Lou Anarumo: The Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback slayer is out to stop Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City Chiefs again

Lou Anarumo: The Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback slayer is out to stop Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City Chiefs again

Post By Sports baltimore, bay, bears, bills, broncos, browns, buffalo, chargers, cheerleaders, chicago, city chiefs, cleveland, colts, cowboys, dallas, denver, detroit, dolphins, eagles, england, Fantasy, football, Giants, green, houston, indianapolis, kansas, League, lions, live, miami, national, New, News, NFL, oakland, packers, patriots, philadelphia, pittsburgh, raiders, ravens, redskins, Sky, Sport, Sports, steelers, texans, Washington, watch, york jets

Can Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo stop Patrick Mahomes again?

Lou Anarumo and his hokey cokey Cincinnati Bengals defense have become the talk of the town. A town with Joe Burrow in it.

To solve a problem like Josh Allen, to solve a problem like Patrick Mahomes, to solve a problem like the modern off-script angle-defiant elite quarterback is to do things the Lou Anarumo way.

His art of disguise has excelled to the extent head coach-needy NFL teams have neglected to acknowledge his cauldron of tricks enough to consider him during this year’s hiring cycle. An indictment, no doubt, on them and a flawed hiring process rather than his own credentials.

He has emerged as a remedy to a Mahomesified league in which the Kansas City Chiefs gamer has burdened young quarterbacks with soaring, unassailable expectations through his anything-goes arm talent. Anarumo vs Mahomes likely takes precedence over any Joe Burrow vs Mahomes or Joe Burrow vs Steve Spagnuolo showdown heading into Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.

Eli Apple dubbed him a mad scientist. He is both scientist and architect, receptive and reactive to the league’s college-driven spread movement and the trendy proclivity of pre-snap motion, RPO innovation and the position-less asterisk to on-paper personnel groupings. With today’s offensive sleight of hand comes Anarumo’s own espionage missions. And sometimes, just sometimes, he will merely knock on the front door to tell you what he’s doing, armed with the answer for any ensuing reply.

He gave Allen and the Bills offense headaches by nullifying their downfield knockout power in Cincinnati’s Divisional Round win. Mahomes is next in his sights as they resume their defining duel, in which Anarumo boasts the upper hand.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

A look at last season’s dramatic AFC Championship between the Bengals and the Chiefs, which was settled in overtime. Can we expect a similar encounter this Sunday?

Wagner – Running backs coach (1989)
Syracuse – Graduate assistant-assistant defensive backs coach (1990-1991)
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy – Defensive coordinator/defensive backs (1992–1994)
Harvard – Assistant head coach/defensive backs/special teams (1995–2000)
Marshall – Defensive backs coach (2001–2003)
Purdue – Defensive backs coach (2004–2011)
Miami Dolphins – Defensive backs coach (2012–2017)
Miami Dolphins – Interim defensive coordinator (2015)
New York Giants – Defensive backs coach (2018)
Cincinnati Bengals – Defensive coordinator (2019–present)

Where Josh Boyer’s blitz-heavy approach with the Miami Dolphins had dared Allen’s downfield aggression to beat them, Anarumo’s success was built on delaying the Bills quarterback and forcing him to temper his bombs away tendencies. Simulated pressure became seven and eight-man coverage looks, putting added stress on Allen’s progressions while, in a slightly different way to Boyer inviting shots over the top, daring him to take on dangerous traffic.

The Bengals defensive coordinator has joined in with the league’s shift towards the two-high safety shells inspired by Vic Fangio as a means of eradicating the explosive plays of 20+ yards. But it has been the way in which his unit rolls and rotates to two-high looks and handsomely-staffed zone shells that has been so effective in befuddling the league’s best and brightest under center. And, in contrast, the way he hides blitz packages in zone presentations.

Anarumo blitzed Allen just seven times on 47 drop backs (14.8 per cent) and yet managed to generate pressure on 26 of them by way of his shape-shifting. He turned heavily towards one of the staples of the Anarumo defense in the nickel fire zone pressures whereby at the snap the extra defensive back will rocket to the line of scrimmage from the second level while the weak side defensive end retreats into coverage to muddy the quarterback’s field read. There we have the ‘left foot in, right foot out’ hokey cokey of it all. It preserves the four-man rush while congesting the middle of the field as Allen looks for his hot routes.

A defensive back can hint at zone coverage by aligning with his backside pointing to the sideline, or point to man-on-man by shadowing the motioning receiver across the line of scrimmage or nod to the blitz by lining up in a sprint-start stance, but Anarumo does his utmost to veil intentions by having his creeper pressure man, often a Mike Hilton or Vonn Bell, unassumingly amble across the second level before exploding into life from a non-static start at the snap. Emphasis on the ‘creep’ in his creeper pressure.

Live NFL

January 29, 2023, 11:30pm

Live on

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Neil Reynolds, Jeff Reinebold and Brian Baldinger discuss the brilliance of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and discuss whether they can beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship.

A key trait to Anarumo’s fire zone pressures can also be the width it creates up front, the angle from which the defensive back darts helping limit the modern mobile quarterback’s ability to roll out of the pocket and freelance in pursuit of an off-platform throw. He will also pull one of Sam Hubbard or Trey Hendrickson off the edge and turn them into a spy, be it to purposely flush a quarterback out of the pocket and into their laps or to again contribute to blocking quite routes underneath. Hence the importance against an Allen or a Mahomes that are as dangerous as any passer in the league outside the pocket.

The pre-to-post snap transformations come with layers upon layers upon layers: Anarumo will simulate a corner blitz from one side while offering a single-high coverage presentation, before dropping said corner and the adjacent defensive end into the second level at the snap while sending the opposite side corner in pressure off the edge, filling the vacated half of the field by rolling his high safety across in an inverted Cover 2 and pulling linebacker Logan Wilson high while Germaine Pratt serves as the hook/curl floater. His own illusion of complexity.

At times he will complement zone coverage across the board by lining up one of his more physical defensive backs in press man coverage against the offense’s top weapon, a Travis Kelce for example, and ask his DB to win his physicality battle mid-route.

Anarumo will also occasionally put a defining onus on the athleticism and instincts of Wilson and Pratt as his two lone linebackers in extra DB packages by lining both up as A-gap muggers at the line of scrimmage before dragging them back at the snap to marshal any crossing routes designed for quick-release concepts.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights of the Cincinnati Bengals against the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Divisional Round.

