Tag: 2023 season

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson, DE Montez Sweat to participate in these Pro Bowl events

Jaylon Johnson and Montez Sweat will represent the Bears at the Pro Bowl Games. Here’s a look at the events they’ll be competing in:

The Pro Bowl Games get underway this week, where the Chicago Bears will have two representatives: cornerback Jaylon Johnson and defensive end Montez Sweat.

Johnson will participate in two events at the Pro Bowl Games: Closest to the Pin on Thursday and NFL Flag Football on Sunday.

Closest to the Pin: This golf accuracy competition will feature five players from each conference. They will drive the golf ball, working to hit it as close to the hole as possible. The winner will earn three points for his conference.

Meanwhile, Sweat will participate in two events: Move the Chains and Gridiron Gauntlet, both on Sunday.

Move the Chains: This offensive and defensive linemen strength and speed competition takes strategy and teamwork. Each team of five players must work together to move 3,000 pounds of weights off a massive wall and be the first team to pull that 2,000-pound wall across the finish line. The winner will earn three points for their conference.

Gridiron Gauntlet presented by Snickers: A full-field relay race between six AFC players and six NFC players who show off their athletic prowess in a challenging obstacle course. They’ll break through walls and crawl under doors, among other obstacles, to get to the final sled push across the field with the ultimate goal of finishing first. The winning team of each race will earn their conference three points.

Johnson had a career-high four interceptions, 36 tackles and 10 pass breakups in 14 games. He proved to be one of the NFL’s best cover cornerbacks and unlocked the takeaway aspect of his game, earning his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods.

Sweat transformed Chicago’s defense from one of the worst into one of the best in the league. He had a career year with 12.5 sacks and 63 pressures, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Sweat led both the Bears (6.0) and Commanders (6.5) in sacks.

Demario Davis named Saints’ 2023 MVP by CBS Sports

It’s no contest: Demario Davis was named the New Orleans Saints’ 2023 MVP by CBS Sports

The New Orleans Saints did not have a great season, but it wasn’t all bad. Players like Demario Davis solidified their talents once again with great seasons. Davis was given recognition this week when CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan named him the Saints’ MVP for this season.

Davis has been elite since getting to New Orleans, one of the franchise’s best free agent signings ever. Now, he gets his second straight and overall career Pro Bowl as well.

This season Davis led the team (by far) in tackles with 121 total. He was second on the team in sacks with 6.5. Not only is he a leader on the field, but he is clearly the team’s leader in the locker room as well. His presence was much needed after the retirement of Drew Brees.

CBS Sports wasn’t alone in viewing Davis as the Saints’ MVP, as there was a near-consensus among our staff when we handed out our season awards. He’s an impactful player on the field and a positive influence in the locker room. What more can you ask for?

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What hiring Luke Getsy could bring for the Saints offense

What hiring ex-Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy could bring to the Saints offense

Could the next New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator have been flying under the radar this entire time? Luke Getsy is interviewing with Dennis Allen in New Orleans on Wednesday after initially speaking with Saints brass remotely, as has been the case for all of their meetings during this hiring cycle. What’s interesting is that Getsy’s first interview was unreported.

And what’s concerning is his poor performance with the Chicago Bears the last two years. The Bears (and young quarterback Justin Fields) made only incremental progress during Getsy’s two seasons calling plays. So what would he bring to the New Orleans offense? Why are the Saints so interested in him?

Let’s look at his results in one area Saints fans have been clamoring for improvement: the run game. The Bears ranked second in the NFL in both rushing attempts (31.4 per game) and rushing yards (141.1 per game), averaging a very-good 2.9 yards before contact per carry (tied for fourth-most). His offensive line was moving teams and winning their battles up front. That was the case last year, too, when Chicago placed third with 3.4 yards before contact per carry.

Now that all sounds great. But there’s one complicating factor to consider. Justin Fields ranked second in rushing attempts for the Bears in each of the last two seasons, totaling 124 and 160 carries, respectively. That’s not something the Saints are going to get out of Derek Carr who has always played as a pocket passer. He totaled 32 carries this season and has never ran more than 40 times in a single year.

