Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images The Bengals are facing another offseason of paying their star wide receiver—will they step up? Bengals News NFL insider warns Bengals of the inevitable if Ja’Marr Chase contract extension drama continues next year The last thing the Cincinnati Bengals should want is another offseason of Ja’Marr Chase being dissatisfied. Bengals’ Record Book Under Construction; Higgins Also Getting Teed Up In Slot; Joe Burrow’s Offseason Pays Off In Pocket | QUICK HITS Heading into Thursday Night Football, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is not only leading the Triple Crown categories, he’s on pace to dismantle the Bengals’ single-season record book with 1,632 yards, 113 catches, and 19 touchdowns. Stat of the Jay: Bengals’ Lack of Pass Rush Behind Trey Hendrickson Approaching NFL Record Trey Hendrickson leads the NFL with 11.5 sacks and is on pace for 18 sacks, which would be his career high. NFL insider explains why the Bengals won’t fire Zac Taylor despite lackluster season While Cincinnati Bengals fans might hope that the front office fires Zac Taylor amid a disappointing 4-7 season, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated explained why he doesn’t think that’ll happen. Bengals star guarantees win over Steelers in Week 13 The Cincinnati Bengals might be on a bye week, but linebacker Germaine Pratt isn’t taking a break from trying to motivate his guys. NFL News NFL warns teams, players of ‘organized and skilled’ criminals targeting athletes’ homes The NFL has alerted team security directors and the players union about criminals targeting professional athletes’ homes, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Steelers-Browns on ‘Thursday Night Football’: What We Learned from Cleveland’s 24-19 win Winston finished off snowy thriller but not without late scares. Will Brinson’s NFL Week 12 picks, best bets: Send Aaron Rodgers to the Vikings, sneaky Over in AFC East battle Best bets from Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season Browns’ Myles Garrett sends message to Steelers and T.J. Watt with 3 first-half sacks Myles Garrett showed T.J. Watt why he’s the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Surprise NFL Teams That Could Miss 2024 Playoffs With seven weeks remaining in the 2024 regular season, we’re on track to have six new playoff participants among the 14 teams that will qualify for the postseason.
Bengals News (11/22): Another Looming Ja’Marr Chase contract holdout?
Week 12 Thursday Night Football: Browns vs. Steelers
Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Big rivalry game tonight to kick off the week And we are off for Week 12 as the Cleveland Browns (+ 152) host the Pittsburgh Steelers (- 180). The Steelers have been one of the biggest surprises this season as I don’t think even the most optimistic fan expected to be sitting at 8-2 at this point in the season (they did lose to us though). The Browns, at 2-8, at staring down another rebuild, this one even tougher as the implications of the Deshaun Watson trade still hurt them. The visiting team is currently favoured by 3.5-points while the OU is at 36.5. The Browns were blown out by the Saints last week as Taysom Hill got three rushing touchdowns, absolutely torching my fantasy team in the process. Jameis did all he could, but three 4th quarter touchdowns ended up sealing the game and now at 2-8 the Browns are looking at yet another losing season. The Steelers had their best win of the season so far, beating the Ravens at home after a failed two-point conversion attempt. Their offense did not score a single touchdown, but their stingy defense and Boswell’s leg were enough to get the job done. Despite their 8-2 record, they have a brutal schedule remaining so if they want to lock that playoff spot they need to be beating the Browns. Overall, I think the spread is a bit too generous for the Browns, but it’s not like the Steelers are blowing teams out of the water. It will be a fun game to watch though, and I’ll be tuning in.
