CLEVELAND (AP) A devastating development for one of Minnesota's quarterbacks created an opportunity for another.Nick Mullens wants to make the most of it.Mullens threw a touchdown pa s on the heels Leury Garcia Jersey of the Vikings' quarterback rotation getting jumbled this week and Minnesota beat the Cleveland Browns 27-12 in a preseason game Saturday.Mullens connected with wide receiver Trishton Jackson on a 14-yard TD in the first quarter for the Vikings (2-0).ADVERTISEMENT While he completed just 11 of 21 pa ses for 135 yards, the most important statistic for Mullens was he didn't commit any turnovers, a problem for him during three starts late last season while filling in for Kirk Cousins.If I protect the football, I feel Im a really good quarterback in this league," Mullens said. So any time you can go out and not have any turnovers, its big.Minnesota's third-string QB Jaren Hall had two second-half scoring pa ses, the second a 71-yarder to Jeshaun Jones. Rookie Will Reichard kicked field goals of 41 and 38 yards.D'Onta Foreman had a 1-yard touchdown and Cade York kicked a 33-yard field goal for Eloy Jimenez Jersey the Browns (0-2).Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell and Cleveland's Kevin Stefanski chose to sit their starters as well as most backups, feeling they had gotten adequate work when the teams practiced twice this week.Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson spent his second straight game on the sideline. He's scheduled to play next week at Seattle, his first action since a season-ending shoulder injury in November. No. 2 Jameis Winston also sat out.It's been quite a week for Minnesota's QBs.On Tuesday, McCarthy, the club's highly touted rookie, was lost for the season after undergoing right knee surgery.The first-round pick from Michigan suffered torn meniscus during a solid pro debut last week that not only put him in the mix to push starter Sam Darnold, but affirmed the team's belief he's the franchise QB going forward.McCarthy's injury sealed Darnold as the starter at least this season and elevated Mullens into a backup role. It's a familiar spot for Mullens, who put up Nellie Fox Jersey big pa sing stats in three starts last season but also threw eight interceptions.Early against the Browns, Mullens twice threw the ball away rather than forcing throws, exactly what O'Connell hoped.Coming off of last year, that was a big-kind-of-moving-forward point for Nick, O'Connell said. At this point in his career, thats what Im looking for to go along with the expectation that hes going to run the show and be a field general like he always is.Hall, who is expected to be Minnesota's No. 3 QB, went 4 of 5 and finished with a perfect 158.3 pa ser rating.Days like this you cherish forever, said Hall, a fifth-round pick in 2023. It's a game I'll always remember preseason or not.Mullens led Minnesota to a TD on its first po se sion, capping an eight-play, 75-yard opening drive with a nice throw to Jackson, who got both feet down along the left side of the end zone.Dorian Thompson-Robinson started at QB for the Browns and went 13 of 17 for 126 yards. Thompson-Robinson, who is competing with Tyler Huntley for the No. 3 job, threw an Michael Jordan Jersey interception late in the first half.It was definitely a bad ball, Thompson-Robinson said. I was more so gue sing on the throw than anything.Huntley played the second half and went 14 of 20 for 135 yards and two picks.LONG RUNMinnesota rookie cornerback Dwight McGlothern returned an interception 90 yards in the third quarter.McGlothern snagged an overthrow by Huntley and worked his way down the sideline before being caught by Cleveland's QB.HALL PLAYSBrowns rookie defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. played despite being arrested and injured earlier in the week.On Tuesday, the second-round pick from Ohio State was charged with domestic violence following an argument with his fiance, who alleged he threatened her by putting a gun to her head.Hall, who hurt his neck Wednesday, pleaded not guilty in court and was released on $10,000 bond. He could face discipline from the NFL for violating its Tim Anderson Jersey personal conduct policy, pending an investigation.INJURIES Vikings: Nothing notable.Browns: LT James Hudson (left ankle) left the stadum in a walking boot. His injury complicates things while the team waits for starters Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin to return from season-ending knee injuries. ... It was a tough day for Cleveland's offensive tackles as Germain Ifedi (hand) and Hakeem Adeniji (knee) also got hurt.UP NEXTVikings: Visit Philadelphia on Aug. 24.Browns: At Seattle on Aug. 24.This story was corrected to restore a dropped letter in the last name McCarthy in the 3rd paragraph.___AP NFL:
