she wears an Egyptian ring, that sparkles before she speaks

Superbowl Sunday!

When Joe Burrow and the Bengals were in Dallas for Monday Night Football this past December, Burrow’s home was burglarized.

Nearly $300,000 worth of designer luggage, watches, and jewelry was stolen. Investigators linked the suspects to a South American Theft Group, known for targeting high-profile homes.

The burglary suspects posed for picture wearing Joe Burrow’s iconic necklaces. (They were caught at a traffic stop, and this was one of the pictures deleted moments after being pulled over.)

Jewelry is a luxury you can wear, and elegance comes at a price – that’s why the NFL gives teams $4,000 for each Super Bowl ring. Team owners spend their own money to improve them.

The rings Chicago Bears players received from the McCaskey family for Super Bowl XX cost $4,000.

The price of each Super Bowl ring varies between $30,000 and $50,000. For example, the New England Patriots Super Bowl XLIX rings cost $36,500 each. A full set of rings for an entire team can exceed $5 million.

Tight end Martellus Bennett’s Super Bowl LI ring went for $88,125 at auction. Bennett had five catches for 62 yards in the 34-28 win.

When the Patriots put on these rings for the first time, they started high-fiving, which became fist-bumps. Later that night, Justin Coleman, CB, started looking at his name and number on the ring along with staring at every diamond he noticed something was off. That clink? It was really his brand new ring getting chipped.

I figured out that diamonds chipped diamonds easily," said Coleman, who had the ring repaired. "It's just everything else that don't chip diamonds that easily. But other diamonds do. I'll never fist-pound anyone else with that ring."

Plaxico Burress sold his 2007 New York Giants Super Bowl XLII ring a few months ago. The new owner is selling it again already.

Manning remembers they were all set with a classic design, something that wasn't too big and could be worn around, but then defensive end Michael Strahan showed up to give his opinion.

"All I care about is I want a 10-table ring!" Strahan said.

Nobody knew what that meant. Strahan explained when he went into a restaurant, he wanted the ring to be seen from 10 tables away.

"We kind of threw out everything we'd done and started over." Manning said.

The 2023-2024 Chiefs’ Super Bowl ring appears to have a typo, listing the Dolphins (their Wild Card Round opponent) as the 7th seed when they were actually the 6th seed. The Steelers were the No. 7 seed.

Andy Reid on his Super Bowl Ring:

“You wear it for special occasions or if you want a free cheeseburger.”

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Numbers with Bet Openly

11: The Chiefs 15-2 this season, but it won 11 of those victories, plus another in the playoffs, by a single score (meaning eight points or fewer). It won 17 straight one-score games, an N.F.L. record. The Athletic’s Mike Sando calculated that the odds of such a streak are about one-tenth of 1 percent

3.31: Patrick Mahomes has a 2-8 record in starts where his time to throw is 3.31 seconds or longer

38: According to the CBS Sports research department, this is the first time that the MVP and First-Team All-Pro QB were different players (in a year where a quarterback won MVP) since 1987.

• 1987 was the year Jerry Rice set the single season reception TD record (in 12 games, because of a strike year). Joe Montana also had a great year, obviously.

  In the MVP vote, Montana and Rice ate into each other's totals, and Elway won as a result. In the head-to-head for first-team all-pro, without Rice to siphon votes, Montana won.

• Fun fact: that season Rice had more receiving TDs than Elway had passing TDs

206 [TRIVIA]: In Hurts' postseason career, he has gone 206 passes without throwing an interception. This is the second-longest streak in history, only to who?

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Quotes

“We need a wide receiver — a real wide receiver. Love the guys we have, but we need a proven No. 1."

• Packers RB Josh Jacobs wants the team to bolster the receiving corps this offseason

“You don’t ask a zebra to be a dog.”

• Alabama QB Jalen Milroe on if he ever considered switching from QB

"One thing is to sack him."

• Jalen Carter on how to stop Patrick Mahomes

“No one wants to play an 18th game."

• NFLPA's Lloyd Howell on players' view on 18-game season

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Picks

Chiefs at Eagles (+1.5) U48.5

• 52% of the bets and 60% of the money is on the Eagles

• 18% of the bets and 22% of the money is on the Under

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Record

OU: 56-47-2 (+3.96 u)

ATS: 54-64-4 (-14.86 u)

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Highlights

It's so cool when Tom Brady keeps it real about football

Joe Montana was asked what the 49ers should do with Brock Purdy

Shannon Sharpe telling his brother Sterling Sharpe that he's finally made the Pro Football HOF

Peyton Manning's 13-year-old son Marshall shows impeccable throwing form & footwork

Jimmy Kimmel's team took my Mahomes image, printed it on a pillow, and had it signed at the SB presser

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Trivia

Drew Brees

be thankful you're living, drink up and go home

conference championships!

