There’s an article on the athletic about how bengals players are dealing with losing the SB. It kind of surprised me how many of these guys were talking about their favorite play being the td Jalen gave up that was pretty clearly PI.
I get that shit happens that gets missed by the refs, I mean we had a PI that benefited us that didn’t get called back in ‘18, but I just thank the football gods and move on. My friends asked about it at the time and I just smiled and said there was no flag but all these bengal players are talking about what a great play it was when everyone on the planet saw Higgins yank on Ramsey’s face mask hard enough that he fell down. But I guess there wasn’t that much for the bengals to get excited about, their other td was a trick play.

https://sportsnaut.com/lamar-jackson-contract-baltimore-ravens-mystified/

Baltimore Ravens ‘mystified’ by lack of Lamar Jackson contract talks, why he is holding off​

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is focused on preparing for the 2022 NFL season, taking the necessary steps to improve so his team can contend for the Super Bowl. While Jackson remains entrenched in his dedication to the present, it seems the Ravens are baffled by his disinterest in securing his future.

Jackson wants to be the face of the Ravens’ franchise for years to come. However, Baltimore finds itself in the same position for the second consecutive offseason. The front office keeps pushing to sign Jackson to a multi-year extension, one that would make him one of the highest paid NFL players. Based on multiple reports, Jackson is only focused on football.

Lamar Jackson contract: $23.016 million salary (2022)

After skipping voluntary workouts, the 2019 NFL MVP reported for mandatory minicamp and took part in practice with teammates. When facing reporters, though, Jackson said get expects to spend his career in Baltimore, but he also wouldn’t commit to his interest in signing a long-term deal this summer.

On the You Pod to Win the Game podcast, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports shared some insight into how the Ravens’ front office is feeling about the lack of contract talks with Jackson.

“The Ravens, I can tell you are mystified. They’re just…they don’t understand the lack of engagement on a contract.”

It’s easy to understand Baltimore’s perspective. It wants the security of knowing Jackson is under contract through the next five-plus seasons, providing clarity for the team’s long-term salary-cap projections and roster building.

Lamar Jackson stats (2021): 2,882 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, 767 rushing yards
However, the Ravens’ objectives and the desire of their star quarterback shouldn’t be lined up right now and the front office should recognise the rationale behind it.

Why Lamar Jackson isn’t pushing for a contract extension

Jackson doesn’t need an agent certified by the NFL Players Association to recognize what is going on in the National Football League. Revenue is skyrocketing thanks to TV rights contracts that will generate more than $100 billion over the next decade and that’s just part of the league’s yearly income.

The Denver Broncos just sold for $4.65 billion, a sign of just how profitable billionaire investors believe this league is and will continue to be. Barring another COVID-19 pandemic or a rare economic collapse that actually impacts professional sports, player salaries will keep climbing in the years ahead.

Jackson is worth at least $40-plus million annually right now and that’s coming off an injury-plagued season. If he elevates his game this fall and the Ravens go on a playoff run, his value will skyrocket even further.

Not wanting to lose one of the best players in the NFL, Baltimore will apply the franchise tag to Jackson. It will provide him with $30-plus million guaranteed next year once he signs it. After playing out the franchise tag in 2023, a second consecutive tag would mandate at least $42 million for Jackson in 2024.

All of that is before Russell Wilson, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert begin negotiating their new contract extensions within the next 15 months. By that point, the salaries for the best quarterbacks in the NFL will climb been higher.

Jackson is likely going to make the Ravens negotiate against themselves, playing out each of the next three seasons on the equivalent of a one-year contract each time. By the time he reaches free agency in 2025, with a third franchise tag far too cost-prohibitive for Baltimore to use, Jackson will likely land a four- or five-year contract worth at least $50 million annually. The Ravens might not like it, but Jackson is playing out his leverage perfectly.

sorry if posted...

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Don't know about all you guys, but I can't wait for this!

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What the hell, have at it boys n girls. What's your favorite cringe worthy shows?


I'll start
Obi wan Kenobi
The bachelor
90 day fiance

Don't know if there is one,
I looked. It's possibleI started one at one time. I'm going tomorrow night tomorrow , Gov't Mule. Just saw Nonpoint headline dope as fuck. What about you all?
@-X- @Selassie I @RamFan503

STORY LINK

How to Craft the Ideal Backfield in Today’s NFL​

The NFL in 2022 is more pass-heavy than ever before. Last year, 10 teams averaged over 250 passing yards per game. Only half that many teams averaged 140 yards per game on the ground. But running the ball hasn't fallen completely to the wayside, nor has an effective run game lost its importance. Of the NFL's top-10 rushing teams in 2021, seven made the playoffs.

What has changed is the route that teams are taking to build that solid run game. The days of the 350-carry workhorse back aren't completely dead, but they are falling by the wayside. Nowadays, it's about committee attacks. Passing-down specialists. And the importance of depth.

Old-school football hasn't disappeared from the NFL. But more and more each year, it has a new-look feel to it.

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Bye-Bye Bellcows​

One decade ago, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson became the most recent running back to win the NFL's Most Valuable Player award. That year, Peterson gained 2,097 yards on the ground—just eight yards shy of Eric Dickerson's single-season record. Peterson did so in true workhorse fashion, carrying the ball 348 times, or 21.75 carries per game. He was one of five backs to eclipse 300 carries, and 10 backs to amass at least 275.

Fast forward 10 years, and there were just two running backs who topped 300 carries—Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts and Najee Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Joe Mixon of the Cincinnati Bengals joined them as the only other back to hit 275 carries. Taylor led the NFL in carries per game, at 19.5 carries per game.

Admittedly, part of the drop in carries can be explained by backs catching more short passes. If you add receptions to the mix, there were eight running backs that averaged 20 touches a game in 2021. It's the same number as in 2017. But per StatMuse, back in 2012 there were 10, and two more backs (Knowshon Moreno and Ray Rice) had 19.9.

By any objective measure, running back workloads are being scaled back. And it's not hard to see why.

NFL teams are tired of their running backs getting hurt.

Last year's leader in touches per game was Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans, at a gaudy 29.6 per contest. The year before, Henry carried the ball 378 times on the way to over 2,000 rushing yards. But that put Henry on a collision course with "The Curse of 370." It's a term coined by Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders for the drop-off in production for backs the year following a 370-carry campaign. The historical data isn't pretty.\

Sure enough, Henry made it eight games into the 2022 season before breaking a bone in his foot.

Dalvin Cook is one of the most talented runners in the NFL, with three straight 1,000-yard carries on his NFL resume. But he has also missed time in all five professional seasons, and as he told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press, the reality is that running back may well be the most fragile position in the game.

“We’re in the NFL. Things happen. Guys go down,’’ Cook said.

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Sharing the Wealth​

As more and more teams get hip to the notion of scaling back the workload of their lead back, we're seeing a lot more two and even three-headed backfields.

