Sign up for Season 2 of PODD Big things are in store for our newsletter, Pride of Detroit Direct. I’m excited to announce we’ve added Ty Schalter this season. Listen to exclusive podcasts sent directly to your inbox and read more voices from our team at Pride of Detroit by clicking below to sign up for a 7-day free trial today!
2024 Detroit Lions season preview: Predicting overall record, playoff run
Open thread: Which Lions player could take over game vs. Rams?
Sign up for Season 2 of PODD Big things are in store for our newsletter, Pride of Detroit Direct. I’m excited to announce we’ve added Ty Schalter this season. Listen to exclusive podcasts sent directly to your inbox and read more voices from our team at Pride of Detroit by clicking below to sign up for a 7-day free trial today!
Giants news, 9/6: Malik Nabers, Brian Daboll, Andrew Thomas, more headlines
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports New York Giants news for Friday Good morning, New York Giants fans! From Big Blue View Giants’ WR Malik Nabers can’t wait to hear fans chant ‘Leeeeeeek’ Giants’ DC Shane Bowen on Adoree’ Jackson’s role, and his defensive philosophy Giants-Vikings 5 questions: Sam Darnold, much more about Minnesota New York Giants unofficial depth chart for Week 1 Giants-Vikings: What to expect when the Giants have the football Giants-Vikings 2024, Week 1: Everything you need to know Fantasy Football ‘24: Week 1 Fantasy preview — start/sit, and more Other Giant observations ‘Mad scientist’ Brian Daboll betting on his play-calling ‘magic’ to revitalize Giants | The Athletic “He’s brilliant,” said quarterback Matt Barkley, who spent three years with Daboll in Buffalo before reuniting for part of last season with the Giants. “He fits his offense to work with whoever he’s got. He’s really incredible in that regard. I can’t overstate how much he just gets ball. He’s all ball, all day.” The past is the past for AT “There was a lot of things we dealt with last year, but we’re putting that to bed” Andrew Thomas looks ahead to a new season for the Giants: pic.twitter.com/RrdVAkT5fx — Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 4, 2024 Andrew Thomas hopes to prove reliability, rewrite narrative about Giants’ O-line this season | NJ.com As rookie sensation Malik Nabers steals headlines from his teammates in the days leading up to the Giants’ first game, it’s easy to forget about the team’s other top-five pick on offense who will be a foundational piece for years to come. All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas — arguably the Giants’ best player on either side of the ball — is back with a vengeance in 2024 after powering through what he called a “tough” yet “relaxing” offseason training regimen. Giants’ Andrew Thomas on Brian Daboll: ‘He calls it, we haul it’ | USAToday.com All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas was asked his take on what is different with the head coach calling the plays this year instead of offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. “It’s not different. It’s the same scheme,” Thomas said. “We have a saying, ‘he calls it, we haul it.’ Whatever’s going on, we try to execute that play.” Giants’ offensive line overhaul banking on Raiders Way | New York PostThe left side of the line — stud tackle Andrew Thomas and dependable, durable newcomer Jon Runyan (50 starts the past three seasons for the Packers) — should not be an issue and could be a strength. The center, second-year John Michael Schmitz, must prove he can stay healthy and play much better than he did as a rookie. It is on the right side of the line where this grand experiment will be enacted. If Eluemunor, 29, and Van Roten, 34, can do for the Giants in 2024 what they did for the Raiders in 2023 — they played nearly 800 snaps alongside each other — it is not difficult to envision this offensive line as a smart, capable unit. Biggest need for each NFL team ahead of Week 1 | CBSSports.com Giants: Offensive line. The construction of the offensive line remains a mystery. Jermaine Eluemunor is slated to start at right tackle ahead of former first-round pick Evan Neal. What comes of the battery that includes John Michael Schmitz, Greg Van Roten and Jon Runyan Jr.? Depth behind that unit is relatively limited as well. Cornerback concerns were alleviated a bit with the return of Adoree’ Jackson. Linebacker is another position to consider. Dabs’ Digest: 1-on-1 with Coach Brian Daboll before 100th season opener | Giants.com Q: As a coach, do you have a sense of how your team is going to play, or is it a mystery entering the first game? Daboll: “I’d say that’s the early part of the season. Some of my mentors, they always said that it takes, I’d say, the first month of the season to really figure