NFL Week 11 Picks from Dryden

Scott Dryden breaks down the NFL Week 11 slate of games

Last Week: 5-8           Season: 95-52

TNF Pittsburgh at Cleveland: Despite massive changes to their lineup, the Steelers continue to play competitive football. They have won four in a row including a dominant defensive performance versus the Rams. The Browns won a hard-fought contest versus the Bills.

The combination of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt will be difficult for opposing defenses. Two old, bitter rivals on the prime time stage should result in a physically intense game. In a tight slobber knocker, Chubb and the Browns running game is the difference. CLE 23 PIT 20

Houston at Baltimore: Two of the biggest young stars in the NFL will be featured in a battle of division leaders. Deshaun Watson and the Texans return from their bye with a one-game lead in the AFC South. Watson has been brilliant again this year. Lamar Jackson is as exciting to watch as any player in the NFL. His passing mechanics have improved within a system that allows him to show off his dynamic running ability. In a thriller, the home field is the difference. BALT 33 HOU 30

Denver at Minnesota: The Broncos return from their bye with a 3-6 record. They will once again have Brandon Allen under center despite rookie Drew Lock returning from injury. The Vikings earned a big win on Sunday night in Dallas. At 7-3, Minnesota is a good position for a wild card spot and only one game behind the first-place Packers. Expect another big game from Dalvin Cook. MIN 27 DEN 10

Jacksonville at Indianapolis: The Jaguars return from their bye week with a 4-5 record, good for last place in the competitive AFC South. They will reinsert Nick Foles, who returns from an injury, into the starting lineup. The Colts laid a huge egg in their embarrassing home loss to the Dolphins. Backup QB Brian Hoyer could not get the job done. Jacoby Brissett could return from injury which will light a fire under a team that desperately needs a victory. In a tight game, the Jags get a key road victory. JAX 23 IND 20

New Orleans at Tampa Bay: The old adage “Any Given Sunday” certainly applied last week in New Orleans. The Saints were flat in a shocking loss to the hapless Falcons. The Saints are in control of the division but need wins to get a first round bye. The Buccaneers are showing improvement under Bruce Arians. Expect Drew Brees and company to control the clock and earn a hard fought victory. NO 24 TB 21

New York Jets at Washington: The Jets put 34 points versus their neighbors, the New York Giants. Yes a win is a win but their defense struggled mightily. They will face a Redskins squad that returns from their bye with only one victory. Darnold vs Haskins is intriguing but the game itself plays like one featuring two teams with only three combined victories. The Skins grind out an ugly victory. WASH 20 NYJ 16

Dallas at Detroit: The 5-4 Cowboys are tied atop the AFC East but are under heavy scrutiny. There is little doubt the team is underachieving which has head coach Jason Garrett in the crosshairs. Despite a bevy of talent, outside of their division the Cowboys have struggled mightily. The Lions were without Matthew Stafford last week versus the Bears. His return will ignite their offense. In a key game for both teams, Ezekiel Elliott is the difference. DAL 34 DET 27

Buffalo at Miami: The Bills suffered a tough loss last week in Cleveland which places them two games behind the first place Patriots. QB Josh Allen is showing growth but their o-line needs to improve as do their wideouts. The Dolphins are playing hard for HC Brian Flores. They lack talent but are a gritty bunch. Miami keeps it close but the Bills defense along with big plays by Allen are too much. BUF 27 MIA 20

Atlanta at Carolina; The bye week, along with coaching assignment changes, served the Falcons well. They pulled off the upset of the week – maybe the year – with an impressive performance in New Orleans. The Panthers are playing well with Kyle Allen under center. They suffered a heartbreaking loss in the snow versus Green Bay. Allen and McCaffrey have big days. CAR 33 ATL 20

