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| Wednesday, January 10, 2024 |
| Happy midweek, everyone! Can you believe Super Wild Card Weekend is just three days away? John Breech can't, so he took the day off to make some bold predictions (more on that below). Either way, you've got me, Cody Benjamin, to deliver all the latest. |
| This is the Pick Six Newsletter. Now let's get to it. (And please, do yourself a favor and make sure you're signed up to receive this newsletter every day! You don't want to miss our daily offerings of everything you need to know around the NFL.) |
| We've got Prisco's wild-card picks, Mike Vrabel fallout, other coaching rumors and more: |
| 1. Today's show: Bold predictions for Super Wild Card Weekend |
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| Pete Prisco and John Breech joined Will Brinson on the latest "Pick Six NFL Podcast" to forecast every opening-round playoff game, offering bold predictions for each game. Some highlights: |
| Prisco believes Mason Rudolph will be exposed in the Steelers' matchup with the Bills, predicting the fill-in quarterback to complete just nine passes and throw two picks as Buffalo cruises to the divisional round.Brinson likes the Chiefs to win by more points than Tyreek Hill has catches against his former team. In other words, he's not backing the Dolphins to make noise in what could be a historically cold matchup in Kansas City.While he isn't ready to pick the Packers against the Cowboys, Prisco believes both sides will move the ball with ease, projecting 650 combined passing yards for Jordan Love and Dak Prescott in maybe the best shootout of the weekend. |
| Catch the full episode (and subscribe for all kinds of daily NFL talk) right here. |
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| 2. Prisco's picks: Rams edge Lions, Bucs upset Eagles |
| Pete Prisco has been on a roll making straight-up picks all year, ending the 2023 regular season with a 168-104 record. Now he's back with predictions for every single wild card showdown. Take a look: |
Browns 31, Texans 24: This is the veteran quarterback Joe Flacco against the rookie sensation in C.J. Stroud. Flacco gets the edge because he has the better defense.Chiefs 26, Dolphins 19: The Dolphins will go into Arrowhead a banged-up team, especially on defense. They will be down their top three pass rushers. That's a problem against Patrick Mahomes, even if the Chiefs offense has struggled this season.
Bills 27, Steelers 13: The Bills are rolling into the playoffs as winners of five straight. They have the look of a dangerous playoff team. The Steelers won two straight to get into the postseason, but they will be without T.J. Watt here against Josh Allen.Cowboys 33, Packers 31: I think Jordan Love is playing outstanding football and Dak Prescott is as well. The pressure is firmly on Prescott and the Cowboys. That's why I see the loose Packers and Love making a game of this.Rams 31, Lions 30: This is the game featuring two quarterbacks traded for each other in Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford. I think Stafford and the Rams will get the best of the Lions defense, while Goff will also play well. There will be a lot of points.
Buccaneers 27, Eagles 24: The Eagles are limping into the playoffs having lost five of their last six. They haven't come close to looking like the Super Bowl team from a year ago. Look for a big game from Mike Evans. The Bucs will pull off the upset. |
| 3. Mike Vrabel fallout: Top landing spots, what's next for Titans |
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| Tennessee sent shockwaves through the NFL on Tuesday when it parted ways with Vrabel, who led three playoff runs, including an AFC Championship appearance, in his first four years as Titans coach. Vrabel's Titans went just 13-21 the last two years, however, and Titans brass hinted Tuesday that it wants better "collaboration" from its leaders moving forward. So what's next? |
| Top landing spots include Patriots: A look at five logical destinations for Vrabel now that he's on the marketTexans OC a potential successor: Plus other candidates to replace Vrabel as the Titans' next head coachGM Ran Carthon denies rift with Vrabel: Despite indications that the two sides did not see eye to eye |
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| 4. Where could Jim Harbaugh end up if he returns to NFL? |
| Now that he's got a national championship under his belt, the Michigan coach could finally be ready to leap back to the pro ranks, where his brother, John, has the Ravens atop the AFC playoff picture. But where, exactly, might Harbaugh land? Among six current NFL head coaching jobs, we'd consider these three to be the most logical: |
| 3. Commanders: In theory, Washington has the most appealing job on the market. Under new ownership, the Commanders boast the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, plus a league-leading $78.8 million in projected salary cap space. In other words, Harbaugh would have a chance to build this team from the ground up. The question is, does he want to do that at age 60? |
| 2. Raiders: Harbaugh is familiar with the organization, beginning his NFL coaching career as the Raiders' QBs coach in 2002. Then there's owner Mark Davis, who loves himself a splashy hire, even though 2023 interim Antonio Pierce won over the locker room down the stretch. From Harbaugh's perspective, while there are big questions at QB, the lineup also has premium playmakers in Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby , with a top-15 pick that could be put toward a signal-caller of the future. |
| 1. Chargers: Los Angeles went for an up-and-comer with Brandon Staley in 2021. Now, with Justin Herbert squarely in his prime, and a lineup littered with playoff-ready starters like Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, Khalil Mack and Derwin James, this team is primed to pivot for a "sure thing." Who better than Harbaugh, a proven winner and offensive mind who has ties both to the organization (he played QB for the Chargers from 1999-2000) and the area, holding three different coaching jobs in California? |
| 5. Playoff QB Rankings: Purdy, Allen headline 14 left |
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| Every week of the 2023 season, we ranked all 32 starting signal-callers. Now, the playoff field has whittled the QB crop to 14. So which of the remaining passers deserve the utmost trust going into the race for a Lombardi? Here's a sneak peek at our top five: |
1. Brock Purdy (49ers)
2. Josh Allen (Bills)
3. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
4. Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
5. Jalen Hurts (Eagles) |
| Why Purdy at No. 1? The 24-year-old with only two completed playoff starts? The 49ers have won 19 of the 23 starts he's finished since the start of 2022, and while that may say a lot about his setup, it also speaks volumes about his ability to capitalize on it. The kid does everything well from inside the pocket, but he's also got the slippery legs and high-level confidence to escape traffic and sling it downfield. It's no wonder his team is favored to go the distance. |
| Catch the full breakdown of all 14 playoff QBs right here. |
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| 6. Extra points: Bears fire OC, Martindale leaving Giants |
| Hungry for more headlines? We've got you covered: |
| Bears fire OC Luke Getsy, other offensive coaches: An overhaul for Matt Eberflus' staff ahead of a critical offseasonWink Martindale set for messy split from Giants: And where could the longtime DC end up?One reason for optimism for every non-playoff team: There's still hope!Cold weather could be historic in Dolphins vs. Chiefs: Bundle up if you're going to this one Injured Dolphins add pass-rushing help: Justin Houston is among the emergency additions2024 mock draft: The Bears go QB up top after sending Justin Fields to an NFC hopeful |
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