Tag: Predictions

ESPN reporter predicts Saints will hire coveted Lions coordinator for HC

An ESPN reporter predicts the New Orleans Saints will hire a popular Detroit Lions coordinator to be their new head coach this offseason:

The New Orleans Saints are one of six NFL teams still searching for their next head coach and it seems to be down to a couple of candidates.

With it being a few weeks into January and some initial interviews being done, or at least scheduled, ESPN’s Dan Graziano took a crack at how those searches will play out. For the Saints, he landed on Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Glenn has been one of the favorite to land the job since Dennis Allen was fired in the first place, so it at least makes sense. Here is what Graziano had to say about the potential hire:

I don’t know which job Glenn would pick if it came down to a choice between the Saints and Jets. But based on everything I have heard, I expect the Saints — whose process seems less expansive so far than the Jets’ process — to make a strong push for Glenn and probably land him.

Despite numerous injuries to the unit, the Lions’ defense finished eighth in defensive efficiency this season under Glenn; the Saints were 27th. 

The 52-year-old coach was a former defensive back in New Orleans himself and then went on to coach the position for the team from 2016 to 2020. He is a well-respected coach and makes sense for a front office that seems intent on chasing ghosts of the Sean Payton era.

It would mean a somewhat similar defensive mindset than in the past, but would put the offense back into question. With Klint Kubiak taking interviews elsewhere, Glenn would likely have to decide which offensive coordinator and system he prefers.

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B/R predicts Saints will trade another defensive back this offseason

Just months after dealing Marshon Lattimore, Bleacher Report predicts the Saints will move another starter from their secondary, but the salary cap won’t make that easy:

Change is coming soon for the New Orleans Saints, who are actively looking to find their second head coach since the departure of Sean Payton.

With a change in leadership, there is always the potential for roster turnover during the offseason. And when you are over $50 million over the salary cap, the likelihood of this does increase a bit.

Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report recently predicted six league trades that could take shape this offseason. Of these six trades, one of them includes arguably the most celebrated Saint currently on the roster.

A true New Orleanian himself.

Moton predicts that the New Orleans Saints will send safety Tyrann Mathieu to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a fifth-round selection in the upcoming NFL draft.

Here’s what he had to say about the potential move:

New Orleans is coming off a 5-12 campaign. In 2025, the new regime could embrace a youth movement while currently $52.3 million over the cap threshold. If so, Tyrann Mathieu may be one of the team’s top trade assets.

Mathieu will be 33 in May, but he’s yet to experience a decline. The 12th-year veteran performs at a high level, and he’s durable.

Mathieu has recorded at least three interceptions in six consecutive campaigns while allowing a passer rating of 77.4 or below in his last three terms. He’s suited up for every game since signing with the Saints in 2022.

Playoff-caliber teams may value Mathieu’s leadership qualities, experience on a Super Bowl-winning team and his elite ball production. He could be one of the missing pieces to a squad trying to open its title-contending window.

In the second half of the 2024 season, safety Tony Jefferson played a prominent role in the Los Angeles Chargers defense, but he’s made little impact. Since Week 13, he’s logged 27 tackles, one for loss.

If the Chargers want a versatile defensive back who can bring more to the secondary, Mathieu fits the bill as one of the league’s top ball hawks.”

Moton starts by highlighting the idea of a “full-blown roster rebuild” under a new head coach, with a veteran roster and cap restraints. He does also mention that the team will hire a new general manager as well, but this will not be the case barring anything unforeseen as current GM Mickey Loomis will look to maintain his role for the 2025 season. Moton then discussed about Matheiu’s high level of play and durability at 33 years old, making him an enticing option for playoff teams.

Mathieu’s veteran leadership and Super Bowl experience could be attractive qualities for teams trying to enter into their contending window. Since joining the Saints in 2022, he has recorded 10 interceptions during his tenure, tied for fifth-most in the NFL since then.

But the timing makes a trade complicated. Moving Mathieu before June 1 would only save the team $16,000 in salary cap space while leaving behind more than $11.3 million in dead money. If the Saints wait until June 2 (or later) to trade him, they would save $7.25 million this season while paying just over $4 million in dead money in 2025. Another $7.2 million would be on the books as dead money in 2026. Can the Chargers wait that long, and can the Saints justify waiting until after this year’s draft to get compensation for him? Can they get under the cap without touching his contract?

It would be a tough pill for Saints fans to swallow, letting the homegrown product go after just three seasons. But could they entertain the possibility of moving on from the Honey Badger if given the right offer? We can’t rule anything out with big changes on the way.

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Prediction and betting odds for Commanders vs. Buccaneers in NFC wild-card game

Analyzing Commanders vs. Buccaneers game with odds and lines, predictions and best bets.

The Washington Commanders (12-5) face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) in an NFC wild-card game from Raymond James Stadium. It’s a rematch from Week 1 of the 2024 season, which the Buccaneers won 37-20.

Much has changed for both teams since Week 1. Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels just finished the greatest rookie season for a QB in NFL history, helping the Commanders win 12 regular-season games for the first time in 33 years. Washington has won five games in a row heading into Sunday’s matchup.

Tampa Bay enters this matchup red-hot, too, having won six of its last seven games. Quarterback Baker Mayfield had a career year, passing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. Running back Bucky Irving was one of the NFL’s breakout rookies.

Below are the latest odds and our final score prediction for Sunday.

Commanders vs. Buccaneers game odds:

All NFL Odds via BetMGM:

  • Point spread: Commanders 3 (-110) / Buccaneers +3 (-110)
  • Money line: Commanders +135 / Buccaneers -160
  • Over-under: 50.5 (O: -110 / U: -110)

NFL Playoff picks: Unlock exclusive data-driven predictions 

Commanders vs. Buccaneers injury updates:

  • Commanders WR Jamison Crowder: Questionable (hamstring)
  • Buccaneers CB Jamel Dean: Questionable (knee)
  • Buccaneers S Mike Edwards: Questionable (quad)
  • Buccaneers DL Logan Hall: Questionable (groin)
  • Buccaneers TE Cade Otton: Questionable (knee)
  • Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield: Questionable (knee)

Commanders vs. Buccaneers prediction, pick:

Bryan Manning:

I believe the Commanders will move the ball well on offense. I am not sure that the running game will get going, but Jayden Daniels will again lead Washington in rushing. If OC Kliff Kingsbury targets Terry McLaurin enough, he’ll have a big game. There are questions in Tampa’s secondary. Defensively is another story. Washington’s run defense is poor in every metric. You don’t have to dig into analytics to see how much the Commanders have struggled against the run. That will prove to be the difference in the game. While Mayfield will play well, Bucky Irving is the X-Factor, and will rush for over 100 yards.

Pick: Buccaneers 34, Commanders 27

Ivan Lambert:

Jayden Daniels has made spectacular plays all season, helping lead the Commanders to 12 wins. But he has also held on to the ball too long at times, being sacked the sixth most times (47) in the NFL this season.

On the other side of the ball, Baker Mayfield carved up the Commanders in game one. They only hit him four times and only sacked him once. The defense will need to do much better against Mayfield, who passed for 4,500 yards this season and had 41 touchdowns.

Bucky Irving is the other significant factor, having rushed for 1,122 yards this season. He can make people miss and get a big play for the Bucs offense.

Washington is a different team than they were in Jayden Daniels’s first NFL game. But with the advent of Irving, the Bucs are better, too.

Pick: Buccaneers 31, Commanders 27

Commanders vs. Buccaneers channel, start time, streaming:

The Commanders vs. Buccaneers game starts at 8:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on NBC or streamed on Peacock.

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

CBS Sports experts narrowly pick Arkansas over Florida on Saturday

Out of seven CBS Sports college basketball experts, four pick Arkansas to pull off the upset on Saturday.

Florida basketball prepares for its third game of the Southeastern Conference schedule this Saturday in Fayetteville against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Coming off a monumental upset of the Tennessee Volunteers, the Gators are looking to keep the momentum going.

However, their inability to rein in the Kentucky Wildcats in Rupp Arena to open the calendar year has left some doubt as to whether Todd Golden’s gang can dominate away from the O’Connell Center. At least, that appears to be evident in CBS Sports’ expert picks for Saturday’s SEC matchup.

Of the seven respondents on the expert panel, four picked the Hogs straight up — Matt Norlander, Kyle Boone, Cameron Salerno and Isaac Trotter — while Gary Parrish, David Cobb and Jerry Palm picked the Orange and Blue.

“Arkansas opened conference play with two tough draws. The Razorbacks faced No. 1 Tennessee on the road and No. 23 Ole Miss at home,” the summary begins. “Calipari hasn’t dropped three straight SEC games since the 2020-21 season when he was the head man at Kentucky. Florida is coming off an emotional win over No. 1 Tennessee earlier this week. This seems like the perfect storm for Arkansas to pull off the home upset.”

How to watch Florida-Arkansas

The Gators return to the road to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville on Saturday, Jan. 11. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

What could Steelers realistically acquire in Mike Tomlin trade?

The Steelers could command significant draft capital in a Mike Tomlin trade, with several past head coach trades setting the framework.

As reported on Sunday, insider Adam Schefter painted an interesting trade scenario involving head coach-needy NFL organizations potentially calling the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front office to inquire about acquiring HC Mike Tomlin.

Fans clamoring for his departure are understandably excited, but to speculate on what a potential trade package might look like, we need to examine the history of previous head coach trades.

In 1970, the Baltimore Colts traded Don Shula to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a first-round draft pick.

In 1997, the New York Jets set a new precedent for head coach trades by sending first-, second-, third-, and fourth-round draft picks to acquire HC Bill Parcells from the New England Patriots.

Several more head coach trades also resulted in first-round draft selections, including those of Bill Belichick, Jon Gruden, and most recently, Sean Payton in 2023.

Tomlin’s perfect record of avoiding losing seasons could demand even more compensation from NFL organizations—but a 2025 first-, second-, and third-round draft pick package is a realistic starting point.

Should the Pittsburgh Steelers trade Tomlin away if the price is right, or if he is unable to get the Steel City their first playoff win since 2017?

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Predicting the Broncos’ remaining game and final record

Can the Denver Broncos beat the Chiefs and clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs? Here is our final prediction of the regular season.

Back in November, we published score predictions for the Denver Broncos‘ final six games of the 2024 season.

The exact scores did not hit, but these were the win/loss predictions: beat Las Vegas Raiders, beat Cleveland Browns, beat Indianapolis Colts, lose to Los Angeles Chargers, lose to Cincinnati Bengals, and beat Kansas City Chiefs.

✅✅✅✅✅❓

That prediction had the Broncos finishing with a 10-7 record and making the NFL playoffs. If Denver beats the Chiefs on Sunday, the Broncos will clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs with a 10-7 record.

Let’s hope that November prediction comes true. Here is our updated score prediction with KC set to rest their starters on Sunday.

Week 18: Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Score prediction: Broncos 29, Chiefs 18

Record: 10-7 (playoffs clinched)

Because the Buffalo Bills are locked into the AFC’s No. 2 seed, they would be Denver’s opponent in the first round if the Broncos make the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. First things first, though, Denver needs to secure one more win (or tie) to clinch a postseason berth.

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The Athletic projects Florida to finish fourth in SEC play

Florida is one of three SEC teams to enter conference play with an undefeated record, and the Athletic predicts the Gators to win a dozen over the next two months.

The Florida Gators enter conference play with a perfect record, but the experts at The Athletic aren’t picking the Orange and Blue to win the SEC, or even finish inside the top three.

Senior writer Joe Rexrode has the Gators pegged for a fourth-place finish, with a 12-6 SEC record behind Auburn, Tennessee and Alabama. Rexrode also predicts a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament for Florida.

“This might be the best backcourt in the country, the senior trio of Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard,” Rexrode said. “A nonleague strength of schedule of 220 leaves some questions about whether the Gators can hang with the best in this league for two months.”

Florida will be tested immediately with No. 10 Kentucky, No. 1 Tennessee and No. 23 Arkansas to open conference play.

The Gators play home-and-homes with Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee twice over the next two months. Florida hosts Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt with road games against Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU and Mississippi State.

The Athletic’s SEC projections

Ranking Team Record
T-1 Auburn Tigers 14-4
T-1 Tennessee Volunteers 14-4
3 Alabama Crimson Tide 13-5
4 Florida Gators 12-6
T-5 Kentucky Wildcats 11-7
T-5 Arkansas Razorbacks 11-7
T-5 Texas A&M Aggies 11-7
T-8 Ole Miss Rebels 10-8
T-8 Mississippi State Bulldogs 10-8
10 Oklahoma Sooners 8-10
T-11 Texas Longhorns 6-12
T-11 Georgia Bulldogs 6-12
T-11 Missouri Tigers 6-12
14 Vanderbilt Commodores 5-13
15 LSU Tigers 4-14
16 South Carolina Gamecocks 3-15

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Predicting the Broncos’ 2 remaining games and final record

The Broncos need one more win to make the NFL playoffs. Can they do it?

Going into the final stretch of the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos are 9-6 and on pace to make the NFL playoffs. With two games remaining, the Broncos need one more win (or a tie) to clinch a playoff berth.

Here are our updated score predictions for Denver’s next two games.

Week 17: Denver Broncos @ Cincinnati Bengals

(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Score prediction: Bengals 27, Broncos 25

Record: 9-7

Week 18: Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Score prediction: Broncos 29, Chiefs 18

Record: 10-7 (playoffs clinched)

The Broncos are currently the No. 7 seed in the AFC with the Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) and Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) holding the two other Wild Card seeds. Denver needs to fend off the Indianapolis Colts (7-8), Miami Dolphins (7-8) and Cincinnati Bengals (7-8) to make the playoffs.

If the season ended today, the Broncos would face the Buffalo Bills (the No. 2 seed) in the first round of the NFL playoffs. First things first, though, Denver needs to secure one more win (or tie) to clinch a spot.

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Hot take: Saints wide receiver will end his scoring drought in revenge game

Marquez Valdes-Scantling enters MNF against his former team. Is he in line for a big game?

Last week, Chase Young had the opportunity to play against the team that drafted him, the Washington Commanders. The defensive end answered the call and put up his highest sacks total as a Saint. It’s Marquez Valdez-Scantling’s turn on Monday Night Football. Can he put up a similar performance to Young against his first team?

Valdes-Scantling had just two catches for 25 yards when the Kansas City Chiefs played at Lambeau Field last year. The New Orleans Saints deploy Valdes-Scantling in a much more prominent role than he was used in Kansas City, however.

Alvin Kamara’s groin injury takes Valdes-Scantling from being the Saints lead receiver to the top receiving threat at any position. The receiver has crossed 50 receiving yards in all but one game, and has been a consistent deep threat.

Valdes-Scantling has four catches of over 35 yards and three catches over 40 yards. Not only has he pulled in many deep balls. He’s also had a knack for the end zone. Three of those 35-plus yard catches went for touchdowns.

Here’s a bold prediction for you: the Marquez Valdes-Scantling Revenge Game will feature a 50-yard touchdown, ending his two week scoring drought.

Predicting the Broncos’ 3 remaining games and final record

How many games will the Broncos win over the next three weeks? Here are our predictions.

Going into the final stretch of the 2024 NFL season, the Denver Broncos are 9-5 and on pace to make the NFL playoffs. With three games remaining, the Broncos need just one more win to clinch a playoff berth.

Here are our updated score predictions for Denver’s next three games.

Week 16: Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers

(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Score prediction: Broncos 23, Chargers 22

Record: 10-5 (playoffs clinched)

Week 17: Denver Broncos @ Cincinnati Bengals

(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Score prediction: Bengals 27, Broncos 25

Record: 10-6

Week 18: Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Score prediction: Broncos 29, Chiefs 18

Record: 11-6 (Wild Card berth)

The Broncos are currently the No. 6 seed in the AFC with the Baltimore Ravens (9-5) above them in the standings and the Chargers (8-6) right below them. If the season ended today, Denver would face the No. 3 seed, currently the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4).

Sean Payton and Bo Nix going on the road to face Russell Wilson in the first round of the NFL playoffs would be must-watch TV. First things first, the Broncos need to win one more game to get into the postseason.

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