Tag: anthony schwartz

Best photos from Auburn’s two-game winning streak over the LSU Tigers

Auburn is riding a two-game winning streak over the LSU Tigers, here are the best photos from those games.

The last time Auburn and LSU squared off Auburn took down LSU 24-19 in Baton Rouge, winning there for the first time since 1999.

The win was Auburn’s second in a row over the Bayou Bengals and was in large part due to the heroics of [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag].

He had perhaps his best road performance of his three years at Auburn, going 23-for-44 for 255 yards and one touchdown. He added 74 yards and one touchdown on the ground to lead Auburn to victory.

The most memorable play of the game occurred on 4th-and-2 when Nix rolled to his right before running back to the left and evading multiple defenders before finding [autotag]Tyler Fromm[/autotag] for a 24-yard touchdown.

The 2020 matchup between the programs was not nearly as stressful as Auburn steamrolled them to a 48-11 win in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The 37-point margin of victory was the largest margin of victory for Auburn in the rivalry.

Nix once again had a great game, throwing for 300 yards and three touchdowns on just 18 completions. The star of the show was receiver [autotag]Anthony Schwartz[/autotag] who caught four passes for 123 yards and a 91-yard touchdown.

The Auburn defense shut down the defending national champions, forcing three turnovers, 4.0 sacks, and allowed just 32 yards rushing.

Here are the best photos from these two games ahead of the game Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium, which is set to start at 6 p.m. CT and be on ESPN.

Cleveland Browns still believe in Anthony Schwartz despite his drops

Despite Anthony Schwartz struggling with drops, the Cleveland Browns do not plan on cutting the young wide receiver.

[autotag]Anthony Schwartz[/autotag] has not had a good preseason.

The former Auburn and current Cleveland Brown wide receiver has struggled with drops the entire preseason and had three more in their 21-20 loss to the Chicago Bears on Saturday. He has now dropped six passes in three preseason games.

After the game head coach Kevin Stefanski addressed his issues and made it clear that he and the organization still believe in Schwartz, who they drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

“We’ve talked about Anthony and Anthony has spoken to you guys,” Stefanski told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “He’s very accountable. I know he wants to be better. I know he’ll work very hard. All of our guys are going to continue to try to get better, and I know Anthony will, as well.”

Schwartz, who was booed after his drops, finished the game with one reception for eight yards on six targets.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=none image=https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Jacoby Brisset was the quarterback for the Browns in the game and he offered some encouragement to Schwartz.

“I told (Schwartz) on the sideline, ‘Look, you wouldn’t be in this position if they didn’t think you could do it,” Brissett said. “At least cherish the part that they’re putting you back out there no matter what. It’s only because they want to see you succeed, and they want you to see yourself succeed.’ I think he’s going to do that. It’s unfortunate that those things happen, but it is part of the game. I’m sure it’s like plays that I would like back and throws that I would like back. It’s a learning process. This game is hard if we make it hard. I’m sure he is going to get over it.”

“No,” Stefanski said. “Respectfully, we are going to make sure that we deal with things that are important, which are our players and how they respond to these things.”

Schwartz caught 10 passes for 135 yards and one touchdown in his rookie season last year for the Browns.
[mm-video type=video id=01gaw9e2v9y11e4xf3dw playlist_id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw9e2v9y11e4xf3dw/01gaw9e2v9y11e4xf3dw-cd4ebdcad83a2681d9988d36d6313320.jpg]
[listicle id=52800]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Watch WR Anthony Schwartz make highlight catch for a TD

We preface the article with a few things but it is fun and optimistic to enjoy Schwartz’s highlight so we do that. You can do the same watching it here:

Before we get to the exciting video, it is important to acknowledge a few things that we know many of you might be thinking when seeing the title:

  • Yes, it is only one play.
  • Yes, it is only in practice, not a game.
  • Yes, the player in question has struggled.
  • No, this doesn’t mean everything is fixed.
  • Yes, we are still posting it here.

Now on to the excitement, optimism and positivity.

Cleveland Browns WR Anthony Schwartz made a great play in practice on Tuesday. On the last day of training camp open to fans, the second-year receiver out of Auburn showed the ability to track the ball deep and made a catch over his shoulders with close coverage for a touchdown:

It is also important to note the perfectly placed ball by QB Jacoby Brissett.

Schwartz seems to be fighting to regain his confidence and, based on a lot of negativity, even fighting for a roster spot possibly. Here, he makes a great move at the line of scrimmage and then uses his speed to keep the separation between himself and CB Martin Emerson.

Schwartz could continue to struggle but, just as we highlight those struggles, it is nice to see him be successful as well. Hoping it translates into game situations is the optimistic way of being a fan.