out exactly what you are and what other teams are. There are constant adjustments, but you have to play the right way in terms of effort and toughness, and you have to rely on your fundamentals, and you have to communicate well, and you have to solve problems, whether it be the first quarter, the third quarter, to make sure that everybody’s on the same page and you give yourself the best chance.” Mike Kafka, Team Beard Mike Kafka would like to see Daniel Jones keep his beard pic.twitter.com/8VzZVBAvca — Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 4, 2024 Daniel Jones: How many prove-it seasons can NY Giants QB survive? | The Record “I’ve always approached every season like I have to prove something, and it’s certainly no different this year,” Jones told NorthJersey.com in a quiet moment at his locker, clutching a tablet as he reviewed practice Tuesday. “To myself, I know I can play at a high level in this league. I mean, I’ve done that, so I’m confident. I know I can play. I know I can put this team in position to win games. It’s not necessarily to prove it in that respect. I think it’s just about working and being driven to be the best you can in every situation and be the best for teammates and win as many games as possible.” Questions for all 32 NFL teams ahead of Week 1 | PFF Can Daniel Jones Prove The Extension Was Worth It? If you look at Jones’ PFF grading profile, nothing suggests that he should have been given a four-year, $160 million contract extension after leading the Giants to the divisional round in 2022. His highest graded season came in 2020 (78.4) when he delivered 24 big-time throws. He has had 18 total big-time throws in the three seasons since then, and in his 2022 season that earned him the big extension, Jones threw just seven big-time throws to 19 turnover-worthy passes. The team had success, and Jones was rewarded for it. Now it’s time for Jones to
Takeaways from the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Chiefs in the season opener
Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards and a touchdown, and a Lamar Jackson touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely was overturned with no time remaining, allowing the Chiefs to begin the pursuit of a record third straight Super Bowl title with a 27-20 victory over Baltimore on Thursday night. Jackson initially connected with Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone with no time remaining for his second touchdown of the night. The video replay showed Likely’s toe landing on the end line, and the call was overturned. Kansas City rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy scored touchdowns rushing and receiving. Isiah Pacheco also had a touchdown run for the Chiefs, who beat the Ravens for the fifth time in their last six meetings. Jackson threw for 273 yards and a touchdown while adding 122 yards on the ground, while Likely had a career-high 111 yards receiving and a score, on nine catches. With Baltimore set to begin preparation for the Raiders, here are takeaways and observations from the thriller. Kyle Van Noy exits Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) scores a touchdown as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy (53) misses the tackle during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Van Noy passed a concussion test but was forced to exit with an eye injury. The veteran linebacker finished with three tackles. Ravens struggled after the opening touchdown Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball against Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images After Derrick Henry’s impressive score on the first drive, Baltimore struggled to find any offense. The Ravens’ last six drives after opening the game with a TD were a Punt, Fumble, Turnover on downs, Missed FG, FG, and Punt before finding offensive success in the fourth quarter. Mark Andrews missing Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) runs with the ball against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Andrews finished with two catches for 14 yards as Isaiah Likely dominated on the night. Rotating right tackles Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) causing a fumble during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Patrick Mekari started the contest, and the rotation from last season continued with rookie Roger Rosengarten playing some right tackle. Trenton Simpson KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 05: Justin Watson #84 of the Kansas City Chiefs is tackled by Trenton Simpson #23 of the Baltimore Ravens during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Trenton Simpson was active on the night, logging five catches, one half a sack, one pass defended, and one QB hit.
