Tag: Stats

Cameron Jordan has been waiting on these opportunities all year

Cameron Jordan has been a bit more productive in the last two weeks and he’s been ‘asking for opportunities all season’

In the latter years of his career, Cameron Jordan versus the cliff has been a frequent conversation. There’s been seasons where he starts slow but somehow bounces back to finish with seven or more sacks.

There wasn’t a bounce back last year, and this year he’s felt like a non-factor until the last two weeks. The move from Dennis Allen to Darren Rizzi has reinvigorated the New Orleans Saints, but it’s less about reinvigoration and more about getting chances.

“I’ve been asking for opportunities all season. Given opportunities there’s going to be certain advantages. You’re able to display talents you’ve displayed every year of your career as well as help the team get a win,” Jordan said.

Jordan only played 10 snaps in Allen’s last game. His snaps have balanced out to where they were earlier in the season. And in the last two games, Jordan recorded his first sack of the season and followed it up with his first game with multiple pressures this year.

This may be his final stint, but Jordan is looking to show he is more than he showed at the start of the season.

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Former Badgers star after career night: I’m ‘one of the best point guards in the country’

Former Wisconsin star has career performance in Louisville overtime win over West Virginia

Former Wisconsin star guard Chucky Hepburn had arguably the best outing of his college basketball career on Thursday.

In Louisville’s 79-70 overtime win over West Virginia, the former Badger produced 32 points, three rebounds, two assists and six steals on 8-of-12 shooting and 14-of-17 from the free-throw line.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Nov. 25): Wisconsin continues to rise

Those 32 points are a career high for the veteran point guard. His previous top output was a 27-point outing in Wisconsin’s NIT second-round win over Liberty on March 19, 2023.

“It’s senior year. I think I lay in the back seat for a long time,” Hepburn told ESPN after the win. “It’s time to show the world who Chucky Hepburn is. I’m a bucket-getter, one of the best point guards in the country, and I stand by that.”

Hepburn’s per-game averages are up to 15 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 4.2 steals and 29 minutes per game of action. That 4.2 steal-per-game clip is currently No. 1 in the entire country — nobody else averages more than four.

The win over West Virginia improved the Cardinals to 5-1 on the season and clinched their ticket to the 2024 Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. They will face the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday evening.

The contest also reinserted Hepburn into the national conversation. After operating as Wisconsin’s secondary option behind Johnny Davis, A.J. Storr and forward Tyler Wahl, Hepburn is leading a Louisville team that appears in line for a resurgent campaign.

Hepburn’s decision to transfer from Wisconsin was headline news in March. His stellar play at Louisville and spot as the nation’s-best defender continues to make headlines.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

NFL assigns Brad Allen as referee for Rams vs. Saints

The NFL has assigned Brad Allen as the referee for the Saints vs. Rams matchup in Week 13. His crew is known for keeping their flags in their pockets:

The New Orleans Saints will remain at home this week for a third straight game (and a fourth straight week with the bye) to take on the Los Angeles Rams, and the referee has been announced as Brad Allen for this matchup. Allen has been one of the least interfering referees this season and has been pretty even in his calls for both home and away teams as well.

In games he has been the head referee, the Rams have a 6-5 record, and the Saints have a 5-4 record, so both are favorable but near even. Allen has already called a Rams game this season as well, their matchup with the Green Bay Packers, which ended in a Packers victory. In that game, he called 7 penalties for 39 yards against the Packers, and 5 penalties for 30 yards against the Rams, which is a very stingy game by all accounts.

So far this season, he has the second least penalty yards given overall with 860, and the only referee with less is John Hussey (who has been referee for two less games this season). He also has the fourth-fewest flags thrown on the season (the least of referees with at least 11 games called in 2024), and the third least flags per game (11.27).

Of those 11.27 flags, 5.09 per game were called against the home team, while 6.18 per game were called against the away team, so the Saints may end with a slight advantage there, but very minimal if so. Overall, Allen has been stingy with his flags this season, which could be good or bad, depending on how many actually occur on the field.

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Former Wisconsin transfer guard goes off for career high in Nebraska blowout win

Former Wisconsin transfer guard goes off for career high in Nebraska blowout win

Former Wisconsin guard Connor Essegian had a career outing in Nebraska‘s 96-79 win over South Dakota on Wednesday.

The former Badger transfer went off for 29 points, five assists and two rebounds on 10-of-22 shooting and 6-of-15 from 3. The 29 points best his previous career high of 24 points during Wisconsin’s overtime loss to Michigan on Feb. 26, 2023.

Related: Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings (Nov. 25): Wisconsin continues to rise

The game marked a further increase in minutes and usage for the junior guard. His 33 minutes off the bench were the most of any game this season, and the most for any Nebraska player in the win — even starters.

Essegian’s big outing pushes his season averages to 21.5 minutes per game, 13.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 44.4% shooting and 37.8% from three.

