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judgepaper19-blog · 6 years ago

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After A Big Win, Eagles Should Not Take Texans Lightly

Welcome to another installment of Crunching The Numbers, a weekly, stats-based game preview I do for Bleeding Green Nation. For more about the stats I use (and why I use them) to make my “armchair coach” observations, check out an archive of previous posts in this series here.

Week 15 In Hindsight

I hope you’re okay with talking about last week’s game. Personally, you could inject that shit directly into my veins, but that’s just me.

Also, if anyone could please tell me where I can get fresh crow, because I need to eat all of it. After the crushing loss to Dallas I said I had officially given up on the 2018 season, and while I still acknowledge their outside shot of making the playoffs over the next two weeks, I will 100% be following Cowboys and Vikings scores in addition to watching the Eagles. A week after I lamented the Eagles’ lack of a statement win this season, they go ahead and deliver one, and as a result have inspired hope, however small that might be.

As for the game itself, the way the offense came to life so quickly in the game was nothing short of a revelation. Apparently December is around the time that Nick Foles replenishes his Big Dick Energy. Maybe it has to do with the winter solstice? Who knows? Who cares? I certainly don’t. Seeing him revive his playoff self to beat the Rams was amazing, as I will never not hate Sean McVay and his stupid Wooly Willy beard for stealing the Coach of the Year award from Pederson last season.

Digging a bit deeper into the game, last week I said the Eagles should try to play keep away to limit the Rams’ scoring opportunities. Specifically, I said that if they had “2-3 more possessions” than the Rams by the middle of the fourth, they’d “at least be in position to take the lead, if not already winning.” It turns out they didn’t need that - by the middle of the fourth the Eagles ended up with one fewer drive, and both teams ended up tied with 12. They did win the TOP possession battle by holding the ball for 31:36. Much of what I wrote about the actual gameplan is somewhat moot since I did not know Nick Foles would be playing. (Tangent: I am not going to wade into the scorching “Foles vs. Wentz” debate here.)

Defensively, the Eagles didn’t do quite what I thought they should. There was no LB spy on Gurley, and Schwartz still refuses to play press under any circumstances whatsoever. Of course, I was not expecting the Eagles to jump out to a 17 point lead, which certainly made things easier for the defense. Instead of selling out to stop Gurley, they let the game situation take Gurley out for them and sold out to get to Goff instead. And you know what? It worked, as Goff was throwing behind receivers, out of bounds, or interceptions. So I’m not really upset things didn’t go the way I thought they would (or should). I’ll give McVay credit for making adjustments in the fourth to make it a one-score game, but not too much, since he seemed to forget that football games do, in fact, end and that he can’t just saunter his way into a comeback when his team is down 14 with less than 10 minutes to play.

As frustrating as this season has been at times, the Eagles are going to need to be dragged kicking and screaming out of the playoff picture. Will the 10-4 Texans be the team that does that? Let’s find out with this week’s game preview! Bold-faced statistics indicate that team has the advantage, while numbers in parenthesis are the league rank.

Game Preview: Houston Texans

For the second straight week, the Eagles only have the advantage in one area - time of possession, where they are third in the league behind New Orleans and Baltimore. We all know how that turned out last week, so this is a slam dunk, right? Maybe, maybe not. What seems clear to me is that Houston is a good football team (if not a great one) and that we should treat them as such. Let’s unpack how the Eagles might plan against them.

Eagles Offense

The Texans’ pass rush is more or less average (7.03 SACK%), but they have tremendous talent on the defensive line with J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, so the Eagles shouldn’t look to give them opportunities to pin their ears back. The Eagles’ primary goal should be to attack the short-to-intermediate on first down to set up as many 2nd-and-shorts as possible, for a few reasons. First, targeting that range opens up your whole playbook of rushing plays to establish the run. Second, Foles is the definition of a rhythm quarterback so starting drives off with quick slants or simple screen passes is an easy way to build his confidence. And third, once Foles has said confidence you can call shots down the field on those short 2nd downs, which he will 100% chuck the ball up there for someone to catch it.

I think some simple rollouts and bootlegs might be a good idea just to get Foles away from J.J. Watt. As we saw last week, he occasionally forgets that defensive lineman will try to make plays on the ball too, and Watt is an absolute monster who will be looking to tip passes that come his way.

Eagles Defense

The Texans are a well-run, efficient offense (14.5 Y/PT), but they are not a juggernaut like some of the teams the Eagles have faced this year. Schwartz did a great job of taking out the big play against the Rams last week and he’ll have to do it again this week. De’Andre Hopkins is the key to what lets Houston’s offense be dynamic, so making sure he does not get behind the defense - ever would be my #1 priority. I don’t care how deep you have to drop a slow-as-molasses Corey Graham back there. Do NOT let Hopkins beat you deep, because Watson will take that shot literally every time, as evidenced by his respectable 7.6 YPA.

To repeat myself from last week, I think you put a LB spy on Watson, too (Bradham is especially suited for this job). The Eagles have struggled against mobile quarterbacks in the past, and while Watson is not the athlete that Lamar Jackson or Baker Mayfield is, he can still move. If Watson escapes the pocket, someone is there to hit him quickly. If he stays in the pocket, read the play and either blitz or cover his checkdown. Schwartz loves to play his cornerbacks way off the line of scrimmage, and I’m concerned there will be room for Watson to scramble for 5-6 yards whenever he decides to run. Putting a spy on him can help take that element away from their offense.

Closing Thoughts

I’ve seen a lot of comments on here about not being afraid of the Texans since they are a “weak” 10-win team and that the Eagles are playing at home. I don’t think that’s being fair to the Texans and it’s worth remembering the Eagles are currently 4-3 at home this season. Houston has star players at most positions, decent depth, and a quarterback playing good football. If the Eagles want to extend their playoff hopes for another week, they need to take this team seriously, and we as fans should take them seriously too. It would be such a letdown to lose this game at home after a big emotional road win last week.

I have to say, for as frustrating as this season has been, and for as many times as I’ve been ready to give up, I’ve still had a lot of fun watching the Eagles this season. Their inconsistency is maddening, and their inability to close games might cost them the season, but if there is one recurring theme to this season is that they have refused to crumble after suffering devastating losses. I think that speaks to not only the connection the players have with the coaches, but also to the bond they have with each other. Win or lose, the Eagles are still an easy team to root for, and that alone is a good thing to have. (I don’t honestly know how Cowboys or Redskins fans do it.)

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2018/12/19/18144287/crunching-the-numbers-week-16-nfl-game-preview-philadelphia-eagles-houston-texans-stats-engineering

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junker-town · 5 years ago

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Which borderline teams should buy or sell at the NFL trade deadline?

The Bears, Eagles, Raiders, Jaguars, and more all have decisions to make before Oct. 29. We debate which ones should try to make a run.

Trade season is in full effect in the NFL. In the past week alone, we’ve seen Mohamed Sanu become a Patriot, Emmanuel Sanders become a 49er, and Quandre Diggs go from Lions’ defensive captain to a potential cure-all in the Seahawks’ secondary.

While the league’s contenders have gotten richer, teams with lesser playoff aspirations have begun to stockpile assets for 2020. It made sense for the Falcons and Broncos, two teams with three wins between them, to give up on a season where a trip to the Super Bowl was a fever dream. Detroit, at 2-3-1 and a couple of bounces or bad calls away from being in the thick of the NFC North race, was a more curious seller.

The Lions’ decision to ship Diggs, a starter well-liked locker room presence, doesn’t necessarily mean the team is giving up on 2019. At the same time, it’s tough to see how that move makes the team better as it braces for a possible postseason run. Now Detroit is faced with a question several other franchises that are hovering around .500 through seven weeks of the season have to face:

Should we start dealing veteran assets before the Oct. 29 trade deadline?

Let’s take a look at the teams that are .500 or worse but still in the playoff race. We’re going to talk it out to see which should be buyers and which should be sellers this week.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)

The Jaguars have stayed afloat in the AFC South even after losing starting quarterback Nick Foles, but Gardner Minshew’s rookie regression has made Jacksonville a lot more vulnerable in October. He’s thrown for just 418 yards and a single touchdown while completing less than 48 percent of his passes the past two weeks. The defense hasn’t played up to its recent terrifying standard, and without Jalen Ramsey in the lineup, this team may have to win some shootouts to claim a playoff spot.

Christian D’Andrea: Buy. This is a tough decision, as Foles can’t return to the lineup until Week 11 should Minshew continue to struggle. Even then, it’s unclear exactly what he’s capable of outside of Philadelphia. This Jacksonville team has a steep climb with Houston and Indianapolis ahead of them in the division, and the Bills looking strong in their quest for a second postseason berth in three years.

But! They’ve got a winnable game against the Jets coming up before playing the Texans in London. Two wins would put Jacksonville at 5-4 with a very manageable seven-game stretch to end the season. After trading Ramsey to the Rams, the Jags have plenty of future assets already, giving them a little extra room to spend in search of the missing piece that gets them back to the top of the South. If they think they can find it in October, go for it.

Adam Stites: Buy. The Jaguars already have a lot of pieces in place to make a push for the postseason in the back half of the year. Running back Leonard Fournette is averaging more than 100 rushing yards per game, and second-year receiver DJ Chark is quickly establishing himself as one of the most dangerous deep threats in the league. While the defense has taken a step backward and lost Ramsey, it’s still loaded with talent along the defensive line.

Jacksonville would benefit from finding a linebacker to shore up the middle of the defense, a tight end to give Minshew a safety valve, or an offensive lineman to give the rookie a bit more time. Getting to the playoffs will be an uphill battle for the Jaguars, but now’s not the time to make life any harder on Minshew if they truly plan on figuring out if he’s the real deal.

James Brady: Buy. This one is difficult because I think the Jaguars are a fairly complete team and not so far from being true contenders. I would hate for them to overpay in draft capital for someone to give them a boost now but isn’t much of a help for years to come.

Sure, there are some aging veterans who might help them this year, but with Gardner Minshew regressing, the last thing the team should do is panic themselves into a bad trade. But as already noted, their upcoming schedule is relatively friendly and if one piece is what they need to make a postseason run, go for it!

Tennessee Titans (3-4)

Ryan Tannehill is the starting quarterback in Nashville now, and so far it’s ... going well? Granted, a win over the bumbling Chargers isn’t much of a resume builder, but just scoring points is a step in the right direction. Mike Vrabel’s defense has been playoff caliber (fourth in the NFL in points allowed), but the Titans’ inability to move the chains could be their undoing.

D’Andrea: Sell. Marcus Mariota’s contract expires in 2020, and Tannehill isn’t a long-term answer behind center. It’s likely too late for Tennessee to tank its way to the top of next spring’s draft in order to find a can’t-miss QB prospect, but a spot in the top 10 could clear the path to find the blocking help the team’s lacked this fall. The Titans have some nice young pieces who have turned up under Tannehill — Corey Davis and A.J. Brown in particular — but this team needs more firepower before it’s a serious threat.

Stites: Buy. It’ll be hard for the Titans to convince themselves they can’t compete after Tannehill stepped in and led them to 403 yards of total offense. Maybe his play will drop off, but it’s also completely possible he keeps it up. If he does, the Titans have the recipe for a playoff team.

The defense is already in place. The Titans haven’t allowed more than 20 points in a game in 2019. The only other teams that can say that are the undefeated Patriots and 49ers.

Snag a little offensive help and Tennessee can still track down the Colts and Texans in the AFC South.

Brady: Sell. Not only is Mariota not the answer, neither is Tannehill. Tennessee went all-in on a quarterback in Mariota, and it didn’t pay off. The Titans have to start the entire process over again with the few young, good players they have as a foundation. I don’t see how they can fix all of their issues with trades this season.

Oakland Raiders (3-3)

The Raiders have already made a move in October, trading starting cornerback Gareon Conley to the Texans for a third-round pick. That doesn’t mean they’re sellers, however; Conley’s egress followed a brutal performance in a loss to the Packers, and his trade may have been more of a message to Oakland’s locker room than any grand statement about contention.

The Raiders have outperformed expectations, earning wins over two 2018 playoff teams (the Bears and Colts) en route to 3-3. They had only four wins all last season.

D’Andrea: Buy. The Raiders spent 2018 selling (see the Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper trades) and 2019 buying, to varying effect. The addition of Trent Brown and, to a lesser extent, penalty magnet Richie Incognito, helped upgrade an offensive line that cut Derek Carr’s sack rate in half (8.4 to 4.1) and Oakland may just be a few skill player upgrades away from contention. Their three losses this season have all come against teams with at least five wins in their first seven weeks of the season.

Stites: Buy. The Raiders probably aren’t there yet as a contender, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to be sellers. They’ve shown they can grind out wins with a powerful ground attack. The defense hasn’t been able to hold up its end of the bargain and still doesn’t have an adequate pass rush. If the team could find a veteran defensive end capable of getting after the quarterback, now would be a great time to invest at the position.

Brady: Buy. The Raiders have the talent to be successful now, not later. I think Derek Carr is finally hitting his stride, though he could use some help besides his rather deep roster of tight ends. Despite Jon Gruden’s best efforts to decimate their own core, the Raiders are succeeding. They have the big guys up front and a bruising running game. They just need some extra pieces, like perhaps a Khalil Mack or Amari Cooper-type player.

Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)

The Eagles beat the Packers in Green Bay three weeks ago, but the hope gleaned from that marquee win was quickly drained in back-to-back blowout losses to the Vikings and Cowboys. Philadelphia’s defense has been a major concern; it ranks 27th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game despite trailing big in each its last two games. It’s given up 75 total points the past two weeks, and Carson Wentz’s underwhelming fourth year has left the offense unable to keep up.

D’Andrea: Buy. The NFC East is eminently winnable, even after Philly’s loss to Dallas last week. This offense has too much talent to be this mediocre for long, and the past month has shown that cornerback market remains robust. Acquiring Patrick Peterson or Chris Harris would add some veteran gravitas to a depth chart that desperately needs it — though it might not be cheap.

Stites: Buy. Even though the 37-10 beatdown at the hands of the Cowboys in Week 7 was bad, the Eagles don’t really have much of a choice but to keep trying to make the most out of their young core of talent. Another receiver could be a good thing, but finding cornerback help — whether that’s now or in the offseason — is a must for Philadelphia.

Brady: Buy. Philadelphia isn’t far removed from being one of the top teams in the league. Carson Wentz needs some help, and the defense is in a dire position. They need some serious beef in the secondary, though that might be the position that is least fixable via trade at the moment. Still, the NFC East is ripe for the taking — even after the drubbing the Eagles received at the hands of the Cowboys. If there are no solid buying options, they should at the very least not become sellers.

Chicago Bears (3-3)

The Bears’ defense, even with Akiem Hicks on injured reserve, remains tough. Chicago ranks fifth in the league in points allowed despite ranking 26th in the league in time of possession. The offense, however, is a major problem. A rudderless running game has averaged just 3.4 yards per carry and the Bears have yet to gain more than 300 net yards in a single game. The biggest concern? Mitchell Trubisky, who has somehow made fans long for the days of Jay Cutler in Illinois.

D’Andrea: Buy. Trubisky may not be fixable, but letting this defense go to waste is some kind of sin. Some extra tailback help to boost the Tarik Cohen-David Montgomery platoon in the backfield could, at the very least, take some of the pressure from Trubisky’s shoulders.

