NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Alan Faneca using his Hall of Fame enshrinement to push for Hines Ward to join him



Former Steelers guard Alan Faneca will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month, and that’s giving him a platform to try to get his old teammate, wide receiver Hines Ward, a bust in Canton.

Faneca has chosen Ward to introduce him at the enshrinement ceremony, and Faneca used a Hall of Fame media call on Thursday to insist that Ward is deserving of making it to the Hall of Fame.

“He will get into Canton,” Faneca said, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It’s just a matter of time. He is a Hall of Famer. It’s just a matter of when he gets in.”

Three members of the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL-winning team are joining the Hall of Fame this summer, with Faneca there as part of the Class of 2021 and coach Bill Cowher and safety Troy Polamalu both getting in with the Class of 2020, whose enshrinement ceremony was delayed by a year. Jerome Bettis is already in the Hall of Fame. Ward, who was Super Bowl XL MVP, would be the fifth member of that team to make it, if he gets in.

So far, the Hall of Fame selectors haven’t agreed with Faneca about Ward’s Hall of Fame credentials. Ward has never even been one of the 15 finalists, let alone been voted in.

PFT

 

I didn't know that thought Hines Ward was in the HOF I remember him being really good and VERY TOUGH

 

Hines has some good stats as a WR & he won a SB MVP

 

David Onyemata suspended after testing positive for banned substance



It looks like the Saints won’t have one of their key defenders to start the 2021 season.

Defensive tackle David Onyemata posted to Instagram early Friday morning that he tested positive for a banned substance and will be suspended.

“I was informed by the NFLPA yesterday that I have tested positive for a banned substance resulting in a suspension for part of the 2021 NFL season,” Onyemata wrote, via Katherine Terrell of TheAthletic.com. “While I was certainly surprised and disappointed with this news, I am responsible for what I put in my body. As I have never knowingly taken anything that could cause a positive test, we are currently in the process of testing the supplements I was taking at the time of the test. Regardless, I am committed to being more aware of any medication and dietary supplements that may contain substances banned by the NFL.”

Onyemata was a sixth-round pick for the Saints in 2016 and emerged as a full-time starter over the last two seasons. He recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks with 10 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits in 2020. He also had an interception and a part of passes defensed.

In five seasons, Onyemata has appeared in 78 games with 40 starts. He has 16.0 career sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 42 quarterback hits.

New Orleans’ defense may have two of its starters suspended to begin the year. Back in March, cornerback Marshon Lattimore was arrested and charged with a fourth-degree felony of receiving a stolen handgun. While nothing has been announced as of yet, Lattimore could face league discipline over the incident.

PFT

 

Hines will get in... HOF puts a lot of stock in All Pro and I'm pretty sure Hines had at least a couple of All Pro years. That is more important to the board than SB MVP.

 

He got 6 games...

 

I don't think he gets in because of the other receivers that are ahead of him during his time.

 

Our D is shaky enough as it is. Don't need this. Might be a long season.

 

Our D is shaky enough as it is. Don't need this. Might be a long season.


SCS a game to mark on your calendar.......Sunday, November 14/21

I'm thinking a side bet here.

 

Ted Ginn is calling it a career.

Ginn, the longtime wide receiver who played for six different NFL teams, announced his retirement today.

The 36-year-old Ginn entered the NFL with the Dolphins as the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft. Although he never became the complete receiver the Dolphins hoped he would be, he showed impressive staying power in a lengthy NFL career, good deep speed and significant contributions on special teams.

Ginn played three years in Miami, followed by three in San Francisco, one in Carolina, one in Arizona, two more in Carolina, three in New Orleans and one in Chicago, where he played sparingly last year in his final NFL season.

Ginn retires with 412 catches for 5,742 yards and 33 touchdowns plus 262 punt returns for 2,624 yards and four touchdowns, and 307 kickoff returns for 6,899 yards and three touchdowns. His 15,749 career all-purpose yards are the fourth-most in the NFL since 2007, behind only Darren Sproles, Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore.

PFT

 

49ers’ Jimmie Ward: Matt Stafford is the same QB who was in Detroit and didn’t make the playoffs



The Rams have been a trendy Super Bowl pick since trading for quarterback Matthew Stafford, but 49ers safety Jimmie Ward will believe it when he sees it.

Ward questioned whether Stafford is really an upgrade over Jared Goff, given the two quarterbacks’ playoff records.

“I like Stafford, but they still will have the same players that he’ll be throwing the ball to,” Ward told Grant Cohn of SI.com. “He’s the same quarterback who was on the Detroit Lions and they still didn’t go to the playoffs, and they had Megatron [Calvin Johnson]. What was the problem over there in Detroit? Are you going to blame the city? What was the problem? Was it the money? If they city didn’t have enough money to bring players over there, why even have an NFL team? That’s a big question mark.

“They went and traded Jared Goff, who went to the playoffs several times and went to the Super Bowl. Yeah, he lost. He went to the Super Bowl, though. I’ve yet to see that with Matt Stafford. And I’m saying, he’s still great. I believe he’s a top 10 quarterback, maybe top 5. I don’t know. We’ll see. I’m just going off of what I see. And I see Jared Goff got those boys to the Super Bowl.”

