to address some speed issues at multiple positions on the field after last season. Playing speed that is." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteBehind the Steel Curtaina Pittsburgh Steelers communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsSteelersOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Latest NewsSteelers Film Room2018 NFL Draft AnalysisLatest NewsFiled under:Latest NewsCommentaryThe Pittsburgh Steelers have attempted to address their need for speedNew T. J. Watt Jersey ,19commentsThe Pittsburgh Steelers realized they needed to address some speed issues at multiple positions on the field after last season. Playing speed that is.EDTShareTweetShareShareThe Pittsburgh Steelers have attempted to address their need for speedDetroit Free Press-USA TODAY SportsIt happens every year like clockwork. Every incoming rookie confesses that their greatest challenge is adjusting to the speed of the professional game. This statement comprises much more than pure foot speed however. It references the pace of the action that requires a massive amount of information be processed almost instantaneously. The insane quickness off the snap, not just by the skill position players, but also by the behemoths that make up the offensive and defensive lines, always takes some time to adjust to for any rookie. Each season multiple NFL franchises learn a valuable lesson. Not all speed is created equally. There is foot speed, and then there is playing speed. Playing speed is always far more valuable.Every year we all become enamored with the NFL Combine, aka the Underwear Olympics. It graces us all with some semblance of football to obsess over during the long off season. Undoubtedly the most discussed individual drill is the forty yard dash. Players predict their individual times and challenges are made. Players can conceivably make themselves millions of dollars with a impressive performance, or cost themselves millions with a disappointing forty time. The big question for any NFL decision maker is does the forty time even matter for some players? For every yes vote there are just as many maybes.For some players, speed is their greatest weapon. Players like Chris Johnson, Deion Sanders, Tyreek Hill Chukwuma Okorafor Jersey , and Darrell Green all ran insanely fast forty times and that speed was evident every time they stepped on the field. In a league filled with large, fast individuals these players were obviously the fastest player in any game they participated in. Their forty times perfectly matched their playing speed. That isn't always the case. For every John Ross there is a Jerry Rice.John Ross is a wide receiver from the University of Washington that became a first round draft pick for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017 after running the fastest official forty time in Combine history. Ross was credited with a blistering 4.22 forty and the Bengals started drooling like Pavlov's dog. The only thing faster than Ross' forty time was his ability to get injured after being selected by the snake bit Bengals. All joking aside, the record breaking forty hasn't been evident when Ross has managed to see the field.Living legend and undisputed greatest receiver in NFL history Jerry Rice is at the completely opposite end of the spectrum. Rice was an accomplished receiver out of small school Mississippi Valley State who's biggest question mark was his foot speed. His forty times were reportedly in the 4.7 range, which would be pedestrian for a tight end, absolutely dismal for a wide receiver. The San Francisco Forty Niners were more concerned with his playing speed and still chose him in the first round of the 1985 Draft. The rest is history.Jerry Rice was the rare individual that didn't lose any speed once he was in uniform. If anything, he was even faster once you added adrenalin into the equation. Watching him run was a thing of beauty. There was no wasted motion. Jerry's head was perfectly still, even at full speed. This allowed him to watch the ball all the way into his hands, something nearly impossible for some players. Their heads bounce around like Ace Ventura driving that monster truck. Rice admitted he ran faster on the field because he was always scared of being caught from behind, something that seldom ever happened. Rice's forty time proved to be irrelevant.Sometimes a forty time can have actual merit and be a precursor of things to come. Former Steelers first round selection Jarvis Jones ran a markedly slow forty that raised a huge red flag for many teams. Questions arose as to whether his college production was a byproduct of superior play design and execution more so than his athletic attributes. Sadly, the Steelers learned that lesson the hard way.The Steelers have committed to a renewed focus on playing speed with the players they drafted this year and picked up during free agency. Their free agent additions all have displayed excellent playing speed previously and the ability to utilize it. The draft picks are still an unproven lot Mason Rudolph Jersey , but early reports have been encouraging. LB Devin Bush's game is predicated on his excellent speed, both timed and functional. Initial reactions have proven anything but disappointing. Draftees like Diontae Johnson and Benny Snell Jr were highly successful, skilled college performers who's only real concern entering the draft was their timed speed. Both young men displayed throughout their college careers the superior quickness, balance, and playing speed necessary to have a productive professional career. Only time will tell, but I for one am looking forward to when they throw on a uniform and start popping some pads. Then we will see where some adrenalin can take us. Despite a dramatic start to his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers following his selection with the 76th pick of the 2018 NFL draft, the debut season of Mason Rudolph was a quiet one. Finishing the year as the only player on the 53-man not to dress for a game, the former Oklahoma State quarterback was relegated to the role of clip board holder during his rookie season, left to watch and learn from the sidelines.Seemingly unfazed by the consternation surrounding his selection back in April and the expectations placed upon him from outside the organization, Rudolph appears eager to get back to work as soon as possible. Acutely aware of the reason the Steelers’ drafted him James Washington Jersey , it would appear that the young quarterback is focused on making that ambition a reality in Pittsburgh. As he told John Buhler of Fansided last week when appearing at a promotional event for Panini. If Rudolph is to end up as Ben Roethlisberger’s successor, it will be in part because of the veteran quarterback, even if Big Ben did not initially welcome his arrival. Contrary to his remarks earlier in the year suggestions otherwise, Roethlisberger has actually been a willing source of information according to Rudolph. Watching Roethlisberger from the sidelines also appears to have been a lesson for Rudolph in its own right, with the rookie quarterback clearly impressed with the way the veteran operates the no-huddle offense.With the Steelers expected to approach Roethlisberger about a contract extension this offseason, Rudolph may be waiting a little longer than he thought to get his chance under center. However, it would be fair to say that his main priority in 2019 should be securing the backup role over Joshua Dobbs if he hopes to keep himself in the frame for future consideration as the starter.

