In this series, “NFL Game Day Takeaways,” fantasy football superstar and NFL analyst William Del Pilar provides concise thoughts that capture the essence of each game, highlighting key takeaways from winning and losing teams. We aim to distill general observations into quick hits that reflect each team’s performance and trajectory.
In NFL Game Day Takeaways for Week 16, we find teams battling it out, our first season shut out, and much more. Are the Steelers for real or frauds? How bad can it get for the Browns and Saints? Let’s get down to it, my friends.
NFL Game Day – Thursday Night Game
Los Angeles Chargers 34, Denver Broncos 27
While the Chargers versus Broncos game was exciting, the Chargers are going nowhere this year. However, this game showed that maybe new head coach Jim Harbaugh is finally seeing the “toughness” this team has lacked for decades—hell since Bobby Ross was head coach. They’re on their way, but not this year. That’s my “NFL Game Day” take on a perennially soft team.
As much as I loathe Sean Payton, he’s got his man, Bo Nix. The real test will be season two once there’s enough film on him for teams to recognize his tendencies. He’s shocked many teams with his play in the NFL compared to what we saw in college.
NFL Game Day – Saturday Games
Kansas City Chiefs 27, Houston Texans 19
I’m sorry, but you can’t argue that the Chiefs are getting bad and biased calls are going their way. It’s not a one-off; it’s consistent and every week. I haven’t seen officiating this biased since the Shaq and Kobe-led Lakers and the fix against Portland not once but twice in two years to get them to the finals. I’ve never gone back to the NBA because of that. People are getting disgusted, and it’s become a running joke, but the NFL doesn’t care. They want the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. You may not like that “NFL Game Day” take, but it is, what it is – an ugly truth!
There are issues with the Texans, and no one talks about how QB C.J. Stroud has returned to Earth. Sure, people can whine about injuries, but every team has them. He’s still ahead of schedule, but once there’s a film on these players, everything changes, as we see with this team. This team isn’t good enough to go deep this year healthy, much less injury-riddled.
Baltimore Ravens 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
Baltimore will begin getting rave reviews, and we’ll hear talk again about how they’re the best team to beat. I’m not a Lamar Jackson fan because, like Cam Newton, Michael Vick, and others like him, he wants to tuck the ball and run before finishing his reads, and his accuracy after seven seasons is still subpar. That said, this season could be their best chance to win it all, considering injuries to better teams, and they’ve stayed relatively healthy, mostly.
However, the actual storyline is the Steelers. Two quality teams the past two weeks, the Philadelphia Eagles and now the Ravens, and they can’t even compete. Is their ceiling one like the Miami Dolphins? Beat up mediocre teams, or can they improve? The question should be Russell Wilson, who I am a fan of, but now I wonder how far he can take this team, or is it o-coordinator Arthur Smith?
My defense for Wilson is that it is his first season in this new offense, and he’s still gelling with his players. They don’t have a strong rusher like Derrick Henry, who can take over a game, and the Steelers’ offense is built around that style. They would prefer a modern version of the “Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust” style.
NFL Game Day – Sunday Early Games
Atlanta Falcons 34, New York Giants 7
The Falcons benched Kirk Cousins purposely because the team is now on a stretch where they’re playing bad to average teams. The Giants were the first, and you must look at the positive. Michael Pennix didn’t lose the game and got his feet wet with his first NFL start. That said, he wasn’t impressive. You’ll hear how he was, but he was facing the Giants and did nothing. We already know he has a big arm. However, it’s not a bad move as the team’s not going anywhere, so the reps will do him well.
I’m sorry, but the Giants must move on from Brian Daboll and Doug Schoen. That team is the worst I’ve seen in years, and I’m not sure he still has that locker room. I won’t lose any sleep if they keep them, but Daboll’s not ready for the big leagues, and his management style leaves much to be questioned. Some will question my “NFL Game Day” take but you shouldn’t as the data and wins and losses prove they need to go.
Carolina Panthers 36, Arizona Cardinals 30 (OT)
Some say I judge Cardinals QB Kyler Murray too harshly. They’re wrong. When he signed his blockbuster deal, it put him at the elite level, and that was three years ago, and he’s now just outside the top five. However, he plays like a middle-tier QB who flashes talent. He’s a bad seed. He is unwilling to work hard to improve his game, which worsens as his smaller frame takes a beating as the season wears on. His career began in 2019, and I now deem him a bust with a contract that is killing the Cardinals, but then it’s the Cardinals, and they’re known for stupidity first, winning last, like Murray’s decision-making.
Give the Panthers credit for sticking with Bryce Young as their quarterback. He’s not a superstar talent, but he’s shown himself to be serviceable since his benching and something to build on as the Panthers try to salvage an overrated No. 1 pick. However, this team is far from competing, and beating a helter-skelter team with an offense that plays worse as the season wears on isn’t saying much.
Detroit Lions 34, Chicago Bears 17
The Lions are falling prey to my belief that the team that wins the Super Bowl isn’t necessarily the best but the least injured team, as the NFL is a game of attrition. Facing the Bears was a much-needed relief for this team as they heal, fill in holes, and not get hurt heading into the postseason.
