Mark Cannizzaro

Mark Cannizzaro

NFL

This could be the last hurrah for football’s most infamous fans

The Cowboys can clinch the NFCź§‹ title with a win over the Buccaneers on, and a Seahawks win over the Chiefs will clinch a wild-card spot for them. But those arenā€™t the only things going on, as we take a look at The Postā€™s Week 16 HšŸ”„igh Five.

Last dance to watch

Is this really the end for the Black Hole?

When the Raiders play the Broncos on Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum, it might mark the final game they play in Oakland, with plans to relocated to Las Vegas next season. The thought ošŸ­f that made Raiders coach Jon Gruden a little introspective during the week. Grudenā€™s first head-coaching job came at age 34 in 1998 with the Raiders.

The Coliseum š“„§has served as the Raidersā€™šŸ‘ home from 1966-81, and they return in 1995 (they played in Los Angeles from 1982-94).

The city of Oaklandā€™s recent announcement of its plans to file a federal lawsuit against the Raiders and the NFL over the teamā€™s impending move to Las Vegas in 2020 has left matters very murką½§y. The day after the lawsuit was filed, the Raiders pulled their offer to pay $7.5 million in rent for one final season in 2019 at the Oakland Coliseum off the table.

ā€œItā€™s a real football stadium,ā€ Gruden told reporters during the week. ā€œItā€™s dirt, grass, itā€™s got tradition. Itā€™s where some of the best games in the history of football have been played. Itā€™s where some of the best
players in the history of the world have pą²Œlayed football games. I mean ā€¦ there are a lot ą“œof things that have happened in that stadium and ā€¦ uh, next question. I donā€™t want to start crying about a stadium.ā€

Gruden waxed poetic about ā€œjust ragšŸ…˜ing in the Black Hole,ā€ adding, ā€œRocking and raging down there after the Steeler game [last weekā€™s Oakland win over Pittsburgh], after a lot of wins over the years. Seeing a lot of the old highlights of great Raider teams, I get excited. I get emotional about it, and hošŸ“pefully we get it all resolved so we can continue to play there.ā€

Possible farewell to watch

Larry Fitzgerald
Larry FitzgeraldAP

When tšŸ‘he Cardinals play their home finale against the ā™’Rams, itā€™s possible that will be the final home game in Arizona for icon Larry Fitzgerald.

There has been much speculation about the future of Fitzgerald, the 15-year star receiver whoā€™s šŸ’been to 11 Pro Bowls. His contract expires after this season, and general manager Steve Keim has told reporters the team will give Fitzgerald timeā™ˆ to determine his future before he talks to him about another contract. This has led to many guesses, and the questions of late have dogged him.

ā€œIf I decide to retire, Iā€™ll let you guys know,ā€ Fitzgerald told reporters late in the week. ā€œMan, seriously. So, I donā€™t understand why we keep asking these questions. You know me, Iā€™ve been answering fošŸ¦„r the last three years. Nothingā€™s going to change. Iā€™m never going to tell you, ā€˜This is my last day. Iā€™m excited. Honor me.ā€™ Those words would never come out of my mouth, ever.ā€

Itā€™s been a trying season for the 35-year-old Fitzgerald, whose numbers understandably have declined thanks to the teamā€™s quarterback situation in constant flux. The Cardinals began the season with Sam Bradford before changing to rookie JosšŸ’›h Rosen, whoā€™s struggled. The Cardinals are 3-11, and there is heavy speculation that rookie coach Steve Wilks might not make it to a second season.

Fitzgerald, who entered thiź¦«s year with three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, has 59 catches for 645 yards and five TDs and has eclipsed 100 yards receiving in only one game.

Asked if heā€™s thought about the possibility of Sunday being his final home game, thešŸŒž humble FitzgšŸ’Žerald said, ā€œNo thoughts on it, really. Itā€™s just another game for me. If anything changes, Iā€™ll let you guys know, though.ā€

Post-Cam period to watch

It looks likšŸŒƒe Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will be shut down for the season because of his injured throwing shoulder. According to Panthers coach Ron Rivera, Newton definitely wonā€™t play Sunday against the Falcons.

Enter backup Taylor Heinicke, whoā€™s thrown just five passes in two NFL seasons. Rivera said he gives šŸ²the Panthers their best chance to win this week ā€” largely because of Newtonā€™s inability to throw deep passes as a result of his ailing shoulder.

Newton has completed just nine passesā™” of 20 yards or more this season and has five INTs and no TDs when throwing 15 or more yards during the Panthersā€™ current six-game losing streak ā€” which has left them 6-8 and virtually elimišŸønated playoff contention.

Cam Newton
Cam NewtonGetty Images

ā€œItā€™s funny, because some of the DBs actually tell us on the field weā€™re not scared of yā€™all throwingšŸŒž deep,ā€ Panthers receiver Jarius Wright told reporters. ā€œTheyā€™ve actually mentioned that multiple times. Just having [Taylor] out there keeps everybody honest.ā€

Wright, who played with Heinicke at Minnesota, soundedź§‚ like heā€™s looking forward to catching passes from him.