versus Rams would suggest After Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams Kolton Miller Jersey , the NFL doesn’t think much of Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders. The 33-13 score indicates one of the best teams in the NFL blew out one of the worst. But if you saw the game, it was more of a sudden collapse by one of the least likely players the Raiders could get that from. The Raiders are now rebuilding on defense so Gruden planned to control and win the game on offense. The offensive game plan was flawless with a mixture of runs to running back Marshawn Lynch and passes to tight end Jared Cook. And Carr executed it well, completing 20-24 passes for 199 yards and what should have been a touchdown in the first half.But Carr, who has thrown so many dimes in the red zone over his career, started his collapse at the end of the first half in the red zone Monday night. With 4:51 left in the half, moving the ball at will and on the Rams’ 21 yard line, he threw the ball woefully short and it was picked off. The momentum would have been with the Raiders and they might have made a stop had they scored a TD but the Rams rode the momentum to a field goal, making the score 13-10. The halftime score could very well have been 20-7 instead of 13-10.The defense that just lost super-duper star edge rusher Khalil Mack wasn’t too bad at the time either. Then came the second half and the Rams cashed in their first drive of the second half with a field goal to tie the game. The Raiders then went three and out with Carr getting sacked on his own 13 yard line and punter Johnny Townsend picks a bad time for a 35-yard punt. So the Rams take advantage of the short field and go up 20-13.A little later, down 23-13, Carr seemed to be pulling himself back together and completed a 32-yard pass to Cook to get the Raiders to the Rams 40. Then Carr inexplicably threw floatertoward his left sideline that was picked off. The Rams then turned that into a field goal and the score was 26-13. Then of course, there’s the pick-6 Carr threw the next time he had the ball to make the score 33-13. Everyone around the league is talking about how bad the Raiders are but they were in the game against one of the best teams in the NFL on paper. The Rams may be better but it wasn’t about the better pulling away in the second half after taking the Raiders’ best punch. The Raiders never had a problem moving the ball on offense and even without Mack, the defense was pretty good until they had to go back and defend short fields on no rest due to the turnovers. Carr actually picked the best defense the Raiders will face this year apart when he didn’t turn the ball over, going 29-40 for 303 yards with no TDs and three picks, including a pick-6. If not for a “bad throw”, “bad decision” and “miscommunication”, the NFL would be saying great things about the Carr and Raiders. Monday night’s collapse wasn’t even a case of the Rams making adjustments. They didn’t do much different in the second half than the first so Carr was not confused. “To be honest, we did some of the same stuff but we executed better in the first half. They tried to do some things a little bit different, but nothing that mattered,” Carr said after the game. “They tried to put different looks for the run game, different looks for the pass game, but nothing that we didn’t prepare for. Some of the things that we did are going to be overlooked by the bad stuff and it sucks. That’s tough. We did a lot of good things, the score doesn’t really dictate what the game was. It’s just a bad feeling. It just sucks P.J. Hall Jersey , man.”It got ugly from the end of the first half to the end of the game and the final score was bad. But Raiders went toe to toe with one of the best teams in the NFL with Carr of all people giving it away. So there’s no reason for anyone to believe they are that bad of team. Gruden and Carr will learn from this and things will need to get better in a hurry.Yeah, like next week in Denver. Raiders NewsHow well has Raiders’ Mike Mayock evaluated interior D-linemen?How well has Raiders GM Mike Mayock evaluated interior defensive linemen?How well has Raiders GM Mike Mayock evaluated edge rushers?How well has Raiders GM Mike Mayock evaluated edge rushers?Derek Carr will rewrite the Oakland Raiders record book in 2019Entering his sixth season as the starting quarterback for the Oakland Raiders, Derek Carr is on the doorstep of rewriting the franchise's record book.Despite optimistic attitude, Derek Carr aware Raiders seek furtherance | NBCS Bay AreaThe Raiders season may be over, but the team is hungrier than ever to make some changes.Jon Gruden, Raiders will coach intriguing wide receivers at Senior Bowl | NBCS Bay AreaRaiders coach Jon Gruden and staff will work with several up close while coaching the North Team at the Senior Bowl.How Raiders can (realistically) improve Derek Carr's supporting cast | NBCS Bay AreaDerek Carr needs help. Jon Gruden needs to find him that help. That's easier said than done. But here are a few ways they can try to make that happen.AFC WestNew Chargers kicker had old connection to Anthony Lynn | SI.comIn his two seasons as the Chargers’ head coach, Anthony Lynn knew how desperately his team needed a reliable kicker. He found one in Michael Badgley, a rookie Lynn didn’t know how well he knew.Patriots-Chargers matchups: Who has the edge? – Boston HeraldAfter enjoying a first-round bye, the Patriots open the playoffs against the L.A. Chargers, the AFC’s fifth-seeded team. Let's take a look at the matchups.Denver Broncos: John Elway explains decision to hire Vic FangioVic Fangio brings discipline and accountability to the Broncos, says general manager John Elway.Vic Fangio: Gary Kubiak’s role with Broncos has not been determinedGary Kubiak's position with the Broncos for 2019 has not been decided yet, according to new coach Vic Fangio.Eric Berry, Sammy Watkins, Spencer Ware of Kansas City Chiefs questionable for playoff gameSammy Watkins and Spencer Ware have practiced on a limited basis for the Chiefs and might play vs. the Colts on Saturday, but Eric Berry has not practiced at all the past two days.Division-champion Chiefs dominate AFC West awards - AFC West- ESPNOur AFC West writers determined the top offensive player, defensive player, coach and rookie from the division this season.NFL NewsNFL drops appeal over dementia claims in concussion caseThe NFL abruptly dropped its plan Wednesday to challenge approved dementia diagnoses in a landmark concussion case as players' lawyers accuse it of trying to delay payments and rewrite the $1 billion settlement.NFL launches Inspire Change initiative as part of social change partnership with playersA new television spot, which showcases NFL owners and players collaborating in the first season of their seven-year, multimillion-dollar partnership, will air this weekend during the divisional playoffs and continue through the Super Bowl.Searching the NFL rulebook for the next confusing call: Five to know - NFL Nation- ESPNStill stunned by Sunday's controversial call in the Eagles-Bears game? We found five more NFL rules that could leave everyone scratching their heads.NFL playoffs: Which team is at biggest risk of divisional-round upset?Only once this decade have all four of the NFL's top seeds advanced to the conference championship game. Who should be on upset alert this weekend?NFL coach hires: What questions still remain after moves?The last week brought resolution on the NFL coaching front, as teams moved quickly to fill vacancies. But there are still questions to be answered.

