Tag: Week 9

Former Steelers’ WR turned Raven a non-factor in Baltimore debut

Former Steeler and newly acquired Ravens WR Diontae Johnson had an underwhelming debut in Baltimore, making zero impact whatsoever.

While not every debut makes a splash, some fail to even make a ripple. This is exactly the reality Diontae Johnson faced in his first appearance with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. The former Steelers WR did his best impression of Roman Wilson’s regular-season debut. Not only did Johnson fail to record a single catch, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson didn’t target him at all during the contest. 

While his playing time was limited, similar to how Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin handled Wilson’s first career NFL regular-season game, his inability to make even a slight impact begs the question: was too much stock put into his arrival with the Ravens?

While Johnson has yet to be given the chance to highlight some of his less-than-lovable qualities, such as his tendency to give up on plays, his lack of consistency in run blocking, and his plethora of dropped passes, fans of Pittsburgh should be excited about the opportunity to showcase, in Week 11’s matchup with the Ravens, why acquiring Donte Jackson was well worth the price they paid in trading Johnson to Carolina. 

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9 players did not play in Broncos’ loss to Ravens

The Broncos held out nine players from Sunday’s game against the Ravens.

Nine members of the 53-man roster did not play in the Denver Broncos‘ 41-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday afternoon.

Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson*, safety P.J. Locke (thumb), cornerback Damarri Mathis, defensive back Kris Abrams-Draine, offensive tackle Frank Crum, tight end Greg Dulcich and outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman were inactive in Week 9.

*Wilson was inactive but still dressed as an emergency third quarterback.

Jarrett Stidham, Denver’s primary backup quarterback, also did not play as Bo Nix took every snap on offense. Backup offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton was also an unused substitute, giving the Broncos nine players who did not see the field in Baltimore.

Broncos who did not play in Week 9

  1. QB Zach Wilson (emergency third QB)
  2. DB P.J. Locke (thumb)
  3. CB Damarri Mathis
  4. CB Kris Abrams-Draine
  5. OT Frank Crum
  6. TE Greg Dulcich
  7. OLB Dondrea Tillman
  8. QB Jarrett Stidham (active)
  9. OL Calvin Throckmorton (active)

Devon Key filled in for Locke at safety. We’ll see if Locke is able to return in time for the team’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs next week.

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Seahawks QB Geno Smith apologizes for performance vs Rams

Seahawks QB Geno Smith apologizes for performance vs Rams

Accountability is crucial in the National Football League. It’s a trait that’s essentially a prerequisite for quarterbacks to have in abundance. Such is the case for Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith, who had his worst performance as a starter in the Emerald City.

Smith threw three interceptions, two of which were in the red zone in the fourth quarter. One was even returned 103 yards for a go-ahead Rams touchdown. Opportunities for points were squandered, and Smith directly acknowledged his responsibility in the loss. During the postgame press conference, Smith opened his statement with an apology.

“First of all, I want to start off by apologizing to my teammates, really, and to the city, to the organization,” Smith humbly stated. “They put a lot of trust in me with my decision-making, and when they put the ball in my hands, when my teammates play the way they played today and to give us a shot to win the game, I’ve got to make sure we do. The things I did today, mistakes that I made, they affected us negatively and really cost us the game today. Me knowing myself, I know how much this is going to hurt. I’m going to step it up, though. That’s how I feel about it. I’m going to step it up.”

It says a lot about a man’s character when he is able to face the music head on and take accountability. There is no one who watched this game and came away with anything other than Smith’s poor play being the top observation. For him to come out and not hide from it speaks volumes to the kind of person Smith is.

Smith has played mostly exceptional football in Seattle. Hopefully, lessons will be learned from this game during the Seahawks’ upcoming bye week. He will face another stiff challenge on the other side in the form of the San Francisco 49ers.

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Breaking down Packers’ 24-14 loss to Lions in Week 9

Lions 24, Packers 14: Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward.

The Green Bay Packers gave up 24 straight points — including seven on an interception returned for a touchdown off Jordan Love late in the first half — and failed to engineer a comeback in a 24-14 loss to the Detroit Lions at a wet and windy Lambeau Field on Sunday.

