The NFL fined Broncos safety Devon Key $4,417 for his facemask penalty against the Ravens in Week 9.
The NFL has fined Denver Broncos safety Devon Key $4,417 for his facemask penalty in the second quarter of last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, according to multiplereports.
Key was featured in Denver’s secondary over the last two weeks while P.J. Locke recovered from a thumb injury. Locke has since been cleared to return to the starting lineup (with a cast) against the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend. Key totaled 14 tackles over the last two games.
Earlier this season, Denver defensive lineman Malcolm Roach ($25,324), safety P.J. Locke ($27,944), defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers ($14,069), safety Brandon Jones ($11,255), outside linebacker Nik Bonitto ($8,791), fullback Mike Burton ($7,653), center Luke Wattenberg ($5,872) and tight end Lucas Krull ($5,083) also received fines from the NFL.
The money the league receives from fines is “donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support Legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels,” per the NFL.
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was mic’d up for Kansas City’s Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay #Buccaneers.
The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into a Week 10 matchup against the Denver Broncos as the NFL’s only undefeated team, and their latest victory was one for the ages.
In Week 9, Kansas City narrowly escaped Arrowhead Stadium with its ninth win of the regular season when the Chiefs faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a Super Bowl LV rematch.
Veteran running back Kareem Hunt scored the decisive touchdown in Kansas City’s overtime victory, but it was Patrick Mahomes’ inspiring performance that kept the Chiefs in contention late in the game.
As it turns out, Mahomes was mic’d up for Kansas City’s matchup against Tampa Bay and a video of his on-field interactions was shared by the Chiefs’ official Twitter account:
Stay tuned to see if the reigning Super Bowl MVP can replicate his outstanding showing against the Buccaneers when Kansas City plays Denver on November 10.
WATCH: Week 9 mini movie of Bills win over Dolphins
The Buffalo Bills held off a desperate Miami Dolphins team in Week 9, winning 30-27 on a game-winning field goal from Tyler Bass.
The 61-yard kick (a new franchise record) was the exclamation point on an entertaining, back-and-forth contest between AFC East rivals.
The record-breaking field goal wasn’t the only excitement in the win. Josh Allen threw touchdowns to three different players (Mack Hollins, Ray Davis, Quintin Morris), and Taron Johnson forced a game-altering turnover.
The Bills improved to 7-2 with the win and continue to build on a dominant lead in the AFC East.
Relive the nail-biting divisional win with a ten-minute mini-movie from the Bills’ official YouTube channel:
Along with the game-winner, Bass also connected on field goals from 40 and 49 yards out, an area which he has struggled in.
The 61-yarder was not only a career-long for Bass, but it was a franchise record for the Bills. It is the only 60-yard field goal in Bills history. He surpassed Steve Christie, who connected on a 59-yarder in 1993.
Following the game, Josh Allen told CBS Sports, “I’m emotional for him. He’s been battling his butt off, fighting adversity. You saw that today. To be there in the biggest moment and nail that for us… I’m so proud of him. I love that man.”
That support from his teammates is what led to Bass getting emotional while receiving the game ball after the game.
Here’s another look at the new record for the longest field goal in Bills history.
Going into Week 10, the Broncos have a -3.4 Football Power Index (FPI) rating from ESPN, which ranks 27th in the NFL.
Nine games into the season, the Denver Broncos (5-4) have a -3.4 Football Power Index (FPI) rating from ESPN, which ranks 27th in the NFL.
The Kansas City Chiefs (8-0), who will host Denver in Week 10, are ranked third with a 6.0 FPI rating.
FPI is “a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season,” according to ESPN.com. “FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule.”
So with that background in mind, here’s a look at how the league’s 32 teams stack up based on FPI going into Week 10 of the 2024 NFL season.