Stites: Sell. He’s been a mess this season, but the Bears have won with Trubisky before. He led the Bears to wins in 11 of his 14 starts last season and was a partially blocked double doink away from a trip to the NFC Championship Game. So it’s tempting to keep pouring resources into the offense to try and recreate that 2018 success.

The only reason the Bears should sell is because they have a lot of pretty expendable players. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is a mercenary on a one-year deal and the secondary wouldn’t be lost if it swapped in another safety to the starting lineup. Other defensive players — like Danny Trevathan, perhaps — could also fetch some value.

Brady: Sell. I wrote about Trubisky earlier this week, and I cannot stress enough how poorly I think of his mechanics. This doesn’t mean the Bears should excise core players on their defense or offense, but there are some guys who may be looking for a way out, guys that Adam mentioned — Clinton-Dix, Trevathan, et all. There are surely some draft picks out there that will help the Bears reload for 2020.

Detroit Lions (2-3-1)

The Lions ruffled feathers in their own locker room by trading Diggs and just lost the only player to rush for 100+ yards in a game while wearing Honolulu Blue in the past five years to injured reserve. Three straight losses have sunk Detroit to the bottom of the NFC North, but Matthew Stafford’s bounceback year means this team is a tough out for anyone in the conference.

D’Andrea: Sell. Matt Patricia’s defense has been a sieve, and prized offseason acquisition Trey Flowers hasn’t been the panacea the Lions hoped he’d be. With losses mounting and the rest of the NFC North as hospitable as a paper shredder, it’s time to call in reinforcements for 2020. Sorry about another wasted year, Matt.

Stites: Sell. The Diggs trade was likely a precursor of things to come. Now on a three-game losing streak, the Lions are awful on defense and not enough on offense to make up for that. Kerryon Johnson, the only Lions running back in the last six years to top 100 yards, is done for the year. Detroit would be wise to get value off the roster wherever it can.

Brady: Sell. I’ve spent the bulk of Matthew Stafford’s career confused about how a player with so much arm talent can consistently be at the helm of a bad team, and while I still like the roster as a whole, the Lions haven’t been able to put it all together. They can at least be competitive each week, but we’re long past the time of moral victories. The Lions need a full rebuild.

Arizona Cardinals (3-3-1)

The Cardinals are trending in the opposite direction of the team they tied in Week 1; Arizona has won three straight behind a revived offensive attack (and a weak slate of opponents), matching last year’s total. Kyler Murray has been roughly as expected as a rookie — some good plays, some bad ones, and the occasional highlight-reel staple — for a team with shoddy blocking and an uneven receiving corps. The defense, which has given up 400+ yards in more than half its games this fall, remains a concern.

D’Andrea: Sell. This was always a multi-year project. Beating the Bengals, Falcons, and Giants is nice, but it doesn’t mean you’re a contender. The Cardinals are still low on talent, so stockpiling draft assets while learning the ropes of Kingsbury’s NFL-adjusted firebomb offense makes sense.

Stites: Buy. Yes, the Cardinals are in a long-term rebuild, and no, they aren’t winning the loaded NFC West. But the most important thing is bringing along Murray and making sure he continues to develop and grow into the player they hope he can eventually become. If there’s additional offensive talent on the market that’ll help him continue an upward trajectory, now is a good time to go get it.

Brady: Buy. It will take more than one season for Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray to click, but we’ve already seen week-to-week improvement out of the pairing. They’re not going to compete for the crown in the stacked NFC West, and they probably won’t be in the wild card conversation either. But they’re onto something right now, and it would behoove them to get as many pieces as they can sooner rather than later.

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unclescurvy · 8 years ago

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2017 NFL MOCK DRAFT

April 23, 2017

This is a five-round mock draft with projected trades. This will be updated at least once more before the draft.

ROUND ONE

1. Cleveland – DE/OLB Myles Garrett, Texas A&M

This is becoming the surest of things. Myles Garrett is probably the best player in this draft, and the Browns happen to need his services badly. The rumors of a Trubisky pick here are laughable.

2. Cleveland (PROJ. TRADE W/SF) – QB Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina

What do you do when you covet two players in the first round and you’ve got loads and loads of ammunition? You unload and go get your guys. The Browns make a blockbuster deal with the Niners (# 12, 33, and 52 this year, plus a 2nd round selection in 2018) and go secure the quarterback they covet: hometown boy Mitchell Trubisky. Whether or not he deserves to be drafted here doesn’t matter. The Browns know the only way they can be sure to get him is by securing the first two picks.

3. Carolina (PROJ. TRADE W/CHI) – RB Leonard Fournette, LSU

The Panthers extended Jonathan Stewart’s contract by a year, but he’s never been someone the team can rely on to stay healthy for an entire season. Carolina has fallen in love with Fournette, and they have to get ahead of Jacksonville to secure him (Tom Coughlin has made multiple statements about improving the running game there). They trade next year’s first rounder as well as their top 2nd-round pick to move from 8 to 3.

4. Jacksonville – DE/OLB Solomon Thomas, Stanford

The Jags just barely miss out on Leonard Fournette, who would have been their choice, so they go back to the drawing board. Jacksonville was in the bottom half of the league in sacks for the second straight year. Solomon Thomas has the prototypical size and speed for the Jags’ defense, and he could make an immediate impact.

5. Tennessee (THRU LA RAMS) – SS Jamal Adams, LSU

Pure safeties just don’t get drafted higher than #5. Period. I don’t see Jamal Adams as the sort of once-in-a-lifetime athlete who would change that history. The Titans signed Jonathan Cyprien to play the strong side in free agency, but he could be moved to free safety to accommodate Jamal Adams. This guy has Rodney Harrison-like potential to be one of the very best safeties in the league for a long time… but I just don’t see him going any higher than this.

6. NY Jets – FS Malik Hooker, Ohio State +

If the Jets don’t fall in love with any of the quarterbacks, they will roll with Josh McCown, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg and select the promising ball-hawk Malik Hooker. He doesn’t have much to offer in the run game, but the Jets are more concerned with finding someone to stop Rob Gronkowski and the lesser Gronk clones that are cluttering the league. Hooker has a nose for the ball like few others, and he could lead the league in interceptions within the next few years. Or he could be the biggest bust of this year’s class.

7. LA Chargers – CB Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State +

The Chargers made a great free agent pickup last year in former-Packer Casey Hayward. He and Jason Verrett may form a strong partnership in 2017, but Verrett has had a lot of trouble staying healthy. And if the team opts to keep him in 2018, he’ll cost them around $8 million. It may be time for the first cornerback to come off the board here: Marshon Lattimore has spent the off-season separating himself from a fine, fine group of corners as the very best of the crop.

8. Chicago (PROJ. TRADE W/CAR) – DT Jonathan Allen, Alabama +

The Bears need defense more than anything, and one of this year’s best college defenders falls into their lap. Rumors of chronic shoulder injuries drop a man with top-three talent down to #8, but he’s certainly worth the risk here. Jonathan Allen is the sort of talent the entire city can rally around.

9. Cincinnati – DE Derek Barnett, Tennessee

The Bengals gave up on the Margus Hunt experiment, and they’re considering what life will look like without Michael Johnson, whose contract will expire next year. Barnett helps the team improve their defensive end rotation for this year and perhaps they’ve found their starter next to Carlos Dunlap next year.

10. Buffalo – TE O.J. Howard, Alabama

The Bills have almost no receiving talent beyond the oft-injured Sammy Watkins. He desperately needs help. Howard might be the most well-rounded tight end to come on the scene since Jason Witten. He’ll help in all aspects of the offense, but his receiving skills will be most needed.

11. New Orleans – RB/WR Christian McCaffrey, Stanford

This would be the sort of WTF? Moment that makes drafts interesting, wouldn’t it? The Saints need defense and they need it badly, but instead they bolster their offense with the obscene athleticism of Christian McCaffrey. Mark Ingram remains the lead back in 2017, but his contract is voidable next year. And there isn’t much talent behind him. This pick makes more sense than it does on first glance.

12. San Francisco (PROJ. TRADE W/CLE THRU PHI) – QB Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech

The Niners trade down with Cleveland and select their quarterback of the future. Many, many teams are crushed that they couldn’t pull the trigger on Mahomes themselves. He’ll have to sit behind Brian Hoyer for at least half a season as the team breaks down Mahomes’ awful technique, and they’ll teach him how to be a pro. He seems willing and eager to learn. His natural gifts but unwieldy technique remind me of Brett Favre coming out of school. He needed time to develop too.

13. Houston (PROJ. TRADE W/ARZ) – QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson

Houston is SO CLOSE to making a serious run in the playoffs, they know they’re just a quarterback away. They can’t go into this season with Tom Savage as their uncontested signal caller, and they waited too long for the guy they really wanted, Pat Mahomes. They package their 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks to go up to Arizona’s spot and grab Deshaun Watson. What he lacks in pinpoint accuracy and arm strength, he makes up for in leadership and heart. He makes everyone around him better. That’s a rare quality.

14. Philadelphia (THRU MIN) – CB Tre’Davious White, LSU

The Eagles are said to covet a cornerback at this spot, and they’ll practically have their pick of the litter. Who knows if they’ll covet the speed of an Adoree Jackson or the size of a Kevin King. On my board, Tre’Davious White is the 2nd best CB available, so here he sits. He’s part of the great lineage of LSU cornerbacks, and he’s got the skills to play man or cover at an elite level.

15. Indianapolis – RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State *

The Colts cannot take the risk of going into another season with Frank Gore as their starter. He served admirably last year, but his days of greatness are long behind him. Dalvin Cook is said to have less-than-admirable athleticism despite his college numbers and some behavioral issues worthy of concern, but the Colts take a risk on him.

16. Baltimore - WR Corey Davis, Western Michigan

The Ravens lost Steve Smith to retirement and they are cautiously optimistic that a late-season surge from Breshad Perriman could signify improve play in 2017. However, wide receiver has been an anemic position for the team practically since they left Cleveland for Baltimore. Joe Flacco needs targets – especially scoring threats. Corey Davis is a touchdown magnet – a perfect addition to Flacco’s choice of targets.

17. Washington – CB Gareon Conley, Ohio State

The Redskins took quite a few blows this off-season, losing both key players and key coaches. They were also fairly quite in free agency. They need to draft carefully. They’ll take a flyer on speedy corner Gareon Conley to pair with Josh Norman. Bashaud Breeland got burned repeatedly last year and may have to transition to free safety, and Kendall Fuller is better off as a nickel.

18. Tennessee – WR Mike Williams, Clemson

The Titans took big risks with their receivers in 2016 by trading Dorial Green-Beckham to Philadelphia, cutting Justin Hunter and letting Andre Johnson retire mid-season. This became a team built on the run and the short passing game thanks largely to 32-year old tight end Delanie Walker. The team clearly needs another option in the passing game. Mike Williams may be the best deep-ball receiver in this year’s class. He’s got certain Dez Bryant qualities without the problem attitude.

19. Tampa Bay – OLB Haason Reddick, Temple

The Bucs made quite a few splashes in free agency this year, but they’ve neglected their linebacking group, which is thin at best. Lavonte David is as good as they come on the weak side, Kwon Alexander showed some promise in the middle, but the strong side is a gaping hole. Enter Combine darling Haason Reddick. His ascent has been staggering, and if he lands in the top 20, you’ll probably hear me cheering from wherever you happen to be watching the draft.

20. Denver – OT Garett Bolles, Utah

Right tackle Donald Stephenson graded out as the worst at his position among starters last year. And as of this moment, he’s slated to start again. That cannot happen. The Broncos must upgrade their o-line immediately, and Bolles might help. He’s only played top-tier college football for one year so he might completely flop in the pros, but his off-season workouts and prototypical body type for the position suggest he just might make it as an NFL tackle yet. He and a rejuvenated Ty Sambrailo will fight for the two starting spots.

21. Detroit – TE David Njoku, Miami

The Lions have made waves this off-season about upgrading their tight end position, and if Njoku falls to them, he will almost certainly be their pick. He’s an excellent receiver and a willing - if pedestrian - blocker. Detroit forgoes the option on Eric Ebron next year and hands the starting role to Njoku, but in the meantime they make a forbidding duo.

22. Miami – DE Charles Harris, Missouri

The Dolphins are a better team than most folks outside Miami know. But with the release of Mario Williams, they’re left with a question mark at defensive end. Andre Branch was re-signed in free agency, and William Hayes came over from the Rams (presumably to be closer to the mermaids). But Hayes will be 32 when camp starts, and he can’t be counted on beyond this year. Charles Harris might be a little small to take on the punishment of playing a 4-3 end in the NFL, but the trainers will work on bulking him up for the campaigns ahead.

23. NY Giants – OLB Jarrad Davis, Florida +

Word on the street is that Jarrad Davis is a hot name among scouts and GMs. He performed quite well at the Combine, and he’s been killing it at his individual meetings. If he lasts this long, the Giants will pounce on him; they may even be willing to trade up to get him. The team certainly needs linebacking help.

24. Oakland – CB Adoree’ Jackson, USC

Cornerback D.J. Hayden split in free agency this year and Travis Carrie will be up for it in 2018. And honestly no Raiders CB was especially great in 2017 despite the team’s record. Can you imagine the old Al Davis Raiders passing up a speedster like Adoree’ Jackson?

25. Arizona (PROJ. TRADE W/HOU) - QB Deshone Kizer, Notre Dame

The Cardinals trade back with the Texans and still get the developmental quarterback they were looking for. Kizer has the prototypical NFL build with a strong-enough arm, but his accuracy and footwork are a mess. A year or two behind Carson Palmer and learning from Bruce Arians will be a very good thing for him.

26. Seattle - CB Kevin King, Washington

The Seahawks need offensive line help desperately, so perhaps they’ll do the right thing and select Forrest Lamp or Garett Bolles here, but the rumor is they covet the hometown gargantuan cornerback Kevin King. He fits right in with Seattle’s tradition of playing massive corners to counteract the effects of big receivers, and King can do that. But if he gets matched up with a quick smaller wide out, his lack of fluidity will be exposed.

27. Kansas City - WR John Ross, Washington +

The Chiefs need receivers. This much is true. And John Ross has shown that he’s worthy of a first-round selection. But I’m having trouble imagining the diminutive Ross on the same team as the smaller-than-ideal Jeremy Maclin and Tyreek Hill. But I’m also having trouble seeing the Chiefs pass on him if he’s available. The Lollipop Guild may do wonders in K.C., who knows!

28. Dallas – DE DeMarcus Walker, Florida State

The Cowboys are rumored to be pretty committed to upgrading their defensive line this year. Walker would be a great player to fall to them. He was amazingly productive against top-level competition throughout his college career. He’s probably the most NFL-ready defensive end available this year, and his positive attitude may be the very thing that will turn around a guy like Randy Gregory.

29. Green Bay – SS Jabrill Peppers, Michigan

One of the biggest questions of the draft: Where will the celebrated Jabrill Peppers end up? He played practically every position on defense for Michigan (and some not on defense). Plenty of teams have a desire for a player who can fill more than one spot (the Pats, the Cardinals, the Rams, etc). The Packers lost Swiss army knife Micah Hyde to free agency, and Peppers might be the guy to replace him.

