MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

I thought I saw one of his teammates tap him but he either ignored him or didn't realize what he was telling him. Either way it looked bad.

 

Mike Tomlin: I can’t say enough about our young quarterback



After Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett led the team to a comeback win over the Ravens on Sunday night, coach Mike Tomlin said he loved what he saw.

“I can’t say enough about our young QB,” Tomlin said. “He smiles in the face of it, he’s always ready to be that guy, in the moments we need him to be that guy, and it’s just good to see the young guy.”


Tomlin said the Steelers targeted Pickett in the first round of the draft because they thought he was going to show that kind of poise and leadership. Pickett played at Pitt, which shares a stadium with the Steelers, and Tomlin said the Steelers had a high degree of confidence that they were getting the kind of quarterback they wanted to lead their franchise.

“We benefited so much from close proximity in the evaluation process,” he said. “The proximity to him at Pitt really gave us that comfort.”

The Steelers have no regrets about their first-round pick.

PFT

 

Tom Brady is in a league of his own after another 30-completion game
Brady led the Buccaneers to another NFC South title

It’s hard to believe that Tom Brady could still be setting records and doing things no other quarterback has ever done in the history of the NFL at age 45.

In the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Brady continued to make an imprint on the NFL record book. He was 34-of-45 with 432 passing yards and three touchdown passes – all to Mike Evans – and a rushing touchdown.

Brady completed at least 30 passes for the fifth straight game and with that became the first player in NFL to hit that mark and became the first player in league history with at least 30 completions in 10 games within a single season, according to NFL Research.

Additionally, Brady tied Drew Brees with his 131st game with at least 300 passing yards, including the postseason. He moved up to second for most completions in a single season with 477. He set the record in 2021 with 485 and is sure to break his own mark in Week 18 if he plays a substantial amount in the season finale against the Atlanta Falcons.

Brady is also behind Brees for the most games with at least 400 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Brady has 11 along with Peyton Manning. Brees has 12.

Brady has put together another great season with the Buccaneers despite sometimes appearing limited due to the injuries on the team’s offensive line. He has six straight seasons of throwing for at least 4,000 yards and picked up his 19th division title between the Buccaneers and the New England Patriots.

FOX

 

Brady is the goat.

 

The guy keeps doing amazing sh*t

 

He is the GOAT, but he's still Tom Brady and he went to Michigan, so he's far from perfect, lol

 

The decision has finally been made in Tennessee.

On Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel announced that Joshua Dobbs will be starting over Malik Willis in the Titans' AFC South title matchup versus the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18.

With Ryan Tannehill sidelined by an ankle injury, the rookie Willis started for the Titans in their Week 16 loss to the Houston Texans, while Dobbs started in Tennessee's Week 17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday night.

In his first NFL start, Dobbs went for 20 of 39 and threw for 232 yards and a touchdown. Now, he will be finishing the regular season for Tennessee.

Around the NFL will have an update on this story.

NFL.com

 

The NFL has cracked down on taunting in recent years in order to minimize ill will among opposing players. A legal celebration by Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux engendered plenty of ill will on Sunday, against the Colts.

But not as much as interim coach Jeff Saturday would have liked to see.

In one of the most disturbing football visuals you’ll ever see, Thibodeaux sprawled on the ground and made a snow angel, while Colts quarterback Nick Foles convulsed in pain, after being driven into the MetLife Stadium turf by Thibodeaux.

After the game, Colts center Ryan Kelly called the move “horseshit.” Saturday apparently believes it’s horseshit that Kelly and other players didn’t do anything about it.

“Tasteless from the celebration afterwards, just you know trash,” Saturday told reporters on Monday regarding Thibodeaux’s actions. “Not a fan of it at all. Disappointed from the O-line perspective and for teammates in general. We protect our own, man. . . . I’m just gonna tread lightly. Obviously, I didn’t like it at all. And that’s where I’ll leave it.”

Saturday is basically saying one of the other players should have done something about it, presumably physically. That’s why he was treading lightly.

And to the extent that Thibodeaux claims he was oblivious at the time he was doing snow angels next to Foles, Thibodeaux surely knew that Foles was injured when Thibodeaux’s sideline celebration included a gesture expressing pride and pleasure that he had put Foles “to sleep.”

PFT

 

Saturday is right, they should have taken one for the team. But I believe Thibodaeux didn’t know about it when he did the snow angel. He was on the ground so quickly that he probably didn’t notice. But the sleep thing was over the top. I was watching the game and he went to celebrate the sack immediately. He looked surprised when he saw Foles down in pain after he got up. But he was classless later on.

