NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Rams could just do the smart thing and rest him if they think he isn't ready and benefit later.

 

Yes, but it becomes a great deal more team friendly in 2021 in regards to ‘outs’.

Plus, once the market sets again it’s likely this deal is just inside the top 5 for his position.

 

I think that is what they should have done to start the season but teams and players are stubborn.

 

That helps. His age also helps - he'll only be 26 at the start of next season.

On the minus side is the fact he's only played a full 16-game slate once in 5 years, and there are legitimate concerns about an arthritic knee.

 

I agree, which is why I would look for a team that has a back on its rookie deal but could use another rusher as a co-primary.

I’m not really seeing that exact situation right now, but it could be available post-draft and it would make more sense then considering LA would need to wait until June 1st for the contract to be favorable for trade.

 

Something tells me, Gurley is damaged goods... and their not really getting any production, from what ive seen, in the ground game from anybody they run out there. LA might need to look at that o-line a bit closer. I thought I was being wise in drafting Henderson and he does nothing... I just had a hunch Gurley was going to be trouble.

 

I think Gurley injured the same knee as he did in college and that injury was a very serious injury. RBs have to have good knees

 

Any team interested in Gurley would probably go after Adrian Peterson first and get him cheaper.

 

The NFL wants an 18-game season. It may end up settling for 17.

Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed for reporters on Wednesday that talks between the NFL and NFL Players Association have occurred regarding an expansion of the regular season from 16 games to 17. And, to no surprise, Goodell is justifying the expanded regular season by pointing to steps over the past decade to make the game safer.

“We’ve had very fruitful discussion on it, discussing the positives and negatives, and the changes to the game that we’ve made over the last 10 years, which I think are really important as it relates to the safety of the game and how we’re preparing and practicing, and training our players,” Goodell said, via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Daily. “I think those changes have made a significant impact in a positive way, and so that is something we’ll continue to discuss.”

Amid renewed talk of 18 games in July, including reports that management actually had broached the concept of 18 games with a limit of 16 games per player, Packers CEO Mark Murphy advocated for 17 games as a compromise, with the preseason dropping to either three or two games.

A seventh regular-season game gives the NFL a whopping 16 games that would be played in London and other non-NFL cities, with every team having eight true home games, eight true road games, and one neutral-site game.

Goodell also said that the season would continue to start the weekend after Labor Day, which means that 17 games would push completion of the season one week deeper into February, which in turn could make for some awkward scheduling for future Super Bowls with firm dates for the game and associated activites in the week preceding it, if the change comes before the 2023 season. Indeed, each of the next five Super Bowls has a firm date associated with it.

But, as usual, listen to the money talk. The NFL will take the extra week of regular-season games as soon as it can, and it probably already has contingency plans in place for Super Bowl LV and beyond, in the event the money talks a 17-game season into existence.

(PFT)

 

Patrick Mahomes is reason enough to watch 'TNF'

Blessed with a miracle for an arm and the ridiculous ability to use it no matter the angle or situation, Patrick Mahomes is reason enough to tune into any football game.

Excitement personified donning a Chiefs uniform, Mahomes' skills and sensational statistics are so impressive considering what he's done over the last two Kansas City losses is actually seen as playing down for the reigning NFL MVP.

Anyone panicking in regards to Mahomes' production waning is likely stat drunk on the otherworldly numbers he has offered up.

Despite a troubled ankle, Mahomes is still leading the NFL with a mind-spinning 350.7 yards passing per game and his 14 touchdowns against one interception is still plenty outstanding.

Nevertheless, after a phenomenal first three games to the season, Mahomes' numbers have taken a turn.

Over those first three games -- all wins -- Mahomes was putting up 398.3 yards per contest, a 134.9 rating, a 71.9 completion percentage and had 10 touchdowns and no picks. In the last three games, with two losses, Mahomes is completing only 56 percent of his passes, averaging 303 yards per contest, has an 89.3 rating and has four touchdowns with his first interception last week.

Against Denver's fourth-ranked defense (No. 4, as well, against the pass), things are unlikely to come easy.

Still, Mahomes' majesty needs to be put into proper perspective. According to NFL research, Mahomes is on pace for an NFL-record 5,610 passing yards this season.

In just his third season, Mahomes is must-see NFL TV and reason enough to tune in all my his brilliant lonesome.

Is a Von Miller breakout bound to happen?

Leading into the season, Von Miller was never shy about his sky-high sack hopes, among them that he wants to one day surpass Hall of Famer Bruce Smith as the NFL's all-time sack king.

