Lamar Jackson says the Chiefs are no longer his kryptonite Ravens QB Lamar Jackson says the Chiefs are not his kryptonite paulbanks After a previous loss to Kansas City, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said that the Chiefs are his kryptonite. For those unfamiliar with the Superman comic books, movies, and pop culture franchise, kryptonite is the one thing that can stop Superman. Asked about that comment after Thursday night’s season-opening 27-20 loss at Kansas City, Jackson cut off the reporter before the question was fully requested. He said the Chiefs are not his kryptonite three times to drive the point home. “It ain’t my kryptonite. It’s not my kryptonite. It’s not my kryptonite,” Jackson maintained. Beyond that, Jackson saw many encouraging signs in the extremely narrow loss to Kansas City. “The whole game gives me encouragement because I believe our guys were fighting,” Jackson continued. “Unfortunately, there were penalties almost every time we had an explosive.” While yes, Jackson did miss the throw to a wide-open Zay Flowers that would have been the game-tying touchdown, he still utterly balled out. From Colin Cowherd to Chase Daniel, the NFL pundit world was filled with voices defending Jackson on Friday. It’s easy to see why, as the Ravens franchise signal caller conveyed precisely why he’s the reigning MVP with his performance on Thursday night. On this night, he was the Ravens’ Superman and easily the most valuable player on either side of the ball. He consistently used his legs to make something out of nothing, whether it was scrambling to find the green grass where he could safely make a throw or just plain taking off and reaching the second level of the defense almost instantaneously. A big talking point this offseason was his weight loss and the new, additional speed that came with it. It was clearly on display in the opener. The Ravens offensive line had a rough night, so protections often broke down, and Jackson consistently had to improvise. He did a phenomenal job doing so. He finished with a passer rating of 90.8 and 495 yards of total offense (273 passing, 122 rushing).
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson says the Chiefs are not his kryptonite
5 Questions with Battle Red Blog: Is this a revenge game?
Robert Scheer-USA TODAY Sports This is absolutely a revenge game. Ladies and Gentlemen, this article makes it real: NFL football is finally back! In Week 1 of 2024 our Indianapolis Colts will host the Houston Texans. Knowing the party was coming to town I sat down with Scott Barzilla aka VBallRetired of Battle Red Blog, SB Nation’s Houston Texans blog. We swapped questions and answers about both the Texans and the Colts and what follows is what I’ve learned about this week’s enemy. Chris Shepherd: The Texans drafted cornerback Kamari Lassiter in the second round and he looks to be penciled in as the starter at outside corner opposite from Derek Stingley Jr. How has Lassiter looked thus far and do you anticipate DeMeco Ryans doing anything schematically to help out the young player in a position that is notoriously difficult to transition into in the NFL? Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Scott Barzilla: Honestly, no one outside of the traditional football media has seen Lassister as he did not play in the preseason. All we have to go on are media reports and the comments from the coaching staff. All reports are that he plays much faster than his combine time would indicate and he was a lockdown corner at Georgia. I anticipate that they will slide the safeties that direction and leave Stingley on an island. I’m sure you will see Stingley on Pittman fairly regularly, so hopefully that’s enough to help out Lassister. We will see on Sunday. CS: A season ago the Texans struggled with offensive line play as the majority of the line missed time due to injury. The team added Notre Dame tackle Blake Fisher in the second round in a move that added much needed depth. How has the offensive line looked in camp and the preseason and do you expect that they will be able to handle a very deep and talented Colts defensive line group on Sunday? Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Scott: You are stealing the thunder from my Roses and Thorns article here. In short, this is the biggest area of concern this week for the Texans. Three of the four starting defensive linemen for the Colts played at a Pro Bowl level as measured by Pro Football Focus. Kenyon Green returns from injured reserve last year. He was disappointing in his rookie season, but rededicated himself to his conditioning and came back in much better shape. Reports are good but we won’t know until he plays on Sundays. Juice Scruggs (second round pick in 2023) was slated to play center last year but spent more time at guard. Center is his natural position, so hopefully that is two positions made stronger from last season. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried. CS: The Texans added both Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon to what was already a very good offense a season ago. Colts fans coping with the addition of two very talented players are likely to point out that both Diggs and Mixon are a little older than what is considered ideal for their positions. Given that this is week one how would you respond to that criticism? Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Scott: I was generally in favor of both additions, but I wouldn’t have given Mixon his extension. I think both players are primed to be good in 2024, but I definitely would echo any criticism of both beyond this season. Fortunately, neither needs to be dominant at their position. They are just other weapons in a deep and talented offense. I would share their criticism if they were expected to be the number one and two offensive options, but I don’t think that will be the case. CS: If you were an offensive coordinator charged with creating a game plan for attacking the Houston Texans defense, what would be your strategy? What weaknesses would you target? What strengths would you avoid? How would you plan to score points? Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK Scott: Despite their 2023 numbers, the defense is not really a strong run defense and they jettisoned both starting defensive tackles from last season. I would play old-fashioned smash mouth football against the Texans defense. The strength of their defense is with three really good defensive ends that will wreak havoc in the passing game. If the Colts get stuck in third and longs it could be a very long day. The best way around that is to leave yourself third and shorts with a steady diet of Jonathan Taylor and some RPOs with Anthony Richardson. If you force the Texans to commit that seventh defender to the box then you can beat them over the top later in the game. CS: FanDuel Sportsbook currently lists the Texans as 2.5 point favorites on the road this weekend. Gun to your head are you taking that bet and what’s the final score going to be? Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Scott: I’ll take the bet and go Texans 28-24. It scares me to be this confident given the history of this matchup and the history of our franchise, but I have a good feeling about this team. There is just too much fire power to keep this offense down and while the Texans defense can be moved on, I think there are enough playmakers to take advantage of a key Anthony Richardson mistake late in the game. If you’re betting on this game, you can find updated lines at FanDuel Sportsbook. And with that, ladies and gentlemen, our week one preview with the enemy is in the books. As always I want to thank Scott for working with me and giving us a a look into what the Houston Texans will bring to Indianapolis this weekend. It’s too bad Scott writes about the Texans because otherwise he seems like a really good guy. Here’s to an injury free game and the official start of the 2024 season. Go Colts.
Chargers preview: Will Herbert hit the ground running in new offense?
Justin Herbert vs. Raiders 2023 | Photo by Harry How/Getty Images Our friends at Bolts from the Blue answer a few questions about the Chargers ahead of the season opener While the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers have had plenty of battles over the years, the Week 1 matchup between the two teams will be a little different this year. The Raiders promoted Antonio Pierce to full-time head coach in the offseason while the Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh for the same position. Also, each club brought on new offensive coordinators. So, to preview the season opener, Michael Peterson from our friends over at Bolts From the Blue was kind enough to answer a few questions about Los Angeles heading into the matchup against Las Vegas. Q: Justin Herbert missed a good portion of training camp with an injury which seems like a big deal considering he’s learning a new offense this season. How do you think that will impact the Chargers’ offense/play calling in the season opener? Will Herbert hit the ground running in Week 1 or will the offense have to be watered down, so to speak? So Greg Roman is Justin Herbert’s eighth offensive coordinator since the start of his career at Oregon. It’s now his fourth NFL offensive coordinator in his five professional seasons. Herbert honestly has yet to show any signs of not being able to grasp an offense right away and Roman’s isn’t any different. Based on the hype out of training camp, when healthy, this may have been Herbert’s best training camp thus far. That sure sounds like the stuff you hear every year, but I wouldn’t be lying if I said it truly did seem a bit different this year. I’d expect the offense to be much more diverse than what we saw during the preseason which was arguably plain vanilla outside of the end-around play that Derius Davis took to the house on the first play of their preseason finale against the Cowboys. Expect a heavy dose of the run game as the team takes their first step in establishing their new identity under Jim Harbaugh. If they can find success on the ground, be prepared to see them open things right back up to allow Herbert to show off his arm talent. Q: After moving on from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, who do you think will emerge as the Chargers’ No. 1 receiver? Also, is there an under-the-radar pass-catcher Raiders fans should know about? Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty ImagesJoshua Palmer The hot name is rookie Ladd McConkey but I believe that’s just hype for the new guy. Joshua Palmer will likely be the team’s leader in receptions and yards this year as he’s the only returning receiver who has started a game with Herbert other than Quentin Johnston. Palmer has the best rapport and connection and his production as the team’s WR1 in several games where Allen and Williams were out showed us he’s more than capable of bearing that load this year. 3) With the addition of offensive coordinator Greg Roman and running backs JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards, how similar will the Chargers’ running game be to the Ravens’ over the last few years? It’s hard not to say that it’ll look quite similar to what the Ravens ran under Roman. It’s going to be diverse. You’ll see both zone and gap schemes on top of seeing just about all five players at one time or another pull in some facet. The Chargers went out and got two veteran, highly-capable tight ends (both starters for respective teams at one point or another in their careers) in Hayden Hurst and Will Dissly so I also expect those two — and the tight end position as a whole — to play a huge role in diversifying their rush attack. Oh, and did I mention they’ve now got their own Patrick Ricard in the form of defensive tackle Scott Matlock? All four running backs currently on the Chargers active roster were not on the team in 2023. Harbaugh truly stepped in and reshaped the entire room in his image. 4) How different will the Chargers’ defense look this season now that Jesse Minter has followed Jim Harbaugh from Michigan and taken over as defensive coordinator? Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty ImagesJim Harbaugh, Jesse Minter According to the players, Minter has implemented a simpler defense, but don’t let that descriptive word trick you into believing it’s an easy defense to beat. Every player has lauded how much better they feel in a defense that plays to their strengths and gives them confidence on a play-by-play basis. Cornerback Kristian Fulton said that he feels so good about their scheme that it doesn’t matter if the other team knows what they’re doing or not. The unit feels as long as they’re playing together, they’ll be successful. I would also be remiss not to mention that Minter plans on bringing pressure in a myriad of ways. We already saw a glimpse of it during the preseason and it seems to really fit who the Chargers have in their front seven. 5) On a related note, Asante Samuel Jr. had some success against Davante Adams last year, limiting Adams to 35 yards in both games last year when he was the primary defender in coverage. Do you think Samuel will shadow Adams on Sunday? And how do you see that matchup playing out? I wouldn’t be surprised to see Samuel shadow Adams once again, but with it being a new defensive scheme and coaching staff, I’m not 100 percent sure if that’s how they’ll go about taking away the opposition’s top wideout. I’m sure Derwin James will have a say in helping out on that assignment in some way, as well. Fulton, a first-year Charger, had a heck of a camp, too. If the coaching staff believes Samuel can replicate his performance against Adams a year later, then by all means let
Buffalo Bills vs. Arizona Cardinals 2024 odds, tips and betting trends | Week 1
The Buffalo Bills (0-0) will play the Arizona Cardinals (0-0) on Sunday, September 8, 2024 at Highmark Stadium. The Bills are listed as favorites in this one, with the spread sitting at 6.5 points. An over/under of 47 points has been set for the contest. The Bills went 11-6 last season and were knocked out of the playoffs in the Divisional round. They scored 26.5 points per game (sixth in league) and allowed 18.3 (fourth). The Cardinals scored 19.4 points per game (24th in league) and allowed 26.8 (31st) last season, finishing 4-13 and failing to make the playoffs. Bills vs Cardinals betting information NFL odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 1:23 p.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Spread Favorite: Buffalo (-6.5) Moneyline: Buffalo (-300), Arizona (+240) Total: 47 points Bills betting insights At home last season, Buffalo was 4-5 against the spread and 7-2 overall. Against the spread, the Bills were 7-10-0 last year. At home last year, Buffalo had two wins ATS (2-4) as 6.5-point favorites or greater. The Bills won twice ATS (2-6) as a 6.5-point favorite or more last season. Last season, Buffalo went over the total in three of nine home games. In 17 Bills games last year, six hit the over. Bills leaders Josh Allen: 4,306 PASS YDS / 253.3 YPG / 66.5% / 29 TD / 18 INT / 111 CAR / 524 RUSH YDS / 15 TD James Cook: 237 CAR / 1,122 YDS / 66 YPG / 2 TD / 44 REC / 445 YDS / 26.2 YPG / 4 TD Dalton Kincaid: 73 REC / 673 YDS / 42.1 YPG / 2 TD Curtis Samuel: 62 REC / 613 YDS / 38.3 YPG / 4 TD Khalil Shakir: 39 REC / 611 YDS / 38.2 YPG / 2 TD Bills vs Cardinals game info Date: Sunday, September 8, 2024 Time: 1:00 p.m. ET City: Orchard Park, New York Venue: Highmark Stadium TV Channel: CBS Live Stream: Fubo (Watch Bills vs Cardinals on Fubo) Live Stream: Watch on Paramount+ Watch the Buffalo Bills all season on Fubo! More NFL news Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Bills Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Daily Norseman Staff NFL Picks: 2024 Week 1
Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images The picks are in for the opening week, folks! A new season is upon us, folks, and with it comes the guys who power your favorite Minnesota Vikings website making their picks for games around the National Football League this season. Yes, the picks are in for Week 1 of the NFL slate and we’re here to share them with you on this Saturday morning. You’ll see a couple of new faces among our selectors this year, and we’ve got seven people in total making picks. Just like the past few years, our picks will be plugged into the system provided by the good folks at Tallysight so that we can keep track of our picks throughout the season. As always, we remind you that for spread picks and over/unders and things of that nature, the numbers might vary a bit based on when each individual person puts their picks into the system. If you want to find the latest lines for each game, you can check with our friends at FanDuel. With that, here are the picks for Week 1! Unanimous Picks Houston Texans over Indianapolis Colts Buffalo Bills over Arizona Cardinals Cincinnati Bengals over New England Patriots Minnesota Vikings over New York Giants (yay!) Seattle Seahawks over Denver Broncos 6-1 Picks Los Angeles Chargers over Las Vegas Raiders (Warren dissenting) Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Washington Commanders (Chris dissenting) San Francisco 49ers over New York Jets (Warren dissenting) 5-2 Picks Baltimore Ravens over Kansas City Chiefs (majority gets it wrong) Philadelphia Eagles over Green Bay Packers (majority gets it right) New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers (Chris and Sam dissenting) Chicago Bears over Tennessee Titans (Chris and GA Skol dissenting) Miami Dolphins over Jacksonville Jaguars (Chris and Eric dissenting) Atlanta Falcons over Pittsburgh Steelers (GA Skol and Warren dissenting) Detroit Lions over Los Angeles Rams (Chris and GA Skol dissenting) 4-3 Picks Dallas Cowboys over Cleveland Browns (Chris, GA Skol, and Mark dissenting) Man, I have a lot of picks that are going against the consensus. That means my Week 1 is probably going to be either really good or really bad. Based on the precedent set over the last couple of seasons, the latter is probably the better bet. But those are our picks for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, folks? Who are you rolling with this weekend?
Jaguars vs Dolphins prop bets for Week 1: Tyreek Hill receiving yards over/under
Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images Taking a look at the Week 1 prop bets for the Miami Dolphins versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Miami Dolphins are set to host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in an intra-Florida rivalry. A Week 1 showdown between two AFC teams with high hopes for the 2024 regular season should prove to be a good one, with FanDuel sportsbook expecting a close game. As of Saturday afternoon, the betting line has the Dolphins favored by 3.5 points, essentially picking up a half-point over the standard home-field advantage line. Outside of the point spread bet, what are the best prop bets available for this week’s game? This afternoon, we take a look at some of the top player-specific stat bets that FanDuel has listed for the game. Tyreek HillReceiving yards: 97.5Over: -113 / Under: -113 Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill chased 2,000 receiving yards last year, only to have injuries slow him down late in the season. He finished the year with 1,799 yards, the seventh most in a season in league history. While he has not been as vocal about that goal leading into this year, he has made some comments about wanting to make another run at that milestone. If he is going to reach that mark, he is going to have to start off the year with a big number. Hill surpassed the 100-yard mark eight times last year, including a 215-yard performance in Week 1. He will be looking to get over 100 yards again to start this season. He should surpass 100 yards, giving us the over on this bet. Bet: Over. Tua TagovailoaPassing Touchdowns: 1.5Over: -156 / Under: +120 The Dolphins are a pass-first, pass-often team, at least until head coach Mike McDaniel proves he will stick to the running game. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the league in passer rating in 2022 and in passing yards in 2023. He threw for at least two touchdowns in eight games last year, averaging 1,7 passing touchdowns per game over the 17-week regular season. The value may be on taking the under here, but the over seems like the better play. Given wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, along with the addition of tight end Jonnu Smith and the pass-catching ability of running backs De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert, it feels like Tagovailoa reaching two passing touchdowns per game should be expected this year. Bet: Over. Same Game ParlayTyreek Hill 20+ yard receptionDe’Von Achane 1st half touchdownRaheem Mostert 40+ yards rushing/receiving+435 Building a same-game parlay, meaning all three have to hit for a payout, can lead to some great odds. In this case, putting these three together leads to a +435 line – paying out $435 if you were to bet $100 and all three came true. For these three, it seems like a fairly decent bet. Hill going for over 20 yards on a reception feels like a sure thing. He will break at least one reception for a long gain. Achane adding a anytime touchdown in the first half – rushing or receiving – feels right. And Mostert seems like the forgotten member of the offense from a preseason analysis point of view, but he will still have a large role on the offense. Getting to 40 combined receiving and rushing yards, a mark he surpassed in every game played last year, should be an obtainable mark this weekend. Be sure to check out FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
