Steelers Release LB Tariq Carpenter
The Pittsburgh Steelers have released LB Tariq Carpenter from the team’s practice squad, the team announced moments ago.
It hardly qualifies as a big change but the first since the Steelers’ 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, their third straight loss.
Carpenter was initially signed on September 2. He was elevated to the gameday Active/Inactive roster three times throughout the season, logging 34 total special teams snaps, making two total tackles.
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Week 15 NFL losers: Dak Prescott’s MVP chances take big hit
With almost all of the Week 15 NFL games completed, let’s take a look at some of the biggest losers from around the league.
Dak Prescott’s MVP chances. Prescott entered the week as one of the top contenders for the league MVP award, but those chances took a significant hit on Sunday. Not only because he and the Cowboys were a complete no-show in a 31-10 loss at Buffalo, but because one of the other top contenders — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy — had another massive game with four touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Prescott is having a great season whether he wins the award or net, but he almost certainly fell behind Purdy in the MVP race on Sunday.
Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers had almost no choice but to fire head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco after Thursday night’s embarrassing 62-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. In his three years as the Chargers head coach Staley consistently demonstrated that he was not cut out to be an NFL head coach and it was only a matter of when, and not if, a change would get made.
The bigger problem for the Chargers is the fact the coach and general manager may not matter as long as Dean Spanos is making the decisions to replace them. He has gotten it wrong for two decades and history suggests he will again.
Minnesota Vikings defense. With a playoff spot on the line and going into the fourth quarter with a 17-3 lead in Cincinnati on Saturday, the Vikings defense completely imploded and allowed three consecutive touchdown drives to the Bengals (all three of them over 63 yards), sending the game to overtime where they would ultimately lose. With the NFC wild-card race being so tight that is a game they needed to lock down.
George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers. George Pickens has been visibly frustrated all season and this week talked about the problems with the routes he is being asked to run. He talked a big game, but he did not play one on Saturday. Pickens had to miserable plays in the Steelers’ 30-13 loss that are not going to look good in film review.
First, he lost a jump ball to a significantly smaller defensive back resulting in an interception for the Colts.
Neither play is a good look.
Matt Eberflus, HC, Chicago Bears. Not only did his team blow a 10-point fourth quarter lead to Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns, but Eberflus also made the baffling decision to not try a long field goal before halftime and instead attempted a low-percentage Hail Mary. It resulted in an interception.
The Bears could have used three extra points there as they ended up losing 20-17 and pretty much ending any slim playoff hopes they might have had.
The New York Jets. They were completely embarrassed on Sunday in a 30-0 loss to the Miami Dolphins and not even remotely competitive. It also extended their playoff drought to 13 consecutive seasons, the longest active drought among the four major North American sports (NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL). They have also now had eight consecutive losing seasons.
David Tepper, owner, Carolina Panthers. His team won on Sunday — for just the second time this season — but he has to be embarrassed by the gathering of people that showed up for their 9-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Panthers fans are not happy with his ownership and they are speaking with their wallets.
Desmond Ridder, QB, Atlanta Falcons. The other loser from that game is Ridder, who seems to have squandered his last chance to be the Falcons’ long-term answer at quarterback.
Ridder has had a knack for turning the football over at the worst possible time this season, and he did it again on Sunday with a terrible interception late in the fourth quarter when the Falcons had a chance to put the game away.
Instead, it gave Carolina one more chance and the Panthers took advantage by marching 90 yards for a game-winning field goal.
Kadarius Toney, WR, Kansas City Chiefs. The good news for the Chiefs is Toney’s big mistake this week did not cost them again. The bad news for Toney is quarterback Patrick Mahomes has to be losing trust in him after another drop on Sunday, with this one turning into an interception.
