Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 9/13/24 The Los Angeles Rams will be taking on Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals without Aaron Donald who retired during the offseason. Murray is excited to not have to worry about Donald, and pays big respect to AD by calling him the best he’s ever seen. Murray still respects the Rams, their coaching and the defense but the fact is AD won’t be there on Sunday and that is one less thing for Arizona and their quarterback to worry about. Please comment on whatever you like, thanks for checking out Turf Show Times and have a great Friday! Cardinals, QB Kyler Murray hope to have more success vs. the Rams in post-Aaron Donald era (apnews.com) “He’s in my eyes the best of all time, so I’m definitely glad that he’s not going to be out there on Sunday for sure,” Murray said. It remains to be seen if Donald’s absence will change a rivalry that’s become very lopsided in recent seasons. The Cardinals (0-1) host the Rams (0-1) in a matchup of NFC West rivals on Sunday. Los Angeles has won 13 of the past 15 in the series, and nine straight on the road at State Farm Stadium.” is you the FBI? CIA?? Which is it??? pic.twitter.com/kNqgldX3Ss — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 12, 2024 Despite depleted offensive line, Brian Baldinger loves LA Rams offensive options (ramblinfan) “Is there such a thing as a ‘good’ loss? Premier NFL Insider and analyst Brian Baldinger seems to think so. Despite both Joe Noteboom and AJ Arcuri struggling throughout the game, the Rams’ offense seemed to maintain positive momentum throughout the game. So how did they do it? Baldy’s breakdowns reveals Rams innovative offense The Rams offensive line for Week 1 was, at best, a patchwork of players thrown onto the field together with little reps of competing as one unit. And it got progressively worse once starting offensive linemen began to fall to injuries. We will cover the offensive line transformation throughout the game, but the focus in this article is how that lack of familiarity and continuity left the offensive linemen completely vulnerable to stunts and blitzes.” Mood cuz more Rams football this Sunday! pic.twitter.com/WgH7E0sJBc — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 12, 2024 Rams News: Injury Report Unveils Growing Concerns Over Offensive Line Stability (athlonsports) “Center Steve Avila’s MCL sprain, which he sustained in the season opener against the Detroit Lions, has placed him on Injured Reserve for at least four weeks. His absence creates a substantial gap in the team’s offensive front, which is further complicated by the expected multi-week absence of offensive tackle Joe Noteboom due to another ankle injury. Havenstein and Noteboom’s injuries leave the Rams in a precarious position as they prepare for their next matchup.” ️ Calling all High School JV Programs! https://t.co/2d6jZ3mF7R pic.twitter.com/73PtAEtgEq — Rams Community (@RamsCommunity) September 12, 2024 Random Ramsdom Fandom: Three picks with the spread…who you taking? (By CDNGolfer on Sep 12, 2024) “Man…shoulda woulda coulda last week. Will Levis cost me $150 with that boneheaded pick 6! As I stated last week, I bet $20 a week, usually on 3 team parlays. Pretty straightforward strategy this week, pick on the teams that stunk last week that peeps seem to believe may bounce back. It’s been my experience that teams that get thoroughly outplayed in week one, rarely make quick turnarounds and Vegas is slow to respond with appropriate spreads. Without further ado; Jags -3 over the Browns. Watson is terrible, plain and simple. Chargers -6 over the Panthers. Bosa was terrific last week. The Panthers? Not so much. Houston -6 over the Bears. With all the hype coming into the season on Williams, it could take Vegas a month to get the Bears spreads close. Williams looked bad in pre season and worse last week. Who do you like this week?” con @Fuerza_Regia #VamosRams pic.twitter.com/6uQ24BwlH6 — Rams en Español (@VamosRams) September 12, 2024
Random Ramsdom: Kyler Murray calls Aaron Donald ‘best of all time’
Ravens HC John Harbaugh should rethink his comment about Derrick Henry
Ravens HC John Harbaugh should rethink his comment about Derrick Henry Larry Brown Jr. Last season, the Baltimore Ravens not only squandered a chance to reach the Super Bowl by abandoning the offensive approach that earned them the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Earlier this week, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh commented on running back Derrick Henry and his usage in week one. Harbaugh stated the following: We didn’t bring him (Henry) here to ‘be the guy that gets the ball 30 times a game.’ Last season, the Ravens were riddled by injuries to J.K. Dobbins and running back Keaton Mitchell. Still, they led the entire NFL in rush yards per game and were No. 4 in the NFL in points per game. Furthermore, Harbaugh’s disposition was likely an attempt to defend his offensive coordinator, Todd Monken. Monken led a pass-heavy attack in week one, asking quarterback Lamar Jackson to drop back 41 times in their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. While Harbaugh may have commented with an intent to maintain team camaraderie, he is simultaneously conveying an unwillingness to reprove Monken. Harbaugh has been criticized for his passivity but has proven himself a quality leader and Super Bowl champion. However, the Ravens are ten years removed from that championship, and fans are beginning to become wearied by the team’s playoff shortcomings. Harbaugh should rethink his comment regarding Henry and get him at least 20 carries a game.
