Tag: defensive end

Chiefs DE George Karlaftis reflects on goal line stop vs. Raiders: ‘We take pride in working together’

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis reflects on goal line stop vs. Las Vegas Raiders: ‘We take pride in working together’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis was one of the many heroes on defense in the 27-20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. In his post-game press conference, he opened up to reporters about the game-changing stop at the goal line by the defense to keep the Raiders off the scoreboard at that moment.

“We worked that all week. We worked that all season. And you know, we’ve come short a couple of times, like, if you go back to Cincinnati and stuff like that. So, put it all together. It’s great.” said Karlaftis. “We take pride in working together as a group, front end, back end, everything like that. So for our morale, for our defense, it is huge.”

The goal line stand was set up after Patrick Mahomes’ pass was intercepted deep in the Chiefs’ side of the endzone. Head coach Andy Reid expressed his thoughts on the situation after the game.

“Unbelievable. Offensively, we put the defense in a bad position, but we held up as a defense,” said Reid. “We came out and put our foot down and did a nice job there. That was important.”

Mahomes praised the defense while taking responsibility for the turnover, although the ball was tipped as he was throwing it.

“Those guys stepped up to the challenge. Obviously, it put them in a terrible position off the tipped pick,” said Mahomes. “Not only them getting that stop, I think it just flipped the momentum of the entire game. They kind of came back in that second half and were firing on all cylinders, and so for them to get that stop, then for us to have that long drive, it ended in a field goal, but it kind of switched the momentum, and then we were able to get the win from there.”

Chiefs DE George Karlaftis opens up about the Saints offense: ‘We’ll have our hands full’

Kansas City #Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis opens up about the New Orleans #Saints offense: ‘We’ll have our hands full’ | @EdEastonJr

The New Orleans Saints feature multiple offensive weapons, which have led to their 2-2 start to the season. They visit Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night to challenge the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs and their much-improved defense.

Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis spoke with reporters on Thursday about his thoughts on the Saints offense ahead of Monday night’s game.

“We’ve played against that coordinator a few times. They have playmakers all over the field. Starting with their quarterback, their alliance has been off to a great start.” said Karlaftis. “Obviously, they’re running back, the receiver, so they’re a great team. The record indicates that, and (given) what they’ve done offensively, we’ll have our hands full. Spags (Steve Spagnuolo) has a great game plan, and we’ll execute it. So I think we’ll be good.”

Karlaftis hit double-digit sacks last season and had earned a solid reputation as a pass rusher and threat on the defensive line. He focused on the next significant factor in the Saints’ offense, running back Alvin Kamara.

“He (Kamara) could do a lot of different stuff, both as a runner and a pass catcher,” said Karlaftis. “We’re gonna have our hands full with him. It’s really just playing team ball and really being disciplined, and each man is playing as 1-11 and executing his assignment.”

The Chiefs’ defense, led by all-pro Chris Jones, has played well late in games, closing things out on a potential opposing comeback drive. The unit hopes to avoid late-game thrillers and have the game well in hand in the fourth quarter.

What is keeping the Saints defense from being elite?

The New Orleans Saints’ struggles along the defensive line are holding them back. They’ve got to make more plays up front to join the league elite:

The New Orleans Saints defense has been the backbone of this team for a while now. It became more prominent after Drew Brees retired. The revolving door of quarterbacks mixed with the absence of Michael Thomas.

At that point, the defense transitioned into being the face of the team. Demario Davis, Marshon Lattimore and Tyrann Mathieu are three of the biggest names on the team.

The unit has been elite for years, but that isn’t the case anymore. Why?

Outside of Carl Granderson and Bryan Bresee, there’s no other defensive linemen you can count on. The defensive line is a weak point of the defense and is one of the weakest parts of the team.

The lack of pressure on the quarterback allows them to sit back in the pocket and attack the secondary. Quarterbacks haven’t been forced into many rushed decisions because of pass rush. The Saints’ run defense has waned over the years as well.

If you struggle in the trenches, it’s near impossible to be great on that side of the ball. That goes for offense and defense. The Saints inability to close out games is the biggest headline, but they’ve had their struggles mid game.

The Saints have played bend but don’t break defense. The Eagles and Falcons drove the ball down the field repeatedly, and the Saints forced field goals. The struggles along the defensive line are the biggest contributing factor to this. There’s only so long you can bend but not break.

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Cowboys signing reunites DE with former coach as Parsons, Lawrence injuries reverberate

From @ToddBrock24f7: KJ Henry was a 5th-round pick of the Commanders last year, notching 1.5 sacks in 10 games. He was on Cincinnati’s practice squad this year.

As expected, the Cowboys have moved DeMarcus Lawrence to injured reserve as he rehabs the foot sprain he suffered Thursday in a win over the New York Giants.

The team has wasted no time bringing in reinforcements for its defensive line, which is also preparing to head to Pittsburgh for a Week 5 game without edge rusher Micah Parsons in the lineup.

