Commanders sale big for NFL, Bucs-Rams response and extra

On Thursday, information got here that Dan Snyder is open to presents for the Washington Commanders. Right here’s what meaning for the league.

Dan Snyder is reportedly open to promoting the Washington Commanders.

The opposite 31 NFL possession teams are all hoping he does so.

Snyder’s exit would imply two issues. First, the NFL is rid of its largest eyesore. Second, each membership’s worth will skyrocket, as a result of Washington’s sale worth will probably be astronomical.

Let’s start by speaking in regards to the extra necessary angle from the league’s standpoint. The cash.

“The franchise will probably be bought for greater than some other skilled workforce in North American historical past,” one former normal supervisor instructed FanSided. “The worth of proudly owning this workforce is absolutely, as they are saying, ‘priceless.’”

At present, Snyder is below federal investigation for alleged financial improprieties, a narrative which got here down nearly concurrently alongside Forbes’ report of a doable workforce sale.

Nonetheless, some within the league have questions if Snyder will truly promote the workforce.

“First response is Lucy holding the soccer for Charlie Brown,” a outstanding agent texted to FanSided. “Yeah proper, he’s going to promote. If he does, it’ll be the largest tradition improve for the reason that Vikings changed the dreadful Mike Zimmer.”

Nonetheless, let’s discover a possible sale.

This spring, the Denver Broncos had been bought to Rob Walton and his Wal-Mart money for $4.65 billion. Even by NFL requirements, the value was gorgeous. Earlier than Denver, the final workforce to vary palms was the Carolina Panthers, for the cost of $2.275 billion.

Whereas the Broncos are a sexy buy, they’re Sam’s Membership in comparison with Washington.

The Commanders play within the ninth-largest American tv market, whereas Denver checks in sixteenth. Moreover, the franchise may quickly be getting a brand new stadium in northern Virginia, a course of largely held up by Snyder nonetheless being the workforce proprietor.

With a brand new facility, a large market and a monster fanbase, the Commanders are one of many preeminent groups within the NFL, even it hasn’t felt that manner for 30 years.

All elements thought-about, the Commanders may simply clear $5 billion. When Snyder purchased the workforce in 1999, the then-Redskins cost him $800 million, though the acquisition additionally got here with FedEx Discipline. Snyder, who retains 65 p.c of the franchise at present, may stroll away with someplace round $4 billion, giving him an approximate revenue of 400 p.c.

If the Commanders promote, each different NFL workforce is value significantly greater than they’re now. Very like how positional markets are reset, franchise values see the same shift with every sale. With due respect to Carolina and particularly Denver, neither are Washington.

Then there’s the opposite angle to this. Snyder the person being purged from the league.

When Indianapolis Colts proprietor Jim Irsay spoke out publicly towards Snyder in October, it represented an necessary second. For years, homeowners stayed quiet publicly on Snyder, even when many had personal complaints and frustrations. By being out entrance, Irsay made it simpler for different homeowners to interrupt from their longstanding silence.

Though there are definitely different homeowners who’ve issues — Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft are two of the highest-profile men in the country and each have had unseemly headlines written about them lately — Snyder’s seemingly endless list of alleged incidents has develop into an annual blight on the league.

The off-field ugliness, mixed with one of many bedrock NFL franchises being run into the bottom all through Snyder’s stewardship, has brought on important erosion in a key market. With Snyder promoting, it’s doubtless followers will come again in droves.

Maybe surprisingly, some really feel Snyder, for all his many faults, leaves behind greater than only a hideous legacy.

“New beginnings are at all times thrilling,” mentioned a former NFC head coach of a possible Washington sale. “Generally one thing new provides followers and even gamers new hope for a greater future. Daniel was at all times aggressive about having workforce — I admired that.”

Bluntly, the NFL will probably be quietly rooting exhausting for Snyder to promote.

For the league, it’s the answer to a continuing drawback.

For the opposite 31 homeowners, it’s extra eventual cash of their pockets.

