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Kendall Wright’s time with the Arizona Cardinals has come to an end http://www.cardinalscheapstore.com/phil-dawson-jersey-cheap , according to Darren Urban of azcardinals.comLess than two weeks ago, Wright was signed to a one-year deal to help the struggling receiver room of the Cardinals. In corresponding moves to the Wright signing, they released CB Deatrick Nichols and signed him to their practice squad after clearing waivers.Now, things have flipped. Wright was shown the door and Nichols is the player that was given the contract as he was elevated from the practice squad.It’s not clear whether or not Wright was struggling to pick up the playbook. But due to Tre Boston’s injury after being ruled out of tonight’s matchup with the Broncos, the Cardinals decided that the defensive backfield was the position that needed more help. Wright could be brought back down the road and it’s still possible that they are considering adding Rishard Matthews, who visited the Cardinals less than a couple weeks ago.Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk http://www.cardinalscheapstore.com/jamar-taylor-jersey-cheap , Chad Williams, and J.J. Nelson are the only receivers that have offensive snaps. Trent Sherfield has yet to play with the offense and that could change with the departure of Wright. When the Arizona Cardinals went into the bye week, they were a little beat up.Out were players like Tre Boston, Corey Peters, Justin Pugh and Mike Iupati.Well, a win and a week off will change things a little bit.After practice today, the first with media availability http://www.cardinalscheapstore.com/antoine-bethea-jersey-cheap , Steve Wilks let us know the team is quite a bit healthier.Obviously Larry Fitzgerald took a day off, but Chad Williams was the only other player out of practice.That means the rest of the team is back in some capacity.That is especially promising from the offensive and defensive line.Of course, the Cardinals have stocked up their offensive line over the last couple of weeks, carrying 11 offensive linemen on the active roster, which is an insane number.The other good thing is getting important defensive players back in the fold, as they head into the lions den known as Arrowhead Stadium.Should be a good litmus test to see how far the defense has come this season since they took on the Los Angeles Rams in week two.

Adrian Peterson didn't mind a healthy diet of action in the preseason 12 years into an NFL career that hasn't included much exhibition work."So many years I begged to play in the preseason and was shut down Cheap Haason Reddick Jersey ," Peterson said. "They didn't have to beg me at all to play this week."The Washington Redskins needed to see what Peterson had left in the tank, and the 33-year-old showed them by rushing for 56 yards on 11 carries in his debut, a 29-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Friday night in each team's third preseason game."He surely doesn't look like he lost a step," left tackle Trent Williams said of his friend and college teammate. "I can tell you that much."Peterson carried the ball seven consecutive plays on one possession, and the 2012 MVP later picked up 15 yards on fourth-and-1. The Redskins signed Peterson on Monday after injuries to three running backs and wanted to see how he could handle a heavy workload.They got their answer: enough to likely earn the starting job Week 1 at the Arizona Cardinals. After only three practices, Peterson looked to have passed Rob Kelley, Kapri Bibbs and injured backs Samaje Perine and Byron Marshall on the depth chart.Peterson wanted to gauge how he'd handle a game after missing offseason workouts and training camp, and said, "Based on how I felt today, I'm pretty excited."His play was a bright spot for the Redskins as they were carved up by Case Keenum and Denver's first-team offense, and Alex Smith was an unimpressive 3 of 8 for 33 yards and said his performance was "not where it needed to be.""The big thing was I wanted to really focus in on the running game and try to give Adrian some good looks and we accomplished that to some degree," coach Jay Gruden said. "But I wish we would've done a little bit better job in the passing game today."Keenum was 12 of 18 for 148 yards before giving way to backup Chad Kelly.SANDERS SHINESThe Broncos' first-team offense scored two touchdowns and added a field goal in five series of work, led by dual-threat receiver Emmanuel Sanders. He was responsible for all 75 of Denver's yards on its second touchdown drive, catching passes of 15 and 33 yards from Keenum and scoring on a 27-yard end-around . Sanders finished with 88 all-purpose yards."As far as what we showcased tonight after this game, I would say, yeah, we're ready to go out and play against anybody and we can win, we can compete," said Sanders, who finished with 88 all-purpose yards. "Going in there as an offensive unit and how we performed in the first half putting up 17 points, it was something we can build off of."MOP-UP LYNCHAfter Kelly was 7 of 11 for 70 yards in the third quarter, the Broncos turned to demoted QB Paxton Lynch to finish the game when up 26-10. The 2016 first-round pick completed three of seven pass attempts for 39 yards and had a 5-yard rush in what was as much a trade audition as a chance to show Denver brass he should stick around."We'll see," said coach Vance Joseph, who refused to label Kelly or Lynch the Nos. 2 or 3 QBs. "We have one more game next week and Chad should play a lot along with Paxton, so that's yet to be determined."NATIONAL ANTHEMBroncos LB Brandon Marshall and WR Demaryius Thomas again were absent from the sideline during the national anthem and jogged out of the tunnel immediately after. Every Redskins player stood on the sideline, as they did in their first two preseason games.INJURIESBroncos: S Shamarko Thomas left with an eye injury and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. ... Marshall was evaluated for a concussion but returned.Redskins: Kelley Cheap Robert Nkemdiche Jersey , supplanted as the starter by Peterson, was injured on kickoff coverage and evaluated for a stinger. He returned and had eight carries for 19 yards. ... RB Chris Thompson and TE Jordan Reed, coming off surgeries, were held out. Frank Reich might not have been the Indianapolis Colts' first choice as head coach.Turns out, he might be the better fit anyway.Just three days into training camp, the 56-year-old former quarterback has injected energy, enthusiasm and excitement into a team desperately needing to change directions after three straight seasons of missing the playoffs."I think he brings a really neat perspective," Andrew Luck said this week. "He's certainly had an amazing career as a player and has done an amazing job as a coach. I've really enjoyed talking to him, learning from him, talking with him and figuring out what the best course of action is in many