Tag: Stats

Thomas Morstead named NFC Special Teams Player of Week 1

New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead was named NFC Special Teams Player of Week 1 for his efforts against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead earned recognition as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 1, his fifth career honor and the most of any player in Saints history. Morstead was called on to punt six times against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he dropped five of them inside the Tampa Bay 20-yard line; Tom Brady’s Buccaneers offense never took over beyond their own 15-yard line on those five possessions.

The other NFC Players of the Week are Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Washington Football Team pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan. In the AFC, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was joined by Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Casey Hayward and Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson, who booted a career-best 54-yard field goal to help lift his team to a Week 1 win.

Last season, Morstead was twice named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (in Weeks 3 and 6), as well as NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September. For his part, Thomas is more focused on making sure attention is put on the “team” aspect of these award. He took time to praise his teammates and stress how important it is for each of them to work together:

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Drew Brees, Emmanuel Sanders have history of success vs. Raiders

New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees and WR Emmanuel Sanders have a history of success against the Raiders. They need it without Michael Thomas.

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Let’s make this clear from the jump: the New Orleans Saints do not want to play the Las Vegas Raiders without superstar wide receiver Michael Thomas joining them. Thomas has been the No. 1 receiver in New Orleans since the day he was drafted, even if it wasn’t reflected in his last statline (3 catches on 5 targets, gaining 17 yards) before he was cut down by a high-ankle injury.

So the Saints are preparing to face the Raiders in Week 2 with Thomas on the mend for several weeks. If there’s any silver lining here, it’s that his quarterback and No. 2 wideout have a history of success against Las Vegas’s new team.

Sanders has faced the Raiders more often than any other team, playing them 13 times in his career as a member of the AFC West-rival Denver Broncos (and in three matchups with the Pittsburgh Steelers before that). He’s caught more passes against Raiders defensive backs (55) to gain more receiving yards (692) than any other team. He played them one last time in 2019 before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers, going 5-of-7 for 86 yards and a score. That familiarity should be helpful, to say the least.

And Drew Brees also has a solid track record against the Raiders, having started against them 11 times over his long NFL career. He’s recorded a higher passer rating against the Raiders (108.6) than any other quarterback to face them five or more times, per the AP’s Josh Dubow, playing them well regardless of who was calling their defense or trying to tackle him.

Here’s hoping for a get-right game after Brees posted an ugly 160 yards in Week 1, off of an 18-of-30 passing line. He and Sanders have the resume to build some confidence here, but everyone involved would feel a little more sure of things if Thomas were running with them.

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Sean Payton comments on Marcus Davenport’s elbow injury

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton commented on Marcus Davenport’s elbow injury, saying that he doesn’t expect the DE to be sidelined long

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The NFL draft is hyped up as the event when teams seek to get better by adding fresh talent from the college ranks, so it was frustrating to see the New Orleans Saints prepare for their Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without the most valuable players they’ve picked in recent years.

In a Monday appearance on WWL Radio, Saints coach Sean Payton preached patience with one of those players: third-year defensive end Marcus Davenport, ruled out with an elbow injury suffered late in training camp.

“Look it’s gonna be soon here Davenport’s back,” Payton said. “He’s got an injury that if you try to hustle him back too early, [he would] be out for a lot longer. We’re gonna be making the right decisions regarding his health.”

If there’s a silver lining for Saints fans here, it’s that Davenport didn’t start the season on injured reserve. NFL teams are allowed to sideline players on I.R. for three weeks at a time this year, so if this were a long-term problem for Davenport then he would have been designated to the reserve list.

It might suggest the Saints expect him to be back in a week or two, which is supported by Payton’s comments. We’ll learn more when the Saints publish their first injury report on Thursday.

Fortunately, the Saints backups did a great job filling in for Davenport across from starting end Cameron Jordan. Jordan saw his usual majority of snaps (60, 85.7% of the defense’s total) with Trey Hendrickson (39 snaps) and Carl Granderson (23) rotating in. Versatile practice squad call-up Margus Hunt (21 snaps) also got some looks out on the edge. Both Hendrickson and Granderson got onto the stats sheet with sacks, and Hendrickson was credited with a pair of other quarterback hits.

It was enough to raise the hackles of Bucs coach Bruce Arians. After reviewing the game tape on Monday, he roasted left tackle Donovan Smith, who was charged with blocking the Hendrickson-Granderson combo in Davenport’s absence.

“I was very disappointed in his play,” Arians said. “I think every now and then he reverts back to some techniques that are not very good [and] he got beat. He had, probably, the easiest guy to block up there and he did a poor job. It was one of his poorer games and [I] expect for him to bounce back this week, yes.”

The Saints will visit Tampa Bay for a rematch on Nov. 8, under the bright lights on Sunday Night Football. And Smith will probably be drawing a matchup with Davenport, who beat him for a pair of sacks in their meeting last year. The Saints pass rush got off to a great start against the Buccaneers, and it looks like they’re set up to keep that momentum going.

