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4 Enjoyable Story Strains Heading Into the NFL Playoffs | SI
Will a post-2018 quarterback lastly win the Tremendous Bowl?
One among my favourite random enjoyable details concerning the NFL proper now could be that no quarterback drafted in 2018 or after has gained the Tremendous Bowl. This isn’t a commentary on the standard of the quarterbacks who’ve entered the league prior to now seven draft cycles. It’s largely a Patrick Mahomes stat.
Mahomes and his achievements (three titles, two MVPs, six consecutive AFC title video games, numerous data) dangle over all people else within the league. Within the seven accomplished seasons since he was drafted, the Tremendous Bowl–profitable QBs have been Mahomes 3 times, Tom Brady twice, Matthew Stafford and Nick Foles. And that is regardless of a glut of spectacular younger quarterbacks, a few of whom already appear to be they’ll be no-doubt Corridor of Famers.
Listed below are some quarterbacks drafted after 2017 that Mahomes has personally taken out of the playoffs: Josh Allen 3 times, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Trevor Lawrence, Baker Mayfield, Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa.
NFL playoff bracket predictions: Scores, Tremendous Bowl LIX decide | ESPN
Tremendous Bowl LIX
(7) Inexperienced Bay Packers vs. (1) Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
What a enjoyable set of storylines. Kansas Metropolis on the lookout for its third straight title. A rematch from the very first Tremendous Bowl. Andy Reid, in what could possibly be his final recreation as a head coach, going up towards the group the place he began as a decent ends coach within the Nineties. Jordan Love would get an opportunity to avenge the crew that beat him in his first profession begin, when he went 19-of-34 for 190 yards in a 13-7 defeat in 2021. The Chiefs could be the a lot increased seed and have the superior report, however by metrics corresponding to DVOA and ESPN’s FPI, the Packers have been the higher crew in the course of the season.
And but, I feel this might be a Chiefs blowout. It is a horrible matchup for the Packers, whose weaknesses hit Kansas Metropolis’s strengths and vice versa.
I’ve talked about Love’s points with the blitz this season. Effectively, guess who likes to blitz? Chiefs coordinator Steve Spagnuolo would haven’t any qualms about bringing heavy blitz packages, and he would have two weeks to dial up new pressures for Love and Matt LaFleur to interrupt down. Love is a superb participant — and the Chiefs don’t have the identical caliber of protection that that they had with L’Jarius Sneed a yr in the past — however the easiest way to assault Kansas Metropolis is by throwing downfield up both sideline. The participant greatest suited to that receiving position, Christian Watson, tore his ACL in Week 18.
Prisco’s NFL playoff bracket projection: Payments lastly topple Chiefs, Packers stun Lions on strategy to Tremendous Bowl | CBS Sports activities
AFC projection
Payments over Chiefs: ”I hate selecting towards Jordan within the playoffs,” Prisco says, referring to the reigning Tremendous Bowl champs, “however someone’s gotta beat ‘em.”
NFC projection
Packers over Buccaneers: Prisco thinks these golf equipment have the offensive firepower to provide a real spectacle: “The primary one to 38 wins. I’d love that, and that’s the best way I like to see good soccer.”
Jaden Hicks simply the most recent younger, succesful defensive again the Chiefs have developed | The Athletic
Final spring, within the weeks earlier than the NFL Draft, many analysts didn’t describe Hicks’ play type as that of a ballhawk. However most anticipated Hicks, who performed at Washington State, to be chosen late within the second or third spherical. As a substitute, Hicks awakened on the third morning of the draft nonetheless accessible. Chiefs basic supervisor Brett Veach didn’t even need to commerce up within the fourth spherical to pick Hicks, whom The Athletic’s Dane Brugler graded because the thirty ninth total prospect and the perfect security within the 2024 class.
In faculty, Hicks was identified for being an above-average hitter and tackler. In his final season at Washington State, Hicks recorded six tackles from behind the road of scrimmage, two interceptions and 6 cross breakups.
“I do know what I’m able to,” Hicks stated of exceeding his preliminary scouting report. “Once they labeled me as only a run-stopping security, that fuels the fireplace much more. I’m glad I obtained to point out it.”
The Chiefs entered the draft with 4 viable safeties — Reid, Bryan Cook dinner, Chamarri Conner and Deon Bush.
“We’re blessed to have him,” Williams stated of Hicks. “He has some superb vets round him — Cook dinner, D-Bush and J-Reid — giving him suggestions. He’s soaking all of it up and making performs.”
Tom Brady’s Energy Rankings: Who made the GOAT’s Prime 5 groups getting into NFL playoffs? | FOX Sports activities
1. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (15-2) (Final week: 1)
Week 18 outcome: Misplaced to Denver Broncos, 38-0
Brady’s ideas: ”One other unimaginable season from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. They gained a franchise-record 15 video games. And the way about [Steve Spagnuolo’s] protection rating high 5 in scoring for the second yr in a row?
