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Monday, December 31, 2018
Patriots-Jets Takeaways, Metrics: Trey Flowers Flashes Value Before Free Agency
By Doug Kyed
December 31, 2018
You have to search pretty hard to find a flaw in the New England Patriots’ 38-3 win over the New York Jets in their season finale.
The Patriots’ passing attack got back on track, they ran the ball decently well, halted the Jets’ running backs and limited rookie quarterback Sam Darnold to under 200 yards. The Jets weren’t exactly the most challenging Week 17 opponent, but the Patriots did enough to boost confidence heading into the postseason.
Most importantly, the Patriots’ best players — namely quarterback Tom Brady, defensive end Trey Flowers and cornerback Stephon Gilmore — performed very well.
Check out this week’s takeaways and metrics. All stats via Pro Football Focus.
PASS COVERAGE
CB Keion Crossen: three catches on three targets, 60 yards
CB JC Jackson: 5-8, 56 yards, PBU
LB Dont’a Hightower: 3-3, 22 yards
S Duron Harmon: 1-1, 17 yards
CB Stephon Gilmore: 2-6, 7 yards, two PBUs
CB Jason McCourty: 1-1, 3 yards
LB Elandon Roberts: 1-2, 2 yards
S Patrick Chung: 0-2
LB Kyle Van Noy: 0-1
S Devin McCourty: 0-1, PBU
— Darnold was smart to go after the Patriots’ rookie cornerbacks. Crossen only played 39 total defensive snaps on the season, so he was an easy target while on the field for 13 plays. Jackson didn’t allow a touchdown all year and this was the most yards he let up in a game his entire rookie season. He outmuscled Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson for his pass breakup late in the game.
— Gilmore shadowed and ultimately shut down Jets No. 1 wideout Robby Anderson.
— It was a good day for Patriots safeties. Chung and McCourty finished the year strong after some early-season hiccups.
PASS RUSH
DE Trey Flowers: sack, six hurries
DT Lawrence Guy: sack, hurry
DE Derek Rivers: sack, hurry
LB Kyle Van Noy: QB hit, hurry
DE John Simon: QB hit, hurry
DT Adam Butler: sack
CB JC Jackson: sack
S Patrick Chung: hurry
— Flowers is set to become a free agent after the season. He led the Patriots with 7.5 sacks this year, which is a new career high for the four-year veteran. He also forced a fumble in the run game. He was dominant across the board Sunday. The Patriots have nothing close to a replacement for Flowers on their current 53-man roster. He’s as close to a must-sign as the Patriots have had hit free agency in the Bill Belichick era.
— Rivers registered the first sack of his career. He was surprisingly active after a long stretch of healthy scratches.
— Defensive ends Deatrich Wise Jr. and Ufomba Kamalu, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, defensive tackles Malcom Brown and Danny Shelton and cornerback Jonathan Jones failed to generate pressures despite pass-rush snaps.
RUN DEFENSE
DE Trey Flowers: four stops
LB Elandon Roberts: three stops
DT Lawrence Guy: two stops
DE Deatrich Wise Jr.: two stops
DT Danny Shelton: one stop
LB Dont’a Hightower: one stop
CB Stephon Gilmore: one stop
S Patrick Chung: one stop
LB Kyle Van Noy: one missed tackle
— The Patriots limited Jets running backs to 3.5 yards per carry, though they did let up a 28-yard scramble to Darnold.
— Jets starting running back Elijah McGuire carried the ball 18 times for 41 yards with his longest run going for 17 yards.
— Roberts had perhaps his best game in a season in which he’s shown growth as the team’s No. 3 linebacker.
Trey Flowers puts exclamation point on contract year in Week 17
BY TYLER SULLIVAN
December 31, 2018
Trey Flowers has positioned himself to make a lot of money this offseason.
The Patriots pass rusher put the finishing touches on what was a career year, just months before he steps into free agency for the first time. In New England's 38-3 win over the Jets in the regular season finale, Flowers was able to total six tackles and a sack. That sack brought the 25-year old to 7.5 on the season, a new career high. He also finished the regular season with 57 tackles and three forced fumbles.
“I get better each and every year, but for me it’s not all about the numbers," Flowers said Sunday. "It’s about how I affect the game as far as helping my team win. Anytime I can create plays to put my team in position to win, I’m all for that.”
While he may not focus on the numbers, they certainly will help him as he looks for a lucrative deal on the open market. After wrapping up his rookie deal this year, Spotrac projects Flowers to earn a contract in the range of five years that pays him over $15 million annually. If that is the case, it does seem unlikely the Patriots will open up their wallets that much for him, but that's a conversation for another time.
Now, Flowers will simply look to help New England during their playoff march which will begin following their first round bye.
“It’s one of the things that we can allow ourselves to recoup physically and mentally," the pass rusher said of earning the bye. "It’s just an extra week to get ourselves together and that’s always important.”
The Patriots defense is also coming into the postseason pretty hot after allowing just 15 points in their final two games.
“It’s definitely coming together," Flowers said of the defensive unit. "It’s one of the things that we have to build ourselves on and it starts in practice. We go from the practice field and bring it to the game field with execution on Sundays. It’s just one of the deals that you have to play your top football at this point of the season going against some great teams. You’re going to have to be able to execute well on Sundays.”
While the Patriots will certainly enjoy Flowers' presence on the field for this stretch run, it does look like this may be something of a swan-song for him in a New England uniform.
The Patriots will begin their playoff run on Sunday, January 13 at 1:05 p.m. when they host their AFC Divisional Round game against either the Texans, Ravens or Chargers.
Monday, December 24, 2018
The Tennessee Titans made the right decision to hire Mike Vrabel and there’s no debating it
By Zach Ragan
December 23, 2018
With their win over the Washington Redskins on Saturday, the Tennessee Titans clinched a winning season for the third straight season.
A matchup against the Indianapolis Colts looms in week 17. If the Titans are able to (finally) beat Andrew Luck, they’ll reach ten wins for the first time since their 13 win season in 2008.
But even if the Titans don’t reach ten wins, the decision to fire Mike Mularkey and hire Mike Vrabel has already been justified.
What Vrabel has been able to do with the 2018 Titans is remarkable.
This has been an extremely strange season for the Titans. In fact, they should probably be a six or seven win team. Not because they lack the talent to be good, but because of all the weirdness this season has brought.
Think about it for a moment. The season started in a bizarre way, with Tennessee losing a seven hour marathon to the Miami Dolphins. Not only did the Titans lose the season opener, but they also lost one of their most important players — tight end Delanie Walker — to a season ending leg injury. Oh, and Marcus Mariota suffered an elbow/nerve injury.
But despite the weird start, the Titans won their next three games (including a game against the division rival Houston Texans, which Blaine Gabbert started for Tennessee).
