NFC NORTH

DETROIT

Here are some Lions GM interviews from John Maakaron of SI.com:

On Wednesday, the Detroit Lions continued their expansive search for their next general manager.

After interviewing Terry Fontenot, the assistant GM and vice president of pro personnel for the New Orleans Saints, earlier this week, the Lions have completed interviews with Brad Holmes and George Paton.

Holmes, the Los Angeles Rams’ director of college scouting, has worked with the organization for the past 18 seasons, and played a role in the drafting of Aaron Donald back in 2014.

Paton, the Minnesota Vikings’ assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel, is drawing plenty of interest across the league due to Minnesota’s success the past few seasons.

The veteran front office executive spent time in the personnel departments of Chicago and Miami, before joining Minnesota in 2007.

Detroit recently hired Chris Spielman to be a special assistant to Rod Wood and Sheila Ford Hamp.

Being that Paton has worked in lockstep with Spielman’s brother Rick Spielman, he may draw some increased interest from Detroit’s coalition in charge of hiring the Lions’ next head coach and GM.

The three candidates named above would all make Troy Vincent and the NFL Office happy should they be hired.

GREEN BAY

Ted Nguyen of The Athletic on the merge of QB talent and system that has made 2020 a special season for QB AARON RODGERS:

The Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay modern outside zone system is the most quarterback-friendly system in the NFL. Play action off of the outside zone can be indistinguishable from an actual run for defenses and it makes reads for quarterbacks much simpler than in a standard dropback passing game. It has helped quarterbacks with limited skill sets like Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo look like top-10 quarterbacks for stretches. Baker Mayfield is in the midst of a resurgence after head coach Kevin Stefanski brought it to Cleveland. Even Mitchell Trubisky recently enjoyed a strong five-game stretch when the Bears began including elements of it in their offense.

However, when defenses shut down the run and defend play action soundly, some of these quarterbacks can quickly revert to pumpkins. In the last Super Bowl, Garoppolo failed to deliver when he was forced to drop back in the fourth quarter. In the Super Bowl before that, Goff could barely move the ball against the Patriots’ tilt front, a defense specifically designed to shut down the outside zone and boot — Goff and the Rams still have some trouble against teams that copy the Patriots’ blueprint from time-to-time.

What happens if you put a blue-chip quarterback into the system?

That was the idea when the Green Bay Packers hired Matt LaFleur as their head coach in 2019. In the few seasons before LaFleur, Aaron Rodgers was still putting up good numbers but it was becoming more clear that he just wasn’t producing as efficiently as when he was in his prime. He lost trust in Mike McCarthy’s offense and was trying to make too many off-script plays and held the ball far too long.

When LaFleur was hired, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. It usually takes a season for quarterbacks to learn the system and LaFleur and Rodgers had to adapt to each other. For example, the system usually doesn’t give a ton of room for quarterbacks to audible at the line of scrimmage. There are “kill” calls and set audibles that quarterbacks have to make against certain defensive looks but they weren’t typically given license to change the call to whatever they wanted like Peyton Manning was famous for doing. Rodgers’ ability to adjust and change plays at the line of scrimmage is one of his greatest strengths so LaFleur smartly adjusted and gave Rodgers a lot of freedom pre-snap. There were some growing pains in Rodgers’ first season in the system. Even so, he still performed well enough to get the Packers in the NFC Championship.

Rodgers is by far the most talented quarterback currently running this system and this season, he’s fully ingrained in it. It’s made life easier on him and his talents are taking it to new heights. In the regular season, he passed for 48 touchdowns to only five interceptions and completed 70.7 percent of his passes while averaging 8.17 yards per attempt. He’s one of the frontrunners for what would be his third MVP award.

One of the base plays in the outside zone system is the bootleg, in which the quarterback will fake an outside run to one side and roll out to the other. Rodgers is one of the best ever at throwing on the run so naturally, his skills translated and he’s been remarkably efficient on bootlegs. He can make the routine throws but when nothing is open, he can create on the run.

– – –

The Shanahan/McVay system has helped mask the weaknesses of a long list of physically underwhelming quarterbacks around the league but with Rodgers, it’s accentuating his strengths. He can execute and reap the benefits of the easy in-structure benefits of the offense but can create when things break down. And in crunch time, he can slice up a defense in the dropback passing game, which his predecessors in the past two Super Bowl failed to do. With a quarterback playing at an MVP level, the best receiver in the league in Adams, and a strong running game led by Aaron Jones, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Packers win it all.

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA

DC Jim Schwartz has quasi-retired.  Now more changes in Philadelphia.

– Eagles senior offensive assistant Rich Scangarello and senior offensive consultant Marty Mornhinweg are on expiring contracts and will not return to Philadelphia, sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

These departures follow the news that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will not return in 2021 and are part of a larger coaching staff shake-up that is expected to end with a new offensive coordinator.

Coach Doug Pederson reversed course and parted with offensive coordinator Mike Groh and wide receivers coach Carson Walch at the urging of management in January 2020, a day after Pederson said publicly that they would return. Owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman were active in the ensuing search for a new offensive coordinator. Lurie wanted USC’s Graham Harrell, according to a source, but the Eagles were unable to land him.

Instead, they went without an offensive coordinator in 2020, promoted Press Taylor to passing game coordinator and added an assortment of assistants in Lurie’s quest to import some fresh ideas into a sagging offense. The end result was too many voices, as the combination of Taylor, Scangarello, Mornhinweg and passing game analyst Andrew Breiner created a cacophony in the ears of Pederson and quarterback Carson Wentz, sources said.