“Can Okay.C. grow to be the primary crew ever to win three straight Tremendous Bowls? I can’t wait to search out out. Let’s go!
“It’s been a whole lot of enjoyable this common season bringing you my energy rankings, however now it’s a one-game season. I can’t wait to observe these playoffs.”
7 spherical mock: Chiefs draft two Texas Longhorns, Kansas Jayhawks legend | Chiefs Wire
Spherical 1, Choose No. 32: Texas Longhorns OT Cameron Williams
Sep 14, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Cameron Williams (56) blocks in the course of the first half towards the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners at Texas at Darrell Okay Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Scott Wachter-Imagn Photographs
Williams was profiled by Chiefs Wire’s Sam Teets forward of the School Soccer Playoff and could be a steal for Kansas Metropolis with the ultimate decide within the first spherical of the 2025 NFL draft.
Although Williams isn’t as polished as a number of the tackles who went earlier than him in our simulation, he may compete to begin for the Chiefs as a rookie and should have the potential to become an anchor on Kansas Metropolis’s line for years to return.
Across the NFL
Falcons GM Terry Fontenot ‘comfy’ with Kirk Cousins as backup quarterback in 2025 | NFL.com
The Atlanta Falcons may need benched Kirk Cousins late within the season, however they are saying they’re not essentially shifting on from him.
Falcons basic supervisor Terry Fontenot stated the crew wouldn’t hesitate bringing again Cousins subsequent season as Michael Penix Jr.’s backup quarterback — even with Cousins’ massive salary-cap hit in 2025.
“We’re very comfy shifting ahead with (Cousins) as backup,” Fontenot stated Thursday. “Kirk is a superb man, and he’s been nice assist for Mike. We’re very comfy shifting ahead with him because the backup.”
Is Cousins comfy with that association? He didn’t speculate on his future publicly previous to the top of the common season, which ended with Atlanta lacking the playoffs.
Raiders fireplace GM Tom Telesco days after firing coach Antonio Pierce | ESPN
The Las Vegas Raiders have fired basic supervisor Tom Telesco after one season, the crew introduced Thursday.
The transfer comes two days after the crew fired coach Antonio Pierce after his first full season because the crew’s coach.
“We recognize his efforts in serving to construct a basis for the long run. We want Tom and his household all the perfect,” the crew stated in an announcement.
The Raiders completed 4-13 this season, hampered by an unsettled quarterback scenario. Telesco signed Gardner Minshew, giving him a two-year, $25 million contract with $15 million assured. Minshew started the season because the starter however was benched in favor of Aidan O’Connell after 5 video games. Each Minshew and O’Connell handled accidents in the course of the season, forcing the crew additionally to begin Desmond Ridder.
Ravens rule out Professional Bowl WR Zay Flowers (knee) vs. Steelers | ESPN
Professional Bowl large receiver Zay Flowers was dominated out for the Baltimore Ravens’ wild-card recreation towards the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night time. Flowers injured his proper knee in Saturday’s regular-season finale and didn’t apply all week.
Moments after Ravens coach John Harbaugh made the announcement Thursday that Flowers wouldn’t play, the previous first-round decide walked by the locker room sporting a brace on his injured knee.
“We’ll transfer ahead with the fellows we’ve,” Harbaugh stated, “and we’re excited concerning the guys we’ve.”
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Delight
Chiefs’ Joshua Williams: ‘Each morning, Steve Spagnuolo has new stuff’
Because the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs wait out the NFL’s Wild Card Weekend to search out out who they may face within the playoffs’ second spherical, there was some information surrounding the crew’s teaching employees.
On Wednesday, we realized that the New York Jets and AFC West rival Las Vegas Raiders have requested to interview Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo for his or her vacant head teaching positions. The Jacksonville Jaguars additionally introduced curiosity in Spagnuolo on Thursday.
On Wednesday’s episode of the Up and Adams Present on FANDUEL TV, cornerback Joshua Williams supplied some perception as to why Spagnuolo could be so coveted.
“I feel each morning, Spags has new stuff,” Williams defined. “He could be an amazing basic – no humorous stuff. He’s actually only a surprise. He can provide you with all these several types of pressures [and] all these several types of zone drops. All of that’s simply stuff to form of confuse the quarterback. A variety of instances, guys get in a protection they usually form of do the identical factor yr in, yr out. That’s good since you nonetheless get to excellent what you’re doing.
“However on this system, I feel one of many advantages for us is you have got totally different guys doing various things on a regular basis. We now have corners who blitz. We now have corners who drop to a half. We now have corners enjoying man-to-man. We now have corners enjoying off man [and] off zone. There’s so many several types of protection we run, and I really feel like that’s one of many advantages that Coach Spags brings.”
Williams benefited from Spagnuolo’s creativity in the course of the Chiefs’ Week 16 victory over the Houston Texans. Down 27-19 (the sport’s eventual closing rating), the Texans confronted third-and-11 from their very own 25 late within the fourth quarter. Williams dropped quarterback CJ Stroud for a 12-yard sack on a superbly timed blitz.
