Tag: Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant wants to play 2 more years but not with the Ravens

Dez Bryant posted a series of messages on Twitter that all but confirm he’s moving on from the Baltimore Ravens.

Wide receiver Dez Bryant made his return to the NFL last season, being signed by the Baltimore Ravens. After having sat out of football for two years, Bryant played in six games for the Ravens as they looked for more production from their passing attack. As Baltimore looks to bolster their wide receiver corps this offseason to help take quarterback Lamar Jackson to the next level, many wonder if Bryant is still a part of the Ravens’ plans.

Bryant has often taken time out to answer questions from fans on Twitter and when Willie Snead’s recent comments sparked some controversy, Bryant was pretty open with his thoughts. Though Bryant said he plans on playing for another two years, he admitted Baltimore isn’t the place for him.

 

Though Bryant didn’t get as much playing time as many would have hoped, he made sure to clarify there was no bad blood between him and the Ravens and that he was grateful for the opportunity to show what he could do.

With fans peppering him for a little more clarity on why things didn’t work out, Bryant made sure to note that his chemistry with Jackson wasn’t an issue. However, he insinuated Baltimore values receivers who are more familiar with the playbook.

Bryant’s tweets come a few weeks after he was seemingly critical of the lack of playing time on Instagram. He posted several videos of his play in Ravens practice, including catching touchdowns against the likes of Marlon Humphrey.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKO9Sl6juoX/

Bryant isn’t the only Ravens player to be vocal about his time in Baltimore this offseason. Marquise Brown, Willie Snead, and others have posted and/or liked cryptic messages on social media that seemingly point the finger at Baltimore’s coaching staff for not making the passing game work with the talent. While fans will often look a little too deep for meaning in some posts, blowing them out of proportion in the process, the fact so many of the Ravens’ wide receivers are speaking up adds a little more validity to the messages.

It’s safe to say that Bryant will not be returning to the Ravens in 2021. He called Baltimore a “first-class organization” but even that fact wasn’t enough to make him want to stay in purple and black. It will be interesting to see where the Ravens go from here, as well as which receivers are interested in coming to Baltimore to play football in the coming months.

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NFL players collaborate in support of Cam Newton following video of trash-talking kid

Cam Newton’s NFL family found nothing funny about this altercation.

Cam Newton was one of the most-talked about NFL players over the weekend.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t for his next move in free agency or charitable work in the community. Newton hosted a camp for young players and he dealt with a heckler that persistently trash-talked the 31-year-old. The unnamed kid repeatedly took shots at Newton’s ability on the field, while saying he was going to be poor.

Newton initially reacted to the kid and fed into the trash-talk, but he eventually tried to calm the situation down and have a real discussion. Regardless of the tough season Newton had in 2020 —  he’s still a former MVP and Super Bowl quarterback who doesn’t need to be at the camp.

The NFL community quickly came together and strongly advocated on Newton’s behalf.

Newton’s future with the New England Patriots is unclear, but a return to the team isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

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Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, Dez Bryant go in on joint business venture in fitness

The stars are part of a larger group supporting OxeFit, a company set to compete with Peloton and Mirror with AI-powered fitness gear.

Dak Prescott is making a connection with former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant one more time. This time, though, it’s in the world of business and in particular, high-tech smart gym equipment.

Prescott and Bryant have joined forces (and wallets) with Cowboys players of the past and present by becoming early investors in OxeFit, a Plano-based startup developing AI-powered exercise gear. Jason Witten and Blake Jarwin are also on the investment team, along with Broncos wideout Demaryius Thomas, it was announced Wednesday.

The company disclosed that it had raised $12.5 million, though it is not known how much the players’ group added to that figure.

OxeFit is set to debut its fitness equipment later this year and is expected to compete in the same category as devices like Peloton, Tonal, and Mirror, using physical equipment and software that are connected to one another via a network. The company will use tech tools to track “performance and muscle metrics through motion, providing advanced coaching” directly through the platform, according to OxeFit.

Aimed at elite athletes, fitness clubs, and rehab centers, the gear will combine robotics and artificial intelligence to aid in strength training.

“As a professional athlete currently rehabbing from a significant injury, I see the unbelievable opportunity OxeFit affords athletes and their physicians and trainers to cater activities to their specific needs,” Prescott said in a statement. “I believe OxeFit will change how athletes build strength and rehab from injuries.”

The company says users will also be able to “compete virtually” with each other and even professional athletes online.

