text stringlengths 237 126k | date_download stringdate 2022-01-01 00:32:20 2023-01-01 00:02:37 ⌀ | source_domain stringclasses 60 values | title stringlengths 4 31.5k ⌀ | url stringlengths 24 617 ⌀ | id stringlengths 24 617 ⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
For most of Thursday’s game against the Lions, Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs and quarterback Josh Allen could not get on the same page.
Diggs had three catches for 12 yards while being targeted 10 times when Buffalo got the ball down three points with nine minutes left in the game. Diggs would catch four passes on the ensuing drive, including a five-yard touchdown with 2:40 left in the game. The Vikings would drive for a game-tying field goal with 23 seconds left in the game, but Allen found Diggs for 36 yards to kick off the next drive and the Bills pulled out the 28-25 win with a Tyler Bass field goal as time expired.
Getting the ball to Diggs wasn’t the only way that the Bills offense was falling short before the final minutes and the team lost key players to injuries, but Diggs said the key to the win was the refusal to stop moving forward in the face of adversity.
“I tried to tell the guys everything in the past is the past,” Diggs said, via the team’s website. “We didn’t get off to the best start, but you keep rolling with the punches. Things aren’t gonna be perfect; I’m riding with my guy. We just had to try to get on the same page, every week is different. So reinventing yourself but you got the same mindset and going into that game and we wanted to execute at a high level. Things didn’t happen perfectly but we figured it out.”
The Bills might have preferred a more convincing victory when the day began, but the one they got counts the same because two of their best players showed up in the biggest moments of the game. | 2022-11-25T12:16:04Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Stefon Diggs: Things aren't gonna be perfect, you keep rolling with the punches - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/stefon-diggs-things-arent-gonna-be-perfect-you-keep-rolling-with-the-punches/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/stefon-diggs-things-arent-gonna-be-perfect-you-keep-rolling-with-the-punches/ |
One of the biggest moments in Thursday night’s game came in the third quarter when a replay overturned a touchdown catch by Patriots tight end Hunter Henry because officials ruled that he did not survive hitting the ground with possession of the ball.
Images of the play seemed to show that Henry’s hand was under the ball as he hit the ground — he may have been down short of the goal line — but NFL senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson said in a pool report that “the ball ended up touching the ground and then he lost control of the ball in his hands.” Henry disputed that read of how things went down on the play.
“I believe I caught it,” Henry said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. “He said it hit the ground. But I believe my hand was under the ball. The hand was under the ball, with hitting the ground, that’s what kind of caused it to jump up. They made the call. Just got to live with it.”
The Patriots kicked a field goal to take a 26-23 lead, but they would not score again. The Vikings reeled off 10 straight points to secure a Thanksgiving win that won’t be met with much gratitude for officials in New England. | 2022-11-25T13:12:38Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Hunter Henry: I believe I caught the ball - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/hunter-henry-i-believe-i-caught-the-ball/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/hunter-henry-i-believe-i-caught-the-ball/ |
Left tackle Taylor Decker has been with the Lions since 2016, so losing games on Thanksgiving is nothing new for him.
The way the Lions lost this Thanksgiving was a bit different, however. They came into the game with their first three-game winning streak since 2017 and had a 22-19 fourth quarter lead over the AFC East club. The Bills offense found its footing in the final minutes and a key third down pass by Lions quarterback Jared Goff to DJ Chark went incomplete, which led to a 28-25 loss on their home field.
When the game was over, Lions head coach Dan Campbell he feels “like we are continuing to take a step” despite the loss and Decker shared a similar sentiment when comparing these Lions to ones from previous seasons.
“This isn’t the f—— same old Lions,” Decker said, via Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News. “We’re gonna go out there and we’re gonna get our respect and we’re gonna earn that respect. We came up short today, but week in and week out, we know we’re gonna go out there and we’re gonna bring it, and we’re not gonna get done. We’re gonna keep fighting, and those will turn into wins against those sort of high-caliber teams. I think we’re still trending up. I really do.”
Campbell also pointed out that the team has a small margin for error and they exceeded that margin with iffy clock management, penalties, and other missteps on the way to Thursday’s loss. Eliminating those vestiges of past teams will be the next step for the Lions to take as they work to complete their transformation. | 2022-11-25T13:12:52Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Taylor Decker: We aren't the same old Lions - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/taylor-decker-we-arent-the-same-old-lions/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/taylor-decker-we-arent-the-same-old-lions/ |
It’s Black Friday. The label started as a term of dread among the workers who have to take their turkey-addled bodies to work the day after Thanksgiving and deal with an endless crush of bargain shoppers. At some point, however, the term “Black Friday” became regarded the same way George Constanza views horse manure.
And, like horse manure on paved city streets after a Thanksgiving Day parade, deals are everywhere you step on Black Friday.
We’ve got two of them for you. Because why not?
First, from today through December 11, anyone who buys Playmakers and follows the steps detailed here gets a free, signed, personalized bookplate for addition to the front of the book on or before December 23. (Rules and restrictions apply.)
Second, as my own personal gift to anyone out there who wants it (or who doesn’t), I’m posting a Christmas novel one chapter per day for the duration of the holiday season. All chapters of On Our Way Home will show up here. Or, if you prefer separate links, Chapter One and Chapter Two. (Why am I doing that? Good question. Here’s the answer.)
So you can, if you want, buy Playmakers, get the free, signed, personalized bookplate. And you can, if you want, incorporate into your morning routine reading the next chapter of On Our Way Home. Or read it all at once. Or don’t read it at all, like the many books that were in Costanza’s one-time future father-in-law’s library. | 2022-11-25T14:18:04Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Black Friday deals are here, because everyone else has them - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/black-friday-deals-are-here-because-everyone-else-has-them/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/black-friday-deals-are-here-because-everyone-else-has-them/ |
When the Buccaneers’ offensive difficulties were at their worst have led to criticism of offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and speculation about his job security, but it doesn’t appear to have affected Leftwich much.
During a Thursday press conference, Leftwich was asked how much pressure he felt for the offense to have a good showing against the Seahawks in Germany in Week 10. Leftwich said that teams that are losing — the Bucs had lost five of six before beating the Rams in Week Nine — are going to hear people saying bad things about them, but that he has been able to tune out such chatter since his playing days.
“Once I got cut as a player, I couldn’t get no lower than that. I stopped worrying about what people think. . . . When you’re losing, people get to say what they want. We earned that. It is what it is. We’re just trying to win football games. We’ll get to the end then we can say whatever we want and we’ll add ’em up at the end and see where we’re at. We can handle anything that comes our way,” Leftwich said.
The win over the Seahawks was followed by a bye week that the Bucs will try to use as a springboard to a strong finish that puts them back in the postseason. | 2022-11-25T14:18:12Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Byron Leftwich on criticism: Once I got cut as a player, I stopped worrying about what people think - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/byron-leftwich-on-criticism-once-i-got-cut-as-a-player-i-stopped-worrying-about-what-people-think/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/byron-leftwich-on-criticism-once-i-got-cut-as-a-player-i-stopped-worrying-about-what-people-think/ |
The Vikings have a quarterback with a history of struggling in primetime. Balancing that out is the presence of a receiver with a habit of showing up in primetime. And in most every other game.
“I love it,” receiver Justin Jefferson said after Thursday night’s 33-26 win over the Patriots, via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I mean these are the type of games that I love the most. Thursday nights. Primetime. The whole world is watching you. No better time to go off.”
Jefferson had nine catches for 139 yards. Along the way, he passed former Vikings receiver Randy Moss with the most receiving yards in the first three years of a player’s career.
“It means a lot,” Jefferson said regarding the new record he holds. “It means that my course of reaching the Hall of Fame is near. But I’m just going to keep working, doing whatever it takes to make plays for this team. I love this team. I’ll do anything for it. When that ball is in the air, it’s mine.”
Not only is the ball his, but he also has an uncanny skill of holding the ball no matter how hard his body hits the ground, and no matter how hard another body hits his. He had one of each last night, slamming against the ground and holding on at the tail end of a 37-yard catch and, later, getting blasted after making a 36-yard grab.
And that’s helping Kirk Cousins play even better. He knows he can trust Jefferson to contort his body both to go get the ball and to keep possession of it, once he has it in his hands. No matter what happens. | 2022-11-25T14:18:12Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Justin Jefferson: No better time to go off than primetime - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/justin-jefferson-no-better-time-to-go-off-than-primetime/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/justin-jefferson-no-better-time-to-go-off-than-primetime/ |
Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers picked up 26 yards on a pass from Mac Jones on New England’s first offensive play of Thursday’s game in Minnesota, but he didn’t see the field for a long stretch after that play.
Meyers hurt his shoulder on the catch and went to the locker room for an evaluation that included X-rays. He returned to play 15 snaps and make two catches in the second half of the 33-26 loss.
After it was over, Meyers said he was confident that all will be fine with his shoulder moving forward.
“Sore,” Meyers said, via Chris Mason of MassLive.com. “I’ll be alright though. . . . It started to feel better as the game went on.”
Meyers leads the team in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, so having him healthy and ready to go against the Bills next week would be a plus for their chances of rebounding with a win. | 2022-11-25T16:15:50Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Jakobi Meyers says shoulder will be alright - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/jakobi-meyers-says-shoulder-will-be-alright/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/jakobi-meyers-says-shoulder-will-be-alright/ |
Jonathan Jones named NFLPA Community MVP for Week 12
The NFL Players Association has named Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones their Community MVP for Week 12 of the 2022 season.
Jones is being recognized for recent off-field work he’s done in Boston and in Auburn, Alabama. Jones went to Auburn and hosted a tailgate at their November 12 game to raise money to fight food insecurity. The fundraiser generated enough money to feed 450 local families on days when the city’s schools are closed for the holidays.
Jones then hosted a holiday dinner for 250 kids at the Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club in Boston. He also distributed turkeys and frozen meals to 100 more community members before playing in a flag football game with the kids.
“It’s an honor being selected as the NFLPA’s Community MVP recipient,” Jones said in a statement. “My foundation, the Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation, has pillars of education, mentorship and building practical life skills. As a professional athlete, it’s important for me to serve the communities that I am playing in.”
The NFLPA will donate $10,000 to a charity or foundation of Jones’ choice. He will also join the other weekly MVPs in being eligible for the Alan Page Community Award at the end of the season. | 2022-11-25T17:16:57Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Jonathan Jones named NFLPA Community MVP for Week 12 - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/jonathan-jones-named-nflpa-community-mvp-for-week-12/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/jonathan-jones-named-nflpa-community-mvp-for-week-12/ |
The Falcons lost one of their best offensive players potentially for the rest of the season in tight end Kyle Pitts, who was placed on injured reserve this week with a torn MCL.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota said this week that losing Pitts is “tough,” though he noted the tight end was in good spirits.
Still, Mariota said the club really can’t easily replace Pitts and what he does for the offense.
“You talk about earlier in the year with a guy like CP [Cordarrelle Patterson], you had to fill that role with a few other guys. It’s kind of a similar situation with Kyle,” Mariota said in his Wednesday press conference. “He turned into one of our better blocking tight ends, he’s such a force in the passing game, so to fill that void you got to have a couple of guys step up and we got a great tight end group, and I think we’re more than capable of doing that.”
With the Falcons sporting a run-based offense with Mariota behind center, Atlanta currently ranks 31st in passing yards and attempts. That necessarily means Pitts’ numbers are significantly down from where they were when he was a rookie.
Pitts has caught 28 passes for 356 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Last year, he finished with 68 catches for 1,026 yards with one touchdown.
The Falcons have MyColt Pruitt, Filipe Franks, Anthony Firkser, and Parker Hesse at tight end who will have to step up in Pitts’ absence. But given the way that Atlanta’s offense has played all year, it seems unlikely that the club will suddenly utilize the position substantially more in the passing game. | 2022-11-25T17:17:03Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Marcus Mariota: You've got to have a couple of guys step up to replace Kyle Pitts - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/marcus-mariota-youve-got-to-have-a-couple-of-guys-step-up-to-replace-kyle-pitts/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/marcus-mariota-youve-got-to-have-a-couple-of-guys-step-up-to-replace-kyle-pitts/ |
Kyle Allen will start, Davis Mills will sit, Lovie Smith confirms
The Texans have benched quarterback Davis Mills.
Kyle Allen will be the starter for the Texans on Sunday against the Dolphins, head coach Lovie Smith confirmed.
“Kyle Allen will start this week,” Smith said. “Reasons why? It’s like that with all positions, there comes a time when you feel like you need to — you’re always looking for the best option, that gives you the best chance to win, and that’s where we are right now. We’ll need both guys, and as I said right after the game and all week, there’s a lot of other things that we have to do better. Protection has to be better no matter who our quarterback is. Hopefully that will be the case which will give us a better chance to win football games.”
Asked how Mills took the benching, Smith said he took it the way any player would.
“How would any competitor take it?” Smith said. “Of course he’s not thrilled about it, but who would be?”
Smith would not commit to Allen starting for the rest of the season, saying, “We take it day by day with everybody.”
The 26-year-old Allen originally entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Panthers and has also spent time in Washington. He has started 17 games in his NFL career and has a 63.1 percent completion rate with 24 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
1 responses to “Kyle Allen will start, Davis Mills will sit, Lovie Smith confirms”
Trevor Lawrence – improving but slowly
Zach Wilson – benched
Trey Lance – didn’t play
Justin Fields – looks great but injured now
Mac Jones – meh
Davis Mills – benched | 2022-11-25T19:10:07Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Kyle Allen will start, Davis Mills will sit, Lovie Smith confirms - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/kyle-allen-will-start-davis-mills-will-sit-lovie-smith-confirms/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/kyle-allen-will-start-davis-mills-will-sit-lovie-smith-confirms/ |
A former third-round pick in the 2020 draft is now free to choose his next destination.
Receiver Bryan Edwards cleared waivers after he was released by the Falcons this week, per Field Yates of ESPN.
Edwards was third in receiving yards on the Raiders last year with 571 on 34 catches. He also had three touchdowns.
But with a new regime in place, Las Vegas traded Edwards to Atlanta for a 2023 fifth-round pick in May.
Edwards did not receive much playing time for the Falcons, making three catches for 15 yards in seven games for the club. He was on the field for just 91 offensive snaps.
Having cleared waivers, Edwards can now sign with anyone’s active roster or practice squad. He has 58 career receptions for 779 yards with four touchdowns in 35 games with 16 starts.
1 responses to “Bryan Edwards clears waivers”
tehgreatcornflorio says:
I think a lot of people are way too harsh about Gruden and Mayock’s draft record. But they 100% blew too many high picks, and their 2020 draft is 1000% one of the worst of all time. | 2022-11-25T22:43:57Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Bryan Edwards clears waivers - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/bryan-edwards-clears-waivers/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/25/bryan-edwards-clears-waivers/ |
He’s officially back with the Bucs, after an absence of more than two months.
Veteran running back Gio Bernard has been added to the active roster for the Buccaneers. To create a spot for Bernard, the Bucs waived linebacker J.J. Russell.
The Bucs likewise elevated linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III from the practice squad.
After eight years with the Bengals, Bernard joined the Bucs in 2021. Last season, he had eight rushing attempts for 58 yards and 23 receptions for 123 yards. He scored three total touchdowns.
This year, Bernard appeared in two games, with no offensive statistics.
Bernard could get some work right away, given that Leonard Fournette will be unavailable on Sunday, with a hip injury. He was ruled out on Saturday.
1 responses to “Buccaneers activate Gio Bernard from IR; Leonard Fournette (hip) is out for Sunday”
Good to have him. | 2022-11-26T20:04:31Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Buccaneers activate Gio Bernard from IR; Leonard Fournette (hip) is out for Sunday - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/26/buccaneers-activate-gio-bernard-from-ir/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/26/buccaneers-activate-gio-bernard-from-ir/ |
It’s been a strange year for Browns rookie defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey. Benched in Week Two for disciplinary reasons, Winfrey missed Cleveland’s most recent game due to a concussion. A concussion that he suffered when he crashed a scooter into a pole.
He now hopes to play on Sunday, and to crash into Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.
“It’s just like another thing that I’m going to be able to write in my book one day,” Winfrey said, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I’ve been gone for like a month, and the first game I get to come back is against arguably the greatest quarterback of all time and then I get the chance to possibly sack him if this is his last year ever. So I’m just blessed to be able to go out there and give it my all and I’m not going to say I’m going to do anything. I’m just going to make sure I do my job every single play, and the results will follow.”
The results haven’t followed Winfrey’s selection in round four of the 2022 draft. He exited the concussion protocol on Friday, after his unfortunate encounter with an immovable object.
“I was driving around and just ran into a pole,” Winfrey said. “Nothing crazy. [Editor’s note: Other than crashing a scooter into a pole.] I looked back to try to see if my friend was still behind me, and when I looked back I ran into the pole. Just things I’ve got to get over as a rookie. Little things here and there.”
Winfrey believes that he’s making progress when it comes to maturing.
“Honestly, I just changed my perspective over this past month being able to reset and focus in on what I need to focus on,” Winfrey said. “I’m just grateful to be able to do what I love, so I started to take this job more seriously and leaving everything else that didn’t have to do with this alone.”
Defensive end Myles Garrett sees growth in Winfrey.
“I definitely feel like he still has a ways to go as far as this season and playing up to the standards that he has set,” Garrett said, via Cabot. “But I mean, maturity, he’s taking steps forward and coming along and I know that energy that he has is infectious and we love the way he talks and the confidence that he brings to the room. But we also need him to bring that in the performances as well. He hasn’t played as much as he would or probably I would want him to because he’s had things happening here and there.”
There it is again. “Here and there.” Winfrey needs to keep working on ensuring that he’ll be able to get past the things happening “here and there,” if he’s hoping to achieve his potential here, there, and everywhere. | 2022-11-27T00:34:27Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Perrion Winfrey hopes to return to the lineup, and to sack Tom Brady - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/26/perrion-winfrey-hopes-to-return-to-the-lineup-and-to-sack-tom-brady/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/26/perrion-winfrey-hopes-to-return-to-the-lineup-and-to-sack-tom-brady/ |
Commanders defensive end Chase Young appears unlikely to make his 2022 season debut today against the Falcons.
Young, who is listed as questionable, is unlikely to play, according to multiple reports.
