PITTSBURGH AT CINCINNATI

        This game feels like a trap game to me.  If you look at the records, it should be an easy win for the Steelers.  However, if you know anything about this AFC North division, the underdog often upsets the better team.  Look at what happened when the Browns played Pittsburgh, sure inclement weather played a part, but a terrible Cleveland team that had won just two games upset an eight-win team.  How about when Cleveland beat the dominant Baltimore Ravens team a few weeks before that game?  Did you see that one?  Once again you can quote the NFL saying, any given Sunday.  Any team can beat any other team, regardless of the stakes.

 

STEELERS-

            Pittsburgh cannot falter at this point in the season.  They need to keep playing their brand of football, which is tough, stifling defense.  Defensive Coordinator, Teryl Austin has been with Pittsburgh since 2019 when he was first brought in as senior defensive assistant and secondary coach.  He held that position until 2022 when he was promoted to DC, and they’ve been an elite defensive unit ever since.  The Steelers have already beaten their top competitors in the North, the Ravens.  Losing last week in Primetime was already problematic enough, knowing they could have separated themselves by going up two games in front of Baltimore.  Then the Ravens won on Monday Night thus setting up another huge game between those two teams for week 16.  Pittsburgh must play hard-nosed defense and limit Cincy’s passing game with their two outstanding targets on the outside.

 

DEFENSIVE RANKINGS-

Rush yards per game- 90.3 (4^th)

Pass yards per game- 214.9 (17^th)

Total yards per game- 305.2 (7^th)

Points per game- 16.9 (3^rd)

Sacks per game- 2.3 (22^nd)

           

            Offensively, the best strategy Arthur Smith (OC) can cook up is running the ball.  Najee Harris has looked much better this year, so they need to keep feeding him the rock.  The Bengals struggle against both the run and pass but Pittsburgh has been much better at producing on the ground this season.  Russell Wilson has looked pretty good at times as well this season.  Though I think they tend to struggle a little bit when they try to focus on airing it out too much, stick to the ground game, then when you get them biting on the run and stacking the box start tossing it downfield to Pickens, Williams, Muth, Austin, and company.  They should also reincorporate Jaylon Warren by getting him more involved on passing downs.  I know Arthur Smith wasn’t there last year when Warren was more of a threat out of the backfield, but he did have a running back with similar skillsets in Bijan Robinson.  

 

OFFENSIVE RANKINGS-

Rush yards per game- 135.2 (8^th)

Pass yards per game- 192.8 (26^th)

Total yards per game- 328 (19^th)

Points per game- 22.9 (14^th)

Sacks allowed per game- 2.9 (23^rd)

 

BENGALS-

            Cincinnati has fallen and seemingly can’t get up.  They had high hopes coming into this season along with explosive talent offensively.  Nothing worked for Burrow’s Bengals this year.  Cincy had countless injuries on both sides of the ball this, including starting wideout Tee Higgins who could’ve helped mask some of their issues, seeing how they lost seven games by only one possession.  To make matters even worse four of their losses came by five or fewer points, two of which were by one point.  It has been all hard-fought losses for the Bengals while only losing by more than ten points just once this season to the Philadelphia Eagles.  Joe Burrow has had the best season of his young career and would certainly be this year's unquestioned MVP if they were a playoff team.  To play spoil against the Steelers in this home game they will need to do what they are best at and air it out.  The Bengals are the league's leading passing attack which is truly the best way to hurt the Steelers as they are weaker against the pass than the run game.  

 

OFFENSIVE RANKING-

Rush yards per game- 91.5 (27^th)

Pass yards per game- 262.7 (1^st)

Total yards per game- 354.3 (9^th)

Points per game- 27.0 (6^th)

Sacks allowed per game- 2.4 (15^th)

 

            Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s game plans haven’t come close to looking the way he had this defense playing last season.  This defense has looked more like swiss cheese opposed to the solid mozzarella form; they showed last year.  They’ve given opposing teams way too much rushing room and even more passing yards per game than the New England Patriots.  Now that’s bad.  Though, to an extent, I do understand.  I know they were banged up, plus they played some powerful offensive teams like Baltimore twice, Philly, not necessarily KC, but Mahomes.  Then there were also the surprisingly polished rookie Jayden Daniels’s Commanders, they came in and smacked their defense in the mouth.  The one that sort of shocked me was the Chargers, I know they have Justin Herbert and correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t LA score more points along with putting up more yards against Cincinnati than they had in a single game all year long?  Isn’t that a dang shame, not to pile on but the Chargers didn’t put that many yards up against the Panthers in week 2.   Lou, you need to do something here man, bring more pressure, stack the box, and try different looks.  Their best chance for success in this game will be to limit Arthur Smiths' run game, forcing them to beat you in the air while bringing more added pressure.

 

DEFENSIVE RANKINGS-

Rush yards per game- 129.8 (20^th)

Pass yards per game- 225.6 (23^rd)

Total yards per game- 355.5 (23^rd)

Points per game- 26.9 (28^th)

Sacks per game- 1.7 (30^th)

 

LAST ANALYSIS-

            In conclusion, this is very much a must-win game for both teams.  Yes, the Steelers are more or less likely to be a playoff team this year, it is to determine if they will keep their top position in the AFC North or potentially fall into a tie with Baltimore again.  They don’t want their next game with the Ravens to be what kicks them back to the 5^th, 6^th, or even 7^th spot.  Cincinnati on the other hand, would need a whole lot to happen to make a magical appearance in the postseason this NFL season.  The Bengals need to start with an upset win at home in this one, followed by literally winning every game they have left.  Furthermore, they need the Chargers to lose 4 of their next six games.  They could also get in if the Steelers or Ravens lose four of their remaining six games.  However, their easiest path would seemingly be if the Denver Broncos were to lose 3 of their last 5 games, plus the Bengals have the luxury of going head-to-head with Denver in week 17 at home.  However, if the Bengals don’t win all their upcoming games this would be all for naught.  Lastly, in case I forgot to mention the Dolphins are also tied with the Bengals, meaning they would also need Miami to end the season with a worse record than them.  Good Luck Cincy!

CROWDED NFC WEST

 

Without a doubt, this has been the tightest division, top to bottom all season long.  Through 12 weeks not a single team has yet to pull away from the pack partly because two of these NFC West squads have been riddled with injuries that have taken their top game-changing playmakers out of the equation.  I know coaches will always tell you it's the next-man-up mentality, but sometimes too many injuries will ruin your season and may change the whole trajectory of your team going forward for seasons to come.  The main two NFC West teams affected by this the most this year are the Rams and the 49ers.  Arizona was starting to look like it would be the one to leave the rest of the West in their tumbleweeds, however Seattle halted them in unique form.

 

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-

First, let’s take an in-depth look at last year’s NFC Champs, the San Francisco 49ers.  They started off the season without one of the best linebackers in the NFL, Dre Greenlaw who was injured in the Super Bowl last year and has yet to take the field this season.  Another starter lost before the year began was the Niners' starting strong safety, Talanoa Hufanga.  San Fran has possessed one of the best defenses leaguewide for the past handful of years now.  Though, when you are missing half your starting lineup it's easier for teams to exploit you, having a large weakness due to less experienced players lacking cohesiveness.  Last week the Niners were also down their top edge rusher Nick Bosa, starting cornerback Charvarius Ward, a rotational piece in their front seven in Curtis Robinson, plus their top defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.  After sustaining a partial triceps tear in week three Hargrave was placed on IR (injured reserve).  Offensively they were also without quarterback Brock Purdy this past week and lost their best pass catcher Brandon Aiyuk many weeks ago.  Then on top of all that they just recently got Christian McCaffrey back 2-3 weeks ago after having missed the first three-quarters of this season.  I know this whole division is only separated by one game, but I think the Niners are cooked and should rest up for next year.