Arizona at San Francisco: Kyler Murray once again was impressive, albeit in losing fashion. The rookie QB threw for 324 yards with three touchdowns in a three-point defeat at Tampa. His young receivers Christian Kirk and Andy Isabella are starting to come on. The Niners were knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten in a thriller on Monday night versus the Seahawks. Despite the difficult defeat, they still control their own destiny in the NFC West. The Niners bounce back. SF 31 ARI 23

Cincinnati at Oakland: The Bengals benched Andy Dalton in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. It didn’t help as they were lambasted 49-13 by the Ravens. Their defense continues to struggle with no hope in the near horizon. The Raiders are one of the surprise teams despite a bevy of injuries. The earned a hard-fought victory last Thursday night versus the Chargers. Expect a big game from rookie running back Josh Jacobs keeping the Silver & Black in the playoff hunt. OAK 34 CIN 16

New England at Philadelphia: Both teams return from their bye week for a rematch of Super Bowl LII, and each is in first place. The Patriots sit alone atop of the AFC East with a record of 8-1 which is best in the AFC. The Eagles are now tied in the NFC East. Expect a boisterous Philly crowd. In a tight game, the Patriots get back into the win column behind running backs in the passing game. NE 24 PHI 20

SNF Chicago at Los Angeles Rams: The Bears are not a thing of beauty but they managed get the victory over the undermanned Lions. The victory moved the Bears to 4-5 on the season. Sean McVay’s explosive offense appears to be a thing of the past. Their offense was manhandled last week in Pittsburgh, managing only 12 points. In 2018, the Rams averaged 32.9 PPG which was good for 2nd in the NFL. This year they are scoring 25 per game which is tenth in the league. These two teams had an epic battle in week 14 last season but neither team is playing to that level this season. In a must-win game for both teams, the Rams grind out the victory. LAR 23 CHI 16

MNF Kansas City at Los Angeles Chargers: Patrick Mahomes is back. He played well but, unfortunately for the Chiefs fans, Kansas City suffered a tough loss at Tennessee. Mahomes threw for 446 yards with three touchdowns in the 35-32 defeat. The Chargers surge was thwarted on Thursday night versus the Raiders. At 4-6, the Bolts may have already ran out of time. LA will attempt to run the ball to keep Mahomes off the field – it won’t matter. The Kansas City offense hits several big plays moving them to 7-4 on the season. KC 31 LAC 20

Bye Week: Green Bay, New York Giants, Seattle, Tennessee

Ravens sign DT Domata Peko

The Ravens announced on Wednesday that they’ve signed DT Domata Peko He joins Justin Ellis as recent additions to the defensive line this week alone Peko has not played this season, but he started 16 games with the Broncos in 2018 and made 31 tackles

The Ravens announced on Wednesday that they’ve signed DT Domata Peko He joins Justin Ellis as recent additions to the defensive line this week alone Peko has not played this season, but he started 16 games with the Broncos in 2018 and made 31 tackles

Ravens sign DT Domata Peko

The Ravens announced on Wednesday that they’ve signed DT Domata Peko He joins Justin Ellis as recent additions to the defensive line this week alone Peko has not played this season, but he started 16 games with the Broncos in 2018 and made 31 tackles

The Ravens announced on Wednesday that they’ve signed DT Domata Peko He joins Justin Ellis as recent additions to the defensive line this week alone Peko has not played this season, but he started 16 games with the Broncos in 2018 and made 31 tackles

Wake me up after you gogo: Check out this rare gogoplata submission at IMMAF World Championships

Check out a rarely-seen gogoplata finish as Kazakhstan’s Yernaz Mussabek finished his man to earn a place in the flyweight semifinals at the IMMAF World Championships.

If we were listing the rarest things you’ll see in MMA, you might include Demian Maia’s trash talk, or a Brazilian crowd that doesn’t tell an overseas fighter they’re going to die when they walk out to face a local star.

But also up there in that list is a submission technique that always elicits an excited response from Joe Rogan when someone attempts it inside the octagon, the gogoplata.

