NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Almost sounds like there is something personal going on between the police and Brown... strange going ons.

 

Get his agent on the phone, ask him to call to let him know the Dolphins want to sign him for a playoff run…

He’ll fall for it every time. And not even realize his agent was in on it…….

 

1. Bills’ run game evolving as teams combat Josh Allen. The Bills came into Thursday’s game with their three highest rushing totals coming in the past three weeks. And though they could not quite reach that same sum against New England, it was another successful night on the ground for the Bills as they ran for 132 yards on 37 carries, possessing the ball for a whopping 38 minutes versus a ball-control team. At times early this season, the Bills would come out throwing early to set up the run game late. In recent outings, it has been far more run-heavy early as defenses go lighter in nickel and dime. The Patriots seemed to gamble that Allen wouldn’t take the easy checkdown yards every time and eventually would get antsy. It almost worked when Allen threw one up for grabs, but Kyle Dugger couldn’t snag the freebie. But on a night when Allen is throwing touchdowns while hugging the sideline and throwing lasers in the face of pressure (the third-quarter 19-yarder to Stefon Diggs was just dirty), there really wasn’t much the Patriots could do. If the first three quarters was their attempt at death by a thousand papercuts, then the Bills’ 15-play, 94-yard, 8:55 drive to make it a 24-7 lead was the hammer blow that put the Patriots away.
2. Patriots offense once again hits the skids. The Thanksgiving loss at Minnesota had a bright side -- for three quarters, anyway -- when the Patriots’ offense actually got the downfield pass game humming a bit and hit the 400-yard mark for only the second time this season. But Thursday was a step backward, raising Patriots fans’ Mac Jones angst back to pre-Vikings levels. If you only saw the box score, you might have thought Jones (with some late padding) had a solid night as he completed 22 of 36 passes for 195 yard and a touchdown. But 48 yards came on a screen where the Bills’ defense froze, several more came with the Patriots down three scores, and Jones got away with an interception-worthy throw in the second half. We won’t get into a scheme versus talent debate here other than to say that Matt Patricia and Jones simply don’t look like they’re on the same page. Everything looks labored, such as the Patriots’ final first-half possession when they gained 29 yards on eight plays, using two (2) timeouts to gain one (1) yard. It ended on a missed field goal, summing up the night offensively. It goes without saying, but Mac is everything Allen isn’t. Allen can escape a sack, tightrope the sideline and throw a TD. Jones can escape a sack and throw a should-have-been INT by Jordan Poyer. If Jones was throwing to the Bills’ skill players, he might have more of a chance. But with the Patriots’ pass catchers, who often are running curious routes, and Jones’ off-script limitations, there’s almost no room for error against good teams like the Bills.
3. James Cook’s coming-out party. When Cook fumbled his first NFL handoff back in Week 1, he was immediately banished to the Bills’ bench. And though he had an 11-carry game in Week 2, Cook pretty much had been relegated to RB3 duties for the Bills while Devin Singletary has enjoyed perhaps his best season. Cook also looked like he could be stuck there following the trade for Nyheim Hines, but the Bills have thought otherwise as they’ve ramped up the rookie’s workload offensively. Thursday night was Cook’s coming-out party, as he set a career high in carries (14) and totaled (105) yards from scrimmage. Singletary had an ordinary night running the ball early and couldn’t corral either of the two passes thrown to him; both were catchable. The two of them essentially split the work down the stretch, but Cook had more touches (20 to 13) and left less meat on the bone. Could Cook overtake the RB1 role by season’s end? Our best guess is that this one ends up with Cook in the 2021 Tony Pollard role, with Singletary getting the big touches but Cook used as the injection of life.
4. Marcus Jones … wide receiver? The Patriots have never shied away from getting the most out of their players and using them in unusual ways; think Troy Brown playing cornerback or Mike Vrabel moonlighting as a tight end. But it has been a minute since we saw a play from them quite like Jones, a cornerback by trade, making his offensive debut Thursday night. On his first NFL snap on offense, Jones caught a quick screen and turned it into a 48-yard TD to give the Patriots an early lead. It was the second-longest pass play of New England’s season, just behind Jonnu Smith’s 53-yarder against the Browns, and Jones would actually go on to lead the Patriots in receiving yards (51). They need all the help they can get offensively, especially in the big-play department (although where has Tyquan Thornton been?). So it’s not stunning to see Jones unleashed in this way -- especially after he played some receiver in college -- now that he’s proven to be an ace returner who won the second Jets game with his last-minute house call. What value the third-rounder has provided early in his rookie season. He was one of the very few bright spots on a pretty dismal night for New England.
5. Bills secondary does its job, but late Damar Hamlin penalty was dangerous. The Bills have welcomed Tre'Davious White back to the lineup, as he played 15 snaps last week in a warmup and started and played extensively Thursday night. He was rotated in different combinations with Xavier Rhodes and Dane Jackson. Whatever combo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier threw out there worked. The Patriots had the one 48-yard catch and run from Jones, but the Bills corners locked down the Patriots’ wideouts very well in the first three quarters before they went into a soft shell. It’s a pretty good sign that Buffalo can have this kind of performance with Kaiir Elam as the rare first-rounder healthy scratch. Having more of a veteran presence in the secondary will pay off when the playoffs come rolling in, especially with the gauntlet of AFC pass catchers they’ll be tasked with stopping.

