NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Kadarius Toney: I’ve got a lot to prove this year



Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney has missed time with a hamstring injury recently, but he is expected to be on the field against the Titans for the start of the regular season.

Assuming that’s the case, it will be the first chance for Toney to start writing a better story than the one he turned in after being picked in the first round last year. Toney showed flashes of the playmaking ability that excited the Giants, but was invisible at other times and missed seven games with injuries.


On Thursday, Toney said that last season is “already behind me” and that he’s looking forward to putting on a better display this time around.

“I’m just hungry right now,” Toney said, via Darryl Slater of NJ.com. “I’ve got a lot to prove to myself. I know what I want to get done. I don’t really set goals or whatever, but I expect to do better than I did last year, I guess you could say.”

The regime that picked Toney last year is gone and the hamstring injury hasn’t allowed him much time to impress the new bosses on the field this summer. That will make it all the more important that he hit the ground running in the regular season to maintain a big role in the offense.

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Reagor isnt a bad pickup and apparently the Vikings higherups think he will pan out better than Smith-Marsette. There is also the Justin Jefferson connection... that may have played a role... I dont know.

 

Marcus Maye denies wrongdoing in connection with road-rage arrest



News emerged on Thursday afternoon regarding the arrest of Saints safety Marcus Maye for aggravated assault with a firearm. More details have surfaced since then.

The alleged crime happened within the context of a road-rage incident that occurred on Monday in Metairie, Louisiana, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. Maye was released on $30,000 bond.


Said the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office: “Maye was identified as the driver of a black SUV that was involved in an incident in which he is accused of pointing a firearm at another vehicle that was occupied by several juvenile females.”

“Marcus vehemently denies the allegation from a motor vehicle incident, and looks forward to defending himself when all the facts come out,” Maye’s lawyer said in a statement issued to NFL Network.

The Saints made the perfunctory “we’re aware of it but we have no further comment since it’s a pending legal situation” comment.

For Maye, it’s pending legal situation No. 2. As noted by Terrell, Maye was arrested earlier this year for DUI, DUI/damage to property and person, leaving the scene of a crash, and careless driving. He’s due in court on November 16.

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We will see how this works out

 

Reager couldn’t get it done in Philly when he was the top WR, how will he make it with the Vikings with Jefferson and Thielin firmly planted ahead of him?

 

He'll probably platoon with KJ Osborn (WR3)... he can also return punts. Hope it works out.

 

Bears didn't have a choice. They are a couple injuries away from asking fans to try out to play receiver.

 

BWW , the bears should sign Tyler Vaughn, he had a great preseason with the Steelers. He was the receiver that caught the game winning catch from Pickett in game one. The Steelers were loaded at WR this off-season. We kept 7 on our roster and he was good enough for most seasons to make it, we just were blessed to have 8 worthy WRs on our roster. I think he lead us in preseason for catches, yards and TDs.

 

Gidi I like Claypool the best on your roster.....and not because he is from B.C. he is a great target for QB.

 

I think he’s going to lose targets to Pickens. Pickens is a beast.

 

On the plus side, there are still released / unsigned WRs and practice squad WRs all around the league. The Bears could go prospect shopping - sign a couple of these guys and see how well they can develop them for 2023 and beyond.

 

Why Bears think they'll have top-tier run game in NFL

It’s no secret the Bears are going to focus more on establishing a run game this season than they did during the Matt Nagy years. Luke Getsy is installing a wide zone running scheme popularized in the Shanahan coaching tree, and his passing attack will be built upon that run game. Ryan Poles has reshaped the offensive line to ensure the blockers up front can run, as required. The team has not one, but two fullbacks on its 53-man roster. The three halfbacks all bring value to the offense. They can all make an impact on the field. And they all use the same word to describe their room: special.

“Those guys just give me love, just being who they are,” said David Montgomery. “Honestly, I think us, as a whole, we can be really special. We can all do different things and we can all put pressure on the defense in different areas. I’m super excited to see what it’s going to be. It’s going to be fun.”

Anyone who’s watched the Bears over the past few seasons knows what Montgomery brings to the table. He’s a true bellcow with a rare mix of power, elusiveness and speed. If Montgomery misses any time, Khalil Herbert showed last year that he can step in and lead the way with a similar approach. Then there’s Khari Blasingame, the team’s lead fullback. Blasingame knows a thing or two about productive run games, as he comes to the Bears from Tennessee. Blasingame’s main role with the Titans was blocking for Derrick Henry, and he helped Henry rush for over 2,000 yards in one season, and lead the league in rushing twice. There’s no comparison for Henry in the NFL, but Blasingame already likes what he’s seen out of Montgomery.

