NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Tom Brady is likely to have his No. 1 receiver for Week 1.

After being upgraded from doubtful to questionable on Saturday's injury report, Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) is likely to play against the Saints barring any setback, sources tell NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

Evans may be on a pitch count, Rapoport adds, but there is now optimism for him to be on the field in New Orleans for the season opener.

Evans finished 2019 with 67 receptions for 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games played.

The availability of Evans is a good sign for Brady, who looks to make a splash in his debut as the Bucs' quarterback. While Evans only represents one half of Tampa Bay's dynamic duo of wideouts, his presence alone may ensure some favorable matchups for teammate Chris Godwin. The same goes for the Bucs' tight end trio of Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, who will all be featured in coach Bruce Arians' 12 personnel sets this season.

The Bucs will still have a tough match ahead against the Saints, who are the defending NFC South champs, but having Evans on the field will only help Brady & Co.'s cause for a takeover.

NFL.com

 

And at a substantial rate/amount. Its probably about time. Used to be a bunch of plug and play RB's and if you had a good O-line, anybody could run, but in todays 'specialist' positions, I think the RB's are getting a larger slice of the pie.

Kamara's raise kinda makes sense, but the Cook deal kinda surprised me. At first glance, i was thinking Cook got over-paid because of his relative short career so far, but hell, good for him... just hope he lives up to that contract and stays healthy.

 

I was just about to ask your thoughts on this heh. He's getting $6mil less in guarantees than Kamara, equivalent to some 20%. And i believe he comes in at 6th among RB's for annual pay. We know how new contracts usually come in right near the top even when the player isnt necessarily top at their position. Personally i think this is a very solid move by the Vikes, Cook is such a scheme fit and such a talent as a runner and receiver. Why have one of your best players who you know you must keep, disgruntled.

Pay him, show his teammates you play well you get paid, then cross your fingers for health.

 

Bears to have Montgomery, Patterson against Lions without Okudah



The Bears take on the Lions today in Detroit, and the injury situation appears to be better for the Bears than for the Lions.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that two key members of the Bears who were listed as questionable, running back David Montgomery and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, are both good to go today.

But Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah, also listed as questionable, is not expected to play today because of a hamstring injury. The Lions selected Okudah with the third overall pick in the draft, and not having him will be a big disappointment in Detroit.

The Bears have swept the Lions two years in a row, but today the Lions are 2.5-point favorites.

NBC

 

Thanks for the compliment @Lyman . When this damned virus goes away, I'd like to make it a point to meet up with Lyman again as well as a few other Browns board posters who don't live too far away.

 

Minshew and the Jags were impressive.

 

Tom terrific is looking very pedestrian against the Saints

 

Cardinals trying for the upset...

 

Saints spoil Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay debut



For much of the afternoon, the two old guys looked mostly like two old guys.

In the fourth quarter, the slightly less old one pulled away.

Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdowns to lead the Saints to a 34-23 win over the Buccaneers, in Tom Brady‘s first game outside of New England.

The 41-year-old Brees was 18-of-30 passing for 160 yards, and made way for more Taysom Hill experiments along the way. Running back Alvin Kamara celebrated his new contract with 67 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. It wasn’t a day of offensive explosions, and wide receiver Michael Thomas limped off late after getting his ankle rolled up, giving them something to worry about.

But Brady was uncharacteristically off in his debut. The 43-year-old threw a pair of interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, negating his two touchdowns. He was 23-of-36 for 239 yards, for a 78.4 passer rating.

The Bucs also had plenty of other problems, getting a field goal blocked and fumbling a kickoff, giving coach Bruce Arians plenty of things to yell about this week.

The Saints also had a lot to do with Brady’s off day, based on the way they were playing defense. When Brees was hurt last year and Teddy Bridgewater was tending to things, they won games with defense and special teams, and that was similar to what happened Sunday.

NBC

 

Cardinals hold off 49ers as Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins find a connection



The Cardinals rallied from an early 10-0 deficit, and they trailed the 49ers 20-17 in the fourth quarter.

They won 24-20, beating the defending NFC champions in Santa Clara.

Kyler Murray completed 26 of 40 passes for 230 yards with a touchdown and an interception. New receiver DeAndre Hopkins caught 14 of those for 151 yards.

Murray also led the team in rushing. He was over 100 yards until kneel downs at the end of the game took him to 91 yards on 13 carries. Murray scored on a 22-yard run in the fourth quarter to give the Cardinals their first lead with 10:26 left.

The 49ers answered with Jimmy Garoppolo throwing a 5-yard pass to running back Jerick McKinnon, McKinnon’s first touchdown since 2017.

But the 49ers, with a depleted receiving corps and a gimpy tight end George Kittle, came up 16 yards short. Garoppolo’s final two passes on third-and-five and fourth-and-five intended for Trent Taylor fell incomplete. The final incompletion came with 33 seconds remaining.

The Cardinals outgained the 49ers 404 to 366.

NBC