Baltimore Ravens

And if you had your money on the veteran who still has plenty of life in his legs, and indeed his arm, then you made a wise choice.

Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes both prevailed in Week 16 but it was the former who strengthened his case for a third MVP title as the Packers moved closer to the top seed in the NFC.

Mahomes and the Chiefs have the top seed in the AFC locked up, yet last year's Super Bowl MVP was well below his brilliant best in Week 16.

The Chiefs had a rare air of vulnerability in the penultimate week of the regular season while the team many expected them to meet in last season's AFC Championship game are picking up steam and, along with the Buffalo Bills, may have the best shot of preventing Kansas City from returning to the grandest stage.
 

RODGERS MVP CASE GETS STRONGER

The elements and the Tennessee Titans were no match for Rodgers as he led the Packers to a 40-14 blowout win in snowy conditions at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Rodgers' stat line of 231 yards, four touchdowns and an interception is relatively unspectacular by his lofty standards.

However, a deeper dive into the numbers shows just how impressive he was once again in Week 16.

He failed to complete only four of his passes, resulting in a completion percentage of 84. According to the NFL's NextGen Stats, this was 14.6 percentage points higher than his expected completion percentage.

Rodgers' two best performances in terms of completion percentage over expected (CPOE) have come in the past three weeks, with this effort coming on the heels of a Week 14 game against the Detroit Lions in which his CPOE was 15 per cent.

The 2011 and 2014 MVP is saving his best of a stunning season for the final weeks and was aided against the Titans by an increasingly dangerous running game.

Rookie A.J. Dillon had 124 yards and two touchdowns on the ground while Aaron Jones went for 94 yards on just 10 carries.

Rodgers had a CPOE of 27.3 on play-action throws versus Tennessee. A successful rushing attack is not a necessity for an effective play-action attack, but it clearly makes life easier and, should Rodgers and the ground game continue to perform at this level into the postseason, it is tough to see any defense slowing down the Packers.
 

MAHOMES MAGIC FADING?

It is a strange comment to make about a 14-1 team that has locked up the number one seed in the AFC, but stopping the Chiefs appears to be getting slightly easier.

Kansas City needed a missed field goal from Younghoe Koo to escape with a 17-14 victory against the lowly Atlanta Falcons after an underwhelming performance from Mahomes.

Two weeks on from a three-interception game against the Miami Dolphins, Mahomes was intercepted again and was extremely fortunate not to throw another to AJ Terrell moments before he connected on the game-winning touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson in the fourth quarter.

In marked contrast to Rodgers, Mahomes' CPOE was minus 7.9. Only five players had a worse CPOE in Week 16.

It was the kind of unconvincing display that will help tilt the MVP race further in Rodgers' favour, but the Chiefs win did feature a piece of history for Travis Kelce.

Kelce's seven-catch, 98-yard display took him to 1,416 receiving yards for the season, surpassing the single-season record of 1,377 set by George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers in 2018.

Kittle has been out for much of the season but returned from a foot injury in the 49ers' win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. His 92-yard effort in that game suggests he and Kelce could trade the record a few more times over the coming years.
 

RAVENS READY TO MAKE NOISE IN POSTSEASON?

The Baltimore Ravens took another step towards the postseason with a routine 27-13 over the New York Giants on Sunday.

With the comfortable margin of victory, the Ravens now lead the NFL with a point differential of plus 130.

Baltimore led the league in point differential last year and the Ravens are on course to achieve a rare feat. 

No team have had the best point differential in successive years over the course of the past 25 NFL seasons.

The Ravens' playoff hopes looked to be dwindling at the start of the month after a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers dropped them to 6-5.

However, Baltimore have racked up over 400 yards of offense in three of their past four games - they had 385 yards in their Week 14 thriller with the Cleveland Browns - a four-game winning streak putting them within touching distance of a Wild Card berth.

Their streak of 38 straight games with at least 100 rushing yards is the second-longest in NFL history and, with the ground game and reigning MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson rounding into the kind of form that saw them go 14-2 last season, the Ravens have the look of a team primed to make amends for 2019's one-and-done playoff campaign.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Allen was voted as an alternate in the AFC roster, having initially missed out to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was absent for the latter stages of the season with an ankle injury.

Jackson's ankle injury will force him out of the Pro Bowl game, while Allen has opted to let his body "rest and recover" after a hectic season.

Allen's season had prematurely ended last weekend at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs 42-36 in overtime in a Divisional playoffs classic.

"Unfortunately, I will be declining the invitation to play in the Pro Bowl this year - in order to allow my body to rest and recover from the harshness of the season," Allen told ESPN.

"The type of quarterback [that] I am, I obtain a lot of bumps and bruises along the road of a season, so I will use this time to let my body heal."

The AFC roster may be short on quarterbacks with Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert as started and Patrick Mahomes the only back-up.

Mahomes will be aiming to clinch a spot in the Super Bowl with the Chiefs this weekend, meaning he may become unavailable for the Pro Bowl, scheduled for February 6 in Las Vegas, too.

Dual threat Bills QB Allen had a career-high 4,407 passing yards for 36 passing touchdowns, along with a career-best 763 rushing yards with six touchdowns.

Jackson only managed 12 games due to injury prematurely ending his season, with a 64.4 percent completion rate for 2,882 yards and 16 touchdowns.

In a game played in difficult, rainy conditions, both star quarterbacks completed one touchdown pass each.

Baltimore's Lamar Jackson dished off a shovel pass to J.K. Dobbins in the first quarter, and Dobbins' second touchdown, this time on the ground, helped build a 20-3 lead in the second period.

