Tag: Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers stop Lamar Jackson on 4th down -- 2020, Week 8

NFL Monday Morning Madness Week 8: Steelers down rival Ravens, remain unbeaten

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

It doesn’t seem too long ago when the likes of Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu and the Steelers of yesteryear battled Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and the Ravens of the past in matchups that left both opponents bloodied and battered. Pittsburgh’s 28-24, nail-biting victory over Baltimore on Sunday was a return to those times, as both teams are among the AFC’s top contenders.

After the game, breakout rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool was just one of many Steelers celebrating when he tweeted: “Losing? Never heard of her.”

Can you blame them for boasting? Pittsburgh (7-0) just survived yet another close bout with a top AFC team on the road, and this time it was over their bitter AFC North rival.

To get a win of this caliber in Baltimore to stay undefeated was something even Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had to acknowledge.

“You better believe it,” said Tomlin. “It’s an honor. A humbling experience. This is what we signed up for, this is what we do at this level. You want to be in these stadiums, you want to have [Jim] Nantz and [Tony] Romo calling your game. We’re honored to be a part of it.”

Having Nantz and Romo, CBS’ top NFL broadcasting team, at your game, means you’re playing one of the biggest games of the week, usually on a national stage, or close to it.

Pittsburgh looks primed to win more of these close affairs behind their top-flight defense, rejuvenated offense, sound coaching and organizational consistency.

The contest featured twists and turns as Baltimore led 17-7 at the half before Pittsburgh rallied to take a 21-17 second-half lead, before falling behind once more. That’s when Ben Roethlisberger delivering a game-winning touchdown pass to Claypool midway through the fourth quarter.

Still, holding that 28-24 lead with over seven minutes remaining, the stout Pittsburgh defense suffered through a few anxious moments before eventually holding versus Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the electric reigning the NFL MVP.

“It’s not always pretty, but we find a way to get it done,” Ben Roethlisberger told CBS’s Tracy Wolfson after the game. “I’m just glad they’re my defense.”

The moment of praise for his teammates on the opposite side of the football was needed.

The menacing Steeler defense forced four Jackson turnovers (two interceptions, two fumbles lost), including a game-opening pick-six and a fumble recovery on a 4th-and-3 stop on a Baltimore QB draw up the gut with roughly two minutes to play.

“The turnovers are the reason why we lost the game,” said Jackson.

He may not be wrong. Baltimore had a double-digit lead at halftime, and despite the turnovers they were able to spread out the Pittsburgh defense to rush for 265 yards on the ground, but the Steeler pass rush (four sacks), and Baltimore’s all-too-familiar, big-game ineffectiveness through the air reared it’s ugly head once again.

Throughout the season, the Ravens had collected some beatdown wins over lesser opponents under the radar, but now have twice have fallen twice on a big stage at home to what we now know are the AFC’s two best teams — Pittsburgh and Kansas City.

The loss to the Chiefs on Monday Night Football earlier in the year was especially rough. Baltimore’s defense was carved to pieces by Chiefs phenom passer Patrick Mahomes, and Jackson’s attempt to keep up through the air — admittedly with lesser pass-catching targets — was futile, leaving a possible opening for a “Jackson—can’t—keep—up—with—Mahomes” talkshow topic that is certainly ego-damaging for a young and maturing Jackson.

But Sunday’s home loss to their AFC North rival is another moral bludgeoning altogether.

For years, dating back to the early-2000s, the Steelers-Ravens rivalry has been one of the NFL’s marquee matchups.

If the battles between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were the best recent individual player rivalries, then the smash mouth, hard-hitting affairs between Pittsburgh and Baltimore make up perhaps the best 21s-century rivalry in team-versus-team form, with only the Seahawks-49ers battles of the early-2010s even coming close.

These games are must-see television. Two (or sometimes three) times a year, legacies have been built, and career-encompassing judgment has been cast based off the results of a Steelers-Ravens clash.

Now, Baltimore falls virtually three games back of Pittsburgh (if you include the tiebreaker) in the AFC North, with their next meeting with the Steelers residing in Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving night. First, the Ravens will travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts (5-2) next week in an important AFC battle that will kick off the second half of the season.

Furthermore, Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley, a young franchise cornerstone, suffered an ankle injury that will end his season.

As for Pittsburgh, the Steelers’ next three games (at Cowboys, vs. Bengals, at Jaguars) are all winnable, giving them a shot at a 10-0 start before they see Baltimore again at home for that aforementioned second meeting.

THE BETTER HALF

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-0) (Last week: 1). After bludgeoning the Browns, and soundly beating the Titans and Ravens on the road, it’s clear the Steelers are the biggest threat to defending champion Kansas City in the AFC. Them, along with the Buccaneers, are the most complete teams in football right now, even if league-best quarterback play on the Chiefs and Seahawks make the latter two equally dangerous teams come January.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) (Last week: 2). I know they played the Jets — whose 2020 version of their team may be the worst pro football squad we’ve ever seen — but it’s pretty wild that a Patrick Mahomes’ five-touchdown game is now bottom-of-the-barrel, ho-hum news for an NFL Sunday.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) (Last week: 4). They should beat the Giants in New York tonight, setting up a mega-tilt versus the NFC South rival Saints in Tampa next Sunday night. If they win that, they’ll be in the driver’s seat for the division crown, with New Orleans two rows back in the van.

4. Seattle Seahawks (6-1) (Last week: 6). Defending NFC champion San Francisco was starting to feel good about themselves before they ran into Russell Wilson, D.K. Metcalf and the seemingly unstoppable Seahawks offense, which is one of the best stories of the season. No matter how bad their defense is, Seattle is still a Super Bowl contender.

5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) (Last week: 3). They’ll probably follow this up with a few solid wins that are seen by most on the bottom-of-the-TV ticker or in a postgame highlights show, but that’s their problem. The Ravens will be judged on games like Sunday’s, or their match with Kansas City earlier in the year. They lost both. They’re a great team that needs wide receiver help, more consistency in the passing game, and better play in big games. There’s still Super Bowl hope with a team this talented, but it seems Lamar Jackson is destined to suffer another rough playoff loss before the Ravens further build around him.

6. New Orleans Saints (5-2) (Last week: 9). They still don’t look great on offense, and Michael Thomas’ extended absence is likely at play there. They have a chance to raise some eyebrows next week in Tampa, where they’ll attempt to sweep the mighty Bucs, and in turn, pull ahead in the NFC South.

7. Green Bay Packers (5-2) (Last week: 6). Here comes the list of three teams that are clearly good but not great, and it showed on Sunday. Of course, the Vikings were going to get up for a game with their NFC North rival, especially when they have nothing to lose. But if you get three touchdowns from No. 1 wide receiver Davante Adams, and still don’t win, that’s a sign you need more on offense. No wonder they’ve been linked to Will Fuller’s before tomorrow’s trade deadline. They need to get better in run defense, too. They were run over twice by the 49ers last year, and similarly by Dalvin Cook and the Minnesota running game on Tuesday. That’s a bad Achilles heel to have come January. It may be their undoing again.

8. Tennessee Titans (5-2) (Last week: 7). The Titans’ 34-20 loss to the Bengals in Cincinnati was perhaps the worst loss of the day, for any team. You’d think they’d get up more for a lowly opponent after their first loss of the year at home the week before. Now, the Colts have pulled even with them in the AFC South.

9. Buffalo Bills (6-2) (Last week: 8). Yes, they beat the Patriots, effectively ending their AFC East title chances and elevating theirs in the process, but the Bills haven’t quite looked good the past few weeks. They are a super-talented team, but they have trouble stopping the run in what looks like a defensive regression season, and Josh Allen still throws a few errant passes. They are soundly the fifth or sixth best team in the AFC, but should do enough to win the division, although the Dolphins are creeping up.

10. Arizona Cardinals (5-2) (Last week: 11). We’ll put them here during their bye week. They are one of the most fun teams to watch in 2020.

11. Indianapolis Colts (5-2) (Last week: 14). Here come the Colts. Believe it or not, that was a pretty great win in Detroit on Sunday. The Lions are indeed, the Lions, but they are a tough team that was feeling good about themselves. We’ll know a lot more about Indy after next week’s home match versus Baltimore.

12. Miami Dolphins (4-3) (Last week: 16). Tua Tagovailoa wins his first start, and the Dolphins have now won three straight and are allowing a league-best 18.6 points per game on defense. Head coach Brian Flores deserves a ton of credit for what he’s doing in Miami.

