rozomaldini Play-offs, Sunday Night Football

Sunday’s NFL Playoff Fixtures

B David McDonnell

I certainly thought about going to bed approaching half-time as the Chargers led 27-0 against a Jacksonville Jaguars team who could not put a foot right with their QB Trevor Laurence throwing four interceptions.

But the football Gods rewarded the faithful as the Jags came back and won with a walk-off kick at the death from Riley Patterson to win a game that will be remembered in Duval County forever.

So what’s on the Gridiron menu tonight?

Sunday 

Dolphins @ Bills at 6pm 

Giants @ Vikings at 9.30 

Ravens @ Bengals at 1.15am on Sunday Night Football

Let’s hope the drama is as tasty as the desert we enjoyed last night.

rozomaldini NFL Power Rankings, Play-offs, Wild-Card Weekend

NFL Playoff Power Rankings

By Conor Perrett  

After 18 weeks of football, the regular season of the NFL season may be finished, but that only means the playoff field has been set. In four and a half weeks time the Lombardi Trophy will be lifted, but before then, 14 teams must be squeezed down to two.`

So with the Wild-Card round starting this weekend, let’s look at all the teams in the play-offs and rank them.

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)

The Chiefs finished another season as the No. 1 seed in the AFC and currently have an offence that is better than every other team left in the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes looks set to win another MVP award, as his 5,377 combined passing and rushing yards this season, is the most of any player in NFL history. 

It feels we have taken Mahomes for granted over the years and if he can keep this up, this superstar pairing of him and Andy Reid may have the potential to one day be mentioned in the same sentence of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. 

Up next: Bye

  1. Buffalo Bills (13-3)

Josh Allen and the Bills will one day make a Super Bowl, but it won’t be easy given how stacked the AFC conference currently is. Despite only losing three games on the season to a combined eight points, Buffalo won’t be getting a bye, but will play at a neutral site if they meet the Chiefs in the Conference Championship.

The Bills feel like the most complete team in the league, but they will be missing a few key players particularly Von Miller. Such a loss hasn’t stopped them yet though, as Buffalo finished as DVOA’s No. 1 team in the regular season. To one up on that, on offence, defence and special teams, no other team is ranked top-10 in each phase, while the Bills on the other hand finished Top-4 in all three phases.

Up next: vs. Miami, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)

The Bengals are among the league’s hottest teams entering the playoffs and it would be difficult to find a more confident player in the NFL right now than Bengals’ QB Joe Burrow. “The window is my whole career,” Burrow replied when asked about the Bengals’ championship window. He’ll need all that confidence if he wants to return to the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati’s path to Arizona may be the most difficult road, as they will have to beat a potential returning Lamar Jackson, then the Bills and possibly finish off the Chiefs again, and that is to only make the Superbowl. 

Up next: vs. Baltimore, Monday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)

The Eagles got a much needed bye, by beating the Giants’ B team to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC. No team feels more in need of a week to recover than Philly, as Jalen Hurts was extremely cautious in his return from an injured shoulder. For the first time in his career, Hurts went the entire game without scrambling for a run as he heals up.  

If Hurts, Lane Johnson, Josh Sweat and Avonte Maddox can regain some health over the course of the playoffs, and get back to how they were in the first half of the season, the Eagles should be considered NFC favourites with back-to-back games at home.

Up next: Bye

  1. San Francisco 49ers (13-4)

The Niners closed out the regular season on a 10-game winning streak, with only two of those games decided by six points or fewer. That alone is a fair shout for them to be the best team in the NFC, if Hurts isn’t 100%.

They also happen to have the best point differential in the league and the No 1 ranked defence by DVOA and EPA per drive. All of those statistics look great, but the only thing that could be holding them back is the fact they are starting a seventh-round rookie at quarterback. 

Brock Purdy has been awesome, filling in for Jimmy G towards the end of the season, but he’s Mr. Irrelevant for a reason. The playoffs are a different kind of game and in the crucial moments, Purdy will be put in situations he may not be familiar or comfortable with. The key is how he responds to that.

Up next: vs. Seattle, Saturday 9:30 p.m. GMT

  1. Dallas Cowboys (12-5)

Since Mike McCarthy was hired as head-coach of the Cowboys, the expectation was to win playoff games. Dallas won’t get a better shot at one when they head to Tampa on Monday night.

In the end, nothing was lost in their regular season finale loss to the Commanders, but the pressure did heat up. Dak Prescott played one of his worst games of the season and led the Cowboys’ offence to a season-low 182 yards. Before that blowout loss, the offence was red-hot, but if they have another bad day at the office, fingers will start to be pointed at individuals within the organisation.

Up next: at Tampa Bay, Tuesday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)

Head-coach Brandon Staley has the potential to be an amazing defensive genius, but the Chargers are far too inconsistent. With only one win on the season against a playoff team in Week 14 against Miami, it was by far their most impressive performance, but those kind of performances happen too little. 

The Bolts are 0-5 in every other game against a playoff contender and just played its starters deep into a meaningless game against the lowly Broncos, which they ultimately lost. They have the star-power in Justin Hebert, but it’s anyone’s guess which Chargers team will show up on the day.

Up next: at Jacksonville, Sunday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)

The Jaguars are 7-2 in their last nine games and their wild-card opponent is a team they have beaten already. Respectively it was all the way back in Week 3 and the Chargers were a lot more beaten up back then, but it should be noted down. Doug Pederson put on a masterclass in offensive play-calling that day and Trevor Lawrence has only gotten better since.

There will be holes in their game that Justin Herbert may take advantage of, but the confidence should be at full flow in Jacksonville. Whatever happens, the Jaguars should be delighted with their 2022 season. 

Up next: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Baltimore Ravens (10-7)

It’s hard to rank this Baltimore team with the status of Lamar Jackson in the air. With a healthy Jackson this team could push for a top-6 spot, but we don’t know what is going on with him. There’s a presumption Jackson will return for the trip to Cincinnati, but it’s been reported that would happen for the last few weeks now. 

By weighted DVOA, the Ravens Defence is the second best in the playoffs, but without Jackson it’s hard to see any way they walk out with a win against the Bengals.  

Up next: at Cincinnati, Monday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Minnesota Vikings (13-4)

The Vikings worked their dark-magic to win 11 straight one-score games, but that doesn’t make them a good team. Their defence is probably the worst defence in the playoffs, as they finished the season 29th in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed. They have Justin Jefferson who looks likely to win Offensive Player of the Year, but even then this offence is ranked 20th in offensive DVOA. 

The Vikings have already beat the Giants before in a close event back in Week 16, but that doesn’t change the fact this is probably one of the worst 13 wins and third seed team in recent memory. 

Up next: vs. New York Giants, Sunday 9:30 p.m. GMT

  1. New York Giants (9-7-1)

No one can take away the fact that the Giants have had a spectacular and surprising season. First-year head coach Brian Daboll should be in the conversation for Coach of the Year honours, and both offensive pieces Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley have had great success in contract years. 

Yes, this team has had some luck along the way and there are probably better teams that missed out on the playoffs, but New York played good football late in games that has gotten them to this point. The only worry is how far they can go. The Giants are 2-6 against playoff teams and the only team they beat by more than eight points this season was the helpless Colts. They drew the easy straw in Minnesota, as there’s certainly a chance they can get revenge this weekend.

Up next: at Minnesota, Sunday 9:30 p.m. GMT

  1. Seattle Seahawks (9-8)

It certainly wasn’t pretty, and despite entering the week with a 16% chance to make the playoffs, the Seahawks got it done. The majority of their thanks can go towards the Lions, who had no hard feelings with Seattle who eliminated Detroit an hour before their win in Green Bay. 

Now the Seahawks set up a NFC West rivalry matchup with the Niners, that has playoff history in its roots. The two teams last met in Week 15 on a Thursday night game that was not as close as the 21-13 score indicated. Crazier things have happened in the past but Seattle must play the game of their life if they intend to get the last laugh this season with San Francisco.

