Tag: Sports Illustrated

Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer share title of ‘most underrated’ Bills

Buffalo Bills safeties Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, named most underrated players on Buffalo Bills by Sports Illustrated.

If you can’t choose one, choose both? Apparently that’s what Sports Illustrated was thinking recently.

SI tabbed their “most underrated” players for each team in the NFL and for the Bills, it was too hard to choose between their starting safeties: Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. So the pick? Both Hyde and Poyer.

Here’s why Conor Orr picked both Bills safeties for the honor:

This may be a bit of a cop-out here, especially since Hyde made a Pro Bowl in 2017, making him properly “rated” at least once in his career. But let’s view this as a public service announcement of sorts. How many people consider the Bills to have one of the better safety tandems in the league? Both have missed fewer than 11 tackles, kept opposing QB completion percentages below 70 and, combined, the pair have contributed roughly 50 snaps in various blitz packages, helping to diversify the looks seen by opponents.

Underrated consideration for these two guys in the eyes of Bills fans is probably shocking. This just goes to show how potentially overlooked the Buffalo secondary is. Instead of Hyde and Poyer, guys such as cornerback Levi Wallace or linebacker Matt Milano would really, truly be, underrated players. But the safety duo? Well… OK.

On Hyde and Poyer being put in this category, let’s hope there’s a changing of the guard in the NFL, thanks in part to Tre’Davious White. Early in White’s career, he was overlooked for national honors, too. In 2019, he was named an All-Pro. Could that national light on the Bills’ No.1 cornerback catch their safeties in 2020?

 

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Sports Illustrated report raises questions about Saints’ involvement in Catholic abuse crisis

Sports Illustrated suggests the Saints were more intimately connected to the local Archdiocese public relations response than they claimed.

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A new report from Jenny Vrentas for Sports Illustrated suggests that the New Orleans Saints were more intimately involved with the public relations campaign for the local Catholic Church following a sexual abuse scandal than the team’s management initially claimed.

Saints owner Gayle Benson, who inherited the team from her late husband Tom Benson, issued a statement back in February that said the team’s executive vice president of communications, Greg Bensel, was asked to assist the church in preparing its public response to allegations and the ongoing lawsuit from abuse survivors. A list of 50-plus clergy who had been charged or identified was released Nov. 2, 2018, with Benson describing Bensel’s involvement as having begun just weeks earlier.

However, Vrentas’ report disrupts that timeline. An email exchange between Benson and Benson added to the public record was dated July 8, 2018, coming a day after a local report from The Advocate on one accused clergy member. While the text of those messages remains confidential, the timing and its inclusion in a subpoena would imply Bensel had been working with the archdiocese communications staff for months, not weeks, before the list was published.

And that’s the crux of the issue here. The church’s initial list included 57 names, but it’s grown over time to 63. An Associated Press report claims at least 20 more names should have been listed, leading plaintiffs’ attorneys to ask how big of a role, if any, the Saints played as an organization in determining which of the accused should be listed and who should not.

With the trial on hold — the Church filed for bankruptcy in May — it could take time for correspondence between Saints executives and the archdiocese to come to light, if it ever does. Vrentas’ reporting digs deeply into the experiences of abuse survivors and their now-complicated relationship with the Saints, but it’s a tough read.

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Great Forecast Given for Incoming Notre Dame Freshman RB Chris Tyree

Bryan Driskell, publisher of Sports Illustrated’s Irish Breakdown site, has written a lot about Notre Dame since 2014.

Bryan Driskell, publisher of Sports Illustrated’s Irish Breakdown site and football analyst for Blue and Gold Illustrated, has written a lot about Notre Dame since 2014. He also coached college football for a decade. The man knows talent when he sees it, and he thinks he’s found it with one of the Irish’s newest players.

Driskell has written about incoming Notre Dame freshman running back Chris Tyree. For a long time, the Irish have lacked someone in the backfield with game-changing speed, and Driskell thinks they’ve found that player in Tyree. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s kept up with Notre Dame’s recruiting for the Class of 2024.

