ATLANTA TURNS TO ROOKIE PENIX JR.

 

            Atlanta Falcons haven’t had the season they thought they would’ve had coming into the season.  Many pegged Atlanta as a possible quick fix for the first-year head coach Raheem Morris.  Their roster was ably built with a savvy mixture of veterans plus a lot of young talent to complement them.  They had moved on from their previous QB Desmond Ridder after more than a season of failed gameplay.   Then they signed the Minnesota Vikings' previous QB of the past six seasons Kirk Cousins.  Atlanta started the season with a 6-3 record and Cousins was playing very sound football.  Throughout the first nine weeks of the season, Cousins had thrown for 2,328 yards with a 17-7 TD: INT ratio.  During that span, Kirk helped the Falcons achieve a 4-1 divisional record in the NFC South, holding a two-game lead from the rest of the division.  From that point onward, the Falcons started to stumble.  The focal point of their descent was the quarterback play of Cousins.  During the four-game losing streak, he tallied 1,068 yards passing, 8 interceptions, and hadn’t thrown a single touchdown.  This past Monday night in week 15 the Falcons played the Las Vegas Raiders.  While just barely beating them, the veteran QB finally threw a touchdown.  However, his stat line was that of a problematic passer.  Kirk was 11/17, completing 64.7% of his passes, throwing 1 TD and 1 interception with a total of 112 yards.  This was indubitably the straw that broke the camel's back.

            Raheem Morris and the Atlanta Falcons may have won on Monday night, but a 15-9 win over the lousy Raiders was a cry for help.  After just about 24 hours removed from that horrific offensive performance, the team decided something drastic had to be done.  What they came up with to fix the struggles was not necessarily a surprise by any means.  ESPN announced earlier today that the Falcons will be starting rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. next week in a home game against the New York Giants.  Penix Jr. was drafted out of Washington 8^th overall in the first round of the draft.  He played for the Huskies, starting 28 games as a second-year junior and senior.  Viewed as a top prospect in the nation he passed for 9,544 total yards, completing 65.4% of his passes, tossing 67 touchdowns opposed to just 19 interceptions.  Penix was a transfer from Indiana after his first four years, playing for the Hoosiers in only 20 games.  In his time there he accumulated 4,197 yards, 29 TDs, and 15 INTs.  With 48 career games under his belt, you can only imagine the Falcons offensive attack will strive to become a much better team very soon with Penix under center.  His senior year, the Huskies made a National Championship appearance for only the third time in program history but ultimately lost to Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines.  I don’t know if Penix will be able to rattle off three wins in a row to push Atlanta into the playoffs, nor is it expected.  Even if they did win out Atlanta would still need Tampa Bay to lose a game to end the season at least tied with them to win the South.  Kirk Cousins's fate isn’t entirely entrenched as their backup for good, though if the rookie has an incredible outing in his first start it will start to look gloomy real fast for the vet.               

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL - WILD CARD HEAT - DENVER AT LOS ANGELES

 

Last Sunday the Denver Broncos beat the Indianapolis Colts to improve their record to 9-5 this season.  By no means was this a start-to-finish blowout win.  The Broncos started this game very slowly, playing lackluster ball on offense for most of the game.  During the first three quarters, Joe Lombardi’s play-calling wasn’t that effective against a good Gus Bradley-coached Colts defensive unit.  It also didn’t help matters that Bo Nix threw three interceptions.  Indy’s linebacker (Zaire Franklin) picked off Nix early on about halfway through the first quarter.  Then around 4 minutes before the half, Broncos starting safety Brandon Jones retaliated with an interception of his own as Colts QB Anthony Richardson slightly overthrew his target (Alec Pierce).  This in-conference AFC matchup was full of turnovers (8), which was the game's biggest story.  The big play that had turned this game on its head was in the third quarter when Colts running back, Jonathon Taylor eclipsed a 41-yard touchdown run.  However, after a second look, Taylor dropped the ball before crossing the goal line.  Upon Taylor dropping the ball it rolled out of the back of the endzone thus Denver gaining possession, erasing what would have been a 20-7 lead.  Denver ended up benefiting from a total of five turnovers, including intercepting Colt’s receiver Adonai Mitchell on a play that Richardson initially threw a lateral pass to the rookie wideout; upon catching the ball he looked to throw it back to Richardson.  However, Denver’s top edge rusher and DPOTY candidate, Nick Bonitto was there to catch the pass and brought it back for six points. 

Los Angeles comes into this AFC West showdown against their divisional rivals with a dreadful loss.  There is no other way to say it, they straight up got man-handled on Sunday.  Jesse Minter’s defense, for the first time this year, was dismantled.  The Chargers allowed over 500 yards of offense to Baker and the Bucs, while also surrendering 40 points.  It was very ugly to watch as the Chargers had been very parsimonious in scoring defense before week 15.  They are still at the top of the league in average defensive scoring, only giving up 17.6 points (T-1^st).  Harbaugh and Minter are going to have a lot to figure out, they took a beaten both in the air and on the ground.  Tampa’s running back Bucky Irving averaged 7.8 yards per carry and ended the game with 117, but the strength of this defense all year had been against the pass (allowed 283 yards to Mayfield).  Meanwhile, the Chargers’ offense was also miserable, only putting up 206 total yards.  With J.K Dobbins out, (still dealing with an injury) they couldn’t find any room to run.  Chargers only rushed for a woeful 32 yards while also passing for just 174 yards.  Greg Roman will also be back at the drawing board to come up with a better game plan as his offense is preparing to face one of the elite defensive units this year in the Denver Broncos. 

