Sure, some big dominos are still yet to fall, most notably the situations revolving Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson, but we have a pretty good idea of who some of the winners and losers are from the first month of this offseason. Let’s take a closer look.

Winners

Chicago Bears

Bears General Manager Ryan Poles has certainly made a strong early impression to begin the new league year. He masterfully exploited his leverage with the number one overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft by creating a bidding war for the services of the top quarterback in this class. The haul landed them an extra 2nd in this draft, a future 1st & 2nd next year and wide receiver DJ Moore… all for moving back just eight spots. Hold for applause.

Poles was just getting started though. He aggressively went after linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards to help bolster a porous rush defense from last season, while adding guard Nate Davis, running back D’onta Foreman and tight end Robert Tonyan to contribute on the offensive side of the ball.

The Bears still have plenty of needs to address in the draft, but these first steps are encouraging for a team that hopes to build around its young quarterback, Justin Fields.

Detroit Lions

Admittedly, I am a bit surprised to be starting off this list with two NFC North teams, but both of these teams may be sensing a window of opportunity to make a surprise push to take the division this upcoming season. The Lions added some very quality pieces to a secondary who could use some depth alongside Jeff Okudah, picking up safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerbacks Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley. Offensively, the team brought in former Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery to replace Jamaal Williams. If the Lions can land some impact players with their two 1st round picks in this draft and Jared Goff picks up where he left off last season, the Lions could be a real threat to take the NFC North title.

Seattle Seahawks

Speaking of teams with the arrow pointing up, the Seahawks spent a pretty penny this offseason retooling on defense and securing their short-term future at quarterback. The franchise rewarded quarterback Geno Smith for a career year in 2022 with a lucrative contract extension at a reasonable price. Then they turned their attention to the defensive unit up by bringing back both Bobby Wagner and Jarren Reed, while adding DE Dre’mont Jones, LB Devin Bush and S Julian Love. This is another team that is loaded up with a pair of 1st round picks this draft and it will be very interesting to see if the Seahawks decide to address the future of the quarterback or play to win now with these two selections. 

Losers

Baltimore Ravens

One could focus on the loss leader DE Calais Campbell up front as a reason for the Ravens’ appearance on this list, but who am I kidding? This is all about Lamar Jackson. This contract stalemate between the franchise and its franchise quarterback has come unraveled in front of our very eyes over the last 12+ months. Both sides have their leverage points… The Ravens are likely pretty hesitant to give Lamar over $200 million dollars guaranteed when he has failed to finish the previous two seasons due to injury, while Lamar is the youngest league MVP in league history and still only 26 years old. It has gotten ugly for both sides and one has to seriously wonder if Lamar Jackson has played his final snap as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.

EDITOR”S NOTE: The OJB signing came after this article was received.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When you lose the greatest quarterback of all time, it’s hard not to make an appearance on this list. Quarterback Tom Brady has decided to retire from the sport of football (again) and this time the Buccaneers appear to have accepted that fact by bringing in former quarterback Baker Mayfield. He is expected to compete with 2021 2nd-round pick Kyle Trask for the starting role under center in 2023. Both scenarios seem like a significant downgrade from the GOAT himself, but compounding matters are the departures of two starting offensive linemen, tackle Donovan Smith and guard Shaq Mason to go along with some other notable salary cap casualties. The Bucs financially kicked the can down the road after hoisting the Lombardi trophy in 2020, and now it appears it’s time to pay the bill.

The post NFL Free Agency Winners and Losers appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the biggest moves at the quarterback position across the league.

Aaron Rodgers 

The situation involving Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers is nothing short of fascinating. Rodgers went on the Pat McAfee show for nearly an hour and dropped a ton of information about his future in the NFL. Rodgers stated the Packers informed after him that they plan to move forward without him and he intends to play for the New York Jets this upcoming season. There is just one problem… Rodgers is still under contract with the Green Bay Packers. The two sides are still working out compensation to make this move official. Stay tuned because this could get interesting if a deal isn’t done prior to the NFL Draft.

Lamar Jackson

Here is another quarterback who hasn’t technically moved from his previous location, but with the Baltimore Ravens placing the nonexclusive franchise tag on the former league MVP, other teams can now negotiate with Jackson. Now, the Ravens will have the opportunity to match any offer sheet Jackson were to sign or be compensated with two first-round picks if they decide not to match an offer. Stay tuned.

Jimmy Garaoppolo 

The Las Vegas Raiders decided to part ways with Derek Carr, only to bring in another veteran quarterback who previously worked with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels back in New England. That is right, Jimmy G is on his way to Las Vegas. Garoppolo is a polarizing quarterback. On one side, he has proven that he can win football games in the NFL (40-17 career starting record). But on the other hand, Garoppolo hasn’t been able to stay healthy or win a Super Bowl with a very talented roster. What is more confusing is that the Raiders brought in a veteran quarterback, which suggests they want to contend this season, but they turned around and traded away a Pro Bowl tight end in Darren Waller less than a week later. Interesting…

Derek Carr

Speaking of the Raiders, their former quarterback, Derek Carr, is officially the new man under center for the New Orleans Saints. Carr’s disappointing 2022 campaign was capped off by McDaniels deciding to bench Carr for the final couple of games of the season. Now, he will aim to revitalize a once potent offense that still features Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas and Chris Olave in a very winnable division.

Baker Mayfield

It was a wild 2022 NFL season for Baker Mayfield. After he was selected at No. 1 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield was unceremoniously traded to the Carolina Panthers after the Cleveland Browns traded for Deshaun Watson. Things didn’t work out for Mayfield in Carolina and was released on December 5, 2022. However, Mayfield showed some promise by filling in admirably for Matthew Stafford as a member of the Los Angeles Rams to close out the 2022 season. Now, he will aim to beat out former the former University of Florida product, Kyle Trask, in an open competition to become the heir apparent to Tom Brady for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mayfield signed just a one-year deal with the Bucs, which means this could be Mayfield’s last chance to compete for a starting job in the NFL.

The post The QB Carousel Begins appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

1. Anthony Richardson Stole the Show

No one generated more intrigue and excitement during the course of the NFL Combine than the polarizing quarterback prospect from the University of Florida, Anthony Richardson.

When you look at the performance Richardson put on at the NFL Combine, highlighted by a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash, it’s easy to see why so many are mesmerized by his athletic profile. Now, he doesn’t really project as an NFL-ready quarterback right at this moment, which is evident by his inconsistency with accuracy, post-snap processing and footwork, but his upside is arguably higher than any other quarterback in this draft class.

2. This Running Back Draft Class is Stacked

Headlined by the blue-chip prospect from the Univeristy of Texas, Bijan Robinson, the running back group put on a show in Indianapolis on Sunday. Jamhyr Gibbs, Devon Achane, Zach Charbonnet and Duece Vaughn were just a few of the backs who were magnificent going through drills. During one of the passing drills, where backs all took turns running a post route out of the backfield, the ball didn’t touch the ground once. It will not surprise me one bit if a starting back this upcoming season is drafted on day number three. That is simply just how good and deep this position group is this year.

3. The Defensive Back Group Didn’t Disappoint Either

I’m well aware I just gushed over the running back group, but the defensive backs, in particular the cornerbacks, were outstanding as well. Projected top corners Christian Gonzalez (Oregon), Joey Porter Jr, (Penn State) and DJ Turner II (Michigan) all solidified or improved their stock with standout performances.  When you throw in Devon Witherspoon, Clark Phillips III, Emmanuel Forbes, Kelee Ringo, Deonte Banks, Terell Smith, and Cam Smith, many teams are likely to get a quality/starting caliber player to add to its secondary.

