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Our NFL experts predict, pick and preview the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers Sunday night game, with kickoff time, TV channel and spread.
athlonsports.com
Kansas City vs. Los Angeles: Chiefs-Chargers Rematch Flexed to SNF
If you like a master class on the art of quarterbacking, then you need to tune in to this Kansas City-Los Angeles matchup on Sunday night. With diverse styles and skills, Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert will be under the white-hot spotlight in Tinseltown and ready for an offensive shootout, nearly AFL-style. But this'll be just a little more sophisticated than Len Dawson vs. John Hadl, I promise.
At 5-4, the Chargers enter this grudge match two games behind the Chiefs, who own the best record in the AFC at 7-2. That fact almost turns this one into a near-must-win situation for Herbert and his boys if they intend on staying in the fight for a playoff spot, much less a fight for the AFC West. The Chargers are coming off a 22-16 loss at the 49ers in which they blew a 10-point lead. The Chiefs took down Jacksonville 27-17 in a game that was not as close as the score indicates.
The last three games between these rivals have been one-score affairs, so you know it is probably going to be a white-knuckler and could come down to whoever has the ball last when the clock strikes zero.
Sunday Night Football: Kansas City (7-2) at Los Angeles (5-4)
Kickoff: Sunday, Nov. 20 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Spread: Chiefs -4.5
Tickets: As low as $80 on SITickets.com*
Three Things To Watch
1. Mahomes spreading the wealth
One thing that has been a constant this season is how dynamic Mahomes has been. He leads the NFL in passing TDs (25) and passing yards per game (326.2). Last week against the Jaguars, Mahomes threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns and also spread the wealth to nine different receivers, the biggest of which was tight end Travis Kelce, who earned six catches on eight targets. But the Chargers just held San Francisco tight end George Kittle to a single catch in their game against the Niners last week. So Mahomes will have to use his bastion of targets to keep the offense chugging along effectively, even though he'll be without wideouts Mecole Hardman (placed on injured reserve earlier this week) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (ruled out due to lingering effects of a concussion suffered last week).
2. Then again, fire up the running game and control the clock
The Chargers' D-line is a complete mess right now. Joey Bosa has been gone since Week 3, spiraling their pass rush. Austin Johnson landed on IR last week, and fellow D-tackles Otito Ogbonnia and Christian Covington joined him this week. That not only limits their ability to stop the run, but it will also hinder Khalil Mack and Co.'s ability to get to the quarterback in the pass rush department. The Chargers went into last week giving up an NFL-worst 5.7 yards per carry, so even if the Chiefs running game isn't much to sneeze at (109.2 yards per game), this week might be a good time to get Isiah Pacheco some more touches. Hell, he ran for 86 yards in 16 carries versus the Jags last week. Mark him down as part of the clock control game plan in this one.
3. If the Chargers get Keenan Allen and Mike Williams back at WR, it's a difference-maker
The Chargers have been a walking MASH unit so far this season. Allen, Williams, and Jalen Guyton have accounted for 78 percent of receiving yards and 80 percent of the touchdown catches from the wide receiver position this season. While Guyton is expected to miss the rest of the season, Allen and Williams are officially questionable but both are expected to play after ramping up their practice participation to a full session on Friday. Allen has been out seven games with a bad hammy and Williams missed two games with a bum ankle. If they get those offensive weapons back, that could change everything here. And, to be honest, they are going to need those dudes here this week since they are tasked with matching point-for-point with Mahomes and that dangerous Chiefs offense.
Final Analysis
With so many close games in their recent past, you'd have to think this one will be no different. Back in September at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs came back from a 10-point second-half deficit to rally for a 27-24 win. Once again, that game proved the Lightning Bolts have a problem with the second half in games. In fact, it has gotten worse the past few games, as the Chargers have scored just 21 points (and one lone touchdown) in the second half of their last four games. That's not a good habit to get into when you're facing Mr. Mahomes and all his weapons.
The return of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams will certainly help the Chargers, but I still see the Chiefs playing a better second half and pulling this one out. Again, too many injuries on the defensive side of the ball for L.A.