Bills rooting-interest guide during the bye week
Bills rooting-interest guide during the bye week Bills rooting-interest guide during the bye week Nick Wojton The Buffalo Bills will not be on your television screen in the coming days. The team, sitting at a 9-2 record, has their well deserved bye week. While the Bills will not get after it this weekend, that doesn’t mean football will stop. Plenty of games will be played across the NFL and that means Buffalo will still have rooting interest. With that, here is a rooting-interest guide for Bills fans during the bye week: Steelers at Browns (Thursday) USAT Rooting interest: Browns. The Browns are down in the dumps at 2-8. Their season is over. However, Buffalo will hope they have some pride against the Steelers in an AFC North clash. The Steelers, at 8-2, are right behind the Bills in the conference standings in third place. Chiefs at Panthers (1 p.m.) USAT Rooting interest: Panthers. Clearly, root against the Chiefs. The only team ahead of the second-place Bills in the AFC. It’s a longshot, though. The Panthers are… not good. Titans at Texans (1 p.m.) USAT Rooting interest: Titans. Pretty cut-and-paste from Steelers-Browns, except the Texans (7-4) are in fourth place in the conference. But the Titans share a lowly 2-8 record with the Browns. Lions at Colts (1 p.m.) USAT Rooting interest: Lions. The Bills hold the head-to-head with the Colts already, but with the Lions being an NFC team and the Colts (5-6) still in the playoff picture in the AFC… might as well root for more distant between Indy and Buffalo. Patriots at Dolphins (1 p.m.) Imagn Rooting interest: Patriots. The Bills are way ahead in the AFC East. But for those curious, the Dolphins are in second and with a Patriots win, that gap would get even bigger for the Bills. Broncos at Raiders (4 p.m.) Imagn Rooting interest: Raiders. Likewise to a few others already listed, the Raiders (2-8) are out of it but their opponent is a divisional rival still in the playoff picture. The Broncos (6-5) are the last team currently in the wild card, might as well welcome further distance from the Bills with a Raiders win. Read all the best Bills coverage at the Democrat and Chronicle and Bills Wire.
Giants news, 11/22: Daniel Jones speaks, Tommy DeVito, Malik Nabers, more headlines
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images New York Giants news for Friday Good morning, New York Giants fans! From Big Blue View Emotional Daniel Jones ‘still trying to process’ benching by New York Giants The opportunity to start ‘means a lot’ to Tommy DeVito Drew Lock ‘definitely disappointed’ to be bypassed by New York Giants Giants trade up for QB Shedeur Sanders in Matt Miller mock draft Giants-Buccaneers Week 12: Can the Giants slow down the Buccaneers’ offense? Explosive runs have continued to plague the New York Giants’ defense 5 Giants-Bucs questions: Sterling Shepard’s role, how to beat Tampa Bay, more New York Giants-Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2024, Week 12: Everything you need to know Other Giant observations The full Daniel Jones press conference ‘You never know’: Tommy DeVito stayed ready for another opportunity | Giants.com DeVito is confident that he is better than he was a year ago. “A lot mentally,” he said. “Trying to avoid more negative plays than I was. Sometimes taking some sacks where I could have found a way to get the ball out or just make a better decision. So really just the growth from year one to year two of watching a lot more film of myself, of other people and just getting some more ideas for when I’m out there.” Schlereth: The move to DeVito stinks Stink GOES OFF on the Giants’ decision to bench Daniel Jones and start Tommy Devito “This is why the Giants suck.”— @markschlereth pic.twitter.com/IKahh39ubw — Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) November 19, 2024 Roundtable: Tommy DeVito’s Potential | Footballguys Joseph Haggan: DeVito is a competent quarterback but not overly impressive. He can make a positive impact with the Giants by not turning the ball over, as he did last season. The good thing for DeVito is that there are limited expectations. At this point, the season is over. The Giants would welcome a higher draft pick, so they would likely welcome Devito to take chances and push the ball. Malik Nabers should benefit the most from DeVito. There is no argument that Nabers was peppered with targets, but they were timid targets. Daniel Jones was so worried about losing his job this year that he made it a self-fulfilling prophecy. New Giants starter Tommy DeVito