Tag: 2020 NFL season

Matt Ryan, Calvin Ridley among top 5 at their positions in yardage

Through 15 games this season, Ryan and Ridley each rank in the top five in total yardage at their respective positions.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan showed the most poise he has all season during Sunday’s 17-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on the road. Ryan completed 27 of 35 passes for 300 yards, two touchdowns and posted a 121.1 passer rating.

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley also showed up big in Week 16, making five catches for 130 yards (26 yards per reception) and proving that the Falcons’ offensive weapons haven’t been the problem this year.

Through 15 games this season, Ryan and Ridley each rank in the top five in total yardage at their respective positions. Ryan has thrown for 4,316 passing yards, good for fourth-highest total in the league. Take a look at the top five passing yardage leaders below.

As for Ridley, he’s blown away his preseason prediction of 1,000 receiving yards. He’s caught 82 passes for 1,322 yards this season, the fifth-most in the NFL.

As the Falcons prepare to bring in a new general manager and in all likelihood, a new head coach, it’s pretty clear that Ryan and Ridley will be a key part of the team’s future in 2021 and beyond.

Atlanta finishes the season against Tampa Bay in Week 17 and could cement a top-five pick in next year’s draft with another loss.

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Jerry Jones: Cowboys Zack Martin ‘unlikely’ for Week 17

Zack Martin has been out since Thanksgiving. Reports said he could play in Week 17, but owner Jerry Jones says it’s unlikely that he does.

The Dallas Cowboys have had more than their fair share of injury news on the offensive line in 2020. Tyron Smith (neck) was lost for the year in October and La’el Collins (hip) has been on the shelf all season. The biggest loss came in November when perennial All-Pro guard Zack Martin injured his calf on Thanksgiving against the Washington Football Team.

He was placed on injured reserve earlier this month; a minimum three-week hiatus. On Monday, reports surfaced that Martin may try to play this Sunday. However, team owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday morning it’s unlikely he does.

“I’m dubious that he can be there this week, but I’m not about the future weeks,” Jones said, via the team’s website. “We’ve got a chance in the future. He will make, and can make, such a difference in this football team.”

Not only has Martin continued to dominate at guard but he’s displayed his versatile skill set this season by sliding outside to tackle as well, and didn’t miss a beat. Jones realizes the impact Martin could bring if he’s available for a playoff run.

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“It really is the reason for a real optimistic thought about what happens if we could get in the playoffs,” Jones said. “It’s a real, valid, tangible thing to hang your hat on. He could change what we look like out there.”

Martin had been an ironman of sorts before 2020. In his first six seasons, the only two games he missed came in 2018. He’s missed five games total this season making it the toughest of his stellar career.

The Cowboys can only hope all the chips fall their way to get into the postseason this Sunday so that they can have their best player back on the field.

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Jerry Jones: Cowboys Zack Martin ‘unlikely’ for Week 17

Zack Martin has been out since Thanksgiving. Reports said he could play in Week 17, but owner Jerry Jones says it’s unlikely that he does.

The Dallas Cowboys have had more than their fair share of injury news on the offensive line in 2020. Tyron Smith (neck) was lost for the year in October and La’el Collins (hip) has been on the shelf all season. The biggest loss came in November when perennial All-Pro guard Zack Martin injured his calf on Thanksgiving against the Washington Football Team.

He was placed on injured reserve earlier this month; a minimum three-week hiatus. On Monday, reports surfaced that Martin may try to play this Sunday. However, team owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday morning it’s unlikely he does.

“I’m dubious that he can be there this week, but I’m not about the future weeks,” Jones said, via the team’s website. “We’ve got a chance in the future. He will make, and can make, such a difference in this football team.”

Not only has Martin continued to dominate at guard but he’s displayed his versatile skill set this season by sliding outside to tackle as well, and didn’t miss a beat. Jones realizes the impact Martin could bring if he’s available for a playoff run.

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“It really is the reason for a real optimistic thought about what happens if we could get in the playoffs,” Jones said. “It’s a real, valid, tangible thing to hang your hat on. He could change what we look like out there.”

Martin had been an ironman of sorts before 2020. In his first six seasons, the only two games he missed came in 2018. He’s missed five games total this season making it the toughest of his stellar career.

The Cowboys can only hope all the chips fall their way to get into the postseason this Sunday so that they can have their best player back on the field.

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The Miami Dolphins are NFL’s most profitable bet in 2020

The Miami Dolphins are NFL’s most profitable bet in 2020

Bet against the Miami Dolphins at your own risk. That’s been one of the common themes of the Brian Flores era in Miami after the team’s abysmal first month together in September of 2019. Miami has a nifty little habit of outperforming the external expectations on a weekly basis — the team constantly thriving in the perceived slights from around the football world.

But specifically in the 2020 season? The Dolphins are not only thriving against the expectations, they’ve become the NFL’s most profitable bet on a weekly basis against the spread. John Ewing, a Data Analyst for BetMGM, shared this morning which NFL teams have had the most and least success against the spread this season and the Miami Dolphins are all alone at the top.

