TUESDAY TIDBITS: "It's a Shame, We Played Well Enough to Win"

By TJ Troup

Where to start? 

Ok, since I'm a stat guy, let's go to a category and performance last Sunday that we will never see again. A bold statement? Hell Yes! 

Braden Mann has proven to be a consistent and excellent punter, and his 86-yard booming punt sure was impressive. Later in the game, he had a -2 yard punt, yes folks, MINUS 2! 

That combination will never happen again! 

Josh Allen had a passer rating of 87.3 last night. Not one of his best passing game performances to say the least, but the Vikings entered the game ranked #1 in the defensive passer rating category with a mark of 64.9; thus, Allen was efficient enough, coupled with Buffalo staying on the ground in literally grinding out a victory. 

Minnesota has now lost two straight, and this Sunday they play their hated rivals from Green Bay. Yes, you guessed correctly there will be plenty of smokehouse almonds and dr. pepper as I watch. 

If Detroit can pull out another win on Sunday, coupled with the cuddly little Bears having a bye, the standings in the NFC North will simply mean that EVERY game for these four teams has an impact on the standings and who stays home in January. Wait, they could all go to the playoffs? 

Bill Barnwell writes online that the NFC North this year is the best division ever? If you don't agree with his assessment, share with me which division historically is better? During the final weeks of the 1994 season, the four contending teams in the "Black & Blue" division won enough to qualify for the play-offs and were matched up against each other. 

Since I mentioned the Packers they are one of the two teams involved in a game that I can watch over and over. 

The '58 Packers were abysmal; thus enter Vince Lombardi! He has prepared his team so well that they start out 3-0, then they lose four straight. The defending champion Colts have lost two in a row after winning 4 of 5. 

Baltimore journeys to Milwaukee on a chilly November afternoon with snow encircling the field. Green Bay and Baltimore would never be considered heated rivals, but after this game they sure became bitter rivals since division and conference titles were on the line for the next nine years! 

Billy Butler returns the opening kickoff 27 yards, and when Starr gains 37 yards on a completion to McGee, the Packers have first and ten on the Colts' thirty-two-yard line. On second down, Hornung cannot make the catch of a swing pass from Starr and deflects the ball skyward. 

Big Daddy Lipscomb on a long interception return

Credit: Baltimore Colts, Fair use claim

When you watch the "Big Daddy" arrive on the scene due to his amazing pursuit skills and snag the ball, we get to watch the big man rumble, and I mean RUMBLE, down the sideline for 49 yards before Starr takes his legs out. Baltimore can not make a first down, thus Myhra enters the game to attempt a field goal. 

Ray Brown has thrown a few passes as a Colt and on a fake field goal attempt, Brown lofts the ball to the end zone for Marchetti. Yes, Marchetti, who is expertly defended by savvy veteran Emlen Tunnell. Who would have thought you would ever see this scenario in a game based upon the backgrounds of Marchetti & Tunnell at this point in their careers? 

Hall of Famer Emlen Tunnell defends Hall of Fame Gino Marchetti on fake field goal

Credit: Baltimore Colts, Fair use claim

The Packers take over and advance 64 yards before the drive ends with a Hornung 23-yard field goal. Middle linebacker Dick Szymanski intercepts a screen pass and the Colts score on Lenny Moore's shifty 26-yard run.

Early in the second quarter, Baltimore drives 80 yards on 11 plays. Unitas pitches to Berry for 7 yards is a textbook example of two men, their synergy and timing. Baltimore 14, Green Bay 3. Just before the half John again completes to Berry for a score, this one for 10 yards. 

Johnny Unitas to Raymond Berry for a 7-yard touchdown

Credit: Baltimore Colts, Fair use claim

Looks like the game is going to be a runaway. About a minute left in the half as Starr calls signals.

 ...WAIT? The Colts are not only in their version of an early "nickel" defense; it is their three-man defensive line that needs to be discussed. 

