Big games today not featuring our Vikings which really stinks! I guess I like the Bills, Seahawks, Texans, and Rams this weekend. Who do you like? Minnesota Vikings News and Links Are we sure Kevin O’Connell deserves the ‘offensive guru’ label? Kevin O’Connell arrived in Minnesota in February 2022, fresh off a Super Bowl victory […] Big games today not featuring our Vikings which really stinks! I guess I like the Bills, Seahawks, Texans, and Rams this weekend. Who do you like? Minnesota Vikings News and Links Kevin O’Connell arrived in Minnesota in February 2022, fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Rams, with a reputation as a Sean McVay-trained offensive guru. A savant, a whiz on that side of the ball. Those aren’t labels he ever gave himself, by any means, but that was the perception, and that remains the perception four years later. The generally-held belief is still that the Vikings have a mastermind leading their offense. Are we sure he deserves those (very unofficial) labels? Four years is a pretty big sample size, and although the Vikings have won plenty of regular season games during O’Connell’s tenure, their overall offensive metrics are extremely underwhelming. Just look at where they’ve ranked in two prominent all-encompassing metrics over the past four years (hat tip to Nick Olson, who pointed this out). 2022: 18th in EPA* per play, 20th in DVOA* 2023: 18th in EPA per play, 23rd in DVOA 2024: 14th in EPA per play, 15th in DVOA 2025: 28th in EPA per play, 29th in DVOA *Expected Points Added *Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average Only once in four years have the Vikings had an above-average offense, according to those two useful efficiency metrics. And even then, it was barely in the top half. They’ve never cracked the top 13 in either statistic, and the 2025 team — which had another awesome defense under Brian Flores — was doomed by having one of the worst offenses in the NFL. If you’re curious about who (arguably) deserves more credit for the Vikings’ success, here are their ranks on defense during the O’Connell era. 2022: 16th in EPA per play, 25th in DVOA (Ed Donatell was DC) 2023: 17th in EPA per play, 11th in DVOA (Flores takes over) 2024: 2nd in EPA per play, 2nd in DVOA 2025: 3rd in EPA per play, 3rd in DVOA A major issue is that O’Connell’s Vikings have never figured out how to build an efficient running game. In 2022, they were 10th in EPA per dropback and 29th in EPA per rush. In 2023, they were 18th (11th before Cousins got hurt) and 22nd. In 2024, they were 12th in EPA per dropback and 25th in EPA per rush. This past year, they were 26th and 30th. They’ve been good (not elite) in the pass game when they’ve gotten capable quarterback play, but not once in the last four years have the Vikings ranked higher than 22nd in EPA per rush, which reflects pretty poorly on O’Connell. Insider can’t find anyone willing to say Vikings won’t chase a superstar QB What are the odds that the Vikings trade for a bona fide star quarterback like Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow this offseason? While the chances might be slim, there are at least two Vikings insiders who aren’t ruling out a blockbuster move. “I could not find anyone and haven’t found anyone to tell me that they definitely don’t want to pursue a Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson or whoever else might shake loose in terms of just a guy that would absolutely, positively come in here as the unquestioned starter,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert said in an interview with Dan Barreiro on KFAN-FM 100.3 on Wednesday. That said, Seifert thinks it’s more likely that they run it back with J.J. McCarthy, while bringing in a quarterback to serve as a more reliable backup or perhaps push McCarthy for the starting job. “I mean, as best as I can tell and know at this point, I feel like they’re going to run back the 2025 offseason plan, which is to try to pair the guy they drafted No. 10 overall with somebody who is good enough to start if he’s not,” Seifert said. Seifert isn’t the only reputable insider thinking the Vikings might shock the world and go after a star. Alec Lewis, in his mailbag column via The Athletic, reiterated that “nothing is off the table with regard to how aggressive the Vikings may be to build what the team’s leadership has described as a ‘deep and talented’ quarterback room.” Vikings Trade Pitch Nets $230 Million QB to Replace McCarthy After Latest Report That is according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, who authored his latest report on the Vikings QB room on Friday, January 16. “As I’ve written in recent weeks, nothing is off the table with regard to how aggressive the Vikings may be to build what the team’s leadership has described as a ‘deep and talented’ quarterback room,” Lewis wrote. “It’s one thing to say that [Kevin] O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah haven’t won a playoff game in their four seasons here. It’s another to note that this ownership group has only gotten past the wild-card round twice in the last 15 years.” … But the home run option is to pursue a trade for a player like Kyler Murray, whom the Arizona Cardinals are prepping to deal this offseason as he heads into his age-29 campaign. But the home run option is to pursue a trade for a player like Kyler Murray, whom the Arizona Cardinals are prepping to deal this offseason as he heads into his age-29 campaign. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN on December 17 floated the Vikings as a potential landing spot for Murray, a two-time Pro Bowler (2020, 2021). The quarterback trade market is worth watching, particularly with supply failing to meet the demand once again. This leads to a conversation on Kyler Murray, whom
Minnesota Vikings News and Links: Big Games Today!
