Pfnt 2017 02 02

Who has the edge? • Predictions • Prop bets PFW’s five greatest Super Bowls of all time SINCE 1967

THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Taking the fifth?

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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

1 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 2 ATLANTA FALCONS 3 PITTSBURGH STEELERS 4 GREEN BAY PACKERS 5 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 6 DALLAS COWBOYS 7 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 8 NEW YORK GIANTS 9 MIAMI DOLPHINS 10 OAKLAND RAIDERS 11 HOUSTON TEXANS 12 DENVER BRONCOS 13 BALTIMORE RAVENS 14 DETROIT LIONS 15 TENNESSEE TITANS 16 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 17 WASHINGTON 18 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 19 MINNESOTA VIKINGS 20 ARIZONA CARDINALS 21 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 22 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 23 BUFFALO BILLS 24 CAROLINA PANTHERS 25 CINCINNATI BENGALS LOS ANGELES CHARGERS Welcome to our ProFootballWeekly.com 26 Super Bowl Week Rankings NEW YORK JETS As we approach the Super Bowl, there’s no question who the two best teams in the 27 league are, but how did the other playoff teams factor into our top 10? Who are the best teams who did not make the postseason as we head into the 2017 offseason?

28 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 29 CHICAGO BEARS 30 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 31 LOS ANGELES RAMS 32 CLEVELAND BROWNS

Really don’t have any questions left to answer Hottest team in league with one game to play Could Bell have made a difference in title game?

Look how banged up they were and still won Red-zone defense was great, still need more offense Defense exposed by Pack, offense can be special Hard to figure which way their arrow is pointed ‘D’ was real deal but have to find a ground game Next question: how good can Tannehill be?

Too dependent on Carr, defense still needs work If Watt comes back healthy, ‘D’ can be legendary Like ‘Hawks, which way is Broncos’ arrow pointing?

They were close but not getting any younger A product of their schedule more than talent Here’s an arrow definitely pointing up

May be another WR, two O-linemen and a S away Cousins must be back; can they fix the defense?

Power Rankings

Luck’s surgery, front-office changes are concerns Injuries on offense were not the only problem Can Arians reboot league’s worst underachievers?

Get Wentz some weapons and look out

What do they do about Brees’ contract and ‘D’?

McDermott will fix ‘D,’ but what about QB? Cam needs a bounce-back season, and help on ‘D’ Does anyone know why Lewis keeps getting a pass?

Talk about a bag full of question marks Same old song, about QB & old age

Marrone’s the man, is the talent for real?

AP PHOTO

Not surprisingly, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots head to Super Bowl LI at the top of our power rankings

If they find QB, are they closer than we think?

Will Jed’s risk with Lynch as GM pay off?

McVay a huge gamble, especially if Goff can’t play Sorry, not seeing any signs of hope yet

Pro Football Weekly is produced by Shaw Media, the Daily Herald Media Group and the Chicago Sun-Times in partnership with other Illinois daily newspapers.

T

his one is gong to be fun.

As Super Bowls go, it is rare we can say with certainty the two best teams in the league have made it to the big stage and the matchups they offer seem certain to deliver good theatre if not high drama.

Over just the past five seasons, the 2015 Broncos and 2012 Ravens have, of course, been extremely worthy champions, winning the games they had to, to claim their rings.

But nobody will ever convince me those were the best teams in the NFL over those seasons. They got hot, played their best and got the breaks they needed at exactly the right times.

The Patriots and the Falcons are clearly the two best teams in the NFL this year.

Without getting bogged down in the minutiae of too many statistics, Matt Ryan and Tom Brady were the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season.

Atlanta has the No. 1 scoring offense, New England has the No. 1 scoring defense. Dan Quinn is the hottest young coach in the NFL and, for my money, Bill Belichick is the greatest coach of all-time.

For star power beyond the QBs,

Falcons linemen Alex Freeman and Tevin ColeMack and Jake Matthews man offer while also idenand the Patriots’ Nate tifying Mohamed Sanu Solder and tight end Marand Taylor Gabriel at all times. tellus Bennett are among But no coach in the histothe best at their craft right now. Julio Jones may be ry of the game can scheme the best receiver in footwith Belichick and his rocket scientist right hand ball, and Julian Edelman on defense, Matt Patricia, is among the most producand the ultra athletic, justtive. No running backs in HUB ARKUSH do-your-job ensemble cast the league find the end EXECUTIVE EDITOR they employ provides at zone as often as LeGar@Hub_Arkush least some answers. rette Blount and Devonta Logan Ryan is an underrated asset Freeman, and on defense Atlanta’s at corner, and McCourty’s ultimate Vic Beasley Jr., Deion Jones and Keavalue is as one of the best cover safenu Neal, and the Pats’ Dont’a Hightower, Malcolm Butler and Devin ties in the game.

