Tag: turnover

LOOK: Chiefs LB Leo Chenal recovers fumble vs. Browns

Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal reccovered a fumble to set up Kansas City’s first scoring drive against the Browns.

The Kansas City Chiefs got off to a hot start against the Cleveland Browns in their preseason finale on Saturday after linebacker Leo Chenal recovered a fumble on the game’s first drive.

The play came on second down when Cleveland attempted to run the ball to set up a third and short situation. Deshaun Watson mishandled the handoff and put the ball on the ground, where Chenal was quick to jump on it before the Browns had a chance to get it back.

Kansas City will need more standout defensive efforts like this if they intend to end their preseason schedule with a second win. The team would have entered this game with a spotless record if not for a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the New Orleans Saints in their first exhibition matchup in August.

Watch for Chenal to continue playing with an edge as he helps lift the Chiefs’ defense to victory against the Browns.

WATCH: Tyrann Mathieu nabs his third interception of the season vs Panthers

WATCH: Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu nabs his third interception of the season vs. Panthers, via @DillySanders

The New Orleans Saints ended the first half of their Week 18 matchup against the Carolina Panthers with an interception by Tyrann Mathieu. The New Orleans native now has three interceptions on the season, to lead the team in turnovers (he also recovered a fumble).

Many were critical of his play during the first half of the season, but he has certainly picked up as of late. Mathieu has been a big key of the team turning it around during the last couple weeks of the season.

The interception came at a big point of the game, as the Panthers were just outside of the red zone at the end of the half. This interception and big return kept Carolina from being able to take advantage of great field position and score.

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Here’s what happened on Brett Rypien’s interception vs. Cardinals

“I thought I had a free play,” Broncos QB Brett Rypien explained after his interception against the Cardinals.

Filling in for Russell Wilson (concussion) on Sunday, Denver Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien had a nearly-perfect performance outside of one interception in the third quarter.

Besides that interception, Rypien went 21-of-25 passing for 197 yards with one touchdown, helping the Broncos defeat the Arizona Cardinals 24-15.

So what happened on the turnover?

Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt jumped early, but he was onside when the ball was snapped. Rypien assumed Watt was going to be penalized, so he forced a pass into coverage in the end zone believing he had a “free play” with a looming penalty against Arizona.

“He was trying to be aggressive,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said after the win. “He thought they jumped offsides.”

Rypien said he will use the turnover as a learning moment.

“I thought I had a free play,” the QB explained. “It’s an unfortunate situation there. I think it’s a great learning moment for me and practicing those types of scenarios because we do work on that a lot where we get free plays. We are trying to take a shot out on the field. We also have to make sure they call it. It was a good learning moment, but also very unfortunate.”

Hackett appreciated the way Rypien bounced back after the interception, and he liked how the QB kept fighting on despite his struggling, banged-up offensive line allowing seven sacks.

“I thought Brett did a really good job. … He had a choice on how he was going to react [to the interception], and he was great,” Hackett said. “He just put it right aside, went out there, executed and put us in a good position to win the football game. He did a good job there.

“I thought Brett was really good, especially after taking some of those sacks. He was not fazed. He was ready to go and wanted to keep throwing the ball.”

Wilson is expected to be back in the lineup this week, so it’s possible that Rypien played his final snaps of the 2022 season on Sunday. Rypien is scheduled to become a free agent in 2023, so it’s also possible that he has played his final snaps as a Bronco. If Sunday was his final appearance in orange and blue, Rypien is ending his time in Denver on a high note.

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Broncos’ offense looks sharp — minus the turnovers

“The name of this game is any time you play, it’s about the turnover battle,” Broncos QB Russell Wilson said.

The Denver Broncos’ new-look offense looked sharp under quarterback Russell Wilson and coach Nathaniel Hackett in the team’s season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday.

Denver’s offense totaled 433 yards, with an average of 5.2 yards per carry and 7.5 yards per pass. Those are solid numbers that show the Broncos had no problem moving the ball.

The problem was punching it in.

Denver fumbled the ball at the goal line twice and lost it both times. Those two fumbles were 14-point swings in a game decided by one point.

Going forward, the Broncos’ offense will be just fine, provided they protect the ball.

“I think the name of this game is any time you play, it’s about the turnover battle,” Wilson said after a 17-16 loss. “You’ve got to win that.”

