From the Ravens and Patriots to the Eagles and Cardinals, here were the top 5 offensive line performances for a wild NFL Week 16.
Twas the days before Christmas, when all through the NFL, Week 16 was pretty entertaining, even that from bowler Le’Veon Bell.
The divisions clashed, with playoff hopes dancing in their head, a few tickets were punched, while Cleveland is mathematically dead.
The NFC East is still hard to explain, Philly’s kind of soaring and Dallas needs a plane. And the NFC South with its Thomas and Brees, Jamies was busy gifting, I wondered what coverage he actually sees.
When all of a sudden, there rose such a clatter, the Chargers were booed and hey Seattle, what’s the matter. And who’s that, over there, with the coach who’s not very chatty?
Why that’s just an AFC East powerhouse, once famously on to Cincinnati.
So happy holidays to all and enough with these rhymes, from down in the trenches of Week 16, let’s check out my favorite lines.
5. New York Giants
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
There’s not a ton of feel-good breakdowns for this Giants team, but the youthful surge on Sunday had to make the fan base and organization breathe a tiny sigh of Rolaids-infused air.
Daniel Jones was lights out (on?), tying a rookie QB record with five touchdown passes. (He partied with Eli afterward, which is special in its own right.) Saquon Barkley’s day? Wow. Wow. Wow! Just your not-so-typical 22 carries for 189 yards and one touchdown. And speaking of keeping an eye edge rushers, the Giants’ offensive line put together one of the better efforts I’ve seen from them (the line is still an issue for the team, but still, impressive on this day).
True, the Redskins’ defense isn’t a tormenting force, ranked 11th against the pass, 29th against the run. But there weren’t many moments where it seemed like the run block was being pushed backward, and they handled the Redskins’ blitz, too. The substantial protection gave Jones time to make his reads, including during the final onslaught, with a strong pick-up as the game-winning touchdown unfolded.
It was reported by NFL insider for NFL Network, Ian Rapoport, that Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram suffered a calf strain and a timetable for a return has not yet been solidified. #Ravens RB Mark Ingram suffered a calf strain, source said …
It was reported by NFL insider for NFL Network, Ian Rapoport, that Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram suffered a calf strain and a timetable for a return has not yet been solidified.
#Ravens RB Mark Ingram suffered a calf strain, source said after his MRI. The team will be cautious with the strain (or partial tear), but the hope is Ingram is back on the field for the playoffs based on the severity of the injury.
As Rapoport mentioned, the team will hopefully have the former Alabama running back return, at full strength, in time for the playoffs.
With one week remaining in the 2019 NFL regular season, losing Ingram on the field won’t be such a big hit for the Ravens, as they are benching Lamar Jackson in order to keep him healthy for the playoffs.
Ingram has been a vital key to the teams success.
In the 2019 regular season he has taken 202 carries for 1,018 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
The Ravens have the AFC North Division clinched for most of December and will cruise into the playoffs as the team to beat.
As a crucial piece to Baltimore’s offense, it’s safe to say everyone is hoping he has a speedy recovery and is able to help the team in the playoffs on the road to Super Bowl LIV in Miami.
Previewing Sunday’s Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns sports betting odds and lines, with Week 16 NFL betting picks, tips and bets.
The Baltimore Ravens (12-2) and Cleveland Browns (6-8) will square off at FirstEnergy Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (on CBS). We analyze the Ravens-Browns sports betting odds and lines, with NFL betting picks and tips for the Week 16 matchup.
Ravens at Browns: Week 16 preview, betting trends and notes
Get some action on the game at BetMGM by placing a sports bet!
The AFC North Division champion Ravens look to lock up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a victory.
The Browns inexplicably won 40-25 back on Sept. 29 in Baltimore, their best showing of the season by far. Cleveland won outright as a 7-point favorite that afternoon.
The Ravens rank No. 2 in the NFL in total yards per game (409.7), while checking in first in rushing yards (202.1 YPG) and points (33.7 PPG).
Defensively, Baltimore ranks sixth in the NFL with 314.3 YPG allowed, while ranking seventh in passing yards per game (218.1), fifth in rushing yards (96.1 YPG) and fourth in points allowed per game (18.4).
The Ravens are 7-1 ATS in the past eight games overall, and 4-0 ATS in the past four on the road, while going 5-1 ATS in the past six as a favorite.
Baltimore is just 1-7 ATS in the past eight games inside the AFC North Division, however.
