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Surviving on Thursday night kept the Minnesota Vikings firmly in the mix for a wild card spot in the NFC, and they can get even closer with some help on Sunday.The 6-7 Vikings currently occupy the No. 8 seed in the conference, and their playoff odds still aren't great despite the win over the Steelers. ESPN's FPI gives them a 33 percent chance to make the playoffs, while FiveThirtyEight is slightly higher at Carlos Santana Jersey 35 percent.The latter number could go up to 41 percent or down to 27 percent by the end of Sunday, pending the result of two critical games. Before we get into that, here are the current, pre-Sunday standings.Games to watch on Sunday with Vikings relevanceWashington (6-6) vs. Dallas (8-4) 12:00 p.m. CT, FOXThe Vikings need to be big Cowboys fans on Sunday. Washington currently holds the No. 6 seed in the NFC and has a big leg up on all the teams below it because of its fantastic 5-2 record against conference opponents, which is the most important tiebreaker outside of head-to-head. There's no scenario where Washington can fall behind the Vikings this week because of that tiebreaker, but having them drop to 6-7 and lose a third conference game would be huge.The Cowboys are 4.5-point road favorites in this game. Their offense, on paper, should be able to have a Carlos Baerga Jersey big day against the WFT defense. However, Washington has been a tough out recently, winning four in a row after a 2-6 start.Cincinnati (7-5) vs. San Francisco (6-6) 3:25 p.m. CT, CBSThis is another big one. The Vikings need to root hard for Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and the Bengals to hand the 49ers their seventh lo s of the season. Despite playing at home, the Bengals are 1.5-point underdogs in this game against a talented 49ers squad. San Francisco has a critical head-to-head advantage over the Vikings, but there's a scenario where they fall behind Minnesota this week due to the tiebreaker procedures when three or more teams have the same record.Both of these teams are coming off competitive lo ses the Bengals to the Chargers, and the 49ers to the Seahawks.Scroll to ContinueNew York Jets (3-9) vs. New Orleans (5-7) 12 p.m. CT, CBSThis one isn't as important, but a Jets upset as 5.5-point underdogs would be a pleasant surprise for the Vikings. Even if the Saints win as expected, they'll be behind the Vikings on conference record (but would be more of a factor to deal with going forward than if they lose).Carolina (5-7) vs. Atlanta (5-7) 12 p.m. CT, FOXThe winner of this game becomes more relevant for now and is involved in the tiebreaker scenarios at 6-7, though either one would trail Minnesota on conference record. The Falcons aren't very good and the Vikings have a head-to-head win over the Panthers, so neither team is a major threat at the moment.Tiebreakers to know (AKA how the Vikings could be back in the No. 7 seed after Sunday)The San Francisco and Washington games are very important ones. If both teams win, the Vikings' playoff odds go down to 27 Brandon Guyer Jersey percent (per FiveThirtyEight). If they split, the odds stay put at 35 percent. If both lose, the Vikings will be up to a 41 percent chance to reach the postseason, which could go up to 58 percent with a win over the Bears next Monday night.In the scenario where SF and Washington both lose, the Vikings would suddenly find themselves back in the No. 7 seed in the NFC. Here's how:If SF and Washington loseWashington, SF, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Atlanta or Carolina, and po sibly New Orleans would all be 6-7. That means head-to-head results against non-divisional opponents don't matter for now, because we go to the wild card tiebreakers for three or more teams.The first step is to "apply division tiebreaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division." That eliminates the Eagles from contention for one of the top two spots, because they have a worse conference record than Washington. It also means we don't need to worry about New Orleans even if they beat the Jets, because they have head-to-head lo ses to both Carolina and Atlanta in their lone meetings so far.That leaves Washington, SF, Jose Ramirez Jersey Minnesota, and the Atlanta-Carolina winner. A team would surge to the top or bottom if they had beaten or lost to every other member of the group, but we can ignore that because Minnesota and Washington haven't played each other, among other mi sing games.The next tiebreaker is conference record. Washington, even after losing to Dallas in this scenario, leads the way at 5-3, so they get the No. 6 seed for now. The Atlanta-Carolina winner will be the only team of the four with a sub-.500 conference record, so they only pa s Philly for the No. 9 seed.Minnesota and SF will both have a .500 conference record no matter what. The next tiebreaker is common games. SF is 1-5 against Detroit, Green Bay, Arizona and Seattle, while the Vikings are 3-2 against that group. That's how Minnesota ends up in the No. 7 seed (for now) if Washington and SF lose on Sunday.Of course, that's probably a far more detailed analysis than is needed with four whole weeks still to play after this one. The 49ers' head-to-head win over the Vikings could still come into play if they end up in a 1-to-1 tiebreaker, and the conference records and common games records will change as well over the rest of the season. Vikings fans need to root for Dallas to beat Washington and Cincinnati to beat San Francisco on Sunday. The Jets beating the Saints would be an added bonus. If Washington and San Francisco both lose, the Vikings will be back in the No. 7 seed in the NFC heading into Week 15 and get a sizable boost to their playoff odds. Of course, Minnesota's fate really depends on its own busine s, with a 3-1 record potentially nece Lonnie Chisenhall Jersey sary to sneak into the playoffs (though 2-2 might do it with some help).