30. Pittsburgh – DE/OLB Takkarist McKinley, UCLA

When Pittsburgh re-signed James Harrison, it was yet another acknowledgement that they haven’t been able to replace him despite their many attempts. The Jarvis Jones experiment is over; time to start the Takkarist McKinley experiment. Takk is a raw lump of clay, but he’s natural gifts are significant. He’s just got a nose for the quarterback and the will to get there. Playing in a rotation with Harrison would be a great thing for him as he learns to control his body and bait his blockers.

31. Atlanta - DE/OLB Jordan Willis, Kansas State

Not many mock drafters have Willis going in the first round, but there are rumors that he may go as high as #23 to the Giants. It’s been quite a run on pass-rushers in the first round, so the Falcons feel lucky they can snag him here. Willis was a Senior Bowl standout, and when coaches went back to look at his tape after that, they finally noticed that he’s one of the hard-working, craftiest ends in the college game. His upside is tremendous as he’s constantly adding to his bag of tricks.

32. New England (PROJ. TRADE W/NO THRU NE) - OT Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin +

The Patriots dealt New Orleans this pick in the Brandin Cooks deal, and I predict they’ll get it right back when they deal CB Malcolm Butler to New Orleans on draft day. With the pick, the Pats bolster their offensive line. New England is scheduled to have tackles Nate Solder and LaAdrian Waddle hit free agency next year. With the cutting of Sebastian Vollmer, that leaves the team quite vulnerable at such a key position. They roll the dice on the one-year-wonder Ryan Ramczyk. They’ll give him a year of development to see if he can take over for Solder. Remember: Matt Light and Nate Solder were on the team together in 2011. The Pats do draft replacements early.

ROUND TWO

33. San Francisco (PROJ. TRADE W/CLE) - FS Budda Baker, Washington

34. San Francisco - SS Obi Melifonwu, Connecticut

35. Jacksonville – G Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky

36. Chicago – CB Chidobe Awuzie, Colorado

37. LA Rams – DE Taco Charlton, Michigan

38. LA Chargers – QB Davis Webb, California

39. NY Jets – TE Evan Engram, Ole Miss

40. Chicago (PROJ. TRADE W/CAR) – OT Cam Robinson, Alabama

41. Cincinnati – ILB Reuben Foster, Alabama +*

42. New Orleans – CB Marlon Humphrey, Alabama

43. Philadelphia – RB Alvin Kamara, Tennessee

44. Buffalo – CB Quincy Wilson, Florida

45. Arizona – ILB Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt

46. Indianapolis – OLB T.J. Watt, Wisconsin

47. Baltimore – RB Joe Mixon, Oklahoma *

48. Minnesota – OLB Ryan Anderson, Alabama

49. Washington – DT/NT Caleb Brantley, Florida

50. Tampa Bay – WR Zay Jones, East Carolina

51. Denver – ILB Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State

52. San Francisco (PROJ. TRADE W/CLE THRU TEN) – CB Sidney Jones, Washington +

53. Detroit – OLB Tyus Bowser, Houston

54. Miami – DT Carlos Watkins, Clemson

55. NY Giants – DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, Villanova

56. Oakland – DT Malik McDowell, Michigan State

57. Arizona (PROJ. TRADE W/HOU) – CB Fabian Moreau, UCLA +

58. Seattle – OT Dion Dawkins, Temple

59. Kansas City – G Dan Feeney, Indiana

60. Dallas – SS Justin Evans, Texas A&M

61. Green Bay – OLB Tim Williams, Alabama *

62. Pittsburgh – CB Teez Tabor, Florida

63. Atlanta – DT Dalvin Tomlinson, Alabama

64. Carolina (THRU NE) - DE Carl Lawson, Auburn +

ROUND THREE

65. Cleveland – WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington

66. San Francisco – WR Chris Godwin, Penn State

67. Chicago – WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC

68. Jacksonville – TE Jake Butt, Michigan +

69. LA Rams – WR Curtis Samuel, Ohio State

70. NY Jets – WR DeDe Westbrook, Oklahoma

71. LA Chargers – FS Marcus Williams, Utah

72. New England (THRU CAR) – CB Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson

73. Cincinnati – RB D’Onta Foreman, Texas

74. Baltimore (THRU PHI) – C Ethan Pocic, LSU

75. Buffalo – DE Trey Hendrickson, Florida Atlantic

76. New Orleans – DE/OLB Dawuane Smoot, Illinois

77. Arizona – G Dorian Johnson, Pittsburgh

78. Baltimore – CB Jourdan Lewis, Michigan

79. Minnesota – RB Brian Hill, Wyoming

80. Indianapolis – OT Antonio Garcia, Troy

81. Washington – RB Samaje Perine, Oklahoma

82. Denver – RB Jeremy McNichols, Boise State

83. Tennessee – CB Ahkello Witherspoon, Colorado

84. Tampa Bay – FS Desmond King, Iowa

85. Detroit – DT Chris Wormley, Michigan

86. Minnesota (THRU MIA) – OT Taylor Moton, Western Michigan

87. NY Giants – RB Kareem Hunt, Toledo

88. Oakland – DT Larry Ogunjobi, North Carolina-Charlotte

89. Arizona (PROJ. TRADE W/HOU) – ILB Anthony Walker, Northwestern

90. Seattle – SS Eddie Jackson, Alabama +

91. Kansas City – ILB Kendell Beckwith, LSU +

92. Dallas – DT Montravius Adams, Auburn

93. Green Bay – G Isaac Asiata, Utah

94. Pittsburgh – TE Adam Shaheen, Ashland

95. Atlanta – OT Roderick Johnson, Florida State

96. New England – DE/OLB Tarell Basham, Ohio

97. Miami (COMP. PICK) – CB Damontae Kazee, San Diego State

98. Carolina (COMP. PICK) – G Nico Siragusa, San Diego State

99. Philadelphia (COMP. PICK THRU BAL) – C Pat Elflein, Ohio State

100. Tennessee (COMP. PICK THRU LA RAMS) – DT Elijah Qualls, Washington

101. Denver (COMP. PICK) – LB Alex Anzalone, Florida +

102. Seattle (COMP. PICK) – QB Brad Kaaya, Miami

103. New England (COMP. PICK THRU CLE) – LB Duke Riley, LSU

104. Kansas City (COMP. PICK) – OT Jermaine Eluemunor, Texas A&M

105. Pittsburgh (COMP. PICK) – QB Nathan Peterman, Pittsburgh

106. Seattle (COMP. PICK) - DT Charles Walker, Oklahoma

107. NY Jets (COMP. PICK) - OT Adam Bisnowaty, Pittsburgh

ROUND FOUR

108. Cleveland – DT Jarron Jones, Notre Dame

109. San Francisco – CB Jalen Myrick, Minnesota

110. Jacksonville – C Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia

111. Chicago – SS Josh Jones, NC State

112. LA Rams – WR Amara Darboh, Michigan

113. LA Chargers – WR Josh Reynolds, Texas A&M

114. Washington (THRU NYJ) – DT Jaleel Johnson, Iowa

115. Carolina – SS Josh Harvey-Clemons, Louisville *

116. Cincinnati – DT Eddie Vanderdoes, UCLA +

117. Chicago (THRU BUF) – WR Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech

New England (THRU NO) selection forfeited

118. Philadelphia – DT Davon Godchaux, LSU

119. Arizona – WR Jehu Chesson, Michigan

120. Minnesota – SS Xavier Woods, Louisiana Tech

121. Indianapolis – OT Conor McDermott, UCLA

122. Baltimore – DE/OLB Carroll Phillips, Illinois

123. Washington – WR ArDarius Stewart, Alabama

124. Tennessee – CB Howard Wilson, Houston

125. Tampa Bay – RB Marlon Mack, South Florida

126. Denver – TE Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech

127. Detroit – WR Chad Hansen, California

128. Minnesota (THRU MIA) – OT Chad Wheeler, USC

NY Giants pick moved to end of 4th round

129. Oakland – DE Deatrich Wise, Jr., Arkansas +

130. Houston – SS Montae Nicholson, Michigan State

131. New England (THRU SEA) – CB Rasul Douglas, West Virginia

132. Kansas City – CB Corn Elder, Miami

133. Dallas – FS Marcus Maye, Florida +

134. Green Bay – RB Wayne Gallman, Clemson

135. Pittsburgh – RB James Conner, Pittsburgh +

136. Atlanta – QB Josh Dobbs, Tennessee

137. Indianapolis (THRU NE) – G Aviante Collins, TCU

138. Cincinnati (COMP. PICK) – WR Taywan Taylor, Western Kentucky

139. Philadelphia (COMP. PICK THRU CLE) – OLB Vince Biegel, Wisconsin

140. NY Giants – TE Jordan Leggett, Clemson

141. LA Rams (COMP. PICK) – WR Noah Brown, Ohio State

142. Houston (COMP. PICK THRU CLE) – TE Gerald Everett, South Alabama

143. San Francisco (COMP. PICK) - RB Jamaal Williams, BYU

144. Indianapolis (COMP. PICK) – DT Vincent Taylor, Oklahoma State

ROUND FIVE

145. Cleveland – WR Kenny Golladay, Northern Illinois

146. San Francisco – OT Will Holden, Vanderbilt

147. Chicago – CB Cameron Sutton, Tennessee

148. Jacksonville – DE Derek Rivers, Youngstown State

149. LA Rams – DE/OLB Daeshon Hall, Texas A&M

150. NY Jets – CB Shaquil Griffin, Central Florida

151. LA Chargers – OT David Sharpe, Florida

152. Carolina – WR K.D. Cannon, Baylor

153. Cincinnati – G Danny Isidora, Florida

154. Washington (THRU NO) – ILB Richie Brown, Mississippi State

155. Philadelphia – CB Brian Allen, Utah

156. Buffalo – WR Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech

157. Arizona – C Kyle Fuller, Baylor

158. Indianapolis – ILB Blair Brown, Ohio

159. Baltimore – DT Nazair Jones, North Carolina

160. Minnesota – WR Travan Dural, LSU

161. San Francisco (THRU WAS) – WR Ryan Switzer, North Carolina

162. Tampa Bay – TE Jeremy Sprinkle, Arkansas

163. New England (THRU DEN) – FS Delano Hill, Michigan

164. Tennessee – WR Malachi Dupree, LSU

165. Detroit – RB T.J. Logan, North Carolina

166. Miami – ILB Connor Harris, Lindenwood

167. NY Giants – K Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State

168. Oakland – FS John Johnson, Boston College

169. Houston – OT Julie’n Davenport, Bucknell

Seattle’s selection forfeited

170. Kansas City – G Zach Banner, USC

171. Buffalo (THRU DAL) – CB Marquez White, Florida State

172. Green Bay – ILB Jayon Brown, UCLA

173. Pittsburgh – ILB Ben Gedeon, Michigan

174. Atlanta – SS Tedric Thompson, Colorado

175. Cleveland (THRU NE) – OT Dan Skipper, Arkansas

176. Cincinnati (COMP. PICK) – OLB Devonte Fields, Louisville

177. Denver (COMP. PICK) – DT Ryan Glasgow, Michigan

178. Miami (COMP. PICK) – OLB Javancy Jones, Jackson State

179. Arizona (COMP. PICK) – G Damien Mama, USC

180. Kansas City (COMP. PICK) – RB Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State

181. Cleveland (COMP. PICK) – FS Jordan Sterns, Oklahoma State

182. Green Bay (COMP. PICK) – WR Fred Ross, Mississippi State

183. New England (COMP. PICK) – C Jon Toth, Kentucky

184. Miami (COMP. PICK) – TE George Kittle, Iowa

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cdrforea · 5 years ago

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Fossil Gen 5 Review: The Best Wear OS Can Do Needs To Be Better

New Post has been published on https://bestedevices.com/fossil-gen-5-review-the-best-wear-os-can-do-needs-to-be-better.html

Fossil Gen 5 Review: The Best Wear OS Can Do Needs To Be Better

"Great looks and smooth performance characterize the Fossil Gen 5."

Slim look

Solid construction

Customizable battery modes

Snappy, smooth performance

Day battery

Wear OS needs more app support

Fitness functions must be expanded

Google's Wear OS watches struggle to stand out from others, but some stretch their heads just above the status quo with chic looks and decent performance. This is the case with Fossil Gen 5.

The price of $ 300 is reasonable for a fashionable stainless steel Wear OS watch like this, but as usual, the problems with Wear OS smartwatches revolve around the software experience, which often feels like an afterthought .

Stylish, versatile and well-made stainless steel housing

Most Wear OS watches try to look like traditional watches, and the Fossil Gen 5 is no different. It opts for a more understated, masculine look without looking too brave. It works just as well in a gym as it does with a suit and tie, although you may want to make some adjustments to the dial as the pre-installed options aren't particularly appealing.

We checked out the Carlyle style, the more masculine option. There is also a "Julianna" model that takes a more feminine approach. The differences are purely cosmetic, since both are the same size and have the same properties.

The watch is also 3 ATM waterproof and perfect for swimming but not suitable for diving. The bracelets are interchangeable with 22 mm tapes. However, I'm pretty happy with the standard silicone wristband.

Corey Gaskin / Digital Trends

With Wear OS watches, it is always a guessing game to find out what buttons you have and what they do. The Fossil Gen 5 has three on the right side – the middle one also serves as a rotating crown for scrolling through lists. True to the stylistic roots of Fossil, the standard action for the top button is a shortcut to preset watch faces that you have customized so that you can easily change the look of your watch. Double-clicking this button can also launch Google Pay. The middle button is exactly what you'd expect, a home button that shows your app list when you're already at home.

An app toggle would be perfect here if Wear OS would support it, but I would at least settle for music controls so I don't have to use any of the other buttons. The bottom button is set to Google Fit. However, you can get there just as easily by swiping directly on the screen. Fortunately, both the top and bottom buttons can be configured to launch any app of your choice (although not many are available). However, for inexplicable reasons, you cannot select shortcuts for double printing.

The basics are covered

The basics are covered with regard to initial applications. They have an alarm clock, an agenda, a stopwatch, a weather app, Google Fit and some other required apps. These all work well and perform their functions properly, with the alarm clock being a minor exception.

There was a persistent error that forced you to find the alarm application (or check notifications) to turn off the alarm when it wakes you up. This error occurs when you turn off the display before bed and the alarm does not appear on the screen after the time has elapsed. However, if you leave it on, this error disappears.

Google Fit also does a great job of fitness tracking, which, together with the heart rate sensor and GPS, can log your workout data from every activity with the general exercise option, or specifically with certain activities. You won't get the most comprehensive health suite here, as you won't find the more detailed and varied training tracking options of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, nor the sleep tracking features. For those who don't care about a watch that allows them to more accurately count their repetitions, track certain exercises, and quantify their sleep at any capacity, the Fossil Gen 5 should do the job well.

Corey Gaskin / Digital Trends

Google Assistant is also on board so you can translate languages, set reminders, or ask questions like you could on another smart device. However, it is a bit slow here.

Overall, Google's Wear operating system performs well. With an atypical 1 GB of RAM and the latest Snapdragon Wear 3100, it's the smoothest Wear OS watch I've ever used. I haven't noticed any delays, freezes, or stuttering when I use it. The Fossil Gen 5 always did what I wanted it to do immediately.