4. The Tight End Group Took the Bronze Medal

Speaking of deep and talented position groups, we should not forget just how good the tight ends looked on Saturday. Michael Mayer was solid across the board, Sam LaPorta looks like the next great tight end to come out of Iowa and it was great to see Luke Musgrave clock a time in the 4.6 range. However, the tight end that is now on everyone’s radar after the Combine was actually the second best tight end on the Georgia Bulldog roster this season, Darnell Washington. Well, hellooooooo Washington (my Chris Farley fans out there will get the reference). Standing an imposing 6’7” 264 lbs, Washington emerged a big winner from the combine with the best catch of the weekend, a one-handed snag at the apex of his jump during a goal line fade drill to close out the day. 

5. The Edge Rushers Need Some Love Here Too

Last but not least is the abundance of edge-rushing talent in this draft, who mostly did not disappoint either. Will Anderson posted a solid 4.6 in the forty, Keion White busted out 30 bench press reps and Nolan Smith defied physics by running a 4.39 40-yard dash at 238 lbs. 

Will some of these performances impact the way teams approach free agency this week? Perhaps, but this draft class is shaping up to be one of the best draft classes in the last 10 years.

The post Top 5 Takeaways From The NFL Combine appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Moments like “The Drive” and “The Catch” are forever etched into the ancient hieroglyphics of NFL postseason lore, which begs the question.

What do we call Patrick Mahomes’ 5-yard scramble on 3rd & 4 with 17 seconds left in the game that set up the game-winning field goal?

Perhaps “The Scramble” could work…

But that would overlook Joseph Ossai’s misguided decision to shove Mahomes once he had already stepped out of bounds, which resulted in a crippling personal foul penalty, which moved the 15-yards closer to a trip to the Super Bowl.

However you choose to remember the play, there is no denying that it was the moment of this Conference Championship Weekend.

Chiefs 23, Bengals 20

KC: There is no way to sugarcoat this.. The Kansas City Chiefs played an inspired brand of football, which was led by one of the guttiest performances from an injured superstar in recent sports history. Mahomes 326 passing yards and two scores through the air is one for the ages. As if we needed any further proof that he is a bonafide superstar, he delivered the goods on a big stage against a real challenger for his spot on the throne. Despite the Herculean effort for Mahomes, Chris Jones was the real MVP of this game. It was an all-around team effort, which included another masterful coaching performance from head coach Andy Reid, to punch their ticket to their third Super Bowl appearance in the last five seasons.

CIN: As great as the offensive line performed against the Buffalo Bills, they equally struggled against the Chiefs. Joe Burrow was under siege for the majority of this game and the running game was a virtual non-factor. I would be doing a disservice to the Bengals faithful if I didn’t at least mention the officiating in this contest, which had moments that were outright confusing and borderline embarrassing for the NFL. Despite the Bengals coming up short this time around, the Bengals are a team that still has a very bright future with Burrow emerging as one of the best young quarterbacks in the league.

Eagles 31, 49ers 7

PHI: The Eagles punched their ticket to Super Bowl LVII by playing their brand of football. A dominant running game and tough defense. Quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t have his best day as a passer, but he avoided any big mistakes and proved capable of managing the game with timely runs to extend drives to compliment what turned out to be a stellar defensive performance.

SF: At some point, injuries at the quarterback position become too much for any team to overcome… No matter how talented that team is. The 49ers feel like a snake-bitten team under Kyle Shanahan. And while it’s yet another tough exit for a 49ers team that has more than a handful of reasons to say ‘what if’ about this season, the fact that this team rallied around a rookie quarterback, who was selected with the very last pick of this NFL draft, is just a testament to how well run this organization is. I say with confidence that this team will be in the mix for another Super Bowl bid next season… if they can only figure out who to move forward with under center.

The post NFL Conference Championship Weekend Review appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

It’s time to take a quick look back at all of the action from the weekend.

Chiefs 27, Jaguars 20

KC: Patrick Mahomes may not have posted the gaudiest stat line of his postseason career, but perhaps it was a performance that signifies exactly what type of competitor he truly is. His 195 passing yards and two passing touchdowns on a high ankle sprain was truly impressive. Equally impressive was Travis Kelce’s 14-reception, 98-yard and 2-touchdown performance, who continues to add to his future Hall of Fame resume. Not to be overlooked, was Chad Henne’s brief 5-of-7 outing for 23 yards and a touchdown, which showcased head coach Andy Reid’s coaching prowess. The Chiefs have now advanced to their 5th straight AFC Championship game, which is an incredible feat in its own right, but it’s highly unlikely that Mahomes will be at 100 percent for their upcoming showdown against the Bengals.

JAX: The Jaguars had a golden opportunity to knock off the top-seeded Chiefs in this contest, but simply failed to the big plays necessary to truly take control of this game. Drops by the likes of JaMycal Hasty and Christian Kirk and a fumble by Jamal Agnew all potentially took points off the board, while a dropped interception by Foyesade Oluokun could’ve taken points off the board for the Chiefs. The Jags took a big step in the right direction this season and will learn from this tough loss.

Eagles 38, Giants 7

PHI: He’s back. Quarterback Jalen Hurts avenged his postseason dud from last season by playing a clean football game and quickly reminded everyone how dominant the Eagles are capable of being. The offensive line enforced their will. Their playmakers made plays. The defense got after the quarterback. The Eagles looked like the complete team we all thought they could be and are one win away from their first Super Bowl appearance since 2018.

NYG: Despite the clunker to end the season, the Giants had a great season and appear to have a very bright future under new head coach Brian Daboll. The team will have to make two major decisions regarding pending free agent quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley.

Bengals 27, Bills 10

CIN: The sheer fact that the Bengals’ offensive line, who were missing three starters on Sunday, gave up only 1 sack and dominated the Bills’ defensive line up front on its way to rushing for 172 yards, means they clearly came to play. Joe Burrow was exceptional again and has his team feeling like a potential road favorite heading into its AFC Championship game rematch against the Chiefs.

BUF: The Buffalo Bills 2022 campaign can be described in one word… Disappointing. The offense was never able to find its rhythm, evident by the fact that Stefon Diggs appeared to be expressing some frustration in the direction of quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills were thoroughly outplayed, which must have some wondering if Sean McDermott is the right coach to get this talented group to the Super Bowl.

49ers 19, Cowboys 12

SF: While the Niners’ offense came back down to earth in this one, quarterback Brock Purdy still managed to make enough plays to get the second postseason win of his young career. George Kittle made possibly one of the best plays of his career with a bobbling reception in the second half that helped generate the go-ahead score later on the drive. 

DAL: The Cowboys lost this game due to the play of the quarterback position. It is that simple. Dak Prescott’s costly two turnovers and multiple missed throws were the reasons that the Cowboys only generated 12 points. The Cowboys’ defense and special teams played well enough in this game to give this team to punch their ticket to the NFC Championship game. Instead, they’ll find themselves watching the contest from home for a 27th straight time.

The post NFL Divisional Round Review appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Historic comebacks, historic performances and plenty of ‘what if’ scenarios are just some of what made this weekend’s action so memorable. Let’s dive into it.

49ers 41, Seahawks 23

SF: When you watch the San Francisco 49ers play football, you can’t help but think this team has all of the ingredients of a championship-caliber team. Dynamic playmakers on offense? Check. Reliable running game? Check. Ability to stop the run? Check. Ability to apply pressure to an opposing team’s quarterback? Big-time check. The only question that hangs over the head of this franchise is just how far can rookie quarterback Brock Purdy take this football team. Will he hit the rookie wall at some point this postseason? Perhaps. Until that happens though, the 49ers are a real threat to hoist the Lombardi trophy come February 12.

