Bobby Okereke (58) | Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images The Giants have real players at the position, something they did not have when Joe Schoen became GM There is little question that the New York Giants’ longstanding issues at inside linebacker have improved since Joe Schoen became general manager in 2022. The signing of Bobby Okereke to a four-year, $40 million free agent contract before the 2023 season was thought by many to be an overpay. Okereke, though, had a terrific 2023 season and is the quarterback of what Schoen on Tuesday made sure to remind everyone is the youngest defense in the NFL. In the draft, Schoen has not used premium resources. He has used a fifth-round pick (No. 146) on Micah McFadden, and sixth-round picks on Darrian Beavers and Darius Muasau. McFadden, while his pass coverage sometimes leaves something to be desired, has been a two-year starter after an up-and-down rookie season and has far outplayed his draft slot. Arguably, the only 2022 fifth-round picks who have exceeded McFadden’s contributions to the Giants are running back Tyler Allgier (Atlanta Falcons, No. 151), cornerback Riq Woolen (Seattle Seahawks, No. 153), DaRon Bland (Dallas Cowboys, No. 167), and offensive tackle Braxton Jones (Chicago Bears, No. 168). Current roster: Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden, Isaiah Simmons, Darius Muasau, Matthew Adams Injured reserve: Diontae Johnson Players drafted since 2022: McFadden (Round 5, No. 147, 2022); Darrian Beavers (Round 6, No. 182, 2022); Darius Muasau (Round 6, No. 183, 2024) Biggest free agent signing: Bobby Okereke Biggest losses: Tae Crowder Verdict As I said at the beginning of this post, the Giants are clearly better at off-ball linebacker than they were when Schoen became GM. It might be nice to find a more dynamic player who was better in space and coverage than McFadden, but he is a good player. Muasau looks like good depth, perhaps more than that eventually. Simmons is a sparingly used situational sub-package player I would guess the Giants move on from after the season. The real question for this group, to me, is figuring out why Okereke has not been as impactful this season as he was last year. Is it the paucity of defensive line talent, other than Dexter Lawrence, in front of him? Is it the change in scheme from a Wink Martindale defense to one coordinated by Shane Bowen? Is it something else? Okereke had 149 tackles (37 solo) in 2023. He is on pace for 127.5 this season — a nice number, but it would be the lowest 17-game total of his career. He is on pace for 63 solo tackles, which would also be his lowest 17-game total. Okereke’s Pro Football Focus grade is down from 74.4 to an OK but not special 63.0. His missed tackle rate up from 7.7% to 10.8%. His STOPs are down slightly. After a career-high 56 last season he is on pace for 49 this year. Okereke was a Wink Martindale devotee. Last season, he called Martindale “legendary” and said he was “a great, elite coach.” “Wink is a phenomenal leader,” said Okereke at the time. “Even above a football coach, he’s a great human being. He really knows how to bring a group of guys together. And, we talk about competitive spirit all the time, but it really starts with Wink. He has that fire, he has that passion that makes an elite football coach. So every day in practice, every game we’re all excited and fired up to go to war for him. So we love him as a coach. We love him as a person, and I really just feel blessed to come here and be, be under him.” Martindale is gone after last season’s riff with head coach Brian Daboll. Bowen runs a different scheme. During the summer, Okereke explained the difference in the two schemes this way: “Wink kind of wanted you to play hard and fast. You know, just play physical, downhill, figure it out. Here it’s a process of elimination. If this guy goes vertical, you check two; if two does this, you check three. You kind of put it in buckets, and that’s the process of decision-making I was talking about.” For whatever reason, Bowen isn’t getting the best version of Okereke this season. Why is probably the biggest thing the Giants need to figure out at this position.
New York Giants have clearly improved at off-ball linebacker
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73720614/1763619882.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "The Linc – Can the Eagles’ much improved secondary slow Terry McLaurin?")
The Linc – Can the Eagles’ much improved secondary slow Terry McLaurin?
