Good morning, New York Giants fans! From Big Blue View Other Giant observations Per TruMedia, in 354 run defensive snaps with McFadden on the field, opponents averaged 4.6 yards per carry (23.70 EP), and posted nine rushing touchdowns and 87 first downs. They also averaged 1.19 yards before contact and 3.43 yards after contact. In the 467 (and counting) snaps in which McFadden has not been on the field, opponents have averaged 5.5 yards per carry, a -38.83 EPA. They’ve posted 26 rushing touchdowns and 137 first downs, while averaging 2.08 yards before contact and 3.42 after. McFadden is not only a pending UFA, but the guys who have tried to fill the hole his absence created, such as Chris Board, Darius Muasau, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and Zaire Barnes, have not really proven to be a potential answer. Giants only can hope Jaxson Dart follows Drake Maye blueprint | New York Post If the Giants were able to do what they wanted to do, Drake Maye would be their quarterback and Jaxson Dart would be playing for … someone else. Top Draft Needs of Every NFL Team in 2026 Entering Season’s Home Stretch | Bleacher Report While right tackle has been discussed a few times for the Giants, there have been a few risers on B/R’s big board recently. Perhaps none better fits than Clemson’s Blake Miller, since he has four years of experience at the position. “Miller is a durable, alert right tackle prospect with good athletic ability, arm length and quick, proactive hands to establish first meaningful contact and gain control of defenders,” offensive line scout Brandon Thorn said. “Miller lacks high-end power but brings tenacity as a finisher to stick on blocks. He lacks proven versatility but has the tools to develop it and compete for a starting right tackle job during his rookie contract.” 1 Free Agent Every NFL Team Needs to Prioritize Re-Signing Before 2026 Offseason | Bleacher Report It would seem that the New York Giants have found their quarterback of the future in rookie Jaxson Dart. Putting the necessary pieces around him should be a top priority for general manager Joe Schoen and whoever New York’s next coach might be. Wan’Dale Robinson is finally beginning to look like the sort of centerpiece player the Giants should keep. It’s worth noting that he’s gotten more opportunities in the wake of Malik Nabers’ season-ending injury, but the fact that he’s already set a career-high in receiving yards while averaging an impressive 12 yards per catch is equally noteworthy. Still only 24 years old, Robinson can be New York’s No. 2 receiver opposite Nabers for the long haul. The Giants must avoid competing with receiver-needy teams for his services in free agency. This week’s opponent With starting LT Will Campbell on injured reserve due to a right knee injury, and starting LG Jared Wilson facing longer odds to suit up due to a right ankle sprain, the Patriots will start a different top OL for the third time in 13 games. Four-year veteran Ben Brown would be Wilson’s replacement, while coach Mike Vrabel would choose between four-year veteran Vederian Lowe and rookie Marcus Bryant (seventh round) at LT. Vrabel said the plan is to go through the week of practice with every player preparing as if they are a starter. No panic along Patriots O-line despite missing two starters | Pats Pulpit Both Lowe and Brown bring plenty of experience to the mix. Not only did they replace the injured rookies down the stretch versus the Bengals, they also have a combined 21 and 11 starts on their respective career résumés. “It’s not panic. It’s just move on. Next man up,” said center Garrett Bradbury. “They’re veteran players. All the guys that are going to step in have played a lot of football. So, I’ve got all the confidence in the world in them. And also, Coach [Mike] Vrabel’s message all year has been, ‘Prepare like a starter and take advantage of opportunities when the opportunity comes.’ With that messaging, with that being not beat into your head, but that’s what you’re hearing all year, well, there are opportunities now. 1. Run the Ball The Patriots rank 27th in yards per attempt and 19th in rushing yards, and big plays on the ground dried up last week against Cincinnati. But this matchup screams opportunity: the Giants rank 32nd in rushing yards allowed and 32nd in yards per attempt, and last week gave up 237 rushing yards to Detroit, their third game allowing 200+ yards. Rhamondre Stevenson returned last week, after missing three games due to a toe injury, but managed just 5 yards on 6 carries, leaning more on his pass protection skills after missing three weeks with a toe injury. TreVeyon Henderson, who has flashed explosiveness, could be the difference-maker. If New England leans on the run game, they can control tempo, protect Drake Maye, and keep the Giants pass rushers out of his lap. Around the league Dan Quinn: Terry McLaurin will play Sunday night | Hogs Haven Daniel Jones has no injury designation for Sunday’s game | Pro Football Talk Bills without starting tackles Dawkins, Brown vs. Steelers | ESPN.com Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown expected to miss time after Thanksgiving injury | SB Nation BBV mailbag Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to [email protected] and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag. BBV YouTube You can find and subscribe to Big Blue View YouTube from the show’s home page BBV on X: Follow @BigBlueView | Ed Valentine: @Valentine_Ed | Threads: @ed.valentine | Bluesky: @edvalentine BBV on Facebook: Click here to like the Big Blue View Facebook page BBV on YouTube: Subscribe to the Big Blue View YouTube channelBBV on Instagram:Click here to follow our Instagram page See More: New York Giants News
Giants news, 11/29: Charlie Bullen’s defense, Jaxson Dart on Brian Daboll
Why has Josh Downs been featured less in the Colts offense?
