Month: October 2021

New Orleans Saints Week 8 game recap: Everything we know about 35-27 thriller

New Orleans Saints Week 8 game recap: Everything we know

[mm-video type=video id=01fkc4mkcxvynv2yjze7 playlist_id=01eqbyahgz6p2j3xp7 player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fkc4mkcxvynv2yjze7/01fkc4mkcxvynv2yjze7-773dde5861ee371ba425c79dde234b32.jpg]

That might have been the game of the year. The New Orleans Saints improved to 5-2 with a stunning upset of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home in the Caesars Superdome — and they did it largely without Jameis Winston. That’s enough window dressing. Let’s get to it:

NFL Week 8 Awards: DK Metcalf getting flagged for hugging the goalpost was so lame

The good, the bad, and the hilarious from Sunday’s NFL action.

Sunday’s NFL action began with a number of players wearing some awesome Halloween costumes to work and then continued with some more wild things once the games began.

I mean, did anyone see the Jets and their backup QB beating the Bengals in a shootout?

Or what about the Saints beating Tom Brady and the Bucs with their backup QB playing most of the game after Jameis Winston left with an injury?

Or what about the Jaguars looking really bad in Seattle? Just kidding, we all could have seen that coming. The Jaguars are a bad team with a bad coach, duh.

Let’s take a look back at the good, the bad, and the hilarious from Sunday.

It’s time to hand out some awards!

The Patriots didn’t get the best version of Mac Jones in Week 8, but it didn’t matter

It was a team effort on Sunday, as Mac Jones struggled to find his way.

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=C7icdu5HuM-1590707-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

Despite the New England Patriots’ 27-24 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, quarterback Mac Jones did not have his best game.

He went 18 of 35 (51%) on the afternoon, throwing for 217 yards with no touchdowns or no interceptions. After starting off the game quickly, including a 44-yard deep strike to Nelson Agholor, Jones went through a stretch that saw him go seven-of-17 through the air.

With Jones struggling, the running game proved to be the centerpiece on the offense. Damien Harris led all rushers with 23 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown. In total, New England recorded 39 carries for 142 yards on the ground.

With the ground game churning, New England simplified their offense in the second half in the best way. New England shifted to a run-based offense, and chewed away at the Chargers. That allowed for Jones to gain his confidence after a bout of inaccuracy in the second quarter. It also allowed for play-action passing to open up. This gave Jones a bit more time to throw against a Los Angeles defensive front that was pressuring him all afternoon.

New England’s last major drive of the fourth quarter exemplified this. It was a 14-play 54-yard drive that took 6:56 off the clock. Rhamondre Stevenson and Harris helped pace the drive in the running game, while key catches by Agholor and Jakobi Meyers helped extend it.

The drive itself was a masterclass in how to drain the clock. It also tied together all of the elements that made New England successful despite Jones’ struggles. The runs made the downs and distances more manageable. The key catches came in crucial moments that helped Jones succeed. He wasn’t in the spotlight. He didn’t need to be.

This game was a team effort in the truest sense of the phrase, and brought back old-school football in a day and age of big plays and quick scores.

[lawrence-related id=113998]

Instant analysis: Broncos outlast Washington, 17-10

Denver takes down Washington, 17-10, in another game of missed opportunities for WFT’s offense.

The Denver Broncos outlasted the Washington Football Team, 17-10, on Sunday in a matchup of struggling teams.

The game was scoreless in the first quarter, and the team’s traded field goals in the second quarter. Finally, the Broncos put a touchdown on the scoreboard just before halftime.

Washington’s defense kept it in the game, until late in the third quarter when quarterback Taylor Heinicke found wide receiver DeAndre Carter for a 20-yard touchdown to tie the game. It was the perfect ending to an outstanding drive by Washington, which featured the perfect mix of running and passing.

The Broncos would answer in the fourth quarter, giving them what felt like an insurmountable 17-10 lead.

But Heinicke and the Washington offense moved the ball down the field again, with running back J.D. McKissic doing plenty of the heavy lifting. Wide receiver Dax Milne also made a key 21-yard reception on the drive.

With a first-and-10 at the Denver 11-yard line, Washington’s offense fell apart again. A three-yard pass to Antonio Gibson on first down was followed by a wide receiver screen to Terry McLaurin. The play wasn’t blocked up as the other receivers were running their routes.

Then, Heinicke was sacked on third down, followed by what was essentially a hail mary from the 20-yard line which was intercepted by Denver safety Justin Simmons.

Amazingly, instead of just taking a knee, the Broncos did some bizarre things with the football. Rookie running back Javonte Williams fumbled but the Broncos recovered. Then, Denver quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw an incomplete pass. On third down, Broncos running back Melvin Gordon fumbled and Washington would get the ball deep in Denver territory with two timeouts remaining.