After the early three game winning streak, however, the Titans hit a wall and lost three straight games, including a brutal 21-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
The third straight loss was to the Los Angeles Chargers in London. The Titans had a chance to tie the game and send the matchup to overtime, but Vrabel opted to go for two and the win. The conversion attempt failed and the Titans flew back to Nashville with a 3-4 record.
At that point, it felt like the Titans’ season was on the way down the drain. Losing a game via a failed two point conversion, after the offense had put up only 12 points the previous two weeks combined, would be enough to break the spirit of most teams.
Vrabel, however, was able to hold the locker room together. The Titans then inexplicably won consecutive games against the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots.
Rebounding to win back-to-back games against division leaders is something that probably wouldn’t have happened under Mularkey.
Fighting through adversity
It would’ve been incredibly easy for the Titans to fold in 2018 and chalk it up to the coaching transition. But they, unlike many fans and analysts, weren’t looking past this season to 2019. They kept their focus on the 2018 season and continued fighting.
Players that were much maligned during the early portion of the season — guys like Derrick Henry and Malcolm Butler — never gave up.
Their persistence paid off.
Henry hadn’t rushed for more than 60 yards in a game this season before his offensive outbursts against the Jaguars and the Giants (238 rushing yards and 170 rushing yards, respectively).
In the case of Butler, he was so heavily criticized all season that his game clinching interception on Saturday night against Washington, which he turned into a touchdown, felt like his personal atonement for all of his perceived mistakes in 2018.
I’m not sure those moments happen without Vrabel as the head coach. His continued belief in his players kept the Titans in the right headspace.
Moving forward, the Titans look like a team on the rise in the AFC South.
Are there questions surrounding the team?
Of course. Marcus Mariota has to prove he can stay healthy. And Henry has to prove he can consistently be the running back we’ve seen the last few weeks.
But the foundation of a playoff team is in place in Nashville. And if the weirdness settles down next season, the Titans will be a threat to win 11 or 12 games.
Vrabel was clearly the right choice. And after his first season at the helm, I don’t see how anyone can disagree.
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NC Sports Coaches in the News
Friday, December 21, 2018
Best fits for NFL's top 25 free agents
December 21, 2018
By Field Yates ESPN Insider
Building through the draft is always the preference, but free agency is where NFL teams go for instant gratification, seeking out proven veterans who have shown themselves at the pro level already.
Esteemed colleague Kevin Seifert and the collective ESPN NFL Nation compiled a list in early October with a forecast of the top 25 free agents of 2019. I made a couple of changes for my list, and here's the fun part: I get to take a stab at projecting where these players might make sense for 2019 and beyond.
A couple of caveats: Some of the top players are destined for a franchise tag. That doesn't whittle the list down entirely, but a $100 million player on the open market is unlikely to play anywhere else than where he currently calls home because of his franchise tag. Additionally, while I will be mindful of potential cap constraints a team would have in signing a player, there's a lot of housekeeping to be done ahead. Teams that are currently cap-strapped can open up resources through other roster movement.
Let's play matchmaker.
Trey Flowers, DE
The fit: Patriots (extension)
Flowers has emerged as arguably the Patriots' best defensive player, and while his production doesn't indicate a story of dominance, he's brought exactly that for them. He's versatile, powerful, a key cog in defending the running game and the team's best pass-rusher. A homegrown product who doesn't turn 26 until training camp, Flowers is a natural retention candidate for the Patriots.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Week 15 Patriots vs Steelers advanced stats: Pittsburgh did not want to challenge Trey Flowers in the running game
By Bernd Buchmasser
December 19, 2018
While the New England Patriots were able to keep their week 15 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers close for four quarters, they ultimately did not make enough plays to come away victoriously. In the end, the visitors fell 17-10 and suffered its fifth defeat of the year. Let’s dig a little deeper into the game and analyze some advanced statistics from the game.
Pass rush/run defense
Despite Pittsburgh respecting the impact Trey Flowers can have on a game, the Patriots’ best front-seven defender still registered a pair of quarterback hits. All in all, he produced one of the team’s better pass rushing performances on Sunday — being part of a unit that was inconsistent on the day: New England pressured Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on just 13 of his 36 drop-backs. While it is not necessarily a bad number, it also was enough to have a profound impact on the opponent’s offensive rhythm.
Defensive rush direction
The Steelers had tremendous success on the ground and the chart above reveals one reason for that: Pittsburgh generally did not want to challenge one of the NFL’s best run defenders, Trey Flowers. Flowers started the game on the defensive right side but was moved over to the left once the Steelers found success there. However, when he switched sides, Pittsburgh exploited the opposite side again. Wherever Flowers was, the Steelers tried to run away from — and in turn attacked the defensive tackles and the non-Flowers defensive edge.
Pass rush separation
As noted above, the Patriots’ pass rushers were not necessarily bad when it came to pressuring Ben Roethlisberger but they also did not have too big of an impact on the Steelers’ overall offensive momentum. The average distance between the pass rushers and the quarterback illustrates this well: New England was oftentimes relatively far away from Roethlisberger. The Steelers’ pass rush, on the other hand, came closer to Tom Brady. And even though none of the numbers stands out, it was still enough to mess with the Patriots’ offensive rhythm at times.
2019 Pro Bowl selections for every team: Full NFC, AFC rosters
By Jamison Hensley
December 19, 2018
Baltimore Ravens
Pro Bowlers: Eric Weddle, FS (6); C.J. Mosley, MLB (4); Marshal Yanda, G (7)
The NFL's top-ranked defense placed two players in the Pro Bowl. In comparison, six players reached the Pro Bowl in 2006, the only other time the franchise had the league's best defense. Yanda ties Terrell Suggs for the fourth-most Pro Bowl selections in franchise history and ranks behind only Hall of Fame tackle Jonathan Ogden for most Pro Bowl appearances by a Ravens offensive lineman.
Did you know? This is the second consecutive year in which the Ravens had three Pro Bowl players. In the previous 11 seasons (2006-16), Baltimore had four or more Pro Bowl players, averaging five per year. -- Jamison Hensley
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Coach of the Week
December 17, 2018
Dean Pees, defensive coordinator, Tennessee. Four weeks after being hospitalized in Indianapolis with an undisclosed illness and spending a short time away from the team, Pees choreographed one of the great defensive performances by a Titans team. Tennessee shut out the Giants 17-0 in the rain in New Jersey, holding the Giants to 260 yards, 3-of-13 on third downs, and limiting the red-hot Saquon Barkley to 56 scrimmage yards. “It’s not easy being a defensive coordinator,” coach Mike Vrabel said of Pees. “His players play very hard for him.”