Though Driskell doesn’t anticipate that Tyree will start or even get the majority of carries right away, he advocates for Tyree to not only play this fall, but get seven to 10 touches in each game. He figures it’s the best way for Tyree to foster his game, even as he’s coming off an injury-plagued senior season in high school.

The idea of a Notre Dame running back being automatic seems ludicrous to longtime fans. That Tyree might be the one to change that generates excitement. The pressure is on the coaching staff to develop this kid the right way. Whether they actually do it will be a burning question for some time.

What Revamped 2020 Season Could Mean for Notre Dame’s Independence

With all the talk about college football teams only playing conference games for a shortened 2020, Notre Dame is back at the forefront.

With all the talk about college football teams only playing conference games for a shortened 2020, Notre Dame is back at the forefront. The Irish and their fans take a lot of pride in the program’s independence, and if you asked most people who align themselves with the program, they wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, why would they ever admit that Michigan was right to deny them admission into the Big Ten?

But as Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated points out, the COVID-19 pandemic will create new issues and reignite old ones, namely whether the Irish should bite the bullet and join a conference. Although Notre Dame is not the only independent Football Bowl Subdivision program, it’s the only one regularly discussed as a College Football Playoff contender. To other fans, it’s not fair that their team has to devote most of its schedule to the same opponents every year while the Irish can play whoever they want and still get a seat at the head table if the committee deems them worthy.

The best solution for the Irish would be for the FBS to adopt the “conference-only, plus-one” model that athletic director Jack Swarbrick has talked about. That would almost certainly ensure that Notre Dame plays the same number of games as everyone else. Besides, everyone and their grandmother knows any game involving the Irish means greater exposure for their opponents.

Forde breaks down the Irish’s current 2020 schedule and what every game’s fate could be. Navy and the six ACC opponents should be safe, as should the Shamrock Series game with Wisconsin and the one involving Western Michigan of the Mid-American Conference. Arkansas also is scheduled to play in South Bend, but would an SEC team want to play its only nonconference game on the road? Meanwhile, the Pac-12 has discussed its teams only playing within the conference, which could spell trouble for the annual games against Stanford and USC.

Whatever happens, Notre Dame’s football independence might be more contentious than ever. But even the most ardent Irish haters have to admit that without them, the overall college football brand would suffer greatly. Plus, it’s unlikely the university will have wanted to give away scholarships for nothing, even if it decided to honor them without the reason these particular students came to South Bend. The only thing to do is set up an abbreviated schedule in way that gives independent programs the same number of games as everyone else.

It’s really simple:  If there’s no Notre Dame, there’s no college football. Period.

Saints stay in the top tier of SI’s post-draft NFL power rankings

The New Orleans Saints are firmly among a top tier of Super Bowl contenders in the post-draft NFL power rankings from Sports Illustrated.

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NFL free agency has quieted down, and the 2020 draft is set down in stone. Like every other team, the New Orleans Saints are now looking towards an uncertain offseason with training camp far off on the horizon. Rosters are set across the league and coaching staffs are itching to get to work.

To gauge where teams stand after the biggest events of the summer, SI polled a group of senior writers, columnists, and reporters including Albert Breer, Andrew Brandt, Gary Gramling, Mitch Goldich, Conor Orr and Jenny Vrentas. Here’s what they had to say about the Saints in their post-draft NFL power rankings:

4. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Points in poll: 168
Highest-place vote: 2 (1 voter)
Lowest-place vote: 9 (1 voter)
Season result: 13-3, lost in wild-card round
Post-SB Rank: 5
SI Draft Grade: C-

After three straight heartbreaking playoff exits, Drew Brees is back for another crack at it with a loaded roster.

The Saints sit behind a common group of rivals: the Kansas City Chiefs, the Baltimore Ravens, and the San Francisco 49ers. Various outlets around the NFL media landscape aren’t in as close agreement on who sits behind those four squads, but we’re starting to see the Saints perceived as legit Super Bowl contenders alongside the Ravens and the two teams that played in last season’s title game.

