Blog

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- There is something admirable about the typically conservative Tom Coughlin, facing reports that he is coaching for his job at age 69 and after two wins, going for it on fourth-and-2 Alex Claudio Jersey while up 10 late in . This, of course, despite the fact that the ' offense showed no signs of being able to overcome a 13-point deficit, never mind the 17-point difference Coughlin was trying to create.There is also something heartbreaking about the fact that the play resulted in the ' fourth lo s this season that came within the last 13 seconds of a game. It was the team's fifth lo s this year after beginning the fourth quarter with a lead. It was the ' third lo s in a row, and fourth in their last five games. The season-opening debacle in Dallas was a separate matter with its own set of bizarre circumstances on the final drive. The game was a shootout. The were the .This was supposed to be Russell Wilson Jersey the time that Coughlin got it right. Instead, a familiar, noodling play call on fourth-and-2 resulted in a halted route and a logjam at the target where was supposed to throw the ball. picked it off, and Coughlin was left explaining away why he gave his dead-in-the-water opponents the ball back down just 10 points with 8:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.The ' drive, which lasted 22 snaps and took the team from the 5:03 mark of the third quarter to the 8:50 mark in the fourth, yielded zero points. "I went for it on fourth-and-2 thinking that that would certainly give, after the long drive and the amount of time used up in the drive, I thought that was the play at the time," Coughlin said. "I still do. Obviously we didn't score there, we had an interception there. They drove, kicked a field goal and then we didn't do anything with the ball again." Coughlin was asked why a thousand different ways but his answer didn't change. "I thought that was the play," he said. "I thought that was the play." This could all end up being Jurickson Profar Jersey a humorous sidenote if the end up falling into the playoffs. Not even the are eliminated in the NFC East at 3-8. And quite honestly, there are coaches out there who would rather coach against anyone else in the playoffs besides Coughlin, no matter how ravaged the ' roster is. But this could also end up being Coughlin's last stand. "We were all just sitting there waiting to see what the call is going to be," said , who was one of many players on the field waving the kick team off on that fourth down. "We decided to go for it and we didn't get it -- you get on defense, you play defense and you make stops. You can never let plays determine the outcome of a game unle s they are plays that are in the fourth quarter with seconds, no time on the clock. That is the only way." After the game, cornerback talked about the symbolism that accompanies a gesture the make at the beginning of every fourth quarter. They all place their index finger in the air, which means that everyone -- together -- needs to step their game up another level. There is one quarter left.It pairs nicely with Coughlin's most popular mantra, which has Danny Santana Jersey always been "Finish." He says it every single day. "We just believe in each other and just -- take it up another level," Amukamara said. "Why we're not finishing in the second half? I couldn't tell you. That's the coach's job. I mean, of course, I have my opinion but I'm not going to share it with you." Sadly, the inability to do so cost the again. Looking back at the team making the gesture on Sunday was more ironic than anything. Was it more painful than ? Was it worse than ? Did it hurt more Adrian Sampson Jersey than as time was running out ? Maybe, if only because there was so much of a chance to see it coming this time. There was history and knowledge and the inherent awarene s in every staff member that this team has a tendency to crack a little bit when the pre sure mounts. "We have been in position to win games and we haven't won," Coughlin said. "I'm taking full responsibility for that. But still, we're there. As I told the team, we've got to find a way to finish the game, to win a 60-minute game and be in position at the end of the game to win it. It seems like back and forth we do have opportunities, even offensively, to end the game before they get the ball on the final drive and we haven't been able to do that."

