Former NFL QB Josh McCown on Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ early-season miscues

Former NFL QB Josh McCown shared his thoughts on #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ early-season struggles. | from @EdEastonJr

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The start to the 2021 season for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes caught the attention of fans, critics, and former NFL players. Mahomes’ odd start has been over-analyzed to the highest degree from spectators, but what do former quarterbacks have to say about his struggles?

Josh McCown played 18 seasons in the NFL for 12 different teams at quarterback, with 76 career starts in that span. Recently McCown appeared as a guest on the “Upon Further Review” podcast with Zach Brook” sharing his thoughts on Mahomes’ sloppy start and suggestions to fix issues.

”I think Pat, just continue to tighten up and play good football in the pocket,” said McCown. ”You don’t have to go out there and, and do Pat Mahomes things every game, just go be Pat Mahomes. You know, I think the biggest difference is, you cannot go out there. And that, you know, you scrambling and kind of those things aren’t plans like that, that’s not a game plan. And I’m gonna run around and just, you know, over time, that’s not sustainable.”

McCown was a third-round pick in 2002 and has played in multiple systems in his career. He last played for the Houston Texans in 2020, and at 42 years old, he is still an eligible free agent, not officially retired.

“What we’ve seen, and what we see from the dude down in Tampa, that’s 44 years old (Tom Brady), is sit back there from the pocket and make throws, sit back there and make throws execute, and let the other things be icing on the cake,” McCown said. “I think coming out of the year watching Alex Smith play. He was more in that we highlighted all those other things, all the cool Patrick Mahomes things, but he was more in that vein. And as those things became more highlights, they became more kind of what he was trying to do all the time. It seems like this last week, you know, to me, they rein him back in, the footwork was tighter playing from the pocket playing on schedule, the rhythm of the passing game was tighter, and you got a better output. So I think that’s where he needs to live. You know, that’s, that’s what we’ve seen over time that is sustainable is making those from pocket, and he can do that. It’s not like a guy who needs to run around because he can’t do it. He can stand back there and like every throw in the book, and then some, so I would encourage him to continue to do that.”

Mahomes was electric on Sunday night against the Las Vegas Raiders, completing 35-of-50 passes for over 400 yards and five touchdowns. He proved he’s still playing at an MVP level. He will continue to be in the spotlight of critics every time there is a miscue but can silence them with more impressive performances.

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Lions become a meme on third-and-long

The Lions average less than 2 air yards on passes on 3rd-and-10 or more, leading to a meme-worthy graph

By now the Lions offense and its anemic approach to third-down passing is well-chronicled. This is an offense that had 19 straight third-down pass attempts intended to targets short of the required yardage to pick up the conversion, after all.

But how do they stack up against the rest of the NFL? Is it really that bad, or are other teams also having the same sort of limp offerings on third down?

A data scientist, Dr. Brad Congelio, brings us the answer. Using play data from nflfastr, Congelio measured the average passing target distance for every offense on third down and at least 10 yards to go for the conversion.

The graphic below highlights just how far behind the rest of the NFL the Lions offense is in those situations. Not only do they have the lowest passing success rate (2 for 24, per NFLGSIS), the distance of the average target is the lowest in the league. The Lions aren’t even averaging half the target distance of the 31st-ranked team in that metric, the Houston Texans.

A result that far off the axis of NFL normalcy doesn’t happen by accident. Detroit isn’t well-equipped to convert those situations between offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, quarterback Jared Goff, and an underwhelming receiving corps. Alas, the data shows they’re not even trying.

Lynn’s offense deserves the “do something” meme Congelio inserted into the graphic.

Premier Golf League CEO Andy Gardiner joins No Laying Up to discuss league format, issues facing pro golf

“We want to make golf as watchable as possible.”

One of the first players Andy Gardiner spoke with about the Premier Golf League was Rory McIlroy.

“I was explaining the concept and at the time he was at the view that actually this is probably what golf needs. Now that was some time ago and he’s entitled to change his opinion but had Rory said to me, ‘Andy that’s rubbish,’ I’d have probably stopped,” Gardiner said to No Laying Up’s Chris Solomon. “So on we went.”

The CEO of the Premier Golf League – separate from the recently announced LIV Golf venture backed by Saudi Arabia and led by Greg Norman – joined No Laying Up for an in-depth, two-and-a-half-hour episode which covers the league’s format and relationship with the PGA Tour as well as the greater issues facing professional golf today.