Lions head coach Dan Campbell called upon the counsel of head athletic trainer Kevin Bastin to aid him this week.With nearly 45% of the roster out while dealing with various injuries and a Hunter Pence Jersey rampant flu bug that permeated the locker room, Detroit's first-year head coach needed a Mel Ott Jersey plan to figure out a practice schedule this week.Campbell told reporters at his Friday media se sion that he decided to conduct a walk-through on Wednesday and limit practice this week based on Bastin's advice."I respect his input greatly," Campbell explained. "Hes been around in this league for a long time, and hes got a real good feel of whats best for Aramis Garcia Jersey the players, but also whats best for trying to get ready to play a football game. And so, there was a lot of input that was taken from him, in regards to that."During the open portion of practice conducted outdoors, T.J. Hockenson, D'Andre Steven Duggar Jersey Swift, Julian Okwara, Jalen Reeves-Maybin (shoulder) and Austin Bryant were not observed at practice.Scroll to ContinueCampbell noted that Swift would likely not be available against the Broncos.Detroit Lions' Week 14 Friday Injury Report Become a premium AllLions member, which grants you acce s to all of our premium content and gets you a FREE Austin Slater Jersey subscription to Sports Illustrated! Click on the link below for more.

The Cardinals signed 15 Kris Bryant Jersey players to reserve/future contracts Wednesday, 13 of whom ended the season on the teams practice squad.Signed were wide receiver Andre Baccellia; cornerbacks Breon Borders, Nate Brooks and Jace Whittaker; defensive lineman Matt Dickerson; tight ends Alex Ellis, Bernhard Seikovits, David Wells and Deon Yelder; safety Javon Hagan; offensive linemen Danny Isidora, Koda Martin and Eric Smith; running back Jaylen Samuels; and linebacker Joe Walker.Samuels and Yelder were the only two that werent with the Cardinals during the 20221 season. Seikovits was on the practice squad all season as part of the leagues Internationals Pathway Program.Players on the practice squad when the season ended Monday night that havent been signed to this point are cornerback Bashaud Breeland, running back Tavien Feaster and defensive linemen Jonathan Ledbetter and Josh Mauro.Scroll to ContinueSamuels (6-0, 225) has played in 45 games (eight starts) with Pittsburgh (2018-20) and Houston (2021) in his career Andre Dawson Jersey and has 136 carries for 468 yards and one touchdown on the ground to go along with 85 receptions for 564 yards and four Ron Santo Jersey touchdowns receiving. He was selected by the Steelers in the fifth round (165th overall) of the 2018 draft.This year, Samuels was waived by Pittsburgh on Aug. 31 and signed to the practice squad the following day. He was released on Oct. 27 and signed to Houstons practice squad two days later. He was on the Texans practice-squad/COVID-19 list from Dec. 11 to Dec. 23. During the season, he was elevated to the active roster three times in Weeks, 13, 16 and 17.Yelder (6-4, Brad Wieck Jersey 255) is a four-year NFL veteran who has played in 29 games (two starts) with Kansas City (2018-20) and Tampa Bay (2021) in his career and has 11 receptions for 86 yards. He entered the league with New Orleans in 2018 as an undrafted rookie free agent.Last March, he became a free agent when not tendered by Kansas City as a restricted free agent. Yelder signed with Washington on May 6 and was waived July 27. He signed with Tenne see on Greg Maddux Jersey Aug. 15 and was waived the next day. On Sspt. 1, he was signed to Tampa Bays practice squad. He was released Nov. 10 and then signed with the Giants practice squad on Nov. 25 where he spent the remainder of the season. He was elevated to the Buccaneers active roster in Weeks 3, 6 and 7.Also Tuesday, the Bengals signed defensive tackle Zach Kerr to their active roster from the Cardinals practice squad. Cincinnati plays AFC No. 1 seed Tenne see on Saturday.

