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Steelers Cowboys have moved in polar opposite directions since 2016 thriller Heres why
By sharonorn, 2025-04-20
On Nov. 13, 2016, NFL fans were treated to an epic clash between two of pro football's traditional powers. In a game that featured 13 Pro Bowlers, the and exchanged the lead six times before 32-yard score with nine seconds left gave Dallas a 35-30 win. Elliott and fellow rookie had breakout performances, while , and played exceptionally well in a losing effort.The 2016 Cowboys ended up winning 13 games before being upset by and the in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Steelers, after a 4-5 start, won nine straight games before an injury to Bell proved too much to overcome in Pittsburgh's AFC championship game lo s to New England. And while both teams fell short of a title in 2016, the thought was that their Week 10 tilt could be a po sible preview of a future Super Bowl.Things have certainly changed in the 1,454 days since the two teams last faced each other. The ' Christian Folin Kids Jersey 17 Cowboys, a team that did not have Elliott for nearly half of the season, failed to make the playoffs. Dallas had a brief resurgence in 2018 -- winning the NFC East before before losing to the in the divisional round -- before another non-playoff season led to the end of Jason Garrett's decade-long tenure in Dallas. The 2020 Cowboys' season, once filled with promise, would already be over if the Cowboys played in any other division but the woeful NFC East. Injuries have decimated the Cowboys, along with a defense that is on pace to be one of the worst in league history.The Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott takes on the Steelers' defense in their epic Week 10 battle in 2016. Getty Images Pittsburgh has been on its own four-year roller coaster. The 2017 Steelers were 9-1 and appeared destined for a AFC championship rematch with New England before injury. Pittsburgh then lost a Week 15 nail-biter to the before the upset them in the divisional round. The '18 Steelers, who faced as many off-field distractions as on-field opponents, failed to make the playoffs. They then lost Brown and Bell before losing Roethlisberger for most of the 2019 season. But after wildly underachieving in 2018, the Steelers wildly overachieved in 2019, going 8-8 with backup quarterbacks following a 1-4 start and nearly grabbing the AFC's final playoff seed.Fast forward to present. At Jeff Zatkoff Women Jersey 7-0, the Steelers are the NFL's last unbeaten team. Pending a big upset, Pittsburgh will be 8-0 when they leave Texas sometime Sunday night. And the Cowboys, even with a lo s on Sunday, would not be completely out of the playoff picture. Though it appears it should be a foregone conclusion that the Cowboys will be a non-playoff team during Mike McCarthy's first year in Dallas, in the NFC East anything could happen.How did the Steelers, a team that appeared to be close to imploding le s than two years ago, build a roster to start 7-0 during the Super Bowl era? Conversely, why do the Cowboys find themselves in such disarray?Steelers made smarter cap decisions than CowboysPittsburgh, for one, has made smarter salary cap decisions. The Steelers declined to give Bell his desired amount of guaranteed money. And while Bell's absence resulted in short term damage, the Steelers, in the long run, avoided overpaying at a position that the league has largely deemed expendable. And by parting ways with Brown, they saved themselves nearly $50 million in salary from 2019-21.How has Pittsburgh used that money? They extended the contracts of several key veterans, including Roethlisberger, center , defensive linemen Cam Heyward and , and cornerback . They signed tight end , a 2018 Pro Bowler with the , to a two-year, $12 million deal this offseason. The Steelers also absorbed a first-round salary when they traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick, a player who has proven to be the mi sing piece to the Steelers' defensive puzzle.Pittsburgh also decided to hold off on giving extensions to , , and . Smith-Schuster and Conner are in the last years of their rookie contracts, while Dupree has developed into a Pro Bowl level player while playing under the franchise tag over the past two years. Pittsburgh did lose , a 2016 third-round pick who blo somed into a quality starter, to the this past offseason. The solid play of Alualu and has helped offset that lo s.Unlike the Steelers, the Cowboys paid their star running back, awarding Elliott with a six-year, $90 million contract in 2019 that included over $50 million guaranteed. This offseason, Dallas gave receiver a five-year, $100 million deal with $40 million fully guaranteed. Last offseason, the Cowboys awarded linebacker with a five-year, $64 million with $35.5 million guaranteed. They chose not to re-sign , who became the league's highest-paid cornerback when he penned a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the . The Cowboys have yet to fully commit to Prescott, who was playing under the franchise tag prior to suffering his season-ending injury.With a top-heavy payroll, the Cowboys' roster lacks adequate depth at several positions. Conversely, the Steelers' roster, even with Roethlisberger's $23.7 million cap hit, have had enough money to create a competitive roster that has played a significant role in the team's early succe s.More reasons: The draft, coaching and GMsThe Steelers have also enjoyed more succe s in the draft. Of the 30 players the Steelers have drafted since 2017, 80% of them are still on the team, with eight players serving as starters. Conner, Smith-Schuster and outside linebacker T.J. Watt have each been named to the Pro Bowl. Watt, an All-Pro last season, has blo somed into one of the NFL's best defensive players. Conversely, only two-thirds of the Cowboys' drafted NHL Los Angeles Kings Jersey players since '17 are still on the roster. And while they do have nine draftees currently in their starting lineup, Dallas has drafted just one player () that has been selected to a Pro Bowl over that span.Stability and front office structure may be the biggest difference between the two franchises. The Steelers continue to be led on the field by Mike Tomlin, who on Sunday will have a chance to extend his streak of non-losing seasons to 14. The Cowboys, after years of disappointing finishes with Jason Garrett, replaced Garrett with Mike McCarthy, who, if you believe the unnamed Cowboys players, during what is looking more and more like a lost season.Jones, despite recent comments about how his team won't go in the tank, decided not to do anything at the trade deadline. While teams shouldn't make a trade just for the sake of making one, Jones did not think there was anyone out there that could help his team? While that's hard to fathom, it's easier to believe that Jones has determined that one or two trades wasn't going to be enough to help a team without a quarterback, a healthy offensive line or a defense that is incapable of stopping opposing offenses.While you can argue Jones' effectivene s as a general manager, one can't dispute the job Kevin Colbert has done as the Steelers' general manager, especially over the last 20 months. Colbert, whose resume includes building two championship rosters in Pittsburgh, used one his two draft picks for Brown in 2019 to acquire , a player who has quickly become a key player in Pittsburgh's offense. The other pick was used as a replacement for the second-round pick Martin Frk Jersey the Steelers gave to Denver in order to move up to draft linebacker , a nece sary move as the team had still not found Shazier's replacement. Pittsburgh also gave up a 2020 third round pick to move up to get Bush, a pick Colbert knew he'd get back in the form of a compensatory pick after losing Bell in free agency.Colbert continued to work his magic when the '19 season began. After watching his team sink to 0-3 and lose Roethlisberger for the season, Colbert did the almost unthinkable when he traded Pittsburgh's 2020 first-round pick to Miami for Fitzpatrick. At the time, not many people loved the move (), given that the Steelers had not traded a first-round pick since the Johnson presidency. Colbert knew that, with Roethlisberger out, Pittsburgh would have to lean on its defense if the Steelers were to salvage their season. That's exactly what happened. Fitzpatrick blo somed into an All-Pro, Pittsburgh's defense became one of the league's best units, and the Steelers were actually in the playoff picture until the final moments of the regular season.With Bush out this season, the Steelers pulled off another big trade before this year's deadline, acquiring Avery Williamson from the for a future fifth-round pick. And that first-round pick the Steelers lost in the 2020 draft? While they mi sed out on having the chance to draft several big name receivers, Pittsburgh is probably happy with the receiver they were able to acquire with their second-round: , who currently leads all rookie receivers in touchdowns.It's too early to know whether or not McCarthy will be succe sful in Dallas. We do know that Tomlin has proven to be an effective leader in Pittsburgh. While some of his critics feel that Tomlin should have more than one championship, only one active coach -- Bill Belichick -- has won multiple championships. No active coach that has coached as long as Tomlin has avoided a losing season as Tomlin has. Tomlin's staff has also been rebuilt over the past few years. Quarterbacks coach Matt Canada has added new wrinkles to the offense, while Teryl Austin has helped improve Pittsburgh's pa s defense. Tomlin Mario Kempe Women Jersey has also enjoyed long, succe sful partnerships with coordinators Randy Fichtner, Keith Butler and Danny Smith.For over a half century, the Steelers' philosophy has been based on winning in the present while also being cognizant of the future. And while Jones and the Cowboys have also been hellbent on bringing a sixth Lombardi to Dallas, the Cowboys' shortsightedne s at times is among the reasons why their Super Bowl drought will soon reach 25 years ... and counting.
