By Matthew DelDonna, PSO Director of Football Development
Dec 21, 2020

The playoff picture for 2020 got a little bit clearer Sunday afternoon with several teams shifting in and out of the top seven seeds. To get things started, Tom Brady led yet another big comeback win against the Atlanta Falcons, while his old team was officially eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Later in a wild slate of evening games, the Chiefs and Saints battled to the very end, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles took Arizona down to the wire, and the New York Jets got their first win of the season, but potentially at a great cost because they no longer hold the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft.

 

 

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KEY FACT: Tom Brady has 4 career wins (incl. playoffs) after trailing by 17+ PTS at half, the most by any QB in the Super bowl era

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Brady led yet another big comeback against ATL

  • Gronk stole it away from a defender

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Tom Brady is still the comeback king

Football fans witnessed one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history when Tom Brady lead NE to a win in Super Bowl LI after being down 28-3 against the Falcons. Once again, Brady orchestrated another big comeback against ATL, overcoming a 17-pt deficit this time. Atlanta has had trouble maintaining leads all season, and in true Falcons fashion, they blew yet another lead to the greatest QB of all time. This win solidified Brady as the greatest comeback artist of all-time and the guy who Falcons fans have nightmares about.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): TB (-280) d. @ATL (+23531-27 [ATL +6.0 | o49.5]

TB STOCK PRICE$13.92 | ATL STOCK PRICE$5.52

KEY FACT: Deshaun Watson has the most GP (10) with a 100+ PASS RTG in a single-season in Texans franchise history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Indy’s D forced a fumble for the win again

  • Rivers found T.Y. down the seam

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: The Colts’ defense can single-handedly win them games in the playoffs

Once again, the Indianapolis Colts’ defense came up with a big stop in the waning minutes to lock up another close win. Currently third in forced turnovers with 24 on the season, the Colts have the ability to flip the momentum in their favor and have done so on several occasions this year. Having forced key game-winning fumbles against the Texans in Week 13 and Week 15 as well as the Packers earlier this season, Indy has proven to be a legitimate contender in the AFC and can win playoff games if Philip Rivers’ turnovers don’t get in the way.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): @IND (-375) d. HOU (+30527-20 [HOU +7.5 | u52.5]

IND STOCK PRICE$14.10 | HOU STOCK PRICE$6.33

KEY FACT: Justin Jefferson passed Randy Moss for the most REC by a rookie (70) in Vikings franchise record

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Montgomery carried CHI’s offense with 2 TDs

  • MIN responded to keep game within a score

  • Clutch INT from Cam kept MIN in it

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Expect the Vikings to be active in free agency 

Entering 2020 with a league-high 12 picks in the draft, the Minnesota Vikings weren’t expected to be as good as previous years with a lot of young talent. They were able to overcome a rocky start to the season and go on a four-game winning streak though, and first-round pick Justin Jefferson has quickly emerged as the new WR1. Heading into 2021, MIN will likely look to use some excess cap space to go after some FAs to fill certain holes. Players such as OG Brandon Scherff, WR A.J. Green and S Marcus Williams all enter free agency next year and could be players the Vikings target to add some high quality players at positions of need. 

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): CHI (+130) d. @MIN (-15033-27 [CHI +2.5 | o47.5]

CHI STOCK PRICE$10.13 | MIN STOCK PRICE$7.48

KEY FACT: CeeDee Lamb has the 3rd most REC YDS (827) in a single season by a rookie in Cowboys franchise history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Clutch INT sealed the deal

  • Tony Pollard with the dagger

  • Lamb wasn’t fooled on the onside kick

  • Bourne made a great catch at the buzzer

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Dallas gave a big contract to the wrong player

Following the big contract extension he received during this past offseason, Ezekiel Elliot has had by far his worst season statistically and been essentially ineffective for the Cowboys’ offense. Additionally, as seen today, DAL has been able to run the ball just as effectively with Pollard in the lineup at a much lower cost. If there’s a player Jerry Jones should’ve given big bucks to, it’s Dak Prescott. Showing nothing but improvement over the last couple years and the biggest reason Dallas was winning games, Prescott time and time again was shot down on contract extension offers and now he’s missed more than any player on his team. 

