November 2023 – Page 1545 – Syndication Server

Is T.J. Watt’s injury more serious than Steelers are letting on?

Steelers’ T.J. Watt has been limited in practice since mid-October and, since then, hasn’t produced to his standards.

Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt crept up on the team’s October 19 injury report with a heel injury and, since then, hasn’t quite been the havoc-wreaker we’ve grown accustomed to.

Details on the injury are unknown, but it’s limited him in practice over the past two weeks and likely again in this week’s quick turnaround. In-game, it could be affecting his power and push-off — two critical traits in a pass-rusher’s ability to perform at a high level.

Sure, not every outside linebacker gets a sack every week — but we’re talkin’ T.J. Watt here. This is a guy who was leading the league in sacks early on and was on pace for 34 sacks after just two games in. Of course, there are a myriad of other ways a player can make an impact beyond sacks, and Watt has with two defended passes and a near pick-six. But it’s interesting to note that Watt has only had .5 since suffering the heel injury.

Watt and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett are now neck-and-neck, knotted for third in sacks. Browns fans are cocky enough about Garrett being better than Watt, which stats show to be untrue. Let’s not let this season be one where he gets outshined in the sack department or, worse yet, earns Defensive Player of the Year honors. We’ll never hear the end of it.

Let’s see what he can do against a Tennessee Titans team that is down their starting quarterback in Ryan Tannehill. Rookie Will Levis got the starting nod in Week 8 and took two sacks in his career debut. He also threw four touchdowns and no picks — but that’s something more of a concern for Pittsburgh’s struggling secondary that will be playing without its leader, Minkah Fitzpatrick. Of interest to the D-line unit, there are 21 sacks between the two quarterbacks playing behind an offensive line ranked 30th.

Certainly, a limited Watt is far better than no Watt at all. We’re just glad he’s out there, and the Steelers defense is, too.

This isn’t meant as a criticism, merely an observation. Watt was dominating but has let up on the gas in recent weeks. Maybe, just maybe, the heel injury is a bigger deal than the Pittsburgh Steelers are letting on.

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6 takeaways on Commanders trading Chase Young to 49ers

Some initial thoughts on the Commanders trade of Chase Young to the 49ers.

On Tuesday, the Washington Commanders traded defensive end Chase Young to the San Francisco 49ers. Unfortunately, it was another disappointing ending for the Commanders and a player many considered a “generational prospect.”

Remember late in the 2019 season, when the then-Redskins were playing out the string under interim coach Bill Callahan, and many fans wanted the team to lose just to be in a position to select Young?

That feels so long ago. Ron Rivera took over as head coach in 2020, and Young was his first draft pick. Their first year together had a bit of a storybook ending, as the Commanders, despite a 7-9 record, won the NFC East and took the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the limit in the wild-card game.

That would prove to be the peak of the Rivera era. Now, Young and Montez Sweat are gone, and Rivera could be next.

Here are six takeaways from Young’s trade to the 49ers.

Spartans listed as home underdogs vs. Nebraska

To no surprise, Michigan State football will once again be listed as underdogs this upcoming week

To no surprise, Michigan State football will once again be listed as underdogs this upcoming week.

The Spartans are listed as a 3-point underdog against Nebraska in Saturday’s home conference matchup. This is the final home game of the season for the Spartans and one of their final winnable games.

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Michigan State enters this matchup with the Cornhuskers without a Big Ten win yet this year. The Spartans have dropped six straight games and haven’t picked up a victory since Harlon Barnett took over as the interim coach.

Nebraska is 5-3 on the year and 3-2 in conference play. The Cornhuskers have won three straight games and five of their last six after opening the year 0-2.

Kickoff from Spartan Stadium is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on Fox Sports 1.

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Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on Twitter @RobertBondy5.

Beating the Chiefs was an important moment for Broncos coach Sean Payton

“It was important for us to play well before the bye,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of beating the Chiefs on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 24-9 on Sunday in an upset victory that surprised the NFL world.

It was an important win for the Broncos and new head coach Sean Payton — not because it snapped a 16-game losing streak to KC — but because it was the first step in climbing out of a hole after starting the season with a 2-5 record. Denver now has some positive momentum going into the bye.