Indianapolis, IN — Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has been a fan favorite since being drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Wildly considered a ‘steal’ of a draft selection, Downs’ draft day reaction was captured and subsequently viewed as fuel for the young wideout. His grateful yet determined demeanor suggested […] Indianapolis, IN — Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has been a fan favorite since being drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Wildly considered a ‘steal’ of a draft selection, Downs’ draft day reaction was captured and subsequently viewed as fuel for the young wideout. His grateful yet determined demeanor suggested that he’d be out to prove his doubters wrong, and he has throughout his short career thus far. A demon out of the slot, particularly when matched up against linebackers in coverage, Josh Downs has remained a reliable option. Not only does Downs have a knack for turning upfield and notching first down gains, but he’s also consistently reliable on money downs (3rd/4th). Through his first two seasons in the NFL, here’s how Downs fared: 2023 (17 games): 68 receptions on 98 targets (69.4% catch rate) for 771 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns, and 30 first down gains (44% conversion rate). 2024 (14 games): 72 receptions on 107 targets (67.3% catch rate) for 804 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns, and 40 first down gains (55% conversion rate). So far in 2025, Downs has remained productive, yet he’s been featured less in the offense. He’s totaled 3 receiving touchdowns in 10 games played so far, and is currently sporting a career-high catch percentage (70.4%) and first down conversion rate (61%). Here’s Josh Downs’ on-pace season total: 2025 (on pace for 16 games): 60.8 receptions on 86.4 targets for 521.6 receiving yards, 4.8 touchdowns, and 36.8 first down conversions. Is Josh Downs in the doghouse? Did his (generous) number change result in bad juju? Are there now too many mouths to feed offensively? Josh Downs’ total offensive snap count percentages throughout the years: 2023: 788 snaps (69%) 2024: 602 snaps (65%) 2025: 351 snaps (54%) While it’s sometimes fun to speculate, the latter simply has to be the reason. Starting at the top, superstar running back Jonathan Taylor rightfully so demands most of the attention offensively, while stud wideouts in Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce man the depth chart ahead of Downs. The continued emergence of Alec Pierce only makes matters worse (better), while the addition of rookie tight end Tyler Warren, the team’s leading receiver entering Week 13, explains how any given weapon on offense can be tossed to the wayside, regardless of intention. The change in personnel, aka the addition of Warren, has unlocked a part of the offense that head coach Shane Steichen virtually couldn’t use through his first two years in Indianapolis: 13 personnel (1 RB, 3 TEs, 1 WR). Here’s the Colts’ offensive personnel tendency by year, per Sumer Sports. 11 – (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) 2023: 76.23% 2024: 70.70% 2025: 59.49% 12 – (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs) 2023: 19.20% 2024: 25.17% 2025: 26.91% 13 – (1 RB, 3 TEs, 1 WR) 2023: 2.47% 2024: 3.36% 2025: 11.96% At the end of the day, there’s a lot of talent within Indy’s offense; therefore, distribution is hard to come by. As a result of this new-look personnel from that of recent years, Josh Downs just does not have the same amount of opportunity as the offense tries to accommodate its run and play-action game. For further context, the Colts are the only team through 12 Weeks to have three players (Tyler Warren, Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce) with 600+ receiving yards, with just two teams (Cowboys, Rams) having two players reach said statistical threshold. Given that Josh Downs is not one of those names, you begin to understand the uphill battle, in terms of opportunity, that he’s facing. Some days, Michael Pittman Jr. will be the focal point in the passing game, and Josh Downs the next. It’s all matchup-based and dependent on the personnel the Colts will face. While it may seem like Downs has been ignored recently, the Colts’ offense is in the process of coming back down to earth after putting on an immortal start. It won’t be all sunshine and rainbows like it was through the first several weeks, but don’t be surprised if the Colts look Downs’ way, especially later, gotta have it downs, as they look for answers to recent questions. See More: Indianapolis Colts Analysis
Rams make their breakup with Josh Karty official
The Los Angeles Rams have cut kicker Josh Karty. The breakup was all but official after Harrison Mevis (the “Thiccer Kicker”) took over duties for the last three games. Releasing Karty likely helps in part to make room for recent activations from injured reserve in Ahkello Witherspoon and Tutu Atwell in addition to the signing […] The Los Angeles Rams have cut kicker Josh Karty. The breakup was all but official after Harrison Mevis (the “Thiccer Kicker”) took over duties for the last three games. Releasing Karty likely helps in part to make room for recent activations from injured reserve in Ahkello Witherspoon and Tutu Atwell in addition to the signing of Derion Kendrick (recently cut by Seattle). Corner Roger McCreary was also placed on injured reserve this week. It’s common in the NFL for kickers to go through ups and downs and find themselves on new teams. Karty