#2017 Fashion Touchdown 2017 @ The Ben

[junker-town]

Seahawks-49ers was a beautiful mess that taught us nothing

Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

It was ugly. It was beautiful. It didn’t tip its hand as to the rematch in Week 17.

Week 10’s NFC West showdown between the Seahawks and 49ers didn’t make much sense.

A beleaguered defensive line created havoc all night en route to five sacks and a fumble return touchdown. The league’s current MVP favorite threw a back-breaking interception in the red zone in overtime. A rookie kicker, signed off the street as a free agent a week earlier, inspired all sorts of confidence ... then shanked it all away.

The four-plus quarters of the Seahawks’ overtime triumph over the previously undefeated 49ers created its own narratives, then cast them aside in a sloppy mass of chaotic football that will stand as one of 2019’s most memorable games. Seattle won a 27-24 rock fight in Santa Clara, but the end result didn’t do much to dent a Niners team ravaged by injury in advance of its biggest game of the season to date.

It looked like San Francisco would cruise to a statement-making home win after taking an early 10-0 lead against a Seattle team that gained five net yards in the first quarter. The Seahawks, never content to play an easy game regardless of their place on the scoreboard, roared back in very Seahawk fashion. By the time Jason Myers’ 42-yard field goal cleared the goalposts to end the game in overtime, the win probability chart the two teams left behind looked like a seismograph atop a tectonic shift:

Wow. Game of the Year so far. Win Probability Chart for 2019 Week 10: @Seahawks at @49ers with data courtesy @nflscrapR #NFL #SEAvsSF pic.twitter.com/szpqZyv8Ho

— Lee Sharpe (@LeeSharpeNFL) November 12, 2019

Nothing really went as planned Monday. And it’s probably not going to give us much insight on the next time these two teams play in Week 17. Here’s why.

The Seahawks couldn’t hold on to the damn ball

Seattle had fumbled 13 times in nine games leading up to Week 10 — a 1.4 fumble per contest rate. San Francisco had forced 13 fumbles in eight games in the same span (1.6 per contest). On a typical day, even against a solid defense like the Niners’, the Seahawks might be expected to put the ball on the turf one or two times.

On Monday, the Seahawks did it five times — including twice on one play. A Russell Wilson fumble ended up in the hands of offensive lineman Germain Ifedi, then ended up in the hands of DeForest Buckner. Buckner returned it 12 yards for a touchdown that kicked off the Niners’ fourth-quarter comeback from an 11-point deficit.

TWO forced fumbles leads to the @DeForestBuckner TOUCHDOWNNNNN. #GoNiners pic.twitter.com/pu5FOmv5Qo

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 12, 2019

That wasn’t the only slip-up that cost the Seahawks points. One DK Metcalf fumble at the goal line cost Seattle an important scoring opportunity at the end of the second half. While Jadeveon Clowney’s fumble return touchdown helped level that advantage, that lack of ball security is typically damning for an offense. Teams with four or more turnovers in a game are 42-326-1 in regular season games since 2010.

Wilson setting up an Ifedi fumble wasn’t even his biggest miscue. The MVP frontrunner doubled his interception total for the season when he underthrew a potential game-ending touchdown pass to Jacob Hollister by a matter of inches. That allowed Dre Greenlaw to make what could have been the biggest play of the night:

BIG. PLAY. DRE ‼️@DreGreenlaw comes up BIG in OT! #GoNiners pic.twitter.com/cgDtrtBb5T

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 12, 2019

It didn’t pay off. Instead, Greenlaw watched his offense drive only 20 yards on the ensuing possession and fail to generate the points that would have ensured a 9-0 start for San Francisco.

The Niners’ passing game couldn’t keep up

One of the biggest questions about San Francisco’s rise to the top of the NFC was what the team was capable of in situations where it was forced to throw the ball. An 8-0 start left few opportunities for Jimmy Garoppolo to practice his two-minute drill. On Monday, he’d have to do so without All-Pro tight end George Kittle.

Kittle, sidelined by a pair of lower leg injuries Monday, had 25 more targets than the next-closest player on the 49ers roster. His sure-handed presence in the middle of the field was sorely missed. The club’s aerial offense flopped without him — and several other key players:

Emmanuel Sanders, extremely not-washed at age 32 (he had 112 receiving yards in his first game with the Niners), left the game after two big catches due to a rib injury. Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis, two players who started the season atop the San Francisco WR depth chart, dropped multiple passes and finished the game with zero receptions. This left the keys to the passing game in the hands of rookie Deebo Samuel, WR4 Kendrick Bourne, and backup tight end Ross Dwelley.

The team also dealt with injuries that chipped away at its offensive line. Tackle Mike McGlinchey was limited in practice through the week with a knee malady, and that rust was evident throughout the night. The 49ers were also without starting center Weston Richburg, who left the game early with a hand injury. That left Ben Garland to flail hopelessly at blown assignments in his place:

Tomlinson slid and blocked his man, Garland either thought he had more help than he did or just got beat. Either way, he was the failure point. Backup center! pic.twitter.com/8J9NmyAXby

— James Brady (@JamesBradySBN) November 12, 2019

Garoppolo, a tick off with both his accuracy and his timing, couldn’t overcome those mounting handicaps. While he put his team in position to win the game late, he was lucky to escape with just one interception Monday night.

KJ Wright has some extreme linebacker hands pic.twitter.com/9lYh38O7Ph

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 12, 2019

Still, this all almost worked out!

A rookie kicker, subbing in for a Pro Bowler, nearly saved the day

Robbie Gould had been a constant positive in the San Francisco kicking game the past two seasons. He made 96 percent of his field goals between 2017 and 2018, the highest rate in the league. However, he’d been uncharacteristically inaccurate through the first half of 2019 — his seven misses were more than he’d had the past three seasons combined — and was unavailable for the 49ers’ biggest game of the year (so far) thanks to a quadriceps injury.

Enter Chase McLaughlin, who signed with San Francisco just four days earlier. McLaughlin, just one of six active alumni from the University of Illinois, had been discarded by the Bills, Vikings, and Chargers earlier this year. While he’d made 13 of his 16 kicks as a fill-in for Michael Badgley in Los Angeles, he was far from a sure bet.

So, because this game was weird in every phase of the game, he went out and drilled field goals from 43, 39, and 47 yards — the last of which tied the game at 24-all with just one second left in the fourth quarter. This was an epic effort from a young kicker with plenty to prove. And with one last kick, he’d undo much of the confidence he’d inspired through the first 60 minutes of the game.

Greenlaw’s interception and Garoppolo’s ensuing 20-yard drive gave McLaughlin the chance to up his hero bonafides with one more long kick. Instead, his potential game-winner wound up here:

Um.... this is not where the ball is supposed to go. pic.twitter.com/Ie5EfA9Mq8

— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) November 12, 2019

That tunnel is past the corner of the end zone. McLaughlin missed his desired landing spot by roughly 40 yards. That’s bad! Three drives later, Seahawk kicker Jason Myers pushed a 42-yard kick through the uprights to win the game.

The first installment of Seahawks-49ers answered some questions about what each team is capable of against top-notch competition from within their own division. Seattle is up to the challenge of plugging up San Francisco’s potent rush game and forcing Garoppolo to beat them. The Niners proved they can frustrate Wilson into a below-average game behind their crushing defensive front.

But much of the game turned on outlier trends and plays that probably won’t happen when these teams meet again. San Francisco can take solace in the returns of Kittle, Gould, and full-strength efforts from Sanders, Richburg, and McGlinchey (among others). Seattle knows it probably won’t triple its fumble rate in a single game again. The tablet will be wiped clean when these sides meet again in Week 17.

If it’s anything like the first showdown between these two, it’ll probably find a way to get weird anyway.

[albfor]

Nov 13, 2017 Fashion Touchdown 2017 @ The Ben

Nov 13, 2017 Fashion Touchdown 2017 @ The Ben

CHARITY  | WASHINGTON SQUARE

834 WALNUT STREET.  Continuing the legacy of giving last night at the Ben Franklin Ballroom a fantastic fundraiser and fashion show took place benefitting the Big Brothers Big Sister Independence Region.