 

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS-

        Seattle surprised me this past week; I didn’t expect them to continue their win streak against the Cardinals, I doubt many thought they would.  They played their tails off on defense, holding the Cards to only six points.  The Seahawks only allowed Arizona to get into the red zone twice, allowing no points, stopping Drew Petzing’s (Cardinals OC) offense on a 4^th down attempt plus picking off Kyler late in the 4^th quarter.  It was an impressive all-around performance for Seattle, whose stock has now risen, hoisting them to the top spot in the NFC West.  By no means should they feel comfortable where they are, having a 2-2 record in divisional play, however, the two division wins just came in back-to-back weeks.  Going forward, Ryan Grubb (Seahawks OC) needs to create better game plans to give Seattle more red-zone opportunities to translate into more points.  Seattle is currently the 15^th-ranked scoring offense, averaging only 16.5 points over their last four games.  This season they have only scored over 20 points five times, and only three of those games resulted in wins.  If Seattle hopes to make the playoffs, they need to figure that out or they will be bounced out quickly.  They will have a rematch with the Cards in two weeks at Arizona plus another game with the Rams in week 18 which could determine who wins this hard-fought division.

 

LOS ANGELES RAMS-

        I wish I could speak as highly about this Sean McVay-coached team as I had been before this past Sunday Night’s game.  Though facts are facts, Los Angeles was routed in a home game that showed not only how terrible their defense is, but also in fairness to Philly, just how truly dominant their offensive line is.  The Rams allowed Barry Sanders to run all over them, whoops I mean Saquon Barkley, though he looked like the former as he rushed for 255 yards on 26 carries while averaging 9.81 ypc.  Los Angeles has had one problem after another this season and luckily for them they still have a shot at winning this division.  In the past few weeks, they seemingly got their offense back on track, they just ran into a complete buzzsaw at the hands of the Philadelphia defense.  Better days lie ahead for LA with three divisional games left on the docket plus an intriguing matchup against a lesser opponent on their horizon this week when they meet the Saints.  They only have one grueling challenge left in two weeks against Josh Allen and the Bills, so if they can win 4 of their next 6, they have a strong possibility of winning the West or possibly a wild card spot if the 6^th or 7^th seed starts to falter down the stretch.

 

ARIZONA CARDINALS-

        I have been very vocal in advocating for this Arizona team not just this season but for the past few years now.  I firmly believe in Kyer Murray, alongside James Connor and Trey McBride.  I love how this offense plays, losing one game coming off their bye will not turn me away from this team.  This offense just had a bad game, it happens, especially on the road in a rainy type of atmosphere in Seattle.  It was a fluke game, and I want to go as far as to say the Cardinals will come back strongly against Minnesota this week.  Even if they were to take a second straight loss, which I don’t believe will be the case, they will have a big opportunity to reel off three consecutive wins after this upcoming week.  The Cardinals remaining schedule has them playing at Minnesota, followed by a two-game home stand against Seattle and New England, and then at Carolina.  Their last two games will be most pertinent towards unveiling the NFC West Champions this season when they head to Los Angeles in week 17 and then end the season at home against an unraveling San Francisco team.

TOP 10 RECEIVERS THROUGH WEEK 12

 

        THESE RANKINGS ARE NOT YOUR TYPICAL TOP TEN LIST.  IT IS A BIT UNCONVENTIONAL, THOUGH STILL SHINES LIGHT ON MOST OF THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES WE ARE ALL ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING.  IT ALSO SHOWS HOW IMPRESSIVE SOME OTHER PLAYERS HAVE BEEN THUS FAR.

 

10) KHALIL SHAKIR-

        SHAKIR HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THE BUFFALO BILLS OFFENSE ALL YEAR LONG, JOSH ALLEN’S GO-TO GUY AND FRANKLY HIS MOST RELIABLE TARGET.  SHAKIR LEADS THE NFL IN CATCH PERCENTAGE 56 OF 66 RECEPTIONS-TARGETS (84.85%).  HE IS ALSO 2^ND TO ONLY JA’MARR CHASE IN YARDS AFTER THE CATCH (460 YARDS).  WITH THE BILLS ACQUIRING AMARI COOPER IT HAS ADDED TO HIS PRODUCTION EVEN MORE SO.

 

9) GARRETT WILSON-

        WILSON HAS BEEN BALLING OUT ALL YEAR LONG FOR THE JETS.  HE WAS RODGERS' NUMBER-ONE TARGET BEFORE THEY BROUGHT IN ADAMS AND HAS REMAINED AS SUCH.  HE IS A RISING SUPERSTAR IN THE MAKING AND ONLY BENEFITS FURTHER FROM TWO FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS HELPING HIM GROW.  GARRETT HAS GARNERED THE 2^ND MOST TARGETS AT THE POSITION THIS SEASON (108), WHILE ALSO RECORDING THE 4^TH MOST RECEPTIONS (69).

8) CHRIS GODWIN-

        I KNOW, I KNOW, WHY THE HECK DO I HAVE GODWIN ON ANY ACTIVE LIST WHEN HE’S BEEN ON IR FOR WEEKS NOW?  I'LL TELL YOU WHY, THE MAN MAY BE GONE FOR THE YEAR BUT HIS STATS HAVE SURE STAYED PUT.  GODWIN’S PRODUCTION IS SOMEHOW HOLDING TOP-FIVE NUMBERS IN FOUR RECEIVING CATEGORIES.  HIS YARDS AFTER THE CATCH ARE STILL HANGING AT 5^TH (350 YARDS), YARDS PER GAME ALSO RANKS 5^TH BEST (82.3), HE’S TIED FOR 5^TH MOST IN TDS (5), PLUS HIS CATCH PERCENTAGE HASN’T BEEN SURPASSED FOR A 3^RD BEST 80.65%.  THIS IS PURELY A TRUE TESTAMENT TO WHAT GODWIN AND MAYFIELD WERE BAKING UP BEFORE HIS SEASON WAS CUT SHORT.

 

7) TERRY MCLAURIN-

        MCLAURIN CERTAINLY STARTED THIS SEASON SLOW WITH THE ROOKIE QB JAYDEN DANIELS.  AFTER THE FIRST MONTH OR SO THEY STARTED CLICKING THUS SCARY TERRY IS BACK AND SEEMINGLY BETTER THAN EVER.  MCLAURIN HAS ALREADY RECORDED 7 TOUCHDOWNS THIS SEASON (3^RD-BEST) WITH ANOTHER FIVE GAMES (WASHINGTON HAS A WEEK 14 BYE) TO GO.  HE ALSO RANKS TOP FIVE IN RECEIVING YARDS (823 YARDS- 4^TH BEST).  THE CHEMISTRY HE AND DANIELS HAVE SHOWN IN THEIR SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME HAS COMMANDER’S FANS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE TEAM'S FUTURE.