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Referee Shawn Hochuli assigned to work Week 2 Saints-Raiders game

The NFL assigned referee Shawn Hochuli to its Week 2 Monday Night Football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Las Vegas Raiders.

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One of the NFL’s fresher-faced referees will be on hand when the New Orleans Saints kick off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week. The league assigned Shawn Hochuli and his crew to its next Monday Night Football game, where all spotlights will be trained on Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Hochuli, the son of longtime referee and long-winded speaker Ed Hochuli (who retired in 2018), was promoted to the post after working as a side judge and back judge from 2014 to 2017. In Week 1, Hochuli’s crew threw a dozen penalty flags with six each on the Seattle Seahawks (drawing 46 penalty yards) and the Atlanta Falcons (72 yards) in a 38-25 Seahawks win on the road.

He has worked three Saints games in his career, but two of those matchups were 2015 games when he was a back judge. Hochuli did take the stage as a referee in last year’s Monday Night Football game with the Indianapolis Colts at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which the Saints won handily 34-7. The Saints and Colts drew similar penalty numbers in that matchup, with the Saints netting six flags for 52 yards while the Colts received seven fouls for 49 yards.

So far, Hochuli and his crew have done a great job calling games evenly. We’ll see if they keep it up under the spotlight on Sept. 21.

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PFF: C.J. Gardner-Johnson led the NFL’s defensive backs in Week 1 stops

Pro Football Focus lauded New Orleans Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who had a great game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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C.J. Gardner-Johnson had a strong rookie year for the New Orleans Saints, but he’s elevated his game to open his second season in the NFL. Gardner-Johnson (whose new moniker of “Ceedy Duce” has not been reflected on the Saints roster, or his jersey) all but flew out of the gate in Week 1 to earn serious recognition from the analysts at Pro Football Focus.

PFF maintains a signature stat for defensive stops that is defined as “tackles that constitute a loss for the offense.” These aren’t just tackles for a loss of yards; context matters for each down played:

  • On a first down, if the offense gets 45% of the way to a first down or less
  • On a second down, if the offense gets 60% of the way to a first down or less
  • On a third or fourth down, if the offense doesn’t get a first down

And Gardner-Johnson outplayed the rest of the NFL in this category after Week 1’s slate of games. PFF credited him with more defensive stops than any other safety or cornerback, and the third-most of all players.

Gardner-Johnson was a huge part of the Saints’ success in bottling up the Buccaneers run game. Tampa Bay was determined to run on first downs against lighter Saints defensive packages (where they predominately fielded five or six defensive backs rather than extra linebackers), but Gardner-Johnson was impressive. His first four tackles each came on first-and-10 run plays, limiting the Buccaneers to gains of just 4, 2, 1, and 2 yards. He had two other tackles on first-down run plays that stopped Tampa Bay short of 2-yard gains.

That sort of effectiveness in making tackles in space — on downs where the offense has an advantage on paper, putting bigger blockers against lighter defenders — has a ripple effect on the rest of the defense. More short stops on first down puts the offense into longer spots to convert on subsequent downs, shifting leverage back New Orleans’ way. It’ll take more quality reps like these from Gardner-Johnson to keep the Saints in the win column.

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Saints are 6.5-point road favorites in Week 2 over the Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders are not favorites to open their own new home stadium against the visiting New Orleans Saints, favored by nearly a TD.

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Both the New Orleans Saints and the Las Vegas Raiders won their Week 1 debuts over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers, and now they’re on a collision course in Week 2 on Monday Night Football. All eyes will be on the Darth Vader-esque Allegiant Stadium when the Saints help the Raiders open their new home venue.

And the Saints are favored to win this one, unfortunately for the Raiders. The BetMGM Sportsbook oddsmakers have the Saints winning their first game on the road in 2020 by 6.5 points; taken with an over/under of 51.5 points, that suggests a final score in the neighborhood of Saints 29, Raiders 22.

Only two games have a higher over/under right now: a matchup between the winless Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys (52.5), and a high-profile duel of Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens against Deshaun Watson’s Houston Texans (52.5).

For context, the Saints offense scored 27 points on a very good Buccaneers defense in Week 1, helped out with Janoris Jenkins’ interception returned for a defensive touchdown. Meanwhile, the Raiders hung 34 points on the Panthers, fueled by Josh Jacobs’ three touchdown runs.

So we may be in for more fireworks in prime time. And that should get fans — and bettors — excited.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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LOOK: Margus Hunt shows off ‘battle scar’ from blocked field goal vs. Bucs

New Orleans Saints DL Margus Hunt showed off an impressive bruise from his blocked field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Margus Hunt was a call-up from the New Orleans Saints practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and immediately proved why he earned it by blocking a critical Bucs field goal. He just may have gotten more than he bargained for in doing it, sporting a nasty bruise on his right arm after the game. The kick struck him on the inside biceps muscle, and while it looks painful, he’s apparently shaken it off.