BEN FRANKLIN   |  Big Brothers Big Sister Independence Region.

BEN FRANKLIN  |  Nicole Miller and Mary Dougherty

The event, for the 4th year in a row, featured…

View On WordPress

#2017 Fashion Touchdown 2017 @ The Ben #Alshon Jeffery #Ben Franklin #Big Brothers Big Sister Independence Region #Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region #Brent Celek #Josh Demarco #Najee Goode #Nicole Miller and Mary Dougherty #Nov 13 #Rodney McLeod #Todd Herremans #Trey Burton

[celldeal57-blog]

A closer look at Carson Wentz, by the numbers

PHILADELPHIA -- This time last year, there wasn't a hotter name in football than that of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz.

His team was 10-1 and in the midst of a nine-game win streak in which they were clobbering opponents by an average of 17 points per outing. Wentz was already nearing 30 touchdown passes and was in the driver's seat for league MVP.

What happened next is well-documented: Wentz blew out his knee in Los Angeles in mid-December and was lost for the season. The Eagles, set up well by the Wentz-driven start to the season, went on to win the Super Bowl with Nick Foles under center.

After a long rehab, Wentz returned in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts. The results have been mixed, both for Wentz and the team. Wentz has performed pretty well overall -- 69.7 completion percentage, 16 touchdowns, six interceptions -- but the offense has sagged, the team is 5-6, and the fireworks Wentz provided with startling regularity last season have not been as frequent this time around.

Carson Wentz might be developing into more of a pure passer, as suggested by his running much less and throwing with greater accuracy. AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File

Has his trajectory as a no-doubt-about-it superstar changed?

To get an understanding of the circumstances he is dealing with, where he is in his development and what to expect now, let's look at some key numbers that tell the tale:

26: Total number of Wentz rushes -- for 100 yards -- in nine games, compared with 44 rushes for 211 yards through nine games in 2017.

The output on the ground has just about been cut in half. That's understandable given what Wentz suffered last season, though the QB contends that the decision to run less is not injury-related but simply a matter of the way plays have unfolded this season. New quarterbacks coach Press Taylor added that Wentz is doing a better job of going through his progressions and finding the outlet receiver, rather than taking off when his primary is blanketed.

No matter where you come down on the reasoning, it's clear that Wentz's legs are a big part of what's missing from this offense.

Everything you need this week: • Scores, highlights and more » • Full schedule » | Full standings » • Weekly stats leaders » • Updated playoff picture » | Playoff Machine » • Injuries tracker: Who's in, out » More NFL coverage »

The most impactful change has been on third down. Wentz averaged 7.6 yards per carry and picked up 13 first downs on the ground in '17, compared with a 3.8 average and three first downs this season. That has to be considered when searching for reasons the Eagles dipped from second in the NFL in third-down conversion rate (45 percent) to 15th (39 percent) this season.

More than that, the threat of Wentz using his feet drew defenders in, and his ability to extend plays opened up opportunities for his teammates all over the field.

“I never want to force the issue because bad things can happen, but it’s really just case by case and the way teams are playing, the way teams are rushing," Wentz said. "I never go looking for it, but I realize there are a lot of big plays to be made when you can extend the play outside the pocket."

Wentz established career highs in carries (eight) and yards (63) the last time he faced the Washington Redskins, on Monday night in October 2017.

25.7: Wentz's "aggressiveness" rate -- defined as making throws into tight coverage -- last season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, which was tops in the league. This season, he is 19th (15.8).

Besides the way Wentz used his feet, the thing that stands out from that game against Washington is the touchdown throw Wentz made to running back Corey Clement in the corner of the end zone. Maybe you remember it: The Eagles were facing a third-and-goal from the 9-yard line in the third quarter. The walls collapsed the moment the ball was snapped, but Wentz slipped past the initial rush and, with two defenders draped on him, tossed a pass into the corner of the end zone that dropped just over the well-positioned Washington defender and into the arms of Clement for the score.

"Carson Wentz," Jon Gruden proclaimed during the broadcast in the wake of that play, "is unbelievable."

It was that type of improbable quarterbacking that separated Philly from the pack.

Now, being less "aggressive" could speak to a couple things, including the fact that Wentz is making smarter decisions. Zach Ertz is getting a lopsided number of targets this season (111, 40 more than the next receiver, Nelson Agholor), but Ertz is springing open with regularity, so maybe that's just good football. Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger have lower aggressiveness numbers than Wentz through 12 weeks.

But for as intelligent of a football mind as Wentz has, his game has a pretty big "feel" component to it. He's at his best when he is trusting both his intuition and his playmakers and ripping it. Things feel a half-beat off in that respect this season, even more so since the Golden Tate acquisition.

69.7: Wentz's completion percentage, up nearly 10 points from last season (60.2). It's among the biggest accuracy jumps in the league.

This is one of the greatest reasons for optimism. Now in his third season, the 25-year-old Wentz is developing into a more pure passer, which will be scary once his athleticism is reintroduced into the equation a bit more as he gets further and further from the injury.

"I think he's good enough to play as if he was not a mobile quarterback. I see it right now with Andrew Luck," former QB/ESPN analyst Matt Hasselbeck said. "When we were teammates, [Luck] wanted to do it the hard way, like, 'I'm going to will this thing to happen. I'm going to take a beating. I'm going to have an adventure on every throw-away. I'm going to have adventure on every big play.' It's OK to just let the offense work for you.

"That's probably one of the lessons that I would have hoped Carson learned from Nick Foles. I thought Nick Foles did a really nice job of, hey, let the offense work. You don't have to try so hard. And I think it's tough for guys who are really strong, really athletic, bigger than the guys trying to come and tackle for you."

0: Number of go-ahead passing touchdowns Wentz has thrown in the fourth quarter or overtime in his career, per ESPN Stats & Information. Forty QBs have thrown a go-ahead passing TD in the fourth quarter or overtime since 2016. Wentz has thrown 96 passes with the Eagles tied or trailing by six or fewer points in his career, but none has resulted in a score. His QBR in those situations is 38.4, 32nd in the NFL.

Some of this has to do with opportunity. The Eagles smoked many of their opponents in '17, so we're still talking about a relatively small sample. But this is an area to improve on. Wentz certainly doesn't shrink from the moment, but it is probably fair to say that he sometimes tries to do too much in these circumstances -- like in the closing moments of the loss to the Carolina Panthers earlier in the season, when he went for the knockout blow instead of settling for a clean jab.

Wentz has four game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or OT in his career, tied for 21st in the NFL since 2016. One of those came against the New York Giants last week, when he helped rally the team from a 19-3 deficit.

“Anytime we can get a victory in come-from-behind fashion, it speaks volumes about the team and the resiliency of the guys on both sides of the ball," Wentz said. "Personally, it was big to get it done [Sunday] for me, and I know that everyone feels the same.”

2: Members of the quarterback coaching triumvirate that left last offseason.

The loss of assistant coaches is a tough thing to quantify when it comes to quality of play. How much did Frank Reich and John DeFilippo mean to the success of Wentz and the team relative to what Mike Groh and Taylor are providing?

It's at least reasonable to say that Reich and DeFilippo helped both Wentz and Foles play at an exceptionally high level during the Super Bowl run, and the results just haven't been there in the same fashion this season.

That shouldn't be considered a knock on the replacements; there was a level of experience and chemistry there that is really tough to replicate. Plus, everyone has a different coaching style. DeFilippo, as an example, has a reputation of being a bit combative at times and donning the black hat willingly in the name of convincing a signal-caller to concede and play within the framework of the offense. That might have led to some friction with the equally strong-willed Wentz, but there's no denying the results.

Taylor is 10 years DeFilippo's junior and does not have the same type of résumé as DeFilippo, now the offensive coordinator in Minnesota. He has a friendlier relationship with Wentz. Spend some time around Taylor, and you realize that he's likely destined for big things in this league. He is growing into the role and believes his strong connection with Wentz helps when hard conversations come up.

"I feel like I kind of know what buttons to push with Carson and what he wants out of this thing, ultimately, so you can always kind of draw back on, ‘Well, here’s what you’ve told me about yourself.' And if there’s a time to challenge him, he knows where I’m coming from because of the relationship we have together,” Taylor said.