The Lions are getting the gang back together.Two days after losing a chance to reach the franchise's first Super Bowl, it seems those in Honolulu blue are ready to start their quest for a title once more in 2025.The first domino in that movement, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, is staying put. Detroit's attack guru informed the Commanders and Seahawks that he's content with staying in Motor City for another year, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. OC Ben Johnson informed the and that hes staying in Detroit, per sources.Johnson is still only 37 and will be a hot head coaching candidate again next year. But first, he wants to take another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Detroit. Tom Peli sero (@TomPeli sero) Johnson, 37, was hotly tipped to be a young mind to make the leap from a sistant to main man. The mastermind of the Lions' high-octane offense Detroit ranked in the league's top-five in pa sing, Andy Pettitte Jersey rushing, and scoring Johnson's name carries weight from one coast to another. His return gives the Lions additional continuity, a much-needed trait if Detroit wants to reach new heights next season.So, what's keeping Johnson in azure-and-silver? Here's what you need to know.MORE:Why is Ben Johnson staying with the Lions?Johnson's decision seems to boil down to J.A. Happ Jersey some simple mathematics. What side could he go to that would offer him a better chance at the Lombardi Trophy than with the Lions? The answer appears to be not too many, especially not in Washington and Seattle.Rapoport indicated that Johnson's sole objective in 2025 is to capture a Super Bowl trophy. A move to D.C. or the Emerald City would've made that proposition extremely challenging. As such, the 37-year-old play-caller decided to stay put.The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala offered a similar a se sment:Ben Johnson informed the Commanders and Seahawks today. The reason, Im told: He wants to win a Super Bowl. Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) Johnson is something of a boy wonder when it comes to managing offenses. Formerly a tight ends coach, he rocketed up the play-calling hierarchy after supplanting Anthony Lynn as pa s-game coordinator in 2021.The next season offered onlookers a glimpse of what Johnson had in his locker. Dan Campbell's squad posted the fifth-highest scoring average in the league (26.6 points per game), Johnny Damon Jersey a marked improvement over the 19.1 points per game it averaged the year prior.If 2022 was an introductory course to Johnson's genius, '23 was simply a di sertation. The Lions improved in every meaningful way on the offensive end of the ball, placing in the league's top-five offenses in five different categories: pa sing, rushing, scoring, red-zone offense, and total yards.MORE:All of that made him a hot commodity around league circles, so much so that he reportedly fielded two interviews with the powers-that-be in both Washington and Seattle.Pastures aren't always greener, however, and with another year of growth from Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jared Goff, it seems Johnson is expecting Detroit to be right back in the thick of Lombardi contention next season. Another impre sive showcase coupled with some glittery hardware could go a long way in helping Johnson snag a more appealing job elsewhere, too. After all, the Eagles and Cowboys' coaching situations will be looking increasingly precarious if either side fails to win it all in 2025.ESPN's Adam Schefter did report that teams were "spooked" away by Johnson's asking price.Ben Johnson was not the head-coaching lock that people thought and his asking price spooked some teams, per sources. Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) But he Drew Hutchison Jersey also indicated that the Commanders' front office bra s was in transit to meet with Johnson at the time of his decision.Commanders officials were en route to Detroit for a meeting with Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn when they got word that Johnson was staying with the Lions, per sources. While the abrupt pivot Jacoby Ellsbury Jersey by Johnson was considered surprising by several league sources, he was not considered a Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) What's next for Commanders, Seahawks?With Johnson officially off the market, the likes of Washington and Seattle will likely turn their attention to any of the other high-profile coordinators making the rounds during this year's coaching carousel. That includes Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.MORE:Schefter reported that the Commanders are still hoping to meet with Glenn in the coming few hours, while ESPN's Josina Anderson that Washington had also succe sfully completed its follow-up with Quinn. The Seahawks, meanwhile, have made contact with MacDonald, among others.The coaching search is a long and drawn-out proce s. Johnson's move simply adds to the hysteria. Silly season is here in the NFL. There's no better time to embrace the chaos than now.
