The Sportsletter - 🏈 NFL Mixtape: MNF, MVPs & Playoffs

BY JEFF YODER

DEC. 3, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

The Monday after Thanksgiving was one of those “hangover” sports days if I’ve ever seen one. The news cycle was quiet, but that won't stop us. Monday Night Football was entertaining, if nothing else, and it’s a good time to take a look at the playoff picture and the MVP race as December brings the NFL's final month of the regular season. Plus, a tie in the NFL Pick 'Em?

Letter Rip!

PICKS

Week 13 Pick 'Em Champ(s)

The favorites were 15-for-16 over Thanksgiving Week in the NFL, and that was bad news for the pick ‘em. Nearly five percent of all players were perfect (16-for-16) — a new record, by far. To the tiebreakers we went, and we… still have a tie.

Congrats to Rick Amundson & Tim Poland! Both Rick and Tim had perfect picks and correctly hit both tiebreakers to the exact number. Impressive stuff.

NFL Pick ‘Em Leaderboard

T1. Rick Amundson (16/16)

T1. Tim Poland (16/16)

3. William Laflamme (16/16)

4. Silvia Rosas (16/16)

5. Mark Petty (16/16)

NFL Pick 'Em (Week 14)

✍️ Play The Sportsletter's NFL Pick 'Em

Picks Take Approximately 60 Seconds

NFL

MNF: Broncos Ride to 3 in a Row

Photo: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images

Jameis & Bo Put On a Show on MNF — Broncos Beat Browns (41-32) in Shootout With 73 Points, 950 Yards of Offense & 5 Total INTs

Week 13 in the NFL came to a close with a matchup that might’ve seemed less than signficant just a month ago. The lowly Browns and the mid-tier Broncos were often forgotten, but Jameis Winston is a national treasure, and Bo Nix is a special rookie. Denver and Cleveland met at Mile High Stadium for a scoreboard-sizzler that saw 73 points, nearly 1,000 yards of total offense, and an even 5 TDs and 5 INTs by both quarterbacks. Winston (497 yards) brought the arm-cannon, but a few of those “famous Jameis” interceptions were costly. He threw two pick-sixes, including one inside two minutes with the Browns trailing by only two (34-32). That was a game-sealing house call courtesy of Ja’Quan McMillian. The Broncos logged 3 INTs in all, two defensive TDs, and a third straight victory.

Denver (8-5) has won eight of their last 11 since an 0-2 start, and they now have a 76 percent chance to make the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.

QB Comparison

B. Nix (DEN): 18/35, 298 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT

J. Winston (CLE): 34/58, 508 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs

Top Performers

WR J. Jeudy (CLE): 9 catches, 235 yards, 1 TD

WR M. Mims (DEN): 3 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD

TE D. Njoku (CLE): 9 catches, 52 yards, 2 TDs

Watch: Broncos Pick Browns 3 Times for MNF Shootout Win (41-32)

NFL: Can’t Miss Play: Bo Nix Threads the Needle With 93-Yard TD to Marvin Mims Jr.

NFL

The NFL MVP Ladder 🪜

Photo: Bryan M. Bennett / Getty Images

Saquon Barkley Soared Last Week, But Josh Allen’s Hot Streak Can’t Be Ignored

For most of the 2024 NFL season, the MVP chatter has been a swirling cyclone of guess work. Every week brings a new breakout performer that puts someone new in the mix. Now, after 13 weeks, it’s starting to become clear. RB Saquon Barkley (Eagles) soared to the top after last week's 300-yard outburst. QB Josh Allen (Bills) reminded everyone who he is with 3 TDs in the snow on Sunday night. Plus, Lamar Jackson (Ravens) still has eye-popping numbers. Stats matter, but a team’s win-loss record plays a vital role. Here are the latest odds from DraftKings:

🪜 NFL MVP Ladder

1. QB Josh Allen (Bills): -225 Odds

3,025 Yards, 26 TDs, 5 INTs, 74.5 QBR

2. RB Saquon Barkley (Eagles): +350 Odds

283 Touches, 1,766 Scrimmage Yards, 13 TDs

3. QB Lamar Jackson (Ravens): +900 Odds

3,968 Yards, 32 TDs, 3 INTs, 73.4 QBR

Other Top MVP Candidates: QB Jared Goff (Lions), QB Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), QB Jalen Hurts (Eagles), QB Jordan Love (Packers), QB Baker Mayfield (Bucs), RB Derrick Henry (Ravens)

