The Daily Briefing Wednesday, December 29, 2021

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 (down from 10) for all positive cases (vaccinated and unvaccinated) if asymptomatic includes a few other terms that will alter the experience at team facilities, until the next change in the COVID protocols.

The latest protocols bring back measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus in the building. However, rules regarding behavior away from the workplace have not been re-implemented.

In-person meetings once again must be held outdoors or in a practice bubble, with social distancing. All players and staff once again must wear masks when indoors at club facilities, regardless of vaccination status. Also, no more than 15 players once again may be present in a weight room at one time, and players once again may not eat together in the meal rooms.

Although the NFL has claimed that most of the infections happen away from team facilities, the new protocols include only a reminder that the Omicron variant “is among the most contagious viruses in history,” along with a statement that the NFL and NFLPA “strongly recommend that even fully vaccinated staff and players avoid public areas including restaurants, bars and social gatherings” during the current spike.

The teams that will be best situated to withstand the current spike will consist of the most players and coaches who will voluntarily restrict their activities when not at work. Alternatively, those that have the virus wash through the team now won’t have to worry about significant numbers of players, coaches, and staff being unavailable during, say, the playoffs.

Some think the league and the union are secretly hoping for that outcome. De facto herd immunity, thanks to the vast majority of players, coaches, and staff catching the virus now — and then not having to worry about catching it after Week 18.

JOHN MADDEN

For five years, John Madden was a big part of my professional life while I was a tiny part of his.

For more than 100 games, I passed him cards, some of which he threw on the floor, some of which he passed to Pat Summerall and some of which he held in his hand and read, in his own style, on the air.  He watched and studied the game intently himself, so most of what was passed to him he already knew, just maybe not a specific number.

The databases weren’t as refined then, so we couldn’t come up with things like “that is the first 17-8 halftime score in NFL history” at the blink of an eye.

But that was fine, he liked simple things that fit in a couple of lines on a card or a graphic.  “3 straight 3 and outs”  “First time Rams were shut out in 1^st half this year”  “longest run of the season for Emmitt Smith”

He knew football was complicated, but he knew his job was to keep it simple, and funny, and real.

He and Al Michaels were very good together, but, perhaps because it was our reality, we think his blending with on FOX with Pat Summerall (and producer Bob Stenner and director Sandy Grossman) was the best television

He wasn’t good in big crowds, he was at his best in a meeting room after the meeting or in a hotel doing “lobby time” with his crew, watching the crowds from the corner, telling tales and chiming in to the stories of others.  He loved to observe people and make observations.

He invented the production meeting, where the television broadcasters would chat for a few minutes with the coach and key players.  He was able to pass along a lot of the information gained in a responsible, insightful manner and it made TV better.

The fringe members of the crew didn’t sit in on the production meeting with the teams.  In Green Bay, the Packers stayed at the same hotel and the coach and player meetings would be scheduled before the full crew meeting which was supposed to start at 7.  You always had to be there before 7 (starting on time was one of his three rules), but that rule got broken with Brett Favre who always went last.  Many an hour was spent sitting in the hallway waiting for Madden and Brett Favre to finish, so this tweet from Favre rang true.

@BrettFavre

We lost a larger than life legend in John Madden. My career was narrated by “Coach”, one of the best in the game.

I’ll always remember our pre-game mtgs, when we laughed & talked about anything but football. I’ll miss my dear friend.

Love & prayers to Virginia & the family.

Favre was a favorite, but there were many favorites.  He had a great admiration for the players and what they went through, rarely criticizing their choices and efforts.  Not that he never criticized, but you never felt he was impulsive.  The criticism was earned and fair.

Let’s see what others had to say on his passing, three days after the big FOX documentary on his career first aired.

@peter_king

John Madden:

Hall of Fame coach.

Hall of Fame broadcaster, probably best color man in NFL history.

Millions got hooked on football with the Madden video game. Still huge today.

RIP to a legend.

–

He didn’t play … yet he might be the most influential person in football history.

And Troy Aikman

@TroyAikman

John Madden was a treasure. He was a gift. And he was an incredible friend.

RIP JohnFolded hands

This from the ESPN obit:

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”

As Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, “I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more.”

When Madden retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised his passion for the sport, his preparation and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.

Al Michaels, Madden’s broadcast partner for seven years on ABC and NBC, said working with him “was like hitting the lottery.”

“He was so much more than just football — a keen observer of everything around him and a man who could carry on a smart conversation about hundreds and hundreds of topics,” Michaels said. “The term ‘Renaissance man’ is tossed around a little too loosely these days, but John was as close as you can come.”

For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.

“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden, who also became a best-selling author, wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”

“My knowledge of football has come from coaching,” he said. “And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”

One last bit of personal info.

On November 29,1979, the Buccaneers were poised to win the NFC Central as the culmination of their rise from Worst to First, but fell behind the Vikings at Tampa Stadium.  In the final seconds, Doug Williams scored on a run and the extra point would tie.  However, it was blocked by Wally Hilgenberg (if memory serves) and the Vikings won.

While doing my normal post-game duties in a funk, I was asked about 45 minutes after kickoff to drive John Madden to the airport.  This was kind of unusual, because normally the network personnel were gone in a flash after the game.  But take him to the airport I did and had a nice chat on the way. The rest, as this story from Jacob Cameneker in The Sporting New explains, is history.

John Madden took a flight from Tampa Bay to San Francisco in 1979. He only made it to Houston before he disembarked the plane.

It marked the final time that Madden would fly.

Madden controlled his fear of flying during his 10-year NFL coaching career, but he gave up on the practice as a broadcaster. Instead, he rode to games in his “Madden Cruiser,” a luxury bus designed to allow him to get from place to place without flying. It gave him a chance to roam the country and experience various parts of America while he was on the road.

How did the Madden Cruiser come to be? And what led John Madden to stop flying during his post-coaching days? Here’s everything you need to know about Madden’s unusual travel set up and why it worked out perfectly for him.

Why John Madden didn’t fly

Over the years, many have pointed to the California Polytechnic State University football team plane crash that occurred on Oct. 29, 1960, as something that keyed Madden’s aversion to flying. Madden had graduated Cal Poly in 1958 and lost friends in the crash, which killed 22 of the 48 people on board.

