That time came in Week 5 when the Commanders hosted the Tennessee Titans at Fed Ex Field. Robinson Jr. made his rookie debut and you could see the glimpses of what the former Alabama running back had to offer. He has played in every game since then powering one of the league’s best rushing attacks during that time. He is a big bruiser that is tough to bring down on first contact. In interviews Robinson Jr. admits he hates negative yardage plays and you can see that each time he runs the ball. He is tough to bring down on first contact and has already been featured on GMFB’s angry runs segment.

Fast forward to Week 12 when the Commanders hosted the Atlanta Falcons. This was a big game for both teams as they are both aiming to grab a Wild Card spot in the NFC. Robinson Jr. delivered in a big way bulldozing his way into the end zone on a pass from Taylor Heinicke. He was constantly dragging defenders with him on his way to his first 100+ yard day on the ground. After the game it was all smiles in the locker room as Robinson Jr. debuted his Commanders big hat and broke the internet.

Robinson Jr. had a custom hat made from nogginsports.com which is a popular big hat company. Robinson Jr. says he was supporting a friend and boy did he ever. The big hat went viral and the company even disclosed sales boomed to over 2000% increase due to the buzz. It wasn’t long before other sports jumped on the craze. Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov was seen sporting a custom Capitals big hat and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills was seen sporting a custom Thursday Night Football hat after their game this past week. One thing is for sure the big hat craze is not going away anytime soon and if you want in on the craze head over to Noggin Boss to grab yours.

The post How Brian Robinson Jr. Started the Big Hat Craze appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Brock Wells

The Tennessee Titans are currently 7-3, having just beaten the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. It isn’t unusual for the Titans to be in this position””they’ve won the AFC South division the last two seasons and appear to be en route to accomplish the same thing this season. Despite this reality, many are resistant to thinking much of them when it comes to the postseason. Early exits from the postseason in both of those division title seasons have left a lot of doubters in their wake.

One of the issues with the Titans is the recipe for their success is a limited one. It depends on”¦ Ryan Tannehill. Yep. In order for the Titans to be successful, they’ve got to rely on Tannehill to make important throws. If he’s doing this, it allows Derrick Henry to run wild on defenses and gradually grind them down over the course of four quarters. Tannehill doesn’t have to be a great quarterback in order for this recipe to work, but he does have to be a dependable one.

When the Titans lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, they did so because of the lack of a dependable quarterback when it mattered most. Malik Willis was indeed fair enough for a lot of the game, but when it came down to the fourth quarter and overtime, he couldn’t get it done. Tannehill likely would have been able to make those throws, allowing Henry to close the game out. But it didn’t happen, showcasing again the limited capacity for success the team has.

The Titans are also in good shape on the defensive side of the ball. Jeffrey Simmons is one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL and Zach Cunningham is an unheralded tackling machine. This is another element of their recipe for success. When they’re able to keep games close late into games on account of their defensive play, that’s when Henry becomes even more dangerous, and Offensive Coordinator Todd Downing knows he doesn’t have to rely on throwing the football. This style of football isn’t complicated and is really a throwback to the old-school smash-mouth football. Run the ball effectively. Make the necessary throws. Play good defense. Win the turnover ratio. Good things happen.

Can this kind of play be successful in the postseason against opponents like the Chiefs or the Buffalo Bills, who run higher-risk, higher-reward types of offenses? It can. But it means Tannehill has to be near perfect in his type of play and the defense has to be stout. The Titans are definitely not pretenders, but they do have a smaller margin for error than many other perennial AFC playoff teams do. The question is how perfect they can be in their methods.

The post Are the Titans Super Bowl contender or pretender? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl Pretenders or Contenders?

The Green Packers are back to winning ways after a terrible run of form, beating the Dallas Cowboys in overtime thanks to a Mason Crosby field goal.
 
Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers went into the London game against the New York Giants with a 3-1 record. Despite leading the game 10-3 after the first quarter and leading 20-10 at halftime, they ended up losing 27-22. Until Sunday, they had not won since.
 
They lost games that nobody would have predicted, including games against the New York Jets, Washington Commanders, and Detroit Lions.
 
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has struggled to recapture his form this season, after two back-to-back MVP-winning campaigns.
 
However, despite their 4-6 record at the time of writing,  they are still ninth in the NFC seeding and just one win away from the San Francisco 49ers who currently occupy the seventh seed.
 
So, are the Packers Super Bowl pretenders or contenders?

Learning From The Chiefs

If any team is to learn from another who overcame adversity and media scrutiny to make the playoffs, it is the 2021 Kansas City Chiefs.
 
Much like the Packers this year, the Chiefs went into last season as one of the Super Bowl favourites after two back-to-back appearances.
 