THE LATE GAMES
Las Vegas at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.
Dallas at Minnesota, 4:25 p.m.
THE EARLY GAMES
Chicago at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Carolina at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Washington at Houston, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
New York Jets at New England, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Detroit at New York Giants, 1 p.m.
SNF
Kansas City at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 p.m.
Monday, November 21, 2022
MNF
San Francisco vs. Arizona (Mexico City), 8:15 p.m.
THE EARLY GAMES
Chicago at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Carolina at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Washington at Houston, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
New York Jets at New England, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Detroit at New York Giants, 1 p.m.
THE LATE GAMES
Las Vegas at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.
Dallas at Minnesota, 4:25 p.m.
SNF
Kansas City at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 p.m.
Monday, November 21, 2022
MNF
San Francisco vs. Arizona (Mexico City), 8:15 p.m.
This is the first time I got to see video of AJ's play and this is what I saw. Arcuri is a big man with good arm length. His physical traits stand out and on first look, you see an NFL OT. Then you turn to the tape and you can see why he dropped in the draft. He's a big man with his length giving him a good play radius, but the crucial thing lacking is his quickness off the snap. His slide was smooth but if he's beaten off the snap like he many times is, he struggles to recover. If he can stay in phase then he looks fine. He was occasionally abused by edge rushers with speed. He would be dead meat against NFL level speed rushers. Arcuri lacks the foot quickness you look for in an NFL OT. He also lacks acceleration and it shows when he's asked to do more than in-line run blocking. He struggles on the second level. He looks to be strictly a zone blocker on run plays.
One thing I did note is that he can drop his hips to play with leverage. That is something a lot of men his height cannot do. Jackson can and it's why he can play with leverage at OG. Edwards cannot and it's why he is many times driven back into Stafford or allows contact in the backfield on running plays. Arcuri does seem to struggle at times in run blocking but he looks solid in his pass blocking. This is why he might be able to play inside despite his height as he can dip his hips for leverage which is the name of the game at OG. It will be interesting to see where they play him.
At this point I see him strictly as a depth player.
Imo, the current problems are an accumulation of mistakes made by Snead, McVay, and Rams scouting dept.
First, let me stipulate that OL injuries this year have been catastrophic. Worst I can ever remember in any half-season going back to the 60’s. Such injuries would cripple ANY Offense in the league.
But I maintain that the OL injuries alone are not solely responsible for our plight. Hear me out.
Other factors, many of them, have cumulatively deprived Rams of other options that could have alleviated the current problems.
Let’s start by being objective about Snead’s drafting. It’s been largely mediocre for years. He hit an apparent HR with Jones, but what other near Pro Bowler has he drafted with his 2-4th round picks lately? Yeah, he’s found ‘starters’ but that’s kinda like picking the tallest midget, isn’t it? Others have posted articles breaking down our drafts in the premium (non-1st rounders) rounds and it’s been a rather paltry list since that great 2017 class.
I’m sure I’m in the minority on this one, but was that Von Miller trade really a long term positive for Rams? Sure, we won a SB with him, but we gave up a 2nd and a 3rd for half a season of Miller. And we might have won the SB without him, anyway. Meanwhile, we now miss the benefits that would have come from players taken with those premium picks for the next 10 years. Including this season, I might add. Then Rams compounded the problem by letting him get away without an early extension. Did Rams bungle the negotiations or did they prefer to let this so-called difference maker get away as part of the cost of doing business since they now had that beautiful Lombardi in their trophy case? Either way I call it a FO screwup and a big one, at that.
I may never get over the colossal error of drafting Atwell over Humphrey. Especially after Snead has stated that he learned his lesson after the Bobby Wagner fiasco. Was it Snead or, as I strongly suspect, McVay’s mistake? Either way the ripple effects of this mistake will be felt for 10 years. This was a classic unforced error. Maybe McVay should confine himself to outlining the types of players he likes at the respective positions and let Snead do the actual picking? Ya think?
