Posted by 0 Comments Tagged with Jon Gruden Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

The Rooney Rule was not created to be an obstacle to hirings, either on NFL sidelines or in front offices.

Yet that’s exactly how it appears teams are viewing it. Deepen the pool of candidates? No, check off a box before grabbing the guy they wanted all along.

The Raiders sent that perception all over the football world in their pursuit of Jon Gruden as head coach. The Browns sent the same perception in December when they hired John Dorsey as general manager. If they weren’t actually sidestepping the league rule by creating window-dressing job interviews with token candidates, they did a great impression of it.

The NFL gave the Browns a pass, on the absolute thinnest of arguments, even as John Wooten of the Fritz Pollard Alliance said to USA Today of the Browns’ process: “I am livid that the Browns would totally ignore the work all of us do to make the Rooney Rule meaningful.”

Bottom line: Gordon is worth a look in trade calls. I wouldn’t go crazy in chasing him but trading someone like Corey Coleman to an owner who doesn’t buy the resurgence is entirely feasible.

Doug Martin left the game in the second quarter of the Bucs game Sunday with a hamstring injury. The artist formerly known as the Muscle Hamster will reportedly get an MRI Tuesday.

The Royals had the No. 1 farm system in baseball in 2011 and won two pennants as a result, including a world championship in 2015. The Cubs hit the top five in 2013, ranked No. 1 in 2015, and won the World Series in 2016. The Astros had the No. 1 farm system in baseball in 2014 and won their first World Series in 2017.

I don’t think any of this is a big coincidence: Teams can’t buy championships. They can buy a player or two to finish off a good roster, but the bulk of a pennant-winning roster comes from within, either through cheaper players the team developed from its farm system or veterans acquired by trading such prospects.

Former Chargers safety Eric Weddle, now with the Baltimore Ravens, wrote on Twitter: “Chargers leaving is TERRIBLE. Sad day for everyone who supported the [C]hargers. City and people are amazing. SD will always be my home!!!”
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Posted by 0 Comments Tagged with Julio Jones Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pro Bowl special teams ace notched a team record six special teams tackles Atlanta’s Week 11 win over the Panthers.

This is Pederson’s first shot in the playoffs as a head coach, and he’s had two weeks to figure out ways to push the ball downfield. They don’t need multiple shots, but just a few to get the offense some chunk plays. Also, scoring a touchdown early will lift the anxiety off the Linc and that place will be rocking.

The Falcons’ key to victory this weekend is Julio Jones. Julio is a beast in the playoffs, with 104.7 receiving yards per game. Last weekend against the Rams, Matt Ryan’s passer rating was 139.2 when targeting Jones.

A weak-armed but tough prospect who likely spend his NFL career holding a clipboard, Carden has been compared to Bruce Gradkowski by CBS Sports’ Brugler.Hubbard wrote that had yielded enhanced .It’s a terrible feeling when your back is hurt.Louisiana Tech third baseman Lunceford came up with the game-winning walk-off double the bottom of the 13th inning as the 14th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team fell to the Bulldogs 6 extra innings on Wednesday night at J.C.

I threw a lot of strikes early and they hit it at people and I was able to get some quick outs.Not to hijack this thread , what about Hart, State?

African-Americans involved in the league and beyond say that Richardson selling the franchise to an African-American buyer after racially insensitive charges against him would be a bold and fitting step. Lanier insists there are non-African Americans across the NFL spectrum who feel the same way who add, simply, that it is time.

“I do think the Carolina process will be a fair one looking for qualified ownership regardless of race, sex or origin,” Lanier said. “As time has grown, there are new beginnings and we are in a different place, with change rapidly unfolding. There is more dialogue in this process than ever.”

And can either hide behind the notion that there are simply no worthy African-American candidates?

“Well, I do know people who could be interested and who are more than qualified,” Lanier said. “There are a number of African-Americans who have the capital and the structure to own an NFL team. There is no question about that. It’s time. It would be significant to have that next step — ownership.”bears_132-223x223

Posted by 0 Comments Tagged with Kelvin Benjamin Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

Rivera’s shirts serve two purposes: They look dope, and they’re a clever way to support his players.

The Panthers’ receivers depth chart today looks totally different than it did at the beginning of the season. Carolina blew everyone’s minds when it shipped former first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin off to the Bills. Damiere Byrd and Curtis Samuel both landed on injured reserve.

The 35-year-old quarterback just threw five interceptions in a game for the first time in his NFL career, so whether the comment was made facetiously, there was clear frustration about his performance against the Jacksonville defense. But it wasn’t the first time that the Jaguars caused him trouble.

