NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Needed some reinforcements after seeing what happened when Tyron Smith missed some time. "Stiff" doesn't begin to describe Chaz Green and Byron Bell.

 

Foles was even better against a much better Vikings defense.

 

he was, but the Super Bowl game trumps all others. Does anyone remember his NFCCG stats? No. But Eagles fans will remember what he did in the SB forever. He's a hero for life in Philly. Old Flyer hockey players from the early 1970's are revered in the city. They are Gods. Even the non-HoF'ers are beloved here. That was over 40 years ago. The 1980 Phillies are beloved here for the same reason and the 1983 Sixers. The 2008 Phillies won the WS and those guys are royalty. The 2017 Eagles will be loved and remembered forever. They won't remember Carson Wentz leading them to 13 wins. They will remember Nick Foles coming off the bench and winning ugly vs Oakland and locking up home field advantage, barely winning vs Atlanta and lighting up Minnesota before having the game of his life vs the Patriots. Besides a tipped pass for an interception, he was always flawless and made some passes in very tight coverage that I doubt Wentz could make. Wentz gets a ring, but until he leads the Eagles to a Super Bowl, if he can, Eagles fans will remember, it was Foles, not Wentz, who lead them to their first and only Super Bowl.

 

Lions sign Jonathan Freeny

Lions coach Matt Patricia is adding a linebacker who knows his defense.

Free agent linebacker Jonathan Freeny has signed with the Lions, they announced this morning.

Freeny played parts of three seasons with the Patriots when Patricia was New England’s defensive coordinator. Freeny has also played for the Dolphins, Ravens and Saints.

Adding linebackers has been a top priority for Lions General Manager Bob Quinn this offseason. The Lions also signed linebackers Devon Kennard and Christian Jones. (PFT)

 

Actually those signs would probably fall under the ban already in place for the throat slash

 

See what happens when you allow touchdown celebrations?!?!? All hell breaks loose!
Dogs marrying cats.... pandemonium!

I believe in the political process more than an invisible creator, so I’d rather see political messages (or the Wu) instead of a football player identifying himself/herself (future reference) as a slave to silly pagan rituals and/or beliefs. Besides, everyone knows that PHIL KESSEL IS THE FUCKING MESSIAH.

 

Why would a 66-year-old paraplegic be working security?

 

She had to have been doing some logistical stuff or something and been backed up right?

 

I think so. They say Security, but more or less a stadium employee. She was with others at the time of the incident which was witnessed by a police officer. I heard she is back at work and doing well even tho the PD said she was injured. Apparently Bennett pushed her (not hard enough to tip chair) and a few others in his attempt to run onto the field.

The info I have is vague and reported by TMZ Sports and Yahoo Sports.

Earlier today, bond was posted at 10,000 bucks and Bennett who turned himself in was released from jail at 130pm this afternoon.

That's all I got...

 

Ndamukong Suh agrees to join Rams for one year

The Rams have short-term financial flexibility, so they were able to sign the best remaining free agent.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Rams have agreed to a one-year, $14 million deal with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

The Rams can pair him with Aaron Donald on what could be one of the league’s most dangerous fronts, but there’s nothing long-term about their investments.

Donald’s entering the final year of his deal, and they’ll eventually want to extend him.

But for now, the Rams are loading up after trading for cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib.

Suh had also visited the Saints and Titans, but called off a trip to see the Raiders. The Jets pulled their offer before it got to this point. (PFT)

 

Rams are also said to be interested in trading for Odell Beckham... good luck with whomever gets him.

 

Eagles, Vikings, Rams, Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Packers, Cowboys.
Just try and tell me the AFC is more competitive.
Patriots, Steelers, Jags, maybe Chiefs. Anyone else is like the Lions, Seahawks or Cardinals to the NFC list.

 

Titans signing quarterback Blaine Gabbert



The Titans found a replacement Matt Cassel, who may or may not be as good as Matt Cassel.

Via Jim Wyatt of the team’s official website, the Titans have agreed to terms with Blaine Gabbert to serve as Marcus Mariota‘s backup.

Gabbert visited the Titans last week, and they apparently liked what they saw, or couldn’t figure out a better way to fill the spot.

Gabbert started five games for the Cardinals last year, filling in for the injured Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton.

The former first-round pick of the Jaguars has 45 NFL starts, and has won 11 of them. (PFT)

 

Mayor angling for an NFL franchise and a Super Bowl in London



The NFL is continuing to push for a presence in London, and the mayor is only to happy to have America’s most popular sport.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan told Talksport that he’s eager to see the NFL expand its presence in his city, and he believes there could be a franchise based in London full-time, and a Super Bowl in London.

