Tag: Week 2

Bo Nix praises Broncos defense, says offense needs to score

“You can’t say enough about our defense on this winning stretch,” Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix has 276 passing yards and one touchdown pass over the last two weeks, yet the team is 2-0 during that stretch. The defense deserves much of the credit for Denver’s recent success, particularly for their performance against the New York Jets in Week 4.

“[They have] relentless pursuit over there on defense, they get to the ball, the tackling today was huge, just with sacks,” Nix said after a 10-9 win. “I mean, they got the quarterback down several times, and I know that’s tough on him just playing the position. I know it’s tough when you get sacked over and over, but they found ways to continue to put pressure on him, put pressure on him, put pressure on him. And then they changed up the look several times, and guys just made plays. And they kept battling and battling and battling and fortunately for us we just came out on the better end today.” 

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers finished Sunday’s game against the Broncos with no touchdowns, one interception and five sacks. Denver is now .500, and Nix has been full of praise for the defense, and he acknowledged that the offense now needs to step up.

“It was huge to go on the road, get two tough wins against two really good football teams, two tough defenses, two tough offenses,” Nix said. “You can’t say enough about our defense on this winning stretch. They’re going to continue to give us the ball back.

“Now, we’ve got to find ways to score, more than just a few points, but that’s part of it. You find a way to win in this league, and that’s a big day. So, they kept them out of the end zone, and we found a way to get in the end zone one time, and that was the difference in the game.”

Up next for Nix and Co. is a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5.

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Watch: Seahawks S Rayshawn Jenkins was mic’d up for Julian Love’s blocked field goal

Watch: Seahawks S Rayshawn Jenkins was mic’d up for Julian Love’s blocked field goal

The Seattle Seahawks escaped Foxboro with a 23-20 overtime victory to improve to 2-0, but it could have easily been a different story. In the second half against the New England Patriots, the Seahawks were being shut out. Defensively, they were struggling to get the Pats offense off the field.

Late in the fourth quarter, they held strong. Leonard Williams and Bryon Murphy teamed up to sack New England quarterback Jacoby Brissett on third down, forcing the Patriots to attempt a field goal. New England was leading 20-17 at the time, and had they made it a 23-17 game, Seattle would have needed to engineer a touchdown drive to attempt to win.

Instead, safety Julian Love blocked the kick to keep it a three-point game. Now, all Seattle needed was a field goal of their own to tie things up. The blocked kick was undeniably one of the most pivotal moments of the afternoon for the Seahawks.

Fellow safety Rayshawn Jenkins was mic’ed up during the blocked kick, and it’s a must-see for 12’s everywhere.

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Chiefs DL Chris Jones stripped of sack after NFL stat correction

#Chiefs DL Chris Jones was none too pleased when the NFL issued a stat correction that stripped him of a sack against the #Bengals.

In a league where every play matters, it should come as no surprise that Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones was displeased when the NFL stripped him of half a sack after a stat correction was issued this week.

Jones, was initially credited with half a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 after combining with George Karlaftis to take down star quarterback Joe Burrow, but now has nothing to show for his performance.

Never one to mince words, Jones took to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon to tell fans exactly what he thought of the NFL’s latest determination:

https://twitter.com/StoneColdJones/status/1836525657246871602

In the end, it seems that Karlaftis did the right thing in the wake of his teammate’s disappointment, as Jones would later tweet this update on Wednesday evening:

https://twitter.com/StoneColdJones/status/1836529452366336180

With some luck, Jones should be able to out-do his Week 2 performance when the Chiefs face the Atlanta Falcons this weekend and come down with at least one sack that the NFL can’t take away from him.

Chiefs OL Wanya Morris breaks down his touchdown catch vs. Bengals

Check out this video of #Chiefs OL Wanya Morris breaking down his touchdown catch against the #Bengals in Week 2.

The Kansas City Chiefs had to resort to unconventional methods to score touchdowns against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, and second-year offensive lineman Wanya Morris was ready to answer his team’s call.

When the Chiefs found themselves at Cincinnati’s goal line in the third quarter, head coach Andy Reid dialed up a play that had Morris and linebacker Leo Chenal report as eligible receivers to fool the Bengals’ defense.