Up next: at San Francisco, Saturday 9:30 p.m. GMT

  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)

If every one of these teams had their starting QB healthy, Tampa would then rank last on this list. Luckily that’s not the case, so they can at least rank one spot higher. In fact their QB, Tom Brady is the Bucs’ only hope of progressing any further in what might be his last game for the team.

Never count out Tom Brady, especially in the playoffs, but this is an offence that has scored more than 23 points just twice all season and a defence that is mightily inconsistent. When you then also put a head coach in charge who looks lost at times, it’s fair to think why Brady may be done with this team. 

Up next: vs. Dallas, Tuesday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Miami Dolphins (9-8)

It’s a shame Tua Tagovailoa has had the concussions he has withstood this season, as a rematch against the Bills would have been electric. But for the player’s safety, it’s the right choice to sit him. 

Unfortunately without him, rookie QB Skyler Thompson can’t keep up with Mike McDaniel’s fast playing style and the defence is far too weak to win games for them. The rollercoaster of the Dolphins’ season finished on a high in the regular season, but it’s hard to see anything other than it going back down for the playoffs.

Up next: at Buffalo, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

rozomaldini Smashmouthing Football

Next Weekend’s NFL fixtures

Here are the NFL fixtures for Wildcard Weekend Games.

All times are GMT. 

Saturday

Seahawks @ 49ers at 9.30pm 

Chargers @ Jaguars at 1.15am on Saturday Night Football

Sunday 

Dolphins @ Bills at 6pm 

Giants @ Vikings at 9.30 

Ravens @ Bengals at 1.15am on Sunday Night Footballl

Monday 

Cowboys @ Buccaneers 1.15 on Monday Night Football

rozomaldini NFL Power Rankings, Week 16

Week 16 Power Rankings

Week 16 Power Rankings

By Conor Perrett

What a weekend of NFL football!

It kept on getting better and better during Week 15 of the season which included the biggest comeback in league history, two comebacks of 17 points and probably the dumbest last play we’ve ever seen in the NFL.

So without further ado, let’s get ranking everyone.

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-1)

Last Week – 1st

Just when you think Philly will have an easy path to the No. 1 seed with Dallas’ loss, a bit of drama struck at the end with QB and MVP frontrunner, Jalen Hurts expected to miss the next two weeks with a shoulder sprain in his throwing arm. 

The Eagles should be fine in the meantime and still hold their own fate, but it’s always a worry to see your quarterback go down with an injury to his throwing shoulder. It’s the most prized possession of any QB and when issues start popping up, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Gardener Minshew has a chance to play a hero, similar to Nick Foles back during Philadelphia’s last Super Bowl run.

Up next: at Dallas, Saturday 9:25 p.m. GMT

2. Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)

Last Week – 2nd

The Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes still own the AFC’s No. 1 seed, but it got a bit shaky when they went to overtime with the Texans. Mahomes completed 36 of 41 pass attempts, good for the best completion percentage of his career at 87.7%. He started and finished the game, yet it got to squeaky bum time by the end, against the worst team in the league.

Why was that? Their 24th ranked defensive DVOA is why!

Kansas City has never had an amazing defence, but this season has been worse than normal. They’re currently on pace to have the worst defence in the playoffs, as Mahomes and the offence tries to carry this team further.

Up next: vs. Seattle, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

3. Buffalo Bills (11-3)

Last Week – 3rd

Whether Josh Allen is 100% or not, it will never stop him going to the lengths of superman diving over the goal line in the snow to win for his team. Allen is the second-ranked quarterback in EPA per drop-back behind just Mahomes. 

This Bills team still doesn’t quite feel like its normal self with injuries stacking up, especially on defence, but they still boast the shortest odds of winning the Super Bowl.

Up next: at Chicago, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

Tied 4.  Cincinnati Bengals (10-4)

Last Week – 4th

We have our first tied rankings of the season, with the Bengals and 49ers being too close to split in my opinion. In all honesty this could have been a triple tie along with the Cowboys, if they didn’t throw away a late lead.

We knew just how good this Bengals team could be when we saw them get to the Super Bowl last year. Since then, their young players have progressed and are starting to look even better. They had no easy path towards the end of this season to progress to the postseason after a slow start, but they’ve stepped up to the plate and now look like a serious Super Bowl contenders. 

Up next: at New England, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

Tied 4. San Francisco 49ers (10-4)

Last Week – 5th

The Niners moved up half a spot his week, with me having them tied with Cincinnati.

If I was a betting man, part of me thinks this team could make it to the Super Bowl out of the NFC. Their defence is the best in the league with the aggression they come at offences with and they’ve done it before. There will always be question marks at the QB position, especially when the last pick of this past draft is starting, but Kyle Shanahan may be the offensive genius in the league. Not to mention San Fran are peaking at the right time and are currently on a seven-game winning streak. 

Up next: vs. Washington, Saturday 9:05 p.m. GMT

6. Dallas Cowboys (10-4)

Last Week – 6th

The recent Jalen Hurts injury news might be worse to hear from a Dallas fan than it actually is for Eagles fans. Philadelphia has maintained a two-win gap from the Cowboys for the majority of the year, but with the Cowboys collapse on Sunday to Jacksonville, that now grew to three with three games to play.

With the Eagles missing the engine to their machine and them playing each other on Christmas Eve, Dallas had a chance to cut the lead down to one and claim the top spot in the NFC. Now they are staring down the 5th seed and face many playoff games on the road, if they keep progressing to the Big Show.

Up next: vs. Philadelphia, Saturday 9:25 p.m. GMT

7. Miami Dolphins (8-6)

Last Week – 7th

“They look the business right now and we’ll find out how real they are in the next few weeks when they travel to San Francisco, LA for the Chargers and to Buffalo.” 

That quote is from my rankings three weeks ago about the Dolphins.

Back then they were ranked third and we found out how real they were, losing every one of those games. That was a really difficult set of fixtures and I still view them at the bottom of the contenders, but a blueprint on how to slow down this offence was created by San Fran, and showed the rest of the league how to do it.

The difficult run doesn’t end here, with their last three games still against teams in the playoff hunt. Two of which are divisional rivals in the AFC as well.

Up next: vs. Green Bay, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

8. Minnesota Vikings (11-3)

Last Week – 9th

Just when you think the Vikings have run out of luck and can’t keep coming back with these ridiculous comebacks, they prove you wrong and one up themselves. Being down 33-0 at halftime, Minnesota triumphed back and managed to get the win in overtime. It was the biggest comeback in NFL history, as the Vikings totaled for five second-half touchdowns.

Minnesota has been involved in 10 one-score games and has managed to win all 10 of them. It does speak to volume that the Vikings have only managed to win one game by more than one score, but if that’s how they want to get to the second best record in the league, then we cant really complain.

Up next: vs. New York Giants, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

9. Detroit Lions (7-7)

Last Week – 11th

After starting the season 1-6 and holding the worst record in the league, the Lions have restored their roar and won six games in their last seven matches. That could have very easily been seven wins out of seven if it wasn’t for a Josh Allen wonder-throw, but Detroit are in full swing right now. Since Week 11, via DVOA, they rank the Lions as the 4th best team in that span, with Dan Campbell turning things around.

Their win in New York this past Sunday wasn’t any means of a classic, with a missed field-goal to tie the game by from the Jets. But they are showing they can win in a multitude of ways. Their offence has shown to be high powered and capable of scoring 30 points in a shootout manner, while Sunday’s win showed another side of them, winning a low scoring, sluggish affair on the road.

Up next: at Carolina, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

10. Baltimore Ravens (9-4)

Last Week – 8th

Lamar Jackson is reportedly likely to return this week after a two-game absence from a knee injury. That’s good, because Baltimore managed just three points against the 26th-ranked DVOA Browns’ defence, with Tyler Huntley at the helm. If Jackson was healthy this team would be ranked higher, as the defence has improved over the second half of the season.

The offence does have question marks at the skill positions, with a lacklustre of talent. So keeping Jackson in the off-season will be ever so more important. 