The Packers are now 6-3 overall but 0-2 in the NFC North entering the Week 10 bye.

Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward:

What went right

— The Packers actually out-gained the Lions by 150 yards — 411 to 261. On a per play basis, the Packers also scored a decisive win — 6.6 to 4.7. Green Bay even outrushed the Lions (138-124). The stat wins just didn’t translate on the scoreboard, for a variety of reasons.

— The Packers put together a long drive and took a 3-0 lead early. The opening possession took almost eight minutes off the clock and was important for establishing the run early.

— Josh Jacobs turned 13 carries in 95 yards, good for a 7.3-yard average. He had a 37-yard run and now has a run of 25 or more yards in three straight games. Emanuel Wilson also had a 19-yard run.

— Jayden Reed turned five catches into 113 yards, including three catches of 25 or more yards.

— Jordan Love’s mobility was limited, but he didn’t take a sack and the Lions were credited with only two quarterback hits.

— The Packers defense allowed only 17 points, including just seven in the second half. The Lions punted on three straight drives in the second half and were 4-for-12 on third down overall.

What went wrong

— Jordan Love’s pick-six late in the first half turned a 10-3 game into a 17-3 advantage for the Lions at half.

— The Packers finished 1-for-4 scoring touchdowns in the red zone and 3-for-12 on third down. The Lions, meanwhile, had two red zone touchdowns and two fourth-down conversions.

— Ten more penalties. One extended a Lions scoring drive. Several others helped short-circuit drives. The Packers continue to be one of the NFL’s most penalized teams.

— The Packers fumbled three times, including twice on bad snaps. Elgton Jenkins and Love had issues in the rain executing shotgun snaps.

— The FOX broadcast credited the Packers with six drops. Four came on third down, including two in the red zone. Dontayvion Wicks had a drop in the end zone. The rain clearly affected the Packers’ ability to catch the football.

— Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 138 rushing yards, 34 receiving yards and 182 total yards.

— Kicker Brandon McManus missed his first field goal as a Packer. His 46-yard attempt drifted wide left in the first half.

— Keisean Nixon gave up a touchdown pass on fourth down and a third-down conversion, and his holding penalty extended the Lions’ scoring drive to start the second half.

— Jared Goff completed his first 11 passes. He finished 18-for-22 passing and took just one sack.

What it means

The Packers will go into the midseason break at 6-3, but a pair of disappointing home losses to division rivals and lingering issues with drops, penalties and interceptions have Matt LaFleur’s team looking vulnerable with a tough second-half stretch ahead. Winning the division looks increasingly less likely, given the Lions are now 7-1 and have a win at Lambeau Field. But who knows what can happen over the final two months. Can the Packers use the bye week to heal a few important injuries and find a way to catch fire at the right time? This team looks loaded with potential, but at some point, it all has to come together and be realized for it to matter. One could argue the Packers have lost to their three best opponents so far.

Highlights

What’s next

The bye week. The Packers are 6-3 and in good shape for a playoff run, but Matt LaFleur’s team needs to get healthy and solve some of the persistent problems during the off week. Coming out of the bye, the Packers go to Chicago to play the Bears, who dropped to 4-4 on Sunday and will be coming off a home game against the New England Patriots. It’ll be important for the Packers to get back on track and secure their first division win of the season on Nov. 17.

Broncos need to rebound after getting ‘teeth beat in’ by Ravens

“We had our butts kicked,” Broncos QB Bo Nix said after Sunday’s loss to the Ravens. Now they need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

The Denver Broncos were beaten up by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, literally and metaphorically.

“Obviously, a difficult, tough game,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after a 41-10 loss on the road. “They beat us, pretty much in all three phases. We didn’t do a good enough job coaching. We lost to a good football team. It’s disappointing.”

Denver’s offense turned the ball over on downs four times. Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw an interception on the first drive of the game when pass when through the hands of wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey.

“[There were] a lot of what-ifs in this game, and the fact of the matter is we had our butts kicked,” Nix said after the game.

Plain and simple, Denver got whooped in Baltimore.

