JuJu Smith-Schuster, stilljust23, is one of the NFL's best young wide receivers. In his first three seasons with the Steelers, heput up 211 catches for 2,895 yards and 17 touchdowns in only 42 games. He's looking for a big Year 4after his 2019 season was marred by injury to both himself and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.Smith-Schuster talked to Sporting News ahead of Pittsburgh's 2020 NFL kickoff in Week 1 on "Monday Night Football"against the Giants about his two pro teams, the Steelers and DAZN Canada.SPORTING NEWS:The 2020 NFL season is here for the Steelers and the rest of the league. Did you think this might nothappen this year?JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: I actually did. Noticing that they were canceling school, canceling sporting events all acro s the world soccer, basketball, baseball I kind of lost hope. Then they all started to come back and I could beexcited again.SN: During this difficult year, how important has it been to have Mike Tomlin as the head coach to guide you and your team through it?JJSS:It's awesome. He's one of the few coaches of
Matt Harvey Jersey color in this league. He's very transparent on how he approaches everything. The one thing he doesn't do is shy away from the i sues he's always about social justice. He brings it to the team, he talks about it how we can come together and set the stage. As a young man, learning from someone who's been through it, going through it now, for him to have kids who are my age, too, it shows a lot. I live and learn from him day in, day out, on the field and off the field. SN: With yourself, Diontae Johnson, rookie first-round pickChase Claypool (a native of Abbotsford, B.C.) and James Washington, is this the best receiving corps you have been around?JJSS: Not just our receiving corps, but having James Conner back, Jaylen Samuels, Vance McDonald, too. Eric Ebron has a lot of games under his belt and is a pro. To have Chase, he brings a lot to our team as a deep threat. For us to go out there, it will be a fun year.SN: How much different is the
Brandon Nimmo Jersey offensive vibe now than it was without Ben Roethlisberger for most of last season?JJSS: One of our biggest factors, a Hall of Fame quarterback, Big Ben, is back. Playing with him just my first two years, those times you remember how much he means. Everyone's healthy and everyone's ready again to show what the Steelers are made of.BIG BEN INJURY HISTORY: SN: There's been some sort of great offseason buzz related to the other teams in the AFC North, led by the Ravens. Do you feel like you guys are flying under the radar a bitin the division race?JJSS: Those teams are great teams with amazing players, but at the end of the day, when you talk about the Steelers' defense, how dominant they are, Big Ben when he's healthy, guys who
Keon Broxton Jersey he has around him, it's our time to go out and make a statement on Monday night. We're here, we're back in the AFC North and we're going to run the table.SN: What were your impre sions of just how big, fast and talented Chaseis as a rookie?JJSS: Coming in at 6-4, being able to run a 4.4 (in the 40-yard dash), it's crazy. The kid is ble sed. He's started out on a good foot and doing the right things for us. I can't wait to see what he does in his first game. I'm excited.SN: Even though there's no USC-Notre Dame game this year, are you still enjoying having Chase represent the Irish vs. you, the Trojan?JJSS: That's one of the first things we talked about the Shamrock, the rivalry. I played against him when he was there and we beat them. With me and Zach Banner, we can look forward to it every year with Chase and Stephon Tuitt the loser has to do pushups, things like that. It's really funny.SN: USC keeps churning out talented NFL receivers it's Michael Pittman Jr. this year, with Amon-Ra St. Brown ready to hit the league soon. What is it about the Trojans program and wideouts such as you and the Rams' Robert Woods?JJSS: I honestly believe with USC, how prestigious of a college it is, we're all going in with that mindset, we're coming here, we're going to play our three years and we're going to go out. A lot of wide receivers there do that. The preparation I had Tee Martin when I was there to go out there and ball, know the plays, know what I'm doing, is great. The way USC runs a playbook is pretty much how NFL teams runs theirs, and the more you know, the more you can play well.We also do special teams well there. I did punt and kick returns in college, and I was able to do that in the NFL. The transition was easy for me after it was really fun. That's why every year we have a great wide receiver who comes out.SN: When you hooked up with DAZN Canada about a year ago, did you know how popular the NFL and your team was up there?JJSS: Chase,
Tim Tebow Jersey he talked about how he was a big Steelers fan in Vancouver. Toronto, Winnipeg it's so crazy how big our Steelers fan base is. To have Steeler Nation like that up there, it's pretty cool.SN: How much do you love working with DAZN?JJSS: We've done some
Mookie Wilson Jersey amazing things with not just football, but boxing and other events. It was fun representing them in the Super Bowl in Miami. The biggest thing with DAZN Canada is you can also watch NFL RedZone along with all the games. We're doing some amazing things at DAZN. It's awesome for me to be a DAZN representative because we have a big Steelers fan base in Canada and I'm able to get my name out there. It's a great partnership, I love working with them and hopefully we have many more years to come.Watch every NFL game and RedZone on DAZN Canada (start your free trial)SN: If Steelers fans in Canada don't have DAZN, why is now the right time to subscribe?JJSS: DAZN has more live football than anyone else in Canada. If you've never seen RedZone, you're mi sing out on all the big plays. If you're a big fantasy guy like me and you want to see all your players score touchdowns and celebrate, DAZN is where it's at. I'll make sure to count my fantasy points and I'll count everyone else's, too. You've got to stay tuned.