Thursday Injury Report – Vikings @ Giants
Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images Second injury report of the week The Minnesota Vikings released their Thursday injury report in the lead up to Sunday’s game in East Rutherford against the New York Giants. The report is unchanged for both teams. Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison (ankle) – limited WR Jalen Nailor (ankle) – limited New York Giants S Dane Belton (back) – limited QB Drew Lock (abdomen) – limited LB Micah McFadden (groin) – limited WR Gunner Olszewski (groin) – limited The Giants did not practice on Thursday, so their injury report was “projected” but listed the same players and participation as Wednesday’s report. For the Vikings, both Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor were limited participants in Thursday’s practice, but Nailor had some time off with a trainer before rejoining the rest of the team. Darren Wolfson said on SkorNorth today that he thinks both Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor will play on Sunday, the question for both is if they will be 100% or not. Nailor had been previously reported to be a couple days behind Addison in his recovery from his ankle injury, but he seems to be on a trajectory toward being available on Sunday. Jordan Addison also said after practice on Thursday that he will be ready on Sunday. We will have a better idea tomorrow when the final injury report is posted and each player’s status for Sunday’s matchup are included as well. Stay tuned. Follow me on X @wludford
Instant analysis of Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Chiefs in Week 1
Instant analysis of Ravens 27-20 loss to the Chiefs in Week 1 The Ravens were one toe away from potentially opening the season 1-0 with a win over the reigning Super Bowl champions. Kansas City rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy scored touchdowns rushing and receiving. Isiah Pacheco also had a touchdown run for the Chiefs, who beat the Ravens for the fifth time in their last six meetings. Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards and a touchdown, and a Lamar Jackson touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely was overturned with no time remaining, allowing the Chiefs to begin the pursuit of a record third straight Super Bowl title with a 27-20 victory over Baltimore on Thursday night. Jackson initially connected with Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone with no time remaining for his second touchdown of the night. The video replay showed Likely’s toe landing on the end line, and the call was overturned. Jackson threw for 273 yards and a touchdown while adding 122 yards on the ground, while Likely had a career-high 111 yards receiving and a score on nine catches. With Baltimore set to begin preparation for the Raiders, here is an instant analysis of the instant classic. Malik Harrison struggles Dec 12, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Malik Harrison (40) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports Harrison had two tackles on the night and, even worse, struggled to set the edge as a run-stopper and was exposed in coverage on multiple occasions against Rashee Rice. Ravens went away from Derrick Henry KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 05: Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens rushes the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) The Ravens ran once and passed six times on the first possession. Derrick Henry has nine carries for 32 yards. Henry had five carries on the game’s opening drive and nine the rest of the way, finishing with 46 yards, 3.5 yards per carry, and a touchdown. Ravens offensive line struggles Oct 8, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Eric DeCosta admitted there would be growing pains, and that’s precisely what happened on the night as Lamar Jackson was harassed at times, and the Ravens struggled to mount a rushing attack from the running back position. Changing of the guard at the TE Spot Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) runs the ball as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) defends during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Mark Andrews is a legendary Raven, but Isaiah Likely is the future at the position. Likely finished the game with nine catches, 111 yards, and one touchdown. Xavier Worthy dominant rookie performance KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 05: Xavier Worthy #1 of the Kansas City Chiefs makes a first-down reception against the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Worthy had touchdowns rushing and receiving and logged three total touches for 68 yards and two explosive scores in his debut. Lamar Jackson was dominant in a loss KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 05: Quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) The morning talk shows will talk about Jackson suffering another loss to Patrick Mahomes, but the MVP quarterback wasn’t the cause of the problem on Thursday night. Jackson three for 273 yards and a touchdown while adding 122 yards on the ground, https://Twitter.com/SheilKapadia/status/1831898881770344925 Rashee Rice Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) runs the ball as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) defends during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Rice dealt with off the field legal issues this summer, but hit the ground running in his first game of the 2024 season, logging 7 catches for 103 yards on the night.