Bottom line

Wentz has endured quite a bit over the past year from a football perspective. He sustained a major injury. He had to watch the Super Bowl from the sideline. Two of his primary coaches left. He didn't have the benefit of training camp or the preseason to reacclimate.

When you also factor in the injuries to the offensive line, running back and receiver this season, it probably shouldn't be a surprise that Wentz hasn't been off-the-charts to this point.

It might not materialize fully until 2019, but Wentz will eventually re-establish himself as a running threat. The further surgery gets in the rearview mirror, the more his confidence should grow. In the meantime, he has learned how to operate in the pocket better. That should spell big things for his game.

Source: http://www.espn.com/blog/philadelphia-eagles/post/_/id/26570/whats-happened-to-carson-wentz-by-the-numbers

[psikes21-blog]

Best game in Memorial Stadium during the Swinney era?

There’s no secret Clemson Football has elevated its place among the country’s elite programs in recent years. You have to go all the way back to 2010 to find the last time a Tiger team failed to win at least 10 games. And to the dismay of ACC foes and opponents making up this year’s schedule, the train doesn’t show many signs of slowing.

One of the key reasons the Tigers have taken the next step under Dabo Swinney’s leadership is simple: protecting the home field. Clemson has done that and more during this era, which dates to 2008 when he was the interim head coach. Under Swinney, the Tigers are 59-7 in Memorial Stadium, an 89.4-percent winning mark. Since the start of 2011, Clemson is an astounding 46-3 -- firmly putting the “Death” back in Death Valley for opponents.

It led me to thinking about some of the great games we’ve been fortunate to see in the Valley during Swinney’s tenure. Great rivalry moments. High-quality coaching matchups. Passionate performances and thrilling finishes. But what are the best games? Where do some of the contests rank in your mind?

Without further ado, here’s how my top 10 home games of the Dabo Swinney era shake out.

1. Clemson 42, Louisville 36 - 2016

ACC Atlantic Division stakes. Heisman Trophy-dueling quarterbacks. Incredible ebbs and flows, culminating with an unlikely hero. This game had it all. If drama is your thing, few games in recent memory have produced more.

When it looked as though the Tigers would run away with it after a 28-point outburst in the second quarter, eventual Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson stormed back and took his Cardinals to a 36-28 lead halfway through the final quarter. But then it all started to fall into place for Clemson. Artavis Scott’s 77-yard kick return proved to be the spark that led to two Deshaun Watson touchdown passes, including the go-ahead connection with tight end Jordan Leggett with 3:14 left.

The drama wasn’t done. Jackson marched the Cards into Clemson territory, but he was faced with a 4th-and-12 and needed a touchdown on Louisville’s final possession. He dumped it off to James Quick, who was forced out of bounds short of the marker by reserve Marcus Edmond, at the time a little-used cornerback.

2. Clemson 24, Notre Dame 22 - 2015

Played in a torrential downpour, Notre Dame’s first visit since 1977 was everything Clemson fans hoped it would be. Except this time, it was the Tigers who emerged victorious.

Re-watching this one recently, the one thing I’d forgotten was how Clemson built a 21-3 lead after three quarters before literally hanging on in the end. Despite forcing a number of turnovers defensively, the offense’s inability to get a few first downs kept Notre Dame in it. After Torii Hunter Jr. scored with seven seconds left, it all came down to the two-point conversion. Trailing by two, Brian Kelly’s team elected to put the ball in Deshone Kizer’s hands on a run to the right side. He was stuffed by a host of Tiger tacklers, including Ben Boulware and Carlos Watkins, as the rain-soaked crowd roared its approval.

3. Clemson 38, Georgia 35 - 2013

The most anticipated opener in the Swinney era didn’t disappoint. The game featured two of the nation’s best quarterbacks in Clemson’s Tajh Boyd and Georgia’s Aaron Murray, plus amazing NFL talents such as Vic Beasley, Todd Gurley, Grady Jarrett and Sammy Watkins.

The stars shined brightly on this night, even on consecutive plays. One play after Boyd opened the scoring, Gurley answered with a 75-yard touchdown scamper. Not to be outdone, Boyd hit Watkins on a slant route, and he turned up field and showcased his wheels in a 77-yard score. Tied 21-21 at halftime, Clemson pulled ahead by 10 in the fourth quarter when Boyd connected with tight end Stanton Seckinger, proving to be enough as the Tigers held on for the three-point win. Boyd was brilliant, accounting for all five of Clemson’s touchdowns and amassing 312 yards of total offense.

4. Clemson 40, Florida State 24 - 2009

DeAndre McDaniel separating Christian Ponder’s shoulder on an interception return. We Will Rock You. The electrifying C.J. Spiller. One of many epic battles with FSU in the Swinney era, this one was perhaps the most fun in Memorial Stadium. Spiller, as he did his entire senior season, dazzled the home crowd with a performance for the ages. He posted 312 all-purpose yards and scored a touchdown on the ground and through the air, the recipient of one of four touchdowns tossed by freshman Kyle Parker that night.

The Tigers overcame a three-point deficit going into the final quarter to deliver Swinney’s first win over the Seminoles.

5. Clemson 35, South Carolina 17 - 2014

Clemson needed to stop the bleeding in the worst way. Despite all the good the program had accomplished, beating archrival South Carolina and ending the infamous five-game streak was critical.

Despite a major knee injury, Watson gutted this one out and was the best player on the field, a trend that would continue in subsequent rivalry game appearances. He threw for 269 yards and two scores, while adding two more on the ground. Artavis Scott (7-185-2) and Wayne Gallman (27-191-1) made it an impressive 1-2-3 punch among Tiger freshmen.

6. Clemson 24, NC State 17 (OT) - 2016

How can you not include this one? Clemson’s good fortune for the 2016 season was on full display when NC State’s game-winning field goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired in regulation. In the overtime period, Watson found Scott for a 10-yard touchdown to put his team up by seven. On State’s first play in overtime, Edmond became the hero for a second straight home game. He stepped in front of a Ryan Finley pass to seal the win with an interception.

7. Clemson 38, Auburn 24 - 2011

The expectations quickly ramped up for Swinney’s third team after the Tigers knocked off the defending national champions in this one. Boyd used the plethora of NFL talent at his disposal — throwing four total touchdown passes to Watkins (2), DeAndre Hopkins (1) and Dwayne Allen (1) — in a 38-24 victory. Clemson ended Auburn’s 17-game winning streak, a source of pride for Swinney, the Alabama alum. One of the best memories was when he went full WWE-style postgame interview amidst the enormous crowd gathered at the paw.

8. Clemson 35, Florida State 30 - 2011

One week after knocking off the defending champs, Clemson welcomed its chief ACC Atlantic rival to town in Florida State. Boyd (344 passing yards, four total touchdowns) and Watkins (7-141-2) connected on a memorable slant-and-go and carried the Tigers to victory. But the moment of the game occurred on FSU’s final drive with 1:37 to go, when tackle Rennie Moore burst through on fourth down to sack Seminole quarterback Clint Trickett in a deafening moment.

9. Clemson 56, South Carolina 7 - 2016

Unlike most of the other games on this list, this one was never competitive. Once Clemson scored just under five minutes into the game, the result was never in doubt. Watson stamped his legacy on the rivalry, leading Clemson to a 3-0 record over the Gamecocks. He tossed six touchdown passes, tying a school record. Mike Williams hauled in three, including one in memorable piggyback ride fashion.

10 (tie). Clemson 23, Louisville 17 - 2014; Clemson 14, Auburn 6 - 2017

Both of these were worthy of inclusion in my eyes, so I tied them at the No. 10 spot. Louisville was a defensive slugfest and quite frankly, a poor showing by both teams offensively. Clemson led 14-10 after Garry Peters sacked the Cardinals and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Tigers for a score. Later, with Clemson clinging to a 23-17 lead, the Tiger defense stepped up. James Quick looked to be on his way to the endzone, only to see safety Jayron Kearse track him down to save the touchdown. Four plays later, facing fourth-and-goal, tackle DeShawn Williams batted down a pass to preserve the win.

