The Ringer NFL Show - Saturday Week 16 Recap: Cowboys Outlast the Eagles, Panthers Run Over the Lions, and the Vikings Move to 11-0 in One-Score Games | The Ringer NFL Recap Show

Episode Date: December 25, 2022

Nora and Steven pick out their winners and losers from the Christmas Eve games, starting with the Cowboys' win over the Eagles (1:30). They also discuss the Commanders (7:10), Patriots (17:25), Panthers (23:03), and more. Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Steven Ruiz Associate Producer: Isaiah Blakely Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi, I'm Missa Cwanga. And I'm Ryan Hunt. And we co-host Stadio, a football podcast, on the Ring of Podcast Network. If you like soccer or football or make sure you search for Stadio, a football podcast on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Do a special Christmas Eve edition of the Ringer NFL recap show. I'm Nora Pintziotti. I am here having a very happy holiday with Stephen Reeves. Stephen, Merry Christmas Eve.

How you doing? I'm doing well. It's not Sunday. So it's not my typical sad answer, but I also won my first avatar bet with Benjamin Solac. So it's a momentous day. What are we thinking for the Avi? So I was thinking Carson Wentz in the Letterman jacket, the Washington Letterman jacket, but I feel like that's too easy.

And I feel like I don't get this opportunity too often. So I have to go really deranged with it. But I'm going to sleep on it. I'm going to sleep on it. Okay. We're taking suggestions for that. Look, this is a special edition of the show. We want to make it nice and streamlined for everybody.

so they can get their football fix while they're celebrating holidays and hanging out with family and watching games. Stephen and I are going to do some winners and losers from the Saturday slate of games because what's more in the holiday spirit than Dolanouts and Ws and L's. So, Stephen, do you want to get us started with your first winner of the night? My first winner is the Dallas Cowboys. They beat the Philadelphia Eagles 40 to 34 in a game that I really thought Dallas needed. And not just because they needed the win for the standing.

but we've seen this defense kind of fall off of the past month. And the offense has, I would say, struggled to kind of make up for the defense falling off over the past month. And we've seen Dak Prescott turn over the ball under those pressure situations where he's forced to be a playmaker. And we saw the early interception. And it kind of felt like more of the same. Like this is the typical Cowboys game this year.

And then DAC, it was another DAC master class. And I feel like we've seen these like every week. And I know they kind of get spoiled with the mistake. stakes, but he is really playing out a high level. And I think this game showed that if the Cowboys defense isn't what it was over the first half of the season doesn't get quite as healthy as it was, that this offense has a chance of winning any game and helping them compete with any team in the NFC. That's what it's about, right, is that the offense can stay in it with pretty much anybody.

Because I thought, Doc, you know, yeah, he throws the pick. But, Dak looks great again. I really do believe in this Cowboys offense. the defense, look, it's great that they won this game. This was a big win for them, obviously huge for them to beat Philly. The Eagles turned the ball over four times, right? The Eagles are a two-loss team at this point, and in both of those losses, they turned the ball over four times. They lost three fumbles.

And Dallas picking all three of those up is incredible luck. And if that hadn't happened, I think we might be having a different conversation right now. Now, that's part of football, right? But I do think that, you know, this Gardner-Minshoe-led Eagles offense was still pretty much able to move the ball at will against them, particularly by picking on that secondary. That's been so depleted by injuries. So I maintain those concerns, but I do think the path for them to, continue to win games like this is just the offense showing out. Because I agree with you.

Like if we get over one or two plays that are not necessarily all completely on DAC, actually thought the pick today was more his fault than some of the ones in the past that we talked about last week. Yeah. But if we get over those blips, this is a really, really, really good offense. And it's a bit of a flip of how we thought about this Cowboys team that started off being a really, really, really good defense. But if they're going to make a playoff run,

they're going to have to win those games with their offense, is how I feel. So big win for them, but I don't feel totally assuaged about the concerns with the defense just because of how lucky they were in the turnover battle. Yeah, and I would say I find it hard to call the Eagles a loser for this one because they were able to put up some points

despite the turnovers with their backup quarterback. And I think it just goes to show that this team has so many different ways to win. And yes, it's a bad game for the defense. they had trouble sticking to C.D. Lamb and other Cowboys receivers, but we know this defense can play well enough. We know the offense is talented enough. So as bad as the loss looks on the scoreboard, especially for the defense,

