Tag: elijah moore

Colorado’s DJ McKinney pulled an Elijah Moore with a peeing dog celebration after a pick-6

This is a moment college football fans will never forget, and clearly DJ McKinney is among them.

The No. 25 Colorado Buffaloes emphatically closed out their regular season with a dominant 52-0 win against Oklahoma State on Friday, and between Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders and more than half a dozen touchdowns, there were a lot of highlight moments.

But an unfortunate moment for the Cowboys led to not only a standout play from Colorado cornerback DJ McKinney but also a memorable celebration that seemed like an apparent ode to former Ole Miss receiver Elijah Moore’s years-old controversial Egg Bowl celebration. And the timing of it couldn’t be better.

Friday, early in the fourth quarter, McKinney picked off Oklahoma State quarterback Maealiuaki Smith and returned it for a 13-yard pick-six. And he celebrated it by getting down on all fours and pretending to urinate like a dog, à la Moore’s dog-peeing celebration in the 2019 Egg Bowl.

It was a peak college football moment, and, just like Moore, McKinney was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct — though the butterfly effect implications are probably far more minimal this time around.

If you need a brief refresher: At the end of the 2019 Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State, Moore scored a touchdown with four seconds left on the clock and celebrated by pretending to pee like a dog. He and Ole Miss were dealt a penalty, missed what would have been the game-tying extra point and Mississippi State won, 21-20. Ole Miss coach Matt Luke was ultimately fired at the end of the 4-8 season, paving the way for the Lane Kiffin era.

This is a moment college football fans will never forget, and clearly McKinney is among them.

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Elijah Moore’s toe tap ties it up vs. Saints

Elijah Moore what a catch!

The Cleveland Browns have tied the game against the New Orleans Saints as quarterback Jameis Winston found Elijah Moore deep in the back of the endzone.

With under nine minutes to go in the third quarter, Winston found receiver Moore for a 30-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 14-12 before the PAT. After missing the two-point attempt earlier, Winston hit tight end David Njoku on the conversion to tie the game at 14 apiece. His second touchdown pass in the game.

Cleveland took eight plays to go 92 yards on the scoring drive after forcing a Saints punt in their territory. Running back Nick Chubb rushed three times on the drive for 27 yards after receiver Cedric Tillman made a 20-yard grab to give the offense some room.

With a quarter and a half to go, Winston is up to 299 yards with two touchdowns, completing 19 of 29 passes. Jeudy has caught six of eight targets for 142 yards and a touchdown, while Moore and Njoku have added 50 and 49 yards, respectively.

With plenty of football left in this one, the Browns will need to limit defensive breakdowns and continue their offensive success to come away with win number three.

Injuries to key DBs highlight Ravens’ struggles with pass defense in loss to Browns

The Ravens entered this game dead last in the league in pass defense, so the Browns were well aware they could exploit the secondary.

Those who call the NFL a league of parity (not “parody,” OMG! That common malapropism drives me insane) could certainly point to today’s 29-24 win by the Cleveland Browns over the Baltimore Ravens.

Worst beat first in the AFC North division as Baltimore’s five-game win streak ended, as did Cleveland’s five-game losing skid.

Jameis Winston, who many football pundits have declared “washed” for some time, finished 27 of 41 passing for 334 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions while leading the Browns’ offense to heights that had not been seen under their franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson this season.

The Ravens entered this game dead last in the league in pass defense, so the Browns were well aware the secondary was a position group that could potentially be exploited.

And things worsened for Baltimore even before a single pass was thrown, as Nate Wiggins (illness), Marlon Humphrey (ankle), and T.J. Tampa (IR) were all ruled out.

More change was still to come in the defensive backs position group, as Marcus Williams was benched for being largely ineffective this season. The Ravens’ pass defense has been a persistent problem this year, but it’s not as bad as it may seem.

Baltimore is so stout against the run that opponents consistently find themselves having to rely on their passing attacks heavily. Also, the Ravens entered the day in first place, with a 5-2 record, and teams with winning records tend to find themselves ahead, and even well ahead, most of the time.

And what do you do when you’re behind, often well behind?  You pretty much have to pass.

So, while today was undoubtedly a shocking surprise defeat, all is not lost.

