Tag: Monday Night Football

The NFL needs to stop serving fans slop for Monday Night Football

The NFL really forced fans to watch two Monday Night Football mid-offs.

The NFL really forced fans to watch two mid-offs during Monday Night Football, and they will pay for their crimes.

Listen, I get it. Sometimes, it’s hard to predict how good (or how bad) matchups will be when games are scheduled weeks in advance. But there is something about being subjected to a battered Caleb Williams and the dumpster fire Bears against the Vikings *AND* Kirk “I’m robbing the Falcons” Cousins against the Desmond Ridder-led Raiders that makes me wanna hurl.

I find it hard to believe there was no discussion about how gross these matchups would potentially be by the time Week 15 arrived and that something couldn’t be flexed. For goodness sake, Atlanta struggled to pull away from 2-12 Las Vegas despite leading by double digits for most of the game. Do you know how bad the matchup is when I’m rooting for Desmond Ridder to nail a game-winning Hail Mary touchdown just for excitement?!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDqpO-cRHF9/?igsh=YTR2NWZoYzV1azdt

But perhaps that’s my fault. The NFL knows it can serve slop to fans because it doesn’t matter how terrible the product is; they will watch it. Frankly, I’m disgusted with myself and the league for subjecting me to comically lousy football.

Someone needs to pay for their crimes. We can’t go on like this. At this point, I’d be open to another alt-cast. What about Family Guy? Rugrats? Bluey? Something. ANYTHING other than what I watched Monday.

WE ARE BEGGING YOU.

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Brian O’Neill injury vs. Bears: Latest news on Vikings RT

The Minnesota Vikings’ offense took a blow in the first half against the Chicago Bears with an injury to right tackle Brian O’Neill.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The Minnesota Vikings came into their Week 15 Monday Night Football matchup against division rivals the Chicago Bears with a golden opportunity. With a win, they would control their own destiny in the NFC playoff picture thanks to the Detroit Lions’ loss on Sunday to the Buffalo Bills.

In the first half, the Vikings came out like a team, fully aware of the magnitude of their situation. The defense came out and stonewalled the Bears’ offense early, forcing an early turnover on downs and coming away with a strip sack and recovery on consecutive possessions. Throw in a Justin Jefferson touchdown and a couple of field goals, and it all amounts to a 13-0 lead at the half.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, it’s not all good news, as they appear to have lost their starting right tackle, Brian O’Neill, to a leg injury.

Brian O’Neill injury update

O’Neill was initially injured in the first quarter after a running play to Aaron Jones. O’Neill was looked at on the field by the training staff, but was able to leave the field under his own power. He was evaluated in the blue medical tent for a few minutes and then returned to the game.

O’Neill’s return was short-lived, however, as he would leave the game again a couple of minutes before halftime. This time, O’Neill went straight to the locker room to be further evaluated by the Vikings’ training staff. He is back in the game once again, but we will monitor his injury.

How long will O’Neill be out?

It appeared that O’Neill was going to be okay when he came back into the game after the initial injury. O’Neill only missed a handful of plays at first and came back looking like nothing was wrong. Needing to leave the game a second time certainly isn’t a good sign, but as of now, he is back in the game once again, and we will monitor his injury.

Vikings offensive tackle depth chart

With O’Neill out, the right tackle duties will fall on long-time swing tackle David Quessenberry. Quessenberry has already had plenty of playing time this season, filling in on the left side for injured left tackle Christian Darrisaw prior to the Vikings’ acquisition of former Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson.

Former Wisconsin standout linebacker helps Bengals clinch ‘Monday Night Football’ win

Former Wisconsin standout linebacker helps Bengals clinch ‘Monday Night Football’ win

Former Wisconsin standout linebacker Maema Njongmeta recorded his first signature NFL highlight in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday.

The moment arrived in one of the most miraculous situations of the 2024 NFL season to date. Pinned at its 29-yard line with exactly two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and tied at 20, the Bengals lined up to punt.

As soon as punter Ryan Rehkow fielded the long snap, Cowboys special teamer Nick Vigil squeezed through Cincinnati’s offensive line and blocked the punt. The ball took a few big bounces toward Cowboys territory and glanced off a Dallas player before Njongmeta, who tracked the ball the whole way through, grabbed it at the Bengals’ 43-yard line.

The recovery handed the Bengals the football with a fresh opportunity to win the game. Joe Burrow and the offensive capitalized on a 40-yard touchdown to Ja’Marr Chase, clinching the 27-20 win.

Njongmeta hasn’t seen much action this season, but he certainly made the most of it. He may have missed the block on Vigil on the initial punt, but he didn’t give up.

This same mentality netted the UW alumnus a spot on the Bengals’ 53-man roster in late August. In three preseason games, the two-year starter at Wisconsin notched 29 total tackles, 18 solo tackles, two pass deflections and respectable special teams play to elevate to the 53-man.

Since then, Njongmeta has logged eight total tackles and five solo tackles for Zac Taylor’s team in 12 games. Most of his time comes during special teams action.

At Wisconsin, Njongmeta totaled 158 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 6 1/2 sacks, one interception, two pass deflections and three fumble recoveries during his tenure in Madison. His opportunities could grow following the highlight.