 

6) ZAY FLOWERS-

        BALTIMORE RAVENS POSSESS ONE OF THE MOST POTENT OFFENSES IN THE NFL THIS YEAR.  THOUGH THE RUN GAME HAS MOSTLY BEEN THE STORY FOR THE RAVENS WITH DERRICK HENRY, WHAT ZAY FLOWERS HAS DONE CAN NOT GO UNNOTICED.  FLOWERS IS BY FAR HAVING HIS BEST SEASON AS A PRO WHILE ON PACE FOR CLOSE TO 1200 YARDS.  ZAY IS 5^TH IN RECEIVING (789 YARDS), 3^RD IN YARDS AFTER THE CATCH (389) AND IS TIED FOR 6^TH IN TDS (4).

 

5) JUSTIN JEFFERSON-

        I BET EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS GUY.  IF YOU BY CHANCE ARE NOT YOU MUST NOT WATCH THE NFL OR HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK AS JEFFERSON HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN THE BEST OR AN OBVIOUS TOP-THREE WIDEOUT EVER SINCE HE CAME INTO THE LEAGUE.  I KNOW WHAT I SAID, BUT RIGHT NOW AFTER 12 WEEKS, HE IS LISTED AS 5^TH IN MY RANKINGS FOR THIS SEASON.  TEAMS HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BETTER AT CONTAINING HIM PLUS DARNOLD HASN’T EXACTLY HAD THE SAME KIND OF RAPPORT WITH HIM THAT COUSINS DID.  JEFFERSON PRESENTLY RANKS 2^ND IN YARDS (939), ONLY JA’MARR CHASE HAS OUTPRODUCED HIM SO FAR.  HE IS LISTED AS THE 4^TH-BEST RECEIVER IN YARDS PER GAME (85.4), TIES 5^TH IN TDS (5), AND HAS BEEN TARGETED SEVENTH MOST AT THE POSITION (92).

 

4) JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA-

        A LOT OF NFL ANALYSTS PROJECTED HE WOULD BLOWUP, WELL MUCH TO THEIR CREDENCE JAXON HAS DONE JUST THAT IN ONLY HIS SECOND YEAR AS A SEAHAWK.  IT IS ALSO VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THE LEAGUE-LEADING QUARTERBACK IN YARDS PER GAME.  SMITH-NJIGBA IS NOT TOP 5 IN ANY GIVEN STATISTIC, THOUGH RANKS 6^TH IN YARDS AFTER CATCH (338), RECEPTIONS (66), TARGETS (93), PLUS TOUCHDOWNS (4).  JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA IS ASCENDING QUICKLY WHILE LOOKING TO EARN HIMSELF A PRO-BOWL NOD AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

 

3) AMON-RA ST. BROWN-

         I HAD PREVIOUSLY WRITTEN A FANTASY FOOTBALL ARTICLE, ADVOCATING FOR ST. BROWN WITH CONVICTION AFTER WHAT HE MANAGED TO DO IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON.  THIS YEAR AMON-RA HAS BEEN EMINENTLY PRODUCING AS THE TOP THREAT IN THE LIONS' PASSING ATTACK. THROUGH THE FIRST 12 WEEKS HE FINDS HIMSELF 3^RD IN RECEPTIONS (71), WHILE RANKING 2^ND IN BOTH CATCH PERCENTAGE (83.53%), PLUS RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS (9).

 

2) CEEDEE LAMB-

        THIS MAY HAVE BEEN AN UNDERACHIEVING SEASON FOR THE DALLAS COWBOYS OVERALL.  YET, AS THE COWBOYS' TOP WIDEOUT IT’S BEEN A FRUITFUL YEAR FOR LAMB.  WITH OR WITHOUT DAK HIS NUMBERS HAVEN’T DIPPED ALL THAT MUCH.  LAMB MAY ONLY HAVE 4 TDS (6^TH) SO FAR BUT HE RANKS 3^RD IN TOTAL YARDS (841), AND 4^TH IN YARDS AFTER CATCH (353).  HE IS A PASS-CATCHING CHEAT CODE AS HE CURRENTLY PACES THE LEAGUE IN TARGETS (118) & CATCHES (77).

 

1) JA’MARR CHASE-

WHAT JA’MARR CHASE IS DOING THIS YEAR HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING.  HE IS HAVING THE BEST SEASON OF HIS CAREER.  WHAT HE THOUGHT WOULD’VE BEEN THE FIRST YEAR OF A NEW DEAL, IS THE SECOND TO LAST YEAR ON HIS ROOKIE CONTRACT.  A MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN HIS CAMP AND THE TEAM HAD HIM HOLDING OUT THE ENTIRE OFFSEASON, BUT THE BENGALS HAD PICKED UP THE 5^TH YEAR OPTION.  THIS MEANS HE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO WAIT TWO MORE YEARS IF NOT LONGER (PENDING A POSSIBLE FRANCHISE TAG YEAR, OR TWO) NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION FOR CHASE, ESPECIALLY ON A TEAM THAT HAS BEEN LOSING WAY MORE THAN THEY’RE WINNING.  CHASE IS PRESENTLY LEADING ALL RECEIVERS IN YARDS (1,056), YARDS AFTER CATCH (481), ALONG WITH TOUCHDOWNS (12).  HIS STRONG CHEMISTRY WITH QUARTERBACK JOE BURROW SHOWS THAT THEY ARE THE BEST QB-WR DUO IN THE LEAGUE.  UNFORTUNATELY, THE BENGALS' DEFENSE HAS STRUGGLED TREMENDOUSLY THIS SEASON, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY THEY WON’T BE IN THE POSTSEASON.  THEY MAY ALSO WIND UP LOSING THEIR OTHER STARTING WIDEOUT, TEE HIGGINS AS HIS CONTRACT EXPIRES AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.  IN ANY MATTER THEY DO STILL HAVE THE BEST RECEIVER JA’MARR CHASE AND WILL SEEMINGLY HAVE HIM UNDER CONTRACT FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL SEASONS.

TOP 10 RECEIVERS THROUGH STATS

 

MIAMI @ GREEN BAY – THANKSGIVING NIGHT

 

            Don’t look now but it seems like the Miami Dolphins have crept back into the playoff conversation.  Thanksgiving Day is when we tend to reminisce about all that we are thankful for, such as our families, friends, successes & riches in life.  Everyone indulges in whatever their traditional feasts may be.  These banquets usually feature turkey, maybe stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, cranberry sauce, plus an additional magnitude of other side dishes.  This is the annual tradition for an immense population of the U.S.  Also, per tradition the NFL broadcasts two games you can always count on being able to watch.  This has been a staple of the November North American holiday since 1934 when the Detroit Lions began this folklore when they hosted the Chicago Bears. (The NFL has been playing games on Thanksgiving since they were established in 1920, though the Lions were not featured until 1934).  The Dallas Cowboys became added to this holiday's football heritage over thirty years later in 1966.  Later, in a surprising twist, the league again decided to put an additional game on the Thanksgiving Day slate (2006).  The third game, which airs in the Primetime slot, is unlike the two-afternoon fixtures, featuring two different teams every year.