 

What does Michigan have to do with far from perfect? Could be worse, he could be from Ohio State

 

Now your just reaching.

 

Bears having conversations about whether to play Justin Fields in Week 18



Bears head coach Matt Eberflus sounded a lot less committed to playing quarterback Justin Fields in the season finale during his Monday press conference than he has at other points when the topic has come up.

Eberflus said last week that Fields would start the final two games of the season and defended keeping Fields in through seven sacks in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Lions because the 2021 first-round pick needs “live experience.” On Monday, however, Eberflus said that he would be discussing plans for who will play in Week 18 with General Manager Ryan Poles and others on the coaching staff.

“Where we were two weeks ago is different than where we are now,” Eberflus said, via Dan Weirderer of the Chicago Tribune. “So I think it’s important we evaluate that. We’ll have conversations about everybody and what it’s in the best interest of our team.”

Eberflus also said that if Fields is healthy, he will play against the Vikings but there wouldn’t be any need for a conversation with Poles or other coaches if that was the only factor determining his availability for the final weekend of the regular season.

PFT

 

Fields needs 64 yards to break the QB rushing record. Let him get it probably two carries the way it has been for him and pull him.

 

Fields it the big positive they have why put him at risk for a meaningless record.

 

Because it would get Lamar Jackson’s lame ass out of the record book for at least one record.

 

Mike White Will Start For Jets Against Dolphins

Sam Howell Will Start For Commanders In Week 18

 

Kyler Murray: ACL surgery was successful



Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury mentioned on Wednesday that Arizona will need Colt McCoy next year given that Kyler Murray is likely to be out for a significant portion of the season.

Murray also gave an update on his status, posting on social media that he had undergone successful ACL surgery.


“[T]hank you for all the love and prayers,” Murray wrote. “I appreciate the support and positivity more than I can express, I’ll be back.”

According to NFL Media, Murray also had some meniscus repair work done on his knee.

Murray suffered his torn ACL at the beginning of Arizona’s Week 14 loss to New England.

In 11 games this season, Murray completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 2,368 yards with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 418 yards with three TDs.

Via Darren Urban of the Cardinals’ website, head coach Kliff Kingsbury exchanged texts with Murray.

“I know he was excited to get it done and get moving forward,” Kingsbury said on Wednesday.

PFT

 

Ravens OC Greg Roman not counting Lamar Jackson out for playoffs: 'I would bet on him'

Lamar Jackson hasn't practiced in more than a month since suffering a knee injury on Dec. 4. Still, offensive coordinator Greg Roman is keeping hope the Baltimore Ravens' starting quarterback could return for the postseason.

"He's a special guy," Roman said Thursday via ESPN. "I think if somebody's got a chance to do it, he does."

Jackson missed his 14th consecutive day of practice Thursday and hasn't played in a game since injuring the knee in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos. The former NFL MVP hasn't officially been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but it's hard to see him returning this week.

Coach John Harbaugh has been mum on whether Jackson could return for the playoffs, but Roman provided a more optimistic view.

"I would say, I would bet on him. I would definitely bet on him," Roman said. "It's not an ideal situation, obviously, but it's a great opportunity when he does come back to get him back in the lineup and get moving."

Jackson isn't the only Ravens quarterback dealing with an injury. Tyler Huntley, who has started all four games Jackson missed, is dealing with shoulder and wrist injuries that have limited him in practice this week. If Huntley also can't play, undrafted rookie Anthony Brown would start against Cincinnati.

The NFL's announcement Thursday night that the Buffalo-Cincinnati game will not be resumed makes the Bengals the AFC North champions, per NFL Research. The NFL is holding a Special League Meeting on Friday where clubs will consider a resolution to determine the course of action for the AFC playoffs. One scenario being considered is a potential coin toss to decide home field for a Super Wild Card Weekend rematch if Baltimore wins Sunday against Cincinnati and the Chargers beat the Denver Broncos.


We know the Ravens will be playing next weekend. The big question in Baltimore is whether Jackson will be under center for that game.

NFL.com

 

Joe Flacco to start, Mike White ruled out with injured ribs



The Jets opened the season with Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback and they will end it the same way.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced on Friday that Flacco will be starting against the Dolphins in Week 18 because Mike White has been ruled out with injured ribs. White missed two game for the same reason before returning and playing poorly against the Seahawks last Sunday, but the Jets said he was well enough to play earlier this week.