Energy rankings

High 10 surprises via 9 weeks of the ’22 season

1. Struggles of the Bucs, Rams and Packers in NFC
2. Geno Smith’s dream season for the Seahawks
3. Broncos go bust with Russell Wilson, Nathaniel Hackett
4. Falcons atop NFC South at halfway level
5. Jets, Giants making New York soccer enjoyable once more
6. Matt Ryan benched for Sam Ehlinger earlier than November
7. Bengals’ OL as dangerous as final 12 months’s regardless of overhaul
8. Eagles the final remaining undefeated workforce
9. Raiders out of playoff image regardless of upgrades
10. Vikings operating away with NFC North title

Quotable

“It’s robust to win on this league once you’re taking part in workforce and your quarterback performs like shit.”

– Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen on his showing in a 20-17 loss to the New York Jets

Allen isn’t improper. For the second consecutive week, the MVP candidate threw two interceptions, giving him eight on the 12 months. Solely Matt Ryan — who was benched — has thrown extra. The Jets deserve credit score for harassing Allen, sacking him 5 occasions with eight QB hits, however Allen’s two picks had been hideous throws.

With the Vikings on deck, Allen must be a lot sharper.

Podcast

Random stat

Few rivalries are higher than the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.

The Niners and Cowboys have confronted one another in eight playoff video games, essentially the most of any two groups within the Tremendous Bowl period.

Data realized this week

1. Rams on brink after late collapse to Tom Brady, Bucs

Not all data present the identical scenario for the workforce proudly owning them.

At 4-5, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are disappointing, however the No. 4 seed within the NFC playoffs as issues sit as a result of they inhabit the NFC South. In the meantime, the Los Angeles Rams are 3-5, and on life assist.

Los Angeles led all through a lot of the evening in Tampa, together with being up 13-9 after a goal-line stand within the fourth quarter. Needing one first right down to ice the sport, the Rams ran 3 times and punted. Nonetheless, the Buccaneers, who gained 273 whole yards with 44 seconds remaining, traveled 60 yards in 35 ticks to win 16-13.

Sure, Tom Brady is magnificent, even at 45 years outdated. Sure, the Rams’ protection can level on the offense and yell about their all-day ineptitude. Nonetheless, Los Angeles solely needed to make a couple of in-bounds tackles, not permit Tampa Bay to get deep and stroll away at 4-4. As a substitute, the Rams fell aside.

For Los Angeles, the street forward is daunting. The Rams are 2.5 video games behind the division-leading Seattle Seahawks and a recreation again of the Niners, who already swept their season collection with Los Angeles. Moreover, the Rams have a tough remaining schedule together with tilts with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Seahawks (2x), together with street dates going through the Inexperienced Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.

The Rams want momentum and a few solutions offensively. On Sunday, they discovered neither.

2. Ought to the ’72 Dolphins be nervous in regards to the Eagles?

One other recreation, one other win for the Philadelphia Eagles.

After beating the Houston Texans on Thursday evening, the Eagles ran their file to 8-0. Philadelphia is the one workforce protecting the 1972 Miami Dolphins from popping their annual champagne, safe of their information they’ll stay the one NFL to ever go unbeaten and untied in a single season.

Philadelphia’s schedule, it may make a reliable run at 17-0. Over at FiveThirtyEight, the Eagles are projected to be favored by at least five points in each remaining contest, save for Week 17 at Dallas. In that NFC East conflict, the Cowboys are seen as a slight two-point favourite.

All that mentioned, the overwhelming odds are Philadelphia will lose a couple of times earlier than the playoffs. However wanting on the pocket, the Eagles may make the ’72 Dolphins sweat.

3. Packers aren’t climbing out of gap after loss to Lions

Cease anticipating the Inexperienced Bay Packers to get better. It’s over. They aren’t coming again.

The Packers misplaced 15-9 to the horrific Detroit Lions on Sunday, with Aaron Rodgers throwing three interceptions together with two contained in the Lions’ 5-yard line. At 3-6, Inexperienced Bay is 4.5 video games behind the Minnesota Vikings within the NFC North, who received their sixth straight with a victory over the Commanders.

Rodgers can scream and yell, and critics can level at him and yell again, however the reality is within the center. The offense was neutered by the entrance workplace when it traded Davante Adams and changed him with rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, and veteran Sammy Watkins. That trio has mixed for 51 receptions, 561 yards and three touchdowns. Adams has 48 catches for 658 yards and 7 scores.

