Reaction to Week 17: Such a crappy display of offense. Let’s see how my picks for starters did. First off, at QB, I said to start Baker Mayfield and Tyler Shough. Mayfield had 346 yards passing, 16 yards rushing, 2 TDs, and 3 TOs. Even with the turnovers, I was still right to start him. Shough ended up with 333 yards passing and 2 TDs. I was right to start him too. At RB, I said to start Michael Carter and Ashton Jeanty. Carter had 29 yards rushing, 14 yards receiving, and nothing else. I was wrong to start him. Jeanty, however, had 60 yards rushing, 13 yards receiving, and also nothing else, so I was wrong to start him too. At wide out, I said to start Chris Olave and Parker Washington. Olave had 119 yards receiving and a TD. I was right to start him. Washington ended up with 115 yards receiving and nothing else. Good enough, so I was right to start him too. At tight end, I said to start Harold Fannin, Jr. and Cade Otton. Fannin got hurt, but he got hurt catching a TD. He had 30 yards receiving along with the TD, so I was right to start him. Otton ended up with 33 yards receiving but nothing else, so I was wrong to start him. For the team defenses, I said to start the Bengals and the Browns. The Bengals won, held the Cards to 14 points, along with 4 sacks. I was right to start them. The Browns also won, held the Steelers to 6 points, along with 2 sacks. I was right to start them too.
QB:
Lamar Jackson – Did you see what Sanders was able to do against the Steelers D before his true identity arrived? Jackson is no Sanders. Enough said? It should be. Don’t be afraid of Jackson coming back from injury. He will play well against this vulnerable D.
Tyler Shough – He has been playing well, so well, he might be the Saints starter next year. They will play well, even though no Olave. Win win for the Saints would be if he plays well, showing all the future looks bright, but they still lose, thereby getting a better slot in the draft.
RB:
Bucky Irving – He has not done much recently, but I suspect he shows up and out on this big game for the playoffs against a bottom 10 rush D in Carolina. Don’t be scared.
Tyrone Tracy, Jr. – He does split with Singletary, but he should get more touches this week against another bottom 10 rush D in the Cowboys. The opportunities will be there to shine.
WR:
Parker Washington – Is he the future of the Jags receiving corp? His stats say so, and they should still be there this week against a bottom 10 pass D in the Titans. Expectations are high.
Zay Flowers – He is spotty in his stats, but he is not spotty in getting stats against the Steelers, a team he hit up for for 124 yards only a few weeks ago. Probably at least another 100, maybe more.
TE:
Travis Kelce – He faces a Raiders D that has been good against the position and did well against him the last time out, but call it a hunch, with the Raiders needing to lose and this being Kelce’s last game, he will get a TD to “go out on top.”
Pat Freiermuth – With no Metcalf last week, he got a few more touches than normal. With Metcalf still out, and now Washington out too, this should equal even more targets, which will mean more catches for him against the Ravens.
D:
Ravens – Momentum. Momentum. Momentum. Baltimore has it in spades over the Steelers. The Steelers will be missing too many starters to keep up, and Baltimore will take one on the road to make the playoffs. Sorry everyone in the AFC – Here come the Ravens!
Cowboys – They will not want to finish the year below .500, plus the Giants are vying for a top 3, possibly #1 draft pick next year. All the signs are pointing to Dallas getting this last one on the road.
By Brooksie on January 2, 2026