How the Archbishop Moeller football coach became the secret ingredient in the Bengals coaching staff

After just one year as Archbishop Moeller head coach, Doug Rosfeld took a position with the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s making a difference in an 0-10 season.

Archbishop Moeller High School (Cincinnati, Ohio) is one of the legendary programs in the Midwest. It’s no small honor to take on the mantle as the Moeller head football coach, particularly among alums.

RELATED: Rosfeld heads to Cincinnati Bengals football staff; Moeller taps Naumann as interim

So, when Doug Rosfeld became the Moeller head coach, he thought he had made it. That’s what made his decision to leave a year later all the more disorienting. Yet Rosfeld knew when new Bengals coach Zac Taylor came calling, Rosfeld’s calling was changing, too.

Now, Rosfeld stands out as one of the few brights spots in an otherwise dismal season in Cincinnati. As reported by ESPN, Rosfeld has emerged as the catch all problem solver for Taylor in the first year with the Bengals for both.

Rosfeld, the Bengals’ director of coaching operations, has been called “a rock star,” and someone who is good at, “talking to guys, trying to get them to be better men, better people.”

And while the Bengals are out to a 0-10 start, there’s little question that Rosfeld is the human embodiment of the positive culture Taylor and the staff are trying to implement. That comes directly from his time at Moeller.

“They’re giving their all — their physical health, everything they’ve got — for a team,” Rosfeld told ESPN. “When you see that in a guy, you like working and being around it.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a young guy or a college player or a professional athlete. When you see somebody giving everything they’ve got for the benefit of the team and the guy next to him, it doesn’t matter. You want to be around it. You want to help them in any way you can.”

News: Calm before the storm or will Cowboys get it together?

The Dallas Cowboys are in deep in preparation for the Buffalo Bills in the late afternoon Thanksgiving contest. Here’s a round up of the latest news and notes. Amari Cooper has the road yips and worse, it’s not something new :: Cowboys Wire Wide …

The Dallas Cowboys are in deep in preparation for the Buffalo Bills in the late afternoon Thanksgiving contest.

Here’s a round up of the latest news and notes.

Amari Cooper has the road yips and worse, it’s not something new :: Cowboys Wire

Wide receiver Amari Cooper has been worth every penny for the Dallas Cowboys since trading for him at the deadline in 2018, until Dallas hits the road. KD Drummond dives deep into a trend that’s a little more than alarming when it comes to the Cowboys top wideout.

Garrett on analytical decisions: ‘We don’t use those stats within the game’ :: Cowboys Wire

Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett seems to be a smart guy. After all he did go to Princeton. Once seen as a dynamic offensive mind, a young coach in an old man’s league, Garrett was the hot name in coaching circles. He may be on the hot seat, as it seems he may be an old dog that can’t be taught new tricks. The analytically inclined may want to turn away now, because it’s a tough look.

Week 13 EPA Power Rankings: Cowboys remain division favorites :: Cowboys Wire

The Cowboys numbers in terms of EPA indicate that there’s a great team hiding inside, just waiting to be discovered. On the outside, they’re dressed up and presenting themselves as a 6-5 team. As Bill Parcells used to say, “You are what your record says you are.” Still, there’s hope in the homestretch for a team that struggles to get out of its own way.

The 2010s: Romo leads the way on Dallas Cowboys all-decade team :: The Athletic

The all-decade team is a fun exercise, but it gets pretty not fun when looking at the players selected at two oft-ignored positions: safety and defensive tackle. At defensive tackle Jason Hatcher and Tyrone Crawford were chosen. At their peak they were fine players, but not the game wreckers that other teams have. Covering the back end of the defense at the safety spots are Barry Church and Gerald Sensabaugh.

Barnwell’s 2019 All-Underrated team: Picking 24 NFL players, from Tannehill to Judon :: ESPN

Defensive end Robert Quinn gets national media love here. Trading a sixth round pick to the tanking Miami Dolphins was a stroke of genius by the front office and they have been repaid in full. Unfortunately, he is set to be a free agent in the off-season and one has to wonder if the market rate will be for Quinn. According to Bill Barnwell,

Quinn flashes on tape, and ESPN’s machine learning analysis loves the 29-year-old. In 2018, Quinn posted a pass rush win rate (PRWR) of 33%, which was comfortably the best mark in football. (Nobody else even topped 29%.) That might seem like an aberration, but in 2019, he has posted a PRWR of … 32.9%, which again leads the league. I wouldn’t take that analysis to find that Quinn is the best pass-rusher in football, but given that he has now excelled for two different teams over the past two years, he deserves to be thought of as an upper-echelon pass-rusher when he’s on the field.

Decoding Kellen Moore: Cowboys offense misfires at key moments in Foxborough :: The Athletic

The Cowboys offense has been one of the best in the league in 2019. The hiccups came too often against the New England Patriots, ultimately costing them not only the game, but a stranglehold over the NFC East. As great as quarterback Dak Prescott has been throughout the season, on Sunday he earned plenty of blame for the offensive woes. That and more in Bob Sturm’s weekly breakdown.