He was the star of the show as the Bengals beat the Chiefs in last season’s AFC title game to reach the Super Bowl, Anarumo’s second half answer to Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Kelce being to pull seven or eight men into coverage and suffocate some of the most accomplished offensive spacing and route concepts in the league.

Trailing 21-10 at half-time, Anarumo came out and dropped eight or more defenders into coverage on 45.5 per cent of dropbacks across the second half and overtime period in a rise from just 23.8 per cent in the first half. In those instances Mahomes went three of eight passing for 13 yards and an interception while being sacked twice as the Chiefs offense stalled.

The Bengals had been beaten by two notable chunk plays in the first half, a 44-yard completion to Mecole Hardman and a 33-yard completion to Hill. On the first to Hardman Cincinnati had presented quarters coverage before rolling into a one-high safety in Jessie Bates III, who would be frozen centrally by Kelce’s seam route while Hardman beat Chidobe Awuzie one-on-one with his out-and-up. On the second to Hill the Bengals presented a one-high safety look in nickel with all other DBs lined up in press coverage other than Apple in soft coverage on the Chiefs pass-catcher, who would exploit the extra runway and beat his man with a double move on the deep over route.

Anarumo sought to switch things up with 13 seconds left in the half when he dialled up match quarters coverage with wide 5-tech and 9-tech rushers anchoring a four-man pressure in order to contain Mahomes in the pocket, with Wilson retreating into coverage to bracket Byron Pringle’s over route and Pratt spying the Chiefs quarterback to deny the escape on the weak side. Unfortunately for the Bengals Apple would bite on the in-and-out from Hill and ultimately draw a pass interference penalty after seeing Mahomes overcook his pass to the corner of the end zone.

On the opening drive of the second half Anarumo tackled a Chiefs second-and-six by dropping eight into coverage with Pratt as the hook/curl buffer in the middle of the field, where his presence proved key in delaying Mahomes as he targeted Hill, being shadowed by Hilton, on the deep over.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor gave a passionate victory speech following his side’s comprehensive win on the road against the Buffalo Bills.

Then followed a familiar theme of Bell being deployed as the ‘robber’ out of Cover 2 (two-high) by dropping down into the hole last minute to disrupt dig and crossing routes underneath as another variation on Anarumo’s blend of zone and man.

Mahomes and the Chiefs were not dumb to the seven and eight man coverages – they just could not find a resolution to beating them, even with their alien quarterback’s preposterous skewed-angle freelancing expertise. Late in the third they turned to a condensed formation in a bid to toss the guessing game back to Anarumo, who responded by stacking the box in the face of a wide zone movement before rotating into Cover 2 and watching BJ Hill throw up his big arms to snag a bonus interception at the line of scrimmage.

There is a blockbuster feel to Anarumo’s defense as he favours blanketing every route and every receiver over supreme pressure up front, challenging a Mahomes to produce the best of Mahomes by dissecting the tightest of throwing lanes or spotting and punishing the rare blown assignment, and challenging a Kelce to produce the best of Kelce by way of the best head feint, hip swivel and hand usage on an out route in the league. Beat him, and he will holds his hands up and say ‘fair play’.

How he replicates or adapts previous game plans for Mahomes this weekend comes with added intrigue in the wake of the Chiefs man’s high-ankle sprain. Do you purposely flush him out of the pocket and put his uncertain mobility to the test?

The mad scientist is brewing his next cocktail of chaos, every bit of which is needed against the NFL’s best quarterback.

Over to you, Lou.

The NFL playoffs continue this weekend with Championship Sunday. Watch both games live on Sky Sports NFL on Sunday night, with Cincinnati Bengals @ Kansas City Chiefs kicking off at 11.30pm.

Source link

#Lou #Anarumo #Cincinnati #Bengals #quarterback #slayer #stop #Patrick #Mahomes #Kansas #City #Chiefs

ER on the field: An inside look at how NFL medical teams prepare for a game day emergency | CNN

Post By Health brand safety-nsf health issues, brand safety-nsf sensitive, business, business and industry sectors, cardiovascular disease, damar hamlin, diseases and disorders, domestic alerts, domestic-health and science, economy and trade, emergency rooms, first aid, football (american), health and medical, Health Care, health care facilities, health care professionals, heart disease, hospitals, iab-american football, iab-business and finance, iab-diseases and conditions, iab-first aid, iab-healthcare industry, iab-heart and cardiovascular diseases, iab-industries, iab-injuries, iab-medical health, iab-sports, international alerts, international-health and science, labor and employment, labor disputes and negotiations, labor relations, levels of care (health), medical treatments and procedures, NFL, physicians and surgeons, sports and recreation, sports business, sports figures, sports labor disputes, sports organizations and teams

CNN
—

When Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin dropped to the ground from a cardiac arrest earlier this month, help was by his side in under 10 seconds to administer CPR.

It wasn’t coincidence or luck. Rather, it’s the result of careful planning and practice – the execution of detailed choreography performed by the medical personnel present at every National Football League game.

Saving Hamlin’s life was the ultimate test.

“What we want is that the players are getting the same care here that they would if they were in a hospital or health care facility and that’s what the system has been set up to do,” NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Saturday.

About 30 medical personnel are at every game, including orthopedic and trauma specialists, athletic trainers, paramedics and dentists. Sills gave CNN a rare behind-the-scenes look at the league’s medical personnel during Saturday’s playoff game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Chargers. The goal, Sills said, is to deliver hospital-quality care on the gridiron.

When Hamlin collapsed on January 2, speed was of the essence. Studies find that for every minute someone who experiences cardiac arrest and doesn’t receive CPR, their chances of survival decrease 7 to 10%.

Hamlin’s heart was restarted on the field. The 24-year-old spent more than a week in the hospital in Cincinnati, then transferred to a hospital in Buffalo before he was released home last week.

Sills said that being on the field was likely a factor for Hamlin: Survival is more likely for someone who experiences cardiac arrest in the hospital. One study found that 10 to 12% those who have cardiac arrest outside of the hospital survive to discharge, but that survival rate more than doubled for those who experienced cardiac arrest in the hospital.

“I think he was being resuscitated as he would have been in an emergency room at that moment,” Sills said.

Hear audio of medical personnel treating Damar Hamlin after he collapsed

The NFL requires all teams to have an emergency action plan, or EAP, for all player facilities, including practice fields.

The plans are filed by the teams every year and are approved by the League as well as the NFL Players Association, the players’ union, Sills said. They run drills on the plan, so when an event like Hamlin’s cardiac arrest occurs, the medical team’s choreography is close to automatic.

