Tag: Melvin Gordon

Series History: Wisconsin vs. Iowa

The series history between the Wisconsin Badgers and Iowa Hawkeyes:

On Saturday afternoon, the Wisconsin Badgers will face off on the road against the Iowa Hawkeyes for the 96th time in their history to battle for the Heartland Trophy. The first time these two teams played was in 1894 when the Badgers shut out the Hawkeyes 44-0.

Wisconsin has won eight of the last ten matchups between them, including the latest matchup at Camp Randall in 2021 where they won 27-7 over Iowa. Badgers’ running back Braelon Allen ran for 105 rushing yards, while quarterback Graham Mertz threw for a touchdown and took two in for himself at the 1-yard line.

The Badgers will have a tough task this weekend because of the Hawkeyes’ talented defense, but hopefully, their revamped offense is up to the task to keep the Heartland Trophy.

Below are photos from the last few matchups between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Wisconsin Badgers:

News, notes ahead of Dolphins-Browns matchup

Things to note prior to Miami’s Week 10 battle.

The Dolphins return to the friendly confines of Hard Rock Stadium this Sunday on the heels of a successful pair of consecutive road games and their second three-game winning streak of the season.

Miami sits at 6-3, as the Cleveland Browns head to South Florida at 3-5, led by former Miami Dolphins quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

The man Brissett backed up during his tenure, is putting on an MVP-level 2022 campaign. Tua Tagovailoa is 6-0 when starting and completing games this season and 12-2 overall in his last 14 games.

Tagovailoa has been incredible on the road this season, completing 94 of his 130 attempts (72.3%) for 1,263 yards, 12 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 124 passer rating.

Heading into Week 10, the Dolphins are second in the league in yards per play (6.33), with the first being the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs just behind Miami.

Chase Edmonds excited for opportunity with Broncos

Chase Edmonds could quickly emerge as the Broncos’ best receiver out of the backfield.

When running back Chase Edmonds signed a two-year, $12.1 million contract with the Miami Dolphins this offseason, he certainly didn’t expect to end up in Denver midway through the 2022 season.

The 26-year-old running back now finds himself with the Broncos, though, following a trade that sent outside linebacker Bradley Chubb to Miami.

“I’m just excited to be here,” Edmonds said Monday. “I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

Denver already has a crowded backfield that features Melvin Gordon and Latavius Murray. Marlon Mack also recently joined the team, and Mike Boone will return from injured reserve in a few weeks.

It’s unclear what kind of role Edmonds will have in the Broncos’ backfield, but his 1,017 receiving yards through 65 career games might provide a clue.

“I don’t know the whole, full landscape [of my role],” Edmonds said. “I think definitely in the passing game, probably get me outside the backfield, utilize me there, and just kind of go from there. Whatever role [I’m placed in], I’m going to accept to my full ability.”

Edmonds entered the league as a fourth-round pick out of Fordham with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. The 5-9, 205-pound running back is more of a complimentary piece than a workhorse.

Edmonds has played in offenses similar to the Broncos’, which should help him adjust quickly.

“Obviously, every offense has its own kinks and how you disguise certain things, but for me, it’s pretty similar in the sense that I’m not going to be having my head spinning on Sunday,” Edmonds said.

The sixth-year running back is expected to make his orange and blue debut against the Tennessee Titans in Week 10.

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What kind of role will Chase Edmonds have with the Broncos?

Broncos GM George Paton hinted that Melvin Gordon and Latavius Murray are still the top two RBs in Denver.

Lost in the hoopla of the Bradley Chubb trade last week was the fact that the Denver Broncos also acquired running back Chase Edmonds from the Miami Dolphins in addition to draft picks.

The trade has Broncos fans (and fantasy football managers) now wondering what kind of role Edmonds will have in Denver’s offense.

Due to injured reserve rules, Mike Boone will have to sit out at least two more games after Denver’s bye. That presumably makes Edmonds at least the third-string running back by default, at least for the time being.

Because he is a younger running back with upside, some fans and pundits have speculated that Edmonds and Latavius Murray could emerge as the team’s top two backs with Melvin Gordon being related to the bench.

During his post-trade deadline press conference last week, general manager George Paton insisted that is not the case.

“It doesn’t affect Melvin at all,” Paton said last week. “It just brings more competition. I think Edmonds complements what we have. He’s a little different than what we have in Melvin. We like Melvin and he’s still going to be our starter. He and Latavius will rotate. This will be another piece to the puzzle. This will be a good compliment.”

Complicating the projected depth chart is Marlon Mack, who was signed by Denver off the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad last week. If Paton’s comments are truthful, it seems that Gordon and Murray will be the top two backs with Edmonds and Mack below them on the depth chart.

So for now, Edmonds does not seem poised to have a very big role. Backfield rotations can change quickly, though, so we’ll be watching the team’s running back snaps going forward.

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News, notes ahead of Dolphins-Bears matchup

Some important things to know for Sunday.

The 5-3 Miami Dolphins head back to the mid-west, traveling to the Windy City to take on the 3-5 Chicago Bears. This game falls days following the NFL trade deadline, in which the Dolphins made a splash with a surf-and-turf combo of entrees.

Now former Denver Bronco Bradley Chubb and San Francisco 49er Jeff Wilson Jr. already have a couple practices under their belt. Chubb, an elite pass-rusher with the third-best rush-win rate in the NFL wasted no time inking an extension in Miami. Thursday morning began with the news of Miami and Chubb agreeing to a five-year, extension that includes $63.2 million guaranteed.

