NFL Week 16: Bears = Team of Destiny, Jags Prove It, Burrow's Future & More

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0:30Rich Eisen:All right, everybody. It's time for another edition of Overreaction Monday, week 16. The bulk of it is in the books as of this recording. Whether you're watching us on the Rich Eisen Show YouTube channel, maybe the cut-down version on ESPN2, perhaps you're listening wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Rich Eisen along with Chris Brockman. Good to see you, Chris. Great to see you, man. I just get the sense again when week 15, like last week or 16 this week, hit, every snap has a sense of urgency that you just didn't feel the month before or the two months before, even though every game counts in this league.

1:08You know, it's like watching a playoff baseball game where, you know, you're watching middle of June. Guy gets on first runs the scoring position, whatever.

1:16Rich Eisen:Playoff baseball. Like, oh God, season's done. Somebody reaches first base to lead off the second season's done. And in May, it's like, whatever. but here it just feels every snap has a sense of urgency or in the case of some teams desperation and week 16 was one of the best regular season weeks i can remember i can't wait to see you or hear about what you have on your piece of paper hit it hit it that was terrible that was crap that was garbage this play sucks over reaction mondays monday all right christopher what do you have for me window of football had something crazy the thursday night game was wild the Saturday night game.

1:53The way it finished was unbelievable. But I want to start with Sunday night because you know what it involves, Rich. Drake May, the New England Patriots, an amazing comeback. The road to the Super Bowl and the AFC goes through Foxborough. I think that is an overreaction, sir.

2:08Rich Eisen:That is an overreaction. Now, I will say this. You would, for it to go through Foxborough, are you talking about literally or just you're saying that they're going to make the Super Bowl? I'm saying they're going to be the one seed. Okay. So Denver has the tie break over New England, which means they would have to lose one of two games. Christmas night against now a third-string quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs? That seems unlikely. You need Harbaugh to go into Denver and win that game. That's what I'm talking about. And the Chargers would have an opportunity to win the division in that case.

2:45Rich Eisen:Now, there's the thorny issue of a team you didn't see coming. in the Jacksonville Jaguars and new England has to deal potentially with Jacksonville, which has a visit to Indianapolis left and then a home date with Tennessee remaining. And new England has a trip to the jets and a home date with Miami. And you should like your chances. So you would need Denver to lose to the chargers right in week 18. Yeah. I'm calling my shot on that one. Okay. I just gave you all the possibles, and there's too many variables for me to be sitting here after week 16 and saying, you're absolutely right. They are 100 % going to be the one seed.

3:31Rich Eisen:That was a huge win for New England in Baltimore, especially since Baltimore was leading in the fourth quarter. And then once again did another of their head scratchers in December or January that involves Derrick Henry now. I mean, that's now twice. Where you're wondering, why didn't he get any touches in a championship game? And they lose. And then you're wondering, why did he disappear, get no touches in the final 12 minutes of regulation on Sunday night? I don't know. I mean, I know he had the fumble, but he was still kind of shredding them. He crushed them. He's the one who put them up and then disappeared.

4:14Rich Eisen:It was Keaton Mitchell's time in the rotation. And I just don't understand that. But this is about the Patriots having resiliency, having the ability to bounce back. Drake may had more passing yards in the first half than he did in the entire game against Buffalo in that week 15 loss. And, you know, Stefan Diggs showed up again in a primetime game. They lose Travion Henderson. Ramondre Stevenson is the one who scores the go ahead touchdown. This is a team that's got all the pieces going and potentially as a coach of the year for 2025. 25. I mean, Vrabel is 100 % in that mix. Ben Johnson, Liam Cohen are others.

4:53Rich Eisen:There's Kyle Shanahan who could wind up the one seed too. Yeah, no one's talking about him. Nobody is talking about the 49ers. We will see how the 49ers finish because that is a massive week 17 Sunday night or against the Chicago Bears who are in the mix for the one seed in the NFC as well. I'm all over the map here, but I'll call this an overreaction for the moment. The Denver Broncos did get hit in the mouth and the Jacksonville Jaguars showed up a salty bunch and if they did not blow that 19 point lead we're gonna talk about Jacksonville in Houston in um week number 10 they would be undefeated since I called their loss in London to the Rams that boat race loss they look nothing like the team that I saw in London they have been stupendous and Trevor Lawrence is playing his best football of his career right now.

5:41Rich Eisen:So all of that together with Denver getting a get right game in front of the whole country in the Thursday night football finale of the season against the Kansas city chiefs team that is falling completely apart at the seams. All of a sudden I'll call this an overreaction. What else? Let's go to Saturday night because we've never seen a way that the man, the way the bears are doing it, dude, the bears rich. They're a team of destiny. They're going to win the NFC. I can't push back on this one. And I know I've been in wait and see mode quite a bit where I'm with the bears throughout their stretch from their week six by that.