probably has talent to stick in the league for years to come, though as the Rams learned kickers are somewhat interchangeable. It’s rare to have the same guy for a decade. Los Angeles simply could not derail a potential Super Bowl season nor afford patience with Karty. This team is ready to win now, and Sean McVay and the front office quickly saw a need and fixed it as soon as they could. They deserve credit for doing the hard thing and moving on. Karty might develop and become useful for another team, but the Rams did not have the luxury of keeping two kickers on the roster amidst their recent rash of injuries. It was a an idea with fair intent but in the end a fruitless endeavor. Were the field goal struggles all Karty’s fault? Likely not. The Rams had issues in protection and within the operation between the long snapper and holder, which is why they also swapped Alex Ward for Jake McQuaide. Still, Karty was to partly blame for the issues and it is clearly evident that LA immediately upgraded by bringing Mevis into the fold. Mevis has been perfect in his short stint in LA. He’s been busy with extra point attempts in the offense’s recent surge. He made the first two field goals of his career under the Sunday Night Football primetime lights, including a make from outside of 50 yards. There is no shortage of confidence with Mevis. He said recently that he is “here to stay”. In addition to field goals, he also kicked Josh Karty out of a job: “I knew that I had proven and shown to myself that I’m definitely capable of playing in this league and that I’m going to be here for a long time,” Mevis told MizzouToday earlier this month. “I’m here to stay, and I’m good enough to help teams win games. That’s really my mindset.” See More: Los Angeles Rams Roster
Jermaine Burton is week-to-week with an ankle injury, per Zac Taylor
Is the return of Joe Burrow enough for this roster to play like a competitive professional football team? It sure seemed like it last night as the Bengals dominated the Ravens in Baltimore, 32-14. Since Burrow’s injury back in September, the Bengals have posted a whopping 1-8 record and are now in a deep hole […] Is the return of Joe Burrow enough for this roster to play like a competitive professional football team? It sure seemed like it last night as the Bengals dominated the Ravens in Baltimore, 32-14. Since Burrow’s injury back in September, the Bengals have posted a whopping 1-8 record and are now in a deep hole to keep any chance of the playoffs alive. But, no need to fear, Joe Burrow is here, and his presence alone created an entirely new confidence in all three phases. One of the biggest issues for this roster’s success has been the inability to draft true plug-and-play guys with premium picks over the last few years. Myles Murphy seems to be turning a corner now, but it took years for him to finally show up on tape, and Shemar Stewart is truly nowhere to be found in his rookie season, like at all. Another guy who has been a no-show is former third-round pick Jermaine Burton. Burton has flashed numerous times on the field in his very short career, but he has caused plenty of issues off the field. Burton has been inactive all season as a healthy scratch, and with Chase’s suspension and Higgins’ concussion, Bengals fans thought he would finally dress… Burton was inactive against the Patriots yet again, and all of a sudden didn’t play against the Ravens due to an ankle injury that no one knew about. Burton is now ‘week-to-week’ with that ankle injury, Zac Taylor revealed on Friday. It sure doesn’t seem like we will see Burton play in Cincinnati again, but hopefully I’ll be wrong. See More: Cincinnati Bengals injuries
Chiefs Playoff Picture: Missing the postseason is a real possibility
The Kansas City Chiefs are now 6-6 after Week 13’s frustrating 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Five games remain in the team’s 2025 schedule. A week from Sunday, the Chiefs will return to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for matchups with the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Chargers, travel to Nashville to face […] The Kansas City Chiefs are now 6-6 after Week 13’s frustrating 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Five games remain in the team’s 2025 schedule. A week from Sunday, the Chiefs will return to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for matchups with the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Chargers, travel to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans, come back to Arrowhead for their final regular-season home game against the Denver Broncos and close out the season at Allegiant Stadium against the Las Vegas Raiders. Let’s take a look at the Kansas City team’s current playoff picture. As we always do, we’ll use The Athletic’s playoff calculator — an update to the New York Times playoff calculator we’ve used for several years — to help us project what could happen. You can learn more about how it works by clicking here. The Chiefs’ playoff picture As it stands right now, Kansas City has a 44% chance to make the playoffs (down from 57% a week ago), a 5% chance to win the AFC West (down from 12% last week), less than a 1% chance to earn the AFC’s single bye (unchanged) and a 3% chance to win Super Bowl LX (down from 5%). Join the conversation! Sign up for a user account! See fewer ads Write your own community posts on The Feed Comment on articles and Feed posts Rec comments and Feed posts We’d love to have you as part of the Arrowhead Pride