Despite winning their season opener, Kansas City lost three of their next four and after the conclusion of week seven, they were 3-4. They only went on to lose one more game and finished the season as the AFC West champions with a 12-5 record and would make it all the way to the AFC Conference Championship game.
 
A second-half collapse in the game prevented them from making a third straight Super Bowl and they should have been there at SoFi Stadium facing the Los Angeles Rams. They showed that you should not crown champions or announce teams to be dead to rights with only half the season game. After all, the New England Patriots often started slowly in Super Bowl-winning years.
 
This feels the same for Green Bay. Whilst the current 8-1 record of NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings means they are unlikely to make the postseason as division winners, a Wildcard Round spot does not appear out of the realms of possibility.
 
Rodgers snapped back-to-back games with an interception, cutting out ugly plays that was seen in the Lions loss. Rookie wideout Christian Watson finally showed what he could do with Rodgers and this is frightening for the rest of the league.
 
We all saw his connection with Davante Adams and it is clear Rodgers missed him. There is no better time for Watson to finally come into his own.

There is also the run game, which appeared to bring success against Dallas in Week Ten. The Packers had 39 carries as opposed to just 14 receptions. Aaron Jones led the way, with 138 rushing yards and one touchdown from 24 carries.

There appears to be a change of game plan from Head Coach Matt LaFleur, with Jones running for the most carries in any single game this season. Subsequently, this resulted in his second-highest yards total for any game in the 2022 campaign.

The flip to the run game, as a result, saw Rodgers throw for his lowest single-game completion this season, with just 20 attempted passes (14 completed) against Dallas. He has only thrown for less than 30 attempted passes this season, as seen in the Week Two 27-10 win over the Chicago Bears. Could the run game be the secret to success for any late Packers playoff run?

A Tough Schedule Still Remains

Their schedule is the one factor that could derail any late-season push in their search for a playoff appearance. The Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota still await.
 
The Packers have beaten both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cowboys. They will use this as inspiration for their upcoming opponents, but they need to be wary that any slip-up could burst the bubble of any hope of postseason football.

Pretenders or Contenders?

Right now, you would have to still say they are pretenders. After all, it is just one win. However, their game against Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football is the true test of whether last Sunday’s win over the Cowboys was a one-off.

Only four teams have allowed more rushing yards this season than the Packers (1,406) and they are seventh-worst in the league for rushing yards allowed per game (140.6). They will not welcome the prospect of playing Derrick Henry this week.

Henry is seen by many as the best running back in the league, and currently possesses the second-most rushing yards this season (923), and only Nick Chubb has more rushing touchdowns than Henry (9). If they can handle Henry and get the win at Lambeau Field, his could be the start of a remarkable run. If they lose, they will be sent straight back down to earth with a reality check.

The post Are The Green Bay Packers Super Bowl Pretenders Or Contenders? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

The AFC South has been won by the Tennessee Titans, but the addition of Matt Ryan by the Indianapolis Colts and the loss of A.J. Brown for the Titans means the division is as usual, very wide open.

Since 2013, all four teams in the AFC South have won the division. However, who has the best quarterback?

In our final quarterback ranking list, here are your AFC South quarterback rankings.

1. Matt Ryan (Indianapolis Colts)

The only MVP winner in this list, Ryan joined the Colts this offseason after over ten years with the Atlanta Falcons.

In 2021, he still managed to throw for 3,968 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.  Unless injury strikes, Ryan will reach the 60,000 career passing yards mark, currently being 265 away. Only seven players have previously reached the 60,000 mark and Ryan , who is currently eighth on the list for most career passing yards, can eclipse Phillip Rivers into sixth place on the list should he throw at least 3,705 yards or more.

A really good season, where he throws at least 33 touchdowns will also allow Ryan to reach 400 career passing touchdowns. He would become just the eighth player in NFL history to reach the 60,000

Whilst he showed signs of ageing last season, he still makes it as the best quarterback in this list, in what is a bad bunch.

2. Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans)

Tannehill was an eighth overall pick in 2013, when he was selected by the Miami Dolphins. However, injuries and inconsistent play (as well as bad coaching) saw him eventually traded to the Titans in 2018.

He came in for Marcus Mariota mid-season and ended up winning Comeback Player of the Year. Over the course of his career, he has thrown for over 30,000 passing yards, 199 touchdowns and 102 interceptions. Despite this, he has shown signs of decline in the past twelve months. 

In 2021, he threw for 3,734 touchdowns, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. This is a stark contrast to the 33 touchdowns and 7 interceptions he threw in 2022.