Remember that scout (I think it was a scout) that was so excited about drafting Bruss that he jumped into the pool? THAT hasn’t aged well, has it? While I’m at it, why have Rams sucked at certain positions in their evals and picks for years? RB, TE, OL, and Edge specifically? And why has it been tolerated for years? I can understand some misses because drafting is an not an exact science. But year after year? Maybe Snead needs to take a hard look at his scouting dept in those areas? Duh!
I’m not gonna criticize Snead for his strategy of trading 1sts for proven players because I understand the rationale and I think it makes sense and is sustainable. But it IS predicated on hitting on a good amount of his 2nd-4th round picks and Snead hasn’t really been doing that. That has to change.
Now let’s talk about McVay for a little bit. Frankly, I LOVE him and think he’s the best Ram HC of my lifetime.
However…
He is far from perfect. For example, is he looking for the ‘right type’ of OL players and RB’s? I’m not so sure. Rams rushing attack has been rather pitiful since Gurley left if we’re being honest. That starts with the HC, y’all.
The current trend in the NFL is a resurgence of the running attack and away from the passing game and yet McVay stubbornly is bucking that trend. Many pundits have recently published on this topic. Want a recent prime example? McVay only ran the ball maybe 15 times behind his backup QB Wolford and an overmatched OL vs Cards. He literally set Wolford up for failure with that strategy. I rest my case.
Want more painting-in-corner examples? McVay either cannot or will not run 12 personnel sets because he doesn’t think that either Blanton or Hopkins can handle it. This 12 set attack might alleviate his OL current shortcomings and make Stafford’s life a lot easier. Whose fault is it that our TE room is so weakened? And btw, why not give this Carter kid a few snaps at either TE or FB? WTH is there to lose at this point?
Speaking of giving youngsters a chance, why not Atwell, McCutcheon, and Hardy? Again, what’s to lose at this point? McVay is too stubborn on such matters.
Also, McVay seems to be obsessed with adding Offensive skill players but seems to have a blind spot when it comes to his OL. Even when fully healthy this OL wasn’t keeping opposing DC’s up at night. So, if we’re being honest, this OL has been treated like a red headed stepchild for far too long. That’s on McVay.
Like I said up top, Rams have slowly painted themselves into this corner metaphorically for years and we’ve all been overlooking it because of the exciting winning seasons, the playoff appearances, and winning the last SB. Well, now the chickens have come home to roost. Time to face facts.
Solutions?
Get back to basics.
Snead has to draft better in rounds 2-4. He needs to shake up his scouting dept, maybe starting with the dude who jumped into the pool after drafting Bruss. Lol. The OL and RB would be great places to start the reload.
McVay needs to do some SERIOUS self evaluation. He needs to establish a credible running game or he’s finished. The league no longer fears his passing game by itself. He probably needs to let Snead pick the players at draft time, too. McVay should focus on what’s in his own lane.
MCVay needs to do a ruthless eval on his current asst coaches. Some of them are not producing needed results as was the case back in the day.
Former player and ESPN NFL analyst Bart Scott now wants the Green Bay Packers to trade QB Aaron Rodgers from the team
www.totalprosports.com
Former NFL Star Turned ESPN Analyst Calls On The Green Bay Packers To Trade Aaron Rodgers
Earlier this year, the Green Bay Packers signed Aaron Rodgers to a four-year extension worth $200 million, including $153 million in guaranteed money. It was a deal that made the Green Bay intentions clear and that was the Packers are going to do everything possible to get over the hump with Rodgers leading the way.
It has not worked out at all during the 2022 season.
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers suffered a disappointing home loss to the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night and it dropped them three games below .500 as they currently sit at 4-7. Rodgers, the reigning back-to-back NFL MVP, is currently in the midst of one of his worst career seasons.
According to ESPN NFL analyst Bart Scott, it’s time for the Packers to consider trading their franchise quarterback.
“They should trade him,” Scott said on ESPN’s First Take. “… If you moved up in the first round for Jordan Love, he should be playing. It’s time to figure out if he can play.
The 38-year-old quarterback completed 24 of 39 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans. However, he missed a number of throws throughout the game, notably in the fourth quarter.