different arenas."The new tandem is just getting started.Throughout the first two public workouts in suburban Indianapolis, Luck and Reich have been conversing regularly as Luck learns his fourth offense in seven pro seasons.But Reich does more than just talk.He's innovative, passionate and personable, and players seem to respect the unique journey Reich took to his first head coaching gig.After graduating from Maryland, he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills and joined a cast of future Hall of Famers while playing for the only team to appear in four straight Super Bowls.His coaching career began when another Hall of Famer, Tony Dungy, hired Reich as an intern with the Colts in 2006. Peyton Manning earned his first championship ring that season, though Reich did not receive one.In 2009, Reich was promoted to quarterbacks coach as Manning captured his fourth MVP Award, led the Colts to a 14-0 start and another AFC title.Then after stints in Arizona and San Diego where he worked directly with Larry Fitzgerald and Philip Rivers, Reich was named the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator in 2016 and finally picked up the elusive ring when Nick Foles beat New England in February.Not enough?Even before he replaced injured Bills quarterback Jim Kelly in the 1992 playoffs and overcame a 32-point deficit to complete the largest comeback in NFL history, Reich threw three second-half TD passes in relief of Stan Gelbaugh and led the Terrapins back from a 31-poinnt deficit to beat highly-ranked Miami in 1984. At the time, it was the largest comeback in major college football history and still ranks No. 3."The backup role has suited me well in my career," Reich joked at his introductory news conference in February.The Colts are counting on him to do it again, this time in the family tradition.His father was a football coach, his mother coached sports and his brother, Joe Cheap Mason Cole Jersey , is entering his 18th season as head coach at Division II Wingate University in North Carolina.And Reich may need all of his expertise to turn things around in Indy.He inherits a young roster that has more questions than answers, a team the outside world believes will be among the worst in the league and one that was spurned by its top coaching choice, New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, shortly after the Patriots season-ending loss.So instead of McDaniels, general manager Chris Ballard brought in a reigning champion who understood the organization, who helped Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz put himself in the MVP conversation in just his second NFL season and who refused to take a single interview until Philadelphia's season was over.He didn't care what the critics said then about the Colts, and he doesn't care now."I see and hear the chatter, but we don't focus too much on that," he said, referring to one projection of a two-win season. "That is, I guess, a little bulletin board material, but for the most part, it's about believing in one another. I've seen what we've done. I've seen the kind of players we have. I just have a lot of confidence in who we have here."The players like what they have in this coach, too.Reich, for instance, remembers what it's like to play the game and can provide perspective and stories about his own NFL experiences including a surgical procedure he had on his shoulder following his retirement in 1998 that was similar to what Luck endured in January 2017."He certainly is a sounding board for all of us quarterbacks," Luck said. "I think he's also a great teacher. The best coaches have always been the best teachers. He does a fantastic job of that."Reich's frank, succinct assessments have been a big hit, too.He's made no secret of his personal expectations: The Colts must work hard, be prepared, play with discipline and finish games. He also encourages players to be themselves, a combination that led free agent tight end Eric Ebron to Indianapolis and could bring more help to Indy in the future."Frank is just Frank, he always just keeps it real," Ebron said. "That's what I like about him."

Arizona Cardinals move Sam Bradford to third on depth chart http://www.authenticsarizonacardinals.com/cheap-andy-lee-jersey , could lose game day bonuses moving forward There is an underrated aspect of the benching of Sam Bradford, with the elevation of Mike Glennon to second string.Josh Rosen as the starting quarterback is the obvious headline, but with Sam Bradford being demoted to third team, likely being inactive on game day means the Arizona Cardinals are going to save a lot of money. That’s the very positive way to look at it, the Cardinals are saving money.The not so positive is something that my buddy and co-host Jess Root said on the Rise Up, See Red Podcast the other day. How does this play in the NFL with other players? Is Bradford’s inactive status something that will turn players off to playing in Arizona? Jess brought the point up on the podcast that making Bradford inactive just for the point of saving money is something that may not play well in the eyes of many.I never thought about it that way, in fact my argument for Badford being inactive was always about the idea that Rosen should never have to think about Bradford coming back into play. The only time that would ever be discussed is if, heaven forbid http://www.authenticsarizonacardinals.com/cheap-antoine-bethea-jersey , Rosen was to miss more than one game due to injury.Do you think the benching of Bradford and now the demotion to gameday inactive is something that makes sense or is it a fine line the Cardinals are walking?Josh Rosen back at practice for Arizona Cardinals The first part of the Josh Rosen watch is over, as he was back working out with the team during the open portion of Arizona Cardinals practice.On Monday, Josh Rosen banged his throwing hand on the helmet of a defender, jamming his thumb.It kept him out of Wednesday’s practice, but Head Coach Steve Wilks was confident he would be ready to go by Sunday for the Arizona Cardinals tilt versus the Dallas Cowboys, as Wilks talked about the injury yesterday:Yet, there was no way of knowing what the progression on the thumb would be.So, the fact that Rosen is back out with the team is good.The bad part is Black Gabe Holmes Jersey , that at least during the open portion of practice, Rosen was not throwing, so the Cardinals are not completely out of the woods yet in having Rosen back ready for Sunday.It isn’t an issue in the grand scheme of things, Rosen is clearly going into the 2018 season as the top backup for the Arizona Cardinals, but it is likely the last time Rosen will get live game action against another team until he is called upon in the regular season.That’s why, getting Rosen back for Sunday is important.It will give the Cardinals starting offensive some more work with their future starter.No matter what, let’s hope for quick healing for Rosen.

