Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Adam Thielen was one of a few bright spots in another dud of a performance from the Panthers.
The Carolina Panthers dropped their ninth game of the season on Sunday, as they ate a 33-10 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.
Here are the studs and duds from the losing outing:
Philadelphia and Kansas City are just days away from a Monday night showdown and we’re looking at who the NFL experts are picking in Eagles vs. Chiefs
After a bye week that should allow both teams a renewed freshness, the Eagles and Chiefs are set for a semi-Super Bowl rematch at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
The two teams last met on Feb. 12 in Super Bowl LVII.
Kansas City defeated Philadelphia 38-35 in that matchup to earn their third Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. The Chiefs enter Monday’s matchup on top of the AFC with a 7-2 record after defeating the Miami Dolphins 21-14 in Germany on Nov. 5.
Kansas City is looking to lock up an eighth-straight AFC West title.
Philadelphia is 8-1 and on top of the NFC East after a 33-28 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9.
With kickoff fast approaching, we’re looking at who the NFL experts are picking.
Despite playing a team-low 17 defensive snaps, Panthers OLB Marquis Haynes Sr. registered a team-high five pressures in Week 10.
Did the Carolina Panthers find any answers from their most disheartening defeat of the season?
Let’s siphon some meaningful takeaways out of Thursday night’s snap counts.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders, even in his most encouraging outing of the season, took quite a backseat to Chuba Hubbard in Week 9.
So, what should we make of who the Carolina Panthers rolled out in what was probably their most disappointing loss of the season?
Let’s go over the biggest takeaways from the team’s Week 9 snap counts against the Indianapolis Colts.
Bryce Young led the Panthers’ duds in their Week 9 loss to the Colts.
Well, that was hideous.
Anyway, wish us luck as we try to identify some studs to go alongside the many duds of the Carolina Panthers’ Week 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts . . .
Panthers HC Frank Reich confirmed that Chuba Hubbard, not Miles Sanders, will get the start at RB in Week 9.
Halfway into his first season of a four-year, $25.4 million deal, Miles Sanders is not the every-down back the Carolina Panthers were hoping he’d be.
On Friday, head coach Frank Reich officially named Chuba Hubbard as the team’s starting running back for their Week 9 contest against the Indianapolis Colts. This’ll mark the third straight game in which the third-year rusher gets the starting nod.
Hubbard has had a solid start to the 2023 campaign. He’s run for 270 yards and a touchdown on 69 attempts while also having reeled in 15 receptions for 85 more yards.
Sanders, on the other hand, has been one of the team’s biggest disappointments thus far. He’s recorded 190 rushing yards and one score on 63 carries, which has been good enough for a career-low average of 3.0 yards per tote.
Nonetheless, Reich believes in Sanders moving forward.
“I have a lot of confidence in Miles,” he told reporters following today’s practice. “Sometimes at running back, I’ve seen this happen before. Somebody gets the hot hand like Chubs has the hot hand a little bit and the game flow goes a certain way for a few games. We got a lot of football left. Have a lot of faith and confidence in Miles.
“Again, I’d go back to say some of the start of the season was just how unproductive our offense was early on in general. It wasn’t Miles. We were pretty unproductive to start. I think it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. I hope to see Miles get back to bein’ more involved and it bein’ an even rotation. We love Chuba, we love what Raheem [Blackshear] brings to the table.”
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Here are the Panthers’ statistical leaders heading into Week 9:
The Carolina Panthers finally got themselves the number that matters most this past Sunday, topping the Houston Texans for their very first win of the 2023 season. So, maybe the other numbers we’re about to show you look a bit sweeter than usual.
Here are the team’s statistical leaders heading into Week 9:
Panthers RB Miles Sanders ran the wrong route on what could’ve been a disastrous and fatal fourth-down try in Week 8.
The best play Miles Sanders has made all season is the one he didn’t make.
Yesterday’s tight 15-13 win for the Carolina Panthers probably wouldn’t have happened without a huge fourth-down conversion during the final minutes of the game. Down by a point and needing two yards to keep their last drive going, quarterback Bryce Young squeezed a pass into the hands of wideout Adam Thielen to move the sticks just past midfield.
