The Shenoa Report Championship Sunday '25 #theshenoareport

The Shenoa Report
January 26, 2025
Championship Sunday

We’ve made it to Championship Sunday. There are only four teams left, two of which are from the NFC East. I’m not happy with the matchups but as long as the Bills win today it’ll be ok.  I went 2-2 on my picks last week. Before we get to the Championship games, let’s jump into the recap.  

Divisional Weekend Recap

Texans @ Chiefs 14-23

The Texans started the game with a stingy defense by holding the Chiefs to a couple of field goals early, but their defense was unable to keep up the intensity and allowed Kareem Hunt to score a rushing touchdown late in the second quarter. The Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn managed a 48-yard field goal to make it a one-possession game at the half giving the Texans some hope. But that hope was short-lived in the second half. Fairbairn missed a 55-yard field goal attempt and a PAT try, and had another field-goal attempt blocked with 1:46 left in the game. The Texans never got another chance. Of course there were some questionable calls from the refs that helped Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Mahomes has become the next Tom Brady when it comes to “protecting the quarterback” type of calls. Welp, the Chiefs will host the Bills in the Championship game for the AFC. 

Commanders @ Lions 45-31

The Commanders came into this game the sixth-seed and were nearly double-digit underdogs against the Super Bowl-favorite Lions. Jayden Daniels, the rookie quarterback, sure didn’t play like a novice. Daniels finished with 2 passing touchdowns, 299 passing yards, and 51 yards rushing, and most importantly,  didn't turn the ball over. Lions quarterback, Jared Goff, threw three picks and lost a fumble, turning it over three times in the first half alone. He did have a passing touchdown but that was definitely not enough in this heavily lopsided game. I’m bummed for all the Detroit fans. I really wanted to see the Lions in the Super Bowl. I guess now I have to root for the Commanders, because I’m sure as hell not rooting for the Eagles. Speaking of which, the Commanders will travel to Philly for the Championship NFC game. 

Rams @ Eagles 22-28

I was equally bummed about the Rams loss to the Eagles. The Rams hung around but ultimately between the snow and Saquon Barkley the Eagles took the win. Barkley had two rushing touchdowns and over 200 rushing yards. The Rams turned the ball over way too much in the fourth quarter and because of that, lost the game. Like I said previously, the Eagles will now host the Commanders in the Championship game. 

Ravens @ Bills 25-27

This game was bananas. GO BILLS! If you just look at the numbers you’d think that the Ravens would have won the game. Buffalo finished with a modest 273 yards of offense. Their defense allowed 176 yards rushing and 416 overall to the Ravens, but compensated by forcing three turnovers. It was the turnovers that won Buffalo the game. The Bills just made fewer mistakes.  While Josh Allen rushed for 2 touchdowns, and threw for only 127 yards and rushed for 20 yards he didn’t turn the ball over. Mark Andrews, Baltimore’s tight end, did not have a mistake free day. The last time Andrews had fumbled the ball was back in 2019. This game he lost a fumble and dropped a two point conversion pass. The two point conversion would have tied the game and most likely have sent it to overtime. It was a big drop and Ravens fans were devastated. The drop gave the Bills the win. Ravens fans expressed their anger by flooding Andrews' Instagram account with resentful comments. Andrews last post was for National Diabetes Awareness Month in November, where Andrews discussed the continuous glucose monitoring system he uses to treat his Type 1 diabetes. People called for his contract to be canceled in the comment section, with some calling him a "disappointment" and others implying they'd physically assault Andrews if they saw him. A GoFundMe campaign was started by a Bills fanpage to raise at least $5,000 for a Type 1 diabetes charity in Andrews' name. "We want Bills Mafia to donate to Mark's charity for juveniles with diabetes. Let’s reach a goal of at least 5k." That goal was surpassed within hours, and as of Thursday evening, the GoFundMe page has raised more than $100,000. The Bills fans are the best fans in the NFL. Very classy. Now the Bills will travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in the Championship game. 

Championship Sunday, January 26th 

Commanders (12-5)  @ Eagles (14-3) (3pm FOX)

The NFC East is going at it to see who is going to the Super Bowl. I’ll be rooting for the Commanders. The Commanders are the underdogs but they’ve been such the entire season and continue to win. In fact, the last time these two teams met in the regular season  Jayden Daniels threw for five touchdown passes as the Commanders beat the Eagles 36-33 on Dec. 22 at Washington to end Philadelphia’s winning streak of 10 games. They’ve done it before and they can do it again. I don’t care if I get this pick wrong, I’m picking the Commanders to win this game and punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. 

Bills (13-4) @ Chiefs (15-2) (6:30pm CBS/Paramount+)

Since the AFC title game on Jan. 24, 2021, the Bills and Chiefs have met seven times, with Buffalo winning all four regular-season matchups and Kansas City winning each of the three playoff games. That includes a 38-24 win that sent the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, a 42-36 overtime win in the divisional round the following year, and a 27-24 divisional win in Buffalo last year. Buffalo doesn’t like the Chiefs. Our local brewery even has a sandwich named “Anybody But the Chiefs Steak.” We live in Bills county. We are rooting for the Bills. The last time the Bills played the Chiefs they beat KC 30-21 on Nov. 17 in Buffalo. It’s time Buffalo beats the Chiefs in the postseason. Let’s go Bills! I’m picking the Bills to win this game and head to the Super Bowl! 

GO BILLS! WE BILL-IEVE! 

Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report Divisional Weekend '25

The Shenoa Report
January 18, 2025
Divisional Weekend

Guys. There are only eight teams left in the playoffs and after this weekend there will only be four. I’m already sad that the season is almost over. I should be relieved. My fantasy teams sucked, the NY Giants sucked, and 2024 as a whole sucked. But here I am at the start of 2025 already missing/stressing about football. Like, how badly will the Giants mess up their draft picks this year? I’ve already seen who the Giants play next season and I feel like we’ll win less than we did this season. But I digress. I love football and I am sad it’s almost over. 

We’ve got two games today and two games tomorrow. And if you’re into it, The College Football National Championship game is Monday. Notre Dame will take on Ohio State. It should be a fun game. I went 5-1 on my picks last week. Before we get to Divisional Weekend, let’s jump into the recap.  

Wildcard Weekend Recap

Chargers  @ Texans 12-32

The Texans defense woke up this game. They intercepted Justin Herbert four times, which was a career high for him. Herbert threw just three interceptions total in the regular season and had never thrown more than two in a game before this. Not a good day for the Chargers quarterback, but a great day for Houston. Though it didn’t start out that way. The Texans fumbled on their first play on offense and were down 6-0 with about a minute left in the first half. C.J. Stroud, who had already thrown an interception early in the second quarter,  threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Niko Collins late in the second to put the Texans on top. Ka’imi Fairbairn added a 41-yard field goal to give Houston a 10-6 lead going into halftime. They never looked back and the Chargers never threatened again. Next up, the Texans will head to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in the divisional round. 

Steelers @ Ravens 14-28

This wasn’t much of a game really. Kinda boring. I mean, I feel like everyone knew who would win this game before it had even started. The Ravens are incredible this year and the Steelers, not so much. In fact, they were lucky to even make it into wildcard weekend after losing their previous four games. The Ravens are scary good. I mean they’ve got Derrick Henry, who had two rushing touchdowns in this lopsided win. Oh yeah, and their quarterback is pretty decent as well. Lamar Jackson has already had a record breaking season and he just continues to add to his accomplishments. Jackson had two passing touchdowns in the first half and went 16 of 21 for 175 yards and rushed for 81. Baltimore outrushed Pittsburgh 299-29. It was the most yards rushing allowed by Pittsburgh in a playoff game, breaking the mark of 232 set by the Oakland Raiders 51 years ago. Up next, the Ravens head to Buffalo to take on the Bills in the divisional round. I hope the Bills are prepared for this. 

Broncos @ Bills 7-31

This game started out stressful AF. Bo Nix and the Broncos started the day with a five-play opening drive that ended with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin. The drive only took two minutes and twenty four seconds. Ugh, I thought. The Bills really need to step up their defense. Nix made the opening drive look super easy. The Bills were able to score a field goal in the middle of the first quarter but that didn’t lend much confidence to my fragile heart when it came to rooting for my sidepiece. But I also didn’t know that the Bills would shut out the Broncos for the rest of the game. I don’t think I started to feel comfortable until the end of the third quarter when the Bills were up by two touchdowns. Josh Allen completed 20 of 26 attempts for 272 yards passing and two touchdowns in this win and the running game combined for 210 yards.  Buffalo slowly wore down the Broncos by scoring on six of their first seven drives in a game where the Bills finished with a 23-minute edge in time of possession. Tyler Bass had three field goals, James Cook had a rushing touchdown, and both Ty Johnson and Curtis Samuel caught touchdown passes from Josh Allen. Keep it up Buffalo! 

Cook became Buffalo’s first player to top 100 yards rushing in a playoff game since Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas had 158 yards rushing in a 1995 wild-card playoff win over Miami. Allen increased his playoff total to 23 passing touchdowns, breaking the franchise record of 21 held by Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. Next up, the Bills will host the Ravens in the divisional weekend. 

Packers @ Eagles 10-22

There was no point in this game where I thought, “so you’re telling me there’s a chance” when it came to the Packers getting this win. I mean, at one point of the game, Eagles WR AJ Brown was on the sidelines reading a book, not at all concerned that his team might lose.  The game was on but it wasn’t fun to watch. If anything, I was surprised at how low scoring it actually was. Obviously the Eagles were the better team and I would have been shocked if they hadn’t won. I would have been happy, but shocked. Next up, the Eagles will host the Rams for the divisional game. 

Commanders @ Buccaneers 23-20

This was the only pick I got wrong and it came down to the last play of the game; a field goal doink that bounced in. The Commanders kicker said after the winning doink that it’s better to be lucky than good. I suppose he’s right. I just hope the Commanders are all out of luck going forward. I really wanted the Bucs to win this game. But luck wasn’t on their side. Baker Mayfield didn’t have the best game and he lost a fumble at the end of the game that set up the field goal for the Commanders. It was just hard to watch. Next up the Commanders travel to Detroit to take on the Lions in the divisional round. 

Vikings @ Rams 9-27

It was very evident from the beginning of this game that the Rams were not just playing for themselves they were playing for all of L.A. and those affected by the wildfires in California. They scored on their opening drive and never looked back. The Rams are more known for their wide receivers like Cooper Kupp and Puka Nakua than their defense ever since Aaron Donald retired. But the Rams defense managed to sack Sam Darnold an NFL playoff record-tying nine times in this romp over the Vikings. Darnold didn’t look like the quarterback for the Vikings, he resembled his QB days with the Jets or the Panthers. It wasn’t good. It was bad. Really bad. But a bad day for the Vikings was a really good day for the Rams and, honestly, they needed it more. Next up the Rams will travel to Philly to take on the Eagles for the divisional round. 