Wilson, who spent his entire career in San Fransisco, along with Mike McDaniel prior to this season, is reunited with his coach. Not only that, he can again call fellow running back Raheem Mostert a teammate, as Wilson will plug-and-play right away in Week 9 with his knowledge of McDaniel’s scheme and playbook.

“I know he, Mike and Raheem were all hugging and having their kumbaya moment together, being back together, but it’s cool,” said general manager and architect Chris Grier.

With the Dolphins essentially performing a running back switcheroo, sending Chase Edmonds out to Denver in the Chubb deal and bringing Wilson in another deal, they’re heavy at outside linebacker now, adding to a talented front seven rotation.

Chubb joins a core group that includes sophomore sensation Jaelan Phillips, Emmanuel Ogbah, Melvin Ingram and Andrew Van Ginkel when focusing on edge rushers. Mixing in this pot of pass rushers are outstanding interior linemen in Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler. Raekwon Davis provides defensive tackle depth, as does John Jenkins, while the linebacking group is massively improved with the addition of Chubb.

More importantly than helping the front seven, Chubb and a momentum-fueled Phillips could start to make life easier on the Dolphins’ secondary. While a major improvement occurred during the second half of last week’s victory over the Detroit Lions, the defensive backfield has been riddled with injuries.

Chubb and Phillips are both within the top 10 in best pass-rush win rates in the league, and if Ogbah, Ingram and Van Ginkel heat up as the overall national weather cools, this team is set for a deep playoff run.

Wilson is a “thumper” so to speak, and the perfect type of back to spell Mostert, and he can pick up those tough short-yardage situations that have plagued Miami for quite some time. In 92 rushing attempts with the 49ers this season, Wilson has averaged 5.1 yards per carry, and with Mostert at 4.9 over the course of the last four games, this Dolphins’ rushing attack could be headed for dominant days.

Sunday in Chicago would be a good place to start, with the Bears currently 31st in the league in rushing defense, giving up 156 yards on the ground per game.

A win against the Bears would give the Dolphins multiple three-game win streaks in the same season for the first time since 2016. They could also improve to 6-3 for just the second time since 2001.

The Dolphins lead this all-time series 9-4, winners of the last two contests, and four of the last five since 2002.

Here are more stats, news and notes heading into the Dolphins-Bears Week 9 matchup:

Studs and Duds from Broncos’ 21-17 win over Jaguars

Check out Broncos Wire’s studs and duds from the Denver Broncos’ 21-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Denver Broncos came out on top after a see-saw battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars, winning 21-17 to snap a four-game skid. Broncos Wire takes a look at five studs and duds from the victory.

5 takeaways from Broncos 21-17 win over Jaguars

The Denver Broncos head into their bye with momentum after a 21-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Denver Broncos snapped a four-game losing streak against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, a thrilling 21-17 win. We take a look at five takeaways from the game.

Studs and duds from Broncos 16-9 loss to Jets

Mostly duds for the Broncos after yet another loss.

The Denver Broncos’ Week 7 matchup against the New York Jets ended in a 16-9 loss at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday afternoon. Broncos Wire chronicles the studs and duds from the loss.

Broncos vs. Jets series history: Denver holds an all-time edge

The Broncos own a 22-16-1 lead in the all-time series against the Jets, including wins in their last two showdowns.

After back-to-back overtime losses, the Denver Broncos will look to right the flagging ship at home against the 4-2 New York Jets in Week 7.

The Jets have been a surprising team across the NFL landscape, coming into Denver fresh off a beatdown of the Green Bay Packers. Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett looks to have better luck than his former team.

During their histories, Denver holds an all-time record of 22-16-1 against New York.

In Week 3 of the 2021 season, the Broncos pitched their only shutout of the year against the Jets, a 26-0 rout. Denver picked off then-rookie New York quarterback Zach Wilson twice, with safety Justin Simmons sealing the victory with an interception late in the fourth quarter.

Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went 19-of-25 for 235 yards and no touchdowns. Denver was aided by rushing touchdowns from running backs Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams in the victory.

The Broncos come into this meeting with one of the worst red zone offenses in the NFL and one of the top defenses. Can they fix the offensive woes this week? Tune in Sunday!

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Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett responds to visible player frustrations

“With our guys being frustrated, that’s what you want. … they want to win,” #Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said.

The Denver Broncos are 2-4 and in danger of falling into a hole to deep to dig out of this season.

Fans are angry. Coaches are frustrated. Players are frustrated.

Broncos running back Melvin Gordon and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, specifically, were spotted ranting on the sideline during Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Earlier this week, Denver coach Nathaniel Hackett was asked if it worries him to see players visibly frustrated like that on the sideline.

“When it comes to players, yeah, they’re frustrated,” Hackett said. “The coaches are frustrated. We’re all frustrated. We want more consistency. The thing I give so much credit to this team for is that they’re battling. We’re in all these games. [We had] two overtime games versus — I think Indianapolis won again this week, and then versus a good team in the Los Angeles Chargers. They are battling and they’re doing everything they can.

“With our guys being frustrated, that’s what you want. You want them to be frustrated to a certain extent because they want to win. They want to win; they want to be part of it, and they want to be able to make plays for their teammates. That happens. That happens when you don’t win a football game. They want to do whatever they can to be able to help win.”

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Hackett turned the emotional player reactions into a positive, but it won’t remain a positive if the Broncos can’t turn things around quickly. Players will continue to grow even more frustrated if Hackett doesn’t get the team back on track. They’ll get an opportunity to do so when they host the New York Jets on Sunday.

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