“The EAP was followed to a letter that night,” Sills said. “In that moment everyone knew what they needed to do, how they needed to do it and had the equipment to do it and felt comfortable.”

These plans include details about where ambulances are located, the quickest route to the hospital, where medical equipment is stored, and even what radio and hand signals will be used in case of a medical event.

While the teams are all connected by radio, the sound from the game and the crowd can be overwhelming.

“It gets loud and so having those nonverbal signs is a way for us to communicate,” explained Dr. Kevin Kaplan, Jacksonville Jaguars’ head physician. For example, using two hands as if driving a steering wheel indicates needing the medical cart, while crossing arms to make an “X” is an all-call for medical personnel.

The home team sends the plan to the visiting team a week before the game. Then, an hour before kickoff, medical teams from both teams gather to review and confirm the details in what’s known as a “60-minute meeting.”

Medical teams from the Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars gathered for the 60-minute meeting ahead of kickoff on Saturday.

It’s like the NFL’s version of what happens in a hospital: Before doctors perform a procedure, the medical team gathers for a “timeout” to review who is responsible for what.

Before the football game, they identify the team physicians, athletic trainers and key trauma personnel, including an airway specialist who can place a breathing tube in moments, if needed.

In the excitement of game day, there needs to be a simple, clear way to identify who can help in case of an emergency. At any NFL game, you’ll see it: a red hat.

Dr. Justin Deaton, NFL airway management physician, wears a red hat on the sideline of the Jacksonville Jaguars-Los Angeles Chargers game on Saturday.

“That signifies me as the emergency physician, the airway physician, so that even the other team knows when I come out what my role is,” Dr. Justin Deaton told Gupta. “Once I come out onto the field, I kind of take over, I identify if the patient is either unconscious or has an airway obstruction.”

At every game, Deaton stands along the 30 yard line, just like his counterparts at other games.

“We standardize the location so that everybody knows where our airway physician is going to be located,” said Sills.

If the player isn’t breathing, it’s up to Deaton to identify who will administer CPR. If the player’s breathing is blocked and he can’t breathe on his own, Deaton may have to intubate the player on the field. In order to do so, he carries a videoscope to look down someone’s throat and an ultrasound machine.

In the event Deaton can’t get the patient to breathe through their mouth, he’s prepared to essentially do surgery on the field.

“If someone has an obstruction or significant trauma to the face and we can’t secure an airway by the mouth, we’re able to make an incision and insert that way,” he told Gupta. “I really have all the resources available here that I would have in an emergency room.”

The challenge is that they’re surrounded by chaos – not the more controlled environment of the emergency department or operation room.

“When you have a larger-than-average-sized person that’s laying flat on the ground and not able to be elevated to a certain level with extra equipment, plus cameras and other people around, those are really the confounders and things that make it more difficult to manage,” Deaton said.

In football, it’s not just about executing in the moment – it’s about anticipating. The same is true for medical personnel.

The NFL includes certified athletic trainers on its medical team to serve as spotters. They’re positioned throughout the stadium, including a booth that oversees the entire stadium, to watch the game in real time and again in replay – sometimes over and over – to immediately catch any injuries or assess those that might have been overlooked. They have around 30 different angles of the field at their fingertips.

“We watch every play probably minimally four times and then we’ll go back and watch it again,” said Sue Stanley-Green, one of the athletic trainer spotters assigned to Saturday’s game. “We just want to make sure we don’t miss anything.”

Spotters around the field at every game have different views of plays -- and potential injuries.

The spotters who sit in a stadium booth above the field are able to communicate directly with the medical team on the sidelines and direct them to concerning plays and possible injuries. They also have a unique line of communication to the referees, and the ability to stop the game for a medical timeout.

Sills acknowledges that there is always room for improvement and need to evolve.

In September, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa experienced an apparent head injury while playing against the Bills. He stumbled after being hit, but was allowed to return to the game. The incident put new scrutiny of the NFL and its policies.

Afterward, the league changed its concussion policy. Now, Sills says, “if we see something that looks like ataxia on video, (players) are done.”

Sills said he believes the NFL’s network of practices is working to keep players safe, and the league is currently reviewing the moments around Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. One aspect of emergencies that Sills wants to see more work on is privacy.

In the moments after Hamlin fell, his teammates formed “kind of a shield,” Sills said, which limited the view of Hamlin.

“I think there’s some things there that we may look at,” Sill said. “Obviously any of us would want some privacy in a moment like that.”

But when facing a test like saving a life on the field, “everything went really as well as you could have asked to have gone in the moment,” Sills said. “It’s always about the right people, the right plan and the right equipment.”

Bob Costas: Hamlin collapsing is not an indictment of NFL safety

Source link

#field #NFL #medical #teams #prepare #game #day #emergency #CNN

Brock Purdy stars as San Francisco 49ers beat Seattle Seahawks 41-23 to advance to divisional round of NFL playoffs

The NFL playoffs and continue on Sky Sports on Sunday with a triple-header of Super Wild Card Weekend action – starting with Dolphins @ Bills, followed by Giants @ Vikings and Ravens @ Bengals; watch live on Sky Sports NFL from 6pm, Sunday

Last Updated: 15/01/23 3:07am

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights of the Seattle Seahawks’ clash with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Wild Card playoff game.

Brock Purdy threw for three touchdowns and ran in another as he starred on his first career playoff start, leading the San Francisco 49ers to a 41-23 victory over the Seattle Seahawks to start Super Wild Card Weekend on Saturday.

Story of the Game

The 49ers – the NFC’s No 2 seed and riding a 10-game winning streak into the playoffs – trailed by a point at half-time as a stubborn Seattle outfit led 17-16 at the break. But a stirring second half showing by San Francisco, in which they scored 22 points in the space of 12 minutes at one point, secured their passage through to the divisional round.

The 49ers will now host the Minnesota Vikings next weekend, should they beat the New York Giants in their wild card clash on Sunday. If the Giants win, it will instead be either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Dallas Cowboys who travel to San Francisco.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

A look at San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy’s best plays from his stunning NFL playoff debut

Purdy, who was taken with the very last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, completed 18 of 30 passes for 332 yards, the rookie QB overcoming some early jitters to put in a hugely accomplished display.

Christian McCaffrey rushed 15 times for 119 yards and had a touchdown grab to see San Francisco into an early 10-0 lead, while Deebo Samuel had six receptions for 133 yards and a blistering 74-yard catch and run for a score as the Niners streaked clear of the Seahawks in the second half.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga said his team’s performance was ignited after tempers flared when Johnathan Abram appeared to twist Deebo Samuel’s ankle.

