5 Ravens who deserve bigger roles during final six games 5 Ravens who deserve bigger roles during final six games glenn erby Baltimore is 7-4 and second in the AFC North ahead of Monday night’s family feud against Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers (8-3) on ESPN. The Ravens will enter the weekend within 1.5 games behind the Steelers after their upset loss to the Browns in snowy Cleveland on Thursday night. A win over the Chargers would put Baltimore just one half a game back of Pittsburgh ahead of the Week 13 clash against the Eagles before a much-needed break during the bye. With six games left in the season, we’re looking at seven players who should see a more significant role as we advance and after the bye week. WR Diontae Johnson Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) reaches for an incomplete pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Since being acquired by Baltimore from Carolina, Johnson has one catch on four targets for four yards and three games. An accomplished deep threat, Todd Monken must use the Week 14 bye to help give Johnson a higher usage rate. TE Isaiah Likely Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) looks to elude Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (39) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Likely has 28 catches for 346 yards and three touchdowns, but he’s not seen more than five targets in a game since his Week 1 explosion in Kansas City, and he’s had two games with three targets or less. The athletic Likely makes Baltimore more explosive when he’s incorporated into the offense. RB Keaton Mitchell Nov 7, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (34) prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images Mitchell has been back in the lineup for two games, and he’s received no carries or targets in the passing game, getting the bulk of his work as a return man on special teams. One of the most explosive players in the NFL, Mitchell can help open the Ravens offense up even more. LB Malik Harrison Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers center Zach Frazier (54) and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Malik Harrison (40) get into a scuffle during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Harrison logged 37 snaps in the loss to Pittsburgh, finishing with six tackles on the afternoon. If Roquan Smith misses time with a hamstring injury, Harrison should get the call. CB Tre’Davious White PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 17: TreDavious White #25 of the Baltimore Ravens breaks up a pass to George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half on November 17, 2024 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) White played 24 snaps in his debut, cutting into Brandon Stephens’s snaps. The veteran could flourish with more snaps in a zone-based scheme.
5 Ravens who deserve bigger roles during final six games
Bengals-Browns Week 16 game flexed out of Thursday Night Football
Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images That’s one less primetime game for the Bengals. It was announced on Friday the Cincinnati Bengals’ Week 16 game against the Cleveland Browns will no longer be played on Thursday Night Football, but will instead be played on Sunday, December 2 at 1 PM, and will be aired on FOX. Moving into the open primetime slot will be an AFC West matchup between the Denver Broncos and the Chargers in LA. The move shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. The Bengals are 4-7 as they head into their Week-12 bye, and the Browns are 3-8. On the other hand, the Broncos are 6-5 and the Chargers are 7-3, and their matchup has playoff implications. It’s not impossible for the Bengals to sneak into the postseason as a wildcard team, but they’d need to be close to perfect from Week 13 on to pull it off, and that includes beating the Steelers twice. As of this moment, it’s clear the NFL believes the Chargers and Broncos will have something to fight for in Week 16, while the Bengals and Browns will not. The first Thursday night flex: The Week 16 Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers game will move to Thursday Night Football on Prime Video while the Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals matchup will be played Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 22, 2024
Colts’ Matchups to Watch: Week 12 vs. Lions
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images E.J. Speed / Zaire Franklin vs. Jahmyr Gibbs / David Montgomery Gibbs & Montgomery have combined for over 1.800 scrimmage yards and 19 overall touchdowns, spearheading the Lions’ offense. They are far and away the best running back duo in the NFL, and could be a real headache for a Colts’ run defense that has been up and down this year. Speed and Franklin are the Colts’ most important players when it comes to stopping opposing running games, and they will be put to the test against the best running game in the NFL. Colts need to keep on winning if they are to sneak into the playoffs, and to win, Gibbs and Montgomery cannot be allowed to run free. DeForest Buckner vs. Graham Glasgow / Frank Ragnow On their only loss this season, Glasgow and Ragnow allowed a combined 11 pressures from the interior, clearly rattling Goff. Vita Vea tormented the duo all game long, so the key for the Colts’ defensive success on Sunday could also be on the interior of the line. Since coming back from his ankle injury in Week 8 Buckner has racked up 11 total pressures and two sacks on 82 pass-rushing reps. Dalton Tucker vs. Alim McNeil The Colts recently signed veteran right guard Mark Glowinski to the practice squad, so Tucker’s status as the starter has been put on jeopardy. After edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson went down with a season ending leg injury, McNeil has stepped up as the Lions’ best pass-rusher, and he has a favorable matchup this Sunday. Anthony Richardson can handle pressure coming from the edges, but interior pressure is much more difficult to deal with for a scrambling quarterback. Jaylon Jones / Sam Womack vs. Amon-Ra St. Brown St. Brown has nearly twice as many targets as the closest Lions’ receiver, as when they are not running the ball Jared Goff really likes going to his #1 receiver. So far he has close to 700 yards and 9 receiving touchdowns on 78 targets. Jones and Womack are fresh off a solid showing against Adams and Wilson, and they will need to step up once again against one of the best receivers in the NFL. Gus Bradley vs. Jared Goff When an opposing offense has scored over 50 points twice more than you have scored over 30, that is where the key to the game is going to be. There is no way that the Colts can outlast the Lions in a shootout, so containing Goff and that offense seems like the way to go. Their only loss was against the Tampa Bay Bucs, and that time they scored just 16 points. Goff went 34 of 55 with two interceptions.