Pederson appeared to hint toward this dynamic earlier this month.

“There’s a lot of positive that comes out of those communications and those talks, those ideas. Really everybody has great ideas. That’s part of putting plans together,” Pederson said. “But at the end of the day, I want to make sure there’s one voice, and that’s my voice, that’s heard offensively and nobody else’s.”

The expectation is that the Eagles will fill the offensive coordinator post this time around. Pederson has been reluctant to give up playcalling duties in the past, but he did that situationally this season and said in December that temporarily giving up playcalling was “on the table.” How open he is to handing off those duties full time will affect the offensive coordinator candidate pool.

The change to the offensive staff follows a 4-11-1 season in which the Eagles finished 26th in scoring (20.9 PPG) and 28th in passing (207.9 YPG).

Wentz regressed dramatically in his fifth year, finishing tied for first in interceptions (15) and tops in sacks (50) despite playing just 12 games. Jalen Hurts replaced him as the starter in Week 14.

– – –

Jonathan Jones of CBSSports.com isn’t a fan of the 2021 version of QB CARSON WENTZ:

Carson Wentz’s behavior is unbecoming of an NFL quarterback who’s supposed to be a beacon of leadership. And it would be unacceptable if he were Black.

For the last few weeks, as reports have trickled out about the Eagles quarterback’s desire in being traded elsewhere and topped by his declination to tell his side Monday, these are the only two conclusions I could come to.

What’s unknown is how the relationship between Wentz and head coach Doug Pederson got sideways, and perhaps Pederson is at greater fault than what meets the eye. From my view, Pederson waited a game or two too long before making the switch from Wentz to rookie Jalen Hurts. And had he waited any longer, he would have risked losing the locker room playing a quarterback who, for whatever reasons, was clearly broken.

Wentz’s $128 million contract extension he signed in 2019 has not kicked in yet. And with four years of contract left to honor and no sign of Philadelphia running off his latest competition, Wentz reportedly wants out if he’s not starting and doesn’t care to correct the record or speak for himself.

The Eagles have been talking Wentz up at every turn. That may be to maintain leverage for a potential trade, and there’s no reason to do anything but praise Wentz publicly when the relationship is already on its last legs anyway. But Pederson and GM Howie Roseman may actually mean what they say when they claim they want to work with Wentz on getting back to his normal self for 2021.

Roseman looked back at drafting Wentz — and moving mountains to get the No. 2 pick — for his perspective. “I don’t think it’s a secret that we moved up for him (in 2016) because (we believe in him),” he said Monday, the day Wentz declined to speak with the media. “When you have players like that, they’re like fingers on your hand. You can’t imagine that they’re not part of you, that they’re not here. That’s how we feel about Carson.”

In Philly, at worst, Wentz would go into OTAs, minicamp and training camp as the team’s No. 1 quarterback. He’d get the majority of first-team reps, once again getting every opportunity to succeed. If he lost his job to the second-year quarterback at that point, well, the game’s the game. But there’s very little evidence the Eagles are ready to hand the franchise over to Hurts right now or in September.

Here’s a list of facts about Carson Wentz and the Eagles since 2017 with as little editorializing from me as possible:

Wentz was a top-three MVP candidate in 2017 before tearing his ACL in December. His Eagles rode into and throughout the playoffs as underdogs, beating the mighty Patriots in the Super Bowl with Nick Foles at quarterback.

The Eagles regularly, publicly backed Wentz as the starter in 2018 when he returned to health. When he did, he went 5-6 as a starter before a back injury had him miss the rest of the season for a second straight year. The Eagles, as a team, played better in many facets with Foles at QB, and Philly came within a play of going back to the NFC title game.

A Philly Voice report emerges after that 2018 season that paints Wentz as “egotistical” and “selfish,” according to player and team sources. Eagles teammates publicly back their Quarterback, and Wentz meets with media to refute most of the story himself. But he does admit he could have been a better teammate throughout the year. “So I’m not going to sit here and say it was inaccurate and completely made up,” Wentz told reporters then.

Given the option between Wentz, a now-twice-injured starter on a rookie deal, and a playoff-proven Foles who required a payday, Philadelphia chose Wentz. They let Foles sign a career deal with Jacksonville and then inked Wentz to a four-year extension worth $128 million. There could be no mistaking Wentz was Their Guy.

Wentz put the team on his back in December 2019, winning four straight games with a dearth of talent at wide receiver and capturing the NFC East title. He suffered a concussion early in Philadelphia’s wild-card game and his season again ended early.

The Eagles spend a second-round pick on Hurts in the 2020 NFL draft but, again, make clear that Wentz is absolutely the quarterback of the present and the future. Then Wentz’s play falls off a cliff for reasons that are still unclear. Pederson sticks with Wentz for at least a game or two longer than most would have before going to Hurts, who provides an instant spark to the offense.

And now Wentz is reportedly ready to leave Philadelphia and play elsewhere, at least if he is not given the job for next season.

That’s audacious. And that Wentz isn’t getting lambasted for this behavior — at the quarterback position! — shows a level of privilege that can only be attained if you’re white.

A defensive back or receiver can kick and scream their way out of a city. That may not be expected or condoned in the sports realm, but it’s understood that players at some positions can play that card. That’s not the case for a face-of-the-franchise quarterback, and it never will be.

Daunte Culpepper was rehabbing a knee injury in a 2005 season where his Vikings played better with the backup than with him. (He also had the boat cruise scandal hanging over his head, though all charges would later be dropped.) Before his bonus kicked in, Culpepper demanded to be released or traded after conflicts with management, and he regularly provided his reasons for wanting out. His reputation, like his game, never fully recovered amid stints with the Dolphins, Raiders and Lions.

