Category: Game Preview

Todd Monken says it’s time to payback the Steelers

Baltimore Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson has struggled, at times, versus the Steel Curtain defense.

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken hopes that Sunday’s game against their archrivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, will bring some payback for his team.

“We owe them one,” Monken said, in reference to the 17-10 loss to the Steelers in October of 2023.

“We didn’t play very good on the road [game]. Gave that away.”

While the specific reason may be hard to discern, Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson has struggled, at times, against the Steel Curtain defense.

Jackson is only 1-3 against the Steelers, and he’s thrown seven interceptions versus four touchdown passes against the intra-division rivals. Against every other team in the league that he’s faced more than once, Lamar has tossed more TDs than INTs, so it’s hard to understand what’s going on here.

Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP who just tied the record (held by Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger) for games with a perfect passer rating. He’s feeling it right now, and this could be the time he bucks the trend and helps bring Monken his payback.

If there is one thing that Jackson has done this season, it’s take care of the football. He has only thrown two interceptions this season and none in his last 136 passes, the third-longest active streak in the NFL.

Ravens’ biggest X-factor player for Week 11 matchup with Steelers

Roger Rosengarten is Ravens biggest X-Factor in game vs. Steelers

Baltimore and Pittsburgh are set to meet on Sunday in one of the weekend’s biggest games. In one of the NFL’s fiercest rivalries, 26 of the last 32 Ravens-Steelers games have been one-score affairs, including the past eight contests.

Since John Harbaugh’s first season as head coach in 2008, 18 Ravens-Steelers games have been decided by three or fewer points.

Sunday’s matchup should be no different, and the game’s biggest and most crucial matchup will feature Steelers All-Pro pass rusher matching up against Ravens rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten.

Watt ranks among the top 8 active players in sacks (5th), tackles for loss (8th), QB hits (4th), forced fumbles (2nd), fumble recoveries (4th) and strip sacks (2nd). Watt’s 19.0 sacks led the NFL in 2023. He is the first player in League history to lead the NFL in sacks three times (2020, 2021 and 2023).

Since allowing a sack to the Chiefs’ Chris Jones on his first snap, Rosengarten has allowed just two more sacks in his 278 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He’s coming off one of the season’s highest pass protection grades against the Bengals on Thursday night.

Rosengarten won’t indeed be a Raven until he defeats the Steelers, and Sunday offers that first opportunity.

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Ravens safety doesn’t travel with team, ruled out for game vs. Steelers in Week 11

Baltimore Ravens safety Eddie Jackson to miss game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11 for personal reasons

The Ravens will face the Steelers in Week 11, and backup safety Eddie Jackson (non-injury-related) will not travel to Pittsburgh with the team and has been ruled out for tomorrow’s game.

The Ravens’ 32nd-ranked secondary will have Kyle Hamilton in the lineup but no Arthur Maulet against a Pittsburgh offense that has averaged more than 30 points per game over the past three weeks since Russell Wilson took over as the starter.

After starting in Cleveland in Week 8, Jackson was a healthy scratch in Week 9 and played a season-low 16 snaps in Week 10.

Beau Brade could replace him in the lineup. Marcus Williams, Hamilton, and Ar’Darius Washington will be the three starting safeties.

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Tom Brady continues heaping praise on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson

Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady continues to heap praise on Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens drafted quarterback Lamar Jackson in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Ever since, he has gone on to become one of the best quarterbacks the league has ever seen, evolving his game each year.

One of the legendary quarterbacks who has always had Jackson’s back is Tom Brady, who had massive success in the NFL. Brady gave out awards for Week 10’s action, and Jackson earned praise for his performance against the Bengals.

Jackson is well on his way to winning his third MVP and has had an unforgettable season so far. The respect he’s earned across the league spans far and wide, but Brady has always been in his corner.

Commanders announce seven inactives at Eagles

The Commanders have seven inactive players for Thursday night’s matchup with the Eagles, thus elevating players from the practice squad.

