Tag: Super Bowl

Playoff losses a ‘huge thorn in my side’ for Steelers LB T.J. Watt

The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game during T.J. Watt’s career.

Going all the way back to his rookie season in 2017, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt has established himself as one of the best all-around defensive players in the NFL. He has been the cornerstone of the Steelers defense for years and will go down in history as one of the best players in franchise history.

One thing that has eluded Watt during his career is postseason success. In fact, the Steelers have never won a playoff game with Watt on the team. This is something Watt takes very personal. He talked about it in an interview and was candid about the team’s playoff woes.

“I’m just trying to win games and get to the playoffs and have my first playoff win,” Watt said. “It has been a huge thorn in my side since I’ve been here.”

Watt and the Steelers have a great chance to break that winless streak this season. Pittsburgh is 9-3 and in the lead in the AFC North. They are currently the No. 3 seed in the AFC and look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

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Commanders’ offense reminding some of the 1991 team

The current Commanders are doing things that hasn’t been done since the last Super Bowl team.

This Commanders team has accomplished something Washington hasn’t achieved in 33 seasons.

This dates back to pre-Daniel Snyder era teams, all the way back to Jack Kent Cooke being the owner, Joe Gibbs still being the coach, and Mark Rypien being the starting quarterback.

In 1991 the Washington Redskins were Super Bowl XXVI champions, having defeated the Buffalo Bills 37-24 after having led 37-10. This year’s 2024 team has no guarantees to match that accomplishment. However, this year’s team has scored 40+ points three times, and that 1991 Super Bowl champion team last accomplished that.

Led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders have scored 40+ points at the Cardinals (42-14), against the Panthers (40-7), and the Titans (42-19).

The Commanders have converted 71 of 161 3rd down attempts for 44.1 percent. They have done quite well on fourth downs, as Washington has converted 13 of 15 plays for 86.7 percent. The Commanders offense has executed well in the red zone, scoring touchdowns 60 percent of the time on 33 of 55 possessions.

The 1991 team actually accomplished the 40+ points feat four times in the regular season: against the Lions (45-0), against the Browns (42-17), against the Falcons (56-17), and at the Steelers (41-14) and then also in their NFC Championship game win over the Lions (41-10).

Yes, this year’s offense has often been fun to watch. In fact, the Commanders have scored 30+ points in five games already this regular season: at the Bengals (38-33), at the Cardinals (42-14), against the Browns (34-13), against the Panthers (40-7), and the Titans (42-19).

 

Steelers sitting pretty in PFN’s latest playoff probability

The Steelers chances to make the playoffs improved after their win in Week 13.

Through 13 weeks of the NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are outplaying all preseason expectations. The Steelers are 9-3 and on top in the AFC North and in control of their postseason future. The folks at Pro Football Network put out their latest playoff probabilities and here’s how things break down for the Steelers

To make the playoffs – 95.8

To win the division – 65.5

To be the No. 1 see in the AFC – 4.7

To make the AFC title game – 13.0

To make it to the Super Bowl – 9.5

To win the Super Bowl – 6.2

Of the four division leaders in the AFC, the Steelers have the worst chance to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. This week the Steelers take on the Cleveland Browns in a rematch from two weeks ago when the Browns upset the Steelers.

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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.”