13. Los Angeles Rams (5-3) (Last week: 13). Here comes the trio of “just OK” teams in the NFC, whether for quarterback play, injuries, or overall roster issues. The Rams are primed to be a NFC wild card team at best, and nothing else.

14. Chicago Bears (5-3) (Last week: 12). Similar to the Rams, the Bears have erratic QB play, and just don’t feel like a true contender in the NFC. And that’s because they’re not.

15. San Francisco 49ers (4-4) (Last week: 10). Things were looking up for the 49ers before a rough loss in Seattle that featured more injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle. This just isn’t their year, despite Kyle Shanahan’s valiant attempt to coach around it.

16. Las Vegas Raiders (4-3) (Last week: NR). That was a big win in Cleveland for AFC Wild Card purposes come January. The Raiders are a wily bunch.

Next up: Cleveland, Philadelphia, Carolina, Detroit, Denver

Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers

NFL Tuesday Morning Madness Week 6: Brady-Rodgers, AFC over NFC & first look at MVP race

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

Every few weeks a weekend’s slate of NFL games sets off more conversations than a simple lead story can handle. Sunday was one of those weeks. Tom Brady-Aaron Rodgers, the dominant NFC, the Steelers, the Titans, and more.

Here is a bullet-version of this week’s NFL Morning Madness, where I attempt to collect all my thoughts in a coherent format:

 The Tom Brady-Aaron Rodgers argument has always been somewhat silly. The Packers (4-1) perfect start to the season went undone in Tampa Bay, as both Brady and Rodgers’ performances couldn’t be more different. Rodgers posted a dismal 17.8 Total QBR, throwing two interceptions (one pick-six) as Green Bay failed to score any points after the first quarter. Conversely, Brady committed zero turnovers, posted a superb 96.1 QBR, and finally found his rhythm with old friend Rob Gronkowski (5 catches, 78 yards, TD).

Despite Brady’s effort, it was Tampa Bay’s underrated defense that sparked Tampa’s 38 unanswered points, and essentially, the win. Brady moved to 2-1 versus Rodgers, which seems ridiculous that they’ve only faced off three times since they’ve both been starters in the league since 2008.

But that’s just that. The great “debate” (which isn’t that much of a debate) has always been a difficult, and somewhat silly one that poses some similarities to two NBA player conversations — Lebron James vs Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan vs Shaquille O’Neal.

Like LeBron and Kobe, Brady and Rodgers have often been compared but they rarely faced off, seeing as they were in different conferences. And like LeBron and Kobe in 2009, the two QBs came dangerously close to facing off in a few Super Bowls (2014, 2016) but the all-time player showdown never materialized. Additionally, unlike LeBron and Kobe, who truly did face off when they played each other, we know Brady and Rodgers don’t exactly touch the field at the same time, unless one of them accidentally wandered onto the field drunk when their defense was on the field. Still, that doesn’t deter me from QB conversations, which I believe are the most fun debates in sports.

And in these debates, we tend to get silly when discussing reasons why one should be better. First off, the argument isn’t simply Brady’s six Super Bowl rings versus Rodgers’ one. Brady had stable help for 20 years in the form of greatest coach in sports history, a perfectly-balanced, when-to-meddle-if-at-all owner, and a cast of championship-caliber players for reasons both tangible and intangible. But at the same time, success in the form of six Super Bowl wins, nine Super Bowl appearances and 17 AFC East division titles signals a greatness in more than just a head coach, and the way some of those rings were one hosts Brady into a well-earned Michael Jordan-like stratosphere. Simply put, both Brady and Belichick are individually the best ever at what they do, no matter how much that triggers the gag reflex in sports fans outside of New England.

That’s not to say Rodgers isn’t one of the best QBs to ever play. He is. He’s probably one of the seven or best right now, and a seemingly successful twilight and stat-earning may very well thrust him into the top five. Heck, two more rings in his late 30’s would put him in the GOAT conversation with Brady, depending on how they were won (Peyton Manning and the 2015 Broncos are an example of critical thinking here).

But what Rodgers is now, is one of the best QBs ever (but not the GOAT, that’s Brady) and perhaps the most talented we’ve ever seen with maybe Dan Marino. But that was before Patrick Mahomes came along, who I think no holds that distinction.

Look, Rodgers can do things Brady simply can’t do. Him and Mahomes can run RPO’s, scramble, throw 60-yard touchdown throws across their body, and simply make some throws that Brady cannot make. And that’s all fine and well, but it doesn’t overcome Brady’s relentless consistency and success (now into his mid 40’s), dissecting coverages, fitting the ball into tight windows, elevating sub-par pass-catching groups, performing in the clutch, and most importantly, winning.

Rodgers’ throws may be sexier, but to bring back the second of two NBA player arguments, were Tim Duncan’s 30-point, 20-rebound performances less dominant than Shaq’s because he was fundamentally shooting short and mid-range shots (and hook shots) as opposed to dunking over his defenders? Of course not. And as much as I love Shaq, I have Duncan one spot above Shaq on my all-time NBA player rankings. But that conversation is for another day.

For now, let’s set the record straight on Brady-Rodgers, a fun conversation that never really was one, at least on a macro-level. And that’s okay. We have to talk about something on Mondays, don’t we?

 The AFC is significantly better than the NFC in 2020. Throughout my time closely following the NFL since 2000, the shift of conference power has teeter-tottered. The AFC ruled much of the 2000’s with 2004 being an NFC low point. That quickly changed in the 2010’s, which began with new-age teams such as the Jim Harbaugh 49ers, Legion-of-Boom Seahawks, and Cam Newton and Luke Keuchly Panthers leading the charge over an AFC that really featured just Tom Brady and Peyton Manning with a few solid Steeler seasons mixed in.

Now, it appears the AFC has re-taken charge. It’s not too surprising considering Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, the two best young quarterbacks in football, reside there. But teams such as the Steelers (5-0), Titans (5-0) and Bills (4-1) have single the change in power. Tennessee and Buffalo both feature QBs who can scramble, make plays and run unique offenses, one with a solid, old-school rushing attack (thanks Derrick Henry) and the other with a top-flight receiving core (Stefon Diggs!) and both feature up-and-coming, Top-5 or Top-10 coaches who are aggressive, confident and harbor athletic defenses. Both teams are tough and will continue to be. These sort of new-age teams remind me of the way the NFC had those Seattle and San Francisco teams that signaled a trend to a different era of football in the 2010’s, even though I think those NFC teams were on another level.

And for the NFC, it wouldn’t be fair without mentioning Dak Prescott’s season-ending injury, the injury-ridden Eagles and 49ers, and Drew Brees’ apparent decline in New Orleans, which all have limited the potential of the conference thus far.

But as of now, the NFC’s best teams are just two well-run franchises led by two of the three or four best QBs in football, but both teams have significant holes. We’re talking about Seattle and Green Bay, which you’ll see below, are the top two NFC teams in my Week 6 rankings, but both are behind four AFC teams.

Two of those teams, the Titans and Steelers, will face off on Sunday for the leading conference, the AFC. I’ll talk more about that here in this next bullet.

— Steelers-Titans on Sunday is 2020’s best matchup so far. Despite a travesty-laden 1:00 pm ET start for a game of this magnitude, most of the country should get a top-billing matchup between Pittsburgh (5-0) and Tennessee (5-0) next week, and if you don’t, you better at least have NFL RedZone. 

I still believe Pittsburgh is the best team in football, and that they proved that once more in their usual beatdown of the Browns at home on Sunday. Their defense is the best in football, period. Which makes for an excellent matchup next week as the Titans intend to most likely establish the run with Derrick Henry, the best running back in football by far. Then, Vrabel’s bunch would like to get into play-action passes to the likes of A.J. Brown and Jonnu Smith, which is a duo that is up there with the best WR-TE, one-two punches in the league.

But Ryan Tannehill will have to look away from middle-of-the-field protecter Minkah Fitzpatrick, who victimized Baker Mayfield for a pick-six in a robber assignment early on Sunday.

Then there’s the Steelers’ offense. Tennesee’s defense actually hasn’t been that good, and can be had. Big Ben Roethlisberger will need to buy time to find play-making rookie receiver Chase Claypool, tight end Eric Ebron, and others downfield.

