Tyreik McAllister | Photo by Louis Grasse/Getty Images Could 1 of surprises of training camp make an impact this season? Wide receiver/returner Tyreik McAllister was one of the surprise picks to the Las Vegas Raiders’ initial 53-man roster Let’s look at what to expect from McAllister in the 2024 NFL season: Size: 5-11, 180 pounds. Previous playing experience: McAllister, 26, played at Charleston and he was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He spent some team on their practice squad that season and was cut by Denver the following spring. He spent the 2023 season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. McAllister led the league in returning yards and all-purpose yards. Why he made the team: McAllister showed improvement as training camp went on and he had a huge final preseason game against San Francisco with a punt return for a score and a long touchdown pass play in which he lashed his big speed. What he offers Raiders in 2024: For now he’s not guaranteed of being on the active game-day roster. But his big-play potential is tempting and the team could find ways to use him, especially on special teams early in the season. Best-case 2024 scenario: He is part of the playing rotation and he is option both on offense and on special teams as a dynamic kick and punt returner.
Raiders roster: What’s Tyreik McAllister’s 2024 ceiling?
Game-by-game predictions for every Bills game in 2024
Game-by-game predictions for every #Bills game in 2024: Week 1: vs. Arizona Cardinals Cardinals’ Josh Mauro (69) puts pressure on Bills’ Josh Allen (17) during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Nov. 15, 2020. Prediction: Win Record: 1-0 The Cardinals have a lot to prove after a bad 2023… and an Orchard Park home opener is going to be difficult for anybody. Week 2: at Miami Dolphins (Thursday) Jan 7, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) is tackled by Miami Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker (55) after running with the football during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports Prediction: Win Record: 2-0 It’s a short week but still early on in the year so it’s less of a worry. What will be a worry is someone being a Dolphins fan here–Josh Allen seems to always save his best games for Miami. Week 3: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Monday) Oct 8, 2023; London United Kingdom, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) carries the ball against Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41)during the first half of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Prediction: Win Record: 3-0 The Bills get some revenge for losing to the Jaguars in London last year in a game where multiple players, such as linebacker Matt Milano, went down with injury. Week 4: at Baltimore Ravens (Sunday night) BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 02: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens drops back to pass while being chased by Tremaine Edmunds #49 of the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) Prediction: Loss Record: 3-1 The Ravens are fresh off a visit to the AFC Championship. This is a tough road game. Week 5: at Houston Texans Oct 3, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) reacts to his touchdown catch and run as Houston Texans cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) looks on during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports Prediction: Loss Record: 3-2 Sorry to those upset at Stefon Diggs after he was traded to Houston… but the Texans look like a real powerhouse. Week 6: at New York Jets (Monday) Nov 19, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed (4) tackles Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) after he made a catch during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports Prediction: Loss Record: 3-3 Assuming the Jets still have Aaron Rodgers under center by Week 6, it’s hard to win every single division game in a year. Week 7: vs. Tennessee Titans Buffalo Bills place kicker Tyler Bass (2) kicks a field goal during the second quarter against the Titans at Highmark Stadium Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, in Orchard Park, New York. Prediction: Win Record: 4-3 Back to winning ways. Not only are the Titans weakened on paper this season, the Bills would be motivated to bounce back. Week 8: at Seattle Seahawks Nov 8, 2020; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) passes the ball as Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker K.J. Wright (50) defends during the second quarter at Bills Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports Prediction: Win Record: 5-3 It’s a west coast trip so it will be difficult but the Bills can get the upper hand here. Week 9: vs. Miami Dolphins MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 07: Khalil Shakir #10 of the Buffalo Bills is tackled by David Long Jr. #51 of the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) Prediction: Loss Record: 5-4 Again, it’s tough to win every game in the division and like it or not, the Dolphins are an improving team over the past few years. There’s a reason why Buffalo did not wrap up their fourth-straight AFC East title until the final week of the season last year. Weeek 10: vs. Indianapolis Colts Bills quarterback Josh Allen is brought down by Colts Ibraheim Campbell. Prediction: Win Record: 6-4 The Colts look like they might be rolling in the right direction. But by comparison, the Bills should edge them out at home if they’re serious. Week 11: vs. Kansas City Chiefs Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs with the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half of the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports Prediction: Win Record: 7-4 The Bills have a better record against the Chiefs during the regular season than they do in the postseason. On top of struggling earlier on in the year during a tough stretch, Buffalo will want to win a big game in a big way here. Week 12: Bye ORCHARD PARK, NY – JULY 28: A general view of the helmets worn by Buffalo Bills players during training camp at the Adpro Sports Training Center on July 28, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) Prediction: Win (just kidding) Record: 7-4 Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers (Sunday night) Dec 7, 2020; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jason Verrett (22) during the third quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic Prediction: Win Record: 8-5 The Bills will be well rested against a team traveling from across the country. The 49ers are a solid team, but another big win here for Buffalo. Week 14: at Los Angeles Rams Sep 8, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Ben Skowronek (18) runs the ball defended by Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford (47) in the first quarter at SoFi
Minnesota Vikings News and Links: What Are The Keys To Victory Over The Giants?
Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images Is this a trap game? It’s game week! The fan (that is us) is ready for whatever is going to hit it. The Vikings are slight favorites against the Giants which could mean this is a “trap” game (or not?). I think the Giants may feel like the Vikings as far as being disrespected by the prognosticators. I do not think the Vikings can take this game lightly nor do I think they will. I expect it will be much closer than we would like to see. What do you think? Minnesota Vikings open season Sunday at New York Giants: Matchups to watch Dallas Turner vs. Andrew Thomas Malik Nabers vs. the Vikings’ secondary Interior offensive line vs. Dexter Lawrence Darnold vs. the Giants’ pass rush Will Reichard vs. the kicker curse 5 New York Giants who can make life hell for the Minnesota Vikings 1. Dexter Lawrence, DT 2. Brian Burns, EDGE 3. Malik Nabers, WR 4. Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE 5. Andrew Thomas, LT Giants-Vikings, Week 1 storylines: 5 things to watch this week Minnesota Vikings News and Links Vikings Excited to Reach Week 1: ‘The Real Thing’s Here’ “It’s game week. It’s finally here,” Darrisaw said Monday. “All the buildup that led to it … to be here in September and the week coming up, the first one of the year, we’re definitely excited to go out as a full team and show who we are this year. “We’ve got to go do the work,” Darrisaw added. “It’s really not talking about it. It’s about doing it, so we just have to put it on the film and show what we’re about.” Veteran newcomers like Blake Cashman and Aaron Jones, Sr., are looking forward to making their Vikings debuts. “Just finally getting to put all our work together and showcasing it not only for ourselves but for our fans and the league,” Cashman said when asked the best part of reaching Week 1. “Nobody is really talking about the Minnesota Vikings, but a team that’s focused and prepares well is a dangerous team, and [we have] a lot of pieces where we can be successful and have a great year, so I look at it as we have everything to gain and nothing to lose.” After seven seasons with the Packers, Jones is beginning a new chapter. “I feel like the awareness is heightened,” Jones said. “Everybody’s a little more locked in. You know, camp is long, so I feel like toward the end of camp, it’s monotonous, some of the guys are – not tired, but drained a little bit. And so now it’s a fresh kick. Like, ‘Hey, we’ve had a couple days off, and now we get to jumpstart; the real thing’s here.’ “ Vegas Believes in Vikings Rookie Dallas Turner Prior to his injury, McCarthy was one of the favorites to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Now, that is no longer possible. But the Vikings’ other first rounder is still very much in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year. As of Monday morning, Turner is tied for the best odds available at BetMGM (+400). He has the 2nd-best odds, behind Laiatu Latu (Colts), at DraftKings (+450) and FanDuel (+440). Jaren Hall is back in the NFL On Monday morning, the Seattle Seahawks announced that they have signed Hall to their practice squad. Hall becomes the third quarterback on the Seahawks roster, joining starter Geno Smith and offseason acquisition Sam Howell. Vikings Announce Jersey Number Changes for 2024 Week 1 Stephon Gilmore – 2 Brian Asamoah II – 6 Will Reichard – 16 Fabian Moreau – 23 Nahshon Wright – 25 Theo Jackson – 26 Bobby McCain – 28 Dwight McGlothern – 29 Additionally, the Vikings announced newly added quarterback Brett Rypien will wear No. 19. Nike releases new Minnesota Vikings sneaker, check out the 2024 Air Zoom Pegasus 41 shoe ESPN simulated the 2024 NFL season. Vikings fans won’t like the results. FPI simulates the season thousands of times to offer predictions on records, playoff chances and more, but ESPN’s Seth Walder highlighted one specific simulation for a season preview. In this simulation, the Vikings manage a pathetic four wins, good for the worst record in the league and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. To throw salt in the wound, every other NFC North team finished with double-digit wins and made the playoffs. Again, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new: No discussion of politics or religion No feeding of the trolls Leave the gender hatred at the door Keep the bad language to a minimum (using the spoiler tags, if you must) Speaking of which, if discussing a newer show or movie, please use spoiler tags No pictures that could get someone fired or in serious trouble with their employer If you can’t disagree in a civil manner, feel free to go away While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm
Jaguars vs. Dolphins: Miami slight favorites in 2024 Week 1 odds
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images The Miami Dolphins open as home favorites in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Miami Dolphins open their 2024 NFL regular season on Sunday as they host the Jacksonville Jaguars. The typical South Florida September heat home field advantage for Miami is somewhat negated as they host another team from the state, but how much of an impact does that have on the betting odds in Week 1? Sunday afternoon is expected to have a high around 90 degrees Fahrenheit with a change of afternoon thunderstorms. The team index should be high, with the Jaguars stuck on the sunny sideline in Hard Rock Stadium while the Dolphins enjoy the shade caused by the stadium’s canopy. Is that enough to give Miami an odds? According to FanDuel Sportsbook odds, the Dolphins are favorites for the game – but not by much. Miami is listed as a three-point favorite as of Tuesday, essentially picking up just the home field advantage line as FanDuel’s oddsmakers seem to see the two teams as equals. Miami is -166 as the straight-up winner for the game while Jacksonville is +140 to win. The point total is set at 49.5. Do you think the three-point line accurately represents the Dolphins chances in Week 1? Will the line move as we progress through the week? Let us know your thoughts in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Only 2 Detroit Lions missing from Week 1 opening practice
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK The Detroit Lions had near full attendance in their Week 1 opening practice in preparation for the Los Angeles Rams. The Detroit Lions took the field on Tuesday afternoon for their initial Week 1 practice in preparation for Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. It’s a slight deviation from a typical NFL schedule. Most Tuesdays are a player’s day off with Wednesday being the first practice of the week, but it appears the Lions wanted to get a head start on their week. Media is only now allowed to watch the first 15-20 minutes of practice, which typically only involves individual drills. But based on those observations, the Lions are entering the week quite healthy for the Rams game. Only reserve safeties Ifeatu Melifonwu and Loren Strickland were missing from practice. On Monday, coach Dan Campbell gave a very nondescript update on Melifonwu, whose injury is reported as an Achilles issue, per the Detroit Free Press. “It’s really something that’s just been lingering, even before (the Chiefs preseason game),” Campbell said. “It’s slow moving, that’s all. It’s slow healing and take it as it comes.” It’s unclear why Strickland was absent from Tuesday’s practice, and we won’t know officially until we get an official injury report, which is expected on Wednesday. If both players can’t go this week against the Rams, it would leave Detroit’s depth at safety a little thin. Detroit still has the services of Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, and Brandon Joseph but the only possible other replacement they have is Erick Hallett, a second-year player who was only recently by the Lions to their practice squad last week. The good news is that several Lions players who were sidelined in the last week of training camp were all on the field and participating. That includes Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Kevin Zeitler, Terrion Arnold, Carlton Davis, and Brian Branch. We’ll see if any of those players were technically limited in their participation when the official injury report drops on Wednesday afternoon.
VIDEO: Dan Campbell shows acting chops in hilarious Applebee’s commercial
Lions coach Dan Campbell is in a new Applebee’s commercial, and it’s as awesome as you’d expect. As if Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell couldn’t be more beloved. In just three short years, he’s managed to win in an “unwinnable” city. Along the way, he’s earned a ton of fans through his genuine and affable personality, not to mention some quirky moments here and there. The Applebee’s ad campaign managed to take all of Campbell’s best qualities and fit them in a 30-second spot featuring the Lions coach acting as an Applebee’s waiter. Check out the funny ad below: A couple things here. First, Campbell has some legitimate acting chops here. Whether it’s the darting eyes behind the notebook or the delivery of “They’ll never see it coming” through a wry smile, he absolutely nails the part. Second, let’s just take a moment to digest the fact that a Detroit Lions head coach is now the face of a national brand. Is there any other coach in Lions history you could imagine doing this (and succeeding at it)? This is all pretty damn cool.
