Ravens CB Brandon Stephens is not worried about being in contract year Kevin Oestreicher The Baltimore Ravens will rely heavily on cornerback Brandon Stephens during the 2024 season. He will play opposite Marlon Humphrey at the cornerback position and look to build upon his phenomenal 2023, which saw him take center stage as Baltimore’s No. 1 cornerback when Marlon Humphrey went down with injuries. Stephens is entering a contract year, which presents him with a big opportunity to earn big money with another standout season. When asked about his situation, he said he’s not worried about it, wanting to focus on doing his job while the rest takes care of itself. “I’m not even worried about it. I’m just here to do my job – the rest will take care of itself, and I’ll let that side just handle itself. I can’t really do anything about it on my own – all I can do is come out here on the field and continue to prove myself.” Stephens has had quite the NFL journey, switching positions multiple times before finding his place as an outside cornerback. He is a big part of what Baltimore does on the defensive side of the ball and is needed to have a big year.
Ravens CB Brandon Stephens is not worried about being in contract year
Burrow says Chase is ready to go; admits there are game plans for Chase playing vs. being out
Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images The Bengals are still preparing for Ja’Marr Chase to potentially be out Sunday. As of now, it appears the Cincinnati Bengals will have Ja’Marr Chase ready for Sunday’s opener vs. the New England Patriots, but it’s far from a given. Following an extended hold-in that crept into this week, Chase returned to practice on Wednesday, a good sign that he plans to play this week, even if a contract extension is not reached. However, the Bengals are still preparing for the scenario of Chase not being available this week. Following Wednesday’s practice, Joe Burrow shared some insight into Chase’s return. Burrow said that Chase looked like he was ready for live game action. However, Burrow added that the team does have separate game plans for Chase being in or out on Sunday. Burrow also admitted that Chase hasn’t said if he will play or not. Joe Burrow confirms the Bengals have separate game plans for Week 1 Sunday against New England— one if Chase is available and one if he isn’t active. On Chase’s physical shape: “He is ready to go.” — Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) September 4, 2024 Burrow on Chase playing: I don’t have any expectations. We haven’t had those discussions. — Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) September 4, 2024 Even though Chase has returned to practice, there’s still a chance he opts to sit out Sunday if a deal isn’t reached by then, so it’s a smart move for the Bengals to game plan for both scenarios. Let’s just hope the two sides reach a contract agreement and we don’t have to worry about the scenario of Chase sitting out. Joe Burrow, on Ja’Marr Chase: “Our relationship hasn’t changed. I’m not getting involved in his business.” Here’s a clip from Joe’s press conference— pic.twitter.com/rWK8FvCUyh — Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) September 4, 2024 Follow our Twitter and Facebook pages for more Cincinnati Bengals news. Who Dey!!
Miami Dolphins Week 1 fan survey: Who will be the best addition this year?
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images Our SB Nation Reacts poll is back as the Miami Dolphins prepare for Week 1. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Miami Dolphins fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. The Miami Dolphins kick off their 2024 NFL regular season on Sunday when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars. The first of 17 game over the next 18 weeks, Sunday’s contest will provide some insight into the 2024 version of the Dolphins. How will the newcomers to the team perform? Our SB Nation Reacts poll returns for your thoughts as the season kickoff looms. Along with voting for which new player on Miami’s roster will have the biggest impact on the team this year, we asked if you think wide receiver Tyreek Hill will break the NFL record for receiving yards in a season (1,964 yards from Calvin Johnson in 2012). We also have a chance to update our fan confidence poll for the Dolphins. Check out the poll below and head to the comments to discuss why you voted as your did. Please take our survey
Week 1 injury report: Jahmyr Gibbs returns in full, just 3 Lions dealing with injuries
Sign up for Season 2 of PODD Big things are in store for our newsletter, Pride of Detroit Direct. I’m excited to announce we’ve added Ty Schalter this season. Listen to exclusive podcasts sent directly to your inbox and read more voices from our team at Pride of Detroit by clicking below to sign up for a 7-day free trial today!