Rory on the PGL: “I don’t see why anyone would be for it”

“The original notion was always to work with the PGA Tour, believe it or not. Some might call that incredibly naïve but it remains our strong desire,” said Gardiner. “Our earliest documentation set out the desire to work with the PGA Tour and the view that once the format was understood, we couldn’t see any reason why collaboration couldn’t be achievable.”

The format: 12 teams of four players will compete in an 18-event season from January-August with team and individual championships running parallel throughout the season.

There will also be a 13th team – owned by the league’s foundation but run by third parties – where fans can pick three wildcard players each week. A max of 51 players means no cut, with 54 holes being played over three days.

“We want to make golf as watchable as possible,” said Gardiner.

The regular season is the first 17 events, after which the individual champion is crowned. Then it’s time for the playoffs, a $20 million winner-take-all finale. Each regular-season event is worth $20 million in total, with $4 million going to the winner and $150,000 to last place.

For more on the creation of the league, listen to the full episode here.

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Donald Cerrone announces combat jiu-jitsu match vs. grappling standout Craig Jones

“Cowboy” Cerrone announces he’ll face grappling standout Craig Jones in combat jiu-jitsu on Dec. 19.

[autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] returns to action this winter, but it won’t be in the cage.

The UFC veteran announced on his YouTube channel that he will compete against grappling star Craig Jones in a combat jiu-jitsu superfight at the 2021 Combat Jiu-Jitsu Worlds. The event is set to go down on Dec. 19 at Plaza De Toros in Cancun, Mexico.

The 2021 Combat Jiu-Jitsu Worlds also features a 16-man featherweight tournament. Combat jiu-jitsu is similar to regular no-gi jiu-jitsu, but competitors are allowed to throw open-hand strikes once the match goes to the ground.

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Cerrone (36-16 MMA, 23-13 UFC) was last seen in action back in May at UFC on ESPN 24 where he suffered a first-round TKO loss to Alex Morono at welterweight. “Cowboy” is no stranger to competing in grappling. In December 2020, he submitted former UFC champion Rafael Dos Anjos at Chael Sonnen’s Submission Underground. Cerrone is a jiu-jitsu black belt.

Meanwhile, Jones is also a jiu-jitsu black belt. He’s worked extensively with John Danaher, as he was a big part of the famous Danaher Death Squad before it was dismantled this summer. He’s a multiple-time IBJJF world championship medalist and 2019 ADCC runner up.

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6 adjustments the Jets defense needs to make

The Jets have the worst defense in the NFL. Here are six ways New York can attempt to change that.

The Jets have the worst defense in the NFL.

That’s a statement many didn’t expect to hear after New York hired former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh last offseason. But it’s true. New York ranks last in points and yards allowed heading into Week 11. The Jets gave up at least 45 points for the third time this season when they fell to the Bills in Week 10, and they’ve allowed at least 30 points in their past four games. The Jets have also given up at least 400 yards of offense in five of their nine games under Jeff Ulbrich.

Here, we’ll break down some adjustments the Jets defense needs to make in the final eight games of the 2021 season.

Sean McVay discusses how Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller played in Rams debuts

Sean McVay spoke about how he thought Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller performed in their debuts for the Rams in Week 10.

Fans of the Los Angeles Rams got their first glimpse at Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller in their new threads in Week 10. Even though both of them played limited snaps – especially Beckham – Sean McVay was pleased with their efforts on Monday night versus the San Francisco 49ers.

“I think Von did a nice job. You could see him kind of feeling his way around, and he made some plays, and you could definitely feel his presence. I think for Odell to even be able to get out there and line up is a real credit to him. We didn’t even have one full-speed practice with him,” McVay said. “So, these next 12 days will be really important to get him implemented, get him up to speed, and figure out a plan of attack to maximize our offensive players, and to play better than the way that we have these last couple of weeks. That’s where my focus and concentration will be over the next few days.”

After being traded to the Rams ahead of the trade deadline, Miller was unable to suit up in Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans due to a pre-existing ankle injury. He was able to log 66% of the defensive snaps in Week 10, recording three combined tackles as the 49ers did a spectacular job taking him out of his element by running the football often.