The 15th season of is like none that came before it. For the first time, in 2020, the NFL Filmsdocumentary series is focusing on two teams at once in training camp the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.Never in the previous seasons has the show also needed to deal with filming around a pandemic. Althoughthe coaches and players remain the stars, the all-acce s crews are playing close attention to the teams' safety protocols and adjustments around COVID-19.With no preseason games and only walkthroughs for a while, the on-field action isn't as dramatic. But there's plenty of scenes off the field to make both the Rams and the Chargers more intriguing. In case you mi sed an episode or you are interested in going back in watching, we breakdown what we saw in each episode:Hard KnocksEpisode 1(originalair date:Tuesday Aug. 11, 10 p.m. ET on HBO)The show introduces us to as many 2020 Rams and Chargers as it can in one hour. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn opens with the first of several Zoom meetings featured in the episode, delivering an impa sioned speech about how his team will handle the challenges of the coronavirus and win big this season. At his home, Lynn shares the story of how he met his wife, Stacy, while showing off his grilling skills. Rams coach Sean McVay then gets his turn
James McCann Jersey in his own mansion, where he quarantined comfortablywith his fiancee Veronika and his dog Callie. McVay shares how he coachedCallie to do ball tricks around the pool a la Air Bud.McVays new star wideout, Cooper Pupp NFL Films (@NFLFilms) Cut to the team facilities for player
Yermin Mercedes Jersey COVID-19 testing,where Chargers cornerback Casey Heyward Jr. has a more difficult time than his teammates and Rams tackle Aaron Donald isn't a huge fan of blood draws. McVay is introduced to a plastic face shield and is amused by using it and mocking himself for it. He makes sure his team is aware of the Marlins' mistakes and calls on the Rams to stay within their "ecosystem."Narrator Liev Schreiber says this "training camp is unrecognizable" as we see Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen fully black masked. Lynn talks about game-planning for COVID being more difficult than game-planning for the schedule.Rams cornerback Dont'e Deayon explains how he's trying to get to the "suburbs,"making the team with his own fancy locker, a status enjoyed by Pro Bowl position mate Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey then gets his 'Hard Knocks' version of a hype video as a "money player" before he gets annoyed by local media asking him about his contract negotiations on Zoom.Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa is seen signing his lucrative new deal. In a emotional moment, Bosa sheds a few tears when opening up about what it was like to share the news with his father John, a retired NFL player.Cut to the establishment of the Chargers' quarterback "battle", where Tyrod Taylor is the presumed starter over rookie first-rounder Justin Herbert. Herbertcomes in fresh faced with a lot to learn. He isthen seen acing some "target practice" with his throwing arm.Lynn tells Chargers team clinician Dr. Herb Martinhow in the offseason. Lynn experienced sorene s and body aches, but didn't think he might have the virus until he saw a golfer pull out of a tournament with the same symptoms. Lynn admits it made him "feel like an outcast."After Lynn gives his players the freedom to react to the national anthem however they
Luis Robert Jersey want this season, some join a Zoom call with a sistant coaches and an outside consultant to better learn about social justice initiatives.Discu sions like these happening all acro s the league. NFL Films (@NFLFilms) The first player from either teamto test positive for COVID-19 is Rams rookie linebacker Terrell Lewis. He is forced to quarantine away from the team facility for 10 days.As the Rams and Chargers start making cuts to get down to 80 players, Lynn and Chargers general manager Tom Telesco are surprised by tight end Andrew Vollert's profanity-laced reaction to hisrelease, despite the fact he was a clear odd man out on the depth chart.Lynn jokes with Telesco that the thought of "you ain't Antonio Gates" cro sed his mind.After a few more relatable Zoom shenanigans from both teams, the episode ends with McVay's unwavering policy on proper port-a-potty etiquette.Hard Knocks Episode 2(original air date:Tuesday, Aug. 18, 10 p.m. ET on HBO)It is McVays turn to open the show with an inspired speech to his team after Lynn got the honors in the first episode. After Lynn figures out how to use a new megaphone in practice, he announces the Chargers are close to phase two of training camp, where they will slide and glide in offense vs. defense mirrored practices.The COVID-19 protocols are working as the Rams and the Chargers have stayed healthy in came. Veterans are showing commuting from their homes, while rookies, such as the Rams Clay Johnston and the
Ryan Goins Jersey Chargers Breiden Fehoko, have the added challenge of living out of a hotel.Chargers running back Austin Ekeler, along with Lynn, recall how Ekeler made the team as an undrafted free agent three years ago out of Western State Colorado and how not having preseason games hurts in finding gems like him. Undrafted rookie Darius Bradwell flashes in the backfield behind Ekeler, but after ballooning from his 235-pound playing weight at Tulane, is helped by strength and conditioning coach John Lott to get into a better shape, improving his chances to make the team. Ramsey, ahead of his big new contract to come, goes house-hunting at a residence sitting on 31 acres that is personally staged for him. Back at Rams practice with Ramsey, Deayon keeps laughing and Johnston repeatedly uses fudge for an expletive.Jared Goff shows off his Goff Course, a putting green he built
