2025 Pro Football Journal All-NFC

 By John Turney

Offense

Center—Ryan Neuzil, Falcons

Second team—Jake Brendel, 49ers

Guards—Joe Thuney, Bears; Chris Lindstrom, Falcons;

Second team— Damien Lewis, Panthers;  Kevin Dotson, Rams

Tackles— Laremy Tunsil,  Commanders; Penei Sewell, Lions

Second team—Andrew Thomas, Giants; Darnell Wright, Bears

Tight end—Trey McBride, Cardinals

Second team—Kyle Pitts, Falcons

Wide Receivers—Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks; Puka Nacua, Rams; George Pickens, Cowboys

Second team— Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions; Chris Olave, Saints; Drake London, Falcons

Quarterback—Matthew Stafford, Rams

Second team—Jared Goff, Lions

Fullback—Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers

Second team—Hunter Luepke, Cowboys

Running back—Bijan Robinson, Falcons

Second team—Christian McCaffrey, 49ers

Defense

Edge—Micah Parsons, Packers-Cowboys; Aidan Hutchinson, Lions

Second team—Brian Burns, Giants; Jared Verse, Rams

Defensive interior— Byron Murphy, Seahawks (nose); Derek Brown, Panthers; Leonard Williams, Seahawks

Second team— Jordan Davis, Eagles (nose); Quinnen Williams, Jets-Cowboys; Kobie Turner, Rams

Linebackers—Ernest Jones IV, Seahawks; Tremaine Edmunds, Bears

Second team—Nate Landman, Rams; Zack Baun, Eagles and Eric Wilson, Vikings (tie)

Cornerbacks—Quinyon Mitchell, Eagles; Jaycee Horn, Panthers 

Second team—Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks; Nahshon Wright, Bears

Slot—Cooper DeJean, Eagles (slot)

Second team—Nick Emmanwori, Seahawks (slot)

Safeties—Jessie Bates III, Falcons; Kevin Byard, Bears

Second team—Tre'von Moehrig, Panthers; Xavier McKinney, Packers

Special Teams

Kicker—Will Reichard, Vikings

Second team—Brandon Aubrey, Cowboys

Punter—Tress Way, Commanders

Second team—Daniel Whelan, Packers

Kick Returner—Kavontae Turpin, Cowboys

Second team—Deonte Banks, Giants

Punt Returner—Jaylin Lane, Commanders

Second team—Rashid Shaheed, Saints-Seahawks

Special Teams—Luke Gifford, 49ers

Second team—Nick Bellore, Commanders

Note: Due to personal family issues, I am unable to post a full analysis of my picks at this time, but plan to update as soon as I am able.

2025 Pro Football Journal All-AFC

By John Turney

Offense

Center—Aaron Brewer, Dolphins

Second team—Creed Humphrey, Chiefs

Guards—Michael Onwenu, Patriots; Peter Skoronski, Titans

Second team— Quinn Meinerz and Quenton Nelson, Colts

Tackles—Garett Bolles, Broncos; Troy Fautanu, Steelers

Second team—Dion Dawkins, Bills; Spencer Brown, Bills

Tight end—Hunter Henry, Patriots

Second team—Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Wide Receivers—Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals; Nico Collins, Texans; Zay Flowers, Ravens

Second team—Alec Pierce, Colts; Stefon Diggs, Patriots; Courtland Sutton, Broncos

Quarterback—Drake Maye, Patriots

Second team—Josh Allen, Bills

Fullback—Reggie Gilliam, Bills

Second team—Patrick Ricard, Ravens

Running back—Jonathan Taylor, Colts

Second team—Derrick Henry, Ravens

Defense

Edge—Myles Garrett,  Browns; Maxx Crosby, Raiders and Will Anderson, Jr.; Texans  (tied)

Second team—Nik Bonitto, Broncos; Danielle Hunter, Texans

Defensive interior—Jeffery Simmons, Titans; Chris Jones, Chiefs; Travis Jones, Ravens (nose)

Second team—Zach Allen, Broncos; Cameron Heyward, Steelers; D.J. Jones, Broncos (nose)

Linebackers—Devin Lloyd, Jaguars; Jordyn Brooks, Dolphins

Second team—Carson Schwesinger, Browns; Henry To'oTo'o, Texans

 