Tee Higgins is not happy fans think he could be ‘faking’ latest hamstring injury
Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images Higgins has had problems staying on the field over the last year and a half. It was well-known that the Cincinnati Bengals and Tee Higgins were at odds this offseason. Higgins wants to be paid like a top receiver in the league, and the Bengals simply do not have or do not want to use their cap space to make that happen. They’re running into a similar problem with Ja’Marr Chase; however, Higgins contract situation seems uglier and less likely to get done. Higgins was set to play without a known injury for most of the last few weeks. He ended up being on the sideline for the Bengals season-opening loss to the New England Patriots with a hamstring injury. In a contract season, some fans might have thought he was faking the injury in frustration, and he spoke with reports on that notion. “I just don’t understand why fans think I’m faking an injury when for me to get an extension for a contract, the deadline is over. I just don’t understand why they think I’m faking an injury. It doesn’t make sense to me,” Higgins told ESPN’s Ben Baby. Regardless of his response, this isn’t a good look at mending relationships with Higgins. While he was likely gone anyway this offseason, it seems more likely now than ever. Hopefully, he’s able to suit up for a high-profile Week 2 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, though that appears doubtful at this time.
Giants-Commanders: How to attack Washington’s defense
Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images How can the Giants get untracked on offense? The New York Giants travel to Landover, Maryland, to play the Washington Commanders in Week 2. Both teams lost their Week 1 matchups; the Commanders fell to the Buccaneers on the road, 37-20. Washington is a 1.5-point favorite, per FanDuel Sportsbook, and the Over/Under is 44.5. The total has shifted higher, and the line has moved toward favoring the Giants since it opened. The Giants have won seven of the last 10 games against Washington, and there was also a tie within that period (2022). Quarterback Daniel Jones is 5-1-1 against the Commanders, with 10 of his 62 career touchdown passes thrown against the NFC East foe. However, it’s an entirely new regime in town for Washington. Let’s look at how Washington’s defense performed in Week 1 against Tampa Bay. Week 1 vs. Tampa Bay The Washington defense was bad against Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. The Commanders allowed Tampa Bay to go 9 of 13 on third downs. Joe Whitt Jr. is the defensive coordinator under defensive-minded head coach Dan Quinn. Several back-end miscommunications happened in Week 1 that could pose an opportunity for Jones and the Giants’ offense: Defensive miscommunications: Q1 11:43, 3rd-and-3 Q1 8:12, 3rd-and-6 Q2 14:22, 3rd-and- 7 Q2 13:02, 2nd-and-14 Q3 6:20, 1st-and-10 Q4: 15:00, 3rd-and-7 Here are some commonalities between the six plays above that exploit the zone-match coverage. Most of the alignments have the receivers inside the numbers at the snap. Tampa Bay used condensed offensive formations and frequently motioned the outside receiver to the No. 2 receiver spot when the Buccaneers were in 3×1 sets; this changed assignments right at the snap, established favorable leverage, and led to some of the miscommunications we see above. The Buccaneers were in 3×1 sets on 45% of their snaps and primarily operated out of 11 personnel (86% of snaps). The Giants, however, frequently used 2×2 sets (47%) against the Vikings—possibly to stay balanced and prevent overload blitz opportunities—and were in 11 personnel just 56% of snaps while operating in 12 personnel in 29% of snaps. New York’s approach to offensive personnel groupings varied in a relatively neutral game script (the first half); Daboll employed more 11 personnel when they were in catch-up mode. The Commanders primarily operated a middle-of-the-field closed defense, as is familiar with Dan Quinn. A lot of Cover-3 and some Cover-1. Quinn showed single-high pre-snap and rolled to Cover-2 a few times in the game, and the safeties gained the depth of a Bo Burnham song — they were deep. Overall, the secondary played at depth, which resulted in efficient, quick game operation from Baker Mayfield, who was decisive and prompt in those plays. Jones was far from that on Sunday, and he’ll have his best opportunity to reestablish the quick game against Washington. The Buccaneers could not establish the run against Washington. They averaged 3.7 yards, with a 31-yard Irving rush to boost the statistics. Devin Singletary may find it difficult to run, especially between the tackles. Dan Quinn did send the blitz often against Tampa Bay, which may have happened for two reasons: first, Washington went down early in the game and went into desperation comeback mode; second, Quinn understood his talent deficiencies and decided to dictate to the offense. Washington blitzed on 41.2% of snaps in Week 1, fourth-most in the NFL. They pressured on just 14.7% of their rushes. Washington’s personnel Cornerback Benjamin St. Juste and 34-year-old linebacker Bobby Wagner played every snap (63) for Quinn’s defense. Rookie defensive back Mike Sainristil played 60; DB Quan Martin and edge Frankie Luvu played 58. Wagner is one of the smartest players in the NFL. He’s a legend, one of the pillars of the Legion of Boom, but he’s older now. Quinn has run