trying to avoid ‘fun and games’ | ESPN.com “Last year was a good story and all, how it happened,” DeVito said. “All the fun and games outside, it was fun. That was last year. I’m sticking to football now. Not that I wasn’t before. The external stuff will be on pause. I already had talks with everybody around me, my inner circle. Want it to stay very tight and make sure that everything is about production on Sunday.” Tiki Barber wants to see Giants try Trevor Lawrence trade | WFAN.com Tiki says there is one that could become available in the form of a former No. 1 overall pick in Trevor Lawrence. “The only way this works is if the Jaguars decide they are moving on from Doug Pederson and are gonna strip everything down,” Tiki said. “They may want to start over at quarterback. The guys running the Giants need to consider that as an option. Figure out the package it’s going to take, and trade for Trevor Lawrence. He’s only 25 years old. He has the talent…he hasn’t had consistency in his coaching staff. If you’re worried about the turnovers, what was Brian Daboll’s greatest accomplishment with Daniel Jones? It gives them a chance to find success quicker. They need success. they can’t keep throwing losing records on their resume.” The Giants are in the middle of a youth movement Giants second youngest team and youngest defense. https://t.co/1MNcGe969n — John Schmeelk (@Schmeelk) November 21, 2024 Brian Daboll is fooling himself if he thinks Giants definitely will rally around Tommy DeVito this time | NJ.com The Giants’ next two games — winnable matchups with the Buccaneers and Cowboys, in a five-day stretch — could sink coach Brian Daboll, in his hot-seat third season. And Daboll — who is 2-8 this year after going 6-11 last year — is fooling himself if he thinks his locker room definitely will rally around third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito this time. Trust eroding in Giants’ locker room as pressure builds on Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll | New York Daily News The Giants’ players still believe in Daniel Jones: “We have at least two more wins if we just do our job & be a better supporting cast. It’s impossible to sit up here and say it’s one man.“ Sources say Brian Daboll and the coaching staff are ratcheting up pressure & frustration with the defense (despite having the lowest-scoring offense in the league). Saquon Barkley is missed not just because of his talent but because his role here was “bigger than football.” Dan Orlovsky: Eli a lock for Canton .@danorlovsky7 says it’s a “total lock” for Eli Manning to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer pic.twitter.com/QX4XEqv7ii — First Take (@FirstTake) November 21, 2024 NFL Week 12 Preview: Schedule, storylines and matchups to watch | PFF Matchups to watch: Giants RT Evan Neal vs. Bucs ED Yaya Diaby. Evan Neal was a mixed bag in his lone start this season in Week 10, coming away with an impressive 93.4 run blocking grade — by far the best of his career — but also only putting together a troubling 49.4 pass-blocking grade. That may pose a problem with Diaby teeing off on him in the passing game. The second-year pass-rusher has produced the 17th-highest PFF pass rush grade (79.3) at the position, powered by 38 total pressures and a 20.6% pass-rush win rate. This week’s opponent Mike Evans up to full practice on Thursday | Pro Football Talk Evans has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, but he was able to practice on Monday and Wednesday. Wednesday’s practice was a limited one and Evans moved up to full participation on Thursday. Former Giants guard Ben Bredeson (shoulder), cornerback Jamel Dean
Is Chris Grier on the hot seat – The Splash Zone 11/22/24
Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours. The New York Jets fired their general manager, Joe Douglas, on Tuesday as they are in a terrible position thanks in part to all of the decisions that the team made over the past year. The Miami Dolphins find themselves in a tough spot after falling flat for the first half of the season, but have found new life with the return of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins are hoping they can make a miracle run to claim a playoff spot but if they don’t, fingers will begin to point and they already have been pointing. Fans have been judgmental of Dolphins general manager, Chris Grier, over the many decisions he has made since taking the GM title in 2016. Owner Stephen Ross seems to be in Grier’s corner, but could a disappointing season put Grier on the hot