It’s Week 14 of the NFL season and Lorenzo’s Locks is back. Carrying a 26-13 betting record into the week, Lorenzo focuses on Tennessee Titans vs. Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
Guice was impressive to the naked eye last week, but his advanced stats paint an even prettier picture.
In his third game back from injury, Derrius Guice passed the eye-test in Sunday’s victory over the Carolina Panthers, running for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 10 carries.
Those stats are highly impressive, but they get even better when you throw in some advanced numbers that have been released, helping to paint the picture of exactly what Guice was able to accomplish on Sunday.
Spent the least average time behind the line of scrimmage of all NFL running backs, at just 2.51 seconds.
Saw a stacked box on 60 percent of his carries, second-most in the NFL.
Was the most north/south runner at 1.81 yards ran/rush yard gained.
All of those combined helped the second-year running back put together the best game of his career by far, and it helped the Redskins notch their second-consecutive victory.
If it wasn’t clear before, it should be clearer now — Guice has the potential to be an All-Pro runner not far down the line.
The New England Patriots have one practice left in preparation for Week 14, and yet they have no kicker on their roster for Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
On Thursday, the Patriots practiced sans-kicker, according to reporters on the scene. The team was also without center Ted Karras and defensive tackle Byron Cowart.
Karras left the Patriots’ Week 13 loss to the Houston Texans with a knee injury. He is expected to miss multiple weeks, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. That will thrust reserve center James Ferentz into the role.
Patriots had seven players limited in practice on Wednesday: Ja’Whaun Bentley (knee), Marcus Cannon (illness), Patrick Chung (heel), Julian Edelman (shoulder), Jason McCourty (groin), Mohamed Sanu (ankle) and John Simon (elbow). The Patriots will provide an injury report for Thursday’s practice in the afternoon.
The Super Bowl is the biggest spectacle in sports, from the pre-game hype to the parties to the annual traditions that fans have around it to the halftime show to, well, the game itself.
But how many facts do you know about the NFL’s annual AFC vs. NFC championship game? You might have some of these already at your fingertips. But others? These will be perfect to drop at your next Super Bowl party — that is, if you have time between eating, watching the game and commenting on the commercials.
Here are 13 fun Super Bowl facts we came up with:
1. Why it’s called the “Super Bowl”
The timing of when the AFC-NFC title game got its name is slightly disputed, but the legend is Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt coined it based off the “super ball” toy his daughter and son played with.
2. A total of 12 teams have never won a Super Bowl
That list includes: the Browns, Lions, Jaguars, Texans, Chagers, Titans, Cardinals, Panthers, Falcons, Bengals, Bills and Vikings. Of that group, the Browns, Lions, Jaguars and Texans have never made it to the big game in their existence.
3. There’s only one starting quarterback who has won a Super Bowl title with two different teams
And his name is Peyton Manning.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
4. Only one man has been named MVP for the losing team
And his name is Chuck Howley. The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V, but Howley (two interceptions) was voted most valuable player.
“Lamar Hunt is also credited for introducing Roman numerals to keep track of the championship title bowls…. Super Bowl V was the first such bowl to be numbered using this system. An excerpt from the NFL media guide explains further:
The Roman numerals were adopted to clarify any confusion that may occur because the NFL Championship Game—the Super Bowl—is played in the year following a chronologically recorded season. Numerals I through IV were added later for the first four Super Bowls.”
10. But Super Bowl 50 used numbers and not an “L”
11. Super Bowl LIII was the lowest scoring Super Bowl in the game’s history
The Patriots beat the Rams 13-3.
12. The game has been played in 10 different states
That would be Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey and Texas.
13. The Vince Lombardi Trophy is a football “mounted in a kicking position”
That’s according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which tells this great story about then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle reaching out to Tiffany and Co. to make the trophy:
The only company he contacted was Tiffany, which brought in the company’s design chief, Oscar Riedener, a native of Switzerland who knew nothing about football. Reidener went to FAO Schwartz and bought a football that he put on his kitchen table. The next morning he grabbed a box of Cornflakes, poured them into a bowl, and stared at the football while eating.
Upon finishing his Cornflakes, he took a pair of scissors, started cutting the empty box, and transformed it into a trophy base atop which the football could sit.
Three Wolverines are set to participate in the elite showcase after their college careers end.
[jwplayer KzMk1HAa-XNcErKyb]
It’s that time of year, when outgoing college football players with eyes on the next level that aren’t first-round NFL Draft locks look for the appropriate showcase for NFL scouts.
In Ann Arbor, we’ve already seen TE Sean McKeon select the Reese’s Senior Bowl as his post-Michigan bowl game showcase of choice, but what about the others?
Well, one Wolverines standout found his destination.
While he might be a household name to Michigan fans, cornerback Lavert Hill might not be quite as well-known nationally. That’s because he’s so rarely targeted, given his proficiency in press-man coverage, that his name often can go games between mentions. However, the two-time All-Big Ten first-team defensive back is looking to improve his draft stock, and has selected the East West Shrine Bowl as his showcase of choice, the game announced on Twitter on Thursday.
Team captain and Wolverines VIPER Khaleke Hudson is set to join him January 18, 2020 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Hudson had a bounce back year at the hybrid linebacker position, finishing with a team-leading 96 tackles, to go along with 3 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Thought McKeon was sticking to just the Reese’s Senior Bowl? Looks like the Wolverines standout TE will be pulling double-duty, participating in the Shrine Bowl in Florida before heading to Mobile, Alabama the following week for the next showcase.
As of now, the maize and blue look to be better represented in the Florida showcase than the Alabama one. However, there’s still plenty of time for the cadre of seniors to select their desired post-collegiate bowl game.
The Shrine Game will air at 3PM EST on January 18, 2020 on NFL Network.
The Houston Texans have dynamic duos, including between quarterback Deshaun Watson and center Nick Martin, who expect to be around for a long time.
From 2008 to 2012, Houston Texans had one of the NFL’s best quarterback-center tandems in Matt Schaub and Chris Myers. Years later, the organization is trying to forge another tandem in quarterback Deshaun Watson and center Nick Martin.
“Nick is like a brother to me,” Watson told reporters on Wednesday. “We have a great relationship.”
While a less-heralded duo compared to one of a quarterback and wide receiver, the one between a quarterback and center needs to be pristine. If the two don’t have a good relationship, an offense can follow.
“If the quarterback and center don’t have that great relationship, there can be a lot of bad things happen for sure, because he controls everybody upfront and as he goes, I go. We’re the only two guys that touch the ball every single play,” said Watson.
We have to be on the same page with the run points, the pass protections, seeing it through the same set of eyes, and teams do different fronts, different disguises, where they can move and things like that. So, if he’s thinking one thing, I’m thinking one thing, I might be thinking I’m picked up, but really I’m hot, I could get hit in the back of the head or something like that.”
Watson and Martin have played together for three seasons. The two are 24 and 26, respectively. The Texans hope they grow together as they usher in a new era for the franchise. In Sept., they signed Martin to a three-year, $33 million extension.
The two have done just that.
“He knows what exactly I’m thinking, what he’s thinking,” said Watson. “On different looks, we meet throughout the week. We go out to eat and all types of stuff. We have a great chemistry and great relationship.”
Watson and Martin’s chemistry has resulted in standout individual seasons for each. Watson’s 105.9 passer rating is a career-high, as his numbers are up across the board. Martin’s 95% Pass Block Win Rate, per ESPN, sits at eighth in the NFL
Next time Martin props up Watson after scoring a touchdown, realize that’s a result of chemistry build over years of playing together.
The New York Giants have signed rookie center Tanner Volson to their practice squad.
The New York Giants have signed center Tanner Volson to their practice squad, replacing offensive lineman Evan Brown, who was signed to the Miami Dolphins’ 53-man roster on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-4, 303-pound Volson signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted rookie following the 2019 NFL Draft, joining his college quarterback, Easton Stick, who was taken in the fifth-round.
Volson spent the entire summer with Los Angeles, but was released as a part of final cuts and has remained free agent since.
Born in Drake, North Dakota, Volson played 9-man football in high school before attending North Dakota State and playing at the FCS level where he dominated.
Tanner Volson North Dakota State Center 6'4" 303 lbs.
▪️78.6 Offense Grade (1st among FBS centers) ▪️81.2 Pass-Block Grade (3rd among FBS centers) ▪️6 QB pressures allowed in 2018 pic.twitter.com/MHMf6MFEhX
Before tonight’s game, we caught up with Cowboys Wire to get the scoop on the Bears’ Week 14 opponent.
The Chicago Bears (6-6) look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive against the Dallas Cowboys (6-6), who are also trying to stay alive as the postseason approaches.
The Bears are coming off a 24-20 comeback victory over the Detroit Lions, in which their offense showed signs of life for the first time this season. The Cowboys, however, had a surprising 26-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving.
Before the game, we caught up with managing editor KD Drummond of Cowboys Wire to get the scoop on the Bears’ Week 14 opponent.