The backup quarterbacks for the final four teams include three former second overall picks and one former first-round QB from his draft class:

• Carson Wentz (2nd overall, 2016 NFL Draft)

• Marcus Mariota (2nd overall, 2015 NFL Draft)

• Mitchell Trubisky (2nd overall, 2017 NFL Draft)

• Kenny Pickett (20th overall, 2022 NFL Draft, first QB selected in his class)

Three of them are/were on the Eagles, and all four of them have spent time in Pennsylvania.

Three consecutive 2nd overall picks (2015-2017), at that. And the 2nd overall pick in 2018 was Saquon Barkley.

Von Miller and Jayden Daniels make it six second overall picks on the four teams remaining.

Only one of the remaining teams has three NVP winning QBs on their roster.

Eugene Pitt, a doo-wop singer, sang the “Nick Nick Nick Nick Ni-Nick Nick Nick, Nickelodeon” jingle.

Terry Stewart, President & CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, called Pitt "the most underrated soul singer in America.”

Eugene's cousin, Elijah Pitts, was an NFL running back and long-time assistant coach.

Pitts' elder son Ron (b. 1962) was an NFL defensive back in the late 1980s with the Bills and Packers, and is currently a sportscaster for CBS Sports Network.

Unfortunately, almost exactly a month ago to the day, longtime former NFL On CBS broadcaster Greg Gumbel died at the age of 78.

Gumbel was one of the original members of ESPN in 1979 and had done NFL play-by-play since 1998.

Within its first year, ESPN was nearly bankrupt because it struggled to convince cable companies to carry the network. A last-minute influx of sponsorship money from Anheuser-Busch saved it.

The company secured its first major sponsor, Anheuser-Busch, which contributed $1.4 million in advertising. This partnership was crucial for ESPN’s early survival.

Minutes after the Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50, Peyton Manning told a CBS sideline reporter that his postgame plan was to "drink a lot of Budweiser." Later at the podium, Manning answered a question about retirement with this line: "I'm going to drink a lot of beer tonight ... Budweiser."

Those two plugs were worth $3.2 million in equivalent advertising time for Budweiser, according to sponsorship firm Apex MG Analytics.

Manning owns a stake of two of the mega-brewer's distributors in his native state of Louisiana, according to trade publication Beer Business Daily.

Today, the majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a brewery, according to the Brewers Association trade group, with the number of producers ballooning from just 89, in 1978, to 9,906, in 2023. As a result, the craft brewing industry employs around 460,000 people nationwide.

But after an extended period of breakneck growth, the number of breweries declined this year, with 335 craft breweries opening and 399 closing, according to the Brewers Association.

In early June, the Kelce brothers became “significant owners and operators” of Garage Beer, a small-batch brewing company out of Columbus, Ohio.

Even though the brothers recently became Garage Beer co-owners, the NFL has strict rules about players promoting alcohol. Travis’ teammate Patrick Mahomes is currently dealing with the same issue thanks to his deal with Coors Light.

Mahomes recently skirted these rules by filming a Coors Light commercial that will be placed in a time capsule until after he's retired.

The only QBs to meet more frequently in the postseason than Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

The last QB to beat Patrick Mahomes in Arrowhead: Aidan O'Connell (Christmas 2023).

Most Playoff Wins by a QB in NFL History:

• 1. Tom Brady: 35

• T-2. Patrick Mahomes, Joe Montana: 16

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Numbers with Bet Openly

30: Saquon Barkley wouldn’t even rank among the top 30 highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL with his Eagles contract. For context: Gabe Davis signed for more with the Jaguars in free agency (because he’s a WR) than Saquon got (because he’s a RB).

2: Jayden Daniels has now tied Dak Prescott in career playoff wins in his rookie season

3: Lamar Jackson’s playoff stats so far in his career: 13 total touchdowns, 11 turnovers. 8 games played with a 3-5 record

4.2 [TRIVIA]: Which QB is playing the cleanest football of any QB in NFL HISTORY. This season he has the lowest pct of plays with a sack, fumble or INT (4.2%) since the merger. (incl. playoffs, min. 500 plays)

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Quotes

"He fucking hates it."

• An unnamed associate of Dan Snyder who attended the London dinner with him. According to the article, this associate shared Snyder's reaction to the Commanders' success after selling the team when asked by a colleague back in the U.S.

