Tag: offense

Kellen Moore’s stunning Super Bowl blowout is a big Saints selling point

It’s one thing to advertise your new head coach as someone who got to the Super Bowl. What Kellen Moore achieved is something else altogether:

It’s one thing to advertise your new head coach as someone who got to the Super Bowl. That message in itself resonates with young star talents like Chris Olave — but what Kellen Moore achieved on Sunday night is something else altogether. The Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator put on a clinic in Super Bowl LIX, preparing his offense to handle one of the NFL’s greatest defenses. And this performance has to be music to the New Orleans Saints’ ears.

Moore faced off with Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and turned the clock back to 2012, when Spags’ Saints defense allowed 440 yards per game. They gave up 345 total yards to the Eagles after allowing just 320 this season. Moore’s unit put up 33 of Philly’s 40 points (not counting a pick-six by rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean), largely thanks to good play from Jalen Hurts in the pocket. A notoriously poor passer against the blitz, Hurts hung in tough against the Chiefs pass rush Spagnuolo has tooled into sending extra pressure.

You can bet Moore walking into the locker room with a Super Bowl ring on his finger will command attention. He still has to accept the Saints job, of course, but that’s long been the expectation. You play to win the game, and to get to this stage, and to win it all like Moore just did. That credibility matters in the NFL.

Outscoring the two-time Super Bowl champs and spoiling their shot at a three-peat is impressive. Doing it inside the Caesars Superdome where the Saints play their home games is meaningful. If the Saints can seal the deal and get Moore to sign a contract? If nothing else it would be a huge shift in vibes from where this team has been. Now let’s see them get across the goal line.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Broncos QB Bo Nix was pleased with a strange realization in his rookie season

“In a strange way… I expected it to be tough, but I was pleased with how at the end of the day it’s just football,” Bo Nix said.

After the Denver Broncos were knocked out of the NFL playoffs last month, quarterback Bo Nix was asked about his rookie season and if it went the way he thought it would.

“That’s a great question,” Nix said on Jan. 12. “It was more than I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be, in a strange way… You go to a new level and you get to the NFL, and I expected it to be tough, but I was pleased with how at the end of the day it’s just football. They have 11 guys; I have 11 guys. We compete to go get first downs and score points. It’s a new system and you’re learning, but you pick it up quick because we’re all professionals and that’s just kind of what we do. That’s our job.

“I was pleased at the turnover. I was pleased at the transition. I thought everybody that had my back throughout the process did a great job of developing me, getting me ready to go. My teammates accepted me, and it makes it easy for me to jump in and just know my role and play. I know that the big jump from your first year to your second year is huge, and it’s all about if you go back to work with the same mindset. What got me here, I have to continue to do that so I can continue to grow as a player.”

Nix certainly performed like it was “just football,” totaling 4,207 all-purpose yards and scoring 34 touchdowns while leading the team to 10 wins. The moment was not too big for the rookie, who admitted that it was strangely not as much of an adjustment as he expected. As the season progressed, Nix became more and more comfortable.

“I knew that I’d be able to slow it down and just treat it as just football the old-fashioned way, 11-on-11,” Nix said. “We work on offense to move the ball and go score, and they play with 11. They’re either going to come out in man or zone. They’re either going to blitz you, or they’re not.

“When you keep it simple, and you can play fast, play quick, play decisive. It helps a lot. So as it went, I was able to become more and more comfortable, and it allowed me to play well down the stretch.”

Nix will now took to take another step forward in Year 2 when he returns for the 2025 season. Players will report for offseason work later this spring.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Wisconsin offensive coordinator has high praise for transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator has high praise for transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.

This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes called Billy Edwards Jr. ‘one of the top two or three’ transfer quarterbacks in the country in a recent Q&A with Matt Lepay and VC Connect.

“I love this kid,” Grimes said in a video clip posted on X. “We looked at a bunch of quarterbacks in the portal. And from the beginning, Billy was one of the top two or three guys in the country, in my estimation.”

Related: Recapping Wisconsin football’s winter transfer portal movement

Edwards committed to the Badgers on Dec. 16, just four days after initially entering the portal. 247Sports lists the former Maryland starter as a three-star transfer recruit, ranked as the No. 284 overall player in the portal and No. 27 quarterback.