Seattle QB Geno Smith was 25-of-35 passing for 253 yards with two touchdowns, both to DK Metcalf – one a 50-yard stunner to see the Seahawks into the lead for the first time. But he also had an interception late in the second half, while he lost a fumble in the third quarter which is the point at which the game turned.

Metcalf had 10 catches for 136 yards and those two TDs, while rookie running back Kenneth Walker also found the end zone, in the second quarter, as he earned 63 yards on 15 carries.

Scoring summary

FIRST QUARTER
Seahawks 0-3 49ers	Robbie Gould 34-yard field goal
Seahawks 0-10 49ers	Brock Purdy three-yard TD pass to Christian McCaffrey (extra point)
SECOND QUARTER
Seahawks 7-10 49ers	Kenneth Walker seven-yard TD run (extra point)
Seahawks 7-13 49ers	Robbie Gould 33-yard field goal
Seahawks 14-13 49ers	Geno Smith 50-yard TD pass to DK Metcalf (extra point)
Seahawks 14-16 49ers	Robbie Gould 46-yard field goal
Seahawks 17-16 49ers	Jason Myers 56-yard field goal
THIRD QUARTER
Seahawks 17-23 49ers	Brock Purdy one-yard TD run (extra point)
FOURTH QUARTER
Seahawks 17-31 49ers	Brock Purdy seven-yard TD pass to Elijah Mitchell (two-point conversion)
Seahawks 17-38 49ers	Brock Purdy 74-yard TD pass to Deebo Samuel (extra point)
Seahawks 17-41 49ers	Robbie Gould 31-yard field goal
Seahawks 23-41 49ers	Geno Smith three-yard TD pass to DK Metcalf (failed two-point conversion)

Trailing 17-16 to start the second half, the 49ers immediately drove 75 yards down the field in 13 plays, with Purdy scoring on a one-yard plunge. And they wouldn’t look back from there.

With the Seahawks driving deep into 49ers territory, Smith was sacked by Charles Omenihu for a seven-yard loss, with the ball squirting loose and being recovered by Nick Bosa at the 30-yard line.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The San Francisco 49ers’ defense finally proves too much for the Seattle Seahawks as their pressure forces Geno Smith to fumble which is recovered by Nick Bosa.

San Francisco then stretched ahead by two scores off the back of the turnover as Purdy escaped the rush and threw a seven-yard TD to running back Elijah Mitchell, with a two-point conversion to George Kittle following.

Just over three minutes later, Samuel turned on the turbo jets to take his TD 74 yards all the way to the house and effectively end the game.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

San Francisco 49ers star receiver Deebo Samuel turns on the turbo jets on this sensational 74-yard catch and run for a touchdown!

Robbie Gould, who kicked four field goals in the contest, fired one through the uprights from 31 yards after Smith was picked off immediately after Samuel’s score.

Seattle and Metcalf would at least find the end zone once more for a consolation TD with just under two minutes remaining but then the Niners ran out the rest of the clock to book their spot in the divisional round and knock out their great NFC West divisional rivals.

Stats leaders

Seahawks

Passing: Geno Smith, 25/35, 253 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Kenneth Walker, 15 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: DK Metcalf, 10 catches, 136 yards, 2 TDs

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith throws a perfect 50-yard pass into the hands of DK Metcalf for a superb touchdown!

49ers

Passing: Brock Purdy, 18/30, 332 yards, 3 TDs
Rushing: Christian McCaffrey, 15 carries, 119 yards (& 1 receiving TD)
Receiving: Deebo Samuel, six catches, 133 yards, 1 TD

What they said… ‘Purdy looked like Frank Tarkenton’

49ers quarterback, Brock Purdy: “We came out and had some momentum and Seattle did a good job tracking back.

“It’s playoff football; everyone is going to play their best from here on out. When our offense and defense are doing their thing, we’re hard to beat.

“We’ve got a goal of winning the whole thing. We’re in a tournament, so anything can happen. I’ve got such a great team, O-line, receivers, defense, across the whole board. It’s not a one-man show, I’m very blessed.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy praises his team-mates after his team’s dominant win over the Seattle Seahawks in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll: “We chased him all over the place and he [Purdy] looked like [former Minnesota Vikings QB] Fran Tarkenton out there.

“Down 10-0 on the road with the fans going nuts, we did a great job to bounce right back. We were in it right to the end of the third quarter.”

What’s next?

The NFL playoffs continue on Sunday, live on Sky Sports NFL, with a Super Wild Card Weekend triple-header.

The Buffalo Bills first host the Miami Dolphins (kick-off, 6pm), before the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants do battle at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (kick-off, 9.30pm). The evening wraps up with the Baltimore Ravens’ visit to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football (kick-off, 1.15am).

The wild card round then concludes on Monday night as Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host ‘America’s Team’, the Dallas Cowboys, live on Sky Sports NFL from 1.15am early on Tuesday morning.

Sky Sports NFL is your dedicated channel for NFL coverage through the season – featuring a host of NFL Network programming. Don’t forget to follow us on skysports.com/nfl, our Twitter account @SkySportsNFL & Sky Sports – on the go!

Source link

#Brock #Purdy #stars #San #Francisco #49ers #beat #Seattle #Seahawks #advance #divisional #NFL #playoffs

Lovie Smith said the NFL had ‘a problem’ about Black coaches. A year later he was fired and the league is being criticized yet again about its lack of diversity | CNN

Post By Sports african americans, brand safety-nsf discrimination, brand safety-nsf sensitive, brian flores, coaches and trainers, demographic groups, discrimination, diversity, domestic alerts, domestic-business, employment search, football (american), hiring, human resources and personnel management, iab-american football, iab-business, iab-business and finance, iab-careers, iab-economy, iab-human resources, iab-job market, iab-job search, iab-law, iab-sports, international alerts, international-business, labor and employment, law and legal system, lawsuits and claims, minority and ethnic groups, NFL, population and demographics, racism and racial discrimination, societal issues, society, sports and recreation, sports figures, sports organizations and teams, stephen a. smith, trial and procedure

CNN
—

When Lovie Smith was hired by the Houston Texans in February 2022 as the team’s new head coach, he said the NFL had “a problem” with hiring Black coaches and diversity.

“I realize the amount of Black head coaches there are in the National Football League,” Smith told reporters just under a year ago.