But it is something the Saints could get out of Taysom Hill. He has averaged 83.5 carries per season over the last four years, and Hill is arguably their most explosive option on the ground; he’s led the team in yards per attempt during that span (among players with 10 or more carries each season). Maybe the Saints believe Getsy could get the offensive line right and get even more out of Hill by importing some of the plays designed for Fields.

That’s only part of the problem, though. The Saints found success using more play action and pre-snap motion to get advantageous looks for Carr on passing plays late in the season. If Getsy is tasked with continuing that trend, he’ll have to make it a greater priority than he did in Chicago. The Bears were a bottom-10 team in play action pass attempts in 2022 and just reached the middle of the pack in 2023. Carr has been one of the league’s most effective quarterbacks on play action passes in his career, so it would make sense for a new play caller to emphasize them.

And what about personnel tendencies? The Bears ran a lot of 11 and 12 personnel this year (on 39% and 23% of their first downs) while mixing in 21 personnel looks (13%) to get more tight ends on the field; the Saints leaned hard on 11 personnel (48%) and occasionally worked in a second tight end with 12 personnel (20%). With Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau both underutilized and under contract for 2024, maybe getting them more involved wouldn’t be a bad thing.

One aspect we shouldn’t overlook: run-pass option plays. The Saints mainly used them as a vehicle for setting up Hill’s runs, but Getsy’s Bears had some success throwing on RPO plays. They threw twice as often as New Orleans and gained the 11th-most passing yardage in the league on these plays. Carr has never used them with much volume (or had much success) but maybe that’s something Getsy could tap into.

There are reasons to believe Getsy could work out in New Orleans — if they hire him after all. There are also reasons for skepticism. He never got the Bears into the league’s top-20 teams in total yardage or points scored. Effective as they were on the ground, Chicago fielded a mediocre-at-best passing attack even after loading up with weapons and better protection for Fields in 2023. How much of that is on Fields and how much is on Getsy is still being argued, but what’s clear is that Getsy wouldn’t just be installing his own offense in New Orleans. He’d have to adapt it to the players available and, particularly, his quarterback.

Getsy isn’t the best candidate in this hiring cycle. The Saints are waiting to see how things play out with one or both of the San Francisco 49ers candidates, Klint Kubiak and Brian Griese. The best options have already been hired away so the Saints and other teams still in the hunt have to settle for a second-tier candidate (which is also true for those being hired — these are second-tier jobs). As we’ve discussed, the Saints may have to hire someone who is a retread or desperate for the opportunity to call plays and pad out their resume. To that end, guys like Getsy and Kubiak fit the description.

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Cowboys’ Markquese Bell to be named NFL HBCU Player of the Year

From @ToddBrock24f7: The dynamic safety/linebacker out of Florida A&M joins a long line of Cowboys greats who have come to the pros from HBCUs.

Jerry Rice. Walter Payton. Michael Strahan. Deacon Jones. Richard Dent. Mel Blount. Art Shell. Steve McNair.

Theirs are some of the most legendary names in NFL history, but their individual journeys to the loftiest ranks in the sport had somewhat more humble beginnings.

They are just a few of the players who came to the pros by way of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities. And now one of the Cowboys’ own is being recognized as the most outstanding HBCU player in the game for 2023.

Safety Markquese Bell will be honored during Super Bowl Week as the NFL HBCU Spotlight Player of the Year.

“I am humbly grateful for this honor and acknowledgment to be selected for the NFL HBCU Spotlight Player of the Year for the 2023 season,” Bell said.

The just-turned-25-year-old went undrafted out of Florida A&M in 2022 and made the Cowboys’ initial 53-man roster after impressing coaches during training camp. He was still learning the ropes during his rookie campaign, taking just 22 defensive snaps in five game appearances.

But his second season saw a huge jump in his involvement, as well as his production. In a safety/linebacker hybrid role, Bell was in on 649 defensive snaps in the regular season, representing more than 60% of the unit’s action.

Playing in every game (and starting 12 of them), Bell racked up 94 tackles, second-most on the team and forced two fumbles, also second-best.

