Latest news with #LamarJackson
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
2025 Lions game-by-game predictions: NFC North still theirs to lose?
It is going to be a bloodbath in the NFC North this season, just like it was last year. With how competitive the division is, it seems likely that all four teams will somewhat cannibalize each other. On top of that, they have to play the AFC North and NFC East. The Lions have to then contend with a first-place schedule thanks to their 15 wins last year. It likely won't take that many to win the division again, but it won't be a cakewalk for a team that just lost its Pro Bowl center and saw both its coordinators and multiple other assistants depart in the offseason. That said, this is still an excellent roster with the talent to beat anyone, so let's look at how the 2025 season could go for Detroit. Week 1: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Sept. 7 I don't think it's going to be all smooth sailing for the Lions right off the bat with the mass coaching exodus, but against a familiar opponent with a chip on their shoulder? They should be just fine at Lambeau. Result: Win, 1-0 record Week 2: vs. Chicago Bears, Sunday, Sept. 14 I told you it wouldn't be smooth sailing. The Lions play twice against one of the departed coordinators, and best believe Ben Johnson has all the motivation to beat his former team. Result: Loss, 1-1 Week 3: at Baltimore Ravens, Monday, Sept. 22 This is a toss-up, but I don't see the Lions losing back-to-back games very easily. While it'll be a challenge in Baltimore against Lamar Jackson, Detroit has the talent to do it and will have Aidan Hutchinson back in his groove. Result: Win, 2-1 Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 28 The Browns at home is about as favorable of a matchup as the Lions are going to get. Result: Win, 3-1 Week 5: at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 5 I think the Bengals are going to be a lot more formidable than they were last year and that's going to be trouble for anyone they have to play. They won't win every game, but they'll inevitably beat some good teams. In this case, the Lions are one of them. Result: Loss, 3-2 Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Oct . 12 The Lions are still a great team, so they'll also beat some great teams. They're playing a first-place schedule for a reason and that means playing teams like the Chiefs. Result: Win, 4-2 Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Monday, Oct. 20 I'm not sure why the Bucs keep getting underestimated when they've won their division the past four years and have made legitimate playoff runs. That being said, the Lions have had the Bucs' number in the past, and they'll have it again. Result: Win, 5-2 Week 8: Bye Week 9: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 2 I fully expect the Lions and Vikings to battle it out again just like they did last year. This should be the time that J.J. McCarthy is starting to round into form, but the same will be true of the Lions' defense. Coming off a bye week, too? I think the Lions take this one. Result: Win, 6-2 Week 10: at Washington Commanders, Sunday, Nov. 9 The Commanders made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game last year and are no longer a surprise team. They only got better this offseason, too. Result: Loss, 6-3 Week 11: at Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Nov. 16 I don't see the Eagles having a Super Bowl hangover this year, at least not one that means they're still not excellent in the regular season. Philadelphia has one of the best offensive arsenals in the league that will stress every level of Detroit's defense. Its passing game can take the top off the secondary, which has been the Lions' weakness in the past. Result: Loss, 6-4 Week 12: vs. New York Giants, Sunday, Nov. 23 Detroit gets to balance its first-place road games with last-place teams at home. The Giants should be an easy win for the Lions. Result: Win, 7-4 Week 13: vs. Green Bay Packers, Thursday, Nov. 27 The NFC North is a nearly impossible division to predict and feels like, at least, a three-team race. That can mean a sweep for Detroit or a series split or the Lions could lose both times to Green Bay. These teams play each other so close and have done so for the past couple of years. This should be no different. Result: Win, 8-4 Week 14: vs. Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Dec. 4 The Cowboys have added more talent offensively, but it shouldn't be anything the Lions can't handle, provided they're healthy at this point of the season. Result: Win, 9-4 Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 14 Crossing two time zones is always tricky and I think the Rams will be even better this season than they were last year. They'll likely with the NFC West again, and this time more convincingly. That could mean the Lions drop one to their former quarterback. Result: Loss, 9-5 Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Dec. 21 The Steelers could very well have Mason Rudolph at quarterback if Aaron Rodgers doesn't ultimately sign with them, so I can't think they're a real threat to the Lions at this stage of the season. Result: Win, 10-5 Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings, Thursday, Dec. 25 Remember how I said this division is a total toss-up? It's not likely that the Lions will win every division game they play. In fact, I'd bet it's impossible. If they're going to drop one to the Vikings, it'll be later in the year when McCarthy has more experience. Result: Loss, 10-6 Week 18: at Chicago Bears, TBD It should all still end on a high note for the Lions, who will likely be vying for the division title down to the wire again. I don't think it's going to take a 15-win season mostly because I don't see 15 wins on any NFC North team's schedule — not with them playing the AFC North and NFC East. Whoever wins the division can perhaps do it with 11 victories, which is exactly where I have the Lions. Result: Win Final record: 11-6 Carmen Vitali is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should be getting contract extension very soon.