When the calendar turns from December to January Diontae Johnson Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey , the black-and-gold are usually preparing for the playoffs. Yet here we are...talking about the 2019 NFL Draft and mock drafts.Depending on who you talk to, mock drafts can be both silly, and serious. For me, it is more about the listed needs, than any specific player. However, it does give a glimpse into some players the Steelers may have on their radar, by people who watch a heck of a lot more college football than I do.As we rev up the Mock Draft Monday again for another draft season Diontae Johnson Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey , this mock draft is provided by The Draft Network. While the thought of the Steelers going with another outside linebacker/EDGE rusher might seem crazy, but it isn’t according to the latest mock draft.Take a look at who they have the Steelers taking, and why:20. Pittsburgh SteelersJachai Polite, EDGE, FloridaOn talent alone, Polite deserves to go much higher than this. However, there will be teams that question what kind of a three-down player he is or how well his body might hold up Diontae Johnson Jersey 2019 , and there has even been some whispers that he didn’t make as many friends as he should have in Gainesville among the football staff. But here’s the thing: at the end of the day, talent will win out. The Steelers need speed help off the edge badly. If they get the best of Polite, this would be a home run for talent and fit....If you are like me, you read the above and wonder what this player is actually like. Thankfully at the Draft Network they have several breakdowns of every NFL prospect. Here is what they said about Jachai Polite.PROS: Jachai Polite illustrates flashes of brilliance as a speed rusher. Capable of releasing with suddenness from a two point stance and gaining large amounts of turf in steps two and three in order to gain leverage on the edge. Athletic ability translates beyond short area explosiveness and into lateral mobility and slipping blocks at the point of attack as well. Polite shows understanding of how and when to fold back inside against over-committed blockers and gain penetration into protection.Polite possesses enough length to continue to develop his long arm ability and become a better speed to power rusher. Projecting through rough edges currently, Polite has the necessary physical tools to become a special pass rusher and impact player. There is enough functional strength present to stack up blockers at the point of attack and Polite is effective holding outside contain. Against the running game he can be counted on to execute his primary responsibility.CONS: Jachai Polite currently has too many lulls between the splash plays and will need to focus on further bettering his consistency as a player. Effort and motor are terrific, although seemingly a half-step faster on money downs and when the stakes are highest. Furthermore, Polite would be well served to continue developing his immediate hand counters. Currently too reliant on his first step Diontae Johnson Jersey Youth , Polite can create much more room to slash and penetrate with more proactive attacks with his hands....With all that said, what do you think about the pick? Are you okay with another OLB/EDGE as the team’s first round pick? Or are you someone who is looking at other areas of need? Let us know in the comment section below! The Steelers former backup quarterback attempted to add some clarity to one of the more ridiculous stories of the offseason on Monday."The Pittsburgh Steelers may have waved goodbye to two of the more dramatic players on their roster in the past few weeks, but that has not kept them out of the media after a tweet from a former player claiming Ben Roethlisberger once intentionally fumbled in a game in 2014. Given the absurd nature of the accusation from Joshua Harris, one the former running back admits he is not even sure of himself, we have largely ignored the story at BTSC. Judging by the media storm that erupted on Monday, we were in the minority. But despite the debates on the national sports talks shows and the continual condemnation of Roethlisberger in the press, no one was able to provide a single shred of evidence to support the claim Justin Layne Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey , no matter how the video of the play is interpretation. For those with an axe to grind with the Steelers star quarterback, this latest tale only added fuel to their fire, and Big Ben is a punching bag once again for the hot take crowd. However, there was one person with more intimate knowledge of what happened in that Week 17 matchup who was able to provide some insight, painting a rather different picture than the one Harris suggested. Presumably tired of the accusations surrounding his former teammate, Bruce Gradkowski shared a social media post of his own in an effort to end the conversation about the supposed fumble.The purpose of writing this post is not to add more commentary to a topic that has already received far more attention than it ever deserved, but to provide balance by sharing a video that the national media will likely not mention at all in the coming days.We will leave it up to the readers to decide if a future Hall of Fame quarterback intentionally fumbled in the dying moments of a critical game Pittsburgh needed to win to clinch the division title over their closest rival for that crown Justin Layne Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey , or if a running back who spent five games on an NFL active roster has a flawed perspective of what happened on that play.