“I’d love to go to the Titans. I’d be thankful.”

• Shedeur Sanders

“I have no reason of saying this other than being a hater. The Bills or whatever NFC team gotta beat the Chiefs. We can’t let them keep getting away with this.”

• Marlon Humphrey

"Cancun on 3! 1, 2, 3,"

• What Jayden Daniels wrote on the bottom of the jersey he swapped with Lions' defensive end Terrion Arnold

“And I know that sounds crazy, but I guarantee there’s some girls who’s trying to get their hooks into Jayden Daniels. So thank god he got a mama like me because it ain’t happening.”

• Jayden Daniels’ Mom

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Picks

Sunday, Jan 26 at 3pm

• Commanders +6 at Eagles (U46.5)

  • Washington has 69% of the bets and 67% of the money

    • Eagles' Performance:

      • Philadelphia has been outgained in both playoff games and four of their last five games.

    • The offense has relied on big plays (e.g., touchdowns of 78, 62, and 44 yards against the Rams), masking their struggles with consistency (2.9 yards per play outside those plays).

    • Jalen Hurts' health is uncertain, which is a potential advantage for the Commanders.

    • Key Matchup Factors:

      • Fourth Down: Eagles rank 24th in defending fourth-down conversions (63%), while Washington excels in this area.

      • Rushing Defense: Eagles allowed Kyren Williams to average 5.3 yards per carry and struggled against Matthew Stafford’s Rams, benefiting from weather-related turnovers.

    • First Two Matchups:

      • Week 11: Eagles contained the Commanders’ offense, holding Terry McLaurin to one catch. However, Washington led 10-6 entering the fourth quarter.

      • Second Matchup: Eagles were on track for a blowout before Jalen Hurts’ concussion. The defense struggled against Jayden Daniels, who has since improved and is trending upward.

    • Daniels vs. Hurts Trends:

      • As an underdog, Jayden Daniels is 5-2-1 against the spread (71.4%), covering by 7.8 points per game.

      • As a favorite of four or more points, Jalen Hurts is 15-20-2 (43%) and just 6-12-1 over the past two seasons.

    • Outlook:

      • Washington has advantages in key areas, and Daniels is poised for a strong performance against an inconsistent Eagles team with multiple question marks.

Sunday, Jan 26 at 6:30pm

• Bills at Chiefs -1.5 (O48.5)

  • KC has 74% of the bets and 76% of the money
    

    • Bills vs. Chiefs in the Playoffs:

      • Buffalo has struggled to beat Kansas City in the playoffs despite regular-season success.

      • This matchup may represent Buffalo's best chance in recent playoff history.

    • Patrick Mahomes Playoff Trends:

      • When Mahomes is an underdog or a favorite of three or fewer points, he’s highly reliable:

        • 27-9-1 ATS in his career.

      • Mahomes is 3-0 SU and ATS against Josh Allen in playoff games, covering by an average of 6.7 points per game.

    • Heavyweight Trends:

      1. Freezing Temperatures:

         • At home, Mahomes is 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in freezing conditions.

      2. Close Spread Games:

         • As an underdog or a small favorite (three or fewer points), Mahomes thrives ATS.

      3. Home/Neutral Site Record:

         • Mahomes is 15-2 SU in these games, with the only losses coming to Tom Brady (2019) and Joe Burrow (2021) in AFC Championship Games.

    • Conclusion:

      • Mahomes' track record in high-stakes situations and his dominance in critical metrics make him a tough bet against, especially in this matchup.

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Record

OU: 55-46-2 (+4.05 u)

ATS: 53-63-4 (-14.77 u)

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Highlights

NFL Films footage of the 78 Yard Saquon Barkley run

Lamar Jackson told Mark Andrews on the sideline that “we’re a team” after his drop.

“It’s not his fault. We’re not gonna put that on Mark.”

Terry McLaurin pregame speech: "When this money is gone, when this fame is gone, the only thing you got is your name and your reputation."

Drew Brees breaks down those long play calls he used to say in the huddle

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Trivia

Josh Allen

every chance to win when washington lands in france

Divisional Round!

Incredible, but true. Bo Nix to Troy Franklin is the first rookie to rookie TD in NFL playoff history.

One year ago, Nick Dunlap became the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour in 33 years.

A rookie quarterback has never won — or started — a Super Bowl.

There are four second-year quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl who have gone on to actually win:

• Kurt Warner (1999)

• Tom Brady (2001)

• Ben Roethlisberger (2005)

• Russell Wilson (2013)

Three other second-year quarterbacks have reached the Big Game but lost:

• Dan Marino (1984)

• Colin Kaepernick (2012)

• Joe Burrow (2022)

Rams rookie Jared Verse says, "I hate Eagles fans. "They're so annoying. I hate Eagles fans," before playoff game in Philadelphia.