That mentioned, Rodgers isn’t serving to. He’s publicly questioned nearly everybody however himself, and on the sector has thrown 14 touchdowns towards seven interceptions. Over Inexperienced Bay’s present five-game dropping streak, he’s but to common greater than 6.8 yards per try in any of the defeats.

At 3-6, the Packers are completed. Begin the mock drafts in Titletown.

4. Chiefs escape Titans primarily based on Patrick Mahomes, unimaginable defensive surge

The Tennessee Titans had 27 offensive performs within the second half and extra time. They gained seven yards.

Kansas Metropolis’s protection was magnificent as the sport wore on, permitting the Chiefs to seek out themselves. And that took time, as Patrick Mahomes’ group went scoreless on seven consecutive drives after scoring 9 factors on its first two jaunts.

Often, the story with Kansas Metropolis is Mahomes’ arm, Travis Kelce’s yardage and some contributors chipping in. In Sunday evening’s 20-17 extra time win, there was definitely a few of that with Mahomes throwing for 446 yards (6.6 YPA) whereas Kelce notched 106 receiving yards, JuJu Smith-Schuster totaling 88 and Mecole Hardman amassing 79 and a landing.

But it was the protection which received Kansas Metropolis the sport, turning the Titans’ run-heavy offense again at each flip. The Chiefs had been in a position to shut down Derrick Henry within the second half and OT, holding him to 23 yards on eight carries.

Usually, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sees his group enhance because the 12 months progresses. Does this develop into a turning level for Kansas Metropolis’s protection, or was merely a recreation the place Tennessee quarterback Malik Willis discovered himself overwhelmed, finishing solely 5-of-16 passes for 80 yards?

We’ll discover out, but when nothing else, the Chiefs’ lesser-hyped unit stole a victory.

5. Ravens are taking up critical water earlier than MNF tilt with Saints

The Baltimore Ravens had been ravaged by accidents final season. The bug is biting as soon as once more.

Final week, head coach John Harbaugh introduced receiver Rashod Bateman will miss the rest of the season with a foot damage. On Monday, the Ravens will likely be without tight end Mark Andrews, who has been battling knee and shoulder illnesses for weeks.

For years, Baltimore has been restricted within the passing recreation resulting from a scarcity of weaponry. This season, the hope was Bateman would emerge to go with the All-Professional Andrews. Bateman was doing simply that, averaging 19.0 yards per reception. Now, Baltimore is all of the sudden relying closely on Devin Duvernay and Demarcus Robinson, together with newcomer DeSean Jackson.

Towards the New Orleans Saints on the raucous Superdome, the Ravens and their depth will probably be examined severely.

Two cents

Teaching has develop into a four-letter phrase for the Las Vegas Raiders.

For the third time this season, the Raiders have blown a lead of a minimum of 17 factors, this time doing so in a 27-20 loss to the beforehand 2-6 Jacksonville Jaguars. Shifting to 2-6 itself, Las Vegas is completed. The Raiders are hopelessly out of the AFC playoff image, sitting in final place of the AFC West.

Now, it’s time to speak about Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels was delivered to Las Vegas with previous full of 1 with pink flags. Whereas McDaniels had a beautiful relationship with Tom Brady that bore a lot fruit, the identical might be mentioned about Adam Gase with Peyton Manning.

Outdoors of New England, McDaniels was both a head coach or offensive coordinator for 3 seasons with the Denver Broncos and St. Louis Rams from 2009-11. In these 44 video games, McDaniel’s groups had been 13-31, scoring a median of 17.6 factors per recreation.

A decade later, McDaniels’ offense in Las Vegas — in a pleasant offensive local weather — is averaging 22.9 factors per recreation. Situationally, the Raiders are a multitude. Coming into Sunday, Las Vegas ranked nineteenth on third down (39.8 p.c). Towards Jacksonville, the Raiders had been 3-of-12.

After main 17-0, Las Vegas ran the ball 13 occasions on 30 performs. As regarding, the protection fell aside, permitting 273 yards for six.5 yards per play in the identical span (excluding one spike and a kneel-down). For reference, coming into Week 8, solely the Buffalo Payments common a greater output at 6.6.

