NFL games that matter in Week 18

I can’t believe that the regular season is almost over…

Let’s face it, just about every game in Week 18 matters for somebody as there are five playoff spots still up for grabs with eleven teams in the hunt for these coveted spots. The last week of regular season action is finally upon us, and so it’s important to sift through the noise and find out which games really matter for the teams that matter. Without further ado, let’s break down the matchups that matter most in Week 18. Games are listed by the order in which they appear on the Week 18 NFL schedule.

Steelers vs Ravens (Saturday)

Steelers fans and Bills fans will be interested to learn the outcome of this contest. For the Steelers, this is a “win & in” scenario with the Ravens resting their starters. Meanwhile, the Bills & their fans are rooting for a Steelers loss as that outcome would give them a playoff berth & a shot to take the AFC East title on Sunday night. This matchup also highlights one of the best rivalry series in the NFL, so don’t expect the Ravens to just roll over & give the Steelers the victory on Saturday night.

Colts vs Texans (Saturday night)

I’m loving this marquee Saturday night matchup before Sunday’s festivities begin. Three teams, including the two featured here plus the Jaguars, are in a three way tie atop the AFC South division with identical 9-7 records on their respective ledgers. The Colts just need a win here and they’re in the playoff tournament; however, a win & a Jaguars loss on Sunday would secure them their first division title since 2014! Similar things can be said for the Texans, who would secure a playoff spot with a win & their first AFC South title since 2019 with a win in tandem with a Jaguars loss. It doesn’t really get much better than a de-facto playoff game on a Saturday night.

Jaguars vs Titans (Sunday early)

Regardless of Saturday night’s outcome, the Jaguars would secure the AFC South division with a win due to their head to head tiebreakers over the Colts & Texans. That said, all of the pressure is on the Jaguars in order to make that happen, and it’s not like these Mike-Vrabel led Titans are just going to sit around and let them win. Trevor Lawrence is on track to play for the Jags this week, which is surely welcome news as his health has been shaky down the stretch due to an awful shoulder injury. Losing here would obliterate their playoff hopes, as they would then be thrown into a weird fiasco dependent on tie game(s) in order to secure the final Wild Card slot.

Bucs vs Panthers (Sunday early)

Okay, surely no sane NFL fan will be actively watching this appalling matchup here. That said, the significance of this key game’s outcome shouldn’t be lost on NFL fans. This is basically a “win or go home” game for the Buccaneers, as with a win they would be NFC South division champions; however, a loss would throw them into a frenzy with Green Bay & Seattle in order to possibly secure the final Wild Card spot. A Buccaneers loss would also mean that the winner of the Saints-Falcons game would secure the NFC South title, which brings us to our next game on the docket…

Falcons vs Saints (Sunday early)

Things are very simple for the Falcons, as it’s win or go home for them on Sunday. Unfortunately for them, their division rival Saints are basically in the same boat. Both teams need a win & some help (read: a Buccaneers loss) to win the NFC South. Making matters more interesting is the fact that these teams won’t know the results of the Buccaneers game until their game is over, as they start at the exact same time. These two head coaches are also fighting for their jobs, so this should be interesting.

Packers vs Bears (Sunday late)

A Packers win would guarantee their ticket to the playoffs; however, a loss wouldn’t necessarily be detrimental to their hopes, as there are many routes they could take. Losing though would open the door for the Seahawks and Saints to steal their spot. The Bears were eliminated from contention long ago; however, they are surging as of late & their offense finally came alive in last week’s 37-17 victory over the Falcons. This is a great matinee game leading into a fantastic Sunday Night Football clash.

Bills vs Dolphins (Sunday night)

We’ve saved the best for last, as I will surely be watching this matchup attentively. It’s amazing to me that the Bills could end up anywhere from the AFC’s No. 2 seed & AFC East winner to the No. 6 or No. 7 seed to bounced from the postseason entirely. That’s such a wide range of outcomes for them, so it’s easier to say win & you’re in. Of course, the Bills have been playing that way for the past month or so anyways. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have already punched their playoff ticket, but they could secure their first division title since 2008 (!) with a win over the Bills in primetime. There’s also still an outside chance that Tyreek Hill could break the single season receiving yards record previously set by Calvin Johnson all the way back in 2012. Grab your popcorn & watch the final Sunday Night Football game of the season!