The Chargers must be very careful in their last three games having not yet locked up a playoff spot.  Chances are even with a loss here they would more than likely retain the 7^th seed with the three teams looking in (Miami, Indy, Cincy- all 6-8) needing a whole lot to overtake L.A. and slide into the super wildcard slot.  Their defense is going to have to bring a lot of pressure to rattle Broncos’ rookie QB Bo Nix, who hasn’t played great in his last two starts but has still come away with two wins.  The Chargers did beat them earlier in the year at Denver, though their number one defensive player got hurt at the start of the game, never returning.  That same player, Pat Surtain II did get banged up on Sunday during a play in which he came up with an interception.  Either way, the Chargers need to limit their negative plays, try to push the ball downfield while also pass-protecting as if their lives depend on it. 

 

CHARGERS OFFENSE:

TOTAL YARDS P/G- 302.1 (27^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 105.8 (22^ND)

PASS YARDS P/G- 211.6 (9^TH)

POINTS PER GAME- 17.6 (T-1^ST)

TOT SKS ALLOWED- 41 (23^RD)

 

CHARGERS DEFENSE:

TOTAL YARDS P/G- 336.7 (14^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 125.1 (19^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 211.6 (9^TH)

POINTS PER GAME- 21.0 (21^ST)

TOTAL SACKS – 40 (T-6^TH)   

 

        Denver is looking to win 4 divisional games for the first time since winning the Super Bowl back in 2015.  First things first, Payton must have his boys ready to play Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers for the second time this season.  This time they are playing on the road where the Broncos have allowed less production out of their adversary's offenses than at home (Denver allows 104 rush yards at home & 94 yards away, 232 pass yards at home & 173 away).  Vance Joseph’s name surprisingly has not come up a whole lot in discussions for a head coaching spot next season.  I’m not exactly sure why, but one thing is for certain.  The Broncos will seemingly have an elite defense for the next handful of years and Joseph is the reason why.  Patrick Surtain II has been recognized as a DPOTY nominee, while their edge rusher Nik Bonitto has also popped up as such.  Bonitto is second in the league in sacks while he has also made house calls in each of his last two games.  Sean Payton could also be considered one of the stronger COTY candidates, though in all fairness I’d like to see him win out and win a playoff game or two before we can strongly place him at the head of that award.

 

BRONCOS OFFENSE:

TOTAL YARDS P/G- 311.1 (22^ND)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 108.4 (20^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 202.7 (23^RD)

POINTS PER GAME- 24.0 (10^TH)

TOT SKS ALLOWED- 20 (3^RD)

 

BRONCOS DEFENSE:

TOTAL YARDS P/G- 315.3 (8^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 98.6 (5^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 216.7 (T-15^TH)

POINTS PER GAME- 17.6 (T-1^ST)

TOTAL SACKS – 49 (1^ST)

 

        Huge game with even bigger playoff implications.  The chargers seem to be safe as of now.  They have two road games to end the season after tomorrow's home divisional game on Thursday Night Football.  Their next two will be against a bad New England Patriots team, while the Chargers' last regular season game will be another division rival, the Las Vegas Raiders.

If they want to beat a red-hot Broncos team, they will need to be strong in passing protection against the number one defense in sacks.  They will also need to consistently matriculate the ball downfield, winning the time of possession battle.  They will not be able to run on this 5th-ranked rush defense, so their best shot is to have Herbert take shots down the field.  Quick passes will be beneficial for Greg Roman to call, the longer you hold it the more sacks the Broncos will have. 

        Denver will have to limit Los Angeles in the passing game.  Pat Surtain II is a little banged up after a slight ankle sprain that he sustained on Sunday afternoon.  Their other starting corner Riley Moss has been hurt the past few games and still has not practiced as of Tuesday, according to the Broncos injury report.

The other way for Payton to come away with his 3^rd division win on the season will be for Nix and the offense to play turnover-free football.  Denver was pretty good at limiting offensive turnovers for much of the season, however, this has been a problem for them in their last two games.  Joe Brady should be game-planning to cook up a unique way to hit the Chargers where they are hurting most and take advantage of their pass defense after what the Buccaneers were able to do against them last week.  It is no secret that the Broncos have struggled running the rock, so it makes even more sense to air it out.  Javonte Williams has been vastly inefficient this season, while the rookie runner Audric Estime seems as though he will need some more time in this offense.  Their best running back this season, second-year player Jaleel McLaughlin (5.3 ypc) was a limited participant in Tuesday’s walkthrough.  If he is one hundred percent, I’d like Denver to let him get the bulk of their carries as he has started to gain a lot of traction in that backfield as their best runner.  Denver is currently +2.5 underdogs on the road for tomorrow night which will take place in Los Angeles at Sofi Stadium on Thursday Night Football.   

BILLS MAFIA INVADES 313

 

          Ford Field will have two shades of blue in their arena tomorrow afternoon.  Nickel City is coming to Detroit and bringing their often-rowdy Bills Mafia fans with them.  We can only hope they don’t bring their tables with them, a fanbase notorious for jumping and slamming people through tables like they are WWE wrestlers.  I am extremely excited about this game!  Though as a fan of a team that also plays in the same time slot, I wish this would have been scheduled as the Sunday Night game and many others may also be wondering why this is not.  These two teams are both very much in the Super Bowl discussion this year and for good reasons.  They are the top two scoring offenses in the NFL through 14 weeks, along with two top 10 defenses in points allowed.  This contest has all the makings of a heavyweight fight!  In one corner you have a man who was being discussed as an early favorite for MVP, Lions QB Jared Goff, and in the other corner, you have another possible regular season MVP in Josh Allen.

          I did some research for this game and found that these two teams have met twelve times in the history of their franchises.  Buffalo leads the series with a record of 7-4-1.  Buffalo, aka Queen City of Lakes, has often left the pride drowning as the Bills not only own the series but have also beaten the Lions 50% of the time in Detroit.  The Bills have been on a roll against the Lions winning six of their last seven meetings, two of which were at Ford Field including their last game when Buffalo beat Detroit 28-25 in 2022.  The biggest difference for the Lions this time around would have to be their dual running threat, Sonic & Knuckles.  In case you don’t know what, I am speaking of this was the nickname given to their two rushers Jahymr Gibbs (Sonic) and David Mongomery (Knuckles).  The nickname just symbolizes the speed of Gibbs which perfectly mixes with the hard-running style of Mongomery.

