Tyre Phillips | Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Tyre Phillips is back for his third stint with the Giants Tyre Phillips’ wide, irrepressible smile told the story. The veteran offensive lineman, who signed to the team’s practice squad this week, is thrilled to back with the New York Giants. “I love the building here, and the guys. Obviously, it makes sense to go somewhere where you know the playbook, but it was more than just knowing the playbook, because I’m a free agent,” Phillips said when I caught up with him in the locker room on Thursday. “I could have went anywhere, tried out anywhere, but I knew this place, and this place knew me. I feel like I found a home here, and man, there’s nothing like being a Giant for me.” Phillips had a rollercoaster 2023 season. After starting five games and playing well for the Giants in 2022, he did not originally make the team. After being cut, he landed on the practice squad of the Philadelphia Eagles. A few weeks later, with injuries wrecking the offensive line, the Giants poached Phillips from the Eagles. He started nine games in relief of the injured Evan Neal before tearing a quad muscle in Week 17. How does Phillips look at last season? “A lot of things happened, but it’s just a good thing to just be a good locker room guy, just being a great person, and just being a great teammate, and not burn bridges in understanding that this is a business,” Phillips said. “It’s not personal, even though this is my livelihood, and you got to try your hardest to not make it personal, but it’s not personal. This is a business, and you never know, just like the opportunity of me coming back right now. “So I could have been salty or anything, but what’s that for?” Phillips, 11 months removed from surgery to repair the torn quad, was only recently cleared to begin working out for teams. He took one workout. With the Giants. Then joined the team’s practice squad, saying he “100 percent” wanted to return to New York. Despite the grueling work of rehabbing the first major injury of his career, Phillips called the last year “wonderful.” “Obviously, last year for me, being cut, practice squad, you know, starting a few games, it was great,” he said. “Obviously, it didn’t end the way I wanted it to end, obviously, right before for agency, but that’s just part of the process with the National Football League.” Phillips doesn’t know what his role will be. Eleven months after surgery he is just trying to continue getting stronger and acclimating to the way his leg feel. “It’s a roller coaster,” Phillips said of the recovery process. “It’s very challenging. And still to this day, I stay on top of my body. Luckily, I’m a good pro, but to this day I can tell I had surgery down there. “I feel strong right now. It’s just when it’s a muscle that you use every day and you can tell it’s a change, that’s the only thing. But I feel strong. I want to be stronger and callous it up. But you can tell it feels different.” Phillips said the injury has forced him to change his routine. “I have to warm up way more than I used to. But I take the time out to do that. So I’m on the field earlier,” he said. “I’m dressed first because I need to do these different thing I’ve got to do this to get the tendon firing up. But, I mean, that just come with it. “That don’t stop me from nothing.”
Newly-signed Giants’ offensive lineman is glad to be back home
Giants-Buccaneers: Can Tommy DeVito spark struggling Giants’ offense?
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The Tampa Bay defense has not been great The 2-8 New York Giants host the 4-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12. Both teams are fresh off a bye week. Tampa Bay is favored by 5.5 points, and the Over/Under is 41.5 points. Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers were 4-2 but lost four games in a row, mostly in a competitive fashion. The Giants finally turned the page on starting quarterback Daniel Jones and promoted third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito to primary signal caller. Drew Lock will remain as the second-string quarterback. Buccaneers statistics DeVito will face a Todd Bowles coached defense that emphasizes stopping the run while blitzing the quarterback at a 29.1% rate (seventh highest). Expect a loaded box against the Buccaneers, who rank second in loaded box rate. According to NFL Pro, the Buccaneers load their box at a 56.4% rate; this number advantage is reinforced with Vita Vea in the middle — one of the best run-stopping defensive linemen in the league. Despite the focus, Tampa Bay is league average in rushing yards allowed; they surrendered 125.1 rushing yards per game. Baltimore rushed for 244 yards against the Buccaneers in Week 7. They held the Chiefs and Falcons to less than 130 rushing yards in Weeks 8 and 9 and the 49ers to just 75 rushing yards in Christian McCaffrey’s return. The run defense is the strength, and Kirk Cousins exploited the pass-defensive weakness in Week 5 to the tune of 509 yards and four touchdowns. The Buccaneers allow the third-most passing yards per game (264.1) and total yards per game (389.3). They’re 27th in points surrendered (26.6). Bowles’ defense allows the 24th-highest third down completion rate (43.3), and they’re tied at 17th in red zone touchdown percentage (57.89) with the New England Patriots. They recorded five interceptions and 10 forced fumbles. Tampa Bay is tied with the Eagles and Browns at ninth in the league with 28 sacks. Vea leads the team with five. Second-year defensive linemen Calijah Kancey has four, and Lavonte David and Logan Hall have three sacks. C.J. Brewer, Yaya Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, and Anthony Nelson each have a pair of sacks. Second-year edge defender Yaya Diaby leads the Buccaneers with 38 pressures; Vea has 24, and Tryon-Shoyinka has 20. The next highest is veteran linebacker Lavonte David with 15. David also leads the team with 72 