Tag: Packers

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Packers in Week 15

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Packers in Week 15

The Seattle Seahawks will host the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday Night Football in Week 15. Mike Macdonald’s defense was dominant in last weekend’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals, limiting them to 18 points and intercepting Kyler Murray twice. We’ve compiled three bold predictions for the defense versus the Packers.

Uchenna Nwosu records a sack

Veteran EDGE Uchenna Nwosu returned from a lengthy stint on the sidelines last week. The sack-artist played just 30 snaps as Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde opted to ease him back into the lineup. He totaled one pressure via 17 pass-rushing snaps. Nwosu could sack Packers quarterback Jordan Love while handling a slightly larger workload.

Tyrice Knight keeps the hype going

Rookie linebacker Tyrice Knight has been a revelation since helping replace Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker in the starting lineup. Knight was everywhere in last weekend’s win over the Cardinals, leading the team with 12 total tackles en route to earning NFC Defensive Rookie of the Week honors. Look for the former UTEP standout to build on that performance against the Packers.

Ernest Jones IV forces a fumble

Off-ball linebacker Ernest Jones IV has been outstanding since arriving in Seattle via midseason trade, routinely leading the defense in tackles. Jones recorded his first turnover as a Seahawk by intercepting Murray last week. The do-it-all defender could generate a turnover for a second consecutive week by forcing a fumble versus the Packers.

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3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks offense vs. Packers in Week 15

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks offense vs. Packers in Week 15

The Seattle Seahawks will host the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday Night Football in Week 15. Mike Macdonald’s squad is coming off a terrific 30-point showing in a comfortable victory over their NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals. We’ve compiled three bold predictions for the offense versus the Packers.

Zach Charbonnet shines again

Starting running back Kenneth Walker III missed his second consecutive practice on Thursday with an ongoing calf injury. In relief of Walker last Sunday against the Cardinals, Zach Charbonnet rushed for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns via 22 carries. Charbonnet could impress for a second consecutive week in a lead-back role.

DK Metcalf leads the passing offense

DK Metcalf has taken a backseat to Jaxon Smith-Njigba in recent weeks. JSN has been serving as Geno Smith’s go-to receiver in a breakout sophomore season. Metcalf has remained a steady performer, recording 49-plus receiving yards in five consecutive appearances. DK hasn’t scored a touchdown in four straight games, however. He’s due for a big-time showing.

Sataoa Luamea plays a quality game

Sixth-round rookie Sataoa Luamea will start his third straight game at right guard in place of the injured Anthony Bradford. The former Utah standout was steady in pass protection versus the Cardinals, allowing zero sacks and just one quarterback pressure. Luamea is attempting to continue his level of play against a Packers defensive line posting a 26th-ranked 35% pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR), per ESPN Stats & Info.

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Opinion: Mickey Loomis shouldn’t be trusted to hire the Saints’ next head coach

Mickey Loomis got lucky back in 2006, and he’s ridden that win for too long. He can’t be trusted to hire the Saints’ next head coach after Dennis Allen went bust:

Mickey Loomis got lucky back in 2006 when the Green Bay Packers didn’t hire Sean Payton as their head coach, and he’s ridden that win for too long.  Really, he got lucky twice — that same offseason the Miami Dolphins failed a physical for Drew Brees, who signed with the New Orleans Saints instead. That combination established the greatest era in franchise history, winning a Super Bowl together and changing the perception of pro football in New Orleans for a generation.

And Loomis has gotten too much credit for it. When Payton agreed to take the job as his second choice, Loomis was coming off a terrible decision to trade up for Johnathan Sullivan in the 2003 NFL draft, a historic bust at defensive tackle who was off the team and then out of the league in just three years. It’s a mistake he didn’t learn from and repeated with later draft-day gambles on Sedrick Ellis (2008) and Marcus Davenport (2018), among others. It isn’t exaggeration to say Payton and Brees saved his job.

Just look at his record. The Saints have gone 48-61 during his tenure as general manager when Payton wasn’t coaching them (not counting the 2012 season when Loomis and Payton were both suspended). Now look at his peers. The next three longest-tenured GM’s have all seen their teams advance to multiple Super Bowls — Les Snead (107-99-1), Howie Roseman (135-103-1), and John Schneider (144-94-1). Just because Loomis has held his post a long time doesn’t mean he’s the best at his job. His official record is 207-160, including the 2012 season, but as we said many of those wins can be attributed to Payton.

And Payton was one of two head coaches Loomis has hired. The other was Dennis Allen, who failed to sustain the success Payton found and turned into a dead end. That decision wasted everyone’s time during the 2022, 2023, and very likely 2024 seasons, too. Despite his protests that injuries were to blame, team owner Gayle Benson overruled Loomis and finally fired Allen after his 24-46 career record fell to 26-53 this year.

All of this was said to say that Loomis shouldn’t be trusted to hire the Saints’ next head coach after this season. If Darren Rizzi earns the job by winning out and getting to the playoffs, awesome — that would be remarkable. If a candidate familiar with the organization like Aaron Glenn or Joe Brady ends up being the best fit, great. But that shouldn’t be a call Loomis should make. He’s shown before that he’ll take the easy way out and hire someone he knows, like Allen, rather than seriously consider an outside candidate.