Last season, there were a whopping 53 running backs that totaled more than 100 carries. Fifty-five backs had more than 100 total touches). There were 10 NFL teams that had two running backs who ended the season with over 150 total touches. A whopping 21 teams had two backs with 100 touches. And two teams (the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns) had three 100-touch running backs.

Granted, the splits in Philly and Cleveland were created in part by injuries. So were some others. But both the Eagles and Browns have a history of spreading the wealth in the backfield, and they aren't alone. Fantasy football managers may hate the idea of "running back by committee," but more and more NFL teams are embracing the idea.

Last year, the Washington Commodes were not one of those teams—Antonio Gibson dominated the backfield work and ranked fourth in the league with 300 touches. But per Nick Shook of NFL.com, head coach Ron Rivera told reporters at OTAs that the team plans to involve more players in the run game in 2022.

"Well, I think for the most part, it's going to be by committee. Some of the things that we did in Carolina we're trying to emulate, you know, we had a good two-back system. We had, (former Carolina Panther running backs DeAngelo) Williams and Jonathan Stewart, and we had Fozzy Whittaker as a change of pace, third-down type of guy. Well, you look at what we have right now, you can say we have the same thing."

"So just feel that, you know, it's one of those things that you're going to go with, who's hot, who's rolling, you know, who's doing the good things. And then you're going to have to spell that guy. I mean in this league today, you know, you just can't have one primary back. You've got to have a plethora of them. And we just feel it's a very good room right now."

It's not just a matter of spreading the wealth during games, either. NFL teams are prioritizing depth almost as much as talent. The Browns gave D'Ernest Johnson up to $2.4 million this year to be the team's third-string back. The Eagles handed Boston Scott $1.75 million to do that same thing.

Teams don't want two good running backs. They want three. Four. As many as they can get their hands on.

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The NFL's Best Backfields​

Having a backfield where one back handles most of the rushing work while another takes care of the third-down pass-catching role is fine. Dandy even. Ben Linsley of Pro Football Focus ranked an Indianapolis Colts backfield where Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines have those roles as the second-best unit in the league.

But another reason why the Colts rank as high as they do is the presence of a reserve back in Philip Lindsay who has topped 1,000 rushing yards twice in his career. The perfect NFL backfield doesn't just have talent. Or even depth. It has both—sometimes in the form of a No. 2 back who can step into a featured role without the team missing a beat.

With that in mind, here's a look at the five best backfields in the NFL in 2022.

5. Minnesota Vikings (Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu

When he's healthy, Cook is one of the game's best—a do-it-all back who is as dangerous catching passes as he is running between the tackles. He's the clear lead runner in the Twin Cities. But Mattison has shown to be invaluable reserve who can step into Cook's role without the run game falling apart. Cook also told Tomasson that the Vikings plan to involve Nwangwu more in the offense this season.

4. Dallas Cowboys (Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, Rico Dawdle)

Elliott's numbers took a dip in 2021—his 58.9 rushing yards per game was a career low. But the 26-year-old still topped 1,000 rushing yards and scored 10 times on the ground, and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has raved about how Elliott has looked in OTAs. Pollard is one of the league's more underrated running backs. He averaged a career-best 5.5 yards per carry a year ago, and per Linsley only Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry have averaged more yards after contact per attempt than Pollard since 2019.

3. Indianapolis Colts (Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, Phillip Lindsay)

Dating back to his time at the University of Wisconsin, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more productive running back than Taylor, who led the NFL last year with 1,811 rushing yards in 2021. He also amassed over 2,100 total yards and scored a whopping 20 total touchdowns. Hines is an excellent receiver and pass-protector who has topped 60 catches in two of four pro seasons, while Lindsay eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first two years in Denver.

2. Green Bay Packers (Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Kylin Hill)

Given all the issues the Packers have at wide receiver, Green Bay may well wind up fielding the most productive one-two running back group in the league in terms of total yards this season. The team doesn't have a true "lead" back, with Jones and Dillon garnering an almost identical number of touches a year ago. Both backs topped 1,100 yards last season, and the pair combine for 17 touchdowns. This is a two-headed attack in the truest sense.

1. Cleveland Browns (Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, D'Ernest Johnson)

Saying that the Cleveland backfield is stacked doesn’t do the team justice. Chubb may be the most talented pure runner in the entire NFL—he averaged a gaudy 5.5 yards per carry in 2021 and has never averaged less than five yards a pop in a season. Hunt is a former NFL rushing king and excellent receiver who topped 1,100 total yards with 11 scores two years ago. Johnson averaged 5.3 yards on his 100 carries in 2021 and averaged over 120 yards per game in his two starts.

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A perfect backfield is much like a perfect quarterback—every team strives to have one, but none do. However, the teams listed above lay the blueprint for coming close.

Stockpile talent. Add players who can serve in multiple roles. And have a viable Plan B available in case your lead back goes down.

Do that, and teams can make some hay on the ground.

And while that may seem old-fashioned, it also remains a path to success on Sundays.

When you make Stephan A Smith sound like reasonable one

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Trying to find the new Skip

Happy Fathers Day Gents!

Who will win the LA Rams most important roster battles?​

NFL training camp roster battles serve a two-fold purpose. First, they normally occur to fill an opening, whether it’s a vacancy or weak spot. Second, it serves to prepare and toughen young players and keep veterans from back-sliding into complacency.

Even after winning the 2022 Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams will have their fair share of positional scuffles.

The Rams roster building strategy is to stock impact positions with highly compensated stars and then fill the remaining roles with hot motors, high football IQs and versatile, competitive over achievers that are chosen for their fit into the schemes.

As the Rams and their fans await the opening of camp, it’s a good time point out and start to analyze some of those positional roster battles that will support LA’s top tier talent.

Right guard #1 - Logan Bruss vs. Coleman Shelton

Needing to replace two starters, there will be some re-tooling on the Rams offensive line.

Joseph Noteboom is stepping in for Andrew Whitworth at left tackle and Sean McVay said he’s making “great strides” and has a “chokehold” on the position. That leaves filling the hole left by Austin Corbett leaving LA in free agency. Although Bruss and Shelton look to have the inside track, the Rams have a slate of candidates that could earn their way into the mix. Bobby Evans, Tremayne Anchrum, and Alaric Jackson are the biggest names, but there will be nine guys vying for play time.

Although Shelton lacks the prototypical mass and length of an NFL interior lineman, he does have the skills that make him a fit for the Rams wide-zone run game. He came out of Washington as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) in 2018, bouncing from the San Francisco 49ers to the Arizona Cardinals before landing in LA for the 2019 season. His snaps were modest in his first two years, 23 on offense and 52 on special teams in ‘19 and only 67 special teams plays in 2020. Last season, he played in all 21 games and logged three starts.

Shelton does his best work on the move, he has good get-off, understands how to use angles, and has a strong, compact punch. He’s got short, choppy steps that keep him balanced and allows him to strike well on the move. He’s a technique guy, not a power blocker, but surely after three years in the Rams strength/conditioning program, he’s built his play strength up to serviceable level.