Eagles Film Room: Concept of the Week – Dart
Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images Football is back! As we start the new season, I want to thank you all for reading my stuff over the years. I started my own blog around 2015, and after it was picked up by BLG, I’ve been writing for Bleeding Green Nation since 2016. I’m immensely grateful for this wonderful site, and the opportunity is never lost on me. This year, in addition to writing the All22 offense and defense reviews after the game, I will also be adding another article known as ‘Concept of the Week’. I will break down a certain concept or play on offense and defense and explain the play in more detail. Hopefully, this will allow you to look out for that play in future weeks. This week, we will start with a play we saw in preseason, known as Dart. Dart Dart is a gap-scheme run rather than a zone run (such as outside zone or inside zone). If you are wondering what the difference is, in zone runs, the offensive linemen move into space and block whoever comes into their zones. On gap scheme runs, it is predetermined based on the alignment who the offensive lineman will be blocking. Some coaches will call Dart tackle power because it plays out like Power but with a pulling tackle rather than a pulling guard. Here are some examples of Dart on the whiteboard, courtesy of the excellent Logan Radke. It’s an easy play to spot; just look for a pulling tackle. And here’s what it looks like with real players! Take a look at the play side guard, as he is in the perfect position to block the 1-technique. We will get to him later! So, let’s talk about what Dart is and why I like the concept. Firstly, unlike with the zone running game, you won’t see double teams at the line of scrimmage. Dart is also a great mix-up to power/counter because those runs involve pulling guards, leaving you vulnerable to quick interior penetration from the opposing defensive tackle. Dart allows your interior lineman to stay inside, which makes it a ‘safer’ run, but as I said earlier, the tackle has further to travel, so he needs to be very athletic. Luckily for the Eagles, they have two highly athletic tackles! The running back will usually aim to run behind the tackle who is pulling and look for a gap to open up. The Eagles ran Dart quite a few times in the preseason, so I expect to see it over the next few weeks. They may rely on their two outstanding tackles more now that Jason Kelce is no longer the focus of the run game. Here are some examples from the preseason. 6) I was very happy to see some ‘Dart’ (tackle power) a couple of times in this game. The Eagles barely ran it last year which I never understood considering how athletic both tackles are. I hope we see it more frequently this year! This is another tidy run from Shipley too. pic.twitter.com/Cc843ySMmZ — Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 19, 2024 Dart!! @JonnyPage9 pic.twitter.com/XjoJd8VSj0 — Shane Haff (@ShaneHaffNFL) August 24, 2024 Dart is a challenging play to run, and you don’t see a lot of it because the offensive tackle has a lot of ground to cover. A pulling guard is more popular because he has a shorter distance to travel. One of the significant benefits of Dart is that the offense can attack the defense’s 1-technique. On zone runs such as outside zone, the guard will often have to cross the face of the defensive lineman before you can block him. Whereas, with Dart, the guard is already in the perfect position to block the 1-technique, who is often going to be the defense’s best-run defender. Finally, although we haven’t seen this in the preseason, the Eagles have run QB Dart in recent years. It’s the same play, but quarterback runs give you an extra man in the box, so the Eagles don’t have to block the EDGE defender next to the tight end. I am fascinated to see if Kellen Moore runs Jalen Hurts a lot this year. QB Dart pic.twitter.com/6JBsVPAlhk — Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) July 10, 2023 Lastly, I am going to be doing the same segment on my podcast weekly, so if you want to check out a video explanation in addition to the article, you can do so here! On the Shane Page Ep.4⃣5⃣ Eagles @ Patriots All-22 Film Review Is the Kenny Pickett hate out of control? The Eagles concept of the week: Dart Our Patreon members chose Nakobe Dean for our player spotlight so we take a deep dive into his performance@ShaneHaffNFL… pic.twitter.com/MilUK0vXlm — Eagles Pin-Pull: A Philadelphia Podcast Network (@EaglesPinPull) August 20, 2024 As always, feedback and comments are appreciated, especially as this is a new segment. Thanks all!