SEA: Despite coming out on the losing end of this encounter, the Seahawks have so much to hang their hat on this season. This team battled every game this season and defied expectations all the way to halftime lead in a Wild Card matchup against a Super Bowl contender. However, the clock has finally struck midnight for Geno Smith’s remarkable Cinderella season and now the Seahawks will have to make a real decision on whether or not to give Smith a multi-year contract extension and commit to him as their starter or make a real play for one of the top quarterback prospects in this upcoming NFL Draft. They currently hold the 5th overall pick after trading quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.

Jaguars 31, Chargers 30

JAX: In what was easily the best game of the Super Wild Card Weekend, we found out exactly the type of competitor Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence really is. After a nightmarish 4 interception start to the contest in the first half, the second-year quarterback managed to bounce back in what could prove to be a launching pad for the rest of his NFL career, throwing 4 touchdown passes in the midst of leading a 27-point comeback to secure the first postseason win of his career. Some might suggest the Chargers blew the game, but I would argue the Jags simply took it from the Chargers by rising to the occasion in the face of adversity.

LAC: The voices of those calling for the firing of Brandon Staley continue to get louder and louder after blowing a 27-0 lead, but if we are being honest, he is far from the only person to blame for this collapse. Joey Bosa committed two costly penalties in the second half, while Justin Herbert, who is a phenomenal talent, failed to make two throws on two different drives to an open Keenan Allen inside the 10-yard line where they had to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. There is plenty of blame to go around, but it will be very interesting to see what moves will be made in reaction to this missed opportunity and yet another disappointing season for a very talented football team.

Bills 34, Dolphins 31

BUF: The Buffalo Bills are undoubtedly a very talented team and a Super Bowl contender, but they feel difficult to trust at the moment. Josh Allen turned the ball over 3 times and fumbled a total of 3 times in what many thought would be the most lopsided game of the weekend. If Allen doesn’t clean it up a bit, the Bills could once again fall short of a trip to the Super Bowl.

MIA: Considering the Dolphins were forced to once again turn to their third-string rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson, give Miami a ton of credit for how hard they battled in this contest. Mike McDaniel did a fantastic job this season and proved to be one of the best offensive minds in the league. Sure, the Dolphins could’ve been better at getting offensive personnel onto the field a bit quicker, but overall he did a great job stabilizing the team when adversity came their way. The attention now shifts to the future of the quarterback position, with the organization needing to make a decision with regard to Tua Tagavailoa.

Giants 31, Vikings 24

NYG: Daniel Jones was so exceptional in this game that he may have very well just played himself into a new contract from the organization. Jones accounted for 379 total yards with 2 touchdown passes and no turnovers. Sure, two of his best statistical passing games this season have come against the woeful Vikings secondary, but in his first postseason action, Jones played exceptionally well.

MIN: Perhaps the mass amount of one-score victories this season should have concerned the Vikings faithful heading into this matchup. Either way, this team just turned what was a fantastic season into a major disappointment. Part of that disappointment was symbolized by the Vikings’ final offensive snap when Kirk Cousins settled for a 3-yard checkdown to T.J. Hockenson on 4th and 8 with the season on the line. It would not be surprising if the Vikings are beginning to wonder exactly what their ceiling is with Cousins under center.

Bengals 24, Ravens 17

CIN: The Bengals’ potent offense didn’t have its best day, but the defense made one of the most memorable defensive plays of the young postseason with Sam Hubbard’s go-ahead 98-yard touchdown return on a Tyler Huntley fumble at the one-yard line in a tie ball game. The offensive line is a bit banged up, but expect Burrow to be much better against the Bills next week.

BAL: This feels like a ‘what if’ game if I’ve ever seen one. The Ravens clearly miss quarterback Lamar Jackson. While most sides continue to reiterate that Lamar simply isn’t healthy enough to play, most fans will likely wonder if the contract situation would’ve been taken care of prior to the season, could this situation have played out differently? Perhaps… Perhaps not… The end result though is heartbreaking. The Ravens put forth a valiant effort, but ultimately they were sent home by a divisional rival and currently have an offseason full of far more questions than answers at the moment.

Cowboys 31, Buccaneers 14

DAL: After limping into the postseason with an absolute clunker against the Washington Commanders in the season finale, quarterback Dak Prescott played one of the best, if not the best, games of his NFL career. He was poised, confident and accurate throughout most of this contest. The Cowboys finally ousted the demons of their recent road playoff woes and head into San Francisco with a ton of confidence.

TB: Despite some brief flashes of brilliance, the Bucs’ offense delivered yet another disappointing performance across the board in what might be the swan song of Tom Brady’s storied NFL career. At the moment, the future at the quarterback position is a complete unknown for the Bucs. Whether it was injuries, playcalling, distractions or uncharacteristic mistakes.. the Bucs seem to have an excuse for their countless struggles offensively this season. If this is truly the end for Brady in Tampa Bay, most would have to consider three playoff appearances and a Super Bowl championship, an overall success.

The post NFL Super Wild Card Weekend Recap appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Bills 24, Patriots 10

BUF – The Buffalo Bills would love to see more performances like this from the running back duo of Devin Singletary and James Cook, who combined for 115 yards rushing on 27 carries. A running game like that to go with the exceptional play from Josh Allen is a winning formula for this Super Bowl contender.

NE – To be fair, the defense looked far better against Allen than in previous encounters. Unfortunately, the offense did generate enough scoring opportunities to capitalize.

Packers 28, Bears 19

GB – The Green Bay offense has looked completely different since the emergence of a healthy Christian Watson. Too bad the Packers’ offense can’t play the Chicago Bears every week.

CHI – Although Justin Fields continues to flash his potential on weekly basis, he is still working through some growing pains in his sophomore season. Despite another loss, the arrow feels like it’s pointing in the right direction for this organization.

Steelers 19, Falcons 16

PIT – Don’t look now, but the Steelers have quietly won 3-of-their-last-4 games. Over the next four weeks, the Steelers face the Ravens twice (who are likely to be without Lamar Jackson for at least one those games), Panthers and Raiders. Their chances of making a run at a wild card spot are slim, but not completely dead quite yet.

ATL – The loyalty to quarterback Marcus Mariota is confusing to say the least. It’s nothing against him personally, but this team feels like it has reached its ceiling with the former number two overall pick.

Vikings 27, Jets 22

MIN – It’s hard to think of any team in recent memory that has generated less buzz around a 10-2 start. The safety play of Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum was exceptional, while Dalvin Cook shouldered the offensive load with one of his better games of the season.

NYJ – The Mike White hype train hit an unexpected speed bump in his second start of the season. Oddly enough, the Jets’ offense produced 199 more total yards than the Vikings, but White’s two interceptions proved costly in a close game.

Lions 40, Jaguars 14

DET – The Lions continue to be one of the most difficult teams in the league to figure out. On one hand, they are two games below 500. On the other hand, they’ve won 4-of-their-last-6 games, with their two losses coming against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins by a combined point differential of 7 points. If they manage to beat the Vikings or Jets over the next two weeks, they could find themselves in real contention for a wild card spot in the NFC.

JAX – A week after an eye-opening win against the Baltimore Ravens, the Jags quickly reminded us that they are a team that can’t be trusted on a weekly basis. On the plus side, they appeared to avoid what looked like a potentially devastating injury to quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Eagles 35, Titans 10

PHI – For the first time in a while, the Philadelphia Eagles put forth a dominant effort on both sides of the ball for 60 minutes. Hurts was magnificent, putting forth perhaps his best game of the season. While the defense should be applauded for holding Derrick Henry to 2.4 yards per carry.

