Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images Commander LB Frankie Luvu was fined for his hit on Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff, but he should have been flagged for it, too. Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu was fined $16,883 for his hit on Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. On the play, Goff overthrew Lions receiver Tim Patrick, right into the arm of Commanders safety Quan Martin. On Martin’s interception return—which went for a touchdown—Luvu found Goff and laid a ferocious hit to Goff’s helmet to knock him out of the play. Goff would miss the next series of plays, as he was evaluated for a concussion, although he did eventually clear protocol and return to the game. Per the NFL, the fine was for roughing the passer with a hit to the head/neck area. No penalty was called on the play. If a penalty had been called, the interception would have stood, but Martin’s touchdown return would have been nullified and the Commanders would have gotten the ball 15 yards back from the spot of the foul—about the Lions’ 23-yard line. Here is the relevant part of the rulebook regarding this hit: (Rule 12, Article 11, Section E — I bolded the relevant parts) Roughing the Passer Section E: A passer who is standing still or fading backward after the ball has left his hand is obviously out of the play and must not be unnecessarily contacted by an opponent through the end of the down or until the passer becomes a blocker, or a runner, or, in the event of a change of possession during the down, until he assumes a distinctly defensive position. However, at any time after the change of possession, it is a foul if: (1) an opponent forcibly hits the quarterback’s head or neck area with his helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder (2) if an opponent lowers his head and makes forcible contact with any part of his helmet against any part of the passer’s body. This provision does not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or the helmet in the course of a conventional block. Watching the replay, it’s clear Luvu broke the rules of the first stipulation, as his helmet makes clear contact with Goff’s facemask/chin. The NFL fined #Commanders LB Frankie Luvu $16,883 for roughing the passer (blow to the head/neck) — his block on #Lions QB Jared Goff that aided a pick-six return. No flag was thrown on what ended up being a pivotal play in Washington’s upset win. pic.twitter.com/o6RhfiS6kb — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 25, 2025 Luvu was fined again for a play that happened just a minute later. Luvu performed an illegal hip drop tackle on Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Here’s the hip-drop tackle that Frankie Luvu was also fined for: pic.twitter.com/Ok6CD7Rnjs — Jeremy Reisman (@DetroitOnLion) January 25, 2025 That also was not called a penalty on the field, but Luvu was fined another $16,883 for the tackle. One Lions player was also fined during the game, and everyone pretty much saw it coming. Lions receiver Jameson Williams caught a whopping $25,325 fine for “obscene gestures” AKA humping the turf. The NFL fined #Lions WR Jameson Williams $25,325 for unsportsmanlike conduct (obscene gestures) — a PG-13 rated TD celebration in last week’s playoff loss to Washington. pic.twitter.com/76GFFdSvQj — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 25, 2025
Commanders LB fined—not flagged—on pivotal play vs. Detroit Lions
Report: Detroit Lions’ assistant gets promotion to LB coach
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images The Detroit Lions continue to hire within, with assistant Shaun Dion Hamilton getting the promotion to linebackers coach. After the Detroit Lions promoted Kelvin Sheppard to their defensive coordinator role, the coaching staff dominos continue to fall. The Lions are reportedly promoting assistant linebacker coach Shaun Dion Hamilton to linebackers coach, per Matt Zenitz of CBSSports/247Sports. Hamilton played his college football at Alabama and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. After three seasons, he was released and claimed off waivers by the Lions. Hamilton performed well in camp and looked like he was headed for a spot on the 2021 roster but was injured and missed the season. He returned in 2022 and took on a bigger role amongst the linebackers. At the end of 2022 training camp, the Lions held a players-only practice where they tasked different members on the roster to act as coaches, and Hamilton was selected to call plays for the defense at that practice. While he was eventually released at cutdowns, he impressed the coaching staff with his awareness and intelligence so much that coach Dan Campbell offered him an assistant linebacker coaching role. “As a player, you can read in between the lines and see the writing on the wall,” Hamilton told Justin Rogers when was at the Detroit News. “Being my fifth year in the NFL, I knew where the trajectory of my career was going. And I had always told myself, when I first started playing, I never want to be the guy — not saying I’m too big to be on a practice squad or anything like that, but just stability-wise (I didn’t want to linger).” Over the past three seasons, Hamilton has been recognized as an up-and-coming young coach and was hand-selected to coach the defensive backs at the 2023 Senior Bowl. Working hand-in-hand with Sheppard every day, Hamilton has impressed the Lions’ new defensive coordinator with his coaching abilities, and last December, Sheppard noted that Hamilton was ready for the next step in his career. “I got a guy like Shaun Dion Hamilton, who’s fully ready to run his own room as a linebacker coach,” Sheppard told the media. Track all of the latest Lions coaching changes with our 2025 Detroit Lions coaching news tracker.