         

          Detroit has been widely known for being one of the grittiest teams in the NFL ever since Dan Campbell took the reigns as their head coach back in January of 2021.  This has been largely publicized as ultimately the best decision the Detroit Lions have made in the history of their organization.  What Campbell has built there is truly incredible.  Taking a team with a miserable history and turning it into a powerhouse for the foreseeable future is a true testament to how well he knows football and his beliefs for what can become greatness.  Trading Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff was scrutinized and criticized leaguewide when the Lions made the move per Stafford’s suggestion.  There are still doubters when it comes to Goff, but the reality is that he is one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the NFL today.  Sure, he may not be in your top five most desirable QBs when it comes to fantasy football, but going into week 15 he has his Lions sitting atop the NFC and the entire league tied with KC for first place at 12-1.  Detroit’s offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has this unit placed as second-best in total yardage per game and that will only continue with the pieces they have.  They have a top 5 O-line that has allowed the 8^th least sacks this year, and three highly impressive receivers (Amon-Ra St.Brown, Jameson Williams, & Tim Patrick) as outlets at Goff's disposal plus a tight end in his second year who is coming off a Pro Bowl season (Sam Laporta).        

LIONS OFFENSE:

TOTAL OFFENSE P/G- 394.8 (2^ND)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 151.1 (4^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 243.8 (4^TH)

POINTS P/G- 32.1 (1^ST)

TOTAL SKS ALLOWED- 25 (8^TH)

 

LIONS DEFENSE:

TOTAL YARDS P/G- 318.6 (10^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 93.9 (5^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 224.7 (24^TH)

POINTS P/G- 18.0 (T-2^ND)

TOTAL SACKS- 31 (T-19^TH)

 

          The Buffalo Bills are heading to Detroit with a ton of confidence in their back pockets.  Buffalo is coming off a loss, though Josh Allen had his best performance of his career, accounting for six touchdowns himself.  Allen put up all 42 points alone last Sunday (minus PATs) as the Bills still managed to lose 44-42 to a quickly turned-around Los Angeles Rams squad.  Buffalo’s QB threw three touchdowns while also rushing for an added three scores, literally doing everything in his power to win the game, without a single turnover.  Buffalo’s OC Joe Brady will have his full repertoire of players ready to go into combat against Aaron Glenn’s (Detroit’s DC) number-two-ranked scoring defense.  Running back James Cook should be back to himself this week after having a dud against the Rams and Brady should utilize him steadily in their passing game, which should cause mismatch issues for Detroit with all the injuries to the Lions linebackers.  Josh should also greatly benefit from veteran Amari Cooper and rookie Keon Coleman, both back in full health.  Cooper comes into this game being targeted 14 times last week (most targets for him in a game this season) while hauling in 6 receptions for 95 yards.  Their tight end Dalton Kincaid has missed the previous three games but was a full go at practice on Wednesday.  He is listed as questionable, but I’d bet he’ll be available Sunday.

 

BILLS OFFENSE:

TOTAL YARDS P/G- 355.0 (10^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 125.7 (11^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 229.3 (12^TH)

POINTS P/G- 30.5 (2^ND)

TOTAL SKS ALLOWED- 13 (1^ST)

 

BILLS DEFENSE:

TOTAL YARDS P/G- 332.0 (14^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 123.1 (19^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 208.9 (9^TH)

POINTS P/G- 20.6 (8^TH)

TOTAL SACKS- 29 (T-22^ND)

 

          This game may very well come down to whoever possesses the ball last and could be a high-scoring game.  I think the Bills will probably have a pass-happy game plan with Detroit giving up the 22^nd most passing yards per game.  The Lions haven’t had much of a pass rush ever since their all-star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson went down at the beginning of the season with a leg injury.  On the other side, the Lions' offense can beat you by way of ground or air, though the smarter move would be to ground and pound on Bobby Babich’s (Bills DC) 19th-ranked run defense.  I mean they are the only NFL team currently with two premier running backs, as aforementioned Sonic & Knuckles (Gibbs and Montgomery).  Gibbs is 5^th in rushing yards this season (1,016 yards) while both backs rank in the top ten in rushing touchdowns (Montgomery 3^rd-12tds, Gibbs 9^th-10tds).  It is also notable to add that Josh Allen ironically is ranked 10^th in rushing touchdowns this season with 9.  Allen is the ultimate weapon and one of the most athletic QBs the NFL has ever seen.  He is also 6^th in passing TDs with 23, while Jared Goff ranks one spot higher at 5^th with 25 TDs.  Buffalo goes into Ford Field as +2.5 underdogs, but I would bet the Lions stay hot, winners of their last 11 straight who haven’t lost a game since week 2.

PUGNACIOUS IN PENNSYLVANIA

 

        This upcoming Sunday offers NFL fans some enticing games slated for week 15.  One of these intriguing interconference matchups that is gaining a lot of steam leading up to kickoff is a battle of two teams within the same state.  The Mike Tomlin-led Pittsburgh Steelers will travel to Philadelphia as they take on coach Nick Sirianni’s Philadelphia Eagles.  These two franchises will go head-to-head for the 82^nd time in NFL history.  Philly leads the all-time series when competing against Pittsburgh, 49-29-3, 48 of those wins came in the regular season.  No, they never met in a Super Bowl, however, the two franchises met in the 1947 NFL Eastern Division Championship and the Eagles won 21-0.  The largest margin of victory between them was when the E-A-G-L-E-S dismantled them 45-3 in 1942.  The Steelers' biggest win came in 1959, with black and gold shutting out gang green 31-0.  Philly also owns the longest win streak of the series ripping off 7 consecutive victories 1947-1950.  The last meeting was also won by the Eagles, 35-13 in 2022.

