TUESDAY TIDBITS: "It's a shame, we played well enough to win"

Where to start? Ok, since am 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 play-offs? 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 '94 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 journey's 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 kick-off 27 yards, and when Starr gains 37 yards on a completion to McGee the Packers have first and ten on the Colt thirty-two yard line. On second down Hornung cannot make the catch of a swing pass from Starr and deflects the ball skyward. 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 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? 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 text book 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. 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 "nickle" defense it is their 3 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 Colt 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 '50's.....has to be the only time in league history. This Green Bay Packer team comes out of the locker room for the 2nd 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 3rd 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 2nd 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 4th Mr. Hightops 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 Packer 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 Packer twenty-seven 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 todays saga. 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.

Career stats:

Raiders ‘Hit Man’ George Atkinson, 'Soul Patrol' Safety

By John Turney 

AI colorization

Edit: 11/3/26; major author error. Death was a year ago. 

George Atkinson, the hard-hitting Oakland Raiders safety known as "The Hit Man" and a cornerstone of the 1970s "Soul Patrol" secondary, died two days ago, in Georgia at age 78. The Raiders announced that his family informed the organization of his passing; no cause was released.

"George"s contributions as a friend and mentor to everyone in the Raiders organization continued long after his playing career, and his genuine personality and wonderful sense of humor will be dearly missed by everyone who knew him," the Raiders said in a statement.

Born January 4, 1947, in Savannah, Georgia, Atkinson starred at Sol C. Johnson High School before playing at Morris Brown College in Atlanta from 1964 to 1967, lettering four years in football for the Wolverines of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) while also earning three letters in track. 

He arrived as a versatile athlete who had starred as a running back, safety, and return man and he developed into a four-year starter who contributed on both sides of the ball—primarily as a free safety and kick/punt return specialist, with significant early work as a receiver.

In 1965, he led the team in pass receptions. The following year he earned selection to the Atlanta Daily World’s All-SIAC team and the "100% Wrong Club" All-SIAC squad. As a senior in 1967, he repeated on the "100% Wrong Club" All-SIAC team, made the SIAC All-Conference team, and received Sporting News Honorable Mention All-America recognition.

Note: The "100% Wrong Club" was an Atlanta-based Black sports booster organization, active from the mid-1930s into the 1980s

His collegiate performance was enough to catch the eye of the Raiders, who selected him in the seventh round (190th overall) of the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft. Atkinson was part of a draft class that included Ken Stabler and Art Shell, running backs Marv Hubbard and Charlie Smith, who as a group, played over 700 games for the club and were vital in the Raiders' success in the 1970s.

He began as a cornerback and was also an explosive return specialist, earning AFL All-Star honors in both 1968 and 1969 and co-AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year recognition in 1968. During his rookie season, he returned 36 punts for 490 yards and two touchdowns (AFL highs) and added 32 kickoff returns for 802 yards

Atkinson ended his career with 148 punt returns that went for 1,247 yards (8.4 yd avg) and three he took to the house. Additionally, he averaged just under 25 yards per kickoff return as well make him one of the better dual-threat returners of his day.

He transitioned to safety and after giving up over 200 yards to Don Maynard in an AFL playoff game (Heidi game), it made sense to move him to safety. In his first year at the position, he made second-team All-AFL in 1969.

Alongside Jack Tatum, Willie Brown, and Skip Thomas, he anchored the physical "Soul Patrol" secondary that helped define the Raiders of the John Madden era. In all, Atkinson played in 144 games (126 starts with Oakland), recording 30 interceptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns, eight defensive fumble recoveries (two returned for scores), and three punt-return touchdowns. He ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in interceptions, punt returns, and kickoff returns. 

In 1976, he earned second-team All-AFC recognition from UPI while helping the Raiders to a 13-1 regular season and a 32-14 Super Bowl XI victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Prior to that game, syndicated columnist Jim Murray said Atkinson was the NFL's "Dracula" because of his ferocious, sometimes controversial physicality. 

The wordsmith also wrote, "George Atkinson became a combination of Jaws and a swarm of killer bees in the public press and public’s mind."

