The Browns listed both of their starting cornerbacks as questionable for Sunday night’s game against the Rams and it appears the two players will wind up on opposite sides of the fence.Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Denzel Ward is expected to miss the game. Ward landed on the injury report as a limited participant on Thursday with a hamstring injury and went on to miss Friday’s practice entirely. The 2018 first-round pick also missed three games during his rookie season.Greedy Williams had a similar week to Ward. He also has a hamstring injury and missed practice on Friday Womens John Johnson Jersey , but Schefter reports there’s optimism about his chances of playing.The Browns also have safety Morgan Burnett listed as questionable while safety Damarious Randall will miss a second straight game with a concussion, so the question is just how many pieces will be missing from the secondary on Sunday night. Aaron Donald has plenty of money to share.And he has chosen to share a portion of it with his alma mater.The Rams defensive tackle has made what the University of Pittsburgh describes only as “a seven-figure financial commitment” to the Pitt Football Championship Fund.The school said in a release that Donald was the youngest $1 million (or more) donor in the school’s history, and that the ground floor of their practice facility will be named the “Aaron Donald Football Performance Center.”The 27-year-old defensive tackle signed a six-year extension with the Rams last year Josh Reynolds Jersey , which will pay him $135 million, with $87 million guaranteed.“It was a dream come true to play for the University of Pittsburgh,” Donald said in a release. “My experience as a Panther is something that influences my life every day and I want to pay that forward. I believe in what coach [Pat] Narduzzi is building at Pitt and this was an opportunity for me to make a difference for our current and future players. Pitt will always be my school and I’m honored to be able to support the Blue and Gold.”Donald still trains at the school’s facility in the offseason http://www.theramslockerroom.com/authentic-samson-ebukam-jersey , and now it’s essentially his weight room, since it has his name on it.
KANSAS CITY http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-jarvis-jenkins-jersey , Mo. — Marvin Lewis flipped on tape of the Kansas City Chiefs this week and saw Tyreek Hill moving all over the field, Kareem Hunt bulldozing for first downs, Travis Kelce making acrobatic catches and Patrick Mahomes delivering the ball to all of them.Then he was asked what worries him most about facing the Chiefs on Sunday night.“Everything,” Lewis said, adding a halfhearted laugh.Yes, the banged-up Bengals (4-2) and their struggling defense are headed to Arrowhead Stadium for a high-profile showdown against quite possibly the most dynamic offense in the NFL.They are also doing it with a handful of guys ailing or injured, notably in a secondary that will have to find a way to slow Hill and Kelce. All those injuries nearly crippled the Bengals last week, when Pittsburgh drove the length of the field in the fourth quarter for the winning touchdown.“It makes it harder, yeah,” Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap said, “but we have 1A and 1B. Everybody is trained to get in the game because you’re always one play away. You never know when it is.”Injuries aren’t an excuse, either.“‘We’ve got guys down. I believe in those (backup) guys Womens Patrick Mahomes II Jersey ,” Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. “I feel we’ve got all the tools, even the backup guys, to beat this team.”The Chiefs (5-1), who are coming off their first loss last Sunday night in New England, know all about being hurt. They remain without injured safeties Eric Berry, Daniel Sorensen and Armani Watts, top pass rusher Justin Houston and two starters on the offensive line.They still have Mahomes, though. Not to mention all his weapons.That group struggled in the first half against the Patriots, but adjustments at halftime opened up things. Mahomes wound up throwing four TD passes, three to Hill, and the Chiefs nearly outscored Tom Brady and Co. in what became an entertaining shootout.“Everyone is still in great spirits,” Mahomes said after his first loss as a starting quarterback Tyreek Hill Jersey , which came seven games into his NFL career. “We know there’s a lot of season left. There’s going to be ups and downs, but you have to know that’s going to happen. It’s how you respond that matters.”Mahomes said the vibe all week has been positive, and that the loss to New England only served to embolden a team with Super Bowl aspirations. After all, the Chiefs trailed most of the way, on the road and in prime time, and nearly came back to steal a victory.“We finished hard. We fought every play,” Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins said. “You saw the grit on the sideline, and we’re here to build on that. You’re not going to lead every game 28-0.”BANGED-UP BENGALSThere were no fewer than 15 players listed on Cincinnati’s initial injury report this week, and six of those didn’t participate at all to start the week. That included three defensive players in cornerback Darqueze Dennard, linebacker Nick Vigil and safety Shawn Williams.FLEX AND POSEThe Chiefs’ high-flying offense and the Bengals’ strong start resulted in the game being flexed by NBC to Sunday night. It was originally supposed to be a noon CDT kickoff.“Every game is a big stage. This is the NFL,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said, dismissing the fact they’re in prime time for the second straight week. “You want to play every game like it’s your last.”ON THE HUNTThe Chiefs have leaned on Hunt late in games to protect leads http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-demetrius-harris-jersey , but he was a big part of their comeback a week ago. Hunt ran for 80 yards on just 10 carries and caught five passes for 105 yards and a score. He also was overthrown down the middle of the field on what could have been another long TD reception.“You can’t miss those when you play really good teams,” Mahomes said.BLITZBURGH HANGOVERThe Bengals’ 28-21 loss to Pittsburgh wiped out much of their early momentum and evened things in the AFC North. It was another stunning loss against their biggest nemesis — the Steelers have won seven straight in the series, including a comeback win in the 2015 playoffs. They know they can’t afford another bad showing in Kansas City as they approach the midway point of the season.“I would say we do have a chip on our shoulders,” defensive end Jordan Willis said.WHAT ABOUT BURFICTIn his second game back from his latest NFL suspension, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict was on the field for 84 percent of the defense’s plays against Pittsburgh and finished second with eight tackles and two passes deflected. He also was in the middle of several altercations, trading words with Ben Roethlisberger, stepping over James Conner in the end zone and hitting Antonio Brown in the head with his forearm after a reception.Burfict has been suspended three times by the league and was ejected from a game last season. The Bengals need him to continue making an impact on games, without the drama.“Vontaze can be as great as he wants to be,” Dunlap said.100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta On Monday, Murphy was reported to have visited the Chiefs before draft day"You can keep up with all the reported Kansas City Chiefs pre-draft visits and workouts with our draft prospect and workout tracker. On Monday, we added another name to it: Washington cornerback Byron Murphy. Let’s take a look.Washington cornerback Byron MurphyJust 5 feet 11 and 182 pounds, Murphy decided to forego his final two years of eligibility with the Huskies and declare for the NFL Draft.Murphy was a standout wide receiver and cornerback at his suburban Phoenix high school and redshirted in 2016.A foot injury caused him to miss seven games of freshman season Womens Armani Watts Jersey , but he still collected a pair of interceptions, 16 tackles (13 solo) including three tackles for loss, plus a sack, a forced fumble and seven passed defensed in six games.In his 13-game sophomore campaign, he had four picks (including one for a touchdown), 58 tackles (37 solo) with four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and 13 passes defensed.He was named MVP in the 2018 Pac-12 championship game after intercepting two passes and returning one of them for a touchdown.Here are some highlights.Spider graph via Mockdraftable:To stay informed on all the players in which the Chiefs have shown interest, bookmark our Chiefs draft prospect visit and workout tracker.
OVERLAND PARK Breeland Speaks Jersey , Kan. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Friday a local prosecutor has reopened a domestic violence investigation involving suspended wide receiver Tyreek Hill after a TV station broadcast audio in which Hill and his fiancee discuss injuries to their 3-year-old son.Reid and general manager Brett Veach both declined comment about Hill’s case and potential next steps involving their star player. The prosecutor, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe, did not return a message.“I’m not going to have too much to add,” Veach said in response to multiple questions about Hill. “As I said yesterday, we’re going to continue to gather information, evaluate information and, as I said yesterday, we’ll make the right decision when the time is appropriate.”Police were called to Hill’s home twice last month and determined the child had been injured. On Wednesday, Howe said he would not file charges against Hill or Crystal Espinal even though his office believed a crime had occurred . He said available evidence didn’t establish who had hurt the child.“As a prosecutor, as a father of four, yes, it frustrates me when someone hurts a child and you can’t do anything about it,” Howe said then. “One of the elements of a crime is you have to prove who that person is who committed the act.”A day later, KCTV in Kansas City aired part of an 11-minute audio file in which Espinal tells Hill earlier this year that when the boy was asked about his injured arm he replied: “Daddy did it.”Hill denied any role in what happened to the child Patrick Mahomes Jersey , saying: “He says Daddy does a lot of things.”Espinal also tells Hill their son is “terrified of you.”Hill replies, “You need to be terrified of me, too, bitch.”Later, Espinal asks Hill, “What do you do when the child is bad? You make him open up his arms and you punch him in the chest.”Howe has not responded to requests for comment about the audio recording, which the TV station said has been provided to his office. KCTV said the recording is believed to have been made in March when the parents were walking through an airport in Dubai. The station said Espinal sent it to at least one friend and was shared with KCTV “by someone who is concerned about the welfare of the couple’s child.”Several media outlets reported that Overland Park police went to the Hill home on Thursday night after receiving an anonymous call from someone worried about Espinal. According to the reports, Espinal was fine and officers were at the home for only a short time.The Chiefs have suspended Hill while the team looks into the developments. The NFL could also punish Hill under its personal conduct policy.Hill’s history with Espinal is well known. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to domestic assault and battery by strangulation in an incident involving his then-pregnant girlfriend the previous year. The incident resulted in his dismissal from the Oklahoma State football team and he was put on probation until August 2018. He wound up playing at tiny West Alabama, where he juggled school and football with counseling sessions and other court-mandated service work until the NFL came calling.Hill, a fifth-round pick who is a two-time Pro Bowler, was part of a controversial draft class by the Chiefs and then-general manager John Dorsey in 2016.The Chiefs also spent a third-round pick that year on cornerback KeiVarae Russell, who missed an entire season for violating Notre Dame’s honor code in an academic misconduct case; a fourth-round pick on wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, who was suspended four times at Florida for drugs and other violations; and a sixth-round pick on Virginia Tech linebacker Dadi Nicolas Travis Kelce Jersey , who was once charged with larceny and suspended for bumping an official. Among them, only Robinson is still on the roster.Last year, the Chiefs released star running back Kareem Hunt following a video that showed him pushing and kicking a woman in a hotel hallway. Hunt is suspended for the first eight games of the upcoming season but has a one-year deal with Cleveland under Dorsey, the Browns GM who signed Hunt while he was with the Chiefs. When we started the live update of the Week 10 Pundit Power Rankings on Tuesday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs were in second place.But then the MMQB Power Poll came in.Their fourth-place ranking dropped the Chiefs to third.Then Pete Prisco from CBS Sports decided to leave the Chiefs in fourth, and Kansas City dropped to fourth in the aggregated rankings — a drop of one position — even though they had defeated the Cleveland Browns 37-21 on the road.Pundit Power Rankings for Week 10Chiefs AFC West Teams Other AFC TeamsHere's what the pundits we're tracking said about the Chiefs this week:ESPN (2nd from 2nd)MMQB (4th from 3rd)NFL.com (Elliot Harrison - 3rd from 3rd)SBNation (Rebecca Toback - 4th from 3rd)Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer - 3rd from 4th)Yahoo! Sports (Frank Schwab - 1st from 2nd)CBS Sports (Pete Prisco - 4th from 4th)USA Today (Nate Davis - 4th from 4th)Other power rankings we noticed this week:Jaguars.com (John Oehser — 1st from 2nd) Why not them at No. 1?NJ.com (Joe Giglio — 1st from 2nd) No offense is consistently as good as Kansas City’s right now. Patrick Mahomes is the NFL MVP, and Andy Reid has an answer for every defense thrown at him.NBCSports.com (Scott Bair — 4th from 3rd) Pat Mahomes is great. We get it. That Kareen Hunt kid is pretty gosh darn special, too.Chicago Tribune (Brad Biggs — 3rd from 3rd) The juggernaut has been held under 30 points once all season, and QB Patrick Mahomes has three targets with six or more touchdown catches.ArizonaSports.com (Vince Marotta — 3rd from 4th) Chiefs had five touchdowns on their first six possessions in easy win.Bleeding Green Nation (Brandon Lee Gowton — 2nd from 3rd) KC is rolling inferior opponents like clockwork. Ho hum.Mile High Report (Pete Baron — 1st from 2nd) Congrats to the Chiefs, you are the new “Best Team” in the NFL. I debated putting the Saints up here, but the Chiefs didn’t do anything to warrant being leap frogged. Remember how last year everyone was saying that the Eagles would lose like they always did in the playoffs? Well, that didn’t happen and people keep saying the same thing about the Chiefs. Just use that for a bit of food for thought. I’d love to see a Super Bowl with my #1 and #2 ranked teams [Baron has the Saints #2].In the final analysis, it’s not so much about what the Chiefs did this week.It’s about what the New Orleans Saints did — defeating the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Rams 45-35 in New Orleans.The Rams deserved to fall from the top spot.The Saints deserved to rise.Meanwhile, the New England Patriots beat the Green Bay Packers impressively — sorry Tyreek Hill Jersey , I meant to say, “Tom Brady beat Aaron Rodgers impressively” —and that left the Chiefs as the odd team out, having done nothing more exciting than defeating the Browns.I thought Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports framed the situation in the proper way: the Saints, the Rams and the Chiefs all have a legitimate argument to be proclaimed the best in the league right now.I’d even go as far to agree with Schwab’s pick; on balance, I think the Chiefs have the most compelling case.But even if you think the Chiefs’ argument is the best one — like a number of pundits who don’t happen to be included in our tabulation — it’s still... you know... arguable.Elsewhere, things pretty much stayed the same.The Houston Texans moved into the Top 10, while the Washington Redskins fell out; those two teams also posted the biggest gain and loss of the week. The Detroit Lions descended into the cellar, which allowed the Indianapolis Colts to get a hoof-hold on the edge of the windowsill and climb out.The biggest disagreements among the scribes were about two teams that played each other.ESPN’s poll dropped the Washington Redskins just one spot — and nudged the Atlanta Falcons up only one position — after the 38-14 spanking the Falcons gave the Redksins.Meanwhile, Schwab and NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison gave the Falcons big boosts, while Prisco and Nate Davis of USA Today dropped the Redksins hard.Snark of the weekLots of worthy jibes this week.But I loved this one about the Cardinals from Scott Bair at NBCSports.com:So how will this change when we total up the data from the number-crunchers, and come up with Arrowhead Pride True Power Rankings for Week 10?It’s hard to say, but I feel it in my bones: we’ll have a new team at the the top of the list on Wednesday.Be sure to check it out!