 

        Pittsburgh has had a strong season to this point.  Mike Tomlin is proving how great of a coach he is while leading the Steelers to a 10-3 record this season.  They are currently looking as if they could be a legitimate threat to the Kansas City Chiefs.  Is the Steel Curtain era back?  They certainly are making a case for it, T.J. Watt is the odds-on favorite to win DPOTY, Teryl Austin’s (DC) defense is in the top 5 in scoring and total yards, defensive tackle Cam Hayward has turned back the hands of time, and Mike Tomlin is also in the running for the COTY!  Offensively, they’ve also been getting better by the week.  Russell Wilson has been proving his time in Denver was merely a fluke as he has helped them become the 10th-best scoring unit in the league this season.  In terms of passing, they are averaging just over 268 yards in their last 3 weeks.  However, they will have to look towards other weapons for Russ on the outside as George Pickens has already been listed as out with a nagging hamstring injury.

 

STEELERS OFFENSE:

TOTAL YARDS P/G- 338.1 (16^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 132.1 (9^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 206.0 (23^RD)

POINTS P/G- 24.8 (10^TH)

TOTAL SACKS ALLOWED- 35 (20^TH)

 

STEELERS DEFENSE:

TOTAL DEFENSE P/G- 310.2 (7^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 91.5 (5^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 218.6 (18^TH)

POINTS P/G- 18.3 (5^TH)

TOTAL SACKS- 32 (T-15^TH)

 

        The Eagles have been playing great football this year as well.  They are the second-best team in the NFC, only one game back from the Detroit Lions, and have now won nine straight dating back to week 5.  Philly had initially started a little flat on defense this season, then down the stretch, they’ve been one of the best defenses in the league.  Much credit goes to Vic Fangio (DC), he has since coached his men to become a premier unit in defensive scoring.  This Eagles team has two amazing rookie cornerbacks bolstering the back end and holding opposing offenses to the second least passing yards per game.  I don’t know what the Steelers' offense will be able to accomplish against Fangio’s men, they don’t have any real weaknesses, only progressively get stronger with time.  The only real thing that is worrisome for this team is their passing game on the offensive side.  Their air attack has been atrocious this year.  I guess you can attribute that to the fact that Saquon has just been so good that they haven’t had to worry about the passing game in the same way as in past years.  In Philly’s last three games, their air attack averaged roughly 120 yards a game.  Last week was by far their worst, maybe ever for the Philadelphia franchise as Jalen Hurts only threw for 83 yards.  Maybe another piece to this puzzle could be the fact that A.J. Brown and Jalen don’t seem to be on the same page as of late and Brandon Graham made comments to the media about a week ago stating that there may be a problem in the city of brotherly love.

 

EAGLES OFFENSE:

TOTAL OFFENSE P/G- 371.7 (6^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 190.5 (1^ST)

PASS YARDS P/G- 180.6 (31^ST)

POINTS P/G – 26.3 (8^TH)

TOTAL SACKS ALLOWED- 36 (22^ND)

EAGLES DEFENSE:

TOTAL DEFENSE P/G- 284.2 (1^ST)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 105.8 (8^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 178.5 (2^ND)

POINTS P/G – 18.0 (T-2^ND)

TOTAL SACKS- 37 (T-7^TH)

 

        Though Philly has excelled thus far with the ground game having the offense go through the league's leading rusher Saquon Barkley, they may wind up playing right into the hands of the Steelers' strength if they use a heavy dose of running script against them.  Pittsburgh only allows 91 yards per game in rushing as the stats above point out, meaning I think that Hurts will have to get back on track with receivers DeVonta Smith & A.J. Brown if they want to beat this non-bendable ore of defense.  If Tomlin wants to show the state of P.A. that Steel City is bigger than the home of the Liberty Bell, he will need to attack the Eagles where it hurts most.  Pittsburgh, as I already mentioned, will be without Wilson’s number one target, so it makes even more sense to attack the Eagles' rush defense.  Look for Arthur Smith to deploy both running backs to try and wear down their opponents, while also utilizing Jaylen Warren on bubble screens and in other passing situations.  Then Smith can attempt to get Russ out of the pocket to throw some of those moonballs to Van Jefferson, Mike Williams, Pat Freiermuth, and the rest of the skilled players.  My thoughts on this game will be that it will be a closely contested one and quite possibly a lower-scoring game.  Assuming the spread stays where it is currently, Pittsburgh will be +5.5 underdogs.  The funny thing about the Steelers being underdogs is they are undefeated this year when placed as such.  If I were betting on this one, I would take those 5.5 points, it could wind up ending with a three-point margin.    

HEISMAN FINAL FOUR

 

4)  4) DILLON GABRIEL – OREGON DUCKS- QB

Dillon Gabriel started the season a little slow, but before you knew it, he had found his footing and was off to the races.  Week two almost proved too tough a matchup for Oregon when Boise State came into Oregon and barely lost to the Ducks.  They ended up winning on a 25-yard field goal as time expired to stay perfect.  Gabriel went 18 of 21, throwing 243 yards and 2 TDs while also rushing for another score.  Though it may not have seemed so at the time the Ducks beat a great Broncos team.  The reality is that they took down the nation’s 9th-ranked team with the best running back in college football and possibly the best in NCAA history if he breaks the record.  That win was their closest contested game by any opponent until they played Ohio State in week 6.  Gabriel played his heart out against Ohio when he completed 23 of 34 passes, he threw 341 yards and totaled 372 yards.  Oregon’s QB scored 2 air TDs & 1 more on the ground.  His 27-yard scamper put Oregon back up by one point for only the second time in the game.  Gabriel is one of the main reasons they have maintained the nation's top-ranked team (for the first time in program history) while also going undefeated (13-0).

