Tag: bye week

Russell Wilson keeps cooking throughout the Steelers’ bye week

Russell Wilson stays busy during the Steelers’ Week 9 bye with practice, showing his relentless drive and proving he never stops cooking.

Champions are made when no one is watching. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson personifies this attitude, as while many players take time to rest, relax, or enjoy life outside of football during their team’s bye week, Wilson was focused on bettering his game.

Fans of the Steel City were initially hesitant when news broke that Mike Tomlin was benching QB Justin Fields in favor of Wilson, especially after Fields led the team to an impressive 4-2 start. However, Wilson has proven himself with two great back-to-back performances in Weeks 7 and 8, as well as providing the team with a leadership presence that has been sorely missed since former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022.

Wilson wants nothing more than to bring a seventh Super Bowl title to Pittsburgh, and his work ethic should make this long-desired goal a reality. The veteran QB is most likely preparing for the tough stretch of games in the second half of the season, starting with two extremely difficult matchups consecutively: facing the Washington Commanders on the road in Week 10 and hosting the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11.

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Who is the best QB in the AFC North through 9 weeks?

With 9 weeks of football in the books, and 9 more to go in the second-half of the 2024 season, which AFC North team boasts the best QB?

One saying reigns supreme in the AFC North, and that is none other than competition breeds excellence.

While the Cleveland Browns perhaps have the worst QB situation in the division right now, the same cannot be said for the other three divisional rivals, who currently have elite signal-callers leading their teams on Sundays. With the Pittsburgh Steelers in first place in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens in second, and the Cincinnati Bengals not far behind, which of these three AFC North QBs is superior?

Russell Wilson, understandably so at 35 years old, is perhaps the lowest ranked of the three. His veteran presence, however, is something athletic qualities cannot make up for, and his deep ball may be the best in the division.

While many in the NFL consider Ravens QB Lamar Jackson a favorite to win the 2024 MVP award, Bengals QB Joe Burrow is almost single-handedly putting his team in a position to win games every week, throwing for a whopping five TDs in Cincinatti’s Week 9 victory.

Are the Bengals dark horses in a close AFC North race, and if so, can Pittsburgh continue to maintain their lead in the division?

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Insider believes Najee Harris is unlikely to re-sign with Steelers

Ray Fittipaldo said that while Najee Harris’ play has been great this season, the odds of him re-signing remain low.

Najee Harris has been one of the best running backs in the NFL this season, ranking seventh in rushing yards with 592 on 4.4 yards per carry.

But in the eyes of Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo, Harris is unlikely to be back in Pittsburgh next year.

While making an appearance on “The Joe Starkey Show,” Fittipaldo was asked if Harris’ numbers were enough for Pittsburgh to re-sign the running back.

Much to the dismay of Steelers fans, Fittipaldo stated: “The guy is having a great season, but when you decline the option in May, I think, you know, eight, nine times out of 10, you’re not gonna go do business with that guy when the season ends.”

He was, of course, referencing how Pittsburgh declined to pick up Harris’ fifth-year option, which would allow him to hit free agency in 2025.

Could Harris force the Steelers to acknowledge his elite performance in his contract year, ultimately earning himself a big payday with the team? Or will Pittsburgh instead choose to re-sign the potentially cheaper option in RB Jaylen Warren?

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Contenders or pretenders: the upcoming Steelers’ two weeks of doom

While the Pittsburgh Steelers are 6-2 on the season, their extremely difficult matchups in both Weeks 10 and 11 are their proving grounds.

While fans of the 6-2 Pittsburgh Steelers are understandably on cloud nine after the recent success of the team, they may need to temper their expectations, at least until Week 12.

The Steelers face the 6-2 Washington Commanders on the road in Week 10 and the 5-3 Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 11. These two games, coming off the Week 9 bye, could set the stage for an impressive playoff run or could highlight the Steelers as potential pretenders.

While momentum is leaning toward the Steelers being closer to Super Bowl caliber than most other AFC teams, the lack of competitive teams Pittsburgh has faced through the first eight weeks cannot be ignored. Their opponents thus far have a underwhelming combined record of 27 wins and 35 losses.

If the Steelers can defeat the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens in Weeks 10 and 11, confidence in their postseason aspirations will be completely justified. Similar to the Ravens, Pittsburgh should attempt to make a strong push for additional talent at the wide receiver position at the trade deadline, especially if the team hopes to stay competitive in the latter half of the season.

