Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images The veteran receiver confirmed his new position Monday on his podcast The NFL will be implementing a new kickoff set up this season. Due to rule changes that may force the kicker to be potentially more involved in stopping a returner, there have been rumblings that some teams have considered letting more physically experienced players take over kickoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs were the first to consider the change as they are expected to have safety Justin Reid handle their kickoff duties, and now it looks as though the Los Angeles Rams may be following their lead. Speaking on his podcast Daily Grind co-hosted by his wife, WR Cooper Kupp has revealed that he will be kicking for the Rams kickoff unit in Detroit on Sunday Night Football. Around the 7:20 mark, the veteran wideout says: “We are six days away from kickoff and I will be doing the opening kickoff. Dropping that right here now. I’m literally out there kicking the ball to start things off. Pretty cool, pretty cool.” To be clear, this move has not yet been confirmed by head coach Sean McVay. While it may sound like a joke on some level, there have been many innovations this season to help make special teams and the kickoff a bigger part of the game, teams more willing to accept and adapt to those changes are the ones that will find a competitive edge first. Surprisingly, Kupp actually does have some minor kicking experience. In high school he handled punts, averaging 33 yards per kick his senior year at Davis high in Washington. Also in his favor is the fact that he will only need the ball to get in the landing zone (20-yard line to the goal line) as kicking it all the way for a touchback will now result in the ball being placed at the 30-yard line, rather than the 25 like previous years. Kupp has no formal kicking experience in the NFL but has returned kicks in the past. It remains to be seen if Kupp will actually be handling the kickoff or rookie kicker Josh Karty will stay in the role, but one thing is for sure – the dynamic kickoff is already starting to change the NFL. Special teams importance and kicker value could become drastically different moving forward.
Cooper Kupp reveals new role as kicker for the Rams kickoff team
Ravens-Chiefs injury report: Baltimore is relatively healthy ahead of trip to Kansas City
Ravens-Chiefs injury report: Baltimore is relatively healthy ahead of trip to Kansas City glenn erby The Baltimore Ravens released their second injury report of the regular season, and there was no change after the final practice of the week before the team departs for Kansas City on Wednesday. Adisa Isaac missed another practice with a hamstring injury, while rookie running back Rasheen Ali is dealing with a neck injury. For Kansas City, wide receiver Hollywood Brown (shoulder) is not expected to play. In contrast, Nazeeh Johnson (hamstring), Chris Jones (shoulder), Joshua Williams (hamstring), Nick Bolton (elbow), Wanya Morris (knee), Derrick Nnadi (triceps); Joe Thuney (pectoral), and James Winchester (shoulder) all got in full practices, and are on schedule to play.
Joey Chestnut will be part of Bengals vs. Patriots halftime entertainment
Luis Torres/Special to the Times / USA TODAY NETWORK Who’s hungry for some Bratwurst? The Cincinnati Bengals announced their planned halftime entertainment for their Week 1 home game against the New England Patriots, and it’s a five-versus-one Bratwurst-eating contest. If you’re a fan of the exciting sport of competitive eating, you’re in luck. If the only thing you know about competitive eating is the name Joey Chestnut, you’re also in luck. That’s right, football and tube-shaped meat fans, Joey Chestnut, the G.O.A.T. of the competitive eating world, will be taking on five brave souls in an eating contest to see who can gobble down the most Bratwursts. Welcome to The Jungle, @joeyjaws (BTW congrats on beating your own World Record) pic.twitter.com/hvXuWjikNt — Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 3, 2024 Bratwurst, of course, is a German sausage very popular in the Greater Cincinnati Area because of the region’s heritage. It is also likely to celebrate and promote Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, which will be later in September, and is the second-largest Oktoberfest celebration in the world, and the largest in the United States. So, who are you going to put money down on (I’m assuming you’ll be able to make a bet on this)? Joey Chestnut, who has won 16 Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contests, or five dudes who must really like Bratwurst? Be sure to go follow our Twitter page and ‘like’ our Facebook page for more Cincinnati Bengals news, views and other fun stuff. Who Dey!
