But in the latest ESPN mock draft from Field Yates, it was just two, with the top two picks: Sanders to the New York Giants with the first pick and Ward to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 2. That means two-way star Travis Hunter would go third.
Here’s Yates’ take on why Sanders goes first:
The Giants’ multiyear quest to find a quarterback — recall they tried to trade up in last April’s draft — should come to an end in 2025. They benched and subsequently cut Daniel Jones last month, ending his six-season era in New York. Sanders has put together an incredible final college season, leading the FBS in completion percentage (74.2%) and ranking top-three in touchdown passes (35) and passing yards (3,926). He is at his best delivering from the pocket, as he throws with natural touch and is extremely poised. Sanders has met big moment after big moment at Colorado, and that unflappability bodes well for his NFL future.
The New York Giants are currently slated to select second in the 2025 NFL draft but still have the best odds to end up at No. 1 overall.
The New York Giants (2-11) are in the throes of one of their worst seasons ever. They lose games in many ways, do not have a franchise quarterback and many experts believe their roster — after a complete overhaul by general manager Joe Schoen since 2022 — is still one of the league’s worst.
Per Tankathon, they are currently projected to select second overall in the 2025 NFL draft behind the Las Vegas Raiders (2-11). But a lot can change over the next month.
The Giants have four games remaining, all against teams vying for the postseason. Their chances of winning a game are slim, so they are looking at a 2-15 or 3-14 finish at best.
But that may not be enough for them to stay at No. 2 or even reach No. 1.
Eight teams, one-quarter of the league, have three or fewer wins after 14 weeks. That’s a high number of underperforming teams.
The Giants are not alone. The New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns are all sitting at 3-10 this season.
If the Giants stumble into a win over the next four weeks, they’re likely to get into a glut of three-win teams and be pushed down the order vis tiebreakers.
No other team has higher than 10 percent odds to land the first overall pick. But that could change with each passing week. The Raiders play the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-10) this week and will also face the Saints (5-8), who struggled to beat the Giants on Sunday with quarterback Derek Carr in the lineup. He’s hurt now.
The Raiders are also dealing with the possibility of quarterback Aidan O’Connell missing the remainder of the season with a knee injury. That means Desmond Ridder is their new starter.
The Raiders lost again, their ninth straight defeat. But who actually performed well against the Buccaneers on Sunday?
The Raiders battled in Tampa Bay on Sunday after falling behind the Buccaneers early, and for a while, it seemed like they’d actually win a game.
But the Las Vegas offense couldn’t score enough points and the defense ran out of steam, allowing the Bucs to register a couple of fourth-quarter touchdowns. It was the Raiders’ ninth straight defeat.
Some players put good performances on tape, however. Safety Tre’von Moehrig is the highest-graded Raider this week according to Pro Football Focus, earning an impressive 90.6 score. He’s followed on the list by another defender, defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson.
The highest-graded Raiders in Week 14 vs the Buccaneers:
Moehrig led his team in tackles and recovered a fumble, and Chaisson had an incredible interception after tipping the football at the line of scrimmage. Each player registered half of a QB sack and Moehrig had three pass breakups.
They’re followed on the list by three young players on offense: running back Sincere McCormick, tight end Brock Bowers, and center Jackson Powers-Johnson. McCormick started in the backfield and responded with 78 yards on 15 carries. He’ll get more opportunities to adjust to the NFL as the season winds down.
Bowers had a quiet day as a receiver with just three catches, though he had a long reception of 25 yards. He’s still in the running for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Powers-Johnson has displayed a lot of skill at center since he took over for offensive lineman Andre James, but the rookie needs to reduce his penalties and miscues as part of the maturity process.
After nine straight weeks of PFF grades following a Raiders loss, when will we see how the team grades after a win? That’s uncertain, but Las Vegas will try for victory again on Monday night against the Falcons in Las Vegas.
Murray’s late season struggles are back. Or maybe he just hates Seattle?
On Sunday, Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford combined for eight touchdowns in a 44-42 thriller. They were responsible for more than 60 expected points of added value between them. It was one of the most remarkable shootouts of the 2024 NFL season.
This article is not about them. It’s about the overmatched quarterbacks that weaved their way through a slate of underwhelming games in Week 14. On a day where Mac Jones and Will Levis flailed their way to a 10-6 mud fight, a handful of poor performances stood out.
Who was the most disappointing quarterback of Week 14? Fortunately, we’ve got a metric that can help figure that out.
Using the advanced stat expected points added (EPA) can gauge how much a quarterback brings to the table compared to a typical player. By comparing each passer’s Week 14 EPA against their 2024 average to date we get a better picture of just how frustrating their performances were. And we can find both of those thanks to The Athletic’s Ben Baldwin and his incredibly useful stats sites RBSDM.com and HabitatRing.com.
This is a metric that gauges disappointment based on what we’d typically expect. Drew Lock started his day 0-for-eight, but he was filling in for Tommy DeVito and, let’s be honest, who really expected much from a guy who couldn’t beat Tommy Cutlets for a starting job?
So who was actually the worst? There were several candidates but only one man can truly call himself the grossest quarterback of Week 14.
Please bear with me for any Twitter embed issues. Our editing software has become a whole problem on that front the past few weeks. Rest assured, if there’s a play alluded to in the text it’s worth clicking through to see if it didn’t make it into the article itself.
5. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
2024 expected points added (EPA) per game: -7.1
Week 14 EPA: -8.4
Difference: 1.3 points worse
Levis was bad. Not significantly worse than usual, but in a week filled with mid-to-great quarterback performances this was enough to land him among ignominious company.
He deserves it. Here he is, taking six points off the board in what became a 10-6 loss to Mac by-god Jones.
Levis’s average pass went only five yards downfield and he still couldn’t complete 60 percent of his attempts. His 4.3 yards per dropback made him less efficient than a typical Tony Pollard handoff (4.9 yards per attempt). This was grim, and not in the fun “Will Levis imploded and turned himself into an internet meme” way.
4. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
2024 expected points added (EPA) per game: -4.1
Week 14 EPA: -6
Difference: 1.9 points worse
Williams’s uneven 2024 left him on the wrong side of the EPA threshold, but the transition from Matt Eberflus to Thomas Brown at head coach held promise. After all, Williams was responsible for 19.1 points added in three games with Brown as his interim offensive coordinator — all close Bears losses.
Week 14’s defeat in San Francisco was not close. It was a disaster. Chicago gained four yards of total offense in the first half. 0.24 yards per play. At the center of this complete lack of storm was Williams, running backward into sacks like it was early November all over again.
Williams was sacked seven times, leaving him at 88 net passing yards on 30 dropbacks. He only attempted six passes that traveled more than eight yards downfield. He had a nice corner end zone throw to Rome Odunze, but that’s about all the silver lining Chicago can glean from Sunday.
3. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
2024 expected points added (EPA) per game: -1.3
Week 14 EPA: -6.2
Difference: 4.9 points worse
Winston is Schrodinger’s quarterback. Whether he’s good or not hinges on if you’re observing him. Tune in for a single play of a Browns game and you could see magic like this:
Sunday’s performance featured everything you’d want from Winston, assuming you weren’t rooting for his team. He put his offense in position to thrive, then ripped it away by trying to do too much. He threw as many touchdowns (two) as interceptions and officially shut the door on Cleveland’ postseason hopes.
2. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
USA Today Sports
2024 expected points added (EPA) per game: 1.6
Week 14 EPA: -5
Difference: 6.6 points worse
Murray started the season hot and pushed the Cardinals into first place in the NFC West, seemingly countering the “Kyler Murray stinks once the new Call of Duty” theory that’s haunted him through past Novembers. As it turns out, 2024 may have merely delayed this trend.
Arizona has lost three straight games since its Week 11 bye. Murray’s total EPA in that stretch is a -4.1 — a pair of clunkers against the Seattle Seahawks and a Week 13 come-from-ahead loss to the Minnesota Vikings sealed by a late interception. Sunday saw two more interceptions; an underthrow on a deep shot after escaping pressure:
Those interceptions gave the Seahawks the short fields they needed to build a 10-point lead they didn’t give up. There were more flaws in Arizona’s game besides Murray’s mistakes, but his continued struggles against Seattle certainly didn’t help.
1. Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
2024 expected points added (EPA) per game: 0.1
Week 14 EPA: -11.8
Difference: 11.9 points worse
A reckoning was due; O’Connell was brought back to the land of positive EPA thanks to last week’s near-upset over the Chiefs. Unfortunately, he couldn’t turn that performance into anything more than an outlier.
He threw for just 104 yards on 19 passes with an interception before leaving with what’s feared to be a season-ending knee injury. He was replaced by Desmond Ridder, who readers will recognize from the 2023 editions of this column and, likely, a few to end 2024.
The Raiders battled after falling behind early in Tampa Bay only to fall apart late and lose in blowout fashion. Which Raiders stood out?
The Raiders rallied after falling behind early in Tampa Bay but broke down late and lost to the Buccaneers (7-6) on Sunday, 28-13.
The score was locked at 14-10 for much of the game after the Buccaneers dominated early, recording 11 first downs to just one for the Raiders in the first quarter. Las Vegas (2-11) changed the momentum and had plenty of opportunities to take control, but the team couldn’t capture the lead and let Tampa Bay’s offense get going again late in the game.
An injury to quarterback Aidan O’Connell didn’t help the cause, though he threw a costly interception to end a magnificent drive in the third quarter.
Here are the Raiders winners and losers after yet another loss for Las Vegas, its ninth straight.
Winner: DE K’Lavon Chaisson
The Raiders were already behind 14-0 when defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson made an incredible interception to change momentum. He tipped a pass from Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield and then finished the play with an interception as he fell to the ground.
Unfortunately for Las Vegas, the Raiders offense turned the ball over on the game’s next snap. Chaisson also recorded half a QB sack, a tackle for loss, and a QB hit.
Winner: LB Amari Burney
The Raiders defense forced three turnovers on the day, including consecutive turnovers in the first half. After the Raiders gave the ball back to Tampa Bay following Chaisson’s big play, linebacker Amari Burney forced a fumble on a blitz. The football was recovered by safety Tre’von Moehrig.
The Raiders got the ball at the Tampa Bay 45-yard line and drove for a touchdown, a QB sneak from O’Connell.
Winner: S Tre’von Moehrig
Moehrig had a nice pass breakup just before he recovered Burney’s forced fumble and was a presence all afternoon for the Raiders defense. He finished the game with eight total tackles, half a QB sack, three passes defensed, and one QB hit.
Winner: RB Sincere McCormick
It appears the Raiders found a diamond in the rough with running back Sincere McCormick. He started in the backfield after solid performances in a limited role the last two weeks. He had 78 yards on 15 carries, including a 29-yard run.
Winner: CB Jack Jones
Cornerback Jack Jones allowed a touchdown reception in the first quarter and committed a pass interference penalty late in the first half on a 4th-and-4 play. But he made up for it with an interception on the same drive, preserving the close score near halftime as Las Vegas was primed to get the football to start the second half.
O’Connell left the game for good after a late hit that wasn’t called against Tampa Bay late in the third quarter. That’s certainly bad news for the Raiders. Before his injury, however, O’Connell threw a costly interception that ruined incredible momentum for the road team.
After Las Vegas opened the second half with a 10-minute plus drive that featured multiple McCormick runs, it appeared the Raiders would finally take the lead. But O’Connell threw the ball right to a Tampa Bay defender as he tried to complete a pass to tight end Brock Bowers.
O’Connell also had an interception overturned by instant replay, as did reserve quarterback Desmond Ridder after he entered the game.
Loser: TE Brock Bowers
The Raiders couldn’t unlock superstar rookie Brock Bowers, as he had just three catches for 49 yards. That’s devastating for an offense that has struggled all season and had a chance to take control of the game in the second and third quarters. Plus, if Bowers plans on becoming the first tight end to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in the NFL, he can’t afford this type of performance.
Loser: OC Scott Turner
The Raiders offense couldn’t take advantage of a Buccaneers defense decimated by injuries. Offensive coordinator Scott Turner deserves some of the blame, especially due to his inability to get the ball to Bowers. He also could have handed the ball to McCormick earlier in the afternoon to set up more play action and lessen the pressure on O’Connell.