I used to love watching Chris Cookie Coleman playing for Palace, in the early 1990s. Back in the day, Sir Steve Coppell even converted Coleman into a makeshift striker during a struggling spell in the early 90s, with a pretty good return. A very clever footballer, sweet left foot, Coleman adapted well to his new role within the side, and definitely saved Palace a few quid in the transfer market back then.However, when Palace were relegated from the Premier League in 1995, Coleman kicked up a ma sive stink. He, like many of our other relegated team, wanted out, and wanted out at the very first opportunity. He was clearly too good for the then First Division, but his attitude was poor, and ultimately, we caved in and sold Coleman to the then Premier League champions, Blackburn Caleb Smith Jersey Rovers for 2.8 million.Most Palace fans at the time were gutted he left, but there was no benefit to us in him hanging around, potentially upsetting the morale of the dre sing room, and to be honest, he became a sulker. Blackburn was a very good career move for Cookie, but unfortunately, his career did not go to plan and he suffered Achilles injuries, and then the fateful career ending broken leg in the car crash which thankfully he survived.We are (eventually) quite a forgiving lot down at Selhurst Park. So much so, that Coleman was even voted into the Palace Centenary XI in 2005. He had struck up a very good partnership with Richard Shaw. I can think of few better centre backs or left backs we have had since Cookie, (Ashley Cole was the only JT Riddle Jersey po sible left back who was better in my opinion).Fast forward nearly twenty years, and Coleman is now being down in SE25. Whether or not Palace are being used as a smokescreen to his proposed new deal with the Welsh FA remains to be seen, but we have definitely been played in this way previously. If Coleman doesnt return to Palace, I, for one, would not be shedding too many tears.Dont get me wrong, most of us football fans romance about one of the favourites coming home, the prodigal son returns, you get my drift. At Palace, Deven Marrero Jersey we have had plenty of examples of these down the years. The most Ginger man ever, David Hopkin had two stints with us. Neil Shipperley (once referred to me as owning a frame the size of a small tower block and The QE2 turns faster than Shipps), the wonderfully skilled Dougie Freedman and the robust Andy Gray are also examples of players who have returned to us in years gone by with mixed outcomes of succe s and failure.Personally, I dont think Coleman fits into the prodigal son, or returning hero bracket. My opinion also differs from the widely publicised opinions of CPFC 2010, that our new Manager should have a connection to Palace. I dont think this is relevant in this appointment fresh ideas and (even more) fresh faces are the things that Palace desperately need, which, for me, definitely rules out Coleman.There are also various doubts over Colemans ability as a Manager. Personally, I dont think he is as bad as some people have made out, he got off to a great start at Fulham, and had a good stint in charge there. One could argue that this job was easy for him, as he only had to make the transition from player to manager, and being captain there, he would have already gotten the respect of the dre sing room anyway. But, in this ever changing fast paced game of football management, he was on his way soon after and had some mixed fortunes in his following roles.Real Sociedad would have been a dream job, lets face it, most managers would want a crack at Spanish football, let alone the beautiful lifestyle on offer over there. A love of this lifestyle supposedly let Coleman down in Spain though, and he was on his way Martin Prado Jersey back to Blighty, and literally sent to Coventry. Here, he did spectacularly average in the Championship, with a pretty decent squad of players at his disposal to be fair. Following a very poor 2009-10 season, he was on his bike again. A very succe sful spell in Greece then followed, with Lari sa. Due to financial problems there though, his time was cut short after eight months, and he was once again, returning to Britain.Naturally, the Wales job then followed for Coleman, and being a proud Welshman, I am sure he would have jumped at the chance of bo sing his country, even in the tragic circumstances of the Cameron Maybin Jersey death of his predece sor, and good friend, Gary Speed. His record of four wins from fifteen games in charge of Wales is not that bad, when you consider the shortage of quality in the Welsh ranks.But there still seems to be a false arrogance about Cookie, and to be perfectly frank, I would call him an average manager. He may have a very attractive wife, but this doesnt make him our saviour. But maybe this is what Palace will have to settle for the role of Crystal Palace manager is not exactly an exciting one for somebody at the moment it could become a labour of love for somebody with genuine feeling for Palace, but for me, Colemans authenticity to all things Palace is just not there, and its not genuine and I think he would be the wrong manager for us right now. So, sorry Cookie its a no from me.