 

MIAMI DOLPHINS- 

            After an execrable start to the season for the Miami Dolphins, starting 1-3 due to Tua’s fourth concussion, then they had lost two straight even after Tua’s return; thus, finding themselves all but out of the mix for postseason play holding a 2-6 record.  However, this season is far from over, and the Dolphins are not quite yet eliminated from playoff contention.  Most people are not focusing on this Miami team, whether because of how awful they looked without Tua or because most of us thought he should/would call it a career.  Either way, they are quietly on a roll, winners of their last three consecutive games which makes this Thanksgiving Day primetime game an intriguing one, thus yet another reason for NFL fans to be thankful.  Upon looking over the Dolphins' remaining list of games, I wouldn’t exactly say they have an easy path to making the playoffs, although the Ravens beating the Chargers on Monday Night paired with the Chargers' gauntlet of challenges ahead certainly ameliorates Miami’s chances of reaching the postseason.  Now I don’t want to get ahead of myself, they still must beat the Packers first.  After that, they will play host to Aaron Rodgers and the Jets, then a game at NRG Stadium for a contest against the Houston Texans.  If they can find a way to beat both the Packers and Texans, I think they can go on a minimum of a six-game winning streak while taking down the Jets in between.  In my opinion, I’m planning on the Dolphins' last three games of the season to be what determines if they will be playing football after January 5^th (week 18).

 

GREEN BAY PACKERS-

        Green Bay should feel pretty good about themselves sitting at 8-3, currently placed as the number 6 seed in the NFC playoff picture.  The Packers presently hold a 91% probability of making the postseason barring anything wild happens over their last six games this season.  Mike LaFleur’s team comes into this classic holiday finale producing the 5^th most yards per game (381.9).  Jordan Love has taken a step back this season though they are only one spot outside the top ten in passing (230.3 ypg).  This offense has been relying more on the run game this season after striking gold in the offseason with the signing of veteran running back Josh Jacobs.  Jacobs is 3^rd in rushing (944 yards) only trailing Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry putting him in great company.  That is only half the story for this team as they are also playing very well on defense.  They aren’t exactly a top-tier defensive unit but as of late, they have been coming along nicely on that side of the ball.  They rank 11^th against the pass (206.5 ypg), 12^th in run defense (112.7 ypg), while only allowing 319.3 total yards per game (11^th).  Along with the recent improvements they’ve made in terms of the yardage they’re allowing.   They have also been getting better in scoring defense, permitting a 10th-best 20.3 points a week.  Safe to say that the Packers will hold their fates for their playoff hopes.  Sure, they can move up or down in the ceding, but this team should certainly be a key team in the postseason.  After this game with the Dolphins, their last five will come against three tougher teams such as their rival teams, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.  They will also meet the Seahawks, which could be a bit tougher than expected after Seattle’s recent two-game win streak.  Two of their last three should be wins as they will host the Saints in week 16 plus another home game in week 18 in their last division game of the regular season against the Chicago Bears.

                       

            Lastly, as forementioned, the Dolphins' situation is still a bit of a tricky one going forward for them to get into the playoffs.  They will need to continue winning by any means possible but at the same time will need some help.  The only team that could seemingly lose enough games purely by strength of schedule, looks to be the Los Angeles Chargers.  I don’t foresee either the Baltimore Ravens or Denver Broncos falling apart down the stretch with easier games left on their schedules.  The only other team that could factor into this scenario would be the Pittsburgh Steelers still having to play four divisional opponents, plus the Eagles in week 15 along with a brutal game slated for Christmas Day against the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.  I think the underdog (+3.5) Dolphins may come away with a victory in Green Bay to keep their playoff aspirations alive for at least one more week.

RAVENS @ CHARGERS MNF – HARBOWL II

 

Imagine that you are one of the best head coaches in the National Football League and have a brother who aspires to become an NFL head coach as well. Maybe you’ll even get to coach against him once or twice in your coaching career. This is the exact reality for the Harbaugh brothers, John and his brother Jim, who have already been on opposite sidelines twice in their NFL coaching careers. It has been a long time since this happened, mainly because of Jim Harbaugh’s firing, followed by the Niners' 8-8 record at the end of the 2014 season. The last time the Harbaughs met, millions watched as John beat his younger brother Jim in Super Bowl XLVII, or as it became widely known as the “HarBowl.” John is going into Monday Night Football holding a 2-0 record over his younger brother, but what Jim has managed to do with this Chargers team in a matter of months is possibly the most impressive coaching I’ve seen.

 

Jim Harbaugh found his way back into the NFL when the Los Angeles Chargers hired him on January 24th, fresh off his National Championship win as the University of Michigan’s head coach. Jim had coached the Michigan Wolverines for the previous nine seasons, and deep down, I believe it was his every hope to turn the Wolverines (his alma mater) around and bring them another National Championship title. Upon completing what he set out to do in Michigan, no one was too sure of what he wanted to do next. However, one thing was certain: wherever he ended up, he was going to improve them dramatically. From the middle to the end of the 2023 college football season, there was a lot of speculation that Harbaugh might end up as the next coach of the Las Vegas Raiders or Los Angeles Chargers. Jim decided to return to the state where he grew up and to one of the franchises that had once offered him an opportunity to play quarterback for the Chargers. One reason he chose the Chargers was, of course to no one's surprise, Justin Herbert, their quarterback who is arguably one of the best and possibly the most underrated passers in the NFL today. Jim and General Manager Joe Hortiz swung some family deals with his brother to obtain both Ravens’ best running backs of the past several years, Gus “the Bus” Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Others who had made the trip over to LA are center Bradley Bozeman, tight end Hayden Hurst (a Raven from 2018-2019), and even coordinator Greg Roman (Baltimore’s OC from 2019-2022) who found new life with the Chargers after spending four seasons as part of John Harbaugh’s staff.

 

When it comes to John Harbaugh and his Baltimore Ravens, it is simple: win, and you are once again tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers, setting up a significant rematch with said team in Week 16. First, let’s get back to the task at hand, which is a huge game tonight. Monday Night Football, Brother vs. Brother, Baltimore vs. LA in a game where the number 5 spot in the AFC playoff picture is on the line. Tonight, in a primetime game with the bright lights shining on them, while millions of NFL fans are watching, Baltimore must follow the Eagles' footsteps from last night, meaning they need to focus on the task at hand and not have their minds on next week's opponents (Eagles play Ravens next week). Though the Ravens had a bad loss last week at the hands of their division rival Steelers, they can turn things around quickly tonight if they get back to what has been the main game plan this season. Todd Monken (Ravens OC) needs to dial up a heavy dose of runs for “King” Henry, who was the league’s leading rusher up until Saquon Barkley went off last night (26 CAR, 255 YDS, 2 TDS, 9.81 YPC). It is never fun for any defense to have to match up with these Ravens attempting to contain both Henry and Lamar on the ground. Lamar played his worst game of the season last week and will look to bounce back hugely tonight as they take on a Jesse Minter-coached defense (LA’s DC) ranking 10th in total yardage allowed (317.1 YPG). The Ravens are undefeated this season when Derrick Henry rushes for at least 90 yards.

 

            This Chargers defense is the real deal this season. They are currently holding opposing offenses to just 110.5 yards rushing (10th) while allowing only 206.6 yards passing (11th). They are also the number-one ranked scoring defense, ceding a league-low 14.5 points on average, making it difficult for anyone to find themselves in a position to beat them. Last Sunday night, the Bengals gave it everything they had, and although they were able to put up 27 points on this defense, the Chargers were able to seal a victory due to the bad defensive play of the Bengals. I already outlined the blueprint for the Ravens to have success against the Chargers' defense. To no one’s surprise, the best way for Los Angeles to beat the Ravens is to pose a heavy air attack (Baltimore allows 284.5 YPG) with them ranked dead last against the pass. I think there could be something to be said about the Chargers wanting to give both Dobbins and Edwards some carries, attempting to show Baltimore that they both still have a lot left in the tank; however, this would be a very bad approach as Baltimore is giving up the second-least rushing yards per game (77.5). A notable injury to watch for is Roquan Smith, who is likely out tonight.