In addition to the knee injury he suffered more than a year ago, Young is currently battling an illness, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Young suffered a torn ACL more than a year ago and hasn’t played since. He was the defensive rookie of the year in 2020, but he didn’t play as well in 2021 before his injury, and now his injury has cost him most of his third season. The Commanders still hope Young has a bright future, but they may have to keep waiting to see what he can contribute this year. | 2022-11-27T10:26:48Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Chase Young unlikely to play today - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/chase-young-unlikely-to-play-today/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/chase-young-unlikely-to-play-today/ |
The Commanders will have to wait at least another week to get defensive end Chase Young back.
Young, who had been listed as questionable for today’s game against the Falcons, was officially ruled out on Sunday morning.
“We have downgraded DE Chase Young (knee/illness) to out for today’s game,” the Commanders said in a brief announcement.
The nature of Young’s illness is unknown, but his knee injury remains a concern. He suffered a torn ACL more than a year ago and still hasn’t played since.
The Commanders face the Giants next week and have their bye after that. It remains unclear when Young will get on the field. | 2022-11-27T13:21:02Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Commanders announce Chase Young will not play - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/commanders-announce-chase-young-will-not-play/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/commanders-announce-chase-young-will-not-play/ |
Washington safety Sean Taylor was getting better every day, as a player and as a man. Only 24 years old and on path for a Hall of Fame career, Taylor was shot during a home invasion in Miami. He died 15 years ago today.
The Commanders will honor him today. They have honored him, and rightfully so, many times before today. They placed him in the Ring of Honor in 2008. They retired his number 21 in 2021. Today, a memorial will be unveiled at FedEx Field.
Limited-edition Sean Taylor Legacy Project merchandise, designed and inspired by his daughter, Jackie, will be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to gun violence prevention initiatives.
Taylor would be 39 years old. While his playing career undoubtedly would be over by now, he would have contributed to the game for many of the 15 years that he has been gone. He showed more than enough in his first three seasons to create very real expectations that he’d finish his football journey in Canton.
It’s admirable that the Commanders continue to keep his memory alive, and that the team is utilizing the opportunity to raise money to minimize future incidents of gun violence leading to tragic, and permanent, outcomes.
1 responses to “Sean Taylor died 15 years ago today”
Will always remember him laying out the punter in the pro bowl lol, was a warrior on the field with no mercy. RIP Sean | 2022-11-27T14:39:44Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Sean Taylor died 15 years ago today - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/sean-taylor-died-15-years-ago-today/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/sean-taylor-died-15-years-ago-today/ |
Mike Evans reaches 10,000 receiving yards; Bucs lead Browns 17-10
Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans has reached a significant milestone.
With his 28-yard catch in the third quarter, Evans has now reached 10,000 receiving yards in his career.
Evans, the seventh overall pick in the 2014 draft, has reached at least 1,000 yards in each of his first eight seasons and is on pace to do the same in 2022. He’s become just the sixth player in league history to record at least 10,000 receiving yards and at least 75 touchdowns in his first nine years — joining Larry Fitzgerald, Marvin Harrison, Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, and Jerry Rice.
Evans has two catches for 31 yards so far in Sunday’s matchup against Cleveland.
The Buccaneers were able to get into the end zone to cap their second possession of the third quarter. Tight end Ko Kieft caught a 5-yard pass from Tom Brady to make the score 17-10. | 2022-11-27T20:07:21Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Mike Evans reaches 10,000 receiving yards; Bucs lead Browns 17-10 - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/mike-evans-reaches-10000-receiving-yards-bucs-lead-browns-17-10/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/mike-evans-reaches-10000-receiving-yards-bucs-lead-browns-17-10/ |
One of the biggest stories in the NFL currently relates to next team with which receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will sign. He has made some unrelated news on Sunday, four days before his first free-agency visit.
Via Andy Slater of Fox Sports 640, Beckham was kicked off a plane in Miami. The flight was heading for L.A. Beckham was allegedly “in and out of consciousness and wouldn’t put on his seat belt.”
Earlier today, Beckham tweeted, “Never in my life have I experienced what just happened to me… I’ve seen it all.” He later tweeted, “I COULD NEVER MAKE THIS UP.”
The situation likely won’t impact the interest in Beckham. And his tweets suggest that, as usual, there are two sides to every story. | 2022-11-27T20:07:42Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Report: Odell Beckham Jr. was kicked off a plane from Miami to L.A. - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/report-odell-beckham-jr-was-kicked-off-a-plane-from-miami-to-l-a/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/report-odell-beckham-jr-was-kicked-off-a-plane-from-miami-to-l-a/ |
Kyler Murray’s touchdown run before halftime gives Cardinals 17-14 lead
The Cardinals scored on three of five first half possessions. They turned it over on the other two drives.
Arizona took a 17-14 lead into the locker room on Kyler Murray‘s 5-yard touchdown run with 12 seconds remaining in the half. The Cardinals had no timeouts left on Murray’s third touchdown run of the season, but the Chargers didn’t come close to tackling the quarterback before he reached the end zone.
Murray returned to the lineup after missing two games with a hamstring injury. He has six carries for 38 yards and has completed 11 of 17 passes for 116 yards with a touchdown and an interception. James Conner lost a fumble for the Cardinals’ other giveaway of the half.
DeAndre Hopkins caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Murray and has two receptions for 54 yards.
The Cardinals outgained the Chargers 226 to 156 in the first half.
Justin Herbert began the day 2-of-6 for 19 yards but now is 14-of-19 for 144 yards and two touchdowns. DeAndre Carter and Keenan Allen scored on passes from Herbert.
The Chargers have only 23 rushing yards with Austin Ekeler getting two carries for 5 yards. Herbert is their leading rusher with three carries for 15 yards. | 2022-11-27T22:56:11Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Kyler Murray's touchdown run before halftime gives Cardinals 17-14 lead - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/kyler-murrays-touchdown-run-before-halftime-gives-cardinals-17-14-lead/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/kyler-murrays-touchdown-run-before-halftime-gives-cardinals-17-14-lead/ |
10 responses to “Justin Tucker: It’s heartbreaking to miss a 67-yard field goal because I know I can make that”
Well…..nobody has ever done it before. So, no.
Indoors, he hits that
You’ll never, ever be clutch Vinatieri as he heads to Canton. That’s the difference.
Clutch vs not so clutch. If you can make it, you would have made it, Justie Tuckie.
Yeah bc Adam v would have made it?
I thought for sure that he was going to break his own record. He’s still the GOAT of place kickers,no matter what.
“yeah I should set an NFL record since I’m so good” Good to see that Tucker has the same humility as his head coach.
He sucks. Hang it up.
Please, hang them up. Dude is a first ballot HOF.
All evidence to the contrary…
Well, I don’t think they’ll be cutting him.
“Knowing” you can do something is worthless. Actually doing it is valuable. | 2022-11-27T23:44:16Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Justin Tucker: It's heartbreaking to miss a 67-yard field goal because I know I can make that - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/justin-tucker-its-heartbreaking-to-miss-a-67-yard-field-goal-because-i-know-i-can-make-that/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/justin-tucker-its-heartbreaking-to-miss-a-67-yard-field-goal-because-i-know-i-can-make-that/ |
2 responses to “Jordan Love throws 63-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson”
…and the Jordan Love era has begun…and it won’t end anytime soon.
More specifically, Love threw a 10-yard pass to Watson in the middle of the field, and Watson sped outside and ran past multiple Eagles defenders for 53 yards and the TD.
I hope Love does well, but it was an ordinary pass and excellent YAC. | 2022-11-28T04:35:53Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Jordan Love throws 63-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/jordan-love-throws-63-yard-touchdown-pass-to-christian-watson/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/27/jordan-love-throws-63-yard-touchdown-pass-to-christian-watson/ |
It didn’t take long to see that Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was on his way to a big night on Sunday.
Hurts ran for 24 yards on the third play of the game and he finished the first quarter with 103 rushing yards. In his postgame press conference, Hurts said he “ran and they couldn’t get me” when asked why he was so successful to kick off the game.
Hurts would go on to set an Eagles record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 157 rushing yards and he cited Randall Cunningham, Michael Vick, and Donovan McNabb when asked what it meant to set a new franchise record.
“It means everything,” Hurts said. “I have a great deal of respect for those guys. The guys that have come before me. Randall, Mike, McNabb. Just the way they played the game. I always talk about how I admire the way they played the game. And to be thrusted into that category and different things is a blessing. It’s a blessing. And it’s a lot of hard work going into it. I have a ton of respect for them and their support. And they don’t even know how they’ve affected me and impacted me in my time here. It’s an understatement to say how much I appreciate them. Because I do. And they’ve guided me in more ways than they even know. So, I appreciate them and I appreciate this team.”
The team appreciates Hurts as well. The quarterback also threw a pair of touchdown passes in the 40-33 win over the Packers and his play all season is a major reason why the Eagles are 10-1 with eyes on making more franchise history over the remainder of the season. | 2022-11-28T12:17:41Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Jalen Hurts: Setting franchise QB rushing record means everything to me - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/jalen-hurts-setting-franchise-qb-rushing-record-means-everything-to-me/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/jalen-hurts-setting-franchise-qb-rushing-record-means-everything-to-me/ |
The Cardinals took a 24-17 lead over the Chargers on a touchdown by James Conner early in the fourth quarter and their defense forced punts on the next three Chargers possessions, which seems like a pretty good formula for winning a football game.
Sunday’s final score didn’t show the Cardinals on top, however. While the defense was forcing punts, the Cardinals offense picked up 16 yards on nine plays to keep giving the Chargers more chances. They took advantage of the last one by driving for a touchdown and go-ahead two-point conversion with seconds to play.
The 25-24 loss drops the Cardinals to 4-8 as they head into their bye week and the lack of success this season led to a question for head coach Kliff Kingsbury about whether he’s worried about his job security.
“I’m not,” Kingsbury said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com.
Kingsbury, like General Manager Steve Keim and quarterback Kyler Murray, signed a contract extension earlier this year, but this season has gone poorly enough that sticking with the status quo may not be a possibility in Arizona. The next five games could determine just how sweeping the changes will be. | 2022-11-28T12:17:53Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Kliff Kingsbury says he's not worried about job security - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/kliff-kingsbury-says-hes-not-worried-about-job-security/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/kliff-kingsbury-says-hes-not-worried-about-job-security/ |
The Dolphins returned from their bye week on Sunday to win their fifth straight game and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remained a big part of their success.
He was 22-of-36 for 299 yards and two touchdowns before exiting the game with the Dolphins comfortably ahead of the Texans in the second half. After the game was over, Tagovailoa did an interview with Aditi Kinkhabwala on the field and discussed what first-year Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has meant to his success.
In his press conference, McDaniel was asked about Tagovailoa’s comments and said he perceived that confidence was lacking when he met the quarterback. That made building it back up a key part of his first months on the job.
“This was just using intuition, that getting beat up and having your existence be completely tainted by people saying that you aren’t X, Y or Z, and then on top of that, from my vantage point, I felt like he was put behind the 8-ball in a way with the — basically his strengths, he couldn’t play to,” McDaniel said. “And so if you’re not able to play to your strengths and your position that one of the reasons you’ve gotten there is you’re an unbelievable point guard, I felt, how could he, with all the things going on. It’s a lot of loud noise that you try to ignore, but people are human. It was intuition, and it started seeing him every practice once he started getting a little bit more confidence each and every day. You could see his personality evolve and that’s when I learned kind of how deep it was, because I’m learning his personality – the first day I meet him is who I know him as, and then you fast forward a month and a half, and he’s a different guy. Then retroactively, like wow, that was real.”
The process has paid off handsomely for the Dolphins thus far and there’s plenty of reason to believe that confidence in Tagovailoa, McDaniel, and the rest of the team will continue to surge in the final weeks of the regular season. | 2022-11-28T12:18:05Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Tua Tagovailoa on Mike McDaniel: Having someone that believes in you makes all the difference - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/tua-tagovailoa-on-mike-mcdaniel-having-someone-that-believes-in-you-makes-all-the-difference/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/tua-tagovailoa-on-mike-mcdaniel-having-someone-that-believes-in-you-makes-all-the-difference/ |
Brandon Staley: We came here to win
The Chargers had a choice to make with 15 seconds left in Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
They could kick an extra point that would send the game to overtime or they could try to win it with a two-point conversion. Head coach Brandon Staley chose Door No. 2 and the Chargers got a 25-24 win when quarterback Justin Herbert found tight end Gerald Everett in the end zone.
After the game, Staley was succinct when it came to why he made that call.
“We came here to win,” Staley said, via Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com. “We’re just living week to week. It was about this game for us and pouring into this game and doing what we felt like was going to win us the football game.”
The win lifted the Chargers to 6-5 on the year, which is significant in a crowded AFC playoff race. They are one of nine teams with winning records and the gap between them and the Chiefs means they’ll almost certainly need to secure a wild card berth in order to make the postseason, so playing to win is pretty much the only option on the table for Staley’s club. | 2022-11-28T13:53:30Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Brandon Staley: We came here to win - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/brandon-staley-we-came-here-to-win/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/brandon-staley-we-came-here-to-win/ |
Black Friday is over. Cyber Monday is here. Whatever names are given to the specific days on the calendar, it’s the Christmas shopping season.
So it’s time to do some shopping.
Why not do a little shopping right now? It’s your first day back to work after a long weekend. You don’t really feel like doing anything, until after lunch. (Or until after your nap after lunch.) And you’d like to knock a few names off the list. And you surely know a few NFL fans, if you’re reading this.
So if you’re reading this, maybe someone you know would like to be reading Playmakers, a book of essays about the true workings of the NFL, told through a variety of essays and anecdotes. For a very limited time, anyone who buys Playmakers and fills out the appropriate online form (it’s quick and easy) gets a signed, personalized bookplate that can be pasted into the front of the book.
Or buy one for yourself. Or send the link to someone you want to buy it for you. Or, if all else fails, print the offer and stick it inside a copy of LOOK magazine.
Do it now, and you’ll have both the book and the bookplate by December 23. | 2022-11-28T16:17:47Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Do some quick and easy shopping on Cyber Monday - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/do-some-quick-and-easy-shopping-on-cyber-monday/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/do-some-quick-and-easy-shopping-on-cyber-monday/ |
The Jaguars scored 18 points in the fourth quarter on Sunday to spring past the Ravens for a 28-27 home win.
The last two points came on a two-point conversion after Trevor Lawrence hit Marvin Jones for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds to play. Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson went right back to Lawrence for that conversion and he connected with Zay Jones to win the game.
It’s no surprise that Pederson put the game in Lawrence’s hands. He was 15-of-19 for 173 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and Pederson said after the win that the quarterback was “lights out” over the course of the entire game.
“It’s a step in the right direction, you know,” Pederson said, via the team’s website. “I would say these last three games or so, he’s really done a really nice job with our system and our offense. I think he had a pretty good game and took care of the football. He’s heading in the right direction. Sometimes there’s a difference between what we see in Trevor and what you all might see, or a fan might see. This guy throws an incredibly good football and he’s smart and he sees the field, and he can make all the throws. You’re just seeing that. You’re just seeing that execution with him and that maturity with him.”
Sunday’s game was Lawrence’s third straight strong performance and continuing on the same trajectory for the rest of the season would be a big win for the Jaguars regardless of where they wind up in the standings.
4 responses to “Doug Pederson: Trevor Lawrence was lights out on Sunday”
Ilostmyteamtogreedandsettledforbetter says:
Ravens D implodes once again. And their predictable offense sputtered as usual. They’re about to prove once again that they don’t belong in the same league as the good teams in the AFC.
I haven’t seen a ton of Jags games in the past couple of years but was fortunate enough to watch the game yesterday against the Ravens.
Lawrence certainly seems to have come a long way. Absolutely perfect throw for that 2 point conversion with the game on the line. A good, confident throw with lots of zip. Exactly what you want to see from a young quarterback in a big situation.
jackedup says:
I saw something completely different. Lawrence was throwing absolute dimes that no defense could stop. Stop making excuses and give the kid some credit.
Big game for him if he can build on it. Probably the first time since hitting the NFL he actually looked like a #1 pick. | 2022-11-28T16:18:02Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Doug Pederson: Trevor Lawrence was lights out on Sunday - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/doug-pederson-trevor-lawrence-was-lights-out-on-sunday/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/doug-pederson-trevor-lawrence-was-lights-out-on-sunday/ |
The Jaguars used 18 fourth quarter points to beat the Ravens on Sunday and they picked them up without the help of running back Travis Etienne.
Etienne left the game in the second quarter after hurting his foot and did not return. After the game, head coach Doug Pederson said that the team held him out of precaution rather than because Etienne had been ruled out of returning.
“We didn’t rule him out,” Pederson said, via the team’s website. “We thought he could go. We’ve got to get more information tonight and check him out. He was walking around the sideline, and he felt fine. I just don’t want to risk it with him right now. It was just my decision to keep him out, but we’ll check him out tonight and have probably a better update tomorrow.”
Etienne missed his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury and has 133 carries for 728 yards and four touchdowns this season. | 2022-11-28T16:18:08Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Jaguars thought Travis Etienne could return from foot injury, but didn't want to risk it - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/jaguars-thought-travis-etienne-could-return-from-foot-injury-but-didnt-want-to-risk-it/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/jaguars-thought-travis-etienne-could-return-from-foot-injury-but-didnt-want-to-risk-it/ |
Earlier this month, three University of Virginia football players were shot and killed. Funerals for D’Sean Perry, Devin Chandler, and Lavel Davis Jr. are occurring this week.
The team is attending together, with the assistance of Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
A Patriots spokesperson has confirmed that Kraft has loaned the team plane at no charge to the Virginia football program so that the team can attend the funerals.
D’Sean Perry’s funeral occurred on Saturday in Miami. The next day, Devin Chandler’s funeral happened in Virginia Beach. The family of Lavel Davis Jr. will conduct a celebration of life on Wednesday in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Accounts of the use of the team plane began to emerge on Sunday. The Patriots, who played in Minnesota on Thursday night, didn’t need it this weekend.
