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 arenāt the only things going on, as we take a look at The Postās Week 16 Hš„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 ošf that made Raiders coach Jon Gruden a little introspective during the week. Grudenās first head-coaching job came at age 34 in 1998 with the Raiders.
The Coliseum š§has served as the Raidersāš home from 1966-81, and they return in 1995 (they played in Los Angeles from 1982-94).
The city of Oaklandās recent announcement of its plans to file a federal lawsuit against the Raiders and the NFL over the teamās 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.
āItās a real football stadium,ā Gruden told reporters during the week. āItās dirt, grass, itās got tradition. Itās where some of the best games in the history of football have been played. Itās where some of the best
players in the history of the world have pą²layed football games. I mean ā¦ there are a lot ą“of things that have happened in that stadium and ā¦ uh, next question. I donāt want to start crying about a stadium.ā
Gruden waxed poetic about ājust ragš ing in the Black Hole,ā adding, āRocking and raging down there after the Steeler game [last weekās 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 hošpefully we get it all resolved so we can continue to play there.ā
Possible farewell to watch
When tšhe Cardinals play their home finale against the āRams, itās 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 whoās šbeen to 11 Pro Bowls. His contract expires after this season, and general manager Steve Keim has told reporters the team will give Fitzgerald timeā 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.
āIf I decide to retire, Iāll let you guys know,ā Fitzgerald told reporters late in the week. āMan, seriously. So, I donāt understand why we keep asking these questions. You know me, Iāve been answering foš¦r the last three years. Nothingās going to change. Iām never going to tell you, āThis is my last day. Iām excited. Honor me.ā Those words would never come out of my mouth, ever.ā
Itās been a trying season for the 35-year-old Fitzgerald, whose numbers understandably have declined thanks to the teamās quarterback situation in constant flux. The Cardinals began the season with Sam Bradford before changing to rookie Josšh Rosen, whoās 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 heās thought about the possibility of Sunday being his final home game, theš humble Fitzgšerald said, āNo thoughts on it, really. Itās just another game for me. If anything changes, Iāll let you guys know, though.ā
Post-Cam period to watch
It looks likše 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 wonāt play Sunday against the Falcons.
Enter backup Taylor Heinicke, whoās thrown just five passes in two NFL seasons. Rivera said he gives š²the Panthers their best chance to win this week ā largely because of Newtonās 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 elimišønated playoff contention.
āItās funny, because some of the DBs actually tell us on the field weāre not scared of yāall throwingš deep,ā Panthers receiver Jarius Wright told reporters. āTheyāve actually mentioned that multiple times. Just having [Taylor] out there keeps everybody honest.ā
Wright, who played with Heinicke at Minnesota, soundedź§ like heās looking forward to catching passes from him.
āThe guy can throw the heck out of it,ā Wright said. āHe does a great job of reading coverages anź¦ŗd making quick decisions. A lot of people donāt realize he can move. Heās not a sitting duck back in the pocket.ā
Newton, who underwent shoulder surgery during the 2017 offseason, hasnāt been right for weeks. He hasnāt 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,š„ 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.
Afterā 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 ācoušldnāt do it.ā
Asked if itās possible Newton could play in the Panthersā season finale at New Orleans if they still had a mathematical chance to getš into the playoffs, Rivera called it unlikely but added, ācrazy things can haāppen.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 š„said they believed the loss might have been gšood for them.
Quarterback Dak Prescott told reporters he thoš¦©ught maybe the Cowboys were ātoo hot to trotā after a five-game winning streak. Running back Ezekiel Elliott said, āWe needed to get puš¤”t in check.ā
As the 8-6 Cowboys prepared to play host to the Buccaneš ers with a chance to clinch the NFC East, coach Jason Garrett said he didnāt 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 Cšowboys 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.
āIt goes back to mental toughness,āā Garrett told reporters. āI think weāšre all challenged by those things in our lives, in our careers, and certainlyā a football team gets challenged, as well. Itās 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 youāre locked in on it.
āI think our team has actually done a really good job of that over the course of the yeašr, handling some early adversity and came back and we won a few games in a row.āā
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, whoās now a member of the Bengals coaching staff after being fired by Cą½§leveland earlier this season.
After Jackson was fired, Mayfield didnāt exactly have a lot of nice things to say about himąµ©. Mayfield tweaked Jackson for joining tą¹he 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 āthe Jackāson-Mayfield relationship, it clearly touched a nerve.
āYou want to talk about Bš¬rowns and the Bengals?āā Lewis asked. āOther than that, weāre done.āā
Mayfield has been good enough in his rookie season that he was named as a āfourth alternate in the Pro Bowl. Heās helped make a Browns franchise ā which was 3-36-1 under Jackson ā relevant again, having gone 4-2 since his firing.
āThą¼e young man has it,ā Browns interim coach Gregg Williams sš¶aid.
āThe energy that he brings to the game is unbelievable,ā receiver Rasharād Higź§gins told reporters.
Mayfield is one of just 11 rookies ever to have thrown for 3,000 yards and 20 TDs, ź¦and heās within five TDs of tying the rookie record of 26, shared by Peyton Manning and Russell āWilson.
āI believe heās one of a kind,ā receiver Brš¦©eshad Perriman told reporters. āWe 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.
āWe want to šwin our last two games,ā he said. āAny guys on this team that donāt want to do that, they need to get out.ā