Buffalo's Josh Allen found Isaiah McKenzie in the seconds before half-time for what would end up being his only touchdown pass of the game, but he scored with his legs on an 11-yard rush late in the third to tie things at 20-20.

With scores even in the fourth quarter, the Ravens put together a 14-play, 93-yard drive starting from their own five-yard line, but after Dobbins' attempt at his third touchdown was stopped for a loss, the home side were forced into a tough decision.

While they could have kicked a chip-shot field goal and taken the lead, they instead opted to throw for it on fourth down, resulting in a turnover, handing the Bills the ball with four minutes remaining, needing just a field goal to win it.

A 20-yard completion to Dawson Knox and a roughing the passer call on the Ravens defense moved the ball up the field quickly, and with the ball on the one-yard line, the road team decided to play it smart and kneel to set up a game-winning field goal from Tyler Bass as time expired.

Both quarterbacks also ended up leading their teams in rushing, with Allen totalling 70 rushing yards from 11 carries, while Jackson finished with 11 carries for 73 yards.

Eagles force five turnovers to remain undefeated

The last undefeated team in the league stayed that way after the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the rising Jacksonville Jaguars 29-21.

Philadelphia's defense was the story of the game, recovering four fumbles and securing one interception, with Haason Reddick posting two sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

On offense, Miles Sanders was a workhorse in the Eagles backfield, carrying the ball 27 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns, while A.J. Brown led both teams in receiving with five catches for 95 yards.

For the Jaguars, Jamal Agnew caught both of Trevor Lawrence's touchdown passes, although the impressive young quarterback completed just 11 of his 23 passes in the rain.

Pickett debuts as Steelers fall to the Jets

After a lacklustre first half where the Pittsburgh Steelers could only score a pair of field goals, first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett was brought in for his NFL debut as his side ended up losing to the New York Jets 24-20.

Pickett, who replaced Mitchell Trubisky, enjoyed a bright start as he ran in for two short-range rushing touchdowns to turn a 10-6 deficit into a 20-10 lead. While he completed 10 of his 13 passes, those three incompletions ended up as three interceptions to allow the Jets back into the game.

In his first game this season after returning from injury, Zach Wilson manufactured a touchdown pass to Corey Davis to cut the margin to 20-17, before going six-for-six through the air on the final drive to set up a one-yard, game-winning touchdown run from rookie Breece Hall.

The Bills overcame the Baltimore Ravens 17-3 on Saturday to progress in the NFL playoffs, quarterback Allen throwing a touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs in what was a hard-fought victory.

That score put Buffalo 10-3 ahead in the third quarter, though the Ravens threatened to respond with a drive of their own that put them in range to score.

However, cornerback Johnson picked off a pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson in the end zone and then returned the ball 101 yards, creating clear daylight between the teams in a low-scoring contest.

Buffalo will be involved in the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 1994; they will either travel to the Kansas City Chiefs or host the Cleveland Browns next Sunday.

"This was a fun one to be part of. There are some things we can clean up but, at the end of the day, it's the playoffs: you win or go home," Allen told the media.

"Our defense stepped up. Taron Johnson made the play that just changed the game. Unbelievable.

"We've got to turn our focus to the Browns or Chiefs next week - and that's what we were going to do."

Johnson tied the NFL record for the longest interception return for a touchdown in a playoff game, matching Green Bay's George Teague, who achieved the feat for the Packers in the 1993 Wild Card round against the Detroit Lions.

Allen divulged how he played a minor role in helping his team-mate produce a play that will live long in the memory.

"I saw him come out of the end zone with a lot of bodies around him, and usually you want them to stay in. I thought he was going to get tackled at the five or the 10," he said.

"I tell you what, for Tre'Davious White to go ahead and get a block on Lamar, spring him free, was unbelievable. You practice for those situations.

"I'm going to give myself a pat on the back, as in practice I go up behind him and try to punch the ball out. So Taron had that extra sense to look back, feel that someone was coming and to hold onto the ball.

"It was an unbelievable play, one of those that will be remembered for a really long time."

The older Brown, 32, was released by the New England Patriots in September last year amid sexual assault allegations he has denied.

He has now been banned for eight games due to "multiple violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy".

The wide receiver has been linked with a host of teams ahead of the new season, though, and worked out with both his cousin and Ravens team-mate Lamar Jackson in the offseason.

Star quarterback Jackson has spoken of his hope of bringing Brown to Baltimore in a move that the team's second-year receiver - a first-round pick in 2019 - would also welcome.

"AB, he's a guy that's going to bring the best out of you," Hollywood Brown told reporters.

"I feel like he would fit in this locker room. He's a guy that's competitive and he's going to go out there and give 100 per cent.

"Seeing stuff like that is going to make other guys want to do the same."

Former Pittsburgh Steelers star Brown, who had a controversial stint at the Oakland Raiders last year without playing, is a seven-time Pro Bowler.

His 23-year-old relative scored seven receiving touchdowns for the Ravens in a rookie 2019 season, although Baltimore were again beaten in the playoffs.

The 32-year-old finally discovered his fate on Friday as the league suspended the seven-time Pro Bowler for half of the 2020 regular season due to "multiple violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy".

Brown had been the subject of an NFL investigation following accusations of sexual misconduct and an incident in January where the receiver pleaded no contest to burglary and battery charges.

He has remained unsigned since last September, when he was cut by the New England Patriots after just one game having previously been released by the Oakland Raiders, for whom he never played a down before being let go amid a slew of off-field incidents.

Despite his troubles, Brown is expected to return to the field in 2020 now the NFL's suspension has been confirmed and he expects to sign with a new team soon.

"I look forward to new beginnings," he wrote on Instagram.

"I want to be the best version of myself on and off the field, and I will do my best to be a great team-mate. I appreciate the NFL giving me the opportunity to continue to work on myself and improve.