Raiders-Broncos Week 12: 5 things to watch
Bo Nix | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Keys to a home victory The Las Vegas Raiders host the Denver Broncos o Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. PT. Here are five keys to a Raiders’ victory: Penalties in check: The Raiders have been hurting themselves with critical, untimely penalties for most of their six-game losing streak. This team simply isn’t good enough to overcome silly mistakes. This team has to stop getting in its own way. Contain Bo Nix: The Broncos’ rookie quarterback, who was taken at No. 12 one pick ahead of the Raiders, has been improving dramatically and he was was the AFC’s Week 11 Offensive Player of the Week. Nix is playing with a lot of confidence. The Raiders’ defense, which is injury riddled, has tp get tp Nix early to get him out of his comfort level. Account for Patrick Surtain: In Week 5, it was Surtain’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown that changed the game against the Raiders and it really changed the season and the 2-8 Raiders haven’t won since. The Raiders were poised to take a 17-3 lead, but instead Surtain made it a 10-10 game. It was a catalyst that turned a 10-0 Las Vegas lead into a 34-10 Denver lead in an eventual 34-18 game. Surtain can change this game as well. Bowers, Bowers, Bowers: There isn’t a lot to be excited about these Raiders, but rookie tight end Brock Bowers is a major bright spot. He is coming off of a 13-catch game and he has 70 catches. He’s already broken records and one pace for more. Get the ball to Brock as much as possible. Get off the field: The Dolphins scored on six drives and three of them lasted, at least, seven minutes, 4r4 seconds in a 34-189 Week 11 win. The Dolphins wore down the Raiders. Las Vegas defense must get off the field and improve late in downs. the Dolphins were 8 of 12 on third down an 2 for 2 on fourth down conversions.
Bills’ Josh Allen, Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes embrace at final (video)
Bills’ Josh Allen, Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes embrace at final (video) Bills’ Josh Allen, Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes embrace at final (video) Nick Wojton Love him or hate him, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a pretty cool exchange with Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen after their Week 11 showcase. After the final whistle in the 30-21 contest, as usual, the two teams met at the middle of the field at Highmark Stadium. In their hug, Mahomes said he’ll see Allen soon. “We’ll do it again,” Mahomes said. Clearly a reference to the playoffs. That’s a fun statement right there. Their exchange can be found below:
Picks, predictions for Giants-Bucs: DeVito-Mania? BBV staff isn’t buying
Could this be a get-right game for Tampa Bay? The New York Giants return home to MetLife stadium a different team than they were at the start of their bye week. The 2-8 Giants host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after their own bye week, and for the first time Daniel Jones will be a healthy scratch for the game. 2023 UDFA Tommy DeVito will get the start in Jones’ place as the Giants hope to spark their dismal offense and generate some excitement. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, are 4-6 on the season and looking to stop their own 4-game skid. They’ve been reeling since Week 6 when cornerback Jamel Dean landed on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury. That was followed by a disastrous Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens that saw them lose both Mike Evans to his own hamstring injury and Chris Godwin to a fractured ankle. The Buccaneers could be getting both Evans and Dean back this week, which would make things significantly tougher for the Giants. The Giants are 5.5-point underdogs at home per FanDuel sports book, but does the Big Blue View staff thing they can pull off the upset? Want to join FanDuel Sportsbook? Click here for deals. Tony DelGenio This game is a coin flip that hinges on two unknowns: (1) Will the Giants react negatively to Daniel Jones’ benching and just mail it in, or will they feel a burden lifted from their shoulders now that it’s finally happened and rally around