Tag: nfl season

NFL writer predicts Steelers will bench QB Russell Wilson

Will Russell Wislon survive the season as the starter?

Do the Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback problem? It’s too early to say but in the front office’s aggression to rebuild the roster, they did add two quarterbacks with significant starting experience in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and both guys want to start this season.

NFL writer Judy Battista offered up her bold predictions for the upcoming season and one of the biggest is that she believes Wilson will kick off the season as the starter but end up benched in favor of Fields.

Steelers are paying Wilson a little more than $1 million, while the Broncos are paying the rest of his $39 million salary. That minimal investment by Pittsburgh means there will be little to keep it from turning to Fields if Wilson struggles. Arthur Smith is an experienced and successful offensive coordinator, but any struggle by Wilson — and playing against the defenses in the AFC North gives quarterbacks plenty of chances to struggle — will open the door to Fields, whom the Steelers would almost certainly like to see play before having to decide on his future. I’m calling it: Wilson wins the starting job out of camp, but he won’t hold on to it, and Fields will have Terrible Towels waving for him.

While this prediction might be bold, it’s not at all unreasonable. Pittsburgh has Wilson and Fields both on one-year contracts and they are going to want to see what they have in both guys to sort out future contracts. Even if Wilson is the starter and plays well, we expect to see Fields get reps just so the team can evaluate him for the future.

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Former Steeler Ryan Clark vents about Steelers schedule

Ryan Clark wonders who in the NFL offices did this to the Steelers.

If you haven’t heard yet, the Pittsburgh Steelers schedule for the 2024 season is brutal. Probably the most challenging schedule in the NFL this season and for the Steelers, the toughest eight-game stretch I’ve seen since Mike Tomlin took over as head coach.

Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark didn’t miss it and he didn’t hold back when he went off about how the NFL could do this. “What dude from Cleveland, all of a sudden, got a job in the league office,” Clark said.

The final eight games of the Steelers season are an absolute gauntlet and it’s hard to see the Steelers winning more than one or two depending on injuries.

The Schedule lines up with Pittsburgh playing all six AFC North games during this eight-game stretch along with a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles and at home on Christmas Day against the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

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NFL to release 2024 schedule next week, here are Chargers’ opponents

Who will the Los Angeles Chargers be squaring off against this season?

According to league sources, the 2024 NFL schedule will be released in its entirety on May 15.

There will be leaks before then, but the entire schedule for every team will be released on that day.

Even though we are still days away from finding out the official dates and times the Chargers will be playing, these are the opponents they will be facing off against:

Home

  • Denver Broncos
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Las Vegas Raiders
  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • New Orleans Saints
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Tennessee Titans

Away

  • Denver Broncos
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Las Vegas Raiders
  • Cleveland Browns
  • Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Carolina Panthers
  • New England Patriots
  • Arizona Cardinals

Is Steelers HC Mike Tomlin on the hot seat in 2024?

The Steelers continue to build a contending roster and now it is up to HC Mike Tomlin to get the best of them.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has gone 17 seasons as the team’s head coach without a losing season. That’s a pretty remarkable stat. But not all of the stats during Tomlin’s tenure have been so good. An 8-10 playoff record and a playoff win drought going back to 2016 does nothing to quiet the critics.

This offseason, the Steelers front office has taken the proverbial big swing. The team completely gutted the quarterback depth chart and brought in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields both on one-year contracts. It feels like this roster is being built for a big run in 2024.

Is Mike Tomlin on the hot seat in 2024?
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This is in addition to multiple other roster upgrades as well as a brand new offensive coordinator. All of this makes us wonder if Tomlin is feeling some pressure to be more than just a competitive team in the regular season and if his job be in jeopardy if the team doesn’t take that next step this season with all the new additions.

Cast your vote and let us know if you think Tomlin is on the hot seat in 2024.

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Chiefs DE George Karlaftis looking to carry rookie success into 2023

Heading into the 2023 NFL season, #Chiefs DE George Karlaftis is looking to build off of his successful rookie campaign. | from @LazarczykLogan

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Kansas City Chiefs DE George Karlaftis is looking to build on his rookie campaign in 2023.

