Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The picks are in! Tomorrow will bring us another NFL Sunday full of action, and with that it’s time to take a look at who the guys that power your favorite Minnesota Vikings website are picking around the league in this week’s games. All of our picks are locked and loaded for Week 11, so let’s get to it. But first, here’s a quick look at how everyone did last week. Christopher Gates: 11-3 straight-up, 10-4 against the spread, 9-5 over/under Warren Ludford: 10-4 straight-up, 9-5 against the spread, 5-9 over/under Sam Buegler: 10-4 straight-up, 5-9 against the spread, 8-6 over/under Eric Thompson: 9-5 straight-up, 6-8 against the spread, 5-8 over/under GA Skol: 8-6 straight-up, 8-6 against the spread, 6-8 over/under Mark Pittman: 7-7 straight-up, 10-4 against the spread, 7-7 over/under And not to blow my own horn here, but when the opportunity comes (as rare as it is), I have to take it. NFL Week 10 Expert Rankings Top Overall Experts Christopher Gates (@dailynorseman) @goldmctNFL @texwestern 4. @chrisperfett 5. @whiticar 6. @Ryan_POD 7. @acosta32_jp 8. @KramerCentric 9. Lee Gordon (@SportsBookWire) https://t.co/f44Q2z3F3r — Tallysight (@tallysight) November 12, 2024 With that, here’s our widget that you can use to look back on the picks we’ve made throughout the season or look at any individual week. With that, here are our picks for this week. As always, we remind you that each individual selector could have different lines or numbers depending on when they put their picks into the system since the numbers change pretty frequently. If you want the latest lines for any NFL game, be sure to check in with our friends from FanDuel. Unanimous Picks Miami Dolphins over Las Vegas Raiders Green Bay Packers over Chicago Bears Detroit Lions over Jacksonville Jaguars Minnesota Vikings over Tennessee Titans (yay!) San Francisco 49ers over Seattle Seahawks Houston Texans over Dallas Cowboys 5-1 Picks Los Angeles Rams over New England Patriots (Chris dissenting) New York Jets over Indianapolis Colts (Chris dissenting) Buffalo Bills over Kansas City Chiefs (Mark dissenting) 4-2 Picks Cleveland Browns over New Orleans Saints (Mark and Warren dissenting) Baltimore Ravens over Pittsburgh Steelers (Chris and Warren dissenting) Atlanta Falcons over Denver Broncos (GA Skol and Warren dissenting) Cincinnati Bengals over Los Angeles Chargers (GA Skol and Warren dissenting) 3-3 Picks Philadelphia Eagles (Eric/Mark/Warren) over Washington Commanders (Chris/GA Skol/Sam) Those are our selections for this week in the NFL, folks. Who are you taking with your picks in Week 11?
Daily Norseman Staff NFL Picks, Week 11
Rams vs Patriots: How to watch on TV, livestream, listen on radio, bet, follow on social media, and more
Can the Rams penetrate the end zone? | Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images L.A. looks to get back on the winning track In a battle of struggling offenses, the 4-5 Los Angeles Rams travel cross country to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Ma. for a matchup with the 3-7 New England Patriots. This Sunday’s kickoff is set for 1 p.m. EST. The eastern seaboard weather is expected to be a sunny 62 degrees with light winds up to 10 mph. The Rams haven’t trekked to New England since 2016 and have never won in Gillette Stadium, going 0-2 since its 2002 erection. For the series overall, the Pats hold a 9-6 advantage, including Super Bowl wins in 2002 and 2019. 