Tag: NFLSU

LOOK: Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson’s best highlights from Pro Bowl flag football

The former LSU players stole the show during the Pro Bowl.

The NFL once again changed up the Pro Bowl format this year. Now, instead of the usual game, the AFC and NFC played a three-game flag football series with the team being coached by Peyton and Eli Manning, respectively.

As representatives for their own conferences, the Pro Bowl flag football competition pitted Cincinnati Bengals receiver [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] and Minnesota Vikings receiver [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag] — former college teammates at LSU — against each other.

The NFC ultimately took the overall Pro Bowl crown with a win in the final game, but both Chase and Jefferson made some big plays. Here were the highlights.

WATCH: Ja’Marr Chase scores go-ahead touchdown in Pro Bowl flag football game

Chase made one of the plays of the game for the AFC in a losing effort.

[autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] joined his former college teammate [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag] as representatives for LSU in the Pro Bowl flag football game, though they were on opposite conference teams.

Chase made the biggest highlight of the two, catching a go-ahead long touchdown pass from Tyler Huntley in the final minutes of the second half. Unfortunately for Chase, the AFC defense didn’t hold up its end of the bargain as it gave up a game-winning touchdown with just 12 seconds left.

Still, Chase made what may have been the play of the game for his squad, which is now tied with the NFC at nine points apiece in the overall Pro Bowl games standings.

Chase, the defending NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, only played in 12 games this season due to injury. Still, he surpassed the 1,000-yard threshold for the second-straight season while also totaling nine touchdown receptions.

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NFL fans loved this heartwarming video of Justin Jefferson teaching a young reporter the griddy

Jefferson made that young man’s week.

The griddy has become Justin Jefferson’s signature move, both in college at LSU and in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. So much, in fact, that it was the first question he was asked at the Pro Bowl by Jeremiah, an industrious 10-year-old reporter who first went viral for a sideline interview with Davante Adams earlier this season.

Jeremiah asked Jefferson about his first griddy celebration in the NFL back during the 2020 season, which set the stage for the many that followed. Jefferson’s response was priceless.

“Whose son is this?” Jefferson asked. “How he like this? He’s a smart kid, man.”

Jefferson capped off the interview by teaching Jeremiah the griddy.

It was such a cool moment to see from Jefferson, and NFL fans loved every bit of it.

WATCH: Odell Beckham Jr. appears to be making progress rehabbing ACL tear ahead of free agency

OBJ seems to be on the right track to get back on the field.

Former LSU receiver and current NFL free agent [autotag]Odell Beckham Jr.[/autotag] didn’t play football in 2022, but his hiatus could be coming to an end soon.

Beckham tore his ACL during the Los Angeles Rams‘ Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last season, and he has spent the last year rehabbing his knee. He met with several teams this offseason, including Dallas, which flew him out for a visit but ultimately chose not to sign him after realizing he wouldn’t be healthy enough to participate in a postseason run.

However, he seems to be making progress based on a video he posted on his Instagram story on Tuesday. It’s a short clip, but he looks comfortable running and cutting.

Beckham just turned 30 a few months ago, and though he hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2019 — his last full campaign — he had 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight games with the Rams last year as he played an integral part in the team’s postseason run.

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How Derek Stingley Jr. fared in his rookie year with the Houston Texans

Here’s how Stingley played as a rookie while battling some injuries.

[autotag]Derek Stingley Jr.[/autotag] was the lone first-rounder to come out of LSU in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was LSU’s top defensive draft pick since 2009 when DL [autotag]Tyson Jackson[/autotag] also went No. 3 overall.

Stingley had been viewed as a first-round pick since his standout freshman year in 2019, where he wasn’t just the best freshmen DB in the country, but the best overall. He demonstrated elite ball skills and had the athleticism to make an impact in the return game.

Injuries in 2020 and 2021 prevented Stingley from matching his 2019, but the talent remained. Stingley dealt with more injury issues as a rookie, missing time with a hamstring injury.

Let’s take a look at how Stingley performed when he was on the field.

Is Joe Burrow going to reset the quarterback market when he signs an extension?

Ian Rapoport thinks Burrow will get the next market-resetting quarterback deal.

The NFL is a constant game of one-upmanship.

When one elite player signs a new mega-contract, every other elite player at that position will search for a deal that either matches or, in some cases, exceeds the current largest contract.

With no position is this more pronounced than quarterback, to whom the largest deals are given. Patrick Mahomes is currently the quarterback king after signing a 10-year, $450 million extension (which has the highest total value among quarterback contracts though not the highest yearly salary).

However, there are a number of talented young quarterbacks still playing on rookie deals, and one of them is former LSU quarterback [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag].

Burrow is in the midst of a fantastic third year with the Cincinnati Bengals, who he has guided to the AFC Championship for the second straight year and will look to return to the Super Bowl. Burrow has one more season on his rookie contract (plus the fifth-year team option), and he could be in the market for an extension.

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said of all the pending quarterback deals, he thinks Burrow will be the one to reset the market.

“If anyone could do it, Burrow could do it,” Rapoport said.

It’s hard to argue with Rapoport’s logic here, considering everything Burrow has accomplished to begin his NFL career. Winning a Super Bowl this season would be the icing on the cake, but regardless, locking Burrow down for the long term should be the Bengals’ top priority entering the 2023 season.

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Joe Burrow was caught on a hot mic saying ‘I’m him,’ and his response was perfect

“Did I say that?” he asked with a laugh “Sometimes you black out out there I guess. I don’t know.”

Cincinnati’s impressive 27-10 win over the Buffalo Bills was one of the most impressive of Joe Burrow’s five playoff wins as he picked apart one of the league’s more talented defenses as a barrage of snow fell in Orchard Park, New York.

During that win — which set up a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs — Burrow was wearing a microphone, and after a passing touchdown to tight end Hayden Hurst in the first half, you can make out Burrow yelling, “I’m him!”

It’s the kind of moment we’ve come to expect from Burrow, whose style, confidence and, of course, play, have made him one of the NFL’s biggest icons already in his young career.

Burrow was asked about that moment during a press conference on Wednesday, and Burrow’s response was absolutely hilarious.

“Did I say that?” he asked with a laugh “Sometimes you black out out there I guess. I don’t know.”

Sure, Joe. Whatever you say.

Burrow is in the midst of a fantastic third season in the league. He’s one of five finalists for the NFL MVP award, alongside former LSU teammate [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag], and he’s looking to take Cincinnati to its second straight Super Bowl after the Bengals came up just short against the Rams last season.

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Twitter reacts as Joe Burrow leads Bengals past Bills in snowy Divisional Round matchup

Burrow is heading to Kansas City for a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game.

[autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] and the Cincinnati Bengals braved blizzard-like conditions in Buffalo on Sunday afternoon to stun the favored Bills on their home field. With the 27-10 win, Cincinnati will travel to Kansas City for the AFC Championship in a rematch of last year’s contest against the Chiefs.

The conditions were far from ideal for Burrow and the Bengals’ passing game, but that didn’t stop the former LSU signal-caller from leading an efficient performance. He completed his first nine passes with two touchdowns — one of which went to [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag], who totaled five catches for 61 yards — and he finished the game 23 of 36 for 242 yards with that pair of passing touchdowns.

A 100-plus-yard day for Joe Mixon on the ground and a lights-out defensive performance against Josh Allen and Co. also certainly helped.

With Burrow set to play for the chance to go to a second-straight Super Bowl, here’s how Twitter reacted.

Joe Burrow beat Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. Could Josh Allen be next?

Joe Burrow is cementing himself as one of the NFL’s top three quarterbacks.

[autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] is a winner.

His throws aren’t as splashy as Patrick Mahomes’ or as strong as Josh Allen’s, yet he’s 3-0 in his last three meetings with Mahomes.

He led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in just his second year and one probably needs little reminding of what he did at LSU. In high school, he was Ohio’s Mr. Football.

Wherever Burrow has been, he has succeeded.

The Bengals will host Josh Allen and the Bills on Monday night in what is a meeting of two of the NFL’s top teams. Based on Super Bowl odds, these squads are squarely in the league’s top five.

Burrow is used to this spot by now — a high-stakes game on a national stage. A win for the Bengals keeps them hunting for the AFC’s top seed and depending on Sunday’s results, could even clinch the division.

With a loss, Cincinnati could find itself sitting in second place in the AFC North heading into Week 18.

The Bengals are where they are now because of Burrow. He’s behind an offensive line that’s just 29th in PFF’s pass-blocking grade and his top target, [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag], missed a significant portion of the year with an injury.

On top of that, the scheme he operates within has its faults. Zac Taylor has drawn his fair share of criticism over the last couple of years in spite of the Bengals success. All of this makes what Burrow is doing even more impressive.

He’s a top-three quarterback in the NFL right now. I’d put Mahomes and Allen in front of him, and that’s it. That’s why a win on Monday would be a big deal. Burrow has already beaten Mahomes, not once, not even twice, but three times. All in big spots, too.

If Burrow and the Bengals were to win on Monday, I think we have to put Burrow in that conversation with Mahomes and Allen.

I’m not always a big proponent of using wins as a QB stat. The game is much more nuanced than that, but it gets to a point where a guy just keeps finding a way to win so frequently that it can’t be ignored.

The best QBs find a way to control games and Burrow does that as well as anyone. The numbers and ratings back it up. Burrow ranks first in PFF’s passing grade and is top 10 in most other areas too.

Burrow and the Bengals came up just short in last year’s Super Bowl and again, the odds will be stacked against them. An injury to right tackle [autotag]La’el Collins[/autotag] complicates it even further, but the Bengals remain loaded at the skill positions.

The postseason in sports is all about who gets hot at the right time and the Bengals are hot, but Monday night will be their toughest test yet.

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Could Justin Jefferson break Calvin Johnson’s receiving record?

Justin Jefferson has his eyes set on the NFL record.

Justin Jefferson’s career could not have had a better start. The star receiver put up prolific numbers since he joined the league.

Jefferson’s career is on a record pace and he just broke the Vikings‘ single-season receiving record. Calvin Johnson’s NFL record could be up next.

Johnson’s record-setting campaign of 1,964 receiving yards in 2012 still holds. With two games left to play, Jefferson is at 1,756. He needs 209 yards to catch Johnson.

It’s worth noting that Johnson set his record while the NFL was still using a 16-game schedule, not the 17 games Jefferson gets now. The Vikings’ final two games are on the road in Green Bay and Chicago. The weather this time of year could make passing a bit harder than it is in the comfort of Minnesota’s dome.

The Packers and Bears rank 27th and 30th in yards per pass allowed, which could make up for any difficulty posed by the weather. Jefferson’s season is already seventh-best on the single-season yardage list.

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