But those special teams plays have been something Hunt is known for throughout his football career, in the NFL and at college. Hunt, a 6-foot-8 Estonian immigrant, starred at SMU while recording 17 blocked kicks (including an NCAA-record 10 field goal blocks). He’s kept it up since entering the NFL, blocking five kicks in eight years, including his big play on Sunday.

He also wasn’t the only member of the Saints practice squad to show up on special teams. Veteran wide receiver Bennie Fowler impressed by recovering a muffed kick, setting the Saints up in terrific scoring position late in the game. Both players can be promoted to a game-day roster just once more this season before they have to be signed to the roster full-time, but these early highlights just might have the Saints thinking it’s worth keeping them around.

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Texas Longhorns vs UTEP Miners: Full game recap

Texas started the 2020 season in the best way they possibly could, demolishing UTEP 59-3. It was a record-setting night for Sam Ehlinger.

Texas started the 2020 season in the best way they possibly could, demolishing UTEP 59-3. It was a record-setting night for quarterback Sam Ehlinger and the Longhorn offense.

Playing the entire first half plus one drive in the second half, Ehlinger set a career-high in passing yards and passing touchdowns. His final stats sit at 25 of 33, with 426 yards and five touchdowns. Backup quarterbacks Casey Thompson and Hudson Card played the majority of the second half.

Wide receiver was a major question entering the season and Joshua Moore answered them. The redshirt sophomore opened the game with a 78-yard touchdown. Ehlinger found him five more times for a total of 127 yards.

Tarik Black also had a solid debut, securing five receptions for 80 yards. No other Longhorn receiver had more than three receptions.

Moving to the defensive side of the ball, Texas only gave up three points, the fewest since 2017’s matchup against San Jose State. UTEP’s offense only produced 240 yards. Josh Thompson stood out as the defensive player of the game, emerging as the top cornerback.

With UTEP handled, Texas will now turn its attention to Texas Tech for its Big 12 opener. Traveling to Lubbock, the Longhorns have its last five games on the road against the Red Raiders.

FINAL STATS

Sam Ehlinger: 25 of 33, 426 yards and five touchdowns

Keaontay Ingram: Nine carries for 44 yards

Joshua Moore: Six receptions for 127 yards, one touchdown

Casey Thompson: Four of seven, 55 yards and two touchdowns

Bijan Robinson: Five carries for 38 yards

Highlights

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Who won when Drew Brees and Tom Brady played each other in college?

It’s been 21 years since Drew Brees led Purdue against Tom Brady and Michigan, but that game set a trend for each of their careers.

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It’s been a long time since Drew Brees led the Purdue Boilermakers into “The Big House” for a game against Tom Brady and the Michigan Wolverines, and it’s probably a game Brees isn’t eager to reflect on.

The future New Orleans Saints quarterback dealt with pressure from the Wolverines defense and a series of dropped passes by his receivers, but still averaged more than 14 yards per completion and did his best to keep them in the game.

Brady wasn’t challenged nearly as badly by the Purdue defense. He completed a smooth 15-of-25 passes for 250 yards and stepped aside so his running backs could cruise to 171 rushing yards. Unlike Brees, he’s been able to trust his teammates on the other side of the ball throughout his football career.

Hopefully things go a bit better on Sunday, when Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit New Orleans to open up the 2020 season. But it’s always fun — and a little educational — to look back on the long careers both quarterbacks have enjoyed.

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Bruce Arians: WR Mike Evans ‘day to day’ vs. Saints with soft-tissue injury

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be without wide receiver Mike Evans against the New Orleans Saints due to injury, per head coach Bruce Arians.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be without one of their best players in their season opener against the New Orleans Saints. Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians confirmed Wednesday that star wide receiver Mike Evans missed practice while managing a soft-tissue injury, and his status is very much in doubt — going so far as to say that the call will “come down to the wire” as to whether Evans suits up for Sunday’s kickoff.

Evans has had a strong training camp by all accounts, meshing well with new quarterback Tom Brady. He caught 67 passes for 1,157 yards and 8 touchdowns last season (averaging 17.3 yards per catch) and earned his third Pro Bowl nod.

He has also had a tremendous rivalry with top Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who held Evans without a catch in their first 2019 meeting (Lattimore missed the second game with an injury). Evans has averaged 80.7 receiving yards per game in his six-year NFL career, but he’s reached that total just three times in 11 games against the Saints.

It’ll be a bummer if he can’t suit up on Sunday, though it definitely helps the Saints’ chances of winning. But Lattimore’s clashes with Evans are always entertaining, and it would be great to add another chapter to that story. We should learn more once the Saints-Buccaneers injury report is updated later this week, but Arians was very clear to note that this situation may not be resolved one way or another until just before kickoff.

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