NFL Divisional Round Recap: Denver Broncos 33, Buffalo Bills 30
Will Lutz drilled a 23-yard field goal in overtime to send the Denver Broncos to the AFC Championship with a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in a game defined by late drama and turnovers. After Josh Allen forced overtime with a last-minute field goal drive, his fourth turnover of the night — an overtime interception — set up Lutz’s winner and ended Buffalo’s season.
NFL divisional round playoffs: Discussion for Rams fans
The Los Angeles Rams don’t play until Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, but there are 2 games on Saturday that you can talk about, including one with two NFC West division rivals. First, the Buffalo Bills take on the Denver Broncos at 1:30. Then, the Seahawks host the 49ers at 5 something. Talk about […] The Los Angeles Rams don’t play until Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, but there are 2 games on Saturday that you can talk about, including one with two NFC West division rivals. First, the Buffalo Bills take on the Denver Broncos at 1:30. Then, the Seahawks host the 49ers at 5 something. Talk about the games with your fellow Rams fans in the comment thread below!
Vikings Not Bringing Back OL Coach Chris Kuper
We have officially gotten word of the first change to Kevin O’Connell’s coaching staff for the 2026 offseason, and while it’s one that a lot of folks may have expected, it gives us something to look at as far as what may come next for the Minnesota Vikings. The team has announced that they will […] We have officially gotten word of the first change to Kevin O’Connell’s coaching staff for the 2026 offseason, and while it’s one that a lot of folks may have expected, it gives us something to look at as far as what may come next for the Minnesota Vikings. The team has announced that they will not be retaining offensive line coach Chris Kuper, whose contract expires at the end of the season. Kuper was an original member of O’Connell’s staff, joining the team shortly after O’Connell was hired in February of 2022. He played eight seasons in the NFL, spending his entire career with the Denver Broncos. He then coached with the Miami Dolphins for several seasons before becoming an assistant offensive line coach with the Broncos in 2019, holding that job for three seasons before joining the Vikings. The Minnesota offensive line was in a constant state of flux this season, to put it lightly. The team invested heavily in the interior of the offensive line in terms of draft capital and free agent spending. However, due to injuries across all of the positions along the offensive line, the starting five they envisioned when the season started (Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, and Brian O’Neill) played just 84 snaps together this season, and the Vikings had more different offensive line combinations on the field this season than any other team in the NFL. I’m not sure how much that contributed to Kuper losing his job, given that the team had plenty of struggles at the position during all four seasons of Kuper’s tenure as the offensive line coach, but I’m sure that didn’t help things. I’m not well-versed on who could, potentially, be in line to be Kuper’s replacement, or whether the team will look to promote from within the current coaching staff or bring someone in from the outside, but I’m sure we’ll be hearing plenty of news about that over the next few days. What do you make of the news of the Vikings not bringing back Chris Kuper, folks? Let us know in the comments section!