McCourty are all big plays waiting While Butler is the Patriots’ top to happen. cover corner, they could choose to So how will it all shake out? let him man up on Sanu or Gabriel, More than any I can remember in with Ryan and McCourty bracketing recent seasons, this is likely to be a Jones, leaving Patrick Chung to come coach’s game. up in the box to meet Freeman or The Falcons offense is a juggernaut Coleman or cover them in space. now more than ever, with Jones apI’m capable of that thought. Belipearing fully healed off the NFC title chick and Patricia will have a dozen game from the toe injury that nagged far more creative than mine. him late in the season.

The Falcons will have options as Commit to taking him away and well, but a bit more of a challenge there aren’t enough defenders left to with Brady and company. For all bracket both the run and pass options we’ve heard about Kyle Shanahan

and the wonders he’s worked with the Falcons’ offense, these birds’ chances to be super this year lay with defensive coordinator Richard Smith and, of course, Quinn, who designed Seattle defenses that have given Brady some of his greatest challenges.

Smith is a 29-year NFL coaching veteran who also coordinated defenses for the Dolphins and Texans between 2005 and 2008.

To have a chance against Brady, you have to pressure him and make him throw before he’s ready, or into coverages he’d rather avoid.

While the Falcons were 31st in the NFL with 22 sacks in 2014, 32nd in 2015 with 19, and still just 26th this year, they did increase their sacks by more than 75 percent to 34 in 2016.

The problem, though, is the pressure Brady struggles with has to come up the middle. The Falcons have not been very effective at that.

There is no question the Falcons are the hotter team coming into this Super Bowl, and in recent seasons that has been significant, but it’s not at all clear which is the better team.

What is clear is which of these two knows how to win this game and has done it before.

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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Super Bowl LI will likely be a coach’s game

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Patriots rushing offense vs Falcons run defense The Patriots had their first 1,000-yard rusher since 2012 this season when LeGarrette Blount rumbled for 1,161 yards and 18 touchdowns.

A big back who can get through the tackles, Blount has great open-field abilities to outrun defenders. New England also has pass-catching scat backs James White and Dion Lewis, giving Tom Brady three options in the backfield. However, the Pats’ run game was 25th in the NFL in yards per carry and Blount is only averaging 3.3 yards per touch in the playoffs. Lewis is at 2.7 yards on 19 carries. Atlanta’s run defense isn’t going to instill much fear in the Patriots – it allowed 4.5 yards per carry during the season (26th). However, the ‘D’ is playing its best football at the right time, holding Thomas Rawls to 34 yards on 11 carries in the divisional round and limiting Green Bay’s running backs to 39 rushing yards on 12 carries. Fast-flowing rookie linebacker Deion Jones helps clean up the second level, while the Falcons have Ra’Shede Hageman and Grady Jarrett in the middle of the D-line. The Patriots’ offense always has been known more for its passing than running,

LeGarrette Blount

and they only gained 57 rushing yards in their Super Bowl win two years ago. The Pats don’t need the run game to win, but they use it effectively. This may be one of the closest matchups, but a slight edge to the Pats because of the different ways they use the run game.

EDGE u PATRIOTS

Patriots passing offense vs Falcons pass defense As it will be with the Atlanta passing attack, it’s pretty obvious where the pendulum will swing here, but don’t discount the Falcons’ pass defense, even though it gave up 31 passing scores during the season. Robert Alford tallied 19 passes defensed during the season while Jones, patrolling the middle, had three picks and 11 passes defensed. Vic Beasley was a terror off the edge in the regular season with 15.5 sacks, though he’s been held without even a QB hit in the postseason. Ricardo Allen has two picks in the playoffs. Atlanta did a number on Russell Wilson and held Aaron Rodgers without a score in the first half. That group is up against Tom Brady, playing at an extremely high level with 28 touchdowns to two picks in the regular season. His quick decision-making and ability to find a defense’s weakness while utilizing a no-huddle, spread attack will stress a defense.

His favorite target is Julian Edelman, a great route runner who catches everything. Chris Hogan has been the star of the playoffs (275 receiving yards), while Martellus Bennett has been quiet (36 receiving yards). Brady also has good protection – the team was sixth in sacks allowed per attempt – and running backs to throw to in Lewis and White. Josh McDaniels and Brady will know plenty about this Atlanta ‘D’ come

Vic Beasley

Sunday. For the Falcons to gain the upper hand, they’ll have to get after Brady with Beasley the way the Texans got to Brady in the divisional round.

EDGE u PATRIOTS

Falcons rushing offense vs Patriots run defense Atlanta’s two-headed rushing attack of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman led the Falcons to fifth in the league in yards per carry (4.6).

They complement each other well and each has the speed to break any run to daylight. Running behind an O-line that has been vastly improved this year thanks in part to the addition of center Alex Mack, Coleman and Freeman combined for 19 rushing touchdowns and 1,599 yards on the ground. However, they have not been as effective in the playoffs, with Freeman being held to 3.1 yards per pop and Coleman at 3.9.