DILLON GABRIEL’S 2024 STATS:

PASS YDS- 3,558 (8^TH-NATION), (1^ST-BIG TEN)

TDS- 28 (8^TH-NATION), (1^ST-BIG TEN)

INTS- 6 (3^RD-BIG TEN)

CMP%- 73.2% (3^RD-NATION), (1^ST-BIG TEN)

PASSER RATING- 166.6 (7^TH-NATION), (3^RD-BIGTEN)

QBR- 86.5 (2^ND-NATION)

 

3) CAM WARD- MIAMI HURRICANES- QB

        Cam Ward is an unbelievably talented football player and will undoubtedly excel at the professional level of football upon entering the NFL next year.  Having only played one ranked team this season in Syracuse and losing is really what ended up hurting their chances of making the college football playoffs this year.  Miami also lost a game to an unranked feisty Georgia Tech team even with Cam passing for 348 yards and 3 touchdowns.  The Hurricanes started the season 9-0 and were ranked as the number 7 team in the nation at their peak back in week 4.  Unfortunately, they are in the ACC with both SMU and Clemson, who have better conference records than Miami this year.

CAM WARD’S 2024 STATS:  

PASS YDS- 4,123 (2^ND-NATION), (2^ND-ACC)

TDS- 36 (1^ST-NATION)

INTS- 7 (3^RD-ACC)

CMP%- 67.4% (3^RD-ACC)

PASSER RATING- 171.5 (5^TH-NATION)

QBR- 88.0 (1^ST-NATION)

 

2) ASHTON JEANTY- BOISE STATE BRONCOS- RB

        Aston Jeanty has been nothing short of amazing!  This Boise State team would not be anywhere close to a college playoff appearance had it not been for this young man’s legs.  Jeanty is a ball of fire shot out of a cannon, and he can beat you in so many ways.  He is a master class at breaking tackles, running through you, stiff-arming defenders, spin moves, and quick agile jukes.  No running back had more 60-plus-yard runs this season.  Boise’s running back is well on his way to breaking the All-Time college rushing record with only 131 yards separating him from taking down a record that was set by the one and only Barry Sanders in 1988 (2,628 yards).  Jeanty’s 2,497 rushing yards this season are the fourth-highest single-season total in FBS history while also more than 115 FBS other programs had produced this year.  He has also rushed for 29 touchdowns which is equal to or better than 118 FBS programs.  He accomplished so many great things this year, such as rushing for 125+ yards in 13 games along with 200 or more yards in 8 games his senior year (most in Mountain West history).  Boise State is firmly placed in the college football playoffs as the third-highest-ranked conference champions.  They earned a bye week and now await their next competitor (SMU or PSU).

        ASHTON JEANTY’S 2024 STATS:

RUSH YARDS- 2,497 (1^ST-NATION)

CARRIES- 344 (1^ST-NATION)

AVERAGE YPC- 7.3 (1^ST-NATION)

RUSHING TDS- 29 (1^ST-NATION)

FORCED MISSED TACKLES- 135 (1^ST-NATION)

        *BROKE BIJAN ROBINSON’S RECORD OF 104 IN 2022!!!

YARDS AFTER CONTACT- 1,882 (1^ST-NATION)

*ASHTON’S YAC IS MORE THAN ANY OTHER RB’S TOTAL RUSHING YARDS IN THE NATION THIS SEASON!!!!!

 

1) TRAVIS HUNTER- COLORADO BUFFAOLES- WR/CB

        Travis Hunter is unquestionably one of one.  He is the most decorated college football player and is the only athletic freak that I’ve ever seen who can play each snap on both sides of the ball in every single game he plays.  The biggest question with Hunter is will he play wideout or cornerback in the NFL?  That’s a trick question, right?  I feel like wherever he ends up he will do whatever he can to try and get snaps at both positions.  Though in the pros I don’t think it will be sustainable for him, playing the way he’s been at the collegiate level.  It’s not a question of toughness, though the players are bigger, faster, and stronger.  When playing receiver, you’re constantly taking a beating, making it incredibly hard to then go back out there on defense to put a lick on others while trying to maintain your health for a 17-plus game season, barring your team qualifies for the playoffs.  Coach Prime has spoken about how monumental this young and gifted specimen has been for him and his Colorado program.  Sanders wants to see him not only shine in the NFL but also be rewarded by way of the Heisman Trophy for all the accolades he has accomplished within college football.  The Buffaloes were often overlooked in the past two seasons but did show the entire nation just how special they could be.  They ultimately missed out on the college football playoffs after a devastating loss to the Kansas Jayhawks 37-21 before coming back with vengeance in their last game against OSU pummeling them 52-0!  The highest Colorado ranked this season was at number 16 in the nation.

        TRAVIS HUNTER’S 2024 WR STATS:

REC YARDS- 1,152 (6^TH-NATION), (3^RD-BIG12)

RECEPTIONS- 92 (5^TH-NATION), (1^ST-BIG12)

TOUCHDOWNS- 14 (2^ND-NATION), 1^ST-BIG12)

        TRAVIS HUNTER’S 2024 CB STATS:

TACKLES- 31

SOLO TKS- 20

PASSES DEFENSED- 11 (8^TH-NATION), (1^ST-BIG12)

INTERCEPTIONS- 4 (17^TH-NATION), (3^RD-BIG12)

FORCED FUMBLES- 1 (4^TH-BIG12)

       

*Hunter allowed the fewest receiving yards (205) in the nation, had the most forced incompletions (8), allowed the lowest passer rating when targeted (42), accounted for the 2^nd most coverage snaps (399), and allowed the 2^nd fewest yards per reception (9.3), per PFF.

 

Now there is nothing against either Cam Ward or Dillon Gabriel, they both played outstanding this year while also adding pure excitement to the entire college football season.  The fact of the matter is just that Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty are once-in-a-generation types of talent.  What both of those men were able to do in college football this season will truly go down in CFB history!  Make your pick for the Heisman and stick with it.  I can’t wait to see who ends up winning the trophy, either way, we realize the winner is more than deserving of this prestigious award. 