Cover-1 (man coverage) heavily during certain years as a coordinator. He ran it last week, and Wagner could be a target for Tyrone Tracy Jr. to attack. The secondary is young and exploitable. Physical safety Jeremy Chinn played 50 snaps, and he’s still getting comfortable in the defense. He is a tone-setting safety who brings the hammer next to Martin’s lighting quick speed. The combination of Emmanuel Forbes and Noah Igbinoghene at cornerback opposite St. Juste is very precarious for the Commanders. Brian Daboll must try to isolate Malik Nabers — if he plays — against either of those players. However, Nabers can presumably do well against St. Juste. Percy Butler, a 24-year-old safety, only played 24 snaps as he adjusts to the new defense. Former Dallas Cowboy Dorance Armstrong and Clelin Ferrell led the edge players in snaps. Armstrong had two pressures and a quarterback hit, and Ferrell was credited with a sack. Luvu drops down from linebacker and operates as an edge; he rushed the passer ten times, recording two pressures in Week 1. He’s an underrated defensive asset who has previously given the Giants problems. Former first-round pick Jamin Davis shifted from linebacker to edge and only played 13 snaps in the game. Former Cowboy Dante Fowler Jr. only played 20 snaps but recorded three pressures. The defense’s strength—and possibly the team’s minus their exciting quarterback—is its defensive line. Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne have historically been stout against the Giants. Former 2022 second-round pick out of Alabama, Phidarian Mathis, played 23 snaps as the third defensive lineman, with 2024 second-round pick Johnny Newton still recovering from his foot surgery. Giants’ game plan I hope to see more 11 personnel in neutral game-scripts. Passing against the Commanders shouldn’t be an issue. Allen and Payne are talented defensive linemen who are stout against the run. I prefer attacking outside the C-Gaps when running the football, but Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor should hold their own in protection against Washington’s edges. The Buccaneers did not test the interior part of the defensive line. The Giants haven’t tried it often over the last few years, but Quinn’s system differs slightly from Jack
Will Injuries Prevent or Propel the Vikings to a Win vs. 49ers?
With Jordan Addison potentially sidelined due to an ankle injury, will Brandon Powell step up as he did last year when the Vikings faced the 49ers? Join Tyler Forness on The Real Forno Show for this and more injury-related discussions. | Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images Tyler Forness and Dave analyze the Vikings vs. 49ers on The Real Forno Show. Topics: injury impacts, Phillips’ extension, and game strategies. Expert insights on players, defense, and predictions in this must-listen Vikings episode. Welcome to another thrilling episode of The Real Forno Show, a Vikings 1st & SKOL production partnered with the Fans First Sports Network. This week hosts Tyler Forness and producer Dave dissect the highly anticipated matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers, with a particular focus on how injuries could significantly impact the game. Last Year’s Injury Saga: A Glimpse into History Tyler starts off by revisiting last year’s contest where injuries played a crucial role in the Minnesota Vikings’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He mentions that while both teams faced their share of injuries, it was arguably the deciding factor for the Vikings. “Last year’s contest, injuries played arguably the biggest role in the Minnesota Vikings winning the game,” Tyler notes. This time around, the narrative feels familiar but features different players on the injury list. The Harrison Phillips Extension: A Smart Move? Pivoting from past to present, Tyler delves into the recent Harrison Phillips contract extension. This deal, worth $19 million over two years, is scrutinized for its structure and implications for the team’s salary cap. “Phillips is not an elite defensive tackle, but he’s above average and essential for the squad,” Tyler explains. The extension reduces panic about future contract negotiations and gives the Vikings a cornerstone for their defensive line. The Context of the Show and the Dynamic Duo Dave officially welcomes the audience to The Real Forno Show, celebrating Tyler’s esteemed career in sports journalism. Tyler’s resume includes roles at A to Z Sports, Score North, Purple Bailey, and more, making him a revered figure in Minnesota Vikings coverage. Breaking Down the Contract: Harrison Phillips Tyler provides an in-depth look at Harrison Phillips’ contract extension, highlighting its intricacies. The contract conversion, reducing new money but shuffling existing finances, showcases the Vikings’ clever cap management. “The deal in reality is two years, $15 million now,” reveals Tyler, showing how dynamic the management’s strategies can be. With this contract, the Vikings secure a valuable player who balances performance and cost-effectiveness. Salary Cap Strategy: Future-Proofing the Vikings As Tyler examines the team’s financial status, he applauds their careful salary cap management. The extension creates flexibility, with the Vikings boasting over $11 million in space and potentially up to $87 million next season. Tyler highlights the significance of this space for future planning, especially in the vital cornerback and defensive