Eagles named a 2019 playoff team with the toughest road back
The Philadelphia Eagles won four straight ball-games to finish the 2019 NFL season at 9-7 on top of the NFC East as the division winner.
The Eagles would eventually bow out in the Wild Card round after another 17-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at home.
With free agency and the NFL draft now in the rearview mirror, the 2020 playoff picture is starting to take shape from a hypothetical standpoint.
NFL.com took a look at one AFC and one NFC team that made the tournament in 2019 but could have a tough time repeating their fortunes.
Former Patriots pass rusher and analyst, Willie McGinest dubbed the Philadelphia Eagles as a team that will have the hardest time returning to the playoffs.
Like so many others, McGinest harped on the Eagles limping into the playoffs last season, while not fully addressing the receiving corps until the NFL Draft.
With Darius Slay and Javon Hargrave as notable additions, plus the playoff format moving to 7 teams from each conference, the Eagles will have an interesting yet favorable journey ahead of them.
I sit down with Crissy Froyd to get the inside scoop on the Tennessee Titans before the NFL playoff match against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Baltimore Ravens will take on the only playoff team they’ve yet to see in the regular season when they host the Tennessee Titans this week. While the Titans completely reshaped their season after changing from Marcus Mariota to Ryan Tannehill, there is so much more to Tennessee heading into the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
To get more insight on what Tennessee has going for them, I sat down with Titans Wire managing editor Crissy Froyd to pick her brain. I opened up with the question that likely has the biggest impact on whether Baltimore wins this game or not.
What’s the best way to limit Derrick Henry on the ground?
That’s going to be the toughest part of this matchup for the Ravens. Henry finished the season with the league’s rushing title, and the Patriots certainly didn’t have an answer for him last week. Not much of any team has and the Titans seem to be more successful with each carry they give the former Alabama standout rusher. He’s hard to tackle and it’s important to not let him get to the edge where he can outrun almost anyone, as Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey mentioned this week. It’s going to take all 11, and stacked boxes may not be enough to limit the big back.
The USA TODAY Sports Network previews each of this weekend’s matchups: Vikings-49ers, Titans-Ravens, Texans-Chiefs and Seahawks-Packers.
We’re down to eight teams remaining in the NFL postseason, and the top two seeds in each conference bounce into action this weekend. The divisional round of the playoffs has a history of memorable upsets, and this year’s slate offers plenty of intrigue.
The Minnesota Vikings, fresh off a surprising overtime win in New Orleans, face the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday in search of another upset win. Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is listed as questionable, while the 49ers hope to get pass-rusher Dee Ford back on the field.
The Tennessee Titans, having slain the dynastic New England Patriots, travel to Baltimore to face the AFC’s top seed. It’s a matchup of the NFL rushing champion, Derrick Henry, against the league’s top rushing offense in the Ravens.
The Houston Texans already beat the Kansas City Chiefs during the regular season. Now they will try to do it under the postseason spotlight in a duel between two quarterbacks selected two spots apart in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Finally, the Seattle Seahawks visit the Green Bay Packers, an unlikely No. 2 seed if ever there was one, in a game oddsmakers expect to be the closest of the weekend.
Without further ado, here are your NFL playoff game previews for Saturday, Jan. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 12:
Satellite radio: Vikings feed on Sirius 82 (streaming 819), 49ers feed on Sirius 83 (streaming 827)
Vikings’ keys: Getting RB Dalvin Cook going early opens up play action against an aggressive 49ers defense. A heavy dose of play action with WRs Adam Theilenand Stefon Diggswould help QB Kirk Cousins and the offense get rolling. On the defensive side, S Harrison Smithshould see plenty of action against 49ers TE George Kittle, and shutting Kittle down is the quickest way to slow San Francisco’s passing game.
49ers’ keys: QB Jimmy Garoppolo can operate under pressure, but he’s at his best when he has time to let windows open down the field. The arrival of WR Emmanuel Sanders, the emergence of rookie WR Deebo Samuel and the continued excellence of Kittle have allowed the 49ers to shed some of their early-season limitations in the passing game. On defense, the 49ers live and die with their pass rush. Rookie DE Nick Bosais the driver of a vicious defensive line, while LB Fred Warnerhelps shut down the middle of the field and CB Richard Sherman is as good as ever in the secondary.
Who wins? These are two evenly matched clubs. The 49ers having home-field advantage, and a more diverse group of playmakers on offense, should allow them to survive. 49ers 24, Vikings 23
The Baltimore Ravens are mostly healthy and got the return of Mark Ingram at practice, pointing to him being able to play against the Titans
The Baltimore Ravens got some great news with running back Mark Ingram returning to practice on Thursday ahead of their playoff game against the Tennessee Titans.
