NFL - NEWS & NOTES

"take your vitamins" - hope its ok if i washed them down with whiskey?

 

Josh Allen: Media blew Stefon Diggs situation out of proportion



Bills quarterback Josh Allen says Stefon Diggs’ absence from the first day of the team’s mandatory minicamp practice was not as big a deal as it was made out to be.

“I love him. That’s my guy,” Allen said of Diggs on Bussin With the Boys. “The media has blown this so far out of proportion . We are in minicamp. We’re not playing a game for four months. He doesn’t show up for one day, he’s still there, coach asked him to go home, they’re in talks, they’re trying to resolve some things. They’re still talking about it. Let it go. There’s no reason to continue talking about it.”

But it was Bills head coach Sean McDermott who said he was “very concerned” about Diggs’ absence from minicamp. When the coach of one of the NFL’s best teams says he’s “very concerned” about one of the team’s best players, that’s a big story that the media is right to cover.

The story will eventually fade away if Diggs is a happy camper when training camp opens, and if he and Allen show a great rapport on the field when the regular season starts. But for the rest of the summer, Diggs will be one of the most-discussed players in the league. And that’s not because the media is blowing anything out of proportion.

NBC

 

Devon Allen says he’s the fastest player in the NFL

Eagles receiver Devon Allen, who recently ran the fourth fastest 110-meter hurdles of the year, believes he’s faster than any other man in the NFL.

Allen made that declaration recently to TMZ.com.

“I definitely am ,” Allen said. “I’m not gonna roast [Tyreek Hill and DK Metcalf] because what they did [in track appearances] was impressive. I raced Tyreek Hill when I was in high school. We raced and he smoked me when we were in high school and DK Metcalf ran a 10.3 a couple years ago is super impressive for a guy that’s six-three, six-four, 225, but I think especially at the top level — top-five, top-10 in the world — there’s a big gap in terms of just performance.”

The problem for Allen is that the gap he owns in raw speed he doesn’t own in raw football ability. He has yet to make a 53-man roster, and he’s 28.

In his defense, he deliberately took him off from football. He’s now getting back into it.

“The first whirlwind for me was training camp, getting thrown into the fire, and realizing this isn’t college anymore,” Allen said of his 2022 experience with the Eagles. “I played at the University of Oregon, which is high-level ball, but the NFL takes it the another level.”

The clock is ticking for Allen to get to that other level. And he ultimately needs to be much more than fast (as many past track stars have learned) to make it in the NFL.

PFT

 

If you can’t catch the ball speed won’t help you

 

Now that's very true you can run as fast as the speed of light but if you cannot catch the ball it means nothing don't care how fast you can run

 

Will Najee Harris maintain workhorse role with Steelers?

In today's NFL, workhorse running backs are an endangered species.

Committees are a constant and the running back market of 2023 is further evidence of that.

That's not the case in Pittsburgh, though.

Since his 2021 rookie season, Steelers running back Najee Harris leads the NFL with 579 carries and 694 touches, per NFL Research. Will Harris continue to be a workhorse for Pittsburgh in 2023?

The numbers -- and offensive coordinator Matt Canada's propensity to feed Harris the ball -- suggest he will.

Over the course of two seasons in the NFL and with the Steelers, Harris has registered 40.8% of Pittsburgh's touches -- the highest percentage in the league, just ahead of the Raiders' Josh Jacobs (40.7%).

Jacobs was the NFL rushing champion in 2022 with 1,653 yards, while the Titans' Derrick Henry's 349 rushing attempts led the league. Still, the fresh legs of Harris have been fed more than anyone else over the past two years en route to rushing to consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns.

Harris' high usage has put him atop the record books for one of the most storied franchises in NFL chronicle. With 2,234 yards, Harris has the most rushing yards in a player's first two seasons in Pittsburgh history, just ahead of Le'Veon Bell (2,238 yards) and the late Hall of Famer Franco Harris (1,753).

