Pro Football History.com Blog
November 20th, 2025
By Stephen Juza
In February, the NFL will announce a slew of awards for top performing players and coaches. The award that carries the most prestige of any is the Most Valuable Player award (MVP). Today, we look at several top contenders for the award after the Week 11 games.
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Matthew Stafford - Los Angeles Rams, Quarterback
First on our list is Rams quarterback Matt Stafford, fresh off a divisional win against the Seattle Seahawks. The veteran quarterback is currently leading the NFL in passing touchdowns (27), with only one current starter throwing fewer interceptions than his two, and is coming off an efficient game against the Seahawks where he threw for two touchdowns and no interceptions. Stafford will continue his run for the MVP this week against NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their 22nd-ranked defense.
Drake Maye - New England Patriots, Quarterback
One of the biggest surprises of the 2025 season is undoubtedly the New England Patriots, led by new head coach Mike Vrabel. After back-to-back last place finishes in the AFC East, the Patriots are not only leading the division, but tied with the best record in the NFL. Back in February, we ranked Vrabel as the second-best head coaching hire of the season. At the time, we called out his hire of Josh McDaniels as one of the best decisions he could have made, and it has paid dividends for Drake Maye.
Across the board, Maye is outperforming his rookie year. He has already surpassed his touchdown passes and passing yards from last year, has cut his interception rate in half, and has certainly shown the promise behind his third-overall draft pick in 2024. His last game was a 27-14 victory over the bottom-feeding New York Jets, where he threw for 281 yards on 25-34 passing, with a single touchdown pass.
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts, Running Back
Our lone player on the list that is not a quarterback, Jonathan Taylor is having a great season for a running back. He’s leading the league in rushing yards (1,139). Additionally, he has more than twice the rushing touchdowns as the next back on the list (15 touchdowns). Taylor averages 114 yards a game, which puts him on pace for a 1,938 yard season. One big game on the season puts him on pace for the tenth 2,000 rushing yard season in NFL history. Taylor and the Colts will travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs this week.
Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills, Quarterback
The reigning MVP is having a down year compared to his last few seasons, but the Bills are still in prime playoff position behind his arm and legs. After five consecutive AFC East titles, it looks like that could be coming to an end as the Patriots have a two-game lead in the division. However, Allen certainly had an MVP-statement game this week against the Atlanta Falcons. Allen led the Bills to victory with six total touchdowns - three through the air and three more on the ground - that let them keep pace in the division. Allen is also the only quarterback who has multiple 3 passing / 3 rushing touchdowns in a single game - the only other player with one is Otto Graham.
The Bills will need Allen at his best when they have a short week against the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football this week.
The Field
While this award has generally morphed into a QB-specific award, there are many other contenders if their team finishes strong. Perennial candidate Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are having a disappointing year by their standards, currently on the outside looking in for the playoffs this January. Additionally, Jared Goff went from MVP candidate to below-the-fold after his worst game of the year on Sunday, a loss that dropped the team out of the playoff seeding. There is also still room for a dark-horse contender with a surprise playoff run out of Caleb Williams or Sam Darnold.
November 19th, 2025
By Stephen Juza
With the conclusion of Week 11, we look at the NFC playoff picture and a few of the surprises that are in store for the final seven weeks of the season. There was quite a bit of movement this week, as five of the seven playoff teams moved up or down. And while the NFL playoff seeding is heating up, you can also check the College Football odds for their own playoff race.
#1 - Philadelphia Eagles
The defending champions are still leading the way after a close win over the Detroit Lions. The Eagles won at home against last year’s #1 seed, and while their offense is still loaded with firepower, it’s the defense that has been putting on a fantastic display. They held the second-ranked offense to a season low nine points, while holding quarterback Jared Goff almost 40% below his season completion percentage (14/37). The Eagles continue their title defense this week against the 3-5-1 Dallas Cowboys.
