NFL - NEWS & NOTES

The stache better get it going... 14-0 Fins.

 

Ryan Fitzpatrick tosses two touchdowns, runs for a third as Dolphins earn 31-13 win over Jaguars



Ryan Fitzpatrick tossed a pair of touchdowns and ran for a third as the Miami Dolphins earned a 31-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.

Fitzpatrick had just two incompletions on the night as he was 18 of 20 for 160 yards and two passing touchdowns to lead the way for Miami. He also had 38 yards rushing and caught one of his own passes for good measure as well. A Dolphins Defense that was last in the league in sacks last year also sacked Gardner Minshew four times on the night to help shut down the Jaguars Offense.

Fitzpatrick led two scoring drives to open the game as the Dolphins jumped out to an early 14-0 lead. Preston Williams caught a 3-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive and Jordan Howard scored a 1-yard touchdown on the second possession as Miami easily grabbed control in the first quarter.

Rookie running back James Robinson did his best to help Jacksonville in the game. His 11-yard touchdown run in the second quarter got the Jaguars on the board and cut the lead to 14-7.

Fitzpatrick connected with tight end Mike Gesicki on a 15-yard touchdown on the next Miami possession as the Dolphins found the end zone on each of their first three drives of the game. After a Minshew fumble gave the Dolphins possession at the Jacksonville 5-yard line, Fitzpatrick would add a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter as Miami’s lead grew to 28-7.

While Robinson was able to add a 1-yard touchdown run for Jacksonville, their offense was unable to keep up with Miami. The wheels fell off after Minshew’s fumble with the Jaguars twice turning the ball over on downs and Minshew being intercepted by Xavien Howard late in the fourth quarter.

Minshew completed 30 of 42 passes for 275 yards with an interception for Jacksonville. Robinson rushed for 46 yards and two touchdowns on his 11 carries and caught six passes for 83 yards to lead the Jaguars, who were missing wide receiver D.J. Chark due to a back/chest injury.

Jason Sanders added a 30-yard field goal late as Miami earned their first win of the season.

NBC

 

The Steelers won with 26 points so that must be the one that didn’t hit 30

 

There were just 3 games last week where a team didnt hit 30 points, Pittsburgh was one, the Vikings game and Bears vs Giants game.

 

George Kittle ruled out for Week Three



49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan wasn’t ready to announce a decision on tight end George Kittle‘s playing status on Friday morning, but that changed by the time he met the media on Friday afternoon.

Shanahan told reporters that Kittle will not play against the Giants on Sunday. That will make two straight games on the sideline for Kittle as he continues to work his way back from a knee injury.

Kittle will now shoot for a return in Week Four when the Niners will be back at Levi’s Stadium and away from a playing surface at MetLife Stadium that was the subject of many complaints last weekend.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), running back Raheem Mostert (hamstring), defensive end Dee Ford (back), running back Tevin Coleman (knee), and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quad) have also been ruled out. The 49ers also have cornerback Richard Sherman, defensive end Nick Bosa, defensive tackle Solomon Thomas and wide receiver Deebo Samuel on injured reserve.

NBC

 

Looks like the injury bug has hit the 49ers

 

Brett Favre won’t be the only guy wearing a Tom Brady T-shirt at the next Tampa Bay home game.

The Buccaneers have announced that, for the Week Four contest against the Chargers, they’ll have a limited number of fans for a “soft opening.”

The process will begin with all continuous season-ticketholders since 1998 or earlier having dibs. Both of them will have the ability to buy a limited number of tickets on October 1.

For the Week Seven game against the Packers, the Bucs will fill the venue to approximately 25 percent of full stadium capacity, with season-ticketholders who allowed the team to retain their 2020 payments as credit for 2021 getting the ability to buy tickets for up to two of the six remaining home games.

“We have been working tirelessly with local and state authorities, as well as medical experts, to ensure a safe environment at Raymond James Stadium,” Buccaneers COO Brian Ford said in a statement. “We are ready and excited to welcome our fans back.”

The fans are ready and excited to attend games featuring Brady a quarterback and otherwise highly-competitive roster.

NBC

Hope to see and should, more of the gates opening... especially in outdoor venues.

 

Henry Ruggs out for Raiders; Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller questionable



Wide receiver Henry Ruggs won’t be with the Raiders when they take the field against the Patriots on Sunday.

Ruggs has been ruled out of Sunday’s game due to knee and hamstring injuries. Ruggs opened the week as a full participant with only the knee issue noted, but dropped to limited participation while adding the hamstring injury on Thursday. He was out of practice entirely on Friday.