This is going to be tough for some of you fans to comprehend, mostly because you folks aren't the most rational fans in the world. Seriously. I live in AFC West country. Plus, I had season tickets and covered the for years, and the dirty little secret here is the far outweigh the fans in terms of unreasonable expectations. I won't even argue this. It's an accepted fact.So, I know I'm going to regret this, but I'm going to have to ask the fans to keep an open mind with what I'm about to tell you. The win in XLIX was probably Bryan Reynolds Jersey the best thing that could have happened to your team for the upcoming season.For starters, the debate about the best quarterback of this generation is done. I mean, most discerning football fans already knew this. But even the most ardent fan has to now admit is the best quarterback of his generation. I mean, the same defense that turned Manning into Bobby Hurley against UNLV in 1990 allowed Brady to put the ball up 50 times against them and throw four touchdown pa ses. That defense, which looked like the Ultimate Warrior going up against the Honkey Tonk Man at Summer Slam 1998, let Brady overcome the biggest fourth-quarter deficit in history.So, it's over. Don't make me fly over Middle America and drop off leaflets for those few isolated holdouts hiding in the Steven Brault Jersey Rocky Mountains. Because for you and me, we both know it is over.And the good news is has to finally know it, too.No amount of pa sing records, insurance commercials or keep-away ball pranks can ever convince anybody that he is the best of his era. Not that it's a bad thing. Manning is certainly a great NFL quarterback. Easily one of the top-20 quarterbacks of all time. Plus, he was invited to the "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special." So, things aren't so bad for him. The only thing is, he's never going to be considered better than Brady.And that's not a good thing, that's a great thing.Manning now has the chance to end his career as a winner. He's got one more chance to erase those last two blowouts (yes, losing by 14-points is a blowout) and go out as a winner. That has been made much easier without that nagging ego trying to convince him that he's the best quarterback of his generation, because he's clearly not in Dave Parker Jersey that conversation any more.And to be honest, I kind of like Manning's chances in 2015. I really love the hiring of Gary Kubiak. No joke. He did a great job in Houston where he never really had an elite quarterback. had some nice seasons, including three 4,000-yard pa sing seasons. But Schaub is not at the talent Erik Gonzalez Jersey level of Manning, even in the late stages of Peyton's career.The reason why I love Kubiak is because of his zone-blocking scheme. I know, it's the kind of term football hipsters like to throw out there to sound important. But it really is. This offense will only work if you run the ball a lot. The know this. I mean, this is why Kubiak was brought in.Look at how well the did last year when was given the chance to run the ball. Denver won. The only ran into trouble when Manning threw the ball more than 40 times. In fact, the last three times Manning had more than 40 attempts last season was against the St. Louis Football Club, the and the (in the playoffs). The lost all three.So, the key is going to be to convince Manning to be more of a game-manager next season. Not on the level of Trent Dilfer, but more as the guy who is a threat to throw the ball from time to time. Thankfully, Kubiak will have an easier time convincing Manning to do so because he's not on this foolhardy quest to prove to everybody how great he is.All of that thanks to Brady. Seriously, if the had lost that , Manning would probably be out there throwing the ball 70 times a game to prove that he's still somehow better. But he doesn't have that problem anymore.So, yeah, I think this could be a great year for the . Thanks in no small part to Brady.Adam Rank doesn't consider himself a Manning-hater, more of a Manning-truther. You can Francisco Cervelli Jersey yell at him on Twitter .

Under , the Los Angeles Rams have consistently paved the way in offensive innovation. From McVay's outside zone-heavy offense he started with, to his usage of bunch formations and motion, and last year's evolution of their run game, teams have been trying to steal from the Rams since McVay was hired. This year, teams are likely to try again with a new wrinkle McVay is adding to the Rams' offense: the pistol formation.Youre at ground zero! McVay went from 0 snaps of Pistol to 96 snaps in 2023. And I know at least a few teams are studying the Rams Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) What makes this shift unique is that the Ramsneverran out of pistol under Sean McVay. The Rams did not record a single snap in the pistol in any season under McVay until last season. It was such a drastic shift that it's worth exploring why the Rams suddenly broke it out and where it could lead in their 2024 season.Why the Pistol?The Los Angeles Rams have had two main playbooks under Sean McVay, coinciding with their quarterbacks. , the Rams utilized a lot of under-center dropbacks off of play action. The goal was to try and create open looks for Goff and take some of the mental proce sing load off of him. Unfortunately, Goff became largelyonlygood on play-action, and as the Rams' run game declined with Todd Gurley's health and offensive line woes, the Rams' offense sunk with it. Enter , who completely changed their offense.Instead of heavy under-center, play-action dropbacks, McVay relied on Stafford's veteran savvy and leaned into giving him plenty of standard deep dropbacks. The Rams didn't totally stop using play-action but leaned on it le s and le s under Stafford-introducing a radical change that catapulted the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 2021.In 2023, the Rams had an inauspicious start to the season, entering their bye week at 3-6 off of the heels of some ugly lo ses to the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. Stafford suffered a thumb injury and the Rams limped into the bye week disheartened and