tackles; just behind him is safety Jordan Whitehead with 71 and linebacker K.J. Britt with 61. Giants’ game plan There was a discernible difference in Brian Daboll’s 2023 offense with Tommy DeVito at the helm. DeVito targeted outside the numbers: QB Tommy DeVito averaged 7.2 yards per attempt throwing outside the numbers in 2023, completing 6 of his 8 touchdowns to these areas of the field while not throwing a single interception on 94 such attempts. Daniel Jones has averaged just 4.9 yards per attempt on throws outside… — Nick Falato (@nickfalato) November 19, 2024 We discussed DeVito’s penchant to throw outside the numbers last season. This ability gave Daboll a different approach, and the Giants found moderate success, but DeVito struggled to target the middle of the field. DeVito was 7 of 17 with one touchdown and two interceptions when targeting beyond ten yards between the numbers, with zero completed passes of 20 yards between the numbers. The Giants will attempt to run the football and work the play-action passing attack with bootlegs/rollouts. Daboll will dial up three-level sail concepts and other No. 3 or tight-end corner routes underneath clearouts from 3×1 or 2×2 sets. Starting CB Zyon McCollum hurt his hamstring in Week 10. He may not be available on Sunday, which leaves Josh Hayes and Tyrek Funderburk. However, Jamel Dean is trending in the right direction after missing four weeks with a hamstring injury. The health of McCollum and Dean is crucial for the Buccaneers’ secondary. Before his injury, McCollum allowed just eight yards across 70 coverage snaps in Weeks 8 and 9; McCollum was targeted on just 8.6% of his coverage snaps in Weeks 8-9, the fourth-lowest rate among outside cornerbacks with at least 50 coverage snaps during that span. Whitehead, star safety Antoine Winfield Jr., and nickel Christian Izien round out the rest of the secondary. Rookie Tykee Smith hurt his knee and may not play in the game. Malik Nabers should win any of these matchups, but can DeVito deliver passes to Nabers promptly and accurately? Daboll will call this game to DeVito’s strengths, which are using his quick release and attempting to create immediate openings to be seized. DeVito is more aggressive than Jones, but he does have a knack for sitting in the pocket too long; he was sacked 37 times on 178 passing attempts with a 37.4% pressure-to-sack ratio. The Giants should create half-field reads with easy check-downs for the young quarterback. Some of those check-downs should be made to either Theo Johnson or Tyrone Tracy Jr. The Buccaneers linebackers have combined to allow the most receptions (52), most yards (671), highest completion percentage (86.1%), and third-most yards per target (9.3) among all linebacking corps when targeted in coverage this season (from Week 10). Suppose DeVito can successfully stretch the field horizontally toward the sideline. In that case, the Giants may be able to create more space between the middle-hook and curl-flat defenders for Wan’Dale Robinson or other Giants’ receivers against Cover-3. If Bowles decided to man up, the Giants should run condensed pick/rub routes to free up receivers and have DeVito quickly get the football out of his hands. Kancey and Vea will prove to be a lot for the interior part of the Giants’ offensive line. Bowles will likely look to isolate one-on-one matchups and put Diaby across from Evan Neal. Expect David to blitz toward Neal’s side, with Diaby or Tryon-Shoyinka initially occupying Neal. It would behoove the Giants to keep a tight end or running back close to Neal. Final thoughts Can Tommy DeVito recreate his magic from the
Rookie Ladd McConkey has proven himself an invaluable WR1 for the Chargers and Justin Herbert
Ladd McConkey and Justin Herbert are powering a new-look Los Angeles Chargers to new heights in 2024. Rookie Ladd McConkey has proven himself an invaluable WR1 for the Chargers and Justin Herbert 2YKK1PE Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (15) runs during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong) By Jim Wyman Posted Nov 22, 2024 8:39 am EST • Los Angeles’ WR1 wasted no time acclimating to the NFL: Through Week 11, he leads the Chargers in targets (66), receptions (46), yards (638), yards after the catch (230), yards per route run (2.21) and PFF receiving grade (81.9). • The Chargers were criticized for drafting an offensive tackle first: Despite being panned for selecting Joe Alt instead of a receiver with the fifth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chargers seem to have known what they were doing after all. • Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now! Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes The Los Angeles Chargers entered the 2024 offseason looking like a team headed into a tailspin. After finishing the 2023 season 5-12 and firing head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco midseason while having little money to spend in free agency, some upheaval was underway. The team replaced Staley with Jim Harbaugh and Telesco with Joe Hortiz, but roster changes were necessary, as well. Salary cap woes split up the wide receiver room harder than any unit in the league, as the Chargers’ top two receivers, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, became casualties. Los Angeles traded Allen to the Chicago Bears and outright released Williams. A loaded 2024 NFL Draft of receiver talent soon became the target — even after the Chargers selected offensive tackle Joe Alt at No. 5. The move was questioned by fans and analysts alike; how would the team push the ball downfield without a top receiving threat? It turns out, the Chargers had a plan. Los Angeles traded up a few spots in the second round to draft Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey. A two-time national champion at Georgia, McConkey didn’t have the dazzling stats of the receivers taken ahead of him, but he showcased high-caliber route running ability both at the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine while possessing breakaway speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash). That skill set is now thriving in the NFL. McConkey immediately became quarterback Justin Herbert’s favorite target. Through Week 11, he leads the Chargers in targets (66), receptions (46), yards (638), yards after the catch (230), yards per route run (2.21) and PFF receiving grade (81.9). Ahead of Week 12, McConkey’s receiving grade is tied with George Pickens for 14th in the NFL among receivers with at least 100 receiving snaps and trails only Malik Nabers by 0.1 points among rookies. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock the world’s most advanced football database! Perhaps McConkey’s most impressive performance came on Sunday Night Football in Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He caught six of 10 targets, all of which resulted in first downs, for 123 yards. While he didn’t score any touchdowns, he was instrumental in the Chargers’ final drive to hold off a vigorous Bengals comeback attempt, as he hauled in two clutch passes for big gains. The first came on an out and up where he leaped over Mike Hilton for a 28-yard gain that brought the Chargers out of the shadow of their own endzone. On the other, McConkey beat Geno Stone on a corner route and got out of bounds for another 27 yards, which set up the game-winning J.K. Dobbins touchdown run the next play. In all, McConkey has earned an 80.0-plus PFF receiving grade in three games and gone under 70.0 only twice while catching multiple passes and converting multiple first downs in every game he’s played. Despite the Chargers being panned for selecting a tackle instead of a receiver with the fifth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it seems they knew what they were doing after all. The team is 7-3 with a rookie second-rounder as their leading target-getter, with things only looking up from here. What was once thought of as a franchise heading for dark times is suddenly set up to compete for the postseason for years to come.
Random Ramsdom: Do Eagles have the Defensive Rookie of the Year?
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 11/22/24 In yesterday’s Random Ramsdom I asked if the Los Angeles Rams had the Defensive Rookie of the Year on their roster with either Braden Fiske or Jared Verse? My phone must have been listening because today all over my internet feed(s) I see the reality that it is the Philadelphia Eagles who may have the Defensive Rookie of the Year with Quinyon Mitchell. Mitchell has been balling out, so maybe he will earn the award. Either way, it’s exciting that Sunday night’s game should feature so many young up and coming defenders. These young men haven’t really even hit their stride in the NFL yet so we may be writing about them for years to come. It’s an exciting possibility Time will tell as it always does. Please comment on whatever you want, thanks for checking out Turf Show Times and have a great day! Why Rams-Eagles could decide Defensive Rookie of the Year race (ramswire) “Defensive Rookie of the Year isn’t quite a two-man race with seven weeks to go, but it’s quickly becoming one. Rams edge rusher Jared Verse has been the odds-on favorite to win the award for several weeks and though he had been pulling ahead after recording 3.5 sacks in Weeks 8-10, Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell is closing the gap. As of now, Verse is -190 to win Defensive Rookie of the Year at BetMGM. Mitchell is second at +320, with Laiatu Latu a distant third at +2000. Even if he hasn’t spoken publicly about it, this is an award Verse would surely love to win. He can make a huge statement on Sunday night in a marquee matchup against Mitchell and the Eagles.” Giving back to the community! We partnered with the West Valley Food Pantry for a Thanksgiving food distribution. pic.twitter.com/giRnGTng5m — Rams Community (@RamsCommunity) November 21, 2024 Eagles’ Darius Slay says this rookie has ‘unlimited’ ceiling: ‘He should be Rookie (of the Year) easy’ (cbssports) “PHILADELPHIA — Quinyon Mitchell has been even better than expected in his first NFL season. The only player in the league that has faced 375+ coverage snaps without allowing a touchdown pass this season, Mitchell has played his way into the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation. That’s just the beginning of what Mitchell can accomplish. “It’s unlimited, man,” Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said of Mitchell’s ceiling. “You know, he got a talent that could just really just blossom real great.” Royal is good for the Sol. pic.twitter.com/k7nwjRRqrE — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 21, 2024 REPORT: Which Rams Team Will We Get on Sunday? (si.com) “The problem with trying to pick a winner in this game or any Rams game is that I have no idea which Rams team is going to show up,” Breech said. “Are we going to see the Rams team that put up 30 points on the Vikings in Week 8, or are we going to see the Rams team that didn’t bother to show up during a Week 10 loss to the Dolphins where they only scored 15 points?” The Eagles have proven to be one of the best teams in the league. Philadelphia is 8-2 on the season after winning six games in a row and seven of their last eight games. Breech credited the Eagles’ consistency over the previous two months.” o-line channeling their inner @LethalShooter__ pic.twitter.com/H9tsmcPl2Y — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 21, 2024
No, Zac, the Bengals are not a good team right now