They’ll face a Patriots run defense that bottled up Le’Veon Bell (20 yards on six carries) before his injury. The Pats allowed only six rushing touchdowns during the regular season while giving up 3.8 yards per carry (eighth in the NFL) and 88.6 rushing yards per game (third). Dont’a

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

AP PHOTOS

Tom Brady

Hightower spearheads the middle of New England’s defense along with D-tackle Malcom Brown. Matt Patricia’s group is going to want to make life difficult for Matt Ryan by putting him in third-and-longs, but they can’t sell out to stop the run, either. Another close matchup goes to the offense.

EDGE u FALCONS

Falcons passing offense vs Patriots pass defense Matt Ryan, likely the league’s MVP, threw 38 touchdowns to only seven picks in the regular season (117.1 rating). He’s been fantastic in two playoff wins, completing 70.7 percent of his passes with seven touchdowns and no picks. He’s also gotten good protection, going down only three times in the playoffs. Ryan is

AP PHOTOS

Julio Jones

accurate with a strong arm and doesn’t need to be mobile to make big plays, like Brady. It certainly helps to have the best receiver in the game to throw to in Julio Jones, who went off for 1,409 yards in the regular season and has 247 yards and three scores in two playoff games this postseason. The extra week should be crucial for Jones’ toe. A difficult cover, Jones is a rare combination of size, strength and speed that can’t be stopped, only contained. Speedster Taylor Gabriel has added another element to Atlanta’s passing game, and Ryan has Freeman and Coleman out of the backfield. The Patriots’ pass ‘D’ has a star corner in Malcolm Butler (17 passes defensed, four interceptions) along with Logan Ryan (four passes defensed this postseason). Ball-hawking safety Devin McCourty will help cover Jones. Trey Flowers is the top pass rusher, along with Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard. The Patriots have allowed opposing passers an 84.4 rating this season, eighth-best

in the NFL, but Ryan’s Falcons have moved the ball on everyone.

EDGE u FALCONS

Sunday’s overall edge Both teams are good on third down and scoring points (Falcons ranked first, Patriots third).

One big difference is on defense, where the Falcons were 25th on third down and last in the red zone, while the Patriots had the seventh-best third-down ‘D’ and eighth-best in the red zone.

And of course, the Patriots allowed the fewest points in the league this season, while Atlanta was 27th. But the Falcons’ defense is playing much better in the playoffs. The ultimate edge will go in favor of experience and coaching, which is Brady, Bill Belichick and the Patriots going for Super Bowl title No. 5.

EDGE u PATRIOTS

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

SUPER BOWL

PATRIOTS VS. FALCONS +3 Hub

Kevin

Arthur

Bob

Adam

Pro Football Weekly

Pro Football Weekly

Pro Football Weekly

Daily Herald

Chicago Sun-Times

ARKUSH

FISHBAIN

ARKUSH

LEGERE

JAHNS

PATRIOTS 34 FALCONS 30

PATRIOTS 28 FALCONS 33

PATRIOTS 31 FALCONS 27

PATRIOTS 27 FALCONS 21

PATRIOTS 31 FALCONS 30

It’s hard for me to imagine either of these two offenses getting shut down, but it’s also impossible to ignore the Patriots No. 1-ranked scoring defense.

Hard to ignore the Belichick factor, but also can’t ignore the way Atlanta’s ‘D’ is complementing its high-powered offense. Ryan finally gets his.

The Falcons appear capable of sustained Super Bowl success, but no one has achieved it like the Pats, who possess unrivaled leadership and are the more balanced and battle-tested club.

Falcons may have the two biggest difference-makers in Vic Beasley and Julio Jones, but New England is legendary for neutralizing the opponent’s best weapon.

The fan in me says go with the Falcons in an upset.

But logic demands that I recognize the Patriots’ overall excellence.

Jon

Kristin

Eric

Dan

Kyle

Pro Football Weekly

Pro Football Weekly

Pro Football Weekly

Pro Football Weekly

Pro Football Weekly

STYF

SHARP

OLSON

McCALEB

NABORS

PATRIOTS 24 FALCONS 28

PATRIOTS 24 FALCONS 28

PATRIOTS 34 FALCONS 26

PATRIOTS 28 FALCONS 30

PATRIOTS 24 FALCONS 31

I had no faith in the Falcons the last time out, but this week I’ll pick the underdogs to win their first Super Bowl.

Move over Tom Brady; there’s a new sheriff in town.

Matt Ryan is having an MVP-worthy postseason and can finish it off on Sunday.

With the Falcons boasting the top-scoring offense in the NFL and the Pats coming in at No. 3, no wonder over-under is highest ever for a Super Bowl.

Can’t bet against Patriots here.