Eagles-Commanders playoff preview: 11 things to watch in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game
THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BETWEEN THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AND WASHINGTON COMMANDERS IS NIGH. Sorry for yelling at you in all caps but, hey, it’s kind of a big deal. Let’s run through some of top things to watch out for in this high-stakes NFC East rivalry matchup. 1 – Is Jalen Hurts going to be hampered? Hurts suffered what appeared to be a painful left knee injury in the Eagles’ win over the Los Angeles Rams last weekend. Here’s a look at his pre- and post-injury splits with him getting hurt at 3:51 left in the third quarter. PRE-INJURY PASSING 12/17, 109 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 5 sacks for -43 yards RUNNING 6 runs for 70 yards, 1 TD POST-INJURY PASSING 3/3, 19 yards, 2 sacks for -20 yards and a safety RUNNING Zero runs (except for one QB kneel to run out the clock) Hurts was seen limping around after the win. He was listed as limited on the Eagles’ estimated Wednesday injury report before being upgraded to full go on Thursday and Friday. Hurts told reporters he will likely be wearing a brace on his knee for Sunday’s game. For what it’s worth, Hurts’ coaches and teammates have had nothing but encouraging things to say about the quarterback’s outlook. There’s also a report that Hurts has looked “very mobile” and he’s been throwing the ball in practice “better than he has in weeks.” Of course, we won’t know for sure if he’s significantly hampered or not until we see him in game action. The expectation here is that the Eagles will not be scared to let Hurts run the ball. Neither Hurts nor the coaching staff want to entirely scrap that element from the offense. We previously saw how the Commanders were really able to key in on Saquon Barkley after they didn’t have to respect the QB run game with Kenny Pickett replacing an injured Hurts back in Week 16. Some numbers on that point via NFL Pro: Saquon Barkley started his Week 16 game with 109 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on his first 7 carries (99 yards before contact), but was limited to just 41 rushing yards on his final 22 carries (-4 yards before contact). The Commanders adjusted their defensive strategy after Jalen Hurts was injured and left the game, aligning with a single-high safety shell on 40 of the final 59 plays (67.8%) after doing so on just 3 of the first 12 plays (25.0%). Barkley recorded just 3 successful carries and 28 rushing yards on 18 carries against single-high safety shells, compared to 5 successful runs and 117 rushing yards against two-high shells. At the same time, it’s not like the reasonable expectation is that this will be a career game for Hurts’ rushing numbers. There’s been some thought that Hurts’ injury could actually work in his favor as a passer. If he’s unable to rely on his normal mobility, he might be forced to get rid of the ball faster and make quicker decisions. Perhaps! We’ll see. The belief here is that he’s capable of a big passing performance. We certainly haven’t seen those numbers from him recently … but we have seen him do it before. And I’d be wary of betting against him in a big-time spot like this. 2 – Is Cam Jurgens starting? And, if so, can he make it through the game? Jurgens was officially ruled questionable to play on the final injury report. There are reportedly some signs that point to him suiting up … but we won’t know for sure until inactives are announced at 1:30 PM Eastern on Sunday. Even if Jurgens DOES play, two questions remain: 1) Can he make it through the game? 2) Can he play well? No injury is ever a good one but a back issue seems especially bad. Jurgens may have been significantly hampered by his back injury last weekend. He graded out very poorly in pass protection against the Rams; Pro Football Focus marked him down with a team-high four pressures allowed on 17 true pass sets. If Jurgens can’t play or has to leave early, Landon Dickerson figures to shift over to center with Tyler Steen filling in at left guard. Dickerson logged 20 starts at center in college but he’s been limited to just 42 NFL snaps at that position. Steen has been up and down as a fill-in player this season. Jurgens or no Jurgens, the Eagles’ offensive line needs to play better than they did last week. The Eagles offensive line struggled on Sunday against the Rams, which each starter allowing at least 4 pressures and 1.0 sacks during the game. It was the first time all 5 starting offensive lineman for the Eagles had allowed 4+ pressures since Week 15, 2020. 