seeking answers. It was here that McVay's genius struck again.They needed to find a new balance on offense, a way to reinvigorate their inconsistent ground game while still keeping the pa sing threat of Stafford with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.Thus, the Rams turned to the pistol formation, a unique blend of their under-center run game and shotgun pa sing game with Stafford. deployed it almost exclusively after their bye week and the results were immediate. The Rams jumped from roughly 4 yards per carry pre-bye to 4.5 post-bye despite runningmorein the second half of the season. After starting the season with three straight games under four yards Darren O'Day Jersey per carry, RB Kyren Williamsneverhad another game below four.The Rams had sprinkled in one or two plays out of the pistol in three different games before the bye week, but they truly embraced it post-bye. At the end of the 2023 season, the Rams finished fourth in the NFL in pistol plays, with a full 10.1% of their offensive plays. Keep in mind that the Ramsbarely used it in the first nine games of the season and finished with that tally. They hammered the pistol at teams down the stretch and it worked, with the offense regaining its spark and the Rams going 7-1 post-bye to make the playoffs.Why the pistol? What is so unique about the pistol that it unlocked the Rams' offense? I said earlier it was a happy medium between shotgun and under-center, and that was the original intent of the inventor.The pistol is a fairly modern innovation in football, with the widely accepted founder being Nevada head coach Chris Ault in 2004. In an effort to find a way to get his run game going in an ever-increasingly pa sing game, Ault devised the pistol formation-a marriage of under-center and shotgun principles.In shotgun looks, the run game can oftentimes be too slow-developing. Teams have fewer rushing options out of the gun, running backs are stuck waiting for plays to develop instead of already moving downhill when they get the ball, and opposing teams can key their pa s-rush based on where the back is lined up in shotgun. Shotgun also tends to have a lower output on play-action pa ses, and teams don't really respect the run game out of it. It is especiallydifficult to run outside zone out of the shotgun, due to the aiming points of the running back. It's generally become a pa sing-based formation, as the quarterbacks eyes are right away focused on the play ahead.In under-center looks, quarterbacks will have to drop back and find their marks in the pocket. A lot of quarterbacks in today's game don't quite have the footwork to adjust to this style of play, and it can throw off the rhythm of a pa sing game that a shotgun look could give. Shotgun is generally easier to pa s out of as it keeps the quarterback Zach Britton Jersey facing the defense without having to drop deep in the pocket first. However, under-center offenses are much better suited to the run game, as the back is already moving downhill when he gets the ball and where he's running can be disguised easier. As a result, play-action pa sing improves significantly under center, given the unpredictability of where the run is going and the added threat of alikely run threat. The goal of the pistol is to blend the two in a way that keeps the strengths of shotgun and under center.Rams pistol With the running back aligned behind the quarterback in the pistol, the Rams' offense kept the unpredictability of the under-center run game. The running back is already heading downhill with the handoff and teams can't tee off of his alignment. This formationalsokeeps the efficiency of the play fake with play-action pa ses. This formation can also open up the option game, although that's not something the Rams do often with Stafford (look at the Ravens with Lamar Jackson in 2021 and 2022 for examples).The pistolalsokeeps the pa sing strength of the shotgun pa sing game, as the quarterback is facing the play the whole way and already aligned away from the line of scrimmage.This also gave the Rams the advantage of dictating opposing personnel. Because of the threat of the run game (and the Rams' abilitytorun the ball), teams met them with five players on the line of scrimmage. Simply creating the threat of the run like this dictates what the opposing teamhasto do, and the Rams can base their offense from there. Given how well Sean McVay has built concepts to build off of each other and make 25 plays look like 250 different ones, being able to force the opponent to alter their defense in this way opens up their playbook. Add that to Stafford's ability to proce s defenses quickly and his mastery of the playbook, and the Rams' offense went from potent to downright unstoppable.The Rams finished the 2023 season 4th in pistol formation usage, hammering teams with it post-bye.LA finished with a 31.9% succe s rate out of the pistol, 2nd in the NFL. Expecting to see it even more in 2024. AJ Schulte (@AJSchulteFB) How did the Rams use pistol in 2023?The Rams were able to create plenty of looks out of the pistol last season, however, they had two main run calls out of pistol: Outside zone & duo. 42% of their runs out of pistol were outside zone, while a whopping 54% went to duo.This is a unique blend of both phases of Sean McVay's run game. McVay made his mark as an outside zone coach, something that he couldn't run as well while away from the under-center looks he gave Goff. Last year, Heston Kjerstad Jersey the Rams ran duo the most in the NFL, and it became their calling card. The Rams shifted away from outside zone to a more power/gap-oriented seemingly overnight last season, adding another wrinkle to McVay's