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Steelers’ K Chris Boswell named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month

Steelers’ K Chris Boswell has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for his elite play in October.

The ‘Wizard of Boz’ strikes again!  Pittsburgh Steelers’ kicker Chris Boswell has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in back-to-back months for his excellent performance and contribution to his team’s 6-2 record. The NFL announced Boswell’s accomplishment on Thursday morning, and this award is well-deserved.

This is now the third time Boswell has earned the illustrious AFC Special Teams Play of the Month award, with his first selection dating all the way back in December/January of the 2015 season, and his second selection being last month in September of the 2024 season. Boswell has kicked with an impressive 89.0% accuracy on his field goal attempts, hitting on 254 out of 289.

Steelers fans, including myself, are truly lucky to be able to witness arguably one of the greatest kickers of all-time tearing it up for the Pittsburgh Steelers on any given Sunday.  Can Boswell do the unthinkable and earn three consecutive AFC Special Teams Player of the Month awards?

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Insider names three more WR targets Steelers show interest in

Insider Tony Pauline has reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers have three WR targets in mind as the trade deadline draws near.

Much to the chagrin of some Steelers fans, the trade rumors keep on coming. Insider Tony Pauline originally reported that the Denver Broncos had a ’50-50’ chance of trading Russell Wilson’s former WR1, Courtland Sutton. However, according to his sources, there appear to be not one but two more wide receivers linked to the team’s trade plans, bringing their total number of WR trade targets up to three.

Pauline states that these receivers are the New York Jets’ Mike Williams, the New York Giants’ Darius Slayton, and the recently reported Broncos’ Courtland Sutton.

The draft capital Pittsburgh would be willing to part with in any of these potential trades remains to be seen. The November 5th trade deadline is less than one week away, and Steelers fans, while polarized by the recent bombardment of trade rumors and speculation, could finally see their team pull off a blockbuster trade to land a WR2 for the team.

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Saints schedule: Is New Orleans playing today? 

Are the New Orleans Saints playing today? Here’s a look at the 2024 schedule, their bye week, and the next games to come:

Will the New Orleans Saints be on the field today in Week 8 of the NFL schedule?

Following a rough loss in prime  time  to their old head coach Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos, the Saints are returning to the field today on Sunday, Oct. 27, and looking to end their five-game losing streak.

The Saints are getting healthier, with offensive playmakers like wide receiver Chris Olave, tight end/fullback Taysom Hill, and right guard Cesar Ruiz all returning to the lineup. Defensively, linebacker Pete Werner is back, too, meaning the front seven will be at full strength for the firs time this year.

They’ll need all the help they can get to slow down a talented Los Angeles Chargers team. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh has put young quarterback Justin Herbert in position to make some plays, and he’s exactly the kind of mobile quarterback the Saints have struggled to defend. If New Orleans is going to get out of this slump, it must start today.

Saints 2024 schedule

Week Date Opponent Time (CT) Result
1 Sept. 8 vs. Carolina Panthers Noon (FOX) W, 47-10
2 Sept. 15 at Dallas Cowboys Noon (FOX) W, 44-19
3 Sept. 22 vs. Philadelphia Eagles Noon (FOX) L, 15-12
4 Sept. 29 at Atlanta Falcons Noon (FOX) L, 26-24
5 Oct. 7 at Kansas City Chiefs 7:15 p.m. (ESPN) L, 26-13
6 Oct. 13 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Noon (FOX) L, 51-27
7 Oct. 17 vs. Denver Broncos 7:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime Video) L, 33-10
8 Oct. 27 at Los Angeles Chargers 3:05 p.m. (FOX) Tickets
9 Nov. 3 at Carolina Panthers Noon (CBS) Tickets
10 Nov. 10 vs. Atlanta Falcons Noon (FOX) Tickets
11 Nov. 17 vs. Cleveland Browns Noon (FOX) Tickets
12 Bye week
13 Dec. 1 vs. Los Angeles Rams 3:05 p.m. (FOX) Tickets
14 Dec. 8 at New York Giants Noon (FOX) Tickets
15 Dec. 15 vs. Washington Commanders Noon (FOX) Tickets
16 Dec. 23 at Green Bay Packers 7:15 p.m. (ESPN) Tickets
17 Dec. 29 vs. Las Vegas Raiders Noon (FOX) Tickets
18 Jan. 5 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers TBD Tickets

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What is the Rams’ record after a bye under Sean McVay?