Loser: C Jackson Powers-Johnson and QB Aidan O’Connell
Having the same player on the loser list twice might be a first, but it’s warranted here. Just one week after a devising fumble on a shotgun snap against the Chiefs, center Jackson Powers-Johnson and O’Connell again failed on the most basic action in the game, this time under center.
They couldn’t connect on the first snap after Chaisson’s incredible interception, and even though the Raiders defense backed them up by forcing another turnover on Burney’s strip sack, such mistakes are inexcusable. It was just O’Connell and Powers-Johnson’s second game working together, but that’s not enough to keep them from sharing an “L” this week.
Coach Antonio Pierce didn’t have any major game management issues in this defeat, though he did lose a challenge on a play that wasn’t close (a catch out of bounds from wide receiver Tre Tucker). But Las Vegas had a chance to win this game and Pierce couldn’t get his team in the victory column.
It’s only Piece’s first full year as Raiders coach, but his job security is shakey after nine consecutive losses. He’ll try to notch a win next week against the Falcons on Monday night.
For the past decade, the NFL has made a deliberate effort to protect quarterbacks. And if anything, officials tend to err on the side of the quarterback even if the contact is questionable.
That’s what made Sunday’s missed roughing the passer no-call on the Buccaneers’ Calijah Kancey so surprising. And it led to Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell suffering an apparent serious injury.
With O’Connell rolling out of the pocket in Las Vegas’ Week 14 game against the Bucs, he was able to get the ball away with Kancey in pursuit. Kancey — with time to let up — continued on to shove O’Connell in the back.
Gene Steratore says Calijah Kancey should have been flagged for an obvious roughing the passer penalty. Tough look for the Bucs.
O’Connell planted awkwardly on the play and suffered the injury. And given how late the hit was, the officials absolutely should have penalized Kancey there.
O’Connell was carted off with an air cast on his leg, and third-string quarterback Desmond Ridder finished the day in the Raiders’ 28-13 loss.
Daniels leads all rookies in Pro Bowl voting. His closest competition is not a quarterback.
This week, the NFL revealed the first results of fan voting for the 2025 Pro Bowl. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson led the way, which was no surprise. Rounding out the top five was Ravens running back Derrick Henry, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Lions running Jahmyr Gibbs.
Washington Commanders rookie sensation Jayden Daniels was the top-ranked quarterback in the NFC. Daniels, the favorite for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, has Washington in playoff contention, only one year after the franchise finished 4-13.
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is Daniels’ biggest competition for the Rookie of the Year award. However, Nix is way behind Daniels in Pro Bowl voting.
The closest rookie to Daniels? Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. The No. 13 overall pick from the 2024 NFL draft, Bowers is already one of the NFL’s top tight ends, with 84 receptions, 884 yards and four touchdowns.
In a normal year, Bowers would have the NFL OROY award locked up. However, with multiple top quarterback prospects in the same rookie class, Bowers likely has no chance at the award.
However, the Pro Bowl is another story. Bowers is on pace for over 100 receptions, making him only the fourth rookie in NFL history with over 100 receptions. Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua set a new record with 105 receptions last season.
All the latest updates and news on TEAMA’s injury report ahead of a Week X game vs. TEAMB.
The final injury report is out for the Raiders week 14 matchup with the Buccaneers.
Raiders, Buccaneers injury report
CB Nate Hobbs injury update
Hobbs has officially been ruled OUT. Bringing his missed games now to four. He suffered an ankle injury in the team’s week nine game in Cincinnati. He will once again be replaced at slot cornerback the by Darnay Holmes.
RB Alexander Mattison injury update
Mattison returned to practice last week, but still missed his second game with an ankle injury. He was limited all week and is officially Questionable for the game.
RB Zamir White injury update
White will once again be OUT. He was lost to injury in the same game in Miami in week 11 as Mattison was and will miss his third straight game as a result. In his and Mattison’s absences, the Raiders primary backs have been Ameer Abdullah and practice squad back Sincere McCormick who the team officially signed this week.