Grimes is much higher on the Badgers’ new signal-caller than the broader consensus. He expanded on some of the reasons for that high evaluation.

“There were a lot of guys that some experts may have had rated higher. But I thought his combination of size, arm talent, intelligence, decision-making and athletic ability, combined with personality, toughness, energy that you can tell from watching the film. All of those things were important to me.”

Here is the full clip, courtesy of VC Connect:

Edwards is set to start for the Badgers in 2025 after one year as Maryland’s full-time starter. The veteran completed 65% of his passes for 2,881 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024 for the Terrapins. Those numbers include the context of Maryland finishing second-to-last in the conference (4-8 overall, 1-8 Big Ten). Edwards wasn’t surrounded by much talent or production on his side of the football, especially along the offensive line.

The Virginia native figures to be a near-perfect fit in Grimes’ pro-style offense. He’ll be aided by a terrific offensive line unit, talented running back room and strong wide receiving corps. Those convergent factors should lead to career numbers from the senior quarterback. He won’t have much trouble delivering Wisconsin’s best season from the position since 2019 (Jack Coan).

247Sports transfer quarterback rankings were led by Carson Beck (Georgia to Miami), John Mateer (Washington State to Oklahoma), Luke Kromenhoek (Florida State to Mississippi State), Fernando Mendoza (Cal to Indiana) and Jaron Kaewe Sagapolutele (Oregon to Cal).

According to Grimes, Edwards could surpass most of them.

Wisconsin fans know the first step toward that reality is Edwards staying healthy through an entire season. The team’s high-profile veteran transfer additions have combined to play just 13 combined games over the last two seasons — 10 from Tanner Mordecai in 2023 and three from Tyler Van Dyke in 2024. That dynamic hurt Phil Longo’s air raid attack.

Grimes will need better luck in that regard has he works to return the program to its classic pro-style roots.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

PFF: Wisconsin to enter 2025 with one of best tight ends in the college football

PFF: Wisconsin to enter 2025 with one of best tight ends in the college football

Wisconsin’s busy winter transfer portal cycle was headlined by a few key offensive additions.

Two were at quarterback, the most important position on the field: Maryland starter Billy Edwards Jr. and San Diego State starter Danny O’Neil. Another key addition fulfilled arguably the next-biggest positional need on the unit: Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol.

Related: Early Big Ten football starting quarterback rankings for 2025 season

Koziol, a four-star transfer prospect, is the team’s highest-rated addition: the No. 72 overall player in the portal and No. 3 at his position. 247Sports may even be conservative with its ranking, as Koziol will enter 2025 as ProFootballFocus’ top-ranked tight end.

The Ball State standout finished the 2024 season ranked No. 3 in PFF’s sport-wide ranking with an overall grade of 87.9. No. 1 Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green) and No. 2 Tyler Warren (Penn State) are both off to the 2025 NFL draft. That leaves Koziol as the service’s best returning player at the position.

The rising senior tallied 94 receptions, 839 yards and eight touchdowns for Ball State in 2024, leading the team in every receiving category. He won’t have trouble besting Wisconsin’s recent production from the position — the team got just 23 combined catches for 156 yards and one touchdown from Tucker Ashcraft and Riley Nowakowski in 2024.

Other notable returning tight ends include Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers (87.4 PFF grade), Louisiana’s Terrance Carter (83.6) and Oregon‘s Kenyon Sadiq (80.9).

Wisconsin enters 2025 with a new-look offense under coordinator Jeff Grimes. Edwards and Koziol should form Wisconsin’s best quarterback-tight end duo since QB Alex Hornibrook and TE Troy Fumagalli combined for 46 catches, 547 yards and four touchdowns in 2017.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

Where did Packers offense shine or struggle during 2024 season?

Where did the Packers offense shine or struggle during the 2024 season? Let’s break down a mixed bag for the Packers offense.

The 2024 season was a mixed bag of progression and disappointment for the offense of the Green Bay Packers. In so many ways, the offense made considerable progress in Year 2 with Jordan Love as the starting quarterback, mostly due to the arrival of Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs. But the struggles to end the season — particularly over the final three games — tarnished the end product and eliminated any sense of building optimism entering the offseason.

Improvement isn’t always linear, but the Packers must build off their strengths and get better in a few key areas to take another meaningful step in 2025.

Here’s where the Packers offense shined or struggled during the 2024 season:

Shine: Explosive plays

The Packers ranked fourth in the NFL in explosive plays (as defined by a run of at least 12 yards or a completion of at least 16 yards) and finished in the top five for total plays of at least 20 yards, runs of at least 10 yards and completions of at least 20 yards. And only one team had more passing plays of 50 or more yards than Green Bay’s seven. When at its best, the Packers were an explosive offense that used big plays to set up scoring opportunities. The step forward will likely depend on Jordan Love balancing his hunt of big plays with his desire to protect the football. When Love is hitting big plays down the field, this offense is hard to stop.

Struggle: Run blocking

The Packers rushed for almost 2,500 yards in 2024, but terrific run blocking wasn’t the primary reason why. In fact, one could argue Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs often overcame subpar blocking. Green Bay ranked 23rd in ESPN’s run block win rate and 22nd in PFF’s run block grade, and Jacobs averaged only 2.0 yards before first contact, ranking 51st among all rushers. Matt LaFleur and Adam Stenavich were able to scheme open some explosive runs, and Jacobs was an elite running talent — finishing second in broken tackles forced, per Pro Football Reference and third in yards after contact, per PFF. The Packers became a run-first team behind an offensive line built for pass blocking.

Shine: Breaking tackles

This is where “Feed the Psychos” first originated. According to Pro Football Reference, the Packers led the NFL in broken tackles forced in both the run game (58) and passing game (34). Josh Jacobs finished second in broken tackles as a runner (35) and first in broken tackles as a receiver (13). According to Pro Football Focus, Jacobs led all running backs in missed tackles forced as a receiver (23) and Tucker Kraft led all tight ends in missed tackles forced (15) and average yards after the catch (9.0). Backup running back Emanuel Wilson forced 28 missed tackles on just 106 rushing attempts. Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks combined for 19 missed tackles forced as receivers, and Reed and Bo Melton combined for 10 more misses forced in the run game. Across the board, the Packers were slippery and physical with the football in their hands in 2024.

Struggle: Drops

Drops are subjective, but by almost any stat tracker, the Packers ranked among the NFL’s worst in drops. Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks were the primary offenders — PFF tracked Reed with 10 drops, tied for the third most, while Wicks finished with the worst drop rate in the NFL. The Packers were surprisingly good in contested catch situations (save for Wicks, who was 3-for-15), but finishing the must-have catches was a consistent problem. There were far too many drops in big spots and in big games.

Shine: Avoiding sacks

The Packers allowed only 22 sacks, which ranked as the second fewest in the NFL in 2024. Eight of the 22 sacks were taken by inexperienced backup quarterback Malik Willis, who has a history of holding the ball and converting pressure into sacks. The starter was terrific at avoiding the negative play. Despite battling through two different lower body injuries, Jordan Love was still well-protected in the pocket and consistent in getting the ball out of his hands. Love’s pressure-to-sack percentage of 8.9 was the third best in football, and he didn’t even throw the ball away (15 times) or scramble (7 times) at a high rate. Offensive tackles Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom were one of the best pass-blocking duos in the NFL by PFF grade, and the Packers ended up finishing seventh in pass-block win rate.

Struggle: Third down

The Packers took a surprise step back on third down compared to 2023. The offense converted only 39.6 percent of third downs, and Jordan Love completed only 52.7 percent of his passes and averaged 6.5 yards per attempt on third down. Early in the season, the Packers committed too many early-down penalties and had to attempt to dig out of big holes on third down. Green Bay ended up in (or near) the middle of the pack on third down, on fourth down and in the red zone, so performance in situational football must become more consistent next year.

Shine: Josh Jacobs inside the 10-yard line

The Packers’ early struggles in the red zone were mostly eliminated by Jacobs’ ability to convert touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line. He ended up leading the NFL in both rushing attempts (40) and touchdowns (14) from inside 10 yards, and 11 of his touchdowns came from inside the five. Jacobs finished the season with touchdown runs in eight straight games, setting a new team record. He added another 1-yard touchdown in the postseason. Having a finisher in the red zone was huge down the stretch.

Struggle: Turnovers in big games

The Packers turned the ball over 14 times in their seven losses and only eight times in their 11 wins. Turnovers were especially big in the big games. The Packers turned it over four times in a home loss to the Vikings in Week 4 and four more times in the season-ending loss to the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round. Of Jordan Love’s 14 interceptions, eight were thrown in the six losses to the Eagles, Vikings and Lions. The Packers committed back-breaking turnovers in several losses, including two crucial turnovers in the fourth quarter in the home loss to the Vikings, a pick-six to Kerby Joseph in the home loss to the Lions, a Josh Jacobs fumble to open the road loss to the Vikings and a lost fumble by Keisean Nixon to open the postseason. Overall, the Packers took decent care of the ball in 2024, but the turnovers came at terrible times and often in the biggest of games.

Shine: Surviving and thriving with a backup QB

Jordan Love missed two games with a knee injury, exited another in the second half and missed the final 2.5 quarters in the season finale. Incredibly, the Packers went 3-1 in those games — and they had a lead during the final minute of the loss. Backup Malik Willis, who was acquired in late August, was a revelation for Matt LaFleur. The former Titan completed 74.5 percent of his passes, averaged 10.2 yards per attempt, didn’t throw an interception and rushed for 138 yards while leading the Packers to wins over the Colts, Titans and Jaguars. LaFleur didn’t ask him to do much, but Willis consistently executed. The performance of the backup quarterback was the difference between 8-9 and 11-6 for the Packers in 2024.

Is George Pickens’ bold criticism of Steelers offense his exit ticket?

George Pickens’ criticism of the Steelers offense raises questions about his future in Pittsburgh after a tumultuous season.

Heading into the 2024 season, George Pickens was a Pittsburgh Steeler many fans hoped the team would build the offense around for the foreseeable future.

However, after a rocky relationship between the Steel City and Pickens became evident during the regular season—thanks to the receiver’s immature antics—it’s no secret that many are ready for the Steelers and Pickens to part ways.

Following the Wild-Card playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, reporters asked Pickens if he was optimistic about the offense moving forward.

Pickens had previously alluded to seeing growth from the year he was drafted in 2022 to now but ultimately expressed doubt about the Steelers’ offense, answering the question by stating, “Uhh, nah.”

Pickens has proven time and time again that his disdain for reporters—and the Steelers—continues to slip through the cracks that head coach Mike Tomlin repeatedly attempts to patch up. However, now is the time to pull the plug on the Pickens experiment.

It is understandable to be frustrated after the way this season ended, but failing to show any support for his offensive teammates leaves much to be desired in terms of his character.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Statistical Breakdown: How the Chargers and Texans stack up before wild-card playoff game

The Texans have struggled at keeping their quarterback clean, but they’ve also generated a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks

The Chargers and Texans are set to square off this Saturday, with both teams looking to advance to the divisional round.

Here’s how Los Angeles and Houston stack up statistically on both sides of the ball ahead of the wild-card matchup:

Offense

Category Chargers Texans
Points per game 23.6 ppg (11th) 21.9 ppg (19th)
Passing offense 213.5 ypg (19th) 207.4 ypg (21st)
Rushing offense 110.7 ypg (17th) 112.3 ypg (15th)
Total offense 324.2 ypg (20th) 319.7 ypg (22nd)
3rd down conversions 40.27% (11th) 37.66% (20th)
Red zone scoring 56.00% (18th) 49.12% (26th)
Sacks allowed 44 (19th) 54 (29th)
Turnovers 9 (2nd) 19 (12th)

Defense

Category Chargers Texans
Points allowed 17.7 ppg (1st) 21.9 ppg (14th)
Passing defense 206.9 ypg (7th) 201.0 ypg (6th)
Rushing defense 117.5 ypg (14th) 114.0 ypg (11th)
Total defense 324.4 ypg (11th) 315.0 ypg (6th)
3rd down conversions 35.71% (5th) 35.91% (7th)
Red zone defense 45.00% (1st) 63.64% (27th)
Sacks 46 (6th) 49 (4th)
Takeaways 21 (13th) 29 (5th)

 

Opinion: Derek Carr’s latest comments come off arrogant and delusional

Derek Carr essentially says to look at the tape for why he wouldn’t take a pay cut. It makes you wonder what tape is he talking about:

Derek Carr recently told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell wasn’t willing to play ball with the New Orleans Saints by taking a pay cut, and that is fine. Players are owed the guaranteed money in their contracts. It’s his rationale that is the issue.

Carr said he doesn’t feel he should take a pay cut, “Especially with what I put on tape,” referring to his level of play this year and last.

That statement comes off extremely full of himself and delusional. This isn’t to call him a terrible quarterback, but that’s a statement that should be reserved for a few elite players at a position. He’s not one of them.

Spencer Rattler had his struggles, but the season didn’t start going down when the rookie backup became the starter. Carr started in the first three games of the seven-game losing streak. Three of his wins came against teams picking top-10 in this year’s NFL draft, and one of them (the Carolina Panthers) beat him in a rematch.

The offense stagnated with Carr conducting them. You saw times where he would begin to panic after the pressure got there early in the game. You saw struggles with ball placement. And these issues go back to last year.

When Carr essentially tells you to check his tape, you’d think he was in the MVP race. He did some good things in Klint Kubiak’s system, but those faults are present and prominent as well. The first two weeks were best when he just needed to be an efficient complement to a dominant running attack. He only completed 30 passes in those first two games, both wins, but the Saints went 1-3 when he was asked to attempt 30 or more passes this season (not counting a primetime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs where he threw 28 times).

Undeniable isn’t an accurate description of Carr, but the veteran is acting as if a pay cut is beneath him. He could’ve made his point without putting a target on his back, but his poor choice of words paints a less-than-flattering picture of him.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy comments on limiting turnovers in recent games: ‘Good decision making’

Kansas City #Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy comments on limiting turnovers in recent games: ‘Good decision making’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is noticing gradual improvement in his unit’s efficiency as they march to the postseason with the best record in football. He shared his thoughts on the team limiting turnovers with reporters on Thursday, leading to more scoring opportunities.

“Number one, there’s a lot of teams that thrive off of that turnover, and it flips the field (and) gives them a short field on offense. I think there’s a balance – like Pat’s (Patrick Mahomes) been phenomenal the last several weeks of being good decision making (-wise), and his accuracy’s been really, really good, so all of that comes together,” said Nagy. “The running backs, the ball carriers – you want to make sure you talk about it, and you don’t want to overdo it, but there’s a balance to making sure that they know it. Pittsburgh, last week, they’re special now.”

The Chiefs have not committed a turnover in their last six games, with the previous turnover occurring in their Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Mahomes threw two interceptions in that game, and he’s benefitted from adjustments on the offensive line, allowing only one sack over the past two games.

“They’re elite at what they do with getting the ball – we showed clips of them just punching the ball out all week long of times that they don’t get the ball,” said Nagy. “So, I feel like there’s sometimes where the players – as crazy as it sounds, when they’re in the middle of the play like real quick it clicks in their brain – ‘ball security’ – and then they think about it against a really good team like Pittsburgh.”

The Chiefs will play in Week 18 with nothing on the line but will be evaluating their offense and the depth needed in the postseason.

Chiefs veteran wide receiver continues to play a significant role in the offense

Kansas City #Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson continues to play a significant role in the offense | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs have seen multiple players stand out at wide receiver during different times this season. The additions of DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, and Xavier Worthy have been essential to the team’s success but also has the reliable veteran Justin Watson, who continues to be available for big plays when needed.

Shortly after Watson’s 49-yard catch down the sideline to set up the Chiefs in scoring position, Mahomes found him open again in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown to extend Kansas City’s lead to 13-0 over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day. Watson finished his day with two catches for 60 yards and a touchdown en route to the Chiefs Week 17 victory.

“He (Justin Watson) stacked his corner. I put it out there; let him make a play. I’m happy for him.” said Mahomes during his postgame press conference. “This is home for him. To be able to make a couple (of) plays and get a touchdown, it’s always special to get a touchdown in your homestay.”

The Pennsylvania native has continued to make the most of his opportunities on and off the field throughout his Chiefs tenure, actively mentoring younger receivers.

“We feel like we can continue to get better and better. But obviously, we’re playing, especially offensively, our best football at the end of the year, getting guys healthy,” said Mahomes. “We’re excited. We’re going to keep working. This isn’t the end. This is just the beginning. We’ll continue to work to get even better as we go into the Playoffs.”

Watson joined the Chiefs in 2022 and has known plenty of winning in the NFL since being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 and securing the first of his three Super Bowl titles.