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You'll often see analysts refer to a player's contract year as a source of motivation to put in extra work and play at their best, but Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is not Francisco Lindor Jersey a fan of that idea.Before practice on Thursday, Campbell was asked about the notion of a contract year providing extra motivation for Jose Bautista Jersey a player, and he gave a great answer.Campbell said that he doesn't buy it while also noting that"we probably have the wrong guy" if a player needs a contract year to motivate him, according to .Campbell shot down the notion of a contract year. Says "we probably have the wrong guy" if they Jay Bruce Jersey 're not motivated enough already Jeff Risdon (@JeffRisdon) While Campbell's comment about having "the wrong guy" is spot on, there is at least some credence to be given to the idea that guys step up at least a little bit more when they are set to hit the open market.After all Matt Harvey Jersey , how many times have we seen a profe sional athlete play at a higher level in a contract season, get paid the following year, and then not live up to the new contract?By the way, the Lions have a grand total of 42 players on their current offseason roster set to hit free agency in 2025, Blank Jersey according to .

The final week of the NFL season is almost always one of the wildest weeks of the year, and that usually happens for two reasons: For one, it's the only week of the Ben Gamel Jersey regular season where every team plays on the same day; and two, it's the week where the race for the final few playoff spots (and final seeding) will finally come to an end.To make things fair during the final week of the season, the NFL waits as long as po sible before announcing the kickoff times in Week 17. The league finally announced the start times for each game on Sunday night, and many teams that were previously scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET -- like the , and -- will now be kicking off at 4:25 p.m. ET.Based on the new kickoff times for Sunday, it's looking like we're going to get a wild finish to the NFL season.The 1 p.m. ET slot is being given to teams that have either clinched a spot in the playoffs or teams that have already been eliminated. For Matt Festa Jersey instance, the and are battling it out for the second seed in the AFC, which is important because it comes with a bye. To prevent one team from po sibly resting its starters, the teams will kick off at the same time on Sunday (1 p.m. ET).In Nelson Cruz Jersey past years, you could have had a scenario where the Chiefs kicked off at 1 p.m. ET and the Patriots kicked off at 4:25 p.m. ET. In that instance, if the Chiefs kicked off first and lost, the Patriots could simply rest their starters in the later game. The NFL wants to prevent situations like that, which is why the league waits so long to announce the kickoff times.After the early games, things should get kind of crazy in the 4:25 p.m. ET window and that's because there will be two playoff spots up for grabs. With five spots already clinched in the AFC, the Titans, Steelers and will be battling it out for the final spot, and they'll all be kicking Austin Nola Jersey off at 4:25 p.m. ET.Out of that group, the Titans have the easiest path to the playoffs -- all they have to do is win and they're in. For a look at all the playoff scenarios that will be on the table for Sunday,.In the NFC, the only playoff spot still up for grabs is the NFC East title. Due to that fact, the Cowboys and have both been flexed to 4:25 p.m. ET so that they're kicking off at the same time. If the Eagles beat the , they'll be headed to the playoffs, but Zac Grotz Jersey if they lose and the Cowboys win, then Dallas will be headed to the postseason.Here's a look at the entire kickoff schedule for Week 17. The NFL that the and would be closing out the season with the final Sunday night game of the year, and that game is also listed below.1 p.m. ET at Patriots (CBS) at Chiefs (CBS) at (CBS) at (Fox) at (Fox) at (Fox) at (Fox) at (Fox)4:25 p.m ETTitans at (CBS)Steelers at (CBS)Raiders at (CBS) at (CBS) at Cowboys (Fox)Eagles at Giants (Fox) at (Fox)8:20 p.m. ET49ers at Seahawks (NBC)