This year has actually proved to be something of a prolific year for the gogoplata, as we’ve already seen two examples of the technique as a fight finisher already in 2019. Brent Primus submitted Tim Wilde via gogoplata at Bellator Europe 2, and Andrew Tenneson claimed victory via the same technique at LFA 66.

Remarkably, the two rarely-seen finishes came in the same month as they both challenged for MMA Junkie’s “Submission of the Month” honors in May, with Primus getting the nod from our panel.

And now we’ve seen another gogoplata finish, courtesy of Kazakhstan’s [autotag]Yernaz Mussabek[/autotag], who secured the sub in impressive fashion on Wednesday to defeat Bahrain’s Mansur Magomedov and punch his ticket to the flyweight semifinals of the IMMAF World Championships in Bahrain.

Mussabek executed the technique superbly to secure the first-round technical submission finish as he locked up his shin into Magomedov’s throat and pulled down his head with such force that he was able to render his opponent unconscious.

Submissions don’t get much better than that and just shows the level of talent coming up through the amateur ranks as the next generation of MMA stars go for gold in the amateur world championships in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, this week.

And, while we’re on the topic of rare submissions, let’s also salute Wales’ [autotag]Stephanie Page Evans[/autotag], who finished Sweden’s Janina Danes with a similarly-rare Von Flue choke (well, rare if your name ins’t Ovince Saint Preux) in the second round of her featherweight bout on Tuesday.

Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Ja Morant stays on top for Week 3

Rookie Wire took a look at the top rookies through the third week of the 2019-20 NBA season.

With three weeks officially in the books, it appears as though players are beginning to feel the rigors of the NBA season. More guys are getting banged up each week and some have missed time as a result.

When it comes to the rookie class so far, some players are starting to heat up while others are regressing after a hot start to open up the year. The fascinating part about this crop of first-year players, though, is there have been some players emerge seemingly out of nowhere to gain notoriety and perform well in the early going.

Rookie Wire will compile the rankings of the five best players each week based on how they performed on the court. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the top-performing players week to week.

Here are the Rookie Wire Power Rankings for Week 3:

Week 1 Power Rankings | Week 2 Power Rankings

All stats are through games played on Nov. 12

5. Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies

Stats: 11.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1 assist

Rank Last Week: N/A

While Brandon Clarke is still just ninth among rookies in scoring, the 21st overall pick has really emerged over the past week or so. He is averaging 15 points and six rebounds over his last three games and is shooting a blistering 69.2% from the field. In fact, his 60% field-goal percentage on the season ranks fifth in the NBA among all players. He went a perfect 7-of-7 from the field on Nov. 6 for 18 points and shot 6-of-7 two games later on Monday for 14 points. Clarke is taking shots he is most comfortable with and is rarely forcing things. He may not shoot 60% all season long but if he continues taking good shots and doesn’t it, he should have a strong first year with the Grizzlies.

4. R.J. Barrett, Knicks

Stats: 16 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals

Rank Last Week: 2

Prior to recording 21 points on Tuesday night, R.J. Barrett had struggled over his previous two games, recording just 12 combined points on just 25% (5-of-20) shooting from the field. His workload remains astronomical this season with the Knicks and doesn’t appear to be slowing down, at least as long as David Fizdale is running the show. Barrett started off the season strong but has since struggled with his efficiency from all over the court — the mid-range, 3-pointers and at the rim. Given his workload and role in the offense as the main option, Barrett could see his inconsistent play continue until he breaks out of his slump but it shouldn’t take away from the fact that he has been an exciting player to watch this season.

Exhibit A:

3. Eric Paschall, Warriors

Stats: 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists

Rank Last Week: 4

As the Warriors continue to struggle, Eric Paschall has been among the few bright spots thus far this season. After dealing with so many injuries, 11 players have missed at least one game this season, the Warriors have been forced to rely on Paschall. He has responded by averaging 15.6 points per game, good for fourth among rookies. He was forced to miss a game recently due to a hip injury but he returned on Monday to score eight points and six rebounds in a losing effort. Touted as a player that could contribute now, Paschall has shown that he has the potential to go off during games as evident by his career-high 34-point performance on Nov. 4. While the Warriors could miss the playoffs this season, the emergence of Paschall has been encouraging for the future.

