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DaRon Bland sets NFL record with fifth pick-six of season
Daron Bland intercepted Sam Howell’s pass and ran 63 yards for a touchdown for the Cowboys with his fifth pick of the year. The No. 1 pick set an NFL record.
Is Tom Brady right when he claims the NFL is mediocre right now? Will the Broncos’ response get them into the playoffs? ESPN Deportes experts analyze these and other topics and offer their Week 12 picks.
Thanksgiving has arrived, we’ve turned a corner in Week 12, and the final stretch of the NFL regular season is approaching.
The panorama also hints at several teams starting to feel obligated to win their respective games, such as the Buffalo Bills on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville’s surprise appearance at this point in the race for the AFC South leadership. of the matchups against the Jaguars and the Houston Texans.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, who are in the playoff picture, arrive in Week 12 after the firing of their offensive coordinator and will inject more energy into their offense against the Cincinnati Bengals in a system with two coaches in charge. Yes, the Cincinnati Bengals offense is well coordinated. Joe Burrow becomes the new starting quarterback after suffering a season-ending wrist injury.
Every game starts to matter more and more, and so do the picks in a fierce competition among ESPN sports experts who also weigh in on NFL-related topics.
Do you agree with Tom Brady’s statement about the mediocrity of today’s NFL?
Ives Aburto / X: @IvisAburto
totally agree. The question isn’t new, but the fact that the man considered by many to be the best quarterback in NFL history said it has got everyone talking.
Brady referenced bad habits picked up in practice and reproduced in games, which have to do with practices and drills that the NFL and players union began limiting players’ offseason equipment more than two decades ago. This limits the coaches’ work in strengthening and refining offensive skills, such as quarterback development, as well as defensive and tackle work, which becomes the case when defenders worry more about hitting players who cause the ball to loose or pass the ball. It’s obvious that instead of stopping it, it means the attack gains two, three or even five yards.
Overall, the 2023 NFL is a step down from previous seasons, but the drop in product quality has been significant over the years and has a lot to do with the rule changes that made it feasible. Quarterbacks and receivers are out of reach, and Brady benefits from that.
Sebastian Christensen / X: @SebasMCESPN
There is some truth to what he said. On the one hand, we’ve never been so athletic and for many players in the past it would be impossible to play today, but at the same time, sometimes quarterbacks are overprotected – and oddly enough, Brady is the one in this regard flag bearer. Trend – but not enough. Horizontal pins.
I think one aspect of the game that makes most of us fall in love with the game is the physical aspect, and while I understand that the first priority has to be the health of the players, I also understand those who think that this is a sport people. However, the reality is that times have changed, young people’s interests have also changed, and the NFL, the queen of ratings, has decided to change with them.
Alfonso Mancilla / X: @poncho_mancilla
Mr. Tom Barbie, sorry, Brady, in his forties, had begun to fall victim to what is known as chochear in Mexico.
There’s no denying that the league has made some questionable decisions with some of its prime-time game selections, which can lead to perceptions of a poor level of play, but this season has provided plenty of games with close endings and even emotionally charged, transcendent games. Stories like quarterback CJ Stroud leading the Houston Texans and now, surprisingly, the Detroit Lions.
In short, what may be difficult for Brady to accept is that the league still exists and will continue to exist after he retires.
Carlos Nava / X: @TapaNava
Tom Brady exaggerates. It’s true that many college programs have had to make changes due to the NCAA’s new rules regarding transfers and the like, but that doesn’t mean they stop cultivating and developing talent for the NFL.
Brady is also partly right about the rules that are slowly taking away the essence of today’s football.
Which team in the AFC Champions League with a record of 7 wins and 3 losses is the most reliable?
In-car information system: The Kansas City Chiefs were expected to be, but in reality, the four teams with this record heading into Week 12 have all been out of character at different times during the season.
The Chiefs were expected to compete for the top seed in the AFC, but they’ve been a different team than usual, with a inconsistent performance from Patrick Mahomes, an inconsistent offense, and defense being their main issue. victory.
However, Kansas City is where it should be, but if we talk about what happened in the previous weeks, the answer could be the Miami Dolphins, who took advantage of the situation (especially Aaron Rodgers’ injury against the New York Jets) team and the Buffalo Bills’ irregular rhythm) put themselves in position to win the AFC East.