TEN – Losing Treylon Burks in the early goings of this contest certainly didn’t help matters, but the limitations of the passing offense when quality teams load the box to slow down Derrick Henry feels like a formula the Titans will surely see again in the postseason.

Browns 27, Texans 14

CLE – The return of Deshaun Watson to the football field was underwhelming from a performance standpoint. He was clearly rusty, evident by his mere 131 yards through the air against one of the weaker defensive units in the NFL. Luckily for him, the Texans’ offense is also one of the worst units in the league. As they simply leaned on their excellent rushing attack and a stingy defensive performance to stay in the wild card picture for another week.

HOU – Whether it’s Kyle Allen or Davis Mills under center, the Texans’ offense continues to struggle to put up points. If this continues, the Houston Texans may be on the clock come January 8th. 

Commanders 20, Giants 20

WAS – After a 1-4 start, it’s quite remarkable that the Commanders are sitting at 7-5-1 heading into their Week 14 bye. When they return, they are expected to see the season debut of Chase Young, which could make an already formidable defensive unit up front… elite.

NYG – After a 6-1 start, the Giants are 1-3-1 through their last five games. To be quite honest, outside a fumble, Daniel Jones was pretty efficient yet again…. going 25-of-31 for 200 yards and a score with one of the weaker wide receiver groups, while adding an additional 71 yards on the ground. You have to wonder how far could this team go if they had a true number one wide receiver to make life easier on Daniel Jones…

Ravens 10, Broncos 9

BAL – The injury to Lamar Jackson is so tough to stomach for a multitude of reasons… However, you have to tip your hat to the defense and Tyler Huntley for finding a way to win an ugly game.

DEN – Do you think the Broncos already have buyer’s remorse on Russell Wilson through his first 12 games? This marks the 10th time this season the Broncos have failed to score 17 points in a game… Woof.

49ers 33, Dolphins 17

SF – When Trey Lance was injured earlier this season, there was a weird feeling of optimism surrounding the return of Jimmy Garoppolo returning as the starter. Fast forward to Jimmy G breaking his foot in Week 13 and being ruled out for the rest of the season, now the feeling around the team is a bit more on the concerned side. Sure, the team rallied around rookie quarterback Brock Purdy who put forth an admirable performance in spot duty, but we’ll see what he’s really made of when he faces off against the Buccaneers and Bengals over the next two weeks.

MIA – It felt inevitable that Tua would eventually come crashing back to earth at some point. Don’t get me wrong, Tua still made enough plays to give them a fighting chance to win this road game against a quality opponent, but objectively it was probably his worst game of the season. It will be interesting to see how he responds next week against the Chargers.

Raiders 27, Chargers 20

LV – Forgive me for writing off this team after their three-game skid against the Saints, Colts and Jags… but they’ve responded by winning three straight one-score ball games. This makes them a very interesting team to watch over the next four weeks. The Raiders’ next four games are against the Rams, Patriots, Steelers and 49ers… which will consist of three backup quarterbacks and one quarterback in the midst of a sophomore slump.

LAC – Speaking of the Chargers, they’ve now lost 3-of-their-last-4 and now sit at 500 on the season and are currently outside looking in at the AFC playoff picture. I know they have been bitten by the injury bug on multiple occasions this season, but they still have enough talent to beat any team on any given week. Their upcoming games against the Miami Dolphins and the Tennessee Titans may end up making or breaking their 2022 season.

Seahawks 27, Rams 23

SEA – It is absolutely remarkable to watch Geno Smith continue his magical season. His game-winning touchdown throw to D.K. Metcalf to beat All-Pro Cornerback Jalen Ramsey couldn’t have been more perfect. No one knows exactly when the clock will strike midnight for this 2022 Cinderella story, but it is certainly fun to watch.

LAR – I imagine that a defending Super Bowl Champion who currently sits at the bottom of the division with a 3-9 record isn’t going to celebrate moral victories, but the fact that Sean McVay did have his shorthanded, injury-riddled team ready to play this week, nearly stealing a game against a division rival in the process, should count for something.

Bengals 27, Chiefs 24

CIN – Joe Burrow is making some real noise in the MVP race. It’s also worth noting that he is 3-0 against Patrick Mahomes, which is something no other quarterback in the league can say. Burrow’s throw into a tight window on 3rd & 11 to Tee Higgins slammed the door shut on any possibility Patrick Mahomes might have to pull off another late-game comeback. Bravo Joe.. Bravo.

KC – The Chiefs actually ran the ball quite well against the Bengals… but it’s just not very often that you see Travis Kelce held to 4 receptions for 56 yards. 

Cowboys 54, Colts 19

DAL – If the Dallas Cowboys can capture whatever gear they hit in the fourth quarter where they put up 33 points… then we could be talking about the best team in the NFC.

IND – Say what you will about the hiring of Jeff Saturday… but of the 16 quarters he’s been an NFL head coach, his team has been competitive for 15 of them. Also, I know Matt Ryan is a former MVP in this league, but it’s been tough to watch him continue to struggle this season.

The post 2022 NFL: Week 13 In Review appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

One thing NFL fans had to be thankful for was a great Week 12 of NFL action. Let’s take a look at what happened across the league.

Bills 28, Lions 25

BUF: The Buffalo Bills continue to be a team that doesn’t put it together for all four quarters consistently. When they do, they look like a Super Bowl frontrunner. When they don’t, they look like a team that relies heavily on their superstar to be great to beat mediocre football teams.

DET: Different week. Same Detroit Lions. They are a team that battles and gives good teams all they can handle, but they fail to make big plays in big moments consistently to make noise where it really counts… The win column.

Cowboys 28, Giants 20

DAL: The Dallas Cowboys appear to be peaking at the right time of the season. Dak is back, Zeke actually looked like the best running in the Dallas backfield, and the pass-catching options all complimented what was another stellar defensive performance put forth by the Cowboys. 

NYG: Two straight subpar performances by Saquon Barkley = Two straight New York Giant losses. The formula to beat the Giants is pretty simple… slow down Saquon. The weapons in the passing game simply scare you far less than Barkley running wild over your defense.

Vikings 33, Patriots 26

MIN: I am aware wide receivers don’t win league MVP, but Justin Jefferson is certainly attempting to make an argument. The Vikings responded in a big way after their embarrassing performance against the Cowboys.

NE: On the bright side, Mac Jones threw for 382 yards, two scores, and no interceptions. Unfortunately, the running game didn’t show up in this one, because the Patriots were held to just 52 yards rushing on 12 carries by their running backs. 

Dolphins 30, Texans 15

MIA: This one was over by halftime. The offense is firing on all cylinders and the defense had one of it’s best performances of the year by registering 5 sacks and 2 INTs against the woeful Texans’ offense.

HOU: Houston… we have a problem. Quite clearly, it’s the offense. There is no kind way to put this, if Dameon Pierce doesn’t get going on the ground early, this offensive unit looks anemic. Kyle Allen didn’t fair a whole lot better than Davis Mills under center, meaning this team could find themselves in the Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud sweepstakes this upcoming NFL Draft.

Bengals 20, Titans 16

CIN: The offense might not look the same without Ja’Marr Chase, but Joe Burrow is still the engine that makes this offense go. Tee Higgins proved once again why he’d be most teams top wideout if he wasn’t playing alongside Chase. Even without Chase and Joe Mixon to draw attention away from him, he still tallied 114 yards on receptions with one TD to lead a depleted offense to a muchly needed victory.

