matchup – Syndication Server

Taliese Fuaga is about to face the biggest challenge of his rookie season

Myles Garrett will line up in front of Taliese Fuaga the majority of this week’s game, making this the toughest challenge of Fuaga’s rookie season:

The main storyline when the New Orleans Saints take on the Cleveland Browns is the return of Jameis Winston to New Orleans. The biggest matchup, however, will be Taliese Fuaga versus Myles Garrett. Derek Carr will thank him if Fuaga is able to rise to the occasion.

This is the most difficult challenge Fuaga has had to face in his rookie season so far. Garrett is the reigning, defending Defensive Player of the Year and has made 1st team All-Pro three times. Simply put, Myles Garrett is in on the short list of best pass rushers in the NFL.

Fuaga faced another one of those players earlier this season, Micah Parsons. The difference between those games is the amount the rookie will see each player. Parsons plays on both sides of the defensive line. Against the Saints, his snaps were split almost evenly.

Garrett aligns primarily over the left tackle. He has played 82.5% of his snaps on that side of the defensive line. If the Browns stay consistent with his alignment, and they probably will, Fuaga will face him nearly every play. On obvious passing downs, you can almost guarantee Garrett is coming from that side.

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Steelers-Commanders matchups to watch: Joey Porter Jr. vs Terry McLaurin

CB Joey Porter Jr. faces WR Terry McLaurin in a key Week 10 positional matchup as the Steelers take on the Commanders in a pivotal showdown.

One of the premier matchups heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 10 contest versus the Commanders is none other than Pittsburgh’s young shutdown CB Joey Porter Jr., taking on Washington’s elite WR Terry McLaurin.

JPJ has had an up-and-down start to the 2024 season, to say the least. Through eight games, Porter Jr. has allowed 20 receptions on 32 targets. According to PFF, he is also allowing 11.7 yards per reception, which ranks 75th out of 205 eligible cornerbacks. However, in his past two performances, JPJ has allowed an impressively small 25 yards combined in Weeks 7 and 8 against strong wide receiver units.

‘Scary’ Terry appears to be on the verge of a breakout 2024 campaign, hauling in six touchdowns, which is tied for the second-most in the NFL, and 598 receiving yards on 42 receptions. With an average of 14.2 yards per reception, McLaurin looks to be a major threat in Week 10’s contest.

Can the second-year CB lock down McLaurin in Week 10? Or will McLaurin exploit Porter Jr.’s over-reliance on physicality?

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Wisconsin leads Iowa in a key statistic that often decides the Heartland Trophy

Games in the storied rivalry between the Wisconsin Badgers and Iowa Hawkeyes are often defined by toughness, running the football and field position.

It’s no grand proclamation to say that the winner of Saturday’s matchup between the two teams will be the one that dominates the trenches and controls the game. Any fan of the sport can recognize that.

But there is one other stat that has decided every Wisconsin vs. Iowa game over the last four years — one that also points to a Badger victory in the 2024 edition.

That stat: punting average.

The team with the higher-ranked punter has won every matchup since 2019 — when Wisconsin won 24-22 despite P Anthony Lotti ranking near the bottom of the Big Ten with 39.7 yards per punt.

If the parameters are not clear, here is the result of the last four meetings in the rivalry, paired with where each team’s punter ranks in the Big Ten in season-long punting average:

2020: Iowa 28-7 win. Iowa P Tory Taylor had a season-long average of 44.1 yards per punt (3rd in Big Ten), while Wisconsin P Andy Vujnovich had a mark of 41.7 (10th in Big Ten)
2021: Wisconsin 27-7 win. Wisconsin P Andy Vujnovich at 46.4 (2nd in Big Ten), with Iowa P Tory Taylor at 46.1 (4th in Big Ten)
2022: Iowa 24-10 win. Iowa P Tory Taylor at 45.4 yards per punt (2nd in Big Ten), with Wisconsin P Andy Vujnovich at 43.9 (9th in Big Ten)
2023: Iowa 15-6 win. Iowa P Tory Taylor at 48.2 (1st in the Big Ten), with Wisconsin P Atticus Bertrams at 41.3 (13th in the Big Ten)

The winner of every meeting, as shown, has boasted the punter with the greater season-long punting average. Iowa great Tory Taylor tipped these scales with his All-American-caliber play, which coincided with the Hawkeyes winning three of four meetings.

