Five [Opfer's Take]aways from NFL Week 15

Ten nuggets from the week

Jaguars WR Keelan Cole had 186 yards receiving against the Texans. Houston had 186 yards total...

Saints WR Michael Thomas joined Odell Beckham Jr. as the only players in NFL history to have at least 90 catches in each of their first two seasons (ESPN)...

Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey has caught more passes (73) than WR Randy Moss (69) did in his rookie season (ESPNNFL)...

Steelers WR Antonio Brown is the first player in NFL history to have 100+ receptions in five consecutive seasons (NFLResearch)...

Colts RB Frank Gore became only the second player in NFL history to record at least 1,000 scrimmage yards in 12 consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith (ESPN)... 

49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo is 3-0 as a starter (Niners were 1-10 before he took over), authoring two game-winning drives in as many games...

Broncos QB Brock Osweiler recorded the highest total QBR (99.2) of any QB in a game this season (ESPN)...

The Jaguars are on pace to lead the league in scoring defense, sacks, and takeaways this season. No team since 1970 (merger) has finished a season leading all three categories - not even the 1985 Bears or 2000 Ravens (NFLResearch)... 

For the first time since 2008 - Aaron Rodgers first season behind center - the Packers will not be in the playoffs...

Week 15 saw favorites go 14-0 straight up (no team was favored in KC vs. LAC or SEA vs. LAR). That's just the third week without an upset since the merger in 1970 (ESPNStats&Info).

Five Takeaways

5. Is the NFL (NFC) finding parody?

Taking the Patriots (9 straight playoff app) and Steelers (6 app in last 8 seasons) out of the equation, 2017 has seen a fresh blend of new teams vying for playoff spots. If the postseason were to start today, eight of the 12 teams that made the playoffs in 2016 would not be in this year's field (Dolphins, Raiders, Texans, Cowboys, Giants, Lions, Packers, and Seahawks). The Pats, Steelers, Chiefs, and Falcons are currently the only teams that own spots. But the Falcons are far from a lock (having to play the Saints & Panthers -- both 10-4), meaning we'd be guaranteed at least one new representative in the Super Bowl. Hopefully the AFC can say the same when all said and done. But for now, it's fun to see teams like the Jaguars and Rams - who haven't been to the postseason in years (since 2007 and 2004, respectively) - clinch spots and more than likely division titles. 

Ingram and the Saints are among a wide open NFC field (ESPN). 

4. How lucky can one franchise be?

Nothing is more irritating than one team getting every single break. Just about every single season. Especially when that team is a juggernaut. Dating back to the ‘Tuck Rule’ game (2001), the Patriots have been on the right side of luck. And it’s not even close. Even more so against one team in particular.

Two seasons ago, New England played Pittsburgh who was without Le'Veon Bell due to suspension. Last season, they played the Steelers twice. In the regular season, the Steelers were without Ben Roethlisberger (injured). Then, in the AFC title game, Bell left in the first quarter due to injury (after he was averaging 170 yards/game in the postseason). Enter Sunday, and what do you know… Antonio Brown – an MVP contender and best WR in the league – left the game due to injury in the first quarter. And for the cherry on top, the Pats escaped due to the absurdity that is the catch rule (see below), robbing the Steelers of a win. 

This is just a small sample in a long list of things that happen to go this team's way time and time again -- an annoyance of epic proportions. And that's not to mention Rob Gronkowski only being suspended one game after completely losing his mind with his blatant cheap-shot on Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White (driving his head into the ground) after an INT. Unbelievable.

3. TGIII emerging as MVP candidate

Last week, Antonio Brown was the candidate that had the best chance to dethrone Brady as the league's MVP. But just like his predecessor - Carson Wentz - injury has doomed that scenario. Time for a new player to enter the discussion: TGIII.

In the off-season, newly acquired HC Sean McVay made it an emphasis to get Todd Gurley more involved in the offense in 2017. It was obvious after the back saw his production drastically decline from year one to year two. Gurley has responded by having the best season of his career, ranking first in rushing TD's (13) and scrimmage TD's (17), second in scrimmage yards (1,817), third in rushing yards (1,187) and second among running backs in receiving yards (630, NFL Research). He trails Le'Veon Bell by 32 scrimmage yards despite 76 fewer touches. On Sunday, the third-year back accounted for 181 total yards - 153 rushing & 28 receiving - and four touchdowns, while playing just nine second half snaps in the Rams, 42-7, blowout victory over the Seahawks. Gurley has been the engine behind the Rams resurgence, and a key reason LA is on track to host a playoff game for the first time since 1993. He deserves to be in the MVP discussion. 

Gurley is leading a charge the Rams haven't seen since the greatest show on turf (ocregister.com).

Fun Fact: The Rams are 8-0 when Gurley touches the ball 20-plus times and 2-4 when he fails to reach that number (NFLResearch). 

2. NFL officiating is too technical

This is getting ridiculous. What is a catch anymore? It seems to be a question noone clearly understands, especially fans. And the issue came full circle again on Sunday, when Jesse James of the Pittsburgh Steelers had a key TD overturned (with 28 seconds left) because of arguably the most nonsensical rule in sports (catch rule), which determined that James didn’t complete the process of a catch.

First off, he did. If you watch the play, James clearly possesses the ball (firmly) with two hands. His knee hits the ground (which the rule states: the receiver has to survive the initial contact with the ground... His initial contact with the ground was his knee hitting the ground while having full possession of the ball). He then proceeds to make ‘a football move’ by reaching the ball across the goal line. As he reaches across the plane of the end zone, the ball becomes ‘loose’, but at that point he has already scored. Therefore, it should have been a catch and score. After all, it was a touchdown to the entire football world, until the technicalities of an obscure rule came into play, which completely penalizes athletes trying to make great plays (in this case James). 

What’s even crazier is that it was called a touchdown on the field. When a play is under review, if there is not sufficient video evidence to overturn the call – which in this case there wasn’t – nine times out of ten, the play stands as called on the field. Unfortunately, not this time (in large part because of their opponent), and it cost the Steelers home-field throughout the postseason. It also put a damper on what was an amazing game.

Calls (and rules) like this ruin the game of football as a whole. Just ask Dez.

Shame on the NFL for not fixing this rule by now. 

1. Changing of the guard in the west

Sean McVay's turnaround in Los Angeles continues to turn heads. On Sunday, he added another accolade to his impressive start, becoming the youngest head coach since 1937 (Milan Creigton, Chicago Cardinals) to win 10 games in his first season at the helm (ramswire). In addition, he may have solidified himself as Coach of the Year as the Rams dismantled a hapless Seahawks squad (42-7) in front of the 12's, all but assuring the division crown (their first since 2003). It was a dominating performance, but more importantly a bold statement: the Rams are here to stay. 

In the last ten seasons, the Rams have lived in the NFC West cellar, finishing either last (six times) or 3rd (three times) in nine of those ten. Now, with one more win, they can not only reverse their fortunes with a division title, but match their entire win total from the last two seasons combined (11). It finally looks like this team is heading in the right direction behind a bright coach and young core led by the backfield duo of QB Jared Goff and RB Todd Gurley - the key tokens behind the number one scoring offense in the league (31.3 points/per).   

With the Seahawks' legion of boom disintegrating, the Cardinals aging, and the 49ers in the midst of a rebuild, the Rams could be the face of the West for years to come.  

Fun Fact: The Rams have the third longest playoff drought in the NFL (13 seasons), and will all but clinch a berth in week 16, leaving only the Browns (15) and Bills (18) with longer active streaks.