As is the norm, Washington’s offense failed in the red zone, preserving an ugly win for the Broncos.

Heinicke had some moments in the game, but he failed on Washington’s final two drives, and that’s what people will remember — and rightfully so.

The loss drops Washington to 2-6. The team is on a bye next week and then returns to FedEx Field for a Week 10 meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

 

MMA celebrates Halloween: Amanda Nunes as Aladdin, Max Holloway as Demon Slayer, more

Check out the best social media posts from fighters and other members of the MMA community on Halloween 2021.

Today is Halloween, and plenty of fighters and other MMA notables are embracing the opportunity to dress up and celebrate the holiday.

Costumes from the past five years set the bar quite high, but the challenge was certainly met with all kinds of creative costumes.

Check below for the top Halloween costumes shared on social media.

 

Titans’ winners and losers from Week 8 victory over Colts

A.J. Brown and Randy Bullock were the biggest winners from the Titans’ Week 8 victory.

It wasn’t pretty but the Tennessee Titans managed to escape Lucas Oil Stadium with a 34-31 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8.

Tennessee shot itself in the foot on multiple occasions with penalties and turnovers, and they didn’t get any help from officials, who made some bad calls along the way.  Making matters worse, Derrick Henry was stifled the entire game.

However, the Titans came up with some big plays on both sides of the ball when it mattered most en route to what is arguably their biggest win of the 2021 campaign thus far.

With the victory, the Titans own a three-game lead over the Colts in the AFC South and have the head-to-head tie-breaker wrapped up. Furthermore, the Titans sit alone atop the AFC at 6-2.

Now, we take a look at all of the winners, losers and those in between following the Titans’ overtime win over the Colts on Sunday.

Twitter reacts to Chargers’ loss to Patriots

What the general population thought of the Chargers’ Week 8 loss to the Patriots.

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=jTzT2ouCcn-1590722-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

Fresh off their bye, many thought the Chargers made the necessary changes after the blowout loss to the Ravens when they took the field against the Patriots.

After trading touchdowns early on, the same mistakes continued to bite the Bolts, with those being lack of early-down execution, the run defense, punt coverage unit, dropped passes, and penalties.

Furthermore, quarterback Justin Herbert was not at his best for the second straight week, as he was held a completion percentage of nearly 50 and was picked off twice.

With that said, here’s a look at how the general population reacted following Los Angeles’ 27-24 loss to New England:

8 takeaways from the Patriots’ outstanding win over the Chargers in Week 8

The Patriots’ picked up their first quality win of the season. Are they playoff contenders?

The New England Patriots made a real statement in Week 8. It wasn’t the statement they made last week as they ran up the score on the New York Jets. That amounted to an unemphatic: We don’t stink. But in the Patriots’ 27-23 win over the Chargers in L.A., New England proved it can compete for the playoffs. The Chargers, behind quarterback Justin Herbert, look like legitimate contenders in a wide-open AFC. But, now, so do the Patriots.

The Chargers fought until the end, with a late touchdown (that Bill Belichick won’t love). But the Patriots got the W. They’re 4-4.

Belichick proved New England is legit. It will have contests against the Carolina Panthers (4-4) and the Cleveland Browns (4-4) over the next two weeks. If the Patriots want to carve a road to the playoffs, they will continue with wins against mediocre teams like their upcoming opponents. But more on that next week. Let’s dive into takeaways from this game.

P.J. Williams with pick six of Tom Brady to seal Saints’ win over Bucs

P.J. Williams of the Saints with a pick six of Tom Brady to seal the New Orleans victory

Tom Brady got away with one as he tried to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a game-winning drive over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in the Big East.

The GOAT wasn’t as fortunate on the next play and it turned into a New Orleans Saints touchdown.

After missing Mike Evans with a pass that looked like it could have been intercepted, Brady threw another pass and it wound up in the arms of Saints’ DB P.J. Williams.

Williams took off with the ball and ran 40 yards to paydirt as New Orleans picked up a key 36-27 victory in an NFC South clash.

The Saints improved to 5-2 and the Bucs fell to 6-2.

