Tag: Watch

Garrett job security only discussion after Cowboys embarrassed by Bills

The Dallas Cowboys finally started off hot. For the first time all season, the club marched downfield on the game’s opening possession and punched it into the end zone. Ezekiel Elliott was rolling, Amari Cooper was heavily involved and Dak Prescott …

The Dallas Cowboys finally started off hot. For the first time all season, the club marched downfield on the game’s opening possession and punched it into the end zone. Ezekiel Elliott was rolling, Amari Cooper was heavily involved and Dak Prescott ended a 75-yard drive with a nice slip-out by a faux-blocking Jason Witten to take an early 7-0 lead over the Buffalo Bills.

And then the rest of the game happened.

What transpired after that was a miserable excuse for execution, coaching and a fortitude as the Bills rolled off the next 26 points en route to a 26-15 victory. The Cowboys got fooled on trick plays, turned the ball over more than they had in any game this year – including a couple that didn’t happen due to penalty or self-recovery – and generally looked disinterested in finishing the fight.  The result may be the finish of the tenure of head coach Jason Garrett.

Dak Prescott played his worst game of the season, Brett Maher missed multiple field goal attempts and the defense allowed Cole Beasley to live his best life, with a

ESPN’s Ed Werder reported prior to the game that the front office had decided to let Garrett finish the season. This performance is going to test the patience of owner Jerry Jones. It has to be a total sense of frustration for the team to fix one of it’s biggest ailments, starting out slow, and then not do any of the other things that had let them stay afloat.

So yes, the Cowboys are still in prime position to make the playoffs, unbelievably based on their performances since starting 3-0.

Normally, Dallas would have 10 days before their next contest; a fair amount of time to consider an interim situation, but Dallas has to play next Thursday night when they travel to Chicago to take on the Bears. The club will still be in first place, no matter what the Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) do on Sunday, when that game kicks off.

The Cowboys (6-6) have not won a game against a team with a winning record this season, but only have one more of such games on their remaining schedule.

Outsiders will likely find out sooner rather than later on if the Garrett will be the man charged with fixing that record.

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Shaq Lawson had choice words for Connor McGovern after Bills beat Broncos

Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson had some choice words for Broncos center Connor McGovern after Buffalo defeated Denver in Week 12.

Bills edge defender Shaq Lawson apparently has a beef with Broncos center Connor McGovern. After Buffalo defeated Denver 20-3 in Week 12, the defensive end found the offensive lineman on the field and had some choice words for him.

Lawson seemed to indicate that McGovern had said he had never heard of the defender before the game. Lawson then had a two-sack performance against the Broncos’ offensive line.

“You remember my name, I got two sacks on [you],” Lawson said after the game. “I got two sacks on [you]. You remember me now. That’s all I wanted to say to him. No cap.”

Bills center Mitch Morse came between the two players to prevent the situation from escalating. One of Lawson’s sacks came against McGovern and the other came against rookie guard Dalton Risner.

McGovern (6-4, 306 pounds) was selected by Denver in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft out of Missouri. He has been a reliable offensive lineman for the Broncos, allowing just four sacks in 42 games.

Lawson (6-3, 267 pounds) was selected by Buffalo in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft out of Clemson. At worst, he’s a bust. At best, he’s a late bloomer. He has just 15 sacks in his career, including a career-high five sacks this season.

The Broncos are scheduled to play the Bills again in 2020.

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WATCH: Highlights from Broncos’ game against Bills

Click here to view highlights from the Broncos’ game against the Bills in Week 12 of the NFL season.

The Broncos were defeated by the Bills 20-3 on the road in Week 12. Here are highlights from the game, courtesy of the NFL:

Up next for Denver is a home game against the Chargers in Week 13.

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Watch: Saints special teams unit recovers Panthers’ muffed punt

New Orleans Saints special teams ace J.T. Gray teamed up with Justin Hardee for a big play on special teams, this time against the Panthers.

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The New Orleans Saints have hurt themselves with some ugly penalties and poor execution, but they caught a big break early against the Carolina Panthers. A Thomas Morstead punt deflected off of Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore, and the Saints recovered the live ball to keep their offense alive.

It was a huge opportunity, and they didn’t waste it. Drew Brees struck wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith for a touchdown catch a few plays later. It was all kicked off when Saints special teams ace Justin Hardee blocked his Panthers counterpart, Rashaan Gaulden, into Moore. Saints safety J.T. Gray was in the right spot at the right time to recover the loose ball.

Gray has made a few game-changing plays for the Saints on special teams this year, including a blocked punt that turned into a safety against the Chicago Bears back in Week 7. If the Saints are going to go the distance and win another Super Bowl, they’ll need more plays from unexpected sources — like Gray throwing a block to create this turnover.

Check it out in the video embedded below, or at this link:

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Watch: Tre’Quan Smith extends the lead with wide-open TD catch

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith benefited from the perfect play call to catch a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers.