"I am thankful and grateful for this opportunity to play a game that I truly love and I look forward to joining a new team soon.

"Thank you to my family and all those that have supported me. I will show the fans my appreciation for this second chance by having the best season of my career."

Brown signed off the post with the hashtag "#AB2.0".

Having entered the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010, Brown has amassed 11,263 receiving yards and caught 75 touchdowns in his career.

Reigning MVP Lamar Jackson this week lobbied for Brown to return to the AFC North and join the quarterback with the Baltimore Ravens, where his cousin, Marquise Brown, currently plays.

"We are profoundly saddened by the tragic passing of Jaylon Ferguson," the Ravens said in a statement.

"He was a kind, respectful young man with a big smile and infectious personality. We express our heartfelt condolences to Jaylon's family and friends as we mourn a life lost much too soon."

Ferguson’s agent, Safarrah Lawson, said the former Louisiana Tech star died in Baltimore. A cause of death is still being determined. 

"It's with great sadness that we announce the passing of Baltimore Ravens LB Jaylon Ferguson," Lawson said in a statement. "The family asks for your prayers and privacy during this trying time."

Ferguson played at Louisiana Tech from 2015-18, racking up 45 sacks to set the NCAA career record and earn the nickname of 'Sack Daddy'. 

The Ravens selected Ferguson in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft and he went on to appear in 38 games (including 10 starts) with Baltimore. Ferguson totalled 4.5 sacks in his NFL career. 

The Ravens gave Jackson the non-exclusive franchise tag on Tuesday, meaning he is free to negotiate with other teams.

If he signs an offer sheet with another NFL team, the Ravens have the option of matching it to keep Jackson or decline it and receive the other team's 2023 and 2024 first-round draft picks as compensation.

Had the Ravens placed the exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, he would have been locked up for the 2023 season by Baltimore and received a guaranteed salary of $45million.

The 26-year-old, who represents himself without an agent and just completed the final year of his rookie contract, also has the option of signing a one-year franchise tender to play for the Ravens in 2023 for a guaranteed salary of $32.4m.

The decision for the Ravens to place the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson and not work out a long-term deal differs greatly from what the team was indicating less than two months ago.

Just days after the Ravens' 2022 season ended with a 24-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round, both general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh told reporters that they were determined to keep Jackson.

"Lamar Jackson is our quarterback," Harbaugh said on January 19. "He's been our quarterback. Everything we've done in terms of building our offense and our team, putting people around him, is based around this young man, his talent, his ability and his competitiveness.

"I'll have my fingers crossed and my toes crossed, I'll be saying prayers, I've every faith it's going to get done. Eric wants him here, I want him here, [owner] Steve [Bisciotti] wants him here and Lamar wants to be here. It's going to work out."

When asked if Jackson would be Baltimore's Week 1 starting QB next season, DeCosta added: "I don’t see any reason why he won't be."

Now that the Ravens have given him the opportunity to hit the open market, there is a distinct possibility he has played his final game for Baltimore.

The 32nd overall pick of the 2018 draft, Jackson ranks second in Ravens' franchise history in passing yards (12,209) and passing touchdowns (101) and was the league MVP in 2019.

His last two seasons, however, have been mired by injuries, as he missed five games in 2021 and the final five of 2022 due to a knee injury.

No team has ever been better in the preseason than the Ravens. What exactly that means in the grand scheme of things is open to debate.  

Backup Tyler Huntley was 16-for-18 with a touchdown pass and Justin Tucker kicked three field goals for Baltimore, which last season eclipsed the Vince Lombardi-coached Green Bay Packers, who won 19 straight preseason games from 1959-1962. The Ravens last loss an exhibition game on September 3, 2015.  

Baltimore’s streak is in no danger of being matched anytime soon, with the Buffalo Bills owning the second-longest active preseason winning streak at eight in a row.  

With starter Ryan Tannehill getting the night off for the Titans, rookie quarterback Malik Willis played the entire first half and went 6-of-11 for 107 yards while rushing five times for 38 yards and a touchdown.  

The third-round draft pick out of Liberty scored on seven-yard run early in the second quarter. After running towards the right side on a designed sprint-out concept, Willis felt pressure and spun away from danger, slipping between two defenders before reaching the end zone.  

After a frenetic regular season that they ended with a five-game winning streak to reach the playoffs, the Ravens avenged that loss to the Tennessee Titans with a Wild Card Round win.

Yet they finished the campaign with more questions to answer in 2021 after the Ravens were throttled by the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round, exiting the postseason at the same stage as in 2019.

With a former league MVP calling the shots, the Ravens should be better equipped to challenge the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC, and those waiting for clear signs of progress in terms of their ability to truly contend for the Lombardi Trophy may be growing impatient.

What do the Ravens need to do in the remainder of the offseason to ensure they are set up to challenge for a third Super Bowl title in 2021? We used Stats Perform data to answer that question by analysing their 2020 performance and their moves in free agency.

Offense

Regression from Lamar Jackson was always likely after his spectacular 2019 season that saw him named as the league MVP.

His completion percentage dropped from 66.1 to 64, his net yards per passing play from 7.13 to 6.41 and his touchdown percentage from 9.0 to 6.9.

Meanwhile, Jackson's interceptions increased from six to nine and he was slightly less effective as a runner, his yards per carry average falling from 6.9 to 6.3.

Yet even with Jackson's drop-off from MVP form, the Ravens still finished 10th in yards per play with 5.85, with his abilities with his legs helping Baltimore finish first in rushing yards per play with 5.53.

Where the Ravens continue to have issues, however, is in making explosive plays down the field in the passing game.