Essegian is one of many former Badgers having strong seasons elsewhere. A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn are having big impacts at Kansas and Louisville, respectively.

Of all of Wisconsin’s offseason departures, Essegian’s made the most sense. His playing time plummeted from his freshman to sophomore season at Wisconsin, dropping from 27.4 minutes and 11.7 points per game to 7.3 and 3.2, respectively. He has found a sizable role for a strong Nebraska group. His playing time and usage is back to the level from that breakout freshman campaign.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is off to a program-best 8-0 start. Greg Gard boasts a deep backcourt rotation of Max Klesmit, John Tonje, John Blackwell, Kamari McGee and Jack Janicki. It has not even incorporated top freshman Daniel Freitag and transfer Camren Hunter.

Essegian would likely still have been lost in a crowded rotation with the Badgers. His playing time and production with the Cornhuskers ensures all parties are finding success in this case — an uncommon reality in today’s age of player movement.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Saints would be thankful to get this Michigan standout in the 2025 NFL draft

The New Orleans Saints would be thankful to get Michigan standout Mason Graham in the 2025 NFL draft. He could care what ails their run defense:

It’s no secret that the New Orleans Saints defensive line isn’t what it used to be. They’re giving up 5.0 yards per rushing attempt this season, second-worst in the NFL. Second-year pro Bryan Bresee has made some strides as a pass rusher but he hasn’t quite developed into the three-down asset the Saints hoped for, at least not yet. He could use some more help in the middle of the line.

That’s why Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy linked the Saints to Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham in his latest projection. He’s a finalist for the exclusive Outland Trophy, the national award for college football’s best interior lineman. Graham is both one of the youngest players in the 2025 NFL draft class (he turned 21 in September) and one of its best athletes, pound-for-pound or otherwise.

The 6-foot-3, 318-pound junior brings high-end movement skills for someone his size; he fires off the snap and can cross a guard’s face in a hurry. But he also has the lower-body strength needed to anchor the line and not give ground against advancing opponents. He’s someone who could set up his teammates by occupying multiple blockers, clogging lanes, or forcing the offense to send extra attention his way.

So he could be a good fit with the Saints. They’ve tried to rebuild their interior line after letting David Onyemata walk away in free agency a couple summers ago, but even with free agent signings like Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders and late-round draft picks like Khristian Boyd, the group still lacks an edge. Maybe Graham can be the guy to turn the tide. We’ll just have to wait and see whether the Saints will be in position to draft him next April. If they’re still picking at No. 9 overall, like in this mock draft? They should have a shot.

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Week 3’s Saints-Rams game puts two rookies into a pivotal matchup

Not many could have predicted how immediately productive Taliese Fuaga and Jared Verse would be, and now the two rookies face off in Week 13:

Last time we saw Taliese Fuaga, he was busy keeping the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, off the stat sheet. After the bye week, Fuaga gets to face fellow rookie Jared Verse. Verse isn’t anywhere near the household name Garrett is, but he’s played well

We previewed the matchup going into the season, but we couldn’t have predicted how well these players would have performed in their first season in NFL.

We circled the matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams rookies because it’s the only game Fuaga has against a first round edge rusher. Toss the rookie statuses out the window, and the game should still be anticipated.

Fuaga has the lowest pressure rate allowed by a rookie. In comparison, Verse has more pressures than any rookie. Let’s dive deeper. He is already warranting double teams. That hasn’t stopped Verse, however. His six pressures while being doubled are third highest among all pass rushers.

In this matchup, Fuaga will have to make sure his base is strong. Verse is a powerful rusher who does a good job converting speed to power in his pass rushes. Verse does a good job of knocking linemen backwards. A strong anchor and good hands will be imperative to Fuaga winning this powerful rookie showdown.

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Where the Chargers rank statistically after Week 12

The Chargers allowed a season-high 30 points, so how did that impact them in the rankings?

The Chargers fell to 7-4 after losing to the Ravens in Week 12.

Los Angeles’ defense was dominated by Baltimore’s ground game, which accrued 212 yards, the most given up in Jim Harbaugh’s coaching career. After not allowing more than 20 points in the first nine weeks of the season, the Bolts gave up 27 and 30 points in the past two weeks.

With Week 13 coming up, how do the Bolts compare to the rest of the NFL? Here is where Los Angeles ranks:

Offense

Category Stat Rank
Points per game 22.1 ppg 18th
Passing offense 204.5 ypg 20th
Rushing offense 118.1 ypg 13th
Total offense 322.6 ypg 21st
3rd down conversions 38.51% 16th
Red zone scoring 57.14% 13th
Sacks allowed 30 21st
Turnovers 5 1st

Defense

Category Stat Rank
Points allowed 15.9 ppg 1st
Passing defense 203.9 ypg 13th
Rushing defense 119.7 ypg 15th
Total defense 323.6 ypg 13th
3rd down conversions 34.46% 8th
Red zone defense 45.83% 4th
Sacks 35 T-6th
Takeaways 13 14th

 

Saints rookie has been one of the best punters in this key stat

There isn’t a punter who has placed more tries inside the 20-yard line than Matthew Hayball through 11 games. The Saints rookie has been one of the NFL’s best in this stat:

In his first year in the league, New Orleans Saints punter Matthew Hayball has been an extremely effective weapon for the Saints. You actually would like to never see your punter.