TEN: When Derrick Henry’s receiving yardage output is double that of his rushing total, it likely means the Titans struggled to do what they do best… run the football. Henry posted his lowest rushing total since the Week 2 disaster against the Buffalo Bills. Rookie Treylon Burks posted another nice stat line, but veteran Robert Woods will likely need to pick up his production if the Titans hope to make any real noise in the postseason.

Panthers 23, Broncos 10

CAR: Oddly enough, the Carolina Panthers have three different quarterbacks who have started and won a football game this season. Sam Darnold made the most of this starting opportunity by picking up the win to keep the Panthers in the race for the NFC South.

DEN: What exactly would be considered rock bottom for the Denver Broncos? Russell Wilson posted a season-low 142 passing yards… the defense gave up 185 yards on the ground… and the Broncos are all but eliminated from postseason contention. I’m not sure anyone has the answer to that question, but the Broncos’ season is officially lost.

Jets 31, Bears 10

NYJ: Has the Mike White era officially begun in the Big Apple? Who knows…. but it was a magnificent performance that certainly makes the Jets a very intriguing team to watch over the final six games of the season. Robert Salah read the room correctly by sending Zach Wilson on the bench in an effort to save his locker room.

CHI: The retooling process continues and the Bears 100% made the right decision to play it safe with Justin Fields this week. 

Commanders 19, Falcons 13

WAS: After a 1-4 start, the Washington Commanders currently reside at 7-5 led by none other than Taylor Heinicke. This improbable run likely means it’s Heinicke’s job to lose moving forward and things could get very interesting in the NFC Wild Card picture if edge rusher Chase Young comes back healthy enough to make an instant impact.

ATL: The Falcons’ offensive struggles continued in the tough D.C. conditions this Sunday. Oddly enough, they are still neck-and-neck with the Bucs atop the NFC South. Marcus Mariota feels like he is pressing and one has to wonder if a quarterback change should be considered.

Browns 23, Buccaneers 17 (OT)

CLE: The question heading into the 2022 NFL season for the Cleveland Browns was… Could they stay in AFC Wild Card contention until Deshaun Watson returns? Well, the Browns upset overtime win over the Bucs may have been just enough to keep the Browns’ outside chances at a playoff berth alive for another couple of weeks.

TB: One has to wonder if Todd Bowles is in over his head. When you claim that you didn’t spend one of your three timeouts with 26 seconds remaining in a tie ball game because quarterback Tom Brady, who is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time and one the best clutch performs in all of sports history, could have thrown an interception… then one must really call into question his judgment. 

Jaguars 28, Ravens 27

JAX: Trevor Lawrence may have just played the best game of his young NFL career by engineering a late game-winning drive against a Super Bowl contender. Kudos to Doug Pederson too for pushing his chips to the center with the two-point conversion attempt at the end of the game. 

BAL: The Baltimore Ravens continue to be a team that is hard to trust. Turnovers (Gus Edwards fumble), missed scoring opportunities (dropped touchdown by Demarcus Robinson) and crucial missed assignments defensively have led to multiple missed chances to take a stranglehold on the AFC North division.

Raiders 40, Seahawks 34

LV: The Las Vegas Raiders kept their slim postseason chances alive by grinding out an improbable victory in front of the dreaded 12th man. Josh Jacobs continues to be the most reliable aspect of this offense. 

SEA: As great of a season that Geno Smith is having, the Seahawks running backs going for 36 yards 17 carries likely isn’t a winning formula.

Chargers 25, Cardinals 24

LAC: Justin Herbert displayed why many already consider him one of the future superstars of this league with a comeback win to keep this team above .500 on the season. On a day where the running game was essentially non-existent, he was the difference.

AZ: In many ways, the Cardinals offense looked explosive in this contest. Marquise Brown complemented DeAndre Hopkins perfectly, James Connor had his best game of the season and Kyler Murray made a handful of special plays… Yet, the Cardinals still lost a game they really needed to have. The season is on the precipice of being lost. 

49ers 13, Saints 0

SF: The 49ers can beat you in so many different ways. This time, they leaned on their dominant defense who completely bottled up Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and the rest of the Saints’ offense in a shutout performance. Impressive.

NO: I understand Andy Dalton has looked decent at moments this season, but one has to wonder why they aren’t giving Jameis Winston another look at this point.

Chiefs 26, Rams 10

KC: If you watched this one from the beginning, you would of thought the Chiefs were the defending Super Bowl champs. They were in complete control from the opening kickoff. Patrick Mahomes continued his bid for NFL MVP with a casual 320-yard and one-touchdown day at the office.

LAR: I can’t remember the last time a defending Super Bowl champion looked this hopeless. I understand that Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp weren’t available, but this offense looks like one of the worst units in the league… That is a sentence I never thought I would say for a Sean McVay led team.

Eagles 40, Packers 33

PHI: It’s not everyday that you see a quarterback run for over 100 yards…. in the first half. The Packers had absolutely no answer for Jalen Hurts. He and Miles Sanders combined for 200 yards rushing to with another two scores through the air. Even without Dallas Goedert, this was arguably the best offensive game of the season for the Philadelphia Eagles.

GB: Is there such a thing as a feel good loss? Even with a hobbled Aaron Rodgers, the Packers were competitive throughout this game. That includes when Rodgers went to the bench with an injury, which pushed Jordan Love into action and saw him complete six passes for 113 yards and a score. It will be interesting to see if the Packers decide to play it safe with Rodgers’ injury, which would give the Packers a chance to get their first real look at Jordan Love to ponder their future.

The post 2022 NFL: Week 12 Review appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Ravens 27, Bucs 22
Baltimore: The Ravens won consecutive games for the first time this season and it was probably the
team’s best performance given the circumstances. To go on the road to beat a desperate Tampa Bay
squad is nothing short of impressive. What’s more impressive, the Ravens finished the game with 231
yards on the ground after running the ball only seven times in the first half. Baltimore travels to New
Orleans on the 7th .

Tampa Bay: I wish I could say things will turn around for this team but with another lackluster
performance, the outlook gets only darker. The defense has now gone 4 straight games without a
takeaway and that’s not helping a sputtering offense. Leonard Fournette scored on a short TD run in the
first quarter, and that’s the first time that’s happened all season. Only a TD toss to Julio Jones in the final
minute prevented the score from looking uglier. The Bucs host the Rams on Sunday.

Broncos 21, Jaguars 17
Denver: The offense has been atrocious, but a big-time 98-yard drive early in the second half helped the
Broncos get off the snide and win a battle of struggling teams at Wembley Stadium. Wilson wasn’t great
but he led in typical Russ fashion in his return from a hamstring injury going 18 for 30 with over 250
yards through the air. And he seems to have a connection with rookie tight end Greg Dulcich who had
the big reception in that notable drive. Denver heads back to the states on a BYE but returns to play the
Titans in Tennessee.

Jacksonville: Mistakes and turnovers are a part of the game, but for the Jaguars the margin for error is
razor-thin. Travis Etienne fumbled into the end zone last week and this week Trevor Lawrence threw the
dreaded, soul-crushing interception at the 1. For his part, Etienne bounced back with a career day toting
the ball for 156 yards and a touchdown, but another Lawrence interception sealed their 5 th straight loss.
They host the Raiders next Sunday.

Cowboys 49, Bears 29
Dallas: I know Dallas is technically 2 games behind the Eagles but for my money, they look every bit as
good as Philadelphia after Sunday’s showing. They were dominant in the run game although that isn’t
saying much against this years Bear’s defense, Dak Prescott was responsible for 3 TDs, and defensive
stud Micah Parsons got his first TD in the league. Dallas enters the BYE on a great note and comes out of
it with a trip to Lambeau Field on the 13th.

