NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Diontae Johnson: I own up to lack of hustle, it won’t happen again

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that he would allow wide receiver Diontae Johnson to speak for himself about the lack of effort he showed in trying to make a tackle after a lost fumble by running back Jaylen Warren in last Sunday’s win over the Bengals.

The play came one snap after officials ruled that Johnson did not complete a touchdown catch and the call went unchallenged because, per Tomlin, the Steelers didn’t get the correct replay fast enough. Johnson unconvincingly said after the game that he didn’t see the fumble, but was more forthcoming while addressing the play again on Wednesday.

Johnson said he spoke to his Steelers teammates about what happened and said he wasn’t “out there just trying to mess up” while acknowledging that he can’t do the same thing in the future.

“It was really just me owning up to what I did on Sunday to the team and just let them know it won’t happen again,” Johnson said, via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “How I feel and how I should go about the situation next time it occurs. I own up to it. I am not perfect. So all I can do is keep moving forward and just play football. That’s all I’m worried about.”

Center Mason Cole told reporters that he and other members of the team “trust Diontae that it won’t happen again” and Sunday’s game against the Cardinals will provide a chance for Johnson to put a better effort on film.

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Tyreek Hill closing in on 1,400 yards, on pace to top 2,000 this season



When Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill said in July that, “I will break 2,000 yards this year,” it would have been easy to dismiss, as no one in NFL history has ever recorded 2,000 receiving yards in a season. No one can dismiss Hill’s chances now.

Hill has 1,324 receiving yards through 11 games, which puts him on pace for 2,046 yards in a 17-game season. The NFL record for receiving yards in a season was set by Calvin Johnson in 2012, with 1,964 receiving yards.

With 76 yards at Washington on Sunday, Hill will be the fifth player in NFL history to reach the 1,400-yard mark within the first 12 games of the season. The others to do it were Johnson in 2012, Lance Alworth in 1965, Charley Hennigan in 1961 and Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch in 1951.

No wide receiver has ever been named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, and it’s very unlikely to go to any non-quarterback in today’s NFL, where quarterbacks control the game in a way no non-quarterback can. But if there’s a non-quarterback who’s in the MVP conversation it’s Hill, who is playing the game at a level than no other wide receiver can reach.

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10 Browns miss practice on Wednesday

As the Browns prepare to face the Rams on Sunday, 10 Cleveland players didn’t practice on Wednesday.

Not practicing due clearly to injuries were quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion), cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder), safety Juan Thornhill (calf), guard Wyatt Teller (calf), running back Kareem Hunt (groin), and receiver Marquise Goodwin (concussion).

For other players did not practice with the joint designation of “not injury related — rest” and an injury designation: guard Joel Bitonio (rest, knee), receiver Amari Cooper (receiver, ribs), defensive end Myles Garrett (rest, shoulder), and tight end David Njoku (rest, knee).

Six other players are on the injury report: tackle Geron Christian (full practice; finger); defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (limited practice; ankle); cornerback Mike Ford (full practice; ribs); defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (limited practice; groin); linebacker Sione Takitaki (limited practice; knee); and linebacker Anthony Walter (limited practice; hamstring).

The most important player to the team’s chances, both this week and beyond, is Garrett. On Wednesday, coach Kevin Stefanski expressed optimism about his ability to play. Which implies that his absence from practice had more to do with the shoulder than with giving him rest.

 

Wouldn’t it be quicker just to list the players without injuries?

 

The NFL Can’t Let Von Miller Play Amid Latest Arrest Warrant
The Bills’ pass rusher was given the benefit of the doubt the last time he faced domestic violence accusations. It would be outrageous to give it to him now.

The Bills are off this weekend. Von Miller should be off next weekend, too, and probably for a while after that. Dallas police have issued an arrest warrant for Miller for allegedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend Wednesday. Miller deserves to be presumed innocent until proved guilty in a court of law, but he does not deserve to be on an NFL field.