The Falcons’ offense has been the best unit in football this season. Yes, Bill Belichick has had two weeks to prepare his defense, but talent beats scheme this time.

Bill Belichick and the Patriots’ defense will try to take Julio Jones away, but it’s Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman that will deliver a championship to Atlanta.

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INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

David Tyree

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Joe Namath

Malcolm Butler

5

Jackie Smith John Taylor PHOTOS BY AP

GREATEST

By the staff of

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY

W

e’ve opined all season on forces, internal and external, contributing to a decrease in the NFL’s TV ratings and, seemingly, overall popularity: poor officiating, an inept commissioner, precious few good teams, even fewer good quarterbacks, and a presidential election so unprecedented we couldn’t look away.

The lackluster 2016 playoffs, well, there’s a lot less grey area as to why it’s largely failed to compel us: Favorites: 8, Underdogs: 2, with a point differential of plus 147.

So here we are with one game left, for all the marbles, and it’s likely we’ve spent some time over the past week hoping for one final flourish in a season we’d just as soon flush.

What would a classic finish, one the NFL must privately think it desperately needs, look like? Pro Football Weekly thought we’d provide a refresher. Below are five of the greatest Super Bowls, a list we all hope will

Super Bowls OF ALL-TIME

require an addition in a few days.

•••

5. XXIII: Trailing the Bengals by

three with 3:20 remaining, Joe Montana, or “Joe Cool,” led the Niners 93 yards for the game-winning touchdown, a 10-yard bullet shot into the outstretched arms of John Taylor, with 34 seconds left for San Francisco’s third Super Bowl triumph, 20-16.

Montana-to-Taylor finished “The Drive,” but Jerry Rice’s Super Bowl record 215 receiving yards netted him the MVP and laid the foundation for the third and final championship of Bill Walsh, who rode off into the NFL coaching sunset afterwards.

•••

4. XIII: Cowboys TE Jackie Smith

was deemed “the sickest man in America” by Verne Lundquist following his dropped would-be touchdown from Roger Staubach on thirdand-goal late in the third quarter with Dallas trailing Pittsburgh, 21-14. Smith, the longtime St. Louis Cardinal, came out of retirement at age 38 for a 16th season, ending in his first Super Bowl appearance.

The first-ever rematch in the title game is remembered for Terry Bradshaw tossing for 318 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner to fellow Hall of Famer Lynn Swann, and leading Pittsburgh to become the first NFL team with three Super Bowl victories, but also the day Smith’s “luck ran out.”

•••

3. III: The Super Bowl was borne

on a guarantee by Joe Namath, who unabashedly vowed three days before his AFL champion Jets clashed with the NFL representative Colts that his team would prevail, which they did, 16-7, in one of professional sports’ more improbable outcomes.

The game’s most valuable player, Namath, and the Jets needed just one touchdown, a short plunge by RB Matt Snell, and three Jim Turner field goals to make good on the guarantee.

•••

2. XLIX: One yard from becoming

the first repeat champs since the Patriots, the fellow No. 1 seed they were attempting to dispatch, the

Seahawks infamously went away from Marshawn Lynch and toward Ricardo Lockette on a second-andgoal slant with 26 ticks left, trailing 28-24. Undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler jumped the route, picking off Russell Wilson and securing a fourth Super Bowl for Belichick and Brady, who earned his third Super Bowl MVP for tossing four TDs and overcoming a 10-point fourth-quarter disadvantage.

•••

1. XLII: On third-and-5 with 75 seconds remaining and his team trailing, 17-14, Giants WR David Tyree’s impossible 32-yard catch secured between his right hand and helmet made possible Eli Manning-to-Plaxico Burress for a 12yard touchdown to snap the Patriots’ perfect season. It’s Manning’s Giants’ second Super Bowl win over New England, both catalyzed by an unrelenting pass rush led by Justin Tuck and Michael Strahan. But it’s Tyree’s catch that’s widely regarded as the greatest play from the greatest Super Bowl of them all.

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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY |

Your guide to Super Bowl 51 prop bets

By JOHN

a nice value here.

SAHLY

P

jsahly@shawmedia.com

What will happen first: Falcons score (4/5) or Falcons punt (7/5) The Falcons have scored on eight straight opening drives. Take the score.

rop bets are strange.

But they’re also one of the more entertaining things about the Super Bowl. Want to bet what kind of pants Luke Bryan will be wearing during the national anthem? You can do that. How about which song will Lady Gaga start with for her halftime performance? You can do that, too, and my money is on “Edge of Glory.”

The point is, the biggest game of the year presents all sorts of fun opportunities to bet on the game – and the festitivites.

Here are a few of my favorites (odds courtesy of Bovada and/or Westgate):

it’ll be because of Ryan.