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should be getting contract extension very soon. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Baltimore Ravens have one of the best players in the entire NFL in superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson, and he could get a massive pay raise whenever the team decides to extend him. Advertisement The current highest-paid player in the NFL is Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, who signed a four-year, $240 million deal back in September of this past year. CBS Sports' Joel Corry thinks Jackson could eclipse that annual $60 million mark by a solid margin. "Jackson should also make it clear to the Ravens that by waiting until next year to do a deal, the growth in the salary cap from 2025 to 2026 will need to be taken into account," Corry wrote. "For example, if the 2026 salary cap is set at $302.5 million, then the deal would have to be at $70 million per year because that would reflect the 34.56% salary cap inflation from 2023." While that number ($70 million APY!) may seem quite steep, which it is, there are not many people more deserving of that big of a contract than the Ravens superstar. Jackson finished this past season with 4,172 passing yards and 41 touchdowns on just four interactions. He was obviously also able to get it done with his legs with 915 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Advertisement The 28-year-old field general is just two seasons removed from winning the NFL Most Valuable Player Award, so there will not be much debate that he deserves to be paid more than Prescott when the time comes. Related: 'Remarkably Consistent' Ravens Dubbed Second-Most Complete Team Related: Ravens' Mark Andrews Fires Back At 'Slowing Down' Critics This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
Lamar Jackson's deal is a Ravens masterpiece hiding in plain sight
Lamar Jackson's deal is a Ravens masterpiece hiding in plain sight The Baltimore Ravens' best player may also be their biggest bargain. When the NFL reaches its 200th season, new periodicals will be written. A second centennial team will be announced, we will certainly mention Baltimore Ravens legends. A team representing another century of football could very well include one Lamar Jackson. He still has work to do to make that inclusion a guarantee, but the two-time MVP knows that. The 2025-26 campaign doubles as his eighth at the professional level, and the resume is already very impressive. Action Jackson is a two-time Bert Bell Award winner. He's a three-time First-Team All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler. He led the NFL in touchdown passes tossed during the 2019 season. He led all of pro football in passer rating. One would think an asset with that resume would be so expensive that his team could barely afford to pay his salary, but the Ravens found a way to reward brilliance without bankruptcy. On April 27, 2023, he inked a five-year contract worth $260 million with $185 million guaranteed. Two years later, that one is still being viewed as a masterclass in contract writing. Lamar Jackson's deal with the Ravens continues to earn rave reviews. At the time of his deal's announcement, Jackson passed Jalen Hurts as the highest-paid player in NFL history just ten days after the Philadelphia Eagles star agreed to terms in his extension. Jackson's record-setting number would be surpassed by Justin Herbet three months later, but as we enter another season of pro football, the consensus is familiar. It's hard to fathom the Ravens getting this level of production without setting the franchise back a la Deshaun Watson's deal with the Cleveland Browns. FOX Sports' Henry McKenna recently evaluated the NFL's mega QB contracts and agreed that Baltimore is getting a steal in what they are handing to Lamar Jackson. "Here's a guy who could easily be sitting up there with (Dak) Prescott — or, at the very least, with (Joe) Burrow and (Josh) Allen. Certainly, Jackson was sitting atop those other signal-callers when he received the AP MVP for the 2023 season, his second such award. Hate on him if you want. Compare him to (Patrick) Mahomes if you want. Jackson is one of the most dominant football players in the league. The Ravens are enjoying all that impressive play without having to pay top dollar." While mentioning Lamar's brilliance, we are often steered in the direction of noting what is perhaps the most overstated discussion in his evaluation: his lack of success during the postseason. It's fair to ask questions. It's fair to talk about pressure or demand more of one of the league's best players. It is also fair to remind the detractors of a little NFL history. Peyton Manning wasn't seen as a great postseason performer until he was. John Elway wasn't regarded as a great postseason performer until he proved to be one. Lamar needs that Lombardi Trophy. He knows that, and it is fair to wager that it won't elude him forever. He has shone bright under the bright lights. He is too good and too talented to miss the mark forever, and thanks to Baltimore's ingenuity in how they have structured his deal, they have ensured themselves that they can put the proper talent around him. That's perhaps the best part of this entire story.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Cobee Bryant compares James Harden to Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens fans are outraged
