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.
Dallas' impre sive offensive line will be intact for the 2015 season. -- the only impending free agent on the unit -- has agreed to terms with the on a three-year, Anibal Sanchez Jersey $15 million contract, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday, per a source involved with the deal. The contract includes $6 million in guarantees.The longtime starting right tackle -- at just 31 -- is the elder-statesman of one of the best position groups in the NFL.Along with and ers , and , Tony Oliva Jersey the line paved the way for 's league-leading 1,845 yards.Since the drafted Free in the fourth Jason Castro Jersey round of the 2007 draft, he's been the model of durability. He mi sed his sophomore season with a back injury, but then went on to play all 16 games for the 'Boys from 2009 through 2013. Free did, however, along with the playoffs after suffering an ankle injury (he recently underwent surgery to correct the problem). filled in admirably for Free, but he Willians Astudillo Jersey too is a free agent and likely will look for a starting job on the open market. Free checked in at No. 49 on 's list of the , and in a shallow market for starting-caliber tackles, teams in need can cro s another option off the list.The latest Podcast and Kyle Gibson Jersey plays another game of "Go Get My Lunch." Find more content on .
at ... .The top-flight game on the Week 10 slate is certainly not the only tantalizing matchup, as many people have circled and, of course, Rex Ryan facing his former team Not to mention, has busine s to settle with both and the NFL history books. No question he's struggled, as have and the , who will try to snap a terrible losing skid. Someone else is apparently struggling ... to get anything done. Hey!, no pre sure, but it's Thursday, past 10am and the GamePicks are not out yet.. i might start working, please hurry. Don Pach (@Ppunto7) Hey Ricardo, don't succumb to , man. Stick a breakfast burrito in the cruddy office microwave and go bid on Strat-O-Matic Pro Football on eBay. Game picks should be up by then.In fact, you can find them all below. You might notice all the unbeatens have something in common -- but there's nothing common about your take, so send it along. is the place.Now, let's get to it!Elliot Harrison went 7-6 on , giving him a record of 80-52 so far this season. How will he fare in Week 10? His picks are below. Let's gift the an extra touchdown. You know the are steaming from two straight lo ses, as well as all the re-runs of between and . Detroit is in disarray. Most alarming is how poorly the defense has fared -- the are allowing 30.6 points per game, . If they're not careful, might eat them up ... extra yards, I mean. They're also . At least they make up for it by allowing opposing quarterbacks to . will only throw for 300 -- because he won't need to throw in the fourth quarter. **Relevant stat:** Running back -- who has on the depth chart -- leads the in rushing yards (334) and yards from scrimmage (501). </content:weekly-predictions> Dallas finally gets to add one to the "W" column this week. You sense getting more comfortable in the ' offense -- yes, he threw in , but the Cameron Maybin Jersey offense was able to move on the Philly defense. This game is the season for this organization; even in the cruddy NFC East, falling to 2-7 would be too tall a Stetson hat to climb. As for the Bucs, the pieces are there to be competitive in the NFC, but not if they keep making the kinds of stupid mistakes they made last Sunday -- Tampa Bay practically pulled a Plaxico Burre s. Still, had difficulty finding receivers all day. That's why Dallas back and the running Nick Wittgren Jersey game will be crucial to the outcome. **Relevant stat:** The have lost six in a row without -- who has never lost more than three consecutive starts in a season. </content:weekly-predictions> Is this it? Is this where 8-0 Carolina finally stumbles? I picked against the last week for only the second time since late last season, and fans got all over me for . (By the way, I wonder how confident they were when cornerback in the fourth quarter.) Love this team, which I predicted last spring would threepeat in the NFC South -- a prediction even after went down. But there is no question that Ron Rivera's group has been playing with fire of late. And quarterback should be moving around even better in his second week back after . **Relevant stat:** The ' won't get many MVP votes, but he does have the highest percentage of his team's targets (69, for 28.3 percent), receptions (37, for 28 percent) and receiving yards (584, for 32.1 percent) among NFL tight ends. #TGE ( Effect) </content:weekly-predictions> The will likely once again , which means this is 's baby for the second straight week. (142 yards from scrimmage) -- but that was against the . defenders and alone -- like, just the two guys by themselves -- are as good as the Bolts' entire line. But hey! St. Louis allowed a 100-yard rusher for the first time since Week 2 ! Of course, it was , one of the NFL's best running backs, and he needed 29 carries to do it. should find plenty of the holes in Chicago's back end, holes that could've exploited Monday night (if he'd been working with anyone besides Stevie Johnson who could get open). How do you pick a game like this? The looked as though they were rebounding, having won three straight -- before they to the 1-6 . Sean Payton is being forced to ride it out with a young defense that has trouble getting off the field and a veteran corner who is . Luckily for , he shouldn't have to interfere much with these receivers, who drop balls aplenty. , who mi sed six games after , caught all of three balls for 15 yards in his triumphant return. Get excited. Thus, we're going with the superior quarterback in one of Week 10's flip-a-coin games. **Fun fact:** Since Week 5, Ben Watson has more receiving yards (429) than any tight end in the league. Cool. </content:weekly-predictions> Sandy Alcantara Jersey It's difficult to pick Philadelphia these days, as you're never quite sure which version of the team is going to show up. That said, if the ' offense keeps up the momentum it showed late versus the , they should be fine against the . Philly running backs coach Duce Staley did a masterful job of rotating the backs (which is apparently ) on Sunday night. The ground game should present problems for a Miami defense that allowed not one but two running backs to rush for over 100 yards . **Not-so-fun fact:** Miami quarterback has been sacked 162 times since 2012, more than anyone else in the NFL over that span. Ugh. </content:weekly-predictions> !!! Two high-flying offenses take off next, on the NFL on CBS!!! Love our "Thursday Night Football" partners, but I have a feeling Jim Nantz and Phil Simms won't be on this game call. Pittsburgh prevails due to home-field advantage, as well as Jones' comfort in the offense. Give the kid credit. He's made throws -- , or -- late in games when the have needed him to, taking what the defense gives him. The must take away the short stuff, creep their safeties up and dare Jones to beat them over the top. Getting in gear -- any gear; he only had 38 rushing yards -- would be dandy. Was going to pick the to win close on the road -- something they've struggled to do this season -- until I remembered I'd promised myself to after being let down by that team several times this season. Like , this is another near-impo sible game to predict. The ' should be easy pickings for and the Jags' air attack, but John Harbaugh's club is coming off a bye. Expect a heavy dose of , who hasn't received a 20-carry workload . Jacksonville's defense, meanwhile, could afford le s work, given that it ranks 30th in both and takeaways -- some two-tone ugline s to go with those helmets. Picked against , but I'm not doing the same this week. Carr was solid for the , save for a key interception and, obviously, taking the lo s. Carr has outplayed many of the so-called elite pa sers in the league, posting a higher pa ser rating (104.3) than , , , , , , , and . Interestingly enough, Carr has also outperformed a guy who was drafted a round earlier than him in 2014: quarterback , who is after suffering a head injury . Minnesota's defense has been the backbone of that team. But it's not like the are trotting Alan Page, Matt Blair and John Randle out there. We'll be looking at the 5-4 Raaaaaaaiders You'll hear a lot of banter this week about how the have been the ' kryptonite over the years. OK, cool. New England wins. This Tom Coughlin team is nothing like those 2007 and 2011 clubs, each of which could pre sure the pa ser. was lights out in 2011, especially in , when . The i sue now is Manning's lack of big plays. Overall, he hasn't fared terribly by any means, but he's completed just 14 pa ses of 25 yards or more thus far, tied for 21st in the league, despite having played more games than almost every other QB. On the other side, will have all day to pat the ball 500 times before finding some ex-XFL running back -- or whoever -- in space for 36 yards. The have nine sacks in nine games. The ' has by himself. The ' mini-hot streak cools off in the Mile High air. Denver stays in the race for a postseason bye (which will, incredibly, require at least a 14-2 record) by shutting the door on . The i sue for the Kansas City quarterback will be not only pa s protection, but how much traction can find against the ' front. Denver's linebackers continue to play outstanding football, although coordinator Wade Phillips will be without the services of this weekend. Smith has been sacked this season, most in the AFC. That should be exciting for , who might display that awkward fist-pump shimmy he used to flash in Dallas when he got all excitable. #Wade J. T. Realmuto Jersey Oh man, what a contest Sunday night. Sure hope it beats between these two teams, when while pulled a Roger Staubach from his Navy days okie-doke on you'll ever