Denver Broncos schedule: Do the Broncos have a game today?

The Broncos are on a bye this week. They will return to action against the Colts on Dec. 15.

The Denver Broncos’ schedule takes a break today as the team has a Week 14 bye. The Broncos will return to action against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15 on Sunday, Dec. 15.

Denver will play eight home games at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium this year and nine games on the road. Because the league has an unbalanced 17-game schedule, the NFC and AFC rotate between having an extra home game. This year, the NFC gets a ninth home game.

The Broncos are led by head coach Sean Payton with rookie Bo Nix serving as their starting quarterback this fall.

View the team’s complete 2024 schedule below.

Denver Broncos 2024 Schedule

Week Date TV Opponent Time (MT) Broncos Tickets
1 9/8 CBS @ Seattle Seahawks 26-20 L
2 9/15 CBS  vs. Pittsburgh Steelers 13-6 L
3 9/22 FOX @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-7 W
4 9/29 CBS @ New York Jets 10-9 W
5 10/6 FOX vs. Las Vegas Raiders 34-18 W
6 10/13 CBS vs. Los Angeles Chargers 23-16 L
7 10/17 Amazon Prime Video @ New Orleans Saints 33-10 W
8 10/27 CBS vs. Carolina Panthers 28-14 W
9 11/3 CBS @ Baltimore Ravens 41-10 L
10 11/10 CBS @ Kansas City Chiefs 16-14 L
11 11/17 FOX vs. Atlanta Falcons 38-6 W
12 11/24 CBS @ Las Vegas Raiders 29-19 W
13 12/2 ESPN vs. Cleveland Browns 41-32 W
14 12/8 BYE
15 12/15 CBS vs. Indianapolis Colts 2:25 PM Tickets
16 12/19 Prime @ Los Angeles Chargers 6:15 PM Tickets
17 12/28 or 12/29 TBD @ Cincinnati Bengals TBD Tickets
18 1/4 or 1/5 TBD vs. Kansas City Chiefs TBD Tickets

The Broncos have not returned to the playoffs since their Super Bowl-winning season in 2015. Now entering his second season on the job, Payton will aim to snap the club’s eight-year playoff drought this fall.

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Rich Eisen says Broncos’ win was ‘beyond huge’ in Week 13

The Broncos’ win over the Browns on Monday was “beyond huge” for Denver’s playoff chances, Rich Eisen said this week.

Rich Eisen has emphasized the importance of the Denver Broncos’ 41-32 win over the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football in Week 13.

“The Denver Broncos are 8-5 through 13 weeks heading into their bye week, seventh overall in the American Football Conference,” Eisen said on his radio show earlier this week. “This game that they came up with [on Monday] was beyond huge. If they had lost it, they would have been 7-6 heading into their bye, after which the also bye-weeking Indianapolis Colts are coming to town.

“And a victory for [the Colts] in that game would have put them in the playoff spot that they are vying for. Because they would have had the same record as Denver and they would have had the tiebreak. And instead, Denver goes into its bye with three straight wins, 8-5, with some cushion when Anthony Richardson and the Colts and Jonathan Taylor come and visit them in Week 15.”

By beating the Browns, the Broncos are now on the doorstep of a playoff berth. If Denver beats Indianapolis, the Broncos will need just one more win and one Miami Dolphins loss to clinch a playoff spot this season. After taking care of business against Cleveland, attention now turns toward Indy. That will be a huge came for Denver coming out of the bye week.

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Karl Mecklenburg: Sean Payton’s experience paid off on ‘MNF’

Karl Mecklenburg’s advice to Broncos players during the bye: “Lay on a beach somewhere and stay out of trouble.”

The Cleveland Browns gave the Broncos a scare on Monday night. The Broncos defense was sorely missing their starting cornerback Riley Moss. Cleveland targeted his replacement repeatedly with success. Cleveland put up over 500 yards of offense, but Browns quarterback Jameis Winston threw three interceptions, two of which the Broncos returned for touchdowns. The Broncos secondary seemed confused at times, missed tackles became an issue, and former Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy had a huge game for the Browns. Despite the blown coverages, Broncos players came up big with pressure on the quarterback, and interceptions at key times, keeping the Broncos in the game.

Denver’s offense was able to keep up and win the shoot-out that the game turned into. This isn’t how the Broncos have won games this year. I’m sure Denver’s coaching staff was expecting our defense to hold down the Browns the way they have with most opponents. It was rewarding to watch the Broncos offense rise to the occasion and make big plays to match the Browns big plays. The game plan had to change quickly, and Denver’s offense handled the situation well.

Have you gone into a business situation or family situation and been surprised? How did you react? Were you able to switch gears and get right back in the game? Coach Payton’s experience paid off this week. The Broncos coaching staff made changes before the game got out of hand. The Broncos have their bye this week and players will be able to rest and heal. After training camp and 13 games with no off time, every player has various levels of injury. Instead of just jumping into preparation for the next game, the coaching staff will be able to do some self-scouting to make sure they aren’t becoming too predictable. Go Broncos! Lay on a beach somewhere and stay out of trouble.