I really like the rotating crown for scrolling through lists, although inexplicably it doesn't work on some specific screens. Similar to navigating the operating system, the rotating crown is satisfactory and responds with the right resistance to keep the scroll tactile and accurate. I actually prefer the feeling of the rotating crown of the Apple Watch, which is a little loose and sensitive to my taste.

The Fossil Gen 5 is the first Wear OS device to support connected phone calls to iPhones.

Speaking of Apple, the Fossil Gen 5 is the first Wear OS device to support connected phone calls to iPhones thanks to Fossil's own work. When you take calls on Gen 5, the speaker works so well that you don't have to have the watch in your ear, but you should be fine to hear a call with the watch near your mouth.

The only other problem I have with the core experience is a fairly consistent problem with connectivity. On both my iPhone 11 Pro and my Galaxy Note 10, I frequently noticed that my phone had notifications that my watch never received, only to find that it was disconnected from my phone for an unknown time. Every time this happened, I had to go into Settings, turn Bluetooth back on because it was mysteriously turned off, and wait for it to connect to my phone again. I tested this on another device and had no problem. Therefore, there is probably a defect in my device. However, you should contact Fossil support if you have the same problem.

Wear OS lets good hardware manufacturers down

It's unfortunate, but true: Google's Wear OS is the only viable option for Android-compatible smartwatch manufacturers that aren't Samsung. Wear OS doesn't have much to do with polish or functionality, but where it lags behind are the app experiences on offer. While Samsung Tizen also has problems supporting third-party apps, it is still ahead of Google in this regard and also offers a more comprehensive first-party app experience.

As mentioned earlier, with a Samsung Galaxy Watch or Apple Watch you are much better off if you focus on fitness. This is also the case if you want certain third-party app integrations. Wear OS has apps like Strava, Google Maps, Uber and Spotify. However, if you're looking for an app outside of those apps or Google's app suite, you won't have many options.

Corey Gaskin / Digital Trends

The App Store for Wear OS is pretty sparse and lacks the quality and quantity of the Apple Watch. Even Samsung watches are better with third-party support, but not much.

As much as I like Samsung's watches and Tizen OS, there are certain navigation, aesthetic and functional options that I simply prefer with the Fossil 5 and Wear OS. But with poor health features and poor support for third-party apps, it is difficult to win the Fossil Gen 5 over its non-wear OS competition for much more than its looks.

Lasts about a day

Fossil hasn't added a larger battery, but now offers some battery modes that let you squeeze out a little more juice. Each of them takes advantage of the functionality of running the battery, but in a custom mode, you can choose which you can do without to save a few hours of use.

The day mode, in which your watch remains fully functional, lasts all day, but be sure to put it on the charger before going to bed. Without a sleep tracking feature that forces you to do so, this is a pretty small question.

Price, availability and guarantee

The Fossil Gen 5 costs $ 300 and comes with a two-year warranty for defects.

Our opinion

If Wear OS is your jam, the Fossil Gen 5 is the best thing you can do. It combines versatile looks with a solid stainless steel construction.

Are there alternatives?

For Wear OS you have a few options from designers like Michael Kors, Montblanc, Armani Exchange and others. For about $ 50 less, you can also buy a Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro, though it's a little bulkier and less aesthetic than the Fossil watch.

In addition, you can get the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 for $ 20 less or at the same price, depending on the size of the case you chose. This watch maintains a minimalist look, but has deeper health and activity features, and slightly better support for third-party apps.

And then there's the Apple Watch. One could say that the Fossil Gen 5 looks better, but can hardly keep up in practically any other aspect. You can also purchase a Series 3 for just $ 200 and use the same features, or spend $ 50 more on Series 4 ECG functionality.

How long it will take?

With a generous two-year warranty, water resistance from 3 ATMs, and a solid stainless steel construction, it's quite possible to have this watch for two to three good years before battery life becomes an issue.

Should you buy one?

Yes. It is one of the better looking and most powerful Wear OS watches.

Editor's recommendations

#Fossil #Gen #Review #wear #Product Reviews

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flauntpage · 6 years ago

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This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0

Well slap my ass and call me Sally!

The Eagles are going to the playoffs.

Not sure about you, but I’m gobsmacked by this turn of events. Floored, even.

I’m floored because this is the same team that fell to 6-7 just three weeks ago after losing in Dallas. They were left for dead. Done. Kaput. The buzzards were circling and we were in the process of sticking the fork in them.

Then Nick Foles came in to pull out that fork. He breathed life into a lifeless squad, like Jesus leaving the tomb after that big rock had been rolled out of the way. He started releasing the ball early and getting Alshon Jeffery involved. The banged-up defense began “flying around” and Doug Pederson miraculously started calling better plays. Everything seemed to click once the Eagles found themselves in the familiar position of feeling disrespected and counted out. They were once again the underdogs, which is obviously the only effective motivator for this team, even in a title defense season.

It’s really been a bizarre ride, hasn’t it? This doesn’t look anything like the team that lost in abhorrent fashion to the Panthers, Vikings, Cowboys, Cowboys, and Titans. They look like the grizzled and savvy team that understands how to get the job done, and here they are with 9 wins and 7 losses, now heading to Chicago to play a Bears squad that has playoff experience ranging anywhere from “little” to “none at all.”

As Jim Fassel once said, “This team is going to the playoffs.”

Giddy up!

1) Time of possession

The Eagles controlled the clock for a little more than 43 minutes in this game and will finish as the NFL’s second-best time of possession team with a 32:54 average number through 16 games. Baltimore finished first and Chicago finished third on the strength of a +12 turnover margin. Should be a good battle in this department this weekend.

In two games this season, the Eagles won the time of possession battle against the Redskins by a margin of 82 to 38 minutes, and that’s what happens when you play against Mark Sanchez, Colt Mccoy, and Josh Johnson. The only games in which the Eagles really struggled in this department were against Dallas, when they had issues containing Zeke Elliott, and obviously in the Saints game, when they just got run off the field entirely.

In addition to finishing as a top-half third down team this season, and one of the best 4th down squads in football (which kept the Eagles offense on the field), another key reason why they crushed teams in TOP this season was because of:

2) Run defense

The thing that really made the Birds what they were in 2017 was the defense’s ability to shut down the run and force teams to become one-dimensional.

Last night Adrian Peterson ran the ball four times for zero yards. Chris Thompson carried it twice for 10 yards and Samaje Perrine ran the ball three times for seven yards. Throw in four yards from Josh Johnson and Washington was only able to muster 21 yards on 12 carries, good for a whopping 1.8 average.

In the Houston game, second stringer Alfred Blue ran it four times for 14 yards and D’Onta Foreman somehow carried the ball seven times for -1 yard. Houston finished with 19 carries for 62 yards on the strength of Deshaun Watson’s eight runs for 49 yards and two scores, but the running backs did less than diddly poo.

Even in the Rams game, Todd Gurley only went 48 yards on 12 carries for a pair of touchdowns as the Eagles built a lead and forced the Rams to throw the ball instead. LA finished with 18 carries for 82 yards total.

That’s three wins and three great performances against the run. It’s not a coincidence. You limit the run, force teams to throw, get your defense off the field, and keep them rested. It’s the same formula that carried the Birds to the #1 seed in the NFC en route to the Super Bowl, and this year they finished 7th in run defense by allowing just 96.9 ground yards per game:

3) Pressure up the middle

The thing that really surprises me about the Eagles’ turnaround is how the defense improved over the last three weeks. Say what you will about Foles, but the Birds were a top-five time of possession team with Carson Wentz on the field, yet the defense looked nothing like it does now.

In addition to shutting down the run, the defensive line is really generating a ton of pressure out of their base four man rush. Sunday night, specifically, they really did a nice job of flushing Josh Johnson from the pocket by bringing pressure up the middle.

Johnson really could not climb the pocket and instead had to run for his life horizontally, which resulted in some yardage losses and a couple of noodle-arm deep efforts, which are really tough for a quarterback to put in the right spot when you’re throwing on the run.

Here’s an example:

The pocket disappears so quickly there that Johnson has no choice but to run for his life. This is the same scenario that resulted in the Rasul Douglas interception on the first play of the game.

I’m not sure what else you can say about Fletcher Cox and Michael Bennett, who have just been monstrous over the past few weeks. 10.5 sacks is a career high for Cox and Bennett’s nine sacks are the most he’s had since the 2015 Seattle season.

4) Another one for the record books

Nick Foles tied an NFL record when he completed 25 straight passes in this game.

On the 26th effort, he threw behind Nelson Agholor on the goal line and the receiver just couldn’t haul it in with one hand. Bummer, because he had him wide open. The Eagles went to the same exact play on the very next snap and scored a touchdown on it, so go figure.

The only other quarterbacks to complete 25 passes in a row are Ryan Tannehill (three years ago) and Philip Rivers (November). Per Eagles, PR, Rivers accomplished the feat in a single game while Tannehill hit the mark over the course of two games.

The Eagles’ previous record was 24 in a row from Donovan McNabb, which required two games. Donovan’s single-game record was 18 in a row, achieved in 2007 against the Detroit Lions.

One of the little wrinkles regarding this stat is that the jet sweep the Eagles ran with Agholor last night actually counts as a completed pass, even though it’s just an underhanded flip to an in-motion receiver. If you go back and watch some college games, some quarterback stats can become bloated when a receiver takes these kinds of plays for 15 or 20 yards. Geno Smith and Tavon Austin used to connect on this play on almost every game, and they’d get credit for the completion and passing yards, even though the “air distance” of the pass was something like 18 inches.

Here’s the one that Nick and “Nelly” ran last night, which Washington sniffed out:

Completed pass. Counts just the same as a 50-yard bomb down the field.

5) Next man up

This isn’t a specific takeaway from this game, but I thought it would make sense to take a step back and write down all of the dudes who are currently out of commission, or were out of commission at some point this season:

Rodney McLeod – injured reserve

Jay Ajayi – injured reserve

Derek Barnett – injured reserve

Ronald Darby – injured reserve

Josh Perkins – injured reserve

Mack Hollins – injured reserve

Paul Worrilow – injured reserve

Chris Maragos – injured reserve

Jordan Mailata – injured reserve

Josh Sweat – injured reserve

Corey Clement – injured reserve

Jalen Mills – injured reserve

Carson Wentz – ACL recovery/back issue

Mike Wallace – just came off IR

Richard Rodgers – came off IR

Sidney Jones – out with hamstring injury

Isaac Seumalo – out with pectoral injury

Tim Jernigan – whatever he currently has

Jordan Hicks – calf issue

Jason Peters – in and out of lineup all year long

Darren Sproles – hamstring kept him out for entire middle part of year

That’s 21 guys off the top of my head. There were other injuries to non-starters and special teams players as well. Alshon Jeffery didn’t start the season healthy. Lane Johnson had the ankle thing. Bennett is dealing with a foot injury, though you wouldn’t be able to tell. It’s really insane how much they’ve dealt with this year to scrape back to a 9-7 record.

6) Ref, you suck

Actually, they didn’t suck yesterday, I just thought this would be a clever title for entry number six.

Four things jumped out to me in this game:

The Alshon Jeffery sideline catch: if you watch it again, the ball slides a bit when he hits the ground, but I think under the new catch rules it would have stood after review. The Eagles did a nice job of getting up to the line and running a play before Washington could challenge.

I’m not sure why the booth review was necessary on the Josh Johnson non-fumble. Clearly his arm was making a noticeable forward motion and the ball ended up going 10+ yards down the field.

There was a play early in the third quarter when Zach Ertz was whistled down on a catch near the first down marker, where I felt like his feet were still moving. In a close game, maybe that gets some complaints.

The Nelson Agholor touchdown catch at the end of the third: two feet down and a “football move” (reaching over the goal line) rendered what otherwise would be an incomplete pass as a touchdown instead.

Here’s the Ertz catch, which actually was a really nice design, complete with pre-snap motion and a drag back to his original starting position with a natural screen on the middle linebacker:

Early whistle.

Anyway, pretty clean stuff overall. The Eagles had two false starts, a neutral zone infraction, defensive offsides, and a delay of game, but no bogus pass interference or helmet contact or unnecessary roughness.

Nada.

7) Winning these battles

Utter domination here:

won time of possession, 43 to 17 minutes

0 turnover margin (each team with an interception)

8-14 on third down (57.1%)

1-1 on fourth down

Redskins went 0-9 on third down (0%)

lost 12 yards on 3 sacks

2-3 success rate in red zone

5 penalties for 25 yards

That’s as good as it gets for the Eagles, who limited the Redskins to eight first downs and ran 27 more plays. Washington finished with 89 total yards on the entire evening, which is absurdly bad.

8) Doug’s best call?

You want a QB sneak on 4th and 1?

Yeah let’s do it.

Good choice by Doug to just make the most obvious play call right there. I also loved the timing of the Andy Reid shovel pass, which almost resulted in a touchdown.

He also showed a nice mix with his running looks – some under center, some shotgun looks, a 12/11/7 split for Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, and Darren Sproles.

Another good Doug game. He’ll have his work cut out for him next week against the NFL’s best defense.

9) Doug’s worst call?

I can’t think of one.

Probably the only thing that should bother anybody about that game is the Washington fake punt, but otherwise, that’s about as complete of a performance as one can put together.

10) Mediocrity in broadcasting

We got Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, and Laura Okmin, who I think are fine as a team.

My problems with the broadcast were two-fold:

We didn’t get NEARLY enough Bears/Vikings cutaways or even single-clip video footage in this game. Myers and Johnson kept talking about the playoff scenario and how the other game affected the Eagles, but it felt the producer and director did a poor job of building up excitement by giving us nothing but scraps from Minneapolis.

Myers and Johnston didn’t even seem super excited to be calling a week 17 game with playoff implications. It sounded like they were calling Buffalo/Miami instead. Most broadcast teams get shitty and pointless week 17 games, so you’d think they would have been thrilled to get this game, even if the Eagles are beating down a lame duck Redskins team.

I think point #2 kind of reflects my recurring complaint about the broadcasts we watched this year. It felt like a lot of the guys in the booth were just sort of going through the motions. I know it’s just a job for them, and work is a grind, but you have to at least make it seem exciting or feign people into believing that you actually give a shit. That comes with the territory.

There was also this:

They didn’t know anything about the ski masks either. Don’t they have producers?

— John Carr (@UtleyYATM) December 31, 2018

My only other broadcast gripe is that the reversal on the Agholor touchdown came during a commercial break. You have to be live for those kinds of important in-game moments.

Anyway, this team is going to the playoffs:

The post This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0 appeared first on Crossing Broad.

This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0 published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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yahoo-roto-arcade-blog · 7 years ago

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Juggernaut Index, No. 15: Titans surround Marcus Mariota with weapons

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When Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey promised to unleash “exotic smashmouth” football on the NFL last year, reactions ranged from bemusement to straight-up condescension. But then the Titans actually began smashing mouths, and suddenly Mularkey’s branding didn’t seem so funny.