Zac Taylor | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Failures persist in all three phases. Sorry, Zac, but I’m just not buying it. “We’re a good football team,” Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor said after another disappointing, heart-breaking, last-minute loss, this time to the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday night. This is not a good football team. Maybe it still can be, but as of right now, it is not. A good football team excels in all three areas — offense, defense and special teams. The Bengals excel in none of those areas, the most obvious of which is the defense. The latest meltdown came against the Chargers. After Cincinnati had clawed back into the game from 21 points down and tied the score at 27-27, the defense allowed three straight explosive plays of 20, 27 and 29 yards. Game over. The Bengals have lost twice to the Baltimore Ravens. Both times it was big plays that did them in. In the first game, Derrick Henry’s 51-yard run led to the winning field goal. In the second game, a Cam Taylor-Britt interception was overturned by replay, and the Ravens marched right down the field for a touchdown that extended their lead to 35-28. The big plays in that drive were a 19-yard and a 16-yard completion to Zay Flowers. Cincinnati did manage to score the potential game-tying touchdown minutes later, but it missed on the two-point conversion that would have won the game. Defense has been the weakest part of the trifecta all season. The Bengals sit at No. 24 in overall team defense, are 30th in points surrendered, 24th against the run, 26th against the pass, and 27th in total yards given up. Definitely not good. Special teams have let Cincinnati down as well. The normally dependable Evan McPherson missed two field goals against the Chargers, field goals that could have made the difference in the game. The Bengals drove to the Los Angeles 43-yard-line with three seconds left, which would have put McPherson in position for a 60-yard field goal attempt to win the game. But, his earlier two misses made that possibility moot. McPherson has made 9-of-9 field goals from inside 40 yards, but he is just 3-for-5 between 40 and 49 yards. Worse yet, he has hit on only 3-of-7 attempts outside of 50 yards. Money Mac is no longer so money – more like “Missing Mac.” Lineups.com has Cincinnati’s special teams ranked at No. 25, largely due to McPherson’s struggles. And, the Bengals would be ranked even lower if not for the 100-yard kickoff return by Charlie Jones earlier in the season. And, as good as the Bengals’ offense has looked at times, there have been plenty of flaws in that unit as well. Sunday night’s loss is a good example. Cincinnati scored the tying touchdown with 12:21 left in the fourth quarter, then went missed field goal, missed field goal, and four-and-out before the Chargers took the lead for good. The Bengals drove into Los Angeles territory the first three times they had the ball and got all the way down to the Chargers’ 3-yard-line on their second possession. Yet all they had to show for it was a pair of field goals. Cincinnati scored only 10 points in a season-opening loss to the New England Patriots and managed just 17 points against the Giants (a win) and the Eagles (a loss). In the first meeting with the Ravens, the Bengals owned a 10-point lead with 8:54 left in the fourth quarter but came up empty the rest of the way. Quarterback Joe Burrow summed it up this way: “Just got to make the plays,” he said. “Just got to make the plays. We have it down stretch and we’re not a good enough team to – our margin of error is slim, so we got to make those plays. I got to make those plays. We all got to make those plays.” So no, Zac, this is not a good football team. As my former mother-in-law used to say, “you can cover the sun with one hand, but it’s still there.”
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25746536/lions_pass_o.PNG?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts preview, prediction: On Paper")
Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts preview, prediction: On Paper
The Detroit Lions are on a roll, and they’re going to need to keep rolling if they want to earn the NFC’s top seed. At 9-1, they hold the top spot, but both the Vikings (8-2) and Eagles (8-2) are on their tails. They can’t afford a slip-up against the 5-6 Indianapolis Colts this week—a team they’re clearly better than. Let’s take a closer look at the Week 12 matchup, then make a prediction in our Lions vs. Colts On Paper preview. Lions pass offense (9th in DVOA) vs. Colts pass defense (19th) Jared Goff bounced back from his five-interception performance with arguably his best performance in a Lions uniform. For the season, the Lions have been lighting opponents’ defenses on fire. They’ve not only finished with a 100+ passer rating in seven of 10 games, but over 120 in five of 10. With all due respect to the DVOA ranking, I think this is a top-five passing attack in the league, not just top-10. Some other notable statistics: 9.2 yards per attempt (first) 113.8 passer rating (second) 73.0 completion percentage (first) 0.259 dropback EPA (third) 53.0% dropback success rate (first) Goff, in particular, has been outstanding since struggling out of the gate. Take away the first two games of the season, and Goff’s numbers have been outstanding: Pass protection has been a minor issue, ranking 14th in PFF pass blocking grade, ninth in pass block win rate, and 16th in pressure rate allowed. But that obviously hasn’t slowed the passing attack much. It hasn’t been a great year for the Colts’ pass defense, but it hasn’t been all bad. Though they’ve allowed six of 11 opponents to eclipse a passer rating of 100, they’ve also held four below 90. Still, teams are regularly eclipsing their averages against this unit. Here’s a look at their raw statistics: 7.6 yards per attempt (26th) 97.3 passer rating (20th) 69.5 completion percentage (29th) 0.056 dropback EPA (13th) 46.1% dropback success rate (15th) It’s hard to exactly pin down why the Colts are struggling. They have capable pass rushers, but only rank 18th in pressure percentage, t-15th in sacks, 18th in PFF pass rush grade, and 21st in pass rush win rate. In terms of coverage, they rank ninth in PFF grade, and have one of the