NFC South Week 10 review: Falcons flip the script, stun Saints

Here’s our review of what happened around the division this week.

The Saints have been the team to beat in the NFC South for the last two and a half seasons. On Sunday though they suffered a huge collapse at home against the Falcons. So, maybe they aren’t quite as indestructible as everyone had thought.

Here’s our review of what happened around the division this week.

Saints (7-2) lost to Falcons (2-7), 26-9

Nobody saw this one coming. New Orleans had a six-game win streak going coming into Week 10 and Atlanta appeared to be dead in the water. The Falcons defense flipped the script, holding the Saints to just nine points in a stunning upset. They were dominated in the trenches – a normally flawless offensive line allowed Drew Brees to get sacked six times and Latavius Murray and Alvin Kamara combined for just 36 yards on the ground. The division leaders also saw Marshon Lattimore suffer a hamstring injury. The Saints will try to rebound at Tampa Bay next week.

Panthers (5-4) lost to Packers (8-2), 24-16

The Saints’ surprise loss gave Carolina a golden opportunity to close ground in the NFC South race. The Panthers squandered it, though. Two turnovers by Kyle Allen certainly didn’t help, but it was more excruciating run defense that truly lost this matchup. With defensive tackle Kawann Short on IR and unavailable, Ron Rivera needs to consider taking drastic measures to turn things around, including abandoning his new 3-4 scheme.

Buccaneers (3-6) beat Cardinals (3-6-1), 30, 27

Kyler Murray and Jameis Winston put on a show Sunday, combining for 682 total passing yards. Winston’s threw two more interceptions, though and wasn’t nearly as efficient as the No. 1 overall pick. Nevertheless, the Bucs came out on top, boosted by a second consecutive big game from Ronald Jones II. He totaled 106 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. Beating Arizona and their awful defense at home is nothing special, though. Call us when they get a secondary.

Falcons (2-7) find a spark vs. Saints (7-2), 26-9

Dan Quinn finally made a real change this week: he switched up his coaching staff and abandoned defensive play-calling duties in favor of linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich. The impact was immediate. Atlanta’s defense played better than it has in a long time, especially their front seven. Grady Jarrett remains the centerpiece, but Vic Beasley finally stepped up and produced. Together, they totaled four sacks and seven quarterback hits. The Falcons’ victory came at a cost, though. Devonta Freeman and Austin Hooper both suffered injuries and could be out a while. They’ll visit the Panthers next.

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Updates: Michigan Jim Harbaugh press conference (Week Twelve – MSU)

The Wolverines head coach is set to meet with the media to discuss the in-state rivalry.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Hate week is finally here, with the Michigan State Spartans coming to Ann Arbor this week.

As he does every Monday, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is set to meet with the media, this time to preview the maize and blue’s penultimate home contest against rival MSU this upcoming Saturday.

WolverinesWire’s Isaiah Hole is on the ground, and will bring you LIVE updates starting at 12PM EST.

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Michigan State Legend Charles Rogers Passes Away

In two career games against Notre Dame, Rogers was the best player on the field

38 years is way too short of amount of time for someone to get on Earth. That was my first reaction when I heard the news about former Michigan State receiver and 2003 number-two overall draft pick to the Detroit Lions, Charles Rogers.

TMZ reports it was a liver disease and cancer that wound up running its course.

Off the field issues get linked to Rogers who battled through more than just injuries during and after his NFL career.

Charles Rogers gets remembered by NFL fans for being a bust but college fans remember a legend.

Obviously Michigan State fans feel that way having watched him weekly but Notre Dame fans can’t name many players that tormented the Irish quite like No. 1 in green and white did.

Michigan State teammate and former NFL tight end Chris Baker remembered his friend on Twitter this morning:

In two career games against Notre Dame, Rogers was the best player on the field compiling 11 receptions, 291 yards and three touchdowns in those games.

Even Josh Gordon was surprised to learn Patriots would waive him

“Your time can be short lived anywhere.”

Josh Gordon was just as surprised as NFL fans to learn he’d no longer be a New England Patriot. The Seattle Seahawks receiver addressed his surprising exit from New England.

“But we all know it’s a business,” he said Saturday, via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. “Your time can be short lived anywhere. You never know what could happen day to day in the NFL. But that was the decision they made, and I’m glad to be here now, though.”

Gordon joined the Patriots in a trade with the Cleveland Browns during the beginning of the 2018 season. But New England ultimately decided to place him on injured reserve and then on waivers during the 2019 season. The Seahawks claimed him, and Gordon is expected to be active for Monday Night Football.

