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Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills have dominated the AFC East, but could the emergence of another franchise QB within the division shake things up in 2025?
Following a solid rookie campaign, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will look to build upon his initial success with a revamped roster and coaching staff to support him and his development.
With New England looking to be more competitive this season, NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks named Bills vs Patriots one of five "sneaky-good games" in 2025. The Week 15 matchup will be played in New England, with AFC East standings potentially on the line.
"For years, the Patriots ruled the AFC East -- until 2020, when the Bills won the first of five straight division titles. Might New England be in line to swipe the crown back, now that former star linebacker Mike Vrabel has returend to guide the franchise as head coach? The grizzled leader will undoubtedly toughen up a squad that lost its way in 2024; he'll also be working with an upgraded roster that features veteran leadership and feisty playmakers on each side of the ball. Drake Maye is not yet ready to challenge Josh Allen as an MVP candidate, but the second-year pro might have enough weaponry around him -- including former Allen targets Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins -- to close the gap. Given the dynamics and history between these two organizations, this late-season matchup deserves a red circle on the calendar."
In addition to the former Buffalo pass catchers, New England also added draft picks Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson to the offense, two players that should make instant impacts in their rookie seasons. Veterans Garrett Bradbury and Morgan Moses will elevate the floor of the offensive line, suddenly giving Drake Maye a respectable supporting cast for his sophomore season.
Utilizing projected win totals from Vegas oddsmakers, Warren Sharp tallied the Patriots as having the second easiest schedule in 2025, with the Bills close behind in fifth. If both teams have similar records heading into Week 15, this December tilt may be for the division title.
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- Cowboys QB Dak Prescott makes big proclamation he probably can't keep
- The 'NFL Defensive Players of the Year ' quiz
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Notable PFF grades, standouts from Vikings' preseason win over Texans
The big storyline from Saturday's Vikings preseason opener was how J.J. McCarthy looked in his first game since tearing his meniscus a year ago. But what the preseason is really about are younger players and guys on the roster bubble looking to make an impression. After some starters played a bit in the first quarter, it was the second and third and fourth-stringers who got the rest of the work in the Vikings' 20-10 win over the Texans. Let's take a look at the Pro Football Focus grades from the game to see who stood out. Top 5 grades on offense (minimum 10 snaps) 1. RG Joe Huber — 94.7 (55 snaps) 2. C Michael Jurgens — 80.0 (43) 3. WR Jordan Addison — 79.6 (12) 4. LT/RT Walter Rouse — 78.4 (36) 5. WR Myles Price — 76.8 (15) Huber, an undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin, played more snaps than any other Viking in this game, so his team-best 94.7 grade is incredibly impressive. He was PFF's highest-graded rookie across all eight games in the NFL on Saturday. The catalyst was his 93.9 grade in the run blocking phase. Huber still faces an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, but he's a lock to at least stick around on the practice squad if the Vikings try to get him through waivers. Jurgens and Rouse also impressing is an encouraging sign for the Vikings' offensive line depth. Those two second-year players should have a good shot to make the roster alongside veteran backups Justin Skule and Blake Brandel if the Vikings keep nine offensive linemen. Price, who has had a solid camp, caught a couple passes from Max Brosmer in the fourth quarter, including a touchdown. He feels like a strong practice squad candidate. Two other standouts on offense who finished just outside of the top five were RB Zavier Scott (75.9) and QB Sam Howell (75.8). Scott racked up 51 yards from scrimmage on eight touches and stated his case to be the Vikings' No. 3 running back this year. Howell was 11 of 13 for 105 yards and at least temporarily quieted some of the doubts about his ability to be an adequate backup. The five lowest grades on offense went to WR Silas Bolden, WR Thayer Thomas, WR Dontae Fleming, TE Giovanni Ricci, and RG Will Fries (all on fewer than 20 snaps). Top 5 grades on defense (minimum 10 snaps) 1. OLB Gabriel Murphy — 80.2 (30 snaps) 2. DL Elijah