Cleveland is 4-1 ATS in its past five divisional matchups, but just 6-22-2 ATS in the past 30 against teams with a winning record.
Ravens at Browns: Key injuries
Ravens: OT Ronnie Stanley (concussion) and LB Chris Board (concussion) are questionable.
Browns: C Joseph Tretter (knee), DT Sheldon Richardson (back), DE Olivier Vernon (knee), S Eric Murray (knee), RB Dontrell Hilliard (neck) and T Kendall Lamm (knee) are questionable.
Ravens at Browns: Odds, betting lines and prediction
The Ravens (-500) are a strong play on the road – but they’re a huge favorite. You can’t risk five times the return, and the Browns (+375) aren’t beating them again.
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the moneyline returns a $2 profit with a Baltimore victory.
The RAVENS (-9.5, -115) have it all in front of them as they can lock up home-field advantage and make the playoffs go through Charm City with a win Sunday. They can also lock up some much-needed rest in Week 17 for key members of the team. Plus, they can exact a little revenge along the way.
OVER 49.5(-110) is worth a small-unit wager as the Ravens could come close to cashing it all on their own by winning this revenge game. The Over is 5-1 in their past six as a road favorite, while the Over is 5-2-1 in Cleveland’s past eight inside the AFC North.
Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. Looking for more sports betting picks and tips? Visit SportsbookWire.com.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
Taking a look at the five best offensive line performances from a touchdown-crazy Week 15.
Touchdown Bonanza landed in Week 15 this year, with points being racked up at frenzied pace. Ten teams scored 30 points or more, and only the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts didn’t score at least 10. There were nine 100 yard-plus rushing performances, and 17 receivers who eclipsed the century mark.
And yes, a stable-legged Ryan Fitzpatrick now leads the Miami Dolphins in rushing.
Playoff spots were also clinched in Week 15, with the overall picture coming into focus…as long as you don’t mention the NFC East. In fact, the only acceptable mentioning of the NFC East this week should be explicitly reserved to this video of one the finest lineman in history, Larry Allen.
Please enjoy this viewing of @dallascowboys 11x Pro Bowl G @larryallen73 absolutely DOMINATING defensive linemen. 😤
Find out tonight if he will make the #NFL100 All-time Team!
Speaking of serving pancakes…here were the five best offensive line performances that I saw from Week 15.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
So, it’s always odd when you’re watching Tampa Bay–and maybe this an outsider thing—and suddenly, it’s the third quarter, and you’re still watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jameis Winston and the Bucs had me locked in with their impressive (at times) attack against the Detroit Lions, causing verbal murmuring of, “Huh” or “Hey.” Other times, I wondered about Matt Patricia and pictured and “adjustments” notebook underneath a towel in the locker room. Lost and now forgotten.
Winston did adjust and had moments of brilliance, mixed in with his now-expected moments of questionable reads and attempts. But still, the team built momentum. The offensive line started sloppy, with a holding and blocking below the waist penalties, but held their own when they absolutely need to—like this gem:
Notice that Josh Wells (72) got beat off the edge, but didn’t give up on the block? Yep, me neither (again, I was invested in this one).
Ryan Jensen, Alex Cappa, Ali Marpet, Demar Dotson, Josh Wells, with cameos by Earl Watford and Jerald Hawkins: Showed up for the Marshall University connection with Byron Leftwich, stayed for the decent line play!
Buffalo Bills opponent information on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Bills find themselves in a wonderful predicament, but could be all for naught if they can’t find a win over the next three weeks. The 9-4 Buffalo Bills meet the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, their first appearance in that primetime slot in some time. Major playoff implications are at stake here, as a Bills loss can knock them back a spot in the Wild Card Race, though still in by a hair.
This is easily the biggest Bills-Steelers match up in some time, so let’s get into their history, statistics and more:
The Bills and Steelers first met on Oct. 11, 1970, in Pittsburgh, with the Steelers winning 23-10.
They met in the 1974 postseason, with Pittsburgh taking a 32-14 win in that game.
The Bills won five straight games against Pittsburgh, from Nov. 9, 1986 to their 1992 AFC Divisional Round Game on Jan. 9, 1993.
Buffalo and Pittsburgh also met in the 1995 AFC Divisional Playoff Game, with the Steelers winning 40-21.
The Bills have not defeated the Steelers in the 21st Century, with their last victory over them on Oct. 10, 1999, in a 24-21 victory.