Welcome to Depre sion Monday. Drudging through your seemingly endle s workday, nursing a nagging headache, the realization washes over you: With the over we must wait 213 days for the next meaningful NFL game. Yuck. Brad Kaaya Jersey Instead of dwelling on that disgusting fact, let's look forward to the start of the season -- skipping over the endle s debates over rookie potential and free agency speculation. We know the will jump-start the season at Sports Authority Field at Mile High for NFL Kickoff 2016 Weekend on Thursday, Sept. 8. We also know the teams the will host next season: , , , , , , and . The final two are the probable favorites to kick off the season against the (likely) -le s . Let's break down top three choices: 1a. Yes, the wasn't the most entertaining game in the history of football, but the Kickoff game is as much about marketing for the NFL as it is about the game. The remain a great story, with a tremendous defense and a superstar quarterback. Despite the Deng Gak Jersey free flowing lava-hot takes about in the post- aftermath, the NFL's MVP remains on pace to be the face of the NFL. The underlying plot line of Newton's redemption story and the divisivene s that spawns wherever he goes will only add to the intrigue to generate Kameron McGusty Jersey higher ratings. With the getting receiver back and the with a bevy of free agents, there will be major question marks for both sides. Kicking off the 2016 season with a rematch would normally be a no brainer. Except...1b. (check), rivalry (check), pervasively hated team on national TV (check). Unlike the , the and have played close, entertaining games. The AFC Championship came down to a two-point attempt. Who wouldn't love to see that again to start the season? Even if Manning walks away, as expected, the showed promise under (a suming John Elway can keep him in Denver), which included beating the Pats. Promoting a budding Brady-Osweiler rivalry would be quite fine with the NFL. The in-game che s match between the pa s rush -- which dominated the -- and a offense line that was dismantled in the AFC Frank Gore Jersey Championship game provides enough fodder for the lead up. This would be my choice for the kickoff if it weren't for the NFL's appeal of the Deflategate case. If the league wins the appeal and reinstates the quarterback's four-game suspension, he'd mi s the kickoff. The NFL likely won't chance needing to promote a game sans Mannngand Brady. 3. For me, this matchup is far, far below those two. 's return would offer a good selling point. The ' wins over the the past two years give some gumption to the rivalry and would offer talking points for Denver coaches. The return of Chuck Pagano is also a positive for this matchup storyline. In the end, Michael Irvin Jersey the chances of an early blowout to open the season remain too high with a team that lacked talent in 2015.
The signed veteran fullback Jakob Johnson to the practice squad and released wide receiver Miles Meyers Leonard Jersey Boykin, .Johnson has been cut and signed three times since the Giants to 53 players last week.The veteran fullback was released during the initial roster cuts and then signed to the practice squad roster the following day. Then, Johnson after center Austin Schlottmann was placed on the KZ Okpala Jersey Reserve/Injured list.He was Tyler Herro Jersey then released again to make room for the over the weekend. Now, Johnson is back on the practice squad.The Giants liked Boykin as a special teams option at gunner, but he didn't survive the initial cuts last week.The Derrick Jones Jr. Jersey former third-round pick hasn't done much as a wide receiver since joining the NFL in 2019 with the .There's a chance he's back on Bam Adebayo Jersey the practice squad at some point but for now, the Giants are opting to keep Johnson in the mix for a potential elevation in Week 1 against the .MORE GIANTS
How many Super Bowls have the Chiefs won History of Kansas Citys big game appearances
By sharonorn, 2025-04-20
The Chiefs have a long legacy of Super Bowl appearances dating back to the NFL's original championship games. But the franchise is in the midst of an extraordinary dynastic run in the 21st century.Led by the coach-QB combo of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City has made four Super Bowl trips in five years from 2020-24 Jake Elliott Jersey . In that time, the Chiefs have earned four victories, claiming their second consecutive title in the their defeated of the 49ers in Super Bowl 58.A fourth Super Bowl victory put the franchise in : Only three other NFL teams have claimed at least four championships, and the Chiefs would tie the Packers and Giants with five wins apiece.Here's what to know about their Super Bowl history.MORE SUPER BOWL 58: | | ChiefsSuper Bowl historyWhen is the last time the Chiefswent to a Super Bowl?The Chiefs' most recent trip to the Super Bowl was in 2024. Kansas City defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime thanks to a strike from Patrick Mahomes Lane Johnson Jersey to Mecole Hardman with just seconds left in overtime.In 2023, Kansas City defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35, in Super Bowl 57 to claim the franchise's fourth NFL championship.Prior to that, the Chiefs played played in Super Bowl 54 in February 2020, beating the 49ers thanks to a comeback led by Mahomes. They lost to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers the following year, however, to avoid becoming repeat champions.It was the fourth appearance in the big game in franchise history but the first since 1970. Game Date Opponent Result MVP Super Bowl 1 Jan. 15, 1967 Packers Packers 35, Chiefs 10 Bart Starr Super Bowl Matt Leo Jersey 4 Jan. 11, 1970 Vikings Chiefs 23, Vikings 7 Len Dawson Super Bowl 54 Feb. 2, 2020 49ers Chiefs 31, 49ers 20 Patrick Mahomes Super Bowl 55 Feb. 7, 2021 Buccaneers Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9 Tom Brady Super Bowl 57 Feb. 12, 2023 Eagles Chiefs 38, Eagles 35 Patrick Mahomes Super Bowl 58 Feb. 11, 2024 49ers Chiefs 25, 49ers 22 (OT) Patrick MahomesHow many Super Bowls have the Chiefs won?The Chiefs have won four Will Grier Jersey Super Bowls. Their first title came in 1970 over the Vikings, with Len Dawson earning game MVP honors. That was three years after the Chiefs lost in the first-ever Super Bowl, which was then known as the AFL-NFL World Championship. Bart Starr and the Packers got the better of them that day.Kansas City claimed their second ring three years ago. Patrick Mahomes led a comeback to beat the 49ers, 31-20. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Jersey On Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, Mahomes and the Chiefs overcame a 10-point second half deficit to claim Super Bowl 57 over the Eagles. They repeated that feat nearly a calendar year later, overcoming a 10-point first-half deficit to win Super Bowl 58 over the 49ers.How many teams have won back-to-back Super Bowls?Entering the 2023 NFL regular season, seven franchises had won consecutive Super Bowls, and it's a feat that's been accomplished eight times overall. The Chiefs made it eight franchise and nine times overall.The list:PackersDolphinsSteelers (twice)49ersCowboysBroncosPatriotsChiefs
NFL Week 1 odds and picks Saints beat Tom Brady and Buccaneers Packers stun Vikings in Minnesota
By sharonorn, 2025-04-20