Wilson is confident that the mistakes from Week 1 will be cleaned up.

“Just didn’t go our way [today],” the quarterback said. “Guess what? There are 16 more games to go and there is a lot more football to play. I’m looking forward to what we can do.”

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Broncos RB Melvin Gordon explains what happened on his fumble vs. Seahawks

“That’s when the coaches give us the OK to reach the ball, when it’s 4th-and-1,” Broncos RB Melvin Gordon said of his fumble in Seattle.

The Denver Broncos lost two fumbles at the goal line against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday. Those two turnovers cost the Broncos 14 points in a game that was ultimately decided by one point.

The first fumble was put on the ground by running back Melvin Gordon when the team was facing fourth-and-goal at Seattle’s one-yard line.

After the game, Gordon explained what happened.

“It was fourth down, so I was trying to reach the ball,” Gordon said. “I got stopped dead to rights. This is fourth down. That’s the only time it really is acceptable to reach, so that’s what I tried to do. I could have just locked it up, but I would have been short. I’m trying to reach and get it past the goal line. They knocked it out. It is what it is.

“Like I said, if I didn’t try to reach for it, I don’t think it would have come out, but I was trying to make a play. Like I said, that’s when the coaches give us the OK to reach the ball, when it’s fourth-and-one. We don’t care what happens at that point. It’s fourth down. Either way, I got stopped. … Mistakes happen.”

Gordon finished the day with 12 carries for 58 yards and two receptions for 14 yards. Those would have been fine numbers for a running back playing in a shared backfield if that for that costly fumble.

As Gordon said, though, mistakes happen. Now the Broncos will try to not repeat those mistakes.

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Broncos QB Drew Lock says he shouldn’t have kept ball on read option

“I’m a professional thrower, not necessarily a professional runner,” Drew Lock said. “I should have handed that thing off to Javonte looking back at it.”

Facing second-and-goal from the nine-yard line in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Denver Broncos called a read option play that gave quarterback Drew Lock the choice to hand the ball to running back Javonte Williams for an inside run or take it himself to the outside.

Lock opted to keep the ball and he quickly found himself face to face with Bengals defensive lineman Khalid Kareem, who forced a fumble that Cincinnati recovered.

That play started with 10:44 remaining in the game when Denver was trailing 15-10. Had Denver scored a touchdown on that drive, the team would have taken a 16-15 lead at worst or an 18-15 lead at best with a successful two-point attempt.

Instead, the Broncos went on to lose 15-10, and fans and pundits are now left to argue over if Lock is to blame for the fumble or if offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is to blame for the play call. Perhaps both are at fault.

Broncos coach Vic Fangio didn’t have a problem with the play call.

“That’s a play that Drew has been good at since he’s been here,” Fangio said after the game. “That’s one of the reasons we ran it.”

Hanging onto the football has been a problem for Lock throughout his career. The third-year quarterback has 13 fumbles in 21 career games (18 starts).

“He decided to keep it and didn’t get it tucked away, and the guy took it from him which is a good play on that guy’s part,” Fangio said. “We have to get it tucked away.”

Lock admitted after the game that he should have given the ball to Williams instead of attempting to run himself.

“You know, [QBs coach Mike] Shula says it a couple times in the meeting rooms, when in doubt, give it to the professionals. I’m a professional thrower, not necessarily a professional runner,” Lock said. “I should have handed that thing off to Javonte looking back at it.”

In addition to his 13 fumbles, Lock has thrown 20 interceptions in his career. The turnover-prone QB could potentially be set to start in the place of an injured Teddy Bridgewater this week, and he knows taking care of the football needs to become a priority.

“My No. 1 thing is just taking care of the football,” Lock said. “I think I put the ball on the ground twice, and it’s way too many for me personally. I just got to play a little better. I got to hold onto the ball.”

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WATCH: Chiefs LB Willie Gay Jr. comes down with crucial first quarter interception

#Chiefs LB Willie Gay Jr. came down with his second interception in two weeks against the #Giants | from @TheJohnDillon

Things are off to a decent start for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Though the opening offensive drive ended in an interception, Kansas City wouldn’t be without the ball for long. Daniel Jones was intercepted on his first pass attempt against the maligned Chiefs defense, giving Patrick Mahomes the opportunity to put the first points of the game on the board in the opening quarter.

