Browns, Raiders among five NFL dark-horse contenders
When the pages of the calendar flip to the month of December, football coaches around the NFL know it is time to prepare for playoff football. The energy and intensity of these "win-or-go" home games bring out the best in players and coaches hoping to feel the confetti fall on their shoulders as world champions.
For some teams, the stretch run is part of a wire-to-wire race that has accompanied lofty expectations as preseason contenders. For others, the final month of the season provides them with an opportunity to sneak into the postseason as a dark horse candidate who found its stride at the right time.
As a young player with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1996, I was part of a team that was sitting at 3-6 before reeling off six wins in our final seven games to enter the playoffs as a wild card team. Considering we also reached the AFC Championship Game after knocking off a couple of higher seeds, including the No.1 seeded Denver Broncos, I believe there are always a few dark horse candidates with the potential to make a surprising run that results in a playoff berth.
After taking a little time to survey the NFL landscape, here are five teams that I would keep an eye on as dark horse contenders down the stretch…
Despite occupying the cellar in the AFC East and struggling mightily to pass the ball, the Patriots remain a dangerous team due to Bill Belichick's wits and a stellar defense. After Thursday night's performance against the Bills, I understand the skepticism. But the six-time Super Bowl winner is a master tactician who knows how to win games down the stretch and his schemes could come to life with the team rounding into form as a playoff contender. Matthew Judon and Co. have the potential to suffocate opponents utilizing a mix of coverage and pass-rush tactics that test the patience and discipline of opposing quarterbacks and offensive play callers. The mistakes led to turnovers and extra possessions that will enable Mac Jones and the offense to score points on short fields. Given how well the situational football formula has worked for the Patriots in the past, it is possible that Belichick can get his surging team back into the tournament at the end of the season.
Credit Steve Wilks for transforming the Panthers into a competitive unit after taking over for Matt Rhule in the middle of the season. The interim coach has not only helped the defense re-establish its identity as a fundamentally sound unit with a blue-collar mentality but he has turned the offense into a ground-and-pound machine that bludgeons opponents with hard-nosed running backs. If Wilks can continue to get his squad to punch opponents in the mouth on both sides of the ball while getting efficient quarterback play from Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield or PJ Walker, the Panthers could steal the division and help their substitute coach earn the full-time job as the team's leader.
Josh McDaniels' squad is offensive-centric, but it is hard to find a better "Big 3" than Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams. The Raiders have overwhelmed opponents with their weaponry and an old-school approach that makes defensive coordinators come up with tactics to stop a pair of five-star playmakers with the capacity to take over the game at any moment. Although it is hard to consistently win with two players making most of the offensive contributions, the Raiders' dynamic duo has flourished over the past month with McDaniels committed to letting his best players touch the ball early and often. Considering how the Raiders narrowly missed out on several big wins (six one-score losses), the formula could lead to a dramatic turnaround that produces an unlikely playoff berth.
Ron Rivera has whipped his team into shape as a playoff contender by handing the ball to a backup quarterback with unshakable confidence and swagger. Taylor Henicke is thriving as a high-end game manager for a team that has adopted a run-heavy approach during a streak in which the team has won six of their last seven games. In addition, the insertion of Brian Robinson into the starting lineup has added a physical element to the offense that enables the Commanders to shrink the game behind a ball-control approach. With defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio starting to impose his will on opponents behind a talented frontline that dominates the line of scrimmage, the Commanders have a pesky squad with the key ingredients (running game and pass rush) needed to win playoff-like games down the stretch.
After serving an 11-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy by committing sexual assaults, as defined by the NFL, on massage therapists, Deshaun Watson joins the Browns to give the team a top 5 quarterback for a stretch run. The veteran playmaker is a bit of a magician inside and outside of the pocket with a combination of A-plus arm talent and athleticism that tests the discipline of the defense at every turn. With Watson surrounded by a star-studded cast of playmakers (Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, David Njoku, and Amari Cooper) and a defense with enough disruptive players (Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, and Denzel Ward), the Browns have more than enough firepower to make a run at a playoff spot. If Watson can shake off the rust from a two-year layoff, the Browns could be in business as a dark horse contender in the AFC.
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Shannon Sharpe and Michael Vick discuss Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson.
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Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He regularly appears on "Speak For Yourself" and also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.