Atkinson's forearm hits on Pittsburgh's Lynn Swann—in the 1975 AFC Championship Game and the 1976 season opener—left the receiver concussed and drew national attention. Steelers coach Chuck Noll labeled him part of the NFL's "criminal element," prompting Atkinson to sue Noll, the Steelers, and the Oakland Tribune for defamation, seeking a couple of million dollars. He was represented by then-California Assemblyman Willie Brown (later mayor of San Francisco and governor of California), not to be confused with his Raiders teammate of the same name!

The 1977 trial probed the line between aggressive football and dangerous play, with game film used to question Noll about questionable hits by his own hard-hitting players. After four hours of deliberation, the jury ruled for Noll and the newspaper. The case became one of the era’s most public disputes over violence in the NFL, and Atkinson’s name stayed closely linked to it.

He also drew notice for a nose-breaking hit on Patriots tight end Russ Francis. Afterward, Atkinson said, "After I gave Russ Francis that lick last Saturday, we walked off the field when the game was over. He told me he hoped we won the Super Bowl. He knows I’m just playing the game the way I have to. He knows I'm really a nice guy." Atkinson maintained he played the game the right way, believing that “if you stick 'em real good, they'll give the ball up."

These controversies led to change in the league. In the spring of 1977, NFL owners tabled a proposal that had become known as the "George Atkinson Rule," which sought to more clearly define and penalize blatant striking or hitting of an opponent. 

However, the rule itself was not adopted at the April meeting, but as we know, it was part of what led to the safety measures that play a part in today's NFL. 

So maybe the man once referred to as the "Conrad Dobler of defensive backs" wasn't a combination of a killer shark and killer bees or a killer vampire. Maybe he was just part of a hard-hitting group of defensive backs that included Jack Tatum, who was essentially a bigger, more powerful version of Atkinson. Atkinson told the San Jose Mercury News in a 2016 interview. "Football is a collision sport; if you don’t have a certain mentality, you will get run out of the game."

Atkinson’s decade with the Raiders ended in training camp in 1978 over a chronic finger injury. 

The veteran strong safety was placed on waivers in after missing more than a week of camp because of a dislocated ring finger on his left hand. The finger had already been operated on three times. Atkinson maintained the injury was too painful for him to play. 

Raiders director of operations Ron Wolf made the move but added that if Atkinson could prove the injury was disabling enough to keep him from playing, the Raiders would have been obligated to honor his contract for the season. 

So, Atkinson sat out that year, but in midseason 1979 he signed with the rival Denver Broncos when their defensive backfield room was hit by injuries. He played six games for them, but made just two tackles as a depth player and marked his final season in pro football.

Aside from the on-field controversies, the Hit Man also had a legal incident in July 1975; Atkinson testified in a San Francisco case in which he was accused of inducing two bank tellers he had dated to embezzle roughly $3,200 in bank instruments in 1973–74. He denied the charges, stating he had never asked the women to cash checks or take bank securities for him. Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis and several teammates, including Jack Tatum, Willie Brown, Phil Villapiano, and Bubba Smith, testified to his reputation and believed in the innocence of Atkinson. The trial went to the jury but ended in a mistrial after a jury deadlocked (again, his lawyer was Willie Brown).

After his playing days were over, Atkinson remained a lifelong Raider. He worked as a pre- and post-game broadcaster for the team for roughly 17 years and hosted the television program "Behind the Shield" featuring Raiders-related content. 

In a 2016 interview, he acknowledged symptoms consistent with CTE and pledged to donate his brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation. He was married to Denise and was the father of nine children, including twin sons Josh and George III, who both played at Notre Dame; George III later played in the NFL. Tragically, both died by suicide (Josh in 2018, George in 2019) and were posthumously diagnosed with stage 1 CTE by Boston University researchers—the first twin brothers diagnosed with the disease per media reports.

Atkinson's football legacy, then, cannot be reduced to the frightening image created by his biggest hits. He was a seventh-round pick who became an AFL All-Star, a productive defensive back, an explosive return man, and a member of a championship team. He also occupied a place in the game's difficult transition from celebrating violent contact to confronting its consequences. 