In Bruss, the Rams fans get the nasty-tempered run blocker they have screamed for. He mostly played tackle in college, but got a decent amount of games at right guard and has plenty of experience blocking in a zone system. He measures in at 6’ 5” and 309 lbs. with a stout lower half. He ran a 5.23 forty, a 7.57 3cone, and 4.55 in the shuttle. He added a 31’ vertical and 9’ 4” broad.

Although he has a reputation as being stronger in run blocking than pass blocking, Bruss only gave up one sack in his college career. He stays square, bends his knees and keeps his butt down in pass protection. His wide base will help him anchor against powerful opposing defensive tackles and their bullrush moves. HIs arm length is not extraordinary, (33 1/8) but he has huge hands and when he latches on, he doesn’t shake loose. His fluid, short area movement, aggressive play, and polished technique skills give Bruss a chance to win the starting spot.

Right edge #1 - Justin Hollins vs. Terrell Lewis

Von Miller, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Justin Lawler, and Jamir Jones have all moved on, taking 758 defensive snaps with them. Replacing these snaps opposite left edge Leonard Floyd is huge opportunity for Hollins, age 26 and Lewis, age 23.

Hollins won the roster battle last season and was named the starter. He held that role for the Rams first three games before a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him. When he returned after nine weeks, the Rams had added Von Miller to the roster and Hollins was relegated to 20 or less snaps per game.

After a stellar 2019 NFL Combine performance, Hollins was taken in the fifth round by the Denver Broncos. He played in 15 games as a rookie and was eventually released in 2020 final cuts, and then snatched up by the Rams. Standing 6’ 5” and 248 lbs. with 33 1/2” arms and 10 1/2“ hands, Hollins ran a 4.5 forty, 7.06 3cone, and 4.4 shuttle. In the explosion drills, had recorded a 36.5” vertical, 9’ 11” broad and pushed 25 reps on the bench.

With his natural abilities to rush the passer, set the edge and drop into coverage, Hollins has the tools to be an outstanding standup end. If he can play with the required pro consistency and aggression, he could be a real talent.

Lewis is a freakish combination of size and athleticism. His development has been curtailed by a series of injuries that have beset him since his college days at Alabama. Since being drafted at #84 in the third round of the 2020 draft, Lewis has participated in 491 snaps and recorded 27 tackles, five sacks, and seven quarterback hits.

He measures in at 6’ 5” 262 lbs. with 34” arms, 83 1/2” wingspan, and 10” hands. Because of injuries, his pre-draft drill work was limited to a 37” vertical and 10’ 4” broad jump. Stellar numbers for his size.

Watching his college tape mirrors his play as a Ram, explosive bursts of stellar play followed by periods of inactivity due to injury. He needs reps to fully develop, he’s 23 years old, played in only 26 college games, and has been hit-and-miss in practice time with LA. He has tremendous potential and upside and if the Rams medical and training staffs can somehow rehab his knees, he could be dominant.

Defensive tackle #4 - Bobby Brown vs. Michael Hoecht

While the Rams interior line trio is a top NFL unit, finding a rotational player to spell the starters with quality snaps is imperative. Long on size and overall athleticism, but short on experience, Brown and Hoecht seem the likely candidates.

At the Texas A&M Pro Day, Brown measured in at 6’ 4” 321 lbs. with 35 3/4” arms, 10 1/2” hands, and an 85 1/2” wingspan. He clocked a 4.98 forty, 7.65 in the 3cone and 4.63 in the shuttle. His vertical was 33” and broad was 9’ 5”. He was brought along slowly by the Rams in his rookie season, Brown played in 22 defensive snaps and 47 on special teams.

The Rams took Brown in the fourth round at #112. He was reviewed as a stellar run-plugging nose tackle who had the potential to move outside to the 3-technique position. He wins on leverage, using his long arms, a strong punch and keeping his pad level low to create torsion. When his technique is right and he gets his feet set and under his body, he is a load to move. At the pro level, inconsistent technique, particularly in footwork, will get a lineman abused and consistent technique is where Brown needs to show improvement.

In 2020, Hoecht put off a career on Wall Street and signed with LA as an undrafted free agent out of Brown. He was also a top 10 pick in the Canadian Football League draft. When COVID19 put the kibosh his official Pro Day, he put together his own workout, filmed it, and sent it to all 32 teams. At 6’ 4’’ and 295 lbs., he ran a sterling 4.65 forty, backed by a 4.68, 7.05 3cone, and a 4.21 shuttle. He leapt 33.5 in the vertical and a 9’ 2” broad. He added 23 reps on the bench.

Although Brown has the edge in draft pedigree, Hoecht played in every Rams game last season, posted 110 defensive snaps and another 396 on special teams. He combines athleticism with a non-stop motor. In an article on Sports Illustrated, Rams defensive line coach Thomas Henderson said he loves Hoecht’s get-off, size, speed, and athleticism, and implores the Brown math major to “absorb everything that AD does,” because he “actually has the athletic ability to do a lot of the stuff that guys of that caliber can do when you talk about Aaron Donald. But he just has to understand how to apply those tools.”

Tight end #2 - Brycen Hopkins vs. Kendall Blanton

This battle isn’t necessarily set in stone. Both Hopkins and Blanton are better receivers than blockers and while both stepped up in the NFL title run, are not locks. Jacob Harris could be a wild card.and there is no denying his ball skills, the caveat being if he can learn to use his length to lock out and screen off defenders on blocking plays. If any of the youngsters can show some physicality at the point of attack they could quickly move up the depth chart.

Hopkins enters his third year with the Rams after being chosen in 2020 out of Purdue in the fourth round at pick #136. He has the proper size (6’ 4” 245 lbs.), hand size (10 1/8”) , but only proportionate length (32 1/8” arms and 76” wingspan). He checks off the athleticism boxes with a 4.66 forty, 7.25 3cone, and 4.28 shuttle. His explosion numbers were 33.5” vertical, 9’ 8” broad and 21 reps on the bench.

There are no lack of articles wondering when, and if, Hopkins is ready to become a contributing Ram and fans have waited for him to make an impact. Pressed into extensive action in LA’s Super Bowl win because of injuries, he made that impact, producing four catches for 47 yards and three first downs.

The rap on Hopkins coming out of college was that he was not a strong blocker, more of a move/receiving tight end, and there were questions about his hands. Pro Football Focus marked Hopkins as the “Most Fun To Watch” tight end in the 2020 draft, but also lamented the inconsistency with his hands.

...Hopkins is fun to watch because he’s a wild card. He’ll alternate spectacular catches and downfield grabs with shockingly easy drops. If drops weren’t an issue, he’d likely be at the top of the PFF board, but who wants a tight end they can’t rely on? His 22 drops on 152 career catchable are massively concerning.

On his tape, Hopkins seems to have the most struggles with passes below his waist when his palms were up (basket catch). He seems very adept at aggressively attacking the ball at the chest level and above. He transitions very well from the catch to turning upfield to run.