But that pass was nearly found by the hands of Sanders . . .
THIS Miles Sanders heads up play pic.twitter.com/UAN38kld4Q
— =͟͟͞Blande (@JustBlande) October 29, 2023
On Monday, head coach Frank Reich attributed Sanders’ placement to an incorrect route.
“Yeah,” Reich replied when asked if his running back ran the wrong route. “There was a miscommunication. So, hats off to Adam. Hats off to Adam because you’re breakin’ out, expectin’ the ball on time—and then all of a sudden, you see Miles runnin’ at ya and it can be a big-time distraction, to both Adam and to Bryce throwing it.”
Luckily, the play was made and the rest is now history. The Panthers capped off their 15-play, 86-yard possession with a walk-off field goal by kicker Eddy Piñeiro to clinch the much-needed victory.
Sanders, however, has struggled to settle in after signing a four-year, $25.4 million deal this past spring. He’s rushed for just 190 yards and one touchdown on 63 carries, which puts him at a career-low average of 3.0 yards per attempt.
Week 8 may have been a new low on the campaign, as he failed to register a single yard on two totes. So, Reich was then asked how the team can help get their pricey rusher out of his slump.
“I think it happens a couple different ways,” he said. “One thing is feed him the ball. You can get him some touches. And then sometimes, it’s just a question of—as a player—hey, even if it’s limited touches, I have to make the most of what touches I get and what plays I’m in.
“I/we have a lot of confidence in Miles. Chuba [Hubbard] is gettin’ the bulk of the carries with the way our run game is goin’. He’s a more physical, downhill runner. But Miles is a great player. And so, we wanna continue to mix it up.”
Hubbard, following a season-high 88 rushing yards in Week 6, led the backfield with 15 rushing attempts on Sunday.
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The Panthers let their 2023 draft class cook in the Week 8 win over the Texans.
It took long enough, but the Carolina Panthers finally notched their first win of the season on Sunday. Oh, and they also might’ve finally given us a little glimpse into the future.
Here are the top takeaways from Week 8’s snap counts:
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
| SUNDAY SALUTES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarterbacks | Pass-Rush | TD |
| Sam Howell | 397-11 | 4 |
| Josh Allen | 324-41 | 3 |
| Dak Prescott | 304-19 | 4 |
| Jalen Hurts | 319-6 | 3 |
| Joe Burrow | 283-43 | 3 |
| Running Backs | Yards | TD |
| Christian McCaffrey | 12-54 6-64 |
2 |
| Gus Edwards | 19-80 2-14 |
3 |
| Alvin Kamara | 17-59 4-51 |
2 |
| Travis Etienne | 24-79 3-70 |
1 |
| Austin Ekeler | 15-29 7-94 |
1 |
| Wide Receivers | Yards | TD |
| CeeDee Lamb | 12-158 | 2 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 4-128 | 3 |
| A.J. Brown | 8-130 | 2 |
| Tyreek Hill | 8-112 | 1 |
| Ja’Marr Chase | 10-100 | 1 |
| Tight Ends | Yards | TD |
| Trey McBride | 10-95 | 1 |
| George Kittle | 9-149 | 0 |
| Taysom Hill | 9-63 1-14 |
2 |
| T.J. Hockenson | 6-88 | 1 |
| Evan Engram | 10-88 | 0 |
| Placekickers | XP | FG |
| Brandon McManus | 0 | 4 |
| Brandon Aubrey | 5 | 2 |
| Younghoe Koo | 2 | 3 |
| Cameron Dicker | 3 | 3 |
| Jake Elliott | 5 | 1 |
| Defense | Sack – TO | TD |
| Broncos | 3-5 | 0 |
| Cowboys | 2-1 | 1 |
| Jaguars | 3-2 | 0 |
| Vikings | 4-1 | 0 |
| Steelers | 3-3 | 0 |
QB Matt Stafford -Thumb
QB Kirk Cousins – Achilles
QB Tyrod Taylor – Ribs
QB Kenny Pickett – Ribs
QB Desmond Ridder – Benched
QB Patrick Mahomes – Flu
RB Damien Williams – Foot
RB Travis Etienne – Ankle
WR DeVante Parker – Head
WR Kendrick Bourne – Knee
WR Drake London – Groin
WR Curtis Samuel – Toe
TE Darren Waller – Hamstring
Chasing Ambulances
QB Matt Stafford – He was already playing through a hip injury and left the Cowboys matchup when his thumb hit a helmet. He remained sidelined with a taped thumb after they examined it in the locker room but the Rams would not make a statement about it and Stafford did not talk to the press. Brett Rypien is the only other quarterback currently on their roster. Stetson Bennett is on the reserve/non-football illness list but the Rams have not disclosed exactly why. If Stafford misses any time, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua will likely suffer a decline.
QB Kirk Cousins – He suffered what is feared to be a season-ending Achilles injury. For a team already missing Justin Jefferson, this is catastrophic. The only healthy quarterback on the team is the rookie Jaren Hall. Sean Mannion is on the practice squad and Nick Mullens is on injured reserve. At 3-4, do they give up and make do with what they have or do they try to acquire or trade for someone? The worst part is that Cousins likely takes the Minnesota passing game with him, impacting Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Jefferson when he returns.
QB Tyrod Taylor – The Giants quarterback suffered a rib injury and was brought to a local hospital. He was already replacing Daniel Jones who is out with a neck injury. The Giants are down to Tommy DeVito who entered the game and completed 2-of-7 passes for a net loss of one yard. The expectation is that the Giants will bring in free-agent quarterbacks though the shelves are rather bare. The Giants cannot afford to have yet another step downward in their passing offense.
QB Kenny Pickett – The Steelers quarterback left with a rib injury and the immediate concern is how quickly he will heal since the Steelers host the Titans on Thursday. Mitchell Trubisky will take the start if Pickett cannot play. More should be known on Monday.
QB Desmond Ridder – Was evaluated for a concussion and did not return to the loss to the Titans. HC Arthur Smith said that Ridder was held out for health reasons and not as a benching. Taylor Heinicke took over and completed 12-of-21 for 175 yards and a touchdown. Barring new information, Ridder remains the starter and will play if healthy. Practices will indicate if Ridder or Heinicke are most likely to start against the Vikings this week.
RB Travis Etienne – He left with an ankle injury but later returned and scored a 56-yard touchdown on a catch. He is fine.
WR Kendrick Bourne – The Patriots’ No. 1 receiver was injured in the fourth quarter, holding his right knee in obvious pain. He was able to walk to the medical tent and was ruled out of the game. He is due to have an MRI on Monday and the hope is that it is just a sprained MCL. DeVante Parker was hit helmet-to-helmet as well and is expected to be diagnosed with a concussion. That would be serious since he missed games due to a concussion in 2022. JuJu Smith-Schuster has been a disappointment since joining the Pats and had his own health issues. But he received more playing time after Bourne left and caught a three-yard touchdown on his only reception.
WR Drake London – The Falcons star wideout left the game and was looked at by the trainers. After visiting the medical tent, he was ruled out with a groin injury. London claimed that he was fine after the game, but he’ll be evaluated Monday and his status will be clearer later in the week. If he is out for the Vikings matchup this week, Kyle Pitts, Jonnu Smith, Mack Hollins, and Van Jefferson would have to take up the slack but London is the difference-maker out of all receivers.
TE Darren Waller – Suffered a hamstring strain and left the game. His status will be updated later this week, but the Giants’ problems at quarterback are an equally troublesome development for Waller’s fantasy value.
New starting quarterbacks – The worst injury situation appears to be Kirk Cousins and the situation they are in if he cannot play as expected. The Vikings are likely to bring in veteran quarterbacks who will carry some fantasy value, but watch what moves they make in the early week. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, so we’ll know quickly if they acquire any notable replacement.
QB Will Levis (TEN) – The 2.02 pick by the Titans in the NFL draft was the fourth quarterback selected. Levis took his first NFL start and threw for 238 yards and four touchdowns – three on deep passes to DeAndre Hopkins. Ryan Tannehill only totaled two touchdowns after six games. Levis has to be the ongoing starter. He became the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for four touchdowns in their first start.