Up next: vs. Atlanta, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

11. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

Last Week – 13th

The Chargers’ two-game winning streak gives them a 79.3% chance to make the playoffs, per Football Outsiders. It was starting to get a bit worrying for Brandon Staley and that coaching staff and with a closing schedule that looks relatively easy, they’ve pulled off some impressive wins of late.

The most impressive turnaround is on defence. We knew this defence under Staley could be great and they have, ranking 3rd in defensive DVOA over the last two weeks.

Up next: at Indianapolis, Tuesday 1:15 a.m. GMT

12. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-8)

Last Week – 17th

Trevor Lawrence has finally hit the NFL and he’s single-handedly helping Jacksonville have a legit shot at winning the AFC South. Since Week 9, Lawrence has been the 3rd ranked QB in EPA per dropback and developing into what we saw of him in college. 

The are level with Tennessee in the AFC South and have their Week 18 rematch with the Titans in Jacksonville still to come. It seems destined that the winner gets into the playoffs.

Up next: at New York Jets, Friday 1:15 a.m. GMT

13. New York Jets (7-7)

Last Week – 12th

The Jets playoff chances dropped -15.4% in their defeat on Sunday, as the offence still struggles under Zach Wilson. Their defence is for real, keeping Detroit’s offence quiet all day apart from a sneaky 4th & 1 which caught them off guard. With how that unit is playing it would feel disrespectful for them to miss out, but there’s a reason why the QB position is the most important in football and it’s showing in New York. 

Up next: vs. Jacksonville, Friday 1:15 a.m. GMT

14. New York Giants (8-5-1)

Last Week – 19th

With their huge win in Washington, the Giants playoff chances jumped up a whopping 39.4% to 89.6%. They now hold a one-game lead over the Commanders and a 1.5-game lead on Detroit and Seattle. Their matchup this week to Minnesota could be a potentially Wild-Card preview in a few weeks time, as Brain Daboll and company have pulled off a miracle in New York’s first season under the new regime.

Up next: at Minnesota, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

15. Washington Commanders (7-6-1)

Last Week – 10th

Washington still remains in the No. 7 seed in the NFC, but a tricky last three games could see them slip out. Their game against the Giants couldn’t have been any bigger for both teams to make it into the postseason, as it felt the loser of that game was always going to have a tough time keeping that dream alive. 

Officiating calls will always be talked about, but in a must win game to score 12 points at home, is criminal in itself.

Up next: at San Francisco, Saturday 9:05 p.m. GMT

16. Green Bay Packers (6-8)

Last Week – 20th

If Green Bay can do the unlikely thing of winning out in their last three games, it would seem very likely they then sneak into the playoffs. The only thing stopping them, is those next three opponents all rank in the top-9 of these power rankings. With Miami next, who rank 4th in offensive DVOA, the Packers are 0-3 to teams in the top-10 of that statistic.

It won’t be an easy task and maybe will be one last effort from Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.

Up next: at Miami, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

17. Tennessee Titans (7-7)

Last Week – 14th

Things are really not going well for the Titans, with them losing four games on the bounce. With Jacksonville fast approaching behind them, starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill is slated to miss the end of the season with an ankle injury. It means they will have to fall back on rookie QB Malik Willis, who underwhelmed in his previous starts early in the season. 

With a rookie QB at the helm and not scoring more than 22 points in any of the last four games, Tennessee still has everything to play for in these last three games.

Up next: vs. Houston, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

18. New England Patriots (7-7)

Last Week – 15th

It’s probably best we don’t speak about the dumbest last play ever, I mentioned in the intro for the sake of New England fans who might have only just started getting over it.

For the few that havent seen it, just watching it will explain everything.

Up next: vs. Cincinnati, Saturday 1 p.m. GMT

19. Tampa Buccaneers (6-8)

Last Week – 18th

Despite the underwhelming record, Tampa still leads the worst division in recent memory. They have three favourable games to finish the year, but it’s all still up in the air in the NFC South. One game separates the four of them, as maybe no one won in the long term of things in the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick divorce.

Except for the Super Bowl of course.

Up next: at Arizona, Monday 1:20 a.m. GMT

20. Seattle Seahawks (7-7)

Last Week – 16th

After a promising start to the season, the playoffs might be getting out of Seattle’s reach now with one win in their last five games. With the Chiefs next and wide-receiver Tyler Lockett needing hand surgery, it was still a successful season for the side. 

Their roster looks young and promising and they might not have to draft a QB after all, with the emergence of 2022 Pro-Bowler Geno Smith. The Seahawks currently hold the third pick in the draft thanks to Denver, with them waiting to run up to the podium for a defensive beast if the situation remains.

Up next: at Kansas City, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-8)

Last Week – 22nd

The Steelers got an important win in Carolina to try and keep Mike Tomlin’s streak of a .500 season alive. It included an impressive 21-play touchdown drive to open the second half, which lasted nearly the entire third quarter. The season may be lost in terms of competing for things, but it wasn’t all failure as they transitioned away from the Ben Roethlisberger era.

Up next: vs. Las Vegas, Sunday 1:15 a.m. GMT

22. Cleveland Browns (6-8)

Last Week – 23rd

The expectation of Deshaun Watson’s play was hard to predict with his return, but I don’t think anyone thought it was going to be this bad. With QB’s that have started three games, he ranks 39th out of 43 quarterbacks. This is a player the Browns traded three 1st-round picks for, gave $230 million and their entire dignity for. With a run defence that is still historically bad, I can probably speak for many that are smirking to see this move not pay off.

Up next: vs. New Orleans, Saturday 1 p.m. GMT

23. Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)

Last Week – 24th

Entering Week 15, the Raiders were 0-4 in games when they led by double digits at the half and it should have dropped to 0-5 if it wasn’t for the Patriots embarrassing themselves. This keeps happening because Josh McDaniels is constantly getting out-coached with second-half adjustments. He has shown no ability to learn from it, as it’s no surprise a team trying to replicate the ‘Patriots Way’ is failing.  

Up next: at Pittsburgh, Sunday 1:15 a.m. GMT

24. Denver Broncos (4-9)

Last Week – 28th

I was one of the first to be down on the Broncos after their horrific start, and I will now put my foot forward to be one of the first to say this team should be this high up. The defence has been elite all year, yet the offence has let them down every stretch of the way. But over the last two weeks I’ve seen the improvement we’ve all been crying out for which is scoring points. 

After only scoring more than 17 points twice in their first 12 games, they’ve now scored 52 points over the last two games. Now, I don’t know if this improvement will keep Nathaniel Hackett his head coaching job at the end of the season, but it’s the improvement we needed to see at least.

Up next: at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday 9:30 p.m. GMT

25. New Orleans Saints (5-9)

Last Week – 27th

Believe it or not, these next three teams we are going to talk about in the bottom quarter of the rankings, all still have a shot at making the playoffs. Why do you ask? Because they all belong to the worst division in football, the NFC South.

This segment should be dedicated towards the changes the NFL should make to the playoff structure. The NBA found themselves in a similar situation a few years back and they scrapped the idea of divisional winners hosting and playing in the playoffs. It’s worse for everyone involved. One of these four teams will be unfit to compete, the fans have to pay and watch to see their team get battered and a worthy team is sat at home missing out.

Up next: at Cleveland, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

26. Carolina Panthers (5-9)

Last Week – 21st

To further prove my point on why the NFC South division sucks, there is a realistic world where all fours teams in the division can finish with a record of 6-11 record and one of them make the playoffs. So yes, change this immediately please!!!

Up next: vs. Detroit, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

27. Atlanta Falcons (5-9)

Last Week – 25th

How do you ask that a four way tie of 6-11 can come into play? Lemme set it out for you.

Buccaneers: Lose to Cardinals, Panthers and Falcons.

Saints: Lose to Browns, Eagles and beat Panthers.

Panthers: Lose to Lions, beat Buccaneers and lose to Saints.

Falcons: Lose to Ravens, Cardinals and beat Buccaneers.

So really apart from some 50/50 games against each other, if the Cardinals can revive their season late on, this could all come into play.