TE Justin Shorter injury update
Suffered a back injury in practice this week and is officially Doubtful for the game.
WR Jakobi Meyers injury update
Suffered an ankle injury in practice this week which caused him to miss practice on Thursday. He is officially Questionable for the game.
WR DJ Turner injury update
Turner was placed on injured reserve this week, which means he will be out at least the next four weeks, potentially the remainder of the season. He will be replaced in the lineup by Terrace Marshall.
All the latest updates and news on the Raiders’ injury report ahead of its Week 14 game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Las Vegas Raiders (2-10) travel to Raymond James Stadium for a 10 a.m. PT kickoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) in Week 14 of the NFL season.
After cornerback Nate Hobbs and running back Zamir White did not participate in practice for Las Vegas on Wednesday, let’s take a look at the latest Raiders injury report which sees several players added.
QB Aidan O’Connell injury update
Aidan O’Connell wasn’t listed in the Raiders’ initial injury report this week, but he shows up in the second injury report as a did not participate due to illness. O’Connell returned from an extended absence with a broken thumb and started in last week’s loss at Kansas City.
WR Jakobi Meyers injury update
Jakobi Meyers was not listed on the injury report to begin the week, but did not participate on Thursday with an ankle injury. Meyers played against KC last week and caught six passes for 97 yards.
CB Nate Hobbs injury update
Nate Hobbs once again did not participate in Thursday’s practice for the Raiders. Hobbs has missed Las Vegas’ past three games with an ankle injury that he suffered in the team’s week nine game in Cincinnati. He has been replaced at slot cornerback by Darnay Holmes.
RB Zamir White injury update
For the second day in a row, Raiders running back Zamir White did not participate as he nurses a quadricep injury. White has not played since the Raiders’ Week 11 date at Miami.
RB Alexander Mattison injury update
Alexander Mattison returned to practice last week, but he did not play against the Chiefs. Mattison was once again a limited participant during Raiders practice.
RB Ameer Abdullah injury update
Ameer Abdullah was added to the Raiders’ injury report on Thursday with a foot injury, but he was a full participant for Las Vegas. Abdullah carried 10 times for 39 yards against the Chiefs. Sincere McCormick, who the Raiders signed to their active roster, rushed 12 times for 64 yards against Kansas City.
Maxx Crosby has been nominated for one of the NFL’s most prestigious awards.
On Thursday, the NFL revealed the 32 nominees for one of its highest honors.
Defensive end Maxx Crosby is the Raiders‘ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. The award is presented to a player who both excels on the field and demonstrates a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game.
Crosby’s greatness on the gridiron is well documented. The three-time Pro Bowler currently leads the Raiders with 7.5 sacks. Crosby’s 16 tackles for loss are also tied for the most in the NFL.
We’re proud to announce the 32 nominees for the league’s most prestigious honor: the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, presented by @Nationwide. #WPMOYpic.twitter.com/KWVeyebYpe
Off the field, Crosby has taken up a number of meaningful causes.
Crosby has been a supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and will have helped to host five Make-A-Wish kids and their families over the course of the 2024 season.
Those Make-A-Wish kids and their families experienced a visit to the Intermountain Health Performance Center and to Raiders Headquarters for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience on the Saturday before a Raiders home game. Then, on game days, they were treated to a VIP experience including pre-game field access on the sideline to watch warm-ups and a comped meal at any of the concessions stands.
Crosby and his wife, Rachel, also recently announced a $1 million donation to his alma mater, Eastern Michigan University. Crosby’s donation helped launch the second phase of Eastern Michigan’s Championship Building Plan, which aimed to enhance resources for student-athletes and the community.
Crosby also hosted the Play Football Skills Camp earlier this year. It featured 250 participants from ages six to 13 years old for a free skills clinic at the Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Crosby also donated his time to the annual CHAMP Camp, a youth football camp focused on fundamentals, skill and character development, teamwork and education on what it means to be a positive influence in the community.
All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements in the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The winner of the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL Honors on Thursday, Feb. 6. That primetime awards special will air nationally on Fox and the NFL Network.
Each of the 32 nominees will receive up to a $55,000 donation for their selected charity, while the winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice.
