-
ESPN Illustration Greatest playoff moment
Drew Brees won his only Super Bowl following the 2009 season, defeating the Colts and winning MVP of the game. Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images •
Tom Brady is looking for his seventh Super Bowl win and first with the Bucs. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Brady: The Bucs got swept by the Saints, and lost by three points to the
Access elite coverage for every fan: highlights of the biggest games, original series from NFL legends, unprecedented analysis and more. Sign up now to unlock everything ESPN+ has to offer.
Rivers: You would think 11 victories and an additional playoff spot added would have easily earned the Colts a place in the playoffs. Nope. They had to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17 and get help from other teams to clinch just their second playoff spot since 2014. To add to the absurdness of the 2020 season, the Colts would have won the AFC South had the Houston Texans beaten the Tennessee Titans in Week 17. — Wells
Rodgers: He went from scuffling along in coach Matt LaFleur’s new offense in 2019 to owning it in 2020. Rodgers not only fully embraced the new system, he mastered it in Year 2. The likely NFL MVP led the league in touchdown passes (48) while throwing just five interceptions — all without the addition of any significant players at the receiver spot. — Demovsky
Roethlisberger: The Steelers have been most successful when Roethlisberger runs the no-huddle offense. But in a late-season three-game skid, the offense got away from that and Roethlisberger often looked like the worst version of himself with off-target throws and tentativeness in the pocket as he anticipated contact. In the second half of the Week 16 Colts win, Roethlisberger looked like the quarterback who helped his team to an 11-0 start. He stretched the field with passes of 39 and 34 yards and threw for more than 200 yards in the second half. — Pryor
How he’s different at this age
Brady: Brady is defying his age in a system that asks him to take more deep shots than he ever has in his career. His 34 completions of 20-plus air yards were more than any other QB in the league this year and were a career high for him. His completion percentage on those throws was nearly identical to Mahomes’. — Laine
Brees: Brees’ arm strength and lack of downfield throws have been heavily scrutinized in recent years, and he no longer throws for 5,000 yards every season. But he has made up for any shortcomings in those areas by becoming even more efficient. Brees has posted the best passer rating, completion percentage and interception numbers of his career over the past four seasons. — Triplett
Rivers: Rivers doesn’t have the same arm strength as he did when he was younger, but he played some of the smartest football of his career this season. He went into Week 16 looking like he might finish with single-digit interceptions in a season for just the third time in his career. Rivers ended the regular season with 11 interceptions, down from 20 in 2019. He also had the third-highest completion percentage (68%) of his career. One thing that hasn’t changed is Rivers’ availability. He has started 240 straight games. — Wells
1:40
Domonique Foxworth and Ryan Clark outline why they see Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback facing the most pressure this postseason.
Rodgers: To say Rodgers is more intelligent now would be like suggesting Einstein got smarter after developing the theory of relatively. But Rodgers has become more willing to accept the check-downs instead of holding the ball and waiting for something to develop down the field. That has put him more in rhythm with the offense. — Demovsky
Roethlisberger: The 2020 Roethlisberger hasn’t been the gunslinger he was known to be earlier in his career. Instead, Roethlisberger spent most of the season throwing short slants and underneath passes, putting the burden on his offensive weapons to make the plays. But when he runs the no-huddle offense, Roethlisberger is quick to remind folks that his reconstructed elbow is perfectly capable of rifling the ball downfield with deep throws to players such as Chase Claypool and James Washington. Roethlisberger has never been a particularly mobile quarterback, but he has been even more stationary this season with his arthritic knees. — Pryor
What a Super Bowl would mean
Brady: The Bucs are a long shot, especially if it means getting past the Saints, who swept the Bucs in the regular season with a 38-3 pummeling in Week 10. It will also depend on their defense, which has been inconsistent and prone to giving up explosive pass plays. Still, you can never count Brady out because of his track record. — Laine
Brees: This could be Brees’ last chance to get back to the Super Bowl and cement his legacy as one of the all-time greats. Once again, the Saints are among the NFL’s top contenders after three straight years of devastating playoff exits. They are as deep and well-rounded as any team in the playoffs, with a top-four defense and a top-six rushing offense. — Triplett
Make your picks throughout the playoffs and compete for $30,000! Make Your Picks
Rivers: The road to reaching the Super Bowl in the AFC will go through Buffalo and then Kansas City, the top two teams in the conference. That’s going to be tough to accomplish for Rivers and the Colts. Rivers is in the top five in NFL history in touchdowns and passing yards, but he has yet to play in a Super Bowl. His teams have reached the conference championship game only twice in his career. — Wells
Rodgers: Brett Favre never won a second Super Bowl, but at least he got to a second. His appearances came in back-to-back seasons. Rodgers might tie Favre for MVPs, but surpassing him in Super Bowl titles could move him past Favre in the eyes of those who rank Packers quarterbacks, if he hasn’t already. — Demovsky
1:14
Adam Schefter doesn’t see this postseason being the last we see of Ben Roethlisberger, but does understand the pressure Big Ben faces and that his opportunities are becoming limited.
