Tag: Defense

BREAKING: Wisconsin lands commitment from SEC transfer pass-rusher

Wisconsin picks up a commit from a Kentucky transfer edge rusher

Wisconsin landed a commitment from Kentucky transfer linebacker Tyreese Fearbry on Sunday.

Fearbry is the Badgers’ 15th transfer commitment of the cycle and the second pass-rusher, joining Mason Reiger. He transfers in with two years of eligibility remaining.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and commitments

The former Kentucky Wildcat tallied 21 tackles, one tackle for loss and two pass deflections in 27 appearances over the last three seasons. He originally joined Kentucky as a four-star recruit in the class of 2022, ranked as the No. 178 player in the class, No. 19 edge rusher and No. 4 recruit from Pennsylvania.

He adds an intriguing depth option to Wisconsin’s outside linebacker room. The Badgers return Darryl Peterson, Aaron Witt and Sebastian Cheeks to lead the group, plus recently added a proven veteran in Reiger (Louisville). That group is tasked with improving a Badgers pass rush that ranked near the bottom of the nation in 2024.

Fearbry’s addition fits Wisconsin’s broader approach to this transfer cycle: a Power Four transfer with some proven production. While there are several Football Championship Subdivision and D-III transfers in the mix, most of the Badgers’ top additions are from the Football Bowl Subdivision level.

The Badgers have also clearly prioritized the defensive front after several key departures at the position. Fearbry is the program’s seventh combined defensive line or outside linebacker commit.

For more on those players and Wisconsin’s new-look roster entering 2025, check out our transfer offer, visit and commitment tracker.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie reflects on defensive performance vs. Texans: ‘Everybody just stuck together’

Kansas City #Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie reflects on defensive performance vs. Houston #Texans: ‘Everybody just stuck together’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs defense has increased their takeaways over the last two games, adding a missing dynamic from earlier in the season. All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie described the group’s energy during his postgame press conference after Saturday’s victory.

“I felt it. The energy with the team, the offense putting up points and controlling the ball, the defense making stops,” said McDuffie. “We let up a few third-and-longs, which we were disappointed with. Overall, everybody just stuck together. The energy was there on the sideline; you could just tell that guys were trying to get back in the groove of things. For me, it was really exciting to be a part of that.”

McDuffie secured another interception in Saturday’s victory over the Houston Texans, less than a week from getting his first career pick. He appreciated the coaching staff for preparing players for a short week.

“(Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Steve Spagnuolo) Spags has a big emphasis on the first drive and the last drive of every half,” said McDuffie. “Going back to the coaches during the week, we spent a lot of time in two minute and in situational (football), just making sure we know what we’re doing but also what they’re going to attack us with. I felt like, over the course of the year we’ve been hit with a few different things, but now that we’re getting to the later part of the year, we know what teams try to attack us with. Guys are starting to get comfortable with our play calls and trying to execute the calls correctly.”

The Chiefs’ defense has eight takeaways in two weeks, increasing its pressure and sacks of opposing quarterbacks. Over the next few days, they will prepare for the elusive Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day.

5 takeaways from the Broncos’ 34-27 loss to Chargers on ‘TNF’

The Broncos lost to the Chargers on Thursday night. Here are five takeaways from the defeat.

The Denver Broncos lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 34-27 on Thursday Night Football in Week 16. Here are five quick takeaways from the defeat.

1. Denver’s penalties killed them: The Broncos were penalized seven times for 61 yards. Two of the most costly penalties came from cornerback Tremon Smith and linebacker Justin Strnad. Smith committed a 15-yard penalty on a punt fair catch that spotted L.A. a free field goal just before halftime. Strnad’s hit on a sliding Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert turned a fourth down into a first down and L.A. later scored a touchdown. Those two penalties cost seven points in a game that ended up being decided by a touchdown.

2. Sean Payton had a bad game: Perhaps the coach can be forgiven for attempting to score again with 41 seconds left before halftime, a decision that resulted in a Denver punt and the penalty that led to a Chargers field goal. Had it worked, Payton would have been praised for aggressiveness and the Broncos could have put the game out of reach. The coach isn’t off the hook for his decision to punt in the fourth quarter, though. Trailing by three points, Payton opted to punt on 4th-and-6 just one yard shy of midfield with 4:35 remaining in the game. Following that decision, L.A. essentially put the game out of reach on their ensuing drive.

3. The pass interference no-call should have been a moot point: Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still definitely got away with pass interference against Broncos receiver Marvin Mims in the fourth quarter, but that sequence never would have happened if quarterback Bo Nix threw a better pass. Mims was open by several yards and Nix underthrew him, allowing Still to catch up. Had Nix led the receiver, Mims could have scored a touchdown to give the Broncos a four-point lead. Yes, it should have been DPI. But Nix needs to throw a better ball.

4. The defense came up short: Denver’s offense only managed two field goals after halftime, but they are not alone in the blame for Thursday’s loss as Vance Joseph’s unit allowed three touchdowns in the second half. The defense was undisciplined with several crucial penalties and countless missed tackles.