Things got so bad during the game that even his own fan base would start booing him.
The Packers are now five games back in the NFC North, and could fall into a tie for last place in the division if both the Bears and Lions win this weekend.
Time for Packers to Consider Future as Aaron Rodgers Falters on TNF vs. Titans
A week ago, a vintage fourth-quarter performance from Aaron Rodgers appeared to have saved the Green Bay Packers' season. A far more lackluster performance against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night should have the 4-7 Packers wondering exactly what their future at quarterback looks like.
Against the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday, Rodgers—aided heavily by emerging rookie wideout Christian Watson—helped erase a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and delivered an overtime victory.
In the 27-17 loss to Tennessee, Rodgers erased Green Bay's hopes of making the postseason.
This is a loss that largely falls on Rodgers' shoulders. The Packers did a respectable job against Derrick Henry and the Titans rushing attack (88 rushing yards allowed), and while Ryan Tannehill (333 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) torched the Green Bay secondary, the Packers had their chances.
Rodgers failed to capitalize on them.
Green Bay never trailed by more than 11 points, and it had four chances during the fourth quarter. They finished that period with a pair of punts and two failed fourth-down conversions.
Rodgers finished 24-of-39 for 227 yards with two touchdowns. Green Bay managed just 15 first downs and scored fewer than 20 points for the sixth time this season. Yes, the defense played poorly (408 yards surrendered), and the ground game contributed little (2.9 yards per carry).
However, Rodgers should have been able to carry the Packers against a Titans defense that came in ranked 31st against the pass. He didn't do that, and Rodgers—once one of the NFL's great escape artists—was particularly bad under pressure.
Thursday's loss in front of a national audience may have opened a few eyes to Rodgers' struggles in 2022. The stats show that the reigning MVP hasn't been great—he came in with a passer rating of just 93.0 and has now gone 16 games with fewer than 300 passing yards, the longest streak of his career (including the postseason), per CBS Sports.
Of course, it was easy to find excuses. Green Bay traded away Rodgers' top target, Davante Adams, in the offseason. Before Watson's Week 10 breakout (107 yards, 3 TDs), it seemed like the Packers would never replace him.
The Packers lost offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in the offseason, who left to take the Denver Broncos head coaching gig. They've also been hampered by offensive injuries, as key players like Watson, Randall Cobb, David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins have all missed time this season.
None of these factors explain what we saw from Rodgers on Thursday. He missed some open receivers, lacked the proper timing with others and tossed up a couple of complete head-scratchers.
It's clear, however, that Rodgers just isn't an MVP-caliber quarterback right now. Perhaps the 38-year-old has finally hit the proverbial cliff. Perhaps he really doesn't have the right receiving talent. Maybe his thumb injury is bothering him more than he's letting on.
An argument could be made that with Adams out of town and a fat three-year, $150.8 million extension in his pocket, Rodgers has simply checked out.
Whatever the reason, the Packers are left with a lot of uncertainty at quarterback.
Rodgers' contract is part of the problem. He'll have $99.8 million in dead money remaining on his deal after this season, so cutting him isn't an option. Trading him could prove extremely difficult, too, given his inconsistent play. The fact that Russell Wilson is floundering in Denver after that blockbuster deal could further scare teams away from bidding on Rodgers.
Green Bay isn't likely to get multiple first-round picks for this version of Rodgers, and they're certainly not going to convince a team to take on the guaranteed balance of his contract.
Like it or not, Green Bay is likely saddled with Rodgers for another season at least—his guaranteed money dips to $24.5 million after 2023. But what do the Packers do after Rodgers is done?
Green Bay used a 2020 first-round pick on Utah State product Jordan Love, but his chances behind Rodgers have been few and far between.
The 24-year-old has only made one start, thrown 71 passes and has a career 71.6 quarterback rating. That's not much of a résumé, and the Packers have to decide this offseason whether to exercise Love's fifth-year option.
That won't be an easy decision. On one hand, Love has spent two-and-a-half years behind an all-time great. On the other, the Packers don't know if he can perform as a long-term starter.