3 – Can the Commanders stop Saquon Barkley? No. Saquon is unstoppable. The Commanders will try their hardest. But their run defense isn’t good: Only six teams allowed more yards per rush attempt this season. Only three teams allowed more rushing yards to running backs this season. The Commanders rank 27th in run defense EPA, 24th in run defense success rate, and 26th in run defense DVOA. And it could be even worse with starting defensive tackle Daron Payne ruled out of Sunday’s game. In the Wild Card round, rookie Bucky Irving had 17 carries for 77 yards (4.5 average) against the Commanders. Last weekend, Jahmyr Gibbs had 14 carries for 105 yards (7.5 average) and two touchdowns against the Commanders. Barkley is obviously better than those players. There’s every reason to believe he can have yet another good game against this defense. Via NFL Pro: Saquon Barkley recorded the 6th-highest explosive run rate (13.3%) among running backs with at least 150 carries this season. Barkley also gained 2.4 yards before contact per carry, the 2nd-highest mark among that same group of running backs. Across two playoff games, Barkley has produced 5 explosive runs, including two touchdowns (62
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah projects Colts to select versatile Texas DB in NFL Mock Draft 1.0
Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah projects the Colts to take a talented Texas DB to keep opposing offenses short of the sticks. According to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, the Indianapolis Colts are projected to select talented Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron in his debut 2025 NFL Mock Draft with the 14th overall pick: 14. Indianapolis Colts Jahdae Barron Texas · CB · Senior I think you’ll see the buzz around Barron continue to grow. He possesses great quickness, instincts and ball skills. Regarding Barron, the listed 5’11,” 200 pound senior Longhorns cornerback recorded 67 tackles (46 solo), 3 tackles for loss, a sack, 5 interceptions, 11 passes defensed, and a fumble recovery during 16 starts this past season—earning the Jim Thorpe Award, as well as Consensus All-American and First-Team All-SEC honors for 2024 respectively. Here’s what the draft gurus are saying on Barron right now: Jahdae Barron is DOMINANT. 9 PBUs, 5 picks, and 0 TDs allowed in 2024 to go with just 279 yds allowed. He’s the most physical and versatile DB in the class, capable of playing the boundary, safety, or wreaking havoc as a nickel. Barron is a top 10 player and an elite talent. pic.twitter.com/Ssb4F4p3AW — NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 25, 2025 Just finished watching the Texas A&M game. There aren’t many prospects across any position that have been more consistent than #Texas DB Jahdae Barron this year. Potential to be a Day 1 starter at nickel. pic.twitter.com/BaeATDlsLU — Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) December 3, 2024 Don’t really care where he plays on the next level. Just draft Jahdae Barron. Immediately makes your secondary better. — Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) December 21, 2024 I said this to a fellow media member at practice today, but sharing here: Based on 2024 tape, Jahdae Barron is a better prospect than Malaki Starks. — Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) January 25, 2025 Y’all…I think this cornerback class has been slept on a little bit. Love Travis Hunter. Love Will Johnson. Top 5 players. Really like Jahdae Barron + Trey Amos. First-rounders. Injured guys like Shavon Revel + Benjamin Morrison were balling before getting hurt. — Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) January 7, 2025 Not the outcome Texas fans wanted last night but have to highlight the play of Jahdae Barron. He was amazing in coverage of Jeremiah Smith. A Day 3 prospect at this time last year, Barron is in my top 25 now after developing his skills as an outside corner. NFL teams see him as… — Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) January 11, 2025 #Texas DB Jahdae Barron. Really good teaching points here to take away the arrow screen (or bubble). • Play over the top of No.2 • Change levels • Keep the outside