Much like 2020 as a whole, this NFL season has seen its ups and downs. The Kansas City Chiefs are great, the New York Jets are bad, and the New England Patriots aren’t going to appear in the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
As this is the Christmas season, it seems appropriate to recognize the best and worst of the league on a Naughty and Nice list. Here is the list (checked twice) from across the NFL:
Naughty: New York Jets
The Jets really can’t do anything right. They were 0-13 going into Week 15 and were 17.5-point underdogs in their game against the Los Angeles Rams, which they WON, but lost their position as No.1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft in the process. The Jacksonville Jaguars are now in line to draft franchise-saving quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Jets won’t go winless this season but they may have set the franchise back 10 years. Only the Jets could blow their season by winning a game.
Nice: Josh Allen
Josh Allen has had a great season with the Buffalo Bills, leading the team to a 11-3 record coming out of Week 15 and clinching the AFC East with a huge win over the Denver Broncos. Allen and the Bills are 6.5-point favorites going into their Week 16 matchup against the Patriots. Allen’s odds to win the MVP this year sit at +1500 behind only Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. Allen still has his detractors but that list is shortening after a tremendous 2020 season.
Naughty: New England Patriots
The Patriots struggled in their first year in decades without Tom Brady at quarterback and they won’t finish over .500 for the first time since 2000. Cam Newton’s performance has been up and down and New England’s 12-year playoff streak came to an end after their loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Bill Belichick and his team are 6-8 and 6.5-point underdogs going into Week 16 against the Bills. The end of this season can’t come soon enough for Patriots fans.
Nice: Tom Brady
Brady is settling in nicely in his first year as the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who boast a 9-5 record going into Week 16. Brady also led Tampa Bay to a 17-point comeback win over the Falcons in Week 15. Even though the Saints clinched the NFC South already, the playoff hopes for Brady and the Bucs are alive and well. The same can’t be said for Brady’s former team. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Tampa Bay’s odds to win the AFC Championship are +650 and at 43 years-old, Brady has shown he still has it in him to get them there.
Naughty: Anthony Lynn
Has any coach given more bettors ulcers than Lynn over the last two seasons? From bumbling coaching decisions to weekly clock mismanagement, Lynn has found more ways to lose close games than any NFL head coach in recent history. Santa, please give Justin Herbert and the Chargers fans what they really want for Christmas...a new coach.