Buffalo had an opportunity to make the post-season in the 2004-05 season. In a “win and your in” scenario. The Bills starters failed to defeat the Steelers backups, who were 14-1 heading into the final game of the season. Pittsburgh beat Buffalo 29-24, in Buffalo.
Their most recent encounter was a 27-20 win for Pittsburgh, in Buffalo.
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series, 16-9, including playoffs.
2019 So Far
In what has been a challenging year for the Steelers, including their fallout with Antonio Brown, losing Le’Veon Bell, and Ben Roethlisberger succumbing to season-ending injury in Week 2, somehow, the Steelers are still in the playoff picture, and have some favorable circumstances going for them. This season has been a massive testament to Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s ability to lead men on a football field, and is certainly a candidate for Coach of the Year.
Pittsburgh began the season with a blowout loss to the Patriots in the opening Sunday Night Football game for 2019. A 33-3 loss on primetime was no way to start the season, especially with many questioning how Pittsburgh would be effected by the losses of Bell and Brown. From there on, two more losses, a close one against Seattle, 26-28, their last game with Big Ben under center for this year, as well as a 20-24 loss to the 49ers. All three quality teams, and playoff teams at that, right now, in Week 15. Not too shabby for a team of backups despite the losses.
They earned their first win on Monday Night Football in Week 4 against the Bengals, a dominant win against a team that only has one win to it’s credit so far this season. This is also when the Steelers traded for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, a trade that turned around their defense.
However, since that Bengals win, Pittsburgh has only lost twice. To the Baltimore Ravens, a 23-26 loss in overtime, and to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11, a 21-7 loss that ended in a chaotic situation.
Pittsburgh has defeated the Chargers, Dolphins, Colts, Rams, Bengals again, Browns and Cardinals, and face a relatively favorable schedule these last three weeks. They hold criteria over a few teams that are breathing down their neck, and a win over the Bills would nearly secure their playoff aspirations.
Currently, Pittsburgh is the 29th ranked offense, with 3,771 yards of total offense. They are 31st in passing, with 2,541 pass yards and 25th in rushing with 1,230 yards on the ground.
It’s truly impressive how successful that Pittsburgh has been, especially with their personnel under center. Three quarterbacks have taken snaps for the Steelers in 2019. Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, and most recently and successfully, Devlin Hodges. The Bills had four last season and their season was not a success.
Rudolph’s tenure as starting QB was enough for him to be at 31st in the NFL in passing yards with 1,636 passing yards, 12 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions. He had a 5-3 record as a starter. In three starts, Hodges is 3-0, and 39th in passing yards with 682 passing yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Roethlisberger had 351 passing yards, zero touchdowns and one interception in his tenure.
It hasn’t been a great year for last year’s emerging rush sensation, James Conner. Conner was a certified stud in 2018, filling in seamlessly for the boycotting Bell. This year has been drastically different, with injuries. James Conner is currently ranked 44th in the NFL amongst rushers, leading Pittsburgh with 390 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Benny Snell is next up in rushing leaders for Pittsburgh with 320 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Snell is ranked 49th in rushing.
Pittsburgh’s highest ranked receiver in yardage, is James Washington, who is currently ranked 50th in the NFL. He has accrued 611 yards receiving on the year, Next in line, Ju-Ju Smith Schuster, who is ranked 63rd in receiving yards, with 524 yards. Schuster has dealt with injuries all year, and has not been able to handle the workload of being a No. 1 WR with Brown leaving, and it has harmed him statistically.
One aspect that is keeping the Steelers alive and well in the playoff race is their defense, which is star studded. They are the fifth ranked defense in the NFL, allowing 4,042 yards of offense against them. Pittsburgh is also the fifth ranked passing defense, allowing 2,727 yards by air, and they are eighth in rush defense with 1,315 yards allowed.
Their defense is led by talents of T.J. Watt, Joe Haden, Bud Dupree, Cameron Hayward, Fitzpatrick, and many others.
The Baltimore Ravens can clinch the AFC North in Week 15 with either a win or a Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Buffalo Bills.
It’s a quick turnaround this week as the Baltimore Ravens host the New York Jets on Thursday night. Though the rest of the AFC North plays on Sunday in Week 15, Baltimore’s early game will help set the tone for the division.
The Ravens can lock up the AFC North this week, guaranteeing them a top-4 seed in the AFC playoff picture. But it’s some other key division games that can pay even bigger dividends for Baltimore in Week 15.