It’s obviously a great gesture from Kraft, who has shown time and again that he’s willing to step up and do without hesitation whatever needs to be done. It’s also a great message for the rest of us. Regardless of our individual resources, there’s always something we can do to make someone else’s life a little bit better, especially when things are not going well. | 2022-11-28T16:21:47Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Robert Kraft loans Patriots plane to Virginia football team to travel to funerals of fallen players - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/robert-kraft-loans-patriots-plane-to-virginia-football-team-to-travel-to-funerals-of-fallen-players/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/robert-kraft-loans-patriots-plane-to-virginia-football-team-to-travel-to-funerals-of-fallen-players/ |
The Giants are getting some players back on the practice field this week.
The team announced that they have designated linebacker Azeez Ojulari, guard Ben Bredeson, and safety Tony Jefferson for return from injured reserve. All three players may now practice with the team for the next 21 days and they can be added to the active roster at any point in that window.
Ojulari has been out with a calf injury since Week Four. He also missed the first two games of the year with the injury and has three tackles and a sack in his two appearances this season.
Bredeson was starting at left guard before hurting his knee in Week Seven. The Giants have been banged up across the offensive line, so Bredeson’s return will be a welcome development for the 7-4 club.
Jefferson appeared in three games and went on injured reserve after hurting his foot in mid-October.
1 responses to “Giants designate Azeez Ojulari, Ben Bredeson, Tony Jefferson for return”
When is Daniel Bellinger getting back? I hope it’s soon, dude took a bad hit (that if you watch the play was intentional) to the eye that came at a time when he was getting into a groove. | 2022-11-28T18:41:15Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Giants designate Azeez Ojulari, Ben Bredeson, Tony Jefferson for return - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/giants-designate-azeez-ojulari-ben-bredeson-tony-jefferson-for-return/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/giants-designate-azeez-ojulari-ben-bredeson-tony-jefferson-for-return/ |
It will indeed be “Glazers Out.” Especially if multiple billions are in.
Rob Dawson of ESPN.com, via Sports Business Daily, reports that the family that owns both the NFL’s Buccaneers and Manchester United of the Premier League wants a “record price” for the soccer club.
Per the report, the Glazers believe they can get offers in excess of $7.25 billion for Manchester United. Also, the family is being deliberately vague about their plans in order to maximize their leverage. As with anything that anyone would ever sell, “nah, I’ll just keep it” can often be the best way to get top dollar.
It appears that the Glazers will sell. As noted by Dawson, Joel Glazer remains “heavily involved” in running the team, but other Glazer siblings want to sell.
Major sports properties continue to have ever-increasing value. And the price for a team often defies the balances sheets and other factors used to put a price on a business. The Denver Broncos recently sold for $4.65 billion. Commanders owner Daniel Snyder reportedly wants $7 billion — and he’ll likely get it.
For the Glazers, as with Snyder, it will become very hard to not follow through with the plan to sell, now that the fans have caught wind of the possibility. Even then, both the Glazers and Snyder are likely to get everything they want, and then some.
1 responses to “Glazers want “record price” for Manchester United”
“as with Snyder, it will become very hard to not follow through with the plan to sell, now that the fans have caught wind of the possibility”
I’ve seen this argument elsewhere but is it really true? If they just don’t give a darn about being asked about it and don’t care if the uncertainty hurts the team then there’s no pressue on them at all. It’s not even like the questions are directly to them or all that frequent since as billionaires they can stay out of the media’s and fans’ reach pretty much indefinitely. Fans best hope is that it won’t be “fun” to have the team any more so they’ll sell. | 2022-11-28T18:41:21Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Glazers want "record price" for Manchester United - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/glazers-want-record-price-for-manchester-united/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/glazers-want-record-price-for-manchester-united/ |
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson reacted to Twitter criticism with a vulgar tweet for which he has received plenty of criticism. It took Jackson several hours to delete the tweet on Sunday night.
On Monday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he spoke with Jackson about the situation on Monday morning.
“[I] just beg guys to not to get into the Twitter world right after the game, especially after a loss,” Harbaugh said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “It’s never going to be positive. It’s not going be a nice place, you know? That’s kind of reflected in Lamar’s response because . . . that’s not the way he speaks. It’s not the way he talks. It’s not the words he ever uses. I’ve never heard him say things like that before.”
Of course, plenty of people use language on Twitter that they don’t walk around spouting off to friends, family, or total strangers.
“Lamar Jackson, you’ve been around him,” Harbaugh said. “He’s got one of the biggest hearts of anybody I know. You all have seen him the way he treats people, the way he treats kids, the way he treats the media. And he is also one of the biggest competitors I’ve ever met. So those kind of conversations he takes very seriously. You get trapped sometimes by someone that’s baiting you just a little bit. And you can’t live there. I think that’s not a place he wants to be and that’s certainly not things that he wants to say.”
Harbaugh is right in that it’s natural to want to react to actual or perceived insults, especially in times of extreme stress. And while the tweet to which Jackson responded wasn’t all that bad in isolation, it may have simply been the straw that broke the camel’s back, after Jackson digested multiple hostile tweets from random Twitter users.
“He wants to win, I’m sure he is frustrated just like we all are,” Harbaugh said. “And that’s just a place you just don’t want to live right after a game. And I know he understands that.”
Again, Harbaugh is right. But good luck keeping young pro athletes away from Twitter. Whether it’s to seek some solace in a compliment or to explore out of curiosity whether and to what extent negativity is being spewed, football players will always be tempted to see what’s on social media after a game. And then they’ll be tempted to respond to the things they don’t like.
It’s inherently human to feel those feelings. It’s inherently human to want to respond. The hardest thing to do is to resist that very strong temptation to let someone hear it.
And when yielding to that temptation, it’s important to understand the import of the terms used. Frankly, there’s a very good chance that Jackson simply didn’t realize that the most problematic portion of the deleted tweet oozed with homophobia. (Indeed, plenty of people who are chiming in on the issue refuse to make the connection.)
Chances are that Jackson now understands the message conveyed by his choice of phrase, and that the next time he reacts to criticism he’ll use a different figure of speech.
1 responses to “John Harbaugh: Lamar Jackson’s tweet was “out of character””
No, it wasn’t, that’s totally Lamar | 2022-11-28T22:49:45Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | John Harbaugh: Lamar Jackson's tweet was "out of character" - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/john-harbaugh-lamar-jacksons-tweet-was-out-of-character/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/john-harbaugh-lamar-jacksons-tweet-was-out-of-character/ |
The 2022 Buccaneers had something going, until they didn’t. But playing a game in Cleveland that Tampa Bay should have won and losing it is, to quarterback Tom Brady, better than the alternative.
“Look, losing is hard for all of us, but I’d rather lose and play than not play at all,” Brady said on the latest episode of his Let’s Go! podcast, via JoeBucsFan.com.
Even at 5-6, the Buccaneers remain in first place in the worst division football, the NFC South. Winning the division results in a ticket to a home game in the wild-card round, and the No. 4 seed. (Two years ago, the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl as the No. 5 seed.)
It gets no easier in the coming weeks. The Saints come to town next Monday night. Then, it’s a short-week, long trip to San Francisco. After that, the Bucs host the Bengals.
Even if they lose two or three of those, it may not keep them from ultimately winning the division. And all that matters, if they get there, is where they are as of the wild-card round. | 2022-11-29T00:43:07Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Tom Brady would rather lose than not play - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/tom-brady-would-rather-lose-than-not-play/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/tom-brady-would-rather-lose-than-not-play/ |
The Broncos are struggling. That’s nothing new for the team, based on recent years. But it was supposed to be very different this year.
The hiring of a new coach, the trade for a franchise quarterback, and the arrival of a money-is-no-object ownership group combined to create unrealistically high expectations among a fan base that thought the clock would be reset to the Peyton Manning days.
Instead, the franchise remains stuck in quicksand. The Broncos, after starting 2-1, have lost seven of eight games to slump to 3-8.
While much of the criticism has been directed to Russell Wilson, the team traded for him. The team signed him to a long-term contract when it didn’t have to. And coach Nathaniel Hackett has become the most obvious target for fans who want something to be done.
On Monday, Hackett was asked by reporters what his message would be to fans who are sufficiently frustrated to want him out.
“Nobody is as frustrated as I am,” Hackett said. “This is not where we wanted to be at this time in the season. None of us thought it was going to be like this and that responsibility is fully on me. I want to be the one that can do everything to help this football team because we, as a group, have to come together and find a way to win a football game. We can’t play the way that we played yesterday and expect to win a football game. It starts with me from practice preparation and every single thing that we do. I’m the most frustrated. I think that our fans are great. They want to win, just like we all do. I don’t blame them for being frustrated. For me, all I know is to work and put my head down with our staff. I believe in this staff, and I believe in these players. We have to get better plays and better execution across the board.”
They have six more games to show that they can get it done. As explained last night on Football Night in America, it’s highly unlikely that Hackett will be fired before the season ends. After Week 18, however, all bets are off.
“Our fans mean the world to all of us,” Hackett added. “We work hard because we want to put a great product out on the field. We know that hasn’t been there, especially from offensive side of the ball. Everybody in that room, both coaches and players, are doing every single thing we can to try to put a better product out there. We have to prove it. We have to prove it to our fans and that’s what we’re going to continually try to do.”
Obviously, they’re trying. But they’re not succeeding. Over and over again. While it’s still not over, there’s no reason to expect a sudden and dramatic change.
And when the season ends, the change that seems to be coming will be neither sudden nor dramatic. | 2022-11-29T01:04:29Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Nathaniel Hackett: "Nobody is as frustrated as I am" - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/nathaniel-hackett-nobody-is-as-frustrated-as-i-am/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/28/nathaniel-hackett-nobody-is-as-frustrated-as-i-am/ |
Deshaun Watson is officially back on the Browns’ active roster and he is expected to start against the Texans this week in what will be his first regular season action since the end of the 2020 season.
Watson sat out all of last year while with the Texans and he was suspended for the first 11 games this year under the Personal Conduct Policy after being accused of sexual misconduct by more than 20 women. He has been practicing with the Browns for the last two weeks, but will get his first extended work with the first team since the summer this week and will have to knock off rust quickly as a result.
On Monday, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said he didn’t know exactly how the long layoff will impact Watson in his return to action but said he feels confident that Watson is prepared for the task at hand.
Watson’s reinstatement would draw a lot of attention against any opponent, but it’s an even bigger deal with the Texans as the opposition this week. Stefanski said that the Browns will have to “put the blinders on” to anything other than preparing to play and we’ll see how well that goes come Sunday. | 2022-11-29T12:19:53Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Kevin Stefanski: Deshaun Watson has worked hard to be ready to go - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/kevin-stefanski-deshaun-watson-has-worked-hard-to-be-ready-to-go/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/kevin-stefanski-deshaun-watson-has-worked-hard-to-be-ready-to-go/ |
On Our Way Home: Chapter Six
I couldn’t tell whether the jury received the news with relief or disappointment. Sandy Matherson wasn’t happy to learn she wouldn’t be having her own December to remember, but she stifled her reaction, since both she and I knew Earl would be pissed enough for both of them. I talked to her about the situation after the bailiff had once again led the jury out of the courtroom so that they could start their very extended break in the trial. Earl’s face already had developed a shade of red that nearly matched his flannel shirt. He pressed his forearms so hard against his torso that with one good squeeze his head would have been launched into low orbit.
I fiddled with the contents of one of the boxes of paperwork that would stay in the courtroom until we resumed. The judge had said no other business would be conducted there during the week of Christmas, so we could leave everything where it was. I moved slowly while pretending to organize the files in the hopes that Sandy and Earl would leave. They didn’t. Meanwhile, Anderson and his minions had packed up the gadgets they planned to use during their presentation and embarked on a long weekend that wouldn’t entail licking six-, seven-, or maybe even eight-figure wounds. I tried not to think about the possibility of a verdict that large, especially since it would have been tied up for months on appeal. Still, having a major award tied up on appeal is a lot better than not having one at all.
Soon, three people remained in the courtroom: Sandy, Earl, and me. Sandy checked once more to her left and to her right to confirm we were alone. She nevertheless whispered.
“Was there any talk in there about, you know, settling this?”
“Nothing more than before,” I said. “They’ve been pretty firm in their position. It makes it a lot easier to go forward when we know we don’t have that bird in the hand.”
“What was it before?” She knew the answer. I could tell she wanted me to say it in front of Earl, that maybe he didn’t believe her.
“They offered ten thousand dollars before trial,” I said. “That’s nothing. It’s peanuts. It wouldn’t even cover my costs.”
“Now, what does that mean?” Again, she already knew the answer to the question. Maybe if we won she should go to law school. After first going to college. She was definitely sharp enough to do it, if Earl would simply allow her to.
“I’ve paid for everything so far. I get that money back from whatever we recover. That’s money I’ve paid out of pocket, money that’s not coming back if we lose.”
“And we don’t pay you that if we don’t win, right? Because that’s not what that letter you sent says.”
“I know,” I said, eyeing Earl carefully since he was actually the one asking these questions. “Technically, I can’t say in advance that you won’t owe me the money. But if we get nothing, I’m not going to ask you for a dime. I took this case to try to make things better for you. The last thing I’m going to do is make things worse.”
That’s when Earl could no longer help himself, even though he’d likely been told by his wife to not say anything to me.
“You sure ain’t made nothing better yet,” he said. “You said we was getting an answer on this today. We expected an answer on all of this before Christmas. Now that there judge is saying we gotta come back after New Year’s Day? Well, that sure don’t seem fair to me.”
“I don’t disagree with you, Earl.”
“The way I see it, you’re the one that’s supposed to keep unfair shit from happening to my wife.”
Sandy’s eyes flashed at him.
“Earl, he’s trying the best he can.”
“Well, then he should have been trying not to puke all over himself.”
I tried my best to stay calm. I wanted to lash out at anyone and anything over what had happened that morning. I had real skin in the game, just like they did. More than they did. I’d spent more money than I wanted to calculate chasing U-Sav-Plentee on this one, and it was as good of a case as I was ever going to take to trial against a company that big. The truly strong claims settle, because the lawyers don’t want to have their names attached to a horrible outcome at trial. So they make the plaintiffs an offer they can’t refuse. To get the planets to line up just right for a massive verdict, the company and the lawyers had to think they had a clear winner. Most of the time, they did. Once in a while, they found out the hard way they didn’t.
The best thing going for Sandy, Earl, and me in this case was that we wanted the jury to take what would amount to pocket change from a beast that swallowed up money on money on money, especially when their stores were at maximum earning capacity during the holidays. Already that morning, three days before Christmas, U-Sav-Plentee’s worldwide operations likely had cleared in profit more than a hundred times the amount we would have won, even if I’d been allowed to ply the jury with tequila and cocaine during their deliberations. My ace in the hole, the proximity of the deliberations to Christmas Day, would dissolve into dust by January 2. And it had happened because, for whatever reason, I had a rapid bout of nausea that had resolved itself faster than I could even realize it was happening.
“Folks, I’m sorry about this. I’ve said all along we have to play the hand we’ve been dealt. That’s really all we can do at this point.”
“Why don’t you call that other lawyer and see if they want to settle?” Earl said. “He sure seems smart.”
I was smart enough to pick up on the implication. I kept fighting to not take the bait.
“That won’t work at this point. They’ll sense weakness. They’ll refuse. If they didn’t do it before this morning, they’re definitely not going to do it before we come back.”
“Well, I hope you and your family have a nice Christmas. And I hope you’ll be thinking about the kind of Christmas my family will have because of this.”
Sandy continued to glare at him. The fact that she hadn’t stopped him told me, deep down, she felt the same way. It also told me, no matter how many times I’d explained it in plain terms to Sandy, they didn’t fully realize they wouldn’t have been presented with a giant ceremonial check by the CEO of the company that same day, if we’d won.
“I ain’t asked you for nothing through all of this,” he said. “But I’m asking for one thing. And I ain’t really asking. I want you to come to our house on Tuesday. I want you to pretend I’m that jury. I want you to tell me exactly what you would’ve said to convince them to make this right, if you would’ve got up there and done it today.”
That was the last thing I wanted to do, the last thing I planned to do. At that point, however, I just wanted to get out of there. So I agreed to do it. I’d figure out later how to get out of it. Not that I’d have a lot of time in the coming weekend to devise a plan that would have a chance of working.
I told them, given Earl’s request, I needed to gather a few things to bring with me on Tuesday, which prompted them to finally go. After they did, I went back to the table, pulled out the chair, and sat in it for a long time. I stared at the seats where the jurors had been sitting all week. Ready to hear my closing argument. Perhaps ready to change Sandy’s life and mine, just by writing a number in a box on a sheet of white paper. And now, just like that, the moment was gone forever.
Ho ho ho. Merry Freaking Christmas.
(On Our Way Home continues on Wednesday, November 30, with Chapter Seven. It’s being posted free of charge, with all chapters here. If you feel like paying for something, buy a copy of Playmakers instead. Through December 11, you’ll get a free, personalized bookplate.) | 2022-11-29T12:20:00Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | On Our Way Home: Chapter Six - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/on-our-way-home-chapter-six/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/on-our-way-home-chapter-six/ |
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans became the 51st player in league history to hit 10,000 receiving yards on a 28-yard catch during last Sunday’s overtime loss to the Browns, but he didn’t do much else during the game.
Evans had one other catch for three yards while being targeted nine times over the course of the afternoon. Evans caught 10 passes in the two previous games, but they covered just 94 yards and that led to a question for head coach Todd Bowles about why the two players aren’t in the groove they’ve been in for most of the last few years.
“It’s a good question,” Bowles said, via Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times. “Some of them were defensive calls, some of them we just missed it here and there. We’ve got to get that fixed, we’ve got to get them back on the same page.”
Getting the Bucs offense on the right page has been a struggle all season and their 5-6 record is a testament to how it has played out, but the overall state of the NFC South leaves the team with a clear path to the postseason. If they can find a way to put Brady and Evans back in sync, following that path to a division title will be a bit easier. | 2022-11-29T13:16:14Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Todd Bowles: "Good question" why Tom Brady and Mike Evans aren't clicking - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/todd-bowles-good-question-why-tom-brady-and-mike-evans-arent-clicking/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/todd-bowles-good-question-why-tom-brady-and-mike-evans-arent-clicking/ |
Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett professed ignorance immediately after Sunday’s game when asked about defensive lineman Mike Purcell yelling in the face of quarterback Russell Wilson. After seeing replays of the exchange, Hackett defended Purcell’s passion.