He played them once, in week 12, in LA at SoFi Stadium.

To be fair, he’s from Pennsylvania. I kind of feel like if you’re from a team’s state, you are permitted to hate them.

The 24-year-old played tight end at Central Columbia High School in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and then shifted to defense at Albany College.

He transferred to Florida State University and was a first-round pick by Los Angeles in the 2024 NFL draft.

Saquon Barkley on Jared Verse saying he hates Eagles fans: Probably not the smartest thing to say when you’re coming to Philadelphia.”

Verse two months ago on Barkley: “He’s a different type of player. I’ve never seen a running back like that.”

Here’s a random Reddit comment about Verse from a month ago:

Anyway, like I was saying, he’s from Bloomburg – which is the only Pennsylvania municipality incorporated as a town.

When Sam Darnold was a rookie, some Jets offensive linemen took the front wheels off Darnold's SUV as retaliation for receiving poor presents at Christmas time. Darnold gave them each a personalized set of grilling tools and a $300 gift card to buy steaks. That did not appear to be enough.

Now six teams are tied for the most sacks in a playoff game with nine sacks. The Rams had 6 sacks against Darnold in the first half and finished with nine.

The Vikings set a record for sack yardage in a playoff game (82), and T-7 all time (Archie Manning is #1 with 101).

“HE’S HOLDING IT TOO LONG! THROW IT MAN!”

• Paul Allen as Sam Darnold is sacked for the 5th time in 2 quarters with Pete Bercich for KFXN in Minneapolis.

The Vikings still haven’t had a QB start all games in a season for consecutive years since 16 game expansion in 1978.

Assuming Darnold doesn’t play for the Vikings next year, we are looking at 53+ years before it happens.

Fifty-three years ago was 1978, when the Dolphins became the first and only team to have a perfect season.

In 1978, the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex occurred, marking the start of the political scandal that would lead to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974.

Nixon was a third-string guard for the Whittier College Poets, his hometown team. Though he rarely played, he revered his coach, Wallace Newman, whom he credited as a key influence.

Nixon’s passion for football influenced his political strategies. He befriended prominent coaches like Woody Hayes and George Allen, even consulting Allen on plays. Nixon once pondered recruiting Vince Lombardi as his vice-presidential candidate, only to learn the coach was a Democrat.

Nixon reportedly suggested plays to the Washington Redskins, including a controversial reverse during a playoff game in 1971. Though the play failed, it underscored Nixon’s unusual hands-on approach to football.

Speaking of corruption and Nixon: the Packers fumbled, and it looks like Keisean Nixon has control of the ball while on the ground and then the ball was taken from him. Refs reviewed and said Eagles got the ball.

“I got the ball back for sure and then it should’ve been targeting, helmet to helmet,” Nixon said. “I’ve never been hit that hard.”

Richard Nixon’s intervention in N.F.L. blackout policies reflected his dedication to football fans. In 1972, frustrated by local blackouts of playoff games, he pushed for reforms, culminating in Congress passing a law to lift blackouts for sold-out games. This set a precedent for modern broadcasting policies.

During Richard Nixon’s presidency, he maintained an "enemies list" that included various public figures, journalists, and celebrities who opposed him or his administration’s policies. The list was a reflection of Nixon’s paranoia and his efforts to discredit those he considered adversaries

Of the 19 available jersey numbers for quarterbacks, only four have yet to be worn by the winning QB in the Super Bowl:

• 1

• 2

• 6

• 19

We started with two playoff QBs 2 playoff QBs that could break their numbers' drought. With the Bucs losing, it’s down to Jalen Hurts.

The number with the most Super Bowl wins is 12:

• Joe Namath: Super Bowl III

• Roger Staubach: Super Bowls VI, XII

• Bob Griese: Super Bowls VII, VIII

• Terry Bradshaw: Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV

• Ken Stabler: Super Bowl XI

• Tom Brady: Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII, LV

• Aaron Rodgers: Super Bowl XLV

This totals 14 Super Bowl victories associated with the number 12.

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Numbers with Bet Openly

22.65: The Lions were the most-watched team in the NFL this season & averaged 22.65 million viewers per game.

14: The Minnesota Vikings are the first 14-win team in NFL history to lose in the wild card round. With this great achievement the Minnesota Vikings now have sole possession of the worst 13 AND 14 win teams ever.