Loomis got lucky once and it bought him a lifetime of job security. The last time he was given free reign to hire a coach he set the franchise back for years. Now, with the hope of a clean salary cap ledger on the horizon and the possibility of a reset coming with it, the Saints can’t trust that Loomis will learn from his mistakes and make the right decision. If firing him isn’t an option, and there’s nothing to suggest it is, promote him to a hands-off role in senior leadership and let someone with a fresh perspective (like assistant general manager Khai Harley) take the reins. We’ll just have to wait and see if Gayle Benson agrees.

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Drew Brees reflects on his most difficult games in the NFL

Which games caused Drew Brees to lose the most sleep? He says prime-time divisional rematches were his toughest challenges in the NFL:

Which games gave Drew Brees the most trouble in his storied NFL career? The former New Orleans Saints quarterback and future Pro Football Hall of Famer shared his take on the toughest challenges he and his teammates had to overcome during a Wednesday appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd.

Brees said it was those divisional matchups on a short week, played under the bright lights in prime time, that lost him the most sleep. He emphasizes greatly with what players on both the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are going through ahead of Thursday night’s kickoff.

“These games were more difficult,” Brees reflected. “These games were more difficult just because of the level of familiarity between divisional opponents. And especially when it’s divisional opponents that are the caliber that Green Bay and Detroit are, the caliber of quarterback, the caliber of team, the caliber of coach. Because there is so much familiarity that going into the game you were constantly thinking about, ‘Well man, they know us really well. They know all these tendencies. So they know that I know that we know that they know,’ you go through that whole exercise.”

Mind games were certainly part of it; in some cases Brees and the Saints played the same Atlanta Falcons team twice in three weeks, and that recency and familiarity made planning for a rematch a unique challenge. And in those situations, Brees said he and his teammates leaned on days of careful preparation to win the day.

Brees continued: “At the end of the day it comes down to, ‘We need to be so on point on our execution. This needs to be a flawless execution type of game.’ And that really became the emphasis in all these divisional games, especially the ones that were prime-time and the ones that have so much meaning given these guys’ status and fighting for a division title. So I found that these were the most difficult games given all the factors.”

Still, the results suggest Brees and his teammates rose to this challenge. Brees started in nine games against NFC South division rivals on Thursday nights with the Saints, winning six times. He went 5-2 against the Atlanta Falcons and 1-1 against the Carolina Panthers (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers never warranted a prime-time slot like this). You don’t achieve a Hall of Fame career without relishing a challenge, and there aren’t many tougher games in the NFL than those against familiar opponents on a short week.

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B/R believes the Saints could play spoiler late in the season

The playoffs are still a long shot for the Saints, but a B/R writer believes they can upset a playoff team before the season is over.

Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon broke down each NFL team’s status going into Week 13, and he has a unique take on the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are coming off their bye week before facing the Los Angeles Rams. Instead of looking directly at their next game, Gagnon looked further down the road:

At the very least, a rejuvenated Saints team looks primed to play spoiler against Washington and/or Green Bay in December.

Interim head coach Darren Rizzi has this team playing with a new energy, and it’s resulted in two consecutive victories. Can it result in three?

How firm Gagnon stands on his evaluation will depend slightly on how the Saints perform this week.

New Orleans doesn’t look like a playoff team yet. They have shown some of the spark displayed early in the season but it’s difficult to generate too much belief after a seven game losing streak.

They could catch a team like Washington or Green Bay slipping if overlooked. The Saints still have more to prove to say it’s a good chance.

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Dolphins announce 6 inactives for Week 13 vs. Packers

Dolphins rookies Mohamed Kamara and Patrick McMorris are both in the lineup Thursday against the Packers.

The Miami Dolphins will have left tackle Terron Armstead in the lineup Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers.

While the team ruled out three defensive players — linebacker Tyus Bowser, cornerback Kendall Fuller, and linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. — Armstead was the only player for Miami who was listed as questionable for the Thanksgiving game. The five-time Pro Bowl left tackle was also listed as questionable for Weeks 11 and 12, but also played in those two games.

The Dolphins also have fifth-round and sixth-round rookies Mohamed Kamara and Patrick McMorris in the lineup. Kamara has only appeared in two prior games, but is playing with Bowser out of action. McMorris was activated from the injured reserve earlier this week and will make his NFL debut Thursday.

With kickoff 90 minutes away, here are the players ruled out by each team:

Dolphins inactives

  • CB Ethan Bonner
  • CB Kendall Fuller
  • QB Tyler Huntley (3rd QB)
  • TE Jack Stoll
  • WR Dee Eskridge
  • LB Anthony Walker Jr.

Packers inactives

  • CB Jaire Alexander
  • LB Edgerrin Cooper
  • OL Jacob Monk
  • WR Romeo Doubs

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3 Dolphins ruled out, Terron Armstead questionable vs. Packers

The Dolphins will be without three players on defense when they take on the Packers.

