Tag: Super Bowl

Darren Rizzi has a big opportunity to buck one of Dennis Allen’s worst trends

Darren Rizzi has a big opportunity to buck one of Dennis Allen’s worst trends. His predecessor lost four times after shutting out an opponent in the first half:

New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi has a chance to buck an alarming trend that started under Dennis Allen, after holding the Los Angeles Rams scoreless in the first half.

Saints fan and professional statistician Jeff Asher shared an interesting stat; Allen-led New Orleans teams had lost four games after not allowing the opponents to score in the first half. Sean Payton never once lost one of those games.

And the only other time the Rams had been shut out under Sean McVay was the infamous Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots. Los Angeles will be entering unknown territory here.

The Saints were only able to muster six points themselves, so the game could still go either way. It’s another important test for Rizzi, and a big opportunity for him to buck one of the most troubling trends of his predecessor’s tenure.

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T.J. Watt prioritizes Super Bowl win over D.P.O.Y award in 2024

T.J. Watt emphasizes team success over individual accolades, staying focused on helping the Steelers win huge games in 2024.

DE Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns appears to be focusing on the wrong trophy in 2024. Garrett made a bold claim following Cleveland’s victory over the Steelers in Week 12, proclaiming that the Defensive Player of the Year award runs through him in 2024. However, former 2021 D.P.O.Y. winner T.J. Watt isn’t taking the bait.

While speaking during the team’s media availability on Friday, Watt was asked if Garrett’s comments had bothered him. Concerned only with adding victories to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win column, Watt answered as only a true professional would: “Like I said all year long, I’m worried about the Pittsburgh Steelers being the best team at the best time.” He went on to recognize Garrett as a fantastic player but made it clear he isn’t focused on his D.P.O.Y. standings in 2024: “That’s what I’m not focused on this year at all, so it’s all about the Pittsburgh Steelers and winning as many games as we can in the right moments.”

Watt will have the opportunity to help his team improve to 9-3 on the season when the Steelers take on the Bengals in Week 13 on December 1st at 1:00 PM EST.

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Tyrann Mathieu would rather win with the Saints than chase another Super Bowl ring

Tyrann Mathieu wants to finish his career with the Saints. He says the opportunity to win in New Orleans beats chasing a Super Bowl ring anywhere else:

Tyrann Mathieu is affectionately known as “Louisiana’s Son.” There’s not a better storybook ending than finishing his professional career with Louisiana’s team, and the New Orleans Saints safety doesn’t see it any other way.

The world learned of Mathieu at LSU. His nose for the football and dynamic playing style made him one of the faces for college football for an entire generation. He’s arguably one of the three to five most popular collegiate players from the highlight era and popularized a style of play at defensive and the jersey number seven nationwide.

The New Orleans Saints signed Mathieu in 2022. After nine years in the league, Mathieu finally made it home. He has no plans of leaving either. Mathieu recently said, “I wouldn’t want to play for any other team.”

That is typical things that players say, but his explanation displays a veracity in his words: “The opportunity to win for my hometown. It trumps me going anywhere else to try to win a ring. I’d rather do it for my people down here.”

Mathieu also has the luxury of already winning a Super Bowl, so that certainly helps him remain content. There’s not many people more synonymous with the state than Tyrann Mathieu. For him to finish his career with the Saints just feels right.

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Saints Super Bowl champ named Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist yet again

Jahri Evans made the cut as a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again this year. Is the third time the charm for the Super Bowl 44 champ?

They say third time is the charm. That’s the hope for New Orleans Saints legendary offensive lineman Jahri Evans. The Pro Football Hall of Fame released their annual list of semifinalists, and Evans was one of the 25 players who made the cut.

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for him. Evans has been a part of the semifinalists for each of the last three years, but hasn’t made the final cut. He has gotten closer on each attempt.

If the trend continues, this is the year Evans will be immortalized in Canton, Ohio. Evans was a semifinalist on his first attempt. Last year, he made his way into the group of finalists. Maybe adding the Saints Ring of Honor to his resume can swing things in his favor.

Three years feels like a long time until you look at the length of time other semifinalists have waited. Torry Holt is on his 11th attempt to go from semifinalist to enshrined in Canton.

Some of the first-time semifinalists who will make it tougher on Evans are Luke Kuechly, Eli Manning and Adam Vinatieri.

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Saints announce plans for Jahri Evans to go into their Ring of Honor

The Saints announced plans for Jahri Evans to go into their Ring of Honor during this week’s game. It’s another boost to his Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy:

New Orleans Saints fans attending this week’s game with the Cleveland  Browns are in for a treat. The Saints will induct Super Bowl XLIV champion Jahri Evans into their Ring of Honor on Sunday, Nov. 17, during a halftime ceremony at the Caesars Superdome. Kickoff is set for Noon CT/1 p.m. ET.

Additionally, many of Evans’ former teammates  are  expected to be in  attendance as part of the Saints’ yearly  “Legends Weekend” event. Evans started at right guard during the most successful period in team history, and he currently works for the Saints as an assistant offensive line coach. He shared a passionate message to his players when he got the news during training camp, and was quoted with a longer statement in an official release from the team.

“It is exciting to have been selected to be part of such an elite group,” Evans told NewOrleansSaints.com. “I am grateful to Mrs. Benson, Mickey Loomis for selecting me for this honor. I would also like to thank my coaches and teammates for the role they played in my development and success, as well as our fans that gave us such great energy on gameday and inspired us to reach the heights of winning the Super Bowl.”