Next Gen stat of the game: On Josh Allen’s 8-yard TD pass to Gabe Davis, Allen was 0.3 yards from the sideline when he threw it -- the second-closest pass to the sideline on a completion in the NGS era. Since 2016, there have been four completions with a release within one yard of the sideline; Allen has three of them.

NFL Research: Josh Allen now has four regular-season games against the Patriots with two-plus touchdown passes and zero interceptions, which is the most of any QB against the Patriots in Bill Belichick’s Patriots tenure (2000-present).

NFL.com

 

There is some good news on the Steelers’ injury front entering Week 13.

Via multiple reporters, running back Najee Harris said on Friday that he plans on playing against the Falcons this weekend.


Harris has been dealing with an oblique injury. He didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday.

In Monday’s victory over the Colts, Harris was on the field for 29 percent of the offensive snaps. He had 10 carries for 35 yards plus a 4-yard catch.

Harris has rushed for 585 yards with four touchdowns and caught 29 passes for 142 yards with two TDs this season.

The official game status for Harris and the rest of the Steelers players will be released later on Friday.

PFT

 

John Harbaugh confirms J.K. Dobbins, Marcus Williams won’t come off IR this week



While the Ravens have brought a couple of key players back to practice, they won’t be on the field for Sunday’s game against the Broncos.

Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed in his Friday press conference that running back J.K. Dobbins and cornerback Marcus Williams won’t be activated to the 53-man roster for Week 13.


“I think next week we’ll be having a conversation with both of those guys in terms of whether they can play or not,” Harbaugh said.

Dobbins hasn’t played since Week Four. He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to clear out some scar tissue from his previous reconstructive knee surgery.

Williams suffered a dislocated wrist in Week Five.

The 7-4 Ravens will take on the 3-8 Broncos on Sunday before they visit the Steelers in Week 14.

PFT

 

Darius Slayton questionable, Adoree’ Jackson out for Giants



Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton missed his second straight practice on Friday, but the Giants are ruling him out of Sunday’s game against the Commanders.

Slayton has been sidelined by an illness and the Giants have listed him as questionable to play this weekend. The Giants also listed Richie James (knee) as questionable after his second straight limited practice session.


Running back Saquon Barkley is the team’s leading receiver this season, but James and Slayton are the next two on the list. Rookie wideout Wan'Dale Robinson is next on the list and on injured reserve, so the Giants will be very thin at wideout if the two players can’t go this weekend.

