Mark Gastineau confronted Brett Favre after Favre’s Michael Strahan ‘dive’ in new video

Brett Favre confronted for crappy thing he did. No, not that one. Or that one.

23 years ago, Michael Strahan broke the NFL’s single-season sack record with 22.5. It was not without controversy.

In the final minutes of the New York Giants’ season-ending loss to the Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre faked a handoff, rolled to his right and stared down a free-rushing Strahan without a blocker to help him out. Rather than take a big hit in what was effectively a meaningless game (the 12-4 Packers had no chance of catching the Chicago Bears for an NFC North title or playoff bye), Favre was resigned to his fate. He slid to the turf, allowing Strahan to set the record with the easiest sack of his season.

It was a play that fueled talk radio for a few weeks. But for New York Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau, the former single-season sack leader, it sparked a fire that has burned inside him for more than two decades.

“I’m gonna get my sack back,” Gastineau told an uncomfortable Favre at a memorabilia expo.

“You’d probably hurt me,” Favre sighed.

“I don’t care,” continued Gastineau. “You hurt me. You hurt me. You hear me? You really hurt me.”

Officials then whisked Favre away to another obligation, ending a short, awkward confrontation.

This footage came out as part of a new ESPN 30 For 30 documentary on the vaunted Jets defenses of the 1980s — namely the New York Sack Exchange for which Gastineau was a star. Gastineau also reflected on the fact he’s not in the NFL Hall of Fame despite averaging more than 13 sacks per season. His unofficial 107.5 (Gastineau played part of his career before sacks were an official statistic) ranks 44th in NFL history, ahead of enshrined defenders like Warren Sapp, Charles Haley, Howie Long and Steve McMichael.

Would holding the single-season sack record an extra 25 years have changed that? Gastineau’s peak came and went quickly, lasting six seasons from 1980 to 1985. He also failed to generate the postseason success many of his gold-jacketed peers did; the Jets had only two playoff wins over that six-year stretch.

Ultimately, the Strahan sack was one of Favre’s more benign controversies. He was going to get hit anyway and Gastineau had several chances for Hall of Fame election before his record fell anyway. In the end, Favre was lucky to get off with an awkward exchange about falling down rather than, say, a robust discussion over allegedly funneling money meant for Mississippi’s poorest families into a volleyball facility for his daughter.

Former Jax State DB Zechariah Poyser schedules visit to Auburn

Auburn will look to fill a need in the secondary by hosting a talented athlete in Poyser.

Auburn football will look to improve upon its 5-7 record by adding experienced players to their secondary. Could a defensive back from an in-state program help Hugh Freeze and his program achieve that goal?

Former Jax State defensive back [autotag]Zechariah Poyser[/autotag] shared on social media this week that he has scheduled visits to three SEC programs, including Auburn.

Poyser was a part of a three-headed monster at safety for the Gamecocks this season. He, in addition to fellow safeties [autotag]Fred Perry[/autotag] and [autotag]Antonio Carter[/autotag], recorded 269 tackles, 13 pass deflections, and four interceptions. Individually, Poyser made 75 stops with eight pass breakups and three interceptions.

Poyser would be a great addition to a safety unit without Jerrin Thompson (graduation) and Colby Wooden (transfer portal). Several players, including [autotag]Sylvester Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Kaleb Harris[/autotag], and [autotag]Kensley Louidor-Faustin[/autotag], return to the unit. Adding Poyser, a safety that produced a 47.8% catch percentage last season, will boost Auburn’s chances at slowing down opponents passing numbers next season.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

PFF: Trent McDuffie was Chiefs’ highest-graded player in Week 14

Star DB Trent McDuffie was the #Chiefs’ highest-graded player in Kansas City’s Week 14 win over the Los Angeles #Chargers.

The Kansas City Chiefs officially clinched the AFC West in Week 14 with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Though it was Patrick Mahomes who led the Chiefs’ offense on a heroic final drive that led to a walk-off field goal in the fourth quarter, Kansas City’s defense deserves most of the credit for the defending Super Bowl champions’ latest victory.

After losing cornerback Jaylen Watson earlier this season, the Chiefs’ young secondary, led by defensive back Trent McDuffie, has stepped up to keep Kansas City’s hopes for a championship three-peat alive.

The experts at Pro Football Focus took notice of McDuffie’s efforts against Los Angeles, and made him the Chiefs’ highest-graded player in Kansas City’s win over the Chargers on Sunday Night Football.

Fans can expect McDuffie to continue locking down opposing wide receivers in Week 15 when the Chiefs travel to face the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 15.

 

Where the Dolphins landed in power rankings after Week 14 win

The Dolphins got a Week 14 win, but some experts are even less impressed with the team.

The Miami Dolphins got back in the win column Sunday, but it wasn’t exactly a decisive or convincing victory.

At home against the three-win New York Jets, the Dolphins needed a fourth quarter comeback and overtime to eke out a 32-26 win and keep their postseason hopes alive.

