Week 1 FanPulse Survey Results: Bucs fans are confident Welcome to SB Nation FanPulse Thomas Morstead Jersey Stitched , a survey of fans across the NFL powered by SurveyMonkey. Each week, we send 32 polls to 100+ plugged in fans from each team. Bucs fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.Will the Bucs win or lose in Week 1?Bucs fans think they will beat the Saints by 2This is actually a bit surprising. Considering the fact that New Orleans is favored by nearly 10 points, it’s nice to see that fans feel the Buccaneers may sneak out of the Superdome with a win.How confident are you in the direction of the team?Very confident: 22 percentSomewhat confident: 65 percentMeh: 8 percentNot very confident: 5 percentNot confident at all: 0 percentThis poll is interesting. If you look at the comments to nearly every article this week where we here at Bucs Nation made predictions (with more to come Friday), many fans were not interested at all in the positive outlook by our staff. However, as you can see Youth Nick Easton Jersey , the majority feel somewhat confident in the team as we head into the season. That, folks, means you all are feeling good about your Buccaneers despite last season’s struggles.What is the worst NFL rule?The helmet rule is by far the worst rule in the NFL. This is the common feel across the fans league-wide as well as the large majority of the players. It is very inconsistent and it is based on a referee's judgment. I just don’t see them making fixes to it anytime soon. So this may be around for some time while it potentially impacts the outcome of games. Saints tight end Benjamin Watson announced last week that he will retire at the end of the season and the response to that news noted the impact that Watson has made off the field in addition to what he’s done on it over the course of his 15-year NFL career.That off-field work was also recognized by the NFLPA this week. The union named Watson as this week’s Community MVP in recognition of his “Freedom Friday” campaign. Watson made donations of $5,000 to 15 different charities including the International Justice Mission and World Vision and made appeals each Friday for others to join him.The efforts resulted in over $100,000 in support for the chosen organizations.鈥淲ith so many players working for the betterment of their communities, it is an honor to be named NFLPA Community MVP this week White Sam Mills Jersey ,鈥?Watson said in a statement. 鈥淎s a husband, father, teammate聽and聽citizen, my mission is to use the time, talent and treasure God has given me to love and serve those in need, be a voice for the voiceless Nick Easton Jersey Stitched , and stand for justice and truth.鈥漌atson will receive $10,000 from the NFLPA for his foundation or a charity of his choice. He and all the other weekly winners will be eligible for the Alan Page Community Award at the end of the season.

Jason Garrett: Randy Gregory Youth Maliek Collins Jersey , Xavier Woods will attempt to practice today It’s Wednesday so the Cowboys are heading back to practice in preparation for a road trip to Seattle. Coach Garrett addressed the media. (All Garrett’s answers are paraphrased and not actual quotes).The Seahawks have “a really good” defenseJason Garrett gave a lot of credit to every phase of the Seahawks defense. Noting some change in personnel but they play the same way and they have playmakers at all three levels.Brice Butler is getting integrated back into the teamWhen asked about the new/old Cowboys receiver, Jason Garrett noted that he’s a good player. He said “when he became available” that they thought Brice would be a nice addition. He should practice today.Managing seven wide receivers will be interestingGarrett noted that having “a lot” of guys is better than “not having enough” but obviously this is a lot of wide receivers to have on one team. The head coach expanded saying that typically you have guys who are safety nets, typically backup linemen don’t play in games, but that other guys need to have some kind of a role.It’s extremely unlikely that the Cowboys have all of their receivers active on gameday, and they will compete in practice to see who gets a role on game day. Hopefully Randy Gregory and Xavier Woods will be able to practice on Wednesday Maliek Collins Jersey Stitched , Datone Jones as wellJason Garrett did say “in a limited fashion” but this bodes well. They will see how they are early in practice and decide from there. Jason Garrett said the Cowboys “needed” Byron Jones to play safetyWhen asked about Byron Jones playing at cornerback he said that the Cowboys envision leaving him there for a little while. He noted on Byron’s versatility coming out in 2015, but he did specifically say that they “needed” him to play safety. He noted Jones is athletic, explosive and long and that he’s doing well. Bobby Wagner will be a tall order this SundayAsked about Travis Frederick’s ability to get to the second level and how paramount that is against a linebacker like Bobby Wagner, Jason Garrett hit on that importance. He noted that Frederick does really well on “reach” blocks against nose tackles and getting to the second-level. He thought that Joe Looney is getting more comfortable and better at that as he’s playing. Seattle ranks up there as far as the loudest ones Jason Garrett has seenGarrett did note that domes are typically loud, but Seattle is Seattle for a reason.Deonte Thompson’s speed “is one of his defining traits”Deonte Thompson is fast Youth Rico Gathers Jersey , but Jason Garrett noted that they didn’t see him as just a speed guy. He expanded on how he’s savvy, a good route runner, quarterback-friendly, and made it a point to mention that he can go deep. He also is a willing blocker. Obviously the Cowboys don’t see Deonte as a one-trick wonder as far as abilities.Playing Cam Newton recently is certainly helpful for Russell WilsonNobody is saying that Cam and Russell are the same quarterback, but Jason Garrett said they pose similar challenges. It definitely helps to have just recently played one when getting ready for the other.Jaylon Smith is gaining confidenceJason Garrett said the Cowboys didn’t necessarily want to limit Jaylon Smith in 2017 Rico Gathers Jersey Stitched , but he talked about how Jaylon was more comfortable doing some things versus others. More experience, more confidence, sustained performance, and more snaps all have Jaylon trending upward. Sean Lee is anticipated to do “something” todayJason Garrett noted that Sean Lee’s injury was described to him as “hamstring tightness.” Joe Looney should be back for another year and provides quality depth in the middle of the Cowboys line,"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Dallas Cowboys NewsNFL Free AgencyDallas Cowboys 2019 Free AgencyReport: Cowboys plan on picking up Joe Looney’s option even as Travis Frederick returns to healthNew Youth Byron Jones Jersey ,77commentsJoe Looney should be back for another year and provides quality depth in the middle of the Cowboys line,CSTShareTweetShareShareReport: Cowboys plan on picking up Joe Looney’s option even as Travis Frederick returns to healthMatthew Emmons-USA TODAY SportsThe Dallas Cowboys were rocked just before the 2018 season began by the news of Travis Frederick having an autoimmune disease. This isn’t exactly the type of thing that teams can be prepared for, which is what makes Joe Looney all the more incredible.Looney took over at center for the team and played very well throughout the entire season. He served as a prime example of “insurance” at a position and did so at the all-important position of center. According to 105.3 The Fan’s Mike Fisher, Looney will be around through the 2019 season.The Cowboys have been cautiously optimistic that Frederick will return next season, but again the value of Looney cannot be measured. His ability to pick up and go last season greatly helped the team on their way to the division-winning campaign. Ezekiel Elliott also led the league in rushing behind Looney’s efforts. He’s the real deal.You’ll remember that Looney signed a two-year deal an offseason ago Byron Jones Jersey Stitched , but 2019 was an option year. Fish has the details.Right ahead of free agency the Cowboys are focused on retaining some of their own. This is a very good thing.