is 's top receiver on the , but that's not where the quarterback was looking when the game was on the line against the .Trailing 20-17 and facing a fourth-and-6 at the 42 with six minutes to play Jonathan Villar Jersey , Romo dropped back, spotted and fired a strike over the middle. By the time the veteran tight end was knocked to the turf, he'd picked up 21 Brandon Woodruff Jersey yards and a huge first down. Six plays later, Dallas was in the end zone and .It was a beautiful route by Witten, who at 32 doesn't have the speed of five years ago, but still gained separation from safety to make the catch."That's what you live for," Witten said, . "That's what you want to do."The chemistry between Romo and Witten is obvious. They've played together for 12 seasons, becoming one of the most productive quarterback-tight end tandems in league history. Sunday's big connection Matt Garza Jersey was the reward for years of hard work between the two men. is listed as the pa sing game coordinator in Dallas' hierarchy, but Linehan said the winning play call was all about . The ' coach called timeout before the play, making sure Dallas was composed and fully prepared for the play of Zach Davies Jersey the season."He really deserves all the credit for that," Linehan said, "because the book might say, 'Don't do that,' but when you're playing to win ... ."This game will be remembered for , but a closer look at the final minutes revealed that one team stayed aggre sive and one team played it pa sive. Romo's hook-up with Witten Jim Gantner Jersey typified that dynamic.The latest Around The NFL Podcast and looks ahead to the Divisional Round. Find more Around The NFL content on .
If you found yourself confused about Dwayne Johnson's Super Bowl intro, you were not alone.The Rock was brought in to hype up the Los Angeles crowd just before the Rams and the Bengals kicked off Super Bowl 56. He brought his usual showmanship to the field and delivered an impa sioned Preston Tucker Jersey monologue to the crowd at SoFi Stadium.NOBODY can get you hyped like Atlanta Braves Jersey . NBC Sports (@NBCSports) Johnson brought the energy, but NFL fans and Super Bowl viewers still. Members of the Bengals and Rams did as well.NFL POWER RANKINGS:The NFL captured mic'd-up footage of the Bengals and Rams reacting to The Rock's monologue. Needle s to say, they were confused about what was happening. dovkleiman-vid (@dov_kleiman) Joe Burrow's quote probably best sums up what most people were thinking during The Rock's introduction."What is he doing Jared Shuster Jersey out there?" Burrow said.Burrow then joked with backup quarterback Brandon Allen, "Hes on kickoff returns. They signed him."MORE: Meanwhile, Zac Taylor was spotted cracking up at Johnson's antics Brian McCann Jersey while Aaron Donald was told, "Thats going to be you in 10 years, your acting career."It's worth noting that the Rams had legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer at most of their home games during the Dale Murphy Jersey season. He would deliver a brief pregame me sage before unleashing his trademarked phrase, "Let's get ready to rumble!"IYER:It's unclear why SoFi Stadium pivoted to The Rock for the Super Bowl, but his speech certainly generated a lot of buzz. Mi sion accomplished.
The NFL Playoffs Conference Championship slate has plenty of quality competition on the docket. Among those contests is the Kansas City Chiefs playing the Baltimore Ravens.Looking for an edge in the NFL? We break Tony Phillips Jersey down the betting odds for each of the big games below.This Week's Walt Weiss Jersey Betting Lines & Game InfoADVERTISEMENT Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs Odds & Prediction Spread: Ravens (-4.5) Moneyline: Ravens -227, Chiefs +186 Total: 44 points Prediction: Ravens 27, Chiefs 15 Catfish Hunter Jersey How to Watch Game Date: Sunday, January 28 Game Time: 3:00 PM ET TV Channel: CBS Location: Baltimore, Maryland San Francisco 49ers Yusmeiro Petit Jersey vs. Detroit Lions Odds & Prediction Spread: 49ers (-7.5) Moneyline: 49ers -353, Lions +279 Total: 52.5 points Prediction: 49ers 28, Lions 20 How to Watch Game Date: Sunday, January 28 Game Time: 6:30 PM ET TV Channel: Location: Santa Clara, California FOX Sports Robbie Grossman Jersey created this story using technology provided by and data from Sportradar.