"I think we see it every day, so we've got a pretty good indication," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said, per ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "There's nothing like getting in the game and getting those live reps, but he continues to show improvement on a daily basis."
Green Bay needs to figure out what it has in Love quickly A) because of the looming option decision and B) because the 2023 draft is fast approaching.
If the season ended right now, the Packers would hold the 12th overall pick. That might be too low for a prospect like C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young, but quarterbacks like Will Levis and Anthony Richardson could be available.
If the Packers aren't sold on Love, they need to seriously consider using their top pick on another quarterback. The end may be coming sooner than many expected for Rodgers, who openly admitted that he wasn't good enough on Thursday.
"I've got to throw the ball better than I did tonight," he told reporters after the game. "... I just didn't have the same type of consistent grip."
Green Bay has largely been spoiled by the consecutive tenures of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, but a Packers team without an elite quarterback is no longer some distant, mythical entity clouded by NFC North dominance. It has already arrived, and with or without Rodgers, a sizeable rebuild could be looming.
It may behoove the Packers to give Love some starting experience down the stretch this season because if he isn't the quarterback to lead Green Bay through a potentially lengthy rebuild, it must find a new franchise signal-caller.
For the first time since he took over as the starter in 2008, Rodgers isn't that quarterback.
I'm not giving up on the Rams yet for this season. The NFC looks relatively weak but if our injured players return and the defense holds up, I could see the Rams still squealing out a 9-8 record, which could be in contention for a wild card. Maybe I drank the Rams koolaid, but no team has a lock on the NFC West just yet.
I think Morris has to get aggressive and try to force the issue to help the offense. But if we can right the ship, we still have key important players that can help us get to a good spot.
I don't feel confident, and I am hoping, but I'd like to see at least a run made by the Rams. We are the defending champs.
Here we go Rams fans. Guess the correct score & win $10,000 ROD dollars or be the closest to the exact score & win $5,000 Rod Dollars. All entries must be posted before the game begins. Good Luck !
Something mysterious happened on Thanksgiving Day, 2020. The Rams were cursed.
From what I've heard, the cause of the curse would make the bravest souls despair, and are as yet unconfirmed, so I will refrain from provide unnecessary details. The result of the curse is my immediate concern: Since that day, the Rams are 0-6 in November.
Reliable sources indicate the only way to remove the curse is to be active on a thread mocking a turkey in some way. The latest estimates suggest that for each response, the Rams have an added 1% chance to win in November. 2% if a pic or gif is included.
I don't want to tempt fate, so I'm going to do what I can to turn this around:
I remember watching this game like it was yesterday. With the aints game this week... this fun article came out at the perfect time. You young-ins need to read this fo sho!
The New Orleans Saints are down in the dumps following a disastrous 20-10 loss to the Steelers last Sunday. However, the team isn't making any big changes
athlonsports.com
Saints Make Official Starting Quarterback Decision Following Ugly Loss
The New Orleans Saints are down in the dumps following a disastrous 20-10 loss to the Steelers last Sunday. However, the team isn't making any big changes following the defeat.
The Saints are sticking with quarterback Andy Dalton as their starter. He remains one spot ahead of Jameis Winston on the team's QB depth chart.
In a 20-10 loss to the Steelers, Dalton completed 17 of his 27 pass attempts for 174 yards and one touchdown with two picks.
Some feel the Saints should move on from Dalton and give Winston a shot. However, it appears Dalton is getting the nod for Week 11 and beyond.
"Saints HC Dennis Allen told reporters the team will start QB Andy Dalton on Sunday," said Adam Schefter.
It's worth noting there's a belief out there that Jameis Winston isn't exactly healthy yet. When he is don't be surprised if Dennis Allen makes the switch and goes with the former FSU star.
The Saints battle the Rams in Week 11 before playing the 49ers on Nov. 27.
