As we method midseason, Derrick Henry has extra dashing yards than 23 NFL groups, Josh Allen has but to throw an interception and the Commanders lead the NFC East.
Identical to we thought.
OK, so the NFL is unpredictable. That is why we’re right here to reply the necessary questions. Heading into Week 8, FOX Sports activities’ NFL consultants deal with a number of subjects, together with whether or not Henry can get two-time MVP Lamar Jackson to his first Tremendous Bowl, whether or not the Lions can get there with out Aidan Hutchinson, which just lately traded wideout will assist his new staff essentially the most, and whether or not the Giants or Jets are the larger dumpster fireplace.
Let’s get began.
With Derrick Henry working wild, do the Ravens lastly have sufficient to get previous the Chiefs and get Lamar Jackson to a Tremendous Bowl?
I believe so. A part of it’s Lamar Jackson must play just like the celebrity he’s within the massive playoff moments, however having Henry by his aspect within the backfield actually takes important stress off him, doubtlessly permitting the two-time MVP to play freer.
Take into account that Henry has traditionally thrived towards the Chiefs, too. In 5 profession video games towards Kansas Metropolis within the common season, he is averaged 5.4 dashing yards per try on 91 carries and has seven dashing touchdowns.
Henry additionally performs higher because the season wears on. For his profession, he is averaging 4.1 yards per carry in September, 4.8 in October, 4.9 in November, 5.1 in December and 5.9 (!) in January. There’s legitimacy to defenders not desirous to deal with his 6-foot-2, 247-pound body within the colder months. What he is doing now’s ridiculous — he is pacing for greater than 2,100 yards dashing at age 30 — so simply think about how way more of a handful he’ll be for the Chiefs and the remainder of the AFC within the postseason. — Ben Arthur
I’ve to say sure, as a result of I picked the Ravens to go to the Tremendous Bowl. So, sure! However look, one of many massive causes the Chiefs beat Baltimore within the AFC Championship final 12 months is that the Ravens could not run the ball in that recreation. They have been the No. 1 dashing staff in soccer and have been held to only 81 yards partially as a result of they ran it solely 16 occasions — and 7 occasions on 35 performs within the second half. It was an inexplicable strategic choice that the Ravens know was flawed.
Now their dashing assault is a lot better. They’re averaging 210.9 yards per recreation (54.5 yards extra per recreation than final season). And once they’re working RPOs (run-pass possibility performs), defenses have an not possible selection, whether or not to brace for the pressure of Derrick Henry, the flash of Lamar Jackson, or for Jackson to drop again and use his MVP-caliber arm.
It isn’t an accident that they’ve averaged 35 factors and 479 yards per recreation throughout their five-game profitable streak. They’re like a boulder rolling downhill, and they will maintain getting higher and quicker. This time, even the Chiefs will not be capable to cease them in the long run. — Ralph Vacchiano
The Lions confirmed their grit by beating the beforehand unbeaten Vikings on Sunday, however can Detroit truly win the NFC with out Aidan Hutchinson?
Until the Lions make a commerce for a top-notch edge rusher, it will likely be an uphill climb to beat the NFC with out the staff’s finest defensive participant. Successful within the postseason is about closing groups out within the fourth quarter, both on offense or protection. And Detroit is lacking probably the greatest closers in soccer with Hutchinson out with a fractured tibia and fibula. Dealing with among the high offenses within the league within the postseason, the Lions will likely be hard-pressed to switch that ingredient with the roster as presently constructed. — Eric D. Williams
Sunday’s win at beforehand unbeaten Minnesota — with out Hutchinson — reveals that the Lions are nonetheless proper there on the high of the NFC. It will make sense to deal for pass-rush assist — maybe Cleveland’s Za’Darius Smith or Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney — however Sunday confirmed what Detroit’s offense can do towards one of many league’s high defenses. Jared Goff was 22-for-25 for 280 yards and two touchdowns, and Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for one more 116 and two scores. The Lions end the common season at residence towards those self same Vikings, and that recreation may have the NFC North title and even the NFC’s high seed on the road. — Greg Auman
In mild of the current broad receiver offers, will Davante Adams, Amari Cooper or DeAndre Hopkins assist his new staff essentially the most?
I’m going to go together with Hopkins. Cooper is a detailed second, however the Chiefs’ broad receiver state of affairs was essentially the most dire. The Jets didn’t want Adams (they’ve greater points on offense). The Payments had simply three gamers averaging no less than 38 receiving yards per recreation earlier than including Cooper (Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Dalton Kincaid). Kansas Metropolis has only one with Rashee Rice on IR: Travis Kelce, who doesn’t seem like the identical participant.