Detroit Lions (7-1): 7.8
Baltimore Ravens (6-3): 7.2
Kansas City Chiefs (8-0): 6.0
Buffalo Bills (7-2): 6.0
Green Bay Packers (6-3): 4.3
San Francisco 49ers (4-4): 3.9
Philadelphia Eagles (6-2): 3.7
Minnesota Vikings (6-2): 2.5
Washington Commanders (7-2): 2.3
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2): 1.8
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5): 1.7
Houston Texans (6-3): 1.2
New York Jets (3-6): 1.1
Atlanta Falcons (6-3): 0.7
Cincinnati Bengals (4-5): 0.4
Los Angeles Chargers (5-3): 0.2
Arizona Cardinals (5-4): 0.1
Los Angeles Rams (4-4): -0.0
Chicago Bears (4-4): -0.1
Cleveland Browns (2-7): -0.3
Indianapolis Colts (4-5): -1.0
Miami Dolphins (2-6): -1.0
Dallas Cowboys (3-5): -1.0
New Orleans Saints (2-7): -1.1
Seattle Seahawks (4-5): -1.6
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7): -2.0
Denver Broncos (5-4): -3.4
New York Giants (2-7): -4.3
Las Vegas Raiders (2-7): -4.9
Tennesee Titans (2-6): -5.2
Carolina Panthers (2-7): -7.8
New England Patriots (2-7): -8.1
The Broncos will aim to improve their rating when they take on the Chiefs in Week 10. Denver’s ranking is unchanged from last week.
According to Pro Football Focus, Patrick Mahomes was the #Chiefs’ highest-graded player in Kansas City’s Week 9 win over the #Buccaneers.
The Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated after their win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 9 and hold an 8-0 record heading into Week 10.
For most of the season, the Chiefs’ perfect start was attributed to Kansas City’s outstanding defensive unit, which has been among the NFL’s best.
However, since the Chiefs’ acquisition of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and two resurgent performances by tight end Travis Kelce, it has been Kansas City’s offense, led by reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, that has swung the outcomes of the defending champions’ games.
The experts at Pro Football Focus took notice of Mahomes’ stellar performance against the Buccaneers in primetime, and made him the Chiefs’ highest-graded player:
The highest-graded Chiefs in Week 9 vs the Buccaneers:
Mahomes completed 34 of his 44 attempts against Tampa Bay for 291 yards and three touchdowns and managed to avoid throwing an interception to let the Buccaneers seize momentum.
Expect Mahomes to put together another stellar performance against the Denver Broncos in Week 10.
What we learned from the Bills’ Week 9 win vs. Dolphins
The Buffalo Bills continued their 2024 schedule with a Week 9 win over the Miami Dolphins, 30-27.
The Bills (7-2) needed a full-team effort to fend off a hungry Dolphins team (2-6) trying to turn their season around. Ultimately, it took a long field goal with just seconds on the clock for the Bills to get it done at home.
After two-straight blowout victories, Buffalo certainly were tested by their division rival. As the season unfolds, we are learning more and more about this year’s Bills team.
Here are five things we learned from Week 9’s win over the Dolphins:
Tyler Bass’ morale at an all-time high
Imagn Images
Kicker Tyler Bass played the role of hero for the Bills in Week 9. His 61-yarder with 5 seconds left proved to be the game-winner. It was not only a career-long for Bass, but it broke a Bills franchise record previously held by Steve Christie (59-yarder in 1993).
Given the inconsistency from Bass recently, the kick proved huge for his morale and the team as a whole. After receiving the game ball post-game, Bass got emotional when talking about his teammates having his back through the ups and downs.
Defense was gashed
Getty Images
The Bills defense had a rough outing. Through the air, Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was 25-of-28 and only took one sack. And on the ground, running backs De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert averaged more than five yards per carry.
If it wasn’t for a couple of red zone stops and a crucial forced fumble from Buffalo cornerback Taron Johnson, we could have a different conversation this week regarding both the Bills and Dolphins.
After all, this was a desperate Dolphins team that has always had the potential to explode on offense. Expect Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich to right the ship on defense going forward.
Ray Davis continues to flash
Getty Images
Running back Ray Davis continues to make the most of his opportunities in his rookie year. On the ground in Week 9, Davis averaged five yards a pop on his four carries. But, his real impact was through the air.
He took two passes for 70 yards, one being a 63-yard catch and run for a touchdown. That’s 90 yards from scrimmage on just six touches.
His long touchdown gave the Bills a seven-point lead late in the third quarter:
Bills quarterback Josh Allen took a couple of big hits and missed a few throws, but ultimately controlled the game throughout. He was 25-of-39 passing for 235 yards and posted three passing touchdowns and one interception.
If it wasn’t for a drop by receiver Keon Coleman deep in the red zone that resulted in an interception, he would have had four touchdowns and zero picks.
