Tag: Bengals

Ravens rookie linebacker Trenton Simpson exits matchup vs. Browns with a concussion

Baltimore Ravens rookie linebacker Trenton Simpson exits matchup against Cleveland Browns with a concussion

Ravens rookie linebacker Trenton Simpson has been ruled out of the team’s Week 10 matchup against the Browns after suffering a concussion.

Baltimore hosts the Cincinnati Bengals on Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football in Week 11, meaning Simpson will also likely miss that matchup while working to clear concussion protocol.

The rookie from Oklahoma has two tackles in three appearances this season.

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Myles Garrett on Joe Burrow: He’s produced at a higher level than Lamar Jackson

Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett says Joe Burrow has done more in his career than Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson

Myles Garrett is on his way to Baltimore and added more fuel to Sunday’s fire, giving the Ravens more bulletin board material.

After stating earlier in the week that he would take Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow over Ravens star Lamar Jackson, Garrett doubled down on his take and attempted to explain why.

Burrow has played four seasons in Cincinnati, earning a trip to the Super Bowl, throwing for 13,635 yards and 94 touchdowns, being selected to play in 1 Pro Bowl, and winning the 2021 Comeback Player of the Year award.

Burrow has a passer rating 90.6 with 1,861 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions in 8 games this season.

The 2019 NFL MVP award winner, Jackson has played six seasons for the Ravens, throwing 14,163 yards and 110 touchdowns.

Jackson has been selected to play in 2 Pro Bowls, but he’s looking for his first playoff run as a starting quarterback.

This season, Jackson is again an MVP favorite, as he enters Week 10 with a passer rating of 100.8 with 1,954 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions in 9 games this season.

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Bills’ Sean McDermott on any change to offense play-calling duties: ‘No’

#Bills’ Sean McDermott on any change to offense play-calling duties: “No”

The Bills struggle with offensive consistency this season has raised questions about whether there will be a change made at the coordinator position or playcalling on offense.

Head coach Sean McDermott was to the point responding to just that line of questioning after Sunday’s 24-18 loss to the Bengals.

“No,” the coach said to the press. “Well, I get it. I understand everyone’s frustration, I absolutely do, and we’re working extremely hard to make the adjustments we have to make. And Ken is doing the same. So I remain confident in Ken and our offensive staff, and we continue to work hard at improving and getting the results we need.”

Dorsey responded to questions about Sunday’s performance as well, citing field position as part of the reason for a lack of tempo.

“We were in some backed-up situations so we couldn’t quite get into the tempo stuff at times there,” he said. “We definitely started off in it this past game. We realized it was effective for us, but at times the crowd noise became a factor with the communication in some of those backed-up situations.

It’s something we want to continue to utilize, we just have to make sure we’re effective in what we do and stay on the field. The big thing for us is when we start racking plays together, then you start getting into that rhythm. We need to find a way to get into that groove, however it is.”

Between the numbers, there’s been a different start for Dorsey than his predecessor, Brian Daboll.

Daboll had several stints as a coordinator for college and pro-level offenses before calling the Bills offense. He had a creative touch, tailored scheming, and a balanced approach that first-time OC Dorsey has, at times, lacked.

He acknowledged after the game it was important they “Make sure we’re balanced in our approach. The big thing for us is not to become one-dimensional and predictable. We’ve got to be able to do that to keep the defense off balance and we have to do that in a way that’s efficient for us while still being able to generate some explosive chunk plays. We’ve got to find ways to do that.”

Doing so successfully on the field and not merely in press conferences or in hindsight is what will matter.

No public indication has been given by the Bills front office or coaching staff that a change is imminent. Though since the offensive roster has gotten more talented players success will be expected.

One of the most successful coordinators in the NFL, Josh McDaniels, is available due to a recent exit from the Raiders. Some may start to draw attention to that or a need for change should Dorsey’s struggles continue.

Time will tell, beginning next Monday night against the Denver Broncos.

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Bills’ Ken Dorsey: ‘Got a lot of faith in who we are’

#Bills’ Ken Dorsey: ‘Got a lot of faith in who we are’

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott’s message remained steadfast mid-week ahead of their next game against the Denver Broncos.

At a 5-4 record trailing the AFC East-leading Dolphins, with one more loss than their 2022 season total, and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, he believes in his team’s ability to rise to the challenge ahead.

“I feel like these guys know what’s ahead of us, but they also know we got to take it one game at a time,” McDermott said. “I think they’re ready for the challenge. I know they’re ready for the challenge. And, you know, that’s what the Buffalo Bills do.”