#2 - Chicago Bears (+4)
The Bears continued their surprising season with their third straight victory to move them to 7-3. They secured this victory with a walk-off field goal against the division rival Minnesota Vikings to win the game 19-17. After the Vikings scored their own go-ahead touchdown with 50 seconds remaining, the Bears winning field goal was set up by a massive 56-yard kickoff return by Devin Duvernay that had the Bears in field goal range from their first snap. The Bears will continue their playoff hunt next week at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
#3 - Los Angeles Rams (+2)
The Rams moved into first place in the NFC West this week with a 21-19 victory over division rival Seattle Seahawks. This game came down to red zone execution, with the Rams offense converting three of their four red zone trips into touchdowns, while holding the Seahawks to mostly field goals all day long. The new division leaders will play host to NFC South-leading Tampa Bay this week.
#4 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The final division leader is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-3. Competing in the NFC South, the Buccaneers have by far the easiest road to the playoffs from this point in the season, with only two teams remaining on their schedule with a winning record. If things hold steady, the team will win their fifth straight NFC South title after having never won back-to-back before the current run.
#5 - Seattle Seahawks (-3)
The Seahawks dropped a key game in their playoff destiny when they lost 19-21 against the Rams. While they are now competing for a wild card spot, they have three games coming up where they will have a good opportunity to get back on a winning track. Next week, they will travel to Nashville to take on the 1-9 Titans, followed by hosting the 4-6 Vikings, then to Atlanta for the 3-7 Falcons. If they are able to take care of business against these non-playoff teams, they have a great opportunity to move back into first place.
#6 - Green Bay Packers (+1)
Rounding out the playoff field is the third NFC North team in the playoffs, the Green Bay Packers. The Packers had a nail-biter of a win this last week against the New York Giants and new interim head coach Mike Kafka. The 27-20 victory against the Giants was sealed in the last minute of the game when Evan Williams intercepted a Jameis Winston pass in the end zone. The win moves the Packers to 6-3-1 and will host division rival Minnesota Vikings in Week 12.
#7 - San Francisco 49ers (+1)
Moving up into the playoff seeding is the San Francisco 49ers after an impressive 41-22 victory against the Arizona Cardinals. In quarterback Brock Purdy’s return from a turf-toe injury, the team put up their most points of the season. Behind Purdy’s three passing touchdowns and Christian McCaffrey’s two rushing touchdowns, the offense was clicking on all cylinders against the reeling Cardinals, who have now lost six times in their last seven games. The 49ers will continue their playoff hunt this week against the Carolina Panthers.
November 17th, 2025
By Stephen Juza
With the conclusion of Week 11 of the regular season, we look at the AFC playoff picture and a few of the surprises that are in store for the final seven weeks of the regular season. The same seven teams are projected to be playoff bound, but we had movement among the seeds this week. The biggest moves were the Colts dropping from 1st to 3rd on their bye week, while the Broncos and Patriots both moved up a spot.
While the NFL week kicks off every Thursday, you can play online games all week long. With so many online sites to choose from, you can play games through weiss casino in between watching NFL coverage. Whether you opt for slots or casino games, there is plenty to choose from all season long until the playoffs. Speaking of slots, let’s count down the seven playoff seeds in the AFC.
#1 Denver Broncos (+1)
The current AFC West leaders continue their surprise as well in head coach Sean Payton’s third season with the team. While they were leading the division, the win this week against the Super Bowl runner-up Kansas City Chiefs certainly feels like a moment that proves this team is for real. It took a walk off field goal to secure the 22-19 victory, but at 9-2 the Broncos can almost start planning for the playoffs. A tough matchup awaits this week when the Broncos play host to the Colts on Sunday.
#2 New England Patriots (+1)
The current AFC East leaders are continuing their surprise season after a victory over the New York Jets on Thursday night. While the Jets scored first, the Patriots were able to rebound for a 27-14 victory as quarterback Drake Maye continued his possible MVP season in his second season as a pro. The Patriots defense locked down the anemic Jets offense, holding them to only 245 yards of offense. The Patriots continue their season next week on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals.
#3 Indianapolis Colts (-2)
The Colts were on a bye week this week, so they fell a half-game behind the Broncos and Patriots for home field advantage. The bye week will certainly help them get healthy ahead of their matchup with the Chiefs. The Colts have a great opportunity to keep pace with the top seeds in the AFC against the suddenly-mortal Chiefs. Road games in Kansas City are never a gimmee, but the Chiefs have lost their last two games and will certainly be looking forward to the friendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium.
