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NFL Divisional Spherical: Greatest rapid query for advancing/eradicated playoff groups | NFL.com
Will all that relaxation be a very good or dangerous factor?
The Chiefs haven’t performed a significant recreation since they beat Pittsburgh on Christmas Day to clinch the highest seed within the AFC. Kansas Metropolis sat its most important starters in a season-ending loss to Denver after which relaxed throughout a first-round bye. Basically, by the point Saturday’s Houston-Kansas Metropolis comes round, the Chiefs could have basically loved 23 days of relaxation. It’s price questioning if all that point off will end in a sluggish begin towards Texans, however within the infamous phrases of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, that’s simply not how this crew rolls. For one factor, Kansas Metropolis wanted the bye as a lot as any crew within the postseason. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed the season with a excessive ankle sprain, All-Professional defensive deal with Chris Jones didn’t even play towards Pittsburgh due to a calf pressure, and there are a number of stars on this crew over the age of 30 (together with tight finish Travis Kelce, broad receiver DeAndre Hopkins and All-Professional guard Joe Thuney, who’s been taking part in left deal with over the previous month). Kansas Metropolis’s regular-season bye got here in Week 6. You’re rattling proper they cherished not taking part in within the Wild Card Spherical. Simply as necessary to notice is Reid’s file when coming off a bye. It’s 29-3. The person is aware of how one can use that additional time to arrange his crew for no matter challenges the following opponent may create. That doesn’t imply loopy issues can’t occur, because the Chiefs are about to play a rematch towards a Texans crew that may trigger lots of issues defensively. It merely means it’s a silly concept to guess towards this crew not being able to play. Kansas Metropolis has received three Tremendous Bowls in 5 years for a motive.
Carl Cheffers and All NFL Referee Assignments for 2025 Divisional Spherical Playoffs | Bleacher Report
Within the AFC’s different matchup, the Chiefs will start their title protection towards a Texans crew that completed the common season simply 10-7 after a 5-1 begin however did look implausible towards the Los Angeles Chargers within the Wild Card Spherical. The important thing might be whether or not DeMeco Ryans’ protection can pester Patrick Mahomes into a couple of game-altering errors. Historical past would counsel that Mahomes might be greater than up for the duty, a lot as he was throughout a 27-19 Week 16 win over the Texans.
The Winners and Losers of NFL Wild-Card Weekend | The Ringer
Ryans doesn’t simply coordinate the protection, although, and his total job efficiency should account for failures elsewhere on the crew. His dealing with of the offensive teaching workers might be price monitoring over the offseason. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who adopted Ryans from San Francisco to Houston, has had two full seasons to construct an offense to match the rising pressure Ryans has constructed on the opposite aspect of the ball. It hasn’t occurred, and the Texans offense and quarterback C.J. Stroud, the franchise’s most necessary piece, appear to be heading within the flawed path. Sticking with Slowik for too lengthy may undo the entire spectacular work Ryans has performed over his first two seasons.
If Houston’s season ends subsequent week in Kansas Metropolis, the offensive points— notably pre-snap penalties and the ineffective run recreation—will doubtless be the rationale. However we shouldn’t make the identical mistake former Jets coach Rex Ryan did final week when he mentioned the Texans recreation can be a “bye week” for the Chargers.
Don’t underestimate the significance of this soccer place | Kansas Metropolis Star
The lengthy snapper. The one that hikes the ball to punters and to holders for additional factors and area objectives. Lengthy snappers additionally develop into blockers when the opposing crew returns the kick after a punt.
It’s a place that requires pace, precision and the power to carry out underneath strain. A protracted snap has to go 15 yards for a punt or about 7 yards for an additional level or a area purpose. And in a sport the place inches are essential, a defective lengthy snap can lead to a blocked punt or missed area purpose and imply the distinction between successful and shedding.
“I feel it’s a fairly powerful place,” former New England Patriots legendary coach Invoice Belichick mentioned when requested about lengthy snappers in a 2021 interview. “You understand, no one is aware of or cares who the snapper is till there’s a nasty snap, and swiftly it’s a front-page story.”
The Full Information to the Lengthy Snapper Place on throwdeeppublishing.com describes the lengthy snapper’s function this manner:
“On additional factors and area objectives, their job is to snap it again to the holder within the blink of an eye fixed with pinpoint accuracy — giving the kicker loads of time because the onslaught of the protection seems to be to get a hand on the kick.”
The snap requires perfection, it says, with minimal room for error.
Conspiracy theorist claims to have cracked the NFL’s secret code: Chiefs will win Tremendous Bowl LIX | Marca
In a current Instagram video, the content material creator claimed, ”I discovered proof that each Tremendous Bowl in historical past has been predetermined.” He then revealed, ”Even this yr’s champion is spoiled” and displayed the logos of the Chiefs, 49ers, Payments, Eagles, Packers, and Jets.
“Bear in mind final yr we observed one thing unusual was occurring with Tremendous Bowl emblem colours in recent times?” Mike requested after which defined, ”Certain sufficient, the prophecy got here true with this reddish-purple emblem,” referring to the colours of Kansas Metropolis and San Francisco.