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Free-agent WR Allen Robinson likes tweet saying Ravens should sign him

Let me know if you’ve heard this one before . . . The Baltimore Ravens enter the offseason needing help at wide receiver. Though Baltimore has made some strides at the position, there’s a clear lack of top talent to help the Ravens get over their …

Let me know if you’ve heard this one before . . . The Baltimore Ravens enter the offseason needing help at wide receiver. Though Baltimore has made some strides at the position, there’s a clear lack of top talent to help the Ravens get over their playoff hump. While it’s far from the only problem the passing offense has, it has continuously been an issue for the franchise over the last decade.

So when Bryan Perez of Bears Wire pointed out that Baltimore should hand Chicago wide receiver Allen Robinson a blank check this offseason, it was well-received by fans. And apparently, Robinson himself, who was among the more than 2,000 people who liked the tweet.

Robinson is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and is my top choice for Baltimore to target when free agency begins. As Perez noted, Robinson is everything quarterback Lamar Jackson needs and could completely transform the Ravens’ 32nd-ranked passing offense overnight.

Robinson should be considered one of the top wide receivers in the league by most metrics. He can play both outside and in the slot, and is an impressive route runner who uses his 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame to make contested catches. Robinson would be a great compliment to Marquise Brown, who came on strong at the end of the season and has great deep speed as well as the shiftiness to make quick completions big plays.

Indeed, that sure-handed possession receiver was exactly what the Ravens’ offense was missing this season. It was hoped Miles Boykin would develop into that role but it never really materialized. Baltimore signed Dez Bryant to help out and while the veteran receiver certainly made some big plays, it was little more than a band-aid on a much bigger problem.

Robinson has often performed under less than ideal circumstances. Having played for both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears over his seven years in the league, Robinson hasn’t ever had a top quarterback throwing him passes. Yet, despite often being the lone weapon on offense, Robinson has broken the 1,000-yard mark three times, including the 2015 season where he caught 80 passes for 1,400 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdown receptions. Even this past season on the Bears’ awful offense, Robinson 1,250 receiving yards and six touchdown catches, earning his quarterback a 92.3 passer rating when targeting Robinson.

The Ravens already have a dominant rushing attack and a defense that, even when not playing at their best, is among the top in the league. Adding another weapon for Jackson and improving the passing scheme might be all it takes to turn Baltimore from a playoff team into Super Bowl champions. At the very least, Robinson appears to be open to the idea.

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Cowboys News: Best and Worst from 2020, takeaway review

The Cowboys have a number of former players finding success in the NFL, as players or coaches. Plus, names to remember for the NFL draft

With the Dallas Cowboys watching the playoffs from home, more attention is being paid to former Cowboys, at least for this weekend. Saturday night, Dez Bryant has a chance to get farther in the playoffs than he ever did in Dallas, as does Cole Beasley. Former Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is the leading man to run Urban Meyer’s offense in Jacksonville, and former Cowboys TE Dan Campbell might potentially land his first head coaching gig with the Lions.

The Cowboys draft needs are abundant and clear, and the theme of the needs is defense. Get familiar with names of potential defensive prospects that Dallas could add come late April. A pair of young defensive backs were a bright spot for the Cowboys this season. The Cowboys staff writers going over their best and worst events from the 2020 season. Plus, is it already time for this young Dallas defender to switch positions again?

News: Aldon Smith’s future in Dallas, Jamie Foxx defends Cowboys to Stephen A. Smith

Also, breaking down the Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt, Jr. hires, Cowboys coaches decide on Senior Bowl trip, and moving on from Dak Prescott?

The 2021 Dallas Cowboys defense is taking some semblance of shape following the hires of new coordinator Dan Quinn and now passing game coordinator Joe Whitt, Jr. There’s plenty to dissect as Cowboys Nation reads the tea leaves on the connection between Quinn and Whitt… and Whitt and Mike McCarthy. Read on to learn why there’s both optimism and cause for concern regarding the Whitt news and what Quinn may bring to Dallas.

Also on tap, looking back at what worked in 2020, looking ahead to the Cowboys’ quarterback situation, looking closely at Aldon Smith’s future with the club, and looking for answers as to why Jerry Jones the owner won’t move on from Jerry Jones the general manager. There’s also news on the Cowboys contingent heading to the Senior Bowl, a battle of former Dallas pass-catchers on this weekend’s playoff slate, and a Hollywood superstar standing up for America’s Team to one of the Cowboys’ biggest and loudest haters. All the News and Notes, coming right up…

WATCH: Ravens arrive to Titans’ stadium for wild-card playoff game

The Baltimore Ravens showed up for Sunday’s wild-card playoff game against the Tennessee Titans as focused as ever.