Miller's grand hopes and outlook for a great season ahead seemed plausible considering his resume and that he'd be playing under Vic Fangio, a first-year head coach with a defensive mind that had helped past edge rushers do terrible things to quarterbacks at a frenzied pace.

Instead, Miller is shockingly off to the worst start in terms of sacks in his pro career.

Through six games, he has only 2.5 sacks, his lowest total through a half-dozen games in his nine-season career.

Once again this week, the Chiefs will be short two starting offensive linemen. And Mahomes has been slowed by a bad ankle.

Still, the Chiefs have given up just eight sacks (fifth-best in the NFL), thanks in no small part to the educated feet of Mahomes.

Historically, Miller's damage done has been limited against the Chiefs, with 12 sacks in 16 career games. A three-sack showing in Week 12 of 2016 was his best showing in the rivalry, but since then he's had just half a sack over his last five tussles with the Chiefs.

If the Broncos can truly turn around their season, conventional wisdom leans to Miller upping his production. Tonight would be a good start, but the numbers add up to another conclusion.

Will the Chiefs defense derail a Super Bowl march?

One must basically surmise that the road to victory for Kansas City comes with emerging victorious from a shootout. After all, the Chiefs defense has been borderline dismal.

Heading into Thursday night, the Chiefs have the 27th-ranked defense in the NFL.

Though the defense was also a cause for concern a season ago, the presence of pass rushers Dee Ford and Justin Houston put some fear into opposing quarterbacks. Those two are gone and the additions of Frank Clark and Alex Okafor have combined for a not-so-whopping two sacks.

Tied for 25th with 11 sacks, the pass rush has been pedestrian at best.

Though the Broncos have reversed their winless fortunes, their offense is about as far from fearsome as the K.C. pass rush. If the Chiefs defense is to begin to improve, Thursday night is the time and place against the 25th-ranked Broncos offense.

Can Philip Lindsay continue to produce?

With an outlier of a Week 3 performance at Green Bay in which he had a pair of touchdowns and 81 yards, Broncos second-year back Phillip Lindsay was relatively quite over the initial four weeks of the season.

Over the last two weeks -- consequently Broncos victories -- Lindsay has found his footing.

In Denver's wins against the Chargers and Titans, Lindsay has put together 30 carries for 184 and two touchdowns. In his past two performances against K.C., Lindsay averaged 15 carries, 82 yards and a trip to the end zone.

If anyone forgot -- as Lindsay was coming back from a wrist injury and got off to slumbering start -- the former undrafted free agent put up 1,037 yards in his rookie campaign.

At least through these past two games, Lindsay is back to being that back who burst onto the scene a season ago. Against the 30th-ranked rushing defense of the Chiefs, there's no reason Lindsay should slow down.

(NFL.com)

 

The Broncos defense will have a huge role to play in this game tonight.

NFL.com, was hoping for a shootout, im not so sure.

One thing very certain, this is another good TNF game for a change... they been better this year, in my opinion.

 

I agree....there have been some really entertaining games.

 

The Cowboys got their starting tackles back on the practice field Thursday, but their line is still far from settled.

Via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, left tackle Tyron Smith and right tackle La’el Collins returned to practice on a limited basis.

Smith has missed the last two games with an ankle injury and Collins missed last week with a knee problem, and having one or both back for this week’s game against the Eagles would be a huge benefit.

Of course, the Cowboys didn’t have right guard Zack Martin or reserve center Joe Looney for practice, because it wouldn’t do for them to have any stability up front.

(PFT)
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This will help the 'Big D' a bunch.

 

That's exactly what the Broncos needed to do, missed the 2 point conversion, but take an early 6-0 lead.

 

Mahomes is out for the game and from what it looked like, a dislocated knee..... Matt Moore is in now. If Mahomes is out for a stretch of time, it opens the door for the Raiders or Chargers to sneak up on the Chiefs in the division.

 

I think knocking out Mahomes is what they needed.

 

Denver's needs a QB. Flacco sucks.

 

Flacco was done when he injured his knee a few seasons ago, ever since then, he hasn't been the same. No longer running, not even moving around much in the pocket, skittish and scared more often than not. Those sacks last night wasn't all on their OL, he just doesn't move around anymore and if his first read isn't there, he ends up sacked.

 

My fav was late in the game Flacco took an 8-step drop out of the shotgun and threw it leaning back on the 8th step with no imminent pressure.