The Bears are simply bad, and they have a QB who some say is lazy in going through reads, not wanting to allow a play to develop, and now realizing the NFL isn’t college and the media in Chicago won’t baby him. That said, it’s his rookie season, and he needs some time to develop. He’s shown the physical skills to play in this league, but can he learn to be an NFL quarterback? My “NFL Game Day” take is that the jury is out on that.
Indianapolis Colts 38, Tennessee Titans 30
The Colts are a middling team at best and a poor team at worst, and they won’t improve until Anthony Richardson learns to be an NFL quarterback. He probably won’t; thus, this team will go nowhere. He’s a less talented version of Cam Newton, albeit likely physically stronger. This team’s defense allowing 30 points to the Titans speaks to how bad this team is, despite the win.
The Titans looked as if they quit—well, on defense, they did. I’m unsure where this team goes, but rebuilding is necessary. The offense stuck it out because Mason Rudolph insists he’s a starter in this league. He has yet to win a job but will play to his dying breath to prove that. The problem is that he makes too many mistakes and will lose games for any team. Will Levis, at this point, is no better.
Los Angeles Rams 19 New York Jets 9
Are the Rams a team you don’t want to play in the playoffs if they squeak in? Maybe. At one time, I had no respect for Sean McVay, as his Super Bowl win was more a product of mercenaries and referees giving them literally every call. However, this season, the coaching has been there to overcome injuries, and this team may gel at the right time despite a close game against the Jets. The positive thing is that they can compete with anyone but still play down to their opponent. Or is it that they play up to teams better than them?
Does Aaron Rodgers have another season in him? He may, but it likely won’t be with the Jets and won’t be for a fat contract. Robert Saleh was never an outstanding head coach, but firing him meant the team lost its defensive coordinator. The defense has taken steps back even though they weren’t playing well when they fired Robert Saleh. Essentially, this team is a mess, and the only right move was firing their general manager, Joe Douglas.
Washington Commanders 36, Philadelphia Eagles 33
This “NFL Game Day” take came in believing Jayden Daniels needed this win as the team had come back down to earth the past six weeks. Doing so against the Eagles gave them the mental lift they can play with anyone. However, they faced this team with a No. 2 quarterback, and a dropped pass set them up for the win. In a nutshell, this win came with smoke and mirrors; the Redskins aren’t going anywhere this year. However, Daniels and Bo Nix are this season’s C.J. Stroud, and that’s the main takeaway for the team – they have their quarterback.
The Eagles may have talent on the field, but unlike the Chiefs, they don’t know how to win close ones consistently, and that’s a maturity and coaching issue. This loss isn’t bad, as it should help them look in the mirror and realize they’re not all that in their minds and need to play a full 60 minutes weekly. They’ll rebound and, to me, are still the best overall team – when you factor in all the injuries to the Lions and match them up with every team in the NFC.
Cincinnati Bengals 24, Cleveland Browns 6
The Bengals are arguably the worst-managed team and the worst at evaluating talent outside their prominent trio on offense. It’s proving true this season on the field. This team is toast but doesn’t realize it yet. QB Joe Burrows can’t put this team on his back, and while the term elite signifies a player that can, they must have a semblance of a team around them, specifically a “D” that can stop a team. He has none of that.
The Cleveland Browns are getting everything the fans believe they deserve for giving a player the dumbest contract in history regarding Deshaun Watson. Some will say, “The chickens have come home to roost” with this team; no one feels bad for them. What is ironic is that when you have an accused rapist (Jameis Winston) defending someone (Watson) accused of sexual assault, it epitomizes that team in so many ways, and none of it is good! Then again, the Browns have always been the Browns but have gone from lovable losers to just losers.
NFL Game Day – Sunday Afternoon Games
Minnesota Vikings 27, Seattle Seahawks 24
My current “NFL Game Day” take on the Vikings has a legitimate shot at the No. 1 seed but seems to play up or down to every opponent. When on the field, they seem to be the lesser team when facing some of the league’s best – the Lions specifically. We’ll see what happens, but your favorite NFL analyst turned politico predicted everything Sam Darnold’s experiencing this season. Darnold is finally on a team that knows how to grow and maximize a quarterback’s talent. Darnold needs to learn from this season and carry it forward.
The Seahawks are a team that needs seasoning. A new coach and a non-existent rushing attack, partially because of injury and inconsistent play, have made this team what it is. However, there’s a toughness surrounding the Seahawks, and when they catch a lucky break here or there, or QB Geno Smith flashes that brilliance that is so inconsistent, they can compete with almost anyone. The seeds for growth may be there, and drafting and free agency will dictate much of this team’s future. Also, how much more time will they spend with Smith as their leader? It’s a position the team can upgrade.
Buffalo Bills 24, New England Patriots 21
The Bills are a team everyone loves, but if you look closely at their games, they sometimes don’t play at an elite level and struggle to put teams like the Patriots away. Sure, it’s any given Sunday, but some teams shouldn’t be on the field with the elite teams, and when they compete, it speaks more to the so-called elite team than the poor team rising to the challenge. The Bills can be an elite team, but they aren’t as elite as many believe. See that defense.