2002: Since they were founded in 2002, the Texans have more playoff wins than the Cowboys

7 [TRIVIA]: With the Packers eliminated, No. 7 seeds will be 1-9. Who was the only team a 7 seed beat?

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Quotes

“Dad, I love this game and I’ll die on the field for this game.”

• Tua Tagovailoa to his Dad, as told by Galu Tagovailoa to ESPN Honolulu

“Probably not the smartest thing to say when you’re coming to Philadelphia.”

• Saquon Barkley on Jared Verse saying he hates Eagles fans

“It bothers me that Bryce Young is already on his third play-caller and he’s only played two seasons. Caleb Williams is going to be on his third play-caller sometime next September. That to me is a miss."

• Peyton Manning on young QB development

"It's Saleh or bust, really. Because they haven't done much work with anybody else to this point. I've heard they already told Saleh 'We will make you the highest paid DC in all the land if you sign with us.' So now it's just a matter of waiting for Saleh."

• Matt Barrows on 49ers DC search

“Yeah, no doubt. When we’re older, we’ll probably laugh about it, but right now, it’s serious. I ain’t laughing with you. For real.”

• Lamar was asked if he’ll always be linked to Allen since they’re from the same draft class

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Picks

Saturday, 12/18 at 4:30pm

• Texans (+8.5) at Chiefs U41.5

• Public Betting Trends:

  • 79% of total tickets wagered are on the Over, with 70% of the Bets

  • Public bettors are heavily favoring the over in the Texans vs. Chiefs game.

• Professional Betting Activity:

  • Sharp bettors are backing the under, creating a notable divergence from public sentiment.

• Line Movement:

  • DraftKings opened the total at 43.5 on Sunday.

  • Professional action caused a 2-point drop to a consensus of 41.5.

• Impact of Weather:

  • Today in Kansas City, Missouri, it's sunny with a high of 25°F and a low of 8°F

Saturday, 12/18 at 8pm

• Commanders at Lions (-8.5) O55.5

  • The Lions will face a rookie quarterback in the NFC Divisional Round due to the Commanders' upset.

    • Rookie quarterbacks have historically faced challenges in the NFL Divisional Round. Since 1950, they have a combined record of 5 wins and 7 losses in this round. Notably, only Mark Sanchez (2009 with the Jets) and Joe Flacco (2008 with the Ravens) have secured multiple road playoff victories as rookies.

  • Lions’ Offensive Strength:

    • Highest-scoring team in the league, with a dominant rushing attack.

    • Commanders' run defense ranks 26th in DVOA and faced the lowest opponent Pass Rate Over Expectation (PROE) during the season.

  • Challenges for the Commanders’ Offense:

    • Rookie QB Jayden Daniels needs to play nearly flawless football.

    • Lions defense excels in forcing turnovers (top-five interception rate; Kerby Joseph led the league with nine).

    • Hostile environment at Ford Field.

    • Commanders’ offensive line has vulnerabilities.

  • Key Injuries:

    • Lions’ G Kevin Zeitler is out, but he is considered the least impactful starter on their offensive line.

  • Lions’ Consistency:

    • Lions had three wins of at least 38 points during the regular season.

    • Likely to maintain pressure even with a big lead.

Sunday, 12/19 at 3pm

• Rams at Eagles U43.5

  • The Under has 29% of the bets and 34% of the money

Saturday, 12/18 at 6:30pm (YES, 6:30PM Sunday Night Football)

• Ravens at Bills U51.5

  • The Under has 47% of the bets and 58% of the money

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Record

OU: 53-44-2 (+4.23 u)

ATS: 53-61-4 (-12.77 u)

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Highlights

Doink to Divisional Round

Khalil Shakir thought Curtis Samuel was asking him to jump in his lap during Samuel's touchdown celebration

Terry McLaurin reacts to winning his first ever playoff game with the Commanders

Texans block Cameron Dicker's XP attempt and convert for 2

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Trivia

The only loser was Dallas last season after being only NFL team undefeated at home with a +172 point differential.

and his hair was perfect

WC!

Lamar Jackson said watching Derrick Henry is like watching the movie “Cars” and likened Henry to Lightning McQueen.

Pixar has won 23 Academy Awards, including multiple Oscars for Best Animated Feature. Their streak began with Finding Nemo in 2003.

Matthew A. Cherry played briefly in the NFL as a wide receiver for teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, and Baltimore Ravens before retiring.

After retiring from football, Cherry transitioned to filmmaking. He wrote, directed, and produced the animated short film Hair Love, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film in 2020.

