“The NFL Today” crew is going to Buffalo! In Week 11, the NFL on CBS pregame show will broadcast live outside of Highmark Stadium in anticipation of the Buffalo Bills’ showdown against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Join Matt Ryan, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, James Brown and J.J. Watt — who may or may not jump through a table at a Bills Mafia tailgate — and CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones in Lot 6 at Highmark Stadium. The show will of course be broadcasted on CBS.
THE NFL TODAY IS HEADED TO BUFFALO 🔥
See you next week, Bills Mafia pic.twitter.com/rZRQOXHKGs
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 10, 2024 Chiefs vs. Bills may be the game of the week. Mahomes and Josh Allen have faced off a total of seven times, with Mahomes winning four of those matchups. However, it’s Allen who has dominated Mahomes in the regular season, winning three of their four meetings. Their last game came in the divisional round of the 2023 postseason, where Bills kicker Tyler Bass missed the potential game-tying field goal wide right late in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs went on to defeat the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game, and the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
This will be just Mahomes’ third trip to Buffalo, as five of seven starts vs. the Bills have been played at Arrowhead Stadium. More details will be released later in the week.
THE NFL TODAY will be live from Buffalo on Sunday. Fans can join the crew in Lot 6 at Highmark Stadium starting at Noon ET on Nov. 17.
We’ve never before seen this Kyler Murray. Even in his second season, when he appeared on the MVP radar post Hail Murray and five of his first 10 games featured a rating north of 100, Murray wasn’t playing as efficiently as he has to date in 2024.
Over the last three games, Murray has been on an absolute heater — 76.2% completion rate, five total touchdowns (two rushing), 9.09 yards per attempt, no interceptions, and three fumbles (one lost) on 85 dropbacks. Unsurprisingly, the Cardinals have averaged 29.3 points per and have won each contest en route to taking the NFC West lead into the bye week.
And Week 10’s masterpiece against the Jets was probably Murray’s finest showing in the NFL, particularly when factoring the strength of New York’s defense entering the game. Before traveling to Arizona, the Jets were 12th in dropback EPA per play allowed and second in success rate allowed.
Murray shredded that unit unlike any quarterback we’ve seen this season. Also, going 22 of 24 for 266 yards with one touchdown and no picks would be awe-inspiring against the NFL’s worst defense by any analytic measure.
At the core of this new, advanced iteration of Murray — his play outside the pocket and under pressure.
Here’s how Murray has operated beyond the limits of the confines of the pocket through 10 games this season:
Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who comes from the Gary Kubiak limb of the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, deserves credit here, and within Murray’s outside the pocket numbers is incredible effectiveness on designed rollouts, a Shanahanian staple.
On those particular plays, because not every Murray outside-the-pocket throw comes on a scramble attempt, the former No. 1 overall pick has a perfect 158.3 passer rating. He’s 17 of 20 for 269 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Given his supreme athletic gifts and arm talent, it should come as no surprise Murray is dicing while on the run in a structured setting. And against pressure, he’s operating unlike ever before.
And it shouldn’t be surprising that Murray’s game has developed in this key area this season. Why? Arizona finally has legitimate answers at the skill positions. The 2020 and 2021 campaigns were boosted by the presence of in-his-prime DeAndre Hopkins. He missed six games in 2022 due to suspension, and because of Murray’s noncontact knee injury early in a Week 14 game against the Patriots, the two only appeared in four full games together.
Now, Murray is throwing to budding superstar tight end Trey McBride in Year 2, Marvin Harrison Jr. on the boundary, a competent outside receiver across from him in Michael Wilson and twitched-up slot wideout Greg Dortch inside.
But more than simply pointing to an uptick in outside-the-pocket and pressured play from Murray is a marriage I’ve noticed between his scrambling and throwing-on-the-run elements to his game. This season, he’s demonstrated better balance between those two than he ever has in the NFL.