For Beckham, the former Pro Bowl wideout hasn’t had a chance to go through a full practice with the team yet after signing with them late in the week. Beckham finished with two receptions for 18 yards on three targets, including a catch on the very first play of the game.

Over the course of the bye week, McVay understands this is a perfect opportunity for the Rams to get Beckham and Miller more up to speed with the rest of the team. We’ll get a better glimpse of how both of them will be utilized when Los Angeles squares off with the Green Bay Packers in Week 12.

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Everyone wants a piece of Conor McGregor in 2022. Just take a look.

Conor McGregor has been called out by a plethora of fighters while he recovers from a broken leg, but who will he face?

[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is never short of options when it comes to his next fight.

The Irish superstar, who’s currently recovering from a broken leg, continues to get called out on what feels like a daily basis. Although McGregor hasn’t competed since his TKO doctor stoppage loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July, that hasn’t stopped him from verbally sparring with various fighters.

Although McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) certainly isn’t enjoying his best career run at the moment (he’s 1-3 since 2018), the former UFC two-division champion remains the sport’s biggest star and most lucrative draw.

McGregor is determined as ever to make a comeback and prove the doubters wrong after his gruesome injury, but who will he fight when he comes back? Well, “The Notorious” has plenty of willing opponents ready to meet him in 2022.

Check out the fighters who have recently called out McGregor below.

Bengals who could play a bigger role during second half of season

Who steps up to finish the season?

The Cincinnati Bengals came out of the gates hot and had a shot at the AFC’s top seed, yet now leave the bye about as flat as it gets.

One of the big reasons? An apparent struggle to adapt, mix it up and keep innovating on both sides of the football. Other teams saw the film and adjusted.

Coming out of the bye, one way to fix this sort of issue is to change things up and get bigger showings from different names. Here are a few players who could have bigger roles in the coming weeks.

Drew Brees admires this particular aspect of the Patriots offense

Drew Brees is impressed with the preparation the New England pages put into each week

Another week, another game plan for the New England Patriots. The versatility that the organization brings each week is something that has caught the attention of many.

Speaking on Football Night in America Sunday, Drew Brees talked about New England’s ability to adapt for each opponent. A good example of this would be New England’s game plan against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mac Jones struggled for most of the first half, which forced the Patriots to run the football.

In the second half, things begin to open up for Jones, he would throw for 217 yards on the day, despite his early-game struggles. The ability to adapt each and every week, as well as in-game is something Brees is impressed with.

“That’s what I love about them, probably more so than any team: You talk about being so game-plan specific on both sides of the ball, offense and defense,” Brees said Sunday on NBC’s “Football Night in America, via NESN.com’s Adam London. “Some teams just go out there and, ‘Hey, we’re gonna run what we run.’ But truly each and every week, on offense and defense, they’re gonna have something specific to win that game. You’ve watched it display these last four weeks.”

With New England getting ready to face the Atlanta Falcons Thursday, it will be intriguing to see what the game plan will look like for Thursday.

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Cardinals unsuccessfully tried to sign Chiefs QB Shane Buechele

The move suggests that either they expect to have Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy miss practice time or that they are ready to move on from Chris Streveler.

The Arizona Cardinals are having to manage injuries at the quarterback position this week. Starter Kyler Murray has an ankle injury that kept him out of the last two games. He has a chance to play this week, although “it will be close,” according to head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Backup Colt McCoy suffered a pec injury on Sunday but should be okay to play if needed, although we don’t know how the injury will impact practice reps.

That only leaves Chris Streveler as the only healthy quarterback.

The Cardinals tried, and failed, to sign another quarterback, which some might see as a red flag.

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, they attempted to sign quarterback Shane Buechele from the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad. He would have been signed to the Cardinals’ active roster. However, the Chiefs signed him to their roster so not to lose him.

What does the attempted signing mean?

Well, a simple answer is that they are being proactive. If Murray and McCoy are unable to practice Wednesday, that would leave Streveler as the only quarterback to get reps. He would have to take all the practice reps with the offense and then take all the reps on the scout team offense so the defense gets work.

The Cardinals did not have any other quarterbacks come in for workouts on Tuesday, per the NFL transaction report, so Buechele could have been viewed as someone to replace Streveler.

It didn’t happen, so ultimately it doesn’t matter, but it does raise concerns about the availability of Murray and McCoy as the team prepares for a divisional showdown in the road against the Seattle Seahawks this week.

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