As for the rest of the NFC South: they’re all slotted outside the top ten, including Tom Brady’s upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11). The Atlanta Falcons (17) and Carolina Panthers (30) are not figuring into many Super Bowl LV forecasts, but they’ve surprised us before. Who could’ve imagined they would both botch their last trips to the Super Bowl so memorably?

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Power rankings: SI puts Bills at No. 9, post-draft

Sports Illustrated power rankings and the Buffalo Bills.

Sports Illustrated pegged the Buffalo Bills as their No. 9 overall team is their power rankings released following the 2020 NFL Draft.

A solid standing for the Bills, but some outlets do have the team pushing the top-five in their rankings. The ‘what-ifs’ on Buffalo’s offense do them in here.

Nonetheless, here’s how SI explains Buffalo’s placement:

We know they have the defense, but it’ll be critical for Stefon Diggs to help Josh Allen take a big step forward like the Bills’ front office thinks he can.

While perhaps disheartening, it’s a realistic assessment. Until we see Diggs and the other additions in the Bills offensive with Allen, it’s a big-time question mark. But at least the defense is getting their well-deserved due as one of the best in the business.

Even at No. 9, the Bills are at least the best of the bunch in the AFC East, at least. The Patriots slide into second at No. 15, while the Jets and Dolphins are near the bottom at No. 27 and 27, respectively.

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2020 NFL Draft: SI mock leans offense for Bills in 4-round mock

Buffalo Bills select Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Collin Johnson in Sports Illustrated 2020 NFL Draft mock.,

While the Bills don’t have a first-round pick at the 2020 NFL Draft, there’s still plenty of intrigue attached to their first few picks.

With no glaring need on their roster, when Buffalo’s named is called in rounds two through four, they could still find diamonds in the rough. Think Devin Singletary and Dawson Knox, both third-round picks last offseason.

At this point, these picks could end up seeing Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane add players to anywhere on their roster. In Sports Illustrated‘s latest multi-round mock draft, the Bills see two of their top three picks add offensive playmakers, starting with running back:

LSU Tigers running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

54. Buffalo Bills: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU

In Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the Bills address their “Frank Gore” need. Singletary is Buffalo’s No. 1 running back, but Buffalo needs a complementary piece next to him. Enter Edwards-Helaire.

During Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s three-year career at LSU he ran for 2,103 yards, and 23 touchdowns. He became a household name during his final year, where he helped lead LSU to a national title.

He doesn’t have the measurements of a traditional NFL running back, he stands at 5-foot-8 and weighs in at 209 pounds, but those sorts of measurements actually play to his strengths as a runner. Edwards-Helaire is a patient yet physical runner who makes would-be tacklers miss with jump cuts, spins, or simply lowering his shoulder. Sounds similar to Gore, but he’ll have a long, long way to go to get to Gore’s accolades, naturally.

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Bills’ QB situation ranked No. 23 by Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated is bit hot and cold on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Sports Illustrated is bit hot and cold on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Because of this, in their recent QB room rankings in the NFL, Buffalo’s trio of Allen, Matt Barkley and Davis Webb slot in at No. 23 overall.

SI acknowledges some improvements in Allen, and then calls some concerning, too. Then also predicts there’s a chance for further improvement next season.

Here’s the full roller coaster:

23. Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen grew immensely last year and has the tools to make another leap in Year 3; the question is whether or not it will happen. I think some of the statistics behind Allen’s breakout season are concerning, though an upgraded weapon set and another year of experience for his offensive line may prove us wrong.

The analysis isn’t far off on Allen, although the ranking is certainly questionable. Allen improved in Year 2, which instills some belief that he can improve, even if ever so slightly, once again in Year 3. The target area for his improvement is the deep ball.