“Look, this is a tough league,” Payton said. “You work all week, and I think the most important thing, and I just finished telling them this, is, even beyond playing football, there’s going to be games, where you’ve got to go in on Monday, and it’s not going to taste good for any of us. We’re not going to like it, but that’s life.

“We’ve got to bow up and get ready to play next week. That’s why it’s so important when we’re bringing in the right type of players and the mindset. It’s not making any excuses. We got whooped today.”

Losing always hurts, but going into the game with a 5-3 record and then getting blown out created an extra sting for Broncos players.

“This is miserable; it’s no fun,” Nix said. “You never want to lose games like this. You never want to lose, period, but obviously, it’s inevitable sometimes. But you don’t want to lose like this, so it is miserable, and we do have to face it. You either sit there and point fingers at someone, someone else, or you sit there and take ownership of it.

“The only way to get over it and not be in the situation anymore and to continue to find ways to improve is to look internally. That’s what we’re going to do, starting with ourselves and starting with me. There are a few different things you can do, but it’s just a more important, more valuable, decision to say, ‘I, as an individual, have to get better,’ and it starts with each person, and then eventually, you start changing games like this.”

Now Denver has to make Sunday’s defeat a learning experience.

“You know, football is a humbling game and that’s the beauty of it,” cornerback Riley Moss said. “The highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. Everyone in the locker room loves this game and, you know, we can’t forget that. Especially when you get your teeth beat in like this. It’s something that, ‘OK, it happened. Alright, how can we get better so that it doesn’t occur again?’ Because that’s what winning teams do, and I think we have the guys to be able to do that.”

Up next for the Broncos is another tough road game, this one against the Kansas City Chiefs.

“[We’ve] really got to look at this and see why it happened and try to fix our mistakes,” Nix said, “so it doesn’t happen to us again, or we’ll be right back in this same situation.”

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Seahawks lose 26-20 to Rams in overtime, fall to last place in NFC West

Seahawks lose 26-20 to Rams in overtime, fall to last place in NFC West

The Seattle Seahawks are now in sole possession of last place in the NFC West. After losing 26-20 in overtime to the Los Angeles Rams, and with the Arizona Cardinals defeating the Chicago Bears 29-9, the one-time division leaders are now in the basement of said division.

Seattle has now lost their fourth-straight home game, matching their longest losing streak at Lumen Field since the end of the 2020 season through 2021. What game started that particular losing streak? A home playoff loss to – you guessed it – the Los Angeles Rams.

Last season, the Seahawks lead the Rams 13-7 at halftime after a late Geno Smith touchdown pass, and were eventually shutout in a disappointing 30-13 home defeat. In a sick way, history almost repeated itself without edit.

On Sunday, the Seahawks took a 13-3 lead in the final moments of the half after a Geno Smith touchdown pass. From there, the wheels started to fall off for Seattle. The Rams scored 10 points of their own in the third to tie the game 13-13 headed into the fourth. Unfortunately, this is when the Seahawks started to implode.

Well, that’s not entirely accurate. I should say this is when quarterback Geno Smith started to implode. It was one of the worst second half performances the 12th Man has seen from a quarterback in some time. Smith got the offense down to LA’s goal line when he threw a wobbling pass into traffic in the end zone. It was picked off by Kamren Kinchens, who then returned the ball 103-yards for the go ahead touchdown.

After the pick-six, the Seahawks and Rams traded punts. At least, that’s what Los Angeles attempted to do, but their punt attempt was blocked by wide receiver Cody White, who was elevated off the practice squad this weekend. White’s block set Seattle up at the Rams’ 19-yard line.

Unfortunately, the golden opportunity was (quite literally) thrown away by Smith, who threw his third interception of the game five plays later.

However, against improbable odds, the Seahawks were given one final opportunity in regulation to tie the game, and they did make the most of it. Smith engineered an eight-play, 73 yard drive to tie the game with this beautiful throw to JSN. Seattle had life!

In overtime, the Seahawks won the coin toss and got the ball first. Seattle made it all the way to LA’s 16-yard line. On fourth and one, the Seahawks elected to go for it instead of kicking a field goal to take a lead. They were stuffed on the ensuing run. The game then shifted into sudden death overtime.