best nickel defenders in Kenny Moore II. Outside cornerback Jaylon Jones is also tied for fifth in pass breakups, so Lions receivers will have a challenge this week. That said, the Colts rank 26th in DVOA against tight ends, and with Sam LaPorta expected back this week, we could see a big game from him. Player to watch: Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Kenny Moore II. Per PFF, Moore II has not allowed a single touchdown in coverage this year, while also notching five passes defended and an interception. His 80.6 PFF coverage grade is seventh in the NFL. Meanwhile, St. Brown is coming off his best career game and ranks seventh in PFF grade. A true strength vs. strength matchup Advantage: Lions +2.5 The Lions’ passing attack looks nearly unstoppable right now, and while the Colts have an okay defense, they aren’t particularly great at anything. Lions run offense (1st) vs. Colts run defense (16th) No team has yet to hold the Lions under 100 rushing yards, and they’ve now eclipsed 160 yards in five of 10 games. The only team to really hold them in check was the Texans, and by the end of the game, the Lions had worn them down, too. The Lions are nearly atop the league in just about every category when it comes to running the ball: 4.7 yards per carry (eighth) 152.2 yards per game (third) 0.042 rush EPA (second) 45.2% success rate (second) 13.6% stuffed percentage (fifth) The offensive line is arguably the best run blocking unit in football, ranking third in PFF run blocking grade (76.7), nine in run block win rate (73%), and first in adjusted line yards (5.11). The Colts run defense has been all over the place this season, but there’s been more bad than good. They started out horribly, recovered a bit, but have at least been acceptable the last month. Some of that lines up with the return of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who played in Weeks 1 and 2, but missed the next five games with an injury. Since returning against the Texans, they’ve done an okay job, but they’re certainly not a dominant unit. For the season, they rank 13th in yards per carry allowed (4.4), 13th in rush EPA (-0.119), 22nd in adjusted line yards (4.56) and 12th in success rate (38.1%). That said, they are tied for the most 10+ yard rushes allowed, and the Lions just so happen to rank sixth in that category on offense. Player to watch: DeForest Buckner. Buckner has an 11.2% run stop rate per PFF, which ranks fifth among all defensive tackles with at least 52 run defense snaps. He’ll have his work cut out for him, though, as he’s usually lined up against the right side of the offensive line. Right guard Kevin Zeitler (86.8 PFF grade, third) and right tackle Penei Sewell (90.2, first) are two of the best run blockers in football. Advantage: Lions +2. This is a little tighter than the passing matchup, but there are very few defenses that can hold Detroit’s run game in check. Compared to the Texans run defense (second in DVOA) that saw some success a few weeks ago, this Colts team doesn’t measure up. Colts pass offense (19th) vs. Lions pass defense (2nd) *Joe Flacco starts**Anthony Richardson and Joe Flacco I’m not entirely sure what to make of the Colts passing offense. There are a lot of terrible games in this chart, but they’re intermixed with a couple of really good performances, including last week’s game against a very respectable Jets defense. The benching of Anthony Richardson and subsequent re-starting throws another wrench into the predictability of this game. He certainly looked
The Honolulu Blueprint: 10 keys to a Lions victory over the Colts
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports 10 keys to a Detroit Lions victory over the Indianapolis Colts. It’s the Honolulu Blueprint! The Detroit Lions (9-1) are back on the road for a Week 12 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts (5-6). If the Lions want to continue their hot streak, they’ll need to follow the keys to victory laid out in this week’s Honolulu Blueprint. Colts offensive and defensive schemes For a detailed look at the opposing scheme, make sure you check out our complementary breakdown piece: Lions Week 12 Preview: Breaking down Colts’ offensive and defensive schemes. Key 1: Establish the run On paper, this looks like one of Detroit’s biggest advantages. The Colts, on average, allow 143.1 rushing yards per game (28th in the NFL), 3.22 yards after contact (28th), and have given up the most 10+ yard rushes in the NFL, with 48 allowed this season. Now, some of that can be attributed to injuries on the interior of their defensive line, but their wide-9 approach to using their defensive ends leaves them vulnerable to offensive lines that can execute Gap and Duo blocking schemes, which the Lions do at an elite level. Heading into this game, the Lions are producing, on average, 152.2 rushing yards per game (third-most in the NFL), 1.92 yards after contact per rush (fifth most), and have produced 40 rushes of 10+ yards (sixth most). Additionally, they’re the only team in NFL history to rush for 100+ and score a touchdown in each of the first 10 games. Their rushing touchdown streak actually dates back 24 consecutive games (including the playoffs), which is the longest streak in NFL history. Look for the Lions to follow their rushing pattern of attacking the ground game early in the game with Montgomery, shifting to Jahmyr Gibbs in the middle quarters, and then finishing them off with Montgomery in the final quarter. Key 2: Offensive line needs to reach 2nd level of defense In order for the rushing attack to work properly, the Lions’ offensive linemen will need to make sure they’re reaching the second level with their blocks. Running Gap concepts and executing Duo blocks should allow them to accomplish this in a manner in which they have thrived in the past. By running adjacent to the Colts’ interior—instead of attacking it—and then knocking the linebackers off their spots, the Lions back