Russell Gage recorded just six catches for 63 yards as a rookie but topped both totals in Sunday’s game, finishing with eight catches for 76 yards.
After trading Mohamed Sanu to the Patriots, the Falcons needed to find someone on offense to fill his role as the team’s slot receiver.
Tight end Austin Hooper, who’s having a breakout season, injured his knee a few weeks ago. This has opened the door for second-year WR Russell Gage, Atlanta’s sixth-round pick from the 2018 draft. Gage recorded just six catches for 63 yards as a rookie. In Sunday’s loss to the Bucs, he finished with a career-high eight catches for 76 yards.
Gage has 21 catches over the past four games. With the Falcons extremely dinged up at tight end, defenses aren’t going to take their eyes off of Calvin Ridley or Julio Jones.
That means Gage will have a chance to develop a role in this offense over the final five weeks of the season. The fantasy football world has noticed, too. In Pat Yasinskas of TD Wire’s 9 fantasy sleepers for Week 13 feature, Gage was the first player mentioned:
Gage could be a good player to start in the Thanksgiving night game with the Saints. He gradually has taken on a bigger role in the offense because so much defensive attention goes to Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. Gage had eight catches for 76 yards in Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay. He should play a bigger role going forward.
Gage’s production was anticipated after the team traded Sanu, though, and we know Ryan likes to spread the ball around.
There’s no reason he shouldn’t continue to get around five catches per game and improve on his yardage totals. Don’t surprised if Gage has another career game on Thanksgiving night against the Saints.
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I don’t know why I need to provide more than just that headline above but then again I do get paid to write (kinda) well thought out arguments and I think my boss might still be subscribed to this newsletter, so I better explain myself a little more here.
Tomorrow a lot of you are going to sit around a table with loved ones and carve into a big turkey that nobody is really all that excited about because – and say it with me – turkey stinks and should be avoided on Thanksgiving.
I’m here to help you avoid that fate, as there’s still time until your guests arrive. Your menu doesn’t have to be set just yet.
Thanks to tradition many of us are programmed to get a turkey during Thanksgiving week, figure out yet again how long to cook the darned thing, and then dump a bunch of sides on the turkey to make it seem like it’s actually good.
Sure, there are a bunch of things you can do with a turkey while preparing it and then while cooking it to try to trick yourself into thinking it’s flavorful but we all know what the end result is going to be. Oh, you put butter under the skin before cooking it? Oh, you coat it in herb butter before putting it in the oven? Oh, you throw a bunch of cut up vegetables in the pan with it while it cooks?
Cool stories, same outcome – total blahness
Turkey is a boring, tasteless meat that is rightly ignored 364 days a year. And calm down, I know turkey sandwiches are popular, but have you ever seen anyone smile while either ordering a turkey sandwich at a shop or while making one at home? Have you ever seen someone at work pump their fist and go, “Yes! I brought a turkey sandwich for lunch today!”
No, you haven’t. Because we all know just how dull and non-delicious this bird is.
Heck, turkey isn’t even offered at most restaurants because restaurant owners know nobody is silly enough to go out of their house and waste money on such a disappointing meal.
Instead, we’ll devote a whole day and maybe travel through time zones just to sit down and slap some slices of a turkey breast on your plate. How sad.
So what should you do instead of making turkey on Thanksgiving? I don’t know – maybe try making something that is tasty and desirable for those who have come over to your house to eat?
You know what people/non-vegeterians love to eat? Smoked meats. A smoked pork butt is perfect for a Thanskgiving dinner. It can smoke slow and low all day while you watch football and consume more wine than you probably should.
Or what about a brisket? Now there is a delicious treat. It will take longer to smoke than a pork butt and is a little more labor intensive but once it’s done people will be yelling at you to slice it up and slop it on their plate.
Sides for smoked meats are easy, too – just break out your classic sides of mac and cheese, brussel sprouts, potatoes au gratin, you name it. You can even still have stuffing because you’re an adult and can make these types of decisions.
Not into smoked meats? How about a pot roast or prime rib or make a bunch of homemade pizzas with your family?
Just anything but turkey. It’s time that we move away from turkey. This boring bird has held its power over us for way too long. We deserve to sit back and stuff our faces with something that actually puts a smile on our faces.
And turkey ain’t it.
Tuesday’s biggest winner: Bill Walton.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The hoops legend is calling games at the Maui Invitational and boy is he feeling good and having some fun in Hawaii. Here’s a collection of some wild tangents he’s gone off on the past few days, including how he wanted to go outside between games and get some sun and become the first “human solar panel.” Beautiful stuff.