The Baltimore Ravens have had their eyes set on Super Bowl LV from before the regular season even began. And now that the Ravens are in the playoffs, set to take on the Tennessee Titans in the wild-card round, Baltimore’s players appear to be as focused as ever.

Arriving at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, there was no fun and games for most of the Ravens’ players. Take a look at quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is aiming to put the tired playoff narrative to rest today, and two of his weapons.

Calais Campbell, one of the newest Ravens, hasn’t spent a lot of time in the playoffs throughout his career. With a chance at postseason glory, Campbell looked like a man deep in thought as he arrived.

Wide receiver Willie Snead, offensive lineman Tyre Phillips, and linebacker Patrick Queen headed out to the field in their warm-up gear, flashing peace signs as they walked out the tunnel.

But not everyone was some Zen master. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey — known for his different wardrobes — donned a cowboy hat for the occasion.

The Ravens know what they have to do to advance and they seem prepared to get the job done today.

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Cowboys’ McCarthy defends not challenging critical catch: ‘It was too close’

In 2014, McCarthy ended Dallas’s postseason with the toss of a red flag. On Sunday, he ruined their postseason chances by not throwing it.

For nearly six years, Dallas fans have turned “Dez Caught it” into a rallying cry and a stubborn point of pride. As the team now heads into the offseason after their 23-19 loss to the New York Giants ended a surreal and disappointing 2020 campaign, Cowboys Nation may have a new mantra. And while “Dante Trapped It” likely won’t inspire any leaguewide rule changes or its own Twitter hashtag, the play and the sideline’s reaction- or lack thereof- will sting for quite some time.

When Giants receiver Dante Pettis hauled in a 10-yard throw from quarterback Daniel Jones with seven minutes to play and New York up by one point, it set up New York’s final field goal. Replays showed that the ball may have hit the turf as Pettis went to the ground, but Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy opted not to challenge the call.

“The catch was obviously down in our area,” McCarthy explained in his postgame press conference, “and when the receiver turned to me, the information we got, we just thought it was too close. We thought it was kind of a bang-bang type situation. The fact of the matter is, we were in a tight game, and the three timeouts was obviously of high value there. We just didn’t think there was enough information to overturn it.”

The broadcast crew thought it was close enough to warrant a review, but the red challenge flag remained securely in McCarthy’s pocket. Graham Gano connected on the ensuing 50-yard kick, and the Giants extended their lead to four points.

The Cowboys put together a 17-play drive on the next possession that got the offense inside the New York red zone. But with the team needing seven points instead of three, quarterback Andy Dalton ended up forcing a blind heave on a desperate third-and-goal scramble. Giants rookie Xavier McKinney’s end zone interception sealed the New York win and ended the Cowboys’ chances at both a Week 17 victory and the unlikeliest playoff berth in franchise history.

A win would not have given Dallas the NFC East crown, as Washington won their night game versus Philadelphia and with it, the division title. Some may therefore call the loss- and the decision not to challenge the Pettis catch- ultimately meaningless, but for a Cowboys squad that had been on a three-game win streak, the season-finale letdown added one last insult to a season riddled with injury and ineptitude.

For Cowboys fans, the hope of a late-game rally being snatched away by the meticulous frame-by-frame review of wide receiver and football meeting the ground in agonizing synchronicity was a familiar gut punch.

“It looked a lot like the one from the playoffs before I got to the Cowboys,” running back Ezekiel Elliott told reporters after the game. “I think it was 2014, maybe. The one that Dez had in Green Bay that they called incomplete. It looked like that one to me, but I think since then, they changed the rule. So I don’t know. I’m not a ref. I don’t get to make those calls.”

Mike McCarthy was on the sideline that day, too. As Packers head coach, he had the benefit of ample replays being shown to the roaring crowd at Lambeau Field. He suggested that the scoreboard operator at MetLife Stadium on Sunday may not have been quite as eager to show Pettis’s play from every conceivable angle following the on-the-field call of a reception.

“We’re trying to get as much information as possible,” McCarthy said of the team’s internal communications in those precious moments. “Obviously, you don’t get a lot of help on the road, particularly if it’s a play that’s something you have higher interest in than your opponent; I think that’s the norm. But yeah, we have coaches in the box that relay the information. Ultimately, I make the decision.”