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to season eight of my NFL picks.If you're reading this right now, that's a good thing, because it means you've succe sfully survived everything that 2020 has thrown at us so far. I'm not sure about you, but I knew we were in trouble when the murder hornets showed up, and the worst part is that it's only a matter of Ryan Reaves Kids Jersey time before the murder hamsters show up, because as we all know, they always invade after the hornets.The fact that I survived the past five months is a minor miracle. I didn't think I was going to survive past March, and that's mostly because I went five straight weeks without toilet paper at my house. I don't want to go into too many details about how I made it through that rough period, but I will say that toilet paper hoarding should be a crime. I now get PTSD every time I walk in the bathroom.The good news in all of this is that I didn't catch coronavirus, but on the other hand, I haven't slept since April, because I've been quarantined with a baby.My wife and I decided to spice up our quarantine by adding a baby! This is little mi s Annabelle Breech. She's our first kid & she drinks milk at a faster rate than I drink beer. She has also vowed to never let her parents sleep again, but she's adorable, so we're fine with that. John Breech (@johnbreech) My wife and I had the baby back in April, and since you're probably wondering, no, we, but we did buy a nice couch from them.If I've learned one thing about babies over the past five months, it's that they don't seem to care when you blame things on them, which I'm only mentioning because I'll be blaming all my mi sed picks on the baby this year.We're giving away tons of free cash this season and all you need to do is pick your best 5 games to get in the action. Enter Parlay Pick'em now for your chance to win the $20,000 guaranteed season prize and $5,000 to the Week 1 winner. Terms apply.Anyway, before we get to the picks, I have good news for the five of you who emailed in and demanded to CBS that I do more this season. Not only will I be writing this weekly picks column, but I'll also be podcasting a lot this year. As a matter of fact, you should go ahead and circle every Monday, Tuesday and Friday on your calendar from now until February, because that's when I'll be joining Will Brinson on the Pick Six Podcast (). The Pick Six pod is my favorite podcast on the internet because A. I'm on it and B. it's the only daily NFL podcast around.If your first thought after hearing that news was, "That's great that you have podcast, John, but we want to see your handsome face. How do we do that?" Great question, and I'm glad to answer it. For the 2020 season, not only will our podcast be , but we'll also be doing a daily Pick Six video . If you're not watching CBS Sports HQ every day, you should be, and that's because it's a free streaming sports website that offers non-stop content at all hours of the day, and most importantly, you get to see me. Also, you can watch it on multiple platforms like Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.Finally, if you get through my NFL picks and decide you need more picks, because you're a picks addict: You can check out the Week 1 picks from .MY GOODNESS, that was a lengthy introduction, but after surviving the murder hornets, the pandemic and , I knew you guys could survive a long intro. That being said, I think I've made you guys wait long enough, so let's get to the picks.NFL Week 1 PicksGreen Bay at Minnesota1 p.m. ET (FOX)Point spread: , -2.5I'm not sure either of these teams really had a plan this offseason, and if they did, I have no idea what it was. The Vikings completely revamped their defense by dumping multiple starters, which slightly worries me, because that means they're going into Week 1 after a pandemic shortened offseason with a bunch of new starters on defense. As for the , after going to the NFC title game last season, Oscar Lindberg Men Jersey I fully expected them to add some receiving help for in the draft, and I think Aaron Rodgers also thought that was going to happen, because that's the only way to explain why he started pounding tequila after Green Bay drafted .Aaron Rodgers says he drank, "about four fingers" of tequila after the Packers drafted Jordan Love. 247Sports (@247Sports) I'm not going to judge Rodgers for going straight to the tequila and that's mainly because I've done some of my best work after pounding tequila. On Rodgers' end, this feels like a season where he's going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder, which is kind of fitting, because chips go well with tequila. The one thing I like about Rodgers is that he gets to open up the season against the Vikings defense that I just mentioned. I actually think the Vikings will end up having a decent defense this season, especially , but I don't think the unit is going to gel right away, which is why Rodgers is going to shred them.Not only am I going to pick the Packers here, but I'm also predicting that Rodgers drinks seven fingers of tequila after the game to celebrate the win. On a somewhat related note, I drank seven fingers of tequila once in college and I got so drunk that I now have a pile of rocks sitting on my porch so I can count down the days until I die, just like .No one should be surprised by anything Kirk Cousins is saying today. I mean, this is the guy who has a pile of rocks sitting on his porch to remind him that he's going to die one day John Breech (@johnbreech) I'm not sure how many rocks I have left, but it's definitely not as many as Kirk. That worries me.The pick: Packers 20-17 over VikingsL.A. at Cincinnati4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)Point spread: Chargers, -3As the resident homer here at CBSSports.com, I made a vow after was drafted that I would never pick against him in any game ever, and now that I'm thinking about it, I probably shouldn't have made that vow, because I'm seriously thinking about picking against him in his VERY FIRST GAME. My biggest i sue with Burrow is that he got zero practice in the spring, and that the only defense he's gone up against since being drafted is the Bengals defense (For anyone who doesn't follow the Bengals, their defense isn't good). Burrow is going to go from throwing pa ses against his own team to throwing pa ses against a defense that has two of the best pa s-rushers in the NFL (, ) and one of the best corners (). This would be like eating three hot dogs at dinner and then thinking you could beat Joey Chestnut in a hot dog eating contest.And you know what, let's be honest about this entire situation, the last time a guy named Joe was in charge of a bunch of Bengal tigers, it didn't work out well for anyone -- unle s you count Carole Baskin, and I'm not going to count Carole Baskin -- so I gue s I have to go with the Chargers.I should also point out that No. 1 overall picks seem to struggle in Week 1. Over the past 15 years, there have been six quarterbacks taken with the first overall pick who ALSO started in Week 1 during their rookie season and those quarterbacks have combined to win exactly zero games (0-5-1). That doesn't seem like a good thing for the Bengals.The pick: Chargers 23-20 over BengalsTampa Bay at New Alex Tuch Jersey Orleans4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)Point spread: , -3.5As you've probably noticed, a lot of crazy things have happened in 2020, and I have to say, the most unexpected one has to be the fact that basically turned into a one man crimewave. Not only did he getafter illegally entering it during quarantine, but the quarterback also gotafter he accidentally walked into it and the worst part is that he does not HAVE A SINGLE OUNCE OF REMORSE about any of this.Trespa sing in parks, breaking and entering... Just making myself at home in Tompa Bay! Tom Brady (@TomBrady) The only reason I'm pointing any of this out is because those things only happened because Brady couldn't find a place to practice. Due to the pandemic, the NFL canceled practices and OTAs for all 32 teams, which means Brady didn't get to officially practice with his team until August. Basically, by the time this game kicks off, Brady is only going to have roughly five weeks of practice under his belt, which means he'll only have had five weeks to get comfortable with everyone on his offense.On the other hand, the Saints don't even really need to practice. Their offense is made up of a bunch of guys who already have good chemistry because they've played together for so long. I mean, if you're wondering what Sean Payton's confidence-level is this year, HE'S LITERALLY BEEN SHARING HIS TEAM'S BEST PLAYS ON TWITTER.Gun Empty Rt Quizno 52 Nudge Ole' HB ChoiceGotta get a touch! Sean Payton (@SeanPayton) Nothing says "Power move" quite like your head coach sharing his favorite plays on Twitter. That's something you definitely don't do unle s you know for sure that there's no way the other team is going to stop you. I think the Buccaneers are going to be good this year, but they have too many new players and I don't think everyone is going to be on the same page come Week 1.The pick: Saints 27-24 over BuccaneersDallas at L.A. 