Tag: 2023 season

Post-Super Bowl NFL power rankings have the Saints in the middle of the pack

There were ups and downs throughout the season, but a strong finish placed the Saints in the top half of these post-Super Bowl NFL power rankings:

The New Orleans Saints find themselves at No. 15 in the NFL.com’s Eric Edholm final power rankings of 2023. This leaves the Saints sitting in the middle of the pack, which feels appropriate with the entire season. There were long stretches of feeling like the Saints were a below-average team, and at times their poor results proved those doubts valid. New Orleans ended the season strongly, though.

Here’s what Edholm wrote in ranking the Saints at No. 15:

The team’s annual salary-cap surgery must begin soon, given that the Saints open the offseason with the most work left to do. They’re projected to be more than $80 million over the cap as things stand now, and even with some obvious sources for savings, this major hurdle threatens to weaken the team at several key positions: on both lines of scrimmage, at cornerback and at wide receiver. New Orleans also must figure out the future of important but expensive specialists in Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill. With Derek Carr locked in this offseason at QB, there’s a worry that the Saints might not be able to do enough to surround him with the kind of talent he needs. This offense was out of sorts throughout 2023, prone to wild swings in effectiveness on a week-to-week basis, and there’s no clear path to adding major talent this offseason. Oh, and Dennis Allen is back for a third season with a lot to prove. How are you feeling about this team right now, Saints fans?

Numerically, No. 16 would be the definition of average in the NFL. The Saints played well enough to end the season right above that. In reality, that’s still an average team, and they barely make the “top half” of the league. They weren’t good enough to get into the playoffs New Orleans benefitted from a weak schedule down the stretch, but a win against the NFC South-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17 makes the placement understandable.

In order to improve on these results, New Orleans has to find a way to even out those ups and downs. Better first half performances are a must, and they have to show it against better teams. They’ll likely have a weak schedule again, and the Saints have to take advantage of it better than they did this past season.

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Former Bears players, coaches in Super Bowl LVIII

Here’s a look at the former Bears who are playing or coaching in Super Bowl LVIII:

The 2023 NFL season comes to a close tonight when the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs face off in Super Bowl LVIII for a chance to be world champions.

There will be some familiar faces for Bears fans to watch on Super Bowl Sunday, including Matt Nagy, Dave Toub, Tashaun Gipson, Deon Bush and more.

Here’s a look at the former Bears who are playing or coaching in Super Bowl LVIII:

Cowboys leaders shut out of major awards at NFL Honors

From @ToddBrock24f7: Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, and DaRon Bland came up empty in the biggest end-of-year awards at NFL Honors.

The 2023 Cowboys were well-represented in the major awards handed out at NFL Honors in Las Vegas Thursday night. But they went home empty-handed in the night’s biggest categories.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, linebacker/edge rusher Micah Parsons, and cornerback DaRon Bland were up for three of the evening’s top accolades. And while Lamb did collect the trophy for the Next Gen State Moment of the Year, that was the only piece of hardware to go to someone wearing the star.

Parsons and Bland were both up for Defensive Player of the Year, but Cleveland’s Myles Garrett was recognized instead. Parsons finished third in the voting; Bland finished fifth.

Prescott and Lamb were finalists to be Offensive Player of the Year but lost to the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey. Lamb came in third in voting, while Prescott finished in fifth place.

Prescott was also in the running to be the league’s Most Valuable Player, but that honor went to Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in a runaway vote. Prescott was the runner-up for that award, earning 17 second-place votes, 13 third-place votes, 11 fourth-place votes, and six fifth-place votes.

A couple other Cowboys were also shut out during the evening’s presentations. While DeMarcus Lawrence was the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Cameron Heyward became the latest deserving recipient. And Cowboys legend Darren Woodson was denied entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after eight times as a semifinalist or finalist.

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CeeDee Lamb’s 92-yard TD vs Lions named Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year

From @ToddBrock24f7: The longest TD of the 2023 season won the first award of the night at NFL Honors in Las Vegas on Thursday night.

CeeDee Lamb was up for a major award at NFL Honors in Las Vegas Thursday night, but the Cowboys wide receiver struck early, claiming the first honor of the night.

Lamb won the Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year award for his 92-yard touchdown reception versus Detroit in Week 17.

The moment came on a 3rd-and-13, with the Dallas offense backed up on their own 8-yard-line. Prescott was nearly caught in the end zone, but scrambled away, covering 16.1 yards to find a clear spot from which to toss up what looked to be a desperate long ball.

But a streaking Lamb hauled in the throw at midfield, with the closest Lions defender already lying on the turf behind him. The wideout hit 18.4 miles an hour during his run to the end zone and traveled a total of 107.2 yards on what turned out to be the longest play from scrimmage of the NFL season.

The score was the Cowboys’ first of the evening in a game they went on to win by a a 20-19 final. Lamb ended the night with 13 catches for 227 receiving yards, both career highs in a record-setting season.

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Lamb was not present to pick up his award in person, so teammate Micah Parsons accepted it on his behalf from presenter Damar Hamlin. The wide receiver was also a finalist for Offensive Player of the Year.

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Bears TE Cole Kmet played through fractured right forearm in season finale

Bears TE Cole Kmet broke his right forearm in the season finale vs. Packers – which he played through – and is expected to be cleared soon.

With Super Bowl LVIII week in full swing, there are plenty of familiar Chicago Bears faces in Las Vegas on Radio Row.

That includes tight end Cole Kmet, who met with some local Chicago of media sporting a brace on his right forearm. As it turns out, Kmet fractured his right forearm in the Bears’ season finale against the Green Bay Packers — and he kept playing because he didn’t realize it.

Kmet’s injury didn’t require surgery, and he’s expected to be cleared soon, he told reporters. Kmet said it won’t impact his offseason.

Kmet is coming off a career year with the Bears, where he emerged as one of the NFL’s best tight ends. He ranked seventh in receptions (73), ninth in receiving yards (719) and second in touchdowns (6) among tight ends. Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million extension before the start of the 2023 season, so Chicago has him locked down through 2027.

Despite battling a knee injury in the final weeks — and that fractured forearm against Green Bay — Kmet has yet to miss a game in his four-year career.

Baker Mayfield wins NFL on FOX fan vote for Comeback Player of the Year

After a tremendous season, Baker Mayfield won NFL on FOX Comeback Player of the Year fan voting.

It was a tremendous season for former Oklahoma and Heisman-winning quarterback [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag].

After being traded away by the Cleveland Browns in favor of DeShaun Watson and spending time with both the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams, Mayfield found a home with Tampa Bay last offseason.

But nothing was handed to him. He went into Buccaneers training camp and competed with former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask for the starting role. After winning the camp battle, Mayfield had a career year and helped the Bucs reach the divisional round of the playoffs after a win over Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Though he didn’t take home the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award, he was one of the more remarkable comeback stories. That led to Mayfield being chosen as the FOX on NFL Comeback Player of the Year as voted on by the fans.

In 2023, Mayfield threw for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in helping Tampa Bay win the NFC South and make the playoffs. While his future was in question entering the 2023 season, it’s likely he’s earned a long-term contract with Tampa Bay this offseason to be their starting quarterback. He capped off his tremendous season winning the Pro Bowl accuracy competition and game MVP in the NFC’s win.

This selection is just another feather in the cap of Mayfield’s career, who’s always shown the ability to bounceback from adversity. Though his career in Cleveland may have been rocky, he found a way to keep grinding and make the most of his opportunity this season with Tampa Bay.

More: Best photos of Baker Mayfield, Jalen Hurts during NFL Pro Bowl festivities.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Chris Olave reflects on playing with Derek Carr, moving on from Pete Carmichael

Saints star wideout Chris Olave reflects on his experience playing with Derek Carr, moving on from longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael:

It wasn’t pretty at times as Derek Carr worked to get in sync with his young wide receiver Chris Olave, but the playmaker made some big strides as the 2023 season wore on. Olave improved on all of his numbers from his 2022 rookie year, catching more passes at a higher rate and picking up more first downs while putting more points on the board.

So how does Olave feel about catching passes from Carr again in 2024? An expected contract restructure will tie Carr to the team (and Olave, critically) for at least the next two seasons.

“Oh yeah he’s a veteran, man,” Olave told the CHGO Sports podcast. “He’s 10 years in the league, he’s played real good ball with the Raiders. First year with the Saints offense, we’ve just got to build. It’s just about chemistry.”

Of course that’s just one part of the equation. Few positions are as reliant on others to find success as wide receivers. They need a talented quarterback to throw the ball their way and a skilled play caller to put them in a position to win.

To that end, he’s grateful for what he learned from Pete Carmichael through his first two years in the NFL. But Olave can’t help but be excited about what’s ahead of him, telling Bleacher Report’s Scott Polacek: “We had really good relationships with the offensive coaches my past two years, but I wish (Carmichael) the best moving forward. Having someone new come in means there’s going to be a new scheme and new offense, so I’m excited to learn the playbook here and keep moving forward.”

San Francisco 49ers passing game specialist Klint Kubiak will be coming to New Orleans as their new offensive coordinator after Super Bowl LVIII; he can’t formally accept the job and sign a contract until after the title game, but the Saints have already begun pursuing candidates to fill out his staff. And Kubiak’s experience in the high-flying 49ers offense could be tremendous for Olave. More reps with Carr and a more-creative play caller should help him take the next step and, hopefully, earn his place among the league’s best receivers.

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Twitter roasts Kadarius Toney after bizarre assertion at Super Bowl press conference

Fans on Twitter roasted #Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney after he told a reporter he is a No. 1 receiver at a Super Bowl LVIII press conference.

Kadarius Toney’s tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs has had its share of ups and downs, but after his dismal start to the 2023 season, many fans in Western Missouri have lost faith in his ability to be a viable weapon for Patrick Mahomes in Andy Reid’s offense.

Despite his struggles, Toney remains on the Chiefs’ roster ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, and may even see action in Kansas City’s February 11 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.

During Super Bowl opening night on Monday, Toney was asked about his role in the Chiefs’ offense, and whether he could still be the team’s No. 1 option at the wide receiver position.

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His response left fans scratching their heads.

“If I get the ball, yeah,” Toney told a reporter when queried about his role.

Twitter wasn’t so convinced that a higher volume of targets would get Toney back on track, and the veteran receiver was roundly roasted for his quote.

Check out some of the top reactions to Toney’s bizarre assertion:

Bears DE Montez Sweat reaches new heights in Gridiron Gauntlet win at Pro Bowl

Bears DE Montez Sweat helped the NFC to another Pro Bowl skills challenge win in the Gridiron Gauntlet.

The Chicago Bears are well-represented in the 2024 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, Fla., with defensive end Montez Sweat and cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Sweat has been a big contributor for the NFC team, helping them to two key skill competition wins on Sunday. After helping them in the Move the Chains competition, Sweat came up big during one of the Pro Bowl Games’ most anticipated events: Gridiron Gauntlet.

The Gridiron Gauntlet is a full-field relay race between six AFC and six NFC players who take on different tasks in a challenging obstacle course. Sweat participated in the High Point challenge, where he jumped on a trampoline and punched out a football in three consecutive takes.

Sweat’s teammate, cornerback Jaylon Johnson, is participating in the flag football game.

Pete Carmichael was one of the NFL’s worst offensive play callers, says analyst

The bar isn’t very high for Klint Kubiak. He’s replacing Pete Carmichael, who this analyst says was one of the NFL’s worst offensive play callers in 2023:

Three of the NFL’s four worst play callers worked in the NFC South last year, according to research from pro football analyst Steven Patton. That includes former New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, who was dismissed after the season. He’s expected to be replaced by San Francisco 49eres passing game specialist Klint Kubiak, who is unallowed to sign a contract until after Super Bowl LVIII.

Patton’s methodology considered “personnel and market efficiency with team constraints” which reflects performance relative to other teams facing the same opponents and key players missing due to injury or suspension. And Carmichael ended the 2023 season with the third-worst rating; only ex-Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown (hired by the Chicago Bears for 2024) and recently-fired Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith (picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers) ranked lower.

Carmichael struggled to adapt the Sean Payton offense to modern times. He was too slow to add motion to the offense and took too long to emphasize the play action passes that Derek Carr thrived with throughout his Raiders career. The Saints were too predictable in their personnel, often keying in opposing defenses to whether the play was a run or pass by relying too hard on blocking specialists at wide receiver. A bigger problem than that was predictability in their formations; New Orleans only rarely threw out of running looks and vice versa, giving Alvin Kamara too few light boxes to run against.

Hopefully Kubiak can liven things up in 2024. The Saints are betting that he learned a lot from his year in San Francisco working under Kyle Shanahan (who, Patton says, was the league’s fourth-best play caller on offense) and his previous experience calling plays for the Minnesota Vikings (in 2021) and Denver Broncos (during six games in 2022). And the good news is the bar isn’t too high in New Orleans. If Kubiak can stay about the bottom-tier he’ll be an improvement over past results. Obviously the Saints are betting he’ll do much better than that.

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