I'm not too concerned about Philly going forward. I thought this game went sort of similar to how I thought it would go based on the first matchup and you have a different quarterback in there. So for me, like this was a good weekend all around for the NFCs. Gardner. What'd you think of Gardner? I got to tell you, I'm going to slander my family here, but they were around when I was watching games

when I was going between this one and the 49ers commanders game. A lot of people in my extended family just really like Gardner Minchu for just no discernible reason. I was just like, what is your, what is all your guys is deal with this guy? Like, Gardner Manchu. Because like he's not supposed to be here. He's not supposed to be playing. So it's like the underdog that you're,

you're willing to root for and he's a little quirky. I don't know. He seems to think he's better than he is. I think that's his main problem. He's definitely fun. Yeah, he's fun. Like, these are the better backup quarterbacks. Like, I'd rather see this than Colt McCoy or like the backup that's going to come in and

like just run the offense and just throw checkdowns 80% of the time. So I like a rationally confident backup quarterback. But I do think if Gardner turned the dial down a little bit. he could be like a top 20 quarterback, but he insists on him being this out-of-pocket creator guy that he just doesn't have the talent to back up. And I think you saw it, saw it get him into trouble a couple times.

I was seeing a lot of, a lot of the film squad, uh, of which you are a member talking about how he throws off his back foot quite a bit. Any, any thoughts? Yeah.

Like I think that speaks to like Patrick Mahomes can get away with throwing off his back foot. Justin Herbert can get away with it. Josh Allen can get away with it. All these like talented guys. But like you were at Washington State for a reason, man. That's all like you're a quarterback. He does it a lot.

Like a lot. Yeah. I really just think that he has a lot of confidence in himself. It's very. I'm just slandering Gardner Minchew because I was sitting on my grandparents' couch being like, what? Why are you guys into like where did this come from? I'm just startled by it.

I guess I'm happy for him. Happy for everybody. You should have tossed out. you don't know ball to your own thing. Grandma doesn't know ball. Watch the games, Grandma. All right. Let's stay in the NFC

at a little bit of the NFC East for my first winner. I've got the 49ers who won 37 to 20 against the commanders. They'd already locked up the NFC West, but the reason I thought this was sort of a telling win for them and one that I want to give them props for is that I actually thought Washington played at least a version of exactly the game that you want to play against San Francisco. They ran 69 plays.

The Niners ran 51, Washington one time in possession, 34 minutes to 26. But it's emblematic of how tough, I think, the 49ers are to beat because Washington's defense would have, you know, a really good, be putting together a really good series. But the big plays for San Francisco were just so devastating. So 33-yard touchdown to Kittle, 37-yard pass to Brandon Ayuk, another 34-yard touchdown to Kittle. Ray Ray McLeod has the 71-yard touchdown run. I-Uk gets the 54-yard catch-and-run. So they put together, Washington put together a really valiant effort, but it's a little bit like the dolphins.

It's a different version of it, and it's different players and it's more, you know, size and we'll bull you over. But if you miss these guys, if you lose one of these guys, they're just going to be gone. And the run after the catchability is just coming from everywhere, all directions, everybody who's on the field. And you have to be so fundamentally sound on every single play against them. So, you know, it's not as though Brock Purdy, he's doing an admirable job, a valiant effort. it's not like Brock Purdy's coming out here and setting the world world on fire, but it just, it does not matter in this offense because every single one of those guys can take a ball to the house

as soon as they get it in their hands. The other thing about this game, uh, we saw Carson once. He's, he's come back. It's like Baltimore. Like he's returned.

Just in time for Christmas. Uh, so at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Joey Bosa strip sacks Heineke. And then San Francisco gets a short field, goes on a field goal drive. Then Heineke turns it over, throws a pick. Then San Francisco goes on another field goal drive off the short field. And while that's happening, Wenz is on the sideline, he's taking snaps. He's warming up.

He's talking around Rivera. It's just like, oh, boy. Okay. And he was pretty good. So it's his first drive in 10 weeks. 11 plays, 82 yards, caps it off with a touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel. Goes seven of ten passing for 73 yards, gets a touchdown. They totally put the ball in his hands, that drive.