The future of head coaching in the NFL

The term NFL stands for “Not For Long,” as some of these coaches will learn this offseason.

The NFL currently has three head coach vacancies as Josh McDaniels (Raiders), Frank Reich (Panthers), & Brandon Staley (Chargers) were fired during the season. According to this CBS report, there could be as many as five more vacancies created after the conclusion of the regular season, and even that figure might be optimistic. Teams like the Patriots, Commanders, Jets, Bears, and Falcons will be looking for new head coaches during the offseason; however, teams like the Saints, Cowboys, & Buccaneers could also wind up joining them in the hunt for their next commander.

With several of the league’s thirty two teams probably looking for a new head coach this offseason, the future of the position as we know it is very much in the balance. With that being said, this seems like an ideal time to get the scoop on the position. Who are the hottest names amongst this upcoming group of coaching candidates? Which amongst them will eventually separate themselves from the rest of the pack?

Bill Belichick; Patriots HC

It’s not often that you see a six-time Super Bowl winning coach hit the open market. Bill might join the broadcast booth next season, but if he continues coaching he would be an ideal candidate for a team like the Chargers, who are in win-now mode. I still believe that Belichick is one of the best coaches in the league, but giving him all of the football power that he got with the Patriots could prove to be dangerous. His drafts in recent years have left much to be desired, so any football owner should be hesitant about giving him all of the say so when it comes to personnel decisions. Belichick does bring instant credibility, a strong resume, & a penchant for winning trophies though, so it will be quite difficult for any owner to ever turn him down.

Ben Johnson; Lions OC

Johnson, after interviewing for several head coaching vacancies last offseason, instead decided to remain as the Lions offensive coordinator for one more season. This decision turned out to be a brilliant one in hindsight, as he’s now one of the most coveted candidates this offseason after another fantastic campaign in Detroit. The Lions just won the NFC North for the first time ever by utilizing an offense built on a strong offensive line, a punishing running game, & an explosive passing game.

There’s an elephant in the room when it comes to hiring Johnson though, which is this key rumor that he’s seeking $15M per year as a rookie head coach in the league. That figure ranks in the top-five of current NFL head coaches, with the likes of Bill Belichick ($20M), Sean Payton ($18M), Pete Carroll ($15M), & Sean McVay ($15M). Ben Johnson won’t bring the instant credibility that those guys have, but he’s still an exciting young head coaching candidate who will be highly coveted this offseason.

Jim Harbaugh; Michigan HC

Harbaugh’s track record speaks for itself as he’s won in every place that he’s been against both college and NFL competition during his extensive coaching career. Unfortunately, he just hasn’t been able to win the big game in any of those settings. His Michigan teams were caught cheating, yet they were still outclassed by Georgia.

Despite his few flaws, the man does bring instant credibility to an NFL locker room. Teams like the Falcons, Commanders, & Raiders, who lack any sort of identity could certainly do much worse than hiring Harbaugh to lead their franchise next season. Michigan will try to keep him, but NFL teams will surely throw more money at him.

Dan Quinn; Cowboys DC

Dan Quinn isn’t my personal favorite coaching candidate, considering how things went south in a hurry for the Falcons after losing Super Bowl LI way back in 2016. There’s also the fact that he’s improved dramatically as a coach after moving up to the booth as a defensive coordinator instead of being “the guy” on an NFL sideline.

Buyers should beware when it comes to hiring Quinn; however, his track record as the Cowboys defensive coordinator the past three years simply cannot be ignored. That unit has transformed from one of the worst in the NFL to one of the NFL’s best. Some team will come calling for Quinn’s services, but will the relationship work out?