2. Kendrick Nunn, Heat

Stats: 16.9 points, 2.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 steals

Rank Last Week: 3

The undrafted Kendrick Nunn continues to show that he belongs near the top of the rookie class this year. On Tuesday, Nunn helped the Heat overcome several injuries, including one to rookie teammate Tyler Herro, by scoring 20 points in a 117-108 win over the Detroit Pistons, shooting 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Nunn ranks second in scoring among rookies, just trailing Ja Morant. Nunn had been a bit quiet over his previous five games but bounced back in a big way on Tuesday and continues to be an under-the-radar player on the verge of a strong season.

1. Ja Morant, Grizzlies

Stats: 17.8 points, 5.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1 steal

Rank Last Week: 1

Since erupting for 26 points on Nov. 6, Ja Morant has struggled some over his last two games but the second overall pick has been sensational for the Grizzlies this season. After that game, Morant became the first player since Michael Jordan during the 1984-85 season to average at least 20 points and five assists on 50% shooting through his first seven career games. His numbers have dropped a tad since then but Morant is still first among rookies in scoring and perhaps the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year at this point. Of course, there is still plenty of basketball left to be played but Morant is showing his potential early on this season.

Honorable Mention:

P.J. Washington, Hornets: 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals

While P.J. Washington dropped out from our Week 2 rankings, the 11th overall selection had a solid week for the Hornets and is still sixth in rookie scoring. He still leads the class among qualified players in 3-point shooting at 48.6% and is second in rebounding and third in steals. He is getting it done on both ends of the floor given his versatility and has proven to be fun to watch this season.

Rui Hachimura, Wizards: 13.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists

Rui Hachimura is coming off one of his finest performances of the season after recording 21 points and seven rebounds on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has battled through consistency issues — he went scoreless in 20 minutes on Nov. 6 — but has shown to have a short memory to bounce back the next night. Still, he has been one of the most entertaining rookies to this point.

Tyler Herro, Heat: 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists

The Heat rookie did not play Tuesday due to a sprained ankle but he has had a solid season to this point. Perhaps most impressive is Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke very highly of him recently after saying he has seen improvement from Herro in each game. Herro has also drawn praise from his teammates for his work ethic, something that will only carry Herro in the future.

On the Rise:

Coby White, Bulls: 12.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists

After hitting seven 3-pointers alone in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night, it shouldn’t be a surprise White is on the rise. His burst gave him the highest scoring average among rookies over the past week and he will certainly try to continue that moving forward.

Cameron Johnson, Suns: 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds

Suns head coach Monty Williams recently shortened his rotation, which has led to more playing time for Johnson. He has scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time this season and is coming off of an 11-point performance against the Lakers on Tuesday.

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Mailbag: What lies ahead for the Detroit Lions?

This week’s Lions Wire mailbag is looking forward to 2020, talking draft, free agency, and potential coaching changes.

The Detroit Lions 2019 season appears to be over, or at least, Lions’ fans think so.

While I try to stay optimistic, I will admit that things aren’t looking pretty. The Lions are down a starting quarterback, lack any depth at running back, and the defense looks to be really struggling. They might not be able to salvage the season, but maybe there will some glimpses of hope for the future.

This week’s mailbag is looking forward to 2020, talking draft, free agency, and potential coaching changes.

What linebackers in the draft or potential free agents fit the Lions’ size and style for next season? — @RICH_K13

I’ll be honest, I’m not too studied up on this year’s draft prospects, so I’ll focus on upcoming free agents.

[Editor’s note: Keep an eye on Ohio State’s Malik Harrison]

If the Lions want to go out and spend some big money on a free agent linebacker, 2020 would be a good time to do it.