In the 2017 win over Auburn, the story was again the Clemson defense. It sacked Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham 11 times in a dominant performance. Kelly Bryant added a couple of rushing scores, including a dazzling 27-yarder after bouncing off a couple of would-be tacklers in the third quarter.

Honorable mention:

Clemson 31, South Carolina 14 - 2008 (Swinney’s first win over USC)

Clemson 34, Virginia 21 - 2009 (clinched ACC Atlantic)

Clemson 31, Wake Forest 28 - 2011 (clinched ACC Atlantic)

[flauntpage]

Doug Pederson Is the Ultimate Underdog

For a team that has embraced the underdog role, it’s fitting that the Eagles are led by Doug Pederson. While his team is relatively new to the feeling of being discounted, Pederson was fending off the skeptics long before Carson Wentz was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

Pederson’s first stint in Philadelphia was as a quarterback. Andy Reid imported him from Green Bay in 1999 to pilot the offense until Donovan McNabb was ready to take the reins. Pederson thought he would lead the team for the season. He was relegated to the bench by Week 10.

After his playing career ended, Pederson got involved in coaching. Reid brought him back to Philadelphia as an offensive quality control coach in 2009. Pederson followed Reid to Kansas City when the Chip Kelly revolution arrived at the NovaCare Complex in 2013.

The tumultuous Kelly years left the franchise in disarray. Kelly had mortgaged the future of the franchise during his one season in charge of personnel decisions. With Howie Roseman exiled to an underground bunker at Eagles headquarters, Kelly moved quickly to reshape the roster in his image. Gone were Nick Foles and LeSean McCoy; in their place were Sam Bradford and Kiko Alonso. The signings of Byron Maxwell and DeMarco Murray did not have the desired impact, to say the least.

At some point during the rocky 2015 season, Lurie had lost his appetite for revolution. He longed instead for the stability of the Andy Reid years. What better way to relive the Reid era than by plucking an apple from Big Red’s coaching tree?

And so Lurie targeted a Reid disciple. However, John Harbaugh wasn’t available. Instead, the Eagles settled on Doug Pederson.

Pederson had risen to offensive coordinator by 2015. Reid even let his former quarterback call plays during the second half of some games.

Needless to say, the Pederson hire did not inspire much faith in the Eagles fan base. The hot names on the coaching market, like Adam Gase and Todd Bowles, settled elsewhere. Ben McAdoo stayed put in New York. Pederson had not been granted an interview by any other team in need of a head coach. He wasn’t even the most touted prospect on Reid’s coaching staff; that honor belonged to special teams coordinator Dave Toub.

During his introductory press conference, Pederson was peppered with questions about the play-calling strategy that doomed the Chiefs in their playoff loss to the Patriots. Pederson’s decision to call the plays as head coach was met with skepticism, especially since he was able to hire an established coordinator in Frank Reich. He did not have input in the decision to hire defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, a strong personality who could overshadow the rookie head coach.

The media sharks were immediately swimming around the chum that the Eagles dangled into the water. There was no way Pederson was going to last beyond two seasons.

Undaunted, Pederson patiently rebuilt the Eagles offense. Roseman deftly moved up in the first round of the draft and secured Carson Wentz, the quarterback of the future who quickly became the quarterback of the present.

Pederson and Wentz developed a rapport that propelled the Eagles to a surprising 3-1 start. But the 10-game suspension of Lane Johnson destabilized the offensive line and stunted Wentz’s progress. The team limped to a 4-8 finish.

It was a frustrating campaign, and Pederson shouldered his share of criticism. Pederson’s bashers seemed to forget he was shepherding a young quarterback (who played FCS college football) through his first season in the NFL. The ramifications of the Johnson suspension and the challenges of installing a new offensive system were never properly factored into assessments of the coach.

Former NFL executive Mike Lombardi emerged as the harshest critic of Pederson. “Everyone knows Pederson isn’t a head coach,” Lombardi declared. “He might be less qualified to coach a team than anyone I’ve seen in my thirty-plus years in the NFL.”

.@mlombardiNFL wants to know if the Eagles will admit their mistake or if they'll throw away 2017 by sticking to the Pederson principle http://pic.twitter.com/Vw3ubDzBic

— The Ringer (@ringer) September 3, 2017

Mind you, Art Shell’s second stint with the Raiders occurred in that time frame. Rich Kotite was a head coach – twice! – in that period. Bobby Petrino had a cup of coffee with the Atlanta Falcons before running back to the college game in the dead of night. Rod Marinelli presided over an 0-16 season in Detroit, while a litany of coaches tried and failed to establish a winning program in Cleveland.

It was an outrageous opinion offered by a hot take artist masquerading as an NFL expert. Not to be outdone, the highest-paid troll in the sports media landscape offered his own dismissing comments after the Eagles’ Week 1 win in Washington:

The Eagles gave Doug Pederson a Gatorade bath for beating Kirk Cousins in Game 1 on a bad call??? All you need to know.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) September 11, 2017

What we needed to know was that the players in the locker room believed in their head coach. And their belief translated into an incredible season. Wentz didn’t just avoid a sophomore slump; in his second season, he established himself as an MVP candidate and one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.

Of course, Lombardi refused to budge from his original position. Pederson had nothing to do with the team’s success. The Eagles’ turnaround was entirely attributable to Wentz and Jim Schwartz’s defense.

It was another idiotic assertion that laid bare the absurdity of the narratives that define the game, but do little to explain it.

The truth is that Pederson, along with Reich and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, played an instrumental role in Wentz’s meteoric rise. Pederson tailored his offensive scheme to maximize Wentz’s abilities. He installed plays that Wentz ran at North Dakota State, including that incredible touchdown pass to Corey Clement in the Monday Night game against Washington. Wentz excelled on third down and carved up defenses that dared to blitz. While it might be fashionable to ascribe these skills to game-day athleticism, the truth is that success on Sunday is dictated by preparation from Monday through Saturday. To write off the contributions of the head coach and play caller in that process is to ignore reality.

Nevertheless, Pederson’s detractors persisted.

When Wentz limped off the field at the LA coliseum, a miasma of doubt enveloped the Eagles’ season. Nick Foles’ uninspiring play against the Raiders and Cowboys did not temper the angst that Eagles fans felt about what was looking like a doomed playoff run.

With two weeks to prepare, Pederson developed a game plan that played to Foles’ strengths. Foles picked apart the Falcons secondary with read options and play action passes. The Falcons needed to respect the run in those situations because Pederson had done an excellent job establishing a ground attack early in the game.

Pederson also schemed creative ways to get the football in the hands of his playmakers. The coach dipped into the Chip Kelly archives and plucked out one of those chest passes to a receiver in motion; the play went to Nelson Agholor, who picked up a crucial first down. Pederson also called a creative fake sweep-turned-inside-handoff for Agholor, who took the ball inside the 5-yard line and set up the Birds’ lone touchdown.

Pederson strategically pushed the pace, jumping into a no-huddle attack in order to maximize personnel advantages and tire out an undersized Falcons defense. The result: the hesitant quarterback Eagles fans witnessed for 5 quarters was replaced with a competent passer who kept his eyes downfield, navigated the pocket, and found open receivers. Foles wasn’t great, but he was steady. He extended drives, kept Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense off the field, and didn’t turn the ball over (though he did benefit from some luck in that department).

Foles was steady and decisive, just like the guy patrolling the sidelines. Coaching in his first playoff game, Pederson eschewed the conservative philosophy that doomed his mentor, Andy Reid, in Reid’s first playoff game in Philadelphia. He did not hesitate to go for the touchdown on 4th-and-goal, and his offense delivered with six points on a well-blocked Blount run to the perimeter. More importantly, Pederson showed faith in his quarterback, whose presence in the starting lineup directly resulted in the team entering the game as a home dog. Foles rewarded the trust of his head coach with a 23-30 passing performance; that works out to a 76.67 completion percentage.

In the end, one home game stands between Philadelphia and a trip to Minneapolis. It will be fashionable, and partially correct, to attribute the victory to Schwartz’s defense, but make no mistake: this win belongs as much to Pederson as anyone else in the Eagles organization.