Ryan Tannehill threw two of the shortest touchdown passes in NFL history last week.The Miami Dolphins quarterback ranks third in the league in yards per pass attempt and fourth in quarterback ratings Oakland Raiders Hats , partly because a pair of throws — traveling less than a yard each — went in the books as completions covering 18 and 74 yards .In Miami's comeback victory over the Oakland Raiders, Tannehill made quick flips to wideouts Jakeem Grant and Albert Wilson as they raced past him in the backfield on a jet sweep. Even though the receivers did the bulk of the work with their speed, Tannehill was credited with two touchdown throws and all of the yardage gained."Yes," he said with a laugh. "I'm well aware."The execution of the play raised a question: Why does Tannehill flip the ball rather than hand it off?"That's just to get those passing yards," Wilson said, tongue in cheek. "High quarterback rating, extra passing yards."But seriously, why would Tannehill, Wilson and Grant prefer pitch-and-catch to a less risky handoff?"You have to ask them," said coach Adam Gase, a former quarterbacks coach who doesn't hide his affection for the forward pass.According to Gase, he leaves it up to his players whether the exchange is via a short toss."I've seen it done both ways — they've done it that way, and I've seen them hand it off," Gase said. "We had a Wednesday practice and they handed it off, because it was raining. I'm like Oakland Raiders Hoodie , 'Are we tossing this or are we handing it off?' And he was like, 'It's raining. I'm going to hand it off.'"I'm good with either way, as long as he doesn't drop it."Count on the New England Patriots to be braced for the play when the teams meet Sunday.But the jet sweep hasn't been the Dolphins' only trick. They also scored on a Wilson-to-Grant pass last week.And while the jet sweeps padded Tannehill's statistics, his longer throws have been impressive, too. Perhaps the best was his 34-yard strike to Kenny Stills on the run in the corner of the end zone last week.His completion rate of 73 percent is the highest of his career, as is his average of 9.3 yards per attempt.,As for the pitches to Wilson and Grant, the exchange isn't as tricky as it might look, the two wideouts said. They said Tannehill tosses the ball into the path of the receiver, who snatches it without breaking stride."Ryan does a great job of timing it up," Wilson said. "For a receiver, you get receiving yards, and for a quarterback, you get passing yards. So it's pretty cool."Raiders Pre-Season Week 2 Film Session: Chris Warren rumbles again Another pre-season and another un-drafted free agent running back turning heads in Silver and Black.This year, the recipient of the early hype is Chris Warren III.So far he leads the NFL in rushing Customized Oakland Raiders Jerseys , albeit through 2 pre-season games. Warren flashed huge potential in college but for some reason was asked to play tight end at University of Texas during his junior and final season.Warren finished his game against the Rams with 110 yards rushing and a score on 18 carries. He was the only skill player producing consistent yards last Saturday since both Connor Cook and EJ Manuel struggled to get the passing game in rhythm. Here are a few things Warren did well and some things he can improve upon.Running Behind His PadsThis is the lone power blocking scheme in this breakdown. Warren does a great job of pressing the line of scrimmage and even though he is met by a linebacker after 2 yards, he lowers his shoulder and drives his feet for another 4 yards.Say hello to zone blocking ladies and gentlemen.This time it’s a lead outside zone run. The tight end, Pharoah Brown is attempting to execute a “reach block” that will allow Warren a clear path around the edge.But the Rams defensive end beats Brown inside forcing Warren to take an even further path outside.Warren does a great job here chopping his feet, squaring his shoulders, and getting the first down in spite of the blocking in front of him.Shout out to Feliciano, Aboushi, and Silberman for driving their men back 5 yards.Here is another zone play without the lead fullback, but this time it’s inside zone.Notice the QB bootleg freezing the unblocked edge rushers.Warren steps through an arm tackle, collides with the safety, keeps his feet churning for a few extra yards after contact yet again.This time it’s a team effort. Warren presses the line of scrimmage in a hurry and cuts back when he sees the hole open.A lot of times ball carriers will keep dancing here but Warren knows he needs to run with power. He lowers his shoulder into the linebacker after 3 yards and keeps his feet pumping.His teammates pile on and turn the run into a 9 yard gain.Taking Advantage of Great BlockingThere are times when all a ball carrier has to do is execute the play call.In this case Warren gets awesome blocking and is able to climb quickly into the second level.The safety grabbing his legs at the last second prevents him from finishing off this run like he should.Warren’s Touchdown run was more of a stroll into the endzone.He might as well have walked in.Feliciano gets away with a pretty blatant holding here, electing to simply tackle the nose guard.Warren probably wishes he had this one back.A tractor trailer size hole opens up in front of him and Warren gets caught dancing in front of the safety.He needs to finish these runs off in a violent fashion.Warren shows off his speed in this toss around the outside. Not often can a 240+ pound back get to the second level this quickly.Warren tries to stiff arm the safety but is too late.He should force this safety to make a business decision next time.A common theme here is Warren failing to finish off his runs like a power back should.Pass ProtectionWarren had an up and down day in pass protection.There were too many instances of Warren releasing on a route when Cook or Manuel were under pressure.Without knowing the play call or the coaching points it’s tough to say if that’s a mistake on Warren or not.In the above play Warren comes across the formation to double the left defensive end.You see Warren hesitate for a moment before striking number 49. This is a negative rep for that reason and the defensive end is able to get off the block and hurry Manuel late in the down.Here’s a better rep where Warren executes a chip block on number 50.This is a technique designed to help the offensive lineman and make the pass rusher think twice about who is coming to block him on a given play. His size should make him a pass protection stud but Gruden said after the game that Warren “has to get better without the ball in his hands.” Pass protection is a must for every runningback, especially when you have a franchise QB in the backfield.Takeaways+ Warren has posted great production thoughout 2 pre-season games, enough to lock him in at a RB roster spot.+ Warren has NFL pedigree (father Chris Warren II played for 10 seasons in the NFL as a runningback) and boasts a frame that is built to last.+ Warren has sneaky speed and the ability to lower his shoulder and drive for extra yards after contact. - He can do a better job of finishing off runs in the open field.- Pass protection is his biggest area for growth.

