Tag: KaVontae Turpin

Punts could provide big opportunities when Cowboys face vulnerable Packers in Week 10

Green Bay gives up punt return yardage and are susceptible to blocked kicks. Both bode well for KaVontae Turpin and Dallas special teams. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The numbers seem to suggest that Cowboys return specialist KaVontae Turpin is due to house-call a punt return sometime soon.

The schedule suggests it might even happen the next time Dallas takes the field, with an upcoming opponent who is particularly vulnerable to problems on both ends of their punts.

Cowboys players and coaches are enjoying their bye week and using the time to recuperate before beginning Week 10 game prep in earnest. But the Nov. 13 trip to Green Bay has been circled on the calendar since the day schedules were released.

And while much of the focus that day will be on Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy’s return to Lambeau Field, the undrafted rookie Turpin is no doubt hoping he’ll be able to make a leap of his own by finally returning a punt to the end zone.

He did it in the preseason, and he’s come close this regular season. Turpin is averaging 14.7 yards per punt return, placing him third leaguewide. He’s one of just four players with three returns of 20 yards or more, and he has the NFL’s second-longest punt return (52 yards) through eight weeks of play.

“I keep getting caught by the last person,” Turpin said after the 24-6 Dallas win over Detroit, “so I just feel like I’ve got to break one.”

An extra week of rest may help him get over the hump. Goodness knows down time is not something Turpin is used to.

Having been signed by Dallas in July shortly after his USFL MVP season ended- and coming to that league directly from rapid-fire stints in the Fan Controlled Football league, The Spring League, and the European League of Football- Turpin hasn’t gotten a breather from football in quite some time.

“He’s been playing year-round football for a couple years,” Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel said this week. “Not that I feel like he needs one, but any mental or physical break he can get, I think, is good for him because he’s been going for a while.”

But Fassel says he’s given no thought to giving Turpin a punt off here or there, even with him getting increased chances on offense.

“He needs to be back there. Limited opportunities, anyway, whether it’s a touchback or a fair catch or punts out of bounds. Anytime a ball’s in bounds, he needs to be back there,” Fassel reassured. “He’s in it for the long haul.”

But truth be told, Fassel may also be hoping that his 4th-down crew can cause some chaos of their own before the punts in Green Bay even make it to Turpin’s hands.

The Packers are currently atop the wrong kind of list, allowing record pressure on their punter in 2022.

Two teams have given up an official blocked punt this season; Green Bay is one of them.

The Jets got to Packers punter Pat O’Donnell in Week 6 and turned the double-thud into six points after safety Will Parks alerted his coaches to a pressure opportunity.

“That was a specific thing that we saw today, during the game. That was an adjustment,” said Parks, who recorded the scoop-and-score in the Jets’ win. “I came up to [New York special teams coordinator Brant Boyer] and I said something, and he dialed up that play.”

Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who used to hold the same role in Dallas, took the blame afterward and said he sent in “a bad protection call” that allowed Jets rookie Micheal Clemons to penetrate for the block.

Whoever was at fault, now it’s on tape for other teams to try to exploit when they play Green Bay.

The other team to have allowed a punt block this year? The Rams, who have given up two, one apiece to Atlanta and… the Cowboys.

It’s not hard to imagine Fassel already looking ahead, burning the midnight oil over the bye week, and devising ways to similarly release the hounds on O’Donnell.

So the Packers may have to pick their poison when it comes to punt plays against Dallas.

Because even if the Packers punter manages to get all of his kicks away cleanly, Green Bay’s coverage team is allowing an average of 10.85 yards per punt return, seventh-worst in the NFL.

That smells like it could be Turpin Time.

Either way, fourth down may not be the best time for Cowboys fans to take a snack break when they hit the field again in Week 10.

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Underdogs to watch in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season

Touchdown Wire’s Laurie Fitzpatrick goes to the film to predict some underdogs bound to shine in their Week 1 NFL matchups

As the 2022 NFL regular season gets underway, there are a few under dogs who are bound to stand out in week one.

It’s no fun to point out the Pro Bowl players or elite starters who have already made a name for themselves. Instead, there are some under-the-radar starters and second-string players who will have a chance this week to prove their dominance. Whether it’s a favorable matchup versus their opponent or continuing their performance from preseason, these are a few guys to keep our eyes on.

Let’s go to the film and check them out!

Chargers’ causes for concern vs. Raiders in Week 1

A look at some causes for concern as the Los Angeles Chargers gear up to face the Las Vegas Raiders.

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Chargers’ season, set to kick off on Sunday with a home game against the Raiders.