Hard Knocks is almost here. The 10th season of the groundbreaking documentary series will kick off Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET with the first of five episodes on HBO. There are no shortage of compelling storylines to follow with this year's subject, the . Here's what we'll be watching for.1. Up close with J.J.: We're witne sing something special with , who had a very strong case last season to be the league's MVP in addition to his no-doubter DPOY honors. Watt is in that next level of profe sional athletes -- think Tyson in his prime, or Jordan, LeBron, Tiger -- where he can sometimes look like a man playing against boys (see Abraham Almonte Jersey Watt's last year in a 1-on-1 practice se sion against poor ). Point being, these types of athletes don't come around often and Knocks offers an ideal platform.2. Foster's big setback: We were looking forward to Trevor Bauer Jersey seeing a lot of Foster, the NFL's . Unfortunately, the veteran running back suffered a last week that could knock him out of action for months. Foster will undoubtedly be a major plotline of Tuesday's premiere, but don't be surprised if he becomes scarce after that. Remember how disappeared from cameras after injuring his knee early in the ' 2013 Hard Knocks season?3. QB camp battle: It's been awhile since Hard Knocks has been able to sink its teeth into a legit quarterback competition. won a rigged competition back in 2012 if you want to count that, but the last true battle came way back in 2007, when Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle dueled in Kansas City (yes, we got chills, too). vs. brings the goods this season -- even if the latter seems to be the favorite as training camp begins. I'm also curious to learn more about Hoyer, whose hard-working underdog rep earned him the nickname "Cleveland Springsteen" during his tenure. Full disclosure: I'm the only person who called him that.4. Clowney's return: was hyped as the next L Greg Allen Jersey .T. before two knee surgeries turned his career upside-down. Hard Knocks should give us more acce s to Clowney during his ongoing recovery from that . Acce s is good! We don't get much of that anymore!5. The Bill O'Brien Show: It's only natural that Hard Knocks acts as something of a star vehicle for the head coach. Last season, Mike Smith underwhelmed as a Tevas-wearing low-talker whose staid nature stood in stark contrast to the build-a-bully makeover the coaching staff tried to sell the . Let's hope O'Brien has a more dynamic on-camera presence. At the very least, we'll get plenty of time with . That chin was born for the spotlight.6. BOB's supporting cast: Every Hard Knocks season features breakout performances from an a sistant coach or two. Last year, cigar-chomping linebackers coach Bryan Cox was so dominant that Danny Salazar Jersey he earned coveted . The year before it was then- defensive Lonnie Chisenhall Jersey coordinator Mike Zimmer, whose tough-guy-with-a-heart-of-gold act surely hit a sweet note with the , who hired him as their head coach a few months later. Po sible breakout stars for the staff (aka South): linebackers coach Mike Vrabel, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel.7. Forgot About 'Dre: It will be a different training camp in Houston without franchise great , who's now catching pa ses from in Indy. Is this the year enters the top 10 conversation at wide receiver? Who else steps up? The will need more from their pa sing game with Foster out of the picture.8. Big Vince!The latest Podcast and whose stock is down after the first week of training camp.