Chicago: The only thing worth noting here is the fact that Fields has looked like an actual NFL
quarterback. He was able to rally the Bears to within 5 points before the game got away from them. The
run defense continues to be historically bad. They gave up over 9 yards a carry to Tony Pollard alone.
And with another significant trade, this storm is nowhere near blowing over. Chicago is at home to the
Dolphins next Sunday.

Falcons 37, Panthers 34
Atlanta: Well, someone has to win the NFC South, right? And right now, if the season ended today, it
would be the Falcons who won in one of the craziest fashions you’ll ever see. It looked as though a 60-
plus yard miracle TD by DJ Moore would be how this game ended but it wasn’t, after the catch, he took
off his helmet in celebration, and the penalty it drew caused a missed extra point. They also avoided
defeat a second time when Carolina kicker Eddie Pineiro missed a field goal in overtime. On the ensuing
possession QB, Marcus Mariota had a crucial 30-yard scramble to help set up a game-winning field goal.
They host the Chargers this Sunday.

Carolina: I’m not going to continue to berate Moore for his gaffe, social media has done that already,
but yikes, a chance to create more chaos in the division went flying by, as did the flag that he caused.
Other than that, the offense got career days from PJ Walker and D’Onta Foreman who continues to
make the best of his opportunities. The Panthers stay on the road to visit the Bengals next Sunday.

Dolphins 31, Lions 27
Miami: The Dolphins reach the midway point of the season at 5-3 with a road comeback. After being
down 10 at the break Tua found Mike Gesicki(minus the griddy thankfully) for the go-ahead TD. The
Miami QB was spectacular in his second game back from a concussion going 29 of 36 for 382 yards.
They’ll have to clean up the penalties to take the next step but as long as Tua is healthy, the sky’s the
limit for the offense and the team. They stay on the road to play Chicago next Sunday.

Detroit: Barry Sanders is finally getting a statue outside of Ford Field and it’s long overdue. In other
news, the Lions blow another lead in a loss. The Dan Campbell watch continues next week against Green
Bay.

Vikings 34, Cardinals 26
Minnesota: What a difference a season makes. All those close games the Vikings lost last year are
becoming wins and it’s got Minnesota sitting comfortably atop the NFC North. Last year the Vikings lost
8 games by 8 points or fewer but now it’s currently a 5-game win streak with all the games within that
margin. It’s been a slow start for Dalvin Cook in the run game but he may be ready to explode following
a season-high 111 yards on the ground. Next up is a trip to Washington in the first meeting for QB Kirk
Cousins against his former team since leaving in 2018.

Arizona: The Cardinals have a serious problem that I believe won’t get solved until major changes are
made. Yes, the offense has looked drastically different and more explosive with Deandre Hopkins back in
the fold but the mark of a good team is not to beat yourselves and they’ve been doing that way too
often this season. 2 second-half interceptions and a fumbled punt return were the plays that did Arizona
this time and they’ll try to clean up those crucial mistakes when they host Seattle next Sunday in the
first of 3 straight games against division opponents.

Saints 24, Raiders 0
New Orleans: An all-world running back can make a difference for any team, especially one that has
stepped in and stepped up in his first year as captain. Alvin Kamara led the way scoring his first 3 TDs of
the season and the defense did the rest in pitching the shutout over the reeling Raiders. Quarterback
Andy Dalton, at least for this week, proved the staff right by starting him over Jameis Winston, and was
solid. We’ll see if the staff stays with Dalton next Monday night when the Ravens come to town on the
7th .

Las Vegas: Unfortunately for rabid Raiders fans, this is just the norm for your franchise. For years the
team teetered on the brink of being really good, only to slide down the slope and go back to the
dungeon of non-relevance. This is their worse loss of the season in a first half full of them. Get this, with
all the names and potential on the offensive side, the Raiders didn’t get the ball across midfield until 2
minutes left in the game. As an outsider, it seems coach Josh McDaniels has lost the team even before
fully gaining it. The identity search continues next Sunday in Jacksonville.

Patriots 22, Jets 17
New England: The win may not have cooled the QB talk around the team but the defense certainly set
the tone as Bill Belichick surpassed George Halas in coaching wins. His 325 th victory was spurred by 3
interceptions of Zach Wilson and 5 field goals. Mac Jones looked better than he did last Monday night in
Chicago and that’s a step in the right direction, hopefully for him and the team. The Pats will try to get
above .500 when they host the Colts next Sunday.

New York: Wilson topped the 300-yard mark for the first time in his career, and that was the worst thing
that could’ve happened in this particular game. Obviously, the entire offense took a big hit when Breece
Hall went down, but at this stage of the young QBs career throwing the ball 40-plus times is not a recipe
for success. Defense and ball control was what won the Jets 4 in a row and they’ve got to find a way to
get that back quickly. It won’t be easy because the Bills come into town next Sunday.

Eagles 35, Steelers 13
Philadelphia: I start to get nervous about teams that get to the midway point of the year undefeated.
The more you win, the more thoughts of making history start to creep in. Personally, I don’t believe the
Eagles will go undefeated, but they look unstoppable at this point. A.J. Brown might be the best receiver
in the game currently and Jalen Hurts is playing at an MVP level. They’re cruising now but what happens
when adversity hits? They have a chance to make it 8 straight to open the year with a trip to Houston on
Thursday.

Pittsburgh: Let’s face it Steelers fans, the team will not compete this year as far as any postseason
aspirations go, but in my humble opinion it is not the beginning of the end for head coach Mike Tomlin.
At this point, there are not enough impact players on either side of the ball to make a difference. What
will matter the most is how the young core learns from it moving forward. I look for a much-improved
effort from them in 2 weeks when they host the Saints on November 13 th .

Titans 17, Texans 10
Tennessee: When it comes to this great game we love, it would be fair to say that as fans we tend to be
prisoners of the moment. But a familiar phrase comes to mind whenever I get a chance to watch Derrick
Henry run the football. Appreciate greatness while it’s here because it won’t last. He’s not the
quarterback in Green Bay but he owns the Texans. Don’t believe me? Well, I present into evidence his 4 th
straight 200-yard game against them, making him the first player in history with 150-plus and 2 rushing
TDs against the same opponent.’Nuff said. Tennessee visits Kansas City in a possible playoff preview
next Sunday night.

Houston: The Texans lead the race for the number one pick in the draft. That is all. They’ll likely remain
in first place after hosting the Eagles Thursday night.

Commanders 17, Colts 16
Washington: That’s now 2 close victories in a row to get back to .500 at the halfway point. Not bad
considering the Commanders looked like the season would spiral out of control just a few weeks ago.
They had to come back in this one as well with Taylor Heinicke orchestrating 2 drives down the stretch
that included the game-winning QB sneak with under 30 seconds to go. Washington welcomes the
Vikings and former QB Kirk Cousins to town looking for 3 in a row next Sunday.

Indianapolis: This is a bad loss for a team hoping to get above an even record at the halfway point. Sam
Ehlinger was OK at the helm but there was an evident lack of explosiveness from the offense, which as it
now occurs to me, has been a major issue all season. Still, allowing 10 unanswered to the Commanders
in the 4 th is something that can’t happen. They travel to New England next Sunday.

Niners 31, Rams 14
San Francisco: This streak against the Rams is one of the most unique things I’ve witnessed in all of
sports. At this point, I’m starting to reference the dominance in terms of presidents. It’s been 4 full years
since the Rams beat the Niners folks. And now coach Kyle Shanahan has the league’s most versatile
weapon at his disposal. In case you all forgot Christian McCaffrey is really good at football, becoming the
11 th player in league history to run, throw, and catch a TD. I look forward to watching the second half of
this team, they’re loaded.

