Tag: Pro Dawgs

A little over a year ago, Rome Odunze was playing for the Washington Huskies as his team went into the LA Coliseum and beat the Caleb Williams-led USC Trojans 52-42 to remain undefeated.

Now, the pair are teammates with the Chicago Bears after general manager Ryan Poles used a pair of top-ten picks in April’s NFL draft to revamp what has been one of the league’s worst offenses for the last handful of years. However, the NFC North has turned into arguably the league’s toughest division, and due to a variety of factors, the most glaring of which has been poor play calling, that offensive breakout hasn’t happened yet.

Odunze leads the Bears with 479 receiving yards, but as the Bears sit in last in their division with a 4-6 record, fans are still waiting for Chicago to turn into the offensive juggernaut they were expected to.

Through all the hardships the Bears have faced, including speculation of Williams being benched for backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, Odunze is remaining positive about his future and his relationship with the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner.

“At the end of the day, he’s the one throwing me the ball, so our connection is everything,” Odunze told members of the media on Wednesday. “Building that chemistry [is important]. I can’t have great games without him, and hopefully, he can’t have great games without me. He’s doing his thing back there, and when he has that trust in belief in me, it’s something that gives me confidence to go out there and play freely and fast.”

Williams also took some time at his weekly press conference to discuss the connection he’s built with the former Husky star.

“Hanging out, playing video games, communicating, coming in at the same time and learning all of this together and helping each other throughout this time; being able to have all of those little moments, when those big moments happen, you have an idea and trust and belief that you’re on the same page. Right then and there, it showed up,” he said of turning to Odunze twice in key situations on their final drive during Sunday’s 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

As their connection continues to grow, the one-time Pac-12 stars look like they could be one of the league’s best quarterback/wide receiver combinations.

Even though the Chicago Bears are sitting at 4-6, general manager Ryan Poles can hang his hat knowing that he has some solid offensive building blocks in quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze, especially after moving on from offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

Most of Chicago’s offensive struggles can be traced back to Waldron’s poor coaching, which has been heavily criticized by Pro Bowl receiver DJ Moore since his departure. However, while he hasn’t received the same attention as fellow top-ten picks Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers, Odunze has quietly had a strong season.

He leads the Bears with 479 receiving yards, which ranks No. 6 among all rookies, while his 34 receptions and 14.1 yards per catch both rank No. 5 among rookies with 20 or more catches this season.

Chicago has a fairly weak assortment of defenses coming up, as their remaining opponents allow an average of 226.9 yards per game through the air. Odunze garnered a team-high 10 targets in the Bears’ 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and turned them into 6 catches for a team-leading 65 yards as his chemistry with Williams continues to get stronger.

That chemistry came to a head with two receptions for Odunze on what should have been a game-winning drive for Williams before Cairo Santos’ field goal attempt was blocked, where the two connected for a gain of 16 yards on third and 19, and then 21 yards on fourth and three.

Odunze has been more than solid all season long, proving his worth as a blocker and pass catcher, and should excel under the guise of interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown.

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Michael Penix Jr. is still undefeated when he starts against Bo Nix. Although his Atlanta Falcons lost 38-6 to Nix’s Denver Broncos, there was nothing the former Washington star quarterback could do against his Oregon rival.

The No. 8 overall pick from April’s NFL draft didn’t enter the game until midway through the fourth quarter when the game was well out of hand but displayed the impressive arm talent that convinced general manager Terry Fontenot to spend a premium pick on him.

Penix finished a modest 2-4 for 24 yards and was sacked once by Denver’s relentless front. He had an opportunity to connect with fellow rookie Casey Washington downfield for a big gain and made a pinpoint throw to the sixth-rounder, who got both hands on the ball but was injured going to the ground and couldn’t complete the catch.

That throw would’ve moved the Falcons inside the 10-yard line and given Penix an opportunity for his first NFL touchdown, which would have been more than his counterpart Kirk Cousins produced on the day. The veteran, who has taught Penix plenty during his rookie season, finished 18-27 for 173 yards and an interception and was sacked 3 times in the loss.

