Lions’ vs 49ers Post Game

By Mark Halpern

So today, the kittens of Detroit took the field with their new-look team against a formidable opponent in the 49ers. We wanted to see Deandre Swift running all over and for Jared Goff to throw for three hundred yards, and it be a clean game for the defense. Well, that didn’t happen, but here is what transpired.

       From the kickoff until the fourth quarter San Francisco controlled this game. Jimmy Garoppolo picked apart this defense to the tune of 300 yards and a touchdown. His main target was Deebo Samuel, who had a massive game with eight receptions for 178 yards and the lone touchdown. Elijah Mitchell eclipsed the hundred-yard mark and a 38-yard scamper for a touchdown in the running game rookie. The Lion’s defense leaked like a sieve and gave up chunks of yardage on multiple drives leading to the 49ers going up 41-10 by the end of the third quarter. However, as we all know, anything can happen in football.

     On the Lion’s offensive side, the play was suspect at the beginning with nothing going on. Goff couldn’t get the offense going in the passing game, and Deandre Swift couldn’t move the ball at all. Goff did find his tight end Hockenson for an early score in the second quarter. Then the offense was dead quiet. The team couldn’t move the ball much at all in the first half of the game. In the second half, Goff awoke from his slumber and started hitting his targets. He spread the ball all over the field. In the third quarter, he completed a short pass to Swift that went for 43 yards and a score. Then in the fourth quarter, Goff did what he does best and led his team. He brought them back two within 8 points by the end of the fourth quarter but, it was too late. San Francisco offense just killed them early. Goff finished the day with 338 yards passing 3td’s and 1 interception, which is good for any quarterback in the league. The Lion’s defense just slept in the den too much in the first half.

     I think the Lions have something here to work with offensively. However, the defense better find out who is wearing the mane and who is watching the cubs. 

      Next week the Lions take on the Packers, which is always an excellent divisional rival matchup.

NYG vs DEN Post Game

By Jeff Knapp

This past Sunday, we saw an embarrassment of a game when the New York Giants lost 27-13 to the Denver Broncos. The offensive line was an absolute joke, and Daniel Jones was lucky to have only been sacked 2 times. Daniel Jones threw for 267 yards and 1 TD and ran for another, but Daniel Jones did what he does best, and that was cough up the ball. How many plays on 3rd down he did not throw past the 1st down marker? Why was Jason Garrett calling those plays? Speaking of play calling, we are told Saquon Barkley is back at 100% with no carry count, but he only ran the ball 10 times for26 and averaged 2.6 yards per carry, which the “bad News Bears” offensive line was of no help. Even if he had no luck running, maybe they could have passed him the ball out of the backfield, did they? One time for ONE yard.

So the o-line was a joke; Jones decided it was ok to fumble at the Denver 22 down by 10, which led to a Denver field goal. The Giants pay the big bucks for Kenny Golladay, and they throw him the ball 6 times? I honestly don’t remember him even in the game until the 3rd quarter. Let’s not forget Darius Slayton, who charmed us with 4 drops.

Now that I’ve gotten a few of the bad things out of the way let’s talk about the good things. I’d love to say that Sterling Shepard played exceptionally well. Shepard went 7 for 9, 113 yards receiving, and a touchdown.

Although the secondary gave up some big plays, they played decently, considering the front 4 couldn’t manage to garner any type of pass rush on Teddy Bridgewater.

This was an extremely hard game to watch, and I’m hoping they turn things around since they have a short week playing this Thursday night against 4th year QB Taylor Heinicke, who has played in only 9 games, thrown for under 600 yards and 3 TD over that span. 

WFT Drops Season Opener to Chargers

By Dan Ryans

WASHINGTON–The Washington Football Team lost their season opener to the LA Chargers today 20-16 at FedExField in Landover. The game had some good moments that were overshadowed by many mistakes on both sides of the ball, especially on defense. One thing that’s for sure is that Washington has many things to work on, as the burgundy and gold only have a short turnaround before they face the New York Football Giants on Thursday Night. Here are some of the cool and not-so-cool moments from today:

Not So Cool- Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Hip Injury

Unfortunately for Ryan Fitzpatrick, he didn’t even make it out of the first half. A hard hit midway through the 2nd quarter ended his day. Tomorrow he’ll have an MRI to confirm a right hip subluxation, which is a serious injury. If that is the case, Washington will need to know how serious to determine what treatment he needs and how long his absence will be. With that said, it is a tough blow for the 38-year old veteran quarterback, who once again was trying to make an impact on this young Washington squad. 