the Raiders were faced with the tough choice to sign Richie Incognito last week. The always-in-trouble offensive lineman is set to compete for the starting..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteSilver And Black Pridean Oakland Raiders communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsRaidersOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Raiders StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Raiders NewsYahoo Raiders Team PageYahoo Raiders ReportYahoo Raiders Depth ChartYahoo Raiders TransactionsYahoo Raiders PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Raiders Film Room: Does Richie Incognito’s on-field talent outweigh his off-field risks?New Tank Carradine Jersey ,73commentsPDTShareTweetShareShareRaiders Film Room: Does Richie Incognito’s on-field talent outweigh his off-field risks?Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsIn order to bolster the offensive line the Raiders were faced with the tough choice to sign Richie Incognito last week. The always-in-trouble offensive lineman is set to compete for the starting left guard position along with Denzelle Good who was added late last season. Incognito brings a considerable amount of off-field and lockerroom concerns and suggests the lack of depth on the offensive line was a serious enough problem for the Raiders to even consider adding the lineman. Purely from an on-field perspective, however, Incognito’s addition does make sense. More than anything he’s a fit in Tom Cable’s zone running scheme and has the potential to ease the drop in production due to the departure of Kelechi Osemele. Here is a look at what the 4-time Pro Bowl guard does well and some of his limitations.Pass protectionIncognito shows great awareness on the field. He has a feel for defensive line stunts in both the run and pass game. This tackle-end twist in the clip above not only shows his feel for the game but his ability to violently finish the play. From 2015-2017 Incognito made the Pro-Bowl 3 consecutive seasons.In 2017 he ranked 5th among guards in pass blocking efficiency according to Pro Football Focus who credited him with allowing only 2.0 sacks and 2 pressures all season. Two things that Incognito does so well in pass protection are punching the defender and mirroring his rush to keep him off the quarterback. He has formidable upper body strength and has clearly shown that once he gets his hands on a defensive lineman its over. He backs that up with nimble footwork for a 320lb man. The two clips above show him perfectly timing his initial punch and then moving his feet to keep his body between the rusher and the quarterback. As pointed out above Incognito only gave up 2.0 sacks and 2 pressures in 2017. Each of these negative plays had a common theme however and it was a result of Incognito missing his initial punch. This play against Kansas City interior defender Chris Jones is one such example. We see Incognito take an angle set before whiffing on the defensive tackle. Credit him with his change of direction ability to recover make a last ditch effort but this play still goes down as a pressure.Run blockingRun blocking is the area where the Raiders should get the most out of Incognito. The play above is an outside zone “pin and pull” scheme where the TE blocks down on the defensive tackle allowing Incognito to pull around and up into the second level. First you have to notice Incognito’s excellent agility again, this time being used in the run game. Second when he gets to the second level he tosses the linebacker aside creating a huge hole for his running back. Incognito was widely considered one of the best pulling guards in all of football for the past several years.The play above is another type of outside zone but instead of pulling Incognito’s job is to execute a “reach block” on the defensive tackle lined up on his outside shoulder. This means that the guard will start the play with his head inside of the defender, work laterally to the left, and end up with his head outside the defender. This requires not only great technique but you guessed it, footwork and agility to pull off. In the 2017 game against the Broncos Incognito had his way with Derek Wolfe and owned him all game.This is another zone concept but this time it’s inside zone to the right. Incognito’s responsibility is to help the center with the nose tackle before moving upfield to block the second level linebacker. We see Incognito deliver a jolting blow to the nose tackle before heading upfield and engulfing new Raiders linebacker Brandon Marshall driving him 10 yards downfield. Too bad the fullback missed his block otherwise LeSean McCoy would have had a running lane right behind the new Raiders guard.Incognito isn’t flawless in the run game. Here he allows a tackle for a loss. First thing is his pad level is too high and we can see the guard’s head is clearly higher than the man he is blocking when they collide. Secondly his hands should be inside the defenders arms. Instead the defensive tackle is able to land the inside hand throwing Incognito’s arm into the air. Interestingly enough Incognito can struggle in a “gap scheme” where he has to one-on-one block a defensive tackle and drive the defender off the ball like the play above. Zone schemes tend to work on angles and out-leveraging defenders with double teams and lateral movement. Gap schemes are more like sumo wrestling where an offensive lineman has to beat the defender with brute strength (and of course technique).Bonehead playsThis play where Incognito gets called for holding against Von Miller is just to show you the guard has a tendency to get grabby when he loses balance. Incognito has a reputation for dirty play Rashaan Melvin Jersey , taking the top spot in 2009 Sporting New’s survey of NFL players who voted on the leagues dirtiest player. He can also simply lack discipline and make poor decisions on the field. While he has improved since the beginning of his career in terms of penalties his track record is still not great. In his last 3 seasons of playing professional football Incognito was the:12th most penalized guard in 20156th most penalized guard in 20169th most penalized guard in 2017You figure there will be around 70-75 guards starting in the the NFL in any given season (factoring in injuries on top the the 2x32=64). For the new Raider to be in the top 15% or worse of penalized linemen is a troubling statistic. ConclusionPurely looking at football Incognito is a clear fit for the Raiders. His stellar play in zone blocking schemes is obviously what made the Raiders think his potential benefit outweighed the risk his personality brings to the organization.From a non-football standpoint however Raiders fans know too well the potential risk, having lived through the story of Barrett Robbins, the center who suffered from mental health issues (much like Incognito) and had a major episode prior to Super Bowl XXXVII. All Raiders fans can do now is hope Incognito doesn’t add to his long list of discrepancies during his time as a Raider. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Derek Carr rolled to his right, felt pressure from Melvin Ingram and threw the ball at the feet of Jalen Richard when no one was open.The problem for the Oakland Raiders was that play came on fourth down.Far more went into the fifth straight loss for the Raiders than that one botched play in the fourth quarter of a 20-6 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, but it was symbolic of how frustrating things have become for the Raiders. "We had a play designed for Jalen versus their coverage and they just covered it well," Carr said. "I wish I had a better answer but they did. Stuff happens."Plenty of bad has happened to the Raiders this season in the first year of Jon Gruden's second stint as coach of the franchise. Star pass rusher Khalil Mack was traded a week before the start of the season Daryl Worley Jersey , No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper was dealt away last month and the losses keep mounting.The Raiders (1-8) are off to the third-worst start in franchise history, trailing only the 0-10 mark in Carr's rookie season of 2014 and an 0-13 mark in 1962 — one year before Al Davis joined the franchise as coach and then owner."This will be a year that a lot of us will never forget," Gruden said. "It's painful. It's really hard. It's painful. It's going to be hard to sleep again, hard to get up in the morning."The stretch the Raiders are currently on is as bad as any they've had in 59 seasons as a professional team. They have lost five straight by at least 14 points for the first time ever and are one 14-point loss shy of tying the single-season record for the most by any team since the merger.Oakland has been outscored 75-9 in the past nine quarters and was held without a TD in consecutive games for the first time since 2012.About the only thing left this season is determining whether the Raiders will have the No. 1 pick in next year's draft."Every day we go out there we give it our all," rookie defensive tackle Maurice Hurst said. "We don't prepare the way we do to tank. That's annoying to hear from fans. It's disrespectful."This game didn't start off as poorly as the last few for the Raiders. They drove down to the 1 on the opening drive, thanks in part to a 42-yard run by punter Johnny Townsend on a fake.Gruden went for it on fourth down and called for a shovel pass to receiver Dwayne Harris who was going in motion across the formation. But Derwin James read the play and stopped it for no gain."That play should be second-guessed because it didn't work," Gruden said. "But that wasn't the plan. That wasn't the plan."The Raiders were outgaining the Chargers 165-6 early in the second quarter when they faced a third down at the 21 Martavis Bryant Jersey , leading 3-0. Melvin Ingram then beat Kelechi Osemele off the line and came in unblocked for a strip sack that set up the Chargers' first score and turned the tide of the game.That was one of four sacks taken by Carr, whose 28 sacks are the fourth most by a Raiders QB through nine games and three shy of his career worst.Los Angeles then scored TDs on the final possession of the first half and the first of the second half, and the Raiders were forced to play catch-up to no avail.They settled for another field goal on a red-zone trip before Carr's throwaway in the fourth quarter ended their third red-zone possession without a touchdown."When we are down there, we just got to get in and score touchdowns," Richard said. "That's the only way you can win this game. There is only so many teams that you are going to be able to beat by just kicking field goals."