Some QB predictions for the 2024 season
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Prior to the last season, I made some predictions about some QBs and how they would fare in 2023 using solely numerical analysis. My results were pretty good and I really enjoyed “tracking” my predictions throughout the year. So, I thought I would try it again for 2024. This time around, I will focus on the AFC South QBs. Unfortunately, Anthony Richardson just doesn’t have enough snaps to warrant a reasonable prediction from the data. However, I will show his numbers at the end and point out things I will be watching for in 2024. On with the prognosticating. C.J. Stroud will regress somewhat in 2024. Stroud had a very good rookie year. He finished with the 2nd highest yards per attempt, had a top 10 TD rate and the 3rd lowest INT%. All of that combined to give him the 7th highest EPA per dropback (epa/d). Yet, despite those impressive results, I see other stats that lead me to believe, he won’t repeat that level of play. Here’s why. Undeserved YAC : Many feel that yards after the catch is a result of receiver talent, but I am a firm believer that YAC is primarily caused by QB play. A QB that quickly and accurately hits a receiver in stride will see a lot of YAC on his passes. However, Stroud is neither quick nor accurate. Last year, he had the 4th longest time to throw (ttt) and a below average accuracy (19th cpoe). In addition, he had the 2nd longest average depth of target (adot) in the league, which normally earns minimal YAC. Yet despite all of that, his passes earned the 9th highest average yards after the catch. This is what I call “undeserved” YAC. The additional yards was more a function of unplanned events than it was by designed plays and skill and therfore, is likely unrepeatable. If he continues to take a long time to throw deep and/or inaccurate passes, his YAC yardage will fall dramatically. Average Passing Success Rate (PSR): Somewhat related to the above, Stroud lived and died by the big play. While his EPA per dropback was 7th best, he had only the 14th ranked success rate. What that means is that he had an average volume of successes, but a portion of those successes were inordinately successful and that is simply hard to repeat. If I remove all league pass attempts that were 20+ yards, Stroud’s EPA rank drops 8 spots to 15th, which describes how he performed on the vast majority of his dropbacks. Anytime a QB has a high EPA/d and a “meh” PSR, then it is pretty likely he will regress in the future (Jordan Love falls into this camp too). As for a specific prediction, I’ll say that Stroud’s success rate remains around the same at 14th and that his EPA/d falls closer to average, let’s say below 12th. Also, his net yards per dropback, which was 3rd in 2023 falls below 10th next year. Will Levis stays horrible. Last year, Levis ranked 24th in EPA/d and 29th in PSR, so there is still room to fall and he just might do it in 2024. Here’s why. Opponent Defense: He faced the 8th easiest passing defenses last year, so odds are this year will be tougher. Defenses played zone against him 81% of the time, daring him to beat them underneath, which he didn’t and unless he improves his 21st ranked accuracy (cpoe), he won’t beat them underneath this year either. Reaction to Pressure: Levis was the 2nd most pressured QB last year and responded to that pressure by taking sacks instead of scrambling or throwing the ball away (4th sck%, 22nd scr%, 30th ta%). A QB can survive pressure if he makes smart decisions and Levis doesn’t. However, the Titans brought in a new center and spent thier first pick on a left tackle, so maybe they can bring that pressure rate down. I doubt it though. Levis had the longest attempted passes in the league and that tends to goes hand in hand with pressure. I project him to again be a bottom 10 QB in terms of EPA/d and PSR. Trevor Lawrence will be a top 10 QB Trevor Lawrence has had an interesting 3 years. After a poor rookie year, he dramatically boosted his performance in 2022 to finish 8th in EPA/d and 4th in PSR. However, last year he took a step back to finish 16th and 10th in those respective stats. I think this year, he looks more like he did in 2022 and ends up a top 10 efficiency QB. Here’s why. Opponent Defense: In 2023, Lawrence faced the 5th hardest schedule for passing defense, so he should have an easier path this year. In 2022, he found success throwing quick, short, accurate passes (30th ttt, 20th adot, 9th cpoe). In 2023, he threw deep passes (9th adot) into primarily zone coverage and it didn’t go well. I expect the Jags to return to a shorter more successful passing game. Turnovers: One of the reasons, he did better in 2022, was that he had a below average turnover rate (to%). Last year he finished 4th in TO%, dragging his other numbers down as well. However, 1⁄3 of those turnovers were lost fumbles. Fumbles and fumble recoveries are very flukey (random) and so I will be shocked if he doesn’t reduce that number this year. There are reasons I think he will reduce his number of picks this year as well, but I’ll leave that for the end of season recap if I’m right. Of course, if I’m wrong, you’ll never hear about it again. Prediction: Top 10 in efficiency (EPA/d) and success rate (PSR). Anthony Richardson will ??? As I stated earlier, there just isn’t enough data to make a stats based prediction for AR, but I’ll walk through the primary stats I look at and tell you if I see
Raiders 2024: What is Harrison Bryant’s ceiling?