Tight end Daniel Bellinger (eye), running back Gary Brightwell (illness), safety Dane Belton (clavicle), linebacker Carter Coughlin (thigh), center Jon Feliciano (neck), cornerback Darnay Holmes (shoulder), and cornerback Fabian Moreau (oblique) are also listed as questionable.

Cornerback Adoree' Jackson will miss his second straight game with a knee injury. Guards Shane Lemieux (toe) and Josh Ezeudu (neck) have been ruled out.

PFT

 

Week 13 of the 2022 NFL season kicked off on Thursday with a win by the Bills and it continues with 13 more games on Sunday, which means that the 26 teams in those games submitted their final injury reports of the week on Friday.

The Saints and Buccaneers play on Monday and their final injury reports will be released on Saturday.


Steelers at Falcons

RB Najee Harris (abdomen) is set to play for the Steelers, but RB Jaylen Warren (hamstring) and LB T.J. Watt (ribs) are listed as questionable. CB Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) has been ruled out.

DT Jalen Dalton (toe), LB Arnold Ebiketie (forearm), and G Chuma Edoga (knee) are listed as questionable for the Falcons.

Broncos at Ravens

WR Jerry Jeudy (ankle), WR Courtland Sutton (illness), and CB K'Waun Williams (wrist, elbow knee) are considered questionable to play for the Broncos. LB Dakota Allen (hamstring), TE Andrew Beck (hamstring, illness), WR K.J. Hamler (hamstring), and DE Jonathan Harris (knee) have all been ruled out.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (quad) is off the injury report and set to play. S Kyle Hamilton (knee), CB Marlon Humphrey (ankle), LB Del'Shawn Phillips (quadricep), and T Ronnie Stanley (ankle) are listed as questionable.

Packers at Bears

Packers T David Bakhtiari (knee, illness) is out this weekend. S Darnell Savage (foot) is listed as doubtful while LB De'Vondre Campbell (knee) and WR Romeo Doubs (ankle) are listed as questionable.

Bears QB Justin Fields (left shoulder) has no injury designation and is set to play. T Larry Borom (ankle, knee), S Jaquan Brisker (concussion), CB Kyler Gordon (concussion), and QB Trevor Siemian (oblique) will not play while T Riley Reiff (back) and CB Kindle Vildor (ankle) are listed as questionable.

Jaguars at Lions

S Andre Cisco (shoulder), RB Travis Etienne (foot), RB Darrell Henderson (illness), and WR Zay Jones (chest) are listed as questionable for the Jaguars.

G Evan Brown (ankle) and LB Julian Okwara (elbow) are out for the Lions.

Browns at Texans

TE David Njoku (knee) has been ruled out for the Browns, but everyone else on the active roster is set to play.

The Texans ruled out WR Brandin Cooks (calf) and CB Derek Stingley (hamstring). RB Rex Burkhead (concussion) is listed as questionable.

Jets at Vikings

RB Michael Carter (ankle) and T Cedric Ogbuehi (groin, illness) are considered doubtful for the Jets. T Duane Brown (shoulder) is listed as questionable.

The Vikings ruled out T Christian Darrisaw (concussion) and TE Ben Ellefson (groin). DT Ross Blacklock (illness) is listed as questionable.

Commanders at Giants

RB Antonio Gibson (foot) and DE Chase Young (knee) are listed as questionable for the Commanders. WR Dax Milne (foot), CB Benjamin St-Juste (ankle), and G Trai Turner (ankle, knee) are not going to play.

TE Daniel Bellinger (eye), S Dane Belton (collarbone), RB Gary Brightwell (illness), LB Carter Coughlin (thigh), C Jon Feliciano (neck), CB Darnay Holmes (shoulder), WR Richie James (knee), CB Fabian Moreau (oblique), and WR Darius Slayton (illness) make up a sizable group of questionable Giants. G Joshua Ezeudu (neck), CB Adoree' Jackson (knee), and G Shane Lemieux (toe) are out this weekend.

