Can the Commanders do the Unthinkable?

Before the season started the Washington Commanders were considered a longshot to win the Super Bowl. In fact, according to Vegas they were +15000 with only the Giants, Patriots and Panthers with worse odds then them. Yet here we are with the Commanders just one win away from competing for a championship.

How did they get here? Well credit the new ownership for clearing house and adding one of the best young GM’s in Adam Peters. It also doesn’t hurt to have the greatest rookie QB we have ever seen in Jayden Daniels. Sprinkle in a little bit of luck (Chicago Hail Mary) and you have a team of destiny.

Going into Philly and coming out with a win won’t be easy but after looking at what this team did in Detroit nothing is out of reach. Washington will need to stack the line and do whatever possible to stop Saquon Barkley. Easier said than done.

Can the Bills Finally Make it Back to the Super Bowl?

This year’s Bills team seems to have something special. As we’ve said before they are the most complete team in these playoffs and they showed that again with the win against the Ravens. Josh Allen and the Bills offense was not spectacular but they played turnover free football which is critical this time of year.

One of the things that has impressed me the most with Josh Allen this year is his ball protection. Allen had only 6 interceptions this season compared to 18 last year. This maturity from him has elevated an offense that many expected would take a step back after losing Stefon Diggs. The Bills will once again need to play mistake free football to win at Kansas City.

Can the Chiefs Offense Hang With the Bills?

There’s no question that the Chiefs success this year has been mostly because of how good their defense has been playing. Don’t get me wrong Patrick Mahomes has still been up to his old tricks but this offense is nothing like years past. If you ask Kansas City they could care less but with Buffalo coming to town they need to reach another gear.

Back in November, the Bills shutdown Mahomes and the Chiefs in route to a 30-21 victory. Mahomes struggled in that game with 2 interceptions and under 200 yards passing. Another performance like this and the Chiefs could be sent packing. Kansas City will need a balanced offensive gameplan and need to control the clock to keep the Bills offense off the field. This should be another classic in this heated series.

The post 3 Things to Watch in the Championship Round appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Current line (KC -3.0 | O/U 46.5)

Thursday night is the start of regular season football again, and what better way to kick off the season than Patrick Mahomes vs Lamar Jackson. 

Chiefs vs Ravens can turn out two ways in my opinion. Either super high scoring or a chess match, medium scoring game. Let’s take a look at both ways and who I think will win.

If the game ends up to be high scoring I would take the Ravens. I think the Ravens have the firepower to outscore the Chiefs with Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers and Lamar Jackson. 

If it’s a chess match give me the Chiefs, I think the defense and Mahomes ability to control the clock could hurt the Ravens. 

Overall, give me the Chiefs 27-23 over the Ravens in a thrilling opener.

The post Week 1 Preview: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Most Valuable Player award is a highly sought after award. Most players dream of holding that trophy at the award ceremony. With that being said let’s take a look at who could be the next MVP.

Patrick Mahomes

Of course every year Pat’s got a chance to be the MVP, so you have to put him here. He’s the most dominant and best player in the league and I don’t expect that to change.

C.J. Stroud

C.J. Stroud is the favorite to win MVP and for good reason. He had an incredible rookie year taking what was a struggling Texans’ franchise all the way to the divisional round. He’s got a good chance to win and an even better chance to make a Super Bowl appearance.

Ja’Marr Chase

I had to throw one non-QB player in the ring and my choice is Ja’Marr Chase. With Tyler Boyd leaving this should free up some targets for Chase; providing him with more production. Also Joe Burrow should be healthy this year which will definitely help. This will be tough for Chase to win but if the league has a weak year in terms of MVP candidates (for example 2020) Chase could get this. 

The post Who Will Win the Next NFL MVP? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

#1 Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes is the obvious choice, he has dominated the league since being drafted in 2017 and sitting a year behind Quarterback at the time Alex Smith. Of course his unreal arm strength and ability to “throw receivers open” is the headliner of his abilities but one under the radar ability is his scrambling.

As we will see on the rest of this list scrambling has completely evolved the Quarterback position and Mahomes still while being mainly a pocket passer makes great use of it. Taking into account all of his success makes him a prime candidate for even maybe the best quarterback of all time; 3 super bowl rings, 2 MVPs and a crazy 3 Super Bowl MVPs. 

#2 Joe Burrow

This may be an unpopular opinion but Burrow comes in at number 2. Injuries have made fanbases forget how good the Bengals QB played in that 2021 season. The main knock on Burrow had been his wideouts carrying him with YAC (yards after catch) plays, but I disagree with this.