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): @DAL (+175) d. SF (-20541-33 [DAL +4.0 | o46]

DAL STOCK PRICE$6.28 | SF STOCK PRICE$5.49

KEY FACT: Patriots snap a streak of 11 straight seasons making the playoffs (2009-2019), the longest streak in NFL history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • This might be the longest 9-yd run ever

  • Howard continued his All-Pro season with a nice FF

  • MIA used a little razzle-dazzle to go for 2 

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Don’t be surprised if the Patriots make a major move at QB this offseason

For the first time since 2008, the New England Patriots will not advance to the postseason after losing to Miami 22-12 on Sunday. There was a slim hope that NE could still make it to the playoffs by winning out and a little bit of help from other teams. With that out of the question now, Bill Belichick can now focus on next year’s draft and whether he wants to draft the Patriots’ next franchise QB or look to trade for a veteran such as Matthew Stafford or Aaron Rodgers and address other needs in April such as WR. Either way, don’t count out Belichick making a blockbuster move to finally find Tom Brady’s true heir apparent.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): @MIA (-117) d. NE (-10322-12 [MIA +1.5 | u40.5]

MIA STOCK PRICE$19.57 | NE STOCK PRICE$6.92

KEY FACT: Jamal Adams has 1+ sack in 4 straight games, the longest streak by a DB since tracking began in 1982

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • No one could seek Hyde

  • Sweat made an impressive swat to set up INT

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Washington is the most resilient team in the league

No organization has been through nearly the same wild roller coaster of events as the Washington Football Team in 2020. They’ve been down by double digits 10 times this year and have rallied to put themselves in a position to at least have a chance at winning the last five such occurrences. Despite dealing with a team name change, a QB carousel unlike any other this season and a coach having to fight cancer in-season, WAS sits at 6-8 with two games left and in the driver’s seat to win the NFC East. 

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): SEA (-260) d. WAS (+22020-15 [WAS +6.0 | u44.5]

SEA STOCK PRICE$11.76 | WAS STOCK PRICE$11.92

KEY FACT: Ryan Tannehill became the 1st Titans player ever to record 3+ PASS TD & 2+ RUSH TD in the same game

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Tannehill torched DET’s D with 5 TOT TD

  • The King of stiff arming

  • TEN got a huge goal line stop

  • Stafford dropped a beauty to Bryant

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Ryan Tannehill & Derrick Henry are the best backfield duo in the AFC right now

Ryan Tannehill’s resurgence late last season during Marcus Mariota’s absence raised a lot of eyebrows when he helped get his team to the AFC Championship game. A sort of pressure was then placed on him after signing a multi-year extension to prove he’s worth the big bucks. After Sunday’s performance and leading his team to a 10-4 record, it’s clear the Titans made the right decision by re-signing him. He may have a lot of help on offense with superstar RB Derrick Henry and a pair of stud WRs in A.J. Brown and Corey Davis, but Tannehill fits in the system perfectly and thrives, proving to be a playmaker in his own right.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): @TEN (-400) d. DET (+32046-25 [TEN -9.5 | o54.5]

TEN STOCK PRICE$12.87 | DET STOCK PRICE$8.74

KEY FACT: Jacksonville Jaguars have allowed 24+ PTS in their last 13 games, that’s the longest single-season streak in NFL history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Dez caught his 1st TD in over 1,000 days

  • Lamar dropped an absolute dime here

  • Ravens picked up the safety to get things started 

  • Huntley did his best Lamar impression

  • Minshew found Robinson to end the shutout

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: The Ravens are playing their best ball at the best time

There’s never a better time to be playing at their best than at the end of the season when several teams are fighting for the same playoff spot(s). After struggling for about a month or so and looking like a team that will be on the outside looking in following Week 17, the Baltimore Ravens have caught fire and are starting to look like the team most expected them to be. Lamar Jackson is back to playing like an MVP, the running game has picked up tremendously, and the defense is playing lights out. Teams that get hot at the end of the year are always the most dangerous, so watch out for BAL as the postseason begins. 