Eric Bienemy; Commanders OC

Here’s a familiar name to NFL fans, as the longtime Chiefs offensive coordinator brought his talents to Washington last offseason as their offensive coordinator after interviewing for several head coaching positions for the third consecutive offseason. Teams don’t want to hire this guy for whatever reason, & nobody knows why that is. Take one look at the Kansas City Chiefs offense this year in comparison to last year though, & it’s clear that Bienemy knows how to run an offense with the right talent. Will he be able to convince an NFL owner that he has what it takes to lead a team?

Raheem Morris; Rams DC

Don’t look now, but the Rams are rolling after suffering a lengthy midseason skid. After giving up a season high 43 points in their Week 8 loss to the Cowboys, the Rams defensive unit has since given up an average of only 21 points per game. Morris is in charge of that unit, and the unheralded group is on quite a roll lately. Aaron Donald is a star, but outside of him the Rams are working with a whole host of unheralded players on defense and excelling with said players in a playoff push. Will Morris’ 21-38 career record as a head coach prevent teams from hiring him?

Other names: Brian Flores (Vikings), Bobby Slowik (Texans), Ejiro Evero (Panthers)

Arthur Blank should fire everyone if the Falcons lose to the Panthers this weekend

FanDuel Sportsbook has the Falcons at +155 odds (37% chance) of winning the NFC South after their devastating 29-25 home loss to the Buccaneers this past weekend. Despite the team’s playoff hopes dwindling, a new piece from Breacher Report suggests that Arthur Smith’s job is, “safe in Atlanta, barring a late season collapse.” What does the term “late season collapse” mean to you? Does this mean that if the team doesn’t win the division that Smith will be gone at the end of the season? Or could a late season collapse involve losing one game in the worst way possible, like what happened to Brandon Staley and the Chargers against the Raiders this week?

I was in attendance for the Falcons week 1 win over the Panthers at Mercedes Benz. The Falcons were in complete control of the game, & the game was never in doubt. We ran the ball well that day, averaging 5 yards per carry on 26 carries for 130 yards. Desmond Ridder only had to throw for 115 yards on 18 attempts in the 24-10 victory. I’m saying all of this to say that losing to the 1-12 Panthers, a division rival & the worst team in the entire league, would represent a clear regression from the team.

This is the NFL though, and in today’s parity driven league even the crappiest teams are often long overdue for a win, and it can happen against a far superior opponent. That concept is where the term “trap game” originated from, when a vastly superior opponent faces a far lesser opponent, gets too cocky, and ends up blowing the game. My belief is that the Falcons are heading into a trap game here against the Panthers.

After all, the team is favored by only 3 points against their division rival on Sunday. Arthur Smith’s track record in one score games looks great on paper, as he has a 17-15 career record in one score games, including recent wins against the Saints & Jets. Football games aren’t won on paper though, as his record in one score games since 2021 is 10-13, painting a different picture of how his teams have fared in the clutch. The team has played tons of close games recently, and without much to show for it. A loss to the Panthers on Sunday would give Arthur Smith a 20-28 career record and a slim chance of clinching a playoff berth in the worst division in football this year.

GM Terry Fontenot shouldn’t be absolved from blame in this scenario here either. The team, as currently constructed, has no franchise quarterback, no pass rush, & an inconsistent offensive line that’s being paid as one of the best units in the league. That’s a recipe for disaster in today’s NFL, and the team hasn’t been successful at all. Sure, Fontenot has signed some impactful free agents like S Jessie Bates, RB/WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson, & K Younghoe Koo, but his draft picks have included the likes of TE Kyle Pitts, S Richie Grant, OG Jaylen Mayfield, & some other non-contributors. Overall, it’s been a mixed bag of results for the third year GM of the Atlanta Falcons.

This is why owner Arthur Blank should clean house if the team loses on Sunday. Falcons fans have been anxiously waiting for a home playoff game in Mercedez Benz Stadium, & there haven’t been any to attend since the stadium opened in 2017. It’s been six years since the Falcons had a winning season as a playoff contender. Regardless of Sunday’s game outcome, a culture change is likely needed in Atlanta. Will Arthur Blank make the change? Or will he succumb to mediocrity once again?

Overhead camera footage shows reasons why the Falcons must move on from Desmond Ridder this offseason

Check out the “roof cam” footage mentioned in the article, it’s pretty neat.

