Tag: Bets

CeeDee Lamb dropped an easy deep pass for the Cowboys and NFL fans started questioning his future

Lamb simply cannot drop easy passes like this.

CeeDee Lamb might one day be one of the NFL’s best wideouts on a pure talent basis. But while the former first-round pick has shown much progress since a 2020 rookie campaign, he can still leave a lot to be desired. A year after a 1,102-yard season in 2021, expectations were high for Lamb.

Those are expectations the young playmaker has yet to meet. With Dez Bryant watching, we saw the latest example of Lamb’s early-year struggles during the Cowboys and Giants’ (+1.5) matchup on Monday night.

Dallas was driving on a promising late second-half possession when they decided to take a shot. Cooper Rush unleashed a perfect deep shot play to Lamb downfield, with the nearest defender around the wideout five yards away.

And he dropped it:

Oof. That’s not a way to help an offense that scored just two touchdowns all year and is missing an injured Dak Prescott.

On the Manningcast, the Manning brothers weren’t necessarily kind to Lamb after his drop:

To be fair to Lamb, part of his early struggles are undoubtedly connected to playing without his star quarterback.

But still. When a play comes your way — especially what looked like a straightforward big chunk play — you’ve got to make it.

NFL fans were delighted by Dez Bryant hyping up Dallas when he showed up to Cowboys-Giants

This was the best cameo from Dez.

Any time the Giants and Cowboys (+1.5) play, it’s naturally going to have more eyeballs and more attention on it than the average game. Monday night was no different. Before New and Dallas squared off during Monday Night Football in Week 3, an old friend of the Cowboys made an appearance during pre-game festivities.

Dez Bryant, who made three Pro Bowls and an All-Pro team in eight seasons with the Cowboys, showed up in a pre-game interview while wearing a cowboy hat and sunglasses. And before the broadcast cut back to the usual studio analysis, Bryant had a hilarious way to insult the Giants as he harkened back to his Cowboys days:

(Warning: NSFW reference below)

Bryant hasn’t officially called it quits on his playing career, but he seems to be having all the fun nonetheless. Never change, Dez. Never change.

The Giants’ hot start proves Brian Daboll has to be some kind of football sorcerer

The G-Men are in terrific hands with Daboll.

In the offseason, many considered Brian Daboll to be the hot head coaching candidate. After helping Josh Allen become one of the more successful quarterback development stories of all time as the Bills’ offensive coordinator, Daboll probably could’ve had his pick of the litter of any of the various sideline openings. The hotshot offensive mind chose the Giants, where he reunited with former Bills Assistant GM Joe Schoen.

The early results for this pair of old friends in New York have been spectacular. On a Giants team that was supposed to be rebuilding (and probably still is), this might surprise onlookers around the NFL. For Daboll, the football maverick, and his crew of upstarts: It’s precisely where they expected to be as they get to face the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

In Week 1, seemingly against all odds, Daboll’s underdog Giants upset last year’s AFC No. 1 seed, the Titans, in a 21-20 thriller that featured a bevy of turning points:

The ensuing week, while an uglier affair, the G-Men handled their business by suffocating Baker Mayfield and the Panthers to get themselves 2-0. Uh, what?

Yes, the Giants, with Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback — a player pundits have (somewhat understandably) turned into a laughingstock for being a Human Football Folly through his first three seasons — are one of the only handful of undefeated teams remaining in 2022.

How on Earth did this happen? Is it even sustainable? Are we to really believe in what the Giants are capable of this year and beyond? The answers to those latter fateful questions are all an emphatic yes. And the reason is simple: Daboll is one heck of a football coach.

The Giants aren’t necessarily near any top efficiency performance markers through two games (though that Wink Martindale defense is ascending). Nor do they have an elite roster of skill playmakers and bulldogs in the trenches. However, what they haven’t done might be what’s most noteworthy.

From 2019 to 2021, New York turned the ball over an astounding 85 times. They not only led the league with 30 giveaways last year, but they were also the league leaders in turnovers over the last three seasons. Much of that came on the arm (and off the arm) of Jones, who threw 30 picks and lost 37 fumbles (!) for the Giants in his first three seasons in the NFL. Through two games in 2022, Jones has just two turnovers.

Now the quarterback isn’t exactly lighting it up with 364 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 6.6 yards per attempt so far. But, and I had to verify this, his two-game minimal turnover stretch is one of the cleanest of Jones’ career. He’s only ever gone two consecutive games once — during a midseason 2020 stretch — without a giveaway. Should Jones log a clean sheet against Dallas, he’ll notch, for him, a worthy milestone. And it’ll be a credit to Daboll’s no B.S. coaching style.