But he won’t be resting on those numbers heading into his third NFL season.

“I know that I must work extremely hard during this off-season to condition my body to prepare for the everyday grind as a professional football player,” Bell said, per The Famuan. “I am extremely excited about getting with my coaches and teammates this off-season to study my craft and add more tools to my toolbelt.”

There’s a high bar set for Bell in Dallas, as several of the franchise’s all-time greats also came from HBCUs, including Rayfield Wright (Fort Valley State), Bob Hayes (Florida A&M), Ed “Too Tall” Jones (Tennessee State), Everson Walls (Grambling State), Jethro Pugh (Elizabeth City State), Erik Williams (Central State), and Nate Newton (Florida A&M).

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Several HBCU alums are currently on NFL rosters: Javon Hargrave, Grover Stewart, Isaiah Bolden, Darius Leonard, and Terron Armstead are among them.

While the still-new NFL HBCU Combine and recent national attention given to smaller programs like Jackson State- under the former leadership of Cowboys legend Deion Sanders- have created opportunities for many players who might not otherwise get the looks from NFL teams, Bell is aware that he’s an ambassador for HBCUs and a role model for other under-recognized players every time he steps on the field.

“I do realize God has placed upon me to lead and be an example for many,” Bell explained, “and for that matter, I have accepted my calling to be intentional in the most positive way that I know as to the lives I affect from those watching me.”

There will be plenty watching in the fall as Bell embarks on his third season as a key contributor within the Cowboys defense.

Bell will be honored as the NFL HBCU Spotlight Player of the Year at The Super Bowl Soulful Celebration, airing Feb. 10 on CBS. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will receive the prestigious Faith in Action Award at the same event. Bills safety Damar Hamlin will be presented with the New Beginnings Award,” while CBS host and ex-NFL wide receiver Nate Burleson will be given the Lifetime of Inspiration Award.

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Demario Davis selected for 2024 Pro Bowl Games as an alternate

Saints captain Demario Davis has been selected for 2024 Pro Bowl Games as an alternate, replacing Super Bowl-bound 49ers linebacker Fred Warner:

Congratulations are in order for Demario Davis: the New Orleans Saints linebacker has been selected for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games as an alternate, replacing San Francisco 49ers starter Fred Warner on the NFC roster. He’s the first Saints linebacker selected for back-to-back Pro Bowls since Jonathan Vilma did it in 2009 and 2010.

Davis, 35, was also named to the Pro Bowl Games last season for the first time in his impressive NFL career. He’s earned All-Pro recognition in each of the last five years with the Saints but this is just his second Pro Bowl Games appearance. He’ll be joining teammate Rashid Shaheed at this year’s event.

The 2024 Pro Bowl Games will feature several days of contests between the NFC and AFC all-star rosters, leading up to a flag football game scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 4 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Fans can tune in on ESPN, ABC, Disney XD, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes.

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Bears CB Jaylon Johnson named to PFF’s All-Breakout Team

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson’s impressive 2023 season earned him a spot on PFF’s All-Breakout Team.

Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson had a career year during the 2023 season, where he emerged as one of the league’s best cornerbacks.

Johnson had a career-high four interceptions, 36 tackles and 10 pass breakups in 14 games. He proved to be one of the NFL’s best cover cornerbacks and unlocked the takeaway aspect of his game, earning his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods.

Johnson was named to Pro Football Focus’ All-Breakout Team for the 2023 season. He led all cornerbacks with a 90.8 overall grade, including a top coverage grade of 91.0.

With free agency looming, Jaylon Johnson likely made himself a lot of money with his 2023 performance. He was the only cornerback with a higher PFF grade than DaRon Bland (90.8), and he led the position in coverage grade (91.0).

Despite playing a hefty 530 coverage snaps, Johnson allowed just 25 catches on 50 targets for 195 yards and one touchdown to go along with four interceptions. Unless he gets hit with the franchise tag or signs an extension with the Bears, expect Johnson to be one of the most coveted players on the market in the 2024 offseason.