Our NFL experts predict, pick and preview the Tennessee Titans vs. Green Bay Packers Thursday night game, with kickoff time, TV channel and spread.
athlonsports.com
Tennessee vs. Green Bay: Packers Look for More Momentum Against Titans on TNF
Both the Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers finished the 2021 NFL regular season as No. 1 seeds. Entering their "Thursday Night Football" matchup, the Titans are in the mix for the top spot all over again, jumping out to a comfortable two-game lead in the AFC South.
Those Packers? They're simply fighting for playoff survival.
With their backs against the wall at Lambeau Field, Aaron Rodgers and Co. are coming off their best win of the year, snapping a five-game losing streak with a 31-28 overtime win against the Dallas Cowboys. Still, that only raised their record up to 4-6; they're a whopping four-and-a-half games behind the Vikings in the NFC North and have already lost to them once this season. Barring a historic collapse, they'll be relegated to a wild-card team at best this year, forced to fight for the Super Bowl on the road.
Even that is in doubt, with the Packers a game-and-a-half behind the 49ers for the seventh and final spot. Their schedule includes four teams with winning records over the final seven games, including the 6-3 Titans, the 8-1 Vikings a second time, along with the 8-1 Eagles. There's little to no margin for error.
Can the Packers keep their offense rolling behind their former MVP, setting up back-to-back wins? Or will the perennially underrated Titans keep rolling behind their running game of Derrick Henry and the emergence of receiving threat Nick Westbrook-Ikhine?
Thursday Night Football: Tennessee (6-3) at Green Bay (4-6)
Kickoff: Thursday, Nov. 17 at 8:15 p.m. ET
Broadcast Outlet: Prime Video
Live Stream: fuboTV (only available in Nashville and Green Bay markets)
Spread: Packers -3
Tickets: As low as $48 on SITickets.com*
Three Things to Watch
1. Has Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense rounded the corner?
It's no secret Rodgers has struggled in 2022; through the first nine weeks, he threw more interceptions (seven) than any full season since 2016. In a Week 9 loss against the Lions, Rodgers threw three picks in a game for the first time since December 2017 against Carolina, a game in which he returned after months on the sidelines with a broken clavicle.
"I felt like that was the bottom," Rodgers said last week about the Lions game. "And it was only up from there. I think a lot of the battles that we face are between I and I, between the person that can go out there and dominate and knows that they can and the little voice in your head that tries to knock you out of that confident perch around you."
Rodgers' confidence has indeed been rocked in a transition year, losing favorite target Davante Adams as the Packers' passing attack dropped from eighth to 16th in the NFL. But that offense finally showed signs of life against the Cowboys. Rookie wide receiver Christian Watson, a second-round pick, had the first 100-yard receiving game of his career, pulling in two crucial fourth-quarter touchdown catches that brought the Packers back from a 28-14 deficit.
"Just have to win with speed across the field," Watson said of his last of three TD catches overall. "And that's what I did."
Rodgers referred to Watson getting an "800-pound gorilla off his back" while his emergence opened up lanes for supporting cast members, including Sammy Watkins (three catches for the first time since Week 2).
Can the Titans' defense keep pace? Just 25th this season against the pass, two of their three losses this season have come against the league's premier quarterbacks: Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Their third loss came against Daniel Jones of the Giants, who, despite being a polarizing figure in terms of on-field success, has a passer rating just a tick behind Rodgers (93.0 vs. 92.7).
It leaves the door open for the reigning, back-to-back league MVP to make a statement. How you lean on this game depends on whether you think he can push through it.
2. Derrick Henry vs. Packers' run defense
Henry remains a force, piling up 923 rushing yards to lead the AFC. The Titans are 4-1 when he goes over 100 yards on the ground in a game and 2-2 this season when he doesn't; it's a simple offense designed around the success of a future Hall of Famer.
Henry did have a hiccup this past weekend against the Broncos defense, posting just 2.9 yards per carry and 53 rushing yards overall. While the Titans still won, 17-10, the road bump was somewhat expected; Denver's got the second-best total defense in the league (290.4 ypg) and limits opponents to a league-best 4.6 yards per play.
The Packers' defense? They're not so stout. Ranked just 26th against the run, they're allowing nearly 141 yards per game while allowing 100-plus to backs like the Bears' David Montgomery and the Jets' Breece Hall.
