Tag: Cowboys

Taliese Fuaga crowned as the NFL’s best rookie through two weeks

Taliese Fuaga went against Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence in Week 2. His performance earned him the top spot in B/R’s rookie rankings

New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga now sits at the top of Bleacher Report’s rookie rankings after being at second place a week ago behind Xavier Worthy. He earns this distinction after battling Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence in the Saints’ victory over the Dallas Cowboys

The list varies week by week, but this is a composite ranking rather than who was the best that particular week. However, because it’s early in the season, fluctuation is greater. Worthy was at the top of the list after Week 1, and now he’s out of the top-10 due to usage questions.

Fuaga doesn’t have those questions. He will be lined up at left tackle for every snap when healthy. That was the question heading into the game. Fuaga was a game-time decision due to back tightness.

The team decided he was good to go, and he delivered an impressive performance. Like many Saints players, this was Fuaga’s chance to prove it wasn’t just the Carolina Panthers. He didn’t allow a single pressure all game which includes snaps versus Parsons and Lawrence. You wouldn’t even be able to tell he missed multiple practices.

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Dennis Allen explains why he quoted Kendrick Lamar in his postgame speech

Dennis Allen used a perfectly-timed Kendrick Lamar quote after the Saints’ victory over the Cowboys. We can thank his son for that:

https://twitter.com/jeff_nowak/status/1836493511979602315?s=46&t=_U0UBmCWxF2s5xLnGQ2rFQ

Dennis Allen was feeling good after the New Orleans Saints dominant performance over Dallas Cowboys. So good that he quoted Kendrick Lamar’s hit single “Not Like Us.” When addressing the team after the game, Allen told his players “sometimes you gotta just pop out and show ’em.”

Allen added his own flair to the quote, and the team exploded. Willie Gay can be seen jumping into the frame as Allen walks off.

The song is the biggest hit of the year, so it’s no surprise Allen has heard it. The surprise was that he quoted it after the game.

We have Allen’s son to thank for this clip. Allen explained the moment by crediting his son for exposing him to the rapper’s work: “I wouldn’t say (Kendrick Lamar is) on my playlist, but my son was with me out at training camp and so we heard that song plenty of times.”

Allen heard the song so many times that he found the perfect moment to use the quote. The Saints game versus the Cowboys was a moment for the Saints to pop out and show ’em. That’s exactly what they did with another 40 point performance. Allen gets an A-plus for the reference and timing. Maybe he’ll be able to grab a photo with Lamar when the 17-time Grammy winner visits New Orleans to perform at Super Bowl LIX.

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Week 3 NFL broadcast maps: Will your station carry Saints vs. Eagles?

Will your station carry Saints vs. Eagles? The Week 3 NFL broadcast maps from 506 Sports have a lot of eyes on New Orleans this Sunday:

The New Orleans Saints’ Week 1 matchup did not have much attention outside their home market, but after their strong showing and a high-profile win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 they’ve become impossible to ignore. The Saints are 2-0 heading into a matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, a popular preseason Super Bowl pick looking vulnerable after their last-second loss to the Atlanta Falcons in prime time.

But the number of eyes on this game will be pretty significant for the time slot, as kickoff still resides in FOX’s early window. Coverage extends up into about half of New England, throughout most of Pennsylvania down through Florida, and all the way up to Seattle and Los Angeles with the exception of Colorado and New Mexico due to the Denver Broncos matchup. This covers roughly half the continental United States, while also being shown in Hawaii.

As labeled in red on this map from 506 Sports, the coverage is widespread, and the only major competitor for views in terms of states covered is the Tennessee Titans against the Green Bay Packers, which takes up much of the Midwest and into Montana. See if you’ll catch the broadcast from your local FOX affiliate station:

Remember, you can also catch the game by streaming it on NFL+ or FuboTV (try it free). Additionally, fans in Louisiana can tune in to WWL 870 AM or 105.3 FM with Deuce McAllister and Mike Hoss for radio coverage. Those watching the FOX broadcast will be slated to have Joe Davis and Greg Olsen on the coverage.