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Tennessee’s rushing offense ranked third in the league in yards per game (136.7) and fourth in yards per carry (4.6) last season. DeMarco Murray bounced back from a massively disappointing season in Philadelphia to finish third in the NFL rushing (1287), fourth in scrimmage yards (1664) and seventh in total touchdowns (12). Murray carried the ball 293 times and caught 53 balls on 67 targets. He faded a bit down the stretch, gaining just 4.0 YPC over his final eight games after averaging 4.7 in the first eight, but there’s no way to spin his season as anything less than stellar. We can’t reasonably expect another 340-plus touches from Murray in 2017, but it’s clear enough that he remains the featured runner for the Titans:

Mularkey on @Titans RBs: “I’ve said it before: @DeMarcoMurray is our No.1 back. He is our workhorse.”@Titans

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) March 28, 2017

However, we should note that 2015 Heisman winner Derrick Henry was terrific in his first pro season. Henry carried the ball 110 times in a supporting role, rushing for 490 yards (4.5 YPC) and five scores. At 6-foot-3 and nearly 250 pounds, gifted with terrific long speed, Henry is all kinds of trouble for would-be tacklers. He’s a punishing runner, a nightmare for defenders when allowed a few clean steps after the handoff. Unlike Murray, Henry did his best work in the second half of 2016. He averaged 4.7 YPC and scored four of his five TDs in the season’s final eight games. Tennessee’s line was one of the best run-blocking units in the league last year, and Henry and Murray took full advantage. Expect more of the same in the season ahead.

Don’t be surprised if Murray cedes 40-50 carries to Henry, in an effort maximize the per-touch production of each player. DeMarco is the more accomplished receiver, likely to again haul in another 50-plus passes. This team’s ground game remains one of the league’s best, without question — and we haven’t even considered the rushing contributions of Tennessee’s quarterback just yet.

Marcus Mariota is poised to make a value leap.

Is there a more obvious breakout QB candidate in 2017? Arguably no, there is not.

Mariota finished as the No. 10 fantasy scorer at his position last year on a per-game basis, and it’s easy to imagine him climbing three or four additional spots. He averaged only 30.1 pass attempts per game in 2016, but 5.8 percent of his throws resulted in touchdowns, the fourth highest TD rate in the league. He averaged 7.6 yards per attempt, he reduced his interception rate from 2.7 to 2.0, and he carried the ball 60 times for 349 yards (5.8 YPC). Deep ball ability was a question mark for Mariota entering the league, but he took plenty of vertical shots in 2016, averaging 4.6 deep balls per game and completing 42.0 percent. He suffered a fractured right fibula in Week 16, but he’s fully operational now — in fact, he shed weight in the offseason to become a more dangerous dual-threat QB. He was a thrilling runner at the collegiate level, in addition to being a hyper-efficient passer. It’s not crazy to think his rush attempts could jump from 60 to 85 or 90 in the year ahead; if that happens, he’ll deliver 500 or so rushing yards on top of his passing totals.

Simply put, Mariota is an ascending talent coming off a pair of excellent seasons. You should want him in any sort of fantasy format. His receiving corps received multiple upgrades in the offseason, too. The only real issue with his fantasy profile is projected pass volume, but his efficiency ameliorates that concern to a large extent.

How exactly will targets be distributed in Tennessee’s revamped receiving corps?

Last season, we learned that one of the defining characteristics of the exotic smashmouth offense appears to be run/pass balance. The Titans finished with nearly as many rush attempts (476) as passes (504) last year, ranking fourth in the NFL in the former and No. 28 in the latter. No Tennessee player saw more than Rishard Matthews’ 108 targets; he led the team in receiving yards (945) and touchdowns (9), and tied for the lead in receptions (65). Matthews averaged 6.8 air yards per target, according to Player Profiler, one of the highest totals in the league among high-volume receivers. (For reference, DeSean Jackson averaged 7.5 and Tavon Austin just 2.3). With new weapons in the mix for the Titans, we shouldn’t expect Matthews’ targets to increase, but let’s also not assume he’ll take a massive value hit. He’s coming off a terrific year and he’s built rapport with Mariota. Continuity is king in the NFL. Matthews won’t need to match last year’s numbers to earn his dirt-cheap Yahoo ADP (113.6). He remains a top-of-the-depth-chart receiver for this team, and his quarterback works him hard near the end-zone. Matthews saw 15 red-zone targets last season and seven inside the 10-yard line.

Tennessee spent the draft’s fifth overall pick on do-it-all receiver Corey Davis, one of the most productive receivers in collegiate history. Over his four years at Western Michigan, Davis caught 331 balls for 5278 yards and 52 touchdowns — silly numbers, obviously. He ran every route, and he has size (6-foot-3), suddenness and after-the-catch skills. He was the no-doubt top talent as his position in this year’s draft class. Davis is coming off January ankle surgery and he’s currently dealing with a hamstring tweak, but there’s no medical reason to downgrade him long-term. He’s an easy top-three pick in dynasty rookie drafts, and it’s hardly a stretch to hope for a top-40 positional finish in 2017. However, Davis’ first-year outlook took a small hit when the Titans signed Eric Decker back in June.

Decker, of course, is one of the NFL’s premier red-zone weapons, and just a year removed from an 80-1027-12 season in New York. Injuries limited him to only three games in 2016 and he’s returning from significant hip and shoulder surgeries. He’s also on the wrong side of 30, so there are a few red flags here. But he’s healthy at the moment, generating positive camp reports, and he’s expected to work from multiple spots in the season ahead. He was a smart low-risk, low-dollar signing for the Titans, a gift to Mariota. Decker has a clear shot at returning WR3 value in our game; draft him hoping for a 65-850-8 sort of season.

Delanie Walker has finished as a top-eight fantasy tight end in each of the past three seasons and he was Tennessee’s second-most targeted receiver last year (102). He’s entering his age-33 season, however, and this team’s receiving corps is suddenly loaded with weapons. In an offense that’s likely to throw the ball only 500-520 times, it’s tough to project Walker for more than, say, 75-80 targets. Decker, Davis, Matthews and Murray will need to be fed, too. Fortunately, Walker is tied to an exceptional young playmaking quarterback who trusts him fully, so there’s still a path to top-12 positional value. Just make sure not to pay for his past performance in 2017 drafts.

Depth receivers Tajae Sharpe, Tre McBride, Taywan Taylor and Harry Douglas will fight for scraps behind the top targets on this team. None need to be owned in anything but the deepest imaginable fantasy format.

Tennessee’s D will be a streaming option in the fantasy playoffs

The Titans defense was a middle-of-the-pack group in most respects last season, though the team did finish tied for sixth in sacks (40), led by Brian Orakpo’s 10.5. This group projects as a streaming-only fantasy option in 2017, but there are plenty of friendly spots on the schedule. Check out Tennessee’s final three games: at SF, vs. LAR, vs. JAC. This D has a chance to be a factor in the biggest weeks on the fantasy calendar.

2016 Offensive Stats & Ranks Points per game – 23.8 (14) Pass YPG – 221.3 (25) Rush YPG – 136.7 (3) Yards per play – 5.7 (10) Plays per game – 63.0 (22)

—

Previous Juggernaut Index entries: 32) NY Jets, 31) San Francisco, 30) Cleveland, 29) LA Rams, 28) Baltimore , 27) Chic ago, 26) Minnesota, 25) Detroit, 24) Denver , 23) Jac ksonville, 22) Buffalo , 21) Phil adelphia, 20) Mia mi, 19) Indianapolis, 18) Kansas City, 17) Washington, 16) NY Giants, 15) Tennessee

#_author:Andy Behrens #_category:yct:001000854 #_lmsid:a077000000CFoGyAAL #_uuid:04c70f9e-d91f-3ffc-8dd5-7b0c8da3280d #_revsp:54edcaf7-cdbb-43d7-a41b-bffdcc37fb56

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elitefootballsims-blog · 7 years ago

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NFL Week 2 Sim

Welcome to Elite Football Sims Week 2 simulation of the 2017 NFL season.

Let’s get to the games:

Texans 29, Bengals 23 (OT)

The Texans got a bit of help from the Bengals and made a late comeback to improve to 2-0 on the season. Houston trailed by 10 with just over three minutes left to play, however a late touchdown from Lamar Miller and a field goal as time expired sent the game to overtime. In OT, it appeared as the Andy Dalton and the Bengals were on their way to a victory, driving towards midfield, however a fumbled snap led to a 46-yard fumble return for a touchdown from JJ Watt, sending Houston to a shocking win. Tom Savage continued his stellar play of late, tossing a touchdown and 274 yards, while Lamar Miller added 74 rushing yards. For the Bengals, now 0-2, Jeremy Hill ran for 128 yards and a score.

Browns 22, Ravens 6

Could something special actually be brewing in Cleveland? While it’s way too early to answer that question, the Browns do have a pair of division wins to start the season. Cody Kessler has been efficient so far, as he tossed for 269 yards and a score, and the Cleveland defense was once again dominant, holding the Ravens to just 153 yards of total offense. The Browns are now 2-0 to start a season for the first time in over two decades, as the 1993 season was the last time that they’ve gotten off to such a start. Cleveland will face a stiff test at Indianapolis next week.

Buccaneers 41, Bears 10

Whatever hope that Mike Glennon inspired in Bears fans with his performance last week is likely gone. The quarterback was only able to muster 123 yards against the Buccaneers in a blowout loss in Tampa. For those Bucs, Jameis Winston might be showing that he is among the upper echelon of quarterbacks with his play so far this season. He threw another three touchdowns and ran one in as well as Tampa Bay improved to 2-0 with a 21 point rally in the final five minutes of game time to turn this one into a blowout.

Vikings 20, Steelers 19

At what point do Steelers fans start pushing the panic button? A seemingly easy stretch to open the season against the hapless Browns and Vikings has instead resulted in an 0-2 start, as Pittsburgh couldn’t get past Sam Bradford and the Vikings at home. Ben Roethlisberger has yet to throw a touchdown to any of his offensive weapons this season, as he managed just 212 passing yards. LeVeon Bell did rush for 130 yards, but that wasn’t enough to secure a win. New Viking Latvius Murray ran in the go-ahead touchdown for Minnesota with 4:30 left, and after Pittsburgh couldn’t respond on their ensuing drive, he helped make sure that they did not touch the ball again in a clock-eating drive to end the game.

Patriots 35, Saints 28

Give the Patriots offense 10 days off, and this is likely the way you would have expected them to respond. The New England offense had no trouble going up and down the field in New Orleans to the tune of a 35-28 win. But while Week 1 was the Tom Brady show, this time the running game powered the Patriots. Dion Lewis and James White combined to rush for 160 yards and two touchdowns, as Brady threw for just 194 yards but added two touchdowns of his own. The Saints were able to hang with Brady for a majority of the afternoon, and a late touchdown did get them within a touchdown to end the game, however a three-touchdown effort from Drew Brees was not enough.

Eagles 31, Chiefs 23

The Eagles offense continued its hot start to the season, namely thanks to Legarratte Blount, who sure seems to be enjoying his time so far in Philly. Blount was given 32 carries and made the most of them, running for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Eagles improved to 2-0 in Kansas City. Carson Wentz added two touchdown passes for Philadelphia, while the offensive struggles of the Chiefs only continued. A long rest after a blowout season-opening loss seemed to not make much of a difference for Alex Smith and co., as Smith threw for 270 yards but was intercepted once again.

Titans 31, Jaguars 27

Fresh off a disappointing loss to open the season, the Titans desperately needed to pick up a win at Jacksonville to avoid a disastrous 0-2 start. And while it was a bit more dramatic than they would have liked, Tennessee did just that. Marcus Mariota tossed a game-winning five-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Corey Davis with just 34 seconds left to lead Tennessee to a victory and send the Jaguars to 0-2. Mariota threw for 259 yards total and added one other touchdown, while DeMarco Murray ran for 85 yards and two scores. For the Jags, Blake Bortles did throw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, but he was picked off twice and now has six interceptions through his first two games. Ouch.

Colts 31, Cardinals 28

The Cardinals were oh-so-close to picking up their first win of the season in Indianapolis, however some poor clock management ultimately did them in. Trailing 31-28 and on the Indianapolis 40 with 10 seconds left to play, Carson Palmer hit Larry Fitzgerald over the middle for a big gain down to the Colts 15. However the key word there was “over the middle,” as surely in range for a game-tying field goal, Arizona could not get to the line quick enough to spike the ball as time expired. That headache of an ending negated a stellar effort for David Johnson, who ran for 125 yards and a score. Andrew Luck threw for 276 yards and a touchdown to give the Colts their first win.

Bills 28, Panthers 25

There’s still a ton of football left to play this season, but the Bills are off to a great start in their quest to end the NFL’s longest active playoff drought. Buffalo is now 2-0 after an impressive road victory over Cam Newton and the Panthers. LeSean McCoy ran for 178 yards and a touchdown to lead Buffalo, while Tyrod Taylor threw for 151 yards and a touchdown of his own. Cam Newton was stellar once again after last season’s struggles, going 13/22 for 145 yards and a rushing touchdown.

Raiders 30, Jets 9

The Raiders were all over the Jets in what may be their final home opener ever in Oakland. Derek Carr threw for just 125 yards, but wasn’t needed to do much more than that, as Marshawn Lynch once again carried the load for the Raiders. Lynch was given 32 carries and ran for 117 yards and two more touchdowns, giving him an NFL-leading five through two games. With so many carries in his first two games out of “retirement” one has to wonder how long Lynch can keep this up, but for now Oakland is riding the wave to a 2-0 start. Luke McCown threw three interceptions for New York, as the obviously tanking Jets have started the season with two straight road losses.

Chargers 27, Dolphins 19

In one of the odder games in the NFL so far this season, the Chargers defeated the Dolphins in their Los Angeles opener in front of a “sellout” crowd of 30,000 at the Stubhub Center. In a game that gave off a collegiate vibe and felt like it should have been played on a Saturday, the play on the field was anything but amatuer. Philip Rivers and Ryan Tannehill went toe-to-toe, each delivering long touchdown passes and combining to throw for 479 yards. But it was Rivers who got the last laugh. Keenan Allen had a pair of touchdowns for Los Angeles, while Mike Williams caught his second touchdown in as many career games.

Seahawks 24, 49ers 21

The Seahawks led big, everyone stopped paying attention, the Seahawks blew that big lead, everyone started paying attention again, and the Seahawks hung on for a close win, thwarting a San Francisco comeback. Seattle led 17-3 at the half and 24-3 in the third, but they allowed 21 third quarter points to make this one interesting. Eddie Lacy continued his Seattle rejuvenation, rushing for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Brian Hoyer threw for 216 yards and was intercepted twice for the 49ers, who have started the season 0-2 as expected, with two tough games to open things. They’ll face a much easier foe when they host the Rams on Thursday Night Football next week.

Redskins 42, Rams 14

Speaking of those Rams, man did they run into a buzzsaw at home against the Redskins. Washington trailed 14-7 midway through the second quarter before their offense went absolutely berserk, scoring 35 unanswered points to end the game in a blowout. Kirk Cousins had arguably his best game in a Redskins uniform, as he threw for 261 yards and a whopping five touchdowns on the day. Three of those scores went to Josh Doctson, and the second year wideout and former first round draft pick hauled in six receptions for 193 yards and three touchdowns, two of them coming from 50-plus yards out. Jared Goff threw for 210 yards for Los Angeles.