We’ve seen Quarterbacks (besides Mahomes) almost need a number 1 wideout to explode onto the scene, for example Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts. Burrow is the only Quarterback in the NFL to really have Mahomes’ number, beating him 3 out of the 4 times they have played. After the Bengals missing the playoffs largely due to Burrow’s injuries I expect them to bounce back next year and potentially get their star studded QB to have another career year.

#3 Lamar Jackson

There is not enough you can say about Lamar Jackson and the way he has changed the game. The two-time MVP’s agility and speed on the field has been unheard of since Micheal Vick. His ability to improvise and make people miss is special, but the knock has been: Can he pass? Well the Ravens QB shut all the haters up and proved he could throw by amassing his best statistical passing year of his career.

Great accuracy, 3,700 yards and 24-7 TD-INT ratio made him nearly unstoppable for defensive coordinators not named Steve Spagnuolo. Of course Lamar got his in the run game, running for 821 yards and piling 5 touchdowns on top of his already 24 passing TDs.

#4 Josh Allen

Putting Allen this low could ruffle some feathers following his very productive (but inconsistent) season just proves my further point on how loaded the league truly is at Quarterback. Allen had a career high in interceptions this year (18) but produced more highlight plays than arguably any other Quarterback in the league. Allen had a combined 44 touchdowns this year with 29 passing and 15 rushing.

The number that pops out is the 15 rushing touchdowns. Of course most come on sneaks very close to the goal line but that also adds to his big arm and improviser skill set. If Allen can cut down on the turnovers (combined 21) he could very easily rise the rankings and even take the Bills to New Orleans, the resting place of Super Bowl LIX.

#5 Justin Hebert

This is where the list gets really challenging. There are so many guys that could’ve taken this spot but the edge goes to Justin Herbert. Herbert is the closest guy to a pure pocket passer on this list. His arm is crazy good and is a sneaky scrambler as well. The problem this year was injuries, started with an original finger fracture then got another finger fracture that ended his season in December.

Herbert has made the playoffs once and infamously lost after having as big as a 27 point lead. I’m sure with a little more time to throw Herbert will bounce back and cement himself among the elites of the elites.

The post Ranking the Top 5 NFL Quarterbacks appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

In terms of entertainment, this one started off slow, it was the first scoreless first quarter since the 2019 Rams and Patriots matchup that ended in a 13-3 Patriots win. The second quarter things started to heat up with the 49ers taking a 10-3 lead heading into half. The third quarter brought us Patrick Mahomes doing Patrick Mahomes things taking a 13-10 lead behind a 28 yard touchdown throw to MVS.

The fourth quarter and overtime held a 12-12 combined score and the chiefs were crowned back to back champions. Super Bowl 58 definitely started off slow but was super entertaining so let’s take a look at some other all-time great Super Bowls to see how good it really was.

Super Bowl LI Patriots vs Falcons

Well when you talk famous Super Bowls this one has to be mentioned. 28-3, now a lead every NFL team fears because Tom Brady came back down twenty-five points to win it 34-28 in overtime. This was the GOAT’s 5th ring and the perfect ending to cap off a special season.

Super Bowl XLIX Patriots vs Seahawks

Every single one of these big super bowl games have a headline that everyone remembers them by: 28-3, Malcolm Butler, and a spoiler below, the Philly Special. This one was Malcolm Butler intercepting Wilson’s pass at the goal line to lose the game 28-24. One would argue a bigger moment in the game was Jermaine Kearse’s crazy catch to get the Seahawks to that moment. All in all, out of the other Super Bowls this one is the most memorable.

Super Bowl LII Eagles vs Patriots

From the Philly Special to the nearly 1,200 combined offensive yards, this offensive battle was one for the ages. What was thought to be an incredible defense led by Bill Belichick was dissected by fill in QB Nick Foles. Behind 373 passing yards, 4 total touchdowns and the main touchdown catch on a trick play to help the Eagles take a big 22-12 lead going into halftime. The 41-33 Super Bowl is thought to be the most offensive Super Bowl in modern history and was a relatively clean game with only 2 combined turnovers for each team.

The post How Does Super Bowl LVlll Rank vs Other Super Bowls? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

San Francisco 49ers -2 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday 6:30 PM EST on CBS)

I wouldn’t be surprised if Super Bowl LVIII went to overtime. That’s how close these two teams are to each other. On the one side, you have the dynamic 49ers offense led by Christian McCaffrey and on the other, you have the great Patrick Mahomes. These two stars are the headline but both of these teams are much more than that.