With just two days to go Womens Antonio Brown Jersey , various publications are putting out their final mock draft of the year. Pro Football Focus had theirs today and from what I can see, the Raiders would come out with a..."With just two days to go, various publications are putting out their final mock draft of the year. Pro Football Focus had theirs today and from what I can see, the Raiders would come out with a pretty nice looking group of players should the draft fall the way Steve Palaszolo is predicting.First up, he is sticking with the top three of Kyler Murray to Arizona, Nick Bosa to San Francisco, and Josh Allen to the Jets. That’s been the most common top three in most mocks until recently when rumors have the Cardinals sticking with Josh Rosen and looking elsewhere with their top pick. This includes the LA Times live beat writer mock that had them taking Quinnen Williams number one overall. But in this mock draft...4. OAKLAND RAIDERS: DI QUINNEN WILLIAMS, ALABAMANotes: So, by some analysts’ estimates, the Raiders would be getting the best player in this draft at fourth overall. Even though it is not a position of need Antonio Brown Jersey White , it’s hard to argue getting the best player available.24. OAKLAND RAIDERS: WR MARQUISE BROWN, OKLAHOMANotes: Marquise Brown is arguably the best receiver in this draft (though they have him as the third WR taken behind AJ Brown and DK Metcalf). He also happens to be perfect for what the Raiders need being that he can play the slot for now and potentially move outside as a deep threat in future.27. OAKLAND RAIDERS: EDGE CLELIN FERRELL, CLEMSONNotes: Are you kidding me? Getting Ferrell at this point looks like a steal. Almost seems entirely unrealistic, but I guess you just never really know. PFF has long been very high on Michigan’s Chase Winovich who they have going at 22 to the Ravens. That’s where many seem to have Ferrell coming off the board.35. OAKLAND RAIDERS: CB AMANI ORUWARIYE, PENN STATENotes: Notable layers still on the board in this mock who the Raiders pass on to draft Oruwariye include ED Montez Sweat, TE Noah Fant, S Taylor Rapp, G Chris Lindstrom, RB Josh Jacobs, and TE Irv Smith Jr. Follow @LeviDamien Viva Las Vegas!The NFL draft is heading to Las Vegas for 2020 Bo Jackson Jersey White , almost certainly before the Raiders do.The league announced Wednesday at an owners meeting that the city where the Raiders will begin play in September 2020 will host the draft that April.“The NFL Draft is one of the most-anticipated events of the year and we are excited to take it to Las Vegas,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the Raiders, Las Vegas officials and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to create an unforgettable week-long celebration of football for our fans, the incoming prospects and partners.”The NFL began to bring the draft to different cities in 2015, when it was in Chicago. It was held there in 2016, too, then went to Philadelphia in 2017. Last April, the Cowboys hosted it in their stadium in Arlington, Texas, and next year it will be in Nashville.“The Raiders are very excited for Las Vegas and are proud to help host the 2020 NFL Draft https://www.raiderslockerroom.com/authentic-derek-carr-jersey ,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said. “Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world and will provide a tremendous experience for the NFL and its fans.”The 2018 NFL Draft set a record as the highest-rated and most-watched Draft ever, eclipsing the previous record set in 2014.“We’re thrilled to be selected for this special event and cannot wait to show the NFL and the world a true Las Vegas experience for the draft,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “The eyes of football fans from around the world will be on Las Vegas in 2020, and our resort partners on the Las Vegas Strip will ensure the draft is as entertaining as our destination.”April 23-25 will be the dates for the Las Vegas draft, which the league said will be held on and around the Strip.
In the most entertaining game of the NFL season thus far Jeff Allen Jersey White , Deshaun Watson and Drew Brees went back and forth, toe to toe down to the last second.Saints kicker Wil Lutz had the final say, nailing a 58-yarder with no time left for a dramatic 30-28 victory. Lutz missed a 56-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.The teams combined for 13 points in the final 50 seconds — two field goals from Lutz with a Texans touchdown in between.The Saints took a 27-21 lead with 50 seconds remaining on a Lutz 47-yard field goal. The Texans, though, needed only two plays to regain it.Watson found DeAndre Hopkins for a 38-yard gain and then hit Kenny Stills for a 37-yard touchdown. Ka'imi Fairbairn missed the extra point, which would have left the game tied, but C.J. Gardner-Johnson drew a penalty for roughing the kicker.Fairbairn made the second attempt, giving the Texans a 28-27 lead with 37 seconds left.That was enough time for Brees, who threw completions of 15, 11 and 9 yards to get into field goal range.Brees and Watson were outstanding. Brees completed 32 of 43 passes for 370 yards with two touchdowns and an interception J.J. Watt Jersey , while Watson went 20-of-30 for 268 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.Watson, though, will feel it tomorrow, taking six sacks and five other hits in the pocket. He was sacked an NFL-high 62 times last season, and despite the trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, now is on pace for 96 sacks.He was injured on his 21-yard touchdown run in the second quarter but never missed a play. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson faces a different challenge Sunday.Yes, he’s up against a young defense that is pressuring quarterbacks, forcing turnovers and improving by the week. Sure, he hopes to end the league’s longest losing streak by giving the winless Texans their first victory since November.While Watson won a lot in college and even as an NFL rookie, now he must figure out a solution to the Texans’ woes.“If the tables are turned and we’re 3-0 Christian Covington Jersey White , you wouldn’t really be talking about the little details, you would kind of continue to do the same thing,” Watson said. “Once you start losing and you really want to find out what the problem is, it’s the little things.”The norms have been out of whack for both teams lately.Houston’s trademark defense actually ranks behind the Colts in many key categories, while Indy’s traditionally strong offense has lacked big plays and late-game magic. The AFC South’s two perennial powers are seeking solutions in a competitive division led by Jacksonville and Tennessee.“It’s about better execution, more consistency,” Colts coach Frank Reich said. “Whenever you look — any team goes through the same thing when you have a day that is subpar.”Houston (0-3) has had plenty of bad days in its nine-game skid, which includes back-to-back losses to an Indy team without Andrew Luck last season. So have the Colts (1-2), who missed the playoffs each of the past three seasons and are still trying to rediscover their offensive groove as Luck closes out his first month since returning from major shoulder surgery.But the only real cure is a win — and both desperately need one.“We’ve got to get better, bottom-line business Shane Lechler Jersey White ,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “We have to win. We all understand that. (Team owner) Bob (McNair) has made it very clear to me that we need to improve.”Other things to consider for Texans-Colts:BACKUP PLANWhen the Colts hired Reich in February, he joked that he did his best work as a No. 2 option.This week he was reminded of one of his best games — engineering the largest comeback in NFL history with the Buffalo Bills. Even though it happened in January 1993 and even though it occurred against a different franchise, the Houston Oilers, Reich still cherishes the comeback.“It was a great memory, a great memory for the people in Buffalo anyway,” he said on a conference call with Houston reporters this week. “You get some breaks, it all works together, and you did something special that you all share together. Over the years, it’s been really fun. Still, quite often Braxton Miller Jersey White , people stop me, call me, all over. So, that’s fun.”PASSING FANCYWatson has thrown for 300 yards in back-to-back games, the first time a Houston quarterback has done that since 2012. He’s not the only one relishing this week’s matchup.In nine career games against the Colts, All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins has 48 career receptions for 648 yards in nine career games against the Colts. Both numbers are in his top three against an opponent.Meanwhile, Will Fuller has caught a TD pass from Watson in seven straight games when they’ve played together.RECORD WATCHColts kicker Adam Vinatieri needs one field goal to break Morten Andersen’s career record (565) — just a short drive away from Andersen’s high school alma mater, Ben Davis. That’s not all.Vinatieri needs three field goal attempts to pass Gary Anderson (672) for second onthe NFL’s career list; 34 points to break Andersen’s career scoring record (2,544 points); and one game played to pass George Blanda (341) for fourth in career games played.JACKSON TRIBUTEThe Indianapolis Colts will honor the late Edwin Jackson with a helmet decal. Colts coaches will wear a similar lapel pin.Team officials also will present a $25,000 donation to the Edwin Jackson 53 Foundation http://www.thetexanslockerroom.com/authentic-deshaun-watson-jersey , which was formed following Jackson’s death earlier this year. There will be a video tribute and a special game program, too.Jackson made the team as an undrafted rookie in 2015 and played three seasons in Indy before being killed in a February traffic accident. Jeffrey Monroe also died in the accident.“He was a happy, happy, happy man. He was a joy to be around,” Luck said. “I think a lot of guys that know him in this locker room keep him alive in their heads and in their souls. I certainly find myself thinking about him at different times and he was such a positive member of this team.”
