NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Raiders, Steelers clinch AFC wild-card playoff berths

Through tumult and tragedy, the Las Vegas Raiders have emerged with a trip to the postseason ahead.

The Raiders defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in the final game of the regular season on Sunday, 35-32, in overtime to earn their first playoff berth since 2016, and the Pittsburgh Steelers received a wild-card berth, as well, thanks to the result.

The Raiders, seeded fifth in the AFC, will open the playoffs on Saturday at the No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals at 4:30 p.m. ET. The seventh-seeded Steelers will face the No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at 8:15 p.m. ET.

Looking for a victory to punch their postseason ticket, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia's Raiders got their fourth in a row. In the process, the Raiders (10-7) eliminated the rival Chargers (9-8) from postseason contention.

It was a history-making victory for Bisaccia, who became the first interim coach to lead a team to the playoffs in the Super Bowl era. The Raiders are 6-5 since Bisaccia took over following the resignation of Jon Gruden.

Las Vegas was 6-7 following a 48-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14 that was its fifth defeat in six games. But the Raiders have regrouped in stunning fashion, winning a string of nail-biters to stay in playoff contention.

As for the Steelers (9-7-1), they defeated the Baltimore Ravens earlier in the day and were ushered in by the Chargers' win and the Indianapolis Colts' loss. After the Colts' loss, Pittsburgh's win clinched a postseason spot as long as the Chargers-Raiders game didn't end in a tie.

NFL.com

 

Cooper Kupp has hit the finish of a remarkable 2021 regular season and emerged as a triple crown winner.

The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver captured the receiving triple crown, becoming the first player since 2005 to lead the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Kupp's final line of statistical splendor reads: 145 receptions, 1,947 receiving yards; 16 receiving touchdowns. His marks for catches and yards are each the second-most in NFL history.

Kupp is only the fourth player since 1970 to achieve the rare feat, joining Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers, 1990), Sterling Sharpe (Green Bay Packers, 1992) and the last player previous to Kupp to claim a triple crown, Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers, 2005).

Though the Rams lost to the 49ers in overtime on Sunday, Kupp was still stellar to the tune of seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Heading into Sunday, the only statistic in which Kupp could have realistically been caught was in touchdowns. One game remains on the Week 18 slate, with the Chargers and Raiders playing. Bolts WR Keenan Allen, who had 100 catches coming in, would need to more than double the single-game catch record to catch Kupp in that category.

But Kupp, a guiding light for the NFC West champions, has caught just about everything thrown his way in 2021, and now he's caught the triple crown to cap a season for the ages.

NFL.com

 

I hate this new expanded playoff reality we live in.

 

Sunday was a very good day for the Steelers as a team and for linebacker T.J. Watt as an individual.

Watt dropped Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley for a sack late in the first half and that moved him into a tie with Michael Strahan for the NFL’s official record for most sacks in a season. Watt thought he’d tied the record earlier in the game when he tackled Huntley after the Ravens quarterback recovered a fumble on what was ruled an aborted snap and he had a half-sack taken away due to an unnecessary roughness penalty on Cameron Heyward, so he had to settle for the tie when all was said and done.


“It’s definitely a cool feeling,” Watt said, via Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I don’t know if any of it’s really hit me. It’s not just myself. There’s so many great players, coaches and schemes — a lot of selfless guys in that locker room who have allowed me to make plays. That record is not just mine.”

Watt finished the day with five tackles, three quarterback hits, and a forced fumble and the Steelers wound up making the playoffs with an overtime win. Watt said the result left him “hungrier than ever” and he’ll be chasing Patrick Mahomes around Arrowhead Stadium next Sunday night.

PFT

 

Why is there a game on Monday? I thought we were done with that crap. I liked it last year. Three games a day for two days. That was a full weekend.

 

There’s a game on Monday because someone pulled out their checkbook

 

You could literally hear assholes puckering in Pittsburgh all the way to North-Central Ohio during the overtime period in that LAC/LV game last night.

 

So that's what that noise was??

 

Could also have been the sound of Urban Meyer kicking a few people. I guess we'll never know.

 

sincerely, I literally LOLd.

 

This Weekends WC Playoff action...

 

The Steelers could get an unexpected boost at receiver for a playoff run.

Pittsburgh announced that JuJu Smith-Schuster has been designated to return from injured reserve and will practice on Thursday.


Smith-Schuster was expected to miss the rest of the 2021 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in October. The receiver admitted he cried all night after learning how long he was to be out.

But now Smith-Schuster has recovered enough to be back on the field. He signed a one-year, $8 million deal to return to Pittsburgh in the 2021 offseason after spending his first four years with the club. Smith-Schuster caught 15 passes for 129 yards in five games before suffering the shoulder injury against the Broncos on Oct. 10.

The Steelers have 21 days to activate Smith-Schuster off of IR if they continue to advance.

Pittsburgh has also activated receiver James Washington off the COVID-19 list after he missed the regular-season finale against Baltimore.

PFT

 

Not that it's anything to hang your hat on, but the Browns haven't been in last place since Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward arrived...Again, we have what, 3 3rd place finishes, so it isn't saying much, but they have been more competitive for certain!

 

1988 is the last time that the Steelers came in last place.

 

Clyde Edwards-Helaire out for Sunday night



The Chiefs will not have running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire for Sunday night’s home Wild Card round game against the Steelers.

Edwards-Helaire was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, but his shoulder injury kept him off the field on Thursday and Friday. Head coach Andy Reid said in his final press conference before the game that Edwards-Helaire has been ruled out for this weekend.


It’s the thirds straight game Edwards-Helaire will miss. He missed five other games in the regular season and finished the year with 119 carries for 517 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

Running back Darrell Williams has been limited in practice by a toe injury this week, but Reid said he expects Williams will be available Sunday. Derrick Gore and Jerick McKinnon will also be on hand at running back for Kansas City.

PFT

 

Najee Harris practices fully, listed as questionable



Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that Friday’s practice would be telling for running back Najee Harris‘ chances of playing after missing two days of practice with an elbow injury.

The word is in on Harris’ participation and it is pretty good for those who want to see Harris in the lineup against the Chiefs. Harris was a full participant in the team’s final session of the week.


Harris is listed as questionable to play, but the full practice is a promising sign for the rookie’s availability.

Right guard Trai Turner (knee) returned after sitting on Thursday and joined every other player on the active roster as a full participant in practice. Harris is the only player carrying an injury designation into the weekend.

PFT

 

Bengals Have Gone 31 Years Without A Playoff Win, Longer Than Any Other NFL Team...

 

Has it been that long? Unbelievable!