They only ran it one time and they threw the ball ten times. Four different receivers touched the ball. You could see against the Niners defense and particularly that defensive front. It was helpful to put a quarterback in there that can just put a little bit more zip on the ball than Taylor Heineke can. because Wentz was, he was laser and some darts in there. And it was helping them neutralize a little bit of that pass rush. Obviously, not enough for them to win the game. I have a feeling mostly based on the Ron Rivera vibes that Wentz is going to,

we're going to see a little more, a little more Carson Wentz before the year has come to a close. and maybe he'll be the jolt for them. I don't know. I actually think it is not going to matter all that much between him and Heineke just because I really do think this offense is pretty talented. But he was more than half decent and you can tell that the coach really wants to put once in. So I have a feeling that they're going to hope that he gives them a little bit of a spark

for the last couple of games. Yeah, I would think like if I'm Rivera looking at it, if Heineke's going to be turning over the ball, and that's the reason why Carson Wentz got benched initially, he's turning over the ball. You're going to go with the guy with more talent if all things are equal. And right now, like Heineke has been coughing at the ball for a couple weeks.

So it's not like, I think there was a pregame report that he was, Heineke was basically playing for the starting job. So it's not a surprise that Wentz came in. And then for the 49ers, I totally agree with you. And that's what feels different about this year. And we talk so much during the offseason

how the offense was going to evolve because they had Trey Lance. and they kind of need it to evolve because things have had kind of gotten stale with Jimmy G, but they evolved by just having too much talent to fail. And like you said, it's going to happen eventually because they have too many stars who once they get the ball in their hand, they're liable to score at any point. So I think that's what's different about this team and this offense, because there was times in past years where you can kind of see they didn't have it for a game. It was like, oh, this is one of those bad Jimmy G games.

They're going to score like 14 points and the defense is going to have to keep them in it. But now it's like, even when they're not doing it, so well. I think it was 7-7 and halftime. There's still an opportunity to score 37 points. Totally. Totally. They're kind of 49ers made it to a Super Bowl with Jimmy Carapolo

and then clearly we're dissatisfied with what it happened since. Now, Jimmy is among these players. They had horrible injury look. I'm doing a little bit of revisionist. Isn't that just the story of this team that like when they're healthy, they're incredible and they've done all this stuff and like I want to see this offense

with Lance and obviously hope that his recovery is full and complete and swift and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But I don't know if they were as bad as they thought they were. I think they just got really, really, really hurt over and over again and then kind of panicked about it. That's what big Kyle Shanahan splits without Jimmy G doesn't want you to know is, yes, Kyle hasn't won a lot of games without Jimmy G. But also, every time Jimmy G gets hurt, the whole defense gets hurt along with them. They have like a 30th ranked defense every time.

That's why they're losing the games. Don't blame it on poor Nick Mullins. Nick Mullins is out there trying his best. Okay. I love a Nick Mullins reference. All right. This is getting a little too positive. Oh, wait, hold on.

I was going to move to losers. But shout out George Kittle. Unbelievable George Kittle game. Six catches, 120 yards, the two touchdowns. But he also, he had the kill shot with the fourth down catch. That was on the drive after Wenz came in. And if there was some chance that the commanders went on, went on a rally. Once they put Carson in there, that was just over.

He was absolutely fantastic in this game. And I think Brock Purdy was talking about how much he loves him afterwards with the media. So very heartwarming there. Shout out to George Kittle, good football player. All right. Enough of being nice. Who's the first loser? My first loser is the Seattle Seahawks.

It brings me no pleasure to call them losers. Honestly, this felt like one of those games that the Chiefs have every year where they just, it's like a weird game and they end up losing, kind of like the Colts game earlier this year. But this was an alternate reality where they actually won the game because Seattle just couldn't stop shooting themselves in the foot. Like every time I looked up, it was fourth down and they were throwing a route like one yard short of the sticks. That probably happened like three times. and then they missed some opportunities in the end zone. They had some drops, some key drops. They didn't take advantage of some questionable decisions by Patrick Mowles.

But in the end, that was the difference is they had Patrick Mahomes. The Seattle Seahawks did not. Mahomes, it's a quiet stat line, 16 for 28, 2, 24, 2 touchdowns, and then he ran for another touchdown. But this is what he's been doing all year. He just does just enough to keep this offense humming and keep the offense going. The touchdown run was one of the more impressive runs I've ever seen. held himself up, like parallel to the ground with one hand, his left hand holding himself up

while he dove for the touchdown. This is every week now. I tweeted this like a month ago and I've been able to retweet it every week. He does things that you can't even do in video games. Like the technology is not there to do this stuff in video games and he does it every week. He's the best player in the league. He definitely wrapped up MVP this week. But for Seattle, this was a game where a lot of their competitors in the wild card race lost. and lost some games that maybe they should have won. This was a real opportunity. They had a chance to really upset this team.

