Pro Football History.com Blog
November 6th, 2026
A big trade can get NFL fans excited, but there's always a catch: the new signing has to deliver. Chicago and Baltimore have made their moves, and the next few games could tell us whether their gambles were worth taking.
The NFL trade deadline is one of those dates when every fan suddenly becomes a general manager. Your team makes a deal, and you’re convinced they’ve found the missing piece. They do nothing, and you’re wondering what on earth the front office is thinking. With the November 10 deadline approaching, several teams have already made expensive decisions. The Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens are particularly interesting because their new players have some serious work ahead of them.
The Deadline Reveals What Teams Think They Need
Chicago has already made one of the biggest moves of the 2026 season. On October 29, the Bears acquired defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from Tennessee, giving up two first-round picks and a fourth-round selection in exchange for Simmons and a fifth-rounder.
That’s a serious investment in winning now. Simmons immediately showed his value with six tackles and a sack in Chicago’s 34-17 victory over Seattle.
Baltimore has taken a different approach. The Ravens acquired center Cam Jurgens from Philadelphia on October 7, addressing a weakness in their offensive line. Then came an injury crisis at quarterback, prompting a November 4 agreement to acquire Jacoby Brissett from Arizona.
The 2026 NFL trade deadline tracker also records Indianapolis trading Quenton Nelson to Seattle and DeForest Buckner to San Francisco on October 27.
More business could follow before November 10. Jonathan Taylor remains a potential trade target, and Baltimore’s quarterback problems have raised questions about Derrick Henry’s future. The Week 9 trade developments leave several decisions unresolved.
Chicago’s Remaining Games Provide the First Test
The Bears have given themselves a chance to compete for something significant. Their 6-2 record following the Seattle victory supports that ambition, and Simmons has already made an impression.
Chicago’s 2026 schedule shines a light on the next challenge. Tampa Bay visits on November 8, followed by a bye week before New Orleans arrives on November 22.
The Thanksgiving trip to Detroit on November 26 should be particularly interesting. Divisional games carry their own pressure, and Chicago has invested heavily in a defensive tackle who can disrupt opposing offenses.
Simmons can help the Bears control the line of scrimmage, but the remaining schedule will test whether that expensive addition was worth sacrificing two future first-round selections.
Baltimore Faces Its Own Set of Challenges
Baltimore’s problems are considerably more urgent. The Ravens entered Week 9 at 4-4, with Lamar Jackson sidelined by a thumb injury and Tyler Huntley also unavailable.
Jackson’s attempted return against Pittsburgh lasted just one play. Huntley subsequently suffered a season-ending toe injury, leaving undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano preparing to start against Jacksonville.
Brissett’s arrival gives Baltimore an experienced alternative, although the timing creates a difficult situation. A quarterback joining midway through the season has limited opportunities to learn an offense before facing NFL defenses.
The Ravens’ 2026 schedule includes road games against Carolina on November 22 and Houston on November 29. Pittsburgh awaits on December 20, with Cleveland visiting the following week.
Those late divisional fixtures could determine Baltimore’s playoff prospects. Jurgens strengthens the offensive line, but protecting whoever starts at quarterback has become an immediate priority.
Roster Changes Enter the Betting Conversation A trade can change expectations before the new player takes a single snap. Chicago’s acquisition of Simmons gives its defense another proven pass rusher, which becomes relevant when assessing opponents and projected scores.
Baltimore presents a different problem. Losing a starting quarterback changes the assessment of an offense considerably, particularly when the replacements have limited preparation time.
NFL betting markets respond to developments like these. A point spread reflects the expected difference between two teams, and a major injury can alter that assessment. Futures markets also respond when a contender strengthens its roster or loses an important player. Stake’s sign-up bonus from Covers.com brings a 200% first-deposit match of up to $3,000 into the picture, covering a sportsbook where NFL moneylines, point spreads and futures markets give the trade deadline another dimension. A major roster addition can change expectations for a team’s remaining games, particularly when the move addresses a weakness that opponents have exploited all season.
Chicago’s victory in Seattle provides an early example of a successful acquisition, although one game cannot establish the value of a trade involving two first-round picks. Baltimore’s situation is less settled, with the quarterback position creating uncertainty around its remaining fixtures.
The Remaining Season Delivers the Verdict Trade grades are entertaining, especially when your team receives an A and a division rival gets a C. But nobody wins a playoff game because a journalist liked their deadline business.
Chicago has spent heavily on a defensive tackle who could help it challenge for the NFC North title. Baltimore has addressed problems that threatened to derail its season, although injuries have complicated those plans.
Both teams still have important games ahead, but the real verdict will come in January, when we’ll know whether those expensive decisions produced the results their general managers expected.
By Stephen Juza
November 4th, 2026
As we approach the halfway point in the season, there are some definite “haves” and “have-nots” at the division level. When we look at the AFC North, every team is .500 or better. The same story is true with the NFC North. When we look at the “have-nots”, look no further than the NFC South (everyone has a losing record), NFC Ease (three of the four teams have a losing record), and the AFC South (Jacksonville Jaguars have the same number of wins as the rest of the division combined). It’s perfectly conceivable that a 12-win team has to travel on the road in the playoffs against a sub-.500 team.