community! This is the first time in the 2025 season that Kansas City’s chance to make the postseason has been calculated to be less than a coin flip — and it would have been even lower if the Cincinnati Bengals hadn’t defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving evening. That illustrates something that will be demonstrated repeatedly during the season’s final six weeks — wins and losses by other teams can significantly affect Kansas City’s postseason prospects. Up to now, we’ve primarily focused on what is in the Kansas City team’s control — but now, what other teams do can help (and hinder) Kansas City’s chances. The playoff calculator allows us to assume the outcomes of remaining games and see how it changes the odds. Let’s take a look. How the Chiefs can make the playoffs By itself, winning all five of its remaining games will almost give Kansas City a playoff berth. There’s about a 1% chance the Chiefs will miss the postseason at 11-6. All Kansas City would need — in addition to a 5-0 finish — is at least one loss by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, the Chargers or Broncos. By the same token, wins by all of those teams in the remainder of Week 13 would make it more difficult for Kansas City to make the postseason at 11-6. If all five of those AFC teams win this weekend, the Chiefs would have a 97% chance to get in at 11-6. (We can say this about some NFC teams, too, but we’re trying not to make you crazy with these scenarios). We realize, of course, that many readers don’t believe Kansas City will finish without another loss. So what are the odds if the Chiefs finish 10-7? That depends on who beats Kansas City in the last five weeks of the regular season. The probability for the Chiefs to make the playoffs would range from 49% (if Los Angeles gets the only win) to 74% (if only Houston knocks off Kansas City). How about 9-8? If the Chiefs lose the next two games to Houston and Denver, they’ll be out. But if Kansas City loses just about any other combination of two games, it’ll still have a postseason chance in the range of 8-15%. How the Chiefs can win the AFC West Kansas City no longer controls its own destiny in the division race. But winning out would give the Chiefs a 22% chance to win their 10th straight division title. That’s significantly worse than a week ago. On top of that 5-0 finish, Kansas City would need Los Angeles to lose not only to the Chiefs in Week 15, but also have two losses among the Chargers’ matchups with the Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Cowboys, Houston and Denver. Then the Broncos would have to lose to the Chiefs in their Week 17 rematch — and have three losses among Denver’s games with the Washington Commanders, Raiders, the Green Bay Packers, Jaguars and Los Angeles. As you can see, it’s still not impossible. But it’s not something to hang your hat on, either. That’s why winning out only gives Kansas City about a one-in-five chance to take the division. Before we give up on it, though, let’s see what Los Angeles and Denver do this weekend. That could change this math substantially — for better or for worse. How the Chiefs can get a first-round bye This is no longer on the table. If Kansas City makes the playoffs, it will have to play in the Wild Card round. Even if the Chiefs win out, they can’t win the top seed. The bottom line The Chiefs are in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Kansas City no longer controls its own destiny — which, in itself, is a jarring reality to face during head coach Andy Reid’s tenure — but even so, the Chiefs still have a shot to get in. And if they play well in the next five games, they might not require much help to make the dance. But as the expression goes, that is a big “if.” “At the end of the
NFL Week 13 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Bears-Eagles Black Friday Football
PFF’s fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2025. NFL Week 13 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Bears-Eagles Black Friday Football The Chicago Bears‘ run game dominates the Philadelphia Eagles defense: D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai each reached over 100 rushing yards before Caleb Williams reached 100 passing yards. The Philadelphia Eagles lose the time-of-possession battle: The Eagles already rotate their skill players less than any team in the league, and the Bears’ run-heavy approach — combined with several quick three-and-outs — led Philadelphia to give its top players even fewer breaks than usual. Get PFF+ for 40% off: Use promo code BLACKFRIDAY to unlock the PFF Player Prop Tool, Premium Stats, fantasy dashboards, the PFF Mock Draft Simulator, industry-leading fantasy rankings and much more — everything you need to win your season. PFF’s fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2025. Luther Burden III’s role continues to rise: The Bears’ second-round rookie ran a route on more than 55% of the Bears’ passing plays for the second time this season. Burden played only 24.3% of the Bears’ offensive snaps over the first eight weeks. Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore have held the outside roles, while Olamide Zaccheaus opened the season as the primary slot receiver. Burden logged 41.7% of snaps in single-receiver sets and 93.3% in four-receiver sets, but just 20.0% in 12 personnel and 21.3% in 11 personnel. In Week 10, he filled in for the injured D.J. Moore, but that spike in usage was temporary. By Week 11, Burden began playing ahead of Zaccheaus in 11 personnel, and he has played at least 60% of those snaps in each of the last three weeks. Chicago used more 11 personnel than usual in this matchup, giving Burden a new season high in total snaps. He was above 60% until the fourth quarter, when the Bears shifted to more 12 personnel to run the ball and protect the lead. Chicago also used Burden and Zaccheaus together more frequently as the two receivers in 12 personnel. Burden has been Chicago’s highest-graded wide receiver through 12 weeks. His 2.32 yards per route run ranks 11th among receivers with at least 100 routes, with most players in that range profiling as must-start fantasy options. He led the Bears’ wide receivers in receiving this week with four catches for 33 yards. He has been one of the top waiver targets for several weeks and remains a strong speculative option. For him to reach his full fantasy potential, however, he will need to take meaningful playing time from either Moore or Odunze. The playing time of the Eagles’ stars was not impacted by injuries: DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley both popped up on the injury report this week. The Eagles have four core skill players on offense — Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert. All four rank among the top seven players at their positions in snap rate, and each has stayed relatively healthy. Barkley and Smith haven’t missed a game, while Brown and Goedert have each missed one. Smith had not appeared on the injury report at any point through the first 12 weeks, but this week he was listed with an illness, a shoulder issue and a chest injury. He was unable to practice on Tuesday or Wednesday, putting his availability in doubt, but he practiced in full on Thursday and carried no game designation. For the first 55 minutes, his role was unchanged — he played 100% of snaps in 11 and 12 personnel and only came off the field in single-receiver sets. He briefly exited with five minutes remaining after appearing in pain, marking the first time Philadelphia used 11 personnel without him all season, but he returned a few plays later. Barkley has remained very healthy for a running back over the past two seasons. He missed one practice and was limited in another earlier this year with a knee injury, but was otherwise a full participant through the first 12 weeks. This week, he was limited on Tuesday and Wednesday with a groin injury. Teams often rotate backs a bit more on a short week, but Barkley actually played more than usual. Because the Eagles struggled to sustain long drives while Chicago controlled possession, he required fewer breaks. Neither player produced much fantasy value in this matchup, but that reflected the offense as a whole rather than any individual issue with Barkley or Smith. Miscellaneous Notes This was the first week since Week 6 that Bears running back D’Andre Swift did not appear on the injury report. The playing time split between him and Kyle Monangai was similar to other recent weeks. This was the first game of the season where two running backs on the same team had double-digit carries for triple-digit rushing yards each. Chicago accomplished this with Swift and Monangai before the start of the fourth quarter. No team has accomplished this in a full game since 2022 Week 16, when D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard did this for the Carolina Panthers. Chicago’s running back Travis Homer was back in the lineup after missing last week with hamstring and knee injuries. He was a full participant in practice all week. The Bears subsequently waived running back Brittain Brown on Thursday. He will likely sign with the practice squad. Bears wide receiver Jahdae Walker was a healthy scratch, his fourth straight absence. Tight end Colston Loveland wasn’t on the field as much as usual because the Bears were focused on the run game. However, the percentage of pass plays where he ran a route was the highest it’s been in a game where Cole Kmet was also healthy. Eagles halfback A.J. Dillon was a healthy inactive, his fourth straight absence. Philadelphia wide receiver Xavier Gipson didn’t practice all week with a shoulder
Rams’ trade for Roger McCreary was a total dud
The Los Angeles Rams’ move for Roger McCreary at the NFL’s trade deadline was a head scratcher from the start. It was clear LA needed help in the secondary. At the time this group simply was not playing well. McCreary—who came from the Titans—was not an easy projection on the depth chart because the Rams […] The Los Angeles Rams’ move for Roger McCreary at the NFL’s trade deadline was a head scratcher from the start. It was clear LA needed help in the secondary. At the time this group simply was not playing well. McCreary—who came from the Titans—was not an easy projection on the depth chart because the Rams needed an outside corner while he primarily played in the slot over the last couple of seasons with the Tennessee Titans. When LA’s slot corner, Quentin Lake, suffered an extended injury you would think the path to playing time for McCreary would become more clear. It didn’t. McCreary watched Josh Wallace get the first look at replacing Lake in the second half against the Seattle Seahawks. With a full week to prepare for Sunday Night Football versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, McCreary left after a single defensive snap with a hip injury. McCreary has now been placed on injured reserve, which guarantees at least a four game absence. Sean McVay said McCreary would have been able to return against the Bucs, which