16-year veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford hasn’t played the Patriots in 10 years, while Drake Maye, New England’s Round 1 pick in the 2024 draft, plays his first game versus the Rams. Stafford hasn’t looked comfortable in the L.A. offense up to this point and is in the throes of one his worst season’s as a pro. The Rams are 20th in points per game which includes three defensive scores, struggling to convert third downs (26th), and score touchdowns in the red zone (30th). Maye took over as the Pats starting QB in Week 6 and as one would expect, is going through a lot of growing pains. He is part of the new breed, an athletic, big-armed gun slinger. Both the Rams and Patriots offensive line’s have struggled with injuries and consistency. L..A’s biggest problem appears to be reacting to stunts/loops/blitzes, while ESPN has New England last in both pass block and run block win rates. RT Rob Havenstein is out for Sunday’s game, and backup Joe Noteboom is doubtful, per Sean McVay. — Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) November 15, 2024 It might be a good day for the Rams to work on the run game, the Pats have given up over 130 yards rushing in six of 10 games. Will L.A. make it a point to establish a ground game? Can they get back into the win column? How to follow the game Date: Sunday November 17 Kickoff: 10 a.m. PST Location: Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Ma. Watch on TV Regionally: Fox Livestream There are numerous available streaming services including, but not limited to NFL+, Peacock, Sling TV, Fubo, ESPN+, Hulu+ Live TV, and Paramount+ Listen on the radio Local: ESPN LA 710 AM Regionally: ESPN affiliate stations KMET/1490 AM & 98.1 FM – Banning, CA KFIG/1430 AM & 790 FM – Fresno, CA KAVL/610 AM & 106.7 FM – Lancaster, CA KRHQ/102.3 FM – Palm Springs, CA KTIE/590 AM – Riverside, CA KGB/760 AM – San Diego, CA KXTK/1280 AM & 101.7 FM – San Luis Obispo, CA KSMA/1240 AM & 99.5 FM – Santa Maria, CA KSHP/1400 AM & 107.1 FM – Las Vegas, NV KVLI/1140 AM & 103.7 FM – Bakersfield, CA Local Spanish Radio coverage: Tu Liga Radio 1330 AM Tu Liga Radio’s affiliate radio stations KTMZ/1220 AM – Pomona, CA KCAL/1410 AM – San Bernardino and Riverside, CA KOXR 910 AM – Oxnard and Ventura, CA Follow the Rams on social media Instagram: @rams Facebook: /rams X (formerly known as Twitter): @RamsNFL TikTok: @rams Current betting odds @ FanDuel Sportsbook Line: LA Rams -4.5 -115 / NE Patriots +4.5 -105 Over/under total: over 43.5 -112 / under 43.5 -108 Money line: LA Rams -230 / NE Patriots +190
Ja’Marr Chase couldn’t believe that Joe Burrow dropped an f-bomb
Photo by Loren Elliott/Getty Images The star receiver was pleasantly surprised when he heard it himself. Joe Burrow had a little fun with reporters on Wednesday. When a reporter asked how Ja’Marr Chase lets the QB know to get him the ball, Burrow responded: Sometimes it’s on the sidelines, sometimes it’s individual conversation in the locker room, sometimes it’s through you guys. There’s a lot of different ways a receiver can tell you, “Hey, give me the f—ing ball.” When this information was passed along to Ja’Marr Chase, he responded, “He cursed? Y’all lying.” So they showed him the clip. Ja’Marr watching the clip of Burrow’s F bomb pic.twitter.com/DiBKqvxzDB — Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) November 14, 2024 Chase had a good laugh and then said, “I didn’t know I could do it through the media.” Those two will be front-and-center if the Bengals are able to get back on track and win on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. We preview that game in the video below. You can also listen on iTunes or using the player below.
