Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
#Bills at #Patriots: 5 things to watch for during Week 13’s game:
The Buffalo Bills will remain on the road this week, following consecutive wins in Detroit they will now face the New England Patriots in Week 13.
With an opportunity to gain ground in their division, there are certain things to keep an eye out for.
Here are five things to watch for during Thursday’s Bills-Patriots matchup:
New England vs Cleveland game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 6 game on Sunday, October 16
New England vs Cleveland prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 6, Sunday, October 16
Date: Sunday, October 16
Game Time: 1:00 ET
Venue: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH
How To Watch: CBS
Record: New England (2-3), Cleveland (2-3)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+
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– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
So did the Patriots find something in Bailey Zappe?
That’s a major stretch, but he was fine, the rest of the team stepped up its game considering the quarterback issues, and the Patriots got a stunning 29-0 win over Detroit.
Helping the newbie’s cause is the running game that should take all the pressure off. Damien Harris might be hurting, but Rhamondre Stevenson should be able to pound away on a Cleveland defense that’s struggling against the run.
It was good to start the season, but Atlanta and the Chargers ran at will for over 200 yards each. Now it’s New England’s turn. As long as Zappe can be a true game manager …
Here comes the Cleveland pass rush to get to 4.
The Browns might be struggling all of a sudden against the run, but the pass rush is still strong, the pass defense hasn’t been awful, and they should be able to keep the score down the game close – if they don’t take an early lead.
Detroit couldn’t run against the Patriots last week, but that’s not happening this week. Baltimore and Green Bay got physical on the New England front, and Cleveland is about to do the same. The NFL’s best running game should take over early, and …
– Week 6 NFL Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews
Just when you think Bill Belichick has lost it and the team is about to go into the tank, it pitches a gem like it did last week.
Cleveland is hardly anything great – the two wins are against bad Carolina and Pittsburgh teams – but the ground attack should be able to own the game for long stretches.
Here’s the problem for the Browns – turnovers. It doesn’t have a big problem with them, but they’re 2-0 when they don’t give the ball away and 0-3 when they do.
New England has forced two takeaways in each of the last four games.
– CFN Week 7 College Football Expert Picks
New England 23, Cleveland 20
Line: Cleveland -2.5, o/u: 43
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
New England vs Cleveland Must See Rating: 3
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Excited about the Irish’s chances this year?
If you had written off Notre Dame before ACC play began last year, no one would have blamed you. After all, the program hadn’t been that good in a while, and the Irish didn’t exactly impress in their nonconference slate other than a win over ranked Kentucky. Then, longtime coach [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag] proved he had a little magic left in him and guided the Irish to their first NCAA Tournament in five years. They even won a couple of games in the tournament and nearly made it out of the first weekend.
Now, Brey is focused on how to make the 2022-23 Irish even better. Here’s what he said at Wednesday’s ACC media day in Charlotte, North Carolina:
Mack Wilson’s son takes first steps on Patriots’ field!
There are some moments in life that every parent will always remember and cherish, such as their child’s first steps. For former Alabama linebacker and current New England Patriot, [autotag]Mack Wilson[/autotag], this became a reality in the most extraordinary of ways when his son took his first steps in Gillette Stadium after the Patriots’ preseason game. Wilson and his son will forever have this moment on the field to cherish and it could not be any more adorable.
As for Wilson, this will be his first season in New England after being traded by the Cleveland Browns. While Wilson has seen his playing time and statistics decline in each of his first three years in the NFL, he will fill a starting role in a Bill Belichick-led defense which is a real chance to showcase his abilities. Through his three seasons in the league, Wilson has posted 160 tackles, nine passes deflected and one sack as well as an interception and a forced fumble.
First steps on the football field.
This is beautiful, @MackWilSr. 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/HB5njDSWGa
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2022
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Mack Wilson and other former Alabama stars now in the NFL.
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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.
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After a 36-hole marathon on Wednesday, two champions were crowned after a highly entertaining final round on Thursday.
After a 36-hole marathon on Wednesday, two champions were crowned after a highly entertaining final round on Thursday.
Overnight leader Carson Erick held a two-shot lead heading into Thursday’s final round action. The Hingham, Massachusetts, native plodded his way around Ledgemont Country Club carefully.
Many among the top portion of the leaderboard fell to the wayside throughout the day, with one exception. Chad Correia began the day at 9 over, seven shots back of Erick and seemingly out of contention in a tie for 11th.
Just like Erick, Correia made the most of his moves to finish the day with a tournament-best 2-under 69. As the day progressed, Correia’s name climbed the leaderboard all the way to a solo second-place finish.
Sealing the championship with a birdie on 18, Erick lapped the field with a 54-hole total of 216, four shots clear of Correia. With the win, Erick has secured himself a spot in the year-end Golfweek International Junior Invitational in November.
Rounding out the podium was Sascha Robinson at eight over.