Jackson had 37 pass plays of 20 yards or more in his 15 regular-season games in 2020, putting him 20th in the NFL.

His passer rating on throws of 21 or more air yards (89.1) was 17th among quarterbacks to have attempted at least 25 such throws.

The Ravens' passing game was not helped by protection issues, with Jackson sacked on 7.16 per cent of his drop backs, the 11th-highest rate among quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks.

Baltimore did not waste time in making a move to address the weaknesses that were apparent on the offensive line in 2020.

However, if their offense is to jump from top 10 to top five in 2021, Jackson will improved support from a receiving corps that featured just one wide receiver (Marquise Brown - 769) who topped 500 yards in 2020.

In an increasingly imposing division, Baltimore must give their AFC North rivals more reason to fear their aerial attack.

Defense

The offense may have taken a step back, but the Ravens stayed consistent in terms of being one of the better defenses in the NFL.

Having allowed 5.22 yards per play in 2019 - good for 11th in the NFL - Baltimore finished seventh in that same category in 2020 with an average of 5.19.

That marginal improvement was largely a product of the Ravens' strength against the pass. Baltimore gave up 5.57 yards per pass play, with only three teams conceding fewer. 

However, the Ravens were substantially more susceptible to the run game.

Opponents put up 4.55 yards per carry against the Ravens, well above the average for playoff teams of 4.19.

Additionally, while playoff teams gave up an average of 44 rushes of 10 yards or more, the Ravens conceded 50, bettering the league-wide rate of 51 by the finest of margins.

Yet the Ravens' defense should remain in the top half of the NFL if it continues to excel at limiting opposing passing attacks.

Only seven teams forced more negative passing plays than the Ravens (51), with Matt Judon's ability to pressure the quarterback and some stellar play in the secondary contributing to that tally.

Judon led the team with 21 quarterback hits while Marcus Peters recorded four interceptions and Marlon Humphrey led all cornerbacks with eight forced fumbles to go with his 11 pass breakups.

But with Judon and Yannick Ngakoue each heading for pastures new, the Ravens will need to reinforce their defensive front if their pass defense is to be as effective in 2021. 

Offseason

The Ravens will see Ngakoue go against them when they face the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 while Judon will attempt to help the Patriots enjoyed a bounce-back year after signing a lucrative deal in New England.

Baltimore is unlikely to miss either of them given the Ravens' proclivity for successfully developing pass rushers.

Their faith in their own ability in that regard was illustrated by the four-year, $22million contract handed to Tyus Bowser, who had only two sacks last year but whose 27.5 combined knockdowns and hurries were just nine fewer than the tally of Judon, who played 20 more defensive snaps.

An increased role for Bowser, along with the infusion of some rookie depth, could help the Ravens fill the void left by Ngakoue and Judon.

On the other side of the trenches, head coach John Harbaugh will have been delighted to land guard Kevin Zeitler, who was signed after being released by the New York Giants. Zeitler, who has not allowed more than two sacks since 2014, should improve Baltimore's interior protection.

Right tackle Orlando Brown Jr's desire to seek a trade so he can play left tackle may force Baltimore to prioritise the offensive line in the draft, and wide receiver should still be prominent on their to-do list despite the signing of veteran Sammy Watkins on a one-year deal.

Watkins is still a dependable third receiver but his career-low yards per reception average of 11.4 in 2020 hinted at declining big-play upside. A rookie who can be an immediate focal point of the offense is a must in the draft.

The slight step back Jackson experienced in 2020 may not have come as a shock, but there will be significant questions asked of those running the Ravens if it carries into 2021.

Wims was ejected in the third quarter of the Bears' 23-26 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday after he approached Gardner-Johnson and twice struck him on the helmet, sparking a brawl between the teams.

Gardner-Johnson denied a report that Wims' actions came in response to the Saints safety spitting at him, telling ESPN: "It ain't got nothing to do with me."

The wideout, who can appeal against the decision, is set to miss games against the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings.

An NFL statement read: "Javon Wims of the Chicago Bears has been suspended without pay for two games for violations of unsportsmanlike conduct rules in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.

"NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension for a violation of Rule 12, Section 2, Article 14(c) which prohibits striking, swinging at, or clubbing the head, neck, or face of an opponent with the wrist(s), arm(s), elbow(s), or hand(s), as well as Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 which prohibits any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship."

The Bears' NFC North rivals the Green Bay Packers announced on Monday that running back A.J. Dillon had had tested positive for COVID-19 and was self-isolating.

Marlon Humphrey also confirmed he had contracted coronavirus following Baltimore's 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh, though the Steelers announced all their players were negative following the clash with the Ravens.

Linebacker Devon Kennard revealed he was one of two Arizona Cardinals players to test positive in the wake of their 37-34 win against the Seattle Seahawks.

The three-time Pro Bowler will move to the Ravens on a one-year deal that could be worth up to $18million, according to NFL Network's National Insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero.

Beckham had been available as a free agent since leaving the Los Angeles Rams, last appearing in the team's Super Bowl LVI triumph at the end of the 2021 season.

The 30-year-old missed the entirety of the following campaign after a lengthy rehabilitation for an ACL tear sustained in that Super Bowl victory. 

A post from Zydn Beckham's Instagram account, ran by father Odell and his girlfriend Lauren Wood, seemingly confirmed the wide receiver's next destination on Sunday.

Beckham's one-year-old son was pictured in a Ravens shirt, accompanied by the caption "Flock...", as Baltimore managed to snatch the former Rams star's signature ahead of the Jets.

The New York team were reportedly expecting to host Beckham on a visit this week before the Ravens stepped in to seal the deal.