Doug Pederson Is the Ultimate Underdog published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[buddyrabrahams]

Steelers WR Eli Rogers predicts win over Patriots in playoffs

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have said goodbye to home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion Sunday, but they will likely get a chance at revenge against the New England Patriots. And if that opportunity arises, Eli Rodgers believes his team will take advantage.

Following Sunday’s insane 27-24 loss that ended on an interception in the end zone, Rogers predicted the Steelers will beat the Patriots in the postseason.

Eli Rogers is already predicting the Steelers will beat the Patriots in the playoffs: “We’ll see them again and the outcome will be different.”

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) December 18, 2017

Assuming New England and Pittsburgh finish as the top two seeds in the AFC, each team still needs to win a playoff game before we would see a rematch. The odds of that happening seem pretty high.

In the short-term, the Steelers have to worry about shaking off a brutal loss and finishing the season on a high note. If the comments Ben Roethlisberger made after the game were any indication, there could already be some tension in the locker room in the wake of the meltdown. With a road game against the Houston Texans and a home game against the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh should hang onto the No. 2 seed. But if they experience a hangover from Jesse James’ controversial overturned touchdown, the Jacksonville Jaguars are just one game behind them and also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after beating the Steelers earlier this season.

Rogers and his teammates would be best served forgetting about the Patriots for the time being.

from Larry Brown Sports http://ift.tt/2CYxDem

[elitesportsny]

Elite Sports NY

https://elitesportsny.com/2017/12/03/oakland-raiders-24-new-york-giants-17-geno-smith-highlights/

Geno Smith, New York Giants fall to Oakland Raiders, 24-17 (Highlights)

New quarterback, Geno Smith, but same result for the New York Giants who kept it close, but didn’t prevail against the Oakland Raiders.

New York Giants 17 (2-10)

Oakland Raiders 24 (6-6)

NFL, Week 13, Final, Box Score

Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, California

So this is how the Ben McAdoo era (potentially) dies … with thunderous applause.

The Oakland Raiders moved into a three-way tie atop the AFC West, spoiling Geno Smith‘s snapping of Eli Manning‘s famous streak, swiping a 24-17 decision away from the Giants at Oakland Alameda County Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The game started off in typical fashion for the Giants, as a new quarterback provided only similar results in the early going. New York (2-10) saw the first three drives of the Smith era end in quick three-and-outs, tallying a mere five yards. In between the frustration, Marshawn Lynch reactivated “Beast Mode,” breaking loose for a 51-yard touchdown on the Raiders’ third play from scrimmage.

CHECK OUT the New York Giants Team Center: News, Stats, Standings

The block by @KOseven0. The burst by @MoneyLynch.

Raw power. #NYGvsOAK pic.twitter.com/CrNsG94JJW

— OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) December 3, 2017

The Giants defense would hold the fort afterwards, forcing Oakland into a couple worthless three play drives of their own. A thankful offense would finally capitalize when Smith and company embarked on an 11-play, 74-yard drive that concluded with a one-yard punch by Orleans Darkwa.

TIE GAME IN OAKLAND! @OrleansDarkwa scores for Big Blue and its 7-7 at the end of the 1st. pic.twitter.com/MBw75avinr

— New York Giants (@Giants) December 3, 2017

Any hope for a lead, however, perished in Smith’s hands, or lack thereof. With the Giants attempting to build a lead in the second quarter, two Smith fumbles wasted strong performances by the defense and special teams. A golden opportunity arose for New York late in the second quarter, when Shane Smith burst through the line on fourth down and wouldn’t even let Marquette King get off a punt, setting the Giants up inside the Oakland. The Raiders were backed up thanks to a deep punt from Brad Wing, and an elite downing from Kalif Raymond.

Shane Smith busts through the middle to tackle the punter. Giants first and goal with ~40 left in the half. pic.twitter.com/fg3CbLbtcR

— RockBottomSZN Ethan (@EthanGSN) December 3, 2017

Alas, points were not to be, as Smith had the ball taken away from him by Khalil Mack. A prior field goal by Giorgio Tavecchio helped Oakland (6-6) take a 10-7 lead into the half.

Yeah sorry that’s Khalil Mack’s football now pic.twitter.com/sNK4GQMLS6

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) December 3, 2017

Ineptitude and dormant offenses continued to star in the third quarter, but Oakland finally broke through with an 8-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a nine-yard scoring run by DeAndre Washington.

TD RAIDERS#NFLxFOX No fue de Marshawn Lynch, pero cuenta igual para DeAndre Washington @FOXImpactoNFL pic.twitter.com/Z6eqZ1qNl1

— FOX Sports MX (@FOXSportsMX) December 3, 2017

In a rare show of heart, perhaps too little too late, the Giants immediately struck back, as they went 88 yards on their next possession. Smith capped the drive off with his first scoring throw as a Giant, finding Evan Engram on a strong grab from 10 yards out. It was not the last showstopping grab for Engram, who kept a desperation drive alive later on with an Odell Beckham Jr. style one-handed catch allowed the Giants to recreate a one possession game.

OH MY😱😱😱@EvanEngram with a HUGE one-handed snag#GiantsPride pic.twitter.com/ty2cYZR2ac

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) December 4, 2017

Unfortunately for the Giants, the defense, their will completely broken, allowed a score after Engram’s sixth touchdown of the season, allowed the Raiders to put the game out of reach. Needing just four plays, Derek Carr would find Johnny Holten from nine yards out for a 24-14 lead. Engram’s one-handed heroics continued a drive that concluded with a career-long 52 yard field goal from Aldrick Rosas. His ensuing onside kick, however, left much to be desired, as Oakland’s recovery more or less ended the game.

Now at 2-10, the Giants, still filled with plenty of questions about their quarterback and coaching, will next do battle a week from today, taking on the divisional rival Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium (1:00 PM, FOX).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffMags5490

 NEXT: Have the Giants already ruined Davis Webb? 

New York Giants 

#Giants

[junker-town]

What to know about Mason Rudolph, the Steelers’ new quarterback

Mason Rudolph is taking over for veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who suffered a season-ending injury.

Before arriving in Pittsburgh, the Steelers’ third-round draft pick put up some big numbers at Oklahoma State.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have to play the rest of their 2019 season without veteran Ben Roethlisberger under center due to an elbow injury he suffered in Week 2. Now, the Steelers’ immediate future lies in the hands of second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph.

The Steelers drafted Rudolph in the third round in 2018. Although Rudolph hadn’t played in the regular season before, he had a strong debut coming in for the injured Roethlisberger, throwing for 112 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception (one that dropped out of his receiver’s hands) in a 28-26 loss to the Seahawks.

2️⃣➡️8️⃣9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/sbyMHGWuPJ

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 15, 2019

With the Steelers trading third-string quarterback Joshua Dobbs to Jacksonville, Rudolph is Pittsburgh’s quarterback for the remainder of the 2019 season.

Rudolph might be a new name to NFL fans, but the Steelers drafted a player who put up monster numbers at Oklahoma State for three seasons.

He finished as Oklahoma State’s winningest quarterback in school history, compiling a 32-9 record as a starter and leading the Cowboys to three 10-win seasons. Rudolph also set 54 school records, both single-season and career marks for passing yards, touchdowns, and pass efficiency.

Even though Rudolph worked in a spread offense under Mike Gundy, there were pro-style elements involved. Via Ian Boyd:

The Oklahoma State offense often worked in a “pro-style” fashion, in that Rudolph would approach the line of scrimmage with a menu of options, based on the look the defense was giving. Then he might check the play to one of a few alternatives if he saw an opportunity to hit a big play or smelled a negative play coming.

In his final season in Stillwater in 2017, he led the country with 4,904 yards through the air, a full 277 yards ahead of some guy named Baker Mayfield. As my colleague Christian D’Andrea points out, Rudolph didn’t have as much hype as the likes of Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, and Kyler Murray coming out of college, but Big 12 quarterbacks have found success recently in the NFL.

Before he entered the league, Rudolph was optimistic his game would translate to the next level.

“I think you’ve seen spread quarterbacks come to the league the last five years and they’ve ended up being pretty successful at the next level,” Rudolph said during the 2018 combine. “And I think you’re definitely starting to see a lot more of those concepts, and the high-tempo type offenses, NFL teams adopting more of that philosophy.”