Will Matt Ryan win Super Bowl MVP and the regular season MVP? (Yes: 9/4. No: 2/7) Take the Yes here. Ryan turned in an MVP-caliber regular season and it appears to be between him and Aaron Rodgers at this point for league honors. But more importantly, a QB has been named MVP of the Super Bowl 27 times, way more than any other position. If the Falcons win,

What color will the liquid be that is poured on the winning coach? (Clear/Water: 3/1, Yellow: 3/1, Orange: 3/1, Lime/Green: 7/2, Blue: 5/1, Red: 6/1, Purple: 12/1) What color Gatorade did the Patriots pour on Bill Belichick after winning their most recent Super Bowl? Blue. The Falcons used a clear liquid in the NFC Championship Game, but blue gives you

How many times will ‘Gronk’ or ‘Gronkowski’ be said on TV during the live broadcast? (Over 3: 5/6, Under 3: 5/6) This one seems like a lock to go over. Any Patriots throw to the tight ends, or especially if Gronkowski is in the owner’s box and in sight of the cameras, may push this over by the end of the first half.

Matt Ryan

Rob Gronkowski AP PHOTOS

Who will Donald Trump pick to win the game?

(Patriots: 1/10, Falcons 11/2).

Free money, even if you have to wager a lot just to make a little. But the president is picking his buddies, Brady and Belichick.

Will the word ‘lacrosse’ be mentioned on the broadcast? (Yes: 2/5, No: 17/10) Again, free money here. Chris Hogan, former lacrosse player, has turned into a national story.

The broadcast should mention it by his second target.

Rookies contribute to Super Bowl squads

By GREG

starters on defense have helped the Falcons get to the Super Bowl.

GABRIEL

E @greggabe

arly in my scouting career, it was an oddity if many rookies made significant contributions to their teams. Times have changed, and we now see rookies not only making huge contributions, but in some cases leading teams to multiple wins.

Our two Super Bowl teams didn’t have a rookie who was a difference-maker for them, but both had several first-year players who were important parts to their success.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have three rookies starting on their defense and all have played well. First-round pick Keanu Neal came into the NFL with the reputation of being a big hitter.

He has kept that reputation alive with 106 total tackles as a rookie.

Many of those 106 tackles were looked at as “big” hits. Those big hits helped cause turnovers, as Neal forced five fumbles this year. Like most rookies, he has areas where he needs to improve. With Neal, it’s ball skills, as he didn’t have an interception all year. Those will come.

When you’re drafted in the fourth round, a whole lot isn’t expected. In the case of linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, he has become the sur-

New England Patriots

Deion Jones

AP PHOTO

prise of the rookie class. Campbell started 11 games at one of the outside linebacker spots and did an outstanding job, especially in coverage.

Campbell has range and awareness and that made him a three-down player for the Falcons. He finished his rookie year with 48 total tackles and an interception. In the playoffs, he has added another seven total tackles.

The third rookie to contribute on defense was second-round pick Deion Jones, a ‘Mike’ linebacker from LSU. Jones is undersized for a middle linebacker at about 230 pounds, but he is fast, quick and instinctive. He had three games this year in which he recorded double-digit tackles and finished the season with 108 total tackles.

The contributions of those three

The Patriots were without a firstround draft pick in 2016 but they still had members of the rookie class contribute. In playoff times, we tend to forget about the early season.

With the Patriots, though, the early season had a lot to do with their overall success. Quarterback Tom Brady was suspended for the first four games, yet the Pats were able to win three out of those four games.

Third-year man Jimmy Garoppolo was supposed to lead the Pats during that time, but he got injured and in came rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett from North Carolina State. The Patriots had no inten-

Malcolm Mitchell

AP PHOTO

tion of playing Brissett as a rookie but were forced to. With very little practice snaps in the preseason, Brissett played very well and won one of the two games he played in.

When the Patriots drafted guard Joe Thuney in the third round of last April’s draft, not many thought he would compete for a starting position as a rookie. Thuney performed way better than expected and has held down the left guard spot since training camp. To say he has exceeded expectations is an understatement.

The third rookie on offense who has contributed is wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell. Mitchell was the Patriots fourth-round selection and has come up with a number of big plays. For the season, he had 32 receptions for 401 yards and four touchdowns. His best games were an eight-catch game against the Rams and a four-reception game two weeks earlier against San Francisco. In a late-season game versus the Jets, Mitchell had two touchdowns. Needless to say, his future is bright.

On defense, the biggest contributor has been defensive back Jonathan Jones. While Jones isn’t a starter, he has been productive the last third of the season and in the two playoff games. He has 10 tackles over the last six games.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

10 players who helped themselves during Senior Bowl week

By ARTHUR

P

ARKUSH

aarkush@profootballweekly.com

ro Football Weekly was in Mobile, Ala., last week to observe the Senior Bowl, where many of the nation’s top draft prospects practiced in front of hundreds of front-office executives, scouts and coaches representing all 32 NFL clubs.

