Blog Brav's Neutral Zone Distraction Blog - NFL stuff

Yup and unsurprisingly the Browns just axed theirs.

There’s quite a few GMs and coaches starting to go on the hot seats

 

Running a little late with this, but here's this week's GoTW.

Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1:00 PM EST)


The Preview and History

One of the most bitter rivalries in the National Football League gets reignited right on the border of Kansas and Missouri at the notoriously noisy Arrowhead Stadium. The tensive AFC West division has three teams all 6-6 fighting tooth and nail for the division crown and a chance to make it to the postseason. This game has the potential to decide the outcome of the team's future down the road.
Both sides have gone in opposite directions since the season began. The Raiders continue to stubbornly persist, winning 4 of their last 6 games while the Chiefs seem to have regressed from their explosive 5-0 start, only managing a single win against both teams' mutual rival the Denver Broncos.
The last meeting these two teams had ended in a final play score that continued to get reversed by constant penalities before Oakland finally punched it in for good. Will the Chiefs get even with the Silver and Black this week, or will Derek Carr and the Raiders brave the hostile crowd to sweep their red rival for the first time since 2012? Let's take a look at the Keys to Victory and Final Score to find out.

The Keys to Victory and Final Score

Both teams are coming into the game with strong offensive weapons, however they are lacking key pieces. Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith has shown his capability to throw the ball deep downfield to reliable targets such as wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. The Raiders' pass rush will be relentless to minimize these opportunities, so he will require an extra effort from his beat-up offensive line and own scrambling prowess to evade the dangerous duo of defensive linemen Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin. Rookie running back Kareem Hunt has cooled off since his hot start to the season, however this is another opportunity to improve Kansas City's woeful running game. If the Chiefs offense can continue to click through the entirety of the game, converting when necessary and getting much-needed takeaways, they'll be able to tack on enough points to come out on top.

The Raiders are going to prove themselves as a difficult test for the Chiefs defense. Having shown many of their flaws and losing All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters due to indiscipline, look to Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to air the ball plenty against their weakened secondary. He'll have wide receiver Michael Crabtree and possibly Amari Cooper on the sides to exploit weak points. Don't expect it to be all throws though, running back Marshawn Lynch has been eager to continue stampeding through the lines and has proven to continue frustrating defensive coordinators. Oakland will gain the momentum if they can keep the Chiefs defense guessing.
The game will have a potential to be either low or high scoring. Regardless, expect the score to be close within a single-possession game.

FINAL SCORE: Chiefs 23 - Raiders 17 OR Raiders 28 - Chiefs 26​

 

There's been some interesting games this week. Many teams are fighting for the division crowns while others are keeping their playoff hopes alive or letting slip through their fingers. Then you have the Browns...who...well just read the scores and summaries. Let's recap it all.

• New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons - Final score 17-20 Thursday Night Football
  • Despite a sloppy first half of 3 interceptions thrown by Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, the birds rallied back to win, capitalizing on a late Saints interception.
• Indianapolis Colts @ Buffalo Bills - Final score 7-13 OT
  • A blizzard filled New Era Stadium was the setting for a slippery, frigid game that extended into overtime and culminated on a LeSean McCoy explosion for 21 yard walk-off touchdown to defeat the Colts.
• Minnesota Vikings @ Carolina Panthers - Final score 24-31
  • The Panthers stop the Vikings' winning streak led by running back Jonathan Stewart who rushed for 103 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs - Final score 15-26
  • The Chiefs get even with their bitter divisional rival thanks to the re-energized running back Kareem Hunt and the Marcus Peters-less defense.
• Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals - Final score 33-7
  • Chicago rolls into Cincinnati trouncing the hapless Bengals and snapping their 5 game losing streak. Led by quarterback Mitch Trubisky who threw for 271 yards and 1 touchdown and running back Jordan Howard, rushing 147 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• San Francisco 49ers @ Houston Texans - Final score 26-16
  • 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo nets the first two consecutive wins for the 49ers in 2 seasons throwing for 334 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
• Detroit Lions @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Final score 24-21
  • The Lions defeat the Buccaneers despite quarterback Matthew Stafford's hand injury and kicker Matt Prater's final field goal. He threw for 381 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Detroit remains in the playoff mix with this victory.
• Green Bay Packers @ Cleveland Browns - Final score 27-21 OT
  
