Tag: NFL

Ezekiel Elliott has no answers after going stagnant in Cowboys loss to the Vikings

What I’m Hearing: Jori Epstein spoke to Ezekiel Elliott following the Cowboys loss to the Vikings on Sunday night and the running back had no explanation for his poor performance.

What I’m Hearing: Jori Epstein spoke to Ezekiel Elliott following the Cowboys loss to the Vikings on Sunday night and the running back had no explanation for his poor performance.

Charles Rogers, No. 2 pick in 2003 NFL draft, dies at 38

Former Michigan State and Lions receiver Charles Rogers has died at age 38: https://t.co/tj9y5W5rSs pic.twitter.com/JbXJKfZId7 – Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 11, 2019 One of the most highly drafted wide receivers in NFL history, Charles …

One of the most highly drafted wide receivers in NFL history, Charles Rogers has died at the age of 38.

A star at Michigan State, Rogers was selected No. 2 overall in the 2003 NFL draft by the in-state Detroit Lions. He was a first-team all-conference pick in back-to-back seasons, winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award as college football’s best wide receiver in 2002. He was also a unanimous All-American selection that season.

Unfortunately, Rogers’ college success never translated to the pro game. He only appeared in 15 games over three seasons with the Lions, catching 36 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns for his career.

The Detroit Lions released the following statement:

Rogers dealt with multiple legal issues during his time in the NFL, and was suspended in 2005 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Though he played just two seasons for the Spartans, his 27 touchdown receptions are still the highest mark in school history, while he ranks No. 3 in career receiving yards.

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2020 NFL draft: Paulson Adebo scouting report

Everything you need to know about Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo

Paulson Adebo | CB | Stanford

Height | 6-1

Weight | 190

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Teams like length at the cornerback position, and Adebo certainly fits that criterion.

His 6-foot-1 frame bears lengthy arms and the size to match up physically with some of the league’s taller wide receivers. Adebo has the physicality in his skill set to jam receivers in press-man coverage, and he does a very good job of using his hands to counter release techniques and shut his opponents down. He is also a willing tackler who takes good angles and possesses the play strength to bring ball carriers down.

Adebo is more than just a big and physical corner, though, as he blends intelligence and athleticism into his game, as well. He is a patient defender who times his jumps on routes very well and fires out of his stance with great acceleration for his size. His hip fluidity is intriguing: he flips his hips with ease and has the athleticism to mirror his receivers’ routes consistently. If you’re looking for ball production, Adebo has that, too, as he has topped four interceptions and at least 10 pass deflections in each of his two seasons as a starter.

Weaknesses

Adebo did not see any playing time during his freshman year. Though he has been productive since, there are some flashes of his relative inexperience at times. His ball production is impressive, but there are times when he can be late to turning his head towards the ball and tracking it down on deep throws, thus impacting his ability to make a play on a more consistent basis.

He shows promise as a tackler, but his form could still use a little bit of work. His footwork in press-man coverage isn’t incredibly consistent yet, so considering he will likely spend a lot of his time in that role in the NFL, he should work on not wasting any steps at the line of scrimmage.

Bottom Line

Adebo is a length, physical and athletic cover man who has the physical tools that teams love at the outside cornerback position. His upside makes him one of the best prospects at his position in this draft class.

Projection: Round 1-2

Is Steelers HC Mike Tomlin a favorite for coach of the year?

Mike Tomlin has done a masterful job of coaching this season.

The most polarizing figure in Pittsburgh sports might just be Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. It seems the media and fans display very little middle ground when it comes to the head coach in his 13th season with the Steelers. For many, Tomlin is the perfect fit for what it means to be a Steeler head coach and his consistency is what keeps fans and media endeared to him.

But on the other side, you have those who view the near-decade absence from a Super Bowl championship and a perceived lack of institutional control as his biggest flaws and the reason the Steelers need to move on from Tomlin.

However this season, it is hard to argue with the job Tomlin has done with this team. Few teams could absorb the loss of its best wide receiver and a franchise quarterback in the same offseason along with the litany of other injuries along with the starting lineup and rally a team to four straight wins and having a team once 1-4 in the playoff hunt.

If the Steelers continue on this path and can find their way to the playoffs after a start that mathematically was the longest of longshots, he will be a strong candidate for coach of the year. This would be a bitter pill for many of his critics to swallow but from an objective standpoint, you cannot undersell the coaching job Tomlin has done this season.

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Everyone is mystified by Jerry Jones’s bizarre clapping

What happened here?

Jerry Jones, welcome to the Hall of Mysterious Clapping.

The Dallas Cowboys owner joins such luminaries as Nicole Kidman and Brendan Fraser (see below) with the applause he gave to Amari Cooper after the receiver made one heck of a touchdown grab in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

To be fair, the catch was so good that it boggles the mind. In the third quarter, Dak Prescott zipped a pass toward the end zone that looked like it was going out of bounds … except Cooper kept his toes in and hauled it in.