raises the question of whether the injury was more serious than the team realized or if they see the writing on the wall that the recently acquired corner doesn’t fit into the picture in the short-term. One thing is clear at least: the trade for McCreary made bigger headlines than an impact on the field. The move was a total dud. Rams are getting reinforcements at corner Emmanuel Forbes and Cobie Durant are playing at a high level over the last few weeks. Ahkello Witherspoon is slated to return as soon as this weekend’s game against the Carolina Panthers. The team also signed Derion Kendrick, who similar to McCreary has inside/outside versatility. Would the Rams insert Witherspoon into the rotation at outside corner and risk upsetting the current balance between Forbes and Durant? As well as the duo has been playing lately, earlier in the season the Rams had no answers to big, physical receivers. Witherspoon is a handy player to have in this regard, and we could see the team deploy him this week in order to slow down the talented Tetairoa McMillan. The Rams suddenly have the luxury of playing to matchups and the threats on opposing matchups. The secondary has quickly gone from a major weakness to a point of potential strength, if they can sustain their current level of play. Kendrick coming into the picture is also insurance for Wallace, who simply did not play well against Tampa Bay. It seems Lake will return ahead of the playoffs, but the Rams still need Kendrick/Wallace to hold water in key remaining matchups against the Seahawks and Detroit Lions—as these are important NFC conference matchups against two potential contenders. The corner depth chart for the rest of the season currently looks up in the air; however, it’s a bonus as the Rams maybe have more answers in the secondary than they’ve had at any point in the season to date. See More: Los Angeles Rams News
The Colts season in a vacuum from the negative side
Stampede Blue’s own, Clydesdales, presented the Indianapolis Colts season in a vacuum from the positive side. That may be all well and good, but let’s take a look from the inverse. As he put it, we are entering the “when it matters phase” and the luster has certainly worn off the feel good story that […] Stampede Blue’s own, Clydesdales, presented the Indianapolis Colts season in a vacuum from the positive side. That may be all well and good, but let’s take a look from the inverse. As he put it, we are entering the “when it matters phase” and the luster has certainly worn off the feel good story that was the Colts. Still at 8-3 but losers of two out of three with another close call and a schedule that will make stomachs turn, the season has taken on a new type of feel. Let’s discover why things might not be so rosey for the Colts. Starting with the record, the Colts are 8-3 but who have they played? The Raiders, Dolphins, and Titans twice? Oh boy. The three losses were on the road and tough, but the Colts dropped them all. A great team finds a way to win one of those. Not only didn’t they win but they had ample opportunity to do so. Mental errors against the Rams, five turnovers to the Steelers, and a fourth quarter meltdown to the Chiefs. Good teams and even pretty good ones can find ways to lose those but not great teams with Super Bowl aspirations. Statistics are fine but let’s talk about the eye test. In two of the last three, Jonathan Taylor has been shut down. Daniel Jones has handled the brunt of it and has shown cracks in his armor. Sacks, pressure, and turnovers have ratcheted up big time. The historic offense has turned anemic. To look at the season in a vacuum is fine, but one must consider the whole product and what we have seen as of late. This is not the same offense. A fractured fibula could be to blame, but that’s a story for another day. The defense has been suspect all year. With Deforest Buckner out, things haven’t been as solid upfront. Getting off the field on third down has been a challenge, and the lack of consistent pressure on the quarterback has reared its ugly head too often to count. The linebackers are getting swallowed up in coverage and are the weakest unit by far. Sometimes the defense will bend but not break, but go back to the losses in which the defense could have salvaged the game with a critical stop or turnover. It really isn’t there. The Colts may still be at the top as playoff favorites according to Vegas, but they could have a chokehold on this division if they had taken care of business in at least two of those losses. Two games apiece against the Texans and Jaguars puts them in a dogfight the rest of the way. Throw in two NFC playoff teams and things are tough. A 3-3 split seems likely, but where does that put them at season’s end? Will it be enough to consider things a success? Look, this was the inverse opinion and while some takes may be overly harsh, are they untrue? Seasons are full of ups and downs. The Colts could spring back, but they are certainly in a bit of a dip. There are a lot of questions going forward about whether this is sustainable as the schedule exponentially increases in difficulty. The Colts control most of their own destiny, but they better tighten the grip or risk losing control. See More: Indianapolis Colts Analysis
Greg Olson’s ascension to offensive coordinator comes at good time for Las Vegas Raiders