However, Madden admitted in 2008 that his fear of flying predated the incident. It was actually caused by claustrophobia.

“I didn’t like getting on planes before that,” Madden said, per NBC Sports. “I got claustrophobic, and it got worse over the years.”

Madden was able to fly during his coaching career, which spanned 1969 through 1978, but his fear became too much once he became a broadcaster. He last flew in 1979. He was on a flight from Tampa Bay to San Francisco when he had a panic attack after the flight attendant closed the cabin door.

“I could do one of two things,” Madden said of the incident in 2000, per the Baltimore Sun. “I could make a jerk out of myself and jump up and run, because I knew they couldn’t stop me. There’s no way, if I wanted to get off, in that state, that they could stop me. If I committed myself to getting off, I was going to get off.”

Madden instead elected to gut it out and got off the plane in Houston. After that, he committed to traveling by train and bus for the rest of his career.

Madden spent the first six years of his post-flying broadcasting career traveling across the country by train and bus. However, he preferred busing places when he could, as it allowed him to see more of the country.

“People used to say to me, ‘It must be great coaching and traveling and seeing all the things you do,’” Madden told Peter King in 1990. “Well, I’d get on the airplane, and then I’d get off the airplane, get on a bus and go to the hotel.  Then the stadium, then the airplane again.  I thought I’d traveled all over, but I hadn’t seen anything. You’ve got to be on the ground to see things.”

Madden’s preference for bus travel wasn’t known until 1987. Once it was revealed in an interview, then-CBS executive producer Terry O’Neil rented Dolly Parton’s tour bus for Madden during a week in which he had to work football games in Atlanta and Philadelphia as well as a billiards event in Las Vegas, per the Baltimore Sun. Madden enjoyed that arrangement, and that led to the birth of the “Madden Cruiser.”

Madden’s problem was claustrophobia.  What Cameneker doesn’t say is that back in those days of more relaxed flight rules, someone from a team often was allowed to ride in the jump seat in the cockpit.  For the Raiders, that guy was Madden.  Up there, he could chat with the pilots, he could see the sky, he could know things were good and safe.

Back in steerage as a regular commercial passenger, he didn’t have that reassurance.

Madden also did not do elevators well.  Sometimes they were a necessity, but he preferred them not to have many people, and only those he knew.  And the ride to the top of the Candlestick Park press box, the longest in the league, was about as far as he would go.

– – –

Madden went to ABC and we did not see each other for any meaningful amount of time until about five years ago when some FOX friends of his went to see him on a Friday before a game in Oakland.

I was coming separately and I got there first.  So for about 20 minutes we sat and chatted in his hotel in Pleasanton, nothing earth-shaking or profound, but a good, solid one-on-one, then the rest of the gang arrived and there was more good conversation like he had the almost unique skill at creating.  I’m so grateful to have this last memory of him.

So, those are some thoughts on John Madden, from the small snapshot of his life we observed.

Truly an original, truly bigger than life, truly a transcendent figure in sports.

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

This is sad.

Jeff Dickerson, a fixture at ESPN and in the Chicago sports market for two decades, died Tuesday of complications from colon cancer. He was 44.

In a cruel twist, Dickerson died at the same hospice care facility that his wife, Caitlin, died in two years ago. Caitlin Dickerson had undergone treatment for melanoma and its complications for eight years. Jeff Dickerson is survived by their son, Parker, and his parents, George and Sandy Dickerson.

“JD was one of the most positive people you will ever meet,” ESPN deputy editor for digital NFL coverage Heather Burns said in a statement. “We all got together in October for an event, and there he was lifting our spirits and assuring us he was going to beat cancer. That’s just who he was. We are holding Jeff’s family, and especially his son, Parker, in our prayers.”

GREEN BAY

QB AARON RODGERS went on Pat McAfee’s Podcast yesterday.  The topic of COVID came up and Rodgers continued to express opinions counter to those of government public health experts.  Christopher Kuhagen of Yahoo.com inserts the government’s side of things into his report:

Fifty-three days after a defiant Aaron Rodgers drew a firestorm over his comments on “The Pat McAfee Show” related to his decision not to be vaccinated for COVID-19, the Green Bay Packers quarterback went there again Tuesday.

For more than 12 minutes on the McAfee show, Rodgers, who previously gave a misleading answer when asked about being vaccinated during a news conference in August, sounded off on the NFL’s protocols, saying the league has created a “two-class system” of the vaccinated vs. the unvaccinated, referenced a doctor who has spread misinformation about the pandemic and called science “propaganda” if it can’t be questioned.

McAfee got Rodgers started on COVID-19 when he asked for his thoughts on whether the NFL will change their protocols based on the recent updated guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that has lowered the number of days those infected with COVID-19 should isolate.

On Tuesday, the NFL and NFL Players Association followed suit, agreeing to shorten the amount of time that team personnel who have tested positive must quarantine for five days, if they don’t show symptoms. There remains a more strict protocol for unvaccinated players, including the frequency of testing and limitations on their activity.

Rodgers said he doesn’t “have that fear” around COVID-19 because he doesn’t have to test for the virus. Per NFL protocols, since Rodgers had COVID-19, he doesn’t have to test for the virus for 90 days. He’s in that window until a few days after the NFC championship game. However, testing is available for any player with symptoms and nonvaccinated players, like vaccinated players, can still be infected multiple times.

“What I don’t understand, though, it makes no sense to me to continue to spread this narrative that nonvaccinated players are more dangerous or these superspreaders, which hasn’t been proven to be true,” Rodgers said. “I don’t understand this two-class system that exists in our league.”

Rodgers said the science “is changing all the time.”

“It doesn’t back it up,” Rodgers said. “There’s not many unvaccinated guys left in the league but it’s obviously not a pandemic of the unvaxxed. … It doesn’t make sense to me we’re still punishing nonvaccinated.”

When the COVID-19 delta variant became the dominant strain in the United States this year, prior to the omicron variant taking hold in the country this month, unvaccinated people were five times more likely to be infected with COVID-19, 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 10 times more likely to die than those who were vaccinated, the CDC said.

A report by Wisconsin’s state health department in November found similar statistics regarding those who were unvaccinated vs. those who were vaccinated.

CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky this summer said the country was in “a pandemic of the unvaccinated” where case counts were rising in communities with low vaccination numbers.

Breakthrough infections are becoming more frequent with the omicron variant, but public health officials say a way to limit infection or the severity of it is to be vaccinated and to receive a booster shot.

In combating omicron, according to Pfizer, a third dose of their vaccine increases the antibody protection by 25-fold compared to two doses. Moderna said its booster increased antibody levels 37-fold, compared with the levels seen when a fully vaccinated person does not receive a booster.

“What I don’t understand is vaccinated people blaming nonvaccinated people because the vaccine that they took to avoid getting the virus didn’t stop them from getting the virus,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers then questioned why the league is treating COVID-19 different than the flu.

He referenced when there was a flu outbreak on the Packers two years ago and how the team “was smart about it” and players stayed home when they had symptoms.

“It seems like this is very similar to the flu,” said Rodgers, referencing the omicron variant. “Why are we still having this two-class system?”

While some of the COVID-19 symptoms are similar to the flu, the two are not the same, the CDC says.

Influenza, also known as the flu, and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses.

COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus first identified in 2019, and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses, the CDC says. The agency also says COVID-19 appears to spread much faster and it can take longer before people show symptoms of COVID-19, which is why over the last 20 months it has been recommending people wear masks in indoor settings and social distance, especially for those who are unvaccinated.

COVID-19 has killed 818,000 in the United States since early 2020 and 5.41 million worldwide.

Flu activity was “unusually low throughout the 2020-21 flu season both in the United States and globally,” with 1,899 cases or (0.2% of the tests collected) despite a high level of testing. But with fewer health restrictions in place this winter, flu cases are on the rise and public health officials are concerned about a twin-demic with COVID-19, which could overload the health care system.

A week ago on the the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers touched on why non-approved treatments aren’t being used more to treat COVID-positive people and falsely claimed that people with COVID can’t spread the disease.

Rodgers again cited getting COVID-19 information from podcast host and comedian Joe Rogan. He also for the first time referenced Peter McCullough, a cardiologist who has spread false information around the virus and the pandemic on Rogan’s show.

Rodgers said he took ivermectin and monoclonal antibodies to treat his COVID-19. Ivermectin has been pushed by some in conservative media but has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat or prevent COVID-19. Investigative monoclonal antibodies have been given federal emergency use authorization to treat COVID-19.

Rodgers said there are many teams recommending a lot of the same treatments that he took.

“There’s treatments being talked about behind closed doors,” he claimed. “It needs to be not just talked about with NFL players but with the rest of the country. There are treatments that helped (me). If you don’t agree with the ones I had, then let’s come up with some other ones instead of putting people in isolation.”

Remdesivir is the only FDA-approved drug to treat COVID-19.

“If science can’t be questioned, it’s not science anymore. It’s propaganda,” Rodgers said. “When did science become this blind agreement and not having any debate over what can actually heal people and work for people?”

‘A moment I’ll never forget’: Aaron Rodgers savors record-setting moment — and the play that produced it

John Madden dies: Hall of Fame coach and legendary NFL analyst dies at 85

This fall, Rodgers said he submitted 500 pages of research and wanted non-approved medicine to be counted as being vaccinated for COVID-19. The NFL did not give him clearance and considered him unvaccinated. He was fined for violating protocols. He attended a Halloween party with multiple teammates days before his positive test, which was against NFL protocols for unvaccinated players.

“I didn’t endanger anyone at the Halloween party,” Rodgers claimed Tuesday.

Rodgers previously said he was allergic to ingredients in the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and had concerns about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“I researched … and made the best interest of my body,” said Rodgers, who is against vaccine mandates.

“I’m sharing my opinion,” Rodgers said. “I’m not a doctor, I get it. I consulted with a number of doctors and figured out what worked best for me. I’m not some uneducated person. You want to rip on me because I took horse de-wormer, that’s fine. But I also got better in 48 hours and I had symptoms.”

MINNESOTA

There is at least one NFL player for whom COVID was more than a positive test and some cold symptoms.  DAKOTA DOZIER’s battle lasted several weeks:

On Nov. 5, which was the Friday before the Ravens game, I tested positive. I went back home and tried to figure out what our game plan was with our family. But at that point, obviously I had been around them, and my wife, Haley, is like “if you have it, I probably already do, too.” Me, her, our 3-year-old, and our 4-month-old, we all had it, and honestly, through the weekend I didn’t really feel that terrible. Little bit of cold symptoms, a headache, not bad, but I get to Monday and start feeling more achy, getting a little more difficult to breathe.

I was kind of fighting it off. I reached out to Vikings head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman and to team physician Dr. Sheldon Burns, and they were helping me out. I had some prescriptions for things, but getting into Tuesday, I was super-achy, sweating. I picked over my food at dinner, I wasn’t super-hungry. And I looked over at Haley around 7:30 and said, “I’ve got to go to bed. I’ve got to lay down. I can’t do it.” I was in bed before 8, and my symptoms kept ramping up and weren’t getting better.

We have a little pulse oximeter because our daughter was born premature, and we like to check on her breathing and oxygen levels. We learned that it’s usually good to be above 94. I got down to an 80 … 80 is pretty far from 94. Had some difficulty breathing, was really shaking and just couldn’t fall asleep. I started coughing — probably a good 20 minutes with no more than 30 seconds between coughs. At that point I was like, I think I need to do something about this. I called Sug, I called Dr. Burns, and they said go to the hospital. I was feeling pretty bad. I felt confident that I would be all right, but I knew I couldn’t continue to care for myself. I knew I needed more help.

I think I got to the hospital around 11 p.m. It was a little bit of a whirlwind because our 3-year-old and 4-month-old were asleep; just packed everyone into the car. We really didn’t know what was going on, and they couldn’t come see me because they had COVID and the hospital wouldn’t let anyone in. She sat in the car with them until probably about 3 or 4 in the morning, just trying to figure out what all was going to happen.

Doctors checked me out and did a whole bunch of tests, CT scans, everything. They checked my lungs and said I had COVID pneumonia, and that’s why I was having so much difficulty breathing. They got me on remdesivir, which I think is the main drug they use to open your airway and help with COVID.

Once we figured out I was going to have to stay there, my family went home, and one of our good friends from back home had just had COVID in August and she said she was comfortable coming out to help us. It was a huge blessing just to be able to have her come help Haley, because she was worried about me being in the hospital, and she had to take care of the kids, and they obviously all had COVID. She said she sort of felt like she had the flu. Our son had a fever for two days and then nothing else, and then our daughter was a little congested but she barely had a fever. Even in our own house, everyone’s symptoms were all over the place.

I wasn’t worried that I’d have to go on a ventilator. Just knowing from when my daughter was born premature, I knew about oxygen issues and things like that. I knew I was never going to go that route. Once I got to the hospital, they were concerned that I hadn’t hit the peak of how bad I was going to be, but I had. From there, once they got me stable, they gave me an IV, fluids, everything. I was immediately getting better, not getting worse in that first 12 hours. I felt pretty good once I got to the hospital that I was on the back half as opposed to getting worse.

By Thursday, I was feeling much, much better, and then on Friday they released me.

I lost about 10 pounds throughout the process. Even just the walk from my room to the car was maybe a 3-minute walk, and I was gassed. I was really out of breath. Like wow, this is crazy. It took a little bit of time to get that back. Once I had done my 10 days’ quarantine and was allowed to come back in the facility, I came back in and did my first workout and was just really, really smoked.

For the record, Dozier was fully vaccinated when he suffered his infection.

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY

The NFL didn’t like QB TOM BRADY’s destruction of league property. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Tom Brady has a penchant for destroying electronics, and the NFL doesn’t like it.

Brady’s toss of a Microsoft Surface during the 9-0 loss to the Saints in Week 15 went viral and became a popular GIF. It also drew the attention — and apparently annoyance — of the NFL, which has had a multi-million-dollar sponsorship deal with Mircrosoft since 2013.

 “I did get a warning from the NFL,” Brady said with a chuckle on his “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray on SiriusXM. “I can’t throw another Surface or else I get fined. Imagine that. Imagine that.”

Brady apologized for destroying the device, which occurred out of frustration after an interception.

“I won’t throw another Surface,” Brady said. “Although I think it was pretty good marketing for the Surface at the end of the day. I think it worked out pretty well for them.”

Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson tweeted, and then deleted, a humorous response after the third shutout of Brady’s career: “Hey @Microsoft @surface, can y’all send me a new Surface Tablet? I need to give it to a friend who broke his. Thank you and Merry Christmas.”

Microsoft Support responded: “We’ve reviewed the tape and while we don’t recommend throwing your @surface (even if your friend holds the NFL record for career completions), here are some tips on caring for your Surface.”

NFC WEST

LOS ANGELES RAMS

RB SONY MICHEL has emerged at a critical time for the Rams. Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

The Los Angeles Rams run game has come to life since Sony Michel took over as the starter.

Since Week 13, Michel leads the NFL with 423 rushing yards, providing needed pop to an offense that couldn’t get the train moving on the ground.

“Sony has that (mindset) where ‘I can’t stop chugging along,'” Rams defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson said this week, via the L.A. Daily News. “He’s like a choo-choo train. It’s just ‘choooo! choooo!'”

Michel had a career-high 27 carries in Week 16, generating 131 yards and a TD. On a day when quarterback Matthew Stafford struggled, Michel’s big day was sorely needed. The back, who battled knee injuries before being traded from New England to L.A. this offseason, has shown power through the hole and a willingness to take on defenders head-on.

“Sony is a hard-nosed running back,” said Robinson, an Alabama product who faced the Georgia RB in the SEC. “One of the best things he did when he came in (to the NFL) was add on a little bit more weight to give him a little more power, a little more muscle mass to run into people’s faces even more.”

Since taking over as the starter four weeks ago, Michel has injected life into L.A.’s run game. Only the Rams back and the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor (421) have 400-plus rushing yards since Week 13.

Michel has generated 115 scrimmage yards in three of his last four games, and the Rams have averaged 124.8 rushing yards per game during their four-game win streak (averaged 95.2 rush YPG in Weeks 1-12 — 24th in NFL.

For Stafford, it’s Michel’s ability to plow through defenders that makes him so tough to take down.

“Nobody really wants to tackle that guy on the second level,” Stafford said. “He does a great job of playing low, giving not much to hit.

“Sometimes it looks like there’s not much (room to run). Then our O-line guys strain a little bit more up front, finish a block, and he slides through a crease and makes a nice run.”

Since Week 13, Michel’s 322 yards after contact trails only Taylor’s (410). He’s also tied with Taylor for most 10-plus yard runs over that span with 11.

“That’s kind of the goal as a running back,” Michel said Monday. “The offensive line blocks, you may gain five yards without being touched. But after someone touches you, how many yards do you gain?”

With Darrell Henderson going on injured reserve and Cam Akers’ status uncertain as he comes off an Achilles injury mind-blowingly quick, the Rams will need to lean on Michel, who has proven a perfect fit in Sean McVay’s offense.

“I think there’s certain players, they bring a certain toughness to your (team),” McVay said. “Sony’s done that.”

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS

With QB CARSON WENTZ sent to the COVID sidelines, the Colts may be thinking about trying to bring back Philip Rivers.  Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com:

The Indianapolis Colts placed starting quarterback Carson Wentz on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday, which makes it unlikely he will suit up for Sunday’s Week 17 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Wentz is unvaccinated, and under the current protocols, is subject to a 10-day quarantine.

Rookie quarterback Sam Ehlinger is set to start in his place, or is he? After the Wentz news broke, Zak Keefer of The Athletic tweeted that the Colts need to call Philip Rivers. He even added that he has heard it is being discussed.

Rivers, who wrapped up his career with the Colts last season, went 11-5 as the starter in 2020 and threw for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The 40-year-old also led the Colts back to the postseason after the franchise missed out on the playoffs the year prior. It would be tough to hurry Rivers into the starting lineup on three days practice after sitting out all year, but he knows the offense and the Colts actually have something to fight for.

The Colts currently hold the top wild card seed in the AFC at 9-6. The 9-6 New England Patriots own the spot behind them, and then there are four teams at 8-7. Wentz is slated to miss just one game, but Indy would like to retain that top wild card seed — even if it means Rivers has to start one game.

JACKSONVILLE

Two interesting veteran names, who have trod the Super Bowl sideline as head coaches, are the first to be revealed in the Jaguars coaching search.  James Johnson of USA TODAY:

The Jacksonville Jaguars have set up a wide variety of interviews to find their new coach, and as expected, veteran coaches Doug Pederson and Jim Caldwell will be a part of their interview schedule.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was among the reporters to confirm that Pederson’s interview will happen this week, while ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirmed that Jim Caldwell will interview.

Both coaches are options that make sense for the Jags because they are quarterbacks coaches who eventually became head coaches (which is good for Trevor Lawrence) and have winning pedigrees.

Pelissero also hears that Bucs OC Byron Leftwich and DC Todd Bowles and Cowboys OC Kellen Moore are on the list.

The search will be handled by GM Trent Baalke who has survived his association with Urban Meyer per Ian Rapoport:

@RapSheet

From @NFLTotalAccess: The #Jaguars head coaching search kicks into gear with GM Trent Baalke to be retained and assist owner Shad Khan

Johnson of USA Today expresses skepticism:

The Jags’ decision to keep Baalke is puzzling for many reasons, but the biggest is the lack of talent he was able to surround quarterback Trevor Lawrence with during the offseason. That has especially evident within the receivers group, which needs overhauling (even if DJ Chark wasn’t on injured reserve) and the offensive line could use a lot of help, too, despite the front office attacking both this offseason.

The decision is also one that could affect the willingness of coaching candidates wanting to interview as they basically would be forced to work with Baalke regardless of whether they had a previous relationship or not. Many coaches value the relationship they will have with the general manager because it’s one of the most important in football operations. If the two don’t see eye-to-eye, it could hurt the outlook of the team.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

The NFL’s revised COVID protocols have freed WR COLE BEASLEY, and others, from banishment.  Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com:

The Bills activated wide receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis, offensive lineman Jon Feliciano and defensive end A.J. Epenesa from the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, providing a huge boost ahead of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bills were able to bring back those four players in part due to the new isolation time for players with COVID-19 agreed to by the NFL and NFL Players Association on Tuesday. Isolation time has now been set at five days for all players — vaccinated or unvaccinated — who test positive for COVID-19, so long as the player is asymptomatic or can demonstrate that his symptoms are resolving. This is in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Bills have meeting virtually for the past two weeks.

“We’ve taken about as many precautions as you can take,” coach Sean McDermott said. “So other than that, as I said last week, I’m not sure what else you can do. Really, the guys are only in for the most part for practice time other than treatments, for those needed.”

Davis and Beasley, who are both unvaccinated, would not have been able to come off the list under the previous 10-day isolation period. Beasley would have had a chance to play Sunday, but Davis would not have been eligible after being added to the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday.

In Beasley’s absence, wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie shined in the slot (11 receptions, 125 yards, 1 touchdown), setting career highs in almost every receiving category as the Bills took the lead in the AFC East with a win Sunday over the New England Patriots.

Feliciano returning to the roster will be significant for a team that has dealt with a variety of offensive line issues. Guard Ike Boettger was placed on injured reserve Monday with an Achilles injury he suffered in the win over the Patriots, while guard Cody Ford remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list, along with cornerback Cam Lewis and practice squad tight end Quintin Morris.

THIS AND THAT

UPDATED TOP TENS AT EACH POSITION

How things have changed during 2021 with ESPN’s top 10 ratings for each position.  Jeremy Fowler reveals some shocking omissions – like even in September how could you not have Joe Burrow, Jonathan Taylor, Justin Jefferson and, maybe as it turns out, Cooper Kupp in the top 10s.

Over the summer, we produced an 11-day project ranking the top 10 NFL players at each position, compiling votes from 50-plus executives, scouts, coaches and players. The project is extensive, culling league-personnel-driven scouting reports on nearly 200 players. The goal: Find out exactly how the league feels about your favorite stars.

Revisiting those results nearly six months later, after 16 weeks of NFL football, is telling. Some bold projections look smart. For instance, Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was the No. 6 interior defensive lineman. He wasn’t a marquee name among casual fans but played at a Pro Bowl-level this season.

But the omissions are glaring, revealing more about leaguewide groupthink than some would like to admit. Some veterans get pigeonholed, some young players are undervalued because of a lack of tenure in the league, and too many deserving players are left as honorable mentions. And of course, sometimes it’s as simple as a player having one special, unexpected year that will catapult the rest of his career. That happened last year with Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and it’s happening again this year at almost every position.

So we went back to execs, scouts and coaches all over the NFL to determine the biggest risers for each of the 2021 top 10 lists — players who were either ranked too low or not ranked at all, including two potential record-breakers at the skill positions.

QUARTERBACK

Preseason Quarterback Rankings

1          Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs           6          Matthew Stafford, Rams

2          Aaron Rodgers, Packers 7          Dak Prescott, Cowboys

3          Tom Brady, Buccaneers              8         Lamar Jackson, Ravens

4          Russell Wilson, Seahawks         9          Justin Herbert, Chargers

5          Josh Allen, Bills                         10         Kyler Murray, Cardinals

Who’s rising now

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

At the time of voting, Herbert garnered more buzz than Burrow but also had a larger body of work. Herbert burst onto the scene with 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions through 15 games last season, earning him the No. 9 QB ranking on our list, but Burrow tore his ACL in Week 11, which probably hurt him in the voting. Burrow finished in the honorable mention category, somewhere in that Nos. 11-15 range. Evaluators were majorly impressed with Burrow’s command of the offense as a rookie, but the sample size wasn’t big enough to get him into the top 10. Now Herbert and Burrow are both healthy and have plenty of weapons on the outside, and these two should trade blows for years to come as top-10 passers.

“[Burrow is] a big reason the Bengals are turning it around,” an NFC evaluator said. “They are talented, but Burrow knows how defenses are trying to play him at any moment. He’s a killer.”

Burrow has Cincinnati poised for the playoffs after setting a franchise record with 525 passing yards on Sunday against Baltimore, showcasing clinical work with a variety of throws both from the pocket and on the move. For the season, Burrow has a stout 4,165 passing yards with 30 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions.

Herbert, meanwhile, has only built on his stellar rookie year, ranking third in Total QBR at 65.3 behind Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady and posting 4,394 yards, 33 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Save a few curious games (hello, Houston), Herbert puts on a show whenever he is under center. The Chargers are sort of used to it now. When asked about Herbert’s recent 65-yard deep-ball TD after rolling to his right while a New York Giants defender clamped down, someone with the Chargers laughed and said, “You’ll be less and less surprised as he goes.”

Running back

Preseason Running Back Rankings

1          Derrick Henry, Titans                    6       Saquon Barkley, Giants

2          Alvin Kamara, Saints                    7       Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys

3          Dalvin Cook, Vikings                     8       Aaron Jones, Packers

4          Nick Chubb, Browns                      9       Joe Mixon, Bengals

5          Christian McCaffrey, Panthers    10         Josh Jacobs, Raiders

Who’s rising now

Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This one hurts. We knew Taylor was poised to explode but stayed true to the voting, which left Taylor tied for 10th with Josh Jacobs. Jacobs won the tiebreaker, leaving Taylor out of the top 10. Jacobs is a fine back, but Taylor’s upside was massive coming into the year. Several scouts warned he would be a top-five back by the end of his sophomore year.

“Yeah, and now he’s No. 1,” said an NFC exec with a laugh. “Saying he’s top-five sort of undersells him right now. No running back makes you more uneasy than him right now. Every time he touches it can be a touchdown.”

Taylor’s 1,626 yards and 17 touchdowns stand alone, but his dominance also coincides with an injury-ravaged year for top running backs. Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Nick Chubb and Dalvin Cook are among elite backs missing time this season. Taylor is lined up for long-term success, too. He turns 23 in January, is durable and is running behind an elite offensive line. The Colts rave about his team-first attitude — he is always happy for backup tailbacks when they make big plays.

Fournette, meanwhile, is a revelation in Tampa Bay, with Tom Brady flooding him with targets before his hamstring injury. Who had Fournette ranking second on the Bucs in catches (69) through the first 15 weeks? Not many. And Fournette’s 812 rushing yards and eight touchdowns largely kept Ronald Jones II on the sideline before Fournette’s injury. The Tampa Bay back wasn’t even ranked on our list over the summer.

“He was better as a pass-catcher than [the Bucs] could have hoped,” an NFC exec said. “They knew he could handle more but maybe not this much. They have given him more, and he has gotten better and better.”

Wide receiver

Preseason Wide Receiver Rankings

1          Davante Adams, Packers           6          Keenan Allen, Chargers

2          DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals       7          Mike Evans, Buccaneers

3          Stefon Diggs, Bills                      8         Michael Thomas, Saints

4          Tyreek Hill, Chiefs                      9         DK Metcalf, Seahawks

5          Julio Jones, Titans                    10          A.J. Brown, Titans

Who’s rising now

Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Admit the mistake, learn from it and move on. Evaluators admittedly pigeonholed Kupp — an honorable mention on our preseason list — as a really good slot receiver without much thought of him being top-10 caliber. An NFL head coach always warned me that Kupp was way underrated, saying that everything the Rams receiver does is “teach tape.” And when I made an August visit to Rams camp, I saw Matthew Stafford throw to Kupp on virtually every practice down and thought this guy is going to catch at least 100 passes. Kupp also told me he was lobbying coach Sean McVay for more opportunities on the outside.

His career high at that point was 94 catches. He has since shattered all expectations with an all-time season, making his honorable mention status seem silly, a byproduct of increased responsibilities and chemistry with his new quarterback. With 132 catches for 1,734 yards, Kupp sits 17 shy of Michael Thomas’ career receptions record (149) and 230 yards from Calvin Johnson’s all-time receiving clip (1,964). He has two more games to surpass each, and even in a 17-game season, breaking one or both records would be obscene.

“He does everything well. He’s bigger/stronger than given credit for, quickness off the charts, savvy, instincts.” an NFC scout said.

And then there is Jefferson, who missed the top 10 here for the same reason Taylor did at running back; sometimes voters are hesitant to put players coming off a rookie season on the top shelf, wanting to see more. More than 1,400 yards later, there’s little doubt Jefferson will land somewhere in the top five-to-seven this summer on our next edition of these lists.

Tight end

Preseason Tight End Rankings

1          George Kittle, 49ers             6    Dallas Goedert, Eagles

2          Travis Kelce, Chiefs             7    Hunter Henry, Patriots

3          Darren Waller, Raiders         8    Evan Engram, Giants

4          Mark Andrews, Ravens        9    Jonnu Smith, Patriots

5          T.J. Hockenson, Lions       10     Zach Ertz, Cardinals

Who’s rising now

Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins

Rookies are ineligible to crack the top 10 in our system, so he isn’t really a miss there, but Pitts is well-positioned for 2022 after a solid, largely expected rookie year. Considered the best tight end prospect in decades, Pitts is third among tight ends in receiving yardage (949) and ranks sixth in catches (64). He is one of four tight ends to record 60-plus catches as a rookie, joining Evan Engram, Jeremy Shockey and Keith Jackson.

“I still think they should have tried to get their future quarterback with the fourth pick … but there was no question this guy would be good,” an NFC exec said.

Gesicki, a 2022 free agent and an honorable mention on the preseason tight end list, is tracking for career highs in receptions and yardage despite starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missing four games earlier in the year.

“Not a complete tight end, but he scares you as a vertical threat,” a veteran AFC scout said. “You always have to account for him.”

The Dallas Cowboys’ Dalton Schultz, who wasn’t even an honorable mention a year ago, is on the rise, too, after becoming one of Dak Prescott’s top options.

Offensive tackle

Preseason Offensive Tackle Rankings

1          Trent Williams, 49ers                   6        Mekhi Becton, Jets

2          David Bakhtiari, Packers            7          Taylor Lewan, Titans

3          Laremy Tunsil, Texans                8         Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers

4          Terron Armstead, Saints 9          Tyron Smith, Cowboys

5          Ronnie Stanley, Ravens            10          Ryan Ramczyk, Saints

Who’s rising now

Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kolton Miller, Las Vegas Raiders

Wirfs parlayed a fine rookie season into the No. 8 offensive tackle ranking, which now actually appears too low. The Buccaneers believe they have a legitimate All-Pro in Wirfs, who has allowed two sacks in 1,048 snaps. That’s according to Pro Football Focus, which also gives Wirfs an impressive 83.4 overall rating. The lineman showed good overall mobility and toughness from the beginning, but he’s reaching premier status in Year 2.

“Wirfs is very talented and playing for [coach Bruce] Arians and with [quarterback Tom] Brady has obviously accelerated his learning curve at the position and toward the game,” an NFC scout said. “He has responded very well to how demanding that task is for a young offensive lineman, and having that insight gives him perspective and strategic advantages most young linemen don’t get in the acclimation period of the developing process.”

Miller doesn’t get mentioned often among the top tackles, and wasn’t on our preseason list, but he has been a stabilizing force for Las Vegas, which signed him to a three-year, $54 million extension in the offseason. Miller sports an 80.8 Pro Football Focus rating and has only three sacks allowed.

“Gotten better every year,” an AFC exec said. “He’s talented. Good feet.”

Another player on the rise is the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson, a top-10 tackle in 2020 who fell out of contention last year but is playing at a high level once again.

Interior offensive line

Preseason Interior Offensive Lineman Rankings

1          Quenton Nelson, Colts                 6        Joe Thuney, Chiefs

2          Zack Martin, Cowboys                  7        Elgton Jenkins, Packers

3          Brandon Scherff, Washington     8          Rodger Saffold III, Titans

4          Frank Ragnow, Lions                   9         Rodney Hudson, Cardinals

5          Joel Bitonio, Browns                 10          Erik McCoy, Saints

Who’s rising now

Wyatt Teller, Cleveland Browns

Ryan Jensen, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wyatt received several top-10 votes before the season but ultimately didn’t make the cut. His play in 2021 got recognized by the Pro Bowl — and for good reason. He is a key cog for a Browns line that has helped the run game to 5.1 yards per rushing attempt, tied for first in the NFL with the Eagles and Colts. Teller and guard Joel Bitonio are the Browns’ only linemen to start all 15 games this year. Bitonio ranked No. 5 last year, so Teller had far more ground to cover in the rankings.

“One of the most physically imposing players in that [AFC North] division,” an AFC scout said.

Jensen also made his first Pro Bowl after a productive second year with Tom Brady. The Bucs rank second in scoring offense (29.5 points per game) and total offense (401.7 yards per game). Jensen is a sneaky-big part of that production, and he might have cracked the top-10 list here if interior linemen were re-ranked today.

Edge rusher

Preseason Edge Rusher Rankings

1          Myles Garrett, Browns                   6       Von Miller, Broncos

2          T.J. Watt, Steelers                       7       Chase Young, Washington

3          Joey Bosa, Chargers                     8       Nick Bosa, 49ers

4          Khalil Mack, Bears                        9       Cameron Jordan, Saints

5          Chandler Jones, Cardinals          10         Danielle Hunter, Vikings

Who’s rising now

Brian Burns, Carolina Panthers

Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers

This position aligns with the wide receiver pool: It is simply too loaded for just one top-10 list. Bosa, for instance, is a 2021 riser after he fell to eighth due to a torn ACL in 2020. He’s clearly a top-five pass-rusher after an explosive third year, featuring 45 quarterback pressures (tied for first with Myles Garrett).

Carolina’s Burns earned a Pro Bowl nod for his second consecutive season with at least nine sacks. The Panthers, in need of roster cornerstones during a 5-10 season, will certainly pick up the fifth-year option on their 2019 first-rounder.

“Length, burst, explosion,” an NFL personnel evaluator said of Burns, an honorable mention on the preseason ranking. “Still has untapped upside.”

A couple of other guys who should rise: the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson. They didn’t get any votes in the top-10 series last year despite good production. Now both are Pro Bowl-bound thanks to a combined 75 quarterback pressures, with Hendrickson posting back-to-back seasons of at least 13 sacks.

“I like both of those guys because they play so damn hard,” a veteran NFC defensive coach said. “Relentless.”

Interior defensive line

Preseason Interior Defensive Lineman Rankings

1          Aaron Donald, Rams                 6           Jeffery Simmons, Titans

2          Chris Jones, Chiefs                   7           Leonard Williams, Giants

3          DeForest Buckner, Colts 8          Stephon Tuitt, Steelers

4          Cameron Heyward, Steelers        9          Vita Vea, Buccaneers

5          Fletcher Cox, Eagles                 10          Grady Jarrett, Falcons

Who’s rising now

Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers

Jonathan Allen, Washington Football Team

Clark fell out of the top 10 in 2021 but not due to quality of play. Nearly 20 players garnered votes, with several young players — like Vita Vea and Jeffery Simmons — entering the top 10. But Clark’s disruption has helped quell concerns after the Green Bay defense lost Pro Bowlers Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander. His 46 tackles and four sacks don’t tell the whole story.

“He’s constantly disruptive,” an AFC exec said. “He was great for them in the playoffs last year, and he’ll probably be that again.”

Allen, meanwhile, is making a compelling case for the top 10 after 8.5 sacks and a stellar 87.3 Pro Football Focus rating.

“Complete player,” an AFC scout said about Allen, another honorable mention of the offseason ranking. “Leader, plays the run and can rush the passer, great technique. Doesn’t have dominant traits but is really good without much of a weakness.”

Off-ball linebacker

Preseason Linebacker Rankings

1          Devin White, Buccaneers             6        Roquan Smith, Bears

2          Fred Warner, 49ers                       7       Eric Kendricks, Vikings

3          Bobby Wagner, Seahawks            8        Tremaine Edmunds, Bills

4          Darius Leonard, Colts                    9       Demario Davis, Saints

5          Lavonte David, Buccaneers        10         Myles Jack, Jaguars

Who’s rising now

Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts

Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints

Leonard wasn’t exactly slighted, coming in at No. 4 this summer. But he’s making a case to crack the top three based on his splash-play ability. No offensive playmaker is safe in the vicinity of Leonard, who has three sacks, seven pass deflections and six forced fumbles. That’s out of this world production from the off-ball linebacker spot.

“I bet some knock him because he’s not always technically sound. But defenses care about points allowed and takeaways, and he’s elite in that area,” an AFC exec said.

Davis (No. 9 on the original list) is doing his usual thing this season, racking up sacks and forced fumbles while pacing for 100-plus tackles. He’s doing this at 32.