And then Jones went and reacted this way:

People were mystified:

Congrats on joining these two:

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Todd Gurley on not getting the ball in 4th quarter: ‘I’m used to it’

Todd Gurley on not getting the ball in the fourth quarter: “I’m used to it.”

Todd Gurley has been a catalyst for the Rams’ offense the last two years. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2017 and 2018, and was named Offensive Player of the Year in Sean McVay’s first season as head coach.

This season has been alarmingly different for Gurley. He’s not getting the ball as much, he’s finding very few running lanes and the Rams are leaning heavily on Jared Goff’s arm. That recipe cooked up by McVay has backfired terribly with the Rams limping to a 5-4 record through nine games.

Gurley seems to have grown frustrated with the offense, specifically with his usage. In Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, Gurley didn’t touch the ball once in the fourth quarter and didn’t even play the first two series to open the final frame.

After the game, he was asked whether he wanted the ball more with the game on the line in the fourth quarter.

“Um, not really. I’m used to it,” he told reporters, via Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic.

So, you mean to tell me the guy who led the NFL in touches, yards and touchdowns the last two years doesn’t want the ball more in the fourth quarter? That’s hard to imagine, but it says a lot about the current state of the Rams.

In two short sentences, Gurley said more than he has all season. It’s troubling enough that he apparently doesn’t want the ball more with the game on the line, but it might be even worse that he’s “used to it.”

This isn’t to say there’s a rift developing between Gurley and McVay, but it’s clear the running back isn’t happy with his role on offense. As for why Gurley didn’t get the ball in the fourth quarter of a one-score game, McVay said it was “kind of just the rotation.”

“I thought Todd really had some tough, hard-earned runs,” McVay said in his press conference. “We got some drives going, but then at the end of the day, we ended up being in some two-minute situations at the end of the game and it was kind of hard to get back into any sort of flow running the football.”

The part about the Rams getting into two-minute situations late in the game isn’t entirely true. They shouldn’t have felt rushed at any point in the fourth quarter besides their final two drives of the game. Entering the last 15 minutes, the Steelers held just a four-point lead.

And after the Rams’ sack with 12:46 left to play, Pittsburgh was only up two points. What about that situation caused the Rams to panic and completely abandon the run after Gurley racked up 73 yards on 12 carries?

McVay and the coaches have a lot of questions to answer, but none are bigger than their usage of Gurley – and the running back has clearly taken notice of his role on offense.

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NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore says Jared Goff’s fumble should’ve been incomplete

Gene Steratore believes Jared Goff’s arm was coming forward on his controversial fumble.

One of the biggest plays in Sunday’s game between the Rams and Steelers came just before halftime when Jared Goff fumbled the ball and it was returned 43 yards by Minkah Fitzpatrick for a touchdown. That gave Pittsburgh a 14-7 lead with 1:44 left in the first half, taking any sort of momentum away from the Rams. The Steelers would hold on to the lead and go on to win 17-12.

The play was reviewed, as all touchdowns are, and the ruling on the field stood as called. Well, after watching the replay several times, many fans and analysts came away wondering if Goff actually fumbled it.

It could’ve very easily been called a forward pass and incomplete, but that’s not how the officials on the field saw it. Former NFL official and CBS analyst Gene Steratore disagreed with the ruling and shared his thoughts on the play on Twitter.

He believes Goff’s arm was coming forward when the ball came out, which would’ve made it incomplete.

After the game, Goff was asked whether it felt like a pass instead of a fumble.

“It did. I haven’t seen a replay though. So I don’t know,” he said. “Once I see a replay, I’ll let you know, but it felt like I threw it, but who knows. I haven’t seen it.”

This will probably do nothing to help the way fans feel about Sunday’s game, but a former official with 15 years of experience views this play differently than those who were on the field Sunday.

Had the play been called incomplete right away, it likely would’ve stood if the Steelers challenged it. However, since it was deemed a fumble, the officials decided there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn it.

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WATCH: This might be the best fake punt play ever

It was a direct-snap, reverse, pitch-back deep throw that went for 26 yards.

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The Arizona Cardinals lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday 30-27 but they had some highlight plays. One play in particular was a fake punt that extended a drive in the fourth quarter.

After the Bucs took at 23-20 lead, the Cardinals had a drive stall after three straight incompletions and lined up to punt.

They dialed up one of the most complex fake punt plays ever run.

Dennis Gardeck took the direct snap, ran left, pitch the ball on a reverse and the receiver tossed the ball back to punter Andy Lee, who threw the ball deep down the left sideline to Pharoh Cooper, who made the catch for a 26-yard gain and first down. Had the catch not been made, it still would not have mattered, as the Bucs were flagged for pass interference on the play.

It might be the trick play of the year. Watch it for the first time or again in the above video.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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