“Explosive runner,” Blasingame said. “Runs like he’s angry. Runs like he’s mad at somebody. He works extremely hard and he’s a leader.”

Finally, there’s rookie Trestan Ebner. He’s a bit of an x-factor in the room, as a change of pace back, and a huge playmaking threat if he gets the ball in open space. Montgomery has taken Ebner under his wing, helping him with both football and life, as he learns how to be a professional. Montgomery also left a strong impression upon Ebner in training camp.

“He’s driven,” Ebner said. “He takes it to another level. You hear him talking stuff, and he preaches certain things, then you see it on the field, and it’s like, ‘Alright, he really turns it on.’”

Ebner is familiar with the wide zone rushing scheme, since that’s what he learned in college at Baylor. In 58 games in college, Ebner was a true dual threat. He carried the ball 343 times for 1,690 yards (4.9 YPC) and nine touchdowns, and caught 127 passes for 1,515 yards (11.9 YPC) and 11 scores. He’s comfortable in Getsy’s system and feels he can pick up right where he left off with the Baylor Bears. Ebner obviously lacks experience in the pro game, but has high expectations for the NFL Bears given what he knows about the scheme, and their personnel.

“I think we can challenge guys for the best running back group in the league,” Ebner said. “That’s something we talk about, and that’s something we stand on. We’re working towards that. We’re not just talking about it, we’re putting the work in for it. Going home and holding each other accountable, and everybody performs as if they’ve got to start.”

Blasingame has the same lofty expectations for the group.

“I don’t even really want to put a ceiling on it,” said Blasingame. “It’s dope. It’s a really good vibe in the room… it’s really love hanging out here with the dudes and being here, working, showing them that I’m trying to help them win games.”

Montgomery has the most context for how things have changed from Nagy’s offense to Getsy’s, so if anyone has a true appreciation for the new philosophy, it's him.

“You’re going to see a lot of interesting, new, different, things. It should be cool,” Montgomery said. “I’m super excited to just get back out there and run, get my feet back in the ground and show myself what I’m capable of doing.”

Montgomery said he’s ready for Week 1 and can’t wait to showcase the new-look rushing attack. But he wouldn’t share a preview of what new, interesting things we’ll see when the Bears finally take on the 49ers.

“You’re gonna see,” Montgomery said. “Ain’t no preview. You’re gonna have to tune in. It’s gonna be a sight to see, that’s all I can say.”

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Some other examples: in addition to Vaughns, Kevin Austin Jr is currently sitting on Jacksonville's practice squad. Laquon Treadwell and Keesean Johnson are two other free agents, or at least were as of this morning. Treadwell and Johnson would be suitable fill-ins - at least as good as Tajae Sharpe would have been for the Bears - and Vaughns and Austin have good long term developmental potential.

 

If they really can integrate a hint of a passing attack to keep the defenses honest, they could surprise a lot of people.

They have the running backs, without a doubt. I believe Fields can thrive in it. And they should be able to put together enough of a receiver group to make it work - even scooping up free agents to fill in the gaps. To me the big question is whether the offensive line can quickly make the transition to this scheme well enough to protect Fields while everyone is on the move. It's not easy, because the whole thing depends on tandem play as well as skill set.

If the blocking is there for Fields, Ebner is going to have a monster year as a receiving threat out of the backfield.

 

One other thing Atlanta and Chicago have in common in addition to rebuilding a WR group to go with mobile QBs and upgrades to the running game... neither team is getting any respect whatsoever from the national media.

The latest is Bleacher Report, as if their writers could even spell NFL let alone do a proper analysis. But for what it's worth, they project Atlanta to go 3-14 and Chicago to be one of three teams going 4-13. Sports Illustrated decided to rub it in by doing an article on their Falcons page focusing on the B/R projections and pointing out that it would mean they have Atlanta on the clock for the #1 pick in the 2023 draft.

The only reasoning the writer (in this case, David Kenyon) provides is Ryan is gone, Mariota is a stopgap until Ridder is reaady, and the WR group is (allegedly) thin. He mentions Drake London as having potential to be a good addition to TE Kyle Pitts, points out that Calvin Ridley is suspended, and...

... that's it. No other players even get named. The whole thing reads like something he might have slapped together in about five minutes at the end of April. But no, it's dated September 1.


And here's the executive summary of his Bears write-up: they're rebuilding. The only player on the team he even named is Justin Fields. He said nothing about the offense or the defense at all.

Think about that... a Bears review that doesn't say a thing about defense.

 

What is he supposed to say that the defense was bad last year but might be better this year?

 

Can the Bills thrive under increasing pressure and expectations?



From 1990 through 1993, the Buffalo Bills made it to the Super Bowl every single year. It’s one of the most underappreciated accomplishments in league history. The 2020 and 2021 Bills did not get there. And yet it feels like the current Bills have the exact same pressure and expectations to win the Super Bowl in 2022 as the Bills of 30 years ago ever did.

