So, I don’t joke or say this lightly, Jaguars fans: a booming punt might legitimately be the highlight of your team’s entire season.
As the Jaguars battled the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Jacksonville punter Logan Cooke let one fly from near his own end zone. He ended up launching the ball an astonishing 64 yards in the air before it took one friendly bounce to pin the Packers at their own two-yard line.
That’s right, folks. Cooke cooked up a 73-yard punt. Holy cow:
I don’t normally say about this special teams plays, but given how bad the Jaguars are, they really should hang their hat on ridiculous punts like this. After all, what else will they have to celebrate?
Robert Saleh is really coaching the Packers. Eat your heart out, Aaron Rodgers.
After Robert Saleh was unceremoniously fired by the New York Jets (for doing his job and falling in line at every turn), it would’ve been easy to assume he would take some time off away from professional football coaching. That’s kinda just what happens when you’re exposed to Aaron Rodgers’ ego and (gestures wildly at everything else). You need to let off some steam that Rodgers’ enablers, er … the Jets would never allow you to.
But that’s not the case.
Earlier this week, Saleh officially joined Matt LaFleur’s Green Bay Packers in a “fluid” role on the coaching staff. LaFleur and Saleh are longtime coaching friends who worked their respective ways up through the NFL ranks together.
While the exact parameters of Saleh’s job with the Packers are unclear (along with how long he’ll stay aboard), he will, funnily enough, stay away from the Green Bay defense.
Nonetheless, the irony here after leaving Rodgers is just WONDERFUL.
“Yeah, I think it [having Saleh around] helps,” LaFleur said. “Having a defensive mind talking offense and helping us with things he might be able to see, kind of similar scheme stuff, things the defense might be looking for, it helps.”
He added, “I think he’s got an elite defensive mind. But that’s why I want him on the offensive side, so he can help us attack the defenses.”
LaFleur said Saleh would work the team through Thursday this week and called his role “fluid.” Saleh has been staying at LaFleur’s house this week.
What do you think LaFleur and Saleh have been saying about Rodgers all week? Surely, nothing good or flattering … right? Oh, to be a fly on a wall inside the Packers’ practice facility.
DeAndre Hopkins acts like he didn’t choose the awful Titans.
Once upon a time, as a superstar receiver, DeAndre Hopkins had the option to sign whomever he wanted as a high-profile free agent. He could’ve joined a championship contender (like, say, the Kansas City Chiefs), but apparently, contenders weren’t willing to pay him what he wanted. That’s totally fair.
During Hopkins’ introductory press conference with the Chiefs on Thursday, he alluded to the fact that he hadn’t played “meaningful football” in a couple of years, dating back to his days with the Arizona Cardinals.
Oof. Sorry, Titans.
But don’t worry. Hopkins doesn’t get a free pass here:
"I haven't played meaningful football in a couple of years."
Listen, I’m not gonna begrudge anyone for chasing the best possible payday in almost any profession. BUT, if you’re gonna talk about your career from purely a football perspective, I need to remind you that you CHOSE the Titans.
You did that! That was the bed you made! Don’t act like it wasn’t part of a path you, again, CHOSE to follow.
At the very least, I almost appreciate the audacity to seemingly act like all of Hopkins’ recent losing ways weren’t of his own doing. That takes some nerve, even if some hyper-obsessive sportswriter like me will point out the clear hypocrisy later.
As the Nuggets see it, the now-eldest player in their regular rotation could catalyze them to glory once more in simultaneous pursuit of his first-ever elusive championship ring. Westbrook could be their new Bruce Brown, the backup, relentlessly competitive guard who brought endless intensity en route to Denver’s 2023 title.
Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
“This time of year, everybody’s gonna say they wanna win a championship,” Westbrook said in the preseason. “But it’s not live or die, to be honest. …
“As long as we, as a team, put our best foot forward, we can live with the results. If that’s a championship, then I’m grateful for that. If not, I’m also grateful for the opportunity.”
With Westbrook around, the Nuggets’ title window might stay wide open. But not indefinitely.
“It’s going to be incredibly hard to win another one,” Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth said. “You don’t know when this window will be over, so you have to take advantage of it.”
Nikola Jokic and Westbrook prove opposites attract
Despite their opposite play styles, Jokic and Westbrook hope to create fireworks together.
Since his days with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook excels most when he moves like a freight train, gaining steam on a railroad. He personifies controlled chaos, an engine of perpetual and passionate energy. And he never stops.
