 9.0 if the offense was able to have just a decent day. Even with the defense playing at a higher level than anybody could have expected to start the season, this is a team that needs the offense to function at a high level. The Cowboys are good enough to win the division, but more is expected.

Next game: at Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Washington

What to know: Washington’s defense did what it could to make the game interesting late. It’s a solid unit and playing well and it gives the team a chance. But Washington’s offensive flaws were exposed. The unit lacks the firepower to win any other way than with a strong rushing attack. Nobody felt that more than quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who played his worst game by far and eventually left the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. He was off target on multiple throws. When Washington ponders its QB situation this offseason, it will remember this game. Heinicke played well during the four-game win streak and Sunday wasn’t all on him. Heinicke has played much better, but to maximize him, Washington needs a strong run game — Dallas took that away Sunday — so it doesn’t rest on Heinicke’s arm. — John Keim

Is Washington too banged up? The team has been banged up for a while, but it’s gotten worse and now it’s worth wondering what it has left for the final four games. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin left Sunday’s game with a concussion. Running back J.D. McKissic missed the last two games with a concussion. The team is already without tight end Logan Thomas and their top three centers. And its top three healthy defensive ends missed Sunday’s game with COVID-19. It’s possible it’ll have two — James Smith-Williams and Casey Toohill — back next week. Washington’s resiliency has been a big key to it getting back into playoff contention. It still holds a playoff spot. But to hang onto it, it’ll need some players back — and it can’t afford many others to get hurt. — Keim

Keim’s confidence rating (0-10): 6.3, down from 6.6. It’s not about anything other than health at this point with Washington, and it keeps losing key players. At some point, the attrition makes too big a difference.

Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Seahawks

What to know: Rashaad Penny made a strong case to be the Seahawks’ lead running back for the rest of the season, provided he can stay healthy. In the best performance of his career, Penny ripped off touchdown runs of 32 and 47 yards en route to 137 rushing yards. He started, even though Alex Collins was back from his one-game absence, and led Seattle’s running backs with 17 touches. Choosing Penny 27th overall over Nick Chubb in 2018 was and will remain one of the most regrettable personnel decisions the Seahawks have made under coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider, with Penny suffering one injury after another. Penny had a nice showing last week with 62 yards on 11 touches. He’s the Seahawks’ most explosive back and is starting to look like their best — if he can stay healthy. — Brady Henderson

Is quarterback Russell Wilson all the way back? Wilson’s starting to look like himself as opposed to the version who struggled with accuracy and made a few bad decisions in his return from finger surgery. He missed a couple of more throws Sunday, including one that was behind DK Metcalf on a quick slant near the goal line. But it was nothing like the head-scratching misfires that marred his first three games back. Wilson (17-of-28, 260 yards) connected with Tyler Lockett on some vintage plays, including a 55-yard moon ball for the first of his two touchdown passes and a few other well-placed balls to Lockett on the sideline. His decision making was also good, often taking what was there as opposed to forcing deep throws. If Wilson is truly back, that would be the best reason to think the Seahawks can make something of their final four games, even though their playoff chances are still slim. ESPN’s Football Power Index had them at 2.1% entering Sunday. — Henderson

Henderson’s confidence rating (0-10): 3.4, up from 3. Beating up on a two-win team doesn’t tell us much, but another solid performance from Wilson and Penny’s emergence are worth something.

Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

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Texans

What to know: Quarterback Davis Mills may be an improvement over Tyrod Taylor, but the Texans’ offense still isn’t good enough. Mills completed his first 14 pass attempts against the Seahawks, the most consecutive passes completed to start a game by a rookie since at least 1991 and the most by any player in Texans history. But after his strong start, Mills completed 19 of his next 35 passes and the Texans did not score in the second half. The brightest spot in the loss was kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, who set a franchise record with a 61-yard field goal to end the first half. His previous long was 55 yards. — Sarah Barshop

After injuries and another poor rushing performance, what does this mean for Texans’ options at RB? The Texans’ running game took another hit on Sunday after Rex Burkhead left the game with a groin injury. After David Johnson was added to the COVID-19 list on Sunday morning, Royce Freeman was Houston’s only healthy running back. Freeman, claimed by the Texans last month, ran for 15 yards on 11 carries and the team averaged 2.5 yards per rush. If Burkhead’s injury is serious enough to keep him out for Sunday in Jacksonville, the Texans will have to find another option to add to the group that ranks last this season in Football Outsiders’ DVOA. — Barshop

Barshop’s confidence rating (0-10): 0.4, down from 0.6. Even against a Seahawks team that came into the game with four wins, the Texans lost by 20 points.

Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Browns

What to know: The up-and-down Browns jumped back into the AFC North race with a ragged victory over the division-leading Ravens. After dominating the first three quarters, the Browns nearly blew a 21-point lead. But Cleveland’s defense came through with a final fourth-down stop to put the Ravens away. Cleveland is now just one game behind the Ravens, with its playoff hopes still very much alive. — Jake Trotter

Will the Browns’ offense ever turn the corner? Dating back to Oct. 10, Cleveland has surpassed 17 points only once. Subtract Myles Garrett‘s defensive touchdown Sunday and — once again — the Browns failed to top 17 points, a big reason Baltimore was able to hang around without Lamar Jackson. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was sharper coming off a week of rest, and the Browns did have their moments offensively. But unless this offense can reach another level, Cleveland’s playoff push seems primed to ultimately fall short. — Trotter

Trotter’s confidence rating (0-10): 6.1, up from 4.9. The war of attrition in the AFC North is beginning to favor the Browns.

Next game: vs. Raiders (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET)

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Ravens

What to know: Tyler Huntley isn’t Lamar Jackson, but he doesn’t flinch. It would’ve been easy for the Ravens to fold when Jackson left early in the second quarter with a right ankle injury. But Huntley nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback, throwing for 270 yards and running for 45 yards. This was the first time since Nov. 7 that Baltimore scored over 20 points. — Jamison Hensley

Is the Ravens’ season in jeopardy? The severity of Jackson’s ankle injury was unknown by the end of the game, and Baltimore still has a 46% chance of winning the AFC North, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. But if Jackson is sidelined for a period of time, or even less than full strength, the Ravens will have a tough time winning games the rest of the season. Baltimore faces one of the toughest end-of-season schedules with games at home against the Green Bay Packers, at the Cincinnati Bengals and home against the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens have been overachievers all season despite 23 players being on injured reserve at some point this season. Two weeks ago, the Ravens had the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But it’s difficult to see Baltimore making a run to the playoffs without Jackson. — Hensley

Hensley’s confidence rating (0-10): 6, down from 7.5. The Ravens probably need at least two more victories to secure a playoff spot. With an injured Jackson, Baltimore might be favored in only one of its remaining four games.

Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Saints

What to know: Thank goodness for Alvin Kamara. The Saints running back returned from a four-game absence to provide some desperately-needed juice with 145 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. The passing offense was still pretty lackluster, but the defense was awesome as New Orleans stopped a five-game losing streak to keep faint playoff hopes alive. The Saints (6-7) will face an enormous challenge next Sunday night at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but could be favored in their final three games after that. — Mike Triplett

How tight is Taysom Hill’s grip on the starting QB job? It probably didn’t get any tighter or looser Sunday — even though he did put a nice exclamation point on the victory with his 44-yard touchdown run in the final minutes and finished with 73 rushing yards and two rushing TDs. Hill, who is playing through a mallet finger injury on his right throwing hand, was good enough as a passer in this matchup, completing 15 of 21 passes for 175 yards with zero turnovers. But it was a fairly uninspiring performance against the NFL’s 32nd-ranked defense. The Saints will need more of a spark in that area down the stretch. — Triplett

Triplett’s confidence rating (0-10): 4.5, up from 4.1. The passing offense remains a concern, but the Saints are getting healthier. And they should have their full starting 11 back on this defense by next week. Don’t sleep on how good that unit can be.

Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

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Jets

What to know: Zach Wilson‘s up-and-down rookie season (mostly down) went in the wrong direction in Sunday’s 30-9 loss to the Saints. He was bad. His accuracy was awful, as he completed only 19 of 42 passes for 202 yards. Some of that was concession yardage; he had only 86 yards after three quarters. The big irony? It was his first complete game without an interception. The Jets wanted to see the No. 2 overall pick build on last week’s encouraging performance, but he was out of sync from start to finish. He didn’t complete a single pass to a starting outside wide receiver for the first 55 minutes. One of them, Denzel Mims, got benched because of two dumb penalties. Because of injuries, Wilson was surrounded by backups at every skill position. Their leading receivers, Elijah Moore and Corey Davis, were out. This game could’ve been called “The Replacements.” One of them, running back Ty Johnson, dropped three passes in the first quarter alone. So, no, Wilson didn’t get much help. Transcendent players can rise above that. Clearly, Wilson isn’t close to being that kind of player. — Rich Cimini

Are the Jets closer to being a playoff team than last year? Technically, yes. (Sarcastic pause.) The Jets were officially eliminated with the loss. A year ago, they were eliminated on Nov. 20, the first team in 2020 to meet that fate. So that’s progress, right? OK, enough wise cracks. Here’s the grim reality: The Jets’ playoff drought (longest active slump in the league) is now 11 seasons, tied for the longest in franchise history. They missed the playoffs in their post-Super Bowl years, from 1970 to 1980. In some ways, this is worse because this is the era of parity, with free agency and quick fixes. For the Jets, there are no quick fixes. — Cimini

Cimini’s confidence rating (0-10): 2, down from 2.5. The Jets were mathematically eliminated, extending the league’s longest active drought to 11 years. Folks, it’s as bad as it’s ever been.

Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Chiefs

What to know: The Chiefs had the perfect lead-up to their biggest game of the season by blowing out the Raiders. They had a relatively stress-free game heading into Thursday night’s showdown with the Chargers, who beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in September. The Chiefs were able to get many of their key players out of the game well before its end. That should allow them to be as rested as possible during the short week. The Chiefs will also go in with plenty of momentum, as the win over the Raiders was their sixth straight. — Adam Teicher

Can the Chiefs win out and get the AFC’s top playoff seed? If they play like they did against the Raiders, they will. Patrick Mahomes and the offense came to life while the Chiefs’ defense continued to control the game. The bigger mystery is whether finishing with a 13-4 record would earn them the No. 1 seed. The Chiefs would need at least one loss by the Titans and Patriots for that scenario to happen. — Teicher

Teicher’s confidence rating (0-10): 9.1, up from 8. A blowout win does nothing to drop the confidence level, even if it was against the Raiders.

Next game: at Chargers (Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

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Raiders

What to know: That’s a wrap. Sure, the Raiders are still mathematically alive when it comes to the playoff race, but let’s be real: Las Vegas has not been the same since its bye week. The Raiders, who started 5-2, are now 6-7 after falling 48-9 in a game they trailed 35-0 … in the first half. The Raiders became the first team to lose four fumbles in a game this season, including one by Josh Jacobs that was returned for a TD on the first snap of the game. All that’s left for the Raiders to play for is pride, and based on how little of it they showed against the Chiefs, not even that is a sure thing. — Paul Gutierrez

Did anyone on the Raiders’ roster show up? Yes, Hunter Renfrow. With tight end Darren Waller missing his second straight game since suffering back and knee injuries on Thanksgiving, the most unassuming Raider had the biggest day. Renfrow had a career-best 13 catches for 117 yards and a TD. — Gutierrez

Gutierrez’s confidence rating (0-10): 3.5, down from 5.5. A complete overhaul, with everyone from GM Mike Mayock to interim coach Rich Bisaccia to quarterback Derek Carr on notice, is in the offing after the Raiders’ worst loss to Kansas City in the 62-year rivalry (the Chiefs beat the Raiders, 42-7, in 1964).