Deshaun Watson, Jonathan Allen and Taco Charlton, among other high-profile players who declined invites, weren’t in attendance, watering down the talent pool and, frankly, some of the buzz surrounding this year’s event. Nonetheless, as is the case every year, future NFL stars, some mostly unknown heading into the week, were on display.

Although many players improved their stock in the early stages of the pre-draft process, as a general rule of thumb, participants in college All-Star games aren’t downgraded

by NFL evaluators based off their showings – injuries and new and significant off-field red flags emerging during interviews notwithstanding.

Thus, the following are 10 players Pro Football Weekly saw help themselves during the week. We didn’t include studs like Alabama TE O.J. Howard and offensive linemen such as Indiana’s Dan Feeney and Western

Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp, as they all validated their already-strong standing entering the week.

WR Zay Jones EAST CAROLINA (6-1 7/8, 202) Even before catching the game’s final touchdown, and narrowly missing two more impressive scores, Jones was one of several small-school receivers whom higher-pedigreed South team DBs had a hard time covering throughout the week. His speed, competitiveness and dependable hands all flashed consistently from the time he step foot on the grass at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

LB Haason Reddick TEMPLE (6-1 1/2, 237) The strong and explosive Reddick spent the bulk of his time with the Owls on the edge, but demonstrated in Mobile the ability to play on his feet with quickness and fluidity, also still heating up the edges as a rusher.

TE Evan Engram MISSISSIPPI (6-3, 236) It didn’t take long for the athletic “move” tight end to break out of his teammate’s and perhaps the week’s lone surefire first-rounder, Howard’s, massive shadow. Engram’s quickness as a route runner, soft hands and exciting post-catch ability portend him becoming a mismatch piece in the right NFL offense.

S Obi Melifonwu CONNECTICUT (6-4, 219) A safety with Obi’s size and length is rare in and of itself; a safety not only with his length but the agility of a smaller safety, well, it’s clear the force, and plenty of intrigue from NFL evaluators, is with this hard hitter with ball skills and coverage chops.

RB Kareem Hunt TOLEDO (5-10 1/2, 208) Running routes, catching passes and, of course, carrying the ball, Hunt showcased ample speed, strength, burst and a surprising amount of wiggle. A huge producer in the MAC, Hunt not only fared well alongside the likes of bigger-name peers from the B1G and ACC, he looked like the week’s most well-rounded back.

Edge Tarell Basham OHIO (6-3 5/8, 259) One of the more explosive pass rushers in Mobile, Basham also showed flexibility around the edge, pass-rush instincts and at least some degree of comfort and understanding when retreating.

WR Cooper Kupp EASTERN WASHINGTON (6-1 1/2, 198) It’s not like Jones and Kupp don’t boast eye-opening collegiate production; Kupp is the most prolific pass-catcher in NCAA history,

with 428 catches, 6,464 yards and 73 touchdowns. Yet, seeing his pristine route-running and easy separation skills against stud power-five defensive backs might’ve put him on the early Day Two radar.

CB Cameron Sutton TENNESSEE (5-11, 182) Sutton entered the week with a strong reputation for ball skills, as evidenced by his Vols record 37 passes defensed. He left Mobile after adding to his résumé an ability to adapt, as he played safety and both corner spots and looked good doing it.

QB Nate Peterman PITTSBURGH (6-2 1/2, 225) Amidst a roster full of developmental quarterbacks, Peterman’s polished mechanics, accuracy, sufficient arm talent and sound decision-making helped him easily ascend as the week’s best passer.

DT Jaleel Johnson IOWA (6-2, 309) With explosive get-off and physical finishing ability, Johnson was at times a one-man wrecking crew in team drills. He tallied plenty of behind-the-line production with the Hawkeyes and it certainly carried over to Mobile, where few offensive linemen could handle his combination of power and quickness.

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W

hile the Oakland Raiders’ stadium deal continues to implode – as we’ve reported here for several months now that it would, we might add – things are not exactly all sunshine and roses in Los Angeles either, according to our sources.

Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s football palace will be built and will be spectacular. That is not in doubt.

But the Way We Hear It, Kroenke’s arranged marriage with Chargers owner Dean Spanos is already on shaky ground, and the rebuilding of his football team may not be in great shape either as more information leaks out about all that was wrong under Jeff Fisher.

That Spanos is not a Kroenke fan is no newsflash, but we hear the depths of the Chargers’ owner’s distaste for his new partner may have been underestimated by their fellow partners.

While Jerry Jones brokered a deal that would give Kroenke the L.A. market but force him to partner with Spanos if the Chargers owner so desired, all the I’s were not dotted nor were all the T’s crossed as most assumed Spanos would find a way to stay in San Diego or perhaps even look elsewhere rather than move in with Kroenke.

According to our sources, now that the two are forced to coexist, neither side is very pleased.