Raiders rookie report: Kolton Miller leads the way for not so great season opener There has been more excitement for the Oakland Raiders’ draft class of 2018 than there was of the class a year ago. One exception being top pick Kolton Miller whose selection was criticized heavily and often described as a reach. And not many knew what to make of 2nd-round pick (DT) PJ Hall as he came from a small school and the Raiders have been cursed in the second round lately. Most of the excitement was over defensive end Arden Key and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. Key Womens Frostee Rucker Jersey , the team’s 3rd-round pick, was a potential first round pick talent if not for off-the-field issues. Hurst, the team’s 5th-round pick, was considered a top-10 pick before his heart condition was discovered at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. The defensive linemen drafted didn’t have much of a Week 1 as they had a grand total of just one sack and that veteran Bruce Irvin produced. But the draftees did show potential while not having much of a productive day on Sunday. ActiveKolton MillerPJ HallArden KeyBrandon Parker (DNP)Maurice HurstJohnny TownsendInactiveNick NelsonKolton MillerWith all eyes on him in Week 1, he looked the best of his classmates in a day that wasn’t great for the class overall. Miller gave up just two quarterback pressures in his NFL debut according to Pro Football Focus. His pass-blocking grade for the day was 68.2, which isn’t too bad for a debut against the fierce Los Angeles Rams pass-rush. His run-blocking grade was only 49, which brought is overall grade down to 59.5. He didn’t have the grade of a franchise left tackle or look like one on Sunday but he did look like a guy that could get therepretty soon. His next assignment, All-World edge-rusher Von Miller, who said the Raiders’ O-line just got “a whole lot better” as a result of picking Kolton Miller.PJ HallHall had a team rookie best 57 pass rushing grade on 20 pass-rushing snaps according to Pro Football Focus. But he had the most disappointing play of the night as he ripped through the offensive line on one play and stopped instead of continuing on for a sack. The play was significant because the Rams threw deep and drew a pass interference call on it. Hall sprained his ankle early in the game and that might be a part of why he had an overall lackluster performance. He has not practiced all week and it looks like he won’t play Sunday in Denver.Arden Key Arden Key got two pressures in 20 pass-rush snaps for a pass-rush grade of 53.1. His get-off is on point but he looked like he was trying too hard as he was often out of control and off balance. But one good thing is his run defense grade was the second highest among all Raiders D-linemenat 71.5. Remember, his ability to hold up against the run was a concern coming out. His overall grade was 53.7 against the Rams, who have a solid offensive line. It will be interesting to see what he does against the Broncos, who’s O-line isn’t as good. Maurice HurstHurst didn’t start Sunday and was barely visible with just one pressure on 25 pass-rush snaps. His pass-rush grade ended up being 55.9 and his overall grade was 58.9. Hurst was most effective against the run, where he finished with a grade of61.1 according to Pro Football Focus. Nose tackle Justin Ellis is on injured reserve now and Hall is no lock to play this coming Sunday. So Hurst will get a real shot to show what he has against the Denver Broncos. Johnny TownsendHe wasn’t impressive, especially when he needed to be when punting deep in Raider territory. All he could produce then was a 35-yard punt, giving the Rams a short field from which to score. Perhaps the mile-high altitude in Denver will help him against the Broncos. Of all the rookie starters that got a significant about of playing time, Miller Youth Gabe Jackson Jersey , the 1st-round pick, was the best in Week 1. The defensive linemen that were brought in to help rush the passer could only show tiny glimpses of their potential. Townsend is going to have to pick it up to if the Raiders are to have any hope of flipping the field too. Week 2 will be interesting as Miller has the Broncos edge-rushers to deal with while the defensive lineman aren’t playing against as good an O-line. When drafting in the top five of an NFL draft, teams hope to get the caliber of a player that is defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. Yet, the Oakland Raiders were able to grab him in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft. Going in to the draft, Pro Football Focus rated Hurst as the third-best player available only behind Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield. Just crazy to think Oakland landed the third best prospect at the 140th pick. That is serious value. Value so high that I did just think of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Obviously that is unjust since Brady is arguably the GOAT, but I did think about it for a second. And yes, that is just all pre-draft hype, but Hurst has lived up to the expectations this season. While Hurst’s stats don’t jump out at you, with just two sacks and one forced fumble, he has been a menace constantly forcing pressure up the middle, batting balls at the line of scrimmage, and helping in the run game. For perspective, he is currently the 14th highest rated interior defender in the entire league according to PFF. Grady Jarret and Ndamukong Suh are the two players directly above him. Not bad company at all. Hurst also has the fourth-highest grade among any rookie defender behind Derwin James, Leighton Vander Esch, and Da’Shawn Hand. Esch and James were both first-round selections while Hand was a steal in the fourth round. Not only has Hurst’s great play been fun to watch, it could easily impact the Raiders’ future in next year’s draft. With PJ Hall and Hurst recently taken Authentic Tahir Whitehead Jersey , Oakland might have the ability to pass on possible number one pick Ed Oliver. Oliver, defensive tackle from Houston, is touted as one of the two best defensive players in all of college football. The other being Nick Bosa previously of Ohio State. But with the middle seemingly solidified with Hurst, the Raiders might not need Oliver. The combination of Hurst, who will create space for the outside rushers, and an elite pass rusher, maybe Nick Bosa, could be a dangerous combination for years to come. But then again, Suh and Aaron Donald have worked out quite nicely for the Los Angeles Rams, however, getting an edge rusher should be far more important than adding to the inside. Regardless of what happens in the future, Oakland should be ecstatic that it found a top-five talent in the fifth round of the draft. That just doesn’t happen and every other team should feel stupid for passing up on Hurst. Hurst’s heart condition was a major risk and makes sense for pushing him out of the first round, but to the fifth round? That is absurd. Hurst is already one of the best defensive tackles in the league and will only continue to get better as time progresses.