Beckham had reportedly also drawn interest from the Dallas Cowboys, the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Reports suggested Aaron Rodgers had asked the Jets to acquire the former New York Giants and Cleveland Browns man if the Green Bay Packers quarterback moves to New York.

While Rodgers later suggested no such wish list existed, he admitted any QB would dream of playing with Beckham, but the Jets' advances ultimately ended without success.

Beckham has 56 receiving touchdowns in 96 career NFL appearances and will join a Baltimore team that finished 10-7 in the 2022 season, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC wild-card game.

Defensive end Hubbard raced clear for the longest go-ahead TD in NFL postseason history as the Ravens pressed for the lead on a third-and-goal on Tyler Huntley's QB sneak, as he leapt up to break the plane of the goalline, only for Logan Wilson to knock it out.

Hubbard's go-ahead touchdown, scored with 11:39 remaining in the fourth quarter, was also the longest fumble return TD in NFL playoff history.

Baltimore had been mounting the pressure with scores locked 17-17 with Huntley's 35-yard run, the longest of his career, pushing them to the goalline, but the Bengals' defense held up, before the fumble return TD ignited Paul Brown Stadium.

Huntley threw a final-second pass on fourth-and-20, which James Proche got a hand on, but could not hold. The Ravens QB, starting in the absence of injured former MVP Lamar Jackson, had kept his side in the game on 17-of-29 passing for 226 yards with two TD passes and one interception, adding 54 rushing yards.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow completed 23-of-32 passes for 209 yards with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown, but was sacked four times. Ja'Marr Chase had nine receptions for 84 yards.

It was a seesawing encounter with the Bengals dominating the first quarter led by Chase, before Burrow connected with the wide receiver to cap a six-minute, 10-play drive.

The Ravens hit back in the second to lead 10-9 at halftime, with Huntley finding J.K. Dobbins to score, while Burrow was sacked three times in the first half.

The two sides traded touchdowns in the third, with Burrow slithering across after Hayden Hurst thought he had scored yet fell half a yard short, before Huntley threw a 41-yard TD pass for Demarcus Robinson.

The Bengals went to the Super Bowl last year but have a losing 2-3 record through Week 5 in 2022.

However, each of their three defeats have seen Cincinnati lose by a field goal on the final play of the game, going down 23-20 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime in Week 1 and 20-17 to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.

It was little surprise Justin Tucker similarly punished Taylor's team, with the Ravens kicker executing an NFL-record seventh game-winning field goal with time up.

Of those, this was the fourth – another record – to come with his team losing, as the Bengals failed to protect a late lead having been tied against both the Steelers and the Cowboys.

"It's tough," said coach Taylor. "We've lost three games now on the last play of the game, that's what I told the guys.

"We just have to keep taking our shots, and these things have a way of balancing out, and we are going to get some of these wins in these situations."

That the Bengals were within three points of winning was particularly painful given a hapless third-quarter series from which they failed to score any points.

Cincinnati had first-and-goal from the Baltimore two, but Taylor called two trick plays, seeing wide receiver Tyler Boyd sacked running the Philly Special on second down before Joe Burrow's attempted shovel pass up the middle to Stanley Morgan on fourth down was batted away.

"We felt good about some stuff we called, but obviously it didn't work," Taylor said.

He added: "I felt comfortable with our package going in. When it doesn't work, you wish you would have done something different."

Ja'Marr Chase, whose 12-yard catch brought the Bengals back to the two-yard line after Boyd's sack, said: "It's pretty frustrating.

"We've got to know how to execute coming into that and know which play is going to give us the right play. I don't think we did that."

Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon would later run in a touchdown from the one-yard line in the fourth quarter, but he was pass blocking on both the Philly Special and the shovel pass.

"I'm just running the play that's called," Mixon said.

The freezing conditions in Chicago gave this the feel of a home game for the Bills, but they were far from comfortable early on and threatened to blow their lead in the race for home-field advantage in the AFC.

Josh Allen responded to Justin Fields' opening touchdown drive by leading Buffalo down the field and completing a 19-yard TD pass to Gabe Davis.

But the Bills missed the PAT, and the only score for the remainder of the half was a successful Bears field goal, giving Chicago a 10-6 lead through two quarters.

The hopes of the Bears – and the Bills' AFC rivals – were quickly dashed in the second half, however, as Devin Singletary dashed in from 33 yards and then James Cook followed him from 27 yards for a second score in double-quick time either side of a Chicago fumble.

An unconvincing Allen display, which included two interceptions and a recovered fumble, kept the Bears in contention, yet they could not capitalise.

And the Bills QB finished in more familiar fashion with a rushing score and a TD pass to Dawson Knox in the closing stages as Buffalo took another step towards the first seed.

Bills feel the heat in AFC

The pressure had been on the Bills because there never appeared any possibility of the Kansas City Chiefs not defeating the stumbling Seattle Seahawks. A 24-10 victory was Patrick Mahomes' first against the Seahawks, meaning the Indianapolis Colts are the only team he has now played but not beaten.

The Cincinnati Bengals also remain in contention at the top of the AFC after a dominant first half against the New England Patriots. Joe Burrow completed 28 passes – a season high for any QB in any half – for 284 yards and three touchdowns before half-time, meaning the Bengals could just about withstand a second-half pick six in a 22-18 win.

The Patriots' defeat meant the Baltimore Ravens clinched their playoff berth with a 17-9 defeat of the Atlanta Falcons.

Another manic Minnesota finish

Having claimed a record-breaking comeback win last week, the Minnesota Vikings had to hold off a rally from the New York Giants, who tied the game late on. However, a 40-yard field goal from Greg Joseph had defeated the Colts, and he topped that effort with a 61-yard conversion as time expired for a 27-24 Vikings victory.

