NFL - NEWS & NOTES

The Broncos have lost wide receiver K.J. Hamler for the season.

Hamler went down during the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Jets with what has now been diagnosed with a torn ACL, according to multiple reports.

 

Good thing you put a ring on that one, Lyman!

 

She could write her name in Mandarin while doing it.

 

That's definitely impressive.

 

Dak Prescott throws three TDs, Ezekiel Elliott runs for two as Cowboys beat Eagles 41-21



The Dallas Cowboys grabbed control of first place in the NFC East with a blowout 41-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.

Dak Prescott threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns and Ezekiel Elliott ran for 95 yards and two scores as the Cowboys completely dominated Philadelphia. It wasn’t just an offensive success for Dallas either. The Cowboys defense intercepted Jalen Hurts twice with Trevon Diggs returning one interception for a 59-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter.

It’s the third straight game that Diggs has hauled in an interception for Dallas. He’s the first Cowboy with an interception in each of the first three games of a season since Everson Walls did so in 1985. He’s also the first Cowboy to return an interception for a touchdown since Byron Jones had a pick-six against Washington in 2017.

For some reason, the Eagles decided they would not run the football at all against Dallas. They ran the ball just 12 times in the game with nine of those coming from Hurts, mostly on scrambles. Running backs for the Eagles carried just three times in total on the night with Miles Sanders getting two carries and Kenneth Gainwell getting one.. One of Sanders’ two carries went for 24 yards and they decided to give him the ball just one more time the rest of the night. Gainwell got a lone fourth quarter carry.

Elliott kicked off the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run on Dallas’ opening drive of the night to give the Cowboys a 7-0 lead.

The Cowboys would make an offensive mistake that allowed the Eagles to tie the game up on their next drive. Backed up against their own goal line, Prescott was stripped by Fletcher Cox for an Eagles touchdown to make it a 7-7 game.

Prescott connected with tight end Dalton Schultz for a 19-yard touchdown to give Dallas a 14-7 lead. Elliott added a 3-yard touchdown as the Cowboys took a 20-7 lead into halftime after a missed extra point.

After Diggs’ interception gave Dallas a 27-7 lead, the Eagles finally found the end zone offensively with Hurts finding Zach Ertz for a 3-yard touchdown.

Prescott hit Cedrick Wilson for a 2-yard touchdown and connected with Schultz a second time on a 22-yard score as the Cowboys took a commanding 41-14 lead.

Hurts and Greg Ward would add a 15-yard touchdown with three minutes to go for Philadelphia.

Hurts was 23 of 36 for 321 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

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Recently Reinstated WR Josh Gordon Plans to Sign With Chiefs

Gordon was reinstated in the NFL Monday after he was was suspended indefinitely in December 2019 for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He was conditionally reinstated in December '20, but his reinstatement was rescinded in January.

Gordon suffered a setback in his substance abuse recovery. However, in July, Schefter reported that the NFL randomly drug-tested Gordon for a few months, and he passed each test. He signed a one-year deal with Seattle in 2020.

Gordon is joining one of the highest-powered offenses in the NFL with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill leading the charge. However, a 1–2 start to the season has led to speculation that the NFL is finally catching up to this once-unstoppable unit. With Gordon, a former first-team All-Pro, the Chiefs may once again leave the NFL scratching its head when attempting to stop them.

SI

 

Multiple sources reported Monday that San Francisco 49ers cornerback John Norman is undergoing tests and experiencing an extended hospital stay because of bruises to his lungs that could also be causing internal bleeding.



Although tests have come back clean and Norman is reportedly looking to play next week, such an injury has to be horrifying.

The veteran CB signed a one-year deal with San Francisco just this month, following a one-year stint with the Buffalo Bills. Norman has already impressed for the Niners, too, tallying three combined tackles and a forced fumble in his first two games played for the NFC West team. The 33-year-old Coastal Carolina product registered 24 tackles, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and an interception in nine regular-season games last year for Buffalo.

YARDBARKER

 

Nick Sirianni’s game plan questioned after Eagles running backs total three carries



The Eagles’ running backs totaled just three carries in Monday night’s loss to the Cowboys, with Miles Sanders finishing with two carries for 27 yards and Kenneth Gainwell having one carry for two yards. Coach Nick Sirianni was questioned after the game about why he didn’t run the ball more.

“We wanted to make sure we were able to keep up with them,” Sirianni said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We knew they were an explosive offense. We wanted to be able to push the ball down the field and hit some of the underneath zones that we saw while also obviously mixing the run game in there and the screen game. You fall behind a little bit, you have to get off that game plan a little bit. We knew we had to score with this team because we knew they were able to score and score quickly.”

Sanders and Gainwell also had three catches, and Sirianni noted that the Eagles did get the ball to the running backs in the passing game.

“The first half, just with how that went, not getting a lot of plays, those [rushing] numbers get skewed sometimes,” Sirianni said. “I know they are what they are, but when you don’t have that many plays in the first half, whether you have penalties that stop drives, the defense was on the field quite a bit and then you’re in a position in the second half where we’re down two scores the whole time and that’s where that kind of comes into play. I know we were trying to get him the ball on some screens and stuff like that, but obviously he’s a good playmaker and we wanted him to touch the ball more. Just the way the game went, we weren’t able to do that.”

It was an ugly game for the Eagles, and an unusual offensive approach for Sirianni, the former Colts offensive coordinator who was hired to build an offense.

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Marlon Mack, Colts mutually agree to seek trade to new team

NFL clubs in need of help at the running back position can place their calls to Indianapolis.

The Colts and running back Marlon Mack have mutually agreed to seek a trade, as the fifth-year pro has become the odd man out in the club's plans at the position, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday.

After a fantastic rookie season in 2020, Jonathan Taylor has taken over as the starter, and per Pelissero, the contract extension of Nyheim Hines served as writing on the wall for Mack. Hines' receiving skills and speed in the open field make him a nice complement to the more powerful Taylor.

Mack rushed for 1,091 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019 as the Colts' primary rusher, but Taylor took over Mack's starting role last year when Mack was lost for the season to a torn Achilles. He's now healthy, but has been used sparingly through three games: Taylor has 41 carries thus far, Hines 16 and Mack only five.

The Colts re-signed Mack to a one-year, $2 million contract in March, but now will look to move him, and at a position that incurs more than its share of injuries, there should be no shortage of suitors. Teams that already have lost starting running backs include the Los Angeles Rams (Cam Akers) and Baltimore Ravens (J.K. Dobbins).

NFL.com

 

Lions release Jamie Collins



Linebacker Jamie Collins isn’t getting traded, but he is leaving Detroit.

The Lions announced that Collins has been released on Tuesday. The team spent the last week trying to trade the veteran and head coach Dan Campbell said that there were suitors for his services, but the team opted to move on without getting any compensation in return.

Collins was in his second season with the Lions and he started 14 games last season. He also started the first two games of this season, but Campbell said the team wanted to give more playing time to younger players like fourth-round pick Derrick Barnes.

Barnes started and made four tackles in the Week Three loss to the Ravens.

Collins will become a free agent immediately and is able to sign with any team that might be interested in adding some experience to their linebacking corps.

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Mike Tomlin: We’re not going to push the panic button



The Steelers are now 1-2, having lost to the Bengals at Heinz Field for the first time since 2015 on Sunday.

But head coach Mike Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference that his team is going to stay the course.

“We’re not going to push the panic button,” Tomlin said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “What do I mean by the panic button? We’re not going to dramatically change who and what we are at this juncture.

“We’re not resistant to change for the purposes of getting better, but we’re not going to be so unsteady that we move away from our compass, our identity that we’ve worked hard to develop — and will continue to work hard to develop — and the emphasis on the style of play, whatever that may be in all three phases.”

After beating Buffalo in Week One, the Steelers have suffered consecutive losses to Las Vegas and Cincinnati. The club’s run game, which was supposed to improve with the addition of first-round pick Najee Harris, has generated only 159 yards. That figure ranks last in the league.

If there’s reason to believe Pittsburgh can turn things around, it’s Tomlin. Since he became head coach in 2007, the Steelers haven’t finished a season with a losing record.