Fellow rookie wideout Bryan Edwards was limited all week with a foot injury, but he did not get an injury designation.

Running back Josh Jacobs (hip) and tight end Darren Waller (knee) made their first practice appearances of the week on Friday. They’ve both been listed as questionable along with tackle Sam Young (groin) and offensive lineman Denzelle Good (thumb/illness).

If Young and Good play, they’ll be candidates to replace Trent Brown at right tackle. Brown (calf) and linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski (pectoral) have been ruled out.

NBC

 

The Chiefs are still holding out hope for having their No. 2 receiver on Monday night at Baltimore.

Sammy Watkins is questionable with a concussion and a neck injury. He returned to practice on a limited basis on Friday, and he fully participated in Saturday’s practice.

Also questionable for the Week Three are cornerback Charvarius Ward (hand) and linebacker Dorian O'Daniel (knee, ankle).

Defensive end Alex Okafor (hamstring) is out for Monday night.

All other players have received no injury designation, including running back Darrel Williams (ankle), defensive end Frank Clark (illness), and safety Juan Thornill (knee).

The Chiefs and Ravens each have started the season 2-0. In 2018 and 2019, the Chiefs beat the Ravens in Kansas City.

NBC

 

After missing the first two games of the season, wide receiver Kenny Golladay is expected to make his season debut against Arizona, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

Golladay has been battling a hamstring injury.

The fourth-year player out of Northern Illinois had 1190 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns last season.

 

• The Las Vegas Raiders listed running back Josh Jacobs (hip) and tight end Darren Waller (knee) as questionable, but sources say both players should be good to go against the New England Patriots, per Rapoport. Both players just practiced on Friday.
• • The Atlanta Falcons will take it up to 90 minutes from game time for wide receiver Julio Jones, who recently re-aggravated a hamstring injury. He's listed as questionable, and still has a chance to prove he can move around well enough to play. He only practiced on Friday and was very limited.
  • Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith (neck) is listed as questionable and in a similar position as last week -- with an outside chance at playing, but no one has ruled him out. Meanwhile, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (knee) is expected to play, according to Rapoport.
  • Denver Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy bruised his ribs in last week's game and is listed as questionable. A source tells Rapoport he's expected to play, and will loom large with Courtland Sutton on IR.
  • Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams is listed as doubtful with a very minor hamstring strain, and head coach Matt LaFleur said, "We'll give him the rest of the week to see where he is." Adams is pushing to play, and Green Bay will give him a chance to prove it. It's a longshot but he hasn't given up, according to Rapoport.
  
  
  
• NFL.com

 

Bears-Falcons game is on, after more testing and contact tracing

The first players to land on the COVID-19/reserve list during the regular season won’t derail an NFL game.

NFL Media reports that Sunday’s NFL game between the Bears and Falcons will proceed as scheduled.

After contact tracing and further testing, all Falcons players and personnel have been cleared for the game, with no positives being generated from the testing that was conducted on Saturday (and hopefully no false negatives).

The Falcons still won’t have first-round cornerback A.J. Terrell available for Sunday’s game, making them the first team to not have a player available because of the virus.

This glitch underscores the fact that the NFL otherwise has handled the situation extremely well, with the biggest problem arising from the tug-o-war between the league office and coaches for not wearing face coverings on the sideline, and the investigation regarding whether the Raiders allowed someone into the locker room on Monday night who wasn’t supposed to be there.

NBC

 

Nick Foles in for Mitch Trubisky

Two weeks ago, Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky led the team back from a 17-point deficit in Detroit. He won’t get the chance to lead the team back from a 16-point lead in Atlanta.

Nick Foles has entered the game with the Bears behind 26-10 in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Falcons. According to the Bears, Trubisky is not injured.

Trubisky had completed 13 of 22 passes for 128 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also added 45 yards on a scramble.

Regardless, after leading the Bears to a pair of wins, coach Matt Nagy wanted to give Foles a chance.

NBC

 

Chase Young out with groin injury



Washington had an early lead, but now have a concern which could impact them beyond a Browns touchdown.

Rookie defensive end Chase Young has left the game, and has already been ruled out for the rest of the day because of a groin injury.

The second overall pick in this year’s draft also missed some time during training camp with a hip flexor injury, so the sight of him limping off the field is cause for worry.

Young had 2.5 sacks in the first two games, and was part of a defense which was giving Washington reason for hope in the NFC East.

The Browns just took a 10-7 lead on a 16-yard touchdown run by Nick Chubb.

NBC

 

Wow, Rams doing stuff...