National Football League

National Football League

It sucks,

The Commanders didn't expect Quan Martin to fall flat. All the offseason hype was centered on the 2023 second-round pick making a monumental leap this season, potentially even entering breakout status and surging into the conversation among the best young safeties around the league. That has not gone according to plan. Martin has been way short of the required standards this season.

Dan Quinn has been navigating some severe turbulence this season. The Washington Commanders are still fighting for their head coach, but it didn't prevent another Christmas Day defeat to their most hated rival in what should hopefully be the team's last stand-alone game for some time. The Commanders had nothing but personal pride at stake in their home regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys at Northwest Stadium.

Nobody was expecting too much from the Washington Commanders during their Christmas Day clash against the Dallas Cowboys. But it was yet another inept defensive display that left far more questions than answers. And it was another glaring indication that general manager Adam Peters' massive $45 million gamble this offseason is not going to yield the desired results. With Pro Bowl defensive lineman Daron Payne missing the game due to injury, the Commanders needed Javon Kinlaw to step up more than ever.

As his name boomed over the in-stadium public address system and a personalized graphic flashed on the video board, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson stepped out of the fog-filled tunnel, swiped one hand across his chest and then sprinted past the twin pyrotechnic towers to join his teammates. Anderson, though, isn't technically a starter -- at least not as one of the typical five starting offensive linemen.

Hurts and the Eagles piled on the misery during another defeat for Washington at Northwest Stadium in Week 16. Yet in the process, they also inadvertently did the Commanders a favor, offering a brutal reminder of the significant problem Peters has struggled to fix. It's summed up by this from Next Gen Stats: "Jalen Hurts was pressured on just 4 of 37 dropbacks against Washington, his lowest pressure rate in a game in his career (10.8%)."

Bowers was named to his second straight Pro Bowl on Tuesday despite battling a knee injury for six weeks. He played three games through a posterior cruciate ligament injury and a bone bruise in his left knee that he suffered in the Raiders' season-opening win over the New England Patriots, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. He was then sidelined for three games to allow for recovery.

Things are getting real in the 2025 NFL season. Playoff races are heating up with two weeks left, teams are starting to think about the future, and fantasy league championships are upon us. So with all that in mind, insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have been calling sources around the NFL for the latest news and buzz on key situations heading into Week 17.

It was second-and-goal from the 9-yard line Monday night and quarterback Brock Purdy rolled to his right and attempted to squeeze in a pass to tight end Jake Tonges, who had a sliver of space before he went out of bounds in the end zone. Tonges caught the ball but it was ruled incomplete. Upon closer inspection, it appeared Tonges actually caught the ball and managed to drag both toes just before going out of bounds.

Week 17 of the NFL season gets underway with a Christmas Day tripleheader of division rivalry games. A pair of NFC East foes kicks off the action when the Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1) visit the Washington Commanders (4-11). Next up is an NFC North tilt, with the Detroit Lions (8-7) trying to keep their playoff hopes alive on the road against the Minnesota Vikings (7-8). The Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) host the Denver Broncos (12-3) in an AFC West clash to wrap up the day.

Los Angeles Times NFL writer Sam Farmer examines the matchups and makes his predictions for Week 17 of the NFL season. All lines and over/under numbers are according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Last week, Farmer posted a 9-7 (.563) record. Through the first 16 weeks of the season, he is 154-86 (.642). Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, his record against the spread in Week 16 would have been 8-8 (.500).

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice's 2025 season began with a suspension and now will end on injured reserve. Rice, who has a concussion, was placed on injured reserve along with wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (concussion) and cornerbacks Trent McDuffie (knee) and Jaylen Watson (groin) on Wednesday. Rice, who missed Kansas City's loss to the Tennessee Titans last week due to his concussion, finishes his third NFL season with 53 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns in eight games.

To me, that's "go" time.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos has dropped his appeal for another year of college eligibility and declared for the NFL draft. Castellanos thanked family, friends, coaches and teammates and "everyone who has supported me along this journey" in a statement posted on social media. Just Win Management Group, which represented Castellanos during his legal fight, said it supported his decision. "While the unique facts and circumstances surrounding the petition for an additional year of eligibility did create a path of viability, after careful review and consideration, we full support Mr. Castellanos' decision to forego that continued pursuit and focus his attention on preparing for the 2026 NFL draft," the agency said in a statement.

Wagner remains highly productive in between the tackles. He's already beaten his tackle mark from last season with 142, and he also has four sacks. However, the cracks have begun to show when he is isolated and tasked with coverage responsibilities. Perhaps more concerningly, opposing offenses are actively trying to exploit him as a weak link. The former Utah State standout was brilliant against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16.

Jacksonville State star running back Cam Cook plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he announced Wednesday. Cook, the current FBS rushing leader with 1,659 yards, earned Conference USA MVP and All-America honors in his lone season with the Gamecocks after transferring from TCU. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound junior is expected to be one of the top running backs available when the portal officially opens on Jan. 2 and has one more year of eligibility.