As talented as Hall showed himself to be before a season-ending injury? Henry's a long ways better. Expect the Packers' defense to have their hands full, especially on a cold night where the run will be front and center (temperatures at game time are expected to dip near 20 degrees Fahrenheit).
3. How will the other quarterback play?
When Henry's struggles left the Titans in trouble, it was the return of oft-criticized quarterback Ryan Tannehill who bailed him out. A successful return from an ankle injury included a turnover-free performance combined with two impressive touchdown passes to blossoming wide receiver target Westbrook-Ikhine.
While Tannehill shined, backup Malik Willis lost a fumble, the latest mistake after a rough two-week stretch with him under center (135 passing yards, an interception, and a 42.3 percent completion rate). It feels like Tannehill's position is secure for the foreseeable future.
Can he build upon that performance with a passing offense that's still finding their footing (31st in the NFL) after losing lead target A.J. Brown to the Eagles in an offseason trade? Westbrook-Ikhine was the first receiver to post a 100-yard game all season; no one on the roster has more than 24 catches over halfway through the season.
Developing a more multi-dimensional offense may be key to getting the Titans over the hump and winning playoff games in January. Tannehill has been an effective game manager but may need to do more against the Packers' third-ranked pass defense if Henry gets bottled up.
Final Analysis
It felt like, for the Packers, the second half of the Cowboys game was an inflection point. With their season on the brink, the team started clicking and rescued themselves from what felt like near-certain playoff elimination.
The Titans felt inconsistent in their latest effort against the lowly Broncos; Henry's slump may be a case of bad timing here. Add in the comfy confines of Lambeau Field and it feels like Rodgers has an opening to get this Green Bay Packers organization back on track.
P.S.: I would keep an eye out for how Rodgers does with his thumb injury, an issue he's been dealing with for over a month. It seems like he's played through it well but aggravated it during the Cowboys game and was listed as a DNP if the Packers were to practice Monday.
First I want to say, I am not a talent evaluator. I don't watch the OL from pre-snap. I watch the 'flow' but primarily I watch the QB and where the ball goes.
So my question is this: How much does continuity affect the performance of each lineman individually?
What happens after the C makes the line calls and not all 4 of the other guys interpret it right. Can a brainfart by the LT make the LG look like he's at fault? Can the RG's failure make the C or the RT look like a putz? And if the C makes the wrong call, couldn't anybody on the entire line look bad? And that not even accounting for the defense disguising their attack well.
We've had 3 different centers this season, 3 different LTs, a ton of OG's and Havenstein. And not every one of them has played together. For instance in week 1 Allen had the other four starters beside him but since coming back it's almost a completely different group. Havenstein has played beside 4 or 5 RG's. Same for Noteboom.
How much does continuity affect playing as a unit and how many different ways can continuity be affected?
And if all or even just some of that can be true, how can we accurately evaluate the 2022 offensive line? I mean besides saying "I saw guys run by him 6 times in 3 games, he sucks".
I understand in the case of Bobby Evans none of this would apply!!
There will be ample opportunity to discuss offseason moves and the draft in detail after the season.
But some generalities for now?
Gotta ‘fix’ the OL. Not gonna sugarcoat it. I like Jackson and Hav at OT, but our interior 3 positions all need upgrades pure and simple. FA and/or draft I don’t care, although proven FA’s would be quicker.
Other positions that need upgrades at varying degrees of urgency but all below OL priority:
RB (draft 1 every year)
Backup QB (just one, release both Wolford and Perkins)
TE (probably 2)
Edge (get 2, one by FA and the other via draft) Draft an edge every year until they hit paydirt).
CB (draft one every year)
Safety (might need 2)
Some painful decisions as follows:
Get what they can for Atwell, but probably will have to simply release him.
I would keep AR for another season. Hard to trade him cap-wise, anyway, and I’m seeing some growth between him and Stafford.
I would trade Floyd. He’s just a shadow of his former self and his upcoming cap hit will be a real burden. Cap savings can be better spent elsewhere.