Blanton was signed as a UDFA in 2019 and started each of his three Rams seasons on the practice squad. Coming out of Missouri, he was viewed as a development project with a size/speed upside. He stands at 6’ 6” and 262 lbs with 34” arms and 10 1/2” hands. He clocked a 4.95 forty, 7.37 3cone, and 4.42 shuttle and added a 31” vertical, a 9’ 5” broad and 22 reps on the bench.

Showing an upside for both blocking and receiving, Blanton passed Hopkins on the depth chart last season and was active in the Rams last 16 games. He tallied 148 offensive snaps and 70 on special teams. Although he left the Super Bowl win early with an injury, he had his best performance of the season two weeks earlier in NFC Championship victory over the San Francisco 49ers. In that game, he grabbed all five passes thrown his way for 57 yards.

After playing in a rotation at Mizzou, Blanton may just need development time and reps to learn how to utilize his frame and show out. His tape shows good strong hands, contested catch ability and he can run after the catch. On blocking sets he shows a willingness to mix it up, good feet to navi

Wide receiver #4 - Bennett Skowronek vs. Tutu Atwell

If the Rams tight ends prospects behind Tyler Higbee cannot step up, fans could see numerous four wide receiver sets. These sets would make the WR4 role much more important, turning it into a role that is fully integrated in the offensive scheme and not just giving the starters a break after a long run.

Already plugged in on special teams units, Skowronek also added 178 offensive snaps in his rookie season. Skow’s modest production of 11 catches for 80 yards was bolstered by seven of those catches going for first downs. Drafted in the seventh round at #249, he measures at 6’ 3” 224 lbs. with 33” arms and 10” hands. He suffered a broken foot in practice for the Senior Bowl and did not participate in Combine or Pro Day drills.

Wins using a hot motor, good hands, and his size/athleticism profile to advantage. His ultra-competitive game demeanor, contested catch skills, and blocking scream for him to transition to move tight end. But don’t be fooled by his guy-who-does-the-dirty-work tag, he has the get-off, short area quickness, and enough long speed to make big plays.

As a rookie, Atwell got a taste of the NFL’s steep learning curve. He was brought along slowly, as the Rams are wont to do, playing sparingly on offense and being worked in as a returner before going out for the season with a shoulder injury in week eight.

At the NFL Combine, Atwell charted at 5’ 9” and 155 lbs. He sped through the speed and short area quickness drills with a 4.39 forty (a stellar 1.49 10 yard split), 6.87 3cone, and 4.09 shuttle. He added a 33” vertical and 9’ 9” broad jump.

During OTAs, Atwell has been singled out by Sean McVay and Matt Stafford as having made strides in early workouts. He has true breakaway speed and his college tape show he’s capable of making all the plays, routine or gamebreaking. He is never going to be a contested catch guy, nor should be, his role is to get into space and utilize his running skills. Until he gets the experience to create his own separation, Sean McVay’s schemes are renowned for creating space for his playmakers to use their skills. Atwell tracks the ball well, has good hands and catches away from his body. And while he is small-framed, he is a willing blocker, and doesn’t shy away from contact on reverses and slip screens.

Any other battles?

Sure. Will David Long or Troy Hill win the starting cornerback spot opposite Jalen Ramsey? Or will Robert Rochell sneak in? There will be a lot of wrangling behind the starters on the offensive and defensive lines. With all the injury concerns at running back, the pecking order needs to watched with interest. And to a lesser extent, two new punters will battle it out for those duties.

Have any important roster battles been missed?

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"Of course I want a latte. I LOVE THE WAY YOU MAKE "EM!"








I don't know why this scene kills me...

Just wanted to give an early shout out to all you fathers! Whether it's biological, adopted, or you being a father figure at all to anyone in any way, shape, or form! HAPPY FATHERS DAY! Y'ALL ARE MVPs and deserve the absolute best!

Cheers from me, to you!

Here are PFF’s top 14 teams…

Which teams do you drop out of the top 14, and who do you move up?

They have 7 AFC and 7 NFC as the top 14.

Who are your top 14 teams?


1. BUFFALO BILLS

It’s tough to look beyond the Bills as the single best roster in football. They didn’t even make it to the AFC Championship last season, but they were 13 seconds and some suicidal defense away from doing so at the end of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Josh Allen proved that his breakout year was no fluke, and the Bills has been able to add luxuries such as Von Miller to try and put them over the top.

2. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Until we see real evidence of Tom Brady‘s decline, we have to assume that he will remain as one of the truly elite quarterbacks in the game, which makes the Bucs immediate contenders every year he is at the helm. Brady’s un-retirement paved the way for several other players that were scheduled to hit free agency to return, and the team patched up the holes that did appear in the draft. Adding a receiver such as Russell Gage, who was an underrated weapon in Atlanta and averaged 1.96 yards per route run last season, could make a real impact on the offense.

3. LOS ANGELES RAMS

The defending Super Bowl Champions are already being disrespected! Before we go overboard, remember that the Rams were the No. 4 seed a year ago and needed Matthew Stafford to up his play from an 80.7 regular season PFF grade to 89.5 in the postseason to go on the run that they did. The Rams also lost critical parts of the roster, as Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr., Sebastian Joseph-Day and Von Miller now play elsewhere. The Rams added Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner to help offset those losses, but there’s a good chance that, at best, they have taken a sideways step in an offseason where several contenders got better.

4. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

With the rest of the NFL’s contenders in an arms race, the Chiefs chose to trade away one of the most potent weapons in the NFL in Tyreek Hill. They look to replace him not with any one player but in the aggregate with the Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Juju Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore additions, and while that may be the best thing for the long-term cap health of the roster, it’s tough to argue that the Chiefs won’t take a small step backward initially. Nonetheless, as long as Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback, the Chiefs will be amongst the real contenders.

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Few teams were as aggressive this offseason as the Chargers, who seem determined to capitalize on the talent they have at quarterback in Justin Herbert. Far from regressing, Herbert’s second season built on his stellar rookie campaign, so the Chargers spent a ton of money to surround him with talent. Adding a player such as Khalil Mack should improve everything up front, and J.C. Jackson adds to a secondary that has a lot of ball skills as a unit. Drafting Zion Johnson should ensure that the line in front of Herbert remains solid.

6. GREEN BAY PACKERS

Sure, when the Packers have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, they are perennial contenders, but they have had problems against the best teams deep in the playoffs, and that was with the best receiver in the game (Davante Adams) in the lineup. This offseason, the Packers lost Adams and replaced him with Sammy Watkins and a pair of rookies — Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who were the seventh and 19th receivers selected, respectively. To the Packers’ credit, their defense may be better than it's been in years, and they are getting players such as David Bakhtiari back, but that receiving corps could be a terminal problem.