The chilling part of this allegation is that it echoes a previous one. In 2021, Miller’s girlfriend posted on Instagram that when she was pregnant with Miller’s child, Miller texted that he was “honestly praying for a miscarriage” and “[F---ing] disappear!!!” and “I hate you!” and “you gon’ get yours! Believe that.” Miller subsequently said he had never physically assaulted her, and she later had another son with him. Thursday, Dallas news outlet WFAA reported that the current warrant involves Miller allegedly assaulting his “longtime girlfriend”; Sports Illustrated has not independently confirmed the identity of the woman, though The Dallas Morning News reports Miller and the woman have been in a romantic relationship for seven years. Also according to the Morning News, police said that during an argument, Miller yelled for the woman to “get out.” While she was gathering some of her belongings, she said that Miller shoved and pushed her when she repeatedly said, “Stop, I’m pregnant.” According to the affidavit, Miller continued to push her, pulled her hair, and put his hands on her neck and applied pressure multiple times.

SI

 

Four things to watch for in Seahawks-Cowboys

1) Do Seahawks have any offensive spark left? The Seahawks offense is in a full-blown slump, currently on a 20-drive streak without a touchdown, the longest in the NFL. Kicker Jason Myers has outscored the rest of the Seattle offense in four straight games and in five of seven outings since the Week 5 bye. In fact, Dallas' defense has more touchdowns (two) than the Seahawks' offense (one) in the past two games. Geno Smith was put in a tough spot on Thanksgiving, starting four days after suffering a right elbow injury, although head coach Pete Carroll indicated that Smith was “night and day” from last week's health. Smith's numbers have dropped across the board from his terrific 2022 season. He's taking more deep shots than a year ago, but the success rate on those plays has plummeted. Smith also hasn't fared well against heavy pressure in 2023, which is concerning against a Dallas defense that leads the league in pressure rate. Although Smith's receiving talent arguably is better this year, the Seahawks have struggled with injuries along the offensive line and could still be without Kenneth Walker III, who is doubtful after he was injured against the Rams and missed Week 12. Offensive lineman Abraham Lucas has missed all but 35 snaps in the opener to injury but is slated to return Thursday. It would be a huge boost for a team that has tried three right tackles (Stone Forsythe, Jake Curhan and Jason Peters) and has not seen much success with any of them. Smith has thrown for 12 TDs this season, with only three in his past four games, and the Seahawks have struggled in the red zone for a while now.

2) Dak Prescott looks to boost MVP candidacy. One year ago, Prescott was amid a streak of consecutive games with at least one interception that would extend to the final seven-regular season games. But right now, he's arguably playing some of the best ball of his career. Since Week 8, Prescott has completed more than 70% of his passes, throwing for 1,602 yards, 17 TDs and only two picks. He's also not been sacked in three straight games. And though Prescott has done an excellent job spreading the ball around in recent games, his connection with CeeDee Lamb has been downright special. When targeting Lamb, Prescott has generated a plus-119.1 total EPA (expected points added) since the start of last season, which is the highest for any duo -- better than Tua Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill and Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce, even -- over that span. The run game has also achieved more consistency, ringing up four straight 100-plus yard games. This, along with a top-10 defense behind him, has given Prescott the perfect ecosystem in which to thrive. He might not be the MVP favorite at this point, but he's as hot as any QB right now and could boost his candidacy with another big game in prime time against Seattle. If there's hope for Seattle, it's that Prescott has been far more effective against man coverage than zone this season, and the Seahawks have played zone more than 80% of the time.

3) DaRon Bland, pass rush put punch in Dallas defense. The Cowboys aren't taking the ball away at quite the same rate they were earlier in the season, but that didn't prevent Bland from breaking the all-time record for pick-sixes in a season (five) last week versus Washington. Bland has more touchdowns in 2023 than any of the receivers he's likely to cover on Thursday. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett remain dangerous, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been steady lately, but don't expect Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to veer from Dallas' man-heavy system. Geno Smith has been almost completely opposite of Prescott this season, thriving versus zones (7.8 YPA, 51.2% success rate) and lagging against man coverage (5.2 YPA, 34.7% success rate). There's also Micah Parsons and a prolific pass rush. Dallas leads the NFL in pressure rate at 45.4%, and Parsons is a big reason why. Despite being double-teamed more than almost any player, he leads the league in pressures with 71 -- five more than his nearest competitor. If Walker can't go, it could be a long night for Seattle. The Seahawks might have to beef up their screen game and be ready to give rookie running back Zach Charbonnet a heavy workload if necessary.