Quick hits: Kane the mayor… How Duck got his name… Rams free falling… And more!
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart would have turned the ball over with 31.1 seconds left and the Celtics down by one, if the referees made the right call.
As Marcus Smart’s short jumper bounced around the rim before giving the Boston Celtics a two-point lead over the Sacramento Kings in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, all he could think of was the last time he took the game-winning shot in Sacramento.
If the referees during Monday’s game had made the correct call before Smart took his final shot, a layup that put Boston up 103-102 (the final score), he wouldn’t have been breathing a sigh of relief.
Marcus Smart on getting one of his late buckets to bounce in, after his floater bounced out in Sacramento:
"When I shot it and I seen it hit the rim again, I was like, ‘Not again. I gotta get it this time.’ It felt good to see the ball finally go in."
Not when the Celtics may have lost against Sacramento because he turned the ball over.
According the NBA’s Last Two Minute report (h/t the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach), Smart travelled on the game-winning basket that saw him use a screen to set himself for a spinning layup around Kings guard Cory Joseph.
The NBA’s Last Two Minute report says Marcus Smart traveled when he hopped on the same foot twice after giving up his dribble before making the game-winning basket with 31.1 seconds left to beat the Kings, 103-102.
With 31.1 seconds left, the Celtics would have likely have opted to try to get a defensive stop and had at least seven seconds left on the game clock if they did.
However, their chances of either making that shot or stopping Sacramento from scoring on the previous possession — on a night that Kings guard Buddy Hield was 11-21 from three-point range — are far from absolute certainties.
With that potential loss, the Celtics could have lost their fourth game in five and their third game in a row. Fortunately for them, they avoided the three-game skid; which wouldn’t have induced panic but could have been a momentum-killer.
Smart, who has had his fair share of issues with missed calls from referees, won’t be complaining about this one.
The Miami Dolphins are hoping to resolve a long standing issue at quarterback this offseason. Could the answer lie in free agency?
So much speculation has surrounded the Dolphins and how they will handle their quarterback situation in the coming months. We’ve covered Miami’s endless options via the 2020 NFL Draft, but what if Miami’s solution lies in free agency this offseason and not via a rookie this offseason? Miami is not obligated to pick their quarterback in the 2020 NFL draft, they could very well choose to wait for the 2021 NFL draft — depending on what the options look like when the team gets on the clock. That seems like a huge risk, but free agency would play a key role in this scenario.
If the Dolphins feel they will lose out on LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and are unsure on if they want to draft Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, perhaps they opt to kick that investment down the road a bit and build the rest of the roster. Now, if Tagovailoa and other quarterbacks, such as Utah State quarterback Jordan Love and/or Georgia’s Jake Fromm all choose to stay in school, then the 2021 draft becomes the place for them to get their quarterback no matter what.
In these scenarios, free agency takes the pressure off and could hold the key. The Dolphins will get yet another chance to sign Miami native Teddy Bridgewater. Miami courted the Saints’ backup this past offseason before Bridgewater opted to return to New Orleans once again — where he showed he is a legitimate NFL quarterback in place of injured Drew Brees. In just five games, Bridgewater threw for 1,370 yards nine touchdowns and two interceptions, all while completing 67.7% of his passes. The New Orleans Saints won all five starts under Bridgewater this season.
If general manager Chris Grier lands Bridgewater, then the Dolphins’ options at the quarterback position become wide open, even more than they already are. With Bridgewater in place, the Dolphins could decide to draft Tagovailoa and redshirt him for a full season. They have an option of starting the year out with Bridgewater as the starter, Josh Rosen as the backup and Tagovailoa on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
If, for whatever reason, Chris Grier decides to pass on quarterback this year, Bridgewater is a nice bridge for a drafted quarterback in 2021. Even if they use a lot of picks to move up in the 2021 draft (two in the first and two in the second), they still have a safe option in Bridgewater.
All of this without mentioning that Bridgewater doesn’t turn 28 until next November!
Out of all of the options the Dolphins have at addressing their quarterback situation, going after a fairly young and hungry quarterback like Bridgewater could easily give the Dolphins an Alex Smith veteran presence ahead of a rookie quarterback.
Imagine the type of roster the Dolphins could build with their draft picks this year by not taking a quarterback and waiting for 2021. They could realistically attack both the offensive line and defensive lines, while also adding playmakers.
A detailed scouting report on the Chiefs’ Week 13 opponent, the Oakland Raiders.
The 7-4 Kansas City Chiefs return from their bye week to face the 6-5 Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead.
Back in Week 2, the Chiefs beat the Raiders 28-10. Oakland jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead but would fall flat and not score another point. The Chiefs exploded in the second quarter with 28 points and never look back.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 443 yards and four touchdowns and receiver Demarcus Robinson had a career day with six receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns.
Kansas City is looking to sweep Oakland for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. If it does, it will essentially have a three-game lead over the Raiders with just four games to go, all but locking up the AFC West.
Hermitage football coach Dave Bedwell was sentenced to two years in prison, with 22 months suspended, for stealing equipment from his prior job and bringing it to Hermitage.
A Virginia high school football coach who allegedly stole equipment from one school and brought it to his new job has been sentenced to 24 months in jail, though 22 of those months will be suspended.
The case of Hermitage High School (Henrico, Va.) football coach Dave Bedwell has finally come to a head after a remarkable transition from L.C. Bird High School athletic director to Hermitage football coach. Along the way he allegedly brought some football equipment from Bird to Hermitage, then charged Hermitage uniforms to an account at Bird.
Because of the ongoing case against him, Bedwell was placed on paid leave throughout 2019 while the legal case against him proceeded. As a result, he has yet to coach the school he is contracted to.
Now there’s a clear path for him to return, provided Hermitage decides to retain the coach. According to WTVR, that has yet to be determined.
“We feel it would be premature to comment except to say whatever occurs would involve a discussion with the employee, evaluation of the facts, and determination of next steps,” Henrico Schools spokesperson Andy Jenks wrote to WTVR.
Browns’ unofficial depth chart for Week 13 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Cleveland Browns released their unofficial depth chart for the Week 13 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This week’s edition features a couple of interesting wrinkles.
First, rookie offensive lineman Drew Forbes makes an appearance as the backup left guard behind starter Joel Bitonio. Forbes has still yet to play in a game for the Browns since being activated off injured reserve.
At tight end, rookie Stephen Carlson is listed ahead of Pharaoh Brown on the depth chart. That reflects the reality of late, but it’s still interesting to see the movement after Brown’s injury earlier this year. Carlson caught his first career pass–a touchdown reception–in the first meeting with the Steelers in Week 11.
Olivier Vernon remains listed with an injury designation at one of the starting DE spots. We’ll know more about his status for the Steelers game later this week.
The Broncos are considered slight underdogs against the Chargers in Week 13 of the NFL season.
The Denver Broncos (3-8) are considered 1.5-point home underdogs against the Los Angeles Chargers (4-7) in Week 13 of the NFL season, according to BetMGM. The over/under total for combined points scored between the two teams has been set at 38.5.
Last week, Denver scored just one field goal in a 20-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills (8-3). Los Angeles scored two touchdowns and a field goal in a 24-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs (7-4). Combined, the Broncos and Chargers scored 20 points last week, 18.5 points below of this week’s over/under line.
Denver has an advantage in the all-time series against L.A., leading the series with a 66-52-1 win-loss-tie record. The Broncos’ record against the Chargers is even better at home: 40-18-1.
Last month, Denver defeated L.A. 20-13 on the road in Week 5. The Chargers will be looking to return the favor on Sunday.
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Ivie appeared in five games for the Kansas City Chiefs this season.
A former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman has opted to join the Tennessee Titans practice squad according to the NFL’s transaction report from Tuesday.
Joey Ivie is the newest member of the Titans practice squad. Ivie first joined the Chiefs late in the 2018 season on the practice squad. He was later signed to a reserve/future deal. He made the Chiefs’ 53-man roster following the 2019 preseason but was released after the first two games of the regular season. He ultimately rejoined the team on the practice squad and would remain there until Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Kansas City was in a bind where they were quite short-handed along the defensive line for a stretch of the season. Ivie stepped in and helped out, but became clear that he wasn’t a long term solution for the team. He only played 87 snaps in total over those five games for the Chiefs’ defense and recorded just two tackles and one QB hit during that span.
Ivie was later released to make room for defensive end Demone Harris. Kansas City needed a little more rotation and depth at the edge rusher position. Ivie only provided that during dime defensive looks and it wasn’t exactly his forte.
One of the games Ivie was active for was the Week 10 matchup against the Titans. It’s clear they liked what they saw out of him during the 17 snaps that he played. Now, he’ll perhaps get a chance to play some snaps on the other side of that matchup.
Ivie was pretty chummy with his Kansas City teammates. During training camp, Patrick Mahomes and some other players stationed on the third floor of the dorms at Missouri Western State University played a prank on Ivie and barricaded him in his room using a spare mattress. They’ll all certainly miss that camaraderie, but there’s always a chance Ivie returns to the Chiefs sometime down the line.
