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Ron Schwane/Associated Press
The NFL's postseason race is already hot and heavy with five remaining weeks of regular-season play.
Sure, top squads like the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are well-positioned after impressive starts. But the rest of the league is jockeying for postseason berths (excluding the winless Cincinnati Bengals, of course).
Franchises like the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers are doing everything to keep their playoff hopes alive.
"The biggest thing for us was to refocus," Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. told reporters after Sunday's 41-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
On the flip side, the Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders faltered this week.
How everything proceeds comes down to individual performers in pressure situations. The Browns are being propped up by their stars. Surprisingly, the Steelers aren't being held back by an awful quarterback situation. The Raiders have their own issues behind center. The Dallas Cowboys, meanwhile, didn't get much from their talented triplets in a loss to the New England Patriots.
Bleacher Report's team of NFL writers came together to grade a few of these teams, their playoff hopes and specific individual performances that could have a profound effect on the league as a whole.
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David Richard/Associated Press
The Browns went from the NFL's chic Super Bowl pick to an overwhelming disappointment and the butt of many jokes after a 2-6 start.
Originally, the Browns were in disarray. Multiple talented offseason additions didn't immediately jell. Cleveland couldn't get out of its own way with numerous mental mistakes every game.
But head coach Freddie Kitchens' squad looks different in recent weeks. Cleveland won its third straight contest with Sunday's 41-24 shellacking of the Miami Dolphins.
"We came together as a team," quarterback Baker Mayfield told reporters after the latest win.
The 5-6 Browns have a rather easy schedule in front of them. What are the odds they're able to sneak into the postseason despite their early-season struggles?
Ty Dunne: A
The Browns' Super Bowl parade can remain scheduled as planned. They just may run the table and, with that talent, nobody will want to play them in January. If only they had a dangerous pass-rusher to shake things up on defense...
Mike Freeman: B
It's not so absurd to think they have a postseason shot. The odds are still long, but one thing we're seeing is that offense starting to jell. Mayfield isn't making the same amount of mistakes he did earlier in the season, and Odell Beckham Jr. is starting to heat up.
Mike Tanier: D+
The Browns will finish 8-8 by stomping on the Cincinnati Bengals twice and picking up another win, but they will miss the playoffs because the Buffalo Bills and one of the AFC South teams will earn the wild cards. Then we'll get to hear all offseason about how they turned things around in the second half of the year and how becoming contenders in 2020 was always the plan, anyway. Can't hardly wait.
Brent Sobleski: B-
Look at the schedule. Matchups with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals (twice) and Arizona Cardinals give the Browns a legit shot at making an impressive stretch run. Baltimore and Pittsburgh are the only teams with winning records Cleveland faces, and the Browns already beat both of them once. If they play anywhere close to their potential, they're an 8-8 team at worst and possibly much more.
Brad Gagnon: C
They're only a game out, and they have as much talent as any of the four teams that sit one game ahead of them. I still think it'll be hard for such a poorly coached, mistake-prone team to win at least four of its last five games, especially sans Myles Garrett.
Gary Davenport: F
Stop. Just stop. The Browns will be lucky to make it to 8-8 given their penchant for stupid mistakes and penalties. If Cleveland can finish .500 for the season after a 2-6 dumpster fire of a first half, the team should call itself fortunate and consider that a step in the right direction.
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Bobby Ellis/Getty Images
A week after the nasty on-field incident with Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph found himself on the bench. Head coach Mike Tomlin decided to make a change at the game's most important position with the Steelers trailing the winless Cincinnati Bengals.
"It just felt like our offense needed a spark," the coach told reporters. "Mason wasn't doing enough."
Rudolph completed eight of 16 passes for 85 yards and an interception before being pulled. Devlin Hodges entered the contest and threw for 118 yards and Pittsburgh's only offensive touchdown in the 16-10 victory.
At one point, Rudolph was considered Ben Roethlisberger's heir apparent. His status no longer seems certain. How does the second-year signal-caller's future look as part of the Steelers?
Ty Dunne: C
He was really bad against a really bad team—see: 39.8 passer rating—but Pittsburgh is pretty decimated itself all around Rudolph so let's not declare Rudolph a complete lost cause right now. More than anything, his regression is one big 'ol bummer for a team that is a competent quarterback away from making the playoffs again.
Mike Freeman: Bleak
He's not good. At all. That's pretty much it. That's all that needs to be stated, and the Steelers know it, too.
Mike Tanier: D-
Just what every team is looking for: Nathan Peterman, only controversial.
Brent Sobleski: F
If Roethlisberger can't come back from elbow surgery next season, the Steelers are in trouble because it's blatantly obvious Rudolph isn't the long-term answer.
Brad Gagnon: D
I don't like condemning quarterbacks just eight starts into their careers, but it's quickly becoming clear that Rudolph doesn't have it. Just look at how much more productive the Pittsburgh offense has been with Hodges under center.
Gary Davenport: D
The verdict is in on Rudolph after two straight games with a passer rating below 40. He's not close to capable of being even an above-average NFL starter. If you can't light up an awful Bengals defense (even with all Pittsburgh's injuries on offense), then you most assuredly aren't the future under center in the Steel City. With two years left on his rookie deal after this season, he probably isn't going anywhere, but that time should be spent doing what Rudolph does best: holding a clipboard.
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Sarah Stier/Getty Images
The Oakland Raiders made the dreaded coast-to-coast trip and played a 1 p.m. contest against an eastern opponent. The predictable happened: The New York Jets blew out the Raiders 34-3. As a result, head coach Jon Gruden decided to pull quarterback Derek Carr in the third quarter.
"That's always hard," Gruden told reporters after the game. "He didn't want to come out; I didn't want to take him out. But I'm doing what I think is right. And I'm sure I'll be second-guessed for that, but I think I'm doing what's right for our football team."
The Raiders put together a surprising start to their season, but they're now 6-5 overall and on the outside looking in at the last wild-card playoff spot. How does the team and Carr's latest performance rate based on the circumstances? Is this an aberration or who the Raiders really are?
Ty Dunne: F
It's not all on Carr. The entire Raiders team acted as if the last thing it wanted to do after flying across the country was play in a football game. You see these disasters every year, but it just so happened to strike at the worst possible time for a team harboring real playoff hopes. That was anything but a playoff team in New Jersey.
Mike Freeman: F
This was the most predictable game of the day. The Raiders were destined to struggle, and no, Carr's terrible performance isn't an indicator of things to come. It was just one of those days for a West Coast team playing in the East.
Mike Tanier: D
Wait, we're blaming that game on Carr? The Jets have more talent on paper than the Raiders! The difference between those two teams is mostly mono, Adam Gase silliness and the Raiders catching one or two opponents napping. That game was a minor upset and a major reality check.
Brent Sobleski: D
Every team struggles at some point during the regular season, but it's interesting to see a team that has been so supportive of its quarterback in public pull him when the chips were down. The move adds to the thought that Carr isn't a long-term answer with Gruden at the helm.
Brad Gagnon: D
The 2019 Raiders were never very good, and the 2019 Jets have always been better than their record would lead you to believe. These teams are evenly matched despite their records, and the Jets showed up at home. Derek Carr isn't the main problem in Oakland, but he's not good enough to lift a mediocre team far beyond mediocrity.
Gary Davenport: D
Hitting the panic button on Carr would be premature—he's been mostly solid for the Raiders this year. But where the team's postseason aspirations are concerned, you can go ahead and freak out. It's hard to imagine a Raiders team that just got shelled by the Jets beating the Chiefs in Arrowhead next week.
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Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press
The New York Giants lost their last seven contests. Sunday's loss to the Chicago Bears is completely disheartening because New York had an extra week to prepare for the matchup and the Bears offense hasn't played well as of late.
Yet Chicago still managed a 19-14 victory. The Giants gained only 243 yards of total offense.
"It's make it or break it for all of us," an anonymous player told NJ.com's Matt Lombardo in early November after head coach Pat Shurmur provided his team with an ultimatum.
New York hasn't won a game since he laid down the gauntlet. Obviously, the team hasn't responded to its head coach, who has a 7-20 record since taking over the Giants.
Where does Shurmur's job security stand amid New York's losing streak?
Ty Dunne: D
If the Giants truly want to get the most out of their franchise quarterback and franchise running back, they need a more imaginative coach. That offensive performance in Chicago had fans everywhere retreating to Seinfeld re-runs. Just abysmal.
Mike Freeman: F
I don't know how the Giants bring him back. He's shown very little competence, innovation or motivational abilities. Other than that, he's been terrific. Shurmur is the Freddie Kitchens of the NFC East.
Mike Tanier: C
The Giants are going to talk themselves into giving Shurmur another chance in the name of maintaining continuity while grooming Daniel Jones. That's probably a bad idea on multiple levels, but it's a very Giants-style idea.
Brent Sobleski: F
Shurmur wasn't the right man for the job when the Giants hired him, and he's continually showed why. He didn't know how to handle his superstar wide receiver, so New York dealt Odell Beckham Jr. He hasn't been able to put a consistent offense on the field despite that being his specialty. Giants brass is patient, but it has no reason to be in this instance.
Brad Gagnon: C
The man is now 17-43 all-time as a head coach in the NFL. He was a boring hire in the first place, and the team's offensive struggles over the last two years should be too much for him to overcome. But we all know how the Giants operate. He'll get another year or 10.
Gary Davenport: F
Given that I never understood why the Giants hired Shurmur to begin with, it's hard to think of a reason to keep him around after this year. Who could possibly have foreseen a mediocre retread struggling to turn the Giants around?
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Adrian Kraus/Associated Press
Frank Gore now ranks third all-time in rushing yardage after passing the great Barry Sanders with a 15-carry, 65-yard effort Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
"I'm blessed. It's hard work. Thanks to that man up above because I've been through so much in my career from college even when I got to the NFL," Gore told CBS' Jay Feely afterward. "... I'm here, and I'm still having fun playing ball."
Now, Gore is only looking up to Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith. The 36-year-old seems like a lock for the third spot since he still trails Payton by 1,437 yards. Smith's all-time record of 18,355 rushing yards is basically untouchable.
When looking at Gore's career and overall production, how does his latest achievement rate?
Ty Dunne: A
It's downright remarkable what Gore is still doing. If he was showing any signs of being washed up at all, at his position, he would've been dumped by this league long ago. The last thing any team wants is an aging running back. Instead, he's still going and going and, hell no, he shouldn't retire any time soon. Gore is the same relentless worker off the field bashing through linebackers on it and the Bills are better for it.
Mike Freeman: A
Gore's day—in fact, his entire career—is one of the best stories in recent league history. He busts his ass, never complains, is a great teammate and is well-liked by almost everyone who knows him. He'll easily go into the Hall of Fame where he belongs.
Mike Tanier: A+
Gore is like one of those baseball players who chugs along, batting .300 with 20 homers year after year until fans take him for granted. Then 15 years pass and we realize just how much he has accomplished and how much he has meant to so many fans for so long. Few players in any sport have ever been better at all the little things that may not show up on a sizzle reel but still matter.
Brent Sobleski: B
This conversation is reminiscent of the timeless debate: "Who's better, Barry Sanders or Emmitt Smith?" Sanders was easily the better pure runner and far more dynamic, but Smith outlasted everyone and produced every year. Gore is like Smith. He's not the most talented running back of all time—Jim Brown is—but his outstanding performances year after year can't be denied.
Brad Gagnon: A
What's amazing is he's not just toiling away compiling yardage for the hell of it. Gore continues to help his team in a significant way, and that's simply incredible considering his age and experience in this era. He had a strong performance overall on Sunday and is now likely to rush for 700 yards for a—wait for it—14th consecutive season.
Gary Davenport: B-
Gore's 15 carries for 65 yards is hardly a jaw-dropping stat line, but that rather sums up Gore, especially at this point in his career. Passing Sanders on the all-time rushing list is an impressive achievement that speaks to his longevity, and Gore will all but certainly earn a bust in Canton one day. But he's still not an all-time great at running back—just a back who has been really good for a really long time.
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Elise Amendola/Associated Press
At 6-5, the Dallas Cowboys sit atop the NFC East standings. Every other division rival owns a sub-.500 record. Even so, the Cowboys haven't fared well against stiff competition this season. The five teams that have beaten Dallas own a combined 39-16 record.
It came as no surprise Jerry Jones' team fell to the New England Patriots in Foxborough.
"With the makeup of this team, I shouldn't be this frustrated," Jones told reporters after the 13-9 loss.
Dallas has legitimate stars in quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receiver Amari Cooper, yet the offense wasn't effective in adverse weather conditions.
Over the next four weeks, the Cowboys play a difficult schedule against the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. Where do Dallas' chances of making the playoffs stand based on where the team currently sits?
Ty Dunne: B
The Eagles should be able to scrap enough wins together through its cupcake final month but the Eagles also have some pretty damning problems of their own on offense. The guess here is that Prescott, Elliott and Amari Cooper are just too talented not to figure it out and win the division.
Mike Freeman: B
They will make it because someone has to win a terrible division. The Eagles' remaining schedule gives them a shot, but they can't throw or catch the football. Dallas still has Elliott and some offensive firepower even though sometimes it doesn't seem like it.
Mike Tanier: B-
The Cowboys need to worry because the Eagles face the Giants (twice), Washington and the Dolphins down the stretch. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the Eagles offense keeps tying its own shoelaces together.
Brent Sobleski: B
Dallas holds two advantages. First, the Cowboys' overall record places them a game ahead of the Eagles. Second, Dallas has a spotless 4-0 division record. The Eagles have an easier schedule, but they have serious ground to gain.
Brad Gagnon: C+
It's essentially a toss-up between Dallas and Philly in my eyes, but the Eagles have the better pedigree and a better coach. You also wonder if the wheels could be falling off considering the reaction to Sunday's loss.
Gary Davenport: B
The Cowboys will win the NFC Least because someone has to and they're the least-awful team in the division. Then they'll win in the Wild Card round at home before getting drilled the following weekend, which will earn head coach Jason Garrett a three-year extension because nothing makes sense anymore.