Studs and duds in Cardinals’ 38-24 win over Browns

Who played well? Who should have played better?

The Arizona Cardinals played well in a 38-24 win over the Cleveland Browns. Who were the players to stand out in their play? Who came up short?

These are the studs and duds in the win.

Stud: RB Kenyan Drake

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Drake was the stud of all studs in the game, scoring four touchdowns and rushing for 137 yards. He also had a catch for nine yards as well. It has become clear the team is leaning on him now for the rest of the season.

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Potential Cardinals milestones in Week 15 vs. Browns

David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Kyler Murray can all reach important milestones or move up in the record books on Sunday.

The Arizona Cardinals play the Cleveland Browns Sunday afternoon. They hope to end their losing streak as a team, but some players have some milestones and achievements they can reach.

Let’s take a look.

Larry Fitzgerald

(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Fitzgerald needs 31 receiving yards to reach 700 in 2019. Doing so would be the 16th straight season with at least that many yards, extending the longest streak in league history.

If he gets 52 yards, he will reach 17,000 for his career.

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WATCH: David Johnson presented as Cardinals’ Man of the Year

Team chairman and president Michael Bidwill and Johnson both speak about the work.

https://www.facebook.com/arizonacardinals/videos/2562974153822191/

The Arizona Cardinals announced on Thursday that running back David Johnson was named the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year, nominating him for the league award, recognizing his great work in the community.

Chairman and team president Michael Bidwill made the announcement, highlighting all Johnson’s work, together with his wife Meghan, on behalf of children through his foundation.

Bidwill said he loves the day he makes this announcement.

Johnson then accepted the award and spoke, calling it “a great honor” to be the team’s representative. He is grateful for having the ability impact children’s lives.

“As soon as I got into the league, our first goal was to be there for kids,” he said. “The first thing we did was we spent our time at the children’s hospital, spent our time doing a lot of community stuff around here and doing as much as we can.”

He is proud to know he isn’t only being recognized for what he does on the field but also what he does away from football.

Watch the video above for all that Bidwill and Johnson said.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 251:

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Ep. 250:

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David Johnson named team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year

He might not be having a good year on the field but he has done great work in the community and get recognized for it.

Running back David Johnson might not be happy about his current role on the field, but he certainly is doing great work off the field. The team announced Thursday that Johnson was named this year’s Cardinals/Walter Payton Man of the Year.

Each team chooses a player each year for the honor to recognize outstanding community service activities off the field as well as excellence on the field.

As a result of being the Cardinals’ nominee, Johnson will receive a donation of up to $50,000 in his name to a charity of his choice, and as a nominee, Johnson will also receive two Super Bowl LIV tickets to give to community recipients of his choice.

Each team’s award winner is then a finalist for the league’s award of Walter Payton Man of the Year, which is the highest honor for work in the community.

For the second consecutive year, all 32 team winners will be highlighted as finalists and recognized for their important work during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIV. The 2019 Walter Payton NFL “Man of the Year” will be announced during NFL Honors, a two-hour prime-time awards special to air nationally on February 1, the eve of Super Bowl LIV, on FOX. The winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

Johnson will get to wear a special helmet decal for the rest of the season. If he wins the league award, he will get to wear a patch on his jersey for the rest of his career recognizing the award. Teammate Larry Fitzgerald, along with Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Thomas Davis, J.J. Watt and Jason Witten) are all current players who have won the award and continue to wear the patch on their uniform.

Johnson, with his wife, works tirelessly with his foundation, the “Johnson Family’s Mission 31 Foundation” and has done even more.

Continue reading on the next page for the details about his community work, as shared by the Cardinals in their press release.

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David Johnson not happy about current role on Cardinals offense

“Any NFL player, any competitor, if you’re not on the field, you’re obviously not going to be happy about it,” he told reporters Wednesday.

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson lost his starting role a few weeks ago and has only had limited action recently. He doesn’t really like how things are going right now.

He isn’t, though, disgruntled.

“It’s been tough,” he told reporters after practice on Wednesday. “Any guy in the NFL, they want to get on the field. It’s tough when you’re not on there.”

He indicated he has spoken to the coaches about his playing time and he has been explained why his role has been reduced. He wised to keep those conversations private but indicated he didn’t necessarily agree with what he was told. “There’s different opinions to everything,” he said.