Former Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham retired at age 33 in 1996 when the rest of the NFL showed little interest in bringing on the selfish, injured Black quarterback who was admittedly in need a humbling. Just last season he shared some advice to Wentz via an open letter on the Eagles team site:

“Being a quarterback in Philadelphia, it’s like being an anesthesiologist. There’s no room for error. You’ve got to your job right the first time. Thankfully, we have outstanding fans and a tremendous owner in Jeffrey Lurie. Quarterback is a very, very difficult position in the NFL. And in Philadelphia, there’s a lot expected of you.

“I hope I get to spend a moment with Carson Wentz. I’d tell him he’s just got to keep on going, keep moving forward. Don’t let anything get him down. When you get to a place where the team is not clicking, he probably puts that on himself. He doesn’t have to shoulder the load by himself. He has a great owner. He has great coaches. Coach Pederson’s a phenomenal coach. He’s got talented players. Even with all of the ups and downs this season, they can turn things around and finish up strong.”

Ten years ago, ESPN asked you to consider how we’d view Michael Vick if he were white, accompanied by a now infamous photo illustration. Replace Photoshop for a decent memory and consider how Eagles fans would treat Donovan McNabb, who led them to five NFC title games, if he pulled this. I mean … just consider how Eagles fans treat Donovan McNabb anyway.

Imagine if Lamar Jackson tried this. Dak Prescott got dragged last year for not accepting a deal he thought was unfair. Think about if Prescott took that deal, then wanted out before it began because he and Mike McCarthy didn’t get along after Andy Dalton started playing well.

I covered Cam Newton as a Panthers beat writer for years. “If Cam Newton did this…” became a common refrain among Panthers fans when another NFL quarterback did something that drew less attention. This comparison blew up after Newton’s Super Bowl 50 press conference where, yes, his attitude was poor and the optics were bad, but he didn’t commit a crime. I mostly didn’t engage with it because the double standard was obvious. I understood he was treated differently because he played the position like a proud, young, rich, Black man from Atlanta, and comparing everything back to Newton seemed unnecessary.

But ask yourself, what if Newton engaged in the same behavior Wentz has? What if Newton, with his injury history, had never won a playoff game, had gotten a nine-figure extension despite those facts, had reports that he wasn’t a good teammate, admitted he fell short as a teammate, played so poorly in 2020 he was worthy of a benching and then allowed reports of his discontent to linger as he refused to address it at the end of the season?

You know the answer to that. And, coincidentally, many of those issues do translate to Newton. But the Patriots quarterback never blamed anyone but himself. Weekly he held himself accountable in multiple press conferences.

“I’d be the first person to tell you I need to play better,” Newton said after the Patriots’ Week 16 loss to Buffalo. “At the same time, it’s just things that if I’m asked to do something, that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve never been a person to be controversial in the locker room, contrary to any other person’s belief. I try to be the best teammate I can possibly be. That’s what I will continue to do. I will keep getting better each and every week, getting more comfortable in this offense for the last week that I possibly can. Let’s see where it gets me.”

Instead of getting roasted, Wentz is having people bend over backwards trying to figure out how he can get out of his contract and get on another team. It’s baffling. Maybe he’s worth it, but 2017 was a long time ago, too. Todd Gurley won Offensive Player of the Year the same season Wentz was nearly the MVP.

Wentz and his agents can potentially find a way out of Philadelphia that relieves the cap hit for the Eagles. One agent referenced to me an idea that’s been floated where Wentz could pay back the prorated portions of his signing bonus to the Eagles. “But who in their right mind would do that at the pre-tax amount?” the agent asked rhetorically.

The two sides will figure it out if Wentz wants out badly enough. And another team (the Colts?) will deal for him if they want him badly enough.

But this is a quarterback who played the position as badly as any regular starter in the 2020 season, who soured when his coach made the only move he could make, whose team played better without him yet again and who opted not to compete for the job he was being handsomely paid to do.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

It does not sound like Owner Arthur Blank will be an obstacle to the new management in Atlanta kicking out QB MATT RYAN or WR JULIO JONES.  Will McFadden ofAtlantaFalcons.com:

The previous decade was the most successful in team history, and that is largely thanks to players like quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones.

However, despite what they’ve accomplished in Atlanta and what they mean to the Falcons, there remains at least a possibility that the team continues into the next decade without them, Will McFadden of Atlantafalcons.com reports.

“What I think is important, most important, is that we hire people who are, number one, the very best at their jobs,” Blank said. “That goes without saying. Who will come forward with a plan for us to have a championship team, a competitive team, et cetera. And that may include Matt and Julio for now, for the next two years, three years, or may not. I have no idea.”

Monday was not the first time Blank has been asked about the future of the two All-Pros, and his answer has remained the same. Whoever he and McKay hire to move the team in what they hope is a championship direction will have say in how they go about accomplishing that goal.

NEW ORLEANS

The Saints are getting folks back for Sunday with Chicago.  Amie Just of the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

The New Orleans Saints are not yet at full strength as of the Wednesday preceding their first playoff game against the Chicago Bears, but several players were back in action at practice.

All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas and All-Pro returner Deonte Harris were designated to return from injured reserve on Wednesday and were back at practice. Thomas has been hampered by an ankle injury all season, and Harris hasn’t seen game action since Nov. 22 due to a neck injury.