NFL talent evaluators want to see accuracy, strong footwork, & a tight spiral on the ball (in addition to several other factors) when evaluating quarterback prospects. Now, you would think that throwing with a tight spiral isn’t nearly as important as throwing with fundamentals (accuracy & footwork) is when it comes to QB success. This fascinating video from Insider pours some cold water on that theory, as these three components work together in tandem to create consistently catchable passes.

New “roof cam” footage posted on the Atlanta Falcons YouTube channel shows that QB Desmond Ridder consistently fails to meet these basic quarterback standards, even in his season highlights where the team is trying to showcase him at his best. Ridder’s issue is that his fundamentals are so inconsistent that his receivers often have to bail him out by adjusting to off-target passes in the middle of their routes. Drake London does a great job of doing this, as we saw this past weekend when he made this incredible play on an awful deep ball that should have been intercepted. Unfortunately, Ridder has just one Drake London to throw to on this Falcons team…

Inaccuracy

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote analysis on Desmond Ridder as a draft prospect. Zierlein’s findings on Ridder noted that his accuracy and ball placement need work, and that getting the ball to NFL targets accurately and safely is not a given for him. We see an example of his inaccuracy at work here at 4:01 in the roof camera video. This is a pass that could’ve easily gone for a touchdown, but instead the receiver attempts to make an acrobatic adjustment to the ball as it sails well out of bounds.

Sloppy footwork

Lance Zierlein claims that Ridder has consistently repeatable footwork & good mechanics, but I’m going to present evidence to the contrary of his expert opinion. Let’s begin at 3:57 here, where we have a clear view of Desmond Ridder’s footwork. Throwing off his back foot here led to a wobbly (albeit completed) pass to London. The Falcons QB1 throws off his back foot again at 4:10, but this time with a much better spiral & placement where only the receiver could get his hands on the ball. Finally, here’s an instance of Ridder forcefully trying to throw the ball to Mack Hollins despite faulty mechanics on a successful trick play against the Packers.

Wobbly spiral

My biggest concern regarding Desmond Ridder is his lack of a tight football spiral. This was my main takeaway upon watching the roof cam video for the first time in that I noticed that the Falcons starter doesn’t always throw the ball with any spiral. There are several instances where this can be seen, including here, here, and here. His receivers aren’t always able to track the ball well in the air as a result of this weakness in his game, and they frequently have to adjust their routes to account for wobbly passes that aren’t always in the best locations for them to make the catches.

Closing thoughts

Desmond Ridder is clearly not the solution the Falcons should be looking for at QB. Accuracy, strong footwork, and a tight spiral on the football aren’t areas of strength in his game, and in fact you could say that they are some of his biggest weaknesses. He also turns the ball over at an alarming rate, as he has 15 total turnovers in comparison to 14 total touchdowns in 13 games as the Falcons starter this season. Total all of these things together, and it becomes crystal clear that the Falcons should be desperately searching for a new man under center in the 2024 offseason.

Why Tyreek Hill deserves to win the NFL MVP Award

The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award is traditionally reserved for the league’s top quarterback every year, as the last non-quarterback player to win this prestigious accolade was the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson more than a decade ago. Things could change this year though, as there is just no obvious “slam dunk” QB that’s just running away with the award like there typically has been in years prior. Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy, & Jalen Hurts (the current MVP odds favorites) are all having great seasons for their respective teams, but none of their individual achievements feel truly special in comparison to Tyreek Hill’s accomplishments.

Tyreek Hill has put up 93 catches on 127 targets for 1,481 yards (15.9 yards per reception) and 12 receiving touchdowns in 12 games for the Dolphins this year. Those are video game numbers, the likes of which the NFL hasn’t seen in a while. Hill is on pace to best Calvin Johnson’s single season receiving yards record of 1,964 receiving yards set during Johnson’s historic 2012 season with the Lions, and create his own club as the league’s first ever 2,000 yard receiver by the end of the year.