As fans watch these massive record divides form across divisions, many take breaks between game weeks to test their own strategy and luck elsewhere. Sports enthusiasts looking for new online gaming platforms often pause to learn more about SpinGreen Casino, exploring its features, promotional offers, and game selections to keep the momentum going. Just as NFL franchises must adjust to tough division matchups, players look for reliable gaming environments to maximize their leisure time throughout the season.
Playoff Watch:
In the AFC, current playoff odds on the NFL’s website show incredibly high odds for each of the seven teams in a playoff spot. While the wildcard teams may shift around and supplant the current division leaders, even if any of the seven teams lose this week, they all continue to have at least a 70% chance of making the playoffs.
For some teams, a win all but wraps up a playoff spot. The Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, and Jaguars would all move to a 95% chance or better of the playoffs. The most tenuous spot in the AFC is currently held by the New England Patriots, who last year moved into the playoff picture following a Browns loss to the Steelers. They currently sit seventh in the league and hold a 76% chance of the playoffs.
Looking at the NFC, we can see a lot more volatility in the playoff standings. Despite leading the division, the Carolina Panthers still only have a 40% chance of making the playoffs due to the general weakness of the entire division. While no one has a winning record, everyone is within a game of each other. And with the entire NFC North in a current playoff position, expect a lot of jostling in the ranks in the weeks ahead.
Game of the Week:
This week’s Monday Night Football game is one you will not want to miss. The AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills will travel to take on the Minnesota Vikings where the winner will at least be tied for the best record in the NFL. It is also a matchup that will feature the Bills’ highest scoring offense in the league (33.2ppg) against the Vikings’ stingiest defense in the league (13.2ppg). Strength versus strength. The Vikings defense does not give up many points a game, and that’s been absolutely crucial to their success when paired with the second-worst offense in the league. Points may come at a premium in this game, but we expect the Vikings to pull out a close game.
Winless Teams:
Is this the week that the Minnesota Vikings are able to secure their first win of the season? We do not think so. However, this week presents another very winnable opportunity for them when they host the Houston Texans (2-5). With the abysmal showing to start the season, there has been a lot of trade talk surrounding Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack, who signed a 1-year contract back in March. With no hope for the remainder of the season, it’s no wonder contenders are hoping to be able to trade for Mack if he decides to waive his no-trade clause.
By Stephen Juza
November 3rd, 2026
Almost at the halfway point in the season, several coaches are on the hot seat that we’ve been tracking for the last few weeks. Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers are still searching for their first win of the season. Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers managed to win a game without completing a pass, the first time since 1974 an NFL has been able to claim that, and Kevin Stefanski may start really feeling the heat over the last half of the season.
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Hottest Seats:
Todd Bowles - 58% chance of being fired
Bowles managed to lead his team to a victory on Sunday, and while the stat line of zero completions will carry many of the headlines, it was likely a well executed gameplan that helped secure their third win of the season. Playing during a downpour and standing water on the field, but Buccaneers ran the ball 56 times, and attempted only three passes. Despite this, they still posted a 16-0 victory, the first time since 1945 a team has won by double-digits without a pass completion.
While we are still predicting Bowles will be fired by the end of the season, this victory decreased his firing odds by almost 10 percentage points. The Buccaneers, who despite being 3-5, have moved into second place in the NFC South, a half game behind the Carolina Panthers. Their win streak, currently at two games, faces a tough road test in Week 9 when they will travel to Chicago to take on the 6-2 Chicago Bears.
Jim Harbaugh - 57% chance of being fired
The seat is starting to really heat up for Harbaugh, who despite the high expectations coming into the season remain the last winless team in the league. Coming off a bye week, they fared no better than their first six games. They entered the game with the last-ranked offense in the league and somehow managed to underperform the very low expectations.
Things feel really bad in Los Angeles. Justin Herbert has experienced such impressive regression from last season, he is currently on pace for only 12 touchdown passes for the season. This would be almost half as many as he has ever thrown in a single season, and that was in the 2023 season where he only played 13 games. It’s not just touchdowns, his interception rate is almost twice what he next-worst season was (2025).
Harbaugh brought in a new offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniel, this offseason, and something is clearly not working in LA. It’s not too late to turn it around for Harbaugh, but time is running out if he wants to get a fourth season with the Chargers. They have a great opportunity to right the ship this week when they host the 2-5 Houston Texans.
Kevin Stefanski - 50% chance of being fired
We have a new coach in the third spot on our list, with Kevin Stefanski hovering right at a coin flip if he will be fired by the end of the season. Coming off a 16-0 loss against Bowles and the Buccaneers, the loss dropped the Falcons to 3-5 on the season, but they stayed only a half-game out of first place for the NFC South. In a division where someone has to win, the entire division is below .500 and no more than a game away from first place.
The Falcons will host the 5-2 Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9, who are coming into the game with a three-game win streak.
By Stephen Juza
November 2nd, 2026
With eight weeks in the books, the race for Coach of the Year is heating up. Today we look at the top three contenders as we approach the halfway point in the season. While it’s still early in the season, our internal model has three coaches leading the pack.
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John Harbaugh (New York Giants)
John Harbaugh is in his first season with the New York Giants and has already started to make his mark on the franchise. After winning only four games all of 2025, the Giants have already met that mark before the halfway point in the season. Sitting at 4-2-1, the Giants are also in line for their first division title since the 2011 season when the team won the Super Bowl.
While fans can point to the weak NFC East division, who earlier in the season went two full weeks where the division did not win a single game, it still is an impressive display of coaching whenever you have to overcome an injury to your starting quarterback midseason. Jaxson Dart suffered a serious left knee injury in the first month of the season, forcing Jameis Winston into the starting lineup for a little bit until the team traded for J.J. McCarthy.
If the Giants continue to lead the division, Harbaugh is in a great position to win his second Coach of the Year of his career.
Kevin O'Connell (Minnesota Vikings)
While the Vikings suffered their first defeat of the season yesterday, it doesn’t discount the fact that the team was the final undefeated team of the year. The Vikings are winning games in highly unconventional ways. They have the second fewest touchdowns in the league, ahead of only the winless Los Angeles Chargers.
Their defense is putting in impressive performance after impressive performance as defensive coordinator Brian Flores continues to put together winning gameplans. As the defense has allowed the fewest points in the league and second fewest yards. That stout defense has been key with how many close games the team has played. Four of the wins have been single-score games.
Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Second-year Coen has continued to lead the Jaguars to an impressive clip through the first seven games of the season, while surpassing our preseason prediction for the Jaguars. Coming off a 13-win season and on pace for another, the Jaguars are clearly head and shoulders above their AFC South rivals. While the Jaguars have five wins, the rest of the AFC South has five wins combined.
The Jaguars have top-five units on both offense and defense, and the team has really started to unleash two-way start Travis Hunter. He is turning into the lockdown cornerback they hoped for while contributing here and there on offense. Earlier in the year he had the first game since 2002 where a player had both an interception and a touchdown reception.
October 29th, 2026
Long before fans could see every touchdown on one screen, pro football had to find its way onto American television. In earlier broadcasts, while the action was visible, viewers saw little of the individuals, rivalries, and traditions involved. For decades, the NFL learned how to make the experience fun even for people who had never been to a game.
That transformation also changed what the broadcasters expected. The league helped shape the habits of the modern sports spectator, from cinemagraph highlights to a constant stream of live information. Its method of creating trends for sports broadcasts was based on a simple question: how do you get someone to come back next week? As television technology improved and people had more options to choose from, the answer continued to evolve.
The NFL Films Spell of the Silver Screen
The birth of NFL Films occurred in 1962 when filmmaker Ed Sabol bought the rights to shoot the NFL Championship Game. Football, with Ed and his son Steve, began to be more than just a game preserved on tape. Ordinary game film was made memorable with dramatic music and the narration of John Facenda, slow-mo tackles, and close-ups of exhausted participants. Fans can take a Sunday afternoon and make it a story, with heroes, setbacks, and moments to remember. Also, the movies presented teams and players to fans far outside of their home regions.
Making Monday Night an Event
But with the introduction of ABC’s Monday Night Football in 1970, the NFL moved into another kind of television spotlight. The games were weekly prime-time appointments, and the individuals in the commentary booth added humor, drama, and discourse to the action. Even if they didn’t care much about either team, they had a reason to watch. This timing meant that football could occupy an evening that was usually designated for entertainment programs, so that viewers could think of a match as a collective cultural experience.
Making Games a Weekly Event
League Sunday afternoons were also typical. Regional broadcasts gave communities a stable team to unite around, and national games provided significant games to households nationwide. The pregame showed the hype for the game, and the postgame analysis continued. Extended TV coverage meant fans established habits around the timetable. Football talk may last a week after an afternoon game.
Giving Fans More Control
In 1994, NFL Sunday Ticket revolutionized what dedicated fans could access. DirecTV offered Sunday sports viewing out of market, not local stations. NFL Network was created in 2003 with 24-hour programming, documentaries, and analysis. The services spoke to a growing thirst for football beyond one broadcast a week. Fans not at their teams could still follow along, while die-hard fans sought new methods to watch.
RedZone Rethinks Sunday
NFL RedZone, established in 2009, promised basic things. Cut from Sunday afternoon games to highlight touchdowns and other events. Scott Hanson hosted the channel, letting you watch many games without switching stations. League fans, especially fantasy footballers, liked the quick editing. RedZone altered viewing. Fans may jump from possession to possession or from critical play to vital play for hours.
Following Fans Into the Streaming Era
As the crowd entered the stream, something changed. Football fans will have a new method to watch Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV and Primetime Channels in 2023. Fans want more highlights, analytics, and live games on any device. The main appeal remains. The NFL has always made football urgent, intimate, and worth your time, whether in a well-edited NFL Films movie or a short RedZone hit.