Chiefs OL Joe Thuney is NFL’s third-best pass blocker since Week 12

Veteran lineman Joe Thuney has been one of the NFL’s best pass blockers since Week 12.

Protecting Patrick Mahomes is the primary function of the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line, and one member of the team’s starters up-front has excelled at keeping the reigning MVP clean in the pocket in recent weeks.

Veteran lineman Joe Thuney has been one of the NFL’s best blockers in pass protection since Week 12, earning an 88.2 grade when pass blocking, which ranks as the third-best mark among all offensive linemen over that stretch.

Thuney’s presence in the middle of Kansas City’s line has been a boon for the Chiefs as the team has clawed its way to a nine-win campaign in 2023 through 14 games. His ability to keep the league’s best pass rushers at bay is an underrated asset for Mahomes and Andy Reid, and while he isn’t often mentioned as one of Kansas City’s star players, Thuney is an indispensable part of the Chiefs’ offensive attack.

Expect the veteran guard to have his hands full against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16 when Kansas City plays its bitter divisional rival on Christmas day.

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice on prolific pace after the catch, per PFF

#Chiefs WR Rashee Rice has proven to be one of the best pass-catchers in the NFL after the catch, according to Pro Football Focus

The Kansas City Chiefs needed a receiver to step up and give Patrick Mahomes a reliable target in the passing game, and rookie Rashee Rice has answered the call in recent weeks.

Rice put together the best performance of his young career against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12, hauling in eight receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown to help secure Kansas City its eighth win of the 2023 season.

His work as a runner after the catch has been stellar, and according to Pro Football Focus, his 8.1 yards after the catch per reception ranks second among all wide receivers in the NFL.

While this may not mean that Rice is the second-fastest or second-shiftiest receiver after the catch, his ability to find open spots in opposing defenses and haul in passes with room to work is proving to be a boon for the Chiefs offense.

He will have a chance to outdo his Week 12 performance against Las Vegas on Sunday when Kansas City takes on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones excited by Kansas City’s defensive performance vs. Raiders

Chris Jones liked what he saw from the #Chiefs defense in Week 12 against the #Raiders.

Chris Jones played a key role in the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive turnaround against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12 after the team unexpectedly found itself down 14-0 in the first half.

During the Chiefs’ Wednesday press conference, Jones addressed the unit’s performance and explained how the defense turned things around to secure Kansas City its eighth win of this season.

“I think the defense just kind of homed in. Most importantly, we played fundamental football,” Jones said. “I think early on we got out of our gaps playing not like we’ve been usually playing over the course of this year. We were able to make a few adjustments, play fundamentally sound and wrap them up when we had the opportunity.”

The Chiefs defense only allowed three points in the game’s final two frames and managed to keep Raiders star Davante Adams from hauling in a single catch after he tallied five receptions for 73 yards in the first two quarters

How former Alabama players performed in Week 12 of NFL season

Roll Tide Wire takes a close look at how former Alabama players performed in Week 12 of the NFL season.

Alabama is one of the top programs in the country when it comes to producing NFL talent. The Crimson Tide are well-represented on both sides of the ball and at just about every position on the football field.

Week 12 of the 2023 season kicked off on last Thursday night and concluded on Monday night, which means there were a lot of former Alabama players suiting up for their respective professional teams.

Believe it or not, 26 of the 32 teams in the NFL have at least one Alabama player on its roster. There are not many college programs that can say the same.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down how former Alabama players performed in their Week 12 matchups.

Chiefs center Creed Humphrey put together stellar performance vs. Raiders

Creed Humphrey didn’t allow a sack or pressure in the #Chiefs’ win over the Raiders in Week 12.

The Kansas City Chiefs have been able to rely on the interior of their offensive line all season while reigning MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes has struggled to find his footing consistently.

A key cog of the Chiefs’ offensive machine is center Creed Humphrey, who managed to help lift Mahomes to one of his best performances of the season in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

According to Pro Football Focus, Humphrey didn’t allow a single sack or pressure in the rivalry matchup.

Showings like this are common for the third-year lineman, and while some may take his role in Kansas City’s offense for granted, his outstanding efforts every week are a key reason that the Chiefs have been able to maintain their position in the AFC playoff standings.

Expect to see Humphrey follow up his impressive showing in Las Vegas with another stellar performance in Kansas City’s Week 13 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

WATCH: Brian Baldinger breaks down key plays from Broncos’ Week 12 win

Brian Baldinger was impressed by the performances of Russell Wilson, Alex Singleton and P.J. Locke in the Broncos’ win on Sunday.