Terrell Edmunds Jersey , including scheduling and the draft."Compiling statistics can take hours upon hours in order to find the proper numbers. To save you the trouble, here are some of the best statistics about the Steelers from the past week. I will begin with a few statistics of my own before going on to other various Steeler sources. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @STLRSuperFanDad in order to get some of BTSC’s geekiest stats. Here is a highlight of the past several “Stat Geek” segments from the Steelers Preview Podcast:Ben Roethlisberger (216) is only four games away from tying in Mike Webster (220) for the most games played as a Steeler. Currently Hines Ward is second at 217 games.The last first round draft pick of the Steelers who was coming off of their senior year of college was Bud Dupree in 2015. Of Kevin Colbert’s 20 first round draft picks since 2000, 13 have been underclassmen.Benny Snell Jr is the first running back drafted in the fourth round by the Steelers in the Kevin Colbert era. No wide receiver has been drafted in the fifth round under Colbert.The only players drafted by the Steelers who are currently on the roster and have appeared in every game since being drafted are Terrell Edmunds (2018) and Artie Burns (2016).The most distant Steelers draft where more than one player is still on the roster is 2014 with Ryan Shazier (PUP) Ryan Shazier Jersey , Stephon Tuitt, and Daniel McCullers.The oldest first round draft pick of the Steelers in the Kevin Colbert era was Casey Hampton in 2001 who was 24 years old at the time of the draft.The highest drafted punter in Steelers history was Craig Colquitt in 1978 chosen in round 3 pick 76.Now on to some other Steelers stats over the past several weeks: The Pittsburgh Steelers could be shorted handed at cornerback and along the offensive line on Sunday after Marcus Gilbert was designated as doubtful and both Artie Burns and Coty Sensabaugh were listed as questionable in the final injury report of the week. While the inclusion of Burns may come as something of a surprise, an ankle injury suffered in training on Friday has put his status in serious jeopardy for Week 9. Although the availability of Sensabaugh is equally in question Maurkice Pouncey Jersey , it was at least encouraging to note that he was a full participant in the team’s final practice having been limited the day before and held out altogether on Wednesday.Gilbert began the week as a full participant, but has been downgraded every day since then. From limited on Thursday to out on Friday, his doubtful designation for Sunday means that Matt Feiler will start in his place once again. No player listed as questionable this year on the final injury report has suited up on game day and it seems likely that Cam Sutton will be starting at cornerback against the Baltimore Ravens Cameron Heyward Jersey , with Brian Allen acting as his backup. Mike Hilton may also see snaps on the outside as well.An illness that kept Cam Heyward out of team’s final practice session is not expected to prevent him from playing on Sunday. Given Bud Dupree was forced to miss a day of training with an illness earlier in the week, it seems safe to assume that Heyward is dealing with the same bug. If the Steelers are struggling with injuries at cornerback, the Ravens have some notable concerns along the offensive line. Both starting tackles have already been ruled out of the contest Ben Roethlisberger Jersey , while guards Bradley Bozeman and Alex Lewis are both questionable for the game. Newly acquired running back Ty Montgomery may get to play sooner than expect with Alex Collins also questionable.