NFL Divisional Round: 49ers vs. Seahawks
The Saturday night game in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL playoffs will feature an NFC matchup between the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers and the No. 1 Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks leads the all-time series between these NFC West teams, 31-23, but the away team has won six of their last seven meetings. […] The Saturday night game in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL playoffs will feature an NFC matchup between the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers and the No. 1 Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks leads the all-time series between these NFC West teams, 31-23, but the away team has won six of their last seven meetings. They last faced off just two weeks ago, when the Seahawks won in San Francisco, 13-3. It could be an interesting night, with Seattle QB Sam Darnold dealing with an oblique injury the last few days. Here’s everything you need to know about the game: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks Game time: 8:00 PM ESTChannel: FOXOnline Streaming: FuboTV | FOX OneLocation: Lumen Field | Seattle, WAAnnouncers: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews / Tom Rinaldi (field reporter) San Francisco 49ers: +6.5 (+250) Seattle Seahawks: -6.5 (-310) Over/under: 44.5 points SB Nation Blogs Bills: www.BuffaloRumblings.com Broncos: www.MileHighReport.com Open thread: Discuss Saturday’s game in the comments below. See More: Philadelphia Eagles discussion
What the NY Giants are saying about the hiring of John Harbaugh
It took more than two days after John Harbaugh had reportedly accepted the job as head coach of the New York Giants to finalize the deal. Harbaugh has now signed on the dotted line. Here is what the Giants were saying in their official announcement of the hiring. Co-owner and team president John Mara: “We are proud to name John Harbaugh as the next head coach of the New York Giants. Joe Schoen presented us an outstanding group of candidates, which allowed us to be deliberate and confident in this decision. Through numerous conversations, John consistently stood out for his conviction and vision for leading a winning organization, and we welcome him and his family to the Giants.” Co-owner and chairman Steve Tisch: “John is a proven winner whose teams are disciplined, resilient, and prepared. His passion for the game, his ability to connect with players, and his experience leading at the highest level made him an outstanding fit for us, and we’re excited to move forward together.” General manager Joe Schoen: “Throughout our conversations, John stood out for his clarity, competitiveness and approach for building a sustainable winning program. He has a strong track record of developing players, building cohesive staffs, and setting a clear standard of accountability. We are excited to work with John in moving this team in the right direction.” Harbaugh: “I want to thank John Mara, Steve Tisch, Chris Mara, and Joe Schoen for the opportunity to lead the New York Giants,” said Harbaugh. “To serve as this franchise’s head coach is a tremendous honor. I come from a football family, and I have deep respect for the history and tradition of this organization. “I’m excited to begin assembling our staff and getting to work building our team. I would like to sincerely thank Steve Bisciotti and the Baltimore Ravens organization for 18 remarkable years, including the opportunity to become a head coach in the National Football League. “My family and I are grateful for the welcome we’ve already felt, and we look forward to becoming part of the Giants family.” The Giants will formally introduce Harbaugh as their head coach at noon on Tuesday. John Harbaugh Coaching Experience 1984-86: Western Michigan – Graduate Assistant 1987: Pittsburgh – Tight Ends 1988: Morehead State – DBs/Special Teams/Strength & Conditioning 1989-94: University of Cincinnati – Special Teams/TEs/OLBs/RBs 1995-96: University of Cincinnati – Assistant Head Coach 1997: Indiana University – DBs/Special Teams Coordinator 1998-2006: Philadelphia Eagles – Special Teams Coordinator 2007: Philadelphia Eagles – Secondary 2008-25: Baltimore Ravens – Head Coach John Harbaugh Coaching Record 2008*: Baltimore Ravens 11-5 (.688) 2009*: Baltimore Ravens 9-7 (.563) 2010*: Baltimore Ravens 12-4 (.750) 2011**: Baltimore Ravens 12-4 (.750) 2012***: Baltimore Ravens 10-6 (.625) 2013: Baltimore Ravens 8-8 (.500) 2014*: Baltimore Ravens 10-6 (.625) 2015: Baltimore Ravens 5-11 (.313) 2016: Baltimore Ravens 8-8 (.500) 2017: Baltimore Ravens 9-7 (.563) 2018**: Baltimore Ravens 10-6 (.625) 2019**: Baltimore Ravens 14-2 (.875) 2020*: Baltimore Ravens 11-5 (.688) 2021: Baltimore Ravens 8-9 (.471) 2022*: Baltimore Ravens 10-7 (.588) 2023**: Baltimore Ravens 13-4 (.765) 2024**: Baltimore Ravens 12-5 (.706) 2025: Baltimore Ravens 8-9 (.471) Totals: 180-113 (.614) *Made postseason **Won division ***Won division and Super Bowl See More: New York Giants News
Eagles Offensive Coordinator Candidate and Rumor Tracker