Roethlisberger: The Steelers have a 10% chance to make it to Tampa Bay, according to ESPN’s FPI. While it’s a longshot, it’s not out of the question — and this team will go as far as Roethlisberger takes it. He has three Super Bowl appearances and two wins, but he hasn’t been back in 10 years. Going out with one in the twilight of a storied career would further cement his Hall of Fame résumé. He would become just the fifth QB to win three Super Bowl titles, joining Brady, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman. — Pryor
What’s next
Brady: He is under contract with the Bucs for one more season and has given no indication that he wants to retire now, especially with the way he has played the past four weeks. This Brady-led offense can be scary with a full offseason to truly collaborate with coach Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and develop better chemistry with receivers, and if Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown return. — Laine
Brees: Brees has not announced whether he will retire after 20 seasons, although there has been heavy speculation inside and outside the building that he will. Either way, the Saints will have a hard time keeping the entire core of this team together after this season because of severe salary-cap constraints. So this playoff run definitely has a “Last Dance” feel to it. — Triplett
Philip Rivers hasn’t let on whether an 18th NFL season is in the cards for him. AP Photo/David Becker Rivers: Free agency or coaching high school football in Alabama. Rivers hasn’t decided whether he wants to play an 18th season. If he chooses to play, his performance in the playoffs likely will play a significant factor in whether the Colts want to re-sign him for the 2021 season. Rivers, who will be 40 in November, will become the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School once he retires. — Wells
Rodgers: There’s no way the Packers could move on from Rodgers after a season like this, right?
theScore’s footy staff is breaking out the crystal balls. Below, we predict winners for all the major competitions and awards for 2021 and answer a few key questions. Get in on the action by leaving your predictions in the comments!
Premier League
Gordon Brunt: Liverpool. Key players returning from injury should help get the Reds back on track and win the title before things start to spiral out of control.
Anthony Lopopolo: Tottenham Hotspur. Jose Mourinho has instilled a winning mentality at the club. Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son, and Tanguy Ndombele will be decisive.
Gianluca Nesci: Manchester City. Pep Guardiola has figured things out after some early-season weirdness and still has the most talented unit in England.
Daniel Rouse: Liverpool. The defense is still performing decently despite its torrid run of injuries, and it’s only a matter of time before an attack this good rediscovers its spark.
La Liga
Brunt: Real Madrid. After a rough start, Real Madrid have been piling up the points and could sneak up to snatch the league away from Atletico.
Lopopolo: Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone has enough firepower to get the goals he needs, and Barcelona and Real Madrid are too inconsistent to keep up.
Nesci: Atletico Madrid. With Luis Suarez delivering the goals, Atleti are in pole position to take advantage of Barcelona’s and Real Madrid’s struggles.
Rouse: Atletico Madrid. They sometimes look very average, but their competition this season is pretty weak.
Serie A
Brunt: Juventus. It feels almost inevitable that Juventus will spoil the fun and overtake a Milan side that many hoped would end the Bianconeri’s monopoly.
Lopopolo: Inter Milan. As cliche as it sounds, experience counts, and Antonio Conte’s side has it in spades. His system may not be pretty, but it is effective.
Nesci: Inter Milan. With no European commitments to worry about, Conte can focus exclusively on guiding his team to domestic success.
Rouse: Juventus. AC Milan’s resurgence is fun and Inter are picking up results, but Juve are the favorites – even with a rookie in charge.
Bundesliga
Brunt: Bayern Munich. Better luck next year, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.
Lopopolo: RB Leipzig. Is the Bundesliga a write-off? Leipzig have lost just once in the league this season, and their defense is by far the best in Germany. Watch out for Dani Olmo.
Nesci: Bayern Munich. Enough said.
Rouse: Bayern Munich. Again, no explanation needed.
Ligue 1
Brunt: Paris Saint-Germain. Les Parisiens shouldn’t have any trouble defending the title if – and it’s a big if – Neymar and Kylian Mbappe stay healthy.
Lopopolo: Lyon. The Ligue 1 title race is genuinely exciting and should come down to the final day. Count on Memphis Depay, Lucas Paqueta, and Karl Toko Ekambi to lead Lyon to glory.
Nesci: Lyon. Les Gones have been flying after a wobbly start and have the benefit of putting all their eggs in the domestic basket in 2021.
Rouse: Paris Saint-Germain. It’s cute that other clubs think they can compete for the title, but Mauricio Pochettino will get the job done.