The Miami Dolphins ruled out three players for a Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers and listed left tackle Terron Armstead as questionable.

Armstead, 33, was questionable in each of the last two weeks, but played in both games. If he’s unable to play Thursday against the Packers, second-round rookie Patrick Paul would likely be called upon to start in the five-time Pro Bowler’s place.

Out of action for the Dolphins are cornerback Kendall Fuller, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., and outside linebacker Tyus Bowser. Miami is expected to start Storm Duck and Tyrel Dodson in place of Fuller and Walker, respectively.

Here’s the full injury report for both teams heading into a Week 13 game at Lambeau Field:

Dolphins injury report

Out

  • OLB Tyus Bowser (knee/calf)
  • CB Kendall Fuller (concussion)
  • LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring)

Questionable

  • OT Terron Armstead (rest/knee)

Packers injury report

Out

  • CB Jaire Alexander (knee)
  • LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring)
  • WR Romeo Doubs (concussion)

Questionable

  • TE John FitzPatrick (back)
  • LB Isaiah McDuffie (ankle)
  • C/G Josh Myers (pectoral)

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5 Dolphins out, 6 limited in Tuesday practice

Tyreek Hill was one of five Dolphins absent from practice Tuesday.

The Miami Dolphins were back on the practice field Tuesday, two days ahead of a Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers, but Tyreek Hill and four other players weren’t participants.

While Hill is dealing with a wrist injury, his absence Tuesday is listed as happening for personal reasons.

Elsewhere, the injury report largely mirrored the estimation the Dolphins released Monday. The only differences were the returns of defensive lineman Calais Campbell and safety Jordan Poyer, who were both listed as expected to miss Monday for rest.

Tuesday participation

DNP

  • OT Terron Armstead (knee)
  • OLB Tyus Bowser (knee/calf)
  • CB Kendall Fuller (concussion)
  • WR Tyreek Hill (wrist/personal)
  • LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring)

Limited

  • DL Calais Campbell (rest)
  • FB Alec Ingold (calf)
  • DT Benito Jones (shoulder)
  • S Jordan Poyer (rest)
  • CB Jalen Ramsey (knee)
  • G Isaiah Wynn (quad/knee)

Full

  • TE Julian Hill (shoulder)
  • S Jevón Holland (hand/knee)
  • G Robert Jones (knee/groin)

Rookie Patrick McMorris previously appeared on the injury report as a full participant, but was removed after he was activated from the injured reserve Tuesday.

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Dolphins estimate 6 players unable to practice Monday

The Dolphins didn’t hold a practice Monday, but they estimated that six players would’ve been missing if they had.

The Miami Dolphins didn’t hold a practice Monday, but they estimated that six players would’ve been missing if they had.

Earlier in the day, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and cornerback Kendall Fuller are both unlikely to play in the team’s Thanksgiving evening game against the Green Bay Packers.

Along with that duo, the Dolphins estimated that two veterans — defensive lineman Calais Campbell and safety Jordan Poyer — would’ve been given the day off for rest. The other two players, offensive tackle Terron Armstead and outside linebacker Tyus Bowser, are dealing with knee injuries.

Monday participation (estimated)

DNP

  • OT Terron Armstead (knee)
  • OLB Tyus Bowser (knee/calf)
  • DT Calais Campbell (rest)
  • CB Kendall Fuller (concussion)
  • S Jordan Poyer (rest)
  • LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring)

Limited

  • WR Tyreek Hill (wrist)
  • FB Alec Ingold (calf)
  • DT Benito Jones (shoulder)
  • CB Jalen Ramsey (knee)
  • G Isaiah Wynn (quad/knee)

Full

  • TE Julian Hill (shoulder)
  • S Jevón Holland (hand/knee)
  • G Robert Jones (knee/groin)
  • S Patrick McMorris (calf)

The most notable name on the Packers’ injury report Monday was wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who suffered a concussion in the team’s Week 12 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Doubs is the Packers’ second leading receiver through 11 games.

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2 Dolphins defensive starters unlikely to play vs. Packers in Week 13

The Dolphins expect to be without a pair of defensive starters Thursday, but the good news is they probably won’t be out long.

The Miami Dolphins expect to be without linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and cornerback Kendall Fuller for a Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Monday.

While both are big losses for the Miami defense, the team may not be without the pair of starters much longer.

Walker, 29, injured his hamstring on a play Sunday without making any contact with a New England Patriots player. While he exited the game and didn’t return, McDaniel said tests have shown the injury isn’t too serious and he likely won’t miss extensive time.

But with Walker expected to miss at least one game, the Dolphins will presumably turn to former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson to take a spot in the starting lineup. Dodson, who was claimed off waivers two weeks ago, replaced Walker in the lineup Sunday and finished with an interception in the Week 12 win.

Fuller, 29, has been out of action since suffering a concussion — his second of the 2024 season — in a Week 10 win against the Los Angeles Rams. In his absence, the Dolphins have mostly relied on undrafted rookie Storm Duck to fill his place.

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