Cool- Taylor Heinicke Shines

Taylor Heinicke took over in the 2nd and played well. He struggled early in his first drive of the game, with the offense going three-and-out. But later settled in, and his next two drives resulted in a field goal and a touchdown, respectively. The biggest issue for that offensive unit was not converting on 3rd down. Washington was only 3 of 10 in those situations, which will not win you many games. Overall, his numbers were okay (11-15, 122 yards, TD), but it wasn’t a great performance for Heinicke. However, you have to give him a lot of credit for that effort to come in after the Fitzpatrick injury. He led the team downfield, made accurate throws, and ignited an offense that started poorly. 

Not So Cool- The Defense

The Washington defense was poor all game. The secondary was slow and did not make an impact on any part of the Chargers offense. Los Angeles had a 3rd down completion percentage of 73.7. Compared to last year’s numbers for Washington when it allowed offenses to convert on 3rd down less than 38% of the time, today’s performance was brutal. Those 3rd down conversions proved to be huge. The Chargers were able to run out the clock, giving the WFT offense no chance at winning the game. For a team that prides itself on playing well defensively, especially under Ron Rivera, it wasn’t very reassuring to see this performance. 

Cool- The McLaurin Catch

There are no other words to say about the catch. The way Terry McLaurin leans back, jumps, and awkwardly turns to his right to make a beautiful grab was just unbelievable. It extended a Washington drive that finished with a nice TD throw from Heinicke to Logan Thomas. That touchdown drive, for a bit, gave Washington the lead. If we get more of these plays from McLaurin this season, he will be WFT’s biggest weapon if he isn’t already.

Jacksonville Jaguars Week 1 Post-Game

By: Noah Trombley

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost 21-37 in their opening week game against the Houston Texans and there’s a lot to talk about after this opening game however I am only gonna discuss one thing and that is Urban Meyer should already be kicked to the curb as the Jaguars head coach. 

I know it’s only week 1 and you can’t judge new head coaches too harshly after only one game at the NFL level but this game was an absolute travesty by Urban Meyer and proved he cannot coach at the professional level.

Firstly the Jaguars had 5-7 dropped passes by wide open receivers during the course of this game. So many balls were delivered perfectly by Trevor Lawrence and they just dropped the ball and never seemed to recover from these mistakes. These are receivers and running backs who last year would catch almost anything thrown at them and have proven they can be reliable weapons and here they are dropping anything and everything thrown at them. That to me points to coaching and preparation and it seems that Meyer did none of these. 

Secondly, the Jaguars were penalized 10 times for 82 yards in Sunday’s game. Four of them were holding calls and then another 3 were for illegal shifts and illegal formations which indicates that either the playbook is too ambitious or there’s no communication between players on where they need to be and what’s the snap count or anything like that. That points straight to the head coach as it is his job to have these players ready and to have them understand the playbook and to have the communication going between everyone and it looked like Meyer had nothing like that going on his team. 

Lastly, the Jaguars defense was just atrocious against what shouldn’t be an amazing offense down in Houston. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor went 21 for 33 with 291 yards and 2 touchdowns, the jags couldn’t stop him all day he looked like Patrick Mahomes out there. The Jaguars defense looked absolutely lost out there, no one knew their assignments or which holes to clog up. 

Meyer is already on very thin ice and this debut game could not have gone any worse, he’ll have to really step up his game plans if he wants to avoid an early exit.

Week 1: WFT vs. LA Chargers

By Dan Ryans

WASHINGTON–Week 1 is finally here, folks. The Washington Football Team opens up at home against the Los Angeles Chargers, and it should be a great day for football at FedExField. We expect to watch a fantastic opening week battle. An up-and-down preseason for the burgundy and gold presents many issues on and off the field. Here are some good news and bad news for Washington going into today’s matchup:

Bad News- NO CURTIS SAMUEL

We will have to wait for WR Curtis Samuel to make his debut because he will not play in week one or soon. Coach Ron Rivera announced Friday that Samuel was placed on short-term IR after he re-aggravated a groin injury he suffered back in minicamp three months ago. Everybody was high on the free-agent signing during the offseason. In 2020, the Brooklyn, NY native had a career year with 77 receptions for 851 yards and three touchdowns topped off by rushing for 200 yards and two touchdowns. So for a three-year/ $34.5 million deal, it was a good signing. Unfortunately, with the groin injury and a short stint on the COVID-19 reserve list, things haven’t quite panned out yet. Hopefully, he won’t end up like receivers Terrelle Pryor and Paul Richardson as free agent signings that didn’t work out for Washington. 

Good News- WR Depth

Samuel’s absence allows other wideouts to shine. In addition to the fifth-year receiver, Washington signed Adam Humphries to a deal back in March. This signing could be significant since Humphries and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick were a tandem in Tampa Bay. Of course, that was at least three seasons ago, but it’ll be interesting to see where offensive coordinator Scott Turner will fit Humphries in his offense. After all, he has other options in Terry McLaurin, DeAndre Carter, and Cam Sims. 

Then there’s the option to go to rookies Dyami Brown and Dax Milne, who were drafted in the third and seventh round, respectively. Both players were impressive in training camp, with Terry McLaurin even calling them “silent assassins.” Specifically, Brown has been touted by Coach Rivera and Scott Turner as a serious threat due to his ability to go downfield. For Milne, the talent he showed at BYU to go outside and in the slot makes him very flexible for a Washington team that could use it. 

Bad News- Justin Herbert

The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year has earned a lot of respect across the NFL, including everyone here in Washington. I mean, a season where he had a completion percentage of 66.6, with 31 touchdowns, at least 4,000 yards, and eight games of 300+ yards passing is not something to take lightly. That Chargers offense is lethal, and defenses around the league don’t have a match for them. If the strong Washington defense can’t contain Herbert and the likes of WR Keenan Allen (who has been a major receiving threat for LA since 2017), the team is going to be in for a long day. 

Good News- WFTs Defense

While Justin Herbert is pretty darn good at quarterback, Chase Young is excellent at defensive end. Young will once again lead that defensive line that can easily beat up the Chargers offense. On top of that, Washington’s secondary is one of the best in the league as it allowed the second-lowest passing yards a season ago. With shutdown corner William Jackson III and big guy Benjamin St-Juste in the mix, the Football Team has a great chance to succeed against this strong LA offense. Who knows, it may translate to a nice week one victory.

Week 1 HERE WE GO!!!

By Eric Ford

Well, here we go!! It’s week 1 of the 2021 season and the New York Jets travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, to play the Carolina Panthers. Let’s break down what I expect and the keys to victory.

Expectations: I am expecting the offense to click. I don’t have total faith in the Panthers defense. I believe the run game will get going, and once that happens, it will open Zack Wilson to throw it down to wherever he wants. The defense is very concerning. I am not worried about the rush because CJ Mosley will dominate, and Quinnen Williams will make some plays. I do have a lot of worries when it comes to passing. I am concerned for many young and inexperienced cornerbacks facing the fast receiving core that Carolina has built.

Keys to Victory: The offense needs to start off strong and maintain that pace. The offensive line needs to protect Zack Wilson and allow our running backs to run. In other words, ground and pound. If we establish the run, our pass will not be a problem. On the other side of the ball, CMC needs to be stopped. If he has a good run day, it’s going to be a long game. Stopping the run is critical, but the secondary needs to show why they belong even if they do that. After all, Gang Green released good defensive players. All cornerbacks should be on the receivers like butter and bread. 

Final prediction. I don’t think the defense for both teams is equal, so that’s a wash. I expect this to be an offense-driven game and the Jets to take the win. 34 to 31 will be your final score with a last-minute drive to win the game.

Shipping and Moving

By Eric Ford

The New York Jets had to make some difficult decisions with the roster, so let’s dive into some of it. Let’s start with quarterbacks. We are down to two. None have started in an NFL game. The first one is first-round draft pick Zach Wilson, and the other is Mike White. He was on the Cowboys in 2018, then signed by the Jets a year later. He spent the last couple of years being promoted to the active roster and released to the practice squad. He did pretty well in the preseason, and the coaches must trust him to back up Zach Wilson. My concern is not having a veteran presence. The last veteran we had at the quarterback position was Josh McCown. I personally believe having a veteran presence can help shape a young quarterback. This will truly be interesting.  

Another shocker is the release of Bless Austin. He was our star cornerback last season. It’ll be quite interesting to see now that we have a group of cornerbacks with minimal experience in the NFL. As a fan, I just hope they do well.

Other moves that the Jets made included trading Tight End Chris Herndon. This move needed to happen. He had a solid first year but then got bogged down due to injuries and just underperforming. The Jets traded him for draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings. We also traded for Shaq Lawson from the Houston Texans to replace Carl Lawson (no relation) due to injury. 

In conclusion, the Jets have a pretty young team. I just hope it all works out, but only time will tell.

Rams Welcome Bears for Home Opener

By Zakary Haines

Los Angeles–The regular season has reached Los Angeles with the first Sunday Night Football game between the Rams and the Chicago Bears. The last time these two met was in 2020 where the Rams took the win over the Bears 24 to 10. This time, the Rams’ offense will have Matthew Stafford under center instead of Jared Goff. The Rams are the favorites to win this primetime match-up with a spread of -7.5, which they are expected to cover. Still, the Bears come in with a chip on their shoulder and will go all out in the first regular-season game.

The Rams should not underestimate the Bears. Andy Dalton is coming off a season where he threw for over 2,000 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and an 87.3 quarterback rating. However, the Rams’ defense is expected to be in the top spot again. Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, and Kenny Young are expecting to have big seasons this year. The Rams should retain their top-tier form again but covering guys such as Allen Robinson, Marquise Goodwin, and David Montgomery will test them to the final whistle.

