Tag Archives: AFC

2025 AFC West Preview!

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Its amazing how week 1 looked a lot like Super Bowl LIX with Patrick Mahomes running for his life against the Chargers. To be fair their gameplan changed when they lost Xavier Worthy to injury but it’s a microcosm of what they will face in 2025.

AFC West 2025 Predictions

1 Denver Broncos 12-5 *

2 Los Angeles Chargers 11-6 +

3 Kansas City Chiefs 9-8

4 Oakland Raiders 6-11

Do you realize the Broncos defense finished ranked 7th but just 101 yards from finishing 2nd?? With twin OLB Nick Bonito (13.5 sacks) & Jonathan Cooper (10.5 sacks) speeding quarterbacks clocks into ’24 NFL Defensive POY Patrick Surtain II, this defense will be even more disruptive this year.

They led the NFL with 63 sacks last year and their two main pass rushers are just 25 & 26 years of age respectively. Now add in 24 yr old 2nd year QB Bo Nix and this team is growing into a winner right before your eyes. Nix broke the late Marlon Briscoe’s 55 year old Broncos rookie TD passing (14) record with 29. He improved throughout the season and played well early in the Wildcard playoff loss in Buffalo. This team is on the rise and watch for RB RJ Harvey as the season wears on.

The Kansas City Chiefs have fatigued and ran into a wall early in Super Bowl LIX which still lingers. Patrick Mahomes has his 5th starting Left Tackle in 5 years and his RT Jawaan Taylor  hasn’t improved has been struggling and could have had 30 false starts in 2024 has yet to improve. The officials are going to watch him closer and these penalties will sink a team that had 10 wins in 1 score games.

Having lost G Joe Thumey to the Bears, 2 of Mahomes 5 Offensive Linemen have been replaced since the Super Bowl.

With Xavier Worthy injured and Rashee Rice suspended for the first 6 games, the Chiefs have to lean on the running game with Isiah Pacheco & Kareem Hunt more. The issue is will Pacheco still run with the abandon he did before his latest injury.

Replacing KC in the 2025 playoffs will be Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers who just outdueled the Chiefs in week 1. Justin Herbert finally pulled off a win vs a quality opponent. He was 1-9 in his last 10 matchups with playoff teams. The win in Brazil over KC can go a long way to his maturing into the QB most of us thought he was on the way to being back in 2023.

The 1-0 Raiders looked solid in their win against the Patriots on opening day but lets face it, Geno Smith beat 2nd year starter Drake Maye. He won’t have the luxury of playing a rebuilding team every week. He does have 1st round pick Ashton Jeanty who The Chancellor believes will have a super rookie season. The Raiders without serious weapons at wideout must rely on the running game when they face better teams.

Geno’s history shows once teams have a bead on what he does he really struggles which will come back to haunt against the Broncos, Chargers, & Chiefs. Right now he doesn’t have enough offensive help outside Pro Bowl TE Brock Bowers. A steady performer but not specacular enough to win more than 6 games.

How far will Denver go in 2025? Well… stay tuned. Thanks for reading and please share the article.

The NFL’s Shameful Impatience with Black Quarterbacks: The Odyssey of Shedeur Sanders

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What has transpired with Shedeur Sanders since the NFL Draft has been a study in contrasts. The debate between fans & media everywhere: “Was this collusion meant to humble a black QB from a proud family? Those wanting to strike a blow to Deion Sanders ego who have laid in wait taking shots at his stint in Colorado & his son at quarterback?” All of the above coalesced into Shedeur dropping to the 5th round and the 2nd QB Cleveland selected behind Dillon Gabriel.

He was the winner of the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for his senior season at Colorado. The winner in 2023? A kid by the name of Jayden Daniels, who was runaway rookie of the year taking Washington to last year’s NFC Championship Game. Daniels was the 2nd pick overall v. Sanders at 146. So here we are with a crowded 4 quarterback carousel in training camp in Northeast Ohio. Free agent Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel picked in the 3rd round this year, Sanders and projected starter Joe Flacco.

Who?? Yes…current Brown QB Joe Flacco was Super Bowl XLVII MVP when he was with the Baltimore Ravens. Do you understand how long ago that was?? His teammate Ray Lewis was enshrined in the PFHOF 7 years ago. The MVP of Super Bowl XLVI the season before, Eli Manning, has retired and passed the 5 year mark and is eligible for Canton himself. This is Flacco’s 2nd stint with the Browns after toiling for the Broncos, Jets, and Colts after playing for the Ravens. At 40 years of age this journeyman is going to navigate the Browns to Super Bowl LX?? Uhhhhhh…ok

In camp Sanders has made throws that have made the media rounds showing promise. He has spun the ball well and ESPN Cleveland posted these stats on all 4 quarterbacks performance thus far. He’s thrown for the most TDS and completed the highest percentage but it’s unclear how many have been against the 1st team defense.