Ravens take a step back in shocking 29-24 loss to the Browns in Week 8

Ravens take a step back in shocking 29-24 loss to the Browns in Week 8

Baltimore has a penchant for blowing late fourth-quarter leads, but on Sunday, the Ravens took a step back toward the inconsistent unit that lost two straight to start the season.

In what can only be described as a shocking loss, the Cleveland Browns had their most impactful performance without Deshaun Watson in a 29-24 victory over first-place Baltimore in Week 8.

Lamar Jackson started the game 6-6 passing but finished 23-38 passing, for 289 yards (7.6 avg), two touchdowns, and zero interceptions with a 101.8 rating. Just like Baltimore had their five-game winning streak snapped, star running back Derrick Henry came back to earth, rushing for only 73 yards (6.6 avg) and one touchdown on 11 carries.

After missing two practices during the week with an ankle injury, second-year wideout Zay Flowers posted another 100-yard game, logging seven catches for 115 yards on the afternoon.

Zach Orr’s defense played without two starters at cornerback, and Jameis Winston carved up the Ravens. The former Heisman Trophy winner went 23-38 passing for 334 yards and three touchdowns.

The Browns took the lead when Winston threw a 38-yard touchdown pass — his third of the game — to Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds left as Cleveland erased weeks of frustration.

Baltimore will now look to regroup with Bo Nix and the upstart Broncos heading to M&T Bank Stadium in Week 9.

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Elijah Moore sidelined vs. Bengals for disciplinary reasons

His second year with the Browns looks like his last.

Wide receiver Elijah Moore may have his days numbered with the Cleveland Browns in his second season and contract year.

The Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, dropping their fifth game in a row, but it turns out their issues run much deeper. The wide receiver has not been a productive member of the team since coming over from the New York Jets, and now he has been a hassle off the field as well.

Speaking to the media after the game against the Bengals, head coach Kevin Stefanski stated that Moore was sidelined early in the game due to disciplinary problems. Stefanski stated he would keep what the discipline was for internally, but was open enough to let the media know he was subject to team punishment.

Since the trade of Amari Cooper, who scored a touchdown in his debut with the Buffalo Bills, the Browns need another wide receiver to step up. Yesterday that was Cedric Tillman. Can Moore be that guy or are his days numbered?

Browns lose Elijah Moore in loss to Eagles

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore suffered a leg injury against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore suffered a leg injury against the Philadelphia Eagles. Moore was injured during the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. He was tackled from behind and his legs buckled underneath him. Moore was able to walk off the field and into the medical tent.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski stated that Moore suffered a shot to his ribs.

Moore had another quiet day on the Browns. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is struggling to deliver the football to his wide receivers. The Browns’ passing offense was non-existent for most of the game.  Watson threw the ball for 144 yards and took five sacks. Moore caught his one target for three yards.

Moore can be a valuable part of the offense, but without a quarterback to get him the ball, it’s impossible to tell how he’s playing. The Browns brought in Moore two seasons ago to boost their passing offense, but opportunities have evaded him.

Hopefully, Moore will be healthy for next week. The Browns play the Cincinnati Bengals next week.

Father of Elijah Moore calls out Browns, Deshaun Watson on social media

Here we go again.

This season for the Cleveland Browns has been deja vu of the 2021 campaign, and now it resembles it even more after the father of Elijah Moore has taken to X (formerly known as Twitter) to call out quarterback Deshaun Watson and the playcalling of the team.

The Browns took to social media to highlight a first quarter throw from Watson to Moore. It turned out that would be Moore’s only target of the game, and his dad noticed.

Taking to X, Moore’s dad posted, “1 target the entire game? Make it makes sense 95% open all the time. [shake my head].”

This, of course, is not the first time the father of a Browns’ wide receiver has taken to social media to call out a Cleveland quarterback as the father of Odell Beckham Jr. did the same thing to Baker Mayfield in 2021.

Time is a flat circle in Cleveland, friends. Buckle up, it’s going to be a long season.

Browns WR Elijah Moore leaves practice with possible concussion

Moore exits with possible head injury

Cleveland Browns fans are probably feeling some deja vu lately with the amount of injuries that keep happening at training camp practice. The latest injury occurred Friday after wide receiver Elijah Moore left practice and is now being evaluated for a possible concussion.