Jokic, on the other hand, embodies eccentric creativity. He is a cerebral conductor who has his fingertips all over a game by pulling the strings when they present themselves. Compared to Westbrook, Jokic’s stoic face after a monster scoring move in the post or a rare turnover on a poor pass are indistinguishable.
“It’s gonna be a great year figuring out ways to make the game easier for [Jokic] because he does it for everybody else,” Westbrook said.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
When it comes to Jokic, Westbrook has never had this skilled of a center. Jokic has never had an explosive guard who gets to the rim at will quite like Westbrook. And Jokic understands better than anyone that the Nuggets have to give Westbrook free rein to be himself.
In other words, they have to let Russ be… Russ.
“[Westbrook] has to play how he’s comfortable,” Jokic explained early in the Nuggets’ preseason. “He has to be himself because that’s when he’s at his best, and that’s what we need.”
This is all an ideal. While optimistic about his fit, the Nuggets understand Westbrook’s history and the potential downsides of adding him to their current mix. Westbrook’s contract structure — a two-year veteran minimum deal with a 2025 player option – suggests they’re somewhat hedging their bet on him.
Still, the Nuggets won’t limit Westbrook’s identity. With his skills, you dive headfirst into the water or not at all.
Westbrook maintains head coach Michael Malone is already letting him use “his speed” instead of forcing him to be something he’s not, like when Westbrook was allowed to consistently run at top speed during Denver’s five-game preseason. He got to the rim as he pleased, and while it wasn’t always pretty, as he smoked some open layups, his occasionally wild approach was accepted because he still set the table for the Nuggets’ other key reserves in a quality fashion.
In this way, Westbrook presents a new reality for the Jokic-era Nuggets. They are famous for playing at a slow, methodical pace, always hunting for good shots, no matter how long it takes. Per RealGM, Denver was 27th in the NBA in offensive pace last year. It’s a small preseason sample size, but Denver was fourth in offensive pace this October, with Westbrook pushing the ball at the forefront of that charge.
Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
While this speedy approach hasn’t proved to be entirely fruitful yet, and it may take time to really come together, it could be a well-worn wrinkle that makes the Nuggets less predictable and harder to defend.
As the newcomer, it’s up to Westbrook to show enough curiosity to build chemistry with his new teammates, too.
At Nuggets media day, Westbrook said he’d go out of his way to break bread with guys on the road and foster new relationships. You see it when Westbrook trades friendly barbs at practice with promising third-year forward Peyton Watson, a Southern California native who grew up idolizing him. You also see it when Westbrook takes rookie point guard Trey Alexander by his side while talking to the media to help him become a better public speaker.
It seems like Westbrook is genuinely interested in building with Jokic, respecting his talent while appreciating that the Nuggets are the reigning MVP’s team.
“To be on the floor with [Jokic] is an honor, and I’m grateful for that,” Westbrook said. “He does so many different things on the floor that allow people to be great.”
How Russell Westbrook is Jamal Murray’s steward
The main reason that Westbrook now calls Denver home is one of the NBA’s worst-kept secrets.
“It’s my job to push [Jamal Murray] every night to be the best that he can be,” Westbrook said. “He’s an unbelievable player, and he still has so much room to get better in a lot of areas. I’m grateful to be able to be here and help him along that journey.”
The Nuggets likely won’t win another title with Jokic if Murray doesn’t play at his ceiling. They certainly wouldn’t have won in 2023 without his electric 20-game run. None of their other roster questions matter as much as Murray pulling his weight.
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Even after a rough 2024 postseason, the Nuggets seem to believe Murray will turn the corner. They wouldn’t have given him $200 million if they didn’t.
That’s why the professional Westbrook is their Murray insurance policy. Murray has already noticed Westbrook’s luminary presence.
“I grew up watching [Westbrook],” Murray said. “To look at Russ is like, ‘Oh, damn… that’s Russ.’ Every time he’s in the gym, he lifts not just me but everybody’s spirit and awareness.”
For some, having a chaperone would be an annoyance. They’d lash out with insecurity. But when Westbrook declares he’ll push Murray while later miming his trademark “blue arrow” celebration during a photo shoot, it’s clear he’s there to be his confidant, too.
That’s why Murray doesn’t appear bothered by Westbrook. He understands his presence is to his benefit.