It’s strange, for a variety of reasons. The AFC currently has 13 legitimate contenders — maybe 14 if the Jaguars turn things around suddenly under the guidance of Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson. And somehow the Bills have emerged from that morass of quality franchises as the favorites to get to the Super Bowl and win it.


Not the Chiefs, who beat the Bills in each of the last two postseasons and who still have Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. Not the Bengals, who emerged from the meat grinder in 2021 to make it to the Super Bowl by doing what the Bills have failed to do — beat Kansas City in the playoffs. The Bills are the ones with the weight of the football world on their shoulders.

It’s not an erroneous assessment of the team, not with Josh Allen at quarterback, Stefon Diggs and emerging star Gabriel Davis at receiver, newcomer Von Miller at pass rusher, and few glaring weaknesses. The close-but-no-cigar experiences of the past two years coupled with the assessment of the team’s supreme talent have created a sense that it’s Super Bowl or bust for the Bills.

So what happens if it’s bust? What if the season ends with a failure similar to the 13-second fiasco that resulted in the Bills seeing an epic playoff win become an epic fail? It’s easy to pin it all on losing the coin toss in overtime; the Bills would have never gotten to the coin toss in overtime if they’d managed the final 13 seconds better than they did.

In a thorough breakdown of the aftermath of the 13-second from Tyler Dunne of GoLongTD.com, it’s clear that the failure turn a lead after 59 minutes and 47 seconds into a win over the Chiefs (and, potentially, the franchise’s first ever Super Bowl win) places extreme pressure on the man responsible for managing the situation: coach Sean McDermott.

As he enters his sixth season as head coach of the team, McDermott has to be feeling that pressure. He has to be wondering whether someone higher in the organization than him will wonder whether McDermott has taken the franchise as far as he can, if the can’t take them to the Super Bowl this year.

That’s what the Broncos did with John Fox after a Super Bowl loss and a premature exit in the 2014 postseason. They hired Gary Kubiak to finish the job — and the Broncos won a Super Bowl in his first year.

This doesn’t mean McDermott can’t get it done. But it’s fair to wonder what happens if he doesn’t, given the height of the bar that the Bills are collectively facing. It’s also fair to wonder what that pressure will do to the Bills, especially since the man who ran the offense in 2020 and 2021 has become the coach of the Giants, and Ken Dorsey is stepping into the driver’s seat for a team that is expected to win the race before it even begins.

Here’s the point. Maybe the pressure shouldn’t be so great on the Bills. Maybe they shouldn’t be so widely presumed to be destined to get to Phoenix in February. If they weren’t, maybe they’d actually have a better chance to get there.

Whatever happens in the AFC, the teams are good and the margins in the playoff games are razor thin. The Bills, Chiefs, and Bengals can make it to the Super Bowl. The Ravens, Steelers, Broncos, and Colts can make it. The Raiders, Chargers, and Titans can make it. The Patriots, Dolphins, and even the Browns can make it.

If you’re scoffing at the breadth of teams that can get it done, ask yourself this question. What would you have said a year ago about the Bengals possibly winning the Lamar Hunt Trophy?

So, yes, it’s odd that there’s so much pressure on the Bills when there are so many good teams in the conference. But that’s just the way it is. And it’s a factor no different than a fluke injury or a goofy bounce of the ball or a bad call at the worst time.

It’s a baked-in bit of adversity the Bills will have to handle as they try to finally do what they’ve never done. And it makes them as sympathetic as any frontrunner has ever been.

PFT

 

The Bills at Rams just might be fun... good way to kick off their season.

 

Maybe, "The new head coach is a very successful defensive coordinator and the team is completely switching their defensive scheme / personnel, including adding both of their top two draft picks this year"? Just off the top of my head.

 

Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson are “good to go” for the Rams



The top two running backs for the defending Super Bowl champions spent much of August dealing with soft-tissue injuries. Five days from the first game that counts, nothing is holding back Cam Akers (pictured) or Darrell Henderson.

Coach Sean McVay dubbed both of them “good to go” on Friday.


Akers missed most of 2021 after suffering a torn Achilles tendon before the start of training camp. He returned for the regular-season finale, and he generated 172 rushing yards in the postseason, along with 76 receiving yards.

Henderson appeared in 12 regular-season games last year with 10 start, rushing for a career-high 688 rushing yards. Injury kept him out of three postseason games, and he had only four carries in Super Bowl LVI.

The presence of both could help keep honest defenses that may be inclined to focus on stopping receivers Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson II. And the fact that the Rams have two very good running backs provides insurance against one of them getting injured.

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