10 takeaways from Week 14

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines the significance of those events moving forward.

Chiefs just too much Mark Brown / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Dolphins gave the defending champs their best shot. Miami put consistent pressure on Patrick Mahomes throughout the day and even came away with three interceptions. Brian Flores' defense did everything it could. And although the final score ended up within a single possession, it never actually felt as though Kansas City were at risk of losing the game.

That seems to be a running theme this year. You can throw everything you have at the Chiefs, but unless you're absolutely perfect, and get a few breaks along the way, a high-powered Andy Reid offense led by a generational quarterback talent is a nightmare to hold off for a full 60 minutes.

Miami's defense has been spectacular, but the Chiefs' offense was always going to produce. It seems the only teams that truly stand a chance against Kansas City are clubs with the offensive firepower to keep pace in a shootout.

There aren't many of those squads. At this rate, the Chiefs might run right through the AFC for a second year in a row.

Steelers have issues Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Speaking of teams unfit for a shootout against the champs, it's hard to believe just two weeks ago we were all wondering whether the Steelers could complete an undefeated season.

With another anemic offensive performance in Sunday night's loss to Buffalo after a similarly dreadful showing in last week's defeat to Washington, Pittsburgh suddenly sits a game back of Kansas City for the AFC's No. 1 seed following two straight losses.

The Steelers remain in an enviable spot. Nobody is hitting the panic button, and there are still a few games left to find their groove before the playoffs. But with a defense this stout and an offense featuring so much dynamic talent, nothing less than winning the Super Bowl is the goal.

At some point on that road, the Steelers will need to trade blows with the Chiefs (or the Bills again). An offense that can't run the ball and refuses to push it downfield when passing isn't going to get it done.

Fielding a great defense is awesome, but this isn't the mid-2000s. That alone isn't enough to carry a team through January.

Bucs right the ship on offense Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Entering the day, Tom Brady's record after a bye week was 14-4, so one could have expected the Buccaneers would make some adjustments. They appeared to make a concerted effort to lighten the load on the 43-year-old quarterback's arm Sunday.

Tampa's offense looked far more balanced than in previous games. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich dialed up 26 runs and limited Brady to just 23 passes, by far the fewest he's attempted in a game this season. Much of that had to do with game script and the Vikings dominating the time of possession for much of the game, but the Bucs also tried to make life easier on Brady in other ways.

The Bucs swapped out Leonard Fournette for LeSean McCoy, who saw his most game action since Week 6. McCoy is a better pass-catcher out of the backfield and pass-protector, and his inclusion in the lineup allowed the Bucs to be more deceptive in short-yardage situations.

#Bucs RB LeSean McCoy says that every couple weeks Tom Brady would be pointing and telling Bruce Arians "Hey, get Shady in there." So he knew it would come, he just wasn't sure then. He was just ready to play.

- PewterReport (@PewterReport) December 13, 2020

These changes may be minimal, but the 8-5 Bucs need only to tighten the screws entering the stretch run.

Vikings can't kick it Stephen Maturen / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Minnesota has done well to rebound from a putrid start to the season, entering this week having won four of the last five, but the job was nowhere near finished. Sunday's game in Tampa Bay was a must-win, and the Vikings' playoff hopes suddenly aren't so rosy thanks to a special teams meltdown.

More specifically, veteran kicker Dan Bailey could find himself looking for a job after missing four kicks (three field goals, one extra point) in the 26-14 loss.

All is not lost for the Vikings, as a 3-0 finish could still get them into the playoffs at 9-7, but Minnesota now has no room for error in a closing stretch that includes a game on the road against the Saints.

Looking back on this contest and knowing the difference was a brutal showing from the kicker will be a tough pill to swallow if Minnesota can't run the table.

Texans hitting new lows Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

The Texans are flat-out tough to watch right now. In a league all about quarterbacks, it's not too often you can say that about a team with a superstar like Deshaun Watson under center.

Injuries were a factor today - Chad Hansen was Watson's leading receiver - but it goes well beyond that for this spiraling team. A 36-7 loss to the Bears, who may be even worse than their mediocre 6-7 record suggests, is an embarrassing result for a Texans organization that has been a regular participant in the playoffs.

The level of urgency heading into this offseason is real. Houston desperately needs to nail its general manager and head coaching hires, and the roster reconstruction that follows will need to yield immediate results. Anything short of that will be wasting the prime years of one of the most talented quarterbacks of this generation.

Don't give up on the youngsters Al Bello / Getty Images Sport / Getty

NFL teams typically aren't very patient with their young players - fans, even less so. And it's tough to blame them. Results matter, and in many cases, a highly touted player who hasn't made an impact through his first few seasons doesn't work out long term.

But every so often, we're reminded that players develop at different rates. That may be exactly what we're witnessing with Haason Reddick, who terrorized Daniel Jones for an astounding five sacks and three forced fumbles in the Cardinals' win over the Giants.

The dominant performance brings Reddick to 10 sacks on the year. Not bad for a guy who, after struggling through his first three seasons, was subject to trade rumors and had his fifth-year option for the 2021 campaign declined.

Nobody saw a fourth-year breakout coming. Even the Cardinals, who know him better than anyone, were seemingly ready to throw in the towel on him. But perhaps this can serve as a reminder about the importance of fit. A hybrid front-seven player coming out of Temple, Reddick was seen by some as an off-ball linebacker and others as a pass-rusher best deployed on the edge. The former didn't work out, but after finally getting his chance on the outside this season, he's beginning to show it's where he should have been all along.

Derrick Henry is inevitable Julio Aguilar / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Take every argument there is against paying running backs top dollar, or giving them 300-plus touches in a season, and toss them in the trash if you're talking about Derrick Henry.

None of that matters for the Titans' freak - and there really is no other word to describe a man whose physical attributes are truly rare in a league full of the world's biggest, strongest, and fastest athletes.

At a time of year when cold weather and the accumulation of bruises hampers the efficiency of most runners, Henry is somehow getting stronger - just as he did a year ago when he averaged 142 yards rushing across seven games in December and January. Henry hit a top speed of 21.4 mph on a 47-yard run in the third quarter Sunday, according to the NFL's NextGen Stats, for his second-fastest run this year.

No tailback has repeated as NFL rushing champion since LaDainian Tomlinson, but Henry is primed to hold on to his crown after yet another 200-yard performance.

Most career games with 200+ rush yards & 2+ rush TD in NFL history:

Derrick Henry - 4
Jim Brown - 3
Barry Sanders - 3
LaDainian Tomlinson - 3#NFL

- NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 13, 2020

Hurts gives Eagles much-needed spark Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Jalen Hurts didn't give anyone Patrick Mahomes or Russell Wilson vibes on Sunday, but making him the starter is looking like an excellent decision from Doug Pederson.

After an extremely poor stretch from Carson Wentz, the second-round rookie made his first career start, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 24-21 upset victory over the New Orleans Saints. Hurts threw for 167 yards, ran for an additional 106 yards, and he tossed a touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery.

Against one of the NFL's stingiest defenses, Pederson's offense looked creative for the first time all year. After the Eagles used option plays, rollouts, and excellent run schemes for Miles Sanders, we finally saw the unit click. Hurts' dual-threat abilities were on full display, and not only on scrambles, as he didn't take a sack (Wentz entered Week 14 as the league's most-sacked quarterback). The 22-year-old was able to spread the ball around and make clutch plays against New Orleans in a way his teammate has yet to do in 2020.

Whether Hurts is the long-term solution in Philadelphia is still up for debate, but he provided the jolt his team desperately needed. He's an exciting player who will likely only get better, and his performances will be worth monitoring over the final three weeks. Hurts may very well save Pederson's job, too.

No need to rush Brees Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Taysom Hill isn't a particularly competent quarterback, and although he shows flashes of potential, the jury is very much out on whether he'll make a leap. His field vision and decision-making are highly suspect, and while he's an elite athlete compared to others at the position, he doesn't possess an NFL-caliber arm.

All of that was apparent during New Orleans' loss to the lowly Eagles on Sunday. But there's no reason the Saints should entertain the notion of reinserting Drew Brees as their starting quarterback until his ribs have truly healed, or until the playoffs begin - whichever comes first.

Brees is reportedly hoping to return for a high-profile clash with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15, but that's not a must-win game for the Saints. They're in no imminent danger of losing their grasp on the NFC South crown, and the prospect of earning the conference's lone bye isn't worth risking Brees' health for the playoffs. By all accounts, this campaign will be his final shot at winning an elusive second championship ring.

A hidden benefit of Hill starting for a few more weeks is that Sean Payton, his biggest believer, may finally see the light and shed any remaining hope that Hill can become the face of the franchise after Brees retires.

Falcons-Chargers delivered as only the Falcons and Chargers can

How refreshing was it to see two of the league's most laughable franchises embrace their personas, both on the field and online? Nobody knows blowing late leads like the Atlanta Falcons and L.A. Chargers.

#ATLvsLAC pic.twitter.com/hg5rxBxxGb

- Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 13, 2020

And the game played out like many have before. Here's how the drives went after the Chargers tied the contest 17-17 with a minute left in the third quarter:

Possession	Result	Time left
Atlanta	Punt	12:35
L.A.	Punt	9:07
Atlanta	INT	3:52
L.A.	INT	0:53
Atlanta	INT	0:36

Neither team wanted to win!

Mercifully, the Chargers gained 49 yards in 30 seconds and kicked a game-winning field goal, though it robbed us of the outcome both teams deserved: a tie.

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