Tag: Orlando Brown

Eagles-Chiefs: 10 early stats to know for Super Bowl LVll

We’re looking at 10 early stats to know for the #SuperBowlLVll matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs

Super Bowl LVll is set and it’ll have several significant storylines after the Chiefs defeated the Bengals 23-20 in the AFC Championship Game.

Legendary head coach Andy Reid will face his former team, while Jason and Travis Kelce will make the first siblings to face each other in the Super Bowl.

Travis Kelce caught seven balls for 78 yards and a touchdown in Kansas City’s three-point AFC Championship win, while Philadelphia amassed 148 rushing yards in a 31-7 NFC Championship win.

The Super Bowl will be a rematch of a 2021 regular season meeting in which Patrick Mahomes threw five touchdown passes and the Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles 42-30.

In that 2021 matchup, Reid returned to Philadelphia and earned his 100th career win with the Chiefs, becoming the first coach in NFL history to win 100 games with two teams.

Reid’s 140 victories with the Eagles are the most in franchise history.

The 2021 matchup was also a coming-out party for Jalen Hurts who threw for a career-high 387 yards and two touchdowns but Philadelphia (1-3) couldn’t keep up with Kansas City’s high-powered offense.

With preparation underway for both teams, here are 10 initial stats to know for Super Bowl LVll. 

Officials miss obvious Orlando Brown hold on crucial Joseph Ossai penalty

AFC Championship game officials missed an obvious Orlando Brown hold on the game-deciding Joseph Ossai penalty.

With 17 seconds left in the AFC Championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, Patrick Mahomes scrambled to his right on third-and-4 from the Cincinnati 47-yard line, trying to get the ball sa far as possible so that Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker might be able to break the game’s 20-20 tie, and send Kansas City back to the Super Bowl for the third time in four seasons.

Butker was able to make a 45-yard field goal with three seconds left in the game to do just that, but the Chiefs were greatly aided by this unnecessary roughness penalty called on Cincinnati linebacker Joseph Ossai, who pushed Mahomes after he was already out of bounds. .

That penalty took the ball all the way down to the Cincinnati 27-yard line, making Butker’s game-winner an eventual reality. And for all the “interesting” calls referee Ron Torbert’s crew did and did not make in this game, that one was legitimate.

However, there was a non-call on that very same play that could have changed the complexion of the game, and the Super Bowl, had it been called — which it clearly should have been.

If you watch Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown hook Bengals edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson around the neck as the play developed… well, that’s about as clear a holding penalty as you’ll ever see.

Has the penalty been called, the Chiefs would have faced third-and-14 10 yards back from the start of the play, and at that point, barring a Patrick Mahomes miracle (which is never entirely out of the question), we’re playing for overtime here.

Did Ossai make a rookie mistake? Absolutely. But Torbert and his crew are an alleged “all-star” team with decades of combined experience. What would their excuses be for missing a hold this blatantly obvious?

Anton Harrison taken in the first round of the latest Touchdown Wire mock draft

Anton Harrison goes to the Kansas City Chiefs in Touchdown Wire’s latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft.

The NFL playoffs continue with one of the best weekends on the football calendar as championship weekend will decide who goes to the Super Bowl.

With just four teams remaining, the other 28 have moved on to roster, free agency, and draft evaluations. The NFL draft is still three months away, but you can be sure that NFL front offices are already knee-deep in college film.