  • The Packers erase a 14 point hole, spearheaded by running back Jamal Williams and wide receiver DaVante Adamsto escape a scare and continue to keep the Cleveland Browns winless in overtime.
• Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants - Final score 30-10
  • Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott throws 3 touchdowns to defeat the turmoil-filled Giants as the latter attempts to salvage what remains of the season. Giants quarterback Eli Manning returns to the starting lineup after a one game absence.
• Tennessee Titans @ Arizona Cardinals - Final score 7-12
  • The Cardinals' entire scoring came in the second half due to kicker Phil Dawson's four field goals as the defense held Tennesse's scoring prowess to a single touchdown midway through the second quarter.
• New York Jets @ Denver Broncos - Final score 0-23
  • The Broncos net their fourth win of the season and end an 8 game losing skid by shutting out quarterback Josh McCown and the New York Jets.
• Washington Redskins @ Los Angeles Chargers - Final score 13-30
  • Resurging Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers threw for 319 yards to defeat the Redskins in California and continue their push into the playoffs.
• Seattle Seahawks @ Jacksonville Jaguars - Final score 24-30
  • The victory over the Seahawks gives Jacksonville a comfortable lead to hold the AFC South division. Quarterback Blake Bortles was on target with 268 passing yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Philadelphia Eagles @ Los Angeles Rams - Final score 43-35
  • A shootout between the 1st and 2nd overall picks of the 2016 NFL draft, the Eagles were able to walk away with the win although their postseason performance may be in jeopardy due to the loss of red-hot quarterback Carson Wentz, who was confirmed to have his season finished from a torn ACL.
• Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Final score 38-39
  • Pittsburgh wins a thriller in Heinz Field, winning for injured linebacker Ryan Shazier. Ben Roethlisberger threw for a monster 506 yards and 2 touchdowns to clinch the AFC North division title.
• New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins - Final score

 

Time for this week's game of the week!

New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (3:25 PM EST)

The Preview and History

This week's featured game shifts east to western Pennsylvania at Heinz Field. Here, the Pittsburgh Steelers have officially taken the crown for the AFC North division. They'll see an old nemesis with the foreshadow of a potential future meeting in the post-season.
Pittsburgh comes into the game securing themselves a spot in the AFC playoffs while New England's attempt last week to win their division was foiled by rival Miami Dolphins, however they remain the #2 seed in the conference. Interestingly, the Steelers have faced 8 teams with a winning record this season and have only lost to one thus far (Jacksonville Jaguars)
The two franchises combine for 11 Super Bowl victories and have appeared in 10 of the last 16 Super Bowls on behalf of the AFC. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger have started for each of those and are 2 of the 11 quarterbacks in NFL history with 3+ Super Bowl appearances.
One of the two teams is going to buckle under the pressure, who will it be? Read the Keys to Victory and Final Score for more!

The Keys to Victory and Final Score

The Steelers will have the home crowd on their side and need every inch of advantage they can get over the Patriots. New England is one of the NFL's most dangerous teams and can snowball momentum their way by the slightest mistake.
All-Pro Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown will have to start syncing early in order. The Patriots defending, will be sure to have Brown tightly covered. Do expect plenty of targets to go to his colleagues in wide receivers Martavis Bryant and Juju Smith-Schuster. Pittsburgh's running game has encountered difficulties against New England, as they have kept star running back Le'Veon Bell out of the endzone his entire career against them, going for a maximum of 85 yards. Expect to see more of the same here.

The Patriots will turn to tight end Rob Gronkowski. Returning from his one-game suspension from a dirty hit against the Buffalo Bills, he'll be eager to get back into the action since he has a fantastic record against Pittsburgh. In a wide contrast to Bell; Gronk has scored in the endzone 8 times in the 5 games he's played against them. Things will get difficult for the black and yellow if he ends up frequently receiving the football from Tom Brady.
Overall, things will start to go south for either side if the quarterback manages to find their top target and keep the opposing defense guessing. Look for this to be a pass-heavy shootout.

FINAL SCORE: Patriots 28 - Steelers 32 OR Patriots 33 - Steelers 30​

 

Just two more weeks of the regular season! We're in the home stretch everyone!

Before we start, let's get an update; here's who's clinched playoff berths and who remains in the hunt!

AFC Playoff division leaders and wild card

• East: New England Patriots - Clinched the AFC East division and have earned a playoff berth
• North: Pittsburgh Steelers - Clinched the AFC North division and have earned a playoff berth
• South: Jacksonville Jaguars - Division title remains undecided, however playoff berth earned
  
• West: Kansas City Chiefs - Playoff berth and playoff berth remains undecided
• Wild Card 1: Tennessee Titans
• Wild Card 2: Buffalo Bills

AFC Teams in the hunt

• Baltimore Ravens
• Los Angeles Chargers
• Oakland Raiders
• Miami Dolphins

AFC Teams eliminated from playoffs

• Houston Texans
• New York Jets
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Denver Broncos
• Indianapolis Colts
• Cleveland Browns

NFC Playoff division leaders and wild card

• East: Philadelphia Eagles - Clinched the NFC East division, playoff berth and first-round bye
• North: Minnesota Vikings - Clinched the NFC North division and have earned a playoff berth
• South: New Orleans Saints - Division title and playoff berth remains undecided
• West: Los Angeles Rams - Division title and playoff berth remains undecided
• Wild Card 1: Carolina Panthers
• Wild Card 2: Atlanta Falcons

NFC Teams in the hunt

• Detroit Lions
• Dallas Cowboys
• Green Bay Packers
• Seattle Seahawks

NFC Teams eliminated from playoffs

• Chicago Bears
• Arizona Cardinals
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• New York Giants
• San Francisco 49ers
• Washington Redskins

With that out of the way, how about we get to the scores? The game of the week will be coming later

• Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts - Final score 25-13 Thursday Night Football
  • The struggling Broncos defeated the equally struggling Colts on Thursday night, rallying behind newly rotated quarterback Brock Osweiler. Osweiler had a solid night, posting 194 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions - Final score 10-20
  • The Lions defeated their division rival to remain alive in the playoff race. Defensively, Detroit took advantage of multiple turnovers committed by Chicago and allowed Matthew Stafford to thread 237 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs - Final score 13-30 Saturday Night Football
  • The combined efforts of quarterback Alex Smith, running back Kareem Hunt and wide receiver Tyreek Hill routed the turnover-prone Chargers to give them a cushioning lead in the tight race for the AFC West division.
• Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills - Final score 16-24
  • Bills running back LeSean McCoy has broken 10,000 career rushing yards, scoring twice in the attempt to do so. Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler had difficulties in facing the Buffalo defense, throwing for 274 yards, but 3 interceptions.
• Green Bay Packers @ Carolina Panthers - Final score 24-31
  • Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers return was spoiled by Carolina, who quickly exploited their weakened defense with 242 yards and 4 touchdowns.
• Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns - Final score 27-10
  • The Ravens defeated the still-winless Browns to keep their playoff hopes alive for another week. Cleveland is now two losses away from being the second team in NFL history to have a winless 0-16 record.
• Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars - Final score 7-45
  • The victory here will give the Jaguars their first appearance in the playoffs since a decade ago. Quarterback Blake Bortles was on the money with 326 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• Cincinnati Bengals @ Minnesota Vikings - Final score 7-34
  • Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton was roughhoused the entire game, enduring 3 sacks and throwing 2 costly interceptions including a pick-6. The victory gives Minnesota their division crown and reserved spot in the playoff picture.
• New York Jets @ New Orleans Saints - Final score 19-31
  • Saints running back Mark Ingram sprinted into the endzone for 2 touchdowns while quarterback Drew Brees attacked from the air for 2 more. New Orleans rallied past 3 mistakes of turnovers to defeat the Jets.
• Arizona Cardinals @ Washington Redskins - Final score 15-20
  • A defensive heavy battle that Washington ultimately outlasted. Decided on late in the game with a sack by Redskins linebackers Anthony Lanier and Preston Smith, who stripped sacked and recovered the ensuing fumble.
• Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers - Final score 23-25
  • 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo notched his 3rd straight win as a Niner and first home start, throwing for 381 yards and a touchdown. San Francisco now holds one of the longer current winning streaks and have doubled their victories compared to the prior season.
• Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants - Final score 34-29
  • The Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles stepped in nicely for the injured Carson Wentz, throwing for 4 touchdown passes in their game that secured them a first round bye in the playoffs.
• Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks - Final score 42-7
  • Rams running back Todd Gurley was a scoring machine against Seattle, rushing for 152 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• New England Patriots @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Final score 27-24
  • A late touchdown drive by the Steelers gets called back and proves costly as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception that sealed their loss. The Patriots continue to be the Steelers' Achilles heel.
• Dallas Cowboys @ Oakland Raiders - Final score 20-17 Sunday Night Football
  • The Cowboys kept their playoff hopes alive at the last moment with a desperate drive to set up a field goal and then forcing Raiders quarterback Derek Carr into a costly fumble that was within inches of the goal line.
• Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Final score 24-21 Monday Night Football
  • Falcons running back Devonta Freeman rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown as quarterback Matt Ryan stuck a pass to wide receiver Justin Hardy to win a tight game to stay in the race for the competitive NFC South division.