Back in 2014, though, McCarthy got extra assistance in making the decision. He admitted during last January’s introductory press conference as Cowboys coach that a sideline conversation with Gene Steratore, the head referee that day in Green Bay, prompted him to challenge Bryant’s touchdown grab.

There was no such help for the Cowboys coach on the sideline in New York on Sunday.

When asked if he thought game management had been a recurring issue this season, the first-year Cowboys coach was blunt in his reply.

“No, not at all. Not at all.”

Cowboys coaches did have a few extra seconds in which to debate challenging the catch. Because it was fourth down, the Giants were not able to hurry the next snap, but instead had to send out their field goal unit.

Even if Dallas had challenged the call and gotten the catch ruling overturned, New York still might have attempted the kick, which would have been from 60 yards. Gano had missed just one field goal try all season and is one of the league’s more reliable legs from long distance; he’s 25-of-41 from beyond 50 yards in his 11-year career. He hit three kicks of 50 or longer in Week 5’s Cowboys-Giants tilt and booted one from 63 yards as recently as 2018.

By throwing the red flag in 2014, McCarthy ended the postseason for Dallas, a team favored by many to win the Super Bowl. By not throwing the red flag on Sunday, he merely made it a little more difficult for a 6-9 team to avoid double-digit losses.

It’s not known if referee Brad Allen’s crew would have overturned Pettis’s catch. There’s no guarantee Gano would have missed from 60. There’s no way to be sure that the Cowboys would have capitalized and come away with a win. And in the end, even if all those things had gone Dallas’s way, the Cowboys players would still be cleaning out their lockers and scheduling exit interviews this week. So maybe McCarthy’s decision to not challenge is truly irrelevant.

“As I’ve addressed it,” McCarthy said, “I didn’t feel there was enough information for them to overturn it. We didn’t think it was clear and obvious.”

What’s clear and obvious is that the Cowboys’ season is over. But finishing it with a four-game win streak sure would have been easier to swallow than another offseason of questions about receivers maintaining control, coaches making in-game sideline decisions… and what ultimately might have been.

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Giants Coordinator Corner: Jason Garrett downplays second game vs. Cowboys

New York Giants coordinators met with the media on Thursday, and Jason Garrett downplayed his second matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.

The New York Giants (5-10) host the Dallas Cowboys (6-9) this Sunday in the first game of a doubleheader that will determine who wears the tainted NFC East crown this season.

The winner of the Giants-Cowboys game will wait to see the result of the Philadelphia-Washington match on Sunday night. If the WFT wins, they clinch the division. If they lose, the Giants-Cowboys winner will be the champ.

The Giants have lost seven straight games to the Cowboys and a win on Sunday would go a long way for them in terms of the direction of the team. Dallas’ seven-game winning streak came while they were under the stewardship of head coach Jason Garrett, who is now the Giants’ offensive coordinator.

On Thursday, Garrett downplayed the fact that facing his ex-team, the team he was the head coach of for a decade, was standing in the way of his current team’s success. But we all knew this awkward moment was likely to come.

“We play them twice a year, and obviously, they’re a division opponent,” he said. “Certainly, it’s interesting. The circumstances are what they are, but we’re just excited to have this opportunity to be playing for potentially the division on Sunday. It’s been a funny year in the NFL, in the NFC East, all of that. You just keep trying to bang away and take advantage of your opportunities, and we certainly have a good one on Sunday.”

Garrett’s offensive scheme has fallen flat here in New York. The Giants are next to last in the league points scored and yards gained, and are on a three-game losing streak in which they’ve rushed for under 80 yards in each game.

The Giants’ defense has played well under coordinator Patrick Graham this season, but have had breakdowns lately, mainly due to the amount of time they’ve spent on the field. The Giants have an average time of possession of 24:18 over their three-game losing streak.

That aside, the breakdowns have mainly come in the passing game, when Graham employs a zone. Last week, there was a miscommunication between cornerback James Bradberry and the defensive backs assigned to the middle of the end zone resulting in an easy touchdown for Dez Bryant, now with the Ravens.

“I can’t speak for the other team,” Graham said when asked if he thought opponents had figured out his zone. “I have to do a better job of coaching. I have to do a better job of coaching and laying out the plan. I have to do a better job of calling it, mixing in zone and man and stuff like that. I don’t know if they’re figuring it out.

“It’s football, these guys get paid too, and they have good players, so they execute. It’s just a matter of I have to coach better, I have to do a better job. I’m working on it every day just trying to get better. Hopefully I have a good day at practice just trying to get the guys in the right spots. All leading towards Sunday where we can execute.”