The defense, pulling a bit of a Benjamin Button, is getting younger and younger as the season unfolds.Already getting impact plays from rookies and up front and at nickel, could have five rookies Bobby Miller Jersey or more pre sed into key roles on defense as the team travels to face the in a crucial game Sunday."We all go through the week always preparing as if we're going to be the next to go in," said safety , an undrafted rookie from who made his first NFL start Sunday and had four tackles in the lo s to . "Paying attention to detail, always being prepared and always knowing your number can be called at any point, we all do a good job and I think it showed on Sunday when we had to step in for such a big game."The Bucs have injury concerns with four of their top players on defense, mainstays from their Super Bowl season three years ago. Corners (hip) and (foot) left last week's game against the 49ers and didn't return, as did linebacker (hip). Davis might be OK to play against the Colts, but on Wednesday, Bucs coach Todd Bowles said if they had a game that day, Dean and David would not play, nor would linebacker , who has been slowed by a foot injury.ADVERTISEMENT When those stars were sidelined Sunday against the 49ers, rookies stepped in. Merriweather had started in place of an injured and played the first 34 defensive snaps of his career, linebacker got his first real playing time with two tackles filling in for David, and corner had three tackles in 15 snaps in Corey Seager Jersey his defensive debut."It wasn't too big for them," co-defensive coordinator Larry Foote said Wednesday. "I was impre sed with the way they played. They looked mature. It wasn't like a fish out of water, as a lot of rookies look. This time of year, injuries are going to be picking up throughout the league, and depth is going to have to get us Don Sutton Jersey where we need to be."Tampa Bay (4-6) is only one game out of first place in the NFC South, but the Bucs need to change the momentum of their season with five lo ses in six games since their Week 5 bye. The rest of their schedule features all winnable games, but doing so with a rookie-loaded defense could make it more of a challenge."I thought they handled it well," said safety , the lone healthy starter left in the secondary when Sunday's game ended. "That's part of the game injuries happen, people go down. It's next man up. They came in, they were excited to play and I thought they played well."The Bucs had 13 rookies on their initial 53-man roster, so they've had strong contributions from their youngest players all season, especially on defense. Kancey, the team's first-round pick out of , was limited early this year by a calf injury but has two sacks and six tackles for lo s in his seven games. Diaby, a third Matt Beaty Jersey -rounder from , has caught fire in recent weeks. He's tied for second among all NFL rookies with four sacks and seven tackles for lo s, both one off the league's rookie lead. Izien, an undrafted rookie from , has 34 tackles and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions.Diaby had two sacks in Sunday's lo s and is making a strong case to overtake 2021 first-rounder pick for the starting role opposite . Diaby is a muscular 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, and when asked if he could compare the rookie's body type to anyone, Bowles' answer was "Optimus Prime."Can a rookie-led defense transform the Bucs from an inconsistent unit to something that can help Tampa Bay chase a third straight division title? That group also includes Joc Pederson Jersey a third undrafted rookie in outside linebacker , who has barely played but had a quarterback hit to set up a Winfield interception in the team's win over the two weeks ago. Another part of that equation could be Dennis, a fourth-round pick from Pittsburgh who has leaned on advice he gets daily from David: Trust yourself."Once you get your feet wet, it's all downhill," Dennis said of his comfort level after playing on defense Sunday. "It's really fun just to play football."Greg Auman is FOX Sports' NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.