One name that stuck out was Shaq Thompson of the Carolina Panthers. The 26-year-old linebacker will hit free agency fresh off of his rookie contract, and though he has stated that he’d like to remain with the Panthers, the appeal a big payday could lure him to a place like Detroit.

As we’ve seen, defensive players want to play for head coach Matt Patricia. Maybe Thompson will feel the same way. He fits the bill for what the Lions want in a linebacker; he can rush the passer, he can drop into coverage, he can make plays on the ball. He would thrive in Patricia’s defense.

Rank the players in order of likelihood to make the 2020 roster: Darius Slay, Sam Martin, Jarrad Davis, Taylor Decker. — @ZugIreland

Tier 1: Slay, Martin, Davis, Decker.

Slay, Martin and Decker are more than likely locked into starting roles heading into next season. Davis has struggled, but it’s far too early to give up on him.

All four will be Lions next season.

How many wins would the Lions have to get to in order for Matt Patricia to get one more year? — @rayray1222

Look, this season hasn’t been pretty, but at this point, any losses the Lions get are more reflective of them losing their starting quarterback, not the coaching.

I think next year will be Patricia’s make-or-break season. I could see a mid-season firing if his 2020 campaign has a rough start.

Chances of us drafting a QB like Jalen Hurts in this upcoming draft? Is it time to start looking at Stafford’s successor? — @TheBlackPH30N1X

I don’t think Detroit will be moving on from Stafford any time soon. But, like general manager Bob Quinn said, drafting quarterbacks is ‘good football business’.

Especially after looking at the most recent game against Chicago, I do think the Lions should invest some of their day 2 draft capital on a backup quarterback.

Grooming a quarterback behind Stafford for the next few seasons would be a smart move by Quinn. We saw how bad things are when we don’t have our starter.

I’m currently looking at Utah State’s Jordan Love. I see a lot of Stafford’s game in him, so he’d be my perfect draft prospect for Detroit.

Who are the most eligible candidates for defensive coordinator if the Lions move on from Paul Pasquiloni? — @ZugIreland

One name that I like right now is Dallas Cowboys defensive backs coach Kris Richard.

Known for helping put together Seattle’s Legion of Boom, I think Richard could do a lot to help Detroit’s defense. This team has big holes at both cornerback and safety heading into next season, and a guy like Richard would be a valuable asset come draft time.

He served as Seattle’s defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2017, so he’d be reuniting with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as well.

Who do you think the Lions should draft with their number-one draft pick this coming April? — @B_Lake007

The Lions may be drafting top-ten, but definitely not number one.

I’d go linebacker or defensive end if I were Bob Quinn. As I said earlier, I’m not caught up on this year’s top prospects, so ask again in March.

Thanks to everyone who submitted their questions this week!

Be sure to get those questions in next week, and give me a follow while you’re at it, on Twitter @maxgerbs.

LSU vs. Ole Miss Fearless Prediction, Game Preview

LSU vs. Ole Miss fearless prediction and game preview.

[jwplayer PkCtjTd4-boEY74VG]

LSU vs. Ole Miss fearless prediction and game preview.

LSU vs. Ole Miss Broadcast

Date: Saturday, November 16
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)
Venue: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS
Network: ESPN

– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

LSU (9-0) vs. Ole Miss (4-6) Game Preview

If want in on this week’s games, sign up with BetMGM

Why LSU Will Win

Ole Miss has the SEC’s worst pass defense.

Thanks for playing.

The Rebels were able to hold up a wee bit lately against Texas A&M and New Mexico State, but they gave up 340 yards to Bo Nix in the loss to Auburn, were hammered by Cal for 373 yards – two passing games that shouldn’t be hitting for 300 yards against anyone – and have allowed 300 yards or more in six of the last nine games.

The Joe Burrow machine just doesn’t stop, throwing for 275 yards or more in every game, 320 yards or more in seven games, and he keeps getting better and better. He’s getting time, he’s connecting on 79% of his passes, and the production is relentless.

