NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • 2023 NFL hot seat rankings: Patriots’ Bill Belichick among 11 head coaches who could be in trouble

    2023 NFL hot seat rankings: Patriots’ Bill Belichick among 11 head coaches who could be in trouble

    With nine weeks down and another nine to go, we’ve officially reached the halfway point of the 2023 NFL season. Some teams are cruising in the standings; the reigning Super Bowl contestants in Philadelphia and Kansas City, for example, are a combined 15-3 atop their respective conferences, while the Ravens might have a case as the best team in the NFL with a +115 point differential. Others are simply trying to get by — so much so that they could be in line for major changes in the coming months.

    Head coaches are just one piece of the equation, but like quarterbacks, they tend to be held more accountable for a team’s struggles. With that in mind as we enter Week 10, these coaches appear firmly on the hot seat, if not now then very soon:

    11. Mike McCarthy, Cowboys

    Season record: 5-3 | Record with team: 35-23 (1-2 playoffs)

    It’s not that McCarthy can’t guide a playoff contender. He’s done it in both Dallas and Green Bay. But owner Jerry Jones has a Super Bowl standard with a perennially glitzy roster, and McCarthy’s in-game management has frequently drawn criticism as America’s Team struggles to get over the hump when the lights are brightest.

    10. Brian Daboll, Giants

    Season record: 2-7 | Record with team: 11-14-1 (1-1)

    New York will assuredly be hesitant to go two-and-done with yet another coach, especially after Daboll maximized a makeshift lineup to win a road playoff game in Year 1. But his offense has been even more rickety and situationally challenged in 2023, leading some veterans to openly question his handle on an injury-riddled franchise.

    9. Dennis Allen, Saints

    Season record: 5-4 | Record with team: 12-14

    Endorsed by longtime HC Sean Payton and in his second stint with the team, Allen’s ties to ownership may be too strong for an exit after two years, and he’s once again shepherding a game-changing defense. But his curious game-day decision-making has often been masked by the…

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  • James Madison seeks bowl eligibility: Undefeated Dukes send letter to NCAA requesting relief from bylaws

    James Madison seeks bowl eligibility: Undefeated Dukes send letter to NCAA requesting relief from bylaws

    James Madison has sent a letter to the NCAA Board of Directors requesting the organization allow the Dukes to be eligible for postseason competition. In the, letter obtained by multiple outlets, JMU points to its overall success in the Sun Belt and strong scholarship funding levels as extenuating circumstances. 

    The Dukes have put together one of the greatest transitional runs in NCAA history, posting a 17-3 record in their first 20 games as an FBS member. JMU sits at 9-0 in 2023 and ranks No. 21 in the AP Top 25, the second-best ranking in the nation for a Group of Five team. But thanks to NCAA transition rules which make an FCS-to-FBS transitioning team ineligible for the postseason in their first two seasons, the Dukes are unable to play for a Sun Belt title or appear in the College Football Playoff Rankings. 

    “JMU presents a unique set of factors in making this request for relief,” the letter reads. “No other school has gone above and beyond the transition requirements in all the ways we have. This request is specific, unique, and consistent with the principles of student-athlete welfare espoused by the NCAA.” 

    James Madison previously applied for a waiver to shorten its FBS transition from two years to one after the Dukes went 8-3 in their first FBS season under coach Curt Cignetti. The waiver was ultimately denied. 

    Said the NCAA in a statement to The Athletic: “The NCAA has received a waiver request from James Madison and the request will be considered by the appropriate membership committees in a timely manner.”

    In their letter, the school’s administration points to amended requirements for FBS participation that include a higher minimum scholarship requirement and at least $6 million in annual spending. The Dukes have…

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  • Getting Defensive: Week 10

    Getting Defensive: Week 10

    New Orleans Saints v Indianapolis Colts

    Matchups are a key part of fantasy football at every position. You want to start quarterbacks and wide receivers facing leaky secondaries. Running backs who face defenses that are soft up the middle. Kickers who—OK, no one cares about kickers except maybe their parents.

    The same absolutely holds true with team defenses. And there are some defenses right now getting more gravy than at Thanksgiving—because there are a handful of quarterback injuries and benchings that have led to some interesting dudes starting under center.