Restructuring Kupp makes some sense IF Snead uses the money wisely.
Keep our 2nd and 3rd if at all possible. Rams desperately need low cost quality players at multiple positions. Someone may have to physically restrain Snead to save him from himself.
Snead needs to do a serious eval on his scouting staff because overall results in the 2nd-4th rounds have not been as good as needed and not as good as many other teams. A crucial component for success of his strategy of trading 1sts for players requires getting great (not just ‘pretty good’) players at least occasionally in those rounds consistently.
Particular emphasis in such an eval needs to examine scouting deficiencies at OL, RB, TE, and certainly Edge. Rams have sucked in those 4 critical areas for years.
McVay needs to take a hard, even ruthless look at his asst coaches with particular interest in their respective results. Can’t let friendships get in the way here. Some of these assistants have let him down. For example, I think Coen has been a monumental disappointment and has to go. Look at the results of O’Connell from last year to Coen this year.
Hope and pray that Morris gets hired away as a HC. Rams need the comp picks desperately and Morris’ strategy makes me crazy, anyway. Hire Fangio if he’s interested?
McVay should rethink his profiles for RB and OL players. Perhaps he’s asking Snead to find the ‘wrong’ types at these 2 positions for today’s NFL. Poor Ram running game for years suggests that this is the case.
Bottom line is that there will almost certainly be large turnover in player roster AND coaching roster come next offseason. We need the 2017 version of McVay willing to make fundamental changes to that 2016 player roster and coaching staff. Anything less probably won’t do. The good news is that McVay has done it before so why not again? More good news is that McVay has proven more than willing to part with non-performers in the past.
I am sooo fucking over this but I keep slipping back. I'm sorry if I'm bringing the board down. I'm smart and read ever quit lit book but I'm clearly not smart enough. I fucking need help
-Governor John Dutton is gonna be fun. We'll see how he manipulates the law to keep his ranch.
-Holy shit Monica. Girl gets a brain injury then loses her unborn in a car accident. That whole family should just cut their losses from the ranch and move away.
-The airport developers have a new business bitch in town, Sarah Atwood, played by Dawn Olivieri. She was also in the prequel 1883 (the stuck up chick that killed herself).
-Rip looks tired of everything.
-Beth has Jamie by his balls. I'm kinda hoping Jamie gets some revenge, but he's a fucking scumbag.
-Team Native American, looked worried with Governor Dutton.
Sometimes, numbers don't lie. Here are the OL snap count %s from 2021 and this year (opening day starters in bold).
2021
David Edwards 99.63
Austin Corbett 99.17
Rob Havenstein 87.79
Andrew Whitworth 85.03
Brian Allen 82.92
(All others under 20%: Coleman Shelton 19.74, Joe Noteboom 15.89, Bobby Evans 8.26, A.J. Jackson 5.6)
2022
Rob Havenstein 99.28
AJ Jackson 75.76 Joe Noteboom 58.35
Bobby Evans 48.83 Coleman Shelton 45.42
Brian Allen 43.35
David Edwards 41.29
Jeremiah Kolone 33.75
Chandler Brewer 21.01
Oday Aboushi 20.47
(Also Ty Nsekhe 12.21, Tremayne Anchrum 0.36)
We can talk about being top heavy, not having enough pass rushers and a whole host of issues. In the end, though, the numbers posted above show the reason for the collapse of the offense and the downfall of our defending champions. No team could survive this complete lack of OL continuity.
THE EARLY GAMES
Chicago at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Carolina at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Washington at Houston, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
New York Jets at New England, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Detroit at New York Giants, 1 p.m.
THE LATE GAMES
Las Vegas at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.
Dallas at Minnesota, 4:25 p.m.
SNF
Kansas City at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 p.m.
Monday, November 21, 2022
MNF
San Francisco vs. Arizona (Mexico City), 8:15 p.m.
I don't think any of us were ever confident in the two we have. The question though is why was McVay? To hear yesterday how hard he pushed for McCoy to go to Arizona made me sick. He is clearly better than both of our backups and with him at least maybe we had a shot yesterday. SMH.
