Now that the Falcons have reduced their roster to 52 players Youth Customized Atlanta Falcons Jerseys , General Manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn held a press conference to address the moves and to speak about what to look for from the team in the days and weeks ahead. Here are some highlights from the presser:The HighlightsThe practice squad will be nailed down in the next 24 hours or so, but they will continue to watch the waiver wire.Quinn emphasized they can and probably will still make moves to reshape the roster not only through this week, but through the first few weeks of the season.Special teams ability helped guys like Richard Jarvis make the 53-man roster.Quinn and Dimitroff emphasized they are continually looking 2 to 3 years out, thinking of who they can develop now to be ready to take over in the future.Scouting staff is working tirelessly on guys who may be cut by other teams that could be a good fit with the Falcons. Coordination with the coaching staff is always ongoing.The open spot on the 53-man roster is flexible. There’s not one particular position they are currently honing in on.Quinn emphasized that guys like Keanu Neal, Deion Jones and Jake Matthews all had fantastic offseasons.Matt Gono is a guy they think can be a swing tackle. Still very raw but has traits to build on. He stayed during the summer to get as much of an edge as possible.Quick thoughts:Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn seemed to emphasize that the roster is still in flux somewhat. The idea they could still reshape the 53-man roster through the first few weeks of the season was intriguing. They also did not shy away from the idea that they are intentionally developing guys for the long-term in the hopes of avoiding having to spend big on every single position in the future. The business-minded approach to development really came through strongly.Never under sell how important special teams ability really is. Several guys made the roster based almost solely on their ability to contribute on teams. While the team is focused on developing guys, they also need a group of guys they can rely on from day one.For a more extensive breakdown, check out my thread on twitter: With Thanksgiving just days away, you’re probably gearing up for a day of turkey and football.But are you thinking about all the ways to save on sports apparel? If you haven’t, it’s all good. Now that we have your attention www.falconsauthorizedshops.com , here’s a great chance to change gears for a minute and think about the new jersey, T-shirt, or hoodie you’ve been eyeing for months. Save 15 percent when you spend more than $65 at FanaticsThis is a quick two-day sale that runs through November 19, but it’s also the perfect chance to get a head start on holiday shopping with deals on apparel for teams in every league, as well as sales that feature the top brands. There are restrictions on certain items, but there’s a wide range of apparel for fans to check out and enjoy, including jerseys, T-shirts, hats Womens Jake Matthews Jersey , and more. Here are the links to each league. From there, click on your favorite team to find all the deals and discounts available.Details: Use promo code ARENA at checkout and you’re good to go!Save 20 percent on NFL apparelSave 20 percent on NBA apparelSave 20 percent on MLB apparelSave 20 percent on NHL apparelSave 20 percent on college apparelDon’t miss a single sports deal. Plus, head right here for the latest savings in tech, gaming, home and kitchen.Looking for more product reviews, shopping guides, and good deals on sports merchandise and apparel? Check out our Buy Stuff section.
Sr. will pay off. Hell http://www.lionscheapstore.com/t.j.-lang-jersey-cheap , as of early Thursday morning, the team has yet to even confirm the trade, even though a handful of Lions players are already tweeting about it—including Harrison himself:But while we don’t know if the Lions will truly improve much with this move, rarely have we ever seen a transaction so universally loved by both fans and national analysts. 95 percent of Lions fans gave the trade an “A” grade, while just about any NFL writer that had a take on the trade framed it in a positive fashion for Detroit. The Lions don’t get the national spotlight all that often, and when they do, it’s usually something poor. So today’s Question of the Day is:Where do you think the Lions’ trade for Damon Harrison ranks in all-time franchise trades?My answer: I have to think this is going to land somewhere in the top 10 Youth Ricky Jean Francois Jersey , possibly top five. While I think Snacks immediately becomes one of the best players on this defense, the Lions aren’t going to have him for a super long time. This isn’t the kind of transformative trade that will change the trajectory of the franchise, like when Detroit traded for Bobby Layne in the 50s. However, in terms of value, this trade ranks right up there with sending Roy Williams to the Cowboys for first, third and sixth-round pick. Harrison is an All-Pro talent at a highly underrated position, and Detroit just got him for what amounts to a draft lottery ticket and a relatively reasonable contact. Because of that Youth Michael Roberts Jersey , I think this trade could go down as a top three trade of all time for the Detroit Lions.Your turn.Tweets from https://twitter.com/PrideOfDetroit/lists...coverageDetroit Lions vs. New England Patriots: First half open thread The Detroit Lions have been given a gift from the football gods. Both the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings—fairly heavy favorites in Week 3—lost their games earlier on Sunday. Unfortunately, the Cardinals couldn’t complete the trifecta, blowing a 14-point lead to the Chicago Bears in the late games.Either way, the Lions have a golden opportunity to completely change the narrative of the 2018 season in one night. A win over the Patriots, however improbable as it may seem, would put the Lions just a game away from first place in the NFC North, and a half game behind both the Packers and Vikings.But in order to pull of such an upset the Lions need to look a lot different than they have in the previous two weeks. In both games http://www.lionscheapstore.com/quandre-diggs-jersey-cheap , the Lions fell behind by three scores, and only last week in San Francisco were they able to work their way back into the game. The defense has looked bad, the offense inconsistent. But Sunday night is a new day, and as we saw all day on Sunday, teams can look drastically different week-to-week. So join us as the Lions try to pull of the upset and notch their first win of the season.
Richard Sherman http://www.thelionsfootballauthentic.com/devon-kennard-jersey-authentic , Jimmy Graham, Cliff AVril, Michael Bennett, and Sheldon Richardson are just a few names that will no longer be playing with the Seahawks this year.But despite all the losses, Seattle has kept their head above water. After a worrisome start to the season, the Seahawks are 3-3—comfortably second in the NFC West and in the thick of the Wild Card race in the NFC. The Detroit Lions are hoping to slow them down, and pick up a big conference win—something they’ve been lacking outside of a win over the Packers. But the Seahawks have a handful of players that may get in their way. Today’s Question of the Day is:Which Seahawks player is the most dangerous for the Detroit Lions?My answer: Wide receiver Tyler LockettFor as much as we worry about the Lions’ inability to stop the run, they’ve been arguably just as bad defending the pass. Their 107.1 passer rating allowed is third worst in the league, and they just have two interceptions on the year. Lockett, on the other hand Youth LeGarrette Blount Jersey , is well on his way to a career year. He has already tallied five touchdowns and is averaging 60.0 receiving yards per game. Locket is the kind of speedy receiver that has given the Lions’ secondary fits, especially without Jamal Agnew. The Seahawks may not center their offense around the pass, but Lockett is exactly the kind of big-play threat that could make the difference in what should be a fairly close game. Your turn.Tweets from https://twitter.com/PrideOfDetroit/lists/lions-coverage The Detroit Lions announced on Wednesday that starting right guard T.J. Lang has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a neck injury against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9. Lang played in just six games this season, but dealt with a concussion, back and hip injury in this year alone. Last year, Lang dealt with a separate concussion, a back and a foot injury that caused him to collectively miss three games.It’s been a rough go for Lang, who signed a three-year, $28.5 million deal with Detroit after the Lions aggressively pursued him in the 2017 offseason. While his play has been at a level the Lions expected, the injuries have made him a tough guy to rely upon.Going forward http://www.lionscheapstore.com/ricky-wagner-jersey-cheap , you have to wonder if Lang may have played his final game as a Detroit Lions. His cap hit next year is $11.7 million and only $2.7 of that is dead money. That means Detroit would save $9 million by cutting Lang. Of course, Lang could always take a paycut, or, considering the laundry list of injuries, retirement could be in the cards for the 31-year-old offensive lineman. To take Lang’s spot on the roster, the Lions have promoted cornerback Mike Ford from the practice squad. After cutting Lenzy Pipkins’ earlier in the week, the Lions still have one more roster spot open. Detroit also announced on Wednesday that safety David Jones will take Ford’s spot on the practice squad. Jones spent the entire 2017 season on the Patriots’ practice squad as an undrafted rookie.