The N.F.L. decided in 2003 that hair was part of a player’s uniform and can be grabbed in an effort to make a tackle.

Green Bay Packers' Aaron Jones recounted how cornerback Josh Norman pulled strands of his hair out during a tackle and then held them up in celebration. Jones retrieved the hair, stored it in his sock during the drive, and later gave it to equipment staff for safekeeping to have it reattached.

Aaron Jones to Jordan Love postgame: “I’ve been telling you that you are him.”

Jordan Love numbers outside Toyotathon:

• 3,829 Yards, 29 TDs, 25 INTs

Jordan Love numbers during Toyotathon:

• 3,283 Yards, 26 TDs, 2 INTs

Josh Allen and Jordan Love finished the regular season averaging less than 1 sack taken per game.

• Only two other QBs have accomplished this in the last 15 years (minimum 12 starts):

• Peyton Manning (2009)

• Ben Roethlisberger (2020).

Josh Allen has the most TDs out of an QB ever through first 8 years... He hasn't finished his 7th year yet.

With QB Sam Darnold’s selection to the 2024 Pro Bowl, 16 out the top 20 draft picks in the 2018 draft have made at least one Pro Bowl

• QB Baker Mayfield, 1x (2023)

• RB Saquon Barkley, 3x (2018, 2022, 2024)

• QB Sam Darnold, 1x (2024)

• CB Denzel Ward, 3x (2018, 2021, 2023)

• DE Bradley Chubb, 2x (2020, 2022)

• OG Quenton Nelson, 7x (2018-2024)

• QB Josh Allen, 3x (2020, 2023, 2024)

• LB Roquan Smith, 3x (2022-2024)

• 9. OT Mike McGlinchey, NONE

• 10. QB Josh Rosen, NONE

• 11. S Minkah Fitzpatrick, 5x (2019-2020, 2022-2024)

• 12. DT Vita Veta, 2x (2021, 2024)

• 13. DT Daron Payne, 1x (2022)

• 14. DE Marcus Davenport, NONE

• 15. OT Kolton Miller, NONE

• 16. LB Tremaine Edmunds, 2x (2019, 2020)

• 17. S Derwin James, 4x (2018, 2021, 2022, 2024)

  18. CB Jaire Alexander, 2x (2020, 2022)

• 19. LB Leighton Vander Esch, 1x (2018)

• 20. C Frank Ragnow, 4x (2020, 2022-2024)

The top 20 picks alone combine for 44 Pro Bowls.

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Numbers with Bet Openly

2: Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson were the only unanimous First-Team selections, per the AP. They were the only two players to get a perfect 50/50 first-place votes.

1: Chiefs are the first 15+ win team in NFL history to not have a player with 1,000+ yards from scrimmage

97: Of the 97 teams that won 13+ games in a season since the merger, Bills are 5th to have 0 first team All Pros. Also: 2019 Packers, 2007 Packers, 1995 Chiefs, 1984 Broncos

0 [TRIVIA]: Which is the only team to not receive a single first-place All-Pro vote this season?

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Quotes

"You can't fool players."

• Colts GM Chris Ballard says he doesn’t agree with all the criticism from Pat McAfee, but admits there’s some truth to it

"The bus was out of gas."

• Michael Pierce on his interception

“It’s kind of where legacies, I guess, are made.”

• Sam Darnold on playoffs

“We beat the Packers. Fuck ‘em.”

• Bears WR DJ Moore if the win in Green Bay does anything for the Bears in the big picture.

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Picks

Sunday, 12/12 at 1pm

• Broncos at Bills U48.5

Combined Scoring:

• This game’s offenses have scored 950 points this season, exceeding the 838.7 points predicted by Expected Score, indicating potential scoring regression.

Buffalo Bills Offense:

• The Bills have scored 525 points, which is 83.5 points over Expected Score, even after accounting for QB quality, offense strength, and opposing defenses.

• In previous seasons, Buffalo was close to expectation:

  • +12 points over expected (last year)

  • -11 points under expected (two years ago)

• Their current scoring rate is unsustainable, inflating their total.

Denver Broncos and Bo Nix:

• Bo Nix had a strong rookie season but is starting his first playoff game on the road, in cold weather.

• Denver’s offensive success is inflated due to playing against the eighth-easiest defensive schedule this season.

• Nix struggles against zone defenses:

  • 9 of 12 interceptions were against zone coverage.

  • Adjusted Net Yards Per Attempt (ANY/A):

    • 4.96 vs. zone (Cover 2, 4, and 6, which Buffalo excels at).

    • 6.98 vs. Cover 3 (rarely played by Buffalo).