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PODCAST: Thanksgiving, Cardinals/Rams preview, Jordan Mills and D.J. Humphries

Listen to the latest edition of the podcast for the best hour of Cardinals talk on the Web.

The Arizona Cardinals return from their bye week on the week of Thanksgiving and are preparing to play the Los Angeles Rams. The latest episode of the podcast is out and is about everything surrounding the Cardinals in Week 13.

As it is the week of Thanksgiving, Revenge of the Birds’ Seth Cox and I discuss a number of things — what we are thankful for as Cardinals fans and many other topics.

Enjoy the new show on this holiday weekend. Stay safe and remember to subscribe to the show and give it a five-star rating.

Here are the show topics and approximate timestamps.

(2:30) Discussion of the bye week

(5:48) What we are thankful for with the Cardinals

(15:50) How the Cardinals will manage three healthy running backs

(27:29) The impact of Jordan Mills’ return

(35:34) D.J. Humphries and a potential contract extension

(44:26) Specific areas the Cardinals must improve in the final five games

(1:02:37) Previewing Cardinals/Rams

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Watch: Former Vol Alvin Kamara wanted to prove he belonged in SEC

Watch: Former Vol Alvin Kamara wanted to prove he belonged in SEC

Former Vol Alvin Kamara is in his third season in the National Football League with the New Orleans Saints.

Kamara played at Norcross High School in Georgia and then went to Alabama in beginning his collegiate career.

Kamara redshirted as a true freshman in 2013 at Alabama and transferred to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas.

After one season at Hutchinson Community College, Kamara spent two seasons at Tennessee and became a fan favorite before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints.

Below is an interview with the former Vol from the Campus Lore video vault discussing transferring to Tennessee.

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Giants’ Daniel Jones quietly setting records in rookie season

New York Giants QB Daniel Jones is quietly setting records and having a rookie season for the ages.

New York Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones is more known for his futility these days than anything else. That aside, the No. 6 overall selection in this year’s NFL Draft is quietly putting together some impressive numbers in the midst of this lost Giants’ season.

The reason few are pounding the drum for Jones is because he is the face of a floundering franchise that has lost seven straight games. He also leads the NFL in fumbles with 14.

Here’s what most people are missing about Jones. He leads all rookie quarterbacks in touchdown passes with 17 versus just eight INTs. Keep in mind, he’s only started nine ballgames.

From the Giants:

Jones has thrown for at least one score in each of his first nine career starts.

That makes him a) one of eight quarterbacks since the 1970 merger with at least one touchdown pass in each of his first nine starts, and b) part of a five-way tie for fourth place among the quarterbacks who have accomplished the feat in those 50 seasons.

It’s an eclectic list. The top three includes two Super Bowl winners, one a Hall of Famer, and a former No. 1 overall draft choice who is in his second season. But the four quarterbacks tied with Jones are perhaps best described as journeymen.

Kurt Warner tops the list with 23 followed by Baker Mayfield (17) and Brad Johnson (15). Jones is tied with Jay Fiedler, Tim Rattay, Jay Cutler and Seneca Wallace. Jones can move into fourth place with a TD pass against the Packers this Sunday.

Another reason why Jones isn’t getting enough street cred is because of the way he’s eased into the job. Many see his arrival as an extension of the Eli Manning era. Giant fans have become so use to having a calming presence under center — and Jones conveys that at age 22 — that the bar is set a little higher for him.

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Former UFC champ Chris Weidman wants quick turnaround, thinks he’s still capable of big things

Chris Weidman is not done yet and is looking to make a quick turnaround in early 2020.

[autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] is not ready to back down from his recent setbacks.

Despite being stopped in five of his past six fights, most recently a first-round knockout loss to Dominick Reyes, Weidman (14-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) reiterated he has no plans of retiring. In fact, he’s looking to make a quick turnaround and hopes to compete in early 2020.

“In a perfect world – I mean, I’m healthy already – February, March, something like that,” Weidman said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “Yeah pretty quick. Listen, I know it sounds crazy: ‘You just got knocked out, what are you coming back quick for?’ But it wasn’t like I got knocked out cold. Literally, like, legs went out from underneath me, he was hitting me with shots, and I remember the whole thing. I had no concussion symptoms like I’ve had concussion symptoms over the years from some of my fights. And you know when your brain needs a rest. This time, it wasn’t that situation at all.”

Weidman, a former UFC middleweight champion, failed to make good on his light heavyweight debut against Reyes in October, and admitted he’s not sure if he’ll remain at 205 or go back down 185 pounds.

“I could make (1)85 again,” he said. “205 was fun. It was less stressful, and I feel like I could beat anybody up , but we’ve just got to look at the divisions and figure it out. So I’m not sure if I’m going to go back down to ’85 or stay at 205.”

With an array of accolades on his resume, the man who once shocked the world by dethroning one of the greatest fighters of all time in Anderson Silva still believes he has some magic left in him.

And he’s not ready to walk away just yet.

“(I’m) definitely continuing to fight – that’s not a question at all,” Weidman said. “I feel great. You know, I’ve been through (expletive) in this career. At the end of the day, when I do retire, I know I gave everything to this sport. I gave everything to the sport of wrestling. I’ve been through hell. From my body, I’ve had 23 surgeries – but I feel good right now. That sounds crazy, but I feel really good. My body feels good. The fact that I could get right back to training and do what I love to do, I just feel like I’m still capable of some big things.”

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Michigan basketball freshman could make college debut on Wednesday

The Wolverines true freshman is a game-time decision.

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When former Michigan head coach John Beilein departed this offseason for the NBA, the Wolverines lost one prized recruit in Jalen Wilson, but after Juwan Howard took over the job, it got another in Franz Wagner.

Franz Wagner, the younger brother of former Michigan star Moe Wagner, opted to join the maize and blue instead of going pro in Germany, and very likely could have been considered a five-star prospect had he been evaluated as a U.S. recruit. Given the early departures of Jordan Poole, Charles Matthews and Ignas Brazdeikis, having a blue-chip player coming in was a huge boon for the Wolverines.

But, as the team prepared for the season opener last month, Wagner suffered a wrist injury, and was set back approximately six weeks.

The regional nightmare might be coming to an end on Wednesday, as a report states that Wagner might be able to give it a go against Iowa State, in the opening Battle 4 Atlantis matchup in the Bahamas.

We’ll see if Wagner is able to make his college debut at noon EST, with the game being broadcast on ESPN.

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Ravens bolster their offensive depth in Draft Wire’s latest 4-round mock

Luke Easterling of Draft Wire put together a four-round mock draft after Week 12 that has the Baltimore Ravens adding valuable depth

The Baltimore Ravens are on a roll right now. Having won seven-straight games and looking like the best team in the NFL, all eyes are on Baltimore. But part of what makes the Ravens such a consistently great franchise is that they continuously look forward. So while they sit at 9-2 and are fighting for the top seed in the AFC playoff picture, expect scouts and general manager Eric DeCosta to already be paying some attention to the 2020 NFL draft.

Luke Easterling of Draft Wire is also starting to look at how the 2020 NFL draft could play out. In a four-round mock draft, Easterling has Baltimore grabbing Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor with the 30th pick in the first round.

“This rushing attack is already dangerous, but Mark Ingram won’t be around forever, so the Ravens should be targeting a potential replacement sooner than later. Justice Hill is a promising change-of-pace back, but Taylor’s complete skill set and physical running style would be too perfect to pass up here.”

Easterling has three running backs coming off the board in the first round, which seems unlikely. Though Baltimore is certainly proving a potent rushing attack can still be deadly in the NFL, pretty much the entire league has focused on high-flying aerial attacks instead. But if the board does play out this way, Baltimore would be getting Easterling’s second running back of the night and a good fit for their scheme.

As noted, Ingram is towards the tail end of his career. Though he’s having a career season with the Ravens, Ingram will turn 30 later this season. If Baltimore is smart, they’ll be looking for his eventual replacement as the power back between the tackles. And that’s where Taylor excels.

Still, with Ingram and Hill still under contract and Gus Edwards set to be an exclusive-rights free agent (effectively keeping him on the roster if the Ravens want him next year), I’m not sure if Baltimore has to spend their first-round pick on a running back with the future in mind. If Taylor is a guy they absolutely love, the Ravens have shown they’ll use a first-round pick and bring him into the fold slowly but really good running backs can often be found in the middle rounds where they’re a better value.

Click on the next page to see who Baltimore grabs with their other selections.

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Steve Tasker named 2020 Hall of Fame semifinalist

Former Buffalo Bills WR Steve Tasker named 2020 NFL Hall of Fame semifinalist.

Former Bills wide receiver and special teams ace Steve Tasker has been named a 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist, the Hall of Fame announced.

The original list of candidates was cut down to 25 players this week and Tasker still has his shot. It’s the seventh time Tasker was named a semifinalist and first time since 2013 he’s made it to the semifinalist list.

Tasker, who currently works on the team’s radio show, played for the Bills from 1986-1997. He played for the Houston Oilers during his career as well.

The list will be reduced to 15 finalists, who will be announced on Jan. 2.

Here’s the full list of semifinalists:

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Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster posts concerning video on Instagram

Smith-Schuster videoed himself while he drove over 100 mph and posted it on social media.

There is no member of the Pittsburgh Steelers who chronicle their lives on social media like wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. He quickly took that crown from Antonio Brown after Brown was traded in the offseason. Smith-Schuster is constantly using his various platforms to build his brand.

But on Tuesday, Smith-Schuster posted a video on Instagram that is sure to rile up the fanbase. This video was shared by KDKA reporter Josh Rowntree and shows Smith-Schuster getting his new BMW up over 100 miles per hour on the parkway. Rowntree wonders why a guy recovering from a concussion would do something like this.

But the real problem for Smith-Schuster, at least from a public image perspective is going to be the parallels fans draw between him and Brown. I condemn what Smith-Schuster did because it’s against the law. And frankly quite reckless. But there is going to be a huge portion of the fanbase who are going to connect a bunch of dots that include a down season by Smith-Schuster, his injuries and his behavior and use this as fuel to criticize him further.

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