Judgements XV

 By Clark Judge 

Jared Goff

Motown is Gotown.

Book it. The Detroit Lions are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

You heard me. The Detroit Lions.

OK, so they’re 7-7, and, well, they’re the Detroit Lions. But this just in: They’ve won six of their last seven, with the only blemish a Thanksgiving Day loss to Buffalo. Plus, they have a cozy schedule with three games left where they’ll be favored.

Put it all together, and you have the longest of long shots, and what do you have? Uh-huh, the Lions in the playoffs. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

“It can happen,” a jubilant coach Dan Campbell said after Detroit’s latest triumph, a 20-17 come-from behind defeat of the New York Jets. “Just line up and do your job.”

That’s precisely what’s going on with one of the best feel-good stories of the season. After a 1-6 start where Campbell’s future was a constant subject of debate, the Lions somehow discovered how the other half lives – rattling off a series of unexpected victories, including defeats of Green Bay, the Giants, Minnesota … and now the New York Jets.

I know, they don’t have the game’s best quarterback … running back … secondary … you name it … and they seemed to be cashing in when they sent tight end T. J. Hockenson to division rival Minnesota in a mid-season trade. But look what’s happened: Seven times this season they scored a franchise-record 30 or more points, including a 34-23 wake-up call vs. Minnesota last weekend, and now they have a three-game winning streak in December for the first time since 2014.

Better yet, they’re in position to gain a wild-card for the playoffs, with games left vs. Carolina, Chicago and Green Bay – a collective 13-28. Can they make it? Does it snow in Buffalo?

“They’ve got a real shot,” said NBC analyst and former head coach Jason Garrett.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

1.       The biggest NFC threat to Philadelphia isn’t Minnesota or Dallas. It’s San Francisco. That’s no surprise. The 49ers have a hermetically sealed defense. The Vikings and Dallas don’t. Defenses are supposed to win championships right? The 49ers have one. Dallas and Minnesota? Not so much.

2.       Trevor Lawrence has entered the stratosphere. There aren’t many quarterbacks playing better football today, and you can look it up. Over his last six starts he has 14 TDs, one interception, a 70.4 completion percentage, five passer ratings of 106.1 or better and four wins. In other words, he’s become the quarterback the Jaguars thought they were getting when they made him the first pick of the 2021 draft.

3.       Say goodnight to New England. With Sunday’s insane last-second-loss, the Patriots appear doomed. They could … no, should … miss the playoffs for the second time in three years. Granted, they’re still in the hunt and it’s not over ‘til it’s over. But be honest: Do you like their chances after that meltdown in Las Vegas? Now look at what’s next: Games vs. Cincinnati, Miami and Buffalo. Check, please,

4.        The Steelers won’t go quietly into the night. At 5-8 entering Sunday, they were in danger of suffering their first losing season under Mike Tomlin … or their first in his 16 seasons and the franchise’s first since 2003. Instead, they pulled off a 24-16 defeat of Carolina to keep the streak alive … for now. Next up: They take on the Raiders in Pittsburgh next weekend and how appropriate. It’s the 50^th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.

5.       The South may rise again … but not here and not now. AFC South? NFC South? It doesn’t matter who wins either division. They’re going nowhere in January. That’s what happens when you have divisions with no winning teams and a combined record of 18-36-2 in one (AF South) and 21-31 in the other.

THIRD AND 20

1.       The best game of the day wasn’t in Houston, Jacksonville or even Las Vegas. It was in Qatar. Now I know why 3.5 billion people watched the World Cup.

2.       Bill Belichick always tells players to “do your job” and not “to be a hero: Someone should’ve reminded Jakobi Meyers.

3.       Dear Roger Goodell: Tell us again what constitutes defensive pass interference. Because that was a textbook example on Washington’s final play Sunday night … and it wasn’t called. “It’s clearly a foul,” said NBC rules analyst Terry McAuley. “When it’s that obvious, it has to be called.” It wasn’t. Anyone at 345 Park Ave. want to explain? Didn’t think so.

4.       Three weeks ago, Titans’ coach Mike Vrabel challenged his team to decide “how we want to continue on down the season.” So they decided. They lost their next three to Philadelphia, Jacksonville and the Chargers. Now they’re in danger of blowing a division where nobody has a winning record.