RB Emari Demercado (ARI) – The Cardinals have turned to Demercado as the full-time back with 20 carries for 78 yards versus the Ravens on Sunday. He also caught one pass for one year. James Conner remains out for at least two more weeks and it could be longer since the Cardinals have not been very forthcoming about Conner’s prognosis.
TE Trey McBride (ARI) – The Cardinals placed Zach Ertz onto injured reserve and that left second-year McBride as the primary tight end. He responded well, leading all fantasy tight ends with ten catches for 95 yards and a score against the Ravens. McBride was drafted last year in the second round and this was the sort of development they were hoping to see.
TE Taysom Hill (NO) – The Swiss Army knife of the Saints already scored last week on five rushes for 18 yards and gained 50 yards as a receiver. Against the Colts, Hill ran for 63 yards and two touchdowns on nine rushes and caught a 14-yard pass. He’s always been inconsistent, but that’s two straight fantasy-relevant performances. He has been shifted to being a quarterback on some depth charts but remains a tight end on many.
RB Miles Sanders (CAR) – He missed Week 6 with a shoulder injury but had a bye to help him heal. He was removed from the injury report and was expected to resume his role as the starter, along with Chuba Hubbard. But Sanders only carried twice for no yards, and Hubbard ran 15 times for 28 yards. Sanders is far too risky to merit a fantasy start until he can prove to be healthy and a part of the game plan.
WR Demario Douglas (NE) – The Patriots rookie hasn’t scored and topped out in Week 7 with four catches for 54 yards. Against the Dolphins, he ended with five receptions for 25 yards but it was notable because his seven targets were three more than any other Patriot receiver. And Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker both were injured last week.
RB Gus Edwards (BAL) – He’s been consistent with around 50 yards in most games and scored only in Week 2. But these last two games, Edwards has his best performances of the year. In Week 7, he ran in a score, rushed for 64 yards and caught an 80-yard pass. For Week 8, he produced a career-best three touchdowns on his 19 rushes for 80 yards and caught two passes for 14 yards. Jackson dialed back his role as a rusher for these last two weeks and Edwards has feasted.
WR Tyreek Hill (MIA) – He currently has 1,014 receiving yards and is the first player to do that in their first eight games in the last 62 years of NFL history. He is on pace to gain 2,154 yards on the season.
Germany Alert! – The NFL returns to Europe this week with their first-ever game in Germany. The notable part is that they are showcasing the NFL by playing the Dolphins and Chiefs. That means there are a lot of fantasy team owners who need to get up well before 9:30 AM EST (6:30 AM EST) and check their lineups or risk missing an inactive.
CeeDee Lamb (DAL) – The Cowboys No. 1 receiver already gained 117 yards last week, and he upped that mark against the Rams when he caught 12 passes for a career-best 158 yards and two touchdowns. After a three-week lull in production, Lamb is turning in big stats for multiple weeks and just led the NFL in fantasy points.
Salute!
| Comedy | Yards | TDs | Tragedy | Yards | TDs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Sam Howell | 397-11 | 4 | QB | Patrick Mahomes | 241-20 | 0 |
| RB | Javonte Williams | 27-85 3-13 |
1 | RB | Isiah Pacheco | 8-40 3-(-3) |
0 |
| RB | Rachaad White | 9-39 7-70 |
0 | RB | Kenneth Walker | 8-66 1-4 |
0 |
| WR | DeAndre Hopkins | 4-128 | 3 | WR | Cooper Kupp | 4-21 | 0 |
| WR | Jahan Dotson | 8-108 | 1 | WR | Zay Flowers | 5-19 | 0 |
| WR | Rashid Shaheen | 3-153 | 1 | WR | Puka Nacua | 3-43 | 0 |
| TE | Trey McBride | 10-95 | 1 | TE | Dallas Goedert | 4-36 | 0 |
| PK | Brandon McManus | 0 XP 4 FG | PK | Ka’imi Fairbairn | 1 XP | ||
| Huddle Fantasy Points = 206 | Huddle Fantasy Points = 52 | ||||||
Now get back to work…