Giants’ ST coordinator Michael Ghobrial: Speed still big factor on kickoff returns
Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports Ghobrial indicates there is still much to learn about new kickoff setup There are still a lot of variables for coaches and players to learn about the new NFL kickoff rule. New York Giants special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial has, though, learned one thing. “It hits pretty damn quick,” Ghobrial said. “Speed is always a huge attribute of any returner. A returner that can eat up grass initially with good catch mechanics, catching it forward, that can get to that initial line of defense has the best chance of actually having an explosive return in this league. “I think at the end of the day, any player that has the ability to make smart decisions with the football and can eat up grass is going to have a chance to have success in that specific play.” In the redesigned kickoff, 10 defenders are at the receiving team’s 40-yard line, with blockers aligned at the 35-yard line. Ghobrial would not commit to who the Giants will use on kickoff return, saying that will be “game plan specific.” Ghobrial knows that teams probably did not show everything during the preseason in regards to how they will approach blocking for the new rule, kicking the ball, or covering the kickoffs. He said the Giants played the play close to the vest. “There’s balance to it because it was a new rule. It still is a new rule, so you wanted to be able to gather useful information. You did’t want to necessarily just go out there and say, ‘we’re going to be very vanilla the whole preseason’ and not actually get good at potentially stuff that you want to do,” he said. “But at the same time, yes, you are keeping some stuff close to the vest there. I felt like we did a good job, and our players did a great job in terms of just owning the fundamentals and the technique, which I feel if you can do that in this play, you have a chance.” Here are more takeaways from Ghobrial’s Wednesday media availability. Adoree’ the punt returner? Gunner Olszewski is the Giants’ primary punt returner. His groin injury, though, might lead to Adoree’ Jackson having to return punts against the Minnesota Vikings. “I’ll never close the door on getting the ball in the playmaker’s hands,” Ghobrial said. “He’s dynamic with the ball in his hand. I do know that.” Jackson has a career average of 8.4 yards returning punts. He averaged just 1.3 yards on three returns for the Giants in 2022, and suffered a knee injury that cost him seven games. Does Graham Gano still have it? Veteran placekicker Graham Gano is returning from knee surgery. Now having suffered two serious leg injuries, it is fair to wonder if the 37-year-old still has the leg strength that has made him the best long-distance placekicker in franchise history. “I’ve seen Graham, the Graham Gano that wins football games in this league,” Ghobrial said. “I’m really excited to see him put pen to paper. He is a proven kicker in this league and I’m fully confident in his ability to go make kicks at any distance.” Bryce Ford-Wheaton’s potential Ford-Wheaton made the 53-man roster over Miles Boykin, Allen Robinson, and Isaiah Hodgins. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Ford-Wheaton missed last season due to a torn ACL, but has immense potential on special teams. “I love Bryce Ford-Wheaton, by the way. He’s wired the right way. I think it starts with the mentality. When the mentality is right, the rest of it comes into play,” Ghobrial said. “Obviously, as a receiver, he has a natural feel for being able to get people off the spot. He’s a really good catcher. He gives that possession position flexibility in terms of that. Anybody that’s a receiver that’s out there, you’ve got to obviously regard them in terms of coverage. I think the mentality, number one, is awesome because he approaches it like he is going to go win that rep every time. Then again, the experience of him being a receiver also translates in other parts. “So, with him being a younger player, you always question whether the experience will come to life and how quickly he can translate to play that position at a high level … To the kid’s credit, he studies his tail off. He does. He’s always there after practice working extra drills, and he truly wants to be great with whatever role that he’s given.”