Back in 2021, which, until this season, was Murray’s most efficient season as a thrower, when he posted a seismic 7.9% Big-Time Throw rate, he carried the ball 90 times for 429 yards — 4.8 per tote — and five touchdowns with a whopping 13 fumbles. Most inexplicably of all, the lightning-quick feet of Murray forced a mere three missed tackles that season.
This season, the genuinely threatening aspect of Murray carrying the football has returned. On 46 rushing attempts after Week 10, Murray has accumulated 371 yards — 8.1 per — with four touchdowns and six fumbles. And he’s forced seven missed tackles.
Murray has truly become the intimidating dual-threat high-level passer the Cardinals were hoping they were getting when he was selected at No. 1 overall back in 2019. We’ve seen glimpses of it from him dating to 2020.
But, now, as a mature NFL quarterback, it feels like Murray understands he doesn’t have to win games single-handedly. The Cardinals are currently eighth in EPA per rush. Murray’s more low volume than ever — only 27.6 attempts per game. But the efficiency is at a new level, which is a driver in leading the Cardinals atop the NFC West right now.
Some NFL players are enjoying career production in 2024. Think Lamar Jackson, who’s on his way to a second straight MVP award. Or Saquon Barkley, who’s revived his rushing game with a new team. Others are undeniably struggling to meet expectations. No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams is one example, as is the recently benched — and recently reinstalled — Anthony Richardson.
But what about the players in between? The guys who’ve both flashed greatness and run cold? Here, we’re identifying five of this season’s biggest enigmas, including a pair of stars from the reigning champions:
When he’s active and involved, the former Alabama standout looks like one of the NFL’s best field-stretchers, averaging almost 21 yards per catch with eight different plays of 20+ yards this year. The issue is, Williams also has a tendency to disappear in the Detroit Lions’ vaunted offense, either due to sheer unavailability (e.g. injuries, suspensions) or a lack of looks behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, logging two games with just a single catch. Just don’t sleep on his speed come playoff time.
The perennial Pro Bowler is commanding a ton of volume, easily leading the Kansas City Chiefs in catches and targets, but he’s operated almost exclusively as a short-yardage outlet for an increasingly slow-burn offense, averaging a career-low 8.3 yards per catch. Not only that, but he’s not really breaking free, ranking 50th — behind 10 other tight ends — in yards after catch (190). It may just be a symptom of age, because at 35, he’s been saddled with offsetting multiple injuries to the club’s pass catching unit.
Is Atlanta getting what it paid for in the $180 million quarterback? It depends on the week. Cousins is generally known for being steady rather than spectacular, but his 10-game start with the Falcons has been something of a roller coaster: His best days have bordered on career performances, but his off days have basically sunk his team with off-balance throws in winnable games. Eleven of his 17 touchdown passes (or 65%) have come in just three games, putting the pressure on Atlanta to keep him well-protected.
By most surface-level metrics, the three-time Super Bowl champion has been merely a mediocre quarterback in 2024, barely throwing more scores (12) than picks (9), ranking 17th in passer rating, and throwing it deep just 4.5% of the time — easily the lowest mark of his career. Yet he’s also completing passes at a higher rate than ever (69.5%), taking what’s given amid a steadily shuffled supporting cast and, best of all, posting largely superb marks when trailing to shepherd a 9-0 start.
In many ways, nobody’s winning the “Sam Darnold argument” right now. On one hand, the Minnesota Vikings don’t start 5-0 without him; the journeyman was even more composed than expected as an authoritative point guard for Kevin O’Connell’s deep lineup out of the gate. Suddenly, however, he now leads the NFL in giveaways (13), fighting to halt his own instincts and stop slinging balls downfield when the moment doesn’t call for it. Minnesota’s still-solid playoff hopes may depend on his next steps.
Lamar Jackson’s kryptonite this point in his career has been the Pittsburgh Steelers. While he has been dominant in the regular season against just about everyone else, the league’s two-time MVP is just 1-3 against Pittsburgh entering this Sunday’s Ravens-Steelers AFC North showdown.