Titans at Eagles

DL Jeffery Simmons (ankle) is questionable for the Titans after returning to practice Friday. DE Denico Autry (knee), WR Cody Hollister (neck), and CB Elijah Molden (groin) are all out. RB Hassan Haskins (hip) is also listed as questionable.

S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (kidney) and DE Robert Quinn (knee) have been ruled out for the Eagles.

Seahawks at Rams

RB Travis Homer (illness, knee), S Josh Jones (illness), and S Ryan Neal (elbow, shoulder) drew questionable designations for the Seahawks.

DT Aaron Donald (ankle), LB Travin Howard (hip), LB Terrell Lewis (back), WR Lance McCutcheon (shoulder), and QB Matthew Stafford (concussion, neck) are out for the Rams. C Brian Allen (thumb), CB Troy Hill (groin), and LB Ernest Jones (back) make up their questionable contingent.

Dolphins at 49ers

T Austin Jackson (ankle) is out for the Dolphins and T Terron Armstead (toe, pectoral) is listed as doubtful. QB Teddy Bridgewater (knee) and RB Myles Gaskin (shoulder, ankle) are listed as questionable.

WR Deebo Samuel (quad) is questionable for the 49ers along with G Spencer Burford (ankle), DE Charles Omenihu (knee), and T Trent Williams (back). RB Elijah Mitchell (knee) has been ruled out.

Chiefs at Bengals

The Chiefs ruled WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring) out for the second straight week. S Deon Bush (elbow) is listed as questionable.

WR Ja'Marr Chase (hip), RB Joe Mixon (concussion), and LB Logan Wilson (illness) are questionable for the Bengals, although head coach Zac Taylor suggested Chase will play.

Chargers at Raiders

C Corey Linsley (concussion), T Trey Pipkins (knee), and WR Mike Williams (ankle) are all out for the Chargers. S Nasir Adderley (thumb), DT Breiden Fehoko (illness), and LB Drue Tranquill (illness) are listed as questionable.

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs (calf) is questionable after a big game last Sunday. DT Andrew Billings (fibula), RB Brandon Bolden (calf), G Lester Cotton (calf), and LB Denzel Perryman (wrist) are also listed as questionable. TE Jesper Horsted (concussion) and DT Kendal Vickers (back) have been ruled out.

Colts at Cowboys

CB Kenny Moore (ankle) and T Braden Smith (illness) are out for the Colts. CB Isaiah Rodgers (knee) and TE Jelani Woods (shoulder, quadricep) are listed as questionable.

The Cowboys listed LB Anthony Barr (hamstring), DT Quinton Bohanna (knee), CB Trevon Diggs (illness), WR Michael Gallup (illness), and S Jayron Kearse (shoulder) as questionable to play.

 

Robert Saleh: C.J. Mosley is “severely, grossly overlooked” as one of NFL’s best defensive players



The Jets’ defense is playing as well as any in the NFL right now, but head coach Robert Saleh says one player in particular isn’t getting enough credit: C.J. Mosley.

Saleh thinks Mosley ought to be a defensive player of the year candidate, and that he isn’t getting the credit he deserves.


“He’s severely, grossly overlooked,” Saleh said. “He’s every bit in the conversation as good as anybody. As good as anyone.”

It’s been a long road for the 30-year-old Mosley to reach this point. When he signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the Jets in 2019, the team had big plans for him, but he played in just two games in his first season with the Jets because of injuries. Then he opted out of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there were questions in New York about whether he’d ever make the impact he was supposed to. But Mosley started 16 games for the Jets last year and has started every game this year.

And now the Jets are playoff contenders, and Saleh says Mosley deserves as much credit for that as anyone.

PFT

 

Chiefs haven’t won in Cincinnati since 1984



During Friday’s PFT Live, I had a pop quiz for Peter King.

When was the last time the Chiefs beat the Bengals?