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)Point spread: , -2.5I'm not sure if you can be on the hot seat after just one game, but I feel like that's exactly where Mike McCarthy will be if the Cowboys lose to the Rams on Sunday. The problem for McCarthy is that the last time these two teams played came last December in a game where JASON GARRETT led Dallas to a monstrous win (44-21). I'm not sure what would qualify as a nightmare start to the season for McCarthy, but I have to think that losing to a team that Garrett beat by 23 points would definitely be near the top of the list. I've actually been flip-flopping about who I want to pick in this game. First, I was leaning Cowboys, but then I decided to binge-watch "Hard Knocks" over the weekend, and now, I think I'm leaning Rams. Honestly, I should probably stop watching "Hard Knocks" because the same thing happens every year: HBO somehow brainwashes me into thinking that the "Hard Knocks" team is going to be good. You know what, I'm going to split the difference, I'm going to say the Rams are going to be good this year, but they're going to lose this game. I think the Cowboys have too much firepower and they'll have an element of offensive surprise that they never really had with Garrett, who seemed to run the same thing every week, and also, who I don't think believes in surprises. I'm gue sing he's never been invited to a surprise birthday party.The pick: Cowboys 34-27 over RamsLock of the WeekHouston at Kansas CityThursday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)Point spread: Shea Theodore Women Jersey , -9.5The last time we saw these two teams on the same field together was back in January when the jumped out to a 24-0 lead in a game that they eventually lost 51-31, and as we all know, the only thing more embarra sing than blowing a 24-point lead is getting blasted 51-7 after you held that lead. The good news for the Texans this time around is that they won't have to worry about blowing a 24-point lead in this game, because they're not even going to score 24 points.To give you a quick recap of Houston's offseason: They traded away their best offensive player (), and to be honest, I'm not really sure what happened after that, because I stopped paying attention. On the Chiefs' end, they're returning 18 of 22 starters from their Super Bowl team, they managed to re-sign every important player and they did all of that even though they only . That's like going to a car dealership with $12 and somehow coming home with a Ferrari.Finally, did I mention that the Chiefs led the AFC in pa sing yards last season and that they'll be going up against a Texans defense that had the worst pa s defense in the AFC? Because if I didn't mention that, I feel like I should. Also, if you give Andy Reid extra time to prepare for a game, he's not going to lose, therefore, I cannot pick the Chiefs to lose.To commemorate Mahomes' new $503 million contract, I was going to pick the Chiefs to win by 503 million points, but my editor told me that's not realistic, so I'll take out that first zero in 503 million and go with 53.The pick: Chiefs 53-20 over TexansBonus Lock of the weekPittsburgh at N.Y. Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)Point spread: , -4.5It's probably a good thing that Giants fans aren't going to be allowed to attend this game, because I'm not sure any of them would emotionally survive the beating I think the Giants are going to take.On paper -- and in real life -- this game feels like a total mismatch. Unfortunately for the Giants, the Steelers are basically built to exploit every weakne s the Giants have. To put this in perspective, let's do a quick thought exercise: Think of all the things you're bad at and then imagine having them all thrown in your face at once. For me, it would be like if I entered a karaoke contest where I had to sing in German. Well, I don't know German, I can't sing, and I've never won a contest of any sort in my life , so I'd definitely lose, and just so we're clear, I'm the Giants in this situation.Here's a look at everything that could go wrong for New York: was sacked an average of 3.17 times per start last season, which was the third-most in the NFL. The Steelers led the NFL in sacks last year.Daniel Jones fumbled 18 times in 12 games last season. The Steelers led the NFL in fumble recoveries.The Steelers' biggest strength is their defensive line. The Giants' starting left tackle opted out for the season and the position will now be manned by a rookie.This game is also going to give us a Super Bowl-winning coach (Mike Tomlin) against a first-year head coach (Joe Judge) who will barely have had five weeks of on-field practice with his team before this game takes place.I have no idea how healthy is going to look, but I'm not sure it's going to matter. I also don't know if Roethlisberger can sing in German, but that's probably not going to matter, either.The pick: Steelers 27-13 over GiantsFinal Lock of the Week record for 2019:16-2 straight up, 7-10-1 against the spreadNFL Week 1 picks: All the rest 34-31 over 20-13 over 19-16 over 30-20 over Washington 20-16 over 24-21 over 31-17 over 27-20 over 26-23 over 23-16 over Last WeekBest pick: Since there weren't any regular season games played last week, I gue s I should probably just use this space to point out my best pick from 2019. Before the season started, I picked the and then the Chiefs went on to win Keegan Kolesar Kids Jersey the Super Bowl, which obviously means that my Super Bowl pick for the 2020 season is also going to win.So who am I picking?That's a great question, and you can find the . If you click over, not only will you see my Super Bowl pick, but you'll also get to see who I'm picking to win each division and who I'm picking to make the playoffs. Also, if you click over, you may start to understand why Will Brinson has a conspiracy theory that I'm being brainwashed by Jerry Jones. I don't think I'm being brainwashed, but I suppose that someone who's being brainwashed wouldn't know that they're being brainwashed. Crap. I might have been brainwashed.Worst pick: Although I'll have plenty of "worst picks" for this section starting next week, I have nothing for this week, so instead, I feel like I should use this section to hand out the award for worst offseason by any NFL team, and yup, you gue sed it, the award goes to Washington. If Dan Snyder owned a bakery instead of a football team, it would have gone out of busine s 11 years ago and it would have been so disastrous that the government probably would have ordered all bakeries to close just to make sure that Snyder never owns another one.Overall picks record since 2013After watching my straight-up record plummet for two horrifying seasons (2015-2016), the tide has slowly been turning over the past three years (2017-2019), and I don't want to sound cocky, but I think I might go 256-0 picking games in 2020, although I'm already starting to regret that Panthers over Raiders pick.Final 2019 regular-season recordStraight-up:163-92-1 (Ranked first overall at CBSSports.com)Against the spread: 120-130-6 (Did not rank first overall)Final 2018 regular-season recordStraight-up:166-88-2Against the spread:123-126-7Final 2017 regular-season recordStraight up:161-95Against the spread:124-121-11Final 2016 regular-season recordStraight up:147-107-2Against the spread:116-129-11Final 2015 regular-season recordStraight up:152-104Against the spread:126-130Final 2014 regular-season recordStraight up:164-91-1Against the spread:125-131Final 2013 regular-season recordStraight up:165-90-1Against the spread:124-132You can find John Breechorif he's not doing one of those things, he's probably sleeping, because he's only slept three total hours since April 7.