Signed as a free agent to provide size on the inside at middle linebacker and a valuable locker room presence, Anthony Walker's run defense struggled largely for reasons out of his control but he was efficient in pa s coverage.2021 Production69 solo tackles, 2 tackles for lo s, 1 sack and 2 pa s defensesWalker was brought Albert Pujols Jersey in to play from guard to guard, provide a bigger, physical presence at linebacker against the run, especially when teams want to utilize heavier personnel groups. In obvious pa sing situations, he was meant to come off the field for players with Chris Carpenter Jersey more speed and range to help in coverage.An injury to Jacob Phillips was one of the factors that forced Walker to stay on the field more than the defense likely would've preferred. Walker doesn't offer much speed or range, so when plays went to the sideline or there were quick pa ses out wide, he was at a disadvantage.Scroll to ContinueNeverthele s, he was better than some might think even if he wasn't the ideal Kolten Wong Jersey player for every situation.Defense in the running game was a disappointment because the Browns were so poor at defensive tackle. Instead of being able to attack downhill and make tackles at the line of scrimmage, something he flashed at the beginning of the season, he was too often having an offensive lineman on him immediately off the snap, making it difficult for him to get to the ball carrier.Free Agency Status: UnrestrictedWalker Ozzie Smith Jersey is going to be an unrestricted free agent likely to get out into the open market.Free Agency ProjectionThe Browns would be thrilled to have Walker back for at least one more year, but it's going to come down to cost. If someone wants to pay him more to go elsewhere, the Browns aren't likely to get in the way.Should Walker be content to return on a similar deal as the $3 million deal he had in 2021, the Browns would welcome him as a veteran Ken Boyer Jersey leader and credible run defender who surpa sed expectations against the pa sing game.

Both the San Francisco 49ers (10-7) and the Los Angeles Rams (12-5) eked out road playoff victories with game-winning kicks to move onto the NFC Championship.Although the entire broadcast is Madison Bumgarner Jersey likely to be centered around Tom Bradys future, lets look at players actually playing this weekend.Here are Five Players to Watch in 49ers-v-Rams part three:Tyler Higbee, Tight End, #89 Los Angeles RamsLos Angeles tight end Tyler Higbee has at least 40 yards and three first downs in six straight games.The 49ers normally defend tight ends well, allowing the third fewest receiving yards to the position this season. Yet three of Higbees five touchdowns were against San Francisco.When the 49ers focused on eliminating Dallas outside threats in the Wild Card round, tight end Dalton Schultz took advantage with seven catches for 89 yards.Dont be shocked if Higbee is the beneficiary of the hyper focus on Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr.Linebackers Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Azeez Al-Shaair, as well as safeties Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt cannot let Higbee get going early like he did in Week 18.Troy Reeder, Linebacker, #51 Los Angeles RamsLos Angeles has an elite defensive front and the best corner in the NFL, but its major weakne s in the middle is too much to ignore.Linebacker Troy Reeder ( ) has mi sed 14.2% of his tackles this season, and surrendered 52 catches