The Washington Commanders, in preparation for their matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday, released their final list of inactive players ahead of kickoff. There are seven Commanders who will be unavailable for tonight’s game:

 

  • LB Dominque Hampton: A rookie drafted in the 5th round; Hampton hasn’t been active yet in 2024.
  • K Austin Seibert: Seibert will miss his second consecutive game with a hip injury.
  • QB Jeff Driskel: This is the seventh consecutive game Driskel is inactive. He is however the designated emergency quarterback if two quarterbacks are injured today. He was active when Marcus Mariota was on injured reserve.
  • CB Marshon Lattimore: Lattimore injured a hamstring while still with the Saints and missed his final game as a Saint. Missing the first two with Washington, he has now missed three consecutive games.
  • RB Chris Rodriguez: Without Rodriguez, the Commanders seriously need Brian Robinson to remain healthy throughout tonight’s game.
  • LB Nick Bellore: This is the third game this season Bellore has been inactive.
  • Chris Paul: Paul was inactive the first seven games, then active for three games (Bears, Giants, Steelers), and tonight is again inactive vs the Eagles.

The Commanders also announced they have elevated K Zane Gonzalez from the Practice Squad to replace K Austin Seibert.

Finally, the team announced they have elevated DE Efe Obada from the practice squad. The Commanders initially released Obada after the trade for CB Marshon Lattimore, but they immediately re-signed him to the practice squad.

Eagles elevate TE CJ Uzomah from practice squad for game vs. Commanders

The Philadelphia Eagles elevated tight end C.J. Uzomah ffrom the practice squad for the Thursday night game against the Washington Commanders

The Eagles announced on Thursday that they have elevated tight end C.J. Uzomah from the practice squad for tonight’s game against the Washington Commanders.

The move was made after Philadelphia waived Jack Stoll to make room on the roster for Jordan Mailata.

Uzomah will be the third tight end behind Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra. This will be Uzomah’s first regular season game with the Eagles after spending time on and off the active roster after signing with the team in free agency.

A fifth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2015 NFL Draft, the ten-year veteran has 192 catches for 1,881 yards and 16 touchdowns in 106 career regular-season games (82 starts) with the Bengals and the Jets. Uzomah was initially signed by the Eagles as a free agent in April and rejoined the team on the practice squad in October.

The Eagles will announce their gameday inactive list at 6:45 PM.

Eagles schedule: Is Philadelphia playing today?

Are the Philadelphia Eagles playing today? Here’s a look at the schedule and the games to come. 

Will the Eagles be on the field today to open up the Week 11 slate of games on the NFL schedule?

Philadelphia is home on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field for an intriguing NFC East matchup against the Washington Commanders that could provide offensive fireworks for Nick Sirianni’s squad.

The Eagles are 7-2 and have won five straight games after defeating the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Week 10.

Eagles 2024 schedule

Week Date Opponent Time (ET)
1 September 6 vs. Packers 8:15 PM* W 34-29
2 September 16 vs. Falcons 8:15 PM* L 22-21
3 September 22 @ Saints 1 PM W 15-12
4 September 29 @ Buccaneers 1 PM L 33-16
5 October 6 Bye Week
6 October 13 vs. Browns 1 PM W 20-16
7 October 20 @ Giants 1 PM W 28-3
8 October 27 @ Bengals 4:25 PM W 37-17
9 November 3 vs. Jaguars 8:20 PM* W 28-23
10 November 10 @ Cowboys 4:25 PM W 34-6
11 November 14: vs. Commanders 8:15 PM* Tickets
12 November 24 @ Rams 8:20 PM* Tickets
13 December 1 @ Ravens 4:25 PM Tickets
14 December 8 vs. Panthers 1 PM Tickets
15 December 15 vs. Steelers 4:25 PM Tickets
16 December 22 @ Commanders 1 PM Tickets
17 December 29 vs. Cowboys 4:25 PM Tickets
18 January 4 or 5 vs. Giants TBD Tickets

*prime-time game

Record: 7-2

Dan Quinn announces Commanders’ captains vs Eagles

The Eagles will see a familiar face as one of the Commanders’ captains.