Robin Ventura Jersey around his house and shares his constant quest for holes in one, something that has eluded his girlfriend Christen. McVay, in an unintentional callback to the report earlier in the week he was being courted for Monday Night Football, hums the opening of the MNF theme, setting up a mildly amusing montage of practice plays.Seth Ryan, son of former NFL coach Rex, is in his second year on Lynns staff as quality control coach. He tests positive for the coronavirus and is forced to leave the facility for a while. Meanwhile, Herbert keeps displaying his strong arm but needs work on not tipping plays when taking snaps under center, after exclusively working out of the shotgun in college. Herbert watches and learns well from Taylor after a suggestion from his new right tackle, Bryan Bulaga.Every rep counts. NFL Films (@NFLFilms) Back at Rams camp, Donald, now built as hard as The Rock, gets the hype video treatment. Donald doesnt think hes too elite for his defensive linemates, however, consistently helping them with their games. Andrew Whitworth does the same for the Rams offensive linemen. It is revealed that Whitworth, 38,
The Pack could lead the pack after Week 17.The Packers (12-3) could take home the top spot in the NFC on Sunday, secure a
Gary Sanchez Jersey first-round Bye in the 2021 playoffs andclinch homefield advantage if a few scenarios break their way but they won't know for sure until they take the field late on Sunday.Green Bay takes on division-rival Minnesota on "Sunday Night Football," and they should know entering that game whether or not they have an opportunity to clinch the No. 1 seed with a victory. They'll need a small bit of help fromHere's how it could go down:How the Packers can clinch No. 1 seedThe Packers can clinch
Andy Pettitte Jersey the No. 1 seed in the NFC with the following scenarios playing out in Week 17:The
Phil Rizzuto Jersey Cowboys lose to the Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET) AND;The Packers beat the Vikings on Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET).So, before the Packers even take the field, they should know whether or not they have an opportunity to clinch the top seed in the NFC, if Dallas falls to Arizona at home.The Packers faced off against the Vikings in Week 11, and Minnesota took a 34-31 overtime win over Green Bay. The Packers have had the
Johnny Damon Jersey most difficulty of any of their division rivals in recent years, with the Vikings holding a 7-5-1 record over Green Baydating back to 2015. In that span, the Vikings are 3-2-1.The Packers can also clinch the No. 1 seed if the
Yogi Berra Jersey following happens over Week 17 and 18:The Packerswin Week 17 (vs. Vikings) andWeek 18 (vs. Lions);Any combo of Packers wins/Cowboys lo ses between Weeks 17 and 18.In the event that the Packers and the Cowboys end up with the same record,the tiebreaker would go to Dallas, who owns the better conference record over Green Bay.
Things were looking bleak at running back at certain points last week, but then Christian McCaffrey and David Montgomery returned from the IR and we made it through the week with only a couple notablenew injuries. Sure, it's a bummer to be without Derrick Henry (foot), but our Week 10 fantasy RB rankings still look fairly strong.The four teams on bye -- Bears, Texans, Giants, Bengals -- don't po se s the strongest group of backs. Joe Mixon will be mi sed, but fantasy owners are used to being without Saquon Barkley (ankle) and Montgomery. Khalil Herbert and Devontae Booker have certainly had their moments, but you can't be too upset when players you got on waivers le s than a month ago are taking the week off. And you also can't be upset when David Johnson and Phillip Lindsay are on bye. If anything, be thankful you don't have to force one into your flex.WEEK 10 PPR RANKINGS: | | | |
Cecil Cooper Jersey | Even though the byes aren't overly tough on the idle RBs, they do take away some great matchups. The Texans, Giants, and Bears were all top 10 in terms of fantasy points per game (FPPG) allowed to RBs heading into Week 9. That means fewer potential sleepers and/or top-end studs, which means
Glenn Robinson Jersey a higher likelihood you have to take a chance with your RB2 spot or use a WR in your flex.WEEK 10 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | The fallout from that can be seen in all the top backs who have tough matchups this week. James Robinson (@ Colts), D'Andre Swift (@ Steelers), Damien Harris (vs. Browns), Darrell Henderson (@ 49ers), and Michael Carter (vs. Bills) are all difficult to bench given their talent and roles, but the sledding will be tougher for all of them. Carter is likely still on the start 'em, sit 'em bubble, but his recent uptick in volume and production -- particularly in the pa sing game -- should keep him in lineups as at least a flex.WEEK 10 FANTASY: | | Antonio Gibson (vs. Bucs) not only has a brutal matchup, but questions also still remain about his health and usage. Perhaps after a bye, his shin will be better and he can handle a full complement of touches, but considering Jaret Patterson out-carried him in Week 8 and J.D. McKi sic has been more valuable overall the past couple games, Gibson is, at best, a flex this week. Titans' pair Adrian Peterson and Jeremy McNichols (vs. Saints), and Cardinals' pair James Conner and Chase Edmonds (vs. Panthers) are also in tough spots. Peterson and Conner have more standard value thanks to their respective TD upside.