Brian Daboll finally admits what we already knew — he will call plays
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images Giants head coach will take over complete control of the offense New York Giants coach Brian Daboll finally admitted on Tuesday something that has been obvious for months. He will call offensive plays this season after allowing offensive coordinator Mike Kafka to do that the last two seasons. “Yeah I’m doing it,” Daboll said Tuesday. Daboll has called plays for the Giants’ offense since OTAs begin in the spring. Until Tuesday, the third-year head coach had not been willing to confirm that he would take on that role this season. Daboll was offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns (2009-2010), Miami Dolphins (2011), Kansas City Chiefs (2012), the University of Alabama (2017), and the Buffalo Bills (2018-2021) before taking the job as head coach of the Giants. Daboll is, then, no stranger to calling plays. The right decision? Yes, I believe this is the right move for Daboll. He has established himself as a coach now, and established relationships with players on both offense and defense. There is pressure on Daboll to both produce a better offense than the Giants had a season ago and to win games. To try and improve the chances of doing those things, Daboll is leaning into what he does best. Here is something I wrote about that on Sunday: Why do I think it’s the right call? “To start with, it is what Daboll does best. It’s what he loves. His offensive scheming and play-designing is what got him the Giants’ head-coaching gig in the first place. “This is a make-or-break year for Daboll’s quarterback. He has a shiny new toy in Nabers. As good a coach as I believe offensive coordinator Mike Kafka is, there has always been the oddity of Kafka calling the plays in what has been Daboll’s offense. “There is heat on Daboll to win more games, and to get his offense to score more than the 15.6 points per game it did last year, 30th in the league. “I think he is right to lean into his strength and be the voice in Jones’ ear on game days. “Rather than scream at Kafka about the ball not getting down the field enough, he can control that himself.” Injury updates Daboll had previously said he won’t discuss injuries until Wednesday when the first injury report comes out. He did confirm that everyone on the 53-man roster was available for practice in some capacity on Tuesday. New look Per Dan Salamone of Giants.com: The Giants are wearing their winged helmets at practice this week as part of the “Century Red” uniform. The offense is practicing in red jerseys (quarterbacks in blue), and the defense is in white. To me, that’s pretty cool.
Lawrence Taylor, of course, voted No. 1 player in New York Giants franchise history
Lawrence Taylor | Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images Giants release top 10 players, completing their top 100 list Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, to no one’s surprise, has been voted the No. 1 player in New York Giants franchise history. The Giants on Tuesday released their top 10 players, completing the top 100 list created by an independent committee. See the full list on the team’s official website. Everyone on the Giants’ top 10 list are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only two have started their careers post-1990. Here’s the list: 10. DE Andy Robustelli (1956-1964) Robustelli started his career with the Los Angeles Rams in 1951. He was a 19th-round draft pick (228th overall) out of Arnold College in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He was traded to the Giants and helped New York conquer the Eastern Division; the Giants played in six conference championships during his tenure in New York, with one NFL championship (1956). Robustelli was a two-time NFL champion (won one with the Rams in 1951), a six-time First-team All-Pro, a four-time Second-team All-Pro, and a seven-time Pro Bowler. The 6-foot. 230-pound defensive end is in the Giants’ Ring of Honor. He also is the only football player to have played in the first two nationally televised NFL games. 9. LB Sam Huff (1956-1963) The Giants drafted Huff in the third round out of West Virginia. Defensive coordinator Tom Landry knew Huff fit perfectly into his new 4-3 defense as the MIKE linebacker. Huff helped the Giants win the NFL Championship in 1956 and was a two-time First-team All-Pro and a four-time Second-team All-Pro. He also made the Pro Bowl five times. Huff left the Giants and played for the Washington Redskins from 1964-1967. He did not play in 1968 but returned to Washington in 1969 after Vince Lombardi talked him out of retirement. Huff coached Washington’s linebackers in 1970. He is a member of both the Giants and Washington’s Ring of Honor, and his number 75 is retired at West Virginia. 8. QB Eli Manning (2004-2019) Eli Manning brought the New York Giants back to prominence after he was selected first overall by the San Diego Chargers out of Ole Miss in 2004. Ernie Accorsi traded to acquire Manning’s rights; the rest is history. Manning won the Giants two Super Bowls, in which he was the MVP. He made the Pro Bowl four times and is a rightful member of the Giants’ Ring of Honor. Manning finished his career with 57,023 passing yards with 366 career passing touchdowns, both of which rank 10th all-time. He also held the third-longest consecutive starts streak by an NFL quarterback — an impressive 210 straight games from 2004-2017. He is one of the recent faces of the franchise and is still active with the organization. He said it best when quoting the late Wellington Mara at his retirement ceremony: “Once a Giant, always a Giant…for me, it’s only a Giant.” 7. LB Harry Carson (1976-1988) The Giants selected Carson out of South Carolina State in the fourth round (105th overall). He played in 173 games with the Giants and helped them win Super Bowl XXI. Carson was a four-time Second-team All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowler. Bill Belichick considered Harry Carson one of the best all-around linebackers he has ever coached. He was one of the NFL’s most disciplined and sound-run-defending linebackers of all time. After quite a long wait, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. He was one of three captains on the Giants’ first Super Bowl team, and his name engenders great respect from those who had the privilege of playing next to him. 6. DB Emlen Tunnell (1948-1958) Tunnell was an elite safety and kick return specialist for the Giants. He went undrafted in 1948 out of Iowa and Toledo before that. He was the first African American to play for the New York Giants. At the time of his retirement, Tunnell held NFL career records for interceptions with 79, interception return yards with 1,282, total punt returns with 258, and total punt return yards with 2,209. He was a two-time NFL champion—1956 with the Giants and 1961 with Vince Lombardi and the Packers. He was a six-time First-team All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowler. He was a member of the 1950s All-Decade Team, the 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, and the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He also enlisted in both the Army and the Navy during World War II, but a neck injury landed him with the Coast Guard, where he served on the USS Etamin, where his heroic efforts saved fellow American lives in the South West Pacific. 5. DE Michael Strahan (1993-2007) The Giants selected Strahan in the second round (40th overall) out of Texas Southern. He was one of the most dominant defenders in his era. In 2001, he was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year after setting the sack record; 22.5 sacks is still the record, although he shares it with current Pittsburgh Steeler T.J. Watt. Strahan was a four-time First-team All-Pro and a two-time Second-team All-Pro, and he made the Pro Bowl eight times. He led the league in sacks twice (2001 and 2003) and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s. Strahan finished his career with 854 tackles, 24 forced fumbles, four interceptions, three defensive touchdowns, and 141.5 sacks, which ranks sixth all-time — officially — since sacks were not a counted statistic until 1982. He is tenth all-time on the unofficial list. 4. Frank Gifford (1952-1960 / 1962-1964) Frank Gifford did it all for the Giants. He was selected out of USC in the first round (11th overall) and thrived at half-back, quarterback, flanker, and safety for the Giants. He was the MVP when the Giants won the NFL Championship in 1956. He was a six-time First-team All-Pro and an eight-time Pro Bowler. Gifford also won Comeback Player of the Year in 1962 after taking a football
NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 Edition
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images 100% accurate ranking of all 32 teams. The 2024 NFL season is HERE! And that means it’s time for an incredibly meaningful and serious exercise: NFL Power Rankings! What differentiates these rankings from all the others is that they’re THE only truly accurate ones in the entire universe. We use a proprietary system that heavily accounts for vibes. Let’s take a look at how all 32 teams stack up. BLG’S WEEK 1 NFL POWER RANKINGS 1 – Kansas City Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes is inevitable. I genuinely believe the Chiefs are going to threepeat as Super Bowl champions. It’s very hard to do, yeah, but if there’s anyone who could … it’s him. Along with the support of Andy Reid and their other core championship pieces. 