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Matchups, prediction for Monday Night Football

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The Sunday matchup of the Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens looked a lot more appealing before the season. Still, football is one of the tricky entities that allow for a wide range of possibilities. The Ravens have been absolutely decimated by injuries to seemingly the entire roster. The Colts are without Quenton Nelson, and both tackle spots have evaporated into dust with Braden Smith’s injury. But this is football, and the hopeless Lions nearly beat the Ravens just two weeks ago.

Baltimore Ravens offense vs. Indianapolis Colts defense

Indy’s defense showed up against Miami last week — can they slow down the Ravens?

Lamar Jackson vs. Colts defense

Let me get this out of the way. There is a list of quarterbacks that will inherently have the advantage over every defense they go up against. That list includes Lamar Jackson because nobody in the NFL is a more dynamic offensive weapon.

Just last week, the Denver Broncos dared him to throw the ball, and he torched their vaunted secondary, completing 62.9% of his passes despite averaging 11.6 air yards. He only rushed the ball 6 times, but he netted .36 EPA/play on said runs.

With the Colts’ defense being sufficient against the run but poor against the pass, it’s probably safe to assume Jackson airs it out a bit more again in Week 5.

Advantage: Ravens

Ravens weapons vs. Colts defensive backs

If I had been asked this question before the season, I would have laughed in the face of the person asking. However, the first four weeks haven’t been kind to the Colts’ secondary, and the Ravens’ weapons are performing above expectation for the first time in recent history.

Marquise Brown has performed well so far in 2021, aside from the Detroit game where he dropped what could have been 3 touchdowns. Sammy Watkins hasn’t been as efficient as Brown, but he’s still provided a second option at receiver the Ravens haven’t possessed in quite some time now. However, 4 drops in his 29 targets is a tough number to look at.

With Kenny Moore II, Xavier Rhodes, and Julian Blackmon in the secondary, you’d expect more from the Colts’ pass defense. Unfortunately, they’ve struggled mightily against the pass, ranking 27th in EPA/play (.241). Their saving grace has been a top-15 performance overall on third downs.

Still, I find it hard to believe that group will continue to struggle all season. This could be a bit of a “get right” game for the secondary.

Advantage: Push

Ravens offensive line vs. Colts front seven

Baltimore’s offensive line is nothing close to what it once was. Losing Ronnie Stanley to injury again and losing Orlando Brown through trade with Kansas City makes things difficult for the Ravens’ offense.

Indy’s front seven, just like the secondary, has underperformed through four games. However, they haven’t faced the murderer’s row of offensive lines the way the secondary has receiving weapons.

With Kwity Paye coming into his own and DeForest Buckner anchoring the middle, this feels like a win for Indy’s defensive line. With Darius Leonard roaming the second level, this one feels even easier.

Advantage: Colts

Baltimore Ravens defense vs. Indianapolis Colts offense

Baltimore’s defense is without Marcus Peters, but that hasn’t stopped Wink Martindale from being the aggressor he is. Only four teams blitz more often than the Baltimore Ravens, and I assume it’s only that low because of the loss of Peters — they’ve ranked first by a wide margin dating back to 2019.

Despite that loss, the defense ranks 12th in overall efficiency, according to DVOA. They fall two spots lower if we look at EPA/play. Justin Houston has been a massive addition to the team, and rookie Odafe Oweh is flashing as a rotational pass rusher.

The Colts’ offense has not been good in the slightest. We’ve seen flashes from Michael Pittman Jr. and Zach Pascal, but the rest of the passing attack has underwhelmed. DVOA pegs them as the 26th-ranked offense, and they rank 23rd in EPA/play and 25th in success rate on offense.

But the worst part is the Colts are +4 in turnover differential through four games, yet they’re still 1-3.

Carson Wentz vs. Ravens defense

I worried about Wentz in the Reich offense I’d seen over the past few seasons. There was a lot of quick game involved, and that simply is not Carson’s Wentz’s strength. He’s a do-or-die playmaker that will hold the ball and try to make a play, even as the world collapses around him.

That’s not a good combination with an offensive line devoid of both Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith. No matter how you slice it, it’s been a struggle for the quarterback looking to revitalize his career.

The Ravens are going to send the house. They will try to make Carson Wentz uncomfortable and force him into mistakes. A few years ago, I would have said that’s foolish because he once flourished under pressure. Now, the Ravens would be smart to attack Wentz and try to collapse the pocket.

Advantage: Ravens

Colts weapons vs. Ravens defensive backs

Pascal and Pittman are the two receivers that can really do damage for the Colts, but with Marlon Humphrey on the opposite side, that doesn’t seem like enough. However, this could be a big Nyheim Hines game, given Baltimore’s linebackers and safeties not named Chuck Clark have struggled a bit so far in 2021.

Advantage: Push

Colts offensive line vs. Ravens front seven

Honestly, I don’t even want to talk about this. I couldn’t say it better than Zach Hicks.

And that’s not even accounting for Calais Campbell, who has 16 total pressure so far in 2021 but hasn’t registered a sack. There’s a chance that changes in Week 5.

Advantage: Ravens

Betting line and game prediction

The Ravens are currently a 7-point favorite against the Colts. To cover, the Colts are going to have to make this an ugly game. To win the game, they’re going to need a few turnovers against Jackson and the Ravens’ offense, and they must be better on third down and in the red zone, where they rank 23rd and 30th, respectively.

In the end, there were a few pushes in the positional matchups, but the quarterback comparison skews everything toward the Ravens. It’ll take a lousy performance from Jackson to overcome their deficiencies.

Prediction: Ravens 31, Colts 20





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Taylor Swift Is Shown Chugging a Beer on the Jumbotron at Super Bowl 58

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Global superstar Taylor Swift made it to the big game to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce. In the second quarter, it was evident that she was having a good time at the Super Bowl after taking a 12-hour flight from Tokyo the night prior.

Taylor Swift Seen Chugging Beer at Super Bowl

Swift’s attendance has been highly anticipated, as many fans questioned whether she would be able to make it to the big game since she had been in Japan until Saturday for her Eras Tour.

Sure enough, she made it to the Super Bowl and was seen making a grand entrance alongside Blake Lively and Ice Spice.

Swift made it back to the States with plenty of time to make it to Allegiant Stadium to support Kelce. After a leg of her Eras Tour, where she performed several nights in Japan, the singer appeared to let loose.

In a box full of friends, Swift was shown chugging a beer with Ashley Avignone. She was shown on the jumbotron and slammed her cup down after she finished her beer.

There was a mix of cheers and boos as Swift was shown on the big screen, and a long pass to Mecole Hardman was the only highlight of the first half for Swift and her friends. The 49ers led the Chiefs, 10-0, late in the second quarter.

On social media, Swift garnered plenty of support from NFL fans.

If you’re hating on her you can kick rocks man she’s the best,” one user posted on X

“The one thing I learned this season is that she is actually fun,” another said. 

“Booing Taylor Swift chugging a beer is so soft. She’s just one of us now and I respect it ,” another posted. 

At the time of the beer chugging, Kelce, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, has had one catch for a single yard. It came on the first possession, which ended up being a three-and-out. The Kansas City Chiefs hadn’t done much otherwise.

They did have a deep pass play to Hardman, which put them in the red zone, but Isiah Pacheco fumbled on the very next play — one that Kelce was surprisingly on the sideline for.

Swift and Kelce have garnered much media attention as their romance has taken off throughout this NFL season.

Swift was able to support her boyfriend at many of his games throughout the final stretch of the season, as her Eras Tour was on a break. But starting on Feb. 7, she went back on the road.

MORE: NFL World Reacts to Unbelievable Super Bowl Trick Play

Despite performing in Tokyo the night before the Super Bowl, she was able to make it in time to support her boyfriend due to the time difference and is having a good time doing so.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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What Happened to the 49ers Linebacker?

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The San Francisco 49ers sustained a massive blow during the second quarter of Super Bowl 58, as linebacker Dre Greenlaw left the game on a medical cart.

CBS Sports confirmed that the veteran Greenlaw suffered an Achilles tear, ruling him out for the rest of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

What Happened to Dre Greenlaw?

The outside linebacker, who had already been battling past injuries to his hamstrings and calves, left with what appeared to be a leg injury.

And somehow, his left leg looked like it buckled as he tried to trot onto the field with the Niners’ defense.

Greenlaw clutched his left leg in agony before being helped off the field.

CBS Sports sideline reporter Evan Washburn reported that the outside linebacker left with what was ruled as a lower leg injury. He was later determined to sustain an Achilles injury.

Greenlaw was declared out for the rest of the game.

Greenlaw Carted Off in Passenger Seat

Even more noticeable was where Greenlaw sat on the cart.

He ended up leaving not in the back of the medical vehicle but ended up riding shotgun with his leg injury.

One would think that with an injury like an Achilles ailment, medical officials would try to make the player as comfortable as possible before they leave. It wasn’t the case here.

MORE: San Francisco 49ers Depth Chart

Regardless, Greenlaw was replaced by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for the rest of the first half. Greenlaw became the most significant injury of the game.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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NFL World Reacts to Epic Super Bowl Intro From CBS

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Super Bowl 58 is here and it’s going to be exciting. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are facing off in the final game of 2023.

CBS is broadcasting the game and the opening was nothing short of amazing. How is the NFL world reacting to the electric Super Bowl-opening video?

Epic CBS Super Bowl Intro Garners Reaction From NFL World

The video, which spanned four minutes and 19 seconds, featured players from both teams talking about the big game and what it means to them. It also featured their families talking about their journeys to this point.

“Amazing intro! Reminds me of my dad! Bravo on the intro!,” one NFL fan said on X (formerly known as Twitter)

Additionally, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” played in the background, giving it a near-movie feel. “This was incredible.,” another person said on X. “And so, the @49ers and @Chiefs face that final curtain,” CBS Sports said.

The 49ers finished the regular season as the top seed in the NFC with a 12-5 record. After their first-round bye, they defeated both the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions to earn their trip to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl. Both of their victories came in comeback fashion, including an NFC Championship-record 17-point comeback.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, had a more uphill battle. Entering the playoffs as the AFC’s third seed, they finished the regular season with an 11-6 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens to punch their ticket.

Super Bowl 58 is a re-match of Super Bowl 54 when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-24. The win was the first in Patrick Mahomes career, as he also won Super Bowl MVP. Four years later, the Chiefs have made three more and won another. For the 49ers, this is their first trip back to the big game since.

The game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. ET with the 49ers receiving the opening kick. In addition to being broadcast on CBS, the game is also being streamed on Paramount+.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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