on 64 targets for 432 yards and three touchdowns in coverage (per Pro Football Reference).The Rams won last week thanks to late offensive and special teams heroics, but the game would have ended much earlier Paul Goldschmidt Jersey had Reeder not mi sed an open-field tackle on fourth down, which allowed Leonard Fournette to break loose for a game-tying score.Head coach Kyle Shanahan loves to exploit weak linebacker play in the middle of the field with his many physical offensive weapons.Reeder must bring down Elijah Mitchell and Deebo Samuel on rushes, while also manning zones that George Kittle, Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk love to occupy.KWaun Williams, Yasmany Tomas Jersey Nickel, #24 San Francisco 49ersIn two games vs San Francisco, Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford has a 133.3 quarterback rating when targeting Kupp, who has 18 catches on 20 targets for 240 yards, 10 first downs and a touchdown.Scroll to ContinueYes, the 49ers were without starting nickel KWaun Williams for their regular season finale victory, but Kupp was succe sful no matter who was in coverage.He had 11 catches on 13 targets for 122 yards in Week 10 when Williams played, and seven catches on seven targets for 118 yards and a touchdown in Week 18.Williams has struggled in man coverage this season, especially in the playoffs. Despite the interception vs Dallas, the slot corner has allowed 142 yards and a touchdown on 10 catches (14 targets) in the past two games (Pro Football Reference).Kupp isnt the Rams only slot weapon. Williams will see two strikingly different alternatives in the 6 Adam Jones Jersey 6 Higbee and the deep threat Van Jefferson (47.2 yards per game).Jefferson (25% of snaps in slot ) is particularly concerning, as Williams does not have the speed to run with Jefferson (questionable/knee).Jauan Jennings, Wide Receiver, #15 San Francisco 49ersAiyuk (six catches on seven targets for 107 yards) and Samuel (too many stats to list) had monster games in the 49ers must-win Week 18 victory over the Rams, but the hero at the end was Jennings.The 2020 seventh-rounder had a career-high six catches on seven targets for 94 yards and two touchdowns, both being game-tying scores.Not only did Jennings take advantage of Los Angeles weakne ses at safety and linebacker, he burned the Rams undersized corners and provided impact second-level blocking.Star corner Jalen Ramsey is undeniably great, but Los Angeles other three corners, Darious Williams (59), David Long Jr. (511) and Donte Deayon (59), are not big enough to cover Jennings (63), nor Steven Souza Jersey evade his blocks to bring down outside runs by Mitchell or Samuel.Expect Shanahan to take advantage of these matchups again.Trent Williams/Colton McKivitz, Left Tackle, #71/68 San Francisco 49ersOtherworldly left tackle/fullback Trent Williams (ankle) has been a DNP all week.In the event Williams does play, the 49ers must hope his ankle provides enough mobility to sustain the Rams relentle s defensive line.Having your best pa s-protector's availability in question is never good, especially when youre playing Aaron Donald and Von Miller.The future Hall-of-Famers are in excellent form. Miller has 7.0 sacks in his past six games while Donald has 8.0 in his past eight games.A healthy Williams provides quite the battle outside. Yet if the All-Pro is unable to go, the 49ers need reserve offensive lineman Colton McKivitz to once again be an unsung hero against superior pa s rushers.