arm free • Shoulder pad to thigh board Play with a physical element. And cut-off the ball. pic.twitter.com/GPWpinTLTX — Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) May 21, 2024 Draft Jahdae Barron and you draft a player that can play literally anywhere in the secondary. Bring him in and figure it out later. My two cents. — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) January 11, 2025 Under new veteran defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, the Colts will likely seek to upgrade their secondary with more talent and dynamic ability—particularly on the backend. While it doesn’t seem as though cornerback is a major need compared to other current defensive holes, with Jaylon Jones, Samuel Womack III, and Kenny Moore II at the top three spots, it’s still a position that could be potentially improved bigger picture—particularly as the unit looks to create more takeaways. However, Jahdae Barron’s versatility makes him an intriguing option because he can play at a lot of different spots in the secondary for Indianapolis—and be a playmaking upgrade. He makes for at least an intriguing option for the Colts near midway through the first round.
Conference Championship picks: Who we like in this weekend’s games, Silver and Black Pride’s Pick’em competition
Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes | Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images Just three games and two weekends left Every Las Vegas Raiders fan will be joining Bills Mafia this week as we enter Conference Championship weekend. Also, we only have three games and just two weekends left in the Silver and Black Pride Pick’em competition which is coming down to the wire as it’s going to be a tight one up until the Super Bowl. To get things started, let’s take a look at the lines for the Conference Championship matchups, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook, and make some picks. [Lines below are as of 1/22 at 7:00 p.m.] Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles Spread: PHI -6.5 Holder’s pick: WSH +6.5 Jayden Daniels and the Commanders have made me look dumb all postseason as I’ve picked against them and lost the last two weekends. So, I’ll reverse course here and take Washington with the points, but I still like Philadelphia to win outright. These two split the regular season series, but Washington’s win came against Kenny Pickett as Jalen Hurts was knocked out of the game early with a concussion. Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs Spread: KC -1.5 Holder’s pick: BUF +1.5 To be honest, I’m not confident in this pick as the Chiefs haven’t made it look pretty but have gotten the job done all season. But, I picked the Bills to go to the Super Bowl at the beginning of the playoffs and there’s no changing now. Plus, Buffalo is the only team to beat Kansas City’s starters and has looked better this year despite the records. Pick’em Competition Moving onto S&BP’s Pick’em competition, below is a look at how our writers have fared through the regular season and Divisional Round. Ray Aspuria 205-76 (73%) Bill Williamson 198-84 (70%) Matt Holder 198-84 (70%) Bill and I had the same picks last week and went 3-1, so there isn’t any movement among the writers’ standings. The competition for second place will hinge on the Super Bowl as we matched each other again this weekend. Ray went 2-2 in the Divisional Round, but he locked up the writers’ crown already. Community Standings 1. Bodega Bay Raider 206-76 2. Running With the Night 205-77 3. The Assassin 204-78 4. Kid Dynamite 203-79 5. Roosky Raiders 201-81 t-6. NC Hell Razors 199-83 t-6. dafe2cat 199-83 t-6. DARTH RAIDER 199-83 t-10. Gabe’s pickems 198-84 t-10. Raider Nation 198-84 Divisional Round Top Pickers Kid Dynamite 3-1 Phantom Lord 51 3-1 Redlady 3-1 ColoRaider 3-1 Running With the Night 3-1 NC Hell Razors 3-1 dafe2cat 3-1 Go Raiders 3-1 ecstlrh8tr 3-1 Bodega Bay Raider 3-1 Hot Mo 3-1 Kaneohe raiderdogs 3-1 Strange Brew 3-1 DARTH RAIDER 3-1 No one was perfect last weekend but we had 14 people get three games correct, including Bodega Bay Raider. That means Bodega Bay maintains a one-pick lead over Running With the Night while The Assassin falls back by two. The Assassin pretty much needs to get both games right this weekend to stay in the running, but it’s still a three-horse race to the finish line. Remember to get your picks in and may your picks be good!