Now that the Eagles have closed the book on the 2025 NFL season, they have turned their full attention to filling their vacant offensive coordinator position. The Eagles have reportedly given some OC candidates certain assurances that they would have autonomy over the offense, and Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni confirmed as much in their […] Now that the Eagles have closed the book on the 2025 NFL season, they have turned their full attention to filling their vacant offensive coordinator position. The Eagles have reportedly given some OC candidates certain assurances that they would have autonomy over the offense, and Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni confirmed as much in their end-of-season news conference. Sirianni said it was too early to know exactly how things would be structured because there’s a variety of candidates they’ll consider, but said there wouldn’t be any interference. Here’s everything we’re hearing regarding their search and who they are bringing in for interviews. Rumored interest in interviews Jan. 17: Jeff Darlington reported on Saturday that Mike McDaniel will interview with the Eagles for the OC job at some point. Jan. 17: The Eagles are giving an extended look at Brian Daboll for the position, according to Connor Hughes of SNYtv. Jan. 16: Sources told Bleeding Green Nation that the Eagles will be interviewing former Ole Miss OC Charlie Weis Jr. and have been interested in meeting with him since before the end of the season. Requests for Interviews Jan. 17: The team requested to interview Colts OC Jim Bob Cooter, former Eagles consultant from 2021. Cooter has worked with Doug Pederson in Jacksonville, and Shane Steichen in Indianapolis since helping Nick Sirianni’s staff in Philly. Confirmed and Completed Interviews Jan. 17: Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the Eagles completed an interview with Giants interim head coach/OC Mike Kafka. The former NFL quarterback played for Philadelphia in 2011 and played in four games, but injuries and an impressive Mike Vick derailed his career. See More:
This is the Bears one (small) advantage
Even though the Rams have the number one offense in the NFL, it is actually L.A.’s advantage on defense over the Chicago Bears that has the widest gap. The Rams ranked fourth on defense by DVOA, which means Defense-adjusted Value Over Average, a statistic measuring the value of each individual play and weighted based on […] Even though the Rams have the number one offense in the NFL, it is actually L.A.’s advantage on defense over the Chicago Bears that has the widest gap. The Rams ranked fourth on defense by DVOA, which means Defense-adjusted Value Over Average, a statistic measuring the value of each individual play and weighted based on the competency of your opponent. So yes, it is adjusted based on your strength of schedule and your opponent, giving DVOA a slight advantage over basic numbers like points and yards allowed. Well, while the Rams were fourth in defensive DVOA, the Bears were 25th. Not that surprising given that by almost any measure, defenses as bad as Chicago’s has been this season rarely get this far in the NFL playoffs. According to FTN Fantasy, previously known as FootballOutsiders, the L.A. Rams have significant advantages over the Chicago Bears on offense and defense, but unsurprisingly are at a slight disadvantage on special teams: Offense DVOA: Rams 1st, Bears 9th Defense DVOA: Rams 4th, Bears 25th Special Teams DVOA: Rams 26th, Bears 18th According to DVOA creator Aaron Schatz, the Rams ranked as one of the best overall teams in the history of the stat, ranking 9th since 1978: It could also setup one hell of an NFC Championship game if both the Rams and Seahawks (7th since 1978) win over the weekend. Whereas the Rams have a historic offense, the Seahawks feature a historic defense, giving fans the potential for an all-timer next week if both teams win. Conversely, the two teams will meet the Bears and 49ers, teams that do not even belong in the conversation but nonetheless have a chance to pull an upset and reach the NFC Championship game because anything can happen in the playoffs. The 49ers rank 10th in DVOA and have the number two offense, just behind L.A., but the number 27 defense, ranking worse than Chicago. The worst special teams unit remaining in the playoffs. By EPA (estimated points added), the Rams were consistently losing points on special teams in each of their first six games in the regular season, as well as 10 of their first 11. The only exception was Week 7’s blowout win over the Jaguars. Things were never worse than the division-losing TNF game to the Seahawks, a season-worst -15 EPA on special teams. Firing Chase Blackburn may have sent a message, but it didn’t fix the issues. But the following week, the Rams had a season-best +6 special teams EPA despite losing to the Falcons. L.A.’s wild card win over the Panthers ended up being their 4th-best special teams game of the season, perhaps signaling a slight return to average for the Rams going into the divisional round, as Harrison Mevis went 2-of-2 on field goals and 4-of-4 on extra points and Ethan Evans didn’t do too shabby on punts. The Rams have had arguably the worst kickoff unit in the NFL, the only team in the league that regularly still kicks touchbacks, but that wasn’t the case in Carolina. Can the Rams force the Bears to return kicks in the cold weather and not start every drive at the 35? Luckily, it’s not as though the Rams are facing a beast on special teams on the other side. Chicago is barely below average. With a defense that ranks in the bottom-10 though, will the Bears be able to keep the game close enough for it to even matter?