Week 11 Colts’ Opposing QB: An analysis of Aaron Rodgers
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Thanks to the nflFastR project and NFL NextGen Stats for the timely sources of data. For those of you new to this, I will publish key QB stats each week judging how well the upcoming opponent QB has performed. Yes, O-Line, receivers, and play-calling impact these numbers but they are primarily QB measures. I will probably modify the charts throughout the season. Commentary will be brief but feel free to let me know in the comments that stats aren’t everything. (click charts for larger view) At 40 years of age and afer missing the 2023 season, is Aaron Rodgers the same QB he used to be? DASHBOARD arsr, edp, opd, sg%, oz%, pr%, ttt, adot, ay/c, cmp%, cpoe, yac, yacoe, ypa, scr%, ta%, sck%, aa%, aay, ny/d, 1st%, td%, to%, epa/d, psr The Jets run a pass-first offense, with very little rushing success (7th edp, 26th arsr). Rodgers has faced tough defenses, that are not giving him zone looks (4th opd, 30th oz%). He has always had a quick time to throw and this year is no exception, which helps make him one of the least pressured QBs in the league (31st ttt, 30th pr%). Like always, he is a deep ball threat, who primarily makes short throws (27th adot). This year, however, he is not getting a lot of completions and has the 2nd worst cpoe (28th cmp%, 31st cpoe). His receivers are giving him about the expected amount of yac (15th yac, 17th yacoe), but his poor completion rate is depressing his average yardage (24th ypa). He is an old school QB that does not abandon a lot of passes, so his net yardage is not dramatically reduced when adding in sacks and scrambles, but his net average yards are still significantly below average (27th aa%, 26th ny/d). The poor yardage efficiency inhibits his ability to get first downs and TDs (21st 1st%, 18th TD%). He has kept his turnover rate below average (19th), but it is still much higher than what he is used to. The Jets are a one-dimensional team and prior to the addition of Davante Adams, even that dimension was limited. However, so far, Rodgers has not been able to lift the team around him and he ranks 20th in EPA per dropback with a 23rd passing success rate. HOW WELL? He’s had 4-5 good games, so it’s not like you can stick a fork in him, but he has not been consistent at all. HOW FAR? He’s living off of short completions, which is not different from his pre-Jets career. TO WHO? Garrett Wilson is the Jets’ season leader in reception yards, with almost twice as many targets as the next closest pass catcher. However, since the addition of Davante Adams, Wilson drops to the #2 spot in targets. HOW ACCURATE? Accuracy has been an issue this year, but he is trending better and he is still a threat with deep passes. HOW FAST? He is almost always far below average in time to throw. He finds his first reads quickly and doesn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. TO WHERE? Most of his success has been over the middle and throws over 20 yards.
Silver Minings: Raiders-Dolphins predictions
Tyreek Hill | Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images Who do you got in Week 11? The Las Vegas Raiders are back in action Sunday as they visit the Miami Dolphins in Week 11. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. PT. The Raiders are 2-7 and have lost five straight games. I started the season0-5 picking Raiders’ games as they won when I picked them to lose and they lost when I picked them to win. I’ve rode the losing skid the past four games to improve my record to 4-5 in picking Raiders’ games. The Dolphins aren’t good, either. But the Raiders seem lost and I have to see them put together a strong performance before riding them. Prediction:Dolphins 27, Raiders 19. Now, it’s your turn. In other Raiders’ news: Pro Bowl sleepers: NFL.com looks at some players who are deserving of Pro Bowl consideration. Awards time: NFL.com has some midseason awards, Brock Bowers affect: PFF looks at how the rookie has helped the Raiders’ tight end position.
Bills vs. Chiefs: Final injury reports for both teams
Bills vs. Chiefs: Final injury reports for both teams Bills vs. Chiefs: Final injury reports for both teams Nick Wojton Here are the full injury reports for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs ahead of their Week 11 matchup at Highmark Stadium: Kansas City Chiefs (9-0) Out DE Charles Omenihu (knee–IR) RB Isiah Pacheco (ankle–IR) Questionable N/A Will play DE Mike Danna (pectoral) WR JuJu Smith Schuster (hamstring) WR JuJu Smith Schuster (hamstring) WR Mecole Hardman (shoulder/toe) WR DeAndre Hopkins (knee) DE George Karlaftis (abdomen/ankle) QB Patrick Mahomes (ankle/hip) OL Wanya Morris (knee) DT Derrick Nnadi (triceps) Buffalo Bills (8-2) Out LB Matt Milano (bicep–IR) WR Keon Coleman (wrist) TE Dalton Kincaid (knee) Questionable WR Amari Cooper (wrist) OL Spencer Brown (ankle) Will play QB Josh Allen (left hand) CB Christian Benford (wrist) LB Terrel Bernard (ankle/pectoral) CB Kaiir Elam (shoulder) FB Reggie Gilliam (hip) WR Mack Hollins (shoulder) DT DaQuan Jones (foot) TE Quintin Morris (shoulder/hamstring) S Taylor Rapp (foot/shoulder) WR Curtis Samuel (pectoral/foot) DE Casey Toohill (knee) LB Dorian Williams (knee) Notes: Cooper, Brown were both limited at practice on Friday.