Allen has the arm strength, but not exactly the accuracy. In the NFL, you’d like to see your quarterback have a completion percent above 60. Allen went from a 52.8 completion rate as a rookie to a 58.8 percentage last season. In acquiring wideout Stefon Diggs alone, Allen could complete a few more deep balls with the way Diggs brings in contested catches, and inch him closer to that benchmark.

Still, Allen, as it seems to often be, takes a bump here for his playing style. The surprisingly mobile quarterback gets knocked for moving the stick with his feet. On the flip side, the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson lead their QB rooms to the No. 3 and 5 slots in SI’s rankings, respectively, for their dual-threat style.

Those two, especially Wilson, are more proven passers to this point. But that still makes the list a bit curious.

Allen should not a top-10 candidate, but there a few folks ahead of him that are questionable. Those include the Panthers’ Teddy Bridgewater (22), the Bears’ Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles (23), the Browns’ Baker Mayfield (19) and even the Rams’ Jared Goff (15).

Bridgewater has started only six games over the past three seasons while the others listed all took significant steps back last season.

However, there is a bit of a nice silver lining: the Bills have the best-ranked QBs in the AFC East, edging out the Jets (24), Patriots (28) and Dolphins (30).

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Bills land in top-10 of SI’s power rankings

In their latest power rankings released this week, S/I pegged the Bills as their No. 10 team in the NFL: 

Good news and bad news from Sports Illustrated.

In their latest power rankings released this week, SI pegged the Bills as their No. 10 team in the NFL:

The Bills have been trying to get a top receiver since they (very fortunately, in retrospect) missed on Antonio Brown last year. The trade for Stefon Diggs will help Josh Allen—though they paid a very steep price for a receiver who made no secret of the fact that he wanted out of Minnesota—and the Bills also made moves to beef up their defensive line and secondary. But the success of the Bills is contingent on whether or not Allen can take the next step, which is no certain thing.

The bad news comes in at nine. SI placed the Patriots there, stating they’re “not ready to send the Patriots plunging just yet.” Fair, but the writing seems to be on the wall that the Pats are finally going to take a step back. At least currently.

Without Tom Brady, the Patriots only have Jarrett Stidham as their quarterback. Now, if the Patriots signed a Cam Newton or traded up for a top prospect? This could make more sense. But as things sit now, not so much.

Having said that, the Jets and Dolphins are much further away at 24 and 26, respectively, in terms of the rest of the AFC East.

Leading the way in the power rankings for SI is the Chiefs. The defending champs are followed by the Ravens and Saints.

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Sports Illustrated has the Badgers in its way-too-early top-25 for the 2020-21 season

Much has been written about the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team’s impressive finish to the 2019-20 season and what could…

Much has been written about the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team’s impressive finish to the 2019-20 season and what could have been had the team gotten the chance to play postseason basketball.

These queries are warranted, as the team’s No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and potential No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament had them in a great position to achieve the postseason success we haven’t seen from the program in the past two years.

Nevertheless, the team ending the season with a 21-10 record after an eight-game winning streak, paired with Brevin Pritzl being the team’s only notable departure and head coach Greg Gard getting ready to welcome in a stellar freshman class, has Badger fans’ hopes high as we enter the long offseason.

Well, Sports Illustrated’s released a way-too-early top-25 for the 2020-21 season yesterday and their ranking is enough to continue that optimism as they have the Badgers pegged in at No. 14.

For context, if Gard’s unit was to start the season at No. 14 it would be their highest preseason ranking since 2016-17 and their fourth-highest in the history of the program.

Furthermore, of the five times the team has received a top-15 preseason ranking they have made the tournament and won at least one game every single time, with one of those trips ending in the national championship defeat to Duke in 2015.

Other Big Ten teams included in Sports Illustrated’s early rankings include Iowa at No. 8, Michigan State at No. 11, Ohio State at No. 16, Michigan at No. 20 and Rutgers at No. 24.

The Big Ten-winning Badgers will have a long time to wait until that preseason ranking becomes official and the 2020-21 season tips off.