“You want every one of your football players to want to do anything to win, and you want them to hold each other accountable, and you want them to fire each other up,” Hackett said, via Kyle Newman of The Denver Post. “Whenever that comes from a player [to another player], that means a lot to him. So I appreciate [Purcell’s] passion and understand it. I just don’t want him to get the personal foul in that situation.”
Officials flagged Purcell for a personal foul on a Panthers’ field goal immediately before he yelled at Wilson. Wilson said Purcell told him “let’s f—ing go,” and Purcell explained that he was trying to provide a spark.
Newman, though, also admitted to “frustration.”
The Broncos are last in the NFL in scoring at 14.3 points per game but third in fewest points allowed per game at 17.6.
Hackett, who called it “an emotional game,” said he has talked to both players. | 2022-11-29T21:37:34Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Nathaniel Hackett appreciates Mike Purcell's passion and understands it - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/nathaniel-hackett-appreciates-mike-purcells-passion-and-understands-it/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/nathaniel-hackett-appreciates-mike-purcells-passion-and-understands-it/ |
It will be the Dolphins’ third primetime game and the fifth for the Chargers. The Chargers also have a Monday Night Football game on Dec. 26 and currently are scheduled for a New Year’s Day game against the Rams on Sunday Night Football. That game could be flexed with the Rams currently 3-8.
3 responses to “NFL flexes Dolphins-Chargers game to Sunday Night Football in Week 14”
Awesome! Fins deserve a chance to play a national game. The Broncos aren’t making the playoffs and I’m sure no one wants to watch Russ complete 20 passes for 150yds while getting blown out.
Sad how the only two black Super Bowl winning quarterbacks that are active in the league are taken out of a prime time showcase game but not surprising that the NFL wants to promote Herbert instead.
maxtheshoe says:
as a Denver fan it’s so hard to see what this team has become…and there’s no sign that the future will be any better, for a number of years to come. | 2022-11-30T02:07:36Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | NFL flexes Dolphins-Chargers game to Sunday Night Football in Week 14 - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/nfl-flexes-dolphins-chargers-game-to-sunday-night-football-in-week-14/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/nfl-flexes-dolphins-chargers-game-to-sunday-night-football-in-week-14/ |
There’s a sucker born every minute. And there are plenty of people looking to take advantage of each and every one of them.
Case in point, 422 fake Super Bowl rings from China were seized in Illinois, according to Jordan Mendoza of USA Today.
Per the report, an import specialist reviewed the rings and determined that they were not authentic, and that they infringed on NFL trademarks. Officers suspected that the rings were going to be sold to consumers, as fake merchandise.
“Counterfeit jewelry continues to flood the e-commerce market, and these rings were focused on a select group of sports collectors and their fans,” LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, director of border protection field operations in Chicago, said in a statement, via Mendoza.
The message from this one is obvious. Be careful when buying big-ticket memorabilia items online. Make sure you insist on appropriate proof of authenticity. And if anything about the transaction seems even slightly out of sorts, don’t go through with it. | 2022-11-30T06:02:44Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Customs officials seize 422 fake Super Bowl rings from China - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/customs-officials-seize-422-fake-super-bowl-rings-from-china/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/29/customs-officials-seize-422-fake-super-bowl-rings-from-china/ |
The Commanders could have some help on the way for their offensive line.
The team announced on Wednesday that Wes Schweitzer has been designated for return from injured reserve. Schweitzer has been out since suffering a concussion against the Eagles in the third week of the season.
Schweitzer will have 21 days to practice with the team before he must be activated or shut down for the year. The Commanders can activate him at any point in that window.
Schweitzer started the opening game of the season at right guard and then started at center against the Eagles in his last appearance of the year. He started 18 other times for the Commanders over the last two seasons. | 2022-11-30T17:31:40Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Commanders designate Wes Schweitzer for return - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/commanders-designate-wes-schweitzer-for-return/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/commanders-designate-wes-schweitzer-for-return/ |
Jaguars running back Travis Etienne was held out of the second half of the Week 12 victory over the Ravens with a foot injury.
It sounds like Etienne should be OK to play in Sunday’s game against Detroit. But there’s still some question about that.
Head coach Doug Pederson was asked in his Wednesday press conference how he felt about Etienne’s chances to play in Week 13 and replied, “I feel good.”
“It’s going to be day-to-day with him,” Pederson said. “But, I want to make sure that he’s 100 percent before we stick him out there. He’ll go through some of the walk-through portions of practice today.”
JaMycal Hasty ended up playing the majority of snaps at running back last week. But Darrell Henderson, who was recently claimed off waivers, could be another option this week. Pederson said coaches have been spending a little extra time with him to get the running back ready to go if need be.
“He’s a veteran guy. He’s played,” Pederson said of Henderson. “It’s just a matter of understanding a little terminology. We won’t throw the whole thing at him but give him a series of plays that he’s comfortable with.”
Etienne leads the Jaguars with 728 yards rushing, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He also has 22 receptions for 202 yards.
The Rams let Henderson go after he put up 283 yards rushing and three touchdowns in 10 games with seven starts. | 2022-11-30T17:31:50Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Doug Pederson: I feel good about Travis Etienne's chances of playing this weekend - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/doug-pederson-i-feel-good-about-travis-etiennes-chances-of-playing-this-weekend/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/doug-pederson-i-feel-good-about-travis-etiennes-chances-of-playing-this-weekend/ |
What would Matt Rhule have done differently? “Probably taken another job”
Former Panthers coach Matt Rhule isn’t upset. Or so he says.
He says other things that suggest otherwise.
Now that Rhule has an eight-year contract with Nebraska and no immediate (or long-term) plans to return to the NFL, Rhule has opted for candor, even if it’s tainted by revisionist history, regarding his time with the Panthers.
Asked during an appearance on The Season with Peter Schrager what Rhule would have done differently, he was blunt.
“I think I probably would just probably [have] taken another job,” Rhule said. “It’s a great place. Wonderful people. But I just don’t know if I was a fit there. You know, at the end of the day, you know, we talked about, ‘Hey, we’re gonna have a four-year plan, a five-year plan.’ You know, if you tell me, ‘Hey, we got a two-year plan,’ then I’m gonna go sign a bunch of free agents and do it. So what was a four-year plan became a two-year-and-five-game plan real quick.”
So, in other words, Rhule would have done better sooner if he knew he was expected to do better sooner.
“I’m not angry about it,” Rhule added. “At the end of the day, I understand. But if it’s gonna be that quick, then we’re gonna sign some more free agents, we’re gonna go make the blockbuster trade, we’re gonna do those things. I think the trajectory we were on was correct.”
It’s not like they didn’t try to make a blockbuster trade. They wanted Deshaun Watson. He didn’t want them. No accomplished veteran quarterback with options has opted for the Panthers.
Maybe it was Rhule that caused them to shy away. Maybe it was owner David Tepper. Maybe it was something else.
Regardless, Rhule’s comments ring hollow. There are no four- or five-year plans in the NFL, and the Panthers were indeed trying to get the difference makers that would help them win now. They just couldn’t make it happen.
The more likely truth is that Rhule opted not for the security of a supposed four- or five-year plan but for the money that Tepper was paying. The Giants, who also wanted Rhule, wouldn’t even consider matching the seven-year, $62 million package that Tepper gave Rhule.
That’s ultimately what got Rhule to take the job. Maybe he regrets prioritizing money over the potential for winning. Maybe he regrets working for Tepper, who seems to be inclined to meddle more than most owners.
Regardless, the idea that Rhule regrets taking the job because he thought he’d get four or five years to show real progress is hard to swallow, given that the NFL no longer works this way — and hasn’t for decades.
2 responses to “What would Matt Rhule have done differently? “Probably taken another job””
If he thought he was getting 5 years to build a winner in the NFL, he’s too naïve for this world.
I don’t know if there should be high expectations on a guy that is expected to retread Bridgewater, Darnold and then Mayfield.
The GM should have jettisoned the team for a solid rebuild back in 2020. | 2022-11-30T17:32:20Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | What would Matt Rhule have done differently? "Probably taken another job" - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/what-would-matt-rhule-have-done-differently-probably-taken-another-job/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/what-would-matt-rhule-have-done-differently-probably-taken-another-job/ |
Hall of Fame will present rings to next of kin for deceased inductees, reversing old policy
The Pro Football Hall of Fame has changed its policy about deceased inductees and will now present a Hall of Fame ring to the next of kin for anyone enshrined in the Hall of Fame posthumously.
Elaine Anderson, the sister of Hall of Fame Class of 2022 member Cliff Branch, will be the first family member to receive a ring. She will accept his ring during a halftime ceremony in Las Vegas on Sunday, when the Raiders host the Chargers. Branch, who died in 2019, played his entire 15-year NFL career with the Raiders.
The Hall of Fame said that Raiders owner Mark Davis (son of Hall of Famer Al Davis) and Virginia Madden (widow of Hall of Fame Raiders coach John Madden) were among those who urged the Hall of Fame to reconsider its old policy of only awarding rings to living inductees.
“The decision to present these rings, quite simply, is the right thing to do,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said. “It follows several passionate discussions with friends and family members of deceased Hall of Famers. The Hall looks forward to participating in these additional ring ceremonies and will be announcing more details in the near future.”
The Hall of Fame said it will also present a ring to the family of Sam Mills, this year’s other posthumous inductee. The Hall of Fame also plans to reach out to the families of other Hall of Famers who were elected after their deaths to organize ceremonies to present their rings to them.
2 responses to “Hall of Fame will present rings to next of kin for deceased inductees, reversing old policy”
Classy move by the HOF!
24hoursinaday24beersinacase says:
Hall of fame should be ashamed that Stabler and Branch didnt get voted in until after they had died. | 2022-11-30T17:57:54Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Hall of Fame will present rings to next of kin for deceased inductees, reversing old policy - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/hall-of-fame-will-present-rings-to-next-of-kin-for-deceased-inductees-reversing-old-policy/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/hall-of-fame-will-present-rings-to-next-of-kin-for-deceased-inductees-reversing-old-policy/ |
Running back Melvin Gordon has now officially been a part of three of the four AFC West teams, joining the Chiefs earlier this week on the team’s practice squad.
Gordon had been with the Broncos since signing with the club as a free agent in 2020. But Denver cut him last week after he fumbled for the fifth time in 2022.
The Chiefs have played Gordon plenty of times since he was drafted by the Chargers in 2015. There’s a chance Gordon contributes sooner than later.
“We’ll just see where this thing goes, where he’s at, and where the running back situation is,” head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday, via Matt McMullen of the team’s website. “He’s sure been a heck of a player in this league.”
Gordon averaged 3.5 yards per carry with the Broncos this year, rushing for 318 yards with two touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes for 223 yards.
Gordon did record over 1,100 yards from scrimmage in each of the last two seasons for Denver. In 108 games with 94 starts, Gordon has rushed for 6,462 yards with 55 touchdowns and caught 309 passes for 2,467 yards with 14 TDs.
2 responses to “Andy Reid: Melvin Gordon has sure been a heck of a player in this league”
Maybe the Chiefs can teach him how to hold on to the ball.
At least we know how Mahomes, Reid and the Chiefs will blow it at home in the playoffs this year. | 2022-11-30T19:33:41Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Andy Reid: Melvin Gordon has sure been a heck of a player in this league - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/andy-reid-melvin-gordon-has-sure-been-a-heck-of-a-player-in-this-league/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/andy-reid-melvin-gordon-has-sure-been-a-heck-of-a-player-in-this-league/ |
For Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, things are back to normal. But things remain not normal.
Case in point, Watson won’t meet with reporters on Wednesday, four days before his return to action.
Via Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN.com, coach Kevin Stefanski was asked why Watson isn’t talking to reporters today. Said Stefanski, “That’s not my department.”
Not every quarterback speaks on Wednesday in advance of a Sunday game. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, for example, speaks on Thursday. Still, most quarterbacks talk to reporters on Wednesday.
The rules require all players to be available once during the week and after each game. Frankly, the sooner Watson gets it over with, the better. If he comes off as trying to avoid reporters, some may decide to be more aggressive and pointed in their questioning.
When reporters last heard from Watson, he had agreed to an 11-game suspension and a seven-figure fine, but he reiterated his innocence. Whenever he speaks again, he’ll undoubtedly be asked whether he still does.
3 responses to “Deshaun Watson won’t meet with reporters on Wednesday”
let it be football only .. i dont want to hear him cover the same old ground ..
Passes aren’t the only thing getting deflected in Cleveland.
In the immortal words of Marshawn Lynch, “I am just here so I don’t get fined”
of course with a quarter billion coming in and limits on the size of the fines, 18*25K may be worth it to him. | 2022-11-30T19:33:52Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Deshaun Watson won't meet with reporters on Wednesday - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/deshaun-watson-wont-meet-with-reporters-on-wednesday/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/deshaun-watson-wont-meet-with-reporters-on-wednesday/ |
We took a little bit of a hard right turn on Thanksgiving. The detour continues until Christmas.
I’ve developed a habit of writing fiction in my barn by night (not to be confused with the fiction I write right here by day), and I’ve got a stack of six manuscripts, going on seven. I wrote one of them last December, with a Christmas tree gleaming and Christmas music playing and Christmas booze flowing and Christmas cigar smoldering.
In the middle of November, I counted the chapters and checked the calendar and realized I could post a chapter a day from Thanksgiving to Christmas. So that’s what I decided to do. It’s a gift to any of you who want it and, technically, also to all of you who don’t.
Links to the first seven chapters of On Our Way Home are available here. Or you can scroll through all of it here.
It will all be posted by December 25. I’ll probably leave it up through January 1. Once you feel like you’re in the Christmas spirit, or if you feel like you need a little bit of a nudge to get there, check it out.
1 responses to “Seven chapters of On Our Way Home are available”
Thanks for sharing your gifts, Michael. Merry Christmas. | 2022-11-30T19:34:13Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Seven chapters of On Our Way Home are available - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/seven-chapters-of-on-our-way-home-are-available/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/seven-chapters-of-on-our-way-home-are-available/ |
The Commanders’ first injury report of the week is out and it includes a couple of key players.
Returning from reconstructive knee surgery, defensive end Chase Young was limited on Wednesday. Young was activated to the 53-man roster last week but did not play in the win over Atlanta after being listed as questionable for the contest.
Whether Young plays in Sunday’s game against the Giants remains to be seen.
Running back Antonio Gibson was also limited on Wednesday with a foot injury. He had nine carries for 32 yards in the Week 12 victory over Atlanta, also catching three passes for 22 yards. Gibson leads the club with 476 yards rushing this year.
Receiver Dax Milne (foot), cornerback Benjamin St.-Juste (ankle), and guard Tray Turner (knee/ankle) did not practice on Wednesday.
Center Tyler Larsen (shoulder) and tight end Logan Thomas (rib) were also limited. | 2022-11-30T20:22:17Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Chase Young, Antonio Gibson limited in Wednesday practice - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/chase-young-antonio-gibson-limited-in-wednesday-practice/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/chase-young-antonio-gibson-limited-in-wednesday-practice/ |
Kevin Stefanski doesn’t know whether rust will be a factor for Deshaun Watson
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson last played a regular-season game in January 2021, with the Texans. He now returns to action by facing the Texans. In Houston.
Although Watson wasn’t available to the media on Wednesday, coach Kevin Stefanski was. Stefanski was asked whether he thinks Watson will be shaking off any rust on Sunday.
“It is a totally fair question,” Stefanski said. “I don’t think I can predict that type of thing, but I know this, he is focusing on his work. Really in any endeavor, you have to focus on your preparation for Sunday. You can’t really worry about Sunday until you worry about Wednesday.”
Preparation is a key word. Especially since that’s the word to which Stefanski pointed when addressing whether Watson’s struggles in limited preseason work against the Jaguars were related to stress.
“No, I really don’t,” Stefanski said. “I think a lot of that was just getting back in uniform, in the huddle, hearing my voice in the headset and those type of things. That was all about the preparation. No, I don’t put much stock on that.”
So does Stefanski think those preparation factors be an issue on Sunday?
Stefanski also was asked how the Browns will handle any fan backlash in Houston.
“Again, I think it goes back to control what you can control,” Watson said. “We have to have a great week of practice and be ready to play a great game on Sunday.”
And Watson has proven to be a great player. Stefanski was asked whether Watson’s mobility and his overall ability to run with the ball will open up opportunities for the team’s running backs.
“I really think it is wait and see,” Stefanski said. “There is plenty of tape of Deshaun out there so the Texans know what to prepare against, so to speak, but he hasn’t played for us so there is an element of ‘we will see.’”
Indeed we will. The game itself isn’t significant because neither team is very good. But, after all these months and all those lawsuits and everything else that has happened, Watson will finally be back on Sunday. It will be very interesting to see how it all goes.
3 responses to “Kevin Stefanski doesn’t know whether rust will be a factor for Deshaun Watson”
Watson is going to lay the biggest egg ever. Bronco’s fans, this ought to cheer you up
Browns have Chubb and Hunt and a mauling offensive line going against maybe of the of the worst run defenses of the last decade.
Well, I can predict it for you, sir… He’s going to be rusty. | 2022-11-30T22:36:54Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Kevin Stefanski doesn't know whether rust will be a factor for Deshaun Watson - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/kevin-stefanski-doesnt-know-whether-rust-will-be-a-factor-for-deshaun-watson/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/kevin-stefanski-doesnt-know-whether-rust-will-be-a-factor-for-deshaun-watson/ |
Will Levis has spent five seasons playing college football. He won’t play a sixth.
The Kentucky quarterback, who could have taken advantage of the NCAA waiver for the pandemic to play another season for the Wildcats, announced Wednesday night he is entering the 2023 NFL draft.
“My intentions are to enter the draft after this season,” Levis said on a Blue Chips Twitter space. “I’ve talked with the coaches and the people I needed to these past couple days. I will be making a decision [on the bowl] soon, but nothing is final.”
Kentucky will learn its bowl site and opponent Saturday.
Levis is projected as one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, a likely first-round choice.
He played 11 games this season, throwing for 2,406 yards and 19 touchdowns, the Wildcats went 7-5. They were 7-4 with Levis, losing the one game he didn’t play. | 2022-12-01T04:21:09Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Kentucky quarterback Will Levis declares for 2023 NFL draft - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/kentucky-quarterback-will-levis-declares-for-2023-nfl-draft/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/11/30/kentucky-quarterback-will-levis-declares-for-2023-nfl-draft/ |
Lost in Wednesday’s question of whether the teammates of Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson like him was the question of whether his head coach still wants him under center.