First down has #70 Art Donovan as the nose tackle, second down it is #76 Lipscomb, and on third down #78 Ray Krouse. The Baltimore Colts' defensive strategy is light years ahead of many of the other teams in the league. Add to that all three men earned a Pro Bowl berth during the decade of the '50s... has to be the only time in league history. This Green Bay Packer team comes out of the locker room for the second half ready to due battle, and boy oh boy do they. 

Baltimore punts, and Starr back as the starting quarterback masterfully moves the Pack 75 yards in eight plays as Taylor scores from the two. When the Horse fumbles (that is Alan Ameche to you that don't know the roster)and quick tough defensive tackle Henry Jordan pounces on the pigskin. Bones Nelson is called for pass interference. First and ten; Starr reads the coverage of the Colts, flips a pass to Taylor and he bolts 20 yards to score! Baltimore 21, Green Bay 17 midway through the third quarter. 

Green Bay stops the Colts and on first down Hornung explodes for the longest run of his career; he weaves his way 63 yards to the Baltimore ten-yard line. Hornung misses his second field goal of the game. Unitas finds Mutscheller open and he gains 27, then completes to Berry for 13. At the 13:49 mark of the fourth quarter, Hightower again finds Jim Mutscheller ready to latch onto the pigskin, this time for 24 yards. Baltimore 28, Green Bay 17. 

Bart Starr has found rookie Boyd Dowler open all day and his 21-yard gain has the Packers near midfield. Can these guys actually rally to beat the champs? Right linebacker Don Shinnick pilfers a pass (one of his league-leading 7 during the campaign), but the Packers' defense stiffens; yet there is a reason the Colts are champions, and they also force a punt. Green Bay again forces a punt. 

Starr completes 4 passes while mixing in the run. Taylor again scores. Hornung's onside kick is recovered by Milt Davis. So much has been written about the Baltimore pass offense, yet they can run the ball as Moore, Sommer and Ameche pound out 39 yards. The game ends with Baltimore on the Packers' twenty-seven-yard line on 1st and 10! Having watched this game many times, what washes over me is how many outstanding football players were on the field that day. Hard-bitten veterans like Pellington of the Colts. 

The rookie of the year in Dowler. Future Hall of Famers, including Starr & Unitas, driving their teams down the field. Cutting-edge strategy in offensive alignments. Lombardi is quoted after the game with the title of today's saga. 

Art Credit: Merv Corning

With Starr at the helm, Green Bay will win their last four to finish with a winning record in Lombardi's maiden voyage as head coach. John Eisenberg captures the essence in his terrific book "That First Season". 

As for Baltimore, they also continue to win, all the way to their second world championship. ESPN over the years has had many a documentary on signficant/important games. Really believe this game could and should be done. 

Oh well, just a crusty old dinosaur wishing and a hopin' ... see ya next week.

Matthew Is Golden in Packers' Win in New England

By Eric Goska

Matthew Golden had six receptions
for 126 yards in the first quarter.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Matthew Golden crammed a game’s worth of work into one quarter Sunday in Foxborough. The speedy receiver’s quick start sparked the Packers as they overwhelmed the Patriots 45-27 with a passing attack that wouldn’t quit.

Golden, the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, has blossomed in his second season with Green Bay. The 23-year-old leads the team in receptions with 53 for 783 yards and five touchdowns.

That’s a big jump from his rookie season, when he caught 29 passes for 361 yards and no scores. Only once did he surpass 60 yards receiving, that was when he caught three balls for 86 yards in a 27-18 win over the Bengals at Lambeau Field.

A year ago, a 100-yard outing was a pipe dream. Now, it is becoming routine.

Golden hit 100 on the nose in a 35-14 loss to the Falcons earlier this season. He again reached triple digits against the Bears (123) and Cowboys (104).

Jordan Love threw for 372 yards and three TDs.