He didn’t have to put the cape on and be Superman much, but he did when the offense needed it. He slipped away to scramble for 14 yards on a 3rd and 12 at the end of the first half, and he also made a remarkable touchdown throw to tight end Quintin Morris as he was being tackled by two defenders:
This wasn’t an easy day for the Bills by any means. The Dolphins had their backs against the wall while preparing for it, albeit was just Week 9. It was nearly a must-win game for them, and they played like it.
They had more first downs than the Bills (26-24), more total yards (373-325), more yards per play (6.2-5.5), more time of possession (31:53-28:07), and they converted better in the red zone (3/4-2/5).
Buffalo has grown accustomed to overpowering teams on offense and defense. In this one, they won differently. They only had four penalties, forced a crucial turnover when they needed it, and special teams came through in a big way.
The Broncos (5-4) have a 29% chance to make the NFL playoffs, according to projections from The Athletic.
If the 2024 NFL season ended today, the Denver Broncos (5-4) would make the NFL playoffs.
The Broncos are currently third in the AFC West behind the Kansas City Chiefs (8-0) and Los Angeles Chargers (5-3), above the Las Vegas Raiders (2-7). The division is probably out of reach, but Denver could still compete for a Wild Card spot this fall.
The NFL’s two conferences (the AFC and NFC) send four division winners and three Wild Card seeds to the playoffs each season. Denver is currently the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff race.
Despite currently holding a playoff spot, the Broncos only have a 29% chance to make the NFL playoffs, according to projections from The Athletic. They project Denver to finish the year with an 8-9 record.
AFC playoff picture after Week 9
Kansas City Chiefs (8-0)
Buffalo Bills (7-2)
Pittsburgh Steelers 6-2)
Houston Texans (6-3)
Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
Denver Broncos (5-4)
The Broncos will attempt to fend off the Indianapolis Colts (4-5), Cincinnati Bengals (4-5) and New York Jets (3-6) in the coming weeks. Denver already beat the Jets earlier this season and the Broncos will face the Colts (home) and Bengals (away) later this season.
This week, Denver will go on the road to take on the Chiefs.
Russell Wilson stays busy during the Steelers’ Week 9 bye with practice, showing his relentless drive and proving he never stops cooking.
Champions are made when no one is watching. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson personifies this attitude, as while many players take time to rest, relax, or enjoy life outside of football during their team’s bye week, Wilson was focused on bettering his game.
Fans of the Steel City were initially hesitant when news broke that Mike Tomlin was benching QB Justin Fields in favor of Wilson, especially after Fields led the team to an impressive 4-2 start. However, Wilson has proven himself with two great back-to-back performances in Weeks 7 and 8, as well as providing the team with a leadership presence that has been sorely missed since former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022.
RUSSELL WILSON NEVER STOPS WORKING.
The #Steelers starting quarterback has been training all weekend long with receivers despite his team having a bye.
Most players like to go on vacation for a couple of days.
Wilson wants nothing more than to bring a seventh Super Bowl title to Pittsburgh, and his work ethic should make this long-desired goal a reality. The veteran QB is most likely preparing for the tough stretch of games in the second half of the season, starting with two extremely difficult matchups consecutively: facing the Washington Commanders on the road in Week 10 and hosting the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11.
With 9 weeks of football in the books, and 9 more to go in the second-half of the 2024 season, which AFC North team boasts the best QB?
One saying reigns supreme in the AFC North, and that is none other than competition breeds excellence.
While the Cleveland Browns perhaps have the worst QB situation in the division right now, the same cannot be said for the other three divisional rivals, who currently have elite signal-callers leading their teams on Sundays. With the Pittsburgh Steelers in first place in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens in second, and the Cincinnati Bengals not far behind, which of these three AFC North QBs is superior?
Russell Wilson, understandably so at 35 years old, is perhaps the lowest ranked of the three. His veteran presence, however, is something athletic qualities cannot make up for, and his deep ball may be the best in the division.
While many in the NFL consider Ravens QB Lamar Jackson a favorite to win the 2024 MVP award, Bengals QB Joe Burrow is almost single-handedly putting his team in a position to win games every week, throwing for a whopping five TDs in Cincinatti’s Week 9 victory.
Are the Bengals dark horses in a close AFC North race, and if so, can Pittsburgh continue to maintain their lead in the division?