6:23Rich Eisen:I've been saying this for, for quite a long time. Week five by pardon me that I need to see it. Right. Yeah. That's been the phrase it pays. I need to see it. Certainly since they lost at Baltimore in week eight, I was firm in that conviction. That was against Snoop. After the week 10 game against a week's nine and 10 games against Cincinnati at Cincinnati, where Colston Loveland had to break free after Joe Flacco gave the Bengals the lead on the Bears. And then the Giants came in and that was the end of Brian Dayball's administration because the Giants had a massive lead that the Bears came back in.

7:01Rich Eisen:I'm like, I need to see a full game from him. And then it happened at Philadelphia the day after Thanksgiving. And then they lose in Green Bay where a pick by Keyshawn Nixon in the end zone ends the comeback attempt for Chicago, who bounces back in a complete game against Cleveland. And then this game against Green Bay where they were once again down. And then of all people for Caleb Williams to throw the touchdown pass over to DJ Moore, it was the same guy who picked him two weeks prior in Keyshawn Nixon. And this is why they feel like a team of destiny. I'll give you this stat too. That the Chicago Bears now have more come from behind wins in the final two minutes of regulation of this season.

7:49Rich Eisen:Six. Then they had total wins last season. Five. That's awesome. That's how you feel like you're a team of destiny. Yeah, no doubt. You also lead the league in takeaways. You feel like you're a team of destiny. And those are two stats that always get somebody saying, yeah, but how many times can you count on that? How many times can that rabbit be pulled out of the comeback slash takeaway hat? And the answer is, well, six for the comeback wins. I literally have an answer to this question. Exactly. The answer is six for the comeback wins. And in terms of the takeaways, let me get the exact number of that because I have that right here.

8:30Rich Eisen:The exact number of takeaways that they have had this season is,

8:40Rich Eisen:well, the Jaguars have 28, so they're second behind the Bears in that regard. So the Bears have gotten a remarkable number of takeaways this season. They're everywhere. So whatever that number is, that's how many times they could do it, and they can keep doing it again and again and again. And they're going to earn it. They will have earned it at the end of the day because they've got another massive game against the 49ers and then one against the lions that may or may not even matter anymore to the lines. You know, it may not matter. you know, they did it without two of their best pass catchers, Roma dunes, a Luther burden has been really coming on and look a Caleb Williams signature moment.

9:21We got it. Maybe the throw of the year, 60 yards in the air. I thought the coolest thing about that. I don't know if you saw any of the closeup replays. He throws it and then immediately sticks his hands in his hand warmers because either he was that cold or he's figuratively that cold because he knew it was about to be a touchdown. That was awesome.

9:41Rich Eisen:It was a 46 yarder first career overtime touchdowns for either one on either end Williams and more. It was sick. And it's the first career overtime win for Caleb Williams. So they, they should feel like a team of destiny and you, look at the NFC standings and the team that's behind them, right? The Eagles, they've beaten them. They've beaten the Packers once now. They could beat the Lions again. I mean, they have a chance at beating the 49ers. You can't sit here and say, well, who have they really played and been tested against? They went into Philadelphia, the three seed and one, you know, they, they, they've now beaten the Packers, which is a big for them because they've hardly done it over the, in the LaFleur era.

10:34Rich Eisen:And they could bag the 49ers before the end of the day too. So I can't push back on this, that they're a team of destiny and they're winning the NFC. Obviously the Seahawks, the Rams, the Niners. Yeah, of course. And the Eagles even can win the NFC too. The Bears just have that feel to them this year, you know, so. Happy for Bears fans. Happy for Seth Rollins. He really loves football. Okay, he certainly does. What else you got? I want to go to the other side of that game because we saw Jordan Love go down, took a big hit. Malik Willis also a little banged up coming out of that. Packers are going in the wrong direction.

11:07They're going to miss the playoffs. Here's the deal, man.

11:10Rich Eisen:They've got the Ravens in their house next. You know, the Ravens need it. The Ravens lose their out. And if the Packers lose twice, then they're out if the Lions win twice. Right. Lions have got to win twice. And right now they haven't been able to tie their own shoes. That's all they've done is just alternated wins and losses. And this was their first final back-to-back loss of the year against the Steelers. So for the Packers to miss the playoffs, they're going to have to lose at home to the Ravens. Now, I don't know if Jordan Love's going to play, but Malik Willis had that game won for him.

11:43I mean, again, Green Bay, Green Bay had that game won.

