for Cleveland sports Genard Avery Color Rush Jersey , and that is referring to the personal/emotional aspect of it. Everyone heard the shocking news on Tuesday about Cavaliers announcer Fred McLeod passing away. Wednesday morning, news hit the Cleveland Browns, as the girlfriend of DE Chris Smith, Petara Cordero, was killed in a car accident on I-90 West.Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam released the following statement:Many Clevelanders who were driving to work this morning probably heard about the accident, before knowing who was involved. When I left my house this morning https://www.brownsfanshop.com/Austin-Corbett-Jersey , I heard about the highway being closed from W. 117th to W. 140th, and I could see two helicopters hovering over the scene for at least 20 minutes.Smith was excused from the Browns’ second preseason game this year so that he could attend the birth of their daughter. Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens visited Smith’s home earlier today, and the team says it will have counselors onsite throughout the week to provide emotional support and care to all players and staff. The Browns didn’t play many of their offensive starters on Saturday night, but they had several defensive regulars in the lineup for the early part of the preseason matchup with the Colts.Defensive end Myles Garrett was an exception. After the game, head coach Freddie Kitchens said that Garrett got a little banged up during Thursday’s joint practice with Indianapolis and that was enough to rule him out of game action.“It’s just if they’re a little bit banged up, I’m going to make sure they’re fine Nick Chubb Jersey ,” Kitchens said, via Cleveland.com. “If we’d have played a [regular-season] game today, he would’ve been out there.”Cornerback Denzel Ward also sat for the Browns and Kitchens said he would have rested others, “but numbers-wise we just couldn’t do it.” The Browns will be back in action against the Buccaneers on Friday in what’s typically a dress rehearsal for the regular season.
No Rashan Gary Jersey , Aaron, this is not clickbait.But, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was willing to say what his head coach was not last night after their Canadian adventure, the latest in a string of embarrassments for the NFL when they work in non-NFL buildings at home and abroad.With the team playing on an 80-yard Winnipeg field because no one in the NFL imagined having a hole in the end zone where the CFL goalposts used to be might be a problem, the Packers held out 33 of their players against the Raiders.Raiders coach Jon Gruden said the field wasn’t a problem for him, but Packers coach Matt LaFleur was perhaps trying to be polite to his Canadian hosts.“We made the adjustments we felt were in the best interest of our football team, and we moved forward,” LaFleur said, via the team’s official website. “It was a combination of a lot of things I really don’t want to get into right now. It is what it is. They weren’t playing their guys and I just didn’t want to put our guys at risk.”Rodgers was more direct. Via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, Rodgers said on the team’s television broadcast that his not playing was not related to the back tightness which caused him to be a healthy scratch last week, saying it was “nothing to do with [his sore] back, it’s more the field conditions that we had tonight.”That means Rodgers will likely go through the preseason without playing a snap, which is better than the alternative they’re considering in Carolina this morning, where Cam Newton was injured in his first preseason game.“I feel confident in our preparation,” LaFleur said. “Hindsight is 20/20. I know we’re going to get second-guessed every which way, but I’m not too worried about it.“I’m concerned about how we go about our business and our mindset in that locker room Vince Biegel Color Rush Jersey , and I think our guys are confident.”If only the league could say the same thing, now that Winnipeg has joined Mexico City, Canton, and Dayton, Ohio (where A.J. Green was hurt in a league-arranged Bengals practice on an old college turf) for field-related fiascoes. Since meeting in the NFC wild-card game in January 2017, the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants have followed the same path for a couple of seasons.Neither made the playoffs the past two years and both fired the coaches who got them to the postseason in the 2016 season. The Giants got rid of Ben McAdoo in late 2017 and the Packers dumped long-time coach Mike McCarthy 12 games into the ’18 season.Pat Shurmur is now in his second season running the Giants and Matt LaFleur is in his first with the Pack. Their roads also have gone in much different directions.LaFleur and the Packers (8-3) are tied for first place in the NFC North with Minnesota heading into a game Sunday at MetLife Stadium against the Giants (2-9), who have won seven times in 27 games under Shurmur.Good times seemingly have returned for the Packers, though they need a quick rebound from being routed at San Francisco. The Giants remain in the dumps, with three straight losing seasons and six in seven years.The Packers got a reality check this past Sunday night in a 38-7 loss to the 49ers in San Francisco. LaFleur sidestepped a question on whether he was curious to see how his team responded this week, saying they were just looking for the chance to play again.They certainly have to right opponent.Giants running back Saquon Barkley, the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, says things have not gone the way the organization wanted the past two seasons, and everyone is fighting through the adversity with the belief things are going to change.“You’ve got to believe it first for it to actually happen,” Barkley said. “If you don’t believe in it, it will never happen. That’s why it’s important because it starts there. Not only myself but everyone in this locker room, we believe https://www.thepackersfanshop.com/Antonio-Morrison-Jersey , we’re going to continue to believe, going to continue to work and try to finish this season off as strong as we can— starting off with the Packers, who are a great team.”MR. JONESThe rookie quarterback has thrown a touchdown in nine straight games and his 17 lead all rookies. He has thrown only one interception in the last four games, while passing for 11 touchdowns. His problem remains fumbles. He has lost 10 fumbles, including one against the Bears that led to a 3-yard touchdown drive.MR. RODGERSAaron Rodgers is having another great season. He has 18 touchdown passes and two interceptions. What might he do against the Giants’ secondary?Rookie DeAndre Baker and second-year pro Sam Beal started alternating at one cornerback spot last week. Rookie cornerback Corey Balentine struggled in the slot against the Bears and rookie Julian Love will get more playing time at safety with Jabrill Peppers nursing a back injury. The only veterans are cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Antoine Bethea.MR. JONES AGAINThe Packers need to get running back Aaron Jones more active in the passing game. His production has dipped since receiver Davante Adams returned from turf toe. Adams has caught seven passes in each of his three games back. Jones, who has 11 rushing touchdowns, has caught one of four targets for minus-1 yard.In the three games before Adams returned to the lineup, Jones had 15 catches for 205 yards and three touchdowns. LaFleur wants him more involved this week.ALDRICK ROSASThe Giants’ third-year placekicker went to the Pro Bowl last season, making 32 of 33 field goal attempts and 31 of 32 PATs. The consistency has not carried over. He is 8 of 12 on field goals this season and 21 of 24 on extra points. He has missed either a field goal or an extra point in five straight games. He missed two field goal attempts (42, 43 yards) in last weekend’s five-point loss to the Bears. He also had a kickoff go out of bounds, giving Chicago the ball at its 40.O-LINE CONCERNSThe Packers allowed the 49ers to sack Rodgers five times on Sunday night. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga injured his right knee and left the game. Alex Light replaced him but struggled.Watch the right side of the line. If Bulaga doesn’t go, Light might get the start. Or right guard Billy Turner might move out to tackle. That would give Lucas Patrick a chance to start at right guard. The Giants might look to exploit the injury.“Our goal is just to put our best five out there and we’ll go from there,” LaFleur said.
the secondary on the third day of the 2019 NFL Draft by selecting USC defensive back Marvell Tell III. Tell was not rated high as a safety in the Anthony..." Indianapolis Colts Draft CentralDraft ProspectsIndianapolis Colts select USC DB Marvell Tell III with 144th pickNew Parris Campbell Jersey ,17commentsEDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Indianapolis Colts select USC DB Marvell Tell III with 144th pickTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Sean Haffey/Getty ImagesThe Indianapolis Colts continued to address the secondary on the third day of the 2019 NFL Draft by selecting USC defensive back Marvell Tell III. Tell was not rated high as a safety in the Anthony Arena Memorial 2019 NFL Draft Guide but will likely not play at that position for the Colts. He also played on special teams all four years with the Trojans and that will certainly help him have a chance to make the roster in what is becoming a rather crowded defensive backfield.He reminds me of Pierre Desir, in that he has great length at 6’2”, 198 lbs. and doesn’t have a blazing 40 yard time — although his 4.57 second time at USC’s Pro Day is good enough. He put up a 42” vertical jump, which was third among all defensive backs; a 136” broad jump, which was second; ran a 6.63 second three-cone, good for second; and a 4.01 second 20-yard shuttle, good for third.As we can see above, Tell is another rare athlete the Colts coaching staff will have the chance to mold into something more at the next level. How well he transitions to corner is hard to project but there is another important trait to acknowledge. Tell not only was a well respected player on his team who stayed for four years, even though he likely could have been drafted after his junior season, but also worked really hard in the classroom and in preparation for life after football. He is another clear locker room fit and should continue to build upon the culture Chris Ballard has been working hard to create.His best college season came as a junior where he tallied 85 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, 3 interceptions, 2 passes defensed, a fumble recovery and a touchdown — earning him a nod as first-team All-Pac-12. For his career, Tell tallied 220 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, .5 sack, 5 interceptions, 13 passes defensed http://www.coltsfanshop.com/Ben-Banogu-Jersey , one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a touchdown. NEW YORK (AP) — From a breakthrough quarterback to a unanimous choice. From two brothers to four rookies for the first time — two from the same club, no less. The Associated Press 2018 All-Pro Team has something for everyone.Patrick Mahomes and three other Kansas City Chiefs players made the squad Friday. They were joined by the first rookie teammates since 1965 — Colts guard left Quenton Nelson and linebacker Darius Leonard. The last time that occurred it was two future Hall of Famers, the Bears’ Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers.Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was the only unanimous choice in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.“That’s surreal,” Donald said. “It’s a blessing. Wow! You see the hard work pay off.“A lot of credit to my teammates and my coaches for pushing me and helping me.”Mahomes, Kansas City’s second-year sensation, drew 45 votes at quarterback and was joined by teammates Travis Kelce at tight end, Tyreek Hill as the flex player and Mitchell Schwartz at right tackle.Kelce’s brother, Eagles center Jason, also made the team.“For me and my brother to both get it, it’s that much more special because I still remember us in the backyard fighting with each other, playing football growing up and we envisioned each other competing at the highest level, competing against the best players,” Jason said. “And for both of us to be recognized as one of those guys is pretty special.”Joining Nelson and Leonard as rookies on the team were Seahawks punter Michael Dickson and Chargers safety Derwin James.“These are the kind of guys who have the DNA, the makeup of everything that we are looking for,” Colts coach Frank Reich said of Nelson and Leonard. “All the intangibles, all the character qualities, everything about them. It’s a really hard filter to get through to get marked that way and both Quenton and Darius had that on their card. So that says something about their maturity and how fast we think they will develop.”And already have developed.Chicago also had four All-Pros: edge rusher Khalil Mack, cornerback Kyle Fuller Rock Ya-Sin Jersey , safety Eddie Jackson and punt returner Tarik Cohen.Two players made All-Pro for the fifth time: Houston edge rusher J.J. Watt and Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly.“It means a lot to get back to the top level of the game,” said Watt, who missed most of the 2016 and ’17 seasons with major injuries. “Obviously, it’s an extreme honor to be a first-team All-Pro, especially after what I’ve been through the last two years and hearing the things that people were saying and questioning myself at times.“To be able to get back to the top level of the game and know that I still have things to improve on and things that I want to get even better at, it’s exciting.”The All-Pro team was split: 14 AFC and 14 NFC members. There were 16 newcomers: Mahomes; Schwartz; Fuller; Jackson; Cohen; Saints receiver Michael Thomas; Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari; Eagles interior defensive lineman Fletcher Cox; Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore; Chargers defensive back Desmond King and special teamer Adrian Phillips; Jets kick returner Andre Roberts; and the four rookies.Players with previous All-Pro honors who made the 2018 team included Donald and Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, each for the fourth time; Mack, Dallas right guard Zack Martin and Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, each for the third time; Hill; Rams running back Todd Gurley; and Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins.“I think I really took a lot of pride in leadership,” said Wagner, who drew 49 votes. “I knew that was going to be big if we were going to be successful. I knew I was going to have to up my role in that, up my mindfulness in that. I was really conscious of that and just making sure I was, when it came to getting back to the defense I looked at it from a different lens.”Hopkins got the most votes on offense with 46.“This is validation,” Hopkins said. “I feel like these people are the people who actually know football, who study football, who have been around football for years. So to be on this list and to be first team is a great feeling. But it makes me want to work harder and continue to be on that list.”
Tyler Lockett Color Rush Jersey , and the Cardinals are on the clock.After Seattle defeated Arizona today, the Seahawks are the NFC No. 5 seed and will travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys in wild card weekend.And the Cardinals’ loss guarantees them the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. That pick will draw plenty of scrutiny, as the first overall pick usually goes to a quarterback, but the Cardinals just drafted quarterback Josh Rosen first overall this year.The game was ultimately meaningless, but the Cardinals deserve some credit for playing hard even though they had nothing to play for. Seattle only won on a last-second field goal by Sebastian Janikowski to make the final score 27-24.The Seahawks will need to play better next weekend against a good Cowboys team, but if there’s one road team that can win in the first round of the playoffs, it’s Seattle. They’ll be a dangerous opponent for anyone, and now they know who they’re playing. Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock made his NFL preseason debut on Thursday in a 14-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The second round pick out of Missouri played in 28 snaps and completed..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesField Gulls homepageHorizontal - WhiteField Gullsa Seattle Seahawks communityFollow Field Gulls online:Follow Field Gulls on TwitterFollow Field Gulls on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchField Gulls main menuFanpostsFanshotsSectionsSeahawksOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections VideosCoffee and CigarettesGame AnalysisThe Numbers GameCigar ThoughtsQuarterbacks can’t be behind schedule in the NFL anymoreNew,20commentsPDTDenver Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock made his NFL preseason debut on Thursday in a 14-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The second round pick out of Missouri played in 28 snaps and completed seven of 11 attempts for 34 yards. But on a play-to-play basis, NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger was critical of Lock’s decision-making and inability to get the ball where it needed to be to help his football team, even if it’s a simple throwaway or avoiding a dangerous sack.Lock’s follow-up to being the center of attention on Friday as the most notable player in the NFL’s first and only game of the week is on Thursday at 7 PM against the Seattle Seahawks. Broncos head coach Vic Fangio assumed that Lock would take time to develop but given the first-year success of more and more quarterbacks in the last decade Frank Clark Color Rush Jersey , teams expect young signal-callers to show some signs early that they will be exceptions to the rule that most quarterbacks won’t be able to cut it in the NFL.Lock didn’t do that against (and to be fair, with) backups on Thursday.Rookie quarterbacks in the last 10 years include Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Russell Wilson, Baker Mayfield, Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Dak Prescott, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Derek Carr Dion Jordan Color Rush Jersey , Carson Wentz, Deshaun Watson, all of whom displayed exceptional skills almost immediately. And then you have the cases of second-year players like Patrick Mahomes who clearly showed incredible potential immediately and then built on that during his first full time opportunity.One common theme I’m growing more and more curious about recently is how special players don’t actually take time to “develop” like we seem to assume. I mean they do. And some actually do need a few years to develop. But consider so many cases like the ones above — we knew that Wilson should start not only from the early stages of the 2012 preseason but in training camp as well — as well as players at other positions like Myles Garrett, Joey Bosa, or Derwin James. Special has proven to be special. Even if your rookie season is well below what you’re going to do for the next ten years and there is some development, you at least know that player is going to become something special.Earl Thomas in 2010 comes to mind.Lock was not a top-10 pick but he was not a sixth round pick either. At pick 42, Lock was drafted to compete as a starter no later than 2020, but that also means that the team is hoping he competes in 2019. He wasn’t going to beat out Flacco, but I’m sure the hope was that he’d make coaches really think about it should Flacco struggle — as we know he could — early. Dalton was the 35th overall pick and he started in Week 1. Prescott was pick 135 and he started Week 1. Wilson was pick 75 and he started Week 1. They weren’t drafted early but they were starting NFL quarterbacks immediately. Lamar Jackson was pick 32 last year. But how many quarterbacks have we seen drafted on day two or early day three struggle to open their careers and then go on to play as well as either Dalton, Prescott, or Wilson?It doesn’t happen often. Kirk Cousins comes to mind. But more often you’re seeing Jimmy Clausen Tedric Thompson Color Rush Jersey , Brock Osweiler, and another quarterback we’ll see a lot of next Thursday, Geno Smith.It wasn’t a great start for Lock, but it was only a start. Next week he gets his second opportunity and with a Seattle defense feeling it has something to prove and players competing for starting jobs at safety, nickel corner, and all along the defensive line, some side has to give. And I’ll be there to watch* it.*have it on in the background after the first couple seriesI also wrote a bit about this in the Seaside Joe newsletter. Sign up for the daily Seahawks newsletter to keep you company this season. I am five months into my goal of writing one newsletter per day for a year and you’re not* going to want to miss this!*actually totally reasonable if you do want to miss this
inconsistent pass rush If one thing has become clear about the Green Bay Packers’ defense after two weeks Womens Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey , it’s that there is a lack of a consistent pass rush.This isn’t too surprising, given the depth chart going into and then after the offseason but it’s something the Packers and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine are going to have to adapt to as the season wears on.Of course, the NFL all but outlawing proper tackling technique doesn’t help either but Green Bay defenders aren’t getting home consistently anyway. Still, the hope was the defensive line of Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark and Mohammed Wilkerson would be more than enough the alleviate the woes outside.While Clark is wrecking everything in his path and Daniels and Wilkerson have both had their moments, the interior pass rush isn’t opening lanes like many thought. Pettine did choose extra coverage over a pass rush against Mitchell Trubisky and Kirk Cousins and both players put up big numbers (though Cousins’ would have been reduced by roughly 150 yards had the game ended when it should have). Now Pettine will have to adjust. This is what doomed his predecessor, not adjusting when needed or doing so too late. It’s doubtful Pettine will fall into the same trap, but it still beats watching.You can read more on the lack of pass rush and more in today’s cheese curds.Analysis: With inside rush lacking, Packers’ Mike Pettine must adjustEveryone thought the defensive line would be a strength for Green Bay this season and it has been to an extent but they’re still not helping develop a pass rush, interior or exterior. Packers appreciate Aaron Rodgers ‘laying it on the line’—Packers.comObvious headlines are obvious Jimmy Graham Jersey White , but Rodgers’ surprising mobility and toughness elevated his team’s play. Packers getting RB Aaron Jones back from suspension in Week 3–Packers WireJamaal Williams did decent work as the starting running back the first two weeks of the season, but Jones is the best running back on the team. The options Green Bay now has with both backs and the underappreciated Ty Montgomery will make the offense an even bigger handful for opposing defenses.NFL’s Green Bay Packers need to revamp ticket policy for infants, new mom says—FOX NewsThe Packers are one of only six teams to require a ticket for all attendees, even infants. Most other teams have a height and age restriction as to who can enter the game free as a lap child. For a team know as being a small-town, tight-knit community maybe it’s time for them to join the 21st century and update this policy?Wandering cat causes power outage in New Orleans—UPI.comI’m admittedly a dog person and that’s because cats can sometimes be the devil incarnate. Don’t let their cuteness fool you. They can be just as deadly as the rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. That cat has a mean streak a mile wide! It had been nearly six years since Green Bay last scored on such a special teams play." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesAcme Packing Company homepageHorizontal - WhiteAcme Packing Companya Green Bay Packers communityFollow Acme Packing Company online:Follow Acme Packing Company on TwitterFollow Acme Packing Company on FacebookFollow Acme Packing Company on InstagramLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchAcme Packing Company main menuFanpostsFanshotsSectionsPackersOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections The APC PodcastPackers Film RoomFantasy Football AdviceCDTWith the Green Bay Packers in the midst of their lengthy summer break before training camp, Acme Packing Company has begun to count down the team’s top 10 players of the previous season. In 2018, the Packers stumbled to an ugly 6-9-1 record, losing their longtime head coach in December with multiple games remaining and experiencing issues in every phase of the game. Accordingly, compiling the list of the year’s top plays offered more challenges than usual.However, 11 contributors at APC submitted votes for the Packers’ top 10 players Jamaal Williams Jersey White , and we will break down these moments over the ensuing two weeks. As in past years, contributors selected plays based on their impact on a game or the season, impressive individual effort, or simply the hilarity factor.In the latest edition of APC’s countdown, we have the 7th best play of the year, a rare positive special teams highlight from an otherwise forgettable season by the unit.
The GameAfter a sensational come-from-behind victory over Chicago in week one, the Packers remained home at the friendly confines of Lambeau Field to face the reigning NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota entered the game 1-0 after a season-opening win over the San Francisco 49ers and looked to keep their early success going against a top divisional rival. For a week two contest, the matchup was shaping up to be a pivotal early-season tilt.The SituationEarly in the first quarter, the game was scoreless as the Packers’ promising first drive stalled and possession changed hands to the Vikings. Minnesota started from its own eight-yard line and earned a first down on the drive to move the ball north of the 20-yard marker. But a third down sack of Kirk Cousins from Reggie Gilbert and Jaire Alexander gave the Green Bay defense a much-needed early stop.After the six-yard loss, the Vikings faced a tough 4th-and-16 predicament from their own 15-yard line with 7:33 on the game clock.The PlayWith Minnesota punter Matt Wile back deep to punt Womens Mike Daniels Jersey , Green Bay’s Geronimo Allison surged through the middle of the line and blocked the kick. The ball fluttered straight up in the air and into the hands of Josh Jackson at the goal line. The Packers’ rookie came down with the ball in the end zone for the touchdown despite swipes from Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson to strip the ball. It was the first touchdown of Jackson’s young career as the Packers gained the early lead.For Green Bay, it was the first blocked punt return for a touchdown since 2012, a deflection by Davon House against Jacksonville that saw Dezman Moses reach the end zone.The ImpactThe blocked punt helped the Packers draw first blood and take a 7-0 advantage in the first quarter. While one of Green Bay’s best special teams plays of the year, this moment tended to get covered up in the aftermath of a disappointing 29-29 tie. In fact, the performances from kickers on both sides of the field were among the most remembered plays of the game as each missed game-winning attempts at the end of regulation and overtime.Still, a blocked punt remains one of the more exciting plays in football for the rarity that it takes place. Although the Packers allowed a long return on the ensuing kickoff that led to a Vikings touchdown, the first score of the game was a highlight moment of Green Bay’s entire season.Voting11 APC contributors pitched in with votes for this year’s countdown, and this play popped up on six ballots, ranking as high as third. The play just squeaked past Aaron Jones’ scamper against Miami that appeared 8th on the final tally.Editor’s note: this article inaccurately described the Vikings’ first game of the 2018 season as a loss to New Orleans. It has been changed to reflect the error.
As most expected http://www.thevikingslockerroom.com/authentic-brett-favre-jersey , the Minnesota Vikings decided to not make any moves at the NFL’s trade deadline, which passed at 3:00 PM Central time this afternoon. However, a couple of the Vikings’ NFC North rivals did make some moves today, and those moves appear to have been made with eyes on the future rather than on 2018.The big one comes from the Vikings’ opponents this week, the Detroit Lions. The Lions dealt wide receiver Golden Tate Womens Stefon Diggs Jersey , who has historically been a real thorn in the Vikings’ side, to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round draft pick in 2019. With the emergence of Kenny Golladay in Detroit, the Lions apparently decided that Tate was expendable, and they got a pretty decent return for him.Not to be outdone, the Green Bay Packers made two deals on Tuesday. The first deal they made was to send safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to the Washington Redskins in exchange for a 2019 fourth-round draft pick. Clinton-Dix was probably the Packers’ best defensive back Chuck Foreman Jersey , but is set to be a free agent next season and it doesn’t sound like the Packers had a lot of interest in bringing him back.The Packers also traded the hero of their Week 8 game against the Rams, running back Ty Montgomery, to the Baltimore Ravens for a sack of used footballs 2020 seventh-round pick. Montgomery, if you haven’t heard the story, was told to stay in the end zone on the kick return following the Rams taking a last-minute lead over the Packers on Sunday. Instead http://www.thevikingslockerroom.com/authentic-fran-tarkenton-jersey , Montgomery decided to go full Pedro Cerrano (“EFF YOU, MIKE MCCARTHY! I’LL DO IT MYSELF!”) and promptly fumbled the football, with the Rams recovering and denying the Packers a chance at a potential last-minute comeback.What do you think of the trade activity that went down in the NFC North on trade deadline day, folks? *****Download Link Here*****(02:26) Raptors Discussion(07:47) Lions discussion(53:25) Injuries(56:37) Sharrif Floyd(60:30) MailbagEpisode Notes:Here’s my piece at the Athletic about the development of Danielle HunterAnd my coworker Chad Graff talked about the scheme changes Zimmer mentionedTed Nguyen detailed those changes and what they look likeWhat did it costTHAT AIN’T DONRead up on Sharrif Floyd’s lawsuit against Dr. James AndrewsHere’s a link to Kyle Slaby’s charity effortSpecial thanks to Rhymesayers Entertainment and Atmosphere for the new theme song!Arif - @ArifHasanNFLJames - @bigmonoTo listen to more, this is the link to that iTunes feed. If you can’t for whatever reason subscribe via iTunes Womens Paul Krause Jersey , subscribe to via our RSS feed, which should support the RSS reader or podcast organizer of your choice. You can still leave a review even if you can’t subscribe via iTunes because it’s easy to create an AppleID. We also have a YouTube channel. Our podcasts are automatically uploaded there.If you want to make sure you don’t miss an episode and find out ways to support the show, head to our website!But we also have a Patreon and that should make it even easier to support the best podcast for your Minnesota Vikings. We know that it’s a tough ask given all the problems involving their transaction fees, but if can manage it, check it out here. If you wanted to donate via Paypal instead of Patreon John Randle Jersey , head to this link.Once again, contact me at arifmhasan (at) gmail dot com or the podcast at NorseCodePodcast (at) gmail dot com. Follow us on twitter at @NorseCodeDN or just me at @ArifHasanNFL. You can follow producer and host James Pogatshnik at @bigmono.
the Eagles yesterday?As has been the case with most games this season White Juston Burris Jerseys , the Jets were so thoroughly beaten that it is difficult to single out one play as particularly significant. Still I’m not ready to give up on this series so let’s try.The play that jumps out at me is Nathan Gerry’s pick six on Luke Falk.The Jets were down 7-0 in the first quarter of the game, but they actually were able to string together a couple of first downs and move the ball near midfield. A fourth and 1 came up. The Jets correctly went for it.The play itself did not work at all. Brandon Graham ran unblocked right into Falk’s face. The quarterback tried to find Le’Veon Bell in the flat but threw late. Gerry jumped the route and returned the interception for a touchdown. The Eagles were up 14-0, and there was very little doubt about what kind of day it would be.What is your choice? Happy Thursday to all!The Jets have a new backup quarterback in Trevor Siemian. The former Broncos starter and Vikings backup agreed to terms yesterday on a very inexpensive one year deal. Reports..."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Jets StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Jets NewsYahoo Jets Team PageYahoo Jets ReportYahoo Jets Depth ChartYahoo Jets TransactionsYahoo Jets PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁旿ets mailbag: Nick Bosa or Josh Allen?New Juston Burris Jerseys 2019 ,169commentsEDTShareTweetShareShareJets mailbag: Nick Bosa or Josh Allen?Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY SportsHappy Thursday to all!The Jets have a new backup quarterback in Trevor Siemian. The former Broncos starter and Vikings backup agreed to terms yesterday on a very inexpensive one year deal. Reports suggest the Jets will only have to pay him $2 million. That is a big discount for a team that was paying a journeyman backup $10 million a year ago.We will discuss this signing on today’s podcast. We also have a mailbag show in store today where we discuss how likely it is the Jets can find help at both center and cornerback with their pair of third round picks, whether Nick Bosa or Josh Allen would be a better pick at 3, a center to look at in the Draft White Jermaine Kearse Jerseys , the lowest the Jets should go if they trade down, the ethics of trying to convince the Giants to make a trade, whether I will chip in for a “Fire Maccagnan” banner Jermaine Kearse Jerseys 2019 , Doritos, and tacos.Thanks for listening.
Draft - Everything you need to know.Andy Hart and Paul Perillo look at 5 prospects at each position that might make sense for New England: QB - RB - WR - TE.From NFL Network: Daniel Jeremiah on filling the Gronk void. (1.37 min. video)LOCAL LINKSGlen Farley details how the Patriots draft is truly a team effort White Marcus Cannon Jerseys , with a number of people behind the scenes contributing to what will unfold at One Patriot Place.Andrew Callahan explains why the 2019 NFL Draft is New England’s most important in almost a decade.Thomas Murphy (DiehardBostonSportsFans) My 2019 Monster Patriots draft (wish list). Trading up for Kyler Murray? What? /I kiiid, I kid...Phil Perry continues his Prototypical Patriots series: If the Patriots want an edge defender in the draft, would they go for a sub rusher who focuses on passing downs? Or more of an every-down defender?Doug Kyed picks a safety for the Patriots in each round of the 2019 NFL draft.Kevin Duffy examines the prospects who fit best in New England for each position.Tom E. Curran gives us a look at the top NFL draft talent taken with the 32nd pick.WEEI highlights NFL draft expert Tony Pauline explaining why the Patriots may trade out of first round.Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Report: Patriots showing major interest in Will Grier.Nick Briscoe (PatriotsWIre) Could the Patriots land Montez Sweat amid his fall down draft boards?Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Deion Branch explains how a Patriots rookie receiver can contribute.Adam London notes Tom Brady’s Instagram comment has fired up Brad Marchand for Bruins-Leafs Game 7 tonight.Nick O’Malley notes Tedy Bruschi posted an Instagram video of when he was drafted in 1996, showing Chris Berman’s incredulous reaction to him being selected.Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Best of social media: The New England Patriots celebrate Easter.Nick O’Malley posts a Patriots mock draft tracker: Who the experts think Bill Belichick will take in Round 1.Karen Guregian takes a crack at mocking the draft. Pats pick Alabama TE Irv Smith at 32. Ryan Hannable puts together a Patriots seven-round mock draft that could include a trade or two.NATIONAL NEWSDarin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Trading with Bill Belichick is a quick process.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick was the only active coach to help pick the top 100 players of all time.Luke Easterling (DraftWire) Everything you need to know about the 2019 NFL draft.Nate Davis (USA Today) AFC team needs for NFL draft: Will Patriots invest top picks in receiver, tight end?Albert Breer (SI) Monday Afternoon QB: Panthers or Texans could trade up; don’t be surprised if Lions take a QB; More NFL draft rumors.Jonathan Jones (SI) Morning Huddle: Who might be looking to trade in the first round?Caleb Friedman (SI) Everything you need to know about the 2019 NFL draft’s top storylines.Jenny Vrentas (SI) The NFL draft information trade: How teams gather nuggets of knowledge to shape draft decisions.Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (USA Today) NFL draft 2019 rankings: Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams lead defense-heavy top 50.Danny Kelly (The Ringer) The Outliers: How polarizing prospects will define the NFL draft.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Raiders apparently blame unusual move on potential surprise pick.Terez Paylor (Yahoo! Sports) Meet the fifth annual All-Juice Team for 2019 NFL draft.Erik Bacharach (Tennessean) 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville: Sizing up all 32 teams’ biggest needs in the draft. Pats: WR Marcus Cannon Jerseys 2019 , TE.Adam Rank (NFL.com) 2018 NFL Draft do-over. Pats pick RB Sony Michel at 23, and TE Dallas Goedert at 31.Caroline (SupCaroline) Idk about you, but I’m feeling like being drafted #22.Nate Rau, et al. (Tennessean) The story of Nashville’s path to host the NFL Draft mirrors the Titans arrival in Tennessee...Staff (Tennessean) Draftville podcast: Mel Kiper reflects on his 40 years of NFL draft coverage and previews this year’s.Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Peyton Manning reportedly won’t be on ‘Monday Night Football,’ so what will ESPN do?Cameron Filipe (Football Zebras) Brad Rogers to fill newest white hat vacancy.EXTRACURRICULARNick O’Malley offers a list of foods Tom Brady’s TB12 Sports says you should avoid (like corn and ketchup).Plus a recipe video of how to make Tom Brady’s Coconut Bacon.Michael McCann (SI) Why Robert Kraft’s legal team could have trouble preventing release of Day Spa videos.Marc Freeman (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) Florida cops snuck cameras into massage parlors years before Robert Kraft’s prostitution sting.Karol Markowicz (NY Post) Why Bob Kraft’s ordeal should alarm us all. “Kneel and confess guilt, or we will release embarrassing footage of you. That shouldn’t be how our justice system operates.”Terry Spencer (AP) Customers videotaped at spa in Kraft case sue authorities.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Robert Kraft’s case would be far more alarming White Brandon Bolden Jerseys , if he weren’t a billionaire. Jimmy Garoppolo went through his first full practice since tearing an anterior cruciate ligament early last season. The 49ers quarterback wore a knee brace on his surgically repaired knee, evidence of where and how the team’s season came apart last season.Garoppolo has a big contract, inviting big questions.Can he stay healthy? Is he a franchise quarterback? Was he worth the money?He has made only 10 starts and thrown just 361 passes in five seasons. Backup quarterback C.J. Beathard, who entered the NFL in 2017, has 10 career starts and 383 attempts.Garoppolo, 27 Brandon Bolden Jerseys 2019 , spent 3 1/2 seasons behind Tom Brady before the Patriots dealt him to the 49ers at the trade deadline in 2017. So he has limited game experience.“Jimmy hasn’t played a lot of football,” coach Kyle Shanahan said, via Eric Branch of the . “I think everyone knows he’s a good player and knows he’s talented, but we’ve got to go through some situations and go through playing the position.”The 49ers signed Garoppolo to a $137.5 million contract before last season, after only five starts for them. He faces a critical year, needing to stay healthy and show he is indeed the franchise quarterback the 49ers believe he is.“He’s a guy who clearly we believe in to a point where we rewarded him the way we did White Ryan Allen Jerseys ,” 49ers General Manager John Lynch told Branch. “But the other thing is, as we’ve been very open about, he needs to play. He knows that. We all know that because the only way you improve in this league is by doing it.”Garoppolo sprained a shoulder in New England in 2016 and then tore his ACL last season. Lynch said the 49ers don’t think Garoppolo’s durability is a concern, but Lynch also couched it.“Time will tell,” Lynch said. “Nobody knows. . . .We’re sure hopeful that he is [durable]. We know he does everything that he can within his control. That’s all we can ask for. We’ll see.”
in the last quarter of the season?" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesBig Blue View homepageHorizontal - WhiteBig Blue Viewa New York Giants communityFollow Big Blue View online:Follow Big Blue View on TwitterFollow Big Blue View on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchBig Blue View main menuFanpostsFanshotsSectionsLibraryGiantsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections New York Giants NewsGiants Training Camp 2016Giants vs. Eagles 2015 Womens Darius Slayton Jersey , Week 17How well was Saquon Barkley used as a receiver at the end of the 2018 season?New,14commentsDid the Giants use Barkley to his full potential in the last quarter of the season?EDTThe New York Giants’ offense will heavily feature Saquon Barkley in 2019. That is both a blatantly obvious statement and also one of the things we know with absolute certainty about the Giants’ plans for the coming year. After a season that saw Barkley finish second in the league in rushing yardage, second in receptions among running backs, fourth in reception yardage, and become the reigning offensive rookie of the year, it stands to reason that the Giants’ offense is in pretty good hands. But what if they could get more out of Barkley? What if the Giants could use him better? In our latest podcast, Dan and I answered a question regarding production in “Garbage Time” (which we defined as being down by 10 or more points at the end of the game). In the course of researching that question, Dan discovered that Saquon Barkley was the most targeted receiving option in the NFL in those circumstances. However, he also had an expected points added (EPA) of roughly -6 when targeted in garbage time. Throwing to Barkley when the Giants were down and desperately trying to claw their way back at the end of games was a wasted snap and generally set the offense back. Now, before you go stomping angrily to the comments section, that isn’t commentary on Barkley. As mentioned above, Barkley was second among running backs in receptions and fourth in receiving yards, but even so, he could have been more productive if the Giants had put him in better positions as a receiver. Football Outsiders ranked Barkley 13th in DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement), with 86 more yards than a replacement-level running back would have. His overall efficiency as a receiver was even worse, with a -0.7 percent DVOA (defense-adjusted value above replacement) landing him 28th among 53 qualified running backs and just below replacement level. That’s because Barkley was primarily a check-down option for the Giants over the course 2018 season, and not used as a weapon to attack the defense. His average depth of target was nearly a yard (.7 yards to be exact) behind the line of scrimmage. On any given target Authentic Darius Slayton Jersey , it was likely that Barkley not only had to make (at least) one defender miss, but also make up ground before he could even hope to create positive yardage. Fully 110 percent of Barkley’s actual yardage last year was after the catch. Had his depth of target been at the line of scrimmage, Barkley would have been second among running backs in receiving yards behind only Christian McCaffrey. It wasn’t Barkley’s fault, but rather how the Giants used him.Chatting with Ed after recording the podcast, he mentioned this: So, Ed asked Dan and I to take a closer look at Barkley’s usage as a receiver. For my part, I wanted to take things a step further and look specifically at how Barkley was used in the passing game after the Giants lost Odell Beckham to injury. Did the Giants’ create more meaningful opportunities for Barkley after losing their star receiver? Considering Barkley will be the centerpiece of the offense going forward, I thought that was a question worth investigating. And before I get into my charting of his targets over the last quarter of the season, I want to take a minute to explain how I judged a “meaningful play.” Rather than relying on DVOA or EPA, I settled on a more subjective analysis and decided that I would count a meaningful target as one that sought to get Barkley the ball in space and in position to attack the defense. In most cases this was pretty clear cut — a swing pass three yards behind the line of scrimmage is pretty meaningless. But in a couple cases things weren’t as easily defined, so I tried to look at the process behind how Barkley got the ball, rather than the outcome. Here the Giants have a great outcome. Eli Manning isn’t sacked and Barkley is able to turn a check-down into a 17 yard gain. The process, however, isn’t special — it’s a dump off when the QB is under pressure and doesn’t have time to find his receivers downfield. This play however, is the opposite. On this play the Giants do a good job of setting Barkley up for a big gain as they’re trying to score in a two-minute drill. They use their receivers to create space, and have blockers in place on a screen play. Unfortunately, Nate Solder falls down directly in front of Barkley Darius Slayton Jersey Boys , tripping him as he makes the catch and the play only goes for three yards. So while the outcome was bad, the process here is good and it’s a meaningful target.Barkley’s targetsBefore I dive into how many of Barkley’s targets I thought were meaningful, I want to go over some of the raw data I found while charting those targets.Eli Manning targeted Barkley 28 times over the final four games, averaging out to seven per game. It should be noted that this comes with the qualifier that Barkley didn’t play the fourth quarter in the Giants’ rout of Washington.That game throws off his distribution of targets, as the Giants switched to running the ball more in the second half of that game and Barkley (naturally) didn’t see any targets when he wasn’t on the field in the fourth quarter.It is striking how little he was used in the third quarter of the other three games. Barkley didn’t see a single target in the third quarter in week 15 against the Tennessee Titans, and only saw one target in third quarters against the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys. Of his 28 targets, most of them came on first down. Fully half (14) of his targets came on first down, with eight coming on second down and six on third down. First down was also Barkley’s most efficient down, catching 10 of those 14 targets.In line with what Dan found with Barkley being the most targeted receiver in “garbage time,” Barkley was highly targeted at the end of halves. He saw 17 of his 28 targets in the second and fourth quarters, and that is with him not playing in one of four fourth quarters. Barkley was targeted eight times in the fourth quarter, and that number would likely have been (much) higher had the Week 14 game against Washington not been a blow-out. Meaningful targetsI’ll admit right off the bat that this is somewhat subjective for the reasons stated above. Sometimes distinguishing between good process and good result was tricky, but ultimately I found just seven of his 28 targets to be “meaningful.” As mentioned above, “meaningful targets” are, to me, targets that look to put Barkley in position to play to his strengths and attack the defense. In short, I wanted to see Barkley used like the offensive weapon he is Infant Darius Slayton Jersey , not just another safety blanket. Barkley was targeted on swing and flat routes 15 times, getting him the ball either behind or within five yards of the line of scrimmage. While getting Barkley the ball beyond the line of scrimmage is a good thing and something the Giants need to find ways to do more often, the flat route usually sees him running parallel to the line of scrimmage and catching the ball as he goes toward the sideline. It is an easy completion that advances the offense, but it also wastes Barkley’s explosiveness and playmaking ability. There was one instance of that route being run more vertically and Barkley getting the ball with room to turn up field, and that was the one instance of those routes I thought was truly meaningful. The rest of the meaningful targets were made up of three screen plays, two wheel routes (one of which I touched on in a previous installment in our Summer School series), and an angle route. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Barkley’s best usage came in the Giants’ Week 16 game against the Colts. That game saw two of the three screen plays and the aforementioned flat route. It really shouldn’t be surprising that Barkley was best used in that game, it was probably the Giants’ best offensive performance of the season. While they largely failed to run the ball, the passing game balanced aggression, risk management, misdirection, and execution. The game against Washington saw two of Barkley’s five targets on wheel routes all season long. Both were successful, well thought out and executed plays. At the opposite end of the spectrum were the games against the Titans and Dallas. Those two games saw Barkley targeted nine and eight times (respectively), but only two of which were targets I judged to be really meaningful. Instead, those games saw Barkley targeted almost exclusively on quick passes with little hope of producing plays that would really influence the game in the Giants’ favor. Final thoughtsEven though his usage was inconsistent, Barkley probably was better used in the second half of the season than in the first half. The Giants didn’t target him in the backfield quite as often and used quick passes to Barkley as supplements for their running game. They even made an effort (in some games) to use Barkley to really attack the defense. But still Darius Slayton Jersey Draft , using a player like Saquon Barkley for checkdowns and quick passes is something like buying a Ferrari and mostly using it as a grocery-getter. A Mustang would give you the same results with most of the same ability to occasionally have some fun but for a fraction of the price — for that matter a used Civic would get the job done. You don’t spring for a Ferrari to drive sedately to the corner store, and you don’t draft Saquon Barkley to pick up 5 yards before stepping out of bounds. The Giants took steps in the right direction. In the next part I’ll take a look at a couple ways in which they can further improve their usage of Barkley. The injury Haley suffered Thursday isn’t serious" New York Giants NewsGiants Training Camp 2019Giants injury news: Grant Haley will be fine, says Pat ShurmurNew,12commentsThe injury Haley suffered Thursday isn’t seriousEDTThe New York Giants 2019 training camp is only a little over a week old, but it feels like it’s been a full camp full of two-a-days. A big reason why is because the hits started early and just kept coming. They finally got a dose of good news Friday when head coach Pat Shurmur revealed that slot corner Grant Haley only suffered a mild sprain in Thursday’s practice. The injury was suffered when Haley dove for a ball and landed hard on the turf, after which the corner was quickly taken out of practice. That Haley may only miss a practice or two is terrific news for a team that suffered a string of injuries in the first week of camp. And while the injuries have been concentrated at the wide receiver position, second year corner Sam Beal — with whom Haley was supposed to compete for the starting job — has been sidelined while he deals with groin and hamstring issues. Like just about every NFL defense, the Giants rely heavily on their nickel package and Haley being healthy and progressing in his second year will be vital for their defense.Haley has been the Giants’ starting slot corner, and received all the first team reps in nickel packages, having a strong camp thus far.We don’t yet know how many, if any, practices Haley will miss while he recovers, but even if he doesn’t take the practice field again until Monday or Tuesday, its nice to get some good news.
positions on the football field and the Bills have found a good player in Johnson" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteBuffalo Rumblingsa Buffalo Bills communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsBillsOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsNotesOpinionAnalysisDiscussionPodcastNFL DraftSalary CapFiled under:OpinionBuffalo Bills Salary CapBuffalo Bills’ best contract values of 2018: Taron JohnsonNew Shaq Lawson Jerseys 2019 ,5commentsNickel corner has become one of the most important positions on the football field and the Bills have found a good player in Johnson EDTShareTweetShareShareBuffalo Bills’ best contract values of 2018: Taron JohnsonRich Barnes-USA TODAY SportsBefore the Buffalo Bills drafted Taron Johnson in the fourth-round of the 2018 NFL Draft, he was most famous for a football hitting him in the face during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Coming out of Weber State, he didn't get much publicity, but he caught the attention of Bills fans with his play. Johnson struggled with a shoulder injury all season before shutting it down and having surgery in early December, a few days before the Week 14 match-up against the New York Jets. He played in 11 games for the Bills including two starts. Johnson had 42 tackles, one sack and one interception during that time. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson was fourth in yards allowed per cover snap for slot cornerbacks at 0.78 yards. Johnson played 405 defensive snaps—good for 39.94%.In 2018, Johnson had a cap hit of just $620,863. For the amount of production he had in the limited amount of games and snaps, Johnson was one of the best values the Bills had on their roster. The Bills defense should only get better this upcoming season and Johnson plays a big role in that improvement. Top 10 bang for the BillsHonorable mentions10. Lorenzo Alexander ($3.6 million)9. Jordan Poyer ($3.9 million)8. Dion Dawkins ($950,736)7. Taron Johnson ($620,863)6. Tre’Davious White ($2.29 million) BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The free-spending Buffalo Bills are using their sizeable salary-cap space to provide quarterback Josh Allen an overhauled offense entering his second season.The Bills continued their major foray into free agency on Tuesday by agreeing to sign receivers John Brown and Cole Beasley and offensive linemen Ty Nsekhe and Jon Feliciano.A person with direct knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that Brown agreed to a three-year White Adolphus Washington Jerseys , $27 million contract. A second person told the AP that Beasley agreed to a four-year, $29 million contract. A third person said Feliciano agreed to a two-year contract.The people spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the signings won’t be official until the NFL’s new year begins Wednesday.Nsekhe’s agent, Vince Taylor, said his client agreed to a two-year, $14.5 million contract, with $7.7 million guaranteed.The deals come a day after the Bills agreed to sign center Mitch Morse, running back Frank Gore and tight end Tyler Kroft. Buffalo confirmed Tuesday that it signed cornerback Kevin Johnson to a one-year contract.The Bills’ main focus has been addressing needs on offense to upgrade a unit that finished 30th in yards gained during Allen’s rookie season and was hampered by a lack of established receivers and a patchwork offensive line.Buffalo entered the signing period with more than $70 million available to spend under the salary cap after spending the previous two offseasons purging its roster of high-priced players. The overhaul coincided with coach Sean McDermott’s hiring in January 2017 and was followed by general manager Brandon Beane taking over five months later.Beane has taken a bold approach in rebuilding the Bills by spending the past two years trading away veterans — including defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, offensive tackle Cordy Glenn and quarterback Tyrod Taylor — and stockpiling draft picks.After a 6-10 finish, Beane in January said he intended to be “judicious” in filling holes in free agency, while continuing to add talent in the draft next month, when the Bills are scheduled to have 10 picks.Johnson, speaking on a conference call with reporters Tuesday, was impressed by the new additions.“I think you can see this is a team on the rise Youth Taron Johnson Jerseys ,” he said. “We’re just trying to add to this culture, and they’ve got a good one in place. And like I am, I’m sure the other guys are ready to come in here and work.”Brown is a speedy downfield threat, and Beasley is a proven underneath slot receiver. They join a team whose two top returning receivers were Zay Jones, entering his third year, and Robert Foster, an undrafted rookie last season.Brown had 42 catches for 715 yards and five touchdowns last year in his only season with the run-oriented Baltimore Ravens.The Bills targeted Brown in free agency a year ago, but he turned them down in part because Buffalo was unsettled at quarterback after trading away Taylor and before drafting Allen in the first round.Brown spent his first four seasons with Arizona, where he combined for 173 catches for 2,515 yards and 17 touchdowns. His best season was in 2015, when he had 65 catches for 1,003 yards and seven TDs.Beasley spent his first seven seasons with Dallas and had a 65 catches for 672 yards and three touchdowns last year. Beasley’s most productive season was in 2016, when he had 75 catches for 833 yards and five touchdowns.Running back LeSean McCoy took notice of the offensive line additions by posting a note on his Twitter account that read: “It’s always good signing fat boys hahahahah welcome welcome.”Morse is listed at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds Taron Johnson Jerseys Stitched , the 33-year-old Nsekhe is listed at 6-8 and 330 pounds, and Feliciano is 6-4 and 325 pounds.Nsekhe has five NFL seasons of experience dating to 2012 with the then-St. Louis Rams. He spent the past four seasons with Washington, where he had 16 starts in 54 games playing behind tackles Trent Williams and Morgan Moses, while also getting playing time at guard.Feliciano spent his first four seasons with Oakland, where he had eight starts in 48 career games. The Raiders selected him in the fourth round of the 2015 draft.Johnson joins a defense that allowed the second-fewest yards last season and will compete for the starting job opposite Tre’Davious White. Johnson’s first four seasons in Houston were hampered by a series of injuries, including a pair of concussions that forced him to miss the final 15 games of last season.“All that stuff’s behind me,” he said. “I think I learned that I don’t got any quit in me. I went through a lot of things, adversity as far as dealing with injuries. And every time, I came back strong from it.”Johnson is reunited with Bills defensive backs coach John Butler, who held the same role in Houston from 2014-17.
season in 2019 after agreeing to a new contract."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections The APC PodcastPackers Film RoomFantasy Football AdviceCDTShareTweetShareSharePackers sign Geronimo Allison to one-year deal Womens Mason Crosby Jersey , ending restricted free agency concernsBenny Sieu-USA TODAY SportsThe Green Bay Packers answered one more question in free agency on Friday, ensuring that they can retain one of their own for the 2019 season. Restricted free agent Geronimo Allison has reportedly signed a one-year contract with the Packers, buying out his restricted free agent season and ensuring that he will stay in Green Bay for the coming year.The news first came from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports and was later confirmed by Jim Owczarski of Packersnews.com. Allison had received the low tender as a restricted free agent, which was for a one-year contract at $2.025 million. However Justin McCray Jersey White , under the terms of the CBA, Allison would have been free to negotiate an offer sheet with another NFL team, with the Packers only retaining the right to match that offer sheet. Had Allison signed the tender instead, he would have ended his free agency but would have had no guaranteed money and would have been waiting until the regular season to collect his paychecks.to an offer sheet. However Marwin Evans Jersey , Allison now has an opportunity to cash in as an unrestricted free agent next spring while also getting some security in 2019. He also remains in Green Bay, a place where he is reportedly very happy, rather than jumping to a new team for the coming season. The Drew Kaser era has come to a close.More Packers coverage from FOX Sports WisconsinBucks’ Wes Matthews loves Wisconsin, is a Vikings fanPreview: Packers look to slow Vikings’ revitalized run gameTop Tweets: Yelich thanks fans for support after season-ending injuryAmos sparks rebuilt Packers defense in debutPackers to be tested again by familiar foe in Zimmer Nick Perry Jersey White , VikingsSigned on Saturday just in case rookie punter JK Scott‘s wife went into labor Sunday, Kaser was inactive for the game against New England and was released Monday.The Packers claimed safety Ibraheim Campbell off waivers from the New York Jets to take his place on the roster. Selected in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, Campbell has spent time with the Jets, Cleveland Mason Crosby Jersey White , Houston and Dallas. He’s compiled 68 tackles, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery in 43 games (11 starts).Green Bay adds depth to its secondary after trading Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to Washington last week.
NFC North team to win this weekend.And now they’re back in first place.Stupid week eight.But Minnesota Vikings Jerseys 2019 , it could have been much... much worse.The Bears could be in first place AND ALSO Aaron Rodgers could have gotten the ball back on National Television with two minutes left on the clock down by two.So鈥eah.Silver lining.Anyhoo, yes.The Bears did, in fact win on Sunday, beating the Jets 24-10.It was a pretty ho-hum game.No big plays by Khalil Mack (No, really.None.He didn’t play.).No heroics by Mitchell Trubisky.No big turnovers.Actually no turnovers.Blahh.They didn’t even make reclaiming first place interesting.Stupid Bears.At 4-3, they now sit atop the division.Alone again.Naturally.The Lions, on the other hand, lost 28-14 but, in the process, managed to make the Seattle Seahawks look interesting.Which is something.Russell Wilson looked like the guy that used to win games with athletic, gutsy play.The Legion of Whom created some turnovers.They held the Lions rushing attack to just 34 yards.It was ugly.Typical Lions.At 3-4, they continue to flounder in last place in the division. And the Packers?Well... BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!Oh.Sorry.Was that mean spirited?Yes, I think it was.For that, I apologize.I take waaay too much pleasure in seeing them lose.In fact, it was my solace Sunday night after the Vikings, well鈥a.Anyway, the Packers did, in fact lose to the Rams 29-27.The Rams outplayed the Packers on the offensive side of the ball in every way Irv Smith Jersey Cheap , and yet still had to rely on the rarely deployed - yet stunningly effective - poor-decision/fumble maneuver, which Packers Running Back Ty Montgomery executed with precision, rendering a possible storybook ending Aaron Rodgers comeback far less likely.The loss drops the Packers to 3-3-1, third in the division.Chicago BearsMitchell Trubisky’s statistics through seven games has him in some rarified Chicago air.He’s on pace to obliterate the passing records of such noted gunslingers as Erik Kramer (no relation), Rex Grossman, and Smokin’ Jay Cutler.His current pace would set him at 4,146 passing yards, 34 TD’s and just 14 INT’s.The jury is still out on whether or not he’s doing it because of his talent or in spite of his talent.One statistic that sticks out about Trubisky’s performance this season, is his QB Rating from inside the pocket, where he has been outstanding - though the names at the bottom of the rankings seem to tell us this could be a somewhat useless statistic.Chicago lost a big part of their offensive line in Sunday’s game when Kyle Long went down with an apparent foot injury.Vikings fans will note that the player Bears’ Head Coach Matt Nagy pegged for a larger role going forward is none other than former Viking (for, like, a few weeks) Bryan Witzmann.The Bears three losses this season have come versus the Packers (week 1), the Dolphins (week 6), and the Patriots (week 7).The last time the Bears lost to those three teams in a single season was 2006, when the team reached the Super Bowl - losing to the Indianapolis Colts.Khalil Mack’s status is still uncertain for this Sunday’s game - a game in which the Bears will match up versus Bills Quarterback Nathan Peterman.THE Nathan Peterman.I know, I know, Peterman probably has a mother out there who just wants his boy to do well.I have one too.She wanted me to be an architect.Or a guidance counselor.But instead I’m a bartender-slash-hack writer.One out of two ain’t bad, right ma?What is the internet saying about Mack vs Peterman?Mack Irv Smith Jersey Womens , of course, played his college ball at the University of Buffalo, and parlayed his success there into his selection at fifth overall in the 2014 Draft.Wanna know how a kid from the University of Buffalo gets selected fifth overall?Here’s some video that’ll help explain whyStealing-Your-Kids’-Halloween-Candy-Scouting-Combine-Comparisons:Khalil Mack - Fun-Sized Snickers.Solid choice in all aspects.Get a taste and you want more.Mitchell Trubisky - Nerds.Cute packaging makes you think you’re really going to like them, can’t live up to the hype. Eventually you move on.Tarik Cohen - Starburst.Just plain fun.Every flavor is a winner.Not-afraid-to-make-a-prediction Prediction:The Bears will face off against the 2-6 Bills in Buffalo this Sunday.With Nathan Peterman, anything is possible.The Bears defense could actually score 50 points this weekend.Pro tip: If you lose in Fantasy Football this weekend because you forgot to put the Bears Defense in your starting lineup, it’s time to give the hobby up.Detroit LionsThe Lions splashed (although, not in the ‘lets make our team better now’ kind of way) at the Trade deadline, sending their best offensive playmaker - Wide Receiver Golden Tate - to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third round draft pick.Tate never caught fewer than 90 balls in any season with the Lions, and averaged over 1,000 yards, and nearly five touchdowns.At least one outlet put the trade into perspective:The trade didn’t go over well with everybody, howeverHaving Tate leave the division shouldn’t break any Vikings fan’s heart.You thought Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press had it bad with Mike Zimmer?Zim never told CT he refused to answer CT’s question until he sat up and had a little respect “for the process”.Lions Head Coach Matt Patricia did just that on Wednesday.According to the Detroit Free Press, the first-year coachpulled a page from Bill Belichick’s playbook and responded: “Ah, well, you know. Do me a favor just kinda sit up, just like, have a little respect for the process. Every day you come and ask me questions and you’re just kinda like you know, ‘gimme this.’ ”It seems every dude with a beard in Detroit is dressing up like Patricia for Halloween this year.Stealing-Your-Kids’-Halloween-Candy-Scouting-Combine-Comparisons:Matthew Stafford - Mr. Goodbar.Solid in every way Irv Smith white jersey , but will never be mentioned among the greatest.Ziggy Ansah - Fun-Size Butterfinger.Always looks good, but rarely seen in once piece.Other, better, choices out there.Ameer Abdullah - Fun-Size Three Musketeers.Makes you wonder why it’s been around so long.Not nearly as talented as its brethren (Milky Way, Snickers), yet seems to stick around.Not-afraid-to-make-a-prediction Prediction:I’ve been saying all along that the Lions are the team in the division I fear the most.That statement has more to do with the other teams in the division than it does the Lions.Vikings win by six.Green Bay PackersOur friends at Acme Packing Company are trying to figure out (I think) what is going on with the Tight End situation in Green Bay.Something something Harry Potter.Something something Dumblewort.Reading this (trying to, rather) was a scary moment for me.It’s an iconic (I guess) story (I think) that kids (but apparently not mine) love (again, I think), and has been used as a tool to compare football players?I have no idea.But for the first time in my life, I understand how my dad felt when a buddy and I were in the back seat of the car, comparing Luke Skywalker and Han Solo to Tommy Kramer and Fran Tarkenton (Tim Irwin was definitely Chewbacca, BTW).All dad did was look at me through the rear-view mirror with a “what the hell is wrong with you two?” look.Anyway, if you understand it at all, apparently it’s a good comparison.Nerd.Ty Montgomery was the goat (not G.O.A.T.) on Sunday for the Packers in the loss versus the Rams, as his ill-advised return attempt and subsequent fumble cost his team the game.According to NFL.com’s Michael Silver, several players criticized his decision, with one player saying:And then, just when the drama was getting good Irv Smith Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , they go ahead and trade Ty Montgomery.Incidentally, he went for a 2020 seventh round pick.So, Monty’s gone, which leaves the Packers running game in the hands of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.Jones had a pretty good game against the Rams on Sunday, rushing for 86 yards and a TD.In other trade news, the Packers shipped Free Safety HaHa Clinton-Dix of to Washington, for a 2019 fourth-round pick.HHCD had said earlier in the season that he didn’t expect to be back with the team in 2019, so the move isn’t a total shocker.But for a team whose biggest weakness is on the defensive side of the ball, moving him mid-season seems like a sign that the team is throwing in the towel.On the plus side, not having to hear Al Michaels take 14 seconds to say his name any time he’s involved in a play is big.The 14-year anointing process of Aaron Rodgers as the greatest quarterback ever to play the game of football continues this week, as Aaron and the other players that he is forced to play with the team has under contract Packers take on the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in Foxboro.NBC even enlisted the help of NBA G.O.A.T. Michael Jordan to decide who is the greatest of all time:Why wait for Sunday, amirite?Let’s decide who is the GOAT right here, right now.I won’t tell you which is which.***note: “Led NFL” Means that the player led the NFL in a meaningful statistical category in any single season he played.Those include stats such as Yards, TD’s, Completion %, Passer Rating, etc.So, which player do you think deserves to be mentioned this Sunday night ad nauseum as the greatest of all time?Player A?B?C?D?Stealing-Your-Kids’-Halloween-Candy-Scouting-Combine-Comparisons:Aaron Rodgers - Everlasting Gobstoppers.You just want it to go away already.Clay Matthews - Chick-O-Stick.Who thought this was a good idea?It looks gross.Has a worse aftertaste.Nasty crap hanging off of it all over.Yeccch!Bryan Bulaga - Oh Henry!.Been around forever Minnesota Vikings Jerseys 2019 , and there’s always that one guy who says “Hey that’s pretty good!Not-afraid-to-make-a-prediction Prediction: Hey, have you heard?The Packers travel to New England to take on the 6-2 Patriots in a showdown to decide who is the greatest quarterback of all time in any sport anywhere in the universe.I’ve been having luck with this reverse psychology thing.Packers win. Dick Woodard, an offensive lineman and linebacker who played five seasons of pro football, has died at the age of 93.Woodard was the great uncle of Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who confirmed the death on Twitter.“This morning my Uncle Dick Woodard went to be with the Lord at 93 years old,” Cousins wrote. “He played for the Redskins & Giants and was one of the oldest living NFL players. Played a big role in my love for the game from a very young age. We will miss you Uncle Dick!”Born in Britt, Iowa, in 1926, Woodard was an All-Big Nine player for the Iowa Hawkeyes, playing alongside his brother Ralph Woodard, who is Cousins’ grandfather. Dick Woodard was selected by the Giants in the 21st round of the 1948 NFL draft.Woodard spent his first year in pro football playing for the Los Angeles Dons of the All-America Football Conference in 1949. That league folded after that season, and Woodard would then play four more seasons in the NFL.
for the first four games of the 2019 NFL season. The league announced the expected suspension of the Jets tight end stemming from a 2018 DUI arrest...." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesGang Green Nation homepageHorizontal - WhiteGang Green Nationa New York Jets communityFollow Gang Green Nation online:Follow Gang Green Nation on TwitterFollow Gang Green Nation on FacebookFollow Gang Green Nation on InstagramLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchGang Green Nation main menuFanpostsFanshotsJetsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Jets StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Jets NewsYahoo Jets Team PageYahoo Jets ReportYahoo Jets Depth ChartYahoo Jets TransactionsYahoo Jets PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Chris Herndon suspended four gamesNew Brandon Shell Jerseys 2019 ,57commentsEDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Chris Herndon suspended four gamesTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Steven Ryan/Getty ImagesThe Jets will be without tight end Chris Herndon for the first four games of the 2019 NFL season. The league announced the expected suspension of the Jets tight end stemming from a 2018 DUI arrest.On the field it figures to be a significant loss for the Jets to be without their starting tight end for the first quarter of the season. Herndon’s rookie production was one of the few pleasant surprises of 2018. The team is looking for him to take the next step in 2019.On paper there isn’t much depth for the Jets at the tight end position. Daniel Brown and Trevon Wesco might be among the players to see their snaps increase during Herndon’s absence. Any Herndon replacement is likely to be a big downgrade.This puts Herndon out of the opener against the Bills and big early season tests against the Browns, Patriots, and Eagles. Herndon’s season debut is slated to be Week 6 against the Cowboys. Tom Brady set the tone and the New England Patriots' blitz-happy defense took over from there.Bill Belichick's bunch is still undefeated after another absolutely dominant performance.Brady threw a TD pass to Phillip Dorsett, Sony Michel ran for three scores and New England forced Sam Darnold into five turnovers while cruising to a 33-0 victory over the New York Jets on Monday night."We were able to make some plays early in the game," Belichick said, "and play pretty solid for 60 minutes."The Patriots improved to 7-0 for the third time in franchise history, and first since 2015. They also swept the two-game season series against their AFC East rivals for the fourth straight year, outscoring the Jets (1-5) 63-14 in the two meetings this year.And, the top-ranked Patriots defense was a big reason in this one."They're just playing great football," Brady said. "They cover the rush. They stop the run. Make critical plays. It's awesome to watch."Darnold was the AFC offensive player of the week after leading New York to a 24-22 win over Dallas last Sunday in his return from missing three games with mononucleosis.He was miserable against New England White Eric Tomlinson Jerseys , finishing 11 of 32 for 86 yards and a 3.6 quarterback rating. ESPN had Darnold wear a microphone during the game, and he was caught on the sideline saying, "I'm seeing ghosts" at one point."It was a rough night out there," Darnold said. "And obviously, I've got to be better and learn from the mistakes, but we will get better."Belichick blitzed Darnold often, giving the second-year quarterback little time and forcing him into bad — and often ugly — throws. Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, Stephon Gilmore and Terrence Brooks all had interceptions. Darnold also lost a fumble on a sack, and later knocked an errant snap out of the back of the end zone for a safety."I don't know Eric Tomlinson Jerseys 2019 , man," a smiling McCourty said when asked if there were "ghosts" on the field. "We were just locked in tonight as a defensive unit. When you get a lot of time to prepare for a game, you start going over everything over and over again. I think it showed for us tonight as a defensive unit."Brady was 31 of 45 for 249 yards with a TD and an interception before leaving with 2:55 left to chants of "Brady! Brady!" from the Patriots fans who stayed until the end at MetLife Stadium.They watched New England take total control from the beginning.Michel's 3-yard touchdown run capped an efficient drive by Brady to open the game. The Patriots went 16 plays and 78 yards while eating up 8:47, and converted four third downs along the way. The last came on third-and-2 when Brady pitched it to Michel, who easily zipped into the end zone."Our guys were ready to go today," Belichick said. "We got off to a good start. That was a great opening drive. It took up most of the first quarter."New England made it 10-0 a few minutes later after McCourty intercepted Darnold's first pass of the game, coming on the Jets' second play from scrimmage. New England turned the turnover into a 34-yard field goal by Mike Nugent.After the Jets went three-and-out, Brady went back to work. On fourth-and-6 from the 35, Belichick opted to leave the offense on the field instead of having Nugent try for a 53-yard field goal.And, it paid off.Brady connected with Ben Watson for 7 yards to extend the drive. After a 2-yard run by Michel White Darryl Roberts Jerseys , Brady threw a perfectly placed ball to Dorsett, who caught the pass over Trumaine Johnson in the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown."We had good balance," Brady said.New England took advantage of another turnover by Darnold on the Jets' next drive when John Simon popped the ball out of the quarterback's hand for a strip-sack and Kyle Van Noy recovered. The Patriots linebacker ran 39 yards for what was initially called a touchdown, but officials then ruled he was down.Four plays later, it appeared James White had a 4-yard touchdown run, but it was wiped out by an illegal block in the back penalty on Julian Edelman. Brady's pass to Jakobi Meyers fell incomplete on third-and-goal from the 3, but Brian Poole was called for defensive holding. Michel ran it in from the 1 three plays later to make it 24-0 with 9:18 left in the first half.Darnold's third turnover came on the Jets' next possession when his throw to the end zone was intercepted by Harmon. Gilmore picked off Darnold on New York's opening drive of the second half.It only went downhill from there on the Jets' next possession when Ryan Kalil's snap sailed over Darnold's head and he knocked it out of the back of the end zone for a safety.Michel added a 1-yard TD run with 12:32 left to cap the scoring."Obviously, that was brutal," Jets coach Adam Gase said. "We couldn't do anything right. All three phases, we were bad. It was just a bad performance."CENTER OF ATTENTIONKalil injured his right elbow late in the second quarter and was replaced by Jonotthan Harrison. Kalil returned to open the second half with a sleeve over his elbow Darryl Roberts Jerseys 2019 , but again left after his wayward snap.STATSIt was New England's second shutout this season after winning 43-0 at Miami in Week 2. ... The Patriots dominated the opening quarter, outgaining the Jets 141 yards to 14 while holding the ball for 12:34 compared to just 2:26 for New York. ... Brady's 29 regular-season wins vs. the Jets are his second-most against any opponent, with only his 31 against Buffalo more.MAWAE HONOREDFormer Jets center Kevin Mawae received his key from the Pro Football Hall of Fame during a halftime ceremony. Mawae, who played for New York from 1998-2005, was inducted in August.UP NEXTPatriots: host Cleveland next Sunday.Jets: at Jacksonville next Sunday.
with a worse year-long record than the Los Angeles Rams White Rex Burkhead Jerseys , but the matchup between the two conference champions still projects to be a close one. Too talented are both teams in all three phases, too good their respective coaching staffs for the game to be tilted in any one direction. Just like the Patriots’ previous eight appearances on the game’s biggest stage under head coach Bill Belichick, this one might be a tight affair.And as the Patriots very well know, all it takes is one play to shift the momentum of a Super Bowl — or any contest, really. Consequently, any of the following six things to look for could ultimately turn out to be the difference on Sunday and decide whether or not New England will be able to bring a sixth Lombardi Trophy to the northeast.1. Can the Patriots keep the Rams’ entire defensive arsenal away from Tom Brady?As you may have heard by now, the Rams field one of the NFL’s pass rushing duos in Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. Both players are capable of single-handedly impact games, as they have shown time and again this season: Donald, the league’s sack leader and its likely defensive player of the year, led all defenders in quarterback takedowns during the regular season with 20.5. Suh, meanwhile, registered 4.5 sacks before adding 1.5 during the playoffs.We have discussed time and again over the last two weeks that finding a way to slow down the prolific duo in the passing game will be a key for the Patriots to get into an offensive rhythm and by extension put pressure on Los Angeles’ own offense. However, the Rams’ abilities to get after the quarterback go beyond the two superstars: the team’s other front seven players are also capable of bringing pressure on a fairly regular basis even though there is still a noticeable drop-off when compared to Donald and Suh.The most prominent non-Donald/Suh pass rushers L.A. employs are linebackers Cory Littleton and Samson Ebukam as well as in-season addition Dante Fowler. The trio combined for 10.5 sacks and an additional 19 quarterback hits so far this year and with the Patriots probably investing a lot of their attention on stopping could have an impact on the game in one way or another. From the Patriots’ perspective, however, it is important to not let the “other guys” put too much pressure on Brady.So far this postseason, New England’s blockers have done a tremendous job at doing that. Brady has not been sacked through playoff games one and two, and pressured only 15 times while the Patriots basically shut down star pass rushers Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa on the Los Angeles Chargers, and Chris Jones, Dee Ford and Justin Houston on the Kansas City Chiefs one week later.To put this all in perspective, the Chargers and Chiefs sacked opposing quarterbacks on 6.9% and 8.3% of dropbacks during the regular season, respectively. For comparison, the Rams’ takedown rate of 7.7% is almost exactly in the middle between the two and was good enough for 12th best in the league. During the playoffs so far, however, this number went down to just 4.4%. Keeping the number similarly low would be a win for New England.2. Can the Patriots establish a presence on the ground?Probably the best way to help the Patriots keep Tom Brady clean is by keeping the Rams defense off balance and honest against the ground game. Los Angeles was inconsistent in this area during the regular season, ranking just 28th in the league in Fooball Outsiders’ DVOA metric with a +1.5% rate, meaning that teams perform consistently better against the Rams on the ground than they do against clubs in the same scenario.But of course, statistical metrics don’t win games: performance and preparation do. And the latter might lead to the Rams trying to primarily slow down New England’s rushing attack Rex Burkhead Jerseys 2019 , led by outstanding rookie Sony Michel. Neither the Chargers nor the Chiefs could do this in the playoffs so far and it cost them dearly in the end. If L.A. wants to win the Super Bowl, it cannot allow the Patriots to run wild over its defense.The problem is that Michel in particular was unfazed by stacked boxes after New England’s bye week, as this graphic by Pro Football Focus illustrates:Teams attempted to load the box against the 31st overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft at the highest rate in the league but to no avail: Michel was still a top-five back in the NFL in generating yardage and being able to break through contact. If this continues on Sunday, the Patriots will have a very good chance of dictating the tempo and flow of the game when in possession of the football.Speaking of which:3. Who will control the tempo of the game?New England has done a tremendous job all year long when it came to playing games on its own terms by controlling the clock. Never was that more evident, however, then during the playoffs: the Patriots dominated time of possession against both Los Angeles and Kansas City by sticking to the run game and keeping drives alive by converting on third downs. As a result, the team held the football for an average of 38:43 the last two games:The ability to do that was key against the two terrific offenses the Patriots faced in the divisional and championship rounds: it kept the units on the sidelines while simultaneously also keeping New England’s own defense fresh. Also, getting up on the two opponents’ put even more pressure on them to perform especially considering the limited possessions and time they had at their disposal.And while the Chiefs were able to fight back, they ultimately needed a last-second field goal to even get the game to an overtime period which they ultimately lost — and that is an offense even more powerful than a Rams attack that while still very good and a top-five unit in football, lacks quite the same firepower as the Patrick Mahomes-led group Kansas City fielded.Ergo, putting pressure on Rams quarterback Jared Goff and the entire group surrounding him should ideally not only come in the form of the actual pass rush and defensive schemes, but also in terms of the clock. Staying on the plus side in terms of time of possession might help achieve that — just like it did the last two weeks.4. How effectively will New England take away the Rams’ run game?Staying on top of the clock would also have another effect: it would likely force Los Angeles to move away from running the football, at least to a certain extent. While the team can still strike equally effective through the air this one-dimensionality would certainly be beneficial to a Patriots defense that has its strengths in the passing game and coverage as opposed to slowing down the run — at least that is what it looked like during the second half of the regular season.“We just have to eliminate the run game,” Patriots defensive tackle Adam Butler told Pats Pulpit earlier this week when asked about the team’s priorities heading into the matchup with an offense as talented and well-rounded as the Rams’. “We eliminate the run game, we got a chance. I trust in our defensive line, trust in our linebackers and DBs. And once we stop the run, you know our third down unit is going to get out there.”Fellow defensive tackle Danny Shelton also emphasized that the defense needed to key in on the run to make L.A. as one-dimensional as possible. “Every game you need to have the mindset to stop the run,” Shelton said. “As a defensive lineman, you stop the run you earn the right to rush the passer. If we can establish that from the get go, that will give us a lot more opportunities to cause chaos in the backfield.”“The Rams are a really good team, they got some big boys up front that are athletic, play hard. They are a challenge,” added rotational edge defender Derek Rivers about the challenge of going up against Los Angeles’ potent ground game — one that ranked as the best in the league during the regular season with a DVOA number of +22.1%. For comparison, New England’s defense had a -7.0% mark (19th) against the run between weeks one and seventeen.However, Rivers sounded confident in the Patriots’ ability to still successfully limit the impact Los Angeles running backs Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson can have on Sunday. “As long as our technique and our fundamentals are strong, we’ll have a good chance of possibly getting it done,” the second-year defender said. Safe to say White Adam Butler Jerseys , however, that it will not be easy considering that L.A. attempted 74 rushes this postseason and gained 350 yards (4.7 per carry) and four scores.5. Will L.A. try some kicking game shenanigans?As Patriots head coach Bill Belichick mentioned during his Thursday presser, now is the time to get it all out there in terms of play calls: there is no need to keep anything held back because the season will be over one way or the other after the Super Bowl. Belichick was asked about trickery because his head coaching counterpart, the Rams’ Sean McVay, is known for trying some shenanigans — especially in the kicking game.What allows him to do that is having former quarterback Johnny Hekker as his team’s punter. Over the course of his career, Hekker attempted 20 career passes, completing 12 of which for a combined 168 yards and a touchdown — as well as 11 first downs. Needless to say that the Patriots need to be on high alert every time Los Angeles comes out to either punt or to attempt field goals or extra points: Hekker serves as the team’s holder as well.“When they see something that’s vulnerable, I’m sure they’ve got a few things they can check to and go to because Johnny was an all-state quarterback, I think he can handle a few different plays or an audible or something like that — that’s not rocket science,” said Patriots punter Ryan Allen, a long-time friend and former college teammate of Hekker. “And obviously they’ve been doing that already.” The Patriots won the battle of the GOATs (haha) against the Packers on Sunday night. Here are my quick-hit thoughts from the game. In case you’re a new reader, these are my in-game notes that will break down individual plays and drives. Here we go:I have to believe the Patriots intentionally brought in Fran Rogers to sing the National Anthem. Aaron must know he’s not the only talented Rogers in the building. It must be messing with his head pre game.Both the Patriots and Packers start their first drives without a huddle. Works very well for both teams, but the Packers stall in the red zone. Their screen call on 3rd and goal from the 15 was just bizarre. That call on Patrick Chung for holding Jimmy Graham on that first drive is just terrible. The Patriots then go four-and-out after a first down on the drive’s first play. When it looked like they’d be flipping field position, Ryan Allen booms a punt and pinned the Packers deep in their own end. The Packers only rush three on the sack of Brady but drop a ton of guys off the line and confuse the Patriots offensive line. Never a good sign when they rush three and two get into the backfield.The Patriots bring pressure and Devin McCourty forces an incompletion from Aaron Rodgers which in turn forces a Packers punt. After a great catch by Josh Gordon on the sideline, they run a Flea Flickahh to Edelman down to the 10.But they finish the drive in disappointment in only a FG. The big play was Edelman not looking for the ball on 2nd down. Yes, there was a guy there, but I think Edelman breaks that tackle and walks into the end zoneHeck of a play by Davante Adams to knock the ball away from Stephon Gilmore on what would’ve been a sure interception. The Patriots force a punt on the next play thanks to some pressure up the middle by Adam Butler. Kenjon Barner decleats Clay Matthews on the first play of the next drive, but the Patriots go three-and-out after Josh Gordon can’t keep his second foot in on what would’ve been a sensational catch. Adrian Clayborn should be cut immediately. I have yet to see him make a play. He gets fooled badly by Rodgers and was unable to pressure him at the goal line, which allows him to find Adams for a touchdown to tie the game.The Packers decision to throw three consecutive times from the 2 when they have to gain less than two on any given carry this game is just plain stupid though. They may have scored, but that decision made absolutely no sense. James White just has a Charlie horse. James White just has a Charlie horse. James White just has a Charlie horse. James White just has a Charlie horse. Cordarrelle Patterson may not be a running back, but damn does he run hard. May want to invest in some tear-away shirts though. Rodgers can take a shot at the crown here. Has a chance for the Brady Parlay (a score right before the half and then a score on the first possession of the second half), let’s see what he does with it.Clayborn finally makes a play, but the strip goes out of bounds. But he does force them to punt. So Rodgers does not complete the Brady Parlay. Overall, an up and down first half, but the Patriots have the lead, so it’s not all bad. Need to see more out of the offense, but I’ve loved Patterson at running back this half. Hope they keep it up in the 2nd half. After the Packers tie it on the first drive of the second half Adam Butler Jerseys 2019 , the Patriots drive stalls at the goal line when Brady and Gordon can’t hook up on 4th down. Hate them calling pass plays on 3rd and 4th down in that situation. The Patriots do nothing to capitalize off a roughing the kicker penalty. The drive ends with Brady making a particularly bad throw on 3rd down, missing a wide open Chris Hogan. The third quarter ends with Aaron Rodgers making two nice throws and Marquez Valdez-Scantling making two fantastic catches to drive the Packers all the way to the Patriots 34 after having 3rd and short deep in their territory. The Patriots are going to need to step it up on offense in the fourth if they expect to have a chance to win this game. They start the quarter with a great strip by Lawrence Guy and a very heads-up recovery by Stephon Gilmore. Let’s see if the offense can make something happenMore trickeration! After a 3rd and long completion to Phillip Dorsett, Brady throws behind the line to Edelman who throws it across the field to James White, who follows a caravan down to the 2. White cashes in with his second rushing touchdown of the night three plays later. Adrian Clayborn makes another play! But let’s not get carried away, it was only a half sack with Flowers getting the other half.Gordon with a huge play for the touchdown! I thought the throw was going to be late, but Brady got it in just in time, and Gordon broke the arm tackle and walked in 55 yards later.Clayborn with two plays on the ensuing drive by the Packers, one of them didn’t count because of a penalty, but he pushes the pocket and forces the bad throw by Rodgers on fourth down. He must have heard me ranting on here, and in the stands, and stepped his game up.Brady quick snaps to catch the Packers with 12 men on the field, then hits Josh Gordon to pick up a first down to almost seal the game, then a reverse to Edelman gets the final first down of the game. The Patriots weren’t perfect, but they played good enough to win. They’re missing a ton of players, and not just role players, great players, and they still win these games. No Rob Gronkowski, no Sony Michel, no Shaq Mason — and they still put up 31 points. Davante Adams is a beast, and Stephon Gilmore shut him down tonight. He is becoming one of the best corners in the league, and is a huge weapon for the Patriots on defense. I’d be surprised to see either Gronk or Michel next week in Tennessee. You obviously want them in the game as much as you can, but I want them healthy in January. If sitting them out another game helps make that possible, I’m on board. Pat is the host of The Patriot Nation PodcastInteract with him on Twitter @plane_pats
for criticism of their current roster strategy Oshane Ximines Jersey Draft , assuming they even have one. However, a recent report regarding rookie quarterback Daniel Jones feels like someone is piling on the team and the player.As crafted, the report that someone wanted Jones to work out as a tight end obviously originated with a team and not with Jones’ camp, since the explanation was that the team didn’t believe Jones was good enough to play quarterback. It feels so over the top and almost cartoonish that it’s very tempting to conclude that another franchise (maybe the other one that plays in New Jersey) wants to make the Giants look even worse for making him not just a first-round pick but the sixth overall pick.The lying that characterizes the pre-draft process surely lasts after the draft ends, with teams trying to create all sorts of false impressions regarding the guys they drafted (““) and the guys they didn’t (““). Would any team that was interested in Daniel Jones as a quarterback admit it now? And, more importantly for these purposes, why wouldn’t a team that wants to make things even more awkward for the Giants and Jones try to make the Giants and Jones look worse instead of better?That’s not a knock on the report, per se. The report wasn’t fabricated. But the information shared with the reporter may have been. If not fabricated, then possibly exaggerated or embellished.Regardless, for the same reason that pre-draft reports regarding interest or lack thereof are inherently unreliable, post-draft reports regarding interest or lack thereof also are inherently unreliable. Or, at a minimum Oshane Ximines NFL Jersey , they need to be viewed through the basic prism that: (1) the incentive to prevaricate is high; and (2) the cost for doing so is low. A Date To Remember is an occasional series Big Blue View will be running through the Super Bowl, highlighting the glory of the Giants’ past and celebrating the biggest playoff wins in franchise history. The Seeds Are SownDec. 23, 1984NFC Wild Card gameGiants 16, Rams 13The dynasty was slowly taking shape. Bill Parcells. Lawrence Taylor. Phil Simms. Harry Carson. Leonard Marshall.After decades of losing, poor drafts and even ownership infighting, the Giants began their modern era in earnest in 1984. Although the next season is looked upon as the start of the run that produced Super Bowl titles in 1986 and 1990, the turnaround for the rebuilt organization began following a devastating 3-12-1 campaign in 1983.It had to for Parcells’ sake. As the legend goes, he was already in danger of being fired as his second season commenced.”I think in ‘83, I was trying to be a head coach. In ‘84, I decided to be Bill Parcells,” he told NFL.com in 2013. “And I kind of made a little promise with myself that I would try to do things my way, and I gave my best effort in that regard. And I really dispensed with the feelings of doing what a head coach was supposed to do.”Giants co-owner John Mara noticed Parcells’ transformation.”That experience changed him Oshane Ximines NFL Draft ,” he told NFL.com. “Prior to that, he was a pretty easygoing, gregarious, friendly, personable guy. Starting in 1984, he was much more gruff, much more focused. He showed a little mean streak from time to time. He was a different guy, and it worked for him.”The Giants, led by a physical, rising defense that included Carson, Jim Burt and a fourth-year pro nicknamed LT, snuck into the playoffs at 9-7. Their reward was traveling to Anaheim Stadium to face the 10-6 Rams. But as vital as the defense was Oshane Ximines Buffalo Bills Jersey , it was Parcells’ belated trust in Simms that might have been the biggest step forward taken that season. The coach had benched the former first-round pick in 1983 in favor of Scott Brunner. “First of all, we resolved the quarterback position,” Parcells said in Giant Steps: The Making of Big Blue’s First Super Bowl Championship, a podcast by The Players’ Tribune about the 1986 Giants. “I had made a mistake. We got that squared away. ... “We just started to play much better on defense, and we started to be able to run the ball a little bit and stop the run. That’s a good formula to have for starting to have success in football.”Foreshadowing the style of play that would result in those championships, Simms was deadly accurate against the Rams (completing 22-of-31 passes for 179 yards), and the Giants held the ball for 34:03. Rob Carpenter scored their only touchdown on a 1-yard run, and Ali Haji-Sheikh drilled field goals of 37, 39 and 36 yards to account for the rest of their scores. A big-play defense keyed by Marshall, George Martin and Terry Kinard did the rest, keeping the Rams’ Eric Dickerson from taking over (he also had a costly fumble). They also protected a 13-3 third-quarter lead in front of 67,037 spectators.The Rams drove inside the Giants’ 5-yard line midway through the fourth quarter Color Rush Oshane Ximines Jersey , but a Marshall tackle for loss forced the Rams to kick a field goal. It cut the lead to 16-13 with 7:02 remaining. L.A. had one last possession in the final minutes, but Martin’s strip sack of Jeff Kemp sealed the victory.The eventual champion San Francisco 49ers would beat the Giants, 21-10, the next week in the divisional round. But in 1985, the Giants continued to progress, stopped only when they ran into the juggernaut Chicago Bears and their “46 defense” in the divisional round. But by 1986, the Giants were the dominant ones, winning the Super Bowl.
continues with the Home Game quarterfinals!" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteBuffalo Rumblingsa Buffalo Bills communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsBillsOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsNotesOpinionAnalysisDiscussionPodcastNFL DraftSalary CapFiled under:OpinionPlays that defined 2018: Home Games quarterfinalsNew Color Rush Devin Singletary Jersey ,13commentsThe quest to find a single play to define the season continues with the Home Game quarterfinals!EDTShareTweetShareSharePlays that defined 2018: Home Games quarterfinalsWe’ve voted on a play to define each game, and now it’s time to crown one to define the season. We continue our bracket with the home games. Seeding was done based on the percentage of the vote each play received in their respective games (percentages were taken at the time of writing). Remember the goal is to select a play that “defines” the narrative of the season rather than voting for a highlight or “best play.” It can be helpful to think of a one- or two-sentence story that describes the entire 2018 season and select plays that best match that narrative. Editor’s note: If you’re viewing this on your mobile device, you may have to click through to the full site version to vote.Detroit Lions - Robert Foster touchdown (86%)In a tight contest Youth Devin Singletary Jersey , sometimes the game is defined by the moment that creates the small separation needed to proclaim a victor. While it wasn’t a big day for Josh Allen or Robert Foster, this moment was a difference maker. Vs. Chicago Bears - Nathan Peterman pick-6 (52% of votes)In a game where the Buffalo Bills had their opponent locked down in most key areas (aside from the score), the quickest way to lose was to hand the game over. This play is a good summary of how Buffalo did just that. Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner is out against the New England Patriots.The sixth-leading rusher in the NFL is inactive for a second straight game with a sprained left ankle.Rookie Jaylen Samuels and former Patriot Stevan Ridley will split carries against New England. Wide receiver Eli Rogers will make his 2018 debut for Pittsburgh. Rogers hasn’t played since tearing the ACL in his right knee in a playoff loss to Jacksonville.In the only other late-afternoon kickoff Womens Devin Singletary Jersey , the San Francisco 49ers will have starting running back Matt Breida and receiver Marquise Goodwin available against Seattle.Breida was listed as questionable with an ankle injury and Goodwin was questionable with a calf injury but both are active.The Seahawks will be without guard D.J. Fluker, who was doubtful with a hamstring injury but receiver Doug Baldwin will play despite being listed as questionable with a hip injury.Here’s the full list of inactives for the Week 15 games:
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 Chris Hubbard Color Rush 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. BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Somewhat lost and overlooked amid Baker Mayfield’s public spat with former Browns coach Hue Jackson is that the rookie’s playing at an elite level.This quarterback isn’t all talk.Mayfield had a November to remember, completing 74 percent of his passes (65 of 88) while leading the Browns (4-6-1) to two wins and the edge of serious playoff possibilities.The No. 1 overall pick has thrown nine touchdown passes and just one interception in his past three games while earning a 129.5 rating — second only to New Orleans star Drew Brees.Nothing fake about those numbers.Mayfield, who threw a season-high four TD passes last week — is the first rookie in NFL history to record ratings of 140-plus in consecutive games, and his efforts earned him rookie of the month honors.Rookie of the year may be next.It’s not a coincidence that Mayfield’s recent rise came after Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley were fired. With running backs coach Freddie Kitchens taking over for Haley and calling plays, Cleveland’s offense has played with a faster tempo, has been more versatile and efficient.Mayfield is getting rid of the ball much quicker, spreading it around to his playmakers and making better decisions.It would be easy to surmise Jackson was holding him back, but Mayfield doesn’t think that’s the case.“No,” Mayfield said. “I mean https://www.brownsfanshop.com/Seth-Devalve-Jersey , obviously the easiest answer would be to look on that and say, ‘Yeah, I’ve played a lot better since then.’ But that’s not it. It’s just been about me doing my job and doing it at a high level. So it’s not about that. I wouldn’t blame that at all.”Still, it’s worth considering where the Browns would be if Mayfield had begun the season as the starter and not Tyrod Taylor’s backup.But that’s irrelevant now as Mayfield has the Browns winning — they snapped a 25-game road losing streak last week at Cincinnati — and playing in meaningful December games, starting with Sunday’s matchup in Houston against the Texans, who have won eight in a row.With his impressive career start, Mayfield has converted numerous doubters who thought he was either too small or too smug to succeed.Texans star Deshaun Watson isn’t surprised by anything Mayfield has done. Watson and Mayfield are friends, their bond beginning as college rivals and strengthened as offseason workout partners.Watson has been around Mayfield long enough to see how players, teams and cities gravitate toward the No. 1 overall draft pick.“I saw that when he was playing at Texas Tech and saw it at Oklahoma,” Watson said. “That is what drew me closer to him, want to be around him and get to know him a little better because I can feed off of that energy that he gives off. Everyone wants to play with him. The guy is a playmaker.“He is playing very well. That is the reason why they are having a lot of success because he is leading that team Kevin Zeitler Jersey , he is leading that organization and he is going to have a bright future, a bright career, win a lot of games, win championships and do a lot of things for himself and that organization.”Mayfield might be in his first season, but Kitchens said Cleveland’s staff isn’t modifying any aspect of the game plan because of his inexperience.No time for that.“There is not babying him into anything,” Kitchens said. “He is doing a good job. He works hard during the course of the week. He puts time in after hours and before hours. He is doing a good job of staying focused on the task at hand inside of one play, inside of one read, inside of one practice and one game. That is how you continue to progress. It is not overwhelming him or anything like that. It is just continuing his progress on a play-by-play basis.”NOTES: Kitchens joined the chorus of Mayfield supporters who had no problem with the QB objecting to Jackson taking a job with Cincinnati or calling his former coach “fake.” day. Haley said Mayfield had every right to speak his mind. “If he said it, that’s what he feels,” Kitchens said. “And I’m standing behind Baker Mayfield. … Suddenly it’s big news if we don’t want to turn it into a Kumbaya after the game and turn it into fist bumps and hugs. I don’t think Baker disrespected anybody in what he said. He spoke what he felt.”
managed one goal of reaching the end of the preseason as healthy as possible.They also have one player healthier than expected before Saturday's deadline to trim the roster to 53.Coach Mike Vrabel gave an update Friday on defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey , their first-round selection at No. 19 who had been seen as a potential top-five pick before tearing his left ACL in February. Simmons worked throughout the preseason with trainers on a side field, and the tackle expected to be out most — if not all — of this season, is ahead of schedule in his recovery."His progression and his recovery has been really, really good," Vrabel said. "I don't want to rule anything out right now, but I would say it's far, far more along than what the average player would be. He's further along."The Titans placed the 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle from Mississippi State on the non-football injury list at the start of training camp. Simmons spent part of training camp working with four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey in the veteran's own recovery from a knee injury before Casey passed his physical Aug. 10.Casey said then that Simmons kept him motivated and the tackles got one-on-one time with Vrabel. Casey also was able to show Simmons some tricks and tips.The Titans could decide to put Simmons on the reserve/non-football injury list to start the season, keeping him out the first six weeks. Keeping Simmons on the 53-man roster would make him eligible to start practicing, a roster decision complicated by the need to keep an extra offensive lineman with three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan suspended for the first four games.Outside linebacker Harold Landry III did not play during the preseason and missed a week of practice leading up to last week's loss to Pittsburgh. Vrabel said both Landry and rookie guard Nate Davis, who missed two weeks of camp with an undisclosed injury, were expected to practice Friday.Running back Derrick Henry is another player who did not take a snap in a preseason game after hurting his left calf on the opening day of camp. Henry was among the Titans who traveled to Chicago for Thursday night's 19-15 win over the Bears, though Henry was among 42 who only watched from the sideline and did not take a single snap."There's nothing more important than the health of the football team, the players that are going to go out there and be the ones that help us win, so I would say this is probably as healthy as we've been with the guys that obviously didn't play (in Chicago)," Vrabel said.Now it's time to turn full attention to the opener Sept. 8 in Cleveland where the starting offense is expected to be together without having played a snap together in the preseason.The Titans tied for second in the NFL with eight touchdown passes Jimmy Graham Color Rush Jersey , though quarterback Marcus Mariota had only one of those. Mariota was 10 of 20 for 50 yards in very limited work with his new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith."We're ready to go," Mariota said before the preseason finale. "Since spring, I think our guys have bought into what Art has established."NOTES: Vrabel says the Titans' starting right guard is Kevin Pamphile right now, cautioning they have practiced different rotations. ... New OLB Reggie Gilbert, acquired in a trade with Green Bay, had seen doctors Friday. Gilbert must pass a physical, but Vrabel noted the Titans know the linebacker recently had a procedure for a knee injury.Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker The Packers have benefitted from generational stability at quarterback, a stability that stemmed from drafting one in the first round when they had a 35-year-old star at the top of his game.But even though Aaron Rodgers was a clearly defined successor to Brett Favre, Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst downplayed bringing in Missouri quarterback Drew Lock for a pre-draft visit was part of a plan to eventually replace Rodgers.“I think the whole succession plan thing, I think is a little bit overhyped or whatever,” Gutekunst said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “I go back to when I first started and certainly when Ted [Thompson] came back [as GM in 2005], we value that position extremely highly. And I think every year we spent a lot of time on quarterbacks and try to figure out what kind of players those guys are going to be in the NFL. I think it’s really, really important to us because if you don’t have one it’s really tough to win in this league. So, you know, for us it’s just about each and every year trying to decide which of the guys that could potentially be starters in this league and difference maker-type players. And then if you ever have an opportunity to take them sometime in the draft and it’s the best thing for your team I don’t think you can hesitate with that https://www.thepackersfanshop.com/Muhammad-Wilkerson-Jersey , you know?“Again, we’re lucky to have the best player in the NFL playing that position right now. But at the same time, just like I was talking about before, your needs can change just like that. So, I think it was just doing due diligence. There’s always questions, specifically with those guys, maybe that are a little more thorough and more in depth that you’ve got to get to the bottom of and so we were trying to do that.”The Packers are in a position to invest for the future, since they have a pair of first-round picks (12th and 30th overall).And it would be easier to dismiss bringing in Lock as one of their 30 visitors if they didn’t also try to schedule Duke’s Daniel Jones. But Gutekunst said between medical issues and other considerations, the extra visits could mean many things.“Certainly, there’s a medical part of it,” Gutekunst said. “There was a bunch of guys not at the combine that we needed medical grades on. That’s part of it. A lot of it is just trying to get to know guys a little bit more. There were some unanswered questions that when we came out of the combine or pro days that we didn’t feel like we had answered.“And then sometime there’s just some subterfuge thrown in there as well.”And that’s fine, as they have enough visits to do things just to mess with their opponents. If that’s all they’re doing, of course.
for them. Andrew Luck and the offense have been fantastic in nearly every aspect over the past several games. Everyone who holds Colts fandom is in love with Frank Reich and Chris Ballard looks to be the right fit for acquiring the right talent to fit what the Colts are hoping to accomplish. However Adam Vinatieri Jersey , the Colts defense is such an interesting unit right now. Yes, they’re allowing a ton of yards per game (364 YPG — 20th) and have allowed 30 points in 4 of the team’s 10 games, and their third-down percentage has gone way down over the course of the season. On the other hand, though, they’re doing a lot right that is absolutely having an impact on their ability to win games. First, we have to acknowledge the talent. Darius Leonard should absolutely be in the running for defensive rookie of the year. Anthony Walker is ascending as a very good MIKE backer within the scheme, and Kenny Moore is the best cover corner on the team and is vastly underrated throughout the league — just to name a few. With all of what you can say in the negative about the defense, they’re doing a lot right and it shouldn’t be tossed aside among other stats. Right now the Colts are 14th in the league allowing 5.6 yards per play. That’s not bad at all, especially when you consider the scheme that’s in place. They’re also 6th in the league allowing only 3.9 yards per attempt on the ground. Does anyone need to reminding of how terrible the Colts run defense was in the 3-4 scheme from the Pagano era which is literally designed to stop the run? Didn’t think so.And while we will always look at points allowed, and understand that the Colts are giving up some high-scoring games, they’re 18th in the league right now allowing 24.9 PPG in a league that is as offensively biased as we’ve ever seen. A few teams allowing more than the Colts: The Rams, Panthers, Jets, Bengals and Bills — all teams who have some real playmakers and high draft picks being established in longstanding schemes.But there’s a few more that I think hold a great amount of importance to what the Colts are accomplishing and trying to build as true staples of their defense. The Colts are 4th in turnovers forced per drive right now. The team has proven that they are absolutely going to turn over every team they play, and there have been a few of them that quite literally have been the difference in the win-loss column for the team. Opportunistic Marvin Harrison Color Rush Jersey , is not a four-letter word in the NFL, it becomes a mindset that gets contagious throughout the unit. Right now, it’s making a big difference for the Colts.After a strong start to the season, the Colts’ pressure on quarterbacks took a bit of a hiatus over the past few weeks only accruing 4 sacks between Week’s 5-10. But, even with that the Colts are smack-dab in the middle of the NFL (tied for 15th) with 26 sacks on the season. The only question to be asked is if they can get back into the saddle after a big 5-sack game against the Titans this past Sunday.Another aspect that has been flying under the radar a bit is the team’s penalty situation. Sure, the Colts aren’t tops in the league in fewest penalties on the defensive side of the ball, however, there’s something about those penalties that aren’t really hurting the team. In fact, it’s helping them. The Colts aren’t allowing their penalties to extend opponent’s drives, and with a few other things about the defense lacking, that’s a very big deal. Currently, the Colts are allowing 1.4 first downs via penalty per game which is tied for 6th in the league. This is far better than the Colts had been under Pagano, and even since the last time the team employed a 4-3 scheme, 2011 if you can believe that. As I said, the defensive unit isn’t a complete group https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Tarell-Basham-Jersey , and they’ve got their flaws. But, they are definitely seeing that they are doing some important things in the initial stages of this rebuild and change in scheme on that side of the ball. Matt Eberflus appears to understand the pieces that he has available to him and is instilling the right mindset within the group as well. This group will continue to be fun to watch as the season hits the back stretch of the season. The Colts are in the middle of a rebuild, right? That has been the common refrain from fans and analysts alike all season. This is a team that is still a year or two away from really competing. There are just too many holes to truly run with the best teams in the NFL. The problem with that assessment is that no one bothered to tell the Colts. In a season where we were largely hoping to see marked improvement across the board and an Andrew Luck who could show that he was able to return to form after a protracted absence, we have gotten instead a well-coached team that looks like it could beat anyone in the NFL as the regular season comes to a close. In consecutive weeks the Colts have handled a Texans team that was on a 9-game win streak and a Cowboys team that was on a 5-game win streak. What is more impressive still is that rather than the old blueprint for this Colts team of letting Andrew Luck go to work and hoping that is enough, they’ve won in different ways. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY SportsAgainst the Texans it was a combination of strong defensive play and Luck taking deep shots to T.Y. Hilton. Yesterday against Dallas, it was a smothering defensive performance and a ground and pound game behind the formidable young offensive line that paved the way to a shutout win. Contributions from rookies like Darius Leonard and Tyquan Lewis as well as a young secondary made the Cowboys offense that had been rolling look totally impotent.So how good are they really? 1-5 seems like a distant memory for this team, who since that time have found their stride on defense as health and reps have given way to a very strong group. Since that time we’ve seen Darius Leonard sustaining a rookie season that could very likely end up with him as an All-Pro. As a unit the defensive line has hit their stride down the back stretch of this season, finding ways to repeatedly abuse opposing quarterbacks and making teams pay when they can’t get receivers open quickly. Complementing that effort perfectly has been the emergence of the secondary who are playing their best football of the season and have essentially shut down top receivers over the past two weeks. Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesWhat’s more, this team has taken on some of the best running backs in the NFL and proven itself up to the task of limiting them. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus seems to be hitting his stride in terms of play calling and has really got a feel for his team’s strengths and how best to use them. While there aren’t a plethora of game breakers across the group, this defense is loaded with guys who can make a play and who do their jobs well. That kind of balance can be huge in the playoffs.In all reality though, this isn’t a team that has to have a dominant defense. The reason? Andrew Luck. Luck has had a fantastic return season and has gotten better and his arm stronger as the season has progressed. Despite the loss of Jack Doyle, and no notable receivers to speak of behind T.Y. Hilton, Luck inside of Frank Reich’s scheme has been efficient, smart, and dangerous. The offensive line since the return of Anthony Castonzo has been essentially a brick wall Tyquan Lewis Jersey , allowing the second fewest sacks in the league through 15 weeks. They trail only the Saints, who have attempted 140 fewer passes than they have. That is just plain incredible. The job of this line has been ridiculous. With the renewed running game we saw yesterday, this offense only stands to get more deadly as the season goes on. Frank Reich has continued to improve, and if he is given a balanced attack that can open up the play action, this offense can be deadly. Despite a relative lack of skill position players on the offense, a combination of Reich’s play calling and Luck’s brilliance has enabled them to get players involved and be very successful. Eric Ebron, the presumed first round bust at tight end who was signed in the offseason, has been incredible, setting the franchise record for most touchdowns by a Colts tight end in a season, and has two games to go yet. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesSo the question remains, how good is this team? At their best, as in the way we’ve seen them play the past couple weeks? They are good enough to beat any team in the NFL. Over the past few weeks as we’ve watched the white hot Saints, Rams, and Chiefs cool a bit from their ridiculous levels of the earlier parts of the season, the Colts have been the ones heating up. They got a gut check game against Jacksonville to remind them that there was no room to take a week off. Now they’ll face the next two weeks in “must-win” mode. Games against the Giants and Titans will be critical to getting into the playoffs Ryan Grant Color Rush Jersey , and they’ll need either Baltimore or Pittsburgh to drop one game to make that possible. Additionally, if the Texans were to somehow lose out and the Colts win out, they would take the division. Once in, this is a team that no one will want to face. Given their youth, it is certainly possible that they could show up flat and drop a game to anyone. However, they have proven over the past several weeks that they are not a team to be taken lightly, and through solid coaching, sound play, and breakout performances from their young defense, this is a team that can absolutely contend for a Super Bowl this season. Regardless of how this season finishes, it is tough not to be excited about the possibilities for this young team as they grow and move forward. So what do you think? Is this team ready to contend now?
Rashaad Penny is still a bust. Jason Myers’ 2018 was a fluke. Pass rush is screwed.Friendly reminder: Preseason is a liar. It’s fooled many over the..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesField Gulls homepageHorizontal - WhiteField Gullsa Seattle Seahawks communityFollow Field Gulls online:Follow Field Gulls on TwitterFollow Field Gulls on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchField Gulls main menuFanpostsFanshotsSectionsSeahawksOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections VideosCoffee and CigarettesGame AnalysisThe Numbers GameCigar ThoughtsWhat were you expecting? Preseason edition: Game 1 Russell Wilson Color Rush Jersey , Denver BroncosNew,22commentsPDTDK Metcalf is as bad as you thought he’d be. Rashaad Penny is still a bust. Jason Myers’ 2018 was a fluke. Pass rush is screwed.Preseason games have a unique ability to make every NFL team look like they’ll be watching the playoffs from home, and if we only had the first quarter of Thursday’s game there would be a cloud of hopelessness in Seattle right now. We’re here to match expectations headed into each game with what the results actually teach us. For the most part, these four August games are about managing expectations and finding which performances have any bearing on the upcoming season, and which ones don’t teach us anything.Unmet ExpectationsFirst, DK Metcalf. The wide receiver corps as a whole. Geno Smith. If you just tuned in to paying attention to the 2019 Seahawks, I envy you. You possess none of the confusion that most the rest of us are sitting with following Thursday’s contest. The reports coming from all over the place were that Paxton Lynch was getting murdered by Geno. I’ve seen them both throw in person this month and I agreed. It didn’t even look close.But then an opponent showed up. Smith was so bad in the first half that it doesn’t really feel fair to evaluate the receivers involved in most of the plays where he was involved. Meanwhile, as awkward as it is to write this, Paxton Lynch looked like the best backup QB Seattle has had since…Russell Wilson I guess.What this means is that we really didn’t learn anything with real certainty about a single Seahawks receiver, save maybe Jazz Ferguson. Gary Jennings going 0-2 is not good, and Metcalf 1-4 is unfortunate, but Smith was worse. He showed an impressive ability to turn open receivers into near pick-six victims. So without Wilson or a hopefully-better-than-what-we-saw offensive line, figuring out this year’s most interesting position group is like trying to figure out which lane of i-5 is better leaving Seattle at 5:30pm. Truth: DK Metcalf will get behind people. Truth: People like making comparisons way too much.He made one catch, folks. But really, we do need to talk about Jazz Ferguson. We need to talk about him because two years ago Kasen Williams caught four passes for 119 yards in the first preseason game and never saw the 53-man roster. We need to talk about him because like Williams Brandon Marshall Color Rush Jersey , his strength on Thursday was his jump ball and contested catch ability. We need to talk about him because the Seahawks have been known for undersized receivers, and now there’s two guys making noise who are at least 6’3”. We need to talk about him because like Williams in 2017, there’s a sort of unofficial WR hierarchy this year that does not include Ferguson. This will be something to keep tabs on this month.But man was that fun to watch. He actually ran routes. He fights tackles, he fights for pylons, he lets his quarterback fight mascots. Because he most benefited from actual NFL throws from an actual NFL-looking backup, it’s sort of a catch-22 that nobody else really got to show much of anything this week in the WR department. Good news for Ferguson, though.As We ExpectedMarquise Blair almost killed a guy. His hit on Nick Williams in the 4th quarter was exactly as advertised coming out of Utah. The play was flagged, then reviewed, then deemed not excessive enough to cause ejection. It was exactly the type of hit that earned him more than one targeting call in college, some deserved, some questionable. However, it’s exactly the type of play that will endear him to Seattle, as fans have been longing for someone to hit with even a fraction of Kam Chancellor’s power. What’s more, on the next play he got his fingers on a pass it didn’t look like he could reach. A couple plays after that, he destroyed a receiver down the left sideline while flying over from not-in-camera range. While he looked more like Earl Thomas than Chancellor on the play Cortez Kennedy Color Rush Jersey , it demonstrated another potential Preseason Truth. First, Blair probably does fit in somewhere between the LOB’s legendary safeties. He’s faster than Kam – 4.48 40 compared to 4.69 - but won’t ever have the poundage behind his hits. But as good as Bradley McDougald is, he doesn’t really remind me of either player, so why not a rookie who sometimes feels like both? Second, the potential for Blair’s power to be harnessed is tantalizing. What he demonstrated during the hit on Williams and subsequent hit on another guy who won’t make the roster is great football awareness, and a speed/power combination that he’s not afraid to use in the NFL. However, he’s still a couple of tweaks away from turning all of that into a complete package. As noted by commentator Brock Huard, if Blair used his other shoulder he wouldn’t have been penalized. As noted by me watching on my couch, Blair could have prevented the ensuing sideline reception from happening altogether, if he’d used his power to push a little farther out of bounds. Blair had several other plays that contributed to an as-expected first rookie performance.Anyone who says they know what the Seahawks’ secondary will look like after the first game in August is lying. But I’m not sure I really need to see Tedric Thompson or Lano Hill playing in front of Marquise Blair right now.Exceeded ExpectationsDeShawn Shead. This is more than just a nostalgic homecoming for a good defensive back. Two things stood out about Shead’s play. He really does look like he’s in fantastic shape, but more importantly, this is a Ken Norton approved blitz – one of FOUR (4) dialed up in the first preseason game. Ugo Amadi got called for one, as did Akeem King – which forced an interception. Marquise Blair’s attempt turned into a run play which he stopped for a one yard loss.An example of the preseason lying to you: Shead could have linked arms with Poona Ford and D.J. Fluker and the three of them could have trotted through the hole created by Denver’s offensive line on that play. Assuming Shead will be Seattle’s go-to surprise blitz specialist would be a bad assumption. An example of the preseason showing something useful: four blitzes called for four different non-linebackers, all of which being highly effective. Bobby Wagner has already shown his prowess on blitzes when they let him loose (4.5 sacks in 2016 and 5 in 2013). Even K.J. Wright registered four in 2016. But to see this being tested out from multiple spots even further back reveals that Pete and company are not going to sit around and let four guys rush five blockers, especially as this year feels like that will accomplish very little.The Seahawks have been in the bottom third of the league in blitz percentage for seven years. This is absolutely the time to blow some things up and experiment a little. An NFL team does not particularly need sacks to be effective. But somebody has to make the QB do… something other than what they’re trying to do Shaun Alexander Color Rush Jersey , even if it’s just be a little nervous. For all that Seattle’s coaching staff was criticized over this offseason, with regards to inflexibility in its approach to the Dallas playoff game, hopefully this hints at more creative thinking going on behind closed doors. SEATTLE 鈥?The Seahawks will be without wide receiver Doug Baldwin for Monday night’s game against Minnesota because of a hip injury that kept him out of practice all week.More Vikings coverageMiami cornerback Howard doubtful for Vikings-Dolphins gamePreview: Fresh off ‘miracle’ win, Dolphins visit VikingsNew Vikings OC Stefanski: ‘It’s about the players and not the plays’Vikings coordinators: Identity of the offense, history of Vikings’ kicker problems and moreVikings QB Cousins on DeFilippo firing: ‘That’s something I take personally’Baldwin was listed as questionable on the final injury report, but did not participate in any practices leading into Monday’s game and wasn’t on the field during the traditional pregame warmups. It’s the third game Baldwin has missed this season after missing a pair of games in September because of a knee injury.Seattle will also be without guard D.J. Fluker, cornerback Kalian Reed, linebacker K.J. Wright, fullback Tre Madden and defensive end Branden Jackson.Eric Kendricks, the only Minnesota player listed as questionable, was active meaning he’ll have a chance to go against his brother Mychal for the second straight season. Mychal Kendricks is eligible to play for the first time since being suspended eight games after he pleaded guilty to federal insider trading charges.Minnesota had already ruled out cornerback Trae Wayens, wide receiver Chad Bebee and tight end David Morgan. Also out for the Vikings is quarterback Kyle Sloter, running back Mike Boone, and defensive linemen Tashawn Bower and Jalyn Holmes.
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17.01.2020 08:07