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Alvin Kamara honored as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara has been honored as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week. It’s just the third time he’s won this award:


Here’s some well-deserved recognition for Alvin Kamara. The New Orleans Saints’ star running back has been honored as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after his performance against the Dallas Cowboys, in which Kamara totaled 180 yards from scrimmage (115 rushing, 65 receiving) with four touchdowns (three runs, one catch).

It’s just the third time he’s won this award. Kamara was previously recognized as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week in 2021 (following an impressive road win over the Seattle Seahawks) and 2020 (after his historic six-touchdown game on Christmas Day). So this will be a much-needed  addition to his trophy case.

Kamara is looking like exactly as great a fit in Klint Kubiak’s system as both the former Pro Bowler and first-year offensive coordinator predicted. He leads the NFL in scrimmage yards (290) through the first two weeks with five total touchdowns scored; Saquon Barkley and James Cook have each scored three times, but nobody else has more than two so far. It’s early, but this is shaping up to be a career resurgence for Kamara.

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Rashid Shaheed leads the league in 50-plus yard catches since 2023

Rashid Shaheed has the most catches of 50 or more air yards since 2023, almost double the next-closest player. He’s an elite deep threat:

https://twitter.com/RevDeuceWindham/status/1836082924145315911

Rashid Shaheed has developed into an elite deep threat in the NFL. Through the first two games of the season, he and Derek Carr have hooked up for the two longest receptions of his career and they both went for touchdowns.

Think of your fondest offensive memories from last year. Shouldn’t be a long thought. Running up the score versus the Atlanta Falcons — Jameis Winston’s famous “How much worse could it get?” line is probably first, and Carr telling Shaheed to “freaking run” would be a close second.

That was Week 1. Since then, no one has caught more passes that traveled 50 yards in the air. Shaheed’s deep threat ability has been an effective and frequent part of the offense since Carr joined in 2023. If you widen the scope to the year Shaheed entered the league, only Tyreek Hill has caught more 50-yard passes (10) than the Saints’ speedster has (8) since 2022.

Shaheed is dynamite in pads. He only has one touchdown of less than 30 yards, and seven plays where the ball traveled 50 air yards. Shaheed is a true threat from any place on the field. He’s achieving things no one else has over the last year and the early parts of this season. It’s time to start putting him on the list of best deep threats in the NFL.

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Cowboys All-Pro linebacker criticizes the referees for Chiefs’ Week 2 victory over Bengals

Dallas #Cowboys All-Pro linebacker criticizes the referees for Kansas City #Chiefs’ Week 2 victory over Cincinnati #Bengals | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs’ victory on Sunday over the Cincinnati Bengals created much controversy amongst fans and players around the league.

The infamous 4th and 16 when Patrick Mahomes threw an incomplete pass intended for wide receiver Rashee Rice, but referees called pass interference on Bengals rookie Daijahn Anthony. The penalty allowed the setup for Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal.

The result of this play didn’t sit well with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, who vented on a recent episode of his podcast, ‘The Edge with Micah Parsons.’

“It was very shaky. That game was pretty crazy; a lot of calls went both ways, and I’m going to be honest, I feel like the refs did favor the Chiefs a little bit more,” said Parsons. “But at the end of the day, you can’t put the game in the refs’ hands.”

Parsons’ comments on a game he didn’t participate in are raising eyebrows since, on that same day, his Cowboys were dominated by the New Orleans Saints. The 44-19 loss was one of the more shocking results of Week 2.

Dennis Allen credits the run game for quieting Cowboys’ pass rush

Limiting Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence was pivotal. The Saints did it by running the football and avoiding must-pass situations:

Stopping Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence was a key to victory for the New Orleans Saints against the Dallas Cowboys. Their ability to rush the passer is the defense’s greatest strength, yet Derek Carr didn’t see much pressure on Sunday.

Taliese Fuaga and Trevor Penning did a good job winning that matchup in the pass and run game. Part of stopping the Cowboys unit was running the football. Dennis Allen looked at the diminished impact of Lawrence and Parsons and felt “part of it was we were able to run the football.”

Alvin Kamara caught a touchdown, but his 115 rushing yards were equally as effective in slowing down the pass rush.

“When you’re able to run the ball and you’re able to put yourself in manageable situations, you’re not having to get into a dropback passing mode where they can unleash their pass rush,”  Allen explained.