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Special Teams Players of the Week
December 17, 2018
Rex Burkhead, punt-coverage, New England. As a Ryan Allen punt bounded toward the end zone, Jones leaped over the line (without his feet ever touching the goal line) and kept the bouncing punt alive by flipping it in the air while diving; Burkhead then dove over the line himself, never having touched the line, and, with the ball two yards deep, Burkhead flipped it to trailing coverage player Ramon Humber, who downed it at the Pittsburgh 1-yard line. Can’t play a punt better near the goal line.
WATCH: (Special) Teamwork
Friday, December 14, 2018
3 Rams among PFF's top 25 offensive linemen in NFL this season
By Cameron DaSilva
December 13, 2018
Aside from the struggles the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line has had in the past few weeks, the unit has been phenomenal this season. Guys like Andrew Whitworth, Austin Blythe and Rob Havenstein have provided outstanding protection for Jared Goff, while also opening up huge running lanes for Todd Gurley.
The offensive line is part of the reason the Rams’ offense has been so explosive this year, ranking third in points and yardage. Pro Football Focus has recognized the Rams’ line throughout the season, most recently ranking three players among the 25 best linemen in the NFL for 2018.
Havenstein was the top-ranked Ram on the list, checking in at No. 10 with an overall grade of 81.1.
Havenstein isn’t going to overpower a lot of people, but he’s as consistent and technically sound as any tackle in the league. The former second-rounder has only allowed three combined sacks and hits all season.
Just behind him at No. 11 is Whitworth, who has an overall grade of 81.1. He continues to be one of the best left tackles in the NFL, despite being 37 years old.
Closing in on his 37th birthday, Whitworth is doing things that offensive tackles aren’t supposed to do. As fellow 36-year old left tackle Jason Peters has seen his body break down and play slip in recent years, Whitworth continues to churn out dominance. He hasn’t had a single game with a below average pass-blocking grade all season.
A bit further down the list is Blythe, who’s in his first season as a starter for the Rams. He took over for Jamon Brown after he was suspended for the first two games of the season. Needless to say, Blythe has been a pleasant surprise and a true standout for the Rams this year.
He has an overall grade of 74.2, fifth-best among all guards in the NFL.
Anyone could have had one of the top-25 offensive linemen in the NFL after he was waived by the Colts a year and a half ago. The former seventh-round pick wasn’t even supposed to start for the Rams until Jamon Brown got suspended. Blythe never relinquished control of the job and has been reliable ever since.
John Sullivan has struggled a bit this season after a tremendous 2017 campaign with the Rams, but if he’s the weakest link on the offensive line, L.A. is in good shape. Rodger Saffold just missed out on PFF’s list, but even he’s the 10th-ranked guard by the site’s measures.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Lingerfeldt students learn financial responsibility
By Eric Wildstein
December 13, 2018
Twenty-four volunteers spent their day teaching young students about financial literacy.
Lingerfeldt Elementary School in Gastonia hosted its third annual Junior Achievement Day on last week. Kids from kindergarten through fifth grade learned everything from how to save money to how debit and credit cards work, and how interest is compounded.
Lessons were tailored to the unique grade levels, and instruction was led by volunteers largely from Tabernacle Baptist Church and the Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services.
Karen Creech is a congregation member of the church, who also works for the health department’s day care center for adults. She’s been an instructor at the school’s Junior Achievement Day program for the past three years.
“It’s so beneficial to the community to help the children to know about how their cities work, about entrepreneurship and things of that nature,” she said. “They may not even hear from other people about things, and what a need is and what a want is, and those differences there.”
Her husband, Corey Creech, a Wells Fargo employee, also volunteered as an instructor. He said teaching children about finances at a young age gives them an advantage to face the challenges ahead.
“When I was that young I didn’t know about those things,” he said.” When you know the different forms of money and the consequences or benefits from using those types of money, it helps you make better decisions when you get older.”
The program is organized by Junior Achievement, a nonprofit organization that provides programming to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in today’s global economy by focusing its programs on the three key pillars of entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy.
Local community leaders, such as Gastonia Mayor Walker Reid and the Rev. Benjamin Hinton of Tabernacle Baptist Church, also stopped by classrooms to share their experiences and financial advice with students.
Reid said his parents taught him at an early age that “you have to work for what you want in life.” It’s a lesson he also imparted on the impressionable students.
Retired professional football player Nate Salley also lent his advice to students. Salley, who played for the Ohio State Buckeyes in college and then the Carolina Panthers until 2009, spoke about living a fiscally responsible life no matter one’s profession.
A third-grade student told Salley “I want to grow up to be like you” during the program.
“To see individuals who have lived that way and seen success at different levels, in different areas of their life, I think that’s big for them to see the different options that are out there,” said Salley. “I have this jersey on, I played ball, but I’m in corporate America now. We have a pastor, we have individuals that have done different things in their lives but have impacted others.”
A Junior Achievement Day was also held last spring at Sadler Elementary School in Gastonia.
Junior Achievement will provide training for new volunteers as well as all program materials. To get involved with future programs, visit www.juniorachievement.org.
Friday, December 07, 2018
Marshal Yanda is Ravens’ Ed Block Courage Award Winner
By Clifton Brown
December 7, 2018
Right guard Marshal Yanda is the Ravens’ 2018 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award. It is presented to the player who exemplifies a commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage, while also recognizing a player’s efforts on the field and his ability to overcome adversity.
The award was selected by a vote of Yanda’s teammates and was presented to him following Friday’s practice. He has returned to being one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen after playing just two games in 2017 due to a season-ending ankle injury. A shoulder injury also required Yanda to have surgery last winter and he did not play at all during the preseason.
A six-time Pro Bowler, Yanda is one of the locker room’s most respected players, who has spent his entire 12-year career with the Ravens.
“You fight your tail off to come back healthy and play, and I’m very grateful to be back this year,” Yanda said. “We’re all fighting together as a team. The more years you’re in the NFL, you want guys to look up to you. You want to do things the right way every single day. You want to be a role model for those young guys. When I was a younger player, there were role models for me, guys who did it the right way every single day. I never forgot that. As I matured as a player, I wanted to be one of those guys you could look up, ask questions to, lean on.”
The award is named for Ed Block, the longtime head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts who was a respected humanitarian. In 1989, the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation formulated the Courage House National Support System for Kids.
Every team votes for one player to win the award. Quarterback Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants and defensive end Julius Peppers of the Carolina Panthers are among other recipients of the award this season.
A year ago, Yanda was rehabbing his ankle. Now he is playing meaningful games in December and calls this season one of his most enjoyable at age 34.
“I’m definitely living in the moment, one day at a time, one game at a time,” Yanda said. “It’s in the back of my mind that this game can be taken away from you in one play. I’m happy to be a part of it again. I’m relishing this time. I understand it’s a young man’s game and I’m an old man. But I still love competing, love the camaraderie, just love this game.”
Wednesday, December 05, 2018
New England Patriots: 5 reasons team needs to re-sign Trey Flowers
By Sam Minton
December 4, 2018
Trey Flowers will be a free agent at the end of the season and the New England Patriots No.1 priority in the offseason should be re-signing the defensive end.
The New England Patriots aren’t known for being big spenders, but this guy is worth it. Trey Flowers has been a staple of the Patriots defense and deserves a new contract.
Flowers will be a free agent at the end of the season. Which is some bad news for Patriots fans.
Flowers definitely will have the opportunity to make some major cash. The entire NFL realizes how talented Flowers is.
Out of all the Patriots free agents, Flowers may be the most important. If New England doesn’t sign him their defense could be in big trouble. Opposing teams would dominate the Patriots defense.
The Patriots drafted Flowers in the 4th round in 2015. The defensive end has quickly become a great player known for his ability to get to the quarterback.
Flowers always seems to be causing pressure and making life difficult for quarterbacks. This helps New England’s defense out a lot.
Also when the Patriots defense is performing well, New England’s offense is usually getting more playing time.
So even though it seems that the New England Patriots are the cheapest team in all of professional sports they will need to break out the checkbook.
So here are 5 reasons that the New England Patriots need to re-sign Trey Flowers in the offseason.
1. Trey Flowers is the Patriots best pass rusher
The Patriots aren’t exactly known for having great pass rushers. They have had solid guys like Rob Ninkovich, but they haven’t had someone as dominant as Trey Flowers in a long time.
The most recent guy I can think of is Chandler Jones (now I’m imagining having Flowers and Jones on the same team which would be amazing).
It seems like Trey Flowers is in the backfield every play. Flowers could have Vince Wilfork in front of him and he would still find a way to make it into the backfield.
Flowers has proved throughout his time in New England that he is the Patriots best pass rusher. He has led the Patriots in sacks for the last 3 seasons.
The Patriots pass rush starts with Trey Flowers. If he was to leave the team I think New England would struggle mightily to get to the quarterback which isn’t ideal when you have a 41-year-old quarterback.
2. The New England Patriots need to build a strong defense
The Patriots defense has been great this season and if New England wants to be successful in the future they need to have a strong defense.
It’s a slight miracle that the New England Patriots offense is still able to score like they do. Tom Brady is defeating father time and looking like he is immortal. Sadly that isn’t the case.
The day that Brady will retire is inching closer and closer. The Patriots need to start planning for life without the quarterback.
Also Rob Gronkowski is looking like he may need to go to a retirement home soon. The tight end isn’t what he used to be. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gronk walks away from the game in a year or two.
This all means that the Patriots offense will be undergoing a major makeover. So this means the defense has to step up and keep New England in games.
By re-signing Trey Flowers you ensure that at the minimum the Patriots will have a dominant front seven that will cause chaos in the backfield.
3. Trey Flowers is having the best season of his career
I think that this season is Trey Flowers best as a pro.
Now the numbers don’t show this. If we were going strictly by the stats, 2016 would be his best season. Flowers had 7 sacks and looked like an absolute beast.
This season stands out to me because Flowers just makes everything look easy. He isn’t struggling to get into the pocket. He is doing everything with ease. Flowers looks comfortable out there.
Flowers has 5 games left to gain 2 more sacks which would put him at last years total. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him reach that goal.
The defensive end is also racking up the tackles. He already has 40 and might be able to reach a new career high if he keeps playing well.
So even though the numbers may not show it, Trey Flowers is having the best season of his career with his ability to dominate opponents.
4. Flowers is a consistent player
One of the great things about Trey Flowers is you know what you are going to get from him. The Patriots know they can count on Flowers to maneuver his way into the backfield and blow plays up before they even start.
When you look at Flowers stats you don’t see a lot of variation. The defensive end will have a couple of tackles a game and will have a few QB hits and then a sack or two.
Flowers has never been completely shut out of a game. When he struggles to get to the quarterback he stops the running game. When he is struggling to stop the run, he is able to get the quarterback. When he can’t do both he is able to break up passes with his athleticism. The guy can do it all.
The Patriots can always rely on Flowers to be there for them.
5. Trey Flowers is entering the prime of his career
If the Patriots re-sign Flowers it isn’t like they are going to have a terrible player by the end of the deal.
Flowers is just entering the prime of his career. The defensive end is only 25 years old. That means if New England signs him to a 5-year deal he would still be a great player.
The move just makes so much sense. The Patriots would be getting a great pass rusher for the best years of his career. What more could you ask for?
Flowers deserves a raise and I think he will get it for the Patriots. If they make the mistake of not signing the defensive end it will haunt them for years to come.
The Patriots need to have a solid defense and if they lose Trey Flowers they will be in big trouble. The defensive end plays a crucial role in the team’s success moving forward.
Tuesday, December 04, 2018
Trey Flowers shines again in big day for surging Patriots defense
FOXBOROUGH, MA - DECEMBER 02: Trey Flowers and Adam Butler of the New England Patriots sack Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots beat the Vikings 24-10. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
By Matt Dolloff
December 4, 2018
So what the hell was that in Tennessee, anyway?
Two games out of the bye, the Patriots' Week 10 dud against the Titans is looking more like an outlier - for the defense, anyway. Sunday was about this unit coming up huge at all levels against the Vikings and their myriad offensive weapons. At multiple points in the game, the Patriots' inconsistency and mistakes on offense forced the defense to keep the Vikings from taking control of the game. To start the fourth quarter, the Vikes faced a third-and-5 coming out of a timeout, and an opportunity to drive down the field and tie it up at 17.
Then Trey Flowers happened.
The first play of the fourth quarter was a long-awaited explosion by Flowers, who bounced around blockers on a stunt and burst through to Cousins. The quarterback toppled to the turf just as Flowers was getting to him. He had no chance.
Watch: Trey Flowers sack
It was the kind of tone-setter and game-changer the Patriots defense needed at that point in the game, which was not as competitive as the 17-10 score indicated. The Vikings offense had not gotten much going all afternoon besides one explosive touchdown drive just before halftime, yet still had a chance to make it all even in the fourth. Flowers wasn't going to let that happen.
Flowers was merely one of the anchors of an excellent overall day for the defense up and down the roster. He feels that they're coming together as a unit just at the right time, as the Patriots look to elevate themselves like they usually do in December.
"I think a lot of the guys understand the urgency, just being able to amp up preparation and understand that now it's time for real football," said Flowers. "A lot of guys understand the urgency, coming together and working hard."
The Patriots looked like a well-prepared defense on Sunday, reacting well to what the Vikings offense was showing them and mixing up their own looks. It served to confuse Cousins, who ended up 32-of-44 for just 204 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions - a 70.5 passer rating.