Game stream: Detroit Pistons vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Detroit Pistons (1-4) play against the Brooklyn Nets (3-3) at Barclays Center Game Time: 7:30 PM EDT on Sunday October 31, 2021 Detroit Pistons 0, Brooklyn Nets 0 (7:30 pm ET) What’s the buzz on Twitter? Rod Beard @ detnewsRodBeard Happy Sunday …

The Detroit Pistons (1-4) play against the Brooklyn Nets (3-3) at Barclays Center

Game Time: 7:30 PM EDT on Sunday October 31, 2021

Detroit Pistons 0, Brooklyn Nets 0 (7:30 pm ET)

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
Happy Sunday from the BK, where the #Pistons are going for their first two-face win streak since Feb. 14. pic.twitter.com/bAHtESNcIK – 7:31 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Greetings from Barclays Center and happy Halloween. I’m dressed as a reporter. Nets-Pistons tip shortly. Curious to see how Cade Cunningham looks and what the frontcourt rotation is without Claxton and Millsap. Any Day’Ron Sharpe? Updates to follow. – 7:30 PM
Sarah Kustok @sarahkustok
Halloween Hoops! Join us for @Brooklyn Nets v @Detroit Pistons on @YESNetwork #NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/RJSidSIhzZ – 7:28 PM

James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
Pistons starters are Hayes, Diallo, Bey, Grant and Stewart – 7:23 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
The Monday Drive: Patience needed as #Pistons’ Cade Cunningham works his way back from ankle injury: https://t.co/TZTx07hRlH pic.twitter.com/UIXOQ42rXF – 7:22 PM

Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons starters tonight at #Nets: Hayes, Diallo, Bey, Grant and Stewart.
BKN starters: Harden, Harris, Brown, Durant and Griffin.
#DFS – 7:14 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets starters vs. Detroit: Harden, Harris, Durant, Brown and Griffin. – 7:03 PM
Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Things To L👀k Out For In The Nets vs Pistons Game:
▪️Blake Griffin has only drained one three so far this season.
▪️Rookie Cade Cunningham will look to bounce back after going 1-for-8 in his debut yesterday.
▪️Kyrie Irving & Nic Claxton are out for Brooklyn. – 7:01 PM
Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
The Brooklyn Nets Starters vs. the Pistons:
◽️James Harden
◽️Bruce Brown
◽️Joe Harris
◽️Kevin Durant
◽️Blake Griffin – 7:01 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Nets rolling with the same starters: Blake Griffin, Bruce Brown, Kevin Durant, Joe Harris and James Harden. – 7:01 PM
James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
Pistons fans are acting like Game 82 is tonight. Cade has an entire season ahead of him lol – 6:39 PM
Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofa
Casey on Isaiah Stewart facing Blake Griffin tonight: “I know Isaiah has a lot of respect for Blake, as we all do … I don’t expect anything other than good, clean hard play between the both of them.” – 6:16 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Dwane Casey on Kelly Olynyk/Isaiah Stewart: “One gives you a lot of offense, and the other gives you everything else.” – 6:13 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Dwane Casey on managing young players’ moods: “It’s very important, especially with this group.” – 6:10 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Dwane Casey on Saddiq Bey: “He’s a pro, a steady-Eddie. You know what you’re going to get out of him every night.” – 6:09 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Dwane Casey says the short-term plan is for Cade Cunningham not to play back-to-backs. – 6:09 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Dwane Casey on Cade Cunningham’s rust: The game sped up for him, and I’m just thankful he didn’t get frustrated and kept his head and tried to fight through it.” – 6:08 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Steve Nash on Nic Claxton: “Its just an illness, but it’s nothing major, nothing that we’re really overly concerned with. It’s just a little more severe illness than we thought initially. He’s gonna miss a little bit of time.” #Nets – 6:07 PM
James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
The plan isn’t for Cade Cunningham to be off on B2B. Just for now, with him just returning. – 6:07 PM
Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofa
Dwane Casey on Cade Cunningham missing the second half of the back-to-back: “On the back-to-back, just coming back after being off a month, it was a prudent thing to do just because we don’t want to risk him re-injuring it.” – 6:07 PM
James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
Dwane Casey said it was planned to have Cade Cunningham him off tonight. “We don’t want to risk him re-injuring it. He got through last night, so we’re going to see what he looks like tomorrow.” – 6:07 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Dwane Casey on Cade Cunningham being out: “That was the original plan. Coming off a back-to-back after not playing for a month, that was the prudent thing to do.” – 6:06 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Dwane Casey, joking on what he likes about Trey Lyles: “He’s been in the league over three years.” – 6:06 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Steve Nash asked by @Greg Logan about working the refs against the Pacers, which led to Harden shooting 17 more free throws afterward. “I can be very convincing Greg.” Then goes onto explain in great detail his problem and what he sought to clarify. – 5:56 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Steve Nash said Nic Claxton could miss 7-to-10 days. Asked if his conversation w/ the refs impacted James Harden subsequently getting 19 free throws that night, he quipped “I can be very convincing.” #Nets #NBA – 5:56 PM
Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Nic Claxton will be sidelined for a while according to Steve Nash. Nash said Claxton isn’t feeling well. – 5:55 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Steve Nash said “Nic (Claxton) is going to be out a little bit…A little more severe illness than we thought.” #Nets – 5:53 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Nash says James Harden is ‘trending in the right direction.”
Adds Nic Claxton (illness) won’t be back “in the next week to 10 days. It’s a little more severe illness than we thought originally, and he’s going to miss a little bit of time.” – 5:53 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Steve Nash says Nic Claxton is going to be out “a little bit.” Said he’s not feeling well, but nothing to be concerned about. Expects him out for a week to 10 days. Wonder if Claxton joins the Nets on the road. – 5:53 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Steve Nash says Nic Claxton could be out for a week to 10 days because his illness is more serious than the Nets anticipated. – 5:53 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Steve Nash on Blake Griffin:
“Everyone goes through their moments where they struggle to shoot the ball….He happens to be going through a cold stretch to start the year.” – 5:52 PM
Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
Steve Nash on Joe Harris,
“We all know he’s a shooter. He brings a l out to our team by just being on the floor — He’s just such a willing defender.” – 5:50 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Steve Nash has no intention of moving struggling Blake Griffin out of the starting lineup and inserting surging LaMarcus Aldridge. #Nets – 5:50 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Steve Nash says he’s not considering a role change for Blake Griffin at center despite his poor shooting and LaMarcus Aldridge’s production. – 5:50 PM
Ajayi Browne @ajayibrowne
“Defensively they’re going to be really tough.”
⁃Steve Nash on the Detroit Pistons. – 5:48 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Nets coach Steve Nash on the #Pistons: “They’re well coached, they play really hard and they protect the paint. Defensively, they’re going to be really tough.” – 5:48 PM
Matt Dery @DerySpeaks
Postgame POD. Embarrassing performance at home drops the #Lions to 0-8. What was that? #FirstListen. OCT 31. Locked On Lions – Daily Podcast On The Detroit Lions https://t.co/r8dijCmZRe pic.twitter.com/h6XjAcPotP – 5:05 PM

Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
Cade Cunningham on fellow rookies Mobley, Green, Barnes: “My class is full of big-time talent. So I think it kind of motivates me more to be more of myself. I’m used to us pushing each other to be better. Now I’m excited to get my chance to do my thing.” yhoo.it/3jSJ9iC – 4:07 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
I’m in Brooklyn, and was watching the #Lions game in the background.
Fox switched to 49ers-Bears — in the middle of 3Q — instead of broadcasting that mess.
That’s a TV version of #StartWriting – 3:09 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2007, #NBA75 member Kevin Durant scored 18 points in his NBA debut with the Sonics.
Excluding ABA veterans, Durant is the only player since the merger to score at least 17 points in each of his first seven NBA games. pic.twitter.com/GnWUO55Tob – 3:01 PM

Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
Mills sacked for the 3rd time in the last 4 snaps. Punting time again for the #Texans – 2:47 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Texans opening drive of 2nd half:
near INT for Ramsey
Phillips runs for 2
Mills sacked
punt – 2:37 PM
James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
As expected, Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham is OUT tonight against Brooklyn. Detroit played last night. It was Cade’s first game after missing all of preseason with an ankle injury. – 2:31 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
Mills to Collins over the middle, who goes down intentionally & #Texans get the clock stopped w/ 1 second left (now 2 seconds left.) They attempt a 45yd FG. – 2:20 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
Mills picked off again at the sidelines. Looking for Cooks who thought it was overthrown, uncatchable — but hands to face penalty on the defense. #Texans have it at the 42yd line w/ :05 til halftime. – 2:18 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
Trick play from the #Texans offense.
No treat since Burkhead wisely chose not to throw back to Mills who was being defended in the backfield on what looked like it was intended to be a downfield pass from Mills after he could get it back from Burkhead. – 1:59 PM
Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
Are the Eagles improving, or is Detroit this god awful? – 1:57 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
Mills scrambles to his left, looking for Amendola at the sideline, it’s picked off by Ernest Jones & returned to the 12yd line. #Texans already down 10-0. – 1:50 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
With 8:51 left in the 1st half, #Texans QB Davis Mills has zero incompletions, he’s 5-5 passing. Yet, the Texans have just 1 first down in the game. They have zero plays over 10 yards, the Rams have 8 plays of over 10 yards. Texans trail 10-0 to the Rams. – 1:45 PM
Omari Sanfoka II @omarisankofa
Cade Cunningham (right ankle injury management) is out tonight on the second night of back-to-back – 1:43 PM
Rod Beard @detnewsRodBeard
#Pistons Cade Cunningham will not play in the second game of the back-to-back tonight at #Nets. – 1:39 PM