line positions. Key Injuries: A Double-Edged Sword Addressing the elephant in the room, Tyler explores the injury list and how it affects both squads. Key players like Christian McCaffrey for the 49ers and Jordan Addison for the Vikings could miss the game. Tyler indicates, “If McCaffrey can’t go, that’s a big win for the Vikings,” underscoring how these absences might offer advantages or challenges. The Defensive Strategy: Overcoming a Formidable Foe When it comes to strategy, Tyler and Dave acknowledge the daunting task ahead. The 49ers are a well-coordinated unit, disciplined and relentless. However, Tyler finds room for cautious optimism, emphasizing the importance of the Vikings controlling the 49ers’ run game. “If the Vikings can control the 49ers in the run game, just control, not dominate, they’ll give themselves an opportunity to win the football game,” Tyler asserts. Crunch Time Decisions and Tactical Moves As the podcast approaches its conclusion, the hosts examine potential game-day decisions and strategies. Dave maintains confidence, while Tyler tempers expectations with a prediction that balances hope and realism. “I think the Niners are going to find a way to pull out the win,” Tyler predicts, estimating a close score of 24-20. Additional Injuries and Their Consequences In an extensive analysis, Tyler pulls up the current injury report, indicating unexpected developments like Harrison Smith’s hip injury and Brian O’Neill’s elbow issue. Each detail could tilt the game’s balance, making every injury report update critical. “A player will get added on Wednesday, that kind of scares me,” Tyler confesses, reflecting the uncertainty surrounding game-day readiness. The Emotional X-Factor: Playing at Home Dave doesn’t miss the chance to spotlight the emotional advantage of playing at home. He notes the atmosphere, with tailgating starting early and fans creating a raucous environment at U.S. Bank Stadium. “We beat them in Minnesota seven times in a row,” Dave says, emphasizing that both strong teams and underdogs have bowed to the Vikings at home. Game-Day Preparation: Keys to Victory Tyler outlines essential tactics for the Vikings: Control the Run Game: Emphasis on stopping the 49ers’ multifaceted run strategy. Minimize Turnovers: Mistakes could be costly against a disciplined opponent. Utilize Big Defensive Plays: The D-line must step up to contain powerful offensive tactics. The Cornerback Dilemma: A Critical Weakness? Tyler’s worry extends to the Vikings’ cornerback room, which he considers solid but not exceptional. He expresses concern about how they’ll handle elite receivers like Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. “The cornerback room has a solid floor, but what’s the ceiling?” Tyler asks, emphasizing that facing top-tier receivers could expose weaknesses. Closing Thoughts and Predictions As they wrap up the discussion, Dave and Tyler express their final thoughts, offering predictions and insights. Dave remains hopeful about the Vikings continuing their home winning streak, while Tyler predicts a hard-fought but narrow loss against a superior team. Listen: Watch: Don’t Miss Out: Upcoming Shows and More Don’t forget to subscribe to The Real Forno Show, ring the bell for notifications, and tune in to the next episode of Two Old Bloggers on Saturday afternoon. Be ready for exclusive content and join Tyler and Dave for the post-game show starting
The Good, Bad & Ugly from the Miami Dolphins Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills
Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images Tua Tagovailoa suffers another scary concussion during third quarter of Thursday Night Football shellacking. I apologize for the name of the article this week. There will be no “good” from Thursday night’s game. There will not even be a “bad” — although most of it was. Thursday’s defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills was nothing short of “ugly” in every sense of the word. Nearly every single second of the contest felt cursed in the cruelest way imaginable. Yes, the lopsided score that was a result of the Miami Dolphins being utterly dominated by their hated division rival on national television in front of the entire world once again certainly contributes to those feelings. However, the real reason for the sheer despondency emanating from the Dolphins fanbase today can be directly attributed to watching starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa frozen in a posturing pose on the grass of Hard Rock Stadium, clearly displaying a terrifying fencing response after lowering his helmet towards the end of a first-down scramble and striking a Bills defender (who didn’t even really hit him back) squarely in the chest — actions that resulted in yet another terrifying concussion for the 26-year-old signal caller. Tagovailoa has a well-documented history with concussions during his time in the National Football League. It was just two seasons ago when the young player was forced to miss multiple games after suffering two confirmed concussions, while also likely suffering a third that was never properly disclosed. This offseason, it was revealed that Tagovailoa strongly considered retirement after the 2022 season — with some in his family pleading with him to choose that option. Instead, Tagovailoa chose to continue playing football — also choosing to learn how to fall properly while studying jiu-jitsu. He worked to add size to his frame. Those decisions