NFL Week 12 roundtable: Giants’ QB plan post-Jones, NFC West race, is Bo Nix legit OROY contender?

You possibly can formally depend the New York Giants among the many groups whose offseason might be constructed round discovering its subsequent franchise quarterback.

Daniel Jones’ being benched after which launched is only one growth highlighting league happenings main as much as Sunday’s Week 12 motion. The Giants host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with fan favourite Tommy DeVito in line to begin.

Elsewhere on this week’s roundtable, our NFL writers Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe focus on the NFC West. May or not it’s the league’s most fascinating division title race?

What concerning the Offensive Rookie of the 12 months race? Is the Denver Broncos’ Bo Nix (or one other rookie quarterback) closing in on the Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels? Although Anthony Richardson has redeemed himself in Indianapolis, how will he and the Colts fare in opposition to the excitement noticed that’s the Detroit Lions? The 11-point favourite Kansas Metropolis Chiefs — sans Taylor Swift — go to Charlotte and the Carolina Panthers for the primary time in eight years. The Harbaugh Bowl caps off Week 12 on Monday night time, too.

Learn extra on what’s catching our writers’ consideration this week.

The Daniel Jones period is over because the Giants host the Bucs. What’s subsequent for Jones? What does the Giants’ plan at quarterback seem like this offseason?

Howe: They tried to maneuver up for a high QB in April, and I’d anticipate the same effort — if not a extra concerted one — this spring. The Giants are nonetheless in rivalry for the No. 1 choose, so they could get their selection of QBs, however the race has primarily been specializing in Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. There isn’t a marquee prospect on this class, although, and there are personnel executives who’ve already stated they wouldn’t rank any of the 2025 QBs forward of the six first-rounders from April. The Giants, like each QB-desperate group, must be aggressive, however they will’t power it. As for Jones, he’ll enter the camp competitors vortex for groups that aren’t capable of finding a starting-caliber QB within the draft. It’s not too long ago labored for the likes of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson, so I’d extremely advocate a pleasant offensive system.

Sando: Jones initiatives as a backup someplace, presumably with a group that has playoff aspirations and will stand to improve behind its starter. The Miami Dolphins are solely 4-6, however they might use an improve behind Tua Tagovailoa. The Arizona Cardinals have Clayton Tune. Tampa Bay has Kyle Trask. The Minnesota Vikings have Nick Mullens. Possibly these groups love their backups, however I might see groups of their conditions contemplating Jones.

As for the Giants, who might be making the selections there? How excessive will their draft selection be? Which veterans may be out there? It’s simply approach too early to know what the Giants are going to do, based mostly on all of the vital unknown variables. They should discover a veteran in a position to begin and presumably develop so that they aren’t too depending on their subsequent drafted QB — particularly in 2025, which doesn’t seem like the very best yr for drafting on the place.

Keefer: Jones goes to make some huge cash on this league as a succesful backup someplace, faraway from the expectations that include being a franchise man. I can’t see a group — barring an unexpected harm — rolling with him because the starter in Week 1 subsequent season. Not after what he’s placed on tape the final two seasons. And the Giants will discover themselves this spring backed into one of many worst corners in soccer: needing a quarterback in a draft that doesn’t function plenty of quarterback expertise. That’s brought on groups to succeed in up to now, and it’s burned them for many years. New York can be smart to go the veteran route earlier than the draft simply to be secure. I wonder if the prospect of Justin Fields taking up would get Giants followers excited.

Daniel Jones was benched Monday after the New York Giants’ 2-8 begin to the season, throughout which he accomplished 63.3 % of his passes for two,070 yards, eight touchdowns and 7 interceptions by means of 10 video games. (Mario Hommes / DeFodi Pictures by way of Getty Pictures)

The Broncos, on the highway in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, are within the thick of the AFC playoff hunt. Is Bo Nix (or one other rookie QB) a respectable Offensive Rookie of the 12 months contender or is it nonetheless Jayden Daniels’ award to lose?

Howe: It’s Daniels’ award to lose, and Drake Maye is taking part in higher than Nix. If Daniels and the Commanders tumble whereas the Broncos snag a playoff spot, there’s completely an avenue for Nix to assert the award, however I’d nonetheless take Daniels over the sector.

Sando: It’s Daniels’ award to lose, however there may be some uncertainty about how strongly he and that offense will end. Nix is unquestionably gaining on him from a manufacturing standpoint. We are able to see that within the desk under, which exhibits manufacturing for Daniels, Nix and Maye over their previous six video games. That’s an enormous change from early within the season.

Keefer: Mike is true — it’s not solely Bo Nix coming into the dialog however Drake Maye as properly, though he received’t be capable of boast the relative group success Daniels is having fun with in Washington and Nix is having fun with in Denver. Voters for some of these awards typically lean on turnaround tales, and for some time this season, Daniels was scripting the very best one in soccer. He’s nonetheless in entrance, however how he responds to consecutive losses may very properly find yourself deciding this award.

The Chiefs are 11-point favorites on the highway in opposition to the Panthers and, presumably, they’ll bounce again Sunday. Does the loss in Buffalo mixed with the Lions’ continued rise change how you are feeling about Kansas Metropolis?