The funeral for former Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones was held on Saturday. It's clear that in his short time in this world that he sparked a lot of joy, as he drew a big C.J. McCollum Jersey audience of former teammates and franchise legends from both teams.The list included Hall of Famers like Ed Reed as well as former executives like Texans head coach Gary Kubiak and Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome. Four-time Pro Bowl Texans running back Carmelo Anthony Jersey Arian Foster was also one of the attendees, per Aaron Wilson at KPRC2.Funeral services, celebration of life for late wide receiver, Super Bowl hero Jacoby Jones today in New Orleans. Among attendees: Gary Kubiak, Ozzie Newsome, Arian Foster, Andre Johnson, Ed Reed, Joe Flacco, Justin Tucker, many more Harry Gilles III Jersey family members, teammates, Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) Later on, Foster shared a tribute of his own on Twitter for his old Houston teammate.love you Jaylen Hoard Jersey 12 feeno (@ArianFoster) Foster played with Jones for three seasons on the Texans, from 2009-2011. After that Jones moved on to the Ravens, where had the best year of his career in 2012, earning first-team All-Pro honors as a kik returner on a Super Bowl winning team. Jones also played a handful of games for the Kent Bazemore Jersey Pittsburgh Steelers and then-San Diego Chargers and retired after the 2015 season.Jones died two weeks ago today at his home. He was only 40 years old.More Texans stories
Winter Storm Henry in the forecast for Titans-Patriots wild-card matchup in Foxborough
By sharonorn, 2025-04-20
Playoff football in Foxborough looks like it will feature some wet January weather in New England, but the forecast has improved slightly over the past 24 hours.As the are set to host the for Ben Simmons Jersey their wild-card matchup Saturday night, it appears like both clubs will be battling the elements. As of Saturday at 10 a.m. ET, the for occasional rain throughout the day, but the temperatures are expected to stay above freezing. The area might avoid the snow that had been predicted. The low during the game is expected to be 37 degrees.Of course, the Patriots are accustomed to playing in all sorts of conditions and the Titans aren't too shabby in those situations as well. In fact, the weather could play into Tenne see's hands. If the weather does come as expected, that could force both clubs to work more in the ground game and simply pick their spots when they elect to drop back to pa s. Arguably no other running back remaining in the playoffs is more suited for an environment like this than Tenne see star -- which is fitting thanks to the storm that is set to . Go figure Chris Webber Jersey .The back (not the storm) is coming into Saturday night after rushing for 211 yards on 6.59 yards per carry against the in Week 17. The 2019 NFL rushing champion has been a stud for the Titans, but he has particularly come on strong late. Over his past seven games, Henry has rushed for 959 yards on 6.3 yards per carry and 11 touchdowns. His succe s against a Patriots defense that has struggled against the run at times during the regular season will be vital in a potential upset against New England.As the Titans look to po sibly lean on Henry in this Marial Shayok Jersey game, that should take some of the pre sure off quarterback , who is 0-6 against the Patriots in Foxborough in his career. That said, those matchups came when he was a member of the . With Tenne see, Tannehill has seemingly unlocked some of his untapped potential. With Tannehill under center over the past 10 games, the Titans went 7-3, averaged 30.4 points a game, averaged 245.6 pa sing yards and have 39 total touchdowns with just five interceptions.With the Patriots, they are naturally going to feel more comfortable in this potential wintry setting. While they don't have a running back at the same caliber as Henry, the rushing attack has been one of the lone bright spots for New England's offense over the course of this season. Linebacker/fullback has helped the running game immensely whether it's or following him up the gut. In their surprising lo s to Miami in Week 17 that saw them fall into this wild-card game rather than earning a first-round bye, New England actually Zhaire Smith Jersey ran the ball extremely well, totaling 135 yards on the ground on 5.0 yards a carry. The fact that they didn't double down with that succe s was one of the many puzzling aspects of that game.As it relates to , if the winds are making it difficult to get the ball down the field, he'll likely work more with the short pa sing game. Throwing darts to over the middle and in the flat is his bread-and-butter anyway, so the six-time Super Bowl champion likely won't be impacted much in that regard. Also, look for first-round receiver to see some opportunities as a runner as the team has shown an affinity to rush Norvel Pelle Jersey him on some jet sweeps.What should also be taken into account if the weather in Foxborough is truly nasty is the fact that it could seriously limit the scoring opportunities. has the over/under currently at 44.5 going into the weekend after opening at 43.5.