“It’s an important game for us,” Payton said after the team’s upset win. “It wasn’t streak-driven. It was important for us to play well before the bye. Getting our third win — we dug ourselves in a hole. Obviously, we’re playing a good team. Honestly, and I told you guys during the week, not once has it [the losing streak] come up. I recognize there are a few players that have gone through that time frame, but when you have a new roster, the focus was really on this game. I thought we did the things you do when you win. We were plus four in the turnover battle. We rushed the ball better than they did.

“I thought we, defensively, did a fantastic job with their offense, and a tough offense. We didn’t have the sack production, but we had a lot of hurries, and I felt like we did a good job of keeping him off-schedule. Offensively, we really felt good coming into this game with our plan. You’re always frustrated because — I felt like it was one of those games where we could score a lot, but I was pleased with how we ran the ball. We had some big drives. Then in the kicking game, the turnover on that hurried-up punt was big. There were a lot of things to look at that were positive. We’re going to play in bigger games than that, but it is a division game, and I’m glad we won.”

After resting up this week, the Broncos will return to action when they go on the road to face the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 10.

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Falcons DL Kentavius Street assigned jersey number

New Falcons defensive lineman Kentavius Street will wear jersey No. 75 in Atlanta

The Atlanta Falcons acquired some defensive help on Monday, trading for Eagles defensive lineman Kentavius Street. With Grady Jarrett out for the season, the team will look to Street to provide some much-needed depth up front.

Street has experience playing for Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen from when the two were with the New Orleans Saints in 2022. According to the team’s official website, Street will wear the No. 75 in Atlanta.

The Falcons have also reportedly signed defensive lineman Travis Bell off the Chicago Bears’ practice squad. Check out the team’s updated 53-man roster arranged by jersey number going into Sunday’s Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

UPDATED Falcons 53-man roster by jersey number entering Week 9 https://t.co/QEMSoZxXsR

— The Falcons Wire (@TheFalconsWire) October 31, 2023

Atlanta has released a new depth chart for Week 9, but the team won’t name a starting quarterback until Wednesday afternoon. The Vikings will start rookie quarterback Jaren Hall in place of Kirk Cousins, who tore his Achilles in Week 8.

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Breaking down Kristaps Porzingis play with the Boston Celtics

Defensively, Porzingis has impressed with his rim protection and his ability to keep up with faster, smaller players.

Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis has made a promising start to his career with the Boston Celtics, impressing with his on-court performances in his first few games of the NBA’s 2023-24 season. His pick-and-roll ability, off-ball movement, shooting skills, and defensive focus have all been highlighted in recent contests, as well as his impressive chemistry with new teammate Jrue Holiday.

Defensively, Porzingis has impressed with his rim protection and his ability to keep up with faster, smaller players. His shot-blocking ability has also been a highlight of his performances. Porzingis has also shown his ability to take advantage of mismatches and exploit smaller defenders.

Despite some minor areas for improvement, Porzingis’ start with the Celtics has been very promising.

To hear an in-depth deep dive into his game since arriving in Boston, take a look at the breakdown from the folks behind the “Rik Knows Hoops” YouTube channel.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Texas A&M’s defense is out to prove that last year’s loss to Ole Miss was simply based on inexperience

After last years defensive debacle vs. Ole Miss, Texas A&M’s defense is ready for the challenge in a rematch with the Rebels this weekend.

Texas A&M (5-3, 3-2 SEC) will face, yes, its toughest challenge yet this season, facing the 11th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday for yet another true SEC road matchup for an early 11:00 a.m CT. Kickoff.

Going back to last year’s 31-28 prime-time loss to Ole Miss at Kyle Field, lingering memories of Rebel players stepping on the A&M logo in taunting fashion, coupled with head coach Lane Kiffin accusing Aggie safety Bryce Anderson of faking an injury, Texas A&M’s defense, who allowed over 200-plus rushing yards to Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, is out for some much-anticipated revenge.

This time around, junior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper is playing at an All-SEC level. In contrast, sophomore defensive tackle Walter Nolen and junior pass rusher Fadil Diggs all helped lead the Aggies’ dominant pass rush, including their impressive 13th-ranked run defense.

On Monday, star defensive end Shemar Turner sat down with the media to provide insight on how the Aggies, who now have a bevy of experience after last season’s struggles, will defend Judkins this time around, as Kiffin’s offense depends on a balanced attack to gain early momentum.

“He’s a great running back… Not letting him get too hot, not letting him too comfortable running the ball outside the tackles like he did last year.”