The Detroit Lions, Minnesota's NFC North rivals, saw their three-game winning run ended by the Carolina Panthers. Both the Panthers and the New Orleans Saints improved to 6-9, firmly in contention in the miserable NFC South.

Ideally, all teams will hope they sit in a better position to challenge than they did a few months back, but the reality is some are just starting from further back than others.

When it comes to Super Bowl challengers, undoubtedly the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs remain strong favourites to get back to the big game. The Bucs have got the band back together after hoisting aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy on home turf, while the Chiefs have responded to a harrowing loss by rebuilding the offensive line in front of Patrick Mahomes.

But what about the chasing pack? Stats Perform picks out some of the leading contenders for glory while reflecting on what has happened since they last played.

Buffalo Bills

An appearance in the AFC Championship Game inspired by the improved play of quarterback Josh Allen left Buffalo rightly believing they needed minor tweaks, rather than dramatic alterations, to challenge once again in 2021. They kept the offensive line together, then added depth at a key area in the draft when selecting Spencer Brown in round three.

However, the Bills – who ranked 15th in opponent yards per play allowed (5.5) last term but were a lowly 26th versus the run (4.62) – used first and second-round selections to help their defense, with Greg Rousseau and Carlos Basham Jr firming up a pass rush that tied 15th for sacks. Add in Emmanuel Sanders to the receiving group and Buffalo appears to be in rude health as they aim to go one better than last season.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams are swinging for the fences as they bid to get back to the Super Bowl. Jared Goff was the starter when they lost to the New England Patriots in February 2019, but his time with the franchise is over. The blockbuster deal to get Matthew Stafford from Detroit has ramped up the pressure to get results on the field – and not just in the regular season either.

Leonard Floyd remained thanks to a bumper contract, but John Johnson and Troy Hill are gone from the secondary. They will continue to lean heavily on Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey to lead a defense that allowed the fewest passing yards per play (5.08) and the third-least rushing yards per play (3.76). While trades have seen the Rams become accustomed to watching on as teams are on the clock in round one, it was notable they added three wide receivers with their picks as they aim for a fifth successive winning season under head coach Sean McVay.

San Francisco 49ers

Yes, a team who finished the 2020 regular season with a 6-10 record should be considered as genuine contenders. The 49ers went so close to Super Bowl glory 15 months ago, while a roster ravaged by injuries last season will hope for better fortune when it comes to keeping key personnel healthy. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has jetted off to New York, but Nick Bosa should be back.

In truth, it will be the offense that defines San Francisco's chances. Jimmy Garoppolo failed to inspire in his limited appearances, throwing seven touchdowns to five interceptions, so getting a quarterback in the draft – even if trading up to number three came at a high cost – made sense. Trey Lance was their choice, a high-upside selection who showed plenty of promise in 19 games for North Dakota State. The run game remains pivotal, though, which explains why they splashed out to make sure Trent Williams and Kyle Juszczyk stuck around.

Cleveland Browns

Having made the playoffs for the first time since 2002, the Browns knocked out divisional rivals Pittsburgh and then came close to upsetting Kansas City on the road. The defense was bolstered up front with the signings of Jadeveon Clowney and Malik Jackson. However, having given up 31 passing touchdowns, the secondary has rightly been the focus. After snapping up former Rams duo Johnson and Hill, Cleveland selected cornerback Greg Newsome II and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the first two rounds of the draft.

Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski built the offense around the rushing tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt – the team averaged 4.8 yards per rush – easing the pressure on Baker Mayfield to move the sticks. Still, he ranked sixth in passer rating (118.4) on throws of 21 air yards or more among quarterbacks with at least 25 such attempts, showing teams cannot fill the box and focus solely on stopping the run. If they can get out of a highly competitive AFC North again, the Browns will believe they can build on a Divisional Round appearance.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens' hopes will once again rest with Lamar Jackson, their dual-threat quarterback who is on course for a significant pay rise when an agreement is reached over a long-term extension. His ability to run helped Baltimore finish first in rushing yards per play with 5.53, while the passing game has a little extra help now after receiver Rashod Bateman was taken with the 27th pick. Still, there was no flashy free-agency signing at the position, despite links with JuJu Smith-Schuster and T.Y. Hilton. Kevin Zeitler did pen a deal, securing an experienced guard to bolster the offensive line.

Defensively, Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue have moved on to the Patriots and Raiders respectively, though the Ravens have a reputation for building a pass rush no matter who is on the roster. Tyus Bowser can expect an increased role, plus outside linebacker Odafe Oweh was chosen with the late first-round pick acquired in the trade that sent offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr to the Chiefs.

Honourable mentions

The Green Bay Packers would have made the list were it not for the uncertainty surrounding the future of reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers. For all their quarterback's undoubted qualities on the field, they have not made a Super Bowl in 11 years. And what is going on in Seattle too? Rumours relating to Russell Wilson's future have dominated the offseason for the Seahawks.

The Indianapolis Colts will hope they can get the best out of signal-caller Carson Wentz and the Pittsburgh Steelers seem set for one last ride with Ben Roethlisberger. As for a trendy pick who missed out on the playoffs last season, look no further than the Los Angeles Chargers, complete with a revamped offensive line to help keep QB Justin Herbert safe.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion angrily tossed a tablet on the sidelines as both offences struggled to get going, with just a field goal apiece at the end of the third quarter.

A Jamel Dean interception proved to be the turning point though, setting up Brady for an 11-play drive, which was capped off by a 28-yard pass to Breshad Perriman.

Dean struck again in the following drive for the Saints, intercepting Jameis Winston in back-to-back possessions for the Saints and putting the Buccaneers in a solid position on the opposition 29-yard line.