The Giants’ special teams has been hot and cold all year but one aspect where they’d thought they’d be better this year was in the punt return game. The Giants have returned just 18 punts for 189 yards this year. Safety Jabrill Peppers has been the primary returner with 13 attempts for an average for 11.4 yards.

Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey was asked if he thought about having his returners be more aggressive to make up for not scoring enough points on offense.

“I’ve told to guys this before, as returners, I tell our guys not to chase plays,” said McGaughey. “We’re going to let the plays come to us. When we get those opportunities, we just have to take advantage. That’s the thing. As a punt returner, kick returner, we’re never going to press. When you press, you make mistakes and mistakes will get you beat. We just have to make sure we’re smart in how we handle the situations as they come along. Once they come along, we take advantage of it.”

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Giants dropped by Ravens, 27-13: Instant analysis

Instant analysis of the New York Giants’ 27-13 Week 16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Oddsmakers did not give the New York Giants much of chance going into their game against the surging Ravens in Baltimore on Sunday afternoon and for good reason.

The Giants were coming off back-to-back deflating losses to Arizona and Cleveland, scoring a total of 13 points in the two games. The Ravens were trending in the other direction, entering the game on a three-game winning streak in which they amassed 121 points and appeared to be unstoppable.

Baltimore has been the kings of December winning 11 of the 12 games started by quarterback Lamar Jackson since 2018.

Make that 12 of 13.

The oddsmakers had it right. The Giants did have little chance in this game. To be fair, it’s hard to see any team stopping the Ravens’ offense right now. They are so dynamic with Jackson running the RPO, it’s not a fair fight. Throw in the fact the Giants are punchless on offense and you had a perfect recipe for a quick TKO.

Baltimore came out of the gate strong and didn’t let up. They held the football for 13:17 of the first quarter, running 23 offensive plays to the Giants’ three, 147 total yards (95 on the ground) en route to a 14-0 first quarter lead.

The second quarter brought more of the same. The Giants started out the quarter with the ball but quickly had to punt it back after rookie Austin Mack dropped a sure first down killing the drive after five plays.

Then it was all Ravens again with Jackson and rookie running back J.K. Dobbins providing a deadly 1-2 punch on the ground. Jackson, after hitting wide receiver Marquise Brown for an easy touchdown on the Ravens’ first possession, threw short, high percentage passes to move the chains and keep the Giants’ defense on the field, running up the lead to 17-0 midday through the second quarter.

With all the running, the clock ran down quickly. The Giants finally got their offense together late in the first half but once again, could not turn a red zone opportunity into a touchdown. The Giants ended up settling for a 31-yard Graham Gano field goal. The red zone problem is nothing new. They entered the game 31st in the league in red zone offense (45.95%).

It really didn’t matter since the defense could not stop Jackson & Co. Baltimore got the ball back with 1:08 remaining, drove it 65 yards in nine plays, settling for a Justin Tucker field goal giving them a 20-3 halftime lead.

The Giants settled down in the second half but did allow former nemesis Dez Bryant to score an easy touchdown to give the Ravens a 27-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Big Blue narrowed the lead later in the quarter to 27-13 after Daniel Jones hit Sterling Shepard for a 3-yard touchdown to cap off a 15-play, 76-yard drive.

The loss dropped the Giants to 5-10 on the season putting their postseason hopes on life support.

Notes

  • The Giants won the second half 10-7 but who’s counting? It just shows they were invested for the full sixty minutes.
  • The Giants rushed for under 100 yards for the third straight week. Their 54 yards were the lowest on the ground since they gained just 29 against Pittsburgh in Week 1. They are 0-7 when they rush for under 100 yards.
  • Baltimore rushed for 249 yards, the most allowed by the Giants this season — by a lot. The most the Giants had given up in a game this year was 159 against Arizona in Week 14.
  • This was only the fourth game this year the Giants did not commit a turnover. They created one — a Lamar Jackson fumble inside the five that was recovered by Logan Ryan. The Giants are 2-2 this year when they don’t turn the ball over.
  • The Giants had three hits on Jackson but did not sack him. Jones, however, was sacked six times in the game. For the second straight week, he was relegated to the pocket and did not attempt to rush the football until the final minute of the game.
  • Jones was sacked three consecutive times on a drive in the early fourth quarter. Rookie tackle Matt Peart was victimized by three separate Ravens.
  • Kicker Graham Gano’s two field goals tied Josh Brown’s franchise record for consecutive field goals at 29.
  • Tight end Evan Engram injured his ankle in the final two minutes of the game.

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