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): @BAL (-900) d. JAX (+64040-14 [BAL -13.0 | o49]

BAL STOCK PRICE$10.11 | JAX STOCK PRICE$2.68

KEY FACT: Kansas City Chiefs are the 1st team to win 6 straight games by 6 PTS or fewer in NFL history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Mahomes made magic happen

  • This wild play ended up in a safety for NO

  • Saints got within a score late after strip-sack recovery

  • Brees made a valiant effort in return from injuries

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Andy Reid has the most creative red zone plays ever

The Kansas City Chiefs might be the most dangerous team in the red zone. Not just because of their wealth of talent and ability to score, but the creativity of HC Andy Reid to draw up plays no team has quite seen before. Sometimes they happen so fast that teams simply don’t have time to react and therefore are left in the dust when KC runs these plays. From designed option plays to backyard football-style underhand throws to Travis Kelce, Reid knows how to keep things interesting and is a main reason why his team has only lost one game so far this year. 

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): KC (-140) d. @NO (+12032-29 [KC -2.5 | o54]

KC STOCK PRICE$12.85 | NO STOCK PRICE$11.04

KEY FACT: Jalen Hurts had 401 total YDS in Wk 15 which is more than Wentz has ever had in a single game his entire career

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Lethal spin move from the unheralded rookie

  • There’s no way to defend Hopkins

 

  • This fake punt went perfectly

  • K1 had a field day against Philly

  • Hurts is starting to catch on as a starter

 

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: QB drama is going to dominate the Eagles’ offseason 

Jalen Hurts has seemingly jumpstarted an Eagles offense that has been on life support all season after taking over the starting duties in Week 14. Even if he continues to succeed, it’ll only cause more drama within the organization as it will be faced with a major decision this upcoming offseason. Hurts made a strong case for why he should remain the starter against ARZ, but on the same day, Adam Schefter reported that Wentz would not want to stay in PHI if it meant he would be the backup. Intrigued by their rookie QB but committed to Wentz financially, Philly’s QB situation will likely be the headline of the offseason.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): @ARZ (-265) d. PHI (+22533-26 [ARZ -6.5 | o49.5]

ARZ STOCK PRICE$12.80 | PHI STOCK PRICE$5.25

KEY FACT: New York Jets are the 1st winless team to beat a 9+ win team on the road in NFL history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Gore got the clutch conversion late

  • Hall made a great 1-handed INT

  • Woods blew past everyone for 40 yds

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Trevor Lawrence’s future chances of being a Jet has been reduced dramatically

The New York Jets finally got their first win in their miserable 2020 campaign, but potentially at a great cost. With the victory, NY now shares its win total with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and its chances at the No. 1 overall pick in 2021 decrease dramatically. Should both teams lose their last two games, whoever gets the top pick will be decided by strength of schedule. Currently, the Jets’ strength of schedule (.592) is higher than the Jaguars (.532), so JAX now has the inside track on the top pick and landing the best QB prospect of the decade. 

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): NYJ (+1000) d. @LAR (-200023-20 [NYJ +17.0 | u44.5]

NYJ STOCK PRICE$2.05 | LAR STOCK PRICE$11.18

KEY FACT: Nick Chubb has surpassed Jim Brown for the most games (31) w/ 50+ RUSH YDS by a CLE player in their 1st 3 seasons

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Mayfield shot a laser to Landry

  • McCoy hit Slayton on a perfect pass

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Joe Judge isn’t afraid to take big risks

Giants HC Joe Judge has proven to be a gutsy play-caller and continued that trend on Sunday night against the Browns. In a big primetime game, Judge made it clear that field goals weren’t going to win the game against CLE when he tried for a fake FG early on and went for it on fourth down inside the red zone. Since NY has failed to crack 20 points in the last four games, Judge knew that playing conservatively wasn’t going to get the job done especially with a backup QB in and an offense that has struggled to score as of late. If there’s a time to do such a thing, it’s now given how close the NFC East race has been and will be heading into the final week of the regular season.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): CLE (-300) d. @NYG (+25020-6 [CLE -6.0 | u45]