5. The sky is not falling just yet: With two games remaining, the Broncos can still make the NFL playoffs. Denver would clinch a spot with one more win, and they can clinch even earlier with help from three other teams. If the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts all lose or tie on Sunday, the Broncos would clinch a Wild Card spot. That’s unlikely to happen, though, so Denver’s game against the Bengals in Week 17 could have massive playoff implications. The path remains simple for the Broncos — win and you’re in.

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BREAKING: Wisconsin lands commitment from Western Carolina transfer linebacker

Wisconsin adds transfer commitment No. 11

Wisconsin landed a commitment from Western Carolina transfer linebacker Antarron Turner on Wednesday evening.

Turner is the program’s 11th transfer commitment of the cycle and second of the day, following Ohio State wide receiver Jayden Ballard. He joins the program with two years of eligibility remaining.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and commitments

The junior linebacker is fresh off a breakout 2024 season for a Western Carolina team that finished second in the Southern Conference (Football Championship Subdivision). His campaign included 61 total tackles (26 solo), two pass deflections, 6 1/2 tackles for loss and three sacks.

Turner is the program’s sixth defensive addition of 11 overall transfer commitments. He is its first addition at stand-up linebacker, one of the program’s bigger needs after the impending departures of Jaheim Thomas and Jake Chaney. Junior Christian Alliegro figures to lead the position in 2025 with the other starting spot up for grabs.

The linebacker is also Wisconsin’s third addition from the FCS level, joining defensive lineman Charles Perkins and safety Matthew Traynor. The Badgers have made a concerted effort to land proven Football Bowl Subdivision production, while still targeting FCS standouts looking to make the jump up in level. Turner’s commitment fits into the latter.

While the Western Carolina transfer should be added to the mix for a starting linebacker slot in 2025, the Badgers are unlikely to be finished recruiting the position.

For more on that pursuit, bookmark our transfer visit and commitment tracker.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Najee Harris shocked to learn NFL blamed wrong player for his fumble

Najee Harris defends Russell Wilson after NFL credits him with costly fumble, taking full responsibility for the turnover.

Many would assume RB Najee Harris is a massive fan of NFL statistics—after all—it credited a different player with his costly fumble from Week 15’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

However, Harris isn’t looking to shift the blame, and he certainly isn’t happy that the NFL credited the Pittsburgh Steelers’ signal caller for the turnover.

While speaking to reporters on Wednesday—in the build-up to Week 16’s AFC North showdown—Harris was asked his opinion on the NFL crediting QB Russell Wilson with the fumble.

Surprised but smiling, Harris questioned the decision itself: “I wasn’t? That’s crazy.” His attitude quickly took a more serious tone as the running back told reporters, “The stat sheet may say that—but nobody believes that. That was all on me. I don’t know why they put that on Russ.”

While admirable in defense of his teammate and his ability to fault himself for the game-changing turnover, it doesn’t change the narrative—Harris may have lost his team the game in Week 15.

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Saints’ defense putting together some of their worst performances since 2015

The Saints defense has done well in the red zone recently, but they rank 30th in this key defensive statistic. It’s their worst showing since 2015:

The New Orleans Saints defense has been extremely hit or miss this season, as early on they were getting gashed on many different types of plays and struggled to maintain any resemblance of protection against the run. However, in recent weeks they have stepped up in not allowing points, but still giving up an obscene amount of yards.

This has been one of the killing points of the Saints’ defense this season, as they allow significant time of possession defensively due to their struggles against the run game and against third down scenarios.

As of the end of Week 15, the Saints rank 30th in yards allowed this season, behind only the Jacksonville Jaguars (5,549) and Carolina Panthers (5,407), where the Saints have given up 5,272. However, the intriguing part of this comes when you look at the point differential of these teams, where the Jaguars have a -114 and the Panthers have a -171, while the Saints have only a -3, showing how effective they are in the red zone.

Unfortunately, yards do matter however, especially when it comes to time of possession which the Washington Commanders dominated in the most recent game, where they held the ball for a whopping 40 minutes and 50 seconds to the Saints’ 19 minutes and 10 seconds.

Who knows if this really has had a major impact overall, as the offense has been a key factor in why the Saints have been such a net negative team this season. But regardless, it is eye popping, considering the Saints have not ranked this low in the yards allowed category since 2015.

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Chiefs LB Nick Bolton discusses the impact of creating turnovers: ‘It definitely felt big for us’

Kansas City #Chiefs LB Nick Bolton discusses the impact of creating turnovers: ‘It definitely felt big for us’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton spoke with reporters on Tuesday about his and the team’s big game, which involved forcing turnovers in Week 15.

On Cleveland’s first offensive play of the second half, Bolton picked off Jameis Winston on a pass intended for Nick Chubb at the Browns’ 34-yard line. It was Bolton’s first interception of the season and the fourth of his career.

“Yeah, especially going down the stretch into the postseason. Definitely turnovers giving the ball to offensive short fields and creating some negative play. So it definitely felt big for us. I’ve kind of been working on it.” said Bolton. “Attacking the football just hasn’t come our way a little bit. So, we’re hoping this is just a one game that kind of continue for many. We talked about it all the time. They come in bunches. They did last week, and I hoped to bring it down to this Saturday.”

