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1 Cause Every Potential NFL Playoff Crew Can Win Tremendous Bowl 59 | Bleacher Report
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: The soccer gods favor them — They only hold discovering methods to win, which by itself wouldn’t be cause sufficient if not for the actual fact they’ve discovered their means into 4 of the final 5 Tremendous Bowls (profitable three).
Rating the 25 Biggest Sports activities Franchises of the Final Quarter Century | Bleacher Report
Common-Season File: 226-177 (.561)
Postseason Appearances: 13
Tremendous Bowls: 4 appearances, three titles
For the latest quarter of the previous quarter century, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have been indisputably essentially the most profitable franchise.
Within the six accomplished seasons since handing the reins to Patrick Mahomes, they’ve received three Tremendous Bowls, performed in a fourth and misplaced in time beyond regulation of the AFC Championship Recreation within the different two years.
Whereas the NBA has produced six totally different champions, the Chiefs both received or virtually received six titles in a row.
As such, there could be some head scratching over the truth that this latest juggernaut solely landed at No. 7.
Nevertheless, the pre-Andy Reid years from 1999 to 2012 nonetheless counted, and have been decidedly not nice.
Kansas Metropolis went a mixed 98-126 throughout these 14 seasons, plus an 0-3 file within the postseason. Actually, earlier than Reid led them to a win within the wild-card spherical in 2015, the Chiefs had misplaced eight consecutive postseason video games, courting again to the 1993 AFC Championship towards the Buffalo Payments.
Browns have to restrict Travis Kelce like they’ve restricted TEs all 12 months | Dawgs By Nature
That being stated, Cleveland linebackers have been surprisingly good in protection this season, particularly final weekend once they obtained a 71.0 PFF protection grade towards the Steelers. Jordan Hicks, Mohamoud Diabate, and Devin Bush have to have one other efficient efficiency towards the Chiefs in the event that they need to decelerate the Mahomes to Kelce connection in Week 15.
Jim Schwartz would possibly select to play extra man-coverage within the secondary to be able to make it “tougher” for Kansas Metropolis’s pass-catchers this weekend.
Enjoying man protection forces receivers and tight ends to bodily beat the defender and discover methods to get themselves open, whereas zone protection places extra strain on the quarterback to search out the open man in pockets.
It’s simple to see why Schwartz would need to “man-up” Mohamoud Diabate who’s an imposing, prolonged defender (6’4”, 230 lbs.) on Kelce to restrict his means to be Mahomes’ security valve on Sunday. Taking away the holes for Kelce to take a seat in on the 2nd stage might be the simplest method to defend him for Cleveland.
It’s secure to say that if the Browns need to give themselves a greater probability to beat the Chiefs, they should discover a method to successfully restrict Travis Kelce’s manufacturing.
Betting for (by) dummies: Can the Chiefs hold getting away with this? Plus Military-Navy picks | The Athletic
I additionally need the beneath 43.5 Sunday in Cleveland, the place the Chiefs look to proceed their luck streak. I’m undecided how they block Myles Garrett, and I’m undecided how Jameis Winston avoids a pair crippling interceptions. So I’ll take my probabilities with the beneath on condition that each groups even have kicking points and the Lake Erie winds can usually be unforgiving.
PFF Grades and Knowledge: All the pieces you want to know for each NFL Week 15 sport | PFF
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns
Patrick Mahomes’ 90.1 passing grade on third down this season is the very best amongst all quarterbacks, and his 148 dropbacks with out a turnover-worthy play are essentially the most. The following-nearest quarterback with out a turnover-worthy play on the cash down is Spencer Rattler with 31.
On the opposite aspect, cornerback Denzel Ward has performed disruptive protection all season, together with his 17 pressured incompletions main all gamers. That additionally marks a single-season excessive for the Browns’ seventh-year nook.
The place the 2024 Chiefs rank amongst worst 12-1 NFL groups ever | ESPN
5. 2020 Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
DVOA: 27.9% (led the NFL)
Level differential: +122
Right here’s what I imply after I say that even the worst 12-1 groups are excellent: The fifth-worst 12-1 staff of all time was the very best within the NFL that season. When the 2020 Chiefs have been 12-1, they led the NFL in each DVOA and level differential. Nevertheless, their schedule by 13 video games was the fourth best primarily based on the typical DVOA of their opponents. Kansas Metropolis was 6-1 in one-possession video games, as its solely loss got here to the Raiders in Week 5 by a 40-32 rating.
What occurred subsequent: The Chiefs went on to win two extra tight video games by three factors apiece over New Orleans and Atlanta, then sat their starters in Week 17 and misplaced to the Chargers. That gave them a 14-2 file to complete the common season.