Bills’ Josh Allen ahead of Chiefs: ‘You always remember the feeling’
Bills’ Josh Allen ahead of Chiefs: ‘You always remember the feeling’ Bills’ Josh Allen ahead of Chiefs: ‘You always remember the feeling’ David De Cristofaro The Bills have returned to the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2020, and are preparing to face an all too familiar foe. The Chiefs stand in the way of Buffalo’s path to the Super Bowl, as the road to the big game goes through Kansas City in a clash between two teams who were both undefeated at home. KC is the setting where the Chiefs won the last time these two clubs met in this round, and their rivalry has been a storied one in recent years. “You always remember the feeling of not pulling through. That really sticks with you,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said of the loss four years ago. “I remember playing in that game and watching the confetti fall for the opposing team and how that felt. I don’t want to feel that again,” added defensive tackle Ed Oliver. Even though the loss, that was then and this is now. With the Super Bowl once more within reach, the Bills realize the past is in the past. “It disappears. It’s just a part of history now. It disappears,” offensive lineman Dion Dawkins said about the past playoff losses to Kansas City. What’s held them back from victory in these postseason matchups with the Chiefs? “The find a way factor,” defensive end AJ Epenesa said. “We’ve got to be able to get over that last hump and find a way to win.” Von Miller, who joined the Bills during the 2022 season as a free agent, spoke to how the team’s Super Bowl-caliber potential brought him to Buffalo. “That’s what I came here to do — was to be a part of history. These Bills fans, they deserve it,” said the veteran outside linebacker. For newer members of the Bills roster, the opportunity is also significant. “When you get this far, you can taste it,” shared receiver Amari Cooper, who was acquired in a trade this season. “This is what you dream of… It feels like I’ve prepared for this moment all my life.” While the Bills enter the game with some injuries, they also will feature players who missed their regular season win over Kansas City at home in Orchard Park including inside linebacker Matt Milano, offensive lineman Spencer Brown, tight end Dalton Kincaid, receiver Keon Coleman, and defensive end Dawuane Smoot. That Buffalo won decisively in their prior meeting without these players is a positive takeaway, though beating Andy Reid’s squad in the postseason and advancing beyond the Conference Championship round of the playoffs have both been obstacles the Bills have yet to hurdle in the Sean McDermott era. With the rivalry between the two clubs being rich with storylines and subplots aplenty, quarterback Josh Allen and the rest of the Bills players will look to turn the page and start a new chapter by advancing with a win to the Super Bowl. Read all the best Bills coverage at the Democrat and Chronicle and Bills Wire.