One report has Kroenke telling his chief lieutenant Kevin Demoff to shave $250 million off the original $2.6 billion price tag of the stadium, entertainment and real estate project.

Sources close to the story are indicating that while the exact nature of the Rams and Chargers revenue sharing remains to be settled, Kroenke may be preparing to recoup some of his investment to offset revenues that will be shared with the Chargers.

It has also been clear to both clubs from the moment they stuck their toes in the L.A. water that a failure to field a competitive team will doom this adventure and could lead to significant embarrassment for them and the league.

We’re not sure what to expect quite yet from the Chargers football people, but in hiring the 31-year-old Sean McVay and asking him to oversee the rebuild of the Rams, Kroenke may be bringing a butter knife to a gunfight.

For starters, McVay will have to rely on holdover general manager

Is Belichick a changed man, or is it just early?

B

Sean McVay Les Snead, whose talent acquisition over the past few seasons has been less than stellar.

One person close to the situation tells us that Snead survived after Fisher got the axe as much because Demoff knows he can control him as anything else.

More concerning is we’re told that beyond the terribly over-estimated evaluation of Jared Goff ’s readiness for the NFL, a large part of the Rams failures in 2016 were due to the focus of many of the young players on the L.A. night life and lifestyle at the expense of their preparations to play on Sunday.

Another source told Pro Football Weekly that Todd Gurley, expected to challenge for the title of best back in the game after a record-setting run in the middle of his rookie campaign, may have suffered the most among the young Rams from distractions away from the field.

Can the 31-year-old first-time head coach be not only the tutor but the mentor and disciplinarian the Rams apparently need?

Let’s stay tuned on that one.

Young Falcons focusing on focus at Super Bowl

Perhaps the biggest unknown at Super Bowl LI in Houston is whether the young Falcons – who are practically toddlers on defense in particular – can handle the pressures of the big game as well as a Patriots squad with 23 players with rings from just two years ago.

Tom Brady by himself has more Super Bowl experience than the entire Falcons roster.

Even key veteran acquisitions by

AP PHOTO

the Falcons like Alex Mack (0), Andy Levitre (0) and Dwight Freeney (2) have limited or no Super Bowl experience.

But rookie linebacker De’Vondre Campbell told us this week the Falcons wouldn’t be bothered by distractions, saying, “After the game when the confetti falls and they bring out Vince Lombardi, that’s when the party starts. Right now, we’re all business.”

Head coach Dan Quinn is also confident his youngsters won’t be rattled and told us how he plans to avoid it.

“Well, we have no control over their experience and their background.

What we can control is our readiness.

I’ve been very pleased with their development over this time and their coaches, the early meetings, the extra stuff they’ve done to get ready,” he said. “Way back when, we knew there would be some growing pains just to learn the system, how fast you could get up to speed.

“What we can control is our readiness, our mindset, the style and attitude we want to play. That’s a part of the good thing about being young too, that you don’t have too much other stuff to worry about other than just getting ready and getting your game in order.”

According to Atlanta’s young former undrafted free agent wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, there are more important factors than experience in being a great football team.

“It comes from Dan Quinn. It comes from the players. When we say ‘brotherhood,’ it’s not just the players. It’s the whole staff; from the facility to the chefs and things like that,” he said. “Everybody is a big important piece to what we have going on. I feel like that’s why we have been so successful.”

ill Belichick somewhat famously has little or no patience for dealing with the media or anything or anyone else that might get in the way of preparing his football team.

But early this week in Houston, Belichick was not only very pleasant, at times he was downright chatty.

Asked what he’ll tell the 30 Patriots who were not with the club at New England’s most recent Super Bowl two years ago, Belichick told us, “Football is still football.

“There is a lot more to this game with the things that go on, events like this. In the end, we try to participate in the things we are required to participate in, but keep our preparation and focus on the task at hand and we are playing a great Atlanta team, so assume they have a lot to work on with them.

“We don’t know them very well. We haven’t played them in a couple years.

We tell everybody the same thing.

“We are coming down here to compete on Sunday and to play our best football game because that is what it will take to win. That is what I tell everybody.”

When Belichick first took over the Patriots in 2000, he famously used his sixth-round draft choice to select Tom Brady. Earlier this week, he reminisced with us.

“I have been very fortunate to coach Tom,” he said. “Tom is a tremendous player. He is a tremendous competitor.

He prepares extremely hard. He comes to work every day and gives his very best effort. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to coach Tom for these years. I think I have a lot of respect for him. There is a mutual respect there.

We each have a job to do. It is very different.

“All the jobs are important, but we try to find a way to do our jobs and help the team win the best that we can. I think he does a great job of that. That is what I try to do. From that standpoint, we have a great relationship.

“We both want to win. We both want to do what it takes to win. That is our focus pretty much every game. It is not always the same game plan, but trying to get to the same end point.”

