Tag: reaction

Take a look at ESPN’s post-Week 2 AP Poll reaction for the Florida Gators

The Gators come in at No. 5 in ESPN’s post-Week 2 poll, the third-highest ranked SEC team behind No. 2 Alabama and No. 4 Georgia.

Week 2 of the 2020 college football season is in the books, and a new AP Poll has been released, and ESPN’s college football team gave their reactions for each team listed in the top 25.

This week’s poll is the first AP Poll to only feature teams playing football this fall, as the previous poll included teams from the Big 10 and Pac-12, which have postponed their fall seasons.

The Gators come in at No. 5 on this week’s poll, the third-highest ranked SEC team behind No. 2 Alabama and No. 4 Georgia. Here’s what ESPN’s Andrea Adelson said about Florida.

The Gators lost their top four receivers from a year ago, and though there are known players with the opportunity to step up such as Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Toney, watch for some new faces to potentially emerge. So far through camp, true freshman Xzavier Henderson (the brother of former Gators cornerback CJ Henderson) and Jaquavion Fraziars have earned praise. Then there is Penn State transfer Justin Shorter, now eligible to play this season. — Adelson

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Instant reaction to the Lions signing RB Adrian Peterson

An instant reaction and analysis of the Lions signing RB Adrian Peterson

The Detroit Lions got an unexpected jump on the post-cut day transaction frenzy by signing running back Adrian Peterson.

Yeah, that Adrian Peterson. AD. The fifth-leading rusher in NFL history. The four-time All-Pro, seven-time Pro Bowler who tormented the Lions for so many years while a member of the Minnesota Vikings.

It’s a stunning shot of espresso to my black coffee on a holiday weekend morning. That seems to be the reaction from most Lions fans, and I share in it, too.

“Holy (insert expletive of your choosing) I didn’t see that coming!”

While my Lions Wire colleague Erik Schlitt did offer the possibility — Peterson was the first name on his list of players who should interest the Lions — I admittedly didn’t think it would happen. This is a Lions team that cut fifth-round rookie RB Jason Huntley because there was no room in the backfield for him, after all.

Peterson has still got some ability, even at 35. He trudged for 898 yards in shared duty with the Football Team last season. His physical, downhill, high-kneed power running is the same, though the initial burst and long speed have fallen off.

He will not be the starter or the workhorse in Detroit. I consider him an insurance policy for oft-injured Kerryon Johnson and currently injured D’Andre Swift, the clear top 1-2 punch. Peterson is a very different type of back from current No. 3 Ty Johnson.

In the immediate short-term, I expect Peterson to take over the Bo Scarbrough role of power back. Scarbrough, as is often the case with him, is currently injured. He could play quite a bit in the first couple of weeks while Swift eases back from his injury. What Peterson does transcends offensive scheme, so there’s no worry about acclimation to Darrell Bevell’s offense.

The larger question is, how will he perform?

The Peterson we saw in person last year in Washington was not impressive. He managed just 27 yards on 10 carries against last year’s Lions defense, missed a pass protection pickup and got chained to the bench in the second half in favor of Derrius Guice.

Yet he also had some great performances. One week later he dashed through Carolina for 99 yards on just 13 carries. He scored a touchdown, something he’s done more than Barry Sanders in his career, four straight weeks.

Peterson topped 20 carries just once and averaged about 15 touches per game on the year. My snap reaction is he’ll have weeks where he gets 15-18 touches for the Lions and others where he gets four. We’re not kidding when we tell you it’s a running back committee in Detroit…

I do have some trepidation that this is another LeGarrette Blount signing. Fans loved the name but quickly learned to loathe the results, an NFL-worst yards-per-carry average and a decided disinterest in caring about it. I worry this is another Dwight Freeney situation, too.

Freeney was a surefire Hall-of-Famer signed at the end of his career with some fanfare. In 125 snaps for Detroit in 2017, Freeney failed to record a single statistic. No sacks, no tackles, not even a single QB pressure.

I don’t believe Peterson is washed up like that. I do think it’s best to temper expectations. He’s not worth drafting in fantasy football. But he can still create a little magic with his blessed running ability.

 

Sean Payton has the perfect response to Cam Jordan being late for practice

New Orleans Saints DE Cameron Jordan was stuck in traffic on his way to practice, and coach Sean Payton seized the moment on Twitter.

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Who among us hasn’t sat frustrated at a traffic light on our way into the office? That’s where New Orleans Saints all-star Cameron Jordan found himself on Wednesday morning, having been caught at a red stoplight while driving to the practice facility.

Jordan bemoaned his luck on Twitter, joking that the lights must know he’s due for his first day of real work on the practice field. Per the NFL’s new rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teams are allowed to spend as much as 90 minutes of field work in helmets and shells on Aug. 12, but pads and longer practice times are restricted until Aug. 17.

“Don’t rush,” Jordan joked to the lights from his official Twitter account, “take your time.” The big defensive end recently turned 31, and knows the heat of an early August morning in New Orleans very well. So he knows better than his younger teammates what to expect.

What he may have not known is that Big Brother is watching; Saints coach Sean Payton replied to Jordan on Twitter with a jab, tactfully reminding him that, “Those lights not payin your fine!” for being late to practice.

It’s a great moment, and just the latest example of Payton embracing his online persona during the longer-than-usual NFL offseason. In all seriousness, though, there probably isn’t anything to worry about here. Something tells us the five-time Pro Bowler can skate by if he’s a few minutes tardy for warmups.

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NFL Top 100 Players of 2020: Marshon Lattimore is still in Mike Evans’ head

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans took issue with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

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Few divisions around the NFL enjoy as strong of rivalries as the NFC South, with seemingly every team finding a bone to pick with each other. That extends to individual matchups between common opponents, like Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

When Lattimore was introduced on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 list at No. 76, Evans was brought on to help discuss what makes Lattimore great. But when it was pointed out that Lattimore shut Evans down in their first meeting last season (NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill charted 29 matchups between them, with Evans failing to catch his only target) the big Buccaneers wideout took issue with how that was framed.

“Woah, woah, woah, he had a really good game against me?” Evans asked. “The defense had a really good game against me.”

Evans continued, “I will talk good about him — he’s a good player. I guess he had a good game and the whole team had a good game.”

When pressed, Evans did highlight a few of Lattimore’s strengths, saying, “He plays really hard. He’s physical. He makes good breaks on the ball. And he can tackle at corner. That’s not something a lot of corners can do, and he can do it.”

Lattimore has won the lion’s share of games against Evans since entering the league in 2017, though his bad day at the office in the 2018 season-opener left a lasting impression on some fans. While most of the hype videos for this year’s opening-day kickoff will focus on Tom Brady dueling Drew Brees, the latest entry in the Lattimore-versus-Evans saga is sure to be must-watch TV.

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REACTION: Best tweets following team’s rebrand as ‘Washington Football Team’

Social Media went crazy with jokes and reactions after Washington rebranded as the ‘Football Team’ on Thursday afternoon.

It was reported on Thursday afternoon that the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins will now be called the Washington Football Team going forward, until a new name and logo is decided upon.

With the new name comes new jerseys, which will feature the same color scheme and basic design, though the former team name and logo will be removed. On the helmets, each player’s number will be featured instead of the logo.

According to the report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the new name will be decided on with input from former and current players, fans, and sponsors. It is unknown when a new name will be decided upon, but you can plan to go by the current ‘Football Team’ throughout the 2020 season.

Fans and players alike had a field day on social media once the announcement was made.

 

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Watch: Michael Thomas reacts to sky-high ‘Madden NFL 21’ grade

New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas was pleased to join the 99 Club in “Madden NFL 21,” making him one of the best players in the game.

Reactions are usually mixed among NFL players when they learn their grade in the latest iteration of the “Madden” franchise from EA Sports. Oftentimes, they’re motivated to work even harder and earn more respect after a perceived slight from a rating lower than what they think they deserve.

Other times, though, they reach the limit of what’s possible within the popular video game series. That’s the case for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, who was selected as the fifth member of the 99 Club in “Madden NFL 21” after his record-setting 2019 season.

And fans got a look at Thomas in real time as he learned that he’d be joining that exclusive group from a video shared by the official Saints Twitter account, with some help from Thomas’s barber. See it for yourself:

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Sean Payton saw a lot to like of ‘Florida Tom Brady’ in disastrous golf outing

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton had to laugh at Tom Brady’s poor play in a celebrity golf match with Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods.

