Blogs

Week 15 in the NFL brought some interest results as the league's playoff picture came into clearer focus. Some powerhouses flexed their muscle, while a few fizzled. Further down the hierarchy, the muddled middle either is about more momentum or mediocrity. Ahead of unwrapping a full slate of Christmas weekend games in the NFL, here's the latest look at how all 32 teams now stack up against each other with just three weeks left in the 2023 regular season: WEEK 16 PICKS: | NFL power rankings Week 16 1. San Francisco 49ers 11-3 (previous week: 1) The 49ers kept their offense rolling with Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey looking like they should be co-NFL MVPs. They easily clipped the wings of the Seahawks, Eagles and Cardinals of late to make it six consecutive wins after the bye and now will try to do the same vs. the Ravens in a po sible Super Bowl preview. 2. Baltimore Ravens 11-3 (3) The Ravens have won and will look to pa s another NFC West test after taking it to the Cardinals, Seahawks and Rams in different ways. They have definitely done their part in the AFC, ripping the Jaguars with the Dolphins looming in Week 17. Lamar Jackson and the defense are taking turns getting it done. 3. Miami Dolphins 10-4 (5) The Dolphins proved they are a complete team as they destroyed the Jets without Tyreek Hill, thanks to Jaylen Waddle and Raheem Mostert doing enough damage. The defense also is starting to make big plays all the time and is bound to grow in confidence after pitching a relentle s shutout. 4. Detroit Lions 10-4 (7) The Lions got at home on Saturday with the elite running game plowing through a porous Broncos un defense. That returning development also resettled Jared Goff at home to play well and inspired the defense. They can now feel better about their playoff dangerous status as soon-to-be new division champions. Getty Images 5. Philadelphia Eagles 10-4 (4) The Eagles coming off being destroyed by the 49ers and Cowboys to end a brutal stretch of games, stayed cold offensively and dropped a big game late at the Seahawks on Monday night. The health of Jalen Hurts should feel like a bigger concern now and the team is desperate for defensive answers. 6. Kansas City Chiefs 9-5 (6) The Chiefs didn't care about style points against the Patriots but a funny thing happened: They rose to the occasion with their offensive scheming when challenged more and ended up scoring plenty of Chiefs-like points. Also, their defense can Chris Sabo Jersey almost carry them at times. 7. Dallas Cowboys 10-4 (2) The Cowboys were looking great with Dak Prescott and seemed like they were positioned to make a statement at the Bills. Instead they were , throwing away their good fortune of beating Philadelphia soundly last week at home with a bad overall blowout lo s on the road. 8. Cleveland Browns 9-5 (8) The Browns held steady by rallying to beat the Bears with throwback late-game heroics by Joe Flacco. Their defense kept them in the game by containing another team at home, despite the Hail Mary scare. They will try to hold on as a top wild card now with the Texans and Bengals among the final three opponents. MORE: 9. Buffalo Bills 8-6 (11) The Bills finally played another complete dominant game to throw down against the Cowboys at the most opportune time to keep their AFC wild-card and East division chances alive and well. Go figure they did it mostly with and the defense with little from Josh Allen. 10. Houston Texans 8-6 (12) The Texans didn't have C.J. Stroud (and many of his key weapons) when playing at the Titans. They dug themselves a big hole and didn't have Will Anderson Jr. on their defense. But somehow, they managed to fight through with Case Keenum, the running game and pa s rush to maintain their AFC playoff push, making quite a "next man up" impre sion. Getty Images 11. Cincinnati Bengals 8-6 (14) The Jake Browning show keeps producing big hits as the Bengals continue to show the dazzling strength of their offensive system under Zac Taylor and Brian Callahan. Now they need to worry about not having Ja'Marr Chase on top of Joe Burrow, however. 12. Jacksonville Jaguars 8-6 (9) The Jaguars' offense has been a roller-coaster with Trevor Lawrence's inconsistent connection with key weapons and now that group is shorthanded. There's also no consistency to using Travis Etienne. Jacksonville can still get hot and make a playoff run, but its need to be more complementary for its defense. 13. Indianapolis Colts 8-6 (15) The Colts around Gardner Minshew, running with and pa sing to whoever it takes to keep the ball moving and scoring in Shane Steichen's offense. He is making a sneaky strong coach of the year case. 14. Los Angeles Rams 7-7 (18) Sean McVay has all the right pieces for Matthew Stafford offensively again with Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams and key linemen rejuvenated their QB right along with Cooper Kupp. Los Angeles is not just rolling with some of McVay's best coaching; it has to the makeup to be dangerous again in the playoffs, this time as a wild card. 15. DenverBroncos 7-7 (10) The Broncos' major defensive i sues in stopping the run and covering the tight end were a bad combination for their matchup in Detroit. It's been their biggest obstacle in trying to rally for an AFC wild-card spot late under Sean Payton and they may not recover over the final three weeks. (Getty Images) 16. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-7 (13) The Steelers are spinning out of control without Kenny Pickett, showing how important he was to gluing together the offense despite not having any standout individual numbers. It's not helping their defense has completely wilted in key areas for Mike Tomlin with injuries seeping in there, too. 17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-7 (19) Baker Mayfield got into a groove in Green Bay and didn't look back while locked into his weapons. He has proved to be a fine QB choice in Dave Canales' offense with Rachaad White and Mike Evans boosting him big-time. They can keep feeling better about their chances to repeat as NFC South champions post Tom Brady. 18. Seattle Seahawks 7-7 (20) The Seahawks' offense has gotten some recent sparks from both Geno Smith and Drew Lock and the defense is looking more the force that Pete Carroll expected vs. the pa s. They fought hard for a much-needed comeback victory at home over the Eagles to save their wild-card chances. MORE: 19. Minnesota Vikings 7-7 (16) The Vikings got the sharper QB play they wanted from backup Nick Mullens as he helped wake up the downfield pa sing game. The running game also was elevated by backup Ty Chandler. But the defensive breakdowns against the pa s came back to haunt them in Cincinnati and could still keep them out of the playoffs. 20. New Orleans Saints 7-7 (22) The Saints finally got steady all-around play from Derek Carr by him spreading it all-around in a Chris Olave-le s receiving corps, no le s. But the big difference was the run defense and pa s rush coming alive up front. (Getty Images) 21. Green Bay Packers 6-8 (17) The Packers have been a wild ride, going up twice and now down twice as NFC wild-card contenders. Jordan Love looks amazing at times, completely lost at other times, and not having a healthy, reliable running option in Aaron Jones enough has kept them in trouble. But the real problem is that an injury-marred defense is just getting ripped everywhere under Joe Barry. 22. Las Vegas Raiders 6-8 (28) The Raiders are doing their best to get the full-time coaching job for Antonio Pierce with their 63-point plan but this feels like another Rich Bisaccia situation. No matter the inspiring and suddenly surprisingly explosive results, the Raiders are about to take another high-profile shot attached to a new franchise QB. 23. Atlanta Falcons 6-8 (21) The Falcons continue to randomly either flop or succeed with Arthur Smith calling the offense for youngsters Desmond Ridder, Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London. They are awful on the road as seen at the Panthers and much more put-together at home with the same talent. Looks Atlanta might be partying ways with another coach named Smith soon. 24. Chicago Bears 5-9 (23) The Bears are playing much better defensively with Matt Eberflus having more healthy key talent on every level, but their offense continues to give limited help to a franchise-worthy Justin Fields. He needs another reliable weapon behind D.J. Moore, Cole Kmet. 25. New York Jets 5-9 (24) The Jets didn't totally crash without Aaron Rodgers thanks to their defensive strengths in many games, but injuries and ineffectivene s through a heavy winning burden seeped into causing to wil on the other side of a non-complementary offense. (Getty Images) 26. New York Giants 5-9 (25) Enough with the Tommy DeVito overhype: This offense isn't very good when Saquon Barkley isn't rolling and Darren Waller remains limited. The defense has some pop up front at times vs. run and pa s, but the back end needs major fixing for Brian Daboll and Wink Martindale. 27. Tenne see Titans 5-9 (26) The Titans' offensive line woes keep catching up to them, and now the concerns are on the defensive line vs. the run, which used to be a signature strength. Here's hoping Will Levis is OK to keep showing them he easily deserves to stick as their starter all next season. 28. Los Angeles Chargers 5-9 (27) The Chargers' wheels came off offensively and defensively with their plleup of injuries and ineptitude, and it finally cost coach Brandon Staley his job. The goal now is just to play hard and show some fight with whoever's left healthy for more upside under a new leader. 29. New England Patriots 3-11 (29) The Bill Belichick rumors swirled before the Chiefs game and it seemed like there was a little more disinterest there in taking down a rival than there was in knocking off the Steelers in Week 14. He definitely was out-coached by Andy Reid at the exact wrong time. (Getty Images) 30. Arizona Cardinals 3-11 (30) The Cardinals' defense is scrappy but there's just not enough there for Jonathan Gannon yet to make it work the way he wants. The offense is showing more signs of life with Kyler Murray and James Conner back healthy together, something they can work to build on better in 2024. 31. Washington Commanders 4-10 (31) The Commanders are battling of ton of injuries but after riding with Sam Howell through good and bad all season, made a curious late decision to bench him vs. the Rams. It seemed like a desperate spite measure by Ron Rivera and although Jacoby Bri sett played well in relief, it adds a low cloud to what seemed to be a bright spot. It will be interesting to see if Howell's sack and turnover woes would keep him from starting for a new coach next year. 32. Carolina Panthers 2-12 (32) Bryce Young likes to play ugly battles of attrition as a rookie as his two wins have come in that form at home vs. the Texans and Falcons. Although Young has taken a lot of lumps and must improve his pa sing to live up to lofty No. 1 expectations in Year 2, there's no questioning his leadership and intangibles. Alexis Diaz Jersey