The Heisman Trophy Ceremony is this Saturday, December 14^th at 8 PM ET on ESPN.

TOP 10 QBS THROUGH WEEK 14

 

LOS ANGELES @ SAN FRAN

 

        This NFC West division has been widely open all year long.  Coming into the season it was largely discussed as the Niners division for the taking.  Seattle had the best start pulling off a 3-0 record, then started to crumble.  L.A. was riddled with injuries after just two weeks into the season causing them to rack up more losses than wins through the first half of the season.  Arizona also started slowly but then seemed like the favorites to win the division as they were starting to gain momentum and separation from the rest of the West.  Then the Cards lost three straight games, two to the Seahawks.  With essentially almost every other division sewed up, only four weeks remaining, and this NFC West is the most intriguing group of teams to focus on heading into the postseason.  This sets us up for a massive Thursday Night NFL matchup between the Rams & Niners as week 15 is rapidly approaching.

 

        San Fransico has been in a bad way all season.  The fact that they still have a slight chance of winning this division is a miracle.  This past Sunday afternoon the Niners offense went off.  San Frans’ offense amassed over 450 total yards, 321 passing with 131 added yards in ground production.  They had 22 first downs against a decent Chicago defense, converting 50% of their 3^rd downs (6/12) along with 100% on 4^th downs (2/2).  The offense was seemingly the most efficient it’s been all year long.  The O-line played great only allowing Purdy to be sacked just once.  Shanahan’s offense ran 61 plays, only punting twice and Purdy was back to playing superior football again.  Brock completed 80% of his passes (20 for 25) throwing for 325 yards with 2 touchdowns.  Superstar tight end George Kittle stepped his game up while bringing in 6 receptions for 151 yards, averaging over 25 yards a clip.  Jauan Jennings also showed up in a major way with his 7 catches on 90 yards and scored 2 TDs.  Even their rookie running back got into the act when he scored twice on his 15 rushing attempts.  This was a complete win on both sides of the ball and their defense showed rookie Caleb Williams that they would not be denied on their home field, sacking Williams 7 times.

 

49ERS OFFENSE-

TOTAL YDS P/G- 378.5 (4^TH)

RUSH YDS P/G- 138.9 (7^TH)

PASS YDS P/G- 239.6 (7^TH)

POINTS P/G- 23.7 (11^TH)

TOT SKS ALLOWED- 26 (11^th)

 

DEFENSE-

TOT YDS ALLWD P/G- 298.5 (3^RD)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 115.9 (12^TH)

PASS YDS P/G- 182.6 (3^RD)

PTS ALLWD P/G- 23.7 (21^ST)

TOTAL SACKS-  35 (T-10^TH)

 

        Los Angeles has continued to put up a very strong fight after quickly sinking at the beginning of the season.  They were also going through a tremendous number of injuries to key players much like their rivals.  Sean McVay has finally gotten his team over .500 for the first time this year after a cataclysmic 1-4 start to their season.  They have been in a constant uphill battle and after winning the last two weeks they still have a shot at mid-January football.  L.A. currently has a 34% chance to make the playoffs but will drop to only 23% with a loss on Thursday Night.  If they were to come out on top their odds would then grow to 50%.  Believe it or not, they are sitting in a unique position with Washington losing a few of their last games because now the Rams are the only bubble team that can seemingly make their way into a possible Wild Card spot.  They could potentially overtake either Green Bay or Washington if they win out and if one or both of those teams were to stumble in the last four weeks.  The Rams, much like their opponents this week had recorded the best offensive game of their season on Sunday when they put 44 points on the Buffalo Bills. 

In a game that reminded us just how incredible Josh Allen is (scored 6 TDs, 3 rushing + 3 passing, accounting for 424 total yards).  Somehow the Rams not only matched the Bills' level of intensity but outdid them.  McVay’s offense had 28 first downs, converted 11 of 15 third downs (73.33%), ran 72 plays, allowed 0 sacks, and only punted two times.  They also won the time of possession battle 38:30-21:30 while not turning the ball over once.  Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford made it look effortless, completing 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards and threw a pair of touchdowns as well.  Stafford’s all-star receivers Nacua & Kupp both caught a TD each, Cooper grabbing 5 passes for 92 yards, while Puka had the bigger performance (12 rec, 162 yds).  Let’s not forget the man in the backfield, Kyren Williams who also got into the endzone twice while compiling 87 rushing yards.  

 

RAMS OFFENSE-

TOTAL YDS P/G- 340.7 (15^TH)

RUSH YDS P/G- 103.0 (25^TH)

PASS YDS P/G- 237.7 (9^TH)

POINTS P/G- 22.9 (16^TH)

TOT SKS ALLWD- 28 (13^TH)

 

DEFENSE-

TOT YDS ALLWD P/G- 365.7 (27^TH)

RUSH YARDS P/G- 141.0 (28^TH)

PASS YARDS P/G- 224.7 (23^RD)

PTS ALLWD P/G- 25.5 (24^TH)

TOTAL SACKS -  28 (24^th)

 

        I think we are all in for quite a treat tomorrow night with much more than just an exhibition game between bitter foes.  Look for a high-scoring event as two of the top ten passing offenses will attempt to carve the others' defensive backs all game long.  When you take a glimpse at the numbers both teams are weaker against the run but don’t let that fool you as both squads have great QBs at the helm.  Stafford and Purdy will combine for roughly 600 passing yards while both have immensely talented outlets to distribute the rock to.  Once a part of the same staff old buddies will go mano y mano during this one, coaching on opposite sidelines (Shanahan and McVay).  Only one will come out on top, if San Fran loses, they’re pretty much out of the mix and boarder lined eliminated from playoff contention.  The Rams would technically still have a chance to make the postseason even if they were to lose, though it would certainly complicate things further.  Still, this game is perceived as a must-win for both these NFC West teams.  Los Angeles is a +3 underdog as they hit the road with Levi’s Stadium, their destination.  Rams vs. Niners tomorrow night, 8:15 PM ET only on Amazon Prime Video.        