However, it's not all been rainbows and history books for Harris. He's averaging just 3.9 yards per carry for his young career, which is the fewest in the NFL among 36 players with 250 or more carries. It's not for a lack of effort or skill though, considering Harris has forced 160 missed tackles since 2021 -- second most in the league, per PFF.

Perhaps Harris' workload will lighten in 2023 with quarterback Kenny Pickett finding his footing, the ascension of wide receiver George Pickens, the addition of wideout Allen Robinson and the continued impressive play of Diontae Johnson and Pat Freiermuth.

Perhaps not, though. Canada is still helming the Pittsburgh O. Over the last two years, the Steelers offense has sputtered to the tune of a 31st-ranked 4.9 yards per play. With a lack of big plays for Pittsburgh, there are quite simply more plays and more touches for Harris and his teammates. Hence, as Harris has led the league in carries and touches over the past two years, Freiermuth still quietly became the first tight end since 1990 to tally 60 receptions in each of his first two seasons.

Harris' workload has been eye-opening so far, but it's arguable if it's brought out the best in the first-rounder.

Thusly, perhaps there are two crucial questions relating to Harris in 2023.

Will he maintain his bell cow role in the Steelers offense, and should he?

NFL.com

 

Bears rookie WR Tyler Scott has been studying D.J. Moore: 'He's everything advertised and more'

The Bears were willing to part with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in order to equip Justin Fields' with one of the NFL's most underrated weapons, D.J. Moore.

They later added another pass catcher, Cincinnati's Tyler Scott, in the draft's fourth round, and the rookie is already finding his footing just by watching the elder wideout.

"D.J. Moore, obviously, being a teammate, he -- man -- he's everything advertised and more," Scott told NBC Sports Chicago's Under Center podcast when asked which route runners he studies to help his own game. "Like he plays with such a calmness to him. Just the control to him. And football players know, you know, kind of what that looks like. And he just kind of plays just under control. But it's not necessarily like he's playing slow or behind. It's just, he just kind of plays like he knows what he's doing. You can tell he's experienced in what he does. … He's just playing at a different level than everybody."

Moore comes to Chicago without a Pro Bowl in five seasons, but he has three 1,000-yard campaigns to his name despite uneven quarterback play in Carolina, plus 364 catches and 21 touchdowns.

Although Scott is still waiting in the wings to start building his NFL resume, he boasts a 4.44 40-yard dash time that helped him amass 1,439 yards and 14 scores on 87 catches during his three-year collegiate career.

He was lauded as a solid value in the fourth round as a serious vertical threat, but he knows he'll begin behind the pecking order of Moore, Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool in Chicago's offense. That doesn't mean he's not approaching his rookie season with the goal of forcing his way onto the field anyway.


"I have a pretty heavy room as far as these guys that have been there, done that, you know, have a lot of talent," Scott admitted. "But for me, you know, my mindset has always been, be so good that they have to put you in the game. No matter who's around, you have to be so good that they have to put you out there. So, that's been my mindset.

"As far as the ceiling, I don't really have too much of a ceiling for myself. I just see myself being an impact and having a hand in the stirring pot of a team that's going to compete in the playoffs and, ultimately, for a Super Bowl."

With Scott being a Day 3 pick, the Bears will take any contribution they can get from the speedster -- especially after ranking dead last in passing yards last season.

If he exceeds expectations and becomes too valuable to take off the field, that's just a cherry on one of the tops he'll have blown off a defense.

"Coming in, my vertical speed, just being that vertical threat, I just cherish that opportunity and being able to be a part of something like that," Scott said. "I'm grateful that they trusted me to bring that asset in. Somebody like me who is very hungry to show what I can do, I think it'll be fun."

NFL.com

 

***GOOD READ ALERT***



Corey Dillon unleashes epic rant on omission from Bengals’ Ring of Honor, Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former NFL running back Corey Dillon has been out of sight for a while. He’s back. In a big way.