Later that year, Rudolph was the sixth quarterback off the board in the draft. The five before him were all selected in the first round. But here’s something pretty cool: Rudolph will get to go up against all five of the quarterbacks drafted ahead of him this season. The Steelers will face Mayfield, Lamar Jackson, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen, and Sam Darnold during the regular season.

In particular, the Steelers-Browns games on Nov. 14 and Dec. 1 might have some added juice with Rudolph and Mayfield, who by the way played for bitter rival teams in college, too.

Rudolph may not be as interesting off the field as fellow new QB starter Gardner Minshew, but a few fun facts:

One of Rudolph’s best Oklahoma State highlights was him throwing a perfect pass to this dude on a jet-ski, joining the trend of aquatic trick shots by college QBs during the summer of 2017:

#okstate QB Mason Rudolph, ladies and gentlemen! He's consistent in any environment. (Video courtesy @Rudolph2Mason) pic.twitter.com/z7PQHqkNft

— Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) May 29, 2016

He also did yoga, which he incorporated into his workout routine in Stillwater, with ESPN’s Jeannine Edwards:

He also once met Backstreet Boys members Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson in Israel! He has smartly since-deleted old tweets, including the photo he tweeted of the three — likely a good idea since he @’ed Paris Hilton in it, too. Good thinking, Rudolph!

2018’s loaded quarterback class put Rudolph as a projected second- or third-rounder, which is right where Pittsburgh drafted him.

But Rudolph didn’t win the backup job right away — he was beaten out by Dobbs for the position in 2018. Rudolph said that being the third-string QB motivated him during the offseason and preseason camp.

“It was a change, but I think I will be better for it down the road,” Rudolph said in March. “It was a year I could focus on helping our team, being a guy behind the scenes, trying to raise my football IQ. I met with Coach [Mike] Tomlin once a week to find out his keys to the game and his insight onto what we need to attack on their defense. That really helped.”

During the preseason, Rudolph showed a lot of growth from Year 1 to 2, which allowed him to win the No. 2 job pretty handily:

Getting thrown into the fire isn’t easy, but there were a lot of bright spots in Rudolph’s debut.

After entering in the third quarter against the Seahawks, Rudolph’s first three passes, including the interception, were off the mark. He then found his stride under center and finished with a 92.4 passer rating. Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner even dialed up some trickeration for Rudolph with this 45-yard flea-flicker to JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Who doesn't like a good flea flicker? Could this be the future look of the Pittsburgh Steelers? #SEAvsPIT cc: @NFL pic.twitter.com/QIjjSiK4oP

— DraftZar (@draftzar) September 16, 2019

It certainly helps that Rudolph’s college teammate, James Washington, is with him in Pittsburgh, too. Throughout their years playing together at OSU, the Cowboys’ offense relied on Washington being able to slip past cornerbacks on post routes:

Rudolph found his college go-to receiver on a screen last Sunday, and there will likely be more where that came from. Pittsburgh’s offense will look different with Rudolph instead of Roethlisberger under center, and he should open up the Steelers’ play-action pass game, like he did with this touchdown to tight end Vance McDonald:

From All-22: Rudolph off play action touchdown pass to McDonald. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/W8Lq5JInSn

— SteelVideos (@SteelBlitzburgh) September 19, 2019

Even if Rudolph wasn’t expected to be pressed into duty, he impressed his teammates with his poise.

“He handled himself really well,” Steelers guard David DeCastro said via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Really proud of him, how he came in ready to go. He knew the playbook, had a big command, and he mixed some of the cadences, too.”

“He’s thrown the ball and made his reads, and he’s very deliberate about that,” McDonald added. “It’s something we can look forward to on offense. I think him and (offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner) have a great connection. He’s come a long way since last year. If he’s our guy, he’s our guy. We’ve got to move forward with him.”

The moment wasn’t too big for Rudolph, who Steelers guard Ramon Foster said prepares “like a mad man” before games.

“He steps in and does what he is told,” Washington told reporters. “He puts in film work. When his number is called, he is ready to go. What he does in practice he takes to the game. He watches film and studies and studies. What he sees from that week of preparation you see him doing that in the game.”

While the loss at home dropped the Steelers to 0-2, Rudolph still received overwhelming support from his teammates.

Rudolph has a chance to set himself up as Roethlisberger’s successor down the road, too.

After this season, the 37-year-old Roethlisberger has two more years remaining on his current contract with the Steelers. No one knows how he’ll come back from this injury, but he’s made it clear he still wants to keep playing.

The Steelers appear to be confident in both Rudolph and Roethlisberger, too — they traded next year’s first-round pick to Miami for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, which means they likely won’t be taking a quarterback high in next year’s draft, if at all.

The Steelers haven’t had to look for a franchise quarterback in 15 years. With his performance this season, Rudolph is hoping to prove their next one is already here.

[henckdesign]

Thank you @nicolemiller_philadelphia and all the other fabulous sponsors for supporting the Fashion Touchdown 2017 #bigbrothersbigsisters event tonight! @bellameaux You looked beautiful on the runway tonight and @malcolmjenkins27 you're a lucky man! ♥️❤️♥️ Such a fun time seeing everyone out tonight!! #BBBS #philadelphia #fashion #nicolemiller #philly (at Ben Franklin Ballroom)

#bigbrothersbigsisters #philadelphia #philly #fashion #bbbs #nicolemiller

[flauntpage]

Your Wednesday Morning Roundup

The Phillies won’t finish the season with 100 losses. Another small good thing in a pretty bad season.

They defeated the Washington Nationals 4-1 thanks to a two-run double by Cameron Rupp in the third inning. Starter Jake Thompson had a strong outing, going five innings and giving up one run on four hits while striking out five. The Phillies’ bullpen struck out nine in four innings of work.

Record-wise, this season was worse than last year’s 71-91 record, but there have been plenty of bright spots to show the near future. Ever since the arrival of Nick Williams in July, the team has started to become somewhat watchable. Will this change in 2018? I hope. But there’s still plenty of work that needs to be done.

Phils and Nats go at it one final time in 2017 tonight at 7:05. Mark Leiter Jr. goes for Philadelphia, while Tanner Roark opposes him for Washington.

The Roundup:

The best thing I read yesterday was Philly.com’s wonderful article of the oral history of the 2007 Phillies’ regular season finale.

Aaron Nola’s numbers have quietly been some of the best in baseball, from Ryan Lawrence of Philly Voice:

The fact that we’re in the final week of the 2017 season and talking about where Nola ranks among baseball’s best pitchers is somewhat remarkable given where we were a year ago, or even just six months ago with the 24-year-old right-hander. Nola missed the final two months of the 2016 season with an elbow injury and no one was still quite sure what to expect when he began making regular turns in the Grapefruit League back in March.

It’s safe to say Nola has quieted the pessimistic critics. And it’s also fair to say that Mackanin has been more than pleased to have a pitcher like Nola slotted anywhere in his rotation going into 2018.

While Rhys Hoskins is in a home run drought, Nick Williams is currently in a hit drought.

—

The Eagles brought back a familiar face in Kenjon Barner to replace Darren Sproles on a one-year deal. Barner recorded 129 rushing yards, 42 receiving yards, and two rushing touchdowns in 13 games with the Eagles last season.

Even without Sproles in the mix, the team can still have a diversified running game.

ESPN’s Tim McManus writes about Doug Pederson’s two analytics assistants that help him decide whether or not to go for it on fourth down:

Pederson named one of them at his day-after news conference — coaching assistant/linebackers coach Ryan Paganetti, a Dartmouth grad with a degree in Economics who spent two years as an analyst for the team. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich told ESPN there is a second voice that can be heard over the game-day communications system when it comes to such matters — director of football compliance Jon Ferrari.

The pair weighs in throughout the game, Reich said: after just about every touchdown on whether to go for one or two; during the final two minutes of each half to discuss timeouts, etc.; and when the team gets into what is considered fourth-down territory — usually around midfield and beyond. Sometimes Pederson initiates the dialogue; other times, the men upstairs do.

Carson Wentz now owes Jake Elliott a game check. But he may have worked out an alternative:

Well that escalated quickly…

but don't worry, @jake_elliott22 and I got this worked out…

— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz) September 27, 2017

An Eagles fan claims Giants wide receiver Brandon Marshall spat at his face.

