NFL Week 14 picks: Why we like the Browns, Bengals and Eagles
Lorenzo Reyes is back with the best intentions for the Week 14 game. He explains why he likes the Browns, Bengals and Eagles.
Semantics aren’t all that important, but Thursday night’s showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions at Ford Field was more of a “can’t-lose” than a “must-win” for each team.
In the end, it was the home team that remained, and the Lions won 44-30. Detroit, third in the NFC North, has yet to advance into the playoffs expected by its conference, but according to NFL NextGenestats, the Lions (8-5) have a 54% chance of qualifying for the postseason for the third straight year.
Meanwhile, Dallas (6-6-1), which really can’t afford to lose, has just a 7% chance of advancing to Week 19.
As you know, the scoreboard shows the main storyline, but beyond that there are winners and losers. Thursday nights are as follows:
winner
jamil gibbs
Are we ready to crown him Lions Player of the Year? Perhaps it is just a belatedly obvious statement for many? However, the versatile running back had another impactful night, scoring three touchdowns. He has scored 47 career touchdowns, but was less than 100% as the offense was without injured tight end Sam LaPorta and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Gibbs is now tied with Lions legend and Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, who needs one more touchdown to become the most of any player in his first three seasons in the NFL.
Dan Campbell
His Lions haven’t been as dominant this season as they’ve battled major injuries (DB Brian Branch could be next) and adjusted to a significantly revamped coaching staff. Still, Campbell has no intention of letting his team get stuck in a rut, and the Lions are avoiding back-to-back regular season losses for the first time since 2022. Even after the loss, Detroit has won 15 straight games, tying a league record.
philadelphia eagles
As inconsistent and battered as the team has been in recent weeks, Dallas’ loss leaves the reigning Super Bowl champions with an outright two-game lead in the NFC East with five games left in the regular season.
Brandon Aubrey
He became the first kicker since at least 1991 to make three field goals of at least 55 yards in a game. Dallas’ phenomenal long-range sniper hit from 57, 55 and 63 yards on Thursday, and threw for 42 and 29 yards with great success. He was the first NFL player to make 100 field goals in his first three seasons and the only player to score from at least 60 yards six times.
Cowboys run game pedigree
He’s no Tony Dorsett or Emmitt Smith, but first-year running back Javonte Williams reached 1,000 rushing yards in a season Thursday night for the first time in his five-year career. Williams becomes the fourth Cowboys to reach the benchmark in the past five seasons, joining Rico Doodle, Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott.
Thursday
Outside of the NFL’s research department, it’s interesting. The Lions’ 46 wins Thursday are the most in league history. The Cowboys have 44 teams. Unsurprisingly, these are the fruits of the team’s decades of involvement in Thanksgiving. However, given that both clubs traditionally host Turkey Day, they never actually faced each other on Thursday. Until now.
Cedee Lamb
The Cowboys’ Pro Bowl wideout had six catches for a season-high 121 yards, but the Lions essentially couldn’t cover him.
loser
Cedee Lamb
Early in the third quarter, Lamb tried to catch a pass in the end zone and his head hit the turf hard. He immediately appeared to show signs of a head injury and was immediately removed from the game with a concussion, but was able to walk to the locker room. It was a tough way to end what was shaping up to be a great performance.
Chicago Bears or Green Bay Packers
They will play Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field with first place in the NFC North on the line. And while the winner will own it outright, the loser will be at risk of falling into Detroit’s hands. The Pack have already swept Detroit, but the Lions defeated Chicago 52-21 in Week 2 and will face the Bears again in Week 18.
george pickens
The Ram wingman had a quiet night (5 catches, 37 yards) when the team really needed a loud performance. Pickens’ lack of influence came on one night when it appeared from some animated exchanges on the Dallas sideline that he and Dak Prescott weren’t on the same page. According to former Pro Bowl cornerback and current Prime Video analyst Richard Sherman, Pickens “didn’t seem interested.” yes.
jerry jones
The Cowboys’ owner is not on the injury report, but on a week-by-week basis, Dallas’ next game could be at home against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 14, a long 10-day gap. Meanwhile, players Jones specifically traded for this year, Pickens and DT Quinnen Williams, were virtually absent in America’s team’s biggest game of the season. Meanwhile, the man who left, former Dallas DE Micah Parsons, continues to thrive with the Packers…and certainly would have been a welcome addition Thursday when Lions QB Jared Goff ran Detroit’s offense efficiently while getting little pressure. Jones’ team is technically on hold for the playoffs, but while he takes much of the blame, he knows many last rites will be read in North Texas and across the country over the next week and a half.
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