Expect a heavy-hitting, high-energy and aggressively, somewhat-high-octane matchup next Sunday. My prediction? Steelers 26, Titans 24. 

NFL MVP RACE

Here is my first look at the NFL MVP race, which is a section for after Week 6, Week 9, Week 12 and every post-weekend column after Week 14.

1) Russell Wilson — I don’t think this is much of a conversation at this point. Wilson makes up for a lackluster defense and continuously creates plays, both designed and broken, and wins games in the clutch in extraordinary fashion. Additionally, for you “you’re not allowed to be the best if you only throw short passes!” buffoons, Wilson has been the best deep passer in football as well. Despite the bye this week, he has five more touchdown passes than any other QB (before tonight’s Chiefs-Bills tilt) and his passer rating (129.8) is roughly 15 points higher than the next man. Yeah, this isn’t that close.

2) Derrick Henry — Despite having the most rushing attempts (123) in football by a wide margin, Henry has averaged 4.8 yards per carry. He’s the only RB averaging more than 100 yards per game and he’s average 117.6. He has 99 more rushing yards than any other player, and the Titans have already had their bye. I know a running back will probably never win MVP again, so let me just say that Henry should at least be in the lead for OPOY. But I know if you wanted to place Wilson there, as well, I wouldn’t have too much of a qualm.

3) Ryan Tannehill — It’s hard to place these Titans in the race, and I’ll take all the flack for having Henry ahead of Tanny. I think both are about equal in terms of being the engine of the offense, but as the team’s quarterback, Tannehill bares the most burden. He’s won 13 of his past 15 games, and overall has been superb this season. But in last year’s playoff run, the team relied more on Henry, and when they relied on Tannehill, they faltered. That was just in January. I bet Tannehill remembers his critics from that period, and uses it as fuel. It’s worked thus far. He’s been awesome.

4) Patrick Mahomes/Lamar Jackson — Here is where I start to cheat. Yes, maybe I should have included the Titans guys in one slot, but I needed to give Tennessee some love. And yes, I’m adding two guys here in what will probably become the inaugural “they could win every year” slot reserved for the likes of LeBron James in the NBA and Bill Belichick in the coach of the year (or coach of the worst team that does OK) award. The voter fatigue slot, essentially. Mahomes and the Chiefs have been a bit sluggish overall, but their lighting up of the Ravens in Baltimore was something to see. Conversely, Jackson has been predictably great in almost every game once more, but his performance in the home loss to KC has caused some over-arching concern. He needs to win some of these bigger games.

5) Aaron Rodgers/Josh Allen — Here is where I continue to cheat. Yes, my Top 5 in the race is essentially a Top 7. Turn me in. Both Rodgers and Allen were nipping on Wilson’s heels before each put up a duck in their last contest. Going forward, Rodgers has much more of a chance of winning the award. Allen has a lot to work with, but Rodgers has played well in Year 2 in a Matt LaFluer’s QB-limiting (MVP-wise, somewhat) offense, and has done it mostly without Davante Adams, meaning essentially no one at WR.

Honorable mention: Aaron Donald, Ben Roethlisbeger, Tom Brady, Alvin Kamara, Stefon Diggs 

THE BETTER HALF

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-0) (Last week: 1). Still the best team in football, and maybe their next two games (at Titans, at Ravens) are a chance to prove that.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) (Last week: 3). Kansas City has another chance to come into an opposing AFC contender’s house and lay the smack down tonight.

3. Baltimore Ravens (5-1) (Last week: 5). Any non-playoff, non-marquee game for the Ravens is entering almost-meaningless territory. And not because those games don’t tell us anything, they do. Baltimore is damn good, but they’ll be judged on their bigger contests.

4. Tennessee Titans (5-0) (Last week: 6). If the Steelers have had the best start to the season, the Titans have had the most special. I was wrong about this team. Mike Vrabel and company are a super tough bunch. Football as it should be.

5. Seattle Seahawks (5-0) (Last week: 4). Russell Wilson is the the MVP, and he’ll need to continue to be just that for Seattle.

6. Green Bay Packers (4-1) (Last week: 2). That loss sparked PTSD from last season’s bouts with San Francisco. Is this the same story for Green Bay?

7. Buffalo Bills (4-1) (Last week: 7). The Bills have a chance to make a statement tonight versus KC, and put the AFC East race in the back burner for now.

8. New Orleans Saints (3-2) (Last week: 8). I’m still waiting for them to click on offense. They’ll need Michael Thomas back for that.

9. Chicago Bears (5-1) (Last week: 13). How in the world are they 5-1? Impressive.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) (Last week: 14). Their defense is special, and the offense is just getting going. Gronk looked somewhat like Gronk finally and the re-addition of Chris Godwin to the offense was much-needed.

11. Los Angeles Rams (4-2) (Last week: 9). They are 2020 NFC Wild Card material at it’s purest level.

12. Indianapolis Colts (4-2) (Last week: 12). Being down 17 at home to the lowly Bengals is concerning, but credit to Phillip Rivers and company for the comeback win. Avoiding losses like that, while teams like the Patriots fall at home to the Broncos, will be huge when it comes to time to place AFC postseason field in January.

13. San Francisco 49ers (3-3) (Last week: NR). Jimmy Garoppolo finally found his groove, just in time for a return to New England next Sunday.

14. Cleveland Browns (4-2) (Last week: 11). Same ole Browns? That was ugly. Baker Mayfield can’t seem to get it going. They can run the ball, but what happens when they can’t? Will we always see an ugly performance like that? To take the next step, they need to be more consistent through the air.

15. New England Patriots (2-3) (Last week: 10). That was perhaps their worst loss since the Monday night massacre of 2014 in Kansas City that sparked “On to Cincinnati.” All of the sudden, they are in trouble. I still think this is a wild card team, and I still think Cam Newton is the man, but they desperately need some talent at wide receiver and tight end.

16. Las Vegas Raiders (3-2) (Last week: 15). We’ll keep them here for now. The AFC is such a deep conference this season.

Next up: Miami, Carolina, Dallas, Arizona, Denver

Chase Claypool vs Eagles

NFL Friday Morning Madness Week 5: Steelers are league’s best team thus far

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

In the most unconventional NFL season in history, the league managed to get through its first three weeks of the regular season almost unscathed. That quickly turned when COVID-19 predictably infiltrated some of the league’s clubs. First, it was the Tennessee Titans, whose situation turned rampant, eventually forcing the NFL to play schedule-altering dominoes with ramifications weeks down the line. Then, Cam Newton, and later, Stephon Gilmore, marked the NFL’s first two star-studded, in-season cases of the year.

Since then, a few other cases have risen among a few teams, with both players and staff testing positive. Today, the Colts shut down their facility due to several positive cases. Yesterday, the Falcons shut down their facilities for the same reason.

Pandemic protocol and overall handling of the virus aside, the league has been able to successfully alter their schedule thus far — at least for them — but that will become increasingly difficult moving forward.

Now, without further ado, here is my extended look at each of the league’s top 16 teams (in my opinion) after five weeks, in power rankings form.

THE BETTER HALF

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0) (Last week: 4).

Let it be known that the Steelers are the best team in the NFL after five weeks, and that they will do damage in January’s AFC postseason field.

Pittsburgh has the NFL’s best defense — no, not statistically, at the moment, but they are the best defensive unit in football going forward — equipped with stars at all three levels, and several other solid complimentary players helping to form a cohesive unit.

Cameron Heyward has enjoyed a stellar twilight to his career as a big-bodied presence in the interior of the team’s Nickel 2-4-5 scheme. Playing next to nose-tackle type defenders like Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu, Heyward helps occupy offensive lineman up front for the likes of Devin Bush at off-ball linebacker, and the terrorizing EDGE combo of T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree on the outside.

T.J. Watt
T.J. Watt will be in the mix for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award once again in 2020. (Screenshot: NFL on CBS)

Watt, who rightly finished second in defensive player of the year voting last season, is the top-ranked EDGE defender (92.4 grade) by Pro Football Focus thus far. He’s continued his mastery as both a pass rusher and run stuffer, while also helping out in coverage.

Then there’s the secondary, which has solid players in cornerbacks Steven Nelson and Mike Hilton (slot) as well as safety Terrell Edmunds. But it’s safety Minkah Fitzpatrick who is the best in the backend. The former Miami Dolphin has been brilliant as a safety and nickel back in the Steelers’ scheme.