Is he okay with his role?

“Obviously not,” he said. “Any NFL player, any competitor, if you’re not on the field, you’re obviously not going to be happy about it.”

Johnson is coming off one of his better recent performances. He only had five touches but had 53 yards from scrimmage, rushing three times for 19 yards and catching two passes for 34 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown.

He wants to play more but he understands what his role is.

“We know what we expect out of each other and I feel pretty good, but obviously I’m still not playing a lot,” he said.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 251:

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Ep. 250:

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Tyrann Mathieu tells David Johnson to go to Kansas City on Twitter

Are there problems in the Cardinals locker room that make Johnson want to leave?

It has been a tough season for Arizona Cardinal running back David Johnson. He began the season having a bit of a down year, especially as a runner. Then he got hurt. Then he lost his starting job and playing time.

Now he is a backup to Kenyan Drake and his role in the future seems in question, even though he has a long-term deal with the team.

A common theme for Johnson on social media this year has been proving people wrong or staying strong despite having a number of doubters.

He had another such post Tuesday.

What makes this post interesting is not the post itself but one of the replies.

Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, a former Cardinals teammate, replies, telling him to go to Kansas City, presumably telling him to join him on the Chiefs.

Johnson is still under contract with the team after this season so the only way for him to join the Chiefs would be via trade or if the Cardinals cut him in the offseason and then he signed with them. However, cutting him would create more than $16 million in dead money.

Mathieu left the Cardinals after the team cut him. He has hard feelings because of how things went down.

Many have speculated that Johnson’s post is related to what is happening within the Cardinals organization and how there are those perhaps among the coaches or in the front office that no longer believe in him. Others believe it is in reference to the fans who have turned on him since his production declined.

If it is something related to the team, it should raise concerns. But as much as Mathieu might want Johnson on the Chiefs, it isn’t likely to happen. Of course, if the Cardinals managed to trade Johnson and get something in exchange, it is something they probably should consider, especially if Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t believe he is good enough to be a featured back in his offense.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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Studs and duds for the Cardinals in 23-17 loss to the Steelers

Tanner Vallejo and others stood out. Terrell Suggs did not.

The Arizona Cardinals lost for the sixth game in a row on Sunday, a 23-17 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They had some solid play from some of their players while others did not produce much.

Who were the studs and duds in the loss on Sunday?

Stud: LB Tanner Vallejo

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Vallejo only played 16 snaps but was very productive. Playing in a new defensive package the team rolled out with three inside linebackers, he had five tackles (one for loss), a sack, a forced fumble and a QB hit.

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Tunnel Vision of Week 14

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Yards TD
 Jameis Winston 456 – 5 5
 Drew Brees 249 – 1 6
 Mitchell Trubisky 244 – 63 4
 Deshaun Watson 292 – 44 3
 Jimmy Garoppolo 349 – 1 4
Running Backs Yards TD
Austin Ekeler 213 1
Aaron Jones 192 1
Joe Mixon 186 1
Derrick Henry 109 2
Raheem Mostert  109 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
A.J. Brown 166 2
Emmanuel Sanders 192 2
Diontae Johnson 76 2
Michael Thomas 134 1
DeAndre Hopkins 132 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Noah Fant 113 1
Jared Cook 64 2
Travis Kelce 70 1
George Kittle 67 1
Tyler Higbee 116 0
Placekickers XP FG
Jason Sanders 0 7
Younghoe Koo 4 4
Randy Bullock 0 4
Robbie Gould 6 2
Harrison Butker 2 3
Defense Sck – TO TD
Steelers 5 – 3 1
Falcons 5 – 4 0
Broncos 3 – 3 1
Colts 1 – 4 1
Browns 2 – 1 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

WR Mike Evans – Hamstring
TE Jared Cook – Head
WR Devante Parker – Concussion
WR Albert Wilson – Concussion
RB Derrius Guice – MCL sprain
TE Ryan Griffin – ankle
TE Noah Fant – Foot
TE Mark Andrews – Knee
WR Calvin Ridley – Abdomen
QB Jameis Winston – Hand
QB Tom Brady – Elbow
TE Foster Moreau – Knee
RB Rashaad Penny – Knee
WR DJ Chark – Ankle

Chasing Ambulances

Well. After a few weeks of few injuries, the blue tent was busting at the seams on Sunday. Still a little early to say if these are serious or nothing, but enough of them are worth watching.