“He certainly hasn’t declined,” an NFC exec said. “I’d put him on my All-Pro team.”

Cornerback

Preseason Cornerback Rankings

1          Jalen Ramsey, Rams                  6         Jaire Alexander, Packers

2          Marlon Humphrey, Ravens          7          Marshon Lattimore, Saints

3          Xavien Howard, Dolphins            8          Denzel Ward, Browns

4          Stephon Gilmore, Panthers         9          Darius Slay, Eagles

5          Tre’Davious White, Bills            10          J.C. Jackson, Patriots

Who’s rising now

Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys

Kenny Moore II, Indianapolis Colts

Like Taylor and Kupp, Diggs’ rise from supporting player to superstar has changed the viewing experience on Sundays. He’s a must-watch cornerback due to his ability to flip a game on its head. With 11 interceptions and 21 pass deflections, Diggs has recorded a targeted EPA (expected points added) of minus-28.0 when he’s the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats. So his coverage is essentially worth four extra touchdowns to his team. Left off this summer’s list altogether, Diggs has two more games to get one more interception and break Everson Walls’ franchise record for picks in a season, set in 1981.

Diggs will gamble, which explains quarterbacks completing 44 of 82 passes against him for 736 yards and four touchdowns when he’s in coverage, per NFL Next Gen Stats. “He’ll take chances and get beat occasionally, but his instincts are pretty special,” an AFC scout said. “And that receiver background helps him make plays on the ball.”

As far as slot corners go, Moore is premier. Quarterbacks keep throwing at him without much success. On 99 targets as the nearest defender, Moore has allowed 61 receptions for 604 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions, good enough for a minus-9.3 targeted EPA (NFL Next Gen Stats). Moore — who also was not on the original ranking — does a little bit of everything, from playing the run to covering in space. One NFC exec called him “one of the NFL’s most underrated players.”

Safety

Preseason Safety Rankings

1          Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers        6          Tyrann Mathieu, Chiefs

2          Justin Simmons, Broncos           7          Kevin Byard, Titans

3          Budda Baker, Cardinals               8         John Johnson III, Browns

4          Jamal Adams, Seahawks           9          Derwin James Jr., Chargers

5          Harrison Smith, Vikings             10          Jessie Bates III, Bengals

Who’s rising now

Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers

Quandre Diggs, Seattle Seahawks

The Chargers believe James’ high-level ability elevates them from an average team to a contender. That has largely been the case in 2021, with the once-injury-prone James playing 13 games so far with solid results: two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a 76.8 Pro Football Focus rating. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that with James missing much of the past two weeks with a hamstring issue, the Chargers’ leaky defense couldn’t hold the Chiefs or Texans in back-to-back losses. James came in at No. 9 before the season, largely because he missed 27 games the previous two years.

“He’s always up there [with the elite] when he’s on the field,” an AFC exec said. “He’s been in and out some lately, but when he’s right, he’s a top guy for sure.”

The other nominee here is Diggs, who has been one of the few bright spots in Seattle’s lost season despite not making the preseason top-10 ranking. He made his second Pro Bowl since Seattle acquired him via trade with Detroit in 2019. And he’s a player whom coaches love to have on their roster. Diggs can play with depth, has good instincts (five interceptions) and is aggressive against the run.

“No knock on Jamal Adams, but when I think of Seattle’s secondary, I think of Diggs,” an NFC veteran coach said.

AIKMAN RATINGS THRU WEEK 16

With their big win over the Patriots, the Bills have opened up a gap of 5.1 points in the Aikman Combined.  They have the best Aikman defense (best in NFL by yards as well) and rank 2^nd to the Buccaneers in Aikman Offense.

                                                     — Aikman —                           — NFL—-

Rank   W-L     Team               Comb    Off     Def                  Off       Def      Comb

  1         9-6     Bills                  170.0   91.3    78.7                  6          1          7

  2        11-4     Buccaneers     164.9   92.8    72.1                  2        10        12

  3         9-6     Patriots            163.9   85.6    78.3                17          3        20

  4        11-4     Cowboys         162.9   89.3    73.6                  1        19        20

  5        10-5     Cardinals         160.6   89.7    70.9                  8          8        16

  6        11-4     Rams              159.9   88.7    71.2                  7        16        23

  7        11-4     Chiefs              159.6   90.0    69.6                  3        21        24

  8         8-7     49ers               158.9   89.1    69.8                10          4        14

  9         9-6     Colts                156.3   88.3    68.0                14        18        32

10         8-7     Eagles             155.8   89.9    65.9                13          5        18

11         7-8     Broncos           155.2   80.4    74.8                19          6        25

12         7-8     Saints              155.2   80.3    74.9                31        12        43

13         8-7     Ravens            155.0   87.4    67.6                  5        25        30

14         9-6     Bengals           154.3   85.8    68.5                12        17        29

15        12-3     Packers           154.1   88.1    66.0                15        11        26

16        10-5     Titans              152.9   83.1    69.8                18        13        31

17         7-8     Vikings             152.8   88.0    64.8                  9        29        38

18         5-10   Seahawks       150.1   82.4    67.7                29        31        60

19         7-8     Browns            148.6   83.4    65.2                16          7        23

20        8-7      Chargers         148.2   90.1    58.1                  4        22        26

21        8-7      Dolphins          148.1   76.4    71.7                24        15        39

22        7-7-1   Steelers           142.7   78.5    64.2                22        26        48

23        5-10    Panthers          142.3   74.9    67.4                28          2        30

24        4-11    Giants              139.3   73.1    66.2                30        23        53

25        8-7      Raiders            139.1   79.6    59.5                11        14        25

26        6-9      Washington     138.3   78,0    60.3                20        28        48

27        5-10    Bears               138.2   73.8    64.4                26          9        35

28        7-8      Falcons           135.1   75.4    59.7                25        24        49

29        4-11    Texans            133.8   72.3    61.5                32        30        62

30        2-12-1 Lions                133.7   74.3    59.4                23        27        50

31        2-13    Jaguars           133.4   72.3    61.1                26        20        46

32        4-11    Jets                 132.3   75.6    56.7                21        32        53

                        NFL Average: 149.9   82.7    67.1