CINCINNATI Running back on Wednesday.The 25-year-old will be joined by rookie wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and defensive end Trey Hendrickson on Sunday, Feb. 6 Houston Astros Jersey in Las Vegas.While Mixon was happy to be picked for the annual All-Star game, he has his eyes Carlos Correa Jersey on a different bowl."Tremendous honor to be selected to my first Pro Bowl. Couldnt have done it without the selfle s work of the big Monsters up front," Mixon tweeted. "Plan is to mi s Brad Peacock Jersey the Pro Bowl because the Bengals will be playing in the Super Bowl."It may sound farfetched, but the Bengals are just two wins away from winning their first AFC North Ryan Pressly Jersey title since 2015. They can put a stranglehold on the division with a win over the Ravens on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.Make sure you for the latest NFL news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!You May Also Like:Scroll to Continue-----Be sure to keep it locked on Roy Oswalt Jersey All Bengals all the time!Follow AllBengals on Twitter:

As expected, interest in members of the Tenne see Titans personnel department is on the rise.Director of player personnel Monti O senfort will interview with the Minnesota Vikings this weekend, according Friday. The Vikings are searching for a new general manager, and Luis Valbuena Jersey their choice will get a hire a head coach.Minnesota fired general manager Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer after an 8-9 record in 2021 and one playoff appearance in the past four seasons. O senfort, 43, with the New York Giants as part of for a new general manager as well.Scroll to ContinueThe Giants, who fired general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Joe Judge after a 4-13 campaign, Tenne sees vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden. Both of those interviews took Blank Jersey place Friday. Cowden and O senfort were the fifth and sixth candidates, respectively, to meet with franchise officials.O senfort will be one of the first to talk to the Vikings. He is a Minnesota native who played quarterback at University of Minnesota-Morris (an Trevor Cahill Jersey NCAA Division III program), where he was a two-year starter. His first experience in the NFL was as a training camp intern with the Vikings in 2001.The bulk of his profe sional experience came with the New England Patriots. He filled multiple roles over 14 seasons with them, including director college scouting, national and area scout. He also spent time with the Houston Texans. Tenne see hired him in 2020, when Cowden was promoted from director of player personnel to his current Justin Upton Jersey post. Cowden, 43, has been with the Garrett Richards Jersey franchise since 2018.The Titans set an NFL single-season record with 91 players used during the just-completed regular season. That, combined with the fact that they finished 12-5 and earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, helped make Cowden and O senfort for this years general manager openings. Each interviewed for available general manager jobs in recent years with no succe s.

As an injured Cade Otton rode out of Husky Stadium on Friday on a scooter, he actually rode off into the sunset.Amid all the University of Washington coaching chatter suggesting Kalen DeBoer will be the next coach, the highly regarded tight end from Tumwater, Washington, on Monday said goodbye to the Huskies and college Tug McGraw Jersey football.In a social media post, Otton thanked everyone from his wife to his coaches and teammates for his five-year succe s at the UW. He leaves as a junior in cla s standing because of pandemic provisions, with another season of eligibility available had he wanted it.Presumably, Otton's next stop is April's NFL draft, where Keith Hernandez Jersey he should be a middle- to high-round draft pick. He's considered an elite blocker for his position, as well as a proficient Neil Walker Jersey receiver.The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Otton last played in the Huskies' 35-30 lo s to Arizona State and injured his left foot, which was encased in a boot and forced him to mi s the Colorado and WSU games. Earlier, he sat Tom Seaver Jersey out the California and Oregon State game because of COVID-19 i sues.He leaves after appearing in 39 Husky games and starting 35 of them over parts of four seasons.He finishes his UW career with 91 catches for 1,026 yards and 9 touchdowns, hauling in a personal-best 32 as a sophomore in 2019.Scroll to ContinueHe even came up with 4 tackles.Otton was the first-team All-Pac-12 tight end and a John Mackey Award semifinalist.While this Otton moves on, his family name will remain Matt Harvey Jersey firmly ensconced in the UW program, with younger brother and fellow tight end Ryan Otton signed and arriving in the next recruiting cla s.

All things considered - including 44-year-old Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady recently noting that he owes time to his wife and children - it seems like the retirement writing was on the wall for the GOAT.And on Saturday afternoon, ESPN e sentially made an official announcing: Tom Brady is Ender Inciarte Jersey retiring.Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, citing several sources who are within Bradys inner circle, reported that his sources anticipate Brady most likely will reveal his future plans in the coming days.This seemed both rather vague and rather obvious. But it happening certainly changes the landscape of the Atlanta Falcons competition Freddie Freeman Jersey in the NFC South and of course the landscape of the entire NFL. When Brady quarterbacked the New Danny Santana Jersey England Patriots, they were perennially the leagues most consistently feared team. He brought that same aura to Tampa Bay.And now? The CBS report did advance the ball in one way, with one unnamed source mentioning that Brady wants to not drag out his decision to the Buccaneers have the full offseason to figure out what to do next at QB. (Sort of the opposite of what Aaron Rodgers did to the Green Bay Packers last offseason, and may do again.)Scroll to ContinueCBS also said Brady might hurry to announce his plans so as to not upstage the Super Bowl, which is two weeks away.Just before Atlanta Braves Jersey the 2021 season opened, Brady said, Hopefully, Ill be here a long time. For many years.Two more seasons since then might not count as many. But it can count as plenty.The NFL will be moving on from a great one and Julio Teheran Jersey the Falcons will be happy to oppose twice a year a Bucs QB who is substantially le s GOAT-like.