The Rams went 83 yards in only four plays, and ended the game with a 39-yard touchdown strike from Matthew Stafford to send the Seahawks into last place.

Seattle heads into their bye week seeking answers. Their 3-0 start has devolved into a 1-5 stretch and are looking up at every other team in their division… a division where they are now 0-2 in games against rivals. The Seahawks will be back in Week 11 to play the San Francisco 49ers on the road.

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Sharp Lions cut through mistake-prone Packers in rainy Week 9 road win

The sharp Detroit Lions soundly defeated the sloppy Packers in rainy Green Bay in Week 9

The Detroit Lions proved beyond any shadow of a doubt they are the kings of the North. Dan Campbell’s Lions roared into Lambeau Field and soundly defeated the Green Bay Packers, 24-14, in a driving rainstorm that flooded some distance between the first-place Lions and the rest of the division.

Chants of “Ja-red Goff” broke out in the Packers home stadium as the Lions went into victory formation, cementing Detroit’s third straight win in Green Bay. The Lions ran for 124 yards and scored 24 straight points after the Packers opened the game with a long and impressive field goal drive.

Detroit wasn’t seriously threatened after running out to a 24-3 lead with Jahmyr Gibbs’ 15-yard TD run on the opening drive of the second half. The Packers tacked on a late touchdown, but the Lions offense calmly ran out the clock. The Lions did not turn the ball over.

The Packers were certainly complicit in their own demise. Green Bay made the mistakes the Lions largely avoided, and several of the home team’s errors came in crucial situations. Among them:

  • A missed field goal with the score 7-3 Lions, which gave the Lions enough field position to kick a field goal of their own
  • Six dropped passes, notably a should-be touchdown in the fourth quarter where Jordan Love threw behind a wide-open Dontayvion Wicks. It wasn’t an easy catch opportunity but he got both hands on it, albeit in the driving rain.
  • One of the worst decisions you’ll ever see a quarterback make, with Love gift-wrapping a pick-six for Lions safety Kerby Joseph.
  • Six pre-snap penalties, notably a 4th-down encroachment penalty that set up Detroit’s first touchdown.

The Lions played a much cleaner game despite it being their first outdoor game of the season. Jared Goff completed 11 of his first 12 passes and avoided turning the ball over once again. Goff finished 18-of-22. He netted just 145 passing yards, but that was all the Lions needed.

Other than a controversial ejection to star safety Brian Branch — his penalty was certainly merited but the ejection was highly suspect — Detroit played smartly. The defense was stingy in coverage despite an almost complete absence of a pass rush, not allowing a passing touchdown and holding Green Bay to just 3-of-12 on third-down conversions.

With the impressive divisional road win, the Lions improve to an NFC-best 7-1 record. Green Bay falls to 6-3.

Instant analysis of Packers’ 24-14 loss to Lions in Week 9

Instant analysis of the Packers’ 24-14 loss to the Lions in Week 9.

A disastrous pick-six, double-digit penalties and a half-dozen dropped passes doomed the Green Bay Packers in a decisive loss to the Detroit Lions at a rain-soaked Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Jordan Love threw a pick-six before the half, handing the Lions a 17-3 advantage. Matt LaFleur’s team also committed 10 penalties and dropped six passes.

The Packers are now limping into the bye week at 6-3 but also 0-2 in the division, while the Lions are surging ahead at 7-1.

Here is an instant analysis of the Packers’ loss to the Lions in Week 9:

Final score: Lions 24, Packers 14

1 2 3 4 F
DET (7-1) 7 10 7 0 24
GB (6-3) 3 0 3 8 14

Live scoring

First quarter

GB 3, DET 0: Brandon McManus 30-yard field goal (7:06)
DET 7, GB 3: Amon-Ra St. Brown 3-yard catch

Second quarter

DET 10, GB 3: Jake Bates 27-yard field goal (0:58)
DET 17, GB 3: Kerby Joseph 27-yard interception return (0:32)

Third quarter

DET 24, GB 3: Jahmyr Gibbs 15-yard rush (9:32)
DET 24, GB 6: Brandon McManus 38-yard field goal (0:48)

Fourth quarter

DET 24, GB 14: Emanuel Wilson 2-yard run (3:49)

It was over when…

… the Lions stuffed Josh Jacobs on 4th-and-1 inside the red zone and the Packers trailing 24-6. A score might have made things interesting. The stop made a comeback impossible. Dontayvion Wicks dropped what would have been touchdown pass one play before the fourth down stop.