Los Angeles: The Rams have one play on offense: throw the ball to Cooper Kupp. The run game is non-
existent and it’s been that way for the first part of the season. Also, Matthew Stafford has never been
the type to galvanize the guys around him. Sure, he has a big arm, but a true leader is desperately
needed in the locker room. In my opinion, it starts with the quarterback. In 3 home losses, the Rams
have been shut out in the second half, yikes. They travel cross country for a date with the Bucs next
Sunday.

Seahawks 27, Giants 13
Seattle: Boy was this game good. Seattle withstood all it could handle from the G-men and was finally
able to break through late in a battle of the only 2 teams to face each other with winning records. Tyler
Lockett overcame a fumble and a dropped TD to haul in the go-ahead TD with under 10 minutes
remaining and Kenneth Walker finished it off with a TD in the closing moments. It’s a battle of the birds
next week when they travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals.

New York: This game proved one thing to me: the Giants are a good football team. They matched the
Seahawks blow for blow in the toughest place in the league to play, it’s just unfortunate the run game
couldn’t travel to the pacific northwest. Saquon Barkley was held to a season-low 53 yards and that’s
pretty much the story. The leader in yards from scrimmage was bottled up which took any big play
threat off the board. New York heads into the BYE week with 2 weeks to prepare for the Texans on the
13th .

Bills 27, Packers 17
Buffalo: Who cares which player started the talk in pre and postgame warmups, the point is Stefon Diggs
and the Bills had the last word in a game in which the home team never trailed. If you saw it, this game
was chippy but that didn’t seem to inspire the Packers. Diggs was great, hauling in 6 receptions for 108
yards and a TD off a perfect route. Allen was solid, but 2 interceptions in the 4 th are never a good thing,
and while they visit the suddenly grounded Jets, never underestimate a division opponent. This game
will be tough next Sunday.

Green Bay: There’s plenty of blame to go around, but I’ll start with the money that was invested in the
defense that has yet to gain any returns on the investment. While it’s been solid at best that side of the
ball hasn’t quite produced to its expected level. You pair that with inadequate receivers and a still great
but aging QB and this is what you get. If the Packers can’t beat Detroit to close out the road trip next
Sunday ill start shifting the blame toward the coaches.

Browns 32, Bengals 13
Cleveland: Simply put, the Browns put together a complete effort in dismantling the Bengals on
Halloween night, and that’s certainly a spooky thought. Cleveland’s defense frustrated Joe Burrow
basically from the opening kickoff and didn’t let up until the game was out of reach. Nick Chubb added 2
more TDs on the ground and Amari Cooper rose from the dead in a dominating win. The Deshaun
Watson watch still continues after the BYE when they visit Miami on the 13 th .

Cincinnati: I hope that I’m proven to be terribly wrong about this next statement, but the Bengals have
no chance to compete without a healthy Ja’Marr Chase. He’s that good. Also, please for the love of God
fix this O-line before your franchise quarterback pulls an Andrew Luck. They have a chance to get back
on track when they host the Panthers next Sunday.

The post 2022 NFL Week 8 Review appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Let’s take a quick look at all of the action from across the league in Week 7.

Cardinals 42, Saints 34
Arizona: This game proved one thing in my opinion when it comes to the Cardinals offense. It’s a
completely different product when Deandre Hopkins is on the field. This trend surely can’t continue, but
D-Hop accounted for half of the passing yardage, hauling in 10 catches for 102 yards in his first game
back from suspension. Although a heated exchange between Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray didn’t
look pretty, Arizona rallied from that point to get a possibly season-saving win. Yes, the offense found its
rhythm late but the defense was the story here causing 2 pick-6s before halftime to aid the comeback.
They look to get back to .500 on the road in Minnesota next Sunday.

New Orleans: It seems as though a season where the team and its fans thought it could compete is
quickly spiraling out of control. It’s 5 losses in 6 games in another frustrating defeat. With a chance to put
the struggling cardinals away late in the first quarter resulted in a pick in the end zone. It’s tough for any
team to have as many key pieces out of the lineup and be successful but Dalton once again showed his
ability to turn the ball over, and it may not get better. The Saints host the Raiders next Sunday.

Bengals 35, Falcons 17
Cincinnati: Joe Burrow and company are starting to look like the team most thought they’d be after
struggling through the first month of the schedule, and that could be scary for the rest of the league.
The defending AFC champs torched a pretty good Atlanta secondary en route to a cruising victory, going
over the .500 mark for the first time this year. Burrow by far had his best game of the year throwing for
481 yards and 4 total TDs. The performance gave him 5 such games with over 400 yards in his first 3
seasons, he’s the first QB in league history to do that. It’ll be a Halloween edition of the battle for
Cleveland when they visit the Browns next Monday.

Atlanta: Being down quickly 21-0 in the blink of an eye is not ideal for any game plan and that’s exactly
the situation the Falcons found themselves in. Marcus Mariota has played well but that offense isn’t
built for shootouts, and the uphill battle proved a bit too much to overcome. It certainly didn’t help that
one of the league’s best rushing attacks was held under 4 yards a carry. The Falcons will need to get
back to being much more effective on the ground when they host the suddenly surprising Panthers on
Sunday.

Cowboys 24, Lions 6
Dallas: The good news for Cowboy nation is the defense got back to forcing turnovers and Dak Prescott
looked OK in his return to the lineup, and for now all’s right with the world. Most expected a
dominating win against perennial bottom-feeding Detroit but forgive me if the performance left more
on the table. The game, and the offense, looked more like it did when Cooper Rush was at the helm and
if that’s the recipe moving forward so be it. I wouldn’t count on the opposing QB to cough it up 4 times,
however, and I expect a bit more explosiveness next week against the Bears.

Detroit: Stop me if you’ve heard this before Lions fans, “we were competitive, but just couldn’t get it
done”. That’s not a direct quote but that’s been the sentiment under coach Dan Campbell, all while he
remains without a road win in his tenure (0-11-1). Detroit was only down 4 when Jamaal Williams
coughed it up at the 1 and while plenty of time remained on the clock the game was essentially over.
The Lions have another chance to not be the Lions this Sunday against the Dolphins.

Titans 19, Colts 10
TEN: It wasn’t pretty, but the recipe that has led the Titans to so much success in recent years once
again proved it’s a winning one. Derrick Henry had 30 carries and while I don’t have an official win-loss
record for the team when he does that, I’m sure the record’s a good one. The win is the team’s 4 th in a
row and the first sweep of their division rivals in 20 years. They try to make it 5 straight in Houston this
Sunday.

IND: Another week and more turnovers for Indianapolis, this time 3 of them in a second consecutive
loss. Of course, it’s not all Matt Ryan’s fault but he threw a costly interception that staked the Colts to a
10-0 deficit in the second quarter, and threw another on the very next possession. The lack of ball
security has forced coach Frank Reich to go with backup Sam Ehlinger to provide a spark for the rest of
the year. Strap yourselves down Indy fans, it could be a long second half. They host the Commanders
this Sunday.

Commanders 23, Packers 21
WSH: As an outsider, I somehow knew the Commanders would pull this game off, it just felt right given
all that’s happened to the team this year. Taylor Heinicke was able to shake off some rust to lead the
upset and send Green Bay to its third L in a row. Heinicke started things 1 for 4 with a pick-6 before
finding his rhythm and favorite target Terry Mclaurin for a score. Washington can get to .500 ball with a
road win Sunday in Indy.

