Five quick takes looking back on Week 15 in the NFL:
1. Wouldn’t be the story of the year if Nick Foles comes off the bench to take the Eagles to the Super Bowl again? It seems a fantasy and even if the Eagles win their final two, they have to get help to even make the playoffs. Still, Foles gave them hope when he led the Eagles to a 30-23 win over the Rams. But it can’t happen again, can it?2. When Tom Brady got into scoring position late in the fourth quarter, down by seven against the Steelers, it seemed overtime was a foregone conclusion. Instead, he missed on four consecutive passes and lost. The Patriots are now 9-5 and may not get a first round bye for the first time since 2010. Is it time for the Patriots to worry after two straight losses even though one was the Miracle in Miami? Probably not. But if the Texans win their last two, the Patriots won’t get a bye. You can never count the Patriots out but they now have something to prove.
3. The torch may have been passed in Baltimore. Joe Flacco was a backup for the first time of his career when he was healthy. Coach John Harbaugh stuck with rookie Lamar Jacson and he led the Ravens to a 20-12 win over Tampa Bay. Jackson is now 4-1 as a starter. There are concerns he is risking an injury by running too much, but he now looks like the team’s starting quarterback.
4. Firing the offensive coordinator late in the season is a strange move but for one week it worked for Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. He sacked John DeFilippo for Kevin Stefanski and the Vikings routed the Dolphins, 41-17. Now the question is whether the Vikings can make a late season run and vindicate Zimmer’s move.
5. The Dallas Cowboys continue to be a puzzle. After five wins in a row, they were ro23-0 by the Colts. The Cowboys can still win the NFC East but that kind of a showing may not bode well for the Cowboys in the playoffs.