Entering the 2024 matchup, the Badgers have this trend going in their direction. P Atticus Bertrams enters Saturday with a season-long punting average of 46.3 (4th in the Big Ten). Iowa P Rhys Dakin, meanwhile, is down at 44.8 (7th in the Big Ten).

There are better ways to evaluate punters than by their average. Some combination of punts inside the 10 yard-line, punts inside the 20, punting net (yards-minus-returns) and overall average paint a better picture.

Regardless, this exercise should show that Bertrams and Dakin are at least close in overall production — a reality that Wisconsin could rarely boast during Taylor’s storied career.

If more evidence was needed on Bertrams’ current form, take it from Penn State coach James Franklin in his postgame press conference after a 28-13 win over the Badgers:

“Starting field position, that was the difference in the game, especially early on. That’s why it was so challenging. I think their punter is really good.”

Bertrams notched 257 total yards and a 51.4 average on five punts, plus took a fake punt for a 15-yard rush and a first down. He had a dominant evening, and was far from the reason the Badgers lost.

That form could give Wisconsin the punting advantage on Saturday, which is a key factor in what projects to be a hard-fought game decided by field position.

If trends are any indication, that advantage will lead to a victory.

For more on the upcoming matchup and the Badgers’ possible advantages, check out our ranking of the game’s biggest storylines and the Badgers’ updated two-deep depth chart entering the big matchup.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin vs. Penn State matchup highlights recent recruiting rivalry

A look at Penn State’s recent recruiting success in the state of Wisconsin, and vise versa:

Saturday’s primetime matchup between the Wisconsin Badgers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) and No. 3-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) carries significant weight in the Big Ten race.

Penn State currently sits in first place with an unblemished record, tied with No. 1 Oregon (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) and No. 13 Indiana (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten). Wisconsin, meanwhile, is one signature win away from entering the conference race. A win over Penn State would push the Badgers to 4-1 in Big Ten play, likely just one game back of Oregon and Indiana, depending on Saturday’s results.

Saturday’s game also sees the on-field battle between two programs who have gone head-to-head on the recruiting trail over the last half-decade. Wisconsin has some big recruiting wins over Penn State, highlighted by 2021 five-star OT Nolan Rucci (who has since transferred to Penn State) and 2024 four-star OT Kevin Heywood.

Those are the two most significant recent examples of Wisconsin entering the state of Pennsylvania and earning a commitment from one of its top recruits.

Penn State, on the other hand, boasts similar recent success recruiting in the state of Wisconsin. It has recently earned commitments from four-star TE Jerry Cross (No. 4 recruit from Wisconsin in class of 2022), four-star OT Garrett Sexton (No. 2 in class of 2024), four-star RB Corey Smith (No. 3 in class of 2024) and four-star iOL Donnie Harbour (No. 4 in class of 2024).

Context surrounding each of those commitments is unique. This is listed not to point to a large trend or project into the future. Rather, it is done to outline significant context entering the game. Wisconsin has had recent success recruiting in the state of Pennsylvania, while Penn State has had the same in Wisconsin.

None of Rucci, Heywood, Cross, Smith, Sexton or Harbour figure to play big roles in the outcome of Saturday’s game. Rucci and Heywood are the closest to the field — each enters as their respective team’s top backup at offensive tackle. Still, they all represent an added layer of the matchup’s importance.

That added importance exists because on-field head-to-head win will inevitably contribute to the recruiting pitch for whichever program finds a victory. Given recent history, that recruiting pitch is likely to be made in the opposing state.