2 – Green Bay Packers – The Packers finished the season red hot. Jordan Love started to look scarily similar to Aaron Rodgers. This is a young team that’s ready to take a major step forward under a coach who’s averaged 11.8 wins per season. 3 – Detroit Lions – We’ve reached a strange point in time where the Lions have staying power but they have a talented roster and a strong coaching staff. Their offense simply cooks and that’s pretty important in today’s NFL. 4 – Baltimore Ravens – Can’t wait for another season of “OMGGGG LAMAR IS UNSTOPPABLE” before he unsurprisingly flames out in the playoffs once again. Legitimately great *regular season* team, though. Updated Lamar Jackson playoff numbers: 2-4 starting record, 9 total TD, 9 total giveaways, 76.1 passer rating Ravens average points scored in his starts: 16. 3 losses came with home field advantage. 1 win came with no fans in stands (COVID year). — Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) January 29, 2024 5 – Houston Texans – I’m wary of a sophomore slump here since it’s possible the Texans might get too high on their own supply. But C.J. Stroud’s rookie success was historically impressive and it’s not difficult to buy DeMeco Ryans as a good head coach. Not to mention they have a very attainable path to winning their division. 6 – San Francisco 49ers – We just saw the Eagles deal with the crushing weight of expectations after losing the Super Bowl last year. The 49ers are in that unenviable position once again here. Their vibes seem to be shifting for the better with Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams coming back from holdouts. And they’re still really talented. But it’s possible they’re on the decline. 7 – Philadelphia Eagles – Allow me to make a case that people are putting too much weight on last year’s collapse. In 2011, there was a lot of talk about how the Eagles could carry the positive momentum of finishing the season strong to be good in 2012. That clearly did not happen. And so it’s not a foregone conclusion that because the Eagles were bad late last year means they can’t have success this season. Jalen Hurts is coming off his best training camp, the team is healthy, there’s reason to be optimistic about new coordinators, the schedule is relatively favorable, and the vibes seem to be good. Oh, and no team ever repeats as NFC East champions, so, the Eagles are obviously in line to win the division. 8 – Buffalo Bills – The Bills were a bit better than their record indicated last season. But it was a bit of a weird offseason for them. Josh Allen has the ability to carry his team … but does he have enough help? 9 – Cincinnati Bengals – Hard to know what to exactly make of Joe Burrow at this point in time. If he’s truly healthy, look out. If not, the Bengals could be a middling squad. 10 – New York Jets – The Jets’ vibes are not great. But it’s possible that people are underrating Aaron Rodgers’ ability to still play the game at a very high level. And even if he gets hurt again, Tyrod Taylor helps raise their floor from where it was last year. 11 – Miami Dolphins – No one is taking the Dolphins seriously. They’re not bad but they’re not actually scaring anybody. They’ve taken on the perception of their quarterback in that way. 12 – Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys’ vibes are atrocious: Mike McCarthy on the hot seat, unhappy star players, no major offseason upgrades, Jerry Jones constantly sticking his foot in his mouth, etc. Dallas does win a lot of regular season games. But you can set your watch to them disappointing in the playoffs, assuming they make it there. Will be interesting to see which team Dak Prescott plays for next year. Dak Prescott is now 2-5 in 7 career playoff games. Out of 169 playoff QBs with at least one win, only 7 have a worse winning percentage. Dak’s 2 wins? 18-15 combined opponent record, lowest win percentage in playoff wins among 109 QBs to win multiple games. Yikes. — Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) January 15, 2024 13 – Los Angeles Rams – The Rams are a high floor team. Losing Aaron Donald does impact their ceiling. 14 – Chicago Bears – I’m bullish on the Bears as a wild card contender. Despite finishing 9th in the draft order, they were tied (with a 9-8 Indy team) for the 13th-worst point differential. They also ranked 11th worst in DVOA. They were a little better than their record indicated. Merely getting rid of Justin Fields, who is terrible and contributed a ton of negative plays, is addition by subtraction. Replacing him with Caleb Williams is a huge boon to the offense. Da Bears will be a much more credible team this season. 15 – Los Angeles Chargers – Looking at Justin Hebert’s supporting cast is not making me feel great about being relatively high on the Chargers. But I find it hard not to believe in Jim Harbaugh, who simply wins wherever he goes.