Interestingly enough, the Dolphins’ Week 17 opponent, the Buffalo Bills, lies as the next best team against the spread on the season, meaning something is going to have to give for one of these two teams (or at least it likely will, barring a push against the spread). Depending on where you look, the spread for Sunday’s game is floating somewhere between 5 and 2 points in favor of the Bills. And while the Bills have enjoyed success against Miami as of late (3-0 in their last three and 7-3 over Miami in their last 10), the teams have split the last 10 against the spread, 5-5.

Which means we’re probably in for a wild ride on Sunday as the Dolphins look to leave no doubt in their playoff candidacy. The Bills will have an intriguing decision to make regarding their personnel with the NFL’s revised one-team bye format for the postseason — meaning Buffalo may risk it all by playing all their starters just to avoid being on the same side of the bracket as the Kansas City Chiefs.

Such decisions will certainly impact the end result and could potentially help the Dolphins push their record against the spread to 12-4 if the Bills take a conservative approach.

Week 17 playoff seeding scenarios for the Miami Dolphins

Week 17 playoff seeding scenarios for the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins’ playoff forecast is pretty simple: they guarantee themselves a seat at the table in this year’s playoff with a win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 17. The Bills, who are fresh off a primetime dismantling of the New England Patriots, will have to decide how much of their starters they want to see playing in Week 17 for what is effectively a game that might impact the seeding of the AFC.

The Bills, if they’re committed to becoming the No. 2 seed, will try to win. And if the Bills do win, thanks to some of the Week 16 action, Miami still has pathways to make the postseason. But what outcomes result in the Dolphins in what seeding? The AFC has three teams with 11+ wins and then each of the following teams at 10-4:

  • Miami Dolphins
  • Tennessee Titans
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Cleveland Browns

One of the Colts and Titans will get the call as the AFC South champion, which narrows the field a bit — but not enough. There’s going to be pure chaos in Week 17 as the playoffs look to shake out. But here’s what you need to know: NFL Research provided every possible combination of events for the AFC Playoff race — and here’s how things can shake out for the Dolphins, including what seed they’ll take on if they make the playoffs

Miami, with a win, is guaranteed the No. 5 seed in the standings. Even with a loss, there are outcomes that could feature the Dolphins playing the No. 4 seed, which will be the AFC South winner (either Indianapolis or Tennessee). The least appealing matchup for the Dolphins would be a return trip to Buffalo for the second consecutive week, and thankfully there’s really only a handful of outcomes in which Miami is the No. 7 seed — with Buffalo in the driver’s seat for the No. 2 seed, Miami’s best way to set the table for postseason success is the same as it has always been.

Win in Buffalo this Sunday.

Bears’ offense accomplished rare feat in Sunday’s win over Jaguars

The Chicago Bears offense is red hot and did something it hadn’t accomplished in nearly four decades in Sunday’s win over the Jaguars.

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The Bears’ offense is putting up points at a pace that’s rarely seen in Chicago. In fact, it’s been 35 years since the team has scored at its current pace.

You read that right: 35 years.

Sunday’s 41-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars marked the first time since 1965 that the Bears’ offense has scored more than 30 points in four consecutive games.

I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s a thing for sure, and it’s because of the suddenly powerful running game and a (hold your breath) improved Mitch Trubisky.

Trubisky finished Sunday’s win completing 21-of-35 passes for 265 yards with two touchdowns and one (boneheaded) interception. He added a rushing touchdown for good measure. Trubisky’s thrown seven touchdowns to just two interceptions across the last four games; the Bears are 3-1 over that stretch.

What does all this mean for Chicago’s playoff hopes? At worst, it makes Week 17’s finale against the Green Bay Packers a meaningful game. It’s essentially a home playoff game for the Bears who can secure the NFC’s final wild-card spot with a victory. Chicago can still back into the playoffs with an Arizona Cardinals loss, but it’s better to get to the tournament with momentum.

It’s taken a while to get here, but Matt Nagy’s offense (driven by Bill Lazor’s playcalling) is finally taking shape.

Cowboys News: Elliott’s future safe, young defenders rising stock, Eagles rivalry

Moving on from Ezekiel Elliott will be difficult considering his deal and finding a trade partner. Youth movement on defense has impressed.

The Dallas Cowboys moving on from Ezekiel Elliott would be difficult when looking at his deal and finding a willing trade partner if they wanted to go that route, which is highly unlikely. Trevon Diggs, Neville Gallimore, and Donovan Wilson have all shown flashes of being building blocks for the Cowboys defense going forward.

Texas native Andy Dalton loves playing with the Cowboys and would consider a return, but is focused on beating the rival Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday. Former defensive backs coach Kris Richard’s name has come up as a possible Mike Nolan replacement, but looking at how his time in Dallas ended, that might not be the smartest route to go. Is the Cowboy’s current two-game win streak due to better play or simply catching all the right breaks at the right time? That and much more is covered in this edition of the news and notes.

Cowboys Andy Dalton: ‘I love being in Dallas’, focused on Eagles

Andy Dalton has only gone 3-4 in place of Dak Prescott but the former three-time pro bowler isn’t against being back in Dallas in 2021.