OverviewOn December 2nd Youth Denzelle Good Jersey , 2018 the Indianapolis Colts will travel to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. In this week thirteen match-up, I sought to understand our opponent and get a better idea of how they may attack our new-look Colts.The last time these two teams faced off was just three weeks ago when our Colts came away with a close victory. Since that day the Jaguars have fired their offensive coordinator, benched their starting quarterback, they’ve placed a $13,000,000 per year guard on injured reserve and they are seriously starting Ereck Flowers at left tackle. What a magical time to be alive.Let’s figure out what we can expect in week thirteen.Special TeamsKicker:Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsJosh Lambo has turned his career around in Jacksonville. Before being signed by the Jags, Lambo was a career 81% field goal kicker and was 90% on extra points. Since being signed midway through 2017 he has hit 97% of his field goals and 94% of his extra point tries. This season Josh Lambo has been perfect in every game except for his week ten game against our Colts. Lambo missed both an extra point and a field goal. Had he made those kicks, the Jags would have won the game. I don’t think Lambo missed because he was playing the Colts, so we can’t expect that he’s going to miss again this week and he’s still one of the best kickers in the league. I would still rather have Vini. Punter:Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY SportsLogan Cooke only punted three times in our week ten matchup, which was tied for the second fewest punts the Jaguars have had in a game this season. That’s not great for our Colts, what’s worse is Cooke’s 44.0 net yard average. A 44 yard net is good Denzelle Good Jersey Stitched , but I would take it if we can force more than three punts this week. Cody Kessler might grant us more opportunities to cut into that average this week, but if the defense doesn’t play better than in week ten, he might surprise us all. Returner:Steve Flynn-USA TODAY SportsDede Westbrook will return punts and D.J. Chark will return kicks. Both return spots were filled by Jaydon Mickens before suffering an ankle injury that ended his season. Chark returned three kicks and had an average of 36 yards per return and a long of 47 yards. Chark was effective as a returner and I don’t expect anything different this week.Westbrook, only had one opportunity to return a punt and he only gained one yard. He is a much better returner than the Colts allowed, it will be an accomplishment if they can keep him in check again this week. Final Thoughts for The Week:It’s rare in a road divisional game that so many people are predicting a blowout. I don’t think given the Jags lack of an NFL caliber offense, that the Colts lose this game. With that said this Jags defense is good enough to keep the game close and in the event of a one score game, anything can happen. PredictionColts 17Jags 10Draft WatchWhen I started the Draft Watch back up, the Colts were 1-5 and staring at a top 5 pick. I had hopes that somehow, someway they would climb out of the basement and find their way to a pick in the mid 20’s. I hoped that would happen, I didn’t think there was actually a chance it would happen. Right now the Colts are the 7th seed, just outside of the last wildcard spot. As of today the Colts Youth Jack Doyle Jersey , according to Tankathon, are slotted to draft 18th which wouldn’t have seemed possible a month and a half ago. After this week’s slate of games they will be slotted anywhere from 13th to 24th. The next few weeks draft slotting will start to work itself out and we’ll have a much better idea who will be drafting where. In the meantime let’s hope for more Colts wins.Former coach Rick Venturi’s impressions from Colts training camp: Part V - Defense Now that we’re past the halfway point of training camp, we’re starting to get a read on the strengths and weaknesses of the 2018 Indianapolis Colts roster. Some young players have made an impression, free agent additions have started to show how they might contribute to the team, and a bit of personality has started to take shape in the most physical training camp practices that have been reported for many years.As we approach the first preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, Bob Kravitz sat down to interview former Colts head coach Rick Venturi to get his thoughts. Venturi has decades of football coaching experience at every level of competition and shared some insight into some of the highs and lows on the roster and provided some perspective on realistic expectations for Luck, the coaching staff, and the team in 2018.A Defense Full of Question-MarksThe Indianapolis Colts have failed to figure out how to play consistent defense for a long time. The best Colts defense in recent memory, not counting the short run in the 2006 playoffs, was in 2004 — over a decade ago. The 2004 team featured a defensive line featuring a young Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis with Montae Reagor and Raheem Brock. This group was particularly disruptive behind the line of scrimmage. The linebackers included Rob Morris, Cato June Jack Doyle Jersey Stitched , David Thornton and Gary Brackett — easily the best group at this position at any time since. The secondary included Mike Doss, Bob Sanders, Idrees Bashir, Nick Harper, Jason David, and Donald Strickland. Nearly every position in the secondary was filled with an adequate to strong player.This season, there are few positions with known quantities. Even positions with players who have shown promise have questions about recovery from injury or development. Venturi said:Needless to say, it isn’t overly inspiring to refer to your “known quantities” as solid but “not an impact player” and a real solid “number two guy.” Importantly, there are key spots that are integral to being successful in the Tampa 2 defense and it is hard to accurately predict just what the Colts have at those positions. Venturi added:Again, Venturi refers to Autry as a player who hasn’t made the kind of impact the Colts will need from the position. He refers a collection of three options to fill the role played by Simeon Rice. None of these players are at the level of Rice or Sapp and that creates reason for uncertainty. Across the board, the Colts are trying to get more out of players than they have shown in the past.Venturi moved to the next level and discussed what could be the biggest question-mark for the defense heading into the new season Youth Adam Vinatieri Jersey , the linebackers. He said:The Colts will rely on a smaller school prospect to make a major transition at one of the most important positions for a Tampa 2 defense. It will also asking a serviceable veteran to carry a heavy load. If one other player can break through in the rotation it will certainly help but coming into the season, none of the linebacker spots are filled with known quantities.I still stand firmly in the camp that John Simon is being misappropriated at defensive end in this system. He does not project to play the position long-term and the defensive reps need to go to the players who Chris Ballard and the front office see as the future at the position. Admittedly, reports out of camp suggest that he has been outplaying my expectations but in terms of the talent level of the starting defense overall, Simon has to be on the field. The most logical way to get him on the field is to put him at the Sam position. He can have a similar impact in that role and appears clearly better, and more athletic, than any other option available at this time.Arguably the strongest position on defense for Indianapolis heading into 2018 is riddled with question-marks of its own. A safety group of Malik Hooker, Clayton Geathers, and Matthias Farley looks great on paper but will they stay healthy and what can we expect from them in return from injury? Venturi commented:If Geathers and Hooker return at full strength and can make the kind of impact that many expect they can make, it will go a long way to mask some weaknesses elsewhere on defense. Geathers could help mask weakness at linebacker by spending more time in the box. Hooker can help mask some weaknesses on the defensive line and at cornerback by punishing quarterbacks who try to push the ball downfield. Finally, Venturi briefly discussed the cornerbacks before Kravtiz’s phone died and cut their interview short. He said:Not unlike most other positions, there isn’t a question about effort or even potential at corner. The question is Adam Vinatieri Jersey Stitched , how much known talent do the Colts have at the position? Very little is proven at this point. Quincy Wilson showed a lot of potential as a rookie but struggled through injury and an odd relationship with the former coaching staff. Pierre Desir hasn’t been able to hold down a starting spot and is coming off of an injury. Nate Hairston and Kenny Moore are entering their second seasons and haven’t had a chance to put together enough tape to feel confident. Beyond that, all of these players are playing in a new system. Gone are the trusted veterans, Vontae Davis and Rashaan Melvin, and in their place is young and unproven. Come to think of it, that’s life just about everywhere on the Colts defense. The Renaissance is here, but what will it look like?

Browns General Manager John Dorsey defended the team’s signing of running back Kareem Hunt in a Monday afternoon press conference.Dorsey said the team did a thorough investigation of Hunt Cleveland Browns Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , which included talking to domestic violence support organizations in Kansas City. That did not include talking to the woman in the video whom Hunt shoved and kicked, Dorsey said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.“We’ve done our extensive research, and at the end of the day, in terms of doing our research, we came away that the act was egregious,” Dorsey said, via video from Cabot. “He is extremely remorseful for that. Moving forward, I’ve always believed that it is important . . . if a person wants to better themselves moving forward and be a better person, I’m willing to give them a chance in terms of doing that. All the deep research I’ve done, I truly believe he will be a better man today than he was yesterday.”Dorsey said Hunt understands the Browns have a “zero tolerance” policy moving forward.The Chiefs waived Hunt on Dec. 1 after TMZ released the video of Hunt surfaced. Hunt remains on the Commissioner Exempt list Cheap Sheldrick Redwine Youth Jersey , and the NFL has yet to announce specific discipline for Hunt for multiple off-field incidents. Hue Jackson’s failed, flawed tenure with the Cleveland Browns is finally over.The team fired its embattled coach on Monday, ending a run of futility nearly unmatched in NFL history. Jackson, who went 3-36-1 in two-plus seasons, was dismissed on Monday by general manager John Dorsey with the backing of owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam.The Browns also dismissed offensive coordinator Todd Haley and named defensive coordinator Gregg Williams interim coach. Haley was in his first season on Jackson’s staff after spending the previous six in Pittsburgh.“We greatly appreciate Hue’s commitment to the Cleveland Browns organization over the last 2陆 years,” the Haslams said. “We understand how critical this time period is in the development of our football team, individually and collectively, and believed it was in the organization’s best interest to make the move at this time, in order to maximize our opportunities the rest of this season. We certainly only wish Hue, Michelle, and his family the best moving forward.”Jackson’s firing came a day after the Browns (2-5-1) lost their 25th straight road game 鈥?20 of them coming with Jackson in charge.The Browns Womens Sheldrick Redwine 2019 Jersey , who have not made the playoffs since 2002 amid a slew of coaching changes, have lost three straight games after a promising start to this season. They tied Pittsburgh in Week 1, but were beaten 33-18 on Sunday by the Steelers.Jackson is the sixth straight Cleveland coach to be fired following the team’s second game against Pittsburgh. Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski and Mike Pettine all met the same demise.The Browns host the Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) on Sunday.For now, Williams is in charge as the Browns prepare to face the Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) on Sunday. Williams went 17-31 in three seasons as Buffalo’s coach from 2001-03, but the animated assistant is perhaps best known for being suspended by the NFL for the 2012 season for his role in the “Bountygate” scandal that rocked the New Orleans Saints.Also, running backs coach Freddie Kitchens has been promoted to offensive coordinator.Jimmy Haslam and Dorsey are scheduled to meet the media later Monday to discuss the shakeup.Jackson was hired in 2016 by the Haslams, whose six years ownership have been marked by nearly constant change and bad football. The Haslams stuck by Jackson despite a 1-15 record in his first season and then after the Browns lost all 16 games last season, joining the 2008 Detroit Lions as only the second team in league history to go 0-16.But beyond the lopsided losses Orange Ozzie Newsome Jersey , quarterback changes and bad luck, the Browns have been constantly saddled with drama and dysfunction under Jackson, who came to Cleveland after serving as Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator and went 8-8 as Oakland’s head coach in 2011.Last week, Jackson’s offer to help Haley following a loss in Tampa Bay underscored another power struggle as Jackson fought to stay in control.Following Sunday’s game, Jackson downplayed any dispute with his offensive coordinator.“There’s nothing wrong with my relationship with Haley,” Jackson said. “I never said I wanted to take over play-calling. I said wanted to help, that’s it. But today it’s this big thing because sure, everyone is going to look and say what’s going on. The only thing that is going on is that we need to get better. We need to coach better, we need to play better.”Jackson’s firing comes one day after the Cleveland Cavaliers fired coach Tyronn Lue, who led the team to an NBA title in 2016 but was struggling in his first season without star LeBron James. The Cavs are 0-6.