In New England, No. 0 established career bests with 10 catches for 164 yards. He was quarterback Jordan Love’s top target as Green Bay amassed 372 passing yards (gross) on 23 completions for an impressive average of 16.2 yards per catch.

Golden wasted no time getting started. He grabbed Love’s first pass for 16 yards. He snagged his second for 49. He secured the quarterback’s third for five yards and a touchdown, a score that put the Packers ahead 14-0 midway through the first quarter.

Far from finished, Golden added catches of 4, 9 and 43 yards on Green Bay’s next possession.

“What a first quarter for Matthew Golden,” gushed play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt after the gifted receiver hauled in the 43-yarder.

It is unlikely Burkhardt knew just how special those opening 15 minutes had been. Ditto for anyone employed by the Packers organization.

Golden’s haul – 126 yards on six catches – is the second most in an opening quarter by any player in team history. Chew on that for a minute. In a franchise blessed with an abundance of sure-handed receivers – Don Hutson, Bill Howton, James Lofton, Sterling Sharpe, Davante Adams – Golden came within spitting distance of establishing a new benchmark.

Only Antonio Freeman had a more productive opening. Green Bay’s top receiver of the late 1990s caught all three of Brett Favre’s first-quarter passes for 129 yards and a TD in a 30-22 victory over the Oilers in 1998.

Javon Walker holds third place with 121 yards on three receptions in a 45-31 loss to the Colts in 2004. All told, nine Packers have come away with 100 yards receiving in the first quarter of a regular-season game.

Prior to facing the Patriots, Golden’s best quarter had been 70 yards (third) in Green Bay’s season-opening loss to the Vikings.

Christian Watson led all receivers with 171 yards.

After his initial flurry, Golden yielded the spotlight to Christian Watson. Watson led all receivers with 171 yards on nine receptions including a 39-yard TD that put the Packers up 42-14 with four minutes, ten seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Ahead by 28, Love threw just one more pass. Appropriately, it went to Golden for 10 yards as the third period ended.

Extra Points

• Packers receivers have caught 10 or more passes on 66 occasions since Hutson became the first to do so in October 1942. By catching all 10 throws aimed at him, Matthew Golden became the first player in team history to achieve perfection (minimum 10 targets). Five players had previously come away with 11 of 12 (91.7 percent) – Eddie Lee Ivery (1980), Lofton (1984), Donald Driver (2002), James Jones (2013) and Adams (2020) – while Dorsey Levens hauled in 10 of 11 (90.9 percent) in a game in 1999.
• Love and backup Tyrod Taylor did not drop back to pass once in the fourth quarter as the Green and Gold stayed on the ground gaining 56 yards on 12 running plays. That’s the first time since the 2004 finale that the Packers have had zero pass plays in the final 15 minutes and just the eighth time in the last 73 years.

First Quarter 100-yard Receivers

The nine Packers who had 100 or more receiving yards in the first quarter of a regular-season game.

Yds. Rec.  Player                           Date                     Opponent   Result
129      3      Antonio Freeman           Dec. 20, 1998        Oilers             GB won, 30-22
126      6      Matthew Golden             Nov. 8, 2026         Patriots          GB won, 45-27
121      3      Javon Walker                   Sept. 26, 2004      Colts               GB lost, 31-45
111       3      Donald Driver                 Oct. 7, 2002           Bears              GB won, 34-21
108      4      Don Hutson                     Nov. 21, 1943        Dodgers         GB won, 31-7
107      4      Carroll Dale                     Oct. 12, 1969          Lions              GB won, 28-17
107      6      Davante Adams               Sept. 26, 2019       Eagles             GB lost, 27-34
106      2      Bill Howton                     Oct. 5, 1952            Redskins        GB won, 35-20
101      3      Randall Cobb                   Oct. 26, 2014         Saints             GB lost, 23-44

Jeffrey Simmons Makes History: First Defensive Tackle Traded for Multiple First-Round Picks—and What the so-called Draft Value Chart Says About the Price

 By John Turney 

The Chicago Bears' acquisition of Jeffrey Simmons from the Tennessee Titans is historic on its face. Simmons is the first defensive tackle in the common draft era (since 1967) traded for multiple first-round picks. The Bears sent their 2027 and 2028 first-rounders plus a 2027 fourth for Simmons and a 2028 fifth.