There figures to be at least seven starting quarterbacks who played for a Pac-12 school in the NFL this season, and that number could swell considerably based on this year's crop of quarterbacks out West who will be hearing their names called by NFL Commi sioner Roger Goodell before too long. While other Cornell Armstrong Men Jersey conferences proudly boast about their running backs, wide receivers or defensive linemen, in the Pac-12, the 2014 season begins and ends with a discu sion about the quarterbacks. A remarkable 10 teams return a starter at the position, with only Arizona and Washington having to figure things out with a fresh face. It's not just the fact that Pac-12 programs are bringing back players with experience, either -- these guys are good. Really, really good.The SEC can rightly pump its chest for producing four signal-callers who were drafted in May, but the Pac-12 has the potential to equal that number in 2015 ... in the first round. Oregon's Marcus Mariota rightfully enters the season as a Heisman Trophy favorite and is being touted by some as the No. 1 overall pick when his time in Eugene is up. UCLA's Brett Hundley has graced the cover of Sports Illustrated twice in three weeks and is one reason the Bruins are not only the favorite in the South Division but a potential College Football Playoff dark horse."Never seen anything like this where you have multiple guys in our conference that you could say could be the No. 1 pick overall in the draft," Stanford's David Shaw recently said. "You have multiple guys in the conference that could be All-Americans and could lead the nation in quarterback rating or lead the nation in yards and yards per attempt, in touchdown pa ses, and that could be any of five or six guys that could do that this year."Oregon State's Sean Mannion figures to set a number of the conference's pa sing records and could put them out of reach for some time if he continues on the pace he set last year. Taylor Kelly at Arizona State is often overlooked but directs the Sun Devils' offense as well as anybody operates an offense in the country. USC's Cody Ke sler started 2013 slow but was outdueling the nation's leading pa ser by the end of the season, and he'll matchup early with Stanford's big-play signal-caller Kevin Hogan. It says plenty about the depth the Pac-12 has when those names come up before the Air Raid savants (Washington State's Connor Halliday and Cal's Jared Goff) and the dual-threats from the mountains (Utah's Travis Wilson and Colorado's Sefo Liufau).If you're not familiar with the quarterbacks out West, we suggest you read up quickly. They are all quality starters, and they are here to lead the Pac-12 to a banner season on the gridiron.Predicted finishSouth Division1. UCLA: The defense has playmakers at every Emmanuel Sanders Youth Jersey level and a more consistent Hundley on offense make the Bruins hard to beat if they're on their game.2. USC: The Trojans still have the most talented starting 22 in the conference, but depth will once again be a key question. Steve Sarkisian's up-tempo offense could be right behind Oregon in most categories.3. Arizona State: The offense will be really good, and that's a good thing because the Sun Devils might have to win some shootouts with all the new faces on defense.4. Arizona: Rich Rodriguez is going to have another new quarterback, but whoever it is will be throwing to the best wide receiving corps in the league. Defensive depth continues to improve, but finding a new workhorse running back will be key in 2014.5. Utah: Can the Utes get back to a bowl game? Having Travis Wilson back under center is a step in the right direction. How quickly the defense gels will be key in determining if Kyle Whittingham is on the hot seat heading into next season.6. Colorado: Mike MacIntyre is building the Buffs up the right way -- and they'll be better this year -- but the team is still a few steps behind their Pac-12 brethren.National title contendersOregon, Stanford and UCLA: If anybody makes it out of the Pac-12 unscathed, they will certainly have earned a high seed in this year's College Football Playoff. The Ducks once again have a shot at the title and need to act while their window is open with Mariota running the show. Their defense is vastly underrated, but a healthy quarterback should be enough to get out of the conference championship game and make some noise against the powers to the east. The Cardinal's loaded schedule gives Stanford hope, even if the team loses one of its tough road contests. Stanford has the talent and scheme to beat anybody in the country. UCLA remains the biggest question mark among the contenders. The Bruins have quality coaching and plenty of talent, but also a history of falling short of expectations. If the Bruins are to truly become elite under Jim Mora, this is the season to do so. Offensive Player of the YearQB Marcus Mariota, Oregon: Mariota (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) seemed like he became an afterthought on the national