Author: Matt Lombardo

This Cleveland Browns season has not gone anywhere close to according to plan, or approached even the most reasonable of expectations. Not only is Deshaun Watson out for the season, but even a Week 12 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers — in blizzard-like conditions, can mask a 3-8 start to a season that began with legitimate playoff aspirations but now appears earmarked for a last-place finish in the AFC North. Yet, despite being on track to miss the playoffs, it appears that it will be status quo for the Browns in 2025. According to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Albert…

The Seattle Seahawks are suddenly surging, sitting atop the NFC West after upending the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, largely riding the dominance of head coach Mike MacDonald’s defense. Arizona entered Sunday afternoon’s tilt as the NFL’s sixth-leading rushing offense, averaging 140.3 yards on the ground per game, only to be stonewalled by the Seahawks’ defense which held the Cardinals to just 49 yards rushing in a 16-6 statement victory. “They play downhill and are mean,” former Seahawks legendary linebacker Lofa Tatupu tells me is key to Seattle’s success on defense. Sunday afternoon, Leonard Williams took up residence in the Cardinals’ backfield,…

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley staked his claim in the MVP conversation, perhaps as the award’s frontrunner, following the most dominant performance of his career Sunday night. Against the Los Angeles Rams, Barkley exploded for 255 rushing yards, including touchdown runs of 70 and 72 yards, as the driving force of Philadelphia’s offense in a 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. While no running back has won the MVP award since Adrian Peterson took home the honors in 2012, Barkley and Baltimore Ravens All-Pro Derrick Henry are a legitimate threat to break the quarterback position’s stranglehold this season.…

The New York Giants were blown out by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon at MetLife, and then several players couldn’t wait to point fingers at a lackluster effort, coaching decisions, and everything else that went wrong once the media was permitted into the locker room. Malik Nabers, in particular, didn’t hesitate questioning his lack of usage by head coach Brian Daboll, particularly before the Buccaneers raced out to a 30-0 lead. While Nabers finished with six catches for 64 yards, he wasn’t even targeted until the third quarter. Nabers told reporters that he believed his team’s effort was…

On the surface, this Kansas City Chiefs season has played out like so many have for the franchise in the recent past. Patrick Mahomes and Co. have sprinted out to a 9-1 start to the season, with the only blemish coming on the road against Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills, Steve Spagnuolo’s defense has become one of the stingiest and most feared in the NFL, and head coach Andy Reid has found a way for his team to come through in the most important moments of some of the tightest games of the season. However, still, Mahomes and rookie wide receiver…

The New York Giants made the shocking decision to release Daniel Jones, just four days after benching the quarterback chosen with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Friday’s decision to cut ties with Jones caps a tumultuous week that saw the Giants demote Jones to the role of emergency No. 3 quarterback, in large part in hopes of avoiding him suffering an injury that would trigger a $23.5 million injury guarantee for the 2025 season, before sending Jones out onto the practice field Thursday as the safety on the scout team defense. Following Thursday’s practice, Jones…

The New York Giants’ decision to release Daniel Jones sent shockwaves across the NFL. Not only must Jones’ former Giants teammates come to grips with the organization’s sudden about-face and turning the reins of the offense over to Tommy DeVito, but some of Jones’ former longstanding teammates were also stunned by the news. “It sucks to see,” former Giants All-Pro and current Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley told reporters. The Giants chose Jones with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, one year removed from making Barkley the No. 2 overall selection. Unfortunately, Jones departs…

Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers have revenge on their mind ahead of Sunday’s clash against the San Franscisco 49ers. When the Packers welcome the 49ers into Lambeau Field, Green Bay will look to avenge the NFC Divisional Playoff loss that ended last season two victories shy of a Super Bowl appearance. Love has the Packers in the driver’s seat for an NFC Wild Card berth, while the 49ers have struggled this season while battling through myriad injuries, San Francisco currently finds itself well on the outside looking in at the NFC Playoff picture. Still, Love suggests that Sunday’s…

The New York Giants’ decision to bench quarterback Daniel Jones has sent shockwaves through the locker room, especially among the former top-ten pick’s longest-tenured teammates. Giants All-Pro defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence was chosen in the same draft class as Jones, and didn’t hold back, publicly, when it came to his dismay over Jones’ benching. “That’s my best friend,” Lawrence said Tuesday of the decision to bench Jones, via The Athletic. “It’s tough for that to happen. I can’t control it. They made the decision based off their evaluations and their thoughts and feelings. … That’s my boy. As a player, you…

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is in jeopardy of doing something for the first time in his career; failing to surpass 1,000 receiving yards. Evans has been one of the most consistently dominant and explosive wide receivers in the sport throughout his career, posting at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first ten seasons. However, after being sidelined with a hamstring injury the past three weeks, it is going to take a Herculean effort for him to reach what has become his standard output. Through seven games played, and with just seven remaining for the Buccaneers,…