Arrowheadlines: The Rams have ruled out Matthew Stafford

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The Rams have ruled out Matthew Stafford

2022 NFL playoff picture: Specific team strengths that legitimize Super Bowl aspirations for contenders | CBS Sports

Kansas City Chiefs: Yards after the catch

From 2019 to 2021, in the regular season, Tyreek Hill amassed the eighth-most yards after the catch among receivers despite averaging more air yards per target than anyone else in the top 10 of YAC — quite the incredible feat for an incredible player.

And he’s gone from this offense. Yet the Chiefs, as a team, enter Week 12 having accumulated the most YAC in football (1,612), which is more than 150 yards clear of the second-place team (Bengals at 1,458). Remarkable.

Kansas City remaining the most frightening YAC team without Hill speaks to the genius of Patrick Mahomes and brilliance of Andy Reid’s scheme. In Week 11’s thrilling win over the Chargers in Los Angeles, a game the Chiefs did not have Mecole Hardman or JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mahomes’ attack still averaged nearly 7.00 of YAC per reception (6.95 to be exact). We’ve long known the magical things Mahomes can do as a passer and efficient scrambler. His improvisational ability is the ultimate fallback luxury for an offense.

But the squad’s established YAC prowess is part of why the Chiefs have remained the gold standard of offense in the Mahomes era.

NFL QB Index, Week 12: Jalen Hurts leapfrogs Josh Allen; Kirk Cousins slides | NFL.com

1 - Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs · Year 6

2022 stats: 10 games | 66.3 pct | 3,265 pass yds | 8.2 ypa | 28 pass TD | 7 INT | 238 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 4 fumbles

On some future winter’s evening, Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson will lounge by the hearth — a flock of grandchildren draped around him — telling tales of hauling in one of the juiciest throws ever authored by Patrick Mahomes. Another week of pro football action, another marvelous, nearly flawless outing from Mahomes, who found touchdown droid Travis Kelce for a hat trick of scores on a night when Kansas City’s cast of wideouts was reduced to nearly zilch. The MVP derby is all but over barring Mahomes falling off a cliff or being kidnapped in the middle of the night and stolen away from the sport he currently dominates. Even Fonzie sits in awe of the game’s crowned king under center.

Week 12 NFL Picks Against the Spread | The Ringer

Los Angeles Rams at Kansas City Chiefs (-14.5)

Patrick Mahomes made it look easy Sunday night against the Chargers. He got the ball with 1:46 left and the Chiefs trailing 27-23. They went 75 yards in 75 seconds and took home a 30-27 victory. The Chiefs look like an offensive juggernaut and have won four in a row.

This Rams season is a disaster. They have a minus-59 point differential. That’s the worst mark in the NFC. They’re already without Cooper Kupp, and now Matthew Stafford is in the concussion protocol.

This is a big number, but the Chiefs are a well-oiled machine, and the Rams can barely field a team.

The pick: Chiefs (-14.5)

Bleacher Report’s Expert Week 12 NFL Picks | Bleacher Report

With the exception of O’Donnell, our crew laid the points with Kansas City. Moton explained why he felt comfortable in his decision to back the Chiefs with a 14.5-point spread.

“If any team can cover a massive line against a lesser opponent, Kansas City can do it,” he said. “This season, the Chiefs have a couple of 21-plus-point road wins against the Cardinals and 49ers. Even though they’re 1-3 against the spread as a home favorite, they will face an opponent without its top offensive playmaker in Kupp and with Perkins or John Wolford in place of Stafford. By the way, in an unexpected move, Los Angeles released its leading rusher, Darrell Henderson Jr., on Tuesday.

“The Saints’ 15th-ranked scoring offense racked up 27 points against the Rams defense with Andy Dalton at the helm. As the maestro for the top-ranked offense, Patrick Mahomes will be like a shark that smells blood in the water at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City shellacks Los Angeles to cover the spread.”

Predictions

Davenport: Chiefs

Ivory: Chiefs

Knox: Chiefs

Moton: Chiefs

O’Donnell: Rams

Sobleski: Chiefs

Consensus: Chiefs -14.5

Score Prediction: Chiefs 34, Rams 16

Around the NFL

Jets bench Zach Wilson ahead of Week 12 matchup vs. Bears; Mike White to start at QB | NFL.com

Zach Wilson’s rough 2022 season has reached a new low.

Mike White will start in place of a benched Wilson in New York’s Week 12 game against the Chicago Bears, head coach Robert Saleh announced on Wednesday. Veteran Joe Flacco will serve as the backup, as Wilson will not dress for the game.

“The big thing I want to make sure I address on this one, just want to make sure you guys all listen to this very carefully please. Zach’s career here is not over,” Saleh said. “I know that’s gonna be the narrative, I know that’s what everyone wants to shout out and that’s not even close to the case. The intent, the full intent, is to make sure Zach gets back onto the football field at some point this year. When that is, I’ll make that decision, I’m going to take it day to day. The biggest thing with Zach, it’s the same things we’ve talked about, is the young man needs a reset.”

Texans bench QB Davis Mills in favor of Kyle Allen, source confirms | ESPN

The Houston Texans have benched starting quarterback Davis Mills, with backup quarterback Kyle Allen stepping in for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, a source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

The benching comes on the heels of Mills’ worst performance of the season Sunday in a 23-10 loss to the Washington Commanders. Against the Commanders, Mills completed 57.6% of his passes for 169 yards and two interceptions, including a pick-six on the opening drive.

Texans coach Lovie Smith had declined to name a starting quarterback during his Wednesday news conference, saying he didn’t want to “give the opponent an advantage.”

NFL Network first reported that Allen would start against the Dolphins.

Packers’ Aaron Rodgers confirms right thumb is broken | ESPN

Aaron Rodgers never felt the need to get into details about his right thumb injury for one reason: It was never going to keep the Green Bay Packers quarterback from playing.

That’s why it wasn’t until Wednesday when he finally — and reluctantly — confirmed that it was indeed broken.

“It doesn’t make a difference with me playing,” Rodgers said. “It doesn’t make a difference. You saw the tape on my thumb. Didn’t make a difference.”

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs Market Movers heading into Week 12 against the Rams

Bulls

Offensive linemen Orlando Brown and Trey Smith: Much of the talk this week was — rightfully so — about Isiah Pacheco. Rhyming aside, the Kansas City running game depends as much (or more) on the guys up front than the guys toting the rock. Last Sunday, Brown, Smith and company were able to do what they do best: maul people in the running game. The Chiefs appeared to run more of the power-running plays that fit both their style and the skills of their running backs. As a team, they ran for 163 yards — averaging 6.0 yards per carry. This kind of balance makes the Kansas City offense much more efficient — and difficult to beat, too. The Rams present another opportunity for these guys to assert themselves on the ground — which will hopefully result in a comfortable lead.

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