 

That's already opened up a whole new can of worms

 

Still trying to get ready for my trip to Hawaii...and the fact that I have to work today...ugh.

Oh well, I guess that's what I have to do in order to get one and a half weeks off. Anyway, sorry this is so late. Here's Game of the Week!

Los Angeles Rams vs. Tennessee Titans (1:00 PM EST)

The Preview and History

We head down to Nashville to cover the penultimate week of the NFL season. Two teams who are seeking a return to the playoffs after a significant drought. The Los Angeles Rams have already claimed a spot in the NFC dance, being one of the League's biggest surprises and winning their division last week against the Seattle Seahawks. They'll come seeking a win that will put them one step closer to attempt a shot at earning a first-round bye when the playoffs start.
The Tennessee Titans seemed to have regressed despite having a strong push in the early and midseason, although they do stand in a division that has caught newfound vigor. They've managed to defeat several of their division archrivals, however recent losses to playoff-eliminated teams like the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers have begun to slim their chances. This is a must-win for them and even if they emerge victorious, they may not even be in complete control of their postseason destiny.
The two teams have met a total of 11 times with the Rams leading 6-5, dating back to when they were in St. Louis. The most memorable matchup between the two was in Super Bowl XXXIV when the Rams barely edged out a threatening Tennessee offense 23-16 by a mere yard from the endzone in the famous play made by Rams linebacker Mike Jones to prevent the game from being tied.
Can the Rams sweep the NFC South division or will the Titans snatch a win away? How about we read the Keys to Victory and Final Score


The Keys to Victory and Final Score

The Rams have strong candidates on offense in quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley and wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Look to see them on the aggressive attack in head coach Sean McVay's offense. Pro Bowler Todd Gurley is having a monster season with more than a thousand rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Tennessee's defense will be hard pressed to stop him.
Although Goff wasn't elected to the NFL All Star game, he's definitely proven himself worthy this season of being first overall last year in the draft. Goff has been absolutely brilliant and remains calm under pressure. Look for more of that.
The Titans will have quarterback Marcus Mariota under center and he'll be tested with a Rams defense that punished the Seattle Seahawks last week. He'll need to be careful not to produce turnovers, as Los Angeles will thrive on that. The offensive line will also have to deal with the hungry sack machines of defensive linemen Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald and Connor Barwin. His targets of running back Demarco Murray and tight end Delanie Walker also need to find openings on their end in order to do some damage and keep up.
This has the potential to be a close win, but it's widely speculated that the Rams will have an edge in this matchup.

FINAL SCORE: Rams 26 - Titans 15 OR Rams 20 - Titans 24​

 

Happy New Year everyone. I'll keep our scores short this week since we've got a LOT to cover in the next month. We've also got the installment of Who's Hot & Who's Not!

CAUSE IT'S POSTSEASON!

• Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions - Final score 11 - 35
• Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts - Final score 13 - 22
• Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings - Final score 10 - 23
• New York Jets @ New England Patriots - Final score 6 - 26
• Washington Redskins @ New York Giants - Final score 10 - 18
• Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles - Final score 6 - 0
• Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Final score 24 - 28
• Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons - Final score 10 - 22
• Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens - Final score 31 - 27
• Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos - Final score 27 - 24
• Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins - Final score 22 - 16
• New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Final score 24 - 31
• Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans - Final score 10 - 15
• Oakland Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers - Final score 10 - 30
• San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams - Final score 34 - 13
• Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks- Final score 26 - 24

And now we have the most anticipated part of the NFL season.

The Playoffs!
That's right. Twelve teams will play one another in an elimination tourney culminating in the ultimate spotlight on February 4, 2018 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis Minnesota. SUPER BOWL LII!

Here are the twelve teams; six per conference. Many will seek to add another Lombardi Trophy to their collection while others aspire it to be their first. Either way, expect some of the most intense football to be played as this upcoming postseason is going to be intense! Without further ado, here is the standings and upcoming schedule for the playoffs. Naturally I'm a busy man, so I've called in some backup in the form of my co-writer @Sugar for the blog. She will be covering the AFC playoffs and I will take care of the NFC. Look for some analysis and prepare to be surprised. I know I am.