Willie Gay Jr. managed to read Jones perfectly to notch an interception on a stick play in the middle of the field. Watch the highlight-reel jump on the ball against the Giants that helped put Kansas City ahead on “Monday Night Football” down below:

This is Gay’s second interception of the season, and came just after his first last week against Tennessee. Plays like these are helping to cement his role as a viable cover-linebacker in the middle of Kansas City’s defense. Even former All-Pro Chiefs great Derrick Johnson thought it was a great effort on the play, tweeting out his admiration for the athletic grab shortly after it took place.

Kansas City desperately needed the momentum shift Gay gave them with the interception. The field position enabled Mahomes to play for a touchdown from his first snap back after his own turnover, and resulted in six points on a signature improvisation throw to Tyreek Hill in the back of the end zone.

Kansas City has had a problem with slow starts this season, so an early turnover and points on the board in the first quarter could prove to be crucial to the outcome of this game. Both sides of the ball have been looking for any positive progress to be found in recent weeks, and seem to have found a groove against the Giants through one quarter.

A single play will only ever mean so much over the course of a whole game, but Gay’s early pick was just what the doctor ordered for the Chiefs’ defense this week.

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4 most costly offensive turnovers from Cowboys 2020 season

The Cowboys had a rough of it in 2020, due in no small to their own offensive efforts time. Revisit Dallas’ five-worst turnovers from 2020.

The 2020 season was a wild ride for the Dallas Cowboys, featuring plenty of ups and downs to keep a bizarre and lost year at least somewhat interesting. One of the most frustrating things about last season’s team was how frequently their offensive feats were overshadowed by costly mistakes and memorable implosions. Dallas frequently found themselves trailing in games, putting themselves in tough positions, desperately needing to rally. Most of the time, they came up short, showing only glimpses of the team they could be in the process.

After looking back at the Cowboys’ five best offensive plays by EPA from last year, next is their five worst turnovers by EPA. These are the moments where the Dallas offense stumbled the most, turning the ball over at crucial times and doing their opponents big favors. These moments are painful, and may feel like new to those who might’ve blocked them out since the season ended.

EPA data via nflindex.com.

Bills Wire’s Week 4 Player of the Game: CB Josh Norman

The Bills moved to 4-0 on the season, and due in part to some significant momentum-changing plays from Josh Norman.

Josh Norman played his first game with his team on Sunday, as the Buffalo Bills defeated the Las Vegas Raiders, 30-23. The Bills moved to 4-0 on the season, and due in part to some significant momentum-changing plays from Josh Norman.

The veteran cornerback arrived in Buffalo this offseason, in a low-risk, high-reward move from general manager Brandon Beane. Norman was activated off of the injured reserve list this week after dealing with a hamstring injury, and he proved to be worth the wait. While Buffalo played decent throughout the game, it was a turnover by Josh Norman that helped the Bills maintain their lead and slow the Raiders’ comeback attempt.

Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr and the Raiders were starting to heat up, and on a pass to tight end Darren Waller, Norman made the pivotal tackle, created the fumble with a punch, and recovered it. It leaves much optimism for Norman’s future with the Bills this season, as the turnover seemed to be the spark that the Buffalo defense needed to come alive.

Congrats to Norman on his first win of the illustrious Bills Wire Player of the Week award.

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WATCH: Texas recovers fumble after Reggie Bush lateral

Reggie Bush tried the unthinkable after a screen pass and tried to lateral the ball to USC WR Brad Walker. You can watch the play here.

Up 7-0 in the opening minute of the second quarter, USC was on the verge of Texas territory looking to add to their lead. Quarterback Matt Leinart and the Trojan set up a beautiful play-action screen to Heisman winning running back Reggie Bush and he darts downfield.

Just as Texas players start to surround him to bring him down, Bush did the unthinkable and tried to lateral the ball to wide receiver Brad Walker. Throwing the ball behind Walker, the Longhorns jumped on the opportunity and recorded their first takeaway of the night.

You can watch the play here:

Texas now takes over with great field position after failing to secure any points on their first two drives. USC is currently up 7-0 early in the second quarter, but it will be hard to contain Vince Young and this Longhorn offense for much longer.

You can watch the rest of the 2006 Rose Bowl on ESPN.

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