We know both teams will bring the energy for a heated rivalry game, though, and there are a few reasons to be concerned about the matchup with Vegas.

Here are four of them:

J.C. Jackson injury

Jackson hasn’t yet returned to practice after undergoing ankle surgery two weeks ago, which seems to suggest he’ll be out on Sunday. That leaves Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. as the two starting corners on the outside. One of them will have to cover Davante Adams for the majority of this game, with Bryce Callahan in the slot against Hunter Renfrow and Derwin James likely manning up Darren Waller. The Chargers should be confident in Callahan and James to get their jobs done, but Davis and/or Samuel on Adams could be a bit of a pain point. The injury to Jackson also weakens the depth in the secondary – if anyone else goes down, rookies Ja’Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard are next up in the rotation.

Unclear running back rotation

Isaiah Spiller continues to nurse an ankle injury, leaving his role in Week 1 a bit unclear. Joshua Kelley and newly signed Sony Michel will likely split the second running back duties, but there are reasons to be cautious about both. While Kelley has looked much improved this offseason, he has yet to prove he can be a high-impact player in games that count. Michel has struggled with his health, which has partially contributed to a declining yards per carry average over the past few seasons that led to him getting cut by the Dolphins earlier this offseason. If the Raiders can limit Ekeler, one of the three other options will have to step up. But will any of them get consistent enough reps to get into a groove?

Offensive line chemistry

Rashawn Slater and Matt Feiler return on the left side. They’re not the issue here. What could be one, especially for Week 1, is the chemistry between rookie Zion Johnson and his compatriots. Center Corey Linsley didn’t play a single snap of preseason action as one of the Chargers’ many bubble-wrapped veterans, but he’s also had a series of mysterious vet rest days in practice. That leaves him and Johnson without a full complement of reps in practice and zero live opportunities to work out the kinks. On the other side, Johnson has had to build chemistry with both right tackles: Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton. Pipkins eventually won the job, and his chemistry did look better with Johnson. But again, it’s only half the number of reps the rookie could’ve had with his right tackle. Those hiccups could lead to pressure on Justin Herbert or rapidly closing holes for Ekeler and the running game.

Return game threats

Maybe it’s just because my childhood is marred with memories of the Raiders blocking multiple Mike Scifres punts back in 2010, but special teams is always one of my focus areas whenever these two teams meet. This year, I think the biggest concern is in the return game, especially after watching Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin torch the Chargers for a kick and punt return touchdown. Raiders kick returner Ameer Abdullah is tied for third among active NFL players in kick return average with 25.4 yards per return, behind only Cordarrelle Patterson and former Charger Andre Roberts. Abdullah is also fourth in total kick return yardage among active players behind Patterson, Roberts, and Tyler Lockett. Hunter Renfrow is a lesser threat as a punt returner, but his shiftiness is not to be underestimated. If Los Angeles hasn’t patched the holes that led to Turpin’s huge preseason game, it could be a rough afternoon for them.

‘The secret’s out’; Cowboys look for KaVontae Turpin to have ‘Devin Hester Effect’

Special teams coordinator John Fassel hoped that his undrafted rookie return man would be a surprise for opposing teams in 2022. Nope. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The element of surprise is a huge part of special teams play, and something that Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel loves to save for gameday, to unleash in just the right situation, against just the right opponent.

So he admits he was perhaps just a little disheartened when late-spring signee and undrafted free agent KaVontae Turpin electrifyingly took two long returns to the house in the team’s second preseason game versus Los Angeles.

“He broke it and I was like, ‘Yeah, great for him!'” Fassel recalled for reporters this week. “But then, immediately, I thought, ‘Ugh, teams are going to be on him now.'”

Turpin may have been flying under the radar since leaving TCU in 2019. But the cat is now out of the bag: the USFL’s MVP sure looks like he can play in this league, too.

“You sign a guy in the middle of training camp, I don’t know maybe if I was just hoping that there was going to be a secret with him. Maybe there wouldn’t have been,” Fassel said. “The secret’s out, and I think he’s going to be really good.”

Turpin surely won’t be a surprise when he makes his NFL regular-season debut in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What no one knows quite yet, though, is how willingly opposing teams will test him in punt and kickoff situations.

“I think when we’re on kickoff return, there’s probably not much we can do about having them put the ball in play,” the coordinator explained. “That’ll be a decision that the opponent will make. We’ll have a decision about how far back we want to move him back to return kickoffs, whether it’s on the goal line [or] a couple yards deep. The situation could call for being aggressive compared to being smart. On the punt, I think there’s ways to force the opponent to put the ball in play. We’re working on that right now. Because obviously anybody that goes against a Turpin- including us if he was on another team- you’re looking at, ‘How can we force this guy to make fair catches, or [do we] punt the ball out of bounds?’ I think that will be the mindset a lot of teams will have.”