CLE STOCK PRICE$14.07 | NYG STOCK PRICE$9.53

KEY FACT: Stefon Diggs has the most REC (111) in a single season by a Bills player in franchise history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Takeaway Tre strikes again

  • It was the Josh Allen show all day

  • No one was catching Singletary

  • Broncos went into halftime on a high note

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: After years of mediocrity, the Bills are finally building a perennial contender

In a new era of AFC East football, it appears the Buffalo Bills are now poised to dominate the division for the foreseeable future after years of playing in Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s shadows. The Bills ended their 25-year drought of winning the AFC East on Saturday and are in a prime position to continue down that path of winning division titles for the next 10-15 years. Between Josh Allen’s surge to the top tier of QBs in the league, an arsenal of weapons on offense, and a stout defense that can give any offense nightmares, Bills Mafia is ready to finally break away from an era of mediocrity.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): BUF (-276) d. @DEN (+231) 48-19 [BUF -6.0 | o48]

BUF STOCK PRICE$15.39 | DEN STOCK PRICE$8.50

KEY FACT: Aaron Rodgers is the 1st QB with 40+ PASS TDS in 3 different seasons in NFL history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Packers’ D came up big at the goal line

  • DJ Moore had a big game

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Aaron Jones has proven he’s on deck for a big contract extension

With the amount of weapons the Green Bay Packers have, they can win in so many different ways. Even though Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams weren’t tearing it up like they usually do, Aaron Jones provided the offense with a consistent running game and put on a contract extension-worthy performance.

Despite the recent examples of teams paying big bucks for RBs and not getting the same productivity out of them, that didn’t stop the Titans from doing the same thing yet they’re still getting monster performances from Derrick Henry. Jones’ unique skill set is paramount to GB’s potential success and gives it a significantly improved chance of succeeding week in and week out. As a free agent after the season, the Packers must hand him a Henry-esque extension to keep him in the Green and Gold or their entire offense could falter.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): @GB (+110) d. CAR (-13024-16 [CAR +9.0 | u53]

GB STOCK PRICE$13.02 | CAR STOCK PRICE$7.46

KEY FACT: Darren Waller has the most REC YDS (425) over a 3-game span by a TE in NFL history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Herbert commanded his team to victory

  • Mariota took control in Carr’s absence

  • Harris Jr.’s clutch INT saved the game

  • Badgley’s struggles continued in the 4th Qtr 

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Justin Herbert is having one of the greatest rookie seasons of all-time

After being sprung into action due to highly unusual circumstances, Justin Herbert has taken full reigns at QB for the Los Angeles Chargers and has not disappointed. Proving to be a consistent thrower of the football week in and week out, Herbert continues to prove his doubters wrong and gives Chargers fans reason to be excited for the future. He has especially come into his own the last few weeks as he’s now led a couple of last-second wins thanks to his golden arm. Even with the struggles LA has had holding onto late leads, Herbert’s case for OROY continues to grow as he’s putting up some historic production as well.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): LAC (+154) d. @LV (-174) 30-27 [LAC +3.0 | o52.5]

LAC STOCK PRICE$7.08 | LV STOCK PRICE$10.62

KEY FACT: NFL Week 15 marked the 1st time multiple underdogs of 14+ PTS (Jets, Bengals) both won in the same week since 1973

BEST HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Cincy’s D came to play

  • Finley shined against the Steel City

  • Gio scored 2 TD in big night

  • Diontae Johnson didn’t drop this one

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Ryan Finley got the biggest win of his career on the biggest stage

Although he had only started three NFL games prior to Monday night’s, that didn’t stop Ryan Finley from showing out when he was given a chance to shine. While his stats weren’t the most impressive, Finley showed flashes of solid play and managed to lead the Bengals in a major upset victory on Monday Night Football. The defense certainly helped by generating three turnovers, but the young QB delivered nonetheless when given the opportunity and orchestrated the biggest win of his career on the biggest stage against a team that was poised to potentially go undefeated not too long ago.

FINAL RESULTS (ODDS): @CIN (+700) d. PIT (-1100) 27-17 [CIN +14.0 | o40.5]

CIN STOCK PRICE$6.00 | PIT STOCK PRICE$13.34

 

 

 

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