In the latest 2023 NFL mock draft from the Touchdown Wire at USA TODAY Sports, Doug Farrar has Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] going off the board to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 30. He believes Harrison would be a good replacement for current Chiefs left tackle [autotag]Orlando Brown[/autotag]. Why do the Chiefs need to replace Brown? Here’s what Farrar had to say:

The Chiefs have re-designed their offense to great effect over the last two seasons, but there are still a few things to fix. One of those things is a problem at left tackle. Orlando Brown Jr., who is playing on the franchise tag, is a decent blindside blocker who has serious issues dealing with edge-rushers on the back half of the arc. This was an issue in 2021, Brown’s first year in Kansas City, and it was still a problem in 2022. It has also been a problem in 2023, as we saw early in the Chiefs’ divisional-round win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. – Farrar, Touchdown Wire

In essence, Brown’s problem is when edge rushers want to take him upfield and then turn the corner. For a bigger offensive tackle, that can be a challenge. As the league has gotten quicker off the edge, it might make sense to add more athleticism at left tackle. Harrison has been a popular pick to the Chiefs in 2023 NFL mock drafts for months now.

Who to replace Brown? Were I Chiefs general manager Brett Veach or head coach Andy Reid, I would be looking intently in the direction of Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison, who allowed just one sack and nine total pressures in 2022, and has the skills to do everything from pinching inside to establish running lanes to dealing with those quicker edge guys. – Farrar, Touchdown Wire

It’s certainly possible that the Chiefs draft Harrison and retain Brown to either kick over to the right side of the offensive line or move him inside to guard.

Though the NFL draft is still months away, it’s becoming clear that Anton Harrison is going to be a top-40 pick in 2023. Will he be able to break the Sooners’ streak without a first-round pick? We’ll find out on draft night in April.

[listicle id=79505]

[listicle id=79524]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Every offensive lineman the Oklahoma Sooners have offered in the 2024 recruiting cycle

Which offensive linemen have the Oklahoma Sooners targeted thus far in the 2024 recruiting cycle?

The Oklahoma Sooners have created a reputation for developing NFL-caliber offensive linemen thanks to the work of offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]. [autotag]

Creed Humphrey[/autotag] and [autotag]Orlando Brown[/autotag] are prime examples of the work that is done at OU. Humphrey is arguably the best center in the game just two years into his collegiate career.

Even prior to Bedenbaugh’s arrival in Norman, the Sooners developed two of the best offensive linemen in the NFL today, [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Lane Johnson[/autotag]. The offensive tackles have starred in the league for much of the last decade and continue to do fantastic work at their tackle positions.

Oklahoma’s latest great offensive line talent is on his way to the NFL and has a chance to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Anton Harrison was a tremendous asset for the Oklahoma Sooners offense. He was as adept in run blocking as he was as a pass-blocker, and he takes great athleticism to Sundays.

Oklahoma’s 2023 signing class featured four-star [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag], who was one of the best interior offensive line prospects in the country at the high school level. Oklahoma is hoping to hit home runs with late-rising offensive line signees [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag], [autotag]Heath Ozaeta[/autotag] and [autotag]Logan Howland[/autotag]. All four of their signees to the 2023 class are athletic and physical players who will be difference-makers on Saturdays.

With the 2023 class nearly wrapped up with national signing day just a few weeks away, the Oklahoma Sooners turn their attention to a talented 2024 offensive line class. Here’s who they’ve offered thus far in the [autotag]2024 recruiting cycle[/autotag], according to 247Sports.

TNF Preview: Watch out, Chiefs — the Khalil Mack sack attack is back!

The Chiefs say they’re ready for the challenge of Khalil Mack, but the Chargers’ defense can create coverage sacks, as well. It’s a big TNF challenge.

Last season, Chicago Bears edge-rusher Khalil Mack had six sacks, no quarterback hits, and 22 quarterback hurries in an injury-abbreviated season. The veteran played in just seven games for the Bears in 2021, which was one of approximately 375,182 things that went south for the team under Matt Nagy in Nagy’s final season as head coach.

It was also Mack’s final season with the Bears. On March 10, Chicago traded him to the Los Angeles Chargers for a 2022 second-round pick and 2023 sixth-round pick. It’s light compensation for a guy who can still get it done when healthy, but Mack was still dealing with the effects of the foot injury in the 2022 preseason, so it was difficult to know how he’d pop out of the gate for his new team when he faced his first NFL team, the Las Vegas Raiders, in Week 1.