Cornerbacks—Derek Stingley Jr., Texans; Pat Surtain II, Broncos

Second team—Donte Jackson, Chargers; Jarrian Jones, Jaguars

Slot—Jalen Pitre, Texans 

Second-team—Ja'Quan McMillian, Broncos 

Safeties—Derwin James Jr., Chargers; Kyle Hamilton, Ravens

Second team—Antonio Johnson, Jaguars; Talanoa Hufanga, Broncos

Special Teams

Kicker—Cam Little, Jaguars

Second team—Ka'imi Fairbairn, Texans

Punter—Jordan Stout, Ravens

Second team—Rigoberto Sanchez, Colts

Kick Returner—Charlie Jones, Bengals

Second team—Ray Davis, Buffalo

Punt Returner—Marcus Jones, Patriots

Second team—Chimere Dike, Titans

Special Teams—Devon Key, Broncos

Second team—Ben Skowronek, Pittsburgh

Note: Due to personal family issues, I am unable to post a full analysis of my picks at this time but plan to update as soon as I am able.

2025 Pro Football Journal All-Pro Team

 By John Turney

Offense

Center: Aaron Brewer, Dolphins
Second team: Creed Humphrey, Chiefs

Guards: Joe Thuney, Bears; Michael Onwenu, Patriots
Second team: Peter Skoronski, Titans; Chris Lindstrom, Falcons

Tackles: Laremy Tunsil, Commanders; Penei Sewell, Lions
Second team: Garett Bolles, Broncos; Troy Fautanu, Steelers

Tight end: Trey McBride, Cardinals
Second team: Kyle Pitts, Falcons

Wide Receivers: Puka Nacua, Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks; George Pickens, Cowboys
Second team: Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals; Nico Collins, Texans; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions

Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, Rams
Second team: Drake Maye, Patriots

Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers
Second team: Reggie Gilliam, Bills

Running back: Bijan Robinson, Falcons
Second team: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers

Defense

Edge: Myles Garrett, Browns (4E); Micah Parsons, Packers-Cowboys (3O)
Second team: Maxx Crosby, Raiders and Will Anderson Jr., Texans (4E)-tied; Nik Bonitto, Broncos (3O)

Defensive interior: Jeffery Simmons, Titans; Derrick Brown, Panthers; Byron Murphy, Seahawks (nose)
Second team: Leonard Williams, Seahawks; Cam Heyward, Steelers; Jordan Davis, Eagles (nose)

Linebackers: Ernest Jones IV, Seahawks; Tremaine Edmunds, Bears
Second team: Jack Campbell, Lions; Devin Lloyd, Jaguars

Cornerbacks: Derek Stingley Jr., Texans; Quinyon Mitchell, Eagles
Second team: Pat Surtain II, Broncos; Donte Jackson, Chargers

Slot: Cooper DeJean, Eagles

Second-team: Jalen Pitre, Texans

Safeties: Derwin James Jr., Chargers; Jessie Bates III, Falcons

Second team: Kyle Hamilton, Ravens; Kevin Byard, Bears

Special Teams

Kicker: Will Reichard, Vikings
Second team: Cam Little, Jaguars

Punter: Tress Way, Commanders
Second team: Jordan Stout, Ravens

Kick Returner: Charlie Jones, Bengals
Second team: Ray Davis, Bills

Punt Returner: Marcus Jones, Patriots
Second team: Chimere Dike, Titans

Special Teams: Devon Key, Broncos
Second team: Ben Skowronek, Steelers

Note: Due to personal family issues, I am unable to post a full analysis of my picks at this time, but plan to update as soon as I am able.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"

By TJ Troup 

Gonna start by having another bite of crow with my coffee! Congrats to Adam Rank who correctly "picked" the Bears to win the NFC North. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last that Terence Jon Troup has been humbled. That said, how many times has an entire division finished a season with all four teams with winning records? 

Next August will attempt to evaluate who wins this strong division. Speaking of strong divisions, the NFC West had one of the best overall ever! Whoever is chosen to be head coach of the Cardinals next year faces a daunting task. Years ago shared with Steve Sabol that since the "wild card" came into existence, there has been at least one road victory every year(55 and counting)! 

Ok, all of you dedicated followers of the playoff football, which road team or teams will win this weekend? Since Vegas has betting lines with road teams as favorites, possibly that will make choices easier? Do I see a road victory this weekend? You betcha! 

Both the Rams & Bills win on the road this weekend. Have been an advocate of the defensive passer rating for what seems like forever, and has been a very useful tool in evaluating team pass defense. This year is no different since the top seven teams in this category (the Chargers led the league)all earned a playoff berth. Of the 14 teams in the playoffs, the team with the worst defensive passer rating is San Francisco with a mark of 100.5. 