The Rams are above .500 in games immediately after a bye since 2017, but not by much

The Los Angeles Rams will have the added benefit of coming off a bye in Week 7 when they host the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, giving them an extra week to recover from injuries and prepare for Antonio Pierce’s squad. It’s a crucial game for the Rams to win and given the opponent, it’s one they’re fully expected to win, too.

During the course of his career, Sean McVay has had success in games immediately following a bye. According to Stathead, the Rams are 4-3 after their bye since 2017, though their record is just 1-2 in the last three years.

  • 2023 vs. Seahawks: W, 17-16
  • 2022 vs. 49ers: L, 31-14
  • 2021 at Packers: L, 36-28
  • 2020 vs. Seahawks: W, 23-16
  • 2019 at Steelers: L, 17-12
  • 2018 at Lions: W, 30-16
  • 2017 at Giants: W, 51-17

In three games after a bye with Matthew Stafford at quarterback, the Rams are just 1-2 and have been outscored by 24 points. Stafford has five touchdowns and two interceptions in those games, throwing for fewer than 200 yards twice.

Only three of the Rams’ post-bye games under McVay have come at home and they’ve won two of those contests. They’ll be at home against the Raiders on Sunday so hopefully that’ll help their chances of winning, too.

This is the earliest the Rams have had a bye week since 2017. Previously, their earliest bye was 2022 in Week 8 and 2017 in Week 9. As evidenced by the final scores above, the defense has typically played well after a bye. The Rams have had more games (two) allowing fewer than 300 yards than they have allowing more than 400 yards (zero) since 2017. Offensively, the Rams have averaged 336.5 yards per game after a bye under McVay.

The Raiders are a team in flux after benching QB Gardner Minshew and trading away Davante Adams, so this is a golden opportunity for the Rams to turn their season around and get a much-needed win.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift attend ALCS Game 1

#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are set to see the New York #Yankees take on the Cleveland #Guardians in Game 1 of the ALCS tonight.

As the Kansas City Chiefs begin preparing to get back to playing football after their bye week, star tight end Travis Kelce is set to join Taylor Swift for one last hurrah before the team makes its final push for a Super Bowl three-peat.

According to MLB reporter Bryan Hoch, Kelce and Swift are set to attend Game 1 of the ALCS, which is set to feature the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians in the Big Apple tonight.

Kelce has made the most of his time off with Swift in New York and went on a double date with actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively last week.

https://twitter.com/BryanHoch/status/1845972622112174270

Kelce, a Cleveland native, is sure to be rooting for the Guardians in the highly-anticipated playoff matchup.

It is unclear which team, if any, Swift is supporting in the ALCS.

Stay tuned to see if Kelce and Swift are featured in the game’s broadcast.

Chiefs scouting report: Washington State Cougars DE Syrus Webster

Washington State Cougars DE Syrus Webster could be a great late-round option for the Kansas City #Chiefs in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs have the league’s best interior pass rusher on their roster, but there’s room to improve the depth in their edge room. Washington State Cougars defensive end Syrus Webster is a great locker-room presence and leader who provides a late-round option for Kansas City.

He transferred to Washington State in 2024 after earning All-Conference honors in consecutive seasons at Utah Tech. His frame is undersized, and his arm length is not ideal, which contributes to his late-round profile.

Webster’s active hands compensate for his lack of length and help him violently attack the offensive tackle’s hands. His pass rush plan consists of speed rushes, two-handed swipes, swims, club-swims and push-pulls. Webster’s polished spin move is the best weapon in his arsenal.

As a pass-rusher, Webster makes use of exceptional counter moves when his initial plan stalls, and he counters into the B-gap when he feels a path to the quarterback open. Unfortunately, he lacks the explosiveness and bend to provide a consistent threat around the outside.

Webster’s excellent motor shows up in run defense. He resets his hands frequently while stacking and peaking around blockers. Webster keeps offensive linemen out of his pads on most plays, but he struggles to hold the point of attack when blockers get into his frame.

Washington State’s next game is against Fresno State on October 12 at 6:00 p.m CST.