Category: NFL News

It’s been a roller coaster of a week for those who follow the point spreads in the NFL.

The latest line movement has the Chiefs favored over the Bengals by a point, and at some sports books 1.5 points, as the news continues to look good on Patrick Mahomes‘ injured ankle.

The Chiefs opened as favorites in the AFC Championship Game. The the line shifted and the Bengals became favorites. And now it’s back to the Chiefs again.

All the news out of Kansas City the last two days has indicated that Mahomes is moving around well on the practice field and isn’t likely to be significantly impacted by his high ankle sprain, and that’s why the Chiefs are now favored. But the line movement all week shows how volatile the betting market is on this game, and any rumors that Mahomes is hobbling could result in the Bengals being favored again before kickoff.

Chiefs now favored over Bengals after more line movement in AFC Championship Game originally appeared on Pro Football Talk

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes practiced fully again Thursday after being a full participant in Wednesday’s session. Head coach Andy Reid made it seem as though the 2022 First-Team All-Pro quarterback won’t be very limited in the AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

“He felt good in the walkthrough,” Reid said of Mahomes on Thursday, ahead of the practice session. “He’s on track. His feet are doing OK right now, so he still can move then. So he’s not just throwing with all arm. But he’s got a good enough arm. You’ve seen him do it even when there’s no ankle issue, so he’ll throw some balls where he’s flat-footed.”

Reid thought Mahomes did a “nice job” in practice Wednesday and felt comfortable with what was being asked of him. Mahomes felt he had a good day as well, even saying he felt “probably better than I expected.” Overall, it’s been a positive stretch for Mahomes, who left his press conference Wednesday without either a walking boot or a noticeable limp.

“I still feel like I can do a lot of things,” Mahomes said Thursday. “We’ll see as we get closer and closer — and we’ll see during the game. You can’t fully do exactly what you’re going to be in those moments in the game, but all I can do is prepare myself the best way possible — and then, when we get in the game, you hope adrenaline kind of takes over and you can make those throws when you need to.”

However, he still isn’t sure how close he will be operating to his full capacity come Sunday evening. 

“We’ll see during the game,” Mahomes said when asked what he thinks he will be able to do against the Bengals. “All I can do is prepare myself as much as possible. I’m going to prepare my body the best way during the week to be in the best position possible.”

He said his rehab continues with “one of 8,000 different devices” to speed up his recovery when he eventually leaves the…

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The first mock draft projections from ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. are now public. Kiper has been one of the prominent faces and voices of the NFL draft media for decades, and his takes are always interesting.

This mock draft flows into a couple of defensive selections for the Detroit Lions with their first-round selections at No. 6 and No. 18.

Kiper has these five players off the board when the Lions go on the clock at No. 6 overall:

1. Bears – Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

2. Texans – C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

3. Cardinals – Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

4. Colts – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

5. Seahawks – Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

At six, Kiper turns to Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson. A long-armed, powerful player who led the Red Raiders with seven sacks in each of the last two seasons, Wilson brings a strong presence to the Lions defensive front. As Kiper notes,

Wilson, the top true defensive end in this class, would help both. He can use his burst at the snap to beat offensive tackles on passing downs or use his 6-foot-6 frame to hold up against the run. An edge-rushing duo of Wilson and Aidan Hutchinson would be formidable, with surprise rookie James Houston working in on obvious passing downs.

At No. 18, Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez gets the nod. It’s later than Gonzalez is typically projected, but that’s a positive development for the Lions. Like Wilson, Gonzalez has unusual size for his position but a very high athletic ceiling to go with some impressive on-field credentials at both Colorado and Oregon.

Story originally appeared on Lions Wire

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Given what we witnessed during the first 20 weeks of the 2022 NFL season, fans could be in for an extremely memorable championship weekend. 

The four survivors from last weekend’s divisional round — the 49ers, Eagles, Bengals and Chiefs — will play this weekend for the right to represent their respective conferences in Super Bowl LVII. Among the big storylines entering championship weekend include the Bengals’ quest at a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, Patrick Mahomes’ injury status following Saturday’s win over the Jaguars, and the continued — and unexpected — success of 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. 