The NCAA all-time leading rusher, former Philadelphia Eagles 2017 fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey will be among a group of running backs to work out for the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, according to http://www.thelionsfootballauthentic.com/glover-quin-jersey-authentic Adam Schefter. That the Lions would be working out running backs at this stage means one of two things, either they’re looking for someone who can complete their practice squad or they’re looking for someone to replace a running back they’re trying to trade. This will, of course, further trade speculation into the fate of former Lions second-round pick Ameer Abdullah, for whom trade talk has been a topic of conversation since Kerryon Johnson was drafted by the team this year. Drafted only just last season, Pumphrey’s career was off to a rocky start from the jump. Failing to crack the gameday lineup and repping as the RB5, he tore his hamstring in September and landed on injured reserve. After failing to compete well enough in his second training camp, he was let go by the Super Bowl champion Eagles and cleared waivers without a single claim. His college career was much more notable. The diminutive Pumphrey would rush for over 6,400 yards over four seasons and over 7,400 yards from scrimmage. This was including rushing for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2016 at 6.1 yards per carry. Despite his elite production, his athletic profile didn’t suggest a player who could be successful at the NFL level, coming in seriously undersized and without the requisite explosion to take advantage of his superior long speed. It’s unknown at this time what other running backs are working out for the team, and with Pumphrey’s practice squad eligibility we can’t even judge whether they’re looking at regular roster or practice squad. San Francisco 49ers running back Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL in practice, reigniting trade speculation that the Lions would send them Ameer Abdullah for some sort of compensation. If the Lions are looking at someone who can join their regular roster, that sort of trade could be more than just a rumor.Lions vs. Buccaneers final score: Lions starters overmatched in dress rehearsal, but reserves win 33-30 The Detroit Lions may have won their first preseason game on Friday night, but it’s unlikely they’ll come out feeling pretty good about their performance. The first stringers played over a half of football and by the time they left, they were losing 27-6 and getting worked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reserve players.But to their credit, the Lions’ backups put in strong efforts late in the game and managed to pull off the last-minute win, 33-30. Here’s your recap:First quarter:The Bucs started with the ball, and without much pushback from the Lions, they took the opening drive with a touchdown. The Bucs went eight plays without an incomplete pass or a negative run for 66 yards, capped by an 14-yard touchdown run by Peyton Barber after Jarrad Davis missed a tackle in the backfield. 7-0 Bucs. Detroit’s offense came out with a different look than normal. With T.J. Lang still out http://www.thelionsfootballauthentic.com/sylvester-williams-jersey-authentic , Kenny Wiggins was in the game... at left guard. First round rookie Frank Ragnow started at right guard, a position he has not played much at all this camp.Thanks to a big play to Kenny Golladay, the Lions quickly got into the red zone, but stalled thanks to two failed run plays. 7-3 Bucs.Tampa looked like they were going to repeat their offensive performance all over again after big gains through the air—mostly against Nevin Lawson. However, Sylvester Williams picked up a red zone sack, Mike Evans was called for pass interference, and the Lions managed to keep Tampa out of field goal range. Unfortunately, the Bucs were able to pin the Lions deep with a perfect punt.Second quarter: Detroit’s offense rose to the occasion. Thanks to a clutch third-down pickup by Hakeem Valles, and a huge pass interference call drawn by TJ Jones, the Lions worked their way into the red zone. But again, the Lions struggled to move the ball in goal-to-go situations. Ameer Abdullah was stopped for no gain on first down, while Stafford couldn’t find an open receiver on second and third down. Bucs 7-6. It finally looked like the Lions defense had settled in and forced the Bucs offense—led by Jameis Winston for the first time—into a three-and-out. Unfortunately, a defensive holding on Tavon Wilson wiped out a drive-ending sack, and Winston would lead the Bucs to their second touchdown of the day (extra point missed). 13-6 Bucs. With Kerryon Johnson in the game, the Lions offense quickly went three-and-out despite a good first-down run from Johnson. A miscommunication between Graham Glasgow and Leo Koloamatangi allowed a free runner to take Stafford down on third down. The teams traded failed attempts at late-half drives, but the Lions had one more chance driving late. After another third-down sack, the Lions lined up for a 62-yard field goal.Then this happened:20-6 Bucs. Third quarter:Things did not get any better in the second half. The Lions brought out their first string offense and defense to start the third quarter, and they continued to struggled... but against second and third stringers on Tampa’s side. After a quick, unsuccessful offensive series, the Lions defense allowed someone named Ryan Griffin score a quick touchdown against... you guessed it—Nevin Lawson. 27-6 Bucs.With Matt Cassel in the game and the rest of the second-team offense, things actually looked significantly better. Thanks to solid run blocking, Detroit was able to move the ball downfield efficiently. Theo Riddick capped off the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run that was perfectly blocked. 27-13 Bucs.Fourth Quarter:After a quick three-and-out forced by the Lions defense, Cassel moved the Lions downfield again. Though he was aided by an illegal formation on a missed Ryan Santoso, giving the Lions extra life. LeGarrette Blount used his strength to pick up a fourth-and-1. A few plays later, the Lions would punch it in with a 3-yard pass from Cassel to Bradley Marquez. 27-20 Bucs.The Bucs would add a field goal, but the comeback was on after Brandon Powell had this impressive 80-yard punt return touchdown. Then it was Jake Rudock’s turn to cap the comeback. With over three minutes left in the game Womens Jarrad Davis Jersey , the Lions’ third-string quarterback dinked and dunked his way down field with little resistance. With 30 seconds remaining Rudock found tight end Marcus Lucas for a 5-yard score, giving the Lions their first lead of the game. Lions 33, Bucs 30.The Bucs had a chance to score late, but couldn’t get it across midfield and Lions rookie Tracy Walker had the game-ending interception.WEATHER DELAY:The players are back on the field, but don’t expect the Lions’ newest addition to take the field. Chris Burke of the Athletic is reporting Eli Harold is not dressed for tonight’s game. UPDATE: Kickoff has been moved to 8:59 p.m. ET because of the weather. As the Detroit Lions take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we’ll be giving you live updates as they come in.We don’t know yet what Lions players won’t play in this game, but the Bucs have already released who will not dress: The weather conditions at Tampa are not being cooperative. There’s apparently lightning around the stadium and fans were asked to seek shelter in the concourse. We could be headed for a delay to start the game:PregameThe Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are two franchises that know each other well. Not only are the two former divisional rivals, but they’ve faced off several times in recent history. The Lions and Bucs have played each other three times in the past five seasons, most recently having played last season.The two teams will reunite on that same field, with the Lions having won four of the past five regular season matchups between the two.Of course, this one won’t go down in the record books, but the third preseason game is always the most important for teams. Coaches try to establish a somewhat familiar regular season schedule throughout the week, including film study sessions and game planning. It’s also the game that typically features the team’s starters for the longest, so we’ll get to see some prime Matthew Stafford vs. Jameis Winston action. Which quarterback can consume the most consonants? We’ll see Friday night.Perhaps the best thing about Friday night’s game between the former NFC Central foes is that it is nationally televised. If you’re in the United States, and you have access to CBS, you can catch the Lions’ dress rehearsal. Here are the details:How to watchDate: Friday, August 24, 2018Time: 8 p.m. ETLocation: Raymond James Stadium—Tampa Bay, FLNationally televised: CBS (no local broadcast)Online streaming: NFL Game Pass (free 7-day trial), Announcers: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Bruce Arians, Melanie CollinsLocal radio: WJR-AM NEWS TALK 760Radio announcers: Dan Miller, Lomas BrownReplay times:(None listed yet. Will update if some are added.)
It may have only taken a half for the goodwill from a dominant preseason to wear off for Steve Wilks and the Arizona Cardinals.They trail at the half 21-0 and have been thoroughly outplayed in every facet of the game against the Washington Redskins.The Skins have outgained the Cardinals 261 to 36 in the first half and that doesn’t even cover the ass kicking they performed to start the game.Sam Bradford and the offense looks lifeless Youth Justin Pugh Jersey , with only two first downs, both coming on David Johnson rushing attempts.For the half, Bradford finished 3 of 7 for 11 yards. Johnson has 26 yards rushing on six carries, but that is about the only thing positive you can take from the first half.Now, it’ll be about finding the heart and grit that Steve Wilks has preached all offseason. Can the Cardinals stage a comeback or are they going to fold up and have to regroup and get ready for the Los Angeles Rams in week two.It’s an early test of the Wilks era, let’s see how they handle it.The Arizona Cardinals coaching staff are the only losers from their 16-14 loss to the Bears The Arizona Cardinals sit at 0-3 after their 16-14 defeat to the Chicago Bears.It was a completely predictable result based on what Sam Bradford and the offense had shown through two games.Despite jumping out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter over the Bears, the Cardinals offense was mostly stagnant.It seemed like the time was ripe after the first half to make the move to Josh Rosen, but it was the first signs of any offensive success Cheap Mason Cole Jersey , the 14 points, for the Cardinals in 2018, so not making the move was fine.Well, the offense continued to put the defense in bad positions and eventually, it caught up to them.After the third Sam Bradford turnover, the Bears held a 16-14 lead.It seemed hopeless.And, maybe that’s because with this coaching staff of the Arizona Cardinals, it is.This is not to say Steve Wilks and Al Holcomb cannot grow into their respective positions. We saw massive improvements defensively today http://www.cardinalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mike-iupati-jersey , with Robert Nkemdiche continuing to grow into the player they drafted in the first round.However, with the defense, the continued play of Gerald Hodges and Tre Boston over their young linebackers in Haason Reddick and Deone Bucannon, brings to surface their decision making. It also brings up whether or not this is the staff to coach up young players at linebacker such as Bucannon and Reddick, or whether or not the Cardinals will be drafting another linebacker prospect early.The other question you have for Wilks is... why then and there for Josh Rosen?Sure Sam Bradford is not going to win you that game, but putting Rosen in at that juncture seems like an impossible situation for a rookie to get his first live NFL action. Of course, Wilks, like the rest of us had seen enough of Bradford at that point Corey Peters Jersey , but with four minutes to go, it just didn’t make much sense.The one indefensible coaching decision and person who doesn’t need to be in this coaching staff any longer is Mike McCoy.McCoy’s lack of ability as a play caller has been discussed more than anything non-Sam Bradford related on this site, and it reared its ugly head again in the Cardinals loss to the Bears.However, it was his decision to leave David Johnson on the sidelines, and go with running back Chase Edmonds on the pivotal third and two play coming off the two minute warning.It went for a three yard loss and of course Rosen would throw an interception on the next play and it was academic after that.The call to Edmonds is what it is, the execution was poor from the offensive line. However, not having Johnson on the field, to be something the Bears have to think about Authentic Deone Bucannon Jersey , is what is completely inexcusable and in the end should be one of the last decisions McCoy gets to make in Arizona.Call it an overreaction, but McCoy should not have much to do with Rosen’s development and he should be gone moving forward.I’m not ready to call it on Steve Wilks, but the longer McCoy is on the staff, the harder it will be to defend him.