Bolton and Drue Tranquill split a sack of Winston, making it five sacks on the day for the Chiefs defense. He finished the day with five tackles (three solo), one interception, one quarterback hit, one pass defensed, and a half-sack.

Wisconsin senior safety announces return for 2025 football season

Big news for the Wisconsin defense

Wisconsin senior safety Preston Zachman announced his return to the Badgers for the 2025 football season on Tuesday.

He is one of several Badgers veterans to return, joining center Jake Renfro, right tackle Riley Mahlman and outside linebacker Darryl Peterson.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin landing QB Billy Edwards Jr., a busy day of transfer commitments

Zachman was previously honored during Wisconsin’s senior day before its closing game against Minnesota. That indicated his intention to move on, as no other player to participate in the festivities is returning for 2025. On Tuesday, Zachman became the first.

The veteran safety originally joined the Badgers as a three-star recruit in the class of 2020. He redshirted during the 2020 season, then missed all of 2021 with an injury. He found a role in 2022 before another injury cost him a chunk of the season.

Zachman was mostly overlooked as a starting option at safety entering the 2023 season with Hunter Wohler and Kamo’i Latu both returning. He wound up supplanting Latu for the second starting spot, and finished the campaign with 13 games (five starts), 49 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and three pass deflections.

Zachman then helped lead the room in 2024, finishing with 58 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and four pass deflections.

The veteran safety’s return is significant news for the Wisconsin defense. The Badgers recently landed Richmond transfer safety Matthew Traynor to bolster the position. Traynor broke out as a redshirt freshman in 2024 and gives the Badgers a strong multi-year starting option. There are, however, some questions about how his production will translate from the Football Championship Subdivision level.

Zachman’s return adds dependable production and a valuable leadership presence to the position as Traynor adjusts to the Big Ten game.

We can now cross starting safety off of Wisconsin’s list of pressing list of roster needs. The program may still look to add more depth at the position.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

BREAKING: Wisconsin lands commitment from Tulane transfer defensive lineman

Wisconsin with another big-time portal addition

Wisconsin landed a commitment from Tulane transfer defensive lineman Parker Petersen on Sunday.

Petersen is the program’s third transfer commitment of the cycle, joining Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol and Louisville defensive end Mason Reiger.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and commitments

The redshirt junior defensive lineman entered the portal after four years at Tulane. He originally joined the program as a three-star recruit in its class of 2021.

Petersen’s 2024 season was by far his best. He tallied 21 tackles (14 solo), five tackles for loss and 2 1/2 sacks as a primary member of the team’s defensive line rotation. 247Sports’ Chris Hummer called him “One of the top interior (defensive) linemen in the American (Athletic Conference)” from the 2024 season.

Of note, he chose the Badgers over transfer offers from Notre Dame, USC and Auburn. He commits to Wisconsin with one year of eligibility remaining.

Petersen and Reiger fill important needs along Wisconsin’s defensive front. Reiger joins as more of a pass-rushing defensive end, while Petersen should play a major role in the interior.

That interior group will look entirely different in 2025 after the departures of James Thompson Jr. (portal), Curt Neal (portal) and Elijah Hills (eligibility). Wisconsin found success in landing Hills from Albany before the 2024 season. Petersen projects to have a similar impact. He also brings a track record of strong production at a successful Group of Five program.

The Badgers have already done well in the portal addressing major roster needs. To stay up to date on all of the latest news and rumors, bookmark our transfer offer, visit and commitment tracker.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Statistical Breakdown: How the Chargers and Buccaneers stack up before Week 15 game

Here’s how the Chargers and Buccaneers stack up statistically on offense and defense ahead of Sunday’s matchup.

The Chargers and Buccaneers are set to square off this Sunday.

Here’s how Los Angeles and Tampa Bay stack up statistically on both sides of the ball ahead of the Week 15 matchup:

Offense

Category Chargers Buccaneers
Points per game 21.3 ppg (20th) 27.9 ppg (5th)
Passing offense 198.1 ypg (25th) 241.0 ypg (6th)
Rushing offense 111.5 ypg (19th) 138.3 ypg (7th)
Total offense 309.5 ypg (24th) 379.3 ypg (3rd)
3rd down conversions 38.37% (15th) 47.17% (2nd)
Red zone scoring 54.55% (19th) 68.63% (4th)
Sacks allowed 38 (23rd) 32 (16th)
Turnovers 6 (1st) 18 (20th)

Defense

Category Chargers Buccaneers
Points allowed 15.9 ppg (1st) 23.8 ppg (22nd)
Passing defense 206.1 ypg (8th) 253.4 ypg (30th)
Rushing defense 117.6 ypg (14th) 115.2 ypg (11th)
Total defense 323.7 ypg (11th) 368.5 ypg (28th)
3rd down conversions 35.03% (7th) 41.92% (23rd)
Red zone defense 41.94% (1st) 51.02% (10th)
Sacks 39 (5th) 35 (11th)
Takeaways 17 (10th) 16 (14th)