McDaniels was imagined to take a gifted offense to the following degree. As a substitute, the Raiders have sunk again to a well-known degree over the past 20 years. Final place.

Contained in the league

If no miracle comes for the Indianapolis Colts this season, it’s time to make critical adjustments.

For years, head coach Frank Reich and normal supervisor Chris Ballard have been ranked among the many finest at their respective jobs. It’s changing into tougher to grasp why.

Ballard and Reich confirmed up in Indianapolis earlier than the 2017 and ’18 seasons respectively. The Colts have received a single playoff recreation and reached the postseason twice over that span. Whereas the duo had the large misfortune of Andrew Luck’s gorgeous preseason retirement in Aug. ’19, they’ve had ample years to get better. Nothing has occurred.

Ballard nailed the primary two picks of the ’18 Draft, touchdown guard Quinton Nelson and linebacker Shaq Leonard. Since then, Indy’s solely draft choose to succeed in the Professional Bowl is operating again Jonathan Taylor.

The Colts have discovered strong gamers corresponding to receiver Michael Pittman, linebacker Bobby Okereke and defensive deal with Grover Stewart, nevertheless it hasn’t been close to sufficient to contend. At present, the Colts have the highest-paid offensive line in soccer, and it is perhaps the league’s worst.

As for Reich, the Colts have gotten nothing out of myriad quarterbacks. Final 12 months, Reich campaigned internally for Carson Wentz. He lasted one 12 months. This offseason, Matt Ryan was the savior till he was benched after seven video games.

If Indianapolis misses the playoffs once more, Reich and Ballard will lastly be on the new seat after years of mediocrity.

As they need to be.

BetSided‘s finest wager

Dallas Cowboys -4.5 at Inexperienced Bay Packers

If the primary eight weeks of the season didn’t persuade you, hopefully a Week 9 loss to the Detroit Lions lastly flipped the change in all of our brains that Aaron Rodgers and the Inexperienced Bay Packers merely aren’t good.

Rodgers was picked off 3 times in Week 9, and the Inexperienced Bay offense couldn’t rating towards the Lions’ league worst protection. Now they’re going to maintain issues shut with Dallas’ vaunted move rush?

Not an opportunity.

The Cowboys are coming off a bye week, giving Dak Prescott’s thumb one more week to heal, and they need to be capable to run the ball throughout Inexperienced Bay’s delicate run protection (permitting 4.9 yards per carry this season).

Dallas ought to roll towards this underwhelming Inexperienced Bay workforce.

– Peter Dewey

Historical past lesson

Few males had extra fascinating careers than the late, nice Ray Man.

Man handed away at 73 years outdated final week, abandoning a long-lasting legacy. The simplest technique to sum up his 14-year profession with the Raiders?

Man was a punted chosen within the first spherical who outplayed his draft slot.

A seven-time Professional Bowler and three-time First-Crew All-Professional, Man is indisputably the best punter to ever stay. But maybe his best power was his athleticism, one thing showcased in Tremendous Bowl XVIII when he pulled down a excessive snap with one hand to keep away from an early turnover towards Washington. Avoiding a serious mistake, the Raiders went on to win their third title with Man by a 38-9 rely.

Man stays the one pure punter to be inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame, with no one else in that house coming near enshrinement.

Parting shot

The Chicago Bears are 3-6, and but they need to be enthusiastic about their season.

Why? Justin Fields.

After a tough rookie season and a turbulent begin to 2022, Fields is shining. In a 35-32 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon, Fields threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for 178 yards with a stunning 61-yard rating.

The Bears are extraordinarily restricted with their line and weapons, however Fields has proven his potential in latest weeks.

Over the previous 5 video games, Fields is averaging solely 170 passing yards (6.3 YPA) whereas choosing up one other 91 dashing yards per recreation. Moreover, Fields has accounted for 11 touchdowns with solely two interceptions.

Are these Ruthian numbers? No. However they’re a stark enchancment below first-year offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Loads of motive to observe Fields carefully over the following eight video games to find out his stage of improvement coming into the offseason.