NFL Week 12 roundtable: Giants’ QB plan post-Jones, NFC West race, is Bo Nix legit OROY contender?

You may formally depend the New York Giants among the many groups whose offseason can be constructed round discovering its subsequent franchise quarterback.

Daniel Jones’ being benched after which launched is only one growth highlighting league happenings main as much as Sunday’s Week 12 motion. The Giants host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with fan favourite Tommy DeVito in line to begin.

Elsewhere on this week’s roundtable, our NFL writers Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe focus on the NFC West. May it’s the league’s most fascinating division title race?

What concerning the Offensive Rookie of the 12 months race? Is the Denver Broncos’ Bo Nix (or one other rookie quarterback) closing in on the Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels? Although Anthony Richardson has redeemed himself in Indianapolis, how will he and the Colts fare towards the excitement noticed that’s the Detroit Lions? The 11-point favourite Kansas Metropolis Chiefs — sans Taylor Swift — go to Charlotte and the Carolina Panthers for the primary time in eight years. The Harbaugh Bowl caps off Week 12 on Monday evening, too.

Learn extra on what’s catching our writers’ consideration this week.

The Daniel Jones period is over because the Giants host the Bucs. What’s subsequent for Jones? What does the Giants’ plan at quarterback appear to be this offseason?

Howe: They tried to maneuver up for a prime QB in April, and I’d count on an identical effort — if not a extra concerted one — this spring. The Giants are nonetheless in competition for the No. 1 decide, so they may get their alternative of QBs, however the race has primarily been specializing in Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. There isn’t a marquee prospect on this class, although, and there are personnel executives who’ve already mentioned they wouldn’t rank any of the 2025 QBs forward of the six first-rounders from April. The Giants, like each QB-desperate crew, must be aggressive, however they will’t power it. As for Jones, he’ll enter the camp competitors vortex for groups that aren’t capable of finding a starting-caliber QB within the draft. It’s lately labored for the likes of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson, so I’d extremely advocate a pleasant offensive system.

GO DEEPER

2025 NFL Draft order projections: Cowboys, Bears tumbling towards top-10 picks

Sando: Jones initiatives as a backup someplace, presumably with a crew that has playoff aspirations and will stand to improve behind its starter. The Miami Dolphins are solely 4-6, however they might use an improve behind Tua Tagovailoa. The Arizona Cardinals have Clayton Tune. Tampa Bay has Kyle Trask. The Minnesota Vikings have Nick Mullens. Perhaps these groups love their backups, however I might see groups of their conditions contemplating Jones.

As for the Giants, who can be making the selections there? How excessive will their draft alternative be? Which veterans is perhaps obtainable? It’s simply approach too early to know what the Giants are going to do, primarily based on all of the essential unknown variables. They should discover a veteran in a position to begin and presumably develop so that they aren’t too depending on their subsequent drafted QB — particularly in 2025, which doesn’t appear to be the most effective yr for drafting on the place.

Keefer: Jones goes to make some huge cash on this league as a succesful backup someplace, faraway from the expectations that include being a franchise man. I can’t see a crew — barring an unexpected harm — rolling with him because the starter in Week 1 subsequent season. Not after what he’s placed on tape the final two seasons. And the Giants will discover themselves this spring backed into one of many worst corners in soccer: needing a quarterback in a draft that doesn’t characteristic plenty of quarterback expertise. That’s triggered groups to achieve prior to now, and it’s burned them for many years. New York could be smart to go the veteran route earlier than the draft simply to be secure. I ponder whether the prospect of Justin Fields taking up would get Giants followers excited.

Daniel Jones was benched Monday after the New York Giants’ 2-8 begin to the season, throughout which he accomplished 63.3 p.c of his passes for two,070 yards, eight touchdowns and 7 interceptions by means of 10 video games. (Mario Hommes / DeFodi Photos by way of Getty Photos)

The Broncos, on the highway towards the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, are within the thick of the AFC playoff hunt. Is Bo Nix (or one other rookie QB) a authentic Offensive Rookie of the 12 months contender or is it nonetheless Jayden Daniels’ award to lose?

Howe: It’s Daniels’ award to lose, and Drake Maye is taking part in higher than Nix. If Daniels and the Commanders tumble whereas the Broncos snag a playoff spot, there’s completely an avenue for Nix to say the award, however I might nonetheless take Daniels over the sector.

Sando: It’s Daniels’ award to lose, however there’s some uncertainty about how strongly he and that offense will end. Nix is certainly gaining on him from a manufacturing standpoint. We are able to see that within the desk beneath, which exhibits manufacturing for Daniels, Nix and Maye over their previous six video games. That’s an enormous change from early within the season.

Keefer: Mike is correct — it’s not solely Bo Nix coming into the dialog however Drake Maye as properly, though he received’t have the ability to boast the relative crew success Daniels is having fun with in Washington and Nix is having fun with in Denver. Voters for some of these awards usually lean on turnaround tales, and for some time this season, Daniels was scripting the most effective one in soccer. He’s nonetheless in entrance, however how he responds to consecutive losses would possibly very properly find yourself deciding this award.

The Chiefs are 11-point favorites on the highway towards the Panthers and, presumably, they’ll bounce again Sunday. Does the loss in Buffalo mixed with the Lions’ continued rise change how you are feeling about Kansas Metropolis?