His position as the Titans’ starter is also in question, with the team choosing to draft Liberty QB Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He showed his potential in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, completing 6 of his 11 passes for 107 yards  as well as a 7-yard touchdown run.

Tannehill has proved to be a good quarterback for Tennessee, excelling in particular when using RPO plays. However, he has yet to prove he can be the guy to take the Titans to the next level. 

This was proved in their Divisional Round when the number one seed Titans lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, despite Joe Burrow being sacked nine times. Tannehill threw three costly interceptions, and his future has been questioned ever since.

Despite having running back Derrick Henry and a brilliant head coach in Mike Vrabel, the loss of A.J. Brown could end up being the final nail in the Ryan Tannehill Titans coffin.

3. Davis Mills (Houston Texans)

Houston could be a realistic destination for Tannehill should the team decide they don’t want to pursue long term with their current starter Davis Mills. 

Mills was drafted 67^th overall out of Stanford and actually had a solid first NFL season in 2021. He was arguably the second-best rookie quarterback in a class that albeit did not exactly light up the league. In 13 games, he threw for 2,665 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. 

These are neither outstanding nor terrible stats. He did a solid job in a season of turmoil, with everything that went on off the field. 

Solid is exactly why Mills is third on this list. He wasn’t terrible but also hasn’t quite done enough to break into the top two.

4. Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)

The 2021 first overall pick had a torrid rookie year but is now free from a dysfunctional Urban Meyer. He threw for 3,641 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.

However, he can no longer use the Meyer excuse with new head coach Doug Pederson. Should Lawrence have another bad year, there will be more and more usage of the word “bust”. 

Right now, it is hard to put him anywhere but the bottom of this list. Despite this, should he fulfill the potential that we all saw in Clemson, then he will certainly be a lot higher than fourth.

The post Ranking the AFC South Quarterbacks right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

With the 2022 offseason about halfway through, and the NFL Draft coming in less than a month, we have entered prime trading territory.  With this, we could see some NFL stars be traded for draft capital if teams are high on players in this draft.  The Titans have previously tried to trade Henry back in 2018, trying to shop him prior to the deadline.  While this would be an absolute blockbuster of a move for the NFL, this offseason has already been absolute chaos.  We already saw arguably the best receiver in the game be traded for a 1^st and a 2^nd, why not one of the best running backs?

Pros to trading Henry for Tennessee

Draft picks

The main pro for trading Derrick Henry would be receiving some immense draft capital, as Henry is an absolute monster.  As much as it would hurt the team in the short term to do this, in the medium to long term they would get significantly better with more young players.  While there is no “Derrick Henry” in this draft class necessarily, there is a lot of quality backs that should be taken in early day 2.  We have seen players such as Jonathan Taylor fall into the 2^nd as well, so it definitely is feasible to gain an extra first and some more picks and get younger overall.

Fix more holes on the roster

While having one elite player in the backfield is nice, the Titans could look to develop the roster more if they acquired more picks, or even players in a trade.  Henry would likely draw a high price tag, which would allow them to focus on positions of need (IOL, Edge, TE, etc.).  Getting the OL fixed would be huge to help out Ryan Tannehill, and would allow the next running back to get some clear running gaps.

Cons to trading Henry for Tennessee

Short term drop off

The issue with trading Henry would obviously be the immediate drop off in the team and their chances at the playoffs.  Henry is the lifeblood of this team, and has been essentially the sole proprietor of their playoff runs recently.  At 28 years old, he has some good years left in the tank no doubt, which would likely get the Titans to a few more playoff games.

The market for RBs is minimal

As of right now, the market for running backs may be slightly weaker than normal, as teams are starting to realize that paying a premier amount for backs does not end well mostly.  On top of this, running back is not a position that is really needed by a lot of teams at the moment, as almost every single team has a premier back or a good rotation.  This would drag down its value slightly of Henry, but probably not enough to not consider any offers. 

The post Pros and Cons of Tennessee trading Derrick Henry appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Tennessee Titans appeared to be an AFC juggernaut with an incredible record of 8-2 with victories against the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, and Los Angeles Rams. The Titans took a downhill turn since their win against the Saints, as they’ve obtained a 3-5 record since. With that said, the Titans have appeared to turn up the heat by winning each of their last two games ”“ notably against playoff aimed squads in the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins. 

The Titans currently hold the number one seed in the AFC. If the Titans can edge out the Houston Texans in Week 18 with 2020 Offensive Player of The Year Derrick Henry back in the fold, they will be sitting pretty with a bye week in their hands. With that stated, the Titans might just be Super Bowl favorites (AFC and NFC) at this early point of January. I’m going to simply outline 3 reasons why the Titans can win their first Super Bowl and capture Super Bowl LVI.  

