Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 5 vs Chiefs

Raiders made a game of it with the Chiefs. But fell short in the end again. So let’s look at the game’s Ballers & Busters

Monday Night was a much closer game in the end than most thought it would be. The Raiders jumped to a 17-0 lead and twice were within one point late. But in the end, that one point deficit was where it would stay and the Raiders would fall to 1-4 on the season.

Ballers

RB Josh Jacobs

Once again, Jacobs was running with a mission against a Chiefs Run D that was best in the league coming into the game. Jacobs made mincemeat of that top ranked run D.

His mission was never more evident than early in the second quarter when he followed up a 13-yard run with a 21-yard run that ended with him plowing through the safety. Jacobs had already scored the Raiders’ previous TD from one yards out and those two runs set up the Raiders’ third score to go up 17-0.

Late in the third quarter, Jacobs followed up another 13-yard run — he created himself with a broken tackle — with a 37-yard run. The Raiders had long since lost the lead and the field goal off that run brought them back within one at 24-23.

Jacobs’s second TD of the game brought the Raiders back to being down one late at 30-29 before the failed two-point conversion. That’s where it remained on their final drive which started with a couple Jacobs eight-yard runs; the second of which gave him a new career-high for a single game, breaking his previous mark (144) he set last week vs the Broncos.

His last run went for five yards on third-and-one, setting his new career-high at 154 yards. Unfortunately, the Raiders went away from him on their next third-and-one and fourth-and-one and the game was over on consecutive incompletions.

DE Maxx Crosby

Every play Crosby made was a big one. It started with a wicked inside spin move to get the sack to end the Chiefs’ first drive. The next drive he made a run stop for no gain and it ended with a missed field goal.

The second quarter featured Crosby’s second sack of the game. That one moved him into a tie for the league lead in sacks (6). Though it wasn’t enough to keep the Chiefs from scoring their first touchdown of the game.

After the Chiefs had completed the comeback to go up 24-23, the Chiefs were back on offense looking to extend their lead. That drive started with Crosby making a run stop for a loss. The Chiefs would still get the touchdown, but on the two-point conversion attempt, the Condor would get pressure on Mahomes and get his long arms up to bat down his pass attempt.

DE Chandler Jones

For the first time this season, Crosby had some help from the other side. Jones didn’t manage to get his first sack as a Raider, but he put plenty of pressure on Mahomes from his side of the line and made some run stops as well.

Jones helped set up Crosby’s first sack with a run stop on first down and pressure resulting in an incompletion on second down. He then broke up a screen pass on the next drive and two plays later the Chiefs would miss a field goal attempt.

The third possession went three-and-out and it was all Jones. Starting with a run stop at the line and ending with a hit on Mahomes to force an incompletion.

Those efforts helped the Raiders build their 17-0 lead to start the game.

T Kolton Miller

Miller didn’t give up any sacks or hits on Derek Carr and as far as I can tell, he didn’t give up any run stuffs either. In addition, he had blocks on several Josh Jacobs runs including his first touchdown run and a 21-yard run in the second quarter that set up the Raiders’ third score.

FB Jakob Johnson

Doing a fine bit of lead blocking for Jacobs was his fullback, including leading the way for Jacobs’s 37-yard run in the third quarter.

WR Davante Adams

Derek Carr went bombs away to Adams several times in this game. The first one went for a 58-yard touchdown. The next two were underthrown and Adams came back for them, forcing a pass interference. The second of them happened in the end zone, setting up their second touchdown.

The next long ball was easily the best pass and catch between Carr and Adams since they became Raiders teammates. Adams got behind two Chiefs defenders and Carr placed it perfectly in his hands in-stride for a 48-yard touchdown.

It was the last two passes to Adams that ended the game. The first would likely have set up the potential game-winning field goal, but Adams didn’t finish the catch before stepping out of bounds. The final pass, Adams and Hunter Renfrow ran into each other. The pass was way long, but it wouldn’t have mattered considering Adams and Renfrow were on the ground. It was a terrible way to end an otherwise great day for Adams who had three catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

LB Divine Deablo

Deablo finished with a team leading ten tackles. On the last two Chiefs drives alone, Deablo had three run stuffs, one for a loss. His last tackle helped lead to the Raiders stopping the Chiefs on their final drive and keeping them from just running clock to give the Raiders offense one more shot.