The Linc – PFF says Cooper DeJean also deserves Defensive Rookie of the Year consideration
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 11/16/24. Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links … After a quiet start, Eagles’ Cooper DeJean is emerging as a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate – PFFFrom Weeks 6-11, only fellow second-round rookie cornerbacks Renardo Green and Kamari Lassiter have earned higher coverage grades than DeJean (79.4). DeJean, despite a down performance against the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football in Week 11, hasn’t allowed a touchdown and ranks tied for fourth in the league in coverage stops (11). Heading into that game against the Commanders, DeJean boasted an 83.7 season-long PFF grade and an 85.9 PFF coverage grade, ranking fourth and first, respectively, among NFL cornerbacks. Thursday Night Football wasn’t as kind to DeJean, as he put up a season-low 53.5 PFF overall grade and 52.1 PFF coverage grade, allowing eight catches for 53 yards and three first downs. He did play a career-high 66 defensive snaps, but the weaker performance damaged his still-strong season-long grades — 77.2 overall and 78.9 in coverage. Regardless, the Eagles have finally unleashed DeJean to create a young cornerback duo between him and Mitchell that should give defenses fits for years to come — a positive development in a division featuring Dak Prescott, Jayden Daniels and whomever the Giants find to replace Daniel Jones. Eagles-Commanders snap counts: Jalen Carter made his impact felt while playing the entire game – BGNJalen Carter didn’t miss a snap. Wow. His previous career-high was the 96% he played against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9. Hard to blame the Eagles for not wanting to take him off the field in a key game. He was a monster out there. Saquon Barkley makes his MVP case in Eagles’ win over Commanders – SB NationOn the season, Barkley leads the NFL with 1,137 rushing yards — although Derrick Henry is close behind with 1,120 and has a chance to respond in his Week 11 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday — putting him on pace to eclipse his previous career-high of 1,312, set back when he was with the New York Giants in the 2022 season. That number accounts for 63% of the team’s rushing yards. He also leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,347, although Henry will again have his chance to respond on Sunday against the Steelers. Beyond the numbers, Barkley is the true engine of the Eagles’ offense, a fact that he showed on Thursday night against Washington. For the bulk of Thursday night’s game against the Commanders, the Philadelphia offense was struggling. Jake Elliott missed a pair of field goals, the Eagles passing game was out of rhythm, and Philadelphia took a 12-10 lead early in the fourth quarter on a tush push TD from Hurts, only to see Elliott miss the extra point. Roob’s Eagles Stats: Just how rare is Eagles’ rushing success? – NBCSP1. During their six-game winning streak, the Eagles have outgained the Browns by 128 yards, the Giants by 220 yards, the Bengals by 117, Jaguars by 232, Cowboys by 202 and Commanders by 170. That’s a 1,069-yard margin, the Eagles’ largest in any six-game span in 71 years. This is why we love the Stathead team span finder yardage margin tab. Last time the Eagles outgained six opponents by more yards was in 1953, when they outgained the Giants, Colts, Cardinals, Giants, Washington and Browns by 1,135. They’ve outgained their 10 opponents by 1,068 yards, which is their largest margin to start a season since 1954, when they outgained their first 10 opponents by 1,154 yards. Another huge defensive stand propels Eagles to a key win – NBCSPIt was a huge fourth-down stop by this Eagles defense but that’s not anything new. They’ve been coming through in these clutch situations. The Eagles’ defense has now faced eight 4th-and-2 or shorter situations this season when the offense goes for it and has given up just three conversions. That conversion rate of 37.5% is the lowest in the NFL: 1. Eagles: 3/8 (37.5%), 2. Patriots: 2/5 (40%), t-3. Vikings: 3/7 (42.9%), t-3. Lions: 3/7 (42.9%), 5. Bills: 6/13 (46.2%). After the Eagles’ stop on fourth down, the offense got the ball back and eventually scored on the first Saquon Barkley touchdown. After a Jayden Daniels interception from Reed Blankenship, Barkley punched in another long touchdown run and the game was basically over. It went from the Eagles’ clinging