The consistent scoring forces offenses to press, it makes them scramble, and it forces them to start bombing away, and that’s not what Ole Miss does. However …

– “Go to the bank!” Today’s top pick of the day just released

Why Ole Miss Will Win

The Ole Miss running game might just be the antidote to what LSU is doing.

The Tigers are acting a bit like they’ve already won it all. The Alabama win was amazing, but the celebration was a wee bit over the top considering there’s still – most likely – an SEC Championship to play, and it’s quite possible the Tide and Tigers could meet again in the College Football Playoff.

The team might been for a massive letdown, and that’s the type of thing that could get hammered home against a Rich Rodriguez offense.

The Ole Miss offensive coordinator has the running game rocking. QB John Rhys Plumlee has made massive difference for a ground attack that’s rushed for 200 yards or more in five of the last six games.

The passing game might not be there to keep up the pace, but LSU’s run defense hasn’t dealt with anything like this attack. It struggled when powered on by Najee Harris last week in Tuscaloosa, and now it’s about to deal with the speed and precision of the Rebel O.

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What’s Going To Happen

Don’t be stunned if Ole Miss keeps this interesting for more than a half.

The Rebel running game isn’t exactly a curveball, but it’s just effective enough to potentially rip off yards and plays in chunks to counterbalance the LSU offense.

But in the end, the Ole Miss secondary is going to be ripped to shreds.

Burrow will continue to be Burrow, will hit home run after home run against the miserable pass defense, and the No. 1 team will take one step closer to the SEC Championship.

LSU vs. Ole Miss Prediction, Line

LSU 41, Ole Miss 20
Bet on LSU vs. Ole Miss with BetMGM, or for latest line 
LSU -20.5, o/u: 63.5
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
– Get Tickets For This Game

Want a 2nd opinion on who to bet in the LSU vs Ole Miss game? Click here to get WinnersAndWhiners.com’s predictions on the side, total, first half, and exotic bets! All Free!

Must See Rating: 3

5: The Mandalorian (if it came out in 1984)
1: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

CFN Podcast: Who’s No. 4 in the CFP?
Bowl Projections | CFN Rankings
Predicting The Rest of the Season
Week 12 Expert Picks

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Breaking down Ezekiel Elliott, Saquon Barkley’s miserable Week 10s

Jason Garrett and Kellen Moore fail to adjust their offense to suit the strengths of their personnel, setting Dallas back to a 5-4 record.

Half of the NFC East sat out this week on a bye, while the other half lost to teams they were favored against.  The New York Giants fell to the Jets in what’s closer to a race for draft position than the playoffs.  At the other end of the standings, the Dallas Cowboys hurt their own playoff bid with a loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Both the Cowboys and the Giants were sunk by abysmal days on the ground for star running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Saquon Barkley.

The effectiveness (or lack thereof) of those running backs in Week 10 is easily seen with advanced box scores based on expected points.

Expected Points, the foundation of many analytical arguments, uses data from previous NFL seasons to determine how many points a team is likely to come away with on a given play based on down, distance, time remaining, and field position. The difference in expected points at the start of a play and expected points at the end is referred to as expected points added, or EPA.

A play with a positive EPA means it put the offense in a better position to score, while negative EPA implies the offense is in a worse position.

Barkley and Elliott finished with the worst and sixth-worst EPA/carry, respectively, among rushers with at least 10 carries this week.

For backs with at least 20 carries in a game without a fumble, Elliott finished with the fifth worst EPA/carry this season.

Both Elliott and Barkley even saw a below average rate of loaded box counts, per NFL’s Next Gen Stats.  That being said, there is still evidence that Elliott isn’t entirely to blame for the lack of a run game in Dallas this week.

Of Elliott’s 20 carries, 15 of them came with 10 yards to go.  He averaged 2.9 yards per carry in these situations and never gained more than six yards on a given run.  It was an ineffective ground game that the Cowboys simply refused to get away from throughout the game.  Despite a 57% success rate in the air on 14 first down throws, Dallas elected to run the ball 16 times with a 12.5% success rate.