Browns make another flurry of moves Saturday

Three receivers return to practice, one receiver down for “awhile”, one defensive end to IR, another officially signed and a few other moves confirmed in a busy Saturday for the Browns:

The Cleveland Browns head into the week ramping up to their first preseason game with a few question marks. Outside of QB Deshaun Watson’s discipline process, the Browns injury concerns seem to be piling up, especially at the wide receiver position.

Thankfully, they also seem to be getting a few players healthy as well.

Injuries are a part of a game that is full contact and, often, a full collision sport. While focusing on one team often leads fans to think their team is more injury prone than the next, they often even out during training camp.

It is the injuries that cost key players their whole season or that hit during important stretches that really cause problems.

Saturday, Cleveland made another flurry of moves to update their roster:

Anthony Schwartz injury update is positive one day later

Good news for Schwartz after a concerning non-contact injury yesterday:

The Cleveland Browns can seemingly breathe a sigh of relief as WR Anthony Schwartz did not have a serious injury on Thursday. Schwartz went down with a non-contact injury during practice and was holding his knee as he walked off gingerly with medical staff.

Friday morning, during the walkthrough, Schwartz was present with just a wrap around his knee. HC Kevin Stefanski discussed the injury to start his press conference.

“Injury update: Schwartzy (WR Anthony Schwartz) is day to day with a knee strain,” Stefanski said. “We will see how that goes over the next couple of days. I think he will be OK certainly long term.”

The coach later noted that Schwartz will be ready to play in Week 1 and was considered “day to day” at this time.

Despite WR David Bell being on the physically unable to perform list and Schwartz’s injury, Stefanski noted that the team is not looking to bring in reinforcements at the position.

With Schwartz and Bell down, Ja’Marcus Bradley, Michael Woods II and Isaiah Weston will get more chances while Demetric Felton also continues to work with the receivers.

Good news for Schwartz and the Browns on day three of camp and hope that he can return relatively quickly from the knee strain.

Anthony Schwartz injury highlights WR depth concern for Browns

With Bell on PUP and Schwartz leaving practice with a knee injury, WR once again becomes a big question mark for the team early in camp:

The Cleveland Browns entered the 2022 offseason with question marks at the wide receiver position. They brought in Amari Cooper, Jakeem Grant and David Bell to help address the issue. One trade, one free agent and one draft pick still didn’t seem to fully answer the concern.

Releasing Jarvis Landry (and TE Austin Hooper for that matter) made sense but also took away options for the team.

As rookies and quarterbacks reported for camp, Bell was placed on the physically unable to perform list. While the issue isn’t considered severe, the rookie will miss time in his first camp.

On day two of training camp, Anthony Schwartz went down with a non-contact injury to his knee. While the extent of the injury is unknown at this time, losing Schwartz would shine a spotlight on the depth concerns at the position.

Even veteran Javon Wims started camp on the illness list.

If the season started today (thankfully it doesn’t), Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones would take their expected places as the team’s top receivers. Grant, primarily a return who has only caught 100 passes in his seven-year career, would get the nod as the slot receiver.

From our initial 53-man roster projection, those are the only three receivers currently healthy.

Demetric Felton, who continues to be listed as a running back but practices as a receiver, would be fourth on the depth chart as of today. After that, Ja’Marcus Bradley and a slew of rookies (Michael Woods II, Isiah Weston, Mike Harley Jr. and Travell Harris) would be in the rotation.

While Grant and Felton might be exciting gadget players, the injuries to Bell and Schwartz show just how quickly Cleveland’s receiver depth can be impacted. With no one brought in to replace Hooper, the team doesn’t have the depth at tight end to help out if needed either.

Hopefully Schwartz’s injury turns out to be minor and Bell is able to return quickly. Otherwise, the Browns might be hunting for help at the receiver position once again. Maybe Odell Beckham Jr. really could return (despite his Super Bowl injury that will keep him out most of the season).

Thankfully the injuries have come early in camp and, hopefully, the team has very few the rest of the way.

8 biggest questions entering Browns training camp

The 8 biggest questions that need to get answered in Browns training camp

Cleveland Browns training camp kicks off with the rookies reporting on Friday and the full team convening shortly thereafter. The Browns head to Berea for Kevin Stefanski’s third season as head coach with quite a few questions.

The biggest of those is what happens with QB Deshaun Watson, but that’s a greater question than can be answered in training camp. My questions for the Browns deal more with things that can be resolved in training camp and the three preseason games.

Here are the top questions for the Browns to answer on the practice field in training camp.

Setting fantasy football expectations for Cleveland Browns receivers

Just what should we expect from the new-look Cleveland receiving corps?

Let’s begin with the elephant in the room: Nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen with new Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson in terms of discipline. There are rumors that the league wants a “significant” suspension, perhaps the entirety of the 2022 season, amid the two dozen civil suits filed against Watson (20 of which were recently settled). Again, though, that’s a rumor, and even once a suspension is handed down there could still be an appellate process to navigate. It’s a mess.

