Broncos OT Mike McGlinchey on Bo Nix: He's our leader, we don't win without him
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said last week that he blocks out any criticism that isn't delivered directly to his face, but there was no doubt that he needed to have a good game in Week 11.
The Broncos were hosting the Chiefs with a chance to take a commanding lead in the AFC West and a loss would have opened the door to more questions about Nix's ability to lead the team to the highest levels available to them. Nix made sure those questions would not be asked on Sunday.
Nix led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, including game-tying and game-winning drives after the Chiefs took a three-point lead with 10 minutes left to play. Nix completed passes for three first downs to set up the game-winning Wil Lutz field goal and went 24-of-37 for 295 passing yards in the 22-19 win.
"He's the leader of this football team and we should all take something from what he did today, because we don't win that game without him," right tackle Mike McGlinchey said, via the team's website.
Nix has engineered five game-winning drives so far this season, which is one behind John Elway for the franchise record for a single season. That success in the biggest moments builds confidence across the roster and the Broncos will keep riding Nix as they try to keep growing their seven-game winning streak in the weeks to come.
Jaelan Phillips: We've been dominant on defense and still have room to grow
The Eagles have only scored 26 points over the last two weeks, but that's been enough to score wins over the Packers and Lions because of how good they've been on defense.
After holding the Packers to seven points in a Week 10 win, they held the Lions to nine points on Sunday night. They stopped five fourth down tries and harassed Lions quarterback Jared Goff into a 14-of-37 night passing the ball. Several of those incompletions were due to batted balls at the line and the Eagles picked up a pair of sacks, including edge rusher Jaelan Phillips' second in two games with the team.
In his postgame media session, Phillips said the defense is "confident, dominant, game-wrecking" before being asked if he thinks the unit ranks among the best in the league.
“I’d say so. I think we have room to grow, but I think what we’ve been putting on the field so far is domination," Phillips said. "Keep improving and keep stacking ‘em, keep that relentless energy."
The trade for Phillips helped the Eagles' defense level up and it will be bad news for the rest of the league if he's right about there being better things ahead for the Eagles defense.
Hernández: Rams have a Super Bowl vibe, and L.A. might crown another champion soon
Rams safety Kamren Kinchens (26) celebrates with teammates after intercepting his second pass of the game in a 21-19 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Wake up from your post-World Series slumber, Los Angeles.
There’s another title contender in town.
For anyone else who was too busy following the Dodgers last month to notice what was going on at SoFi Stadium, the Rams are for real.
They are first-place real. They could be Super Bowl real.
You could feel it in the stands, which literally shook on Sunday when Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers missed a 61-yard field-goal attempt to seal the Rams’ 21-19 victory.
You could feel it in the interview room afterward, the walls penetrated by the bass of the funk music playing in the adjacent dressing quarters.
The Rams are only 10 games into a 17-game season so they still have plenty of time to mess this up, but this is what the start of a championship run feels like. This is what the start of a championship run sounds like.
What was especially awesome about their latest triumph was how un-awesome their quarterback played.
Matthew Stafford passed for only 130 yards, completing 15 of 28 passes. A Rams offense that scored 34 or more points in each of their last three games was limited to just three scores.
“I don’t think anybody’s discouraged by what we did on offense today, but it was definitely not to our standard,” said receiver Davante Adams, whose only catch was a one-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
For Stafford, the game wasn’t about what he did as much as it was about what he didn’t do. He didn’t throw any passes that were intercepted. He didn’t make any critical mistakes.
If only for a game, the former gunslinger was more of a game manager.
Stafford knew he could rely on running back Kyren Williams, who rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown. Stafford knew he could count on a defense that has allowed just 17 points per game.
“You gotta feel the way the game’s going sometimes and be that version of yourself, whatever you need for your team to win,” Stafford said. “I felt there were times I was able to do that today.”
The late-career shift in mentality by the 37-year-old Stafford could be a key for the Rams, who don’t need him to win every game for them.
They have an alternate offensive option in the explosive Williams, who had two runs of 30 or more yards against the Seahawks. They have a fearsome defensive front that enhances the secondary’s playmaking abilities.
The Rams' pass rushers didn’t sack Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold but no matter.
Rams running back Kyren Williams carries the ball during a 21-19 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“That’s why I say stats are for losers,” McVay said. “They affected and influenced the game in a huge way. Obviously, Sam is a great quarterback, but he was getting off his spot. I thought a lot of the pressure that we did get is what led to some of the decisions where our guys ended up making some great plays.”
The Rams intercepted four passes. The Seahawks’ only touchdown came on a one-yard run by Kenneth Walker III with 2 minutes 23 seconds left.
Adams said of the team’s defensive backs: “The way they prepped all week, you could feel it. I mean, it was picks left and right in practice, the attention to detail, the communication, all of it.”
Adams pointed to how safety Quentin Lake was knocked out of the game because of an elbow injury.
“To still uphold that standard in the secondary,” Adams said. “That’s why I love this team, to be honest with you. That’s what it’s about. It’s the next-man mentality. We had that on offense all year too."
This is what winning teams do. This is what the Dodgers do. This is what Super Bowl champions do.