ATLANTA (AP) — Julian Edelman is certainly a compelling story.A diminutive guy with a bushy beard Phillip Dorsett Color Rush Jersey , picked in the final round of the draft, defying the odds to become one of the NFL’s top receivers.And, now, a Super Bowl MVP.But let’s not forget one other fairly important element to this story:He cheated.Edelman was honored Monday for his 10-catch, 141-yard performance the previous night, the only discernable bright spot offensively in a dreary Super Bowl won by the New England Patriots. Commissioner Roger Goodell — the same guy who said with a straight face five days earlier that Colin Kaepernick’s two-years-and-counting banishment from the league for protesting social injustice was merely a football decision made independently by 32 franchises — was all smiles as he handed Edelman his silver, football-shaped prize known as the Pete Rozelle Trophy.“Well deserved. Extraordinary performance, and not just last night, but his performance in postseason has been simply off the charts,” Goodell said. “Julian, congratulations. Come on up and get your trophy.”There was no mention of Edelman being suspended for the first four games of the season after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.In his brief opening remarks, the receiver talked of the “ups and downs” the Patriots had been through, what he called “just the ebbs and flows of the season.”Then came the first question.“You missed last year (with a torn ACL) Julian Edelman Jersey , you come back this year and have a four-game suspension, talk about fighting back through adversity and coming out on the other end as the Super Bowl MVP,” the reporter said, a tone of admiration In his voice. “What did that mean to you, through all the work that you put in?”Coming off a serious knee injury, there’s no doubt Edelman worked extremely hard to make it back at age 32, when there was plenty of skepticism that he’d ever be as effective as he was before.But it’s also worth noting that Edelman gave his rehab an illicit boost by taking a PED, undoubtedly looking to improve the odds of returning to the field on the downside of his career.Edelman apologized for his mistake, expressed the usual confusion that all cheaters rely on when they’re caught, but never revealed the substance in question. He served the suspension and returned to put up roughly the same prorated numbers as he did in 2016, before his injury, catching 74 passes for 850 yards and six touchdowns over the final 12 games of the regular season.He was even better in the playoffs.Edelman hauled in nine catches for 151 yards in a divisional-round victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. He had seven receptions for 96 yards in the thrilling overtime triumph at Kansas City in the AFC championship game. Finally, he provided an offensive spark in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever Kevin Faulk Color Rush Jersey , helping the Patriots knock off the Los Angeles Rams 13-3.Now, if Edelman was a Major League Baseball player or an Olympic athlete, he probably wouldn’t have had a chance to shine on the big stage.The MLB’s doping policy has a provision that prevents anyone who tests positive from taking part in the postseason that year, even if they’ve already served their full penalty. The extra sanction was added in 2014 after All-Stars Jhonny Peralta and Nelson Cruz returned from doping suspensions in time to participate in the playoffs, which rightfully angered other players.The World Anti-Doping Agency went down the same path, doubling the potential penalty for a first-time doping offender from two to four years, a way of ensuring that those blatantly caught cheating would have to miss the next Olympics.But the NFL has never shown it’s all that serious about stamping out doping, nor has the players union. At the very least, those who test positive for PEDs should face an eight-game suspension — half the regular season — and a postseason ban. Stricter testing rules, in line with international standards, should also be imposed, perhaps in tandem with relaxed restrictions on pot use and approval of medical marijuana to help deal with the chronic pain so many current and former players must endure.Those of us in the media should also take a hard look at whether there are racial overtones to the way we look at those who violate the rules.Edelman faced little real criticism over his doping violation, perhaps because he’s usually gushed over with that convenient stereotype applied to so many white players: undersized https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Adrian-Clayborn-Jersey , not as talented as those around him, someone who makes up for it with his intelligence and work ethic. There are undoubtedly fans, and perhaps even members of the media, who feel Edelman was merely showing just how dedicated he is to the game by doing whatever it took to get back on the field after a serious injury.He was rightly lauded for his accomplishments — but let’s not forget that other thing.He cheated. Tom Brady is the consensus greatest quarterback of all time due to his combination of statistics, individual and team success, and longevity. The New England Patriots’ passer also can be considered the “G.O.A.T.” in another category: selling merchandise. Even though Brady has been in the NFL as a starter for 17 years he is still among the league-leaders in sold products year in and year out. 2018 is no exception.The NFL Players Association recently published its list of merchandise sales form March 1, 2018 through August 31, 2018 – roughly the time frame of the NFL’s offseason – and once again Brady tops the rankings. The Patriots’ passer sold more combined products than any other player in the league, which is even more impressive considering that by now every human being in New England likely possesses some Brady memorabilia.The 41-year old is one of three Patriots players to make the list of the 50 most popular players in terms of merchandise sales:Led by Brady, New England has one of the NFL’s premier offenses. It is therefore no surprise to see only members of the unit make the list. That being said, the ranking in itself is heavily tilted towards offense: only eight of the 50 names belong to defensive players. One reason for that could be the popularity of fantasy football, which typically lists offensive players individually but bundles together team’s defenses as one unit.

Let’s see how the Chargers stack up now... versus week 1!"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections San Diego Chargers Daily LinksSan Diego Chargers NewsSan Diego Chargers OffseasonSan Diego Chargers HistorySan Diego Chargers HumorFinal NFL Power Rankings: What a year!New Joey Bosa Color Rush Jersey ,15commentsLet’s see how the Chargers stack up now... versus week 1!PSTShareTweetShareShareFinal NFL Power Rankings: What a year!Coach Anthony Lynn avoided Ragnarok this seasonWell, folks, it has been quite a year! And the good news is that the year is not over yet, but the Power Rankings would be even sillier to continue on with.It is also an interesting philisophical time, where we can see whether a certain media outlet truly aligns their rankings with a team’s perceived strength in comparison to others, or just how they did/should do in a given year. Example: The Steelers are a very, very good team that missed the playoffs. Should their Power Ranking be exactly commensurate to their draft position, or should they jump over even some of the playoff teams? What does this have to do with the Chargers Forrest Lamp Color Rush Jersey , you ask?Well, the Chargers are, by all accounts, about the 2nd or 3rd best team in football right now. However, here we find them playing on Wildcard Weekend. Will their Power Ranking have them near the bottom of the 12, or will it be among the top 4—even if they are on the road next?USA Today1. New Orleans Saints2. Chicago Bears3. Los Angeles Rams4. Kansas City Chiefs5. Baltimore Ravens6. Los Angeles Chargers7. New England Patriots8. Indianapolis Colts9. Seattle Seahawks10. Houston TexansBleacher Report1. New Orleans Saints2. Los Angeles Rams3. Kansas City Chiefs4. Chicago Bears5. Baltimore Ravens6. Los Angeles Chargers7. New England Patriots8. Houston