Are you rooting for the Chiefs or Bills as a Dolphins fan? | Opinion
Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images One team winning may be beneficial for the Miami Dolphins. We made it to championship week in the NFL, and Miami Dolphins fans are yet again watching any team but theirs in it. The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs game on Sunday night may hurt to watch because one team constantly wins championships while the other constantly spanks Miami twice a year. What if I told you that one team winning could help the Dolphins? Just follow me here for a second. Strike When The Enemy Is Weak Two days ago, Dolphins beat reporter for the Sun Sentinel David Furones had a simple question: Since Dolphins fans appear to maybe, possibly, surprisingly be a little bit split on this, are you Team Bills or Team Chiefs on Sunday? — David Furones (@DavidFurones_) January 22, 2025 This simple question understandably spun out of control. There are two basic thoughts on this that I saw. Either fans are sick and tired of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift, and the Chiefs winning all the time while being gifted penalties, or they hate the Bills so much that they do not care who wins as long as it’s not them. I don’t have enough hate in my heart to hate watching the Bills or Chiefs, but I like parody in sports. If I had to place myself in one of those camps, it would probably be the one that’s against the same team winning almost every year. When it comes to the Dolphins, one team stands in their way to break their streak of not winning the division or winning a playoff game. That’s Josh Allen and the Bills. On Sunday, I will be rooting for the Bills. Not because I’m a fan of them, but because their breaking through and getting to the Super Bowl is good for the Dolphins. How so? Generally, when a team wins a Superbowl, they take a step back the next year. It could be injuries, players being traded to fix their cap after going all in or just being less hungry one they finally win it all. The same goes for a team that makes the Super Bowl and loses. Is this a guarantee that the Dolphins will win the division or a playoff game if the Bills win the Super Bowl? No, but the Bills being less hungry gives the Dolphins a better chance in 2025 than it would if the Bills lost to the Chiefs again. It’s not a perfect science, but if rooting for the Bills and watching them finally pass the Chiefs gives the Dolphins a chance to win a few playoff games next year, I’m all for it. Let us know in the comments who you will be rooting for on Sunday night in the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs game.
Report: Lions promote Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator
Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images The Detroit Lions have their new defensive coordinator: former Lions linebacker coach Kelvin Sheppard. The Detroit Lions have reportedly filled one of their coordinator vacancies. NFL Network reports that the team plans to promote linebacker coach Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator. Sheppard will replace Aaron Glenn, who was hired by the New York Jets as their next head coach. “Having Shep there with me, he’s been there from the beginning, and he knows exactly how I think—exactly,” Glenn said of Sheppard in December. “And that’s a guy that I’ve been actually mentoring to be in the DC role at some point. I think he’s damn near close, if not there, to be ready to do that. He’s a damn good coach.” As we wrote in our 10 options to replace Glenn at DC, Sheppard was considered the front-runner for the position, having been on coach Dan Campbell’s staff since the beginning of his tenure and quickly taking on new coaching and organizational responsibilities. Sheppard, who played linebacker in the NFL for eight seasons, brings a high level of experience and intelligence to the Lions’ defensive staff. With a no-nonsense approach to coaching that rewards players for how they produce on the field, Sheppard has earned the trust of both players and coaches over the past four years. The Lions’ previous defensive scheme demanded a lot of their linebackers, including understanding all aspects of defensive scheme/play calls, as well as making necessary adjustments on the field. They are required to work in unison with the defensive line and secondary, and Sheppard has done a masterful job of making sure his linebackers are fully prepared to embrace these challenges. At his end-of-season press conference, Campbell noted that he wants to be able to keep the team’s core principles in place, something Sheppard will firmly be able to do. “I don’t see philosophy changing,” Campbell noted. “I think what we are is what we are, and we’ve been that way since I’ve been here. So, does that mean a couple of things get tweaked? A couple of things will get tweaked, just the nature of new coordinators […] I want to play man (coverage)—we want to play man. I’m going to pressure a little bit. So, these things are not going to go away, we are what we are.” The hiring of Sheppard has been confirmed by multiple sources on the Lions beat.