(Update: With Edmonds likely out due to an ankle injury, Conner is a borderline RB1 despite the matchup.)WEEK 10 DFS LINEUPS: | | Highly favorable matchups await the Bills duo of Zack Mo s and Devin Singletary (@ Jets), Broncos' pair Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon (vs. Eagles), and a crowded Ravens' backfield that's led by Latavius Murray and Devonta Freeman (@ Dolphins) when everyone is healthy. Boston Scott and Jordan Howard (@ Broncos), Kenyan Drake (vs. Chiefs), Nyheim Hines (vs. Jaguars), and AJ Dillon (vs. Seahawks) are also in good spots if you want to go a little deeper, but Drake and Hines are better suited for PPR leagues.WEEK 10 DFS: | | There are still several banged-up backs we'll be watching
Hernan Perez Jersey this week. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (knee), Chris Carson (neck), and Kareem Hunt (calf) are eligible to come off the IR, but it's unclear if any have a real chance of being activated. Continue to operate as if you won't have any available, and if they happen to come back, you can adjust from there.Overall, there are still plenty of good options despite some of the typical obstacles this week. Most important is that at least a couple injured stars are returning. In some ways, that makes navigating the position more difficult, but having multiple viable choices is better than having one mediocre option.Note: We'll be updating these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement.Fantasy RB Rankings Week 10: Who to start at running backRankings are based on standard, non-PPR scoringRankPlayer1Dalvin Cook, MIN @ LAC2Najee Harris, PIT vs. DET3Aaron Jones, GB vs. SEA4Jonathan Taylor, IND vs. JAX5Christian McCaffrey, CAR @ ARI6Ezekiel Elliott, DAL vs. ATL7Leonard Fournette, TB @ WAS8Austin Ekeler, LAC vs. MIN9Josh Jacobs, LV vs. KC10Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL @ DAL11D'Andre Swift, DET @ PIT12James Conner, ARI vs. CAR.With Chase Edmonds likely out because of a high ankle sprain, Conner should see 20-plus touches again. He won't be as productive as last week in a much tougher
Christian Yelich Jersey matchup, but given his touchdown upside and underrated versatility, he's an easy call as a borderline RB1/high-end RB2.13Mark Ingram, NO @ TEN14Darrell Henderson, LAR @ SF15D'Ernest Johnson, CLE @ NE16Melvin Gordon, DEN vs. PHI.Gordon carried the ball 21 times in Week 9, finishing with 80 yards and a score. Javonte Williams often is more efficient, but Gordon has more TDs and is a little more consistent with receptions despite having fewer overall. The touchdown upside is what separates these two against the Eagles, who entered Week 9 allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs. Both of these backs can work as RB2s or flexes.17Elijah Mitchell, SF vs. LAR.Despite Jeff Wilson Jr. and JaMycal Hasty being active, Mitchell handled 13-of-17 touches between the three of them, including a season-high five catches. Game script limited his overall production (79 total yards), but in a neutral matchup like this, his talent should shine through enough to give him RB2 value.18Darrel Williams, KC @ LV.Williams dominated touches (22) in the Chiefs backfield just a week after it looked like Derrick Gore would be more involved. Unle s Clyde Edwards-Helaire (knee)
Matt Garza Jersey comes back, WIlliams is a safe RB2 in this slightly favorable matchup19James Robinson, JAX @ IND20Myles Gaskin, MIA vs. BAL.Gaskin dominated touches in the Dolphins backfield last week, handling the rock 26 times (six catches). That resulted in just 57 total yards, but Gaskin clearly has upside with that kind of workload. Baltimore actually struggles against RBs, hovering inside the top-10 in FPPG allowed to the position all year. Gaskin is in a good spot to produce solid numbers.21
NFL picks and predictions are difficult enough in Week 1 of a given season when we know so little about how offseason roster changes will manifest on the field. Now we're picking NFL games to open a season defined by . Welcome to 2020.Only two of the 16 games on the will feature , as the Chiefs and Jaguars will allow a small percentage of their stadiums' capacities to be filled. So the typical home-field advantage attached to the odds for each game is not as much of a factor.However, team travel for away games during the coronavirus pandemic is extra stre sful, so the teams scheduled to
