Greg Ward to have an increased role in Eagles’ offense moving forward

Greg Ward to have an increased role in Eagles’ offense moving forward

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The Philadelphia Eagles will need to find out if Greg Ward can be successful running another route besides an out-pattern, but the former college quarterback has definitely earned an increased role moving forward.

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On Wednesday, head coach, Doug Pederson confirmed as much while addressing the media.

Ward has been a mainstay on the Eagles practice squad for a couple of years now, and after this latest call up to the active roster, he made the most of his opportunities. Ward caught six passes for 40 yards on seven targets and eclipsed JJ Arcega-Whitesides season totals in the first half of the Eagles loss to Seattle.

His quickness and shiftiness in the slot should provide Carson Wentz with another valuable weapon moving forward.

49ers can clinch playoff spot in Week 13

The 49ers can clinch a playoff spot in Week 13.

The 49ers could finish Week 13 at the No. 5 seed in the NFC. They could also clinch a playoff spot.

The Rams are the last-remaining five-loss team in the NFC and they’re sitting at the No. 7 seed, one spot out of the playoffs, so they’re the only team that matters most to the 49ers in this clinching scenario. They’re in Arizona to face the 3-7-1 Cardinals. A loss would push them to 6-6, making 10-6 their best possible finish. The 49ers clinched a 10-6 record last week by moving to 10-1 with a victory over the Packers. They could get their clinching 11th win this week in Baltimore.

Here are the 49ers’ clinching scenarios:

49ers win + Rams loss or tie
49ers tie + Rams loss

This essentially sets up a scenario where a 49ers win and a Rams loss clinches a playoff spot for San Francisco the rest of the way.

The Rams visit Levi’s Stadium in Week 16, but if things go right for San Francisco, they’ll have wrapped up a playoff spot long before then.

UT News: November 27, 2019

UT News: November 27, 2019

We have reached the middle of the week — and also the day before Thanksgiving — which means football is in the air, as the Volunteers gear up for their final regular-season game against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Vols have been on a roll in the athletics realm, but they have also excelled in the classroom as well. Speaking of doing well, the Lady Vols basketball team continues to roll along after defeating the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions last night, and their coach had a few things to say about the hot start. The hottest of them all might be quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, but let us discuss the academic accolades first.

Record four Vols make academic all-district team

The Tennessee Volunteers have scored big in the classroom, with four football players earning CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team honors — the most among Power 5 programs.

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Brandon Kennedy, redshirt junior offensive lineman Ryan Johnson, junior defensive lineman Matthew Butler and sophomore punter/kicker Paxton Brooks were selected by CoSIDA in District 3 this month for their combined excellence both in athletics and academics. The four are also eligible for Academic All-American honors as well.

Johnson received his second consecutive selection — only the third Vol ever to earn the feat, with Parker Henry and Peyton Manning being the only other two. Overall, Tennessee now has 32 all-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

NEXT: Coach Harper breaks the Lady Vols down

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Who are Three Defensive Players to Watch when Wisconsin Travels to Minnesota?

Badgers who could play an important role in Wisconsin’s success against Minnesota. Zack Baun OLB, Chris Orr ILB, Eric Burrell S

Here are three defensive players for the Badgers who could play an important role in Wisconsin’s success against Minnesota:

1. Zack Baun, OLB

Baun who was named a finalist for the Butkus Award this week, which is given to the best linebacker in the country each year is going to need to bring his A-game against Minnesota. Baun on the season has been able to consistently disrupt opposing offenses as his 16 tackles for loss leads the team while his 9.5 sacks ranks second. Baun will need to help slow down Minnesota’s rushing attack as the Gophers are averaging 207.6 rushing yards over Big Ten play. But the Gophers are allowing 5.5 tackles for loss per game. If Baun can continue to add to his tackles for loss numbers it will help force Minnesota to consistently pick up long third downs.

2. Chris Orr, ILB

Orr and Baun have formed one of the best linebacker tandems in college football this year. Orr has been able to supply pressure up the middle while Baun has been able to do it on the outside. Orr entering this season only had 2.5 career sacks but Orr’s ability to get in the backfield and pressure the quarterback has been impressive. Considering Orr has registered a sack in six of Wisconsin’s eight conference games. With Orr averaging 1.13 sacks over Big Ten play he’ll be counted on to try and create pressure against Tanner Morgan. Minnesota is only giving up 1.8 sacks over conference play but Orr will need to try and hurry up Morgan’s decision making if he can’t register a sack.