Dan Quinn Wednesday named his captains for Thursday night’s Commanders game in Philadelphia.

The game is big, as the Eagles (7-2) host the Commanders (7-3) from Lincoln Financial Field.

As has been Quinn’s custom this season, he named three captains, one each for offense, defense, and special teams.

Talking with the press, Quinn announced the Week 11 captains would be TE Zach Ertz and CB Mike Sainristil, and on special teams, it will be RB Jeremy McNichols, whom Quinn has been heard to call “J-Mack.”

“And all these guys, man, they bring a lot to our team in lots of different ways and standards and competing. And so we’re all pumped to see these guys get this up.”

Ertz is the second-leading receiver for the Commanders this season, with 37 receptions for 381 yards and one receiving touchdown. More importantly, Ertz has 19 receptions, which have converted 19 first downs.

McNichols has filled in nicely for Brian Robinson when Robinson has been ailing with knee and hamstring issues. McNichols has four rushing touchdowns and 190 yards on 38 carries for a 5.0 yards per carry average.

Sainristil has shown flexibility and adaptability when playing both slot and outside corner. The rookie from NCAA champion Michigan recorded the first Commanders’ interception of 2024 against the Ravens.

 

What did Jahan Dotson say about Commanders and Dan Quinn?

What did former Washington first-round pick Jahan Dotson say about his former team?

Jahan Dotson was the object of much criticism during Commanders’ training camp.

He was traded to the Eagles, and for the next three or four days, the main topic on DC Sports radio was body language and its importance in team building.

The biggest surprise was that GM Adam Peters traded Dotson to the NFC East divisional rival Philadelphia Eagles. Peters was heavily criticized for trading Dotson within the division.

However, Dotson has not (yet) had a productive season through nine Eagles games. He has eight receptions for 98 yards and no touchdowns in his nine Eagles games.

When Dotson was asked about Thursday’s opponent, the Commanders, how did he respond?

“You have a great coached team, a great leader of men,” Dotson said of Quinn. “If you can implement the right kind of mindset and the right kind of culture, you can do a lot of great things, and that’s a kudos to coach Dan Quinn. He’s doing a fantastic job. He knows how to grab the room and … he makes it very easy for people to listen to him and do what he asks.”

Being traded by Quinn before he had even completed a single training camp, one might expect much different comments. But apparently, after spending his first two seasons with Ron Rivera and his second one with Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, Dotson was apparently very impressed with Quinn’s coaching and leadership.

What did Dotson have to say about his former Washington teammates? “They have some fantastic players over there and they’re putting their players in some good positions to make plays.”

Credit to Dotson here. He could have taken a shot or two at the new coaching staff that kicked him out the door. However, he took the time to be honest and give credit where it was due.

After all, Dotson played on that 4-13, weak, noncompetitive team that finished next to last in the NFL, earning the No. 2 overall draft pick.

Dotson knows how much worse it was last year; he lived it.

DeVonta Smith injury update: Will Eagles WR play vs. Commanders?

Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is dealing with a hamstring injury and was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice

The Eagles released their final injury report for the week, and star wide receiver DeVonta Smith was a limited participant with a hamstring injury.

Smith wasn’t listed as questionable and should start against Washington on Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football.

One of the NFL’s healthier teams just got healthier with the news that Jordan Mailata would return to the lineup after being activated off injured reserve.

It’s an estimated injury report, but if the Eagles practiced today, Nakobe Dean (groin), Darius Slay (ankle), Bryce Huff (wrist), and Dallas Goedert (ankle) would have all been full participants.

Marshon Lattimore, acquired from the Saints at the trade deadline, will have to wait until after the mini-bye to make his Washington debut. Lattimore has been ruled out.

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