When Patrick Mahomes snapped the ball, Chenal acted as a decoy in Kansas City’s backfield to make Cincinnati commit to defending the run, and Morris found himself all alone in the end zone, where he caught a touchdown pass from the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

Check out this video of Morris breaking down his first career touchdown, which was posted by the Chiefs’ official Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1836545351567679514

Though Morris isn’t a likely candidate to become Kansas City’s next receiving threat, his sure hands on this outstanding play proved to be the difference between a win and loss for the Chiefs in Week 2.

Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger impressed by Justin Fields sideline throw

Ben roethlisberger reacts to Justin Fields insane sideline throw during Week 2 game.

Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, a podcast by the future hall-of-fame quarterback and Pittsburgh Steelers legend, is never without intrigue, and this was especially true in the most recent episode.  Ben offered his reactions to the entirety of the Broncos game, but one aspect in particular, specifically a play made by Justin Fields, had the Steelers legend in awe.

https://twitter.com/matthewluciow92/status/1835807947860877629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The throw in question, while it was called back, was incredible and can be seen below:

https://twitter.com/JordanDajani/status/1835426787867930930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The issue has never been Fields’ arm or quickness, or any athletic qualities for that matter.  Consistency is key, and Steelers fans hope Fields can play consistently well rather than complacently moving forward.

Fields is on track to start this week against the Los Angeles Chargers, but his future as the Steelers’ starter when or if Russell Wilson comes back from injury remains to be seen.

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PFF: Chiefs’ pass rush among NFL’s best through Week 2

According to Pro Football Focus, the #Chiefs have generated the fourth-most pressures in the NFL through two weeks of the regular season.

The Kansas City Chiefs have continued their reign of dominance over the NFL through two weeks of the 2024 regular season, and their defense has been among the league’s best.

Kansas City’s young secondary has thrived in the absence of cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, and the Chiefs’ defensive line has done a great job of pressuring opposing quarterbacks their first two games.

Led by star defensive tackle Chris Jones, Kansas City’s front four is beginning to show flashes of excellence, and the experts at Pro Football Focus have officially taken notice.

On Wednesday, PFF released its list of teams with the most quarterback pressures this season.

The Chiefs came in fourth, with 42 heading into Week 3:

Though Kansas City is near the top of the league in pressures, the Chiefs have only accumulated four sacks through their first two contests.

Expect Jones and the rest of Kansas City’s line to convert more of these pressures into sacks as the season continues.

Chiefs’ matchup vs. Bengals was most-watched September game since 1998

The #Chiefs’ Week 2 matchup against the #Bengals had the highest viewership of any September game since 1998.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to break records on and off the field. According to CBS Sports, Sunday’s matchup between the Kansas City and the Cincinnati Bengals was the most-watched game to take place in September since 1998, with an average of 27.8 million viewers tuning in.

Viewership records are nothing new to the Chiefs. Last week’s home opener set the record as the most-watched NFL kickoff game since the league began televising games in 1939. Before that, Super Bowl LVIII, which featured the Kansas City and the San Francisco 49ers, was the most-watched Super Bowl game of all time.

Take a look at the other incredible records the game set in a post by Ari Meirov on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1836045299229331574

The Chiefs have become increasingly popular since the arrival of quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2017, who has taken on the role of the face of the NFL.

As Kansas City becomes one of the most popular teams in the NFL with the help of its newly-acquired Swiftie fanbase, it seems like it will only be a matter of time until almost every Chiefs game sets a television record.

Five things we learned from Falcons’ 22-21 win over the Eagles

Here’s what we learned from the Falcons’ big win on Monday night football

In Week 2, the Atlanta Falcons were on the verge of going 0-2 before the Philadelphia Eagles squandered the game by throwing a pass to Saquon Barkley instead of running the ball. The third-down incompletion stopped the clock and gave the Falcons new life.

With 1:39 left, Atlanta got the ball back needing a touchdown. Quarterback Kirk Cousins marched the team down the field with ease, tossing the go-ahead touchdown to wide receiver Drake London. While it wasn’t a perfect performance by any means, the Falcons escaped with a much-needed win.

Here are five things we learned from Monday night’s thrilling comeback in Philadelphia.

1. Atlanta’s offense runs through the backfield

It’s very easy to see how limited the Falcons offense is right now. The passing game eventually opened up, but it’s clear that the heartbeat of this offense lies in the backfield. Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier carried the load through the first three quarters. Robinson accounted for 97 rushing yards on 14 carries while adding 25 yards on four receptions.

Allgeier rushed for 53 yards on nine attempts, adding one catch for 12 receiving yards. Both running backs averaged over six yards per carry in Week 2. Considering the inconsistency of Atlanta’s passing attack, the ground game will likely carry this offense all season.