to a two-point lead to ballgame in a few minutes. And it really all started with that huge fourth-down stop. Eagles brandishing a Super Bowl-level defense, but Lane Johnson has a warning for entire team – NJ.com Lane Johnson told the cautionary tale of the 2023 season late Thursday night after the Eagles completed their short week by chalking up a sixth straight victory, this one behind another relentless defensive effort that made the betting favorite for NFL offensive rookie of the year simply look like a rookie. “As good as things are going, I want people to remember last year,” Johnson said after a fourth-quarter offensive surge allowed the Eagles to pull away for a 26-18 victory over the Washington Commanders. “You’re 10-1 and you get that complacency feeling, you can find out quickly that this league will knock you on your ass if you let it.” 2025 NFL offseason: Possible surprise cut, trade candidates – ESPN+Bryce Huff, Edge, Philadelphia Eagles. What? Didn’t he just sign there? Yes, Huff was a high-profile free agent signing by the Eagles, who gave him a three-year, $51.1 million deal to lure him away from the Jets. Given the way the season has unfolded, Huff is certainly happy with that move. But are the Eagles happy with him? Huff played just 12% of their defensive snaps in Week 9, 20% in Week 10 and 22% in Week 11 (after averaging 44% over the first eight weeks). He has 2.5 sacks, 14 pressures and four quarterback hits, and he seems to be
College football primer: Scouting Day 2 prospects who could be steals
Photo by Mitchell Scaglione/LSU/Getty Images We could have some great scouting tape this week. Good morning New York Giants fans! Happy Saturday and welcome to Week 12 of the 2024 College football season. The schedule makers are taking a bit of a breath this week, as many of the top teams are either off or have easier games. Next week will be a bit of a ramp-up, and then we get Rivalry Week in week 14, as almost every top program will play their fiercest rivals. But that’s not for two weeks, and while we don’t have many big games this week, the schedule isn’t barren either. We have some very intriguing matchups this week, as well as a couple big games sprinkled throughout the afternoon and evening. There’s plenty to watch today, and we could even get some go-to scouting tape for the 2025 NFL Draft. In fact, we’re going to start with one of those matchups first. Landon Jackson, DL, Arkansas Arkansas vs. Texas – ABC, noon We’ve mentioned Jackson earlier in the season, but this is a great game to circle back to him. Each of Texas’ offensive tackles, left tackle Kelvin Banks and right tackle Cameron Williams, should be first-round picks and Banks could be a Top 10 pick. That gives us an excellent opportunity to scout Jackson against elite competition. Jackson is very much a “first off the bus” type of guy. He has a massive frame at 6-foot-7, 280 pounds, with long arms and enough athleticism that he landed at 21 on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” for 2024. Jackson has the potential to take over a game, which also makes this a good game to scout the Texas offensive tackles. Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio StateNorthwestern vs. (2) Ohio State Marcus Mbow, OL, Purdue Purdue vs. (4) Penn State – CBS, 3:30 p.m. Mbow is an interesting offensive line prospect who could appeal to the Giants if he slips far enough on draft day. He started his career at right guard before transitioning to offensive tackle, and could even have upside as a center convert at the next level. Mbow is undersized for an offensive tackle, listed at 6-foot-5, 305, but that’s a solid size for an interior lineman in a zone-based blocking scheme. He was able to make the transition from guard to tackle thanks to plus athleticism, but his frame could well fall below thresholds at the position for some (even many) teams. That said, his versatility and athleticism could bolster his draft stock as most teams should be able to find a fit. Penn State boasts two very good pass rushers in Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton. This should be go-to scouting tape for Mbow. Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College (14) SMU vs. Boston College – ESPN, 3:30 p.m. Ezeiruaku is flying under the radar a bit — after all, BC isn’t exactly a powerhouse at 5-4 on the season — but he’s an intriguing pass rusher. He has a compact frame at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds and experience rushing from both a 2 and 3-point stance. That should give him the versatility to find a home in most modern defenses. As you many gather from his frame, Ezeiruaku won’t be known as a dominant run defender, and could be viewed as a rotational player. However, his motor and impressive bend around the edge can give blockers fits. He isn’t the type of long, hyper-athletic pass rusher who gets scouts excited, but he has the potential to be a hidden gem in the middle rounds of the draft. Kyren Lacy, WR, LSU Florida vs. (22) LSU – NBC, 3:30 p.m. Lacy played second, or rather third, fiddle behind Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. last year at LSU. But with Nabers and Thomas both in the NFL, Lacy has had the opportunity to show what he can do. He hasn’t had the same yards per reception as 2023 — 15.2 down from 18.6 — but he’s having a career year in total yardage and scoring. Lacy isn’t as dynamic an athlete as Thomas or Nabers, lacking Thomas’ raw speed and Nabers quickness and agility. However, he has good size at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and is a nuanced route runner. He’ll likely settle into a role as a reliable possession receiver in the pros, and it’s a job he can do for a long time. Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia (12) Georgia vs. (7) Tennessee – ABC, 7:30 p.m. You could probably use this as an excuse to watch the entire UGA defense — they’ve got a lot of dudes who’re pretty good at this football thing. I’m focusing on Everette due to the Giants’ needs in the defensive secondary. Everette is long (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) and an explosive athlete who’s expected to turn a 40 in the low 4.3s. But while he looks like a press-man corner, he’s better suited to zone schemes. Everette has some stiffness that limits his transitions and mirroring ability, but has very good instincts for zone coverage. His limitations in man coverage could knock him into the second day of the draft, but his ability in zone makes him an appealing prospect for Shane Bowen’s defense. And while we’re here, feel free to enjoy watching the rest of the Bulldogs’ defense. Games to watch (17) Colorado vs. Utah – Fox, noon Pittsburgh vs. (20) Clemson – ESPN, noon (8) Notre Dame vs. Virginia – NBC, 3:30 p.m. USC vs. Nebraska – Fox, 4 p.m. Wisconsin vs. (1) Oregon – NBC, 7:30 p.m. Quarterback tracker Quinn Ewers (Texas) – Arkansas vs. (3) Texas – ABC, noon Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) – (17) Colorado vs. Utah – FOX, noon Cade Klubnick (Clemson) – Pittsburgh vs. (20) Clemson – ESPN, noon Jalen Milroe (Alabama) – (10) Alabama vs. Mercer – SEC Network, 2pm Drew Allar (Penn State) – Purdue vs. (4) Penn State – CBS, 3:30 p.m. Garrett Neussmeier (LSU) – Florida vs. (22) LSU – ABC, 3:30 p.m. Dillon Gabriel (Oregon)
College football preview: 4 draft prospects to watch in Week 12
Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images With only a few weeks of college football season left, here are the top NFL Draft prospects I am watching this weekend. All listed times are Eastern Standard Time Desmond Reid, Running Back, Pittsburgh v. Clemson (12 PM on ESPN): I have written about Desmond Reid before. He is Pittsburgh’s do-everything player running and catching the football. The Panthers have dropped two straight games and need all the help they can get against Clemson to stay relevant in the ACC. Reid will need to provide a big boost. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge Defender, Boston College v. SMU (3:30 PM on ESPN): Donovan Ezeiruaku has been one of the most ferocious, disruptive pass rushers in the country over the last few months. Boston College has a great chance at upsetting a hot SMU team if Ezeiruaku can have a big game. Nick Emmanwori, Safety, South Carolina v. Missouri (4:15 PM on SECN): Nick Emmanwori is a star on the Gamecocks defense. The junior safety is leading the team in tackles and interceptions all while playing a hybrid linebacker/safety/slot role on their defense. He is a unique and gifted player who will have his hands full with a Missouri offense that loves to work the shallow parts of the field. James Pearce, Edge Defender, Tennessee v. Georgia (7:30 PM on ESPN): The Heavyweight fight of the weekend is the showdown between the Vols and the Bulldogs. The loser of this game is all but eliminated from playoff contention this year. The Georgia offense has been vulnerable, to say the least, and James Pearce can exploit their weaknesses with a strong game to give Tennessee a great shot.