Game balls

Offense — WR Jayden Reed: He made a tough catch on a 41-yarder to end the first half, and his late conversion on 4th-and-5 extended a drive. His 32-yarder in the third quarter set up a field goal.

Defense — DE Kingsley Enagbare: His late tackle for loss on Kalif Raymond helped set up a punt. The Packers finished with only three tackles for loss and four quarterback hits.

Special teams — P Daniel Whelan: Both of his punts ended up inside the 20-yard line, including a 51-yarder. His net average was 42.0 yards.

Key stat

1-for-4: The Packers finished with just one touchdown on four red zone trips, including three straight failures to start the game. Green Bay kicked two short field goals and had a fourth down run stuffed inside the red zone. The touchdown didn’t arrive until late in the fourth. Too many points left on the field.

Deciding factor

Pick-six: The Packers trailed 10-3 and were right in it late in the first half. Jordan Love’s pick-six — while under pressure and attempting to check the ball down to Josh Jacobs — changed everything. Suddenly, the Lions led 17-3, and then took the ball to start the half and marched for another score. Game over.

Jordan Love watch

While playing through a groin injury, Love completed 23 of 39 passes for 273 yards and an interception. His pick-six changed the game. Love wasn’t sacked, but his mobility looked limited. His stat-line was drastically affected by six different drops, including at least one dropped touchdown. Love’s passer rating finished at 69.7 — well below average and indicative of the performance overall.

Play of the game

Early on, the Packers got a big stop when Arron Mosby and Rashan Gary combined for a third-down sack.

Injury updates

Defensive lineman Colby Wooden exited the game with a shoulder injury.

What’s next

A much-needed bye week. Jordan Love played through a groin injury but was clearly limited. Josh Jacobs battled through an ankle injury. Jaire Alexander, Evan Williams and Josh Myers missed the game. Kenny Clark and Elgton Jenkins have played through lingering injuries all season. Matt LaFleur’s team needs to get healthy and find a way to catch fire coming out of the bye. The Packers go to Chicago to play the Bears on Sunday, Nov. 17.

Rams WR Puka Nacua ejected for throwing punch at Seahawks LB Dodson

Rams WR Puka Nacua ejected for throwing punch at Seahawks LB Dodson

Whenever the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams play each other, you can almost always expect it to be a physical and chippy matchup. But sometimes, even by these two teams’ standards, it can get a little more intense.

Towards the end of the first half, trailing 6-3, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford uncorked a pass for second-year wide receiver Puka Nacua, which was intercepted by Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen. Three plays later, Geno Smith found his second-year receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown to give Seattle a 10-point lead.

But the touchdown was not the only thing Los Angeles suffered on the interception. After the ball was picked, Nacua was flagged for throwing a punch on Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson. This was more than egregious enough for the officials to immediately disqualify Nacua from the rest of the game.

Nacua’s sophomore season has been a struggle so far. Nacua missed five games after Week 1 due to a PCL injury, and was only recently reactivated last week for Thursday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. Nacua was questionable going into this game, but ultimately was ready to suit up.

Although Nacua only caught one reception for 11 yards on four targets, his absence is a blow to Los Angeles’ offense… even if Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp is in the lineup.

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Twitter reacts to Broncos’ humbling 41-10 loss to Ravens

The Broncos were humbled in a 41-10 loss to the Ravens on Sunday. Here’s how Twitter/X reacted to the game.

The Denver Broncos (5-4) were given a reality check in a 41-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens (6-3) on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a sampling of how Twitter/X reacted to the Week 9 loss.

Things aren’t about to get any easier for Denver. Up next is a road game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10, followed by a home game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11.

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