Tyreek Hill has a bold prediction about Jaylen Waddle
Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images Could 2024 be a career-high year for Jaylen Waddle? MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill took questions after Monday’s practice and spoke on topics ranging from being named a captain to his injury status and his confidence level going into the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. One answer that caught my eye pertained to a question about the expectations of fellow receiver Jaylen Waddle: “All-Pro. I’d say All-Pro this year. He’s taken his game to another level in the classroom. He’s taking it more seriously. He’s moved to the back of the classroom with me and River. So he’s sitting beside us now. He’s asking more questions which is great. He’s very eager to get better. And for me, I believe that’s where it starts. To be able to take your game to the next level as a not-ideal receiver size; you’re fast, you’re twitchy, you got to be able to do it in the classroom, and he’s done a great job taking advice from our Coach Wes, Coach Krause and all of the older guys in our room. I expect All-Pro, WR1 all of that. Lead our team.” Hill is well-loved by his teammates, and one of the reasons why is that he’s always hyping up his teammates publicly, and he was a huge factor in the development of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s confidence. His answer regarding Waddle’s expectations on the surface sounds the same as his praise of his teammates and coaches, but this one stuck out to me as different. It involves himself, implying that his stats will drop if Waddle leads the team. That’s a stark difference from the tune he’s sung the last few years with his goal of hitting two thousand yards. If Waddle takes a step forward, Hill has to take a step back. I wouldn’t say it’s a regression. It’s more like a natural push and pull of counting stats when opening up room for a counterpart to flourish. It’s selfless on Hill’s part and shows the growth in his maturity since becoming a Dolphin. It’s not about stats anymore. It’s about winning. Is Jaylen Waddle up to the task of becoming the Dolphins WR1? The Apprentice Becomes the Master Three seasons, and three thousand-yard campaigns to Jaylen Waddle’s name. It’s the ideal start to a receiver’s career, but how high is the ceiling for the Miami receiver? When you look at his speed, route running, and ability to rise to the moment, you see a top-ten receiver. When you see his frame, the fact that he’s primarily a body catcher and that he received sixty-seven fewer targets than his counterpart in 2023, it’s hard to imagine that Waddle could outgain Hill or even topple his career-high marks in 2022 with 1,356 yards, 18.1 AVG, and eight touchdowns. Although it may be hard to visualize Waddle hitting 1,500+ yards, especially now that he just got paid and guys usually tend to fall off a bit, there’s hope that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could give Waddle more opportunities as a point of emphasis similar to doing everything he could to help Hill reach his 2K goal. Hill being on board with taking a step back will generate Waddle more looks, shifting the Dolphins toward a more balanced offense in target shares, and could open Hill up to more one-on-one opportunities for explosive plays. Tagovailoa would force-feed Hill at times in 2023 and leave other players disengaged on the backburners, mostly Waddle. A transfer of targets could keep Waddle and other players in rhythm and involved. Ultimately, Hill has the stats and wants to pass the torch to Waddle. It’s unselfish and a testament to why he is a team captain. Jaylen Waddle career year incoming.
Dolphins fans question direction of team in first SB Nation Reacts confidence poll for 2024
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images The majority of the fans are behind the team, but not as many as you may have expected. The Miami Dolphins head into the 2024 NFL regular season with expectations looming over them. Will this be the year they end a streak of 24 years without a playoff win? Can a team that signed Pro Bowl quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and head coach Mike McDaniel to contract extensions make a run toward a championship? The team appears to be stacked on paper – but what will happen when the games are played? Over the past few years, we have looked at the confidence of the Dolphins’ fan base weekly. As the 2024 season begins, we asked your feelings about the team’s direction over the weekend. While things seem to be headed in a positive direction for Miami, the fan base does not seem to be as excited as might have been expected. Only 69 percent of the fans said they are confident in the team’s direction after the preseason. For comparison, last year, the preseason poll had 83 percent of the fans confident in the direction of the Dolphins. The fan confidence in the direction of the team did not fall to 69 percent or lower last year until the team’s Week 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans led to just a 40 percent confidence rating. The season ended with a 43 percent rate; maybe 69 percent is actually a positive as fans are starting to come back to the team and their direction in 2024. What do you think? Are you one of the 31 percent who do not support the direction of the team? Why not? Are you in the 69 percent who do think the team is headed in the right direction? What makes you so positive? Feel free to discuss in the comments below.