The point at which Dallas’ commitment to the run game proved to be a fatal flaw came in the Cowboys’ final drive (excluding the hail mary drive in the final 24 seconds).  Dak Prescott threw for eight yards on first down, only to watch Ezekiel Elliott, in his first short yardage carries of the day, run for 0 and -3 yards on the next two plays.  That was enough to drop Dallas’ win probability nearly 25%.

Meanwhile, in the passing game:

After Lamar Jackson, who had another ridiculous game this week, Dak Prescott was the most effective passer in the NFL on Sunday.  He finished with the 10th highest completion percentage over expected (CPOE) in the NFL this week as well, completing nearly 4% more passes than expected based on target depth.  Daniel Jones wasn’t quite the same level, but he was above average in both EPA/pass and CPOE.  A significantly better day for him than Barkley’s 13 carries for one yard.

Top Offensive Play

Daniel Jones’ quick strike that turned into a 61-yard touchdown to Golden Tate earned the top EPA play this week in the division. (6.5 EPA)

Top Defensive Play

A big third-down sack from Robert Quinn was the biggest EPA play among the defenses in the division this week. (-2.3 EPA)

Looking Ahead

Washington comes back from their bye week with what is likely to be their weakest remaining opponent.  They’ll take on a Jets team that has been below average in the air and on the ground.  It should be noted, however, that Sam Darnold has been throwing for -0.09 EPA/pass since returning from illness.  Dwayne Haskins, Washington’s new starter, has an EPA/pass of -0.53.  Even so, Washington is still currently favored by one in their home game coming back from a bye.

Philadelphia gets the league’s top defense this week, but at least they get them at home.  New England proved that they were at least partially a product of the poor offenses they faced in the first eight weeks when Baltimore ran all over them, but Philadelphia is no Baltimore.  The Eagles will need to hold down New England’s fairly average passing attack to keep this one close.

Dallas faces what could potentially be a Matt Stafford-less Detroit Lions.  Stafford is having one of his best seasons yet and leading the NFL in average depth of target.  If he can’t go for the second week in a row, Jeff Driskel looks to take the reigns.  Driskel’s EPA/pass is in the negative, a far cry from Stafford’s 0.27.  Prescott remains in the top-3 in the NFL by EPA/pass.  Should Jason Garrett allow Prescott to throw just a bit more, and should Stafford sit out again, this should be a perfect get-right game for Dallas.

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3 teams disrespected by the latest College Football Playoff rankings

Why is Minnesota only No. 8?!

Three teams were disrespected by the selection committee in the second College Football Playoff rankings, which were released Tuesday.

This is a subjective process, so it will never be perfect. But clearly, the committee holds some teams to certain standards and other teams to different ones. Some teams’ one-loss records hold up against undefeated squads, while other unbeaten teams can’t seem to do enough to get respect (even when they’re literally doing all they can). All wins and all losses aren’t equal, of course, but how is a win over a top-4 team less valuable than a loss to a top-4 team?

These rankings obviously don’t mean a whole lot in the middle of November because we have no idea what the College Football Playoff picture will look like in a few weeks. But they offer a little insight into the committee’s logic.

They also do a nice job of riling up college football fans, and the people who cheer for these three disrespected teams are right to be outraged.

No. 8 Minnesota (9-0)

Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

What exactly do the Golden Gophers have to do to get a little respect? Plenty of people underestimated them against Penn State — For The Win included — but they took down a team the selection committee initially identified as the fourth best in the country. And the game was not nearly as close as the final 31-26 score. Minnesota was up, 24-10, at one point against a team just about everyone assumed it would lose to badly.