should have open running lanes to get into the secondary. Key 3: Play-action all day long The Colts are in zone coverage roughly 80% of the time, running a bend-don’t-break style of coverage where they keep everything in front of them. The Colts attack the run downhill and can get caught overpursuing with their aggressiveness. Here’s where the Lions’ use of play-action can manipulate the defenders into vacating the passing zone that Detroit wishes to attack. It’s a simple task but the Lions are one of the best play-action teams in the NFL and if Detroit can establish the run and then move the back-seven off their spots, Jared Goff’s accuracy can slice them up. Key 4: Take advantage of matchups The Colts have arguably the best cover nickel corner in the game in Kenny Moore, and when he is covering Amon-Ra St. Brown, it’ll be a challenging task to get the elite weapon the ball—though there are ways to scheme him open. In addition to using play-action, the Lions can also put St. Brown in motion pre-snap, and run crossing routes away from Moore’s zone, among other manipulative tasks. Beyond St. Brown, the Colts zone will also put them in situations where their linebackers will be tasked with covering running backs and tight ends out of the backfield, which can also present as an advantage for the Lions. The key will be to identify the Colts’ coverage and matchups, and then take advantage. Key 5: Prioritize stopping the run, win at the point of attack As we highlighted in our breakdown of the Colts’ schemes, Indianapolis’ new offensive identity appears to rest in establishing the run. Last week, the Colts ran the ball 35 times as a way of keeping their offense in rhythm and aiding quarterback Anthony Richardson’s confidence. While the Colts want to run the ball, they’re still not very good at it just yet. Against the Jets’ No. 24 DVOA run defense, the Colts only managed 91 yards on 35 rushing attempts. Things get harder for them this week when the Lions’ No. 5 DVOA run defense comes to town. Detroit is currently averaging just 94.8 rushing yards per game (fifth best in the NFL), and are coming off games where they only allowed 41 (Jaguars) and 56 (Houston) rushing yards. The key will be stopping the run at the point of attack and that begins with Alim McNeill disrupting the middle of the offensive line. Key 6: Stay disciplined, hold your gaps On the outside, the Lions will need to be disciplined in setting the edge and watching for cutback lanes. If they can play contain, and maintain their gaps, they’ll limit the Colts’ ability to establish the run through traditional methods. In addition to standard runs, the Colts like to create eye candy with pre- and post-snap movement to try and fool the linebackers. One of the more unique ways the Colts disguise intentions is by pulling an interior offensive lineman in one direction and then running the play in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the Colts use a lot of RPO (run-pass option), PRO (quarterback power run option), and zone read concepts to further push for advantages, and the Lions’ linebackers will need to stay disciplined in their assignment and execute their roles. A subtle advantage the Lions have with RPO, PRO, and zone reads is that assistant head coach and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery is well-known in the coaching profession as being a master of these concepts. The Lions’ defense surely tapped into Montgomery’s knowledge in these areas and will enter the game with a firm understanding
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25745302/Screenshot_2024_11_20_at_5.06.26_PM.png?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "Is Tommy DeVito actually a good quarterback?")
Is Tommy DeVito actually a good quarterback?
The New York Giants have turned the page to Tommy DeVito after their 2-8 start. The undrafted second-year player out of Illinois sparked interest last season when the local kid led the Giants on a three-game winning streak. DeVito was ultimately benched at halftime against the Eagles on Christmas in favor of Tyrod Taylor, who finished the season as the starting quarterback. Nevertheless, the DeVito energy had the NFL world raving about an agent in unique suits, chicken cutlets, and the Cornicello. He finished his rookie season with 1,101 passing yards on 178 attempts (64% completion rate), with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He indeed progressed through the season but stagnated near the end. Why was DeVito benched? Starting quarterback Daniel Jones tore his ACL in Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Jones pinched a nerve in his neck against the Dolphins in Week 5, which led to three Taylor starts against the Bills, Commanders, and Jets. Taylor suffered a rib injury against the Jets (Week 8) and landed on Injured Reserve before he was activated during the Giants’ Week 13 BYE. DeVito won two games before the BYE week and had a primetime matchup against the Green Bay Packers ahead. Brian Daboll opted to keep DeVito as the starter over the veteran Taylor and didn’t bench DeVito until Week 16. I reiterate all of this to state the obvious — DeVito was primarily benched because Tyrod Taylor is a much better quarterback. Daboll wanted to ride the hot hand, but the hand quickly cooled. When DeVito was benched, the Giants were down 20-3 at halftime against the Eagles. In Week 15, they were blown out 24-6 in New Orleans. However, DeVito did lead them to an improbable victory against the Green Bay Packers in Week 14. The Giants had a plus offensiveEPA) in just two of DeVito’s starts: Washington (+0.33) and Green Bay (+2.39). DeVito’s game has several impressive aspects, especially considering his path to the NFL, but we should not misremember the negatives. DeVito was sacked 37 times on 237 dropbacks. He had the highest pressure-to-sack ratio of any quarterback in the NFL (that played at least 20% of their team’s snaps). DeVito tied for