Tag: wide receiver

3 Studs and 2 Duds from Seahawks’ besting of Vikings Monday night

Who stood out and who didn’t as the Seattle Seahawks beat the Minnesota Vikings Week 13 on the national stage to advance to No. in the West.

It’s a good time to be a cardiologist in the Seattle area thanks to all these heart-pounding Seahawks games. For the second time in three games, the Seahawks were back on “Monday Night Football” and yet again it came down to a wild fourth quarter.

The Seahawks downed the 8-win Vikings in front of a national audience to improve to 10-2 and take first place in the NFC West. Meanwhile, the Vikings stay put at the No. 6 seed and a game and a half behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North.

For whatever reason, the Seahawks can never seem to play a normal game as they always come down to nail-biters late. As a result, here’s who stood out in the Seahawks’ explosive win.

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Former Texas WR Jordan Pouncey announces his transfer

Former Texas wide receiver Jordan Pouncey has announced he will be playing football Florida next season. Pouncey had two career catches.

Former Texas wide receiver Jordan Pouncey and his younger brother Ethan Pouncey have announced they will be playing football at the University of Florida next season. Ethan tweeted out a YouTube video where they said playing together “feels like their dreams have been manifested.”

Jordan is a 6’2, 205-pound wide receiver that committed to playing for the Longhorns in February 2017. He announced he would be leaving Texas in October 2019 so he could get more playing time.

Ethan is a 2020 4* corner that had offers from 21 different schools, including Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas. His commitment to Florida moved them into the top 10 in the 247 2020 rankings.

You can watch their commitment video here:

Jordan Pouncey had a career two catches for Texas, with both coming this season. One was for against Louisiana Tech for 11 yards, the other against Rice for eight yards.

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Seahawks Week 13 preview and prediction: Minnesota at Seattle

Who will come out on top Monday night of Week 13 as the Seattle Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings in primetime? Our preview and prediction.

Only eight days removed from grinding out a defensive win over the Eagles in Philadelphia, the Seahawks won’t get much of a reprieve in Week 13. The late-season gauntlet for Seattle continues with a home duel against the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota will enter Seattle with a nearly identical situation as the Seahawks. The Vikings are 8-3 and sitting in a wild card spot barely behind their division rivals in the Packers while the Seahawks are 9-2 and just behind their primary rivals, the 49ers.

A win on Monday night is crucial for both teams for two different reasons. First and foremost, it is critical in the wild card standings. The Vikings have a chance to leapfrog the Seahawks to the No. 5 seed with a win, while Seattle can tighten up its grip on the No. 5 seed by taking care of business at home.

The second reason has to do with divisional standings. Division titles are still very much within grasp of both teams, with the NFC North title actually being a little closer for the Vikings. Green Bay and Minnesota share identical 8-3 records, with the Packers only holding on with a head-to-head tiebreaker. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are desperate to keep pace with a Niners team hellbent on running away with it.

The Vikings boast one of the most talented rosters in all of football and the Seahawks are one of the hottest teams in the league. It certainly looks like Monday night is shaping into must-watch television this week.

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Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett still not 100% after leg injury

After bruising his lower leg Week 10 in San Franciso, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett is on the mend for Monday night.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett participated in the team’s Week 12 outing against the Philadelphia Eagles although he wasn’t fully recovered from the leg bruise he sustained in San Francisco two weeks before.

Lockett was injured late in the fourth quarter against the 49ers and remained in The Bay area for a couple of days while he received treatment on his leg.

Coach Pete Carroll is hoping he’ll be up to speed by this Monday night against the Vikings.

“Yeah, he feels really good now,” Carroll said Wednesday. “It maybe wasn’t 100%, even though he could run and play and all that. He just feels better now. I think it’s going to take all the way to Monday to really kind of put it in the rearview mirror, but he’s in good shape.

“He looked really good today.”

Lockett, the Seahawks and the Vikings had Thursday off for Thanksgiving but resume practice on Friday.

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In show of sportsmanship, 49ers lend Tyler Lockett device to heal leg

The 49ers, after losing to the Seahawks, lent injured Seattle receiver Tyler Lockett the Game Ready machine he needed to help heal his leg.

Wide receiver Tyler Lockett and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks served the San Francisco 49ers their only loss of the year in Week 10. The 49ers then returned the favor with a true example of good sportsmanship.

San Franciso provided Lockett – who suffered a severe leg bruise in the game – with the medical device he needed to begin treatment.

“In the hospital after the game, sources say Lockett wanted to know if medical personnel had a Game Ready device – a new-age, high-end compression therapy unit used to accelerate recovery,” NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported. “The hospital did not have the device, which is used almost exclusively in athletics. Lockett then made an odd request: Do the 49ers have a Game Ready he could use?”