Kurt Suzuki Jersey make lengthy trips in Week 1 will be the first to deal with the NFL's extensive health and safety protocols for teams on the road.Per tradition, the Week 1 NFL schedule begins with the defending Super Bowl champions this year the Chiefs hosting the Thursday night season-opener, and it ends with a "Monday Night Football" doubleheader.Here are our Week 1NFL picks straight up, all the way through thatpair of Monday night games.MORE NFL WEEK 1: | NFL picks, predictions for Week 1 Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs ()Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBCThis won't be the party the Chiefs hoped it would be with only about 20 percent of Arrowhead Stadium's capacity filled with Kansas City faithful. But it should still come with the desired result. The Chiefs lost almost nothing from their Super Bowl-winning roster, and while the Texans remain competive on the strength of Deshaun Watson's brilliance, they still don't stack up. There's a reason as champions.Pick: Chiefs 30, Texans 17Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings () Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxMany were bothered by how the Packers handled their roster in the offseason. But even with Jordan Love in the picture, as long as Aaron Rodgers is playing quarterback, Green Bay's offense will be a problem for opposing teams. Of course, the Vikings are uniquely equipped to give the Packers i sues, too. This one will be as close as the odds suggest.Pick: Packers 27, Vikings 23Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots ()Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBSThis would be a lot more fun if Tua Tagovailoa were starting over Ryan Fitzpatrick for the Dolphins, but we'll take what we can get with Cam Newton starting for the Patriots in their first post-Tom Brady era game. New England hasn't had much time to integrate the QB who was signed just before training camp, which would be an i sue for anybody but Bill Belichick
Jose Ramirez Jersey and Josh McDaniels.Pick: Patriots 24, Dolphins 13Philadelphia Eagles () at Washington Football TeamSunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxThe Week 1 NFL schedule was finalized so long ago that one of these teams went by a different name when it was announced. Washington has been fortunate to have new coach Ron Rivera guide the team through a turbulent offseason, but he won't be able to steer his players to many wins in 2020. The slate begins with theNFC East rival that won the division last year and has a solid chance to repeat.Pick: Eagles 28, Washington 17 The referenced media source is mi sing and needs to be re-embedded.Seattle Seahawks () at Atlanta FalconsSunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxThis is a tough spot for the Seahawks, the team this season. It's a long road trip for an early kickoff, but at least Seattle has the cushion of the offseason rather than having to deal with such a challenge in the
Preston Tucker Jersey middle of their schedule. The Falcons are a tough team to read going into Week 1. We feel more confident about what we'll get from Ru sell Wilson and Co.Pick: Seahawks 30, Falcons 20Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens ()Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBSWeird, inexplicable upsets in Week 1 are relatively common, especially when division opponents collide to begin a season. Which makes this a dangerous game for the Ravens, who speaking of inexplicable upsets got blown out by the Browns as one of their two regular-season lo ses last year. Cleveland hasnew, offensive-minded coachKevin Stefanski and hopes of contending in the AFC North(). This game is the perfect opportunity for the Browns to prove themselves worthy of the optimism.Pick: Browns 33, Ravens 28Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions ()Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxThe Lions are getting a field goal at home, which basically makes this game a to s-up. The Bears recently announced Mitchell Trubisky won the starting quarterback job over Nick Foles, which probably matters very little to their Week 1 opponent. Detroit is simply focused on the return of its own QB and what that will do for an offense that was making strides before he got hurt last season.Pick: Lions 27, Bears 17 The referenced media source is mi sing and needs to be re-embedded.New York Jets at
Eddie Mathews Jersey Buffalo Bills ()Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBSAfter reaching the playoffs as a wild card last year, the Bills noticed what was happening around them in the AFC East and did everything they could to pad what was already a solid roster. They'll be good enough defensively to win their first division title since the Clinton administration, and they hope the addition of Stefon Diggs will be enough to lift Josh Allen to a Pro Bowl level. The Jets, meanwhile, are not yet ready to contend.Pick: Bills 27, Jets 10Indianapolis Colts () at Jacksonville JaguarsSunday, 1p.m. ET, CBSPhilip Riversnow lives in Florida, not too far from where he will make his debut as the Colts' new quarterback. Indianapolis signed the veteran hoping his savvy will help get the team back to the playoffs a year after Andrew Luck's sudden retirement. While the Colts are in win-now mode, the Jaguars appear to be in ... whatever the opposite of win-now mode is. This spread is big for good reasons.Pick: Colts 31, Jaguars 13Las Vegas Raiders () at Carolina PanthersSunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBSWe have absolutely no idea what to expect from the Panthers, a team with a new coaching staff, a new quarterback
