Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, NFL, Week 12, Thursday Night Football, Defensive Player of the Year, American football, Timely, Sports news
Be careful what you wish Cleveland! While to many it seems unwise to provoke T.J. Watt just days before facing off against him, that is exactly what the Browns did. Speaking to reporters during Tuesday’s media availability, the 2023 D.P.O.Y. award winner, Myles Garrett, was asked to comment on Watt’s less-than-enthusiastic reaction to being snubbed from winning the award after a spectacular performance last season.
Garrett, known for his issues with Pittsburgh in the past, wasted no time taking a subtle jab at Watt, stating, “I’ve never complained about the trophy not being in my house, and vice versa. He shouldn’t be feeling two ways about it going to me.”
Watt’s league-leading 19 sacks should have been more than enough to secure the award in 2023, but one thing the Browns’ edge rusher said rings true: T.J. will have every opportunity this week, when his team takes on Cleveland, to silence the doubters once again.
Garrett’s comments and challenge to Watt will surely only lead to Cleveland’s demise in Week 12, as the Steelers take on the Browns in this week’s Thursday Night Football game at 8:15 PM EST.
Mike Tomlin addresses Russell Wilson’s costly interception in Week 11 as the Steelers prepare for Thursday Night Football against Cleveland.
While Russell Wilson has led the Steelers to four consecutive victories in each of his past four starts, Head Coach Mike Tomlin was unimpressed with one specific play from Week 11 against Baltimore.
The offense was struggling to score touchdowns against a stingy Ravens defense, and Wilson almost made a spectacular touchdown pass to TE Darnell Washington.
Wilson escaped pressure, scrambled to his right, and threw up a jump ball to the 6’7″ dynamic tight end in the end zone, but Washington watched it fly past his head and into the arms of Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey.
While the blame game was to be expected, Tomlin wasted no time letting everyone know who he believes was at fault: “I just wish Russ hadn’t thrown it.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers brought Wilson in to make plays for their offense, and Tomlin shouldn’t be surprised nor discourage Wilson’s willingness to take these risks.
Tomlin and the Wilson-led Steelers offense will look to get back on track against the Cleveland Browns on, Thursday Night Football, on November 21st at 8:15 PM EST.
According to statistics shared by the NFL on Wednesday, the #Chiefs have played in four of the five most-watched games this season.
The Kansas City Chiefs are among the NFL’s most exciting teams, and according to metrics released by the league on Wednesday, fans around the country can’t get enough of the defending Super Bowl champions.
In a post by @NFLMedia on Twitter, the league indicated that the Chiefs’ Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills averaged 31.2 million viewers, and was the most-watched game of the season to date.
It was also revealed that Kansas City has played in four of the five most-watched games this season.
Check out all of the latest viewership numbers and factoids about the NFL’s presence on television below:
🚨NFL Viewership🚨
*17.5 million avg. viewers per game — highest avg. through Week 11 since 2015
*NFL games rank as 47 of the top 50 shows on TV since start of 2024 season
While the Chiefs’ Week 11 loss to the Bills may have stymied Kansas City’s momentum, the team’s brand remains as strong as ever.
Expect all of the Chiefs’ stars—including head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and tight end Travis Kelce—to “get right” in front of a massive audience when they face the Carolina Panthers in Week 11.
The Kansas City #Chiefs cut Cornell Powell from their practice squad this week after they signed ex-#Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton.
According to a tweet from NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, the Kansas City Chiefs have released wide receiver Cornell Powell from their practice squad.
Powell was selected by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2021 draft out of the University of Clemson.
Despite an impressive showing at the NFL combine, the former Tiger was signed to Kansas City’s practice squad where he has spent the majority of his career in the league.
A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs, Powell has continuously had impressive showings in the preseason but has been unable to translate that success into the regular season.
Powell’s release is thought to be the corresponding move to Kansas City’s signing of wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on Monday.