11:48Rich Eisen:They're up 16 to 6. Romeo Dobbs grabs that. I mean, honestly, it's an 8 % chance of getting an onside kick converted. So it's a 92 % chance that they were going to get the ball back. And instead it didn't happen. Whatever that, I don't know what the odds are, but it's got to be less than 1 % of a quarterback mishandling a snap from center, underneath the center. I mean, what are the odds of that? It's got to be like 90. Probably less than 1%. Less than 1%. And those things hit for Green Bay. I mean, and they defensively kept Caleb Williams and the Bears out of the end zone over the first 58 minutes of the game without Micah.

12:27Rich Eisen:I don't think they're going to lose to the Ravens at home. I think the Ravens are going to be out. And I think the Packers make the playoffs. And so I'll just call this a quick snap overreaction. Quick snap. Okay. And I just don't know what's going to happen when Jordan Love gets back. And, you know, and at the end of the day, they may not even need to play their starters at Minnesota. Just rest some of these guys. They are so injury marred right now. They're so banged up. Josh Jacobs didn't finish the game. They're so, I mean, you know, that one was a mystery as well because LaFleur after the game goes, I don't know if he was hurt or not.

12:59Rich Eisen:I hadn't heard. And it's just like, again, I don't understand how head coaches stand on the sidelines and don't know this unless they're just not being 100 % straight up after the game because they want to hide the fact that maybe Josh is particularly hurt again. Well, he was on crutches on Monday. I get it. I get it. I get it. But the Packers are just not missing the playoffs. It would be a stunner. The Lions have to win out and the Packers have to lose out. The Packers would have to finish the season losing four in a row. I just don't see that happening. And right now they're playing better football than the Ravens are.

13:31Rich Eisen:And Lamar may be out. I don't know what that was, taking a knee to his back that just looked, you know, again, it's not my back. It's not my side. It looked pretty bad, though. It certainly looked pretty bad, but when he went down, it just looked like a normal takedown of a quarterback. but the Packers are not missing the playoffs. They may be a seventh seed and they may be one and done again. Maybe in all places, Philadelphia again, or maybe Chicago could take care of him again. As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back.

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14:23Rich Eisen:Call 1-800-GRAINGER, clickgrainger.com, or just stop by. O 'Reilly Auto Parts can help take the guesswork out of your vehicle's check engine, ABS, or maintenance light with O 'Reilly Veriscan. The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASE-certified master technicians. Ask for O 'Reilly Veriscan today. a third Bears Packers matchup. That's pretty fun. Sign me up for that. Yes. What else? All right. I want to put my hand up, Rich. You know, we're, we're both over 40. We're men and men admit when they're wrong. And before the season and in this off season, I didn't think this was going to work.

14:58I thought it was going to be an abject failure and end in disaster. Hand up the Steelers and Mike Tomlin are going to end their playoff wind drought. Rogers has played well, man. if i'm the stealers rally the troops if i'm the stealers and their fans they they need to have the playoff start next week you know what i mean i do okay because going into cleveland

15:23Rich Eisen:is not you can't just throw that one on the board man i listen i understand how cleveland has just been shooting themselves in the foot i mean they could have beat buffalo on sunday i know i mean when high register i i i that thing was in doubt it was buffalo just couldn't put cleveland away yep um and here comes you know miles garrett one sack away from needing the record i think he's going to get it i was you know you just don't want to be that quarterback who's who's the victim if you will because that's going to get played forever more and it's interesting it could be aaron rogers um but the steelers have been protecting him and he's been protecting himself and the way the steelers look i'm going to say this on the flagship show as well is this looks like the Rodgers of old where he is moving well.

16:13Rich Eisen:He's throwing it well. He's making decisions that are just stupendous, neck up, right? And on top of it, his teammates are now making plays for him. The running backs have home run ability, both of them. Jalen Warren, two running touchdowns, and Kenneth Gainwell, a remarkable grab out of the air with two seconds to go before the half. And DK Metcalf, I think, is going to get suspended. And I think that's going to happen fast. And it may actually have happened before people actually hear this out of the sound of my voice because he made contact with a fan. My goodness gracious. But all that said, you know, the Steelers should make the playoffs.

16:56Rich Eisen:They should, if they do, host a playoff game. Now that's where the thorny issue is about winning one. the chargers could be the ones coming in if the chargers somehow win the the division just to bring this back to full circle the way we started the show where you think that the patriots are going to be the one seat if the patriots are the one seat it's entirely possible that the broncos become the five that's and it's the broncos that go into pittsburgh i like that or it's the chargers that go into pittsburgh or it's the bills that go into pittsburgh those are some really stout opponents that could absolutely want and done the Steelers too but the way that they are playing they've won two again they'd only won they'd prior to TJ Watt missing the last two games they were 1-11 in the 12 games that TJ Watt has missed in his career for the Steelers they've now won two in a row they've now doubled the number of wins that they've ever had in the previous 12 times that they were without TJ Watt that's now twice in which they have come together as a unit and played some stout football and hit people in the mouth like old school Steelers.