Texans9. Seattle Seahawks10. Indianapolis ColtsESPN1. New Orleans Saints2. Kansas City Chiefs3. Los Angeles Rams 4. Chicago Bears5. Los Angeles Chargers6. New England Patriots7. Houston Texans8. Baltimore Ravens9. Seattle Seahawks10. Indianapolis ColtsNumberFire.com1. Los Angeles Rams2. Chicago Bears3. New Orleans Saints4. Los Angeles Chargers5. New England Patriots 6. Baltimore Ravens7. Kansas City Chiefs8. Pittsburgh Steelers9. Seattle Seahawks10. Indianapolis ColtsNFL.com1. New Orleans Saints2. Chicago Bears3. Los Angeles Rams4. Kansas City Chiefs5. New England Patriots6. Baltimore Ravens7. Los Angeles Chargers8. Indianapolis Colts9. Houston Texans10. Seattle SeahawksCBS Sports1. New Orleans Saints2. Los Angeles Rams3. Kansas City Chiefs4. Chicago Bears5. New England Patriots6. Baltimore Ravens7. Los Angeles Chargers8. Indianapolis Colts9. Dallas Cowboys10. Seattle SeahawksSports Illustrated1. New Orleans Saints2. Kansas City Chiefs3. Chicago Bears4. New England Patriots5. Los Angeles Rams 6. Baltimore Ravens 7. Indianapolis Colts8. Los Angeles Chargers9. Philadelphia Eagles10. Dallas CowboysConclusionsWell, these conclusions pretty much write themselves. I think it might be more helpful to take a look back at how the Chargers were ranked BEFORE week one of this season:According to Sports Illustrated’s staff voting, they were indeed considered to be playoff-bound Mike Williams Color Rush Jersey , but the 2018 Chargers steered to a better record than most expected.Not too shabby!Let’s compare that to the statistics for this week!Average Ranking:6.1Most Common Ranking: 6.0 & 7.0Average Ranking of Baltimore Ravens: 6.0Chargers Spread Vs. the Ravens: [+2.5]Top New Year’s Resolution:Save money (53%)Playoffs, here we come!-Jason “Secretly appreciates when full seasons fit snugly into complete calendar years” Michaels What the analytics tell us about the Saints and Eagles - Bleeding Green NationOn the year, Foles is tied for the lowest Intended Air Yards which will naturally inflate any completion percentage...."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections San Diego Chargers Daily LinksSan Diego Chargers NewsSan Diego Chargers OffseasonSan Diego Chargers HistorySan Diego Chargers HumorLos Angeles Chargers Gameday Open ThreadPhiladelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints open threadNew,1commentPSTShareTweetShareSharePhiladelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints open threadThe Daily Advertiser-USA TODAY NWhat the analytics tell us about the Saints and Eagles - Bleeding Green NationOn the year, Foles is tied for the lowest Intended Air Yards which will naturally inflate any completion percentage. He’s also second to last in Air Yards to the Sticks (-2.5), meaning he’s delivering short-to-medium range throws in long situations and letting his playmakers pick up the rest. This isn’t to knock Foles. As noted, he deserves credit for ballooning his numbers with his high xCOMP differential.New Orleans Saints vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Postseason history and predictions - Canal Street ChroniclesSean Payton and Drew Brees have led the Saints to a 7-5 postseason record, and a perfect 5-0 home playoff record Darius Philon Color Rush Jersey , where they have averaged 35.8 points per game. Brees has a 6-2 record against the Eagles as the Saints starting quarterback, including a 4-1 mark in the Dome. He threw for 360 yards and four touchdowns in the Saints pounding of the Eagles back in November, part of a 546 yard offensive effort. The New Orleans defense demolished the Philadelphia offense that afternoon as well, holding them to just 196 yards while forcing 3 turnovers.

Lonzo Ball and Nike?The Los Angeles Laker sparked rumors of a move to the Swoosh with an Instagram posted yesterday.The post shows an image of the 21-year-old from the waist up Womens Nike React , with text reading "It's only a crazy dream until you do it" in a similar font to that used by Nike in its "Just Do It" 30th anniversary campaign.The photo's caption — Moving on to bigger and better #MyOwnMan — also had fans wondering if a partnership between Nike and Ball could be in the works./p/BvXqeWnFenu/Ball went a nontraditional route as a rookie, choosing to sign with his father's brand, the Big Baller Brand, rather than a big name like Nike or Adidas. The first-rounder's father, the outspoken LaVar, had advocated for what would have been an unprecedented sponsorship deal, with a generous profit split and signature shoe in Ball's rookie season.Ultimately, no brand could meet the Balls' terms, and the younger Ball stuck with his father's BBB. But the cryptic post comes amid trouble in Big Baller Brand camp.On March 22 https://www.thetopsneaker.com/nike-zoom-women , Lonzo Ball revealed that he had severed ties with BBB co-founder Alan Foster, whom he accused of stealing $1.5 million from his business and personal accounts.The basketball star claimed in an interview with ESPN that Foster had “used his access to my business and personal finances to enrich himself. As a result, I have decided to sever all ties with Alan, effective immediately.”In the same ESPN piece, Ball revealed that the Lakers had expressed concern about his BBB sneakers. The team reportedly questioned whether the basketballer's injuries were a direct result of his footwear."Yeah, they talked to me," he said. "They asked me about it, and I told 'em, 'I feel comfortable. If I wasn't comfortable Nike ZoomX Womens , I wouldn't play in 'em. If I didn't play in [his signature BBB shoes], I'd play in Kobe [Bryant's signature Nike shoe]. I work out in [LeBron James' signature Nike shoe], but that's because they're heavier."FN has reached out to Nike for comment.Want more?Exclusive: LaVar Ball Says a Sneaker Announcement Is Coming FridayTwitter Trashes Lonzo Ball’s Big Baller Brand Sneakers Amazon's ad business is booming, but the e-commerce behemoth is reportedly cracking down on the promotion of certain products — not due to defects or counterfeit issues but because they're not profitable for the company to sell.According to a new report from CNBC, Amazon has tightened its restrictions on what items vendors can pay to push to the top of a page of search results. If something doesn't meet the criteria, advertisers receive the following notice: “One or more of your products no longer qualifies for advertising because the sale of this product on Amazon.com currently results in a loss to Amazon.” Inside Amazon, employees refer to these products as CRaP, meaning “Can’t Realize a Profit,” because the costs to store and ship the items generally outweigh any earnings from the sale. Bulky Cheap Nike Shoes From China , inexpensive items are a particular target for the retailer, which in recent months has doubled down on efforts to improve its margins and profitability. Third-party merchants selling on the Amazon marketplace are still free to advertise money-losing products — after all, the sellers bear the costs themselves and shell out a 15 percent cut plus warehousing fees on top of any ad spend — but companies that sell their products on a wholesale basis could find themselves shut out. (Amazon, though, says its practices haven't undergone any recent changes.)While Google and Facebook still dominate the digital advertising landscape, Amazon's share of the pie is growing: Last year, its ad revenue reached $4.61 billion, according to digital research firm eMarketer, a figure that's expected to more than double in 2019. But unlike the current duopoly Cheap Nike Shoes , Amazon doesn't just act as an ad network — it also buys and sells product and competes with vendors through its private-label business, raising questions about the degree of control it wields, particularly as it continues to account for an ever-bigger share of consumer dollars.UPDATE: An Amazon spokesperson provided the following statement to FN: "Like all retailers, Amazon decides which products to market and promote in our stores based on a variety of factors, such as relevancy, availability, profitability and other factors. Amazon chooses not to advertise products available in its store that it can’t sell profitably, the same way retailers have marketed and promoted products in their stores for decades.