The Dolphins WR1 is simply uncoverable this year, as his worst statistical game came in Week 4 against the Bills where he mustered only 3 catches for 58 yards. Tyreek then followed that up with 8 catches for 181 yards & a TD against the Giants. He recently thanked the Commanders for “disrespecting” him by not giving safety help over the top of his routes, a decision which left his defenders in man coverage. This decision resulted in Hill posting 157 yards & 2 TDs in a 45-15 Dolphins victory.

Hill’s impact goes beyond the numbers on the gridiron, as the 9-3 Dolphins are on pace to win the AFC East for the first time since 2008 in part because of his efforts. His quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is enjoying the best season of his career in 2023. Tua has nearly set career highs in yards (3,457), yards per attempt (8.6), passing touchdowns (24), and completion percentage (70.1%) with five games left to play.

Add all of these things together, & it’s clear that Tyreek Hill is having a special year. Will his season be special enough for the league’s sportswriters to award him MVP? That remains to be seen, but the possibility simply can’t be overlooked at this point. “Cheetah” is having a season for the ages, and so he’s very deserving of the several postseason accolades he racks up both on an individual level and on a team basis.

NFL Fireable Offenses (2023)

The NFL has seen its fair share of what I like to call “fireable offenses” this season. That is to say that there are certain coaching blunders which happen during every season that are simply inexcusable, and usually these outcomes lead to staff firings. You will see in the examples below though that this doesn’t always hold true for all.

Still though, these circumstances often draw negative commentary from the media. Unfortunately, this will often make the team lose focus, and as a result lose games. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the latest fireable offenses so far this season.

Broncos defense allows 70 points vs Dolphins

Seriously, just take a look at these highlights & you will understand why I believe that someone should’ve gotten fired from the outcome of this very fireable offense. Sure, the Dolphins offense is good, but putting up 70 points on an NFL team good? The Dolphins offense has cooled off considerably since their Week 5 masterpiece. So, what was the end result here? Did anyone lose their job over this 70-20 loss?

Result: DC Vance Joseph stays, defense rebounds nicely

Jets continue to stick with Zach Wilson

Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz, Josh Dobbs, & Ryan Tannehill were all available for the Jets to either trade for or sign during the year, & yet the team has Zach Wilson at QB. I can make an argument that each of those guys is better than Wilson, & they would only have been needed for under a full season with Aaron Rodgers’ return looming. Maybe that’s why nobody wanted to take the gig, but the Jets clearly should’ve tried. HC Robert Saleh recently “pleaded the fifth” when asked about Wilson by the media, so it’s unclear as to if he has any control over his team’s unsettling QB situation.

Result: Offense continues to lose games for the Jets

Raiders start Brian Hoyer in an NFL game

Finally, there’s a fireable offense that actually ended in a firing of the coach. Josh McDaniels had a myriad of issues, but key among them was his decision to start longtime journeyman QB Brian Hoyer over rookie Aidan O’ Connell in an NFL game. This decision caused the team to essentially give up on McDaniels, to the point where the players scheduled a team meeting to discuss everything that was going wrong with McDaniels’ leadership along with the offense’s lack of functionality.

Result: Josh McDaniels fired shortly after this decision

Bills lose on ridiculous “12th man” play

Watch Peyton Manning’s facial expressions here as he realizes what kind of sorcery just happened at the end of the Bills loss to the Broncos on Monday Night Football. There are just no excuses for this total collapse, and this all falls on the head coach. Football fans may never see another play like that one ever again in their lifetimes. The Broncos missed a kick that would have resulted in a Bills win; however, the Bills inexplicably had 12 men on the field & the refs called a penalty on the team for that. This penalty set up a game-winning kick chance for the Broncos in a 24-22 Bills loss.

Result: OC Ken Dorsey gets fired (for whatever reason)

Falcons put up 70 passing yards vs Cardinals

Last but not least, let’s talk about how the Falcons made the lowly Cardinals defense look like the almighty ’85 Bears defense in their embarrassing 25-23 loss to the team. Sure, they had Taylor Heinicke (and later Desmond Ridder) playing at QB for them, but c’mon now. Just 70 total passing yards?! Against the previously 1-8 Cardinals?! Personally, I feel as though we’re not talking about this catastrophe nearly enough.