He is in the SIAC Hall of Fame, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame and was a finalist for the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

The "Hit Man" nickname captured the force he brought to the field, but not the whole man: the teammate, broadcaster, husband, and father whose family experienced football's costs in ways no statistic can measure. George Atkinson helped make the Raiders feared, and his career remains part of the story of how professional football played, and eventually reconsidered, its most physical game.

Career stats:

Source for stats NFL gamebooks. 

Notes: 

PD = passes defensed and were scored differently in the AFL, with players given credit for good or close coverage so the 32 PDs those years are high compared to later scoring. Other than INTs and FRs, defensive stats were not official or consistent compared to today.

Stf = run or pass tackles for a loss, accounted for the same was as sacks.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "The Packers Had Embraced the Forward Pass as an Offensive Weapon"

By TJ Troup

Coach Harbaugh has the New York Giants playing physical football, with Cam Skattebo earning my Larry Csonka Award! The powerful Miami fullback got flagged for unnecessary roughness back when the Dolphins dominated the league; now young Cam joins him. 

Can the Giants continue to win and possibly earn a division title in Coach Harbaugh's first season at the helm? Since I mentioned Miami, let's congratulate Coach Hatley on his first victory as a head coach! Not sure how many more wins the Dolphins can claim this year. The team they beat this past Sunday is quickly becoming a punchline for inept play by a coach who is lost! 

Online we can all read stats, yet one stands out most to me. 

The New York Jets have been outscored 107-6 in the final two minutes of the first half in their last 24 games! We can all evaluate if an owner has an effective plan to succeed, yet since the Jets have had one winning season since 2011, it is not if Aaron Glenn loses his job; it is who is next to join Glenn & Kotite in the worst head coaches in league history. 

Every week we watch many, MANY quarterbacks pitch the pigskin for big yards, yet for this upcoming weekend, will any of them match Cecil Isbell's performance against the Cardinals in 1942? Hopefully you are ready to again journey back in history with me again (yes, do this every week). 

Cecil Isbell

The 1942 Packers enter their game against the Cardinals with a 4-1 record, hoping to stay in the race against those damn grizzlies from Chicago. 

Cecil Isbell does not throw a pass until the second quarter, and his first three attempts are incomplete, yet once he got "hot," he torched the Chicago Cardinals' secondary. Isbell sets the league record by passing yards in a game with 333 yards on just ten completions. Five of his completions gained 276 yards; all went for touchdowns. 

For the first time ever in league history, teammates catch passes for over 100 yards in a game! Don Hutson: five catches for 207 yards and Andy Uram four for 174. Uram gained 162 of his receiving yards in the second half. 

Andy Uram

How good was Isbell? The records he set in this game are broken by Hall of Famers Sid Luckman & Sammy Baugh. Isbell ended his career by throwing a touchdown pass in 23 consecutive games, a mark he held until Johnny Hightops came along. 

The title for today's saga comes from the distinguished historian Eric Goska, and would relish sitting with him to watch film of this game: the routes run by Uram & Huston, what Cardinal players were victimized? 

Surprisingly, the Cardinals did not finish dead last in the defensive passer rating category (6th) in '42. 

Wait? I do not have film of this game, damn!, yet boy oh boy would have watched this game over and over. 

Shifting gears on a day when the Milwaukee Brewers can achieve their first World Series title. If you have not watched this team play, you are sure missing one helluva impressive performance by an entire team. 

Have been watching the WS since 1959 and sure have seen many impressive team performances, yet 8 consecutive two-out hits in the fifth inning; will we ever see that again? 

Robin Yount is no doubt proud!

Packers Grounded in the Motor City

By Eric Goska

Packers running back Josh Jacobs
(photos by Eric Goska)

Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs returned. The team’s running game did not.

Even with their leading rusher of the past two seasons in the fold, the Packers’ ground game sputtered in a 20-17 loss to the Lions at Ford Field. For the seventh time in seven games this season, Green Bay fell short of 90 yards rushing.

That’s a first for this storied franchise that entered the NFL 1921. Seven sub-90 games to start a season eclipses the mark of six straight set by the 1986 club that finished 4-12.