Whether or not the 26-year-old Turpin becomes a perennial and consistent return threat or simply had the game of his life at SoFi Stadium remains to be seen, of course. But the fact that he’s capable of breaking one every single time could be enough all by itself to give the Cowboys’ third phase a big boost.

“We’ve talked about the ‘Devin Hester Effect’ quite a few times that Chicago had. Their blockers knew they had somebody that could score every time they touched the ball. The guys that were blocking for Hester: we’ve watched a ton of the tape, we’ve watched all of his touchdown returns, and you could just see the relentless approach that those blockers had. It’s quite a relationship between returner and blocker when they each feed off each other and have confidence in one another,” Fassel said.

“There’s just that little bit extra when the blockers, they’ve got somebody back there like Turp.”

Turpin himself is all about giving a little bit extra, too. After bouncing around the IFL, the Fan Controlled Football League, the Spring League, the European League, and the USFL… all in the span of three years, he’s looking to make the most of his late break at the NFL level.

“He’s out there catching balls pre-practice every day,” Fassel offered. “So all the things that you love to know about somebody’s work ethic, personality around the guys, that checks the box times a hundred.”

And thanks to a thinned-out corps of pass-catchers currently in Dallas, Turpin expects to get some game reps at wide receiver, too. Real routes and everything, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore promises, not just the obligatory end-around or occasional trick-play reverse.

“It’s been really cool to watch him become a receiver,” Moore said. “I think that’s the coolest thing: as other guys, as the season and training camp progresses, other guys might be out a day and he can just hop in there and start taking advantage of plays and opportunities. We see him as a receiver, and I think he’s going to play a role that’s a receiver and not just a gadget guy, so to speak.”

“We’ll balance that,” agreed Fassel. “There’s not going to be such a thing as probably too much work for Turpin. That’s my hope.”

From a relative unknown to six different leagues over two years to MVP of one of them to, suddenly, a highlight-reel phenom starting for America’s Team, it’s safe to say the 5-foot-7-inch speedster isn’t a surprise any longer.

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Cowboys rookie sensation issued Tony Romo’s No. 9 jersey this season

After short stints on linebacker Jaylon Smith and kicker Lirim Hajrullahu, Romo’s No. 9 will be back in the Cowboys’ offensive huddle. | From @ToddBrock24f7

When undrafted free agent, USFL MVP, and preseason sensation KaVontae Turpin finally takes the field in an NFL game that counts, he’ll be wearing the number made iconic by another longshot who also emerged from relative obscurity, one who went on to become a fan favorite, a household name, and a Cowboys legend.

Cowboys Nation, there’s a new No. 9 in Dallas.

Turpin will wear Tony Romo’s former jersey number, it was announced by the team last week. And while the wide receiver and kick return specialist isn’t the first Cowboys player to don No. 9 since Romo retired in 2016, the jersey assignment will no doubt raise some eyebrows. It also perhaps hints at the team’s lofty hopes for the speedster who has worked his way to America’s Team via nearby TCU, the IFL, the Fan Controlled Football League, the European League, and the USFL… all in the space of three years.

The Cowboys famously do not retire jersey numbers (a practice that helped lead the franchise to instead honor its all-time greats by placing their names in the stadium’s Ring of Honor), but there are certain digits that will almost certainly never be worn again. Bob Lilly’s No. 74, Roger Staubach’s No. 12, Troy Aikman’s No. 8, and Emmitt Smith’s No. 22, to be precise, have all gone unseen since those players ended their playing careers.

(Other numbers get passed down through the eras and have developed their own reputations in Cowboys history; No. 88 has a life of its own with Dallas’s high-profile wide receivers. Nos. 54, 94, and 19 are often similarly bestowed upon players thought to be deserving of carrying on their former wearers’ legacies.)

Despite his never reaching the pinnacle of NFL achievement by winning (or even going to) a Super Bowl, many fans believed that Romo’s unlikely rise to superstardom and elite level of play put his number in the previously-mentioned untouchable stratosphere within the organization. Even Team owner Jerry Jones often spoke of Romo in hushed and revered tones.

But when the league relaxed its rules regarding jersey numbers in early 2021, then-Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith lobbied to wear No. 9, as he had at Notre Dame.

At the time, Jones hinted that the front office would “have to represent Romo on this side of the table to determine how much it’s worth,” adding, “We are very aware of what happens relative to the personality’s identification with a number. It’s not frivolous.”