7. DENVER BRONCOS

Denver catapulted itself into the contenders by trading for Russell Wilson, giving them their first legitimate championship-caliber passer since Peyton Manning. Denver now has to craft an offense that gets the most out of Wilson while doing so without running into the same issues that the Seattle Seahawks had. Can Wilson be unleashed to be the best version of himself without eschewing too much of the quick, routine passes to make the offense among the league’s best?

8. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Ranking the Bengals this low seems harsh given they were close losers of last year’s Super Bowl, but there was an acknowledgment that the team overachieved last year. They were the AFC’s No. 4 seed before going on their playoff run, and even though they have done an excellent job attacking the weaknesses on the roster this offseason, it seems unlikely that they repeat that kind of improbable sequence of results this season. Cincinnati absolutely has the firepower to contend if things break its way, but the Bengals don’t quite have the overwhelming roster strength that some teams do.

9. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

One of the few teams that have a real chance of winning a championship without an elite quarterback, the 49ers have the ability to dominate because of Kyle Shanahan’s offense and the playmakers within it. Jimmy Garoppolo is still on the roster and may very well be the starter again this season. His play has proven to be good enough for this team to win when he is healthy, and Trey Lance may represent the contingency plan for the likely injury to Garoppolo rather than the 2022 starter.

10. CLEVELAND BROWNS

So much of Cleveland’s success hinges on Deshaun Watson‘s availability, which remains completely up in the air as the NFL works toward the conclusion of its investigation into his sexual assault accusations. Even without Watson, the Browns should be a playoff team. They almost made it last season with Baker Mayfield playing from Week 2 on with a badly injured shoulder. A healthy Mayfield this season raises the floor a lot, and Watson for the entire season likely makes them real contenders.

11. BALTIMORE RAVENS

Few teams were as ravaged by injuries as the Ravens last season, and it propelled them from the top seed in the AFC at one point in the year to outside of the playoffs by the end of the season. Just getting healthy again makes the Ravens a real playoff team once again, and they can go on stretches of dominant play that scares any team in the league.

12. DALLAS COWBOYS

Dallas had a curious offseason where every problem it faced seemingly caught the franchise by surprise. The team traded away Amari Cooper because it was upset that he wasn’t providing the kind of value his contract suggested. Cedrick Wilson also departed in free agency. They thought they re-signed Randy Gregory, but he became upset at some contract language, so he took the same offer from Denver, leaving Dallas scrambling to replace him. Overall, this team likely spun its wheels in the mud this offseason while other teams improved, but they are still a good team overall.

13. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

I’m not sure any franchise had a better offseason than the Eagles when all is considered. Trading for A.J. Brown gives them the No. 1 receiver they have been searching for, and it also allows DeVonta Smith to concentrate on doing what he does well as the No. 2. Adding Haason Reddick and Jordan Davis reinforces a defensive front that was eroding from its peak, and grabbing James Bradberry late in the day is a really shrewd signing that could make a real difference. Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean could also prove to be one of the biggest steals of the draft if he’s the same player in the NFL that he was in college.

14. ARIZONA CARDINALS

The Cardinals somehow made a big splash move over the offseason and still may have lost ground to their rivals. Marquise Brown was acquired in a trade for their first round pick, but Brown has to replace DeAndre Hopkins as the team’s No. 1 receiver for the duration of Hopkins' suspension (six games) before he can add value relative to last year’s offense. The team also lost Christian Kirk and Chandler Jones — two important players at key positions. Arizona’s success relies on it finding a way to not tail off again as the season progresses.

---

THE REST OF THE PACK:

15. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

In a tough spot after a failed Carson Wentz experiment last season, the Colts somehow managed to upgrade at quarterback this offseason without a franchise-altering cost. Matt Ryan may be a declining force, but he still ranked eight places higher than Wentz in PFF grades last season and is at his best in a dome. The Colts were a Wentz disaster away from the playoffs a season ago, and they should have their sights firmly set on playoff football again this year.

16. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

The rest of the AFC West became loaded with contenders this offseason, so after hiring a new general manager and head coach, the Raiders took a beat and decided to join the party, trading for Davante Adams and adding Chandler Jones. Adams teams up with Derek Carr, his old college quarterback, to give this offense the No. 1 target it needs, and Jones should add formidable pass-rush opposite Maxx Crosby. The offensive line remains a major area of concern for the Raiders, as is the brutal division they play in.

17. TENNESSEE TITANS

The No. 1 seed in the AFC a season ago, the Titans did not have an offseason for the ages. Acquiring Robert Woods was a nice move, but they also traded away A.J. Brown rather than give him the big-money contract he deserved. Rookie Treylon Burks is now under huge pressure to replace Brown. The Titans will be a good team again, but they lost ground to the rest of the contenders that clearly upgraded this offseason, so they will likely struggle to repeat last year’s finish position.

18. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Patriots were never likely to be big free agent spenders two years in a row, and while they made some quiet additions in the veteran marketplace, their draft was curious. Cole Strange was seen as a major reach in the first round, and he replaces a proven Pro-Bowl caliber player in Shaq Mason, who was traded away for a fifth-round pick. New England’s fortunes rest on the development of the young players or last year’s additions after spending a year in the system. Can Mac Jones, in particular, take a big step forward in his sophomore season?

19. MIAMI DOLPHINS

The Dolphins made a sequence of huge, needle-moving changes to the team and still may be struggling to make the playoffs. Tyreek Hill changes the way defenses play on every snap he is on the field, and the team added offensive linemen Terron Armstead and Connor Williams to bolster a historically bad offensive line. New head coach Mike McDaniel brings an exciting system with him, and this Dolphins team should now be very fun to watch, but did the team do enough to make the Dolphins real contenders?

20. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

So much of the Saints' success over the last 15 years was built on Drew Brees and Asshole Face's shoulders, neither of whom are now in the building. However, the roster is still in pretty good shape. Jameis Winston is a real unknown factor. One of the most volatile quarterbacks in the league, Winston was playing a much more controlled brand of football last year before getting hurt, posting the lowest turnover-worthy play rate of his career while still making frequent big-time throws.

21. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Steelers have been perennial contenders for the duration of Ben Roethlisberger’s career. Their quarterback since 2004, Big Ben retired this offseason after never finishing a season with a losing record. Now, Pittsburgh needs to sustain that success with a combination of Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett at quarterback. Either player will massively change the offense that had the fastest average time to throw in 2021.

22. MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The Vikings have won between seven and 10 games for the last four seasons, prompting ownership to make a change and hire a new general manager and head coach. The moves this offseason have been all about maintaining course though, which leaves the team stuck in the same narrow band of outcomes as before. Unless Kevin O’Connell does a fantastic job as head coach in Year 1 or Kirk Cousins has an equally inspired season at quarterback, this team likely wins between seven and 10 games again.

23. WASHINGTON Commodes

Hitching your wagon to a player that is being thrown out of his previous employer's building after just one year as the answer at quarterback is a risky strategy, but that was Washington’s answer to a disappointing season in 2021. Carson Wentz ranked 23rd in the NFL last season in overall PFF grade and was at his worst in the crunch period of the season with the playoffs on the line. Washington will be hoping he is enough of an upgrade over Taylor Heinicke that it can return to the playoffs, but that may just be optimism at this point.