Harrison Bryant | Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images Don’t forget the other guy at tight end The Las Vegas Raiders’ signed tight end Harrison Bryant this offseason. Let’s look at what to expect from Bryant in the 2024 NFL season: Size: 6-5, 230 pounds. 2023 recap: Bryant spent his fourth and final season with the Cleveland Browns. He played in all 17 games with nine starts. He caught 13 of the 20 passes he was targeted on. He had just 81 receiving yards. The Browns did use the fourth-round pick in 2020 at quarterback in fourth and short situations so he could push toward a first down five times. perhaps the Raiders will use him that was as well. What he offers Raiders in 2024: The Raiders signed Bryant more than a month before they drafted Brock Bowers in the first round. So, he fell to the No. 3 tight end behind Bowers and Michael Mayer. Bryant will still play and he is a solid blocker, so the Raiders will find ways to use him. Best-case 2024 scenario: Barring an unexpected development, we likely won’t see Bryant compiling big numbers. But he will should be a reliable rotational player who can help in both the passing and running games when called upon and play on special teams.
Power rankings: Where the Bills land heading into the 2024 NFL season
The Buffalo Bills have owned the AFC East in recent years with four straight division titles. But the team has made just one AFC title game over that span, and three of those postseason runs have been ended by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Now the team is coming off an offseason that was…let’s go with bumpy. Buffalo’s top two receivers from last year (Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs) are gone, replaced by the likes of veteran Curtis Samuel and rookie Keon Coleman. After years holding down the back of the Buffalo defense, veteran safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are also elsewhere. Linebacker Matt Milano is potentially out for the season after tearing his biceps. While speaking to reporters, Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that while those personnel losses sting, the team feels it has players on the roster willing to step up and fill the void. “You never replace people like [Diggs], players like that. No two players or people are the same,” McDermott said. “It’s an opportunity for people to take on new roles, to stretch themselves a little bit. To hold people accountable for somebody else. I think a big piece of this is, you don’t just hire leaders or bring in leaders. You’re developing leaders the whole time.” Any team led by Josh Allen is going to be a tough out. But in a loaded AFC, Davenport wonders if the Bills lost one player too many this offseason. “Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “The Bills are still obviously a playoff contender and may well still be the class of the AFC East. But the Chiefs added wide receiver talent in the offseason. The Baltimore Ravens added a potential nightmare for opposing defenses in running back Derrick Henry. And the Bills added—not a lot.” “Frankly, losing the likes of Poyer and Milano on defense could be even bigger hits,” Davenport continued. “Both are longtime leaders on that side of the ball—guys who made sure people are where they are supposed to be and rally the troops when things aren’t going ideally. The gap between the Chiefs and Bills looks to have widened. The gap between the Bills, Dolphins and Jets has narrowed. Neither is good news in Western New York.”
ESPN analyst predicts 3rd place finish for Rams in NFC West
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images ESPN’s Mike Clay is at it again, projecting the Rams for fewer than 8 wins in 2024 It’s been common for Mike Clay to undersell the Los Angeles Rams in his projections for ESPN, but did the analyst take it a step too far with his win-loss projections this week? In Clay’s win-loss projections for all 32 teams and the projected standings and playoff seedings, Clay has the Rams winning 8 games (7.9 to be exact) and finishing in third place behind the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. Clay’s projections have the NFC West going like this: 49ers 12-5 Seahawks 9-8 Rams 8-9 Cardinals 6-11 It’s time! Final 2024 NFL Win Total Projections https://t.co/kDEuvZL7GP pic.twitter.com/oNIi4V1uvP — Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) September 5, 2024 By these projections, the Bears win the final wild card spot with a 9-8 record and the Rams would have the 12th overall pick in next year’s draft. With the news that Darious Williams is on IR, adding to a relatively long list of injured Rams, it is possible that L.A. does fall below expectations. But it is so early in the year that we can’t over-sell every little thing that happens as being what determines the full season outcome for any team, including the Rams. A team could start 0-2 and make the playoffs or start 5-0 and miss the playoffs. Right now all teams are 0-0 though, so anything could happen in the next four months. A projection of the Seahawks finishing with a better record than the Rams is probably more surprising than just L.A. finishing 8-9. Clay must be giving a high score to Seattle’s new coaching staff because not much else has changed and the Rams easily defeated the Seahawks 30-13 in Week 1 last year and have consistently finished ahead of them in the standings for most of Sean McVay’s career. Clay sees that changing in 2024, but I’m not sure how many people agree.