They had so many chances, so many failed fourth down conversions, so many trips into the red zone where they just came up empty. There was a miscommunication with Markey's Goodwin and Gino Smith. That led to a interception in the end zone where Goodwin runs an out route. Gino expected him to run a corner interception. Bad game. And they got a good effort from the defense, which has been struggling since the Germany trip. It just felt like a missed opportunity.

They could have made the playoffs. now it doesn't look like they will. I know this is not what happened, but I love the idea that like, what happened in Germany, guys? What went down? What went down over there, Seattle? Everything was going great. And then, uh,

Tampa Bay 2. It took a little trip. Yeah. For both those teams, it's a weird trip. A little soul snatching situation going on, maybe. I don't know. I don't know. We're having some,

having some brats, having some beers. Who knows what could happen? I'd be interested. Maybe some of the beat guys are going to get on that. Gino is the first athlete to ever go to Germany and come back worse. Usually it's the other way around. You go to Germany, you come back and you're like magically better.

He's supposed to get some weird treatment. I don't know. He's been doing stuff in Germany. All right. Yeah. It's a good point that they could have made up some real ground with the lines losing, with the commanders losing. I guess I'd been looking at this as Lions lost,

the commanders lost. So at least they didn't lose ground there. but that's true. That's a real missed opportunity. Speaking of missed opportunities, my first loser, the New England Patriots, who lost 22 to 18 to the Cincinnati Bengals on Ramandre Stevenson's close to last minute, fourth quarter turnover. The Patriots are still not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but I think we have to, I think we have to to put a cork in this. They got down by several scores before halftime,

and I actually give them credit for fighting back in the second half. One of the simultaneously exciting but also frustrating things about this game was they finally decided to use Kendrick Bourne. Late in the second quarter, Mack Jones gives them a little handoff on a jet sweep that goes for 30 yards, which is a play. that has been there for them, literally all season. And as far as I know, because he was late to a meeting in the preseason, they have just been like, no, we don't do this.

And he had over 100 yards in this game, was by and large, the most exciting player on their offense. And it was just like, come on, man. Like, he's a good player and they haven't used him all year. and so the fact that they went there in week 16, it's like, okay, good for you for catching on, Matt, but it's a little late here. So it simultaneously led to some good stuff for them,

but it was also kind of like, geez, I don't know why you haven't been doing this all season. The offense continued to be a complete mess. The game ended on a Patriots 4th and 15, trying to pull something together at the last minute. And they had multiple offensive linemen downfield on the fourth and 15. It was just like such a fitting final play for like the last thing they could have done to be relevant and to matter and to maybe put together a little bit of a run here. And it was just such a disaster.

So I think the season was over before this game began. But I think we're pretty ready to cork it here. Yeah. Yeah, that was a rough game to watch for an offense that, like, even when they started scoring points, they started moving the ball at the end. Like you said, it came on Kendrick Bourne just turning into maybe the best player I've ever seen in a Patriots uniform for a quarter. Like, he took the end around.

He catches the one pass that was basically like Julio Jones's Super Bowl catch against the Patriots with a toe tap. Right. Amazing catch. Like incredible toe tap. It was not a good game for the offense, but I was impressed by the defensive staff because I really thought they had no chance after the first half because there's no answer when the when you have small cornerbacks and they have two superstar monsters on the outside that was the the game they

couldn't cover t higgins they couldn't handle jemar chase with their small tiny cornerbacks and somehow they figured out a way to slow them down eventually they got some breaks they got some interceptions on a miscommunication they scored but this offense just bums me out It's a bummer. No more. Enough. Enough. The throw to T. Higgins that set up the Bengals' third touchdown, he was like seven yards open. And it was just, now, I'm not here to here to defend Mack Jones. But he hasn't had anyone that open to throw to all year. Not a single time. Not one time. It's, yeah, it's just a bummer.

and okay Kendrick Boren is not is not this good Kendrick Boren is not like the best receiver you've ever seen he's good he's a good player you know who thinks he's good

Kyle Shanahan Kyle Shanahan loved Kendrick Boren and used to scheme stuff up for him and again somebody asked Belichick about it after the game and said why hasn't he been like he had such a great game

seemed like he showed what he can do why hasn't he been a big part of of the offense this season. And Bill's answer was literally verbatim, no particular reason. Not a good answer. What? And by the way, is he even playing today?

Like, does he have this big game if Devante Parker is active? Probably not. Probably not. Genuinely, probably not. But also, like, what do you mean? No particular reason.

Oh, whatever. We're just doing, it's just vibes, man. Like he sounds like me. Right. That's not a legitimate answer. And the funny thing is that. That's a podcaster answer.

That is a podcast host answer from Bill Welchek. Be better than that. No, because if I said that on a podcast, if I said that on a podcast, I'd be like, God, they're going to know I didn't do any prep work. I feel bad. I didn't do my job. Maybe you should be the Patriots offensive coordinator. Maybe.

Yeah, Bengals cooled off after halftime. The Patriots did make some decent adjustments. But, you know, they've won what, I think seven in a row at this point. So still on a hot streak for them. We have now done two winners and two losers. Left it up to dealer's choice for the last ones, if they were going to be winners or losers. Stephen, are you in the Christmas spirit? Are you wanting to put some coal in somebody's stocking?

Who's up next? A little bit of both. I'm in the Christmas spirit. I'm about to put some coal in Solax stocking by reminding you that we bet on this game. on the Friday show. He said the lions and the Panthers weren't close. The gap between them was huge and that it was going to be a blowout. And my Carolina Panthers, I'm claiming them once again because they're going to make the playoffs. Wow. Ran the Lions off the field, 37 to 23. They set a franchise record by running for over 300 yards. They had 200 yards

running at half time. At half time, they ran all over the Lions. And then on the other side, out of the ball. Like Jared Goff, I think people are going to look at the box score and they're going to make a huge mistake and think Jared Doff like kept the lines in this game. But the Panthers were basically like a huge mistake. A catastrophic mistake. Don't even think about it. He goes 25 for 42, 355 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. First of all, he should have thrown like four interceptions. He fumbled the ball in the red zone. The Panthers were not respecting him at all. They were like, you're not running the ball. You're not going to run the ball on us. And we've seen like DeAndre Swift four carries 12 yards. They wouldn't let him run. So those

deep throws were wide open. They were just letting Jared Doth throw them. He connected on a couple of them, and that's why they were able to move the ball. That's why he was able to put points up late in the game. But this was domination. And I think at this point, I don't know the math behind it. I'm pretty sure the lines basically had to win out to make the playoffs. They got some help in the wild card race today.

But I think we were overrating the lines a little bit, just because it looked a little different. This still is an offense that needs to play a certain style of football in order to win. and we know that teams are better at shutting down run games in the playoffs. And when Jared Goff is your plan B, these games tend to happen. You tend to get blown out by Sam Darnold, who, by the way, was the best quarterback on the field. They had no answer for Sam Darnold. I'm going to choose to not address your comments about the Lions, potentially because of prior takes of my own. Steven, how would you respond to allegations that at certain points during the season, you may have stopped pounding?

I'm going to deny them. I did. I did, but who cares? Why are you bringing up old stuff? I've been pounding this whole time. All right. All right. I have a job.

I have a job. Okay, I'm busy on Sundays. I can't pound every Sunday. Sometimes I can't watch the Panthers game. I have to cover that the rest of the league. I'm telling Sir Per. That's all I'm saying. The Panthers had 130 rushing yards over expectation in the

first half alone, which was the most by any team in a first half over the last five seasons. So in particular, I do think the Lions run defense. They've obviously gotten better defensively over the course of the season, but really, really exposed there. And then, yeah, Sam Darnold. Carolina found something in that defense because they were like doing the same run plays over and over again. And it wasn't like, this wasn't like the dolphins bringing the wildcat on the Patriots one

week. Like these were basic run plays. And every time you looked up, a Panthers running back was just running. an open grass to the touchdown. It was amazing to watch. And they couldn't stop bubble screens. Like Sam Darnold threw like five bubble screens and they all went for first downs. It was amazing to watch.