The Miami Dolphins begin the regular season with the NFL’s oldest roster
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The Miami Dolphins are no longer an up-and-coming football team. Back-to-back playoff appearances have raised expectations for a franchise that hasn’t had a losing season in four years, but there’s still work to be done. Some post cutdown day stats via @The33rdTeamFB: Youngest Full Roster:1. Packers: 25.11 years old2. Buccaneers: 25.593. Eagles: 25.624. Giants: 25.705. Chiefs: 25.73 Oldest Full Roster:1. Dolphins: 27.30 years old2. Vikings: 27.153. 49ers: 26.984. Commanders: 26.975.… — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2024 The Dolphins enter 2024 searching for their first playoff win in over two decades. They supplemented the roster with veterans like defensive tackle Calais Campbell, safety Jordan Poyer, tight end Jonnu Smith, and cornerback Kendall Fuller. As a result, Miami enters the year with the oldest NFL roster at 27.3 years old. The Green Bay Packers are the NFL’s youngest roster at 25.11 years old, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25.59) and Philadelphia Eagles (25.62). The Dolphins topped the Minnesota Vikings (27.15), and the San Francisco 49ers (26.98) for the league’s most-tenured team. At 38, Calais Campbell is the oldest player on the team, followed by Poyer (33), left tackle Terron Armstead (33), running back Raheem Mostert (32), and tackle Kendall Lamm (32). Four of Miami’s ten oldest players joined the team this offseason. While recent free-agent additions have increased the roster’s age, it’s worth noting that the Dolphins have lacked the draft capital to continuously infuse the roster with young talent. Miami traded seven draft picks for Bradley Chubb and Tyreek Hill — and forfeited two more for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton. With age comes experience and by adding battle-tested veterans, Miami hopes these final pieces will provide the leadership and skill needed to break their playoff drought.
Notes: A timeline of Jared Goff’s Detroit renaissance
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!
College football preview: 4 players to watch in Week 2
Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK College football rolls into week two. Teams are still vying to establish themselves as championship contenders while NFL hopefuls hope to keep building their resume in the young season. This weekend, here are the names I will be most interested in. All listed times are Eastern Standard Time Mason Graham, Defensive Tackle, Michigan v. Texas (12 PM on Fox): The premier game of the weekend will kick off at Noon on Saturday when the defending champion Michigan Wolverines take on title-hopeful Texas. The Longhorns will field an explosive, multidimensional offense while the Wolverines have one of the best defenses in the country. Chiefly important on the Wolverine defense is interior lineman, Mason Graham. Graham was a wrecking machine last year and was integral to the team’s defensive dominance. This year, with so much Wolverine talent off in the NFL, Graham has even more pressure to take over each game. His three down prowess will be crucial against a balanced Texas attack and how well he plays could determine this game’s outcome. Ollie Gordon II, Running Back, Oklahoma State v. Arkansas (12 PM on ESPN): A year after no running backs were selected in the first round, this draft class could have a few who would warrant such consideration. Among them is Ollie Gordon II. Gordon is a powerful back at 6’2” and over 220 pounds. He is built like a linebacker but has sprinter speed, all which helped him amass 2,000 yards of offense last year and 22 total touchdowns last year. Gordon is coming off a 28 carry game where he scored three times on the ground. The Pokes will rely on the talented junior against an SEC defense this week. James Pearce Jr., Edge Defender, Tennessee v. NC State (7:30 PM on ESPN): Tennessee is an exciting team this year with new blood at quarterback, but their best player is still on the other side of the ball. James Pearce Jr. could be the next top pick in the draft given how talented he is. Pearce got off to a slow start last week, not flashing in a way many hoped he would in year three. It’s possible Pearce, and most of the Vols squad were looking ahead to this week’s ranked matchup against NC State. Tennessee will need the best from all their players to stay unbeaten this weekend, meaning Pearce will need to announce himself with a strong game. Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State v. Oregon (10 PM on Peacock): Ashton Jeanty ran for over 260 yards last week while scoring six touchdowns on the ground. Six. Touchdowns. And his yardage didn’t come easy. The talented runner was breaking tackles on what felt like all 20 of his carries. He flashed strength, agility, great vision, and game breaking long speed. Now, after dominating Georgia Southern, Jeanty has a much trickier trial in the Oregon Ducks. Oregon is a much better coached defense with far more talent. They will key in on slowing Jeanty. We will see how much they can impede someone who is now chasing a Heisman trophy.