4) Seattle standouts try to corral Cowboys' playmakers. Lamb has nearly double the targets and receptions of any other Cowboys pass catcher, but this is no one-man operation. Brandin Cooks was very quiet early, adjusting to Mike McCarthy's "Texas Coast" system, but he's led Dallas in receiving yards three straight games. Tight end Jake Ferguson has been a steady, reliable target, and wide receivers Michael Gallup, Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin all scored last week. Running back Tony Pollard also has been on the upswing lately, backed by the intriguing Rico Dowdle. The Seahawks have struggled against the run against certain teams, and defensive tackle Leonard Williams -- their big trade-deadline acquisition -- is listed as questionable with an ankle injury, so this could be a decent game for Dallas to work on its ground game. Throwing it remains the Cowboys' bread and butter, and though the Seahawks have given up some deep shots this season, their zone and playmakers might be able to short-circuit the passing game. Rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon has made his impact felt defending the run and pass, with three games this season with at least one pass defended and one tackle for loss. Second-year cornerback Riq Woolen (5.2) and Witherspoon (5.5) rank second and fifth in the NFL, respectively, in fewest yards allowed per target. Seattle can also get pressure, as coordinator Clint Hurtt has schemed up some free rushers effectively. Boye Mafe and Darrell Taylor can heat up the edges, and Jarran Reed and Williams get good pushes inside, but Dallas pass protects very well and Prescott has done a great job of evading pressure and extending plays this season.

NFL.com

 

Thursday Night Football: Cowboys score 14 in fourth quarter to beat Seahawks, 41-35

The Seahawks kept it tight with the Cowboys throughout Thursday night’s contest.

But a late offensive surge along with a couple of defensive stops got Dallas its 14th consecutive home victory, as the club defeated Seattle 41-35.

In a contest that featured a combined 19 accepted penalties and zero punts, the Cowboys scored the last 14 points in the fourth quarter to win. After Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf caught a 3-yard touchdown to give Seattle a 35-27 lead with 14:17 left in the final period, Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey nailed a 38-yard field goal to narrow Seattle’s advantage to five points.

The Cowboys got a stop then drove down to take a 38-35 lead on a 12-yard touchdown from Dak Prescott to tight end Jake Ferguson. Prescott then connected with Brandin Cooks in the back of the end zone for a successful two-point conversion, going up by three.

The Seahawks had a chance on their ensuing drive but Geno Smith’s fourth-and-4 pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba was well off and incomplete for a turnover on downs.

The Cowboys could have ended the game or at least taken more time on third-and-3 with 1:52 left, but Prescott threw an incomplete pass to CeeDee Lamb in the end zone. Though Seattle had no more timeouts, Dallas elected to kick a field goal on fourth-and-3 from the Seahawks’ 14 to go up by six points.

Seattle had 1:43 to get in the end zone but couldn’t do it. Linebacker Micah Parsons came unblocked off the edge on fourth-and-2 at midfield to force Smith into a desperate incomplete pass at the line of scrimmage to effectively end the game.

Dallas finished the contest with 411 total yards, 33 first downs, and went 8-of-14 on third down plus 1-of-2 on fourth down. Seattle’s offensive numbers weren’t anything to scoff at, amassing 406 yards, 25 first downs, and 9-of-14 on third down. But the team was 0-of-3 on fourth down to end drives.

Prescott was 29-of-41 passing for 299 yards with three touchdowns and no picks, continuing his string of strong games. Lamb caught 12 passes for 116 yards with a touchdown. Tony Pollard had 68 yards rushing with a TD, plus three catches for 15 yards. Ferguson had six catches for 77 yards.

On the other side, Smith finished 23-of-41 passing for 334 yards with three touchdowns and an interception — which was the game’s only turnover. Cowboys corner Da’Ron Bland was heavily targeted in the first half, but caught his league-leading eighth interception in the third quarter.

Metcalf led with six catches for 134 yards with three touchdowns, one of which was a 73-yard catch-and-run in the first period. Starting in place of the injured Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet had 19 carries for 60 yards with a TD. But Charbonnet had to exit with a knee injury in the fourth quarter. He was announced as doubtful to return.

According to the Prime Video broadcast, Seattle was previously 36-0 when scoring at least 35 points under head coach Pete Carroll.

Now at 9-3, the Cowboys will stay at home for a matchup with the Eagles on Sunday Night Football next Sunday. They’ve won each of their last four games and five of their six following their Week 7 bye.

Having lost their last three games and four of their last five, the 6-6 Seahawks will be on the road to face the 49ers. in Week 14.

 

The Cowboys and Seahawks pulled off a rare feat on Thursday night, playing an entire game without a punt.

It was just the sixth time in NFL history that a game concluded with neither team punting.