Result: Arthur Smith is on the hot seat. Or is he? No one knows…

Where does Desmond Ridder rank amongst NFL QBs after 11 career starts?

It’s time to compare Desmond Ridder to his NFL peers.

Desmond Ridder has been in the NFL for two seasons, and he has 11 career starts to his name after taking over for an injured(?) Marcus Mariota in Week 15 of last year. Quarterback comparisons can commence as we’ve seen who Ridder is at this point. There’s obviously room for gradual improvement over time, but we’ve clearly seen that Ridder is unlikely to develop into a top-flight NFL quarterback anytime soon. With that sentiment in mind, let’s see where Ridder ranks amongst his NFL peers. We’ll begin by taking a look at his career statistics so far through 11 NFL starts.

By the numbers

The Falcons QB has a 6-5 win-loss record with 2,338 passing yards & 8 passing TDs. Other statistics, such as his completion percentage (64.7) & yards per attempt (6.8), seem to suggest that Ridder has the tools to make it as a starting NFL quarterback. He also leads the NFL in game-winning drives this season with four, again perhaps suggesting that the team should give him more time before reaching a decision.

Unfortunately for him, his 13 turnovers (6 INTs & 7 fumbles) have been his undoing. Ridder’s also been sacked 29 times in his career, and he’s at fault for some of those. There are other quarterbacks like him, but the league’s elite QBs don’t get sacked or turn the ball over in key moments like Ridder has done thus far in his NFL career.

Drawing comparisons

For the purpose of this exercise, I will be using Stathead Football’s Versus Finder Tool in order to compare Desmond Ridder to several of his fellow NFL QB peers. Daniel Jones, Mac Jones, and Kenny Pickett are the first names that come to mind.

Being compared to Daniel Jones is not necessarily a good thing, even though he got paid handsomely by the Giants to be their franchise quarterback this past offseason. His 22-35-1 career record leaves much to be desired, as does his 64 career turnovers. Surprisingly, Ridder bests Jones in several categories such as completion percentage (64.7 to 64.4), yards per attempt (6.8 to 6.6), and passing yards per game (213 to 212). Comparing Desmond Ridder to Daniel Jones might be an apt comparison after all.

Let’s talk about how Ridder compares to another Jones in Mac Jones of the Patriots. Mac Jones was great his rookie year, but he has since struggled to find NFL success. Jones’ QB rating (87.6) and yards per attempt (6.9) metrics are similar to Ridder’s 84.9 QBR and 6.8 YPA statistics through their young careers in the league thus far. Mac has also dealt with his share of bad coaching in his career, notably calling out his ex-offensive coordinator in frustration during a Patriots loss to the Bills last year.

Kenny Pickett and Desmond Ridder were selected in the same 2022 NFL draft class. Pickett and Ridder are actually similar in many ways, most notably so in their career touchdown passes (12 to 8), rushing TDs (4 to 3), and passing yards (3,661 to 2,338). Ridder actually has the edge in terms of yards per attempt (6.8 to 6.4), completion percentage (64.7 to 62.3), passing yards per game (212.5), and QBR (84.9 to 78.2). These two guys are probably the most comparable set of NFL QBs on the planet.

Well, at least he’s better than…

Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Joshua Dobbs, Gardner Minshew; that’s it, that’s the list. Fields is obviously superior as a rusher, but all of his passing statistics are terrible. Wilson is just a less accurate, equally turnover-prone version of Desmond Ridder. Dobbs has the exact same amount of TDs (8) and INTs (6) as Ridder in his 15 starts. Finally, Minshew’s 9-18 record as a starter makes me believe that he’s a backup QB.

The final verdict

Desmond Ridder, as currently characterized, is a bottom-five NFL starting QB. Ridder’s better than all of the league’s backup quarterbacks; however, he’s barely comparable to two bottom-tier NFL starters in the Jones boys (Daniel and Mac). Could Ridder limit his turnovers and improve his play down the line? Absolutely. That said, the comparison ceiling for him is probably someone like Jared Goff, and realistically he seems likely to end up as someone comparable to Ryan Tannehill. Arthur Smith would be okay if Ridder met that comparison, but how would you feel?

Where do the Braves go from here?

After an impressive 104-win regular season, the Braves found themselves once again falling victim to their division rival Phillies in the NLDS for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, there was deja vu as the team once again lost 3-1 in the playoff series. That said, it’s clear that the Braves are at a crossroads after winning it all in 2021. Where do they go from here after a historic 2023 season fell short of expectations?

Lots, and lots, of options

The Braves have five players who they will need to make a decision upon whether or not they want them to return to the team in 2024, beginning with Charlie Morton. Basically, if the 39-year old Morton wants to continue playing in 2024 instead of retiring, then the Braves are likely to pick up the $20M team option on his contract. Uncle Charlie has been invaluable to the pitching staff and could continue playing.

The rest of the options aren’t easy decisions, but I believe the team will decline the options of Brad Hand ($7M mutual) and Collin McHugh ($6M team, $1M buyout). Options for Eddie Rosario ($9M team) and Kirby Yates ($5.75M team, $1.25M buyout) are a different story, as I believe both of those guys could be brought back next year. Still though, it’s not out of the question to think that the team could look to upgrade in LF & in the bullpen, which are two areas that should be addressed this offseason.

Free agency frenzy

More decisions await the Braves this offseason, as players head for free agency. Pierce Johnson, Joe Jimenez, Jesse Chavez, & Kevin Pillar are all free agents in 2024. Remember that the team traded for Jimenez, so he seems likely to be brought back. That goes double for Johnson, a trade deadline acquisition from the Rockies in 2023. Pillar & Chavez are likely candidates to sign minor league deals later this offseason.

Upgrading the roster

While it’s clear that the Braves need to take care of in-house business first, they also need to sign impactful free agents and/or make trade acquisitions this offseason. I’m not opposed to making upgrades in LF & SS after the bats went cold in the playoffs. Orlando Arcia was a nice feel good story during the first half of the season; however, his bat went ice cold down the stretch & the team signed Nicky Lopez for a reason. Eddie Rosario & Kevin Pillar platooned in LF last year, but things weren’t perfect. Signing someone like Cody Bellinger or Teoscar Hernandez could benefit the club. Reuniting with old friends like Adam Duvall & Joc Pederson should be discussed too.

Acquiring a starting pitcher should also be atop the offseason priorities after NLDS Game 3 starter Bryce Elder struggled down the stretch & in that particular game. Charlie Morton coming back would certainly help to stabilize the rotation, but that decision isn’t entirely up to the team & they still need an upgrade regardless. Kyle Wright will miss next season due to shoulder surgery, & other rotation options such as Bryce Elder, Ian Anderson, & Mike Soroka have been untrustworthy to date.

That said, there are plenty of frontline starters on the market this offseason including Shohei Ohtani (LAA), Marcus Stroman (CHI), Aaron Nola (PHI), & others. I’m not sure if we have money to sign any of those guys, but we must sign a reliable young starter in 2024 if we have any hope of contending for a World Series title.

How many more starts will Desmond Ridder receive from the Falcons?

The Falcons put a tremendous amount of faith in Desmond Ridder this offseason. They declined to enter the Lamar Jackson sweepstakes, and the team then doubled down by not going after any of the highly touted QB prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. Will their faith in the second year pro out of Cincinnati be rewarded down the line?

So far, things are not going very well for Ridder, nor the Falcons offense as a whole. The Falcons QB1 is averaging just 186 passing yards per game & 6.3 yards per attempt, as well as four sacks per game (16 total) in four games so far this season. The offensive unit ranks 25th in points per game (15.5), 24th in yards per game (284.3), & 32nd in passing yards per game (156.3). That’s just not good enough.

With all of that being said, it’s fair to wonder just how long of a leash the Falcons plan on giving Ridder to turn things around this season & in the distant future. Third round picks typically don’t get as many opportunities to prove themselves as first rounders do, and the team also signed former Commanders starter Taylor Heinicke, one of the best backup QBs in the league, to a 2-year, $14M deal this offseason. Let’s not forget that this is the same team that gave Marcus Mariota 13 starts last season.