5.       This is all you need to know about what Andy Reid has done in Kansas City: The Chiefs’ seventh straight division title is the longest current streak in the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA,

6.       Not sure who gets the game ball in Cincinnati’s come-from-behind win. Tom Brady? Leonard Fournette? Byron Leftwich? Todd Bowles? All qualify. Cincinnati produced 24 second-half points off four Tampa Bay mistakes/turnovers.

7.       Relax, Broncos’ fans. It was Arizona.

8.       Little known stat about Philadelphia’s defense. The Eagles could make history this season with four pass rushers with double-digit sacks. Haason Reddick (12) is there. So is Javon Hargrave (10), with Josh Sweat (9.5) and Brandon Graham (8.5) close. You already know about Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders and A.J. Brown. Now you know about the other side of the ball and why the Eagles are the most complete team out there.

9.       Say what you want about Ryan Tannehill, but never question his courage. The guy played on one leg for most of Sunday’s game and deserved better after a game-tying score in the last minute.

10.   Wait. The Chargers won on a last-second field goal? I must be dreaming.

11.   Someone tell the Jets’ Robert Saleh he doesn’t have to save his timeouts for next week.

12.   Memo to Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder: Next time your job is to launch a Hail Mary on the game’s last play, best not to run a quarterback keeper.

13.   Justin Fields has over 1,000 yards rushing this season, and that’s great. But he’s lost nine of his last 10 starts and barely has more TD passes (15) than interceptions (10).  Sure, he’s fun to watch scramble (especially with that pass protection), but a quarterback has to win with his arm first.

14.   Tennessee may win the AFC South, but the Titans aren’t the best team in the division. Jacksonville is.

15.   Say this about the Jets’ Zach Wilson: At least he learned a lesson from his last start. That’s when he declined to take responsibility for poor play in a Nov. 20 loss to New England. This time he admitted, “I gotta play better” after the latest Jets’ loss … and he’s right.

16.   There’s so much to like about Kansas City, starting with Patrick Mahomes. But I worry about the Chiefs’ defense. Denver and Houston put up 52 on them the past two weeks, and, OK, so Kansas City won both games. But it was Denver. And the Texans.

17.   Dak Prescott didn’t lose that game. Dallas coach Mike McCarthy did. With a three-point lead and 1:20 left, he turned down an opportunity to run the ball … and the clock … and tried to drop the hammer with a deep sideline pass. Result: Incompletion. It spared Jacksonville its last TO, and the rest you know. “Not running the ball, forcing the Jaguars to use their last timeout, is why we lost the game,” tweeted Dez Bryant. Bingo.

18.   Wait a minute. NO CATCHES for Mike Evans in the second half Sunday? I can only imagine what Bruce Arians thinks of the dumpster fire that is today’s Tampa Bay Bucs.

19.   Welcome back, J.J. Watt. Once the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, Watt turned back the clock for one afternoon with three sacks, three quarterback hits, three tackles for losses, one pass defensed and one forced fumble.

20.   One more question for the commissioner: The more I watch this league the less I understand the definition of a catch. Case in point: Keelan Cole’s game-tying TD Sunday. It was ruled a reception because, as the league’s senior VP of officiating Walt Anderson said, “it was not clear and obvious that the foot was on the white (sideline).” We must have been watching different replays. Mine made it clear and obvious that it was. Can you help?

SUNDAY’S GOLD JACKET STATS

n  The Giants’ 20-12 defeat of Washington snapped an 11-game losing streak in prime time games.

n  The Vikings, Jaguars and Bengals all won after trailing by 187 points. According to ESPN Stats & Info, this was the first week in NFL history where three teams came back to win after trailing by 17.

n  Tom Brady’s four turnovers tied his career high for one game … and he committed all four on consecutive drives.

n  Jacksonville’s victory ended a 20-game losing streak to the NFC.

n  Entering this season, Jacksonville was 1-112 when trailing by 17. This season the Jags are 2-2.

n  Justin Herbert is the first player in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards in each of his first three years.

SUNDAY’S GOLD JACKET QUOTES

n  “I was trying to do too much. Trying to be a hero, I guess.” – New England wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

n  “Obviously. we’ve got to do a better job of playing situational football and not make critical mistakes during the game.” – New England coach Bill Belichick.

n  “We’re all devastated.” -- N.Y Jets’ cornerback D.J. Reed.

n  “We’re never out of it. We’ve been in these situations before, and we always come back and make it a game.” – Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow.

n  “I’ve seen enough this year & #Daniel Jones has exceeded expectations – IMO he will absolutely be the @Giants #QB next year.” – Former Giants’ QB Phil Simms on Twitter.