FOXBOROUGH, MA - DECEMBER 02: Trey Flowers of the New England Patriots reacts in front of Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots beat the Vikings 24-10. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Cousins also held on to the ball too long at times, and credit for that is due to the play of the Patriots secondary. Besides his second-quarter touchdown (and an ill-advised confrontation with Bill Belichick), likely All-Pro receiver Adam Thielen was virtually a non-factor. He finished with five catches for 28 yards and the score, despite 10 targets. The Vikings' other big receiving threat, Stefon Diggs, played hurt and grabbed five largely inconsequential catches for 49 yards. Rookie cornerback J.C. Jackson performed admirably in an unusually prominent role, his biggest play coming on Duron Harmon's late interception that he tipped into the air in the end zone.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore sounded like he'd heard all the hullabaloo about the Vikings and their stable of #weapons.
"We were motivated, we knew it wasn't going to be easy," said Gilmore. "We had a good week of practice and we were prepared and we came out and showed it today."
Since allowing 40 points to the Chiefs, the Patriots defense has averaged 18.5 points allowed in their last six games, and that includes the debacle in Nashville. The Patriots have held their opponents to 17 points or less in four of their last five. They haven't allowed a 300-yard passer since Patrick Mahomes in Week 6, or a 100-yard rusher since the Lions' Kerryon Johnson in Week 3.
The Patriots also dominated on third down against the Vikings, which hasn't been an area of consistency for them. Minnesota went just 3-for-12 on the afternoon in those situations. Flowers and the front-seven swarmed the line of scrimmage and short areas of the field, frequently switching things up and making Cousins look un-veteran-like in the process.
Even when the Vikings were able to come up with chunk plays, particularly on their stunning 74-yard touchdown drive that took just 1:37 at the end of the second quarter, the defense didn't waver like it felt they could after a disappointing end to the first half.
"Next-play mentality," Flowers described it. "We're playing in the NFL. So you've got to tip your hat to guys, and understand that they’re going to make some plays. You've just got to come back and be ready to make another play."
Flowers was most certainly ready for that.
On top of his sack to start the fourth quarter, Flowers nearly came up with a huge stop on fourth-and-1. He and Lawrence Guy stood up Latavius Murray at the line to gain, but the officials ruled it a first down on the field. They didn't have enough evidence to overturn the call on Bill Belichick's challenge.
But it didn't make the play by Flowers any less impressive. Had the officials simply ruled in their favor on the field, it would've been yet another big-time play for perhaps the big-time player on the Patriots defense.
In a superb afternoon for this group, Flowers continued to show why he's going to get paid this offseason, whether it's in New England or elsewhere. He just wanted to get back to the line and make plays, and he definitely accomplished that. And like we're used to seeing by now, he did it at a big-time moment in the game.
Monday, December 03, 2018
Upon Further Review: Pats' focus on stopping the run pays dividends
By Mac Cerullo
November 30, 2018
FOXBOROUGH — When the New England Patriots have lost, they've lost ugly. The team's three losses this season have featured breakdowns in all aspects of the game, but among the many issues, stopping the run was one of the big constants.
New England allowed an average of 137.6 rushing yards in its losses, including 159 in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions and 150 against the Tennessee Titans in Week 11. The Patriots can't win if they're constantly getting gashed on the ground, so coming out of the bye, the defense needed to show it could get stops more consistently.
While it wasn't flashy, the Patriots run defense clearly took a big step forward on Sunday.
The Patriots held the New York Jets to only 74 rushing yards, with about a third of those yards coming on Josh McCown scrambles rather than designed runs. There weren't any single outstanding performances powering the effort, the team just played solid, fundamental football and forced McCown to beat them with his arm — something he obviously couldn't do.
New England set the tone on the first drive of the game. After receiving the game's opening kickoff, the Jets handed the ball off to Isaiah Crowell, who ran up the right side and was immediately met by Lawrence Guy for no gain. The next play, Crowell tried carrying it up the middle, and this time it was Patrick Chung waiting to stuff him for a gain of three.
The Jets eventually punted, and on the team's next drive, New York initially struggled on the ground again. Elijah McGuire lost two yards on an outside run to the right after Kyle Van Noy swept across and kept him contained, and McCown scrambled for three on a broken screen play. McGuire eventually picked up eight after a back-breaking holding penalty — eventually leading to New York's first touchdown — but from that point on, the Jets only rushed the ball one other time for the rest of the first half.
Throughout the game, the Patriots were only beaten decisively on one designed rushing play, a 3rd and 1 rush where Jason McCourty got pancaked while trying to contain Crowell, giving the runner a clear lane to the outside for 12 yards and a first down. Other than that, New England had a clear edge to the point where the Jets essentially abandoned the run even though the Patriots didn't start to pull ahead until mid-way through the fourth quarter.
Overall, the Jets only ran the ball 15 times, well down from their average of 24.9 carries per game. Once the Jets became one dimensional, the Patriots defense started to shine in other areas.
The pass rush enjoyed its best game in weeks, getting 23 total quarterback pressures on 51 passing snaps (45.1 percent). Trey Flowers in particular was a monster, terrorizing the Jets line while pressuring McCown eight times all by himself.
The secondary did a good job taking away McCown's first looks, which combined with the pressure led to two sacks and a litany of rushed throws. And during a crucial sequence late in the third quarter, Van Noy got a free rush at McCown twice in a row to bring up fourth down at the end of a long Jets drive. New York had to settle for the game-tying field goal, and the Patriots went on to score 14 unanswered points the rest of the way.
The Jets' offense isn't anything special, but this was a good performance for the Patriots defense. The blueprint for success all along has been to contain the run, pressure the quarterback and avoid big mistakes. If the defense can replicate its performance against future opponents — starting with the Minnesota Vikings this weekend — the Patriots will be in it against any opponent it plays the rest of the way.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
A ‘Dream Team’ of Former NFL, NHL and MMA Athletes headed to Congress
By Joe Hammond
November 28, 2018
The annual congressional softball game just got a lot more interesting.
Voters are sent a dream team of former professional football and hockey players along with a former female Mixed Martial Arts fighter to Congress in the midterm elections.
Sharice Davids, a Democrat who will represent Kansas’ 3rd district, won national attention when she became the first lesbian from Kansas and the first Native American woman elected to Congress; a second Native American, Debra Haaland (D-NM), also won election in November.
But Davids first rose to prominence in the ring, where she sported a 5-1-1 as a MMA amateur before turning professional in 2013. She won her first fight via a triangle choke but lost her next bout. After a failed tryout for an MMA reality TV, Davids, a proud member of the Ho-Chunk Nation who also excelled at soccer, basketball, and tennis, hung-up her gloves to focus on her legal career and eventually politics.
“Being a mixed martial artist has helped me developed a sense of discipline that served me well during the campaign,” Davids told the AMI Newswire, “and will be an asset when we set out to do the hard work necessary to make meaningful change in Congress.”
Davids is the second former MMA fighter to be elected to Congress. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) was elected to Congress in 2012 after compiling a 3-0 record as an MMA fighter.
The Republican can counter her with Pete Stauber (R-MN), a former professional hockey player. Signed by the Detroit Red Wings in 1990 after helping his lead his college Lake Superior State University in Michigan to a national championship.
“When LSSU went to the White House, Stauber personally met President Reagan,” a spokesperson with the Stauber campaign told AMI newswire. After college he played four years in the minor leagues. After retiring from the sport, he became a decorated police officer.
Stauber’s brother, Robb, coached the USA Women’s hockey team to a gold medal in 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
Stauber, whose campaign got a boost when President Trump campaigned for him, defeated Democratic incumbent Rick Nolan to represent Minnesota’s 8th district.
This year’s class also included two former NFL players – one Democrat and one Republican.
Colin Allred (D-TX), who defeated Republican incumbent Pete Sessions in Texas’ 32nd district, spent four years as a linebacker for the Tennessee Titans, after starring at Baylor University.
The athletic standout this year might be Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), who won Ohio’s 16th district in his first-ever political campaign. Gonzalez, a receiver at Ohio State, was a first-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2007 NFL draft. He caught 37 passes for 576 yards and three touchdowns his rookie season. The next year he caught 57 passes for 664 yards and four touchdowns. He was seriously injured in the 2009 season opener and though he returned to action in 2010 and 2011 he played sporadically. After retiring he earned a business degree at Stanford University.
Gonzalez’s parents fled Communist Cuba whose then dictator, Fidel Castro, once tried out as a pitcher with the Washington Senators. Gonzalez and his Democratic colleagues will likely find inspiration in other star athletes who became members of Congress. These include several NFL players, such as Steve Largent (R-OK), Heath Shuler (D-NC), Jack Kemp (R-NY), as well as the baseball pitch, Sen Jim Bunning (R-KY) and the basketball hall of famer, Sen. Bill Bradley (D-NJ).
If the newcomers really dream big, they might try to follow in the footsteps of another former congressman who, in 1935, turned down offers from both the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. Instead, the former college football star at the University of Michigan became a boxing and football coach at Yale University while he applied to law school. Fourteen years later the Republican was elected to Congress to represent Michigan’s 5th district; a quarter century later, in 1974, Gerald R. Ford became president when Richard Nixon resigned the office in 1974.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Flowers and Wise aid Patriots pass rush
Trey Flowers finished with a sack and four quarterback hits on Sunday.
By Mark Daniels
November 25, 2018
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Patriots knew they needed to better their pass rush in order to play a better blend of football.
Mission accomplished.
On Sunday, the Patriots received a major push from their top two pass rushers – Trey Flowers and Deatrich Wise – as they hit Jets quarterback Josh McCown 13 times and sacked him twice. Flowers led the way with four quarterback hits and a sack. Wise finished with three quarterback hits and a sack.
″[We] just put pressure on them – stopping the run, making them one dimensional,” Flowers said. “Put them in situations where we could pin our ears back and get some great rush on them. I think that was one of the things, stopping them on early downs, putting them behind the sticks and we were able to continue to get some production in the rush.”
“We did a great job in coverage allowing the quarterback to hold the ball longer, allowing us to get there faster,” Wise added. “We pretty much married the rush and coverage together.”
Flowers has been outstanding this season, but the stat sheet hasn’t been revealing. He finished with a team-high 6.5 sacks last season, and seven sacks in 2016, but came into Sunday’s game with just 2.5 sacks on the season. Of course, sack numbers don’t tell the whole story, but players love when they’re able to directly contribute. Flowers was able to get his sack at 4:29 of the fourth.
Wise had five sacks last season as a rookie. He now leads the Patriots with 4.5 sacks. He notched the team’s first sack on Sunday at 14:16 of the fourth.
“You’ve got to give credit to all 11 guys out there doing their jobs,” Flowers said. “I think that helped me get production and help my team win.”
“I’m out there playing for my brothers just trying to build the trust in them so they can believe in me out there,” added Wise. “It’s awesome playing alongside Trey. We grew up playing against each other. Now, playing with each other in the league, we just got to keep on balling.”
Friday, November 16, 2018
Austin Blythe, Rob Havenstein lead NFL with zero penalties in 672 snaps
By Cameron DaSilva
November 16, 2018
The Los Angeles Rams haven’t missed a beat on offense this season after leading the league in points last year, and a big reason for that is the play of the offensive line. Andrew Whitworth has been a stud, Rodger Saffold is a road-grader at left guard and John Sullivan is instrumental in making calls at the line.
The right side of the line probably doesn’t get enough credit, though, with Austin Blythe and Rob Havenstein playing like Pro Bowlers. Blythe, in particular, gets somewhat overlooked at right guard after replacing former starter Jamon Brown during his suspension.
Both he and Havenstein have performed admirably this season and haven’t had as much as a false start all year. Nope, not a single penalty in 672 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. They lead the NFL in snaps played by a lineman without a penalty.
Holding penalties are crushing, especially when they come on a big play by the offense. The Rams haven’t had many of those this season, largely because of Havenstein and Blythe’s play. They deserve more credit for the Rams’ success.
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Ravens Guard Marshal Yanda's Unlikely Path To Stardom
By David Ginsburg
November 15, 2018
The journey to NFL greatness rarely starts on a farm. It doesn't often include a stint in junior college, the relentless pursuit of a division I scholarship or spending the first four years in the pros bouncing around from one position to another.
And with the exception of Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda, no one has ever traveled that road in a battered truck called Old Blue.
Yanda is a six-time Pro Bowl guard with a bank account containing millions of dollars, yet he spends his offseason fishing and tooling around town in a vehicle that belies his stature and net worth.
"It's a 2007 Chevy Silverado, it's a diesel, it's got around 150,000 miles on it and I love that truck," Yanda said. "It's a consistent-running truck, and I'm a little frugal in the buying cars area. I grew up on a farm with my mom and dad, and that teaches you to save money and be responsible.
"I don't mind driving an old vehicle. Doesn't bother me at all. I have a dealership car I drive here in Baltimore, but during the offseason I drive down to Iowa City in Old Blue and work out down there."
You can take Marshal Yanda off the farm, but you can't take the country out of Marshal Yanda.
"He's not really flashy, not into fancy cars," Ravens teammate Matt Skura said. "He kind of has his set ways. He has a schedule, he likes to eat the same thing every day, prepares for practice the same way, prepares for games the same way."
THE FIRST STEP
This unusual success story begins on a fifth-generation dairy farm in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Yanda was responsible for completing a long list of chores.
"We didn't go a lot of places, but we worked hard and were happy," Yanda said. "My parents milked the cows twice a day. Before and after going to school, my sister and I bottle-fed the calves, and once they got off the bottle we fed them with milk and grain."
Back then, Yanda was part of a family working together to achieve a common goal. Now he's part of a football team striving to win the Super Bowl.
"I always tell people, growing up on a farm showed me the value of a good work ethic and most definitely shaped my life to this day," Yanda said. "You're always working hard toward things you want to accomplish, and there's always a job to do every single day."
Kirk Ferentz knows this all too well. The longtime Iowa head football coach wasn't initially convinced Yanda had what it takes to play in the Big Ten -- until he learned a little bit about the kid's background.
"Guys that are wrestlers and guys that grow up on the farm, it doesn't mean they're going to be great football players but they're never bad," Ferentz said. "They know what it is to work; they know what it is to be responsible. We've had good luck with those guys. Unfortunately, there aren't as many family farms as there were 30 years ago, but in Marshal's case, there's something to that."
It wasn't all school and chores for Yanda growing up. He loved playing football, mostly on defense where he could use his bulky frame to jolt the man with the ball.
"I was always a rough, physical kid. When we played sports, I loved tackling guys and just being rowdy," Yanda said. "Instead of getting in trouble in class for horsing around with your buddies, you could cut it loose on the field. It was encouraged."
Yanda played on both sides of the ball for Anamosa High in Iowa and earned first-team All-Conference honors during each of his final two years. His grades weren't nearly as spectacular, so his next stop was North Iowa Area Community College.
At that point, another reality set in: His days of shedding blocks and leveling the man with the ball were over.
"They didn't play me on defense at all just because I'm not fast enough or quick enough to play defensive line with those guys," Yanda said. "Even though I loved tackling, I was a better offensive lineman, even in high school. I knew that was going to be my route."
DOG ON THE PORCH
Despite doing well in the classroom and excelling on the field at NIA Community College, Yanda only received one scholarship offer, from Iowa State.
Problem is, he had his heart set on playing for Iowa.
"We grew up 45 minutes from Iowa City. We grew up Hawkeye fans," Yanda said. "Obviously at that time, I didn't know I was going to play football in the NFL. I didn't know that any of that was ahead of me. I was just focused on getting a Division I scholarship. But Iowa wanted me to walk on."
Yanda had no intention of going to college without a scholarship, and he wanted it from Iowa. In an effort to make it happen, Yanda drove to the campus every Sunday and watched practice, hoping to catch the eye of the Hawkeyes' coaching staff.
"It was kind of like a dog sitting on your porch," Ferentz recalled. "Reese Morgan was our line coach at the time and recruited at Iowa. I just asked Reese, 'Who is this guy?' He told me, 'It's Marshal Yanda.' And I said, 'That's nice. Who's Marshal Yanda?'"
After getting the lowdown on the big, red-haired kid in the stands, Ferentz told Reese, "Tell him if he's going to come down here, at least bring some film so we can look at him."
Yanda complied ... and heard nothing. So he prepared to make the trip to Ames, Iowa, to sign a letter of intent with Iowa State.
"My sister and my mom came up to the junior college and they were going to drive with me. I told Iowa State we're coming. My mom said, 'Hey, get excited. You're getting a Division I scholarship.'
"So yeah, the gears in my head were kind of shifting. Then, I woke up that morning to go to Ames, and turns out Reese Morgan left me a voicemail like three in the morning. He said, 'Listen Marshal, this isn't an official offer and don't tell anybody, but we are going to offer you a scholarship. Don't go to Iowa State. Whatever you do, do not go.' We got super excited because I knew good things were going to happen with Iowa."
In the end, Ferentz decided that having Yanda for two years was better than having a lesser player for four.
"We don't recruit a lot of junior college players, intentionally, because we would rather get high school players and have them the entire time," Ferentz said. "But when I saw Marshal's film, I really liked his toughness and competitiveness."
LOOKS ARE DECEIVING
Yanda earned the credits he needed in junior college ahead of schedule so he could come to Iowa in January 2005.
"He lived in an apartment where he ate Hamburger Helper. Didn't have much money but made a sacrifice," Ferentz said.
At first glance, Ferentz wasn't so sure he made the right call in giving Yanda a scholarship.
"He was kind of less than impressive, quite frankly. Didn't look like the most athletic guy doing any of the agility things and even some of the lifts in the weight room," the coach said. "It just didn't look like this guy was going to be a great player for us. I was thinking to myself, 'If nothing else we can redshirt him and go from there.'"
His perception changed when the players gathered for spring practice.
"After spending the first two days in shorts, when it came down to actually blocking people it became apparent we weren't going to be redshirting him at all," Ferentz said. "He was one of our top guys, and by the end of spring he was our top lineman."
Yanda started 25 games at Iowa -- 16 at right tackle, five at left tackle and four at left guard -- from 2005-2006. When it came time for Yanda to enter the draft, Ferentz had a story to tell to Eric DeCosta, then a scout with the Ravens (and currently the team's assistant general manager).
"You're going to kill him at the combine. He's going to look like hell," Ferentz told DeCosta. "He's not pretty in his stance when he's got shorts on. Your line coach, he's going to be mad when you draft him and going to hate him when he's out there in shorts. But when you start practicing, that coach is going to wander down the hall and tell you, 'This Yanda guy is pretty good. Thanks for drafting him.'"
SWISS ARMY KNIFE
After being drafted by Baltimore in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Yanda struggled to find a position to call his own.
Yanda played right tackle as a rookie, then started five games at right guard in 2008 before a knee injury ended his season and stalled the start of his third year in the pros.
Yanda got nine starts in 2009 at right guard and played there in the postseason. It seemed he had finally settled in at guard, but the following year tackle Jared Gaither sustained a season-ending injury during training camp, so Yanda started all 16 games at right tackle in 2010.
"It was a roller coaster, those first four years," Yanda said. "I can get it done at tackle, but really, I need to be two inches taller and have arms two inches longer. Against the elite pass rushers, I kind of struggled. Guard is definitely more suited for my framework -- shorter and more powerful, stuff like that."
Yanda finally found a home at right guard in 2011, playing all 16 games there and earning the first of his six consecutive Pro Bowl berths.
But his jockeying on the line wasn't done. In 2014, he played two games at right tackle when starter Rick Wagner was injured. In 2015, Yanda played left guard because of a shoulder injury.
"I couldn't play on the right side because it was my inside shoulder and it was torn," Yanda said. "I knew I was going to be completely awkward as heck playing left, but we gave it a chance in practice. I had to, or I was going on injured reserve. We tried two games at right guard with that shoulder, but any type of inside pressure I wasn't going to be strong enough to stop it."
He's back at right guard now but understands that it may not be a permanent thing.
"I've been the Swiss Army knife," Yanda said. "For the most part my position is right guard, but I've always been a team guy and when you're a young player, as long as you're on the field it doesn't matter. That's always been the thinking. But circumstances arise, and if I know I can play right tackle better than anyone we have left, then I will."