Brady was unable to capitalise, the Buccaneers instead settling on a field goal to extend their lead. The visitors would hold firm despite Michael Thomas giving the Saints hope with a seven-yard touchdown reception.

Having suffered four consecutive regular season losses to the Saints since joining the Buccaneers, Brady's run came to an end, but it was not a vintage performance for the veteran, who completed 18 of 34 attempts for a total of 190 yards.

Tagovailoa shines in comeback victory

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens had a fine start against the Miami Dolphins, Devin Duvernay taking the opening kick-off for a 103-yard return and Jackson having three touchdown passes in the first half, as well as a 79-yard rushing touchdown.

When Jackson completed a 75-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to have 75-yard passing and rushing touchdowns in the same game.

Trailing by 21 points heading into the fourth quarter, Tua Tagovailoa threw four touchdown passes to secure a remarkable 42-38 comeback victory – finishing the game with six touchdown passes and 469 yards, completing 36 of 50 attempts.

Jets stun Browns with huge comeback

Victory for the Cleveland Browns at home against the New Yorks Jets would have secured a 2-0 record to start a season for the first time since 1993, and Kevin Stefanski's side looked to be set for a historic win, leading by two scores heading into the final stages.

Nick Chubb had starred with three touchdowns, totalling 87 yards from 17 carries, putting the Browns on the brink, but the Jets responded valiantly to score two touchdowns inside the two-minute warning.

Joe Flacco combined with Corey Davis for a 66-yard touchdown, before the Jets then recovered an onside kick and pulled ahead through a Garrett Wilson touchdown catch to win 31-30.

So much drama, so many late twists, and it's almost time to do it all over again as Week 2 looms on the horizon.

Sunday sees Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looking to follow up their opening win against the Dallas Cowboys when they head to New Orleans, the Los Angeles Rams will aim to get on the board when they host the Atlanta Falcons, while Russell Wilson's first home game for the Denver Broncos sees them welcome the Houston Texans.

With all that and more, Stats Perform has used Opta data to preview the weekend's action in the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) @ New Orleans Saints (1-0)

The Saints have won their last seven regular-season games against the Buccaneers, matching the longest previous winning streak by either team in this rivalry, a run of seven consecutive wins by New Orleans from 2011 to 2014. Tampa Bay did beat the Saints in a Divisional Playoff game following the 2020 season.

Tampa Bay had one interception (by Antoine Winfield Junior) in their season-opening win at Dallas. The Bucs were 11-0 last season in games in which they intercepted at least one pass. The Green Bay Packers (also 11-0) were the only other NFL team to go unbeaten last season in games in which they recorded one or more interceptions.

New Orleans won their season opener in Atlanta, 27-26, after trailing 26-10 in the fourth quarter. It was the first time in franchise history that the Saints won a game in which they trailed by 16 or more points in the fourth quarter, and only the third time they won a game in which they were behind by 16 or more points in the second half.

Tom Brady and the Bucs lost their last game against the Saints, 9-0 (Week 15 last season). That is one of only three times that Brady's team has been shut out in his 317 regular-season and 47 postseason starts in the NFL. The other shutouts were in 2003 (Patriots at Buffalo, 31-0 in Week 1) and 2014 (Patriots at Miami, 21-0 in Week 14).

Atlanta Falcons (0-1) @ Los Angeles Rams (0-1)

Including their original stint in California and time in St. Louis, the Rams are 28-8-2 (.778) at home against their former NFC West rival, Atlanta Falcons. That is the best home record of any franchise against a single opponent (minimum of 30 games) in NFL history.

Cordarrelle Patterson rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown in Atlanta's season opener. At 31 years old, Patterson is the second-oldest player in team history to have 100+ rushing yards and a touchdown run in a game, behind only Warrick Dunn, who had two such games.

The Rams started the season with a 31-10 loss to the Bills, the largest home loss in a season opener ever by a defending Super Bowl champion. The team has not started a season at 0-2 since 2011 when they were in St. Louis and have not lost their first two games as the Los Angeles Rams since 1987.

Cooper Kupp tied a career high with 13 catches in the opener against Buffalo. Including playoffs, Kupp has at least five receptions in each of the Rams' last 22 games. Only Antonio Brown has a longer such streak of team games with five or more catches in the Super Bowl era (37).

Houston Texans (0-0-1) @ Denver Broncos (0-1)

The Texans opened their season with a 20-20 tie against the Indianapolis Colts, despite being outgained by 218 yards in the game. Prior to Houston on Sunday, the last team to tie a game while having 200+ yards less than their opponent was the Packers against the Broncos in 1987.

In his first game with the Texans, O.J. Howard scored touchdowns on each of his two receptions. Howard joins Jaelen Strong as the only players to ever have two TD catches in their team debut for Houston.

Denver committed 12 penalties in their 17-16 loss to the Seahawks on Monday. It was the most penalties the Broncos have ever committed in a season opener, surpassing the 11 penalties they had to kick off the 1970 season against the Bills.

Russell Wilson threw for 340 yards against the Seahawks in his Denver debut. It was the most passing yards by a Broncos QB on their debut with the team and Wilson's 12th career game with 340+ passing yards (his teams are 5-7 in those games).

Elsewhere...

The New England Patriots travel to the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering a 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, and have not started a season with consecutive double-digit losses since losing three straight games by such a margin to begin the 1969 campaign.

Baltimore's Lamar Jackson threw for three touchdowns against the New York Jets after throwing three or more TDs just twice all of last season. Before they host the Dolphins, it is notable that, in his career, the Ravens are 13-1 when Jackson has three or more pass TDs, the second-best team record among active players behind Josh Allen at 14-1 (minimum 10 such games).