    Last week’s game in Vegas between the Raiders and New York Giants featured a pair of rookies in Aidan O’ Connell and Tommy DeVito. O’ Connell and the Raiders did OK. DeVito and the Giants did not—the G-Men turned it over twice, allowed eight sacks and scored six points. It was even worse for Clayton Tune in his first start for the Arizona Cardinals—the Redbirds tallied all of 58 yards of offense and never got inside the 40-yard line against the Cleveland Browns. Brett Rypien of the Los Angeles Rams isn’t a rookie, but he was a disaster against the Green Bay Packers, completing less than half his passes for 130 yards and a pick in a 20-3 loss in Green Bay.

    There are a number of quarterbacks fantasy managers should actively be targeting in Week 10—starting with a game in Dallas that may force the NFL to consider instituting a mercy rule in 2024.

    THE NO-BRAINERS

    Dallas Cowboys (vs. New York Giants)

    Seriously, y’all. This ain’t fair. DeVito has been abysmal in the two games he’s played so far, and the Giants are stuck with the undrafted rookie—both Tyrod Taylor and Daniel Jones are on injured reserve after Daniel Jones tore his ACL last week. The Giants also have Matt Barkley on the roster, but it’s not like he provides some massive improvement. And whoever starts under center will be playing against arguably the best pass rush in the NFL behind an offensive line that is on pace to allow…

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  • Penn State will continue rotating Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen in backfield

    Penn State will continue rotating Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen in backfield

    Nov. 6—Penn State football coach James Franklin said Monday the Nittany Lions will continue rotating sophomores Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen at running back.

    Allen leads Penn State in rushing with 573 yards on 119 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per curry and 63.7 per game. He ran 14 times for 91 yards last week in a 51-15 blowout win at Maryland.

    Singleton, the former Gov. Mifflin standout, has run 121 times for 480 yards, seven touchdowns, 4.0 yards per carry and 53.3 per game. He carried eight times for a season-low 20 yards against the Terrapins.

    Singleton and Allen have been mostly responsible for the Lions ranking third in the Big Ten in rushing with 173.2 yards per game.

    “I think we did this last year and it was pretty successful,” Franklin said after being asked if he considered going with a lead back. “We’re doing it this year and it’s been pretty successful.

    “We feel very comfortable with the model and the plan and how we’re using it.”

    Singleton, the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, had 12 runs of at least 21 yards last season, but his longest rush this season has been for 20 yards.

    He has caught 19 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown and has returned 11 kickoffs for a 25.3 average. He’s fourth in the Big Ten in kickoff returns and fifth in all-purpose yards with 100.7 per game. His 51-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter immediately followed a Maryland touchdown that cut it to 31-15.

    “The kickoff return was a big play in the game,” Franklin said, “not only from a field position standpoint. They had just scored and got a little bit of momentum. To be able to respond right away with that play was huge.”

    Penn State used Singleton’s return to set up Allen’s 11-yard run that made it 38-15.

    Jacobs makes cut: Penn State’s Curtis Jacobs was named Monday as one of the 12 semifinalists for the Butkus Award,…

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  • Travis Etienne, Jalen Carter and other NFL players on pace to make their first Pro Bowl appearance

    Travis Etienne, Jalen Carter and other NFL players on pace to make their first Pro Bowl appearance

    The NFL regular season has reached what could be considered the halfway point. There are still two months to sort out postseason honors, but several players are on pace to potentially receive Pro Bowl recognition. A year ago, there were 27 players who were selected to their first Pro Bowl.

    Here are nine players who could receive the call this year:

    Purdy is one of six NFC quarterbacks to throw for more than 2,000 yards this season; two of those, Kirk Cousins and Matthew Stafford, have been dealing with injuries. According to TruMedia, Purdy has the second highest passer rating in the NFL. San Francisco is currently on a bit of a cold streak, but one has to assume it will continue on an upward trajectory once the collective begins to heal. 

    Purdy is not a certainty to be recognized, but he is in the conversation. Quarterback is one position where multiple alternates are often called upon.

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  • Ohio vs. Buffalo odds, line, spread: 2023 Week 11 MACtion predictions from proven computer model

    Ohio vs. Buffalo odds, line, spread: 2023 Week 11 MACtion predictions from proven computer model

    Week 11 of the 2023 college football season begins with three MACtion matchups. The final game of the evening pits the Ohio Bobcats against the Buffalo Bulls. Ohio is 6-3 overall and 3-2 in MAC play this season. Buffalo will host this matchup at UB Stadium, where the Bulls are 1-3 this season. The Bulls are also 3-6 overall, though Buffalo is 3-2 in MAC competition.

    Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET. For this game, SportsLine consensus lists the Bobcats as 7-point favorites, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 44 in the latest Ohio vs. Buffalo odds. Before making any Buffalo vs. Ohio picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.

    The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a stunning profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

    Now, the model has set its sights on Ohio vs. Buffalo and just revealed its picks and MACtion predictions. You can visit SportsLine to see the model’s CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for Buffalo vs. Ohio: 

    Ohio vs. Buffalo spread: Ohio -7Ohio vs. Buffalo over/under: 44 pointsOhio vs. Buffalo money line: Ohio -277, Buffalo +224OH: The Bobcats are 4-5 against the spread this seasonBUFF: The Bulls are 5-4 against the spread this seasonOhio vs. Buffalo picks: See picks at SportsLineOhio vs. Buffalo live stream: fubo (try for free)

    Why Ohio can cover

    Ohio’s defense is off to an outstanding start in 2023. The Bobcats lead the MAC in allowing only 15.7 points per game this season, and Ohio also…

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  • What to care about from Week 9

    What to care about from Week 9

    Five things I care about

    The Bengals look playoff-ready

    After their Sunday night win over the Buffalo Bills, the Bengals would now qualify for the playoffs if the season ended today. The same could be said for all of the AFC North teams, actually, but there are few operations I feel better about than the Bengals right now.

    The early season era of panic around the Bengals was real. It was deserved. Their quarterback was playing like a shell of himself and the entire team is built around the concept of him being a difference-maker. When he’s not right, it’s cast asunder. That is no longer the reality we live in.

    With 348 yards and two scores on 44 pass attempts against the Bills in Week 9, Joe Burrow has now stacked back-to-back pristine performances after dicing up the 49ers last week. He looks like a healthy and rejuvenated player the further we get out from the team’s bye week. As long as he’s playing like this, Burrow is back to being the man he was considered before the season. He’s an MVP-candidate type of player and a top-five fantasy quarterback.

    The offense also got a predictable rebound game from Tee Higgins. While Ja’Marr Chase missed a few opportunities for big plays, Higgins delivered in a positive matchup. With Higgins and Chase working together at their peaks and Burrow in full form, the Bengals offense is once again a nightmare. Never mind the fact they got a handful of big plays from the ancillary players in this attack. That’s how you know a scoring unit and passer are feeling it.

    Lastly, what makes me so bullish about the Bengals is that with their offense now not in such a hurry to get off the field, we’re seeing the greatness of Lou Anarumo. Perhaps one of, if not the very best, defensive game-plan designers at work right now, few coordinators are as capable of pitching a heater against great quarterbacks. Anarumo put a roof over the Bills offense and frustrated Josh Allen and co. all evening. When the defense is working in harmony…

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  • Deion Sanders explains why he handed over offensive play-calling duties to Pat Shurmur

    Deion Sanders explains why he handed over offensive play-calling duties to Pat Shurmur

    Head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes made some headlines prior to the Oregon State game when it was reported that Pat Shurmur would call offensive plays instead of coordinator Sean Lewis.

    Shurmur has a lengthy resume, but the decision was made even more head-scratching when the Buffs struggled offensively against Oregon State on Saturday. The Buffs had just 238 yards of total offense and scored two touchdowns, both in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was sacked four times in the game, and the rushing attack remained nonexistent.

    All in all, it was another disappointing offensive performance. After the game, Coach Prime was asked about his decision to give Shurmur an increased role:

    “We’re not going to demean Sean Lewis,” Deion Sanders said. “We’re not going to do that. We’re not going to take the tone. Sean is a good man. I think he’s a good playcaller. We just needed change at the time. We just needed to try something else at the time. And that’s what we did. I don’t look back on it. I don’t second-guess myself whatsoever because there’s more to it than what you may know. Let’s just trust the process.”

    The offense has taken a giant step back, and this performance was not encouraging one bit. The Buffs have now lost three in a row and five of their last six games with the Arizona Wildcats now coming to town.

    If the offense doesn’t improve soon, who knows what changes will happen next?

    Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

    Story originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire

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