Wisconsin is trending positively on the recruiting trail under Luke Fickell, highlighted by a program-best 2024 class. Marquee home victories against top-ranked opponents are what Fickell needs to push that recruiting output to the next level.

Penn State, on the other hand, is already at that recruiting level with perennial top-15 classes and a No. 11 overall ranking in the 247Sports team talent composite for 2024.

It’s tough to overemphasize what a win could mean for the future of the Badgers program under Fickell, both on the field and on the recruiting trail.

Wisconsin and Penn State will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium. The game will be broadcast on NBC and available via stream on Peacock.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Saints vs. Chargers may come down to this pivotal stat

With a pair of offensive linemen hopefully returning, the Saints’ ability to open up running lanes should improve. It has to if they’re going to end this losing streak.

One of the biggest flaws of the New Orleans Saints this season has been the struggles in the offensive line.

The Saints are middle of the pack in run blocking this year, currently possessing 16th best run block win rate. Both teams are going to prioritize the run offensively. The Los Angeles Chargers are really good at stopping the run.

Joey Bosa is dealing with an injury, but at best the Saints will still have to deal with Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree. As a team, the Chargers have the 8th best run stop win rate.

Lucas Patrick and Cesar Ruiz may return from injury this week for the Saints. That should help matters. Alvin Kamara started the season on fire, but injuries have made it difficult for Kamara to find running lanes.

Running the football is the identity of this team, and they’ve been unable to do it in recent games. It’s a big reason the offense has stalled out. This week they’re going against one of the best rush defenses in the league.

If trends continue, the Chargers will dominate the trenches which will greatly limit the Saints’ chances of victory.

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Steelers lose WR trade target to 2024 AFC opponent

The Pittsburgh Steelers have once again lost out on another All-Pro receiver the team was previously linked to.

Three former All-Pro wide receivers previously linked as Pittsburgh Steelers trade targets have come and gone, with nothing from the Steel City to show for it. The 32-year-old receiver DeAndre Hopkins has found himself a new quarterback to catch passes from, and sadly for all the Russell Wilson fans out there, it isn’t Mr. Unstoppable, but instead three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.

As if Steelers fans couldn’t fear the Christmas Day matchup with the Kansas City even more, with a current undefeated record of 6-0 on the season, the Chiefs pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans for a conditional fifth-round pick.

Will Pittsburgh finally stop losing out on the wide receiver trade market and bring a playmaker to a WR-needy Steelers team? While Russ will cook regardless, Steelers GM Omar Khan could set up his QB for success down the stretch with such a trade.

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Week 7 matchups to watch: Najee Harris vs C.J. Mosley, Quincy Williams

Steelers’ RB Najee Harris versus NY Jets’ linebackers C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams is a matchup that will not disappoint in Week 7.

Pittsburgh faces a tough Week 7 defensive unit in the New York Jets. A major component of what makes the New York Jets’ defense elite is their pair of do-it-all linebackers, C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams. However, the Steelers offer one of the best rushing attacks in the league, showcased by Najee Harris’ amazing statistical production in Week 6.

Mosley and Williams make an unstoppable run-stopping and tackling machine for the New York Jets. Both are playing at elite levels against the run in 2024, with the polarizing PFF giving these players grades of 75.4 for Mosley, and 75.6 for Williams.

Harris is coming off the best game of his 2024 campaign. On a measly 14 carries, Harris produced an outstanding 104 yards of rushing and one touchdown. It would only be fair to the Steelers’ running back to compare his own elite PFF grade against the New York linebackers—an amazing 90.7 in Week 6.

Fans can look forward to Harris’ physical brand of football versus the run stopping abilities of Mosley and Williams in matchup that epitomizes the ‘unstoppable force’ meeting the ‘immovable object’, on October 20th, at 8:20 PM EST in Week 7.

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Spencer Rattler-Chris Olave connection is one to watch vs. Buccaneers

Chris Olave only saw four targets last week. Expect Spencer Rattler to target Olave early and often in his NFL debut against the Buccaneers:

Spencer Rattler will make his NFL debut this week when the New Orleans Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday. And when he takes the field he will be looking for the Saints’ lead receiver Chris Olave.