Though it is unclear whether Thornton will see action with the Chiefs in the coming weeks, Powell’s departure signals that Kansas City was ready to move in a different direction at the wide receiver position.
Stay tuned to see if another team will pick up the fan-favorite or if he will re-join the Chiefs later this season.
Former #Chiefs defensive linemen Jared Allen and Terrell Suggs were named semifinalists for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the most storied franchises in NFL history and have posted countless league records and produced several football legends.
Since the Chiefs joined the NFL in 1960, 25 of Kansas City’s players have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, the eighth-most in league history.
Now that number may rise even higher.
On Tuesday, 25 players were named semifinalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2025, including former Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen and linebacker Terrell Suggs.
Allen was a member of Kansas City’s defensive front from 2004-2007 before making his way to Minnesota, Chicago, and Carolina where he finished his career.
Suggs was a member of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers in 2019.
Twenty-five modern-era players were named today as semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Four to eight will be selected from this list:
🏈QB Eli Manning 🏈LB Luke Kuechly 🏈WR Steve Smith Sr. 🏈S Earl Thomas 🏈K Adam Vinatieri 🏈DE Jared Allen 🏈LB…
Only four to eight players from the list of 25 will be selected to the Hall of Fame. Stay tuned to see if these two defensive greats will be enshrined in Canton next year.
Previewing the 49ers ahead of Sunday’s NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field in Week 12.
The Green Bay Packers will attempt to solidifying their standing in the NFC playoff race and get a little postseason revenge when the San Francisco 49ers come to Lambeau Field for a Week 12 showdown on Sunday.
The Packers are 7-3 and can gain another advantage over a playoff contender with a win on Sunday. The 49ers are 5-5 and in big danger of missing the playoffs if they can’t win in Green Bay.
The 49ers held a 17-13 lead late in the fourth quarter but gave up an 80-yard touchdown drive, losing 20-17 when Geno Smith scrambled in for the go-ahead score with 12 seconds to go. Kyle Shanahan’s team was one first down away from clinching the win but couldn’t get it done, and Smith found big completions to DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the final drive before his go-ahead rushing score. Brock Purdy scrambled for a touchdown in the first half and found Jauan Jennings for a go-ahead score in the fourth quarter. Jennings caught 10 passes, Christian McCaffrey went over 100 total yards and Purdy rushed for 40 yards. The 49ers delivered four sacks and a takeaway on defense, and the offense converted 7-of-11 third downs, but Shanahan’s team also committed nine penalties. Like Packers-Bears, 49ers-Seahawks was a low-possession game.
Quarterback play
Brock Purdy’s efficiency as the leader of the 49ers offense hasn’t reached 2023 levels, but he’s still completing 66.0 percent of his passes and averaging 8.5 yards per attempt (third best) while adding a dynamic scrambling ability (267 rushing yards, four touchdowns). By overall PFF grade, Purdy ranks ninth among quarterbacks. His big-time throw percentage is down, but so is his turnover-worthy play percentage. He’s also holding the ball much longer this season, possibly due to the injuries to stars on the 49ers offense. The Packers must be aware of Purdy’s scrambling ability — he ranks second among all quarterbacks with 37 scrambles this season. Purdy doesn’t have elite size but he is a quick and creative runner.
Line of scrimmage
The 49ers rank 13th in pass-blocking grade and first in run-blocking grade at PFF. Brock Purdy has been sacked 20 times, but he’s held the ball longer this season. The run game is averaging 5.0 yards per attempt, a top-5 mark. The Packers defensive front will be challenged by an offensive line featuring veteran All-Pro Trent Williams and solid rookie Dominick Puni. Tight end George Kittle is a game-changing blocker, but he missed last week with a hamstring injury. Defensively, the 49ers are giving up just 4.3 yards per carry, a top-10 mark, and have 26 sacks. Nick Bosa is the star up front, but Leonard Floyd and Maliek Collins both have 30 or more pressures. At PFF, the 49ers rank 27th in run defense grade and 13th in pass-rushing grade, so it’s possible this is an underperforming defensive front through 10 games.