Does this mean they will be carved up by the Eagles passing attack? The law firm of Smith & Brown should give Hurts some open receivers. How painful for NYJ fans as they established a new record (one that no one wants to break), by having 515 passes thrown at them with nary, repeat NARY an interception! The Jets finished dead last with a mark of 110.9. Ouch! 

Since many years of my life were dedicated to teaching/coaching this game of passion; was not a big fan of officiating. Brad Allen's "performance" last Saturday was truly abysmal, yet learned from Doug Farrar in his well-written article online that Brad Allen two years ago in the game between Detroit & Dallas was so inept, he was disciplined by not being allowed to officiate in the playoffs. 

Will be watching all six of the playoff games this weekend, and will check to see if he is assigned to a game. That is where the title of this week's saga comes from: a quote from Mr. Farrar directed towards Brad Allen. Finally, so many playoff games have been played on January 11th historically, yet with the Steelers earning a playoff berth again this year will take you back in time to two games. 

The first in January of 2009, when Mike Tomlin and his black & gold clad warriors easily dispatched the Chargers 35-24 with Willie Parker running around and through the Charger defense, and a strong pass rush that notched 4 sacks! 

The second was in 2014 when Green Bay down 21-13 rallied to beat Dallas 26-21 as Aaron Rodgers carved up the Cowboy secondary late in the game. So, will end with a question concerning a red-hot Texans team with a very well-coached defense on the road where three rivers meet. Does Tomlin finally get a playoff victory? See ya next week.

2025 PFJ All-Rookie Team

by Chris Willis, NFL Films

Awards:
OROY: Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers, WR
DROY: Nick Emmanwori, Seahawks, NB

Packers Fall in Minnesota; Finish Regular Season 0-4

 By Eric Goska

Holder Daniel Whelan (19), kicker Brandon McManus (17) and long snapper Matt Orzech (42)
teamed up to produce the Packers only points of the day on a 24-yard field goal as time expired.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Oh for four.

That’s the wrap on the Packers who finished the regular season Sunday in Minnesota. In falling 16-3 to the Vikings, Green Bay closed with four straight losses, something it hasn’t done in decades.

No matter. The Packers are playoff bound, just the fourth team in NFL history to head into the postseason on a four-game (or more) losing streak.

Locked in as the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs well before kickoff, the Packers rested many starters in Minneapolis. Clayton Tune opened at quarterback. Jakobie Keeney-James and Drake Dabney started at wide receiver and tight end, respectively.

In all, eight Packers made their first NFL start: TE Dabney, LG Lecitus Smith, C Jacob Monk, WR Keeney-James, DE Barryn Sorrell, DL Nazir Stackhouse, DE Brenton Cox Jr. and LB Jamon Johnson.

That makeshift lineup made for an interesting afternoon. On the offensive side of the ball, Green Bay posted lows not seen in years.

• In the opening two quarters, the Packers did not run a play from the 50-yard line or beyond for the first time since a 38-14 loss to the Lions on Oct. 9, 1983.
• The Green and Gold amassed 12 first-half yards, the team’s lowest total in the opening two quarters since coming away with minus-4 (unofficially) in a 31-14 setback to the Steelers on Oct. 24, 1953.
• Green Bay wound up with minus-7 yards passing, the fewest since the franchise low of minus-35 was set against the Bengals in 1976.
• The Packers produced one first down passing, the fewest since they had one in a 14-10 win over the Colts in 1991.

So inept was Green Bay that it risked being shutout. Brandon McManus finally ended that possibility with a 24-yard field goal as time expired.

Dropping four straight – Broncos, Bears, Ravens and Vikings – is not how the Packers expected to ride into the playoffs. Such a woebegone finish is out of character for a team that often plays its best ball as fall turns to winter.

Since the arrival of Mike Holmgren in 1992, Green Bay is the league’s winningest team when only the last four regular-games of a season are considered. From 1992 through 2024, the Green and Gold won 95 of 132 games, a 0.720 winning percentage. It’s one reason the club reached the playoffs a league-high 24 times during that 33-year span.

Another reason for that gaudy record had been the teams’ avoidance of the ‘oh-for-four’ finish. Prior to this season, Green Bay last closed out with four consecutive regular-season losses in 1990. Only the Bills (1985) and Bengals (1969) have steered clear longer.

Keisean Nixon (25) and Isaiah McDuffie (58) were two of
the regulars to start for Green Bay in Minneapolis.