GB: There isn’t enough divine intervention in the world that can help the passing game, and things may
still get worse before they get better on the offensive side of the ball. Rodgers won’t admit it but that
a thumb injury looks like it’s bothering him a lot and you couple that with subpar receivers and a 3-game
losing streak what you get. Green Bay totaled just 232 of offense but a goose egg on third-down
conversions. The streak may get to 4 games after a trip to Buffalo on Sunday night.

Panthers 21, Bucs 3
CAR: Trust me I’ll get to the Bucs but how’s about the Panthers? They have no quarterback to speak of
yet somehow, they were able to give TB12 and company a good old-fashioned beatdown, and this was
right after you basically waved the white flag in trading away Christian McCaffrey. D’Onta Foreman
rushed for 118 on the ground and Chuba Hubbard added another 6o-plus against a defense that was
supposed to be tough in that aspect of the game. This may just be the most entertaining division to
watch folks, Carolina can move into a tie for first place with a road win Sunday in Atlanta.

Tampa Bay: Read the above statement. Among other issues for the Bucs is how gashed they were in the
run. Included in that list is a 46-yard rushing total in response. I won’t use the “O” word for how Brady
and the team looked against the Panthers but I will say something is definitely “off”. If the concept of a
“must-win” exists in the league it’s Thursday when the Ravens come to town.

Giants 23, Jaguars 17
New York: Can the G-Men keep this up? That’s the big question after another heart-stopping game in
Jacksonville. This time Julian Love and Xavier Mckinney are the heroes after denying Christian Kirk at the
1-yard line to get the team’s best start since 2008. New York also became the first team in history to
start 6-1 with every single game being decided by one possession. They try to keep the road magic alive
in a tough location when they visit Seattle next Sunday.

Jacksonville: The signs of growth just a month ago have quickly turned to frustration for the young
Jaguars, and the frustrations come from within. 13 penalties for over 80 yards certainly are concerning
but it’s hard to overcome a fumble that turned a near touchdown into a touchback from Travis Etienne.
Discipline will certainly be a point of emphasis this week, especially on a trip to London to battle the
Broncos.

Ravens 23, Browns 20
Baltimore: Welcome back Gus Edwards! The back crossed the goal line twice in his return from injury
and provided a much-needed second-half spark for the Ravens who narrowly got above .500. At some
point, however, this team has to put together a more complete and consistent effort if it truly wants to
contend, and that means closing teams out. They’ve blown double-digit leads in their 3 losses and
escaped another with a late Cleveland fumble in its own territory. Baltimore travels to Tampa Bay for
TNF.

Cleveland: The Browns did something very Browns-like and literally handed the game to the other team
at a crucial juncture. In, I guess more positive news, Nick Chubb is still good at running the football (91
yards on 16 carries). The Deshaun Watson clock continues next Sunday at home against the Bengals.

Jets 16, Broncos 9
New York: Fantasy managers (including myself) and fans across the crunchy let out a few expletives after
rookie sensation Breece Hall went down early in the contest and I’m not one to get emotional usually,
but this one breaks your heart. Hey may be gone for a year plus given the diagnosis and now the Jets
need to focus on getting newly acquired RB James Robinson acclimated as quickly as possible. They also
need to focus on keeping that winning mentality, the other surprise team in Gotham looks to hit the
halfway point with a 6-2 mark with a home date Sunday against New England.

Denver: I still won’t make the obvious joke with the Broncos HC’s last name but darn it I’m getting
closer. This Denver offense is reaching historically bad levels and it sputtered again to no touchdowns.
At this point, the defensive side of the ball might stage a walkout in protest. They’ll try to avoid a 5 th
straight defeat across the pond Sunday against Jacksonville.

Raiders 38, Texans 20
Las Vegas: I’m guessing the big fellas up front were treated to a nice juicy steak after the game after the
way they’ve been opening up lanes for Josh Jacobs and they may get something nice for the holidays as
well. 140-plus and 3 scores on the ground was what did the trick in a post-bye victory. A run of 4 straight
scoring possessions helped turn an early 4 th quarter deficit into a runaway over Houston who put up a
valiant effort in keeping the game close. The Raiders hit the road to visit New Orleans next Sunday.

Houston: Lovie Smith has a reputation for being a defensive coach but that side of the ball continues to be
disappointing. The unit gave up 400 yards of offense to Las Vegas and over 225 of that in the second
half. Davis Mills threw for over 300 yards but couldn’t lead a response as the game slipped away. They
host King Henry and the Titans next Sunday.

Seahawks 37, Chargers 23
Seattle: Geno Smith and company are making the NFC West very interesting after this impressive road
showing. I knew the Seahawks had something when they drafted Kenneth Walker and the young stud so
far is proving me right. Rack up another 168 on the ground and 2 scores for the rookie Sparty country
and you mix that in with Smith hooking up with Marquise Goodwin twice and you’ve got a team atop
the division. The injury to DK Metcalf is obviously one to keep an eye on.

Los Angeles: I am not surprised the Chargers’ defense has played poorly, because it’s not like they
poured money into it in the offseason, right? Oh, they did you say? Look I know JC Jackson got a lot of
flak for his performance this year but his going down is still a blow to an already reeling defense. Yikes,
awkward, just when you thought the Bolts could get right, they lay an egg in Seattle. There was no
rhythm to the offense in the second half either with many drives stalling out prematurely. They hope to
clean things up after the bye in Atlanta on November 6 th .

Chiefs 44, 49ers 23
Kansas City: Breaking news from the department of repetitive behavior: Patrick Mahomes is good at
throwing the football. I’m sure Chiefs fans won’t like having to rally all the time but it sure is fun, isn’t it?
A 10-0 deficit was quickly erased thanks to 6 TDs in the next 7 drives and the team moved to 13-9 when
falling behind double digits with Mahomes under center. They come off their bye hosting the Tennessee
Titans.

San Francisco: I feel like in the grand scheme of things this game meant nothing to the team after the
psychological boost it got from acquiring CMC. Sure, they lost but getting a game-breaker like him will
keep the franchise in win-now mode. The Niners host the Rams Next Sunday with a full week to get
McCaffrey comfortable with the offense.

Dolphins 16, Steelers 10
Miami: The biggest win of the night was getting its quarterback through the game. That was my
prevailing thought when things ended in south beach and I know I’m not the only one that felt that way.
He looked OK in getting the team off to a fast start but if you saw the game there were multiple
interceptions dropped by the defense. It took an incredible interception of Miami’s own to thwart a late
Steelers charge. The Dolphins and Tua look for a sharper effort on the road Sunday in Detroit.

Pittsburgh: If I’m a Steelers fan I am encouraged by the poise of their young quarterback. It was a rough
night and the first-rounder from Pitt faced a tough dolphin defense but he hung in there and almost
completed an improbable comeback. Pickett-to-Pickens is a combo I’d like to see for years to come.
They’ll try and knock the Eagles from the unbeaten ranks next Sunday in Philly.

Bears 33, Patriots 14
Chicago: Finally, a real glimpse into the real talent of Justin Fields was on display Monday night in the
second-year QBs best performance as a pro. He ran for a score while totaling 80-plus on the ground and
threw for another while taking a big hit to spur the Bears to an unlikely victory on the road. Oh, and here’s a message just in case management wants to hear it, pay Roquan Smith please (12 tackles, a sack,
and a pick). Chicago visits Dallas next Sunday.

New England: The Patriots have more questions than answers after a sloppy performance. I think Mac
Jones’ status as QB 1 is set for now but that was by far his worst performance as a pro. Bailey Zappe
provided a brief spark but was no better in throwing 2 picks of his own. I would expect Jones to start but
don’t be surprised if Belichick has a short leash again next Sunday in a road game against a tough Jets
squad.

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