3. Eric Burrell, S

Wisconsin’s secondary will certainly get a test against Minnesota’s wide receiver as they’ll be tasked with trying to slow down Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman. Johnson leads the two in both receptions (49) and receiving yards (786) over Big Ten play but Bateman’s eight receiving touchdowns over Big Ten play ranks first. Burrell won’t directly line up across from either of them but he’ll play an important role in assisting Wisconsin’s corners by trying to slow them down by limiting their yards after the catch. Burrell on the year has registered 39 tackles and has picked off three passes and has broken up three passes as he has been one of Wisconsin’s more consistent members of the secondary. That consistency will need to continue as the Badgers have given up the big play in the passing game over the last three games. Wisconsin can’t afford to do that against Minnesota as Burrell could be the last line of defense to make sure Minnesota can’t create the chunk play against Wisconsin’s secondary.

Kyoji Horiguchi relinquishes Bellator bantamweight title due to knee injury

Kyoji Horiguchi no longer is a Bellator champion after relinquishing the bantamweight title due to injury.

[autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] no longer is a Bellator champion.

The Japanese fighter has relinquished his Bellator bantamweight title after suffering an injury that will require surgery and will keep him away from competition for the foreseeable future. Bellator announced the news Wednesday.

Horiguchi (28-3) also vacated his Rizin bantamweight title earlier this month for the same reason. According to Rizin officials, Horiguchi is expected to be out for 10 months.

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“I feel terrible for Kyoji about the injury he suffered to his knee, but in the true spirit of martial arts and being a true champion, he has elected to vacate his title and allow the division to move forward in his absence,” Bellator president Scott Coker stated. “After fully healing, we plan to give Kyoji an immediate title shot.”

The 29-year-old Horiguchi won the Bellator 135-pound title in June with a win over Darrion Caldwell at Bellator 222. He also picked up the Rizin belt by defeating Caldwell in December 2018. Horiguchi didn’t defend either title. The only two bouts he was in after becoming champ were non-title fights.

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Report: Steelers teammates agreed it was time for Duck

Report: Steelers teammates agreed it was time for Duck

According to ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler, players withing the Pittsburgh Steelers organization were on board with the idea of Devlin Hodges as the starting quarterback even before head coach Mike Tomlin made the announcement he was benching Mason Rudolph in favor of Hodges for this week’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

The real key for Hodges over Rudolph seems to be his confidence. Rudolph didn’t look like himself against the Browns two weeks ago and he did look like himself last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hodges might not be a superior talent over Rudolph but he comes in confident and with the confidence of his teammates.

According to Fowler, the Steelers’ defense believes it can win games as long as the offense takes care of the football. Right now, if you had to guess which quarterback is less likely to give it back to the other team, you’d have to go with Hodges. But this holds true for the entire offense. After Benny Snell Jr. had such a big game last week Tomlin pointed out his ball security was a big reason the team kept going back to him over other backs on the roster.

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Who are Three Offensive Players to Watch when Wisconsin Travels to Minnesota?

Who are three offensive players to watch when Wisconsin travels to Minnesota? Jonathan Taylor RB, Jack Coan QB, Quintez Cephus WR

Here are three offensive players for the Badgers who could play an important role in Wisconsin’s success against Minnesota this weekend:

1. Jonathan Taylor, RB

Can Taylor rush for at least 200 yards for a fourth straight game? Taylor will certainly have a challenge against Minnesota’s rush defense, which is allowing conference opponents to average 126 yards a game. In two previous games against the Gophers Taylor has averaged 134.5 yards and has scored one touchdown. Although Taylor will have to work for each yard he gains against Minnesota he has had success against tough run defenses this year. Considering in Wisconsin’s Big Ten opener against Michigan Taylor rushed for 203 yards and the Wolverines over Big Ten play are allowing 106.4 rushing yards per game.