There have been many discussions about Olave’s usage in the Saints previous game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Olave only saw four targets, and one of them came from Jake Haener. The responsibility for this falls on both Derek Carr and Klint Kubiak.

Olave’s targets should jump on Sunday. This would have been the case regardless of who’s the quarterback, but it’s especially true with Rattler at the helm.

We didn’t see Rattler throw to Olave during the preseason, but both players spoke positively about each other this offseason. Olave praised Rattler’s arm talent during Saints training camp. After the announcement, Olave told NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill he was excited about what Rattler brings to the table.

Rattler even made a comment about targeting Olave: “I make it a key point when he’s in to get him the ball. It’s that simple.”

At the time, Rattler was speaking about practice. Now we get to see the connection in live action. Expect Rattler to target Olave early and often.

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10 reasons why Wisconsin will win or lose against Rutgers on Saturday

Why Wisconsin will win, or why Wisconsin will lose Saturday at Rutgers:

Wisconsin (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) enters must-win mode for its Week 7 trip to Rutgers (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten).

The Scarlet Knights are a strong team, currently ranked No. 44 in ESPN SP+. All metric systems, point spreads and previews have Saturday’s game as a mostly-even matchup. Wisconsin and Rutgers are neck-and-neck on paper, so a slight edge goes to the Scarlet Knights with home-field advantage.

The game is a must-win for Wisconsin because it could swing the remainder of the season. A loss would make finishing with six wins a significant challenge, as the team still has remaining games against Penn State, Oregon, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota. A win, on the other hand, would make some of those late-season contests look like victories — it would mean the Badgers have taken real strides since their poor start to the season.

With that context in mind, it’s time for our weekly look at the reasons why Wisconsin will win or lose on Saturday:

There is an either-or argument after Wisconsin’s blowout win over Purdue: did the Badgers dramatically improve, or are the Boilermakers really that bad? Only time will tell — my guess is a bit of both.

If Wisconsin wins at Rutgers on Saturday, a reason why will be their improvement. The team from the first four games of the season will lose a matchup like this one — on the road against a tough team and tough defense. But maybe the Badgers are past those struggles.

RB Kyle Monangai is the Rutgers offense. He enters Saturday with 667 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 116 total carries through five games — good for a 5.8 yards-per-carry average. When he scores, Rutgers wins. When he doesn’t, Rutgers loses. It’s that simple.

Rutgers’ path to victory is a big game from Monangai and QB Athan Kaliakmanis not needing to do much with his arm. The reverse of that would play right into the Badgers’ hands.

Wisconsin could beat Rutgers if Saturday against Purdue was Phil Longo’s offense finding its stride.

‘It,’ in this case, could be touches for Trech Kekahuna and Vinny Anthony, steady play from QB Braedyn Locke, or a rededication to the ground game. Whatever it is, Longo’s offense needs to build an identity. Another strong showing could do just that.

One thing that is clear after watching Purdue through five weeks is that its offense is not good. It felt like Wisconsin holding the unit to six points and 216 total yards was more about the Boilermakers’ struggles than anything the Badgers did particularly well.

Questions still remain about the quality of Wisconsin’s front seven. That group will be tested by Monangai and Rutgers’ play-action-heavy offense. Rutgers’ OC is Kirk Ciarrocca — a coach who gave the Badgers trouble when he was at Minnesota (2017-19, 2022). His attack stresses the middle of the defense, which is part of a Wisconsin front seven that has underwhelmed through five games.

There is a chance that Rutgers’ 4-1 record and perceived quality is inflated after big blowout wins to start the season.

For example, it beat Washington 21-18. But Washington out-gained Rutgers 521-229, didn’t turn the football over and still somehow lost. The Scarlet Knights, generally speaking, haven’t been overly impressive against the solid teams on its schedule.