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links … Eagles-Commanders preview: Five things to watch – PhillyVoice 4) Eagle killer Terry McLaurin. As always, McLaurin is the Commanders’ most dangerous and productive receiver, by far. We say this in every Eagles-Commanders preview, but see No. 17 to right? He’s waving at you. COVER THAT GUY, and make anyone else beat you. In 10 career games against the Eagles McLaurin has 58 catches for 847 yards and 4 TDs. In years past, the Commanders lined him up all over the place, trying to get him matched up against a weak link in the Eagles’ secondary, oftentimes against their slot corners. This season, the Eagles don’t have as obvious a weak spot in their secondary, as rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have been major upgrades over James Bradberry and Avonte Maddox. What makes Eagles’ secondary truly remarkable – NBCSP Their coverage has been impeccable. Their playmaking has been otherworldly. Their communication has been flawless. They’re one of the best secondaries in the NFL and they’ve been together all of five weeks. It was during the bye week that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio replaced Avonte Maddox with rookie Cooper DeJean, giving the Eagles the final piece in a revamped defensive backfield. “Definitely feels like more than five weeks,” DeJean said at his locker Tuesday. “It feels like it’s been a couple years.” The Eagles ranked 31st in the NFL in pass defense last year and 29th in opposing passer rating. They allowed 35 touchdown passes, 2nd-most in the league, and had just nine interceptions, 26th-fewest. Say good-bye to Kevin Byard, Bradley Roby and Justin Evans, among others, and welcome DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell, Isaiah Rodgers and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Just like that, everything changed. Spadaro: How the Eagles quickly retooled the defense – PE.com They lined up for Super Bowl LVII an experienced, cohesive unit that ranked as one of the best defenses in the entire NFL—first in the league in pass defense, first in quarterback sacks, tied for third with 17 takeaways, tied for sixth allowing just 18.9 points per game. For all of the offensive highlights the Eagles provided that season, the defense was the backbone. And the starters, well, they were ready for anything. Up front, the Eagles went with Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, and Josh Sweat. At linebacker, Haason Reddick (edge) teamed with T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White. Darius Slay and James Bradberry started at cornerback, Avonte Maddox was the nickel corner, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps started at safety. Only two seasons have passed since that 2022 defense lined up together for the final time in Super Bowl LVII, but the changes have been substantial. Graham remains part of the rotation up front. Sweat is still a starter and playing outstanding football. Slay and Gardner-Johnson start – with CJGJ having left for a season only to return as an unrestricted free agent for the 2024 campaign. Bradberry suffered an injury in the preseason and is on Injured Reserve. Add it all up and the Eagles have eight new starters – Graham has one start and has played 46 percent of the defensive snaps through nine games – and how they’ve remade the defense is a remarkable story. Best 2024 NFL rookies: Jayden Daniels, top 10 rankings – ESPN 7. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles. Mitchell has shown more of a comfort level in man-to-man coverage than some expected, simply because of how often he played off the ball at Toledo. He has played well enough that opposing quarterbacks don’t spend a lot of time looking his way despite his inexperience. Mitchell has played 96% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps and has not surrendered a touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage. Among all corners who have been targeted at least 40 times in coverage, Mitchell ranks eighth in completion percentage allowed (52.3%). Eagles-Cowboys Film Review: Jalen Hurts seemed to be hampered by the sun – BGN The Cowboys did a few things schematically that the Eagles last had to deal with a while ago. Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer showed a lot of “Double Mug” looks with his linebackers standing in both A-gaps. Zimmer is known for this, and I expected the Eagles to be a little bit more prepared for it. The Eagles struggled with who to protect in pass protection, and it led to the running back dealing with a linebacker far too often, even when the Cowboys only sent 4. Surprisingly, the interior offensive line had their worst game in a while in pass protection, and Cam Jurgens, in particular, struggled. As well as this, I thought the Eagles’ offense was too focused on taking shots down the field and didn’t give Jalen Hurts a lot of easy answers. If you add all of these things up, including some poor individual pass protection reps such as the one below from Kenneth Gainwell, then you get some poor reps. The offense took 5 sacks in the first half, which is not good enough. Some were on Hurts, some were on the scheme, some were on the protection and