Raiders players and coaches frustrated with ‘grey area’ in new leading with the helmet penalties ‘at some point it is football’ Most of us have taken traffic school before. I’ve taken traffic school a couple times in my life. Most of the stuff I knew already http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/seth-roberts-jersey , but you sit and listen because you have no choice, and, hey, maybe you learn something you didn’t know.One of those trips to traffic school, the instructor said something that stuck with me. “There’s no way to keep from getting a ticket,” he said. He explained that there are so many traffic laws that you’re bound to break one or many of them at any given time while driving. All we can do is try to navigate our way through the streets and freeways as best we can to avoid getting a ticket.That’s kind of been the case in the NFL with regard to flags for a while now. On any given play, there is something that could be considered holding or illegal contact, or unsportsmanlike conduct, or a myriad of other things. But up to this point, it seemed like there was at least some basic understanding of what those things were and how to avoid them most of the time.This lowering the helmet rule does not fit into that range. “You know, I’ve talked to a lot of coaches on it. The guys get in funky positions. Sometimes, it’s unavoidable to get those things,” said Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.“It’s really all over the board with the DB’s Womens Donald Penn Jersey , open field things. So, we just have to keep educating the players the best we can.”Guenther saw firsthand the rule bite one of his DB’s. Karl Joseph was flagged for lowering his head in what looked to be a clean hit. “Yeah, it’s hard. A guy’s going down and I’m trying to make the tackle. I don’t know how to avoid that,” said Joseph of the hit.That play had a lot of other people also asking ‘What was he supposed to do?’ Guenther included.“I actually asked the official right after the play was over,” said Guenther. “I think sometimes when you hear the collision, it’s just the natural tendency to throw the flag. When you go back and look at the film you can clearly see his head was to the side and it wasn’t helmet-to-helmet or anything like that. I think someone told me there was 52 of them called in 33 preseason games. So, I understand that you’re trying to make the game safer and we’re all trying to do that, but at some point, it is football.”I have heard coaches, including Jon Gruden, explain the spirit of the rule and the intention behind it. Most of which is really just a matter of executing the fundamentals players have long been taught about keeping your head up. But the problem is how it’s being flagged on the field. Even without a player lowering his helmet into another player, that player is drawing a flag. Routine tackles are drawing flags. Hits that are clearly using the shoulder pads are drawing flags. The players are lost. Especially NFL veterans like Derrick Johnson who said he is “too old to change” his playing style.“I don’t think anybody knows how this is going to go,” said Johnson. “That’s going to be a grey area. All you can do is just try to play by the rules. It’s going to be hard Womens Kelechi Osemele Jersey , especially with defensive players.”After two preseason games that have drawn considerable criticism from fans, media, players, coaches, and basically everyone, the NFL put out a statement saying essentially that all is well and the rule is good and there is no reason for replay and move along nothing to see here.Saying they “reviewed feedback” from players and coaches to come to their conclusion is pretty laughable. They may have heard them, but there’s no way they actually took their opinions into consideration.The NFL has been running full speed away from being a contact sport for the past few years. It’s all in the name of making the game safer. I get that. It’s a good plan, in theory. These players shouldn’t be receiving constant brain trauma and the lifelong problems that come with it. That’s not the problem here. It’s like the murky catch rules the league had for many years that made for the running joke of “What is a catch?” No one knew. Even the best most educated NFL analysts and former officials got it wrong a good percentage of the time.Now, we’re talking about the simple matter of tackling. The most fundamental part of the game. And no one seems to know how to do that now without being flagged for a tackle that just last year would have been considered perfect form.As infuriating as it is for the players and coaches, it’s pretty maddening for the fans watching and the media trying to cover it. The last thing we need is another unevenly called rule that rips at the fabric of what TACKLE FOOTBALL means.Most people are just hoping they are going overboard with it in the preseason and will pull it back in the regular season. But what does that mean? Just call it less? That won’t solve it. Since instant replay is off the table, they would have to be absolutely sure. Excuse me for being skeptical.Follow @LeviDamienJohnny Holton return to Raiders includes position change Twelve days ago wide receiver Johnny Holton had survived the initial roster cuts to make the Raiders 53-man roster. His spot on that roster lasted two days before he was let go in favor of street free agent receiver Brandon LaFell.Nine days later (yesterday) Holton was back. He was re-signed to the team’s practice squad. But this time with a strange designation — he’s listed as a defensive back. Offensive Coordinator Greg Olson explained.“Just a valuable football player. He was very valuable on special teams, but we wanted to find a spot for him on the roster, so we put him there (at cornerback) Womens Justin Ellis Jersey ,” said Olson. “We’ve got kind of a logjam at wide receiver, we got a full room there, and we had a roster spot available. We’re looking for help in all areas, but certainly special teams is a big area we put a big [premium] on. He’s helped us there in the past and we just wanted to get him back on the roster.”Unless Olson is tipping the Raiders’ hand on moves that haven’t been made yet, what he means when he says “roster” is practice squad.They apparently liked rookie receivers Marcell Ateman and Saeed Blacknall too much to let one of them go from the practice squad, so instead, they let go of safety Terrell Sinkfield. Though there’s no rule about which positions the players on the practice squad can be.Holton’s value to this team has been mostly on special teams as a gunner. If he gets called up from the practice squad, that would be why. In that case, it doesn’t really matter what position you designate him on offense or defense.Follow @LeviDamien

Sean Lee has started 75 career games Youth Kenny Golladay Jersey , but he will miss his 43rd career game on Sunday and another game or two or three after that. His left hamstring will keep him sidelined two to four weeks.That means rookie Leighton Vander Esch, who has played only 78 career snaps, will get his first start against the Lions.“You can’t stress yourself out if things are too hard or not,” Vander Esch said Wednesday. “You’re here for a reason and you have to trust yourself in that because you wouldn’t be here if you’re not supposed to be. You have to have full confidence in yourself.“You can’t be back on your heels. You’ve got to be on your toes, and you’ve got to be in attack mode all the time. That’s the approach I take with things. I can’t sit back. I have got to go, go, go all the time.”Having used a first-round pick on Vander Esch this spring, the Cowboys appear better equipped to deal with Lee’s absence this season. Despite his limited snaps, Vander Esch ranks fourth on the team with 20 tackles, 16 solo.“Yeah, hopefully Jaylon [Smith] is just much further along as a player with experience and where he is physically,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “Obviously we drafted Leighton Vander Esch in the first round. We feel good about where he is and his development over the first couple of weeks Youth Taylor Decker Jersey , and we just like that linebacking corps starting with those guys. Damien Wilson is a better player than he was, and he continues to grow and develop from the experience that he has. We like what Joe Thomas is doing. We just feel good about that group, mainly those first couple of guys that I mentioned, I just think they’re further along and we’ll figure out where they are. Obviously, Sean is a big-time player. Sean played a great game the other day before his injury. He was all over the place, very productive. He’ll be engaged with our guys and hope those guys will be ready to go.”Friday open thread: Which Lions player could have a big game vs. Packers? Going into the 2018 season, many of us—including myself—believed the NFC North was going to be the toughest division in the entire NFL. With Aaron Rodgers returning, the Vikings looking upgraded, the Bears adding some serious defensive weapons and the Lions adding a new coach and a potential newfound running game, each team could make an argument for serious improvement this year.But it hasn’t turned out that way at all. The Vikings defense isn’t what it used to be, the Lions have stumbled out of the gate, and the Packers offense doesn’t look quite as electric as expected with Rodgers back (albeit with another injury). Let’s just not talk about the Bears for now.My point is the Packers aren’t quite the feared team that some expected Youth Christian Jones Jersey , and that means they’re vulnerable this weekend at Ford Field. So today’s Question of the Day is:Which Lions player is in for a big game against the Packers? My answer: I hate to sound like a broken record here, but I’m expecting another big game out of Kerryon Johnson. Granted, the Packers have a pair of monsters in the middle of the line in Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark, and the Lions will almost certainly be down T.J. Lang, but even so, Green Bay has one of the worst statistical running games, while Kerryon has been amazingly efficient all year. The Packers are allowing 4.5 yards per carry despite facing teams that don’t have particularly good running games. In fact, of all four teams they’ve played none are averaging more than 4.2 YPC on the season. The Lions, on the other hand, are averaging 4.6 YPC.So the matchup feels right, and the Packers secondary is strong enough to compel Detroit to try and establish the running. The conditions are perfect for another big game for Kerryon... as long as he gets the carries.Your turn.Tweets from https://twitter.com/PrideOfDetroit/lists/lions-coverage

Electric Light Orchestra is one of my favorite bands of all time. I learned of them in my college years Youth Sam Martin Jersey , but as I expanded deeper into their catalogue, I realized I wasn’t just meeting them now, I had known them all along. “Mr. Blue Sky” was a song I had likely memorized by the time I was six. “Telephone Line” was “that song” playing in the background of the fantastically odd scene when Steve Buscemi crossed out Billy Madison from his People to Kill list. “Showdown” was that badass song playing the background when Roy Munson was in an epic bowl-off against the greatest character Bill Murray has ever played: Ernie McCracken. For decades, ELO had been creating hit after hit and went underappreciated and overlooked. It’s not the most flashy of music and it’s probably not challenging enough for music snobs to enjoy, but their history is some of the most consistently good stuff out there. And yet, they never reached the pinnacle of pop music. They currently hold the record for most US Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hits (20) without ever reaching No. 1. ELO is the Detroit Lions.Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers Song of the Game: “Hold on Tight” by Electric Light OrchestraAt halftime of Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, I immediately sent out a warning shot across Lions twitter. Detroit, currently up 24-0, was in no way safe against this Packers team. A few weeks ago the Bears learned this lesson the hard way, and Lions fans don’t need a long memory to recall the last time Aaron Rodgers mounted a 20-point comeback in that very same building.Hold on tight to your dream Hold on tight to your dream Sunday wasn’t just about holding on to a three possession lead, but for the Lions it was a chance of hold out any hope of a successful 2018 season. The team was on life support after a 1-3 start http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-darius-slay-jersey , and heading into the bye week at 1-4 would’ve sent the players to their homes filled with doubt and frustration. And it started to look like the Lions would not only lose on Sunday, but drop the game in gut-wrenching fashion as Rodgers was working his Devil Magic yet again. At one point, the Packers were a yard and two-point conversion away from making it a three-point game with over four minutes left. We had seen this before.When you see the shadows falling When you hear that cold wind calling Hold on tight to your dreamBut because this season makes no sense, things went the Lions way on Sunday. The passing play setting up the Packers in the red zone was actually incomplete upon review. Mason Crosby would miss his fourth field goal a few plays later, and the Lions offense actually closed out a game they had the lead in. I don’t know why ELO breaks into French halfway through this song, but can you honestly say it’s more confounding than anything we’ve seen out of the Detroit Lions this season? Check out our full playlist to the 2018 season below (or here if you don’t see it). You can catch our explanations of each choice here.Sports Illustrated writer predicts Detroit Lions to make deep playoff run in 2018 If you don’t know the name Gary Gramling, prepare for him to be your new best friend. Gramling is a writer and editor for Sports Illustrated’s NFL team, and he, along with 14 other SI and MMQB employees offered their predictions for the 2018 NFL season. Let’s start with the bad news. 14 of 15 MMQB employees did not pick the Detroit Lions to make the postseason. Even worse, five picked an NFC North rival to win Super Bowl LIII (either the Packers or Vikings).But Gramling is our knight in shining armor. Not only did Gramling predict the Lions to make the playoffs (as a wild-card six seed), but he had them making a deep playoff run. He predicts the Lions to beat the Eagles and Rams on their way to the NFC Championship Game... against the two-seeded Green Bay Packers. Sadly Tavon Wilson Jersey , Gramling ends up picking the Packers and also has Green Bay beating the Patriots in a two-decade-old rematch from Super Bowl XXXI, but the MMQB writer admits he chickened out on who he wanted to pick.“I also thought about picking the Lions to win it all, with the tragically underappreciated Matthew Stafford making the kind of gutsy, late-in-the-down plays that Nick Foles pulled off last winter and stud-in-the-making Jarrad Davis leading an opportunistic defense, but I came to realize I am a coward,” Gramling wrote.Coward or not, it’s pretty bold of Gramling to not only predict the Lions to make the postseason, but to win two playoff games—something the Lions haven’t managed to do in the last 60 years combined. Here’s hoping Gary is onto something.