Sebastian: Even though they’re technically 8-3 and have one game more than the other teams, I’m leaning toward the Baltimore Ravens. While it may not be the team with the highest ceiling, it is the most consistent team this season.
Baltimore has the best defense in the NFL, and Lamar Jackson is a differentiating talent at the most important position. Couple that with the winds of change the AFC North is experiencing (Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson are out for the year, and offensive coordinator Matt Canada was recently fired), the Ravens have to be considered the most reliable right now team.
Alfonso: Chiefs. I bet the offense will wake up in December and finally back up the great job their defense has done.
As if that wasn’t enough, with their dominance over their division rivals it’s almost a fact that they will be crowned the new AFC West champions, they just have to wait to be seeded and eventually they will be respected by Baltimore and Miami who look like the other two. A heavyweight.
Carlos: Kansas City is the most reliable team. They lost to a very good team on Monday night, and by the way, they led by 10 points in the first half. And, this is the Chiefs’ best defense in recent years.
It’s hard to count the teams that have allowed the AFC to dominate.
How will Matt Canada’s firing affect the Steelers offense?
In-car information system: The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is so bad that any improvement would be noticeable.
It is necessary to consider that the Steelers no longer have time to make fundamental changes to the offensive system implemented in Canada, but Eddie Faulkner will now share the workload as the new coordinator, while Mike Sullivan will determine the direction of the game. Execution will have a more vertical presence, which allows quarterback Kenny Pickett to capitalize on play-action and focus more on his receivers, especially George Pickens, who averaged 1.0 per game in 2023 Only caught the ball 3 times.
Additionally, Canada’s departure allowed Pickett to prove that the problem was on the bench, not on the field.
Sebastian: Honestly, Canada should have been fired a long time ago because Pittsburgh’s offense was maddeningly conservative and incompetent. The Steelers aren’t used to change, let alone in the middle of the season, but this change is necessary.
Now, Canada is far from the only problem, and I have less and less confidence in quarterback Kenny Pickett with each game that goes on. We’ll see if the coordinator change changes the way the offense operates, because if not, Pickett’s time could start to run out.
Alfonso: This will have a positive impact, as only the Jets have a worse offense than the Steelers.
The centerpiece will be a commitment to the development of quarterback Kenny Pickett, something Canada has failed to do and new Mike Sullivan in charge of the offense is expected to do.
That’s not to say Pittsburgh will suddenly achieve what Miami did, but at the very least, it should give them hope of building support for a defense that has shown up.
Carlos: It’s hard to predict because the Steelers offense, led by Kenny Pickett, has never been without coordinator Matt Canada.
It’s even more complicated when you consider that traditional offensive coordination duties will be rotated among several assistants with no experience at the position.
At the end of the day, it’s execution on game day that matters.
Which team not currently in the playoffs will get a ticket to the playoffs?
In-car information system: Las Vegas Raiders. Yes, they have two games remaining against the Chiefs, but given their reaction to the coaching change and Kansas City’s inconsistent offense, it’s not unreasonable to think the Black and Silver can win one of those games.
If so, their remaining schedule suggests the Raiders could be on pace for nine or 10 wins and as tight a run in the AFC as they were in 2023, which might be enough to make the playoffs.
Sebastian: bill. Just another team that changed offensive coordinators, and it paid off, at least initially. Joe Brady arrived after Ken Dorsey was fired, and the offense showed signs of improvement, albeit in a small sample size.
The idea is to protect Josh Allen from himself. How do you do it? With the offense more balanced, Brady gives more passes to James Cook, who can become one of the elite runner’s in this league. At the same time, more “movement” is noticed, i.e. pre-emptive action and more creativity.
The Bills have too much talent to make the playoffs.
Alfonso: Riding a four-game winning streak and with Russell Wilson seemingly on the verge of paying off his massive salary, the Denver Broncos appear to be an interesting bet to snag a last-minute playoff ticket.
It’s amazing how quickly things can change in the NFL. Two months ago, Sean Payton was considered one of the biggest disasters of the season, and now he’s considered innocent given the improvement his team has shown.
Carlos: The Broncos’ path isn’t as complicated as the Bills, another team that I thought should be in the playoffs but was already out of the question by the start of Week 12.
Denver is on the rise on both ends of the floor, has won four straight, and has a much simpler remaining schedule than Buffalo’s.