So the Packers head into the playoffs having dropped four straight. Perhaps it might be instructive to take a glance at how the other three ‘oh-for-four’ playoff teams fared in the postseason.

1986 Jets (10-6) — New York was outscored 61 to 183 in losing its final five regular-season games. The Jets bounced back to defeat Kansas City 35-15 in a wild card game before falling to Cleveland 23-20 in a marathon divisional playoff contest (two overtimes).

1999 Lions (8-8) — With Barry Sanders retired, Detroit is outrushed 486 yards to 206 in its final four games, all losses. Washington knocks out the Lions 27-13 (wild card round), outrushing its visitors 223 yards to 45.

2024 Steelers (10-7) — Pittsburgh loses its last four regular-season games to the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals as Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow torch the Steel City 11 for a combined 1,094 passing yards and nine touchdowns. Baltimore dispatches the Steelers 28-14 (wild card round), amassing 464 yards to Pittsburgh’s 280.

Final Four
Teams with the best record in the final four games of the regular season (1992-2024).

Team                  Record       Times in Playoffs
Packers                   95-37                       24
Patriots                   85-47                       22
Steelers                  82-50                       22
Eagles                     79-53                       20
Colts                        78-54                       18
Chiefs                     76-56                       18
49ers                       76-56                       16
Chargers                71-61                        12

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "But That Didn't Mean Shit To Us"

By TJ Troup 

2025 Seahawks vs 49ers

The final week of the regular season for 2025 and we still have teams fighting for a berth in the playoffs; which is the way it should be. Seattle, San Francisco, & Los Angeles have all earned a berth in the playoffs and when they are not playing each other, have a record of 31-7! This brings to mind the AFC Central in 1975 when the Oilers, Bengals, & Steelers had a 27-3 record when they did not play each other. 

1975 Steelers vs Oilers

Next week will discuss the wild-card round of the playoffs, yet there is no doubt one of the three teams from the NFC West will travel to the NFC South Champion. Was stated online that when the Vikings beat the Lions they were the third team in the last 40 years with fewer than 10 yards net passing and won! The other two teams were the Texans in 2006 and the Cardinals in 1987. 

So, why not travel back even earlier to list all the teams that "achieved" this dubious feat? Words like lazy & foolish come to mind, and will not cover all the games, yet boy oh boy, there sure are some dandy games to talk about where the winning team could not gain much passing! Oh, you want me to detail a couple of them? Yippee! 

Three stand out to me; the first from 1974 when the Packers beat the Rams 17-6 and LOST 1 yard passing in the game. That Ram team would overcome the loss and advance to the NFC Title game. 

The Redskins in '55 still have an outside chance of catching the Browns to win the Eastern Conference title with a record of 6-3 when they take on a 4-5 Steeler team. Washington will run the ball 62 times in the game, while completing just one pass. The Steeler pass rush gets to Guglielmi & LeBaron for 29 yards in sacks, and the lone completion is to Pro Bowl linebacker Chuck Drazenovich for a loss of 3 yards (Charley Cro played fullback many times earlier in his career). Thus, LeBaron & Guglielmi complete 1 of 9 for MINUS 3 yards. Washington wins 23-14. 

 Chuck Drazenovich

The third and final comes on opening day '50 when the Giants play the Steelers. Early in the 4th quarter the Giants are behind 7-4, but the stellar New York defense will score twice on fumble return/recoveries to win 18-7! Chuckin' Charley completed only 3 of 13 for 30 yards, with the Steeler pass rush getting 24 yards in sacks. Conerly will rebound and pitch the pigskin well during the season, but that Giants team had a punishing ground attack and strong defense. They lost a hard-fought game to the Browns in the special NFL Eastern Conference playoff 8-3! 

This coming Sunday, January 4th, has had many, many historical playoff games, and we sure could detail many of those games, but will end with the most meaningful. The last game in AFL History will be played in Oakland between the bitter rival Chiefs and the Raiders. Oakland won both regular-season games, but the winner of this game will advance to the Super Bowl.

Since both Oakland and Kansas City have both lost to the Packers in the Silver Trophy game, the game has even more meaning. The title of today's saga is a quote from Willie Lanier after Oakland destroyed the Oilers in the divisional round, and comes from Rick Gosselin's superb book "The Team History Forgot" -- get a copy, and enjoy, 'cause I sure did!

As always in those days, the game had plenty of compelling drama as Kansas City won 17-7! See ya next week.