Next game: at Browns (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET)

Falcons

What to know: Coach Arthur Smith has been saying for weeks the Falcons wanted to be playing meaningful football in December — and here in Charlotte, in the middle of the month, was exactly that. Win, and Atlanta would remain in the conversation for a postseason berth. Lose, and the realities of playing more for 2022 would make much more sense. Well, Atlanta did what it’s done best this season: Win on the road, and in doing so, ensured they’ll at least get through December playing games which will give them a shot at the postseason. It doesn’t get easier from here, as the Falcons head to San Francisco next week. But winning today created another meaningful game and another opportunity to move closer to a longshot playoff berth. — Michael Rothstein

Is the Falcons’ run game legitimate? At this point, you can say yes. For the first time since 2018, Atlanta has topped 100 yards rushing in three straight games (129 yards today) – once again led by 58 yards from perhaps the NFL’s Most Improved Player, Cordarrelle Patterson. The difference this week was the balance the Falcons showed in the run game. The past two weeks, Mike Davis has looked more like the back the team signed him to be, including 86 yards from scrimmage Sunday. Qadree Ollison, finally signed to the 53-man roster Saturday, also found a role with limited carries. Combined, it feels like the three have become what Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has been looking for throughout his first season – a multi-faceted rushing attack that can cause opponents stress. — Rothstein

Rothstein’s confidence rating (0-10): 4, up from 3.6. Avenge a loss from earlier this season, continue to win on the road, and Atlanta, somehow, remains a possibility for the playoffs.

Next game: at 49ers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

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Panthers

What to know: Carolina isn’t a playoff team and Cam Newton isn’t the quarterback for the future. The Panthers have been in the playoff discussion because the NFC is a mess, but the talent isn’t there. Newton was a great feel-good story for a week, but he’s 0-3 as the starter and has lost 11 straight with the Panthers. To be fair, the talent around him isn’t good. Also to be fair, at 32, Newton can’t carry a team anymore. — David Newton

Is head coach Matt Rhule officially on the hot seat? Three straight losses (five straight at home) and two wins in the past 10 isn’t good for job security, particularly with a tough remaining schedule. Rhule replaced offensive coordinator Joe Brady, trying to fix one problem, but the Panthers continued to struggle. While it seems Rhule is safe until 2022, if the Panthers lose out and finish 5-12 after a 3-0 start, he might be on a very short leash with owner David Tepper. This team needed to show improvement, and hasn’t. — Newton

Newton’s confidence rating (0-10): 3.8, down from 4.4. The schedule (at Buffalo, vs. Tampa Bay, at New Orleans and at Tampa Bay) isn’t conducive to winning for a team that has won only twice in 10 games.

Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Titans

What to know: The Titans got back to the positive side of the turnover column and it was no coincidence that they won the game. The defense intercepted Trevor Lawrence four times, the most he’s been picked off in a game so far. Although they only got three points off of the takeaways, Tennessee managed to keep from giving the ball to the Jaguars. That’s something they weren’t able to avoid in their two-game losing streak when they had a total of nine turnovers. — Turron Davenport

Can a healthy Julio Jones eventually emerge as a threat in the passing game? Jones played 32 snaps (50%) on offense for the Titans. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill found Jones on four out of six targets for 33 yards. They did attempt to get Jones the football on a deep post off of playaction. But the pass rush knocked Tannehill off his spot, causing him to come off his read to Jones. Jones reached 18.9 mph on the play which was his fastest speed of the game. At this point, it seems doubtful that Jones will emerge as the dominant threat that he once was with the Titans. — Davenport

Davenport’s confidence rating (0-10): 8, up from 7.5. The Titans did what they were supposed to do by disposing of a lifeless Jaguars team. The pass rush re-emerged and helped create two of Tennessee’s four interceptions. The Titans finished with four turnovers but left a little meat on the bone by only scoring 20 points. The offense managed to move the ball pretty well but still lacks a dominant playmaker. The eventual return of wide receiver A.J. Brown and gradual improvement of Julio Jones’ health should help down the stretch.

Next game: at Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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Jaguars

What to know: The Jaguars’ offense has been abysmal over the past six games – and somehow it was worse Sunday. The offensive line struggled in pass protection (DT Jeffery Simmons abused the interior) and committed five penalties (three on Andrew Norwell), the receivers had two drops (one of which bounced off LaViska Shenault’s hands and was intercepted) and the Jaguars managed just 8 yards rushing with two minutes to play. Overall No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence threw a career-high four interceptions. Oh, and at one point, Shenault and Laquon Treadwell ran into each other while running routes. The end result: The fourth shutout loss in franchise history and the first since a 41-0 beating in Seattle in Week 5 of 2009. — Mike DiRocco

Would Lawrence benefit from sitting? There’s no doubt that Lawrence’s development has stalled, and he’s regressed in some areas. He’s also taking a beating every week, holding onto the ball too long at times, and forcing throws, though part of that is because he’s trying to get something going on offense. But first-year coach Urban Meyer might lose the team (if he hasn’t already) if he puts Lawrence on the bench, and he remains the Jaguars’ best chance to win. — DiRocco

DiRocco’s confidence rating (0-10): 0.5, no change from 0.5. The offense seems to get worse every week, there’s Meyer controversy seemingly every week and there’s no fixes in sight for either.

Next game: vs. Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Vikings

What to know: The Vikings shouldn’t be too proud of the way they narrowly escaped the Steelers after nearly blowing a 29-0 third-quarter lead. Minnesota did what it always does by putting together one really good half of football, only to throw it away with penalties (11) and poor execution (Kirk Cousins threw two second-half interceptions and the Vikings’ defense gave up 20 unanswered points). Had Harrison Smith and Xavier Woods not broken up a terrific tight-window throw by Ben Roethlisberger to Pat Freiermuth on the final play of the game, we could be talking about the embarrassment of Minnesota allowing the largest regular-season comeback in NFL history, and possibly the beginning of a coaching search. — Courtney Cronin

Are the playoffs still attainable? They are according to ESPN’s FPI, which gives Minnesota a 32.3% chance to make the postseason. The Vikings play the 4-8 Bears twice in their final four games, so that should help, although the Lions proved no opponent should be taken for granted. The Vikings’ inability to close out games could doom them against the good teams they have left (the Rams and Packers). The Vikings probably need to win three of their next four to get into the playoffs with a 9-8 record. They’re currently a half-game behind San Francisco for the No. 7 seed, and the 49ers own the tiebreaker. — Cronin

Cronin’s confidence rating (0-10): 5, up from 4. Soldier Field is a house of horrors for Minnesota. The Vikings have won three games there since Zimmer took over in 2014 and have another prime-time game in Week 15 on Monday Night Football.

Next game: at Bears (Monday, Dec. 20, 8:15 p.m. ET)

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Steelers

What to know: The Steelers lost the battle up front on both sides of the ball, and it had major consequences. Dalvin Cook ran amok, racking up 205 yards and two touchdowns. The Vikings finished with 5.1 yards per rush before contact, marking only the fourth time in the past 10 seasons the Steelers have allowed that many yards before contact. After Thursday’s game, the Steelers have the worst rushing defense in the league, and defensive lineman Cam Heyward said it felt like Groundhog Day. — Brooke Pryor

Can the Steelers make the playoffs? If they continue playing like the group that went in a 29-point hole early in the third quarter, no. Their chances to make the playoffs dropped from 19% to 10% after the loss, according to ESPN’s FPI. The Steelers’ season has been dominated by their Jekyll-and-Hyde tendencies. The offense only comes alive once it finds itself at a significant deficit and goes into its no-huddle look, and it often hurts itself with unforced errors and penalties (see: Chase Claypool‘s Thursday night roller coaster). Meanwhile, the defense hasn’t been physical enough to stop anyone consistently. Playing well in the third and fourth quarters isn’t enough. The Steelers can’t make the playoffs if they can’t play four quarters of smart, efficient football. Right now, they haven’t shown they can do that. — Pryor

Pryor’s confidence rating (0-10): 2.3, down from 3.5. Despite another fourth-quarter rally, the momentum from their win against the Baltimore Ravens was erased Thursday night, and the outlook for the final four games is bleak.

Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)