that the Raiders did not sign a free-agent linebacker Hunter Renfrow Jersey 2019 , one of the biggest positions of need, during the first wave of free agency. But that could be changing soon, as the..."It escaped nobody’s notice that the Raiders did not sign a free-agent linebacker, one of the biggest positions of need, during the first wave of free agency. But that could be changing soon, as the team is hosting several of them and has interest in others.Te’o played sparingly last year Cheap Hunter Renfrow Jersey , falling behind some of the Saints’ talented young linebackers in their depth chart. He has dealt with injuries throughout his stints with the Chargers and Saints, but has been a reliable run-stuffing MLB when on the field.Aaron Lynch was drafted by the 49ers out of South Florida in 2014, and he had 14 sacks in his first three seasons with San Francisco. He joined the Chicago Bears, where he has three sacks as a backup to edge rushers Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd. When given a starting role, Lynch does have plenty of ability to get to the quarterback.Marshall, not to be confused with the receiver of the same name Josh Jacobs Oakland Raiders Jersey , is a linebacker out of Nevada who has spent seven years with the Jaguars and Broncos, and was a member of the Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50. In 2017 he led Denver with 106 tackles and had three sacks. The Broncos declined his option for 2019, making him a free agent. Marshall has been a strong playmaker and a stalwart on one of the best defenses in the NFL for years, and would be an excellent veteran option for the Raiders at this point.The Raiders have plenty of options and money to spend, so look for them to add a new linebacker sooner than later.UPDATE:Cassius Marsh also visited today, and he’s a guy I thought should have a lot more interest than he’s gotten so far. Even if all these guys have left without any reported deals Josh Jacobs Oakland Raiders Jersey , don’t be surprised if the Raiders sign one of them in the coming days. They apparently do not mean to leave the edge position to just rookie draft picks. SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Nick Mullens will make his NFL debut as the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers against the Oakland Raiders.The 49ers said Mullens will start Thursday night against Oakland after C.J. Beathard injured his right wrist last week. Beathard was unable to do much all week in practice, but will serve as the backup for the game against the Raiders.Mullens joined the 49ers as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi last year. He spent all of 2017 on the practice squad and then got called up to the active roster in September when starter Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a season-ending knee injury. Mullens has not taken an NFL snap and has worked mostly with the scout team in practice before this week.The players who are inactive for San Francisco are safeties Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder) and Antone Exum (concussion); linebacker Reuben Foster (hamstring); offensive linemen Erik Magnuson and Shon Coleman; receiver Trent Taylor and defensive tackle Jullian Taylor.The Raiders will have left guard Kelechi Osemele after he missed three games with a knee injury. The inactive players for Oakland are cornerback Rashaan Melvin; linebackers James Cowser and Shilique Calhoun; offensive linemen T.J. Clemmings (knee), Justin Murray and Denver Kirkland; and receiver Marcell Ateman.The Niners also made several roster moves before the game. They activated safety Marcell Harris and linebacker Dekoda Watson from injured reserve to fill open spots on the active roster. They also promoted cornerback Emmanuel Moseley from the practice squad and waived quarterback Tom Savage.San Francisco also signed receiver Victor Bolden Jr. and defensive back Greg Mabin to the practice squad and released receiver Aaron Burbridge from the practice squad.

Cowboys news: Reactions to the Amari Cooper trade Well Amari Cooper Color Rush Jersey , that was an eventful Monday. We’ve got all the reactions from the day’s events. The Cowboys Had to Overpay to Get Amari Cooper From the Raiders - Danny Heifetz, The RingerDid the Cowboys overpay for Cooper? Cowboys acquiring WR Amari Cooper from Raiders - Nick Shook, NFL.comMany opinions are that the trade decision was driven by both a weak NFC East and an increasingly hot seat for head coach Jason Garrett. Amari Cooper Traded to Cowboys from Raiders for 1st-Round Pick - Kyle Newport, Bleacher ReportSome insights on Cooper the player. The Cowboys’ trade for Amari Cooper signals a sense of desperation – Calvin Watkins https://www.dallascowboysfanshop.com/Roger-Staubach-Jersey , The AthleticWatkins gives us his insider thoughts, including some interesting quotes from last week by the Cowboys’ leadership. The Morning After: Cowboys have too many problems with few solutions in sight – Bob Sturm, The AthleticThe Sturminator weighs in with his usual lengthy recap of Sunday’s loss to the Redskins. Audibles at the Line: Week 7 - Staff, Football OutsidersEach week the Football Outsider’s staff provides live commentary on the games as they unfold. They reacted like most of us to how the Cowboys’ handled the final seconds. Jason Garrett still hasn’t learned from his mistakes - Steven Ruiz https://www.dallascowboysfanshop.com/Tony-Dorsett-Jersey , ForTheWinThe criticism of Jason Garrett is only increasing and it’s understandable why. Another opinion finds the head coach’s decisions wanting. Cowboys upset over controversial penalty in loss to Redskins - Tom Schad, USATodayLost amid Monday’s news is the fact the Cowboys were yet again victimized by the rare application of an obscure rule called under dubious circumstances. Cowboys admit WR committee was a mistake; hope Cooper is a No. 1 - Todd Archer, ESPNChronicling how the Cowboys’ front office finally came to their conclusion. Jason Garrett is still on the clock all these years later - Todd Archer, ESPNThe ESPN report also chimes in regarding Garrett’s perpetual conservatism and how it’s holding the team back. Washington left tackle Trent Williams was transported to a local hospital after the team’s loss to the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. He walked onto the ambulance under his own power. Williams told teammate Ryan Anderson he was “OK Randy White Jersey ,” according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington.Washington listed Williams as questionable with a broken and dislocated thumb that had kept him out of the past two games. He left Thursday’s game in the second half and was replaced by Ty Nsekhe, but the team made no announcement about Williams’ injury or his condition, and he did return the next series.There appeared to be no urgency as Williams walked onto the ambulance. Sherree Burruss of NBC Washington reports that it appeared a paramedic inside was tending to the right side of Williams’ body.UPDATE 10:06 P.M. ET: The team said Williams was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post reports that Williams got hit in the chest on the play he departed.