Cowboys 24, Broncos 7

For all the talk about their offense, the Cowboys defense has been thoroughly impressive through two games so far this season. Dallas had allowed a combined 27 points so far, and they held the Broncos to just seven points and 153 yards of total offense in an impressive road win. Ezekiel Elliot outgained the Broncos by himself, running for 174 yards, despite not finding the end zone. That was left to Dak Prescott, who threw two touchdowns to Dez Bryant and veteran Jason Witten. Trevor Siemian completed just 10 of 25 passes for 90 yards and was intercepted in an uninspiring effort that likely puts his starting job on the hot seat as Denver is 0-2.

Falcons 38, Packers 24

It seems like the Packers go through a stretch every season like this, where nothing seems to go right. Last year, the same thing happened as they ended up making their way all the way the the NFC title game, however they have never gotten off to a worse start in the Aaron Rodgers era than this year. The Packers fell for the second straight game in an NFC Championship Game rematch in the newly opened Mercedes Benz Stadium. Rodgers was intercepted two more times on the night, while Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman ran for 132 yards, four touchdowns and a receiving touchdown as well.

Lions 16, Giants 13 (OT)

The Lions absolutely stole one on Monday Night Football, as they won their second straight game to open the season over the Giants. New York drove into position for what appeared to be a game-winning field goal from first-year kicker Aldrick Rosas, however Rosas’ kick went wide right, and the Lions then drove down the field for a chip shot field goal to win the game. The win was gift-wrapped for Detroit as they were certainly outplayed by the Giants, who have now fallen to 0-2 to start the season. Eli Manning threw for 274 yards but was intercepted twice, while Paul Perkins ran for another 112 yards and a touchdown.

Players of the Week

This week’s offensive honors will go to Devonta Freeman of the Falcons and LeSean McCoy of the Bills. Any time that a running back runs for four touchdowns in today’s version of the game is incredibly impressive, and that gives Freeman the edge over worthy his adversaries in Washington. McCoy too ran for nearly 200 yards in a winning effort, leading the Bills to a 2-0 start. JJ Watt is your obvious choice for AFC Defensive Player of the Week after his two sacks and game-winning touchdown, while Everson Griffen of the Vikings had 3.5 sacks to take home NFC honors. Special teams honors go to Cody Parkey of the Browns for a second straight week, as he knocked in five more field goals to now give him 11 on the year. Matt Prater’s game-winner in overtime against the Giants gives him NFC honors.

We’ll be back soon with Week 3!

#NFL #Football #Madden #Cowboys #Steelers #Packers #Patriots #49ers #Jets #Giants #Eagles #Redskins #Ravens #Seahawks

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yahoo-shutdown-corner-blog · 7 years ago

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2017 NFL Preview: All aboard the Tennessee Titans' bandwagon

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Shutdown Corner is previewing all 32 teams as we get ready for the NFL season, counting down the teams one per weekday in reverse order of our initial 2017 power rankings. No. 1 will be revealed on Aug. 2, the day before the Hall of Fame Game kicks off the preseason.

Some NFL team is going to make a huge jump this season. Last season it was the Oakland Raiders. Just about every season, some team surprises us.

Step right up, Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee has come together fast, and last season was a nice growth season. Nobody expected them to go 9-7, but it didn’t seem all that fluky. Quarterback Marcus Mariota had a strong season. Running back DeMarco Murray revived his career, and rookie backup Derrick Henry looked like the real deal. The offensive line was the best in the NFL outside of Dallas (and, if you believe some metrics, even better than the Cowboys). The defense wasn’t too bad either. Tennessee finished in the top half of the league in yards per rush, yards per pass, yards per rush allowed and yards per pass allowed. The Titans were solid all around.

After improving by six wins in 2016, I think the Titans will find themselves in the playoffs this season.

If there was any complaint last season, it was that Mariota didn’t have enough help. So Tennessee fixed that this offseason. They drafted receiver Corey Davis out of Western Michigan fifth overall. Maybe that was a bit of a reach, but it was the pick obtained from last year’s brilliant trade with the Los Angeles Rams for the No. 1 overall pick. Tennessee had a surplus, and using it on the best receiver in the draft isn’t bad. Eric Decker fell in their laps in June after the New York Jets cut him. Rishard Matthews had a solid 2016 season, but he’s not a No. 1 receiver. He doesn’t have to be anymore. A position of weakness in 2016 looks pretty good now.

The key to the Titans’ resurgence, this season and for the foreseeable future, is Mariota. From Tennessee’s fifth game through its 12th, Mariota had 21 touchdowns and three interceptions. In those eight games Mariota completed 163-of-242 passes (67.4 percent) for 2,073 yards. That’s a 117.7 rating. He did all of that with one of the thinnest receiving corps in the NFL. When you hear that Mariota might turn into a star this season, know that it’s wrong. Mariota has already played like a star. Now the trick is doing it over a full season. He’ll need to prove he’s healthy after breaking his leg late last season, but that’s the only obstacle to him having a big season and being widely recognized as one of the league’s best quarterbacks.

It has been a long road for the Titans. Last season’s 9-7 record was just their second winning mark since 2008. They have missed the playoffs eight straight seasons, and have made it to the postseason just twice in 13 seasons. They haven’t won a playoff game since beating the Baltimore Ravens 20-17 on Jan. 3, 2004.

That seems to be turning around. The Titans have built a competitive roster around their fantastic young quarterback. They play in a division that remains the easiest in the NFL. When the Titans take the next step and get back to the playoffs this season, don’t be too surprised.

Marcus Mariota looks to improve upon a promising 2016 season. (AP)

The Titans knew they needed to upgrade Marcus Mariota’s targets. Corey Davis was the best receiver in this draft. Eric Decker is a consistent veteran who happened to be hurt most of last season. Receiver Taywan Taylor and tight end Jonnu Smith, both third-round picks, were good investments too. You have to respect the way the Titans attacked an obvious deficiency. The Titans added a pair of cornerbacks, free-agent Logan Ryan and first-round pick Adoree’ Jackson. Safety Johnathan Cyprien wasn’t great with the Jaguars, but he’s young and physical. Former Broncos first-round pick Sylvester Williams was added to help at defensive tackle. All of the free-agent losses were players who probably won’t be greatly missed. The Titans had a winning record last season and upgraded the roster in a big way. Grade: A

The Titans are the rare team with a young, exciting quarterback that hasn’t built its entire identity around that quarterback. The Titans’ biggest strength is a fantastic offensive line, led by tackles Jack Conklin and Taylor Lewan. Pro Football Focus ranked the Titans as the best offensive line in the NFL last season, ahead of the Dallas Cowboys. I’d still pick Dallas, but the Titans line is great too and it can push opponents around. Tennessee was third in the NFL in rushing yards and fourth in yards per carry last season. That’s why it was no surprise Tennessee was fourth in the NFL with 476 rushing attempts. DeMarco Murray rushed for 1,287 yards and Derrick Henry came off the bench for 490 yards on just 110 carries. This is a run-based team that just happens to have a future star at quarterback. The Titans have put Mariota in a great spot. He doesn’t need to do everything for Tennessee to win.

The defense, with legendary coordinator Dick LeBeau, was competitive last season but not great. It’s a defense that allowed Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles to throw for 325 yards – by far his best game in a terrible season – in a 38-17 loss late in the season. Cornerback play was an issue, and the Titans hope they have fixed that. But if the Titans don’t improve as a team, it’s probably because the defense posts another below average season.

It’s probably not smart to brush aside concerns about Marcus Mariota’s health. He has finished both of his NFL seasons on injured reserve. He broke his right leg in late December and he was still rehabbing it in mid-June. Mariota sounded like he was on the right track when he spoke to reporters after a minicamp practice on June 14.

“I think from a strength standpoint I’m good. I’ve been doing everything lifting-wise. My body feels at a point where I can do all those things,” Mariota said, according to Jason Wolf of the Tennessean. “Now it’s getting to the point of trusting myself to do it, because a lot of it, even through this entire rehab process, it’s going through that mental obstacle of, you want to protect it.

“Now it’s good; you’ve done everything. Just trust it, that you can do the movements that you’ve been doing. For me, that’s my next step. I’ve got to just go out and do it.”

That sounds great, but Mariota needs to prove he’s healthy in training camp. Then he needs to show he can stay healthy over a full season.

Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey is the best defensive player the Titans have. Pro Football Focus’ grades placed Casey as the 71st best player in the NFL last season. Casey is a disruptor in the middle, especially rushing the quarterback. He has made two straight Pro Bowls and at 27 is still squarely in his prime. If the Titans defense moves to above average, it might be because Casey was closer to his 2013 sack total of 10.5 than the five he posted last season.

From Yahoo Sports’ Andy Behrens: “Marcus Mariota has pretty much every individual trait we like to see in a QB for fantasy purposes, and he now has a loaded receiving corps at his disposal. Not only did the Titans add Corey Davis, the consensus top receiver in the 2017 draft class, but they also managed to pluck Eric Decker from the discard pile. Decker is one of the best red-zone receivers of this era. Don’t be a bit surprised if Mariota delivers a top-five positional finish in his third NFL season. He’s accurate, mobile and he limits turnovers. Mariota is also a year younger than Carson Wentz, so he’s still a young, ascending talent, directing a fun offense.”

[Pressing Questions: Fantasy outlook on the Titans]

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DeMarco Murray led the NFL in carries by a wide margin with the 2014 Dallas Cowboys. After getting almost 500 touches (including postseason) that season, Murray’s yardage dropped 1,143 yards in 2015 with the Philadelphia Eagles. That was the biggest drop ever for a reigning rushing champ. Murray looked like he might be prematurely on the back nine of his career, but he wasn’t. Tennessee struck gold on a low-cost trade, as Murray bounced right back to being one of the best running backs in the NFL. If there’s an issue, it’s the 293 carries Murray got last season. That ranked third in the NFL. Eventually these huge workloads will catch up with Murray. The Titans hope it’s not this year, though they have Derrick Henry ready if Murray slips.

WHAT’S A REASONABLE EXPECTATION FOR ERIC DECKER?

Decker’s 2016 was an injury-filled mess. He played just three games due to shoulder and hip injuries, and had just nine catches for 194 yards. He has turned 30 years old, so a bounce-back to his previous levels isn’t a sure thing, even if he stays healthy. Decker got just $4 million on a one-year deal from Tennessee, which is an indication teams are wary. But Decker had at least 80 catches, 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns three times in a four-season stretch before 2016. Even if Decker doesn’t reach those levels again, he can still be valuable to the Titans. It’s not ideal to rely on any rookie as a No. 1 option, even if he’s as talented as Corey Davis. Decker’s arrival means less pressure on Davis while he learns, and that will probably be a good thing.

Nobody figured on the Raiders improving by five games last season and leading the AFC West when Derek Carr got hurt. The Titans won’t improve by five wins (what a story that would be), but you can see some similarities. And the Titans play in a much easier division than last year’s Raiders. The Titans look like the best team in the AFC South, and their schedule is pretty easy (the sixth easiest in the NFL, according to analyst Warren Sharp). If everything comes together it’s not crazy to believe they could be in the mix for a first-round bye … kind of like the Raiders were last season.

While the Titans’ arrow seems like it’s pointed up, teams that make a huge leap often regress the next season. The Titans won two games in 2014, three in 2015 and nine last season. They also posted a 4-0 record in games decided by three points or less, and that’s fluky. As much as I like the Titans this season, there’s good reason to believe they were out over their skis last year and are due for a correction. That would be tough for a fan base that hasn’t had much to cheer for in a long time.

Whenever I’ve been asked who this year’s surprise team will be, the Titans have always been my answer. I believe Marcus Mariota is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL. I don’t think the Titans’ offensive line is as good as Dallas’ line, but it’s elite. The defense is not great but not weighing Tennessee down either. And Tennessee plays a favorable schedule in a division that has no other top-shelf team. Maybe the Titans don’t quite reach 2016 Raiders levels, but picking them to win the AFC South was easy for me. If everything goes right, the Titans could pile up wins in an easy division while the AFC West and AFC North cannibalize each other, and Tennessee could end up in the hunt for a top-two seed. Tennessee has done a great job building the roster, and this is the year it starts to pay off.

32. New York Jets 31. Cleveland Browns 30. San Francisco 49ers 29. Chicago Bears 28. Los Angeles Rams 27. Jacksonville Jaguars 26. Detroit Lions 25. Houston Texans 24. Buffalo Bills 23. Indianapolis Colts 22. Baltimore Ravens 21. Los Angeles Chargers 20. Minnesota Vikings 19. New Orleans Saints 18. Washington Redskins 17. Philadelphia Eagles 16. Miami Dolphins 15. Cincinnati Bengals 14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13. Arizona Cardinals 12. Denver Broncos

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

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junker-town · 7 years ago

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Aqib Talib snatched Michael Crabtree’s chain again, plus 6 more things we loved about Week 12 in the NFL

Julio Jones took ankles, internet browser requests to fire John Fox, and the Eagles have too much sauce.

We all slept on it, and we shouldn’t have.

The first matchup between Michael Crabtree and Aqib Talib since Talib snatched his chain off his neck, like T.I. did to Lauren London in ATL, has been on the NFL schedules for months, and none of us made note of it. Shame on us, as “NFL fans” for not acknowledging this predictably momentous day ahead of time.

In the first quarter of the game, Crabtree was blocking Talib, who saw the perfect opportunity to once again steal his neck piece. It let to both of the players spilling over into the Broncos’ sideline, locked with more strength than the links on Crab’s chain:

Here’s the entire exchange for your viewing pleasure, with punches thrown by both Talib and Crabtree at the end:

Crabtree, Talib, and Raiders guard Gabe Jackson were all ejected in the brawl. After Talib’s ejection, he was escorted through the Raiders’ sideline by Marshawn Lynch.

But there was a twist that emerged after the game. Chris Harris Jr. pointed out that Crabtree had given him an uppercut to the stomach the play before:

“I have never seen that in the NFL,” Harris said. “Today, he just came out wanting to fight. He didn’t want to play football. It was the second play of the game. It was a run play, I was playing man, and I wasn’t even doing anything. He just came in there, was like BAM, hit me right in the middle of the stomach and I just lost my breath.”

Broncos safety Justin Simmons backed that up, saying, “He said that Crabtree had hit him, uppercut him on the stomach on his way out. So Aqib took that personal.”

But let’s take a step back here a second. The first time Talib took Crabtree’s chain off his neck took some guts. You don’t do that unless you 1. know that person isn’t retaliating, or 2. you are really about it, and know you can back up such a disrespectful thing.

And there wasn’t bad blood there previously. Talib just didn’t vibe with Crabtree’s look.

“He’s just been wearing that chain all year and it just been growing on me,” Talib said last season. “I said if he wears that chain in front of me I’m going to snatch it off. So he wore it in front of me so I had to snatch it off.”

My personal equivalent to that would be taking these Wahl clippers straight through Mark Davis’ hair so he can start over, but that’s neither here nor there.

Even in a second matchup, you have to be an entirely different savage to do it again. Crabtree knew that — while he played it cool last time — he had to swing on Talib. You can’t let another man do that to you twice with no retaliation. At that point, his teammates are going to lose respect for him if he doesn’t, and maybe some family members too.

Clearly Crabtree was feeling some type of way going into the game — but he directed his anger at the wrong person, and Talib still took his chain.

Honestly, if the NFL put this one on Pay-Per-View, I’m shelling out the dough and having a party at my place. The NFL is lacking any kind of a rivalry that we can look forward to. Even if this one was bound to end in the first round, I’m never going to say no to watching one make snatch the chain off of another and enjoying whatever comes next.