This is perhaps the best defense the Chiefs have had under Mahomes and Andy Reid. They finished 2nd in the league allowing just 17.3 points per game. The Chiefs also finished 2nd in total yards per game at 289.8 right behind the Baltimore Ravens. DC Steve Spagnuolo deserves his flowers as he has become one of the best defensive minds in the NFL today.

Speaking of defense the 49ers are right behind the Chiefs in terms of defensive rankings. They have studs all across their d-line but the heart of this defense is the linebackers. Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner are two of the best in the business at their position and they will have their hands full with Mahomes on Sunday. In order to win, the 49ers will need to force some mistakes from Mahomes which seems almost impossible at this point.

It may seem cliche but this game will be won in the trenches. Specifically the 49ers o-line vs. the Chiefs d-line. The Chiefs line is of course anchored by Chris Jones but the rest of the unit is underrated. As a unit, the Chiefs defense was 2nd in pressures at 27.8% and 2nd in sacks at 57. The Chiefs however will be without Charles Omenihu who recently went on IR. Omenihu is a rising star who will be missed.

The 49ers 0-line is led by future Hall of Famer Trent Williams. Williams and company will need to be at the top of their game to limit the pressures on quarterback Brock Purdy. This is where the mastery of Kyle Shanahan’s run game comes into play. There is no one better in the NFL at scheming the run and l expect them to stick to it all game long.

As stated earlier this is one of the toughest Super Bowls to predict. These two teams are about as close as you can get. I believe in the end the 49ers will narrowly escape with a close win and give Shanahan his first Lombardi trophy.

Game Pick: 49ers 24- Chiefs 21

The post Super Bowl LVIII Prediction appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Before we make our Super Bowl LVIII pick later this week let’s first preview the game.

Early Line

As of today, the early line for Super Bowl LVIII is the 49ers -2. This is pretty much where I expect it to be although it could get down to San Francisco -1 by game time. I am expecting a close game and it looks like the sharks are expecting the same.

The current over/under is at 47.5 but I could see this number also dropping before game time. This should be a relatively low-scoring game with two stellar defenses going at it. I don’t expect a shootout like we saw last year with the Chiefs winning 38-35 over the Eagles.

Brock Purdy vs. Patrick Mahomes

The quarterback matchup in this game will be fascinating to watch. Patrick Mahomes is once again playing excellent playoff football. His numbers haven’t been off the charts but he has played turnover-free football thus far and is using his legs for timely runs. This 49ers defense will present another test for Mahomes and the Chiefs but they have proved they are up for the challenge.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco all eyes will be on Brock Purdy. Purdy has been the hot topic of discussion this past week with some calling him just a game manager. Purdy is much more than that if you dive more into his game. He led the league in quarterback rating in the regular season at 113.0 and also was a league leader in yards per attempt at 9.6. Sure this 49ers offense is loaded with talent but Purdy has shown he can carry this team if needed.

Andy Reid vs. Kyle Shanahan

On the coaching side of things, this could very well be the last game that Andy Reid coaches. Reid flirted with retiring after last season but ultimately decided to return. If the Chiefs win again I wouldn’t be shocked if Reid decides to hang it up ending his Hall of Fame coaching career.

Kyle Shanahan however, is just getting started in his coaching career. At 44, this will be Shanahan’s 3rd appearance in a Super Bowl and second as a head coach. We all remember the 28-3 meltdown in Atlanta when Shanahan was OC but don’t forget the 49ers were up 20-10 in Super Bowl LIV before collapsing in the 4th quarter. If Shanahan can finally seal the deal and win his first Lombardi it will be the first of many.

Key Injuries to Watch

For the most part, both the Chiefs and the 49ers are coming into Super Bowl LVIII fairly healthy but there are some injuries to monitor. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is dealing with toe and ankle injuries but the good news is he is off the injury report. Star Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones is dealing with a quad injury that has him limited on the practice reports. Jones also has no game status this week which is huge for the Chiefs as they will need him.

In San Francisco, tight end George Kittle is dealing with a toe injury that had him listed as DNP this past week. It looks like Kittle will go but it’s worth monitoring his status this week. 49ers DE Arik Armstead also showed up on the injury report last week with knee and foot injuries. It looks as if these injuries are not serious and he should also be good to go as well.