MY TOP 5 COACH OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

             Week 15 of the NFL season is almost here and will be kicking off Thursday Night Football with an NFC West Divisional matchup between the Niners and Ram.  It's getting close to the time of the year when everyone in the NFL world, including the fans, can vote on many different awards.  The obvious biggest honor is the NFL’s regular season MVP.  There are also smaller rewards such as the Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year, and even the Comeback Player of the Year.  Those are the most notable trophies that are given out after the season concludes.  Many of the other less savory honors awarded will include one that solidifies the efforts of whom many feel was the best head coach of the year.  In my opinion, there have been several coaches this season for whom you can make a case that fits as a possible COTY candidate. 

 

JIM HARBAUGH, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- 8-5

            Harbaugh has turned around a franchise that hasn’t been the worst team, although they weren’t reaching their true potential either.  The Los Angeles Chargers have had one of the best young talents at the quarterback position Justin Herbert, since the 2020 season when they drafted him out of Oregon.  Sadly, they didn’t seem to have the right coaching to bring the most out of the rest of the team around Herbert.  Now with Jim Harbaugh, they have looked like a completely different team than just a year ago.  They are dominant on defense, the offense has been getting better throughout the season, and they are even poised for a playoff run.  Though Herbert and McConkey are both a little banged up and they await J.K. Dobbins to hopefully get healthy by the end of the regular season.  At 8-5, the Chargers are firmly in the playoff picture while they’re seemingly back and may even surprise some teams in the postseason.  It has only taken Harbaugh 14 weeks to take a team, which many thought was a joke, and turn them into a contender. 

 

JONATHAN GANNON, ARIZONA CARDINALS- 6-7

            Jonathan Gannon is a lesser-known head coach around the league.  If you are a Philadelphia Eagles fan you may remember him as their defensive coordinator for two seasons (2021-2022).  He has held other coaching positions, but none as highly regarded as DC until the Arizona Cardinals hired him last year to become their head coach.  Though he couldn’t turn the Cardinals' misfortunes around at the pace that Jim Harbaugh was able to do for the Chargers, what he has done in Arizona is still very impressive, nonetheless.  This year he has helped ascend their level of play on defense, while also impacting the overall environment of the locker room.  If you hear how he speaks about the ins and outs of what he preaches to the team week after week, you start to like the guy and realize he is exactly the type of presence they have been needing.  Kyler is 100% healthy and has been balling out, Budda Baker is still balling out as their defensive veteran/captain along with being their number one defender.  The Cardinals just dropped the torch as the leaders of the NFC West, losing twice to Seattle plus a loss to Minnesota in between their games with the Seahawks.  I still have faith in the Cardinals and believe they will go on another winning streak like the one they are just a few weeks removed from.   I do however still like them to wind up winning their division at 10-7 or 9-8.  They still pose a 2-2 division record as of now and have a chance with Seattle’s tough slate of games remaining.  Gannon currently has them as the 10^th-best team in the NFC with a 6-7 record.

 

SEAN PAYTON, DENVER BRONCOS- 8-5

            It hasn’t taken too long for Sean Payton’s offensive ingeniousness to kick in as the Denver Broncos head coach.  Sean wanted to get rid of Russell Wilson, so he got it.  He wanted the Broncos cap to eat over 70 million from Wilson’s deal, so he got it.  Sean wanted to draft Bo Nix, so he got that.  There was speculation that he could make this kid out of Oregon somewhat resemble his once Hall of Fame protégé, quarterback Drew Brees.  Well to his credit Bo is starting to show a glimmer of that type of play.  Payton has Nix looking like the best rookie QB, which is saying a lot when Bo was the fifth player drafted from his position.  Courtland Sutton is looking more like the Pro Bowl rookie version of himself now than he has in any of the past five seasons.  We are now going into week 15, and the Broncos seem to have a top-three, if not the best defense in the league.  Before last week's Monday night high-scoring affair, the Broncos' offense had been rolling while not committing a single turnover in their last 15 quarters played, best of all the Broncos are 8-5.  Coach Payton has this Denver team ready to break their 9-year absence from the playoffs as they are presently in 7^th place in the AFC playoff picture, having at least two fewer losses from the next closest team.

 

MIKE TOMLIN, PITTSBURGH STEELERS- 10-3

            Mike Tomlin is arguably one of the best coaches in the NFL.  I strongly believe he has been one of the best Head Coaches for a long time now.  Yes, Tomlin has only won one Super Bowl, but he has gotten to two of them as the Steelers head coach.  He has also led Pittsburgh to 11 playoff appearances, won 7 division titles, and brought them to 3 AFC championship games.  However, the most impressive thing about Mike Tomlin is that he has never had a losing season in his entire head coaching tenure.  Though a lot of those teams had one of the top quarterbacks in Ben Roethlisberger or posed as one of the elite defenses.  Even after a few years without “Big Ben” or with banged-up defenses that weren’t so elite, Mike Tomlin still managed to find a way to be a .500 team or better.  This season Tomlin had to coach his way through an unconventional, unique situation that he had never dealt with before.  He had to choose between a good veteran quarterback Russell Wilson or the young and upcoming, talented ex-Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields to become his starter.  To start the season Fields was placed as the Steelers starter due to Wilson getting injured a few weeks before their opening game.  Fields began the season well, though he seemed to limit their offense.  Tomlin chose to go with his gut thus replacing Fields with Wilson and it’s been sunny skies since.  The Steelers currently sit atop the AFC North division after beating the Baltimore Ravens just a few weeks ago.  I believe Tomlin more than deserves a Coach of the Year award, having them in third place in this extremely tough AFC conference at 10-3.  I also think it is crazy that he’s never won COTY honors in the past.