Making things even messier is the team has alienated former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield to the point that he’s unlikely to ever suit up for the Browns again. In that scenario, a Watson suspension would lead to journeyman Jacoby Brissett getting the nod. Brissett is a prototypical game manager, and his insertion into the lineup would dampen the outlook for Cleveland’s passing attack.

The lone silver lining is it sounds as though the NFL would like to have the Watson situation resolved in its entirety before camp opens July 27, so hopefully we’ll get clarity soon.

We have created champions for more than 25 years. Find out why by signing up to The Huddle today to gain an award-winning edge on the competition!

Browns planning for a big year from WR Anthony Schwartz

Schwartz did not have a good rookie year but few receivers do. The Browns are expecting a jump from him in 2022, what are realistic expectations?

When the 2021 NFL season ended, almost every media member and fan had tagged the Cleveland Browns for taking a wide receiver early in the 2022 NFL draft. Then the team traded for Amari Cooper but released Jarvis Landry. The assumption of an early receiver remained.

The trade for Deshaun Watson cost the team their first-round pick, as well as multiple other picks, but it was still assumed that the team would draft a receiver early. Most mock drafts focused around George Pickens, Skyy Moore, Alec Pierce or a number of other pass catchers.

Instead, Cleveland waited until their last pick in the third round to draft David Bell out of Purdue. While Bell played outside a lot in college, the expectation is that he will play as a bigger slot receiver at the pro level.

That leaves the Browns with Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones as their top receivers going into 2022. For many fans, this was surprising and frustrating.

While Cleveland could still add a veteran to their team, they are counting on second-year pro Anthony Schwartz to fill some of that role:

Schwartz was a late third-round pick, like Bell, in 2021. He had a great first game for the team and then was most known for not attacking the ball that was intercepted and led to Baker Mayfield’s shoulder injury.

In 14 games, the Auburn speedster had just 10 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed the ball six times for 39 yards and four first downs. Of his 174 total yards, 86 of them came in Week 1 versus the Kansas City Chiefs.

Coming out of college, Schwartz was known for his world-class speed but the Mayfield injury and, later, a concussion limited his rookie campaign.

Outside of the top receivers drafted, rookie pass-catchers tend to struggle for the first couple of seasons. The nuance of the NFL game including making route adjustments on the fly can be very difficult.

Cleveland may be expecting a lot out of Schwartz this year but a moderate jump in stats may be more realistic. With Watson on board and more three-receiver sets, Schwartz should be able to triple his numbers while becoming a deep threat that opens things up underneath for his teammates.

Deshaun Watson needs to unlock Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz

Due to the picks traded away and the money given out to get Watson, his job is to raise the play of those around him including DPJ and Schwartz. That is what top-level QBs do in the NFL:

The addition of Deshaun Watson by the Cleveland Browns is likely to dominate the discussion around the team for some time. The allegations and charges off the field merit that level of discourse while the talent on the field merit that level of interest in the player.

With a year off from playing the game, Watson may have a lot of catching up to do. We also don’t know what type of punishment the quarterback could receive this season, if any, and how that will impact his play on the field.

What we do know is that, primarily, Watson chose the Browns because of the talent around him on the field. On the offensive side of the ball, the line is one of, if not the, best in the game. The same is true of the running back group. Among the pass catchers, Amari Cooper and David Njoku are good starting points but the team seems to lack proven talent outside of those two.

While Cleveland may bring back Jarvis Landry, or this out-of-the-box idea from our mock offseason, Watson has the responsibility to raise the performance of the weapons around him. In particular, the new quarterback needs to help Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz get to the next level.

With the Houston Texans, Watson leaned heavily on DeAndre Hopkins but also helped Will Fuller develop. While Fuller never put up huge numbers, having less than half the targets as Hopkins will do that, he still became a dangerous deep threat.

In Cleveland, Watson may lean heavily on Cooper but, with his contract and amount of draft capital spent to acquire him, needs to raise the level of the players around him. Tom Brady famously got Deion Branch paid top receiver money by putting his receiver in a position to succeed. Last postseason, Buffalo’s Josh Allen made Gabriel Davis a breakout star with eight receptions for 201 yards and four touchdowns.

For Watson’s addition to be successful in Cleveland, he must be able to create similar impacts with receivers and quickly. Peoples-Jones has shown flashes of exciting play but has failed to produce consistently while Schwartz had a good first game as a rookie then faltered after that.

With all of the contracts handed out by the team over the last few years, the team may not be able to bring in a ton of high-priced weapons for Watson. With the three first-round picks, and more, sent out to get Watson, the team may not be able to draft them highly either. Watson must make do with what is on the team and who is brought in. That is what top-level quarterbacks do.