• Rise of Harold Landry

Harold Landry has easily been the biggest breakout player for the Tennesee Titans. The speed rusher has really come onto the scene in his fourth season. Landry surprisingly boasts a whopping 12 sacks on the season, which places him ninth in the NFL and seventh in the AFC in individual sacks.

His presence has notably been on point against supreme competitors. Landry had two sacks against the Bills, a sack against the Chiefs, a sack against the Saints, one sack against Colts, and another sack against the Dolphins. Landry is a greek god-like edge rusher in the NFL and he ousts his production on a defense ranked 31st in yards per game allowed. It’s undeniable how important his presence is for the Titans. Trust in Landry against potential foes like Kansas City, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and Green Bay. 

• Kevin Byard 

Say hello to the AFC defensive player of the month in November. Kevin Byard has five interceptions on the season and he’s arguably a Top 3 safety in the league. The range of the Byard is a critical benefit of the AFC team that has crippled the Chiefs deep passing game on numerous occasions. If Landry can feast at DE and Byard can hold his ground on the backend, it will be hard for the likes of Patrick Mahomes to knock out 30+ points. 

• A fresh Derrick Henry 

Derrick Henry isn’t only the best RB in the league at the moment, but he will be the freshest RB out of the Top 10 RBs in the NFL. Cam Akers will be joining the LA Rams in their pursuit for Super Bowl glory and the 6’4 225 DL/RB in Derrick Henry will be joining the Titans for their AFC championship aspirations.

We’ve seen Marshawn Lynch and CJ Anderson look like they turned back the clock in their first season reps in the postseason. I can’t wait to see what a Top 8 RB in NFL history can do with a much less beaten-up pair of legs in the 2022 NFL postseason.

If the Titans look in sync and are able to blow the doors of the Texans, Mike Vrabel’s squad should put the whole league on notice. If a slightly more positive outcome happens next week and the Titans are sitting with the world in their hands with the #1 seed, the AFC will know the Titans are well-rested and they are the same caliber squad that was on display in the first several weeks of the season.

The post Tennessee Titans can win Super Bowl LVI: here are 3 reasons why appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

The 2021 NFL season is now less than 3 weeks away. The preseason is halfway completed and rosters are being finalized as teams prepare for week 1 of the regular season. Now is as good a time as any to start projecting how productive each team will be this year. In particular, let’s predict who the top offenses in the NFL can be this season, counting down from 5th place and continuing all the way to the number one spot.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The defending Super Bowl champion Bucs finished last season as the 7th ranked offense in the NFL with 384.1 yards per game. This is very impressive considering it was the first year for Tom Brady in a brand new style of offense. Going from the “Patriot way” to the air it out style of Bruce Arians is a drastic change so it took Brady a few weeks before he really got things rolling last year. Now that he has had a full season and offseason to learn the new system and tweak it a bit to fit his own style, it is likely that the Bucs offense will take a step forward this season. They are returning pretty much their entire championship roster from 2020 so another year of chemistry should work in their favor as well. Their combination of weapons is one of the best in the entire league, including one of the top wide receiving groups in the NFL of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown. They helped lead the Bucs to the second best passing offense last year with 289.1 yards per game.

4. Buffalo Bills

The Bills finished the 2020 season tied for the second ranked offense with 396.4 yards per game. Most of this was due to the MVP caliber play of quarterback Josh Allen who really had a break out season. He put up by far the best numbers of his career throwing the ball, completing 69.2 percent of his passes for 4544 yards and 37 touchdowns, which were all new career highs. It appears that one of the main keys to unlocking his potential was the addition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs. In his first year in Buffalo, he had the best season of his career while leading the NFL in both receptions with 127 and receiving yards with 1535. The chemistry between Allen and Diggs appears to be extremely strong and this combination should have the Bills as one of the top offenses for many years to come. Having the creativity of one of the top young offensive coordinators in Brian Daboll definitely helps them as well.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

Last season the Chiefs finished as the top offense in football by an incredible margin of nearly 20 yards per game over second place. To show just how wide that gap is, the separation between the second and 12th place offenses was 20 yards. Clearly the Chiefs offense at 415.8 yards per game was absolutely dominant last season and as long as they keep their core together there is no reason at all to believe that they won’t be in the top five every season. The combination of Andy Reid at head coach with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback is a seemingly perfect match, as demonstrated by finishing as the number one ranked offense in two out of their three seasons together. They have the best “tight end” in football with Travis Kelce and one the top, and fastest, wide receivers in Tyreek Hill. Also, second year running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire should take a step forward this year as a true dual threat now that he is more comfortable in this system.

2. Tennessee Titans

Tied for second last season on offense with the Bills were the Titans. Unlike the Bills who relied heavily on their passing game, it was the rushing game in Tennessee that was the key to their success. They ranked second in rushing yards per game with 168.1 while superstar running back Derrick Henry eclipsed the 2000 yard mark. In addition, Ryan Tannehill is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL and his fourth ranked QBR of 78.3 demonstrates that. To make this great offense even better than it already was, the Titans added Julio Jones this offseason to pair with emerging star AJ Brown in what is now one of the best wide receiver tandems in the entire league. In just two season, Brown already has accumulated 122 receptions for 2126 yards and 19 touchdowns in the passing game. Jones, who is one of the best receivers of the past decade, recorded 1000 or more yards in every season of his career that he has played in at least 14 games. Between Henry, Brown, and Jones the Titans create an absolute nightmare situation for opposing defenses to try and match up with. They are in line for a monster season on offense.

1. Dallas Cowboys

In 2019, which was the last full season for quarterback Dak Prescott, the Cowboys lead the NFL in offense by a very wide margin with 431.5 yards per game. In addition to the fact that they were about 24 yards per game clear of second place, they totaled the most offensive yards in a season by any team since the Denver Broncos in 2013. Before Prescott was injured in 2020 they were off to yet another scorching hot start for offensive production. In particular, Prescott was on an absolutely ridiculous pace that could have set a new single season record for passing yards if he did not get hurt. As long as he fully returns to health this season, the Cowboys should have another huge year on offense and could be even better than before with the addition of second year wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. In the five games last season that Prescott started, Lamb registered 29 receptions for 433 yards and two touchdowns. This is a connection to watch this season and could really be something special moving forward. Of course, Prescott will also still have the luxury of his usual arsenal of weapons too with Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper, and Michael Gallup.

The post Predicting the Top 5 Offenses This Season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

As the kickoff to the 2021 NFL season quickly approaches, it’s time to start really taking a look at what teams are built to make a Super Bowl run. There are certain teams on all radars such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Bucs, and Green Bay Packers but there are no sure things at all in the NFL. Every season is different and filled with surprises. There are always teams that exceed expectations as well as others that greatly disappoint. Looking past the top favorites, here are a few teams that have a realistic opportunity to be Super Bowl contenders this year.

NFC: Dallas Cowboys

The 2020 season was one to forget for the Cowboys but that is mostly because quarterback Dak Prescott was only able to play in five games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. In 2019 Prescott lead the Cowboys to be the top-ranked overall offense in the NFL at 431.5 yards per game, the second-ranked passing offense at 296.9 yards per game, and the sixth-ranked scoring offense at 27.1 points per game. It’s possible that these totals could be even higher in the 2021 NFL season with the addition of CeeDee Lamb to the returning weapons of Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper, and Michael Gallup. The defense has been an issue for the Cowboys, especially in the 2020 season where they were towards the bottom of the NFL in almost every category, but drafting Micah Parsons and signing Dan Quinn to be the new defensive coordinator should both greatly help to improve on that side of the ball. Finally, the Cowboys have the second easiest strength of schedule ranking this year so they have an excellent opportunity for a huge season.

NFC: San Francisco 49ers

Unfortunately, the 49ers season in 2020 was one that was defined by an endless list of injuries including key players like Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle, and Nick Bosa. It was a very disappointing season, especially considering that they were the defending NFC Champions. Looking back to the 2019 season when they were healthy, they had the fourth-ranked total offense at 381.1 yards per game and the second-ranked scoring offense at 29.9 points per game to go with the second-ranked total defense at 281.8 yards allowed per game and eighth-ranked scoring defense at 19.4 points allowed per game. This obviously demonstrates not only how dominant they were but also their elite balance. They were towards the top of the NFL in just about every statistical measure and they have good reason to believe they can have a similar season in 2021 now that everyone is healthy again and they are returning the large majority of their roster.

AFC: Tennessee Titans

Possibly the biggest move of the entire NFL offseason was the Titans adding superstar wide receiver Julio Jones to their already potent offense. They were already the second-ranked total offense last season at 396.4 yards per game and will likely be much better this year with their new weapon. The Titans offense is going to create a huge problem for opposing defenses now that Jones is joining AJ Brown and Derrick Henry. In particular, the defending safeties are going to have to pick their poison. It’s impossible to double team both wide receivers as well as load the box to defend against the dominant rushing attack of Henry. If these three players, and also quarterback Ryan Tannehill, can all stay healthy this season the Titans are likely going to have a very special offense. Their defense was fifth-worst in the NFL last season at 398.3 yards allowed per game but they are hoping their added reinforcements, such as Bud Dupree and Caleb Farley, can help them improve on that side of the ball.

AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers

After finishing the 2020 season with a 12-4 record and winning the very tough AFC North division it’s a little strange to consider the Steelers a dark horse but that is exactly what they are. According to the Draft Kings Sports Book, they have only the 16th best odds to win the Super Bowl this year and their projected win total is just 9 games. This is interesting because they are returning all of their offensive weapons and the majority of their impact defenders as well. In addition, they probably upgraded at running back by drafting Najee Harris and will get back one of their best defenders, Devin Bush, who missed ten games last season. The biggest loss for the Steelers this offseason was to their offensive line, where they will basically have a brand new unit this year that is completely unproven. The Steelers are not getting much respect at all heading into the 2021 NFL season but as long as their blocking comes together, they can be right back in the mix again for a Super Bowl.

The post Dark horse Super Bowl contenders in the AFC and NFC appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

Plenty of uncertainty surrounds the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans going into the 2021 season. Their quarterback situations are far from clear and their overall rosters are mediocre at best.

The same goes for their head coaches, with all three going into their first seasons at the franchise. Neither of Dan Campbell, Nick Sirianni, or David Culley has been a full-time head coach in the NFL. Campbell is the only one to have some experience, with his spell as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2015.

Here is why you should be expecting the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the three worst records in the league in 2021.

Saying Goodbye To A Franchise Legend In Detroit. Struggles For The Replacement

Matthew Stafford was the number one overall pick in 2009, with the entire city of Detroit hoping he would be the man to turn around the fortunes of the franchise. Despite three seasons of making the playoffs, the Lions and Stafford never won a single postseason game as the wait continues. The Lions remain the team with the second-longest period without a playoff win, their last taking place on January 5th, 1992.

Stafford had some great individual moments as a Lion, most notably his Mic’d up moment during his 2009 rookie season. In a week eleven game against the Cleveland Browns, he overcame injury to produce a moment of pure heroism. He played with a separated shoulder despite the efforts of the medical staff to keep him off the field, leading the Lions to a touchdown-winning drive.

Jim Caldwell guided the Lions to these playoff appearances but was not seen as good enough to take them to the next step. New England Patriots assistant head coach Matt Patricia was brought in but never took to life as head coach. The Lions had three consecutive losing seasons under the coaching of Patricia. They will hope that they have found their guy in Dan Campbell. His press conference was certainly not dull, with Campbell referring to “biting kneecaps”. As a former Lions player, he knows what it takes to play in the league. He also knows about the city of Detroit and his intentions are both positive and clear. If he is given time, he has the desire to bring the good times back to Detroit. However, he is inexperienced as a head coach and the roster is below average.

New quarterback Jared Goff has the potential to struggle. This is despite the drafting of offensive lineman Penei Sewell at seventh overall, a selection that had Campbell and new General Manager Brad Holmes very excited.

Despite his brilliant 2018 season that saw the Rams reach Super Bowl 53, Goff had a poor game and struggled in 2020 as he and head coach Sean McVay’s relationship deteriorated.

Goff struggled despite a plethora of offensive talent around him. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp form one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. He is going to a franchise that let go of their two best wide receivers and failed to replace them.

The Lions have a schedule that features the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns. There are also two games against their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears. The Lions do not have it easy.

Prediction: 3-14

Trouble In Philadelphia; Reason For Hope?

The Eagles have seen three years of gradual decline after winning Super Bowl 52. The 2017 season saw the Eagles lift the Lombardi Trophy for the first time after two previous attempts.

Doug Pederson was the head coach to guide the Eagles to a Super Bowl but was fired after the conclusion of the 2020 season. His decision to bench rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts in order to lose and gain a higher draft pick appeared to be the final nail in the coffin.

Carson Wentz had an MVP caliber season before an injury derailed hopes of winning the award. Backup Nick Foles stepped in and guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl 52 win. He also stepped in a year later and guided the Eagles to a shock Wildcard Round win against the Chicago Bears, with thanks also going to a Cody Parkey missed field goal.

Both Foles and Wentz are no longer Eagles players. Out of the starters in that Super Bowl 52 win, only seven remain with the franchise. Their decision to draft Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson continues to be mocked by rival fans and nobody knows how new head coach Nick Sirianni will do in the role.

The schedule is mixed for Philadelphia. Whilst they face the New York Jets, Lions, and twice play the New York Giants, they also have to face the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.. This is as well as facing a rising Washington Football Team twice as well as playing the Dallas Cowboys both home and away.

Reports have surfaced in recent days of the Philadelphia Eagles being the favourites for Deshaun, with talks said to be “heating up”.

This could be a move that transforms the franchise. However, Deshaun Watson had his best statistical season yet the Texans only managed four wins all year. This proves that whilst it is very important to have a good quarterback, you need more around to be successful.

Unless the Eagles do something in what remains of the offseason, they will continue to be mediocre if their roster continues to be this poor. If they get offensive or defensive talent in the next one or two offseasons, then they are a team that will compete for years to come. Otherwise, the Eagles will fail to be a threat to both the NFC and NFC East.

This is why Deshaun should avoid the Eagles at this present time. He will be going into a situation no different to what he experienced in Houston.

Prediction: 4-13

What A Difference A Year Makes

Where do we start with the Houston Texans? The 2019 season saw them take a 24-0 lead against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round. However, they allowed 41 unanswered points as they lost 51-31. What has unfolded since in the following nineteen months has been reminiscent of a Greek tragedy.

Head coach Bill O’Brien, who also was general manager, made the unusual decision to trade star wide receiver, Deandre Hopkins. In exchange, the Texans received a running back past his sell-by date in David Johnson, one second-rounder and one fourth-round pick. O’Brien only lasted four games in the 2020 season as they finished the campaign with just four wins.

Since the conclusion of the 2020 season, franchise legend J.J Watt has left and there continues to be an uncertain future surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson. Houston’s quarterback requested a trade in January before allegations of sexual assault arose. These have lingered throughout the remainder of the offseason. It is unclear if Watson will play in the NFL at all in 2021 but even if he does, it is unlikely that he will be wearing a Texans jersey.

Houston has said they would listen to trade offers for Watson, with the franchise said to be wanting three first-round picks. They have also acquired Tyrod Taylor via Free Agency and used their first pick in the draft on Davis Mills in the third round. Even if the Eagles stick with Hurts, there will be plenty of other suitors.

Even with Watson, the Texans are light on the ground when it comes to elite talent. Linebacker Zach Cunningham and Laremy Tunsil are talents and despite adding Phillip Lindsay and Mark Ingram to the running back room, the roster is one of the league’s worst.

David Culley has developed somewhat of a worrying reputation after his time with the Eagles, Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens. During his fourteen-season spell with the Eagles, his four seasons with the Chiefs, and two years with the Ravens, he had 0 wide receivers earn a PFF grade of 80 or above.

The Chiefs wideouts went an entire season without a touchdown under Culley. With a wide receiver room featuring Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins and Anthony Miller, this is not exactly a position of strength for the Texans. Culley is unlikely to see any of these receivers score high PFF grades.

Whilst the Texans might be playing the Jacksonville Jaguars twice and the Jets, they have a tough schedule. They will face the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks. Houston will also play the Los Angeles Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers as well as the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans twice.

They are unlikely to win many of these games. Fans should be expecting a difficult season.

Prediction: 2-15

The post Expect the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the worst records in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Chris Thomas

Not too long ago the Tennessee Titans came within eleven points from completing their Cinderella story, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship, and making the Super Bowl. Instead, the Chiefs went on to defeat the San Fransisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV and representing the AFC in the Super Bowl this past season. At this point, Kansas City appears to be the odds on favorite to win the AFC and appear in the Super Bowl for the third year in a row. However, the Tennessee Titans may have the best chance of making sure that doesn’t happen. Here is why the Chiefs should be considered with the Titans more than any other team in the AFC. 

Outstanding weapons 

It wouldn’t be shocking if Tennessee finished the season as the league’s number one offense. It would be extremely shocking if they finished outside the top-10. The Titans not only have the back-to-back rushing champion in Derrick Henry but they also have two Pro Bowl-caliber receivers in A.J. Brown and Julio Jones. The Titans acquired Jones from the Atlanta Falcons after the draft for a 2022 second-round pick. He is not only a replacement for Corey Davis, who signed with the Jets in free agency, he is a major upgrade. If the Titans’ three offensive playmakers stay healthy they should be able to rack up 1,000+ yards rushing/receiving. 

It is fair to say that the Titans have passed the Chiefs as the team with the best offensive skill players. The Chiefs along with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two offensive skill players on their roster that are capable of being named All-Pro at the end of the year. The Titans are not only the only other team in the AFC in that category but are the only team with three players capable of being named All-Pro at the end of the year. Kansas City hasn’t played a team with as much if not more firepower as them in the Patrick Mahomes era. That will change this season when the two meet in Week 7. The Chiefs’ defense features a few great players like Chris Jones, Tyrann Mathieu, and Frank Clark. However at best they are middle of the pack and do not have enough talent on that side of the ball to minimize the production of all three. 

Ability to control the clock

The Super Bowl this past year exposed the weaknesses that the Kansas City Chiefs had not exposed to the rest of the league the last few years. The way to beat the Chiefs is with a stout pass rush, not allowing Patrick Mahomes to make dynamic plays, and keeping the ball out of the offense’s hands. The Buccaneers’ pass rush did not allow Mahomes to make plays downfield and he had to resort to checking the ball behind the line of scrimmage or tossing it up hoping his receivers were in a position to make a play. While Tom Brady and the offense were able to hold the ball to control the clock more than the Chiefs during that game. Holding onto the ball and taking advantage of their offensive opportunities allowed them to dominate the Chiefs the way they did during that game. 

The Titans are well equipped to control the clock better than any other team in the league. They have the league’s most dominant running back over the last two seasons in Derrick Henry and a quarterback who is extremely smart with the ball in Ryan Tannehill. They have the firepower to get a lead early then hand the ball off to Henry over and over until the clock runs out. That has been the Titans’ bread and butter over the last two seasons. That firepower was just Henry last year and now it is their elite offensive trio that could get the Titans a lead early in games. Henry averaged a career-high 5.4 yards per carry last season. So if need be the Titans can rely on Henry to get them a first down in two or three downs, keep the clock rolling, and keep the ball out of the opponent’s hands. 

A lesser-discussed part of the Titans offense is how efficient Tannehill has been as a passer. Since taking over he is well aware that the passing game comes second behind their rushing attack. So he does not feel the pressure to make big plays that other quarterbacks do. Tannehill has only thrown 13 interceptions over the last two seasons because he doesn’t have to make the risky plays other quarterbacks do. Rather than making big plays downfield, Tannehill could throw short passes to move the chains and keep the clock moving. 

Similar Quarterback Production

The Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is more than a game manager. He has shown the ability to make big plays and big moments, especially in the playoffs. In late December, CBS compared the statistics of Tannehill’s first 24 games as the Titans starter and Patrick Mahomes’ statistics last 24 games. The results of this comparison are shocking enough and help the argument that Tannehill should be considered one of the better quarterbacks in the league. 

Tannehill’s 114 passer rating beats Mahomes 105.9 passer rating during that span. However, Mahomes’ 6,983 passing yards is higher than Tannehill’s 6,080 passing yards. Shockingly Tannehill beat out Mahomes in total touchdowns with 61 to Mahomes’ 56. They both only threw 10 interceptions during that span. Finally, Tannehill had a higher completion percentage completing 67.7% of his passes while Mahomes completed 66.4% of his passes. If this was a competition Tannehill beat out Mahomes with a final score of 3-1-1 out producing him in three categories.

Now it is unlikely that Tannehill will join Mahomes in the best in the league conversation unless he takes home the league MVP this season. But the stats do show that the two are closer than many think. If it came to a battle of the better quarterback it may end up being a toss-up between the two.

Revamped Defense

This offseason the Titans have focused on retooling their defense. Last year the Titans’ defense was not good enough to get the team back to the AFC Championship. So they got rid of multiple starters including Jadeveon Clowney, Kenny Vaccaro, Adoree Jackson, Desmond King II, and Malcolm Butler. They went out and added big-name free agents like Bud Dupree, Denico Autry, and Janoris Jenkins. Then Tennesee drafted three defensive players with their first four selections including first-round pick Caleb Farley, second-round pick Monty Rice, and third-round pick Elijah Molden. 

It appears that Tennessee swapped out their strength in the secondary to increase the talent level of their pass rush. Four members of the Titans starting secondary were cut during free agency but they signed two high caliber pass rushers to go along with the pass rushers they already had on their roster. Harold Landry has had 14.5 sacks for Tennesee over the last two years and former first-round pick Jeffrey Simmons is closing in on becoming one of the best defensive tackles in the league after his play the last two seasons. Now the Titans added Dupree who could very well have double-digit sacks and be named to the Pro Bowl this season and one of the most underrated pass rushers in the league the last couple of seasons Denico Autry. Dupree has had 19.5 sacks over his last 27 games. While Autry discretely had 20 sacks over the last three seasons in Indianapolis. The Titans should have no problem getting after opposing quarterbacks next season and beyond. 

The reason why Tennessee may have changed the emphasis of their defense from an outstanding coverage team to a dominant pass rush likely has to do with the Super Bowl. Todd Bowles’s defense in Tampa Bay relies more on the play of their front seven than back seven. Their defensive line, pass rushers, and linebackers are all Pro Bowl-caliber players while their secondary is made up of young early draft picks who are capable of playing good enough coverage but are not considered lockdown. A defense with that makeup was able to defeat Tennessee’s biggest rival in Kansas City in the Super Bowl. So Titans’ general manager Jon Robinson decided to remake their defense in Tampa Bay’s image to get past the team standing between them and the Super Bowl. 

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