Our semi-regular segment on solicitations from seasoned opponents swings soon to the Seattle Seahawks. The last thing these two teams faced off Kenny Golladay Jersey , bad things happened.Anyway, to dissect the new-look Seahawks (they’re a new-look insomuch as each year is a new look, I suppose) we talked to Kenneth Arthur from Field Gulls.1. All the talk from the beginning of the year was about the continued disintegration of the Seahawks roster of yesteryear. How true is that right now, and how well are the Hawks keeping pace in their division?I mean, it is true that Seattle parted with a unusually high number of its starters. I wrote this week that the Seahawks have changed at least 14 starters from this time a year ago and that is certainly a lot, including some former Pro Bowl players like Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett, Jimmy Graham, and Sheldon Richardson. But the sentiment of “disintegration” as you described, as people were describing it, didn’t really make a ton of sense to me. I mean, without Sherman or Chancellor or Cliff Avril, they beat the Eagles by 14 points last season and finished 9-7, very close to the playoffs. Bennett was getting older, Sherman was coming off of a serious injury, Bradley McDougald had played really well in place of Kam, Richardson was good but not a part of what Pete Carroll had built from 2012-2016 Authentic Kerryon Johnson Jersey , and Graham potentially hurt more than he helped. Here’s what I cared about: Carroll was still the head coach, Russell Wilson was still the quarterback, Bobby Wagner and Earl Thomas were still on the defense.To me, that was enough for the Seahawks to compete for a wild card, and even without ET these last couple of games, that’s what they’re doing.Seattle dropped to 0-2 to start the year with two close road losses and they’ve won three of their last four with a near-win over the LA Rams. They won’t win the NFC West, but I think they (along with the Lions) will compete for an NFC wild card spot. Given that they do have so many new starters, and that those starters are by in large younger and cheaper than their predecessors, it keeps me hopeful.2. Frank Clark has become a standout defensive player for the Seahawks, what’s made him so special this year?I’m sure many of your readers are familiar with Clark’s back story as a former Michigan standout who was kicked off of the team following an arrest for domestic violence and assault. If not for that, Clark could have been a top-15 pick in the 2015 draft. Instead, the Seahawks took him 63rd overall, which from a talent standpoint was great value, but from a human standpoint, was quite a risk. Still, if Clark stayed out of trouble, the potential was always there for him to be a special pass rusher, maybe even among the elite. Compare his measurables to Jadeveon Clowney and you’ll see that even though Clowney is clearly a step above Youth LeGarrette Blount Jersey , Clowney is also arguably the greatest pass rushing prospect of the century — and Clark isn’t that far behind, even registering a higher vertical and faster short shuttle at a heavier weight. In 3.5 years, Clark has stayed out of trouble and his trajectory as a great pass rusher has been there all along; he had 19 sacks in the last two years despite spending almost 1.5 of those seasons as a backup to Avril and Bennett. He now has 5.5 sacks in six games this season and he could join some exclusive pass rushing company in franchise history, forcing Seattle to decide if they want to give him a $80 million+ extension before the year is over. He’s incredibly strong and disruptive. He’s got the ability to just push a left tackle right into a quarterback in under a few seconds (albeit if your left tackle isn’t that good, however he’s done some incredible work against Andrew Whitworth in last couple of matchups against the Rams) or to leap right over a player if need be. I think one issue is that Clark can be a little inconsistent and below the sack numbers, his pressure numbers aren’t “elite” like many of his peers. He gives the Seahawks a pass rusher that offenses must focus their attention on, potentially opening opportunities for Jarran Reed and Quinton Jefferson, but he himself could also stand to do a little bit more pressuring and consistently getting to the quarterback.3. How would you grade Russell Wilson’s performance through the first half of this season?I think Wilson is having the most unusual season of his career, but that’s probably only because this is his first season without Darrell Bevell as his offensive coordinator. Wilson’s taken some time to adjust to Brian Schottenheimer’s game plan, which includes virtually no threat of a run by Wilson after six years of him being a “dual threat” quarterback. Wilson had a couple of really bad games earlier in the year, but he’s settled into things over the last four games, throwing eight touchdowns against one interception (which was in fact a really bad throw by Wilson) and 8.17 Y/A. Wilson’s on pace for a new career high in touchdowns and he’s found a nice rhythm with Tyler Lockett, David Moore, and Doug Baldwin. The Seahawks are getting tight end Ed Dickson for the first time this week after he spent the first six games on NFI and he’s here to help with the blocking mostly, so that hopefully gives Wilson even more time in the pocket behind a very-much improved offensive line.More time in the pocket, better rhythm with his receivers, more experience with a new system, I like where Wilson is headed. But if you can pressure him http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-christian-jones-jersey , if you can take away his number one option on a play, Wilson is prone to making dumb scrambles and every once in awhile maybe a bad throw, plus he fumbles more than any other quarterback in the game. I think the Lions will be a challenge for him, especially 10 AM (our time) on the road.4. Who is the best video game player on the Seahawks right now? If you don’t know, tell me who you think it might be.Yeah, I don’t know what a video game player is, to be honest. That makes me think of Michael Vick, so I assume that’s what you mean? Tyler Lockett is having a good season. In the past he was just thought of as an exciting return man, but his return game is actually kind of boring now and he’s instead a fairly reliable deep threat. Lockett has five touchdowns and is definitely someone defenses want to keep the ball away from.I think of running back Chris Carson as more of a bruising, between-the-tackles kind of back, but he’s also one of my favorite players on the offense. That being said, I think Rashaad Penny might be more of the “video game” type; he’s fast, elusive, and he’s got the potential to be one of the most exciting backs in the league one day. I don’t think that day is this Sunday, however. He’s third on the depth chart and has been inconsistent this season.Russell Wilson makes some boneheaded scrambles but he’ll also pull out a scramble highlight that’ll blow your frickin’ mind once in awhile. I mean: I hope that answers it!I originally meant that this was a question as to which Seahawks player probably plays the most video games (ie: it’s clear Kerryon Johnson has a gaming console).Sorry I couldn’t even give you a fake answer for that. No idea. I don’t play video games myself and don’t follow. 