It’s true that Stafford only reached the playoffs three times in 12 seasons in Detroit, and lost in the wild card round all three times. And it’s true that Goff got to the playoffs three times in five seasons with the Rams, including reaching the Super Bowl once.

That does not, however, mean Stafford isn’t an upgrade over Goff. And now perhaps Stafford will have a little extra motivation to prove that to Ward.

PFT

 

I just reading some sports articles on the Steelers and LC Greenwood is not in the HOF this makes no sense to me WTF

 

Raiders Running Back Coach Kirby Wilson Retires
After 23 seasons, Las Vegas Raiders running back coach Kirby Wilson is retiring, hanging up his clipboard one last time.
HIKARU KUDO
UPDATED:
JUL 17, 2021
ORIGINAL:
JUL 17, 2021

• Wilson has informed the Raiders organization that he is retiring.
  
  With 23 years of total coaching experience, Wilson has made his impact in the league.
  
  He has successfully coached four running backs who finished top 15 in career rushing yards--Emmitt Smith, Adrian Peterson, Curtis Martin, and Edgerrin James.
  
  Of those four, Martin and Smith are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
  
  Wilson’s coaching career began with the New England Patriots in 1997. He spent time in Washington, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Minnesota, Cleveland, Oakland, and Las Vegas. The final two locations and the final two seasons were with the Raiders.
  
  Wilson’s most recent and final product, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, rushed for 1,000-plus yards in both of his first two seasons in the NFL.
  
  The Raiders will miss Wilson as he has been a key element, albeit behind-the-scenes, to make sure the ground game and Jacobs were their best the past couple of seasons.
  
  The Silver and Black now have a quick task of finding a new running back coach before the season begins. Who will follow Wilson’s footsteps in Las Vegas?
  

 

It's not misleading at all. They haven't had a winning record since 2015 but even as a bad football team they have been able to win AFC North games:

2020: 4-11-1 (beat Steelers)
2019: 2-14 (beat Browns)
2018: 6-10 (beat Ravens)
2017: 7-9 (beat Browns twice, knocked Ravens out of playoffs Week 17)
2016: 6-9-1 (beat Browns twice, beat Ravens Week 17)

 

Yes but, before last year the Browns were terrible, so their odds for getting a win in the North were actually pretty high. Now that the Browns are near the top of the conference, the Bengals odds of getting a division win drops drastically.

 

We will see.

Bengals are improved and will have a potent offense if Joe stays healthy. They might surprise a few that take them lightly.

I still think the Gals will be competitive vs the Steelers, Browns and whomever. Certainly wont be a cakewalk when playing them.... I like what they have done this time around.

 

I knew that would be your response. It totally ignores the non-Browns wins.

 

Agreed they are improved and division play is always different. Throw out the W/L records. AFC North teams really don't like each other.

 

I conceded that this is the NFL and EVERY game is a loseable one, no matter who you are.

Based on the current team makeup, coaching and most recent success, there is little doubt in my mind the Bengals will be underdogs in every AFC North game this season. I will be surprised if they win one of them, thus the 0-6 prediction.

As for improvement, all of the teams improved on paper. Theirs is more based on their draft than actual veteran roster turnover. I tend to err on the side of caution when depending on draft picks.

The one improvement I can see is Riley Reiff on the line. That depends on health though, since he will be 33 next season. Otherwise, the adds they signed, really were sideways to some being downgrades to what they lost. They have to play the games, so we never really know until they play them, but I don't see a huge jump this season.

The season is on the shoulders..or knee... of Joe Burrow. If he comes back 100% and doesn't have any ill effects from the injury immediately, then they have a chance.

 

I'm not ignoring them, they were just few and far between. If you beat the Steelers 1 time in 6 tries and you beat the Ravens 1 time in 6 tries, well that shows a trend that you are more than likely not winning 1 in 2 tries this season, unless they get worse or you get better, or both.

Personally, I don't see the growth in Cincy, I also don't see a huge step forward in Baltimore or Pittsburgh, but Cincy needs to improve at a time the other two stay stagnant.. SO, if the Browns really have improved as much as EVERY expert is saying they have.. Then the Bengals chances of winning a game in the North is low based on their QB injury, which is the driving force in Cincy getting wins in 2021. Until Joe Burrow shows no effects of the injury, they will be an underdog in North games.

I'm not sure why I have to defend an opinion as much as I do.

To say, over the past however many years they have managed to get a win is a weak argument in my opinion. It's about RECENT history because that better reflects the state of the roster and team. Then take into account the most recent losses and gains, then you can see a bigger picture.

Taking everything into account, the odds are more in favor of the Bengals losing all 6 division games, than winning one of them.

For the record, I don't think any of these 3 teams are going to take them lightly, so I don't buy that argument either. Division games are WAY too important and the coaching staff at all three franchises seem to be adequate enough not to let that happen.

Also for the record, if the Bengals are going to win, it will be against the Steelers. There is just as big a question mark on whether Ben is able to stop his downward trend. He is getting sacked more and more every season. If that continues, his injury status could go up also.