The Cowboys are signing defensive end KJ Henry to a two-year deal, as reported Tuesday by ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler.

Henry is a known commodity to Dallas defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina; the two worked together in Washington in Henry’s rookie year of 2023 after he was a fifth-round draft pick out of Clemson that spring.

In his one year with the Commanders, the 6-foot-4-inch, 255-pound Henry saw action in 10 games, starting three of them. He compiled 1.5 sacks and was in on 19 tackles, four of them for loss.

He did not survive Dan Quinn’s cuts in August, however, and found himself on the waiver wire, where he was claimed by Cincinnati prior to the start of the season. The North Carolina native played a handful of snaps in the Bengals’ first two games before being waived and then re-signed to their practice squad.

Henry will go directly to the Cowboys’ active roster and must stay there for at least three weeks, per NFL rules regarding a player poached from another practice squad. In Dallas, he’ll join a patchworked pass rush group that includes rookie Marshawn Kneeland, Chauncey Golston, and Carl Lawson.

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Parsons is expected to miss at least one game, maybe more. Lawrence will likely be out for four to eight weeks. The Cowboys also lost defensive end Sam Williams for the season back in July.

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones hinted this week that the team would probably not be actively seeking out trade partners for any high-profile midseason additions; the signing of 25-year-old Henry off a practice squad represents a more cost-efficient fix for a depleted roster.

Now it’s up to Henry to actually make that bet pay off.

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Dennis Allen on the decision to move Cameron Jordan inside

Cameron Jordan will play on the inside more this season. Dennis Allen says “It takes a special person to be able to handle that”

Cameron Jordan will play on the interior more than he ever has in a New Orleans Saints uniform. Jordan already shared that he is up for the challenge though he wouldn’t have chosen this route. Telling your future Hall of Fame defensive end you need him to alter his role can’t be an easy conversation or decision to make.

Dennis Allen explained the decision to Kay Adams. The Saints picked up Chase Young in free agency, and Carl Granderson is firmly stepping into the role as the Saints’ top pass rusher. You see more players fighting for reps at defensive end than in recent years. Allen sees that as a catalyst for the change.

“At the end of the day, there’s only so many snaps on defense,” Allen said. “There’s only so many spots he can play. How do we get the best 11 guys on the field?”

Jordan will still play on the edge, but Granderson and Young will likely be your two edge players on obvious passing situations and two-minute drills. In these situations, along with other plays throughout the game, you’ll see Jordan on the inside.

Allen credits Jordan for his response to the challenge. Jordan has played one position pretty much his entire career. He’s rushed off the defense’s left side, so leaving that for something different can be an odd. Allen commended him, saying, “It takes a special person to be able to handle that.”

If all goes as planned this could extend his career by keeping Jordan in the lineup as an effective defender. But Allen and the Saints are grateful for what he’s given them already through more than a decade: “Cam’s been one of the most unselfish players in our league for a long, long time.”

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Chiefs star talks 2024 Summer Olympics at Chiefs training camp

George Karlaftis talked about the 2024 Summer Olympics during a press conference at #Chiefs training camp this week. | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs players have made it no secret that in between practice sessions at training camp, many are either playing ‘College Football 25’ or tuning into the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Chiefs defensive lineman George Karlaftis caught up with reporters after Friday’s practice to talk about his support of his girlfriend at the Olympic trials recently and the country he is rooting for this summer.

“It was awesome,” Karlaftis said of his partner’s performance at trials in Oregon. “She (Kaia Harris) was at the Olympic trials. She finished ninth, so it was amazing to be able to support your partner like that. It was awesome, it’s a super cool sporting event.”

Karlaftis is known for his furious playing style. Last season, he eclipsed the ten-sack mark for the first time in his young career. Later in his comments to the media, the third-year defender made it clear that he is focused on preparing for the new season at training camp, but has taken pride in watching Greece in this summer’s Olympic games in Paris, France.

“I watched a little bit of the Olympics. I was watching Greece beat up on Australia this morning before we got ready for practice. You’ve got to have a little bit of fun still,” said Karlaftis. “But yeah, it’s been mostly blinders…but I’ll sneak some Greek Olympics here when I can.”

Karlaftis will look to take another step forward in his growth as an anchor on the defensive line and continue his impactful pass rush.

Packers’ Rashan Gary feels ‘more explosive’ as 4-3 DE

Rashan Gary is feeling more explosive while putting his hand in the dirt as a 4-3 defensive end in Jeff Hafley’s defense.

The move to a 4-3 base front defense could help Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary unlock his full potential as a pass-rusher in 2024.

After a training camp practice in which he produced sack after sack and pressure after pressure, Gary explained how putting his hand in the dirt — as opposed to standing up as a 3-4 outside linebacker — is aiding his explosiveness off the ball.

“I feel more explosive coming out of a three-point stance,” Gary said, via Bill Huber of Packers Central. “Sometimes when you’re in a two-point stance, you can create more false steps. With the hand in the dirt, the false steps are taken away.”