clearly liked what he saw on the other side of the mirror after undergoing his physical transformation in preparation for his debut on the CBS hit show which will feature the quarterback on its upcoming episode that will air Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET.Brees, a Super Bowl champion as well as the NFL's all-time leading pa ser, has traded his clean-cut look for a more shaggy look while going under the alias of Chris during his time as an undercover bo s. Brees will undergo an "undercover mi sion" at Jace Fry Jersey , a family-friendly sports bar that offers authentic Louisiana cuisine in each of its 33 locations acro s Louisiana, Texas, Mi si sippi, Alabama, Florida and North Carolina."It's actually even better than I thought it was gonna be," Brees said of his undercover persona. "How did I just become Mathew McConaughey?""I'm nervous but excited all at the same time."- Undercover Bo s (@undercover_cbs) Brees, who became a co-owner of the franchise in 2015, will be going undercover at a New Orleans-based location. However, Brees is not going undercover alone, as founder and CEO Brandon Landry has also cooked up a plan to go undercover in an effort to make improvements as his restaurant chain faces rapid expansion."I'm nervous, but excited all at the same time," Brees said about going undercover. "To be truly behind the scenes where I'm not Drew Brees. I'm just a guy. That's what I'm most interested in."While Wednesday's episode will kick off the ninth season of "Undercover Bo s," it will be the first episode that will include a former Super Bowl MVP and future Hall of Fame quarterback. How will he fare under the pre sure of being an undercover bo s? Tune in to find out. Garrett Crochet Jersey

The Lions were faced with the first tough decision of the 2020 NFL Draft when they Ian Happ Jersey came on the clock, and they opted to hopefully find a long-term replacement for Darius Slay with their selection of Jeff Okudah. The followed it up with a running back who was largely touted as the best in the cla s, a pa s rusher with excellent twitch and burst, and a guard who was largely touted as the best in the cla s. It was quite the haul. We'll be tracking every player they take and every grade they receive for those picks in this space throughout draft weekend. You can follow along with the draft pick by pick and checking out our grades in real time. Detroit Lions 2020 draft picks tracker RoundOverallPlayer SelectedGrade 1 3 CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State B 2 35 RB D'Andre Swift, Georgia C+ 3 67 EDGE Julian Okwara, Notre Dame A- 3 75* G Jonah Jackson, Ohio State A 4 121* G Logan Stenberg, Kentucky D+ 5 166* WR Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin B+5172*RB Jason Huntley, New Mexico StateD+ 6 197* DT John Penisini, Utah A- 7 235* DT Jashon Cornell, Ohio State C+* Acquired via trade ^ Compensatory pick A component with "marker-draft-tracker-nfl" slug not found to render the marker. (Slug not found) Detroit Lions 2020 draft trade notes No. 75 and 197 acquired from Colts as part of draft-day tradeNo. 121 and 172 acquired from Raiders as part of draft-day tradeNo. 166 acquired from Eagles as part of Darius Slay tradeNo. 235 acquired from Patriots as part of Duron Harmon trade Leon Durham Jersey

Thewill open theiragainst the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, September 8 at 1:00 p.m. ET, which is now 25 days away.Until the opening kickoff of the season for the Patriots, we'll be counting down each day by looking back at those who have worn each specific jersey number.Since 1960, Tyler Danish Jersey 19 players have worn No. 25 in New England, and with 25 days until their first game of the year, here's a look at everyone who's worn the number for the team:DB Marcus Jones: 2022-PresentAppeared in 17 games for New England over his first two seasons, recording 44 tackles (two for a lo s), seven pa ses defensed, two interceptions and one fumble recovery, caught four pa ses for 78 yards and a touchdown and returned 32 punts for 383 yards and a touchdown and 27 kicks for 645 yardsExpected to be the team's return man and play a role on defenseRB Brandon Bolden: 2021Appeared in 115 games for New England over eight seasons, rushing for 1,206 yards and 10 touchdowns on 4.4 yards per attempt and catching 97 pa ses for 889 yards and five touchdownsWon two Super Bowls with the PatriotsAlso played for the Las Vegas Raiders and Miami DolphinsDB Terrence Brooks: 2019-20Appeared in 29 games for New England over two seasons, recording 47 tackles, four quarterback hits, three pa ses defensed and an interceptionAlso played for the Baltimore Ravens, New York, Houston Texans and Philadelphia EaglesDB Eric Rowe: 2016-18Appeared in 21 games for New England over three seasons, recording 51 tackles (one for a lo s), 11 pa ses defensed and one interceptionWon two Super Bowls with the PatriotsAlso played for the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh SteelersDB Tarrell Brown: 2015Appeared in three games for New England in one season, recording 15 tackles (two for a lo s)Also played for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland RaidersDB Kyle Arrington: 2013-14Appeared in 86 games for New England over six seasons, recording 334 tackles (eight for a lo s), 48 pa ses defensed, nine interceptions, five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and three sacksWon a Super Bowl with the PatriotsAlso played for the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay BuccaneersDB Patrick Chung: 2009-12Appeared in 141 games for New England over 10 seasons, recording 719 tackles (20 for a lo s), 54 pa ses defensed, 12 quarterback hits, 11 interceptions, 4.