Up next: at Baltimore, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

28. Arizona Cardinals (4-10)

Last Week – 26th

Back to the normal chatter now. After Kyler Murray suffered a torn ACL in the previous week, there are now reports of a change coming to the front office less than a year after both general manager Steve Keim and head coach Kliff Kingsbury received extensions. The Cardinals seem destined for a top-4 pick in the draft and with a potential new regime in place, anything could be on the cards (if you pardon the pun).

Up next: vs. Tampa Bay, Monday 1:20 a.m. GMT

29. Los Angeles Rams (4-10)

Last Week – 29th

Expectations came back down to reality for the Rams, after Baker Mayfield and the offence failed to capitalise on their momentum against the Packers on MNF. Now on Christmas Day, they host Denver. The game for most will be viewed as two bad teams against each other, but for the Seahawks and Lions it will be a must watch. 

Seattle and Detroit both own the rights to Denver’s’ and Los Angeles’ first-round picks, which currently stand as the 3rd and 4th picks in this upcoming draft. For the team that loses, the chances of a top-3 selection comes every closer. For the unlucky winner, a higher draft pick.

Up next: at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday 9:30 p.m. GMT

30. Indianapolis Colts (4-9-1)

Last Week – 30th

Similar to New England, what the hell were Indy thinking in that second half. How does one lose a game when they’re up by 33 points? Apparently hire a coach with no coaching experience and play him against the Minnesota Vikings. 

In all honesty the Colts were fortunate to be up by that much in the first place, with a lot of things going in their favour, but to then give up 36 points in a single half. Just scoring 30 points a game is an accomplishment for any team. In Indy’s last two fourth quarters, they have been outscored by 55 to 0. Safe to say Jeff Saturday most likely won’t be in-line for the permanent head coaching role now.

Up next: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Tuesday 1:15 a.m. GMT

31. Chicago Bears (3-11)

Last Week – 31st

Chicago saw exactly what Justin Fields could be this past Sunday against Hurts and the Eagles. Both QB’s are very similar in playstyle, yet on one side you saw what happens when there is no talent to protect or pass to. Watching Fields, I still don’t know if he has a promising future as a passer, but if one thing is for sure, he may be one of the best quarterbacks I’ve seen when scrambling. Week in week out he has a spectacular play which leaves your jaw dropped, but until this front office puts pieces around him on offence, there won’t be much success for the Bears.

Up next: vs. Buffalo, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

32. Houston Texans (1-12-1)

Last Week – 32nd

Though the Texans managed to take the Chiefs to overtime in Week 15, they’re still far out from doing that on a consistent basis. The two-quarterback approach with Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel is innovative, but there’s no reason to take them seriously until they’re starting one good QB rather than two bad ones.

Up next: at Tennessee, Saturday 6 p.m. GMT

rozomaldini NFL Column, Week 15

It’s NFL Saturday 

By David McDonnell 

Somewhat surprisingly, there are three NFL games tonight. 

WIth the college football regular season finished, Saturday night is a great night to watch NFL matches as we sail into the business end of the year. In the NFC, the Eagles and the 49ers have already secured playoff berths, and tonight both the Vikings and the Bills can add their names to the postseason football list.

Dolphins v Bills

The late game sees the Dolphins play the Bills with a 1.15 kickoff. 

Miami currently sit sixth in the AFC playoff positions with a record of 8-4 but should they lose tonight, then they could be joined by the Chargers, Jets and Patriots on 8-4 by the end of the weekend.

The Dolphins are stuttering of late and have lost on their last two outings against the 49ers and the Chargers. Last time out they were competitive against the Bolts with their defence competing well for most of the contest.  It kept them in the game. Christain WIlikns was their standout player especially in the opening half. 

Where they struggled mightily was on offence, outside of Tyreek Hill. Their run game was very poor with Raheem Mostert their leading rusher with only 37 yards on 11 carries. The passing game wasn’t much better with Tua Tagovailoa clearly playing through injury. All he could muster was 145 yards, most of which went on one deep play to Hill for a touchdown. 

It is hard to be overly critical of a quarterback when they are not 100% healthy but the lack of a running threat is hindering their play-action game, which allows their receivers time to get down the field for big yardage.  

This week they came up against a Bills defence that played very well last time out. They limited the Jets rushing attack to 76 yards and hit Mike White so hard and so often, he is out this weekend with a rib injury. 

Josh Allen is back to ballin out every week and he is taking very little care with his body as he is steaming into tackles regularly to pick up first downs. I think his play has become a bit predictable recently and in the fourth quarter he is almost always opting to back himself to run with ball in hand to extend drives. I believe it is only a matter of when he is going to get hit and pick up a significant injury. I hope i’m wrong because he is brilliant to watch and i want to see him mixing it with Mahimes, Burrow and Jackson in the play-offs.

For tonight, I can’t see past a Buffalo victory and with it a guaranteed postseason appearance. Maybe then Allen will protect himself a bit more in the last three games in order to be fresh for the games that truly matter in their quest for a Superbowl. 

The other games tonight see the Vikings v Colts and the Ravens v Browns.

Of the two, I am more interested to see the AFC North divisional matchup. It will be the third start for Deshaun Watson under centre for Cleveland, but his first in a national broadcast. So far he has looked rusty but I haven’t had an opportunity to see him in a full game so that will be of interest to me. 

It’s a pity Lamar Jackson is still out. 

His replacement Tyler Huntley had to leave the field last week with a concussion and didn’t return but he is expected to start tonight with Anthony Brown waiting in the wings. Without Lamar the Ravens lack bite making Baltimore very predictable. They will try to run over the Browns and although Cleveland have little to nothing to play for, a divisional win is always a nice way to keep your supporters onside heading into the offseason. 

I think this Ravens defence is one of the best in the league and I expect this to be a low scoring affair. This is a toss of the coin for me, but without Lamar I think the Browns take this one.

In the 6pm kickoff, I expect the Vikings to score enough to beat the Colts who have been dismal in pass protection this season. Minnesota will be playing post season football but I remain unconvinced by the Vikings all season and I’m not changing my tune now. 

rozomaldini NFL Power Rankings, Week 11

Week 11 Power Rankings

By Conor Perrett 

With another week of the NFL season ticked off the list, our rankings look like an iPod on shuffle with only three teams remaining in their same spot from last week. We had one of the craziest games in the last four years, an upset no one saw coming and an interim head coach who’s now undefeated in his coaching career.

So without further ado, let’s welcome our newcomers to the top spot of the Smashmouthing

Football Power Rankings. 

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2)

Last Week – 3rd

The Chiefs lead the league in offensive EPA per drive with a mark of 1.23. For reference, that would be the highest mark in TruMedia’s database since the 2011 New Orleans Saints. The difference in EPA per drive between the Chiefs and the No. 2 team, the Dolphins, is the same as the difference between Miami and the No. 15 team.

Despite losing Tyreek Hill this off-season, Kansas City continue to light up the league as Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid adapt to their new cast. Kadarius Toney is the newest man to enter that bunch and his emergence on Sunday was promising. The 2021 first-round pick caught four passes for 57 yards and a touchdown, while adding two carries for 33 yards. He looks to be an exciting weapon that they happily took off the hands of the Giants.

Up next: at Los Angeles Chargers, Monday 1:20 a.m. GMT

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)

Last Week – 1st

Philadelphia’s run finally ended leaving us without an undefeated team in the league now. The turnover battle finally caught up to them on Monday Night, as crucial mistakes led to the upset loss versus the Commanders. It marked the first time this season the Eagles had trailed in the second half at any point and two costly late fumbles in the fourth quarter spoiled any chances of a comeback win.

While it’s easy to brush over uncharacteristic mistakes, this defence has really struggled to stop the run over the last two weeks. Nose tackle Jordan Davis has missed both games after being placed on IR and Philly has now given up 320 rushing yards in that time. This run defence got brushed over last week and it’s clear now it’s a problem. Today, the Eagles signed former Charger’s DT Linval Joseph to a one-year deal in a bid to address this issue. 