Let’s take a look at how Week 15 shapes up for the AFC North.
New York Jets (5-8) at Baltimore Ravens (11-2)
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
The Jets travel to take on the Ravens in a game that features a bunch of former faces. But that’s about where the intrigue ends in this game.
New York is in the beginning stages of a rebuild and it shows both on the field and on the stat sheet. With an ever piling number of injuries to key players, the Jets have gotten kicked while already down, losing to the then lowly 1-11 Bengals in Week 13 before bouncing back to barely edge out the Miami Dolphins last week.
For their part, Baltimore hasn’t exactly looked the same either and some small cracks are starting to appear. While much of that can be attributed to poor weather, the Ravens have shown a few defensive holes that are a little concerning. But few things cure what ails a team like beating up on a bad opponent.
Oddsmakers rightfully view this game as a blowout in waiting and it makes plenty of sense. This is a chance for Baltimore to finetune any issues they’ve seen in the last two weeks and walk into the final two games against division rivals with their confidence surging.
The Baltimore Ravens can guarantee themselves no worse than a top-4 seed with a win in Week 15 but can clinch the No. 1 seed with some help
The Baltimore Ravens are almost at the end of the race. After beating the Buffalo Bills in Week 14, the regular season end is so close you can nearly taste it. The Ravens are already locked in a playoff spot but are close to getting themselves so much more.
In Week 15, Baltimore has a chance to guarantee themselves anywhere from a top-4 seed all the way to the No. 1 seed. It all depends on whether they can beat the New York Jets and if they get a little help from around the rest of the AFC.
Let’s take a look at what AFC playoff seeds the Ravens can clinch in Week 15.
Buffalo Bills NFL podcast following Week 14 24-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
The Buffalo Bills fell to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at New Era Field, 24-17. It certainly wasn’t the Bills’ finest game offensively, but there is a lot of optimism and growth than can come from a loss like this.
No, this isn’t the Bills first loss in 2019. The reason that this loss feels differently though, is that the Bills hung tough with the NFL’s finest team.
The Baltimore Ravens offense has been one of the most explosive forces in 2019, and have been a delight to watch as a fan. The Bills defense contained the young and very spry Lamar Jackson on the ground, perhaps laying a blueprint for a future team, or even themselves, to continue to restrict Jackson”s scrambling ability.
The problem though, Lamar Jackson can throw pretty well, and in tight spaces. Jackson torched the Bills secondary on a blown coverage touchdown to tight end Hayden Hurst, and several mid-range passes, but overall, the defense did it’s job. Held the hottest and one of the highest scoring offenses to a reasonable score. Unfortunately, the offense couldn’t take advantage.
The team is already looking ahead, as they have a big Sunday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that is also currently in the playoff picture, and looking to improve their spot. The Bills have a competitive, but not overwhelming final three game stretch, including a Patriots team, that of course shouldn’t be overlooked, but is not having their best season in quite some time, despite their record.
Here’s the latest episode of The Bills Wire Podcast following the Bills’ loss to the Ravens:
Everything you need to know about the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills’ Week 14 opponent.
Dec 1, 2019; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens square off this Sunday in a match up of AFC Heavyweights in Orchard Park. The Ravens are the hottest team in the NFL right now, defeating the Patriots and the 49ers over the last month. For the Bills, the chance to hang with a team of this caliber, is one to salivate at.
Here is all of the history that you need to know between the Ravens and Bills to get you ready for Sunday:
Since the Ravens inception in 1996, these two have played the Bills eight times.
They first played on Halloween in 1999, with the Bills getting a narrow 13-10 victory.
Their most recent encounter was the season opener just last year. The Ravens won 47-3 in that game.
Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson both made their NFL regular season debuts in last years game. Allen came in for a struggling Nate Peterman after he failed to move the offense down field, and Lamar was given the opportunity to get repetitions after the Ravens were well ahead.
The Ravens lead the all-time series, 5-3 , outscoring the Bills 180 to 112 in those eight encounters.
2019 So Far
Baltimore is way ahead of what many experts thought that they would be. Lamar Jackson’s growth, combined with excellent coaching from the Ravens staff, has propped the Ravens up as the best team in the NFL currently. Greg Roman, their offensive coordinator, is the dual-threat quarterback whisperer, and has this Ravens offense exciting to watch, and efficient, utilizing well sold trickery and misdirection.