A terrible coach leads the Patriots, but Jerod Mayo hasn’t lost the locker room yet. He’s earned another year for that alone, but that’s about it. Drake Maye’s development will dictate his future, and right now, he may not be the coach for that team long term, as he’ll need better offensive-minded talent to take him to the next level. However, first, he must stop with all the turnovers!
Las Vegas Raiders 19, Jacksonville Jaguars 14
The Raiders and Jaguars are two losers with two coaches who may not make it past Black Monday after the season. It’s likely a given for Doug Pederson, but poor Antonio Pierce doesn’t have a quarterback. That shows a general manager who doesn’t realize how off he is in evaluating talent in Tom Telesco and an owner who has no clue that he inherited the team and is clueless. Wait, Mark Davis did.
These teams are bad, from the front office to players on the field and everything in between. They need to rebuild around their cornerstone pieces and go from there. The Raiders have a new quarterback, and the Jaguars have a better general manager and scout team because they’ve overvalued too many players. This game was ugly to watch, and while Jaguars QB Mac Jones has shown flashes of being a serviceable NFL quarterback, I’m not sure Aidan O’Connell is anything but a backup at best.
Miami Dolphins 29, San Francisco 49ers 17
The 49ers are a terrible team this year, and that’s because of injuries and fat contracts that don’t play at 100 percent at a consistent enough level – see Deebo Samuel. Speaking of Deebo, there was a sighting this week, but it wasn’t enough. That’s the story of the Niners — injuries, inconsistency, and too many mistakes. The defense needs an overhaul, and they should have brought back Robert Saleh after the Jets let him go instead of allowing Green Bay to grab him. The season can’t end soon enough for this team, and one must wonder if this is the beginning of the end for this core group of players.
As they always do, and as stated last year, my “NFL Game Day” take is that the Dolphins beat the average and losing teams but can’t beat the better ones. QB Tua Tagovailoa has shown glimpses but isn’t elite. Despite being perfect for running the offense, his lack of adapting to what he sees on the field with his reads creates too many critical turnovers or lost opportunities. Combine that with a lack of arm strength, and some big plays don’t happen.
He can do all this against middling and bad teams like the Niners, but he fails when the better teams come to town. If they had the right quarterback, this offense would be one of the league’s best at the Chiefs’ level with Mahomes. However, they don’t and now have his big contract. This team isn’t going anywhere this year. They didn’t last year and never will with this quarterback. However, the win keeps them alive for the postseason – barely.
NFL Game Day – Sunday Night Football
Dallas Cowboys 26, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are what they are: a middling team in a poor division that you can’t count on to be consistent enough to beat mediocre teams. They have a subpar coach in Todd Bowles, and any improvement will come once they bring in a new regime, as this team has gone as far as they can with him. Some men are better coordinators than head coaches. Bowles and Daboll are two that come to mind.
The Dallas Cowboys are a mediocre team that hasn’t quit and can compete against other middling teams. The problem is management in talent evaluation; some big contracts don’t add up in what they pay the player and how they structure them concerning the salary cap. However, coaching isn’t the issue here, albeit it’s the narrative, and the jury is still out on Dak Prescott for some, but he has an elite-level contract for a player who has never proven he can carry a team during the playoffs. Until he overcomes that, the Cowboys will always be a team that never achieves its goals.
NFL Game Day – Monday Night Football
Green Bay Packers 34, New Orleans Saints 0
Our “NFL Game Day” take for Monday night football saw Packers QB Jordan Love as an example of what sitting a young, talented quarterback can do for his long-term future. It’s enormous and paying dividends for both he and the team. He has a monster contract, and the team has its second entry into the playoffs under him. More importantly, he looks much more dominant than when Aaron Rodgers led the team.
This team seems magical this season. The magic stems from their defense and rushing attack. That allows Love the luxury of playing within himself and maximizing his talent. The Saints never had a chance, and we all knew it going in, but to see the beatdown go as badly as it did for the Saints, we must realize. However good the Packers are, the Saints are just as bad.
You can play and sugarcoat a salary cap forever, and all it will do is bring you mediocrity at best and continual losing at worst. The Saints have been dealing with the latter for a few years now. There’s a reason head coach Sean Payton left. Once Drew Brees retired and his stud quarterback was gone, so was he. He knew he needed a fresh start with a better salary cap situation. He’s got it, as he’ll use the Russel Wilson debacle in Denver to buy him time to rebuild.
At the same time, the Saints continue to squalor in mediocrity as they continue to annually believe they’re a few free agents away from competing for a championship. Depth is necessary in the NFL; the Saints will never have that in how they’re structured. With key starters out, they don’t have the depth to compete, as the Packers beatdown showed. This loss should force ownership to look at a complete rebuild, jettison overpaid mediocrity, and take a hit for a year or two. The question is if they’ll do that. It’s unlikely at this point.
There are your “NFL Game Day” Takeaways for Week 16. Don’t forget to check out our “Blindside Blitz” and “Points on the Board” podcasts, where we discuss the NFL and other sports making headlines.