Yet the gap between Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, selected ahead of Shedeur is alarming. While putting this article together an episode of FS1’s First Things First was on in the other room. They reported Gabriel going 0 for his first 5 throws in Friday’s live practice and he wasn’t close on any. They showed each one in succession on the air, leaving the panel looking befuddled at how poor each throw was.

Dillon looks completely undersized and overwhelmed and these preseason games will be the truth serum for himself & Shedeur. Yet the Browns aren’t really showing signs of totally being behind Sanders.

What was with Brown’s Owner Jimmy Haslam’s comments in a press conference last week? It didn’t engender confidence & brings to question will he get a legitimate chance to play meaningful football this preseason. He didn’t make it seem as though he even wanted him.

The ESPN Cleveland stats withstanding, the Browns placed Sanders 4th on their starting depth chart. Is this based on performance or draft status? Yes he was behind Dillon who has completed 54% of his throws in camp v 70%. Being drafted in the 3rd round doesn’t justify that. Just keep in mind the Browns have had 40 QBs under center since the Browns came back to the NFL in ’99.

Sanders draft day plummet withstanding, the kid has shown up ready to work and has viewed this opportunity with optimism. Reports have come in he’s mixed well with the veterans and players have gravitated to him. You don’t gain locker room stature from high visibility before joining a team. Yet he appears to be on a short leash and the Browns need to put the best quarterback on the field. Even if he does get on the field he won’t have the chance to have any bad moments in preseason or look poor during the season. The Browns have multiple #1 draft picks coming in 2026 and its been reported Haslam has a relationship with the Manning family.

This installment of “Impatience With Black Quarterbacks” is unique vs the articles on Lamar Jackson & Jalen Hurts yet totally related. It began with the 5th round draft selection and is ongoing midway through training camp. Not only with the depth chart but the owner distancing himself from Sanders selection in the 1st place. Dillon was a 3rd round pick not some highly touted #1 overall pick that would embarrass the franchise if left on the bench. We still haven’t distanced ourselves from the collusion that took place during the 2025 draft to say racial attitude isn’t & wasn’t a factor.

This preseason will be watched with tremendous scrutiny. Shedueur, your mission should you choose to accept it…

Thanks for reading and the previous 2 installments of this series are below:

2018 – The NFL’s Shameful Impatience with Black Quarterbacks: Lamar Jackson

2020 NFL Draft: Wither Jalen Hurts – Shameful Impatience with Black QBs Take Two

Jalen Hurts

When Pittsburgh Was The Center of The NFL’s Defensive Universe

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Over the last two weeks NFL pundits, including yours truly have been upset at the way the Steelers organization is playing games with TJ Watt. How can you play games with a future Hall of Famer like this? Sign him and go into the 2025 season with optimism and your defensive play maker ready to lead the charge! I joked about it on my Facebook page with a few former players when it hit me… wait a minute we’ve been here before.

Now all of us historians harken back to the great Steelers defense of the 1970’s and in particular focus on the ’74 draft where they selected 4 future Hall of Famers. Only Jack Lambert on the defense was drafted that year as FS Donnie Shell was an undrafted free agent. The Steel Curtain front four, Linebackers Ham and Russell had been assembled from 1963-74 when they broke through to win Super Bowl IX. Not one group that grew into menace from a single draft class.

Not only did this group achieve accolades but they shaped the next generation of NFL defensive excellence and the Steelers penchant for pinching pennies derailed that group also.

It was their 1987 draft class…. let’s set this up for you:

First round selection, HOF CB Rod Woodson went to 7 of his 11 Pro Bowls in the Steel City, won the 1993 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and made the All Time 75th team in ’94. Woodson came within a few votes from back-to-back NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards & finished in the top 5 – 3 times in 4 years (1993-’96). He was one of the most physically gifted CB which allowed him to excel once he aged and moved to Safety.