Here are five questions with Cowboys Wire:
Bears Wire: Jason Garrett seems like he’s headed to the chopping block by Jerry Jones. Just how hot is Garrett’s seat right now, and is there any scenario that keeps Garrett in place beyond 2019?
Cowboys Wire: The seat is so hot, there’s really no reason for Garrett to sit down anymore. It’s going to take a miracle run for Garrett to return in 2020, the club is going to have to make it to the NFC Championship and be competitive, at minimum, for him to return. The funny part? This team is capable of doing so. They are bad right now, but they have the talent up and down the roster to be a team no one wants to face in the playoffs. They can win home or away and can score with relative ease when they aren’t shooting themselves in the foot. Finding a way to make that happen down the stretch is, well, a stretch, but it is possible.
BW: Dak Prescott was considered an MVP candidate earlier this season. But these last couple of games he hasn’t played as well. What’s the cause of Prescott’s struggles, and how heavily do the Cowboys need to lean on him as they make a playoff push?
CW: Everyone should throw the game against New England out of their judgment of Prescott’s season. Those weather conditions played the biggest factor in that horrible day, and he deserves a mulligan for that. The interesting thing to come from that game is the performance that followed. He looked completely out of sorts against the Bills, and it raises the question that’s been brought up in the past: How confident is Prescott in his ability? In 2017, when he was attacked relentlessly in a loss to Atlanta where he was sacked eight times, he lost confidence in himself and went on one of the worst runs of quarterbacking in recent memory. This year his confidence has been sky-high, and QB coach Jon Kitna has a lot to do with that. We saw against Buffalo what happens to him when his belief is low. What that looks like in the cold night of Chicago is a huge litmus test.
BW: Dallas’ defense looked lost about QB Josh Allen and Buffalo’s offense last Thursday. How would you assess the play of the Cowboys defense recently? What are their biggest weaknesses, and how might they be able to best the Bears offense?
CW: The Cowboys defense is an enigma, and the biggest issues have been in their back seven. The linebackers haven’t played up to their 2018 standards, and Leighton Vander Esch is missing another game with a neck injury. Jaylon Smith has been bad in coverage, and Sean Lee has looked his age; the brain is still savvy, the body less so. In coverage, Chido Awuzie has been a constant target because he never tries to locate the ball. That’s a sore spot as none of the Cowboys’ secondary players do a good job unless they are coming downhill, but he’s the worst at it. The pass rush will be the key for Dallas, if they can get their four-headed dragon of DeMarcus Lawrence, Robert Quinn, Michael Bennett and Maliek Collins going to pressure and take down Mitchell Trubisky.
BW: The Cowboys have some significant injuries that might impact Thursday’s game, including WR Amari Cooper, LB Leighton Vander Esch and DT Michael Bennett. What are the statuses of those players and the likelihood they’ll be ready for Thursday night?
CW: Cooper and Bennett are going to play, Vander Esch is out. Dallas may also be without change-of-pace RB Tony Pollard, so expect Ezekiel Elliott to get a heavy workload.
BW: What’s your prediction for the game?
CW: I’m not at all confident in it, but I think the Cowboys playing on a full week’s rest can avoid the normal offensive malaise of the Thursday night road team. Cowboys 28, Bears 24
Celtics head coach Brad Steven was the latest to voice his praise for the Nunn as his squad the Heat on Wednesday night.
Miami Heat rookie Kendrick Nunn is off to a tremendous start this season and the undrafted guard from Oakland has earned quite a bit of respect along the way.
Nunn is averaging 15.3 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 21 games played this season for the Heat. He currently ranks third in rookie scoring average, second in field goals and is tied for first in 3-pointers.
Boston Celtics head coach Brad Steven was the latest to voice his praise for the rookie as his squad hosted Nunn and the Heat on Wednesday night at the TD Garden.
He’s really good, he’s really shifty. He’s a lefty that puts you in tough spots. He can go right in the pullups. He can go left to the rim. He can finish with floaters, he can shoot the three. He’s just a really good player. He’s off to a great start in his career.
Nunn finished with eight points, four assists and two rebounds in the 112-93 loss to the Celtics. After a strong start to the season, Nunn has struggled as of late. Over his last five games, he is averaging just 10 points on 29% shooting from the field, including 20% from 3-point range.
Struggles for rookie players are common as teams begin to scout them better and they adjust to life in the NBA. Nunn has been touted as a hard-working player to get to this point in his career so the Heat are likely confident he will be able to snap out of his recent slump.
Next up for the Heat: A home tilt on Friday against the Wizards.
Quote provided by Nick Friar of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group