seat? You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below. Is Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier on the Hot Seat?Grier has been the Miami Dolphins’ general manager since 2016 Dolphins Offense Explaining the transformation of the Dolphins’ offense – ESPNRealizing the offense was a bit boom or bust, the Dolphins made some philosophical changes that have worked. Dolphins Running Backs Miami Dolphins’ Alec Ingold expects to be another game-time decision vs. Patriots – Yahoo SportsMiami Dolphins Pro Bowl fullback Alec Ingold gives an update on his calf injury heading into a busy stretch of two games in five days. Dolphins Linebackers Miami Dolphins LB Anthony Walker Jr. Has Made Difference for DefenseVeteran linebacker Anthony Walker, Jr. has provided an upgraded since he moved into the starting lineup. Dolphins Secondary Miami Dolphins CB Kendall Fuller Likely to Miss Third Consecutive GameFuller has been out with a concussion. Dolphins 2024 Season Miami Dolphins 2024 Playoff Picture Through Week 11The Miami Dolphins remain one game out of the last playoff spot regarding the loss column. Phinsider News You May Have Missed Where do Dolphins rank heading into week 12 – Miami Dolphins News 11/19/24 – The PhinsiderWelcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours. Miami Dolphins’ Most Valuable Player | Week Eleven | Newcomer in receiving corp earns honors – The PhinsiderThe Miami Dolphins have their first winning streak of the 2024 NFL season after defeating the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday by a score of 34-19 to bring the squad’s record to 4-6 on the… Former Miami Dolphins linebacker David Long Jr. lands with NFC North Contender – The PhinsiderThe Detroit Lions signed David Long Jr. to their practice squad on Monday. Phinsider Question Of The Day: Newcomers That Should Return Edition – The PhinsiderWe ask Miami Dolphins fans which 2024 “newcomers” should return for 2025. Raiders vs Dolphins review: What the players and coaches said following Miami’s win – The PhinsiderThe Miami Dolphins beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Miami Dolphins fan confidence poll: Will they make the playoffs? – The PhinsiderThe Miami Dolphins beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday to keep their playoff hopes alive. How are you feeling about the Dolphins and will they make the playoffs? Five Things I Think I Think About the Miami Dolphins – Week 11 2024 – The Phinsidereupeptic (adj) – having or showing a good mood or disposition NFL roundup: Giants benching Daniel Jones – The PhinsiderAfter being drafted in the first round of the 2019 draft, Daniel Jones has not lived up to expectations. Glass Half Full: What is the Miami Dolphins ceiling? – The PhinsiderWith the offense humming and the defense coming around, the Dolphins might be a force to be reckoned with. Dolphins’ OT Richmon Webb named Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist – The PhinsiderCould Dan Marino’s blindside protector be the latest Miami Dolphins player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame? NFL Power Rankings – Week 12: Time to Streak? – The PhinsiderThe Dolphins have won back to back games, and are starting to shoot up the rankings. Predictions For New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins – The PhinsiderWe ask Miami Dolphins fans for their predictions for the upcoming game against the New England Patriots. NFL Week 12 winners picks: Browns vs Steelers Thursday night predictions, odds – The PhinsiderThe Washington Commanders visit their NFC East rivals the Philadelphia Eagles on Week 11’s Thursday Night Football.
PFF and Dropback partnership powers winning decisions in college sports’ revenue-sharing era
Pro Football Focus (PFF), the industry leader in sports data and analytics, and Dropback, one of the fastest-growing startups in collegiate sports tech, announced a strategic partnership to fuel college front offices and power winning decisions with the same data trusted by all 134 FBS teams. PFF and Dropback partnership powers winning decisions in college sports’ revenue-sharing era By PFF.com Posted Nov 22, 2024 2:00 am EST (Cincinnati, Ohio) — Pro Football Focus (PFF), the industry leader in sports data and analytics, and Dropback, one of the fastest-growing startups in collegiate sports tech, announced a strategic partnership to fuel college front offices and power winning decisions with the same data trusted by all 134 FBS teams. Dropback is an all-in-one General Manager software for college sports. In addition to the platform’s contracts, payroll and