NFL roundup: 49ers continue to roll with Garoppolo under center
By Brad Weiss
Most people in the NFL figured Jimmy Garoppolo would be decent once he got his shot at being a starting quarterback, but he is really turning heads now.
In today’s NFL, a team can go worst to first in a blink of an eye; just look at some of the division leaders heading into Week 17. For the San Francisco 49ers, they made a calculated move when they traded for Jimmy Garoppolo before the trade deadline, being that he was in the final year of his contract. All Jimmy G has done since grabbing the starting job has been to win every start, and it appears the franchise will be in good hands if they can lock him up long term.
The Houston Texans were really playing well with Deshaun Watson under center, as he showed the kind of promise that could have led to a Rookie of the Year award. However, Watson blew out his knee during practice, ending his rookie season, and the quarterback position in Houston has been a mess ever since. On Christmas Day, the Texans had to turn to T.J. Yates under center, and he was pretty awful, as Houston fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers by the score of 34-6.
The Kansas City Chiefs clinched their second consecutive AFC West title this past weekend, as they took care of the Miami Dolphins at home. The Chiefs were one of the hottest teams in the NFL to start the season, getting out to a 5-0 start, but they fell on hard times during the middle of the year. However, they rebounded well, and are playing good football now, and after their clinching win, head coach Andy Reid answered questions dressed as Santa Claus.
In 2016, the Los Angeles Rams were a very bad football team, and many thought No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff was going to be a bust. Well, a new head coach can make all the difference, and Sean McVay has turned Goff into one of the better young quarterbacks in the NFL. On Sunday, the Rams actually won the NFC West, and will head into the NFC Playoffs with one of the better defensive lines in the league, as well as having an offense that can score with anybody.
Next: Jimmy Garoppolo can play, NFL power rankings and playoff picture
The Jacksonville Jaguars won the AFC South this past weekend, though it did not look like it based on the scene on the sidelines. Jaguars players were actually fighting with each other during the game, as their team was getting beat pretty badly by the San Francisco 49ers. The Jags have been one of the better teams in the AFC all season long, despite the play of their quarterback, and will now head to the playoffs fighting not only the opposition but apparently each other.