The had their first practice of training camp on Wednesday and there were several players who managed to stand out during the se sion.Of course, it's still incredibly early in the proce s, so nobody should go crazy over what they're reading at training camp right now. However, preparing for the 2024 season is also a proce s and players have to stack good days in order to earn their roles.Among the players who are off to a good start is wide receiver , who stole the show despite the Tyler Beede Jersey fact that he was in the se sion. He attributed that to eating the wrong thing at breakfast, but didn't say what it was.Jameson Williams briefly left Day 1 of training camp after vomiting several times early in practice. He told me hes fine, just ate the wrong thing for breakfast. kyle meinke (@kmeinke) Check out more information on Williams' big day, along with the rest of the players who appeared to stand out above the rest based on the observations of writers on the ground.Lions' training camp standouts Day 1WR Jameson WilliamsWilliams had some i sues keeping his breakfast down early on in practice and even cut loose after reeling in a touchdown catch. But he still managed to put together a strong showing, according to beat writers on the ground.Jamo also puked mid-stride after finishing a touchdown catch took a brief knee, wiped off the puke and got back to work.That, ladies and germs, is a Football Player. Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) He also had what was described as the play of the day, when he beat two defenders deep for a long touchdown grab that showcased his deep-threat ability.Play of the day here. Pride of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) Based on what we've seen through spring practices and the first day of training camp, Williams looks primed to make the leap the Lions need him to in 2024.QB Hendon HookerNot only did Hooker get all of the second-team reps over Nate Sudfeld, according to , he also had a "very nice day," per .Hooker started his day off with a lot of accuracy i sues, but he settled the ship quickly and ended up having a very nice Mel Ott Jersey day. In addition to his throw to Fountain, he routinely made nice crisp throws, taking all the second-team reps. Nate Sudfeld continues to look like the more consistent backup quarterback, but he is still with the third team and doesnt look to be moving up anytime soon.It would appear the Lions are going to give Hooker every opportunity to win the backup job behind Jared Goff. He's off to a great start in that quest.WR Daurice FountainFountain is battling for a depth role with the team, and Schlitt noted that he had a good day on Wednesday and veteran Donovan Peoples-Jones, who was on the before being activated after practice, should be looking over his shoulder.When the Lions cycled in a fifth wide receiver, it was Daurice Fountain, who continues to make standout playsincluding arguably the catch of the day. While with the second team, Fountain ran a Kevin Pillar Jersey simple sideline route that was strongly covered by Kindle Vildor. Quarterback Hendon Hooker placed the ball high and outside to avoid the coverage (maybe a bit too high) and Fountain was able to snag it with a leaping full extension. People-Jones needs to get on the field in a hurry or hell be looking over his shoulder at Fountain for his role.The Lions are likely to utilize Kalif Raymond as the No. 3 behind Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown, leaving the No. 4 spot up for grabs. Aside from Peoples-Jones, keep an eye on Fountain and Antoine Green.DE Aidan HutchinsonNot that anyone should be surprised, but Hutchinson was ballin' on Wednesday, per the observations of multiple beat writers, including .Aidan Hutchinson looks primed for a breakout, making the jump from really good to elite. That was highlighted by a dominant three-play stretch where he beat the cro sing backfield block of running back Craig Reynolds for a would-be sack, sliced inside to stuff a run, before executing a vicious spin move for another sack that left All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell grasping at air.Hutchinson is coming off a campaign in which he had a career-best 11.5 sacks and made his first Pro Bowl. With a little more help around him in 2024, the Michigan product is primed for big things.CB Emmanuel MoseleyMoseley didn't nece sarily make any big plays on Day 1, but his mere presence on the practice Jandel Gustave Jersey field after coming back from his second torn ACL in as many years was noted by many writers."At the nickel, you're in that run game and I'm a physical player," . "I like to hit. That's one of my things, I like to put my face in the fan and make people feel me. That's what I love about nickel."He was also the primary slot corner with Brian Branch playing at safety during the se sion. Ennis Rakestaw Jr. played opposite Terrion Arnold with Carlton Davis on the NFI list. Davis has since been activated.DE Josh PaschalAccording to Schlitt, Paschal "got the start on the opposite side" of Hutchinson and "found himself in the backfield Jaylin Davis Jersey on several occasions with nifty technical pa s rushing moves."The Lions need reliable edge depth in the event that Marcus Davenport, who was activated off the PUP list on Wednesday, sees his injury i sues creep up like they have during his career.LB James HoustonHouston saw reps as the SAM linebacker after Derrick Barnes and Schlitt pointed out that he "launched himself into the backfield on several occasions" and "its fair to say Houston was in a position to make several tackles for lo s."Also of note, fellow linebacker Mathieu Betts took a back seat to Houston as far as his respective performance was concerned. The pair are competing for a top depth roles.