However Cheap Robert Nkemdiche Jersey , for the Arizona Cardinals and their fans, the reality is that a win only brought to the surface more of the issues the team has.Despite their 28-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers, fans through SB Nation’s FanPulse dropped their confidence in the team, by quite a bit.First off, ff you want to be part of the FanPulse group, don’t forget to sign up!SB Nation FanPulse —is a survey of fans across the NFL, powered by SurveyMonkey. Each week, we send 32 polls to 100+ plugged in fans from each team. Cardinals fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.From the emergence of Josh Rosen in week five Cheap Mason Cole Jersey , to the Cardinals first win in week six, fans confidence in the direction of the team fell a staggering 15%, back down to an 18% confidence in the direction of the Arizona Cardinals.I am quite frankly a bit shocked.I understand the win was ugly, and that is putting it mildly, but a win is a win is a win and the reality is that the Cardinals need wins in the worst way.Maybe the win brought to light the warts of the team, the offense is a mess, the defense can’t stop a runny nose let alone a running back, but still, that far of a drop off a win?What does that mean if the Cardinals go back to getting blown out this week?Will confidence rise if the team wins against a Minnesota team that is supposed to be a contender?Tune in next week for the emotional roller coaster known as the fans belief in the Arizona Cardinals.Arizona Cardinals preseason game information http://www.cardinalscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-ricky-seals-jones-jersey , TV and radio schedule Beginning with the Cardinals preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, August 11, all four Cardinals preseason games can be seen locally on 12 News KPNX (NBC).The Emmy award winning Cardinals Broadcast Network will produce three Cardinals preseason games (August 11 vs. L.A. Chargers; August 17 at New Orleans; August 30 vs. Denver) while Arizona will appear in a nationally-televised Sunday Night Football game on NBC at Dallas on Sunday, August 26 at 5:00 PM MST. The Cardinals regular radio team of Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Ron Wolfley (analyst) will be joined by 12 News anchor Paul Gerke (sideline reporter) to call the action. Cardinals reporter Paul Calvisi will join Wolfley and Gerke for the Denver broadcast on August 30. All three games produced by the Cardinals will be preceded by a half-hour pregame show hosted by Gerke. Coverage of the Cardinals-Chargers game from University of Phoenix Stadium on August 11 will begin with the pregame show at 6:30 p.m. with kickoff to follow at 7:00 p.m. The Cardinals-Saints game on August 17 will get started with the pregame show at 4:30 p.m. and then kickoff at 5:00 p.m. and the Cardinals-Broncos preseason finale on August 30 will start with the pregame show at 6:30 p.m. with the game at 7:00 p.m. In addition, the pregame and game broadcasts will be shown in the Tucson market on KTTU/KMSB-TV (FOX 11) and in the Las Vegas market on KVVU-TV (FOX 5). All three Cardinals produced broadcasts will be replayed on Fox Sports Arizona during the week following each game.On the radio side, Paul Calvisi (play-by-play) will be joined by former Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry (analyst) and azcardinals.com writer Darren Urban (sideline reporter) on the call for the Chargers, Saints, and Broncos games. Cardinals digital correspondent Craig Grialou will handle the play-by-play for the Broncos contest. Each game can be heard on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
PFF Through three weeks of the 2018 NFL season Womens David Johnson Jersey , it has not been pretty for the Arizona Cardinals.One of the main reasons, at least to the folks over at Pro Football Focus, is the fact that the Arizona Cardinals offensive line is the worst in the NFL.From Mike Renner of PFF:This is an issue for the Cardinals as their starting offensive line has grades as follows:Left Tackle: D.J. Humphries, 58.0Left Guard: Mike Iupati, 46.7Center: Mason Cole, 50.7Right Guard: Justin Pugh, 51.3Right Tackle: John Wetzel, 63.7Wetzel’s grade obviously is not as complete as the other four, but his play has been the best thus far, but he had his worst game last week against against Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks, who were both scary.The lack of high level play from the offensive line is likely two-fold.The Cardinals have been playing from behind quite a bit Cheap Larry Fitzgerald Jersey , meaning they are having to throw the ball, with an immobile quarterback and an admittedly bad pass protecting line.The interior has really, really struggled, make life harder on the edge blockers.Will we see an uptick in offensive line play with the switch at quarterback, or is this likely to cause problems for Josh Rosen early in his career?Twitter reacts to the Arizona Cardinals’ 24-17 win in week 1 of the preseason and Josh Rosen’s debut It’s just preseason.But there were a lot of positives, and plenty of areas in need of improvement.And naturally, with it being the first game-action for the highly anticipated rookie Quarterback the Cardinals traded up for in Josh Rosen, Twitter had plenty to say.It started with a defensive stand by the Cardinals’ secondary.And then the Cardinals flipped the field with Christian Kirk nearly taking it to the house.David Johnson then ran through some gaping holes picking up 14 yards on consecutive plays.He’s back, folks.And the offensive line was looking better than fans have expected in recent years:Johnson was pulled, and it led to Chase Edmonds making an incredible second-effort to get the touchdown.Play was reviewed but...without conclusive evidence to see if his knee was down, Edmonds got his first TD in the NFL preseason.Before the game http://www.cardinalsfootballauthentics.com/josh-bynes-jersey-authentic , in front of the largest crowd to date he had ever played in front of, Edmonds sent out a tweet that went viral about his journey to the NFL.Good on you, rook.Now, back to the game.The Cardinals defense responded the next drive with getting pressure on Chargers QB Cardale Jones.By whom?One Robert Nkemdiche, who has all the eyes on him in his critical 3rd season.But that wasn’t what fans cared most about...Finally after forcing a field goal, it was Rosen time:He continued to be under heavy pressure for his first two drives but made some great throws when he had time.All in all, while Rosen’s debut wasn’t as impressive as others in the rookie class and he showed he’s still a work in progress, the talent and reason he went top 10 was on display when he had time to throw.The first half wasn’t without controversy, however, as a catch and fumble recovery by the Cardinals was overturned by...the new helmet rule?A defenseless receiver?Either way, it’s the new NFL.Time to get used to it.Rosen and the 2nd team offensive line Womens Larry Fitzgerald Jersey , struggled to get going in the first half:There were flaws on the defense as well.Along with some criticism of Mike Glennon.Meanwhile Rosen showed what he’s shown throughout all of training camp: that he’s not ready for the starting gig yet.The next part of the game featured less of the offense and more of the defense, with Bene Benwikere and Jeremy Cash making plays:Here’s a highlight.And Benewikere wasn’t done, either.He went on to knock a ball in the air that was picked off by UDFA Safety A.J. Howard.There’s a new #23 in town, Adrian Peterson.The team couldn’t avoid injury, however, as linebacker Jeremy Cash was carted off after twisting his leg on a tackle.But there was a lot of complaining about the officiating, as the new “personal foul” contact rule for leading with the helmet reared its ugly head with plays that fans didn’t see as leading with the helmet at all.All in all, the first team Cardinals offense/defense and special teams executed almost flawlessly, and Josh Rosen showed flashes of brilliance and areas to improve.But the star of game one was Cap Capi, who had two sacks and a forced fumble on the night and almost always seems to dominate in the preseason:Finally, Charles Kanoff made a late splash with a touch down and the most impressive play of the game on a deep throw to Jalen Tolliver that was simply beautiful Youth Robert Nkemdiche Jersey , followed by this TD pass:All in all, fans seemed to like how the starters looked, liked how Rosen took a beating, but didn’t like the penalties, 2nd team offensive line and helmet rulings looked.The depth at offensive line looks questionable, and there will be a lot of players who have to prove that they belong on the 53 over the next few preseason games.‘Til next week, Birdgang!
Raiders tight end single-game receiving record With the entire country watching Authentic Leon Hall Jersey , the Oakland Raiders took the field Monday night under a roaring crowd anxious to see the return of Jon Gruden. Just a couple hours later, that same team would leave the field to boos following an embarrassing 33-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. In an otherwise bleak performance, veteran tight end Jared Cook was a bright spot delivering an historic performance for the Silver & Black. Cook set a new franchise record for most receiving yards in a game by a Raiders tight end finishing the night with 180 yards on nine catches. The previous mark was held by Todd Christensen who recorded 173 yards on November 20, 1986 against the Chargers. Wade Phillips and the Rams defense made it a point to key on Amari Cooper throughout the game. And the Rams linebacking corps is one of few weak areas on the Rams defense. As a result, Cook found himself in plenty of favorable matchups of which he and quarterback Derek Carr were able to take advantage.“That’s why Jared [Cook] had a big game,” Carr explained after the game. “We had no problem seeing what they were doing, obviously. It’s not an indication of Amari or anything like that. If the coverage looks a certain way during a certain play, we have other options. That’s why Jared and the running backs came up big than the pass game for us.”Cook is now just the fifth tight end in the past 20 seasons to record 180 or more receiving yards in a game according to Pro Football Reference.When asked why he had such a big night, the 10-year veteran reiterated Carr’s statement about the Rams defensive scheme. “We knew going into the game they were going to play a lot of man [coverage] Youth Johnny Townsend Jersey , so we knew we had matchups all across the board,” said Cook. “We planned on [Rams safety Mark] Barron. We had a feeling he was going to be doubtful, but he ended up playing.”