ā€œThe guy can throw the heck out of it,ā€ Wright said. ā€œHe does a great job of reading coverages anź¦ŗd making quick decisions. A lot of people donā€™t realize he can move. Heā€™s not a sitting duck back in the pocket.ā€

Newton, who underwent shoulder surgery during the 2017 offseason, hasnā€™t been right for weeks. He hasnā€™t rushed for a TD in the past seven games and has rushed for 33 or more yards rushing only once in that span. In the first seven games,šŸ„ƒ he rushed for four touchdowns and had more than 33 yards six times.

Newton was sacked nine times over the past three games and 19 times over the pasź§‹t seven after being sacked just 10 times the first seven games.

Afterāœ… a 12-9 loss to the Saints on Monday, during which Newton rushed five times for 15 yards and had a season-low 52.5 passer rating, Carolina center Ryan Kalil said it was obvious after watching film of the game that Newton ā€œcoušŸŽƒldnā€™t do it.ā€

Asked if itā€™s possible Newton could play in the Panthersā€™ season finale at New Orleans if they still had a mathematical chance to getšŸ’™ into the playoffs, Rivera called it unlikely but added, ā€œcrazy things can haā™Šppen.ā€

Dallas rebound to watch

Call it spin or whistling past a graveyard. Or call it prescient. But, after the Cowboys lost, 23-0, to the Colts last week, some of their players actually šŸ„‚said they believed the loss might have been gšŸŒood for them.

Quarterback Dak Prescott told reporters he thošŸ¦©ught maybe the Cowboys were ā€œtoo hot to trotā€ after a five-game winning streak. Running back Ezekiel Elliott said, ā€œWe needed to get pušŸ¤”t in check.ā€

As the 8-6 Cowboys prepared to play host to the BuccanešŸ…ers with a chance to clinch the NFC East, coach Jason Garrett said he didnā€™t agree with the narrative that his team had gotten cocky or complacent.

With tź¦‰he Eagles (7-7) and Redskins (7-7) winning last Sunday, the Cowboys face more pressure to win this week Sunday. Three times in the Garrett era the Cš”owboys have had win-and-in scenarios, and they lost all three times.

Garrett referred back to when the Cowboys were 3-5 and floundering as a show of their strength rebį€£ounding this season aź¦‰nd believes this team is different.

ā€œIt goes back to mental toughness,ā€™ā€™ Garrett told reporters. ā€œI think weā€™šŸ“re all challenged by those things in our lives, in our careers, and certainlyā™ a football team gets challenged, as well. Itā€™s a matter of putting that last experience behind you and getting focused on this one and be your best for this experience through your preparation and through your focus and intensity when youā€™re locked in on it.

ā€œI think our team has actually done a really good job of that over the course of the yeašŸŽr, handling some early adversity and came back and we won a few games in a row.ā€™ā€™

Baker and Hue watch

When the Browns play host to the Bengals, it will pit Browns rookie quarterback against his first NFL coach, Hue Jackson, whoā€™s now a member of the Bengals coaching staff after being fired by Cą½§leveland earlier this season.

After Jackson was fired, Mayfield didnā€™t exactly have a lot of nice things to say about himąµ©. Mayfield tweaked Jackson for joining tą¹„he Bengals, a rival of the Browns. And Cleveland got the best of the first meeting this season, a 35-20 Week 12 win at Cincinnati.

When Bengals coach Marvin Lewis was asked by reporters about ā™the Jackā™ˆson-Mayfield relationship, it clearly touched a nerve.

ā€œYou want to talk about BšŸ¬rowns and the Bengals?ā€™ā€™ Lewis asked. ā€œOther than that, weā€™re done.ā€™ā€™

Mayfield has been good enough in his rookie season that he was named as a ā™‹fourth alternate in the Pro Bowl. Heā€™s helped make a Browns franchise ā€” which was 3-36-1 under Jackson ā€” relevant again, having gone 4-2 since his firing.

ā€œThą¼’e young man has it,ā€ Browns interim coach Gregg Williams sšŸŽ¶aid.

ā€œThe energy that he brings to the game is unbelievable,ā€ receiver Rasharā€d Higź§‚gins told reporters.

Mayfield is one of just 11 rookies ever to have thrown for 3,000 yards and 20 TDs, ź¦‡and heā€™s within five TDs of tying the rookie record of 26, shared by Peyton Manning and Russell ā™ŠWilson.

ā€œI believe heā€™s one of a kind,ā€ receiver BršŸ¦©eshad Perriman told reporters. ā€œWe all just go as Bake goes.ā€

Even with the Browns playoff chances virtually non-existent, Mayfield iź¦ŗs pushing his teammates for a strong finź¦”ish in the final two games (Bengals and Ravens) with a chance to finish with the first winning season since 2007.

ā€œWe want to šŸ’›win our last two games,ā€ he said. ā€œAny guys on this team that donā€™t want to do that, they need to get out.ā€