That package has drawn plenty of "overpaid" commentary.

Some examples:

• Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL)—"I like Simmons a lot, but that’s an overpay imo. Respect Chicago for going for it but I’m not sure it’s the best use of resources. It certainly makes the Bears a bigger pain in the ass to play though and my guess is Simmons will be a bit more motivated playing for a good team for basically his first time. Crazy deal either way."
• 
  
• Nick Schwager (@nick__schwager): "Don’t get me wrong, Simmons is a beast but 2 first-round picks and a fourth seems like a massive overpay for someone turning 30."
• 
  
• Other notable ones from the initial reaction (widely quoted in coverage):
  • Bob Pompeani: "Simmons is solid but TWO first round picks is a lot."
  • Carmen Vitali (Fox Sports Radio): Called it an "overpay" and "the Khalil Mack trade 2.0."
  • Michael Salfino: "This is a terrible trade for the Bears … DT is not a premium position even. Plus he's 29 and he’s making $100 million guaranteed through 2028 … A+ for the Titans; D-minus for the Bears."
  • ESPN’s Seth Walder graded it critically and said the Bears "ran past" the compensation limit where the trade made sense.

Fair enough. Time will tell.

However, to put the price in context, it helps to walk through the traditional draft value chart (DVC)—the Jimmy Johnson chart that has served as the common language for pick trades for decades—and compare it with earlier deals involving other high-end interior linemen.

The Draft Value Chart in Brief

Under the classic Jimmy Johnson chart, the No. 1 overall pick is assigned 3,000 points. Values then decline steeply:

• No. 6: 1,600 points
• No. 10: 1,300 points
• No. 13: 1,150 points
• No. 17: 950 points
• No. 20: 850 points
• No. 24: 740 points
• No. 26–28: roughly 660–700 points 

The curve, as we know, is deliberately top-heavy. A high single first is worth substantially more than a late first; two late firsts can roughly equal one high first, depending on exact slotting. Future picks are also discounted in practice because their exact positions are unknown, but the chart still gives a useful baseline.

So, to the extent it is still accurate, reporting shows it's been modified and every team has its own version but in the end, teams have to come to some agreement, so our use od the public original chart is not for precise numbers, but a general idea.

DeForest Buckner was traded from the 49ers to the Colts in 2020 for the No. 13 overall pick (1,150 points on the chart) and then signed a large extension. Dexter Lawrence was traded from the Giants to the Bengals in 2026 for the No. 10 overall pick (1,300 points) and also received an extension.

Those two packages sit in a similar neighborhood on the chart—both high-value single first-rounders in the 1,150–1,300 range. They represent the previous high-water marks for trading an established, productive defensive tackle in his prime or just after. So, though they were each a single pick, their value is as high as what the Bears are banking will be given the boost Simmons gives their defense. They want to be drafting 32nd both years, but that is a wish, not a certainty.

Simmons' deal clears both raw pick count (two firsts instead of one), but the two picks, roughly guessing in the 22–28 range (or lower if the Bears go deep into playoffs at least one of the years) would land in the 1,400–1,600 total range—roughly the same chart value as a single pick in the No. 6–10 neighborhood, or a bit more once the extra fourth for a fifth is included.

So, two picks or one, the so-called "value" is about the same.

A useful historical marker is the 1996 trade that sent Sean Gilbert from the Rams to the Redskins for the No. 6 overall pick. On the Johnson chart, that selection carried 1,600 points—a very high pure draft-pick price for a defensive tackle at the time and still high by modern standards. Gilbert was a Pro Bowl-level player entering his prime; the Redskins judged the No. 6 worth surrendering for him.