Eagles Mailbag: The Jalens need to be top dawgs
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images The vibes are good Before we get to your questions, let’s see your answer to my question: I am a little surprised by this, I thought the results would be more of a mixed bag. I put myself in the middle, I expect this team to make the playoffs but also wouldn’t be totally shocked if the season comes undone. Case in point: New article on ESPN of Hurts saying his learning was “halted.” Reading the article, who specifically told him to not worry about protections and how did that affect his play last season? – kjb304 ICYMI: “I think in the end when you look at this upcoming season and what you have seen in years past, it’s just different autonomy in different places,” Hurts told 94.1 WIP on Thursday. “We had a great player in Jason Kelce who took on a lot of responsibility, and as a result of that I was told not to worry about a lot of things. And so my eagerness to learn over the years kind of was halted because of who we had, but now times are different and I’m excited for that journey and this opportunity.” “It’s been a role that I’ve been waiting on,” Hurts said. “I know we’ve had a well-respected, Hall of Fame guy who’s been doing that, and now we [have] the opportunity to do that. It’s something I’ve been wanting, and I think that’s how it’s supposed to be.” Everything falls on the head coach. But it’s hard to fault the Eagles for the way they have handled this particular part of Hurt’s development. There’s no reason to put protection calls on a young QB’s plate when he has a Hall of Fame center. Now that Jason Kelce is retired, and Hurts has experience, giving Hurts control is a natural progression. This shouldn’t be a thing, but Hurts went and made it a minor one. Add it to the small but growing pile of quotes (about Brian Johnson, about Kellen Moore’s playbook) that show that not all is well between Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni. If this team starts off poorly it will get ugly. Eagles took a big leap of faith in drafting Georgia Bulldogs. It’s now time to see that pay off. What can we expect? – BroadSt.Bulldogs It wasn’t a leap of faith to draft Georgia players from a defense that won back to back national titles. That was a generational defense. In their first title game, in their front seven they played nine blue chip players: 5 star recruits Travon Walker, Quay Walker, Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Channing Tidall, and 4 stars Devonte Wyatt, Zion Logue, Julian Rochester, and Robert Beal. Nine blue chips is a top 20 recruiting class on its own. But yes, it is time for their potential to turn into reality… if they get a chance. Most of the Philadelphia Bulldogs are backups. -Jalen Carter looked really good until the wheels completely fell off the entire team last year, not going to knock him for that. I’m not concerned about him. -Jordan Davis has to show that he can last a whole season. Training camp was encouraging but that was August, the worry for him is November and beyond. He has yet to have a sack, tackle for loss, or QB hit after October. -Nolan Smith will get playing time if he deserves it. Vic Fangio will rotate players and will make major in-season changes, so early playing time for anyone shouldn’t be read into too much, but his playing time vs Jalyx Hunt will show just how much the coaching staff thinks of him. He might be the second guy off the bench. -Nakobe Dean has to show that he wasn’t a product of playing behind a Georgia line that was two deep in first round picks. I’m not letting his late surge in camp and preseason fool me, I need to see it on the field in games that matter. With Owen Burks on the 53 man roster now is Dean even LB3? -Kelee Ringo was such a galaxy brain pick/trade. Outside of the 1st round or early 2nd round, where you’re grabbing premium prospects at premium positions, trading up is a bad move. If a player you have a 2nd round grade on is available in the 4th round, you haven’t outsmarted the league by trading a 3rd rounder to select him. Barring injury he won’t get much of a chance to show his worth. Last year Ringo was 6th in snaps played by an Eagles CB. This year he should be…. 5th. Why would Howie sign Oren Burks before game 1? Couldn’t he just used a Week 1 call up from the practice squad and then sign him. Then his yearly salary wouldn’t have been guaranteed, correct? By the time Week 8 gets here, who knows where Oren will be in regards to the teams plan. – FIJoe My guess is they promised him he would get called up to the 53 when someone got hurt, and then James Bradberry immediately got hurt. Hard to see another team wanting Burks on their 53 since he just returned from injury, and the only other team to sign a LB to their 53 after cuts were the Cardinals, who promoted Krys Barnes, who played for them last year, from their PS. His salary will now be guaranteed, but it’s league minimum, so that is not a big concern. But this was a dumb process. All of this could have been avoided if they just swallowed their pride and cut Bradberry, who wasn’t going to start and since he can’t play special teams probably would have been inactive on Friday. We all know that Laekin Vakalahi is going to become the second coming of Jordan Mailata. Can International Exempt players be poached? – Mailata_in_a_Miata The bonus is simply an extra practice squad roster spot, so yes he can be poached