Despite Saquon Barkley’s greatness, the Giants are fine at running back without him
Tyrone Tracy | Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images What Barkley does in Philly really shouldn’t matter as the Giants try to build their own team The biggest, most controversial, most consequential event in Joe Schoen’s three seasons as GM of the New York Giants has been not being able to reach a long-term contract agreement with Saquon Barkley. Ultimately, of course, that led to Barkley being allowed to enter free agency and finding $37.75 million worth of brotherly love from the Philadelphia Eagles. The Barkley situation hung over the franchise for two offseasons, and will reverberate for years to come. Current roster: Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary, Eric Gray Players drafted since 2022: Eric Gray (Round 5, No. 172, 2023) | Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Round 5, No. 166, 2024) Biggest free agent acquisitions: Devin Singletary Biggest losses: Saquon Barkley Barkley is having a great season, the best of his career to date. No one should be shocked by that. I don’t believe the Giants are. Barkley ran for 176 yards on just 17 carries against the Giants in Week 6, mercifully taking the fourth quarter off. He is averaging a career-best 113.7 yards rushing per game and leads the league through 10 games with 1,137 rushing yards. If he keeps up that pace, he will end up with 1,933 rushing yards and a career-high 2,289 total yards from scrimmage. Eagles fans were all over social media trolling the Giants after Barkley ran for 146 yards and caught two passes for 52 more, giving him 198 total yards on Thursday as the Eagles beat the Washington Commanders to improve to 8-2. The view here? Good for Saquon. He’s a great player and he deserves to shine. He is still as good or better than anyone in the open field, and he is with a team that can get him there and let him do what he does best. Good for Eagles fans. Let them have their fun. The Barkley-Giants divorce was messy. It probably could have been handled better, by both sides. There were many twists and turns, some we will probably never know in full detail. It probably could have been cleaner. I’m not sure I will ever understand how the two sides could not bridge a gap reported to be no more than $2 million in 2022. Regardless of the optics, Barkley’s great year and all of that I think this situation turned out the right way. Barkley is in a place where he can be a difference-making, finishing piece on a team with championship aspirations. The Giants weren’t, and aren’t that. They probably won’t be for a while. No matter the kind of success Barkley has, Schoen and the Giants did the right thing by not spending big money for a back who had shown over six seasons that there was one thing he couldn’t do, that no running back can do. Turn a bad team into a good one. Despite his brilliance, the Giants had one winning season in Barkley’s six years. Schoen, who did not draft Barkley, re-prioritized. That was his right, and popular or not, the right decision. It was time to stop trying to build a team around a running back, especially a high-mileage one with an injury history. The Giants are 2-8. Would they be significantly better with Barkley? Probably not. He almost certainly would not be putting up the numbers for the Giants that he is for the Eagles. Their future wouldn’t look any brighter, either. Without Barkley, an argument can be made that they are better positioned for the future. Schoen used that money to successfully improve the offensive line. Schoen and the Giants also leaned into the belief that if you block well you can run the ball without a star running back, and that if you scout well you can find good backs in the middle to late portions of the draft. The Giants found Tyrone Tracy Jr. in Round 5, the 166th player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Tracy has 545 yards rushing, on pace for 926 yards despite getting only 12 carries during the first four weeks of the season. Since he took over as the starter six games ago, Tracy has posted three 100+ yard rushing games and averaged 86.0 rushing yards per game. Extended over a full season, that would be third in the NFL in yards per game behind Barkley and Derrick Henry (112.0). Extend that 86-yards per game average out over a full season, Tracy would be third in the league in rushing yards and on pace for a 1,462-yard season. Barkley is costing the Eagles $26 million in guaranteed money over the next three seasons. Tracy? He is costing the Giants a total of $4.306 million over four years, only $286,000 of which is guaranteed. Barkley is doing Barkley things for the Eagles. That’s tough to watch, especially when he does them against the Giants. The Giants, though, are just fine at running back.