In pure single-pick DVC terms, that No. 6 remains among the highest chart values ever exchanged for a defensive tackle. The Simmons package (two future firsts plus a fourth) can meet or exceed that 1,600-point threshold depending on where the Bears' picks ultimately land, which is why the deal stands out.

If the Bears don't do well, though, if they draft maybe 15-20, then the Simmons deal could be the new gold standard.

But there is a catch. There was more to the Sean Gilbert story.

After sitting out 1997 as a Washington "franchise player," he signed with the Panthers in 1998; the Redskins received two first-round picks (1999 and 2000) as compensation under the franchise-player rules.

It gets messy in how Washington used the picks, but they traded down, then up, but the net is Champ Bailey, Lavar Arrington, and Jon Jansen and some change. The Panthers did not get a lot of value in Gilbert's play, playing five years in Carolina four as a starter and one as a backup.

The Cowboys' 2025 trade for Quinnen Williams provides a useful recent benchmark. Dallas sent a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and Mazi Smith to the Jets. Analyses that assign chart values to those pieces (using the same or similar models) have generally put the net compensation pretty far below the two-firsts-plus-fourth package the Bears gave for Simmons.

Additionally, today DT Jordan Davis to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 secnd-round pick, a little less than what Dallas gave for Quinnen since they didn't get a a player, Jets got Mazi Smith.

The Williams deal and the Davis deal has looked efficient by comparison once the Simmons price became public. Many thought the price for a non-elite position, i.e., QB, LT, Edge, for example, was high then. Not so much down.

Interestingly,  the discussed deals were for players from age 26 to 29ish, traditionally the "peak" years for a defensive tackle and Simmons is on the upper limit of that. He's a proven, high-production defensive tackle (All-Pro, multiple Pro Bowls, strong sack and pressure numbers).

No matter if the value is that of a top 10, or top 15 in the end, and no matter that the early reviews are positive, things can change more than one thing can be true. It was a steep price and on paper, the most even for a defensive interior and also that on a closer look it is about the same as a few other deals when looked at under the lens of the DVC.

In any event, he's been fun to watch in his orange sleeves.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: “I Don’t Think They Thought We Were for Real or We Were as Physical as They Were”

By TJ Troup

The title of today's saga is a quote from Coach Walt Corey of the '92 Bills. More on why he stated that later in my column. My first question for you fine folks is which team wins the AFC West, and why? Later this autumn will detail my thoughts on the Broncos defense. 

Many so-called writers who are supposed to know the game, understand football, shared about the Buccaneers winning without completing a pass left out very valuable statistical information concerning the game. The Bucs had two runners gain over 100 yards rushing, so when was the first time the Buccaneers had two backs lug the leather for over 100 in a game? 

How about exactly 28 years ago on November 1st, 1998, in their victory over a powerful Vikings team as Dunn & Alstott gained 243 on 37 carries. Archival footage was shown of the blustery day in Rich Stadium in '74 when Namath completed only two, while Joe Ferguson of the Bills threw two incomplete passes. 

Real research is how Buffalo won that day? Sure, the Jets did not move the ball through the air, while Boozer & Riggins gained just 106 on 32 carries, while Braxton and Simpson pounded out 201 yards on 48 time-consuming plays. 

Now for today's historical saga! The resurgent Steelers are 6-2 and on the road to take on the first-place 6-2 Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park. Thurman Thomas provides the Bills' league-leading rushing attack with 155 yards on 37 carries. Thomas's third-quarter touchdown run puts Buffalo ahead 21-3, and the Bills hang on to win 28-20. 

The Bills reverted back to their uptempo offense. Coach Breesen is quoted as saying, "It comes down to our people. We have outstanding athletes, and if all eight cylinders are firing, our guys are going to make plays." 

Boy oh boy did they ever. When you add what Coach Corey said, you can see why the Bills left the field victorious. Beating the Bills when they were at home in this era just did not happen very often. 