Beyond the X’s and O’s and mistake-free football, what stands out to me most about Daboll’s job thus far is how he’s gotten the Giants to buy in and how it’s always “the best man up.”

Against the Panthers, $72 million receiver Kenny Golladay played just two snaps. That appeared to irk the wideout when he said he was “confused” by his role. In response, Daboll told reporters he actually appreciated Golladay’s emotion. Huh?

If that’s the sort of mentality Daboll will instill in his ragtag group — who will seemingly have to earn everything — then it feels like the Giants are in an incredible spot. They have a football sorcerer of coach who can conjure the magic that makes a chicken salad out of, well, you know.

What’s even better, as Daboll told NBC Sports, he has New York playing fearless because he’s fearless himself:

“The one thing I’ve said to them is, ‘I’ve been called a lot of things in my life. But I can guarantee you the one thing you’ll never call me is afraid.’”

The pick: Giants 24, Cowboys 20

Dallas backup Cooper Rush caught the Bengals off guard last week. The Giants will be more prepared for a passer running a vanilla scheme this time around. Look for a few timely plays from the New York defense and, of course, Jones to close out a tight win.

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Aaron Donald became the fastest to 100 sacks with a relentless pass rush, because of course

The only appropriate way Donald could set a record.

Whenever he decides to hang up his cleats, shoulder pads, and helmet, Aaron Donald will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest players in NFL history. He’s got his Pro Bowls (eight). He’s got his First-Team All-Pro selections (seven). He’s got his Defensive Player of the Year Awards. And he’s had a weird but effective technique to help get all these things, too.

On Sunday, Donald added yet another illustrious accomplishment to his legendary resume when he sacked the Cardinals’ Kyler Murray in the first quarter. By bringing Murray to the ground, Donald recorded the 100th sack of his career. Sure, a lot of great players have 100 career sacks (40 since it became an official stat in 1982).

But no one got there faster than the 31-year-old Donald. And he did it in the most “Aaron Donald” fashion, too:

Aaron Donald getting a sack by plowing his way through an offensive lineman and diving to get just enough of the quarterback? And in a 20-12 win over Arizona (+3.5 on Sunday)?

Why it’s almost perfectly poetic for a future Hall of Famer’s career.

Tom Brady’s foolish delay of game call cost the Buccaneers dearly in a heartbreaking loss to Packers

The ball never lies. Even for Brady.

Tom Brady and the Buccaneers (-2) struggled to maintain a quality rhythm for much of their matchup with the Packers on Sunday.

Through almost four quarters, Tampa Bay had six points against one of their biggest NFC rivals. Brady himself seemed to lean on Russell Gage as a receiver but otherwise couldn’t help lift the Buccaneers the way he usually does.

That is until the final possession. Go figure. In the last three minutes, with Tampa Bay down 14-6, Brady marched the Buccaneers right down the field on a 13-play, 89-yard drive. When it came to a big-time third and goal play, it sure seemed like Tampa Bay just barely (if at all) got the snap off before a Brady-to-Gage touchdown:

Oh, well!

The Buccaneers would next have to tie the game with a two-point conversion. Unfortunately, while they seemed to have the right play called — a Leonard Fournette handoff — this time, they couldn’t get the snap off before a delay of game:

That five-yard penalty would, unfortunately, blow the Buccaneers’ apparent perfect play call dead. And, from a distance, their chances at tying the game were predictably low:

Oof. What a brutal way to lose the game when you had a chance to win. A 14-12 Packers win that felt like Brady’s Buccaneers blew when they had the opening.

Tampa Bay will probably be OK in the long run, but that’s a tough way to suffer your first loss of the year — especially to another NFC heavyweight.

NFL fans were suspicious of the Dolphins’ fishy explanation for an apparent Tua Tagovailoa concussion

Yeah, absolutely no one’s buying this.

The Dolphins came away from Sunday’s early afternoon action by beating the juggernaut Bills (+4.5) — one of the biggest wins in recent franchise memory. They even won despite a hilarious “Butt Punt” that might have played into their favor in the end. But their explanation for a Tua Tagovailoa injury might cloud what they accomplished after finishing a 3-0 start to their season.

After a hit from Buffalo’s Matt Milano forced Tagovailoa to leave the game for a bit late in the first half, it sure seemed like the Dolphins’ signal-caller suffered a concussion of some sort. He certainly didn’t seem to be doing well when he stumbled some after the blow:

Tagovailoa would return to the game, suggesting the NFL’s concussion protocol probably has little actual weight. In the post-game, Tagovailoa said he feels “good.” What’s more, he said he injured his back, and that’s why he stumbled around. Huh?