Matt Joyce Jersey and an overhauled defense that no longer features Luke Kuechly. The Raiders can't know what to expect, either, which is why a team that flirted with the postseason last year is barely favored over a team that had no shot.Pick: Raiders 27, Panthers 24Los Angeles Chargers () at Cincinnati BengalsSunday, 4:05 p.m. ET,CBSThe Chargers are starting Tyrod Taylor over Justin Herbert at quarterback, so this will not be a matchup featuring QBs who were selected in the top six picks of the 2020 NFL Draft. If Joe Burrow comes out of the gate as well as the Bengals expect, though, a Chargers lo s to open the season against last year's worst team might push them to think more about playing the rookie. The fact that Burrow no longer has to deal with the injured Derwin James in this game is notable.Pick: Bengals 28, Chargers 21 The referenced me
If the Cowboys are going to win on Thursday, they'll have to do it without their head coach.Mike McCarthy will be absent from Dallas' sidelines for
Chad Pinder Jersey their "Thursday Night Football" matchup vs. the Saints as he was recently placed on the NFL's COVID-19 list.McCarthy is the latest coach in the NFL to mi s a game due to a positive COVID-19 test, joining two other head coaches who have mi sed time. Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper, along with others within the Dallas organization, have been dealing with coronavirus concerns as well.Here's the latest on McCarthy's bout
Brett Anderson Jersey with the virus:Why isn't Mike McCarthy coaching Cowboys?On Monday, Nov. 29, reports revealed that the Cowboys head coach had tested positive for COVID-19. , as hehas a scratchy throat following the positive diagnosis.Had McCarthy been asymptomatic, he could have potentially coached on Thursday night. Given his symptoms, however, he is out.HC Mike McCarthy enters COVID protocol & will mi s Thursday's game against the Saints. Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) The Cowboys released a statement following the news, indicating that McCarthy would still be involved in team meetings leading up to the "Thursday Night Football" matchup:Statement from the on coach Mike McCarthy, who wont be on the field for Thursdays game in New Orleans
Stephen Piscotty Jersey because of COVID protocols.A sistant head coach Rob Davis is in line for a bigger role on game day, but sounds like itll be a group effort. Tom Peli sero (@TomPeli sero) The Cowboys are dealing with something of a COVID-19 outbreak: Along with McCarthy, 12 other Dallasplayers and coacheshave tested positive for the coronavirus at some point or another in 2021.McCarthy is the third head coach to mi s time this seasonfollowing a positive test, joining Bears head coach
Fernando Rodney Jersey Matt Nagy and Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury.In July, McCarthy revealed that he had made the decision to get vaccinated, and was reportedly originally scheduled to get his vaccine booster shot the upcoming
Matt Olson Jersey Friday.Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy planned to receive his COVID-19 booster shot before testing positive Monday morning. I was actually scheduled to get it Friday, ironically. Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) In his stead, the Cowboys turn to current defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as its temporary head coach on Thursday night. Quinn, obviously, has ample experience in that position: He was head coach of theFalcons between 2015 and 2020.
Steelers rookie running back Najee Harris commanded a significant portion of the "Monday Night Football" broadcast early in the Steelers-Bears game, though not nece sarily for his on-field exploits.Much of the discu sion between Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese in the booth centered on Harris' childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he and his family occasionally dealt with homele sne s
Andrew Miller Jersey before he went onto stardom at Antioch (Calif.) High School and, later, the University of Alabama.MORE: Levy also mentioned during the broadcast that Harris slept
Corey Kluber Jersey on the floor of his dormitory in his first few months at Alabama, as it was something he had gotten used to growing up. Indeed, articles from the and indicate that Harris did sleep on the floor during his childhood.Najee Harris basically saying the crew made this whole thing up lmaooo Chris Williamson (@CWilliamson44) But Harris, in a tweet sent after the Steelers' 29-27 victory on Monday, denied ever having slept on the floor while at Alabama:Bra I aint sleep on no dam floor in college. I slept on
Mike Napoli Jersey my bed Najee Harris (@ohthatsNajee22) MORE: It appears Levy got his Alabama players mixed up: Josh Jacobs, a former Crimson Tide running back who also dealt with homele sne s in Oklahoma, actually did sleep on the floor during his first few months at Alabama.An excerpt from a by Adam Kramer matches Levy's on-air report:"When he arrived at Alabama, Josh Jacobs spent his first few months sleeping on the floor in his dorm room. Not because he didn't have a bed. But because after years of sleeping on couches, on motel floors and in the back seat of his father's
Cody Allen Jersey maroon Chevy Suburban, he was more comfortable there."MORE: ESPN's decision to focus on Harris early in its "MNF" broadcast coincides with an detailing the help he and his family have given to the Greater Richmond (Calif.) Interfaith Program, one of several homele s shelters they stayed at during his childhood.Harris' story has been well documented, including the fact he hosted his draft-day party at the same homele s shelter. That said, it
Mike Clevinger Jersey 's curious how Levy got Harris and Jacobs' stories mixed up, especially on the "Monday Night Football" stage.
