3-Wide: Are the Patriots still the AFC's best team without Gronkowski?
3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.
Was the Ravens' intentional holding play smart or cheap?
Jack Browne: It was smart. They noticed a gap in the rule book, and exploited it. Funny thing is, though, it was a very Bill Belichick-like tactic, which the Ravens didn't much like when it was used against them. So points for creativity, John Harbaugh! But if you're gonna dish it out, learn to take it.
Arun Srinivasan: The Ravens secured the victory, so it's a smart play. If it isn't outright cheating, it's strategic, and the Ravens employed a move that guaranteed their victory. We can all re-read Plato's "The Republic" to revisit the philosophy of justice, but, for the time being, the Ravens can rest easy with a well-earned victory.
David P. Woods: Can it be both? If not, it was more cheap than smart. The NFL will have to close the loophole that allows games to end on a play where the defense commits an intentional penalty. This would be an embarrassing way for a big playoff game to end.
Where will Jay Cutler play next season?
Woods: The Cardinals are built to win now and have a strong locker room capable of absorbing Cutler's polarizing (to put it nicely) personality. If Carson Palmer is done - and recent evidence suggests he might be pretty close - Cutler could be a perfect replacement in Bruce Arians' aggressive, vertical offense.
Browne: The New York Jets rarely pass up the chance for a Hail Mary in the offseason, and they have a Cutler-shaped hole under center. The Jets' roster is aging, so the team is in win-now mode. Ryan Fitzpatrick has returned to his usual subpar self and is on a one-year deal, Bryce Petty doesn't look close to being an NFL starter, and Christian Hackenberg appears to be a bust before he's even taken a snap. The Cutler-Brandon Marshall relationship might be a roadblock, but the receiver will likely do whatever it takes for competent quarterback play, which Cutler can provide despite his recent downturn.
Srinivasan: It appears like a foregone conclusion that Cutler will leave the Bears, but his injury history, contract, and limited upside may render him impossible to move. This year's draft doesn't contain a surefire starting quarterback in the vein of Jameis Winston or Carson Wentz, and the Bears may opt to select the best player available, instead of reaching for a new franchise signal-caller. Cutler could be anchored to the Bears for the foreseeable future.
Are the Patriots still the AFC's best team without Rob Gronkowski?
Srinivasan: The Patriots remain the AFC's best team even with Rob Gronkowski missing eight weeks, but their advantage over the conference is now marginal. Tom Brady is clinically efficient at distributing the ball to a number of wide receivers, and the Patriots have a built-in contingency plan with Martellus Bennett in the lineup. The Raiders, Broncos, Chiefs, and Steelers all must be quietly celebrating Gronkowski's absence, but the Patriots remain the team to beat until further notice.
Woods: Yes, but the gap is paper thin. Tom Brady's knee injury is the kind of thing that could linger for the rest of the season (recall how leg injuries plagued Peyton Manning's aging body throughout his final two seasons in the NFL) and the Patriots' defense just isn't very good. Gronkowski is the kind of difference-maker who can cover up for weaknesses surrounding him. He'll be sorely missed, but I trust Bill Belichick to devise the perfect scheme for overcoming this injury.
Browne: Thanks to a weak AFC, the loss of Gronk won't be fatal to the Patriots, but they're no longer the class of the conference. Brady simply isn't the same player when the star tight end is off the field. The 39-year-old quarterback keeps New England a contender, as does Bill Belichick, but the defense already looked vulnerable. As strange as it is to write, the Oakland Raiders should now sit atop the AFC, albeit by a slim margin.