arsenal.With the pistol, the Rams were able to do both, and do it well. Their 31.9% succe s rate on these runs out of pistol finished second in the NFL last season. With this ability to unlock more of , the Rams' offense skyrocketed, leading to the increased production they had over the second half of the season.What about the pa sing game? The Rams pa sed out of pistol on 53 plays last year, mainly using it in quick game pa ses. Hitches, slants, and outs were the throws they'd use the most here to generate quick, easy yards with defenders out of position having to focus on the run game. This worked, as the Rams boasted the second-highest succe s rate in the NFL on pistol pa sing at 47.2%.The Rams' pistol usage in 2024Given how often the Rams deployed pistol down the stretch of 2023, it's a given they will continue to do so in 2024 at a likely increased pace. It's unlikely they'll fully opt into the pistol in a way that resembles a college offense (hello, Kansas Jayhawks), but there are plenty of signs that the Rams bought into this in the offseason.I said above the Rams ran pistol the fourth-most in the NFL last season. Number one Jeremy Hellickson Jersey was the Atlanta Falcons, at 34.4% of their total plays, three timesthe rate the Rams used it. Why is this significant? The Rams' new quarterbacks coach, Dave Ragone, spent the last three seasons as the Falcons' offensive coordinator. Prior to that, Ragone spent two seasons with the Chicago Bears as the quarterbacks coach under OC Mark Helfrich, a former college offensive coordinator and head coach who ran the pistol at Oregon to great succe s with Marcus Mariota and spent time learning under Chip Kelly.While Ragone wasn't the primary play-caller in Chicago or Atlanta, he was undoubtedly a significant part of their game-planning and had significant input in the offense. Ragone's familiarity with the pistol offense likely played a part in why McVay hired him. As another connection, Ragone played for Greg Roman with the Houston Texans, who used the pistol offense to great effect with Lamar Jackson in his four years as Baltimore's OC.Another new hire the Rams made this offseason was , who became an offensive a sistant/pa s game specialist after spending 2023 as the offensive coordinator for the Iowa State Cyclones. Scheelhaase spent five years at Iowa State under OC Tom Manning, who ran the pistol plenty, a trend Scheelhaase continued into his play-calling in 2023.Additionally, new Rams' running back Blake Corum is familiar with the pistol run game. Last year, 17% of Michigan's run plays came out of pistol, placing them 44th in the FBS in total usage. 13.2% of Corum's runs came out of the pistol. While that might not be a majority, it's still a sizeable chunk of his usage. Corum's game-winning touchdown against Alabama in the Rose Bowl came out of a pistol look.BLAKE CORUM COULD NOT BE STOPPEDMichigan takes the lead in OT ESPN (@espn) The links continue to add up. Sixth-round rookie wide receiver played for head coach Steve Sarkisian at Texas. Sarkisian is a friend of McVay's and is frequently seen around the Rams at summer camps, with him and McVay picking each other's brains often. The Longhorns ran pistol on 17.7% of their plays last season, good for 31st in FBS.One thing that McVay can take away from Sark is the ability to motion intopistol looks from under-center or shotgun, a nifty twist that Sarkisian Caleb Joseph Jersey has used throughout his time at Texas. Given McVay's penchant for disguising plays, I'd imagine seeing that immediately lit a fire in his eyes.All of these dots keep connecting to the same point: The Rams are going to use pistolearlyandoftenin 2024. They found their advantage last year, and they can get even more deadly with it in 2024 .Last season, the Falcons and Dolphins were #1 and #2 in pistol usage. These two offenses were also at or near the top of the league in heavier personnel packages (12,21, 22), something I have alluded to the For those who don't know what the personnel means, 12 is one running back, two tight ends; 21 is two running backs, one running back, and so on. The San Francisco 49ers used these looks all the time, relying on Kyle Juszczyk's ability as a rusher, receiver, and blocker to keep defenses on their heels. Miami did this with Alec Ingold as their second-back (fullback), but Atlanta's is particularly interesting, given their previously established link through Ragone.When the Falcons used 21 or 22 personnel looks, they would oftentimes use two running backs instead of a fullback or pseudo-RB. Atlanta would deploy Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, and Cordarrelle Patterson in the backfield together to create mismatch looks. While it didn't often work for them, largely due to teams not respecting any sort of pa sing threat, the usage is notable, particularly how the Rams can use it.The Rams can line up with their 11-personnel 3-WR sets McVay loves while putting both and Kyren Williams on the field together. They have the ability to replace a WR with Colby Parkinson, their best blocking tight end, or to get bigger personnelwhile still keeping Corum and Williams on the field together.This total flexibility the Rams can operate with offensively lets McVay dictate opposing personnel to create advantages, further enhanced by Stafford's ability as a proce sor.With the personnel they've added in the offseason, the Rams now have true flexibility to attack defenses evenbetterthan they could last season. With Puka Nacua gaining another year of experience, returning back to (hopefully) full health, and , the Rams' offense feels poised to once again be for the 2024 season, thanks to their newest innovation.