PFF lists Colts WR Alec Pierce as ‘2026 free agent that they can’t afford to lose’
According to PFF, Indianapolis Colts pending 2026 free agent Alec Pierce is the player that the Horseshoe can’t afford to lose—which isn’t all that surprising to be fair: Indianapolis Colts: WR Alec Pierce The Colts’ 2025 campaign was truly a tale of two halves. The team went from possible Super Bowl contenders to finishing third in the […] According to PFF, Indianapolis Colts pending 2026 free agent Alec Pierce is the player that the Horseshoe can’t afford to lose—which isn’t all that surprising to be fair: The Colts’ 2025 campaign was truly a tale of two halves. The team went from possible Super Bowl contenders to finishing third in the AFC South. Compounding the situation is that Indianapolis doesn’t have its first-round pick, plus has several contributors on expiring contracts. The most valuable of those names is certainly Pierce. Pierce found his groove this past year, blossoming into one of the better receivers in football. Among receivers with 75 or more targets, he placed 14th in PFF receiving grade (81.0), 14th in yards per route run (2.10) and eighth in passer rating when targeted (113.7). Additionally, his 96.3 deep PFF receiving grade since 2024 ranked second, behind only Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Colts have decisions to make on Daniel Jones, Braden Smith, Nick Cross and others, but Pierce was an engine for their improved passing attack. No matter who Indianapolis’ man under center is in 2026, having Pierce back in the fold would be enormous. Specifically, the only other realistic choice was starting quarterback Daniel Jones, who’s also set to become a free agent this offseason, and is currently rehabbing from a season-ending torn Achilles suffered late during Week 14. The other Colts’ key free agents include safety Nick Cross, offensive tackle Braden Smith, defensive end Kwity Paye, and linebacker Germaine Pratt. Originally a 2022 2nd round pick of the Colts, the 25-year-old Pierce has emerged as arguably the league’s top deep threat, averaging an NFL leading 21.3 yards per reception average this past season—which he’s led the league two years in a row. Not only that, but Pierce eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career to go along with his 47 receptions and 6 touchdown receptions this past season as the Colts’ clear new WR1. Pierce has continued to develop as a more well-rounded route runner collectively, but his ability to separate vertically, high-point the football, and make highly contested, acrobatic catches is an elite NFL receiving skill. Regardless of who was starting for the Colts at quarterback, Pierce consistently shined as their most explosive receiver—particularly down the field, whether it was Jones, veteran Philip Rivers, or even rookie Riley Leonard. Armed with a projected $41.7M of available team cap space this early offseason, Pierce should be a top priority re-signing for the Colts—even if it comes at the expense of his Indy teammates, including fellow starting wideout Michael Pittman Jr., who’s due a whopping $29 million cap hit next season. Simply put, Pierce needs to be back for Indy, no matter the price tag. See More: Indianapolis Colts News
Las Vegas Raiders coaching search: Mike McDaniel will interview
The Las Vegas Raiders continue to request interviews for the coaching opening left by the firing of Pete Carroll. They have have requested interviews with Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Davis Webb, Matt Nagy, Kevin Stefanski, Jeff Hafley, Nate Scheelhaase, Mike LeFleur, Chris Shula, Ejiro Evero, Jesse Minter, Joe Brady, Klay Kubiak and now Mike McDaniel. […] The Las Vegas Raiders continue to request interviews for the coaching opening left by the firing of Pete Carroll. They have have requested interviews with Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak, Davis Webb, Matt Nagy, Kevin Stefanski, Jeff Hafley, Nate Scheelhaase, Mike LeFleur, Chris Shula, Ejiro Evero, Jesse Minter, Joe Brady, Klay Kubiak and now Mike McDaniel. Let’s get to know McDaniel some more: Last job: McDaniel was recently fired as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2022-25. He was 35-33 there and 0-2 in the postseason Age: He is 42. Coaching experience: He has been an NFL coach for 18 years. Other interest: He interviewed for the Baltimore Ravens head-coaching job and is getting heavy interest as an offensive coordinator. Why the Raiders are interested: McDaniel is considered an offensive innovator. He is still a young coach. His experience as a head coach is attractive as well. He has to be considered a candidate to watch here. See More: Las Vegas Raiders News