The post Super Bowl LVIII Preview appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Patrick Mahomes (2017-Present) has been the Face of the League dating back to his first Super Bowl win over the 49ers in 2020. He has absolutely dominated the league and has been a total headache for defensive coordinators for years. The star Quarterback’s ability to make off schedule throws, extend the play and his quiet but impossible to defend mobility makes him a problem that no defense has solved yet.

Appearing in 4 of the 6 Super Bowls possible as a starter Mahomes has accompanied this incredible stat with 28,424 passing yards, 219 touchdowns (not counting rushing) and 63 INT’s. With a career rating of 103.5, the only question on everyone’s mind is can he keep it up?

My answer is yes, Mahomes has answered every narrative of making it back to the Super Bowl this year without incredible weapons, he did it without star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and winning his first two road playoff game in hostile environments (BUF, BAL). With all that being said let’s look at the current GOAT and some other guys Mahomes needs to climb in order to get there.

The Case for Tom Brady

Anytime the GOAT conversation comes up it would be a disservice not to mention Tom Brady who is the consensus GOAT. He has nearly every positive record in the books and is going to keep those for a while. The highest passing yards in NFL history with 89,214, the most touchdowns in history with 649 and let’s not forget 7 Super Bowl rings.

Long story short, the former New England Patriot and Tampa Bay Buccaneer has done it all after starting his career off as a 6th round draft pick. Brady made an impact on football and football fans all around the world for decades terrorizing the league similar to how Mahomes has.

The Case for Peyton Manning

At the time of his retirement Manning held all of the most important records with the passing record (71,940) and the touchdown record (539). This was Brady’s biggest rival with them trading Super Bowl appearances what felt like every year. Many have compared Mahomes and Burrow to them, Manning went 2-2 in the four Super Bowl appearances losing in Super Bowl XLIV 31-17 and Super Bowl XLVII 43-8. On the other hand, he delivered in Super Bowl XLI winning 29-17. His final Super Bowl win came in Super Bowl 50 winning 24-10 and riding off into the sunset.

The Case for Jerry Rice

WR Jerry Rice (1985-2004) the best WR in NFL history had an incredible career catching 1549 balls, 22,895 receiving yards and 197 touchdowns. Making 13 pro bowls and 11 first team all pro teams is one of the most impressive resumes in league history.

Having Joe Montana and Steve Young as his quarterbacks definitely helped his case but doesn’t deny the insane talent Rice possessed. The 6’2 wideout won 3 Super Bowls and a Super Bowl MVP. Keep in mind Mahomes has a chance to get 3 rings with a win over the 49ers in the last game of the 23-24 NFL season.

The Case for Joe Montana

Along with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, these 3 QB’s are looked as at the best to ever play. 40,551 passing yards and 273 passing touchdowns is absolutely nothing to scoff at. 8 Pro Bowl selections, 3 first team all pro selections and 4 Super Bowl rings is what Montana accomplished during the 49ers dynasty. Montana while being a great Quarterback did have an incredible WR in Jerry Rice.

All in all, Mahomes is playing the best football we’ve ever seen a player play. Now the question is: Can he do it for as long as these greats listed above did? We’ll just have to find out after his date with the 49ers in SB LVIII.

The post Will Patrick Mahomes be the GOAT? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens -3.5 (3:00PM EST on CBS)

Our first matchup on championship Sunday will be in Baltimore where Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Kansas City is once again in position to head to the Super Bowl thanks to a thrilling win in Buffalo last weekend. You can’t count out Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs despite what many are calling a down year in Kansas City. He is already one of the greats and has shown time and again he thrives in big games.

Meanwhile, in Baltimore there is a lot to like with this Ravens team. The stout Ravens defense once again shut down a high-powered offense last week against the Texans. For the first time this year quarterback C.J. Stroud looked like a rookie as he struggled to dissect the Ravens defense. DC Mike Macdonald has done this numerous times this year and it’s a reason he is being looked at as a head coach. Mahomes though will be the ultimate test for this Ravens defense and they will need to be flawless with their game plan.

This game has the makings of a classic AFC battle. The current line is -3.5 which is right where I expected giving a slight edge to the Ravens at home. I see this game coming down to the wire with a late Justin Tucker field goal securing the win for Baltimore.

Game Pick: Ravens 20 – Chiefs 17

Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers -7 (6:30 PM EST on FOX)

Over on the NFC side, the underdog Lions will look to shock the 49ers who are poised for another Super Bowl appearance. San Francisco looked rusty last week against the Packers, particularly Brock Purdy. Purdy missed open receivers and was lucky to not have a pick-six early in the game. The hope for San Francisco will be that Purdy bounces back and they will need him on top of his game to beat Detroit.

