Big day of football today, with three columns remaining before we wrap up this blog for the season. If you're competing and need something to happen, I'd love to hear it so I can cheer you on.
The Chiefs-Raiders game is fascinting on several levels. The league determined yesterday that if the Bills or Bengals could have earned the AFC's #1 seed, then if either faces the Chiefs in the conference title game, they'll play at a neutral site (instead of K.C. getting home-field advantage).
So if K.C. and Buffalo lose, and Cincinnati wins, there would be a fairly high probability of two of those teams playing for a Super Bowl appearance. And if the Chiefs win, they can breathe a little easier. And if they win and the Bills lose, they're golden.
But . . . I'm wondering how aggressively the Chiefs will play today. Yes, they want/need to win. But an injury to Patrick Mahomes or even Travis Kelce would be devastating. An injury to Isiah Pacheco or Jerick McKinnon could damage their prospects. Yes, injuries are part of the game. And the Chiefs might also minimize risks where they can--such as getting Ronald Jones a little more involved, or running more plays for Justin Watson.
However, the Chiefs don't have a great defense, so presumably the Raiders will force K.C. to keep their feet on the pedal. While I'd be shocked if impending free agent Josh Jacobs gets more than three touches (nothing to gain, everything to lose), Davante Adams is trying to become the 13th player to record multiple 1,500-yard receiving seasons. Additionally, Jarrett Stidham is essentially trying out for the Raiders ahead of next season. Another strong performance could turn some heads.
And I like Zamir White getting 9+ touches. Who knows if he's ready to play a bigger role. But surely Vegas wants to see more from him as they size up their 2023 backfield options.
The nightcap will be incredible, especially if you're a Jaguars fan. I cannot envision them losing this one. Making his second career start at the age of 27, recently promoted fourth-string QB Joshua Dobbs will lean heavily on Derrick Henry. And the Jags asssuredly will stack the box and force Dobbs to keep pace through the air.
While Tennessee is among the toughest against the run, they're one of the most porous against the pass. Tonight is the kind of night when Trevor Lawrence's could cement his standing as a "future great." I'm predicting 260+ passing yards and four TDs.
Interestingly, the Jags and Titans have finished top-2 in the division only three other times since Tennessee relocated from Houston. The first time was Peyton Manning's rookie year. The second time was the year Peyton first reached the postseason. The third time was two years after Peyton retired. And now, on the verge of finishing top-2 again, we're about to witness a career-making performance by the 2021 #1 overall draft pick--taken 101 days before Peyton, the 1998 #1 overall draft pick, entered the Hall of Fame.
Full circle. Unless Lawrence flops. If he does, you know where to find me.
The Chiefs-Raiders game is fascinting on several levels. The league determined yesterday that if the Bills or Bengals could have earned the AFC's #1 seed, then if either faces the Chiefs in the conference title game, they'll play at a neutral site (instead of K.C. getting home-field advantage).
So if K.C. and Buffalo lose, and Cincinnati wins, there would be a fairly high probability of two of those teams playing for a Super Bowl appearance. And if the Chiefs win, they can breathe a little easier. And if they win and the Bills lose, they're golden.
But . . . I'm wondering how aggressively the Chiefs will play today. Yes, they want/need to win. But an injury to Patrick Mahomes or even Travis Kelce would be devastating. An injury to Isiah Pacheco or Jerick McKinnon could damage their prospects. Yes, injuries are part of the game. And the Chiefs might also minimize risks where they can--such as getting Ronald Jones a little more involved, or running more plays for Justin Watson.
However, the Chiefs don't have a great defense, so presumably the Raiders will force K.C. to keep their feet on the pedal. While I'd be shocked if impending free agent Josh Jacobs gets more than three touches (nothing to gain, everything to lose), Davante Adams is trying to become the 13th player to record multiple 1,500-yard receiving seasons. Additionally, Jarrett Stidham is essentially trying out for the Raiders ahead of next season. Another strong performance could turn some heads.
And I like Zamir White getting 9+ touches. Who knows if he's ready to play a bigger role. But surely Vegas wants to see more from him as they size up their 2023 backfield options.
The nightcap will be incredible, especially if you're a Jaguars fan. I cannot envision them losing this one. Making his second career start at the age of 27, recently promoted fourth-string QB Joshua Dobbs will lean heavily on Derrick Henry. And the Jags asssuredly will stack the box and force Dobbs to keep pace through the air.
While Tennessee is among the toughest against the run, they're one of the most porous against the pass. Tonight is the kind of night when Trevor Lawrence's could cement his standing as a "future great." I'm predicting 260+ passing yards and four TDs.
Interestingly, the Jags and Titans have finished top-2 in the division only three other times since Tennessee relocated from Houston. The first time was Peyton Manning's rookie year. The second time was the year Peyton first reached the postseason. The third time was two years after Peyton retired. And now, on the verge of finishing top-2 again, we're about to witness a career-making performance by the 2021 #1 overall draft pick--taken 101 days before Peyton, the 1998 #1 overall draft pick, entered the Hall of Fame.
Full circle. Unless Lawrence flops. If he does, you know where to find me.