Ingram had suffered a calf strain in Week 16 against the Cleveland Browns and while getting Week 17 and the first round of the NFL playoffs off to rest it, Ingram suffered a bit of a setback and missed the first two days of practice. Though he was still listed as “questionable,” Ingram’s day-to-day status means he could very well play on Saturday.
Tight end Mark Andrews is also listed as “questionable” with an ankle injury. However, his limited participation in practice throughout the week was likely more of a precaution than a real indication of his status. This wouldn’t be the first time Andrews was listed on the injury report and still played that week, so I’d expect a similar situation against the Titans.
Check out Baltimore’s full injury report and game status for the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
The Titans are a little worse for wear after playing last week against the New England Patriots in the wild-card round. Linebacker Jayon Brown is already ruled out with a shoulder injury, which is a huge blow for a Tennessee defense that will be trying to stop the NFL’s best rushing attack.
While cornerback Adoree Jackson practiced completely on Thursday and doesn’t carry a game status, his injury sidelined him completely for two of the three days of practice. It’ll be interesting to see if Jackson is actually completely healthy or if that foot injury will limit his ability to keep up with Baltimore’s wide receivers. If he’s not 100%, that could be a mismatch waiting to happen for the Ravens’ passing attack, especially if he goes against the speedy Marquise Brown at any point.
Check out the Titans’ full injury report for the week and the final game statuses.
Tennessee Titans injury report:
Player
Position
Injury
Tue.
Wed.
Thur.
Game status
Jayon Brown
LB
Shoulder
DNP
DNP
DNP
Out
Nate Davis
G
Illness
DNP
LP
FP
–
Adam Humphries
WR
Ankle
DNP
DNP
DNP
Out
Adoree Jackson
CB
Foot
DNP
DNP
FP
–
Cody Hollister
WR
Ankle
LP
FP
LP
Questionable
Dion Lewis
RB
Shoulder
LP
LP
FP
–
Kalif Raymond
WR
Concussion
FP
FP
FP
–
Kamalei Correa
LB
Illness
–
DNP
FP
–
Key:
DNP – Did not participate
LP – Limited participation (anything below 100%)
FP – Full participation
NIR – Non-injury-related
The Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans both have starters still missing practice leading up to their AFC divisional round playoff game
The Baltimore Ravens continued with their week of practice in preparation for the Tennessee Titans. And while more players practiced on Wednesday, running back Mark Ingram continued to be absent.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman called Ingram day-to-day with a calf strain, putting his availability for this game in jeopardy. If Ingram is unable to go, the Ravens will turn to Gus Edwards to lead the charge this week and hope Ingram can get back for the AFC Championship Game.
For the Titans, they too saw several key players held out of practice for the second consecutive day. Starters Jayon Brown, Adam Humphries and Adoree Jackson were all sidelined with their injuries. Humphries missed last week’s playoff game as well while both Jackson and Brown suffered their injuries against the Patriots.
Though both could still return to practice this week and be active for gameday, it seems less likely than Tennessee fans might have hoped for.
Take a look at the Titans’ injury report for the week thus far.
Tennessee Titans injury report:
Player
Position
Injury
Tue.
Wed.
Thur.
Game status
Jayon Brown
LB
Shoulder
DNP
DNP
Nate Davis
G
Illness
DNP
LP
Adam Humphries
WR
Ankle
DNP
DNP
Adoree Jackson
CB
Foot
DNP
DNP
Cody Hollister
WR
Ankle
LP
FP
Dion Lewis
RB
Shoulder
LP
LP
Kalif Raymond
WR
Concussion
FP
FP
Kamalei Correa
LB
Illness
–
DNP
Key:
DNP – Did not participate
LP – Limited participation (anything below 100%)
FP – Full participation
NIR – Non-injury-related
Ravens running back Mark Ingram apparently suffered a bit of a setback with his calf injury leading up to the divisional game vs. the Titans
The Baltimore Ravens used their week of rest to good results as they now turn their attentions to the Tennessee Titans in the NFL’s divisional round. While the Ravens have five players on the injury report, they only really feature two starters who are actually dealing with injuries.
Tight end Mark Andrews was limited in practice Tuesday, still dealing with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 16 against the Cleveland Browns and held him out of Week 17. However, his limited status could very well indicate Baltimore is being cautious with their top receiving option and not pushing him too hard before gameday.
The bigger and more worrying news on the injury report concerns running back Mark Ingram, who suffered a calf strain in Week 16. Though Ingram appeared to be on schedule last week, according to coach John Harbaugh and Ingram himself, it looks as though he suffered a bit of a setback. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Ingram felt some tightness in his calf during practice last week and is not a guarantee to play Saturday against the Titans.