landscape last season after suffering a knee injury and losing to Stanford, but that glo ses over how great his season was. His completion percentage slipped slightly from his first Daniel Jones Women Jersey year as a starter, but he threw for 3,665 yards and posted a whopping 31-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio that was one of the best in the country. All this while averaging nearly 10 yards a carry, late-season slide included. He needs to have some new weapons emerge at receiver, but nobody is primed to put up better numbers and challenge for the Heisman like Mariota in the Ducks' offense.Defensive Player of the YearDE Leonard Williams, USC: Williams (6-5, 310 pounds) was an All-American last season despite a bum shoulder, which means his 2014 ceiling is high. He had 74 tackles, 13.5 TFL and six sacks in 2013, and those numbers should go up despite opponents throwing at least a double-team his way. New coordinator Justin Wilcox turned Hau'oli Kikaha into a 13-sack player out of nowhere at Washington, so the sky is the limit for Williams this year -- even with more attention paid to the junior.Breakout playerQB Kevin Hogan, Stanford: It's hard to call a quarterback who has helped lead his team to back-to-back Rose Bowls a "breakout player," but Hogan has never been the brightest star on the Cardinal. He gets pa sed over for some of the other bigger names at the position in the conference, but he's entering his third season as a starter and his decision making should be key to the offense. Without a workhorse tailback to hand off to and a number of explosive playmakers at receiver, Hogan is in the running to earn All-Conference honors and keep Stanford among the nation's elite.Player on the spotQB Brett Hundley, UCLA: He's said this is his last season in Westwood, and UCLA is primed to capture the conference title for the first time in over a decade. That puts a lot of pre sure on the affable signal-caller for the Bruins, whose media game might be as good as his play on the field. He completed 67 percent of his pa ses in 2013 and posted 24 touchdowns, good numbers for sure, but they might have to be better if the team is to live up to expectations. If he can cut down on his turnovers and sacks -- two big i sues in the past -- then the sky is the limit. But make no mistake, the pre sure is on the one they call the "savior" around campus.Three best non-conference gamesMichigan State at Oregon, Sept. 6: This might be the best non-conference game of the season in college football. The Spartans have a blueprint to stop the Ducks from Rose Bowl opponent Stanford, and the big-play Ducks getting an early win could propel them to a national title.UCLA vs. Texas, Sept. 13: Texas is always a marquee opponent, and playing at AT&T Stadium should give UCLA an early look at what could await if it makes it to the national title game. This is a big stage for Hundley and Co. to announce they're for real Johnathan Abram Women Jersey in 2014.Notre Dame at USC, Nov. 29: Yes, the shine was taken off this one with some of the , but it remains one of the great non-conference rivalries in the sport and still has the potential to be a top-20 matchup. If Steve Sarkisian wants to keep his fan base happy, winning this is a must.Three biggest conference gamesOregon at UCLA, Oct. 11: This could be the first of two meetings and a po sible Pac-12 Championship Game preview.Stanford at Oregon, Nov. 1: This has been the Pac-12's version of LSU-Alabama the past few years, and that should continue in Eugene with the Ducks looking for revenge.USC at Stanford, Sept. 6: We'll find out early on if either team is for real in the conference Dorance Armstrong Jr. Men Jersey race with this Week 2 matchup. Preseason All-Conference TeamOffenseQB Marcus Mariota, Oregon (6-4, 219, junior) RB Byron Marshall, Oregon (5-10, 205, junior) RB D.J. Foster, Arizona State (5-11, 203, junior) WR Nelson Agholor, USC (6-1, 190, junior) WR Ty Montgomery, Stanford (6-2, 220, senior) TE Connor Hamlett, Oregon State (6-7, 266, senior) T Andrus Peat, Stanford (6-7, 316, junior) T Jake Fisher, Oregon (6-6, 300, senior) G Alex Redmond, UCLA (6-5, 300, sophomore) G Josh Garnett, Stanford (6-5, 325, junior) C Hroni s Grasu, Oregon (6-3, 297, senior)DefenseDE Leonard Williams, USC (6-5, 300, junior) DT Danny Shelton, Washington (6-2, 339, senior) DT Arik Armstead, Oregon (6-8, 290, junior) DE Henry Anderson, Stanford (6-6, 287, senior) LB Myles Jack, UCLA (6-1, 230, sophomore) LB Shaq Thompson, Washington (6-1, 228, junior) LB Hayes Pullard, USC (6-1, 235, senior) CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon (5-10, 195, senior) CB Marcus Peters, Washington (6-0, 190, junior) S Jordan Richards, Stanford (5-11, 210, senior) SS Su'a Cravens, USC (6-1, 225, sophomore)Special teamsK Andy Philips, Utah (5-10, 190, sophomore) P Tom Hackett, Utah (5-11, 187, junior) KR Ty Montgomery, Stanford (6-2, 220, senior) PR Nelson Agholor, USC (6-1, 190, junior)You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter .

doesn't want to hear anything regarding the losing Super Bowl 54 on account of . Not under his watch. The Pro Bowl cornerback was adamant in his defense of Garoppolo while making his first public comments since speaking after the 49ers fourth-quarter collapse against the in Super Bowl LIV."It's just barber shop talk. It's just something to have a topic. It's just foolish," Sherman said on 104.5 KNBR radio Wednesday, . Josh Reddick Jersey "... When you hear them blaming Jimmy, Jimmy doesn't play defense. We had a 10-point lead. We get the guy a stop, we win the game.Sherman took the blame for one of the key plays in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV. He was in coverage when beat him for a 38-yard catch on second-and-7 with San Francisco up 20-17 with 3:44 left. Three plays later, found for a five-yard touchdown Brad Peacock Jersey to give Kansas City a 24-20 lead with 2:50 to play -- a lead the Chiefs took for good.The 49ers were outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter after entering the final quarter with a 10-point lead. Garoppolo finished 20 of 31 for 219 yards with one touchdown and Houston Astros Jersey two interceptions in the lo s, but he was just 3 of 11 for 36 yards and an interception in the fourth quarter (2.8 pa ser rating). The key mi s was an incompletion to a wide-open on an X-post that would have given San Francisco the lead with 1:49 to play.By all statistical accounts, Garoppolo had a good season for the 49ers in his first full season as a starting quarterback. The 49ers went 13-3 as Garoppolo started all 16 games, completing 69.1 percent of his pa ses for 3,978 Ryan Pressly Jersey yards, 27 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a 102.0 pa ser rating. His fourth-quarter performance rather than an indictment on his play."Jimmy played fine. He did what he was supposed Houston Astros Blank Jersey to do," Sherman said. "We got to finish that game out. I got to finish that game out. I got to do what I'm supposed to do. I'm an All-Pro player, I got to play All-Pro down the stretch."I think, along with other leaders on the team, we would defend him vigorously because that had nothing to do with him."

CLEVELAND (AP) A devastating development for one of Minnesota's quarterbacks created an opportunity for another.Nick Mullens wants to make the most of it.Mullens threw a touchdown pa s on the heels Leury Garcia Jersey of the Vikings' quarterback rotation getting jumbled this week and Minnesota beat the Cleveland Browns 27-12 in a preseason game Saturday.Mullens connected with wide receiver Trishton Jackson on a 14-yard TD in the first quarter for the Vikings (2-0).ADVERTISEMENT While he completed just 11 of 21 pa ses for 135 yards, the most important statistic for Mullens was he didn't commit any turnovers, a problem for him during three starts late last season while filling in for Kirk Cousins.If I protect the football, I feel Im a really good quarterback in this league," Mullens said. So any time you can go out and not have any turnovers, its big.Minnesota's third-string QB Jaren Hall had two second-half scoring pa ses, the second a 71-yarder to Jeshaun Jones. Rookie Will Reichard kicked field goals of 41 and 38 yards.D'Onta Foreman had a 1-yard touchdown and Cade York kicked a 33-yard field goal for Eloy Jimenez Jersey the Browns (0-2).Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell and Cleveland's Kevin Stefanski chose to sit their starters as well as most backups, feeling they had gotten adequate work when the teams practiced twice this week.Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson spent his second straight game on the sideline. He's scheduled to play next week at Seattle, his first action since a season-ending shoulder injury in November. No. 2 Jameis Winston also sat out.It's been quite a week for Minnesota's QBs.On Tuesday, McCarthy, the club's highly touted rookie, was lost for the season after undergoing right knee surgery.The first-round pick from Michigan suffered torn meniscus during a solid pro debut last week that not only put him in the mix to push starter Sam Darnold, but affirmed the team's belief he's the franchise QB going forward.McCarthy's injury sealed Darnold as the starter at least this season and elevated Mullens into a backup role. It's a familiar spot for Mullens, who put up Nellie Fox Jersey big pa sing stats in three starts last season but also threw eight interceptions.Early against the Browns, Mullens twice threw the ball away rather than forcing throws, exactly what O'Connell hoped.Coming off of last year, that