But we knew they’d have one of the NFL’s best defenses. Last season, Pittsburgh went 9-7 and nearly made the playoffs despite inept play from QBs Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges. All credit goes to Mike Tomlin, his coaching staff, and the defense there.

Now, Ben Roethlisberger, 38, has returned looking more slender and energized than he has since his early years, helping to lead an offensive unit that has a top-tier offensive line and yet another up-and-coming wide receiver group.

The Steelers are simply the kings of pro football when it comes to scouting, drafting and developing wide receivers. From first-round talents such as Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes, to mid and late-round receivers like Hines Ward, Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh continuously breeds top-end wide receivers.

Chase Claypool, the Steelers’ second-round pick last Spring, looks like their next great pass catcher. The 6-foot-4, 230 pound looks like a receiver in a tight end’s body. Claypool scored four touchdowns versus the Eagles on Sunday, with a penalty negating a possible fifth score.

He joins JuJu Smith-Schuster, Dionte Johnson, Eric Ebron and James Conner as the team’s leading men in the skill position slots. If Claypool is the real deal as an X-type receiver — and it appears he is — the Steelers have enough fire power on offense to compliment their defense in matchups against some of the AFC’s best teams — Kansas City, Baltimore, Tennessee, etc.

And on top of that, they have a two-time Super Bowl-winning QB to lead them, giving them a sense of comfort that teams like the Titans, Bills, and even Ravens don’t have come January. The point is, Pittsburgh can hold their own with the Chiefs.

With a brutal three-game schedule ahead (vs Browns, at Titans, at Ravens), it’s tough to imagine Pittsburgh staying undefeated, meaning some will right them off, especially if they drop two of three, but this will be an awakening from the NFL public when Pittsburgh gets an increase in TV exposure with these upcoming games. Soon enough, the Steelers will have more than just a few analysts buzzing, they’ll be known as a top tier team by the public and casual fans, too.

2. Green Bay Packers (4-0) (Last week: 2).

Aaron Rodgers has been terrific, and is squarely in second place in the way-too-early-MVP race behind Russell Wilson. It looks like they’ll get Davante Adams back this week, which is big news because their game in Tampa Bay may turn into a shootout. These are the games the Packers will have to steal if they are to get the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) (Last week: 1). Whether it be their offensive performances in wins over the Chargers and Patriots, or last week’s defensive meltdown versus the Raiders, the Chiefs have had a sluggish start to the season by their standards. But we know they’ll be fine come playoff time, with their beatdown of the Ravens in Baltimore as proof of their always-burgeoning, tangible potential.

Now, they add Le’Veon Bell to compliment rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the backfield. The rookie back has been a wonderful addition, and should remain a top option, but it’s easy to imagine Bell with a few 20-plus carry games in January in cold weather games versus tough AFC defenses. Although Bell may not regain his Pittsburgh form, he is definitely one of the NFL’s top 10 running backs, even now. He’s just one more weapon that opposing defenses will have to game plan for when facing KC.

4. Seattle Seahawks (5-0) (Last week: 3). Russell Wilson is the league’s top story through five weeks. The Seahawks continue to play in extraordinarily weird and exciting contests, and they continue to pull them out. The Vikings were Seattle’s latest victim, when Wilson drove the Seahawks 94 yards in the final two minutes, converting two fourth downs to D.K. Metcalf in the process, to stun Minnesota on a game-winning touchdown pass.

The aforementioned Metcalf is in line to become the next super-specimen at the X-receiver position, joining the likes of Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones and others before him. Then there’s Tyler Lockett in the slot and a rushing attack that’s averaging 4.9 yards per carry thus far.

But their success lies with Wilson, an MVP-frontrunner who will need to continue his pace to offset the Seahawks’ sneaky-bad defense, which may eventually be their undoing.

5. Baltimore Ravens (4-1) (Last week: 6). 

The Ravens beat up the bad teams every time. That’s a sign of a good team. But to be great, they’ll need to beat the good or great teams more often than not. Now that Pittsburgh is once again a real threat in the AFC, all eyes will be on Steelers-Ravens in Week 8, an AFC North heavyweight battle that begins a tougher stretch of games for Baltimore. Until then, let’s see how many mediocre teams the Ravens can power through before their next big game.

6. Tennessee Titans (4-0) (Last week: 7). 

That was a helluva win for the Titans after all that has happened with them over the past few weeks. They barely even got to practice, yet came out hot and destroyed the Bills. Mike Vrabel is a solid coach who you can always trust will have his team emotionally ready.

7. Buffalo Bills (4-1) (Last week: 5). 

That was a train wreck loss for Josh Allen and the Bills, but on a Tuesday night game on the road versus the undefeated Titans, some is forgiven. Buffalo returns home to play the Chiefs in a few days in another weird time slot during dinner time on Monday. We should judge the Bills more off of this upcoming game than the one that transpired on Tuesday.

8. New Orleans Saints (3-2) (Last week: 8). 

The Saints haven’t looked right yet, and as long as Michael Thomas remains out (this time because of disciplinary issues), that likely won’t change. But Thomas will return, the offense will get rolling despite Drew Brees’ diminished arm strength, and the defense will at least get a smidge better, because there is too much talent for them not to. Hold judgement on these Saints for a few more weeks.

9. Los Angeles Rams (4-1) (Last week: 11). 

Sean McVay’s club has fallen under the radar thus far as a tough 4-1 bunch. A silly 4th-down pass interference call in Buffalo a few weeks ago negated a miraculous 28-3 comeback that would have the Rams sitting at 5-0 right now.

Salary cap malpractice aside, the Rams have done an OK job of navigating around some of their bad contracts over the last few years (Todd Gurley, etc.) to boast a team with superstars Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey on defense, and a solid offense ripe with underrated contributors picked outside of the first round. Their running back-by-committee approach isn’t sexy, but it has been effective, paving the way for Jared Goff to recapture success on bootlegs and play-action passing looks.

The 2020 rookie wide receiver class already looks like one of the best we’ve ever seen, and that’s without many talking about Van Jefferson, who should be a key piece for the Rams for years to come.

10. New England Patriots (2-2) (Last week: 9).

The Patriots are a work in progress, as we’ve only seen Cam Newton at the helm for three weeks, and the defense is still navigating through their somewhat-new personnel in the front seven. Bill Belichick usually gets his defense going after four to six games to start the season, and that can be expected again this year. They still have the NFL’s best secondary (we saw them in action versus Mahomes and the Chiefs) and up front, guys like Deatrich Wise Jr. and Chase Winovich appear to be making the jump to solid players.

11. Cleveland Browns (4-1) (Last week: 13).

Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr. and the passing game still seems a bit off, but no one is questioning the rushing attack, which has been near unstoppable thus far. The combo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt will continue to bludgeon most defenses as the season progresses, and Myles Garrett has fully evolved into a superstar on defense. They have the talent, but will need to continue to execute.

12. Indianapolis Colts (3-2) (Last week: 10). 

The Colts remain solid on defense and in the trenches overall, with their top-flight offensive line. But as expected, Phillip Rivers continues the trend of inconsistent quarterback play that has plagued the team over the last few years when Andrew Luck was out, or now, retired. They will be firmly in the mix for an AFC Wild Card spot, but they will likely be looking elsewhere at QB in 2021.

13. Chicago Bears (4-1) (Last week: 16). 

Like the Rams, the Bears are a pretty quiet 4-1. Even Nick Foles stepping in to win two of three for Chicago, the offense still struggles. To be fair to Foles, his first two Chicago stars have come against the Colts and Bucs, two of the NFL’s top defenses, but can anyone see them turning into a 30-plus scoring team consistently when they need to be? I actually can’t rule it out, since I like the fit of Foles in Matt Nagy’s offense. Still, it seems unlikely.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) (Last week: 12). 

Last week’s loss in Chicago was rough. Tom Brady deserves blame, but not as much as Bruce Arians, who can’t seem to bottle up the Buccaneers’ penalty problem. It’s the discipline instilled in his teammates that Brady likely misses the most from the Patriots. What he enjoys in Tampa is a superb pass-catching cast that has yet to see Mike Evans and Chris Godwin healthy and on the field at the same time. They can shut up a few critics with a home win over Green Bay on Sunday. I think they get it done.