Tommy DeVito? (2) Will we get the DeVito who put three TDs up in Washington and led a last minute comeback vs. Green Bay, or the one who looked like a deer caught in the headlights against New Orleans and Philadelphia? I have absolutely no idea. One thing I do know: Expect lots of points. In the Buccaneers’ last six games (the last four of them losses, by the way), both sides have put at least 20 points on the board each time. Tampa Bay has scored 30 or more five times – not in the last three games, when both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were out, but it looks like Evans will return to face the Giants. Old friend Sterling Shepard and tight end Cade Otton have helped take up the slack. Baker Mayfield has resurrected his career in Tampa Bay after appearing to be consigned to a future backup role five years after being drafted No. 1. On defense, the Bucs have given up at least 30 four times, but three times in the last four weeks. Their schedule has been horrendous, though, with games against Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Kansas City, and San Francisco already behind them. All of which is to say, they are better than their 4-6 record says they are, with apologies to Bill Parcells. Pick: Buccaneers Chris Pflum Will making a change at quarterback create a spark for the Giants? I don’t know, but I do know that Todd Bowles won’t make it easy. The Buccaneers’ defense has been poor this year, and the Giants have the talent on offense to stress — or beat — them. But Bowles is a keen defensive mind and he’ll be looking to rattle Tommy DeVito and hold the ball long enough for their pass rush to get home. That could get significantly easier if CB Jamel Dean indeed returns for this game. On the flip side, Baker Mayfield has been playing great and might be the best quarterback in the NFL that nobody’s talking about. He’s been accurate, efficient, and gutsy without taking unnecessary chances. The Bucs could be getting Mike Evans back from injury, and if so, the stress they can put on a defense between the passing and running games could be too much for the Giants. I’m expecting more from Jalin Hyatt and Daniel Bellinger than we’ve seen with DeVito at quarterback, but that might not be enough if the Buccaneers’ offense is setting the pace for the game. I’m not expecting a win, but things could get ugly at home if the game really gets away from the Giants early. Pick: Buccaneers Nick Falato The Giants have turned the page to Tommy DeVito and face a well-rested Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, who could be getting star wide receiver Mike Evans back from injury (he was a full participant in practice on Thursday). New York has yet to win a game at home and is 2-8 on the season against this desperate, rested Buccaneers team. Todd Bowels and the Tampa Bay defense will likely dial up the pressure against the Giants’ young signal-caller; DeVito must rely on his quick release and judgment pre-to-post snap to find solutions against this defense. The Buccaneers’ secondary is susceptible, and there’s certainly a path for DeVito to move the football and put points on the board for the Giants. Still, I expect Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers to do the same against the Giants’ defense, and the Buccaneers will find a way to earn a road victory. Pick: Buccaneers James Hickey The return of Tommy-mania is coming with a heavy-dose of revisionist history. Tommy DeVito had some moments last year, but he was benched for Tyrod Taylor at the end of a lost season last year because head coach Brian Daboll thought he gave the team a better chance to win. DeVito was a feel good story last year but it was not the smashing success that some fans are touting it to be—there was a reason that the Giants brought in Drew Lock during the offseason. Is it possible that DeVito makes more plays than Daniel Jones had this year? Yes, it is possible and may be even probable. But this is a team that has failed to play complementary football all year long. The problems of the defense still remain. And a returning Mike Evans has all the earmarks of a get-right game for Tampa Bay this week. Pick: Buccaneers Valentine’s View The
Open thread: What is the best non-Lions Week 12 game on the schedule?