Wisconsin could find a comfortable victory if Rutgers’ start is more about an easy slate and a few good bounces than the team being any good.

I don’t know why, but this game screams as one where Wisconsin may be forced into back-breaking mistakes.

Those mistakes — failed fourth-down conversions, missed field goals, fumbles, interceptions and muffed punts — have defined each of the Badgers’ losses this season. They also almost cost the team in its wins over South Dakota and Purdue.

Wisconsin has been prone to making big mistakes. Rutgers, so far, has capitalized on them. Saturday could be about the team that plays the cleanest game from start to finish.

Wisconsin sacked Purdue QB Hudson Card three times on Saturday — by far its best output of the season to date. Kaliakmanis, like Card, has the mobility to move around in the pocket. But if Wisconsin somehow found its pass-rushing groove, it shouldn’t have much trouble stopping Purdue. Nebraska sacked Kaliakmanis four times in its 14-7 win last weekend.

Rutgers’ defense appears to be quite good, that part of the matchup isn’t much of a question. The unit is led by a strong secondary with experienced seniors across the board — CB Eric Rogers, CB Robert Longerbeam, CB Desmond Igbinosun, S Shaquan Loyal, S Flip Dixon.

Wisconsin could find some trouble in this contest if QB Braedyn Locke is tasked with winning the game with his arm. He was able to find open receivers against a bad Purdue defense, but that won’t be the case against this Rutgers secondary. The more times Locke is forced to throw, the worse Wisconsin’s chances get.

This is the same story as Locke, just even more severe. Rutgers is 4-0 when Kaliakmanis attempts 25 or fewer passes — or when Monangai excels running the football. It is 0-1 when he is forced to throw the football. The veteran quarterback went 15 of 37 passing in Rutgers’ loss to Nebraska for just 186 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

Wisconsin wants Kaliakmanis to throw against its strong secondary. The more time he does, the better chance the Badgers have of winning the game.

Nothing has defined Wisconsin’s season to date more than its lack of consistency. It had great drives against Alabama, then turned around and allowed a quick-strike touchdown. It led USC 21-10 at halftime, then got blanked 28-0 in the second half. It even struggled for a moment against Purdue before running away with a dominant victory.

If Wisconsin doesn’t beat Rutgers, it’s because the team still hasn’t found a way to consistently put four good quarters together.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs has blithe response to challenge of guarding Chris Olave

Cowboys star cornerback Trevon Diggs had a blithe response to the challenge of guarding Chris Olave: ‘Is that a trick question?’

Sunday’s game between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys has a couple of marquee matchups, but Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs isn’t sweating the task of guarding Saints wideout Chris Olave. Diggs responded with indifference when asked what challenges Olave presents as New Orleans’ No. 1 wide receiver.

“Is that a trick question?” Diggs replied. When pressed, he responded, “He’s a good player.”

Fans looking for disrespect are going to find it in a statement like that, though you could just as easily read Diggs’ comments as quiet confidence. He’s earned that swagger after intercepting 19 passes through his first 48 games, which won him two Pro Bowls and a spot on the All-Pro first team in 2021. If Diggs isn’t eager to talk his opponent up too highly, well — that’s his choice.

At the same time, it’s not like Diggs is an invincible cover corner. He’s known as a gambler with as many big takeaways and clutch pass breakups as big completions allowed into his coverage. Pro Football Reference found that he led the league in receiving yards given up (907) during that same 2021 season he won All-Pro recognition. And the gap between Diggs and the next-ranked cornerback, James Bradberry, was almost as wide as that between Bradberry and the sixth-ranked corner.

But it’s a new year. Diggs didn’t allow nearly as many yards in 2022 and he missed all but two games in 2023 due to injury. He had an interception in the season opener last week while yielding just 19 yards in coverage on 11 targets, so he’s clearly playing well right now. The Saints should be looking to lean on their run game against the Cowboys, but there will times when they need to complete a pass. It would be awful vindicating for his fans if Olave can get the better of this matchup when the ball goes his way.

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