DIVISIONAL ROUND WEEKEND 

Saturday, January 18th 

Texans (10-7) @ Chiefs (15-2) (4:30pm  ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

Five years ago the Texans and the Chiefs played each other in the divisional round game. The Texans had Deshawn Watson as their quarterback and the Chiefs were looking for their first Super Bowl with Andy Ried. So much has changed since then. Most of the Chiefs starters haven’t played since Christmas day. That’s a long time to be off. It might bite them in the ass. The Texans, on the other hand, have gained a lot of momentum in the past few weeks, knocking off their opponents left and right. Do I think the Texans could be the Chiefs, sure. Will I be rooting for them, yes, a little bit. Do I think the Chiefs should give someone else a turn at the Super Bowl, yes, yes I do. Do I think the Chiefs will win this game? I mean, yes, they are the luckiest team in the NFL. I’m picking the Chiefs to win this game but I wouldn’t be super disappointed if I was wrong. 

Commanders (12-5) @ Lions (15-2) (8pm FOX)

The Lions host the Commanders on Saturday night as the NFC's top-seeded team for the 1st time in franchise history! Now with every win, the Lions make history. I hope they go all the way to the Super Bowl. I am allllll in on the Detroit Lions for the NFC! Let’s go! But seriously, that’s my pick and who I am rooting for. I hope they clobber the Commanders. I don’t want it to come down to a field goal. I want the Lions win to be substantial. GO LIONS!

Sunday, January 19th 

Rams (10-7) @ Eagles (14-3) (3pm  NBC/Peacock)

This is the one upset I am picking. Maybe it’s because I still have fire and tragedy on my mind or maybe it’s because I just don’t like the Eagles. Regardless, I am picking the Rams to win this game. They just have to come out with the ferocity they had last week against the Vikings. Both teams met in the regular season and the Eagles embarrassed the Rams at SoFi. I hope it’s the Rams embarrassing the Eagles at home this time around. Go Rams! 

Ravens (12-5) @ Bills (13-4) (6:30pm CBS/Paramount +)

This is the game I am the most nervous about. Growing up I was so thankful that my dad raised me as a Giants fan, unlike all of my cousins, aunts, and uncles who seemed to be Bills fans. My gramma would try to give me Bills stuff, which I would refuse, because I was a Giants fan and the Bills were TERRIBLE.  Now that I am grown and can make my own choices, I am an honorary Bills fan, and have been so for the last few years. It does help that the Giants are terrible but even in highschool I had an AFC and NFC team. I’ve just switched from the Colts to the Bills in the AFC. 

Both the Ravens and Bills have had record breaking seasons and they are both fully qualified to win this game. That’s what makes me so nervous. It should be a good game, very back and forth, and will probably be high scoring. These two teams played each other in week 4 when the Ravens stomped the Bills. I hope the Bills remember this, of course they do, and use it as fuel for their own stomping.  It’s supposed to be stupid cold in Buffalo which should give the Bills a bigger home field advantage. They are SO DUE. I will be rooting for and picking the Bills to win this game. GO BILLS!!!!!!! I Bill-ieve. 

Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report January 11, 2025 Super Wildcard Weekend #theshenoareport

The Shenoa Report

January 11, 2025

Super Wildcard Weekend

Thank god for football and playoffs. Playoffs? Yes, it’s finally the postseason for both the college football and the NFL. Did your team make it? My sidepiece team did! Go Bills! 

With the way 2025 started it’s good to have the distraction of football. But even football was interrupted by terrorist attacks and wildfires. The Sugar Bowl was delayed a day because of the terrorist attack in New Orleans early New Year's day. This Friday the Cardinals sent two of the team’s 777 planes to Los Angeles to pick up the Rams team, its staff, their families, six dogs and two cats, per an official, and brought them to Arizona Friday night. The Cardinals are turning over their training facility for the evacuated Rams to use in advance of their Monday night game vs. the Vikings which will now be played at State Farm Stadium in Arizona.

With two LA teams making the playoffs I thought it appropriate to mention the fires. I encourage you to help wherever you can, donate, send good vibes and prayers to California.  Also, this is a good time to remind you to check the batteries in your fire detectors and MAKE SURE THEY ARE WORKING. Have a fire blanket and fire extinguisher on hand, in working condition, and know your evacuation route. Fires suck. 

Last week was the final week of the regular season. I went 11-5 on my picks. Before we get to SUPER WILDCARD WEEKEND, let’s jump into the recap.  

Week 18 Recap.

Browns @ Ravens 10-35

The Ravens dominated their division rivals. Lamar Jackson had a record breaking day, throwing for two touchdowns with no interceptions.  Jackson finished the season with 4,172 yards passing, 41 touchdown passes, and only four interceptions. He became the first quarterback to reach 4,000 yards passing with 40 TD passes and four or fewer interceptions. Jackson also finished the season with 915 yards rushing, becoming the first to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for at least 800. That’s insanity. The Ravens did lose Zay Flowers, who left in the second quarter with a right knee injury. More on that later. Next up the Ravens will host another division rival, the Steelers in their wildcard game. 

Bengals @ Steelers 19-17

Well, the Bengals won the game but didn’t make it into the playoffs. The help they needed didn’t pan out, but they played a great game. It’s astounding that the Bengals didn’t make the playoffs with the amount of talent on that team.  For example, quarterback Joe Burrow is ranked 3 in the NFL, WR Ja’mar Chase is first and LB Germaine Pratt is ranked 10th in their respective positions.  The Steelers had already clinched a spot before this loss, which is a good thing for them. They got lucky. But I think their luck will run out Saturday in Baltimore in their wildcard matchup. 

