Tag: Noah BRown

WATCH: Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary to Noah Brown gives Commanders the win

Wow.

Once the Chicago Bears scored their second touchdown with under 30 seconds remaining in the game to take a 13-12 lead, things looked bleak for the Washington Commanders. When the Bears converted on the two-point conversion, making it 15-12, the best Washington could hope for was a tie.

Jayden Daniels and the Commanders took over deep in their territory with 19 seconds remaining and only one timeout. The goal was to complete a few passes, get out of bounds and bring on kicker Austin Seibert to hopefully force overtime.

Daniels had other plans. After completing a pass to Terry McLaurin with two seconds remaining, the Commanders had one play left. The only option was a Hail Mary. They never work unless it’s Aaron Rodgers. Right?

Under pressure, Daniels rolled to his right, then reversed field, stopped and unleashed the ball from the Washington 35-yard line to the opposite end zone. The pass fell just a bit short of the end zone as multiple players from both teams were huddled around the goal line. Someone tipped the pass, and it went to wide receiver Noah Brown, who was waiting by himself in the end zone.

Ballgame. Commanders win, 18-15.

Check it out.

Daniels, playing with injured ribs, passed for over 326 yards. Washington improved to 6-2 and stayed atop the NFC East.

What. A. Game.

Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary to Noah Brown as time expires lifts Commanders over Bears

A Jayden Daniels Hail Mary lands in Noah Brown’s arms and the Commanders defeat the Bears

Jayden Daniels threw a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Noah Brown as time expired to give the Washington Commanders an 18-15 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The Commanders completed a pass to Terry McLaurin to give themselves a chance with six seconds left.

It set Daniels up at the Washington 48. The Bears had no pass rush and Daniels took his time before unloading for the end zone.

The pass was deflected to Brown, who was by himself and corraled the football with ease to win the game.

The Bears had not led for 59:37. They took the lead when Roschon Johnson scored on a one-yard run and a two-point conversion followed that gave the Bears a 15-12 lead.

The Bears’ final drive was kept alive by a pass interference penalty on a fourth-and-three when Keenan Allen was targeted with a throw by Caleb Williams.

The game matched the top two picks in the 2024 NFL draft. Williams threw for 36 yards in the first three quarters but 95 in the final quarter.

Daniels, playing through injured ribs, completed 21 passes for 326 yards.

The Bears made a bizarre call on an earlier threat. Williams tried to hand off the football to offensive lineman Doug Kramer Jr. on a fourth down play near the goal line.

Why an offensive lineman when the team had plenty of skill players is beyond comprehension.

Washington recovered and tried to run it the length of the field for a score but the recovering player Jer’Zhan Newton was ruled to be down by contact at the Chicago three.

 

Commanders had interest in free-agent WR before he signed elsewhere

Are the Commanders still looking to add wide receiver depth?

The Washington Commanders could still be looking to shore up their wide receiver room ahead of the NFL trade deadline in two weeks.

Of course, Washington may not be interested in trading for a receiver, such as Tee Higgins or DeAndre Hopkins, but instead bringing in a veteran free agent.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Commanders were interested in veteran wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling before signing with the New Orleans Saints on Monday. Valdes-Scantling, 30, is an eight-year veteran who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers.

He spent the previous two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won two Super Bowl rings. Valdes-Scantling signed with the Buffalo Bills in the offseason but was released last week once they traded for Amari Cooper.

The 6-foot-4 Valdes-Scantling appeared in three games for the Bills, catching two passes for 26 yards. For his career. Valdes-Scantling has 188 receptions for 3,181 yards and 16 touchdowns.

It’s unknown how interested Washington was in Valdes-Scantling, but he could’ve been considered depth as the Commanders appear happy with their wide receivers room. Terry McLaurin is having arguably the best start to his NFL career, while Dyami Brown, Luke McCaffrey, Noah Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus have all settled into productive roles for the NFC’s top offense.

Commanders receive some good injury news ahead of Week 6 vs. Ravens

Brian Robinson Jr. is a game-time decision, but the Commanders get two key players back.