KANSAS CITY Reggie Ragland Jersey , Mo. (AP) — It's the dead of winter, meaning the weather in New England can be brutal. And that the Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl.It took them overtime and more of Tom Brady's brilliance to get there — for the third straight year. While the folks back home dealt with a frigid storm, Brady blew through Kansas City's exhausted defense on a 75-yard drive to Rex Burkhead's 2-yard touchdown run in a 37-31 victory Sunday for the AFC championship.The drive, during which New England (13-5) had three third-down conversions, was reminiscent of when the Patriots beat Atlanta in the only Super Bowl to go to OT two years ago. "Overtime, on the road against a great team," Brady said. "They had no quit. Neither did we. We played our best football at the end. I don't know, man, I'm tired. That was a hell of a game."Awaiting them in Atlanta are the Los Angeles Rams, who won 26-23 in overtime in New Orleans for the NFC championship. The Rams (15-3) last made the Super Bowl in 2002 while based in St. Louis, losing to the Patriots.New England benefited from two critical replay reviews and made its ninth Super Bowl with Brady at quarterback and Bill Belichick as coach."This is crazy," said Brady, who was 30 of 46 for 348 yards. "What a game."It's the first time both conference title games went to OT. The last time both visitors won conference championship matches was 2012; New England was 3-5 on the road this season."We knew what our record was, but we didn't let that dictate us," said defensive end Trey Flowers, who led a staunch charge on Patrick Mahomes. "Whatever happened in the regular season happened. We came out and did it when it counted."Several times, the Patriots appeared to have it won, only to see Kansas City (13-5) come back in spectacular fashion.Brady, at 41 already the oldest quarterback to have played in a Super Bowl, drove New England 65 yards in 1:24 to Burkhead's go-ahead 4-yard touchdown with 39 seconds left in regulation. That was enough, though, for his far younger counterpart, the 23-year-old All-Pro Mahomes, to take the Chiefs 48 yards to Harrison Butker's 39-yard field goal with 8 seconds left to force overtime.It was a sizzling offensive showing in the fourth quarter after defense had been in charge most of the way. Indeed, the Chiefs were blanked in the opening half for the first time all season.And they never saw the ball in overtime, which along with the two replay decisions might call into play NFL rules and officiating."I thought if we got the chance," Mahomes said, "we'd score."Mahomes finished 16 of 31 for 295 yards and three touchdowns.New England became the third franchise to reach three Super Bowls in a row. And Belichick now has 30 postseason victories, more than Bill Walsh and Don Shula combined. That Hall of Fame coaching duo also won five Super Bowls; Belichick shoots for No. 6 in two weeks.An apparent muff by the usually reliable Julian Edelman on a fourth-quarter punt return was overturned by a lengthy video review, prompting raucous booing and some demonstrative arguing from the usually laid-back Andy Reid. Edelman definitely touched his next try when Brady's pass deflected off his hands directly to safety Daniel Sorensen. His 22-yard return set up Kansas City at the Patriots 23, and Damien Williams, who scored three times, had no defender near him down the left sideline for the score that made it 21-17, KC's first lead.Back came Brady, engineering a 75-yard march on which Chris Hogan's diving one-handed catch on third down appeared to touch the ground. Reid challenged — and lost.Minutes later, rookie Sony Michel scored from the 10, his second TD of the night.With 3½ minutes remaining, there was plenty of time for more points. Williams' 2-yard run gave the Chiefs a 28-24 edge that New England took up most of the remaining time overcoming. The Patriots were helped by an offside call on linebacker Dee Ford that negated an interception which would have clinched a KC victory.Butker's field goal sent it to overtime."We put ourselves in position to win the game, that's what makes it so tough," Reid said. "If it's a rout, you chalk it up to experience. But this one right here Dee Ford Color Rush Jersey , where you're in it to win it, that's a tough deal. We gave ourselves every opportunity to do it, and they got us in overtime."The Chiefs hadn't been blanked in any half this season, but they barely were a presence in the first 30 minutes, when they had the ball for 8:53. Mahomes was sacked three times for 43 yards; Kansas City's record-setting attack ran only 16 plays and gained a mere 32 yards.The zero disappeared quickly in the third quarter. Finally given solid protection, Mahomes unleashed a 54-yard completion to Sammy Watkins over All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore. He then hit another All-Pro, tight end Travis Kelce, on a slant to make it 14-7 — and awaken the slumbering crowd.But one of several bad decisions further damaged Kansas City when Tyreek Hill, the All-Pro flex player, retreated deep in Chiefs territory returning a punt. Eventually, KC had to punt and the Patriots had excellent field position, setting up a 47-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski.Not one to be shy about innovation, Mahomes completely sidearmed a throw to Watkins for 10 yards on a third down, then a dump-off to Williams covered 33. Kelce drew a pass interference call on J.C. Jackson in the end zone, and Mahomes threw a strike to Williams for the score.Although the Chiefs were on their heels much of the night, they were down only 17-14.LOPSIDED FIRST HALFJust as they did last week in manhandling the Chargers early and cruising, the Patriots delivered a message — and a touchdown — on their first series. It was a classic, covering 80 yards in 15 plays and using up more than eight minutes. Michel, who had 113 yards rushing, scored from the 1.But Brady made a rare mistake on the next dominant drive. His third-down pass from the 1 for Rob Gronkowski was short and Reggie Ragland picked it off.Brady had never thrown an interception from the 1.When the Chiefs finally got a trademark big play on Mahomes' 42-yard completion to Hill, it went for naught. Mahomes overthrew a wide-open Williams near the end zone, then took a 14-yard sack to send KC out of field goal range.Big mistake.The Patriots kept dominating the line of scrimmage, Brady took them 90 yards and connected with Phillip Dorsett over sloppy coverage by Steven Nelson to make it 14-0 with 27 seconds left in the half.STATSIn Week 6, the Patriots beat the Chiefs 43-40 in a game featuring 946 yards total offense. This one had 814. … New England has played in eight straight AFC title games, but this is its first road playoff win since the 2006 season vs. San Diego. … Brady matched former Patriots K Adam Vinatieri, now with the Colts, for the most wins in NFL history (236). … Kansas City's defense tied for first in the NFL with 52 sacks, but had none on Sunday. New England had four.COIN TOSSReid's decision to defer after winning the opening coin toss proved unwise as New England had 22 plays in the opening period, and Kansas City had seven. Then, the Chiefs lost the more important toss before overtime. Less than five minutes later, they were headed to the offseason.UP NEXTThe Patriots head to Atlanta to play the Rams in the Super Bowl. Thanks to the Christmas