Unfortunately for the Saints, they’ve seen Hayball frequently. Fortunately for the Saints, however, Hayball frequently delivers. Punts aren’t typically highlight plays unless it’s a punt return, but Hayball has put the opposing offense in tough situation on a regular basis.

Hayball has placed 27 punts inside the opposing 20-yard line. No other punter has done it more times through 11 games. What’s more impressive is the percentage of punts he places inside the 20-yard line. 57% of Hayball’s punts have been inside the 20.

If you hyper focus on yards per punt, you may think Hayball has struggled. He ranks 31st in the NFL in what can be a misleading stat. You don’t want a 55-yard punt when you’re just outside of field goal range. Judging a punter solely on how far he punts on average is flawed because a punter doesn’t always use his full leg. Accuracy is what’s most important in that situation.

Punts landing inside the 20-yard line also doesn’t tell the full story, but it’s a better metric to measure effectiveness. But even if he’s effective, let’s hope we see less of Hayball through the final six weeks — that would mean the Saints are ending more drives with points than punts.

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Former Saints quarterback on why Taysom Hill is one of a kind

Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Steve Walsh shared his take on what he feels Taysom Hill brings to the table, and why Hill is ultimately one of a kind:

Taysom Hill has been on an absolute tear as of late, reaching multiple milestones as he’s been a pivotal part of the New Orleans Saints snapping a seven-game losing streak and replacing it with a two-game winning streak.

He’s a jack-of-all-trades that has never fully been able to be replicated, despite several NFL teams’ desperate efforts to do so. At the same time, it’s often said that a player like Hill is not to be invested in as a pure quarterback for the long-term.

That experiment has also been tried and failed as a part of a trend that ultimately faded away. Former Saints quarterback Steve Walsh is among those who shares that line of thinking.

“A guy like Taysom Hill is not going to last. You’re not going to invest 40 million dollars in a guy and let him run QB power, because those 10 million-dollar linebackers know how to hit you, and they know how to hurt you,” Walsh told me an interview for RG.org. “So you’re just not going to survive.”

A player like Hill is also, from a dollars and cents perspective, not going to be smart to go all in on for NFL teams.

“The economics don’t make sense in that type of quarterback. Now, is that somebody you like as your backup or your number three guy that can give you a change of pace?” Walsh continued. “Cam Newton played best when he was running QB power because that’s just how he played. But, he wasn’t going to be able to do that for an extended period of time; like a 15-year career.”

Quarterback or not, there is no denying the wave of success Hill has recently experienced.

Hill tallied 138 rushing yards on seven carries and 50 receiving yards from eight catches injury the Saints’ 35-14 win over the Cleveland Browns.

That wasn’t all he did to earn him the title of FedEx Air and Ground player of the week, though, either.

He also threw a pass for 18 yards and got some special teams action with 42 yards on a kick return. Very few players can put together a three-way performance quite like that.

How he and the Saints continue to build upon the new era they seem to have begun will be something to keep an eye on in a season that could ultimately be much more interesting that it looked like it would be just weeks ago.

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Wisconsin transfer guard has breakout performance in Nebraska win over Creighton

Big night for a former Badger transfer

Wisconsin transfer guard Connor Essegian powered Nebraska to a 74-63 road win over No. 14 Creighton on Friday.

The former Badger contributed 15 points and two rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench, shooting 4-of-6 from the floor and 1-of-2 from three.

Related: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s big win over UCF

Those bench points provided a critical boost for Fred Hoiberg’s team in its big rivalry victory. Essegian led several key scoring runs, highlighted by a solo 6-1 run midway through the second half to extend the team’s lead to 14 points.

Only two Nebraska players finished with more points than Essegian: starters Juwan Gray (16 points on 6-of-13 shooting) and Brice Williams (16 points on 4-of-12 shooting). No one on the floor matched his combination of production and efficiency.

The sharpshooter has played a steady role for the Cornhuskers during their 4-1 start to the 2024-25 season. His per-game averages include 19.2 minutes, 10.4 points and 2.6 rebounds on 44% shooting and 36.4% from 3.

Essegian transferred to Nebraska after two seasons with the Badgers. He played a big role as a freshman in 2022-23, averaging 27.4 minutes and 11.7 points per game. His role diminished as a sophomore in 2023-24 as Greg Gard reworked the roster, those numbers falling to 7.3 minutes and 3.2 points per game, respectively.

The Wisconsin transfer appears to have found a strong destination at Nebraska. The Hoosiers are amid a program-great run under Hoiberg. That began with a 23-11 record and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023-24 and has continued into 2024-25.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.