Tag: AFC North

With the NFL planning to release their 2020 schedules soon, here are the Jags’ opponents

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ schedule will be released soon, but in the meantime, here are some key things to know about their opponents.

According to NFL executive vice president Jeff Pash, the NFL is planning to start on schedule despite the COVID-19 pandemic that has occurred worldwide. That being said, it also appears the league is planning to release it’s regular and preseason schedules this week, which for the Jags, could include a full home schedule at TIAA Bank Field for the first time since 2012.

Of course, the schedule will include its typical two games against their three divisional opponents from the AFC South. It also will include games against the whole AFC and NFC North divisions as well as a game against the fourth-place teams from the AFC East and the AFC West as a result of being 2019’s fourth-place team for their own division.

Here’s a full list of the Jags’ 2020 opponents:

Home

Cleveland Browns (AFC North)
Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North)
Chicago Bears (NFC North)
Detroit Lions (NFC North)
Miami Dolphins (AFC East)
Tennessee Titans (AFC South)
Houston Texans (AFC South)
Indianapolis Colts (AFC South)

Away

Baltimore Ravens (AFC North)
Cincinnati Bengals (AFC North)
Green Bay Packers (NFC North)
Minnesota Vikings (NFC North)
Los Angeles Chargers (AFC West)
Tennessee Titans (AFC South)
Houston Texans (AFC South)
Indianapolis Colts (AFC South)

Noteworthy tidbits

  • The Jags were 2-4 in their division last year. Their two wins came against the Titans Week 4 and Indy in the season finale.
  • The Jags will play five 2019 postseason opponents next year in the Texans, Titans, Ravens, Packers, and Vikings.
  • The Jaguars’ strength of schedule ranks No. 22 with their opponents totaling a 126-129-1 (.494) record last season.
  • The Jags could be playing former quarterback Nick Foles in 2020, who they traded to the Bears this offseason.
  • After their struggles against him for many years, the Jags will have to deal with Philip Rivers twice (if healthy) as he now is with the Colts.

Ranking NFL divisions from best to worst after the first wave of free agency

We have a long way to go to really rank divisions, but there’s not much going on in the NFL right now. Tom Brady is signed. The draft isn’t until late April. We are in a bit of a dead zone. That’s exactly why it’s time to rank the divisions. We got …

We have a long way to go to really rank divisions, but there’s not much going on in the NFL right now. Tom Brady is signed. The draft isn’t until late April. We are in a bit of a dead zone. That’s exactly why it’s time to rank the divisions. We got the time. Obviously, things could change over the next few months, but most teams have their core squad already set. Let’s rank the divisions from first to worst.

Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

NFC West

The NFC West is stacked. The Niners will compete to try and make back to back Super Bowl. Although they did trade DeForest Buckner, there is enough talent on that defense where they shouldn’t take a step back. Another year of Jimmy Garoppolo in Kyle Shanahan’s system should help the continuity of the offense and now they have a high draft pick to go and take a wide receiver in the first round of the draft.

The Seahawks always figure out a way to remain competitive and will do so as long as Russell Wilson is at the helm of the offense. Seattle made it to the NFC divisional round in a year where a lot of people thought they would be rebuilding.

The Cardinals will be a trendy pick to make a massive leap this season. It will be Kyler Murray’s second year at the helm of Kliff Kingsbury’s system and now they added DeAndre Hopkins. If they can figure out how to be average on defense they could have a big year.

It could be argued that the Rams will be picked as the worst team in the division before the season starts. Think about that. It’s the same Rams team that would have made the playoffs last year if this year’s format was used. It’s the team that was in the Super Bowl two seasons ago.

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2020 NFL Futures Betting: AFC North Division Winner

Analyzing the 2020 NFL futures odds for which team will win the AFC North Division, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

It’s never too early to get into NFL Futures betting, even if we are just completing the scouting combine in Indianapolis and the draft and free agency hasn’t yet occurred. In fact, sometimes you can get a good price on a team before all hell breaks loose.

Case in point – the 2019 Cleveland Browns. They were near the bottom of the pack last spring before landing WR Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants. After several other moves, which appeared to be shrewd, they went from long shots to one of the favorites two win the Super Bowl, seeing their number shrink exponentially. We see now that it was foolish to take them early or late, as they wet the bed and didn’t even come close to making the postseason.

Below, we look at the futures odds to win the AFC North.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, March 3 at 10:25 p.m. ET.

2020 AFC North odds: Baltimore Ravens (-250)

The Ravens are one of just four division favorites with minus-odds, meaning you need to lay more than your potential return. That’s how heavily favored they are. In fact, they’re tied with the New Orleans Saints (NFC South) with the third-best chance of winning their respective division based on the odds – behind only the New England Patriots (AFC East) and defending champ Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West).