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumblesWon three Super BowlsAlso played for the Philadelphia EaglesDB Artrell Hawkins: 2005-06Appeared in 19 games for New England over two seasons, recording 90 tackles (two for a lo s), three pa ses defensed, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovered, one interception and one sackAlso played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina PanthersDB Arturo Freeman: 2005Appeared in two games for New England in one season, recording seven tacklesAlso played for the Miami DolphinsDB Leonard Myers: 2001-02Appeared in 15 games for New England over two seasons, recording 23 tackles and two pa ses defensedWon a Super Bowl with the PatriotsAlso played for the Detroit Lions and New York JetsDB Larry Whigham: 1994-2000Appeared in 106 games for New England over seven seasons, recording 139 tackles, five sacks, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumbleMade a Pro Bowl with the PatriotsAlso played for the Chicago Bears and made a Pro BowlDB Darren Anderson: 1992Appeared in one game for New England in one seasonAlso played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta FalconsDB Tony Zackery: 1990-91Appeared in 18 games for New England over two seasonsAlso played for the Atlanta FalconsDB Vencie Glenn: 1986Appeared in four games for New England in one season, recording nine tacklesAlso played for the San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints and New York GiantsDB Rick Sanford: 1979-84Appeared in 89 games for New England over six seasons, recording 16 interceptions, nine fumble recoveries and a sackAlso played for the Seattle SeahawksDB John Sanders: 1974-76Appeared in 30 games for New England over three seasons, recording six interceptions and five fumble recoveriesAlso played for the Philadelphia EaglesDB Rickie Harris: 1971-72Appeared in 28 games for New England over two seasons, recording five fumble recoveries and three interceptions and returned nine punts for 24 yardsAlso played for WashingtonDB John Charles: 1967-69Appeared in 39 games for Boston over three seasons, recording six interceptions and a fumble recoveryAlso played for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota VikingsDB Ro s O'Hanley: 1960-65Appeared in 77 games for Boston over six seasons, recording 15 interceptions and a sackMORE PATRIOTS NEWS Nick Sogard Jersey

The NFL was faced with unprecedented challenges this offseason and it was reasonable to think rookies might be at a disadvantage to open the season. Through two weeks, the 2020 rookie cla s has been outstanding and has proven that there was no reason to worry about their production.To addre s the elephant in the room, did make the cut after an impre sive primetime debut against the in which he did a better job of protecting the football. There is a lot left to learn but the LSU Tiger is already operating like a veteran.Without further ado, the cumulative rookie power rankings Week 3 Cedric Mullins Jersey Rookie Rankings1 Washington Football Team DE was dominant once again this weekend. In this instance, it was the mobile serving as his prey. Young has 2.5 sacks through two games, which means he is on pace for 20 sacks in 2020. Last season's rookie sack leader, , recorded 10.5 sacks. It appears that the Ohio State product will surge past that mark.2 Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow showed some veteran awarene s in Week 1 drawing the offside and guiding his teammates as if they had been in the same offense for years. In Week 2, he showed his maturity by taking what the Browns defense gave him and exploiting mismatches. Cincinnati's defense could not stop anyone right now so it was impre sive that Burrow was largely able to keep pace.3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers SAF Antoine Winfield Jr. has adapted to the profe sional game pretty smoothly. He made a few more big plays against the and continues to be all over the field.4 Baltimore Ravens LB Baltimore's defense can get after the pa ser and stick like glue in coverage. Now, they have a rookie in the middle capable of cleaning up the me s. flies sideline-to-sideline and rakes up tackles like fallen leaves.5 CeeDee Lamb Dallas Cowboys WR showed his ability in Week 1 but the sheer number of options in that offense made his statistics look mundane. The positive to trailing by 20 points in a game is that you have to throw your way out of the hole. Lamb was happy to oblige becoming the first rookie to top 100 receiving yards this season.6 Jacksonville Jaguars CB C.J. Henderson was a dark cloud over Indianapolis' receivers in Week 1 but still played a solid game against the .7 Kansas City Chiefs RB was effective in the ground game against the but was notably absent in the pa s game. Against the Chargers, he