NFL

NFL Playoff Snapshot 📸

In lieu of our weekly NFL Power Rankings, we’ve entered into playoff preview season. Only nine teams in the AFC and 11 teams in the NFC (roughly 20 teams) are still in the mix for the 14 playoff bids. A few others haven’t been mathematically eliminated, but teams like the Bengals (4-8) and Cowboys (5-7) would need a miracle at this point. The Chiefs and Bills — AFC’s No. 1 and 2 seeds — are the only teams to officially clinch in Week 13.

AFC

1. Chiefs (11-1) | West

2. Bills (10-2) | East

3. Steelers (9-3) | North

4. Texans (8-5) | South

5. Chargers (8-4) | Wild Card

6. Ravens (8-5) | Wild Card

7. Broncos (8-5) | Wild Card

In the Hunt: 8. Colts (6-7), 9. Dolphins (5-7)

NFC

1. Lions (11-1) | North

2. Eagles (10-2) | East

3. Seahawks (7-5) | West

4. Falcons (6-6) | South

5. Vikings (10-2) | Wild Card

6. Packers (9-3) | Wild Card

7. Commanders (8-5) | Wild Card

In the Hunt: 8. Buccaneers (6-6), 9. Cardinals (6-6), 10. Rams (6-6), 11. 49ers (5-7)

NCAA

College Basketball Polls 📊

Men: UConn Plummets to the Bottom (#25), Drops 23 Spots in AP Poll

Men’s AP Poll: 1. Kansas (7-0), 2. Auburn (7-0), 3. Tennessee (7-0), 4. Kentucky (7-0), 5. Marquette (8-0), 6. Iowa State (5-1), 7. Gonzaga (7-1), 8. Purdue (7-1), 9. Duke (5-2), 10. Alabama (6-2)

Women: TCU Soars Into Top-10 While Notre Dame Tumbles After 2 Losses

Women’s AP Poll: 1. UCLA (8-0), 2. UConn (6-0), 3. South Carolina (7-1), 4. Texas (7-0), 5. LSU (9-0), 6. USC (6-1), 7. Maryland (8-0), 8. Duke (8-1), 9. TCU (8-0), 10. Notre Dame (5-2)

HIGHLIGHTS 🎥

🏀 NBA

Celtics def. Heat (108-89)

Payton Pritchard Has 25 Off the Bench

Timberwolves def. Lakers (109-80)

AD (12) & LeBron (10) Held to 22 Points

Bulls def. Nets (128-102)

Josh Giddey Has Triple-Double (20-13-11)

🏒 NHL

Devils def. Rangers (5-1)

Jack Hughes (2G, 1A)

Maple Leafs def. Blackhawks (4-1)

Toronto Won 6 of Last 7

STORYLINES

🏈 CFB’s Flag-Planting Problem

After triggering several massive brawls over rivalry weekend, flag-planting has become a hot-button issue for several conferences in college football. (Yahoo! Sports)

⚽️ Premier League Round 13

Manchester City falls to fourth, 11 points behind the leaders, as Liverpool power on. Plus, why it's all coming together for Chelsea and Arsenal. (Sports Illustrated)

🏀 NBA Cup Standings

Three of the eight NBA Cup quarterfinalists have been determined after three weeks of group-stage games. Tonight’s action will fill out the bracket. (Bleacher Report)

NEWS 📰

🏈 USC QB Miller Moss to Enter Transfer Portal With 1 Year of Eligibility Left (B/R)

🏀 WNBA Expansion Team, Golden State Valkyries, to Tip Off 2025 WNBA Schedule (ESPN)

⛳️ LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan Resigns After 3 Years (SI)

⚽️ 56 People Killed in Guinea Soccer Stadium Disaster After Controversial Referee Decision (CBS Sports)

🏈 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey Officially Placed on IR After PCL Injury (FOX Sports)

SCHEDULE 🗓️

Tonight's Must-Watch List

🏈 CFP Playoff Reveal (5 of 6)

Tonight (7:00 pm ET, ESPN)

🏀 NBA Cup (11 Games)

Magic at Knicks (7:30 pm ET, TNT)