AFC Playoffs​

• #1 seed: New England Patriots (13-3) Division leader of the AFC East​
• #2 seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3) Division leader of the AFC North​
• #3 seed: Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6) Division leader of the AFC South​
• #4 seed: Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) Division leader of the AFC West​
• #5 seed: Tennessee Titans (9-7) Wild Card​
• #6 seed: Buffalo Bills (9-7) Wild Card​

NFC Playoffs​

• #1 seed: Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) Division leader of the NFC East​
• #2 seed: Minnesota Vikings (13-3) Division leader of the NFC North​
• #3 seed: Los Angeles Rams (11-5) Division leader of the NFC West​
• #4 seed: New Orleans Saints (11-5) Division leader of the NFC South​
• #5 seed: Carolina Panthers (11-5) Wild Card​
• #6 seed: Atlanta Falcons (11-5) Wild Card​

The number 1 and 2 seed of both conference have earned a playoff bye and will not play during the wild card round. The two wild card teams will play against the lower ranked division leaders at their respective home fields which the victor then plays against the bye team in their bracket slot. Here is the schedule for the Wild Card round.

• Saturday January 6, 2018 (4: 35 PM EST) Tennessee Titans @ Kansas City Chiefs - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
• Saturday January 6, 2018 (8:15 PM EST) Atlanta Falcons @ Los Angeles Rams - Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
• Sunday January 7, 2018 (1:05 PM EST) Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars - EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
• Sunday January 7, 2018 (4:40 PM EST) Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints - Mercedes Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Good luck to all! May the best team win!

 

Our second WC matchup.

Atlanta Falcons @ Los Angeles Rams (8:15 EST)

Preview:

The second Wild Card matchup is set in southwestern California to the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum where the Atlanta Falcons (10-6) begin their quest to return to the Super Bowl spotlight after last year's collapse. The Los Angeles Rams (11-5) are the first to stand in their way.
On opposite ends, Atlanta is not stranger to the playoffs while Los Angeles has shocked the league with an unbelievable amount of success in merely their second year since relocating from St. Louis.
Will they be able to cruise victory over the powerful Atlanta offense? Or will this be the last we see of the Rams' sensational season? The Keys to Victory and Final Score can tell us more.

Keys to Victory & Final Score:

For Atlanta, the playoff dance is a familiar ground and much of their offensive prowess remains unchanged since last season. Previous NFL MVP Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has reached 20 total touchdowns to many strong receivers. Star Julio Jones has continued to produce, but has remained rather quiet. The Rams have a good secondary, but look for them to be challenged a lot and doubling Jones downfield can open up opportunities for the supporting cast such as receivers Taylor Gabriel, Mohamed Sanu and tight end Austin Hooper. The Falcons still have a strong running game in the combo of Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman and much of that will depend on how the offensive line will fare against the Rams' run defense.
Los Angeles' offense also has some promise. Quarterback Jared Goff has been experiencing a breakout sophomore season, closing on 30 passing touchdowns. Running back and possible NFL MVP candidate Todd Gurley remains stellar with his power running style. Look for a lot of ground to be gained if he's able to locate gaps as he's the most dangerous in the open field. Wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Sammy Watkins remain frequent targets and expect Goff to pass to them frequently if the running game stalls.
On the opposite side of the ball; the Atlanta offensive line will have their hands full in potential Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. Donald's unreal ability to rush through blockers and nose for the quarterback will undoubtedly have extra attention paid to where he is on the field.

Expect a high scoring game here as well, however things will begin to go awry for either team if they lose momentum.

Final score - Falcons 22 - Rams 26​

 

The first breaker is the matchup between the two clubs. Since division rivals are the only teams you can play more than once in the regular season (The first four seeds are all leaders from each division) they'll look at that if the two teams happened to play.

The Patriots defeated the Steelers this season, which is why they are the #1 and #2 seeds respectively.

Now if you have two teams who are seeded #1 and #2 that have the same record, but didn't play one another...they'll look at the interdivisional record.

• Eagles are 5-1 (Swept Giants, Redskins and split with Cowboys)
  
• Vikings are 5-1 (Swept Packers, Bears and split with Lions)

They're tied. So the next tiebreaker would be the record against common opponents.

• Eagles and Vikings shared the Panthers, Bears, Rams and Redskins in their schedule.
• Eagles are 5-0 in those
• Vikings are 4-1 in those (Only loss in that group is to Panthers)

Therefore since Minnesota's record against the common opponents is worse than Philadelphia's...they'll get the #2 seed despite the same record.

Hope this makes sense