WR Mike Evans – He pulled lame at the end of his 61-yard touchdown catch. Hamstrings can be a tricky thing so his practices this week will be key. If he missed Week 15 at the Lions, Breshad Perriman would take his place and already ended with 70 yards and a score against the Colts this week. A worthy pickup for the Evans owners.

WR Devante Parker – Appeared to have a concussion and if he misses the tilt at the Giants this week, Isaiah Ford would step in. He took over on Sunday and became the leading receiver with 92 yards on six catches. Probably more of a Daily Play than a league championship start.

RB Derrius Guice – Appeared to sprain his MCL, Guice is hardly helping his injury-prone perception. Adrian Peterson would just step up the rushing yardage while Chris Thompson would handle the receiving as he just did when he caught seven passes for 43 yards.

TE Mark Andrews – Sprained his knee and could miss the tilt against the Jets this week. Hayden Hurst was the tight end that they drafted before they took Andrews in a later round last year. Hurst ended with 73 yards and a score on three catches as the leading receiver in the win over the Bills. Lamar Jackson loves his tight ends.

RB Rashaad Penny – Pulled up like he had a serious knee injury even though the tackle did not look bad. His absence would mostly lead to more Chris Carson and just a worthless dash of C.J. Prosise.

WR DJ Chark – Hobbled off at the end of the game, his ankle injury is not yet known to be serious. If he misses next week in Oakland, his targets would likely just be spread out among Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley and maybe Keelan Cole. But the Jags are playing with their hands in the air like they just don’t care. Except for Chark.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Olamide Zaccheaus –  The undrafted rookie out of Virginia just set the NFL record with his first NFL catch that went for a 93-yard touchdown, the longest first-catch touchdown ever. I speak on behalf of every sportswriter in the country when I say we should just refer to him as “OZ” to avoid constant misspellings and mispronunciations.

RB Joe Mixon – He started the year so slowly that he killed fantasy owners. But he’s improved over the season and turned in a season-best 146 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries plus caught three passes for 40 yards. He scored in five of the last seven games but only upped his yardage until after midseason.

WR Terry McLaurin – The rookie just scored for the first time since Week 6. His production suffered tremendously after the change to Dwayne Haskins but it is a positive sign that he scored and turned in four catches for 57 yards in the loss to the Packers. The next two games are at home versus the Eagles and Giants – the No. 29 and No. 30 defenses versus wideouts. At least there is hope.

QB Drew Lock – His debut only produced 134 passing yards and two scores versus the Chargers. His second outing was when he threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in Houston. Those were both wins. He completed 22-of-27 passes and connected with ten different receivers. He may not be the second incarnation of John Elway, but at least he’s pointed in the right direction playing with a team that has been stripped down.

WR Emmanuel Sanders – There’s just no other way to spin it. The 49ers offense is very good. Sanders ended with seven catches for 157 yards and one touchdown against the Saints. In the flurry of traded players, Sanders may be the most pleased with his new team regardless of the price of real estate in the Bay Area. He’s a 2020 free agent. He’ll be able to afford a house anywhere.

RB Alvin Kamara – It’s bad enough that he almost never scores, but he only ran for 25 yards on 13 carries versus the 49ers along with four catches for 18 yards. Latavius Murray accounted for 69 yards on his seven runs and gained 25 yards on his two receptions. That’s 43 vs. 94 total yards.

WR Robby Anderson –  His first ten games contained just one score and one decent yardage effort. These last three weeks had him score in Washington, then gain 86 yards and score on the Raiders in Week 12. The last two games were both seven catches for over 100 yards each and a score versus Miami on Sunday.

WR Mike Williams – He only caught two passes in the win over the Jaguars, but he gained 63 yards and scored a 44-yard touchdown. Despite scoring ten times in 2018 as the No. 3 receiver, it was his first score since Week 17 of last year.

The Jaguars – Their 35-point loss to the visiting Chargers smacked of a team that has given up and is just going through the motions. That should help the Raiders and Falcons as they host the team with the missing defense.