Up next: at Indianapolis, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Miami Dolphins (7-3)

Last Week – 7th

The Dolphins have been on a roller-coaster across these power rankings, flying up and down the board. On our first edition they started off 2nd but fell as low as 20th at one point during Tua’s concussion injury. Now they have their QB back and boy are they back to being electric. Over the last three weeks Miami have averaged 35 points per game and most recently dropped 39 points on the Browns, who we last saw shutdown the Bengals.

The run game looks dominant, the pass game looks unstoppable, they just need to fix up that defence and we might have a new Super Bowl contender on our hands.

Up next: Bye

  1. Minnesota Vikings (7-2)

Last Week – 10th

Before we get into my weekly Vikings rant, that Justin Jefferson catch might be one of the best I’ve ever seen.  It alone could earn that title but it was ridiculous when you account for the down and distance along with the stakes. 

As for whether the Vikings are actually one of the league’s four best teams, that’s up for debate. Their play up to date didn’t warrant having the tied best record in the league, but can they be taken seriously now that they beat what many thought to be the best team in football in their own backyard? I’m still skeptical but Sunday’s late rally did them many favours. Maybe they are for real?

Up next: vs. Dallas, Sunday 9:25 p.m. GMT

  1. Buffalo Bills (6-3)

Last Week – 2nd

The NFL season is a slog, and the Bills aren’t the first team to hit a mid-season bump after looking like the best team early on. There’s plenty of reason to believe they can get to that level again. They still rank No. 1 in overall DVOA, with a 1st and 5th defensive and offensive DVOA rankings respectively. But the road ahead won’t be easy.

For starters the real problem right now is they sit third in their AFC East division. With a 0-2 record in the division, that could come back to haunt them, if they have to win three road games to make it to a Super Bowl. If anyone can do it then Josh Allen would be a good choice, but his 13 turnovers on the year would worry you.

Up next: vs. Cleveland, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Baltimore Ravens (6-3)

Last Week – 5th

The bye week is in place to get teams healthy and so it did with Mark Andrews likely to return this Sunday. The doors have opened for Baltimore to fight for the AFC No. 1 seed now.

Up next: vs. Carolina, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. San Francisco 49ers (5-4)

Last Week – 6th

The 49ers still look good and one of my favourites out of the NFC, but Kyle Shanahan does do some weird stuff that puts questions in your mind. First, remember that trade they did for Christian McCaffery where they sent an entire draft class to earn his rights. Well he started off amazingly but this past Sunday he got out-carried by Elijah Mitchell. Next, San Fran decided to kick a field goal from the two-yard line with one minute remaining to extend the Niners lead to six points. What was that about?

Now it meant the Chargers had to score a touchdown to win, but if he was successful from the two, it would have ended the game and not allow Justin Herbert to get a chance to spoil the party. It was only one game and San Francisco won in the end, so we won’t overreact but late game management has been Shanahan’s Achilles heel in the past. 

Up next: at Arizona, Tuesday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Dallas Cowboys (6-3)

Last Week – 4th

Dallas blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in their loss at Lambeau Field, after their defence fell apart. But Dak Prescott’s turnovers can’t keep happening if the Cowboys are going to be a serious threat in the playoffs. Despite throwing for three touchdowns, Dak did not have a good game as he finished this week ranked 31st in EPA per dropback.

Sunday was a chance to get a game behind the Eagles and have fate back in their hands. Now they’re coming off an ugly defeat and have to play Minnesota this week, who are feeling a sense of high like no other team after the way they upset the Bills in Buffalo. 

Up next: at Minnesota, Sunday 9:25 p.m. GMT 

  1. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)

Last Week – 9th

The bye week for Cincinnati didn’t make the look of their remaining schedule any easier, but they have a nice warm up fight against Pittsburgh this week to get ready for the seven difficult weeks after that.

Up next: at Pittsburgh, Sunday 9:25 p.m. GMT

  1. Seattle Seahawks (6-4)

Last Week – 8th

Things didn’t go great for the Seahawks in Germany, but overall this team is in a rebuilding year, yet are still 6-4 with rookies all over the place. Seattle are leading the league in offensive and defensive snaps played by first-year players, according to TruMedia.

The Seahawks rookie class includes a pair of starting tackles in Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, an ascending star corner-back, who’s tied first for interceptions in the league, Tariq Woolen and a dynamic home hitter running-back in Kenneth Walker.  

Up next: Bye

  1. New York Jets (6-3)

Last Week – 11th

Defensive star Quinnen Williams has hit the quarterback on 6.5% of his pass-rush snaps this year. To put that into context Aaron Donald, who needs no explaining, has a single season high mark of 5.1%. The Jets have themselves a player on their hands and their defence is among the elite in the NFL this season. 

Up next: at New England, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT.

  1. Tennessee Titans (6-3)

Last Week – 12th

Barring a collapse, Tennessee looks to be hosting a play-off game come January. This defence has looked strong in the last few weeks but we will get to see who they really are in their next three-game stretch. First they travel to Green Bay for Thursday Night Football, and then follow that up with the Bengals and Eagles. If the Titans want to be serious in the playoffs then they can prove it here, but if not then the door might open slightly ajar for Jacksonville or Indianapolis.

Up next: at Green Bay, Friday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5)

Last Week – 16th

Tampa’s running game finally came into fruition when rookie Rachaad White ran for 105 yards on 22 carries in Munich. It’s the first time as a team they have topped 100 rushing yards since Week 1, as Tom Brady got some much deserved help.

The defence is looking better, ranking 7th in defensive DVOA as they take control of their NFC South division. The ball is in their court now as they hold a one game lead over Atlanta and only have to face two teams in their remaining seven games that rank higher than 18th in these Power Rankings.

Up next: Bye

  1. New England Patriots (5-4)

Last Week – 13th

The Patriots are the only team with a winning record that ranks in the bottom 10 of the league in offensive DVOA. It speaks to how well their defence have played this year, but also to the limitations they face with the ball in their hands. Their run game is strong but teams have caught onto that and they are packing the box to stop it. 

This theoretically should open up the passing game but right now, Mac Jones ranks 34th out of 35 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA per dropback. Whether the blame is to fall on Jones, his receivers, or Matt Patricia, whose offensive play calling is up for debate. One way or another things will have to change for a deep season for Pat’s run.

Up next: vs. New York Jets, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. New York Giants (7-2)

Last Week – 14th

Yes, the Giants have the third best record in the league, yet are 15th in these power rankings. While their play on the field creates their record, it also speaks to how good they are and you could also say they have had a bit of fortune.

In DVOA they rank 20th in overall, split between 15th on offence and 24th on defence. They’re 7-1 in one-score games, which says a lot about their mentality but is probably unsustainable and masks their overall quality. The Giants are probably going to be a playoff team, which would be an awesome accomplishment for Brian Daboll in his first year on the job. They just aren’t yet among the league’s best yet. 

Up next: vs. Detroit, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Washington Commanders (5-5)

Last Week – 22nd

Credit to the Commanders for fully committing to their run-heavy game plan in the first half of their 32-21 win over the Eagles. It hadn’t been a strength of theirs to date, but they played on the Eagles weakness and it worked out. They ended up holding the ball for 40:24, the second most lopsided time of possession in a game this season.

There was no bigger way for Washington to cement this kind of win, as they get back to .500 on the season and can push on for the playoffs.

Up next: at Houston, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Los Angeles Chargers (5-4)

Last Week – 15th

The Chargers can look to injuries for their failure this season so far, but they have the second easiest schedule in the league, per Football Outsiders. They’ve been poor offensively and defensively throughout the season and Sunday’s game against the Niners might have looked close, but should have been finished way before the last drive.

Before the season this Kansas City matchup looked really tasty. Let’s hope they can get Keenan Allen and Mike Williams back so we can see an exciting shootout.

Up next: vs. Kansas City, Monday 1:20 a.m. GMT

  1. Green Bay Packers (4-6)

Last Week – 26th

Christian Watson was a riser up the draft boards earlier in the year with his performances in the Senior Bowl and draft combine. He found himself land on the Packers and was instantly expected to make an impact in the Davante Adams-less wide-receiver room. 