In fact, in one word he expressed just how he feels about the team he has.

“Confident,” he said to the press. “Confident in our team. Confident in our coaches. Confident in our players. Confident in our staff. It doesn’t mean we don’t have work to do. It doesn’t mean we don’t have a gap to close.

“And there’s different things that make up that gap,” McDermott added. “And so we’ve got to continue to drill down on those areas and play better as an overall team, complementary-wise, and reset some things that we need to reset. You go back and re-teach certain things or re-establish certain things this time of year when you’re going through things. Even when you’re not going through things, it’s the right thing to do. But my confidence remains high in our group.”

Lack of execution and consistency across all three phases, along with some costly turnovers culminated in a loss last Sunday night to the Bengals.

Shoddy officiating and injuries didn’t help, but the coach has made no excuses, and instead taken responsibility for what he says they can correct.

“I think it starts with our level of execution, our level of complementary football,” McDermott said. “As I mentioned (Sunday) evening, it’s hard to win when you turn the ball over twice and you lose the field position battle by 12 yards approximately. There’s a formula here we’ve used for winning and we’ve got to execute that.”

While Allen and McDermott sounded like they may have felt unhappy with some of the offensive gameplan and overall inconsistency after the loss, McDermott has continued to throw support and place confidence behind coordinator Ken Dorsey.

Standing by personnel is nothing new for Buffalo’s head coach.

He did so early in his Buffalo tenure for both former Bills starting Quarterback Nathan Peterman as well as former assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier when questions arose about their performance.

Dorsey is confident in their team moving forward as well.

“I think they’ve got a lot of faith in who we are and what we’re about,” he said. “We’ve got a mentally tough group, a group of guys who have been through things together, been through some ups and downs and good and bad. We’re able to come together for one common goal and that’s win a football game.”

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AFC West standings, playoff picture ahead of Week 10

A look at the AFC West standings and playoff picture after Week 9.

The Chargers improved to 4-4 after beating the Jets.

After the win, how does Los Angeles stack up with the other teams in the AFC West?

Here’s a look at the division standings entering Week 10:

1. Chiefs (7-2)

2. Chargers (4-4)

3. Raiders (4-5)

4. Broncos (3-5)

And, a look at the playoff picture:

*There are (7) available Playoff spots

1. Chiefs (7-2)

2. Ravens (7-2)

3. Jaguars (6-2)

4. Dolphins (6-3)

5. Steelers (5-3)

6. Browns (5-3)

7. Bengals (5-3)

8. Bills (5-4)

9. Texans (4-4)

10. Chargers (4-4)

AFC playoff matchups if the season ended today:

  • No. 2 Ravens vs. No. 7 Bengals
  • No. 3 Jaguars vs. No. 6 Browns
  • No. 4 Dolphins vs. No. 5 Steelers

AFC North dominates latest AFC playoff picture

The Steelers would travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins if the playoffs were this weekend.

Right now, every team in the AFC North is at least two games over .500. The Baltimore Ravens lead the division at 7-2 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals all tied up at 5-3. Technically, based on their division record, the Steelers are in second place.

How good is this group? If the playoffs started today, all four teams would make it. Something unprecedented in the NFL that all the teams from one division would be in. Here is how the matchups would look.

No. 2 – Baltimore Ravens vs. No. 7 Cincinnati Bengals

No. 3 – Jacksonville Jaguars vs No. 6 – Cleveland Browns

No. 4 – Miami Dolphins vs No. 5 – Pittsburgh Steelers

This week the Steelers take on the Green Bay Packers at home. Meanwhile, the Ravens and Browns square off in Baltimore and the Bengals host the red-hot Houston Texans.

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Sean McDermott on Bills vs. Bengals: ‘Just too inconsistent overall’

Sean McDermott on Bills vs. Bengals: ‘Just too inconsistent overall’:

The Buffalo Bills found themselves in a familiar place against a familiar foe on Sunday Night Football, as the Cincinnati Bengals ran out the clock to secure a 24-18 victory.

While the Buffalo offense staged a fourth-quarter scoring drive to bring the game within a touchdown, they were inconsistent, and their defense failed to get a needed third-down stop in the final minutes. Cincinnati went into victory formation, taking knees on snaps until time ran out.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott, whose emphasis since the beginning of his tenure has been complimentary football and competing in all three phases, was to the point when asked after the game about what cost his squad a win.