 

DAN QUINN, WASHINTON COMMANDERS- 8-5

            It is only Quinn’s rookie year as the Commanders' head coach, yet he’s looking like a seasoned vet.  Why is that?  Well, for one thing, he’s still in the NFC East.  He has done a spectacular job, especially with a rookie quarterback.  Though this is not your average rookie QB, he set all kinds of records for the Commanders also has set all-time rookie QB records for completion percentage, while he is also in the conversation as the favorite for Rookie of the Year.  No one would have ever thought that come week 15 we would be talking about a Washington Commanders team heading to the playoffs.  This is not the old Dan Synder-owned Washington football team, see what I did there haha.  Only a complete fool would do what he did to a sports organization and even with him trying to run them into the ground it only took one season to pull them out of the depths of despair.  That is exactly why I firmly believe that Dan Quinn should be one of the favorites for Coach of the Year.  Furthermore, he also seemed to turn the defense around from one of the middling-worst units as the season began to a respectable one that is starting to hold its own.  If Washington does make the playoffs and beats the Philadelphia Eagles in week 16, I think there should be no question that Dan should win COTY.

 

            I would just like to clarify the reason why I don’t have some of the other great coaches on my list, such as Dan Campbell, Nick Sirianni, Kevin O’Connell, Sean McDermott, and even John Harbaugh.  Unlike the head coaches I just named, the coaches in my top 5 list have either been with their teams for less time or like in Mike Tomlin's case have seemed to have less talent to work with.  Also, I believe that it is unfair to slight a great future Hall of Fame head coach like Tomlin, never having him as the COTY, yet someone like Kevin Stefanski who has won the award twice with a far less impressive track record while only being a head coach for a whopping four seasons, now in his fifth. 

FALCONS VS. VIKINGS – KIRK’S REVENGE

 

     This Sunday afternoon Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins will return to U.S Bank Stadium for the first time since parting ways with Minnesota.  In the offseason, Cousins signed a 4-year, $180 million deal, which includes a $50 million signing bonus, $100 million guarantees, and holds an average of $45 million per base salary.  Kirk was initially ecstatic that Atlanta viewed him as a starting QB looking to lead their offense and team for the next four years.  The Vikings were seemingly ready to move on to either a younger veteran or draft a rookie for the future.  The QB still wanted to be a starter so he knew if he stayed there could be a possibility that during the season they may wind up turning to another option as their starter, so he just wanted out of that situation.  Upon a possible deal with Atlanta, it was then reported that Cousins spoke about this type of situation that could’ve taken place if he had stayed in Minnesota and wanted assurance that if the two sides were to reach a deal in Atlanta, he would have peace of mind that this wouldn’t happen to him as a Falcon.  He was told that they wanted him as their starter, thus not having to worry about something like that in the peach state of Georgia. 

Then about a month and a half after they reached an agreement on a contract, much to Kirk’s chagrin the Atlanta Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr., ex-Washington Huskies quarterback who had brought the Huskies to the National Championship last year.  Atlanta has mostly been a rollercoaster of a team this year.  They started this season 6-3, but over the past three weeks have gone 0-3.  Fortunately, they have handled their business inside the NFC South with a 4-1 division record.  They also only have two tough games ahead this Sunday against the 10-2 Vikings then another road matchup with the 8-5 Commanders in week 17.  Cousins will look to upset the Vikings on the road as payback moving forward without him after his six proficient seasons in Minneapolis.  During his tenure as their starter, he earned three Pro Bowl trips, passing for 171 touchdowns and 55 interceptions (averaged 28.5-9 TD: INT in 6 seasons).  However, Kirk’s been relatively inefficient as of late, having not thrown a single touchdown in his previous three outings. (last game with a TD in week 10 against Dallas, went 3-0 in TD: INT)

Minnesota has played fundamentally sound football on offense and defense all season long.  The Vikings currently sit in second place in the NFC North, trailing Detroit by only one game while possessing a stronghold on the top Wild Card spot in the NFC playoff picture.  Moving on from Cousins has proven to be a decent decision after all for Kevin O’Connell as their new starter Sam Darnold has thrown for 2,952 yards (10^th) this season, passing for 23 touchdowns (5^th) with 10 interceptions (T-25^th).  Offensively, the Vikings are ranked 9^th best in passing (231.6 ypg) and points (24.8 ppg).  They are 13^th in the league in total yardage (344.6 ypg) while not as great on the ground, averaging 113.0 yards per game (17^th).  Though no team can ever afford to lose a game, this is not to the same degree of importance for Minnesota as it is for the Falcons.  They are locked into a playoff position with 5 games left on the schedule, but they still must play Detroit once more and have the chance of possibly winning their division.  Three of their next five are against NFC rivals plus a game in Seattle which are fighting to keep their playoff dreams alive, they by no means have an easy street en route towards becoming hopeful NFC North Champions.

Falcons’ OC Zac Robinson will look to dial up plenty of passing situations to beat the Vikings 28^th ranked pass defense.  However, Vikings’ DC Brian Flores likes to bring more pressure than most teams and they are 4^th in sacks this season.  Atlanta’s DC Jimmy Lakes has had a mediocre defense at best.  They are ranked dead last in the league in sacks and will try to contain what Wes Phillips (OC) and Minnesota do best which is throw the ball.  The Vikings only have the Division Championship to fight for at this point, having already basically clinched a playoff berth.  The Falcons on the other hand have zero margin of error.  As I have already mentioned, Atlanta has two difficult matchups remaining, while their top divisional foes Tampa Bay have a much easier road ahead playing four teams that have a total of 14 wins between them.  It will be quite a problematic situation for Atlanta the rest of the way if they don’t come out of this one with a win.