Minnesota debuted this season in the rankings at No. 17, which already seemed absurdly low. And then the Golden Gophers knocked off the No. 4 team and only rose to eighth, which is still the largest jump into the top 10 in the CFP era, per ESPN. Looking at the seven teams ahead of Minnesota, LSU is the only other that can say it beat a top-4 team, and it’s appropriately No. 1. But Minnesota should be higher than it is.

The logic for putting No. 4 at Georgia is its big wins against Florida and Notre Dame matter more than one bad loss to South Carolina. Minnesota has no losses, a massive win and a top-four strength of record, but it’s four spots behind the Bulldogs. We’re not saying the Golden Gophers should be No. 4, but anything less than No. 6 or even No. 7 this week is disrespectful.

No. 13 Baylor (9-0)

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Unlike Minnesota, Baylor doesn’t have a win over a top-4 opponent. Actually, it hasn’t played a ranked opponent yet and needed triple-overtime to beat a TCU team that’s now 4-5. But the Bears are still undefeated and deserve to at least be closer to the top 10. Instead, their No. 13 spot is the lowest ranking by a 9-0 Power Five team in the CFP era, according to ESPN.

There are six one-loss teams and two two-loss teams ranked ahead of Baylor, and many one-loss teams deserve to be there. Despite Baylor’s No. 65 strength of schedule (which is still four spots higher than Clemson), it has the No. 3 strength of record, putting it higher than Auburn (No. 7) and Florida (No. 9). This undefeated Bears team should probably be No. 11, and if it beats Oklahoma this weekend, it needs to crack the top eight at least.

No. 18 Memphis (8-1)

Surprise! A team from a Group of Five conference is being disrespected. The Tigers have a two-point loss to Temple, which is important to remember. But in Week 10, they also beat a good and previously undefeated SMU team, 54-48, before having a bye last week. (And SMU actually dropped out of the rankings this week after debuting at No. 25, despite winning in Week 11. Just because the committee wants to add Appalachian State to the top-25 doesn’t mean it has to drop another Group of Five team.)

Memphis jumped three places in this week’s rankings, but maybe it should have been a couple spots more, especially when we know the committee won’t seriously consider a Group of Five team for the playoff anyway, regardless of record.

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Tristan Thompson is suddenly shooting threes and scoring from everywhere

What’s gotten into him?

In his eight seasons since the Cleveland Cavaliers took him fourth overall in the 2011 NBA draft, Tristan Thompson has been mostly the same player: a rebounder who mostly scores close to the hoop.

Year after year, the numbers were fine: a smattering of points, a bunch of boards, good field goal percentages and the occasional block. It wasn’t fourth-overall level stuff, but it worked for the Cavs.

But the light went off this year. And suddenly, Tristan Thompson is … exploding.

He’s scoring (16.5 ppg) like never before, and that’s not his only career-high: he’s rebounding (11.4 pg), swatting (1.4 bpg), swiping (0.9 spg) and nailing the occasional trey (3-for-6!).

What has gotten into him!?

Let’s start with the highlights: the 76ers left him wide open on Tuesday night and he punished them for it. Twice.

Yes, I see the irony of Thompson hitting threes before Ben Simmons does. There was also this hilarious moment:

Whatever. Don’t care. This new Thompson, who can dribble like that, is a revelation.

Back to the question above: what gives? The thing I noticed is Thompson looks more fit, and according to a Cleveland.com story, that’s correct — after missing a 39 games last year due to a foot injury, he stepped up in the offseason and came to camp a new man.

He’s also gotten the green light to do more from head coach John Beilein:

“His MO is sort of … he’s the rebounder, he’s the guy that sets screens and rolls,” Beilein said. “But we worked hard all summer to let him be a transfer guy too, and can be more involved as a decision-maker. I think he’s an underrated passer, and we’re trying to put it in his hands as well so that he has a lot of assists.”

It’s great news for both parties. Thompson’s doing all this in a contract year, and if he keeps this up for the rebuilding Cavs, he could be an extremely valuable trade target by the deadline. So there’s motivation everywhere for Thompson to keep up this surprising start.

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