Month: December 2023

NFL power rankings Week 18: Steelers, Packers keep playoff hopes alive

With the action of Week 17 in the books, it’s time to take a look at our updated NFL power rankings going into Week 18.

With the “Sunday Night Football” game in the books, it’s time to take a look at our updated NFL power rankings going into Week 18 of the 2023 season.

The Sunday night contest saw the Green Bay Packers go into U.S. Bank Stadium and manhandle the Minnesota Vikings, 33-10. With the win, the Packers kept their slim playoff hopes alive.

Along with the Packers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Vikings, Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons are still alive in the NFC playoff picture with just two spots left.

The Baltimore Ravens made yet another emphatic statement in Week 17 after destroying the Miami Dolphins, 56-19. In the process, Lamar Jackson made his MVP case even stronger.

In the AFC South, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans all won their games, which means they enter the final week with the same record at 9-7. However, the Jaguars currently hold the tie-breaker to keep them in first place.

There are currently five teams alive for three remaining spots in the AFC playoff race, a list that includes the aforementioned AFC South teams, along with the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, a look at our NFL power rankings going into Week 18 of the campaign.

Ohio State lands first player out of transfer portal

New addition won’t have to travel far. #GoBucks

The transfer portal has been open for a little over a month now and while Ohio State has had its fair share of players enter the portal and find new homes, the Buckeyes haven’t been very active in gaining new prospects. That changed today when Ryan Day landed his first player from the portal in tight end Will Kacmarek.

Kacmarek hails from St. Louis, Missouri, and was a two-star recruit as a defensive end. The former Ohio Bobcat entered the portal just two days ago and made his intentions known shortly after. Kacmarek will have two years of eligibility left after redshirting his freshman year in Athens in 2021.

With Cade Stover graduating and Joe Royer entering the transfer portal, there was room to add to the tight end room. However, with his history at defensive end, don’t rule out the possibility of a switch back to the defensive side of the ball.

Kacmerek caught 42 passes for 507 yards and two touchdowns for OU this season.

It remains to be seen if other areas of need will be addressed in the transfer portal, specifically on the offensive line and possibly the quarterback position. Rumors are swirling, but nothing official yet. Until then, we keep our eyes and ears peeled and let you know as moves are made.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. 

Jaren Hall, defense collapse as Packers destroy Vikings

Nothing went right for the Vikings on either side of the ball, as the Packers embarrass them at U.S. Bank Stadium

The final game of the 2023 calendar year is a brutal one for the Minnesota Vikings, as they get slaughtered by the Green Bay Packers by a score of 33-10.

There was some excitement for rookie quarterback Jaren Hall getting his second start of the year, especially after he looked capable in his two drives as a starter against the Atlanta Falcons. Well, things didn’t go well at all.

Hall committed two turnovers against the Packers, completing just 5-of-10 passes for 67 yards, one interception and a strip sack that the Packers turned into seven points right before halftime.

The Vikings ended up making a change to start the second half to Nick Mullens but things didn’t get too much better. The Vikings drove down the field but turned it over on downs in the red zone before seeing the Packers drive down 91 yards in 13 plays for a touchdown.

The defense totally collapsed in another big moment on Sunday night. They allowed a depleted Packers receiving corps missing their top option and two of their top four to torch the secondary consistently with in-breaking routes. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores didn’t look to be making many adjustments to the defense, as the same issues kept coming to the forefront.

As painful as it feels, the Packers deserve a lot of credit. Jordan Love completed 24-of-33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns while making some great throws in the process.

With the loss, the Vikings will need a lot of help in order to make the playoffs. It will start with a victory over the Detroit Lions next Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. CST.

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Tom Brady shares special message to Michigan football fans ahead of the Rose Bowl

The GOAT has spoken! #GoBlue

The last time Michigan football beat Alabama in a bowl game, the GOAT was at the helm, helping the maize and blue to take down the Crimson Tide in the 2000 Orange Bowl.

Tom Brady appears to have a good feeling for what he’s calling a special team, and though he will not be in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl, he’s hoping those attending will help make the iconic stadium feel more like The Big House than a neutral site field in Southern California.

Brady posted a special message to Michigan football fans attending the game, pleading that they be loud and help intimidate the No. 4 Crimson Tide team. You can watch his message below.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1iypA6rmI6/?igsh=YmxkeGI4NHh1bXdv

NFL sets Week 18 Saturday doubleheader for ABC/ESPN

Divisional matchups will be featured on Saturday in the final weekend of the NFL regular season

There will be a Saturday doubleheader on ESPN and ABC in Week 18 of the regular season.