24. DETROIT LIONS

The rebuild project in Detroit still doesn’t have its quarterback of the future, but the rest of the roster is coming together very nicely, and Jared Goff has shown the capacity to be a better-than-average quarterback in the right environment. The Lions are still relying on the development and growth of young players that they added a year ago, but if things go as planned, Detroit could make more noise this season than people expect.

25. NEW YORK JETS

The Jets have done a fantastic job of building around Zach Wilson, but now, they need to see some signs of life from last year’s No. 2 overall pick. Additions such as Laken Tomlinson continued to add strength to an offensive line than finished last year ranked 11th in the NFL. Adding Garrett Wilson in the draft should improve the entire receiving corps, allowing Corey Davis to avoid the attention of a true No. 1 receiver. The defense also saw some reinforcement with cornerback additions in both free agency (D.J. Reed) and the draft (Ahmad Sauce Gardner).

26. NEW YORK GIANTS

The biggest additions the Giants made were at general manager and head coach, and Brian Daboll, in particular, could have a real impact on Daniel Jones at quarterback. Jones was a top-five graded quarterback in the league through the first month of the season in 2021 before the wheels fell off as the offense disintegrated around him. The Giants did what they could on the offensive line, and the receiving corps staying healthy would be a big boost for the team overall. The Giants offense could be a surprise unit in 2022.

27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Jacksonville were big spenders this offseason, but it’s tough to discern a strategy to that spending beyond simply paying big money to players the team could convince to come to Jacksonville. Brandon Scherff and Christian Kirk were big investments on the offensive line and receiving corps, but even with them, neither unit should be above league average. The draft was all about rolling the dice on talent, and so there’s a real chance that the Jaguars are relying simply on the upgrade from Urban Meyer to Doug Pederson to boost Trevor Lawrence‘s play in Year 2.

28. HOUSTON TEXANS

The Texans were able to finally start their rebuild by trading away Deshaun Watson for a huge haul of draft picks. That move happened too late in the day for them to be big players in free agency, so the project really started in the draft. Davis Mills flashed some surprisingly good play as a rookie, and he’ll get, at least, another season to show he can be a future starter, but this project has really only just begun.

29. CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Panthers may have done well to emerge from the draft with a rookie quarterback without spending the sixth overall pick on him, but that still leaves a starting battle between Sam Darnold and a player the rest of the NFL didn’t want for over 90 picks. Matt Corral ran a very RPO-heavy offense in college (over 40% of snaps), so his ability to translate to the NFL is a big unknown. Overall, Carolina made some nice moves this offseason, but its quarterback situation could be crippling.

30. ATLANTA FALCONS

Atlanta jumped into the bidding war for Deshaun Watson only to come up short and effectively end relations with Matt Ryan as their starter. Trading him away creates a devastating blow to the salary cap in terms of dead money, but it represents the start of a franchise reboot. Marcus Mariota is a fine stopgap at quarterback and the team had a very good draft, but we may be a year away from these moves paying real dividends.

31. CHICAGO BEARS

New general manager Ryan Poles inherited an ugly situation in Chicago and has done what he can to set the team on the right track in his first offseason. The only issue is that very little of that has had an immediate impact on the short-term prospects of quarterback Justin Fields, who flashed big talent as a rookie but has pass protection and a receiving corps that rank among the league’s worst on paper. Fields also had his own issues in Year 1, so this could be a painful year for Chicago as it tries to put solid foundations in place for the future.

32. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

When you remove Russell Wilson from the equation in Seattle, it becomes immediately apparent how bad the situation around him had become over the years, with Wilson’s play hiding the true extent of the damage. It doesn’t help that the quarterback competition between Drew Lock and Geno Smith represents the worst quarterback situation in the league. We have become accustomed to thinking of Seatte as a playoff contender, but that was only a constant as long as their quarterback was elite, and that’s far from the case now.

If Aaron Donald DOES plan to retire in 2yrs… does that change how we approach Gaines and Robinson as 2023 free agents?

I guess… I sort of assumed they might be part of the Snead engine to return us comp picks… now, I’m wondering if we need to retain at least one of these guys as part of line continuity into 2024?

I really love these players. We are lucky to get another year of Donald, Robinson, and Gaines at DT and along the DL.

This is fun. Candid, no cliches or stock responses

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Then again, look they have the Cowpies D play caller Quinn, and O play caller Moore both at #2. Da fuq?

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Definitely disagree on the TB game...Rams have won 3 straight against Tom and the Bucs while kicking their ass twice even if the scoreboard didn't say so.

The rest...

We've finally done it.

We're organising an official trip for UK fans to LA for the double header in early December.

Seattle on the Sunday followed by Las Vegas on Thursday Night Football, both at the wonderful SoFi Stadium.

Seven nights of winter sun (hopefully) in fantastic Los Angeles.


For full details see the information page on the Touchdown Trips website, give them a call or drop them an email as they will be able to talk you through all the options to make this a trip of a lifetime for UK based Rams fans!!!

Feel free to dm me if you're interested at all

https://touchdowntrips.com/ramsuk/

@ScotsRam
@HX76
@UKram

With so many veteran WRs, can LA Rams develop WRs for the future?​

In terms of the LA Rams passing game, the Rams depth chart appears to be set for at least the top three wide receivers on the roster. Cooper Kupp is the LA Rams’ primary receiving target. Newly signed veteran Allen Robinson will almost certainly slide in as the team’s secondary receiving target. Third-year receiver Van Jefferson, who is poised to break into the 1000 yards receiving club, is the third target on the Rams roster.

If the LA Rams are successful and re-sign veteran WR Odell Beckham Jr this year, he will likely compete with Jefferson for the third receiver on the depth chart, with the other player taking over at the fourth wide receiver set.

Now, where do all of the LA Rams’ young receivers fit in?

That’s a very good question.

Behind the Big 4, the LA Rams depth chart stands a host of talented youngsters, all of whom would love nothing better than to earn a spot on this roster. For now, I am not including TE/WR Jacob Harris, as the Rams WR room appears quite saturated with the current players. Who are they?

• Name Yrs Ht. Weight

1. Ben Skowronek 2 6-3 223 lbs
2. Brandon Powell* 5 5-8 181 lbs
3. Tutu Atwell 2 5-9 165 lbs
4. J.J. Koski 1 6-1 195 lbs
5. Warren Jackson 1 6-6 219 lbs
6. Landen Akers 1 6-0 191 lbs
7. Lance McCutcheon R 6-3 202 lbs

That is a lot of talent. Too many for what is realistically a battle for as few as two roster spots. So who gets what? For starters, you have to consider the impact that WR/PR/KR Brandon Powell has on special teams. Unless some other player can guarantee his electrifying returns on punts and kickoffs, I would say that his return is almost a certainty.