“Each and every day, I just try my best to be prepared,” Penix told the AP’s Pat Graham after the game. “Just watching Kirk and seeing see how he goes about his day and how he operates at a high level. Just trying to feed off of that so that whenever I do get in the game, I’m ready for those moments.”

Penix got a brief moment on Sunday but may have to wait a while for his first start.

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Former Washington Huskies star wide receiver Rome Odunze hasn’t been as productive as Chicago Bears fans may have hoped during his first season in the Windy City. The 2023 All-American and No. 9 overall pick in April’s draft has racked up 28 catches for 414 yards and a touchdown through nine games as the Bears have struggled offensively.

On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron took the fall for those woes as the organization fired the former Seattle Seahawks coach and turned to Thomas Brown, the team’s passing game coordinator as the interim play caller.

That should greatly benefit Odunze and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams after head coach Matt Eberflus cited “in-game communication” as one of the biggest reasons he decided to make a change.

“After evaluating our entire operation, I decided that it is in the best interest of our team to move in a different direction with the leadership of our offense,” Eberflus said in a statement. “This decision was well-thought-out, one that was conducted deliberately and respectfully. I would like to thank Shane for his efforts and wish him the best moving forward.”

Due to a combination of play calling and offensive line struggles, the Bears rank near the bottom of the NFL in every major offensive category, while Williams has taken 18 sacks over the last three weeks, including 9 in a 19-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday.

With the struggles up front, Waldron didn’t do much to help his rookie tandem, frequently calling longer-developing routes that would cause Williams to hold the ball for far too long. Odunze has developed a strong connection with the No. 1 overall pick in recent weeks, and if Brown can call more timing routes to help his quarterback get in rhythm early in games, Odunze could be the biggest benefactor and see a statistical explosion in the second half of the season.

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The Kansas City Chiefs may have remained undefeated on Monday Night Football, moving to 8-0 on the season with a 30-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but one player stole the show. Former Washington Huskies star and Tampa Bay defensive tackle Vita Vea looked like the best player on the field and should have been honored as the game’s MVP if the Buccaneers were able to come away with a victory.

In a game where Patrick Mahomes was under duress on seemingly every snap, Vea had arguably the best game of his career while working against All-Pro center Creed Humphrey. He finished the night with a career-high 10 tackles and 2 sacks, totaling 3 tackles for a loss.

Monday night marked the third time in Vea’s career that he tallied 2 sacks on an impressive night for him getting after the quarterback. He had 3 quarterback hits and was also credited for a pressure where he forced Mahomes to roll out to his right before his teammate, Calijah Kancey, finished the sack.

The Buccaneers finished the night with 4 sacks, with Kancey pitching in a second, but proved that they will be a serious threat in a weak NFC South.

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The Arizona Cardinals dominated the Chicago Bears by a final score of 29-9 at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, running for 213 yards on their defense and not allowing their opponents to reach the end zone. However, if coach Matt Eberflus can take one positive away from the day, it was the performance of rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze.

The former Washington Huskies star and No. 9 overall pick in April’s NFL draft hauled in 5 catches as the Bears dropped to 4-4 on the season and 0-4 away from home, leading all pass catchers in the game with 104 receiving yards.

Odunze and fellow rookie, quarterback Caleb Williams, finally showed the downfield connection Bears fans had been looking for, as the pair hooked up for a 44-yard gain at the start of the second quarter. The pair could’ve mustered a lot more, but Williams missed Odunze on a fade route in the corner of the end zone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5Kh7JCwxCk

While wide receiver Keenan Allen earned a team-high 10 targets, Odunze and Williams showed off the explosive connection that has general manger Ryan Poles so excited about their future. The rookie averaged 20.7 yards per catch and outpaced Arizona’s Marvin Harrison Jr., the No. 4 overall pick in April’s draft, who made just 2 catches for 34 yards and lost a fumble.

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Former Washington Huskies star wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk has had a tough start to his NFL career with the New England Patriots. The second-round pick in April’s NFL draft has just 10 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown so far in his rookie campaign and has taken a lot of criticism from coach Jerod Mayo for drop issues.

Then, during the team’s 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Polk suffered a concussion that caused him to leave the game early and miss the following week’s matchup against the New York Jets.