The PODcast gives its definitive Lions season preview, predictions
Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports Our comprehensive 2024 Detroit Lions preview podcast is here and offering predictions for the upcoming season. It’s been a long road from there to here, and here is now. The Detroit Lions are ready and we’re ready. The Pride of Detroit PODcast has had a wild offseason, but we’re back and ready to chomp at more Lions football. With a huge year facing the blue and silver, it’s time for our comprehensive preview. We run down everything we need to talk about the Detroit Lions. We’ve discussed the roster, we’ve discussed preseason storylines; now it’s time on this episode to talk about the reasons for hope, the reasons for doubt and all sorts of prognostication that come with any season preview. We have plenty of reasons to be hopeful: the power of Dan Campbell, big jumps for certain wide receivers and more. We’re fearful too; the offensive line’s age, the schedule, and the sheer nature of simply being the hunted instead of the hunter. We have thoughts all over the board when it comes to yardage and surprise wins. Naturally, we also have to give our thoughts on win totals and how far the Lions will go this year. The kool-aid is ready, the podcast is here for you. Thank you for all your support through nine years of PODcast. Subscribe to the PODcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Pride Of Detroit on Twitch to get notified when we record the PODcast live and chat with us. Video replays are available on Twitch and YouTube.
Eagles Injury Report: Isaiah Rodgers and Devin White among 4 players limited
Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Philadelphia’s first injury report of the 2024 season. The Philadelphia Eagles issued their first official injury report on Tuesday in advance of their Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers on Friday night in São Paulo, Brazil. The injury report mechanics are a bit weird this week. Ahead of a typical Sunday game, the Eagles have a Wednesday-Thursday-Friday practice schedule with injury reports each day that follow. This week, however, the Eagles had a Sunday-Monday-Tuesday operation ahead of flying to South America. But the injury reports will be on a Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday basis even though today is the only one of those three days they’ll have actually practiced with Wednesday being a travel day and Thursday being a walkthrough. So, now you know. Anyway, back to the injury report itself. The Eagles listed four players under LIMITED PARTICIPATION: A.J. Brown, Landon Dickerson, Isaiah Rodgers, and Devin White. Brown and Dickerson were listed with “rest” designations, so, presumably nothing to worry about there. Rodgers, who missed some practice time last week, is listed with a hand issue. One would think that won’t prevent him from playing but we’ll have to see. Assuming he does suit up, it’ll be interesting to see how the Eagles utilize him. Rodgers finished training camp as the first-team outside cornerback opposite from Darius Slay. But with Vic Fangio indicating that Quinyon Mitchell is ready to play 100% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in Week 1, it could be Mitchell starting on the outside in base defense before shifting to the slot in nickel with Rodgers coming in on the boundary. We’ll have to wait and see how this goes. If Rodgers can’t play, that opens the door for Kelee Ringo to have a role in his stead. White is listed with an ankle issue. There’s been some question if he’ll start in part since he’s not definitively listed as a starter on the team-issued depth chart. It lists “Devin White/Nakobe Dean” at one spot while Zack Baun is by himself at the other. Even if White is healthy and does start, there’s been thought that Dean might end up playing more snaps than him over the course of a game anyway. Again, we’ll just have to wait and see how this linebacker rotation works. Fangio has said he’d ideally like to settle on two starters but he’s also acknowledged it’s an ongoing battle. It’s good to see that neither Dallas Goedert nor Jalyx Hunt are listed on the injury report after previously missing some time due to oblique injuries. Ditto for Tyler Steen, who had been dealing with an ankle issue. It’s also worth noting that Johnny Wilson is back in full force after missing more than two weeks due to a concussion. The Eagles just might have their entire 53-man roster available to play in Week 1. Of course, only 48 of those players will be active for the game. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES INJURY REPORT (TUESDAY) LIMITED PARTICIPATION WR A.J. Brown (rest)OG Landon Dickerson (rest)CB Isaiah Rodgers (hand)LB Devin White (ankle) GREEN BAY PACKERS INJURY REPORT (TUESDAY) To be announced — check back for updates.