Karlaftis spoke to the media at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, showing his desire to pick up where he left off a season ago. He provided insight into what this season could look like and what he’s been trying to improve during the course of the offseason.

“(I’m) really trying to focus on the little things,” Karlaftis said. “The mental aspect, the mental side of the game, you can never get too good at that. The details, the fundamentals, really getting bigger, faster, stronger. Trying to hit it from every angle.”

Speaking on his rookie experience and carrying that over to his second season, Karlaftis feels like the extended number of games played will benefit him in 2023.

“Playing 20 games, having that experience and being around guys like Chris [Jones], Frank [Clark], Carlos [Dunlap], and all the other guys in the room, that helps you out,” Karlaftis said. “I learned a lot this past season, I’m ready to take that with me going forward.”

The second-year pass rusher couldn’t exactly pinpoint when things started to click for him during his rookie campaign. However, he felt that he eventually “figured it out” and overcame the early growing pains late in the season and into the playoffs.

“You have conversations – It happens at a different time for everyone, and at times it got frustrating,” Karlaftis said. “You just keep going forward, put your best foot forward.”

The 22-year-old pass rusher is coming off a productive rookie season, totaling six sacks and 33 sacks in 17 games. Karlaftis will look to carry that production over into this upcoming season, sharing in an even greater portion of the responsibility in his second season.

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Chiefs’ travel distance ranks eighth most in the NFL in 2023

The #Chiefs will travel a greater distance for their games in 2023 than they did just a season ago.

With the 2023 NFL schedule reveal coming on Thursday evening, it’s the season for some interesting facts about each team’s schedule.

We already know which teams the Kansas City Chiefs will face next season. We also know about their game against the Miami Dolphins in Germany and their game against the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year’s Eve. What else do we already know about the schedule? We know the exact distances that NFL teams will have to travel when playing all of their games.

In what has become an annual tradition, Boston Herald sports columnist Bill Speros shared the total miles and number of time zone changes for each of the league’s 32 teams. Being centrally located right in the middle of the country typically means that Kansas City is always around the middle of the pack for travel distance. This year is a little different, however, with the team traveling overseas for an international game.

Check it out:

The Chiefs will cover 24,156 miles with 30 time zone changes when they hit the road in 2023, which ranks No. 8 among all NFL teams. Last season, the Chiefs ranked dead center in the NFL with the No. 16 travel distance. 

The Seattle Seahawks will cover the most miles for the second consecutive year (31,600) and tie for the most time zone changes (36).

The Cincinnati Bengals (11,942) will have the fewest miles traveled in the NFL in 2023, while the Detroit Lions will have the fewest time zone changes (8).

The Chargers are the only team in the AFC West that will travel a greater distance than Kansas City this season (26,102). They’ll also match their 30 time zone changes.

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Where Chargers rank in 2023 strength of schedule

Here’s the entire NFL strength of schedule based on opponent’s records in 2023.

The Chargers have the NFL’s 12th-hardest strength of schedule in 2023 (.517) based on their opponents’ records from last season.

The teams Los Angeles will face this season combined for a 149-139-0 record in 2022.

The Bolts’ opponents for next season were announced a couple of months ago, but dates and times won’t be unveiled until the schedule is finalized in May.

Here’s a look at the NFL’s complete strength of schedule for the upcoming season, per Bills Wire.

Rank Team Record Win Pct.
1 Philadelphia Eagles 161-123-4   .566
2 Miami Dolphins 158-127-2   .554
3 New York Giants 157-129-2   .549
3 New England Patriots 156-128-3   .549
3 Dallas Cowboys 156-128-4   .549
6 New York Jets 155-129-3   .545
7 Buffalo Bills 155-131-2   .542
8 Washington Commanders 153-133-2   .535
9 Los Angeles Rams 152-133-3   .533
10 Las Vegas Raiders 150-136-2   .524
11 Arizona Cardinals 148-137-3 .  519
12 Denver Broncos 148-138-2   .517
12 Seattle Seahawks 148-138-2   .517
12 Los Angeles Chargers 149-139-0   .517
15 San Francisco 49ers 147-139-2   .514
16 Kansas City Chiefs 147-140-0 .  512
17 Cincinnati Bengals 146-140-2   .510
18 Chicago Bears 143-145-1   .497
18 Minnesota Vikings 143-145-0   .497
20 Detroit Lions 143-146-0   .495
21 Baltimore Ravens 138-147-2   .484
22 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 138-148-2   .483
23 Jacksonville Jaguars 135-148-4   .477
24 Green Bay Packers 137-151-1   .476
25 Pittsburgh Steelers 134-151-2   .470
26 Cleveland Browns 131-154-2   .460
27 Carolina Panthers 130-157-2   .453
28 Tennessee Titans 127-157-4   .448
29 Indianapolis Colts 124-162-2   .434
30 Houston Texans 123-163-2   .431
31 New Orleans Saints 122-164-3   .427
32 Atlanta Falcons 119-167-3   .417