That’s exactly what they did. The Saints only faced third down on eight occasions in this game. Just four of them were longer than 4 yards. One was a kneel-down and another was when the Saints were running out the clock and keeping the ball on the ground.

This means New Orleans only faced two third downs of more than 4 yards. The Saints were rarely in must-pass situations, and it kept the Cowboys’ best assets from getting active.

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Erik McCoy and Lucas Patrick make the PFF team of the week

Erick McCoy and Lucas Patrick were the highest graded Saints at Pro Football Focus. This earned them each a spot on the PFF team of the week:

New Orleans Saints offensive linemen Erik McCoy and Lucas Patrick each earned a spot on the Pro Football Focus team of the week after the Saints’ dominant victory against the Dallas Cowboys.

But one name missing from the list was Alvin Kamara. James Cook got the nod over Kamara after running 78 yards and two touchdowns while catching a 17-yard touchdown pass for the Buffalo Bills. Both had monster games, but Kamara was snubbed on this list.

Kamara simply had the better game. Cook finished with 95 total yards. Kamara had 115 rushing yards alone and added 65 yards through the air, for a total of 180. That’s nearly double the yardage. Kamara also had four touchdowns compared to Cook’s three.

That being said, it’s a PFF team of the week, and the criteria is obviously heavily based on their grades. Cook received an 87.3 grade while Kamara ended with a grade of 67.4.

McCoy and Patrick were the Saints’ two highest-graded players in Week 2. New Orleans dominated the trenches, and it was most evident on the interior. On occasions when there was pressure from the defensive ends, Derek Carr could always step up in the pocket.

More than just this week, McCoy and Patrick are the highest graded linemen in the NFL through two weeks. This speaks volumes for how well the Saints offensive line has performed. Carr has remained clean through two weeks, and he may owe McCoy and Patrick a couple steak dinners.

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Paulson Adebo had one of Week 2’s longest plays, per NFL Next Gen Stats

NFL Next Gen Stats tracking found Paulson Adebo traveled over 90 yards on his interception return against the Dallas Cowboys:

New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo delivered a major swing of momentum right before halftime when he intercepted Dak Prescott. What ensued was one of the longest plays of Week 2.

Adebo hit the ground after catching the interception, but wasn’t touched down. Instinctually, Adebo jumped up and returned the interception into Dallas Cowboys territory.

Officially, Adebo gained 47 yards. But those 47 yards didn’t come in a straight line. The beginning of the return looked disjointed and uncertain as he navigated traffic to keep the play alive. After getting up, Adebo ran forward and towards the sidelines. A couple of Cowboys players appeared in his sight. He made a loop moving backwards, and nearly went as far back as the catch point before he turned it back around.

In total, Adebo traveled 95.1 yards according to NFL Next Gen Stats. With all of the running around, Adebo ran double the amount of yards he’s credited for. That was good for the fifth-longest play in the NFL this week.

The Saints cornerback didn’t grow up far from A&T Stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play. He went to school at nearby Mansfield High, so this play was probably very special to him.

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Dennis Allen on the decision to not play Marshon Lattimore vs. Cowboys

Dennis Allen explains why Marshon Lattimore sat out Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, even though the New Orleans Saints corner pushed to play:

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore was a game-time decision against the Dallas Cowboys, and they ultimately didn’t play him — which didn’t keep the Saints from steamrolling the Cowboys in a 44-19 blowout.

The cornerback pulled up with a hamstring injury during the season opener with the Carolina Panthers, which caused him to miss the entirety of practice last week. It was reported Lattimore was pushing to play Sunday morning, and Dennis Allen confirmed this after the game. But Lattimore was held out via coach’s decision to prevent further injury. Allen admitted Lattimore was probably “a little pissed at him.”

What it ultimately came down to is the Saints don’t believe the hamstring issue to be long-lasting, and they want to keep it that way. Allen said he “Didn’t want to risk what we think might be potentially a one-week deal and all of a sudden we turn one week into four weeks.”

By Allen’s remarks and Lattimore’s heavy push to play, it feel as if the cornerback has a good chance to return to action against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3. We’ll look out for him on this week’s injury report.

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