“There’s Mike Tomlin and I think there’s me, I don’t know of many more. So there’s a problem, and it’s obvious for us. And after there’s a problem, what are you going to do about it?”

Smith was fired Monday at the end of his one and only season at the helm of the Texans, finishing with a record of 3-13-1.

Smith is the second Black coach in two years to be relieved of his duties by the Texans, which fired David Culley at the end of the 2021 season.

Smith’s time in charge wasn’t full of wins and high points – though his parting gift to the organization was a last-minute Hail Mary victory over the Indianapolis Colts, which saw them relinquish the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft to the Chicago Bears. But his Texans team showed togetherness and competence, traits often desired by outfits undergoing a rebuild.

Houston general manager Nick Caserio said Smith’s firing was the best decision for the team right now.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Lovie Smith for everything he has contributed to our team over the last two seasons as a coach and a leader,” Caserio said in a statement.

“I’m constantly evaluating our football operation and believe this is the best decision for us at this time. It is my responsibility to build a comprehensive and competitive program that can sustain success over a long period of time. We aren’t there right now, however, with the support of the McNair family and the resources available to us, I’m confident in the direction of our football program moving forward.”

But the firing of the 64-year-old coach, the Texans organization as a whole, and the measures implemented by the league to promote diversity have been heavily criticized by former players and TV pundits.

“The Houston Texans have fired Lovie Smith after 1 year. Using 2 Black Head Coaches to tank and then firing them after 1 year shouldn’t sit right with anyone,” former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III tweeted Sunday, when news of Smith’s firing broke.

On ESPN, Stephen A. Smith and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin also condemned the decision. Smith called the Texans organization an “atrocity.”

“They are an embarrassment. And as far as I’m concerned, if you’re an African American, and you aspire to be a head coach in the National Football League, there are 31 teams you should hope for. You should hope beyond God that the Houston Texans never call you,” Smith said.

Irvin said Black coaches are being used as “scapegoats” by the Texans.

“It’s a mess in Houston and they bring these guys in and they use them as scapegoats. And this is what African American coaches have been yelling about for a while and it’s blatant, right in our face,” he said.

When CNN contacted the Texans for comment, the team highlighted the moment at Monday’s news conference when Caserio was asked why any Black coach would consider working for the team, and his response was that individual candidates would have to make their own choices.

Smith on the sidelines during a game against the Indianapolis Colts.

“In the end it’s not about race. It’s about finding quality coaches,” the general manager said. “There’s a lot of quality coaches. David (Culley) is a quality coach. Lovie (Smith) is a quality coach.

“In the end, each coach has their own beliefs. Each coach has their own philosophy. Each coach has their comfort level about what we’re doing. That’s all I can do is just be honest and forthright, which I’ve done from the day that I took this job, and I’m going to continue to do that and try to find a coach that we feel makes the most sense for this organization. That’s the simplest way I can answer it, and that’s my commitment.

“That’s what I’m hired to do, and that’s what I’m in the position to do. At some point, if somebody feels that that’s not the right decision for this organization, then I have to respect that, and I have to accept it.”

CNN has reached out to Lovie Smith for comment.

At the beginning of the 2022 season, NFL.com reported Smith was one one of just six minority head coaches in the NFL, a low number in a league where nearly 70% of the players are Black.

Since Art Shell was hired by the Los Angeles Raiders in 1989 as the first Black head coach in modern history, there have been 191 people hired as head coaches, but just 24 have been Black.

However, the NFL has taken steps to increase diversity in the coaching ranks.

Notably, in 2003, the NFL introduced the Rooney Rule to improve hiring practices in a bid to “increase the number of minorities hired in head coach, general manager, and executive positions.”

But the Rooney Rule hasn’t been an unqualified success.

In 2003, the Detroit Lions were fined $200,000 for not interviewing any minority coaches before hiring Steve Mariucci as their new head coach.

In response to criticism, the NFL announced it was setting up a diversity advisory committee of outside experts to review its hiring practices last March. Teams would also be required to hire minority coaches as offensive assistants.

Despite changes to the rule being implemented in recent years to strengthen it, a 2022 lawsuit alleges that some teams have implemented “sham” interviews to fulfill the league’s diversity requirements.

Last February, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed a federal civil lawsuit against the NFL, the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins organizations alleging racial discrimination.

Flores looks on during his time as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins during a game against the New York Jets.

Flores, who is Black, said in his lawsuit that the Giants interviewed him for their vacant head coaching job under disingenuous circumstances.

Two months after submitting the initial lawsuit, Flores added the Texans to it, alleging the organization declined to hire him this offseason as head coach “due to his decision to file this action and speak publicly about systemic discrimination in the NFL.”

In response to the lawsuit, the Texans said their “search for our head coach was very thorough and inclusive.”

The NFL called Flores’ allegations meritless.

“The NFL and our clubs are deeply committed to ensuring equitable employment practices and continue to make progress in providing equitable opportunities throughout our organizations,” the league said in response to the lawsuit.

“Diversity is core to everything we do, and there are few issues on which our clubs and our internal leadership team spend more time. We will defend against these claims, which are without merit.”

But 12 months after firing their last Black head coach, the Texans have fired another one.

“How do you hire two African Americans, leave them one year and then get rid them?” questioned NFL Hall of Famer Irvin.

“You know the mess that Houston is,” Irvin added. “We get the worst jobs and we don’t get the opportunity to fix the worst jobs, just like this.

“I don’t know any great White coach that would take the (Texans) job unless you give them some guarantees. ‘You’re going to have to guarantee me four years to turn this place around.’ But the African American coaches can’t come in with that power because Lovie wouldn’t have got another job.

“This was his last chance to get back into the NFL and you have to take what’s on the table to try to change that.”

Irvin speaks on media row ahead of Super Bowl LVI on February 10, 2022 in Los Angeles.

The Texans are now searching for a new head coach under general manager Caserio. The new appointment will be Caserio’s third coach in the role: It is almost unprecedented for a general manager to get the opportunity to hire a third head coach with the same team.

Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair said he would take on a more active role in the hiring process. The next head coach will be the organization’s fourth in three years.

According to the NFL, the Texans have requested to speak to five candidates already about filling Smith’s position, a list that includes two Black coaches.

After Smith was hired in March 2021, McNair said: “I’ve never seen a more thorough, inclusive, and in-depth process than what Nick (Caserio) just went through with our coaching search.”

At that introductory news conference, Smith spoke candidly about how to bring greater diversity to the NFL coaching ranks.

“People in positions of authority throughout – head coaches, general managers – you’ve got to be deliberate about trying to get more Black athletes in some of the quality control positions just throughout your program. If you get that, they can move up, that’s one way to get more.”

Smith continued: “It’s not just an interview, if you’re interviewing a Black guy. It’s about having a whole lot of guys to choose from that look like me. And it’s just not about talk. You look at my staff, that’s what I believe in. And letting those guys show you who they are. That’s how we can increase it, then it’s left up to people to choose. We all have an opportunity to choose, and that’s how I think we’ll get it done.”

Source link

#Lovie #Smith #NFL #problem #Black #coaches #year #fired #league #criticized #lack #diversity #CNN

Damar Hamlin could be released from a Buffalo hospital in the next day or two | CNN

Post By Sports afc east, American Football Conference, brand safety-nsf health issues, brand safety-nsf sensitive, buffalo, buffalo bills, business, business and industry sectors, cardiovascular disease, continents and regions, damar hamlin, diseases and disorders, domestic alerts, domestic-health and science, domestic-us news, economy and trade, first aid, football (american), health and medical, Health Care, health care facilities, heart disease, hospitals, iab-american football, iab-business and finance, iab-diseases and conditions, iab-first aid, iab-healthcare industry, iab-heart and cardiovascular diseases, iab-industries, iab-injuries, iab-medical health, iab-sports, international alerts, international-health and science, international-us news, levels of care (health), medical treatments and procedures, new york (state), NFL, North America, northeastern united states, sports and recreation, sports figures, sports organizations and teams, the americas, United States

CNN
—

A week after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing the Cincinnati Bengals, doctors are hoping Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is healthy enough to be released from a Buffalo hospital within 24 to 48 hours, Michael Hughes, senior vice president and chief administrative officer at Kaleida Health, told CNN on Tuesday.

Doctors are finishing tests and are identifying possible causes of the event, including whether there were any pre-existing conditions that played a role in Hamlin’s January 2 cardiac arrest.

“Hamlin is going through a series of testing and evaluation today,” Kaleida Health said in a statement Tuesday. The Buffalo General Medical Center team will also “potentially treat any pathology that may be found, as well as plan for his recovery, discharge and rehabilitation.”

Hamlin himself updated his fans Tuesday afternoon.

“Not home quite just yet,” Hamlin tweeted. “Still doing & passing a bunch of test. Special thank-you to Buffalo General it’s been nothing but love since arrival! Keep me in y’all prayers please!”

Hamlin was transferred from a Cincinnati hospital to the Buffalo hospital on Monday after doctors determined his critical condition had improved to good or fair – surpassing expectations.

“We felt that it was safe and proper to help get him back to the greater Buffalo area,” Dr. Timothy Pritts, chief of surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, said Monday.

Hamlin’s parents flew from Cincinnati back home to Pittsburgh but then flew to Buffalo. They were en route Tuesday from the Buffalo Bills’ practice facility and were expected to arrive at the hospital to see Hamlin soon.

Hamlin, a second-year NFL player, has been regaining strength over the past several days after his sudden collapse after a tackle against the Bengals in Cincinnati.

“He’s certainly on what we consider a very normal to even accelerated trajectory from the life-threatening event that he underwent,” Pritts said, “but he’s making great progress.”

Normal recovery from a cardiac arrest can be measured in weeks to months, Pritts explained. But Hamlin has been beating that timeline at each stage and is neurologically intact.

Still, Pritts said it’s too early to say when Hamlin could get back to normal life or what caused his heart to stop, saying more testing is needed.

Hamlin was sedated and on a ventilator for days after his cardiac arrest. On Friday morning, the breathing tube was removed, and Hamlin began walking with some help by that afternoon, his doctors said Monday.

The safety’s condition was upgraded Monday because his organ systems were stable and he no longer needed intensive nursing or respiratory therapy, doctors said.

“He walks normally,” said Dr. William Knight, a neurovascular critical care expert who treated Hamlin at UC Health. “He is admittedly a little weak. I don’t think that’s of any real surprise after what he went through, just regaining his strength. And that’s part of his recovery process.”

Hamlin’s release Monday meant he could return to Buffalo, which prompted even more encouragement and eagerness for some of his teammates to see him again.

“Super excited that he’s back in Buffalo and what a job that the team of docs and the medical team did out in Cincinnati, and now he’s in great care here in Buffalo. We’re happy to have him back,” Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Monday.

After seeing him Monday, McDermott said Hamlin was “tired” but seemed happy. “Happy to be back in Buffalo and around a familiar area to him. I know he’s taking it just one step at a time.”

The coach also said his team has grown since Hamlin was injured, saying such experiences nurture growth.

“We will all have grown as people, and as men in this case,” McDermott said, noting there’s a plan in place for the players and staff to visit Hamlin “at the proper time.”

“Having him nearby will give us more comfort” and inspire the team as it prepares for the postseason, McDermott said.

Although Hamlin was not with the team when they played Sunday against the New England Patriots, his support was definitely felt.

When his team scored a touchdown, Hamlin set off alarms in the ICU, Pritts said.

“When the opening kickoff was run back, he jumped up and down and got out of his chair and set – I think – every alarm off in the ICU in the process, but he was fine, it was just an appropriate reaction to a very exciting play. He very much enjoyed it,” Pritts said.

Hamlin was “beyond excited” Sunday and felt “very supported by the outpouring of love from across the league, especially from the Buffalo area. We’ve learned this week that the Bills mafia is a very real thing,” Pritts added.

The immediate medical response to Hamlin’s collapse helped save his life, and the Buffalo Bills are now encouraging people to learn how to administer CPR.

Assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington is credited with performing CPR when Hamlin lost his pulse on the field and needed to be revived through resuscitation and defibrillation.

The medical response was part of an emergency action plan that “involves team, independent medical and athletic training staff, equipment and security personnel, and is reviewed prior to every game,” a Monday statement from the Bills read.

The team pledged support for resources including CPR certifications, automated external defibrillator units and guidance developing cardiac emergency response plans within the Buffalo community, according to the statement.

“We encourage all our fans to continue showing your support and take the next step by obtaining CPR certification,” the Bills said.

Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify Hughes’ remarks about Hamlin’s injury and recovery.

Source link

#Damar #Hamlin #released #Buffalo #hospital #day #CNN

‘That’s all we needed’: Bills’ Damar Hamlin is breathing on his own and talked to teammates, bolstering them for Sunday’s regular season finale | CNN

Post By Sports arts and entertainment, coaches and trainers, damar hamlin, domestic alerts, domestic-entertainment, football (american), iab-american football, iab-entertainment, iab-sports, iab-television, international alerts, international-entertainment, NFL, sports and recreation, sports figures, sports organizations and teams, television programming

CNN
—

Just days after his stunning on-field cardiac arrest, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is breathing on his own and speaking to family, physicians and teammates – positive updates that Bills players say will bolster them in this weekend’s matchup against the New England Patriots.

“To hear him talk to us, it was everything, and that’s what we needed. Literally that’s all we needed,” Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said of the team’s Friday video call with Hamlin, who is still undergoing treatment at a Cincinnati hospital.

Hamlin – who was sedated and placed on a ventilator after his collapse Monday – began awakening late this week and was able to have his breathing tube removed before Friday morning, physicians have said.

“Love you boys,” the 24-year-old player told his team Friday via FaceTime, according to head coach Sean McDermott, who added that Hamlin flexed his arms and made his signature heart-shaped hand gesture during the call.

Hamlin collapsed during the “Monday Night Football” game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.

He “is making continued progress in his recovery yet remains in critical condition” and “his neurologic function is excellent,” the Bills tweeted Saturday, citing his physicians.

Dawkins described the emotional “roller coaster” this week has been for the team – who watched in shock as Hamlin received CPR on the field and was carried from the stadium in an ambulance. But he said news of Hamlin’s significant improvement “will for sure fuel us” in the team’s Sunday showdown against the Patriots.

“The excitement was beautiful, it was amazing,” he said of the call with Hamlin. “It has given us so much energy, so much bright, high spirits – whatever you want to call it – it has given it to us to see that boy’s face.”

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said Hamlin’s continued recovery is “uplifting news” for the city of Buffalo, which has recently been struck by several tragedies, including a racist mass shooting and a brutal blizzard that left at least 41 dead in Erie County.

“What happened to Damar Hamlin, his injury, was another gut punch to the city of Buffalo and to see him recovering so remarkably is certainly lifting spirits throughout our community and across the country,” Brown told CNN’s Kate Bolduan Friday.

After millions witnessed Hamlin’s emergency play out live, a wave of support has emerged from fans and strangers across the nation, many of whom have purchased his jersey or donated to his foundation’s charity fund, which has topped $8 million raised as of Saturday morning. Teams across the NFL have also rallied behind the Bills player by wearing his number, 3, lighting up stadiums and scoreboards, and sharing words of solidarity.

Displays of support will continue this weekend as the league prepares for an emotional return to competition for the final games of the regular season on Saturday and Sunday. The NFL plans to honor Hamlin before each game.

The NFL announced Thursday the Bills-Bengals game – which was initially postponed Monday night – will not be resumed or made up.

The cancellation will have no effect on which teams qualify for the playoffs, as both the Bills and Bengals have already secured spots. But the imbalance in number of games played has prompted the league to approve unprecedented provisions for the postseason based on how the Bills and Bengals are seeded and their potential opponents.

As players head into the final week of the regular season, the NFL announced several ways that teams may honor Hamlin before this weekend’s matchups, including holding a “moment of support” before games or outlining the “3” on the 30-yard line in the Bills’ red or blue colors.

Players also have the option to wear shirts emblazoned with “Love for Damar 3” during warmups and the Bills will wear “3” patches on their jerseys, the NFL said.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane – who stayed in Cincinnati following the game’s postponement to be with Hamlin and his family – praised the unified message of support across the league this week, noting how characteristically competitive the sport is.

“Yeah, we go to battle. But in the end, life is the number one battle,” Beane said Friday. “And to see that unity from players, coaches, (general managers), owners, fans, is unheard of. But I think it’s a good light. It sheds a great light on the NFL. The NFL is truly a family.”

The NFL Players Association named Hamlin its Community MVP of Week 18, announcing that the organization will donate $10,000 to his Chasing M’s Foundation.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders said he was able to video chat with Hamlin, telling him, “You know you’re the most famous person in the world right now?”

Hamlin replied, “But not for the right reasons,” according to Sanders, who told Hamlin, “You’re blessed, bro, you don’t know how blessed you are.”

Sanders described Hamlin as his best friend and said the two spoke after every game, according to NFL Network reporter James Palmer.

“We thank the NFL medical personnel and the medical staffs from both teams whose emergency action quite likely saved his life. We are also grateful to the professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who tended to Damar and continue to oversee his care,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in an open letter Saturday.

“Seeing the entire NFL family – teams, players, coaches, and fans like you – band together was yet another reminder that football is family: human, loving and resilient,” Goodell said.

Goodell said that players and coaches from all 32 teams will wear “Love for Damar 3” T-shirts during pregame warm-ups this weekend.

Source link

#needed #Bills #Damar #Hamlin #breathing #talked #teammates #bolstering #Sundays #regular #season #finale #CNN

Pro Bowl: Jalen Hurts picked as NFL-high eight Eagles players are selected for new format

Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts and Aaron Donald will all feature in the first edition of the Pro Bowl games in Las Vegas in early February

The Philadelphia Eagles, who are an NFL-best 13-1 this season, have had a league-high eight players selected for the Pro Bowl games in Las Vegas.

The NFL revealed the complete rosters on Wednesday, with Philadelphia having six players designated as starters.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receiver A.J. Brown, offensive linemen Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson and cornerback Darius Slay were chosen as starters, while outside linebacker Haason Reddick and running back Miles Sanders were also picked as reserves.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Check out the best plays of the 2022 NFL season so far from Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts.

The Dallas Cowboys (10-4) and Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) are tied for the next-most selections with seven apiece, followed by the Baltimore Ravens (9-5) and San Francisco 49ers (10-4) with six picks each and the Minnesota Vikings (11-3) with five.

The Jacksonville Jaguars (6-8) and Chicago Bears (3-11) were the only teams to not earn a Pro Bowl selection.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was a hit with the voting fans but still didn't earn a Pro Bowl spot on the AFC roster

Pro Bowl teams are determined by combining the votes of three groups: fans, players and coaches. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa received the most votes by fans, but it wasn’t enough to see him earn a spot on the AFC squad, with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals taking the three available spots.

Mahomes is the AFC’s starting quarterback. It is his fifth-straight Pro Bowl selection after throwing for 4,496 yards and 35 passing touchdowns through 14 games, while Hurts – 3,472 yards, 22 passing TDs – is the starter for the NFC in his first-ever appearance.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes produced one of the passes of the season to Jerick McKinnon against the Denver Broncos.

Last year’s Super Bowl participants, the defending champion Los Angeles Rams and the runner-up Bengals, combined for just four choices, with defensive lineman Aaron Donald being the Rams’ only selection.

It is the ninth-straight Pro Bowl nod for Donald, who has been limited to 11 appearances and just five sacks for the 4-10 Rams.

In September, the NFL scrapped its traditional Pro Bowl all-star football game in favour of several different, smaller events, headlined by a flag football game on February 5.

Peyton Manning and his Omaha Productions company will help shape programming and promote the event’s content throughout the week. Manning, a 14-time Pro Bowl pick during his Hall of Fame career, will provide his perspective and will also be a part of the coaching staff for the flag game.

The Pro Bowl debuted in January of 1951 in Los Angeles and stayed there for 21 seasons before the game moved to different cities from 1972-80. Hawaii hosted from 1980-2009, with the game since having several homes including Miami, Phoenix, Orlando and Las Vegas.

The quality of play in the Pro Bowl has often been criticised. Players, understandably concerned about getting hurt, have tended to treat it as an exhibition game more than a competitive contest. It is hoped a flag football game could increase competition while avoiding potential injuries resulting from tackling, blocking and hitting.

2023 Pro Bowl rosters

(* denotes starters)

AFC

Quarterbacks: *Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs; Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills; Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Tight ends: *Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs; Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Wide receivers: *Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins; *Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills; Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders; Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Tackles: *Laremy Tunsil, Houston Texans; Terron Armstead, Miami Dolphins; Orlando Brown Jr., Kansas City Chiefs

Guards: *Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns; *Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts; Joe Thuney, Kansas City Chiefs

Centers: *Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs; Mitch Morse, Buffalo Bills

Running backs: *Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns; Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders; Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

Fullback: *Patrick Ricard, Baltimore Ravens

Defensive ends: *Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns; *Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders; Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals

Interior lineman: *Chris Jones, Kanas City Chiefs; *Quinnen Williams, New York Jets; Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans

Outside linebackers: *Matt Judon, New England Patriots; *Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers; T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Inside/middle linebackers: *Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens; C.J. Mosley, New York Jets

Cornerbacks: *Sauce Gardner, New York Jets; *Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos; Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens; Xavien Howard, Miami Dolphins

Free safety: *Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers

Strong safeties: *Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers; Jordan Poyer, Buffalo Bills

Placekicker: Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens

Long snapper: Morgan Cox, Tennessee Titans

Punter: Tommy Townsend, Kansas City Chiefs

Return specialist: Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens

Special teamer: Justin Hardee, New York Jets

NFC

Quarterbacks: *Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles; Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks; Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Tight ends: *George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers; T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings

Wide receivers: *Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings; *A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles; CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys; Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders

Tackles: *Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers; *Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles; Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Guards: *Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys; *Landon Dickerson, Philadelphia Eagles; Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons

Centers: *Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles; Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions

Running backs: *Saquon Barkley, New York Giants; Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys; Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles

Fullback: *Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers

Defensive ends: *Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers; *Brian Burns, Carolina Panthers; DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys

Interior lineman: *Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams; *Jonathan Allen, Washington Commanders; Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants

Outside linebackers: *Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys; *Za’Darius Smith, Minnesota Vikings; Haason Reddick, Philadelphia Eagles

Inside/middle linebackers: *Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers; Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints

Cornerbacks: *Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles; *Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys; Tariq Woolen, Seattle Seahawks; Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers

Free safety: *Quandre Diggs, Seattle Seahawks

Strong safeties: *Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals; Talanoa Hufanga, San Francisco 49ers

Placekicker: Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks

Long snapper: Andrew DePaola, Minnesota Vikings

Punter: Tress Way, Washington Commanders

Return specialist: KaVontae Turpin, Dallas Cowboys

Special teamer: Jeremy Reaves, Washington Commanders

Source link

#Pro #Bowl #Jalen #Hurts #picked #NFLhigh #Eagles #players #selected #format

Two returned touchdowns in one minute give the Arizona Cardinals the edge in 42-34 victory over New Orleans Saints | CNN

Post By Sports arizona cardinals, football (american), national football conference, new orleans saints, nfc south, nfc west, NFL, sports and recreation, sports organizations and teams

CNN
—

A 64-second play turned the game on its head as the Arizona Cardinals beat the New Orleans Saints 42-34 in a thrilling Thursday Night Football clash.

Deep in the second quarter, Saints stand-in quarterback Andy Dalton threw two pick-sixes in back-to-back drives that gave the Cardinals a 28-14 lead at half-time.

Following last Thursday’s dismal 12-7 win for the Commanders over the Bears – and with two of the lowest scoring teams in the league going head-to-head this week, fans could have been forgiven for giving this one a miss.

Instead, it was a feast of attacking football and aggressive defense, leading to one of the highest-scoring games this season.

The Saints took the lead after two minutes when Dalton threw a 53-yard pass to find Rashid Shaheed. Following a couple Cardinals field goals, Dalton threw his second touchdown in the second quarter, this time only three yards to Tayson Hill who powered over the line.

The Cardinals came back into it with a Keontay Ingram run-in and a two-point conversion with 2:28 on the clock. Then, the game fell apart for the Saints in the next couple minutes.

Dalton, with one of the most inconsistent performances in recent memory, threw a pass to receiver Marquez Callaway who bobbled the catch, letting Marco Wilson to intercept and run it in for six.

Just a minute later Dalton, under pressure, threw a loose pass. Isaiah Simmons pulled off a stunning one-handed catch before returning for 56 yards to pull the Cardinals ahead by 14 at half-time.

The two teams traded touchdowns in the second half, but after the Saints scored a field goal to reduce the deficit to eight, they failed with a last-minute onside kick and the Cardinals saw out the game.

For the Saints — and specifically for Dalton — it was a night where they were punished for their inconsistency. Dalton, who is playing in the place of the injured Jameis Winston, threw four touchdowns and 361 yards, but also threw three interceptions, of which two were returned.

The victory keeps hopes of a playoff spot alive for the Cardinals, who now sit 3-4 ahead of their trip to Minnesota to face the Vikings on Octoer 30.

For the 1-4 Saints, who will host the Raiders on October 30, any hopes of a playoff spot seem all but finished.

Source link

Zittrex Store

Cart

Cart

Tag: NFL