Two former Vols make 2022 preseason debut

Two former Vols make 2022 preseason debut.

A pair of former Tennessee players made their 2022 NFL preseason debut in the Hall of Fame game.

Defensive tackle Kendal Vickers and fullback Jakob Johnson appeared for Las Vegas in its 27-11 victory against Jacksonville in Canton, Ohio.

Vickers, played for the Vols from 2014-17 after redshirting in 2013. He recorded two tackles and one sack against Jacksonville.

With the Raiders since 2020, Vickers has recorded 10 tackles and two sacks.

He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and competed in training camp with the Titans and Pittsburgh (2019).

Johnson played against Jacksonville and did not record any stats.

He is in first season with the Raiders after playing for New England.

Johnson played for the Vols from 2014-17.

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Jakob Johnson kicks off training camp with Las Vegas

Former Vol Jakob Johnson kicks off training camp with Las Vegas.

Former Vol Jakob Johnson is taking part in training camp with Las Vegas.

Las Vegas practiced Tuesday in Hendersonville, Nevada. New head coach Josh McDaniels comes to the Raiders from New England, where he served as offensive coordinator.

Johnson and McDaniels joined Las Vegas at the same time.

In three seasons with the Patriots as a fullback, Johnson recorded 13 receptions, 83 yards and one touchdown, The Stuttgart, Germany native played for New England from 2019-2021 after entering the NFL in the International Player Pathway Program.

He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent April 6, 2019 after playing professionally in Germany for the Stuttgart Scorpions.

Johnson played tight end and linebacker for the Vols from 2014-17.

Las Vegas will play in the Hall of Fame game against Jacksonville Aug. 4. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. EDT and the game will be televised by NBC.

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How fullbacks are valued (and devalued) in today’s NFL

Touchdown Wire’s Laurie Fitzpatrick discusses the fullback position and how fullbacks are used in today’s NFL.

Over the last two decades, the fullback position has become an anomaly. Only a few teams in today’s game even have them on their roster let alone giving them consistent reps. On average, fullbacks that do see the field are only out there for 25% of their offensive snaps throughout a season.

In the early decades of the NFL, fullbacks were a critical part of the offenses, but when coaches started finding more efficient ways to score, they no longer relied on power on the ground to convert first downs and touchdowns. They went to the air instead. The more points, the better.

Today, almost no fullbacks even get selected in the draft. There has only been one fullback drafted over the last four years — the Baltimore Ravens selected Ben Mason in the fifth round in the 2021 NFL draft; and he was waived in less than a year.

They do say that history repeats itself, and since there is a need for faster and lighter linebackers, the fullback position may find its way back onto rosters in an attempt to counter defensive speed, with power.

It’s time to go over the top fullbacks around the league right now, how they help their offenses win in the modern NFL, and where those trends might be going.

Jakob Johnson says Patriots are cutting out fullback position in 2022

According to Jakob Johnson, the Patriots will no longer use a traditional fullback.

The New England Patriots are known for carrying a fullback on the roster.

For seven consecutive seasons, they had a Pro Bowler in James Develin leading the way for the running backs. The Patriots gave Danny Vitale a shot during the COVID-19 season in 2020, but he opted-out and it gave Jakob Johnson a chance.

Johnson took his opportunity and played the entirety of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He led the way for Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson — who both had remarkable seasons in their own respective ways. Because of this, the report of Johnson signing a league minimum deal with the Las Vegas Raiders was extremely surprising.

He gave some some insight while speaking with the German news outlet, DPA.

“The Patriots have informed me that they will no longer need my services next season simply because they will no longer have my position on the roster,” Johnson said.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss alluded to the idea that tight end Jonnu Smith could take snaps in the backfield and be a de facto fullback. Smith signed a major deal last offseason and didn’t produce the way the Patriots expected.

Getting rid of a traditional fullback and relying on a player like Smith to step up could be the course of action from Bill Belichick. Either way its put, the removal of the position is an odd and intriguing move by Belichick — especially after losing two of the Patriots’ top interior linemen.