Additionally, the three running backs who were designated high-risk close contacts with Alvin Kamara were removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, so they can resume participation in practice as well. Running backs Latavius Murray, Michael Burton and Dwayne Washington were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 on Saturday following Kamara’s positive test on Friday.

Because Thomas and Harris are still on the injured reserve, they do not need to be added to the practice report.

Players who are designated to return from injured reserve have a maximum of 21 days to practice with the team before teams have to decide to bring them back into the fold on the active roster, or keep them on the injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

The Saints haven’t used that entire window for any player so far yet this season, and have activated most of their players three days after designating them for return. The one recent exception has been with veteran cornerback Patrick Robinson, who was designated for return from injured reserve last Wednesday and was not activated for the Saints’ game against the Panthers.

Coach Sean Payton, when asked of Thomas’ health on Wednesday morning, said he wouldn’t be giving injury updates, but did note that Thomas has “been working at it, and trying to get back. But we’ll get a better feel this week as to the progress he’s made and hopefully that’s significant.”

TAMPA BAY

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com points out how much QB TOM BRADY outstrips the “competition” in the postseason passing record books:

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady already owns his own page of the NFL postseason record book, and he’ll rewrite that page when the Buccaneers take on Washington on Saturday.

Here are a few of the postseason records that Brady owns, and some notes on how far everyone else in the league is from equaling Brady’s records:

Games played: Brady will appear in his 42nd career postseason game on Saturday. His former teammate Adam Vinatieri is in second place all time, having appeared in 32 career postseason games. Jerry Rice is third with 29 games, and if Titans kicker Stephen Gostkowski plays on Sunday, it will be his 29th postseason game, moving him into a tie with Rice for third all time.

Games started: Brady has started all of his postseason games, so he’ll extend that record to 42 as well. Kickers aren’t considered starters, so Rice is next with 29 starts.

Games as winning quarterback: Brady has 30 postseason wins. Joe Montana is second with 16. In third place, Terry Bradshaw, John Elway and Peyton Manning are in a three-way tie with 14 postseason wins, and Ben Roethlisberger can also earn his 14th career postseason win if the Steelers beat the Browns on Sunday.

Passes thrown: Brady has thrown 1,627 passes in the postseason. Peyton Manning, with 1,027 postseason passes, is the only other quarterback to throw more than 1,000.

Passes completed: Brady has completed 1,025 passes in the playoffs. Peyton Manning completed 649, and no one else even has 500 career completions in the postseason.

Passing yards: Brady is the all-time leader with 11,388 career postseason passing yards. Peyton Manning is second with 7,339, followed by Brett Favre with 5,885 and Joe Montana with 5,772. The next three quarterbacks on the all-time passing yards list are all active in this year’s playoffs: Ben Roethlisberger with 5,256, Aaron Rodgers with 5,027 and Drew Brees with 4,967.

Passing touchdowns: Brady has 73 career postseason touchdown passes. Joe Montana is next with 45.

Brady will keep adding to his records on Saturday, and maybe for quite a few postseason games after that.

NFC WEST

SEATTLE

S JAMAL ADAMS didn’t wait all this time to miss his first playoff game.  Brady Henderson of ESPN.com:

The biggest question facing the Seahawks this week actually isn’t a question to Jamal Adams: The All-Pro strong safety on Wednesday said unequivocally that he’ll be on the field for Saturday’s wild-card game against the Los Angeles Rams.

“No question in my mind. I’m playing, man,” Adams said. “Look, as long as these legs are moving, man, as long as my faith is with the man upstairs, which is very strong, I’m going to be out there.”

Adams said there was never a doubt in his mind that he would play despite the left shoulder injury he suffered in the fourth quarter Sunday that sidelined him for the end of Seattle’s win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Coach Pete Carroll said after the game the initial word was that Adams would be able to play this weekend, though he stopped short at the time of declaring as much. Carroll has been more noncommittal in his most recent comments, saying Adams’ availability wouldn’t be known until game day.

Adams didn’t practice Tuesday, and he was listed as a limited participant Wednesday.

“I’m OK,” Adams said. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m not going to be limited to anything. I’m full-go. I’m full energy. I’m me. I’m going out there to continue to make plays and continue to continue help the team win. That’s what I’m about.”

Despite missing four games with a groin injury, Adams led the Seahawks this season with 9.5 sacks, an NFL record for a defensive back. He was named to his third straight Pro Bowl.

AFC WEST

LAS VEGAS

RB JOSH JACOBS did suffer some injuries in his auto accident this week.  Josh Alper ofProFootballTalk.com:

Reports noting Raiders running back Josh Jacobs‘ DUI arrest in Las Vegas early Monday morning said that he was taken to the hospital for minor injuries and his mug shot provides evidence of one of those injuries.

TMZ obtained that photograph and it shows Jacobs with sutures holding together a large laceration on his forehead. The police report from the incident says Jacobs told officers that he thinks he fell asleep at the wheel, which makes him very lucky that his injuries were minor ones.

The police report also says that Jacobs told officers he’d been drinking and that there was an odor of alcohol on his breath, but that Jacobs passed a field sobriety test after being taken to the hospital.

Attorneys for Jacobs released a statement saying that they “intend to enter a not guilty plea on behalf of Mr. Jacobs if he is ever charged.”

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Patience is the buzzword for GM Tom Telesco in his head coaching search.

Los Angeles Chargers general manager Tom Telesco hasn’t given a timetable on when he expects to hire a coach.

However he did say he would be patient if their preferred candidate was on a team that advanced to the Super Bowl.