If you’ve read the title to this item, you already know the answer. It last happened in 1984. It was Peter’s first year of covering the Bengals, only the second NFL game he ever worked.

Todd Blackledge vs. Ken Anderson. The Chiefs won, 27-22.

Six times since then, the Bengals have won every time. In 1987, 30-27 in overtime. In 2003, 24-19. In 2008, 16-6. In 2009, 17-10. In 2015, 36-31. In 2022, 34-31.

The Bengals have won six of seven overall against the Chiefs, dating back to 2008 and including last year’s AFC Championship victory. And Joe Burrow, in only his third season, has a 2-0 record against Mahomes.

They get together Sunday afternoon at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Chiefs are 9-2. The Bengals are 7-4. If Cincinnati can continue its home winning streak against Kansas City, the Bengals will enter the conversation for the top seed in the AFC.

PFT
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Thats interesting, i didnt know that.

 

11 Seahawks had the flu on Thursday, but things are better and they are good to go this weekend.

Maybe they should stop drinking from the came same cup!

 

Just check the nearest strip club! How hard can this be??

 

This is a very unfortunate typo...

 

lolol... Oh my... cant believe i did that! OOPS!

 

@Campbell Good to see you.

 

Thought there was a video about that a few years back.

 

You had to bring that up, didn't you.

 

Glad I missed that one.

 

Looking forward to seeing Najee Harris. It's rare for the Falcons and Steelers to play each other.

Hoping this one turns into an old school slugfest of a ground game.

 

Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton expect to play vs. Ravens



The Broncos expect to have their top two receivers on the field today against the Ravens.

Broncos wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton both expect to play today in Baltimore, according to multiple reports. Jeudy is listed as questionable with an ankle injury and Sutton is questionable with an illness.


Sutton leads the Broncos with 52 catches for 688 yards, while Jeudy leads the Broncos with three touchdown catches.

Russell Wilson and the Broncos’ passing game have struggled mightily all season, but they’ll be better with both top receivers healthy than without them.

The Broncos are 9.5-point underdogs in Baltimore today.

PFT

 

Dolphins-49ers could get lost in shuffle of great Week 13 schedule



The thirteenth Sunday of the 2022 regular season includes plenty of great games. One of those games won’t be seen by much of the country.

The clash between the 8-3 Dolphins and 7-4 49ers starts at 4:05 p.m. ET, a regional FOX broadcast that will take a back seat to the 4:25 p.m. ET game between the Chiefs and Bengals on CBS.


The 49ers-Dolphins game could have been flexed, in theory, to Sunday Night Football. But that would have meant dumping the Cowboys from prime time.

Appearing on the SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina, NBC’s Mike Tirico acknowledged that perhaps the better move would have been to move Dolphins-49ers to prime time.

“I think for the viewers, which is what flex should be for, it should be for the people at home so you have good games in the prime-time window,” Tirico told Traina, via Sports Business Journal. “I think that Miami–San Francisco game at not 4:05 in a CBS doubleheader weekend, and that game on Fox doesn’t go to a lot of the country, that’s the game that for the football fan they should be seeing in that prime-time window that Sunday night.”

Instead, it’s Colts-Cowboys. And the Colts were 4-5-1 at the time the NFL had to make a decision as to whether a flex would happen. Even with two straight losses by Indy, a Cowboys game will generate many millions of viewers, because the Cowboys always do, no matter who they are playing. Meanwhile, a rematch of Super Bowl XIX featuring a great Miami offense and a great San Francisco defense along with plenty of other compelling storylines will be largely overlooked.

it’s one of the basic realities of a weekend chock full of great games, from Chiefs-Bengals to Titans-Eagles to Jets-Vikings to Commanders-Giants to Dolphins-49ers. It should be a great day from start to finish, regardless of whether a potentially great game between the Dolphins and 49ers won’t get the kind of platform that it perhaps deserves.

Maybe, just maybe, they’ll have a rematch in February that definitely will get a much bigger audience.

PFT