2. Kirk Cousins is not 100%

After Week 1, it was apparent to anyone who watched the game that Kirk Cousins is not 100 percent healthy after tearing his Achilles a season ago. This speculation was confirmed by Hall of Fame QB and current ESPN analyst Troy Aikman during warmups. “I talked to Kirk and he said he’s not 100 percent, but he feels 100 percent in the pocket,” said Aikman before the game.

Cousins looked better as the game progressed, but his mobility is almost non-existent. As long as the offensive line holds up in pass protection, Cousins can do his job. The Falcons allowed just one sack and it resulted in the team’s first win of the season.

3. Falcons still struggle to pressure QBs

It didn’t matter how often the protection broke down for the Eagles, the Falcons could not get their hands on the opposing quarterback. From breaking long runs on third and fourth down to extending broken plays, Atlanta’s defense had no answer for Jalen Hurts.

The Falcons sacked Hurts once the entire game, and it was the second week in a row that the team struggled to contain a mobile quarterback. With Patrick Mahomes coming to town, the defense will have to find a way to create some pressure in Week 3.

4. Kyle Pitts needs the ball more

In Week 1, the Falcons targeted Pitts just three times. the fourth-year tight end caught all three passes for 26 yards and a touchdown. In Week 2, Pitts finished with just three catches for 20 yards and was even less involved. The entire passing offense struggled for much of the first two games, but Pitts still isn’t being used to his full potential.

For as much of a mismatch as he provides, the Falcons have a tough time utilizing Pitts’ unique skill set. After topping 1,000 yards as a rookie in 2021, the young tight end is on track for just 391 yards this season.

5. Winning the NFC South won’t be as easy as predicted

All offseason, we were told how the division was the Falcons’ to lose. After two games, it’s clear the other NFC South teams were overlooked. Even with last night’s thrilling win, the Falcons are still in third place. The Saints and Buccaneers are leading the division with two wins apiece while the Falcons are holding on at 1-1. The Saints are 2-0 with an impressive Week 2 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The Buccaneers also stayed undefeated with a win over the Lions in Detroit.

Since Atlanta’s next game is against the defending Super Bowl champions, it could be tough to gain ground on either team in Week 3. The Falcons will play the Saints in Week 4 and the Buccaneers in Week 5. Fortunately, the Panthers are still a complete disaster. Carolina benched former No. 1 pick Bryce Young on Monday.

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PFF: Creed Humphrey earns highest grade in Chiefs’ win vs. Bengals

All-Pro center Creed Humphrey was Kansas City’s highest-graded player in the #Chiefs’ win over the #Bengals in Week 2.

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday despite a lackluster performance by the reigning Super Bowl champs.

Since the arrival of quarterback Joe Burrow in Cincinnati, almost every game between the Bengals and Chiefs has been a nail-biter, requiring both teams to play at a high level to win.

This week was no different.

Despite needing to be at their best, many of Kansas City’s best players struggled. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for just 151 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. For the most part, his supporting cast was equally average outside of a few key players.

All-Pro center Creed Humphrey was among the Chiefs’ top performers and earned a 90.7 grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts against Cincinnati.

https://twitter.com/PFF_Chiefs/status/1835736690238840957

After such an impressive outing by the former Oklahoma Sooner, it is no surprise that general manager Brett Veach made him the highest-paid center in football earlier this season.

NFL Network analyst breaks down Zach Frazier’s elite performance in Week 2

Rookie Zach Fraizer has been a huge upgrade at center this seaosn.

There were plenty of both positive and negative takeaways from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 2 victory over the Denver Broncos.  The offense seemed to be off to a hot start in the first half, only to sputter out and be almost nonexistent in the second half of football.  Brian Baldinger, an NFL Network analyst known for his breakdown of player performance, shed light on what he believes was best performance on the Steelers’ offense.

https://twitter.com/BaldyNFL/status/1835852522470158495

Baldinger frequently referenced Zach Frazier’s ability to put defenders on the ground, highlighting one key play in which Najee Harris broke free for 9 yards thanks to an elite block by Frazier.

Zach Frazier, a 2024 second-round pick out of West Virginia, is outperforming expectations thus far into the Steelers’ 2024 campaign.  The outstanding rookie center will look to keep his great performances coming as the Steelers prepare for their home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday, September 22nd, at 1 PM EST.

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