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Many viewers turned into Sunday’s high-profile celebrity golf match featuring Peyton Manning (and Tiger Woods) against Tom Brady (with Phil Mickelson) expecting a clash of the titans, with the pros setting the pace for two accomplished amateurs.

Instead, the Manning-Woods duo won the day with a runaway lead, with Mickelson doing his best to carry Brady as he struggled with the elements at Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla. And of course Manning was quick on the trigger with trash talk as Brady floundered.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton also got in on the ribbing. Watching from home, Payton saw Brady’s slow start as an opportunity to joke about the Florida version of Brady, which moved with far less poise than the established New England model.

Even Brady’s highlights came with a fall from grace. After making the shot of the day on the seventh hole, scoring birdie from maybe 150 yards out, he immediately followed up splitting his pants when retrieving the ball.

Thankfully, one enterprising Saints fan was quick to offer a patch for the six-time Super Bowl winner:

We’ll see soon if Brady’s difficulties adjusting to life in Florida carry over to the football field. But if nothing else, it’s great to see that the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is mortal.

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Larry Warford says his goodbyes to the Saints

New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl guard Larry Warford said goodbye to his teammates and fans after being released on Friday afternoon.

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The New Orleans Saints released right guard Larry Warford on Friday, parting ways with the three-time Pro Bowler to open a spot in the starting lineup for first-round draft pick Cesar Ruiz — though it’ll take a training camp competition to determine whether Ruiz or Erik McCoy (who played center last year) will directly replace the veteran.

Warford’s release also clears the Saints of about $7.75 million in spending room beneath the 2020 salary cap and opens a spot on the 90-man roster. The Saints will likely look to add another veteran player to fill that vacancy, so stay tuned for a follow-up move.

It’s a disappointing end to Warford’s tenure with the Saints. He reached the Pro Bowl in each of his three years in New Orleans after coming over from the Detroit Lions as a free agent contract. But poor performance last season and a bloated contract spelled the end of his Saints career after the team drafted Ruiz.

Warford took time to thank Saints fans for their support in a post from his official Twitter account:

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Taysom Hill’s new Saints contract earns fiery Twitter reactions from NFL fans

The New Orleans Saints signed Taysom Hill to a two-year contract extension, prompting NFL Twitter to explode in an outpouring of reactions.

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Nothing brings avid football fans together like Taysom Hill. Whether he’s dropping back to pass or catching a throw himself, the damage he does to their fantasy football teams and carefully curated data spreadsheets is sure to get Twitter riled up.

On Sunday, Hill committed an even greater sin by signing a two-year, $21 million contract extension with the Saints that includes $16 million in guarantees. It puts him in prime position to take over for Drew Brees in 2021 as the Saints starting quarterback, while also putting football writers across the country in a fit as they try to rationalize how the Saints could spend so irresponsibly.

See the reactions for yourself:

 

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Watch: Drew Brees, Zion Williamson welcome Cesar Ruiz to New Orleans

New Orleans Saints first-round draft pick Cesar Ruiz received messages from two of the city’s sports icons: Drew Brees and Zion Williamson.

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The New Orleans Saints selected Michigan center Cesar Ruiz in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and it didn’t take long for several big names in the local sports scene to reach out and welcome the rookie to the city.

One of Ruiz’s first teammates to contact him was someone he’ll become very well acquainted with once the Saints gather for training camp: quarterback Drew Brees. Brees interrupted a videoconference call between Ruiz and NFL Network’s Jane Slater, who shared the quarterback’s message on Twitter.

Sporting what appears to be a “quarantine beard,” Brees strolled into camera and excitedly greeted Ruiz, emphasizing how eager he is to get to work. See it for yourself:

If you’re wondering why Brees awkwardly staggered into view at the start of the clip, well, it’s him pulling a dad move. Brees was mimicking the dance moves Ruiz showed off on Thursday night when he learned that the Saints were picking him, which Saints coach Sean Payton joked, “This is what sealed it!”

But Brees wasn’t the only New Orleans sports icon to reach out to Ruiz, though. New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson, the face of the franchise, also shared a message to Ruiz — “from one first-round pick to another.”

Interestingly, Williamson echoed the same advice that Brees shared with him after the Pelicans drafted him last summer: if you show New Orleans love, it’ll love you back.

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