Month: January 2021

Cowboys News: New year, who’s this? A playoff hopeful prepping for a finale

A preview of the Cowboys-Giants pivotal Week 17 matchup, a rookie review, Kellen Moore’s future in Dallas in jeopardy, and more.

The Dallas Cowboys are about to face the New York Giants and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for the potential right at a playoff berth, could there be a more fitting end to the 2020 season? Cowboys fans will have to hold their nose and root for the Eagles this week, as Dallas needs Philadelphia to defeat Washington to have any chance of the postseason. The Cowboys and Giants are the first NFC East matchup on Sunday at noon, with the fate-deciding Philadelphia-Washington game starting at 3:25 pm.

The Cowboys season hasn’t gone nearly as the club planned, but here they are in a position to possibly extend their season. In some ways the year is ending as it began, with the Cowboys 2020 draft class garnering tons of attention. The recent draft class of Lamb, Diggs, and Gallimore are not only living up to the hype, they are exceeding it. Dallas will need their rookies to step up once again in this loser-goes-home Week 17 battle. Plus, could the Cowboys really lose offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to his alma mater, Boise State? Happy New Year, Cowboys Nation.

Tennessee signee suffers ruptured ACL injury

Tennessee Vols’ football recruiting news.

The football early signing period took place Dec. 16-18.

On the first day of the early signing period, tight end Trinity Bell signed with the Vols.

The 6-foot-7, 260-pound tight end is from Albertville High School in Albertville, Alabama. He also plays basketball.

On Monday, Bell suffered a ruptured ACL and will miss the rest of the 2021 season.

Bell committed to the Vols on May 22. He chose Tennessee over Auburn.

He and Miles Campbell are tight ends that signed in the Vols’ 2021 signing class.

University of Tennessee’s early signing period tracker

University of Tennessee’s 2021 commitment tracker

University of Tennessee’s 2022 commitment tracker

Fab Four: Selecting Tennessee football’s Mount Rushmore of all-time recruits

Byron Jones dishes on what makes Dolphins defense mesh

Byron Jones dishes on what makes Dolphins defense mesh

The Miami Dolphins are on the cusp of something completely unprecedented. With one game left to play, the Dolphins’ defense is tops in the league in points allowed per game — leading the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams by a half a point per game or less. It’s going to come right down to the wire for who the NFL’s top scoring defense is in 2020 — but if it is Miami, it will mean the Dolphins have gone from worst to first in scoring defense in just one offseason.

That’s an incredible feat and a testament to the investments made into the group by Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Brian Flores. Additionally, defensive coordinator Josh Boyer has been excellent this season for Miami in helping to pull everything together.

But from the inside point of view, what are some of the reasons why this defense works so well together? One of Miami’s high-priced free agents additions of 2020, cornerback Byron Jones, spoke with NFL Network’s ‘Good Morning Football’ earlier this week and shared his perspective.

“When you look at our defense, I’d say about 60 to 70 percent of the guys on our defense are new. They’re new to the Miami Dolphins this year. And I think a lot of credit goes to the front office and the coaches in terms of what players and types of players they’re looking for and the type of character,” said Jones.

“Like I said, a lot of us didn’t play together last year. A lot of us were on different teams but when you have the right group of guys come in and really take this seriously and understand the challenge ahead people gel pretty quickly.”

All of that inexperience together showed up early on with the Dolphins allowing 217 rushing yards in a Week 1 loss to New England and 31 points in two of the next three weeks in losses to Buffalo and Seattle. In the 11 games since, the Dolphins are 9-2 and allowing just 16.9 points per game over those 11 games — and that includes 33 conceded to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14. Perhaps that is the most exciting dynamic of all for the Dolphins; they’re doing all of this with no annual continuity; so imagine what this group will look like together in Year 2 of all the same starters together.

Fantasy football owners, Saints fans donate $21K to charity after Alvin Kamara’s six-TD game

This is the best.

It’s always a terrific story when fantasy football owners take some of their winnings and donate them to a player’s charity in gratitude for a big game — remember all the money given to Todd Gurley’s charity in 2017?

Here’s the latest edition of this heart-warming story: after Alvin Kamara’s monster six-touchdown game in Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings, both Saints fans and fantasy owners gave money to Son of a Saint, which — per its site — provides “mentorship, education, recreation, camaraderie, cultural enrichment, emotional support and [helps] to fill the void for dozens of fatherless young men in New Orleans.”

According to ESPN, the organization has received $21,000 and counting from some 400 donors.

Here’s what Kamara had to say, from that ESPN story:

“People, they’re strong about this fantasy football throughout the whole year. … I don’t want to even echo some of the stuff that they’ve messaged and tweeted, stuff like that. But it’s good to see people keep their word and they’re willing to donate,” Kamara said. “I don’t know how much you play fantasy football for; I’ve never played it. … But it’s going to a good organization. I’m just blessed to be able to help Son of a Saint at the same time.”