Dillon recently uncorked an epic rant while talking to Paul Dehner Jr. of TheAthletic.com. The full interview is worth your time. Some of the highlights appear below.

And make no mistake about whether Dillion was actually off the record. As he said to Dehner, “Man, you can quote me word-for-fucking-word. Print it. Because nobody gets this shit. I want it exactly how I told you. No spins. No nothing.”

Dillon has two primary complaints, and a third one that is looming.

First, he thinks he should be in the Bengals’ Ring of Honor, a distinction that is voted on by season-ticket holders.

“It’s damn-near criminal, what [voters] are pulling off, to be honest with you,” Dillon said. “Did I not play for them? I don’t know, bro. I’m curious about that. Because it looks like they are glossing over me. For what reason? Because I left? That’s not a good enough reason. You are telling me there’s five other guys better than me — at my position? And trust me, this is no knock on whoever is getting in, who goes in, that’s not what it is about. It’s about what is your excuse going to be? I’m pretty sure they will put fucking Jon Kitna in there before they put me. Matter of fact, Scott Mitchell will end up in that motherfucker before I do.”

The problem is, as Dillon explains with such eloquence, the team’s decision to let the fans decide.

“And that’s garbage,” he said. “That’s garbage. This should be solely predicated on the authorities of the Bengals. The owner. The president. Whatever. There should be a special committee. This ain’t a popularity contest. This is football. You are going to put in somebody who is more popular than somebody who got stats?”

Dillon has the stats. He started his career by rushing for more than 1,100 yards in six straight seasons. He rushed for 8,061 yards in seven seasons with the Bengals.

He also has 11,241 for his career. More than, for example, Hall of Famers O.J. Simpson, Earl Campbell, and Larry Csonka. Dillon therefore wants consideration for Canton.

“I want it all,” Dillon told Dehner. “I am coming for it all. You know why? Because I earned it. I’m not one of these borderline guys sitting on my ass reminiscing, talking about, ‘Oh, if I had this, shoulda, coulda, woulda.’ No. I’m justified.”

Dillon thinks off-field incidents have affected him. He had two arrests in 2010, four years after his career ended. One was for DUI and one was for spousal abuse. (The DUI was reduced to reckless driving, and the assault charge was dropped due to lack of evidence.) In 2000, he was charged with fourth-degree assault of his wife, entering a diversion program and making a donation to a women’s shelter. He believes those things should not impact his candidacy for career honors, if they are.

“That’s why I resurfaced, man,” Dillon said. “Because there has been a lot of wrong that needs to be un-wronged. Nobody gets this. I don’t want to get into people’s personal business, but there are a lot of Hall of Famers that did far more worse shit than I did. We can cancel out that excuse. There is no excuse for that. On top of that, I thought the game was predicated on numbers. Are people looking at the numbers like, ‘Nah, nah’? I don’t think so.”

Dillon thinks Bengals fans are still upset with him because: (1) he was outspoken during his career (he once said he’d rather be “flipping burgers” than to accept the team’s restricted free agency tender); and (2) he left Cincinnati and won a championship.

That he did, in 2004. With a career-high 1,635 rushing yards for a dominant Patriots team. It’s still the franchise’s single-season record. And that has Dillon thinking he should have a spot in the Patriots’ Hall of Fame, too.

“Don’t make this a Cincinnati thing, because I’m about to get on the Pats’ ass, too,” he told Dehner. “It’s coming. I’m coming for it all. Give it to me while I’m breathing. If anybody wants to disagree, just go look at the fucking numbers and have a Coke and a smile.”

Dillon’s name rarely comes up in reference to his career accomplishments. When it comes to the great tailbacks of the 21st Century, he’s typically forgotten when names like Adrian Peterson, LaDainian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander, Frank Gore, LeSean McCoy, Steven Jackson, Clinton Portis, Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, Priest Holmes, Jamal Lewis, and Marshawn Lynch are mentioned.