paid off in 2023, with the quarterback having his best year yet as a professional en route to an NFL passing yards crown and a massive contract extension just a couple of months ago. Yet, Tagovailoa was still not fully happy with his performance, and aimed to once again slim down in an effort to regain some of his college mobility. On Thursday, we witnessed the consequences to that decision. As Tagovailoa laid on the grass being attended to by multiple members of Miami’s medical staff with his coaches surrounding his vulnerable body and his teammates kneeling in prayer just a short distance away, Dolphins fans around the world, with tears in their eyes, knew that there would be no comeback on this ill-fated night. Now, those tear-filled eyes turn towards the hurting young man. Will he ever play football again? Could you even blame him if he chose not to? Those questions will be answered in due time, but for now, we all send our love, our hope, our prayers and positivity to someone who even Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen called a “great football player, but an even greater human being.” Rest up, Tua. Whatever your future holds, Dolphins fans will always be rooting for you.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25235130/bucs_pass_d.PNG?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "Lions vs. Buccaneers Week 2 preview, prediction: On Paper")
Lions vs. Buccaneers Week 2 preview, prediction: On Paper
Our On Paper preview continues for Week 2 of the 2024 Detroit Lions season. This week, it’s another playoff rematch with Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in town. Can the Lions move to 2-0 on the season and 2-0 against playoff teams from last year? Let’s take an analytical look at the matchup and make a prediction for Lions vs. Bucs. Note: I will still be using 2023 data for DVOA rankings, as the defining feature of DVOA is adjusting for opponents, and we don’t have enough info on opponents until Week 4. All other data is from 2024, unless otherwise stated. Lions pass offense (7th in DVOA) vs. Buccaneers pass defense (14th) Last week: 200 passing yards, 85.0 passer rating vs. Rams The Lions passing offense was one of the best last season, but it’s hard to know what to make of it after Week 1. The Rams pass defense was average in a lot of ways last season, but they gave Detroit some trouble last week. Jared Goff was still able to create a few explosive plays, but the consistent unit we saw in 2023 wasn’t quite where it needed to be. “The passing game is always going to be the last to come,” coach Dan Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket this week. “The precision of your passing game is the hardest thing to really find in a rhythm in, because everyone has to be on the same page, the timing of the QB, the receivers, the protection holding up long enough, so it’s the last thing that comes. So of course we want it to be better, but I’m also not surprised that we were off a little bit.” That could very well be true, and a look at the film certainly did not make it look like the Rams did anything special to take the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown (13 yards) or Sam LaPorta (45 yards) away. Of course, you can’t talk about the Lions passing offense without talking about the breakout performance of Jameson Williams last week. His five catch, 121 yard performance was a perfect example of his growth. Yes, they had the 52-yard deep shot, but the rest of his catches came on a variety of routes. Maybe the biggest disappointment from Week 1 was the team’s pass protection. Goff wasn’t often comfortable in the pocket. Detroit ranked 12th in PFF pass blocking grade and 12th in ESPN’s pass block win rate. Certainly not horrible, but also not up to Detroit’s lofty standards set by the 2023 team. Oh, right. And Penei Sewell missed the first two practices of the week with an ankle injury. His availability is unclear. Last week: 161 yards allowed, 93.1 passer rating vs. Commanders Last year, the Buccaneers really struggled to defend the pass, and I’m not going to take too much from their performance last week against rookie QB Jayden Daniels in his first career start on a rebuilding Commanders team. That said, the Bucs posted the ninth-worst coverage grade by PFF (56.0) and 21st ranked pass rush grade (60.6)—although they ranked eighth in ESPN’s pass rush win rate. The big story this week is the health of the Buccaneers’ secondary. Here’s a look at what they’re dealing with this week: All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield is presumed OUT with a foot/ankle sprain CB Bryce Hall went on IR after Week 1 (non-starter, but contributor) Starting CB Zyon McCollum suffered a concussion, but was full in practice Thursday Depth DB Josh Hayes suffered an ankle injury, did not practice Wednesday or Thursday The Bucs still have some talented players out there like cornerback Jamel Dean, nickelback Christian Izien (who may drop to safety), and safety Jordan Whitehead. But they’ll have to lean on their depth on the back end, too, and Detroit could take advantage. Tampa’s pass rush could change the game, but they also may be without Calijah Kancey, who is dealing with a calf injury and did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. That said, look out for Yaya Diaby and Lavonte David, who combined for eight pressures in Week 1. Player to watch: Jameson Williams. With his breakout performance last week and Winfield