Smith did switch to No. 9 after reportedly paying a six-figure amount to buy back the existing stock of merchandise featuring his old No. 54. Smith lasted just four games in his new number in 2021 before being released by the Cowboys.

Perhaps with the shine somewhat worn off of the No. 9 by that point, kicker Lirim Hajrullahu wore it during this year’s training camp. He was released in August in the team’s second round of camp cuts.

NFL rules allow a jersey number to be shared by multiple personnel on a team during the crowded training camp and preseason, provided that the players are not both on the same unit. If both players make the final 53-man roster, someone has to be issued a new jersey to make all active players unique by number.

Turpin wore No. 2 in camp but shared the jersey with cornerback Jourdan Lewis. Lewis had worn Nos. 27 and 26 for Dallas previously but switched to the single digit back in March.

Rookie Dennis Houston is also in line for a number change; he had been sporting No. 3 during camp. Cornerback Anthony Brown had swapped his old No. 30 for No. 3 in the spring.

Now after six years, No. 9 will be back in the Cowboys’ offensive huddle, as the electrifying Turpin- who had the NFL preseason’s only two kick returns for touchdowns- will also see reps at wide receiver with injuries to veterans Michael Gallup and James Washington forcing the team to look further down the depth chart for targets for quarterback Dak Prescott.

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Secret Superstars for Week 2 of the 2022 NFL preseason

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar names the most impactful under-the-radar performers in Week 2 of the 2022 NFL preseason.

There are those who will tell you that preseason games don’t matter — they are useless to analyze, as you have starters going against starters in relatively vanilla schemes, or backups going against backups; most of whom won’t be playing in the NFL when the regular season starts.

When you peel back to the truth past that hyperbole, there’s a lot more to it than that. The story in the middle of that is a huge ball of players who are either trying to establish themselves as potential starters, or are trying to save their careers in short spaces of time. What you’re looking for is how people fit into teams and schemes, or not.

And that’s why preseason performances actually do matter — they set the tone for the regular season more often than you may think.

Here are our Secret Superstars for Week 2 of the full 2022 preseason — the guys who stood out above the rest. These are not recent first-round picks, or lead-pipe locks to make a roster; these are the guys fighting for every bit of starting opportunities.

Studs and Duds: Big plays from players trying to make the team led to a Cowboys win

Who shined against the Chargers, who needs more polish before the regular season begins. @CDPiglet checks in.

The Dallas Cowboys bounced back from an undisciplined, penalty-filled loss to the Denver Broncos to look much better in a win over the Los Angeles Chargers Saturday night.

A complete team victory, the offense, defense, and special teams all did things to guide the team to success. Whether it was scoring points directly like the special team unit was able to do, creating turnovers to set up scores like Trysten Hill for the defense, or just not making bad plays to change momentum, like the offense was able to do. All in all, it was a pretty complete game.

There are always things to improve though, so the coaches will look at the good and the bad of every portion of the game. Here is a look at the studs and duds of the game that the coaches might notice from the Cowboys victory over the Chargers.

 

Player of the Game: KaVontae Turpin give Cowboys instant investment returns

The Cowboys had a need to get star offensive players off their return units, and @Ju_BeLegendary thinks Will McClay’s latest gold rush showed his value Saturday.

The Cowboys had a much cleaner performance in all three phases of the game Saturday night, as they defeated the Los Angelos Chargers, 32-18, at SoFi Stadium. While this game did have a much better flow, there are still areas the Cowboys must clean up before the season opener.

Penalties and third-down defense stick out like a sore thumb, still. However, the positive outweigh the negatives as Dallas showed they can and will run the ball effectively as the offensive line played well led by their first-round pick Tyler Smith. The Tulsa product was able to repeatedly move defenders and create space for running backs Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis. On the defensive side, safety Israel Mukuamu put together an impressive performance making his case for the 53-man roster. However it was the 5-foot-9 (to be generous), 153-pound KaVontae Turpin who absolutely stole the show and was without a doubt the player of the game.

Studs and duds from Chargers’ preseason loss to Cowboys

Taking a look at the best and worst performers from the Chargers’ preseason loss to the Cowboys.

The Chargers fell to 0-2 in the preseason after a 32-18 loss to the Cowboys Saturday night.

While the game was overall a sloppy affair, there were still a few individual players who made their mark on the game.

Here are the studs and duds from Saturday’s game: 

Stud: WR Joshua Palmer

After a quiet week last week, Palmer balled out on Saturday. His chemistry with Easton Stick was off to start the game, as Stick’s interception came on a play targeting the second-year receiver. Once the offense trotted back onto the field, it was the Canadian’s time to shine. Palmer hauled in a 41-yard reception on the next drive, adding another 26-yard catch later on, to get the Chargers into field goal range. On the next drive, Palmer took a screen 18 yards to the house for his lone touchdown of the game. He looks like a legitimate threat as the team’s third wide receiver and will only get more opportunities as the defense is forced to account for Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, neither of whom have taken a snap in the preseason.

Dud: CB Brandon Sebastian

Sebastian got picked on all day, frequently ending plays out of position or on the ground. It’s a second consecutive tough week for the undrafted free agent corner, who also had a pass interference that wiped out a JT Woods interception against the Rams. With Ja’Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard manning the fifth and sixth cornerback spots as of now, Sebastian seems like a long shot to even make the practice squad at this point.

Stud: EDGE Jamal Davis II

With Ty Shelby and Emeke Egbule both out due to injury this week, it was Davis’ chance to distance himself in the competition for the fourth edge rusher spot, and distance himself he did. The former CFL player looked like a physical force in the run game, shedding blocks for stops at the line multiple times throughout the game. He’s far from refined as a pass rusher, but the intensity and physicality he plays with cannot be ignored. It’s also worth noting that Davis looked like a sure tackler; despite Egbule’s seven pressures last week, he also missed four tackles. Davis’ proficiency in that area could be the difference between making the team and not.

Dud: OT Zack Bailey

Given the opportunity to start at left tackle over Foster Sarell, Bailey looked lost for most of the game. He gave up the pressure that led to Easton Stick’s interception to open the game, then went anonymous until the fourth quarter. Moved to the right side of the line, Bailey gave up two sacks of Chase Daniel, a major factor as to why the Chargers could not move the ball. It certainly looks as though Sarell will be taking his second team tackle job back next week, while Bailey now likely faces a nail-biting next few days hoping his name is not among the wave of cuts due by this Tuesday.

Stud: WR Michael Bandy

If Bandy doesn’t make the final roster, there will be a full-blown riot among the fan base. After hauling in seven receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown in last week’s game, Bandy followed it up with an eight reception, 69-yard performance, adding a garbage-time touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Bandy once again looked like a seasoned veteran against zone coverage, finding soft spots play after play after play. At this point, Bandy is forcing the Chargers to keep six wide receivers because he is not getting through waivers onto the practice squad. 

Dud: WR Joe Reed

With Bandy again looking like an NFL-caliber player, it was up to Reed to match him as he did against the Rams. However, the 2020 fifth-round pick was only targeted once in the passing game after a 4-catch, 61-yard performance last week. Reed also had a few hiccups on special teams, including a bobbled kick return in the fourth quarter that left the Chargers with a disadvantageous field position. With DeAndre Carter firmly entrenched as the team’s returner and Bandy handling punt returns this week, it looks more and more like Reed is playing catch-up in the battle for a roster spot.

Stud: DL Carlo Kemp

Kemp was all over the field in the second half, beginning with a pass deflection that probably should have been an interception late in the third quarter. As the fourth quarter got rolling, Kemp fought his way through blocks to pressure Cowboys QB Ben DiNucci, who fumbled the ball as he scrambled away from the threat. After recovering, DiNucci found a receiver, who Kemp tracked down at the line of scrimmage. Later that drive, Kemp found himself unblocked and made his way across the formation for a run stop at the line. It was a stellar performance for a player who was in the USFL this spring, and you’d certainly think that he’s upped his chances of making the practice squad with a showing like that.

Dud: Special teams

Giving it to the whole unit here because things looked as sloppy as ever. It seems that even new coordinator Ryan Ficken hasn’t found a way to cure the Chargers curse just yet, as just about everything but the field goal team looked out of sorts in this one. We touched on Reed’s miscue on the fourth-quarter kickoff return. LA also allowed Cowboys returner KaVontae Turpin, to run back a kickoff and a punt return for touchdowns in this one, the latter coming after rookie Deane Leonard missed a tackle at the catch point. Turpin is an excellent returner with undeniable NFL talent, but that only hammers home the point that the special teams unit will need to improve to avoid putting the rest of the team in difficult spots, as they did today.

6 takeaways from Chargers’ preseason loss to Cowboys

Highlighting important storylines from the Chargers’ loss to the Cowboys in Week 2 of preseason play.

The Chargers lost to the Cowboys, 32-18, Saturday night at SoFi Stadium in the second preseason game.

Here are my takeaways: