Tag: Rules

Fox let the ball hit the floor and …

Fox let the ball hit the floor and alerted officials, expecting them to reset the clock and award possession to Sacramento, but that’s not what happened. After a lengthy discussion, officials called a jump ball because neither team had established possession when the whistle was blown. The Lakers won the jump ball and held on to win the game. Gentry said officials correctly interpreted a “dumbass” rule. “Before you ask me about that play, it’s a horse s— rule in the NBA,” Gentry said. “The referees did exactly what they were supposed to do. It is the rule. They enforced the rule the way it is, and so if anything needs to be changed, the rule needs to be changed. I think there’s got to be some common sense. We had the basketball right there. They started the clock. We didn’t start the clock. It wasn’t our error and so we got punished for a dumbass rule. That’s the bottom line, but it had nothing to do with the officials. All they did was exactly what they were supposed to do.”

“I didn’t realize that, and I don’t …

“I didn’t realize that, and I don’t know why it would be a rule anyway,” Gentry said. “I mean, I think you’ve got to use common sense somewhere along the line. There’s a missed free throw. We have the basketball in our possession. We didn’t start the clock, so it was not our error, so we get punished for somebody else’s error. I don’t understand that. I don’t understand how that works. “I just want to make sure everybody understands, the referees, all the they did was enforce the rule as it was written. It wasn’t their decision. It wasn’t anything. The just enforced the rule as it is written, so the rule is the thing that needs to be changed in that situation. There’s no way in hell that ball shouldn’t have been in our possession in a five-point game with 25 seconds to play. That’s an eternity in the NBA.”

NFL won’t recognize Deonte Harris’ name change until after 2021 season

NFL won’t recognize Deonte Harris’ name change until after 2021 season

Well that’s frustrating. All-Pro New Orleans Saints returns specialist Deonte Harris changed his legal name to Deonte Harty in respect to his stepfather on Christmas Day last week, but that won’t be reflected on his jersey — NFL rules stipulate that a player’s name and number are fixed after the season starts. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported the news. He’s still identified as Deonte Harris on the Saints’ official online roster, and the wide receiver continues to use his old name on Twitter and Instagram. We’ll still be using it here at Saints Wire, too, to avoid confusion.

It’s a disappointing move by the NFL, if not unexpected. The No Fun League’s officiating crews aren’t any good at managing games as it is, so allowing players to complete a beautiful gesture to their family near season’s end would just overcomplicate things for the referees. How could they be expected to keep up if the name, not the number, changed on a player’s jersey in the season’s closing weeks?

All jokes aside, this does track with the NFL’s anti-individualist stance in limiting how players may represent themselves and their families during games. There are restrictions on everything from personalized eye black tape to embroidered towels and messages written on undershirts. Players even get fined for not wearing their socks high enough. The NFL puts a lot of value in how players dress and look when the cameras are on them, and the league office is unfortunately eager to punish anyone who steps out of line — or tries to change his name plate at the wrong time.

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Saints place starting center Erik McCoy on COVID-19 reserve list

Saints place starting center Erik McCoy on COVID-19 reserve list; 8 players still in protocols

Another day, another New Orleans Saints starter entering the league’s COVID-19 protocols: starting center Erik McCoy was sidelined on Thursday, joining free safety Marcus Williams and several of their teammates on the reserve list ahead of Week 17’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers. He’s likely going to miss that Panthers kickoff on Sunday, though we can’t rule anything out given the NFL’s relaxed stance. If McCoy can’t play, look for either right guard Cesar Ruiz or backup center Will Clapp to fill in for him.

It’s not all bad, though. The Saints brought back two players from the COVID list in defensive ends Carl Granderson and Jalyn Holmes. That adds some much-needed depth to a position group that’s been whittled down by injuries and the coronavirus. The less Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport have to do on their own, the better off they’ll be.

Here’s the updated list of Saints players still on the COVID-19 list (not including left tackle Landon Young and kicker Wil Lutz, who are out for the season on injured reserve):

  1. OL Ryan Ramczyk (Dec. 24)
  2. RB Dwayne Washington (Dec. 24)
  3. WR Deonte Harris (Dec. 26)
  4. DT Malcolm Roach (Dec. 26)
  5. OL Jerald Hawkins (Dec. 26)
  6. CB KeiVarae Russell (Dec. 26)
  7. S Marcus Williams (Dec. 29)
  8. C Erik McCoy (Dec. 30)

Malcolm Jenkins, Taysom Hill among 9 Saints entering COVID-19 protocols

Malcolm Jenkins, Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian among 9 Saints entering COVID-19 protocols

The New Orleans Saints sent a small crowd of players to the COVID-19 reserve list on Thursday, including two of their top three quarterbacks and a starting safety. It’s going to be a very difficult situation for the team to manage ahead of their Week 16 prime-time game with the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

But that added day could create a buffer for some vaccinated players to clear protocol in returning two negative tests within 48 hours, though any unvaccinated players must sit out a full ten days. Hopefully everyone is only dealing with minor symptoms and can return to health soon.