Take a look at the full injury reports for the Ravens in the NFL playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens injury report:
Player
Position
Injury
Tue.
Wed.
Thur.
Game status
Parker Ehinger
OL
Shoulder
DNP
Mark Ingram
RB
Calf
DNP
Jimmy Smith
CB
NIR
DNP
Earl Thomas
S
NIR
DNP
Mark Andrews
TE
Ankle
LP
Without the same ability to rest as Baltimore got, Tennessee’s injury report is a little more full. All four of the Titans players to not practice are starters, including key defensive players in cornerback Adoree Jackson and linebacker Jayon Brown.
Check out the full injury report for the Titans below.
Tennessee Titans injury report:
Player
Position
Injury
Tue.
Wed.
Thur.
Game status
Jayon Brown
LB
Shoulder
DNP
Nate Davis
G
Illness
DNP
Adam Humphries
WR
Ankle
DNP
Adoree Jackson
CB
Foot
DNP
Cody Hollister
WR
Ankle
LP
Dion Lewis
RB
Shoulder
LP
Kalif Raymond
WR
Concussion
FP
Key:
DNP – Did not participate
LP – Limited participation (anything below 100%)
FP – Full participation
NIR – Non-injury related
The Ravens are the best team in the league right now but will need to see improved play from a few specific starters to reach Super Bowl LIV
As the Baltimore Ravens begin their road through the playoffs, they’ll need to see improved play in order to get to Super Bowl LIV. In spite of being the best team in the league entering the postseason, every game means more now and Baltimore’s opponents will come more prepared.
While every player will need to play their best games in the postseason, there are a few that have to step up a little more. That’s not to say they’ve been playing poorly, just that they’ll face opponents looking to take advantage of them specifically.
Here are the 4 Ravens who need to step up in the playoffs if Baltimore is to make it to Super Bowl LIV.
OLB Jaylon Ferguson
Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
Baltimore is going to go up against a bunch of really good rushing teams in the playoffs, starting with the Tennessee Titans and running back Derrick Henry. At times this season, the Ravens have struggled when setting the edge in the run game and have allowed running backs to pick up big yards. They can’t have that in these final few weeks if they want to get to Super Bowl LIV.
Ferguson has been steadily improving throughout his rookie season but will be tested in the playoffs. You better believe the Titans are going to run right at him with Henry until he proves he can stop it. Ferguson also needs to make a bigger impact as a pass rusher
Ferguson also needs to pick up the slack in the pass rush as well. He has 1.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits in the final four games of the season but with better quarterbacks in the playoffs, it would be nice to have another real threat opposite Matthew Judon for defensive coordinator Don Martindale to use.
The 2019 NFL playoffs feature six quarterbacks under 30 years old to give us the next generation of great rivalries.
Heading into the 2019 NFL regular season, some had wondered if the league was entering a low point. Star quarterbacks like Peyton Manning had been retired and others like New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady were winding down without many definitive stars waiting in the wings. There was a fear that the league’s best quarterback rivalries were behind them and the ratings would slip accordingly.
But as the season progressed, it became clearer that the next generation of great matchups was just getting started. And as we sit in the middle of the playoffs, it’s obvious that the new wave is fully here and preparing for the types of games we’ll be talking about in another decade.
Take a look at all the starting quarterbacks entering the 2019 NFL playoffs and you’ll see a pretty clear divide between the ages.
2019 NFL Playoff quarterbacks:
Team
Player
Age
Ravens
Lamar Jackson
22
Bills
Josh Allen
23
Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes
24
Texans
Deshaun Watson
24
Eagles
Carson Wentz
27
49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo
28
Titans
Ryan Tannehill
31
Seahawks
Russell Wilson
31
Vikings
Kirk Cousins
31
Packers
Aaron Rodgers
36
Saints
Drew Brees
40
Patriots
Tom Brady
42
While Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the youngest signal-caller in the postseason this year, he’s the highlight of six quarterbacks just entering their prime (under 30 years old) — including four still on their rookie contracts. That’s a great sign for a league that markets quarterback vs. quarterback rivalries more than the teams themselves.
While everyone remembers the Colts vs. Patriots matchups of the 2000s, it was really Manning vs. Brady that drew the headlines regardless of the fact the two were never on the field at the same time.
It’s now 2020 and Brady’s future is far from certain, potentially losing another eventual Hall of Fame quarterback from the list. But in turn, we’re seeing names like Wilson, Watson and Mahomes clearly taking over with Jackson the presumptive NFL MVP for this season. And with the playoffs just heating up, it’s those young players who are creating those budding rivalries already.