Former Chiefs head coach and longtime NFL assistant coach Gunther Cunningham has died.Cunningham died on Saturday after a brief illness. He was 72 years old and is survived by his wife Womens Jarrad Davis Jersey , children and grandson among other family members and loved ones.Cunningham was born in Germany and grew up in California before going to the University of Oregon to play football. He moved into coaching at the school in 1969 and took his first NFL job with the Colts in 1982. He worked for the Chargers and Raiders before becoming the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator in 1995.He would stay in that job for four years before succeeding Marty Schottenheimer as the head coach for the 1999 season. Cunningham went 16-16 over two years before being fired.Cunningham would return to Kansas City as the defensive coordinator from 2004-2008 and had the same job with the Lions from 2009-2013. He last coached as a senior assistant in Detroit from 2014-2016.Our condolences to Cunningham’s family and loved ones on their loss. ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions have fallen into last place in the NFC North and there are signs they may have a hard time getting back into the division race.When coach Matt Patricia met with reporters on Monday, he didn’t wait for their questions on his team’s 24-9 loss to division rival Minnesota.“There’s a lot of corrections to be made, a lot of things we obviously have got to do better,” Patricia said in his opening remarks. “There were some good things on the tape, but just way too many bad things that overshadowed it.”Those good moments certainly would have been condensed to tiny snippets. The bad ones were splattered all over the game tape.On Monday night, the Lions fired special teams coordinator Joe Marciano.“I spoke to Joe and informed him of my decision to relieve him of his responsibilities with our team,” Patricia said in a statement. “I appreciate Joe’s leadership of our special teams units over the last three and a half seasons and have great respect for his many years of service as a coach in the National Football League. On behalf of our team and the entire coaching staff Matthew Stafford Jersey White , I want to personally thank Joe for his commitment to the Detroit Lions and wish him and his family the best moving forward.”Detroit’s team has been in reverse lately.The Vikings (5-3-1) limited Detroit to a season-low 209 yards as the Lions (3-5) lost their second straight. Minnesota’s defense sacked Matthew Stafford a franchise-record 10 times.“I am embarrassed,” Lions center Graham Glasgow said. “It was a bad day for us, and our team. We need learn from this.”Detroit was held to single digits in points for the first time since a 17-6 loss to the New York Giants on Dec. 18, 2016. The Lions put together just two drives of more than 30 yards and were 4 for 15 on third downs.“What happens is as the season goes on and you have some success in certain areas, teams are going to gear up to try and stop those things that you do, and you’re going to have to do it differently,” Patricia said. “We’ve got to be able to handle those changes better than what we’re doing right now.”And on the other side, the Lions have allowed a run play of 40 or more yards in five games this season.“We’ve had weeks where we feel we didn’t necessarily perform on the one day of the week where we have to perform well Nick Bellore Jersey White ,” Patricia said.As he readies his team for another division road game Sunday at against the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears (5-3), Patricia is convinced that player for player, his team matches up equally with every other team in the division.“I think we have a lot of good players on this team, I really do,” Patricia said.Patricia said talent isn’t the issue bringing down his team.“I would say with both offensive and defensive lines, the point of emphasis is fundamentals,” Patricia said. “Some of our fundamentals got out of whack. Some of our techniques weren’t necessarily where it needs to be on a consistent basis.“Fundamentals and execution is what’s holding us back now. That’s where we’ve got to start.”The problem he faces is that with the majority of practice time each week dedicated to game-planning, Patricia will be hard-pressed to find time to go back to basics with his team.After a 1-3 start Damon Harrison Jersey White , the Lions won two straight and looked to have righted their season. But these past two losses have them struggling again.“As a team, we need to get better,” receiver Marvin Jones said. “It is definitely disappointing, but at the same time, we just have to go out there and execute. We cannot shoot ourselves in the foot. I think we definitely did that and we just have to get better.”Lions offensive lineman Frank Ragnow perhaps summed up the state of the team as they reached the midseason point.“If you’re not taking a step forward in this league, then you’re taking a step back,” Ragnow said.
Nowhere to go but up Mark Walton Jersey , hopefully." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesCincy Jungle homepageHorizontal - WhiteCincy Junglea Cincinnati Bengals communityFollow Cincy Jungle online:Follow Cincy Jungle on TwitterFollow Cincy Jungle on FacebookFollow Cincy Jungle on InstagramLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchCincy Jungle main menuFanpostsFanshotsSectionsLibraryBengalsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections #BITESIZEFilm RoomRoster Transactions and ContractsOrange & Black InsiderSalary Cap And CBANFL Power Rankings Roundup: Bengals start near bottom of the leagueNew,29commentsNowhere to go but up, hopefully. EDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:NFL Power Rankings Roundup: Bengals start near bottom of the leagueTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesThe first round of power rankings were not kind to the Cincinnati Bengals. A nice 1-1 start to the preseason, the Bengals have had some encouraging flashes throughout both games. That said, it hasn’t mattered much to analysts because they’re projecting Cincinnati to be one of the worst teams in the league this season.However, it’s difficult to argue with them. An unproven head coach, an injury-prone star receiver and tight end and a lacking offensive line does not seem promising. But, an All-Pro-caliber running back John Ross Jersey , a versatile receiver and an improved defense should radiate some hope.The Bengals may not be great, but they’re be far from the league’s worst team, even with a new head coach in Zac Taylor. If A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert stay healthy and the offensive line holds up, this team will at least be competitive in the AFC North.That being said, here are this week’s power rankings from some major media outlets (more will come when the season actually commences).NFL.com: 30Bleacher Report: 32ESPN: 28Average rank: 30 CINCINNATI (AP) — Paul Brown Stadium was more than half-empty when the Bengals pulled off a stunning comeback to tie the game and give themselves a chance for that long-awaited first win.After a couple of minutes and a few more boos, the rest of the fans piled out, too.A 26-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday left Cincinnati 0-5 for the first time in 11 years. And it’s not like fans hadn’t seen it all before. It’s the seventh time Cincinnati has opened 0-5 since 1990, the most in the league over that span.The Bengals haven’t won a playoff game since that 1990 season Jordan Willis Jersey , tied with Washington for the fifth-longest streak in league history. They’re on the verge of moving up that list one more rung.“We understand the position we’re in,” quarterback Andy Dalton said.What made this loss sting was the way the Bengals came alive at the end only to give it away. Dalton ended the Bengals’ streak of seven quarters without a touchdown by throwing two and tying the game 23-23 with 2 minutes left. But rookie Kyler Murray led the Cardinals (1-3-1) in position for Zane Gonzalez’s 31-yard field goal on the final play.“I’m sick of losing,” said receiver Tyler Boyd, who caught a 42-yard touchdown pass to tie it. “Sick of not finishing the game we want to.”After three straight losing seasons, the Bengals fired Marvin Lewis and hired Zac Taylor. They drew only 50,666 fans for their home opener, a 41-17 loss to San Francisco. Coming off a 27-3 loss in Pittsburgh on Monday night, the Bengals sold only 46 Carl Lawson Jersey ,012 tickets for Sunday’s game.“The ones that came out, we love the support and we have to put some wins in that win column,” Taylor said. “I get it. This is every fan base I have been around. They want to see wins. They want to see production. They are frustrated. Check our locker room — we are frustrated.”It’s the second time in three games that the Bengals allowed a late drive to determine the game. Frank Gore had a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:50 left to give Buffalo a 21-17 win two weeks ago. On Sunday, Murray completed a 24-yard pass and ran 24 yards to get the Cardinals in position for their first win under new coach Kliff Kingsbury.“I think this and the Buffalo one hurt the most,” safety Jessie Bates said.It wasn’t all on the defense.Dalton was sacked a career-high eight times in the loss at Pittsburgh. The Bengals decided to run the ball and throw quick passes against the Cardinals to avoid sacks, and Dalton was dropped only once.On Cincinnati’s first drive, Joe Mixon carried eight times for 60 yards, but Cincinnati had to settle for a field goal. Arizona adjusted to the run-based focus Tyler Boyd Jersey , and the Bengals managed only 43 yards rushing the rest of the way. Dalton threw for only 22 yards in the first half and Cincinnati managed 90 yards overall.Yet Dalton threw TD passes of 2 and 42 yards on consecutive possessions as Cincinnati tied it with 2 minutes left after going virtually all game without much out of the passing game.“Yeah, it’s definitely a head-scratcher,” receiver Auden Tate said.
Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase described quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s worsening injury last week as unusual Kenny Stills Jersey , and now it has drawn the interest of the NFL.The league is looking into how the Dolphins reported Tannehill’s shoulder problem on injury reports last week, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday. The people confirmed the NFL’s interest in the matter to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league wasn’t commenting.The Dolphins declined to comment.It’s common for the NFL to look into such situations involving a prominent player. The league is expected to contact the Dolphins to learn the details and make sure the injury report policy was followed.Tannehill sat out Sunday’s overtime win against the Chicago Bears, and replacement Brock Osweiler threw for a career-high 380 yards. Tannehill has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against Detroit.Gase has said the condition in Tannehill’s throwing shoulder worsened as last week progressed. Osweiler took “maybe a few reps” in Thursday’s practice, Gase said, but the injury report said Tannehill participated fully in the workout.The Dolphins listed Tannehill as questionable Friday, and the decision not to play him was made hours before kickoff.The Miami Herald first reported the NFL will look into the matter. MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Dolphins‘ coaching carousel is spinning again.Adam Gase was fired Monday as part of the latest organizational shake-up after the Dolphins finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the 15th time in 17 years. Owner Stephen Ross ordered a roster overhaul and acknowledged it may take several seasons to build a winner.Ross demoted executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum. General manager Chris Grier, who has been with the team in various capacities for 19 seasons, was given more authority and will oversee football operations while reporting directly to Ross.The team said it will immediately conduct a search for Gase’s successor, who will report to Grier under the team’s new, more streamlined leadership structure.The next coach will be the Dolphins’ 10th since 2004, including three interim coaches. This time, Ross said, will be different.“Today we’re no further along than when I bought the team,” said Ross, who became majority owner a decade ago. “I thought it was time for the organization to take a different approach.”Ross Reshad Jones Jersey , 78, said he’s willing to be patient because the Dolphins’ win-now philosophy hasn’t worked, and he wants a longer-term view regarding player personnel decisions.In the past the Dolphins counted on free agents to get over the hump and instead became stuck on a treadmill of mediocrity. They’ve finished with six to eight wins in nine of the past 10 seasons, and haven’t won a playoff game since 2000.“To keep operating under that philosophy would be like the definition of insanity: doing the same thing and expecting a different result,” Ross said. “What I want is sustained winning seasons. That’s what the fans want and deserve. We’re going to build this organization based on our needs, and if it takes a year or so, two years, three years, we’re going to be there.”The approach makes sense given the Dolphins are likely starting over at quarterback. Ryan Tannehill has been with Miami since 2012 but has never taken a postseason snap, and he’s widely expected to be traded or released because of an escalating salary.Gase went 23-26 with Miami, including a playoff game in 2016. After the 2018 Dolphins beat New England on the play of the season — a pass and double lateral for a touchdown as time ran out — they were outscored 100-41 in their final three games by other also-ran teams, including a 42-17 loss at Buffalo on Sunday that sealed Gase’s fate.“Probably one of the toughest decisions I’ve made,” Ross said. “He worked his tail off, and unfortunately things didn’t go the way we all hoped.”Tannenbaum, who held his job for four years and was involved with several disappointing drafts Michael Deiter Miami Dolphins Jerseys , was reassigned within the organization.Grier, the GM for the past three seasons, said the team will “investigate every avenue” in pursuing a coach, and said NFL experience wasn’t a necessity. Grier said he’s committed to Ross’ new, more patient approach in building a winner.“It’s knowing who you want to be,” Grier said. “You have a vision for what your team wants to be, and you stay with it.”Most preseason prognosticators predicted the 2018 Dolphins would finish with a losing record, and a wave of injuries complicated Gase’s task. The Dolphins lost 13 key players to season-ending injuries, including two top offensive linemen, their best run stopper, top cornerback Xavien Howard and explosive receivers Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant. Tannehill missed five games.There’s already speculation the 40-year-old Gase will be coaching another team in 2019, and his supporters argue he overachieved this season, given the quality of the Dolphins’ roster.They were outgained by 1,619 yards, worst in franchise history Miami Dolphins Jerseys 2019 , and outscored by 114 points. They ranked 31st in the NFL in offense, also a franchise worst, and 29th in defense, allowing a franchise-record 6,257 yards.Gase went 7-1 in one-score games, and 20-6 in three seasons. But his record in games decided by more than one score was 3-20, including 0-8 this season. His teams struggled especially on the road, losing their final seven away games this year while being outscored 248-117.Gase was seen as a rising young star when the Dolphins hired him, and even more so after they went 10-6 in his first season and made the playoffs for the only time since 2008.But they regressed to 6-10 in 2017, when Tannehill missed the entire season following knee surgery. And the poor finish this season raised questions about whether Gase had lost the support of some players.News of his firing was applauded by at least a couple of Dolphins discards. Cleveland Browns receiver Jarvis Landry tweeted emojis laughing so hard they cried. Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips did the same and added, “YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”The dynamic Wilson, who missed the final nine games because of a hip injury, had a different perspective on Gase’s departure.“A full year I could (have) shown how much of a genius he was!” Wilson tweeted.
The condition of Rams running back Todd Gurley‘s knee was a storyline down the stretch last season and it remained one throughout the offseason as the team managed Gurley’s workload in hopes of having him in good shape for the 2019 season.We’ve now reached opening weekend and head coach Sean McVay said on Thursday that the team will not be managing Gurley’s workload when the Rams face the Panthers on Sunday. McVay said “nope” when asked if Gurley would be on any kind of a pitch count in Week One.“I’m excited to see Todd Gurley continue to do his thing Ndamukong Suh Jersey ,” McVay said, via ESPN.com. “He looks good, he’s feeling good and we’re looking forward to Sunday.”Gurley’s 2,556 rushing yards, 1,368 receiving yards and 41 total touchdowns have been a major part of the Rams’ success over the last two seasons. Whether his knee is up to producing another year with those kinds of numbers may be the biggest question hanging over the Rams to start the season. The road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go through the Big Easy.Though the Saints’ path to get to Atlanta could be challenging: The top three teams in the latest AP Pro32 poll are all from the NFC.The Saints received all 12 first-place votes for 384 points in balloting Wednesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL.New Orleans (13-2) clinched the top seed in the NFC after Sunday’s 31-28 win over Pittsburgh. The previous time New Orleans had the top seed in the NFC was 2009 when it reached and won the Super Bowl.“The news is all good for the Saints: They clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a thrilling win over the Steelers Brandin Cooks Jersey , and (quarterback) Drew Brees has a chance to win his first-ever regular-season MVP award,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.The NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams jumped three places to No. 2 after dominating Arizona without star running back Todd Gurley. The Rams can clinch a first-round bye with a win against San Francisco in the regular-season finale.NFC North champion Chicago Bears inched up a spot to No. 3.“With a swarming defense and a solid ground game, the Bears appear poised to make some waves in January along the frosty shores of Lake Michigan,” said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa.The next three teams in the poll are all from the AFC.Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers, tied at 11-4 in the AFC West, slipped to No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. The Chiefs dropped a spot after their 38-31 loss at Seattle on Sunday night Aqib Talib Jersey , and the Chargers fell from No. 2 after losing to Baltimore on Saturday night.The New England Patriots, who won the AFC East for the 10th consecutive year, moved up a spot to No. 6.Seattle climbed three spots to No. 7 after clinching a playoff berth with a win over the Chiefs.The Houston Texans slipped two spots to No. 8 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 32-30 on Jake Elliott‘s field goal as time expired Sunday. However, the first-place Texans clinched a playoff spot later in the day when the Steelers lost.Houston will clinch the AFC South with a win over the Jaguars.The surging Baltimore Ravens jumped three spots to No. 9. The Ravens (9-6) lead the AFC North by a half-game over Pittsburgh. The Ravens host Cleveland on Sunday and will take the division with a win.“Who wants to play them?,” asked Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki of the Ravens, who were 4-5 entering their bye week and have won five of six overall.The Steelers need to win at home against the last-place Bengals and have the Ravens stumble for their best chance at reaching the postseason.The Indianapolis Colts fell one spot despite rallying past the New York Giants to round out the top 10. The Colts and Tennessee Titans Marcus Peters Jersey , who remained No. 14 in the poll, are both 9-6 and end the regular season in a prime-time matchup on NBC. The winner will clinch a playoff spot and could take the division if the Texans stumble earlier in the day.
The Chiefs traded for defensive end Frank Clark and gave him a big new contract this offseason to be the leader of their pass rush.Clark has recorded one sack and one quarterback hit through the first three games of the season Rashad Fenton Jersey nfl draft , which might not be the numbers some were expecting. Clark admits that it “gets frustrating at times,” but the production hasn’t left the Chiefs disappointed.Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and head coach Andy Reid note the opportunities provided by others by the double teams that Clark regularly encounters. Clark’s own occasional frustration is mitigated by his belief that “all the success” is going to come his way before the season is over.“It’s nothing new with sacks, but I understand that they come in bunches,” Clark said, via the . “They come over time. You just have to stay consistent in your action and what you’re doing. Right now, I’m more focused on winning, and I feel like that’s what we’re doing. I feel like we’re playing good team ball.”The Chiefs held the Ravens in check for much of last weekend’s win, but they began breaking down in the fourth quarter. The Ravens scored 15 points in the final 15 minutes to keep the game close and it might have been more if Clark’s first sack as a Chief had not forced Baltimore to settle for a field goal with just under seven minutes to play.That’s the kind of play that led the Chiefs to both acquire and pay Clark and it’s one everyone in Kansas City would be happy to see more often. It’s finally here.We finally get to see if Patrick Mahomes can lead the Kansas City Chiefs to their first home playoff victory in decades — and of course, it’s against the Indianapolis Colts. It’s time to get the proverbial monkey off the Chiefs’ back.Most of the angst and concern among Chiefs fans this week comes from their worry about the Chiefs defense. Since the Chiefs had a bye, I’m changing the usual routine for my Advanced Scouting article. This week, we’ll cover the rushing attack and the passing attack in two separate posts, so we can get into a little more detail about what the Colts do, and what the Chiefs can do to stop them.So let’s dive into the Colts rushing attack and see what the Chiefs can expect this week!The personnelMark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsLeading the way on the ground for the Colts is second year running back Marlon Mack. Mack is a big-play back that can cut on a dime. He’s good at sorting through traffic, and he can explode into his second gear quickly. The Colts do a good job keeping him clean, but his agility and shifty hips can make anybody miss — as shown below.Nyheim Hines has been the Colts’ primary pass-catching back this season. However, against the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round, he wasn’t targeted and didn’t get a carry. Instead Womens Rashad Fenton Jersey , the Colts leaned on Mack and Jordan Wilkins — a good pass blocker — to shoulder the load.The Colts utilize two blocking tight ends regularly. With Eric Ebron struggling as a pass blocker this season, Ryan Hewitt and Mo Alie-Cox have seen plenty of snaps on running downs. Alie-Cox is an excellent blocker, and the Colts trust him on the edge to single-block many of the edge setters they’ve faced. Hewitt has been an effective blocker out of the backfield — particularly as a H-back.In the rushing game, the vaunted Colts offensive line is every bit as good as advertised. Getting center Ryan Kelly back in the lineup last week gave them a big boost in the run game. First-round pick (and first-team All-Pro) left guard Quenton Nelson has garnered most of the accolades for the line this year — and rightfully so. He’s lined up opposite right guard Mark Glowinski, a Seattle Seahawks castoff from a year ago that has resurrected his career on the Indianapolis line. Left tackle Anthony Castonzo has been a constant for the Colts over the last eight years,and Kansas City native Braden Smith — a second-round pick in this past year’s draft — anchors the right side of the line.How to defendZone rushing attackEvery team in the league runs inside zone, but not every team runs it as effectively as the Colts. With powerful straight-line blockers that are athletic enough to climb to the second level — and smart enough to understand the leverage needed in the gap — Indianapolis can boss the center of the field and blow open huge holes for Mack and the Colts running backs to hit.This play shows us the left guard and center doing a fantastic job to combo-block the two defensive tackles in an over front. Sealing the tackles with the guard/center allows the left tackle and right guard to get inside leverage, and the interior blockers can disengage or drive to the second level to occupy the inside linebackers.With effective zone blocking like this, the defensive tackles have a tough job trying to help stop the play. Firing off the snap quickly to attack their assigned gap can reduce the ability for offensive linemen to scoop and reset their blocks. This can throw off the timing for the climb to the second level — or in some cases, force a dedicated double up front, leaving the inside linebacker clean — and make it easier for the linebacker to fill the gap and take away the run.The defensive front can also confuse the blocking scheme by executing stunts and gap exchanges.The outside zone rules for this play state that the left guard will be responsible for the nose guard, with the center combo-blocking the three-tech. The left tackle will climb to the second level to block the back-side linebacker, giving the running back the option for the cutback to the center of the field.However, the nose guard works back across the face of the left guard, and the blocking rules fall apart. Nelson is stuck between two minds — simply a rookie mistake — and backup center Evan Boehm doesn’t recognize the gap exchange to down-block on the linebacker. The result that is the back-side linebacker is able to shoot a clean gap to stop the play.Forcing the issue — and keeping the offensive line on their toes with a few exchanges sprinkled in — can cause half a beat of delay in executing the blocking scheme. If the linebackers can play downhill against the run this week, that small delay can be the difference between a stop and a nine-yard run.Power rushing attackAs effective as the Colts are in their zone rushing attack, they might be equally as impressive in their power rushing attack. If you have fleet-of-foot maulers that can easily pull and eliminate defenders Authentic Rashad Fenton Jersey , you need to take advantage of them — and Indianapolis definitely does it regularly.As mentioned above, Alie-Cox is a terrific blocking tight end, and the Colts will use him to create some unique matchups against the defense. Here, Allie-Cox is lined up where the left tackle would typically be, and the left tackle is lined up outside the right tackle. This almost assuredly means a run to that side of the field — and sure enough, the Colts pull Nelson from the left guard spot. Allie-Cox just has to seal the bac- side edge.The offensive line demonstrates fantastic awareness on this play.The linebackers read the pulling guard and both react to step into the gap. Nelson kicks the first linebacker out of the gap, and the inside tackle is able to peel off and clear the other linebacker from the hole — even though the linebacker read it correctly. This leaves a narrow gap for Mack to squeeze through for big yardage.The Colts do a great job of using a jet motion fake to keep the defenders from attacking quickly on this counter run. The back-side edge has to contain the jet motion, and the linebacker in the A gap has to wait for the handoff to react and attack downhill. This allows the right guard to scoop the linebacker in the A gap and the right tackle to scoop the back-side defensive tackle. Those blocks free up Kelly and Nelson to pull into space while Alie-Cox climbs to the second level. After Nelson seals the edge, Kelly is able to pancake the safety and allow Mack into the third level untouched.That half-second delay is everything to this play. The blocks take time to develop — and leave an excellent pursuit defender J.J. Watt unblocked — but that extra moment of confusion because the Texans must respect the jet motion allows the Colts to get the job done.Unlike the zone rushing attack, the power running game leaves natural gaps behind — and attacking players can exploit them. While Watt destroys this play by beating the extra offensive tackle, Jadeveon Clowney’s back-side pursuit in the evacuated A gap likely would have made a play on Mack in the backfield.Attacking the evacuated space is paramount to the success of the Chiefs defense this week. That’s easier said than done, because the Colts will mix in zone rushing plays, so attacking too aggressively can lead to misdiagnosed gaps, easier reach blocks for the offensive line, and bigger holes for the backs to run through.So identifying the power run and the pulling guard early in the development of the play will be necessary. On top of that, the inside linebackers will have to play more like the players we saw in Week 17 than in Weeks 1-16 — reading their keys quickly and attacking to fill, shoot Travis Kelce Jersey , and pursue the running back.The Colts rushing attack is greedy, and I mean that in the best possible way. They know they have a very good line, and they can count on players winning their matchups more often than not. That leads to linemen firing off the snap quickly to get to the second level and counting on pulling blockers to eliminate front side pursuit.The Chiefs, of course, have good defenders on the edge in Dee Ford and Justin Houston. Longer-developing plays that require a back side offensive lineman to block them are going to be risky for the Colts.Ford’s speed to collapse and slip blocks — as well as Houston’s quick play identification and strength to stack and shed — will challenge the Colts. But the Texans also have good defenders on the edge in Clowney and Watt, and the Colts still ran plenty of power runs to try to seal the edge. We’ll see if they continue that this week, but this is one of the few advantages the Chiefs will have in the run game.In conclusionWhen their offensive line is fully healthy, this Colts rushing attack is quite good. That doesn’t bode well for a struggling Chiefs run defense, but there are still ways that the Chiefs can find success on Saturday.Mack is very dangerous in the open field, so gaining initial contain will be crucial. Easier reads by the linebackers can help fill the gaps and try to force Mack to take an extra step or two behind the line, allowing the Chiefs superior defensive line and edge players to collapse on the back.The key word in the run game this week is attack. The Colts’ athletic linemen and nimble backs will destroy any amount of hesitation up front and on the second level. Avoiding hesitation hasn’t been the Chiefs’ forte thus far, but come Saturday, we’ll see if they’ve got a trick or two up their sleeves.Check back later this week for the Advanced Scout on the Colts passing game!
For years Jason McCourty Jerseys 2019 , Bud Dupree and Cam Heyward would talk about getting together to train during the offseason. The discussion was always vague. No specifics or firm commitments. Then the months would pass, January would become April would become June and the chance for the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers teammates to meet up would evaporate.Until last winter, when Dupree, an outside linebacker, joined defensive linemen Heyward, Javon Hargrave and Tyson Alualu in Louisiana to work out for former LSU defensive line guru Pete Jenkins. Together they honed their craft and bonded. Dupree's intensity was unmistakable, offering Heyward tangible proof Dupree was ready for the breakout season that'd always been just beyond his grasp during four years in which the former first-round pick tantalized with his talent but frustrated with his inconsistency.Dupree downplayed the personal stakes heading into 2019 after the team opted not to sign him to an extension, instead relishing the chance to effectively bet on himself with a chance to hit the open market in 2020."He didn't make a big deal about getting a contract or anything," Heyward said. "Just worked his tail off and challenged himself."In the process, he's become the week-in, week-out force the Steelers envisioned when they grabbed him with the 22nd overall pick in the 2015 draft. The 26-year-old is playing the best football of his career for the Steelers (4-4) heading into Sunday's visit by the Los Angeles Rams (5-3). Dupree has already matched his career high with six sacks, teaming up with T.J. Watt to become one of the NFL's top edge rushing tandems."(Dupree) has been a monster, as has T.J. White Adrian Clayborn Jerseys ," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "They are really setting a pace off the edge and really providing the wave that the rest of us get to ride defensively. But that's the nature of outside linebacker play within our scheme. Particularly, when you draft them in Round 1. That is what they are supposed to look like in their mid-20s."The problem for Dupree heading into his fifth season is that he's only looked like that occasionally. For every big-time play — he sacked Tom Brady in his debut in 2015 and memorably drilled Miami quarterback Matt Moore in a wild-card game the following season — there were long stretches when Dupree's No. 48 would all but disappear. And he knew it."Last year I missed a lot of sacks," said Dupree, who finished with 5½ sacks in 2018. "I had sacks in my hand that I missed. I just feel if I had finished that, we would have had a whole different year last year. So just being able to finish is big."He's translated potential into production by relying on more than just his physical gifts. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Dupree has become a dedicated student of the game."I think he's just become a lot smarter of a player as far as film study," Watt said. "We're bouncing a lot more notes off each other this year than we ever had (on) what we're seeing out there, certain tells that we know what certain plays are, if it's run or if it's pass. The guy's get off the ball is incredible and that's what allows him to beat a lot of guys off the edge."Dupree is winning those battles even when opponents send two or three bodies at him. That's what the Indianapolis Colts did last Sunday on a critical play in the waning moments. The Colts faced third-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 22. A first down and Indianapolis could run the clock down to zero and attempt a short field goal to steal the victory. Dupree recognized the formation instantly and dropped Indianapolis running back Marlon Mack for a 3-yard loss. A chip shot for Adam Vinatieri became something significantly harder. And when his 43-yarder sailed well left of the uprights, the Steelers survived .A year ago, maybe Dupree doesn't instantly diagnose the play. Maybe he's a split-second late. Maybe the Colts get the first down. Maybe Vinatieri makes the kick and Pittsburgh's playoff hopes are effectively squashed. They're not thanks in part to Dupree, who is delivering on defensive coordinator Keith Butler's prediction during training camp that Dupree was ready to live up to the expectations that come when you play outside linebacker in Pittsburgh."He sees what I do every day on the practice field," Dupree said of Butler. "He sees what I do at camp. He sees me dominate. They all know what I can do."Now Adrian Clayborn Jerseys 2019 , so does everyone else, potentially putting Dupree and the Steelers in an interesting spot next spring. Pittsburgh could place the franchise tag on Dupree in March, though it would cost somewhere close to $20 million. Or they could let Dupree hit the open market. Either way, Dupree knows he's fine."I mean, I'm straight on it," he said. "I'll play it by ear. I bet on myself. It helped me out. I'll probably make more money (next) year than I would have made on an extension."Heyward isn't ready to think about Dupree moving on. After watching Dupree's evolution up close, Heyward is just fine with Pittsburgh doing what it can to make sure Dupree stays put."When we get there," Heyward said, "we've got to hold on to him as much as we can." Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey has done plenty of talking in recent weeks, with few players giving much of it back to him. On Wednesday, Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore did.鈥淚t鈥檚 funny,鈥?Gilmore said with during an appearance with Zolak and Bertrand on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, via NBC Sports Boston. 鈥淎 lot of people can talk but you鈥檝e gotta back it up — which he does. Sometimes. It is what it is. A lot of guys that talk White Jeremy Hill Jerseys , that鈥檚 just their personality or that鈥檚 just how they is.聽I feel like a lot of people that talk like that, they鈥檝e got a lot of energy because they鈥檙e playing . . . that鈥檚 just how they is.鈥滻f it seems that Gilmore was holding something back there, he was. Later in the interview, he finished the thought while once again talking about Ramsey’s propensity to talk.鈥淚t鈥檚 his personality,鈥?Gilmore said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not my style, but I find a lot of guys that talk are mostly zone guys so they have a lot of energy to do that.”As cornerback disses go, giving a guy the “zone” label means he doesn’t primarily cover receivers on a man-to-man basis — and that he definitely doesn’t travel with the opponent’s No. 1 wideout.Ramsey could respond simply by pointing to the outcome of the Week Two contest between the team’s, which Jacksonville won. Hopefully, a rematch is looming in January.
ALAMEDA Antonio Brown Jersey White , Calif. (AP) — From the moment Jon Gruden was brought back for a second stint as coach of the Oakland Raiders with a 10-year contract, general manager Reggie McKenzie’s longevity in the position was in serious doubt.That only eroded more with each departure of one of McKenzie’s prized former draft picks and ended when he was fired Monday, less than two years after he was named the NFL’s executive of the year.With the Raiders unable to build off that breakthrough 12-win season in 2016 and McKenzie’s recent drafts failing to generate many impact players, the move to cut ties with McKenzie was made after Oakland beat Pittsburgh 24-21 for its third win of the season.McKenzie’s influence with the Raiders had waned ever since the triumphant news conference to welcome Gruden back to Oakland in January. Gruden got rid of several of the players McKenzie had acquired, most notably edge rusher Khalil Mack and receiver Amari Cooper.“I’m not going to sit up here today and talk about any disconnect,” Gruden said. “We were connected. We were very good friends and very connected. I’ll leave it at that.”Gruden said owner Mark Davis informed McKenzie of the move and the Raiders only issued a brief statement thanking McKenzie for his time in Oakland and wishing him well.“We won a game last night and I went home,” Gruden said. “Obviously, there was a meeting last night and changes have been made. I respect everything that this organization is about. I can’t exactly answer why the change was made last night, but changes were made, and we got to continue to fight and continue to build this team back and that’s what we are going to do.”Director of college scouting Shawn Herock will handle the GM duties during the search process.McKenzie was the first major hire made by Davis after he took over the team following the death of his father, Al, in 2011. McKenzie modernized the franchise, got the team out of salary cap purgatory, and built a roster that went 12-4 under coach Jack Del Rio in 2016 Bo Jackson Jersey White , earning him honors as the league’s top executive.But the Raiders slumped to a 6-10 record last season, leading Davis to fire Del Rio and get Gruden to take the hefty contract after years of courting.Gruden set out to overhaul the roster, trading away and cutting many of McKenzie’s former draft picks. That accelerated a week before the start of the season when Mack was dealt to Chicago for a package including two first-round picks and then Cooper was dealt in October to Dallas for another first-round pick.With those deals, only nine players drafted by McKenzie from 2012 to 2017 remain on the active roster.Despite all that, McKenzie downplayed any rift in the relationship that dated back to the 1990s when both worked together in Green Bay.“Gruden and I, we work together very well,” McKenzie said after the Cooper trade. “Let’s get no mistakes about him pushing me out. That’s not happening. Me not being able to work with Gruden? That’s furthest from the truth. OK?”The highlight of McKenzie’s tenure came in the 2014 draft, when he put together the nucleus of Oakland’s only playoff team since going to the Super Bowl following the 2002 campaign.He drafted Mack fourth overall and watched him develop into the 2016 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, got quarterback Derek Carr in the second round to end the more than decade-long revolving door at the position, and added several other key players, including guard Gabe Jackson and defensive tackle Justin Ellis later in the draft.Those players, teamed with an offensive line fortified by free agent signings center Rodney Hudson, guard Kelechi Osemele and tackle Donald Penn, made the Raiders a contender in 2016 before Carr broke his leg in a Week 16 win over Indianapolis. Oakland lost the division the following week and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs against Houston.Carr was given a $125 million https://www.raiderslockerroom.com/authentic-derek-carr-jersey , five-year extension the following summer but the team regressed and the inability to get a long-term deal done with Mack led to a holdout this past summer and his eventual trade.The Raiders have struggled in Gruden’s first year back on the sideline since being fired by Tampa Bay following the 2008 season. Oakland started the season 1-8 before winning two of the past four games. The Raiders (3-10) are tied with San Francisco and Arizona for the worst record in the league.With a likely top 10 pick of their own and two other first-rounders this year, along with two first-round picks next year, Gruden likely wanted his own people in place in the personnel department to make those moves.“When you’re 3-10, I’m not surprised with anything that happens in this league,” Gruden said. “I’ve been fired. I’ve been traded. It’s a horrible part of this business and I’m very sensitive to it.” The Raiders played their first two games at home, but it is going to be some time before they play their next game in Oakland.They’ll be in Minnesota Sunday and Indianapolis in Week Four before heading to London for a “home” game against the Bears. A bye week follows and then they’ll be on to games in Green Bay and Houston before finally playing another game in Oakland on November 3.It was a scheduling quirk that the league’s vice president of broadcasting Michael North said he regretted when the slate was announced in April and it is one that still rankles Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.“We are still trying to understand how that happened, but we are going to have to deal with it,” Gruden said, via NBCSportsBayArea.com. “We just have to showcase our mental toughness and deal with it. It’s uncommon, maybe unprecedented, maybe unrealistic that this should ever happen in pro football. I’m not excited about it, but we’ll adapt and do it the best we can.”Uncommon though it may be, the Raiders are not alone in having that kind of gap between games in their home stadium. The Buccaneers have the same stretch this season and their coach Bruce Arians wasn’t any happier about it than Gruden.
New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown has been accused of rape by a former trainer.Britney Taylor says Brown sexually assaulted her on three occasions Womens Derek Carr Jersey , according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the Southern District of Florida.Brown has denied the allegations. Darren Heitner, a lawyer representing Brown, told The Associated Press his client plans to countersue."He will pursue all legal remedies to not only clear his name, but to also protect other professional athletes against false accusations," Heitner said in a statement.Heitner said Brown and Taylor had "a consensual personal relationship."The New York Times first reported about the lawsuit.The AP does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, but Taylor was identified in the federal lawsuit and was quoted in a statement provided by her lawyer, David Haas."As a rape victim of Antonio Brown, deciding to speak out has been an incredibly difficult decision," Taylor said. "I have found strength in my faith, my family, and from the accounts of other survivors of sexual assault. Speaking out removes the shame that I have felt for the past year and places it on the person responsible for my rape."Taylor also said in the statement she will cooperate with the NFL and any other agencies.A spokesman for the NFL declined to comment, but the Patriots said the league told the team it will launch an investigation."We are aware of the civil lawsuit that was filed earlier today against Antonio Brown, as well as the response by Antonio's representatives," the Patriots said in a statement. "We take these allegations very seriously. Under no circumstance does this organization condone sexual violence or assault. The league has informed us that they will be investigating. We will have no further comment while that investigation takes place."The 31-year-old Brown, a Miami native, was released by Oakland last week after clashing with the team throughout training camp. He agreed to a contract with New England on Saturday but has yet to play for the Patriots.Brown and Taylor met through a Fellowship of Christian Athletes group at Central Michigan University, according to the lawsuit.Taylor said Brown reached out to her via Facebook in June 2017 and asked the former gymnast for help with improving his strength and flexibility.According to the lawsuit, Taylor was sexually assaulted by Brown on separate training trips to Pittsburgh and Florida that same month. The suit includes what it says are text messages from Brown bragging about the second assault.Taylor says in the suit she then cut off ties with Brown. But she agreed to work with him again after she says he apologized and agreed to provide hotel accommodations for each training trip.According to the lawsuit, Taylor and Brown were in Miami in May 2018 when he raped her in a bedroom at his home. Taylor says she shouted "no" and "stop," but Brown refused.Heitner said in his statement Taylor invited herself to join Brown and his friends on a night out on the town Womens Antonio Brown Jersey , and then came on to Brown before they engaged in consensual sex at his residence.Brown was approached by Taylor in 2017, according to Heitner, about making a $1.6 million investment in a business project. But he declined.Heitner said Taylor reached out to Brown again last year, and she traveled to his residences on multiple occasions. Heitner said she asked for tickets to a Pittsburgh Steelers game."Mr. Brown, whose hard work and dedication to his craft has allowed him to rise to the top of his profession, refuses to be the victim of what he believes to be a money grab," Heitner said in his statement.Brown was originally traded from Pittsburgh to Oakland in the offseason. But a bizarre foot injury, fight with the NFL over his helmet, skipped practices, multiple fines, a run-in with general manager Mike Mayock and his social media posts ultimately led to the decision to release him.Brown agreed to a deal with the defending Super Bowl champions hours after the Raiders let him go, granting his request.AP Sports Writers Bob Lentz and Kyle Hightower contributed to this report. ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Raiders tackle Trent Brown has been sued by his ex-girlfriend for what she says were multiple acts of domestic violence over the past year.Diorra Marzette-Sanders filed a civil suit in Alameda County Superior Court on Tuesday accusing him of several attacks that left her bloodied, bruised and fearing for her safety.According to the lawsuit, Marzette-Sanders accused the 6-foot-8, 380-pound Brown of slapping her, hitting her and choking her at different times and threatening to shoot her in the “head before you walk out that door with my son.”Brown denied the accusations.“I am aware that my ex-girlfriend has filed a civil suit against me,” Brown wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. “I deny the claims. They are false. I believe in the court system where I will clear my name. I will not be making any further comment at this time.”Marzette-Sanders said the two began dating in March 2017 and had a son together last January. She said the two had a “non-marital partnership agreement” and she moved around the country to be with Brown before he kicked her out of their home in Texas in June.Marzette-Sanders is requesting a jury trial and is seeking unspecified compensation, including punitive damages.Raiders coach Jon Gruden said the team was aware of the suit and was looking into it. He had no further comment.An NFL spokesman said the league would take the matter under review.Pro Football Talk first reported the lawsuit.
Cornerback Bradley Roby agreed to terms on a one-year Womens Jay Prosch Jersey , $10 million deal with the Texans. He said he turned down a three-year offer from the Steelers and a one-year deal from the 49ers.Roby also told Mike Klis of Denver’s 9News the Browns had interest “for a while.”“It’s a prove-it deal,” Roby said of his contract with the Texans. “I feel like I should go back in [the market next year] while I’m still young.”Roby, 26, spent his first five seasons with the Broncos. He made 50 tackles, an interception, 12 pass breakups and two forced fumbles in 15 games last season.He has never made the Pro Bowl Trevor Daniel Jersey White , having become a full-time starter last season. The Broncos signed Kareem Jackson, who had spent his entire career in Houston, to replace Roby. Roby said he never received an offer from the Broncos. “It’s a business,” Roby said. “Denver didn’t want me; they wanted someone else. . . .They got the guy they wanted.” The Texans have a chance today to render their game next week meaningless, and rest their starters in Week 17 to get healthy for the playoffs.If the Texans win today, they clinch the AFC South. And if the Patriots beat the Bills today Sammie Coates Jersey , the Texans are eliminated from getting a bye week in the playoffs. That means they know they’re playing at home in the wild card round, and have nothing to play for the following week.Texans coach Bill O’Brien hasn’t said whether he’d rest his starters in that scenario, but it’s hard to believe he wouldn’t. An injury to Deshaun Watson would be devastating to the Texans’ postseason chances, and putting him on the field with nothing to play for would be unwise.If the Texans do rest their starters, they could make a major impact in the AFC wild card race. That’s because they play the Titans in Week 17, and the Titans may need to win to get in. A similar scenario could play out with the other team competing for the final AFC wild card Benardrick McKinney Jersey , the Steelers, who could face a Ravens team resting its starters in Week 17. The final playoff spot may come down to two teams playing against opponents that aren’t really trying to beat them.
The Lions made a big investment into their skill positions this offseason Womens A'Shawn Robinson Jersey , who makes the final cut?" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhitePride Of Detroita Detroit Lions communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsLibraryLionsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Detroit Lions NewsDetroit Lions NotesDetroit Lions AnalysisDetroit Lions TransactionsDetroit Lions Game RecapsFiled under:Detroit Lions RosterDetroit Lions AnalysisDetroit Lions 2019 roster predictions: Who will win the skill position battles?New,17commentsThe Lions made a big investment into their skill positions this offseason, who makes the final cut?EDTShareTweetShareShareDetroit Lions 2019 roster predictions: Who will win the skill position battles?Raj Mehta-USA TODAY SportsDetroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn has never shied away from letting the public know his roster building strategy. He has already spent two of his first four first-round selections as a general manager on the offensive line. After he selected guard Frank Ragnow in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft, he told DetroitLions.com:That’s what made the Lions 2019 offseason such a surprise. Four of the team’s nine draft picks this year were used on skill position players, including tight end T.J. Hockenson in round one. Not a single draft pick was used on the offensive line—despite a glaring need—and not a single pick was used on the defensive line until the fourth round, when the team drafted defensive end Austin Bryant.A team that has especially valued the big guys up front over the years decided that this was the year they made huge investments into the skill positions. While it means that the offense has gotten a large injection of weapons for quarterback Matthew Stafford, it also means that the team will be facing a few tough decisions going forward.As of now, Detroit has 25 skill position players on the roster: six running backs, a full back, six tight ends and 12 wide receivers. In 2018, the team held onto 15 skill position players for their ‘final’ 53-man roster. This means that no matter what combination of players Detroit chooses to hold on to, around 10 players will have to go.So who makes the cut? And what can we project for each position going forward now that we are entering a summer full of offseason programs?Running backs2018 53-man roster (Strike through name indicates player is no longer with team): LeGarrette Blount, Kerryon Johnson, Theo Riddick, Ameer Abdullah2018 additions: Zach ZennerNew additions: C.J. Anderson, Ty Johnson, Mark ThompsonDetroit chose to hold on to four running backs last season, as was expected throughout training camp. The biggest decision they had to make regarding this unit was taken out of their hands when Zach Zenner was placed on Injured Reserve with a back injury, allowing Ameer Abdullah to slip into the fourth spot. Kerryon Johnson is a lock to make the roster. LeGarrette Blount’s spot will be replaced by C.J. Anderson. While Theo Riddick may be a trade candidate http://www.lionslockerroom.com/authentic-anthony-zettel-jersey , the Lions will most likely retain his services as well, as he is the best receiving back on the roster still and if they were going to cut him to save money, they most likely would have done so already. Mark Thompson is likely a camp body, and will need to have a stand out summer is he hopes to make the final roster.This leaves Ty Johnson and Zenner. The latter replaced Abdullah when he returned from injury midway through the year, and an impressive end to the season earned him a one-year extension. Johnson is a rookie sixth-round pick with all the speed you could dream of and value as a potential return man. If Detroit chooses to retain four running backs once again, that means there is only room for one. Johnson would be the favorite between the two. Detroit will most likely reduce the amount of receivers they hold on to, though (we will get to this in a second), so there is a very good chance they both end up making it.Fullbacks2018 roster: Nick BelloreNew additions: Nick Bawden2018 seventh-round pick Nick Bawden was the favorite to win the single fullback job last year. He unfortunately tore his ACL and missed his entire rookie season, and linebacker convert Nick Bellore earned the lone spot.Bellore left the team to join the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, and with Bawden back from injury the job is his. There is no competition here, and it is likely that Detroit elects to have a fullback to run Darrell Bevell’s offense.Wide receivers2018 roster: Golden Tate, Marvin Jones Jr., Kenny Golladay, TJ Jones, Brandon Powell, Bradley Marquez2018 additions: Chris Lacy, Andy Jones, Deontez AlexanderNew additions: Danny Amendola, Travis Fulgham Jake Rudock Jersey White , Tommylee Lewis, Jonathan Duhart, Jordan Smallwood, Tom KennedyDetroit made the shocking decision to hold on to six receivers on their final 53-man roster last season. Both Brandon Powell and Bradley Marquez seemed like long shots, but both did enough to steal one of the final places. Marquez did not last very long, though, and was cut in September.Jones Jr. and Golladay are locks to return as the team’s top two receivers. Free agent signing Danny Amendola is a lock as well and will usurp Golden Tate’s role. Chris Lacy and Deontez Alexander were all added at some point in 2018 as the team’s receiving corps fell apart. They failed to make much of an impact, though, and will need an impressive camp to make the roster. Jonathan Duhart, Jordan Smallwood and Tom Kennedy are most likely camp bodies that will need a stand-out Summer to make the roster. That leaves Brandon Powell, Travis Fulgham, Tommylee Lewis and Andy Jones competing for the remaining spots. If Detroit chooses to retain six receiver once again then three will be set to make the roster. Most likely they will only retain five, though, especially considering the current logjam at running back.Fulgham is the favorite. Powell is an interesting piece that contributed late in the season and is a piece that could be used creatively in Bevell’s offense. Lewis is another deep threat who gives the team enough speed to take the top off of defenses. Jones is a long shot, but his ability as a run blocker quietly makes him a perfect fit in a Detroit offense that projects to be run heavy. At most three, but most likely two, of those names will make the Lions final roster barring any sort of injury. Tight ends2018 roster: Luke Willson, Levine Toilolo, Michael Roberts Womens Trey Flowers Jersey , Hakeem Valles 2018 additions: Jerome CunninghamNew additions: T.J. Hockenson, Jesse James, Isaac Nauta, Logan Thomas, Detroit’s tight end corps was awful last year, but it looked like it had some sort of promise when the Lions chose to hold to four last summer. Hakeem Valles and Michael Roberts seemed like players who had potential, but neither reached it in 2018. Roberts is the only tight end from last season’s 53-man roster to still be on the team entering this summer, but he will have to fight to hold on to his roster spot this year. T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James are locks to make the roster. After that, everything is up for grabs.Logan Thomas is a former quarterback with some use as both a blocker and a receiver. Isaac Nauta was selected in the seventh round, and he could fill a role as a blocker as well. Jerome Cunningham was a late activation off of Detroit’s practice squad in 2018. The coaching staff obviously seems some sort of potential in him. PredictionRB (5): Kerryon Johnson, Theo Riddick, C.J. Anderson, Zach Zenner, Ty JohnsonFB (1): Nick BawdenWR (5): Marvin Jones Jr., Kenny Golladay, Danny Amendola, Travis Fulgham, Brandon PowellTE (3): T.J. Hockenson, Jesse James Womens Eli Harold Jersey , Isaac NautaIf Detroit chooses this path, then they will end up retaining 13 skill position players. This saves a surplus roster spot compared to 2018—I’m not counting Alexander as he was instantly released—and leaves Logan Thomas as the only real “odd man out”. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford had his best season in 2011, when he threw for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns while playing for head coach Jim Schwartz. The 31-year-old Stafford has never replicated those numbers from his age-23 season, but Schwartz still thinks highly of him.Schwartz, who as Eagles defensive coordinator is preparing to face Stafford on Sunday, said Stafford is a tough quarterback to prepare for, even though he doesn’t do the same things in the Lions’ offense now as he did when Schwartz is coaching him.“They’re playing a little bit different scheme,” Schwartz said, via the S. “They have a defensive head coach, they have an offensive coordinator who came from a run-first, Seattle-type scheme, so they have maybe a little bit different flavor, but he’s still a very dangerous guy. He goes to the right spot with the balls. He makes accurate throws and moves the ball around to a lot of different people.”As a defensive coordinator, Schwartz has faced Stafford twice, and his defenses have done a good job about him. That doesn’t necessarily mean he has his former quarterback’s number, but Stafford will need to wake up feeling dangerous if the Lions are going to upset the Eagles on Sunday.
Of the big four professional sports in the United States Jeff Driskel Jersey , the NFL is the only one without a team located outside of the country. Yet when the end of the NFL season arrives, tens of millions of people from all over the world tune in to watch the most illustrious championship in American sports. The Super Bowl needs no introduction to its significance. Businesses of all kinds spend millions of dollars to obtain 30 seconds of ad time during a timeout. The half-time show itself is a multi-million dollar production. Franchises in major cities now invest billions of dollars into new stadiums with the hopes of eventually hosting the game in the future. When you really sit down and think about it, the actual game that lies between everything else can get lost in the picture. When it comes to fanbases whose teams are rarely exposed to such an extravaganza, the appeal can naturally fade away over time. This past week marked the 30th anniversary of Super Bowl XXIII. On January 22, 1989, the Cincinnati Bengals maintained a 13-6 lead over the San Francisco 49ers entering the fourth quarter, a lead they could not hold. Quarterback Joe Montana threw two touchdown passes in the final period and went on to secure his fourth Super Bowl ring, solidifying the 49ers as the team of the decade.Three decades later, the quarterback who many proclaimed to have passed Montana in the all-time rankings is on the verge of claiming his sixth Super Bowl ring. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his head coach Bill Belichick have ruled the NFL for nearly 20 years. This upcoming Sunday will be the duo’s ninth Super Bowl, which is a greater number than any other team can boast. Just when we thought the new blood of the AFC was going to put a stop to the dynasty in New England, they reminded us, once more, to never count them out.But they’re not invulnerable. We saw the most recent example of this last year when the Philadelphia Eagles beat them thanks to the superb play from quarterback Nick Foles. Our next contender for the throne is the team that the Bengals have had eyes on for quite some time now. The Los Angeles Rams can attribute their uprising into the NFL’s elite thanks to aggressive team-building, and fresh coaching and philosophies Nick Vigil Jersey Limited , things the Bengals have lacked for what seems like an eternity.On the surface, Super Bowl LIII may not interest you very much, especially if the poor refereeing and overtime rules made you rage quit the other week. These reasons should be able to pull you back into watching if you bleed orange and black.The upstart versus the golden standardThe entire appeal of this matchup lies in the start contrasts between each franchise. The Rams have had their quarterback Jared Goff for just three seasons. He’s still just 24 years old. Their head coach is about only eight years older than him and has been with the team in less time, but Goff’s play began to show signs of life when McVay arrived on the scene. The magic of McVay’s leadership lies within an advanced acumen of scheme and talent utilization packed within a hyper-processor of a brain, with about 10 terabytes of memory.McVay’s turnaround of the Rams, who’ve been in southern California for just three seasons, is mightily impressive. But isn’t true greatness success that is sustained? No duo better exemplifies that than Brady and Belichick. They not only make it out of the AFC on average every two years, they’re on the verge of tying the entire Pittsburgh Steelers franchise for the most Vince Lombardi Trophies. Everyone wants to emulate the Rams that have thrived under McVay, and a win over the mighty Patriots would solidify that league-wide desire. It would also justify the Bengals’ specific motives, which gets us to our next point.Will Zac Taylor arrive in Cincinnati a champion, or a runner-up? We’ve had to wait for over two weeks now for the Bengals’ next head coach to be officially hired by the organization. We know it will happen, but we’d like to see it actually materialize, which is understandable. Taylor’s youth and exposure to a team that’s been modernized on the field and in the offseason is the source of the excitement that his hiring has sparked. We know he plays a vital part in their in-game operations, we know he’s another highly-touted mind for the game http://www.cincinnatibengalsteamonline.com/jordan-willis-jersey , what’s left to find out is if the system he’s likely to bring over to the midwest is one that can topple a powerhouse. When it’s all said and done, Taylor will not be credited with the outcome of the game, win or loss. He’s just the quarterbacks coach, he doesn’t call plays, throw challenge flags, or hold nearly the authority that McVay does, and for good reason. He’s not McVay, and the notion that he’d be a clone of him when he’s running the show is absurd. He’s his own man, and we’ll see if his team is able to keep up with the unstoppable force that is the Patriots.Andrew. Whitworth.Last but certainly not least, nobody playing in this game deserves to win more than No. 77 for the blue and yellow.The glamour of the Super Bowl has always been primary influencer into who gets inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A player of Whitworth’s caliber undoubtedly deserves a eventually golden jacket and a bronze bust of that shiny bald head. Will he reach that eternal glory without a ring on his r茅sum茅? It hasn’t worked out in Ken Anderson’s favor, that much is for sure.For so long, Whitworth was denied the opportunity to truly contend for the Super Bowl with the Bengals, despite playing at a consistently high level. When he left for Los Angeles in 2017, he helped ignite an offensive explosion that has made the Rams into the contenders the Bengals now strive to become. He has one more year left on his current contract Carl Lawson Jersey , but you’d have to think he’ll get no better shot at winning the Super Bowl than this game. Not every team returns to February football so quickly like the Patriots do. There is no debate. If you root for the Bengals, you’ll be rooting for the Rams. Your possible hatred for the Patriots put aside, Whitworth deserves this. He’s earned this, and this may be his one and final chance.Go get that ring Big Whit. ATLANTA (AP) — Quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor isn’t allowed to talk about what will happen next week after the Los Angeles Rams‘ trip to the Super Bowl is over and the Cincinnati Bengals hire their next head coach.Brian Flores, the New England Patriots‘ unofficial defensive coordinator, says it would be disrespectful for him to discuss what’s going on with his own career until next week, when the Miami Dolphins make their own head coaching hire.Until then, these two assistants on the rise are making sure they’re doing everything possible to walk into their next jobs with a big, shiny ring.The 35-year-old Taylor is widely expected to be hired by the Bengals to replace Marvin Lewis once the Rams’ season ends Sunday. While he couldn’t confirm the decision during the opening media session of Super Bowl week Monday night, Taylor used his first public comments since the interview process to praise Rams coach Sean McVay for his advice and leadership during their two years together.“The important thing is to not allow it to be a distraction,” Taylor said of his head coaching interviews during the Rams’ playoff push. “Sean has been really great to let us take our day to handle that business, and then put it to rest and move on and remain focused. He wants to see the best for us, and so he’s been very helpful. That’s one of the many things you appreciate about Sean.”Taylor spent one year as the University of Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator before joining McVay’s staff in 2017. He has risen rapidly in the NFL’s estimation along with just about everyone who has worked with, worked for or spoken to McVay Cheap Jonah Williams Jersey , who has his long-struggling franchise in the Super Bowl in his second season.Along with Taylor’s apparent success with the Bengals, former Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur took over the Green Bay Packers three weeks ago. Current Rams passing game coordinator Shane Waldron also interviewed for unspecified head coaching jobs in the past month.“Sean has been great,” Taylor said of his 33-year-old boss. “It is something that all coaches strive to do at some point in their career, but the important thing is to not allow it to be a distraction.”An hour after Taylor gently deflected questions about his future, Flores did the same. Late in his 15th season with the Patriots as a scout and coach, the former Boston College linebacker wouldn’t address widespread reports that he will take over in Miami after the Super Bowl.“Right now my vision is on Sunday’s game,” Flores said. “That’s where my head is at.”That’s the same posture taken by former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia last season when he interviewed for the Detroit Lions‘ head coaching job during the Patriots’ playoff run. He then was swarmed with questions about his future heading into the Patriots’ Super Bowl matchup with Philadelphia.New England lost the game on Feb. 4, and Patricia was officially named Detroit’s coach on Feb. 5.Flores said he hasn’t been distracted by the ongoing speculation about his job status.“I’m very good at compartmentalizing. Right now my focus is squarely on the Rams,” Flores said. “I love the guys on (the Patriots). To think about anything else aside from this game I think is a disservice to them. So that’s where I’m at.”Flores would be the ninth former assistant to Bill Belichick to become a head coach. That group includes current offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the former Denver head coach who was named Indianapolis’ head coach right after the Super Bowl last season, only to withdraw from the position later that day.Flores started with the Patriots as a scouting assistant in 2004 after he sent a letter to all 32 NFL teams asking for a job and even offering to work for no pay.“Brian has been with our organization for a long time in a lot of different roles,” Belichick said at media night. “He’s done a great job for me, and he has the respect of everybody in the organization.”
The Rams have a 2-0 record and the Saints have some worrying to do about their quarterback.The Rams broke open a 6-6 game with three second half touchdowns to get a 27-9 win over the Saints on Sunday afternoon. The icing on the cake came when wide receiver Cooper Kupp ran through Womens Brian Allen Jersey , over and around several Saints defenders for a 66-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter. Jared Goff snuck the ball in one play later and the Rams were in cruise control from there.New Orleans will head home with questions about Drew Brees‘s condition. He left the game in the first quarter after banging his right thumb into Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and was not throwing or holding a ball in that hand while standing on the sideline for the rest of the game.Teddy Bridgewater filled in at quarterback and went 17-of-30 for 165 yards, but the Saints offense looked like a shell of its usual self over the final three-plus quarters of action. If Brees is going to miss more time Jacob McQuaide Jersey , they’ll need to find a way to pick things up or their defense is going to find itself tiring out in the way it did on Sunday.Todd Gurley had 69 yards and a touchdown on the ground for the Rams, who saw right guard Austin Blythe and tight end Tyler Higbee leave with injuries during the contest. Gurley had 19 touches this week after getting the ball 15 times in the opener.Goff also threw a touchdown to Brandin Cooks and caught a big break when officials ruled a fumble was an incomplete pass in the second quarter of the game. Cameron Jordan recovered that fumble and returned it for a touchdown http://www.theramslockerroom.com/authentic-johnny-hekker-jersey , but only the recovery counted because the officials had blown the play dead way too fast.That turned out to be as close as the Saints would come to scoring a touchdown without Brees in the game and that looms much larger than a bad call on the list of reasons why the Saints lost this game. Hard not to think Rams GM Les Snead isn’t working the phone lines this month to trade back from #31..."We’re deep enough beyond the opening of free agency that we have a pretty good sense of where teams are across the NFL. So now, teams are turning in earnest toward the 2019 NFL Draft as their last (and best) opportunity to build up their roster as we head toward the 2019 season.In this week’s Monday mock from Mocking the Draft’s Dan Kadar Womens Rob Havenstein Jersey , that means an obvious probability for the Los Angeles Rams: trading down from the 31st overall pick.Skipping the proceedings, here’s what Kadar has for the Rams:The only reason to stay at 31 is if you’re certain that a prospect is both (a) a certainty in terms of their capabilities and (b) unattainable a few picks later wherever you would be trading down to and (c) is a level beyond the other options that would be available at that point.I find it very hard to believe there will be any prospects that fit that third point. And because the Rams have a hole in their roster timeline due to previous trades Cory Littleton Jersey , getting a player of the same caliber a half dozen or so picks later while getting an extra pick to help address that hole seems nearly inevitable.
Three months after the emergence of an audio recording that prompted the Chiefs to ban receiver Tyreek Hill from the balance of the offseason program De’Anthony Thomas Jersey , the NFL has decided to take no action against Hill.The league has announced that Hill will not be disciplined under the Personal Conduct Policy.The NFL’s statement focuses on the child-abuse investigation, saying nothing about the apparent threat made to Crystal Espinal in the audio that surface an hour before the start of the 2019 draft. “You need to be terrified of me too, bitch,” Hill said to Espinal during an argument regarding whether their young son respects Hill or is terrified of him.It’s currently unclear why the league opted not to discipline Hill for that comment, or whether the league even considered the possibility. What is clear is that Hill is clear to return to the Chiefs, join his teammates at training camp Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Jersey , and move forward with the final season of his rookie contract. [.]Over the past four months, we have conducted a comprehensive investigation of allegations regarding Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Throughout this investigation, the NFL’s primary concern has been the well-being of the child. Our understanding is that the child is safe and that the child’s ongoing care is being directed and monitored by the Johnson County District Court and the Johnson County Department for Children and Families.In conducting our investigation, we have taken great care to ensure that we do not interfere with the county’s proceedings or compromise the privacy or welfare of the child in any way. The information developed in the court proceeding is confidential and has not been shared with us, and the court has sealed all law enforcement records. Local law enforcement authorities have publicly advised that the available evidence does not permit them to determine who caused the child’s injuries. Similarly, based on the evidence presently available Ron Parker Jersey , the NFL cannot conclude that Mr. Hill violated the Personal Conduct Policy. Accordingly, he may attend Kansas City’s training camp and participate in all club activities. He has been and will continue to be subject to conditions set forth by the District Court, Commissioner Goodell, and the Chiefs, which include clinical evaluation and therapeutic intervention. If further information becomes available through law enforcement, the pending court proceeding Allen Bailey Jersey , or other sources, we will promptly consider it and take all appropriate steps at that time.
Daily news and links for Tuesday"WhitePatriots News Opinion and Analysis Contribute! FanPostsFanShotsAbout the Site List of Patriots Twitter AccountsWrite For Pats Pulpit!New User Welcome and Commenting GuideCommunity GuidelinesMastheadTopics Patriots Off-Season CoveragePatriots Opinion/AnalysisPatriots NewsPatriots Draft CoverageSportfolio ManagementPatriots NewsNew England Patriots LinksNew England Patriots links 5/28/19 - Starting TE still up for grabs Color Rush Byron Cowart Jersey , even with Ben Watson in lineupNew,62commentsDaily news and links for TuesdayEDTShareTweetShareShareNew England Patriots links 5/28/19 - Starting TE still up for grabs, even with Ben Watson in lineupKyle Van Noy intercepts a pass intended for TE Austin Sefarian-Jenkins in 2018Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY SportsTEAM TALKCommunity: Memorial Day flag planting with the Patriots. (1.09 min. video)LOCAL LINKSZack Cox resets the Patriots tight end chart after Ben Watson’s suspension: A closer look at the other five tight ends currently vying for the starting job.Devon Clements (FootballMaven) Which TE benefits most from Ben Watson’s suspension?Alex Valles (FootballMaven) 6 position battles to watch in OTAs, training camp. 1. TE: Austin Seferian-Jenkins vs. Matt LaCosse.Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots News, AFC East Notes: Jerod Mayo was making his presence felt on the practice field, yelling out encouragement and signals to the inside LBs; Who emerges from the TE group? More.David Latham (LastWordOnSports) Patriots X-Factors: WR N’Keal Harry.Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Why work with Julian Edelman is paying dividends for N’Keal Harry.James Simon finds according to BetOnline the Patriots are odds on favorites to lead the NFL in victories.Michael Hurley points out the internet ruthlessly shaming Aaron Rodgers for his slow beer chug at a Bucks game.Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Tom Brady helps Zdeno Chara for Bruins’ incredible Stanley Cup hype video.Andrew Callahan welcomes Ryan Hannable on the New England No-Huddle podcast: Top 5 Patriots position battles; More. (43 min.)NATIONAL NEWSMike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Benjamin Watson can hit his incentives despite four-game suspension.Albert Breer (SI) Monday Afternoon QB: Patriots’ adjustments to Benjamin Watson’s suspension Youth Byron Cowart Jersey , Jets’ GM search heats up, More NFL notes.Dan Schmelzer (NFLMocks) Patriots: Mike Pennel an underrated offseason addition.Gary Davenport (Bleacher Report) Predicting every NFL team’s surprise rookie gem. Patriots: CB D’Angelo Ross.Kevin Patra (NFL.com) 100 days until Packers, Bears begin NFL’s 100th season.Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) 100 things to know 100 days out from the start of the 100th season.Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) The biggest question for all 32 teams. Patriots: Who will provide the pass rush with Trey Flowers gone to Detroit? Cam Mellor (Pro Football Focus) Best draft-class WR by route, scheme fit with new NFL team. N’Keal Harry included.Danny Kelly (The Ringer) The NFL players returning from injury who could swing the 2019 season.Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Bart Starr is still the NFL’s all-time most efficient postseason passer.Scooby Axson (SI) Adam Gase: Sam Darnold asking questions, studying film on Peyton Manning. /’scuze me while I study up Gisele on the runway and see how that works out.Chase Goodbread (NFL.com) Top 11 all-time NFL players from service academies.Charles Robinson (Yahoo! Sports0 Ezekiel Elliott’s Las Vegas incident ‘likely’ to be reviewed by NFL commissioner.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) One month later, no action taken regarding Tyreek Hill.EXTRACURRICULARKevin Draper and Ken Belson (NY Times) NFL begins moves to avoid another labor war.Jarrett Bell (USA Today) Opinion: List of issues for NFL’s next collective bargaining agreement overshadowed by one thing.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) CBA talks peaceful and cordial Womens Byron Cowart Jersey , for now.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Court finds that Buccaneers used creative accounting to support claim for Deepwater Horizon compensation. /This is wack. Andrews is one of the best centers in football." Patriots AnalysisPatriots Player ProfilesPatriots Offseason CoverageNew England Patriots 2019 roster breakdown: #60 OC David AndrewsNew,4commentsAndrews is one of the best centers in football.EDTThe New England Patriots, who are currently in their middle of their 2019 training camp, have 90 players on their active roster at the moment. However, only 53 of them will be able to survive the cutdowns on August 31 and ultimately make the team. Over the course of the summer, we will take a look at the players fighting for those spots to find out who has the best chances of helping the Patriots defend their Super Bowl title.Today Authentic Byron Cowart Jersey , the series continues with one of New England’s team captains.Name: David AndrewsPosition: CenterJersey number: 60Opening day age: 27Experience: 4Size: 6’3, 300 lbs.2018 review: Make no mistake about it: David Andrews is one of the best and most consistent players on the Patriots’ roster, and the leader of the team’s offensive line. As such, he played an integral role in New England’s offensive success in 2018 and earned his second Super Bowl ring in three years as the starting center. Brady, and as a very solid run blocker as well. On top of it all, Andrews will likely get voted team captain for a third year — reflecting his standing on the roster as a leader and player around which to build. And as such White Drew Bledsoe Jerseys , the center spot will be in safe hands again in 2019.
Russell Wilson high-stepped his way down the sideline before hugging coach Pete Carroll after Jason Myers' kick split the uprights.After a wild overtime that featured a rare Wilson interception https://www.raiderslockerroom.com/authentic-derek-carr-jersey , a missed field goal by San Francisco and a questionable decision from 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, the Seahawks had knocked the Niners from the ranks of the unbeaten and made sure the NFC West would remain tight down the stretch.Myers kicked a 42-yard field goal after Chase McLaughlin missed a kick earlier in overtime, and the Seahawks handed the San Francisco 49ers their first loss with a 27-24 victory on Monday night."That was the craziest game I've ever been a part of," Wilson said.Myers gave Seattle (8-2) its second straight overtime win after Wilson got the Seahawks into position with an 18-yard scramble on third-and-3. After being iced by a timeout, Myers delivered one week after missing two field goals and an extra point, moving Seattle on the heels of San Francisco (8-1) in the NFC West."We practice these situations every day," left tackle Duane Brown said. "Russell Wilson is the best quarterback in the league. When you have him under center, I don't care how much time is on the clock. We feel like we have a chance."The Seahawks blew an opportunity to win the game on the opening possession of overtime when Wilson was intercepted at the 4 by Dre Greenlaw.It was Wilson's second interception of the season and just the second red-zone interception in overtime in the last 25 years, according to STATS, with Jacoby Brissett having the other in 2017 against San Francisco.Greenlaw returned it 47 yards to the Seattle 49 and the Niners moved the ball 20 yards before McLaughlin missed badly to the left on a 47-yard attempt. McLaughlin had made his first three field goals after being signed earlier in the week when Robbie Gould went down with a quadriceps injury."Just rushed it a little bit, hit it a little high and unfortunately missed it," McLaughlin said.The teams then traded punts, the Seahawks took over at their 36 with 1:25 remaining after Jimmy Garoppolo threw three straight incompletions as San Francisco burned only 14 seconds off the clock with Seattle out of timeouts."Definitely wish we had taken more time off the clock, but was counting on us catching one of those balls," Shanahan said.After the defenses dominated much of the game with each team scoring a defensive touchdown and generating three takeaways apiece in regulation, the quarterbacks traded late drives for field goals that set the stage for overtime.Wilson drove the Seahawks 47 yards before Chris Carson was stuffed on third-and-1, leading to a 46-yard field goal by Myers with 1:45 to play.Garoppolo and the Niners took over from there and used short passes to move the ball down to the 29 where McLaughlin kicked a 47-yard field goal with 1 second left to tie it at 24.MAKING A POINTThe Seahawks shut down San Francisco's running game, allowing only 3.2 yards per carry and forced Garoppolo into an off night with his receivers contributing with several drops. Garoppolo finished 24 for 48 for 248 yards, one touchdown and one interception.He was sacked five times and missed injured tight end George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders, who left in the first quarter with a rib injury."We wanted to prove we were the best defense on the field today," Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said. "We understood what people were thinking because of the last two weeks. we felt like had something to prove."CLOWNEY'S DAYJadeveon Clowney had his biggest impact since joining Seattle this season. He returned a fumble 10 yards for the Seahawks' first touchdown Derek Carr Jersey White , set up another with a strip sack and had five quarterback hits on the day.BONE HEAD PLAYThe 49ers got a defensive score of their own in the fourth quarter. K'Waun Williams sacked Wilson, knocking the ball loose to right tackle Germain Ifedi. Ifedi tried to run with the ball but Fred Warner knocked it loose again and DeForest Buckner ran it in 12 yards for the score."What was he thinking? He thought he was going to score," coach Pete Carroll said.BIG PLAYThe Seahawks were poised to take the lead into halftime when D.K. Metcalf took a short pass from Wilson and ran it inside the 5. But as he was fighting for more yardage, safety Jaquiski Tartt ripped it out of his hands at the 2-yard line for an impressive fumble recovery.DEBUT PERFORMANCESDiggs started in his first game for Seattle since being acquired last month in a trade from Detroit.Receiver Josh Gordon also made his Seahawks debut after being claimed off waivers last week from New England. He caught a 13-yard pass to convert a third down on the late field-goal drive in the fourth quarter and another to convert a third down in overtime.INJURIESSeahawks: WR Tyler Lockett left with a bruised leg and might have to stay in the Bay Area overnight. TE Luke Willson left with a hamstring injury.49ers: Sanders (ribs) left in the first quarter. DT D.J. Jones was sidelined later in the first half with a groin injury. LB Azeez Al-Shaair left with a concussion in the third quarter. RB Matt Breida left in the second half with an ankle injury. DL Ronald Blair left the game with a knee injury.UP NEXTSeahawks: Week off before visiting Philadelphia on Nov. 24.49ers: Host Arizona on Sunday. As a combo, the Denver Broncos' two highest-paid players aren't exactly money yet.Although Demaryius Thomas caught the winning touchdown pass from Case Keenum in their opener, the pair making a combined $27 million this season have 10 missed connections so far.That's almost as many connections — 11 for 81 yards — as they've made together.Calculating incompletions where he got both hands on the ball, Thomas leads the league with five drops so far.Thomas had two early drops in the opener but bounced back to catch a 4-yard dart from Keenum to beat the Seahawks in Week 1. Thomas dropped three passes against the Raiders last week, when he had five receptions for 18 yards. Only four times has he had fewer yards in a game since becoming a starter in 2012.His biggest drop last week came with Denver at midfield, trailing by two points with 22 seconds left. Thomas sprinted up the right sideline and deked his defender into leaving him wide open. Keenum delivered a pass on target and on time, but the ball sailed through Thomas' hands.On the next play, Keenum hooked up with Tim Patrick for his first NFL reception, a 26-yarder that set up Brandon McManus' 36-yard field goal that beat the Raiders 20-19 .Thomas' early-season troubles are reminiscent of 2015, when he dropped eight passes before November, then added five drops against New England in a game when his sole catch proved crucial to Denver's win in overtime that helped propel the Broncos to the Super Bowl 50 title.Thomas said his only focus this week was on trying to help his team out Sunday when the Broncos (2-0) visit Baltimore (1-1), and his latest bout of drops apparently hasn't alarmed his coaches."He's OK," coach Vance Joseph said, adding that the coaching staff can provide a boost by calling his number early and often."It's our job to get him going early and to get him his confidence early," Joseph said. "When guys go through a whole half and have one attempt or two attempts, that's tough for receivers. If he has his first attempt and he drops it or it's a bad ball, that's a mind war. It's our job to get him going early. It's his job to play with confidence, and he will."Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave said he believes that corrections need to be made in the flow of the game without regard to a specific player who might be struggling with catches or confidence."We're just trying to give everybody the ball Womens Bo Jackson Jersey ," Musgrave said. "We don't want to start worrying about one guy here ... We've just got to let the ball find everybody in the system, whether it's handing off or throwing it. If we do a good job, I think everybody will get their touches."Keenum sees any hiccups right now as the inevitable crimps that will dissipate as the offense develops."The team that you are in September is always very different then the team you are in December," Keenum said. "I think that's why you come out every day and practice. You grind away at those little itty-bitty details, mechanics and footwork, routes and protections, so that you can keep building this library, keep building this trust, keep building this chemistry with these guys with the offensive line, the running backs, the receivers."All so you can trust on that when it comes down to December, January, and hopefully February."ROUGHING RULEJoseph said he understands why the league is emphasizing roughing calls on quarterbacks this season."They want the quarterback not to be punished. Back when I played, that was the key to the game: How much can you punish the quarterback? But it's changed," Joseph said. "They want you to sack the quarterback and turn your body and not put your full body weight on the guy."Joseph said he concurs with the league's efforts to keep QBs safe."I don't want Case hit that way. So, it goes both ways with the players. So, I agree with it," Joseph said. "We haven't had a play yet that has cost us. So, I don't have a problem with it. That could change in two weeks. But it's for the safety of the position."
20.01.2020 07:42