The Eagles (.566) have the toughest strength of schedule in 2023, and the Falcons (.417) have the easiest.

Time, date set for Chargers’ regular season finale vs. Broncos

The Chargers look to finish 11-6 and secure the fifth seed.

The Chargers wrap up the regular season on the road against the Broncos.

Los Angeles will take on Denver on Sunday, Jan. 8, at 1:25 p.m. PT at Empower Field at Mile High, the NFL announced Monday.

The NFL’s scheduling rules permit the league to announce the Week 18 schedule in the days ahead of the final weekend of the regular season.

In their first meeting this season, the Bolts beat the Broncos in Week 6 of the season by the score of 19-16 in overtime.

Denver’s last divisional win came against L.A. in Week 12 of the 2021 season. That contest was played at Empower Field at Mile High.

L.A. will look to defeat Denver to finish the regular season with an 11-6 record and enter the playoffs with the fifth seed.

NFL Network gives update on Odell Beckham’s status

NFL Network provides an update on Odell Beckham’s free agency

As the NFL season grows closer, former LSU wideout [autotag]Odell Beckham Jr[/autotag] is still without a home.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network recently had an update on Beckham’s status.

Rapoport pointed out how Beckham is still recovering from an ACL and could be exercising patience. Beckham might not be able to play early in the year anyway, so why not take more time to recover?

It doesn’t seem like Beckham is signing anytime soon. This would give Beckham a chance to join a contender down the stretch in good health.

The Rams have maintained interest, but there hasn’t been much smoke around other teams.

Teams like the Cowboys, Titans, or Colts could use his services. All three of those teams expect to contend but need some more depth at wide receiver.

In 14 games last year, Beckham caught 44 passes for 537 yards. He really shined in the postseason, where he had 288 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

That included a 113-yard performance in the NFC Championship game. In the Super Bowl, he put the Rams up 7-0 with a first-quarter touchdown.

In his eight NFL seasons, Beckham has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on five occasions and that total could be even higher if it weren’t for injuries.

Beckham is just 29 and could be an important part of an offense this year.

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Chargers banking on Year 2 jump from Chris Rumph II

The Los Angeles Chargers expect more extensive contributions from their 2021 fourth-round pick.

It doesn’t come around often for NFL players to hit the ground running as rookies. However, history has shown that most players make strides in their development from their first to second season.

For the Chargers, they are banking on an ascension from edge defender Chris Rumph II, who they drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft.

As a rookie, Rumph played 176 snaps, which he turned into 19 tackles, four quarterback pressures, two hits, and one sack.

Rumph showed flashes of athleticism, lateral quickness, and secondary effort and range. However, his lean frame and lack of play strength led to him being engulfed at the point of attack far more often than not.

That is why Rumph has made the point to get stronger and bigger this offseason.

“Chris has really approached this offseason in a great mindset,” defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill said of Rumph. “He’s obviously put on some weight. We asked him to put on the weight and he looks really good.

We knew that that was going to be a process, when he got here, of him just growing into his body and spending more time in the weight room. He’s been doing everything that we’ve asked him to do.

I know that he is going to have a huge jump, just by having those guys in the room ahead of him giving him some nuggets there.”

Entering the league, Rumph was 235 pounds but on the team’s website, he’s now listed as 244 pounds.

Heading into Year 2, Rumph will serve as a rotational rusher behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, while continuing to make the majority of his money on special teams.

With the additional weight and strength and the pressure packages with the personnel in place coupled with his athletic ability, look for there to be an uptick in production from Rumph.