Polk was able to turn in full practices on both Thursday and Friday, signifying he’s cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol and will return when the Patriots take on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. But he isn’t the only member of New England’s offense who cleared the protocol.

Quarterback Drake Maye, who the Patriots selected at No. 3 overall in April, suffered a head injury in the 25-22 win over the Jets but was removed from New England’s injury report, putting him in line to start his fourth game. The Patriots selected Maye and Polk with high hopes for the future of the organization, and while the two don’t appear to be in sync just yet, the quarterback has high hopes for their future together.

“It’s only our second game out there together,” Maye told the media after the London game. “I feel like we’ve left some plays out there, both ball placement-wise, and I’m sure he’d like to have some plays back himself. I think it’s just building the camaraderie, and I think we’re going to get there.”

Former Washington Huskies star wide receiver Rome Odunze has flown under the radar for most of his rookie season with the Chicago Bears. Unlike fellow top 10 picks at the position Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers, Odunze didn’t arrive at his new team as the bonafide No. 1 option and has had to compete with veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen throughout the season.

Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has also struggled at times, completing just 62.5 percent of his passes over the first two months of his NFL career. That has led to a quiet stat line for Odunze, who has pulled in 20 catches on 37 targets for 287 yards and a touchdown.

He’s also added 3 carries for 15 yards and has a chance to take advantage of a subpar Arizona Cardinals secondary on Sunday, which has allowed the No. 5 most passing yards in the NFL through eight weeks and is one of two teams that has allowed scores on over 50 percent of opposing drives.

Coach Jonathan Gannon’s defense has had plenty of issues getting after the quarterback and has totaled just 15 sacks this season. For a Bears offensive line that has allowed a 9.3 sack percentage, the No. 4 worst in the league, facing Arizona’s middling pass rush could be just what Williams needs to get in rhythm with Odunze.

It appears the former No. 1 overall pick is starting to look for Odunze more frequently, as his 3 catches for 41 yards led the team in last week’s 18-15 loss to the Washington Commanders, while his 6 targets were just behind Allen, who finished with 7.

However, Williams struggled to stay on target in the game, completing a career-worst 41.7 percent of his throws, and could be in for a rebound game against the Cardinals. If he can stay on target, Odunze could be in for a productive afternoon in Arizona.

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Former Washington Huskies star Roger Rosegarten had made his presence known on the Baltimore Ravens offensive line. The man who protected quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s blindside during Washington’s national championship run is now protecting reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and creating holes for the league’s leading rusher, All-Pro Derrick Henry, and has quickly turned into an integral piece of Baltimore’s front.

Rosengarten didn’t take the starting job until the third game of the season, which is about the same time that the Ravens’ run game exploded. The former Husky is ranked No. 3 in the league in run block win rate, and Baltimore’s run game went from averaging 168 rushing yards to posting an average of 272.5 yards in his first two starts.

Those numbers subsided when Rosengarten suffered a minor ankle injury against the Cincinnati Bengals but jumped right back up in a 244-yard performance as the Ravens cruised to a huge victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta drafted the anchor of Washington’s Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft for an organization that hasn’t started a player drafted that early since All-Pro guard Kelechi Osemele in 2012. 

Rosengarten also grabbed the attention of NFL veteran Chris Long when he was sent in to take snaps for veteran Patrick Mekari, who was having a hard time containing Las Vegas Raiders defensive edge Maxx Crosby. The two-time Super Bowl champion had high praise for the former second-round pick on his show, the Green Light Podcast.

“This guy Rosengarten, he comes in, and I’m like, ‘Holy s***, is he blocking Maxx Crosby a little bit?’” Long said. “When he’s in, nothing catastrophic happens…What I saw was a guy who’s ready to play”

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s scheme has surged to the top of the NFL, leading the league in rushing yards, averaging over 200 per game, as Henry is on pace to have a 2,000-yard season.

While Rosengarten has struggled as most rookies do in pass protection, he has proven that he is a true road grader in the run game, making huge blocks and allowing both Jackson and Henry to rip off huge gains on the ground. His athletic ability and high ceiling make it easy to believe that he will not only remain a starter for the Ravens but that he could develop into an All-Pro in the future.

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