Cobee Bryant (via Getty Images) Atlanta Falcons rookie Cobee Bryant has gotten himself into hot water among Baltimore Ravens fans after sharing a meme on Snapchat with quarterback Lamar Jackson. The photo, which seemed to combine the body of NFL sensation Lamar Jackson and the face of NBA star James Harden, immediately set off outrage online. Atlanta Falcons rookie Cobee Bryant in trouble over meme involving Lamar Jackson and James Harden Cobee Bryant, a new defensive back for the Atlanta Falcons, might not have ever played a down in the NFL, but he's already gotten himself into controversy. In a now-famous Snapchat post, Cobee Bryant posted an edited meme with James Harden's face on Lamar Jackson's body. The post was made without a caption or context, which only added fuel to the fire of debate among fans about what Cobee Bryant was trying to say. Baltimore Ravens dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson is now one of the league's brightest stars, having won two NFL MVP awards and thrilling fans with his dual-threat capabilities. But with criticism following him over the Ravens' failure to get far into the playoffs, it is a story that has pursued him in recent times. Likewise, James Harden—now with the Los Angeles Clippers—is frequently praised for his regular-season skills but denigrated for his playoff games. The meaning of the meme appeared to equate the two: players who dominate throughout the season but do not come through when it matters most. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Some fans saw it as healthy sports trash talk, but Baltimore Ravens fans were not pleased. Many labeled Bryant's tweet 'disrespectful,' noting that since he was an undrafted rookie, he had not yet acquired the right to jab at a player like Jackson. 'Man I wish we played the Falcons this year but then again Cobee Bryant probably wouldn't even see the field,' one fan tweeted on X. 'Dude needs to chill. He's an UDFA rookie…' another wrote. Some users defended Bryant, claiming the meme was merely run-of-the-mill off-season banter and not to be taken literally. Also read: Cobee Bryant surprises Falcons with early rise after going undrafted Although Cobee Bryant likely meant no harm by posting as a joke, he hit a sensitive spot among die-hard Baltimore Ravens fans, who consider Lamar Jackson to be a franchise pillar. Whether the incident will be remembered as rookie naivety or leave a lasting legacy is yet to be determined. At present, it serves as a reminder that in the realm of professional sport, even a meme can create significant headlines.
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
NFL: Cobee Bryant's cryptic post comparing Lamar Jackson to James Harden sparks fury among Baltimore Ravens fans
Cobee Bryant, a young rookie for the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL (National Football League), recently sparked debate with a mysterious post. The Snapchat post displayed an edited image merging two different identities, NFL's Lamar Jackson and NBA star player James Harden. This resulted in the creation of a buzz on social media as fans bashed Bryant. Bryant, who plays as a defensive back, shared a meme on Snapchat with a combined image of James Harden's face with the body of Lamar Jackson. While Lamar is a star quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens and is known for his agile running and passing skills, James is a basketball player famous for his scoring ability but is often criticized for underperforming in NBA playoffs. The post didn't mention any caption or an explicit explanation leading the fans to interpret Cobee Bryant's intention behind posting the image. The meme suggested that both athletes falter when it matters most, in the playoffs. While it might have been intended as a playful jab, many fans especially in Baltimore, found it disrespectful. Lamar Jackson is a beloved figure in Baltimore, having won two NFL MVP awards for his outstanding performances. However, his team, the Baltimore Ravens, has faced criticism for not advancing far in the NFL playoffs, leading some to unfairly pin the blame on Jackson. Similarly, James Harden, despite being a basketball superstar, has faced scrutiny for his teams' playoff losses. By linking the two, Bryant's meme touched a nerve, especially among Ravens fans. Baltimore Ravens passionate fans took to social media, particularly X, to express their anger. Many called out Bryant for being a rookie who hasn't proven himself yet. While Some fans saw it as a playful jab others highly opposed the decision. However, some netizens backed Bryant and extended support with comments in writing comments in his favour.