With this victory, Buffalo had now won 19 of their last 21 home games, outscoring opponents 617-291 (32-15)! Pittsburgh rebounded to win their division, but the Bills did not! Buffalo travels to Pittsburgh for the divisional round of the playoffs after the miraculous, heart-stopping comeback from behind in a Wild Card victory over the Oilers, but that is a story for another day. 

Enjoy the games this coming weekend.

Packers Have Been Scary Good at Home in October

By Eric Goska

Jordan Love (10) prepares to hand off to Josh Jacobs (8) in the first quarter of Thursday's game.
(photos by Nicole Goska)

Home cooking in October has put success on the menu since Matt LaFleur came to Green Bay. And though it might be tempting to credit the legions of tailgaters with cooking up the recipe, this winning originates on the football field.

Thursday night, the Packers outlasted the Panthers 27-19 at Lambeau Field. The triumph is the twelfth (an even dozen) registered at the venerable stadium by the current head coach in the month that boasts Halloween.

The win didn’t come easily. Coleman Owen fumbled away the opening kickoff which Carolina turned into a 3-0 lead. Jordan Love threw a fourth-quarter interception that squelched a promising drive that prevented Green Bay from adding to its 27-13 lead. A penalty (ineligible man downfield) on Anthony Belton, a bad snap by center John Williams and an intentional grounding call on Love led to a punt that gave Carolina, down 27-19, excellent field position at its own 45 with four minutes, 35 seconds remaining.

And the running game? Take away an 18-yard end around by Savion Williams and Josh Jacob, MarShawn Lloyd and Pierre Strong, Jr. combined for just 48 yards on 25 carries (1.9 average).

Some ingredients that go into a W are not the most appetizing.

But Green Bay persevered. Six quarterback sacks, a timely interception by Brenton Cox. Jr.—courtesy of his own deflection—and two second-half, fourth-down stops kept the Packers afloat.

Perhaps no player better epitomized the home team’s determination than Christian Watson. Green Bay’s leading receiver (8 catches, 113 yards) got dinged on a 53-yard reception in the second quarter, was examined at a local hospital, and returned to catch two passes in the fourth quarter.

Tucker Kraft caught 6 passes
for 53 yards and a TD.

As always, victories, no matter how ugly, are welcome regardless of calendar. But some, like leaves, seem to pile up at certain times of the year.

LaFleur, who arrived in Titletown in 2019, won his first six October home games. After dropping one in both 2022 (Jets) and 2023 (Vikings), he has led his team to another six straight.

That record of 12-2 (.857) is the best in the NFL over that span. The Steelers, at 11-5 (.688), are second.

Aaron Rodgers and Love threw every pass for Green Bay in those 14 games. They tossed 34 touchdowns to the opposition’s 13. They combined for a passer rating of 107.0 compared to 81.8 for the visitors.

The Green and Gold outgained the competition 5,216 yards to 4,292. They averaged nearly a yard more per play (5.8 to 4.9) than their opponents.

Even away from home, the Packers aren’t half bad. Their record on the road in October is 11-7 (includes a game with the Giants in London in 2022 in which Green Bay was designated the home team) giving LaFleur an overall mark of 23-9 (.719) for the month.

Of course, division races are not decided in the first half of autumn. But by going 4-1 since being embarrassed by the Falcons, Green Bay might be playing meaningful games in December, the only month in which LaFleur has won at a higher rate (21-7; .750).

Octoberfeast at Home
Teams with the best regular-season home records in October since 2019. Games played internationally, where one team is designated the home team, have not been counted.

Team             Record         Pct.        Overall Record (Pct.)
Packers               12-2             .857          81-43-1 (.652)
Steelers               11-5             .688          73-50-1 (.593)
Cowboys             10-5             .667          67-56-1 (.544)
Ravens                10-5             .667          80-44 (.645)
Bills                      9-5              .643          88-34 (.721)

Chiefs Add Justin Tucker to Practice Squad as Butker Struggles: A Look at Tucker’s Place Among NFL Kickers

 By John Turney

The Kansas City Chiefs signed former Ravens placekicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad on Wednesday giving them an experienced alternative behind Harrison Butker.

