Posted on: January 13, 2025, 01:12h.
Last updated on: January 13, 2025, 01:12h.
The NFL’s Wild Card Weekend is all but in the books, with one noteworthy upset out of five games so far – the Washington Commanders taking out the Tampa Buccaneers last night in Florida, 23-20, on a last second field goal by Zane Gonzalez that bounced off one of the uprights and through.
That’s based on Las Vegas Strip bookmaker Johnny Avello of DraftKings picks to Casino.org last week.
Sanders to Las Vegas Rumors
The heavily favored Bills, Ravens and Eagles all did their job, wining by healthy margins. The slightly favored Chargers going in lost 32-12 one to the Texans.
Tonight the L.A. Rams host the Minnesota Vikings in the last wild-card game – the Vikings are -2.5 on the spread at DraftKings, and moneyline favorites at -142, with the over/under 47.5. The game was moved to Arizona due to the wildfires in L.A.
Latest: McCarthy Fired
The NFL coaching carousel keeps spinning – now come reports that Deion Sanders has “very strong interest” in the Las Vegas Raiders’ job. The Raiders fired Antonio Pierce last week after the team went 4-13 in the NFL regular season, his one season as coach. Sanders is currently the coach of the Colorado Buffaloes NCAA team.
Former Seahawks’ head coach Pete Carroll, looking to get back into the game, Detroit Lions offensive coordinate Ben Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, also a former head coach, and Robert Saleh, the former New York Jets coach who was fired during the season, are also rumoured to be in the running in Las Vegas.
That job has a lot going for it – a young roster (with an average age of just under 26), the No. 6 pick in this April’s NFL draft, and a ton of cap space, at just over $98.7 million according to Spotrac. A big con there is they don’t have a quarterback.
Then this morning’s news – Mike McCarthy is out as coach of the Dallas Cowboys, after failing to come to terms on a contract in Big D. So the Dallas job is now available.
Patriots Get Their Man
Mike Vrabel is the new coach of the New England Patriots, replacing Jerod Mayo there.
Vrabel was a huge part of three Super Bowl wins in New England, as a linebacker, and was head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23. His record there was 54-45 in the regular season, 2-3 in the playoffs.
The Jacksonville Jaguars fired head coach Doug Pederson last week after a 4-13 finish. GM Trent Baalke however wasn’t fired and enters the last year of his contract. The Jags also have a lot of cap space – roughly $35 million. Ownership (Shahid Khan) has seen a lot of criticism, though. Why you would fire the coach yet keep Baalke around for the last year of his contract is a head scratcher. A new GM would want to hand pick his coach.
McCarthy to Chicago?
The Chicago Bears fired Matt Eberflus Nov. 29 and McCarthy is rumoured for that job. The Bears have a raw but talented Caleb Williams at QB, and around $75 million in cap space, as well as the No. 10 pick at the draft, but they are also in a very tough NFC North with the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers ahead of them.
The New Orleans Saints fired Dennis Allen Nov. 4 after three seasons there, with a long-term GM in Mickey Loomis. So that means stability.
Jets Are a Mess
Last but certainly not least – the New York Jets. Former Jets head coach Rex Ryan, fired in 2014 after coaching them for five years, interviewed for the job last week. Now an ESPN commentator, he went on air yesterday saying he looked forward to “kicking (Vrabel’s) ass.” A report came out later yesterday that said Ryan was no longer being considered for the Jets job.
The Jets are a mess, with a lot of questions at quarterback, with Aaron Rodgers no sure bet at all to return there next season. Saleh was fired after a 2-3 start to the season. The Jets haven’t been to the playoffs in 13 seasons. Some good players there, though – receiver Garrett Wilson, running back Breece Hall – and some cap room ($23 million, according to Spotrac).
A quick look at the betting markets: Johnson’s next team will be the Bears, according to crypto-based prediction exchange Polymarket, with 41% probability on $20,000 volume. The Jags are next for Johnson at 22% probability. Next Jags’ head coach is Liam Cohen, with a 46% probability, and the next Saints coach is Aaron Glenn, at 32%.