Still, we shouldn’t expect anyone to return in time for kickoff. Here are the nine players joining tight ends Juwan Johnson and Adam Trautman on COVID-19 reserve:

Report: Trevor Siemian the latest Saints player entering COVID-19 protocols

Report: Trevor Siemian the latest Saints player entering COVID-19 protocols, Ian Book to back up Taysom Hill

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This is what we were worried about when the New Orleans Saints began adding players to the COVID-19 reserve list earlier this week. An outbreak of cases sweeping across the NFL has touched New Orleans, with the Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Jeff Duncan reporting that Saints backup quarterback Trevor Siemian is expected to enter league COVID-19 protocols and be unavailable for Monday night’s game with the Miami Dolphins.

That follows the earlier placements of tight ends Juwan Johnson and Adam Trautman on the COVID-19 reserve list, leaving just two tight ends available for the Dolphins game (Nick Vannett on the 53-man roster and Ethan Wolf on the practice squad). It’s a bad time to be shorthanded.

If Siemian is also sidelined, it leaves New Orleans with only one healthy quarterback behind Taysom Hill: rookie draft pick Ian Book, who hasn’t played a down this season. He’s been inactive for all but two games in Weeks 9 and 10. It’s too late in the game to add another passer, so there’s a non-zero chance we see Book hit the field if Hill misses time while managing a couple of different injuries.

But Duncan’s report adds that other Saints players could land on the COVID-19 reserve list, too. It’s something to keep an eye out for in the days leading up to kickoff with Miami.

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Saints designate Adam Trautman to return from injured reserve

Saints designate Adam Trautman to return from injured reserve

Some reinforcements could be on the way for the New Orleans Saints. Starting tight end Adam Trautman was placed on the injured reserve list after the team’s Week 11 game with the Philadelphia Eagles after hurting his knee, but the team designated him to return on Wednesday ahead of Week 15’s game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Trautman’s absence coincided with the return of Nick Vannett, signed as a free agent this offseason, who went on to average 2.0 receptions for 30.8 receiving yards per game through four starts. Trautman averaged 2.5 catches and 24.1 receiving yards per game in the first 10 games. Vannett has mainly been deployed on screen plays, on which he’s found some success in picking up chunks of yards.

While Trautman struggled throughout the season, a big part of his issues stemmed from shouldering too many responsibilities in his second year as a pro. After playing 39% of offensive snaps as a rookie in 2020, that number jumped to 78% prior to his injury against the Eagles. He didn’t respond well when asked to handle more assignments as a blocker and receiver after playing behind Jared Cook and Josh Hill a year ago.

Maybe working alongside Vannett can help him. Splitting reps as co-starters — which the Saints did well with Cook and Hill in the past — could get Trautman into more advantageous situations where his weaknesses aren’t as badly exposed.

But first Trautman needs to show that he’s recovered from his knee injury and will be able to play without it hindering him. He’s got three weeks in which to practice and earn that green light from the training staff, so stay tuned for updates on his status.

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Six Saints on injured reserve are eligible to return this week

Six Saints on injured reserve are eligible to return this week, including Tre’Quan Smith and Marcus Davenport. But who will get the green light?

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Another week of NFL action is behind us, meaning some New Orleans Saints players managing injuries are closer to returning from injured reserve. Now, being eligible to return isn’t the same thing as guaranteeing they’ll play on Sunday. Sean Payton characterized the situation last week as a more cautious process, saying: “Hopefully in the next, call it three to four weeks, we’re going to have some guys gradually coming back.”

Of the five players who could have returned a week ago, only one of them ultimately did — offensive lineman Will Clapp. So we probably won’t see everyone on this list suit up against Washington. It’s possible the Saints tap the brakes a bit and let them get two weeks of rest in with the bye up ahead, getting the team back closer to full strength coming out of the break.

With a road game with the Seattle Seahawks and a Halloween matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waiting on the other side, it might make more sense to phase some of these players back in alongside Michael Thomas (from the physically unable to perform list) and David Onyemata (from his 6-game suspension).

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Here are the names to know before the Saints begin making decisions in the days ahead:

Saints designate OL Will Clapp to return from injured reserve

Will Clapp is the first Saints player designated to return from injured reserve, while others including Tre’Quan Smith and Wil Lutz remain out of action:

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The New Orleans Saints reported just one roster move on the daily NFL transactions wire: offensive lineman Will Clapp has been designated to return from injured reserve. He has 21 days to practice and be activated to the 53-man roster before he reverts back to the reserve list.

His return could come at a critical time for the Saints offense. They’re still down starting center Erik McCoy (calf) and will be without left tackle Terron Armstead (elbow) for some time, though Clapp’s own injury remains undisclosed.

There are other players who are also eligible to be designated for return, but so far they are still listed on injured reserve: wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith, cornerback Ken Crawley, tight end Nick Vannett, and kicker Wil Lutz. Keep an eye out for status changes for each of them.

In the meantime, the Saints have a group of guards that include Andrus Peat and Calvin Throckmorton on the active roster, with starting right guard Cesar Ruiz pulling double-duty at center. The practice squad can call up Austin Reiter, Caleb Benenoch, Derrick Kelly, and Jordan Mills if needed. Reiter has already seen two game-day elevations this season, so the Saints must sign him to the 53-man roster if they want him to dress out for another game.

Clapp, a 25-year-old LSU Tigers product and 2018 NFL draft pick, has appeared in 25 games with New Orleans (four starts). He was re-signed to a one-year deal earlier this summer after testing the waters in free agency.

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