Also while we’re here, I photoshopped this, but some people on the internet thought my skills were so sharp that it was real:

wow that stat http://pic.twitter.com/C6lZQIwgN5

— Harry Lyles Jr. (@harrylylesjr) November 26, 2017

Anyway, there were other revenge games this week like Blaine Gabbert vs. the Jaguars, and Alshon Jeffery vs. the Bears, but this is the only one that actually mattered.

If Talib does this again next year, we’re going to have to start calling him Debo.

Here’s what else was great about Week 12.

Quintorris Lopez Jones of the House Atlanta, The First of His Name, Receiver of Footballs, Father of Defensive Backs, and Taker of Ankles

JULIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHMYGOD!

Julio Jones had himself A Game on Sunday afternoon against the Buccaneers. And before you can be a troll and tell me it came against the Bucs, let me tell you from my most sincere spot in my heart — I don’t care.

To go along with his 12 receptions, 253 yards and two touchdowns, he also had a pair of ankles:

That is Ryan Smith, who basically left one of those tape outlines you see at a crime scene at the eight-yard line.

Julio absolutely cooked him like the Thanksgiving turkey he had on Thursday. He then finished it with a delicious dive to the end zone, like some sweet potato casserole (shout out to my mom, who cooks better than yours, though I hope you had a good Thanksgiving anyway).

There isn’t a catch Antonio Brown can’t complete

The Steelers had 17 seconds to get into field goal range from their own 30 while tied at 28 after forcing the Packers into a three-and-out. It was all they needed.

Antonio Brown came down with one of the best fundamental catches of the season. He was full extension, eyes on the ball, left foot planted flat in bounds, while narrowly dragging his right to secure this catch:

It led to Chris Boswell tying the longest field goal in Heinz Field history with a 53-yarder to win the game.

My takeaway from this: I am convinced the only person in human history with better footwork than Antonio Brown might be Michael Jackson.

THAT’S NOW HOW THAT WORKS, CHRIS

Delanie Walker scored a touchdown to bring the Titans within two points of the Colts in Indianapolis. He celebrated his touchdown by giving the ball CPR.

Somehow, that’s not how FOX broadcaster Chris Myers interpreted it:

How does Chris Myers think burping a baby works? http://pic.twitter.com/lwYCec5jxg

— Mike Tunison (@xmasape) November 26, 2017

I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt — somehow — and say that he just had a brain fart. Otherwise, I’d be very concerned about his children’s upbringing.

Clearly Chris Myers isn’t a fan of The Office and one of its greatest scenes.

We don’t deserve the Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are the best team in the NFL right now, and it’s really hard for me to hate them.

Week in and week out, they’re bringing great celebrations. It can be a baseball game, a group spike, or an impression of Backpack Kid.

This week, they gave us two gems. The first, was a perfectly-executed bowling celebration:

It wasn’t quite the phenomenal 7-10 split from Alley Cats Strike, but I suppose it’s better to just get a strike and have everybody involved.

The better of the two celebrations was the group of Eagles on the field just doing the Electric Slide. My goodness, what a sight:

I am aggressively rooting for this to start a wave of team dancing on the field in the NFL. The Titans did their best impression of the Temptations earlier this month. Let the Jets hit a collective Milly Rock, and the Falcons can do Shawty Lo’s dance in the “Dey Know” video. Give this game some flavor.

“Internet browser hates Bears coach”

You have to admire the determination and creativity by this Bears fan. Assuming they traveled to Philadelphia (who knows), they advocated for John Fox’s firing with a subtle message:

Rofl this Bears fan has a creative way of saying he was wants coach Jon Fox fired http://pic.twitter.com/lm5BSJ3WLZ

— Eric Fawcett (@Efawcett7) November 26, 2017

For the uninitiated, that’s the logo of the internet browser Firefox. Imagine all of the confused fans in Philly looking at this Bears fan with a picture of a fox. They probably imagined that was some kind of cub.

But we here at SB Nation appreciate your efforts, Bears Fan.

Back to the Eagles real quick

Yeah, I’m double dipping on the Eagles.

Here is Corey Clement, Jay Ajayi, and LeGarrette Blount getting pumped before the game to Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow”:

#Eagles RBs hyped @LG_Blount @JayAjayi @CoreyClement_6 @KBDeuce4 http://pic.twitter.com/ctnFwx07Qv

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) November 26, 2017

The game was over before it even started.

OTHER THINGS FROM WEEK 12

Bears and Eagles practice re-gifting by turning the ball over to each other on the same play.

Bill Belichick waited 13 years to run another fake punt.

2 Chiefs players tried to catch the same screen pass.

Don’t interrupt Superman!

Browns turned to emergency punter Zane Gonzalez, who shanked his first try.

Alshon Jeffery made $250,000 with a touchdown against his old team.

You can’t throw punches, you’ll get ejected for them.

Delanie Walker performed CPR on a football, and the announcer thought he was burping a baby.

Alex Smith’s game-sealing interception bailed out referees after a bad call.

The Jets were very Jets-y on Sunday.

Marshawn Lynch escorted Aqib Talib through the Raiders sideline after his ejection.

The Raiders finally got an interception!

Not sure if Rams WR Josh Reynolds, or Rafiki from The Lion King.

Alvin Kamara hurdled a man.

JIMMY G DEBUT (short but good!).

Blaine Gabbert got “revenge” on the Jaguars.

The Saints’ terrible decision to kick a field goal in the 4th quarter cost them dearly.

STUCK FACEMASKS!

Sunday scores

Patriots 35, Dolphins 17

Titans 20, Colts 16

Seahawks 24, 49ers 13

Falcons 34, Buccaneers 20

Bengals 30, Browns 16

Bills 16, Chiefs 10

Panthers 35, Jets 27

Eagles 31, Bears 3

Raiders 21, Broncos 14

Rams 26, Saints 20

Cardinals 27, Jaguars 24

Packers 28, Steelers 31

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cover32-yahoopartner-blog · 7 years ago

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Cleveland Browns Offseason Fantasy Roundup

Cleveland hasn’t exactly been known for its offensive greatness the past few seasons, and in fantasy football it’s been no different. Last year Terrelle Pryor and Isaiah Crowell were the only two viable fantasy starts in Cleveland, and with Pryor moving to the Redskins the Browns fantasy potential is looking bleaker than ever.

How different is 2017 to 2016 then? Is Cleveland still a fantasy wasteland, devoid of any kind of consistent fantasy success?

It comes down to the kind of player you are. If you’re the kind of player who carefully evaluates the matchups and the numbers, on paper Cleveland isn’t much better (fantasy wise) than they were last year. The question mark at the quarterback position seems like it’s going to go unresolved until much closer to the regular season and until it gets resolved, drafting any of Cleveland’s wide receivers seems like a fairly hefty gamble.

Isaiah Crowell

Dec 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) is chased by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock (26) during a 54 yard run during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The one constant in this Browns offense is Isaiah Crowell, who is going to be rushing behind an improved offensive line and a young quarterback, both good signs for his fantasy potential. If he stays healthy, Crowell should receive a ton of carries and after averaging 4.8 yards per carry last year, the signs are looking good for Crowell to be a top ten fantasy back if he sees the red-zone touches.

Last year he was given the ball 198 times, ran in seven touchdowns and even caught 40 passes for 319 yards. We know he’s going to get the opportunities in the run game this season.

The big gamble with Crowell is where you draft him. He’s a back that’s been going in the late second round/early third in a lot of mock drafts right now, so it’s up to each player to determine what you think he’s worth. Currently NFL.com has him going around pick 28, around the middle of the pack for running backs. Lamar Miller, Leonard Fournette and Marshawn Lynch are all currently valued ahead of him.

Aside from Crowell, the Browns fantasy future is extremely hazy. If you’re a player who plays conservatively and by the numbers, then the Browns may be a team to avoid this year. However, more risk-oriented players may find a lot to like in this Browns offense.

For starters, they’re cheap. If you’re in daily fantasy leagues, going after a guy like Kenny Britt or David Njoku is not going to break the bank and if you’re drafting in traditional leagues, you can snag Njoku off the waiver wire without even needing to draft him (that might change the closer the regular season gets, but for now he has the potential to be an under the radar fantasy TE).

Kenny Britt

Oct 23, 2016; London, United Kingdom; Los Angeles Rams receiver Kenny Britt (18) is defended by New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins (20) during game 16 of the NFL International Series at Twickenham Statdium. The Giants defeated the Rams 17-10. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Britt is currently on the edge as far as receivers go, hovering in the sixties in many fantasy WR rankings. Last year he did have 68 catches for 1,002 yards with some subpar quarterback play, but because of the questions at quarterback for the Browns it’s hard to predict whether or not he’ll repeat it. If Kessler starts, Kenny Britt may be a more reliable start, especially in PPR leagues. If Kizer starts it’s difficult to predict how he’ll do, because as of now we’ve yet to see Kizer play in any kind of NFL action.

He’s currently ranked 97th on NFL.com for fantasy players, in the range of receivers like Eric Decker, Cameron Meredith and Jeremy Maclin.

Personally at that level Eric Decker seems like he’d be a higher value pick. Even with an injury prone Marcus Mariota and a rising star in Corey Davis, Decker has shown that he can get it done time and time again and with his red zone prowess he feels like a pick with higher potential at that level.

AROUND COVER32

Around the NFL: 2017 roster of NFL officials has been confirmed

What’s Trending: Raiders’ G, Gabe Jackson, signs five-year $56 million extension

Fantasy Football: Projecting WR, Kenny Stills’ value for the 2017 season

cover32 Rotisserie: On this week’s Periscope, Patrick Hatten breaks down the NFC North

2018 NFL Draft: Could Arizona State’s RB, Kalen Ballage, be this year’s breakout star

Corey Coleman

Corey Coleman feels like a boom-or-bust player for the 2017 fantasy season. The broken hand last year kept him from getting some valuable rookie experience, but fantasy owners may still remember his Week 2 performance against the Ravens where he caught five passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns.

With Terrelle Pryor gone, Corey Coleman has the option to be a feature receiver in this corp, but it’s hard to tell whether or not he’s ready to take that next step. The questions at the quarterback position don’t help, nor does the addition of the veteran Britt who is surely to take away from a chunk of Coleman’s targets, but if Coleman is sitting there in late rounds (around 8+) he’s worth a pick just for the raw potential.

Coleman is currently at 109th on the NFL.com fantasy draft board. He’s around guys like Adam Thielen, Marvin Jones and Quincy Enunwa.

If you need a receiver around that range, Corey Coleman is a gutsy pick to make and one to choose if you’re looking for that boom-or-bust player. If you’re just looking for a player to plug in when you don’t like a certain match up, Adam Thielen might be a better pick. He was a pleasant surprise last year and displayed some good chemistry with Sam Bradford.

David Njoku

Jun 13, 2017; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) catches a pass during minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

David Njoku is also a player that sits on the fantasy fringe. I’m personally a big fan of his potential because his size and athleticism should make him a valuable red-zone target for whoever is playing quarterback, but because we’ve yet to see him play we also don’t know who he works better with. Last year Barnidge was much more productive in games when Josh McCown started, so this year we’ll have to see whether or not Cody Kessler is going to go to his tight ends more.

Njoku is currently going undrafted in every fantasy mock draft I’ve witnessed, so for now there’s no rush to evaluate him and his potential until the regular season gets closer. Don’t waste a draft pick on him, if you’re drafting anytime soon you can still easily get him off waivers in the majority of leagues.

Moving Forward

Barring an injury, Crowell is a fairly secure pick in the late second (especially if you draft RB-RB) or third round, but as for Coleman, Britt and Njoku it’d be best to wait and see how the quarterback situation unfolds before you jump on any of these players. Njoku likely won’t be drafted, but Coleman and Britt are being taken in the later rounds in most drafts. Without knowing who’s throwing the ball and how consistent they are, it’s hard to put a firm judgment on their value.

Britt is the safer choice as far as fantasy football goes, but Coleman has the potential to be Cleveland’s number one wide receiver this year. If Coleman does make that leap, he has the potential to be a WR 2 range player and given how deep in the draft he’s going that’s great value.

The post Cleveland Browns Offseason Fantasy Roundup appeared first on Cover32.

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3sportsguns · 8 years ago

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Bears What to Do 2017; Skill Players

BG - This series continues with the skill positions on offense. I grouped them together because a spot like running back seems already pretty set while I don't think TE will get a ton of attention. The wide receiver group had some questions but became more urgent this week with the decision not to franchise Alshon Jeffery. All three positions are grouped together on the field and they're together in this series.

We start with the running back position because it seems pretty set heading into the 2017 season. Jordan Howard, David Cobb, Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey are all under contract for this season and there doesn't seem any reason to make another addition. Langford filled in for Matt Forte two seasons ago and had some solid moments but the team felt the need to add competition and hit a home run with Howard. The bruiser was devastating once they just fed him the rock, rushing for over 1300 yards. He averaged over 5 yards and carry and scored six times. The real issue seemed to be the team went away from him at times.

The worry is with his bruising style that Howard could use a partner to keep him fresh. While Carey and Langford haven't been great, they're cheap and under contract. There's always the possibility of adding competition but it's Howard's job and I think the three backs can do more than enough to be change of paces while they're on the team. After a big season it'll be interesting to see how the sophomore back handles getting more attention that he'll likely get in 2017. I expect nothing to be really done with this position.

Tight end isn't as set as running back but the cupboard isn't bare with Zach Miller. He had a very solid season filling in for Martellus Bennett and was handed the starting gig last season. He was banged up and didn't produce as well, but quaterback issues were a factor. Miller finished 2016 with 47 catches for 486 yards and four scores. If Pace and company decide to roll with him as the starter again I don't think I'd look at the position as a weakness, but now could be the time to make an addition.

The top of the draft has some top talent. CBS has O.J. Howard and David Njoku as first round picks, Evan Engram in the 2nd, Adam Shaheen and Bucky Hodges in round three, Gerald Everett and Jake Butt in round four and Jordan Leggett is the eighth tight end ranked 147 overall. I think if Pace stands pat the first two picks will be defense with some of the top corners possibly available early in the 2nd round, but if he's able to move down he could look to snag one of the top tight ends. Depending on what happens at WR Chicago could look as early as round three for a tight end. There's depth there and I'd keep an eye on Chicago selecting a TE to add to a fairly young offense.

Howard and Njoku are athletic freaks though I don't see the Bears getting Howard. Personally, I'm a fan of Hodges, Butt and Leggett. They were solid chain movers that I think would be immediate contributors as the second TE and take over for Miller after 2017. This becomes even more likely, as I said, if Pace is able to acquire a few extra picks for the #3 pick. And with reports that New England may keep Jimmy G after all it could be more prudent to get more picks to address the QB situation.

When it comes to skill players it will be all about the wideout position. We talked extensively about the Alshon Jeffery issue in a recent Brushback Pitches podcast and still ended up sitting on the fence. I'm leaning towards it being the wrong decision not to franchise Jeffery the second year in a row. I know he has had injuries, the PED suspension this year and it's a big chunk of change to franchise him a second year, but I think the one year prove it deal is exactly what was called for. Jeffery has all the talent to be a top receiver and, with likely a young QB coming in, he's a weapon a young signal caller could lean on. Reports are the Bears are still interested in signing him but so many teams have cap space and could easily outbid Chicago. Putting the tag on him could give you the leverage to get the long term deal at a rate you're more comfortable paying while he searches for the more guaranteed money.