He defined that he checked the logos of each Tremendous Bowl and located that ”no less than one of many groups taking part in in 54 of these Tremendous Bowls had no less than one crew with a colour featured in that crew’s emblem.” In keeping with the Instagrammer, one of many few occasions his principle fails is in Tremendous Bowl XVIII, which was received by the Raiders.
2025 NFL Mock Draft: Giants go on QB as Shedeur Sanders falls out of high 5; Steelers, Broncos take WRs | CBS Sports activities
Spherical 1 – Choose 31Jared Ivey DEOle Miss • Sr • 6’6” / 285 lbs
Jared Ivey is the type of jumbo defensive finish whom Steve Spagnuolo loves. He can simply cut back down in apparent passing conditions and rush towards guards and facilities. Ivey had an enormous breakout marketing campaign after constantly flashing high-end potential his first 4 seasons.
2025 NFL Mock Draft: Newest First Spherical Predictions Getting into Divisional Playoffs | The thirty third Workforce
Derrick Harmon, IDL, Oregon
Peak: 6’5”Weight: 310 lbs.Class: JuniorFit: Defensive tackles at the moment underneath contract in Kansas Metropolis in 2025:
1. Chris Jones
– Finish of checklist
Kansas Metropolis’s defensive prowess is well-established underneath defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. However the Chiefs can be sensible to get some extra disruptive expertise within the pipeline to disrupt opposing offenses — notably with Denver seeking to be related as soon as once more and the Chargers constructing off of a return to the playoffs within the AFC West. Harmon is an lively expertise and has sufficient versatility to challenge to a 3-down function on the subsequent stage, however his greatest reps include alternatives to assault the ball. He ought to have loads of alternatives one-on-one on this protection with a participant like Jones lining up subsequent to him.
Across the NFL
Supply – Mike McCarthy received’t return as Cowboys’ coach | ESPN
McCarthy’s contract with the Cowboys expired final Wednesday however the crew held an unique negotiating window with the coach till Tuesday at midnight. Nevertheless, the edges haven’t had any negotiations concerning a brand new deal, sources advised Schefter on Monday.
The Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints are anticipated to be interested by talking with him concerning their vacancies, sources advised Schefter. Final week, the Bears had an official request for permission to talk with McCarthy denied by the Cowboys.
Vikings-Rams on Wild Card Weekend Monday: What We Realized from Los Angeles’ 27-9 win | NFL.com
Rams protection dominates Vikings’ high-powered offense. Minnesota entered Monday night time’s recreation with the NFL’s sixth-ranked passing offense, ninth-ranked scoring offense and an elite receiving duo in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. They completed with 163 passing yards, 6 for 17 on third down and simply 9 factors. Los Angeles devised a masterful defensive recreation plan for his or her rematch with the Vikings, proscribing Sam Darnold with man protection (he completed 4 for 12 for 64 yards, one landing and one interception towards man protection) and confounding him with a wide range of pressures generated by their wonderful defensive entrance and defensive backs. Eight Rams registered no less than half a sack on Monday night time, and two of these have been recorded by defensive backs. With the secondary complicating the image for Darnold, Rams rushers have been free to chase down the unsure quarterback, forcing two turnovers within the course of. The second — a fumble pressured by Ahkello Witherspoon and recovered by rookie Professional Bowler Jared Verse, who returned it for a landing — felt like a decisive blow, even when it occurred within the first half. As we ultimately discovered, Minnesota lacked the potential to beat defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s plans, which labored to close perfection and produced a press release win for the Rams, who added two extra turnovers to their plus-eight margin since their bye week and recorded their tenth win in 13 video games.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pleasure
Chiefs open as favorites over Texans in postseason’s Divisional spherical
On Saturday, the (15-2) Kansas Metropolis Chiefs play the (10-7) Houston Texans of their Divisional spherical playoff matchup on GEHA Area at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Arrowhead Time on ESPN and ABC — domestically on KMBC/9.
In keeping with FanDuel Sportsbook, the first-seeded Chiefs are 7.5-point residence favorites over the fourth-seeded Texans.
The 2 groups might be simply 4 weeks out from their Week 16 matchup, by which the (13-1) Kansas Metropolis squad opened as a 2.5 residence underdog to the (9-5) Houston crew. The Chiefs received that recreation 27-19. Within the Week 18 matchup towards the Denver Broncos, Kansas Metropolis opened as an 8.5-point underdog. Resting its starters within the common season’s closing recreation, the crew recorded a 38-0 loss.
In Saturday’s matchup, I just like the Single-Sport Parlay the place the Chiefs cowl 9.5 factors, Travis Kelce collects no less than one 20-yard reception and scores a landing. FanDuel at the moment has that SGP at +697.
Social media to make you suppose
I used to be rewatching a little bit of the 2000 NFC title recreation the place Giants stadium simply exploded whereas they destroyed the Vikings and I acquired to thiniking: What’s the loudest crowd for a recreation in trendy NFL historical past? Say 2000 and onward.
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) January 13, 2025
Chiefs titans Afc Champ Sport after Sammy watkins TD
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) January 13, 2025