Jackson’s lone win against the Steelers came in his first start against Pittsburgh in 2019. He’s thrown four touchdowns against seven interceptions against Baltimore’s longtime division rival.
“I don’t know what it is, man,” Jackson said of his past struggles with Pittsburgh, via ESPN. “Last year, we [were] supposed to [beat] them, but things just didn’t go our way; the football gods weren’t on our side. But it’s a whole other year, it’s a new year, [and] I’m looking forward to the game.”
Dropped passes and an end zone interception by then-Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and a game-winning touchdown pass from Kenny Pickett to George Pickens were the primary reasons why Baltimore was upset by Pittsburgh in Week 5 of the 2023 season, the only time Jackson faced the Steelers last year.
The Steelers defense presents a daunting challenge for Jackson and the Ravens, who have scored more points than any team in football so far this year. Pittsburgh’s defense, which is currently second in the NFL in fewest points allowed, is also fourth in the NFL against the run and in red zone efficiency.
Pittsburgh’s defense has received big contributions this year from two former Ravens: safety DeShon Elliott and linebacker Patrick Queen. Both players are embracing being on the other side of the rivalry. They’re motivated to have success against a team that, in their words, didn’t want them.
“I didn’t get the offer back,” Queen said of not getting re-signed by Baltimore, “and it is definitely kind upsetting being there for four years and the bond that you grow with your teammates and stuff. The first few months, you definitely go through those feelings.
“Now after playing games, you just go by and just want to win games. You want to win with your teammates, your new teammates; you want to bond with those guys. Everything that you do as far as the organization that you’re at now. I will have feelings. Obviously anybody in my position would this week, so I’m just taking one day at a time, whatever happens, happens.”
Pittsburgh’s defense is surely motivated to drop Jackson’s record against them to 1-4 on Sunday. But Jackson is equally motivated to have success on Sunday. Jackson, a MVP candidate once again this year, has relied less on his legs and more on his arm this year more than he has in past years. Along with having an improved receiving corps and offensive line, Jackson has a perfect complement in the backfield in Derrick Henry, who like Jackson is enjoying an MVP-caliber season.
Unlike past years, Jackson doesn’t have the burden of having to be a one-man show for the Ravens offense to succeed. That could lead to a different result this time around against a team that has Jackson’s number up to this point.
“There were different guys last year, and it’s a different unit this year, but it’s always the same goal; we want to win,” Jackson said. “We want to be the ones that come out victorious, and that’s going to be the goal going into this game.”
A star-studded showdown takes place on Thursday Night Football when Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles host Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. This NFC East rivalry has been lopsided in recent years with Philadelphia winning seven of the last 10 meetings. The winner of Thursday’s matchup will sit atop the NFC East standings. According to the latest Commanders vs. Eagles odds, Philadelphia is a 3.5-point favorite, while the over/under for total points scored is 48.5. The Eagles are -200 money line favorites (risk $192 to win $100), while the Commanders are +166 underdogs. If you are looking for NFL picks, AI predictions or NFL DFS picks for Eagles vs. Commanders, SportsLine has you covered with its proven model, AI PickBot and team of experts. They even have one pick that returns a whopping +13000, so be sure to see what they have to say.
Advanced NFL model simulates Commanders vs. Eagles 10,000 times SportsLine’s model enters Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 17-7 betting hot streak on top-rated NFL picks this year. Longer term, it is on a 197-136 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season and a 51-29 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022. The model has revealed its best bets for Eagles vs. Commanders and is backing the Over (48.5) to hit in almost 60% of simulations. You can find the model’s picks on the spread and money line here.
Self-learning AI reveals top player props SportsLine AI hit a whopping 2,029 4.5- and 5-star sports betting picks since the start of last season. Now it has locked in its top player props for players like Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels and A.J. Brown. One of its top picks is Daniels staying Under 224.5 passing yards, which has earned a 4.5-star rating. The AI PickBot is calling for 185 passing yards on TNF. You can see all the top-rated NFL prop picks from the AI PickBot here.