“Obviously Jared [Cook] came up huge tonight and they disguised their coverages,” Gruden told the media postgame. “It allowed us to get the ball to our tight ends and backs. Unfortunately we were not able to get more out of it.”Raiders vs Rams recap, final score: Big Raider Nation turnout watches Chris Warren III carry the load, QB’s drop one in 19-15 loss Today was the day a lot of Raiders fans in LA have waited 24 years for. The return of the Raider to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The parking lot was filled with Raiders tailgates and the stands were mostly black with a peppering of Rams faithful.This one meant more than just a preseason game to these Raiders fans. And good thing it did, because they didn’t get much quality football on this day.The Raiders sat 28 players, including their entire first team offense for the game, as did the Rams. It was vanilla public park level football out there with neither side wanting to tip their hands ahead of their next match-up in the season opener in three weeks.As for the players themselves http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jared-cook-jersey , we were looking to see if 1) Chris Warren III could have repeat strong effort and 2) If Connor Cook could prove his first preseason performance wasn’t a fluke. One of those things happened. The other did not.From the first series of the day, the tone was set. Jon Feliciano snapped the ball and it sailed over Connor Cook’s head with the young QB just able to knock it down and fall on it for a 10-yard loss. The second play, Chris Warren III caught a pass for 7 yards.The next series, Warren ran for five yards up the middle and Connor Cook threw a pass for a loss and missed high over the middle for Griff Whalen. That was the day in a nutshell. The QB getting sacked and throwing wild passes and Chris Warren grinding out yards.At the end of the first half, Chris Warren had 26 yards of offense (19 rushing) and the Raiders had 58 net yards. And the Raiders had just one first down and were getting beaten 13-0.That was both Cook and EJ Manuel as Cook played the first quarter and Manuel played the second. At the half, both QB’s had a fumble. Cook went 4 for 7 for 15 yards and Manuel went5 for 6 for 43 yards. The second half showed improvement, with the Raiders finally getting on the board. Again, it was on the back of Warren, who rushed for 41 yards on the drive Marshawn Lynch Jersey , including the 3-yard touchdown. The Raiders went for two and Feliciano again had a second bad snap, causing Cook to be smothered on the play.Sitting at 16-6 at the end of the third, EJ Manuel came back in the finish it off. Warren had two runs on the drive of 13 and 23 to put the Raiders in scoring range and Mike Nugent brought the Raiders to within 7 on a 31-yard field goal.The first play of the next series, James Cowser did the Raiders’ struggling offense a solid by picking off a short pass in the red zone. A holding penalty by David Sharpe would make the task of scoring a bit more difficult, but ultimately it was a nifty one-handed snag by Griff Whalen on a pass from EJ Manuel that was behind him that put the Raiders back in the end zone.Rather than tie it up (no one wants that in a preseason game), Gruden had them for two to try for the lead. The handoff to Chris Warren was stuffed and the scored remained 16-15 Rams.In the end, the Raiders’ fate was sealed by a facemask penalty by Shilique Calhoun that gave the Rams a first down and allowed them to kneel out the clock to take the game 19-15.Chris Warren finished with 110 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown. EJ Manuel went 10 for 16 for 89 yards and a touchdown. Connor Cook went 6 for 12 for 49 yards.Leading receivers were Paul Butler and Jalen Richard who each caught 3 passes for 35 yards.Marquel Lee led the team in first half tackles with 5 and Jason Cabinda finished as the leading tackler with 6. Calhoun had a couple tackles for loss and a couple QB hits as well, leading the team in both areas.Follow @LeviDamien
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in their home away from home http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/reggie-nelson-jersey , but in the end, the only thing Raider Nation gotto enjoy was the weather. Fresh off the first victory of the season, in overtime against the Cleveland Browns, the Raiders came out and laid an egg. In a truly uninspired performance we were treated to the same old Raiders who play with a sense of apathy, and send their head coach into depression.DisclaimerThe opinions in this piece are strong factually based and painfully obvious. Any attempts to question the validity of said opinions will be sent to the tape of last week. The look and sound of Jon Gruden’s voice is not one containing the same fire he started with.You do have a #Beastmode optionWhen a head coach talks a player out of retirement and elicits a commitment such as “I’m in with all ten toes,” coach is supposed to maximize the player. Multiple times Jon Gruden has watched Marshawn Lynch carry an entire defense literally on his back 5 yards into the end zone. On 1st and goal from the 1-yard-line, down 17-3 Gruden made a ‘Pete Carroll-onian’ mistake and didn’t hand the ball off to Lynch instead opting for a cute play action pass. One would have figured by now that the entire world has learned and never forgotten the lesson from the end of Super Bowl 49, when Russell Wilson made Malcolm Butler a hero. However, once again the best short yardage back in the NFL was disrespected on the goal line yet again.Lynch is currently sitting at the nine spot in terms of rushing leaders in the NFL with 331 yards rushing. Before his 9-carry 31-yard performance this week he was the fourth leading rusher. The running game has been working and maybe just maybe the fact that nearly the entire line was compromised Gruden wasn’t feeling particularly confident in their ability to run block. There have been issues with the starting 5’s ability to block for short yardage anyway, but that’s neither here nor there. When you have first and goal on the one, run the football. Lynch has pushed the pile. Lynch has jumped over the pile. Lynch has ran around the pile. Lynch is tied for the team lead in touchdowns, is leading the team with 401 yards from scrimmage, and when you need a score, give him the damn ball.At this point, it is just flat out disrespectful to not give Lynch the ball on the goal line to finish drives and trust that he WILL get it done. That mistake cost the Seahawks back to back championships, and will continue to cost the Raiders football games as long as the quarterback continues to turn the ball over in the red zone. Are defensive coordinators using Carr’s brain against him?Derek Carr is leading the league in interceptions with 8. I will say it again http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/seth-roberts-jersey , Carr is leading the league in interceptions. He has thrown three interceptions inside the opponent’s endzone, not only that but he has thrown four interceptions on first down alone. Last year the book on Carr seemingly was published and passed around throughout defensive coordinator’s in the league. As long as you show double coverage on a receiver in pre-snap situations Carr will eliminate that receiver as a pass catching option on his own. He likes to deliver the ball quickly and gets happy feet whenever you make him hold it and will throw you the football the moment he feels pressured.So what defensive coordinators have done is backed off corners to squat on all his quick hitting timing routes, and rushed him from the edges so that he is forced to feel the pressure and not see it. From there the stopwatch in Carr’s head gets accelerated and he’s actually trying to move faster than the play develops. It can mean the difference between six points and a turnover. Carr is statistically one of the worst quarterbacks in the league when under pressure per Mike Guerrelli of profootballfocus.com A lot of criticism is flowing Carr’s way and rightfully so. Amari Cooper is the team’s best receiver, yet AC/DC has had all the electricity shut off. One week Cooper gets fed and the next week he’s on a milk carton. Carr has been locking onto and staring down receivers instead of going through all of his progressions. Manywere frustrated with the quickness with which he was throwing the ball often delivering the pass in 2.2 seconds or less. Nearly all of Carr’s deep passes are underthrown and float through the air long enough for even badly beaten defensive backs an opportunity to make a play on the ball. Part of the issue here is he throws too many passes off his back foot. It causes him to rarely throw anything but a rainbow over 25 yards. There was a time when he used to throw 50 yards with zip, but whether it be injury or a lack of confidence in deep accuracy he simply doesn’t make that throw like he used to. And what in the blue hell happened to all this speed Carr claims he has? He ran a 4.69 second forty yard dash at the combine. In 2016 the entire season was built on this play.As of now Carr is 36th in the league in quarterback rushing yards with 7 attempts for 5 yards! 5 freaking rushing yards and the craziest thing about it is his longest rush is 6 yards! How is this even possible? If he’s not running with the ball when plays break down we’re looking at incompletions and interceptions. Even a 41 year old Tom Brady, as well as Eli Manning’s non-running behind has more rushing yards than Carr.This defense ain’t winning championshipsOffense fills seats and defense wins championships. Right now this offense is emptying seats and this defense is filling toilet seats. With Khalil Mack gone, the captain of this defense falls to the other veteran pass rusher. The captain of this defense checks out of nearly every play in which someone attempts to block him. The captain of this defense is making boneheaded plays which give the other team end of half scoring opportunities. The captain of this defense is spending more time posturing than making plays. Most importantly the captain of this defense isn’t leading by example like in years past.Anyone playing this poorly shouldn’t be on the field let alone wearing the “C” across his chest. Paul Guenther is supposed to be a defensive mastermind with a million and a half exotic blitzes from double A gap pressure looks. Only problem is when he shows blitz he never actually brings it or only overloads the outer edges and never up the middle. Some free advice: Play Rashaan Melvin and Daryl Worley on the outside corners and move Gareon Conley to the slot. Activate Nick Nelson and run this defensive back corps for the rest of the season and let them take their lumps. No more Reggie Nelson. A week after securing an overtime forcing interception it was back to punching bag Nelson again. Erik Harris has earned the playing time that Nelson is not producing on the field. Guenther’s defense is currently sitting at 30th in the NFL in terms of points allowed and yardage, give up a score on roughly 43.3% of all drives, and have been on the field for less plays than all but six teams. Meanwhile they are giving up the second highest yards per play at 6.8 ypp. Raiders have allowed the sixth-least passing attempts and completions (98/160) but the eighth most passing yards (1386) and tied for ninth most passing TD’s (10). While only producing 3 INT’s and 6 Sacks.The Raiders rushing defense is no better, ranking fifth-worst in the league surrendering (636 yards) and in a three-way tie for second-worst rushing touchdowns defense with (6). It’s a travesty to watch this defense play this badly and know that they are sucking fast. It isn’t taking the other team longer than 10 minutes of offense to gas this defense out and expose them.Final ThoughtsWhat we have been watching from the beloved Silver & Black has been some ugly shit. Judging from his presser at the top of this piece, Gruden has got to be second-guessing himself. This thing is snowballing fast, he looks like he’s losing everyone except his quarterback and Mark Davis.The Raiders need to play better, flat out, and they need to not be walking to the line of scrimmage like they don’t give a crap and have all the time in the world down 20 in the 4th quarter. The Raiders theoretically have two to three more losses before this season can be officially placed on draft watch and we can play the who-stays-who-goes game.Follow Phil on twitter @PhilRobinsonNFL In what has been a frustrating season for the Silver & Black, tight end Jared Cook has been a bright spot. The 10-year veteran has emerged as Derek Carr’s favorite target, and opposing defense have taken notice and adjusted their game planning accordingly. “Everybody defends him differently Womens Donald Penn Jersey ,” said offensive coordinator Greg Olson on Thursday. “Certainly he’s at the top of a lot of tight end categories, receiving tight end. I think people realize that he’s certainly a threat for us.”“We haven’t seen the double coverages as much as them maybe putting one of their better defenders. We’re seeing sub-defense to our 12-personnel with Jared in the game. That’s because of his ability to catch passes. That would probably be the difference that we’ve seen, a little more sub-defense when Jared is out on the field.”When Jon Gruden released Michael Crabtree this past offseason, it was widely assumed Amari Cooper would step into his shoes as Carr’s number one target. Instead, Cook became the primary option, and Cooper was traded to the Cowboys for a first round pick. “So far he has been hot,” quarterback Derek Carr said earlier in the season. “I know he’s a tight end, but he’s really a good No. 1 target for any team to have. Jared is obviously a mismatch in man coverage and in zone, he’s so smart that he can soft spots and give me an easy target.”Despite the extra attention he has received from defenses, Cook ranks fourth among tight ends with a Pro Football Focus grade of 77.4 through week nine. His 494 receiving yards are also fourth best among tight ends. With the losses of both Cooper and Marshawn Lynch, the Raiders offense sorely lacks offensive weapons. But Cook’s versatility and emergence as a top receiving option has helped to create looks for other players on the team. “He can stretch the field down the middle, or be a mismatch against smaller DBs or safeties or linebackers,” receiver Jordy Nelson explained. “Creating those matchups allows us to be more dynamic.”
Raiders NewsRaiders captain Derrick Johnson ready to lead Authentic Rashaan Melvin Jersey , prove doubters wrong | NBCS Bay AreaDerrick Johnson has been a Raider for just four months, yet he earned the honor to be a captain and call plays on the defense.Could the San Antonio Raiders Happen in 2019? – Texas MonthlyThe team won’t be calling San Antonio its permanent home, but they’re going to have to play somewhere next season—and it probably won’t be Oakland or Las Vegas.Raiders may have more in store with stadium parking plans – Las Vegas Review-JournalExecutives with the Oakland Raiders have to be pretty happy with the outcome of last week’s Clark County Commission meeting at which their Las Vegas stadium parking plan was accepted — and embraced — by every commissioner.Michael Lombardi says Jon Gruden must view Raiders 'from 35,000 feet' | NBCS Bay AreaWorking as head coach and general manager can be difficult, looking at a team up close and through a long lens.Marshawn Lynch exits injury report for Raiders – ProFootballTalkWhen the Raiders commence what could be their last season in Oakland, an Oakland native will be ready to roll. Running back Marshawn Lynch has no injury designation for Week One, despite being limited all week in practice with a groin injury.AFC WestHow the Chargers and Chiefs match up in Week 1AFC West foes Chargers and Chiefs will go head-to-head in Week 1 of the NFL season.Chargers to face tough opening act vs. Kansas City - The San Diego Union-TribuneThe Chargers open the NFL season on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, a team they have lost eight straight games to.Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa seeing specialist for injured foot, could miss multiple weeks - CBSSports.comBosa had a foot injury early in training camp but this one could be more seriousBroncos news: Denver Broncos vs Seattle Seahawks over the years - Mile High ReportHere is a look back at the history of the rivalry, as well as news and notes for today’s game courtesy of Denver’s weekly release.Denver Broncos 2018: Everything you need to know about the teamBefore the Week 1 game starts, we have a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about this year's Denver Broncos squad.Changes to secondary threaten Chiefs' success against Philip Rivers - Kansas City Chiefs Blog- ESPNThe Chiefs picked off Philip Rivers six times in 2017, but of KC's 10 defensive backs, four have arrived in the past month and three in the past week.Chiefs vs. Chargers: time, TV schedule, odds, streaming Youth Kolton Miller Jersey , picks & more - Arrowhead PrideThe Chiefs open the 2018 campaign on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon.NFL NewsNFL Week 1 Preview: Le’Veon Bell holdout, Jon Gruden | SI.comAlso, Jon Gruden and the art of lowered expectations, W. B. Yeats on the inescapable mortality of the Cowboys’ offensive line, the Browns catch a few breaks (especially avoiding Landry Jones), get ready for a Lions-Dolphins Super Bowl, and Sunday musings about Jimmy Garoppolo in Minnesota, OBJ vs. Ramsey and Cam’s scrambles. Plus, musical guest: Radiohead!Cardinals, running back David Johnson agree to 3-year extension | NFL | Sporting NewsThe fourth-year veteran was one of the best running backs in the NFL in 2016 when he tallied 1,239 yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns.NFL picks 2018: Predicting every game against the spread for Week 1 - SBNation.comI’ve got five picks against the spread I’m feeling strongest about in Week 1, and then a pick for the remaining 11 games.Week 1 NFL picks, best bets from a legendary expert: This three-way parlay pays over 6-1 - CBSSports.comHandicapping legend Hank Goldberg just revealed his top parlay for Week 1 Raiders NewsRaiders May See Amari Cooper as Lacking Passion for Football - NBC Bay AreaIn some games this season, the Raiders have barely thrown to CooperJon Gruden and the Raiders can't admit it, but they’re tanking | SI.comThe team shares the worst record in the NFL and is on the verge of bolting for another city, but Jon Gruden has to show that the Raiders are still trying this season.In another dead season for 49ers and Raiders http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-marcus-gilchrist-jersey , who’s worse? - SFChronicle.comA season of the dead. Once again. Both local NFL teams sit at 1-5 and their seasons are effectively over. Both appear to be playing for nothing more than pride, draft positioning and next year. Again. So which team is worse? That’s easy. Once again, the Raiders take the awkwardly worded crown:5 Raiders who could be moved before the trade deadline5 Raiders who could be moved before the trade deadline鈥婫riffith’s Got Stats: The (Hopeful) Future Rise of the Oakland Raiders | The DartmouthI admittedly am a bit angry writing this column.I was planning on writing an NFL column for this upcoming Sunday and throwing in some information on the matchups I thought were interesting, with possibly a bit of fantasy advice.Why Raiders might wade back into NFL trade market with rumors swirling | NBCS Bay AreaThe NFL trade deadline is usually a quiet time. But at 1-5, the Raiders could go searching for suitors this season.AFC WestChiefs News: Chiefs defense holding back “electrifying offense” - Arrowhead PrideChiefs headlines for Friday, October 19.High-flying Chiefs welcome Bengals' banged-up D to Arrowhead | FOX SportsCincinnati Bengals-Kansas City Chiefs previewBroncos’ Emmanuel Sanders catches and throws touchdowns at Cardinals – The Denver PostThe evolution of Emmanuel Sanders has reached new heights. Who says you can’t teach an old-dog, or a ninth-year NFL receiver, new tricks?The last time the Broncos scored 35 first-half points, they fired their coach 3 weeks laterOn Nov. 14, 2010, the Broncos scored 35 first-half points in a 49-29 victory over the Chiefs. Their coach at the time? Josh McDaniels. It would be his last victory with Denver; he was fired three weeks later.Chargers reportedly not allowed to leave Los Angeles for at least 20 years - CBSSports.comIt doesn't look like the Chargers will be leaving Los Angeles anytime soonAre the Los Angeles Chargers a real Super Bowl contender? - SBNation.comThe Chargers have found their groove, but bad luck could strike at any time.NFL NewsNFL to celebrate 100th season in 2019 with yearlong series of eventsThe NFL will celebrate its 100th season in 2019 with a yearlong series of "NFL 100" events.One of the NFL's brightest stars paid $250 to try out for the league - Business InsiderMinnesota Vikings star Adam Thielen transformed from a lanky six-foot, 160-pound high schooler with a $500 Division II scholarship into one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.The NFL Is Screwing Over Defenses, And I Love It!Drew Magary’s Thursday Afternoon NFL Dick Joke Jamboroo runs every Thursday during the NFL season. Email Drew here. Buy his book here.NFL Week 7: Will Colts' Adam Vinatieri set all-time points record?Adam Vinatieri is just 10 points away from eclipsing Hall of Famer Morten Andersen as the NFL's all-time scoring leader.It's Apparently Time To Recap The First 3/8 Of The NFL SeasonWow, there sure are a lot of sports happening right now.
— quite far from it — but with just a few Saturdays left Youth De'Vondre Campbell Jersey , it narrowed the picture further. A bit. Not much.Below, we’re keeping track of each top-25 game’s impact, both before and after final scores, mostly paying attention to CFP committee business, not highlights and stuff.Remember the things the committee has mostly demonstrated it rewards: wins over final top-25 teams, wins over bowl teams, road wins, dominant wins, weirdly excusable losses, being Alabama, and not being a mid-major. It does not care what your opponent’s ranking was at kickoff.All times ET. All days Saturday, unless noted. Final scores in bold.Probably importantGames in which the winning team should have a high-quality victory by season’s end or games that could define a Power 5 division race. Or: really meaningful upsets.No. 1 Alabama 24, No. 16 Mississippi State 0: Yet another obliteration. An 8-4 MSU would likely count as a ranked win for the Tide, not that they particularly need those. No. 2 Clemson 27, No. 17 Boston College 7: A dominant road win over a team with a really good shot at finishing in the top 20 should fend off some complaints about Clemson’s schedule. Clemson’s schedule will probably end up fine.No. 10 Ohio State 26, No. 18 Michigan State 6: The Buckeyes are still in the Playoff race and come away with an impressive road score, though the game itself was a thing of hideous glory.Tennessee 24, No. 11 Kentucky 7: An NY6 spot might’ve just opened up.Wake Forest 27, No. 14 NC State 23: Down goes one of the ACC Atlantic’s 17,000 New Year’s Six contenders. Clemson’s suddenly shiny resume (in terms of top-20 wins) loses some shine.Northwestern 14, No. 21 Iowa 10: Northwestern just clinched the Big Ten West despite a non-conference loss to Akron lmao.Maybe importantGames in which the winner should have something to show for it, such as at least a win over a decent bowl team.No. 3 Notre Dame 42, Florida State 13: I include this here not because FSU is good (it’s probably not bowling anyway), but because the committee would think highly of the Irish for performing well minus starting QB Ian Book, who’s reportedly out with injury. The committee has publicly cited injury considerations several times in the past.No. 5 Georgia 27, No. 24 Auburn 10No. 6 Oklahoma 48, Oklahoma State 47: BEDLAM lives up to its name (it doesn’t usually), and the Sooners are still in really good shape.No. 8 Washington State 31, Colorado 7: The Pac-12’s sole hope abides.No. 15 Florida 35 Youth Alex Mack Jersey , South Carolina 31: The Gators still have a New Year’s shot, but could use some help.No. 19 Texas 41, Texas Tech 34: A classic ending that referenced an even classic-er ending! Only really matters in the grand scheme if WVU starts losing.No. 20 Penn State 22, Wisconsin 10: Unlikely to have significant postseason effects beyond the Big Ten Championship, which the Badgers are probably not gonna make.No. 22 Iowa State 28, Baylor 14: Well, a ranked team beat a somewhat likely bowl team.Important for the Group of 5 raceSince the committee’s showed for years that non-power teams have a REALLY long path to the Playoff, let’s have a separate section for the race to be the top-ranked mid-major champ. No. 12 UCF 35, Navy 24: Basically nothing to gain here, but the undefeated Knights probably only need to win out in order to make the NY6 again anyway.Boise State 24, No. 23 Fresno State 17: I doubt UCF really needed help to get into the NY6, but this makes it certain that the Knights control their destiny (well, not their Playoff destiny, but you know what I mean). The Mountain West champ will either be a Utah State team the committee’s yet to rank or a team with two losses.Buffalo 48, Kent State 14: The 9-1 Bulls probably don’t have a real shot and didn’t gain a ton from this win, but it’s hard to rule them out until we know for certain, since the rankings only go to 25. If we enter conference title weekend with two one-loss teams in the Mountain West title game, then Buffalo’s definitely out, for example.Cincinnati 35, USF 23: Cincy vs. UCF next week is now quite a big game.UAB 26, Southern Miss 23 in OT: UAB is an awesome story, but a C-USA title is almost certainly the ceiling.Utah State 62, San Jose State 24: Nothing to gain for USU here. Blow out a terrible team and keep moving toward Boise.Probably not importantThe committee tries not to care much about your wins over teams that finish with bad records, though you can get some credit for winning on the road or really laying it to folks. So for the ranked teams here: just don’t lose!No. 4 Michigan 42, Rutgers 7No. 7 LSU 24, Arkansas, 17No. 9 West Virginia 47, TCU 10No. 13 Syracuse 54, Louisville 23 Antonio Brown insists he's still in sync with Ben Roethlisberger even though their numbers together are down.Roethlisberger and Brown are one of the most prolific quarterback-wide receiver tandems in NFL history Womens Ricardo Allen Jersey , but the duo has struggled to find a rhythm through four games as Pittsburgh has stumbled to a 1-2-1 start.They'll seek consistency entering the Steelers' home game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons."It's like Wi-Fi," Brown said Friday. "Sometimes the connection is poor. Sometimes the connection is great. But it's always connected."Brown eclipsed 1,500 yards receiving three of the last four years and is the only player in NFL history to have five straight seasons with at least 100 receptions. Last season, the four-time All-Pro averaged 15.2 yards per catch on 101 receptions and he led the league with 1,533 yards, but his statistics are down this year.Brown's 53 targets are second-most in the league, but he has just 29 receptions for 272 yards receiving and a 9.4-yard per catch average, well below his 13.4-yard career mark. Brown maintained Friday that his relationship with Roethlisberger is strong."Me and Ben laugh about (the media) creating drama, writing about us, trying to create adversity and distractions," Brown said. "We actually text about it. We communicate a lot on text messages about you guys."Roethlisberger and Brown have connected on 723 completions, good for the fourth-most in NFL history between a quarterback and wide receiver. Their 62 touchdowns are the most in franchise history, and one score Sunday will tie Roethlisberger and Brown for No. 10 all-time with Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry.Roethlisberger, who currently ranks second in the league with 1,414 passing yards, blamed himself for Brown's slow start."I think I just have to play better to help him get his numbers, which would help us get wins," Roethlisberger said.Last week against Baltimore, Brown caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. He was targeted five times in the second half, but caught one pass for five yards as Pittsburgh managed just 47 yards of offense after halftime during a 26-14 loss.Brown believes a win against the Falcons can cure the Steelers' woes."We're going to make our plays," said Brown, who needs one touchdown catch to tie John Stallworth for third-most in franchise history. "The plays will be there. We just gotta find a way to win."Steelers' coach Mike Tomlin expects Roethlisberger and Brown to rebound."They'll smooth it out," Tomlin said. "Oftentimes people spend a lot of time to minimize tandems such as (Roethlisberger and Brown), and usually over the course of the journey the cream rises, and they'll show what they are capable of. They have done it for a long time. They'll be the formidable tandem that they always are."NOTES: S Morgan Burnett (groin), LB Vince Williams (hamstring) and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (ankle) are all listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against Atlanta. Burnett would miss his third straight game. Williams' streak of 83 consecutive regular-season games played — fourth-longest among active NFL linebackers — is expected to end. CB Mike Hilton is expected to return after missing the Ravens game with an elbow injury.
The Atlanta Falcons cut down to the best 52 players they had. 52? They only had to cut down to 53 Youth Matt Bryant Jersey , so maybe the guy who originally made it parked in Thomas Dimitroff’s bicycle spot. So far, it sounds like they kept a roster spot open to keep open for players cut by other teams.Sorry, Austin Pasztor, but Thomas Dimitroff really liked some other players better. Which ones? Well, he isn’t sure yet, but he’s got a pretty good idea, as long as they get cut.Now that we have the finalish roster, we can take a deep dive at how the depth shakes out. Here are the three worst positions.Defensive EndThe Falcons only kept four defensive ends, and the top three have dealt with injuries in the last few seasons. Vic Beasley, Takkarist McKinley, and Brooks Reed are definitely a solid top three ends, but we are just one injury away from getting a little too much of run stuffer Derrick Shelby. Dan Quinn might have a higher opinion of Shelby than us, but definitely not by much because Shelby was cut after refusing a pay cut earlier this offseason. It’d be perfect if that last roster spot went to a defensive end with some pass rushing abilities. If not, lets just hope Steve Sarkisian figures out how to put up 30+ points per game.Tight EndAtlanta has a pretty clear depth chart at tight end: Austin Hooper to catch, Logan Paulsen toblock http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-desmond-trufant-jersey , and Eric Saubert to hopefully fill in incase either of those guys get injured. I’m much more worried about replacing Hooper, who looked like an important cog to the offense during first-team drives. Paulsen can most certainly not fill in, and it is unclear if Saubert can be that guy yet. Atlanta doesn’t have a tight end that should make the practice squad, which would be good to have in case of emergencies. So we really, really, really need Hooper to stay healthy. Running BackAtlanta has one of the best running back duos in the league, but both backs are frequently spending time with the trainer. Every year we get to see the third-string back fill in, and that back this year is Ito Smith. He made a few splash plays this preseason, but everything in between made it look like he is not ready. It’d be good to see at least one more back on the roster, if not on the practice squad. The Falcons could then promote the back in case of an injury to Devonta Freeman or Tevin Coleman.For the Falcons, recent injuries a test of The Brotherhood The first two weeks of the 2018 NFL season have been incredibly unkind to the Atlanta Falcons. Sure, the team sits at an even 1-1 record, but an injury maelstrom suddenly finds the S.S. Brotherhood running a skeleton crew. It’s the first time since Dan Quinn took the helm that the injury scourge has befallen so many so soon, and the burden now rests on the players and coaches to show that the bonds they’ve forged can withstand the tempests of a season that already finds them taking on water.If The Brotherhood was ever more than a mere mantra, we’re about to find out. The Falcons have already lost their starting strong safety Keanu Neal to an ACL injury Andy Levitre Jersey , their starting middle linebacker Deion Jones recently underwent a surgical procedure on his foot, and now starting left guard Andy Levitre is gone for the season. We’re still holding our breath on the status of a number of other players, as well.The injury bug hasn’t just bitten the Falcons. It’s moved in, seemingly infesting the foundation at Flowery Branch. You can hear it in the walls.But these are the dire situations that The Brotherhood is supposed to be built to withstand; a next-man-up mentality that regardless of the storms and squalls that every team must face, the guy behind you is there to pick you up. If Dan Quinn’s Brotherhood motif runs as deep in this organization as it appears, then you want an Atlanta Falcon in your foxhole. After a hard-fought win against the Carolina Panthers, next on the slate is the New Orleans Saints. An offense that can overwhelm you in a moment’s notice like a storm surge cresting a hull, the Saints will certainly prove a handful for a defense trying to find its footing after losing Neal and Jones. The linebackers will need to be on full alert, as Drew Brees will be looking to gash them with heavy doses of Alvin Kamara dump-off passes. It’s worrying, sure, but it’s yet another test for an Atlanta Falcons team that seems destined to face them all season long.So we find ourselves back to The Brotherhood. It’s two weeks in, but the Atlanta Falcons have seen more than a season’s worth of injury. They are battered and banged up, but they still possess a potent offense and a defense that may need to be more opportunistic than consistent. If this team can continue to weather what’s already come their way, then it will be proof-positive that The Brotherhood is a testament and not just a tagline.
The Falcons defense is Black Austin Hooper Jersey , well, broken. Missing three (!!!) key starters and lacking production from other significant players, Atlanta is looking more and more like a 2013 Falcons unit than the fast, physical group Dan Quinn is known for. After getting worked by Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints offense and giving up 43 points, Atlanta must try and stop the sixth-best scoring offense in the National Football League: the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are averaging 29.7 points per game, and have done so through some pretty consistent play from Andy Dalton. This test won’t be easy but with questions surrounding the status of A.J. Green, Atlanta may have a slightly easier task than initially expected. Let’s dive a little deeper and see how these two units match up. In the trenchesGood news: Takkarist McKinley is set to play this Sunday. Bad news: The rest of the Falcons defensive line has really struggled to get to the quarterback, while also leaving something to be desired when it comes to the run game. I think we see a better defensive line than last week, but I just don’t know how much better they can get from week to week. More good news: The Bengals offensive line is not performing very well so far this season — Clint Boling is the only offensive lineman with a Pro Football Focus grade higher than a 60. Despite that, Cincinnati has only given up four sacks this season, but these ratings are the result of the run blocking ability of the Bengals offensive line — they have the 22nd-ranked rushing offense this season. Neither one of these position groups is performing at a stellar clip thus far this season, so this will really come down to whether or not the impact players for either team can push theline of scrimmage in favor of their squad. Can Grady Jarrett, Takk McKinley, and the rest of the Falcons defensive line make that happen? I think they make some plays, but I don’t think they make enough to swing this matchup in Atlanta’s favor. Advantage: PushSkill positionsWoof. It feels like this defensive backfield is hanging on for dear life. Keanu Neal? Nope —DeMontae Kazee. Ricardo Allen? Nah — Jordan Richards. Deion Jones? No chance — Duke Riley. Atlanta is going to struggle no matter who they play and no matter the circumstance — they will never truly shut a team down, I don’t think. However, if the offense can continue to play well and score around 30 points a game, the defense should be able to do enough to keep Atlanta in most games. As for Cincinnati, it will look very similar to last week: a great wideout on the outside http://www.authenticsatlantafalcons.com/cheap-mohamed-sanu-jersey , a speedy receiver, a solid slot guy, and a tough combo at tight end and running back. A.J. Green, even if he is only at 75 percent, is someone that teams have to pay attention to, so when you add in the rest of the Bengals skill position players it becomes tough for a defense. The key matchups will be John Ross and Robert Alford, as well as De’Vondre Campbell/Kazee guarding Tyler Eifert. If those guys can limit the big plays by both of those Bengals, the Falcons defense should have a shot to get the stops necessary to win the game. More than the individual matchups, the Falcons simply have to tackle well. Last week it seemed as though they had completely forgotten how to perform that simple task and it cost them dearly. Tackle well, limit big plays. Giovani Bernard is a very skilled back who can make defenders looks silly if they aren’t sound in their technique when trying to bring him down. Once again, I’m skeptical. They can definitely win one play every now and then, but I’m not sure that they can do it consistently, especially if there is no pressure on Dalton. This matchup is very nearly a push, but the lack of depth and the adjustments as a result of that swing things in favor of the Bengals. Advantage: Cincinnati BengalsConclusionThis team is still well coached. This team is still talented. However, they are not as experienced and not as talented as they could be. Jordan Richards looked pretty bad last week and Duke Riley is still incredibly inconsistent — not to mention the disappearance of Vic Beasley this season. For Atlanta’s defense to win the day this week, Takk will need to have a career day and the Falcons will need to keep the Bengals from taking the top off the defense. Limit the damage Bernard does out of the back field, keep Eifert from killing you across the middle, and try and keep John Ross from creating explosive plays. Atlanta does better than last week since Takk is back in the lineup, but I think they still struggle to slow down the Bengals. Each team makes some big plays and it comes down to the Atlanta offense. Check out DW’s breakdown of the Atlanta offense vs. Cincinnati defense here. Advantage: Push On Monday afternoon Atlanta Falcons Womens T-Shirt , we’ll find out whether Juan Soto or Ronald Acu帽a, Jr. is the National League Rookie of the Year. It’s probably going to be Acu帽a, who has the edge in homers, WAR, stolen bases, and defensive value, but it’ll be a close race. And it’s a great excuse to appreciate how beautifully rare it is to see two under-21 players succeed like this. It probably doesn’t feel as rare as it should, though. We happen to be in something of a boom time for under-21 players. Carlos Correa just wowed us all, but three years before that, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Mike Trout were all a part of the same rookie class. We were just getting used to the idea that Giancarlo Stanton and Jason Heyward were going to be All-Star outfielders for the next decade. At this point, it’s a little odd when a season doesn’t feature an under-21 player thriving. But it’s not always like this. There were just five hitting seasons from an under-21 player that were worth at least 1 WAR in the 1980s, and one of them came from Dwight Gooden. There are tables and long lists of names below, so you can scroll down to a too-long-didn’t-read version, but if you look for seasons with multiple three-win players 20 or younger, you’ll see this is something of an anomaly:Seasons with multiple under-21 hitters worth at least three WARDecadeNumber of seasonsDecadeNumber of seasonsIt’s not enough to get just one preternatural talent under the age of 21. Now we’re used to a pair. And just think: Soto’s WAR is severely limited by his defensive metrics. Those don’t seem especially predictive, though, considering he’s a teenager learning how to play major league defense on the fly. Let’s look for the seasons with multiple under-21 players with 3 oWAR or better. There are just five of them: 2018 - Acu帽a Atlanta Falcons Hats , Soto2012 - Harper, Trout1952 - Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews1928 - Mel Ott, Jimmie Foxx1911 - Rogers Hornsby, Whitey WittAs you can see, the ... dammit, Whitey, you’re ruining my perfect narrative. But the overall point remains sound. It’s rare to get a couple of these seasons clustered together, and when it happens, the players usually enjoy Hall of Fame careers. Just a simple list of the under-21 players who have recorded a 3-oWAR season is impressive, too: In the Hall (or has the statistics to be in)Sherry MageeGeorge DavisJohn McGrawTravis Jackson Mel OttRogers HornsbyJimmie FoxxArky VaughnEddie MathewsMickey MantleWillie MaysTed WilliamsAl KalineFrank RobinsonOrlando CepedaJohnny BenchRoberto AlomarKen Griffey, Jr.Alex RodriguezMultiple high-level or All-Star seasons through 20sBuddy LewisStuffy McInnisVada PinsonSolid careersButch WynegarClaudell WashingtonCareer shortened because of war or injuryDick HoblitzellTony ConigliaroNarrative ruinerWhitey WittStill activeMike TroutBryce HarperCarlos CorreaJason HeywardRonald Acu帽a, Jr.Juan SotoI broke up the Hall of Fame category into groups of five to make it easier to read. I did not have to do this for the other categories. This is because hitting this well before turning 21 is a great indication that player in question will make the Hall of Fame. There are exceptions to the rule. There are players who still end up breaking your heart. But for the most part, hitters like Acu帽a and Soto grow up to do amazing things. (And if you limit the search to 3-oWAR players who are still teenagers, you get Mel Ott, Bryce Harper, and Juan Soto. That’s it. And two of them played in the same outfield.)Celebrating two of these players in the same season is rare, then, even if we’re strangely used to Trout Atlanta Falcons Womens Hoodie , Harper, Correa, et al, coming up and humiliating their peers before they can legally drink. It feels like a trend — something having to do with year-round baseball, travel ball, and the state of modern analytics — but there’s no way to confirm that the correlation and causation are linked. Could be a blip. So if you’re looking for a TL;DR, it goes something like this: It’s rare for a player 20 or younger to have a season as good as Juan Soto or Ronald Acu帽a, Jr.It’s really rare for two of them to do it in the same season.This is the first time that two players under the age of 21 finished 1-2 in the Rookie of the Year votingA player who has a season like this is on a path to the Hall of Fame, more often than notWe should probably appreciate this moreIt’s worth watching for more players like Acu帽a, Soto, Trout, and Harper. Maybe there is something to the trend. But for now, all that we know is that baseball has graced us with two of its most special mythical creatures in the same season, and they’ve finished 1-2 in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. It’s just as rare and amazing as you think.
On Tuesday Youth Kenny Golladay Jersey , the Detroit Lions made an odd transaction. They waived special teams player Dee Virgin. While the move itself wasn’t all that surprising, the fact that Detroit had no corresponding move, leaving them with an empty roster spot, is somewhat strange. Typically, that’s a sign the team has an addition in mind, and we’ll likely hear of it on Wednesday.I, too, have a transaction in mind for the Lions, and it has to do with a move the Miami Dolphins made on Tuesday. They added center Wesley Johnson (remember him?) and promoted defensive end Cameron Malveaux from the practice squad. To make room for the two, they placed center Daniel Kilgore on injured reserve, but more relevant to our interests, they waived former second-round pick, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. The Lions should absolutely put in a claim for Phillips, and here’s why.The Lions’ interior defensive line is really badDetroit was hoping to get serious contributions out of two key free agent pickups: Sylvester Williams and Ricky Jean Francois. The former had all the promise of a nose tackle, while the latter had valuable knowledge and experience of the Matt Patricia scheme. Francois has already lost the starting job to A’Shawn Robinson, who entered the season a healthy scratch. Williams has just five tackles in four starts, and even though his job is more to fill space, he hasn’t been doing that either. His PFF grade of 61.9 is good for 77th among interior defenders. Phillips fits the physical profile of Detroit’s needsAt 6-foot-6, 341 pounds, Phillips is exactly the kind of player the Lions could use as a rotational nose tackle when Williams is ineffective, injured, tired or a combination of all three. Phillips is fairly gifted athletically (6.53 RAS), and his incredibly tall frame makes him a tough man to push around in the run game.His NFL Draft profile reads as exactly someone this Lions defense desperately needs. From Lance Zierlein:So not only does he physically fit what the Lions need, but he excels at exactly what the Lions schematically need out of a nose.The downsidesAt this point in the season, you aren’t going to pluck a player from waivers or free agency that will drastically alter the course of your season, unless said player comes with some serious baggage (hi, Dez Bryant). So, yeah, Phillips isn’t going to be the best player on the defense suddenly. Phillips has been publicly called out for his inconsistent play before Youth Taylor Decker Jersey , accused of dogging certain plays when tired.“The bottom line is Jordan has got to play better overall,” Vance Joseph, his defensive coordinator, said back in 2016. “Out of 35 plays, Jordan is playing a solid 25 plays very solidly. He’s having four or five plays where it’s not very good.”It went on like that for a couple years in Miami, leading Jordan, once a starter alongside Ndamukong Suh, to be delegated to a rotational role. Phillips hasn’t started a game this year and has played in just 124 total defensive snaps. He wasn’t very happy about that: And his first reaction upon getting cut by the Dolphins? Pure bliss:For many, that’s a clear red flag in terms of character. Someone who doesn’t defer to the coaches may struggle when adversity inevitably hits. Desperate times call for desperate measuresAdmittedly, that’s a lot of downsides for someone I’m banging the table for, but the Lions are desperate. It’s doesn’t help that Phillips may not be well-versed in Patricia’s system and is currently the third lowest graded interior defender according to Pro Football Focus, but this team is bleeding out, allowing nearly 160 rushing yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry. Last year, the worst run defense allowed just 4.9 YPC. Phillips had very clearly mentally checked out in Miami, and we’ve already seen some new additions make an immediate impact for Detroit. Eli Harold, added just before the season, has three sacks already. Romeo Okwara, added during Week 1, has been the leading snap-getter on the defensive line over the past two weeks, garnering over 80 percent of snaps in games against the Patriots and Cowboys. “Change of scenery” is an often-used excuse to drum up hope that a busted player could succeed under a new team, and that could very well be what I’m pitching here. But there’s not much room for this Lions defense to fall, and a player like Phillips comes cheap (still on his rookie contract) and without much risk. Put Phillips in a rotational role to begin in the hopes that his limited role will minimize the plays he takes off. If he shows promise and understands the scheme, there’s no reason why he couldn’t displace Sylvester Williams as an eventual starter or at least share the role equally come November.Film Room: Taking a look at Jarrad Davis’ success and failures in preseason so far It is already pretty well documented that Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis had a rough rookie season. The 2017 first-round pick had struggles in coverage in 2017 and even became unplayable on passing downs in the latter stages of the season. His sophomore year with a new coaching staff gives him a chance to put his past struggles behind him and this preseason was his first chance to show that he can turn it around. His preseason has not gone as planned, though. The issues he had in coverage last season still seem to haunt him, and he has made a few key mistakes that have cost the team. Davis has made a few great plays in preseason, though, and they mainly came in the run game.Davis is great at finding gaps in the offense’s run blocking and exploiting them to make plays. He is a great at shooting through gaps and causing mayhem in the backfield. The linebacker can rack up tackles for loss and stuff runs at the line of scrimmage if given the opportunity. This was also his greatest strength in college at the University of Florida and definitely the skill that earned him his first-round status. While he did miss a few crucial tackles in the Lions third preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was on a wet sloppy night where he may have had trouble gaining proper footing. His tackling form has always been hit or miss, but the only game this month where he made such glaring errors was against the Bucs in unusual conditions. While it is something to note Youth Christian Jones Jersey , it’s not something to really knock him for, especially when he was only in position to make some of the tackles he missed because of his ability to shoot through gaps so well. While Davis is great at shooting through gaps and taking advantage of any chinks the armor of the opposition, he isn’t very good at eating space in run defense. If a gap doesn’t open up for him, then he isn’t good at creating one. He gets blocked out of plays way too easily and does not have any real moves in his arsenal that he can use to shed blocks. He can make plays if the offense gives him a chance to, but he is a poor playmaker on his own. A run-stuffing linebacker needs to be able to eat up space in the middle of the opposition’s offensive line and create traffic on the interior to force runs back outside. Davis still has not shown that he can do this at the NFL level, and that’s a real concern entering Year 2.These faults in his game also make him a poor pass rusher. He can’t shed off blockers when rushing the passer, is too stiff and doesn’t have the bend or athleticism necessary to really create interior pressure. Just like he does against the run, though, Davis can fire through the gaps that open in pass protection to make plays in the backfield. He is great at blitzing from the second level of the defense if the guys in front of him can stretch out the protection. The linebacker also can cannon through the offensive line on delayed blitzes as well. Davis will never be a great pass rusher from the interior, but he has shown that he can bring a second wave of pass pressure if the coverage behind him allows the time. The aspect of Davis’ game that earns him the most criticism are his failures in pass coverage. Through three weeks of preseason there is no indication that he has grown at all as a coverage linebacker. His instincts often fail him, and he often just wanders himself out of position, like on this play against the New York Giants.Giants running back Wayne Gallman runs a route out of the backfield and is to be picked up by Davis in man coverage. This looks to be an option route, where Gallman will either break inside on an angle route or outside into a quick out. Davis follows him towards the end of the offensive line, but drifts too far to the outside. The running back sees this and breaks his route back inside creating an easy touchdown throw for his quarterback. The most frustrating thing about this play is that Davis wasn’t even beat by the running back, he beat himself. There is reason for him to drift that far outside. He vacated the middle of the field where he had no help between himself and the endzone. If Davis had stayed inside and given up outside leverage instead he would have forced the quarterback into a harder throw and forced the running back into an area where there were more defenders around to break up the pass. Davis getting beat in coverage without much effort by the offense has been a continuing concern for him, even in zone coverage. On this play against the Buccaneers, Davis was responsible for covering the middle hook route. When the Bucs tight end runs a route behind Davis and breaks it off to his inside, the linebacker should have been there to bracket him and take away the throw. Instead, Davis had wandered too far to his left, staring at the running back who ran a flat route. The running back had already been picked up by a different linebacker and there was no reason for him to be occupied. He gives up his position inside and the Bucs get an easy first down throw. The linebacker has a knack of getting preoccupied by teams’ opposing running backs and wandering himself out of position. Even when his assignment is clearly not the running back it still becomes his focus anyways. This tunnel vision also makes him a liability on play-action passes. Wandering himself out of position also allowed Tampa Bay to convert a fourth-down play last Friday.It looks like Davis’ assignment here is to play man coverage against the running back. The running back stays back in pass protection. Davis should have stayed back at the second level and waited for the back to make a move, but he instead rounds the pocket to chase him. By making a move all the way around the pocket, not only does Davis lose any sort of middle contain the Lions defense has but if the running back was planning on slipping out of his blocking stance into a route then Davis would have been well out of position to pick him up. There was no reason for Davis to make the move and just like the other plays he walked himself out of position instead of being forced to do so. While Davis obviously has some potential to succeed in the NFL, he is going to seriously have to grow as a player in order to thrive in this league. As I mentioned in my Eli Harold film piece last week, a linebacker that can not pass rush well or drop into coverage will not last long in today’s NFL. Davis will obviously be given more time than the average player to figure it out due to his status as a first-round pick. For his own sake, and the sake of Detroit’s defense, it needs to be sooner rather than later.
The Detroit Lions got over a third of their roster cuts out of the way on Friday Detroit Lions Hats , parting ways with 12 different players while placing another on injured reserve.But that was the easy part. Saturday is where the Lions are going to have to make some tough choices, like whether to keep Brandon Powell on as a fifth receiver, or deciding how many tight ends to keep on the roster, or figuring out the mess of a situation at offensive line depth. This has been one of the harder seasons to predict the Lions’ final roster, and there’s bound to be a surprise or two left in Bob Quinn’s arsenal. So today’s Question of the Day is:Who is a surprise player you think may end up making the roster?(If you need a reminder of who is still on the roster, check out our Lions cut tracker)My answer: Linebacker Trevor Bates.I was the only one who included Bates as an IN in our final Bubble Watch, and I still stand by it.Granted, Bates played a ton in the preseason finale, which is usually not a great sign for a player trying to make the team, but the same can be said for Jonathan Freeny—a presumed roster spot holder—who played even more than Bates on Thursday. The Lions are going to keep a fair amount of linebackers on this roster, probably more than many expected. Bates brings prior knowledge to Matt Patricia’s system, having played in New England for over a year. He also has been playing a lot of special teams this preseason. Those are two huge factors that could push him onto the roster as one of the last players in. Your turn.Tweets from https://twitter.com/PrideOfDetroit/lists/lions-coverage10 tight ends the Detroit Lions could target in the 2019 Draft The Detroit Lions have not had the best of luck with tight ends. They drafted two first-round tight ends in the last decade and neither of them ended up working out. To make matters worse, every free agent they’ve signed at the position has either had injury issues or been a disappointment. It’s a sad sign that the best tight end they’ve had in the Matthew Stafford era was actually a receiver in Anquan Boldin. The team isn’t likely to address the position early in the 2019 draft despite the weakness of their unit and pending free agencies of most of the group, but we’re going to look at some of the more notable prospects anyway so you can keep an eye on them through the draft process. Noah Fant, Iowa Fant is the top prospect at tight end this year for most evaluators and it’s pretty easy to see why. Like most Iowa prospects, his blocking is very good, though given his size (islted at 235 pounds at tight end) is going to make projecting him problematic. Fant combines elite-level athletic traits with superb route running and soft hands to make himself a viable target and dangerous weapon on every play. Albert Okwuegbunam Detroit Lions Hoodie , Missouri If you’re not a believer in the uber athletic, wide receiver like pass catchers of today’s NFL and are in the mood for a more traditional type of do-it-all, then you’ll probably be quickly enamored with Albert Okwuegbunam. Big, athletic, powerful, and bringing a mean streak that’s tough to contend with, Okwuegbunam is a redshirt sophomore that is likely going to tear up the combine and leave teams speechless. He’s not going to have it easy in the SEC, but I’d be surprised he isn’t in first-round discussions all year.Caleb Wilson, UCLA Wilson is another in what will likely be a long line of big receivers who make their living running up the seam and stretching defenses vertically. Good length, but lacking in bulk, Wilson looks like he has above average speed and explosion but struggles when running any breaking routes, hinting at some stiffness and lack of agility. Teams looking to free up the short middle and deep boundaries of the field by forcing the linebackers back and the safeties inward could do a lot worse than Wilson.Tommy Sweeney, Boston College Boston College does a ton of running and uses their TE primarily in that area. Sweeney is plus in that area, though I haven’t gone into a deep dive yet for film. As a route runner, Sweeney isn’t very refined, but he gets the job done. He’s shown fairly reliable hands and good production, making him fairly easy to project in the NFL. He looks like a plus athlete Youth Customized Detroit Lions Jerseys , but I’ll need more tape to be sure because of how he was utilized.Kaden Smith, Stanford Kaden Smith showcased some decent speed and athletic ability, but what sets him apart from the other tight ends in this class is his phenomenal body control and strong hands. Not comparing the two as players overall, but it reminds me of how Anquan Boldin would rip the ball out the air, owning the football the moment it came in his vicinity and daring you to try and take it away. Athletically, he’s not the most exciting, but he’s one whose tape I’m itching to dig into more.C.J. Conrad, Kentucky Conrad was a big time high school recruit, but he’s mostly just been a background character in Kentucky’s passing game. A reliable pass catcher with good blocking skills, Conrad was the first tight end I watched that was clearly lacking in the athletic tools department. He could find a role in the NFL, but it’s not likely to be as a field stretcher or dynamic pass catcher. Matt Sokol, Michigan State Fans always love local talent, and Sokol is likely going to be one of those guys who gets over-projected by the fan base (don’t get mad, we do this every year, guys). He looks very good from an athletic standpoint, and he’ll probably be a swift riser on many boards post-Combine. His hands and route running aren’t the best, but we’ve got plenty of season yet to put his name into Day 2 consideration. Tyler Petite www.lionsauthorizedshops.com , USC The most recent in a long line of USC prospects, Petite has had decent, if unspectacular, production for the Trojans. Good size and looking like he has plus athletic traits, Petite could be another all-around tight end in this class. Not as flashy as some of the other top guys, I think Petite is more likely headed for a late Day 2 or early Day 3 selection. He’s just the type of versatile player the Lions coaching staff keeps talking about.Logan Parker, Southern Utah It seems like every season we have some small school, uber athletic tight end making waves when the Combine rolls around. This season, the smart money is on Logan Parker to be that guy, and the little bit of tape I’ve seen shows some strong athletic traits that should get teams salivating once he puts up big numbers. Tape will probably still be hard to find at season’s end, coming from where he does, but I recommend watching any you can as the draft starts to near.Aliz茅 Mack, Notre DameHis production prior to this year doesn’t look flashy, but Mack has a lot of tools that teams are going to like once they start projecting for the NFL. You’re looking more at a mid-to-late round guy at the moment, but he’s one that I think you’ll see mocked a lot higher once he puts up his athletic testing. He’s not someone who will save your team off the bat, but he’s an intriguing developmental guy nonetheless.
‘Damn that felt good’ The Detroit Lions picked up an emotional win on Sunday night and you could tell the players were fired up about it. Not only was it important for the team to avoid the chasm of a 0-3 start Customized Detroit Lions Jerseys , but getting coach Matt Patricia his first win was something that was obviously important to the team, especially after rumors floated to the surface that some were unhappy with Patricia’s coaching methods.“You know, it was just a great moment because we know how hard [Patricia] and all the coaches worked to prepare the game plan,” Marvin Jones Jr. said after the game. “Us to just go out and execute it. It was big for him and you could see it in his face.”But it was fun for the players, and as 20-somethings are want to do, they took to social media after the game to celebrate a little late night/early morning Victory Monday.First, the always talkative Golden Tate:Punters are people, too, and Sam Martin, who only had to punt the ball a couple times in the fourth quarter, was feeling the excitement, too: And newcomer Romeo Okwara, who earned his first start on Sunday night... Onto the secondary. First, there’s Darius Slay who picked up his first interception of the season: ... and DeShawn Shead, who was picked back up by the Lions this week despite getting released in Detroit’s final round of cuts: Finally, there was the man of the hour, Kerryon Johnson. The Lions running back put Detroit’s 100-yard rusher drought to an end on Sunday night, and he got some praise from the GOAT after the game.But back to Marvin Jones for a minute www.authenticsdetroitlions.com , because for as fun as Sunday night was, the celebration can only last so long. In six days the Lions must head to Texas for the Dallas Cowboys, and the preparation starts now.“We’re excited and we’ll celebrate this one today, but tomorrow we look at it and we flush it,” Jones said. “So we’re onto the Cowboys.”And just like that, we’re onto Week 4.Detroit Lions Week 1 Song of the Game: ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’ Song of the Game is back. Each week, we’ll use a song to describe our feeling or the Lions’ performance from the previous game. At the end of the year, we’ll have a complete Spotify playlist telling the story of the Lions’ 2018 season. You can check out the 2017 playlist here, and our explanations for our choices here.Detroit Lions vs. New York Jets Song of the Game: “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” by The SmithsI’m not a big fan of The Smiths. I respect the hell of out Morrisey for being one of the greatest songwriters in history and perfectly encapsulating what depression and heartbreak feel like, but during my vulnerable, floundering teenage years, I was led astray by the likes of Staind, Limp Bizkit and Korn. Had I been cognizant of Morrissey at the time, I probably would’ve loved him, but by the time I had been given a music history lesson, I no longer had the need for The Smith’s overbearing bleakness.[Hat tip to Jerry Mallory for suggesting this song. I’m not that aware of The Smith’s catalogue, but I couldn’t turn away this choice from Jerry.]Well, I thought I didn’t Detroit Lions T-Shirt , at least. Monday night’s game was a punch in the gut I didn’t think this team was still capable of delivering. The first week of the season is supposed to be the pinnacle of happiness and optimism, and bringing in the era of a new head coach was supposed to bring an extra wave of good feelings. Thankfully, the schedule-makers placed the Jets to kick things off, minimizing any chance of a disaster to start the year.Then everything unraveled in an instant, and now I’m miserable.I was happy in the haze of a drunken hourBut heaven knows I’m miserable nowQuandre Diggs opened up Monday night with a glorious pick-six and suddenly all the negativity from the preseason was gone. I couldn’t help myself. I screamed out in the press box, even though rules very clearly state no cheering is allowed. I couldn’t help myself. I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour.But that happiness didn’t last long, and soon emotions swayed to the other end of the spectrum. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. Matthew Stafford turned into Mark Sanchez. Ezekiel Ansah and Darius Slay crumpled to the ground. The best special teams unit in 2017 channeled their inner Stan Kwan and became the worst set of players on the field.As the dust was settling, I did something I haven’t done in a long, long time. I questioned my fandom. I questioned whether this was all worth it—to not only emotionally invest myself in the team, but to devote myself professionally to the Lions beat, even though I know exactly what I’m getting into. I spend nine months devoted to covering the Lions while nothing is happening, only for the team to finally take the field and destroy my hopes in an instant. In my life, why do I give valuable timeTo people who don’t care if I live or die?Of course, like any sadness or depression, it goes away after some time and some well-needed rest. Hopefully next week’s song is a little happier.