North Dakota's population must be bigger than I thought. You would have thought everyone knew Carson Wentz personally. Probablly all the butthurt Vikings fans.
Rob Gronkowski listed on injury report with concussion The New England Patriots listed their first injury report ahead of next week's Super Bowl LII showdown with the Eagles, and while the report was just based on a practice projection, it did provide an update on Rob Gronkowski's status. Gronkowski was listed as "did not participate" due to a concussion on the report. The Patriots did not practice Wednesday, so the listing is a projection on what would have occurred if they had. This marks the first time that Gronkowski officially was listed with a concussion since Sunday's win over the Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game. The All-Pro tight end exited the game in the first half with what at the time was called a "head injury" after enduring a big hit from Jacksonville safety Barry Church. Gronkowski will have to be cleared by an independent neurologist before being permitted to play in the Super Bowl. So get ready for plenty more updates on his status as we get closer to Feb. 4.
Fletcher Cox will witness his first Super Bowl ever while playing in it Believe it or not, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox has never watched a Super Bowl. In less than two weeks, the Philadelphia Eagles will take the field for Super Bowl LII. For some players, it is one of the multiple championships they have played in. To others, it will be the first time they have made it this far in their NFL career. For Eagles defensive tackle, Fletcher Cox, it will be the first Super Bowl he has ever witnessed! Yes, you read that right, Fletcher Cox claimed that he has never watched the big game ever in his life. It’s crazy to think that he has never witnessed the game that he works constantly to get to each and every year. But the veteran tackle admits that he doesn’t really watch sports when he is at home. So it seems as though Cox only spends his time working out for football, or watching game film on his opponents. As crazy as it sounds, it is slightly believable. NFL players literally eat, sleep, and breathe football for at least half of the year. So it totally makes sense that an NFL player would want a break from the game after a long season. Especially if your team isn’t in the big game. (insidetheiggles)
Per NFL requirement, the Philadelphia Eagles released an estimated injury report prior to their first practice leading up to Super Bowl LII. There was no formal practice for the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday. Per NFL rule, however, they still need to provide league offices with an estimated injury report. Later that evening, they did just that. Here’s the good news if you’re an Eagles fan, this is a team that appears to be relatively as the third Super Bowl in team history approaches. That’s exactly what fans, coaches and the team, itself, wants to hear. Philly may be getting their middle linebacker back in the lineup. Middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe was the only member of the Eagles roster being listed as a ‘limited participant’. That’s for obvious reasons. He missed the NFC Championship Game due to injury, and as the team’s first official practice prior to football’s biggest game approaches, Ellerbe still appears to be dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. Jay Ajayi appears on the list as well but as a ‘full participant’. For those interested in what’s going on with the New England Patriots, here’s a quick update. Defensive tackle Malcolm Brown (foot), running back Mike Gillislee (knee) and tackle LaAdrian Waddle (also a knee) were listed as ‘limited participants’. The biggest news on the Patriots’ injury front continues to be the status of tight end Rob Gronkowski. He’ll likely be ready by the Super Bowl. As of now, however, he appears on the injury report under the ‘did not participate’ column, as did defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. Both are in the NFL’s concussion protocol. All of this is something we’ll all be monitoring as the Super Bowl approaches. (insidetheiggles.com)
Doug Pederson: It’s about us, not the Patriots mystique The wide disparity in Super Bowl experience between the Patriots and Eagles is hard for Eagles coach Doug Pederson to ignore, but it’s not something he wants his team spending time thinking about over the next 10 days. Pederson was asked at his Thursday press conference about the “mystique” around the Patriots as a result of their success over the last two decades and how it comes up when he’s talking to his players about Super Bowl LII. “I think that’s obviously a real question,” Pederson said. “That’s a real issue that you have. These guys have been there. They’ve done it. They’ve proven it time and time again. My biggest focus with the team is: let’s just focus on today. Let’s just win today. Let’s get better today, and we’ll worry about that when we get to the game. But it’s a credit to what the Patriots have done in their careers and their history, and everybody is trying to win championships like that. But we’ve just got to focus on today.” In a follow-up to the initial question, Pederson said that the Eagles are in “trouble” if they make this game all about the Patriots. Pederson stressed that his approach to the game is focused on “what we do and how well we execute.” “Grind the midnight oil again,” Pederson said of the team’s work plan. “Listen, yeah, we’ve got a game to play, and it’s not a vacation next week. My message to the team is just that. We’re going to prepare this week as if we’re playing this weekend, obviously, and then we can sort of fine tune some things. But we’ve just got to stay on top of our game, keep the grind, and keep the intensity going right into next week.” Pederson has done a good job of keeping the Eagles pointed in the right direction, which is well illustrated by how the team has lost injured players like Carson Wentz and Jason Peters without letting it derail their season. If another week of that focus pays off with a win in Minneapolis, it will do a lot for the mystique of Pederson and the Eagles. (PFT) _______ ________________ Hocus pokus, their trying to focus.