The x-factor in this matchup is clearly Deebo Samuel who is nursing a shoulder injury. Samuel has been limited in practice this week and his status for Sunday is still uncertain. The 49ers offense struggled without Samuel on the field as he is a big piece of their game plan. If Samuel can’t go you can expect this game to go right down to the wire.

For Detroit, it’s much more simple. They really have nothing to lose as they weren’t expected to be here. Jared Goff and the Lions were able to hold off the Bucs last weekend thanks to the winning formula that they have used all year. Play turnover-free football and get the ball quickly to their playmakers. The Lions will once again need to be flawless on offense vs. the dominant 49ers defense to have a chance.

To me, this game comes down to the health of Samuel. San Francisco is just 8-9 without Samuel since he was drafted in 2019. If Samuel sits this out there will be a lot of nervous 49ers fans come the 4th quarter.

Game Pick: 49ers 28 – Lions 24

The post Conference Championship Round Picks appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens -9.5 (4:30 PM EST on ABC/ESPN)

This Houston Texans team continues to impress led by C.J. Stroud. Stroud once again had a near perfect performance against the Cleveland Browns in a blowout win. Going into the game the Browns had the #1 ranked defense in the league but had no answers for the Texans offense. Up next will be a much tougher test in Baltimore with a fresh Ravens team looking to start its Super Bowl run.

The Ravens are stacked on both sides of the ball and quarterback Lamar Jackson is putting up MVP numbers this season. Lamar finally has some legit threats on the outside including stud rookie receiver Zay Flowers. Jackson and the Ravens offense will look to control the clock and keep the Texans offense off the field.

In the end, the Ravens will be too much to handle for Houston putting an end to its Cinderella run. The future is bright for the Texans who have a star head coach and a legit quarterback to build around.

Game Pick: Ravens 31 – Texans 17

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers -9.5 (8:15 PM EST on FOX)

In the Saturday nightcap, the Packers will look for another upset against the best in the NFC. San Francisco has looked the part of a potential champion all year and show no signs of slowing down. The 49ers will be rested and mostly healthy except for Dre Greenlaw who is questionable for the game.

Green Bay was the most impressive team last weekend and it’s hard not to be in awe with what Jordan Love is doing. Love is running this offense to perfection with great accuracy and pocket movement. The Packers will need another big game from Aaron Jones as balance will be a key against this 49ers defense.

I see the Packers continuing their momentum and hanging with the 49ers for most of the game. San Francisco will pull away late but this will be closer than most expect.

Game Pick: 49ers 27 – Packers 20

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions -6.5 (3:00 PM EST on NBC)

Another surprise result from Wild Card weekend was Tampa Bay dominating the Eagles. I did pick the Bucs to win but was impressed at how well they looked and how bad the Eagles played. The Eagles looked like they already checked out and had issues tackling all night long. Up next for Tampa Bay will be the Lions at home and don’t expect the same tackling issues for the Lions defense.

In Detroit, everything is coming together. Their offense is one of the best in the league led by OC Ben Johnson and on defense, they are night and day better than they were last season. The Lions will need a better 2nd half performance than last week as they barely held on to get by the Rams.

Baker Mayfield looks to have found a home in Tampa Bay and I expect him to sign a long-term deal with the Bucs this offseason. Mayfield and the Bucs will keep it close for the first 3 quarters but Detroit will be too much to handle at home.

Game Pick: Lions 28 – Bucs 17

Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills -3 (6:30 PM EST on CBS)

The best game in the Divisional round will be in Buffalo. Josh Allen and the Bills will look to finally get past Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs and they get them at home. This will be Mahomes first road playoff game which just shows how dominant the Chiefs have been lately.

Buffalo has finally found its form and continued its run with a 31 – 17 win against the Steelers last weekend. The Bills have now won 6 straight games and are one of the hottest teams in the league. What has been the winning formula for Buffalo? The ground game. The Bills are relying more on James Cook and running the ball which is putting less on Josh Allen’s shoulders.

This has been a strange year for the Chiefs who for the first time are relying more on their defense. Kansas City’s offense is just not as explosive as years past and it’s clear they miss former OC Eric Bieniemy. The Chiefs will need to break out of their offensive funk to have a chance in Buffalo.

In the end, I see Buffalo moving on as they prove to be too much at home for the Chiefs. This game will be a huge confidence boost for the Bills as they look to continue their run.

Game Pick: Bills 27 – Chiefs 24

The post Divisional Round Playoff Picks appeared first on Pro Football Mania.