—

After losing in overtime at MSG on Monday, the Flyers won the second leg of a home-and-home against the New York Rangers 4-3. Travis Konecny had the game-winner in the extra session.

It was Sam Morin’s turn to be the top young defenseman. The former first round pick scored the Flyers’ first goal and had a team-high four hits.

“I really don’t put pressure on myself. I know I belong here,” said Morin, a first-round selection (11th overall) in the 2013 draft. “I think I’m ready for the NHL, to be honest. I just have to keep working hard and show those guys I can make it.”

With the Flyers in a 2-0 deficit, Claude Giroux  — who again played left wing on Sean Couturier’s line — raced into the right circle, pirouetted, and dropped a pass to the on-charging Morin in the high slot. The big defenseman put a wrist shot behind Pavelec with 1:24 remaining in the first.

“I just saw ‘G’ had the puck and when he has the puck you have to be ready for the pass,” said Morin, who barely missed scoring a second goal when his backhander from the doorstep went wide midway through the third period. “I was coming from the bench and I just shot the puck toward the net and sometimes the puck goes in.”

Is Morin behind his fellow 2013 draft counterparts in terms of development?

Sam Carchidi is not a fan of protesting the National Anthem.

After spending a couple years in the AHL and some limited experience in the NHL, Jordan Weal is part of the young Flyers core.

Make no mistake, Weal was a darling of the Flyers fan base last season. They wanted him to make the team out of training camp. But the coaching staff thought Weal left a lot of meat on the bone in camp a year ago.

“He’s earned [his spot this season] and he’s kind of earned it the old-fashioned way,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “He spent more than a couple years in the AHL. The reality is he probably didn’t have the type of camp that he had hoped last year, but he went to Lehigh and earned it.

“He was arguably the best player in that league for several months. He’s earned the opportunity to be in a different spot [this year]. He works at his game and competes really hard. Right now, like any player, he’s working to get his game to a regular season level a week from now – and he’s earned that.”

—

The Sixers officially opened up training camp in Camden. After practice, head coach Brett Brown said he wants the team to make the playoffs:

“As I said to the group, our goal is to make the playoffs,” Brown said. “There are several other teams … they are in a room saying something similar. So to me, let’s talk about what that really means.”

The fifth-year head coach was speaking in terms of what his team needs to do to make a playoff berth possible. That’s understandable. But before Tuesday, Brown spoke of the challenges that will come with starting two rookie ballhandlers in Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz. He never publicly mentioned trying to make the playoffs. Simmons and Fultz have done a great job of that, while Brown and the Sixers’ front office downplayed the heightened expectations.

Brown still loves Joel Embiid, who won’t participate in 5-of-5 drills throughout camp.

There’s two Okafors at camp this season, but they’re not related. Former first round pick Emeka Okafor is trying to return to the NBA after a four-year absence:

“Being back in this environment, being back in the NBA umbrella, with the guys, the team, talking to the press, just feels so good,” Okafor said Monday. “It feels like putting on a suit that’s always been the right fit, or your favorite pair of jeans, however you want to put it. It just feels very, very natural.”

Why, if something feels so right, would he wait so long to come back? The timing wasn’t right and he wanted to continue rehabbing in a way that would promote longevity.

“Making sure I was healthy and strong and ready to come back and play the way I wanted to play,” Okafor said.

What starting lineups may or may not work for the Sixers this season?

—

Logan Marchi and Frank Nutile will battle for the starting quarterback job this week, according to Temple head coach Geoff Collins.

Villanova head coach Jay Wright reflects on his time with the late Rollie Massimino.

—

In other sports news, 10 people involved in college basketball, including four assistant coaches and a senior executive at Adidas, are facing federal bribery, fraud, and corruption charges in what could be the start of something big. And maybe the end of Rick Pitino at Louisville.

Researchers at Boston University may have a biomarker to help diagnose CTE while people are living:

In a study published Tuesday in the journal PLOS ONE, the researchers found that the biomarker, the protein CCL11, might also help distinguish CTE from Alzheimer’s disease, which often presents with symptoms similar to CTE and also can be definitively diagnosed only postmortem. The ability to diagnose CTE in the living would allow not only for the development of possible therapies to treat the disease, but also for research into prevention.

“This is a step forward from our knowledge gained in understanding CTE from brain donations,” says study senior author Ann McKee, a MED professor of neurology and pathology, director of BU’s CTE Center, and chief of neuropathology at VABHS. “It’s a hopeful step. The whole point is to understand as much as we can from the individuals who’ve fallen, so we can apply it to our future veterans and athletes.”

Dwyane Wade is expected to reunite with LeBron James in Cleveland once he clears waivers today.

DirecTV is allowing some subscribers to cancel their Sunday Ticket packages because of the National Anthem protests.

It might reach hockey as well, as Joel Ward, a Canadian, may take a knee during the National Anthem:

“It’s definitely something I wouldn’t cross out,” Ward said when asked by the Mercury News whether he’d consider taking a knee during the national anthem at an upcoming Sharks game.

“I’ve experienced a lot of racism myself in hockey and on a day-to-day occurrence. I haven’t really sat down to think about it too much yet, but I definitely wouldn’t say no to it.”

Deadspin did a feature on Raiders superfan Dr. Death and why he’s giving up on football if the Raiders move to Las Vegas.

Ric Flair claims he’s slept with around 10,000 women in his life in his 30 for 30 documentary. He now regrets saying that.

Huh:

From Michael Beasley podcast…we debated & disagreed about this (& much more) for at least 15 min. WHO IS RIGHT? https://t.co/2Bess1WpN2 http://pic.twitter.com/VrnggG7Bk1

— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) September 26, 2017

—

In the news, Twitter is expanding their character limit from 140 to 280 and it already sucks:

This is a small change, but a big move for us. 140 was an arbitrary choice based on the 160 character SMS limit. Proud of how thoughtful the team has been in solving a real problem people have when trying to tweet. And at the same time maintaining our brevity, speed, and essence! https://t.co/TuHj51MsTu

— jack (@jack) September 26, 2017

The Saudi king has lifted a ban on women drivers.

A teen is dead and three others are injured in Germantown.

The Commerce Department is slapping a tariff on Canadian planemaker Bombardier.

Aerosmith is cancelling the rest of their South American tour after singer Steven Tyler suffered “unexpected medical issues.”

Dave Roberts on CBS tonight will feel really weird:

. @VittoriaWoodill talks to @David_Boreanaz and local favorite Dave Roberts Wednesday at 11 after @SEALTeamCBS #mustseeTV ONLY ON #CBS3 http://pic.twitter.com/W8X6TRFyi8

— CBS Philly (@CBSPhilly) September 26, 2017

Your Wednesday Morning Roundup published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[giantsfootball0]

Final Thoughts: Vikings vs. Buccaneers

Remember that time Anthony Barr was a one-man wrecking crew on the first play of overtime against Tampa Bay in 2014? It was Week 8, the Vikings were 2-5 and had lost three straight, and Tampa Bay scored 13 points in the 4th quarter to take a lead before the Vikings kicked a field goal as time expired in regulation to push the game to overtime.

Barr took over from there.

On the first snap of overtime, Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon found tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins for what looked to be a solid drive-starting play. Barr chased Seferian-Jenkins down, forced a fumble, scooped up the fumble and sprinted 27 yards for a touchdown. It was the first game-winning fumble-return touchdown in franchise history and it capped what was a great game for Barr. The rookie linebacker tallied nine tackles, a sack, three quarterback hurries, one pass defensed and the forced fumble and fumble recovery. The effort garnered Barr NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors and it was one impressive week in what was an awesome rookie season.

That season, Barr totaled 99 tackles, 4.0 sacks, four tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, three passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles – all in 12 games.

Barr has been a steady producer for the Vikings defense since his debut season, but he battled through injuries during the 2015 and 2016 offseasons and that left many wondering what could’ve been had he been able to participate in an offseason program and training camp without also dealing with some sort of ailment. Well, he was healthy for all of the 2017 offseason and his first two games of the regular season have reflected that. He had eight tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss in the opener against New Orleans and then in Week 2 he was largely responsible for containing one of the NFL’s most lethal offensive weapons – Le’Veon Bell. In 31 touches, Bell racked up fewer than 100 yards and was held out of the end zone. With Barr in his hip pocket all day, Bell caught four passes for only four yards and averaged only 3.2 yards per carry.