holiday, we’re combining Week 17’s pundit power rankings (typically published on Tuesdays) with our Wednesday True Power Rankings.It would have been perfectly reasonable to expect that the Chiefs — after losing to the Los Angeles Chargers in primetime a week ago Thursday and following that with a 38-31 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in front of another national audience on Sunday night — would have fallen dramatically in the eyes of the national writers.But if watching Die Hard is one of your Christmas traditions, you’ve already been reminded: It’s Christmas, Theo. It’s the time of miracles.And we seem to have a fully-formed Christmas miracle on our hands: the Chiefs have held steady with the pundits.Pundit Power Rankings for Week 17Chiefs AFC West Teams Other AFC TeamsHere's what the pundits we're tracking said about the Chiefs this week:ESPN (3rd from 3rd)NFL.com (Elliot Harrison - 4th from 3rd)Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer - 4th from 3rd)Yahoo! Sports (Frank Schwab - 4th from 2nd)CBS Sports (Pete Prisco - 3rd from 4th)USA Today (Nate Davis - 5th from 5th)Other power rankings we noticed this week:Bleeding Green Nation (Brandon Lee Gowton — 9th from 3rd) Andy Reid’s team is just 2-3 in their last five games. One of those wins was a narrow overtime victory over Baltimore. Another was just a seven-point difference over Oakland. Missing Kareem Hunt hurts. And the defense is a problem.Mile High Report (Pete Baron — 8th from 5th) Oh, how the once mighty have fallen. I just don’t get it, KC. I thought this was the year you didn’t pull the usual tank job in December and then January. Sure, January has yet to happen, but damn! You do realize that in order to stop getting the history thrown in your face like a drink after using a lame pick up line, you gotta actually do something to change it, right?Washington Post (Mark Maske — 8th from 5th) Nothing was really lost, at least not yet https://www.thechiefsfanshop.com/Eric-Berry-Jersey , with the defeat Sunday night in Seattle. The Chiefs still can wrap up the AFC’s top seed with a win Sunday at home over the Raiders. But it doesn’t appear that this team is peaking as the postseason nears. The Chiefs will enter the AFC playoffs appearing vulnerable, even if they win Sunday.NBC Sports Pro Football Talk (Mike Florio — 5th from 3rd) Even with the MVP on the roster, this team seems to be too flawed to get to the Super Bowl.Houston Chronicle (John McClain — 5th from 3rd) Even though the Chiefs lost at Seattle, a victory over Oakland at Arrowhead Stadium will give them home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs.It’s not that the pundits are blind to the faults the Chiefs have exposed in recent weeks — based on their comments, they see these clearly — but as we have seen several times this season, they think the faults of other teams (particularly the Chargers and Texans) are worse.After ranking them ahead of the Chiefs for the first time since Week 1, the pundits savaged the Chargers, dropping them to sixth place after their 22-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night.I’ll be honest: that wouldn’t have been my take.I watched the Chargers-Ravens game in its entirety, and the Chargers’ 12-point loss was deceptive.With just under three minutes to go, it was clear the Chargers were about to do exactly what the Chiefs had done to the Ravens two weeks ago: hand them a narrow loss in a relatively low-scoring game.But then Antonio Gates fumbled, the Ravens returned it for a touchdown, and suddenly the game was over.Was the Chargers’ loss to the Ravens worse than the Chiefs’ loss to the Seahawks?In my mind, it wasn’t.The Chargers lost their game on a single play, while the Chiefs lost their game on multiple plays.This week, it’s almost as if some kind of bizarre selective recency bias is taking place with the pundits: they’ve already forgotten that the Chargers beat the Chiefs just a week ago, and used the way the two teams played the Ravens to justify ranking the Chiefs above the Chargers.This kind of thinking would seem to violate every argument we’ve ever seen pundits use to justify their rankings.Or... maybe the pundits are simply feeling so guilty about ignoring the Seahawks — and the very fine season Russell Wilson has had in 2018 — that they couldn’t bring themselves to downgrade the Chiefs for their loss.The fact that the Seahawks made the top tier of teams for the first time all season might lend some credence to that theory.Or... maybe the pundits simply saw the amazing throws Patrick Mahomes continues to make and were reminded how they consider quarterback play to be among the most important facets of the game.But as you’ll see, the number-crunchers had no such crises of conscience.Cruncher Power Rankings for Week 17Chiefs AFC West Teams Other AFC TeamsThe Chiefs held steady in all the data-based models except SRS, and remain in second place with the number-crunchers.Hmmm.Well, maybe the pundits had some idea what they were talking about after all.As we see here, the data-based models (except DVOA) gave the Chargers a similar hit for their loss this week.We even see that Elo has now caught up with the rest of the models, and counts the Ravens among the league’s best teams — just as the pundits did.Which brings us — as always — to this week’s True Power Rankings.True Power Rankings for Week 17Chiefs AFC West Teams Other AFC TeamsSince the Chiefs held steady with both the pundits and the crunchers, it’s therefore no surprise that they remain in third place in this week’s combined rankings.There aren’t a lot of big movers in the combined rankings.The biggest difference between the pundits and the crunchers is the Miami Dolphins, a team that is ranked 10 spots higher by the pundits.But this is hardly new.As we see here, when compared to the crunchers, the pundits have been overvaluing the Dolphins since about halfway through the season.The big spike with the pundits (of course) followed the Dolphins’ last-second victory over the New England Patriots in Week 14.It’s hard to blame the pundits for being excited about that, but the following week’s beatdown by the Minnesota Vikings — and this week’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars — brought most of the pundits back to Planet Earth.Interestingly, though, both of the poll-based pundit rankings — ESPN and MMQB — still see the Dolphins are an average team.And now, here’s your weekly reality check.Cruncher Grades for Week 17Chiefs AFC West Teams Other AFC TeamsAs we have seen for a number of weeks now, five or six teams (including the Chiefs) remained grouped at the top, a handful of teams are clustered at the bottom, and there’s a whole-lotta-mediocre going on in between.Put any of these top teams against each other on a neutral field, and it would be very hard to reliably pick a winner.The playoffs promise to be interesting.Snark of the weekDidn’t see a lot of first-quality clever snark from the pundits this week, so we’ll close with a trio of comments about the Denver Broncos — just because we can.Mile High Report’s Pete Baron surely didn’t think we’d let the Broncos off the hook easily after his comments this week about the Chiefs!Nate Davis, USA TodayVinnie Iyer, Sporting NewsMark Maske, Washington PostJust one week to go.Let’s enjoy the Week 17 games, and on Tuesday, we’ll start the New Year with our final round of calculations.