Rod went to the Pro Bowl 4 times at his new position and was All Pro twice for the Baltimore Ravens & Oakland Raiders. He was one of the leaders on one of the greatest defenses in NFL history in 2000 as a mentor to Ray Lewis. A #2 defense that set the record for fewest points in a season (165) and won Super Bowl XXXV going away. Before these stays he started at CB for the ’97 49ers who ranked #3 defensively and made it to the NFC Championship Game. His 2002 Raiders played in Super Bowl XXXVII where at the age of 37, received his 11th Pro Bowl and his 8th All Pro selection after a career high 8 interceptions. In addition to Canton, Woodson was named to The NFL’s All Time 100th Anniversary Team in 2019.

The most intimidating Steeler of them all…. Greg Lloyd

Greg Lloyd came in the 6th round & crashed the pass pocket from his OLB position making 5 straight Pro Bowls (’91-’95). They deployed him in Nickle and Dime situations both off the ball and as an edge rusher. In those 5 seasons he had 37 sacks, 27 forced fumbles and 6 interceptions in what The Chancellor believes was a Hall of Fame career. We’ll cover his total numbers later but we have to introduce everyone. Lloyd matured into the menacing face of the Steelers defense and twice was in the top 3 in NFL Defensive Player of The Year voting. Yes… at the same time as Woodson…in ’94-95.

Not a bad start until you get into the frugal way the Steelers are with homegrown talent. This led to a holdout after 5 years for FS Thomas Everett who was a hard hitter in the secondary who didn’t receive the accolades nationally his teammates had but how valuable was he? The Steelers dealt him to Dallas during his holdout at the start of ’92. #27 was a 4th round selection out of Baylor. The same school that produced HOF Mike Singletary.

Now you’re thinking “wait, this isn’t greatest ever talent”… well…. going into the 1992 season the Cowboys Achilles’ heel was their secondary.  Their draft tells you that picking up SS Darren Woodson, CB Kevin Smith, and CB Clayton Holmes in the first few rounds. In 1991, Dallas had lost to 4 run and shoot teams including a 38-6 drubbing to Detroit in the divisional round of the playoffs. The biggest blowout loss of any NFC team in the 1990’s. They had some coverage issues but Everett solidified the secondary, put players in good spots and made several plays that defined the Super Bowl XXVII rout of my Buffalo Bills.  He helped turn the secondary into a team strength.

Not Charles Haley…it was Thomas Everett that pushed the Cowboys over the top back in the early 1990s.

In the 2nd quarter when Buffalo was threatening to take the lead, Dallas had a goal line stand where Buffalo went for it on 4th down from the 1. Who intercepted the ball in the end zone to totally deflate the Bills? Thomas Everett. After halftime down 28-10 and fired up to get back into the game in the 3rd quarter, who read a short route and jumped it returning an interception to Buffalo’s 10 to end the competitive phase of the game?  That same Thomas Everett!

They were 3-1 against top 10 passing offenses and rose from 17th in total defense to 1st. Their pass defense rose from 23rd to 5th in their ’92 Super Bowl winning season. Yet he made his only Pro Bowl in 1993 and made a huge play intercepting Steve Young in the 2nd quarter of the NFC Championship setting up the TD to go up 14-0 in a raucous Texas Stadium. Two years with the Cowboys and 2 Super Bowl titles before finishing his career in Tampa. So Everett did help shape NFL history with pivotal plays for The Team of the Decade in championship play. Still sleep on Everett? Watch this

Which brings us to ’87 5th round selection Hardy Nickerson… now where the underpaying Steelers for the 2nd straight year lost a defensive stalwart that wanted out. It was ’93 and free agency had come and where Pittsburgh brass didn’t value Nickerson, former Bengal Head Coach Sam Wyche who had faced him twice a year did signing him to play in Tampa. Yes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who had just had their NFL record 10th straight season with double digit losses. Nickerson had played well like Everett and didn’t get the recognition nationally his counterparts Lloyd and Woodson had… so what did he do in Tampa?

Well… Nickerson became the centerpiece of Defensive Coordinator Floyd Peters’ 4-3 at Middle Linebacker and a terror was set loose. He became a sideline-to-sideline tracker and hit everything in sight. In ’93 he led the NFL in tackles with a leauge record 214 while making his 1st Pro Bowl and voted 1st team All Pro. It was only the 4th time a Tampa Bay defender was voted to the Pro Bowl in Hawai’i and the 2nd All Pro selection since the team’s inception in 1976.

His play was so dominant he broke the team season tackle record in a week 13 win over Chicago. There were still 3 games to go in 1993! So his 1st season ended with 214 tackles, recorded a sack, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and had an interception.

Or think of it like this… he recorded 96 more tackles than his Hall of Fame teammate Derrick Brooks (118) recorded in ’02 when he was NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Chew on that for a second…

The Chancellor believes this spring boarded Nickerson into what was a Pro Football Hall of Fame career and shared this in a past article Nickerson for Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Nickerson went on to 4 All Pro selections and 5 Pro Bowls in 7 years and once finishing in the Top 10 in Defensive Player of The Year voting. His 4th and final All Pro & Pro Bowl selection came in ’99 when he led the NFL’s 3rd ranked defense to the NFC Championship Game. They were shutting down The Greatest Show on Turf beating them on the road 6-5 (really?) until 4:44 to go when Kurt Warner threw the winning touchdown. This was one of the greatest teams in history & Nickerson’s crew alomst kept them from Super Bowl XXXIV. In that game he had 6 tackles defensed a pass and had a timely interception.

With Kevin Greene after the Induction ceremony.

Why the center of the NFL’s Defensive Universe? The Steelers frugal ways are what kept us from seeing possibly the NFL’s best array of talent on one defense. Keep in mind by 1993 they became Blitzburgh when they signed free agent and Taylor Blitz Pro Football Hall of Fame article alumnus Kevin Greene to the fold. Greene led the NFL in sacks with 14 and went on to be the NFL’s All Time sack leader for a LB with 160. He made the Pro Bowl in 2 of his 3 years in The Blast Furnace and made 1 of his 3 career All Pros there.

Then again the Steelers went cheap and let Greene go to start a younger OLB in Jason Gildon. A damn good player but not the leader that Kevin was coming off that edge across from Lloyd.

For those of you keeping score at home –

Without adding 5 time Pro Bowl/4 time All Pro Strong Safety Carnell Lake & 3-time Pro Bowl and 2 time ILB Levon Kirkland these riches read off like a Madden All Star lineup that doesn’t appear real.

Woodson, Greene, Everett, Nickerson & Lloyd combined for 27 Pro Bowls, 17 All Pro Selections & 7 Top Ten votes for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in various seasons, 2 NFL sack champion totals and 2 enshrined in Canton. Yet the Steelers went cheap and robbed football fans of what would have been one of history’s finest defenses. These players matured into menaces and spread to every corner of the NFL as trained assassins. They were supposed to be the successor to Philadelphia’s Gang Green Defense and would have ruled the 1990s just as the 70’s Steelers dominated their era.

If we add Lake & Kirkland back in these defenders had 24 conference championship appearances 8 Super Bowl appearances winning 3 rings. Anchored by the 1987 Steeler draft class… just think about it:

  • Greene led the ’96 Panthers to the NFC Championship in their 2nd year leading the league in sacks again.
  • Nickerson was the 1st piece and building block for what would become Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl defense.
  • Everett was a defensive leader on The Team of The Decade winning 2 Super Bowls in Dallas.
  • Woodson’s HOF career saw him switch to Free Safety and play on The Chancellor’s 2nd best defense in NFL history. The 2000 Baltimore Ravens

 

TJ coming off in Kevin’s spot.

So Steeler fans hold your breath with the Steelers playing around with TJ Watt’s contract. They’ve been known to let Hall of Fame level talent go. Do you realize none of these great players finished their careers in Pittsburgh?? Uh oh TJ… and they traded hard hitting FS Minkah Fitzpatrick last week. Sigh… and now Steeler fans are losing it since he was a no-show at minicamp. Stay tuned!

 

Please lend your thoughts as well by writing in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to the address below. Please be respectful and positively lend your voice:

Caught up to Lloyd in Canton.

Write & nominate Hardy Nickerson /Greg Lloyd / Carnell Lake
Send letters to:
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Attention Hall of Fame Selection Committee
2121 George Halas Dr NW, Canton,
OH 44708

Thanks for reading and please share the article.

Dedicated to the memories of Bill Nunn, Chuck Noll, Sam Wyche, Kevin Greene, & Floyd Peters

We have an update on TJ Watt on the 17th of August, a week after this article, he was signed to an extension. About time!

He is a PFHoFer, don’t play around with his contract. A dangerous game.

 

2025 NFL Draft: Can Ashton Jeanty Reach Eric Dickerson’s Rookie Record of 1,808 Yards??

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There are several teams really having an excellent draft. The Raiders, Packers, Broncos and Giants if Jaxson Dart comes through at QB after nabbing the most sought after defender in Abdul Carter in round 1. The bears are a little behind by takeing Colston Loveland in the 1st round. Shouldn’t draft a TE in the 1st. I know he is a Michigan guy but you need too much to justify a TE in that spot.