Rams vs Lions: LA slight road underdogs on SNF
Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images Rams look to build on their second-half progress from 2023 The Los Angeles Rams enter a promising new season against the very foe that defeated them on Wild Card Weekend. Bring out the popcorn and guard those kneecaps as the Rams will take on the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football in Week 1. LA and Detroit enter the 2024 NFL campaign as two of the best teams in the NFC. At the time of writing, FanDuel Sportsbook has LA as a 3.5-point road underdog at Ford Field with the over/under set at 51.5 and a Rams +152 moneyline. If I were a betting man — I’m not so please take my words with a grain of salt — I’d be taking the Rams to cover the spread and Cooper Kupp to score an anytime touchdown (+120). I’m betting on Kupp to have a redemption season of sorts coming off two injury-plagued years. It would be a storybook way for him to kick the season off right. Similar to their playoff matchup last season, I expect the Lions and Rams to play a close, physical matchup. Detroit kept Matthew Stafford and the LA offense out of the end zone late to secure a thrilling 24-23 win for their first postseason victory since 1993. I also expect this game to come down to whoever has the ball last. Both squads were so evenly matched the first time around that’s it’s fair to expect another reasonably low-scoring affair. The Lions are an NFC favorite for good reason so the Rams must be on their guard when facing off against Dan Campbell’s team. What are YOUR thoughts on this week’s betting odds? Let me know in the comments Turf Show Ramily!
Ravens vs. Chiefs: 10 stats to know for Week 1
Lamar Jackson vs. Chiefs OWINGS MILLS, MD – AUGUST 12: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens attempts a pass during training camp at Under Armour Performance Center Baltimore Ravens on August 12, 2024 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) In four games against Kansas City, Lamar Jackson owns a 1-3 Record. The MVP quarterback is 68 of 121 passing (56.2% completion) for 750 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions, with ten sacks for 74 yards. As a runner, Jackson has 47 rushes for 303 rush yards (6.45 ypc), three rush touchdowns, and 2 Fumbles Lost. Derrick Henry OWINGS MILLS, MD – AUGUST 12: Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens participates in a drill during training camp at Under Armour Performance Center Baltimore Ravens on August 12, 2024 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) In four games against the Chiefs, Derrick Henry’s teams own a 3-1 Record. Henry has logged 78 carries for 447 yards (5.7 YPC) and six rushing scores. Lamar Jackson vs. the Blitz Jan 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws the ball as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) defends during the first half in the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Jonas Shaffer broke down Jackson’s struggles against the blitz during the 17-10 AFC title loss. Primetime dominance Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is pulled down by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh (99) as he throws in he first quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. The Ravens have been really good over the past two seasons, but they’ve been almost unbeatable in primetime. Ravens defense was legit in 2023 Aug 9, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike (92) warms up on the field before a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports In 2023, Baltimore became the first team in league history to finish a season ranking No. 1 in points allowed (16.5 ppg), sacks (60), and takeaways (31, tied with/ NYG). Ravens can beat really good teams Aug 24, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh looks on during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports In 2023, the Ravens recorded an NFL-record 10 victories vs. teams that finished with a winning record and posted six wins vs. playoff teams. Baltimore also ranked No. 1 in the NFL in both point differential (+203) and turnover margin (+12, tied w/ NYG). Lamar Jackson the ultimate winner BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 02: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson needs one win over his first three starts to become the fifth QB in NFL history to reach 60 victories within the first 80 starts of a career, joining Patrick Mahomes (64), Tom Brady (60), Ken Stabler (60) and Roger Staubach (60). Patrick Mahomes could go into the HOF today Jan 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws the ball against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half in the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports As a starter, Patrick Mahomes has led the Chiefs to six consecutive AFC Championship Games and four Super Bowl appearances, winning NFL MVP twice (2018, 2022) and Super Bowl MVP honors thrice (2019, 2022, 2023). Since 2018, Mahomes has led the league in passing yards (28,140), touchdowns (219), 25+ yard completions (237), and first-down throws (1,389). With only 62 interceptions, he owns a +157 TD/INT ratio. Travis Kelce is legendary Jan 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) scores a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports Travis Kelce surpassed 11,000 receiving yards in the Week 12 regular season matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. He now has amassed 11,342 yards from scrimmage (14 rush, 11,328 receiving), making him the only Chiefs player with 11,000+ scrimmage yards and one of two players with 11,000+ combined yards, joining Chiefs Hall of Famer Dante Hall (12,356). This accomplishment also made him the fastest tight end to reach 11,000 yards (154 games) and the only tight end in NFL history to have seven straight 1,000-yard seasons. Kelce also has the most receptions in his first 160 games (907) among tight ends in NFL history. Chris Jones Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) is pressured by Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) in the second half in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports Chris Jones has the most sacks (75.5) and sack yards (528.5) since 2016 among active defensive tackles and the second-most in the league among all defensive tackles, trailing only Aaron Donald (91.0). Jones also ranks first in passes defended (37) among all defensive tackles during that period.