Johnson is slated to become a free agent in March, but general manager Ryan Poles has made it clear Johnson will be with the Bears in 2024. Whether that means signing Johnson to a lucrative, multi-year extension or using the franchise tag remains to be seen. But it’s clear Poles understands the importance of Johnson to this young, ascending defense looking to take the next step in 2024.

Andy Reid applauds Chiefs’ mental toughness through long seasons

#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid applauded his team’s mental toughness through long seasons after Kansas City’s win over the #Ravens.

The familiar sound of the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC champions heading into a Super Bowl will never get old for the team’s many fans in Western Missouri. Experiencing this level of success is nearly impossible to keep up in today’s rapidly moving free-agency and trade market.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has devoted over 25 years to his craft and has seen almost everything in the league. He appreciates his player’s efforts annually, from rookie mini camps to this point. He explained the grind to reporters in his postgame press conference on Sunday.

“It’s tough the back-to-back-to-back seasons, that’s a tough thing,” Reid explained. “We played a lot of football games, and you’ve got to work through that. You [have] got to work through that mentally; that’s not an easy thing. So, I’m so happy for the guys and how they handled that.

“When it came time to put the hammer down, they put the hammer down, which was important. The best part is we’re not done; we’ve got another game, and you love the seasons to carry on as long as they can possibly carry on. We’re there, and now we gotta get right back at it. And start grinding for whoever wins us this game here.”

Since the 2018 season, the first with Mahomes as the starter, the Chiefs have played in the AFC Championship game and will now appear in their fourth Super Bowl. Reid acknowledges the toll playing late into seasons can have on a veteran team and understands the target on his players’ backs as they still overcome it and succeed.

“What you get is everybody’s best shot. So every week, you’re gonna get the best shot,” Reid said. “There are no games off for that stuff. Not in the NFL anyway, but they’re no games off. There’s no light opponent. You’ve got to bring it every week. So, again, to be in this position, that tells you a little bit something about the mental makeup of this football team.”

Reid is tied for third in most Super Bowl appearances for a head coach. He can join Joe Gibbs, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, and Bill Belichick as the only head coaches with three rings if the Chiefs are victorious in Super Bowl LVIII.

Former Bears playing in 2024 AFC, NFC Championship Games

Here’s a look at the former Bears who are playing in the AFC and NFC Championship Games.

The NFL 2024 postseason continues with Championship Sunday, where the final four teams will face off for a Super Bowl appearance. The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs will battle in the AFC Championship and the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions will battle in the NFC Championship.

While the Bears have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, there are some familiar faces for fans to watch on Sunday, including linebacker Roquan Smith and running back David Montgomery.

Here’s a look at the former Bears who are playing on Championship Sunday:

6 reasons the Saints missed the playoffs in 2023

An inconsistent offense and too-slow defensive line highlight six reasons why the New Orleans Saints missed the playoffs in 2023:

The New Orleans Saints missed the playoffs for the third season in a row. Fingers can be pointed in multiple different directions, and that’s exactly what we’re here to do. Neither side of the ball held up their side of the bargain this year.

The offense didn’t truly get it together until the season was nearing its conclusion, while the defense showed it can’t carry the team. They shouldn’t be relied to do that anymore. These are the six reasons the Saints missed the playoffs.

13 final thoughts on Cowboys’ 2023 season

The Cowboys made another inglorious exit from the postseason, tainting the way the 2023 season will be perceived. Here’s a closer look at the biggest takeaways from the season. | From @BenGrimaldi

The NFL playoffs are still playoffing, but the Dallas Cowboys are not participating in late January once again. The annual postmortem is oce again for an underachieving team.

It was a third-straight, 12-win year for Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys in 2023, yet that didn’t translate into postseason success. This time, it was a one-and-done situation, even though they were the No. 2 seed and played at home where they hadn’t lost all year. For a Dallas team that had most fans back on the bandwagon, it was a rough way to finish a promising season.

Now that the shock and anger has worn off – somewhat – we can look back at what happened in the last five months. Here are 13 thoughts on the 2023 season for the Cowboys.