not manning the back end, I would not be surprised if Jamo connects on another huge play this week. Advantage: Lions +1.5. The only thing that really worries me about this matchup is linebacker Lavonte David. He’s one of the best in the league, and Goff tends to struggle against strong linebackers. At 34 years old, he’s not at the top of his game, but he can be a force both as a pass rusher and coverage player. Regardless, the Lions have better personnel than the Bucs. I’m simply being a bit conservative with my estimate here because of the lack of data, Tampa’s strong defensive coaching staff, and Detroit’s tepid performance in Week 1. Lions run offense (4th in DVOA) vs. Buccaneers run defense (8th) Last week: 163 rushing yards, 5.3 YPC vs. Rams It was mostly business as usual for the Lions rushing attack in Week 1. Though there was a mid-game lull, Detroit proved early and late in the game that their rushing attack from 2023 is alive and well. Here’s how their Week 1 performance ranked across the league: 163 yards — 7th 5.3 yards per carry — 6th +0.37 EPA/rush — 2nd 67.7% success rate — 1st Yeah, I think this running game is going to be okay. Lask week: 138 rushing yards allowed, 4.6 yards per carry vs. Commanders Last year, the Bucs had one of the best rush defenses in the league. They absolutely shut down Detroit’s run game in the first matchup—although the Lions were without Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery left the game in the first half. But Detroit found success in the postseason matchup (26 rushes, 114 yards, 2 TDs). In Week 1 this year, it looks like the Bucs struggled, but that is a bit misleading. Of
Poll results: Most Giants fans say starting Daniel Jones is the right move
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images Most Giants fans would start Daniel Jones against the Commanders in Week 2 The New York Giants 2024 season did not start how anyone envisioned. Few saw a rout at the hands of Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings coming, and fans were predictably upset — to say the least. And questions as to whether Daniel Jones should even start at quarterback in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders started before the echoes of the boos even faded from MetLife Stadium. Head coach Brian Daboll confirmed that Jones would be the starter during his remarks this week, and added that there wouldn’t be any changes to the practice reps given to Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito. So we put the question to you, the Big Blue View community: Is Daboll right to start Jones? The majority of you replied that, yes, starting Jones is the right move. I happen to agree that starting Jones is the right move, at least for now. Daboll is responsible to all 53 players in the locker room, and he can’t appear to panic after one bad game. He should do what he can to be a steady hand who is trying to put the team in the best position to win. And Jones has played the Washington Commanders well in his career, with a 5-1-1 record. But the fact that this is even a question — let alone that 35% of respondents believe Jones should not start — is the bigger story. That coincides with a, frankly, stunning drop in fan confidence over the last week. Giants fans largely believed their team would win 7 to 9 games this year. We wanted to check in and see if that has changed, and it certainly has. Where 64% of fans thought the Giants would exceed the Vegas line of 6.5 wins, now 54% think the Giants will win between 4 and 6 games. That’s twice as many fans as a week ago, when just 27% believed the Giants would win 4 to 6 games. But the shift in fans who think this will be a nightmare season with three (or fewer) wins. Just 2% of fans responded “0 to 3 wins” at the start of the season, and now that’s up to 31% of respondents. The Giants’ loss to the Vikings — and how they lost — seems to have been crushing to fan morale. Not only are fans down on the Giants’ prospects for this year, they seem to have lost faith that Daboll and GM Joe Schoen are the right men to guide the franchise. Just 22% of fans believe the Giants are heading in the right direction. To put that in some perspective, 78 percent of Giants fans believed that the team was heading in the right direction on the morning of Sept. 8. Last year got off to a similarly ugly start, but fan confidence only hit a season low of 29% following Daniel Jones’ neck injury in the loss to the Seahawks. It’s remarkable to see fan confidence plummet this dramatically in just a week. The Giants come into this game as 1.5 point underdogs on the road per FanDuel Sportsbook — essentially a toss-up game that might even favor the Giants on a neutral field. And yet it doesn’t feel that way around the fandom. Join FanDuel Sportsbook today for all your betting needs.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25618857/Screenshot_2024_09_13_at_8.56.09_AM.png?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "8 things to watch when the Eagles host the Falcons")
8 things to watch when the Eagles host the Falcons