Texans  @ Titans 23-14

The Texans won this game which is good momentum for their postseason run. And even though the Titans lost this game, they also secured the first pick of the 2025 draft. So, winning? Next up, Houston will host the Chargers in their wildcard game. 

Panthers @ Falcons 44-38 OT

The Falcons needed to win, and needed help to get into the playoffs, but their division rivals had other plans. With this win the Panthers lost positioning in the draft order but sometimes it's nice to stick it to your rival. Bryce Young put up 5 touchdowns, 3 passing and 2 rushing, in this back and forth win. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. had 312 passing yards and two touchdowns in the loss. One thing’s for sure, both teams seemed to have found their QB of the future. 

Saints @ Buccaneers 19-27

Guys, I got a little emotional at the end of this game. I was rooting for the Bucs, especially Mike Evans, who just needed 85 receiving yards to tie Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's NFL record of 11 consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus yards receiving. With just 36 seconds away from clinching the NFC South title, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a decision to make. Take a knee on their 32-yard line and run out the clock? Nope! Mike Evans still needed 5 yards to make history. So Baker Mayfield dropped back and found Evans who caught a 9-yard pass on the final play of the game to match Rice’s record. As soon as Evans got up after being tackled, he spiked the ball and was mobbed by teammates. The sideline erupted as well as the stadium. It was awesome. The Bucs will now host the Commanders on Sunday night in their wildcard game. The Saints will lick their wounds and just go home.

Bills @ Patriots 16-23

Well, I got this pick wrong. I guess Jerod Mayo was right when he said purposely losing the game to secure the top pick in the draft isn’t a consideration for him or his players. “We’re 100% focused on beating the Buffalo Bills, and that’s what we have to do.” And that’s what they did. They beat the Bills, lost the number one pick, and lost their head coach. He was fired immediately after the Patriots win. I’d like to think Mayo knew his time was up as a head coach and this win was a nice little F U to the orgiziation. I like it. The Bills, even though they lost the game, had a lot of accomplishments.  Quarterback Josh Allen played one snap, handing off the ball to James Cook, to extend his streak of consecutive starts to 115 games, including the playoffs. Mitch Trubisky played until late in the third quarter, when he was replaced by Mike White. Cook rushed for his 16th TD of the season to tie O.J. Simpson's Bills franchise record. Trubisky’s 2 yard touchdown pass to Ray Davis in the first quarter was the Bills' 30th passing TD this season, making them the first team in NFL history with 30 or more TDs through the air and on the ground in a season.  Linebacker Von Miller earned a $1.5 million bonus with his sixth sack of the season, taking down Drake Maye on the third play of the game. Bills punter Sam Martin also cashed in a $100,000 bonus in the third quarter for his 25th punt inside an opponent’s 20-yard line. Next up, the Bills will host the Broncos on Sunday in their wildcard game. 

Jaguars @ Colts 23-26 OT

Joe Flacco may have gotten his last win in his NFL career. The Colts were the only team to offer him a contract this season and now that contract is over. After this game, Colts owner Jim Irsay stated that both head coach Chris Ballard and GM Shane Steichen will retain their jobs. The Jags head coach, Doug Pederson wasn’t so lucky, he was fired this Monday. 

Commanders @ Cowboys 23-19

The Commanders had already made the playoffs and were playing for seeding. That’s why they didn’t rest players. As it turns out, they could have rested players because the Packers lost to the Bears later in the day. They could have also rested  Jayden Daniels the whole game but ended up pulling him in the second half due to leg soreness. Marcus Mariota got the start for the second half and led the team to victory. It’s always nice seeing the Cowboys lose. Hopefully Daniels got all the rest he needed as the Commanders travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Bucs in their wildcard game. 

NY Giants @ Eagles 13-20

This game went as I expected, though I didn’t get a chance to watch it. We don’t have the NFL Sunday Ticket and CBS decided to air the Bills - Patriots game instead of this one in our area. It’s probably for the best. We got to see the “highlights” on Redzone. One of which was from  Malik Nabers, who had five catches to finish his rookie season with 109 catches overall. He broke Steve Smith's franchise single-season record of 107 receptions, which had stood since 2009. The Giants are retaining Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen for the next season. Cool. Next, the Eagles will host the Packers for their wildcard game. 

Bears @ Packers 24-22

Speaking of the Packers. They probably should have rested their starters in this game. Instead they lost quarterback Jordan Love and wide receiver Christian Watson to injuries. Watson was carted off the field with a knee injury in the second quarter and Love departed later in that same series. Love said he lost feeling in his throwing hand but expects to be fine for the playoffs. Coach Matt LaFleur said Love could have returned to the game if necessary. Next up the Packers head to Philadelphia to face the Eagles in their wildcard game. 

Seahawks @ Rams 30-25

The Rams starters watched the game in street clothes on the sideline and the team led by Jimmy Garapolo still almost won the game. That’s good news for the Rams. Even though they lost they still hold a lot of momentum going into the postseason. The Seahawks, already eliminated, took advantage of playing the Rams B-team and Geno Smith threw a career high 4 touchdown passes.  Next up, the Rams will “host” the Vikings in their wildcard game. I say host in quotations as the Rams will not be playing at home. The game has been moved to Glendale Arizona because of the wildfires in LA. 

Dolphins @ NY Jets  20-32

The Jets help spoil their division rivals' chances at the post season. Aaron Rodgers threw a season high four touchdown passes, becoming the fifth player to throw 500 career regular-season TD passes, in what could’ve been his final NFL game. Rodgers finished 23 of 36 for 274 yards and TD passes to Tyler Conklin, Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and Breece Hall. A better finish to the game after he was intercepted by Tyrel Dodson on his first passing attempt. The Dolphins needed the win and needed a Broncos loss. Neither happened. After the game, Tyreek Hill basically said he was done with Miami. He wants out. Both orginization’s off seasons are going to be fun to track. 

Chiefs @ Broncos 0-38

The Broncos shut out the Chiefs B-team in their path to the postseason. It’ll be the first time Denver has made the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl in 2015. Bo Nix's four TD passes gave him 29 for the season, second-most by a rookie in NFL history, behind only Justin Herbert's 31 in 2020. Denver will need all the momentum they can get as they will travel to Buffalo for their wildcard game. The Chiefs have a first round bye so we don’t know who they’ll be playing next, yet. 

Chargers @ Raiders 34-20

I think that if the Raiders had won this game that head coach Antonio Pierce could have kept his job. They didn’t win and he was fired. GM Tom Telesco was also fired days later. The Chargers, on the other hand, closed the regular season with a three-game winning streak under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh and will visit the fourth-seeded Houston Texans on Saturday. Had they lost, they would have faced Baltimore in the latest edition of the Harbaugh Bowl. John Harbaugh coaches the Ravens and has never lost to his younger brother. I mean, that would have been more entertaining but I’m sure Jim is relieved. The Texans aren’t as good as the Ravens in my opinion. 

49ers @ Cardinals 24-47

The Cardinals' final passing touchdown of the season was a perfectly placed ball from Kyler Murray to rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. I get it. When the games don’t matter Kyler can find MHJ. That pretty much sums up the Cardinals season and my fantasy football season. A win a little too late. Both teams will have all off season to make adjustments as neither team made the playoffs. 

Vikings @ Lions 9-31

Detroit scored first and never looked back. They knew after that first touchdown they were going to have the number one seed and NFC North title as well as a first round bye. The game wasn’t even close. Which I was very ok with. When I am specifically rooting for someone I don’t want the game to be close. It's too panic inducing. Jahmyr Gibbs scored 4 touchdowns in this rout of the Lions division rivals. The Lions have been banged up allllllll season. They have more injured players than any other team this season but you wouldn’t know it. Their mentality is next man up and don’t quit. In the NFL's final game before the playoffs, two teams played in the regular season with a combined 28 victories for the first time. The Vikings dropped to the fifth seed with this loss and will face the Rams in their wildcard game. 

 

SUPER WILDCARD WEEKEND 

Saturday, January 11th 

Chargers (11-6) @ Texans (10-7) (4:30pm CBS/Paramount +)

The Chargers haven’t been in the playoffs since 2018. The Texans were there in 2023 when C.J. Stroud won rookie player of the year. Even though the Texans still have Stroud he isn’t as dynamite as he was in his rookie season. The Chargers left for Houston on Thursday afternoon. Their preparation for Saturday’s game was affected by the wildfires and the resulting poor air quality in El Segundo. Coach Harbaugh adjusted practice Wednesday and Thursday to limit the amount of time players spent on the field. (It was reported that ash was falling from the sky all throughout practice.) He also said he “reduced the intensity of the workout.” Harbaugh said the adjustments cut the amount of time most players spent on the field by “over half” of what was originally scheduled. He estimated most players spent no more than 45 minutes on the field at any given time. Harbaugh said he was not concerned about the adjusted schedule affecting the team’s preparation. I honestly don’t know who to pick to win this game. The Texans definitely have home field advantage and cleaner air for sure. The Chargers have gone through so much adversity in just this week that they may flounder OR use the wildfires as a catalyst to push through and win the game. All of that said, I don’t care who wins or loses this game, I like both teams. For picks sake, I’m picking the Texans to win this game, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I was wrong.  

Steelers (10-7) @ Ravens (12-5) (8pm Prime Video)

The Steelers head into this game having lost their last four in a row, one of which was a blowout loss to the Ravens in week 16. I’m rooting for the Steelers but I have no expectation for them to win this game. Their only help is that the Ravens will be without Lamar Jackson's top wide receiver target, Zay Flowers, who injured his knee last weekend and has been ruled out of this game. So maybe the Ravens will only win by 10 not 17? Lamar has had a stellar season and I don’t think it's over just yet. I am picking the Ravens to win this game. 

Sunday, January 12th 

Broncos  (10-7) @ Bills (13-3) (1pm CBS/Paramount +)

It's been almost a decade since the Broncos have been in the playoffs. The last time they were there they won the Super Bowl and Von Miller was the MVP of that game. Miller now plays for the Bills but you won’t hear him utter any negativity against his former team. I mean, they did get him a ring. The Bills have been to the playoffs for the past six consecutive seasons.  They are SO DUE. I will be rooting for and picking the Bills to win this game. GO BILLS!!!!!!! I Bill-ieve. 

Packers  (11-6) @ Eagles (13-3) (4:30pm FOX)

Ugh. Jalen Hurts was a full participant in practice Thursday and cleared from concussion protocol. Jordan Love is still nursing a sore elbow on his throwing arm and felt pain when he did some limited throwing in practice this week. The Packers also lost Christian Watson to a season ending injury last week. I’ll be rooting for the Packers and hoping for an amazing upset, like last season's playoffs when the Packers pulled off a road upset as a No. 7 seed in Dallas. But I don’t think luck works that way. I’m pulling for the Packers but picking the Eagles to win this game, hoping I’m wrong. 

Commanders (12-5) @ Buccaneers (10-7) (8pm NBC/Peacock)

I’ve been a Baker Mayfield fan since he was the starter for the Browns and I am not going to stop now. Tampa has made the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year. The Commanders last appearance was in 2021. As a Giants fan, I will not be rooting for the Commanders so much so that I”ll be rooting for the Bucs and picking them to win this game. 

Monday, January 13th 

Vikings (14-3) @ Rams (10-7)  (8pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

This game will be played in Glendale, Arizona because of the wildfires in LA. The Rams have made the playoffs in six of the last eight seasons with Sean Mcvay as their head coach. The Vikings last playoff appearance was in 2023 when the Giants knocked them out in the first round. The Vikings and Rams met in Week 8 of the regular season and the Rams became one of just two teams to beat the Vikings all season long. I’m rooting for and picking the Rams to win this game. 

GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report Regular Season Week 18 '25 #theshenoareport

The Shenoa Report

January 4, 2025

Regular Season Week 18

Happy New Year! This is the last week of the regular season. Crazy how time flies. There are a lot of scenarios for teams still trying to get into the playoffs. I’ll be sure to do my best to give you all the details. One thing is for sure, the Giants will not be in the postseason. I know, I know, this may be shocking to some of you. Glad to know I still have my sense of humor in the new year. I went 12-4 on my picks last week. How will I do this week? 

Let’s jump into the recap.

Chiefs @ Steelers 29-10

I got this pick wrong. I really thought that the Steelers would beat the Chiefs. Oh well. I feel like, for the first time this season, the Chiefs actually dominated this game with a resounding win. The Steelers, on the other hand, did not look good and have lost the last three games by at least 14 points. It’ll be a tough road for Pittsburgh in the playoffs. With this win the Chiefs have locked up the number one seed in the AFC, a first round bye, and home field advantage in the playoffs. 

Ravens @ Texans 31-2

Yo. The Texans got embarrassed and the Ravens didn’t hold back! Lamar Jackson pushed his career rushing total to 6,110 to move past Michael Vick, who had 6,109 in his 13-year career. Jackson threw for 168 yards with two passing touchdowns and ran for 87 yards and also had a rushing touchdown. The Texans, looking at the score, didn’t do anything except their defense stopped Jackson once in his own endzone to score a safety. The Ravens have already wrapped up their third straight playoff berth and need a victory over Cleveland in week 18 to win the division over Pittsburgh.  The Texans visit the Titans next and just hope they can get a win. 

Seahawks @ Bears 6-3

I’m not gonna lie, this game was boring and not really worth watching. My dad probably liked it because it was low scoring. He likes defense. But this wasn’t really so much a defensive game as much as it was sloppy and mistake ridden. The Seahawks really needed this win and now they’ll need help to further their chance of making it to the postseason. The Bears are just glad they only have to play one more game this season. 

Chargers @ Patriots 40-7

With the win over the Patriots, the Chargers have made it to the postseason. And win they did. It was more like a romp. Justin Herbert had a three passing touchdown day and  became the third player in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes in each of his first five seasons. He joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson. That’s pretty good company. Like the Bears, the Patriots are just glad the season is almost over. 

Broncos @ Bengals 24-30 OT

Well, it took almost all of overtime but the Bengals got the win. Joe Burrow had a great day. He threw for 412 yards and three touchdowns, each of which went to Tee Higgins.  This was the Bengals first win this season against a team with a winning record. They’ll need another win in week 18 against the Steelers and some help from other teams to make it to the postseason.  The Broncos kept pace but couldn’t get the job done. If they had won they would have secured an AFC wild card. The Broncos will also  have another opportunity in the final week of the regular season if they can beat the Chiefs. We’ll see!

Cardinals @ Rams 9-13

The Cardinals tried to play spoiler but the Rams outlasted them and are in the playoffs with this win. They didn’t do it on their own, but the chips fell in their favor. This was an uncharacteristic game in which Puka Nakua didn’t score a touchdown and Cooper Kupp didn’t even have a catch. Kyren Williams scored the only touchdown for the Rams but that was enough for the win and the trip to the playoffs. 

NY Jets @ Bills 14-40

With the Chiefs win on Christmas day, the Bills never had a chance to be the number one seed in the AFC but with this win they secured the number two seed. The Jets never had a chance for a spot in the playoffs but Rodgers, who entered the game with 499 career TD passes, was looking to become just the fifth player to reach 500. That didn’t happen, he was shut out, but became the NFL’s most sacked quarterback instead. So, he still set a record right? Rodgers has now been sacked 568 times, moving ahead of Tom Brady (565) and into first place on the career list. Rodgers was benched in the fourth quarter for Tyrod Taylor. Taylor was able to throw two touchdown passes in garbage time. Josh Allen, on the other hand, threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to become the NFL’s first player to score 40 touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. Allen was benched in the third quarter for Mitch Trubisky as the Bills were already up 33-0 and Allen just didn’t need to risk injury at that point. Allen’s 1-yard score was the 65th rushing TD of his career, matching the team record held by Thurman Thomas. I’m so proud of the Bills. Hooray for a good NY football team! 

Titans @ Jaguars 13-20

For just the fourth time in 30 years the Jags have swept their division rivals the Tennessee Titans. It’s all thanks to rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. He also became the fifth player in Jaguars history with double-digit TD receptions in a single season. Even though both teams never had a chance at the playoffs at least the Jags have a bright light of hope in Thomas for years to come. 

Panthers @ Buccaneers 14-48

The Bucs needed a win and help from Atlanta to make it into the postseason and they got both. The Falcons lost in week 17 and Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns without an interception for the Bucs as they put the smack down on their division rival. Mayfield has now swept his former team four times since they released him two years ago. 

Raiders @ Saints 25-10

Like the Giants, the Raiders didn’t seem to care about draft order with this win over the Saints. Rookie tight end, Brock Bowers, broke two records in this game, one of which Mike Ditka set decades ago and the other set by Puka Nacua set last season. Bowers now has 1,144 receiving yards and 108 receptions in his rookie season. Ditka's 1961 rookie tight end receiving record was 1,067 yards.  Puka Nacua had 105 catches his first season and it was the best by a rookie at any position. Bowers also surpassed Darren Waller's franchise mark of 107 receptions in a season, which had stood since 2020. I think regardless of where the Raiders end up picking in the draft, they definitely already have some great talent on the team. The Saints are just so injury ridden they are probably thankful the season is almost over. 

Cowboys @ Eagles 7-41

The Cowboys are a joke. With Jalen Hurts out with a concussion for the Eagles, QB Kenny Pickett got the start. Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to make it over 2,000 yards on the season. Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs. Then the backup to the backup, Tanner McKee, finished the game for the Eagles. McKee had two passing touchdowns against the Cowboys. The Cowboys are a joke. And because the Cowboys couldn’t beat the Eagles, now Philadelphia has secured the number one seed in the NFC, first round bye in the playoffs, and home field advantage. Way to go Dallas jerks. 

Colts @ NY Giants 33-45

Yeah. Ummmm. Yeah. So. Well. We HAD the first pick in the draft. Had is past tense. By winning this game we eliminated the Colts from playoff contention and lost the first pick in the draft. Personally, I think that there is always too much hype with the first pick of the draft. Sure, sometimes the guy is an allstar hall of famer, and sometimes it’s JaMarcus Russell. Anyway, back to the game. The Giants actually looked GOOD! I mean, they just kept scoring against a team that was trying to get into the postseason. We were just trying to break a 10 game losing streak as well as getting the first home win of the season. We did it. We won a home game. We looked good. Rookie WR Malik Nabers and RB Tyrone Tracy Jr had stellar games. Nabers and Tracy become the third pair of rookies to have more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage in the same season. The previous duo was running back Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston of the Saints in 2006. I’m not mad at the win. I’m proud. Also, you better believe I called my dad after the game to talk about it. 3rd call of the season for a win. 

Dolphins @ Browns 20-3

The Dolphins still have hope to make the playoffs and it started with this win over the Browns. Miami was without Tua and it didn’t matter. The team showed up and showed out in Cleveland. It helped that it was 60 degrees at the end of December and they were playing a team with a losing record, but they got the win. 

Packers @ Vikings 25-27

Man. I really wanted the Packers to win this game to help the Lions get the number two seed in the NFC. Oh well. This was a game of two halves. The Vikings dominated the first half and the Packers clawed back in the second and even shut out the Vikings in the fourth quarter. But it wasn’t enough to win the game. Both teams are still in the postseason, it is all about positioning now and the Packers droppppppppped. 

Falcons @ Commanders 24-30 OT

With this win the Commanders have the six spot in the NFC playoffs. The Falcons need a lot of help to get in. It’s not likely. The Falcons controlled the first half of the game and then the Commanders went crazy in the second half. Atlanta clawed back in the fourth to tie the game, sending it to overtime. Washington got a second wind in overtime and Jayden Daniels connected with Zach Ertz in the endzone to send them to the postseason. 

Lions @ 49ers 40-34

The Lions knew that they couldn’t get the number one seed in the NFC thanks to the Cowboys inability to beat the Eagles with a third string quarterback. Detroit could have sat their starters in this somewhat meaningless game, but that’s not the Dan Campbell way. The Lions play to win every game. They play hard and they make no excuses. You see, last season the 49ers ended the Lions postseason run and the Lions didn’t forget. Campbell said he considered resting some starters but decided it would be unfair to the backups who hadn't prepared and the starters who still would have had to play. It all worked out, with the Lions getting the win and coming out healthy. The 49ers were eliminated last week and now the Lions will play the Vikings in week 18 to decide the second seed in the NFC. 

 

WEEK 18

Saturday, January 4th 

Browns (3-13) @ Ravens (11-5) (4:30pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

The Ravens would win the division with a victory but, if they lose, which is not likely, Pittsburgh could snatch the division title, as well as a first-round home playoff game by beating Cincinnati on Saturday night. Cleveland actually beat both Baltimore and Pittsburgh this season with Jameis Winston playing quarterback. He's since been benched. Bailey Zappe will get the start for the Browns and becomes the team's 40th starting QB since 1999. All that said, I’m picking the Ravens to win this game. 

Bengals (8-8) @ Steelers (10-6) (8pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

The Steelers looked really really good in November. December, not so much. They have lost their previous 3 games. It’s been ugly. Cincinnati’s 30-24 overtime win over Denver was significant, considering that seven of its eight losses this season have come by one score. The Bengals have been surging as of late. The Steelers have already made the playoffs and are looking to clinch the AFC North title. To do that they need to win and a Ravens loss. I don’t think that the Steelers will get the title. The Bengals just want to get into the playoffs. They need a win + Denver loss vs. Kansas City + Miami loss/tie at N.Y. Jets. Also not likely. I’m picking the Bengals to win this game. They have more to play for, in my opinion. 

Sunday, January 5th 

Texans (9-7) @ Titans (3-13) (1pm CBS)

The Texans haven’t played since Christmas day, where they were embarrassed by only scoring 2 points. They’ve already made the playoffs but they might want to get a win in the final week to have a positive start to the postseason and shake off the embarrassment of their last game. The Titans were eliminated from playoff contention on December 8th. Now they are looking at the draft order. I’m picking the Texans to win this game. 

Panthers (4-12) @ Falcons (8-8) (1pm CBS)

The Falcons, though they haven’t been eliminated yet, are on the outside looking in. In order to make the playoffs they need to win + Tampa Bay to lose vs. New Orleans. I’m picking the Falcons to win but I don’t think they are going to make the playoffs. 

Saints  (5-11) @ Buccaneers (9-7) (1pm FOX)

If the Bucs can beat NFC South rival Saints they would get their fourth straight division title and ensure they begin the postseason with a home game. The Saints couldn’t even beat the Raiders last week so I don’t think they’ll do anything this week.  I’m picking the Bucs to win this game and get the NFC South title. 

Bills (13-3) @ Patriots (3-13) (1pm CBS)

The Buffalo Bills are locked into the No. 2 seed in the AFC, so they are expected to rest many of their starters. Head coach Sean McDermott said that Josh Allen will start the game to keep his streak of consecutive starts alive. Allen has a 114-game starting streak, which includes the playoffs. He has not missed a start since sitting out four games with an injured throwing elbow in his rookie season in 2018. Mitchell Trubisky will take over quarterbacking shortly after kickoff. New England enters its final game currently in position to get the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft. A win this week could threaten that status. But coach Jerod Mayo said purposely losing the game to secure that pick isn’t a consideration for him or his players. “We’re 100% focused on beating the Buffalo Bills, and that’s what we have to do,” he said. Yeah, ok Mayo. That said, I’m still picking the Bills to beat the Patriots. 

Jaguars (4-12) @ Colts (7-9) (1pm FOX)

Both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs so I am picking the Colts to win, but I picked them to win last week and they lost. Therefore, I won’t be surprised if I get this pick incorrect. 

Commanders (11-5) @ Cowboys (7-11) (1pm FOX)

The Commanders have already made it into the playoffs and the Cowboys have already been eliminated. Washington doesn’t plan on resting starters so I’m picking the Commanders to win this game. 

NY Giants (3-13) @ Eagles (13-3) (1pm CBS)

The Eagles already said they are resting their starters and are planning to tank the game to further hurt the Giants draft pick. This includes Saquon Barkley, who had the chance to break Eric Dickerson's rushing record of 2,105 yards set in 1984. He’s a 100 yards short of tying the record. I believe it. The Eagles are so threatened by the Giants success that they consistently try to sabotage the organization. I think it’s dumb to sit Barkely when he has the chance to make history. I hope he doesn’t get another chance. I can be vindictive too. It’s funny really, we haven’t been relevant in over a decade. The Eagles can lay off the Giants and focus on another team in the NFC East. I’m still picking the Eagles to win this game. And if by some miracle the Giants win, cool. We beat a division rival and didn’t let Saquon get an NFL record. Go G-men! 

Bears (4-12) @ Packers (11-5) (1pm FOX)

The Packers are in the playoffs and the Bears have already been eliminated. The Packers have won this division matchup 11 straight times. I am picking the Packers to win this game and make it 12. 

Seahawks (9-7) @ Rams (10-6)  (4:25pm FOX)

The Rams are sitting all of their starters and the Seahawks have been eliminated already. It’s probably not going to be an exciting game. I’m picking the Seahawks to win and set some personal milestones. I drafted WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba in fantasy this season and would love to see him set some records. He has been a breakout player this season for Seattle, and is on the verge of several milestones. Smith-Njigba, who has averaged six receptions and 70 receiving yards per game this season, needs five catches to break teammate Tyler Lockett’s single-season franchise mark and needs 183 yards to pass DK Metcalf for the single-season franchise receiving yards record. Go JSN!

Dolphins (8-8) @ NY Jets  (4-12)  4:25pm FOX)

So you’re telling me there’s a chance. The Dolphins could get into the playoffs but they need some help.  They need to win and they need the Broncos to lose to the Chiefs. I am picking them to win this game but it’s unlikely that they’ll make the playoffs. 

Chiefs (15-1) @ Broncos (9-7) (4:25pm CBS)

The Chiefs will be resting all of their starters as they’ve already locked up the number one seed in the AFC. The Broncos need to win and they are in the postseason. I’m picking the Broncos to win this game. 

Chargers (10-6) @ Raiders (4-12) (4:25pm FOX)

The Chargers have already made the playoffs and the Raiders have been eliminated for months. Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce doesn’t tank games and isn’t planning to start now. I’m picking the Raiders to win this game. 

49ers (6-9) @ Cardinals (7-9) (4:25pm FOX)

Neither team has made the playoffs and will just be playing for pride. The 49ers are super banged up and will sit a lot of their players. That said, I’m reluctantly picking the Cardinals to win this game. 

Vikings (14-2) @ Lions (13-2) (8:20pm NBC/Peacock)

This is the game of the week. The game of the regular season, even. There is a lot at stake for both teams. This is the game that decides the number two seed in the NFC. The winner gets that seed and the loser drops to the number five seed. I will be rooting for and picking the Lions to win this game. Go Lions!  

BYES: NONE

GO G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the edit Eric!