There were plenty of good signs for Miami. Tua Tagovailoa stepped up and delivered with the game on the line, and the Dolphins finally got Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle heavily involved. But another rough outing from the defense didn’t inspire much hope for a playoff run.

Here’s where experts now rank the Dolphins heading into Week 15:

Miami will face the 8-5 Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on Sunday in a Week 15 game.

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Packers can clinch playoff spot in Week 15 with one unlikely scenario

The Packers need three results, including a win over the Seahawks and a tie between the Rams and 49ers, to clinch a playoff spot in Week 15.

The Green Bay Packers have a playoff clinching scenario in Week 15, but it requires three different results — including one uncommon result — and has to be considered unlikely.

Per the NFL, the Packers can clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Seattle Seahawks, get a loss or tie from the Atlanta Falcons AND get a tie between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in Week 15.

The first two are possible — the Packers are favored to win in Seattle, and the Falcons (who have lost four straight games) are going on the road to play the Las Vegas Raiders. But a tie between the Rams and 49ers (or any two teams) is highly unlikely.  Hitting all three results probably isn’t going to happen.

While the Packers might not clinch this week, the scenario does confirm that if Matt LaFleur’s team beats the Seahawks on Sunday night, they’ll be on the verge of clinching a playoff spot with even one or two more results over the final three weeks. That’s a great spot to be at this point in the season.

Per the playoff simulator at the New York Times, the Packers have a 98 percent chance of making the postseason and would improve their standing to over 99 percent with a win over the Seahawks.

Just win, baby. Beat the Seahawks in Seattle in primetime and the Packers would probably need the end of the world to miss out on the postseason, even if it isn’t clinched this weekend.

In other clinching news, the Minnesota Vikings can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Chicago Bears, and the Philadelphia Eagles have a chance to clinch the NFC East title. The Eagles and Detroit Lions have already clinched a playoff spot in the NFC.

Mike Tomlin says George Pickens injury ‘more significant’ than anticipated

George Pickens’ hamstring injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

George Pickens’ hamstring injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Moments before their Week 14 matchup versus the Cleveland Browns, Mike Tomlin was optimistic that Pickens would play, so the team didn’t spend the practice week preparing for his absence. But Pickens didn’t even warm up, so there’s an unknown disconnect. What’s clear is that the lack of preparation showed during the first half against Cleveland.

This week, however, the Steelers have a chance to adjust. With Tomlin now labeling Pickens as “doubtful” for the Week 15 showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles (winners of nine straight), the offensive game plan can better account for missing one of its top playmakers.

Without Pickens, the Steelers must rely on their depth at wide receiver. Expect more targets for Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson, Mike Williams and Ben Skowronek. Each will need to step up to fill the void left by Pickens’ playmaking ability.

While losing Pickens is a blow, the silver lining is the extra time for the Steelers to adapt their strategy and give other receivers a chance to contribute.

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Report: Panthers signing former Bears 3rd-round pick to active roster

The Panthers are reportedly set to sign WR/RB/KR Velus Jones Jr., a former third-round pick of the Bears.

With running back and return specialist Raheem Blackshear currently nursing a chest injury, the Carolina Panthers may be looking to strengthen their skills on special teams this week.

According to FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Panthers are signing wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. to their active roster. The 27-year-old speedster, who has experience as both a kick and punt returner, has been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad since late October.

The Mobile, Ala. native split his six-year collegiate career between the University of Southern California (2016 to 2019) and the University of Tennessee (2020 to 2021). He’d come out of the college ranks with a number of honors—including a Second-Team All-Pac 12 nod in 2019 as well as a First-Team All-SEC nod and a share of the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year award in 2021.

Jones Jr. would then be selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. He’d appear in 27 games for Chicago between 2022 and 2024—totaling 135 receiving yards and 165 rushing yards while averaging 26.7 yards per kick return (39 attempts) and 7.0 yards per punt return (five attempts).

The Bears, who tried to transition Jones Jr. to the running back position at the start of this season, eventually released him on Oct. 25.

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Patrick Mahomes passed Aaron Rodgers in key metric with Week 14 win over Chargers

Patrick Mahomes passed Aaron Rodgers in this key metric by leading the #Chiefs to a 19-17 victory over the #Chargers in Week 14.

The Kansas City Chiefs earned their twelfth regular-season victory against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football in Week 14 when replacement kicker Matthew Wright nailed a walk-off field goal as time expired in the fourth quarter of the primetime matchup.

The game was hotly contested and ended in with a 19-17 final score in Kansas City’s favor that clinched the Chiefs their ninth consecutive regular-season win.

Kansas City trailed Los Angeles when the Chiefs took possession on the game’s final drive and a masterful series by Patrick Mahomes got Wright in range for an easy chip-in game-winner.

By orchestrating Kansas City’s comeback effort against the Chargers, Mahomes passed Aaron Rodgers for the most victories by a quarterback whose team scores fewer than 20 points.