The Washington Commanders released their final injury report, and only one player was ruled out: Rookie safety Tyler Owens will miss the game with a shin injury. Owens has played exclusively on special teams this season and doesn’t impact Washington’s defensive depth chart.

The Commanders’ biggest injury news concerns running back Brian Robinson Jr. Washington listed the third-year running back as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Robinson didn’t practice this week with a knee injury. Robinson didn’t practice last week either, but still played in the Week 5 win over the Browns, scoring two touchdowns on just seven carries.

What did head coach Dan Quinn say about Robinson’s status?

“We’ll take another look where he is at tomorrow to see if it’s just turning for the best and see where we go,” Quinn said. “And we’ll take it all the way up through the game or up to the game with B-Rob.”

Is Quinn worried this is a long-term issue for Robinson?

“It feels more short, but anytime you’re dealing with an injury you want to make sure, is there any longevity to that? We wouldn’t put him out there if that was the case.”

Outside of Robinson, Quinn delivered good news on a pair of key contributors. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell and wide receiver Noah Brown will play on Sunday. Ferrell missed the past three games with a knee injury, while Brown missed last week. Ferrell had sacks in Washington’s first two games, while Brown was a critical piece to the Commanders’ offense.

“Yep. So, Cle was able to get some work today, so that was good,” Quinn said. “So, getting work yesterday and again today, and Noah had a really good session; we thought yesterday and did some stuff to the side today. So, both of them had good weeks.”

Robinson is a game-time decision, but if we learned anything from last week, he’ll be ready to go on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Commanders will be without two key players in Week 5

The Commanders received good news about their RBs, but two key players are out.

During his Friday press conference, head coach Dan Quinn revealed some positive news about the Washington Commanders’ injury situation. Running back Austin Ekeler had cleared concussion protocol and would return for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

Also, starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. was “trending in the right way” for Week 5 after missing two days of practice with a knee injury.

Unfortunately, the Commanders will be without two key contributors.

Starting defensive end Clelin Ferrell will miss a third consecutive game with a knee injury. Ferrell had a sack in each of Washington’s first two games.

Ferrell appears close to a return and Quinn doesn’t believe he’ll need a stint on the reserve/injured list.

“There’s none, and he’s doing well man, and just the fact we’re always going to just do the best we can for these guys, and then they can absolutely do their thing at full speed,” Quinn said. “It was awesome to have him back here at practice and, so he is definitely trending in the right space, but just not quite there just yet. But he really had a good week.”

Wide receiver Noah Brown, who signed late in the summer, will also be out for Sunday. Brown has been excellent for the Commanders, catching nine passes for 111 yards in his three games and been outstanding as a blocker.

“Yeah, and we’re bummed that Noah won’t make it in for this week because he’s added a lot to our team,” Quinn said of Brown. “We’ll miss Noah for sure, man. He not only is on the pass game, but the run game, the size, he’s really made his impact so far.”

Brown’s absence could mean more opportunities for Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey.

A troubling stat from the Commanders offense through 2 weeks

A startling offensive statistic compared to the rest of the NFL.

Far too often, fans and media watch Washington Commanders’ games and wonder why the team doesn’t do a better job of getting wide receiver Terry McLaurin the football.

McLaurin has four consecutive years of 1,000 yards receiving or more, but Washington’s issue at offensive coordinator and quarterback have prevented McLaurin from posting elite numbers.

In the Commanders’ Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels overthrew McLaurin on what would’ve been a long touchdown. McLaurin got behind the defense on another play, and Daniels didn’t throw it.

In Week 2, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury wanted to get McLaurin involved early. The results were mixed. McLaurin did receive eight targets in Washington’s 21-18 win over the Giants but finished with six receptions for just 22 yards.

That was less than four yards per reception for McLaurin. Why the low number?

Through two weeks, Kingsbury has focused on Daniels getting rid of the ball quickly, which means a lot of wide receiver screens instead of downfield throws.

The sheer percentage of those throws behind the line of scrimmage is troubling.

That’s a huge disparity compared to the rest of the NFL. Is this a function of the Kingsbury offense or more of a way to protect Daniels? For now, we’ll say it’s a combination of both. In the second half of Washington’s win on Sunday, Daniels let the ball rip more, including this 34-yard completion to wide receiver Noah Brown on the game-winning drive.

That high percentage of throws to wide receivers behind the line of scrimmage has nothing to do with Daniels. He’s not throwing to WRs behind the LOS because he’s afraid to throw downfield. Fans hope that Washington’s offense from the second half of Week 2 is more of what they see moving forward.

That number should come down in the coming weeks; if not, that’s a concern.

Jayden Daniels spent time after practice working with new WR Noah Brown

Jayden Daniels continues to show off his leadership skills.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels continues to show he’s not like any other rookie. The Commanders chose Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft and didn’t hand him the starting job. He had to earn it, which he did with ease.

Throughout OTAs and into training camp, Daniels earned praise from veteran teammates, such as defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, for being among the first to arrive daily.

When asked what it was like being a star quarterback, Daniels dismissed the question, saying he wasn’t a star quarterback but a rookie quarterback.

This week, Washington finalized its first 53-man roster of the 2024 season, and Daniels officially began preparation for his first official NFL start in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One day after finalizing the initial 53-man roster, the Commanders traded defensive tackle John Ridgeway and signed free-agent receiver Noah Brown. On Thursday, Daniels worked with Brown on the field after practice ended.

 

According to head coach Dan Quinn, it was Daniels’ idea to work with Brown after practice.

Daniels spoke of working with Brown after practice.

“He’s new…….I had a whole training camp with the other guys, and he just came, so just talking through stuff and get him up to speed as quickly as possible,” Daniels said.

The most impressive thing about Daniels is his humble nature. He’s been the ultimate leader, something veteran tight end Zach Ertz noticed immediately. Daniels has yet to play in his first real game, but everyone in Washington believes they’ve found their guy.

Daniels continues to show the Commanders they found the right guy.

Commanders sign wide receiver Noah Brown

The Commanders add some much-needed help at wide receiver.

The Washington Commanders finally added another wide receiver. On Wednesday, Washington agreed to terms with free-agent wideout Noah Brown, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

Brown, 28, spent last season with the Houston Texans, where he appeared in 10 games with seven starts. Brown finished the season with 33 receptions for 567 yards and two touchdowns. Most impressive, Brown averaged over 17 yards per reception.

The Texans re-signed Brown in March, but due to their depth at wide receiver, released Brown earlier this week. The Commanders were immediately linked to Brown due to their need at wide receiver and Brown’s connections to some within the organization.

A seventh-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2017 NFL draft, Brown played collegiately at Ohio State, where he was a teammate of Commanders star Terry McLaurin for three seasons. Brown spent his first six seasons in Dallas, where current Washington coach Dan Quinn was the defensive coordinator during Brown’s final two years with the Cowboys.

At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Brown gives Washington size at receiver and can also play special teams.

The Commanders kept six receivers on their initial 53-man roster, and Brown will take defensive tackle John Ridgeway’s spot. Washington traded Ridgeway to the New Orleans Saints.

Former Texans WR Noah Brown signs with Commanders after roster cuts

Noah Brown has landed on his feet with a new team after being cut by the Houston Texans.

Nick Caserio made it clear Wednesday morning that cutting Houston Texans receiver Noah Brown was arguably the most difficult decision by the franchise entering the regular season.

“He won us two football games literally by himself, the Cincinnati game and Tampa Bay game,” Caserio said. “He had 1,000 receiving in two games, whatever it was. Good football player. He’s going to be on a team fairly soon and probably going to help a team win.”

Caserio was right on one part since Brown found his new home Wednesday afternoon. Fans won’t know if he helps the team win until after the regular season.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Brown is signing with the Washington Commanders and will join the active roster immediately. He’s expected to be the No. 2 receiver opposite Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin while helping No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels get comfortable as he transitions from LSU to the pro level.

Brown was one of the Texans’ most productive players when healthy en route to winning a division title last season. He delivered multiple times last season and served as a security blanket for C.J. Stroud while helping him win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Caserio wasn’t wrong about Brown’s impact. His back-to-back 150-plus yard outings in wins over the Buccaneers and Bengals capitulated the Texans to their first AFC South crown in four years. He also caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum against the Tennessee Titans to tie the game at 16 with 3:03 remaining.

But Brown also dealt with a slew of injuries. He missed seven games during the regular season and left during the first quarter of the wild-card round win over Cleveland with a should sprain.

Even after Brown re-signed a one-year deal this offseason, he missed all of OTAs, returned for training camp and suffered another shoulder strain that sidelined him for three weeks.

“We kept the players that we felt right now that could help us the most,” Caserio said. “I mean, I would say Noah, I mean, certainly part of that discussion. In the end, we just made the decision to move on, but have a lot of respect for Noah. He is probably one of the toughest players that we had on this football team.”

Brown should slide in for the Commanders as a new second target for Daniels following the trade of former first-round pick Jahan Dotson to the Eagles. He already has a relationship with Washington coach Dan Quinn following their stay together with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022.

Brown couldn’t help the Texans the way Xavier Hutchinson, John Metchie III or Robert Woods could come Week 1. The best ability is availability for a team looking to win a conference title. It starts with Week 1 by setting a standard against Indianapolis.

Brown, who finished last season with  33 catches for 567 receiving yards, delivered in Houston for a young quarterback. He’ll look to do the same for another rising passer in D.C.

Two free agent wide receivers that could fit the Detroit Lions

The Lions still have a roster opening, and Russell Brown identifies two available big wide receivers who can help the team

All summer long, we’ve heard about how the Detroit Lions have been looking for a “big-bodied” wide receiver. They tried to make it work with Donovan Peoples-Jones but that didn’t pan out and he was released.

Now, the Lions are down to three wide receivers with experience on their roster. Those three receivers are Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond. Isaiah Williams earned the 4th receiver on the 53-man roster.

It’s unclear if the Lions will carry four or five receivers on the roster now that there is still an opening. Last season, we saw them have five receivers on the roster, but with Josh Reynolds leaving for the Denver Broncos, there’s a void for that “bigger” target.

Certainly, Ben Johnson could identify tight end Sam LaPorta as that bigger target. With that, the Lions coaching staff could be content with just those four receivers I listed. Add in the tight ends they use and the idea of carrying four running backs (David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Craig Reynolds and Sione Vaki) and this passing attack may just be okay.

But let’s say the Lions coaching staff wants another receiver. If that’s the case, there are two receivers that were cut today that could be worth looking at for their roster. Those two receivers are Noah Brown and the other is Terrace Marshall Jr.

Starting with Noah Brown, he’s a veteran receiver entering his 7th season in the NFL. Originally drafted as a 7th round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in the 2017 NFL Draft, he hit free agency last year and signed with the Houston Texans.

In his first and only season with the Texans, Brown recorded 33 receptions for 567 yards and two touchdowns.  Listed at 6’2″ and 220 pounds, he’s the ideal fit for that bigger X-receiver that the Lions could be looking for on their roster.

As for Terrace Marshall, he’s only 24 years old and was a 2nd-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in the 2021 NFL Draft. It was confirmed by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN that Marshall was released. Primarily having bad quarterback play put some limitations on what Marshall could do in the Panthers offense.

He now seeks a fresh start after recording 767 yards on 64 receptions and a touchdown during his 36 games played. When he was coming out of LSU, he did run the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds and checked into the Scouting Combine at 6’2″ and 205 pounds. Playing in a better offense could be exactly what Marshall needs.

https://twitter.com/Panthers/status/1827420135352889367/video/1

We’ve seen them spin the tires on players like this in the past with Denzel Mims and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Despite it not working out for either one of those players, a fresh start in Detroit could be all that’s needed to jump-start the career of Terrace Marshall.

If I had to guess, the Lions would lean more towards Marshall than Brown especially since Brown has been battling through a shoulder injury all summer. It’ll be interesting to see what the Lions do at the wide receiver position. For now, I would consider these two players as the most viable options for the Lions offense.