According to Rapoport, Lockett’s agent Andrew Kessler contacted the San Francisco staff with the request and the 49ers’ training staff promptly delivered the unit.

Lockett, who remained two nights in the hospital, was able to recover more quickly over the bye and appeared in the Seahawks’ next matchup against the Eagles.

While Lockett may not be 100% just yet, it was with the aid of a division rival and their Game Ready machine that helped the wide receiver get back on his feet.

Good sportsmanship at its best.

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It’s time for DaeSean Hamilton to show his worth

Broncos receiver DaeSean Hamilton, a fourth-round pick just last year, has been far too quiet in 2019.

Sitting at 3-7 on the season, the Denver Broncos are in a spot where it is time to see what can be taken positively into the 2020 season. That will include evaluating several players and position groups in order to determine where improvements can be made.

It was only a small sample in last Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, but the Broncos do appear to have something to work with in the passing game with the big, athletic trio of Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and Noah Fant.

What they need to find out for sure now is what they have in last year’s fourth-round pick, wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton.

Hamilton has been quiet this season — too quiet. Despite playing in all 10 games for the team, he has caught just 11 passes for 106 yards. Pro Football Reference shows that he has been in on just about 62 percent of the team’s offensive snaps.

So why is Hamilton finding it so difficult to become a consistent contributor on offense?

He finished the 2018 season strong, catching at least five passes in every game during the month of December while Emmanuel Sanders was injured. Those numbers encouraged many fans to believe he would take off in his second season with the team.

That has not happened.

This season, he has caught passes in just five of the team’s 10 games. He also hasn’t caught a pass since the October 17 meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Does the team not really trust him? He did have some drops which made it seem like Joe Flacco almost refused to look his way at a point. Is the offense too complex? Is he just not that good? Something else?

These are just some of the questions we have to ask ourselves as to why Hamilton has been a complete non-factor in the passing game. But there is no room for excuses in professional football and soon, Hamilton will need to make some plays to show that he should be in this team’s future plans.

That should start as early as this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Patrick, who just returned from injured reserve, has already developed a new shoulder injury that has slowed him down this week.

Sutton leads the team with 49 receptions, but behind him, here are the numbers for the Broncos’ other receivers this

Wide receiver Receptions Percentage of snaps
Emmanuel Sanders (traded) 30 53.47
DaeSean Hamilton 11 61.78
Diontae Spencer 5 7.40
Tim Patrick 4 10.14
Fred Brown 2 13.14

That chart shows that Hamilton has done very little despite plenty of opportunities. Meanwhile, guys like Spencer (a return specialist), Brown and Patrick (in one game) have really done more with less of a chance.

That’s concerning.

Flacco is done for the season and possibly for good in Denver. Hamilton needs to create a connection with Brandon Allen or — if he’s going to play this season — Drew Lock. That will be essential in order for the team to consider Hamilton a piece that it can use to build with in the future or if a young wideout needs to be targeted in the draft next spring.

Having just 11 catches despite being on the field for over 400 offensive snaps is just not good enough and it says one of two things. Either the team doesn’t trust Hamilton or he just doesn’t know how to get open.

This is a player who caught 214 passes for over 2,800 yards in a tough Big 10 Conference while at Penn State in college. Why has his transition to the next level been so difficult?

It’s time for Hamilton and the Broncos to begin answering these questions and looking for ways to get more production on the field. His future with the team could depend on it.

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Phillip Lindsay says Tim Patrick is a ‘dog’ in Broncos’ offense

Tim Patrick is emerging as a legit No. 2 wide receiver for the Broncos.

Tim Patrick returned from a hand injury against the Vikings last week and made an immediate impact in the Broncos’ offense, catching four passes for 77 yards. Patrick (6-4, 212 pounds) is a big receiver who helps draw attention away from Courtland Sutton, who has emerged as Denver’s No. 1 target.

“Obviously, he can go and make plays and do a lot of stuff for us,” quarterback Brandon Allen said of Patrick on Wednesday. “I think he’ll continue to get better and hopefully draw some attention away from Courtland. Like I said, keep guys in defenses honest. He’ll continue to get better and keep making plays for us like he did last week.”

Denver running back Phillip Lindsay called Patrick a “dog,” in a good way.

“Tim Patrick is a dog,” Lindsay said Wednesday. “We all understand that. He brings a lot of great energy to our team and something that we needed. He brings another element to help Courtland out. Having him back, it’s either you’re going to have to double Courtland and leave Tim here. Tim is going to continue to get better as he gets back into the groove of everything.

“One thing about Tim is he doesn’t back down to anything. There are a lot of people that play football, but Tim plays it passionate. A lot of people aren’t cut from how Tim is, the same cloth he’s cut from. A lot of people aren’t like that. It’s one thing I’m excited for is for Tim to continue to emerge as a receiver and be a top one too.”

Patrick, 25, caught 23 passes for 315 yard and one touchdown in limited action last year. If he continues playing like he did on Sunday, Patrick could emerge as the team’s clear No. 2 wide receiver going into 2020.

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Report: Texans ‘confident’ receiver Will Fuller will play against the Colts

The Houston Texans are confident that wide receiver Will Fuller will play in Thursday night’s bout with the Indianapolis Colts.

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The Houston Texans may benefit from the return of a key cog to their offense on Thursday night.

According to Ed Werder of ESPN, the Texans are “confident” that wide receiver Will Fuller will play against the Indianapolis Colts.

Like the Colts — who expect T.Y. Hilton to return for the divisional tilt — the Texans are in-line to receive their speed merchant back.

Fuller suffered a “significant” hamstring pull in Week 7’s loss to the Colts. He has not played since. After the Week 10 bye, he returned to practice in a limited fashion but ultimately did not fly with the team for their 41-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

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Fuller, on the official injury report, is questionable to return after a week of limited practices and walkthroughs. Coach Bill O’Brien listed him as a game-time decision.

On the season, Fuller has 34 receptions for 450 yards and three touchdowns. The Texans used veteran Kenny Stills in his place during the recovery process; he was unable to match Fuller’s production.

If Fuller were to return on Thursday, Deshaun Watson would have a full arsenal of skill position players to utilize. None, other than Fuller, were limited in practice heading into Houston’s must-win divisional tilt.

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Texans’ Deshaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins on the same page before and after the snap

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins are on the same page pre-, and post-snap.

A No. 1, go-to wide receiver is a luxury in the NFL. Only so many teams have one. The same can be said for a true franchise quarterback. Every year, teams spend months and assets galore finding one.

The Houston Texans have both, in Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins, a duo known as one of the NFL’s most feared.

In 2018, Hopkins amassed 115 receptions for 1,572 yards and 11 touchdowns with Watson throwing to him. He earned his second-straight All-Pro nod for his efforts. In 2019, his yardage (745) and touchdown (four) numbers may be down, but his receptions are up (75).

Hopkins, in 2019, has altered his game from fewer bulk yards — he allows Will Fuller and Kenny Stills to do so — to be a true chain-mover and safety valve, often reeling in his 47 first down receptions from the slot.

Hopkins can be that guy for Watson due to their chemistry. They have a clear understanding of their timing, routes and adjustments.

“I see it pre-snap, he sees it pre-snap, post-snap, and we’ll just be on the same page. We just have that chemistry,” said Deshaun Watson on Tuesday. “We just have that communication and we talk about it all the time. We talk about it, we watch film on it, on different looks, different situations and if we have time to get to that second hole or that second window or this look or different looks, we just communicate it.”

The Texans wide-out may not have big-time numbers to boast from the 2019 season as in years prior. However, Hopkins’ is still “that” guy for Houston’s offense. He’s clutch; rarely makes a mishap in a big moment; and is the person Watson looks for at the end of the game, third or fourth quarter.

“He’s just a guy that wants the ball every time, especially in a moment like that where the drive is on the line,” said Watson. “He likes that pressure situation where, like you said, the drive is on the line so we’ve got to keep the chains moving and keep the possession of the ball.”

The killer instinct can define a football player. The Texans, in Watson and Hopkins, have two with that ever-so-valuable intangible. Even better: their chemistry cannot be touched.

Seahawks have no limitations on wide receiver Josh Gordon

Although new to the squad, veteran wide receiver Josh Gordon will continue to factor into the Seattle Seahawks game plan.

The Seahawks recently added to their wide receiver corps when they claimed former New England Patriot Josh Gordon off waivers. Seattle didn’t waste any time putting Gordon to the test.

Active against the 49ers in Week 10, Gordon played 23 of Seattle’s 73 offensive snaps. While he only logged two receptions for 27 total yards, both catches were clutch for the Seahawks, each coming on critical third downs.

Gordon might not yet have a full grasp of the playbook, but coach Pete Carroll won’t hesitate to turn him loose when needed.

“I don’t think anything is going to hold him back in terms of his learning,” Carroll said Monday. “He has no problem at all. He did fine in the game and if we keep moving forward with it. I don’t think we would load him up to play every play or anything like that, we would still use our rotations and all – but he has no limitations.”

Seattle hopes Gordon will prove to be an extra weapon for Russell Wilson in the passing game as the team continues its run for the playoffs.

Gordon and the rest of the squad resume practice Wednesday as they prepare to face the Eagles in Week 12.

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