Get some action on 2020 NFL division winners by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

QB Lamar Jackson took the NFL by storm last season, and there is no reason to believe he will be slowing down anytime soon. Plus, the Ravens defense is nasty. Couple that with the fact the Pittsburgh Steelers are still not hitting on all cylinders, the Browns are still the Browns, and the Cincinnati Bengals are picking No. 1 overall in the draft, and this should be a slam-dunk play.

2020 AFC North odds: Pittsburgh Steelers (+340)

The Steelers are expected to have QB Ben Roethlisberger back under center after losing him to a season-ending elbow injury in Week 1 last season. While he is getting a bit long in the tooth, he is much better for the team’s outlook than if Mason Rudolph or Devlin Hodges were taking snaps. They just missed out on a playoff spot with that duo at the helm. If the Steelers can grab a wideout playmaker in free agency or the draft, and plug a few holes, they could easily challenge the Ravens for the top spot. Coach Mike Tomlin seems to always have his team right there challenging in the end.

2020 AFC North odds: Cleveland Browns (+650)

The Browns still have an impressive offensive core with QB Baker Mayfield, RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, Beckham and WR Jarvis Landry, etc. Plus, their defense is sick, too, returning DE Myles Garrett from his helmet-swinging suspension. They’re worth a small-unit wager, especially if they can add some beef to the O-line so Mayfield isn’t running for his life every down. The Browns will face a semi-favorable schedule due to their tumble down the standings to third place in 2019. Will they win the division? Probably not. But stranger things have happened, and their skill position players rival anyone in the NFL.

2020 AFC North odds: Cincinnati Bengals (+2000)

The Bengals are going to improve their personnel with the No. 1 overall pick, but they’re still much further away from the competition even with possibly adding a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback. In fact, QB isn’t really their biggest issue, as Andy Dalton was more than serviceable for many years. He is expected to be dealt, perhaps to the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts or New England Patriots. They might get more draft picks in return from someone, helping them improve even quicker. However, they have so many holes to fill that it’s not worth taking a flier on them, even at this rate, which is sure to decrease slightly after some additions.

Want action on the AFC North Division winner? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Joe Schobert immediately recruited to sign with the Bengals

Browns LB Joe Schobert won’t be back as a free agent, and the rival Cincinnati Bengals are already recruiting him to play there

The reports that linebacker Joe Schobert will not be back with the Cleveland Browns in 2020 spread quickly. Mary Kay Cabot’s report at cleveland.com was quickly taken as valid, and life without the pending free agent linebacker is becoming a reality for Browns fans.

It didn’t take long for those who have competed against Schobert to start recruiting him. Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon was one of the first, taking to Twitter to thank the Browns for letting Schobert walk. He also mentioned he wouldn’t mind if Schobert defected to the other team based in Ohio.

Schobert responded to his former adversary with a dagger to Browns fans’ hearts…

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The Bengals would make a very smart fit for Schobert. Their LB corps is among the worst in the league, and they have the kind of cap room to pay him the estimated $13-14 million per season he seeks. That price tag is too rich for the Browns even with Schobert coming off his most impactful season.

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Joe Burrow dispels any notion he won’t play for the Bengals

Browns fans: prepare to see Burrow twice a year in the AFC North

The Cleveland Browns finally have their long-running quarterback questions answered with Baker Mayfield. Now it’s fun for Browns fans – and media – to watch the in-state AFC North rivals have every waking minute devoted to a quarterback search in the NFL draft process.

So when controversy perked up around LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick to the Cincinnati Bengals, it made for an interesting time. Burrow was barraged with questions at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine about his willingness to play for the Bengals.

The Ohio native did his best to shut down any noise that he would try to avoid playing for Cincinnati.

“I’m a ballplayer,” Burrow said. “Whoever picks me, I’m going to show up.”

He seemed amusingly annoyed at the line of questioning,

It’s time to get ready for the Browns to face Burrow twice a year…

1 pending free agent Chargers should target: AFC North Edition

Chargers Wire lists one pending free agent on each team in the AFC North that could interest the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers are set to enter free agency with the most salary cap available since Tom Telesco took over as general manager in 2013.

Even though the franchise has some in-house players that will need to get paid, there’s a great chance that Telesco and company will be aggressive in signing other soon-to-be free agents to bolster an already talented roster, with the hopes of making a quick turnaround after finishing 5-11 in 2019.

With that being said, we are going to list one pending free agent from each team in the NFL that could be a realistic target for L.A. Next up is the AFC North.

