#downfield-passing

#downfield-passing

At leading prediction market Kalshi, more than $47 million has been staked this season on what are known as NFL announcer mention markets, where users trade on the probability of what the play-by-play broadcaster or color analyst will -- or will not -- say during games. Since September, the average amount risked on NFL announcer mention markets has grown more than seven times, from less than half a million per game at the start of the season to $3.55 million on the AFC and NFC championship games

The wide receiver has played out of his mind this season. He roasts every defensive coverage and has morphed into a three-level threat: beating man-coverage quickly off the snap, showing fearlessness to attack the middle of the field and stretching away from deep coverage. Klint Kubiak, the Seahawks' offensive coordinator, has channeled the entire Seattle offense through his star receiver. Smith-Njigba lines up everywhere: out wide, in the slot, in the backfield. From any of those looks, he's a matchup nightmare.

Mack Hollins hasn't consistently worn shoes in the past decade, not since he started working with a cadre of holistic Australian trainers who extol the virtues of naked feet. He's barefoot today, as normal, or at least his normal, and the cafeteria staffers need him to freeze in his tracks. They'd like to clean up the mess, lest one of the team's newest wide receivers land on the injury report: downgraded to out (glass shards).

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks faced off in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, a memorable matchup the Patriots won 28-24. With a second-and-goal at New England's 1-yard-line late in the fourth quarter, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson was intercepted by Malcolm Butler in one of the more shocking Super Bowl moments. The Seahawks did not reach the Super Bowl since that matchup until this season.