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Running back Latavius Murray put the New Orleans Saints on the board early against the Carolina Panthers with a 26-yard touchdown run, and wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith stepped up with his own scoring play to extend that lead on a 13-yard touchdown catch. The Saints dialed up a great play in scoring position that asked quarterback Drew Brees to drop back after faking the initial hand-off.

That play-action fooled the entire Panthers defense which bit on what looked like a run play, allowing Smith to jog untouched into the end zone. Brees lobbed the ball his way for one of the Saints’ easiest scoring plays this year. Panthers safety Eric Reid and linebacker Shaq Thompson tried to recover and chase Smith down, but there just wasn’t enough field left for them to cover before he trotted into the end zone.

It was the perfect play in that situation for what Carolina’s defense was showing the Saints, likely the result of tedious film study by Saints coach Sean Payton and his staff. We’ll be sure to double back and see which tendencies they picked up on to get this favorable of a look. In the meantime, check out the scoring play for yourself:

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Watch: Latavius Murray scores the first opening-drive Saints TD in 17 games

New Orleans Saints running back Latavius Murray ended a 17-game drought against the Carolina Panthers, scoring a 26-yard touchdown run.

The New Orleans Saints offense had their best opening drive of the year, if not longer. Drew Brees and company strung together a series of big gains through the air before running back Latavius Murray was given a huge block by new tight end Jason Vander Laan, recently called up from the practice squad. Vander Laan’s block cleared out a running lane that Murray took deep into the Carolina Panthers defense, adjusting his angle to sprint into the end zone and set the Panthers defenders up to where they couldn’t catch him.

Murray scored from 26 yards out to give the Saints an early lead over their NFC South division rival. See it for yourself in the video embedded below, or by following this link:

 

It’s the first opening-drive touchdown scored by the Saints offense since last year’s game with the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving, ending a 17-game drought; since then, the offense has ended those scripted drives with nine punts, four field goal tries (making three of them), and four interceptions, including the playoffs.

The long scoring run was the second such play for Murray this year. He scored New Orleans’ first touchdown of the year back in Week 1, sprinting 30 yards through the Houston Texans defense to reach the end zone. Murray proved he can make plays in the Saints offense during a two-week stint in the starting job while Alvin Kamara rehabbed knee and ankle injuries, and now Murray almost looks too good at times to take off the field.

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WATCH: Broncos vs. Bills preview from NFL.com

Check out NFL.com’s video preview of the Broncos’ Week 12 showdown with the Bills.

The Broncos will take on the Bills on the road in Week 12. Check out NFL.com’s preview of the contest below.

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Denver is considered a 3.5-point betting underdog this week.

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WATCH: Highlights from Broncos’ game against Vikings

Here are highlights from the Vikings’ win over the Broncos in Week 11.

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After jumping out to a 20-0 lead over the Vikings on the road in Week 11, the Broncos squandered their big first half and lost 27-23.

“We didn’t play well enough,” coach Vic Fangio said of the team’s second half performance. “They went no huddle, started throwing it a lot. We didn’t defend it well enough. We had our chances.

“They completed that one third and 15 or whatever it was, and that shouldn’t have happened. That allowed that drive to go. We just couldn’t make a play to get off the field there in the second half. Their passing game was way better than our pass defense.”

Fangio went on to praise his players for their performance.

“We didn’t lose that game because we didn’t play hard enough,” the coach said. “We had a good effort from a physical standpoint. They’re a good football team. They have a good record. They’re one of the best teams in the league. We just didn’t quite get it done.”

Up next for Denver is a road game against the Bills (7-3) in Week 12.

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WATCH: Shelby Harris strip-sacks Kirk Cousins

Broncos defensive lineman Shelby Harris strip-sacked Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins in Week 11.

Denver Broncos defensive lineman Shelby Harris strip-sacked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins late in the second quarter of Sunday’s game and inside linebacker Alexander Johnson recovered the ball.

Here’s video of the play, courtesy of Denver’s official Twitter page:

After taking over at Minnesota’s 17-yard line, the team had to settle for a short field goal attempt, which Brandon McManus converted.

The Broncos lead the Vikings 20-0 with halftime seconds away.

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WATCH: Courtland Sutton completes pass to Tim Patrick

Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton completed a 38-yard pass to Tim Patrick during Sunday’s game against the Vikings.

The Broncos pulled a Wild Cat play out of their playbook in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Vikings and put the ball in the hands of wide receiver Courtland Sutton — who then completed a pass!

Sutton connected with wide receiver Tim Patrick on a 38-yard pass after taking a handoff from running back Phillip Lindsay. Here’s video of the play, courtesy of the team’s official Twitter page:

After the big play from Sutton and Patrick, Denver went on to score on a one-yard touchdown run by fullback Andy Janovich.

The Broncos currently lead 17-0 Minnesota early in the second quarter.

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