Jason Garrett was a familiar face on Thanksgiving Day television screens for a long time, but in 2020, he'll be nowhere to be found
Mike Gerber Jersey .That's because the Cowboys moved on from Jason Garrett in favor of Mike McCarthy for the 2020 season. Dallas' meeting with the Washington Football Team for first place in the NFC East will happen without Garrett on the sideline. He's involved in that divisional race, too, now as the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants. And who knows, maybe the division will come down to a Week 17 meeting between the Cowboys and Giants, a revenge game for Garrett after Dallas beat
Mauricio Dubon Jersey New York 37-34 earlier in 2020.Here's a look at how Garrett wound up with the Giants after more than a decade as a coach in Dallas.Is Jason Garrett coaching this year?Yes, Jason Garrett is the New York Giants' offensive coordinator in 2020.It's the first coordinator role Garrett has held since 2010 in Dallas. It's been a struggle of a season for the New York offense, although how much of that can be pinned on Garrett is debatable. Second-year quarterback Daniel Jones has been inconsistent, while star running back Saquon Barkley has mi sed most of the year with injury as the pa s-catchers have been dinged-up, too
Brandon Belt Jersey .Through 11 weeks of the 2020 season, the Giants have the third-lowest yardage and point totals in the NFL. The bigger struggle has been pa sing the football, as even mostly without Barkley, the Giants rank 18th (out of 32) in the league in rushing yards. that Garrett's tenure as offensive coordinator in New York could conclude as soon as the end of the 2020 season, writing that "a new offensive coordinator next season would not surprise several sources who know (Giants head coach Joe) Judge well."Why did the Cowboys fire Jason Garrett?Garrett and the Cowboys agreed to part ways in January 2020 after Garrett's 10th season as the head coach in Dallas. There hadn't been any deep playoff runs that owner Jerry Jones was likely hoping for.There was only one losing season in Dallas for Garrett, a 2015 in which Tony Romo's injury derailed the Cowboys. But a 2-3 record in the postseason wasn't good enough to extend
Johnny Cueto Jersey his tenure past a decade, and the Cowboys brought in Mike McCarthy to replace him.Jason Garrett career coaching timelineGarrett retired from his career as an NFL quarterback following the 2004 season. He was 165-for-294 as an NFL pa ser, throwing 11 touchdowns compared to five interceptions in a career spanning 1993-2004. After Garrett's retirement, he immediately joined the Dolphins' coaching staff. Here's how his career has progre sed since:2005-06:Miami Dolphins - quarterbacks coach2007:Dallas Cowboys - offensive coordinator2008-09:Dallas Cowboys - a sistant head coach & offensive coordinator2010-19:Dallas Cowboys -
Steven Duggar Jersey head coach (85-67 record)2020:New York Giants - offensive coordinator
Kyler Murray has done plenty well in sparking the Cardinals'quick turnaround into an NFC playoff team. Although his losing postseason debut in Monday's wild-card game at the division rival Rams was mostly a disaster, he still carries a lot of dual-threat upside as a two-time Pro Bowler who just finished Year 3 as a 24-year-old.But after looking at everything that went wrong for Murray against a tough defense in the biggest game of his career thus far, coach Kliff Kingsbury and the rest of the Arizona bra s have a big job ahead: putting the right pieces in place around their franchise QB to get the most out of him.Murray (19-of-34
Adbert Alzolay Jersey pa sing, 137 yards, two INTs, 4.0 yards per attempt, 40.9 rating) was ineffective throwing to all parts of the field and failed to do any impactful rushing (two attempts, 6 yards). The dinking and dunking in a compre sed attack gave him little chance in a 34-11 rout. He pre sed and made a lot of bad decisions, including a second-quarter pop-up pa s that went for the shortest pick-six in NFL playoff history.MORE: Aaron Donald, Von Miller and the rest of the Rams' defensive front did cause problems, but the shortcomings of a Cardinals pa s-catching corps that was minus go-to guy DeAndre Hopkins, as well as other factors caught up to the offense, too.The knee-jerk reaction is that the Cardinals need to re-evaluate whether the combination of Murray and the offensive-minded Kingsbury is the right one for big long-term succe s. The reality is, Arizona overachieved in going 11-6 to earn second place in the tough NFC West. To turn the corner from good wild-card story to true championship contender, the Cardinals need to focus on making the right upgrades around Murray.Consider first that Murray didn't have a top offensive line. Second, he worked with a makeshift set of receivers, including fading stars A.J. Green and Zach Ertz. Much of the Cardinals' offensive succe s was tied to their strong traditional running game featuring James Conner and Chase Edmonds. That served as a consistent complement to a turnover-forcing defense.Murray was most interested in being an efficient pa ser to improve on his second-year breakout. The numbers did support that goal in the regular season, with his 100.6 rating and standout 7.9 yards per attempt, both career bests. Digging deeper, his high level of production stemmed from
Billy Williams Jersey monster games in the first half of the season, when the Cardinals started 7-0. He mi sed three games with an ankle injury in November, and after that the downfield game dwindled without Hopkins.MORE: Hopkins is coming off a big knee injury ahead of his Age 30 season. Green (33) and Ertz (31) are pending unrestricted free agents along with running backs Conner andEdmonds, wide receiver Christian Kirk, tight end Maxx Williams, guard Max Garcia and backup QB Colt McCoy.The Cardinals have a chance to overhaul the skill positions and infuse them with youth around Murray. The best bet for keepers are Conner and Edmonds, because they can return relative cheaply. Although Arizona will have several holes to addre s on defense, too, they need to resettheir offensive weapons to align them better