LeGarrette Blount in straight enemy mode vs. Patriots LeGarrette Blount spent most of the past four seasons with the Patriots. He won two Super Bowls. He likely built a lot of great relationships. But when the big game comes next weekend, and he faces his old team while a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII, none of that matters. New England, he said, is the enemy. "Straight enemy mode," Blount emphasized to reporters Thursday. "Ain't no friends. Ain't no homies. None of that. We know ... we know what we're going to do. They know what they're going to do. We both have the same goal in mind. There aren't any hard feelings, it just is what it is." Blount had the best season of his eight-year career with the Pats in 2016, rushing for 1,161 yards and a league-high 18 touchdowns. In three-plus seasons with the team, he scored 35 touchdowns. Blount made sure to let media know he's grateful for the role Bill Belichick gave him, particularly when the coach plucked him from floundering with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2014 season. But Blount won't have time for pleasantries during the Super Bowl. He's there strictly to beat his old team. "I play for the Eagles now," Blount said, via NJ.com. "I don't play for the Patriots, anymore. I don't watch the Patriots. I don't care about the Patriots. I just focus on what we need to do to put us in the best position to win this game. I had a great time there last year, but, last year is last year." (NFL.com)
Lane Johnson not backing off his preseason Super Bowl beer promise Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson made a big promise to Philly fans in the preseason. “If we win a Super Bowl, I’m giving out beer to everybody,” Johnson said in August. So now, with the Eagles heading to Super Bowl LII, will Johnson be a man of his word? “I really don’t mind putting in my own money if we’re going to a parade,” Johnson told NJ.com on Thursday. “Nobody expected it, but here we are. I’ll be a man of my word. It’ll be fun.” So Johnson isn’t backing down from his promise. Bud Light, meanwhile, posted on Twitter in response to Johnson’s promise that “the party’s on us.” So will Bud Light be providing free beer to every Philly fan if the Eagles win? “We are still planning an epic celebration, but true friends of the crown never assume victory, so in the interest of not jinxing the team, we will keep our plans under wraps until the outcome of the Super Bowl is determined,” Bud Light said in a statement. It’s safe to say that fans at the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade wouldn’t be given all the beer they can drink for free. And there may be laws restricting how much alcohol can be given away and consumed in a public place like the streets of Philadelphia during a victory parade. So how this will all play out remains to be seen. But Eagles fans should be getting some free beers if that “epic celebration” comes to fruition. ___________ ________________________ Lets feed those animals, lol. While their at it... pour some gasoline on the fire too.
Catfish better stay away from the parade if the Eagles win. I would love to see Anheiser Busch supply beer for a whole city. Go Eagles
Key right there because the last two wins (most likely)by the Pats where because teams got to caught up in trying to outsmart the Pats. IMHO the thing the Pats do better than any other team in history is get teams to make mistakes or play outside of themselves in order to try and beat the Patriots. It can range from an entire game plan, one series, or even just one play but once you make that mistake because you are trying to out think them you're done.
Eagles were smart to do just that vs the Vikings. In the 3rd they didn't try to change their gameplan to play conservative and hold on. They kept up THEIR game. If Smith didn't get that fleaflicker TD and the Eagles played scared the Vikings might find life. Look at Jags and Falcons vs the Pats.
Football's most scrutinized hand is now stitch-free. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had his 12 stitches removed from his right hand earlier this week, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Brady had played against Jacksonville with the stitches in his hand, protected by a bandage that received plenty of pre- and in-game attention. __________ ______________________ Gronk practiced for the second straight day... he still under concussion protocol, tho.
GAME OVER! Madden is 10-4 since 2003. https://www.yahoo.com/sports/annual...-youre-probably-not-going-like-150150841.html
L-G Blutz: https://www.yahoo.com/sports/legarrette-blount-postseason-success-puts-202510596.html Found this to be mildly interesting. One more postseason TD for LGB and he will be tied for 6th all-time with Marcus Allen. Blount doesn't really jump out at you as a HoF RB, but he does score in big games, like the big names.
“No I’m not going to the White House,” Long told a Barstool Sports podcast. “Are you kidding me?” Philadelphia Eagles lineman Chris Long. Seeing as how Long was a member of the New England Patriots last season, this could be the second straight year he has to make a decision. Long skipped the Patriots visit last year after the team won Super Bowl LI. “My son grows up, and I believe the legacy of our president is going to be what it is, I don’t want him to say, ‘Hey dad, why’d you go [to the White House] when you knew the right thing was to not go?’ ” Long said at the time.
10 Story Lines... 1. A victory in Super Bowl LII would be a perfect sendoff for Bill Belichick's top lieutenants. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is expected to become the next coach of the Colts and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia soon will be named the next coach of the Lions. Belichick has enjoyed continuity on his coaching staff and some of his assistants have struggled after they have left, like the first time McDaniels departed to become the Broncos' coach. Replacing them is next week's issue for Belichick. 2. Tom Brady had the 12 stitches required where his right thumb and his palm come together removed. He was injured four days before the AFC Championship Game and with tape over the stitches, he completed 26 of 38 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns in rallying to defeat the Jaguars. So, the hand is doing better but it's not 100 percent healed and that should be monitored. 3. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski got an excused absence from Opening Night Monday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., as he remains in concussion protocol after the nasty helmet shot he took from Jaguars safety Barry Church. Gronkowski practiced on a limited basis last week but he still hasn't been cleared for a full return and the Patriots aren't expected to say much about his status. Obviously, he's a main cog in the offense. 4. Nick Foles could become the first true backup to emerge late in the season for his team and win the Super Bowl since Jeff Hostetler guided the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XXV. Starter Phil Simms was out with a broken foot and Hostetler started the final two games of the regular season after making just two starts previously in his career. Foles took over for Carson Wentz in Week 15 when the starter went out with a torn ACL. At least Foles has 39 career regular-season starts on his resume. 5. Brady and Hall of Fame pass rusher Charles Haley are the only players in NFL history with five Super Bowl rings. Belichick is the only head coach with five rings. Patriots detractors aren't going to get behind the Brady/Belichick duo no matter what they accomplish together, but a sixth ring would further distance them from every other great quarterback/coach pairing. Heck, six rings for Brady would give him as many as Michael Jordan won in his career with the Bulls. 6. America loves the underdog and the Eagles have been that in each postseason game. They were a home underdog to the Falcons in the divisional round and then again at home against the Vikings in the conference title game, leading defensive end Chris Long and right tackle Lane Johnson to don German shepherd masks, pretty realistic ones at that. The Eagles were a 4-point underdog Monday afternoon at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, and that is down 2 points from where the number opened. 7. The Eagles have the better offensive line in this game and that's even with All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters on injured reserve. Center Jason Kelce is arguably the best at his craft in the league and Johnson is outstanding on the right side. Keep an eye on the attitude of this unit during the week. It could be a key to success for the Eagles. 8. Former Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has a guarantee to live up to. No, he didn't arrive here with the Bears and most (everyone?) knew that is who Jeffery was talking about when he made his Super Bowl guarantee at the end of the Bears' horrible 3-13 season in 2016. Jeffery can joke about it, and he has the last laugh after the four-year contract extension he signed with the Eagles last month, but it's time to make some plays. 9. Yes, Doug Pederson came to the Eagles after serving as an assistant coach for Andy Reid with the Eagles and Chiefs. But Pederson was the head coach at Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La., as recently at 2008. High school coaches across America can close their eyes and dream. Pederson's ascent is a great story. 10. Long and Eagles running back LeGarrette Blount each won a ring as members of the Patriots last season. Players have won back-to-back rings with different teams before but it never has been done by a pair of teammates in the same year. Deion Sanders (49ers and Cowboys) and Ken Norton Jr. (Cowboys and 49ers) are the most well-known players to win rings in consecutive seasons with different teams. (Tribune news Service)
Yeah...except that he was apparently watching the Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl. https://nesn.com/2018/01/twitter-calls-fletcher-coxs-bluff-after-eye-opening-super-bowl-claim/