Hopkins instantly slots in as a top-two wholesome receiver on the Chiefs’ roster, and sure makes the distinction between a deep playoff run and a three-peat for 6-0 Kansas Metropolis, whose offense is now positioned to take off. — Ben Arthur
I will go together with Hopkins as nicely. He is bought an enormous catch radius and a knack for making massive performs. Hopkins will rapidly get on the identical web page with Patrick Mahomes. He is unselfish and a superb teammate. And he’ll enhance Kansas Metropolis’s capacity to execute in got-to-have-it moments on third down, within the crimson zone and within the fourth quarter. Adams and Cooper additionally will improve the offenses for his or her respective groups, however the Chiefs getting Hopkins makes them even harder to beat — they usually’re already the one unbeaten staff within the league. — Eric D. Williams
I am taking Amari Cooper. The Jets are past assist at this level. And the Chiefs are undefeated — and do not actually appear to wish a lot assist. So Cooper can enhance a Payments staff that has but to beat an opponent that’s presently .500 or higher. Buffalo’s 5-2 report is much less convincing if you see they’ve overwhelmed the Titans, Jets, Jaguars, Dolphins and Cardinals.
So the Payments have been sensible to improve at receiver. Allen’s open goal proportion (39.2) is the bottom since 2019. Receiver Khalil Shakir and tight finish Dalton Kincaid are good items, however they’re clearly not prepared for an offense to operate round them. Cooper is. He confirmed as a lot in his first week with the staff when he had 66 yards and a landing. That is one heck of a begin for a wideout with just some days of preparation — and who did not appear to know a lot of the playbook. It is solely up from right here for Cooper and Allen. — Henry McKenna
Was calling his staff comfortable a superb transfer for rookie Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo? Was Invoice Belichick proper to name out Mayo for doing so?
I am not right here to inform Jerod Mayo the best way to coach his staff, however I discover myself questioning what calling your staff out publicly does, precisely. We hear on a regular basis how gamers and coaches speak about not listening to the noise between followers and media. So Mayo is making statements he does not intend on his staff listening to? Feels slightly high-school gossipy to me.
I am all for coaches holding their gamers accountable, however I believe it is contradictory to make use of the media to do it. Hold that in-house — particularly when it is such a blanket and arbitrary assertion. This is not a call-to-action that wanted publicity. I believe it might have the identical quantity of influence if it have been finished at a staff assembly. Possibly that is slightly too old-fashioned of me and at present’s coaches wish to use the media as a software for motivation like that. If that is the case, and you discover it really works, you do you.
So far as Belichick’s criticism of Mayo, whereas BB has his personal agenda, I believe it was completely warranted due to how Mayo dealt with this within the first place. If you are going to carry the staff’s enterprise out into the general public, then it’s important to be accountable for these feedback in public, too. You may’t have it each methods. — Carmen Vitali
Mayo appears to have violated some form of teaching code, as a result of — to me — he had each cause to name his protection comfortable. The Jacksonville Jaguars floor that protection to items with Tank Bigsby and D’Ernest Johnson. Now, ought to Mayo have prevented saying the criticism publicly, slightly than protecting it in-house? If the phrase “comfortable” triggers a protection, then possibly that protection is comfortable. Possibly their response solely reinforces what Mayo is saying.
As for Belichick, I hated the way in which he challenged Mayo. Belichick has finished a number of appearances the place he says the identical factor: It is best to maintain these criticisms personal. The coach must publicly shoulder duty. That is a nice and cheap take, even when I disagree on this case. However then there was this half:
“Final 12 months, the Patriots led the league in dashing protection in yards per carry,” Belichick stated. “No. 1 within the league. This 12 months, they’re twenty sixth or no matter it’s. It is the identical gamers. I do not suppose a few of these gamers on protection are comfortable, however they have not stopped the run very nicely.”
But it surely’s not the identical gamers. New England is lacking defensive deal with Christian Barmore, linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley and security Jabrill Peppers. These are the staff’s three finest gamers and main absences in any respect three ranges. So come on, Invoice. Cease making an attempt to make this about you whereas additionally pretending you are not making this about you. You take the low highway. We are able to see it. — Henry McKenna
Are the Giants or Jets, each 2-5 headed into Week 8, in worse form proper now and why?
It is the Giants. The Jets have been a dumpster fireplace, however they’ve a glimmer of hope that Aaron Rodgers — with the addition of Adams and a still-talented protection — can flip issues round within the second half of the season. There isn’t any cause to be optimistic when you’re rooting for the Giants. They let the franchise’s finest participant go to the staff’s division rival in free company, and Saquon Barkley predictably got here again to bludgeon the Giants on their residence discipline. Subsequent, they’re in all probability going to maneuver on from QB Daniel Jones. First-round decide Malik Nabers has been productive when wholesome, however the Giants are a full reset subsequent season, whereas the Jets no less than have a shot at reaching the postseason this 12 months. — Eric D. Williams
It must be the Giants. Solely the Dolphins have scored fewer factors this season, and New York has scored 10 — complete — in its final two losses. The Jets are actively including items like Davante Adams, whereas the Giants might be buying and selling off spare components within the subsequent two weeks. And whereas proprietor John Mara stated he does “not anticipate making any adjustments within the offseason,” it doesn’t look good for Brian Daboll shifting ahead. The protection has promise, however this will likely be a franchise looking for a coach and a quarterback this offseason — and nearly actually selecting increased than the Jets on account of this 12 months’s continued struggles. — Greg Auman
The next writers contributed to this story: Ben Arthur (@benyarthur); Greg Auman (@gregauman); Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis); Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano); Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV); Eric D. Williams (@eric_d_williams).
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