some were possibly because of the sun! (I’m not joking). Jayden Daniels’ first game in Philly: “I’ve heard they’ve got very passionate fans so I can’t wait to get out there and find out.” – Hogs Haven Jayden Daniels spoke to the media after practice as the team prepares on a short week for a Thursday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles. This will be Daniels’ first time playing the Eagles, and playing in Philadelphia. He’s ready for the division road game in hostile territory, and he’s heard about their “very passionate fans”. Daniels is excited for another chance to play ball, and this will be one of the most important games of the season. Daniels is still dealing with the lingering effects of a rib injury from last month, and he said he’s learned from some vets about recovery at
Eagles rookie storylines for the Commanders game
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images It’s been a while since an Eagles vs. Commanders game has had stakes for both sides. This game will determine control of the NFC East with the winner taking pole position for division lead. The Commanders are an excellent football team with an explosive offense and a scrappy defense, so the Eagles will need all hands on deck to win this one at home. Here’s what I am looking for from the Eagles rookies. Quinyon Mitchell v. Terry McLaurin Terry McLaurin has been one of the most underrated players in the NFL his whole career and now he finally gets to show out with Jayden Daniels tossing him the ball. McLaurin is having a career year, averaging over 15 yards a catch while scoring six touchdowns through 10 games. While McLaurin will line up all over, Quinyon Mitchell has to win his reps against him to avoid Washington winning on the big play. Cooper DeJean might have to contain Jayden Daniels Jayden Daniels has been good in all sorts of ways in his rookie year. It will be difficult to keep the first-year phenom down, but the Birds will do their best to try. Cooper DeJean’s role in this game will be interesting. He will need to limit the short passing game of Washington, while possibly being responsible for keeping Jayden Daniels from running all over the Eagles offense. A tough task, but he’s been nailing his assignments so far. More reps for Jalyx Hunt? Jalyx Hunt had some great snaps against Dallas on Sunday. The Eagles are heavily rotating their edge defenders with Nolan Smith, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, and Bryce Huff all playing, but Hunt could continue to contribute. Hunt’s athleticism is a serious asset and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some more of him on Thursday. Johnny Wilson and the WR3 by Committee Johnny Wilson had his first career touchdown against Dallas. The Eagles have been looking for receiver production outside of AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith all season and Wilson might be a great guys to rotate in with Jahan Dotson. His size is a serious advantage, especially in the red zone. While he won’t get a ton of snaps against Washington, he could be used as a mismatch player in special situations.
The Eagles had fun beating the Cowboys
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The vibes are back for Philly, and were on full display during their 34-6 win in Dallas. Jalen Hurts was smiling, the defense was dancing, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson was singing a song about Cooper DeJean locking up CeeDee Lamb. The vibes are back for the Eagles and were on full display during their big win Sunday over the Cowboys. It was the first time the Eagles have won in Dallas since 2017, and things started off with a fiery speech from LG Landon Dickerson. Nothing gets the blood pumping quite like a “F*** the Cowboys on three.” Landon Dickerson with some HEAT F**k the Cowboys on THREE!! #Eagles pic.twitter.com/kjXaTOPDcC — Philly Talk Podcast (@Philly_Mike25) November 13, 2024 The offensive and defensive lines had great games on Sunday, but the secondary was playing lights out — although the sun helped them a bit because Jerry Jones doesn’t understand what home-field advantage means. C.J. Gardner-Johnson ran a long way to celebrate Zack Baun’s takeaway with his teammates, and made sure Dallas knew there was a new sheriff in town. (Also, Quinton Mitchell is hilarious.) There’s a new sheriff in town @CGJXXIII | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/oDHEBMMYxs — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 12, 2024 When CJGJ wasn’t celebrating on the field, he was gassing up his teammates on the sideline. The veteran, who is also a rapper, put together a nice little tune about rookie Cooper DeJean. Sing it, Ceedy pic.twitter.com/xpV5BwmllA — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 12, 2024 All of these things might be small individually, but together they paint a picture of a team that has a strong bond on and off the field. Playing football should be fun, and winning certainly makes it more enjoyable, but that energy definitely translates into tangible results. As the Eagles get ready for a Thursday night game against the Commanders, hopefully they keep this momentum and gain an extra lead in the NFC East with a win over Washington.