“I’ve been saying since the first day I became Mayor my ambition is to have more American football games in London and ultimately for there to be a franchise there and, dare I say it, even the Super Bowl,” Khan said. “I met recently one of the owners of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shahid Khan. I’ve met the NFL commissioner on a number of occasions, most recently at the game at Twickenham this year and my team is working very closely with the NFL.”

The NFL appears to be a long way off from figuring out the logistics for a team in London, and a Super Bowl in London is probably even a longer way off. But the league is serious about making London a major football town, so the NFL will surely welcome the mayor’s comments. (PFT)

 

New catch rule passes unanimously

The NFL has a new rule on what constitutes a catch.

The much-derided catch rule was unanimously changed today, with all 32 teams voting for the rule that has been hammered out by the competition committee with input from players, coaches and officials.

The new rule says that a ball is caught when the player has control, two feet or another body part down, and makes a football move such as a third step or reaching the ball toward the line to gain, or has the ball long enough to make such a move.

Under the new rule, controversial incompletions like the Dez Bryant play against the Packers and the Jesse James play against the Patriots would have been complete passes, rather than the incompletions they were ruled under the old rule.

There will still be some controversial rulings on close calls, but the NFL thinks the new rule will result in fewer controversies than the old rule. After a season in which officiating controversies often overshadowed the play on the field, that would be a step in the right direction. (PFT)

 

Welcome to the fumble era!

 

Now, let us re-visit the fumble forward rule!

 

NFL gives officiating office authority to eject players remotely

Ejections are no longer at the sole discretion of the on-field officials.

The NFL’s owners voted today on a new rule that authorizes a designated member of the officiating department to instruct on-field game officials to eject a player who commits “a flagrant non-football act,” if a foul for that act is called on the field.

That would allow for ejections in cases like Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans shoving Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski jumping on Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White. In those cases, Evans and Gronkowski got 15-yard penalties, but not ejections.

Now the league office has the authority to step in and tell the officials to kick a player out of the game in a situation like that. Which means we could see more ejections in 2018. (PFT)

 

Seahawks cut Trevone Boykin minutes after domestic violence report

The Seahawks wasted no time in responding after backup quarterback Trevone Boykin was accused of domestic violence.

Just minutes after a report that Boykin is accused of domestic violence, the Seahawks announced that they have released Boykin.‏

Boykin’s girlfriend reportedly told police that he attacked her, choking her and leaving her in a puddle of blood with a broken jaw.

The domestic violence case is the latest in a long line of off-field incidents for Boykin, and the Seahawks had likely decided that if he had any other incidents, he was done.

Boykin has been with the Seahawks for his entire NFL career but has rarely played behind starter Russell Wilson. Given the seriousness of these latest allegations, there’s a good chance he’ll never catch on with another NFL team.
(PFT)

 

Comp. committee in talks for potential targeting rule

In a continued effort to take hitting with the helmet out of football, the NFL is considering adding a targeting rule.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday that the league's competition committee is currently formulating language on a targeting rule that could go to a vote as soon as today at the Annual League Meeting in Orlando.

An owner and a GM told Pelissero they believe the targeting rule has enough support to pass. The committee is quickly putting the proposition together in hopes for a possible vote Tuesday, but work needs to be done on the language of the rule and enforcement.

Adding the targeting rule comes as the league grows more concerned with dangerous helmet-to-helmet hits that can cause serious injuries and lead to increases in concussions.

"In our ongoing study of how to make the game better, we just seemed to see more lowering of the head," said Dallas Cowboys executive Stephen Jones, a member of the competition committee, previously told Pelissero.

"Always we're looking at ways to improve and make the game safer. And when you look at the plays where the players are dropping their head, we're doing a good job of catching it after the fact with fines and things of that nature, but probably can do a better job of making the call on the field that hopefully we'll even emphasize more. Heads-up football."

The specifics of how the rule is framed and the penalty for targeted will be key for a potential measure to pass.

The NCAA employs a targeting rule for players who make forcible contact with the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent. The penalty includes automatic ejection and possible suspension for the first half of the next game if the hit occurs in the second half of a contest. The college targeting rule has been criticized at times for its implementation and harsh punishment.

Among rules already passed on Tuesday, NFL owners approved a rule authorizing the officiating department to instruct on-field game officials to disqualify a player for a flagrant non-football act with a foul for that act is called on the field. (NFL.com)