We don’t know what Barr’s assignment(s) will be this week against Tampa Bay, but it’s clear he’s on a bit of a roll right now and very few people inside U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday would be disappointed if Barr had the kind of impact he’s had on the first two games, or the kind of impact he had the last time the Vikings played the Buccaneers.

Let’s get to a few more final thoughts from the week that was.

Bradford ruled out; Keenum will start Sunday

There will be no game day drama this week. Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer rule quarterback Sam Bradford out for Sunday’s game, meaning Case Keenum will start his second straight game for the Vikings. Everyone wants to know more detail about Bradford’s injury and timeline for return, but Zimmer declined to give any specifics about it because his focus remains on winning Sunday’s game over Tampa Bay; plus, he’s admitted he’s not clairvoyant.

For his part, Vikings Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur seems to have this extended quarterback quandary reduced to a pretty simple proposition.

“Well, the challenge is to put together a plan that can attack the defense that you’re facing and then within that plan trying to utilize the plays that fit the skillset of the quarterback playing,” Shurmur said. “That’s pretty much it.”

Zimmer, Koetter set to match wits over Rhodes, Evans matchup

Anyone who’s spent time thinking about the Vikings-Buccaneers matchup is anticipating a showdown between cornerback Xavier Rhodes and wide receiver Mike Evans. And that one-on-one matchup will come to fruition often on Sunday. But as we saw in this week’s Vikings GamePlan film segment with Pete Bercich, the Buccaneers like to line up Evans all over the formation – wide to each side, in the slot, in the short slot and in motion. So, will Rhodes travel with Evans? Will he travel with Evans to the slot? If not, does Rhodes stay on one side when Evans is in the slot or does Rhodes then pivot to DeSean Jackson when Evans is in the slot? This is a chess match between defensive and offensive minds and it’ll be fun to watch Zimmer and Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetter match wits.

Everson’s engine is running hot!

Sack Daddy is off to a great start. Everson Griffen has tallied 3.0 sacks in two games and he’s been nearly unblockable as he starts a 2017 season that follows a 2016 season in which he was NOT the team’s sack leader. That distinction went to Danielle Hunter, who had 12.5 sacks. Griffen had 8.5, a very good season-long number, and make no mistake that Griffen is very pleased with his younger teammate’s success. But Griffen cares about his performance, he is dedicated to his craft, he wants to be respected and he wants to be great. Tampa Bay will be on the lookout for No. 97. It will either not matter and Griffen will continue ransacking the backfield, or Tampa Bay will compensate to help the left side handle Griffen and Hunter will be more freed up to get after the quarterback.

A win on Sunday would…

– Improve the Vikings record at U.S. Bank Stadium to 7-3. You have to win your home games in this League, and the Vikings are doing that in their new building. Cleaning up at home is imperative now, as the Vikings begin on Sunday a stretch of four games in five weeks on their home turn before playing six of their final nine games on the road.

– Improve the Vikings record versus NFC teams in 2017 to 2-0. All the games matter, but games against division opponents matter most and games against conference opponents matter almost as much.

About that Vikings run defense

Many people lamented the Vikings run defense a year ago. But I never thought it was really that bad. They held their first six opponents, including the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans – both top 10 rushing offenses by season’s end – to below their would-be per-game rushing average. There were some hiccups in there, though. At any rate, 2017 is a new season and the run defense has been on point. The Vikings have held opponents to 3.0 yards per rush, seventh-best in the NFL, and they haven’t allowed a run longer than 11 yards all season.

The quietest record setter ever

Leave it to Marcus Sherels to set a Vikings team record in the quietest fashion ever. The soft-spoken Sherels broke the record for Vikings career punt returns yards last week, passing Leo Lewis. Sherels now has 1,822 career punt return yards and will have 14 games to add to that total in 2017. Sherels is as unassuming a pro athlete as you’ll ever meet, but don’t confuse that soft-spoken nature for weakness or ambivalence. He’s as competitive and dedicated as they come. He broke into the League the hard way, as an undrafted free agent, and seven years later he’s still kicking – ‘er returning. The guy no one wanted coming out of the University of Minnesota back in 2010 is now the guy no one can beat out of a roster spot because of his prowess on special teams as a punt returner and gunner.

Stat of the week

The Vikings defense has held opponents to just two of nine (22.2%) on red zone possessions. What should be noted with this stat is that the Vikings defense has faced formidable offenses – Drew Brees and the Saints and Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers, offenses that scored touchdowns at 66% and 54% clips, respectively, in the red zone a season ago.

Three threats

Gerald McCoy – The total package at defensive tackle. Big and powerful with strength and leverage combined with a quick first step and explosiveness to penetrate the backfield. McCoy is a handful and is a defender offenses will game plan around. He can ruin the game if you’re not careful.

DeSean Jackson – Speed. So much speed. A great complement to Mike Evans. Zimmer noted this week that Jackson has the speed and quickness to take a short pass and turn it into a long touchdown and then he also has the deep speed to take the top off a defense.

Lavonte David – Another Buccaneer with speed. Zimmer has praised the Buccaneers linebacker corps for their speed and David is a big reason for that. He’s a tackling machine, he can play in space and he can cover the pass.

Your mail

So much for that revamped offensive line. Leaking like a sieve. New Orleans defense was clearly an inferior NFL-caliber unit.

— Jack Grace

Hall of Famers one day and trash the next. That is life in the NFL. Everyone loved that new-look Vikings offensive line after the 29-19 win over New Orleans, and now after some struggles while playing the Steelers on the road and on a short week with a backup quarterback, it’s like that group has never done anything worthwhile. Let’s give it time to breathe here before we make final judgments.

I hear a lot of praise for Trae Waynes’ performances from week-to-week but I seem to continually watch him try to catch up to receivers and cause flags to fly. Even going back to the preseason games against Seattle and San Francisco, he seemed to be struggling. Do you think it’s time we start to look at another option for the number two corner spot? Skol!

— Glenn Johnson

Waynes has games where he plays well, such as Week 1 this season. He also has games where he gives up too many big plays and commits too many penalties. It’s fair to wonder when his development will take hold and he’ll take that next step, but I believe it’s unfair to jump ship with him. He has too much talent and too good of coaching right now to give up on him. I believe Waynes will be everything this defense needs him to be for the majority of the 2017 season.

How do you asses the overall performance of the secondary in Pittsburgh? And should we be concerned going forward? The long pass interference penalties look like a serious concern for a team that plays Aaron Rodgers and the Packers at least twice a year. Were they symptomatic of some deeper issues or young players not developing as hoped?

— Jim Lee

They gave up too many penalties and a few big plays. Those mistakes have to be corrected. But Le’Veon Bell had four receptions for four yards and Brown was basically a non-factor. Tight end Jesse James didn’t have a touchdown after scoring twice the week prior. Roethlisberger had fewer than 100 yards passing at halftime. All of that illustrates a great effort by the pass defense, but those penalties and a few big plays muddy the picture a bit. I think they’ll be fine and are in a good place heading into Week 3.

Quote of the week: Pat Shurmur

Reporter: Did you do anything special with Dalvin on ball security?

Shurmur: A: We work on ball security with all the players every day. It’s like shaving, if you don’t it eventually you don’t look good. I think it’s something that we work on and every player that touches the ball needs to finish the down with it.

I love analogies, especially original ones. Thanks, coach Shurmur, for making Thursday’s press conference less mundane than it could have been. That’s two weeks in a row that Shurmur is the quote of the week. We might be onto something here.

Broadcast Info

National Television: FOX (Ch. 9 Twin Cities)

Play-by-play: Thom Brennaman

Analyst: Chris Spielman

Sideline: Peter Schrager

Local Radio: KFAN-FM 100.3/KTLK-AM 1130

Play-by-play: Paul Allen

Analyst: Pete Bercich

Sideline: Greg Coleman, Ben Leber

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