Giants 4-round mock draft: Will New York get its quarterback?
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images Can the Giants find a franchise quarterback in the 2025 draft? The New York Giants are, finally, on their bye week. This is the time of the year when we can all take a breath and collect ourselves before the stretch run to the playoffs. For the Giants, the playoffs are only a mathematical possibility at this point and extremely unlikely in any rational universe. So we once again find ourselves turning to the NFL Draft before Thanksgiving, though this time it’s with the feeling that we could be in for a true course change for the Giants. Making things more interesting — and possibly setting the stage for a fast turnaround in 2025 — is the fact that the Giants’ roster isn’t far off from the top teams in the NFC. They can play with anyone, and may only be a couple pieces and a bit of development from contending. The Giants currently hold the second overall pick following their Week 10 loss to the Carolina Panthers. So with that in mind, I ran a four-round mock draft to try and address the Giants’ needs and set them up for future success. The results Round 1 (No. 2 overall) — Cam Ward, QB, Miami The Jaguars picked Missouri wide receiver Luthor Burden (the top player on PFN’s board) in almost every mock I ran. That left Cam Ward for me, and it was a pretty easy decision to take him. Ward has solid size, good pocket presence and short-area quickness, great field vision, and one of the most elastic arms I’ve ever seen. He might not have truly ELITE arm strength, but he can challenge all areas of the field and do so from off-platform and out of structure. Ward is pretty solidly my QB1, but he isn’t without risk. Ward’s willingness to go big play hunting, and his ability to do so successfully, is an undeniable asset to his game and one of the things that will make him attractive to the Giants. But they’ll need to strike a balance in his development between aggressively attacking and taking what the defense gives him. I did consider a small trade back here, on the supposition that the Giants could fall in love with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. If I was able to trade back within the Top 5, odds are that one of Ward or Milroe would still have been available. In one mock I ran, the Raiders offered me their entire draft plus their 2026 second-round pick to move up to No. 2 overall when the Jaguars passed on Burden. That was fun, but not realistic, so I didn’t use the results for this piece. Other considerations Will Johnson (CB, Michigan) Trade back (small trade) Round 2 (No. 33) — Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky As I said in a recent College Football Primer, the Giants need to find an answer next to Dexter Lawrence. Dex may be the best defensive tackle in the NFL, but that won’t last if he has to play every snap, take on double or triple teams every time, and is generally exposed to excessive amounts of wear and tear. The duo of Walker and Lawrence would give the Giants a truly hilarious amount of size, power, and athleticism on the defensive interior. Defensive line coach Andre Patterson has excelled at honing natural traits, and Walker is a 6-foot-6, 350-pound behemoth with absurd quickness and athleticism for his size. He might not fix the Giants’ run defense all by his lonesome, but I wouldn’t envy any interior line unit that would have to go against Lawrence and Walker. I’ll note that my preferred route would be to address the cornerback position with this pick and look for a defensive tackle in Round 3. However, there weren’t any cornerbacks who provided good value here, and Walker is too good to pass up. Other considerations Jonah Savaiinaea (OL, Arizona) Donovan Jackson (OG, Ohio State) Kyle Kennard (Edge, South Carolina) Round 3 (No. 66) — Tate Ratledge, iOL, Georgia Ratledge is a bit taller than I prefer for offensive guards at 6-foot-6, but he’s pretty athletic, a powerful blocker, and boasts a mean streak a mile wide. Greg Van Roten isn’t a long-term answer for the Giants at right guard, and Ratledge has the ability to play both left and right guard. He also has a high football IQ and solid initial quickness to go with his play strength. The Giants use a pretty diverse rushing attack, and Ratledge should have scheme versatility at the next level. Other considerations Rod Moore, S, Michigan Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss Dane Key, WR, Kentucky Round 4 (No. 102) — Keon Sabb, S, Alabama I don’t know if GMJoe Schoen would draft another safety after selecting Tyler Nubin in the second round of the most recent draft, but Sabb sticks out like a sore thumb on the board here. That’s partly because he suffered a broken foot earlier in the season, but he’s a versatile safety with good size, high football IQ, and plenty of toughness (he played three quarters against Tennessee with that broken foot). He also has a nose for the football, with four interceptions (one returned for a TD), and nine passes defensed over the last two years. Sabb started his collegiate career in Michigan and was an important role player in their great 2023 defense. He transferred to Alabama this year and immediately became a starter. The Giants could use his traits on the back end of their defense. Other considerations Tyler Baron (Edge, Miami) Jabbar Muhammad (CB, Oregon) Barion Brown (WR, Kentucky) Fourth round (No. 134) — Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington I didn’t want to leave the draft without adding to the cornerback position. The good news is that Shane Bowen’s defense doesn’t demand the same elite athletic traits as Wink Martindale’s does. That said, Ephesians Prysock has some very intriguing traits that could make him a steal at
Diving into Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s recent run of dominance
The Chargers are flying high at 6-3, and a large part is due to the exceptional recent play of Justin Herbert.
Cincinnati Bengals Week 11 Power Rankings Roundup
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images The Bengals and one-score games do not like each other. The Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football in Week 11. It was their second loss to the Ravens this season. Baltimore is considered one of the better teams in the AFC, so it is a good gauge for if the Bengals can compete at a high level. If they’ve shown anything against the Ravens, it is that this team is capable of playing efficient football, but mental errors and untimely plays after forced them to 0-2 in the season series and now 4-6 overall on the season. After 10 games, let’s dive into where the national media has them placed. ESPN — No. 17 – Up from No. 19 Chase is having his best year yet, which is saying something considering he has been a Pro Bowler in all three of his NFL seasons. He leads the league in receiving yards (981), receiving touchdowns (10) and yards after the catch (451). If Chase averages 140.6 yards over the final seven games of the regular season, he’ll break the NFL single-season record set by Calvin Johnson in 2012. For a team that must be built around him and quarterback Joe Burrow moving forward, the pairing is setting a very strong foundation. — Ben Baby CBS Sports — No. 16 – Up from No. 17 They are the best 4-6 team this league has seen in a long time. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are special. But they must win the next two against the Chargers and Steelers to have a playoff chance. FOX Sports — No. 15 – Up from No. 17 The tide has to eventually turn for Cincinnati, right? I’m choosing to believe so. Four of the Bengals’ six losses have come against top 10 offenses by DVOA. They don’t play another offense nearly that explosive the rest of the season. Plenty of time for a rally. NFL.com — No. 18 – Up from No. 20 Thursday’s crushing loss — in which a 14-point lead evaporated, along with a chance for the Bengals to reach .500 — left a mark that likely is still smarting. It makes the sledding awfully tough and the odds long; they likely need a win at the Chargers this Sunday night to feel at all good about their playoff chances. Joe Burrow is having a phenomenal season, even with Tee Higgins missing five games so far, but this team insists on being its own worst enemy at times. Chase Brown’s fumble woke up a lifeless M&T Bank Stadium and opened the door for the Ravens to come back. Cam Taylor-Britt missed a tackle on Tylan Wallace’s 84-yard TD, then failed to haul in what would have been a critical interception of Lamar Jackson when the Bengals badly needed a stop late. Every loss has included at least two or three of these kinds of back-breaking moments. USA Today — No. 15 – Up from No. 18 WR Ja’Marr Chase is the only player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to have multiple games with at least 250 receiving yards and two TDs. Cincy is 1-1 in those contests. The Ringer — No. 15 (explanation in the column) Sporting News — No. 16 – Up from No. 19 The Bengals keep getting awesome play from Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase and remain a dangerous offensive team. But it all comes down if they can fix their defense in time to sneak into a wild-card spot. Sharp Football Analysis — No. 15 – Down from No. 14 Pro Football Talk — No. 18 – Same as last week As playoff hopes go, Sunday’s losses by the likes of the Colts and Broncos balanced out the disappointing loss to the Ravens. Yahoo! Sports — No. 16 – Same as last week What happened to Lou Anarumo’s defense? A few years ago he was the hot defensive coordinator in the NFL. Now he runs a defense that contributed to Cincinnati going 0-2 vs. Baltimore this season despite Joe Burrow throwing for 820 yards and nine touchdowns in those two games.
Miami Dolphins’ Most Valuable Player | Week Ten | Dominating defense led by veteran presence
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images The Miami Dolphins snapped a three-game losing streak on Monday night when they traveled to California to defeat the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 23-15 under the bright lights of primetime football. One of the more impressive performances by the Dolphins defense led the team to victory on Monday Night Football as Anthony Weaver’s unit did not allow for a single touchdown against a high powered Rams offensive attack featuring stud wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Of all the defenders that had an impact on Monday’s victory, one longtime veteran made his presence felt consistently throughout the night en route to a dominating defensive showing. Miami Dolphins Week Ten MVP – Calais Campbell The 2024 NFL season marks the 17th professional campaign for Calais Campbell. A 2008 second-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals, Campbell was selected in the same draft that the Miami Dolphins took offensive tackle Jake Long with the number one overall pick. Let that sink in for a moment… The longevity of Calais Campbell’s career should be studied and dissected by sports scientists for years to come. Even though the defensive lineman is now 38 years old, you wouldn’t be able to discern that by watching him play. Campbell has been a consistent force for a depleted Dolphins defensive line all season long. On Monday night, Campbell played 44 defensive snaps, had a sack of quarterback Matthew Stafford and two passes defensed — one which led to an interception by Dolphins linebacker, Anthony Walker. Somehow, Campbell has found the fountain of youth somewhere in South Florida, and the Miami Dolphins are the team reaping the benefits. Let’s hope his inspired play can continue as the squad tries to scratch and claw its way into one of the final AFC Wildcard playoff spots this season. MVP TRACKER Week One – S Jevon Holland Week Two – RB De’Von Achane Week Three – DT Zach Sieler Week Four – DB Jalen Ramsey Week Five – FB Alec Ingold Week Six – BYE Week Seven – TE Jonnu Smith Week Eight – RB De’Von Achane Week Nine – QB Tua Tagovailoa Week Ten – DT Calais Campbell
Around SB Nation: Is it time for the Giants to move on from Daniel Jones
Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images After six seasons, is it time for the Giants to pull the plug on Daniel Jones? Like the Miami Dolphins, things have not been going great for the New York Giants. This past weekend, they lost to the Carolina Panthers over in Germany. Giants starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, had a terrible outing against one of the worst defenses in the league. But that has become common for Jones as he just hasn’t been that good on the football field. Check out what the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and other NFL teams are talking about in our roundup. AFC EAST: New England Patriots (via Pats Pulpit) 10 things we learned from the Patriots’ win over the Bears – Pats PulpitNotes and thoughts on New England’s 19-3 victory in NFL Week 10. New York Jets (via Gang Green Nation) Jeff Ulbrich: The Jets “were not prepared to play” – Gang Green NationThe head coach states the obvious. Buffalo Bills (via Buffalo Rumblings) Gritty Buffalo Bills knock off Indianapolis Colts in Week 10 – Buffalo RumblingsIt was anything other than pretty at times, but the Bills are now 8-2 AFC NORTH: Baltimore Ravens (via Baltimore Beatdown) Ravens attempted to trade for four-time Pro Bowl corner; nearly reunited with Calais Campbell – Baltimore BeatdownGeneral manager Eric DeCosta tried to get some serious reinforcements for the team’s struggling defense. Pittsburgh Steelers (via Behind the Steel Curtain) The Pittsburgh