2. Jack Coan, QB

Coan was able to put together an efficient game at the quarterback position for Wisconsin in their win over Purdue. Outside of him throwing his fourth interception on the season against the Boilermakers he completed 78.9 percent (15-for-19) of his passes and had two touchdowns. Although Coan’s interception number is low he has thrown three of his four interceptions in the last five games. Coan will need to be sound in his decision making considering the Gophers have picked off 11 passes over Big Ten play and Antoine Winfield has been responsible for six of them.

3. Quintez Cephus, WR

Cephus continues to string together consistent performances from the wide receiver position as over the last three games he has caught a combined 13 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Cephus has been Wisconsin’s most consistent wide receiver as he leads the team in receptions (40), receiving yards (606), and touchdowns (five). Cephus’ consistency has allowed him to help Wisconsin sustain drives an area that will need to continue against Minnesota. Wisconsin can rely on its running game to try and set up third and shorts. But ultimately Wisconsin will also need to be able to sustain drives through the passing game and Cephus will play an important role in this area.

Remembering Sean Taylor 12 years after his untimely death

Sean Taylor was murdered 12 years ago today, so we look back on what made him one of the most dynamic players in NFL history.

On this fateful day, 12 years ago, the Washington Redskins lost one of the best young defenders to ever play the game of football.

On November 27th, 2007, Sean Taylor was murdered while trying to protect his family from armed robbers.

In his 24 years on Earth, Taylor had quickly become one of the most entertaining young players in the NFL, and he racked up 12 interceptions and nearly 300 tackles in his four years with the Washington Redskins. Though he was prolific on the field, Taylor often struggled off of it, and he was routinely facing legal troubles and fines for conduct detrimental to the team.

His legacy as one of the most dynamic and hardest-hitting safeties lives on to this day.

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Lonzo Ball downgraded to questionable for reunion game with Lakers

After leaving practice early with a stomach virus on Tuesday, Lonzo Ball was downgraded to questionable on Wednesday morning.

After leaving practice early with a stomach virus on Tuesday, Lonzo Ball was downgraded to questionable on Wednesday morning. Ball and the Pelicans are slated to welcome Anthony Davis back to New Orleans for the first time since being dealt to Los Angeles over the summer.

Wednesday’s contest will certainly be the most emotional contest of the season for the Pelicans with Davis’ return set to cause a likely visceral reaction from the fans. Ball’s lack of availability, though, would be a setback for New Orleans.

Ball only recently returned to the lineup with mixed results in recent games. After a strong return against Phoenix, Ball and the entire team struggled against the Clippers in a blowout loss.

Derrick Favors’ absence will also be a big setback for a Pelicans squad that has struggled to defend the rim this season. New Orleans ranks 16th in field goal percentage at the rim while giving up the fourth-most attempts at the rim. The Lakers, meanwhile, attempt the fifth-most shots at the rim and have the second-best percentage.

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Dillian Whyte to fight on Ruiz-Joshua II card in wake of PED scandal

Dillian Whyte will take on Mariusz Wach on the undercard of the Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua rematch, despite his ongoing drug scandal.

Dillian Whyte has been quieter than a church mouse for the past several months but we’ll hear from him soon.

The British heavyweight contender will take on Mariusz Wach on the undercard of the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Anthony Joshua rematch Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia, it was confirmed in a release today. The news comes as Whyte has been embroiled in a PED scandal that has seen him disappear recently from the public eye.

Whyte tested positive for a banned substance before his July 20 fight against Oscar Rivas, in which Whyte survived a ninth round knockdown to win a unanimous decision. The test was administered by UK Anti-Doping.

Whyte’s “A” sample reportedly showed small amounts of epimethandienone and hydroxymethandienone, which are metabolites found in the banned substance Dianabol.

It was revealed afterward that the British Board of Boxing Control, as well as Whyte and his promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, had been notified of the results before the fight while Rivas and his team were kept in the dark. Hearn said he couldn’t share his knowledge of the test results because of confidentiality requirements.

The BBBofC reportedly conducted a hearing before the fight, which included UKAD, and Whyte was cleared to participate in the fight against Rivas without Rivas’ knowledge.

Whyte isn’t the only fighter on the card to have failed a drug test. Wach, Alexander Povetkin (who takes on Michael Hunter) and Eric Molina (who faces Filip Hrgovic) also have tested positive for banned substances.

Ruiz-Joshua II will stream on DAZN.