Jacobs, who had been on the commissioner’s exempt list, made his first start of the season. The Packers leading rusher in 2024 (1,329 yards) and in 2025 (929) gained more yards receiving (55) than he did rushing (36).

No. 8 carried 11 times, was responsible for three of Green Bay’s four rushing first downs and popped the team’s longest run (10 yards). But five times he was limited to two or fewer yards.

MarShawn Lloyd and Savion Williams didn’t fare any better. The two combined for 24 yards on eight totes with a long of six.

That's it. A whopping 60 yards on 19 carries for the stuck-in-neutral visitors.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur

Not once did Green Bay run on three consecutive plays, a development that signals a lack of confidence. Since 1954, the Packers are 9-55 in regular-season games in which they fail to run more than twice in succession.

To date, the Packers have gained an NFL-low 419 yards rushing. They are averaging a league-worst 2.91 yards per attempt.

Thirteen players, led by the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson with 704, have more rushing yards than the Green and Gold as a team. Ten have more rushing first downs than Green Bay’s 27.

In recent weeks, Green Bay’s running game has been labeled nonexistent, terrible, even slumbering (SI’s Bill Huber). Whatever the adjective, it’s historically bad.

What follows is based on the first seven games of a season dating to 1933.

• The 419 yards gained is a franchise low. Just twice before – 484 in 1986 and 499 in 2007 – has Green Bay come up with fewer than 500.
• Its 126 carries are fourth fewest behind the 112 of 1991, the 119 of 1990 and the 121 of 2007.
• The team’s average per carry of 2.91 is third worst behind the 2.82 of 1934 and the 2.87 of 1933. It should be noted that those marks of yesteryear were set during the days (prior to 1947) when yards lost attempting to pass were subtracted from rushing, not passing, totals.
• The Packers have produced 23 runs of more than five yards. That’s a 94-year low both in number and in percentage of attempts.
• Lloyd leads Green Bay with 142 rushing yards which translates to 345 over a 17-game season. His average of 20.3 yards per game would be the second-fewest by a player to lead the team trailing only the 19.4 of Michael Haddix who had 311 yards in 1990.

Savion Williams

Those are some sorry numbers. Numbers that drive home just how far the club has fallen since 2024 when it averaged 146.8 yards per game and 4.75 per carry.

With land acquisition all but choked off, the Packers have turned to the air. Jordan Love is dropping back to pass nearly two thirds of the time (66.4 percent), a big ask of a quarterback and his receivers.

Only the Packers of 2018 (67.5) were more pass-happy. And that team, which finished 6-9-1, got head coach Mike McCarthy fired.

So, how does Green Bay bolster its run game? Some might say play the Panthers who are yielding a league-high 5.2 yards per carry.

But Carolina’s defense, which surrendered 291 and 258 rushing yards to the Bears and Buccaneers, also clamped down on the Lions (46) and Eagles (35). The safe money says Green Bay will fall into that latter category Thursday night at Lambeau Field.

Grounded
The six Packers teams that averaged less than three yards a carry through the first seven games of a season.
   Avg.        Year      Atts.    Yds.     90+ Games         Record
  2.819        1934         259       730                 5                         7-6
  2.873        1933         275       790                 5                       5-7-1
  2.910        2026         144       419                 0                         4-3
  2.942        1977         225       662                 4                        4-10
  2.988        1946         338     1,010               5                         6-5
  2.989        1951         188       562                 2                         3-9

Review: From Pirates to Powerhouse The 15 Forgotten Coaches Who Built the Steelers' Foundation

By John Turney 

Most accounts of Pittsburgh Steelers history begin in earnest with Chuck Noll’s arrival in 1969, the Immaculate Reception, and the Steel Curtain, you know the usual suspects. That is understandable—the franchise’s six Super Bowl titles and the long-term stability under Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin (with Mike McCarthy now the fourth coach of the modern era) dominate the popular culture of the fan base. It's what they know, what they grew up with. And that's fine, but it's not the only lens to view the franchise in the Steel City.