Carson Wentz spent most of the 2023 NFL season looking for work until to back up Matthew Stafford in early November.Wentz won't have to wait as long to find a role in the NFL during the 2024 season. The Chiefs signed him to a one-year contract Monday to serve as the team's backup quarterback behind Patrick Mahomes.Wentz, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, was once considered one of the NFL's best up-and-coming quarterbacks. He finished third in the league's MVP voting in 2017 and averaged 4,424 yards, 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions per 17 games played over three years from 2017-19.But the wheels fell off for Wentz in 2020. He led the NFL in interceptions with 15 before to Jalen Hurts. That began Wentz's career ody sey, Nolan Arenado Jersey which landed him with five teams in five seasons.Now 31, Wentz likely hopes the fifth stop with the Chiefs will be his home for a while. He will get a chance to work with Andy Reid who is well-known for getting the most out of his quarterbacks. With the move, Wentz should have a chance to compete for a second Super Bowl ring as a backup quarterback.MORE: | Where does Wentz fall on Kansas City's depth chart? Here's what to know about his deal with the Chiefs and his standing for the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions.Chiefs QB depth chart1. Patrick MahomesMahomes will likely be the Chiefs' top quarterback for his entire career, provided he can stay healthy. Perhaps he could pull a Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers and change teams during his final seasons if Kansas City can no longer contend, but that decision is a long way off for the 28-year-old.Mahomes has already won two NFL MVPs in his six seasons as a starter while leading the Chiefs to three Super Bowl wins. He in each of those contests.Just how good is Mahomes? He had a down year in 2023 and still completed 67.2 percent of his pa ses for 4,183 yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He is the most dynamic pa ser in football and currently represents the only active player as the NFL GOAT.Mahomes isn't there yet, but he is firmly entrenched as the league's top quarterback.MORE: 2. Carson WentzWentz figures to German Marquez Jersey be Mahomes' backup for the 2024 NFL season. The 2016 first-round pick showed well in his Week 17 action with the Rams, completing 17 of 24 pa ses for 163 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in Los Angeles' 21-20 win over San Francisco in Week 18.Wentz isn't the potential-packed pa ser he once was. He's now 31 and is turnover-prone at times.Still, Wentz has the raw talent and upside needed to be a quality backup quarterback. He is the veteran-most quarterback on Kansas City's roster and if Reid can work some magic with him, Wentz could re-emerge as a solid low-end starter, especially if he can cut down on his turnovers.Those are exactly the types of players that Super Bowl hopefuls should have on their Daniel Murphy Jersey rosters, so that makes Wentz a nice pickup for Kansas City.3. Chris OladokunBefore signing Wentz, Oladokun was penciled in as Mahomes' backup. The South Dakota State product was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Steelers but landed with the Chiefs after being waived by Pittsburgh.Oladokun spent the last two seasons on Kansas City's practice squad. He hasn't played a down for the team, but he won two Super Bowls with them. Now, he will fight to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, but Wentz's addition means Oladokun will likely have to do so as a third-stringer.4. Ian BookBook has bounced around since the Saints spent a fourth-round pick on him in the 2021 NFL Draft. He is on his fourth team in four seasons and lost his lone NFL start to date, a game during which he completed 12 of 20 pa ses for 135 yards and two interceptions.Book will likely battle Oladokun for the third-string quarterback job. Neither is a lock to make the final roster or Kansas City's practice squad.MORE: What happened to Blaine Gabbert?Wentz's signing will lead many to wonder what happened DJ LeMahieu Jersey to Kansas City's backup quarterback from the last two seasons.The short answer? Nothing. Gabbert is simply a free agent and rather than re-sign the 34-year-old, the Chiefs pivoted to the younger Wentz.Kansas City could still re-sign Gabbert if it desires and roll with a three-man quarterback depth chart while developing its younger quarterback talent on the practice squad. But as it stands, Gabbert is not with the Chiefs; he's still seeking out his next employment opportunity.Carson Wentz contractThe terms of Wentz's new contract with the Chiefs have yet to be disclosed. All that is known is that the pact will last one year.Wentz played on a one-year deal worth just over $1.3 million for the Rams last season. It isn't clear whether he will play on that veteran minimum type of deal in 2024 or if the Chiefs are shelling out a bit more to land one of the best quarterbacks remaining on the free-agent market.MORE: Carson Wentz teamsWentz is now playing for his fifth NFL team as he enters his ninth season as an NFL quarterback. Below is a look at his timeline with each squad:Philadelphia Eagles (2016-20)Indianapolis Colts (2021)Washington Commanders (2022)Los Angeles Rams (2023)Kansas City Chiefs (2024-present)Carson Wentz statsWentz has a career record of 47-45-1 as a starting quarterback along with an 89.4 pa ser rating. Below is a look at his year-by-year stats at his first four NFL stops. Year Team Record Comp. % Pa sing yards Pa s TDs INTs Y/a Rating 2016 Bryan Shaw Jersey Eagles 7-9 62.4 3,782 16 14 6.2 79.3 2017 Eagles 11-2 60.2 3,296 33 7 7.5 101.9 2018 Eagles 5-6 69.6 3,074 21 7 7.7 102.2 2019 Eagles 9-7 63.9 4,039 27 7 6.7 93.1 2020 Eagles 3-8-1 57.4 2,620 16 15 6.0 72.8 2021 Colts 9-8 62.4 3,563 27 7 6.9 94.6 2022 Commanders 2-5 62.3 1,755 11 9 6.4 80.2 2023 Rams 1-0 70.8 163 2 1 6.8 99.8The Chiefs will hope that if called upon, Wentz can be efficient in 2024, just as he was in his one game with the Rams last season.