reports modules, Dropback is powered by a first-of-its-kind Valuation Modeler, enabling programs to build custom, defensible athlete valuation formulas via program-specific data, metrics, baselines and weights. “In college sports’ new era, general managers help their teams win by maximizing every dollar spent on their rosters. To provide GMs with the industry’s best athletic reputation data, partnering with PFF is a no-brainer,” said Luke Bogus, co-founder and CEO at Dropback. “This partnership paves the way for the future of college sports. For the first time, GMs and coaches can translate their athlete evaluations — with integrations like PFF’s powerful data and analytics — into roster valuations, using Dropback’s innovative front-office tech,” Bogus added. This collaboration connects Dropback users with PFF data by integrating with existing scouting workflows to expedite roster valuation and budget-building processes. PFF’s partnership with Dropback’s front-office platform will help teams strategically build winning rosters against their new NIL and revenue-sharing budgets. “We’re thrilled to partner with Dropback to usher in this new era of college football. I’m eager to see the results teams realize by combining PFF data with their proprietary inputs within the Dropback platform,” said Tyler Phillips, business development lead at PFF. For more information about the elite programs running their GM operations on Dropback’s technology, visit the website. About PFF Since 2006, PFF has built the world’s most comprehensive sports data and analytics database, relied on by top industry professionals and fans alike to power winning decisions. PFF analyzes every player and every play of every game to calculate player grades, in-depth performance stats, and rankings for the NFL, fantasy football, and NFL Draft. All 32 NFL teams use PFF data and tools, as do all 134 FBS teams, 82 FCS teams, professional leagues like CFL, USFL and XFL, media networks, player agencies, video game companies and more. PFF is transforming sports strategy and decision-making across fantasy football and betting, in the front office and on the field. For more information, visit PFF.com. About Dropback Dropback is the first pro-grade tool for constructing competitive rosters with build-your-own private financial models. Elite Power 4 athletic departments turn to Dropback to save hundreds of hours by integrating the full roster management lifecycle into one platform. From budgets and strategy for GMs to contracts and payouts for admins, Dropback is the first pro-grade, all-in-one general manager software for college sports’ new era. Dropback is trusted by major programs across Power 4 conferences. It was founded by former engineers at Microsoft and Hudl and is the first NIL startup backed by Y Combinator.
Vikes Views; Who Ya Got? Vikings at Bears
The Minnesota Vikings head to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. Head-to-Head Record – 66-57-2 Vikings Away Record vs the Bears – 27-33-2 Streak – L1 Most Points Scored – 48, Dec 6, 1998 Widest Margin of Victory – 31, 31-0 Oct 12, 1969 Most Recent Matchup – Bears 12 – Vikings 10, Nov 27, 2023 My 2024 Prediction Record: 7-3 2024 Vikes Views Poll Record: 8-2 The last time they played: Josh Dobbs and TJ Hockenson combined for the only TD of the game. The Bears scored 4 FGs including one of the game winning drive by Justin Fields. Both teams were under 200 yards net passing and it was an ugly game. No Jefferson and both Fields and Dobbs had more than 30 pass attempts. Interesting Tidbits from the Vikings Weekly Release: Kevin O’Connell is tied for the 5th best record through 44 games amongst active Head Coaches (.636). He is behind LaFleur (.795), Jim Harbaugh (.739), Sirianni (.727) and McVay (.705). John Harbaugh and Tomlin had the same record at this point in their coaching careers. Minnesota also owns a league-best 62-point margin in first quarters this season, ahead of second ranked San Francisco (36-point margin). The Vikings’ mark is the tied for the sixth-highest point margin through 10 games in the NFL since 2000. The Vikings are 8-0 this season when they rush for more yards than their opponent. In Week 11, Minnesota recorded 82 yards on the ground, while Tennessee had 33. The Vikings’ 420-yard rush differential ranks sixth in the NFL through Week 11. The Vikings are averaging 7.61 passing yards per play, the fifth most in the NFL this season. They are the lone team represented in the top five in passing yards per play that does not rank in the top 10 in passing yards per game. The Vikings eight