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The latest
1 - Patrick Mahomes
Sorry, Seahawks fans, but there’s no reason any team would take any QB other than Mahomes right now. We’re not talking enough about the fact he’s up to 25 TDs and just one INT. Don’t look now, but the MVP race is still open.
Last week: 2
QB Index, Week 10: Kyler Murray, Drew Brees jump into top 10 | NFL.com
2 - Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs · Year 4
2020 stats: 9 games | 66.9 pct | 2,687 pass yds | 8.2 ypa | 25 pass TD | 1 INT | 171 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost
Tom Brady’s magical 2007 season was the only one to feature back-to-back games of 350 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions, per NFL Media Research, until Mahomes dissected the defenses of the Jets and Panthers the past two weeks. Mahomes’ statistical prowess comes with a couple of caveats courtesy of Pro Football Focus: He has nine turnover-worthy plays and a league-high six screen passes for touchdowns.
10 burning questions for the second half of the NFL regular season | USA Today
2. Do the champs have a legit challenger?
It feels as though the Kansas City Chiefs remain the team to beat. But who else will distinguish themselves as elite? The Pittsburgh Steelers remain a perfect 8-0 but have exhibited some wobble. The Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all show signs of promise, but each possesses a fatal flaw or two. All have some areas to shore up over the next eight weeks if they expect to have a realistic shot at dethroning Kansas City.
A baseball that’s believed to be the earliest Patrick Mahomes autograph offered in a major auction has a heartfelt story behind it.
The memorabilia is a signed baseball and a signed high school baseball team photo from 2013, when the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was an 18-year-old junior.
Endearing story of Mahomes’ earliest auctioned piece
Lelands has the pieces up for bidding as part of its 2020 Fall Classic Auction. The ball is signed by Mahomes and 21 other players with “2013 Whitehouse Wildcats” written on it. The 11-inch by 14-inch photo shows the team on a baseball field and is signed above and below the players.
The pieces are from a family in Bullard, a Texas town neighboring Whitehouse. Their middle child was diagnosed with Leukemia in January of 2013, according to Lelands, and was the special guest at a local tournament.
The Wildcats team showed up to support the child, and posed for the photo. Mahomes signed and wrote his No. 5 at the top right.
The baseball came into play days later. The child threw out the first pitch to Mahomes at the Class 4A Region II championship game, which the Wildcats won. The team signed the ball and gifted it to the family.
Whitehouse swept the best-of-three series and advanced to the Texas Class 4A state tournament for the first time in school history.
SUPER BOWL 54 RING SELLS FOR OVER $70K ... In Online Auction | TMZ Sports
The auction house would not disclose the final sale price ... but one big-time collector placed a bid for $70k.
The opening bid was $35,000.
Sure, it’s a lot of cash ... but the ring is absolutely awesome. It features a bunch of super cool aspects to commemorate the Chiefs’ championship.
It’s made with 10 karat gold and contains 2 Lombardi Trophies made with marquee-cut diamonds ... and a Chiefs logo designed out of 60 diamonds.
But, it’s not JUST gold and diamonds ... the ring also includes 16 rubies representing the teams 10 AFC West division titles and 6 playoff appearances under Andy Reid.
Around the NFL
Hall of Famer Paul Hornung, Packers and Notre Dame legend, dies at 84 | CBS Sports
Famously nicknamed “The Golden Boy” and deemed by coaching legend Vince Lombardi ”the greatest player I ever coached” and the “best all-around back ever,” Hornung was the first overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft and played nine seasons with the Packers, winning four championships as well as Super Bowl I. A member of the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team, he became the first Heisman winner to go No. 1, play in the pros, win NFL MVP and be inducted into both the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame.
Chicago Bears’ Matt Nagy hands over playcalling duties to OC Bill Lazor for MNF | ESPN
“It’s just kind of where we’re at,” Nagy said on a video call after Friday’s practice. “You get a feel and you understand, ‘OK, this is where our offense is at right now,’ and we’ve been struggling and for different reasons. I don’t think it’s one particular reason, but if there’s something that can help spark us, or sometimes it’s just a changeup.
“It’s like bringing in, for instance, a different-style pitcher. You have one pitcher that throws one way, now you have another pitcher that throws another way. Sometimes change can be good in that regard, so again, none of it was for a particular reason other than we’ve just been struggling, and I feel like it’s the best thing for this team.”
Dark-Horse Candidates for 2020 NFL Awards | SI
Comeback
Garrett Bolles, tackle, Denver Broncos
The much-maligned first-round pick comes into the midseason as Pro Football Focus’s sixth-best pass blocker and second-best run blocker. Bolles hasn’t missed a snap this year and is down to three total penalties, which is a fantastic reduction from his 2018 and 2019 seasons, in which he logged 10 apiece. He has not allowed a sack in 2020.
Obviously, this is not an award that anyone wants to take away from Alex Smith, unless you’re Gary Gramling, who voted for Jason Verrett. Gary also hates Rudy and rooted for the CCCP in Miracle. However, I think Bolles is developing and deserves some shine.
Three of four men recant robbery statements against CB DeAndre Baker | ESPN
Julius Lamar, Steven Compton and Tommy J. Hartshaw said in sworn statements that Baker “did not directly or indirectly participate in any robbery or assist in a robbery at the scene or elsewhere.” The three men added that they didn’t see Baker rob or assault anyone with or without a firearm.
Baker is being prosecuted in Florida on four counts of robbery with a firearm. He was originally charged with four counts of armed robbery and four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm after attending a party in Miramar, Florida, in May.
The Giants released Baker this summer after telling him to stay away from the team during its virtual offseason as he attended to his legal problems. The league then put him on the commissioner’s exempt list. He is currently a free agent.
If convicted, Baker faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in state prison.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Arrowhead Pride Midseason Awards: Team MVP, offensive and defensive players of the year
Defensive Player of the Year
Defensive tackle Chris Jones
Others receiving votes: Safety Tyrann Mathieu, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, safety Daniel Sorensen
Jones received five votes for his play so far. Mathieu received two votes for his efforts, while Nnadi and Sorensen each earned one.
While the defense has had its ups and downs this season, Jones has consistently been disruptive to opposing offenses. His pass-rushing dominance continues to be as fun to watch as it is significant to the unit’s success. He leads the entire unit in quarterback pressures, sacks and forced fumbles — and has missed only one game this season. Among all NFL defenders, he has the ninth-most pressures and the third-most quarterback hits.
His performance has been noticeable because he often seems to be the only defensive lineman who can create true quarterback pressure throughout a game. He leads all of his teammates by ten pressures — and most of them have played in one more game than he has.
Jones’ teammates will need to step up to achieve the pass rush unit’s full potential. With the way he’s playing, an uptick of performance from defensive end Frank Clark (and other linemen) could quickly turn the Chiefs’ front four into the league’s most-feared pass rushers.
A tweet to make you think
Are the @chiefs or @steelers the scarier team come January?
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) November 13, 2020
The @gmfb crew break down the AFC playoff picture pic.twitter.com/YYyWlPc9AZ
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