Turnovers
The 49ers are plus-3 in turnover margin this season, ranking 11th overall. Of the offense’s 13 turnovers, eight have come via interceptions thrown by Brock Purdy, including one last week on a deflected ball. The defense has 16 takeaways, ranking ninth. The 49ers are one of nine teams with 10 or more interceptions this season, so Jordan Love must be careful with the football. All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner has a league-high four forced fumbles, plus two picks. The 49ers are only 1-3 when forcing one or zero turnovers this season, and 2-5 when they have at least one giveaway. San Francisco turned it over multiple times in losses to the Chiefs, Cardinals and Vikings.
Injury situations
The 49ers are missing a lot of big pieces. Receiver Brandon Aiyuk, defensive lineman Javon Hargrave and safety Talanoa Hufanga are all on injured reserve. Defensive end Nick Bosa is dealing with a couple of lower-body injuries. Tight end George Kittle missed last week with a hamstring injury. Running back Christian McCaffrey is still working his way back from a calf/Achilles injury. Cornerback Charvarius Ward has missed time due to a devastating off-the-field issue but could return thisk week. More will be known on the 49ers injuries later on Wednesday.
Players to know
LB Fred Warner: The Packers need to know where No. 54 is on every snap. He’s one of the true game-wrecking linebackers in the NFL.
WR Jauan Jennings: A big, physical receiver who has 42 catches and a team-high 588 receiving yards this season. He can block, make contested catches and win after the catch.
LB De’Vondre Campbell: The former Packers linebacker has allowed catches on 40 of 46 targets into his coverage and has missed a team-high 11 tackles.
TE George Kittle: He leads all tight ends with seven touchdown catches, and he’s arguably the most impactful blocking tight end in the NFL. Will he return from a hamstring injury?
CB Deommodore Lenoir: He’s picked off two passes and broken up four more, and opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 68.4 when targeting him in coverage.
Dan Quinn spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. It was a highly successful stint that saw Quinn lead Dallas to a top-five defensive finish each year and lead the NFL in turnovers over his three-year stint.
Quinn was so good in Dallas that he earned his second head coaching opportunity, this time against one of the Cowboys’ most hated rivals, the Washington Commanders. He has the Commanders at 7-4 and on pace for their first playoff berth since 2020.
Meanwhile, the Dallas defense has fallen apart without Quinn. Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer returned to Dallas but hasn’t had the same luck as he did during his first stint.
On Sunday, Quinn will meet his former team for the first time since taking over Washington’s head coaching position earlier this year. He met with the media and was asked if playing his former team felt different compared to other teams.
“No, not really,” Quinn said. “I think probably because I’m a little bit older, maybe like early on in your coaching career you do. More than anything you see your friends that you coached with or worked with post-game, and you see some of the players, in the same space, that you worked with beforehand.”
Washington, having last played on Thursday, came off a few extra days of rest, giving Quinn and his coaching staff extra time to prepare for the Cowboys. Quinn was asked if he thought injuries played a significant part in Dallas’ struggles (3-7) this season. He didn’t take the bait.
“I can’t say how the injuries have affected them,” Quinn said. “It’s a different scheme, a different group of how they feature the players. So, I’ll get more into them as I dig into the week, but really, I can only comment on my time with them, but not how they feature the guys and the injuries that could come up. At this time of year, well, every time of year, that’s one of the hard parts of our league, is injuries and dealing with them. And so, it’s the part of the game that sucks and how do you keep developing the next player to be into that space to go. But all teams deal with it, and it is hard.”
That’s the perfect answer from Quinn. He’s not going to reveal too much or say the smallest of things that the Cowboys could use as a slight. That’s not Quinn’s style.