After playing their technical home opener in Brazil last Friday, the Philadelphia Eagles will play their actual home opener against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday Night Football in Week 2. Let’s run through some of the more important things to watch out for this in matchup. 1 – Kirk Cousins’ health We’ve already written multiple articles here at BGN detailing how Cousins does not look healthy coming off a late October 2023 Achilles injury. And how, as a result, the Falcons’ offense appears to be significantly compromised. Maybe it’s as simple as the Falcons being screwed until Cousins can get back to full health. Maybe they have to turn to Michael Penix Jr. a lot sooner than expected? TBD. For Week 2, at least, one would imagine Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is trying to make adjustments to work around any Cousins limitations. The latest headline from The Falcoholic: “This week’s big Falcons question: Can Zac Robinson adjust?” We’ll never learn the reasoning behind last Sunday’s game plan; frankly, it doesn’t matter. This week, the team reiterated that Cousins is healthy and so has the quarterback. They know what the league is saying. The staff has acknowledged the failure, and they’ll be forced to show that Kirk can run the offense without any training wheels. Philadelphia will see to it. Concerns about Cousins’ health are valid, and yes, there were clear signs of rust, but we need to see the quarterback tested before coming to conclusions. The most pressing ask is play action. Cousins showed he could go through his rollout progressions on multiple handoffs, and while he did look shaky in the pocket at times, his touchdown pass was as good as it gets in terms of Kirk Cousins mobility. Hard to believe the Falcons won’t try something new. Vic Fangio and the Eagles’ defensive staff have to be anticipating adjustments. 2 – A better gauge of Philly’s pass rush One of the biggest questions leaving the Eagles’ Week 1 win: is this pass rush any good? It’s too early to say for sure since 1) it’s just one game and 2) it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen an Eagles pass rush get neutralized by a slippery field. But now the Birds will be back on the well-maintained grass at The Linc. And they’ll be going up against a quarterback who figures to be even less mobile than he is to begin with. While playing behind an offensive line that’s far from impenetrable. From Pro Football Focus: The Falcons’ offensive line — considered to be among the best units in the NFL — struggled mightily against the Pittsburgh pass rush. They allowed 12 total pressures, including three sacks, on just 27 dropbacks, which led to a 72.2 PFF pass-blocking efficiency score — the lowest mark in the NFL in Week 1. Left guard Matthew Bergeron, center Drew Dalman and right tackle Kaleb McGary — who was responsible for three sacks — all earned sub-40.0 PFF pass-blocking grades in Week 1. If the Eagles’ edge rushers can’t get to Cousins, that’s going to be pretty troubling. 3 – Slowing down Bijan Robinson Eagles fans are certainly no stranger to Bijan after all the speculation that the Birds might take him early in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Falcons prevented us from seeing if the Eagles would actually pick a running back that high or not. As a rookie, Robinson wasn’t utilized quite as often as expected. Probably part of the reason Arthur Smith got fired. Robinson only handled 41% of Atlanta’s carries and accounted for 17.7% of their receptions. Incredibly early on in Year 2, Robinson has accounted for 81.8% of the Falcons’ rushing attempts and 31.25% of their receptions. Robinson’s 18 carries went for just 68 yards (3.8 average) against the Steelers; he didn’t exactly light the world on fire. His longest run gained 13. But Robinson did also pitch in with five targets resulting in five catches for another 43 yards. Robinson’s efficiency was certainly not aided by Cousins’ limitations. If the Falcons quarterback isn’t even going to be used on play-action, well, it’s not like the defense is going to be kept honest. But, again, we could see the Falcons try to change their approach. Even if they don’t, slowing Robinson is still a concern. As detailed by BGN’s Jonny Page, the Eagles’ defense had issues with their run fits against the Green Bay Packers. The Birds allowed 21 total carries for 163 yards (7.8 average) and one touchdown. Even taking out the Jayden Reed end around and focusing on the running backs, Josh Jacobs had 16 carries for 84 yards (5.3 average) while third-string option Emanuel Wilson ripped off 46 yards on just four attempts (11.5 average). Running the ball a whole lot more could be one of the adjustments that the Falcons are planning to make. The Eagles need to prove they can avoid getting gashed on the ground. Q. How well did you get to know Falcons RB Bijan Robinson in the draft process and what challenges does he present? NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, we showed some tape of him today of just how elusive he is. I think if you look, his first touchdown was like play 11 against Carolina last year, play 11 of the game of game number 1. They throw him a little swing pass and he makes the first guy miss, then he makes another guy miss, and he runs through a tackle. He’s a really good football player who can create on his own. Things can break down, and he still can make a play. A lot of things remind me of when we used to — it felt like today in the team meeting when I’m showing those, it felt a little bit like, ‘Hey, these are the clips I was showing when we were getting ready to play the Giants and Saquon [Barkley].’ He’s really elusive and really fast, got
Giants need dominance from Big 3 on defense, says DC Shane Bowen