 

Amon-Ra St. Brown supports player safety efforts, but felt his $43,709 fine was excessive

Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown received perhaps the most shocking fine of this NFL season when the league docked him $43,709 for a block that wasn’t flagged by the officials and didn’t appear to be particularly vicious or egregious. Unsurprisingly, St. Brown will appeal.

But St. Brown also said he understands why the NFL fines players and supports efforts to make the game safer.

“It is a lot of money, but I guess, you know, the way I block wasn’t legal,” St. Brown said, via MLive.com. “They said it was like forcible contact to the head. Like I said, I just got to be better. But there are still rules that have to be followed in the game, and we got to try our best to follow those. But, yeah, I mean, I feel like $43,000 for what I did was quite a lot. But it’s fine. I’m going to appeal it, we’ll see what happens.”

St. Brown said he does appreciate the NFL trying to take head shots out of the game.

“I’m on the offensive side of the ball. I’m not complaining too much,” St. Brown said. “We’re the ones that have to take the hits. It’s really rare that we get to deliver blows. If I was a defender, I would probably be saying ‘yeah’ to you, but as an offensive player, I don’t mind it. I go across the middle. They’re trying to protect us [and] I’m all for it.”

It’s admirable that St. Brown had such a nuanced response to a fine that seemed so unfair. He would seem to have a very good case in his appeal, but he also understands why the NFL takes hits to the head seriously.

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Vid on post below.

 

Why dont we just take the helmets off of these players? kidding of course, but wow, what a fine for an NFL play... beats me.

 

Browns’ Amari Cooper Fired Up to Play With QB Joe Flacco: ‘Like Poetry in Motion’

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper is excited about the prospect of catching passes from Joe Flacco, even though the veteran quarterback is 11 years removed from his career peak as Super Bowl MVP.

Flacco appears poised to make his first start with Cleveland on Sunday against the Rams following the loss of franchise QB Deshaun Watson to a season-ending shoulder injury and with backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson in concussion protocol.

“He looks good,” Cooper told reporters Thursday. “He throws a very pretty ball. I don’t know if it’s intentional or what, but when he drops back and he lets it go, the whole motion is like poetry in motion. It looks good,” Cooper quipped with a smile.

Flacco, who signed with Cleveland’s practice squad following Watson’s injury, has been taking first-team practice reps this week while Thompson-Robinson’s status for Sunday remains uncertain.

The 38-year-old Flacco has not played this season, but he started four games for the Jets last year. In relief of Zach Wilson, Flacco threw five touchdown passes and three interceptions in 2022.

Sunday’s game is an important one for the Browns, as the team remains in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt with a 7-4 record. Entering Sunday, Cleveland sits in sixth place in the conference.

The Browns and Rams (5–6) are set to kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

 

Myles Garrett has “no restrictions” from injured shoulder

After missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a shoulder injury suffered on Sunday in Denver, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is good to go on Friday.

He fully participated in practice on Friday, and he has been removed from the injury report.

Asked by reporters on Friday how the shoulder is feeling, Garrett said, “A lot better.”

Does he have any restrictions or limitations?

“Not at the moment,” Garrett said. “Anything could change the flow of the game, but I’m feeling great right now.”

He said the had doubt on “Monday maybe” regarding his ability to play.

“But if I got another shoulder, I’m going to use it,” Garrett said. “Go off the left side, find a way. Don’t find excuses. Find a way.”

He said this injury was “pretty similar” to the shoulder injury he suffered last year in a car accident, but that it doesn’t relate back to the old injury.

Coach Kevin Stefanski credited Garrett for finding a way to play.

"[W]ith Myles and I’d say a bunch of our guys . . . they fight their butts off to get to Sunday, and that’s what Myles did, and he always does,” Stefanski told reporters on Friday. “Nobody’s feeling 100 percent in the National Football League when you get to December, but he sets a great example for our football team, like a lot of our guys do.”

Garrett’s presence will help the Browns get their eighth game of the year, as they try to get to the playoffs.

 

Minshew, ladies and gentleman. 7-7.

 

Damn Lions up 14-0 quickly. I heard the Saints defense was good, guess not.

 

21-0 Lions... game over there in the 1st Quarter

 

I picked the Saints, lol.

 

in the Jets and Falcons game the Jets made a good play on a punt... mark that as their best play of the game.

 

Texans 10, Broncos zip

 

and now a Jets Safety, 2-0