Howe: A bit, sure. If the Chiefs managed to beat the Buffalo Payments with a subpar efficiency, that may have been a wrap, however the Lions and Payments are decisively higher proper now. And although everyone seems to be ready for the Chiefs to get considerably higher as Patrick Mahomes positive factors expertise together with his ability gamers, we shouldn’t overlook the very fact Josh Allen and the Payments will do the identical. Nobody who has watched the playoffs for the previous half-decade is ever going to put in writing off the Chiefs, however they’re objectively behind Detroit and Buffalo coming into essentially the most pivotal stretch of the season.

Sando: The best way the Payments offense dealt with the Chiefs protection must be regarding for Kansas Metropolis. Kansas Metropolis can enhance because the season progresses as a result of it’s properly coached and it is going to be growing key gamers as Isaiah Pacheco returns, Xavier Worthy positive factors expertise, and so on. However it seems like a superb yr to be Detroit or Buffalo, all issues thought of. The Chiefs are superb however much less dominant than their report signifies.

Keefer: I discovered my lesson final yr. The common season merely doesn’t matter for the Chiefs. They’ve come to transcend soccer norms throughout their dynastic run. It doesn’t matter that loads of their wins this season have been unconvincing. Doesn’t matter that Travis Kelce has taken a step again. Doesn’t matter that Patrick Mahomes has seemed mediocre — or worse — for stretches. Doesn’t matter that they couldn’t shut out the Payments final week. They completely stay a respectable Tremendous Bowl contender and may beat anybody within the playoffs. Bear in mind, as Kansas Metropolis proved final yr, it’s not the group that appears the very best in November and December, it’s the one which will get scorching in January. Greater than any group on the market, it is aware of how to do this.

The Harbaugh Bowl takes place Monday night time. The Baltimore Ravens path within the AFC North title race. The 7-3 Los Angeles Chargers escaped the Cincinnati Bengals final week. There are many storylines on this one. Which one intrigues you essentially the most?

Howe: Earlier than the season, coaches and executives across the league predicted Justin Herbert would make a bounce with Jim Harbaugh, who would prioritize the bottom sport and a high-level protection to enhance his quarterback. Harbaugh proceeded to run a conservative offense, however he’s given Herbert extra of an opportunity to let it rip as of late. If Herbert topples the Ravens, he’s going to earn severe MVP consideration.

Sando: I’m considering seeing whether or not the Chargers’ much-improved protection can sluggish Lamar Jackson with the advantage of no matter inside data they’ve from coordinators Jesse Minter and Greg Roman, who spent important time on the Ravens’ employees. Is that this a sport the Chargers can play on their phrases? What occurs if this sport picks up the place Chargers-Bengals left off? Will Justin Herbert preserve tempo with Jackson in that case?

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Keefer: The Chargers-Bengals sport was probably the greatest of the season — Herbert went wild within the first half, then Joe Burrow put collectively a number of the greatest soccer I’ve ever seen him play within the second. The intriguing layer of the Harbaugh matchup Monday night time is how Lamar Jackson bounces again from final week’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (his -0.21 EPA per dropback and 66.1 passer score have been season lows). Jackson usually torches groups outdoors the AFC North, and an announcement win Monday in opposition to an elite protection — the Chargers lead the league in scoring protection at 14.2 allowed per sport — would push him proper again in entrance of the MVP race.

It’s time for the biweekly NFC West temperature examine. The Los Angeles Rams (5-5) host a scorching Philadelphia Eagles group Sunday night time. The San Francisco 49ers (5-5) are on the highway in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers. The Cardinals (6-4) and Seattle Seahawks (5-5) meet. Which group is in the very best place to win the division?

Howe: I appreciated the Cardinals as a enjoyable shock group this season, however I didn’t anticipate they’d be a severe division risk, even when accidents amongst their opponents are an enormous cause. I’ll persist with the Cardinals as a result of they’re taking part in the very best and proceed to get higher. I do just like the Seahawks and assume they’re neck and neck with Arizona, so their two conferences within the subsequent three weeks might very properly inform the story on this division race. Seattle must focus extra on the run sport, although, and the O-line accidents have been problematic. The Niners nonetheless have the very best ceiling within the division, however they’ve been freely giving too many video games and I’m not able to assume that sample is about to magically break. The Rams have been too inconsistent, though I can’t rule out Matthew Stafford’s flipping a swap and preserving them within the combine.

Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals could possibly be one of many league’s shock groups at 6-4 and atop the NFC West. (Stacy Revere / Getty Pictures)

Sando: The Athletic’s mannequin offers the Cardinals a 58 % likelihood of successful the division, adopted by the Rams (23 %), the 49ers (12 %) and the Seahawks (8 %). Is it actually that lopsided? I see this division coming right down to the ultimate week, when San Francisco visits Arizona and the Rams go to Seattle. All 4 groups might have a shot at 9-8. Any group attending to 10-7 in all probability will win the division. I don’t see any group with an enormous benefit, however I query whether or not the 49ers can keep wholesome sufficient to prevail.

Keefer: The Cardinals are taking part in the very best of any group within the division, and as Jeff famous, these two conferences with the Seahawks might find yourself deciding the NFC West title. (San Francisco and L.A. have been too inconsistent.) However vital this time of yr are the groups which might be exhibiting tangible indicators of enchancment, and the Cardinals match the invoice: Arizona has received 4 straight, together with its final two by a mixed 45 factors. In three of these wins the protection allowed lower than 16 factors. On offense, Kyler Murray has been lighting it up. By mid-January, I just like the Cardinals to win their first division title since 2015.

(Prime picture of Bo Nix: Dustin Bradford / Getty Pictures)