Jesse Minter’s Los Angeles Chargers defense has been quite the stingy group allowing just 238 points this season — good for 10th best in the NFL. The defensive coordinator has the Bolts ranked fifth in terms of yards allowed (3,147) which is helping buoy the NFL’s 20th-ranked scoring offense to a 7-4 overall record. The […] Jesse Minter’s Los Angeles Chargers defense has been quite the stingy group allowing just 238 points this season — good for 10th best in the NFL. The defensive coordinator has the Bolts ranked fifth in terms of yards allowed (3,147) which is helping buoy the NFL’s 20th-ranked scoring offense to a 7-4 overall record. The 2-9 Las Vegas Raiders waltz into SoFi Stadium for this Sunday’s AFC West matchup with the Chargers boasting the 31st-ranked scoring offense and 23rd-ranked defense in terms of points allowed. It’s not the most enticing Week 13 matchup on the NFL’s slate, however and oddly enough, this tilt marks a good time for Greg Olson’s ascension to interim offensive coordinator for the Silver & Black. While the Chargers defense may be a Boa constrictor in terms of generally suffocating opposing offenses, Minter’s group has a middling run defense ranking 16th in yards allowed (1,252) and 28th in touchdowns given up (14 total). Los Angeles limped into the bye week after a 35-6 shellacking at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11. It was a clash that saw the Jaguars trample the Chargers for 192 rushing yards. The Bolts being susceptible to a ground and pound offense is a fortuitous thing for Olson. In his seven seasons being involved with the Raiders offense (2013-14; 2019-2021; 2025) the Silver & Black had a penchant to run the ball and in a trio of seasons (2013, 2019, 2020) the Raiders were ranked 12th, 13th, and 14th in yards gained. It’s only natural to scoff at how much Olson can turn around the 31st-ranked scoring offense that was previously helmed by ex-offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Las Vegas ranks 31st in rushing yards (874) and 30th in rushing touchdowns (four). “Too far gone” is an apt response. The Raiders’ offensive line is in shambles due to both injury and ineffectiveness which has dampened rookie running back Ashton Jeanty’s own effectiveness, alongside tight end Brock Bowers. Quarterback Geno Smith has been under siege frequently and has held onto the ball too long. And the opposition has basically played the role of Wreck It Ralph and gone after both Smith and Jeanty with wreck less abandon. “We got the guys we got, and so we’re going to continue to have our guys battle to show what they can do and have their play time and what they earn during the week,” Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said when asked if there will be a change in offensive line usage with Olson dialing up plays. “But more so, it’s trying to get everybody connected with, really, the approach and the philosophy that really I’ve stood for for a long time. And so, we gave our guys a lot of leeway because of with the respect we have for the coaches, but it just hasn’t quite gotten right, and I think we can do better.” Olson’s straight-forwardness on running the ball, using play action, and throwing to tight ends is good news for both Jeanty and Bowers. And by extension, Smith. Carroll added the familiarity between he and Olson runs deep with the head coach noting: “He knows me inside and out”. And for a Raiders team that requires much-needed balance to the offensive game plan, Olson is the type that can attempt that, if not deliver. Jeanty’s usage through the 11 games so far has been erratic. It’s been a mix of “heavy usage” (19 carries Week 1, 21 in Week 4, 23 in Week 6) and “light usage” (six carries in Week 11 and Week 7). That’s resulted in 166 totes for 604 yards (3.6 yards per carry average) and four touchdowns rushing. The sixth overall pick became a more ample receiving target the last two weeks with 16 total targets and his receiving numbers read: 37 receptions for 221 yards and four touchdowns. With six games remaining on slate, giving Jeanty a more consistent and heavy workload is vital for not only return on investment, but to get an evidenced-based checklist on offseason needs (already a long laundry list). The Chargers’ defense limited opponents to less than 100 yards rushing five times through 11 games while getting ran over for 100 yards or more six times on the year. For reference, the Bolts stymied the Raiders’ ground game to 68 yards on the two team’s Week 2 matchup. Jeanty had 11 carries for 43 yards that game. But that shouldn’t dissuade Olson from getting Jeanty carries this Sunday. Then there’s Bowers. Playing in eight games this year, the phenomenal second-year tight end has 45 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns. He’s “only” broken the 100-yard receiving mark twice this season (same as his rookie season) being limited to under 40 yards receiving thrice on the year (identical to his 2024 campaign). Bowers’ most productive game was a 12-catch, 127-yard receiving, three-touchdown outing in the 30-29 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9. Fortunately for the Raiders young tight end, Olson’s penchant to provide that particular position group volume bodes well. All that said, all the creativity and putting players in best possible position to succeed that arrived with Kelly never happened and he was dismissed after 11 games. So while Olson brings a reputation on run emphasis, play-action, balance, ball security and explosive plays, Raider reality is often jarring. Expect Minter and his Chargers defense to play angry as the team is still in the thick of a postseason race. L.A. is currently in second place looking up at the 9-2 Denver Broncos and the 6-5 Kansas City Chiefs nipping at the heels in third. And losing ground with