different players with a receiving touchdown through 10 games matches their season total from 2023. Since 2000, Minnesota has only had more players with a receiving touchdown on three occasions – 2014 (nine players), 2020 (10) and 2022 (10). Minnesota has completed 39 passes of 20+ yards through 10 games this season, totaling the second-most in the NFL to start the season. The Vikings only trail divisional foe Detroit (40 completions of 20+ yards). Over the past three weeks (Weeks 9-11), Minnesota has led the NFL in total first downs (81 first downs), ahead of second-ranked Cincinnati (77). The Vikings Defense is 1st in the league in Interceptions (16), Interceptions/Attempt (4.3%), Takeaways (21), Rushing Yards/Game (74.4) and 4th Down % (31.6%). The Vikings defense is 2nd in the league in Defensive Points Scored (18), Points Allowed (161) and Yards/Rush (3.6) The Vikings have contacted opposing rushers behind the line of scrimmage on 46.2% of carries this season, the third most in the NFL this season (Buffalo and Kansas City), and have only allowed 154 yards before contact this season, which ranks second in the NFL behind Miami (146 yards before contact). How I See it Playing Out The Bears are bad. Their QB is young and not ready. Their coach is bad and should’ve been fired last year. Anyone laughing at the Vikings getting Kwesi instead of Poles a few years ago should feel foolish. Their OL isn’t good and a little beat up. It’s hard to see how the Bears win. However, the Vikings never win easy. Even if I try to call for it, the best we get from them is last week. So, should the Vikings dominate this game and win by 20? Yes, it should be 30-10. It’s in Chicago, the team is on an “easy” part of their schedule. It’s easy to get complacent. However, I trust KOC. I think they came out flat against Jacksonville and almost lost. It woke them up. I think it’s 21-0 at half. Addison scored in Chicago last year and I think he gets two this year. The Vikings lazily finish it off. Vikings 27 – Bears 13
Chiefs-Panthers Thursday injury report: Pacheco, Omenihu remain limited
What’s new at Arrowhead Pride Premier? If you want more Chiefs, our newsletter is the answer for you. Three times a week we deliver a new edition to your inbox. Don’t miss Tuesdays with the full hour of our video podcast, the Editors Show, with Pete Sweeney and John Dixon. Check out a free trial below.
NFL Week 12 Recap: Cleveland Browns 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 19
The Cleveland Browns kicked off Week 12 with a 24-19 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field on Thursday evening. Premium Content Sign Up NFL Week 12 Recap: Cleveland Browns 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 19 2YMK338 Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) passes in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) By PFF Editorial Team Posted Nov 21, 2024 11:28 pm EST • Cleveland Browns • Pittsburgh Steelers The Cleveland Browns kicked off Week 12 with a 24-19 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at a snowy Huntington Bank Field on Thursday evening. In a game with heavy snow, both offenses struggled on the ground but surprisingly, both passers were able to find some success threw the air, as Russell Wilson went 21 of 28 for 270 passing yards and a touchdown while Jameis Winston finished 18 of 27 for 219 passing yards and an interception. PFF’s dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at 12 p.m. EST. In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field. Sign up for PFF+ for in-depth analysis, PFF grades, Premium Stats, fantasy football tools, betting dashboards and much more! HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS EDGE Nick Herbig, Pittsburgh Steelers (93.3) DI Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers (91.3) G Shelby Harris, Cleveland Browns (89.8) Note: Follow along with PFF’s in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed. Click here to see PFF’s initial grades from this game! PLAYER OF THE GAME Even in a losing effort, Steelers EDGE Nick Herbig put forth a tremendous effort, as Herbig benefitted from all the attention paid to T.J. Watt. As a pass-rusher, Herbig finished with a team-high 26.3% pass-rush win rate, three pressures, one sack, one forced fumble and two pass-rush wins that didn’t result in a pressure. Herbig wasn’t a one-trick pony either, as he made a tremendous impact against the run as well, totaling three stops and an assist. ADVANCED BOX SCORE
Rams Film Review: Can Sean McVay carry offensive success against the Eagles?
Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images The Rams are finding their groove as key players like Davis Allen, Omar Speights, and Kam Kinchens step up The Los Angeles Rams have an important game this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. By this time in the season, teams won’t be leaving things on the table as they make a push for the postseason. That will certainly be the case for the Rams who are currently on the outside looking in at 5-5. Over the past few weeks, the Rams have shown bits and pieces of what might be coming. That was especially the case on Sunday against the New England Patriots. Here is this week’s film review. Rams offense needs more Davis Allen A player that was expected to take a big step forward this season was tight end Davis Allen. Through the first 11 games, Allen only has six receptions — five of which came against the Miami Dolphins. With that said, there are signs that point to Allen getting more involved in the offense. In each of the last three games, Allen has played more than 50 percent of the offensive snaps. However, it’s not just how much Allen has played in those games that’s significant. The significant part is what Allen has done over the past three weeks. He hasn’t necessarily taken over games, but he has been effective in his role, especially as a blocker. In the past three games, Allen ranks as the sixth-best run-blocking tight end in the NFL via PFF. It’s well known that McVay appreciates good blocking and that is an area in which Allen has significantly improved. Can only hope that the Rams run game begins to look more like this. Block from Beaux Limmer, Steve Avila, and Davis Allen turn this run from Kyren Williams into an explosive play. pic.twitter.com/TgD1QZ9fuM — Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) November 21, 2024 While it would be nice to see Allen used more in the passing game, utilizing the second-year tight end in 12 personnel has been working. It will be interesting to see how McVay rotates the tight ends once Tyler Higbee returns. Omar Speights as a blitzer The Rams have eased linebacker Omar Speights into the defense since he was entered into the starting lineup four weeks ago. He started as a player that was primarily used on running downs and in the red zone. Speights’ snap count and responsibilities have gone up every week and that was evident again on Sunday against the Patriots. After not being used as a blitzing linebacker at all through the first three games, Speights came on a blitz four times in Week 11. The undrafted rookie was very efficient here as he had three pressures on four pass rush snaps. On the play below, he’s the player that gets through and forces Drake Maye to throw the ball out of the back of the end zone. Rams don’t show initial blitz, but it’s a double-A gap pressure with Rozeboom and Speights. Speights was used a lot as a blitzer last week. His pressure here forces Maye to throw this out the back of the end zone. pic.twitter.com/liFE72usqf — Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) November 21, 2024 This is something that the Rams did quite often with Ernest Jones. It will be interesting to see if that type of usage continues the rest of the season for Speights. Kam Kinchens is becoming more disciplined with experience One of the biggest concerns that I had about Kam Kinchens coming out of Miami was his tendency to take bad angles in the open field. This happened a few times early in the season and was a reason for a few explosive runs on the Rams defense. The start to Kinchens’ rookie season had some rough moments which led to him playing more special teams in Week 5 and 6. Since being inserted back into the lineup, things have seemed to click for Kinchens. He had his third interception of the season to clinch the game. However, it was his tackling in the open field that was the most impressive which can be seen in the clips below. A concern that I had with Rams rookie safety Kam Kinchens coming out of the draft and early this year was his tendency to take bad angles on ball carriers in space. On both plays here, he does a good job coming across the field and stopping the ball carrier immediately. pic.twitter.com/3luEHWCvte — Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) November 21, 2024 He is the first rookie since 2000 with an interception, tackle for loss, forced fumble and five-or-more tackles in a game. Kinchens also became the first rookie defensive back ever to win multiple Defensive Player of the Week awards Tyler Davis is an underrated rookie in Rams draft class In most rookie classes, a hit in the sixth round would be considered a highlight. The crazy part is, while Tyler Davis is having a good rookie season, he may be the fifth best rookie in the class and not even the best from the sixth round. Davis has played a key role in the Rams defensive line rotation, especially against the run. The Rams have had such a good rookie class and not a lot has been said about Tyler Davis. Davis ranks 12th among DL in run stops and is tied for the most among rookies with Jer’Zhan Newton who has also played almost twice as many snaps. pic.twitter.com/4nKhmFPoe2 — Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) November 21, 2024 Davis currently leads rookie defensive linemen in run-stop percentage and is tied for eighth in the NFL. This is the final year of Bobby Brown III’s contract and there is reason to believe that Davis could step into that role full time next season. Honorable Mention – Chris Shula’s Creative Fronts Chris Shula deserves a lot of credit for how creative he has been with the Rams defensive front. He does a really good job moving players like Michael Hoecht, Jared