All of that said, few expect Belichick’s disposition to remain so sunny as Sunday draws closer.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Does Rams’ McVay know what he’s gotten into?

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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Arkush: Well Dan, just two teams, one Sunday and one game to go before we wrap another NFL season. Somehow, the Super Bowl always feels so much bigger than that though with the outrageous expense, endless hype and extra week of promotion, propaganda and over-the-top inspection of every word, grimace and sneeze of anyone remotely connected to the game. Which brings us to a near annual debate that surrounds the game: Do we really need the bye week? Or would the Super Bowl actually be more enjoyable and more often more competitive without it? What say you, Mr. McCaleb?

McCaleb: Well, Hub, it took the 17-week regular season and the month-long NFL playoffs to get to this point, but you’ve finally done it. You’ve stumped me. I don’t have a good answer for you. There’s no doubt that the bye week adds to the hype and the drama, but does it help the qual-

us r o ci fo ! i l s e ck h � D a t Sn al He

Like it or not, bye week here to stay NATE ATKINS HUB ARKUSH ity of the game? I don’t know.

It obviously gives players from both teams extra time to heal from whatever bumps, bruises or other maladies they’ve suffered during the long NFL season. And I’d rather have both teams at as close to full strength as possible playing in the biggest football game of the year. But I really could do without the over-hyped promotion and propaganda, as well. I guess I’ll answer it this way, Hub. The bye week really isn’t needed, but I’m glad as I write this that we still have one more game ahead of us.

How about you?

Arkush: Dan, I love the idea of the Super Bowl as the best and biggest game of the year

PATRICK FINLEY DAN McCALEB

and I agree rested and healthier players should help make that a reality, but in the couple seasons in which the bye week was skipped due to work stoppages, there was no noticeable difference in players’ health and preparation. I also get that it is tricky for fans attending the game only if their local club makes it to make travel arrangements and secure tickets on such short notice.

But few fans are still working out details past the Tuesday or Wednesday after the title games and I feel like the hype and hyperbole has become almost suffocating to the point of detracting from the game.

I’d also argue the extra week is used as much as anything to drive already outrageous

ticket prices even higher in the hands of scalpers who are expert at teasing the market.

In not so few words, I can do without the bye.

McCaleb: Not going to argue with any of your points, Hub. Eliminating the bye also allows the two Super Bowl participants to send their best players to the Pro Bowl, assuming that would be moved back to the week immediately after the NFL championship.

OK, so it’s a small benefit, but ... This might all be a moot point anyway if the league moves forward in the next CBA and persuades the players to agree to an 18-week regular season. Wouldn’t the bye week have to go buh-bye if that

were the case?

Arkush: That’s a great point, Dan, but I don’t know that the NFL owners would care all that much about pushing the Super Bowl deeper into February if they were able to extend the regular season.

March Madness is in, well, obviously it’s not until March.

The first of golf ’s four majors is the Masters the second week in April. Baseball doesn’t start and the NBA and NHL playoffs also don’t begin until April, so the NFL basically has February to itself. The next significant sporting event of any kind is the Daytona 500, and that’s not until the last weekend in February. As much as I hate the hype machine, the bye week feeds the powersthat-be in the NFL. It appears to be here to stay unless, of course, NFL owners can think of a way to make more money by bagging it. But there are no options there, are there?

McCaleb: If there were, Hub, I’m sure NFL owners already would have come up with it.

Yep, it looks like the bye is here to stay, for better or worse.

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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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ro Football Weekly’s Hub Arkush and Dan McCaleb discuss the need for the Super Bowl bye week.

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2017

• THE MOST FUEL EFFICIENT V-8 PICKUP. ECOTEC3 5.3L V-8 ENGINE GET 23 MPG HWY. • MAX TRAILER PACKAGE PROVIDES UP TO 12,500 LBS. OF CLASS LEADING V-8 TOWING CAPABILITY.

• AVAILABLE BUILT-IN 4G LTE WI-FI, WIRELESS CHARGING AND CHEVROLET MYLINK WITH AN 8-INCH DIAGONAL COLOR TOUCH-SCREEN DISPLAY. • 60,000 MILE/5-YEAR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY.

2017 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500

HALL OF FAMER DAN HAMPTON

MOST DEPENDABLE, LONGEST LASTING FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK ON THE ROAD

Dependability based on longevity. 1987-July 2016 full-size pickup registrations.

EPA-Estimated. Maximum trailer ratings are calculated assuming a base vehicle, plus driver. See dealer for details. Maximum payload capacity includes weight of driver, passengers, optional equipment and cargo. Devices must be WPA2 compliant with active OnStar service and data plan. Wi-Fi devices manufactured prior to 2006 may not be compatible. Visit Onstar.com for details and system limitations.

Whichever comes first. See dealer for restrictions and limited warranty details.