5 things I’m excited and nervous about heading into the Rams season
Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Here’s what I’m most nervous and excited about heading into the Rams season? The NFL season has finally arrived and the Los Angeles Rams will kickoff the 2024 campaign on the road on Sunday Night Football against the Detroit Lions. With the season finally set to begin this week, here are the things that I’m the most excited and nervous about heading into the year. Excited: How do the Rams Expand on Run Game? Last season, Rams head coach Sean McVay incorporated more power and gap scheme concepts into the run game along with duo. The result was one of the more efficient run games in the NFL. During the offseason, the Rams signed Jonah Jackson in free agency while bringing back Kevin Dotson. They also drafted running back Blake Corum to pair with Kyren Williams. With the offseason moves, it’s very clear that McVay wants to lean into the run game concepts that were developed last year. This could mean running more out of the pistol and incorporating more play-action into the passing game to marry the two sides together. It’s going to be interesting to see what McVay has drawn up and it will be exciting to see how it works. Nervous: Is Size an Issue in the Defensive Front Seven The Rams are very small on the defensive side of the ball which is very concerning when it comes to needing to stop the run. This is a team that usually runs lighter from a weight standpoint along the defensive line. Kobie Turner is only 6’2, 290-pounds while Braden Fiske is also a fringe above 290. The Rams will likely insert Bobby Brown in the middle of the defensive line, but he will be the only player that eclipses the 300-pound mark. With offensive lines getting bigger, it’s easy to see this group getting pushed around at the line of scrimmage, especially in lighter nickel packages which is what most NFL defenses operate out of in today’s game. Now, it’s possible that the Rams can use five-man fronts to add more size. Despite being smaller from a weight standpoint, it will be important for them to get leverage underneath offensive linemen. This size issue is a reason why the Rams have to play Troy Reeder at linebacker early on in the season. The Rams have always run a little smaller on the defensive line even with Aaron Donald. However, with a more inexperienced group and sub-par linebackers, it’s possible that this group could get gashed. Excited: Is Cooper Kupp in For a Bounce Back Season? The player that I’m most excited for heading into 2024 is Cooper Kupp. We haven’t seen a healthy Kupp since the first half of 2022 and that was him coming off of a triple crown year. Since then, the Rams wide receiver has dealt with ankle and hamstring injuries that have very clearly affected his overall play. Kupp has had a healthy offseason. Throughout training camp, all reports were that Kupp looked like his old self. In a sense, this is a make or break year for Kupp. While he doesn’t need to be the top wide receiver in the offense, he needs to show that he can stay healthy and remain efficient in his touches. When Kupp is playing to his potential, he’s one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. This season it will be an opportunity for him to remind people of that. Nervous: How Healthy is the Offensive Line and is There Cohesiveness? Throughout the offseason, the Rams seemed to suffer injury after injury along the offensive line. The team held out Jonah Jackson in OTAs so that he could recover from an injury last year. However, Jackson only got injured early in training camp and missed most of the summer. Alaric Jackson spent time injured along with Rob Havenstein. The big question here is whether or not this group has been able to develop any chemistry and cohesiveness. Throughout the McVay era, it’s been clear how important that chemistry and having the same five guys on the field is to the offense’s success. Heading into Week 1, Jonah Jackson will be playing center after Steve Avila trained there all offseason. There’s a chance that the offensive line struggles early on and then finds their stride after the Week 6 bye. Excited: What Does the Rams Secondary Look Like in Action? How defensive coordinator Chris Shula activates this secondary is something that will be very exciting to see in action. All offseason, the secondary has been described as being sticky in coverage which is something that hasn’t been seen for much of the last two years. With Tre White and Darious Williams at cornerback, the cornerbacks should be able to be a little more aggressive at the line of scrimmage. However, it’s not just cornerback where there could be some exciting things happening. With Shula calling the defense, it seems as if the Rams may be safety-heavy in the secondary. The Rams have some versatile players when it comes to Quentin Lake, Kam Curl, and Russ Yeast. How Shula utilizes those players within the defense and the creative looks that he dials up could be a lot of fun to see. Nervous: Can Rams Survive First Six Weeks? When the Rams bye week comes around in Week 6, it’s possible that while an early bye week, they may need it at that point in time. It will be important in those first five or six games to simply not dig a hole that the can’t climb out of later in the year. This season could be a lot like last year where the Rams take time to find their identity. Some of that could be injury related, especially along the offensive line. However, the defense may also need time to find what they want to be as a young group without Aaron Donald. Looking at the first five games, the Rams have the