For the third week in a row, Brian Baldinger has highlighted the performance of several key players in a Denver Broncos win.

The NFL Network analyst took to Twitter/X earlier this week to highlight plays by Russell Wilson, Alex Singleton, P.J. Locke and Denver’s rushing attack in a 29-12 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 12.

Check out Baldinger’s videos below.

Chiefs LB Drue Tranquill posted career-high PFF grade vs. Raiders

#Chiefs LB Drue Tranquill put together an exceptional performance against the #Raiders in Week 12.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders was hard-fought, and linebacker Drue Tranquill managed to put together a particularly special performance to help lift his team to victory.

Against Las Vegas, Tranquill managed to earn a 92.0 grade from Pro Football Focus, which led the Chiefs and constituted the highest single-game mark of his career.

While Tranquill’s performance was exemplary, the return of star linebacker Nick Bolton could cut into his playing time as the 2023 season enters its home stretch.

Some fans may prefer that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo ride the hot hand at linebacker, but perhaps the most ideal solution would involve keeping Tranquill on the field beside Bolton when he returns.

One thing is certain, though: Kansas City has managed to turn its linebacking corps from a liability to one of its core strengths in 2023, and with the postseason fast approaching, the position is primed to play a pivotal role in the Chiefs’ success.

ManningCast schedule: What games will Peyton and Eli call in 2023?

There’s no ‘ManningCast’ for ‘Monday Night Football’ tonight, but Peyton and Eli will return for the Bengals-Jaguars game in Week 13.

After a hilarious fake search for a third host this offseason, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning have returned to ESPN2 this fall for a third season of the ManningCast (without a third host).

As they have done for the past two seasons, Peyton and Eli will have special guests join them on the alternate broadcast of Monday Night Football, but they will remain the two hosts of the popular show.

Disney will continue to carry its standard MNF broadcasts on main ESPN with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman serving as the commentators for the primary broadcast. The ten alternate ManningCasts featuring Peyton and Eli will be broadcast on ESPN2 and available to stream on NFL+.

Here is the full ManningCast schedule of games during the 2023 season.

NFL Week Date Monday Night Football Game TV Channel
Week 1 Sept. 11 Buffalo Bills at New York Jets ESPN2, ESPN+, NFL+
Week 4 Oct. 2 Seattle Seahawks at New York Giants ESPN2, NFL+
Week 5 Oct. 9 Green Bay Packers at Las Vegas Raiders ESPN2, NFL+
Week 7 Oct. 23 San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings ESPN2, NFL+
Week 9 Nov. 6 Los Angeles Chargers at New York Jets ESPN2, NFL+
Week 10 Nov. 13 Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills ESPN2, NFL+
Week 11 Nov. 20 Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs ESPN2, ESPN+, NFL+
Week 13 Dec. 4 Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars ESPN2, NFL+
Week 15 Dec. 18 Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots ESPN2, NFL+
Wildcard Jan. 15 TBD Playoff Game ESPN2, ESPN+, NFL+

Peyton and Eli both won a pair of Super Bowls as quarterbacks in the NFL.

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Broncos made NFL history with a 29-12 ‘Scorigami’ on Sunday

Scorigami! The Broncos defeated the Browns 29-12, marking the 1,081st unique final score in NFL history.

The Denver Broncos made NFL history with their 29-12 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon.

“Scorigami” is a term that was made up by Jon Bois to describe a final score that has never happened before in NFL history. Football fans have become big fans of the concept, so much so that there are now websites and Twitter/X pages that track the possibilities of “scorigamis” each week.

Aided by a relatively rare safety and a failed two-point attempt, the Broncos and Browns ended up with a 29-12 scoreline on Sunday, marking — you guessed it — a scorigami! Denver’s win over Cleveland marked the 1,081st unique final score in NFL history.

This is not the first time the Broncos have achieved such a feat this season, but they’d certainly like to forget the first time. Denver’s 70-20 blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins earlier this season was also a scorigami.

Broncos coach Sean Payton had a funny response after being informed of the phenomenon following Sunday’s win.

“I like the second scorigami,” the coach quipped, a reference to the 70-20 scorigami earlier this year.

6 takeaways from Broncos’ 29-12 win over Browns

Here are six takeaways from the Broncos’ win over the Browns in Week 12.

The Denver Broncos won their fifth-straight game on Sunday, this time a 29-12 win over the visiting Cleveland Browns in Week 12.

There’s a lot to digest from this game, so let’s begin with the key takeaways.