Even though the Commanders are big favorites, Quinn will not allow his team to look past the reeling Cowboys. While he left Dallas on excellent terms with ownership and his former players, you can bet Quinn wants this one badly for multiple reasons.
Golden Tate believes the Seahawks can ‘shock the world’
It is simply amazing the world of difference even a single win can mean in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks likely saved their season from going under with their 20-17 upset win over the San Francisco 49ers. It may only be a single win, but it was the difference between falling to 4-6 or improving to 5-5, which puts them right back in the middle of the NFC West hunt.
Folks around the league are noticing it, such as former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate. On Good Morning Football, Tate explained how this team can potentially “shock the world” given the opportunity presented to them in the near future.
Namely, the Arizona Cardinals, who Seattle faces twice in the next three weeks. Including this weekend, for a crucial divisional showdown.
When Tate says the next few weeks could “make or break” the Seahawks’ season, he is not exaggerating. Arizona is the only team in the NFC West with a winning record, but they are only 6-4. Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco are all close behind with identical 5-5 records. In fact, the NFC West is the only division in football where not one team is below .500 on the year.
Facing the Cardinals twice in a three-week span is a tall order, but an excellent opportunity to potentially find a way to get back into first place.
Right now, the NFC Playoff picture looks like the North is going to send three teams to the postseason – Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota. In the East, the Eagles look back to their usual winning ways, but the Washington Commanders are perhaps the shock team of the conference. Should all those teams qualify for the playoffs, then the only path for a West team to get in the dance would be to win the division outright.
So, why not Seattle? Like Showtime Tate said, it’s make or break time.
DVOA gives the Broncos a 66.8% chance of making the NFL playoffs this season.
Following a big win over the Atlanta Falcons (6-5) on Sunday, the Denver Broncos (6-5) remain in position to make the NFL playoffs in 2024.
The Broncos seem unlikely to catch the Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) in the AFC West, but securing one of the AFC’s three Wild Card seeds is within reach.
If the season ended today, Denver would make the playoffs as the conference’s seventh and final seed. Here’s a look at the standings following Week 11.
AFC Playoff Picture
Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)
Buffalo Bills (9-2)
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2)
Houston Texans (7-4)
Los Angeles Chargers (7-3)
Baltimore Ravens (7-4)
Denver Broncos (6-5)
The Broncos will have to fend off the Indianapolis Colts (5-6) and Cincinnati Bengals (4-7) to reach the postseason. Denver will host Indy (Week 15) and travel to Cincinnati (Week 17) later this season.
So, what are the Broncos’ chances of pulling it off?
The Athletic gives Denver a 49% chance of reaching the postseason. ESPN is slightly more optimistic with a 51% chance. DVOA has the most optimistic outlook, giving the Broncos a 66.8% chance to reach the playoffs.
Up next for Denver is a road game against the Las Vegas Raiders (2-8), followed by a home game against the Cleveland Browns (2-8). After that, the Broncos will have a bye ahead of the final four games of the season.
Seahawks waive TE Tyler Mabry, sign NT Brandon Pili to practice squad
The action never stops for the Seattle Seahawks, even on a Monday following the biggest win of the year. The Seahawks made a pair of roster moves on Monday afternoon. Seattle waived tight end Tyler Mabry, and signed nose tackle Brandon Pili back to the practice squad.
Mabry has been in the Seahawks organization ever since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in the 2020 offseason. Mabry has floated between the practice squad, active roster and waivers for pretty much his entire career to this point. He was elevated to the active 53-man roster prior to the Week 11 game against the 49ers due to injuries at the position to Noah Fant and Brady Russell. He has played in nine games, started one, and his only NFL stats came in 2022 when he caught one pass for seven yards for a touchdown.
Brandon Pili was claimed on waivers himself last week from the Miami Dolphins. He was waived once more, this time by the Seahawks, but is now signed to their practice squad. Pili has four career total tackles in the NFL, including one solo one this season.