 

            Lastly, I expect John Harbaugh to stay perfect against younger brother Jim tonight in a game that could potentially contribute towards one team sliding down in the rankings over the next couple of weeks. Going forward, the Ravens' schedule has them playing a dominant Philadelphia Eagles team before their bye week. Then a game in NJ against the Giants with new starting QB Tommy DeVito, followed by their crucial rematch at home where they play host to Pittsburgh. After that, they head to Houston for a Christmas Day matchup and then end the season at home to play the Browns. The Ravens need to keep their heads on a swivel with 5 tough games remaining, including tonight in Los Angeles. The Chargers' remaining schedule will also have some difficult challenges ahead starting this evening. Next week, LA will fly out to Atlanta to play the Falcons, who are looking for vengeance after the beatdown they took from an ascending Denver team. Then another road game is slated for the Chargers when they play their division opponent Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football in Week 14, followed by a home game against the Buccaneers. Week 16 will probably be their last difficult task in the regular season as they will host their other rivals, the Denver Broncos, just four days after their game with Tampa Bay. The NFL recently announced that they will be flexing this divisional game into the Thursday Night slot on Amazon Prime. The Chargers will play their final two games on the road, taking on the Patriots and the Raiders, and should be able to add two wins to their record to end the season. I look forward to tonight’s game. I haven’t been great with my recent picks. Hopefully, that changes this evening as I will take the Ravens, who are favored (-2.5) on the road.

WILL PHILLY FLY HIGH AT SOFI?

     Will the Philadelphia Eagles Play Spoiler to a Los Angeles Rams Team on the Cusp of a Playoff Push?  Can the Rams take down the soaring Philadelphia Eagles, who find themselves in second place in the NFC? I will project the winner and the outcome at the end of this article. In the meantime, I will provide you with some insight so you can form your own opinions about this perfectly slotted Sunday Night game that is taking place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles tomorrow at 8:15 PM ET. I expect this to be a high-scoring affair with plenty of all-star caliber players on both offenses. Los Angeles has one of the best receiver rooms in the league with their top two targets, Cooper Kupp and last year’s rookie wideout who made the record books, Puka Nacua. Philly also possesses some nightmarish weapons for opposing defenses to shadow in A.J. Brown alongside DeVonta Smith, though it was announced yesterday that Smith will be out this week with a hamstring injury.

 

Lately, the Eagles have seemed to be easily rolling over every one of their opponents, winning their last six consecutive games. After last Thursday night, Philly stayed perfect in divisional play (3-0), not too surprising with two terrible teams within the East (Giants and Cowboys). It was another strong performance from the Eagles' O-linemen that has continued to propel them every week. Philly’s O-line play has certainly been the engine behind this second-place team. You have to give them all the credit in the world; I mean, come on, they lost a potential first-ballot Hall of Famer in center Jason Kelce, yet they are still rocking and rolling at that position. They just make it look so easy up front, especially with their potent QB sneak (aka brotherly shove or tush push). At the same time, bringing in running back Saquon Barkley is arguably the best move this team has made in the past quarter-century. Not that they haven’t made big moves in the past, but this one just feels different. They took a shot at an old rival rusher and got a massive upgrade at that position! In my opinion, Eagles fans have never been able to cheer for a guy like this in their franchise history. I know they had some very good backs in their history, like LeSean McCoy, Brian Westbrook, Wilbert Montgomery, Ricky Watters, and Herschel Walker.

 

When it comes to Barkley, he can do everything, literally everything. Whether you need him to line up as a receiver, catch passes out of the backfield, help in pass protection, plus a plethora of abilities as a true number one runner. I am by no means an Eagles or Giants fan, but I have loved watching Saquon play the game since he came into the league and had advocated for someone to give him another chance when it seemed like New York was going to give up on him for a few injured seasons. It is incredible to see someone play at that position without any noticeable weaknesses. Saquon can run through you using his lower body power, hit a spin move with ease, break a defender’s ankles with a single cut move, then outrun everyone with his speed. Ever since Philly moved on from McCoy, they have been lacking a true franchise rusher that they can utilize as a three-down back. Not anymore folks, you got your guy, and he is currently only trailing Derrick Henry in rushing yards this season.

 

Another big part of the Eagles’ success this season has been Jalen Hurts. I recently wrote an article depicting some players that I believe shouldn’t be counted out as possible MVP candidates for this season. Hurts and Barkley are both on that short list of names. Now, Jalen hasn’t been the top QB in terms of passing yards, but he is playing great in his own right while Philly is consistently winning football games. Last time I checked, winning is the most important statistic in any sport, period. He is on pace to score around 40 touchdowns this season (passing and rushing combined), has only thrown 5 picks, and is 6th best in completion percentage this year. This quarterback has put his doubters to shame so far and will continue to get better while he has recorded the 11th-best QBR and ranks 7th in passer rating. Kellen Moore (Eagles OC) will have a nice run-pass balanced game plan for Sunday Night as Los Angeles isn’t ranking in the top 15 in any given defensive category outside of sacks. I predict with DeVonta Smith being unavailable for this one, Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert will see an uptick in targets. The Rams have allowed the 8th most yards to tight ends this season while also ceding the 4th most touchdowns to the position.

 

Los Angeles has had their fair share of both ups and downs this season. I believe they would most likely be in first place in their division along with being a top-three team in the conference this season had they not been riddled with injuries. The Rams saw both their top playmakers go down in the first two weeks of the season (Kupp and Nacua) while also losing three of their best offensive linemen. Most NFL teams cannot overcome such a catastrophic scenario. Their offensive play has suffered greatly because of this, which is why the numbers don’t show the true potential of this Mike LaFleur (LA’s OC) offensive-coached unit. Rams QB Matthew Stafford has been less impressive this season than in years past, though no fault of his, losing multiple starting linemen plus both your top options to throw to will have this effect. However, since Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua have returned to the lineup, things have started to gel. Stafford is now 7th in passing, 6th in yards per game, and has totaled 10 passing touchdowns in three out of his past four games.

 

Sean McVay has been known as an offensive mastermind for several years now. McVay became the youngest head coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl at age 36. While the Eagles DC Vic Fangio has his defense allowing only 173.2 yards per game (2nd), they haven’t technically been battle-tested against two top-tier wideouts this season outside of a game with Tampa Bay, which didn’t exactly bode well for them. What could make this matchup even scarier for Philly is if they come into SoFi underestimating the Rams' running back Kyren Williams as a pass catcher. He may not produce the numbers Barkley does on passing downs, but Kyren is a versatile back as well. I don’t believe Kyren will have much room to hurt the Eagles in the ground game as they are currently 7th against the run (99.9 ypg), but don’t overlook him in their air attack. It could prove to be tough to contain him there, especially when you already have a team with no shortage of exceptional wideouts to throw to. It cannot be overstated just how important this game is for these Los Angeles Rams as it looks like their only way to make the postseason will be by way of winning the NFC West.

 

           Lastly, I would like to point out that although the Eagles have the better team by the numbers on both sides of the ball, they haven’t played a passing attack with this kind of talent since week four (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin combined for 14 rec, 163 yds, 1 TD; Baker 347 yds, 2 TDs) when they lost 33-16 to the Buccaneers. The Rams can certainly surprise teams when you overlook them, and it is very conceivable that the Eagles could already be thinking more about their matchup next week with the daunting task of taking on the Baltimore Ravens, thus could slip up and take a loss in cross-country play Sunday Night. Taking that into account, I like the Rams as underdogs (+2.5) at home and project a 26-23 victory over the Eagles. 