NFL Vegas expert picks revealed for TNF SportsLine has an expansive team of NFL experts who provide quality betting advice for every game on the schedule. NFL expert R.J. White, who is on a blistering 27-17-2 roll on Eagles games, has analyzed this rivalry from every angle and locked in his best bet for TNF right here.
Eric Cohen, who is 72-32 since Week 4, has revealed his exact score prediction for Commanders vs. Eagles, which returns a whopping +13000. That pick, along with his prediction for the other 13 games, is available here. SportsLine’s advanced computer model has also locked in its exact score predictions for Commanders vs. Eagles, and every Week 11 NFL game right here.
NFL DFS picks from top experts SportsLine has a DFS optimizer that simulates every game 10,000 times and uses info from the SportsLine Projection Model and DFS Professional Millionaire Mike McClure to identify top DFS picks/plays for any slate on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings. Their NFL DFS Optimizer has Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as its top overall player to include in your TNF DFS picks. Here are its complete Commanders vs. Eagles NFL DFS rankings.
DFS Professional Millionaire Mike McClure has locked in his top NFL DFS picks for Eagles vs. Commanders on Thursday Night Football. He’s building his NFL DFS lineups around Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. McClure is also targeting another undervalued player who could explode for huge numbers on TNF. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is, and the rest of McClure’s NFL DFS picks, right here.
The NFL Draft is usually a pretty simple process: A team picks a player and then that player eventually signs a contract with his new team. However, things may not be so simple next year, and that’s because it sounds like Deion Sanders might throw a wrench into things.
The Colorado coach has two of the top NFL Draft prospects in the country playing for him: Deion’s son, Shedeur Sanders, is the quarterback for Colorado and the Buffaloes also have two-way star Travis Hunter, who plays both receiver and cornerback.
Both players are expected to be among the top-five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, if not the top two. Although most players have no control over where they land, Shedeur and Hunter might, because Deion isn’t going to let them go to just any team.
During an interview on FS1 Wednesday, the Colorado coach was asked if he might “step in” if the the wrong team tries to draft his son.
“Yea, but I’m not gonna do it publicly, I’d do it privately,” Sanders said. “I’m going to be a dad until the cows come home, and with Travis as well.”
It’s been 20 years since anyone tried to pull a move like that in the draft. Back in 2004, Eli Manning said he wouldn’t play for the Chargers, which is how he ended up with the Giants. Just days before the start of the draft that year, Manning’s agent (Tom Condon) told the Chargers that Eli would sit out the entire 2004 season if the team drafted him with the first overall pick. The Chargers ended up ignoring the threat and taking Eli with the top pick anyway. However, Manning’s threats did ultimately work because he ended up getting traded to the Giants less than an hour later.
If Deion makes a similar threat, that could scare a team away from drafting either of the two stars.
When it comes to possible NFL landing spots, Deion didn’t name any specific teams for his son, but he did give a description of what he wants to see from a team that might draft Shedeur.
“Somebody that can handle the quarterback that he is, somebody that can handle, understanding what he’s capable of,” Deion said. “Someone that has had success in the past handling quarterbacks or someone in an organization that understands what they’re doing. Not just throwing you out there amongst the wolves, if you don’t have the support and the infrastructure of the team.”
The Colorado coach added that if a team has a bad offensive line, that’s something that can be worked around, he just wants to make sure Shedeur’s future team has some organizational stability.
“Forget the line, he’s played with lines that haven’t been great, but he’s been able to do his thing, but just the infrastructure of the team, the direction of where we’re going,” Deion said.
Our NFL Draft writers are pumping out new mocks every week and they all have a different opinion where Shedeur might land with teams ranging from the Giants to the Browns to the Raiders. Deion previously mentioned that he doesn’t want Shedeur to land in a cold-weather city, so that could knock out the Giants and Browns.
Deion was asked in July about the possibility of Shedeur ending up in Las Vegas and he was all for it, “That would be nice.” With Tom Brady now part of the team’s ownership, they now fit the bill of someone in the organization who knows what it takes to be a quarterback in the NFL.