The NFL announced that the first game, which will kick at 4:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 6 will be the Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens in an AFC North clash.

The nightcap will feature up-and-coming teams that bring 9-7 records into the final week of the regular season.

The Houston Texans will visit the Indianapolis Colts. That game is set for an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff.

NFL announces kickoff time for Week 18 Saints-Falcons game

The NFL announced its kickoff time for Week 18’s penultimate Saints-Falcons game, along with other matchups fans should be monitoring:

There it is: the NFL announced that the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons will kick off in Week 18 at noon CT on Sunday, Jan. 7. There are a couple of paths the Saints can take to get to the playoffs, but everything starts with a win at the Caesars Superdome. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

So what other games should be on Saints fans’ radar? The most important matchup is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Carolina Panthers tilt which will be broadcast in the same window on FOX. If the Saints and Panthers both win, New Orleans clinches the NFC South and a home playoff game.

But if the Buccaneers win, they’ll take the division for themselves and send the Saints scurrying for a wild-card seed. If that’s the case, here are the games to watch, and who fans should be rooting for marked in bold text:

  • Chicago Bears (7-9) vs. Green Bay Packers (8-8); 3:25 p.m. CT on CBS
  • Seattle Seahawks (8-8) vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-12); 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX

If the Packers win and the Seahawks lose, Green Bay gets the seventh playoff seed. The reverse is also true. Both teams need to lose for the Saints to clinch that seventh playoff seed. The Saints dug themselves quite a hole. They’ll  need help getting out of it, but their season isn’t over just yet.

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Kyren Williams continues monster year with three more touchdowns vs. Giants

Have a day, 23! (Or a season for that matter…)

Kyren Williams had a massive couple of years at Notre Dame, being the workhorse of the Fighting Irish backfield in the 2020 and 2021 seasons.  He left the program following his junior year to enter the NFL draft where he became a fifth round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams.

At this point getting Williams in the fifth round is looking like an absolute steal.

Williams ran for three more touchdowns and 87 more yards in the Rams win over the New York Giants on Sunday.  That puts the Rams at 9-7 on the year and gives Williams 12 rushing touchdowns and 1,144 rushing yards on the year.  Only Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers has rushed for more yards.

Not bad for a guy who missed four games earlier in the year.

PHOTOS: Best images from Thunder’s 124-108 win over Nets

The best photos from the Thunder’s 124-108 win over the Nets.

The Oklahoma City Thunder extended their winning streak to four games with a 124-108 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday in their annual New Year’s Eve home contest.

All five Thunder starters scored 17 or more points. They shot 54% from the field and went 18-of-33 (54.5%) from 3 and dished 30 assists.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 24 points. Josh Giddey had 20 points and went 4-of-8 from 3. Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort each had 18 points.

Meanwhile, the Nets shot a cold 38% on 100 shot attempts. They shot 12-of-46 (26.1%) from 3.

Let’s look at some of the best photos from the Thunder’s 16-point win over the Nets.

NFL power rankings: Ravens ranked No. 1 after Week 17

The Ravens are the league’s No. 1 team in NFL power rankings after Week 17.

Going into the final week of the 2023 NFL regular season, the Baltimore Ravens have emerged as the clear No. 1 team in the league.

The Ravens took care of business against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, and the Cleveland Browns have a Wild Card berth secured after their victory over the New York Jets.

Following the Miami loss and another Buffalo Bills victory, the AFC East is up for grabs going into Week 18.

The AFC South, meanwhile, is wide open with the Indianapolis Colts (9-7), Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7) and Houston Texans (9-7) all alive going into the final week of the season.

The Kansas City Chiefs clinched the AFC West, and the Broncos were eliminated from playoff contention despite their win on Sunday.

Over in the NFC, the NFC East is also up for grabs as the Dallas Cowboys (11-5) and Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) will take it down to the wire.

The San Francisco 49ers (NFC West) and Detroit Lions (NFC North) have their respective divisions locked up, but the NFC South is still wide open. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8), New Orleans Saints (8-8) and Atlanta Falcons (7-9) have still have a shot to win the division.

So with a lot left to be decided, here are our latest NFL power rankings ahead of the final week of the 2023 season.