Steelers need to unlock the intermediate passing game – Behind the Steel CurtainThings are trending up for the passing game in Pittsburgh… but there’s one spot of the field they can’t seem to unlock. Cincinnati Bengals (via Cincy Jungle) Ja’Marr Chase contract: Bengals didn’t intend to extend WR in 2024, per Mike Florio – Cincy JungleIf this is true, then things really haven’t changed very much after all. Cleveland Browns (via Dawgs By Nature) Browns Deshaun Watson’s future, contract: The answer is either simple or complicated – Dawgs By NatureA lot of chatter is being spent on kicking Deshaun Watson to the curb in Cleveland AFC SOUTH: Houston Texans (via Battle Red Blog) RECAP: Texans play stupid games, win stupid prizes; lose to Lions 26-23 – Battle Red BlogI…I can’t even begin to comprehend what happened. I REFUSE to comprehend what happened. Tennessee Titans (via Music City Miracles) Chargers 27 Titans 17 quick recap final score – Music City MiraclesIt’s the same thing every week. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Big Cat Country) Jaguars’ offense struggles, as Vikings defeat Jacksonville 12-7 – Big Cat CountryThe Jaguars fall to 2-8 on the year with Sunday’s 12-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Indianapolis Colts (via Stampede Blue) Colts head coach Shane Steichen still sticking with struggling veteran starter Joe Flacco – Stampede BlueIt appears we’ll see struggling veteran Joe Flacco start for at least one more week for Indianapolis at quarterback. AFC WEST: Denver Broncos (via Mile High Report) Sean Payton vows Broncos will ‘keep grinding’ and rebound after tough loss to Chiefs – Mile High ReportSean Payton vows the Denver Broncos will keep grinding and rebound from Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Los Angeles Chargers (via Bolts from the Blue) Chargers-Browns final score, highlights, and recap – Bolts From The BlueJustin Herbert threw for a touchdown and rushed for another as the Chargers defense sacked Titans quarterback Will Levis seven times in their 27-17 victory. Las Vegas Raiders (via Silver and Black Pride) Name a starting quarterback, find an identity on offense must-dos for Las Vegas Raiders out of bye week – Silver And Black PrideDeciding who will be the starting quarterback will be chief among the goals for Las Vegas Raiders in the next two weeks Kansas City Chiefs (via Arrowhead Pride) Chiefs-Broncos: 4 winners and 3 losers from the Week 10 win – Arrowhead PrideWhich Kansas City Chiefs players caught our attention during Sunday’s last-second win over the Denver Broncos. NFC EAST: New York Giants (via Big Blue View) New York Giants have no choice but to move on from Daniel Jones – Big Blue ViewThe quarterback should not start another game Philadelphia Eagles (via Bleeding Green Nation) Eagles vs. Cowboys: The good, the bad, and the ugly – Bleeding Green NationHighlights and lowlights from Philadelphia’s Week 10 win. Dallas Cowboys (via Blogging the Boys) Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott to have season-ending surgery for hamstring – Blogging The BoysDallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will have season-ending surgery for his hamstring injury. Washington Commanders (via Hogs Haven) NFL Playoff Picture Week 11: Washington Commanders drop to the 6th seed – Hogs HavenPlayoffs! NFC NORTH: Green Bay Packers (via Acme Packing Company) My Day at Lambeau – A Tale for the Bye Week – Acme Packing CompanyPaul took his kids to the Texans game. Football is lightly discussed. There is also much crime. Detroit Lions (via Pride of Detroit) 6 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ insane comeback over the Houston Texans – Pride Of DetroitSix main takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ INSANE comeback over the Houston Texans. Chicago Bears (via Windy City