“Russ brings his own energy whether you’re with him or not,” Murray mused. “That’s the best part… he goes, works and tries to lead by example.”
Russell Westbrook gives the Nuggets the ultimate motivation
Jokic’s Nuggets have never been exuberant. The Western Conference’s winningest team over the last half-decade is notorious for carrying itself with quiet confidence.
But this sort of approach can lend itself to complacency. That’s where Westbrook’s persistence comes in.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Malone has expressed as much about his veteran sixth man. At every step, Malone has praised Westbrook’s effect on the rest of his players before musing about that cliché but valuable “win it for the veteran” motivation.
“The only thing that [Westbrook] hasn’t accomplished is winning an NBA championship,” Malone said. “That’s the only thing missing from a very impressive resume.”
Westbrook’s impact is evident among Denver’s core players, too.
It starts with Murray, who asserts that Westbrook’s “relentless energy” inspires him. It continues with sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr., who is struck by Westbrook acting like “he’s the youngest guy on the court.” It’s glaring when ascending bench scorer Julian Strawther insists he has been attached to Westbrook’s hip since the moment he signed with the Nuggets in the summer.
But no one summed up Westbrook’s impact on a Nuggets team back on the hunt for another title better than stalwart Aaron Gordon, Denver’s emotional backbone.
If Gordon says winning for legendary teammates like Westbrook (and Jokic) is what now inspires him more than anything as a basketball player, it’s safe to say the rest of the Nuggets feel the same way.
“Nikola Jokic will probably finish his career as one of the greatest ever to play basketball,” Gordon said. “That’s why I push myself and work relentlessly to elevate his time in the NBA. It’s the same with Russell. He’ll also be a Hall of Famer. I’m doing everything I can to try and get him a ring.”
D.J. Moore loves Caleb Williams’ bossiness, but not like THAT.
For a rookie quarterback, Caleb Williams has come a long way over the last month for the Chicago Bears. In the midst of a decisive Chicago three-game winning streak, Williams has quickly become one of the NFL’s most effective, efficient, and dynamic signal-callers. He’s even already breaking Bears rookie records.
For all intents and purposes, Williams is starting to live up to his potential as a No. 1 pick. He really might be the Bears’ Lisan al Gaib.
According to star receiver D.J. Moore, part of Williams’ recent ascent comes from him being more openly “bossy.” As in, he’s been taking more charge of the Bears’ offense and taking more ownership of the unit’s success and general organization as the starting quarterback.
That’s fantastic news for Moore, the rest of Williams’ Bears teammates, and Bears fans.
The only catch in Moore’s discussion with the reporter who asked about Williams’ growing leadership is the follow-up wondering whether the quarterback’s bossiness “pleases” the receiver.
With perfect delivery and hesitation, Moore hilariously bristled at this suggestive question:
Yeah, man, it’s just football. It’s just a game. We don’t need to potentially veer into consensual kinks (not that there’s anything wrong with that! No shame here!).
At any rate, with funny little exchanges like this, it seems apparent the vibes are off the charts with the Bears right now.
The Jets brought in Davante Adams from the hapless Las Vegas Raiders to help pull them out of their tailspin. The problem is that while Adams is a superstar receiver, he’s probably much more of a devout Rodgers loyalist than a “great leader” to whom everyone should listen.
That’s my exact reaction after learning that Adams apparently delivered the “realest” (eye roll) postgame speech after the Pittsburgh Steelers walloped the New York Jets on Sunday. Lest we forget, he just came from the flat, insipid Raiders, who have almost nothing going for them.
So it’s eye-opening that Adams already thinks similarly about the Jets after only recently leaving Las Vegas:
Davante Adams gave a postgame speech about the Jets needing more energy in games. Pretty unusual to see a guy here for 5 days giving speeches like that. Rodgers said it was the “realest” speech.
If Adams thinks the Jets are lacking in-game energy less than a week after leaving one of the NFL’s worst teams, that can’t say anything good about the culture in New York. That screams of a squad on the verge of giving up because everyone who is ostensibly the starting quarterback’s “boss” is a brazen, sycophantic loser who will see this budding dumpster fire all the way through to its inevitable bitter end.
Excellent job, owner Woody Johnson. Your expensive team just brought in another old star who already detests the organizational culture right after leaving one of the NFL’s most toxic environments.
Here’s what we know about Joel Embiid and Paul George.