“He’s a downhill, physical runner,” said one Arizona staffer of Peterson. “A one-cut, get-north type guy who can break tackles. And most of our big plays in the passing game are schemed off play-action, so he fits well.” In short, the hope is that Peterson can be the ideal bridge to Johnson, allowing the Cardinals to play as they were built, with the run game helping a work-in-progress offensive line and 37-year-old quarterback Carson Palmer. So we’ll see if this all keeps working like it did on Sunday. At the very least, there’s a better shot of it happening for Peterson than he ever had in New Orleans.

The Falcons’ defense doesn’t get a lot of credit for being as good as it is. They’re certainly not the Jaguars, but they’ve put on numerous displays this season that were eye opening — most recently against the Rams.

Minnesota, on the other hand, is coming off a much-needed bye week, having won the NFC North, marking their first time earning the off week since 2009. The Vikings have faced a slew of injuries to their quarterback room over the past two seasons, and after losing Sam Bradford early in the year, the reins have been handed to Case Keenum. Since taking over as the starter (in Week 3), the fifth-year QB set career highs in just about every category: passing attempts (481), completions (325) and percentage (67.6), yards (3,547), touchdowns (22), and passer rating (98.3).

So, even though these teams faced off in Week 1, there aren’t many similarities heading into the Divisional Round matchup.

This marks the fourth time these teams will meet in the postseason, with the Vikings leading the series 2-1. They last met in the playoffs during the 2009 NFC Championship Game, with New Orleans beating Minnesota, 31-28, on its way to winning Super Bowl XLIV.bears_143-223x223

Posted by 0 Comments Tagged with Jeff Fisher Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

The Falcons were supposed to be here — they’re the defending NFC champions.

The Rams, on the other hand, were coming off a 4-12 season and breaking in the youngest head coach in the NFL. Despite those disparate pasts, it’ll be Los Angeles — and not Atlanta — playing host to Saturday’s Wild Card Game.

The Rams thrived after surrounding a growing quarterback with weapons — a blueprint other teams will look to follow in 2018.
Look no further than the Rams. Out is Jeff Fisher and in is Sean McVay, the youngest head coach in the NFL. He was brought in to fix Jared Goff. What did the Rams do right away? They signed left tackle Andrew Whitworth and center John Sullivan. Give Goff protection. They drafted Cooper Kupp, signed Robert Woods and traded for Sammy Watkins. Give Goff weapons.

The win sets up a chance for the Jags to start 2-0 in the division, with the Titans looming Sunday. It’s just one game at this point, and even a victory over Tennessee wouldn’t assure Jacksonville anything.

But the way it looked against Houston is enough to at least makes these guys think about what could be next.

“I think it’s huge for the confidence of the team, and I think it’s also huge for the coaching staff,” Campbell said. “Even though you’re required to do all that stuff that we’re required to do through camp, and all the meetings, the studying, it was tough, it was challenging. But when you watch us perform the way we did, it’s like, ‘OK, it’s worth something, we get something for it.’ And that allows you to go even harder.”

And that is all Marrone and Coughlin have been asking them to do.

But this year he was on the wrong side of 40 with a great backup quarterback waiting in the wings. For the first time in 17 years, he no longer could exist outside of the reality that he could be pushed aside at any moment. He had to live with it: The Fear.

When you’re not getting wins and you’re the majority of games, there’s stress, said Bozak.And it’s that sort of thinking that allowed her to gift us with this gem of quotation, and a philosophy we could all stand to internalize, Southern or not: Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry.That was the expert opinion at least – His Airness had let his legendary competitiveness get away from him once again, and had dealt a promising, lottery pick for oft-injured rental.The Mets are still shopping for a reliever this , and Kevin Kernan of the New Post says a return to Queens would be the best fit if New is willing to give out extra year.bears_026-223x223

Posted by 0 Comments Tagged with Tom Verducci Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

Gruden has previously said that he believes the Tuck Rule is “a crock of sh*t.”

It wasn’t the last Tuck Rule reference of the presser.

Gruden said he’s looking forward to meeting the running back. But it’s never happened before, not even during Gruden’s broadcasting career.

“I asked for Marshawn Lynch in production meetings and never got to meet him,” Gruden said. “So I’m anxious to sit down with Marshawn.”

The Buccaneers didn’t take the step forward that many of them thought they would during the 2017 season. NFL head coaches have shorter leashes than ever, but Koetter appears to be getting one last breath and a shot in 2018.

Tom Verducci: If his market doesn’t develop, the Royals still have a shot at signing him as part of their rebuild to be the “face of the franchise,” which may be smart from a loyalty perspective but not from a baseball sense. But I like the fit with the Rockies, where he would give them one of the best infield defenses in baseball, leadership and a complementary bat in a deep lineup.

