Mickey Togs

The Eagles dominated the Giants from start to finish in beating their division rival 48-22 to improve to 12-1, maintain their lead in the NFC for the No. 1 seed, and clinch a spot in the postseason tournament for the second year in a row.

The Eagles never trailed, starting with a methodical touchdown drive on their first possession, opening up a 21-0 lead in the second quarter before the Giants got on the board. The Eagles led by as much as 48-14 before the Giants got a last-minute touchdown.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts once again played at an MVP level, throwing for 217 yards, rushing for 77, and accounting for three total touchdowns. Hurts became the first quarterback in NFL history with double-digit rushing touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. He also posted a 109.2 QB rating.

Giants QB Daniel Jones was 18 for 26, 169 yards, and one TD. Saquon Barkley started after speculation surrounding a neck issue that cropped up late in the week. His workload was limited and he stayed on the sideline once the score grew so lopsided. Barkley finished with nine rushing attempts for 28 yards and two receptions for 20 yards.

The Giants are 7-5-1 and their Week 15 meeting with the Commanders  (also 7-5-1) at FedEx Field is a rematch of the Week 13 20-20 tie. Next Sunday night’s game stands as the most important game of the season for both sides — almost a playoff eliminator for the loser.

Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score on consecutive possessions and the Buffalo Bills persevered through wet, chilly and windy conditions to beat a banged-up Mike White and the AFC East-rival New York Jets 20-12 on Sunday.

Allen’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Dawson Knox in the closing minute of the second quarter led to Buffalo scoring on four consecutive drives, capped by a pair of field goals by Tyler Bass, including a 49-yarder.

The AFC-leading Bills (10-3) won their fourth straight since a two-game skid, which included a 20-17 loss at the Jets. Buffalo has won at least 10 of its first 13 games for the seventh time in franchise history.

The Jets (7-6) have lost four of six in a slump that has made their  playoff chances shaky. New York, which hasn’t qualified for the postseason since 2010, entered the week as the AFC’s seventh seed, a win ahead of New England and the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Jets essentially ran out of time to complete a comeback bid. After Greg Zuerlein hit a 26-yard field goal with 1:18 remaining, New York got the ball back at its own 21 with 46 seconds left but Mike White threw four consecutive incompletions.

He finished 27 of 44 for 268 yards and no turnovers, a year after he threw four interceptions in a 45-17 loss to the Bills.

Jacob deGrom has signed a five year, $185 million contract with the Texas Rangers. The deal has no deferments, a full no-trade clause, and a ‘conditional’ sixth year option. Due to Texas having no state income tax, the actual payout deGrom will receive is substantially higher. 

The Rangers had been a rumored home for deGrom since the talk of his opting out became a more frequent topic earlier this season. The Mets were rumored to be offering a three year deal initially, for a higher average annual value, but this deal is clearly everything that deGrom was looking for: guaranteed years, big money, and a control over his destiny, vis a vis trades.

deGrom, who will turn 35 in the middle of next season, has has an injury riddled recent past, missing half the season in both 2021 and 2022. When he’s been healthy, deGrom has been as dominant as ever, having an absolutely incredible first half in 2021, posting a 1.05 ERA in 15 starts.