Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
We continue our countdown to the start of the 2023 season by looking at everyone who’s worn No. 48 for the Minnesota Vikings.
It’s the final countdown…
Well, sort of.
The Minnesota Vikings will kick off their 2023 regular season in 48 days at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 10.
From now until then, we will take a trip down memory lane and count each day by revisiting the players that have worn that specific jersey number.
With 48 days until kickoff, here’s a look at every player to wear No. 48 with the Vikings (via Pro Football Reference):
In addition to holding tryouts for five players on Monday, the Panthers brought former Baylor LB Blake Lynch in for a visit.
Now that the Carolina Panthers have fired head coach Matt Rhule, are the pipelines from both Temple University and Baylor University set to be dismantled?
It seemed that way, at least early on. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow and assistant special teams coach Ed Foley, longtime staffers of Rhule, followed their leader out the door last week. Heck, former Owl Robbie Anderson just got the boot today.
But one Bear just squeaked through to Charlotte, as linebacker Blake Lynch made a visit to the Panthers on Tuesday. Lynch played three seasons, and three different positions, under Rhule at Baylor.
A holdover from the previous regime led by Art Briles, the 6-foot-3, 233-pounder transitioned from wide receiver to safety to linebacker between 2017 and 2019 with Rhule. He would later go undrafted, however, and sign with the Minnesota Vikings on April 28, 2020.
Lynch played in 20 games for Minnesota in 2020 and 2021. He totaled 47 tackles, 2.0 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
Carolina, additionally, held tryouts for five players on the afternoon—running back Spencer Brown, defensive linemen Delontae Scott and Raequan Williams and linebackers Joel Iyiegbuniwe and Dorian O’Daniel.
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The Patriots hosted linebacker Blake Lynch on Tuesday.
The New England Patriots hosted free agent linebacker Blake Lynch for a workout on Tuesday, per Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson and Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed.
Lynch most recently played for the Minnesota Vikings. He appeared in four games as an undrafted rookie in 2020. He made more of an impact last year, appearing in 16 games with six starts and had a good year statistically, recording 35 tackles, two sacks, one interception, one pass breakup and one forced fumble.
The Patriots need depth at the linebacker position, as the team continues to struggle with defending against the run. Green Bay made that a huge part of their game on Sunday, totaling 199 rushing yards. The Baltimore Ravens rushed for 188 yards the week before.
Source: Patriots working out former Vikings linebacker Blake Lynch @PFN365 https://t.co/pCJ6bm3E21
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 4, 2022
It remains to be seen if Lynch will provide relief for a struggling position. The good news is the Patriots are making a real effort to address it.
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On Friday, Seattle brought in three more free agents – including two linebackers.
The Seahawks keep churning the free agent pool looking for depth at linebacker. They don’t seem to be finding what they’re searching for, though. Earlier is week the team brought in five free agents for tryouts, including three off-ball linebackers. They didn’t sign any of them, though.
On Friday, Seattle brought in three more free agents – including two linebackers. Here’s a quick review of who came in.
Here is the Vikings’ Monday injury report:
The Vikings are in the midst of a shortened week — with the team’s clash against the Steelers this Thursday.
That means Minnesota has a Monday interim injury report. Here is the list for Week 14 so far:
Here is the stock report from the Vikings’ Week 13 loss:
The Vikings had high expectations before the year.
Minnesota loaded up in 2021 free agency. The team kept most of the pieces from a high-octane offense in 2020. The Vikings looked to be among one of the two best teams in the NFC North in 2021.
While Minnesota may be the second-best team in its division, the Vikings have failed to meet other perceived goals. Minnesota sits at 5-7. On Sunday, the Vikings were on the losing end of their biggest disappointment of the season thus far: an upset defeat to the Lions.
Minnesota needs to find out what went wrong. Here is the stock report:
Here are some Vikings players on the roster bubble who have helped their case recently:
Minnesota trimmed its roster down to 80 players recently. As the offseason, progresses, the Vikings will have more tough decisions to make.
The Vikings have another important cut date approaching: Aug. 31, when they have to whittle the active roster down to 53 players.
That date will be an important one for a lot of the players on this list. Vikings Wire looked at those who could be on the roster bubble right now, and tabbed a few Minnesota players who have helped their case as of late.
Here is the list:
Georgia won each prior meeting, but the game in New Orleans will be the first in which they’ve faced each other outside Sanford Stadium.
With conference championship week having come to a close, bowl season is upon us. The Georgia Bulldogs are headed to the Sugar Bowl to square off with the Baylor Bears, with whom they’ve competed four times across the programs’ histories.
Georgia won each prior meeting, but the contest in New Orleans will be the first in which the Dawgs have faced the Bears outside Sanford Stadium. It will be the first time the teams have played since 1989.
Baylor and Georgia enter the game with identical records (11-2), both having lost one regular season game and their respective conference title games.
The Bears’ two losses both came against playoff-bound Oklahoma by a combined ten points.
Led by third-year head coach Matt Rhule, Baylor will make its second consecutive bowl game following an incredible turnaround: the Bears finished with just one regular season win in Rhule’s first season, six in his second, and eleven in 2019.
Georgia’s second-longest active bowl streak continues with a second consecutive trip to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. It will be Baylor’s first Sugar Bowl appearance since 1957, when the Bears shocked a second-ranked and previously undefeated Tennessee Volunteers squad by a score of thirteen to seven.
Baylor possesses a balanced, powerful offense that averages 257 yards passing and 175 yards rushing per game.
However, The Bears’ powerful offense may arrive to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome shorthanded; starting quarterback Charlie Brewer was knocked out early in the second quarter of this weekend’s Big XII Championship and stayed sidelined for the remainder of the game.
Backup quarterback Gerry Bohanon, who was also recruited by UGA, was later replaced by third-string QB Jacob Zeno against Oklahoma. Zeno led a comeback that took his team to overtime before coming up short. Prior to his team’s most recent game against the Sooners, Bohanon had attempted just 21 passes wearing green and gold. Zeno has attempted nine passes all year.
Baylor has a run-first offense, attempting 82 more rushes than passes in 2019 (476 to 394).
If Brewer, who’s posted a solid 20:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio with a 65% completion rate, remains out, expect an even heavier rushing attack procured by the Bears’ massive offensive linemen (three of whom have played together for over three years). Behind them, shifty tailbacks JaMycal Hasty and John Lovett have combined for 1251 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.
On Defense, Baylor hasn’t allowed north of 30 points all year to anyone who doesn’t attend school in Norman, Oklahoma. This group of players amounts to one of the most physical defenses the team has produced in years, nearly half-full of seniors (Henry Black, Jameson Houston, James Lockhart, Chris Miller and Blake Lynch) all playing the best statistical season of each of their college careers.
They give up just 19.3 points per game facing an injury-plagued Georgia team that has failed to score over 27 points in all but one game (against Georgia Tech) since their first loss of the season to South Carolina two months ago.
Baylor presents a cohesive defensive unit against a rattled Silver Britches offense. Whether their signal caller is missing or not, the Bears are not to be underestimated.