15. Las Vegas Raiders (3-2) (Last week: NR).

Jon Gruden’s patience with Derek Carr, and successful scouting of offensive talent (Josh Jacobs, Henry Ruggs, Hunter Renfrow, Darren Waller) not only has the Raiders in the mix with a underrated and effective offense but also signals what could be an improbable victory in the Khalil Mack trade. Maybe not, but either way, it’s hard to question Gruden now.

16. Carolina Panthers (3-2) (Last week: NR).

The Panthers have won three straight, which is a testament to new head coach Matt Rhule and Teddy Bridgewater. Without Christian McCaffrey at running back, the team refused to shy away from their ground attack, placing their trust in Mike Davis, and when they do throw the ball, D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson form an underrated receiver duo. They are predictably bad on defense but are much better than we all thought there with young players such as Brian Burns and others showing potential. They are probably not a playoff team, but they also aren’t a team primed to pick in the Top 5 of this upcoming draft, either. There’s hope for the future in Carolina.

Next up: Dallas, Arizona, Miami, San Francisco, L.A. Chargers

Lamar Jackson juke vs Patriots

NFL Monday Morning Madness: Ravens halt Patriots, put AFC on notice

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

Since breaking onto the college scene to win a Heisman Trophy at Louisville, Lamar Jackson has had to start all over in earning the respect that comes with being one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. After taking over for Joe Flacco as a rookie, leading the Ravens on a 6-1 record down the stretch, Jackson’s limited passing skills were put on display on national television in an AFC Wild Card home loss to the Chargers.

It was a learning point that any (and most) young quarterbacks succumb to. But judging by the ridiculous ‘is he good enough to be an NFL quarterback’ takes, his case was obviously different. He’d need to treat the postseason defeat as a learning experience and then put the loss, and the naysayers, in the distance.

******

10 months later — His confidence is oozing. His leadership is an admirably developed trait. This is a different version of Jackson, or perhaps the franchise pillar that the Ravens thought they had when former legendary GM Ozzie Newsome made him his final first-round pick in 2018.

“This kid is just destined to be great,” said Willie Snead after the game. He attacks those (big) moments, he wants those moments to happen. That’s what he gravitates to. That’s when he’s at his best in those big moments.”

Behind Jackson and veteran rusher Mark Ingram (15 carries, 115 yards), the Ravens rushed 210 yards against one of the best defenses in NFL history through eight games.

Even when the Patriots knew Baltimore’s running game was coming, they struggled to stop it. The Ravens often used fullback Patrick Ricard or tight end Nick Boyle as an H-Back on the near-wing, in a way the Patriots utilized Rob Gronkowski or James Develin to plow over opposing team’s defenders.

When the Ravens weren’t running up the middle, stretch plays the option, or designed runs for Lamar, they were rolling him out and giving him a chance to find his open target. There was nothing fancy in the Ravens’ play-calling, and Lamar wasn’t asked to do too much in the passing game, but he converted a few big throws anyway, including a 4th-and-4 conversion to Willie Snead in the second half with Baltimore in need of a spark versus the surging, down-but-not-yet-out Patriots.

New England, a team that hadn’t lost since December 18, 2018, lost this game because they were outplayed by a better team (that day) that outplayed them physically on both sides of the ball, which is something Bill Belichick will surely address during New England’s bye week.

Earl Thomas emotionally led the Ravens’ charge, much like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed or Terrell Suggs would in Patriots-Ravens matchups of the past. The former two were at Sunday’s game, soaking in the atmosphere that they once helped create in the tough town of Baltimore, and an aura that Thomas and this present-day Ravens defense is trying to keep afloat.

“We didn’t flinch,” Thomas said. “If we take the turnovers out, it’s not close.”

Thomas may be right, but it was a major turnover by Patriots receiver Julian Edelman that turned the tide. Trailing 17-13, and driving, to start the second half, Edelman fumbled in Ravens’ territory, and Marlon Humphrey returned the loose ball for a touchdown, which put New England in a hole they would not recover from.

Edelman took blame for the play, but his teammates would not let him take the burden for the loss, which was a true Patriots-like attitude from a team that otherwise did not resemble themselves.

Tom Brady, who Lamar Jackson still calls ‘the GOAT,’ did his best to combat the Ravens’ pass rush and offensive onslaught, finding his two favorite receivers — Edelman and Mohamed Sanu — although tough, for an impressive stat line for a top-tier running back – 20 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown.

To be blunt, the Patriots are down at least one playmaker on offense. That playmaker might be left tackle Isaiah Wynn. The former first-round pick is slated to return in three weeks versus the Cowboys (4-3), after New England travels to Philadelphia to face the Eagles (5-4). Ditto for rookie first-round pick N’Keal Harry, who should be active then to take on the X-receiver role once occupied by Josh Gordon.

The Patriots now know this won’t be easy, like it appeared to be in their first eight games. The AFC now has three young quarterbacks — Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Jackson — who are liable to take over a game at any moment. Jackson did that to them on Sunday, and they’ll see Watson and Mahomes down the stretch.

“The better team won tonight,” safety Duron Harmon said to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. “We know that. We know we can play a lot better, so it’s all about just learning from the loss.

There’s still a lot of football left. The real football season doesn’t start until Thanksgiving, so we’ve got some time to continue to improve before the real football starts.”

As for the Ravens, they’ll take the win, and they’ll stand behind their new franchise quarterback, who has consecutive wins over Russell Wilson’s Seahawks (on the road) and the defending Super Bowl champions.

“MVP, bro,” Thomas told NFL.com’s Michael Silver of Jackson.“He’s separating himself right now, and it’s pretty special to watch.”

QUICK-HITS 

– With a game-tying 54-yard field goal, and a 44-yard walk-off game winner, Harrison Butker delivered the Chiefs (6-3) a much-needed win that fired up the crowd, and Patrick Mahomes. Immediately after the kick sailed through the uprights, Mahomes ran onto the field to celebrate with Butker and his teammates. Kansas City has two games (vs Titans, at Chargers) before their bye, and they may have to evaluate whether or not they need to rush back Mahomes, who appears ready. At this point, it would take a miracle for the Chiefs to catch the Patriots in the race for home-field advantage, but they are right in the thick of things in the race for the AFC’s No. 2 seed, which would give them a bye. The good news is, the Chiefs should be ‘ok’ either way. Matt Moore, a 35-year-old journeyman who recently was a Dolphins scout, has been effective in Mahomes’ absence. Andy Reid always gets good play out of his backup quarterbacks. If he thinks the Chiefs can beat the reeling Titans with Moore next week, it would be worth considering holding out Mahomes for at least one more game. However, Reid reported “there are no new injuries,” after the win, meaning Mahomes should be scheduled to return Sunday.

– Laces out! Partially because of a bad hold, Adam Vinatieri — the greatest clutch kicker in NFL history — shanked a go-ahead 43-yard field goal attempt. But the bigger problem was that the 2019 Colts’ affinity to play sloppy games finally came back to bite them. Jacoby Brissett went down early, and Brian Hoyer played admirably, throwing for three scores while also setting up Indianapolis for a game-winning drive, but his redzone pick-six proved costly. The person who recorded that defensive touchdown? That’d be Minkah Fitzpatrick. The player who was traded from the Dolphins to the Steelers for a first-round pick has proven worth it. Fitzpatrick totaled three interceptions in a six-day period, which included two against his former team last Monday night. His addition as a do-it-all defensive back capable of playing anywhere on the secondary has given Pittsburgh a massive boost to their underrated defense. Mike Tomlin has done a great job in getting Pittsburgh (4-4) back to .500 without franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

– Every good — or great — team has a dud in the regular season. A lot of times in the middle of the season, too. Because I view this from a Patriots lens, the Packers’ 26-11 loss to the Chargers on Sunday reminded me of the 2010 Patriots’ midseason loss in Cleveland — to Eric Mangini, Peyton Hillis and the Browns — and last year’s Patriots’ blowout loss in Tennessee to Mike Vrabel’s Titans. These losses happen. Even the activation of Rodgers’ No. 1 pass catcher, Davante Adams, couldn’t help in Los Angeles. The Packers (7-2) were flat, and the talented Chargers (4-5) took advantage in a moment where they absolutely needed a quality win to jumpstart a run to the postseason. The Chargers aren’t finished, yet. The Packers will be fine, and will welcome a trip back home next week versus the Panthers.

NFL MVP RACE

1. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks. With an out-of this-world stat line — 22 touchdowns, one interception — Wilson leads this close MVP race as we pass the season’s midway point.

2. Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans. Watson continues to lift up a Texans team with many holes, including a few among the ever-important offensive line.

3. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens. Even with a still-limited repertoire (he’ll learn) in the passing game, Jackson remains one of the best player makers in the NFL. He’s certainly the most exciting.

4. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers. He won’t win MVP, but he is the most valuable non-QB in the NFL this season.

5. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers. Rough day for Rodgers in Los Angeles. That brings him down some. But the way he has picked up this new offense is still something to admire.

Next up: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

THE BETTER HALF

1. New Orleans Saints (7-1) (Last week: 2). Fittingly, the not-talked-about-enough Saints slide up to the top spot during their bye week. They belong here.

2. San Francisco 49ers (8-0) (Last week: 3). Their defense is mighty, and Jimmy Garoppolo just might be joining them.

3. New England Patriots (8-1) (Last week: 1). Now we can oust any undefeated talk. The Patriots have a bye, and then will travel to Philadelphia to exact revenge on the Eagles after a wonky Super Bowl 52.

4. Green Bay Packers (7-2) (Last week: 4). That was a rough loss, but every team lays a dud. If that is Green Bay’s lone stinker this regular season, then they will have played a fantastic 16-game stretch.

5. Baltimore Ravens (6-2) (Last week: 11). The Ravens have a unique offense worthy of postseason success. In an AFC that has just shown that their top team is somewhat vulnerable, Baltimore is right in the thick of things.

6. Seattle Seahawks (7-2) (Last week: 6). Russell Wilson continues to make up for Seattle’s deficiencies. This defense is not very good.

7. Kansas City Chiefs (6-3) (Last week: 9). Matt Moore did enough to win two games, really. It would be wise to wait until Mahomes has fully healed, but it appears he is ready to go. The Chiefs will likely battle the Ravens down the stretch for the AFC’s No. 2 seed, and maybe, the Patriots for home field advantage.

8. Los Angeles Rams (5-3) (Last week: 8). The Rams sit tight, feeling good about themselves during the bye week.

9. Indianapolis Colts (5-3) (Last week: 5). After winning a few sloppy games earlier this season — including last week’s win — the Colts got burned. Rough loss.

10. Dallas Cowboys (4-3) (Last week: 10). They should beat the Giants tonight, and then, they have a big SNF matchup with Minnesota next week.

11. Minnesota Vikings (6-3) (Last week: 7). The Vikings will have to regroup quickly when they face Dallas on Sunday.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) (Last week: 12). The Eagles now go into their bye week with some momentum. After that, they’ll host the Patriots. That game will be telling.

13. Houston Texans (6-3) (Last week: 13). Deshaun Watson continues to play ‘Like Mike,’ in taking the Texans to another level.

14. Buffalo Bills (6-2) (Last week: 14). They let Washington hang around for a bit, but ultimately pulled out a gritty win.

15. Carolina Panthers (5-3) (Last week: 16). No matter who finishes the season at quarterback for the Panthers, their MVP is running back Christian McCaffrey.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4) (Last week: NR). Mike Tomlin has done an incredible job in getting them back to this point. If they sneak into the playoffs, he should be up for Coach of the Year.

Next up: L.A. Chargers, Oakland, Detroit, Chicago, Jacksonville

Ben Roethlisberger vs Jaguars

NFL Monday Morning Madness: Steelers rally past Jags; Cowboys, Bears make NFC statements

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

Fighting through yet another ugly contest in Jacksonville, Ben Roethlisberger’s plunge to the end zone with 4 seconds remaining kept the Steelers’ six-game winning streak intact, and effectively ended the season of the team that ended theirs this past January.

Down 16-0 to the Jaguars in the third quarter, it seemed as if their nemesis of the past season and a half would get the best of them again. Ben Roethlisberger’s final numbers through the air (27-for-47, 314 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions) were far from pretty. But Big Ben shook off two interceptions by Jalen Ramsey, and a game’s worth of smack talk, to send the loudest team in the league into what should be a quiet winter at home in January.

“They like to talk a lot before the game, during the game, but I’m carrying the game ball,” Roethlisberger said after the game.

With six straight losses, the Jaguars (3-7) should now be looking toward 2019, and replacing Blake Bortles at quarterback.

With six straight wins, the Steelers’ (7-2-1) season is just beginning. They currently hold the AFC’s No. 2 seed, but tough matchups with the Chargers (7-3), Saints (9-1) and longtime-rival Patriots (7-3) are looming.

Roethlisberger’s 31st career fourth-quarter comeback adds to a remarkable season that surely looks like another step in what may become a special ending for Pittsburgh, who beat the Bengals earlier this year in similar dramatic fashion – Antonio Brown’s game-winning 31-yard touchdown catch with 10 seconds remaining.

After being blanketed by Ramsey earlier, Brown won the matchup in the fourth quarter with four catches for 110 yards and a long score on his final six targets.

With the Le’Veon Bell situation — and the Jaguars — finally behind them, Pittsburgh can fully shift its focus toward the postseason push to January, which is a month of football in which the Steelers should have a major role in, this season.

Are Cowboys set to win NFC East?

After a Sunday that featured a beatdown of the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles (4-6) and a Washington (6-4) loss in which they were stripped of much more — quarterback Alex Smith lost for the season with a broken leg — the Cowboys (5-5) have to feel mighty fine about their chances to win the NFL’s most storied division.

Combatting with a team in the Falcons (4-6) that may be vying for a NFC wild card spot, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot came through in the fourth quarter, matching Atlanta score for score to eventually win 22-19 on a walk-off field goal by Brett Maher.

Now, the Cowboys will host the Redskins on Thanksgiving day, adding a little flavor to one of the league’s oldest rivalries. Colt McCoy will start at quarterback for Jay Gruden’s bunch, which should make Dallas the favorite to win the game, and momentarily slide into first place in the division. Although, it’s worth noting that McCoy embarrassed the Cowboys in Dallas in a Monday Night game back in 2014.

The Eagles are still looming despite their 48-7 loss in New Orleans, but things are certainly piling up for a team that looks nothing like it did just nine months ago, when they beat the Patriots to win Super Bowl LII.

So for now, it’s Jerry Jones who should be rocking a Holiday grin of that of Dr. Suess’ Grinch. The Cowboys are coming.

Monsters of the North

As Dallas looks to take the NFC East, the Bears (7-3) may already have dibs on the NFC North this season. Their 25-20 defensive showout over the Vikings (5-4-1) puts Chicago a game and a half up in the division. The Vikings host the Packers (4-5-1) next Sunday night, then travel to New England.

So essentially, this may be the win that won the north for Chicago, which is still ironing out some kinks on offense, thanks to the inconsistency of second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

But what Trubisky lacks in decision-making, he makes up for with an athleticism and the innate ability to scramble for first downs. He didn’t need to do much on Sunday, as Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks and the Bears’ ferocious defense put a clamper on the Vikings’ star-studded offense.

The Bears are rolling, with four straight wins, and with an average schedule the rest of the way, they are in a good position for the NFC’s No. 3 seed.

Quick-hits

– It was only a matter of time before an NFL coach would burn himself to the temptation of ‘going for the win’ by attempting a two-point conversion down one point in the waning seconds. Ron Rivera is the latest victim and the Panthers (6-4) dropped a crucial game in Detroit to the Lions (4-6), 20-19.

The call can be dissected all day on Monday, but Cam Newton was off the mark, as Jarius Wright was open. To Newton’s credit, he blamed the loss on himself, after the game. Now, the Panthers host the Seahawks (5-5) in a game that may decide one of the NFC’s wild card spots.

– Give it up for Lamar Jackson, who won his first career start for the Ravens (5-5), 24-21 over the Bengals (5-5) in a big game for AFC wild card purposes.

“My teammates had my back, and I had theirs,” Jackson said after the game.

Jackson scurried on 27 rushing attempts (most by a NFL QB since 1950), which surprises no one who knows his game. As he gains more experience he should develop as a passer. Adding the ability to read defenses to his elite athleticism and playmaking skills could make for a scary player that could captivate the league much like Michael Vick did, at times.

With the lowly Raiders (2-8) up next, Baltimore may opt to keep Joe Flacco on the sideline for at least one more week, to see what else Jackson has to offer.

