NFL News and Notes for Friday, November 18th, 2022
As we embark on Week 11 of the regular season, we are approaching the final push to the playoffs as teams jockey for positioning. While there is a definitive separation between pretenders and contenders, the next few weeks could be critical for a handful of bubble teams.
While all eyes are on the action on the field, let’s take a look at some of the stories off the field around the NFL.
Snow Pushes Buffalo Out Of New York
The Buffalo Bills will get to enjoy the comforts of a home game this weekend….in Detroit. In a decision announced Thursday, the league announced that the game between Buffalo and Cleveland will be played at Detroit’s Ford Field.
The culprit for the move is a massive snowstorm that could dump as much as 70 inches of snow on the area, according to Colin McCarthy of US Stormwatch.
The governor of New York has already issued a state of emergency, and rather than risk the dangers of the storm, the Bills and Browns will play in Detroit, which includes the comfort of a dome to play in.
Ndamukong Suh Signs With the Eagles
On Thursday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Philadelphia Eagles have signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a one-year contract.
Suh has not suited up since last year when he had 27 tackles and six sacks in 17 games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Eagles, who are coming off their first loss last week, hope that the 35-year-old Suh can help a defense that ranks seventh in the NFL, allowing 18.6 points per game.
At 35, Suh is no longer the player that recorded ten sacks in his rookie year or 72 tackles back in 2016, but the Eagles still see some value in the veteran defensive tackle for the rest of the season.
Philadelphia is currently the favorite to win the NFC East (-340), and they have the third-best odds of winning the Super Bowl (+600).
Colts Lose Shaq Leonard For Season
At 4-5-1, it has been a rough season for the Indianapolis Colts. They have already fired coach Frank Reich, and even though they won their first game under interim coach Jeff Saturday, they still sit behind the 6-3 Tennessee Titans in the AFC South.
Things got worse for the club this week as it was announced that linebacker Shaquille Leonard is lost for the season as he underwent back surgery earlier this week.
The 27-year-old Leonard, who has been an All-Pro three times in his career, had 11 tackles and one interception in just three games this season. Last year, he dominated the league as he had 122 tackles, eight forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and four interceptions.
Despite their struggles, the Colts’ defense ranks 11th overall, allowing 20.3 points per game to opponents. While he has only played in a few games this season, this is still unwelcome news for Indianapolis.
While they are still seemingly in striking distance, the Colts actually have just the third-best odds of winning the AFC South at +950. They are just +24000, the seventh-worst in the NFL, to win the Super Bowl.
Chiefs Lose Hardman For Foreseeable Future
On Thursday, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that they had put wide receiver Mecole Hardman on the IR due to an abdominal injury.
Really one of the only carryovers from last year’s wide receiver group, the 24-year-old Hardman was fourth in receiving this season, hauling in 25 receptions for 297 yards and four scores.
Atop the receivers for the Chiefs include tight end Travis Kelce (740 yards, eight touchdowns) and newcomers JuJu Smith-Schuster (615 yards, two touchdowns) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (441 yards, one touchdown).
At 7-2, the Chiefs currently lead the AFC West, and they rank atop the league in scoring, averaging 30 points per game. They have the second-best odds of winning the Super Bowl at +500.
Still, for at least the next several weeks, they will be down a wide receiver, as Hardman is not eligible to return until Week 15.