was a big-kind-of-moving-forward point for Nick, O'Connell said. At this point in his career, thats what Im looking for to go along with the expectation that hes going to run the show and be a field general like he always is.Hall, who is expected to be Minnesota's No. 3 QB, went 4 of 5 and finished with a perfect 158.3 pa ser rating.Days like this you cherish forever, said Hall, a fifth-round pick in 2023. It's a game I'll always remember preseason or not.Mullens led Minnesota to a TD on its first po se sion, capping an eight-play, 75-yard opening drive with a nice throw to Jackson, who got both feet down along the left side of the end zone.Dorian Thompson-Robinson started at QB for the Browns and went 13 of 17 for 126 yards. Thompson-Robinson, who is competing with Tyler Huntley for the No. 3 job, threw an Michael Jordan Jersey interception late in the first half.It was definitely a bad ball, Thompson-Robinson said. I was more so gue sing on the throw than anything.Huntley played the second half and went 14 of 20 for 135 yards and two picks.LONG RUNMinnesota rookie cornerback Dwight McGlothern returned an interception 90 yards in the third quarter.McGlothern snagged an overthrow by Huntley and worked his way down the sideline before being caught by Cleveland's QB.HALL PLAYSBrowns rookie defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. played despite being arrested and injured earlier in the week.On Tuesday, the second-round pick from Ohio State was charged with domestic violence following an argument with his fiance, who alleged he threatened her by putting a gun to her head.Hall, who hurt his neck Wednesday, pleaded not guilty in court and was released on $10,000 bond. He could face discipline from the NFL for violating its Tim Anderson Jersey personal conduct policy, pending an investigation.INJURIES Vikings: Nothing notable.Browns: LT James Hudson (left ankle) left the stadum in a walking boot. His injury complicates things while the team waits for starters Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin to return from season-ending knee injuries. ... It was a tough day for Cleveland's offensive tackles as Germain Ifedi (hand) and Hakeem Adeniji (knee) also got hurt.UP NEXTVikings: Visit Philadelphia on Aug. 24.Browns: At Seattle on Aug. 24.This story was corrected to restore a dropped letter in the last name McCarthy in the 3rd paragraph.___AP NFL:

The Lions are getting the gang back together.Two days after losing a chance to reach the franchise's first Super Bowl, it seems those in Honolulu blue are ready to start their quest for a title once more in 2025.The first domino in that movement, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, is staying put. Detroit's attack guru informed the Commanders and Seahawks that he's content with staying in Motor City for another year, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. OC Ben Johnson informed the and that hes staying in Detroit, per sources.Johnson is still only 37 and will be a hot head coaching candidate again next year. But first, he wants to take another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Detroit. Tom Peli sero (@TomPeli sero) Johnson, 37, was hotly tipped to be a young mind to make the leap from a sistant to main man. The mastermind of the Lions' high-octane offense Detroit ranked in the league's top-five in pa sing, Andy Pettitte Jersey rushing, and scoring Johnson's name carries weight from one coast to another. His return gives the Lions additional continuity, a much-needed trait if Detroit wants to reach new heights next season.So, what's keeping Johnson in azure-and-silver? Here's what you need to know.MORE:Why is Ben Johnson staying with the Lions?Johnson's decision seems to boil down to J.A. Happ Jersey some simple mathematics. What side could he go to that would offer him a better chance at the Lombardi Trophy than with the Lions? The answer appears to be not too many, especially not in Washington and Seattle.Rapoport indicated that Johnson's sole objective in 2025 is to capture a Super Bowl trophy. A move to D.C. or the Emerald City would've made that proposition extremely challenging. As such, the 37-year-old play-caller decided to stay put.The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala offered a similar a se sment:Ben Johnson informed the Commanders and Seahawks today. The reason, Im told: He wants to win a Super Bowl. Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) Johnson is something of a boy wonder when it comes to managing offenses. Formerly a tight ends coach, he rocketed up the play-calling hierarchy after supplanting Anthony Lynn as pa s-game coordinator in 2021.The next season offered onlookers a glimpse of what Johnson had in his locker. Dan Campbell's squad posted the fifth-highest scoring average in the league (26.6 points per game), Johnny Damon Jersey a marked improvement over the 19.1 points per game it averaged the year prior.If 2022 was an introductory course to Johnson's genius, '23 was simply a di sertation. The Lions improved in every meaningful way on the offensive end of the ball, placing in the league's top-five offenses in five different categories: pa sing, rushing, scoring, red-zone offense, and total yards.MORE:All of that made him a hot commodity around league circles, so much so that he reportedly fielded two interviews with the powers-that-be in both Washington and Seattle.Pastures aren't always greener, however, and with another year of growth from Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jared Goff, it seems Johnson is expecting Detroit to be right back in the thick of Lombardi contention next season. Another impre sive showcase coupled with some glittery hardware could go a long way in helping Johnson snag a more appealing job elsewhere, too. After all, the Eagles and Cowboys' coaching situations will be looking increasingly precarious if either side fails to win it all in 2025.ESPN's Adam Schefter did report that teams were "spooked" away by Johnson's asking price.Ben Johnson was not the head-coaching lock that people thought and his asking price spooked some teams, per sources. Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) But he Drew Hutchison Jersey also indicated that the Commanders' front office bra s was in transit to meet with Johnson at the time of his decision.Commanders officials were en route to Detroit for a meeting with Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn when they got word that Johnson was staying with the Lions, per sources. While the abrupt pivot Jacoby Ellsbury Jersey by Johnson was considered surprising by several league sources, he was not considered a Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) What's next for Commanders, Seahawks?With Johnson officially off the market, the likes of Washington and Seattle will likely turn their attention to any of the other high-profile coordinators making the rounds during this year's coaching carousel. That includes Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.MORE:Schefter reported that the Commanders are still hoping to meet with Glenn in the coming few hours, while ESPN's Josina Anderson that Washington had also succe sfully completed its follow-up with Quinn. The Seahawks, meanwhile, have made contact with MacDonald, among others.The coaching search is a long and drawn-out proce s. Johnson's move simply adds to the hysteria. Silly season is here in the NFL. There's no better time to embrace the chaos than now.

is 's top receiver on the , but that's not where the quarterback was looking when the game was on the line against the .Trailing 20-17 and facing a fourth-and-6 at the 42 with six minutes to play Jonathan Villar Jersey , Romo dropped back, spotted and fired a strike over the middle. By the time the veteran tight end was knocked to the turf, he'd picked up 21 Brandon Woodruff Jersey yards and a huge first down. Six plays later, Dallas was in the end zone and .It was a beautiful route by Witten, who at 32 doesn't have the speed of five years ago, but still gained separation from safety to make the catch."That's what you live for," Witten said, . "That's what you want to do."The chemistry between Romo and Witten is obvious. They've played together for 12 seasons, becoming one of the most productive quarterback-tight end tandems in league history. Sunday's big connection Matt Garza Jersey was the reward for years of hard work between the two men. is listed as the pa sing game coordinator in Dallas' hierarchy, but Linehan said the winning play call was all about . The ' coach called timeout before the play, making sure Dallas was composed and fully prepared for the play of Zach Davies Jersey the season."He really deserves all the credit for that," Linehan said, "because the book might say, 'Don't do that,' but when you're playing to win ... ."This game will be remembered for , but a closer look at the final minutes revealed that one team stayed aggre sive and one team played it pa sive. Romo's hook-up with Witten Jim Gantner Jersey typified that dynamic.The latest Around The NFL Podcast and looks ahead to the Divisional Round. Find more Around The NFL content on .