the lowest average depth of target (aDot) in the NFL, and his yards per attempt were sixth-lowest. DeVito had the second-lowest *big-time-throw percentage (BTT%) in the NFL (2.2%), just ahead of Jimmy Garoppolo of the Raiders and just behind Daniel Jones (2.4%), who ranked third worst in the NFL. Ironically, Taylor was number one in BTT% (8.9%). The next closest was Matthew Stafford, at 6.3%. *(BTT% PFF: a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window) DeVito had several instances of struggle against the Eagles and Saints: The Giants ran 3×1 slants with free access to the boundary in the first quarter against Philadelphia on third-and-seven. The Eagles go in Cover-1 hole, and DeVito liked his matchup for Darren Waller (12). Although this is a catchable pass, there’s little margin for error with the hole defender’s location and the presence of Daniel Bellinger (82) so close to the inside. The defender also shades to Waller’s inside, making this throw more difficult. At the top of the screen, Darius Slayton (86) did a fantastic job winning inside on his slant before DeVito decided to throw to Waller. I hate screen-shot evaluation, but I included this—along with the other factors mentioned—to highlight Slayton’s win and DeVito’s predetermined decision to target Waller against James Bradberry (24). Is this a terrible mistake — No. But this was a staple play for the Giants in third-and-manageable, and they failed both times when other options were available: Here’s a third-and-7 later in the half. DeVito hit his back foot, and Slayton was wide open for the first down. He unnecessarily bailed the pocket and took the check down. Then this happened on the subsequent drive: The Giants found themselves in a third-and-5 on the subsequent drive. DeVito dealt with interior pressure, but the Giants had a far-hash corner route for Waller dialed up against a Cover-2 defense. The flat defender stayed inside the numbers, and Waller was about 12 yards ahead of Reed Blankenship (32). The ball had to be thrown with anticipation and touch to the open space, but DeVito tried to evade the pressure and found no solutions. He was benched after the next drive. He also had a few slightly underthrown passes against the Saints, as we see below: DeVito threw one touchdown pass after the BYE week. He only eclipsed 200 passing yards once, in Week 11 against the Washington Commanders. He finished the season with four big-time throws; two were against the Patriots. Taylor finished the season with 616 passing yards in the final two games. He threw for 319 yards against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17 and 297 yards in Week 18 against the Eagles, with a pair of touchdowns and interceptions spread between the two contests. That’s why DeVito was benched — Taylor was on the roster. Apparently, there is no such option in 2024. Drew Lock replaced Taylor and remains as the second-string quarterback. If the Giants had ANY confidence that Lock would succeed, they’d likely give him a trial run in hopes of a possible cheap extension or to alleviate the heat underneath the rear ends of Daboll and Joe Schoen. Instead, DeVito is starting and auditioning for the backup role moving forward. Difference between Jones and DeVito Daniel Jones is bigger, stronger, faster, and has a slightly better arm than DeVito. Still, the Giants are 2-8, and Jones has significantly struggled. He should be relieved of the starting position, especially with next year’s injury guarantee hovering in the balance. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean DeVito is a better option for winning, but something had to change. Jones is also just a year and three months older than DeVito. The primary contradistinction between Jones and DeVito
College Football Playoff: Teams that control their own destiny entering Week 13
Max Chadwick details the College Football Playoff teams that control their own destiny in Week 13. College Football Playoff: Teams that control their own destiny entering Week 13 2T2WTAM Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) celebrates after a long gain against Washington State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Andy Nelson) By Max Chadwick Posted Nov 22, 2024 5:45 am EST Oregon is the first to clinch a spot into the 12-team field: As the No. 1 team in the country with an 11-0 record, the Ducks are all but guaranteed a spot even if they lose their two remaining games. Ohio State–Indiana is massive for the bracket: Not only will Saturday’s showdown between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers likely determine who will make the Big Ten title game, but it would nearly assure the winner a spot into the playoff. Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all of our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now! Estimated reading time: 22 minutes A fortnight separates us from conference championship weekend in college football. Even with only two weeks remaining in the regular season, there are still plenty of schools that should feel good about their chances to make the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Here are the 16 teams who are still in control of their own destiny entering Week 13, and what it would take for them to be included in the final bracket. Clinched: Oregon As the top-ranked team in the country with an 11-0 record, it’s safe to assume that Oregon is the first team to clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff. Even if the Ducks lose to Washington and in the Big Ten Championship Game, it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t receive one of the seven at-large spots with an 11-2 record and wins over two other likely playoff teams in Ohio State and Boise State. Might be able to survive another loss: Ohio State, Texas, Indiana It’s possible that these three schools can survive with another loss for the rest of the season, but nothing is guaranteed. The winner of this weekend’s