While Judkins remains the focal point defensively, Turner knows that Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart was an absolute nightmare on the ground, scrambling for 95 yards in combination with his three touchdown passes through the air.

“I feel like he is one of those harder ones to bring down, but I don’t think he’s harder to bring down than KJ Jefferson. Getting KJ down is tough. He’s elusive, and he makes guys miss… Getting more than one guy on him is going to be big.”

Texas A&M’s 9th-ranked defense is built in the trenches, leading the county in sacks with 33, just 26 away from breaking their single-season record. Despite the Aggies’ 14th-ranked passing defense, defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin is still experimenting with his cornerback rotation, which may or may not become a liability vs. the Ole Miss passing attack.

However, Jaxson Dart thrives in Kiffin’s up-tempo offense. Still, if the Aggies can pressure the pocket early and often to rattle his confidence, Turner is confident the defense can find their footing for four consistent quarters.

“That is a really good team at Ole Miss. It will be a difficult task, but I don’t think there is an offense that we can’t handle in the country. Slowing down the tempo is going to be a key factor in stopping that offense.”

Texas A&M will now travel to Oxford (MS) to face the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, Nov. 4, where the game will again air on ESPN at 11:00 a.m. CT.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Big Ten football Class of 2024 recruiting rankings at start of November

Let’s check in with an updated look at the Big Ten Class of 2024 rankings with one month remaining in the regular season.

The early signing period for college football is approaching quickly. It will officially be here next month, if you can believe it! As the college football schedule moves into November with the final game of the regular season on the way, teams across the nation are battling for bowl eligibility, division and conference championships, and spots in the College Football Playoff. Big Ten schools, both current and future members, continue to do well on the recruiting trail as we inch closer to seeing the results of the current recruiting cycle’s efforts pay off.

As we like to do at the start of every month, it’s time once again to check in on the current state of the Class of 2024 recruiting classes for each Big Ten member effective in 2024 (to include Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington) and see how they compare against each other and the nation. Ohio State continues to hold the top spot in the recruiting rankings and Penn State has slipped a spot in favor of an incoming Big Ten school.

All recruiting ranking information is based on the 247Sports composite rankings as of Wednesday, Nov. 1. The change in the rankings is based on our last look at the recruiting class rankings compiled in October. These rankings include the four incoming Big Ten members — Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington — as they will be in the conference in 2024.

Trade candidates for the Sixers following the James Harden trade

The James Harden trade saga has ended precisely four months since he opted in and requested a trade. Coincidentally, this is also the same time of year he was traded from Oklahoma City to Houston 11 years ago. He’s now been moved so many times, the …

The James Harden trade saga has ended precisely four months since he opted in and requested a trade. Coincidentally, this is also the same time of year he was traded from Oklahoma City to Houston 11 years ago. He’s now been moved so many times, the first trade can’t just be referred to as “The Harden trade” anymore.

The Sixers are now projected to generate $56 million in 2024 cap space after offloading PJ Tucker‘s $11 million for next season. This projection factors in them renouncing all cap holds except for Tyrese Maxey’s $13 million hold. This would allow them to spend $56 million and then go over the cap to re-sign Maxey for up to the maximum. They could also keep De’Anthony Melton’s $15.2 million hold and still have $42 million in room.

While the cap space route sounds promising, it is currently a backup plan. The Sixers will do everything they can to improve the roster now and maximize their title odds for Joel Embiid every season, including this one. Expect them to pursue players that complement the roster and fit long-term between now and the trade deadline. Taking care of their business now could also be more advantageous for team building.

For example, the Sixers would need to renounce Tobias Harris’ Bird rights to utilize cap space next summer. But if they acquire players they desire primarily using expiring contracts of players they don’t plan on re-signing, that would negate the need for cap space. They could then re-sign such players with Bird rights like Harris and potentially pursue others with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

They can now offer up to three first-round picks, four second-round picks, and three first-round pick swaps in trades. According to Wojnarowski, the Sixers believe they have enough assets to offer a package comparable to what the Celtics traded for Jrue Holiday. That makes sense considering Holiday was traded for two first-round picks and Robert Williams III, who has the value of at least one first-round pick.

We’re only a week into the regular season and it’s far too early to tell which players will become available for trade. The Sixers should be able to match salaries for just about any player with their several large expiring contracts. Here are some players that could get linked to them in the coming months.