Nick Sirianni after Eagles’ loss to Bears: “We’re not changing the play-caller”
The Eagles offense failed again to look even remotely competent against the Bears on Black Friday, and head coach Nick Sirianni spoke to reporters following the 24-15 loss. He talked about OC Kevin Patullo remaining the play-caller, how they still need to find answers on offense, and why the run defense doesn’t have an effort […] The Eagles offense failed again to look even remotely competent against the Bears on Black Friday, and head coach Nick Sirianni spoke to reporters following the 24-15 loss. He talked about OC Kevin Patullo remaining the play-caller, how they still need to find answers on offense, and why the run defense doesn’t have an effort problem. Without a chance to watch the tape yet, Sirianni pointed to areas that affected the outcome of Friday’s game. “It was both units, offense, defense, hats off to them. They played a good game; they coached a good game. They outcoached us; they outplayed us. That’s obviously something that I need to go through and watch, look through it, but to say I don’t want to– again, they ran for however many yards. We didn’t run for many yards. We lost the turnover battle. We lost the explosive play battle. All those things are going to dictate the win and loss.” Here’s what the head coach had to say: On the offensive play-calling Sirianni was asked about whether he’d evaluate changing play-callers, and he went on to explain that they’ll evaluate everything coming off this lose, but noted that it’s never about one person. “We all collectively have to do a better job and that’s going to be starting with us as coaches, starting with me as head coach, finding solutions to get the offense going, and so I’ll put that on us as a staff and put that on me most individually there to help get this thing pointed in the right direction.” Still, he said that they all have to look internally and all have to get better, both coaches and players. Sirianni was pressed again a little later on to clarify whether the evaluations could result in the head coach changing the play-caller, to which he was firm, “No, we’re not changing the play caller, but we will evaluate everything.” The head coach later said that he has confidence in the entire group of offensive coaches, including OC Kevin Patullo. “I know it will keep coming back to Kevin, but again, if I thought it was one thing, then you make those changes. Obviously, it’s a lot of different things, but I don’t think it is Kevin. Now, we all have a part in it. Kevin has a part of it. I have a part of it. All the coaches have a part of it. All the players have a part of it. Again, you win and lose as a team. It’s never on one thing.” On the offensive struggles “I wish I could tell you this is exactly what it is, and this is hard. It’s not easy to be successful, stay successful, so we have to, again, do it collectively. We have to do it collectively as a unit. Obviously, if I knew exactly what it was and everything that it was, then we’d have fixed it. But right now, we’re still searching and we’re still looking, and [there’s] a lot of football left to play. 8-4 right now. A lot of football left to play. This weekend will be an opportunity for us to find more answers and to figure things out as coaches, players being able to rest to gear up for this last stretch of five games. Obviously, it hasn’t been good enough, coaching, playing, and we’ve got to find answers.” On the run game Sirianni said that the imbalance between the run and pass game was partly due to the flow of the game. He also pointed to paying from behind late in the games and having a lot of throws at the end of the game. Still, he acknowledged that they want to be more balanced in their offensive attack, but said they’ll do what they need to try and win each game. The head coach was asked about Tank Bigsby’s role, who hasn’t seen the field much since his big game against the Giants. “He’s still always going to be the guy that comes in for Saquon, and like I said, we want to get Saquon more than 13 carries also, but we have a lot of confidence in [Tank Bigsby] when he goes into the football game to make plays. We’ll continue to roll the way we are rolling with it. But yeah, when he goes in, he’s had some really good plays. We’ll continue to roll. We want to make sure we get Saquon the football. We know how explosive he can be when he has the football.” On letting the clock run before the half “We were still pushing for points. We were still pushing for points. We had three timeouts, ball at the 30 whatever, 38. We had plenty of time to go and score a touchdown and be the last ones with the football, so we got the one yard on the completion with 2:37. Then took it to the two-minute warning and we were going on the ball after that.” When pointed out that it seemed like an uncharacteristic call for the normally aggressive head coach, Sirianni dismissed the notion and explained that’s pretty normal to how they would play that situation. On Jalen Hurts’ performance “Obviously, we weren’t good enough as an offense, as a whole. Coaching, playing, everything. Obviously, go back, look at everything, but I thought [Jalen Hurts] made some good plays, had some good scrambles, had some good things that he did. Just like all of us, he had some plays that he’ll want back and he had some really good plays, but again, we just weren’t consistent enough as a whole.“ On the defensive performance