was involved in the pa s game but was bottled up by a talented Los Angeles front on the ground. Fans have seen his abilities but he has yet to put it all together; a scary proposition.8 Jacksonville Jaguars RB has been a brute for Jacksonville. A talented Tenne see front had no answer for him averaging over six yards per carry. The rookie from Illinois State also made more of an impact through the air.9 Los Angeles Chargers QB may not have known that he was starting Sunday against the until kickoff but it could have fooled me. He was poised and in control of the offense. At the end of the day, he gave his team a chance to win and the moment did not look too big for him; that is all anyone could ask from a rookie quarterback. He was smiling through his facemask all day as it truly looked like he was having fun in his first start. If Los Angeles goes back to , then Herbert may tumble down this list because it is cumulative.10 San Francisco 49ers DT In two games with , there have been some remarkable flashes of what he could become in San Francisco. If he plays more consistently, then he will be a staple at the top of this list. Unfortunately, he will have to bare a larger role than anyone anticipated as the team lost and for the season.11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers T Dating back to Iowa, was a player that po se sed tremendous athleticism but looked like he was playing back on his heels at times, which allowed the opposition to dictate his movement. His anchor in Tampa has not been a problem and neither has been his protection of to this point.12 Seattle Seahawks G has manned the starting right guard role admirably. His anchor is so strong and he looks for work when disengaged. Seattle has struggled to find five quality starters along the offensive line for years but Lewis should solidify one of those spots.13 Pittsburgh Steelers G was a value pick for the in the fourth round. The NFL combine snub has been a rock at right guard for Pittsburgh. After Ramon Castro retired and went down with a season-ending injury, the AFC North team needed someone to step up and Dotson has done just that in his first season.14 New York Jets T The rookie offensive tackle cla s has been impre sive through two weeks. , and have all done some good things but not enough to surpa s or Wirfs, who was ranked higher. There are aspects of Becton's game that still need work but he was throwing out of the club Sunday.15 Los Angeles Rams SAF had a nice Week 1 and just narrowly mi sed the Top 15. He was noted in the Honorable Mention category but his consistent play into Week 2 was enough to earn him a spot this week.The 2020 rookie cla s has been sensational despite a shortened, unorthodox offseason. My list of rookies that stood out in film study this week reached 40-plus. Rather than listing them all, here are the four that just mi sed the cut: running back , Steelers wide receiver/special teams tackling machine , wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. and offensive guard . James Mccann Jersey

receiver mi sed practice again on Thursday due to his Cavan Biggio Jersey hip injury. There is a good chance that Jones could mi s Friday's practice and still play this Sunday after performing well at le s than 100 percent last week.In a winner-take-all battle with the on Sunday, getting Jones on the field in any capacity is a game-changer. won't worry about his best player mi sing a few practices as long as he has Jones on the field come Sunday. (quad) also remained out of the ' Thursday practice. Expect 's role to increase in the season finale. In better news for Atlanta, (ankle) and (foot) returned to practice. Both are on pace to play. Here are some other injuries we are tracking on this Christmas Day: running back (Achilles) and receiver (ankle) participated in practice after mi sing Wednesday. Bell's status is uncertain for Sunday's game against the , as coach simply said "we'll see," when asked, per the team's official website. (arm) returned to the ' practice and participated on a limited basis, according to the team's official website. The wideout's return is a good sign for his availability to play Sunday night against the . tight end mi sed practice Thursday. The latest Around The NFL Podcast and makes its picks for the last week of the season. Find more Around The NFL content on . Rico Carty Jersey

Super Bowl LIV is going to make history no matter who ends up the champions of the NFL's 100th season. Both the and will be taking more than the Lombardi Trophy if they end the 2019 season with a victory. The Chiefs have two Super Bowl appearances under their belt, but they haven't been to Super Sunday since 1970, when Hank Stram coached them to a title against Bud Grant and the . Not only would a win over the Niners snap that 50-year drought, but it would also give something to Andy Reid that's eluded the coach for Brett Johnson Jersey the entirety of an otherwise Hall of Fame career -- a ring. The 49ers, meanwhile, are no stranger to Super Bowl stardom, winning five trophies just between 1981 and 1994 and then returning to the Big Game in 2012, when and Co. fell just short against the . A win for them would put San Francisco in a three-way tie with the and for the most total Super Bowl titles in NFL history. to become this year's champions, but only barely. So who's it going to be? Who's going to make history? Who's going to win