5. What’s a good cup of coffee to have this time of year?Well, to be clear, I haven’t lived near Seattle in almost a decade. I like one type of coffee any time of year: black. No frills, no muss. I am not picky about my coffee Devon Kennard Jersey , but I am fully intent on having 3-4 cups a day. Find yourself some joe, I’m sure it’ll do the trick.As always thanks to our guest for putting up with our nonsense. Have a fun weekend. If there has been one thing that has been incredibly frustrating about the 2018 Detroit Lions it’s their extreme turnaround on special teams. Last year, the Lions had one of the best units in the league, both in terms of returning abilities and coverage units. That has all completely changed, and the Lions have already done something about it. On Monday night the Lions announced that they have fired special teams coach Joe Marciano. Marciano had been the team’s special teams coordinator since the 2015 season. Head coach Matt Patricia offered this statement on the move:In 2018, the Lions rank 24th in average kick return yards allowed and dead-last in average punt return yards allowed. Additionally, the Lions struggled with penalties on their special teams units. On Sunday against the Vikings alone, the Lions had three special teams penalties, which is exactly the kind of problem that has put the Lions offense behind the eight ball.At the moment, the Lions have not announced a replacement, but they do have an assistant special teams coach, Devin Fitzsimmons, on staff.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees became the NFL’s all-time leader in completions on Sunday. A couple of teammates made some history while catching those passes.Receiver Michael Thomas had 10 catches for 129 yards. He has 38 this year Mohamed Sanu Jersey , the most any player ever has had in the first three games of a season. He’s also the first player in league history to catch at least 10 passes in each of his team’s first three games.Running back Alvin Kamara added 15 catches for 124 yards. He tied William Andrews (1981) and Rickey Young (1979) for the second most catches by a running back in a single game in NFL history. In 1980, Clark Gaines had 17 catches in one game, the most in one game of any running back in league history.Most importantly, the Saints have recovered from a Week One home loss to the Bucs with a pair of wins, moving them to 2-1 and keeping very much alive their Super Bowl aspirations. Still, they’ll need to do better on defense if they hope to get very deep into the postseason. Antonio Brown insists he's still in sync with Ben Roethlisberger even though their numbers together are down.Roethlisberger and Brown are one of the most prolific quarterback-wide receiver tandems in NFL history, but the duo has struggled to find a rhythm through four games as Pittsburgh has stumbled to a 1-2-1 start.They'll seek consistency entering the Steelers' home game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons."It's like Wi-Fi," Brown said Friday. "Sometimes the connection is poor. Sometimes the connection is great. But it's always connected."Brown eclipsed 1,500 yards receiving three of the last four years and is the only player in NFL history to have five straight seasons with at least 100 receptions. Last season, the four-time All-Pro averaged 15.2 yards per catch on 101 receptions and he led the league with 1,533 yards Authentic Ryan Schraeder Jersey , but his statistics are down this year.Brown's 53 targets are second-most in the league, but he has just 29 receptions for 272 yards receiving and a 9.4-yard per catch average, well below his 13.4-yard career mark. Brown maintained Friday that his relationship with Roethlisberger is strong."Me and Ben laugh about (the media) creating drama, writing about us, trying to create adversity and distractions," Brown said. "We actually text about it. We communicate a lot on text messages about you guys."Roethlisberger and Brown have connected on 723 completions, good for the fourth-most in NFL history between a quarterback and wide receiver. Their 62 touchdowns are the most in franchise history, and one score Sunday will tie Roethlisberger and Brown for No. 10 all-time with Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry.Roethlisberger, who currently ranks second in the league with 1,414 passing yards, blamed himself for Brown's slow start."I think I just have to play better to help him get his numbers Youth Austin Hooper Jersey , which would help us get wins," Roethlisberger said.Last week against Baltimore, Brown caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. He was targeted five times in the second half, but caught one pass for five yards as Pittsburgh managed just 47 yards of offense after halftime during a 26-14 loss.Brown believes a win against the Falcons can cure the Steelers' woes."We're going to make our plays," said Brown, who needs one touchdown catch to tie John Stallworth for third-most in franchise history. "The plays will be there. We just gotta find a way to win."Steelers' coach Mike Tomlin expects Roethlisberger and Brown to rebound."They'll smooth it out," Tomlin said. "Oftentimes people spend a lot of time to minimize tandems such as (Roethlisberger and Brown), and usually over the course of the journey the cream rises, and they'll show what they are capable of. They have done it for a long time. They'll be the formidable tandem that they always are."NOTES: S Morgan Burnett (groin), LB Vince Williams (hamstring) and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (ankle) are all listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against Atlanta. Burnett would miss his third straight game. Williams' streak of 83 consecutive regular-season games played — fourth-longest among active NFL linebackers — is expected to end. CB Mike Hilton is expected to return after missing the Ravens game with an elbow injury.