What makes Yanda a notch above everyone else at guard? His work ethic, for sure, but mostly his technique, which is somewhat unorthodox for the position. During his time at tackle, he realized that taking a step back before confronting a pass rusher was better than hitting him head-on.
"The junction point of a tackle is like 3.5 yards back. At guard, they're right on you. I still liked working with that space, so I continued to carry that at guard," Yanda said. "A lot of defensive tackles make their moves right away, and they were beating me on the line of scrimmage. So, through trial and error at practice, I figured it out. That just seemed to work for me. You might not even notice it; it's just like six to eight inches farther back than a typical guard."
Said Ravens guard Alex Lewis: "He's very intelligent when it comes to the game of football. His technique is great; he's always playing at a low pad level, and when he gets his hands on someone, he doesn't let go."
NATURAL LEADER
Yanda's value to the Ravens extends beyond his play on the field. He's a mentor in the locker room, constantly talking up his teammates in addition to leading by example.
"We're all in this together and we need all the guys," Yanda said. "I figure I might as well help them all I can just because that's what older guys did for me, too. When [former Ravens center] Matt Birk was here, he helped me along."
His guidance is accepted and appreciated.
"He's been at the top of his position for a very long time, and to have someone like that help you work on your technique, and to ask questions of, has been super helpful for me," Ravens tackle James Hurst said. "It's exciting on Sundays, knowing I'm working next to a future Hall of Famer. It's a huge honor. But even off the field, he's a hard worker. He does everything right. He's a pro as far as watching film, working in the weight room, doing everything he needs to do to set the tone for myself and all the young guys coming in every year."
After missing most of last season with a leg injury, Yanda is sharp as ever this season at age 34.
"Marshal has been great. He had the injuries the last couple years and did nothing but give 100 percent to his rehab and building himself back up, just like he does everything and always has," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "He hasn't lost a step. He's one of the best in football -- if not the best in football. It's just a pleasure to be around him; it's an honor to coach him. Great in the locker room, a great leader, very smart player, just plusses across the board."
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin agreed.
"I just have a lot of respect for him and his body of work and how he plays. I always have," Tomlin said. "It's obvious that he's the heartbeat of that unit and has been for a long time."
There will come a time when Yanda calls it a career, hops into Old Blue and heads for a lake to do some fishing. When? Well, that's anyone's guess.
"It's one year at a time right now," Yanda said. "That desire to play is never going to leave, but I have to be aware of my body, too. Because sooner or later, the injuries do add up. You get to the offseason, spend time with your family and then you make the decision that's in your heart and you roll with it."
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Chiefs rookie Ben Niemann has gone from an unknown to fill-in starter
BY LYNN WORTHY
November 12, 2018
An undrafted rookie who had to fight to make the roster just in order to contribute on special teams for the first half of the season, Ben Niemann found himself starting at inside linebacker for the team with the best record in the AFC on Sunday.
The 23-year-old took a moment or two to gather himself and catch his breath during a 26-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals at Arrowhead Stadium. It wasn’t so much the enormity of the moment or being overwhelmed with how far he’d come in such a short time. No, it was simply being on the field more than he had all season.
“I was still on four phases of special teams, so I got a little tired out there,” Niemann said standing in front of his locker room following the game. “It was good. You want to play as many snaps as possible. I had fun out there.”
Niemann tied for the team lead with six tackles in his first NFL start, and the Chiefs held the Cardinals to 14 points and 260 yards of total offense. Niemann stepped into the starting spot at right inside linebacker, and Reggie Ragland slid over to the left inside linebacker spot where Anthony Hitchens had started six of the first nine games (Ragland and Hitchens started the first nine games side-by-side).
Hitchens’ ribs were bruised in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 28. He started last week in Cleveland, though he had to come off the field during the first possession of the game because of the pain. He returned and played most of that game (69 percent of the defensive snaps).
With Hitchens’ status uncertain all week — he did not practice most of the week, but was active for the game — Niemann prepared as though he’d play. A four-year player at Iowa, Niemann made the transition during camp from playing mostly on the perimeter in college to being in the middle of the field in the NFL.
This season, Hitchens has remained on the field in a passing and rushing situations. On Sunday, Niemann played primarily on first and second down (29 plays) while O’Daniel played in passing situations. O’Daniel actually played more defensive snaps than any of the inside linebackers (43 plays).
“Steaming Niemann was the truth,” Ragland said, laughing it the nickname he’d given the rookie. “I love Ben. He’s one of those Iowa guys who is real smart. My position coach (Mark DeLeone) is from Iowa. My linebacker next to me, Hitch, is from Iowa. I guess it’s the Iowa thing they got going on.
“Steaming Niemann, Ben, is very smart and physical too. I’m very happy for him and Dorian (O’Daniel). Both of them did a great job today, and we’re going to keep building off this.”
A rookie who stood out in training camp and beat out returner Ukeme Eligwe for a roster spot, Niemann admitted he was probably even more “juiced up” and “excited” to play than when he first took the field during the preseason.
“Back then I was just trying to make the team,” Niemann said. “So I’m definitely happy to be in this position, and there was a lot that went into getting this far. I’m happy to be here.”
Niemann’s father, Jay, is the linebackers coach and defensive coordinator at Rutgers, and couldn’t be in town for the game, but Niemann’s mother, Lou Ann, was in attendance to see his first start.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Hawks in the NFL: Week 10
November 13, 2018
By Sean Neugent
Chiefs 26, Cardinals 14: Although active, The Chiefs decided to sideline LB Anthony Hitchens, who is battling a rib injury. Next man in: another Iowa LB in Ben Niemann. The undrafted rookie received his first start and led the team with six tackles. The Chiefs move to 9-1.
“I was still on four phases of special teams,” says Niemann. “So I got a little tired out there. But it was good. You want to play. You want to play as many snaps as possible.”
HawkeyeNation.com’s Week 10 Game Ball:
His six tackles may not look like a lot in the stat book to receive the week 10 game ball, but Ben Niemann deserves it. The undrafted rookie made a huge impact for a team that is hunting for home field advantage in the playoffs. Niemann helped limit the Arizona offense to 14, playing all special teams and defensive snaps. The K.C. offense has not needed much help this year, but they did on Sunday and Niemann and the defense came through.
HawkeyeNation.com Game Balls:
Week 1: George Kittle, 49ers
Week 2: Josh Jackson, Packers
Week 3: Christian Kirksey, Browns
Week 4: C.J. Beathard, 49ers
Week 5: Christian Kirksey, Browns
Week 6: Desmond King, Chargers
Week 7: Jaleel Johnson, Vikings
Week 8: Brandon Scherff, Redskins
Week 9: Desmond King, Chargers
Week 10: Ben Niemann, Chiefs
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