“If it’s something that we have to wait for. We’ll wait. We’ll wait and we’ll make it work,” Telesco said on Wednesday.

Telesco spoke two days after the Chargers fired Anthony Lynn as coach. Lynn had a 33-31 regular-season mark in four years, including 1-1 in the postseason.

Lynn led the Chargers to the playoffs in 2018, but they were 12-20 the past two seasons. Los Angeles was 3-9 at one point before ending the season on a four-game winning streak.

Telesco lauded Lynn for helping the franchise transition from their move from San Diego in 2017 to his discussions of race issues this past season. However, the team’s recent on-field struggles — which included blown double-digit leads and a 7-16 mark in one-possession games — resulted in Lynn’s dismissal.

“I really feel like he made me a better GM. So, but, you know, just quite simply, we just didn’t win enough games the last two years,” Telesco said. “Is that all on the head coach? Obviously not. It’s a partnership between myself and the head coach and I need to do a better job getting this team over the hump.”

Telesco said he would cast a wide net during their search and that one of the benefits of the current COVID-19 protocols is that a lot more preliminary interviews can be done via Zoom.

AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND

Charles Robinson of YahooSports.com on the Covid state of the Browns:

The Cleveland Browns had no further positive COVID-19 tests Wednesday and that the team’s prime-time game on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers remains on track, a league source told Yahoo Sports.

The status of Sunday’s game isn’t going to change without a fresh spate of infections, but a source inside the Browns said the team has “a long way to go” before getting beyond the most recent outbreak. Cleveland’s facility remained closed Wednesday, as the most recent round of contract tracing concluded without adding additional players or coaches to quarantine.

As it stands, Cleveland has seven players and head coach Kevin Stefanski under their COVID/injured reserve designation, with linebacker B.J. Goodson activated off the list Wednesday. Those that remain, in the chronological order of when they landed on the list: tight end Harrison Bryant and safety Andrew Sendejo (both designated on Dec. 29), linebacker Malcolm Smith and cornerback Denzel Ward (both on Dec. 31), cornerback Kevin Johnson (Jan. 2), as well as guard Joel Bitonio and wideout KhaDarel Hodge.

Apart from Stefanski, the Browns will also be without defensive backs coach Jeff Howard and tight ends coach Drew Petzing, who have also tested positive for COVID. They also lost offensive line coaches Bill Callahan and Scott Peters and passing coordinator/wideouts coach Chad O’Shea prior to the season finale after they all experienced COVID symptoms.

It remains unclear how many players or coaches could return for Sunday’s playoff game.

Like the run-up to their regular-season finale against the Steelers, the Browns have been conducting virtual walkthroughs and classroom work, while players have trained at home during the course of the week. The team could still open the facility this week and resume practices with healthy coaches and players, although it will have to once again produce a round of negative tests on Thursday.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

With Jack Easterby defeating the consultants and emerging triumphant in the Texans hierarchy, is QB DESHAUN WATSON disgruntled? Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.comhears he is:

The Texans have suggested that they’ll listen to quarterback Deshaun Watson when hiring a coach. But what if they ultimately don’t hire the person he’d like to be coached by?

Rumors already are circulating, and we’ve already heard them from multiple different people, that Watson has quietly broached with teammates the possibility of requesting a trade. If that’s happening, it may just be a strategic effort to ensure his views are respected by ownership. Regardless, it raises the stakes and crosses a bridge and potentially sets the foundation for Watson eventually to decide that he’d like to continue his career elsewhere.

We can already hear the reaction. “He just signed a new contract, the cap charge would be crippling!”

Take a look at the contract. Trading him would result in a cap charge of $21.6 million. The Herschel-sized haul of draft picks that a Deshaun Watson trade would generate would more than justify it.

It’s too early to think about where he’d potentially be traded. It’s not too early to make a list of teams that would possibly clamor to get him. The Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Raiders, Broncos, Washington, Eagles, Bears, Lions, Saints, Panthers, Falcons, Buccaneers (if Tom Brady is one and done), and 49ers are the most obvious.

Other teams that on the surface don’t need a quarterback would be wise to at least consider the possibility of an upgrade.

As the Texans decide on their next coach (and it presumably will be someone represented by Bob LaMonte, for reasons to be addressed later today), keep an eye on the possibility that Watson will respond by making it known privately, and possibly publicly, that he’s ready to move on and move out.

TENNESSEE

Turron Davenport of ESPN.com on how much of a load RB DEREK HENRY can handle:

In 2003, running back Jamal Lewis piled up 387 carries during the regular season en route to 2,066 rushing yards and a Baltimore Ravens playoff berth.

“I can remember going into the playoff game that year,” Lewis said on ESPN Nashville’s 102.5 The Game. “I was out of gas and hoped that the passing game would pick up. I had over 380 carries and felt every single one of those going into that game.”

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has had a similar season in 2020. He carried the ball 378 times, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt and finishing with 2,027 yards to become only the eighth player in NFL history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a season.

Henry can expect the high volume of carries to continue as the Titans enter the postseason on Sunday against the Ravens (1:05 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC). The 6-foot-3, 247-pound back ran the ball 83 times in last year’s postseason, including a 30-carry, 195-yard performance in a 28-12 win over the Ravens in the divisional round.

The wear and tear that comes with 350 or more carries can take a toll on a running back — just ask former Chief Larry Johnson and former Falcon Jamal Anderson — and perhaps impact their postseason performance. But some running backs have been able to continue to perform in the playoffs.

Seattle Seahawks back Shaun Alexander ran the ball 370 times for 1,880 yards in 2005 and still picked up a combined 227 yards on 54 carries in the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Alexander said he believes Henry is capable of having the same continued success after being used so much during the regular season. But he cautions that it will take a lot of attention to keep his body fresh.

“Derrick’s body is like a gift from heaven,” Alexander said. “He has to take care of his body and make sure that it’s always restoring itself as fast as possible. With technology and science, you see the cold tubs, hot tubs, frost machines, infrared saunas — all of these things bring people’s bodies back faster. It has to be a part of your life. Health and science is getting wiser and they can recover faster.”

Having signed Henry to a four-year, $50 million contract before the season, there is no doubt that Tennessee would like to have him as their feature back in the coming seasons.

Former Titans running back Eddie George, Lions running back Adrian Peterson, Alexander and Lewis all had productive years following particularly high-volume seasons. George had five consecutive 300-plus-carry seasons, including a 403-carry effort in 2000. Lewis followed up his 387-carry season with a 1,006-yard rushing performance in 2004 even though he “felt like his body was shot.”

If anyone knows how to bounce back from so much usage, they do. Here is a look at why they feel Henry won’t suffer from so many carries and what advice they’d have for him going forward.

Why Henry will weather the heavy load

One of Henry’s strengths is his conditioning. Just one look at his social media accounts will show you how much work he puts in during the offseason. Henry won’t share many secrets about his workout regimen other than the fact that he keeps it the same.

“I just do what’s been working for me and continue to do those things to have my body ready each and every week to help the team. I always stick to my routine that works for me and has my body ready,” Henry said.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel: “It goes back to his overall approach, his conditioning level. I do think that there’s a certain level of durability that he’s exhibited since our time together that allows him to function late in the season.”

Running backs coach Tony Dews: “During the season he does a great job getting in the weight room with Frank [Piraino] and working his tail off in there. It looks like he eats pretty good, looking at his body. Never getting complacent. I think all of those things building during the offseason — and not just maintaining, but building during the season — have been beneficial for him. In my time with him here — history through college, even back to high school — he’s been a high-volume-carry guy. History tells us that he has been able to handle it.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill: “I think his consistency is amazing, his ability to take a bunch of hits and be unfazed by it. I know he gets sore but his mentality doesn’t change. You don’t see it in his face. He plays strong and keeps getting better the more carries he gets and deeper we get into games as he and the O-line wears on guys. That’s a part of what makes him special.”

Because of his size, Henry seems like a big back who takes a lot of hits. But that’s not entirely the case — in fact, Peterson feels it’s the opposite.

Peterson: “It goes back to the mindset. I’m sure if you ask Derrick how many carries he had, he wouldn’t even know. For me, having 300-plus carries, it wasn’t anything that I looked at. My body was feeling good. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t take a lot of punishment. He’s punishing other guys. There’s a big difference when you’re the guy initiating the contact and guys try to tackle you low. It helps your body if you’re in a position to carry the ball 200, 300 times.”

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

After most of Western New York balked at the idea of Governor Andrew Cuomo sitting above or amongst them, he has decided not to attend Saturday’s game.  The New York Post:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be skipping the Buffalo Bills’ playoff game this weekend after all — following uproar and a 40,000-signature online petition over his planned attendance.

Instead, Cuomo said Wednesday he’s giving his ticket away.

“I’m going to give my Bills ticket to a nurse from Erie County Medical Center as a way of saying thank you and honoring all health care heroes,” the governor said at a press briefing.

– – –

Fury among Bills fans exploded after Cuomo announced a limited crowd would be let into the stadium for the historic matchup against the Indianapolis Colts — including himself.

A Change.org petition calling for a ban on Cuomo at Bills Stadium had received more than 40,300 signatures as of Wednesday morning.

“If he thinks he has more right to a seat in that stadium over people who have waited over 20 years for this opportunity, then people better be there to protest his entry,” the petition reads. “This is OUR team! This is OUR home. We don’t want you here.”

Those who are allowed to attend, will be carrying a negative Covid test. Dan Graziano ofESPN.com:

The Buffalo Bills administered more than 5,000 COVID-19 tests in their stadium parking lot on Wednesday as they prepare to host about 6,700 fans for Saturday’s playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Bills owner and team president Kim Pegula told ESPN in a phone interview Wednesday that the New York State government insisted all fans and gameday staff be tested if it was to approve the plan to allow fans into Bills Stadium for the first time this season.

The team added a $63 surcharge to the game’s ticket price to cover the cost of testing, then sent appointment times to everyone who got tickets so they could be tested on the stadium site in the days leading up to the game.

“It’s such a great sports town, and this being our third year (of the last four) in the playoffs but not having a home (playoff) game in 26 years, it’s really special for the community,” Pegula said. “I’m amazed. Today we tested over 5,000 people and it went really smoothly and we got it done.”

Pegula said conversations with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office have been going on all year, but that the video images of Bills fans at the airport to greet the team a few weeks ago when it returned from Denver after clinching the AFC East title helped drive the decision.

“Seeing those fans at the airport, part of the thought process was, ‘If we don’t allow fans in, where are they going to go, and will that be safe for our community?'” Pegula said.

The Bills studied other teams that have allowed fans at games this year during the pandemic to try to figure out the best way to handle it. New York state officials attended a game in Pittsburgh earlier this year when the Steelers allowed about 7,000 fans in, and state officials will be on hand Saturday to observe the procedures and how they’re working. Whether the Bills can have fans at their divisional-round game should they beat the Colts and advance depends in part on how Saturday goes.