When the Denver Broncos first hired general manager George Paton, the team hadn't won much over the Nick Kwiatkoski Jersey previous five years. And now, after Sunday's frustratingly lo s to the Kansas City Chiefs to close the regular season and make it five straight losing campaigns, Paton opted to fire head coach Vic Fangio.It was a nece sary move. Patonwas diligent and calculated in a decision that completely flips the apple cart in the Mile High City. Following his lunch-time pre ser, Paton appeared on , joining hosts Ryan Edwards, Benjamin Allbright, and Broncos' game day color announcer Rick Lewis to explain the proce s behind the move and how the GM plans to move forward in his search for the new head coach in Denver. Part of Paton's job in hiring a new head coach also includes finding a franchise quarterback. The Broncos have fielded 22 starting quarterbacks since the turn of the century, and outside of a miraculous four-year stretch with Peyton Manning, the team has struggled to find the correct answer as a long-term, viable starter, including polarizing third-year signal- Buster Skrine Jersey caller Drew Lock.With obvious questions at the most pivotal position in all of sports, having the general manager and head coach in lockstep on the proper direction of the position is critical. It doesn't matter whether Paton's move is to grab a veteran, draft a young player, or continue to develop the players on the roster.So does Lock, who has played an improved brand of football over the past three weeks, play into the conversation moving forward?"No doubt. Definitely," Paton said. "How Drew did this year and kind of how he evolved, we want every candidate to have an opinion on Drew. How are you going to get the best out of Drew? Do they have knowledge of the college quarterbacks? Do you have knowledge of the free-agent quarterbacks? Who have you been around and what's your ideal quarterback? What type of philosophy are you going to run on offense? It's a big conversation when you're interviewing these guys. It can go to five to seven hours, and quarterback is obviously a very big part of the conversation."Will Paton limit his search to only candidates with head-coaching experience?"We're not going to limit ourselves, guys," Paton said. "There's too many good coaches out there. Some are unproven and we're going to cast a wide net. We're going to interview a lot of different coaches and if we get blown away by a guy that doesn't have a Mitchell Trubisky Jersey lot of experience, we're going to go ahead and hire him."Scroll to ContinueThus far in his tenure, Paton has done exactly what he proclaimed in his introductory pre s conference almost exactly a year ago. He promised to be in every deal, to keep all options open, and to do everything in his power to help right the ship for a team that has endured the worst stretch of losing following a Super Bowl championship in NFL history. And that includes a "wide net" of coaching candidates that even stretches to the college ranks. "We're not going to rule out anyone," Paton told . "College, pro, offense, defense. When you're in my position, you always have a list, so we're ready to go. You hope you don't have to use that list, but we're going to be off and running tomorrow."After the firing of Fangio, that included a number of familiar names.Notably, a few of the names have previous ties to Paton at his former stops in Miami and Minnesota. So would those connections have any impact on the hiring proce s? "I don't Pat O'Donnell Jersey think that factors in," Paton told Allbright. "I mean, obviously if you know someone in the interview proce s, you know more about them and the background and stuff but you just hate to limit yourself and focus on someone before you get through the whole proce s. So again, I may know a few guys but that doesn't give them an edge at all. And there's a lot of really good candidates out there and we want to get to know them."One thing is already for certain: as already described above, Paton is going to do everything in his power James Daniels Jersey to find the right guy for the franchise moving forward. And with his track record of succe s thus far, Broncos Country should be very encouraged by his very pointed words earlier on Sunday. "We're going to be very thorough and we're going to find the best guy for the Denver Broncos, I guarantee you that," Paton said.