    • 7.48 vs. Cover 1.

Defensive Matchups and Luck Total:

• Both offenses face significant defensive upgrades compared to their regular-season schedules, which were among the bottom eight in defensive difficulty.

• The Luck Total for this game is -5.7, and Luck Unders in NFL playoffs are 23-8 (74.2%) since 2018.

Sunday, 12/12 at 4:30pm

• Packers at Eagles

Sunday, 12/10 at 8pm

• Commanders (+3) at Buccaneers U50.5

  • The Commanders have 66% of the bets and 77% of the money

Monday, 12/10 at 8pm

• Vikings at Rams (+2.5) O47.5

  • The Over has 79% of the bets and 81% of the money

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Record

OU: 50-42-2 (+3.5 u)

ATS: 50-60-4 (-14.5 u)

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Highlights

WR George Pickens says he’s seen signs of growth from the offense.

Reporter: “Does that make you optimistic going forward?”

Pickens: “Nah.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh was kidnapped by Dirty Bubble with 11:39 left in the 2nd quarter.

After that moment:

🔻 Justin Herbert threw 4 INTs

🔻 Chargers were outscored 32-6

🔻 Chargers lost the game

Joe Mixon following the Texans win: "Smoking on that Rex Ryan bye week pack". Ryan had said the Chargers had a "bye week" by facing Houston.

Lamar Jackson told the crowd to stop the MVP chants on offense

An inside look at Roquan Smith’s ELECTRIC Wild Card pregame speech before the Ravens defeated the Steelers

“They don’t belong on the field with us!”

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Trivia

The Carolina Panthers. Carolina received 13 votes between 4 players; however, they did not receive a single first-place vote. Their highest total was 9, for KR Raheem Blackshear.

i'm sitting over here on parchman farm

WC!

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared January 10, 2025, as Mike Evans Day across the state to honor the Buccaneers receiver, who recently tied Jerry Rice’s record of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

Evans, who started playing football as a high school junior, was initially a standout basketball player with NBA ambitions.

Another NFL player with a day in their honor is Chad Greenway.

The former Vikings linebacker was recognized on October 17, 2016, in his home state of South Dakota for his on-field achievements and charitable work.

Greenway grew up on a farm in Mount Vernon, South Dakota, where he balanced chores like milking cows with his rise to become a two-time All-American at the University of Iowa.

At CES this week, John Deere showcased its new autonomous farming equipment, including self-driving tractors with 16 cameras and advanced processing capabilities.

They also introduced an automated mining truck that can haul 92,000 pounds, all part of their push for fully autonomous farming systems by 2030.

George Toma, nicknamed “The Sodfather,” prepared the fields for all 57 Super Bowls up to Super Bowl LVII. His career ended amid controversy after poor field conditions in that game.

Toma blamed NFL field director Ed Mangan for overwatering and improper sanding, which caused widespread complaints from players.

Toma, celebrated for his work, received the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Ralph Hay Pioneer Award in 2001 and was inducted into the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame in 2012.

Ralph Hay, the namesake of Toma’s award, played a pivotal role in NFL history. In 1920, Hay hosted a meeting at his Hupmobile dealership in Canton, Ohio, to discuss the formation of the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the NFL in 1922.

The Hupmobile itself was a trailblazer in automotive innovation, introducing an all-steel body in 1925 and gaining attention through a 132-day global endurance drive in 1910.

The Hupmobile introduced the all-steel body in 1925, a major innovation at a time when most cars used wood framing in their construction.

Wide receiver Kevin Johnson began this NFL season with a new venture, acquiring a Ford dealership in Burlington, New Jersey.

Johnson’s football career included a switch from quarterback to receiver at Syracuse after losing a competition to Donovan McNabb.

In the nine seasons Andy Reid coached between Donovan McNabb and Patrick Mahomes, his teams recorded one playoff win and missed the playoffs three times. That lone playoff victory came against the Brian Hoyer-led Texans.

This highlights how challenging it can be to win in the NFL without elite quarterback play, a point worth considering in discussions about coaches like Mike Tomlin.

Criticism of Tomlin often centers around his lack of playoff success in recent years—he hasn’t won a playoff game in seven seasons—but it’s important to consider the quarterbacks he’s had during that period.

By comparison, even with Alex Smith—a solid quarterback during his time in Kansas City—Reid struggled in the postseason and experienced several high-profile collapses. Yet, calls for Reid’s dismissal were relatively rare.

Although back-ups played last week, 38-0 is the 2nd worst loss margin in Andy Reid's career as a Head Coach. It was also the first time the Chiefs have been shutout in Andy Reid's tenure.