Champions League
Brunt: Bayern Munich. On the heels of last year’s record-breaking run – and a dominant showing in the group stage – Bayern look poised to win it all again.
Lopopolo: Manchester City. Pep Guardiola is turning City into a more efficient team: less pressing, more defending. They’ll be fresher by the end of the season.
Nesci: PSG. Let’s face it: The club didn’t bring in Mauricio Pochettino to win Ligue 1. After coming so close last season, the French giants go one better in 2021.
Rouse: Bayern Munich. Hansi Flick’s squad will need refreshing when David Alaba and Jerome Boateng depart, but it’s the strongest outfit for now.
Women’s Champions League
Brunt: Lyon. In what’s shaping up to be a year of repeat champions, Lyon’s sixth straight continental win might be the most impressive victory of the bunch.
Lopopolo: Lyon. They own this tournament.
Nesci: Chelsea. Lyon’s run has to end at some point. With Pernille Harder and Sam Kerr headlining a loaded attack, Chelsea can make it happen.
Rouse: Wolfsburg. The German side worried Lyon in last year’s final, and Lena Oberdorf is ready the reach new heights on the continental stage.
Europa League
Brunt: Bayer Leverkusen. They might fall short in the Bundesliga, but Leverkusen will make up for their domestic failure with a European title.
Lopopolo: Lille. This team has the right blend of youth and experience to go all the way. Despite a change in ownership, Lille should be able to keep the group together.
Nesci: AC Milan. With January reinforcements, this vastly improved team will keep surging in 2021. (Not being able to pick Sevilla here feels wrong.)
Rouse: Tottenham. Jose Mourinho’s side has the parts to go all the way if it isn’t too distracted by other trophy pursuits.
Euro 2020
Brunt: Italy. The misery of missing out on the 2018 World Cup will be forgotten after Italy ends a strong Euro 2020 campaign with another major trophy.
Lopopolo: Netherlands. If Memphis Depay stays healthy and PSV hotshot Donyell Malen continues to develop, watch out. The Dutch haven’t been this good in years.
Nesci: Belgium. Romelu Lukaku has become virtually unstoppable since joining Inter, and now he gets service from Kevin De Bruyne. Scary.
Rouse: France. There will be players who miss out on the 23-man squad who could walk into rivals’ starting XIs. Les Bleus’ depth is insane.
Copa America
Brunt: Brazil. Barring any major injuries, Brazil will repeat and celebrate its 10th South American title by beating Argentina in the final.
Lopopolo: Brazil. Tite has the Selecao purring. With five wins in a row, Brazil has reasserted itself in South American football. Neymar, Lucas Paqueta, and Gabriel Jesus will dominate the tournament.
Nesci: Brazil. With the other perennial CONMEBOL contenders all in various stages of transition, the Neymar-led Selecao are positioned to prosper.
Rouse: Argentina. It would be fitting for Lionel Messi to win his first Copa on home soil with emotions still high after the death of Diego Maradona.
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Brunt: Mexico. With the U.S. at the tail end of a transitional period, Mexico will again upset its bitter rival in the final to win back-to-back Gold Cups.
Lopopolo: United States. Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams – the list goes on. The U.S. men’s national team is heading into a vibrant new era.
Nesci: United States. A win at this summer’s tournament will serve as the first signature achievement for an exciting generation of American talent.
Rouse: United States. Gregg Berhalter handled young talent well with the Columbus Crew and is the right man to oversee this gifted group.
Men’s Olympic tournament
Brunt: France. Like the senior side, the junior squad is bursting with the kind of talent that can win another major trophy for France.
Lopopolo: France. Kylian Mbappe is eligible to play at the Summer Games in Tokyo. That’s about all you have to know.
Nesci: Spain. The competition at the Under-23 level is fierce, but this Spanish squad is loaded with young stars already playing for top clubs.
Rouse: Germany. Despite the senior side’s current failings under Joachim Low, Germany remains one of the game’s greatest producers of young talent.
Women’s Olympic tournament
Brunt: United States. The field is vastly improved, but no nation is capable of assembling a team that can stop this supremely talented U.S. outfit.
Lopopolo: United States. The U.S. women’s national team is still the best women’s squad on the planet. It’s about more than just Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan; Mallory Pugh and Rose Lavelle are the future.
Nesci: Canada. Picking with the heart over the head, perhaps, but who doesn’t want to see iconic captain Christine Sinclair win Olympic gold?
Rouse: United States. The improvement from other nations in the women’s game is encouraging, but they are still far beneath the Americans’ level.
Nations League finals
Brunt: France. Didier Deschamps’ men won’t end 2021 empty-handed, as France will respond to its European setback with a Nations League triumph.
Lopopolo: Italy. The Azzurri are unbeaten in 22 matches and scoring in bunches. This isn’t your grandfather’s Italy.