Starting with their 2013 NFC Championship game success over the 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks are 15-2 in their last 17 games against San Francisco, which includes season sweeps in 2020 and 2021. The 15 wins since January 2014 are tied with the Patriots (vs. Jets) for the most by an NFL team against a single opponent in that span (including playoffs).

The Arizona Cardinals will need to watch Davante Adams, who had 10 catches for 141 yards on 17 targets in his Las Vegas Raiders debut. That is the most targets for any player in their first career game with the Raiders in the past 30 seasons. The only other with player with 15+ targets in their Raiders debut over that span is Randy Moss in 2005 (15).

But after battling the elements as well as the Bills in Buffalo, Bill Belichick's Pats have a bye in Week 14.

That allows others the opportunity to recover ground – including the Bills, who face New England great Tom Brady on Sunday. It is not a meeting they have enjoyed previously, as Stats Perform explores.

Buffalo Bills (7-5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3)

Just like Belichick, Brady has enjoyed taking on the Bills – and he had plenty of opportunities to do so with the Pats in the AFC East.

Brady is 32-3 against Buffalo in his 35 career starts, with no starting quarterback in NFL history recording more wins against a single team. His .914 winning percentage in these games represents the highest by a starting QB against one team (minimum 20 starts).

Aged 44, Brady remains one of the best passers around, with a league-leading 74 TD passes over the past two seasons.

Bills QB Josh Allen is joint-third on that list (63 TDs), and Buffalo need his offense to fire, making the most of the platform afforded to him by the defense. After the 14-10 loss to the Pats, the Bills became the first team this season to lose two games in which they allowed 14 points or fewer (also 9-6 at Jacksonville).

Las Vegas Raiders (6-6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)

The Chiefs are one of three 8-4 AFC teams close behind the 9-4 Pats and will back themselves to tie that record in a matchup they have dominated.

Since 2013, when Andy Reid was appointed head coach, the Chiefs are 14-3 against the Raiders, with only New England against the New York Jets (16 wins) and the Seattle Seahawks against the San Francisco 49ers (15) beating a divisional opponent on more occasions in that span.

This is a time of year in which Patrick Mahomes tends to excel, now on a record run of 19 consecutive regular season wins in QB starts in November or later, but Kansas City's turnaround on defense has been key to their recent improvement.

The Chiefs head into this game having become the first team in NFL history to have a five-game streak allowing 25 or more points and a five-game streak allowing fewer than 20 points in the same season, with the latter sequence ongoing.

Baltimore Ravens (8-4) @ Cleveland Browns (6-6)

Another 8-4 AFC rival, along with the Tennessee Titans, the Ravens again face the Browns in the tightly contested AFC North.

Cleveland's previous game – before their Week 13 bye – was in Baltimore, making them the first team since 1991 to play the same team in back-to-back regular season games, although the Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17 last year before beating them again the following week in the playoffs.

The Ravens won 16-10 in Week 12 as Browns QB Baker Mayfield completed just 48.6 per cent of his passes, meaning he now has a 2-6 career record when completing no more than half of his pass attempts.

Lamar Jackson was far from convincing in that game, tossing four interceptions, but he had his sixth career game with at least 250 passing yards and 50 rushing yards against the Steelers last week – five of those coming in 2021. The Pittsburgh game was his second loss from those six.

Elsewhere...

The Washington Football Team believe again after four straight wins to move into a playoff place at 6-6, aiming to become only the third team to start 2-6 and make the postseason. One of the previous two examples was Washington last year, who won both games against the Dallas Cowboys, teeing up a potential three-game winning streak against this week's opponents – just their third ever.

Aaron Rodgers has claimed he "owns" the Chicago Bears, and the numbers show exactly what the Green Bay Packers QB means. He is 21-5 in the regular season and 1-0 in the postseason against the Bears, who will fear this week's matchup.

The Cincinnati Bengals have painful memories of playing the 49ers, having lost 12 of 16 games against San Francisco, including two Super Bowls. Joe Burrow will hope to get back on track in the latest meeting, however, having led the league with 14 picks to this point. Boomer Esiason, with 22 in 1990, was the only previous Bengals QB to lead the league outright in interceptions.

The Bucs' miserable run of form continued as the Ravens clicked into gear after only scoring three points in the first half, with Lamar Jackson throwing two touchdowns after the interval.

Neither quarterback committed a turnover as Brady completed 26 of his 44 passes for 325 yards and one touchdown, but the seven-time Super Bowl champion is now enduring his worst losing run in 20 years.

The Bucs have slumped to a 3-5 record after opening the season with two wins, and Brady says they are simply not meeting their own standards.

"We just didn't play well enough to win, so give them credit. They played good, certainly better than we did," Brady said.

"We just came up short, I don't think it feels good, whether [you're ahead in the] first half or second half. We just have to play better, certainly on offense.

"I think we've struggled pretty much on everything. We struggled in the red zone, on third down, during the run game. It's just not very good offense football."

Having lost five of their last six games to fall below the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South, the Bucs now have a 10-day break before they face the Los Angeles Rams, and Brady knows the importance of a response.

"I don't think anyone feels good. We've lost five, so it's not where we want to be, but we haven't earned it," he added. "We've got to go earn it, fight hard and figure out how to win games.

"Whenever we play, we play. We've got to win, break or no break. We're all just frustrated we're not getting the job done.

"We're playing to win and losing is no fun for any of us, we're just coming up short."

The Bucs' injury problems continued to mount when outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett suffered a suspected torn Achilles in the third quarter, and Brady cannot wait for the team to return to something approaching full strength.

"Shaq's a great player for us, I hope he's okay," Brady said. "We need to get some guys back, get a little healthier, and see if we can perform a bit better."