Here’s everything you need to know about the NFL for Jan. 8
Happy midweek, everyone! It’s officially the final Wednesday until playoff football begins! Today’s Pick Six newsletter is brought to you by Cody Benjamin, with tidbits on all the latest from around the NFL.
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1. Vrabel viewed as front-runner for Patriots job
The New England Patriots have wasted no time identifying a replacement for Jerod Mayo, who was fired after just one season as Bill Belichick’s successor. Mike Vrabel, another former Belichick disciple, is considered the front-runner for the Patriots’ top job, according to NFL Media. This development comes not long after CBS Sports reported Vrabel interviewed with the rival New York Jets in large part to apply pressure on New England; it seems both sides are destined for a reunion.
2. Raiders fire Antonio Pierce; who’s next in Vegas?
Despite Antonio Pierce telling reporters Monday he didn’t anticipate his dismissal, the Raiders axed their coach late Tuesday, saying goodbye to the former NFL linebacker after his only season as the full-timer. Which candidates figure to be atop their wish list, with new minority owner Tom Brady expected to be part of the club’s interviewing committee? We identified a couple of potential fits:
- Liam Coen: If Ben Johnson is the coveted name among offensive minds, Coen could end up being a top consolation prize. A former Sean McVay understudy who’s tested his designs at both the college and NFL levels, his latest achievement is getting career production from Baker Mayfield.
- Mike Vrabel: The former Tennessee Titans coach is a hot commodity on the 2025 market, and he may well have his eyes on the Patriots. But Vrabel’s tough-as-nails style would fit in with the Raiders culture, and he’d have a chance to work with an established general manager in Tom Telesco.
- Kliff Kingsbury: The Raiders nearly landed the former Arizona Cardinals coach as their offensive coordinator last offseason, per NFL Media. And Kingsbury’s work with star rookie Jayden Daniels as the Washington Commanders‘ play-caller suggests he’ll be right back in Vegas’ sights.
3. Pete Prisco’s Wild Card Weekend predictions
Prisco is coming off back-to-back weeks in which he logged a winning record on against-the-spread picks. Now he’s back with predictions for all six wild-card matchups. Here’s a sample of his forecast:
- Ravens 24, Steelers 19: The Ravens seem to be riding high heading into the playoffs, while the Steelers have lost four straight, including to the Ravens two weeks ago. The Steelers have struggled on offense lately, which is an issue against a high-scoring offense led by Lamar Jackson. But it’s tough playing a third game against a division opponent. I think the Steelers will hang around in this one.
- Packers 23, Eagles 20: Both quarterbacks come in with injury issues. Jalen Hurts is in the concussion protocol, but is expected to play. Jordan Love has an elbow injury, but is also expected to play. How rusty will Hurts be after not playing the final two weeks of the regular season and missing most of the game in Week 16? The Packers have played a lot of good teams close only to lose, including the Eagles. This week, I think Love gets the best of them. Upset special.
- Rams 28, Vikings 23: The Vikings didn’t play well in the Sunday night loss to the Lions that cost them the No. 1 seed. Now they face a Rams team that rested a lot of key players last week. Sam Darnold needs to respond after a poor showing last week. The problem is the Rams defensive front can get after him. Matthew Stafford will be challenged by the Brian Flores defense, but I think he will make enough plays to pull off the upset.
4. Injury updates: Hurts, Montgomery on track to play
Here’s the latest on the medical front, with some added tidbits on playoff roster moves:
5. Playoff QB rankings: Mahomes opens at No. 1
All season, we’ve taken stock of every starting quarterback, sorting all 32 signal-callers from most promising to most concerning. Now we’ve whittled the field for the postseason, ranking the 14 quarterbacks who are still standing. Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes opens the playoffs up top thanks to his 15-3 career postseason record, but here’s how things shook out in the rest of the top 10:
- Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
- Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
- Josh Allen (Bills)
- Jared Goff (Lions)
- Matthew Stafford (Rams)
- Jalen Hurts (Eagles)
- Jayden Daniels (Commanders)
- Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers)
- Jordan Love (Packers)
- Justin Herbert (Chargers)
Check out the full pecking order right here. And for even more gunslinger material, check out our ranking of all six wild-card quarterback matchups right here.
6. Coaching carousel: Tomlin trade? Cowboys buzz
