Daily Briefing

AROUND THE NFL The DB and Chris Myers look at the four Divisional Playoffs match-ups in our latest piece at FoxSports.com. – – -A longtime in the making, the 18-game regular season keeps getting closer to reality.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is continuing to push for extending the regular season to 18 games. Goodell said…

AROUND THE NFL At FoxSports.com, some thoughts on last week’s action with a bit of a look ahead can be found here.  NFC NORTH  CHICAGODespite the desultory end to Pittsburgh’s season, Steelers OC and former Falcons head man Arthur Smith remains on the interview dance card of the Bears and Jets.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: The Bears and Jets…

AROUND THE NFL The field is set for the Elite Eight – aka the Divisional Playoffs powered by Verizonpresented by Verizon Turbo Tax. Five of the eight are returnees from last year – all four in the AFC, but only the Lions in the NFC. Seven of the eight are 2024 division champions, with only Washington representing the…

NFC NORTH  GREEN BAYRob Demovsky of ESPN.com with the biggest priority for eliminated Green Bay: Biggest offseason priority: Find more pass rush. Whether that’s on defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to blitz more — the Packers had one of the lowest blitz rates in the NFL — or on general manager Brian Gutekunst to find better rushers, they need to…

The NFL has moved Monday Night’s game, the last of six Wild Card Weekend games to Glendale, Arizona.  Greg Beacham of the AP: Sean McVay got calls from Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips during the past week, but they had nothing to do with their teams’ upcoming wild-card playoff game. Friendship is…

Today marks the beginning of something new for the DB.  In conjunction with broadcaster Chris Myers, we will now be providing content to our friends at FoxSports.com.  The first story – a look at the NFL Playoffs in general and this week’s AFC Wild Card matchups – is up and running and we hope you will go here and check…

NFC NORTH  CHICAGOAlbert Breer of SI.com thinks that Mike Vrabel is the perfect fit for the Bears job: @AlbertBreerCity/coach fit for Mike Vrabel in Chicago is just about perfect. I also bet the history of the franchise would appeal to him. But there are a lot of other pieces that need to be in place—synergy with the front office,…

The late Monday Briefing focuses on coaching moves, we’ll look more at the playoff matchups in the next addition. THE CAROUSELBy Monday, two coaching jobs were open, three were closed and two remained a mystery. NEW ENGLAND – Jarod Mayo went 4-13, just as Bill Belichick had in 2023 and was dismissed.  The consensus rumor has Mike…

A look at the MVP race from CBSSports.com organized by Cody Benjamin: Our panel of voters (16): Cody Benjamin, John Breech, Will Brinson, Joel Corry, Jordan Dajani, Jared Dubin, Bryan DeArdo, Josh Edwards, Eric Kernish, Jeff Kerr, Shanna McCarriston, Garrett Podell, Pete Prisco, Kevin Steimle, Tyler Sullivan, Chris Trapasso Voting rules:Each first-place vote counts for 5 pointsEach second-place vote…

NFC NORTH CHICAGO Charlie Campbell hears that Lions OC Ben Johnson is not enamored with the thought of Ryan Poles picking his players and that Poles isn’t enamored of picking Johnson to lose his job: Rumors I’m hearing on Bears head coach opening via team sources: – Lions OC Ben Johnson wants the job, but…

If The Season Ended Today in the NFC: NFC                                          W-L      Conf         Last Week      %Detroit                     North        14-2      10-1               1                (1st or 5th seed)Philadelphia            East          13-3      8-3                 2               (2nd seed)LA Rams                 West         10-6      6-5                 3               (3rd or 4th seed)Tampa Bay             South         9-7       7-4                 4                89 (+31%)Minnesota               WC1         14-2       9-2              WC1             (1st or 5th seed)Washington             WC2         10-5      7-3               WC3             (6th or 7th seed)Green Bay              WC3          11-5      5-4               WC2             (6th or…

If The Season Ended Today in the AFC: AFC                                          W-L      Conf        Last Week          p’off statusKansas City              West        15-1       9-1                1                1st seedBuffalo                      East         13-3       92                 2                 2nd seedBaltimore                  North        11-5      7-4                 5                3rd or 5th seedHouston                    South        9-7       7-4                 4                4th seedPittsburgh                 WC1        10-6      7-4                 3                3rd, 5th or 6th seedLA Chargers             WC2         10-6     6-5                 WC2          5th or 6th seedDenver                      WC3         9-7       5-6                 WC3         …