“Just too inconsistent overall,” McDermott said to the press. “Not enough complementary football. Turned the ball over twice, I thought the defense got off to a slow start the first drive in particular… Too much inconsistencies in the kicking game as well as just the offense overall. Some good plays and just not enough of them.”

Inconsistency and execution issues have been a common issue for this year’s Bills team, as has been finding a rhythm.

While they did just that last week against the Buccaneers and started to find a similar rhythm early in their matchup against the Bengals, they did not sustain it.

“I thought we got off to a really good start in a rhythm and then after that, it was tough sledding,” McDermott added. “And that can’t happen against a good football team that is known for scoring points.”

In both matchups last season, the NFL Week 17 game that was cut short due to Bills S Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, and the divisional round of the playoffs, the Bills looked outmatched by the Bengals.

In this most recent matchup, the game was winnable for Buffalo, if not for the inconsistency in performance across their three phases.

The Bills time of possession on only nine total possessions was exacerbated by two turnovers as well. One was a fumble punched out TE Dalton Kincaid’s grasp by Cincy LB Germaine Pratt, and the other was an interception by QB Josh Allen who underthrew WR Gabe Davis on a forced pass after a double clutch where Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt would take it away instead.

“We had our opportunities, didn’t score before half, didn’t get six in the first drive of the second half,” Allen said after the game. “That’s not complementary football, you’ve got to double dip and get the points there.”

The loss drops Buffalo to 5-4, to third in their division behind the Jets and Dolphins, and out of the AFC playoffs for now. They’ll have a chance to right the ship next week against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.

NFL power rankings, Week 10: The AFC is loaded with scary teams

The Chiefs, Ravens, and Jaguars are leading the way in a conference that is absolutely stacked with good teams.

There’s a clear and obvious frontrunner in the NFC. The Philadelphia Eagles came a little too close to blowing it against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9, but — at the end of the day — they’re 8-1 and pacing the field in their conference.

But who’s the best in the absolutely stacked AFC?

The Kansas City Chiefs are the defending NFL champs, but the Baltimore Ravens are steamrolling opponents as of late, the Jacksonville Jaguars have won five straight, and the Cincinnati Bengals have left their 1-3 start long in the rear view mirror.

There’s so many tough teams in the conference that the Buffalo Bills, a team with double-digit wins in each of the last four season, are currently on the outside looking in after dropping to a really not-so-bad 5-4 on the year.

The Eagles’ one-loss record keeps them on top of the league for now, but after Philadelphia, it’s all AFC. Here’s how the league stacks up with Week 10 on the way:

NFL power rankings, Week 10: Eagles soar as Cowboys, Bills get exposed

NFL power rankings, Week 10: Eagles and Chiefs soar as Cowboys, Bills, and Dolphins get exposed. But where do the Saints clock in?

Fans watched a preview for several possible playoff matchups during Week 9’s NFL games, with Super Bowl contenders like the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs standing tall while their rivals got exposed — the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins are in fact not ready for prime time, and the Buffalo Bills may not be, either.

But where do the New Orleans Saints clock in after their defense cleaned up its own mess in a too-close win over the lowly Chicago Bears? Let’s break it all down with our NFL power rankings going into Week 10:

49ers inability to mount comeback drops them in USA TODAY power rankings

How far did the #49ers fall in the @usatodaysports NFL power rankings?

The 49ers dropped their third consecutive game in Week 8, and subsequently dropped in the USA TODAY NFL power rankings for the second consecutive week.

San Francisco still sits in the top five despite its struggles. They’ve built up enough equity over the last couple years to get the benefit of the doubt when they scuffle like they have the last three weeks. Especially since they were a missed field goal away from winning in Cleveland and were one or two bounces of the ball away from winning in Minnesota.

The 49ers’ inability to pull of a fourth-quarter comeback ultimately doomed them in all three contests, and Nate Davis of USA TODAY notes as much in his rankings:

Here’s an insane stat about this club. Since HC Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017, San Francisco is 0-37 when trailing by eight or more points in the fourth quarter.

Perhaps the most concerning thing for San Francisco has been its defense’s inability to get stops and overcome a couple mistakes from quarterback Brock Purdy. Defense is supposed to be the 49ers’ bread and butter, but they haven’t been good the last three games.

For now the 49ers stay in the top five, but if they continue to struggle out of the bye week we could see a pretty dramatic drop in the power rankings and, more importantly for them, the standings.

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