In the girls division, a match play type feel helped push the winner over the edge,
Grace Huang held a one-shot lead over Alexandria Pool after Wednesday’s first two rounds. With Pool being the lone challenger within a reasonable distance to Huang, the final pairing felt more like a match-play championship.
Dueling early, Pool carded a front nine 1-over 37 to Huang’s up and down 38. Tied with just nine holes to play, Pool felt the pressure.
With bogeys on six of the first seven holes on the back nine, Pool was unable to stop the bleeding. With the door open, Huang slammed it shut with a birdie on 17 to give herself a three-shot lead heading to 18.
Matching each other’s pars, Huang locked up her spot in the Golfweek International Junior Invitational,
Piper Jordan joined Huang and Pool on the podium with a solo third-place finish at +18.
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Despite making a Pro Bowl appearance as a rookie, Mac Jones will be in the race for Most Improved Player this season.
After a rookie campaign that concluded with a Pro Bowl appearance, [autotag]Mac Jones[/autotag] is ready to make a monumental jump in year two. The former Crimson Tide signal caller really put an emphasis on nutrition and wellness this off-season with wide receiver Kendrick Bourne saying, “He’s in the best shape of his life.”
Jones came into the NFL a little plump, as almost everyone has seen the viral photo of him smoking the cigar after beating Tennessee.
The Mac Jones of two years ago, is no more pic.twitter.com/mvqu2gUg9I
— Sam Murphy (@SamMurphy02) May 24, 2022
However, Jones has spent loads of time this off-season with New England Patriots strength and conditioning coach Moses Cabrera and with the team nutritionist Ted Harper.
“For me, cleaning up my diet — I’ve probably learned more this offseason than I ever have about my diet, sleep, nutrition, wellness, all that stuff. I’ve taken what I’ve learned that I feel will help me and applied it. Obviously, listening to Ted and everybody, following their plan, eating healthy, taking out a lot of the things that are bad for my diet,” Jones said.
While it has been important to cut off a lot of that body fat, Jones adds that it is also important to maintain a certain level of weight to absorb the blows he will take throughout the course of an NFL season.
On top of all of this, he has spent a lot of time with throwing coach Tom House, who spent a lot of time working with Tom Brady over the duration of his career. Jones is poised to have a massive breakout season in year two.
"I've learned more this offseason than I ever have about nutrition, sleep, wellness, so I'm kind of taking what I've learned that I feel will help me and apply it."
Mac Jones discusses the changes he'd made to his diet this offseason. pic.twitter.com/iZl6kbFys0
— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) May 23, 2022
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!
Where do you hope to see Kyren playing this fall?
Former Notre Dame star running back Kyren Williams likely won’t be the first or second ball carrier to have his name called in this spring’s NFL draft but could very easily be the third or fourth. He doesn’t have ideal size or breakaway speed but there isn’t necessarily a weakness in his game, either.
He isn’t the ideal running back in terms of being a draft prospect but certainly has the skills that should make someone’s offense improved. Where would his best chance of NFL success be? And what teams would make the most sense to draft Williams?
Here are five of the best potential landing spots for the two-time Notre Dame leading rusher.
Related:
The best photos of Kyren Williams at Notre Dame
Every Notre Dame leading rusher since start of Lou Holtz era
#Bills TE Dawson Knox on his historic performance in wild-card win:
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Bills TE Dawson Knox had a career year in the regular season and is already making big plays in the postseason as well.
In the first round of the playoffs, Buffalo turned in a historic 47-17 win that featured a touchdown on every one of their seven offensive drives.
Knox was a big part of starting that run.
He hauled in the first two scores of the day, becoming the first TE in NFL history with two receiving touchdowns in the first quarter of a playoff game.
The Buffalo Bills' Dawson Knox caught two touchdowns in the first quarter tonight. He is the first player with 2+ receiving touchdowns in the first quarter of a playoff game since Antonio Brown in 2017, and the only tight end in NFL history to do this. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/er6Z9Ymv5P
— Elias Sports Bureau (@EliasSports) January 16, 2022
He also became the first Bills tight end with two scoring catches in a playoff game and the first franchise player since Bill Brooks in (1994 vs. LA Raiders) with multiple touchdown receptions in a single postseason game.
The third-year pro out of Ole Miss would finish the day a perfect five-for-five and lead all receivers with 89 yards.
At 25 years old, Knox has taken the next step in his development to become an impact player for the Bills, setting the single-season franchise mark for touchdown catches by a TE.
That progression has now translated into the postseason as well.
“We always talk about starting fast and when we get the ball first we want to put seven on the board,” Knox said while addressing the media after the game.
“This league’s just a week-by-week deal, we’ve seen that this year. It’s been a roller coaster of ups and downs, but you’ve got to treat every game with a life of its own,” he continued. “You can’t just assume we’re going to go out and do the same next week, we got to put in the work every single day when we talk about being championship caliber, and that starts tomorrow with the film correcting all the mistakes. And just enjoying the win but at the same time being ready to move on to the next opponent.”