 

Pay attention to the Raiders with 2 early offensive linemen in this draft and super back Ashton Jeanty from Boise St. He is the best back since Ladanian Tomlinson to come into the league. This was the recipe for OJ Simpson’s career taking off when they grabbed Raleigh McKenzie & Hall of Famer Joe DeLamilelleure for that Bills offensive line. The Raiders are looking to improve a line that graded 19th by PFF and Caleb Rogers & Charles Grant’s selections received an A grade by CBS Sports. 

Head Coach Pete Carroll is a proponent of a physical running game, whether we’re talking his stints at USC or his Super Bowl teams in Seattle. He had Marshawn Lynch power for 4 straight 1,200 yard seasons 2011-2014 culminating in back to back Super Bowl visits. Remember LenDale White at USC? Well Jeanty’s power comes with quick feet and breakaway speed. He ran into the record books eclipsing former Boise St RB Doug Martin’s exploits a decade before.

If you’re new to Taylor Blitz Times we explained then how Doug Martin would explode on the NFL scene coming from Boise St and this will be greater than that one. Martin came in 2nd to NFL rushing champion Adrian Peterson twice, once as a rookie with 1,454 yds, highlighted by a 251 yard 4TD rushing performance ironically coming against the Raiders. Keep in mind like LaDanian Tomlinson, Walter Payton, & Barry Sanders great talents to flourish in the NFL came from non power schools.

Last year the NFL returned to its roots having 2 different running backs eclipse 1,900 yards in the same season. In a copycat league the Raiders envision Ashton Jeanty in the role Saquan Barkley is to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Will he go for 2,000? I don’t know but Eric Dickerson’s NFL rookie rushing record of 1,808 yards could be in serious jeopardy. Just as Barry Sanders record in college came under assault from Jeanty, this will also.

Thanks for reading and please share the article.

 

Week 5: Bills Sabotaged By International Game

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The NFL has to remember its a sport… In no way can you explain competitive balance of the Buffalo Bills having to travel to Europe on Friday and play a game on Sunday. Against a Jacksonville Jaguar team that stayed in Europe for the last two weeks??
Buffalo started the game lethargic…. no zhit! A team that couldn’t stop scoring with 48 before the end of the 4th quarter a week ago against the Dolphins didnt look like themselves until the 2nd half when they finally scored a TD.
For the record I hate the games in Europe… it leads to fatigue and injury and LB Milano may be out for the season. Think that is a coincidence along with the Bills lethargic start? Get better #58… praying for you.
Europe has been streaming NFL games the last 15 years and can continue to do so. Why jeopardize player safety for a few dollars the NFL would have had stateside anyway?? Greed isn’t good Gordon Grecko…
Thanks for reading and please share the article.

Sean Payton… Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It

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Tell the truth Tuesday: The NFL is an arena that humbles successful coaches in 2nd tenures in new places. Most forget Hall of Fame Coach Jimmy Johnson’s last game was a 62-7 playoff loss to Jacksonville in ’99.
In 1989 Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Noll began 0-2 when he lost the opener at home 51-0 to Cleveland. Then fell 42-10 to the defending AFC Champion Bengals.
In 1990 Chuck Knox “Ground Chuck” in an attempt to modernize switched the Seattle Seahawk offense to “The Run n Shoot” and promptly began the season 0-3 and the club appeared lost on offense. Seattle was Knox’s 3rd Head Coaching gig.
While Johnson retired, both Knox and Noll rebounded with great in season turnarounds. Noll went 9-7, won a wildcard game in Houston before falling 24-23 in a divisional playoff in Denver. Just inches from the AFC Championship Game.
In one of the greatest coaching moves ever, Knox threw out the Run n Shoot playbook completely and went back to the playbook and formations they had been using for a decade plus. Yes… in week 4 scrapped everything!! The Seahawks went 9-4 the rest of the way to finish 9-7.
Payton will have to take solace here. His reputation is on the line and has to prove he still has the winning edge. A formula for success. Unlike Johnson he still has a lot of season left to make an imprint in 2023. It will not be easy. Losing 70-20 was a historic drubbing.
Well…. since 1960, Tuesday is film exchange day in the NFL, and right now the projectors are on in the Bronco facility. What changes will be made and what will be asked of the team?? Asked of Russell Wilson??
Professional reputations are on the line