Within the playoffs, Kansas Metropolis narrowly beat Cleveland after backup quarterback Chad Henne needed to are available for an injured Mahomes. That they had a convincing 38-24 victory over the Payments within the AFC Championship Recreation however misplaced beginning left sort out Eric Fisher to a torn Achilles tendon. That compounded earlier accidents from the common season, and with the offensive line in shambles, the Buccaneers crushed the Chiefs 31-9 to win Tremendous Bowl LV.
Across the NFL
Niners on the lookout for finest method to half with De’Vondre Campbell | ESPN
Campbell’s resolution to not play in Thursday night time’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams angered Shanahan and plenty of of his teammates. After the sport, Shanahan and a number of gamers made it clear that Campbell’s actions have been unacceptable, with cornerback Charvarius Ward going as far as to say Campbell is “most likely going to get lower quickly.”
As of Friday morning, the Niners had not decided precisely how they’ll half methods with Campbell, however Shanahan stated he didn’t count on Campbell to be on the staff in Week 16 and past.
“We’re working by the semantics of precisely how you can take care of it,” Shanahan stated. “However I imply you guys heard from me final night time, you guys heard from our gamers, his actions from the sport, it’s not one thing you are able to do to your staff or your teammates and nonetheless get to be part of our staff. We’re working by precisely the semantics of it proper now, however we’ll deal with the scenario appropriately.”
Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Randy Moss proclaims most cancers prognosis, six-hour surgical procedure | NFL.com
Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame extensive receiver Randy Moss stated Friday he’s being handled for most cancers and is recovering from main surgical procedure.
In an look on Instagram Dwell, Moss, aided by a cane, launched himself as a most cancers survivor and thanked his “prayer warriors” for his or her assist.
Moss stated a cancerous mass was present in his bile duct, between his pancreas and liver. He stated he had surgical procedure to place a stent in his liver on Thanksgiving after which underwent a six-hour process a few week in the past to take away the most cancers. He stated he was hospitalized for six days and launched on Friday.
The surgical procedure was a Whipple process, Moss stated. The operation entails eradicating the pinnacle of the pancreas, a part of the small gut, the gallbladder and the bile duct, in line with the Mayo Clinic.
“I didn’t assume I might ever be able like this, as wholesome as I believed I used to be,” Moss stated.
NFL Week 15 predictions: Which gamers and groups will flip heads? | USA Right now
The late afternoon window can be this season’s most entertaining timeslot of the 2024 season
If Sunday requires you to divide your consideration, be sure any duties are accomplished and occasions are attended by the point 4:25 p.m. ET rolls round. Concurrently, the Detroit Lions will host the Buffalo Payments whereas the Philadelphia Eagles welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers. If neither of these matchups do it for you, the Indianapolis Colts will attempt to hold their postseason probabilities alive on the street towards the Denver Broncos. (Sidenote: That the NFL handicapped itself with future Christmas-week scheduling in order that none of those video games might be flexed into the place of Falcons vs. Vikings on “Monday Evening Soccer” is a big error.)
Payments-Lions will function a ton of factors; Steelers-Eagles may flip right into a defensive battle. And I’m not sleeping on the opposite matchups. Patriots vs. Cardinals and Buccaneers vs. Chargers may all very effectively come right down to the wire. I count on the Colts-Broncos contest to include an air of desperation, contemplating any probability of the Colts making the playoffs begins with a victory, whereas Denver hangs onto the perilous No. 7 seed within the AFC.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pleasure
Chiefs Roster: Coaches stressing ‘eye self-discipline’ to defensive backs
Nonetheless, the staff is 6-1 since then. And Sunday’s 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers was one of many secondary’s strongest performances in weeks — although one-off weaknesses in protection practically overshadowed holding Los Angeles to solely 194 passing yards.
Simply as he has for the previous month, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo acknowledges that eliminating explosive passing performs is a major objective.
“Final week, we performed a very good first half,” he famous on Thursday. “Then the 2 drives within the second half, they scored.
“One was on a defensive move interference, which Justin Reid would let you know he can play higher. [Then] we had a play on a second-and-16 that I believed Chamarri Conner defended fairly effectively; he simply didn’t make the play on the tight finish. In any other case, it’s third-and-16; perhaps we get off the sector [and] they kick a area objective.
“It’s that shut,” he concluded.
Spagnuolo then detailed what he’s emphasizing together with his defensive backfield.
“I started yesterday’s assembly with eye self-discipline,” he advised reporters. “Again-end guys get their eyes examined. Play-action passes are supposed to check the eyes — they need you to assume they’re working the soccer. We’ve been harping on particulars and self-discipline… If you play again there at linebacker or defensive again, it’s all in regards to the eyes. It begins there.”