I've never seen a football game like this. I was thoroughly impressed by the Lions incompetence on defense. I would love to know if that was, if that was like a point in game planning. They're just, they're devastated by bubble screens. This is a big part of the game plan. Did they let Aubrey Pleasant back on the defensive staff? No, I'm not in a kid. It probably was.

vulnerable against bubble screens hysterical. All right. Well, I stayed in the Christmas spirit as well. And I'm going to give out my last winner to the Minnesota Vikings who beat the Giants 27 to 24. Their 11th one score game win of the year. It came on Greg Joseph's 61 yard field goal with time expiring. That was his career long by five yards.

Not much in terms of playoff implications. for this one. The Giants are still heavily favored to make the postseason and can clinch next week at home against the Colts. But to me, the biggest win that came out of this one is that it showed how good the T.J. Hawkinson trade has been for Minnesota. He was really, really, really good in this game. Had a career high 13 catches for 109 yards, two touchdowns. And at the beginning of the fourth quarter, he made a really incredible touchdown catch. And then on the following Giants drive, Patrick Peterson, undercut Isaiah Hodgins on an overrout to pick off Daniel Jones. The Giants did respond.

Sequin had a long run for a touchdown on a fourth down try. But that was Minnesota's sort of last big punch. Hawkinson, I think, just he's really fit in with this offense. He's really fit in. He's got a good thing with cousins. And Justin Jefferson is pretty much always going to get his. He now holds the Viking single season receiving yards record, which is pretty incredible because the Vikings have had a fairly storied list of receivers in their past.

Jefferson broke Randy Moss's record from 2003 of 1,632 yards. But it's really important for them to have just counters, particularly, you know, this game is not so much of a concern because of the state of the giant secondary. but having Hawkinson performing at a high level and working within this offense, I think is going to be important in the playoffs because you are going to see some better defenses. And look, Jefferson can win against just about anyone, but if he gets a lot of attention

and it's from a unit that can do some damage there, it's going to be important for them and for cousins to have additional options. There. Giant Side, they're okay. Bad turnover luck. They had two picks, one that was negated by a penalty, and then another that was sort of a borderline call but got overturned.

But Daniel Jones was pretty good. I thought he was, I thought he hung tough despite taking a lot of hits. I think he took 11 hits in this. But the Lions and Seahawks in Washington, all losing kind of means that their situation doesn't change at all. It was a pretty good game. You can see this game again in the playoffs. and they're in a win-in-in situation next week.

I hadn't been watching this game. I had it on, but I didn't have the audio on. And right when I turned to it, I heard the Kirk Cousins voice crack on the spike right before the 61-yard field goal. And I knew then, I tweeted it out before. He's nailing this, he's nailing this field goal. If that doesn't get you fired up, I don't know what does.

It's the new. Bye how the Vikings have fallen. From the big horn to Kurt Cousins' voice crack. Why does this voice crack so much? Is he going through puberty? I'm not going to answer that, Stephen. I don't know the answer. I just want to know.

You don't know vocal cords. I don't. I don't. So much about Kirk Cousin just confuses me. Yeah, I think that's fair. That's very fair. I'll just leave it at that. I just think about, I covered him in Washington for like two months.

And this was like a story that people know. But all he wanted, not all he wanted. I guess he wanted a long-term contract. But his big thing was that he wanted a quarterback nook in the facility. And he always called it a nook. This is weird. It's not a reading room, man. But he got his little knuck with like a whiteboard and a notebook.

And he was so happy about it. That's so fun. Did he have the rock thing? Is it so fun? No, it is fun. Like a quarterback no. Why not? You just talk some ball with, who was his backup?

Was RG3 there? No, no, no. it was after that. Who was his backup then? I do not remember. Cole McCoy. It might not have been decided because this was all during the off season. Oh.

I was like, oh, like they were in the season. They were like, we haven't decided on backup yet. Kirk's got us. All right. Anything else on Vikings Giants? Should we call it a pod? Should we go have some eggnog? Sing some carols?

I was planning on going out and going door to door singing carols. So yeah. I got to get on that. That's delightful. This has been a Christmas Eve edition of the Ringer NFL recap show. I'm Nora Pinciotti. He is Stephen Ruiz. Different schedule over the holiday weekend covering the games.

But next up on this feed, we're going to have Sheel and Ben on extra point taken. They're going to give you a recap of the rest of the week 16 slate, including the Sunday games. Thank you, as always, to Isaiah Blakely for production on this episode and to Arjuna Ramgapal for additional production supervision. You know,