Rams crossing fingers that Rob Havenstein will be available Sunday night
Photo by Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images Second year OT Warren McClendon would start in place of Havenstein if the veteran cannot play The final injury reports have been issued by the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions ahead of their showdown on Sunday Night Football. The Lions are 4.5 point favorites in this rematch of last year’s wildcard playoff game according to FanDuel Sportsbook. One player that could swing the outcome of Sunday’s contest is LA’s right tackle Rob Havenstein. Havenstein suffered an ankle injury early in training camp and didn’t start practicing until this week where he was limited on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The veteran tackle is officially listed as “questionable”, which according to NFL reporting rules suggest he has a 50/50 chance of playing in the game. Detroit’s pass rushers likely smell blood in the water if Havenstein is limited or flat out unable to play. Aidan Hutchinson has been the engine of the Lions’ defense since joining the team in 2021. The team also signed Marcus Davenport this offseason as a low risk, high upside bet on a player with strong pedigree but a troubling injury history. Hutchinson ranked second amongst EDGE rushers in total pressures in the 2023 regular season with 101 according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), which proves the Rams’ offensive line has their work cut out for them. Only Micah Parson with the Dallas Cowboys bested Hutchinson with 103 total pressures. They were the only EDGE rushers that broke triple digits last year in the regular season. Rob Havenstein (ankle) will be limited today and Sean McVay says team will decide through today’s practice and up to Sunday’s game whether he can go on Sunday. Warren McClendon backs Havenstein up. CB Cobie Durant (hamstring) will be a full participant at today’s practice. — Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) September 6, 2024 If Havenstein is unable to suit up on Sunday night, second-year offensive tackle Warren McClendon will be the next man up for Los Angeles. The Rams selected McClendon in the fifth round of last year’s NFL Draft. He kept this year’s first round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals, Amarius Mims, on the bench over the 2022 season while both were at Georgia. We’ve saw McClendon appear in some limited regular season action as a rookie. He played six snaps in Week 5 last year against the Philadelphia Eagles and earned a PFF pass blocking grade of 14.2. His second outing was much more positive and came in Week 18 when both the Rams and San Francisco 49ers had already clinched playoff berths and were resting starters. While it’s worth mentioning that he was playing against backups, McClendon did earn a 78.9 pass blocking grade in that game over 26 snaps and 11 pass protection reps. In this year’s preseason, McClendon was on the field for 78 snaps across LA’s first two exhibition games and was credited with a pass blocking grade of 78.1. His run grade was lower, but still adequate, at 64.6. Bennett with more TD passes on his first drive than Bryce Young had in an entire game. Nice block by Warren McClendon at LT pic.twitter.com/tRHK9dNntr — CFB’s #1 X Lawyer (@Craig_Lawson) August 13, 2023 Rob Havenstein is one of the most important players on the injury report this week for the Rams as the team prepares to take on the Lions. While it’s unclear whether Havenstein will suit up on Sunday night, the Rams have a promising but unproven backup that will be ready to step in if needed in Warren McClendon. This injury could swing the outcome of Sunday’s game and is worth keeping an eye on leading up to kickoff.