Nathaniel Hackett does, but he offered an interesting response to a very specific inquiry from reporters.
Asked whether he’d consider making a change at quarterback if he thought it would give the team a better chance to win, Hackett said this: “Right now, no.”
Obviously, not every “no” is a “no.” When prefaced with “right now,” it has a much different meaning. It implies that, at some point, things could change.
Think of the other ways Hackett could have responded. He could have just said, “No.” He could have said, “I reject your premise; a quarterback change would not give us a better chance to win.” He could have rolled his eyes and grunted, like Bill Belichick did when asked about a quarterback change during his notorious “on to Cincinnati” press conference after that Monday night blowout loss to the Chiefs in September 2014.
Instead, “Right now, no.”
That’s a significant response. Far more significant than the fact that “about half” of Wilson’s teammates attended his surprise 34th birthday party and, by implication, about half no-showed. And far more significant than the fact that the media outlet owned and operate by the NFL that Wilson has “lost some people” in the locker room.
The response confirms that, as Hackett rearranges the deck chairs on his own personal Titanic, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of eventually throwing his first mate overboard. | 2022-12-01T12:11:36Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Would Nathaniel Hackett consider a quarterback change? "Right now, no" - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/would-nathaniel-hackett-consider-a-quarterback-change-right-now-no/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/would-nathaniel-hackett-consider-a-quarterback-change-right-now-no/ |
The Buccaneers defense kept the Browns offense in check for much of last Sunday, but they couldn’t close out the game in winning fashion.
Cleveland drove for a game-tying touchdown in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and then won the game on an overtime touchdown run by running back Nick Chubb. It’s not the first time that the Bucs defense has had a letdown late in a game this season, but linebacker Devin White would like it to be the last time.
White and fellow linebacker Lavonte David organized a dinner for the defense a day after the game in order to make sure everyone is on the same page as they move into the final weeks of the season. White noted how close the team was in 2020 because COVID restrictions led them to spend a lot of time together at the facility and hoped the dinner will helpe the group “jell a little more so we’ll play even harder for each other.”
“Me and Lavonte organized that just to bring the guys closer, just to be able to lean on one another and trust one another, just talk about the tenacity we’ve got to play with — you know, everything that we’ve got to do to help this team win,” White said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “Because at the end of the day we’ve got a great defense and we want to show it for four quarters and 60 minutes.”
The issues with the Buccaneers offense have drawn a lot of attention over the course of the season and seven punts in the second half and overtime last weekend make it clear they have a lot of work to do on that side of the ball. That’s not stopping the defense from striving for better results and the unit will get a chance to show that they can play a complete game against the Saints on Monday night. | 2022-12-01T13:03:47Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | After letting Browns come back, Bucs defense had a team dinner to get on same page - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/after-letting-browns-come-back-bucs-defense-had-a-team-dinner-to-get-on-same-page/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/after-letting-browns-come-back-bucs-defense-had-a-team-dinner-to-get-on-same-page/ |
Jets rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner was a Justin Jefferson fan when the Vikings wideout made a remarkable one-handed catch against the Bills a few weeks ago because he wanted to see Minnesota knock off their AFC East rivals, but there won’t be the same love on display this weekend.
Gardner and the Jets will be in Minneapolis to take on Jefferson and the Vikings in a game that the Jets need to win in order to keep a leg up in the race for playoff spots. Slowing Jefferson down would be a good way to make that happen, but that’s proven to be a difficult task for Vikings opponents over the last three seasons.
It’s not clear whether the Jets will have Gardner on Jefferson all day or if the Vikings will try to get D.J. Reed or others to cover Jefferson. However that plays out, Gardner is looking forward to the challenge and confident in the Jets’ chances of success.
“These are the types of games I love. I love going against the best,” Gardner said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post. “When you’ve got two dominant cornerbacks, you don’t really have to stress about anything. We’ve been holding our own this whole season, so we don’t really have to change anything.”
The Jets have had good success against star wideouts from other teams over the course of the season, but Sunday may bring their toughest test yet. | 2022-12-01T13:03:55Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Sauce Gardner on Justin Jefferson: I love going against the best - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/sauce-gardner-on-justin-jefferson-i-love-going-against-the-best/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/sauce-gardner-on-justin-jefferson-i-love-going-against-the-best/ |
2 responses to “A.J. Brown: I’m thankful for Tennessee but I’m here in Philly now”
What’s to be upset about? He’s signed (and earned) a huge contract, he’s crushing it with a 10-1 team, and he plays for a football town now.
Thrilled to have you, AJ. PLEASE protect the ball. | 2022-12-01T16:11:08Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | A.J. Brown: I'm thankful for Tennessee but I'm here in Philly now - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/a-j-brown-im-thankful-for-tennessee-but-im-here-in-philly-now/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/a-j-brown-im-thankful-for-tennessee-but-im-here-in-philly-now/ |
NBA superstar and media mogul LeBron James has become one of the most powerful and influential voices in all of sports. He paused during a Wednesday night press conference to use his power and influence to express dismay that reporters had not asked him about a recent controversy that disappeared almost as quickly as it emerged.
“I was wondering why I haven’t gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo, but when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that,” James said. “When I watched Kyrie talk and he says, ‘I know who I am, but I want to keep the same energy when we’re talking about my people and the things that we have been through,’ that Jerry Jones photo is one of those moments that our people, Black people, have been through in America.
“And I feel like as a Black man as a Black athlete as someone with power and a platform, when we do something wrong or something that people don’t agree with, it’s on every single tabloid, every single news coverage, it’s on the bottom ticker, it’s asked about every single day. But it seems like to me that the whole Jerry Jones situation, photo — and I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes, I get it — but it seemed like it’s been buried under like, ‘Oh, It happened. We just move on.’ And I was kind of disappointed that I haven’t received that question from you guys.”
NBA player Kyrie Irving was the subject of multiple news cycles, and eventually a suspension, for social-media posts regarding an antisemitic documentary and for his failure to make clear that he holds no antisemitic beliefs. James condemned Irving for his actions, but James expressed a belief that the punishment imposed on Irvin was excessive.
It’s arguably an apples-and-oranges situation, since it involves a different sport. That said, LeBron has been a well-known Cowboys fan. Earlier this year, LeBron said he cooled on the Cowboys after the manner in which Jones handled the anthem controversy of 2016 and 2017.
The better question may be this. Why haven’t reporters asked Cowboys players about the photo? Why haven’t others in the NFL been asked about the photo? Maybe the willingness of Jones to face the music after last Thursday’s game meant that reporters who would otherwise have been asking players about the photo were talking to Jones about it directly.
The whole thing died in less than two days. For many reporters, it was hard to justify attacking the behavior of a 14-year-old boy. Some went on the offensive; ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith loudly defended Jones and chastised the Washington Post for publishing the story.
Even though it happened 65 years ago, there were no neutral observers who had their faces front and center at such incidents. His mere presence among the while students who were there to intimidate and harass makes him part of the problem. The only way to be part of the solution would have been to climb out of the mob and help usher the Black students into the school.
It’s not about “cancel culture.” No one is trying to “cancel” one of the most rich and powerful men in America. It’s likely that no one could if they tried. The broader goal is to understand why Jones hasn’t used his own power and influence to effect change in the NFL, when it comes to hiring non-white coaches.
Lost in the entire debate is an answer that continues to hide in plain sight. Jones made it clear that he makes hires based on who he knows. That’s the very attitude the NFL has spent 20 years trying to eradicate from the process.
“It’s not the X’s and O’s,” Jones told the Post. “It’s not the Jimmys and Joes. It’s who you know.”
The fact that Jones so freely admits to making his decisions based on familiarity shows that he has either ignored or affirmatively rejected the league’s efforts to get owners to take a step back from who they know when making such important decisions, and to spend time getting to know others who may fall beyond the owner’s circle of friends and associates — and to perhaps realize that someone the owner doesn’t know may be more deserving of the opportunity. | 2022-12-01T19:40:44Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | LeBron James "disappointed" that reporters hadn't asked him about the Jerry Jones photo - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/lebron-james-disappointed-that-reporters-hadnt-asked-him-about-the-jerry-jones-photo/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/lebron-james-disappointed-that-reporters-hadnt-asked-him-about-the-jerry-jones-photo/ |
Report: Jakobi Meyers is expected to play on Thursday vs. Bills
There’s good news for New England’s offense as the club takes on Buffalo tonight.
While receiver Jakobi Meyers was listed as questionable with a shoulder injury, he is expected to play, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Meyers was able to play just 16 snaps in last Thursday’s loss to the Vikings, catching three passes for 62 yards.
He was listed as a limited participant in all three days of practice this week.
Meyers leads the Patriots with 571 yards receiving and three receiving touchdowns. He’s second on the team with 47 catches. | 2022-12-01T19:40:50Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Report: Jakobi Meyers is expected to play on Thursday vs. Bills - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/report-jakobi-meyers-is-expected-to-play-on-thursday-vs-bills/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/report-jakobi-meyers-is-expected-to-play-on-thursday-vs-bills/ |
Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers is on his way to the NFL draft.
Flowers announced on Thursday that he will be entering the pool of players eligible for selection next year. Flowers had a year of eligibility left because of the NCAA’s decision to grant players who were enrolled during the COVID season in 2020.
He caught 78 passes for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games for the Eagles in 2022. He had 200 catches for 3,056 yards and 29 touchdowns over his four seasons at the school.
Flowers doesn’t have a lot of height, but he’s shown the speed to be a big-play threat over the course of his college career. He won’t have to decide on skipping a bowl as Boston College is not eligible to play in one, so he’ll be able to devote his full attention to making a good impression on scouts in the coming weeks and months.
1 responses to “Zay Flowers declares for 2023 NFL Draft”
Umm, that is quite a name. | 2022-12-01T21:38:25Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Zay Flowers declares for 2023 NFL Draft - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/zay-flowers-declares-for-2023-nfl-draft/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/zay-flowers-declares-for-2023-nfl-draft/ |
A day after NBA star LeBron James expressed disappointment that reporters hadn’t asked him about the Jerry Jones segregation-era photo, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was asked about it.
Prescott found plenty of words. He ultimately was unable to find any answers.
“Obviously we can be more empathetic and give grace to one another, regardless of race, from the times we’ve come from to where we are now, thinking about the growth we’ve had,” Prescott said, via Jori Esptein of Yahoo Sports. “That’s who I am, how I think, optimistic, I mean, a guy who is completely biracial, Black and white, it’s easy for me to speak on race on one side or another. And I don’t always, how do I say this? I don’t know if I’ve fully processed it all the way, honestly. I think whether LeBron’s talking to the picture, that’s on Jerry to address. In the same sense, it’s 65 years ago and how times have changed. I mean look at the man’s resume since then, right? As I said, I give grace. I think that’s a conversation and question not only for him but for you guys and how y’all feel and how accountable y’all have been in covering and discussing the disparities and differences in resume.
“As I said, I’m here for growth and giving grace and trying to make this world a better place. That’s who I am at my core and what I believe in. Unfortunate things come up from the past, pictures, and they show har far we’ve come, but at the same sense, they’re a reminder of how short of a time that was ago. That wasn’t that long ago that we were all sitting on different sides, and we weren’t together. But as I said, I wouldn’t be here if it were still that way. So I believe in grace and change. Those are questions for Jerry for y’all, honestly, that I don’t have quite the answers for.”
Prescott is in a tough spot. He works for Jones. He gets paid $40 million per year by Jones. It seems from everything Prescott said that he probably would have preferred to say nothing at all.
And that’s fine. He was asked about it. And he provided an answer. It’s a delicate, nuanced subject.
In the 65 years since the photo was taken, much has indeed changed since then. But there continues to be room for more change, as evidenced by the NFL’s admittedly subpar record when it comes to diversity in the head-coaching ranks.
The ultimate point of the Washington Post article in which the photo appeared was that Jones has the ability to be an agent of change. He acknowledged it himself.
Jones has likely said all he’ll have to say on the matter. It remains to be seen whether others have anything to say, whether they’re employed by the Cowboys or elsewhere within the broader NFL apparatus. | 2022-12-01T22:25:53Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Dak Prescott addresses the Jerry Jones photo - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/dak-prescott-addresses-the-jerry-jones-photo/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/dak-prescott-addresses-the-jerry-jones-photo/ |
Mike Evans says he need to get more separation on his routes
After Sunday’s loss to the Browns, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said it’s a “good question” as to why quarterback Tom Brady and receiver Mike Evans aren’t doing a better job of connecting on pass plays. On Thursday, Evans tried to provide the answer.
“Obviously practice helps, but we’ve been getting some good reps in,” Evans told reporters on Thursday. “It’s a game of inches and everything matters, so I have to be better. I’m used to getting two, three yards of separation on multiple routes. I’ve got to get back to that.”
Why didn’t he get more separation against the Browns?
“I had a lot of ‘go’ routes, a lot of fades and ‘go’ routes,” Evans said. “And [Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr.] played it [well], he was over top, soft-press, and we just didn’t connect. I definitely caught one, but it didn’t count, and the other three, I’ve got to get a little more separation like I usually do.”
Evans was asked whether Brady was reading the coverage properly.
“Yeah, he’s reading it right,” Evans said. “It’s on me.”
It won’t get any easier against the Saints, given that cornerback Marshon Lattimore has become Evans’s top NFL nemesis.
“We’re two competitors, two competitors, two of the best in the business and we go at it,” Evans said. “We get physical and it’s a good matchup.”
It’s such a good matchup that Lattimore has a habit of prompting Evans to blow a fuse. In Week Two, Evans ended up being suspended for shoving Lattimore to the ground after a play.
Evans knows he needs to find a way to not let Lattimore get under his skin.
“I just can’t like, shove somebody out of the air, but I’ve just got to keep my emotions in check and play hard just like I always do,” Evans said.
It’s an important matchup between players, given the stakes of the matchup between teams. The Buccaneers are trying to keep first place in the NFC South, and the Saints are only one behind them in the win column.
2 responses to “Mike Evans says he need to get more separation on his routes”
Don’t matter. Your team and QB sucks.
Just push off like you always do | 2022-12-01T23:18:16Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Mike Evans says he need to get more separation on his routes - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/mike-evans-says-he-need-to-get-more-separation-on-his-routes/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/mike-evans-says-he-need-to-get-more-separation-on-his-routes/ |
The Lions drafted receiver Jameson Williams knowing it would take some time for him to make his rookie debut. He’s almost there.
Williams has rehabbed for nearly 11 months after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in the national championship game.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff said Thursday that Williams is “very, very fast.”
Williams agreed, though, he said he’s not up to full speed yet.
“Somewhere close to it,” Williams told Kyle Meinke of MLive after practice. “I’m running real fast right now. I feel real fast. Feeling good.”
Since Williams has practiced only twice in 11 months, he is unlikely to play this week. But Williams isn’t far away from being back to full speed and back in the lineup.
He still has some hurdles to clear, but there are fewer of them now. | 2022-12-02T00:58:20Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Jameson Williams says he is "somewhere close" to full speed - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/jameson-williams-says-he-is-somewhere-close-to-full-speed/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/jameson-williams-says-he-is-somewhere-close-to-full-speed/ |
Nathaniel Hackett: Russell Wilson’s height “hasn’t seemed to be a problem”
Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett created a little bit of a mess for himself on Wednesday, based on the response he gave to reporters as to whether he’d consider making a quarterback change. Hackett eventually got out the mop and the bucket, either because he accidentally misspoke — or because he accidentally told the truth.
On Thursday, Hackett likely got a small case of the shakes when asked another Wilson question. This time, a reporter asked whether Wilson’s physical stature has created challenges for him while in the pocket.
“I’ve looked at a lot of stuff when we were evaluating him and watching him play over the years,” Hackett replied. “He’s made incredible plays all across the field. Even for us, he’s made plays everywhere — from inside, outside, down the field. He is shorter — that’s a fact — but it hasn’t seemed to be a problem.”
The problem isn’t the obvious limitation in the vertical positioning of Wilson’s eyes but in the way the Broncos have, or haven’t, moved him to make it easier to see. For weeks, the question has been whether the Broncos are using plays and strategies that worked for Wilson in Seattle. They still don’t seem to be using nearly enough of them.
Hackett separately continued the effort to clean up Wednesday’s mess during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
“He’s our starting quarterback and that it,” Hackett said of Wilson. “It’s never even crossed my mind.”
Well, something crossed his mind when Hackett was asked about the possibility of making a quarterback change and he said, “Right now, no.”
Maybe it really was a mistake. Regardless, Wilson is struggling. As a result, the offense is struggling. As a result, the Broncos are struggling. And there’s no real reason to see it changing.
1 responses to “Nathaniel Hackett: Russell Wilson’s height “hasn’t seemed to be a problem””
This dude keeps doubling down on bad soundbites. | 2022-12-02T02:34:27Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Nathaniel Hackett: Russell Wilson's height "hasn't seemed to be a problem" - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/nathaniel-hackett-russell-wilsons-height-hasnt-seemed-to-be-a-problem/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/01/nathaniel-hackett-russell-wilsons-height-hasnt-seemed-to-be-a-problem/ |
Mac Jones expresses in-game frustration with New England offense
Mac Jones is getting upset.
Weeks after the Bailey Zappe drama resolved itself, there’s another issue. New England’s starting quarterback isn’t pleased with the play calling.
Cameras captured an agitated Jones yelling (via some fairly basic lip-reading skills), “Throw the fucking ball. The fucking running game sucks.” (He may have said “quick game.” Either way, he wasn’t happy.)
The message undoubtedly was intended for Matt Patricia, the former defensive coordinator who has become the post-Josh McDaniels play caller for the Patriots.
Jones’s frustration isn’t new. The issues that bubbled up when Jones was kept out of the lineup as he healed from a sprained ankle trace to the decision to put Patricia and Joe Judge in charge of the offense. Jones has a vested interest in his overall development as a quarterback, and there had been indications that he simply wasn’t happy with how the offense had been going, the first year after McDaniels left to become head coach of the Raiders.
While Jones has become a full-fledged Stepford Patriot when speaking to reporters, in those candid moments where it’s not obvious that his messages are being captured for millions to see, his true feeling are bubble through his otherwise robotic, say-all-the-right-things facade.
After the game, he explained that he wanted to get the ball down the field, at a time when the Patriots were playing from behind.
“I felt like we needed chunk plays,” he said. He also said the comment wasn’t directed to anybody. Common senses suggests that a comment like that wouldn’t be directed to nobody.
It makes for some interesting times as the 6-6 Patriots have five more games that will determine whether they make it back to the postseason, or not. The visit the Cardinals next Monday night, and then they have a Sunday night (subject to flex) date with the Raiders in Las Vegas.
After that, New England finished with a pair of home game against the Bengals and Dolphins, followed by a Week 18 visit to Buffalo.
The Patriots should win the next two. They’ll likely be underdogs in each of the final three. If that’s how it plays out, they’ll finish 8-9 — and likely out of the seven playoff spots in the AFC. | 2022-12-02T07:21:40Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Mac Jones expresses in-game frustration with New England offense - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/mac-jones-expresses-in-game-frustration-with-new-england-offense/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/mac-jones-expresses-in-game-frustration-with-new-england-offense/ |
Mac Jones: I just kind of let my emotions get to me
After losing 24-10 to the Bills on Thursday night, there were questions for Patriots players about offensive frustration.
The answer seemed obvious during the game. Quarterback Mac Jones could be seen on the Amazon broadcast yelling to “throw the fucking ball” on the sideline before adding that the “fucking running game sucks.”
Jones’ postgame press conference kicked off with a question about the video and what led to his outburst. Jones said it was tough watching the defense play well and “not being able to give them anything back” over the course of the evening.
“Obviously, just kind of let my emotions get to me but we’re kind of playing from behind,” Jones said. “What I said was about throwing it deeper in the short game. I got to execute that part better. But it’s the short game we kept going to, which is working. But I felt like we needed chunk plays. I shouted that out to kind of get everyone going. That’s emotional. That’s football. I’m passionate about this game. Obviously, you don’t want to let your emotions get the best of you. But yeah, I think that’s pretty much it. It wasn’t directed at anybody. Just emotion coming out and we kind of needed a spark.”
While Jones said his words weren’t directed at anyone in particular, he still faced more questions about the play calling before his time at the podium was up. He called it “definitely a coaching question” as to why the Patriots weren’t more aggressive earlier in the game while doing his best to keep it from being a referendum on offensive play caller Matt Patricia.
“Yeah, I think it was just me at that point in the game like, ‘all right, we’re playing catch-up here, let’s go for it, let’s be aggressive, let’s take those shots, just go down fighting.’ Matty P. was on the same page,” Jones said. “We kind of did it there at the end and moved it a little bit more. At the end of the day we have to execute the plays and do a better job. Sometimes you’re just so competitive, right? You want to go out there, ‘hey, let’s get a 50-yard gain.’ Sometimes it doesn’t happen, but we might as well go down trying, and try to make it work.”
There was no spark for the Patriots on Thursday night and the offense’s lack of one has been an issue throughout the season. At this point, it isn’t all that realistic to believe that things are going to change during the season and, whether the Patriots can find their way to the playoffs or not, that will set up an offseason with big questions about the path to take on offense in the future. | 2022-12-02T12:22:19Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Mac Jones: I just kind of let my emotions get to me - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/mac-jones-i-just-kind-of-let-my-emotions-get-to-me/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/mac-jones-i-just-kind-of-let-my-emotions-get-to-me/ |
I stood there for a while, waiting for something more. But she’d slipped back into party-prep mode. It was like I wasn’t even there. For the first time in eighteen years of marriage, I wondered whether she actually wanted me to be.
(On Our Way Home continues on Saturday, December 3, with Chapter Ten. It’s being posted free of charge, with all chapters here. If you feel like paying for something, buy a copy of Playmakers instead. Through December 11, you’ll get a free, personalized bookplate.) | 2022-12-02T12:22:31Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | On Our Way Home: Chapter Nine - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/on-our-way-home-chapter-nine/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/on-our-way-home-chapter-nine/ |
Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was named the NFC’s offensive player of the month for November on Thursday and that led to some conversation about another award later in the day.
Jefferson has the best odds of any non-quarterback for the MVP award this season and he was asked about being mentioned as a candidate for the award. Quarterbacks have won the last nine MVPs and no wide receiver has ever won it, so Jefferson’s definitely a dark horse and he said that he would be happy just to be nominated come the end of the season.
“To consider me as an MVP candidate is something that I’m grateful for,” Jefferson said, via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “But . . . MVP won’t determine the stuff that I did for my team throughout the season. I’m the Most Valuable Player in my own eyes. Getting the award would be fantastic, but to be in the discussion is good enough.”
Jefferson said he didn’t begrudge the way the award is tilted toward quarterbacks because their play “pretty much determines if you’re going to be a good offense or not,” but Jefferson’s play this season makes him as deserving of recognition as anyone who plays elsewhere on the field this season.
2 responses to “Justin Jefferson: Being in MVP discussion is good enough for me”
Just have to love this kid’s attitude.
Goofy face, goofy dance, goofy teeth, goofy hair. But kids like it. Because he’s still generally a kid and looks like a kid. I am trying hard to ignore all of the many, many ways in which he annoys me because behind all of it, he is one of the best route runners I’ve ever seen | 2022-12-02T14:59:21Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Justin Jefferson: Being in MVP discussion is good enough for me - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/justin-jefferson-being-in-mvp-discussion-is-good-enough-for-me/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/justin-jefferson-being-in-mvp-discussion-is-good-enough-for-me/ |
The Patriots have lost two consecutive games, and in those games they have converted just 6-for-22 on third downs. Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne says something needs to change.
Asked after Thursday night’s loss to the Bills if the Patriots need to do something drastically different on third down, Bourne said they do.
“Um, yeah, man, we need to scheme up better,” Bourne said, via the Boston Herald. “We need to know what they’re doing. We need to know what they wanna do on third down, you know what I mean? It’s kind of sporadic. They call this, and we call that, and it falls right into what they want. You know what I mean? We need to have it where they’re falling into what we want, things like that. So that’s not my job, my job is to just run the call, but as we all can see, they had what — 30 first downs and we had eight? So something they were doing against us is working and something we’re doing against them wasn’t working, so it’s just about figuring it out each week. We’ve still got life, but we need to hurry and pick it up.”
Bourne is right about that: The Patriots are rapidly slipping out of playoff contention, and they need to get things fixed in a hurry. They certainly do need to scheme up better.
1 responses to “Kendrick Bourne: Patriots need to scheme up better on third downs”
mikeinbrookline says:
It’s almost as if having failed defensive coaches come back to Bill in new offensive leadership roles doesn’t work. Nobody could have seen this coming. | 2022-12-02T14:59:27Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Kendrick Bourne: Patriots need to scheme up better on third downs - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/kendrick-bourne-patriots-need-to-scheme-up-better-on-third-downs/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/kendrick-bourne-patriots-need-to-scheme-up-better-on-third-downs/ |
Get caught up this afternoon with On Our Way Home
It’s Friday afternoon. You’re watching the clock. Playing out the string. Waiting for the whistle to blow so that you can head home and have the first egg nog (or seven) of the Christmas season.
If you’re looking for something to do while pretending to work during the final hours of the work week, and if you’re hoping that said something will help enhance your overall holiday spirit, take a peek at On Our Way Home.
It’s the Christmas novel we’re posting one chapter per day, as a gesture of goodwill and an expression of appreciation. Or whatever. I just want someone to read the thing so I’ll know whether or not it fell from a dungstorm.
Here’s a landing page with links to all chapters. Here’s the whole thing, scrolling one chapter after another.
Nine chapters are posted. It’ll take you maybe 30 minutes to read all of it. Probably less. When you’re done, you’ll be 30 minutes closer to getting the hell out of there. And 30 minutes closer to Chapter Ten, coming Saturday morning. | 2022-12-02T19:33:39Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Get caught up this afternoon with On Our Way Home - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/get-caught-up-this-afternoon-with-on-our-way-home/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/get-caught-up-this-afternoon-with-on-our-way-home/ |
Earlier this year, Panthers owner David Tepper walked away from a construction project in South Carolina that would have resulted in a new practice facility and headquarters for his team. Sometimes, however, it’s not quite so easy to disengage.
Via the Associated Press, a criminal investigation has commenced regarding Tepper and his real estate company. The question is whether they misused public money.
The York, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office said that the existence of the investigation doesn’t mean any crimes occurred.
“An investigation is simply an inquiry and should not create any inference that wrongdoing has been committed by any party,” York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson and Solicitor Kevin Brackett said in a joint statement that named Tepper and his company, GT Real Estate.
The subjects of the probe deny any wrongdoing.
“This is a straightforward commercial matter that is being fully resolved,” GT Real Estate said in a statement. “The underlying disputes arise under contracts that were jointly negotiated by the parties and are publicly available. The funds paid by the county were handled consistent with the terms of those contracts.”
At issue is $21 million in sales tax revenue that was diverted to the project, for the purposes of improving the roads around the facility that was never built.
The announcement of the criminal investigation came days after the Panthers and York County announced that they have settled a lawsuit arising from the payment. | 2022-12-03T01:30:37Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Panthers owner David Tepper is under investigation for possible misuse of public money - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/panthers-owner-david-tepper-is-under-investigation-for-possible-misuse-of-public-money/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/panthers-owner-david-tepper-is-under-investigation-for-possible-misuse-of-public-money/ |
The Seahawks have two players questionable for Sunday’s game at the Rams due at least in part to illness. A day ago it was a lot more than two.
The Seahawks had 11 players miss practice on Thursday, because of illness.
“It’s a flu-type thing, it’s a 48-hour deal,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Friday. “It’s hit people differently with fevers and all of the kind of regular flu stuff, but for some guys, it hit differently with head cold-type stuff. We are as well schooled about trying to take care of people as we can be, so we have done a good job of keeping it down. The positive thing about it is that it is going to last a couple of days, so we know the guys will bounce right back out of it.”
Will any of the ill players miss the game against the Rams?
“I’m saying no to that right now, we are going to play with it if we have to,” Carroll said.
Carroll said the coaches will make it to the game as well.
“Like I have said, we have so many provisions for dealing with guys that shouldn’t be in a meeting with other people because they are contagious or whatever,” Carroll said. “We have Zoom and everything that we have done. A couple of the coaches have been hit by it, so we have taken care of it.”
After two tears of COVID, the flu (or flu-like non-flu) seems to be back with a vengeance. Every year, teams have to deal with it. | 2022-12-03T03:15:21Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | After losing eleven players on Thursday to the flu, the Seahawks are on track for Sunday - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/after-losing-eleven-players-on-thursday-to-the-flu-the-seahawks-are-on-track-for-sunday/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/02/after-losing-eleven-players-on-thursday-to-the-flu-the-seahawks-are-on-track-for-sunday/ |
1 responses to “Robert Saleh: C.J. Mosley is “severely, grossly overlooked” as one of NFL’s best defensive players”
As a Buffalo Bills fan, I would absolutely agree he is top 5 in the NFL. He was all over the field like a man on fire. If CJ Mosley wasn’t playing in that game Bills might have won by two touchdowns. Sadly for us he was and he was annihilating any play to the middle of the field. | 2022-12-03T12:23:33Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Robert Saleh: C.J. Mosley is "severely, grossly overlooked" as one of NFL's best defensive players - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/03/robert-saleh-c-j-mosley-is-severely-grossly-overlooked-as-one-of-nfls-best-defensive-players/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/03/robert-saleh-c-j-mosley-is-severely-grossly-overlooked-as-one-of-nfls-best-defensive-players/ |
During Friday’s PFT Live, I had a pop quiz for Peter King.
When was the last time the Chiefs beat the Bengals?
If you’ve read the title to this item, you already know the answer. It last happened in 1984. It was Peter’s first year of covering the Bengals, only the second NFL game he ever worked.
Todd Blackledge vs. Ken Anderson. The Chiefs won, 27-22.
Six times since then, the Bengals have won every time. In 1987, 30-27 in overtime. In 2003, 24-19. In 2008, 16-6. In 2009, 17-10. In 2015, 36-31. In 2022, 34-31.
The Bengals have won six of seven overall against the Chiefs, dating back to 2008 and including last year’s AFC Championship victory. And Joe Burrow, in only his third season, has a 2-0 record against Mahomes.
They get together Sunday afternoon at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Chiefs are 9-2. The Bengals are 7-4. If Cincinnati can continue its home winning streak against Kansas City, the Bengals will enter the conversation for the top seed in the AFC.
4 responses to “Chiefs haven’t won in Cincinnati since 1984”
That is crazy…talk about being in another nfl franchise’s head.
Obviously Chiefs are scared in the Jungle
Gonna be a game, folks! 3-0 Joe.
It is an absolute travesty they poot Miami-SF and KC-CIN in the same time slot.
Not as bad as the headline makes it sound: only 6 games in 38 years. Not like an every year occurrence. | 2022-12-03T15:30:53Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Chiefs haven't won in Cincinnati since 1984 - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/03/chiefs-havent-won-in-cincinnati-since-1984/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/03/chiefs-havent-won-in-cincinnati-since-1984/ |
The Giants have added two players to the injury report for Sunday’s game against the Commanders.
Starting right guard Mark Glowinski is now listed as questionable with a back injury, while wide receiver Kenny Golladay is questionable with an illness. Neither player was listed on Friday’s injury report.
Glowinski would be a significant loss for the Giants’ offensive line. He has started every game this season and played 99 percent of the Giants’ offensive snaps, the second-most on the team.
Golladay has been a disappointment since arriving in New York, and his loss wouldn’t make a significant differenc to the Giants’ offense.
The reeling Giants are two-point home underdogs to the Commanders in a game that will have a major impact on both teams’ playoff hopes. | 2022-12-03T18:16:21Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Giants add Kenny Golladay and Mark Glowinski to injury report, both questionable vs. Commanders - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/03/giants-add-kenny-golladay-and-mark-glowinski-to-injury-report-both-questionable-vs-commanders/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/03/giants-add-kenny-golladay-and-mark-glowinski-to-injury-report-both-questionable-vs-commanders/ |
When he met with reporters on Thursday, Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson refused to answer questions unrelated to football. With neither the NFL nor the NFL Players Association saying anything on the record about the situation either, the only option left is to leak a self-serving version of the situation to a reporter, in the hopes that the reporter will pass it along without asking questions or pushing back.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that NFL and NFLPA experts believe Watson has shown “signs of progress” during mandatory treatment sessions. Watson was required to submit to treatment as part of the negotiated settlement of his league-imposed suspension.
Schefter notes that the situation is confidential, before of course facilitating a breach of the confidentiality in a manner aimed at making Watson look better.
“He’s been progressing well and he wants to continue with it, and they feel it’s helping him,” said an unnamed source “connected to” Watson’s treatment program. “It’s just sort of ongoing as needed and it’ll be ongoing until it’s not needed anymore. And I think it’s given him a lot of help and support. But this could take a while.”
Two significant questions are left unanswered (and unaddressed) by this new report: (1) how much progress was he required to make in order to be reinstated; and (2) how much progress did he actually make?
As of August 18, after Watson agreed to accept an 11-game suspension and to pay a $5 million fine, he maintained his innocence as to the allegations of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. At the time, league sources downplayed the significance of his refusal to publicly acknowledge wrongdoing, explaining he would come to realize the things he shouldn’t have done and why he shouldn’t have done them through treatment.
Does the term “signs of progress” mean that he hasn’t quite gotten there yet? Again, has he truly done enough to justify his reinstatement, per the requirements established in August?
A little cynicism is justified here, given the very real belief in some league circles that certain owners wanted Watson to be suspended for less than a full year, so that the Browns wouldn’t see Watson’s contract tolled for an entire season. If Watson didn’t return at all in 2022, his five-year contract would start in 2023 and run through 2027. By returning during the season, the Browns have Watson under contract only through 2026 — and they will be compelled to pay the full value of his deal during that time frame.
Plenty of questions will be answered today regarding how he’s received in Houston and how he plays after so much time away. After the game, don’t expect to learn anything more about whether he has any real contrition for the events that resulted in his suspension.
Indeed, don’t expect to hear any more about that until some future Sunday morning when some reporter reports that Watson is privately showing the contrition he refused to show in August and declined to even begin to address on Thursday. | 2022-12-04T13:13:33Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Report: Deshaun Watson has shown "signs of progress" during treatment - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/report-deshaun-watson-has-shown-signs-of-progress-during-treatment/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/report-deshaun-watson-has-shown-signs-of-progress-during-treatment/ |
The Commanders may not have Chase Young against the Giants, but it appears they will have running back Antonio Gibson in the lineup.
According to multiple reports, Gibson will play on Sunday. He was listed as questionable on Friday due to a foot injury that caused him to miss practice on Thursday before returning for a limited practice to close out the week.
Gibson leads the Commanders with 130 carries for 476 yards this season. Brian Robinson is just behind him in both metrics and will likely pass him if he continues to play the leading role in the backfield this weekend.
Young was also listed as questionable, but word is that he’s unlikely to make his 2022 debut this weekend. Young has not played since tearing his ACL last November. | 2022-12-04T13:47:20Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Antonio Gibson is expected to play Sunday - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/antonio-gibson-is-expected-to-play-sunday-2/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/antonio-gibson-is-expected-to-play-sunday-2/ |
The first quarter of Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium belonged to the Commanders, but the second quarter has been all Giants.
Saquon Barkley ran for a 13-yard score with just under nine minutes left to play in the first half and the Giants are now tied 10-10 with the Commanders.
Barkley’s touchdown came a few plays after quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Darius Slayton hooked up for a 55-yard gain. Jones is 6-of-6 for 71 yards and he’s run five times for 48 yards, but he did lose a fumble to set up a Commanders field goal in the first quarter.
The Commanders scored on their second possession as well, but a sack by Justin Ellis contributed to a three-and-out for the Washington offense on their sole possession of the second quarter. | 2022-12-04T20:02:19Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Giants draw even on Saquon Barkley touchdown - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/giants-draw-even-on-saquon-barkley-touchdown/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/giants-draw-even-on-saquon-barkley-touchdown/ |
Free-agent receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is making the rounds in advance of signing his next contract. And if anyone wants to do a little due diligence before making a commitment, that’s not going to happen.
Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports that OBJ isn’t working out for the teams he’s visiting.
That introduces some extra risk into the equation for whoever signs Beckham. A medical examination of his twice-repaired ACL will show only so much. It’s impossible to know how he looks when he’s running and/or making cuts until he’s, you know, running and/or making cuts.
Beckham already has visited the Giants and Bills. Next on the list is the Cowboys, where he will spend Monday and Tuesday.
The goal continues to be for him to make an impact this season. The biggest question continues to be whether he’ll be able to. The fact that he’s not working out for interested teams only increases the risk that his next team will assume. | 2022-12-04T20:02:49Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Odell Beckham Jr. won't be working out for teams - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/odell-beckham-jr-wont-be-working-out-for-teams/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/odell-beckham-jr-wont-be-working-out-for-teams/ |
A.J. Brown entered Sunday wanting to show the Titans something. Tennessee already had seen the receiver do what he did against them, but for three years, Brown was on their side.
This time, Brown killed them, catching eight passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns with a highlight-reel 29-yard touchdown catch and a 40-yard incompletion that initially was ruled a touchdown but overturned to an incompletion on replay. (Brown scored a 40-yard catch on the next play after the overturned touchdown.)
The Eagles won easily, dominating the Titans 35-10.
Philadelphia moved to 11-1, and Tennessee fell to 7-5.
A week after rushing for 157 yards, Jalen Hurts completed 29 of 39 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns before turning mop-up duty over to Gardner Minshew. The MVP candidate also ran for a touchdown.
DeVonta Smith caught five passes for 102 yards and a touchdown.
The Eagles had 453 yards, overcoming 12 penalties for 80 yards. The Titans had only 209 as the Eagles sacked Ryan Tannehill six times, including two by Josh Sweat.
Tannehill outgained Derrick Henry, rushing for 34 yards on three carries, while the Eagles held Henry to 30 yards on 11 carries. The quarterback completed 14 of 22 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown.
Rookie Treylon Burks scored his first career touchdown, but left following the play after an illegal hit by Marcus Epps.
5 responses to “A.J. Brown, Eagles run over, around and through Titans 35-10”
That was as complete of a beatdown as you could’ve asked for. This one goes on the Eagles resume. Henry wasn’t a factor and the Titans had less than 150 yds passing before replacing Tannehill in garbage time.
This should also end any SB contender vibes from the Titans. They are where they are because of the division they are in. Someone has to win it.
If the Titans can’t figure out how to cure their run game which has been bad for the last month, they may not win another game outside of their division.
stanklepoot says:
I can’t wait to see what reasons the talking heads come up with to explain why this win doesn’t prove anything.
I_JUST_WORK_HERE says:
Every week the Eagles win in a different fashion and every week the talking heads say “this isn’t a sustainable way of winning.” This is literally not seeing the forest for the trees.
The Titans should have paid A.J. Brown instead of Tannehill.
Justin Morris says:
This Eagles team can beat you in so many ways. Bills can’t run the ball, chiefs can’t run the ball. This Eagles team is the best in the league yet for some reason nobody wants to admit it. Don’t this same titans team take the chiefs to OT? | 2022-12-04T21:50:57Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | A.J. Brown, Eagles run over, around and through Titans 35-10 - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/a-j-brown-eagles-run-over-around-and-through-titans-35-10/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/a-j-brown-eagles-run-over-around-and-through-titans-35-10/ |
The Ravens lost quarterback Lamar Jackson early in Sunday’s win over the Broncos. They won’t lose him for the rest of the season.
After the game, coach John Harbaugh told reporters that the situation isn’t season-ending.
Harbaugh said it’s a matter of “days” to “weeks” to Jackson. Further testing is coming on Monday.
Tyler Huntley led the Ravens to victory on Sunday, and the team believes in Huntley. But he’s still not Lamar Jackson, and the team isn’t quite the same without him.
The Ravens visit the Steelers next Sunday.
2 responses to “John Harbaugh: Not a season-ending injury for Lamar Jackson”
Tyler Huntley > Russell Wilson
For all the grief Allen receives for taking hits, he hasn’t missed games since his rookie year (when he was injured in the pocket). Meanwhile, faster QBs like Murray and Jackson continue to miss games in multiple seasons. I think it’s related to size. Jackson not small, but is much smaller than Allen who is the size of an edge player. Maybe it catches up with Allen, but not as quickly as Murray and Jackson. | 2022-12-04T21:51:27Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | John Harbaugh: Not a season-ending injury for Lamar Jackson - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/john-harbaugh-not-a-season-ending-injury-for-lamar-jackson/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/john-harbaugh-not-a-season-ending-injury-for-lamar-jackson/ |
The Ravens were left for dead after Lamar Jackson departed the game on the final play of the first quarter. Tyler Huntley, who didn’t do much for most of the game, led them to an unexpected victory with a last-minute drive.
Huntley took them on a 16-play, 91-yard scoring drive, keeping the ball for a 2-yard touchdown run with 28 seconds left. It was the only touchdown by either team and gave the Ravens a 10-9 victory.
The Ravens improved to 8-4, while the Broncos lost their fourth in a row to fall to 3-9.
The Broncos, who average a league-low 14.3 points per game, got field goals of 52, 41 and 50 yards from Brandon McManus and looked like they were going to win.
The Ravens took over at their own 9 with 5:02 remaining and converted two fourth downs on their way to a 16-play, four-minute, 34-second drive for the lead.
Russell Wilson got the Broncos from their own 18 with 23 seconds left to the Baltimore 45-yard line with 2 seconds left, but McManus’ 63-yard field goal fell just short as time expired.
The concern for the Ravens is the status of Jackson, who left following a sack by Jonathan Cooper. He did not return as the Ravens ruled him out with a knee injury.
He was 3-of-4 for 11 yards before leaving.
Huntley was 27-of-32 for 187 yards and an interception. He ran for 41 yards on 10 carries.
Wilson went 17-of-22 for 189 yards and ran for 21 yards on two carries on the final drive.
7 responses to “Ravens lose Lamar Jackson, beat Broncos on late Tyler Huntley touchdown run”
Thrilling end as a neutral,great final drive Huntley.
Missed by a whisker the final kick. At one point thought it was good.
Now is not time for “I told U so”. Just gonna wish Lamar speedy recovery.
See this is why you pay a guy like Wilson $250 million – FIELD GOALS.
Oh wait, they lost again.
Bronco’s defense is horrible.
That it wasted another stellar effort by first ballot HOF QB Russell Wilson is criminal.
Huntey has to have the NFL record for the most completions with least amount of yardage. What a tough watch!
That it wasted another stellar effort by first ballot HOF QB Russell Wilson is criminal. _______________________________
What is the deal with this wanna be? This act is already being played out, get some original material.
You can’t be serious. Lol.
Great win. Hopefully nothing major with Jackson or the season is over. Also at least they didn’t give the defense enough time to blow another lead. | 2022-12-04T21:52:04Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Ravens lose Lamar Jackson, beat Broncos on late Tyler Huntley touchdown run - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/ravens-lose-lamar-jackson-beat-broncos-on-late-tyler-huntley-touchdown-run/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/ravens-lose-lamar-jackson-beat-broncos-on-late-tyler-huntley-touchdown-run/ |
The 49ers have lost their starting quarterback for the rest of Sunday’s game and now the Dolphins may be without one of their best offensive weapons, too.
Miami announced receiver Jaylen Waddle is questionable to return with a leg injury.
It’s unclear when Waddle suffered the injury. He has not caught a pass with four targets.
He entered the game second on the team with 56 receptions for 963 yards with a team-leading six touchdowns.
With the game tied 10-10 late in the second quarter, the club has gotten stagnant on offense after Trent Sherfield’s 75-yard touchdown to open the game. Things may not get much easier with Waddle off the field. | 2022-12-04T23:04:52Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Jaylen Waddle questionable to return with leg injury - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/jaylen-waddle-questionable-to-return-with-leg-injury/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/jaylen-waddle-questionable-to-return-with-leg-injury/ |
The Chargers have extended their first half lead over the Raiders.
Cameron Dicker hit a 37-yard field goal to push the Chargers’ lead to 10-0 with just under 12 minutes left to play in the first half in Las Vegas.
The Chargers moved the ball well, but tight end Gerald Everett couldn’t bring down a pass in the back of the end zone and Raiders edge rusher Chandler Jones dropped Justin Herbert for a sack on third down. It was Jones’ second sack of the first half.
The Raiders’ offense has turned the ball over twice and they have not moved the ball all that well in between giveaways. Their task will be complicated by an injury to tight end Foster Moreau as he is being evaluated for a concussion.
UPDATE 5:14 p.m. ET: Moreau has returned to the game. | 2022-12-04T23:26:49Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Chargers stretch lead to 10-0, Foster Moreau being evaluated for concussion - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/chargers-stretch-lead-to-10-0-foster-moreau-being-evaluated-for-concussion/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/chargers-stretch-lead-to-10-0-foster-moreau-being-evaluated-for-concussion/ |
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson played in a regular-season game for the first time in 700 days. Much has happened since then, on the field and off it.
Off the field, Watson has been accused by more than 20 women of sexual misconduct during massage-therapy sessions. Since returning to the team this week, Watson has refused to talk about non-football issues.
After Sunday’s game, he was asked by reporters if he is “able to say today that you are remorseful for the conduct that got you suspended.”
“Like I said before, that’s something that legal and clinical have answered before, and they don’t want me to address anything like that,” Watson said. “Of course, it’s a tough situation. The suspension was tough. But at the same time, my main focus was just trying to be 1-0 as a football player today.”
He was asked again, “As you returned today, did you feel remorse for the actions that got you suspended?”
“Like I said, I was just excited to be back on the field today,” Watson said. “I did everything that I was asked and was required to do. I did all that, and I was able to be able to play and be on the field today.”
Watson’s decision to not address the situation contradicts his willingness to talk about it earlier this year. Lawsuits are pending now, lawsuits were pending then.
On the day he agreed to accept an 11-day suspension and to pay a $5 million fine, Watson maintained his innocence. He has said nothing publicly since then to alter that position.
Given the extremely player-friendly (and very vague) report from ESPN.com that Watson is showing “signs of progress” in treatment, it’s hard to know whether he truly is making progress if he won’t address whether, through treatment, he has changed his position as to whether he did nothing wrong.
Even if he’s not willing to admit that he did, fans in every stadium not in Cleveland will let him hear it. Watson tried to shrug it off on Sunday.
“They’re supposed to boo,” Watson said. “I’m a Cleveland Brown now, and we’re on the road. So, they’re supposed to do that.”
He pointed out he had been booed like that during his college and pro career. A reporter pointed out that, this time, it’s not a result of the Clemson-South Carolina or Titans-Texans rivalry.
“Like I said, I can’t control that,” Watson said.
He does have some control, to the extent that any of the booing is fueled by his failure to demonstrate true public remorse. While that wouldn’t end all boos entirely, it could take a little steam out of some of them.
20 responses to “Deshaun Watson declines to address whether he feels remorse”
“Declines to comment” means no. The only thing he’s sad about is getting caught.
If he said he “felt remorse”, he would effectively be admitting to everything that has been said about him. His lawyers have most likely directed him to NEVER say that he’s sorry, remorseful, or acknowledge in any way that he is guilty. So if anyone is waiting for the whole PR “Forgiveness” Tour….you’ll never get it.
He’s a truly terrible person.
He’s completely lost
No remorse. No accountability. No progress. Just the same unrepentant sociopath he was all along, no belief that he did anything wrong.
The “program”, the terms of his reinstatement, it was all just a sham. Nothing’s changed.
The league is now carrying water for sex offenders.
The Cleveland Browns have a serial sex offender as their QB.
minnifieldanddixon says:
It’s not possible to answer that question to the satisfaction of anyone. And legally it would be a really bad move.
Delusional narcissistic who has never found a consequence for his actions. I can’t imagine what went on at Clemson that we’ll never find out about. This guy had two Texas grand jury’s throw out the testimony and written statement of the lead detective who thought he was guilty of numerous crimes.
God complex.
Sociopaths don’t feel remorse.
Predators are only sorry they were made to answer for their crimes
He plays racket ball in the gutter….
michellenp says:
He makes my skin crawl. Fortunately I didn’t have to see much of him because I watched redzone channel.
Why answer that question?
Nit necessary.
snake19whodey says:
He sucks, never has been very good, take away Hopkins and his career is garbage. Typical Browns, $240 mil guaranteed for a .500 QB
I’m glad he’s not my QB
He can’t say he admits anything you rubes. Anything he admitted previously was a tactical mistake. I am just speaking legally here, yes he’s a creep.
He simply said he has been told by his lawyers not to address those questions. Not defending the guy but it’s not like he said “nah I don’t feel remorse”
Even Dahmer ended up saying he had remorse.
Watson’s defenders: “he was never charged, it was all a money play, ….” AND/OR “he’s been getting treatment. He deserves a second chance …”
Also same people: “why should he admit remorse? That could cause legal troubles”
Well, if he did nothing wrong, why would it cause him any legal trouble? And if he’s getting treatment, what treatment plan for any serious issue doesn’t involve taking some form of responsibility for what you did?
He doesn’t have to the whole world already knows he doesn’t
ozwalled says:
He was under contract, but stated that he refused to play for the Texans(his drafting team) going forward in Feb’21, coincidentally in Mar’21 Buzbee announces the filing of numerous suits against Deshaun. Houston fans hate him for disrespecting & abandoning their team, aside from his actions. The Cleveland owner awards him with a record contact, hopefully both suffer pain, humiliation and massive financial loss for their actions. | 2022-12-05T03:04:29Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Deshaun Watson declines to address whether he feels remorse - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/deshaun-watson-declines-to-address-whether-he-feels-remorse/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/04/deshaun-watson-declines-to-address-whether-he-feels-remorse/ |
Malik Hooker: It was special to have big night against the Colts
Cowboys safety Malik Hooker began his NFL career with the Colts and he enjoyed playing against his former team on Sunday night.
Hooker had an interception in the second quarter to set up a Cowboys touchdown just before halftime and he scooped up a fumble by tight end Mo Alie-Cox in the fourth quarter. Hooker returned that fumble 38 yards for a touchdown that was part of a 33-point final quarter for the Cowboys in a 54-19 victory.
After the game, Hooker said that the effort meant a bit more considering who was on the other side of the field.
The fourth quarter featured four Colts turnovers and was the latest sign of how potent the Cowboys defense is this season. Hooker said after the game that “there ain’t no ceiling” to how well the unit can play and the Cowboys will be hoping that they keep rising all the way through the postseason. | 2022-12-05T11:55:27Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Malik Hooker: It was special to have big night against the Colts - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/malik-hooker-it-was-special-to-have-big-night-against-the-colts/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/malik-hooker-it-was-special-to-have-big-night-against-the-colts/ |
They wore T-shirts with his face on them during the trip to Minnesota, in search of their eighth win of the season. Even after the Jets came up short, they were still singing the praises of quarterback Mike White.
Consider this quote from rookie receiver Garrett Wilson after the 27-22 loss, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com: “He was out there, controlling the huddle, never letting the moment get too big. It was cool to see. Looking back on it now, it’s cool to think about. I know I’d go to war for that boy. He’s got something special about him.”
Did we mention the Jets didn’t win?
That kind of passion, flowing from defeat, makes it even harder to think a pivot back to Zach Wilson is coming. White seems to be sinking his teeth into the job.
Sunday wasn’t perfect. The Jets had too many field goals, not enough touchdowns. Two different late-game drives with an opportunity hanging in the balance to take the lead resulted in no points. And White’s numbers weren’t spectacular; 31 completions on 57 attempts for 369 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. It translates to a paltry passer rating of 59.8.
But Wilson, and presumably other teammates, don’t care. They’ve embraced Mike White. They’ll follow Mike White. Mike White has become more than the figure who takes the snaps and then hands the ball off or throws it (or runs it himself, as he did for the team’s only touchdown of the game). He’s taking over as the leader of the team.
The Jets remain very much alive in the AFC playoff picture. Things get no easier in six days, however. That’s when the Jets go to Buffalo for a rematch of a game New York won four weeks ago, with Wilson at the helm. A loss would drop New York to 7-6 and make the final month of the season a little rocky.
But the whole season has been rocky, in a good way. They weren’t supposed to be in contention this year. They are. It bodes very well for next year, especially if Mike White can continue to win over the other men who play for the team. | 2022-12-05T12:52:01Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Garrett Wilson praises Mike White, despite loss in Minnesota - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/garrett-wilson-praises-mike-white-despite-loss-in-minnesota/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/garrett-wilson-praises-mike-white-despite-loss-in-minnesota/ |
The Bengals beat the Chiefs again on Sunday and quarterback Joe Burrow was again a leading reason why they came out on top.
Burrow went 25-of-31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns, including a fourth quarter throw to Chris Evans that put the Bengals ahead for good. It was Burrow’s ninth fourth quarter passing touchdown this season and his play had head coach Zac Taylor and others with the Bengals touting his MVP credentials after the win.
“Absolutely. Absolutely. He’s playing at the level we need for him to lead us to be confident that we can go win every game we play,” Taylor said. “Whatever those conversations are like, there’s no doubt as I’ve said before; I wouldn’t trade him for anyone in the world.”
Burrow, who also ran for 46 yards and a touchdown Sunday, shrugged off the MVP discussion during his own media session.
The Bengals have won four straight and look like they are in a similar groove to the one they rode to the Super Bowl last year. Burrow’s been a big part of that and peaking late could wind up being just the ticket for him to add some hardware to the trophy shelf come the end of the year. | 2022-12-05T12:53:15Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Zac Taylor: Joe Burrow "absolutely" playing at an MVP level - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/zac-taylor-joe-burrow-absolutely-playing-at-an-mvp-level/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/zac-taylor-joe-burrow-absolutely-playing-at-an-mvp-level/ |
1 responses to “Joel Bitonio: It wasn’t the prettiest, but we’re 1-0 with Deshaun Watson”
Congrats on the win against one of the least talented teams of all time. This is my last Desean/Cleveland post. From this day forward, I will not acknowledge their existence. I will not even watch a Cleveland game versus my team. I’m upset like many of the other posters here, but I will not feed the machine. It’s a drop in the bucket for sure, but I have standards. Unlike Cleveland. | 2022-12-05T14:40:41Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Joel Bitonio: It wasn't the prettiest, but we're 1-0 with Deshaun Watson - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/joel-bitonio-it-wasnt-the-prettiest-but-were-1-0-with-deshaun-watson/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/joel-bitonio-it-wasnt-the-prettiest-but-were-1-0-with-deshaun-watson/ |
If someone claims his contract, they’ll owe him $4.25 million for the finally five games — $850,000 per week. It will be fully guaranteed.
That’s a lot to sacrifice for someone who walks through the door as a stranger to the operation. Some presume the 49ers will do it. The contrary argument is that rookie Brock Purdy knows the system well, he’s much cheaper, and he did very well on Sunday, with no advance notice that he’d be playing. | 2022-12-05T16:25:09Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Baker Mayfield's self-bet goes belly up - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/baker-mayfields-self-bet-goes-belly-up/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/baker-mayfields-self-bet-goes-belly-up/ |
Get caught up with, and caught up in, On Our Way Home
It’s December 5. Christmas season is in full bloom, or whatever. It’s the time of year for nostalgia and relaxation and those sappy, crappy movies and shows and books about the wonders of the holiday.
We’ve got a sappy, crappy thing for you, as an end-of-year gift. It’s a thank you. A gesture of the goodwill that we feel compelled to share at this time of year, or else we’ll possibly be visited by ghosts of Christmas past, present, and/or future.
It’s On Our Way Home, a Christmas novel posted one chapter at a time, one chapter per day. The landing page for all chapters (twelve, so far) is here. Or you can scroll all of them in one link, here.
Give it a try. I know it’s very different from what you normally see in this space. But plenty of you have been reading it so far — and plenty are keeping up with each new chapter.
It continues through December 25. Once it’s fully posted, I’ll keep it live on the site until the holiday season ends. Until then, get caught up with it. Get caught up in it. It’s actually pretty good, even if I wrote it. | 2022-12-05T18:05:24Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Get caught up with, and caught up in, On Our Way Home - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/get-caught-up-with-and-caught-up-in-on-our-way-home/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/get-caught-up-with-and-caught-up-in-on-our-way-home/ |
2 responses to “Josh McDaniels: We’ll talk about activating Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow”
They’ve lost 2 games where they were up by 17 (including KC) and one up by 20. Obviously 3 winnable games that would have put them at 8-4 on the way to the post season. New coach, new system and out of sync. They seem to have pulled things together and finishing games now. Bring back tight end Darren Waller and receiver Hunter Renfrow to the mix, and they can EASILY run the table with the possible exception of KC.
As much as I’d like to see these two back, I don’t think it would be wise to bring them back this week, playing on Thursday night. | 2022-12-05T21:26:04Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Josh McDaniels: We'll talk about activating Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/josh-mcdaniels-well-talk-about-activating-darren-waller-hunter-renfrow/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/josh-mcdaniels-well-talk-about-activating-darren-waller-hunter-renfrow/ |
Commanders defensive end Chase Young returned to practice at the beginning of November, but still has not played a game.
He was questionable for Sunday’s matchup against the Giants, though was reportedly a “longshot” to play — and he didn’t.
Head coach Ron Rivera was asked about Young’s progress in his return from a torn ACL and seemed optimistic that Young will be able to play after Washington’s Week 14 bye. But there are a few factors that have made it easier for the Commanders to ease Young back into action.
“I think the biggest thing more so than anything else is with the way we’re playing right now, and we’re playing pretty well on the defensive front, the need to get him on the field hasn’t been that you gotta have him out there, we need him, it’s a must,” Rivera said Monday, via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. “This is one of those things that, because our guys are playing well, we can get him back when he’s 100 percent ready to roll. And that’s the biggest thing, is we don’t want to put him out there when he’s not ready and feeling it. I know he’s close, I really do, and, again, I think the big thing for him more so than anything else, is just to continue to do what he needs to do and we’ll see how he is next week.
“But, again, it’s putting the guy out there when he’s ready, 100 percent, or as close as possible as it can be. But I do know, again, we’ve been doing some pretty good things with the guys we have out there. Yesterday we had a couple of guys get nicked up as well, and we’ll see how they are the next couple of days. But I’m pretty optimistic going forward for next week.”
Rivera added that the team wants to make sure Young can properly protect himself on the field after suffering his severe knee injury.
“[T]he only real way for him to get true work on this now is out on the field. And now that we’re in the peak of the season, it’s one of those things that you can’t mimic [in practice] what he’s going to get out there in the game,” Rivera said. “So, he’s just got to continue to work at it and build that confidence and, again, I know one of the things is the severity of his injury wasn’t divulged early, mostly because they didn’t want it divulged.
“But as it got out there, I think people gotta understand that this was more than your normal knee injury. This involved a little bit more. That’s why I think the rehab has been a little bit more. He’s really come a long way, he looks good, and now it’s just a matter of if he’s ready to go, we’ll get him out there.”
Young suffered his injury on Nov. 14 of last year. He required a graft from the tendon in his left knee to repair his right knee, which made his recovery longer. | 2022-12-05T21:26:23Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Ron Rivera on Chase Young: I'm pretty optimistic going forward for next week - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/ron-rivera-on-chase-young-im-pretty-optimistic-going-forward-for-next-week/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/ron-rivera-on-chase-young-im-pretty-optimistic-going-forward-for-next-week/ |
The year began with the hiring of a new coach at a significant football program in Colorado. It’s ending the same way.
The ability of the University of Colorado to lure Deion Sanders to Boulder creates real excitement in and around the program. The same kind of excitement that the Broncos’ various offseason moves created.
The Denver coach, Nathaniel Hackett, was asked on Monday about his reaction to Deion’s arrival.
“I congratulate him,” Hackett told reporters. “What a great opportunity. What he did at Jackson State was unbelievable. It shows how good of a coach he is. I’m very excited for him and the state of Colorado to have him here. I met him one time when I was a kid. I remember that, but he probably wouldn’t remember that. It’s Prime Time. He’s one of the best to ever play this game, and it’s great to have him here.”
Of course, Hackett may not be hanging around much longer, given the team’s chronic inability to live up to its very high expectations in 2022. And new ownership of the team will surely consider the buzz created by Deion in Boulder when deciding: (1) whether to keep Hackett; and (2) if not, who to replace him with.
5 responses to “Nathaniel Hackett welcomes Deion Sanders to Colorado”
Meanwhile Broncos ownership is trying to figure out if they can trade Hackett for Deion.
Whoever has the 1st pick in the draft two years from now will get the option of drafting a QB and getting his father to coach him in the pros as well.
finfanjim says:
I’ll say it here first. Deion chose the underdog Colorado because he will be coaching the Broncos in Week 1 of 2023…
You can bet Broncos ownership will be keeping a close eye on the new Colorado Head Coach. If Hackett gets shown the door Deon will be #1 and #1A on their interview list.
He’s thankful Deion didn’t end up snagging his job. | 2022-12-06T00:37:22Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Nathaniel Hackett welcomes Deion Sanders to Colorado - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/nathaniel-hackett-welcomes-deion-sanders-to-colorado/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/05/nathaniel-hackett-welcomes-deion-sanders-to-colorado/ |
Saints coach Dennis Allen was unsurprisingly unhappy after his team blew a 16-3 fourth-quarter lead and lost 17-3 to the Buccaneers on Monday night.
“It sucks. It stings. It hurts,” Allen said.
Allen said the game came down to a few plays the Saints didn’t make.
“We didn’t get it done,” Allen said. “We had some opportunities to make some plays and we didn’t make them.”
Allen acknowledged that the Saints let the Buccaneers hang around in a game the Saints had been dominating until the late fourth quarter.
“When you play Tom Brady and you have a chance to put him away, you have to put him away,” Allen said.
The Saints didn’t do that. Instead, Brady put away any real hope the Saints had of winning the NFC South. And the Saints’ loss placed Allen squarely on the hot seat.
1 responses to “Saints coach Dennis Allen on blowing lead to Buccaneers: “It stings, it sucks, it hurts””
Let’s hire a retread head coach who never won more than 4 games in a season in his prior stint said nobody in their right mind. | 2022-12-06T12:09:31Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Saints coach Dennis Allen on blowing lead to Buccaneers: "It stings, it sucks, it hurts" - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/saints-coach-dennis-allen-on-blowing-lead-to-buccaneers-it-stings-it-sucks-it-hurts/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/saints-coach-dennis-allen-on-blowing-lead-to-buccaneers-it-stings-it-sucks-it-hurts/ |
The Lions have won four of their last five game, which has moved them onto the fringes of the NFC playoff picture heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
A win over the Vikings in Week 14 would push them even closer to a seat at the postseason table and Lions head coach Dan Campbell isn’t doing anything to downplay the magnitude of the matchup with their divisional rivals.
“This is big,” Campbell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “It’s big for our players, it’s big for us. Shoot, it’s a big game for them. But man, look, they’re all special, but this is one of those games, this is why you’re into coaching, this is why you’re into playing, this is why you love the game of football. It’s going to be awesome.”
The Lions had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of a Week Three game against the Vikings, but gave up two touchdowns in the final eight minutes to let the game get away from them. That’s one of many close wins for the Vikings this season and Campbell will be trying to find a way to make sure the Lions wind up on the right side of the final score this time. | 2022-12-06T14:11:08Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Dan Campbell: Vikings game is big, why you get into coaching - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/dan-campbell-vikings-game-is-big-why-you-get-into-coaching/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/dan-campbell-vikings-game-is-big-why-you-get-into-coaching/ |
Two teams currently have head-coaching vacancies. In fewer than five weeks, other teams will be joining them.
Someone presumably will explore the possibility of hiring Super Bowl-winning coach Sean Payton.
Appearing on Tom Brady‘s Let’s Go! podcast, Payton reiterated that he’ll be back.
“I think sooner than later,” Payton said. “I really enjoy the current job I have. . . . But I think relative to coaching, though, I know that I want to coach again and it’s not really been a secret. But I wanna find the right spot. And as Tom alluded to, you know, it’s still about the people. Because when it’s all done and it’s quiet, I don’t think it’s the money or the crowd cheers or the trophies or any of that other stuff. I think it’s about the journey with the people that you really enjoy. . . . So we’ll kind of see what happens. But sooner than later though, in fairness to that question. I think that, you know, if not this year, hopefully next year.”
The key for Payton will be finding the right fit. He’ll want to be in a position to help a team win. He’ll want to have influence over personnel. He’ll want to have a great quarterback or a clear path to one.
Earlier this year, the Dolphins wanted to pair Payton with Brady. It will be interesting to see whether that possibility resurfaces in 2023. Brady is due to be a free agent; he can join any team he chooses, including the team that Payton may be coaching, sooner than later.
2 responses to “Sean Payton says he’ll be coaching again “sooner than later””
No one cares. And, you shouldn’t be allowed to coach again under suspension for your tampering relationship with Stephen Ross.
Not going to be Bronco because Payton know that Russell Wilson does not listen coaches and have his own office. LOL! | 2022-12-06T15:35:23Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Sean Payton says he'll be coaching again "sooner than later" - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/sean-payton-says-hell-be-coaching-again-sooner-than-later/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/sean-payton-says-hell-be-coaching-again-sooner-than-later/ |
The Commanders have a bye in Week 14 and that gives the team a chance to take some stock of where things stand in various areas and head coach Ron Rivera said that he likes what he sees at quarterback right now.
Taylor Heinicke couldn’t lead the Commanders to a win over the Giants last Sunday and the offense hasn’t scored more than 20 points in any of their last three games, but they had won five of six before that 20-20 tie and they remain in good shape in the fight for a playoff spot in the NFC. That’s enough for Rivera to stick with Heinicke once Carson Wentz is back on the active roster.
“I feel comfortable with Taylor,” Rivera said, via Peter Hailey of NBCSportsWashington.com. “When Carson’s activated, he’ll be the primary backup and we’ll go from there.”
Heinicke has thrown five interceptions in seven starts, but Wentz was even less protective of the ball and wide receiver Terry McLaurin‘s production has spiked with Heinicke at quarterback. That’s part of the reason why Rivera feels confident that the Commanders can put more points on the board if needed.
“I do know, obviously, if we’re playing a high-powered offense and they score early, you’ve got to be able to match it and that’s one of the things we’ve got to be able to do, and I think we can,” Rivera said. “I think we have enough of the playmakers that if we get the balls in their hands, they can make plays.”
The Commanders will return in Week 15 for another game against the Giants and that would be a good moment for Heinicke to show that he can produce more scoring that he did last weekend. | 2022-12-06T19:50:56Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Ron Rivera "comfortable" with Taylor Heinicke starting, Carson Wentz as backup - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/ron-rivera-comfortable-with-taylor-heinicke-starting-carson-wentz-as-backup/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/ron-rivera-comfortable-with-taylor-heinicke-starting-carson-wentz-as-backup/ |
Report: Rams running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples headed to Arizona State
The Rams are losing their running backs coach.
Ra’Shaad Samples is headed to Arizona State to become the Sun Devils’ wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator, Matt Zenitz of On3 reports.
Samples, 27, was a rising star in the college coaching ranks before joining Sean McVay’s staff as the youngest position coach in the NFL.
He was headed to TCU to become the running backs coach under Sonny Dykes before accepting the Rams’ job this offseason. Samples previously spent three seasons under Dykes at SMU, including as a combination of running backs coach and assistant head coach in 2021.
Samples was a former four-star wide receiver at Oklahoma State who later transferred to play at the University of Houston. He stayed at UH and began his coaching career as a student assistant (2016-17) before joining the University of Texas staff as an assistant wide receivers coach in 2018.
1 responses to “Report: Rams running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples headed to Arizona State”
Could be a sign Mcvay won’t be back. Jump ship time. | 2022-12-06T20:43:35Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Report: Rams running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples headed to Arizona State - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/report-rams-running-backs-coach-rashaad-samples-headed-to-arizona-state/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/06/report-rams-running-backs-coach-rashaad-samples-headed-to-arizona-state/ |
The Browns scored three non-offensive touchdowns in their victory over the Texans in Week 13.
The player who put the special teams TD on the board has now received some recognition.
Donovan Peoples-Jones is the AFC special teams player of the week after taking a punt return 76 yards to the house.
It was only the second punt return for a touchdown in 2022. It was the first punt return for a TD of Peoples-Jones’ young career and the first for the Browns since 2015.
Peoples-Jones is now averaging 14.8 yards on 13 punt returns this season. He’s also caught a career-high 45 passes for 637 yards in 2022.
Peoples-Jones and the Browns will try to keep things rolling against the Bengals on Sunday.
1 responses to “Donovan Peoples-Jones named AFC special teams player of the week”
Well deserved DPJ! Go Browns! | 2022-12-07T14:56:06Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Donovan Peoples-Jones named AFC special teams player of the week - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/07/donovan-peoples-jones-named-afc-special-teams-player-of-the-week/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/07/donovan-peoples-jones-named-afc-special-teams-player-of-the-week/ |
2 responses to “Jalen Hurts named NFC offensive player of the week”
MVP through 13 weeks – no question. Best overall stats — and team has most wins. Hasn’t had a poor/bad game all season. No other player can say that.
The fact that he won NFC offensive player of the week for the 2nd straight week is pretty impressive. But HOW he did it is SUPER impressive. A week after rushing for 153 yards and throwing 2 touchdowns, he completes nearly 75% of his passes while throwing for 380 yards and 3 TDs (plus 1 rushing). I’ll eat crow on this one. I did not think he was going to be an elite quarterback. I was wrong. Everyone knew about the intangibles. The work ethic, the leadership, etc. But I doubt many “experts” saw this coming. | 2022-12-07T14:56:08Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Jalen Hurts named NFC offensive player of the week - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/07/jalen-hurts-named-nfc-offensive-player-of-the-week-2/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/07/jalen-hurts-named-nfc-offensive-player-of-the-week-2/ |
Earlier on Wednesday, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson called quarterback Trevor Lawrence day-to-day with a sprained toe on his left foot. Pederson noted that Lawrence wasn’t going to practice and admitted there was some concern about Lawrence’s availability for Week 14.
But Lawrence had his own media session on Wednesday afternoon and told reporters he plans to play against the Titans on Sunday.
“I’m feeling better today than I was Monday and yesterday. A little bit of the soreness is going down a little bit. Obviously, still sore and kind of taking it day-by-day. But, fortunate for sure. I feel pretty good.”
Lawrence noted that it’s probably the biggest injury scare he’s had on a football field. when he suffered the injury last week against Detroit, he initially thought he’d hurt his knee because of the way he’d been twisted down. But then as he was moving around he realized it was more in his foot. The soreness increased on Monday.
Lawrence said he’s getting as much treatment as possible and staying off his foot when he can to get it healed.
“All I can do is take it day-by-day. If I can, I’ll be out there,” Lawrence said.
In his second pro season, Lawrence has completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,834 yards with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2022. | 2022-12-07T21:02:25Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Trevor Lawrence plans to play this week despite toe injury - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/07/trevor-lawrence-plans-to-play-this-week-despite-toe-injury/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/07/trevor-lawrence-plans-to-play-this-week-despite-toe-injury/ |
A month after he was fired by the Colts, Frank Reich said today that he wants to coach again next season.
“I really want to continue,” Reich told WISH-TV. “I love the game, I love being around it, I love being around the players. I’m not presuming anything at this point. I’m optimistic. I know this: I love the game, I feel like I’m prepared to keep giving to the game, and giving to players and coaches, and we’ll see what that looks like.”
Reich said he’s been taking notes and trying to think through what he’s learned from his tenure as the Colts’ head coach, and that he continues to root for his old players.
“Still pulling hard for the guys, love the guys, love the team, want all the best and wish nothing but the best,” Reich said.
Given how his time in Indianapolis ended, it seems like a long shot that Reich would get a head-coaching job in 2023. But Reich was a well-regarded offensive coordinator before he became a head coach and will likely have offers to work as an offensive coordinator in 2023. It sounds like he’ll be interested. | 2022-12-08T00:04:38Z | profootballtalk.nbcsports.com | Frank Reich hopes to be coaching next season - ProFootballTalk | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/07/frank-reich-hopes-to-be-coaching-next-season/ | https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/12/07/frank-reich-hopes-to-be-coaching-next-season/ |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.