MADRID (AP) — Karim Benzema saved Real Madrid from another embarrassing slip this season www.thetopsoccer.com/tottenham-hotspur , scoring twice as his team recovered from a poor first half to beat Eibar 2-1 on Saturday.Even so, Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane criticized the poor play of his team in the first half, when many fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium jeered their sloppy performance.“We don’t like being jeered, but our supporters come to see their team play well,” Zidane said. “Our fans know that the season is over. The only thing left is to try and finish in second place (in the league).”Benzema canceled out an opening goal by Eibar’s Marc Cardona before grabbing the winner in the 81st minute.Benzema has been a rare bright spot for Madrid this campaign, which saw it eliminated from both the Champions League and the Copa del Rey and out of contention in the Spanish league with three months remaining. He has 26 goals in all competitions, including Madrid’s last four goals. He netted a late winner for a 3-2 victory over Huesca last weekend and scored in a 2-1 loss at Valencia on Wednesday.Madrid was heading toward another defeat after a first half that Eibar dictated, helped by the hosts’ lax defending and passing.“We can’t look for excuses, but this is not an easy situation,” said Zidane, who has coached the last four games since returning to help his former team in crisis.“The first half was bad … we lacked confidence and I saw my players were not trying to play. We are not going to win anything this season Cheap Argentina Soccer Jerseys , so playing is complicated.”After threatening with several dangerous crosses, Eibar went ahead five minutes before halftime after a slick buildup that involved four players.Jose Angel Valdes exchanged passes with Marc Cucurella before finding Gonzalo Escalante in the area. Escalante then slid a pass through four Madrid defenders to the far post, where Cardona chipped it over sprawling goalkeeper Keylor Navas.Madrid’s fed-up fans jeered their team at several moments in the first half, but most of their frustration was directed at Gareth Bale, who earned whistles for a poor shot, a bad pass and for repeatedly being caught offside.Eibar lost center back Ivan Ramis to an apparent leg injury, just before Benzema leveled in the 59th when he headed in a cross by Marco Asensio.Madrid improved after the goal, and Benzema completed the turnaround when he outjumped his marker to head in a cross by substitute Toni Kroos.Benzema had three chances to score a third goal, including one that hit the upright.“The injury to Ivan (Ramis) changed the match,” said Eibar coach Jose Mendilibar. “They were able to attack more easily and knew how to take advantage of it.”Madrid remained in third place, 13 points behind leader Barcelona Soccer Jerseys Wholesale , which beat second-placed Atletico Madrid 2-0. Due to the ongoing unrest in France, Ligue 1 has been repeatedly disrupted this season, with several teams, including reigning champions PSG having quite a few games in hand that need to be made up before the current campaign concludes. Meanwhile, due to bad weather, Saint-Etienne's match against Strasbourg was postponed for a later date.In any case, the majority of fixtures went ahead as planned, and all eyes were arguably on Lyon's tie with PSG as Les Gones were unbeaten in their last six games in the league. Les Parisiens, meanwhile, were still unbeaten domestically, but suffered a shock loss to bottom-placed Guingamp in the cup and and had lost Neymar to injury Cheap Australia Soccer Shirts , so things had started to look quite unsteady for the capital-placed juggernauts.Here's what we learned from matchday 23 in Ligue 1.All good things have to come to an endPSG were hoping to become the first team to complete a Ligue 1 campaign without losing a single game. Unfortunately that came to an abrupt end this Sunday, as Lyon beat them 2-1, and now have achieved what no team in Ligue 1 have been able to do all season. Although it really has made no impact on the title race, it still just could give others some hope that Les Parisiens aren't so infallible after all.Lyon truly have become a real thorn in the side for PSG as of lateAnd this stat proves it: Monaco finally get a breakthrough, and one of their players makes historyLes Rouges-et-Blancs finally have gotten a win after a long wait. The struggling club opted to bring back Leonardo Jardim after relieving former striker Thierry Henry of his duties and picked up a hard-fought 2-1 win over Toulouse to move into 18th spot. Although they're not out of the drop zone, new signing Cesc Fabregas got himself on the score-sheet, along with fellow new acquisition Golovin, who made history in the process: There's no place like home for Marseille...Some teams really struggle on the road. Marseille clearly is one of them, unfortunately: The race for the top scorer's prizeFinally, here's how things are shaping up in the battle for the top scorer's prize:聽

Carson Wentz injury updates: Eagles quarterback has back fracture [UPDATE] | Bleeding Green NationIn case you haven’t heard Joe Namath Color Rush Jersey , Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz won’t play on Sunday night.QB Index, Week 15: Jared Goff-Carson Wentz debate | NFL.comLeading up to what was shaping up to be the second career matchup between the top 2 picks in the 2016 NFL draft, many still question which teams selected the better player. Quotes & Notes 12/13: DT Aaron Donald on Bouncing Back Against Eagles: “I know everybody’s ready.” | Rams OfficialReturning home after an embarrassing loss in Chicago, the Rams sound loose and ready to regain their rhythm down the stretch.When Todd Gurley disappears as he did last week, the Rams usually suffer | OC RegisterWhether it’s Sean McVay’s playcalling or other teams taking the Rams’ offensive MVP off the field, the Los Angeles offense still goes as #30 does.Sean McVay Nolan Cromwell Jersey , Wade Phillips talk strategy for facing Nick Foles | 247 SportsWhen the Rams knocked Carson Wentz out of last year’s game, I was sure Nick Foles would come in and blow the game. We all know what happened next. This Eagles team hasn’t had the same success as last year’s champs, but underestimating Nick Foles is probably a bad idea.History repeating? Nick Foles could lead another underdog charge | ESPNMore on the former Rams QB’s unlikely route to the Lombardi Trophy. Jared Goff Looking to Rebound vs. Eagles This Week | Rams OfficialFair or not, much of the blame for Sunday night’s abysmal effort has fallen on the shoulders of QB Jared Goff. A strong performance this week will go a long way towards restoring the sanity of Rams Nation.PHOTOS: Rams’ custom cleats for Week 15 vs. Eagles | RamsWireCheck out the dope kicks the Rams will be wearing on Sunday. Philadelphia Eagles: Three keys to a Week 15 win over the Rams | FanSidedFrom the other side’s persepctive: here’s how one Eagles writer thinks Philly can beat us. Hint: freeze the field, pressure the QB and stuff the run.Jared Goff unsure why some are criticizing Sean McVay for not running it more | RamsWireIt’s good to see Goff stick up for his head coach here. In truth, McVay has rarely led the Rams astray Rodger Saffold Color Rush Jersey , so it probably isn’t fair for all of us to pounce on him for all but ignoring one of the best running backs of his generation. Or is it? Todd Gurley surely has something wrong with his left knee, no matter how aggressively the Rams will try to deny it. A new report has provided the first concrete diagnosis.Jeff Howe of TheAthletic.com reports that Gurley has arthritis in the knee.It’s the same knee that underwent an ACL repair in 2014. If the report is accurate, what will the Rams do about it? Coach Sean McVay discussed stem-cell treatment options聽for the knee this week at the Scouting Combine. If Gurley has arthritis that comes from a loss of cartilage, microfracture surgery presumably would be a possibility. However, the Rams have said that Gurley won’t have surgery.The good news for Gurley, but the bad news for the Rams https://www.ramsfanstore.com/Brian-Allen-Jersey , is that Gurley’s contract gives him a high degree of financial security. As of the third day of the 2019 league year, he’ll have $34.5 million fully guaranteed and another $9.5 million still guaranteed for injury.So the overriding question is whether and to what extent the Rams will get a return on their $45 million injury-guaranteed investment in Gurley. He generated more than 1,800 yards from scrimmage through the first 14 games of the year, but then it all started to fall apart for Gurley, with two missed regular-season games, a solid performance in the divisional round against Dallas Jacob McQuaide Color Rush Jersey , and two lackluster showings in the NFC title game and Super Bowl LIII.

Through 10 weeks of the NFL season we now have a better idea of the strengths and weaknesses of NFL teams and their defensive identities.While NFL head coaches game plan how to exploit these weaknesses Youth Mark Ingram Jersey , savvy fantasy owners do the same thing to gain an edge in daily fantasy tournaments.There are four teams allowing 23-plus fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks through 10 weeks of the season and the gap from the fourth to the fifth place team is nearly as large as the gap from the fifth place to the 20th place team. New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati and Atlanta have all emerged as defensive units that allow consistent production to opposing quarterbacks. The Saints are a particularly unique case as they have been a top 5 rush defense and funnel opponents toward the pass. The Eagles travel to New Orleans this week to play in the SuperDome, often referred to as "The Coors Field of DFS" due to the high-scoring matchups, just like what fantasy baseball players see from Colorado.Carson Wentz projects as a top QB option in a matchup where the Eagles have a 24-point team total and a need to throw if they're trailing. DailyRoto has Wentz projected for the highest passing yardage of any QB on the Week 11 main slates, expected to throw for 300-plus yards and two touchdowns with upside for more. The Saints defense has also allowed the most PPR points to opposing pass catchers and both Alshon Jeffrey and Zach Ertz can be paired comfortably with Wentz in tournaments. The duo has combined for 56 targets over the previous three weeks and should be in line for another strong workload. While it remains to be seen how quickly Golden Tate can pick up the Eagles offense, his emergence would hurt Nelson Agholor more than Jeffrey or Ertz.The Raiders, Patriots, Bucs and Panthers all average double digit points allowed to opposing tight ends. With DFS pricing tighter Tre'Quan Smith Jersey Stitched , the highly variant tight end position has been a popular position to save salary. At just $2,900 on DraftKings, Arizona's Ricky Seals-Jones should provide value and salary relief for fantasy lineups. Since Byron Leftwich took over playcalling, Seals-Jones has drawn 13 targets in the last two games and finished with double digit fantasy points in Week 10. Betting on Seals-Jones is also a bet against the depth of the tight-end position as a whole, allowing daily players to spend up on high volume wideouts and running backs.Among running backs, Ezekiel Elliott of Dallas also has value for tournaments against an Atlanta Falcons team that ranks as a bottom five defense against opposing RBs. Zeke is one of the true workhorse backs, seeing 90 percent of the Cowboys snaps at running back, virtually all of their RB carries and he also projecting for an 18 percent share of targets in Week 11. With high ownership going to Saquon Barkley, Melvin Gordon and Alvin Kamara Youth Rick Leonard Jersey , using Elliott could be a contrarian play that pays dividends. Welcome to Saints Gameday!Today:New Orleans Saints (7-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)The Saints face the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium today looking to extend their winning streak to eight consecutive games.In their way is a team that has generally been overlooked despite their winning record, in Cincinnati.The Saints cannot afford to overlook the Bengals if they are to keep pace with Los Angeles atop the NFC in the race for homefield advantage.Here’s to the Saints coming out of Cincy with a big road victory!Who Dat!Here are your links to follow all of today’s Saints Week 10 action:Game time:Sunday, November 11th - 10:00am PST / 12:00pm CST / 1:00pm ESTLocation:Paul Brown Stadium - Cincinnati, OhioWeather Forecast:40潞 - SunnyTV Broadcasts:NFL on FOX- Kevin Burkhardt, Charles DavisLocal broadcasts in your region can be found hereDIRECTV NFL Sunday Ticket:Channel 710Radio:WWL 870AM/105.3FM New Orleans-Featuring: Zach Streif, Deuce McAllister, and Kristian GaricSIRIUS XM 227 / Internet 821 New Orleans Saints radio network affiliates can be found hereCincinnati Bengals radio network affiliates can be found hereOnline Streaming:NFL GAMEPASS (Subscription Required)iOS/Android Streaming:NFL AppOdds:Saints +5.5; Over/Under 54Uniform Combination:White Jerseys and Black PantsOpponent Blog:Cincy JungleJoin us an hour before game time to hang out and discuss the games with your fellow CSC members. Remember to follow the community guidelines, which can be found here.