The Dallas Cowboys desperately needed a reliable backup to Dak Prescott heading into the 2020 season. They filled the need by signing former three-time Pro Bowl signal-caller Andy Dalton to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million after four double-digit winning seasons during his days with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tragedy struck the organization in Week 5 when Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury versus the New York Giants. Thrust into the starting lineup, the Cowboys are only 3-4 in Dalton’s seven starts. When asked if he’d like to return to Dallas the veteran had this to say.

“There’s a lot to be determined in the future. That’s not my focus right now,” Dalton said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “We’ve got two games left. … We’ll see what happens in the future, I’ve obviously enjoyed my time here. I love being in Dallas.”

Dalton’s love for Dallas shouldn’t be surprising considering his deep Texas roots. He grew up in Katy, Texas where he was named Offensive Player of the Year by the Houston Chronicle as a high school senior in 2005. He continued his football journey in the Lone Star State on the college level after committing to Texas Christian University (TCU). He would be selected as the Mountain West Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year twice (2009, 2010) and led the Horned Frogs to a victory in the 2011 Rose Bowl over Wisconsin to cap off a perfect 13-0 season.

Cowboys COO Stephen Jones made an appearance on 105.3 The Fan on Monday and expressed that the team would be interested in Dalton being back in Dallas.

“I think as we’ve gotten better certainly Andy is getting more confidence,” Jones said. We’re protecting the ball well. We’re not turning it over. He’s doing a great job, and certainly, we’d love to have him back.”

Getting Prescott inked to a long-term deal will be the top priority for the Cowboys in the offseason. If they’re successful, the backup role will still be of major importance, as has been proven in 2020.

As for this week, Dalton is excited the team’s been able to put back-to-back wins together towards the end of the season.

“This is the right time to be stringing some wins together. And, so, for us to finally get two back to back, the goal is now three, and, so, you just want to be playing your best ball at the end of the year. We’ve been able to do that. And, so, we got to keep that momentum going.”

That opportunity comes in a rematch game against the Eagles, which Dalton missed the first go around. “Obviously just a different week. I was going through the whole recovery process with the concussion. So, I wasn’t part of much of it. I got into some of the meetings towards the end of the week. But obviously this a whole different week for me this time.”

Dallas is depending on the outcome of other games to stay in the NFC East fight, but Dalton is focused on taking care of their own business. What happens after the season will play itself out in due time.

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Cowboys’ Gallimore continues to flash in rookie campaign

Once Gerald McCoy was waived and Dontari Poe was released Neville Gallimore was given the opportunity to step up, and he’s done just that.

The Dallas Cowboys picked up a much-needed win against the San Francisco 49ers this past Sunday but perhaps more importantly, several young players performed well. Safety Donovan Wilson logged his first career interception, running back Tony Pollard racked up 132 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb pulled within 177 yards of breaking Bob Hayes’ franchise rookie receiving record of 1,003 yards.

There was another young stud who flashed, but in the trenches. Rookie defensive tackle Neville Gallimore continued to show why he was taken in the third round with his best performance of 2020.

Two plays in particular stood out for Gallimore on Sunday. The first came at the end of the first quarter.

On first and goal he does an unbelievable job of using his speed to split the right guard and right tackle and stuffed running back Raheem Mostert for a three-yard loss.

The next big play came late in the third quarter with the Cowboys clinging to a 24-17 lead. On 2nd-and-8 from inside the 20, Gallimore again shows off great speed and also technique with a stutter step and swim move on the center, splitting him and the right guard and batting down a pass to force a third and long.

Gallimore finished with a season-high five tackles (one tackle for loss), a pass deflection, and a quarterback hit.

This isn’t the first time Gallimore has shown he can be a big-time contributor on the Cowboys defense.

In his second career start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9, he graded out as one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL in terms of run defense grade, run stops, and run stop percentage according to Pro Football Focus.

The Cowboys potentially have a solid four-man rotation set up for 2021 on the interior defensive line with Gallimore, Antwaun Woods, Eli Ankou, and a healthy Trysten Hill. Of course, they’ll still need to address it in free agency and the draft, but that’s a pretty good starting point.

Gallimore has two more games (possibly more if the Cowboys make the playoffs) to make an impact in what’s been a respectable rookie campaign. He’s taken full advantage of his opportunities and looks like a great building block for the Cowboy’s interior defensive line going forward.

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WATCH: David Montgomery goes beast mode on second TD of Week 15

David Montgomery has been one of the most productive running backs in the NFL over the last month of the 2020 season, and he continued his hot streak in Week 15 against the Vikings. With time to play in the third quarter, Montgomery is over 100 …

David Montgomery has been one of the most productive running backs in the NFL over the last month of the 2020 season, and he continued his hot streak in Week 15 against the Vikings.

With time to play in the third quarter, Montgomery is over 100 rushing yards and has two touchdowns, including this beast-mode carry to give the Bears a 27-17 lead:

This is the kind of player the Bears thought they were getting when they traded up in the third round of the 2019 draft to select him. He’s proving GM Ryan Pace was on the money with that decision, as Montgomery has established himself as the centerpiece of Chicago’s offense moving forward.