My opinion is that Desmond Ridder has about six more games to prove himself. That would give him 14 career starts, which is a decent enough sample size for a QB. Not only that, but Taylor Heinicke would have an extra week of preparation to face the Saints at home in Week 12 if the team benches Ridder during their Week 11 bye.

I’m not saying that Ridder will be benched; however, things aren’t going well so far. The team has invested far too much in the offense, including $49,264,559 in the offensive line & three straight first round picks at the skill positions, for the unit to have their starting QB holding them back from reaching their full potential.

NFL Week 1 Games to Watch

Football is back, baby! Week 1 of the NFL season begins with the Lions & the Chiefs. That’s not all though, as there are several other great games on the Week 1 docket. For instance, the other primetime games (Giants-Cowboys, Jets-Bills) are appealing. Personally, I’m excited for the Falcons vs. Panthers game as I will be in attendance. Without further ado, let’s dive into the beginning of an exciting new NFL season.

Lions at Chiefs on NBC (Thursday Night Football)

The Lions are back in the national spotlight for the first time in what feels like eons. After a 9-8 season that saw the team barely miss the playoffs, the Lions are on the rise & facing off against the reigning Super Bowl Champions at Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are vulnerable with the pre-game news that All Pro tight end Travis Kelce will miss this game due to a knee injury he suffered in practice recently. Regardless, this game should deliver plenty of fireworks as two of the top offenses in the league square off in what could be a shootout that comes down to the wire.

Cowboys at Giants on NBC (Sunday Night Football)

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has owned the Giants in recent years, posting a 10-2 overall record against them; plus, he has a 10-0 record against the G-Men since 2017. Despite these daunting statistics, the Giants have a renewed sense of optimism after finishing 9-7 last season & winning a Wild Card playoff matchup over the Vikings. Week 1 is unpredictable, especially for two divisional foes in a primetime affair. Get your popcorn ready & watch the action unfold in a Sunday night game for the ages.

Bills at Jets on ESPN (Monday Night Football)

This game certainly won’t be lacking in intrigue as Aaron Rodgers makes his Jets debut in primetime against the reigning AFC East division champion Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, this Week 1 tilt will mark the, “first time the Bills have their entire secondary healthy and playing together since Thanksgiving of the 2021 [season].” Also for the Bills, Damar Hamlin makes his triumphant return to the football field for the first time since suffering a medical scare in a game vs the Bengals last year. An epic showdown awaits as there is no shortage of storylines to follow in this one.

49ers at Steelers on FOX (1:00 P.M. ET)

Two of the league’s best defensive lines square off in this rare non-conference affair. Speaking of which, the 49ers backed up the Brinks truck in the final hour of negotiations in order to pay star DE Nick Bosa before the beginning of the season. It’s unclear exactly how much playing time he will receive; however, some Bosa is definitely better than no Bosa for the 49ers franchise & their loyal fans worldwide. Opposing Bosa will be TJ Watt, who battled several injuries in a down 2022 season. When healthy & playing at their best, these guys are the creme of the crop at DE. It will be interesting to see which of these guys leads their team to victory on Sunday.

Dolphins at Chargers on CBS (4:25 P.M. ET)

Man, you would be hard pressed to find a matchup of more evenly matched teams. Both teams finished with similar records (10-7 for the Chargers, 9-8 for the Dolphins) and got bounced in the AFC’s Wild Card round of the playoffs last season. These two teams will forever be linked after the Dolphins chose Tua Tagovailoa with the 5th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft right before the Chargers selected Justin Herbert. The Chargers paid Justin Herbert, while the ‘Fins picked up Tua’s fifth-year option. Both guys have plenty of offensive firepower to work with including WR Tyreek Hill, RB Austin Ekeler, WR Jaylen Waddle, WR Keenan Allen, & a few other playmakers. There will be plenty of highlights in this contest featuring two of the AFC’s best QBs.