There’s a very good chance that one or both of this weekend’s games will one day crack the following list of the greatest conference championship games in NFL history. Several all-time classics made the list, including the 2021 overtime thriller between Cincinnati and Kansas City.  

20. 1999 NFC Championship: Rams 11, Buccaneers 6 

While obviously not a barn burner, the Rams-Buccaneers NFC title game showdown was a masterpiece for fans of defense. Led by future Hall of Famers Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Derrick Brooks, the Buccaneers shut down the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense for most of the game. With the Rams’ defense also playing lights out, the Buccaneers’ defense would need to shutout one of the greatest offenses of all-time in order to reach the Super Bowl. 

Unfortunately for them, the Buccaneers were victims of a perfectly-thrown pass from Kurt Warner that fell into the waiting arms of Ricky Proehl, whose 44-yard touchdown catch propelled the Rams to the Super Bowl. 

19. 1983 NFC Championship: Washington 24, 49ers 21 

The two most recent Super Bowl champions, Washington and San Francisco battled for the right to face the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. Down 21-0, the 49ers staged an epic rally behind Joe Montana’s three fourth quarter touchdown…

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The 2023 NFL draft is fast approaching and even with the Eagles preparing for the NFC Championship Game, scouts within the organization are doing their due diligence on potential prospects.

Thanks to some draft night wizardry from Howie Roseman, the Eagles traded the No. 16 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 18 overall pick, a 2022 third-round pick, a 2022 seventh-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.

We tracked the Eagles’ picks via Tankathon, and after New Orleans went 7-10, Philadelphia locked down a top-ten selection.

ESPN’s legendary draft guru, Mel Kiper, Just released his first mock draft of 2023, and he has Philadelphia reloading on defense with their two first-round picks.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO) Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt

Pittsburgh Panthers Vs Tennessee Volunteers

A talented defender, Kancey would be the shortest defensive tackle on the Eagles’ current roster.

The Miami, Florida native was a unanimous All-American, the 15th in Pitt program history, and the first player to accomplish the feat since Aaron Donald (2013).

Kancey recorded 31 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks in 11 games.

Kancey’s 2022 tape is extremely impressive, and I moved him way up my Big Board. He wreaked havoc the past two seasons, racking up 13.5 sacks when lined up as a defensive tackle, the most in the country. At 6-foot, 280 pounds, he’s undersized, but so was former Pitt tackle Aaron Donald. (To be clear, he’s not Donald, but he’s still pretty good.) We know Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman invests heavily in the D-line, and Kancey would fit next to 2022 first-rounder Jordan Davis.

30. Philadelphia Eagles Brian Branch, S, Alabama

Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

Kiper has Philadelphia using their second first-round pick on a versatile safety from Alabama.

Philadelphia made a preseason trade to acquire safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but he…

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The NFL playoffs roll on to the conference title games after the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals routed the Buffalo Bills on the road on Sunday and the San Francisco 49ers held off the Dallas Cowboys. 

The divisional round of the 2023 NFL playoffs kicked off on Saturday as the Kansas City Chiefs and a hobbled Patrick Mahomes held on to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-20, and the Philadelphia Eagles absolutely destroyed the New York Giants, 38-7. 

After a week off, each conference’s top-seeded teams entered the fray this weekend and both moved on. The Chiefs, the AFC’s top-seeded team each of the last four years, will now be playing in the AFC Championship Game for a record fifth straight year. On the NFC side, after their convincing win over their rivals, the top-seeded Eagles will be making their first appearance in the NFC title game since the 2017 season. 

Two more teams look to punch their tickets into the conference championship today.

This year will mark the fourth Super Bowl played in Arizona and the first since the Patriots rallied to defeat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. 