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) The Kansas City Chiefs are considering the po sibility of safety Justin Reid handling some kickoffs.The Dallas Cowboys are hoping tiny return man KaVontae Turpin might finally break a big one two years after he basically made the team doing exactly that in the preseason.Mostly, coaches and players in the NFL are wondering what they're getting into with .It's no longer a , as league executive and former player Troy Vincent so flatly described it late last season, about three months before owners voted to change a rule that had been adopted in the name of safety, by reducing high-speed collisions. ADVERTISEMENT The NFL is bringing the kickoff back to life, starting with teams investing time in offseason workouts Daniel Murphy Jersey with plans for plenty more in training camps into something that had become a pointle s exercise.I havent (planned) training camp practices yet, but every day were going to be working either kickoff or kickoff return, Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. You still have to work punt, punt return and everything. I dont need more time. I just need to change the schedule a little bit. with changes that have their roots in the spring football leagues, with the NFL adding some of its own twists while wanting to ensure there wasn't an increase in injuries.Here's an easy place to start: Most players can't move while the kick is in the air.I think everyone that sees it for the first time, its really strange because you see the kickoff and Im standing right here and, its like youre in space. You never see that happen without everyone moving, San Francisco special teams coordinator Brian Schneider said. And so, its really like the music went off and everything, I was like in the Twilight Zone and then when it happens, its just, its really fast.The standard kickoff is from the 35-yard line with the 10 coverage players lined up at the opposing 40. The return team has at least nine blockers lined up in a set up zone between their 30 and 35.Two returners are inside the 20, and they're Daniel Hudson Jersey the only ones besides the kicker who can move until either they catch the ball or it hits the ground. That's when the coverage players and blockers converge.The rule tries to build incentive for teams not to blast the ball into or beyond the end zone by moving touchbacks to the 30 from the 25. The Chiefs would consider Reid for kickoffs on the theory that an extra tackler is needed, rather than a kicker with a usually slender build that would be considered a liability.While it's likely traditional kick return guys think diminutive, shifty and speedy would still have a role, there is a question of whether prototypical running backs could be useful.Theres a lot of people speculating its going to be more like an offensive or defensive outside zone running play, said Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fa sel, one of the strong advocates for change. I still feel like its a kickoff return play. Teams are adding players to their 90-man rosters for the offseason and training camp with the new kickoff rule in mind. And there have been some wild suggestions, such as Pittsburgh running back Jaylen Warren saying on a teammate Cam Heyward's podcast that the Steelers were considering using newly acquired quarterback Justin Fields as a return man.Fields pretty much shot down that idea, but the point is, a lot of personnel considerations will be in play.It's worth noting that kicking teams are likely to work on bouncing Shawn Kelley Jersey the ball to the returners because it could give their coverage players a little bit of a head start before the returner gains po se sion.Its all about the ball, Schneider said. "So, is it going to be like a shortstop? What type of fielding balls are you going to get? And then what type of runners are there? Is it going to be better to have a bigger back where you can break through the arm tackles? Is it going to be a quicker guy?With touchbacks placed at the 25, about 22% of kickoffs were returned last season, Fa sel said while adding the hope is to get that number above 50%. As for Fa sel's own guy, Turpin had just 10 kickoff returns in 2023, after 21 as a rookie. Turpin had the freedom to return any kick as Ryan Zimmerman Jersey long as it wasn't deeper than 6 yards into the end zone. It didn't help.Im very hopeful with this new rule just because now, its going to be harder to kick it away from me, said Turpin, who returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in the same 2022 preseason game but doesn't have one in the regular season. Its a better opportunity.No matter what special teams coaches try in minicamps, training camps and preseason games, the effect of the new rule isn't like to take shape until the regular season. The rule is in place for this season and will be reviewed for 2025.Theres going to be a lot of chaos in the first four or five weeks of the season before everyone kind of gets a handle of what it is, New York Jets coach Robert Saleh said. I think youre adding a game-changing element back to the game. So, its exciting to have it back in football.Not all coaches would choose exciting. But special teams ace C.J. Goodwin of the Cowboys would.It adds that excitement back to my livelihood, Goodwin said. You cant just walk away and go to the conce sion stands at this time. Youve got to stay because anything can happen.At the very least, the new rule has teams thinking about kickoffs in practice again.