Howe: A bit, sure. If the Chiefs managed to beat the Buffalo Payments with a subpar efficiency, which may have been a wrap, however the Lions and Payments are decisively higher proper now. And although everyone seems to be ready for the Chiefs to get considerably higher as Patrick Mahomes features expertise along with his talent gamers, we shouldn’t overlook the actual fact Josh Allen and the Payments will do the identical. Nobody who has watched the playoffs for the previous half-decade is ever going to put in writing off the Chiefs, however they’re objectively behind Detroit and Buffalo coming into essentially the most pivotal stretch of the season.

Sando: The best way the Payments offense dealt with the Chiefs protection must be regarding for Kansas Metropolis. Kansas Metropolis can enhance because the season progresses as a result of it’s properly coached and will probably be growing key gamers as Isaiah Pacheco returns, Xavier Worthy features expertise, and so forth. Nevertheless it looks like a superb yr to be Detroit or Buffalo, all issues thought of. The Chiefs are superb however much less dominant than their document signifies.

Keefer: I realized my lesson final yr. The common season merely doesn’t matter for the Chiefs. They’ve come to transcend soccer norms throughout their dynastic run. It doesn’t matter that loads of their wins this season have been unconvincing. Doesn’t matter that Travis Kelce has taken a step again. Doesn’t matter that Patrick Mahomes has appeared mediocre — or worse — for stretches. Doesn’t matter that they couldn’t shut out the Payments final week. They completely stay a authentic Tremendous Bowl contender and might beat anybody within the playoffs. Bear in mind, as Kansas Metropolis proved final yr, it’s not the crew that appears the most effective in November and December, it’s the one which will get scorching in January. Greater than any crew on the market, it is aware of how to try this.

The Harbaugh Bowl takes place Monday evening. The Baltimore Ravens path within the AFC North title race. The 7-3 Los Angeles Chargers escaped the Cincinnati Bengals final week. There are many storylines on this one. Which one intrigues you essentially the most?

Howe: Earlier than the season, coaches and executives across the league predicted Justin Herbert would make a bounce with Jim Harbaugh, who would prioritize the bottom sport and a high-level protection to enrich his quarterback. Harbaugh proceeded to run a conservative offense, however he’s given Herbert extra of an opportunity to let it rip as of late. If Herbert topples the Ravens, he’s going to earn critical MVP consideration.

Sando: I’m taken with seeing whether or not the Chargers’ much-improved protection can gradual Lamar Jackson with the advantage of no matter inside information they’ve from coordinators Jesse Minter and Greg Roman, who spent vital time on the Ravens’ employees. Is that this a sport the Chargers can play on their phrases? What occurs if this sport picks up the place Chargers-Bengals left off? Will Justin Herbert maintain tempo with Jackson in that case?

Scoop Metropolis E-newsletter

Free, every day NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Free, every day NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Signal Up

Keefer: The Chargers-Bengals sport was among the best of the season — Herbert went wild within the first half, then Joe Burrow put collectively a number of the finest soccer I’ve ever seen him play within the second. The intriguing layer of the Harbaugh matchup Monday evening is how Lamar Jackson bounces again from final week’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (his -0.21 EPA per dropback and 66.1 passer ranking have been season lows). Jackson sometimes torches groups exterior the AFC North, and an announcement win Monday towards an elite protection — the Chargers lead the league in scoring protection at 14.2 allowed per sport — would push him proper again in entrance of the MVP race.

It’s time for the biweekly NFC West temperature test. The Los Angeles Rams (5-5) host a scorching Philadelphia Eagles crew Sunday evening. The San Francisco 49ers (5-5) are on the highway towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers. The Cardinals (6-4) and Seattle Seahawks (5-5) meet. Which crew is in the most effective place to win the division?

Howe: I favored the Cardinals as a enjoyable shock crew this season, however I didn’t anticipate they’d be a critical division risk, even when accidents amongst their opponents are an enormous purpose. I’ll keep on with the Cardinals as a result of they’re taking part in the most effective and proceed to get higher. I do just like the Seahawks and suppose they’re neck and neck with Arizona, so their two conferences within the subsequent three weeks might very properly inform the story on this division race. Seattle must focus extra on the run sport, although, and the O-line accidents have been problematic. The Niners nonetheless have the very best ceiling within the division, however they’ve been gifting away too many video games and I’m not able to assume that sample is about to magically break. The Rams have been too inconsistent, though I can’t rule out Matthew Stafford’s flipping a swap and preserving them within the combine.

Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals might be one of many league’s shock groups at 6-4 and atop the NFC West. (Stacy Revere / Getty Photos)

Sando: The Athletic’s mannequin offers the Cardinals a 58 p.c probability of successful the division, adopted by the Rams (23 p.c), the 49ers (12 p.c) and the Seahawks (8 p.c). Is it actually that lopsided? I see this division coming all the way down to the ultimate week, when San Francisco visits Arizona and the Rams go to Seattle. All 4 groups might have a shot at 9-8. Any crew attending to 10-7 most likely will win the division. I don’t see any crew with an enormous benefit, however I query whether or not the 49ers can keep wholesome sufficient to prevail.

Keefer: The Cardinals are taking part in the most effective of any crew within the division, and as Jeff famous, these two conferences with the Seahawks might find yourself deciding the NFC West title. (San Francisco and L.A. have been too inconsistent.) However crucial this time of yr are the groups which might be displaying tangible indicators of enchancment, and the Cardinals match the invoice: Arizona has received 4 straight, together with its final two by a mixed 45 factors. In three of these wins the protection allowed lower than 16 factors. On offense, Kyler Murray has been lighting it up. By mid-January, I just like the Cardinals to win their first division title since 2015.

(High photograph of Bo Nix: Dustin Bradford / Getty Photos)