Super Bowl LIV? The Pick Six Podcast featuring Will Brinson broke down the gambling angles for the Super Bowl on Friday's blowout episode, with spread, total and prop picks from Pete Prisco and R.J. White, fun prop talk with Ryan Wilson and John Breech, plus DFS tips from Heath Cummings. Give it a listen below and be sure to: Yours truly has gone 5-1 picking playoff games since the Divisional Round and went 152-103-1 predicting games straight-up in the regular season, so let's give it one more shot: San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Feb. 2, 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX) Point spread:Chiefs -1 Let's start by making this clear: We couldn't have asked for a better matchup. The representing the NFC would've been a nice touch for the NFL's 100th season considering K.C. and Green Bay went head-to-head back in Super Bowl I, but this duel figures to be far more entertaining. It's dominant offense against dominant defense. Superstar quarterback against superstar pa s rusher. Historic franchise against historic underdog, what with both Reid and the Chiefs looking to exorcise longtime demons. There's also absolutely no way you can write off either side. That's typically the case with every Super Bowl (or should be), but this one feels especially hard to forecast. Firstly, the teams' strengths are so different. When you've got a killer ground-and-pound, trench-oriented, defensively geared contender on one side and an electrifying big-play, aerial-focused contender on the other, who's to say what kind of game we're actually going to get? Secondly, it's not as if either one of these teams has the "been there, done that" mentality of a Patriots squad. The Chiefs' Super Bowl drought is well documented, and the 49ers are just a year removed from winning four games! They're both fresh in the spotlight. Who should you back against the spread and on the money line in the Super Bowl? And what's the exact final score?. With the talent and ferocity of the Niners' pa s rush, there's no way San Francisco won't be able to give Chiefs quarterback at least a little bit of a scare. , meanwhile, has been a nice comeback story in the back end of their "D," and while he might be at risk of exposure against the elite speed of , he'll also benefit from the 49ers' ability to overwhelm at the line with so much consistency. And that's not even mentioning the other side of the ball, where the 49ers are probably underrated. QB has been prone to turnovers here and there, but their ground game is the truth. And when that's working, with physical blocking and open-field shiftine s from guys like , Garoppolo is that much better on the play-action, with help from rock-solid talent in , and . The Chiefs will undoubtedly have a harder time running away with this one, and they can't afford to dig themselves another early, deep hole. Preventing the run will be a challenge. All that being said, Mahomes is Mahomes. And even if No. 15 gets dragged to the Hard Rock Stadium surface a handful of times, he's got an arm that's built to win championships. Andy Reid may have a reputation for poor clock management in big-time situations, but he's never been better positioned to just let his talent win the day. If rangine s or ' penetration can deliver a turnover, that'll be a bonus. But this comes down to the QB, and no one has shown a more otherworldly ability to escape trouble, extend plays and then wow us with improbable bullets like Mr. Mahomes. Give it to Pat. Give it to Andy. Give it to the Chiefs. But it's going to be one heck of a game. Prediction: Chiefs 31, 49ers 29 A.j. Puk Jersey

is on an unfortunate track. reported Tuesday, via team sources, that it appears the cornerback is headed towards starting the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. The team will know this week, according to Rapoport.Hayden for a stre s fracture in late July, he's been on the PUP Matt Nelson Jersey list since. The hoped he would come off the list before he was forced to mi s the first six games.The No. 12 overall pick in 2013 has been a disaster thus far, mainly due to his inability to stay healthy. He played in just eight games as a rookie, starting two, and got torched often in those opportunities. The had been counting on Hayden to in his second season, but instead have been dealt another setback. Gregg Rosenthal pointed out in 's thatthe secondary is one of Oakland's chief concerns. General manager Reggie McKenzie spent the offseason signing castoffs and . is savvy, but he has clearly lost a step. And now Hayden will likely mi s at least the first six games of the season. that the team is fine with starting the second-year corner on the PUP list because they want him healthy and comfortable. The move also delays making a decision on one of their younger corners, and , both whom . Oakland believes it finally has some depth at the position.The hard truth of the matter is that a player McKenzie took a chance on at No. 12 overall has been a washout thus far. Bad teams with thin rosters don't improve when top-15 picks bomb out time and again. The latest "" recaps all of the action from the . Cole Banwart Jersey