But with a noticeably aging quarterback and tougher competitions in the AFC North, there’s a possibility that this is the year the streak comes to an end.

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Steelers expect T.J. Watt, JuJu Smith-Schuster to practice this week



Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt wasn’t able to go against the Bengals on Sunday because of a groin injury, but the team doesn’t think he’ll have to be out of practice this week.

Head coach Mike Tomlin said at his Tuesday press conference that Watt is scheduled to practice this week, but didn’t specify what level of participation is expected to be. He was limited in practice all of last week and downgraded to out after initially being listed as questionable on Friday.


Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster hurt his ribs in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals. Tomlin said he anticipates Smith-Schuster practicing this week and that he may be limited in Wednesday’s session.

Linebacker Alex Highsmith (groin) and wide receiver Diontae Johnson (knee) are also expected to practice this week. Right tackle Chuks Okorafor is in the concussion protocol.

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Something makes me think Dan Campbell is a liar...

 

Matt Nagy won’t say if he’ll keep calling plays, admits criticism of play calling is fair



The Bears’ offense was a disaster on Sunday, totaling just 47 yards in a loss to the Browns, and head coach Matt Nagy has taken most of the criticism.

Unlike most head coaches, Nagy handles the offensive play calling himself, but today he acknowledged that those who say he should give up play calling may have a point.

“The criticism is fair,” Nagy said, via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

Nagy said he is “going to keep it internal” when asked who will call plays on Sunday against the Lions. Last year Nagy handed off play calling to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor when the Bears’ offense was struggling late in the season, and he may do the same this year.

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Richard Sherman signs one-year deal with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Richard Sherman is signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Richard Sherman.

The veteran cornerback announced on The Richard Sherman Podcast on Wednesday morning that he's joining the Buccaneers.

"I finally had enough conversations and came to a decision that I'm going to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Woo!" Sherman said. "All the craziness and then all the hate and all the tweets, and then everybody's mad because I didn't go to their team. I'm sorry."

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Sherman signed a one-year contract. The Bucs later announced Sherman's signing and placed wide receiver Scotty Miller (turf toe) on injured reserve to make room for Sherman on the 53-man roster.

NFL.com

 

Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins continues to miss practice with a rib injury.

The star wideout didn’t practice on Wednesday. He missed practice all of last week and still played against the Jaguars, catching three passes for 21 yards in 61 snaps.

Also out with a rib injury on Wednesday was tackle Kelvin Beachum. Offensive lineman Justin Pugh and Justin Murray have back injuries; neither practiced.

Several veterans got rest days, led by linebacker Chandler Jones.

The 3-0 Cardinals visit the 3-0 Rams on Sunday.

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Patrick Mahomes Thrilled About Chiefs Signing of WR Josh Gordon

Kansas City's wide receivers have struggled to earn consistent production early in the season. In the Chiefs' 30-24 loss to the Chargers on Sunday, tight end Travis Kelce led the team in receiving yards (104) while all other receivers combining for a total of 156 yards.

With the addition of newly reinstated wide receiver Josh Gordon, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gets another weapon to help elevate a normally high-octane Kansas City offense.

"Everywhere he's been, he's kind of dominated,'' Mahomes told reporters on Wednesday about Gordon."He can make plays in one-on-one coverage.

"He's a big receiver. Even if he's covered, he's not covered. You can kind of throw it up there and he can make plays.''

Gordon practiced with the team on Wednesday. However, Gordon will start off as a member of the practice squad. He was reinstated by the league after being suspended indefinitely in December 2019 for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said it would take a while before Gordon would be elevated to the team's active roster.

"He's probably not going to play this week," Reid said. "We'll just see how it goes over the next week or two."

Mahomes told reporters that he expects Gordon to be used in multiple roles in the Chiefs' offense.

"I'm sure they'll incorporate him with a couple roles in the offense as the season goes on, as we get him up to speed, and we'll see where that takes us."

Currently, Kansas City (1-2) sits last in the AFC West for the first time since 2015. The Chiefs will go on the road to face the Eagles on Sunday.

SI