After a good start, which saw them begin the season 2-2 with a blow out victory over Miami, a close victory over the Cardinals, and losses to Kansas City and division rival Cleveland, Baltimore hasn’t looked back since. Garnering eight straight wins, the Ravens have mostly dominated, with seemingly no end in sight.
Their major victories have been giving the Patriots their first loss of 2019 on primetime television, a double-digit victory over the Seattle Seahawks, led by another MVP candidate in Russell Wilson, lopsided victories over the Texans and Rams, and most recently, a strong four quarter effort to defeat the San Francisco 49ers.
It’s safe to say that 2019 has been good for the Baltimore Ravens. They currently sit at second in total offense, behind the Cowboys. Baltimore has accumulated 5,049 yards of total offense this season, with one fewer game than the Cowboys currently. Although they haven’t really needed too, they are the 26th ranked passing offense, with 2,555 yards passing for Jackson. By a long shot, they are the number one rushing offense, with 2,494 rushing yards in total, over 700 rushing yards ahead of the second best rushing offense, who they defeated in last week.
The Ravens also happen to be the highest scoring offense, by nearly 60 points ahead of the 49ers, who come in at number two. Baltimore is tied at first with Seattle for 26 passing touchdowns, and first in rushing touchdowns with 18.
Jackson comes in 18th for passing yard leaders this year, with 2,532 passing yards, just 59 yards behind Josh Allen. His 25 passing touchdowns are good for second in that category, only one touchdown behind Russell Wilson. Jackson is also 11th in completion percentage, with 66.5%. He’s doing well in the interception category as well, throwing only five this year, tied for 23rd with Matthew Stafford, Gardner Minshew, and Joe Flacco.
As for rushers, Jackson is in the top-10 of the NFL, 977 yards for him on the ground, with a good chance of crossing 1,000 this Sunday, averaging 81.4 yards per game. Mark Ingram, the starting running back, is not far behind, sitting at 12th with 837 rushing yards. Ingram has been a complementary and integral part of the offense, not only with yardage and production, but with selling fake handoffs. Gus Edwards sits at 32nd in yardage with 460 yards.
Obviously, with such a run heavy team, receivers aren’t having “career-years,” but it does not matter, they are doing their part to put their team in a winning position. Tight end Mark Andrews leads receiving for Baltimore, with 693 receiving yards, coming in at 32nd in the NFL. Andrews is fourth amongst tight ends however, just behind Travis Kelce, Darren Waller and Zach Ertz.
Marquise Brown is the leading wide receiver for the team. The rookie sensation is 58th in receiving yards with 520 yards by air, and six touchdowns of his own. Willie Snead is the next closest, ranked 125th with only 289 yards.
Historically, Baltimore has always been a defensive heavy team, and this year is no different. Despite losing some talented players, they traded for Marcus Peters and have a very young, and talented defense. The Ravens are currently the seventh ranked defense, allowing 3,881 yards against them. They are the 11th ranked passing defense, giving up 2,742 yards by air, and are the sixth ranked rush defense, allowing 1,139 yards on the ground. Baltimore is also the fourth ranked defense in points allowed, giving up 219 points so far, just behind the Buffalo Bills.
The Baltimore Ravens can clinch a playoff spot, the AFC North and get one game closer to the No. 1 seed with a little help in Week 14.
The Baltimore Ravens are able to clinch a playoff berth with a win in Week 14 over the Buffalo Bills. But that’s not quite good enough and with a little help, the Ravens can lock up a top-4 seed and even give themselves some breathing room at the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture.
But it’s not just about the postseason this week when surveying Week 14’s schedule. And we’ll start our rooting guide off with a game that doesn’t really affect Baltimore directly at all.
Cincinnati Bengals (1-11) at Cleveland Browns (5-7)
Rooting for: Bengals
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
There’s a little pettiness here for many Ravens fans. While the Browns are all but mathematically eliminated from the postseason, a loss this week will take their chances to below 1%. For a team that talked so much smack about how they’d own the division this season, falling to 5-8 and effectively killing their playoff hopes completely would be fitting.
But what this could really help is giving the Bengals another win. They’re already eliminated from playoff contention but they currently hold the top pick in the 2020 NFL draft. With a win and a little help, they could hurt their chances of claiming the No. 1 overall pick. Not getting to choose whatever player they want could turn out to be beneficial for Baltimore over the next decade.