colossal showdown between second-ranked Ohio State and No. 5 Indiana pretty much guarantees the winner a spot in both the Big Ten title game and a spot in the College Football Playoff. While the stakes are incredibly high, the loser isn’t necessarily out of the playoff race altogether, as long as it isn’t a blowout. The Buckeyes would need to beat Michigan in the season finale to finish with a 10-2 record. Then, Ohio State would be lumped into the grouping of two-loss SEC schools but would have a great road win over No. 4 Penn State and two close losses to Oregon and Indiana to fall back on. The Hoosiers would be in a much more precarious position even though it’d be 11-1 (assuming it beats Purdue next week). Indiana’s best wins would be over Michigan and Washington, two schools that will likely finish at 6-6. If the Hoosiers can at least keep it close to the Buckeyes, that would make their case much stronger. Like Indiana, third-ranked Texas doesn’t have too many marquee victories. At 9-1, the Longhorns’ best wins came over Vanderbilt and Florida, two schools currently outside the top 25. If Texas finishes 10-2, it might fall from No. 3 to outside the playoff altogether with the other 10-2 SEC teams fighting for spots. Win out in the regular season: Penn State, Notre Dame, Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia These five schools can’t afford a loss in either of the next two weekends. Fourth-ranked Penn State (9-1) will likely host a first-round game as long as it takes care of business against Minnesota and Maryland. If the Nittany Lions lose either of those two games, they’re at serious risk of missing the playoff since their best win came over No. 25 Illinois. No. 6 Notre Dame (9-1) doesn’t have a conference championship game to fall back on, so it only has two games remaining before the playoff. If the Fighting Irish lose to either Army or USC, they’ll probably drop out of the 12-team field. There’s a logjam of two-loss SEC schools fighting for the final playoff spots. If No. 7 Alabama, No. 9 Ole Miss or No. 10 Georgia lose another game, it’s hard to imagine the committee putting a 9-3 SEC team into the field. If the Crimson Tide beat Oklahoma and Auburn, they’ll most likely be playing in the SEC Championship Game. Even if they lose that, the committee likely wouldn’t punish a 10-3 Alabama for playing in the conference championship. Win out: Miami (FL), Boise State, SMU, BYU, Texas A&M, Colorado, Army These schools likely have to avoid a loss in the final two weeks and win their respective conferences to get into the playoff. The Big 12 was effectively guaranteed to be just a one-bid league after No. 14 BYU suffered its first loss of the season this past weekend. The Cougars (9-1) and No. 16 Colorado (8-2) control their own destiny in the conference but have teams like No. 21 Arizona State (8-2) and No. 22 Iowa State (8-2) ready to pounce if either slip up in the regular season. The ACC is in a similar boat with No. 8 Miami (9-1) and No. 13 SMU (9-1). It’s very hard to imagine a two-loss ACC team making the field, so the Hurricanes and Mustangs must win out. And if either loses in the next two weeks, No. 17 Clemson (8-2) could steal their spot in the title game. No. 15 Texas A&M (8-2) is one of the five SEC schools with two losses on the season, but the Aggies might not be able to make it into the playoff without winning the SEC. To do that, Texas A&M must beat Auburn and Texas to
Bengals News (11/22): Another Looming Ja’Marr Chase contract holdout?
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images The Bengals are facing another offseason of paying their star wide receiver—will they step up? Bengals News NFL insider warns Bengals of the inevitable if Ja’Marr Chase contract extension drama continues next year The last thing the Cincinnati Bengals should want is another offseason of Ja’Marr Chase being dissatisfied. Bengals’ Record Book Under Construction; Higgins Also Getting Teed Up In Slot; Joe Burrow’s Offseason Pays Off In Pocket | QUICK HITS Heading into Thursday Night Football, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is not only leading the Triple Crown categories, he’s on pace to dismantle the Bengals’ single-season record book with 1,632 yards, 113 catches, and 19 touchdowns. Stat of the Jay: Bengals’ Lack of Pass Rush Behind Trey Hendrickson Approaching NFL Record Trey Hendrickson leads the NFL with 11.5 sacks and is on pace for 18 sacks, which would be his career high. NFL insider explains why the Bengals won’t fire Zac Taylor despite lackluster season While Cincinnati Bengals fans might hope that the front office fires Zac Taylor amid a disappointing 4-7 season, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated explained why he doesn’t think that’ll happen. Bengals star guarantees win over Steelers in Week 13 The Cincinnati Bengals might be on a bye week, but linebacker Germaine Pratt isn’t taking a break from trying to motivate his guys. NFL News NFL warns teams, players of ‘organized and skilled’ criminals targeting athletes’ homes The NFL has alerted team security directors and the players union about criminals targeting professional athletes’ homes, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Steelers-Browns on ‘Thursday Night Football’: What We Learned from Cleveland’s 24-19 win Winston finished off snowy thriller but not without late scares. Will Brinson’s NFL Week 12 picks, best bets: Send Aaron Rodgers to the Vikings, sneaky Over in AFC East battle Best bets from Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season Browns’ Myles Garrett sends message to Steelers and T.J. Watt with 3 first-half sacks Myles Garrett showed T.J. Watt why he’s the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Surprise NFL Teams That Could Miss 2024 Playoffs With seven weeks remaining in the 2024 regular season, we’re on track to have six new playoff participants among the 14 teams that will qualify for the postseason.