Fantasy Football Start Em Sit Em NFL Week 12 lineup advice best matchups DFS picks
By sharonorn, 2025-04-20
Week 12 brings a break from byes with a full game feast starting with a tripleheader on Thanksgiving. Having a full complement of start 'em, sit 'em options sounds great, but it can actually create more headaches for fantasy football owners obse sing over every roster decision ahead of the stretch run. Fortunately, Sporting News' NFL writer Vinnie Iyer is here to help with his latest helping of lineup advice.Even with no teams on bye, injuries remain an i sue. Justin Fields (left shoulder), Matthew Stafford (concu sion), Gus Edwards (hamstring), Leonard Fournette (hip), Joe Mixon (concu sion), Mike Williams (ankle), Marquise Brown (foot), Ja'Marr Chase (hip), Jerry Jeudy (ankle), JuJu Smith-Schuster (concu sion), and Gerald Everett (groin) are among the key players iffy to play. We also have to factor in matchups, recent performance, weather, and other factors.Navigating through all the potential starting options, here are our must-starts and start 'em sit 'em recommendations for Week 12. If you have specific lineup questions, check out RotoBaller's industry-leading "Who To Start?" tool below and compare up to four players acro s all positions.MORE: and receive exclusive acce s to their premium lineup tools, DFS cheat sheets, and Team Sync platform! .WEEK 12 FANTASY PICKS: | QB must-startsStronger starts Josh Allen, Bills (at DET)Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (vs. LAR)Jalen Hurts, Eagles (vs. GB)Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (vs. HOU)Justin Herbert, Chargers (at ARI)Joe Burrow, Bengals (at TEN)Lamar Jackson, Ravens (at JAX)Tom Brady, Buccaneers (at CLE). The GOAT after a bye means excellent digits on the Browns' defense.Geno Smith, Seahawks (vs. LV). Seattle should be able to do whatever it wants downfield against the Raiders' porous pa s defense.Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers (vs. NO). He's the ace distributor for a bunch of after-the-catch explosive weapons, and he will ride them to more nice production at home.Derek Carr, Raiders (at SEA). He's going to put up plenty of garbage stats with high volume opposite Geno Smith.Kirk Cousins, Vikings (vs. NE). He'll find his way to decent numbers, something like 250 yards and two TDs, grinding on the Patriots to reverse some of his majorly bad prime-time vibes.Jacoby Bri sett, Browns (vs. TB). He should be busy opposite Tom Brady, and this is his last chance to audition for a job with Deshaun Watson returning in Week 13.Taylor Heinicke, Commanders (vs. ATL). He's done little Mack Wilson Jersey in two big wins the past two weeks, but this matchup screams for big plays from his myriad versatile weapons.Ryan Tannehill, Titans (vs. CIN). He's been solid playing off the run the past couple of games, and it continues here opposite Joe Burrow vs. a weakened pa s defense.DFS TargetsFanDuel cash game pickJustin Herbert, Chargers (at ARI, $7,900). Herbert is the best of the elite QBs at the nicest price/matchup combination. Around 300 yards and three TDs is actually a reasonable expectation.DraftKings tournament pickDerek Carr, Raiders (at SEA, $5,700). He's bound to get the big volume, and he's been providing a good return on investment lately.Streamer SpecialMatt Ryan, Colts (vs. PIT). The Steelers' secondary still has plenty of holes in short-to-intermediate coverage, and that's Ryan's game at the moment. He can sneak into 250 yards and two TDs playing off the run.WEEK 12 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | Weaker startsDak Prescott, Cowboys (vs. NYG). This feels like a defensive-minded grinder of a game based on the rushing attack, and he might not get the TDs to please as a QB1.Daniel Jones, Giants (at DAL). See the above Prescott analysis.Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars (vs. BAL). He can get some numbers with his wideouts and tight ends, but it's likely to be me sy with limited yardage.Marcus Mariota, Falcons (at WAS). The Commanders' defense has fixed many things of late, and now Mariota doesn't even have Kyle Pitts.Aaron Rodgers, Packers (at PHI). The road has been brutal for them, and it will only get worse in Philly.Jared Goff, Lions (vs Damien Harris Jersey . BUF). He isn't reliable for yardage or TDs at the moment, especially against the Bills.Ru sell Wilson, Broncos (at CAR). Let Ru s sit. Let's ride without him forever.Andy Dalton, Saints (at SF). Don't chase the Rams game. It's not happening here.WEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS: | | | | | RB must-startsAustin Ekeler, Chargers (vs. ARI)Jonathan Taylor, Colts (vs. PIT)Kenneth Walker, Seahawks (vs. LV)Derrick Henry, Titans (vs. CIN)Saquon Barkley, Giants (at DAL)Nick Chubb, Browns (vs. TB)Christian McCaffrey, 49ers (vs. NO)Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins (vs. HOU)Rachaad White, Buccaneers (at CLE)Dalvin Cook, Vikings (vs. NE)Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots (at MIN)Tony Pollard, Cowboys (vs. NYG)Josh Jacobs, Raiders (at SEA)Samaje Perin,Bengals (at TEN)Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars (vs. BAL)Dameon Pierce, Texans (at MIA)Aaron Jones, Packers (at PHI)Alvin Kamara, Saints (at SF)James Conner, Cardinals (vs. LAC)Stronger starts Devin Singletary, Bills (at DET). He should stay hot with another TD working ahead of James Cook in a run-heavier offense.Miles Sanders, Eagles (vs. GB). Sanders is still the main guy in this backfield, and the Packers have been very giving on the ground of late.David Montgomery, Bears (at NYJ). He's getting big volume without Khalil Herbert (hip), and that will continue with Justin Fields (left shoulder) also hurting.Antonio Gibson, Commanders (vs. ATL). He's the top back still in this offense, and he can crush the Falcons from scrimmage.Latavius Murray, Broncos (at CAR). He's the main man by default, and the Panthers wilt most against the run.Michael Carter, Jets (vs. CHI). James Robinson isn't that interesting, but Carter's usage should be strong against a sieve of a run defense.Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys (vs. NYG). Zeke tends to play the Giants well, and he'll find the end zone again with around 60 yards.Damien Harris, Patriots (at MIN).Rhamondre Stevenson and Harris are the lifeblood of the Patriots' offense, and the Cowboys showed everyone the blueprint for succe s against Minnesota last week.Elijah Mitchell, 49ers (vs. NO). He should be the closer again, and there's a good chance he pops in a TD, too.DFS targetsFanDuel cash game picksJeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins (vs. HOU, $7,700). He was a great play before Raheem Mostert (knee) was ruled out, and he's even greater now, even with high ownership.James Conner, Cardinals (vs. LAC, $7,000). He should be used well with the pa sing game back with its key downfield weapons and the matchup is too good to ignore.DraftKings tournament picksJeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins (vs. HOU, $5,900). Wilson is a must-play in either format or any price on either site.Kenneth Walker, Seahawks (vs. LV, $6,900). He has a chance to have another Joshuah Bledsoe Jersey blowup game against the soft Raiders' run defense at home after a bye.WEEK 12 DFS: Weaker startsJamaal Williams, Lions (vs. BUF). He's been great around the goal line, but Williams can't be trustedwith limited opportunities this week. D'Andre Swift also can't be trusted vs. the Bills' cover linebackers.D'Onta Foreman, Panthers (vs. DEN). It's not a good matchup at home in what figures to be an ugly, low-scoring game.Najee Harris, Steelers (at IND). It's hard to run on the Colts, especially on the road in prime time.Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons (at WAS). The Commanders have become stingy against the run and can shut him down with his limited volume. Also, avoid Tyler Allgeier.Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders (vs. ATL). The rookie runs well, but this is more of an Antonio Gibson game. Robinson doesn't do enough as a pa s-catcher to supplement his rushing stats.Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs (vs. LAR). The rookie runs well, but this is a pa sing team all the way. There's no indication he'll be more involved in the pa sing game either.Kenyan Drake, Ravens (at JAX). The matchup seems OK, but he's hard to trust with Gus Edwards (hamstring) set to be back in the mix.Cam Akers and Kyren Williams, Rams (at KC). Who knows what they will do on the ground with no pa sing game? Stay away.Kareem Hunt, Browns (vs. TB) and AJ Dillon, Packers (at PHI). Why are we still playing these little usage complementary backs?WEEK 12 DFS LINEUPS: | WR must-startsStefon Diggs, Bills (at DET)Davante Adams, Raiders (at SEA)Tyreek Hill, Dolphins (vs. HOU)Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins (vs. HOU)Justin Jefferson, Vikings (vs. NE)DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals (vs. LAC)A.J. Brown, Eagles (vs. GB)Gabe Davis, Bills (at DET)Deebo Samuel, 49ers (vs. NO)Amari Cooper, Browns (vs. TB)CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys (vs. NYG)Tee Higgins, Bengals (at TEN)Mike Evans, Buccaneers (vs. CLE)DK Metcalf, Seahawks (vs. LV)Tyler Lockett, Seahawks (vs. LV)Terry McLaurin, Commanders (vs. ATL)Chris Olave, Saints (at SF)Christian Kirk, Jaguars (vs. BAL)Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions (vs. BUF)Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers (vs. NO)Chris Godwin, Buccaneers (at CLE)Courtland Sutton, Broncos (at CAR)Michael Pittman Jr., Colts (vs. PIT)DeVonta Smith, Eagles (vs. GB)Marquise Brown, Cardinals (if activated, vs. LAC)Stronger startsGeorge Pickens, Steelers (at IND). Pickens is a tough matchup for any outside corner, even Stephon Gilmore.Allen Lazard and Christian Watson, Packers (at PHI). The matchup isn't great vs. Darius Slay and James Bradberry, but they should see good volume and have a shot at a garbage TD.Jakobi Meyers, Patriots (at MIN). He should get back on track against their shaky corners working inside or outside.Curtis Samuel, Commanders (vs. ATL). He's getting the ball in scoring situations, and the Falcons can't slow down the former Panther much.Josh Palmer and Keenan Allen, Chargers (at ARI). The Cardinals' coverage is deteriorating fast, and this duo will have another strong night together.Garrett Wilson, Jets (vs. CHI). He will benefit big-time if there's a QB change. Either way, he gets a nice matchup against a weak secondary.Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns (vs. TB). He's been a solid WR3 for multiple weeks, and now he's even scoring. The Bucs aren't particularly scary in coverage either.Tyler Boyd, Bengals (at TEN). He canwork the slot well after what Randall Cobb did. If Chase (hip) remains out, Boyd will produce with good volume.Parris Campbell, Colts (vs. PIT). He's too involved with high volume to avoid in this favorable spot on the home fast track.Treylon Burks, Titans (vs. CIN). No Chidobe Awuzie means Burks will be busy again.Drake London, Falcons (at WAS). He has a good chance to score a TD as the nece sary main target for Marcus Mariota.Allen Robinson, Rams (at KC). He's a good bet to score in garbage time with whoever is at QB as L.A.'s default No. 1.Demarcus Robinson, Ravens (at JAX). He's the clear No. 1 outside, and his Week 11 performance was so promising.DFS targetsFanDuel cash game picksChristian Kirk, Jaguars (vs. BAL, $7,700). Kirk steps into another great slot matchup with probable high volume.DK Metcalf, Seahawks (vs. LV, $7,200). Metcalf should crush the Raiders' outside coverage and do what Courtland Sutton couldn't do because Geno has been better than Ru s.Josh Palmer, Chargers (at ARI, $6,800). There's no Mike Williams (ankle) again, and he's locked into another ma sive role.DraftKings tournament picksMike Evans, Buccaneers (at CLE, $6,700). He should have some major big-play potential outside playing off the run with a shot at multiple scores.Terry McLaurin, Commanders (vs. ATL, $5,800). He can be very scary against the Falcons secondary with a floor of 100 yards and a TD.Josh Palmer, Chargers (at ARI, $5,400). He also showed last week that he can absolutely blow up in the right matchup, and the Cardinals just gave up a pair of two-TD games.Weaker startsDarius Slayton, Giants (at DAL). This is a brutal spot for him with the coverage attention on him.D.J. Moore, Panthers (vs. DEN). Pat Surtain II is certain to shut him down regardle s of the QB.Diontae Johnson, Steelers (at IND). It hasn't been happening, and it won't happen again against a good secondary.Brandin Cooks, Texans (at MIA). He Cody Davis Jersey 'll be quieted by Xavien Howard.Darnell Mooney, Bears (at NYJ). Whether it's Sauce Gardner or D.J. Reed covering him, this is not a trustworthy spot for Mooney.Nico Collins, Texans (at MIA). Anything in this pa sing offense is shaky because of Davis Mills.Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chiefs (at LAR). They still don't need him much relative to other healthy weapons.Adam Thielen, Vikings (vs. NE). The Patriots' defense is better in the slot than outside.Michael Gallup, Cowboys.In theory, Gallup has a good shot at a big play or two, but you can't trust his execution.Devin Duvernay, Ravens (at JAX). In theory, Duvernay has a good shot at a big play or two, but you can't trust his execution.Mack Hollins, Raiders (at SEA). In theory, Hollins has a good shot at a big play or two, but you can't trust his execution.TE must-startsTravis Kelce, Chiefs (vs. LAR)Mark Andrews, Ravens (at JAX)George Kittle, 49ers (vs. NO)Pat Freiermuth, Steelers (at IND)T.J. Hockenson, Vikings (vs. NE)Dalton Schultz, Cowboys (vs. DAL)Tyler Higbee, Rams (at KC)Stronger startsDavid Njoku, Browns (vs. TB). The Buccaneers can be giving to tight ends, and he should find more room than last week.Dawson Knox, Bills (at DET). Knox led the team in receiving yards last week and steps into a nice spot on the same Ford Field.Gerald Everett, Chargers (at ARI). If he can return from his groin injury, he would step into the league's most beautiful matchup for tight ends.Evan Engram, Jaguars (vs. BAL). The Ravens are vulnerable in the middle of the field based on their coverage scheme.Foster Moreau, Raiders (at SEA). This is another great spot for tight ends, and Moreau should find the end zone for the second time this season.Logan Thomas, Commanders (vs. Brandon Bolden Jersey ATL). He's a sneaky streamer with full health in a favorable matchup.Hayden Hurst, Bengals (at TEN). He's another sneaky streamer with full health in a favorable matchup.Will Di sly, Seahawks (vs. LV). He is still sharing with Noah Fant, but he's the better TD shot in this matchup.DFS targetsFanDuel cash game and DraftKings tournament pickMark Andrews, Ravens (at JAX, $7,300 and $6,500). GeorgeKittle and Travis Kelce will get plenty of attention with folks chasing their multiple-score games, but it's Andrews' turn this week. Lamar Jackson will get the pa sing game back on track with his main man.Weaker startsGreg Dulcich, Broncos (at CAR). Dulcich is big-play-or-bust, and here's feeling the latter in a low-scoring game.Juwan Johnson, Saints (at SF). Johnson is also big-play-or-bust,and here's once again feeling the latter. You can also avoid rolling the dice on Taysom Hill.Cole Kmet, Bears (at NYJ). The over/under for this game is too low for us to be excited about a middling TE.Tyler Conklin, Jets (vs. CHI). You can't go here with this ambiguous and bad pa sing game.Hunter Henry, Patriots (at MIN). He should be more involved, but he just isn't.Austin Hooper, Titans (vs. CIN). Don't chase the random Packers game.Mike Gesicki, Dolphins (vs. HOU). They won't need him to blow out the Texans.Trey McBride, Cardinals (vs. LAC). He still needs a bigger role before we can trust him with Zach Ertz (knee) out.Defense must-starts49ers (vs. NO)Cowboys (vs. NYG)Ravens (at JAX)Eagles (vs. GB)Chiefs (vs. LAR)Broncos (at CAR)Jets (vs. CHI)Bills (at DET)Patriots (at MIN)Stronger startsDolphins (vs. HOU). Davis Mills on the road in Miami is bad news.Colts (vs. PIT). Give them a home prime-time bump vs. a rookie QB.Steelers (at IND). They can get after it a little with T.J. Watt.Commanders (vs. ATL). Chase Young returns to help a much-improved group.Seahawks (vs. LV). This is a fine spot at home to get points.Panthers (vs. DEN). Let Ru s get sacked and give up the ball.DFS targetsFanDuel cash game pickBroncos (at CAR, $3,900). They are in a terrific spot for making big plays on the road, and they are surprisingly cheap on FanDuel.DraftKings tournament pickChiefs (vs. LAR, $2,800). They are in a smash spot at home to tee off against a reeling, injury-riddled offense.Weaker startsBengals (at TEN). Not against Derrick Henry.Titans (vs. CIN). Not against Joe Burrow.Buccaneers (at CLE). Tampa Bay won't get it done coming off a bye against a solid Browns' offense on the road.Vikings (vs. NE). The Patriots will be careful with the ball with a run-heavy approach.Bears (at NYJ). They are risky because they can easily be run on.Saints (at SF). You can't chase the Rams' performance against a much better offense.
