Trending 📉 📈 after NFL’s Week 14, as the Rams, Vikings roll

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We’re looking at the biggest risers and fallers following Week 14’s Sunday. Plus: Upcoming matchups, records to watch and tonight’s Simpsons game.

📈 Trending 📉

Hearing MVP chants in Minnesota stirred up emotions for Sam Darnold, the Vikings’ presumed bridge quarterback playing on a one-year, $10 million contract.

“I couldn’t just sit there … I had to show a little emotion for the fans … that was a special moment for me,” explained the typically reserved QB after a game when he’d looked worthy of MVP discussion.

His final numbers: 347 passing yards and five touchdowns, a completion percentage of nearly 80 and a 42-21 win for the Vikings (now 11-2) over the visiting Falcons (6-7). It was Minnesota’s sixth straight victory, putting them just one win from clinching a playoff spot.

Yesterday, he looked more deserving of $180 million than Kirk Cousins did (more on that below), but don’t expect an extension anytime soon. As it stands, the 27-year-old could become a free agent.

Still, performances like yesterday’s are why Darnold — whose resurgence Mike Sando compared with Bryce Young’s — leads our Week 14 risers. Others:

📈 Watching the Rams (7-6). Their thrilling 44-42 win over the Super Bowl-contending Bills was the game of the year so far. Matthew Stafford (320 yards and two TDs) and Puka Nacua (178 total yards and two TDs) were completing nearly impossible throws to fend off Josh Allen. Now one game behind Seattle in the NFC West, L.A. has a 33 percent chance of making the playoffs. They face the 49ers this Thursday.

📈 Seahawks (8-5). A crucial 30-18 road win against the Cardinals (6-7) evidenced a complete team, as HC Mike Macdonald has made their defense a top-10 unit while the offense — led by No. 2 RB Zach Charbonnet (134 yards and two TDs) — posted 409 yards with no interceptions or sacks. Thanks to this four-game win streak, Seattle’s playoff odds have climbed from 5 percent a month ago to 61 percent today. Up next: Green Bay on Sunday night.

📈 Buccaneers (7-6). Their expected victory over the Raiders (2-11) plus the Falcons’ loss moves Tampa Bay into first place in the NFC South, which someone has to win. Without the tiebreaker (they are 0-2 against Atlanta), the Buccaneers need to end with the better record. They visit the Chargers next week before winnable games against Dallas, Carolina and New Orleans.

📈 Dolphins (6-7). Their 32-26 overtime win against the Jets kept playoff hopes alive (projections here), but their Week 5 loss to the Colts (6-7) means they’ll need to finish with a better record than Indy — and catch the Broncos (8-5) — to claim the final AFC playoff spot. Next Sunday’s matchup in Houston (8-5, coming off bye) is crucial.

📈 More records for Brock Bowers. The Raiders TE set the mark for receptions by a rookie tight end (87), passing Sam LaPorta’s 86 from last season. But that’s underselling it. As a 21-year-old, Bowers leads all players of every position in that stat:

📈 Steelers (10-3). Without Pittsburgh’s No. 1 weapon — WR George Pickens sat out with a hamstring injury — Russell Wilson shook off a sluggish start (8 of 17 for 46 yards at halftime) to complete 7 of 9 second-half passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the win against Cleveland. He’s now 6-1 as a starter, but credit where it’s due: The defense recorded three sacks and two interceptions, and is now allowing the NFL’s fifth-lowest points per game (18.3).

Pittsburgh holds a crucial two-game lead over the Ravens (8-5), but their upcoming schedule — Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals — could change that.

📈 Bryce Young impressed against a stifling defense and was an Xavier Legette-drop away from upsetting those Eagles (11-2), losing 22-16. The Panthers fell to 3-10, but Joe Person details Young’s progress here.

📈 Saints (5-8). Interim head coach Darren Rizzi’s third win in his first four games came against the Giants (2-10). The 14-11 game thankfully avoided overtime. Just don’t make Rizzi angry, punter.