see. If Seattle is to have hopes of winning a third straight NFC West crown, this one qualifies as a must-win, as a victory would put Arizona up three games with a head-to-head advantage and only seven games to play. Hashtag relevant. **Cool note of the week:** traveled 22.60 mph on a run versus the , tied with of the for the fastest in the NFL this season. So what? I did that on a mongoose once, yo. </content:weekly-predictions> I'm fully cognizant of the troubles that the -- and specifically -- have had with the in the past (thinking postseason, here). But this isn't the same Dalton. He's a bona fide ginger -- and he's a bona fide MVP candidate. Upon hearing that from me on the set of "NFL HQ", LaVar Arrington said, "Yeah, and these aren't the same ." No, they're not. Although, might be more game than you think ... he's come on strong in the second halves of games, to sing nine touchdowns against a mere single pick and posting a 114.1 pa ser rating following halftime this season. So that means Houston won't lose as badly. (By the way, to those of you who feel this could qualify as a "trap" game for Jeff Locke Jersey Cincinnati, most "trap" games come on the road, not at home.) #WhoDey #hatethatItypedthat ALREADY COMPLETED The return of ! Convenient that the most heavily anticipated contest of Week 10 is also the first contest of Week 10. The key to a glorious for Rex Ryan will be the play of , who will have to fit the ball into tighter windows against the . Taylor went 11 for 12 against Miami's back seven but New York is better defensively, even if the ' secondary . Yes, -- who has become the player opposing coaching staffs seek out to attack -- is doubtful, while is questionable and safeties and are out. But there's still to contend with. **Side note:** When I mentioned on the set of "NFL Gameday Blitz" that Waldo was the name of the kid in the I got blank stares from and Ike Taylor. I'm a suming that's because they're strictly Sammy Hagar guys, with blind spots for the David Lee Roth years. </content:weekly-predictions>Follow Elliot Harrison on Twitter .
Friday night was never going to be Pete Alonso Jersey solely about football for the Bills.The night before, as the team was traveling to Charlotte for a preseason game against Panthers, the Los Angeles Times reported thattaking part in a gang rape of a 17-year-old woman last October while he was at San Diego State.Araiza, who was inactive for the game, i sued a statement Friday claiming his innocence.The facts of the incident are not what they are portrayed in the lawsuit or in the pre s," "I look forward to quickly setting the record straight.After the game, Bills coach Sean McDermott was careful to sound neutral in his pre s conference, but he was clearly emotional on the podium as he answered questions."It's not a situation we take lightly," McDermott said when he was asked what he would say to Bills fans. "I'm hurt. I understand women are hurt. And it's emotional. It's not easy to hear about some of the things I've heard about over the last several hours, and I haven't slept Yoenis Cespedes Jersey a lot, to be honest with you. Because this is a game. But there's other things that are more important than this."This is a game, but there are other things that are more important than this. Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) , McDermott said it was his decision to bench Araiza, whom McDermott named the Juan Lagares Jersey starting punter over incumbent Matt Haack days earlier. Third-string quarterback Matt Barkley punted Friday."It's clear we have work to do to continue to figure this thing out here," McDermott said,.According to , McDermott also said, "We want to find the truth and do this the right way. . . . We're working on finding that truth."The Bills have been criticized since the Times' story came out for their predraft vetting of Araiza. The team said in a statement Thursday that it conducted an investigation after learning that the woman was suing Araiza and two other San Diego State players."We were recently made aware of a civil complaint involving Matt from October 2021,". "Due to the serious nature of the complaint, we conducted a thorough examination of this matter. As this is an ongoing civil case, we will have New York Mets Jersey no other comment at this point."McDermott's comments Friday implied that some information is new to him. That makes the timeline of what the Bills did and didn't know confusing.According to The Athletic's Tim Graham, the Bills were made aware of the allegations last month, which would mean after they drafted Araiza in April but before they named him the starter.Source tells me the Bills were made aware of the accusations against Araiza last month. They did not know when they drafted him, but did know when they cut Matt Haack on Monday. Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) The next step for the Bills will be to New York Mets Custom Jersey determine if it's in their best interest to stay with Araiza.