Like Constanza not being Penske material, the Vikings are not playoff material. At least not in 2023. Amazingly, however, they still have a plausible path to get there. Even if the end result would likely be a blowout loss to the Cowboys. The numbers were clear entering last Sunday’s game against the Packers. As explained by Steve Kornacki during Football …

A nice week for us, as we went 11-5 ATS and 13-3 SU. However, we only went 3-2 on our top five ATS picks, since the Dallas Cowboys didn’t cover vs. the Detroit Lions, and then the Philadelphia Eagles were shocked by the Arizona Cardinals. Maybe I shouldn’t say “shocked” since Philly has looked bad as of late.  Week 18 …

Rumors have been swirling for days, but now it looks like where there’s smoke, there may actually be fire. Kansas State quarterback Will Howard will take an official visit to Ohio State Thursday and a decision could come soon. Howard entered the transfer portal in early December, and it looked like he may be heading west to USC. But after …

With Week 18 imminent, 20 teams have either already clinched a spot in the playoffs or remain in postseason contention, and while the vast majority of those teams have relied on veteran quarterbacks, edge rushers, receivers, and players at other positions, rookie classes have been leaned on as well by these successful teams. What do you think the Texans record …

Wisconsin had its best offensive day of the season in its ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU earlier this week. The Badgers totaled 31 points, 22 first downs, 506 total yards, 378 passing yards and 9.5 yards per passing attempt. In Tanner Mordecai’s final game as a Badger, it was the best he and the Phil Longo offense looked. For Wisconsin …

Is Jerod Mayo ready to be an NFL head coach? Devin McCourty weighs in originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston It’s been a long time — 24 years, in fact — since the New England Patriots were in the process of hiring a head coach. They might be in that situation as early as next week. The 2023 NFL regular …

While it seems like Penn State was ready to close the door on their 2024 class after getting 25 signees during the early signing period, they could be landing another talented player. Four-star prospect Kevyn Humes has decided to reclassify from the class of 2025 to 2024 and is very high on the Nittany Lions. According to Ryan Snyder of …

Quarterbacks are just one piece of the puzzle in the NFL, but they’re a mighty large piece, in case you haven’t noticed. It’s no coincidence, for example, that the Ravens and 49ers are current Super Bowl favorites while possessing MVP front-runners in Lamar Jackson and Brock Purdy, respectively. The same thing happened in 2022, with the Chiefs and Eagles. Accordingly, …

The NFL’s upcoming coaching cycle is set to be particularly dramatic, primarily due to two big names: Bill Belichick and Jim Harbaugh. The former has been mum on his future with the Patriots as he closes the worst season of his storied career, while the latter has taken steps to potentially make a long-rumored bolt from college football. Besides Belichick …

Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen was the only Badger to make ESPN’s Top 100 players of the 2023 season. He barely made the cut, slotting in at No. 96. The list, headlined by LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, is thorough. Allen was joined in …

McCourty: ‘Hard to believe’ Pats would be better off without Belichick originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston To those who are hoping the New England Patriots move on from Bill Belichick, Devin McCourty warns that the grass may not be greener on the other side. Despite the Patriots’ dismal 2023 season — and the team’s overall struggles in the post-Tom …

LSU gained a commitment from the No. 1 running back in the 2025 recruiting class, Harlem Berry, on Wednesday. Brian Kelly now has commitments from the No. 1 wide receiver and the No. 1 running back in the 2025 class. So, who is next? Next up is another No. 1 player in the 2025 recruiting class. On Saturday, the No. …

The Bears’ season will be over whether they win, lose or draw on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean they are heading into their game against the Packers without care for the result. A win will put the Packers into the playoffs and Bears quarterback Justin Fields made it clear on Wednesday that keeping that from happening is motivation enough for …

Welcome to 2024, the last year of the current four-team College Football Playoff. Next season, the playoff expands to a whopping 12 teams, which means — theoretically at least — that even more conferences will be able to participate. But for this year, it’s undefeated Michigan against undefeated Washington on Monday, Jan. 9, a preview of … another Big Ten …

Greg Wyshynski, ESPNJan 4, 2024, 07:00 AM ET CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. Hope can be a powerful motivation for NHL teams. Or it can be a powerful hallucinogen, with the lure of the playoffs altering best-laid plans. Or it can be a foreign concept for teams that are dwelling in the standings basement as the midpoint of …