Williams — 79.9 (21) 3. CB Reddy Steward — 76.5 (11) 4. S Tavierre Thomas — 76.5 (32) 5. CB Ambry Thomas — 75.4 (12) Murphy had 1.5 sacks and a team-high five pressures on just 19 pass-rush snaps. The second-year undrafted player out of UCLA was fantastic for the Vikings and looks like the obvious candidate to be the team's No. 4 outside linebacker this season, which is a role that comes with real playing time. "Gabe’s been a guy that has shown up daily at camp, I've highlighted it in front of the team," head coach Kevin O'Connell said. "He's, it feels like a man on a mission right now, in a lot of ways. And I'm just proud of him, proud of where he's at in camp right now, and now he's just gotta set his sights on continuing to compete." Williams was also outstanding. He had four pressures on 15 pass-rushing snaps. Williams, who starred at FCS Morgan State, signed with the Vikings after attending their rookie minicamp as a tryout player. "I remember vividly (assistant D-line coach) Marcus Dixon coming to me after day one of that tryout," O'Connell said. "And I always like to check in with all the coaches. 'Anybody catch your eye for me to look at tomorrow?' Just observing (Williams), the effort, had a little pop to him throughout the drills, and that's really what's shown up throughout training camp. He sits in the first row of my team meetings every single day. There's a lot to like about him, and it was good to see him make some plays tonight, too." Steward, Tavierre Thomas, and Ambry Thomas are veteran defensive backs hoping to make the roster. Another player in that category, safety Kahlef Hailassie, had two interceptions and nearly made the top five with a 75.1 grade. The five lowest grades on defense went to S Theo Jackson, LB Eric Wilson, S Jay Ward, DT Levi Drake Rodriguez, and CB Jeff Okudah. Most of those guys have had strong training camps, so there's no need to put much stock into this one-game sample. More Vikings coverage
Leafs’ Proposed Blockbuster Trade Could Jeopardize Future
A recent trade pitch suggesting the Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell from the Pittsburgh Penguins is undeniably a bold and wild idea. With that in mind, it’s not the kind of trade that makes a ton of sense for Toronto, even if both players are legitimate goal scorers — especially considering what Toronto would have to give up to acquire both players. The likelihood that the Maple Leafs are seeking a trade for both wingers is low to begin with. That they’d be willing to part with a new trade acquisition, one of their more steady defensemen, a high-ceiling winger, and the team’s top prospect is an even more fascinating suggestion. Toronto Isn’t About To Abandon Their Game Plan The suggested trade was as follows: Maple Leafs Acquire: Bryan Rust ($5,125,000) Rickard Rakell ($5,000,000) Penguins Acquire: Nick Robertson ($1,825,000) Jake McCabe ($4,491,898) Matias Maccelli ($3,425,000) Easton Cowan ($873,500) While Rust and Rakell bring impressive goal-scoring credentials — combining for 66 goals last season — the Leafs have just added Matias Maccelli, a promising winger signed to what they hope is a value contract this offseason. On top of that, they’ve invested heavily in Jake McCabe on defense and have Easton Cowan, arguably their best prospect, waiting in the wings. Nick Robertson may be on the move, so his inclusion makes sense, but there’s been no suggestion, whatsoever, that the Leafs are open to moving any of the other three. No doubt, you have to give to get. That said, trading away these useful, cost-controlled assets for veterans like Rust and Rakell seems like a shortsighted mistake. Maccelli’s acquisition signals the Leafs are looking to build with youth, speed, and skill, while McCabe provides a steady defensive presence — something the Maple Leafs desperately need to maintain. Easton Cowan, meanwhile, presents arguably the best future replacement for the offensive output lost with Mitch Marner’s departure. Is There A World In Which Toronto Would Consider This Blockbuster Trade? Never say never. There is no doubt this would be a big swing by Toronto. And, it would add goal scoring in a significant way. That said, given the current roster construction, why would Toronto create obvious holes on their blue line, in the system, and move a player they believe could be a key offensive contributor in Maccelli? This would be GM Brad Treliving mortgaging everything on two Penguins players, who reportedly don’t want to go anywhere — one of whom has an eight-team no-trade clause. This trade screams 2025-25 Cup run, and an attempt to outscore other problems in the present day. Ultimately, this proposed trade serves as an interesting talking point, but it doesn’t quite pass the smell test for a Leafs team focused on a blend of youth and experience heading into the new season.