Nesci: France. It won’t come anywhere close to making up for their near-miss at the Euros just months prior, but Les Bleus will take home some silverware in 2021.
Rouse: Italy. Playing on home soil is a huge advantage. Hopefully, the team will be able to celebrate with fans after the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic.
Other key questions for 2021
Will Messi leave Barcelona?
Brunt: Yes. Lionel Messi and Barcelona will finally go their separate ways in the summer, with the Argentine spurning City’s advances for a move to PSG.
Lopopolo: No. Joan Laporta, who appointed Pep Guardiola as manager in 2008, will win Barcelona’s presidential election and change the trajectory of the club.
Nesci: Yes. Where he ultimately ends up remains a mystery, but one thing is abundantly clear: Messi doesn’t want to play for Barcelona anymore.
Rouse: Yes. It will take more than a new president to steer Barcelona toward glory anytime soon, so Messi will go elsewhere for his swansong.
Who will win the Ballon d’Or?
Brunt: Kylian Mbappe. The PSG star will add another major award to his collection when he claims the first Ballon d’Or of his glittering career.
Lopopolo: Robert Lewandowski. This is the closest anyone has ever come to the scoring brilliance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Lewandowski is likely to post consecutive 50-goal seasons.
Nesci: Kevin De Bruyne. After picking Manchester City to win the Premier League and Belgium to conquer Europe, this is the only logical conclusion.
Rouse: Robert Lewandowski. He fronts Europe’s best team and should get some extra sympathy after missing out when the 2020 award was scrapped.
Who will be the most expensive signing?
Brunt: Kylian Mbappe. Real Madrid will back the Brinks truck up to the Parc des Princes and sign the 22-year-old to a record-breaking deal.
Lopopolo: Jadon Sancho. Count on Manchester United paying close to €100 million for Sancho.
Nesci: Erling Haaland. Real Madrid need a long-term answer up front; Karim Benzema can’t carry them forever, and Haaland is the perfect No. 9.
Rouse: Jadon Sancho. The pandemic-induced financial crisis means fewer big deals, but there have been hints that Sancho believes he’s outgrown Borussia Dortmund.
BEREA, Ohio — While the Cleveland Browns’ training facility remained closed Thursday afternoon, quarterback Baker Mayfield claimed that even if the Browns aren’t able to practice at all before Sunday night’s playoff game at Pittsburgh, “it won’t have an impact.”
“Just adapt and play,” Mayfield said. “It’s win or go home. So whoever we have out there, we’re counting on them. And we believe in those people. … it’s hitting the curveball and adjusting each day.”
The Browns already will be without head coach Kevin Stefanski and Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio, who both have tested positive for COVID-19. As a result of five positive tests earlier this week, Cleveland’s facility has been closed since Tuesday morning and the Browns have been unable to practice.
1 Related
Mayfield even admitted that he hasn’t thrown a pass since this past Sunday’s 24-22 victory over the Steelers, which clinched Cleveland’s first playoff berth in 17 seasons.
The Browns added safety Ronnie Harrison to Cleveland’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, which comprises six other starters, including star cornerback Denzel Ward. Safety Andrew Sendejo was activated off the list Thursday, but Harrison now will be out vs. Pittsburgh after he tested positive for COVID-19, a source confirmed to ESPN.
The Browns have been preparing for the Steelers remotely all week, even holding a virtual walk-through on Wednesday in lieu of practicing.
“All we wanted was a chance and we got it,” Mayfield said. “We’re in, and once you’re in the dance anything can happen. However or whatever it takes to get a W on Sunday night, that’s what our team’s going to be ready to do.”
Special-teams coordinator Mike Priefer will serve as acting head coach Sunday and noted he will “try to be an extension” of Stefanski when it comes to decision-making.
“He’s done a great job with situational football,” Priefer said Thursday. “I’m gonna try to do exactly what Kevin would want, in those situations.”
Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who will be calling plays for Stefanski in Pittsburgh, said he too would try to channel the head coach.
“I want to stay true to his beliefs,” Van Pelt said. “Obviously it will be a little bit different. Nobody calls it the same. … My hope is, there’s not too many times he’s yelling at his TV, going, ‘What the heck are you doing?'”
Even though Stefanski will be able to communicate with the team by phone or video chat up until kickoff, according to NFL rules, Priefer said he would be giving the pregame speech Sunday but would keep it “short and sweet.”
“I’m both honored and humbled to have this opportunity, but make no mistake, this is Kevin’s team,” Priefer said. “He has laid the foundation of a smart, tough, accountable, resilient team, and I will do whatever is asked of me to help the Cleveland Browns get a win on Sunday night.
“Our fans deserve our best effort. That is what we plan on giving them on Sunday.”