Brandon Powell: 95 percent chance to make the roster.

The LA Rams descended down their depth chart very quickly in 2021, getting to Ben Skowronek by Week 8 of the season. While he only caught 11 of the 20 passes thrown his way, he was entrusted to play 178 offensive snaps. That means that he was blocking and route running for the team at a fairly regular clip one year ago.

Ben Skowronek: 80 percent chance to make the roster

Fans are already complaining about the amount of press that second-year Tutu Atwell is getting, but when any player is selected with the first draft pick available for that team, the investment warrants a bit of monitoring. Reports so far are very positive, but this is still track season isn’t it? No pads, no contact. This could be a tough call for the LA Rams coaching staff if they do re-sign Odell Beckham Jr.

Tutu Atwell: 70 percent chance to make the roster

The LA Rams have kept J.J. Koski around on the practice squad, and for all intents and purposes, he could start off the season on the practice squad again. But if anything happens to a wide receiver, he could be the first to be activated for game day. If he has that opportunity to play and takes advantage of it, he could see a larger role in the offense.

J.J. Koski: 95 percent chance to make the practice squad.

Warren Jackson is so uniquely positioned to be either a solid find for the team or a player who parts ways without any fanfare. I love the size, as any receiver who stands at 6-foot-5 or taller simply has a vertical advantage, and the Rams have too few players who stand that tall. While he has the opportunity to shine on the Rams roster, he will need to showcase not only his own abilities but the benefit of having a tall receiver on the football field.

Warren Jackson: 40 percent chance to make the practice squad.

Landen Akers is that LA Rams roster duct tape, a player whose versatility to plug into catching passes, returning punts or kickoffs, or even covering punts or kickoffs continues to niche out a spot for him. He is a trooper, a player who hangs around on the practice squad but who may not find many doors opening for him to the active roster. That can all change with a solid preseason.

Landen Akers: 50 percent chance to make the practice squad.

Lance McCutcheon is another wide receiver who is incredibly intriguing, as he is so very versatile and has unique skillsets. He is a good-sized receiver who runs great routes. That will get him a chance with the Rams offense. But his draft profile suggests he hasn’t learned how to block, which is a strike against him in the Rams offense. If he can get more muscular, more physical, and learn how to block, he has a chance. If not, well he may not hang around on the Rams roster.

Lance McCutcheon: 20 percent chance to make the practice squad.

The LA Rams will have a formidable troop of wide receivers on the football field. But we learned quickly that a pattern of injuries can burn the team through the depth chart very quickly. While training camp may not improve the position of any player on the depth chart, but it could alter the order of their being called up to the active roster should an opening occur.

There are simply too many good players for the number of roster spots at wide receiver. That ensures great competition in training camp.

After taking care of Aaron Donald & Cooper Kupp, which Rams are next for new contracts?​

Could LA extend Rob Havenstein, Greg Gaines, or Nick Scott?

• By JB Scott
• on June 16, 2022 10:47 am

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Rams rewarded two major contributors that helped them win a Super Bowl in 2021 - giving re-worked contracts to Aaron Donaldand Cooper Kupp during minicamp last week.
With Donald, Kupp, Matthew Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, Allen Robinson, and Joseph Noteboom signed for the foreseeable future, who could the Rams reward next?

Rob Havenstein, RT​

Havenstein has been a steady presence at right tackle for LA since entering the league in 2015. While he’s rarely ever mentioned among the best tackles in football, he’s certainly well-above average.
The veteran is an unrestricted free agent in 2023 and he will hit the open market at age 30, which is fairly young for a tackle that has as much starting experience as Havenstein. While he’s slated to make around $9.6M in 2022, it could take much more than that to retain Havenstein - re-signing Joseph Noteboom this offseason came with a 3-year price tag of $40M.
Could the Rams instead opt to retain Bobby Evans at a lower price and have him compete with Alaric “AJ” Jackson for the starting role at right tackle in 2023, allowing Havenstein to test the free agent waters?

Greg Gaines, DT​

After selecting Gaines in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, general manager Les Snead anointed Gaines as an immediate starting nose tackle. It took some time for this assertion to come to fruition, but Gaines emerged as a disruptive force on the defensive interior in 2021.
An injury to Sebastian Joseph-Day afforded Gaines more opportunity last season, and his encouraging development allowed the Rams to let Joseph-Day walk in free agency. Now, Gaines is also slated to be a free agent in 2023. Could LA opt to re-sign the big defensive tackle?
Joseph-Day’s deal with the Los Angeles Chargersaverages about $8M over the course of three years, so that should be a fair starting point for a new deal with Gaines.

Nick Scott, DB​

Los Angeles has historically not invested in the safety position, and they’ve allowed capable players like Rodney McLeod, Lamarcus Joyner, and John Johnson III to sign elsewhere in free agency.
While Scott, who was drafted in 2019 primarily to fill a special teams role, has developed into a starting safety, he still is a lesser player at this point in his career than the aforementioned McLeod, Joyner, and Johnson III.
The Rams won’t have to pay Scott at a mark near the top of the safety market, and that could be enough to keep him in LA long-term. His price tag might be more in the $6-8M range rather than the $12M+ top safeties have earned on the open market.

David Long, Jr., CB​

David Long, Jr. had a rough start to the 2021 season, but he turned things around during the playoffs and was a key part in helping the Rams win a Super Bowl.
While LA has drafted three talented corners over the last two seasons, the team may want to keep Long’s experience and inside-out versality for the foreseeable future.
Could a fellow resurgent corner like Green Bay Packers’ Rasul Douglas have set the market for Long in 2023? Douglas was re-signed this offseason for $21M over three years.

Tyler Higbee, TE​

Higbee will count just over $7.6M against the Rams’ cap in 2023. Trading or cutting the veteran tight-end would net LA an additional $4.8M in space, so his days with the team could be numbered.
If the Rams want to keep Higbee around, they can give him an extension and reduce his 2023 cap hit by as much as $4.1M.
How much does the emergence of Kendall Blanton and Brycen Hopkins during last year’s playoffs impact the team’s decision to keep Higbee?

I know it’s the off-season and bored so thought I’d throw this out there. It’s good to see the new version of the soon to be Aints haven’t transitioned fully to the paper bag yet! Lol

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State of the 2022 Detroit Lions: Will team break through in Year 2 under Dan Campbell?​

Members of the Lions organization, Lions fans around the world and those who still have a dog named Megatron:

The Lions were competitive in the second half of last season. That might seem like damning with faint praise. But they really did step it up once the calendar turned to November, so what do you want from me? That performance has people buzzing for this year, with the squad readying for its closeup on HBO's Hard Knocks. Could the Lions be the surprise team of 2022? Let's take a look.

One high from last season: Going 3-3 down the stretch. The Lions tied the Steelers in Week 10 -- which should have been a win for Detroit -- and then had close losses to the Browns and Bears before beating the Vikings for their first win of the season. This was a .500 team in the final six weeks, which included a win over the Packers in Week 18. Don't worry about who the quarterback was at the end of the game for Green Bay -- you won the contest. This really was a great way to finish.