Knox will have a chance to do just that as he and the teams’ focus now turns to their preparations for the second round of the playoffs.
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#Bills QB Josh Allen’s historic streak continues in playoff win:
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Bills QB Josh Allen is no stranger to making history.
In only his fourth year in the league, he’s done plenty of both already and shows no sign of slowing down or stopping anytime soon.
Recently he has been on a streak of record-setting performances, some of which have been showcased at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
That streak continued in Saturday’s contest, as Allen made more history.
Josh Allen tonight:
-Had more TDs (5) than incompletions (4).
-Became the first player in #NFL history with 5 passing TDs, an 80% completion percentage & and 50+ rush yards.
-First QB in #NFL playoff history to throw for 300 yards, 5 TDs and run for 60+ yards. pic.twitter.com/OEbvXpna0L
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) January 16, 2022
Allen went 21/25 throwing more scoring tosses (5) than incompletions (4) on his way to becoming the first QB in NFL history to go for 300-plus passing yards with five-TDs, and 60-plus yards rushing. He also became the first player in league history with 5 passing TDs, an 80% completion percentage, and 50-plus rushing yards.
With the win, Allen had his fourth career playoff game with 250+ yards passing and 50+ rushing, which is significant in that he is the only player in the Super Bowl era with more than two.
His five passing touchdowns in the game were a new Bills single-game playoff record as well.
One thing that is exciting for Bills fans and concerning for their future opponents is that at age 25 we likely haven’t even seen Allen’s ceiling as to what he can achieve.
In Saturday’s contest, he would lead the Bills offense to a touchdown on every offensive drive that he was under center, racking up seven total TDs for 47 points and 482 total yards on the day.
His impressive numbers left many with few words to describe them, including Bills TE Dawson Knox.
“When you throw more touchdowns than incompletions I think that speaks for itself, ” Knox said while addressing the media after the game. “There’s not much to be said when you have stats like that.”
“I mean obviously, the plays that he’s made all year is incredible, I think his passer rating was almost perfect tonight and it’s insane so it’s fun,” he added about Allen.
As head coach Sean McDermott points out, the progression from the raw talent Allen showed on arrival to the NFL to the dominant performance in Sunday’s win, is the result of his work in the weeks before games.
“It’s fun to watch young players develop. There’s a lot that goes into that,” McDermott said during his postgame press conference. “And number one is the player, in this case, Josh, taking great ownership of his development and his preparation this week is what led him to the results you saw on the field.”
Allen will look to continue to put the preparation in ahead of Buffalo’s next playoff game, as Buffalo moves a step forward in the direction of the Super Bowl.
One thing that’s become clear, is that the QB is preparing and playing at the next level the Bills will need him to if they are to reach it.
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Josh Allen to Dawson Knox the first time was a thing of beauty that was never supposed to happen: ‘I thought I threw the ball away’
Bills TE Dawson Knox turned in a memorable 2 TD performance Saturday, becoming the first TE in NFL history to do so in the first quarter of a playoff game.
He caught every one of his five targets for 89 yards in the Bills’ seven TD 47-17 win over the Patriots.
That included an impressive toe-tap grab in the back of the endzone that had an 18.4% completion percentage, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
This angle of Josh Allen's TD to Dawson Knox is 🔥 @JoshAllenQB @dawson_knox #BillsMafia
📺: #NEvsBUF on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/mO4GG6HLlR— NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2022
It was the second-most-improbable TD catch of the 25-year old’s career, and it turns out there was more than one reason for that.
After the game, Knox shared what he saw then learned from QB Josh Allen during and after the play.
“It’s just another scramble drill, and we know how many incredible plays he’s made on the move this year,” Knox said while addressing the media.
“So I was just kind of moving around on the back of the end zone looking at him and he threw the ball up and I thought he was throwing it to me, and I was like ‘wait I can get this one’. Thankfully caught it, celebrated, got to the sideline, I was like ‘thanks man, thanks for throwing it up, giving me a chance’, and he was like ‘I meant to throw it away!’
The special catch did not go unnoticed by his quarterback either.
“That’s what I was trying to do,” Allen joked at first while addressing the press. “Honestly, I thought I threw the ball away, he made an unbelievable play.”
“I did not mean for that to happen but Dawson was in the right place at the right time, ” he added regarding the heads-up play.
Knox set the Bills franchise record for TD catches in a single season this year by a TE and has been opening some eyes and turning some heads with his improved level of play.
He has the right quarterback for the job, as Allen has become known for eye-opening plays and performances on the field as well.
The sequence may sound familiar to NFL fans. Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers made headlines last season with a similar throw-away play to the same corner of the endzone, only to have RB Jamall Williams catch it.
Knox certainly didn’t seem to mind one bit.
“You know, it just worked out for us.”
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