Things didn’t start off great when he dropped a touchdown pass on his first NFL target and entered Sunday with only 88 receiving yards. But against the Cowboys he put his name on the scene with his three touchdown performance. With four catches for 107 yards and those touchdowns, it led the Packers back to a comeback win over the Cowboys and former coach Mike McCarthy.

The Packers offence in that fourth quarter was different to anything we had seen all season, but is it just an anomaly?

Up next: vs. Tennessee, Friday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Arizona Cardinals (4-6)

Last Week – 23rd

Kyler Murray missed the game on Sunday due to a hamstring injury, as Colt McCoy took his place and excelled. He went 26 of 37 for 238 yards and a touchdown, as McCoy looked better than, dare I say, Murray. Colt also got rid of the ball quicker than Murray has all season, with a 2.08 second average time to throw, which caused the Rams all kinds of problems getting to him. Murray is day-to-day according to Kliff Kingsbury at the moment, but against another top defence this week, there is little reason why Colt can’t do it again.

Up next: vs. San Francisco, Tuesday 1:15 a.m. GMT

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7)

Last Week – 21st

The Jaguars opened their game against the Chefs this week with a successful onside kick! Sadly it went downhill from there. There’s no shame losing to Kansas City but this team has been playing better than their record suggests. Their first round picks Devin Lloyd and Travon Walker are looking solid, as their offence is coming together with Christian Kirk and Travis Etienne. Trevor Lawrence should continue to improve as the Jags add more talent around him, with a good foundation in place for 2023 and onwards.

Up next: Bye

  1. Cleveland Browns (3-6)

Last Week – 17th

That was not the kind of performance we were expecting out of the Browns this week. Granted they have been poor this season, but before their bye week we saw them put on an amazing performance both on offence and defence during a prime time game against the Bengals. It looked like their 31st ranked DVOA defence was about to turn things around and then they took a big defeat to the Dolphins. A playoff appearance continues to look out of reach, even when they get Desahun Watson back in two and a half weeks time.

Up next: at Buffalo, Sunday 1 p.m. GMT

  1. Detroit Lions (3-6)

Last Week – 27th

Woo-ah!!! The Detroit Lions won back-to-back games against divisional opponents for the first time in what feels like an eternity. This team showed exactly what Dan Campbell wants out of his team, with a 14-point fourth quarter comeback. 

Justin Fields continued to dominate with his legs until his old familiar Ohio State teammate, Jeff Okudah scored a pick-six. They proceeded to stop Fields again with two sacks to get the ball back on downs, as this team is starting to finish games they control. Now can Detroit continue this run and put an end to the surprising Giants on the road this week? I am optimistic they can. 

Up next: at New York Giants, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Chicago Bears (3-7)

Last Week – 24th

The Bears went from 30th in offensive DVOA over the first six weeks of the season to 5th in offensive DVOA over the last four weeks. Sunday against Detroit was no different, with the offence catering to Justin Fields’ legs more as he looks like one of the league’s best scramblers. 

They were up two scores but when Detroit came back and forced the Bears into a potential game winning drive, Chicago fell back into their bad habits of the first six weeks. With two minutes on the clock, three timeouts remaining and only needing 50 yards to get inside field goal range, the ball was put into Field’s arm instead of using his amazing legs. It led to exactly what we had been seeing at the start of the season with no one open and allowing the pass-rush to get in his face. Not surprisingly, it ended with a gut-wrenching home defeat.

Up next: at Atlanta, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Denver Broncos (3-6)

Last Week – 20th

Denver spent way too much to acquire Russell Wilson for the offence to still be this bad. The bye week is meant to be a time where teams review how things are going and change the things that aren’t working. Well Denver looked the same as they have every week and that’s not a good thing. There’s going to be a lot of pressure to make significant changes at the end of the season to ensure their bet on Wilson hits, which could mean first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett being given the old heave-ho if things don’t improve dramatically.

Up next: vs. Las Vegas, Sunday 9:05 p.m. GMT

  1. Los Angeles Rams (3-6)

Last Week – 19th

All is lost for the Rams this season. They were already a long shot to make the playoffs going into Week 10, and their odds only worsened with a loss to the Cardinals. Now they’re expected to miss their best offensive player Cooper Kupp for an extended period of time, possibly four weeks. Maybe a few players including Aaron Donald in Los Angeles might be wishing they had retired after that Super Bowl win last February. 

Up next: at New Orleans, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Atlanta Falcons (4-6)

Last Week – 18th

The season is still far from over but that loss last Thursday Night to the Panthers was ugly. Marcus Mariota is a big part of their successful rushing attack which ranks 5th in EPA per rush, but he’s not getting the ball out well and that’s not good when their best player is a pass catcher.

With Desmond Ridder waiting in the wings, his time may come sooner rather than later. It’s important to enter an off-season with a clear idea of what your team is and understanding if Ridder has a place in this league is a big question they will need to know.  If Ridder is not the answer, Atlanta may think of upgrading at that position.

Up next: vs. Chicago, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6)

Last Week – 29th

Pittsburgh came out of their bye week last Sunday with a clear idea in mind of how they were going to beat the Saints. That idea was running the ball and boy were they successful, running it for 217 yards in that win. Just two months on from tearing his pectoral muscle, T.J. Watt returned to the field with the Steelers now looking on the rise. His presence allowed a season low 10 points against the Saints, and if their defensive performances can stay consistent, it will only make things easier on the other side of the ball for rookie quarterback: Kenny Pickett.

Up next: vs. Cincinnati, Sunday 9:25 p.m. GMT

  1. Carolina Panthers (3-7)

Last Week – 30th

The Panthers were a laughing stock at the beginning of the season, but their young defensive players are starting to look like stars out there. Derrick Brown is looking like the destructive nose tackle we saw from him in Auburn and Jaycee Horn currently leads all corner-back with over 200-plus snaps played in passer rating, with 23.1 yards allowed, according to PFF. Along with edge rusher Brian Burns and safety Jeremy Chinn, Carolina has the makings for a top defence. They just need to hire the right head coach for the job.

Up next: at Baltimore, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Indianapolis Colts (4-5-1)

Last Week – 32nd

Almost as stunning as Justin Jefferson’s catch this week was Jeff Saturday winning at his first time of asking on the sideline. Okay maybe a bit of a stretch, but Indy had been a mess this season before Sunday. 

Credit to Saturday and his gameplan, as this was the first time all season the Colts had jumped out to a double-digit lead and the first time since Christmas, they were leading at halftime. It won’t get any easier as Indy faces top of the NFC Philadelphia this week, but there’s still enough time to cement a culture change inside this organisation.

Up next: vs. Philadelphia, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. New Orleans Saints (3-6)

Last Week – 25th

Andy Dalton hasn’t been the main cause to New Orleans problems so far, but he does add limitations to this offence. With the run game not working out and Dalton struggling at times, why not throw Jameis Winston out there? There may be low times with Winston at the helm but at least he will have upside with that. In a way, this team has already hit rock bottom and with nothing to lose in terms of draft picks, they might as well look at the upside Winston offers.

Up next: vs. Los Angeles Rams, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

  1. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)

Last Week – 28th

The Raiders season really is not going to plan and Derek Carr’s emotional post-game press conference made clear how much this season has already bottomed out. Josh McDaniels just got out-coached by a front-office personnel and they rejected the fifth-year option of Josh Jacobs before the start of the season, meaning it’s going to cost them more to keep him or they lose him entirely. 

The chances of playoffs ended a while ago for Vegas and now they have to make sure the culture doesn’t come crashing down, just like how every other Patriot head coach not named Bill Belichick has gone.

Up next: at Denver, Sunday 9:05 p.m. GMT

  1. Houston Texans (1-7-1)

Last Week – 31st

I doubt there are many loud Houston sports fans these days in Ireland and the UK with the worst record in the NFL and NBA. They might be enjoying touch days at the moment, but It looks like a talented draft to have the top draft pick.

Up next: vs. Washington, Sunday 6 p.m. GMT

rozomaldini Monday Night Football, Week 9

MNF: Ravens @ Saints

By Conor Perrett

After finally holding on to a lead, the Baltimore Ravens are starting to hit their stride and have a chance to build upon their AFC North lead. They travel to New Orleans this week, who are looking to win their second consecutive game and get their season back on track. 

New Orleans Saints (3-5)

Power Rankings – 22nd

DVOA Rankings: Offence – 19th, Defence – 12th, ST – 30th: Overall – 22nd

The Saints feel like a team on the rise after their dismantling of the Las Vegas Raiders last week. Their offence has been surprisingly good with Andy Dalton taking over, averaging close to 25 points per game despite several injuries to key players throughout the year. The main culprit to that is Michael Thomas who looks set to miss the rest of the season with a toe injury.

Since setting the NFL record for catches in a single season with 149 in 2019, Thomas has played in just 10 games since. With three of those appearances coming this year, he caught 16 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns.

The story of this game will be whether Dennis Allen can keep the defence playing to how they were last week. Through their first seven games of the season, the Saints defence had failed to hold any team to under 20 points. That changed when they went up against the No. 1 ranked rushing offence by DVOA last week and shut them out. Lucky for them Baltimore also runs a run-heavy offence but it is centred around quarterback Lamar Jackson. Are they up for the task for a second week?

Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

Power Rankings – 5th

DVOA Rankings: Offence – 2nd, Defence – 17th, ST – 1st: Overall – 4th

The Ravens made a huge move before Tuesday’s trade deadline by adding linebacker Roquan Smith to their defence in a trade with the Chicago Bears. This season, the Ravens’ defence has been their main issue, as they have blown multiple double-digit leads late in games. 

Smith is an impact player that should improve that unit, but they’re also getting more help in the outside linebacker department with Tyus Bowser and 2022 draft pick David Ojabo being activated this week.

Ojabo was pick 45 in this year’s draft. He was seen as a first rounder for the majority of the process until a torn Achilles at his Pro Day. Only seven months on from the surgery, he’s looking to show off the pure athleticism we saw in his junior year of college, where he helped Michigan to a playoff appearance. 

Keep an eye on number 90 as he makes his debut and see whether or not he has that same burst off the edge straight away.

The Ravens are also entering a stretch of their schedule where they should be able to keep stacking wins. But with recent injuries to Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews, the offence will need new contributors to stand up and take their place. Another rookie to watch out for is tight-end Isaiah Likely.

Prediction

The Ravens enter this game as the -3 favourites, as they should do with their 5-2 record. They still look like their explosive selves on offence and have new faces in the defence, which can improve that side of the ball.

Despite all of this, I have a sneaky feeling we could see an upset from the Saints. You never want to base too much off of one game, but we finally saw this Saints defence looking better than they have done in years. 

They are missing Marshon Lattimore again which is never good, but the Ravens ruled out their two best pass catchers as well. Their offence might only rank as 19 in DVOA, but they have been scoring points for fun as of late with Dalton throwing nine touchdowns in his five starts.

This should be a fun high scoring game where both teams look to move the ball down the field, but I’m going to lean towards the home team. 

I worry about how much the Ravens offence will be able to do without Andrews, Bateman and Gus Edwards. Lamar Jackson is always capable of putting a team on his back for a game, but against a good Saints offence and a defence that just shut-out their last opponent, it might be a little too much for him. 

Ravens 20, Saints 24

rozomaldini Thursday Night Football, Week 8

Ravens run over Bucs

By David McDonnell

The Baltimore Ravens came to Tampa Bay and rushed for over 200 second-half yards to beat the Buccaneers 27-22 on Thursday Night Football, as Tom Brady lost his third consecutive game for the first time since 2002. 

The home side started with high energy in the contest and scored the first touchdown when Leonard Fournette finished off a 75 yard first quarter drive. 

 

For most of the first half, the Bucs defence was putting constant pressure on the Baltimore attack, including a great sack on Lemar Jackson by the man-mountain that is Vita Vea, when he rushed past his Iowa Hawk-eye college teammate Tyler Linderbaum.

Tampa defensive-end Pat O’Connor managed to keep the score to 3-10 at halftime, when he blocked a late field goal. In hindsight, that was as good as it got for the Bucs. 

Baltimore lost tight-end Mark Andrews to injury and then seemed to double down on their running game. It stopped the Bucs defence from rushing Lemar and Linderbaum was very effective in getting into the second phase and targeting Devin White, thus making him redundant on defence.

After establishing the run game. Lemar started to do his thing and ran proceeding from there out. There was a mix of quarterback runs, play-action and run and pass option plays (RPOs). After a five minute drive, Lamar threw to Kenyon Drake on a screen-pass and he ran into the endzone to tie the game.

On their next drive, Lemar then found replacement tight-end Isaiah Likely at the back of the endzone for the first touchdown of his rookie career. Throwing on the run with a quick release and accurate pass for a terrific touchdown is another example of how much Jackson’s passing game has grown this season.

When Devin Duvernay ran in from 15 yards to make it a two score game, the Ravens never looked likely to surrender this lead.

A couple of Ryan Succop kicks and a very late touchdown by Julio Jones added respectability to the scoreline, as the Bucs have now lost five of their last six games and are no longer top of the NFC South.

rozomaldini Thursday Night Football, Week 8

Thursday Night Football: Ravens @ Buccaneers

By Conor Perrett

This week’s matchup sees two great but very different quarterbacks going head-to-head, as Lamar Jackson and his Ravens visit Raymond James Stadium to face Tom Brady and his Buccaneers.

Brady is your pocket QB that can sniff out any defences and can make any throw in the book. On the other side we have the agile athlete that plays the game in the NFL like it’s a video game in Lamar Jackson. With the Bucs looking to snap a two-game losing streak, they are slight underdogs. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4)

Power Rankings: 17th

DVOA Rankings: Offence – 19th, Defence – 5th, Special Teams – 24th, Overall – 8th

The Buccaneers offence has been one of the biggest disappointments in the league this season, and it has hit rock bottom the past two weeks, scoring just 21 total points in back-to-back losses to Pittsburgh and Carolina. Despite that, the Buccaneers are still tied for first place in the NFC South with a 3-4 record, but they remain a long way from where they expected to be or need to be to compete for an NFC Championship. 

The problem of the Bucs offence has been told all season but what has been kept quiet is the rough month the defence has had as well. 

Despite ranking fifth in defensive DVOA, three of the last four opponents have rushed for at least 150 yards against them. To put that into perspective, in the last three seasons that has only happened to them four times! To add to their problems, the Bucs now welcome in quarterback Lamar Jackson and a Ravens offence that has rushed for at least 150 yards in six straight games. That doesn’t bode well for the home side. 

To make matters worse, Tampa will also be missing four of their top six defensive backs for the game. Making an inexperienced secondary and poor run defence a perfect recipe for disaster against a dynamic Ravens offence.

Baltimore Ravens (4-3)

Power Rankings – 6th

DVOA Rankings: Offence – 5th, Defence – 12th, Special Teams – 1st; Overall – 5th

Baltimore are looking to win consecutive games for the first time all season. They have been wildly inconsistent all season, while also letting several double-digit leads slip away in each of their three losses. That’s been the story of Baltimore’s season.  They have been playing like a championship team until it gets to the fourth quarter. That final period where it all matters and the offence, defence and coaching staff have all made crucial mistakes in these moments. It has cost them games they should have ended long before.

Lamar Jackson has still been a star for this side doing damage to opposing defences in the air and on the ground. Lamar has 15 touchdowns on the year for six interceptions, but it’s the work he’s been doing on the ground that’s been most impressive. With 510 rushing yards on the season which is good for fifth in the league and from the quarterback position. He’s also averaging 7.7 yards per carry, which is a career high.

Baltimore has the pieces in place to be a contender. It’s just mental mistakes at the end of games that is holding them back. A win this week on the road against another Super Bowl contender, where they control a game towards the end should be a great stepping stone in the right direction.

Prediction

Both teams entered the season as Super Bowl contenders but have been struggling of late, with the Bucs seeing a big fall in performance on offence and defence from the start of the season. In a classic Tom Brady story, against all odds of prime time tv, it would not at all be surprising to see him flip a switch that would have Tampa looking amazing again. But the state of this defence is concerning especially against a running attack like Baltimore have.

The Ravens themselves have been averaging 20 points through the last four weeks. Lacking wide receiver personnel has always been an issue and it has led to them being one-dimensional and a bit predictable at times.

I can see Brady and the Buccaneer’s offence getting back to their best in this game, but the injuries in the secondary are too much of a concern for me to pass over. Missing three of their starting four members of the secondary is a tough loss and when you combine that with the form of the run defence, that’s a lot of holes for Baltimore to exploit.

Ravens 27, Buccaneers 23

rozomaldini NFL Column, Week 6

The Sunday Showdown: Allen v Mahomes

By David McDonnell

It’s Week 6 and the match-up we’ve all been waiting for. 

Patrick Mahomes versus Josh Allen. 

Bills @ Chiefs

This game has been marked in the calendar since the season fixtures were released. The two best quarterbacks in the NFL, scratch that, the two best players in the NFL will go head-to-head on Sunday. So have your hot-dogs ready, because I can’t see how this game can disappoint.

When these two went toe-to-toe last January, we had a play-off game for the ages. With the match finished in a whirlwind tie, the toss of a coin gave Mahomes the ball first in overtime and that was all she wrote. Shots of a distraught Josh Allen not getting an opportunity to answer back resulted in a change of post-season rules.

There are differing opinions about which of the two is the best. I am on record for having Mahommes at the top of my list and I haven’t seen anything to change my mind so far this season. I’m sure Josh Allen reckons that if he can take down his opponent in front of a packed out Arrowhead Stadium, then figuratively the mantle will surely pass to him.

What makes this contest especially  mouth-watering is the protagonists are both in a rich vein of form and have a record of 3-1. With both teams very likely to make the post-season, this is also an early battle for post-season home advantage later in the season. 

Mahomes’ best performance of the season came two weeks ago when he dismantled a very talented and experienced Bucs defence in Tampa Bay. What most impressed me about his game that night was that he managed to share the ball between all his receiving options. He was at his lethal best both inside and outside the pocket and pulled out spectacular plays on the fly. He was figuratively on fire that night. 

Last Monday, he led the Chiefs to victory after trailing the Las Vegas Raiders by 17 points. It turned into a shoot-out and four red-zone touchdowns passes to Travis Kelce made the difference. Kelce’s record-breaking Monday Night Football performance came with only 25 yards accounted for on the night, which shows that Mahommes is finding another way of getting his team down the field. Kansas don’t have a strong running attack but Clyde Edwards-Helaire is at his most dangerous when available for quick passes out the back field and running outside the hashes. 

Kansas had their struggles against the Raiders, who were on top for most of the game and Las Vegas had success running the ball and particularly with deep balls over the top against the Chiefs defence, with Derek Carr finding Devante Adams for two touchdowns.  

It is the latter than Buffalo will more likely try to exploit. Last Sunday Josh Allen had two bombs caught by Gabe Davis as he put the Pittsburgh Steelers to the sword. The first was a 98-yard play on his first drive of the game. I expect he will also try to put the Chiefs defensive-backs under pressure from the off. 

The previous week against the Ravens saw Allen play in my opinion his best half of football of the season, when he took the game by the scruff of the neck and pulled his team from behind to a valiant win on the road. In that second half, he was majestic using his feet to get out of trouble and to pick up first downs. He also used his cannon of an arm to find his receivers outside the numbers in the second half.

The Bills don’t haven’t shown much in their running game so far but the rookie running-back James Cook did get his first TD of his career against the Steelers last week and we have seen enough of Devin Singletary to know what a good player he can be on his day. There are rumours that Buffalo are considering a trade with the Carolina Panthers for Christian McCaffery to push all their chips in the middle of the table to win the Superbowl this year. The more I think about that scenario, the more sense it makes for both teams and the player himself. 

So who is going to win this game and why?

I can’t see either quarterback being stopped from moving the chains on a regular basis and I expect both teams to clock up a few touchdowns. 

It may come down to the defence that can get the opposing quarterback off the field on even a couple of third downs that could make the difference. Right now, Buffalo has the better defence and with Tre’Davious White almost ready to return to the fold, he will be a great addition to the Buffalo secondary. I have been impressed with the form of Chris Jones on the Kansas D-line and also with the consistent performances of Nick Bolton at line-backer.  

Ultimately, it will come down to two men and in my heart of hearts, I believe that Patrick Mahomes is the better quarterback and will win the day for the men in red.  

Cowboys v Eagles 

The late match on Sunday night is a contest between the Great Pretenders so far this season with an NFC East match-up that always has a bit of bite. The Eagles fans don’t really like anyone but they save their deepest bile for when the Cowboys come to town and it is safe to say the feeling is mutual.

At the moment, both of these teams are looking like serious contenders for the NFC. 

I haven’t been overly surprised with how Philadelphia has fared this season. I was impressed with their rushing attack last season and even there, they managed to add more depth in the draft. For me, it is the best O-Line in football at this moment in time. 

Their defence is the area of the team that has most improved since last year. The moves made by Howie Roseman in the off-season are paying dividends, especially with the signings of pass-rusher Hassan Reddick and corner-back James Bradbury. They also added first round pick Jordan Davis, who was one of my favourite players coming out this year from the National Champions Georgia Bulldog defence and they re-signed Fletcher Cox for another season. 

The offence also improved two with the acquisition of  AJ Brown to form a formidable double-team with Devonta Smith on the outside. All this has allowed Jalen Hurts to step up his game and I believe he has. He is a dual-threat quarterback, who is very dangerous outside the pocket with his legs and throwing on the run. He has been great to watch this year and has the gait of a man who he is comfortable with what he has been asked to do and in his position as leader. He does take more contact than you would like your quarterback to take, especially this early in the season. 

All-in-all, it makes this Eagles team very balanced side that can beat you a number of ways. The only time they have struggled was containing Kyler Murray in the second half last week. I think it will take a good team to beat this side in Philly. 

The surprise package for me so far this season are the Dallas Cowboys. They were a play-off team last January but I thought they lost key players in the off-season in Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory and Cedric Wilson and I expected some regression. If anything they look stronger. 

Losing their starting QB, Dak Prescott,  to injury in the first game of the season has been a blessing in disguise. They have had to find a way of winning and they have, as their defence has stepped up even more so than they did last season. Micah Parsons has been the best defensive player in the league and Dan Quinn has schemed-up ways of getting to every quarterback they have faced

With Dak missing, it has also forced them to run the ball more with Zeke and Tony Pollard forming an effective running-back committee, while Cooper Rush has managed games effectively and not turned over the ball. With Dak on the mend, he might start this game but the Cowboys will more likely stick with a winning formula for another week.

Whichever quarterback starts, I still believe the home team Eagles will get the job done late on Sunday night. I like how they are using Hurts in run option plays and using play action. They also have the run game to negate the Cowboys pass rush. For me they are the best team in the division and all their victories so far have looked routine. I expect the Eagles to win a roughly-fought contest. 

Ravens @ Giants

The New York Giants have also been a surprise so far and they are getting a significant bounce from their new head coach Bran Daboll. Daniel Jones is coming off the best win of his career against the Packers in London and Sequon Barkley is in the prime of his career. However, I feel this fairy-tale can’t go on much longer as they are lacking the talent throughout their roster to win consistently in the NFL and I believe they will soon be found out.

Their offensive line is better but still not an elite unit and their receiving core has been awful so far despite their wins. I expect the wheels to come off this weekend when they host the Ravens. The Baltimore franchise has looked better than their 3-2 record suggests and they sit atop of a very competitive AFC North.

I was impressed once again with Lamar in last Sunday’s win against the Bengals and once again he delivered, finding Mark Andrews and Devin Duvernay when he most needed a first down. I think the less physical punishment Lamar takes in the regular season, the more likely he will be better conditioned to be at his most electric and dangerous best in the post-season. I expect a Ravens win here and the Giants to start heading towards the middle of the pack.