The final AFC division leader is the Pittsburgh Steelers after they move to 6-4 after a divisional win at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. The standout performance of the game was the Steelers defense who scored two touchdowns on Sunday, one pick-six and one fumble recovery. Meanwhile, Quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a wrist injury in the first half, but it did not slow the team, with backup Mason Rudolph coming in and throwing for an efficient 127 yards and one touchdown. The Steelers face a tough road test next week in Chicago and Coach of the Year front runner Ben Johnson.
#5 Buffalo Bills (+1)
The Bills move up to the fifth seed this week after a closer-than-it-looks victory against the NFC South leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bills scored the go-ahead points with 9:06 to go in the fourth quarter on Josh Allen’s second rushing touchdown of the day, with the breathing-room points coming a couple minutes later with his third rushing touchdown. The Bills have a short week this week, going on the road to face the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football.
#6 Los Angeles Chargers (-1)
The first wild card spot falls to the Chargers, who stumbled badly against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. The team did not show up to compete, falling 35-6 against a fellow wildcard team. The Chargers have a good opportunity to get back on track when they host the Las Vegas Raiders next week.
The Jaguars had a great rebound showing after last week’s disappointing collapse against the Houston Texans after blowing a 19-point lead. To respond, they secured their first victory of the season against a probable playoff team with their home victory against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Jaguars dominated from start to finish this game, thumping the Chargers 35-6 for the second most points they have scored all season long. The Jaguars go on the road this upcoming week against the Arizona Cardinals.
November 14th, 2025
By Stephen Juza
On Monday, the New York Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll after three and a half unsuccessful seasons. After a stint that started with so much promise, and the first playoff win in more than a decade, it was a slow descent down to the NFL cellar for the Giants. The Giants will ride out the rest of the season after turning to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka as their new interim head coach.
With two coaches already fired midseason, we turn our attention to our internal predictions for which coaches seats’ are the hottest. While you are considering who’s on the hot seat, you can also consider any number of casino games online.
Kellen Moore - New Orleans Saints (81% Chance of Being Fired)
Years ago, Moore was considered one of the hottest offensive coaching prospects around the league. After a record-breaking college football career at Boise State, he spent a single year in the NFL with the Cowboys before transitioning to a career on the sideline. After leaving the Cowboys in 2022, he spent a single season with the Chargers and the Eagles as their offensive coordinators, culminating in the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory last season. After the season, he was named the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
However, his time in the Big Easy has been anything but easy. At 2-8 on the season, he’s closer to the first pick in the first round than the last pick. With one of the worst offensives in the league (30th in points scored), he’s got a lot to focus on during the bye week. The remaining seven games of the year could help save Moore’s job, since only one game is against a team with a winning record and four of them are against teams with three or fewer wins.
Our model predicts he is at an 81% chance of being fired after his single season wearing the headset, but a strong finish will save his job for 2026.
Brian Schottenheimer - Dallas Cowboys (67% Chance)
Our second coach on our hot seat list is another first-year head coach. Brian Schottenheimer was a major surprise when Dallas owner Jerry Jones announced his hiring, so much that Jones’ had to address the risk in his introductory press conference. At the time, Jones had botched the contract negotiation of former head coach Mike McCarthy and was likely seeking a way to ensure continuity with the offense.
Mission accomplished on the offensive continuity. After a down-year in 2024, the Cowboys have rebounded to their fourth Top-5 offense in the last five years. Behind quarterback Dak Prescott, the offense puts up a lot of points. The downside is that the defense also gives up even more points. They are ranked 31st in points allowed for the second consecutive year.
The Cowboys sit at 3-5-1, almost identical to last year, but have some very tough games ahead. Between Week 12 and Week 14, they will play the Eagles (division leader), the Lions (division leader), and the Chiefs. Jones hasn’t fired a coach recently, and that bodes well for Schottenheimer, but a poor finish to the 2025 season could have him on the unemployment line.
Zac Taylor - Cincinnati Bengals (54% Chance)
Our last coach today is Zac Taylor. While the Bengals faithful have grown tired of watching the porous defenses under Taylor, has bottomed-out as the league worst in both points allowed and yards allowed. The 2021 Super Bowl appearance is long in the memory of the fans, and the team’s fortune seems to rest more on quarterback Joe Burrow’s ability to stay healthy compared to anything else.