The truth is that Dillon has more rushing yards than all but four of those other running backs.

NBC

 

He should be in the team ring of honor, but the HOF is for great players and I don’t see him in that light.

 

The only players on the list ahead of him all time that are not HOFers are:

Frank Gore - Lock for the Hall, eligible in 2025
Adrian Peterson - The only thing that could keep him out is his domestic issues. eligible in ??

Edgerrin James - Almost a clone of Dillon stats wise, he has 1,000 more yards and 2 more TDs, but he also played one more season... He also is NOT in the HOF. With his "stats alone", he should get the nod before Corey Dillon. If it ever comes down to the last spot and they are debating between the two, James will win out.
Fred Taylor is right in front of Dillon on the list, but played 3 more seasons and had way less TDs. If Taylor ever comes up for debate, then Dillon is definitely in the conversation.

These are the ones that would be argued against in his argument.

However, I didn't see anything about the HOF in his rant. It was all about individual team Rings of Honor. In THAT case, it has almost as much to do with what the player meant to the community and being in Ohio, Dillon did nothing to help the community, he even argued with his own fans. He didn't give a shit about the City of Cincinnati or any of the people in it. In fact he was trying to leave almost as soon as he arrived there. The Bengals just blocked every attempt for 7 years.

In my opinion, he has a better chance at the HOF than he does a ring of honor. Neither of which are probably in his cards though.

 

Just for context, I found this. In my opinion, he's up against some real good players... more deserving than him. He may get it someday, but knowing his history and then recently throwing the fans under the bus, I think he deserves the ring of shit, to be blunt.

The problem for Dillon is…the team’s Ring of Honor has been around just two years. The current inductees:

• Ken Anderson (inagural)
• Paul Brown (inagural)
• Anthony Munoz (inagural)
• Ken Riley (inagural)
• Isaac Curtis
• Willie Anderson
• TBA
• TBA

That’s multiple Hall of Famers, a few more who probably should be, Paul Brown and others — not exactly a list Dillon should necessarily break through on over the first two years of the Ring’s existence. Tack on Dillon’s so-so relationship with longtime fans who saw his bitter exit and comments about the organization as playing an unmistakable factor, too.

Dillon is on this year’s list of candidates, but he’s attempting to fend off names like Chad Johnson, Boom Esiason, James Brooks and more, so he could easily miss again.
_______________________

The Cincinnati Bengals have unveiled the 13 candidates for the 2023 rendition of the team’s ring of honor, headlined by names such as Boomer Esiason and Corey Dillon, among others.

A look at the list:

• Jim Breech
• James Brooks
• Cris Collinsworth
• Corey Dillon
• Boomer Esiason
• David Fulcher
• Chad Johnson
• Tim Krumrie
• Dave Lapham
• Max Montoya
• Lemar Parrish
• Bob Trumpy
• Reggie Williams

 

Statistically he's better than some backs in the HOF, but I guess its all debatable on who actually makes it... HOF not the HOS (hall of stats).

 

Who wants to tell Corey how the Pats HOF members are decided?

I got no quarrel with him getting in - his 3 years here were that good - but there’s a long ass list of people way more deserving than him that are still waiting and a ton more that aren’t even eligible yet so good luck with that buddy.

 

Ring of Honor, Easily over Dillon:
Tim Krumrie
Chad Ochocinco
Reggie Williams
Dave Lapham
Boomer
Maybe even Collinsworth, but I'm not sold on that one.

If they are inducting 2 per year, it will be a long time before he gets in... I'm sure there will be others added to this list, replacing two that got in, and they very well might have a better case than Dillon.

Lesson in life, don't burn bridges, especially while you are standing on them.

 

Lesson in life, don't burn bridges, especially while you are standing on them.[/QUOTE]
couldn't have said it better why would the City of Cincinnati and Bengals
give a fu*k