Moore has been turning heads in training camp, making people miss in the open field and hauling in some tight-window throws from quarterback Deshaun Watson. The team has brought in more competition at the position, but Moore has made his case to be in the top three or four target-getters this season.

Being this early in camp, this injury shouldn’t affect his ability to be ready for the season, but it will present some roster bubble guys with more chances to make the roster. David Bell and Michael Woods II are battling it out, and this injury could give them an opportunity to make their case until Moore makes it back.

Amari Cooper’s contract structure shows Browns’ belief in young WRs

The team believes in the young talent they have at WR

As expected, the Cleveland Browns were able to reach an agreement with Amari Cooper to end his holdout as veterans reported for training camp on Tuesday. The interesting aspect of the deal is that it didn’t include any additional years, just a pay raise and guaranteed money for the 2024 season.

Of course, this doesn’t mean they won’t later re-sign him to an extension either during the season or the next off-season. However, I believe the team feels comfortable not locking Cooper down for the future primarily because of the young pass catchers they currently have on their roster.

Andrew Berry has had his eye on Jerry Jeudy for years, and after finally acquiring him, he made sure to get an extension on the books quickly. This shows Berry believes that Jeudy will be a great player for the Browns. The best part is that Cooper is around for 2024, giving Jeudy a chance to prove Berry right or wrong.

In addition to Jeudy, you have three draft picks, Cedric Tillman, Jamari Thrash, and David Bell, who are on the roster. Tillman seems poised to make a leap in year two after a rough start to his career. Bell is a solid possession guy, and Thrash has an intriguing athletic profile.

It is clear to me that the Browns know they need Cooper for 2024, but they believe in their scouting and development that the young guys can be long-term answers. But if things don’t work out this year and the young guys don’t take a leap, the team could always go back to the negotiation table with Cooper.

Will 2024 mark the start of a Deshaun Watson redemption arc?

What are the odds of a Watson rebound in 2024?

In March of 2022, the Cleveland Browns sent first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as a third-rounder in 2023, plus fourth-rounders in ’22 and 2024, to the Houston Texans in exchange for quarterback Deshaun Watson and a ’24 sixth-round pick. After two seasons, this checks in as one of the worst trades in NFL history from Cleveland’s perspective. Will things finally get better in 2024? Let’s take an early peek.

During his two years in a Browns uniform, Watson has appeared in 12 games. He served an 11-game suspension in 2022, and he missed 11 games last year due to a shoulder injury that required surgery to correct. He has been a limited participant in offseason workouts, but the expectation is he will be ready to go in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Cleveland has made some notable changes since the last time Watson took the field. Perhaps the biggest one is the hiring of new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who worked with Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen during his tenure as the OC. Dorsey was named the quarterbacks coach when Allen was in his second season, and he helped shepherd his ascent to stardom before eventually taking over as the play caller in 2022.

On the field, the Browns acquired wide receiver Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos, ironically parting ways with the sixth-round selection they picked up from Houston in the Watson deal (along with a fifth-round choice). That gives Cleveland a top three of Jeudy (54-758-2 last year), Amari Cooper (72-1,250-5), and Elijah Moore (59-640-2) at receiver to go along with tight end David Njoku (81-882-6), who finally took a major step statistically last year.

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Health and contract issues could play a part in how effective Cleveland is offensively in 2024. In addition to Watson, who still isn’t throwing every day as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, running back Nick Chubb (knee) faces an uncertain future after suffering a gruesome knee injury last year. On the money side, Cooper didn’t take part in the offseason program as he enters the final year of his contract.

All those changes should lead to a more aggressive, pass-oriented offense under Dorsey, which could breathe some life into Watson, who last posted a meaningful statistical season back in 2020 — he threw for 4,823 yards, 33 TDs, and seven INTs while rushing for 444 yards and three TDs.

Fantasy football outlook

The numbers that Watson put up in 2020 bordered on elite, and it shows what he is capable of … or at least what he was capable of. Three full seasons have passed since then, during which he’s played in a dozen games with 2,217 yards passing, 14 TDs, and nine INTs.

At this stage, the veteran needs to be viewed as a borderline top-20 quarterback on draft day, though his dual-threat potential makes him one of the more intriguing backup options.