The Philadelphia 76ers begin one of the most anticipated seasons in their franchise history on Wednesday against Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, it starts with a little bit of a damper, as star center Joel Embiid and newly acquired forward Paul George will both miss the opener with respective knee injuries.
Here’s what we know about their current status and when we might see Embiid and George share the floor together.
Embiid’s left knee ailment — where he tore his meniscus last year — is nothing new. He did not appear in Philadelphia’s preseason as part of an apparent 76ers load management plan to ensure he stays healthy throughout the year and is ready to go for the postseason.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Embiid is ramping up his activity this week with an undisclosed planned return sometime after.
George, on the other hand, is dealing with a hyperextended left knee that was unfortunately suffered earlier this preseason. There is no definitive timetable on George’s official debut with the 76ers as he is set to be reevaluated sometime this week.
Take heed and be patient, 76ers fans. Your team’s new and exciting era will begin soon enough … even if it’s a little delayed.
As the Celtics open their title defense against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, they will be without the spacing and shot-blocking big man’s services — he’s the only player currently listed on Boston’s injury report.
Why? Porzingis is still recovering from surgery for a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon suffered early in last year’s playoffs and exacerbated in Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals. While not season-ending, it remains a “rare” ailment that will likely force Porzingis to take his time getting back up to his speed.
According to Porzingis himself in an interview with ESPN, his recovery timeline will see him hopefully make a return to the Celtics’ lineup sometime in December. Notably, that would still be on the “early side” of an apparent 5-6 month recovery period for surgery for his respective injuries.
That’s all we know about Porzingis’ playing status for the time being. We’ll see how his 2024-2025 season with the Celtics develops in the months ahead.
The NFL might not be taking hip-drop tackles as seriously as we thought.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took one on the chin in their Monday night loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and Chris Godwin’s season-ending ankle injury was the awful cherry on top for the NFC contender.
However, while Godwin’s absence will have a significant impact on the NFC South race and for his fantasy football managers, the biggest ripple effect from the sequence might relate to NFL officiating.
However, if the hip-drop tackle was that clear, Smith weirdly (or unexpectedly?) wasn’t flagged for it in the middle of Monday night’s game. And the NFL only reviewing it after the fact for a potential fine suggests this might be the penalty structure for most if not all, hip-drop tackles moving forward:
My stance about penalizing hip-drop tackles as a symptom of over-officiating only changes slightly in this scenario. I still think it’s very silly to take a tool out of the toolbox for defenders in an already offensively slanted sport. It’s not like dudes are trying to injure people on purpose. You bring skill players down by whatever means possible, and sometimes that happens. This has always felt like trying to officiate out the brutality of an inherently brutal sport for optics.
With that said, I appreciate that defenders like Smith might, at least, not hurt their team in the middle of important games with a backbreaking penalty thanks to the foolish rule.
If penalizing hip-drop tackles will really only have the structure of reviews the following day, followed by possible fines, I find this whole deal much easier to stomach. It’s still not great that it hurts the pockets of guys just doing their jobs, but you can live with it if it doesn’t otherwise affect the outcome of a game too much.
Maybe this is the way the NFL always intended to officiate hip-drop tackles.
Russell Westbrook is getting the Nuggets to come out of their shell.
In some ways, adding Russell Westbrook to your NBA team these days makes you the equivalent of the Tobias Funke “Did it work for those people?” meme. But the Denver Nuggets, in pursuit of their second title in three years, are convinced that Westbrook — especially his competitive demeanor — might just be exactly what they ordered to get them out of a period of quiet stagnancy.
On Monday, with the Nuggets’ season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder looming on Thursday night, Denver head coach Michael Malone said that Westbrook has been relentlessly competitive in practices against the other Nuggets.
Apparently, Westbrook’s actually even been getting under the skin of the notoriously quiet Nuggets, as his “[expletive] talking” approach has even been contagious.
(Warning: NSFW language in the tweet and video below.)
Michael Malone on Russell Westbrook in practice:
“When you’re talking shit, getting under other people’s skin, and that becomes contagious – he was so excited today when other guys started getting into it.
On-court fit aside, approaching games the way Westbrook does is something the Nuggets probably really need to get out of their perceived rut. Nikola Jokic’s gang has never been one to wear its heart on its sleeve. That comes in handy from a measured, even-keeled perspective, but it probably has its drawbacks when everyone is dreading a long road trip in the dead of winter.
Westbrook’s injection of energy and fire already appears to be a welcome addition to Denver’s mix.
