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NFL Week 15 Notes: What Is Going On Here?

The last four days have been some of the most eventful in recent NFL history, and I’m not even talking about the fact that seemingly half of Sunday’s games were played in conditions that would make Frosty the Snowman state “Man, this weather is nasty.” With the most crucial part of the 2013  NFL schedule ahead getting… well, weird.

The most notable example of what I’m talking about is the current situation in Washington. In the interest of brevity, it boils down to thus: head coach Mike Shanahan doesn’t like owner Daniel Snyder. The feeling is likely mutual. Shanahan dislikes the preferential treatment that quarterback Robert Griffin III has received from Snyder, and thus Shanny has decided to shut down RGIII for the rest of the season, allegedly to keep his franchise player healthy.

Frankly, it seems to me that Shanahan is just daring Snyder to fire him. That has been the likely outcome for some time now, but it has never been more clear than it is at the moment. That isn’t the issue, however. The issue is the message that this sends to the other players and the fan base. The organization is in chaos, and it is immensely difficult to see this as anything other than a power struggle. Players will mentally check out, and this team may not win another game this season. I’m not saying either man is wrong or right, but a loyal and passionate Washington fan base deserves better than this.

Speaking of weird and unexpected, it’s getting harder and harder not to notice how brilliantly Josh McCown is playing for the Chicago Bears in relief of Jay Cutler. After dismantling the Cowboys in front of a national audience on Monday night, McCown is 3-2 as the Bears’ starter with 13 touchdowns and only one interception, to go along with a quarterback rating of  109.8, good for third best in the league.

Recent reports indicate that Cutler has a good chance of suiting up for Sunday’s match up with the Cleveland Browns, and it has been made abundantly clear that he will regain his starting gig, but it’s hard to imagine how the Bears can sit McCown right now. There is no doubt that this is Cutler’s team, but the Bears find themselves in a good position to make a late push for an NFC North Championship, and this is largely due to McCown’s stellar play.

Speaking of NFC North quarterbacks returning from injury, the Aaron Rodgers saga continues. After the Green Bay Packers picked up a big victory over the Atlanta Falcons, and the Detroit Lions were defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles in the North Stinking Pole, the Pack has renewed hope in the North. They have tough but winnable games over the next three weeks against the Cowboys, Steelers, and Bears, but winning out would give them a 9-6-1 record and a decent shot at a division title.

With that said, those winnable games aren’t winnable at all without one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks under center, and therein lies the problem. Rodgers is a gamer, no doubt. He’s tough and fiery, and he wants to help his team make a push. However, his collarbone isn’t healing as fast as he’d like it to. Recent rumors indicate that Rodgers’ particular time of injury tends to require an eight-week healing process, and that time frame would likely keep A-Rod sidelined until Week 17 at the earliest.

It’s a delicate balance for the Packers to handle, but ultimately keeping their franchise quarterback healthy is most important. If you don’t believe me, see Griffin III, Robert. If Rodgers is ready to play on Sunday he should play, but athletes need to be protected from themselves sometimes. Putting him out there before he’s ready could result in further injury, and it’s looking like the Packers share that sentiment. With the Dallas Cowboys struggling defensivey, look for Matt Flynn to draw another start in what should be a very high scoring affair.

It’s been a tumultuous year for Rob Gronkowski, and after tearing and ACL and damaging an MCL in Sunday’s victory over the Cleveland Browns, the New England Patriots’ superstar tight end head into another off-season in full scale re-rehabilitation mode. It is a heart-breaking turn of events for one of the league’s most exciting, albeit snake-bitten players. A lot of hard work and frustration lies ahead for Gronkowski, but this man is a dominant player. Make no mistake, he will be back.  Get well soon Gronk. The NFL is better when you’re on the field. I can’t wait to see the next “Gronk-Spike”.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Enjoy this week’s slate of games.

 

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