“The state has said, ‘You can plan (for fans at a second playoff game), but there’s no guarantee, ‘” Pegula said. “They want to see how this process goes, in terms of mask wearing, ingress, egress, all of that. So a lot of our messaging to our fans is to just really follow the protocols that are in place.”

“Who would have imagined you’d be excited to have 6,700 people at a playoff game?” Bills GM Brandon Beane said in a phone interview Thursday morning. “But we couldn’t be more excited right now

The DB’s thought is that – if everyone is Covid-tested, couldn’t that capacity have been stretched a little higher to 20,000 or so?

MIAMI

Jason LaCanfora of CBSSports.com uses QB JOSH ALLEN as an example for why the Dolphins should stick with QB TUA TAGOVAILOA:

Good on Dolphins general manager Chris Grier for having some conviction. Good on him, in an era of rampant discarding of highly-drafted quarterbacks, for giving Tua Tagovailoa a strong vote of support after what was a promising enough, truncated, COVID-hampered rookie NFL season.

Grier declared on Tuesday, in a season-ending meeting with the media, that Tua is their guy for 2021. And, frankly, it’s kinda ludicrous that this was a thing at all. The kid had no real offseason, rode the bench the first month of the season, was thrust into an unforeseen playoff race, lost most of the key pieces around him on that limited offense along the way, and dealt with the quick-hook and in-game yo-yoing of head coach Brian Flores.

How about we give him a full season with something akin to a true offseason before casting him aside?

“Tua, I’m very happy with,” Flores said Tuesday. “He’s our starting quarterback.”

Thank you.

Tagovailoa has been a lightning rod for quite some time now, though I am not entirely sure why. The haters have always been lurking, despite a pristine college career, and when he hurt his hip last year and required surgery, eliminating the remainder of his career at Alabama, there was no shortage of people perfectly willing to discount him, if not write him off. Skeptics always abound with him, it seems, and with the shadows of Josh Rosen and Dwayne Haskins cast large these days, the concept of disposable first-round quarterbacks is a disturbing — yet attractive to some — trend.

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Seems, as with many things in this culture, too many in the game and in the scouting community and in the media are caught up in it. Now, you’d best be a Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson or Justin Herbert or Joe Burrow and come out of the gate either playing ridiculous football or finding ways to win every week, or else we might find someone better by Year Two. You’re either one of them, or you’re another potential Rosen, and who wants that on their hands?

For the season, Tua completed 186 of his 290 attempts (64%) for 1,814 yards (6.26 yards per attempt) with 11 touchdowns and five picks (three coming in a meltdown at Buffalo last week against the AFC’s hottest team on a day his team gave up a 50-burger) for a rating of 87.1, whiling winning seven of the nine games in which he played. But, stick with me for a minute here … take a gander as to which recent top-10 draft pick put together this stat line in his first 10 NFL games:

132 of 253 (52%) for 1,633 yards (6.45/attempt), 6 TDs, 9 INTs, 65.5 rating, while going 4-6.

Take a wild guess. Hint: He is playing in the AFC East and will be an MVP finalist in a few weeks. Yeah, Josh Allen, selected seventh overall in 2018. Imagine if there had been a referendum on the erratic, unorthodox rookie at that point? Just because the Dolphins have a top-three pick this year — by virtue of fleecing Bill O’Brien for Laremy Tunsil — doesn’t alter the fact that Miami invested over a year to evaluating Tua and and every other quarterback with a detailed process that led them to use the fifth-overall pick on him just a few months ago. Forget about all that.

Chuck aside the fact that Allen didn’t blossom until the cast around him — offensive line, pass catchers — improved significantly, and that the Dolphins could do that with the third pick, or by holding an auction for the pick — so someone else can draft a QB this time — and really put him in position to succeed. Never mind the natural leader and competitor this kid is, and his will to always win and get better, and let’s not even consider the gains he could make getting every rep this offseason and summer.

Nope, who cares when you can chase Justin Fields or Zach Wilson, because we just saw them do some amazing things in a college game with nothing else going on. Go sell Tua for a second-round pick or whatever and give up on him before you even know what you have, and cast your lot with the next hot thing instead.

Come on, man. What’s wrong with some people?

Have some conviction. Allow the young man some time to develop. He did some awesome stuff against the Chiefs a few weeks back, when Steve Spagnuolo threw every blitz possible his way. He was the rarest rookie QB to beat Bill Belichick just a few weeks back, with the weight of a long-suffering franchise on his back in a must-win spot. All of that happened. Just because he can’t throw it a mile on the run like Allen or Mahomes, or run the gauntlet of defenders like a human joystick the way Jackson can, doesn’t mean the kid can’t play and win the kind of big games in Miami he routinely bossed for Alabama.

THIS AND THAT

ODDS ARE

David Perdhum of ESPN.com offers us the latest from the Super Wild Card Weekend betting markets:

On New Year’s Day, bookmaker William Hill U.S. took a six-figure bet on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl, but the defending champions are not the sportsbook’s biggest concern heading into the playoffs.

The worst-case scenario for several bookmakers is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs are the consensus Super Bowl favorite, listed at +190 at Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill. The Green Bay Packers are next at +450, followed by the Buffalo Bills (+700) and New Orleans Saints (+750). The Buccaneers are +1,000.