Gridiron) Chicago Bears Fire Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron – Windy City GridironName Thomas Brown as the new O.C. for the remainder of the season Minnesota Vikings (via Daily Norseman) Minnesota Vikings 12, Jacksonville Jaguars 7: Parker Romo Can’t Miss – Daily NorsemanThe new guy scores all the points NFC SOUTH: New Orleans Saints (via Canal Street Chronicles) What we learned from Saints win over the Falcons – Canal Street ChroniclesNew Orleans snaps their seven-game losing streak. Atlanta Falcons (via The Falcoholic) Falcons vs. Saints redux recap: A hell of a way to lose a football game – The FalcoholicAgainst their historic rival, Atlanta screws everything up, resulting in a narrow win. Carolina Panthers (via Cat Scratch Reader) Monday Morning Optimist: We should move the team to Germany – Cat Scratch ReaderIt’s the obvious choice Tampa Bay Buccaneers (via Bucs Nation) Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 10 Top Performers vs. San Francisco 49ers – Bucs NationThe free fall continues. NFC
Detroit Lions mailbag: Is the offensive line regressing?
Thomas B. Shea-Imagn Images The Detroit Lions have looked vulnerable in pass protection lately. Is there some regression happening? We answer that and more in our weekly mailbag. The bar has been set high for the Detroit Lions offensive line. Often referred to by coaches as the engine under the hood that makes the offense work, the Lions offensive line has been considered best in the league for the last year or two. But over the last month, they haven’t quite looked like it. Jared Goff was sacked four times against both the Vikings and Titans, and pressure played a part in Detroit’s five turnovers against the Texans. We’ve seen very uncharacteristic lapses in pass protection from both Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell. And even the run game has seen some struggles in recent weeks. So… is there a problem here? Statistically, it depends on where you’re looking. In terms of pass protection, there are certainly some oddly-concerning metrics. They’re 16th in pressure rate allowed (35.3%) and 19th in sack rate (7.1%) per NFL Pro. Those are hardly top-tier numbers. But, surprisingly, the advanced metrics are not that different from last year. The Lions rank ninth in ESPN’s pass block win rate (64%), and just 15th in team PFF pass block grade (69.2)—but they ranked 10th (63%) and 12th (69.4) in those metrics last year. It’s nearly identical. Also, it’s important to consider strength of opponent. The Texans, Rams, Cowboys, Seahawks, and Vikings all rank in the top eight in pressure percentage. That’s more than half of Detroit’s opponents thus far. And while the pass protection numbers have been modest, the Lions run game remains electric. They’re still the best rushing attack by DVOA, they rank second in PFF pass blocking grade, have the sixth-best run block win rate, and lead the pack by a considerable margin in adjusted line yards. We discussed this topic further in this week Midweek Mailbag podcast. Here’s a full list of topics we talked about with corresponding timestamps: 4:30 — Does the Lions offense struggle with “fast” defenses? If so, how can they remedy it? 9:30 — Dan Skipper struggles: Texans pass rush or is he best as OL6? Will Lions move Penei Sewell to left tackle this week? 15:00 — Could the Lions/Bills game be flexed in Week 15? 20:05 — Has pass protection fallen off from last year? 28:40 — Who has been the Detroit Lions’ MVP thus far? 34:20 — What record will win the NFC? 38:20 — Is the 49ers game the Lions’ most-likely loss on the remaining schedule? 40:20 — What will happen when Ifeatu Melifonwu and Emmanuel Moseley return? 42:30 — Stock up, stock down: Which Lions players are now priority re-signings in 2025? 49:10 — Giving credit to Detroit’s performance against a tough schedule