Karl Mecklenburg originally shared this post on his social media pages and it was re-shared here with permission. Mecklenburg played for the Denver Broncos from 1983-1994, earning six Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro selections during his decorated career in the NFL. Mecklenburg is now a motivational keynote speaker. You can book Mecklenburg on his website. 

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Surprisingly, neither Jerry Jeudy nor Nik Bonitto won Player of the Week honors

Jerry Jeudy set an NFL record for the most receiving yards (235) against his former team and Nik Bonitto had a sack and 71-yard pick-six.

The Denver Broncos played a thrilling Monday Night Football game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 with the Broncos hanging on to win, 41-32. Denver pass rusher Nik Bonitto and Cleveland wide receiver Jerry Jeudy stood out with a pair of big performances.

Jeudy hauled in nine receptions for 235 yards and a touchdown, setting a new NFL record for the most receiving yards by a player facing their former team. Jeudy now has the fifth-most receiving yards in the league this season (880).

Bonitto made a big impact on the other side of the ball, recording two pass breakups, one sack and a 71-yard pick-six. Surprisingly, neither Jeudy (offense) nor Bonitto (defense) won Player of the Week awards.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week after becoming the first QB in NFL history to record a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in a single game (although the “catch” was a technicality after he scored off a lateral).

Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after he grabbed two interceptions on Sunday, including a 61-yard pick-six.

Jeudy and Bonitto were among the NFL’s top performers in Week 13, but apparently not the very top.

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Broncos QB Bo Nix went viral after yelling at Browns to ‘jump offsides!’

Broncos QB Bo Nix went viral during MNF after he pulled a page out of Jameis Winston’s playbook and yelled at the defense to jump offsides!

During the Cleveland Browns’ 24-19 upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, quarterback Jameis Winston was caught mic’d up shouting, “Somebody jump offsides!”

One week later, Winston and the Browns faced the Denver Broncos and quarterback Bo Nix gave a good-natured nod to his counterpart.

Facing a 4th-and-2 while leading by three points late in the third quarter, Nix attempted to draw Cleveland’s defenders offside with a hard count. The Browns didn’t fall for it and Nix pulled a page out of Winston’s playbook.

“Jump offsides!” Nix said with a big smile before Denver conceded a delay of game penalty and kicked a field goal.

Fans appreciated the funny moment, and it’s gone viral on Twitter/X.

The Broncos went on to beat the Browns 41-32 and Nix spoke glowingly about Winston following the game. Up next for Denver is a bye in Week 14 followed by a home game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

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Bo Nix had another great quote after the Broncos beat the Browns

“We’re playing with a little bit of confidence and a chip on our shoulder,” Broncos QB Bo Nix said after the team’s win over the Browns.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix continues to say all the right things.

Following the team’s 41-32 win over the Cleveland Browns, Nix gave a great quote in his post-game press conference about what it meant for the team to overcome mistakes and win a crazy game on Monday Night Football.

“It’s huge,” Nix said. “We’re a confident bunch right now. We’re playing aggressively. We’re playing together. We’re playing with a little bit of confidence and a chip on our shoulder. [We are] just trying to continue to prove not only to other people but to ourselves that we have a really good football team. We’re starting to play like it. Playing with that confidence is important.

“It’s good to see us win in games like this. It doesn’t matter how it happens. We just make the next play. Continue to do it, and don’t get down. When we go down by a point, we have to go find a way to score, and we did. Then our defense, ‘We have to find a way to stop them,’ and they did. Just a complete team effort. It was good to see.”

Nix had two interceptions on Monday, but he never stopped fighting. The defense allowed 552 total yards, but they grabbed three interceptions — including two pick-sixes — to seal the victory. It was an ugly win, but a win’s a win, and Nix knows it. The quarterback and his teammates will now enjoy a bye before hosting the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

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Jason Kelce crashed a Broncos tailgate in a Tom Nalen jersey

Jason Kelce crashed a Broncos tailgate on Monday rocking a Tom Nalen jersey.

Before the Denver Broncos hosted the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football in Week 13, former NFL center and current ESPN analyst Jason Kelce crashed a tailgate wearing a Broncos jersey.

Kelce’s decision to rock orange and blue was a surprising one given that (a) he’s from Cleveland and (b) his brother, tight end Travis Kelce, plays for the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs.

Kelce explained his wardrobe on his Twitter/X page on Monday evening.

“Every tailgate I go into Monday Night Football, I wear a jersey honoring a former great of the home team. … Tonight I wore Tom Nalen’s jersey as one of the legendary centers of the game and a guy I looked up to and watched when learning the position as an undersized center.”

“I like honoring great players of this league while venturing into the tailgates of teams fans, but I told everyone in the tailgate I was rooting for the Browns, and when we were making our picks for who was going to win the game, I said ‘I can’t bring myself to pick against my hometown team’ and picked the Browns solely because of that.”

So there you have it. Despite rooting for the Browns, Kelce was still well-received by Broncos fans.

Nalen played for the Broncos from 1994-2008, anchoring an offensive line that won two Super Bowls. Kelce played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2011-2023 and won a Super Bowl following the 2017 season.

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