The experts at Pro Football Network pointed out Mahomes’ accomplishment after the game, saying:

“Including the playoffs, Patrick Mahomes (127 career starts, 10 such wins) now has more victories when his team scores fewer than 20 points than Aaron Rodgers (258, nine such wins).”

Though Chiefs fans would certainly prefer that Kansas City wins games in a more convincing manner, they can rest easy knowing that with Mahomes under center, anything is possible.

Saints fans’ most-searched player stats aren’t for anyone on the roster

Saints fans in Louisiana have spent a lot of time reflecting on the past. Their most-searched player stats aren’t for anyone on the roster:


New Orleans Saints fans in Louisiana have spent a lot of time reflecting on the past, which is easy to understand in a 4-8 season wrecked by injuries to star talents. But their most-searched player stats aren’t for anyone on the roster. Pro Football Network’s researchers found that readers from Louisiana visited the page for Drew Brees more than any other player.

Not Derek Carr. Not Alvin Kamara. Brees received more views on his PFN player stats page than any active Saints players.

Saints fans weren’t the only ones keeping an eye on their former players. New England Patriots fans in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine viewed Tom Brady’s page more frequently than any active Patriots players, too. Chicago Bears fans in Illinois kept tabs on Justin Fields (moreso than Caleb Williams) while Seattle Seahawks faithful in Washington state have been checking on the other Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Russell Wilson. And Tennessee Titans fans have been watching Derrick Henry’s progress with the Baltimore Ravens, too.

But studying this map makes a few things clear. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are faces of the league, while regional favorites like Josh Allen, Jared Goff, Jordan Love, Sam Darnold and Brock Purdy are building strong followings. And it’s a quarterback-driven league. Henry is the only skills position player represented on the map. Finding a talented young passer is key, and the sooner the Saints can find a worthy heir for Brees, the better.

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Five offensive linemen LSU should target in the transfer portal

LSU needs offensive linemen in the transfer portal. Here are five names to know.

The transfer portal officially opened on Monday, and the transfer season is in full swing. LSU football head coach Brian Kelly said the Tigers plan to take an aggressive approach. So far, LSU is living up to its word with several visits lined up.

LSU has a few positions of need. Defensive end and wide receiver are among the biggest, but LSU needs help at safety and offensive line, too.

With [autotag]Garrett Dellinger[/autotag] and [autotag]Miles Frazier[/autotag] moving on, LSU is losing its two veteran guards who have held down LSU’s interior offensive line since Kelly arrived.

LSU has replacements within the program, but even if the Tigers opt for their own prospects, they need to build depth. LSU needs offensive linemen from the portal.

Things are moving fast, so today, we’ll look at five offensive linemen LSU fans should know about. Some of these guys could come right in and compete to start, while others would serve as depth. Let’s jump right in.

Josh Thompson – Northwestern

Thompson is one of the best available linemen in the portal. He broke out with Northwestern in 2024, taking over the starting job at right guard.

He posted a PFF grade of 74.9, which ranked 12th among qualified Big Ten offensive linemen. Thompson didn’t allow a sack all year while playing some of the sport’s toughest competition.

Thompson has two years of eligibility remaining and would be able to start at LSU right away. This is the kind of difference maker LSU needs from the portal.

Patrick Kutas – Arkansas

Kutas missed the majority of 2024 with an injury, playing just four games late in the year and maintaining his redshirt.

After playing right tackle in 2023, Kutas played guard in 2024. That versatility, along with his SEC size and experience, make him one of the top linemen on the market.

LSU’s had some good luck with Arkansas transfers in the past. Could we see the Tigers turn to the well again?

LaJuan Owens – New Mexico

It’s a risk taking offensive linemen from the G5 level, but Owens may have the goods.

He’s a four-star transfer per On3 and weighs over 300 pounds. That gives him the size to play guard in the SEC. He’s originally from Texas and has several years of eligibility remaining.

Owens was a left tackle in 2024 but could follow a similar path to Miles Frazier, who started as a tackle on the G5 level before playing guard at LSU.

Tyler Mercer – North Texas

Mercer claimed the Mean Green’s starting center job in 2024 and didn’t look back. He posted an 80.0 pass block grade and didn’t allow a sack. On3 considers him a four-star transfer, which means something for linemen potentially jumping from the G5.

Mercer can play center and guard. Again, LSU can use that versatility, especially someone who can play center. Mercer has multiple years of eligibility remaining.

TJ Shanahan – Texas A&M

LSU was involved in Shanahan’s recruitment in high school, but A&M won out for the four-star prospect. Shanahan made five stars and appeared in nine games with the Aggies in 2024. He’ll be a redshirt sophomore in 2025, giving him multiple years of eligibility.

Coming out of high school, Rivals ranked Shanahan as the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the class. He struggled in 2024, but he can play guard and center and has room to develop.