📉 The Jets, 1-7 since firing Robert Saleh. Now 3-10, they’re officially out of the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season, the longest active streak in major American pro sports. As Jets fans know, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Garrett Wilson is sick of it.

📉 Raiders quarterbacks. Remember when head coach Antonio Pierce said he did not want a Band-Aid solution at quarterback? He’s on appendage No. 3 after injuries to Gardner Minshew (broken collarbone) and Aidan O’Connell (knee injury) led to Desmond Ridder finishing yesterday’s loss. But hey! At least nine straight losses have Vegas positioned for the No. 2 pick.

📉 Bills (10-3). Josh Allen became the first player since 1954 Otto Graham to score three passing and three rushing touchdowns in the same game, but numerous mistakes — most notably an ill-advised timeout after a failed QB sneak — cost Buffalo the game. These are the things you don’t see being done by the Chiefs, who now hold a two-game lead for the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott on the called timeout: pic.twitter.com/Dbj40yLW7M

— katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134) December 9, 2024

📉 49ers (6-7). They looked like Super Bowl contenders against the Bears (4-9), giving up just four yards of first-half offense before winning 38-13. But wins for the Rams and Seahawks, plus another injured running back (Isaac Guerendo had 128 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with a foot injury) dampers the mood. They have just three days to recover before a critical Thursday matchup against the Rams.

What Dianna’s Hearing: Belichick decision coming soon

As you probably know by now, Bill Belichick has had multiple conversations with the University of North Carolina about its coaching vacancy. What you might not realize: This isn’t just for show — Belichick’s interest in the college job is real. One source familiar with the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach’s thinking expects that, if UNC offers the job, Belichick will take it. That decision could come as soon as this week.

Why would Belichick go back to school? For one, he was turned off by last year’s experience in the coaching cycle and the lack of action he received. Plus, whether it’s in the pros or the ACC, Belichick wants to run a program without interference, and based on the expected NFL openings, there aren’t many organizations that fit that mold.

Back to you, Jacob.

Bench Kirk Cousins? Is it time for Michael Penix Jr.?

Yes, the Falcons quarterback is struggling, throwing eight interceptions and no touchdowns across four straight losses. But as beat reporter Josh Kendall explains, solely blaming Cousins for his team’s struggles is inaccurate: “The Falcons have a Bad Football Problem.” Three major issues plaguing Atlanta:

• Pass defense. Their pressure rate (28.2 percent) is the league’s second-worst mark, they have a league-low 19 sacks and opposing quarterbacks are completing a league-best 72 percent of passes.

• Turnovers. Two interceptions brought Cousins’ total to a league-leading 15, while another fumble has their turnover margin at minus-9, fifth-worst in the NFL.

• Red zone efficiency. Despite nearly 500 yards of offense, they posted just 21 points. Blame their No. 26 red-zone offense, which converted just two of five attempts.

Still, it’s clear that their $180 million quarterback is a significant part of the problem. Two cases for what Atlanta should do next:

Ted Nguyen 💬: Bench Cousins. “He can’t move, and he’s turning the ball over — six interceptions in the last two games. There’s nowhere else to go with him. The hope was that he could keep the Falcons competitive while they develop Michael Penix Jr. into the quarterback of the future, but their offense has looked terrible.”

Dan Pompei 💬: Keep Cousins. “It’s probably a stretch to think a player who has thrown five passes in the NFL can step into a playoff race and carry his team to a place that a veteran like Cousins cannot. Cousins is not playing well, but he’s always been a streaky performer who can go on a heater at any point. His experience is likely to be an asset in the final weeks of the season. The only way Penix should be promoted is if Falcons players believe he gives them a better chance to win.”

What side do you take? Vote here.

Tonight: Bengals at Cowboys

At 8:15 p.m. ET, the Bengals (4-8, 5.5-point favorites) take on the Cowboys (5-7) in what should’ve been a game with playoff implications. Instead, we’ll have to settle for the Simpsons-themed alternate broadcast. You can find the full preview here.

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(Photo: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)