– It’s been mentioned a few times in lead-up to this, but this year’s best team, the Saints (9-1), just whooped last season’s best team — Eagles (4-6) in a game that spelled a ninth straight win for New Orleans. It’s certainly Super Bowl or bust for these Saints. But there’s a long way to go.

For now, watch this cool postgame interview with Drew Brees and the great Erin Andrews.

 

Tom Brady and Von Miller

Brent Schwartz’s Top 50 NFL players of 2018

Posted on by Brent Schwartz

A few weeks ago, NFL Network’s Top 100 players of 2018 series culminated with Tom Brady’s second consecutive — and third overall — finish at No. 1 on the rankings. I decided to follow that up with my own Top 50 list. Read and enjoy.

Just missed: Andrew Luck, Matthew Stafford, Landon Collins, LeSean McCoy, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Marshon Lattimore, Kareem Hunt, Zach Ertz, Ndamukong Suh, Everson Griffen, Adam Thielen, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jimmy Garoppolo, Deshaun Watson, Phillip Rivers, Mike Evans, Marshal Yanda, Geno Atkins, Kevin Byard, Telvin Smith, Jason Kelce, Eric Weddle, Brandon Graham

50. Larry Fitzgerald – WR, Arizona Cardinals 

Fitzgerald will turn 35 before the season starts, but he’s coming off of three consecutive seasons with 100 receptions or more. That’s incredible. He’s still a borderline top 10 receiver.

49. Doug Baldwin – WR, Seattle Seahawks

As feisty as he is talented, the mentally-tough Baldwin is Russell Wilson’s go-to-guy. He’s one of the more clutch pass catchers in football, and is far from an interchangeable piece in the slot for Seattle.

48. Stephon Gilmore – CB, New England Patriots

After a rough start to his career in New England, Patriots fans were calling for his head. Gilmore quietly meshed into one of the league’s best cover corners outside of Jacksonville down the stretch. He’s the AFC champs’ third best player after Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.

47. Michael Thomas – WR, New Orleans Saints

Thomas is easily the most talented wide receiver that Drew Brees has ever played with, and he’s only going to get better. At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, Thomas is a ‘X’-type wide receiver that also produces from the slot. According to Pro Football Focus, Thomas was targeted on 26.7% of his routes last year, which is good for second in the league among wide receivers.

46. Fletcher Cox – DT, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles anchor on defense is one of the league’s best interior defensive lineman. His ability to disrupt and offense from the inside helps create one-on-one mismatches for Philadelphia’s talented team of pass rushers on the outside.

45. Alvin Kamara – RB, New Orleans Saints

Give me Kamara over both Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette. The do-it-all back is a prime example of the NFL’s new breed of running backs. He can be a workhorse in a different way than an Ezekiel Elliot-type in that Kamara is best used as someone who’s targeted as often in the passing game as he is in an offense’s running attack.

44. Tyreek Hill – WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Perhaps Hill should be labeled as merely an ‘athlete’ rather than wide receiver. Hill exhibits explosiveness from a myriad of roles that include lining up on the outside, in the slot, out of the backfield and kick returning. He’s one of the league’s most exciting players.

43. David Johnson – RB, Arizona Cardinals

In examining a running back who previously suffered a season-ending injury the year before, one must do their due diligence in knocking them down a few spots on any player rankings. But when healthy, Johnson challenges a few others for the title of the league’s best running back. He’s just as affective in the passing game as he is in the running game.

42. A.J. Green – WR, Cincinnati Bengals 

Green’s best days in Cincinnati may be behind him as Andy Dalton and the middling Bengals provide little to be excited about as a franchise. But he still remains a borderline top five guy at his position.

41. David DeCastro – G, Pittsburgh Steelers

As great as Le’Veon Bell’s field vision is, would he have enough time for his patented stop-and-start running without DeCastro clearing the lanes? I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t.

40. Chandler Jones – EDGE, Arizona Cardinals 

Looking back, Bill Belichick’s decision to trade Jones (instead of paying him) may be one of the few mistakes in his ruthless approach to team building. Without Jones (and albeit, a few others) the Patriots pass rush has been virtually nonexistent. In Arizona, Jones proved his worth by leading the NFL with 17 sacks in 2017.

39. Casey Hayward – CB, Los Angeles Chargers 

One of the league’s most underrated players, Hayward has been even better with the Chargers than he was with the Green Bay Packers. Pro Football Focus named Hayward the league’s top coverage defender in 2017.

38. Eric Berry – S, Kansas City Chiefs

Berry overcame Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, so he’ll overcome last year’s season-ending Achilles injury as well. The Chiefs once-stout defense is in need of a reboot and that begins mostly with Berry returning to action.

37. Earl Thomas – S, Seattle Seahawks

A couple seasons ago, Thomas was the anchor of arguably the best defensive backfield in NFL history, and was absolutely a top 10 player in football. In 2018 Thomas is still a top tier safety, but his prime years have passed him by. Still, whether he suits up for the Seahawks or Cowboys this season, Thomas still has an Ed Reed-style of range that will drive quarterbacks nuts for a couple more seasons.

36. Jadeveon Clowney – EDGE, Houston Texans

Clowney has slowly transitioned from the ‘bust’ label associated with an underperforming former No. 1 overall pick to one of the league’s best overall defensive players. He has the power, athleticism and technique to give even the best quarterbacks hell.

35. Patrick Peterson – CB, Arizona Cardinals 

Drafted the same year (2011) as Richard Sherman, Peterson has not yet reached Sherman’s peak, but he’s outlasted him as one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks for a longer period of time. Of course, Sherman could prove me wrong at age 30 on a new team coming off a major injury, but this isn’t about him.

Peterson has been one of the best coverage defenders in the business for most of this decade and he’s even been one of the game’s most dangerous punt returners at times.

34. Zack Martin – G, Dallas Cowboys

Martin edges DeCastro and Marshal Yanda on this list as the NFL’s best guard. Martin excels in both pass and run-blocking as one of a few All-Pros on Dallas’ league-best offensive ine.

33. Keenan Allen – WR, Los Angeles Chargers

When healthy, Allen is unquestionably a top-five level wide receiver. He’s the prototype underrated player that doesn’t get enough media attention. Despite his lackluster pro day 40-yard dash (4.71 seconds) Allen makes up that with his pristine route-running skills and playmaking ability, says NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks, who is also a former player and scout.

32. Travis Kelce – TE, Kansas City Chiefs 

Like Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce is a new-breed of tight end. The 6-foot-5 tight end is almost Gronkowksi’s size with better speed and quickness. Kelce can line up in-line like a traditional tight end but also spends time out wide and in the slot. Kelce is basically a massive wide receiver and should be treated as such on one of the best offenses in the league.

31. Carson Wentz – QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Had he not been injured versus the Rams, Wentz would have been last year’s MVP. He’ll have a chance to prove last year is no fluke in his return from a major injury last season. He’s one of the game’s brightest young stars.

30. Chris Harris, Jr. – CB, Denver Broncos

To be blunt, Harris is the best slot cornerback of all-time. The position is relatively new in terms of being a full-time role, but the nickel position is extremely important in today’s era of football. Harris’ ability to stymie Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and other slot playmakers in the innovative Patriots’ scheme is all you need to know about Harris. With Talib gone, Harris may be asked to cover opponents’ No. 1 pass catcher regardless of whether he’ll be lined up in the slot or the outside.

29. Harrison Smith – S, Minnesota Vikings

Smith is next in line to become the NFL’s best safety if he isn’t already. He’s just as effective in the box as he is in pass coverage. His reliability in the backend allows Mike Zimmer to be more aggressive with the NFL’s No. 1 defense.

28. Cam Newton – QB , Carolina Panthers 

Newton showed maturation as a leader in displaying mental toughness more often than not in 2017, a far cry from past seasons. During his 2015 MVP season, he showed how good he can be. As the Panthers add more weapons around him, Newton will continue to improve into a consistent quarterback.

27. Matt Ryan – QB, Atlanta Falcons

With the absence of Kyle Shanahan and the ending to Super Bowl LI casting over the 2017 season, Matt Ryan still had the Falcons in position to make it back to the NFC Championship Game. The Falcons are one of the league’s most talented teams, and should be one out of a handful of Super Bowl LIII favorites, with much of that credited to Ryan.