Seahawks vs. Cardinals - NFC West Clash

 

The upcoming game between Arizona and Seattle this Sunday afternoon will be the first meeting for these rivals this season.  What you need to know about these two teams is that one team has been ascending for several weeks now (Cardinals) while the other has disconcertingly fallen apart after starting the year 3-0, dropping 5 of their last 7 games.  The all-time series of these divisional foes has been won more often by the Seahawks than the Cardinals (27-22-1, never met in playoffs), including one game when Arizona was still the St. Louis Cardinals. Though many may not realize it, this NFC West game is very much a big one, especially for the city of Arizona. Let me elaborate further: these teams play each other twice a season. The last time the Cards beat the Seahawks was a few years back in their first matchup of the 2021 season on 11/21/21. That means Seattle has won five straight against them, six of the last seven. Jonathon Gannon is now in his second season as the Cardinals' head coach. He has a lot riding on the outcome of this game as he hopes to achieve something that Arizona hasn’t done in the past three years and, at the same time, also to stay atop this NFC West division.

I have long been on record speaking highly of this Arizona team.  I have been unwaveringly supporting Kyler Murray with conviction when others doubted him. I had told whoever was willing to listen just how good Trey McBride can be when others downplayed his playing abilities. I have even supported the Cards' defense, stating that they will turn it around along with strong play from one of the best veteran safeties in the NFL today (Budda Baker). When you think of this team, the first player that comes to mind is quarterback Kyler Murray. I know he’s had his fair share of injuries and inconsistencies over his first six years as a pro, but they finally have a good supporting cast around him, a better coaching staff, and phenomenal O-line play. This offensive line is undoubtedly one of the best at pass blocking, as Kyler has only been sacked 15 times this season (4th least among QBs that have started at least 8 games) while allowing only 5 sacks in their last 6 games. Kyler has 16 total scores, 12 passing (16th), and 4 rushing through 11 weeks, while only tossing 3 interceptions (3rd). He is also 2nd among all QBs in QBR, plus he has the 9th-best passer rating, while he ranks 5th in completion percentage. Murray doesn’t have great yardage totals in passing yards per game or even overall passing yards in general, mainly due to the early struggles in building his chemistry with newly gifted rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. I don’t see that being much of a problem for them going forward as they are starting to gain a nice chemistry and should hit the ground running coming out of their bye week.

Seattle has not looked the same as in past years under the team’s new regime with first-year head coach Mike Macdonald. During the first five weeks of the season, they played some good football, highlighted by a defense coached by Macdonald alongside DC Aden Durde, ranking in the top 5-10 in most categories. After week three, when they took an ultimate beating by an offensively aggressive Detroit Lions team, they just looked broken. Their downward spiral kicked in as they lost a home game to the Giants, followed by a 12-point loss to the Niners, which also took place on their turf. From that point until now, they have gone 2-2 while trying to climb back into a possible playoff-hopeful team. The Seahawks are presently sitting in third place in the West while possessing a 1-2 record in division games.

One not-so-bright spot for Seattle this year has been their offensive line, which has adversely impacted their ability to run the ball. Passing offense has been the only part of their game; because of this, it is also easy to predict what type of game plan this team will have on a week-by-week basis. Whether they need to slot in some different bodies up front or find some free-agent veterans, they need to change whatever they can here to help Geno by opening the passing game with a more effective run game. While they’re at it, maybe they will also stumble upon some better pass blockers, given that Geno Smith has been sacked over 30 times this season (32 - 4th most sacked QB). Geno is one of the best vet quarterbacks in the league and is 1st in passing yards per game. He is also 4th in passing yards this year, has thrown the 2nd most completions, and has the 7th best completion percentage. In the grand scheme of things, their offense hasn’t been all that terrible (outside of the blocking). Geno only having 11 touchdowns while tossing 11 picks is a testament to how bad the big guys up front have been.  I had previously mentioned that these guys have run hot when playing the Cards for the past handful of years. If they want that streak to continue, they must tighten their defensive play with better O-line play.

Seattle won their first division game last Sunday on an 80-yard drive by Geno, much of which came from Geno’s legs. It was a good comeback from the Seahawks. Not to take anything away from that victory, though, it said more about San Fran's team than it did for Seattle. The Cardinals are only one game in front of their three divisional rivals with no room for losses right now. If they win this game, they will improve to 3-0 in the division; however, they will still need to face the Rams again plus another game against Mike Macdonald's team in just two weeks from Sunday. You would assume given the sheer closeness of this NFC West, that you cannot take the last game of the season against the Niners lightly either. Even if they have nothing to play for themselves, they would certainly be more than willing to play spoiler for the Cardinals. I like Arizona to stay hot, coming off their bye week on the road where they are favored (-1.5), and win this game against Seattle. I project the Cards to win by double digits 27-17.

 

TOP 8 DEFENSES AHEAD OF WEEK 12

 

NINERS VS. PACKERS – BATTLE OF THE BAY

 

This game is very meaningful for both teams as they are both jockeying for position in the NFC playoff picture. If the playoffs were to start today, sadly for the Forty-Niners players and fanbase, they would not make it in, which makes this one exceedingly more critical for them. The Packers would be guaranteed a spot, making it in as the 6th seed. This is somewhat the tale of two very good franchises that have been extremely successful in their respective histories. Both teams need a win here to stay within playoff contention. As aforementioned, it’s safe to say that San Francisco needs this win more than the Green Bay Packers.

San Fran has been beat up all year long with multiple starters on both sides of the ball having been injured coming into the season. It’s surely a sign of fatigue from constant postseason play over the past handful of seasons. Don’t worry, Niners fans, you’re not the only ones that feel these effects from long seasons; it is also about to catch up to Kansas City too, trust me. This is only natural when playing a game as brutal as football—people are going to get hurt, they will greatly become tired, as well as beaten to a pulp after having played considerably more games than almost every other team. Exhaustion will start to kick in, you will start to age a little, you will become more prone to injuries, and then you will wind up having to pay for it by losing a window of opportunity to get a Super Bowl title. It is a highly unfortunate part of sports with the type of physicality that football brings. This obviously has happened to some of even the greatest teams—only one team is left standing at the end of the day. It is also a game of wits just as much as it is a game of physicality. Some like to relate the sport of football to the game of chess, the coaches being the players, while the actual players are the pawns. To an extent, I believe those people are somewhat accurate in their depictions.

In the NFC West, all four teams are separated by one game. The Cardinals are atop the division with a 6-4 record, then the rest of the pack are all sitting with a 5-5 record. It is the tightest division top to bottom across the league. The Niners are presently holding the fourth-place spot in the NFC West after allowing Seattle to come away with a comeback win on the last drive of the game this past Sunday. Geno Smith drove the Seahawks down the field on an 11-play drive that took over 2 minutes to end it. The Seahawks came away with the road win after their 80-yard drive where Geno scrambled for a 13-yard run touchdown, giving 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy only 12 seconds to work with. Such a sad day for Kyle Shanahan and the Niners losing to a Seattle team that had lost five of their last six games. This was a crucial game in which San Fran needed to come out on top, especially with it being a divisional game. Now, not only did they drop to last in the West, but they are also 1-3 in their division, putting their playoff hopes largely in jeopardy. If they have any aspirations of playing games in January, they need to come out of this gauntlet with two or fewer losses—Packers, Bills, Bears, Rams, Dolphins, Lions, and the Cardinals. This would be a tough task for anyone. If I may be honest, the Niners’ season is basically over. I could see them being able to win a few of these games, though having this remaining schedule when you already have five losses in the season will ultimately prove to be too challenging to overcome.