A bit of time has passed since the Dallas Cowboys fired Scott Linehan from his post as the team’s offensive coordinator Youth Demarcus Lawrence Jersey , but ultimately time stops for no one and that includes America’s Team. There’s a new offensive coordinator in town as the Cowboys have officially promoted Kellen Moore to the position.Moore has been rumored to be getting the promotion from quarterbacks coach (his first, and so far, only position as an NFL coach) to the man in charge of the offense for a few weeks and now it is happening. This felt inevitable and at long last Dallas has tied the knot with one of their own.There are reasons to feel optimistic about Moore having the keys to the Cowboys offense. Dak Prescott has spoken very highly of him, his opinion is sort of important, and Moore has always been regarded for his bright mind. This is an extremely large responsibility and considering Jason Garrett may be entering a contract year when it’s all said and done, it’s an awfully bold roll of the dice for him to make which suggests that he is quite confident in it.Dallas has already added Jon Kitna to their staff and now they have officially defined that role as well. Kitna will serve as the team’s quarterbacks coach which means this gives the Cowboys three former quarterbacks on the same staff of the team they played for in Kitna, Moore, and Garrett鈥?it’s become quite the “family” business. How could this happen? Just two years ago, the Dallas Cowboys were the hottest team in the NFL. With a pair of rookies leading the offense, they tore through the regular season and looked to be on their way to the Super Bowl until Cowboys nemesis Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers derailed things in the playoffs. But the future was so bright. Dak Prescott won Offensive Rookie of the Year, Ezekiel Elliott would have been the choice if Prescott had not won it, and a new award was invented to honor their offensive line for its dominance. The coaches that had worked this near-miracle after Tony Romo was lost in preseaon, Jason Garrett and Scott Linehan, were coming back for more, Garrett with a shiny Coach of the Year award.But after disappointing 2017 season, the Cowboys find themselves on the brink of a full collapse this year. Nothing seems to be working. Monday’s loss to a Tennessee Titans team that was in much the same position as Dallas going into the game has effectively crushed any hopes of getting into the playoffs. The team is facing hard questions. Jerry Jones was visibly upset after that MNF loss, and while he is vocally denying that any more coaching changes are coming before the end of the season, he was noticeably ambivalent when asked about his support of Garrett and Linehan.That certainly leaves the door open for dismissals on “Black Monday” after this season ends (it falls on New Years’s Eve, so mark your calendars). And while it may not be directly related, Jones also made this point.The departure of Jason Garrett and Scott Linehan seems more probable than ever. And, assuming that some of the bad decisions that have been made the past couple of years were not forced on them by their owner/GM, that is what should happen. Because they totally misunderstood what had happened two years ago, and that is too big a failure to forgive.Of course, it is arguable, even likely, that Jerry Jones does share some of the responsibility for what happened. But you must keep two things in mind. First, as far as how the offense was to be handled in terms of scheme and game plans, he was not originating things, but signing off on what his coaches were presenting him. Second, and far more importantly, Jerry is not going to fire Jerry. He may retire someday due to health concerns, but he will not step down from his GM title because the team is doing poorly. More likely, he is going to be the GM until he shuffles off this mortal coil.That means that whatever action is taken - and Jones was certainly sounding like something will happen when he believes the time is right - will involve the head coach and offensive coordinator (and extend to other assistants). They are the ones who got this all wrong.Specifically, they interpreted the success of 2016 as a result of the talent of their two rookies and the brilliance of their offensive scheme. A rookie quarterback leading the team to 13 wins alongside a rookie running back who led the league may seem like convincing evidence they knew exactly what they were doing.Obviously, they didn’t. Not the way they thought.First, they really underestimated the role of the offensive line in that success. Compounding that was a misunderstanding of how easily they could replace players in that unit. We had the Chaz Green experiment, and then the Paul Alexander issue. While the promotion of Marc Colombo may be a long-term answer, it was not enough on Monday night. It did look at first that things were going better, and then things sort of fell apart for the whole team after Prescott threw the interception in the end zone.Secondly, they overestimated Prescott’s own ability to grow as a quarterback. He always had flaws in processing on the field and his mechanics. The assumption was that he would make steady progress Demarcus Lawrence Jersey Stitched , but that has not occurred. And there is a theory out there that he is sorely missing someone who was of great help to him as a rookie.Now Prescott is holding this team back, and that has been glaringly evident the past two games, as he has yielded turnovers that led directly to touchdowns for the opponent. This is closely tied to his holding onto the ball far too long trying to find somewhere to throw it, or looking for space to run for positive yardage, which leads to a lot of his sacks. Just as crippling is his repeated failure to find open receivers and convert third downs. Whether he can grow and perform better remains to be seen, but the evidence is that he cannot with the current staff. And given that Jones is signaling that Prescott is going to be around for a while, that is not good for the incumbents.Although logic is not always a clear component of what Jones does, applying it here leads to the conclusion that the offensive coordinator, at a minimum, must be replaced. And the chance of the head coach joining him in the recycling bin of NFL coaches certainly seems to be growing.There is a third component to the comedy of errors that created this dysfunctional offense. (It’s a comedy because you laugh when it hurts too much to cry.) That was a true failure to understand the dynamic nature of the NFL. It now seems pretty clear that the success of Dak and Zeke in 2016 was because they were new and teams did not know what to expect, or (and this is more important) what Garrett and Linehan were going to do with them. Now, opposing defenses have two and a half seasons to study, and they have clearly figured out all the tendencies. Nothing surprises anyone, especially as Linehan seems totally oblivious to the idea that he can actually change things up, believing instead that his offense is good enough to impose its will on the other team. News flash, Scott: It ain’t. Instead of trying to mix things up while figuring out what Dak can do the best, the offense still looks like they are trying to make him adjust to their scheme and plans, rather than adjusting things to maximize Prescott’s (and Elliott’s) skill set. That was, at least in part, the genesis of the whole “wide receiver by committee” thing. For that to work, they had to have a quarterback that could make reads and rapid, efficient decisions. In other words, they came into the season with a plan predicated on what they thought Prescott would grow into - not what they had seen over the past season. And the belief he didn’t need a strong WR1 was just another way they misunderstood things. One of the few bright spots of the Titans debacle was that it looks like Amari Cooper can be just that, as he led all receivers in targets, catches, and yards in his first game with the team. For now, however, that looks like a long-term asset for the team to build on, not a way to salvage this shipwreck of a season.While Garrett and Linehan were still banking on the running game as the basis for their offense, most of the rest of the league was doubling down on throwing the ball and being unpredictable. Defenses facing Dallas just ignore the pass on first down and load up the box to stuff Elliott. That works often enough - Elliott was tackled for negative yards on three different first down carries on Monday, continuing a season long trend - to put the Cowboys behind schedule and frequently lead to third and long situations, where Prescott has been markedly ineffective. Just one of those a drive will usually kill things. The success of 2016 was largely the result of the Cowboys having new and therefore unpredictable components in the offense. By 2017, that was no longer true, and combined with other issues, led to a decline that is not only continuing, but may be accelerating this year. Garrett and Linehan failed to see this coming, even after what happened last year. The rest of the NFL adjusted, and they did not.It is mostly on them. Time to count the days to Black Monday.