Andy Reid is 21-4 coming off a bye week, best in NFL history.

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Numbers with Bet Openly

5: The Steelers have lost 5 straight playoff games with their opponents scoring an average of 40.4 PPG

777: The Cardinals are sending two of the team’s 777 planes to Los Angeles this afternoon, picking up the Rams team, its staff, their families, six dogs and two cats — yes, six dogs and two cats, per an official — and bringing them to Arizona tonight.

66: Since 2016, the Steelers have been outscored 66-0 in the first quarter of their playoff games

8 [TRIVIA]: Lamar Jackson is the 8th QB in Super Bowl era to be named a first-team All-Pro at least 3 times, joining WHO? [Hint: there are 7 others

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Quotes

“If we win the Super Bowl I’m going to No. 1…I want to retire No. 8 and No. 1, I want to do that here at the Ravens. I want to win a Super Bowl with No. 8 on then come back and do the same thing with 1 on.”

• Lamar Jackson’s number-changing quest returns

“I’ll see you in two weeks.”

• There’s a printed screen shot in the Rams locker room above a door of Dan Campbell telling Kevin O’Connell

“Don't pay October's rent, all right? As soon as I can replace him, I'm going to replace him. I'm not f--king around."

• Per ESPN's Jordan Raanan, the Giants asked Nick McCloud to take a pay cut before the game with general manager Joe Schoen at one point suggesting he'd release the cornerback outright.

“I heard great."

• Dianna Russini regarding Ben Johnson's interview with the Patriots yeterday morning

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Picks

Saturday, 12/11 at 4:30pm

• Chargers (-2.5) at Texans U41.5

  • Texans Offense

    • Struggles & Strategy:

      • Texans’ offense has been inefficient; a run-heavy approach might be likely.

      • C.J. Stroud's main weapons are RB Joe Mixon and WR Nico Collins, limiting big-play potential.

    • Pass vs. Run:

      • Houston leans too pass-heavy on early downs despite O-line pressure issues.

      • Chargers defense struggles more against the run, making a ground game effective for time of possession.

    • Nico Collins: Less explosive without Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, averaging under 10 yards per reception.

      • Nico Collins had three 100+ yard games in the first four week. (His O/U this week is 87.5 yards.)

        • Injuries to Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell have made him the sole focus of defenses.

        • Collins has stayed under this total in 4 of his last 5 games, averaging 59 yards.

        • Facing the Chargers’ 2nd-ranked pass defense, he’s likely to stay under again

  • Chargers Defense

    • Coverage Style:

      • Focus on preventing big plays, aligning with Houston’s limitations.

    • Run Defense:

      • Vulnerable to the run, providing Houston an opportunity to control the clock.

  • Texans Defense

    • Safety Absences:

      • Missing Jimmie Ward and Jalen Pitre, crucial for defensive flexibility.

    • Strength Against Play Action:

      • Ranked 1st in success rate against play action, a key part of the Chargers’ offense.

    • Non-Blitz Pressure:

      • Generates pressure without blitzing (27.3%, 7th in NFL), countering Justin Herbert’s efficiency against blitzes.

    • Run Defense:

      • Top-tier unit, limiting the Chargers' strength in the running game.

Saturday, 12/11 at 8pm

• Steelers at Ravens (-9.5) U43.5

  • Season Matchups:

    • Steelers won the first game without scoring a touchdown.

    • Ravens won the second, 34-17.

    • Playoff matchup leans toward low scoring.

  • Ravens Offense:

    • Zay Flowers (Lamar Jackson’s top target) is out, reducing explosiveness.

    • Steelers' pass rush (T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward) can pressure Jackson effectively.

  • Steelers Offense:

    • Lacks consistency; George Pickens has been ineffective since injury.

    • Scored only 17 points with 193 total yards against a weak Bengals defense.

    • Struggles against Ravens' improved single-high-safety defense.

  • Ravens Defense:

    • Trending up with Kyle Hamilton’s stability at safety.

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Record

ATS: 42-52-4 (-13.78 u)

O/U: 49-39-2 (+5.59 u)

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Highlights

A side by side comparison of Lane Johnson vs. Penei Sewell, hung right next to Johnson’s locker. Sewell got the nod as first team All Pro.

Bucs OT Tristan Wirfs is the first player in NFL history to be first-team All-Pro at RT and LT. This surprise reveal is pretty cool.

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Trivia

Peyton Manning (7), Aaron Rodgers (4), Tom Brady (3), Brett Favre (3), Dan Marino (3), Joe Montana (3), and Steve Young (3)