Life in the NFC North is very pressing this year as well. When you must play teams like the Vikings, Lions, and Bears twice each year, you had better be on your A-game all season long. Losing too many divisional games could be devastating to your playoff dreams by the end of the year. So can too many losses inside the conference in general. Luckily for the Packers, they were able to come away with a victory against the Bears last Sunday in Chicago, blocking what would have been a game-winning 46-yard field goal. It should go without saying that it was a huge deal, as this win separated Green Bay from being 0-3 in the NFC North division to being 1-2. This gives them some hope moving forward, clinging on to the six seed in the NFC playoff race. They are currently holding a half-game lead over Washington for 6th place (Washington has a week 14 bye) but doesn’t have much of a margin for error as the whole NFC West is only two games back (all three teams are sitting at 5-5). Matt LaFleur, along with Jeff Hafley (Packers DC), will have some serious work to do to whip this defense into shape fast. Green Bay’s next three games have them facing two of the top scoring offenses in points per game, passing yards per game, and rushing yards, along with being second and third best in total yards per game (SF & DET). The Packers’ offense will need to win in time of possession against San Fran while relying on a heavy, balanced game plan as they are pretty good against both the run and pass, ranking 8th in each category. They are giving up more yards through the air than on the ground, but you should still get Josh Jacobs his touches early and often to make their linebackers stack the box. Then, Love can unleash his arsenal of weapons in the passing game with one of the best groups of wideouts the league has to offer (Watson, Doubs, Reed, & Kraft).

Shanahan is widely known as an offensive-minded guru, which has been proven in recent years by the large success of Brock Purdy. If anyone can win a big game when it matters most, I wouldn’t bet against him. San Fran possesses one of the top rushing offensive units in the league, even more so now with Christian McCaffrey back from injury. Green Bay does rank 14th in rush yards allowed (119.6 yards per game), though I would still assume Shanahan will be pounding the rock early and often with their two-headed rushing attack. The Packers haven’t been as successful with their pass rush this season (18th in sacks); the effects of this have resulted in their opponents being able to have a little more boom in the passing game. Packers allow 207.5 pass yards per game, ranking 13th leaguewide. They also just came off a game against the Chicago Bears where they permitted almost 400 total yards (391) to a subpar offense.

Lastly, although I do not see the Niners making the postseason this year in a division that looks as if it will more than likely be sending only one team to the playoffs, I do like them to upset this Green Bay Packers team (SF +1.5) one week removed from barely coming away victorious by way of a blocked kick. 

UPDATED POSSIBLE MVP CANDIDATES

        We all have our own opinions when it comes to everything in life, and sports are no different. Often, we as fans decide early on which players we believe should win or even be in consideration of certain awards. Consciously or unconsciously, biased or unbiased, we usually do this based on our love for certain players or teams, regardless of how they may measure up to other players around the league. When it comes to this year’s NFL MVP, as I alluded to in my previous article, there are some obvious choices for this season: Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jared Goff, and the only current non-quarterback choice, Derrick Henry. However, after these last couple of weeks, it has come to my attention that, just like a lot of times in life, we can all agree that oversights happen. We fail to realize certain things or appreciate them due to the enormous, concurrent day-to-day events. I want to use this platform to discuss some more players who should unquestionably be recognized for the impressive seasons they’ve had so far.

 

JALEN HURTS 

Jalen Hurts has seemed to go under the radar thus far in the 2024 NFL season. Why is that? I’m not 100% sure, but I’ll tell you one thing: he has the Philadelphia Phanatic wanting to ditch his threads to become an Eagle himself. Philly has now started a season with an 8-2 record or better for the past three seasons, and Jalen Hurts is a very big reason why. When you look at Jalen’s numbers this year, they’re not really eye-popping, but he is winning games, and in the sports world, winning is the most meaningful statistic there is. Hurts may be ranked 16th in passing (2,197 yards), 20th in average passing yards (219.7 ypg), and tied 16th in passing scores (12 TDs). However, he does rank in the top 10 in QB rating (101.8 - 7th), QBR (62.0 – 9th), and completion percentage (69.2% - T-5th), along with being top 5 in total touchdowns this season (23 TDs, T-4th), having 12 through the air plus 11 on the ground. When it comes to winning games, Hurts boast a career record of 44-26-1 with 42 regular season wins (3rd; only Allen and Mahomes have more regular season wins since 2021). This season, Jalen became the first QB in NFL history to both throw a TD and rush for a TD with a 100+ passer rating in four straight games (surpassing Jim Hart 1968, Jeff Hostetler 1993, and Lamar Jackson 2020). Hurts has also now broken his own record (was tied with Cam Newton) by rushing for 10+ TDs in four consecutive seasons.

 

KYLER MURRAY 

The Arizona Cardinals started this season off 1-3, then suddenly, something started to click, and they have been rolling on all cylinders since. Arizona has been on fire recently, winning five of their last seven games, four in a row, while only allowing 14.25 points per game defensively. Clearly, that has nothing to do with Kyler’s stats, but I just wanted to paint a picture of how good the Cards have been as a team. It is the ultimate team sport, isn’t it? That said, for Kyler to have the season he is having, he needs strong O-line play. Well, believe me, he is getting just that, as the Cardinals heavyweights up front have only ceded 8 total sacks over their last 7 games now (4 sacks allowed in the last 5 games). In week 8, Kyler completed 26/36 (72%) for 307 yards in a fourth-quarter comeback win in Miami, followed by a route over the Bears where the Cards put up 29 points on a very good Chicago defense without Murray having to do much. Then Murray came back in a huge way, setting an all-time Arizona Cardinals record by completing 17 straight passes, going 22-for-24 for 266 yards, sprinkling in 21 on the ground, and scoring 3 touchdowns himself. Murray has 16 TDs this season (12 pass, 4 rush), owns the 3rd best QBR (74.9), 9th best passer rating (100.8), while currently tied with Hurts in completion percentage (5th - 69.2%). Much like Hurts and Lamar, Kyler is also an incredible runner when he needs to use his legs and is 4th in rushing yards from the QB position (371 yds). Now, I am obviously not saying that Kyler should be the favorite or is going to win, I’m merely proposing that we make sure we keep our eyes on him as he is propelling this Arizona team (3rd in NFC) to new heights.

JOE BURROW 

This one is tough because Joe is such an incredibly talented quarterback in this league. Without a doubt, he has been one of the top 5 quarterbacks since he was drafted by the Bengals and has already appeared in a Super Bowl (lost to the Rams 23-20). Burrow is having his best season as a pro, which is truly the toughest part of their current situation as a team. The Bengals are now 4-7 after their last loss on Sunday Night to the Los Angeles Chargers, which came in heartbreaking fashion. They are far from making the playoffs, yet Joe Burrow has been on fire amid all the woes that Cincinnati has been through this year. Joe leads all quarterbacks in passing touchdowns (27) and total scores (28), passing yards (3,028), and QBR (76.1). Joe also ranks 2nd in yards per game (275.3) while placing 3rd in passer rating (106.9). There is absolutely no question if the Bengals were in the mix for the playoffs this season, he would, or at least should, be the number one favorite to bring home the 2024 MVP of the regular season. Unfortunately, I don’t believe there is any way that will wind up being the case. "Any given Sunday" has always been the famous saying in the NFL when it comes to winning games. However, unless the Bengals run the table over their next seven games, it will be highly unlikely for Cincy to make the postseason, or for Burrow to get rewarded for his season-long achievements.