Every week Pierre Desir Jersey Stitched , I will present a summary of some basic and advanced stats for the Colts performance relative to the league. Thanks to Pro Football Reference, NFL.com and the nflSCrapR project for being awesome sources of weekly data.Let me be clear right up front; a shutout is a great performance. Period. I mean what more can you expect?Well, it depends. The gray bars in the above graphic mean there were no scores and again that is awesome.But take a closer look at the manner in which that was achieved.Every Dallas drive ended up in Colts territory. Every one.There were no 3 & Outs deep in Cowboy territory giving the Colts offense better field position.The defense gave up 19 first downs, which puts the Drive Success Rate against at 73%. That is actually one of the poorer efforts on the week.Again they delivered in the absolutely most important aspect of a defense: 0 points.So, A++ work, guys.But the way they did it is suspect, in that if they bend that much going forward, the results will likely not be so great. For example, on the Cowboys second drive Youth Josh Ferguson Jersey , the ‘Boys were 3 yards and a wide open Jamize Olawale away from tying the game. Dak Prescott threw it short and Olawale alligator-armed it.That’s not bend-don’t-break as much as it is mis-throw-can’t-catch. TEAM TOTALSThe table is ranked by DSR, which again shows the defense in a far worse light than Adjusted Points per Drive against, which obviously was the best mark in the league (tied), Dallas faced an average of 6.3 yards to go on thirds which was the 7th shortest distance of all teams. In other words the Indy defense ranked 26th in that measure, so the fact that defensive third down conversions ranked 14th and the overall defended first down conversions ranked 18th is maybe good news (not really).On the bright side, the Colts defense only gave away one first down on penalties and they limited explosive plays, both of which were critical to the shutout.They also added 2 turnovers, which happened on 4th down . . . so, even if they weren’t turnovers they would have been turnovers. Savvy?PASSINGHere is where the results are unequivocal; the Colts shut down the Cowboy passing game. Coming into the week Josh Ferguson Jersey Stitched , I had Dallas ranked 19th in passing and the Colts pass D ranked similarly at 15th. So, I didn’t expect a dominant performance by either side. However, Dak had to settle for shorter passes most of the day with 3.8air yards on completions: a full 2 yards shorter than his season average. There were no explosive pass plays and the Yards After the Catch were limited resulting in a poor 5.3 Yards per Attempt for Dak (6th worst last week).Add to that, a pick and 3 sacks (Tyquan!) and you get an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of 3.2 (that’s really bad). The Cowboys went no where through the air. RUSHINGOn the ground, they fared a bit better.Over half of the Cowboy runs were successful (first down or chunk yardage).While Ezekiel Elliott had the bulk of the carries, their 3 explosive rushes for 45 yards came by committee (Elliott, Amari Cooper, Rod Smith)The normally stout Colts run defense (4th in season wRSR) could not stop the ‘Boys on the ground. Thankfully, game script caused Dallas to abandon the run with only 5 carries in the second half after 17 in the first 2 quarters.CONCLUSIONS & NEXT MATCH-UPWhat works Youth Clayton Geathers Jersey , works.Kudos to Tyquan Lewis, Darius Leonard, Denico Autry, George Odum and the rest of the band.I won’t complain about a shutout (although I guess I kinda just did).The Giants head to Indy on Sunday and they bring with them an 18th ranked passing game, but that ranking includes all the weeks when they had a chance and cared. Compared to a surging Colts defense who is 7th against the pass over the last 5 weeks, this looks to be a mismatch similar to Dallas. On the ground, I have the Giants at a not quite last 30th place. Wait. How can that be?! Isn’t pro-bowler Saquon Barkley re-defining the rushing game? In a word, no.He’s a great athlete and runs a lot but only about a third of his rushes either move the chains or puts the team in a position to do so.Football Outsiders ranks him 13th in DYAR and 21st in DVOA (behind Marlon Mack’s 4th place in both).Simply put, their run game does not translate to points (19th in PPD).So Clayton Geathers Jersey Stitched , if the Colts, who are 4th best at stopping rush success can limit the Giants in the same way as almost all other teams have done, then we should be OK*.*author not responsible for Barkley having the game of his life in the near future.TRAILING 5 WEEK TOTALS (per game)SEASON TOTALS (per game) The Colts had the ball with seconds to play on their own 38-yard line and a need to erase a four-point deficit against the Eagles.Naturally they tried for a Hail Mary. What was unusual was that they pulled their starting quarterback for the play. Jacoby Brissett replaced Andrew Luck for what turned out to be a futile effort to pull out a miracle win. Brissett had plenty of arm for the throw, which is why head coach Frank Reich used him.“He can throw it a mile … We knew Jacoby had the arm to throw it into the end zone,” Reich said, via Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan.Reich indicated Luck would have remained in if the Colts were around midfield and downplayed any notion that Luck’s arm strength is a concern after he missed all of last year with a right shoulder injury. The Colts’ offensive game plan was heavy on short passes all afternoon and Luck wound up 25-of-40 for 164 yards on a low-octane afternoon for the offense.The result was better in Week Two against Washington, but the throws were similar for Luck and some will likely wonder about any lingering doubts about his arm unless the Colts start taking some more shots down the field in the weeks to come.

The Browns lost a wide receiver for a few weeks in yesterday’s win Jamie Collins Jersey Stitched , but coach Hue Jackson was coy about what might be coming next.Via聽Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, wideout聽Rashard Higgins is week-to-week with an MCL sprain, and Jackson referred to him as “week-to-week.”Higgins won’t need surgery, so they’ll evaluate him in a few weeks. He had caught a touchdown and was having a solid day. In his absence, the Browns had to get into their depth, and Derrick Willies had a key catch-and-run in overtime to set up their game-winning field goal.That may be why they’re hesitant to go outside at the moment. Jackson said he hadn’t talked to General Manager John Dorsey about the possibility of re-igniting the Dez Bryant talks. He also added “we’ll see” when asked about former Titans wideout Rishard Matthews, who is reportedly visiting. Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on defense for the Cleveland Browns’ Week 4 game against the Oakland Raiders.Defensive LinePosPlayerPlays%StatsPosPlayerPlays%StatsI am still puzzled at what has led to such a dramatic shift in defensive line reps for Gregg Williams from 2017 to 2018. Again, I am 100% on board with playing Myles Garrett for the majority of the game, but this was another overtime game and he was on the field for 95% of the snaps. Can’t that number be lowered just a tad? Chris Smith showed some really good things the past two games, but this week, with the return of Emmanuel Ogbah, Smith only played a total of 5 snaps.Garrett had 9 tackles — although Cleveland struggled to bring down Marshawn Lynch at times, Garrett was making run stops left and right. Per PFF:LinebackerPosPlayerPlays%StatsPosPlayerPlays%StatsJoe Schobert led the Browns with 14 tackles Orange Jaelen Strong Jersey , playing every snap out of 92. He also registered the team’s first sack of the game, and Jamie Collins had a sack later on. Schobert was boxed out by TE Jared Cook on one of his touchdown grabs over the middle. Some good defense in another instance led to an interception for CB E.J. Gaines.Christian Kirksey played a lot of snaps (90%) in his first week back.Genard Avery continues to generate pressure, having 4 quarterback hits on Derek Carr.CornerbackPosPlayerPlays%StatsPosPlayerPlays%StatsDenzel Ward played every snap, but had a very quiet game — my initial instinct is that he wasn’t targeted very often.The biggest defensive issue in this game was the loss of Terrance Mitchell, who now appears to be out for the season. Mitchell had a strong start to the game, but after his exit, T.J. Carrie played and was abused the rest of the game by the Raiders’ receivers. The play we saw from Carrie against Oakland is reminiscent of what Corey Coleman was doing to him in training camp, and look where Coleman is now. Carrie is definitely the one bust that John Dorsey acquired this offseason.SafetyPosPlayerPlays%StatsPosPlayerPlays%StatsAlthough he gave up the last touchdown to TE Jared Cook, this looked to be another great game for FS Damarious Randall. He had an interception with a long return, and later made a great read and tackle in the open field in the red zone.The Browns are definitely sticking with their rotation at safety between Derrick Kindred and Jabrill Peppers. Something seems wrong about the fact that the defense was on the field for 92 plays, and your first-round safety from a year ago couldn’t find a way to get on the stat sheet, though.From PFF, the Browns were fortunate their secondary issues on Sunday weren’t worse:

The Chargers are 6-2 at the halfway point of the season (it seems like we say that a lot but it feels awfully good Derwin James Color Rush Jersey , doesn’t it?) and there isn’t an immediate buzzkill in the near future as their next opponent, the abysmal Oakland Raiders, are barely stumbling through their schedule, as it is.Not much has changed since these two teams last met other than the trading away of Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys. This move, however, shouldn’t affect much of anything. In their last match-up, Cooper was all but a non-factor after he was held to just one catch on a single target for 10 yards. Veteran defensive end Bruce Irvin was also recently cut from the team. That only spells worse things for the defense as Irvin was one of the only players that sacked Philip Rivers in the month of October.Although you can never completely write off a team in a divisional game Russell Okung Color Rush Jersey , this one will make it really hard not to.On and off paper, the team has been awful and only got worse over the last 30 days.But alas, there are still things to keep an eye on as I’m sure this game will be a tad more interesting than we would like to expect.1.) After two-straight games of 100+ rushing yards and 7.0+ yards per carry, can Melvin Gordon continue his momentum against the Raiders interior defensive line?On October 7th, Gordon hit a season-low in yards per carry and his second lowest output on the ground against the Raiders. This may be surprising to look back on as the Raiders defense has been well-recorded as being a wet blanket of a unit, but it’s their interior defensive line that has been the best group on the entire team.There are two rookies along with veteran-signee Jonathan Hankins that make up the majority of the rotation. Maurice Hurst (Michigan) and P.J. Hall (Sam Houston State) are two of the most athletic and disruptive rookies at the position so it is no surprise this is where they are finding success when limiting opponent’s run games.Fortunately for the Bolts, Gordon finds most of his success outside of the guards and should look to exploit the sudden loss Irvin out on the edge.2.) Will the secondary continue their resurgence against Derek Carr and the anemic Raiders passing offense?Just a couple years removed from a potential MVP-type of campaign during the 2016 season Junior Seau Color Rush Jersey , Carr hasn’t come close to touching that level of play.This year, he’s on pace to set a career-high in completion percentage while simultaneously setting a career-worst in touchdown-to-interception ratio. His 10 touchdowns to 8 interceptions split is one of the worst in the league and a depth chart consisting of Brandon LaFell, Seth Roberts, and Jared Cook isn’t going to do him any favors against one of the league’s hottest defenses.Desmond King is currently the highest-rated cornerback in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus while Casey Hayward is still one of the top cornerback in the league in terms of yards allowed per route run.King has three interceptions in as many game over the last month with one of them being returned for a pick-six. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him snag another from the recently-rattled Carr.It’s a match-up made in heaven for the Bolts and I’m sure there won’t be one set of chops not being licked come Sunday afternoon.3.) With a banged-up offensive line, will the Chargers’ pass-rush have a field day?According to the team’s final injury report, offensive guard Kelechi Osemele, rookie offensive tackle Kolton Miller Desmond King Color Rush Jersey , and center Rodney Hudson were all limited in each of the team’s three practices this week. However, at this point, Oakland has set to set an injury designation to any of their players, leaving the Bolts to guess prior to tomorrow’s game.If the Raiders were to be without Osemele, Miller, and Hudson, it would leave them open to a pass-rush that has found their groove Corey Liuget Color Rush Jersey , as of late. DEs Isaac Rochell and Melvin Ingram both have 3 sacks in the last month of action while rookie S Derwin James just needs one more sack to set the all-time record for sacks by a rookie defensive back which was set by his teammate, Desmond King, just one season ago.On another note, with a banged up offensive line early last month, the Chargers held the Raiders to a miniscule 41 yards on the ground and forced Carr to beat them with his arm. In this week’s contest, the Raiders will be without Marshawn Lynch and will have to rely on the has-been Muscle Hamster and Jalen Richard to carry the load. 2019 NFL Free Agency Profile: Jason Verrett - PFF Analysis TeamPro Football Focus will be running through 50-plus pending/soon-to-be free agents between January 7, 2019 and March 8 Dan Feeney Color Rush Jersey , 2019 to offer a detailed analysis of the top players bound for new contracts and (possibly) new teams in 2019. We want to house all of the important grades, advanced stats and key analysis for each player, so you know exactly what your team is getting in free agency.New England Patriots Divisional Playoff Preview: Offensive Strategy vs Los Angeles Chargers - Hal BentThe season ended on an upswing by outlasting an impotent Buffalo Bills offense 24-12 in Tom Brady’s ugliest game of the season and a good old-fashioned stomping of the Jets 38-3 to make everyone believe everything was all good heading into the playoffs. As the number two seed, the Patriots need to root for the six seed Indianapolis Colts to upset the top seed Kansas City Chiefs to host an AFC Championship Game–if they can get past the Los Angeles Chargers.New England Patriots Divisional Playoff Preview: Defensive Strategy vs Los Angeles Chargers - Hal BentThe Patriots finished first in the AFC East for the tenth consecutive season and the 16th of 18 seasons since Tom Brady took over as starting quarterback in 2001. This was also the 16th consecutive season with double-digit wins for the Patriots–tying the 49ers who were from the pre-free agency and salary cap era.Which Los Angeles Chargers players are going to step up against the Patriots? - Ernie PadaonAnother player that always steps up in big situations is Desmond King! Every big game he finds a way to do something to spark this team. He is a big game playmaker. He’s going to get an interception return for a touchdown. He’s going to bring a punt back in for a score. He always makes plays. I love Des!!Patriots’ playoff experience a tough hurdle for Chargers - Jason GilderIs this the most talent-rich squad New England has brought to the playoffs? Absolutely not. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has not been consistently dominant like he has in recent years. The future Hall of Famer has shown subtle signs of slowing down this season, which includes missing passes he would normally make without hesitation.Social Media Information:BFTB Facebook Page: Click here to like our pageBFTB Twitter: Follow @BFTB_ChargersThe Lightning Round Twitter: Follow @Lightning_RoundThe Lightning Round Facebook: Click here to like our pageBFTB Manager: Richard Wade: Follow @RichardWade

Late in Sunday’s win over the Seahawks https://www.ramsfanstore.com/t-shirts , Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was involved in an altercation along the sideline. Rams coach Sean McVay sprang into action.McVay, clearly not wanting his best defensive player to do anything that could get himself ejected or suspended, sprinted toward the middle of the scuffle. NFL Films had McVay mic’d up, and the footage shows how McVay deftly handled the situation.“Get out! Get out! Get out!” McVay screamed at his players to get them away from the scuffle. “Don’t do anything.”Once the fight had been broken up, Donald was clearly still angry and looking to fight Seahawks offensive lineman Justin Britt. McVay got Donald’s attention to calm him down.“This is where you’re great. It shows up right here,” McVay said. “Aaron, love you Los Angeles Rams Hats , this is why you’re great. Gather yourself and we’re going to win this game.”Donald didn’t completely cool down, as he tried to fight Britt after the game. But he did settle down long enough to play for the rest of the game. McVay deserves some credit for getting Donald back on track. While the Los Angeles Rams are getting set for the playoffs, the majority of the NFL is in offseason mode. Which means mock draft season is a full go.Mocking the Draft’s Dan Kadar has a new mock this week, his first since Oregon Ducks QB Justin Herbert announced he will return for his senior year. That decision didn’t prompt Kadar to include any new quarterbacks in his mock (Ohio State Buckeyes QB Dwayne Haskins and Missouri Tigers QB Drew Lock remain his only other first-rounders), but it’s interesting nonetheless.In his last mock, Kadar had Herbert going to the Miami Dolphins at 15. This week with the top 20 order set, the Dolphins are at 13 and take Auburn Tigers DT Derrick Brown who Kadar mocked to the Rams two weeks ago. See how the ripples spread outward? Speaking of ripples Los Angeles Rams Hoodie , the 15th pick now goes to the Washington 15th Pick Havers who, as Kadar notes, sure could use a QB themselves. Kadar has them taking Washington Huskies CB Byron Murphy for now.In his mock last week (which I missed), Kadar had the Rams taking:Florida Gators EDGE Jachai PoliteThis week though, Polite goes at #12 to the Green Bay Packers. So he’s out of play. One inspiring note? LSU Tigers ILB Devin White goes at #20 to the Pittsburgh Steelers...SO YOU’RE TELLIN ME THERE’S A CHANCE!As for those edge rushers Kadar alluded to, he takes a bunch of them off the board before the Rams who he has at #30. Kentucky Wildcats EDGE Josh Allen goes at #2 to the San Francisco 49ers. Clemson Tigers EDGE Clelin Ferrell is next at #8 to the Detroit Lions. Polite goes at #12. Mississippi St. Bulldogs EDGE Montez Sweat comes off at #22 to the Indianapolis Colts and Florida State Seminoles EDGE Brian Burns is at #28 to the Oakland Raiders via the trade with the Chicago Bears for Khalil Mack. One other edge rusher factors in Boston College Eagles EDGE Zach Allen at #27 to the New England Patriots. So Kadar takes a ton of edge rushers off the board before the Rams are even on the clock.Still, he’s got the Rams pegged to the need:#30.) Louisiana Tech Bulldogs EDGE Jaylon FergusonI don’t know that I’d endorse holding hard to the need at the edge over taking any other prospect https://www.ramsfanstore.com/Ethan-Westbrooks-Jersey , but you could do worse than Ferguson. He was a production machine at Tech who, as Kadar noted, has the career sack record with 45 after notching 17.5 of them this year.So while we’re getting ready for the playoffs, we’re going to have to multitask for the next few weeks as mock draft season is a go.