Gordon played in 17 games for the Patriots in his two seasons, but spent time serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy. That indefinite suspension has caused him to miss significant time over the past five seasons. This season, he had 20 receptions for 287 yards and a touchdown.

Gordon joins a group of Seahawks wideouts, with Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Gordon also moves from one MVP candidate, Tom Brady, to the next, Russell Wilson. New England, meanwhile, has receivers Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu, N’Keal Harry, Phillip Dorsett, Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski.

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Charles Rogers, No. 2 pick in 2003 NFL draft, dies at 38

Former Michigan State and Lions receiver Charles Rogers has died at age 38: https://t.co/tj9y5W5rSs pic.twitter.com/JbXJKfZId7 – Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 11, 2019 One of the most highly drafted wide receivers in NFL history, Charles …

One of the most highly drafted wide receivers in NFL history, Charles Rogers has died at the age of 38.

A star at Michigan State, Rogers was selected No. 2 overall in the 2003 NFL draft by the in-state Detroit Lions. He was a first-team all-conference pick in back-to-back seasons, winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award as college football’s best wide receiver in 2002. He was also a unanimous All-American selection that season.

Unfortunately, Rogers’ college success never translated to the pro game. He only appeared in 15 games over three seasons with the Lions, catching 36 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns for his career.

The Detroit Lions released the following statement:

Rogers dealt with multiple legal issues during his time in the NFL, and was suspended in 2005 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Though he played just two seasons for the Spartans, his 27 touchdown receptions are still the highest mark in school history, while he ranks No. 3 in career receiving yards.

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College Football Playoff Rankings: Projecting Boise State In The Week 12 Top 25

After another hard-fought Mountain West football victory, where will the Broncos end up in the CFP pecking order? We make our prediction.

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College Football Playoff Rankings: Projecting Boise State In The Week 12 Top 25

After another hard-fought Mountain West football victory, where will the Broncos end up in the CFP pecking order? We make our prediction.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Moving up, but by how much?

The Boise State Broncos didn’t have it easy on Saturday night, but after defeating the Wyoming Cowboys in a defensive showcase, their standing in the Group of 5’s College Football Playoff clump is intact. With San Diego State’s shocking defeat at home against Nevada, the Broncos once again stand alone as the conference’s standard-bearer for the New Year’s Six bowl bid.

Will the latest national developments be enough for Boise State to improve that standing, though? As always, keep this in mind first: A lot can change in a week and in the College Football Playoff era and things have definitely tended to change quite a bit over the course of a month or so.

Here’s a quick recap of the weekend that was and what it might mean.

Who lost?

From the top:

  • #3 Alabama lost at home to #2 LSU, 46-41
  • #4 Penn State lost on the road to #17 Minnesota, 31-26
  • #16 Kansas State lost on the road to Texas, 27-24
  • #18 Iowa lost on the road to #13 Wisconsin, 24-22
  • #19 Wake Forest lost on the road to Virginia Tech, 36-17

For Boise State’s purposes, the last two losses on the list seem likely to translate to some upward mobility. At this time last year, 5-3 Texas A&M fell out of the rankings from #20 after losing to 5-3 Auburn, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see the same thing happen to Wake Forest and its bland resume (Have you heard the ACC is not good this year?).

Oddly enough, this is the second straight year the Hawkeyes have dropped a game immediately after the first CFP reveal, though this time around it’s not quite as egregious as losing to Purdue on the road. Last year, #17 Texas fell just two spots after losing by two to #13 West Virginia last season, so Iowa might just fall into the middle of the G5 morass this week.

Figuring out what will happen with Kansas State is a tougher nut to crack. From 2015 to 2018, seven teams ranked in the teens (13 to 19) have lost to unranked but better than .500 opponents after the first CFP rankings came out. Four of those teams fell out of the second top 25 altogether, but the aforementioned Iowa/Purdue game is instructive, as is Iowa State/West Virginia from 2017, since close losses are damaging — the Hawkeyes and Cyclones fell by five and six spots, respectively — but not fatal.

By Way of Comparison: How did the Group of 5 fare?

  • #20 Cincinnati defeated UConn at home, 48-3
  • #25 SMU defeated East Carolina at home, 59-51
  • Appalachian State defeated South Carolina on the road, 20-15
  • Louisiana Tech defeated North Texas at home, 52-17
  • UCF lost on the road to Tulsa, 34-31

Congratulations are in order, first and foremost, for UCF coming to the realization that no matter much how you thump your chest, no football program can become Boise State overnight.

Cincinnati, meanwhile, did exactly what was expected in dispatching the Huskies, but their immediate problem is that they may not make much headway in the rankings on their own until they host Temple on November 16. UConn doesn’t move the needle and beating a sub-.500 South Florida team probably won’t do the trick, either.

SMU, meanwhile, seems to be more lucky than good lately, as they now stand at 5-1 in games decided by eight or fewer points. Teams that don’t play defense tend to see that catch up with them at some point in November, so while they’ll probably rise with the rest of the G5 tide this week and next while they’re on bye, their upcoming clash at Navy is going to be a real gut check.

Appalachian State and Louisiana Tech, on the other hand, face a similar struggle. They’re racking up wins, yes, but strength of schedule matters to the committee and neither the Mountaineers nor the Bulldogs have it right now. The template, until further notice, is 2014 Marshall, which didn’t reach the CFP rankings until getting to 11-0 on November 25. App State’s cause would be helped if both North Carolina and South Carolina can claw their way to bowl eligibility, while LaTech will get tested with back-to-back road games at Marshall and then division foe UAB. Stay tuned.

So what do I think the top 25 will look like? Read on.

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Terry McLaurin has accounted for nearly half of Washington’s touchdowns this year

The Redskins rookie has been outstanding this season, but his brilliance helps to magnify the turmoil all around him in Washington.

It’s a great sign to see a rookie break out in the first season of his career, no matter what position he plays. That becomes significantly less great when you consider the fact that the breakout season is virtually the only positive sign of life from the team.

That’s the situation that the Washington Redskins are in with rookie wide receiver Terry McLaurin. Through his first nine games, the 3rd-round pick out of Ohio State has almost 500 yards receiving and five touchdowns, which is the first among rookie receivers. That’s great news for Washington, but it’s troubling when you consider the fact that those five TDs have accounted for 45% of the Redskins 11 total touchdowns, none of which have come in the last three games.

It’s tough to look at a stat like that and feel sorrow, as it likely points to McLaurin being a huge piece of the future offense in Washington. The Redskins just need to make sure he’s not the only piece of the offense.

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Security confronted a fan who chanted ‘Fire Dolan’ at the Knicks-Cavs game

The embarrassment continues.

It’s another season, and not much has changed with the New York Knicks. They missed out on Zion Williamson, struck out in free agency and still have the league’s most overbearing, hypersensitive owner in Jim Dolan.

That was on full display during Sunday’s 108-87 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With the Knicks trailing by 28 points in the third quarter, a “Fire Dolan” chant broke out at Madison Square Garden as frustrated Knicks fans urged Dolan to sell the team. It’s unclear how the Madison Square Garden staff would be able to pinpoint the origin of a “Fire Dolan” chant, but videos hit Twitter that showed a fan getting escorted out by security.

The tweet claimed that the arena security was ejecting the fan who started the chant, and when another fan mockingly chanted, the six (!!!) security guards turned to threaten another ejection.

Though the video showed security escorting the fan out of the section, a Knicks spokesperson told For The Win that “no one was ejected last night from MSG for any reason.” A person claiming to be the fan in the video tweeted that he was removed from his seat for the chant.

Oddly enough, this was nothing new for Dolan who has a history of ejecting fans for merely voicing their frustrations at MSG. Last year, Dolan banned a fan for life who told him to “sell the team.”

The Knicks have lost eight of their first 10 games this season, and as long as Dolan is at the helm, there’s no reason to expect an end to these embarrassing scenes at Madison Square Garden.

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Bills snap counts: Depth chart breakdown vs. Browns

Buffalo Bills snap counts vs. Cleveland Browns in Week 10, 2019.

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox. Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

The Bills fell is another gross game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10, 19-16.

Buffalo falls to 6-3 on the year and with the loss and news around the league, the loss looks like a big one.

Who played the biggest and smallest roles in Buffalo’s defeat?

Here’s a full depth chart break down via snap counts for the Bills vs. the Browns in Week 10:

Offense

Notes:

  • The rotation at right tackle resumed with a health Cody Ford (elbow) in the lineup. Veteran Ty Nsekhe played in 61 percent of snaps while the rookie saw 41 percent.
  • Tight end Lee Smith took two penalties in only 18 snaps played vs. the Browns.
  • Rookie running back Devin Singletary was the No. 1 in terms of snap counts playing in 67 percent of snaps as opposed to Frank Gore’s 33 percent, but Singletary only have eight carries in the game.
  • Rookie tight end Dawson Knox played more snaps than veteran Tyler Kroft for the second-straight week, 58 percent to 43 percent.
  • In terms of snap counts, Isaiah McKenzie saw another big role for the Bills. He played in 66 percent of snaps last week, second-most amongst his position. Against the Browns, he played in 54 percent, trailing Cole Beasley’s 67 percent and John Brown’s 93 percent.
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