26. Ben Roethlisberger – QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Roethlisberger is on the downside of his career, but at certain times during the 2017 season, he showcased that he still has the tools to be considered a top passer. Despite the loss to the Jaguars in an AFC Divisional Playoff, Big Ben shredded the AFC’s top ranked defense for 469 yards and five touchdowns. He may not be as consistent as he once was, and I’m willing to bet this is his last ‘good’ year at quarterback, but in a league riddled with inconsistency at the position he remains one of the NFL’s best.

25. Calais Campbell – EDGE, Jacksonville Jaguars

After nine seasons in Arizona as mostly an interior defender, Campbell had his best season as a pro on the Jaguars’ stingy defense by setting the tone on the edge. As the leader of a ferocious pass rush, it’s Campbell in company that rushed quarterbacks into untimely decisions. The Jaguars have the NFL’s best duo at cornerback, but they’re twice as effective because of Campbell and others up front.

24. Joey Bosa – EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers

Entering his third season, Boss could be labeled as an ’emerging’ star if he wasn’t a star already. He’s the best bet in terms of future ‘superstars’ in the same way J.J. Watt has been at a similar position. Having Melvin Ingram rushing the passer from the other side on the Chargers’ defense helps. Bosa is the most likely young player on this list to end up in the top 10 next summer.

23. Cameron Jordan – EDGE, New Orleans Saints

Jordan is one of the NFL’s most underappreciated players in that he’s one of the best edge players in football, yet doesn’t get the national media attention of others at his position. The Saints’ defense improved dramatically in 2017, and although adding talent (Marshon Lattimore, etc.) in the secondary certainly helped, Jordan deserves the most credit for their turnaround.

22. Xavier Rhodes – CB, Minnesota Vikings

At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds with 4.39 speed, Rhodes is a prototypical No. 1 cornerback in today’s NFL. His combination of athleticism and physicality are virtually unmatched at his position, making him the Vikings’ most valuable cog on their No. 1 ranked defense.

21. A.J. Bouye – CB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Not to be overlooked by Jalen Ramsey, Bouye has already proven to be one of the best free agent acquisitions of the 2010’s. The Jaguars stole Bouye from their AFC South rival, the Texans, by singing him to five-year, $67.5 million contract last offseason. In his first season in Jacksonville, Bouye led the league in PFF’s passing rating allowed when targeted stat and didn’t allow a touchdown until Antonio Brown snagged one over him in the postseason.

20. Ezekiel Elliot – RB , Dallas Cowboys

Like Bosa, Elliot is one of the league’s budding young stars. He already has two seasons under his belt despite being just 22 years old (he’ll turn 23 next week). Sure, the Cowboys mammoth offensive line has a helping hand in Elliot’s success, but it’s apparent that the Cowboys running back has the talent to succeed just about anywhere.

19. DeAndre Hopkins – WR, Houston Texans

The most impressive thing about Hopkins is that he’s flourished with an array of below average quarterbacks. His knack for tracking the ball in the air and sideline balance are just as impressive as his receiving skills. Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr. are the favorites to take the ‘best wide receiver’ crown from Antonio Brown.

18. Tyron Smith – T, Dallas Cowboys

Yes, the Cowboys have the NFL’s best guard and left tackle. Smith is a behemoth of both power and technique at one of the most important positions in pro football.

17. J.J. Watt – DE (3-4), Houston Texans

The only reason Watt isn’t in the top 10 of this list is due to the fact that he’s missed most of the past two seasons to injury. The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year is one of the most dominant edge defenders of all-time by any measure. Him and a certain Broncos’ pass rusher could each be called this generation’s Lawrence Taylor.

16. Julio Jones – WR, Atlanta Falcons

With four consecutive seasons of over 1,400 receiving yards, Jones has been one of the game’s top two receivers since 2014. But I made this list with a 70-30 rule of production in recent seasons pitted against potential during the 2018 campaign. The latter percentage makes me believe this next receiver will pass him this season.

15. Odell Beckham Jr. – WR, New York Giants

It may take a few games for him to round back into form, but with Saquon Barkley and an improved offensive line, Beckham should have a little less attention from defenses. 2018 may be the season that he becomes the game’s best wide receiver, and ultimate offensive weapon. He’s certainly on path to do that and more as he puts up early career numbers that only Jerry Rice and Randy Moss have produced.

14. Bobby Wagner – LB, Seattle Seahawks 

As the ‘Legion of Boom’ era comes to a close, Bobby Wagner remains the most important player on a once-stout defense. Wagner’s speed and instincts make him a downright monster in defending the run and the pass. Seahawks GM Jon Schneider should look to build around their star linebacker.

13. Luke Kuechly – LB, Carolina Panthers

Though his very best play happened a few seasons ago, Keuchly remains the best linebacker in pro football. He’s the Panthers’ best player.

12. Drew Brees – QB, New Orleans Saints

Many compliment Brady for his play at age 40, but Drew Brees is continuing to play quarterback at a high level at the current age of 39. He’s not in Brady or Aaron Rodgers’ class anymore, but he shouldn’t be overlooked. With the team built in New Orleans, Brees may have a real crack at ring No. 2 before he retires.

11. Todd Gurley – RB, Los Angeles Rams

Gurley was a finalist for NFL MVP due to being the catalyst of the NFL’s No. 1 offense in 2018. As Jared Goff matures, the focal point may switch from Gurley to the young quarterback. But frankly, there’s no need. Gurley is that good.

10. Le’Veon Bell – RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

The league’s best running back has perhaps the most unique running style in the history of pro football. Bell’s field vision is second to none among rushers, along with plenty of his other skills. In an era where running backs have been less valuable than years past, Bell is still one of the game’s best players, with only two skill position players above him on this list.

9. Jalen Ramsey – CB, Jacksonville Jaguars 

Ramsey has transcended into the league’s best cornerback much of the way Richard Sherman did for a moment a few years ago: by being the outspoken, brash leader of one of the league’s best defenses. He’s the face of the Jaguars.

8. Rob Gronkowski – TE, New England Patriots

Although Gronk’s full seasons are no longer statistically dominant, he still exhibits his unstoppable self when needed. During the Patriots’ game-winning drive to beat the Steelers in Week 15 and the team’s first drive to start the second half of Super Bowl LII, Gronkowski completely took the game over. He’s Randy Moss-level scary at the tight end position. He’s been passed as the game’s best non-QB on offense, though.

7. Khalil Mack – EDGE, Chicago Bears

The only player in NFL history to be voted an All-Pro at two positions (DE, OLB), Mack is an unstoppable force on the edge and will continue to thrive in Chicago as the Bears’ new franchise player.

6. Russell Wilson – QB, Seattle Seahawks 

Wilson was an MVP candidate in 2017 despite playing behind the league’s worst offensive line. It seemed like he was running for his life on virtually every snap last season. No other QB could have that much success given the circumstances. If the Seahawks surprisingly return to the playoffs in 2018 in their first year of the ‘post-Legion-of-Boom’ era, it’ll be because of Wilson. He’s the third best QB in football. ‘@’ me if you’d like.

5. Von Miller – EDGE, Denver Broncos 

Miller is still the game’s best pass rusher. If he can mentor rookie Bradley Chubb into half of the force he is on the edge, Denver’s defense may return to how it looked in 2015.

4. Antonio Brown – WR, Pittsburgh Steelers 

The game’s best non-QB on offense was unstoppable again in 2017. Statistically, he’s coming off the best five-year span for a wide receiver in NFL history. Speaking of history, Brown is climbing up the greatest wide receivers of all-time list. After Jerry Rice I’ve had Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald. Brown will give the latter two a run for their money with a few more seasons at his recent level of play.

3. Aaron Donald – DT, Los Angeles Rams 

Donald has taken over as the league’s best defensive player, a title previously held by Von Miller, and J.J. Watt before him. With the arrival of Ndamukong Suh along the Rams’ defensive line, Donald should terrorize offenses from the interior at an even higher rate in 2018.

2. Aaron Rodgers – QB, Green Bay Packers 

Despite another season cut short to injury, Rodgers belongs here. He’s on pace to finish as one of the four or five best quarterbacks of all-time, with an outside chance of chasing this next QB for the ultimate crown.

1. Tom Brady – QB, New England Patriots

The GOAT remains at the top of his game despite turning 41 in August. His impressive run since 2014 (2-1 in Super Bowls, NFL MVP at age 40) has been the highest level of quarterback play of any passer, ever. The fact that he’s doing this at his age is incredible.