When Burrow plays since his rookie year, the team is 40-30-1, when he is out, the team is 7-16. Unfortunately, Burrow has missed a lot of time in his career. So much that he has won comeback player of the year twice (2021, 2024). It is still unclear when he will be back from his turf toe injury, if at all, this season. A lot could hinge on whether or not the Bengals are in playoff contention, and if they aren’t it will be more difficult for Taylor to win some games down the stretch to save his job.
While the team is sitting at 3-6, the division is still strangely within their reach. The Steelers have the division lead at only 5-4, and the Bengals have to travel on the road this week to face them. A victory over the Steelers could put them one game out of the division lead, with three more division games to go. A loss likely puts them out of division contention with the division-leading Patriots coming to town the following week.
November 14th, 2025
By Stephen Juza
On Monday, the New York Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll after three and a half unsuccessful seasons. After a stint that started with so much promise, and the first playoff win in more than a decade, it was a slow descent down to the NFL cellar for the Giants. The Giants will ride out the rest of the season after turning to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka as their new interim head coach.
With two coaches already fired midseason, we turn our attention to our internal predictions for which coaches seats’ are the hottest. While you are considering who’s on the hot seat, you can also consider any number of casino games online.
Kellen Moore - New Orleans Saints (81% Chance of Being Fired)
Years ago, Moore was considered one of the hottest offensive coaching prospects around the league. After a record-breaking college football career at Boise State, he spent a single year in the NFL with the Cowboys before transitioning to a career on the sideline. After leaving the Cowboys in 2022, he spent a single season with the Chargers and the Eagles as their offensive coordinators, culminating in the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory last season. After the season, he was named the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
However, his time in the Big Easy has been anything but easy. At 2-8 on the season, he’s closer to the first pick in the first round than the last pick. With one of the worst offensives in the league (30th in points scored), he’s got a lot to focus on during the bye week. The remaining seven games of the year could help save Moore’s job, since only one game is against a team with a winning record and four of them are against teams with three or fewer wins.
Our model predicts he is at an 81% chance of being fired after his single season wearing the headset, but a strong finish will save his job for 2026.
Brian Schottenheimer - Dallas Cowboys (67% Chance)
Our second coach on our hot seat list is another first-year head coach. Brian Schottenheimer was a major surprise when Dallas owner Jerry Jones announced his hiring, so much that Jones’ had to address the risk in his introductory press conference. At the time, Jones had botched the contract negotiation of former head coach Mike McCarthy and was likely seeking a way to ensure continuity with the offense.
Mission accomplished on the offensive continuity. After a down-year in 2024, the Cowboys have rebounded to their fourth Top-5 offense in the last five years. Behind quarterback Dak Prescott, the offense puts up a lot of points. The downside is that the defense also gives up even more points. They are ranked 31st in points allowed for the second consecutive year.
The Cowboys sit at 3-5-1, almost identical to last year, but have some very tough games ahead. Between Week 12 and Week 14, they will play the Eagles (division leader), the Lions (division leader), and the Chiefs. Jones hasn’t fired a coach recently, and that bodes well for Schottenheimer, but a poor finish to the 2025 season could have him on the unemployment line.
Zac Taylor - Cincinnati Bengals (54% Chance)
Our last coach today is Zac Taylor. While the Bengals faithful have grown tired of watching the porous defenses under Taylor, has bottomed-out as the league worst in both points allowed and yards allowed. The 2021 Super Bowl appearance is long in the memory of the fans, and the team’s fortune seems to rest more on quarterback Joe Burrow’s ability to stay healthy compared to anything else.
When Burrow plays since his rookie year, the team is 40-30-1, when he is out, the team is 7-16. Unfortunately, Burrow has missed a lot of time in his career. So much that he has won comeback player of the year twice (2021, 2024). It is still unclear when he will be back from his turf toe injury, if at all, this season. A lot could hinge on whether or not the Bengals are in playoff contention, and if they aren’t it will be more difficult for Taylor to win some games down the stretch to save his job.
While the team is sitting at 3-6, the division is still strangely within their reach. The Steelers have the division lead at only 5-4, and the Bengals have to travel on the road this week to face them. A victory over the Steelers could put them one game out of the division lead, with three more division games to go. A loss likely puts them out of division contention with the division-leading Patriots coming to town the following week.