Robel Garcia Jersey with Murray.Having Hopkins again will help, and so will better usage of dynamic second-round pick Rondale Moore. But the Cardinals would help Murray take a big leap with a truedeep speed threat. Kirk, now dedicated to the slot, isn't that. Williams and Murray had a nice connection before the former went down with a knee injury, and Ertz was a good replacement security blanket. A more athletic option who can stretch the middle of the field should be welcome.Arizona is perceived as a prolific, explosive and aggre sive offense under Kingsbury, but it needs to have more sources of big plays. Even though there is creativity, the
Baez El Mago Jersey Cardinals can get into a rut with their short and intermediate pa sing. Murray also needs to embrace his rare quickne s and speed as a runner the way Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen do to take over games at times.Murray's rushing production had a nearly 50 percent dropoff, to the point it became a non-factor. That'sinexplicable for someone with such a high floor in that regard. His succe sor at Oklahoma, Jalen Hurts, was close to Murray's 2020 rushing levels for the Eagles as he compensated for shaky pa sing. Murray is a more dangerous pa ser, like Jackson and Allen, when defenses get too worried about his running.MORE: The Cardinals have been pretty solld at tackle, but they need to upgrade their interior offensive line. Garcia (30), left guard Justin Pugh (31) and center Rodney Hudson (32) are on the downsides of their careers. There are similar aging concerns with right tackle Kelvin Beachum (31).Murray needs a young team around him, like Joe Burrow has with the Bengals. The Cardinals were the oldest team in the NFL by average player age (27.3) going into the season, with 16 players over 30. That increased with the midseason trade for Ertz.General manager Steve Keim did a good job getting enough veteran support to expedite a playoff berth with Murray. Now, the script should be flipped to an aggre sive retool with Murray most in mind. Kingsbury needs to help Murray evolve into a more consistent all-around force, but that can't happen with the current personnel.Given their cap situation, free agency won't be fruitful for the Cardinals. That's OK, because the draft is where they will get younger. Wide receiver, tight end and offensive line should bump higher up the team'sneeds list this year after Arizona prioritized defense in the first two post-Murray drafts, with the exception of Moore.MORE: The good news is the team that beat the Cardinals on Monday and in the division race has a capped future as an "all-in"
Ryne Sandberg Jersey team with Matthew Stafford. The 49ers are about to fall behind at QB with the change to Trey Lance and the Seahawks don't seem as if they will have Ru sell Wilson much longer.It was good the Cardinals got Murray's feet wet in the playoffs, even though he was drowned by the moment. If they plan to get the real payoff with his talent, they need to execute a patientplan that's timed to provide the biggest boost when he's in his playmaking prime.
The sports attendance jokes grew old long ago. Bad team suspects or even announces no fans are allowed to attend its games as a COVID-19 precaution, andthe social media world rushes to the same punch line.
St. Louis Cardinals Jersey For some teams, though, the jokes land with better accuracy. The Washing Football Team is one of those squads.MORE: Washington announced Wednesday that NFL games at FedEx Field will be played during the 2020 season "with the health and safety of its fans and employees top of mind." A portion of team owner Dan Snyder's statement read,"We are fortunate to host the best fans in the NFL year after year."Last season, though, the "best fans in the NFL" filled FedEx Field with an average attendance of 65,488 in the 82,000-seat stadium, per ESPN. That means it was just 79.9 percent full on average, the for 2019 ahead of the Buccaneers (79.1 percent) and
Marcell Ozuna Jersey the Bengals (72 percent).In 2018, Washington ranked dead last in the league in attendance by percentage of seating capacity. It ranked 28th in 2017 and 30th in 2015, with a spike to 18th in 2016 with the team coming off an NFC East title.So, yeah, the jokes in this case are fair. They can be found in the comments of any post about Washington's announcement Wednesday. Below are just a fewexamples.so it'll look like it did last year? bomani (@bomani_jones)
Andrew Knizner Jersey Someone better tell the Eagles fans before they descend onto FedEx Field as they always do. Reality Shows Will Be the Death of Us All (@revreaves) Thought they started doing this years ago?? Connor Jones (@_cjones26) That's nothing new for them Keith Blair (@ksblair) Eagles fans wont be able
Keith Hernandez Jersey to take over FedExField for season openerNo fans in Washington this year John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) Thats one tradition that isnt changing! RedWolves Fan (@numberthirty6) How does this differ from previous recent seasons? Mr AJ B (@Affypop) Finally, a good fan experience at FedEx Field. Cjmullysr (@mullinsnova) The Washington Football Team says there will not be spectators at games to start the season, but they will have loudspeakers pipe in the sounds of fans booing. Fake Dispatch (@Fake_Dispatch) Have obtained this rendering showing what FedEx Field might look like without fans.
Drew Robinson Jersey michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) The Washington Football Team joins the Jets, Giants and Raiders as NFL teams thatwill host no fans in 2020. Most teams' plans with the po sibility they, too, won't be able to have fans in their stadiums.
