Daily Briefing

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing It’s a new world in NFL television as the biggest NFC game of Wild Card Weekend goes not to FOX, ESPN or NBC. SUPER WILD CARD WEEKEND Saturday, Jan. 15 AFC: 4:30 p.m. (ET) (NBC, Peacock, Universo) 5 Las Vegas Raiders at 4 Cincinnati Bengals AFC: 8:15 p.m. (ET) (CBS,…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing NFC SOUTH   CAROLINA EDGE BRIAN BURNS is among those Panthers still steadfast in support of Coach Matt Rhule.  ESPN.com: Carolina Panthers running back Ameer Abdullah saw firsthand in 2018 with the Detroit Lions what it’s like when the coach loses the locker room.   Players were so disenchanted with…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing If California and Los Angeles goes into a lockdown mode with massive health restrictions, the NFL has signaled its willingness to bolt for more welcoming climes, even with just five weeks to the SoFi Stadium-scheduled Super Bowl.  The AP: The NFL, not surprisingly in the midst of a rise in…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing NFC NORTH   GREEN BAY Even Mike Florio, who has had plenty of unkind words about QB AARON RODGERS, is appalled that Hub Arkush, one of 50 MVP voters, is loudly proclaiming that he will not vote for Rodgers for reasons that have nothing to do with football. Packers quarterback…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing If The Season Ended Today, they are all Jacksonville fans in Pittsburgh today.  The Colts are in with a win over Jacksonville on Sunday, otherwise the Steelers get in by beating the nearly-eliminated Ravens in Baltimore. yx-Tennessee          South         11-5              1          7-4 yx-Kansas City         West         11-5              1          6-5…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing If The Season Ended Today in the NFC – the 49ers would be seeded above the Eagles, even though it is Philadelphia that has clinched a playoff berth. *zyx-Green Bay          North    13-3      1        9-2 x-LA Rams                  West    12-4      1        8-3 yx-Tampa Bay                        South   12-4     …

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing NFC NORTH   MINNESOTA And, at the worst possible time, QB KIRK COUSINS goes down with the dread COVID virus.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins will miss Sunday night’s game against the Packers.   According to multiple reports, Cousins has tested positive for COVID-19 and will…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing The Lions got a good one with WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN (whose name is easier to spell than his brother’s).  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com: All things considered, the Lions had a solid month of December, going 2-2 with victories over the Vikings and Cardinals.   But one of their young…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing The NFL (with the cooperation of the NFLPA) has revised its protocols in accordance with the revisions of the CDC. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: The protocols taketh away. And giveth. And taketh away again.   Tuesday’s agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association adopting the CDC’s new five-day rule…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing If The Season Ended Today in the AFC, the Dolphins have moved into the playoffs. Only the Chiefs have clinched their spot. yx-Kansas City           West    11-4     1          6-4 Tennessee                  South   10-5     1          6-4 Cincinnati                    North     9-6     1          7-3 Buffalo                         East       9-6     1          6-5 Indianapolis                …

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing Peter King wants equity, especially when it comes to OPI and DPI: I think the NBC NFL rules expert, Terry McAulay, made a perfect point with this tweet during the weird extra Monday game:   Terry McAulay @SNFRules Who is doing what to whom here? This should be a no…

AROUND THE NFL Daily Briefing If The Season Ended Today In The AFC, 13 teams are in the playoffs or within a game of the 8-6 playoff line:                                    W-L      Div       Conf Kansas City     West    10-4       1        5-4 New England  East       9-5       1        7-2 Tennessee      South     9-5       1       …