This is so great and should continue to be an annual fantasy tradition.

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Ravens poached P Johnny Townsend from Chiefs’ practice squad

Johnny Townsend will be the starting punter for the Ravens in Week 17.

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The Baltimore Ravens have poached punter Johnny Townsend from the Kansas City Chiefs— not to be confused with starting punter and his brother Tommy Townsend.

The Ravens found themselves in a pickle when veteran punter Sam Koch was required to go on the reserve/COVID-19 list due to an inconclusive test. That means that Koch would be unable to play in Week 17 and with Baltimore still competing for a playoff berth, they needed a quick solution.

According to the NFL’s official transaction report on Thursday, Johnny Townsend was that quick solution for the Ravens. The Chiefs had signed the older Townsend brother to the practice squad in the middle of November. It was a move that they made with the situation that Baltimore is currently going through in mind. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub explained that the expanded practice squad allowed them the luxury of carrying an extra specialist if something were to happen to Tommy or even Harrison Butker.

Now the Chiefs are vulnerable in that area if a player needed to go on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The good news is that they now have another free roster spot available on the practice squad and they’ll likely bring in some new players, specialists or otherwise to fill that vacant spot.

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Titans vs. Texans predictions: NFL experts make Week 17 picks

Do any experts see the Texans pulling off an upset over the Titans in Week 17?

The Tennessee Titans will head to NRG Stadium in Week 17 to take on their division rival, the Houston Texans, in a game that has playoff implications for the Titans.

With a win, the Titans will clinch their first AFC South crown since the 2008 season, but the Texans have an opportunity to play spoilers, as a win could not only stop Tennessee from securing the division, but also making the playoffs altogether.

This is the second meeting between these two teams this season. In the first contest, the Titans needed a touchdown late in regulation to send the game to overtime where they eventually sealed the win, 42-36.

As you’d expect, the 10-5 Titans (-7.5) are sizable road favorites over the 4-11 Texans for this game, but are NFL experts from different media outlets rolling mostly with Tennessee or Houston?

Find out now as we compile picks to see where they stand for this Week 17 showdown.

Childhood Bears fan Cole Kmet hated the Packers growing up

There’s a certain hatred of the Packers that comes with being a Bears fan. Just ask rookie TE Cole Kmet, who grew up in Chicago.

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There’s a certain hatred of the Green Bay Packers that comes with being a Chicago Bears fans. Not only are the two teams the oldest rivalry in the league, but it stems from Green Bay’s dominance over Chicago for the better part of the last couple of decades.

You don’t need to tell that to Bears rookie tight end Cole Kmet, who grew up a Bears fan and knows that hatred well. When asked if he hated Green Bay growing up, Kmet all but confirmed it. Because, of course he did. He’s a Bears fan.

“There was no green or yellow growing up in my house,” Kmet told reporters Thursday. “Let’s just put it that way.”

It’s been difficult being a Bears fan in this rivalry for the last couple of decades. Since 1992, Green Bay is 43-15 against Chicago. But if you want to focus on the last decade, the Packers are 20-4 against the Bears since 2009.

For Kmet, playing for his favorite team certainly makes the rivalry even more real. Now, he plays a part in it. And if the Bears can find a way to shock the world with a win over the Packers to lock up a postseason berth, Kmet can say he had a hand in it.

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Vols’ projected 2021 defensive depth chart 1.0

Tennessee Vols’ projected 2021 defensive depth chart 1.0.

Tennessee (3-7, 3-7 SEC) concluded the 2020 10-game, SEC-only regular season Dec. 19.

The Vols accepted an invitation to play West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl, but did not take part due to COVID-19 concerns.

Ahead of spring practices and the 2021 season slated to kick off Sept. 4 against Bowling Green at Neyland Stadium, Vols Wire takes a look at Tennessee’s projected defensive depth chart.

Projections are based off returning players, early signing period signees and 2020 seniors that can compete with an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic.

NEXT: Tennessee’s 2021 defensive depth chart projection

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Colts are now 14-point favorites vs. Jaguars in Week 17

Colts remain massive favorites over the Jaguars.

The Indianapolis Colts (10-5) opened the week with the biggest spread in the league as they host the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-14) to end the regular season, and it seems it will stay that way entering the weekend.

Though they opened as 15-point favorites, the Colts will be entering the weekend as 14-point favorites over their division-mates for the regular-season final on Sunday, per BetMGM.

The total has remained the same at 49.5 points as has the Colts’ MoneyLine at -1100.

(Courtesy of BetMGM)

The line likely shifted slightly following the news about left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing ankle surgery.

Still, the Colts should be expected to win this game. They did drop the first meeting between these two teams in Week 1, but they’ve gone in opposite directions since then. The Colts are fighting for a playoff spot while the Jaguars have secured the No. 1 overall pick and likely the quarterback of their future in Trevor Lawrence.

The Colts will need some help to get into the playoffs this weekend, but they have to take care of business on Sunday when they host the Jaguars.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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