Matthew Stafford has looked good all preseason in practices and training camp, but he did not take a single snap in the preseason. Now Stafford will have to put it all together on game day. The Bears’ defense ranked 14th overall at the end of last season. On top of that, Khalil Mack is an all too familiar opponent for the former Detroit Lion. However, the offensive line looks more bolstered than last year, and Stafford has something he has had not had in a while; multiple targets. Wide Receivers Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and DeSean Jackson, along with tight end Tyler Higbee, give Stafford plenty of options to choose from in the passing game. Stafford should also have plenty of time in the pocket to pick apart the defense. 

As for the run game, this was a concern heading into this season. Even in the preseason, the run game was, for the most part, inconsistent. Then the Rams made a trade for New England’s Sony Michel. The former first-round pick was sent over to Los Angeles during the preseason to clear the depth chart for the Patriots, and in return, the Rams get a reliable running back who can help with their run game. Expect a fight for playing time this season between Darrell Henderson Jr, Sony Michel, and Jake Funk.

Expect some errors and miscues for this game as most of the starters sat out the preseason games. Nobody’s going to be perfect, but the Bears are an opponent that you can’t sleep on. This should be a huge game for Stafford and the receiving core. The Bears have a weaker secondary that should not be an issue for the veteran. Expect Sean McVay to call on multiple guys to help get Stafford more in sync with the playbook. Overall, The Rams should have a decent challenge but should walk away with the win in week one. Kickoff for this primetime match-up is at 8:20 pm est on NBC.

Vikings at Bengals Preview

By Liam Sullivan

The Minnesota Vikings will open up their season on the road at Paul Brown Stadium against the Cincinnati Bengals tomorrow afternoon. 

Mike Zimmer will begin his eighth season at the helm for the Vikings.  

Zac Taylor will begin his third season at the helm for Cincinnati. 

The Vikings will get off to a great start this season with Florida State product and experienced running back Dalvin Cook. 

He will be given the ball by Michigan State product and veteran QB Kirk Cousins.  

Cousins will have Justin Jefferson, LSU National Champion and second-year player to throw to. 

There is also a Dalvin that plays defense, Dalvin Tomlinson. A fifth-year player, coached by Nick Saban at Alabama, Tomlinson hopes to lead the defensive line. 

For the Bengals, Joe Burrow hopes to return to the team. 

Tee Higgins is expected to make many receptions on offense. 

Joe Mixon will be in charge of the ground game.  

On the defensive side of the ball, a base 4-3 defensive formation, players like Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, and Chidobe Awuzie hope to make big stops on defense.  

Lou Anarumo, the Staten Island native and Defensive Coordinator, hopes to get the Vikings behind the line of scrimmage.

Arizona Cardinals vs Tennessee Titans

By Bill Murphy

Nashville – Well, after a  long seven-month wait, football is back.  After a 2-1 record during the preseason, the Tennessee Titans will open their season at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at 1 pm.  Last year, the Titans finished their season with an 11-5 record, winning the AFC South but unfortunately losing in the wild card round of the playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens 20-13. 

Ryan Tannehill did not receive any playing time during the preseason, especially the last game against the Bears, because he was in Covid 19 protocols.  Last year Tannehill threw 165 yards with one touchdown and 65.7 % completion.  This Week Tannehill and the rest of the offense is going to have a lookout for The Arizona Cardinals defense which last year racked up a total of 1076 tackles and 48 sacks, especially their new defensive end JJ Watt, which the cardinals just acquired from the Houston Texans as last year Watt had 36 tackles, five sacks, and two forced fumbles. 

Everybody will be talking about on offense the receivers that the titans have, such as AJ Brown, who last year scored 14 touchdowns and caught for 1,075 yards. The other big-name Wide Receiver is Julio Jones from the Atlanta Falcons, who last year caught 51 receptions, 771 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.   While Brown and Jones are going to be core pieces of the receiving game, two things that are going to be a significant concern for both of them are going to be both their health and age,  Julio Jones was injured a good chunk of last year, while Brown like Jones was out all of the preseason because of an injury. If Brown and Jones struggle, the wild card to look out for is Cameron Baston, who had 66 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns during preseason.  

A part of the titans that all fans worry about is the defense. This week, they will have a tough challenge: Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Deandre Hopkins.   Murray last year threw 3,971 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 61.9% quarterback rating. Murray  Is an overall good quarterback who can throw and rush. The key to victory would be to pressure Murray and cover both Fitzgerald and Hopkins. 

So overall, I think it will be a good game. I think the keys to victory are for Tannehill and to get past Watt. The defense to cover Murray, Hopkins, and Fitzgerald. I think they can repeat the first finish and go to the playoffs again.