Ravens RB Justice Hill on relationship with Derrick Henry: ‘We’re just having fun’
Ravens RB Justice Hill on relationship with Derrick Henry: ‘We’re just having fun’ Kevin Oestreicher The Baltimore Ravens will rely heavily on their running back room during the 2024 season. The team signed veteran rusher Derrick Henry away from the Tennessee Titans and has other talented players, such as Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill, waiting in the wings. While Mitchell is currently injured, Hill is expected to have a big role behind Henry as the team’s main backup at the position. Hill was asked about the relationship that he has with the veteran and said that the two are just having fun and working, trying to get better every day while they’re at it. “We’re just having fun, and we’re working; we’re trying to get better every single day, and that’s what [Derrick Henry] brings to the room, too. He’s just serious, making sure we’re working and getting better every day, and that just feeds throughout the whole room. And then, when we’re out here, we’re just having fun; I mean, it’s a game, and we just try to have fun with it. It’s easy to get caught up in all the business side of stuff, but we’re just having fun, too.” Hill has shown his value over the years but took a step forward in his offensive role last season. He looks prepared to take even more of a jump in 2024, something that would be of great delight to the Ravens.
Ja’Marr Chase and Amarius Mims present for Bengals’ Wednesday practice
Set Number: X163917 TK1 Very good news! The Cincinnati Bengals are hitting the field for their first official game-week practice of the 2024 season. As they continue preparing to host the New England Patriots, all eyes are on contract hold-in Ja’Marr Chase, who has sat out all but two practices since training camp began. For Wednesday’s practice, Chase was present and in uniform, so it looks like he’s ready to rock this week. And we got a positive update on the situation from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler… Ja’Marr Chase is in uniform heading to practice. — Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) September 4, 2024 There’s some optimism inside #Bengals that Ja’Marr Chase will practice today. His participation has been a moving target, but Chase has at least given the impression that he will be out there. He was a part of team meeting for Week 1 prep. Contract talks ongoing. — Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 4, 2024 This development comes on the heels of ESPN’s Ben Baby saying, “If things don’t get wrapped up quickly, Chase will trend toward not playing in the team’s season opener.” So yeah, seeing Chase return to practice would be a great development. There’s effectively a deadline to get a deal done by Sunday, or else this hold-in could drag out into the regular season. Now that Chase is practicing, you have to wonder if he’s committed to playing this week regardless if he gets a contract extension. If Chase were to miss Sunday’s game, the Bengals would really need second-year wide receivers Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas to step up and help take pressure off of Tee Higgins. It doesn’t sound like we should expect rookie Jermaine Burton to make much, if any impact this week. In other news, Amarius Mims was present for Wednesday’s practice as he works his way back from a pectoral injury suffered in the preseason opener. Mims was sidelined for several weeks but has slowly worked his way back to practice, so that’s a good sign he could be available this week. Check back later today for the first injury report of the new season. https://t.co/1Mz0EveNns pic.twitter.com/IfxR8MCYtH — Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) September 4, 2024 Want more Cincy Jungle coverage? Then follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get all the latest Cincinnati Bengals news and views. And Who DEY!
Will Chris Ballard’s ‘run it back’ Colts secondary survive the Texans’ C.J. Stroud?
Filed under: Will Chris Ballard’s ‘run it back’ Colts secondary survive the Texans’ C.J. Stroud? One of the biggest questions facing this year’s Colts is whether a largely young, unproven secondary can hold up—starting with the regular season opener hosting the Houston Texans. By Luke Schultheis Updated Sep 4, 2024, 11:15am EDT
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74103038/usa_today_19031462.0.jpg?w=1920&resize=1920,1267&ssl=1 "Is Week 1 a must-win game for the Giants?")