RB David Johnson – He’s been a nonfactor after leaving in Week 7 and returning in Week 10. But he came up with 19 yards on three runs and added two catches for 34 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Steelers. Kenyan Drake only ran for 37 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 30 yards in that game. Johnson isn’t dead, but he is still too big of a risk to rely on.

RB Sony Michel – He was moderately productive in the first half of the year and scored six times. Since Week 9, he’s never scored, has no role as a receiver and just faced the No. 32 defense versus running backs. He gained eight yards on five rushes. Granted, the Pats were trailing but even Rex Burkhead gained 15 yards on seven carries. Michel bears almost no resemblance to 2018 and yet he’s one of the few Patriots that isn’t on the injury report.

QB Tom Brady – He finally turned in high production in Week 13 when he passed for 326 yards and three scores. But in Week 14, he was back to his less effective ways. Brady only managed 169 yards and one score with one interception against the visiting Chiefs. His 63.3 QB Rating was the lowest of the year although he’s been stuck at sub-90 QBR for the last six games.

WR A.J. Brown – The rookie was already impressive but since turning to Ryan Tannehill, Brown’s production has spiked. He turned in a season-best 153 yards and two scores on five catches in the win over the Raiders. And that was two weeks after he posted 135 yards and a touchdown on the Jaguars in Week 12. Tannehill also produced a season-best with 391 yards and three scores. His first read is Brown.

RB DeAndre Washington – He subbed for the inactive Josh Jacobs. The Raiders No. 2 back ran for 53 yards and one score on 14 carries and added six catches for 43 yards in the loss to the Titans. Jalen Richard only totaled 46 yards. Hosting the Jaguars for Week 15 could make him at least a daily play if Jacobs remains out.

WR Robert Woods – He finally caught a touchdown for the first time this year. But his seven catches for 98 yards made it four straight starts that resulted in 95 yards or more. Remember Brandin Cooks? You can stop now.

Huddle player of the week

Jameis Winston  –  Just in time for Christmas, the NFL gives fantasy football Jameis Winston. He not only threw for 456 yards and four touchdowns. He not only rushed in a touchdown. But he also tossed three interceptions to help the Colts remain motivated in the game. He’s a gift that keeps on giving – to everyone.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Mitchell Trubisky 307 4 QB Josh Allen 155 1
RB Raheem Mostert 109 2 RB Alvin Kamara 43 0
RB DeAndre Washington 96 1 RB Leonard Fournette 63 0
WR Diontae Johnson 76 2 WR John Brown 26 0
WR Marcus Johnson 105 1 WR Davante Parker 28 0
WR Olamide Zaccheaus 93 1 WR Julio Jones 66 0
TE Noah Fant 113 1 TE Kyle Rudolph 11 0
PK Jason Sanders 7 FG PK Matt Prater 1 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 161 Huddle Fantasy Points = 34

Now get back to work…

Cardinals milestones in reach in Week 14 vs. Steelers

Larry Fitzgerald, Chandler Jones and others can hit significant achievements.

There are some individual milestones some Arizona Cardinals players can reach on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Check out what they could achieve this afternoon.

Chandler Jones

 (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

With one sack against the Steelers, Jones would become only the second player in franchise history to have two seasons of at least 14 sacks. Curtis Greer, who had 16 in 1983 and 14 in 1984, is the only player so far to do it.

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Vols’ coaching staff visits trio of UT commits

Class of 2020 football recruiting.

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Jeremy Pruitt and the University of Tennessee football program received three commitments on Oct. 22 from Whitehaven High School in Memphis, Tenn.

The commitments are a trio of linebackers: Bryson Eason (6-foot-2, 250-pounds), Martavius French (6-foot-2, 240-pounds) and Tamarion McDonald (6-foot-2, 220-pounds).

Pruitt joined UT defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley and running backs coach David Johnson for a visit with the trio of commits Dec. 3.

2020 recruiting class signing dates

The 2019 Early Signing Period will take place Dec. 18-20 and National Signing Day will be held on Feb. 5.

The Vols’ 2020 commitment tracker can be followed below.

University of Tennessee’s 2020 football recruiting class tracker