Cincinatti Bengals – CB Darqueze Dennard

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The Chargers have one of the most talented cornerbacks in the league in Casey Hayward, who is signed through 2021. However, the depth behind him isn’t the greatest. Michael Davis produced a mixed bag of results as a starter and Brandon Facyson doesn’t have much experience in the starting role.

Dennard, who was drafted by the Bengals in 2014, could help shore up a young and talented secondary. He was limited to only 290 coverage snaps in 2019 but put up a career-high and 15th best coverage grade on those snaps. Dennard allowed only four catches of 10-plus yards, as well, per Pro Football Focus.

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Ranking the quarterback situations in the AFC North in 2020

Where do the Steelers quarterbacks rank in the AFC North?

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Looking around the NFL, we are seeing a renaissance at the quarterback position. The league has been steadily shifting toward quarterback-centric offenses and any team without consistent and productive quarterback play is at a disadvantage.

The AFC North looks to be highly competitive in 2020 and it all starts with a very diverse group of quarterbacks. Here’s our ranking going into the offseason.

4-Cincinnati Bengals

Sorry Bengals fans but until Cincinnati drafts Joe Burrow they don’t have him. And honestly, for 2020 even if the Bengals do draft the former LSU star, they wouldn’t move up. For now it is going to once again the Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback until further notice and this means the team will once again struggle.

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New Year’s resolutions for each NFL team

New Year’s resolutions for each NFL team

 

New Year’s resolutions for each NFL team

As the ball drops and we enter a new year, let’s take a look at the resolutions for each NFL team.

A new year means new beginnings, a chance to start fresh, to make amends. And this goes for NFL teams just as it does for ol’ stubborn Aunt Patty. In the constant NFL grind, preparing for the week-to-week unknowns while also planning for the future, it’s usually good for franchises to stop and make a note of how they’re feeling. Happy? Sad? Defeated? A Bengal? Perhaps the team is doing spectacular, but the video department isn’t very stealth?

Whatever the reason, New Year’s resolutions are a good thing—sticking to them is another matter, of course, but that doesn’t mean file 13 them before the ball drops.

So, should auld acquaintance—or, in this case, roster moves— be forgot and never brought to mind…Let’s take a look at the New Year’s resolutions for each NFL team.

Cincinnati Bengals

Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

The Bengals had a rough 2019, with only two wins and multiple issues in multiple spots. They still have one of the best helmets in the NFL, though, and the team can only go up from here—not sure if there’s anything underneath “rock bottom.”

2020 Resolution: Don’t “Burrow” yourselves too deep in the “new quarterback” hole. Sure, getting a quarterback to replace Andy Dalton—sorry, Ryan Finley—seems like the to-do in Cincy. Especially when Joe Burrow will be sitting there at No. 1 in the draft. But consider this: The defense is awful. Head coach Zac Taylor and the franchise would do best in 2020 (and beyond) to build a more formidable bunch on that side of the ball.

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Top 5 offensive line performances of Week 17: 100 years after the first choppy steps

One hundred years after the first choppy steps, we take a look at the best offensive line performances from Week 17 in the NFL.

And just like that, the NFL regular season is over. It went quickly, with the Sunday night finale providing some of the best football yet—and Skittles! The lull of a booth review and subsequent guessing-chatter reminding us all it’s been 100 years…and that poor clock management is one constant “mode” that can really do damage.

But what a season! And though there will be plenty to look back on in NFL 2019, few things—super analytical or just observational—will really be as enjoyable as this factoid:

Wonderful times, indeed. And with that, for the last time from down in the trenches, here were the best offensive line performances I saw from Week 17. (A special thank you to everyone who has followed along, and a Happy New Year!)

5. Dallas Cowboys

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

So, the Cowboys won—impressively—in Week 17. But it was against the Redskins, and it didn’t matter. That’s just the NFC East in 2019. Jerry’s group will go down as one of the more underachieving teams in NFL lore, a collective bunch loaded with talent on both sides of the ball that was overshadowed by head coach rumors/headlines and punts in odd situations. (I don’t think Zeke jumped in the Salvation Army bucket once! What gives, man?!)

Anyway…

Setting the controversy piñata aside for a moment, let’s give the Cowboys’ offensive line its rightful applause. A standing-O! All season, the front was an above-average group, with plenty of positives to build on for next season’s run. And the sturdy efforts were on full display Sunday. Other than a few penalties and a sack/forced fumble at the doing of Matt Ioannidis, the Cowboys’ O-line opened the running lanes for Elliott’s big day on the ground, while giving Dak Prescott enough time in the pocket to simply wait for the defense to break down in coverage.

Fifth-best trench of Week 17: Travis Frederick, Joe Looney, Zack Martin, La’el Collins, and Cameron Fleming.

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