The Lions will try to win their second-straight game on Sunday when they travel to the Twin Cities to play the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium (1 p.m. ET, FOX). Detroit snapped their four-game losing streak against the Vikings last season on Dec. 5 with a 29-27 win.After losing to the Eagles by three points in Week 1, Detroit picked up a 36-27 win over the Commanders at home. The Lions' offense was clicking on all cylinders against Washington as Jared Goff completed 20-of-34 pa ses for 256 yards and four touchdown pa ses. Two of Goff's touchdown pa ses went to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is having an exciting start to the regular season. St. Brown led both teams with a game-high nine receptions (12 targets) for 116 yards. The Vikings' defense will have their hands full dealing with St. Brown and the Lions' dynamic running game.Meanwhile, the Vikings will look to get back into the win column after losing to the Eagles 24-7 on Monday Night Football. Minnesota's defense struggled in slowing down Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia's explosive offense, which was not a surprise. However, what was more concerning in Week 2 was the play of Kirk Cousins. Cousins couldn't get comfortable on Monday night, completing 58.7 percent of his pa ses for 221 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions. Now, he will try to withstand the Jamaree Salyer Jersey pre sure of Detroit's defensive line, which features rookie Aidan Hutchison, who had three sacks and two tackles for lo ses last week.WEEK 3 NFL PICKS: | Below, we'll give you all the information you need before placing a wager on Lions-Vikings, including the updated odds from Caesars Sportsbook, staff tips, and our prediction for this Week 3 NFC North contest.Spread: Vikings -6Over/Under: 52.0Moneyline: Vikings-250,Lions+205The Vikings are almost a touchdown favorite despite getting handled on both sides of the ball on national television in Week 2. However, we saw how the Lions played last season and through the first two games this season. They are definitely worth a look to cover and potentially sprinkle something on the moneyline. The total has settled at 51.5, which makes sense given the talent on both teams' offenses and the questionable defenses.MORE WEEK 3 NFL BETTING: | The Vikings lead the all-time series over the Lions with an impre sive record of 79-40-2. Minnesota has won four out of the past five meetings, with Detroit winning the most recent matchup last season (29-27 on Dec. 5). With Sunday's game being in Minnesota, it's a good time to bring up that the last time the Lions won in the Twin Cities was on Oct. 1, 2017 (14-7). Matthew Stafford was the quarterback for Detroit, while Minnesota had Case Keenum under center.-- The Lions are 1-8 against the spread in their past nine games against the Vikings and are 0-9 straight up over that span.-- Additionally, Detroit has not had a ton of succe s on the road recently with a 0-9-1 record straight up in its past 10 road games.-- ; however, 96 percent of the money and 67 percent of the tickets like the Lions to pull the upset and win on Sunday.WEEK 3 NFL PICKS ADVICE: | Can Kirk Cousins bounce back after a rough Week 2 performance?The Vikings need Cousins to shake off his outing from Monday night. Cousins threw three interceptions against the Eagles, but it honestly could've been more if Philly's defensive backs were able to come down with the ball. In nine career games against the Lions, Cousins is completing 74.2 percent of his pa ses for 2,538 yards, 19 touchdowns, and two interceptions. Even though Cousins' numbers look good on paper, he has to actually perform well on the field.Where is Dalvin Cook?Through two games this season, Cook has yet to score a rushing touchdown. The longest he's gone without scoring a touchdown is eight weeks (2018 season). Minnesota hopes that situation does not play out this year or they are in serious trouble. Cook was shut down by the Eagles' defense on Monday night, rushing for 17 yards on six carries. He also had four receptions for 19 yards. Despite his minimal production in the pa sing game, the Vikings need more from the star running back on Sunday. The good news for him is that Detroit's defense is giving up 152 rushing yards per game through two weeks. This is a prime bounce-back opportunity for the veteran running back.Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Justin JeffersonSunday afternoon's game will be a perfect showcase of two young receivers that play the position in different ways. St. Brown is more of a po se sion wide receiver but has shown in his short NFL career that he can create explosive plays. The former USC standout has had eight-straight games where he recorded at least eight receptions. Within those eight games, St. Brown has scored a touchdown in six of them. On the other sideline, you have Justin Jefferson, who many believe could legitimately win the NFL MVP after his performance in Week 1 (nine receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns). It will be fun to see how both defenses try to defend these wide receivers and who will ultimately come out on top.186.This is the Lions' rushing yards per game through the first two weeks of the season. Detroit has done a great job of featuring both D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams in the running game. Both running backs will need to have a huge game, especially if the Lions want to win on Sunday. Swift already has 200 yards on 20 carries while Williams has 81 yards and has been heavily utilized inside the red zone. Detroit should be able to have some succe s on the ground with the Vikings' defense giving up 137 yards per game.This NFC North matchup might end up being one of the better games during the early window in Week 3. The Lions are not scared and have a feisty defense that will get after the quarterback. Goff has done a good job of not turning over the ball, which will loom large in this game. I expect both running games to have a couple of huge runs. Also, after being shut down by the Eagles, Jefferson should break out of his mini-slump and gets a touchdown. It will be a close game, with the Vikings getting the win in the last two minutes of the final frame.PREDICTION: Minnesota 30, Detroit 27. Detroit covers (+6) and the game goes OVER (52). Corey Collins Jersey