Butker, Kansas City's kicker since 2017 and a key piece of three Super Bowl teams, has converted just 11 of 16 field goals (68.8 percent) through six games, including only 2 of 6 from 50 yards or longer. He has also missed an extra point. 

The Chiefs worked out several kickers this week; Tucker made all 30 of his attempts in the session per media reports.

Tucker, 36, last played in 2024. He spent 2025 serving a 10-game suspension under the NFL's personal conduct policy after allegations of sexual misconduct from 16 massage therapists involving incidents from 2012 to 2016. 

He was not charged, called the allegations "unequivocally false," did not appeal, and served the suspension as a free agent. The Ravens released him in May 2025. Andy Reid said the Chiefs did their due diligence before signing him.

Tucker went undrafted out of Texas in 2012 and quickly established himself as one of the most reliable kickers of his era. Over 13 seasons and 212 games with the Ravens, he made 417 of 468 field goals (89.1 percent) and 524 of 532 extra points (98.5 percent) for 1,775 points. He is the franchise's all-time leading scorer and, as a rookie, contributed two field goals in Super Bowl XLVII.

Era-adjusted metrics from Football Perspective, the late Rupert Patrick (author and member of Pro Football Researchers Association), and NFLGSIS consistently place Tucker a clear step ahead of his peers and farther ahead of previous generations than raw percentages alone suggest. 

For most of his prime, he ranked at or near the top of all-time field-goal accuracy among kickers with substantial volume. He is currently second or third depending on the exact cutoff, with Cameron Dicker holding a higher percentage on fewer attempts. Modern kickers post higher raw numbers overall, but Tucker's sustained excellence over more than a decade still stands out.

He earned five first-team All-Pro selections (2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021), three second-team nods, seven Pro Bowls, and a spot on the 2010s All-Decade Team. Peak seasons included 97.4 percent in 2016 (38 of 39) and a league-leading 94.6 percent in 2021. He was the fastest kicker to 1,000 career points and to 300 field goals. 

Clutch numbers were strong: high conversion rates in the second half and overtime, long fourth-quarter/overtime streaks, and multiple game-winners.In September 2021, he set the then-NFL record with a 66-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Lions. That mark stood until November 2025, when Jacksonville's Cam Little made from 67 and 68 yards. 

Tucker was also effective from 50-plus (64 of 96, 66.7 percent). But that was then. things changed pretty quickly.

His final season in Baltimore was his worst: 22 of 30 field goals (73.3 percent) and a career-low extra-point percentage. That decline, combined with the suspension, ended his long run as the Ravens' kicker.

How do we rank or rate players? And specifically kickers? 

Volume, longevity, peak accuracy, All-Pro recognition, and clutch moments put Tucker above most kickers in NFL history. The era-adjusted metrics are particularly decisive: Football Perspective and Patrick's work show him further ahead of his contemporaries than most earlier kickers were of theirs. 

Recently inducted Adam Vinatieri, for example, was not much above average for his era by the same measures, yet clutch kicks and career totals carried him. Morten Andersen had a big leg but was less accurate than Nick Lowery, who has little Hall of Fame traction. Those metrics may not weigh as heavily with voters as traditional volume and narrative moments. 

Time will tell. When it comes to being Gold Jacket time, his likely lack of super-elite counting numbers won't reach Vinatieri, unless Tucker has a strong comeback. But his sexual misconduct allegations, though they are not supposed to, may also be a roadblock. 

If Butker's struggles continue, the Chiefs have one of the more decorated kickers of the modern era available one whose Baltimore years remain one of the strongest, if not the strongest, sustained runs by a placekicker in the last two decades, even if the later decline and off-field suspension complicate the full picture.