Evans will be just the eighth member of the team’s Ring of Honor, joining owner Tom Benson, quarterback Archie Manning, and defensive end Will Smith as well as several Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees: offensive tackle Willie Roaf, kicker Morten Andersen, linebackers Rickey Jackson and Sam Mills. This recognition is another boost to Evans’ own Hall of Fame candidacy after he reached the finalist stage last year. Maybe this time he gets over that last hurdle.

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Dan Quinn refuses to talk to Commanders about standings & playoffs

Dan Quinn does not want his team to miss one step on this journey by talking about the future.

What has Dan Quinn told his Commanders team about the NFL standings or the playoffs?

“Zero, zero,” Quinn replied to the media on Tuesday.

The former Atlanta Falcons head coach won a division and finished second in the division three times. To conclude the 2016 season, he won the NFC title and nearly won a Super Bowl.

So he knows the ropes. He also knows the dangers of allowing players to look too far ahead. They can easily forget what is right in front of them and not being prepared, lose their opportunities.

“That’s not a coaching cop-out either. I just honestly want to stay in the pocket of where we’re at. I don’t want us to miss a step on this journey, and I don’t want to miss the next step that we have to take. And that’s this weekend and then the next one and the next one.”

When the Commanders won their Week 9 game at the NY Giants, they weren’t dominant, but they did do enough to prevent the Giants from having the ball and a chance to take the lead in the second half (27-22 final).

Quinn and Adam Peters have changed this entire culture, from 4-13 in 2023 to talking about how high a seed the Commanders can be in the NFC playoffs in 2021.

“I’m just kind of thinking about today, today’s practice and Thursday’s game, man. And like I haven’t talked to them much past that. It’s just let’s go battle for it this weekend. And I did the same thing last weekend when a lot of talk was, there’s two games in 11 days, and that I said, maybe we just got one game this week, and we got one game next week. And so, we’ll worry about next week then.”

 

Steelers’ HOF safety returning to Pittsburgh in Week 11

2020 Hall of Fame inductee S Donnie Shell has been confirmed to be in attendance for Pittsburgh’s Week 11 contest against Baltimore.

Plenty of familiar faces have returned to the city of Pittsburgh this season to watch their former team and participate in pre-game tailgate activities with fans. Former Steelers such as WR Antonio Brown, RB Le’Veon Bell, and K Jeff Reed have all attended the Terrible Tailgate—an amazing fan-organized tailgate experience for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

On social media, the Terrible Tailgate has announced that on November 17th, Week 11’s home game versus the Baltimore Ravens, the game will feature an extra special guest for fans to meet—2020 Hall of Fame safety Donnie Shell. 

While initially teasing the mystery HOF guest, the Terrible Tailgate provided fans with exactly who the Steelers legend in question is through the ticket sales information.

Shell was a vital part of the legendary Steel Curtain defense in the 1970s, helping the team win four Super Bowl during his tenure with the team.  Donnie ‘Torpedo’ Shell was one of the hardest-hitting safeties the NFL has ever seen, and is beloved to Pittsburgh fans all over the world.

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Saints legend, Super Bowl champion up for the Hall of Fame again in 2025

New Orleans Saints legend Jahri Evans is up for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again in 2025. He’s one of eight finalists returning from last year’s voting:

This is a big deal for New Orleans Saints assistant offensive line coach Jahri Evans. The five-time All-Pro right guard also won six Pro Bowl appearances as a player and a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, and he’ll be recognized at his enshrinement to the Saints’ team Ring of Honor later this season. But an even bigger recognition could be waiting for him.

Evans was selected as one of 50 nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. There are eight finalists returning from the voting for the Class of 2024 — Evans, Fred Taylor, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, Antonio Gates, Willie Andeerson, Rodney Harrison, and Darren Woodson.

On top of that, there are eight first-time candidates up for the Class of 2025: Eli Manning, Marshawn Lynch, Joe Staley, Marshal Yanda, Luke Kuechcly, Terrell Suggs, Earl Thomas, and Adam Vinatieri.

So it’s a loaded group, but Evans clearly has plenty of support among the Hall of Fame voters. Maybe this is the year he’ll get in. Evans has gotten one  step further during each year of eligibility, and unlike some players on this list he has both the personal achievements and a Super Bowl ring on his resume. The group will be whittled down further to just 25 semifinalists in a month.

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ESPN gives the Saints microscopic odds of reaching the Super Bowl

ESPN gave the Saints microscopic odds of reaching the Super Bowl. After a 2-5 start, they’re long-shots to even make the playoffs:

This isn’t where you want to be in Week 8. ESPN’s Football Power Index gave the New Orleans Saints small odds of reaching the Super Bowl — less than 1%. After a 2-5 start, they’re long-shots to even make the playoffs by winning their own division.

Both the Atlanta Falcons (56% chance of winning the division) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (66%) are seen as more credible teams in the NFC South. The Saints (7%) are just barely keeping their heads above water, with the Carolina Panthers (less than 1%) already sinking.

It’s easy to see why they’re so down on the Saints. New Orleans hasn’t done anything well in their five-game losing streak. The defense Dennis Allen gave up can’t stop the run or keep points off the board, and their offense has run out of steam with so many starters and key contributors dealing with injuries.

Can they turn it around? It’s still looking like a favorable schedule, but at some point the Saints must win a game (and then a couple more). Teams that gave them trouble last year like the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns have had their own issues. The Bucs and Falcons can be beaten. But can Allen string multiple wins together? We’ll have to see it to believe it.

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