I know that you try to make each decision in a vacuum but the WR depth chart is also why I think it would be critical to keep Alshon. Two years removed from being the 7th overall pick I still don't think you know what you have in Kevin White. He didn't play in 2015 and only caught 19 balls in 2016. Cameron Meredith led the team with 66 catches for 888 yards and four scores, so I think he has a role moving forward, but he sits at two on the depth chart now. Deonte Thompson (free agent) had 22 catches and Josh Bellamy (restricted free agent) had 19. Reports are Chicago likes these three, and I've got no problem with that, but it's not enough. Add in that I'm pretty sure that Marquess Wilson is done in Chicago and Eddie Royal looks like a cut also.

The wide receiver free agent pool doesn't offer a whole lot as a place to go if the Jeffery bidding gets too high. Vincent Jackson, Victor Cruz, Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Kenny Britt, Andrew Hawkins, Anquan Boldin, Kamar Aiken and Brandon LaFell are the rest of the top 10 available after Alshon. Michael Floyd, Kendall Wright Terrell Pryor and Jordan Norwood are a few more notable names further down the list. There are some options there but I think it's clear Jeffery is the top choice by a margin. The list features a lot of age or uncertainty.

Personally, I was really impressed with what Pryor did in the mess that was Cleveland but I have a hard time seeing the Browns letting him walk with the bevy of cap space they have and real lack of talent. Britt had a solid season, especially with the Rams' offensive issues, but has really not been much until his contract year. Floyd is someone that could be worth a gamble after his nightmare 2016 but I think the Pats will look to lock him up. If Pace can get two option for the same amount as what Jeffery makes then maybe it was the right move, but again teams have a lot of cap space which really inflates contracts when players hit free agency.

The draft does have a lot of depth this year with 14 receivers ranked in the top 100 overall according to CBS. Mike Williams, Corey Davis and John Ross are rated as first round receivers and I think can be ruled out for Chicago. Malachi Dupre is someone I'm keeping an eye on. Granted it is partially due to Tyler being an LSU fan, but he has size and athleticism and we've seen what recent Tiger receivers can do once they get a chance to actually catch the ball in the NFL. CBS has him at 58th overall. After him is Isaiah Ford (65 overall), JuJu Smith-Schuster (73) and ArDarius Stewart (81). I'm a fan of them and they're all third round grades.

There is definitely talent there but WR is still somewhat hit or miss when it comes to rookie seasons. And with Kevin White and Meredith the only two under contract right now, there is still a lot of uncertainty at the position. I think for sure Pace has to shell out for someone in free agency to try and add a, at least somewhat, proven commodity to the receiving corps. I think for sure the wideout position will be something the Bears target in the middle rounds, especially with the jury still out on White. If he turns in to a bust it would seem prudent to have another young WR in the pipeline.

When it comes to the draft Chicago still needs a lot of help on defense, especially in secondary, but with depth in the mid rounds for skill players it would seem tempting to grab another playmaker for whoever the new QB will be. I've said it several times before and I'm sticking with the best move will be Pace is to trade down for #3 overall. If he can move down to the middle of the first round and get some extra mid-round picks that would give him some more to play with to get defensive playmakers but also more ability to target a QB and at least one more playmaker for the offense.

#ChicagoBears #NFL #BearsOffense

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flauntpage · 6 years ago

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This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0

Well slap my ass and call me Sally!

The Eagles are going to the playoffs.

Not sure about you, but I’m gobsmacked by this turn of events. Floored, even.

As Jim Fassel once said, “This team is going to the playoffs.”

Giddy up!

1) Time of possession

2) Run defense

The thing that really made the Birds what they were in 2017 was the defense’s ability to shut down the run and force teams to become one-dimensional.

3) Pressure up the middle

Here’s an example:

The pocket disappears so quickly there that Johnson has no choice but to run for his life. This is the same scenario that resulted in the Rasul Douglas interception on the first play of the game.

4) Another one for the record books

Nick Foles tied an NFL record when he completed 25 straight passes in this game.

The Eagles’ previous record was 24 in a row from Donovan McNabb, which required two games. Donovan’s single-game record was 18 in a row, achieved in 2007 against the Detroit Lions.

Here’s the one that Nick and “Nelly” ran last night, which Washington sniffed out:

Completed pass. Counts just the same as a 50-yard bomb down the field.

5) Next man up

Rodney McLeod – injured reserve

Jay Ajayi – injured reserve

Derek Barnett – injured reserve

Ronald Darby – injured reserve

Josh Perkins – injured reserve

Mack Hollins – injured reserve

Paul Worrilow – injured reserve

Chris Maragos – injured reserve

Jordan Mailata – injured reserve

Josh Sweat – injured reserve

Corey Clement – injured reserve

Jalen Mills – injured reserve

Carson Wentz – ACL recovery/back issue

Mike Wallace – just came off IR

Richard Rodgers – came off IR

Sidney Jones – out with hamstring injury

Isaac Seumalo – out with pectoral injury

Tim Jernigan – whatever he currently has

Jordan Hicks – calf issue

Jason Peters – in and out of lineup all year long

Darren Sproles – hamstring kept him out for entire middle part of year

6) Ref, you suck

Actually, they didn’t suck yesterday, I just thought this would be a clever title for entry number six.

Four things jumped out to me in this game:

I’m not sure why the booth review was necessary on the Josh Johnson non-fumble. Clearly his arm was making a noticeable forward motion and the ball ended up going 10+ yards down the field.

Here’s the Ertz catch, which actually was a really nice design, complete with pre-snap motion and a drag back to his original starting position with a natural screen on the middle linebacker:

Early whistle.

Nada.

7) Winning these battles

Utter domination here:

won time of possession, 43 to 17 minutes

0 turnover margin (each team with an interception)

8-14 on third down (57.1%)

1-1 on fourth down

Redskins went 0-9 on third down (0%)

lost 12 yards on 3 sacks

2-3 success rate in red zone

5 penalties for 25 yards

That’s as good as it gets for the Eagles, who limited the Redskins to eight first downs and ran 27 more plays. Washington finished with 89 total yards on the entire evening, which is absurdly bad.

8) Doug’s best call?

You want a QB sneak on 4th and 1?

Yeah let’s do it.

Good choice by Doug to just make the most obvious play call right there. I also loved the timing of the Andy Reid shovel pass, which almost resulted in a touchdown.

He also showed a nice mix with his running looks – some under center, some shotgun looks, a 12/11/7 split for Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, and Darren Sproles.

Another good Doug game. He’ll have his work cut out for him next week against the NFL’s best defense.

9) Doug’s worst call?

I can’t think of one.

Probably the only thing that should bother anybody about that game is the Washington fake punt, but otherwise, that’s about as complete of a performance as one can put together.

10) Mediocrity in broadcasting

We got Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, and Laura Okmin, who I think are fine as a team.

My problems with the broadcast were two-fold:

There was also this:

They didn’t know anything about the ski masks either. Don’t they have producers?

— John Carr (@UtleyYATM) December 31, 2018

My only other broadcast gripe is that the reversal on the Agholor touchdown came during a commercial break. You have to be live for those kinds of important in-game moments.

Anyway, this team is going to the playoffs:

The post This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0 appeared first on Crossing Broad.

This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0 published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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flauntpage · 6 years ago

Text

This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0

Well slap my ass and call me Sally!

The Eagles are going to the playoffs.

Not sure about you, but I’m gobsmacked by this turn of events. Floored, even.

As Jim Fassel once said, “This team is going to the playoffs.”

Giddy up!

1) Time of possession

2) Run defense

The thing that really made the Birds what they were in 2017 was the defense’s ability to shut down the run and force teams to become one-dimensional.

3) Pressure up the middle

Here’s an example:

The pocket disappears so quickly there that Johnson has no choice but to run for his life. This is the same scenario that resulted in the Rasul Douglas interception on the first play of the game.

4) Another one for the record books

Nick Foles tied an NFL record when he completed 25 straight passes in this game.

The Eagles’ previous record was 24 in a row from Donovan McNabb, which required two games. Donovan’s single-game record was 18 in a row, achieved in 2007 against the Detroit Lions.

Here’s the one that Nick and “Nelly” ran last night, which Washington sniffed out:

Completed pass. Counts just the same as a 50-yard bomb down the field.

5) Next man up

Rodney McLeod – injured reserve

Jay Ajayi – injured reserve

Derek Barnett – injured reserve

Ronald Darby – injured reserve

Josh Perkins – injured reserve

Mack Hollins – injured reserve

Paul Worrilow – injured reserve

Chris Maragos – injured reserve

Jordan Mailata – injured reserve

Josh Sweat – injured reserve

Corey Clement – injured reserve

Jalen Mills – injured reserve

Carson Wentz – ACL recovery/back issue

Mike Wallace – just came off IR

Richard Rodgers – came off IR

Sidney Jones – out with hamstring injury

Isaac Seumalo – out with pectoral injury

Tim Jernigan – whatever he currently has

Jordan Hicks – calf issue

Jason Peters – in and out of lineup all year long

Darren Sproles – hamstring kept him out for entire middle part of year

6) Ref, you suck

Actually, they didn’t suck yesterday, I just thought this would be a clever title for entry number six.

Four things jumped out to me in this game:

I’m not sure why the booth review was necessary on the Josh Johnson non-fumble. Clearly his arm was making a noticeable forward motion and the ball ended up going 10+ yards down the field.

Here’s the Ertz catch, which actually was a really nice design, complete with pre-snap motion and a drag back to his original starting position with a natural screen on the middle linebacker:

Early whistle.

Nada.

7) Winning these battles

Utter domination here:

won time of possession, 43 to 17 minutes

0 turnover margin (each team with an interception)

8-14 on third down (57.1%)

1-1 on fourth down

Redskins went 0-9 on third down (0%)

lost 12 yards on 3 sacks

2-3 success rate in red zone

5 penalties for 25 yards

That’s as good as it gets for the Eagles, who limited the Redskins to eight first downs and ran 27 more plays. Washington finished with 89 total yards on the entire evening, which is absurdly bad.

8) Doug’s best call?

You want a QB sneak on 4th and 1?

Yeah let’s do it.

Good choice by Doug to just make the most obvious play call right there. I also loved the timing of the Andy Reid shovel pass, which almost resulted in a touchdown.

He also showed a nice mix with his running looks – some under center, some shotgun looks, a 12/11/7 split for Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, and Darren Sproles.

Another good Doug game. He’ll have his work cut out for him next week against the NFL’s best defense.

9) Doug’s worst call?

I can’t think of one.

Probably the only thing that should bother anybody about that game is the Washington fake punt, but otherwise, that’s about as complete of a performance as one can put together.

10) Mediocrity in broadcasting

We got Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, and Laura Okmin, who I think are fine as a team.

My problems with the broadcast were two-fold:

There was also this:

They didn’t know anything about the ski masks either. Don’t they have producers?

— John Carr (@UtleyYATM) December 31, 2018

My only other broadcast gripe is that the reversal on the Agholor touchdown came during a commercial break. You have to be live for those kinds of important in-game moments.

Anyway, this team is going to the playoffs:

The post This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0 appeared first on Crossing Broad.

This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0 published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

0 notes

flauntpage · 6 years ago

Text

This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0

Well slap my ass and call me Sally!

The Eagles are going to the playoffs.

Not sure about you, but I’m gobsmacked by this turn of events. Floored, even.

As Jim Fassel once said, “This team is going to the playoffs.”

Giddy up!

1) Time of possession

2) Run defense

The thing that really made the Birds what they were in 2017 was the defense’s ability to shut down the run and force teams to become one-dimensional.

3) Pressure up the middle

Here’s an example:

The pocket disappears so quickly there that Johnson has no choice but to run for his life. This is the same scenario that resulted in the Rasul Douglas interception on the first play of the game.

4) Another one for the record books

Nick Foles tied an NFL record when he completed 25 straight passes in this game.

The Eagles’ previous record was 24 in a row from Donovan McNabb, which required two games. Donovan’s single-game record was 18 in a row, achieved in 2007 against the Detroit Lions.

Here’s the one that Nick and “Nelly” ran last night, which Washington sniffed out:

Completed pass. Counts just the same as a 50-yard bomb down the field.

5) Next man up

Rodney McLeod – injured reserve

Jay Ajayi – injured reserve

Derek Barnett – injured reserve

Ronald Darby – injured reserve

Josh Perkins – injured reserve

Mack Hollins – injured reserve

Paul Worrilow – injured reserve

Chris Maragos – injured reserve

Jordan Mailata – injured reserve

Josh Sweat – injured reserve

Corey Clement – injured reserve

Jalen Mills – injured reserve

Carson Wentz – ACL recovery/back issue

Mike Wallace – just came off IR

Richard Rodgers – came off IR

Sidney Jones – out with hamstring injury

Isaac Seumalo – out with pectoral injury

Tim Jernigan – whatever he currently has

Jordan Hicks – calf issue

Jason Peters – in and out of lineup all year long

Darren Sproles – hamstring kept him out for entire middle part of year

6) Ref, you suck

Actually, they didn’t suck yesterday, I just thought this would be a clever title for entry number six.

Four things jumped out to me in this game:

I’m not sure why the booth review was necessary on the Josh Johnson non-fumble. Clearly his arm was making a noticeable forward motion and the ball ended up going 10+ yards down the field.

Here’s the Ertz catch, which actually was a really nice design, complete with pre-snap motion and a drag back to his original starting position with a natural screen on the middle linebacker:

Early whistle.

Nada.

7) Winning these battles

Utter domination here:

won time of possession, 43 to 17 minutes

0 turnover margin (each team with an interception)

8-14 on third down (57.1%)

1-1 on fourth down

Redskins went 0-9 on third down (0%)

lost 12 yards on 3 sacks

2-3 success rate in red zone

5 penalties for 25 yards

That’s as good as it gets for the Eagles, who limited the Redskins to eight first downs and ran 27 more plays. Washington finished with 89 total yards on the entire evening, which is absurdly bad.

8) Doug’s best call?

You want a QB sneak on 4th and 1?

Yeah let’s do it.

Good choice by Doug to just make the most obvious play call right there. I also loved the timing of the Andy Reid shovel pass, which almost resulted in a touchdown.

He also showed a nice mix with his running looks – some under center, some shotgun looks, a 12/11/7 split for Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, and Darren Sproles.

Another good Doug game. He’ll have his work cut out for him next week against the NFL’s best defense.

9) Doug’s worst call?

I can’t think of one.

Probably the only thing that should bother anybody about that game is the Washington fake punt, but otherwise, that’s about as complete of a performance as one can put together.

10) Mediocrity in broadcasting

We got Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, and Laura Okmin, who I think are fine as a team.

My problems with the broadcast were two-fold:

There was also this:

They didn’t know anything about the ski masks either. Don’t they have producers?

— John Carr (@UtleyYATM) December 31, 2018

My only other broadcast gripe is that the reversal on the Agholor touchdown came during a commercial break. You have to be live for those kinds of important in-game moments.

Anyway, this team is going to the playoffs:

The post This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0 appeared first on Crossing Broad.

This Team is Going to the Playoffs – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 24, Redskins 0 published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

0 notes