SAQUON BARKLEY 

Saquon Barkley has been on an unbelievable tear in his first season as a Philadelphia Eagle. Boy did the Giants screw up by not bringing him back. Since Barkley’s arrival in Philly, he has been nothing short of amazing. He’s already rushed for 1,137 yards (2nd) while averaging a league-best 113.7 yards per game. Barkley is averaging 5.8 yards per carry (2nd), has scored 10 total touchdowns (T-3rd), and has amassed over 1,300 scrimmage yards (1,347 yds) while still having seven more weeks remaining. This was a no-brainer for the Eagles to sign Saquon. He had been one of their top rivals for years and showed them that he had plenty left in the tank, even though some were quick to shoot down his ability to stay healthy. It was never about his abilities as a player, how could it be? This man is one of the most versatile athletes in all professional sports, let alone football. You give him the ball, he can make cuts that will break the defender’s ankles, he can run around you, hit a spin move with ease, catch the ball out of the backfield, and you can line him up out wide or in the slot. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they allowed him to throw a pass or two; he’d probably throw a TD too. One thing I thought I’d never see is a player hurdling a defender while having their back to him. Just to clarify in case you read that wrong: not only did Barkley hurdle a defenseman (not crazy to do, seen this before), but he got spun around while eluding a few players and somehow managed to hurdle a defender that was coming from behind him, attempting to bring him down. I remember when I was younger, a man once said while speaking about Marshall Faulk that it was like he had eyes in the back of his head with his ability to avoid tacklers that were trying to bring him down from behind. Watching that backward hurdle from Saquon Barkley against the Jacksonville Jaguars certainly reminded me of Marshall. If the Eagles continue this hot streak, Saquon reaches 2,000 or more yards, and Philly locks down the 1st or 2nd seed in the NFC, I then, would strongly recommend that Barkley be taken into serious consideration for this year’s MVP!

WRESTLING FOR A WILD CARD

 

    The Cincinnati Bengals have struggled early and often this season and have dealt with numerous injuries but then again who hasn’t had the injury bug this year.  Joe Burrow has been playing lights out all year, though they just haven’t found ways to win, losing five games by six or less points while three of which came by a margin of three or less points.  That sure puts the Wild in Wild Card if you ask me.  It isn’t quite panic mode for the Bengals, but a loss on Sunday Night Football would palpably change things.  Zac Taylor is all too familiar with slow starts to the season as Cincy’s Head Coach, starting 0-2 in five of his six seasons.  Coach Taylor also ended two consecutive seasons with no less than an AFC Championship appearance (20-21,21-22).  I previously stated how losing at Los Angeles tonight could unequivocally raise a major level of concern falling four games back to the Chargers.  In this scenario they would seemingly not have a prayer in their own division, being able to catch either Baltimore or Pittsburgh plus it would also possibly put them two games back behind the Broncos assuming they beat the Falcons today.   

        The Chargers obviously have a cushion to descend by a few games without affecting their playoff chances.  Don’t get me wrong, they clearly don’t want to put more notches in the right-hand column.  I’m merely saying that they more than likely won’t be able to catch the Chiefs for the top spot in the AFC West and don’t look plausible to move up to the five seed as that pretty much appears to be set in stone for whoever ends up the number two team in the AFC North.  When everyone spoke highly of this Los Angeles Chargers team in the offseason I kind of blocked that noise out.  Yes, I know how great coach Jim Harbaugh is, I also realize how talented quarterback Justin Herbert is.  My thoughts were that for this team to make a playoff run in Harbaugh’s inaugural season they would need to have more talent around Herbert especially within his receiver core.  When you look at his career thus far, the Chargers offense has been a difficult team to reckon with to say the least with guys like Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.  Going into this season the Chargers had moved on from both of those players thus only toting younger less experienced wideouts that didn’t exactly look like game changers.  I know how special Ladd McConkey is from his time with the Georgia Bulldogs, though even he didn’t seem like he was clicking with Herbert until the past few weeks.  Up to this point, week 11, the Chargers are not within the top 18 teams in any offensive statistics.  However, what they lack offensively, their defense has more than made up for with what they’ve been able to do on that side of the ball. 

        Los Angeles has been a top ten defense in all major categories across the board.  We all know how great a defensive-minded coach Harbaugh is but let’s also give credit where credit is due.  Chargers DC Jesse Minter came over from Michigan after serving as Harbaugh’s DC there as well (2022-2023).  Minter’s defensive is very parsimonious in the number of points they are allowing to their opponents this season, only ceding 13.1 points a game (1^st).  Their rush defense is no different, allowing on average just 110.6 yards (9^th), while they also boast one of the most ungenerous pass defenses in the league permitting offenses roughly 191.6 yards through the air (9^th).  Overall LA sanctions a total of 302.1 yards weekly, ranking just outside the top 5 amongst all NFL defensive units this year.  While I have already mentioned how much more of importance this win is for a 4-6 Cincinnati Bengals team it doesn’t mean the Chargers aren’t going to make it any easier on them with their stingy defense.

        Cincinnati needs to come out and channel their offense from week 8 when they opened the game against the Philadelphia Eagles by going on a ten-minute drive to start.  Though, with that in mind you also don’t want to have the same result as that game.  Dan Pitcher, Cincy’s OC needs to cook up a balanced game plan that can help open the passing game, which is figured to be better than previous weeks with Tee Higgins finally able to suit up after missing the last handful of games with an injury.  Having to defend two Pro-Bowl-like wideouts possesses a threat that I don’t believe the Chargers have had to face to this point in the year.  Los Angeles on the other hand should look to exploit the Bengals defense through the passing game as they are quite generous allowing 220.2 yards (23^rd) on a weekly basis.  Chargers will also look to do a fair amount of damage on the ground against this porous rush that gives up 127.3 yards a game.  Last week Los Angels welcomed back running back Gus “the bus” Edwards who was traded along with his other running back mate J.K. Dobbins from Jim’s brother John Harbaugh in the offseason.  Upon Edwards return last week he averaged over 5 yards per carry and will undoubtedly churn out a lot of ground and pound yards sharing the back field duties with the quick and speedy Dobbins.

        I like an upset tonight in Los Angeles and will be counting on Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to show up and show out.  Burrow has been playing some of the best football of his career this season and leads the NFL in both passing yards (2,672 yds) along with touchdowns (T-1^st-24 tds) and has arguably the best starting receiver tandem in the league.  Bengals also has had a huge bump in running back play in second year runner Chase Brown (took over for Zack Moss) who came into the season as their number two back but took over the starting role after seemingly out- playing Moss week after week.  Brown is now the cow bell in this backfield, excelling both on passing downs as well as getting all the early work with Zack Moss going down to injury.  Though the better defense goes to the Chargers, the better Offense has mainly been the Bengals, especially in the passing game.  Harbaugh’s team is currently favored at home (-1.5) though that could change between now and kickoff at 8:20PM.  In my own personal opinion this game may not wind up being the best of the day but I do still think it will be a very good one.