Weekly WNBA takeaways: Injuries putting damper on regular season
Another week of WNBA basketball is in the books. The playoff race is heating up, while there is more separation near the top. Injuries have also become a major storyline, which is where we'll begin with the takeaways from the past week in the WNBA. Injuries have hurt the WNBA It goes beyond the fact that Caitlin Clark has missed 19 games. That hindered the WNBA this season, but so have injuries to Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Angel Reese and others. Clark and Reese have missed multiple games between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky. Paige Bueckers and Clark have also missed out on facing each other multiple times. On Sunday, a marquee matchup between last season's WNBA Finals participants lost some luster as Collier and Stewart each missed the game. Collier is the odds-on favorite to win the WNBA MVP Award. Yet, she's out right now. Stewart is, too. Add in Clark, and you have three of the top four MVP favorites at the start of the season sidelined. Only so much can be done to prevent injuries, but some of the excitement has been sucked out of the regular season because of them. Kelsey Mitchell has been incredible Kelsey Mitchell isn't the only reason that the Indiana Fever still has a top-five record in the WNBA, but she's the biggest one. With Clark out for most of the season, Mitchell has taken over the role as the No. 1 option and passed the test with flying colors. Mitchell now leads the WNBA in total points with 637. She's also third in scoring average with 19.9 points per game. Beyond that, her 78 three-point field goals also lead the league. The three-time All-Star has three games with 32 points or more this season, and is also third in offensive win shares. When Clark does return, the ceiling is still incredibly high for the Fever because if the second-year star from Iowa can find her form, Indiana will have a big three that rivals any in the WNBA. Playoff races take shape After a dominant win over the New York Liberty, without Collier, the Minnesota Lynx are 27-5. They have a 6.5-game lead over New York (20-11) for the top spot, so it's hard to see anyone overtaking them for the best record in the league. After that, there are five teams within three games of each other. New York is tied with Atlanta (20-11) for second place and is one game up on Phoenix (19-12). Indiana (18-14) and Las Vegas (18-14) are each 2.5 games out of second place with approximately 25 percent of the regular season left. Seattle has dropped five games in a row, taking it from top-four contention to the playoff bubble, especially after Sunday's loss to the Sparks. The Storm are tied with Golden State for the last playoff spot, just 0.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks, who beat them on Sunday night. With five teams at the top separated by 2.5 games, and three teams at the bottom of the playoff standings having just 0.5 games between them, the last month or so of the WNBA should be exciting. Particularly if all of the stars who have missed extended periods due to injury can return.
Seahawks CB Riq Woolen turning heads, but can Seattle keep him?
After a down 2023 season, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen re-established himself last season as one of the team's more reliable defenders. In training camp, the 26-year-old seems to be picking up where he left off. “Riq’s locked in this year,” Seattle third-year cornerback Devon Witherspoon said, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. “He just continues to be better. Riq’s got a lot of stuff to show a lot of people.” But can Seattle keep him? Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Woolen will make $5.4 million this season (h/t: Spotrac). Per Over The Cap, the Seahawks are projected to have roughly $61M in cap space in 2026, but they also have other players to sign. Seattle soon will give a top-tier contract to Witherspoon, a two-time Pro Bowler. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and offensive tackles Charles Cross and Anthony Lucas also may merit bigger deals soon. The Seahawks won’t have a lot of salary cap space left if they want to extend most of their top young players. In training camp, Woolen frequently defends against Smith-Njigba, who is one of the more dynamic route-runners in the league. The Seahawks are labeling him as one of the top performers in training camp. Woolen could be one of the top options by the trade deadline later in the season. He could give a team a much-needed upgrade in defending against the passing game. The Seahawks could get a good package in return if they are unable to extend to a longer contract.
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