David Orochena’s new book From Pirates to Powerhouse does something rarer and more useful: it treats the preceding thirty-six seasons and fifteen head coaches as the necessary, if often painful, foundation rather than mere prologue.

Organized in three parts, the book moves chronologically from the 1933 expansion Pirates through the wartime mergers (the Steagles and Card-Pitts), the postwar single-wing holdouts (the club not adopting the T-Formation until the early 1950s), the Buddy Parker years, and the final pre-Noll stints under Mike Nixon and Bill Austin. 

Each coach receives a dedicated chapter that mixes biography, contemporary newspaper accounts (primarily via Newspapers.com), key games, statistical context drawn from Pro Football Reference, and the author’s own "Perspective of an Average Steelers Fan" that includes his passionate memories of the team. That is illustrated by song selections at the close of most chapters supply a light personal touch.

We love stuff like that.

The early chapters are especially strong on the precarious economics of the 1930s NFL. Art Rooney’s $2,500 franchise purchase, the roles of investors such as Milton Jaffe, the reliance on local sandlot and semipro talent (guys like Ray Kemp, Mose Kelsch, Harp Vaughan), and the absence of a draft until 1936 are handled with great detail.

Orochena covers Forrest "Jap" Douds’s 3-6-2 player-coach debut, Luby DiMeolo’s one-and-done 2-10 season, Joe Bach’s two stints (including the near-miss 1936 campaign and the later introduction of the T-formation with Jim Finks), and Johnny Blood McNally’s colorful tenure; all are covered. 

Walt Kiesling’s multiple stints, the brief co-coaching arrangements with Bert Bell, Aldo “Buff” Donelli, Greasy Neale, and Phil Handler, and the later arrivals of Jock Sutherland, John Michelosen, Buddy Parker, and the others are placed in the broader context of league instability, wartime roster shortages, and Rooney’s persistent efforts to keep the franchise solvent through some pretty harsh times.

The author is pretty clear-eyed about the record: the pre-Noll Steelers lost more than they won, coaching turnover was high (eight of the fifteen lasted one season or less; several quit mid-season or just before), and talent was frequently traded away for short-term help. 

Yet he argues persuasively that these coaches—and the organizational habits they and the Rooneys developed—created the conditions under which later success became possible. The last chapters draw the explicit line to the modern era: the shift under Dan Rooney toward stability, draft-centric building (greatly aided by Bill Nunn’s HBCU scouting work), and a preference for young, first-time head coaches in their mid-thirties. 

The book's appendices supply coaching records, an abridged Top 500 Steelers ranking, Pro Football Hall of Fame members, and the Steelers Hall of Honor, giving the volume lasting reference value among other sundries.

The author's prior Steelers Depot columns and input from the Heinz History Center. His tone is that of an informed, longtime fan (since 1972, Orochena has attended games since the early 2000s and writes regularly for Steelers Depot) rather than some academic monograph; it reads easily.

From Pirates to Powerhouse fills a genuine gap in history, from the beginning until the arrival of Noll. And that's a ton of history that has not been covered like the other longtime NFL teams like the Bears or Packers or Lions, etc.

Readers interested in the full arc of Steelers history—or in the broader story of how a chronically losing small-market franchise of the 1930s–1960s became one of the NFL’s most stable and successful organizations—will find this a worthwhile addition.

The book, Orochena Press (Potomac, Maryland), First Edition 2026, is 186 pages (Advance Review Copy) with 16 of those in an appendix. It is available November 16, 2026, on Amazon (print and Kindle) and IngramSpark (print) and the listed price is 20 bucks in paperback and eight on Kindle. 

Author bio: 

David Orochena is a longtime contributor to Steelers Depot, where he writes the “Perspective of an Average Steelers Fan” series. A Pittsburgh native and Steelers fan since 1972, he has attended games since Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium) opened and became a season-ticket holder in the PNC Champions Club in 2015. 

He hosts a regular Steelers Town Hall on the Clubhouse app and is a familiar presence among fans at the stadium. After a career with the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security, he lives in Maryland and continues to write extensively about Steelers history, roster analysis, and franchise traditions. This is his first book.