Yeah, while that’s certainly possible from this non-medical professional’s opinion, I’m not buying it. It sounds more like a company line from Tagovailoa to cover for a questionable concussion check rather than a “real” back injury.

The NFLPA seems to agree, and they will now be investigating the Dolphins:

Oh, man. That doesn’t sound great at first glance. Let’s remember that the Dolphins’ initial report on Tagovailoa’s status was a head injury, too:

Whatever happens with Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ (nonexistent?) concussion check, this might only be the start of a shameful story about failing to protect a player’s health.

NFL fans absolutely roasted the Dolphins for their embarrassing ‘butt punt’ safety against the Bills

A glorious moment in NFL history.

The Dolphins might have pulled off the massive upset over the division rival Bills (-4.5 on Sunday), but it didn’t come without its challenges. There was an offense that seemingly couldn’t get off the ground. There was Tua Tagovailoa questionably reentering the game despite what indeed appeared to be concussion symptoms.

But, by the end of the game, Miami was in a position for the upset with a 21-17 lead. And all they had to salt away a win was successfully punt the ball from their own end in the final minutes. It seems Thomas Morstead took that mission about booting from and/or off of ends way too literally:

Oh my goodness! Frankly, I’m surprised punters don’t accidentally kick the ball off their teammates’ butts more often. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, they surrendered a safety to Buffalo because of Morstead’s folly. Fortunately, they would end up surviving 21-19 anyway. And it might have been due to the “Butt Punt”:

Fantastic. What a Sunday in South Beach.

NFL fans thought Jamaal Williams getting penalized for his hip-thrusting homage to Hingle McCringleberry was hilarious

That’s more pumps than are allowed!!!

The Lions were running all over the Vikings (-6) on Sunday afternoon. Their suddenly impeccably consistent offense continued to do what it wants against a hapless Minnesota offense. But among all of Detroit’s players, it was Jamaal Williams who seemed to enjoy himself the most amidst the hoopla.

After already scoring Detroit’s first touchdown, Williams found himself in the end zone again late in the third quarter to continue an offensive barrage. And with the Lions’ seemingly rolling along as they pleased, Williams decided to use his celebration to mark the occasion with a special nod to the famous Key & Peele character Hingle McCringleberry:

Williams would, unsurprisingly, be penalized 15 yards for “unsportsmanlike conduct” with his celebration. I mean, hey: That’s definitely more than three pumps, too. So, in a way, Williams exceeded McCringleberry’s celebration standard.

DeVonta Smith finished off a monster first half with an absurd catch that had NFL fans in awe

Ohhhhh, so that’s why he’s called the “Slim Reaper”!

The Eagles have gotten off to a blazing start to the 2022 season. In almost every respect, they look like a true heavyweight, too. Philadelphia has one of the NFL’s most talented rosters on paper, and Jalen Hurts looks like a legitimate franchise quarterback.

It was more of the same when the Eagles took on the Commanders (+6.5) on Sunday afternoon. Philadelphia left no doubt in a dominant first half on the road in Washington D.C. DeVonta Smith, in particular, as one of the franchise’s young building blocks for the future, left no doubt on the field.

The second-year wideout had six receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Saying he was “cooking” the Commanders’ secondary might be an understatement. And look at how he so easily torched two defenders in double coverage:

If this is how Smith and the Eagles offense will play all year long, they might genuinely be on their way to a dream season.

Mind-blowing stat shows the Lions might actually have the NFL’s most consistent offense

The Lions are a force to be reckoned with. Crazy times!

A little over two games into the 2022 NFL season, and it seems like Dan Campbell’s Lions cannot be stopped on offense. A dominant offensive line pushing defenders around in the running game and a feisty Amon-Ra St. Brown cruised to at least 35 points against the Eagles and Commanders. At this rate, Detroit certainly looks like it has some staying power over the long haul.

On Sunday on the road against the Vikings (-6), the Lions essentially picked up right where they left off. When Jamaal Williams took it into the endzone for an easy two-yard touchdown, the Lions also put themselves in some extremely exclusive company:

I mean, I’m almost in shock! Do you mean to tell me offenses with Josh Allena and Patrick Mahomes haven’t scored a touchdown in 16 straight quarters, but … the Lions have?

Don’t look now, but they can technically tie the NFL record today:

Folks, it might be time to buy into what Campbell and Co. are cooking in Detroit. This team’s fun and their offense seemingly can’t be stopped.