Daniel Jeremiah NFL mock draft 1.0: Giants nab QB1 with third overall pick
Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images Might the Giants still be in the Cam Ward sweepstakes? The New York Giants chief priority for the 2025 season is the quarterback position. As of Saturday, Jan. 25th 2025, the Giants do not have a quarterback under contract for 2025. Drew Lock and Tim Boyle are free agents, while Tommy DeVito is an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (EFRA). It’s barely a formality to re-sign DeVito, but the fact remains that he isn’t under contract as of this writing. So the Giants overarching priority must be to fill the quarterback position. Ideally, they would do so with a player who is — or could be — a franchise quarterback, in the draft. That’s exactly what former NFL scout and NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah does in his Mock Draft 1.0. 3. New York Giants – Cam Ward, QB, Miami The Giants are desperate for a quarterback. Ward’s strong arm and playmaking ability would be a great fit. Raptor’s thoughts Right now it seems like it would be a major coup for the Giants to land Cam Ward at the top of the draft. Ward had a stellar season in 2024, leading the FBS in passing touchdowns with 39 (to just 7 interceptions). He led the ACC in adjusted yards per attempt as well as yards per completion, and he also finished 15th in Big Time Throw* rate and 5th in Deep Yards (per PFF). (*PFF defines “Big Time Throws” as being either deep or tight window targets in high leverage situations that require excellent ball placement and timing) Ward has rare arm talent with an extremely elastic arm that allows him to make almost every throw from almost any arm slot and platform. He’s able to create off-schedule and out of structure, while having the field vision to find open receivers when the play dissolves into chaos. That willingness to go Big Play Hunting got him in trouble at times, but it’s also the reason why Miami was even in the conversation for the College Football Playoffs. He’s also a very athletic quarterback who played in a Wing-T offense in high school and had to learn how to be a passer over the course of his college career. Ward is currently my QB1 (I’ll be starting this year’s deep dives after the Senior Bowl), and that was reinforced by the development he showed over the course of the year. Most notably, he showed an increased willingness to take small gains and find his checkdowns as the year progressed. Personally, I have questions as to whether or not Shedeur Sanders fits what Brian Daboll wants to do with the offense. Ward, however, seems to fit like a glove. It isn’t exactly notable that the Giants go quarterback in the first round. It would almost be more remarkable if they didn’t considering the state of the position and the value of the 5th year option. Though selecting a quarterback if Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are off the board could also entail some trades to maximize value with Jalen Milroe or Jaxson Dart. And that brings me to what’s really interesting about DJ’s first mock draft: Neither the Tennessee Titans nor the Cleveland Browns select a quarterback. Both teams are almost as quarterback-needy as the Giants, though that “almost” does give them options. Here, Jeremiah has them exploring those other options. That makes me ask “why?” He’s a deeply connected guy thanks to his previous career as a college scout, and my gut says that DJ is hearing things from around the League. Him hanging a lantern on Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker saying that “the team wouldn’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick,” is something we shouldn’t ignore. Likewise, Jeremiah said that he sees the Titans adding a quarterback in free agency or later in the draft. The Giants 45-33 win over the Indianapolis Colts felt for all the world like a pyrrhic victory. They had a great win and it showed the potential of the offense when things click, but in doing so they likely cost themselves the one piece the offense needs to fire on all cylinders. But if Jeremiah is right, maybe QB1 isn’t out of reach for the Giants.
Eagles-Commanders NFC Championship Game preview show
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images PLUS: A check in on the Dallas Cowboys’ dysfunction. Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders features the highest stakes a division rivalry matchup can possibly have: a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. And so, for such a special occasion, we figured it was only right to break out a special one-off episode of the NFC East Mixtape for an all-NFC East NFC Championship Game. “We” in this case is me (Brandon Lee Gowton from Bleeding Green Nation), RJ Ochoa from Blogging The Boys, and Jamual Forrest from Hogs Haven. In addition to mainly previewing this weekend’s Eagles-Commanders battle and making our final score predictions, we also got into how things are not looking so great for the Dallas Cowboys at the moment. Who doesn’t love some good schadenfreude? I mean, Brian Schottenheimer? Really? You can check out the entire episode on Bleeding Green Nation’s YouTube channel: Help us out and click on some buttons (subscribe, like, etc.) to help indicate that people enjoy the show and want it back on a more regular basis.