Both Jenkins and Stills are Man of the Year nominees for their activism against racial inequality and social injustice. Jenkins’s efforts are focused on criminal justice reform, working to pass Clean Slate legislation that would seal old, non-violent misdemeanor offenses for Pennsylvanians who have not had any additional convictions for at least 10 years.

The Titans were going to need all of the help they could get to keep things close against the Patriots on the road. They didn’t get it from the refs.

The Titans forced a punt in the second quarter, and they managed to get the Patriots to jump for a false start. At least that’s what officials called initially. They changed the call to a neutral zone infraction on Tennessee.

The Titans did jump, but only after Patriots center David Andrews moved his head.

Once you leave the facility, your obligation to the team is finished until report date. It’s an odd feeling driving away, headed off to wherever the offseason takes you. This weight, all the stress from the season, feels lifted. Your body might still be hurting, but it’s the first time in months you’re able to mentally relax.

A 500-foot home run is historic.He’s extremely dangerous, McCann said of his successor behind the plate.
That’s the baseball term for gaining more experience.Gibson was regarded as a four- recruit out of high school and started his career at Ohio State as a quarterback, before shifting to receiver during his redshirt year 2015.bears_006-223x223

Posted by 0 Comments Tagged with Tennessee Titans Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

Viewers are looking for one service that will allow them to watch any game they want without any exceptions.

Outside of going 0-2 SU and ATS against the Saints this season, the Panthers decimated the majority of their schedule going 11-3 SU and 9-4-1 ATS over their other 14 games.

Carolina rolled into its season finale against Atlanta with a 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS record over its last eight games but failed to come away with the upset in a 22-10 loss. The Panthers are 0-3 SU and 0-2-1 ATS in their last three postseason games away from home.

This is what their season is all about -– fixing, healing the torture of the one before it. There is no denying it, even as they head next to Philadelphia. They don’t have to talk about it. It’s there. It’s evident and real. It’s an inferno within them.

This year, I really went back and forth about whether I should get Sunday Ticket again and ultimately, I decided not to because I like football but I don’t love football anymore. I am more of a baseball fan and I pay for MLB.TV for the summer. That’s $120 for the whole season, and then to pay another $100-something for the Ticket, I just didn’t want to fork out that kind of money. So I called my father-in-law during the second week of the season and I asked him for his cable log-in. I had borrowed a friend’s log-in the year before, until he eventually cut his cable this past spring.

“But we do up-downs every day and now I’ve come to appreciate them a little bit more. They’re still not fun to do. But I do believe the message they’re trying to send us is we’re going to be tougher than everybody else.”

So here’s our lesson heading into Week 2: September is too early to declare success, but not for judging philosophical change. After the Jags pasted the Texans 29-7, it’s clear that Jacksonville has taken on the personality of its coach, which is a good sign to show at this early juncture.

“I think it was pretty obvious pretty quick. [The coaches] wanted us to control the line of scrimmage and be the most physical team out there,” Campbell said. “And it’s been proven whoever wins the line of scrimmage usually wins games. We went over all the statistics, how they relate to winning and losing, just going off pure facts and history.”

Karp says the NFL needs to seriously address this gray area of cable-cutting, on-demand entertainment, new platforms and live sports consumption.nationals_034

Posted by 0 Comments Tagged with Jerry Richardson, Tom Brady Posted in Chicago Bears

NFL playoffs 2018: Bracket and schedule update after Saints vs. Vikings

The NFL’s final four is officially set after Sunday’s Divisional Round games, and we have our matchups for next week’s conference championship games. There are only three weeks left before the quest for the Lombardi Trophy is finished, but let’s take a look at the weekend’s action first.

On Saturday, the No. 1 seeds held serve with the Patriots and Eagles punching tickets to home games in the conference championships. On Sunday, the Jaguars and Vikings secured their places as the visiting teams.

When Mitchell addressed his nephew’s high school basketball team last March, he told them, “I still don’t sleep well, thinking about Tom Brady.” And, back in the hallway, he said that hadn’t changed. “I’d be lying now if I said otherwise,” he said. “Look, the Patriots are the benchmark. That’s the team we’re going to have to knock off if we want to win the Super Bowl.”

The Panthers current owner, Jerry Richardson, announced on Sunday, Dec. 17 he was putting the team up for sale after allegations of workplace misconduct forced the team to start an internal investigation just two days earlier.

Since then, the team named Tina Becker its chief operating officer. Becker has been with the Panthers for 20 years and controls the team’s day-to-day operations in her new role.

While allegations against Richardson surfaced Friday, details emerged in a Sports Illustrated piece that Sunday, forcing Richardson’s hand.

The story alleges there were sexually inappropriate comments directed at female employees:

Among those in heaviest rotation: Show me how you wiggle to get those jeans up. I bet you had to lay down on your bed to fit into those jeans. Did you step into those jeans or did you have to jump into them?giants_096