___The story has been corrected to show a quote attributed to C.J. Goodwin, not Griffin.___ AP Pro Football Writers Josh Dubow, Tres Barrera Jersey Teresa M. Walker and Dennis Waszak, AP National Writer Will Graves and AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta contributed to this story.___AP NFL:

Croatia Turkey 1:3 (0:0)Stadium: Ernst Happel, ViennaReferee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)Goalscorers: Ivan Klasni (120); Semih entrk(122)Croatia: Pletikosa orluka, R. Kova, imuni, Pranji N. Jose Canseco Jersey Kova, Modri, Srna, Rakiti Kranjar (63 Petri) Oli (97 Klasni)Turkey: Rt Sabri, Aik, Gkhan Zan, Balta Topal (76 Semih entrk), Altintop, Arda, Tuncay Kazim Kazim (61 gur Boral), Nihat (117. Gkdeniz Karadeniz)3 Modri steals the ball on the center, his shot from the edge of the penalty area is blocked5 Altintop shots cannon ball from 25 meters, but wide6 Rakiti goes through on the left side, throws in on five metres but the ball doesnt come to Srna. The first corner kick for Croatia13 Foul on 18 meters in front of Pletikosa. Altintop shots hard, but Niko Kova blocks it19 The biggest chance for Croatia at Euro. After the great combination of midfielders Modri enters the penalty box, pa ses to Oli who hits the woodwork21 Croatia finally comes out from the starting Turkish pre sure and emphasized is combinatorics of Kranjar, Rakiti and Modri27 The first yellow card, for Walt Weiss Jersey Tuncay36 Turkey again takes control over the game although without danger for Croatian goal38 Mehmet Topal shots wide47 Weak shot of orluka from the right side48 The second yellow card for Turkey Arda Turan50 Oli steals the ball from goalkeeper Rst, but nobody follows him53 Corner kick for Croatia, but at the end the ball goes to goal-out57 Combination of Kranjar and Modri. Niko manages to shot, but its easy for goalkeeper to save it61 Kazim Kazim is subbed for gur Boral62 Modri pa ses to Oli but he is in offside64 Kranjar out, Petri in69 Pranji breaks on the left Santiago Casilla Jersey side, pa ses to Rakiti, who makes a double pa s with Oli, shots hard but not and precise72 - Rakiti throws in for Oli whose head shot goes over the goal74 Ivan Rakiti, one of the best individuals, earns a corner kick from the left side. Rickey Henderson Jersey Srna throws in, but Turkish defense clears it76 Mehmet Topal out, Semih entrk in83 - Petri carves out a free kick on 25 meters after a great solo drive. Srna shots great, but Rst saves it88 Yellow card for Ugur Biral after fouling Srna without ball90 Modri goes on the right side, pa ses to Oli, who shots straight to Turkish goalkeeper90 + 3 Oli mi ses the last chance in injury time95 Tuncay comes into penalty box and tries to cro s, but Pletikosa kicks it into corner97 Marathon runner Ivica Oli goes out, Klasni replaces him100 Semih entrk shots from the edge of the box, continues the pre sure of the Turks107 Another yellow card for Turks Emre Aik117 The last substitute in Turkish team. Captain Nihat leaves the field, Gkdeniz Karadeniz replaces him119 GOOOAL! Modri for Klasni who scores with head for 1:0122 - Semih entrk equalizes in non existing injury time after Bili wanted to make a substitution but the fourth referee affects deaf. Bili is protesting, but it wont help. Penalty shootout is nextModri mi s Arda 0:1Srna 1:1 Oakland Athletics Jersey Semih 1:2Rakiti mi s Altintop 1:3Petri Reber saves

Our first look at in Denver's new-look offense was far from a picture of pristine on-field play.The veteran quarterback saw four drives Alex Claudio Jersey end in punts in Saturday's preseason win over the . Manning was 8-of-14 for 52 yards with a ghastly 3.7 yards per attempt. coach Gary Kubiak said of Manning's night, per the team's official website. "We didn't help him in a couple of situations. On third down, we had Eric Sogard Jersey a couple of big drops on the three or four series that he played. But I thought he was sharp in running the group and running the no huddle for the first time out."Even with defensive terror sitting out the night, Manning struggled to move the ball and looked uncomfortable at times running just 19 plays over four po se sions.The best throw of the night came on backup 's 57-yard touchdown strike to . Manning's arm, , appears adequate at best as he Boone Logan Jersey creeps toward his 40th birthday.It's just one meaningle s preseason tilt and Peyton has plenty of time to find his groove -- and he will - Keon Broxton Jersey - but Saturday night was far from the fireworks we've come to expect from one of the AFC's top attacks over the past three seasons."We're going to have some growing pains, but we just want to watch them continue to get better," Kubiak said. "I'll go take a look (at the tape), but I think we did some things better tonight and obviously probably got a lot of things we need to improve upon."The latest Podcast by talking undervalued and overvalued Eric Thames Jersey QBs and everyone's draft philosophies.