18:04Rich Eisen:So they're looking really good. And they are looking playoff worthy, unlike the last few teams that limped into the playoffs as a wildcard team to go one and done on the road. This does have a different feel to it. So I understand the spirit of this. But I'll still call this an overreaction that they're going to break their playoff wind drought. because that's a tall order against the five seed because they're going to be the four, regardless of who wins the AFC North. They will be the four seed hosting. I think, again, with the Ravens losing last night at home to New England to fall to three and six at home this season,

18:45Rich Eisen:the Steelers have a better chance to win a home playoff game out of the two remaining teams to make the AFC North championship lead to a home playoff game for them. But still, I think whoever comes in could absolutely win that game, making this an overreaction at the moment. All right, let's do it. Let's talk about Duval, Rich. Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top five quarterback. Jags are legit Super Bowl contenders. He looks awesome. This is what we envisioned when we saw him play Clemson. Number one pick in the draft, thought he was going to be a dynamite franchise quarterback. this is the guy we were thinking about yeah i i can't say this is anything but a proper reaction right now you can't sit here and say that team that's second in the league and takeaways and as trevor lawrence playing the best football of his career and liam cohen saying things with his chest and having his team boy is he ever um that they are not legitimate super bowl contenders you can't say that can't say it and trevor lawrence is playing like a top five quarterback he is elusive he's creating touchdowns with his legs and with his arm and also what appears to be again i'm not i'm not as you know the old uh uh all 22 guy tapehead um tapehead eisen's what they call you you know i think he's doing it with his neck up too he's making some terrific decisions yeah four straight games now with two or more offensive touchdowns and no giveaways that's the longest stretch of his career 22 offensive touchdowns following the week eight by that's second most in the nfl in that span and in terms of being the playing the best football of his career this is the guy that jacksonville wanted to see when they drafted him first overall he's got a career-high 26 touchdown passes going into the final two games um of this season And Parker Washington is making grabs.

20:37Rich Eisen:He's got now four receiving touchdowns this year. He had five in the two previous seasons combined. They're doing it without Brian Thomas Jr., who, you know, despite having an absolutely off year, tied Allen Robinson for the most receptions by a Jaguar player in their first two seasons in franchise history. Travis Etienne Jr. is playing like the guy that the Jaguars thought they would get when they drafted him. In the first round. In the first round. with Lawrence, right? With Lawrence, Jacoby Myers, that, that side, that trade, that move has been phenomenal. 13 scrimmage touchdowns for ETN. Um, that's a career high.

21:14Rich Eisen:It's all working. They had their ninth game of 2025 with two or more takeaways as well. And they went into Denver, which is arguably the toughest place to play. I mean, the number of times where the, the broadcast team was like, you can't hear in here. Uh, I have been there. I was there for an AFC championship game, Broncos and Jets. My ears were ringing, walking out of mile high, like I had just seen a rock concert. It is that loud. They went into that spot a salty bunch and hit the Denver Broncos in the mouth. I'll give you a couple more stats right here. The Broncos had the number one red zone defense entering week 16.

21:51Rich Eisen:Jacksonville went four for five in the red zone in the game. The Broncos allowed a season high 34 points in week 16. That's the most points they've allowed since week 16 of last year. Denver's now four and one trailing in the fourth quarter in 2025. They were the only NFL team to be undefeated when trailing entering the fourth quarter. So the Jaguars staved that off. The Broncos had the number one third down defense entering week 16. The Jaguars went eight of 15 on third down. They did it all against a defense that's the best at all the things there's usually not supposed to do it all against.

22:27Rich Eisen:That makes sense. It does. So check every box measuring stick. Check every box about showing heart, gumption, guts. The Jaguars are playing like legit Super Bowl contenders because Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top five quarterback. This is not an overreaction. This is the real deal. And Jaguars fans should be out of their skulls about how it's all going down in 2025. So good. So good. So good. New markdowns up to 70 % off are at Nordstrom Rack stores now. Stock up and stay big on shoes, tops, dresses, accessories, and more must-haves for summer. Join the Nordiclub to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more.

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23:53Rich Eisen:Did I back up? You did. what I said. Absolutely. These are all facts. Absolutely. And I like it. Trevor's a good guy, man. I want him to succeed. And his hair is perfect. Oh my goodness. You know, I had a take last year. He should have cut the hair. You know what? He was right. Not at all. Don't cut it. Matter of fact. Don't cut it. You know, again, in the same way that he's probably using his shampoo and conditioner in one, he's throwing and passing for touchdowns. Look at you. And running for touchdowns. Look at you. That's like his shampoo and conditioner. This guy had four touchdowns yesterday on Sunday.