Super Wild Card Weekend

Saturday, Jan. 14

(4) 49ers 41, (7) Seahawks 23(4) Jaguars 31, (5) Chargers 30

Sunday, Jan. 15

(2) Bills 34, (7) Dolphins 31(6) Giants 31, (3) Vikings 24(3) Bengals 24, (6) Ravens 17

Monday, Jan. 16

(5) Cowboys 31, (4) Buccaneers 14 

Divisional Round

Saturday, Jan. 21

(1) Eagles 38, (6) Giants 7(1) Chiefs 27, (4) Jaguars 20

Sunday, Jan. 22

(2) 49ers 19, (5) Cowboys 12(3) Bengals 27, (2) Bills 10

Championship Sunday

Jan. 29
NFC Championship
Eagles vs. 49ers, 3:05 p.m. ET (Fox, stream on fuboTV)

AFC Championship
Chiefs vs. Bengals, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS, stream on Paramount+)

Super Bowl LVII

Feb. 12
AFC champion…

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The Dallas Cowboys’ season ended on a bizarre final play with 45.7 million people watching.

The team’s 19-12 loss to the 49ers on Sunday was the most-watched matchup of the weekend and the second most-watched NFL divisional playoff game on record, according to Fox Sports.

It’s not the first time a record number of viewers have tuned in to watch the Cowboys lose. Dallas’ 2017 playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers drew 48.5 million viewers, the most-ever for a divisional playoff game.

The Cowboys’ most recent loss is unique in that it was the most-watched telecast of any kind since the last Super Bowl and peaked with 51.5 million viewers.

Sunday’s AFC showdown between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals garnered 39.3 million viewers in comparison, per Show Buzz Daily.

Dallas and San Francisco once had a strong rivalry and it saw a revival on Sunday. 49ers tight end George Kittle made a suspenseful catch in the third quarter that teetered between his hands as he dodged cornerback Trevon Diggs and somehow secured the ball before the dive landed him on the field.

It took Kittle nine yards to secure possession of the pass, a reception that set San Francisco up for a 91-yard touchdown drive later.

“I was just trying to be dramatic,” Kittle joked, via The Athletic. “It was just for TV. Just trying to get the ratings up.”

Tough 27 years for the Cowboys franchise

For the past 27 years, the Cowboys have not managed to make it out of the divisional round, an unfortunate stretch for a team that has goals to win it all.

Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein wrote that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told media members that he and the team were “sick” about the loss, a word he used six more times in a 2-minute span.

Still, he communicated that Sunday’s showing did not deter him from quarterback Dak Prescott or head coach Mike McCarthy.

“I would like to be right back here [next year] with the same hand, the same opportunity, with Prescott as the quarterback, and go get…

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The NFL playoffs roll on to the conference title games after the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals routed the Buffalo Bills on the road on Sunday and the San Francisco 49ers held off the Dallas Cowboys. 

The divisional round of the 2023 NFL playoffs kicked off on Saturday as the Kansas City Chiefs and a hobbled Patrick Mahomes held on to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-20, and the Philadelphia Eagles absolutely destroyed the New York Giants, 38-7. 

After a week off, each conference’s top-seeded teams entered the fray this weekend and both moved on. The Chiefs, the AFC’s top-seeded team each of the last four years, will now be playing in the AFC Championship Game for a record fifth straight year. On the NFC side, after their convincing win over their rivals, the top-seeded Eagles will be making their first appearance in the NFC title game since the 2017 season. 

Two more teams look to punch their tickets into the conference championship today.

This year will mark the fourth Super Bowl played in Arizona and the first since the Patriots rallied to defeat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. 

Super Wild Card Weekend

Saturday, Jan. 14

(4) 49ers 41, (7) Seahawks 23(4) Jaguars 31, (5) Chargers 30

Sunday, Jan. 15

(2) Bills 34, (7) Dolphins 31(6) Giants 31, (3) Vikings 24(3) Bengals 24, (6) Ravens 17

Monday, Jan. 16

(5) Cowboys 31, (4) Buccaneers 14 

Divisional Round

Saturday, Jan. 21

(1) Eagles 38, (6) Giants 7(1) Chiefs 27, (4) Jaguars 20

Sunday, Jan. 22

(2) 49ers 19, (5) Cowboys 12(3) Bengals 27, (2) Bills 10

Championship Sunday

Jan. 29
NFC Championship
Eagles vs. 49ers, 3:05 p.m. ET (Fox, stream on fuboTV)

AFC Championship
Chiefs vs. Bengals, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS, stream on Paramount+)

Super Bowl LVII

Feb. 12
AFC champion…

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