Firing off the ball and going full tilt at the quarterback is already paying off for Gary.

During Tuesday’s practice, Gary produced three sacks in a four-play sequence, per Huber. He beat both Rasheed Walker and Andre Dillard for pressures. A dominant win for the defense overall had the offense — players and coached included — doing pushups to end practice.

“Just being able to pin our ears back, not think and fly around,” Gary said, via Paul Bretl of ESPN La Crosse. “It’s been fun so far the first two days.”

Last season, Gary produced 9.5 sacks, 24 quarterback hits and 66 total pressures over 19 games, including the postseason. He was dominant early in the season in a limited role while he worked his way back from his 2022 ACL injury. Unsurprisingly, his impact faded a bit down the stretch — likely a result of a long season’s grind following a significant injury.

Now healthy, coming off a full offseason and loving the new defensive scheme, Gary is set up for a career year in 2024.

And he isn’t the only pass-rusher enjoying what the new defense asks.

“I love having my hand in the dirt,” Lukas Van Ness said Tuesday.

2 ex-Broncos make list of ‘Elite Defensive End Duos’ not in the Hall of Fame

Barney Chavous and Lyle Alzado represent one of the best defensive end duos that didn’t reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the highest individual honor bestowed to a player once his playing career ends. The Denver Broncos features the likes of John Elway, Terrell Davis, Peyton Manning and more than a dozen others in Canton. However, two notable defensive stars are currently not in the Hall of Fame. 

Barney Chavous and Lyle Alzado played six seasons together in Denver and according to John Turney of the website Talk of Fame Two, Chavous and Alzado are the eleventh-best defensive end duo in NFL history not to enter the NFL’s Hall of Fame.

“Both were extremely good vs. the run, and both were solid pass rushers, especially Alzado,” Turney wrote on TalkOfFameTwo.com. “Their peak was during the early ‘Orange Crush’ years, including 1977 when the Broncos won the AFC championship and faced the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XII.”

Perhaps Alzado’s admission of steroid use could have derailed his Hall of Fame status. Alzado retired with 112.5 sacks, three All-Pros and two Pro Bowls. As for Chavous, his 75 sacks are minimized by his lack of All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods.

Alzado was first-team All-Pro in 1977, second-teamer in 1978 and a Pro Bowler both seasons. Chavous never went to a Pro Bowl nor was All-AFC, but he was one of the best players never to gain all-star notice.

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Check out these highlights of Broncos DE John Franklin-Myers

The Broncos acquired DE John Franklin-Myers from the Jets in exchange for a future sixth-round pick. That might have been a big steal.

The Denver Broncos traded a 2026 sixth-round pick to the New York Jets during this year’s NFL draft in exchange for defensive end John Franklin-Myers. Because the Jets were in a salary cap pinch, the Broncos were able to acquire the defensive lineman at a bargain price.

Denver coach Sean Payton described Franklin-Myers as a “powerful” player last month. The 27-year-old defensive lineman discussed getting the opportunity to join the Broncos during organized team activities in June.

“Denver came up and shoot, what an opportunity I had. I talked to the coaches and talked to the staff members,” Franklin-Myers said. “I just heard the vision, heard what they wanted to do for me, how I could help this team and the opportunity that was presented. To play for Coach Sean Payton, I couldn’t pass that up.”

Check out the highlights from Franklin-Myers’ time in New York below:

The sixth-year defensive lineman has totaled 135 tackles, 61 quarterback hits, 19.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one interception in 81 career games (52 starts). He’ll look to build on those totals with the Broncos this fall.

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Broncos coach Sean Payton eager to add ‘very consistent’ John Franklin-Myers to defense

“You see a very consistent player,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of new defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers.

The Denver Broncos seemingly got a steal when they agreed to trade a 2026 sixth-round to the New York Jets in exchange for defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers during the 2024 NFL draft.

The Jets were in a salary cap pinch that made Franklin-Myers (27) expendable, allowing the Broncos to make a bargain trade. Denver coach Sean Payton said fans and media will begin to see the kind of impact the defensive end can make when the pads come on later this summer.

“Each year, consistently you saw the numbers, the numbers, the numbers,” Payton said on June 4. “It was kind of like you couldn’t even imagine how close they were. Now it came through power rush, bull rush or took an edge. It’s harder for him now to show you those things when we’re not in pads. So now, it’s alignment, it’s the scheme, where am I at and how am I fitting? I think we’ll see a lot more of that when we’re in pads. You can’t bull rush a guy out here; it’s kind of hard to do.

“He’s a powerful player. I would say when you grade or look at his pressure statistics over the last four years or five years, it’s pretty interesting. They’re very consistent across the board. So you see a very consistent player, but again during these drills you’re not able to necessarily see that.”

Over the last three years in New York, Franklin-Myers totaled 14, 20 and 14 quarterback hits while adding six, five and three sacks. He was consistent for the Jets and Payton expects the same kind of production in Denver. Getting that level of player for a late-round pick in the future was a great move.

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