One low from last season: The last-second loss to the Ravens in Week 3. This was exceptionally brutal. There was a controversial non-call. Then, Justin Tucker's 66-yard field-goal attempt hit the crossbar and went in, setting an NFL record for the longest field goal. Yeah, that was bad.

Head coach: Dan Campbell. I know Campbell bears a striking resemblance to South Park character PC Principal. And sometimes his sound bites seem like they're from a coach in a teen movie. Or Riverdale or something. But let's put it out there: The Lions responded to him in his first season on the job. They played hard. They were winless through their first 11 games, but they never gave up. The players love him. There are times when you might want to disregard Campbell due to his bravado, but it feels like a clever character choice to me. Like when you watch The Office, there are times where Michael Scott actually reveals himself as a genius with a real grasp on leadership, a guy who isn't doing things just to be funny. Look at the episodes Survivor Man and Murder, where Michael shows that he's crazy like a fox. That feels like Dan Campbell. There might be a lurking genius behind those anecdotes of plucking chickens.

Quarterback: Jared Goff. Listen, I make my jokes about Jared Goff. But you're not reading this to see some negativity about the guy who is going to be the starting quarterback for this team. I think it's telling that, while people talk about Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo unseating potential starting quarterbacks in some other situations (looking at you, Seattle), the Lions seem committed to Goff. And let's share more positivity. Goff had an 11:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio in Weeks 11-18 (second-best in the NFL; min. of 100 pass attempts during that stretch). Only Aaron Rodgers was better over those eight weeks. And in his final five starts of the season, the Lions went 3-2 and he posted a 107.1 passer rating.

Projected 2022 MVP: Goff. It's almost too easy to list the quarterback here, but when you look at the numbers mentioned above, it's clear that Goff's improvement tied directly to the Lions' success at the end of the 2021 season. I am going to write about other members of the Lions organization in this piece, but if Goff doesn't deliver this season, it's all moot.

New face to know: Aidan Hutchinson, defensive end. You know, a lot of good things are happening for the Lions. Hutchinson was ranked as the top prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft by my colleague Daniel Jeremiah, but the Jaguars went in another direction and selected Travon Walker No. 1 overall, leaving the Plymouth, Michigan, native available for the Lions. What a stroke of luck! Hutchinson could have a Nick Bosa-like impact for the Lions. Hutchinson posted 14 sacks in 2021, which set a Michigan school record and ranked second among players from Power Five schools. I need to talk more about the pass rush in a minute.

2022 breakout star: Levi Onwuzurike, defensive lineman. The second-year pro showed some flashes as a rookie, but was not healthy for much of the year. Fortunately, it sounds like he's putting those issues behind him. The former second-round pick will once again find himself in the rotation on a defensive line that includes 11th-year veteran Michael Brockers, who told reporters earlier this month that he doesn't think of himself as one of the old guys in the league, but will "pull my 'OG' card out a little bit." Anyhow, I predict there will be a point this season when Onwuzurike ends up being the dude at defensive tackle.

Three key dates:

Week 2 vs. Washington Commodes. The Lions open with back-to-back home contests. And although they are currently underdogs against the Eagles in Week 1 and the Commodes in Week 2, they need to take at least one of the two if they want to quickly erase the memory of last season's woes.
Week 10 at Chicago Bears. The Lions were swept by the Bears last season. If Detroit is going to improve this year, these are the games it needs to win.
Week 18 at Green Bay Packers. The division title could be on the line! I mean, it's June. Why not be optimistic at the moment?
Will the Lions be able to ...

... get to the quarterback? We love that Hutchinson was selected, but he can't do it all on his own. He should be able to help, though. The Lions recorded 30 sacks in 2021, third-fewest in the NFL. Only the Falcons (18) and Eagles (29) had fewer. Now, in terms of pass coverage, the Lions did sign cornerback Mike Hughes in free agency. And if Jeff Okudah, the third pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, has a breakthrough season in his return from an Achilles tear, there is an opportunity for the secondary to be pretty good, thus giving the pass rushers a chance to get home. Linebacker Jarrad Davis is back with the team, and blitzing was probably his greatest strength in the first go-around. The ability to increase the heat on opposing QBs might come down to defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who interviewed for head-coaching jobs in Denver and New Orleans this offseason and could be one of the leading candidates during the next hiring cycle. I mean, Goff is a huge part of things. But if the Lions come together on defense, look out.

... get a breakout season from D'Andre Swift? The fantasy football community loves Swift, who is entering his third NFL season. And the potential is there. But at some point, he needs to become the guy. Assistant head coach/running backs Duce Staley challenged him recently to fight through some of the nagging injuries that have held him back during his brief time in Detroit. Swift has started just eight games during his NFL career and shares time with Jamaal Williams, who started 11 games in 2021. Swift has logged 20 or more touches in just four contests. I think you could say that we just want to see more. And if you're looking for some similarities, Swift reminds me an awful lot of Dalvin Cook, who played just four games during his rookie year. He took another step forward in his second season and exploded for 13 rushing touchdowns during his third season in Minnesota. That would be the dream for Lions fans. Also, more consistent dominance from second-year OT Penei Sewell would be very helpful to that cause.

... people shouldn't overthink: Who will lead the Lions in targets? Again, I'm letting my fantasy bias get the best of me with this topic. Many are looking to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was excellent for the Lions last season. But his breakout coincided with tight end T.J. Hockenson's absence due to injury. And I know that you're thinking, But yeah -- he broke out and is going to be the next Cooper Kupp. I understand you feel that way, but the Lions added D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams at receiver this offseason. Detroit traded up in Round 1 to draft Williams, who is coming off a torn ACL he suffered in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Prior to that injury, he did post 15 receiving touchdowns, which was tied for third in the FBS. It's a bummer to not have answers for you fantasy-wise. But when it comes to the Lions' receivers, this is a pretty good group for Goff.

... people shouldn't overlook: The Lions elevated Ben Johnson to offensive coordinator. I thought Anthony Lynn was an excellent hire for the Lions in 2021, but he lost play-calling duties in November and the team parted ways with him as offensive coordinator after the season-ending victory over the Packers. Campbell told reporters, "It just wasn’t a fit." And that seems fair. Lynn spoke very highly of Campbell and the Lions after moving on. Sometimes things don't go like you want them to. These things happen in sports. Johnson feels like a guy who is ready to take the next step forward. The former tight ends coach could help lead Hockenson to a great season.

For 2022 to be a success, the Lions MUST:

Let's be fair. This team won three games last year. At the same time, there is so much buzz about the Lions. It feels like I can't be on the set of Good Morning Football or Total Access for more than a minute before somebody will bring up the notion the Lions are going to be the surprise team this season. I would offer that finishing above .500 seems like a realistic goal. That might get you to the playoffs, given the shape of some of these NFC teams. It's June. Dream big, Detroit.