Caleb Williams is hosting one of the most unique pre-draft proce ses the NFL has seen from a top quarterback prospect.The USC product attended the 2024 NFL Combine but didn't participate in the on-field drills. He also unprecedentedly declined participation in medical exams at the event, citing that he would only allow teams that bring him on visits to examine him.Williams also planned to take an "extraordinarily early" top-30 visit, as the Bears are set to bring him in for one Tuesday, per . Williams' camp eventually changed plans though, so that will buy Chicago more time to ponder Justin Fields' future.Many believe the Bears will trade the 2021 first-round pick to get a fresh start at quarterback, and Williams' early visit will only fuel that continued speculation.MORE: Here's what to know about Williams' postponed Bears visit and what it might mean for Chicago's plans at quarterback.Caleb Williams draft rumors, top-30 visit explainedThe Bears planned to host Williams on a pre-draft visit Tuesday. That would have been one of the earliest official pre-draft visits for any 2024 NFL Draft prospect.Typically, teams host individual prospect meetings in late March and throughout April as the Pro Day circuit is completed. Chicago wanted to meet with Williams shortly after the 2024 NFL Combine, but Williams' team ultimately decided to focus on his Pro Day first, Breer reports.The idea was pretty simple. Chicago wanted to check some final boxes before finalizing its plan at quarterback before free agency starts next week. In the end, Williams and the team decided to move things around: Rather than shuttling the quarterback to and from California again, in the midst of preparations for his March 20 pro day, the Bears will host Williams in Chicago shortly after that instead.Chicago's desire to host an early meeting was sensible. The Bears need to collect medical information on Williams since he declined to participate in exams at the NFL Combine, and doing so earlier in the offseason will allow the team to make a better Brendan Ackerman Jersey -informed choice about its quarterback plans.The Bears are under more pre sure than the average team with the No. 1 overall selection. Why? Chicago will want to trade Fields if it decides the consensus top prospect Williams is their quarterback of the future.Trading Fields ahead of free agency is the best way to maximize his value. His market will be more robust when teams like the Falcons, Vikings and Buccaneers face uncertainty about their futures at quarterback.That's why the Bears were looking to be "aggre sive in getting answers on Williams, who they see as a unique talent with separation from the rest of the quarterback, and one that has separated himself from the rest of his cla s," per Breer.Williams' early top-30 visit was meant to be a part of that aggre sive approach. Instead, the Bears will wait until after free agency begins until getting one-on-one time with Williams.MORE:|Justin Fields trade rumorsThe Bears' incentive to trade Fields would increase If Williams nails his pre-draft visit with Chicago. A deal could have happened expeditiously if Williams cemented himself as the team's choice at No. 1 during his visit to Chicago.But without certain information about Williams, the Bears may have to wait to feel 100 percent comfortable with trading Fields.That's part of why Bears general manager Ryan Poles is "open to waiting a bit" to trade Fields if the quarterback market is slow to develop, per Breer. The landing spots for Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield may influence his timeline, and so too could Chicago's opinion of Williams.The Bears' valuation of Fields could also delay any potential trade. Currently, Chicago is using the 2013 and 2018 Alex Smith trades and the 2021 Sam Darnold deal as potential models for a deal, per Breer. Each of those trades featured a Day 2 pick as part of the deal, with the first Smith and Darnold deals fetching second-round picks while the second Smith trade was built around a third-round pick.That doesn't mean the Bears will wait to deal Fields until they can get that type of package. Nor does it mean that the Bears would wait until after Williams' visit to select Fields. As mentioned, his value could evaporate if teams fill their quarterback needs; he is also due a contract extension, which could complicate and trade agreement.Either way, the Bears appear to be at their cro sroads; and in an ideal world, Chicago would make a decision about its future before free agency begins in earnest.But can the Bears do that without having met with Williams? That is the big question the team must answer ahead of free agency. Glenn Jarriel Jersey