In the AFC, we’ll see a rematch of the Chiefs vs. Texans — Mahomes vs. Watson. If the divisional round plays out properly, we’ll see rematches of the 49ers vs. Seahawks (Garoppolo vs. Wilson) and Ravens vs. Texans or Chiefs (Jackson vs. Mahomes or Watson) for the second time this season in the AFC and NFC Championship games. That’s how new big rivalries begin and gain hype.
The NFL appears to be in good hands with the next generation of quarterback at the helm.
The 2019 NFL playoffs feature six quarterbacks under 30 years old to give us the next generation of great rivalries
Heading into the 2019 NFL regular season, some had wondered if the league was entering a low point. Star quarterbacks like Peyton Manning had been retired and others like New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady were winding down without many definitive stars waiting in the wings. There was a fear that the league’s best quarterback rivalries were behind them and the ratings would slip accordingly.
But as the season progressed, it became clearer that the next generation of great matchups was just getting started. And as we sit in the middle of the playoffs, it’s obvious that the new wave is fully here and preparing for the types of games we’ll be talking about in another decade.
Take a look at all the starting quarterbacks entering the 2019 NFL playoffs and you’ll see a pretty clear divide between the ages.
2019 NFL Playoff quarterbacks:
Team
Player
Age
Ravens
Lamar Jackson
22
Bills
Josh Allen
23
Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes
24
Texans
Deshaun Watson
24
Eagles
Carson Wentz
27
49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo
28
Titans
Ryan Tannehill
31
Seahawks
Russell Wilson
31
Vikings
Kirk Cousins
31
Packers
Aaron Rodgers
36
Saints
Drew Brees
40
Patriots
Tom Brady
42
While Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the youngest signal-caller in the postseason this year, he’s the highlight of six quarterbacks just entering their prime (under 30 years old) — including four still on their rookie contracts. That’s a great sign for a league that markets quarterback vs. quarterback rivalries more than the teams themselves.
While everyone remembers the Colts vs. Patriots matchups of the 2000s, it was really Manning vs. Brady that drew the headlines regardless of the fact the two were never on the field at the same time.
It’s now 2020 and Brady’s future is far from certain, potentially losing another eventual Hall of Fame quarterback from the list. But in turn, we’re seeing names like Wilson, Watson and Mahomes clearly taking over with Jackson the presumptive NFL MVP for this season. And with the playoffs just heating up, it’s those young players who are creating those budding rivalries already.
In the AFC, we’ll see a rematch of the Chiefs vs. Texans — Mahomes vs. Watson. If the divisional round plays out properly, we’ll see rematches of the 49ers vs. Seahawks (Garoppolo vs. Wilson) and Ravens vs. Texans or Chiefs (Jackson vs. Mahomes or Watson) for the second time this season in the AFC and NFC Championship games. That’s how new big rivalries begin and gain hype.
The NFL appears to be in good hands with the next generation of quarterback at the helm.
The Baltimore Ravens will watch from afar as the 2019 wild-card round begins. Who should they be rooting for?
The Baltimore Ravens don’t have to play in the wild-card round as they earned the top seed in the AFC with their 14-2 record. They can watch from the comfort of their couches as the New England Patriots host the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills travel to Houston to face the Texans. However, don’t be fooled into thinking Baltimore won’t have rooting interest in this weekend’s games.
While the Ravens have faced four of the five other AFC playoff teams (the Titans are the exception), Baltimore has teams they’d much rather potentially face next week than others. Though it might be hard to pick out which teams the Ravens would have an easier time with thanks to the immense talent of each squad in the playoffs, we’ve made the call here for you.
Let’s take a look at the rooting guide for wild-card weekend for Baltimore.
Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images
Tennessee Titans (No. 6 seed) at New England Patriots (No. 3 seed)
Rooting for: Titans
New England will look to bounce back after an embarrassing loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, dropping out of the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. They’ll turn their attention to Tennessee, who come into the playoffs on a bit of a hot streak, winning five of their last seven games.
Ever since Ryan Tannehill took over as the starting quarterback for Tennessee, they haven’t looked back. They made a late-season push led by Tannehill and league-leading rusher Derrick Henry to surge beyond the Pittsburgh Steelers for the final wild-card position. With the Patriots looking vulnerable and the Titans looking like a threat, some feel like it’s common sense to root for the Patriots. However, it isn’t that simple.
The Patriots have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in Tom Brady. They have one of the greatest coaches of all-time in Bill Belichick. It’s extremely hard to beat those guys once, let alone twice. And we’ve certainly seen New England look very beatable to close out a season only to wind up winning the Super Bowl a few weeks later.
While the Ravens wouldn’t have to play the Patriots until the AFC Championship Game, New England is a different animal in the playoffs and are a threat whenever they step on the field in January. Also, playing the only team they haven’t seen yet might be to Baltimore’s advantage, helping give them the element of surprise on their opponent like they have all season long.