More positive buzz on Bengals and Ja’Marr Chase making progress on contract extension
Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Plus a look at what Ja’Marr Chase’s contract would look like. Just before the NFL kicked off their 2023 season, the Cincinnati Bengals announced they had extended quarterback Joe Burrow, making him one of the highest-paid players in the history of the sport. The announcement came just before the Kansas City Chiefs opened the season on Thursday Night Football. Well, the Chiefs open the season against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, which is the day after tomorrow, and, according to some, there may be positive movement between the Bengals and superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. According to Albert Breer, the main thing that held up negotiations was CeeDee Lamb’s lack of an extension. Now that’s no longer an issue, and he could see that breaking the stalemate. “What Lamb’s deal does then, because of the similarities we ran through above, is confirm that Jefferson’s contract is now the going rate for the super elite at the position rather than some sort of outlier contract to be dismissed,” he wrote. “It won’t help the Bengals save money on Chase, but it does crystallize what it’ll cost to sign him now and that it’ll probably be even more expensive to do in 2025.” He further states that the Bengals obviously chose Chase over Tee Higgins, whom they offered the franchise tag, but no more. Now that Lamb’s deal is in the books, Chase could be close behind, because now the Bengals know exactly what the magic number is. According to Ian Rapoport, the two sides have made some progress in recent days. “The two sides are in talks for a deal though to make him among the highest-paid receivers in the NFL, or the highest-paid receiver, higher than Justin Jefferson,” he said. “There have been some talks, there has been some progress, but there’s for sure nothing done yet. So we’ll see what his status is.” Jeremy Fowler echoed Rapoport’s sentiments, saying he believes the Bengals are working harder now to get a deal done. “From what I’m hearing, the Bengals have intensified their efforts to try to get this done in recent days,” he said on SportsCenter. “They are hopeful to try to get him back on the practice field, because he’s been that hold in, on Monday, to get this going and get him under contract on a deal that would be well above $30 million per year on average.” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini (via the Scoop City podcast) reports that the Bengals still have Chase in the game plan for Sunday’s matchup with New England, so the team is at least planning for him to play. Finally, The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov also reports that the Bengals made progress over the weekend with Chase and bridged the gap, enough that Meirov said he’s more optimistic that a deal will get done than he was last week. So, what would a Ja’Marr Chase extension look like? NFL salary cap guru Andrew Perrota projected what Chase’s deal could look like if it does make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the world. Here’s a Ja’Marr Chase extension proposal: 4yrs/$140.4M $35.1M APY (#1 for WRs) $70.25M Fully GRTD at signing (#2 WRs) $110M in total guarantees (tied 1st with Jefferson) Highest yr-1 cash ($40M) Highest 2-yr cash flow ($70.25M thru 2025 season) Under contract thru 2029 pic.twitter.com/TbBfvXePKX — Andre Perrotta (@andreperrotta13) September 2, 2024 Now that Labor Day is over, the Bengals have just over 48 hours to get a deal in the books before the opening day kickoff. Not that Thursday night stops them from extending Chase before Sunday, but it’s just more time ticking away. There’s also the possibility that Chase decides he won’t play without a new contract, something neither he nor the team have denied is a possibility. Considering that the Bengals want to get off to a fast start and that they face the Chiefs in Kansas City in Week 2, in a game that could have far-reaching playoff implications, they need Chase on the field. When he and Burrow are together, and both are at 100 percent, they’re among the most electric duos in the league. The Bengals know it, and Chase does, too, so it’s time for both sides to work something out. Hopefully, the two sides will come together in the next couple of days and get this over the finish line before Sunday’s opener against the New England Patriots.