Jennifer King was a champion womens basketball coach when she made a Jonathan Bullard Jersey tough decision to pursue a career in football.She hasnt had to look back.Within three years of switching sports, King became the first Black female full-time coach in the NFL when Washington hired her in 2021 as an a sistant running backs coach. She spent three seasons with the Commanders before joining Matt Eberflus staff with the Chicago Bears this year as an offensive a sistant, focusing on running backs.King is one of 15 women who are in the NFL this season, a new league record and most for any male profe sional sports league in the world. ADVERTISEMENT Kings journey began in 2018 when she met then-Panthers coach Ron Rivera at the , an annual event that connects participants with owners, general managers, head coaches and club executives.King had just led Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte to the United States Collegiate Athletic A sociation Division II title. But football was first in her heart. She played quarterback and safety on a womens tackle football team and wanted an opportunity in coaching."I always liked football more, King said. But it was hard to leave basketball. We had won a championship. I was national coach of the year. Like, things were going really well for me. And to just leave was difficult, but I just felt it was something that I couldnt pa s up.Kings basketball team practiced Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey close enough to the Panthers training facility that she could hear and watch them. When she met Rivera, he already knew who she was from her basketball pedigree. Riveras wife, Stephanie, was an a sistant coach in the WNBA and she told him a woman who plays the game would do well in coaching.He invited me over for rookie minicamp, King said. I thought Id be there for two days, but it turned into about four months.King spent the summer of 2018 as a coaching intern for the Panthers, working with wide receivers. She moved on to join Rick Neuheisels staff as an a sistant wide receivers coach and special teams coach for Arizona in the short-lived Alliance of American Football.King returned to Carolina to serve as a running backs coaching intern in 2019 and joined Dartmouths staff as an offensive a sistant that fall.When Rivera became the head coach in Washington in 2020, King again joined his staff as a coaching intern. He gave her a full-time job the following year.She had a drive about her that just really said she wanted to do this, and she also played the game, Rivera said. She talked about the little things that she learned in playing, showing how aware she is about the game. So I just thought that she had this desire, this drive to want to do this at the top level, and I wanted to create an opportunity.As we were going through the internship, the one thing I appreciated was she was smart enough to know what she didnt know. And you could tell because she became really inquisitive. She asked good questions, she listened, and she didnt pretend to know. Believe me, Ive been around (male) coaches who pretend to know. And, when they do that, usually, they get it wrong. But she just listened when she didnt know and thats what truly intrigued me was that she was willing to just take a backseat Pat O'Donnell Jersey , listen, take it in and ask questions.Over the past five years, there has been a 187% increase of women in football operation roles in the NFL. Since its inception in 2017, over 400 participants have gone through the Women's Forum with over 250 opportunities emerging for women in all levels of football.The first Womens Forum I attended Brian Urlacher Jersey , all of the women there, we had other jobs outside of football wanting to get into football, King said. I think this year almost everyone there was already working in football, which is incredible. So, I think were definitely heading in the right direction. Its a lot of bright stars coming through the ranks on our way up.King said she hasnt experienced challenges being one of the few female coaches in a male-dominated industry.Ive been fortunate to work with some great staffs, she said. Coach Flus, we have a great staff here. Its all about development, which is great. I love it. Hes big on leadership. So, the challenges havent been the same as po sibly people would think. Like it hasnt been a lot of: Oh, its like a woman here. I havent really experienced any of that. Its all about building those relationships and trust in the building with the players and the staff that youre working with.I do think its cool now to see so many women doing great things in the league, not just coaching, all aspects, the busine s side, the team level, people doing great things all over the place. Obviously, the coaches are the ones that Eddie Goldman Jersey people see, but theres a lot of great people doing cool things that you dont see as well.Rivera, a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year, has been a leader in diversity and inclusion throughout his career. He said he can envision the NFL having a female head coach in the future.I think its going to have to start with coordinator first, and as long as we keep putting women in position to have an opportunity to succeed or fail, until we give them that opportunity, well never really know, Rivera said. But I do think weve created enough opportunities that eventually the right one is going to get the opportunity.Maybe thatll be King.___AP NFL: