Tag: LSU in the NFL

Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase make NFL history, again

These guys never quit.

Stop me if you have heard this before but Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase made history as they led the Cincinnati Bengals to another victory. The former LSU Tigers duo helped win the 2019 College Football Playoff national championship and two years later have a shot at another trophy.

The Bengals went into Nashville, Tennessee, hoping to take down the No. 1 seeded Titans on Saturday afternoon. They got their opportunity after Eli Apple picked off Ryan Tannehill late in the fourth quarter. One pass from Burrow to Chase and the Bengals were in business once again.

They lined up their rookie kicker for a shot to send Cincinnati to the AFC title game against the winner of Kansas City and Buffalo.

With that 52-yard conversion, Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals move on. During this game, both former LSU Tigers made NFL history. Burrow became the first No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft to lead his team to a conference championship in his first two seasons according to Cole Cubelic.

While Burrow made history for reaching the title game, Chase made history for his second-straight 100-yard performance in the postseason. After posting a nine reception, 116 yard game against the Las Vegas Raiders, he did it again. While facing the Titans, Chase posted a five reception game that went for 109 yards.

On Sunday the team will find out if they are heading to Buffalo or Kansas City for the title game. Either way, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are poised to lead them into the Super Bowl.

WATCH: Odell Beckham Jr puts the Rams on the board

Odell Beckham Jr making is his presence felt already.

The Los Angeles Rams are looking to advance to the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs as they host their division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals.

Two former LSU Tigers are on the Rams teams as they took an early lead for the home team. Andrew Whitworth went down on the first play of the game after a defender fell on the back of his leg. He would return to the game, which is a sigh of relief for the Rams offense.

It was the other former Tiger that put his stamp on the game in the first quarter. After a punt on the first drive, quarterback Matthew Stafford found Odell Beckham Jr on multiple plays to get them on the board. As the Rams and Cardinals prepare to enter the second quarter, LA leads 7-0.

Beckham has caught both passes throw his way for 21 yards and the touchdown. Much like his quarterback, Beckham is looking for his first playoff win of his NFL career.

Joe Burrow to sit in season finale, allowing his knee to heal

Burrow to rest this weekend, heal up for the playoffs.

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It has been quite the sophomore campaign for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year candidate Joe Burrow. After suffering a horrific knee injury that required surgery in his rookie season, the 2020 No. 1 draft pick has come out guns blazing in year two.

The Bengals were just 2-7 in Burrow’s 10 starts last season before his season came to an abrupt end against the Washington Football Team. However, this year in 16 starters they are 10-6 and won the AFC North division and locked up their spot in the playoffs.

Burrow improved his completion percentage from 65.3% to 70.4% this year. He has 4,611 yards passing and 34 touchdowns. His interception total was a bit troublesome, but the Cincinnati Bengals were able to overcome the 14 interceptions. The next matchup for the team against their in-state foes won’t have him under center.

According to Ben Baby, Burrow won’t play this weekend and it will allow his injured knee to heal. The former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback hurt it on the final drive against the Kansas City Chiefs in their win.

The game between these two Ohio teams won’t have either quarterback with Burrow sitting and Baker Mayfield needing season-ending surgery. Burrow did mention that not playing this weekend would give him time to heal and he provided an injury update.

“Any time you can get a little break at this point in the season … bodies are starting to wear down a little bit. Rest me this week so I can get back to full strength running around the way I need to be the first round of the playoffs.” – Burrow via Paul Dehner Jr (The Athletic)

With the regular season over for Burrow, he can rest up and get ready for the wildcard matchup next week.

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Social Reax: Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase have record performances

Burrow, Chase party like it is 2019

It was a wild affair on Sunday afternoon when the Cincinnati Bengals led by Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase faced off with the Kansas City Chiefs. Former LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire would be inactive for this game.

It would be the Joe Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase show on this day as the Bengals looked to lock up their spot in the NFL playoffs with a victory. However, that victory would come at a cost. Burrow was hit late in the fourth quarter as the team was looking to take the late lead.

They would milk the clock and take the field goal for the victory. During the game, Burrow and Chase put on a show like it was 2019 all over again.

Social media had quite the time watching the former national championship-winning duo continue their electric play for Cincinnati.

One Chiefs assistant calls Joe Burrow a ‘young Tom Brady’

Huge praise for former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow

The revenge tour for former LSU QB Joe Burrow has been a success thus far. After getting beat by the Baltimore Ravens twice last season, Burrow and the Bengals returned the favor. As of now they are sitting atop the division and look to lock up their playoff spot.

There is a new challenge this week as Joe Burrow will face off against one of the best young quarterbacks in the game, Patrick Mahomes, and the Chiefs. Both quarterbacks were top 10 picks over the last five years and Mahomes is where Burrow wants to be. He has led his team to multiple Super Bowls, won the Super Bowl MVP, and was also the league’s MVP. Ahead of their game, Burrow is receiving some huge praise from one Chiefs’ assistant.

According to Bengals Wire, Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo calls Burrow a young Tom Brady. Spags would know a thing or two as he faced off against Brady in two different Super Bowls. Once it was with New York against the New England Patriots. The other was last season against Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“This might sound crazy. but I see a young Tom Brady. This guy does everything. He does not look like a second-year quarterback that missed a lot of his first year. Totally impressed with him. Began in the meeting on Tuesday. We were just finishing up the last game (against Pittsburgh) but began the meeting talking about Joe because I think he’s that good.”

Spagnuolo wasn’t the only one giving Burrow praise as Mahomes weighed in on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

“Not only is he a great football player, I think he’s a great leader,” Mahomes said. “He has that special knack where he can lead anybody. No matter where he’s at, he can go out there with that swag, that mentality of ‘I’m going to win no matter what.’ It takes a lot of experience and it takes a lot of just going out there and doing it for people to believe that. He has that as well as the physical talent to go out there and make a lot of stuff happen.”

Joe Burrow has no sympathy for the Baltimore Ravens

Joe Burrow doesn’t care if he hurt some feelings.

When playing against the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had a record performance. He threw for 525 yards as he became the first quarterback in franchise history to achieve 500 yards in a single game.

He also made history as the only quarterback to throw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns twice against the Ravens. When asked about throwing the ball late in the game, Burrow was in no mood to hand out any sympathy to the Ravens.

“This is the NFL,” Burrow told PFT after the game by phone. “This isn’t peewee, this isn’t high school where you go out and run up the score. You play until the final whistle. I don’t care what the score is. We’ve been in spots where teams go out and do that to us. They did it to us last year. No sympathy from me.”

Burrow is definitely right, if you don’t like a team running up the score or padding their stats, stop them. Last year the Bengals were outscored by a total of 65-6 in two games. He led his team to 41-point performances in both games against their AFC North rivals.

Burrow has returned from his season-ending injury during his rookie year to put the Bengals at the top of the division. Cincinnati is 9-6 and has sole possession of first after defeating the Ravens again. The Bengals are looking to lock up the division with just two games remaining.

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Justin Jefferson breaks NFL record, OBJ responds with the ‘Griddy’

Odell Beckham Jr does the Griddy against Justin Jefferson’s team.

The LSU Tigers have several former wide receivers currently in the NFL, they have been making a name for themselves.

Justin Jefferson was one of the best receivers in the game with 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. On Sunday when facing the Los Angeles Rams, he broke another former Tigers’ NFL record. Jefferson now holds the mark for most receiving yards in the first two seasons. The original record was 2,755 yards set by Odell Beckham Jr back in 2015 but now Jefferson has 2,851 yards and climbing.

Against the Rams defense, Jefferson hauled in eight passes for 116 yards. He needs just three receptions to have 100 receptions this season with two games remaining. Jefferson also set a new career-best with 1,451 yards. Of course, it is just his second year but still an accomplishment nonetheless.

Beckham Jr and the Rams got the final laugh as they were able to defeat Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings by a score of 30-23. This kept the Rams in the running for a top-four seed in the NFC playoffs.

After watching Jefferson break his record, OBJ decided he would do the Justin Jefferson touchdown celebration after his fourth quarterback touchdown catch.

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Former LSU OT Andrew Whitworth placed on reserve/COVID-19 list

The dreaded COVID-19 strikes again.

Not the news anyone wanted to see on Christmas Day. Former LSU Tigers offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is now having to deal with the dreaded COVID-19.

According to Rams Wire, Whitworth was added to the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of their game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

This probably isn’t the type of news Andrew Whitworth was hoping to learn on his Christmas morning Saturday. The Los Angeles Rams announced that Whitworth has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list just one day before they’re set to face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon.

Whitworth is now in danger of missing the game unless he tests negative before kickoff and the Rams are able to activate him. It’s unlikely, though, so the Rams will probably be without their starting left tackle in this pivotal Week 16 game.

The Rams are also missing his backup for the same reason. A rough deal for Los Angeles. We are hoping for a speedy recovery for Whitworth.

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Where is Derek Stingley Jr slotted in latest mock draft?

Where do you think Derek Stingley Jr gets drafted?

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It won’t be long until we are getting into the thick of the NFL draft season following all the bowl games. In January the top seniors will be heading to Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl. Derek Stingley Jr won’t be one of them since he is only a junior and hasn’t quite graduated yet.

While he hasn’t formally announced that he will forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft, it is all but expected. So where will the talented cornerback end up in the draft? Many believe he is a lock as the No. 1 cornerback and a top-five pick.

In recent mock drafts, it seems like everyone is projected Stingley to be a New York Jet. However, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus sees it differently for the former No. 1 cornerback in the 2019 recruiting class. He has Derek Stingley Jr heading down to Houston as the Texans’ top pick.

What Trevor Sikkema Says…

AP Photo/John Bazemore

It’s been a tough few years for Stingley since his sensational true freshman season — when he was boasted as one of the best defensive players in the country. The exodus of talent from LSU from 2019 to 2020 was a big adjustment, and he was playing hurt most of the time he was available in 2021.

Though it feels like a long time ago, that elite cover corner from 2019 is still there.

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Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase lead the NFL vs single coverage

This duo is still showing their pass-catching prowess at the NFL level.

Just two years ago in Baton Rouge, Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson were putting up video game-like numbers for the LSU Tigers. That championship season ended with the Bayou Bengals going a perfect 15-0. Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy on the way to a record year. His 60-touchdown record has since been broken by Bailey Zappe, but it is still viewed as one of the best seasons ever.

In 2019 the duo combined for 3,320 yards and 38 touchdowns. That doesn’t even factor in the 671 yards and 13 touchdowns from Terrace Marshall Jr, who is now in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. According to NBC color commentator Cris Collinsworth who is the owner and chairman of Pro Football Focus, the duo of Chase and Jefferson are still at it in the NFL. They are the best two receivers against single coverage.

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Jefferson’s numbers account for 59.4% of his total yardage. As for rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, his 762 yards account for 73.4% of his total. Despite not playing in the Joe Brady system at the NFL level, they are showing that it was more than just the playcalling that allowed them to strike fear into the hearts of defensive coordinators.

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