Mack destroyed any questions about his effectiveness at age 31 just as he destroyed Derek Carr and the Raiders’ passing game. In a 24-19 Chargers win, Mack had three sacks, one quarterback hit, and one quarterback hurry. He was trolling both of the Raiders’ offensive tackles, and putting him in Brandon Staley’s defense with Joey Bosa as his bookend seems almost unfair.

Mack’s most impactful play came with two minutes left in the game. The Raiders had fourth-and-8 from their own 35-yard line, and if they didn’t convert, the game was over.

Mack (No. 52) made that happen; he ended the game with this sack in which he just bull-rushed left tackle Kolton Miller (the Raiders’ one credible offensive lineman) right into his quarterback.

Fast-forward to Thursday Night Football, when the Chargers take on the Kansas City Chiefs. We’ve already talked about how Staley and the Chargers might have trouble with Andy Reid’s new-look offense, but Mack is a player for which Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy could be up nights trying to figure out a counter.

“We’ve been preparing for this game for a long time,” Bieniemy said this week. “I hate to say this, but I guess I gotta welcome Mr. Khalil Mack back to the AFC West. I really don’t like saying that and inviting him back [laughter], but he’s a heck of a player.”

Why is this a problem for the Chiefs? Watch that sack again. Carr didn’t get sacked because his offensive line fell apart; he got sacked because the Chargers plastered his receivers all over the field, and Carr didn’t have an easy opening where he could distribute the ball.

If the Chargers are able to plaster Mahomes’ receivers in this fashion (as impressive as Mahomes’ receivers are), left tackle Orlando Brown isn’t the best guy to have blocking your blind side on an extended play. Brown gave up six sacks last season, and all six of them came with pressure on the back half of the arc. Mack lined up on the defensive right side on 71% of his snaps against the Raiders, so this is an Orlando Brown problem.

On this sack allowed to Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson in the AFC Championship game, Brown was too tentative with his hands, which negated his ability to turn with Hendrickson as he moves to Mahomes. That’s where Hendrickson gained the advantage with his speed to the pocket. And since the Bengals dropped seven defenders into coverage, Mahomes didn’t have an escape hatch.

Brown allowed two of those sacks against the Titans in Week 7, and we’re about to see more late in the down losses. Against Harold Landry, Brown was a bit slow in his kick-step, and Landry was able to blow right by him. Once again, Mahomes didn’t have anything obviously open downfield, which forced him to try and extend the play.

The sack given up to Bud Dupree showed similar issues — both in coverage and in pressure.

“Sure, that’s a great challenge,” Reid said this week, when asked if he was looking forward to how Brown would deal with Mack and Bosa. “He loves that, though. He’s very energetic when it comes to challenges. He wants to be the best and so this gives him – these are the things the merit badges that you get of you take care of business there. So that’s a big challenge you know for our tackles, but again, that’s why we’re in this business.”

It’s nice that Brown is very energetic when it comes to challenges, but it he hasn’t worked on sealing the back half of the arc, he might be far less so as the game goes along.

Perhaps the answer is for the Chiefs to chip Mack with a running back or a tight end in one of their new-look heavy personnel packages, but if that’s necessary, that’s one fewer target for Mahomes.

Another problem with chipping Mack when he’s at his best? As Casey Stengel once said on another matter, “They say it can’t be done, but it don’t always work.”

Mack’s second sack against the Raiders was proof of this. Just ask Miller and halfback Brandon Bolden (No. 34), who each found themselves in the dryer once Mack got going after them. Mack threw Bolden aside like the proverbial sack of potatoes, and he just zoomed by Miller for the takedown.

Anytime you can complicate the picture for Patrick Mahomes with pressure tied to coverage, you’re in pretty good shape. The Chargers, with their new defensive weapon in Khalil Mack, seem specifically well-suited to do just that.

Chargers’ defensive keys to victory vs. Chiefs

Here is what the Chargers must do on the defensive side of the ball to beat the Chiefs.

The Chargers’ defense looked as advertised in Week 1, given their investment on that side of the ball this offseason.

With Patrick Mahomes lining up across from them in Week 2, it’s one of the biggest tests of the year.

Here are four keys for Los Angeles’ defense to limit Kansas City:

Make the anonymous beat you

Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster combined for 14 catches for 200 yards and a TD against the Cardinals, with all other receivers collecting 16 catches for 160 yards. Derwin James will likely line up against Kelce, with Bryce Callahan likely on Smith-Schuster in the slot. Mahomes hasn’t had much issue producing with less than household names catching the ball from him, but making the likes of Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore beat you on Thursday will crank the difficulty down a touch.

Keep the pressure up

LA had six sacks against Las Vegas, with Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa combining for 4.5 of them. Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., meanwhile, allowed five pressures, tied for eighth most in the league, to a Cardinals team whose best pass rusher was Dennis Gardeck. Nothing against Gardeck, but he’s not exactly the same caliber as Bosa or Mack. Brandon Staley told NFL Network on Tuesday that getting pressure against Mahomes and keeping him in the pocket will be a key part of the gameplan, with defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill calling Mahomes “a whole different player” when he escapes contain.

Don’t sell out on the pass

For as good as Patrick Mahomes is, the Chargers must keep one eye on the run game, especially in the red zone. With a revamped offensive line, Andy Reid has had the freedom to get creative with his run scheme over the last season or so, which has paid big dividends for the Chiefs backs. However, neither Clyde Edwards-Helaire nor Jerick McKinnon ranked in the top 30 of yards after contact per rushing attempt, per PFF, suggesting that wrapping Kansas City up early will be effective. Rookie Isiah Pacheco did accumulate 3.71 yards after contact per attempt, but those stats might be a bit noisy considering Pacheco did the majority of his damage after the game was well in hand for Kansas City.

Capitalize on turnover opportunities

The Chiefs fumbled five times on Sunday, only losing one of them to Arizona. It was a similar story at SoFi, where LA forced three Raiders fumbles but failed to recover a single one of them. That said, one Derek Carr fumble did result in a turnover because it occurred on fourth down. Regardless, if Kansas City is going to continue to have problems hanging onto the ball, the Chargers must be in a position to fall on it and give Justin Herbert and company more chances with the ball. This game profiles as a shootout, as it has been every time Herbert and Mahomes have met on the field. Having the ball bounce LA’s way even one time more than it bounces KC’s way could be the difference.

Chargers’ causes for concern vs. Chiefs in Week 2

A look at some causes for concern as the Los Angeles Chargers gear up to face the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chargers came away from Week 1 with a victory, but staying undefeated through Week 2 will be a tall task.

With a short week against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, Los Angeles will have to come ready to play if they want to start 2-0 on the season.

Here are four reasons to be concerned about their chances:

No missed beats without Tyreek Hill

AFC West fans everywhere but Kansas City were elated to see Hill traded to Miami, hoping that the loss of his telepathic connection with Patrick Mahomes would result in a more down-to-earth Chiefs offense. Not so in Week 1, as Mahomes tossed five touchdowns and racked up 44 points against a hapless Cardinals defense. Travis Kelce, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mecole Hardman, and Jody Fortson all had touchdown receptions. With Mahomes under center, Kansas City will always be a high-powered offense, and JC Jackson’s status is still unclear because of the short week. Keeping the Chiefs from running wild will be key to the Chargers’ success.

A much better offensive line

Last week’s previews mentioned frequently that the Raiders’ offensive line looked to be one of the worst in the league, and that bore out on Sunday. LA got home for six sacks, three of which came from Khalil Mack, including a game-clinching strip-sack of Derek Carr in the fourth quarter. But the Chiefs have much more talent up front than Vegas did. Orlando Brown, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith make up one of the best groups in the league, even if right tackle Andrew Wylie isn’t at the same level. The Chargers’ pass rush will be tasked with proving they’re for real in this one.

Secondary talent upgrades

“Upgrade” here both in the sense that Kansas City is improved from last season and that their secondary is better than Las Vegas’. L’Jarius Sneed has continued to develop into one of the league’s better corners in his young career. Trent McDuffie played well in his debut before injuring his hamstring, which has made his status for Thursday unclear. Juan Thornhill and Justin Reid are a solid safety duo. Justin Herbert carved up the Raiders secondary on Sunday, looking like a top-three QB in the league. He has the talent to do so again against the Chiefs, but he’ll have to come out sharp to get LA going.

Crowd noise

Any time the Chargers visit Arrowhead, crowd noise is going to be a factor. It’s a divisional game, on national TV, with likely divisional and playoff implications down the road considering the talent of both teams. I’d expect it to be a playoff atmosphere. With a rookie right guard and newer receivers likely in the rotation because of Keenan Allen’s hamstring injury, some concern about offensive rhythm is justified. If the Chargers can overcome such an obstacle, it’ll be the first step in proving they can hang deep into January.

Top 20 Madden ’23 ratings for Oklahoma Sooners in the NFL

Top 20 ratings for former Oklahoma Sooners in EA Sports Madden NFL 23.

The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner, so we’re on the verge of a new EA Sports Madden NFL game. The folks over at EA Sports have been rolling out positional ratings over the last several days, and now the full database is available to peruse.

Former offensive tackle [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag] leads the way for the Oklahoma Sooners as one of four members of the “99 club” according to EA Sports. He joins Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams and Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett in the exclusive club.

[autotag]Mark Andrews[/autotag] is the third highest rated tight end in the ratings behind Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers.

With the release less than a month away on August 19, let’s take a look at the top 20 Sooners in EA Sports Madden NFL 23.

Chiefs LT Orlando Brown possibly might sit out Week 1 vs. Cardinals

The three-time Pro Bowler and the Chiefs have until Friday to come to an agreement on a long-term contract.

The Arizona Cardinals will host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2022 season. The Chiefs have had some major changes this offseason and are dealing with some contract drama with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.

It is such that perhaps he might not play in the season opener.

The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Brown and have only until Friday afternoon to come to terms on a contract extension. Otherwise, he must play the season on the tag, which will pay him nearly $16.7 million in 2022.

However, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Brown and the Chiefs are not close to a deal and that, if there isn’t a deal, Brown isn’t expected to report for training camp. Garafolo said that playing in the season opener against the Cardinals isn’t certain, either.

Brown has been a Pro Bowler each of the last three seasons.

If he doesn’t play in the opener, that would increase the Cardinals’ chances of a season-opening upset.

[vertical-gallery id=469195]

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

Latest show:

Previous shows:

and

Chiefs LT Orlando Brown has signed with an agent ahead of contract deadline

Orlando Brown has signed with an agent as he and the Chiefs work toward a long-term extension.

The Kansas City Chiefs and left tackle Orlando Brown are one step closer to coming to terms on a long-term contract extension.

Brown, 26, has signed with an agent, Michael Portner of Delta Sports Group, which is good news as Kansas City looks to lock up a pivotal member of their offense.

The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Brown earlier this offseason, giving both sides until July 15 to get an extension done.

“At this point in my life, I realize that my career is bigger than my next football contract,” Brown said in a press release. “Michael stood out to me because we relate to each other on a personal level. From an early age, we were both exposed to the negative effects of diabetes. His father is a nephrologist in the Mississippi Delta. My father died of diabetic ketoacidosis and my younger brother has diabetes. Our common view on these types of real-world issues will result in meaningful work in our home communities. I am so excited for this next chapter of life with Michael.”

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Brown “wanted an agent who didn’t have prior relationships or friendships with any GMs. Portner will be negotiating his first NFL contract, and Brown looked at that as a positive.”

[listicle id=129903]