DeMarcus Lawrence and Rob Burnett: This Generation’s Version of a Tough, Versatile Edge Presence

By John Turney 

Rob Burnett of the Browns and Ravens and DeMarcus Lawrence of the Cowboys and Seahawks stand as close parallels across different eras. Neither was a pure speed rusher who piled up double-digit sacks every season. Both were durable, physical, and versatile ends who consistently disrupted—particularly against the run—while earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition and anchoring Super Bowl defenses.

Burnett (6-4, roughly 265 pounds), a fifth-round pick out of Syracuse in 1990, developed under Bill Belichick and Nick Saban in Cleveland into a reliable left end capable of two-gapping, setting the edge, and rushing the passer. He made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 1994 after recording 10 sacks and was selected by Rick Gosselin to his personal All-Pro team for the Dallas Morning News. In 2000 with the Ravens he earned second-team All-Pro honors (10.5 sacks); that season Gosselin again named him All-Pro, as did Paul Zimmerman and Peter King of Sports Illustrated.

Over 14 seasons and 202 games he totaled 73 sacks and roughly 600 tackles, finishing with a Super Bowl ring as a key piece of the 2000 Ravens’ historic defense. In our October 2021 profile "Rob Burnett—One Tough Dude," the focus was on his strength, enough quickness to swim and make plays in the backfield, and his ability to play end, three-technique, or even nose in Marvin Lewis's packages (freeing Ray Lewis). He was the steady presence who made the scheme work—never taking plays off while allowing the rest of the front to attack. On passing downs in the Ravens' prime he frequently moved inside and beat guards the way he beat tackles.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) did not exist in Burnett’s era, but Proscout, Inc., did. Its grades ranked him a top-ten defensive end five times, with another handful of seasons in the next tier (red). Those rankings are worth keeping in mind.

Lawrence (6-3, 255-ish pounds), a second-round pick (34th overall) out of Boise State in 2014, has followed a parallel path. He owns five Pro Bowl selections and a second-team All-Pro nod in 2017 (when he led the league with 14.5 sacks in some tallies and finished tied for second). Through 163 games, including the first half of the 2026 season, he has 67.5 sacks, more than 500 tackles, 24 forced fumbles, and a Super Bowl ring with the Seahawks after the 2025 season.

Like Burnett, his value has never rested solely on sack totals. He has been a high-effort edge player who can move inside, set the edge, knife into the backfield for tackles for loss, and create problems for both tackles and guards. Our X account has described him as "this generation’s Rob Burnett" or "this era's Rob Burnett"—not a player who posts huge sack numbers every year, but always a problem, able to beat blockers in multiple ways and make plays that do not always register as sacks. He has lined up inside as well as outside, and at both ends.

Unlike Burnett, Lawrence’s career has fallen in the PFF era and who has ranked him in the top ten five times and in the next grouping another handful of seasons. His elite seasons and next-tier grades track closely with Burnett’s Proscout rankings, allowing for the inevitable differences between grading systems. Given the other parallels, comparing position rankings across platforms is reasonable.

The statistical comparison is also close in several categories despite different eras and schemes. Lawrence has not yet hit the late-career decline that is usually inevitable; it arrived for Burnett and may still come for Lawrence. Both developed or thrived in schemes that asked more than simply pinning the ears back. Burnett adjusted from an upfield rusher under Bud Carson to a tighter, stronger two-gap player under Belichick and Saban, then became the linchpin of Lewis's creative Ravens fronts. Lawrence has played under several defensive coaches and is now part of an elite defense in Seattle.

Lawrence is the modern analog of Burnett: a tough, versatile, high-effort defensive end whose impact exceeds pure sack totals. He earned All-Pro recognition in a peak year, contributed to a championship defense, and remained a consistent problem for offenses across a long stretch of his career. Draft pedigree and era differ, but the on-field profile and value to their respective defenses line up closely.

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