Super Bowl Odds

TEAM                ODDS

Chiefs                   +190

Packers               +450

Bills                      +700

Saints                   +750

Buccaneers       +1,000

Ravens             +1,100

Seahawks         +1,200

Steelers            +2,000

Rams                 +2,800

Titans                +3,000

Colts                  +4,000

Browns              +5,000

Bears                 +8,000

Washington       +8,000

— As of Wednesday, via Caesars SportsBook at William Hill

“Buccaneers winning the Super Bowl would 100% be the worst-case scenario for us,” Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill U.S., said in a post on the bookmaker’s website. “We’re in pretty good shape with most of the teams, but the Bucs are a big loser.”

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook and BetMGM also reported significant liabilities on the Buccaneers, a lot of it accruing before the season, when Tampa Bay added Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.

There has been recent interest in the Buccaneers as well. William Hill reported taking a $40,000 bet on the Buccaneers to win the Super Bowl at 12-1 on Saturday. As of Wednesday morning, it’s the second-largest Super Bowl futures wager placed with the bookmaker, behind only a $115,000 bet on the Chiefs that was placed Friday in Nevada.

The Chiefs have attracted the most bets and most money in William Hill’s Super Bowl futures market. The Packers have the second-most Super Bowl bets, followed by the Buccaneers, Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers.

At William Hill, there has been interest from bettors on some of the Super Bowl long shots, including a $10,000 bet on the Indianapolis Colts at 45-1 and a $2,000 bet on Washington at 125-1.

“I had a customer ring me [on Tuesday], asking for a bet that would make Cleveland the worst-case scenario,” Jason Scott, BetMGM director of trading, told ESPN. “But you get a lot of tire kickers in this business. Whether he actually deposits is another story. He was asking for $60,000 at 50-1, so that would win $3 million.”

MIKE FLORIO RANKS THE COACHING JOBS

Plenty of people in media rank open G.M. and/or coaching jobs. Even some of the candidates for those jobs (and sometimes their opinions are subject to change based on whether they get a given job). The topic of my own ranking of the open jobs has come up this week, on PFT Live and elsewhere.

So let’s reduce it to writing, for the six head-coaching jobs. This is my own personal assessment, and I’ll explain the reason for each specific placement below.

Feel free to attach a comment with your own ranking. Or to call mine nutty.

1. L.A. Chargers.

Why No. 1? Two words: Justin Herbert. The sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft is the real deal. He’s already one of the best quarterbacks in football.

And the roster is otherwise stocked — much more stocked than their record this year suggests. Joey Bosa. Derwin James. Keenan Allen. Mike Williams. Just to name a few.

There’s one caveat, and it’s an issue over which the next coach must take control. Why are the Chargers suffering so many injuries? The next coach should order a comprehensive review of all strength, conditioning, and training aspects of the organization in order to check whether the injuries are the product of bad luck or poor methods. While many injuries are unavoidable, injuries can be minimized with the right approach to flexibility, exercise, and nutrition. The Chargers need to re-evaluate all of their systems in this regard.

Still, the presence of Herbert makes this the best job. With the right coach, the Chargers could take over the L.A. market and consistently challenge the Chiefs in the AFC West.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars.

Draft picks, cap space, low expectations, a division that isn’t as competitive as most of the other seven, and the ability to select Trevor Lawrence make this a great job. For starters, I’d want to know how many game will be played every year in London as the schedule expands to 17. I’d also want to know whether owner Shad Khan’s recent comments suggest that he’ll be closer to Jerry Jones than Robert Kraft when it comes to direct meddling.

If Lawrence becomes what most think he will be, this could end up being the best job. For now, though, I’ll lean toward the team with the quarterback who has shown that he can get it done at the NFL level.

3. New York Jets.

Former G.M. Mike Maccagnan was building the team from the outside in. Current G.M. Joe Douglas is building it from the inside out. And that’s the right way, with the offensive and defensive lines being the primary focus.

The big question is whether the quarterback will be Sam Darnold or whether the second overall pick will be used on a guy like Justin Fields. I’d want to know what the front office envisions, and whether the powers-that-be will trust me to make and to implement the right plan for the most importation position on the team.

4. Wait until next year.

Before addressing the final three, I need to say this: Instead of taking one of these jobs, I’d be inclined to wait until 2022. Each of the bottom three teams has executives nudged between G.M. and coach, executives who can (and will) whisper into the owner’s ear and potentially undermine or interfere with my efforts. From Rich McKay in Atlanta to Jack Easterby in Houston to Rod Wood and now Chris Spielman in Detroit, a difficult job becomes even harder when there’s a possibility that competing agendas will arise in the same football organization.

But if I don’t think the window won’t be open for me next year and I’m willing to take my chances, this is the way I’d rank them.

5. Houston Texans.

If Deshaun Watson wants me to be the coach, I want to be the coach — if Deshaun Watson is also willing to accept the fact that I’m the coach. If he doesn’t want me to be the coach, I want to know what the plan is for dealing with a disgruntled franchise quarterback before taking the job.

Also, I’d need assurances that Jack Easterby will never be in the locker room on the sideline or anywhere near the players or coaching staff. The job is hard enough without worrying about football’s Littlefinger trying to stick a shiv in my spine.

6. Detroit Lions.

Some teams have one executive as the buffer between coach/G.M. and ownership. The Lions now have two: Rod Wood and Chris Spielman. I’d rather stay put and take my chances in 2022. Or 2023. Or never.

7. Atlanta Falcons.

I’m not touching a job that will have two General Managers. And that’s what the Falcon will have — the actual General Manager and Rich McKay. Sorry, Arthur, but until you reduce the number of cooks, I’ll wait for a different kitchen.

Throw in a salary-cap mess, with or without Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, and it’s just not worth playing craps with my future career interests by becoming the next Falcons coach.