The were relentle s and aggre sive in trying to get their quarterback of the future in the . They were succe sful when they selectedat Seth Curry Jersey 10th overall after a slight trade-up with the New York Jets.One of the big questions coming out of the NFL draft was how the Vikings had the quarterback cla s stacked. Who was their preferred Chris Webber Jersey option? Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated believes the Vikings had it Maye then McCarthy.As for how the teams had the guys ranked, the Vikings really dove in on the guys after the top Raul Neto Jersey two, and hadMaye(for whom they offered 11, 23 and a 2025 first-rounder, with pick swaps favoring them bringing some value back), thenMcCarthy.I think the beginning part of Breer's statement is important. The Vikings "really dove in on the guys after the top two" tells us that they Matisse Thybulle Jersey were relatively set in stone for months and that made the proce s a little bit more Ben Simmons Jersey focused with Maye, McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.Will McCarthy be the biggest hit of the bunch? That remains to be seen, but anything is po sible when you have the best situation of the group.
and are about to face each other in the playoffs for the first time, with a Super Bowl berth on the line.Sunday's AFC Championship Game between the and is bound to be one that helps define legacies, with plenty to gain for both Jackson, the overwhelming favorite to win his second NFL MVP award this season, and Mahomes, who already has two MVPs and two Super Bowl titles to his name.Both quarterbacks are Xavier Woods Jersey aware of the stakes, but they have nothing but positive things to say about each other."He's going to be the MVP for a reason," Mahomes when asked about Jackson on Wednesday. "He does whatever it takes to win, and that's what the greats do."ADVERTISEMENT And Jackson kept things similarly blunt when a reporter asked him Wednesday what he likes about facing Mahomes."I don't like competing against him at all," Jackson . "He's a great quarterback. It's a no-brainer, he's definitely a Hall of Famer. I believe it's just two greats, up-and-coming greats going Eric Kendricks Jersey toe-to-toe, like a heavyweight fight."Jackson and Mahomes' budding rivalry has been must-see since the two burst on the scene in their first years as starting quarterbacks in 2018, both leading their teams to the playoffs with Mahomes winning his first MVP. Then in 2019, Jackson won his first MVP while Mahomes won his first Super Bowl. While Mahomes has more accolades as well as the head-to-head record the Chiefs are 3-1 against the Ravens when Mahomes and Jackson have faced off Jackson has a chance to strike a definitive blow in their first playoff matchup.Could this rivalry eventually echo the great clashes between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning that dominated the AFC for well over a decade? First Things First's Chris Brou sard says it's the closest thing to the Manning-Brady rivalry, more so than Mahomes' battles with the ' , seen in last week's Chiefs' divisional-round victory.Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes the new Brady-Manning rivalry? "It's certainly more Manning-Brady than Josh Allen and Mahomes is," Brou sard said. "Both of them are going to have two MVPs, both of them have two first-team All-Pro awards, and obviously they've been to multiple Pro Bowls. You can throw Joe Burrow-Mahomes in there and obviously Burrow beating them in the playoffs, maybe C.J. Stroud will continue to emerge, who knows? But this is definitely more than Josh Allen-Mahomes. Josh Allen, all he has are two Everson Griffen Jersey Pro Bowls."Brou sard's co-host Nick Wright agreed with the caveat that Jackson still has some catching up to do to reach Mahomes."It's a better question, because Lamar has some real pelts on the wall," Wright said. "Lamar, from the individual honors perspective, he has the same trophy case as Mahomes, or he will here in a couple weeks. He'll have two MVPs. But I and this is not disrespectful to Lamar don't think Mahomes has a rival."Wright compared Mahomes' current standing in the NFL to that of Tiger Woods in golf or Wayne Gretzky in hockey during their primes, where they had rivals, but nobody else considered fully at their standard. While Brady is now widely seen as head Myles Dorn Jersey and shoulders above Manning in the annals of NFL history, Wright pointed out that was not the case during their rivalry."People have totally forgotten that for 15 years, that was a real argument," Wright said.Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes = next best QB rivalry? Wright cited Manning's iconic comeback win over Brady in the 2006 AFC Championship Game, pointing out that Manning beat Brady twice in two more AFC Championship Games in 2013 and 2015, and then reached three more Super Bowls, while Brady had to wait eight more years after that 2006 game until he won another Super Bowl."The day Peyton Manning retired, the Super Bowls were 4-2 Brady, the MVPs were 5-2 Peyton, and Peyton was up 3-2 in the playoff matchups," Wright said. "There was a real argument. The problem is after Peyton retired, Brady went to three straight Super Bowls, went to another one a couple years later, Jake Bargas Jersey won another league MVP and distorted the argument."But during the entirety of Peyton Manning's playing career, there was a real debate about who was better between him and Brady . That is not the case with Patrick Mahomes, if anyone's having an honest debate about it."Wright said Jackson will have a chance to become Mahomes' primary rival, perhaps alongside the Bengals' Joe Burrow, if he leads the Ravens to a win Sunday and then a Super Bowl title. But he believes Jackson has a much longer way to go if he wants to challenge Mahomes' status as the best quarterback in football."I don't believe that title is up for grabs for the time being," Wright said. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.