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Jakob Johnson signs with Raiders

Former Vol Jakob Johnson signs with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Former Vol Jakob Johnson has agreed to a one-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Johnson played for New England from 2019-21, appearing in 37 games. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound fullback totaled 13 receptions, 83 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown with the Patriots.

Johnson played for the Vols from 2014-17, appearing in 35 games. He totaled three receptions for 23 receiving yards.

Johnson came to Tennessee from Jean Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Florida. He moved to the United States in 2012. The former Vol was born in Stuttgart, Germany.

Follow us at @VolsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of University of Tennessee athletics.

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Raiders add second former Patriot to backfield signing FB Jakob Johnson

Raiders add FB Jakob Johnson. They’re backfield is now 50% former Patriots

Moments after the reports came out that former Raiders fullback Alec Ingold had signed with the Dolphins, we found out why the Raiders didn’t place an RFA tender on him. It’s because Josh McDaniels had eyes on his former fullback from New England who also was not given a tender.

As many had speculated would happend, Jakob Johnson has joined the Raiders.

Johnson is joined by former Patriots backfield mate Brandon Bolden who also signed with the Raiders today.

They both join Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake who are the team’s 1-2 combo.

Bill Belichick further explains Patriots run-specific game plan vs. Bills

“We were able to manage the game the way we did and that worked out all right for us.”

Bill Belichick played the game of his dreams on Monday night.

In a to-the-wire 14-10 win over the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots threw the ball three total times due to winds that hit up to 55 MPH. Mac Jones had two completions for 19 yards and the Patriots had 222 rushing yards on 46 attempts. It was old school football that led to some security at the No. 1 spot in both the division and conference for New England.

Belichick joined WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday morning and further elaborated on the unique game plan.

“Again, I think if it had been a different type of game and we would have needed to throw there in the fourth quarter then we would have thrown,” he said. “We were able to manage the game the way we did and that worked out all right for us.”

The Patriots were playing chess and they utilized the second and fourth quarter in which the wind was against their backs. Those would have been the times to let Jones loose as a passer, but they stuck to the ground game faithfully.

“We were talking about that last night. We can use our whole passing game. All the pass plays we have, they haven’t seen,” Belichick said jokingly.

“I think anytime you play a team almost in succession like we do here, twice in three weeks, or whatever it is, you just have to be careful and realize that even though it’s the same two teams, it’s not the same game. There will be players who play in the next game who didn’t play in this one and probably vise-versa. The game will take a different course and the conditions will probably be different too, so [that will probably have] something to do with it. We’re starting all over at that point and when we get to them, we get to them. It’s Indy first, but we can’t assume that things are going to go like they did last night. It will be a completely different game.”

The Patriots have a bye week and then they’ll play the Indianapolis Colts, with the Bills coming to Foxborough shortly after. As Belichick said, the next game could and likely will look much different.

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Report: Patriots re-sign FB Jakob Johnson to one-year deal

The Patriots re-signed FB Jakob Johnson to a one-year deal on Thursday

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On Thursday, the New England Patriots re-signed fullback Jakob Johnson on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Because he was an exclusive rights free agent, he wasn’t allowed to negotiate with other teams once the Patriots tendered him.

Johnson played in all 16 games last season with his specialty being blocking. He caught eight passes for 35 yards and a touchdown, finding his role within the offense in the process.

Johnson figures to have some competition at the fullback position with Danny Vitale expected to return. Dalton Keene, who played H-back at Virginia Tech, could also be part of that equation with the Patriots overhauling the tight end position.

Johnson has an interesting career, taking part in the NFL’s International Pathway Program in 2019. That year, he signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent.

Now, he will look enter a position battle in what should be an interesting summer ahead for New England.

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WATCH: Cam Newton throws first touchdown pass for Patriots

Newton has thrown and rushed for a touchdown for the Patriots on Sunday night.

Cam Newton had already rushed for a touchdown on Sunday night. Now the New England quarterback has thrown for one as well.

The 2010 Heisman Trophy winner faked a run from the one-yard line and then found a wide open Jakob Johnson in the end zone for the score.

The Patriots currently trail the Seahawks 28-23.