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux need to make impact for Giants to play well on defense “I got all the confidence in the world in them.” That’s what New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen had to say regarding his “Big Three” of Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns, and Dexter Lawrence. Bowen acknowledged that those three players need to be impactful for the defense to be good. “I tell them that every day. Where the resources are delegated, you got to be good. Your best players got to be good. It’s the nature of the league. Your best players got to play their best every single Sunday if you want to play good. Offense, defense, special teams, whatever it might be,” Bowen said. “They have to go out there and perform … there’s expectations that come with the nature of the league.” DC Shane Bowen on #giants pass rush: “I tell them that every day, ‘Where the resources are delegated, you got to be good. Your best players got to be good, right? It’s the nature of the league. Your best players got to play their best every single Sunday.” pic.twitter.com/B2sG6JsQ2c — Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) September 12, 2024 The Giants defense struggled in their season-opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and Bowen knows this group needs to be better moving forward. Bowen spoke to the media this week about the play of his star defenders, some struggles the defense faced in Week 1, and his early take on Washington Commanders’ rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Does Bowen believe Burns and Thibodeaux can take over a game? “I do. I do. I absolutely do. I got all the confidence in the world in them. I got confidence, obviously, having (defensive lineman) Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) in there as well. You mix in the rookie (defensive lineman Elijah Chatman), (outside linebacker) Azeez (Ojulari) at times, how it works out. I feel very confident in our ability to affect the quarterback with four guys.” How does Bowen rate their performance in Week 1? “I think there were good plays and there were some that they need to improve on. There were plays where they factored (in), there were plays where they were around the quarterback and they were close to the quarterback. I thought Burnsy (Brian Burns) could have had a strip sack on one where he spun inside. KT (Kayvon Thibodeaux) was wrapping around, matched the hand on the DPI (defensive pass interference) they called on (cornerback) Adoree’ (Jackson). KT (Kayvon Thibodeaux) got another hit wrapping around. Just consistency across the board I think has to improve. But there were good and bad with really everybody.” Bowen on Thibodeaux’s production (or lack thereof) “I would say it’s game one. It’s game one. I don’t think that’s the level of contribution that he expects from himself or any of us. It is what it is. But again, when the plays are there, we got to be able to make them. When they’re not there, we can’t force our hand and do stuff that’s reckless with the defense just the same. He’s got to play within the system, which he’s done a good job of. Again, just like I tell all these guys, all 11 guys, when the plays are there for you to make, you got to make them. That’s the expectation. When you get one-on-ones, coverage, rushing, whatever that might be, find ways to win. You’re not going to win all of them. They (the other team) get paid too. Find ways to win. Really, at other times, we got to be able to impact outside of the scheme a little bit, outside of those situations.” Taking advantage of Dexter Lawrence’s dominance “I hope that’s the case every week. Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) is going to be a handful for a lot of guys in this league, whether it’s one or two guys. He has a knack for winning versus two, which is extremely rare. If they’re putting four hands on him and he’s still winning, that means we’ve got a lot of one-on-ones on the other side. We’ve got to be able to win those. Hopefully, at times, that will result in maybe them having to get four hands off of him, to free him up. It goes hand-in-hand. It goes both ways. Finding ways to create for him, always, and knowing if we don’t, he can still factor, is exceptional for a coordinator.” Why didn’t the Giants get much pressure on Sam Darnold? “I think it was a combination of things. I think at times it was the chips, the ability to max protect and the flow of the game. There were some drop back situations. Other times it was more play action, keeping guys in. When we get those one-on-ones, we just got to win. We got to find ways to affect them, hopefully in the middle and on the edges. I tell all these guys, all 11 guys, we have to make the plays when they’re there for us. We got to win our one-on-ones. We got to find ways to win our one-on-ones.” What has Bowen seen from Jayden Daniels? “Explosive. He eats up grass. If he gets loose and he gets vertical, he’s eating up grass in a hurry. Led them in rushing. I think he had 88 yards rushing. I think he was decisive with getting the ball out. He went 17 of 24. Passive rating was above 90. Had a really good first game, in my opinion, for a rookie to go out there and do what he did. Talented. We’re going to have to be ready for everything from being able to match and cover to also being able to keep him corralled and not let him get loose on us.” The defense leaves plenty of room for improvement “There’s a lot to improve on. Wish we wouldn’t have gave up a few of those big plays in the