Kara Durrette/Getty Images Besides the Lions’ Week 12 matchup against the Colts, which game are you most looking forward to watching? As the holiday season approaches and temperatures drop, the intensity of the NFL regular season gets cranked up a few notches. And with the Detroit Lions traveling to face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12 for a 1 p.m. ET start, it leaves us as Lions fans open to watch some (hopefully) good football the rest of the afternoon once the game in Indy wraps up. That brings us to today’s Question of the Day: Which non-Lions game are you most looking forward to watching in Week 12? My answer: I thought about going with the San Francisco 49ers against the Green Bay Packers here, but ultimately I am picking the “Sunday Night Football” matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams. Both games have serious playoff implications, and may be must-wins for both the 49ers and the Rams in order for both teams to stay in the playoff race. The Eagles are playing some good football as of late. Their defense appears to be putting things together, and I am sure we are all well aware of the season that Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley is currently having. And after winning a hotly contested division game against the Washington Commanders in Week 11, the Eagles are in the driver’s seat of the NFC East. On the other side of the ball, the Rams are sitting at 5-5 behind the Arizona Cardinals for the NFC West lead, and with as tight as the NFC playoff race looks like it is going to be for the rest of the regular season, this game against Philadelphia almost feels like a must-win for them. How about you? Which game other than Lions-Colts are you most looking forward to watching in Week 12? Let us know in the comments below.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73740850/2172672011.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "The Linc – Jason Kelce hosting new ESPN late night show")
The Linc – Jason Kelce hosting new ESPN late night show
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links … Jason Kelce to host new ESPN late-night show filmed in Philly – Inquirer Heeerrreee’s Kelce! Jason Kelce, the retired Eagles center turned multimedia star, is taking his talents to late-night television as the host of They Call It Late Night, a new weekly ESPN show filmed in Philadelphia. Emphasis on late. The show will debut at 1 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4, so make sure you set your DVR. Jason Kelce Showed a Lot of Restraint in Not Clobbering this Autograph Seeker – Crossing Broad It’s gotta be terrible to reach a level of celebrity where you’ve got people all over you, calling your brother homophobic slurs and yelling expletives at you while demanding your autograph at the same time. Autograph seekers are the worst in general, entitled little rats, but this guy obviously has something wrong with him, like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Maybe it’s not politically correct to assume that someone is mentally ill, but how else can you explain the 180 this guy pulled, calling Kelce a “pussy” and “sorry ass” before going on some rambling diatribe about peace and love? Eagles Injury Report: DeVonta Smith misses practice again – BGN The Eagles listed two players under DID NOT PARTICIPATE: DeVonta Smith and Bryce Huff. Smith sat out again on Thursday. Two missed practices typically don’t bode well for a player’s chances of playing. If DeVonta can’t suit up, the Eagles will roll with the following wide receivers: A.J. Brown, Jahan Dotson, Britain Covey (assuming he’s activated from injured reserve), Johnny Wilson, and Ainias Smith. Rams struggles versus mobile QB’s & what they mean against Jalen Hurts – Turf Show Times Strictly as a passer, Hurts is nothing to write home about. He’s average to below average in most measures, including Pro Football Focus (PFF) passing grades which would rank him 23rd of 27 signal callers with more than 227 dropbacks. But on the ground, Hurts has the third-best rushing grade of this QB crop at 88.8. This trails only Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Drake Maye of the New England Patriots, who the Rams saw this past weekend. Hurts averages nearly two-full yards after contact on his rushing attempts and has forced 13 missed tackles, both according to PFF. Eagles-Rams preview: Five things to watch – PhillyVoice The strength of the Rams defense is their defensive line, notably their young edge rushers. Second-year pro Byron Young leads the team with 6 sacks, after posting 8 sacks as a rookie in 2023. Jared Verse has 4.5 sacks, which is certainly good for a rookie, but also isn’t indicative of how good he has been so far this season. Verse is currently the favorite to win NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors (Quinyon Mitchell is second). He is primarily a power rusher who has counters off of his power. Fortunately for the Eagles, Jordan Mailata is a brick wall vs. power, so this is a matchup that is not in the Rams’ favor the same way it would be against other left tackles. If the Eagles were starting Andre Dillard, for example, this matchup would be a HUGE concern. Analyzing the matchups that could define the NFL in Week 12 – PFF Eagles’ defense vs. Rams‘ out routes. Sunday Night Football offers us a second straight enticing battle from SoFi Stadium, especially factoring in the strength of the Eagles’ defense against the Rams’ high-powered offense. Particularly interesting is how well Philadelphia will handle Los Angeles’ most regular pass concept: the out route. Matthew Stafford has targeted out routes 56 times, the second most in football. On top of that, his 77.6 PFF passing grade on out routes ranks 11th. It shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that Cooper Kupp’s 17 out-route targets are the seventh most in football and that his 76.0 PFF receiving grade is a top-30 mark among all pass-catchers on the concept. Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s revitalized defense has clamped down against out routes. The Eagles rank 10th in team coverage grade against outs, led by the standout play of rookie Cooper DeJean. DeJean has been one of the NFL’s best defenders against out routes, regardless of position. His 87.6 PFF coverage grade against the concept ranks fourth, having permitted only two catches for nine yards on six out-route targets. How much will DeJean shadow Kupp and Puka Nacua, and can he close space outside the numbers? Or will Stafford get in rhythm along the boundary before dialing up deeper shots? If the Rams want to pull off the upset and earn a crucial conference win, they’ll need their quarterback and receivers to excel in the precise areas where they dominate. NFL QB Index, Week 12: Patrick Mahomes slips out of top four after Bills hand Chiefs first loss – NFL.com QB13) Jalen Hurts. The Eagles’ balanced offense has been their saving grace during this winning streak. With Philadelphia struggling to put drives together and find a rhythm in Week 11, Hurts still managed to have some success on underneath throws. He continued to avoid holding onto the ball for too long and occasionally took off for positive gains. Things didn’t really get going until the second half, when Hurts found A.J. Brown for a gain of 17 yards. His pass to Dallas Goedert on their next drive stood as his longest completion of the night (32 yards), opening the door for Saquon Barkley to bury the Commanders with two touchdown runs of 23-plus yards. Hurts didn’t need to be the hero, but he still managed to play a clean game, throw for more than 200 yards and tally yet another rushing score from a yard out. NFL best bets for Week 12: Picks, props and more for the weekend – ESPN+ On the other side of the ball, the Eagles’ offense seems like an unstoppable machine, but there are still weak points in the Death Star. Jalen Hurts has
Daniel Jones released by New York Giants
Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images Jones asked for release after meeting with John Mara One day after saying he was still “processing” his benching and figuring out what to do about his future, Daniel Jones asked for and received his release from the New York Giants on Friday morning. Here is co-owner John Mara’s statement: “Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him. We mutually agreed that would be best for him and for the team. Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.” — More to come
Eagles sign former Rams draft pick to practice squad
Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images Philadelphia made a tweak to their edge rusher depth. The Philadelphia Eagles officially announced some roster news on Friday morning. An overview: OLB Ochaun Mathis was signed to the practice squad. OLB David Anenih was released from the practice squad. Let’s sort through this news on a player-by-player basis. OCHAUN MATHIS Mathis has history with the Eagles’ Week 12 opponent; he was a sixth-round pick (No. 189 overall) by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2023 NFL Draft. The 6’5”, 250-pound edge rusher logged 74 defensive snaps and 19 special teams snaps as a rookie. Mathis was then waived by the Rams in cuts prior to the 2024 season. Shortly after leaving LA, Mathis signed with the New England Patriots’ practice squad. He was then signed to their active roster in late October. Mathis played 11 defensive snaps and 80 special teams snaps before the Pats cut him earlier this week. Now in Philly, Mathis will provide edge rusher/special teams depth. The Eagles seem to like the 25-year-old’s developmental potential. Ochaun Mathis has some interesting tools to work with, including +90th percentile arm length and hand size Could develop into a solid rotational rusher under Joe Kim and Jerry Montgomery https://t.co/kYzf8b331a pic.twitter.com/GoEPFtjW5m — Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) September 1, 2024 DAVID ANENIH The Eagles originally signed Anenih to their practice squad back in mid-September. They clearly seem to think Mathis is a better option at the same position. EAGLES PRACTICE SQUAD Each player below is eligible to be temporarily elevated to the active roster up to three times unless otherwise noted. OLB Ochaun Mathis WR Parris Campbell (zero elevations remaining) TE E.J. Jenkins (zero elevations remaining) TE C.J. Uzomah (two elevations remaining) DT Siaki Ika DE Tarron Jackson LB Dallas Gant DB Tariq Castro-Fields CB Parry Nickerson WR Danny Gray DB A.J. Woods RB Tyrion Davis-Price DT Gabe Hall WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint S Andre’ Sam T/G Brett Toth OT Laekin Vakalahi (international exemption) PRACTICE SQUAD INJURED LIST WR John Ross (two elevations remaining)
